Pharaess Cleopatra: Me again with a wonderful story! I do hope all of you are enjoying so far because this is going to get excruciatingly painful... *Takes a deep breath, exhales sharply* Alright everyone, get ready, because shit is gonna get pretty dark and really fucked up, so ladies, cuddle with something/someone and guys...grow a pair and get ready to cringe. Let's go!

Chapter 4: Hellish Reality

The next week or so passed by rather uneventfully, for Seto at least. He tried talking to Yami more, but he just seemed so closed off from the rest of the world. The only person who can ever get through to him is his younger brother, but he wouldn't dare ask him – hell no – not unless he had to. He figured he would try little by little to coax Yami more into the open, but that proved to be difficult. He didn't really seemed to want to talk most days, though he had a good reason. Granted, the large bruise on his cheek and black eye had gone away for the most part, but things are never this calm in his home. Yami had the feeling things would turn for the worse pretty soon. How right he was too... As Seto very slowly made his way to his next class, he overheard an exasperated voice in one of the classes he had with Yami. He seemed very flustered and upset, though he again had a reason to be. Oh God, how he was dreading tonight...

"Oh, please!" He pleaded to Mrs. Ryoto. "It's only two points away! Can you please raise it just a little, please?" Yami sounded desperate, but why shouldn't he be?

She shook her head in sympathy. "I'm sorry, Yami, but if I do it for you, then I'd have to do it for everyone unless I curve the test. I'll think about curving it, alright, but until then, you should at least show it to your parents." Yami instantly turned a pale white before giving a shaky nod, quickly making his leave, but in his hasty getaway, he bumped into Seto by accident.

"Oh! Sorry!" He quickly apologized, expecting a bad reaction until Seto waved it off.

"No worries, it was just an accident..." He said. "But do you mind if I ask why you got so upset over that test?"

Yami avoided his gaze. "I-it's nothing." He stuttered a bit. "I-I've gotta go..." The teen then scurried off, leaving a very confused Seto standing there. He had to shake himself as he continued on his way to his class.

Tonight was most certainly not going to pleasant, that much Yami expected... Now he really dread going home... He didn't want to tell his father because he knew how he would react, but it was just one test, so it didn't really hurt his grade too badly. However, his grade was the least of his worries. No, he had to worry about not ending up in the damn hospital because of his wretched parental figure he was forced to call his father. The rest of the day, Yami was very tense – having the jitters off and on due to the thought of telling his father about that test, and Yugi noticed his tenseness too. He knew how terrified and paranoid his brother was, but also knew there was nothing he could say or do to help calm him down, well...that is until a thought struck him at lunch that day.

Yami's really stressing out... He's really scared of what Dad will do to him, but what can I say to help calm his nerves? Nothing I say will settle him down, unless... I know! Maybe when I hear him and Dad go at it tonight, I'll step in if I see Yami getting hurt. He won't hurt me, Yami made sure of that, but still... It doesn't matter. Even if he does, I won't back down! Yami's always there for me, so now it's time I step in and protect him for a change. He thought determinedly.

Smash!

Yami quickly evaded the object his father threw at him as it crashed into the wall behind him, shattering on contact. The teen backed up into said wall as his father stomped towards him until his back was against it, now fearing for his damn life. Never had he been so terrified in his life, until now. "What the fuck is wrong with you, boy!?" He shouted, his breath reeking of alcohol and cigars, causing Yami to cringe. "Are you a fucking idiot, or what, you piece of shit!?"

"D-Dad, wait, p-please!" Yami pleaded helplessly. "E-everyone failed that test! The class average was a-" He couldn't finish his statement as a fist connect with the side of his head, his father's ring cutting him just above in his hairline as blood began to trickle down the side of his face.

Yami collapsed to the floor when the fist made contact with his face, his vision swimming while his ruthless father towered over him. "Shut the fuck up, you worthless little fuck-up!" Ouch, that hurt, a lot. "After all I've done for you just so you can go and fuck all of my hard work up for nothing!?" He grabbed a chunk of Yami's hair, forcibly lifting him up. He went to punch his son in the face, but he held his arms up to block it, but that would surely bruise later on, unless he cracked his arm. "You don't know how good you got it here, boy! With your mother fucking gone, I got stuck with your brother's sorry excuse for a mother and that useless tool! It was your goddamn fault she's dead, you useless motherfucker!" He then threw Yami into the wall, causing him to gasp as he slammed right into it before hitting the floor with a low 'thud.' He cringed since one of his shoulder blades hit the hard surface of the wall, but it wasn't over as a foot was rammed into his ribcage. He gasped sharply before he hit the floor again, curly up to grab his chest, but that same foot rammed into him again before he got the change to shield himself – Yami was sure he heard something crack that time, but was in too much pain to care at the moment.

"D...Dad, p-please..." Yami coughed before he was kicked again, but his arms managed to shield most of the blow, but he still slammed into the wall due to the force.

"Shut the fuck up! He shouted, louder.

Meanwhile, Yugi heard the whole thing. As soon as he heard the loud 'thud' when Yami was thrown into the wall, he'd had enough. It was time he stepped in now. He put whatever he had aside and flung his bedroom door open, dashing down the stairs. When he finally made it to the scene, his father got ready to throw something at Yami, who was curled up helplessly on the floor, his arms wrapped around his chest. Just as their father threw whatever the hell he had grabbed, Yugi instantly dashed forward, leaping as he grabbed the object. He rolled on the floor when he landed, but quickly put the item down and ran over to Yami, standing in front of him with his arms outstretched in a protective stance, glaring at his father, who seemed surprised since Yugi never steps in, so this was certainly unexpected. "The fuck do you think you're doing, Yugi?" He father hissed, slurring his words a bit.

"Standing up to you." He answered, Yami slowly lifting his head to see his younger brother.

"Y...Yugi...?" The elder sibling croaked. "Wh-what are...you doing?"

"Protecting you." He answered Yami this time, but a bit quieter.

"Excuse me? What the fuck just came out of your goddamn mouth?"

"I'm standing up to you, Dad." He said sternly, holding his glare as his father let out a growl.

"Get the fuck out of my way. This isn't about you, so get out of my sight right fucking now, you hear me?!"

Yugi was silent for a moment as his glare hardened, gritting his teeth. "No."

"What!?" His father shouted. "Did you just tell me no?! Do you any fucking idea who you're talking to?! I am your father, goddamn it, and you will do as I fucking tell you!"

"I don't give a damn!" Yugi shouted. "It was one stupid test! Why do you have to flip your shit at everything he does, but never bat an eye when I do something, huh!? What gives you the damn right to treat my brother the way you have!?"

"He's my son, and I'll do with him as I very well fucking please! And you're not even full blood, you dumbass!"

"I repeat, I don't give a damn! Bond before blood! I don't care if we're half brothers, but he's still my goddamn brother, Dad! You don't even deserve to be a father with how you treat him, you and Mom both since she's pretty fucking useless!"

"That is your mother and my wife you're talking about! I will beat your little ass, you rat bastard if you don't shut the fuck up right now, goddamn it!"

"Who the hell cares? She's never here and treats Yami like shit too, just like you, so all the fucking good she is!" He shot back. "Leave Yami alone, Dad! He's not your damn punching bag, he's a human being and your damn son for God's sake! Jesus! Why do you have to be such a condescending asshole!? You're as useless as Mom!"

"Why you little...! I'm gonna kick your ass! Just wait till tonight, you dumb shit! Both of you are gonna be taught a lesson, you hear me!?"

"Go to hell!" Yugi shouted as his father stomped out of the house in a fit of rage.

Once he was gone, Yugi let out a quick sigh before getting down to his brother. "Yami, are you alright?"

"Y-Yugi... Th-thank you..." Yami said in a small voice.

Yugi gave a small smile. "Brothers have to stick together. Come on, let's get upstairs before he gets back..." He urged, helping his brother up, but he gave a grunt in pain when he tweaked his chest. "Yami! Oh God! What did he do to you!?" The boy exclaimed. "I'll bet anything Dad cracked one of your ribs... Come on, I'll check it out upstairs. Can you walk?"

Yami gave a small nod as Yugi wrapped one of his brother's arms around his shoulders, quickly aiding him up the stairs and into his bedroom, seating him on the bed. His brother gave low grunts as he was seated, Yugi quickly closing and locking the door before going back over to Yami, lifting his shirt to see large bruising already forming. He gently touched the bruising marks, his brother letting out a sharp gasp, in which Yugi quickly apologized. Yami waved off the apology as his brother spoke up, lowering his shirt. "It looks like Dad might've cracked one of your ribs."

He shrugged. "I'm not surprised..."

Yugi gave a sigh. "I'd offer to stay in here with you, but I already know you'll turn me down, so I'm not even going to ask."

Yami shook his head. "No, don't do that..."

"See, I told you." He said, giving another sigh. "If that's the case, do you think you'll...you'll be okay tonight?"

"Most likely not, but I'll survive."

"That's doesn't give me hope, Yami."

He shrugged lightly this time. "I don't know what else to tell you then..."

"Yami, I don't trust him. You know he's going to do something."

"There's nothing I can do about it..."

"Let's leave." Yugi suddenly stated in a stern tone.

He shook his head. "Where would we go then?"

"Anywhere by here. Let's just leave."

"No, we can't..."

"Why not?"

"He will find us somehow..."

Yugi gave a groan. "Fine..." He just agreed, his brother's stubbornness becoming annoying. "We'll stay, but if this keeps happening, we're gone, got it?"

Yami gave a small nod.

"Lock your door." Yugi said as he exited the room, closing the door behind himself.

Not like it will do me any good... Yami thought sorrowfully as he forced himself up, wincing at the pain that shot through his body when he got up to lock the door.

Yami felt sick, sick to his stomach. His stomach was in knots, going in circles, making him want to throw up, but he knew he couldn't with nothing in him. Yami wrapped an arm around his churning gut, the other covering his mouth as he pressed his back against the door, sinking to the floor. Tears burned in his eyes, but he didn't care. He hated his life, hated what was happening to him, what was going to happen to him. Yami wanted to die, to just end it all, but he knew he couldn't. No, death was too easy, wasn't it? A mercy... How he wanted that – mercy, mercy from this hell he was being put through. God, how he hated life... His heart was going a thousand miles per hour; a panic attack waiting to happen. Yami quickly dug around in his bag, searching for the one thing that would ease his stress, feeling a bit of tension release when his fingers curled around the cool metal of the small blade in his palm. He needed this, to calm him down. This was urgent. He usually didn't like to cut on his wrists – too noticeable – but right now, he had to find relief, and this seemed to be the only way. Yami yanked one of his sleeves back, revealing his pale skin that had faded scars on it, pressing the metal against his skin. He sucked in a short breath, preparing himself for what came next. Yami didn't mind the pain, in fact, he loved it, savored in it, enjoyed that delicious sensation it gave him. Did that make him a sick person? Possibly, but frankly, he just couldn't give a damn. He loved the wave of pain that wash over him once that blade slashed his skin, the feeling of hot crimson red running down his arm, making beautiful streaks. Drawing in another breath, Yami slashed the blade across his wrist, the skin opening just enough to make it look deep, but not enough to do serious damage. That wave of pain washed over him as blood began to trickle down the pale skin of his arm, and he relished in the painful sensation, feeling nothing but pure bliss as he began to relax. He did this a few more times, savoring in the feeling it gave him. God, how he loved that pain... The marks looked nice. They were straight and even, not too far apart or too close. Yami quickly grabbed a couple tissues and wiped up the blood on his arm, clotting the wounds before wiping what little had slid down his face earlier. His head was clear and he felt a bit calmer as Yami put the blade away and threw himself into a pillow, falling into a fitful slumber while dreading what would soon come...

He wasn't sure how long he was asleep for when his door was being shimmied. It was then Yami realized his door was being forcibly unlocked. He was frozen stiff as the door was flung open then slammed shut, until he heard a gasp, followed by a low 'thud.' Yami instantly bolted upright as he turned to see Yugi! What the hell was he doing there, and why? By the Gods, this can't end well... His father had dragged him out of bed and threw him onto the floor by his hair before kicking him in the stomach, Yugi gasping out as he wrapped his arms around himself. Yami gasped, but before he could even move, he was suddenly pinned down by force, his father towering over him. Oh God, no, not this... Please, not this... Yami knew what was coming, and his thoughts were spinning, emotions going out of control. He started struggling until he got a sudden slap to the face, pinning him down harder by the shoulders as this became painful.

"Hold sill." His father ordered, Yugi just barely peeking up to see his brother being pinned to the bed, fear and terror swirling in those crimson eyes through the darkness.

"Dad, no! Plea—" Yami was cut off as he was slapped in the face again, ending what plea he wanted to get out.

"Shut the fuck up." He spat harshly as he undid his own pants, Yami's eyes instantly widening.

Suddenly, Yami's hair was grabbed as his head was being shoved where it should not go. His mouth was brutally forced onto his father's manhood, damn near choking him. However, it didn't end there as his father started yanking Yami's head back and forth, thrusting into his mouth at the same time as the teen started gagging. Tears burned in his eyes due to the choking and gagging, making him absolutely sick for he never thought anything of this. This most certainly was worse than anything he'd ever experienced, and it only went downhill from there. Yugi's eyes were wide with shock, trying to get up to stop this horrific act, but his body wasn't moving. He felt completely frozen to the core. Yami felt even more sickened by this knowing Yugi was watching in horror, but neither of them could do anything about it. Yami silently begged for him to finish quickly so that this torment would fucking end already, and he thought it would when he thought his father was ready to cum, until he was yanked away only to be pinned back to the bed again. Yami started coughing violently, until his pants and boxers were being yanked away from his body. He began to panic.

No! Not this! Please not this! Anything but this torture again! Yami silently screamed in his head.

"D-Dad, please, no!" He shouted, tears sliding down his face.

"I said shut the fuck up!" He grabbed Yami by the throat, this now causing a reaction out of Yugi as he pounced to his feet, yanking at his father's arm.

"Stop it, Dad! Let him go! You're choking him!" Yugi shouted. "Please! Let him – ahh!"

"Y-Yugi!" Yami managed to choke out, his brother being backhanded in the face when his father yanked away from him before socking the boy in the gut this time.

Yugi gasped out as he collapsed to the floor, gripping his stomach while trying to catch his breath. "Shut the fuck up, you tool..." He hissed at the younger teen before going back to Yami as he continued to strip his lower half.

Suddenly, Yami practically screamed, quickly biting into a pillow as his father ruthlessly shoved himself into his small frame, ripping him apart. He knew he was bleeding, having felt it slide down his legs as tears were covering his face. His father began to horribly thrust slam into him over and over again, Yugi watching in atrocity at the sight before him, but knew he couldn't stop it, making him feel even more powerless. Yami's throat was grabbed again and his hair brutally yanked at, his vision starting to blur from lack of oxygen when more pressure was added to his windpipe. He wished to pass out from being strangled, or to just flat out die. That would certainly make things easier, wouldn't it? But unfortunately, his father released his throat and grabbed both of his wrists, pinning the down to make him feel even more helpless. However, as he was brutally thrusted into, the painful grip on his wrists was soon transferred to his hips, grasping them hard with nails digging into the skin, though that was the least of his worries. His legs came next, deep red marks and bruising forming on his hips as that same grip was now on his upper thighs, those nails yet again digging into the pale skin. Yami hated this, hated the fact this was happening to him again... His father then grasped his manhood in between in his lags, cruelly stroking it. Yami whimpered at the contact, finding this to be absolutely disgusting as his father smirked.

"Yeah, you like this, don't you, you little slut?" He laughed, Yami covering his eyes with his arms.

However, his body completely betrayed him in that moment, due to the physical stimulation, as he unwillingly released all over his chest, now feeling even more disgusted with himself. He heard his father laugh. "Oh God! Fuck! Yes!" It was then Yami felt something hot and sticky shoot inside of him, filling his insides to the brim. He whimpered again at the pain as his father pulled out of his small framed, his backside now covered in sweat, semen, and blood. His father gave a bitter chuckle. "Yeah, you really are a fucking slut, aren't you, you little bitch?" He scoffed. "Tsk... You're disgusting, you know that?"

All Yami could do was curl up into a ball and hug himself, trembling violently. His father adjusted himself before kicking his brother in the gut again. He gasped out before yanking him by the hair and throwing him out of Yami's room. "Get back to your room, you fucking brat." He hissed. "Let this be a lesson to both of you failures because next time, both of you are getting it, you hear me?" Their father then stomped off.

Once he was gone, Yugi snuck back into Yami's room and gently touched his shoulder, which caused him to flinch horribly. "Yami, it's okay, it's just me..." He cooed softly. "Here, let's get you into some different clothes..."

Yugi searched around the room, digging in his brother's drawers until he found a black long sleeve shirt and dark blue pants, also grabbing a pair of black boxers to get him out of the now dirtied ones he was forced out of. Yami took the clothes as Yugi looked away, though he couldn't see much through the darkness anyway as he waited for the elder sibling to dress himself. When he was finished, Yugi helped him lay down as he curled up into a ball, hugging himself as tears drenched his face, his throat sore from both the choking and screaming, and his body aching, though mostly his lower half. He gently stroked Yami's hair, trying to calm him down. When he wasn't trembling as violently, Yugi gently hugged him, telling him to try and relax and get some sleep before making his leave. Yami just laid there, trembling while curled up into himself. He buried his face in his pillow as he began to sob quietly, not wanting anyone to hear him. He sobbed for what felt like forever before he had finally tired himself out so much he drifted off into a nightmarish slumber. This was by far the worst his father has gotten, and Yami felt horrible about it. He would certainly feel all of that tomorrow, but became so worn out from both being raped by his father and his sobbing, he didn't seem to care. Yami just wanted to die in that moment, didn't want to exist, but he knew all too well that this was his reality, one he didn't want to be apart of anymore... He wanted to get away, to escape this life he'd been forced to live in for so long...

Yami wanted someone to finally care about him, someone other than Yugi...