Hello again! Sorry this update took so long, I had quite a few other projects to work on this week, but they are done now so I should be able to get the rest of this fic out relatively quickly. XD Thank you so much for all the reviews/favs/follows! I am really grateful, and did not expect this story to be so well received. ^_^ Here is the second chapter, and I really hope you like it. XD - Jem

Ryo stared in utter disbelief at the closed door, his eyes wide and body trembling with the aftershock of the day's events. The man had left him, and now that Ryo was alone, he was truly starting to feel scared. His muscles shivered, his throat tightening until every breath was a struggle and he had to sink slowly down to the floor. The carpet was as thick as it had been in the other room, almost comforting beneath his grasping fingers. Drawing in a deep, gasping breath, Ryo looked around him and finally saw where he had been locked up. As far as cells went, it was comfortable; there was a desk in the centre, as there had been in the other room, and it had two chairs on either side as well. Against the back wall there lay a large, black sofa that looked like it was made out of leather. Ryo slowly dragged himself over to it, clambering desperately up onto the soft cushions and curling himself up into a corner. There were no windows in the room, but Ryo knew that it couldn't be long past midday – he had left early to go to the bank, after all, and the robbery and kidnapping could not have taken more than a few hours. Bakura probably didn't even know that anything was amiss yet. Ryo shuddered at the idea that he was trapped here, locked in a room by a clearly dangerous sadist, and no one even knew that he was missing.

The police had been called, though, surely? There had been those other two customers in the bank, they would have rung, wouldn't they? And in the car on the way over here, the frightening man with dark skin and blonde hair had thrown himself over Ryo and snapped something about police following them, hadn't he? So perhaps Ryo was being searched for, and the police had followed them here ... perhaps Ryo would be rescued soon enough...

Deep in his heart, Ryo knew that it was a fruitless hope, but it was something at least.

With a sniff, Ryo curled further into the sofa, pressing his face against the black leather and rocking slightly. He couldn't really picture a worse situation for him to find himself in; that dark man had been terrifying, sadistic and leering, and he certainly didn't strike Ryo as particularly merciful. In fact, it was a miracle that Ryo was still alive. For a moment back there, with the knife ... Ryo's hands instantly flew to his cheek, coming away sticky with blood. He shivered as he realised what a mess he must look.

Hours seemed to pass slowly, and Ryo could do nothing other than sit there and contemplate all the horrors that his future could hold. He had tried the door a couple of times, but Bakura was the lock-picker in their family; to Ryo, that door may as well have been made out of impenetrable steel. He settled in the end for remaining perched primly on the sofa, trying to sort through the mats in his hair. His fingers pulled at the long white strands restlessly, his mind so focused that he failed to notice the key turning in the lock and the door sliding open.

"Well, someone looks preoccupied."

Ryo nearly flew out of his skin, jumping violently into the air and landing on his feet, brown eyes wide and staring. A dark laugh rang through the room, muffled by the thickly papered walls. Ryo raised his eyes hesitantly, his gut clenching when he met dark violet. The man strode forwards, purple cloak flaring behind him, darkly tanned skin gleaming as he moved. Ryou shivered, instinctively taking a step back.

"Now, now," the man grinned widely, "Don't you go anywhere just yet. I have far from finished with you."

Ryo stuttered, his feet freezing to the spot. "Wh-what do you want?"

"Well." The man leered, edging closer with a wicked grin. "First things first. I want to know more about you. Your name is Ryo, yes?"

Ryo nodded, a frown creasing his forehead. "Why would you want to know about me?"

"Because you are interesting." The man tilted his head, stepping forwards with a wide, wide grin. White teeth glistened in the midst of his dark face.

Ryo backed away again, his back hitting a wall. He grimaced. The man was still coming closer, boxing Ryo into a corner and leaning right over him, lips stretched wide, blonde hair spiked haphazardly. Ryo found that he couldn't look away.

"So, Ryo," the man breathed lowly. "Tell me who you are."

Ryo blinked, his throat constricting. Whatever was he supposed to say to that? Surely this man couldn't be serious, but one look at those dark violet eyes had Ryo convinced. He swallowed. "Um ... I'm Ryo?"

"Well, I know that," scoffed the man. "I mean, tell me more. Who are you?"

Ryo gulped, his head cracking against the wall when the man leered at him, bronze lips almost caressing his pale forehead. "Um ... That would depend almost entirely on what you want to know..."

The man cackled once more, his hot breath washing over the skin of Ryo's forehead as he placed both hands on the wall either side of his head, causing Ryo to feel even more claustrophobic. With a shiver, Ryo realised that the knife from earlier was clutched tightly in one of the bronze fists. "I want to know everything," the tall man proclaimed, his voice ringing through Ryo's skull. "Tell me everything. Just start talking!"

Ryo gulped, words tumbling out of his mouth before he had time to think. "I'm Ryo, I'm 19, I go to college and I live with my brother. He'll be looking for me and I really need to get home because he's probably destroyed the flat by now, and knowing him he'll just flip out and not try to sort it and he'll be mad that I'm not home so if I could just leave..."

Cackling resounded through the room once more and Ryo trailed off, brown eyes blinking. The man had his head thrown back, blonde spikes waving haphazardly as his body shook with laughter, knife cutting the wall a little above Ryo's head due to his jerking movements. Ryo swallowed. The man's arms were curved up against the wall, leaving a gap just large enough for someone small to duck through. Ryo hesitantly raised his eyes up to see the man still caught in the raptures of laughter, and he moved. Without stopping to think, Ryo squirmed away from the wall and out under the man's arm, throwing himself desperately into the centre of the room. One sharp glance showed him that the door was still hanging open, so Ryo ran. He tore out of the room, darting mindlessly down a corridor and ignoring the sadistic shout behind him, his legs only pumping faster when he heard footsteps pounding behind him. Desperation drew him onwards, sending him tumbling around corners and into walls, catching fleeting glimpses of doors and halls but no sign of an exit. Which way did I come in? Ryo thought, his head twisting urgently from side to side. There has to be a way out, if I just keep going...

"Oh no you don't!"

The furious shout from behind him had Ryo storming forwards once more, forgetting about keeping track of where he was as he mindlessly ran. He didn't dare look over his shoulder as he pounded past door after door, randomly choosing directions through the maze of identical passages. The footsteps were getting closer. Ryo turned left at a branch in the corridor, racing past closed doorways until he saw a sight that made his blood run cold.

The corridor was a dead end.

Ryo's eyes widened, panic rising in his throat as he stumbled backwards, scouring desperately left and right as he searched for some method of escape. There was none. And the footsteps were still sounding...

"Now I've got you!"

Strong arms wrapped around Ryo's waist, sweeping him clean off his feet. Ryo shrieked, kicking out, his foot connecting with something soft and the man released a loud grunt, his grip relaxing momentarily. Ryo wrenched himself free, dashing back down the passage and wheeling around the corner, but he barely made it four steps before something latched onto his ankle and he was pulled down to the floor, landing heavily on his front. Ryo winced as something crashed onto his back, crushing his face into the carpet and breaking off all hope of escape. Ryo still tried, though, gasping for air as he kicked and flailed, desperately trying to throw off the weight and get his feet under him.

"Quit it!" snapped the dark velvety voice, and hands were in his hair, arching him upwards. Ryo hissed in pain, his whole body protesting and his scalp screaming for attention as his head was raised from the ground and something cold pressed to his throat, reopening the wounds from earlier. Blood dripped into the carpet as Ryo went completely still.

"Much better." Hot breath hit the back of Ryo's neck, sending shivers down his spine as the weight on top of him shifted, the blade sinking closer to his pale skin. Ryo drew in a ragged breath, his whole body screaming protestations into his pounding skull. This could not be happening. This could not be happening...

"Now." The voice was surprisingly calm, if a little breathless, and the blade suddenly disappeared from Ryo's throat. "I'm not going to bother with threats, because you quite clearly understand the situation here. Just do as I say, and we'll be fine."

Ryo hissed. "I'd find that much easier if you actually told me what's going on here."

Dark laughter filled the corridor, and then the weight disappeared from Ryo's back, replaced by a tough grip that dragged him upright. Ryo found himself spun around to meet the dark gaze of his kidnapper, the man leering at him with a wide, wide grin, eyes slowly sliding rather obviously down Ryo's body. Ryo shivered and tried to step away, but the grip on his arms tightened. "None of that," the man commanded imperiously. "You're coming with me."

Ryo grumbled when he was hoisted into the air again and tossed over the man's shoulder. "You could still let me walk for myself, you know."

"As if," the man snorted. "After the stunt you just tried to pull? You're lucky you aren't in handcuffs."

Ryo shuddered at the thought of the man chaining him, an image of that wild blonde hair and those captivating dark eyes edging ever closer whilst he was powerless to escape sending sharp shivers down his spine. Blinking away the strange picture, Ryo kept his eyes open this time as he was carted back through the corridors, the passages still a maze to him. The man seemed to know where he was going, though; or so Ryo deduced from his discontented grumblings. "Gods, how far did you run? We're miles away from the exit."

Ryo brightened a little at that. "Exit? Are you letting me go?"

"Like hell," the man scoffed, his tone turning darkly amused. "You're far too dangerous to have running off on your own. We need to move – this place is too much of an easy target."

Ryo's stomach dropped. If they kept moving, any hope of him being found would dwindle rapidly until it was highly unlikely that he would ever escape. Dimly, Ryo wondered if he'd ever see his brother again, tuning himself back into whatever the man was rambling on about.

"...Far too close, you see, because you were such an idiot and the police started following us. It won't be long before they track you here, but as long as we keep ahead of them we should be fine."

"You should be," Ryo corrected absentmindedly.

A blonde head turned, and a wide grin greeted Ryo. "True enough. Probably better for you if you're found right now, but that's just never going to happen."

"I gathered," Ryo muttered, relieved when they finally reached a large pair of double doors and exited the building. Bright sunlight greeted them. Ryo was swung violently down from the shoulder and placed on his feet, but as soon as he was released sudden vertigo hit him and Ryo staggered, his fingers grasping at the first thing they could find to steady him. He stumbled, forcing his feet back under him and clinging tightly, waiting for the world to stop spinning. He blinked furiously, squinting brown eyes struggling to make out anything in the sudden bright light.

A dark chuckle hit his ears and Ryo turned, eyes going wide when he saw what he was hanging on to. His fingers had looped desperately around the arm of his kidnapper, who was staring down at him with dancing dark eyes. Ryo jumped back with a squeak, instantly letting go, gaze locked with that of the tall dark man. Another chuckle rang through the air, and the man tilted his head. "Aw, letting go so soon? And I was starting to think you were getting attached."

"No, you idiot!" Ryo flushed slightly and looked away, sucking in a breath. "I just want to get away from here!"

"Well, good luck with that one." The man shook his head, amusement still twisting his lips. Ryo swallowed as the man took a step closer, sweeping one tanned arm in a wide arch. "You have no idea where the fuck you are, right? As if you'd ever get away from me."

Ryo peeked around, taking in his surroundings properly for the first time. They appeared to be in a car park, an apparently abandoned office block behind them and a road stretching away in front of them. Ryo narrowed his eyes as his gaze slid from left to right – this place was certainly unfamiliar to him. The man grinned as he watched Ryo, his gaze scrutinising and his purple cloak flaring. "Don't even bother trying to work out where you are. We won't be here long enough for it to do you any good."

"Let's face it, it wouldn't anyway," Ryo muttered half to himself. "I think we've just categorically proven that I can't outrun you."

Another loud cackle filled the car park, a jarring contradiction to the warm sunlight that streamed down from the cloudless sky. "Good point. Good effort, though – I would have thought less of you if you hadn't tried to escape at least once. Plus, it wouldn't be anywhere near as much fun."

"You can't honestly be enjoying this." Ryo shook his head, casting a sidelong glance back at the man by his side.

That wide grin still stretched across those bronze lips, dark skin shimmering in the sunlight, blade flashing where it lay still clasped in one hard fist. The man's eyes were what gave away his true enjoyment, though; their violet depths shimmered with sadistic pleasure, his brows furrowed just enough to accentuate their keen gleam. Ryo found himself drawn to those depths, stepping closer without realising he was moving, his brown gaze glued to the tanned man before him. Blonde hair tilted to the side, analysing his approach, the tanned hand holding the blade rising a little. The man smirked. "See? You can't tell me you don't find this even a little bit thrilling."

Shivers tingled down Ryo's thin form at those words. His lips parted slightly as he edged closer again, one hand lifting impulsively. The man's lips stretched as he leaned closer, his blonde head tipping down. "I'm right, aren't I? You're loving this just as much as I am. Somewhere deep down in your twisted mind, you find this situation enticing. You find me enticing."

Ryo caught his bottom lip between his teeth, drawing in a breath. Most of him rebelled against what the man was saying, repulsed by the very thought of being captured by this thief, but another part of him was screaming out for more. That part was directing his steps forward despite the screaming protestations of his common sense. Ryo was a mess of conflicts as he advanced, close enough to smell the danger that waved off the man, the intoxicating power of his presence, the intriguing glimmer of his skin. Before Ryo realised what he was doing, one of his hands stretched up, fingers outstretched, brushing the tanned skin of the man's cheek once; it was incredibly warm, sending electrifying tingles jumping down Ryo's veins. He swallowed.

The man's lips opened up, revealing sharp teeth, his expression turning feral under Ryo's touch. "Told you so. You're interested, aren't you? You're attracted."

Ryo snapped back to reality, jerking away from the man with wide eyes and an open mouth. He backtracked as quickly as he could, stuttering all the while. "N-no! I'm not! I j-just ... I wasn't..."

"Save it." The man shook his head, laughter bubbling up in his velvet voice. Ryo shivered, blinking and turning away, shocked at his own actions. What on earth had he been thinking? He could still feel that man's dark violet gaze burning into his back, making his fingers itch to be back brushing his skin again. The feel of the sun-warmed cheek under his hand made Ryo's veins tingle, a new sensation burning through his blood at the thought of the incredibly terrifying man behind him. Before he knew what was happening, hot breath was on his cheek and a bronze arm wrapped tightly around his waist, jerking him back into a hard chest. Ryo's yelp was muffled by a hand slapped across his face, tilting his head up and to the side, bronze lips pressed close to his ear. "I knew it," the man hissed lowly, and Ryo shivered. "I knew you were different. You can feel that too, can't you? You know it."

Ryo jerked, fear pounding in his ribcage along with something else, a terrifyingly warm sensation flowing inside him, filling him with delicious shivers that only increased when the man hoisted him up, his intoxicating presence surrounding Ryo and leaving hot prints wherever they touched. The man's head dipped again, his lips brushing faintly across Ryo's neck, leaving bright sparks of light in Ryo's widened brown eyes. Their gazes crashed together, deep brown on dark violet, a delightful clash. The moment lasted an age.

A screech had the man moving, his head jolting up whilst his grip remained tight around Ryo. A car rocketed around the corner and the man strode over, dragging Ryo with him and throwing open the back door, tossing Ryo carelessly inside before climbing in after him. Ryo immediately scooted as far into the opposite corner as he could, his breathing heavy as he avoided the gaze of the man by his side. They were moving as soon as the door slammed shut but Ryo hardly paid it any mind, instead focusing on calming his body's crazy reactions. His skin seared where the man had touched him, his heart racing in his throat, shivers still sliding right down his spine. He shook again when the man leaned over.

"I know you felt it too," was all that was whispered in his ear before the man leaned back, his dark violet gaze pouring into Ryo. The pale one looked back hesitantly and felt himself drown in those dark depths. The man's expression was different this time, mouth a straight line devoid of its usual manic grin, a crease in the tanned forehead as he studied Ryo. Ryo worked moisture into his dry mouth as he looked back, drawing in a shuddering breath. The man leaned over suddenly, his movements fast. "You did, didn't you? Answer me, Ryo!"

Ryo jerked at the sound of his name. Petrified, trapped in those violet eyes, all Ryo could do was give one pathetic nod. The man blinked back at him, leaning back with a sigh.

And that was when Ryo knew he had to get away.

Twisting in his seat, Ryo risked a glance out of the window. They were still in Domino, he knew that much from the street signs, but he had never been this far out of the centre of the city before. At this point, though, all Ryo wanted was to be away from the frighteningly intoxicating man behind him, and he didn't really care where he ended up as long as it was nowhere near him. One glance showed Ryo that the car locks were off – all it would take was one flip of the handle and the door would be open. Ryo didn't look behind him, his muscles frozen in place for a moment as he pushed down the small, impossible part of him that actually wanted to remain with that dark, dangerous man; he had to get away, before his common sense eluded him entirely. Ryo looked out of the window, sending silent thanks that he had been placed in the seat nearest the pavement. The streets were busy, but that would be helpful once Ryo was out – he should be able to get lost in the crowd. For a moment, the thought that the man could trace him almost paralysed Ryo, but he quickly shook it off. He had to get away from here, and this could be his only chance.

Without thinking about it any further, Ryo drew in a deep breath and flipped the handle.

The door flung open and Ryo tumbled out, ignoring the surprised, furious shout from behind him. He hit the pavement hard, his side instantly bruising from the impact and knocking the wind from his lungs. He lay for a moment, gasping, ignoring the shouts and screams from the crowd around him as he tried to drag air back into his searing chest. He didn't have time to waste. With a sharp gasp, Ryo hauled himself awkwardly to his feet, ignoring all the aches and protests from his beaten body as he forced his legs to move, running haphazardly away from the road. All he knew was that he could not bear to be captured by that man again.

Pushing through the crowds, Ryo ran and ran away from the road as fast as he could, turning as many corners as possible in a desperate bid to lose anyone who might be following him. The sun was burning lower now, the day edging towards its end as Ryo tripped and stumbled his way through the city, eventually forced to a halt in a small alley. His heart was leaping in his chest, his agitated breathing gasping through his parted lips, his blood pumping adrenaline through his veins. Ryo took the time to gaze thoroughly into the crowd out on the streets, searching for any glimpse of that purple cloak, a furious dark gaze pinning him in place, the wicked knife jumping into a tanned hand as the tall man advanced on him. Ryo held back shivers as he peered around, swallowing back faint traces of disappointment when no such figure appeared to him. He had escaped.

...

It took hours for Ryo to drag his weary bones back to a part of the city that he finally recognised, but after five wrong turnings and a near miss with a lorry Ryo finally found himself back in his home. He collapsed almost as soon as he entered the hallway, his tired legs folding under him and sending his already-bruised body crashing into the threadbare carpet of the hall. He closed his eyes, muscles cramping as his cheek lay against the floor, trying to discard all the images of the robbery and the tall, dark-eyed man who had burst so startlingly into his life. Ryo didn't think he would ever be able to get up from that spot.

"...What the hell are you doing?"

Something nudged Ryo's side and he flinched, forcing his eyes open and sprawling onto his back so that he could gaze up into the curious eyes of his brother. Ryo groaned, his hands flying up to cover his eyes. "Just leave me alone. I want to sleep."

Bakura quirked an eyebrow. "In the middle of the hallway?"

"Like you really care," Ryo mumbled, rolling back onto his front and moaning as his hands flew up to his blood-stained throat.

Bakura crouched in front of him, his eyes hardening as he peeled Ryo's fingers away and hauled him up into a sitting position, ignoring his protestations. "What the hell happened to you?"

Ryo pulled away with a hiss, leaning back against the door and snapping his eyes shut. "I honestly don't think you'd believe me if I told you."

"Try me." Bakura sat opposite him, his eyes burning with curiousity as he tilted his head in Ryo's direction.

Ryo released a low moan, allowing his head to drop into his hands. How could he even begin to describe the day's events? Ryo could scarcely believe them himself – after all, no one just ran into a bank, stole from the safe and kidnapped a teenager without getting caught, and yet that was exactly what the man in the purple cloak had done. Even more surprising was that Ryo had managed to get away from him without being stabbed or murdered. Ryo shuddered when he remembered the sadistic gleam in the man's eye, the way the knife had curved so naturally in his hand, how tight his grip had been around Ryo's waist, the way the tanned skin had felt underneath Ryo's own fingers...

Mortified, Ryo felt a flush rise straight to his pallid cheeks. He kept his head determinedly buried, hiding from his brother as best as he could as he spoke. His voice sounded muffled from between his fingers. "I was an accessory in a bank robbery, then I got kidnapped by the man who did it, and he dragged me to his evil lair and then I escaped by jumping out of a car whilst he tried to move me."

Silence dropped through the hallway until Bakura released a snort of laughter. "Yeah, you're right, I don't believe that at all. What were you really doing, cavorting with your boyfriend?"

Ryo's jaw dropped, his eyes snapping wide open as his hands fell to his sides. Bakura was smirking knowingly at him. "God, you were, weren't you? You're flushed as anything. Fuck, you could have just told me. No need to make up such a ridiculous story."

"I wasn't!" Ryo was flabbergasted. "I don't even have a boyfriend! How the hell do you even know if I'm gay?"

Bakura full-out laughed at that. "Please. I've been to the mall with you enough times to know that it's only the male models you're interested in. So, who is he? Have you been fucking, is that why you're so exhausted?"

Ryo's cheeks burned even darker as unwanted images rose in his mind, visions of the tanned man's gleaming eyes mixing with the feeling of warm, bronze skin brushing against his own and filling his head with shrieking protestations. "No! Gosh, Bakura, do you have to be so vulgar? I was telling you the truth!"

Bakura smirked at him. "Yeah, sure you were. I don't really care what you were doing. More importantly, did you get to the bank? Has the money from last week been paid in?"

"I don't know," Ryo hissed venomously, "Because the bank got robbed before I could find out, and then I was kidnapped. So I have no idea; it's the last thing on my mind right now. I'm going to collapse on the sofa – you just do whatever you want."

Bakura snorted but he let Ryo pass without further comment, instead turning and leaping his way back up the stairs. Ryo closed his eyes, massaging his forehead with his fingertips as he made his slow way into the living room. However, he tripped almost as soon as he entered, flying across the room and landing in a mess of fabric and scissors and glue, his beaten body aching even more. Glancing around, Ryo's brown eyes flashed. He was reaching the end of his tether. "Bakura!"

A muffled thump sounded from upstairs, followed by a low shout, "Oh, shut up about the mess! I need it."

"Well I don't!" Ryo yelled back, disentangling himself from the bundle of fabrics and clambering onto his feet, rubbing at his aching muscles. "Get down here and sort it now!"

No sound of movement echoed down the stairs, so Ryo just threw his hands up in the air and collapsed onto the sofa, curling himself into a corner and switching the TV on. The news channel was on, and it flashed up an urgent report from that day.

"...A tall, blonde man wearing a purple cloak is the description circling from eyewitnesses, and police are said to have the city on red alert." The reporter on screen pressed her fingers to her earpiece, her expression remaining calm. "We've got a reporter on the scene right now, so we'll cut over to him."

Ryo's eyes widened as an image from the bank he was at earlier that day flashed across the screen, an excited man appearing outside it with a microphone pressed to his lips. Ryo curled up, clutching his head with his hands. Can't I just forget the whole thing now that I'm finally away from him?

The reporter on screen seemed to have other ideas. "Yes, we're getting reports that the criminal just walked straight into the bank at approximately twelve minutes past ten this morning, where he proceeded to threaten a civilian with a knife and force his way into the safe. It is then thought that he took a currently unknown amount of money from the bank and left with the civilian he had threatened, although quite why he would do that we're not sure. The events of this morning are still confusing, but the police are working on the case as we speak, so we hope to get some answers by this evening. Back to the studio."

The female reporter took up the story again, and Ryo gasped when a fairly accurate image of his kidnapper flashed across the screen. "Yes, we're told that if any member of the public sees this man, they are not to approach him and instead are to call the emergency services immediately. The man is armed and dangerous, and is not to be approached. We are also getting reports of the civilian he is said to have kidnapped – a young man with pale skin, brown eyes and white hair. If any such person is seen, members of the public are advised to call the police hotline outlined below..."

"Wow, so you really weren't kidding."

Ryo almost leapt out of his seat, his wide eyes turning to stare at his brother, who had appeared silently in the doorway sometime during the report. Bakura's eyes were glued to the screen as he took a seat beside his brother, leaning forwards as a likeness of Ryo flashed up. Bakura shook his head. "I honestly thought you were joking. You were really kidnapped? How did you escape?"

Ryo closed his eyes, falling back against the cushions. "I jumped out of the car when they were moving me. I don't think they traced me here..."

Silence crept through the house again, aside from the blaring of the report. Bakura's gaze flickered between his brother, the TV, and the phone before he sat back with a sigh. "Right, well, loathe as I am to say this, you'd better call the police."

Ryo shook his head at that, thinking back to man in the purple cloak he had run away from earlier. Turning him over to the police just seemed, well, wrong, although Ryo knew that made no sense considering his violent treatment at the hands of the man. Besides, he would be long-gone by now, and Ryo didn't even know where he had been taken, let alone where the man had gone now. What was he going to tell the police? He didn't have any information for them about the man; he didn't even know his name! All that calling them would do was pull up a lot of unanswered questions, when all Ryo really wanted to do was just curl up in bed and forget the whole horrid experience.

"So?" Bakura nudged his brother with his foot, quirking an eyebrow at his strange expression. "Aren't you going to call them?"

Ryo jumped a little, meeting Bakura's gaze with a long-drawn-out sigh. "No, I'm not. I don't know where I was taken, I don't know where the man is now, and I don't even know his name. I have no information for them, and to be honest, I just really want to forget the whole ordeal. So, can you please leave me alone about it, and tidy up the mess in here?"

Bakura tilted his head. "You seriously don't want to call them?"

"What would it accomplish if I did?" Ryo snapped back, curling his legs under his tired body. "I'm exhausted. I want to sleep. Never mind that if the police come sniffing around here, they could start digging up stuff about you, and that wouldn't be good for either of us."

Bakura's expression hardened. "Good point. But aren't you scared about the man coming back for you?"

Ryo couldn't hold back the shudder that ran through his body, and he was a little sickened that it wasn't entirely out of fear. A part of him – an insane part, admittedly – actually craved the tanned man's presence, almost wishing him that he would seek Ryo out, that he would return for Ryo and take him back to his den. But Ryo knew that was entirely irrational, and he pushed the half-imagined thoughts away. Turning back to Bakura, Ryo muttered, "He has no reason to seek me out now. I was just in the way before – I've probably done him a favour by escaping. Now he doesn't have to bother with me."

Bakura shrugged, yawning. "Fair enough. It's your decision. I'm going to bed; it's getting late."

"No you're not," Ryo hissed, finding the strength to unfurl himself from the sofa and climbing unsteadily to his feet. "I'm going to bed, straight after I've eaten and showered. And I expect you to sort out the mess in here – it had better be clean by the time I get up in the morning."

Bakura scoffed loudly, but he shooed Ryo away with a growl when the younger advanced. "Fine, fine, get lost. Go to bed, you look awful."

"Thank you so much," Ryo mumbled with half-hearted sarcasm as he made his weary way to the stairs.

Ryo's sleep was interrupted at best that night. His bones were aching, his body bruised and his throat covered with painful scratches, memories of the blade that had been held there too raw for Ryo to settle. Worse was that every time Ryo closed his eyes, an image of a dark violet gaze seared into his lids, imprinting itself on his brain accompanied by the swish of a purple cloak. Ryo's skin still burned from where the man had almost kissed his neck, the feeling of being pressed against that incredibly warm chest a constant reminder of the ordeal that Ryo had been put through. Worst of all, though, was that Ryo could not silence the part of him that had liked being held like that, had found some sort of sick enjoyment in being held so close by the taller man, that had found his presence captivating and intoxicating. Ryo turned his face into the pillow and released a silent scream, unable to work his way through all the emotions currently raging through his body.

It was going to be a long night.

That's it for now. I don't really know how I feel about this chapter – it's a bit bitty, but it also sets the stage for the next couple of chapters. (I estimate this fic ending with chapter four). I would love to hear what you think so far. Also, sorry if the chapters seem to end a bit abruptly - this was originally a oneshot, so I'm having trouble trying to work out where to split it. ^_^ Anyway, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed! - Jem