Western Romance

Chapter 3: Unrequited

Disclaimer: I wish I owned this!!!

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Previously on Western Romance:

Bakura turned to examine the spot on the wall were his head had just been seconds ago. Yami had just thrown his soup bowl and all it's contents with every intention of nailing Bakura in the head 'dead on'.

Fire ignited within Bakura as he turned once again to face Yami.

"I said, I- hate- soup."

In a flash, Bakura was standing in front of Yami's bed, his gun pointed at Yami's temple, index finger set firmly on the trigger.

"My patience is all used up, your fucking dead."

Bakura's crimson eyes widened ever so slightly as he realized that Yami was smirking right back at him. What the hell is he thinking, I'm about to shoot his fucking brains out.

"You don't have the balls."

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Sometimes being in charge was vastly overrated noted Seto as he placed his sterling silver gun back in his blazer. Everyone always looking to you for directions, always having to decide what to do what moves to make. Sure it had it's perks but sometimes it made him wonder, was this the right life he had chosen and then in an all too familiar moment of realization it became all too clear to him that if things had factored out differently, this probably wouldn't have been his first choice for how his life should have been played out.

Well, no sense in crying over spilt milk now, things in the past would remain just there, in the past. The fact still remained that things were as they were.

He was an outlaw and all the burdens that he had to carry came with the title no matter how hard it was to accept at time's. He would always put on a brave face, he would always do what he had to do to ensure his survival and he would do it for the simple fact that this was the life he had chosen, no matter how disgusted he was with that fact.

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-Earlier On-

Seto was at complete and utter peace, a feeling that he rarely 'if ever' got the privilege of experiencing. It was a slow season, income was down but one of the few good things was that the pathetic excuses for sheriffs of some of the closer towns had finally began to figure out that it probably wasn't a wise idea to fuck with him.

A smirk came to his face as he thought back on his earlier years, how he'd had to fight to gain all that he had today. Back then he'd been young, reckless, never thinking of the consequences for his actions. Thinking back there were so many things he would have done differently, but in the end he would always come to the conclusion that those decisions and choices molded him into the ruthless leader he was today, 'made me stronger', thought Seto as his smirk widened, 'fucking invincible'. He had everything he ever wanted and more.

At his last thought he couldn't help but recall his latest investment. There was no doubt in his mind that the boy was a hell of a catch. A trophy to make any man proud and make others wish and wish for something they would never have. He remembered the first time he'd brought Yami to Paterny, the overwhelming sense of jealousy in the air it had caused was almost overwhelming... almost.

They had every right to be jealous, Yami was so exotic, hell if he'd been on the outside looking in he'd have been one jealous bastard as well. Oh yes, he would enjoy Yami very much, this situation was no different than tasting expensive wine for the very first time.

Rising from his post he decided that now was as good a time as any to pay Yami a little visit. 'I wonder if Bakura finally got him to eat, he's already all too skinny.'

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Two sets of eyes locked firmly on each other, both holding each others gazes, neither willing to back down. Bakura couldn't tell how long this had been going on and the truth was he didn't care. He couldn't remember ever being this pissed off... ever! And that saying something since Bakura and pissed off kinda walked hand in hand.

The thing that was pissing him off now was that even after everything, the kid still refused to yield to him, there wasn't even a trace of fear on that flawless face. He had been in the situation countless amounts of time's and in all those times he couldn't remember the situation being dragged on for this long, though that could be due to a number of reasons one of them being that he never really bothered to talk, that was pretty much what his gun was for.

Another reason could have been that this situation wasn't quite like the other's, this little shit belonged to Seto but then again that never stopped him before so what was holding him back now?

"On your fucking feet!", Barked Bakura as Yami still refused to fear him.

It took everything Yami had not to just bust out laughing. This whole situation was just so ridiculous it was almost as if his life was being written like some sort of twisted story that little by little was beginning to unfold.

"Did you hear what I said? Stand."

Deciding it would do no good to angry Bakura any further, Yami decided to humor Bakura by rising to his feet a little stiffly. The only indication that Bakura was pleased with Yami's obedience came in the small almost invisible twitch of his lips.

"I could shoot you right now and the only people that would be around to witness it would be you and me." Said Bakura as he pressed the gun close to Yami's temple.

"And yet you haven't done so, why is that?" Asked Yami as he stared impossibly deep into Bakura's eyes.

Once again Bakura was brought back to his own internal question, why hadn't he killed Yami yet? As he stared into those two determined eyes to answer became all too clear to him.

"Your not worth it." Said Bakura as he pushed Yami back onto the bed.

"Maybe not, but at least I know what I am." Said Yami as he moved to get into a more comfortable position.

"Oh, and what is that exactly?" Asked Bakura barely managing to contain the curiosity that leaked from his voice.

"I'm many things, but a coward is not one of them."

"Are you calling me a coward?", Asked Bakura as he stared at Yami fiercely.

"And if I am?"

Bakura just didn't get this kid, it was almost as if he had a death wish. That or he was just really stupid.

"Don't underestimate me, I won't hesitate twice to kill you."

"Prove it"

"It would be my pleasure."

"What the hell is going on in here."

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Seto was outraged, he had just entered the room Yami was occupying not only to find Bakura there, but Bakura was there pointing a gun at Yami's head. 'What the fuck!'

"I'm about to cut your losses Seto." Said Bakura as his finger twitched on the trigger.

"What!" Barked Seto as he stared on at Bakura and then to the unfazed Yami.

"He's got such a fucking smart mouth on him, you don't need filth like this around."

"Drop the fucking gun and get out." Seto said the words so calmly that Bakura wasn't even sure he'd heard them.

Bakura turned to stare at Seto evenly in his eyes. Had he just heard right, it sounded like...

"Didn't you hear me Bakura, I said get out." Repeated Seto a little louder this time.

"I will, right after I kill him."

Kaiba couldn't believe what he was hearing, Bakura was going against his orders he never thought he'd live to see the day when one of his men would openly defy him. Bakura had been one of his most trusted men, but oh well, lessons must be taught.

"So your not gonna leave then?", Asked Seto as he moved to take out his own gun, a cruel smirk staining his face. "Very well then" And then without warning a shot was fired.

'What the hell was that!' Thought Marik as he dropped his deck onto the table. 'That sounded like a fucking gun shot.'

Gun shoots were nothing new in Paterny, hell, they did live in gun shot country as it was nicknamed, but what made this strange was that it sounded like it came from the house.

Thinking nothing of it Marik resumed his card game. "Prepare to pay me my 3 pounds jackass!"

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From his position, Bakura braced his self for the blow. Soon or later he'd seen this coming. Him and Seto were too much alike, both not wanting to back down, but in a small part of his mind he had considered them somewhat friends, what a fucking dumb ass he had been.

It seemed like time had frozen still as Bakura opened his eyes once again.

Seto smirked as he looked on at Bakura. He'd been so ready to accept his death and by his hands too. It would've been a big mistake to kill him. Bakura was one of his most trusted companions, he would never allow himself to call him a friend, but he knew replacing him would be a difficult task, now Marik on the other hand was a different story.

"Now seriously Bakura, I need some alone time with Yami, the next time I fire I'm sure I won't miss."

Bakura had just come to terms that he was still alive and to illustrate that point he walked right out the door.

After Bakura closed the door, Seto turned to look at Yami, who had remained silent during the whole event. He didn't look shaken in the least.

Yami didn't know what to say as he stared on at the man that was responsible for all the pain he was currently feeling. As he thought about how he would never be able to go home, how he would never see his father or friends again fresh tears welled up in his eyes. 'And to think he has the nerve to just stand there like he hadn't just destroyed my life three days ago.'

Seto wasn't a fool, he knew exactly what was going through Yami's head right now and he couldn't bring himself to care. Yami was 'his', maybe he didn't realize it yet but he would.

"I understand that you haven't been eating, why is that?"

'Is this guy serious!' "That's all you have to say to me, after what you've done!", Screamed Yami in rage. Initially, he wasn't going to give Seto the satisfaction of getting a reaction out of him, but when he just came in here and acted like everything was as it should be what else was he suppose to do.

"You haven't answered my question Yami."

"You son of a bitch!, you slaughtered my whole family and then expect me to have a civilized conversation with you, and you didn't even have the decency say sorry!", Yelled Yami as his tears got a hold of him.

Seto allowed a puzzled expression to grace his features as he voiced his thoughts "Why would I say sorry?"

In that one moment Yami felt like his insides had been set on fire. 'Monster' This man didn't have any remorse, this was a man that could kill an entire village and sleep like a king the same night.

Yami let his rage take hold of him as he lunged at Seto with every intention of smashing his face in, too bad Seto was already two steps ahead of him.

Seto had seen every single thought that had raced through that pretty head. He had seen the untold rage in those eyes as Yami lunged at him in reckless abandon and he loved it. He caught Yami in mid-air as the latter proceeded to hit him everywhere he could get his hands on. The hits didn't hurt, but they were annoying as hell.

"Will you stop!" Said Seto as he grabbed both Yami's hands in one of his much larger ones.

"You bastard!, you ruined my life and you don't even care!, you're a monster!"

"Yeah, yeah, tell me something I don't know. So what you're families dead move on."

"I hate you!"

"I hate you too, but at least I'm trying to have a civilized conversation with you."

"Why did you bring me here?, why didn't you just kill me too?!"

"You know what, I'm beginning to ask myself the same thing." Said Seto as he pushed Yami back onto the bed before climbing on himself.

"Get off me, what are you doing?!", Screamed Yami as he struggled still in Seto firm grip on his wrists.

"Relax! I'm not gonna do what ever it is that you think I'm gonna do, if you sit back."

Yami immediately relaxed himself in fear of what Seto might do if he didn't.

"Now here's what's gonna happen, you're gonna sit here quietly while I go into the kitchen and get you some food, when I return you will eat whatever it is that I have brought you, after that you will bathe and then go to sleep do you understand me?" Asked Seto as he stared at Yami silently daring him to say no.

"Yes", Said Yami through gritted teeth. As much as it was killing him to comply, he knew that Seto could be much worse than he was now and for some reason, he didn't want to see that.

"Good."

Yami watched Seto from his position as he climbed off the bed and out the door

Moments later Seto returned with Yami's meal which consisted of ...soup! Yami stared at the soup like it was the most vile substance in the world, 'which to him it was', then back up at Seto who held a knowing glint in his eyes.

"I heard how much you like it."

Yami ate his food in silence and then after he took his bath just like Seto had told him to before retiring to his bed for the night all the while thinking of the cruel outlaw who had captured him and destroyed all the dreams he'd ever had in less than a week.

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Well there it is!! Seto is just so mean isn't he? Well Yami isn't about to take it lying down. I couldn't let Seto kill Bakura he's important to the story, well not really but he makes the whole thing funnier!!

So anyway read, review and be merry!!