Warnings: M. Yaoi, Language. Supernatural themes. Horror. I own NOTHING! The plot is mine.

Chapter 21: Healer's Dilemma.

The mansion was illuminated only by the dismal light of the rain-darkened day that barely penetrated the windows. Evidently the polished wood floors, wall-covering were of the palest hues, for in the dimness everything seemed to be one shade of gray or another.

Rain steadily drummed on the windows.

For days now Ryou sat by Malik's bedside, his half Demon lover lay there, sweating from a fever so out of control that whenever Ryou pressed the damp cool cloth to Malik's forehead, the half Demon would let out a cry of discomfort and unconsciously pull away... Ryou now just couldn't bring himself to make Malik more uncomfortable then what he already was.

Ryou raised his eyes at seeing Marik place that same cloth onto Malik's forehead the half Demon panting in pain, Marik brushed sweat damp bangs from Malik's forehead and whisper words in their Demonic language into his mate's ear. Marik's words were soft and filled with so much love that it made Ryou's heart twist up in sorrow of missing his beloved mate and the intimate late nights with his lovers where such words were whispered in the dark. No reaction showed on Malik's face as he once again became settled in his unconscious state. Marik kissed his mate's cheek and retook his seat at his side.

Ryou got up and rushed out of the room closing the door behind himself, he fell against it, placing his hand over his now tear filled eyes as his grip on the doorhandle tightened. He couldn't take it anymore, sitting in that room for days on end and for what?... To sit idly by watching his lover die right before his eyes. He had to do something, anything that would help.

Going after the Witch sprung to mind and twisted thoughts of her demise came so easily and deflated a little of his pain and heartbreak. Suddenly a shadow fell over Ryou and he glanced up into icy blue eyes of the Healer. Kaiba moved the human aside with a movement of his hand and entered the room. Ryou watched silently from the threshold. Kaiba would often throughout the day walk in, change the IV bags; he would check Malik's condition and then leave with nothing positive to say.

Marik never lifted his head or even acknowledge the Healer's presences. Ryou hated seeing his lover so... dejected. Ryou was truly missing the charming and affectionate smiles or comments Marik would throw his way so frequently.

Kaiba seemed troubled when he was assessing Malik, a deep frown on his face as he worked. Without so much as a word, the Healer left just as swiftly as he came. Something heavy weighed down on the Healer's mind. Ryou followed Kaiba into the mansion's library and approached the cluttered desk the Healer was seated at.

Surrounding the Demon were books, scrolls and paper, they were spread all over the desk, the nearby stand, an armchair and even on the floor.

Ryou stopped for a moment to pick up one of his mate's books from the floor; it was an old book, the title long since worn away, like most of the other books Bakura possessed, loved, used and cared for. "Seto." The Healer made no acknowledgement as he flipped through books and took down notes. Ryou voiced what he wanted. "Please Seto, it's been days, you said I would see my mate." Ryou was pleading; he couldn't take not knowing what happened to Bakura. "I need to see him."

"Bakura's condition hasn't changed and he remains in his hibernated state." The Healer continued to work, however it didn't escape him that he hadn't once seen the human shed any tears since the day at the Sanctuary. Kaiba had expected the human to be in a complete sobbing mess in some corner of the mansion.

Ryou clutched the book to his chest, he wanted to question the Healer about everything on Marik, Bakura and Malik... but right now, he would deal with one thing at a time and that was his mate. "I want to see him." Ryou demanded firmly, his brown eyes flashed a bight gold for an instant.

"In time," Kaiba not once looked up from what he was doing; he still couldn't let Ryou see his mate. The pale Demon still wept blood from open wounds that were healing at a human pace and could not be healed by any Healer. Truthfully, Kaiba was having trouble keeping the Demon alive and in a stable hibernated state.

Ryou slammed his hands and the book down onto the desk, Seto looked up with a disapproving frown. "My mark has stopped itching and its fading." Ryou blurted out, willing to say anything that would have him at his mate's side. Kaiba's face was expressionless and Ryou had to wonder if he had finally come face to face with the Healer's true callous personality.

Kaiba sighed it really wasn't the best news to hear for it meant that he was losing the battle against the Witch's spell. "What does it mean? I know that Bakura told me it would take mouths of separation for that to happen, but it's only been days." Ryou dreaded the worst; he'd give anything to have his mark irritate him again. "What aren't you telling me?"

The Healer turned back to his work muttering. "Just know that I'm doing all I can... for all of you." He had to detach himself as a friend, Malik and Bakura were nothing but patients in his mind now, yes it seemed heartless and this situation gave Ryou a good taste of what their Demonic world could really be like. Kaiba was trying to save Ryou the heartache of seeing the ruin that was his mate.

"It's not good enough!" Ryou growled, he didn't even get the Healer's attention. "Where is Bakura?" He demanded angrily, all that was on his mind was his mate laying somewhere still unprotected and vulnerable while the Healer was here attending to Malik. "I want my Demon!" At least if Bakura was here Ryou could provide protection for his mate within the mansion. "Do not ignore me?" Ryou swept his arm across the desk, knocking everything to the floor.

Kaiba moved so fast that Ryou's eyes couldn't track his movements. Kaiba grabbed the human by the collar of his shirt and roughly shoved him against the desk. Ryou grit his teeth tightly as he was forced to support himself on his elbows or end up flat on his back upon the desk. "I'll take into consideration of your situation and not rip a limb from your body." The Healer seethed out, he knew those gold eyes anywhere. The Dragon within Ryou had reared its head; stress did always strange things to a body and at times could break spells. It wasn't so much that the Dragon within Ryou took complete control; it however planted thoughts and gave power to the human side when the need arose and right now the Dragon side was fretting as well. Ryou wasn't a creature when under the influence of the Dragon was something a smart Demon would want to mess with. Kaiba's only option was to ease the Beast that looked ready to tear him apart to get to his mate. "Bakura's in the best care." Kaiba quickly removed his hand from Ryou's shirt in fear of having it bitten off, for the growl that emitted from Ryou told him it wasn't what the human wanted to hear.

Kaiba backed off, letting the human straighten up. The Healer gave a growl of frustration; he was exhausted mentally and physically, he was under a lot of pressure to keep both Malik and Bakura alive, after all they were his best friends. "Any Demon that has fallen into hibernation is automatically taken to the Hollow." Ryou straightened up and readjusted his shirt and focused on what the Healer was saying. "Any creature taken to the Hollow in such a state has a very low survival rate. I've hidden Bakura away to give him a chance; do not mistake me for trying to keep him away from you when all I'm doing is trying to save him." Seto had spent his time in the last few days between looking after Malik and Bakura and erasing the Healer's minds that were involved in healing Bakura at the Sanctuary that night... plus the Healer feared with Bakura's death, the Demonic Realm would lose what was left of the Dragon race.

All of Ryou's anger seemed too deflate and he looked drained, he no long wanted to fight, he knew Seto was doing all he could, but Ryou couldn't help himself, the worrying was driving him insane and the feeling of uselessness was eating him away. "I'm going crazy Seto." Ryou spoke up leaning heavily against the desk. "I can't sit in that room anymore and watch Malik slowly die. Marik hasn't said a word to me, hell; he won't even raise his head to look at me." Ryou was still aware that his lover was still blind, the tan Demon seemed to ignore him most of the time. "And Bakura..." Ryou growled with a frustrated tug of his own hair. "I'm so lost." Ryou's now teary voice was muffled by the Healer's chest as the Demon wrapped his arms about the human in nothing more than comfort. "What do I do?" The human beseeched the Demon Healer.

Kaiba remained silent for a moment patting Ryou's head; the Healer wasn't cruel enough to bestow false hope. "You have to take into consideration that Bakura may never awaken... it's a risk we all take when we choose a mate, especially one of the Demonic kind."

"I'll wait forever." Ryou mumbled tears rolling down his cheeks only to be absorbed by Seto's shirt. "He's worth waiting for." Kaiba knew that the human would wait until the end of his days and beyond if needed. Even Seto's heart twisted up in sadness, Ryou thought that he had forever, maybe in the afterlife. Once Bakura passed away, Ryou would unknowingly follow his mate in death.

The Healer heaved a sigh, this was one of the reasons he didn't want a mate. He didn't want the attachment, the heartbreak, leaving that someone behind to mourn over nothing but an empty shell. Kaiba wanted to spear his own mate the helplessness that he saw before him, that some sorrow that Ryou was drowning in. "Bakura will understand, he wouldn't want you to wait like this for him." Kaiba fell silent for a moment holding back on what he really wanted to tell the human. "This is what you're going to do." The Healer said firmly now holding Ryou at arm's length and looked him right in the eyes. "Go back to your life, get into a daily routine, be with your friends for they worry about you too, take comfort from them and from Marik, but don't wallow in this sadness for too long." Kaiba truly did miss the natural happy Ryou, who could be heard laughing somewhere in the house, or cooking in the kitchen or lounging about in the living room with his mate and lovers. Seto would go as far as to say that he also missed the sudden fights between Yami and Bakura, right now he would give anything to have it all back.

Shaking the thoughts from his head, Kaiba spoke up again. "Now, you have to make sure that Marik is feeding every second day and eating good meals, when was the last time Marik fed?"

Ryou wiped at his eyes and dried off his cheeks, he couldn't remember, his head hurt and all his thoughts were on his mate. "I don't know." It wasn't as if Bakura, Marik and Malik brought up their feedings of blood all the time in a casual conversation.

Kaiba thought as much. "Okay, in the fridge is our emergency blood packs. Heat one up and give it to Marik in a cup. Then take him upstairs for a shower, he needs one, then feed him a good meal and yourself... Can you do all that I ask you?"

Ryou nodded his head, "Yes."

A small smile kicked up the corners of the Demon's lips, "Good." He nodded and added for the human's benefit. "When separated, Bakura's instincts will drive him to find you." A small wave of relief washed over Ryou thought he didn't really fully understand.

A small growl escaped Kaiba's throat and he spat out. "I'm being summoned." The human flinched a little at the harsh words. "And Ryou." Seto turned his attention onto the human again. "If you at any time become really fatigued, contact me right away, don't wait for it to pass, got it?" Ryou only nodded his head and watched the Healer step back and vanish, Ryou turned and headed for the kitchen.

Yami slid lower on his throne with a low distasteful growl. First off, he had awoken that morning with his mate in his arms and things had gotten a little heated again until Yugi's Grandfather started pounding on the door. His mate had fallen all over himself trying to grab clothing and telling the old man to wait, while Yami slipped out the bedroom window and that's then the pressure in his head had gotten to the point where he couldn't ignore it any longer and returned to the Demonic Realm... and if Ella addressed him that away once more, he was going to rip her tongue out through her... "My Lord, who would attack you in such away?" Ella gasped out of shock and started to rant about more Demons to be at Yami's side at all times.

Kaiba and Yami had been summoned to the Demonic realm for an emergency meeting with the Council, apparently they had found out about the attack on the Healer's Sanctuary so soon. Kaiba had hoped they could have repaired the place and covered up the attack before the word got around.

It took Kaiba all his will power not to roll his eyes; he had to wander if Yami saw through her well played act. On some days when Yami wasn't himself, Ella could play the Demon Lord like a well tuned harp. Everyone knew that if Yami died then his Council, correctly, Ella would get full ruling over the Demonic Realm until a replacement was found, which could take years, centuries even. So many would suffer and die at her hands.

"Are they trying to instigate a war?" Ella raged in her anger. "I'll have every Werewolf rounded up to be chained up and flogged and..."

"That isn't necessary." Kaiba interjected, the old Demon turned her dull aged crimson eyes on him and they flashed with anger. All Kaiba wanted to do was get back to his work on finding a cure for Malik, Bakura and Marik. The pale Demon was not doing well at all, no matter what Kaiba did, nothing was working and Bakura was fading a little more with each passing day... not to mention that he had once again vanished on Joey, it wasn't his fault that he got caught up in his duty as a Healer. Healing was what Kaiba did, it is who he was, if Joey didn't like his long absence from home then his human would just have to man-up.

"You forget Ella; a lot of the Werewolves are our allies." Yami informed her with a level voice.

"To do such a thing would no doubt bring about a war." Kaiba finished for the Demon Lord. Ella let out a low hiss and retreated from the conversation for the moment.

"My Lord!" The deeper tone rang throughout the throne room; it was a better tone then that of Ella's. Yami had to wonder if the female liked the sound of her own voice.

"Yes Touya, what is it?" Yami's tone lacked interest in hearing what the other had to say, his eyes slowly turned on the even older Demon. With the mood the Demon Lord was in, everyone had to tread carefully, Yami's irritated behaviour was all the right signs that the Demon Lord had been pulled away from what little time he had with his mate.

"I read in the reports that two of your personal guards are, dead." The old Demon said and Yami could see that he was holding back a grin... a grin that Yami was all too happy to wipe off his face.

"I must instruct you to get more personal guards. The human Realm isn't safe for a future King." Ella started up again. "I can name a few very strong and capable Demons for..."

Yami cut her off. "I remind you again." His growl was the deepest yet, Kaiba didn't miss that when Ella opened her mouth again to speak her mind, Touya stomped her foot effectively shutting her up. "I'll not take on any more guards for the ones that, I have always had, are not dead but merely injured." Yami grounded out through grit teeth, his claws cut into the wood of his throne while the other hand drummed claws in a rhythm on the other armrest. He didn't trust anyone other than Bakura, Malik, Seto and Marik to watch his back.

"Malik and Bakura are under my care and the watchful eyes of their mates." Kaiba cut in, he didn't have to be mated to Yami to know the Demon was pissed off with his Council; they must have interrupted a very private moment between the human and the Demon Lord. Kaiba was surprised not to find the Council hanging by their toes in the dungeons.

The three Council members turned on Kaiba like a pack of hungry jackals wanting to devour their pray alive. Kaiba met their glares with his usual calm level look. "Healer," Hawk spat. "Regulations set for any Demon that is dying or in hibernation must be followed, no exceptions."

The Healer froze up, they knew. Somehow between his work and covering Bakura's tracks of the attack and being in hibernation, the Council had found out. Kaiba wandered if the Council knew of Yami's male human mate. "Word from the Sanctuary is that Kyoshi has fallen into Hibernation during his healing treatment. Strange that after three days no other reports of Kyoshi has been sent to us or the Hollow." Hawk took a step towards Kaiba. "Word was that you took Kyoshi to treat him while in Hibernation." It seemed that the Council had their personal Spy or Kaiba had greatly over looked something of importance. The three shared a look and Kaiba knew that things were about to get nasty. They often did when the Council felt as though they were losing and could not sway the Demon Lord to see things their way. "Do you deny these allegations?"

"Bakura could not be in better hands." Kaiba narrowed his eyes and his voice was icy. "Am I not the best Healer this Realm has ever seen or had?" The fact that Yami had lied was over looked and the Council wouldn't bring attention to it... Kaiba let out a sigh; they would blame him for hiding Bakura's hibernation from the Demon Lord and the Council.

"Where is Kyoshi?" Ella pointed her long bony finger at the tall Healer. "He is not at the Sanctuary, do you have him hidden somewhere?" Kaiba narrowed his eyes, they were so predictable, he knew they would go after Bakura; he was the Demon that stood in everyone's way to gaining true power... eliminate Bakura and it would be an instant win. Yami knew it; he had even gone after Bakura's master personally, the result of that fight was Yami being crippled for twelve years, no physical damage, the Demon Lord just couldn't fly or call upon his powers. Yami had been young at the time, but thankfully the Demon Lord was smart enough and learnt his lesson the first time and had never gone after Bakura's master again.

Bakura was not at the Sanctuary nor was he at the mansion. "All you need to know is that Bakura is in the best care available to any Demonic creature." Kaiba knew it irked the female to no end; he wasn't going to give Bakura up just so the pale Demon would have an accident or something going wrong that would effectively end the pale Demon's life.

"My Lord," Ella spoke up, her eyes shone with such hostile intentions for the tall Healer that her eyes reluctantly swept up to Yami. "We, your Council are here to help you run this Realm smoothly. A reminder, you maybe the Demon Lord, but until you are King... we have the final say." Suddenly Ella was pulled forward by an unseen force, landing heavily on the few steps and at Yami's feet at his throne.

"You Ella tread on dangerous ground." The large throne room trembled with Yami's barely contained rage.

Touya and Hawk moved forward to defuse the situation, before Yami got too angry and have them punished. "My Lord," Touya stepped forward hands collapsed in front of him as submissive plea, stopping when Yami growled and narrowed his eyes in warning for them not to come any closer. "All Demons that have fallen into Hibernation do not survive outside the care of the Hollow; you of all Demons should know this, your mother..."

"You'll not speak of it!" Yami rose from his throne, his voice rumbled in the great hall and his three Council members fell silent. "Do not mention what you do not understand." The three were fast to muttered apologies and were practically grovelling at his feet.

"My Lord." Hawk moved forward, seeing that the Demon Lord was about to deliver some kind of punishment on the older female despite their best efforts. Ella had pushed him to fair this time. "We are only following your mother's wishes the best we can. We are only here to guide you until you can rule this land with confidence. Our intentions are not to anger you... you are like a son to us."

Kaiba this time did roll his eyes. Yami released Ella allowing her to get to her feet, the two rushing forward to help her. "I'll give Bakura the rest of the week, if he has not awakened... I'll have him personally sent to the Hollow." The Council agreed full heartedly.

"What about Ryou?" Kaiba blurted out, even though Ryou was human and didn't fully understand their ways, Kaiba know what befell Ryou should he lose his mate to the Hollow.

"Protocol must be followed." Ella said with her head bowed, Kaiba could hear the triumph note to her voice. "If Kyoshi's mate doesn't claim a new Demon for his own or a Demon claims him... he'll be sold off in the Demonic Salve Auction where he'll be forced to bind himself to any creature that buys him. We can't have an uncontrolled human lurking around that knows about us, imagine the chaos it could cause in the human realm." Yami suddenly zoned out, his mind working and not in a good way... whatever ideas Yami had were not good ones.

"Yami," Kaiba snapped the Demon Lord from his thoughts, giving the shorter male a disapproving glare. "Considering the Witch would be looking for such an opening, if Ryou fell into the wrong hands, the outcome would be catastrophic. Do not issue the order for Bakura to go to the Hollow, he'll never come out." Kaiba warned him, no Demon would willingly take on another creatures mate for their own. Kaiba had seen many humans end up in the Salve Auctions, except that if Ryou ended up there, it could mean the end of both the Human and the Demonic Realm.

"I have faith that Ryou will have no trouble finding someone to replace Bakura. However, Bakura is strong, he will pull through." Yami stated, but he didn't believe his own words for he saw what condition the pale Demon had been in.

"How can you say that?" Kaiba exploded with anger turning to face Yami. "Bakura's life is hanging by a thread as is Malik's and you ask Ryou to find a replacement mate?" Kaiba raged at the Demon Lord, "Have you forgotten what that boy is? Ryou can't simply attach himself to another creature because you order it."

Yami narrowed his eyes and growled out. "Bakura isn't dead yet, is he? Ryou will need to act now before his connection to Bakura is severed and we lose him." The Demon Lord never liked being challenged. "You'll present Bakura at the mansion this afternoon." With a growl, Kaiba turned without another word and stormed from the throne room. He threw open the large heavy wooden doors. "I would like you to inform Ryou that Bakura will be shipped off to the Hollow in two days."

Kaiba froze in the doorway, he knew Yami was only doing what he must as a Lord, but did the Demon have to be such a prick about it. Kaiba turned and for the first time in his long existence he gave a swiping mocking bow. "As my Lord wishes." He caught sight of the shocked and hurt look that flashed across Yami's face, as suddenly as it was there, it was gone. Kaiba turned and left the throne room heading down the long hallway.

The Healer had work to do.

Kaiba was greeted with the two small children standing in his path. The Demon swiftly passed them; the twins instantly followed him, flanking his sides. "Bakura will be sent to the Hollow in two days, he'll need inside protection. Inform Pegasus, he might be needed to buy Ryou from the actions if Marik falls through." Kaiba stopped just outside the old healing wing. "Ryou is to be watched outside the mansion at all times. Watch but do not approach unless it's necessary. Some things still remain unknown to him." Kaiba opened the doors to a healing wing that was nothing more than rubble. He turned back around and noticed the two children were standing there watching him far too intently for the Healer's liking. "Spread the word." Kaiba hissed at them with a dismissive wave of his hand, the twins instantly vanished.

It had been one hell of a struggle for Ryou to persuade Marik to leave the room if only for a few minutes to shower and a change of clothing... lucky for him Marik hadn't put up much of a fight to feed, his lover had been hungrier than both had realized. Marik had downed the cup of blood and the hot meal Ryou had brought to him.

Ryou had sat with Malik for a time, before he returned to the kitchen to clean it up and soon enough Ryou was on his way back to sit with Malik and Marik when Kaiba suddenly appeared before him, with Bakura unconscious him his arms.

Ryou froze up out of shock; a gasp fell from his lips as Bakura looked dead in Seto's arms. Blood stained bandages covered most of Bakura's naked body, his pale skin was now a gray, his hair mattered with blood and dirt, looking as though no one had cleaned him since the battle with the Witch. Tears broke free on their own accord, had Seto brought Bakura to him because his mate was dead? Ryou took a stumbled step backwards.

"Where do you want him?" Kaiba asked, frowning when Ryou didn't seem to hear him or understand what he was asking, so he tried again. "Bakura needs a bed..." He didn't get to finish and had to keep his balance when Ryou rushed them, his hands instantly on Bakura, brushing away mattered hair to get a better look at the face he had missed so much.

"He isn't dead?" Ryou found it so hard to believe considering how cold Bakura was under his touch, how still his mate was.

"Hibernation shuts everything down and keeps what the body needs to sustain it. Where do you want him?" Ryou looked up at him unsure of how to answer; he thought the Healer was hiding Bakura for now to better his chances of survival. "I can't hold him like this forever." The Healer hissed.

"Upstairs. Our bed," Ryou urged him, rushing by the Healer and up the stairs; he turned down the bed just in time for Seto to lay the pale Demon down.

Kaiba left the room; Ryou covered his mate over with the blankets and stood back, his mind and body numb. "The bleeding has slowed down." The Healer walked back in and hooked up two bags of blood and connected them to the Demon's arm by IV. "This will replenish what he loses. Once he is stable and the spell no longer affects him, Bakura will not need assistance from anyone." The Healer placed his hand on Bakura's chest. "It's all I can do for him for now." He pulled his hand away and turned for the door. "Ryou," He stopped a moment, placing his hand on the human's shoulder. "You are too... maybe it might be best that you." Kaiba couldn't say it what he had been ordered to, the words felt like acid on his tongue. Kaiba thought it best to bring this matter up with Marik. "Just don't waste away in here." With that he left.

Ryou bit his lip and placed one knee onto the bed and placed his hands for balance on either side of his mate. "Bakura?" Ryou breathed out, nothing happened, not even a twitch, he glanced down at Bakura's chest, it didn't move. He lowered his head to press his ear to his mate's chest, like he had done so often, he just wanted to hear that heartbeat to conform what Seto had told him, that his mate was alive.

'Don't do it!' His mind screamed at him, Ryou threw himself off the bed and onto his feet, panting. He didn't know why such a small action frightened him so much, Bakura was his mate; he had every right to touch the Demon when and wherever he wanted... Ryou slumped down to the floor, his back against the bed. He couldn't bring himself to listen to something that might not be there. Bakura was alive and with him for now and it was all that mattered. Pulling up his knees to his chest and Ryou wept for the first time in days.

Ryou woke the next morning, to find himself in Marik and Malik's bed covered over with the blankets, still wearing the clothing he had on yesterday. "Bakura," He rolled out of the bed and dashed from the bedroom down the hallway to the bedroom he shared with his mate. He pushed open the door and walked in, his mate still lay exactly where Seto had placed him last night.

Ryou approached the bed, kneeling on it and lent over his mate. "So you are here." Ryou felt both relieved and saddened, relieved to be able to finally see his mate and down on the fact that he couldn't do anything with Bakura at all. Even a conversation no matter how short would be so welcomed right now, anything at all to hear Bakura's voice or feel his warm touch.

Hunger painfully twisted up Ryou's stomach, he moved away from the bed and grabbed some clean clothing and headed for the bathroom. "I'm taking a shower," He waited in the threshold; such words would have his mate and lovers joining him in the small space of the shower. Ryou felt tears well up in his eyes when he got no response from his mate, he walked into the bathroom.

A short time later Ryou reluctantly headed downstairs, he would take Seto's advice and get himself into a routine of some kind. He had taken the first step; he was dressed and ready to face whatever the day threw his way. He headed right for the healing room.

He gave himself a metal note that sometime today he was going to clean Bakura up, he couldn't stand looking at his mate covered in all that blood and old bandages, besides all that Bakura was beginning to smell.

Step two: See Malik first.

Step Three: Feed Marik and himself...

Maybe Seto would allow him to help in his research, he wasn't sure how much of a help he could be considering that he couldn't read or understand the Demonic language, that every book in the house seemed to be written in, well except for the ones that he had brought over the span of his relationship with Bakura, Marik and Malik.

"How stupid can you be?" Kaiba's voice rang through the bottom floor of the mansion. Ryou stopped at the bottom of the stairs and pressed his back to the wall and listened in. "You expected me to find a cure for a disease that has never been documented by the human's in a matter of hours. If you had of told me from the beginning Marik, what he had and what he is exactly, all this could have been avoided. I could have been prepared for something like this, but because of your selfish ways Malik always suffers at your hands."

"If I had of come to you all those centuries ago and told you what I did, would you have listened to me? Would you have helped us?" Marik's voice was lower with an undertone of a growl.

"I would have helped you." Seto replied with a hiss.

"Bullshit!" Marik spat out angrily enough to make Ryou flinch and wonder what were they arguing about? "You would have had Malik destroyed and I would be nothing but a corps in the Hollow right now." Marik's voice took on an edge that Ryou had never heard before, he sounded so angry. "I haven't forgotten what you are truly like when in the thrall of you duty... I haven't forgotten Faylea, Healer. Any order given by your unrequited love and your following them like a dog on a leash." Ryou placed both hands over his mouth to hold in his gasp as one of them was heavily slammed against the well almost where he stood... if they leaned over to the left just a little, they would see him.

"Think it wise to piss off the Healer who is the only one who can restore your site?" Kaiba growled out, Ryou heard it clear enough that it felt like the Healer had said it right in his ear.

"We both have monsters in the closet. I'm simply protecting mine." The wall creaked under the weight.

"We are all protecting something Marik; you don't have to be an asshole about it." The wall creaked again when the weight moved off it. "No sympathy Marik for the result of your mate and your dying lover. You are the reason your lover is upstairs dying, this is because you are too adamant to seek help when you need it."

"Reasoning for anything doesn't come from a stable mind when one is desperate and what I did wouldn't be a problem if Yami wasn't being manipulated by his upholding law abiding Council."

"Yami's Council has nothing to do with it. What you brought down upon us will be our ruin. Did you have any idea at all of what you have done?" Kaiba was once again growling.

"This isn't Marik's fault." Ryou stepped around the corner and came face to face with the two Demons.

"Ryou," Marik sounded shocked as he turned around.

"If you wish to blame anyone then blame Ishizu, she's the one that did this to us." Ryou stood up for his lover against the harsh words of the Healer.

"You defend Marik so easily and yet you don't understand." Kaiba's eyes narrowed at the human.

"Shut up Kaiba." Marik growled.

"You shouldn't be defending him, but asking him why your mate's life is about to end and your lover is in that room, human and dying."

"Malik's... a human?" Ryou looked as confused as he sounded. "But Malik is a half..."

"Kaiba!" Marik yelled at him, his wings stretched out from his back.

"Ishizu is to blame but most of it falls on Marik. Why don't you tell your human why his mate is in the condition that he's in?" Kaiba tried to brace himself as Marik flew at him slamming the Healer almost through the wall.

"Shut up!" Marik drew back his fist and before he could throw his swing, Ryou had suddenly latched himself to his arm holding him back.

"Stop!... Stop fighting!" Ryou yelled at them both clinging to Marik's arm.

"You forget that I too lost something important because of you and her!" Kaiba shoved Marik away hard, causing the Demon and stumble backwards and Ryou. "Do you ever think past yourself, Marik?"

"I did what I had too to save him!" Marik angrily yelled back.

"Then wallow in the consciences, I'm done being your scapegoat!" Kaiba hissed and then vanished.

Both human and Demon stood silent for a moment in the hallway. "What did he mean Malik's human and you are to blame?" Ryou had a horrible twisted sick feeling in his stomach.

Marik turned and walked right to the healing room, Ryou rushed forward, blocking his way into the room, by branching himself against the door and his arms outstretched on the doorframes on either side. "Move." Marik growled.

"No!" Ryou snapped. "Not until you answer me."

"Move."

"No." Ryou narrowed his eyes at his lover though the other couldn't see it. "I'm tired of always being the last to know and always being left out because you think I'll leave. Damn it, Marik! With everything that's happened don't think I would have left ages ago if I couldn't take it?" Ryou lowered his arms; his hair fell over his eyes as he whispered out. "Or is it that you don't trust me."

Marik sighed, trust Kaiba to start such an argument and then leave. "Let's have something eat." Marik reluctantly walked towards the kitchen, Ryou followed, hopping that the conversation to come wouldn't be all that bad.

TBC.

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