I have deathshipping! This was originally a oneshot, but then I started writing it and I got to 4000 words and wasn't even a quarter of the way through. So it is now chaptered. ^_^

This, as all my deathshipping seems to be, is for Miss Macabre Grey. She asked for deathshipping every week, and she calls me a demanding wench. XD Ryo I am spelling Grey's way, because I think she would kill me if I didn't, even though Ryou with the u is actually far more appealing to me – I just find it more aesthetically pleasing. But, when I am writing for Grey, her wish is my command, so Ryo it is. ^_^ Anyway, I hope you enjoy this first chapter! - Jem

"Bakura! What have you done now?!"

Ryo shouted up the stairs, one hand on his forehead, the other clutching the banister as he sucked in a breath. His brother had gone too far this time. Ryo could usually cope with the eccentric behaviour of his sibling, but when he entered their living room to find a mess of newspaper on the floor, accompanied by random strips of cloth and his brother's second-favourite blade, Ryo found it a bit too much. Especially after he checked the kitchen to find the cupboards empty. Still.

"Bakura!" Ryo shouted again, his grip tightening around the banister. "Get down here now!"

There was a loud thump, followed by a series of muffled slaps until Bakura finally appeared at the top of the stairs, his hair the usual mess and his gaze sharp and unforgiving. "What the hell is your problem?"

Ryo glared right back at him. "Sort out whatever it is that you thought it was ok to do in the middle of the living room, and then go to the shop. We have no food in."

Bakura snorted. "Can't. I need that stuff, and I'm busy." He turned to disappear back into his room, but Ryo was up the stairs in seconds, his smaller form dodging around his brother and blocking his path along the landing. Ryo's brown eyes were dangerously dark as he turned them on Bakura, his arms outstretched and his forehead creased.

"Get back down those stairs, now," Ryo hissed, "And clean up the room."

Bakura lifted a brow. "I'll be going back down there in a second, because I haven't finished with it. Whilst I'm busy with that, you can go to the shop. Now get out of my way."

"No." Ryo dropped his arms though, rubbing small circles into his forehead and staring at his brother through his fingertips. "What are you even doing in there?"

"Making a costume." Bakura didn't even blink.

Well, Ryo certainly hadn't been expecting that. He drew back a step, dropping his hands so that he could look Bakura up and down. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "...Costume? You? ... What on earth would you need a costume for?"

"There's no need to look like that," Bakura snapped. "I've been staking a place out, but they spotted me today. I'm going to need something to hide my hair. What did you think I needed it for?"

"...Oh." Ryo couldn't hold back a cheeky grin. "I don't know. Drag queen, maybe?" With a bright laugh, Ryo dodged Bakura's lunge, sidestepping his outstretched hand and tripping back down the stairs.

Bakura glowered down at him. "For that, you can go to the shop."

Ryo's expression immediately hardened. "It's your turn."

"You." Bakura growled, taking one step closer with each syllable, "Go. To. The. Shop. Before I gut you."

"I always have to go..."

"Just go!" Bakura hollered, and Ryo actually took a step back at the force behind his tone. The brothers held each other's gazes for a long moment, Bakura's furious, Ryo's defiant, before the younger finally gave in with an exaggerated huff.

"Fine!" Ryo hissed, turning his back on Bakura and angrily grabbing his keys. "Is there enough money in the account for me to pay by card?"

Bakura thought for a moment, his brow creasing. "There should be, if that idiot from last week ever got around to transferring what he owes me. If he hasn't, then he's due another visit..."

Ryo grimaced at that. Whilst he accepted that his brother's rather shady deals were the only way Bakura would contribute to their living expenses, Ryo would still really rather that his brother's methods were a bit more legal. Sensing Bakura's searching gaze, Ryo made a point of sighing loudly. "I suppose I'll go to the bank first, then."

"You go ahead and do that." Bakura flashed a sharp, feral grin. "And be sure to tell me if the money hasn't been paid in."

Ryo shook his head at his brother, tossing a final irritated warning over his shoulder as he headed out of the door. "Just make sure the living room is clean by the time I get back!"

A snort was just audible from behind the wood as the door swung shut.

Ryo blew a puff of air through his pursed lips, taking a moment to pause on the doorstep. Their house was right in the middle of town, where the crowds were at their busiest and the traffic at its worst. They were often kept awake at night by the constant buzz of movement, but Ryo revelled in it during the day – human contact was something he found intoxicating. He loved to watch life unfolding in front of his eyes.

The sun was low in the sky that morning, the winter air cold and frosty. The scent of traffic fumes made Ryo cough as he stepped onto the pavement, weaving his way through the crowds and pacing the familiar path to the bank, goosebumps rising along his arms. It was a grey day. Colours leaked out of the pavement and drained out of the people on the streets, the air dull and lifeless and the atmosphere altogether dreary. Ryo quickened his pace a bit – he didn't want to be out for long.

The bank came into view soon enough, an impressive marble building on the corner of one of the central streets of the city. Ryo ducked inside hurriedly, the heavy oak door creaking as he pushed it open. It was quiet inside. The air was considerably cooler and Ryo shivered, drawing his light jacket tighter around his thin figure as he joined the back of the queue; luckily, there were only two people in front of him, so he wouldn't have to wait for long. The person behind the counter was a young woman, and she looked exhausted; dark circles were starkly apparent against her deathly pale skin, black hair falling in straight, limp lines around her face. She tapped away tiredly at a keyboard as she served the person at the front of the queue. Ryo shifted his feet restlessly, his eyes wandering around the small office space. It was very quiet, for a Saturday...

"Alright, everyone get on the floor!"

The door behind Ryo slammed shut with a resounding crash, the very air seeming to shiver in its wake. Ryo only caught sight of a towering, dark figure framed in the stark light before a large fist grasped his hair, dragging him backwards and forcing his head up. Ryo instinctively kicked and struggled, screams ringing through the air around him, but he froze when a cold presence appeared at his throat. This, of course, only served the screams of the assistant and other two customers to increase.

"Shut up!" The dark voice holding Ryo roared, the grip in his hair painfully tight. "And get on the floor, or I stab this one!" Ryo squirmed as he was shaken, the blade at his throat digging in slightly; by the panicked looks on the other people's faces, accompanied by the strength of the grip that was holding him, Ryo surmised that the person behind him must be incredibly frightening.

"I said," growled that dark voice once more, "Get on the floor! Gods, how many times do I have to say it before you people move?"

There was a flurry of movement as the two other customers slid onto the floor, one cowering into a corner with his hands over his head. The receptionist behind the counter stiffened, her eyes wide and glaring, her hand edging under the desk...

"Oh no you don't," chuckled the low voice in Ryo's ear, and the young man was swept clean off his feet and lifted towards the counter, his head tugged painfully back into a well-muscled chest. He kicked and squirmed, attempting to twist his head, but he only served to make the blade dig in deeper. Something warm trickled unpleasantly down his neck.

"Stop struggling," ordered the deep, velvety voice. "And you, woman, get out from behind the counter. Don't try calling for help, either – the communications have all been disabled."

The woman's jaw dropped, but she stepped back hastily when the knife was pressed deeper into Ryo's neck, effectively ceasing all his movements. She hurriedly slipped out from behind the counter, her hands held tentatively in front of her. "Sir, please, don't harm him..."

"Don't speak," snapped the voice, and Ryo swore he heard amusement hidden deep in its tone. "I have to put up with enough whining in my life. Now, you're going to lead me to the back room, and you're going to open the safe. This one," Ryo was given a quick shake, wincing as the knife scratched his throat, "Is going to come along, to make sure that you don't disobey. The rest of you can wait here, and I've locked the doors so don't even think about calling the police. If you do, I'll slit this one's throat. Got it?"

There was a terrified silence.

A dark peal of laughter rang out from behind Ryo, sending shivers trickling all the way down his spine. "Glad to see you all understand the situation. Now, woman, lead the way – back room. Now."

With a barely-audible squeak, the woman walked with faltering steps to a door at the right of the counter. Ryo hissed as he was once again lifted off his feet, grumbling, "I can walk for myself, you know!"

A deathly silence hung in the air for a moment, during which Ryo was sent an incredulous stare from the woman opening the door. A deep chuckle was breathed directly into Ryo's ear from the tall man behind him, and Ryo's feet suddenly landed flat on the floor. "I've got a brave one this time, hm? Fine, then, but my knife is staying at your throat."

Ryo sighed audibly as the pressure was removed from his hair, but an arm was looped around his waist, keeping him directly in front of the person holding him. The knife was briefly removed from his throat to gesture to the lady at the door. "Go on then – I'm sure none of us want to be here any longer than we have to."

The woman moved at that, sending one more keen glance Ryo's way as she turned her keys in the lock. Ryo was pushed harshly from behind, tripping over his feet clumsily, the knife dangerously close to his skin. Another dark chuckle. "Still want to walk for yourself?"

Ryo swallowed, deciding this time it was probably safer to keep his mouth shut. The man, apparently, wasn't having any of that though – Ryo's hair was once more grabbed roughly, his ear tilted painfully backwards. Warm breath set his skin tingling as a growl entered his hearing. "I asked you a question, pipsqueak."

Ryo's insides clenched. Working moisture into his mouth, he managed to gasp out, "I'm just f-fine with walking, thank you."

"Hmph." Ryo's hair was released once more, although the grip remained tight around his waist. The voice sounded almost disappointed as he spoke again. "I think I preferred you when you were argumentative."

They had entered the back room by now, and Ryo was dragged across the tiled floor. "Shut the door," ordered the man, "And then get back here and open the safe."

"I can't..." the woman gasped out, and the knife was suddenly pressed tightly against Ryo's throat. She swallowed, her gaze sliding from the blade over Ryo's face, before she nodded and turned quickly to the door.

Ryo was tugged backwards yet again, his feet snagging painfully on the rough floor, until he was resting completely against a warm body. The man was clearly very tall, and from the hardness of his chest Ryo presumed that he had to be well-built. Risking a look down, manoeuvring as much as he could around the knife at his throat, Ryo saw that the arm slung around his hips was darkly tanned; it was washed out in the stark, electric light of the bank, but it promised a shimmering brilliance if it appeared under the sun. The woman soon reappared and went to one of the walls, clicking the combination lock on the safe. She shot a worried glance in Ryo's direction every now and then, and the man behind him lazily called, "Don't worry. I'm not going to stab him unless you decide to disobey. Hurry up and get that open; I need to see what you've got."

The woman hurriedly entered the last combination, swinging open the door. A large vault was revealed, and Ryo couldn't stop his eyes from widening – there must have been millions of notes in there! The blade was swiftly removed from his throat and Ryo was tossed unceremoniously into a corner, landing awkwardly on his knees; he hissed a little at the pain, his fingers instantly flying to his throat. They came away sticky with blood.

There were violent noises coming from behind him; a slam, a dull thud, and a muffled squeak. With a great deal of effort, Ryo disentangled his limbs from the floor and clambered unsteadily to his feet, turning with a wince to survey the scene before him. The man who held them captive was bent in front of the safe, the woman tossed carelessly against a wall. She sagged, breathless. Ryo swallowed, edging quickly to her side, only to stop when that same dark voice chuckled, "Don't you try and think of escaping, pipsqueak. I'm not done with you yet."

"I wasn't going to leave," Ryo was quick to respond. "I just want to make sure she's alright."

A muffled grunt was the only answer he got, so Ryo continued his fast steps over to the woman. Crouching beside her, he coughed slightly and reached for one of her wrists; a pulse beat steadily, but she seemed to be knocked out. With a small twist of his head, Ryo muttered, "What did you do to her?"

"Eh?" The intruder was clearly occupied, his head lowered as he sorted through the wads of money in the safe. "Shut up and help me, I need to get out of here fast."

"I'm not going to become an accessory in a bank robbery." Ryo's back bristled a little at the man's commanding tone, his expression worried as he turned back to the woman against the wall. "Besides, I think she needs help..."

"I'm not exactly giving you a choice," the dark voice breathed again. "Now get over here, before I have to pull my knife on you. I'm sure that would be lots of fun, but I need to get out of here fast..."

"I'm coming!" Ryo squeaked, jumping up from the side of the woman and shyly sidling up to the side of the towering man. "Wh-what do I need to do?"

Pealing laughter resounded through the room once more as the man beside Ryo threw his head back, balaclava muffling most of his mirth. "For one thing, stop stuttering! I'm not actually going to kill you. Well, probably not, anyway. Just get down here, take the notes I've already counted out and shove them in that bag over there."

Ryo obediently crouched down beside the man, lifting a brown sack in one hand and tentatively reaching for one of the piles of money. The man crashed down beside Ryo, his long legs folding under his body as his cloak flared, heat radiating from his huge form. Ryo swallowed as tanned fingers grabbed for the notes in the safe. Ryo focused on slipping the notes he was passed into the bag, slightly alarmed by just how much money he was handling – if he only took a small handful of these notes, he and Bakura would eat happily for years. They could maybe even afford a treat, for the first time in years ... A day out somewhere, perhaps...

"Right, we're nearly done." The dark voice of the intruder interrupted Ryo's thoughts. "Give me the bag."

Obediently, Ryo lifted one slightly-trembling hand. The bag was snatched away from him, the tall man on his feet in seconds, frantically shoving the unused notes back into the safe. Ryo swallowed around a sudden lump in his throat, taking the opportunity to properly look at his captor for the first time; the man had his back to Ryo, his tall form covered in a long, draping purple cloak that flared arrogantly around his ankles. The back of his head was hidden by a black balaclava that Ryo suspected would cover his face, too; poking out beneath it were a couple of strands of what looked like blonde hair. As Ryo watched the figure shot a look over his shoulder, and Ryo was frozen to the spot. The man was tall, towering over Ryo, and his arms were bare beneath the cloak, a black tank top covering his obviously well-muscled chest. His skin was that alluring shade of dark brown that Ryo remembered catching a glimpse of earlier. What caught and held Ryo firmly in place, though, were those eyes; they shone out of the gaps in the balaclava, a piercing dark stare that seemed to shoot right through Ryo, looking directly into his very soul. Ryo's heart pulsed in his throat, and he had the sudden, irrepressible urge to reach out and tug off the black material, wondering just exactly what was hidden underneath.

The man turned his attention back to the safe, once again facing away from Ryo. Ryo's fingers itched, and before he realised what he was doing he had taken a step closer, his hand outstretched, his pulse beating quickly in his throat. He had a sudden, irrepressible need to see just exactly who this dark, dangerous man was. Reaching up and standing on tiptoes, Ryo kept himself as silent as possible, fingers curling under the bottom of the balaclava and pulling it on in one swift, smooth movement.

He had about a second to take in wild spikes of blonde hair before his back was suddenly flung against a wall, the knife pressed to his throat and a furious glare trained directly onto his face. Ryo's feet left the ground as he was lifted by the hair, his expression screwing up in pain. He winced.

"You fucking idiot! What are you doing?!" The intruder was clearly furious, the blade dangerously sharp against the pale skin of Ryo's throat. Ryo struggled to take in a breath, spots dancing in front of his eyes; he couldn't breathe, he was going to die, and all because he couldn't keep his stupid curiousity under check for one minute longer...

"Fuck!" The intruder abruptly released Ryo and he crumpled to the floor, coughing violently as he struggled to drag air into his lungs. When he looked up, the balaclava was back covering the man's face, and he felt a twinge of disappointment. He hadn't even got the chance to see what the man looked like. Ryo was once again lifted off the floor, but this time he was tossed unceremoniously over the intruder's shoulder as the man strode quickly over to a back door.

Ryo squeaked indignantly. "What are you doing? Put me down!"

"Like hell," Spat the intruder, his fast footfalls slapping against the tiles as he navigated his way through the bank. "You were stupid enough to see my face, so now you're going to have to come with me."

Ryo froze, his throat constricting. "Wh-what? I can't go with you!"

"Then you shouldn't have been so fucking stupid!"

Ryo opened his mouth to answer, but bile suddenly rose in his throat. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to calm his roiling stomach and ignoring the vertigo. This man was really tall. Ryo dug his fingers into the material of the cloak, gripping tightly as it slid against his soft skin. The air opened out around them and Ryo guessed that he had been taken outside, but he didn't dare to open his eyes to check. The hands holding him in place shifted suddenly, and Ryo shrieked as he felt himself thrown away, landing heavily on something soft. He smelt leather.

There was a surprised shout, followed by the now-familiar dark voice roaring, "Just go! The police could be here any second!"

The material vibrated against Ryo's cheek, and then the sounds of an engine screeching filled Ryo's ears. Painfully, he lifted his head and tried to get his feet under him, only to be pushed back down forcefully. "Stay down!" Growled that dark voice.

Ryo obediently flattened himself, swallowing around the lump in his throat. His thoughts drifted back to Bakura as he wondered desperately just how he was going to get out of this mess – how long would it even take Bakura to notice he was missing? Ryo usually didn't enjoy staying out, but it was still early in the day; there was every chance that Bakura wouldn't notice his brother's absence until he wanted something to eat that evening. The idea of empty hours stretching out in front of him, where no one would be looking for him, almost made Ryo want to cry,

The car screeched around a corner and Ryo's body slid sideways, his head uncomfortably hitting something hard. Daring to squeeze his eyes open, Ryo panicked for a moment when all he saw was darkness, but he only had about half a second to worry before there was another loud curse from behind him, and a sudden weight landed heavily on his back. Ryo squawked, his face mashing even more uncomfortably against the seat as the hot heaviness on top of him forced the air out of his lungs. There was a shout from the driver, and then the dark voice sounded, far too close to Ryo's ear for comfort. "I know it's the fucking police! I'm staying down, now just get us the hell out of here!"

Ryo's eyes widened at that. Wincing in pain, he shifted a little, turning his face painstakingly to the side and blinking to clear his vision. The insides of a car swam slowly into sight, the scent of leather flaring in his nostrils. As he swivelled his eyes, Ryo took in a vague shape in the driver's seat before his focus snapped back onto the far more worrying occupant of the car. Purple fluttered in the corner of his eye, a tanned arm dangled over Ryo's hips and down towards the floor, and something that felt suspiciously like a nose was pressed firmly into the back of Ryo's hair. The voice growled into his ear again, "Little fucker, this is all your fault! If you hadn't been such an idiot I would have got out just fine!"

Ryo's throat was forced so tightly against the seat that speech was impossible, but he thought angrily in his head, Well, maybe if you hadn't decided to rob the bank in the first place, this would never have happened!

The car journey continued for what felt like an age to Ryo, and the weight against his back never once let up. When the car finally did come to a stop, the weight instantly disappeared and Ryo was hauled upright and swung once more over that purple-cloaked shoulder. After a small coughing fit, Ryo managed to struggle out, "I do know how to walk for myself."

"So you said before, and look how well that turned out," Growled the dark voice. Ryo struggled for a moment until the arms around his legs tightened painfully, and he let out a shriek. "Shut up," the dark voice hissed angrily. "You're only going to prolong your suffering."

Ryo kept his mouth shut after that, lying as still as was possible when he was bent over the man's shoulder. His stomach roiled once more so he squeezed his eyes shut, focusing instead on listening; everything seemed to be silent except for the footsteps of the man. Shadows flitted across Ryo's closed eyelids and air grew suddenly warmer, so Ryo assumed they had stepped inside. Ryo was shifted slightly on the shoulder, a grunt sounding from the man. A door creaked, something clicked, and then Ryo was shoved roughly away, landing once more on his backside. Wincing and hissing, Ryo slowly unwound himself, his muscles clenched; his fingertips met soft carpet as he slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position. Drawing in a breath, Ryo cracked open his eyes and looked at a plush, luxurious room. The walls were papered, crazy designs in black and white zigzagging around the four corners and clashing horribly with the wonderfully soft, bright green carpet. There was a mahogany desk planted right in the middle of the room, giving it an office feel, with two comfortable-looking seats situated on both sides of the wood.

Moving his head slowly, Ryo froze when he saw the person stood by the door, regarding him with an almost amused expression. Spiked blonde hair rose haphazardly from his head, alluring dark skin gleaming in the softer electric light, purple cloak still flared dramatically about his shoulders. That dark violet stare was still fixed on Ryo, only the rest of his face was visible now, too; a wide, wide grin split his face in half, a vein or two standing out on his forehead. The man looked pure evil.

Ryo could not look away.

The man approached, moving quickly, but Ryo jumped to his feet urgently and backed away. Fingers were clicked rudely right in front of Ryo's face, a heavy frown now contorting the tall man's features. "Stand still, pipsqueak. Tell me your name."

Ryo's mouth opened and closed silently, his feet rooting him to the spot. The man rolled his eyes, advancing two steps closer. "Stop looking so gormless and talk to me! Gods, do I have to threaten you to get you to do anything?"

Ryo jumped, his mouth opening before he'd properly thought through his words. "Well, sorry! I didn't exactly expect to become a criminal today, so excuse me if I'm a little distracted!"

Silence dropped through the room as the man's expression hardened. Ryo froze, goosebumps rising on his arms as he found himself pierced again by that dark, deadly gaze, the man edging threateningly close, blade jumping once more into his hand. Ryo swallowed, shifting backwards so that he fell painfully onto his backside, scrabbling away until his back hit a wall. The man was still coming closer, dropping down to his knees to be at eye-level with Ryo. Hot breath hit Ryo's face; he struggled, attempting to pull away, but a single tanned hand suddenly gripped his shoulder tightly, the other waving the knife dangerously close to his face. A dark chuckle emanated from the man's throat, wide grin once more stretching his face, his lips an intriguing bronze colour.

"Don't," The man started, laughter still bubbling in his voice, "Presume to backchat me. It would only end badly for you." The knife lightly brushed the skin at Ryo's throat, dancing dangerously close to his pale skin as it edged towards his left shoulder. "I would have a lot of fun, though," the man continued playfully, the blade now toying with the sleeve of Ryo's light blue jacket. It ran teasingly down his arm, brushing at the uncovered skin of his pale forearm, pushing the sleeve further up and dancing against the crook of his elbow. "Such pale skin would stain well with blood. Quite the piece of art you could make."

Ryo held his breath, his muscles locked, his heart racing painfully hard in his chest. He swallowed as his eyes flicked between the blade and the man before him, eventually settling on staring deeply into the intriguing face opposite him. With their new proximity, Ryo saw that his eyes were coloured a deep, flecked violet, piercing him with hidden mirth. Staring into that gaze, Ryo suddenly felt much less frightened; this man intrigued him, despite his sadistic insanity. His presence was intoxicating.

Drawing a shaky breath, Ryo managed to stutter out, "Artwork is more fitting in a gallery than in an office, I think."

Silence settled around them once more until the man tipped his head back, cackles emanating from his mouth and ricocheting around the small room. Ryo remained perfectly still when the knife jerked a little, cutting his skin in the smallest of nicks; blood trickled unpleasantly down his arm, but Ryo remained intently focused on the man in front of him.

Eventually quietening, violet eyes fixated back on Ryo with a hidden glint. "On the contrary, pipsqueak. I think you'd make the perfect addition to my decorations."

"You won't kill me," Ryo muttered, following the blade with his eyes as it teased its way back up his arm. It caught some of the blood as it weaved its way up, slipping higher until it brushed his cheek, staining his pale skin.

"You seem so sure of that fact," laughed the dark voice, violet eyes bubbling with mirth as they fixed on Ryo's face. "You have no further use to me; in fact, you're in my way. Best that I get rid of you."

Ryo remained calm, although his heart was still racing; he tore his eyes away from the blade still at his cheek, instead flicking a look at the man opposite him. A dark gaze burned right into him, but Ryo kept his cool, speaking evenly. "You could have killed me by now. I'm still here."

"An oversight that won't continue for long." The man leaned dangerously close, knife slipping back down to caress Ryo's neck. The free tanned hand tangled itself in Ryo's hair, tugging his head right back and forcing their gazes to meet. The man leaned down even nearer, their noses almost touching; warm breath struck Ryo, sending shivers all the way down his spine. "Are you frightened yet, pipsqueak?"

Ryo looked back, his head strained from the pressure on his scalp, afraid to move even a centimetre for fear of scraping that sharp blade at his throat. He kept his voice even as he struggled to reply, the scent of blood creasing his face. Ryo worked moisture into his mouth as he breathed out, "No."

The expression of the man above him turned to one of mild surprise, although those violet eyes remained tinged with mad amusement. "That's alright. It's more fun to play with people if they aren't willing to scream."

Ryo's throat constricted as the man leaned closer, the knife digging painfully into Ryo's throat. Heat enveloped Ryo's ear as the man whispered silkily, "However, I have got to say that you are intriguing." Ryo remained absolutely still as the man manoeuvred back around to face him, eyes boring straight into his skull. His head tilted. "What is your name?"

"R-Ryo." Cursing the stutter, Ryo lifted his chin, skin scraping the knife ever-so-lightly. The man looked satisfied. He leaned back a little, the knife dropping, but Ryo caught his arm, keeping him close. "And yours?"

The man looked surprised but he leaned closer easily enough, dark chuckle ghosting over Ryo's skin. "You won't get that out of me so easily. You just watched me rob a bank – I'm sure you're just dying to go and tell the police."

Surprised, Ryo realised that the police hadn't crossed his mind once the whole time they'd been sitting here. He wasn't about to let his captor know that, though; not if he wanted to escape with his life.

"I won't tell them," Ryo whispered. "I promise."

It sounded pathetic to his own ears. The man's lips twitched with amusement, dark eyes glittering as he fixed Ryo in his sights. "Really, now? Why would I believe you?"

"I wouldn't." Ryo dropped his gaze, shifting uncomfortably; he still had his hand on the man's arm, the dark skin alluring between his pale fingers. "I just need to get home."

"What, out past your bedtime?" The man sneered, settling a little more comfortably on the ground. Without warning, two fingers shot out and tilted Ryo's chin up roughly. Ryo started in surprise. "Come on, pipsqueak. As if I'd let you just walk out of here."

For the first time, Ryo felt the beginnings of fear in his chest. His voice was higher when he spoke. "You're not actually going to kill me, are you?"

"Oh, so now you're afraid." The man's expression suddenly hardened, his wild blonde hair threatening as he leaned closer again. "That's the smartest thing you've felt today."

Without ceremony, the man's tanned arms suddenly gripped Ryo's armpits, lifting him easily. Ryo merely heaved a sigh, used to it by now. The man chuckled. "No complaints this time?"

"You haven't listened so far," Ryo muttered, clutching desperately at the man's shoulder as he started moving. A door swung open and a new room was entered, but Ryo was set down on his feet this time. The man leered down at him as he brushed himself off. "You're staying here. I'll be back."

"No," Ryo shook his head suddenly, forcing his legs to move as he stepped forwards. "You can't actually leave me here! I have to get home..."

Dark laughter rang through the room, and Ryo took a stumbling step backwards. The man whirled around, thrusting his face right into Ryo's; his expression was not one Ryo would be forgetting any time soon. Lips stretched wide, veins standing out in his forehead, wild, spiked blonde hair sticking up from his head, and always those violet eyes, glittering with sadistic amusement as the man leered down at him.

"Oh no, pipsqueak. You won't be going home for a very long time."

Without another word, the man turned on his heel and exited through the door, his long purple cloak flaring. Ryo stumbled after him, a hand outstretched as he called, "No, don't go! I can't stay here...!"

The lock twisting in the door was the only reply he got.

There's a start! Now, I know where this idea is going, but it could potentially have added parts if the feedback is good. Otherwise, I think it will certainly not last longer than four chapters, and it might be done in three. Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed! XD - Jem