Ryou sat on a couch with his knees hugged to his chest. His eyes were distant and wide. Yugi's screams... just... Yugi's screams... It was equally unsettling when they tapered off to a long silence. As the curtain twitched aside, Ryou sat up straight. His eyes locked on Melvin's every move. Melvin would want a bath, and he'd use the opportunity to squeeze and pinch until Ryou's thighs were decorated with little bruises. His butt was still stained with dark marks from the day Marik stabbed Melvin. So he watched apprehensively as Melvin paused next to Marik's bound form.
Marik pressed his face against the table, shuddering. His shoulders ached. His hips ached. His wrists and ankles were chaffed and bruised. The skin on his back felt tight and itchy. But none of those things were the reason he was about to cry.
"Did you really think I wouldn't notice what you did?" Melvin asked, his tone smooth and leading.
Marik flinched. He had. When Melvin hadn't immediately said anything, he'd hoped he could keep his head down and wait for their tormentor to leave.
"To think, I'd thought about letting you go," Melvin sighed melodramatically. "Honestly, it's like you were raised in a hole in the ground."
Marik hated that Melvin knew exactly what buttons to press. Hated it. "You didn't exactly give me a choice," he whispered, as though keeping his voice low would soften any retaliation for being sassy.
Melvin chuckled. "Either way," he pulled the wet pillow out from under Marik's pelvis, "I'm going to punish you for it." He lifted Marik's head, and then slid the pillow into place where it had just been.
Marik cringed, struggling to keep his head and chest lifted when Melvin let go.
"Don't even think about asking your little roommates to help you," Melvin purred. "This isn't the worst thing you deserve. You're just lucky chibi left me in a good mood."
Ryou stood as soon as Melvin started moving toward him. He waited for Melvin to grab his arm and drag him to the bath, though. Melvin liked grabbing and dragging him. Ryou undressed Melvin quietly, jewelry and all, and then waited for him to get into the bath before undressing himself. He selected a rose oil and a sandalwood soap from the cabinet, and the climbed into Melvin's lap. Hands immediately settled on Ryou's thighs. Ryou cringed, but for now they simply stayed where they were, firm and threatening.
Ryou always saved washing Melvin's back for last. He hated the way he had to lean forward and practically embrace the madman to reach it. So many reasons he'd rather not sit in Melvin's lap.
"I'm going to rape you tomorrow," Melvin suddenly whispered in his ear.
Ryou gritted his teeth. He didn't know what to say. Of course, Melvin didn't need a response.
"I've already thought of the perfect bit of foreplay," Melvin said.
Ryou finished rinsing the muscular back quickly and sat back. He didn't try to stand up, but Melvin's nails dug into his thighs anyway.
"I wonder if you can scream as loud as your little friend."
Ryou fidgeted, avoiding eye contact. Hands glided to his waist. Ryou trembled. Even braced for the pain, he still gasped and twitched away when he felt the first pinch. Melvin chuckled as he pinched Ryou's hip, causing him to flinch the other way. Then both hips at once. Then his belly. Then his thighs. The pale hikari squirmed in Melvin's lap, hoping he'd had his fill already and wouldn't get turned on by Ryou's involuntary rubbing against his pelvis.
Eventually Melvin's laughter trailed off into a broad grin and a few stray snickers. His hands came to a stop at Ryou's knees. "Dry me off."
Ryou scrambled to the cabinet again as Melvin pushed himself up to sit on the edge of the tub. Ryou knelt behind him and toweled him off obediently. Next he rubbed the oil into Melvin's arms and torso, and then finally dressed him. Melvin gave Ryou one last pinch on the rear before he left.
Ryou hadn't heard the entire exchange between Melvin and Marik, but he could see Marik awkwardly bracing his hands against the table as he struggled to keep his head and chest up. "Marik-"
"Stay away," Marik snapped. Maybe the others didn't know what had happened yet. Maybe if he held out long enough, Melvin would let him go before they noticed.
"But I-"
"Go talk to Yugi or something! Leave me alone!" His voice cracked. His back hurt and his stomach hurt and his head hurt, and gods, his father had always gotten so angry when he wet the bed because he was too afraid to get up in the dark and he couldn't handle them seeing him like this... "Please leave me alone... I just want to be left alone..."
Ryou tugged at his hair. He knew he couldn't do anything to help, but he felt so bad for Marik. Knowing what he knew about the Ring Spirit... But Yugi still hadn't come out of the torture room, either. They both needed someone. Yugi probably actually wanted someone. Ryou went to sit with him instead.
###
When Melvin finally returned at food time, carrying a covered metal platter, Marik was staring into space with his chin on the pillow. Melvin flashed him a grin before turning to watch the other two scramble to their places on the floor. He stood in front of Ryou.
"Stand up and bend over."
Ryou got to his feet. Since Melvin hadn't given him any other instructions, he slowly bowed at the waist, twisting his head to watch Melvin's expression to make sure he was doing it right.
"Hold this." Melvin set the tray on Ryou's back, and then turned to Marik.
Ryou braced his hands on his knees, keeping his back as flat as possible. The platter was surprisingly heavy and warm. His stomach grumbled as he wondered what Melvin had brought this time.
Melvin leaned over to make eye contact with Marik. "How are you doing, princess?"
Marik bit back his first response, and after further consideration, his second response as well. Snapping at Melvin wouldn't help. "Uncomfortable," he said.
Melvin laughed and tilted his head. "Only uncomfortable? Hm..."
Suddenly worried that he'd said the wrong thing, Marik added, "I'm starving."
Melvin nodded and straightened up. "I'm sure. I'm sure you're all starving. Well, maybe not the rabbit." As he spoke, he moved around the table, releasing Marik's limbs. "But you don't need any extra motivation to be good, do you?" Melvin pinched Ryou's cheek.
Marik whimpered in relief as his body sagged to the floor.
Ryou relaxed when Melvin lifted the tray from his back and set it on the table.
"Because that's what we're doing tonight. It's been a week, and I want to see how well you can obey your god. If there are any areas that need improvement." He stood on the other side of the table and lifted the lid.
The hikaris' eyes widened. A whole roasted chicken, nestled in a pile of potatoes, carrots, and onions. Melvin let them take it in for a while before continuing. "All you have to do his follow my instructions, and I will leave this here for all of you to enjoy at your leisure. Any questions?"
They looked at each other, and then one by one shook their heads.
"Then let's begin. Kneel and face each other."
They warily arranged themselves in a circle. Marik was glad he didn't have to stand. He didn't think he could.
"Get up on your knees and undress."
Yugi's stomach churned. He was going to make them do something to each other again.
"Now take a good, long look."
Their eyes flitted nervously from person to person, never landing anywhere for long. They were all skinny and exhausted.
"I want you to think about everything I've done to you. Everything I can do to you. Everything I might do to you."
Marik's nails were still a cracked, broken mess. Yugi and Ryou's arms were decorated with long, thin scabs. All of them were bruised in one way or another.
"Now all of you turn to your right."
They obeyed, hearts thudding as they waited for the difficult thing to start. There was always a difficult thing.
"Suck on your fingers."
Marik's back was covered in cracked, weeping scabs. Even Ryou's back still bore the remnants of Melvin's first act of violence against them. Back when rape was the worst thing Yugi could imagine. After what Melvin had done to Tea, Odion, and Marik, Yugi realized the true limits of Melvin's cruelties were beyond his ability to conceptualize. He didn't want to know the limits. He was terrified that some day he would find out anyway.
"Now stick two fingers up the butt in front of you."
Yugi froze, staring at Ryou's back.
Marik glared at Melvin.
Ryou eyed the chicken.
Yugi didn't want to know the worst that Melvin could do. He couldn't take it.
Ryou gasped and hunched his shoulders.
"I'm sorry," Yugi whispered.
Ryou already knew he had to do it. They needed the food. They couldn't go much longer on a piece of fruit here and there. He only wished he didn't have to do it to Marik. With a deep breath, he slipped his slick fingers between the tan cheeks.
Marik blushed hard. The sooner he got this over with, the sooner he could go wash his face. It would be a little easier if it was Ryou, though, so he could pretend it was Bakura. Marik closed his eyes, and then closed the circle.
Melvin laughed and clapped his hands. "Yes!" He went around the circle, personally checking that each one had done what he'd said. "Look at all my good little hikaris." He took his time standing up and leaning against the table. "We can stop there, for now. The food is yours." He winked at Ryou, and then left them to their own devices.