AN- Just a small story while I try and finish up the second chapter of Earthquake. I've had it writtin up for quite a while. Just something for you to read in the mean time. - Oh yes, ONE SHOT!

More notes, this is NOT a yaoi. Its a brotherly, friendshippy fic! Nice reviews would be muchly appreciated!

Diclaimer: Yugioh does not belong to me! This plot does though! XD

"Cease your squirmings, will you boy? You're making this more painfull than it has to be..."

Ryou merely whimpered again in response, shifting away from Bakura's fingers. He gasped as the movement agitated the deep knife wound on his left side and chest.

The Yami growled under his breath and forced him to hold still again. "Where did you get this injury?"

Strangling a yelp as Bakura finally managed to start cleaning the wound, Ryou choked out an answer, "Burcan's gang. I guess I didn't move fast enough." He sighed softly at the memories of the evening that had just past into night. He didn't want to remember the feel of the knife as he was slashed viciously. He had tried to defend himself, he really had, but truthfully, he wasn't physically strong. He had more strength of mind and heart. He guessed that he had been incredibly lucky that Bakura knew how to deal with this sort of people.

Bakura ran his fingers along the cut gently before pausing and raising his head to give Ryou a narrow eyed glare, "This would have killed you if not for the fact that even you, fool that you are, have at least some reflexes..."

"A-and I suppose that-" he choked a cry of pain as Bakura began to bind the wound tightly, "Coming f-from you that's a c-complement."

Bakura's eyes flicked over to his for a moment, "Of course," he shoved a wad of bandage in his light's mouth, "Bite on that, it'll help."

Ryou could only nod as his screams and cried of pain were moffled by the make-shift gag, even through this, Bakura was being remarkebly gently, well, as gently as he could get, and that wasn't very. It wasn't that he was actively trying to injure the boy further however, he couldn't have that. He avoided endangering Ryou nowadays as a general rule.

"What did you do to povoke this attack then?" Bakura asked as he finally finished wrapping the bandages around the wound tightly, fighting not to wince at the boy's pained expression. Truth be told, he had been as gentle as he possibly could, the boy had already suffered enough. But he was not going to allow the wound to get infected or such like. That would be more dangerous to the boy than anything he could possibly think of at the moment. He removed the gag carefully as an after thought, having almost forgotten about it.

Ryou rested himself for a moment before finding the strength to answer the ancient Eqyptian theif, "I-I guess they thought that by walking through the park I was being somewhere I shouldn't be."

Bakura scowled, "That's hardly an excuse for this, bit I digress. After his brother Ushio's prompt and rather abrupt entrance into prison," he paused to smirk and close his eyes thoughtfully, "he felt the need to take revenge, unfortuanately, I am not going to let him get away with harming you."

"But Yami! You already set your Man-Eater Bug on him," he shuddered at the memory, "Isn't that enough? I'm fine!"

Bakura shot him a disdainful look. "Prove it to me, fool, and then perhaps I'll relent..."

Painstakingly, Ryou rolled onto his side and pushed himself off his bed and onto the floor, standing up shakily and swaying. He was upright for barely 10 seconds before his legs gave way and he crumpled to the ground.

"Dolt!" Bakura cried, jumping forward and catching him smoothly before he hit the ground, "You should not have attempted that!" he carried Ryou back to the bed and laid him down on it carefully.

"Why not!? I don't want you hurting anybody, Yami!" Ryou shot back, his chocolate brown eyes plagued with worry and so many other emotions. He always felt guilty when Yami Bakura's actions harmed somebody, even if it was in simple retaliation rather than one of his world domination plots.

Bakura kept his face emotionless, however, refusing to let his other know what he was thinking, "If it keeps your mouth shut and if it will stop you from injuring yourself further," his eyes darkened as he glanced away, "I shall let this go for now."

Ryou stared at his face in shock and surprise, "Really?" he gasped.

Bakura turned to send him a glare, "Yes. This time. Do not expect it again."

Ryou nodded, "Okay." Suddenly he winced and tried to curl in on himself, "Ow... ow..."

Putting a hand on his vessels shoulder, Bakura forced him to lie still. Moving swiftly with years of practice, he pressed his hand over the wound firmly, closing his eyes to further his concentration. After a moment, the pain dulled dramatically, leaving the area around it feeling numb. Bakura backed off at length and returned to keeping his visual over the now unconcious teenager.

No matter how many times Bakura denied it to himself, he was only lying whenever he said that he only looked after his vessel because of the boy's body being needed in order to complete his plans . Deep down, he knew that if anything happened to Ryou, he would never forgive himself.

And never is an awful long time.

END!