This chapter is going to mostly be in Ryou's point of view because I'm sure you're all just dying to know what our lovely Spirit of the Ring is doing :') it'll add on to the Angst, I promise :)))
"A..A game?" Ryou repeated, his gaze still down on the Spirit's arms. "What kind of game?" The boy swallowed nervously, starting to get uncomfortable as the Spirit held him tighter.
"It's a fun game, Host. I promise. A...What is it you call it now? 'Simon says'?"
A deep chuckle rumbled in Ryou's ear and he shivered. Lately, he'd been conflicted. This ghost, this ancient entity, was always doing things like this. However, if Ryou had obeyed without trouble, he found that the Spirit would leave him alone for a while, would let him go out on his own without hassling him to steal something. Ryou often thought of it as some sort of manipulation, but he didn't think that this was the Spirit's intention. "I suppose. What are your rules?" The boy let out a small sigh of relief as he felt the Spirit let go, only to jump as it appeared in front of him.
"Rules? Hm. How wise of you to ask. Listen to what I say and follow along correctly, and there won't be any consequences. That sounds fair, hm?" Ah, yes. As if Ryou had the choice to decline. "Okay," he said in response, looking up at the Spirit now to show he was listening, "Let's start then, I suppose."
That was Ryou's first mistake.
The game, unbeknownst to Ryou, had ended up taking the course of a week. Each day more unbearable than the last. Monday, he went to school again, but was told to pick a fight with someone bigger than him. The consequence, if he did not obey, would be never leaving his apartment for the next month. Ryou had no doubts in his mind that the Spirit was capable of such a thing as he'd kept him under some kind of house arrest for days and even a week, all with more consequences hanging on the line. The fight resulted in a badly bruised Ryou and a torn lip.
Unfortunately for Ryou, Yuugi was walking by to witness the scene. He had called for him, for his..what was he? An ex-friend? Whatever it was, Yuugi had come after Ryou, but the latter had run away from him, forcing himself to run even though his ribs had ached with each step. Yuugi didn't need to know. He didn't need to be apart of this and Ryou had deemed the Spirit knowledgeable that day. The Spirit didn't lie to him, not really. He said that Yuugi could get hurt, he could get jealous of the Spirit if Ryou were to tell, and would inevitably dump Ryou as his friend. Ryou had to do it for the sake of himself and for the sake of Yuugi.
The next day, Tuesday, Spirit wouldn't let his Host eat. Not anything all day. The consequence if Ryou were to eat even a crumb was eating everything in the fridge without a break.
"I will not hesitate to stuff that potentially greedy mouth of yours with everything and anything I find. Do not eat. Not a crumb."
Ryou didn't forget that and, though it was quite tempting, he obeyed.
Wednesday, Ryou was not so good.
The Spirit ordered him to stay home. Ryou made himself a light breakfast, upon Spirit's orders, and ate it up. The now less groggy Ryou had gotten up to place his plate in the sink, being stopped on his way back to the chair. He felt cold hands hold him in place, and that familiar voice whispered in his ear.
"Simon says do not scream. Not a sound, not a whimper."
Ryou had opened his mouth to question it, but then quickly shut it as he felt a pain in his chest. A searing pain. A pain he'd never felt before.
"Hm..very good, Host. Now stay silent. I'm almost done. I'm so sorry for hurting you like this, but it's the only way.."
Ryou began to struggle in the Spirit's arms, unable to hold back the scream that pushed its way through his shut mouth. A cold feeling came upon the boy's face and his sound was muffled. The spirit held his hand to Ryou's mouth and clicked his tongue in disappointment.
"Hm. I thought you'd be better behaved than that. Do you know what this means?"
At the Spirit's last sentence, the pain went away. The entity guided Ryou's head down and the boy panicked when he saw his shirt stained with blood. He squirmed and shook his head, but the Spirit held him tight in an almost comforting embrace.
"Sh..It's okay. Don't be afraid. It's okay. Now, we will never be apart from each other, my dear Host.."
"I don't know what it is, Jonouchi. It's like he's becoming someone else. He never used to be like that.." Yuugi sighed and his blonde friend brought him in for an awkward hug.
"It'll be okay. Maybe Bakura is just..Going through a tough time. He probably just doesn't want you to get involved in whatever it is." Jonouchi pat Yuugi's head and the latter nodded, pulling himself away. Maybe Jo was right. Ryou was always doing things like that.. Well, at least now he was. It was odd, though. All of it just didn't seem right. There was something more, something Yuugi just couldn't wrap his mind around. For now, though, he figured he'd spend his time with Jounouchi and try to forget about this Ryou situation. It was becoming too much for him to handle.
The boys, Yuugi and Jonouchi bid goodbye after their day together, Yuugi walking home alone. His breath was able to be seen in the dusk air, the weather beginning to get cool with winter fast approaching. Ever since Ryou had given him the gift, Yuugi had started to comprehend the situation. Ryou really wasn't okay. This wasn't a phase, it wasn't some kind of crisis. It was like..An unnatural change. Like Ryou was being controlled by something that was the complete opposite of him, Seeing Ryou a few days ago when he had run away with his lip bleeding and his hands on his ribs was probably more hurtful than when he gave the compass back. Yuugi was supposed to be his best friend. He was supposed to make sure that odd stuff like this didn't happen or could, at least, be fixed. Giving up once again on his thoughts, Yuugi opened up the door to his grandfather's game shop, gasping when he saw who was standing by the counter with a cup of tea in his hand.
"Ryou, why are you here? I thought you-"
"Can we just forget that? Please? I wasn't-I didn't mean it.." Ryou shifted uncomfortably on Yuugi's bed, looking down into his tea cup. "I came and you weren't here. Where were you?"
The albino lifted his head then, watching as Yuugi turned away from him. "I was.. I was with Jonouchi. We went out for lunch and then went to the arcade," He said, speaking softly.
Ryou blinked, a deep frown forming on his face. Yuugi was already forgetting about him, just as the spirit had said. Of course, Ryou didn't come here of his own free will. This was the consequence. "Oh. Well, I'm glad you're getting out." That said the room grew silent for a moment excepting Ryou's hesitant sip of the tea. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yuugi turn back to him, brows knit.
"Why did you do that?" He asked, his voice uneven and shaky, "What's going on? Why can't you tell me, Ryou? We're supposed to be friends, right? We used to tell each other everything all the time, but now you're pushing me away and not coming to school and being so secretive about everything and-and.." Yuugi lost his voice a moment, but quickly came up with the words he was trying to say. "Ryou, you're changing. You've changed and I want an explanation. I-I saw that bruise the other day.. Please, tell me what's happening so I can help you."
The two stared at each other a long moment, Ryou's mouth wavering as he tried to find words. He couldn't tell Yuugi. The Spirit would know. In fact, the Spirit was trying to get Ryou to blow Yuugi off again, but he knew he couldn't do that no matter what the consequences were. Everything inside Ryou hurt now. His bruises, the ring stabbed into chest, his mind, and especially, his heart. "I-I never wanted to..to change, Yuugi," He said, swallowing nervously, "My father, last year, got me this thing. It's like a necklace and it..It's why I'm changing. It just happened one day. I woke up and I got a realization that I needed to-"
"Stop bullshitting me, Ryou!" Yuugi shouted, causing Ryou's eyes to widen and his body to flinch back. "Please! I'm tired of hearing your excuses! If you really don't like me, just say so! What you're saying, it doesn't make sense. I'm trying to help you, but you won't be straightforward." Yuugi slid himself off the bed and tugged the cup out of Ryou's hands. "Get out, Ryou. Come back when you're ready to tell me the full, honest truth. I'll be there for you then." Ryou only looked at Yuugi in shock, realizing that he wasn't joking. Slowly, Ryou got off of the bed and silently walked out of the room, down the stairs, and out the game shop entrance, tears threatening to fall from his eyes.
"Don't cry, Host. He won't be your friend anymore, but I will. You did very good. I'll end our game here. Get some rest, as a good friend would say.."
The last thing Ryou heard in his mind was a chuckle, his vision going black and his mind drifting elsewhere not long after.
Ahahaha yay, cliffhangers :) This is probably only going to be two more chapters, so yeah, that's both sad and exciting I think? Reviews are appreciated, thank you :D