"I'm not bad," Marik insisted in a low, raspy voice. "I'm not."
"It's okay," Yugi whispered back. Ryou hadn't moved much in a while. Yugi hoped he was sleeping. Part of him wanted to get up and look, maybe try to move Ryou to a better spot, but Marik was still collapsed on top of him. And of course he was tired and sore himself.
"He's not even in me any more and he still brings out the worst. He made me a murderer, a traitor, and now..." Marik gritted his teeth.
"I'm always willing to do whatever I have to. It's not rape if I give you permission, right?"
The blonde head turned. Marik stared blankly at the gold table legs. "You're only saying yes because of Melvin's threats. He's using me to rape you, the same way he used me to murder my father. The same way he used me to betray my clan." Marik closed his eyes and sighed. "It's worse now, too. Before I physically had no choice. Now... I'm just scared."
"We're all scared." Yugi held the sides of Marik's head so he could make eye contact. "We have to play his game. If we don't, whoever's left is going to get it three times worse than we're getting it now." Yugi went limp on the floor, staring at the ceiling. "It wouldn't be me, would it? He'd want me to die knowing at least one of you was still suffering and I could never do anything about it."
Marik rested his cheek on Yugi's chest again. "I guess... If you keep sacrificing yourself, you're going to end up like Ryou, though..."
Then Marik would have to take all the hits, and when he was used up Melvin would go after the least used up of the other two, whether they were ready for it or not. "I don't like seeing other people get hurt. Not if I can stop it."
"You can't stop it."
"... delay it..."
Marik clenched his fists. They should've had this talk a while ago, when he first thought of it, before Melvin put one of them out of commission. When there were three to share the burden. "It's pointless to think like that." He turned his head so that his chin rested on Yugi's chest. "It's not fair if I'm allowed to hurt you, but you're not allowed to hurt me. I've been making other people deal with my problems my entire life. Melvin exists because I couldn't deal with my own problems. I hate it." He turned his head sideways, toward the bath fountain this time. "We have to share the burden, at least... If you can't live with that, then maybe we should let his games decide for real..."
Marik was right. The short hikari didn't like it, but he was right. He couldn't keep throwing Melvin's games forever. Besides that, his attempts to protect the others just gave Melvin more leverage. He only barely stopped himself from hugging Marik, opting to grab and squeeze his upper arms instead. "It's not fair..." he sniffled. "This shouldn't even be happening..." A tear squeezed from the corner of his eye. "I miss... I miss... everyone..."
"I know," Marik choked out. He sat up, straddling the smaller hikari's lap as he hugged him to his chest. "I know..." He took a breath. "But we'll work together, right? From now on? Because Ra help me, I am not letting you throw the next game."
"I'll try," Yugi mumbled in a very small voice.
They fell silent as they struggled to regain their composure, remaining locked together until they heard a hiss of pain from the table. They looked up to see Ryou struggling into a sitting position.
"Could-" Ryou winced and cradled his head. "Could someone help me to the bathroom, please? I'm... rather dizzy..."
In the end they distracted themselves by helping Ryou get cleaned up and comfortable on the couch. They were thinking about attempting to sleep when the door opened. The three of them huddled instinctively together at the first hint of it, but it only opened a crack. They couldn't see into the hall from their angle. They did watch a covered basket slide into the room before the door snapped shut, however.
The pale hikari stared at it. Approach the door. Melvin had told him not to even approach the door. Was it a trap? A test? He didn't move.
The bronze hikari stood up and padded carefully across the marble floor. He paused about five feet away. Lavender eyes flicked between the basket and the door. Then he sank to his knees and reach slowly for the wicker handle. One more pause. Then he grabbed it and yanked it to him in one blurred movement.
Nothing happened.
Marik sighed as he returned to the other two. Tension still thrummed in his insides. It was probably just the food Melvin had promised, but the tension wouldn't be dismissed. It had nestled in and taken hold and Marik didn't foresee it going anywhere any time soon.
###
Yugi held up his waist wrap. All of the white cloths had taken on a permanent, rusty tinge. Mostly Ryou's blood. Some of Marik's blood. The soap he'd stolen days ago got the crusty bits out, but it could only go so far. He looked at Marik and Ryou. The pale hikari was passed out on the couch. The bronze hikari had the metal tray from the chicken. He'd cleaned it off and now he was staring his reflection with hazy eyes and a tight frown. All three of them were naked. Ryou didn't like the way the fabric chafed the cuts on his thighs. Marik and Yugi couldn't stop thinking about what the stains used to be.
Not that clothing mattered much anymore. Not among the three of them. Yugi felt like it almost mattered when Melvin was there, devouring them with his eyes. He didn't want to do anything that might, shudder at the thought, get the mad god going if he wasn't already. But it didn't matter, did it? He was coming for Yugi next time, regardless. The short hikari was sure of it. As long as Ryou was out of commission, the games would be used to determine who got subjected to Melvin's private play time.
Marik noticed movement in the reflection behind him. The door. Gritting his teeth, he placed the metal disk on the floor. His movements were measured and deliberate as he took his place on the floor at Melvin's feet.
Ryou took a moment to the join the other two. When his attempt to sit up made the room sway, he eased himself off the couch in a roll instead. Melvin watched him with intent, amused curiousity. The pale hikari braced his hands on the floor as he dragged his shins under him and sat back on his heels.
Once Ryou was settled, Melvin shoved the spherical end of the Rod at Marik's face. "Kiss it."
Marik eyed him uncertainly. A quick jolt at his neck chased the 'why' from his lips before he found the courage to ask. Wincing, Marik pressed his lips to the cold metal.
"Hm..." The Rod lowered slowly to Melvin's side. He frowned contemplatively, and then shrugged. As his attention turned to the short hikari, he grinned. Melvin squatted in front of Yugi with his elbows resting lazily on his knees. "Do you know why I'm here?"
Yugi gulped. "To tell me what I lost." Before Yugi could react, the mad god had grabbed him under the arm pits and risen to his feet. Yugi's own feet dangled as Melvin held him at arm's length. The violet eyes crawled down and back up.
"You are so small," Melvin laughed. He gave the short hikari a light toss and caught him again. "Barely weigh a thing..."
Yugi whimpered as Melvin jostled him. Anyone else, he would've been indignant. In Melvin's hands, he did feel like a small, helpless toy. Especially when the mad man slung him over his shoulder and swept him into the room that made his heart feel cold. Melvin rolled him off his shoulder. Yugi gasped in pain as he hit the floor on his side. Chains jingled as Melvin attached them to Yugi's ankles. Then the small hikari was dragged across the floor and into the air.
Somehow being upside-down was what did it. Tears welled in the deep purple eyes and ran into the dark hair. Hair that Melvin grabbed to stop the small hikari's swaying. Yugi covered his face with his hands, peering through his fingers at the upside-down grin.
"If I left you like this long enough, you'd die," Melvin said, as though sharing an amusing bit of trivia. "Not even long, really. Three or four measly hours is all it takes." The mad god stepped back. "Or are three or four hours an eternity when you're waiting to die?" He crossed one arm across his bare abdomen and rested his elbow on his hand. The other hand stroked his jaw thoughtfully.
Yugi whimpered again, shivering. He didn't think Melvin seriously meant he had lost his life. No. It was the anxious sense of doom those scrutinizing eyes gave him. Why was he upside-down? What weird, horrible thing was Melvin going to do this time?
His stomach lurched as his body dropped. Yugi yelped and wrapped his arms around his head, but there was no impact. Only a sharp jerk at his ankles as the chains pulled taut again. Melvin's laugh drowned out Yugi's frightened sobs as he tried to catch his breath. "Please," Yugi sobbed. "Please just rape me, I'm scared, I can't do this, please..."
The laughter stopped abruptly. Oh, no, nonono, footsteps approached his face, no...
Melvin stared down at him. "Say that again."
He didn't look angry, but he didn't look happy either. Yugi tried to swallow. Between the lump in his throat and the direction of gravity, he didn't manage too well. "I'm scared..."
"The other thing."
The short hikari wasn't thinking very clearly, and it took him a moment to remember exactly what he'd said. He almost closed his eyes, but if he couldn't see Melvin's face he wouldn't know if he was saying the wrong thing. "Please... just... rape me?" When Melvin grinned, Yugi couldn't decide how to feel about it. Part of him was glad that Melvin didn't appear angry. Part of him knew happy Melvin only meant slightly less bad things and never good things. Slightly less bad was the best he could expect, however, and it was what he was hoping for...
"You want me to fuck you?"
Yugi shuddered. No, but... "Please..." Please don't hurt me...
"Are you begging your god to fuck you?" A touch of laughter now.
Cheeks flushed hot as more moisture fogged the deep purple eyes. "Y-yes..."
"You're doing a pathetic job of it."
Yugi's breath hitched. "I... please..."
Melvin's face hardened as his foot came down. The short hikari yelped and tried to flinch away. The tug at his scalp told him that the maniac was standing on his hair.
"That was almost amusing, chibi, but mostly you're just starting to bore me."
Nooo, bored Melvin was bad, very, very bad!
A chain rattled. A rough hand pulled one of Yugi's cheeks aside. Something hard and cold forced itself into Yugi's body. The slack swayed, cool and ticklish against Yugi's spine, as Melvin fed in a second link.
What was he doing? What was he doing?!
After the third link disappeared up the short hikari's bum, Melvin grabbed the chain in a fist and yanked. There was a hard, fast flare of pain. Yugi squealed. He struggled reflexively, pulling at the hair trapped under Melvin's foot.
"Very nice, chibi," Melvin purred as he patted Yugi's inner thigh. "That was very amusing. Let's try a little more."
It already hurt when Melvin started stuffing the chain in again, and the short hikari was sure that if he wasn't bleeding now, he would be bleeding soon. His chest heaved as he tried to think. If he'd been free, he would've fallen to his knees and begged for the mad god. Maybe kissed his feet. Melvin would think that was amusing, right? Half expecting to simply be kicked, Yugi grabbed at Melvin's leg. Ignoring the painful tug on his hair, unable to reach Melvin's foot, Yugi pressed his face against Melvin's shin. "Please, god, please..."
Melvin paused. "Do you have any pride, or did the loser take it all with him?"
Yugi looked up at Melvin as best he could, shaking his head. Melvin pressed his lips together and took his foot off Yugi's hair so that he could press the bottom of his sandal against Yugi's face.
"Then I'll grant you a chance to grovel properly. Stick out your tongue. You're very good at that."
The bottom of Melvin's shoe was dusty and gritty. Yugi wrinkled his nose as Melvin rubbed it on his tongue. There was enough pressure to grind Yugi's lips against his teeth.
"Open wide." Melvin tried to wiggle his foot into Yugi's mouth. When it didn't fit, he went back to rubbing it on Yugi's face, smearing it with spit. "Nn," Melvin growled. "Take off my shoe."
Unable to see, the small fingers fumbled at the straps for a moment before getting them loose. The chains rattled as Melvin lowered Yugi's head to floor.
"Go on. Make it good."
"Please," Yugi whimpered. He kissed along the top of Melvin's foot until he reached his ankle. "Please ff- fuck me..." He kissed back down Melvin's arch. He kissed each of Melvin's toes. When Melvin lifted his foot, Yugi kissed the bottom from toes, to heel, and back again. The bottom of Melvin's foot was faintly sticky, but it was still better than getting stuffed with a chain and having it ripped out.
Melvin angled his foot and shoved his toes into Yugi's mouth. Yugi's lips stretched, but without the shoe he managed it. A shudder shook the smaller body. Upside-down with his nose stuffed from crying, it was hard to breathe with his mouth full.
"And what're you gonna do, chibi?" Melvin purred. "What're you gonna do that I can't simply force from you?"
Thinking quickly, mentally cringing but so very desperate, Yugi drew his head back, wrapped his lips around Melvin's big toe, and sucked until his cheeks hollowed out.
The mad god cackled. "You sassy little shit! Fine. I'll grant you this one, but only because that surprise amused me. Don't start getting any lazy expectations. Take off my other shoe."
Heart racing with a combination of hope and terror, Yugi unfastened Melvin's other shoe. As he stepped out of it, the chains moved again, leveling Yugi's face with Melvin's groin. Yugi sniffled, trying to keep himself steady. He was aware of a rough fullness in his bowels and he knew the chain would have to come out one way or another, but he couldn't worry about whether Melvin would really be 'gentle' about it or not. To do so would mean to cry. Then it would be hard to breathe. Then it would be hard to suck Melvin's cock properly.
Yugi loosened Melvin's shendyt and let it fall. Touching the mad god always sent chills down, or maybe up, Yugi's spine. Still, shaky hands pulled at Melvin's thighs for leverage as the short hikari got to it.
"Oh, yeeesss," Melvin hissed as his nails dug into Yugi's waist. "Good panda bear..." His head went back as he thrust lazily with the movement of Yugi's head. Obviously in no hurry.
Yugi sucked until his cheeks and lips throbbed. He tried stroking with his lips whenever he dared, but it was obvious when Melvin grew impatient with such things. Eventually a pressure built behind Yugi's eyes. His face tingled with warmth as the beginnings of a headache throbbed. He squirmed, moaning uncomfortably as he tried to get Melvin off faster.
Melvin growled thoughtfully and swatted Yugi's hands to make him let go. He moved around the hanging body and fastened both of Yugi's wrists to a forth chain. The chain retracted, pulling Yugi's spine into an arc and wrenching up on his shoulders. The short hikari struggled, arms straining to hold a comfortable position.
Apparently done being benevolent, the mad god grabbed two spikes of dark hair and took full control. The knew position caused him to hit Yugi's throat in a way that challenged his gag reflex. He fought the urge to wretch. He wasn't upside-down anymore, not exactly, and Melvin was winding up to finish. He could do this. He was almost out.
The chain in his ass pulled. Slow, steady pressure. Yugi writhed, pulling at his ankles as one link popped free and another started to follow.
"Good chibi," Melvin panted. "Keep squealing. I can feel it in your throat."
"Uhhuk!"
Melvin laughed breathlessly, only finishing when the chain finally finished extracting itself.
Yugi coughed, drooling white fluid all over stone floor. Melvin whacked the base of Yugi's skull with an open palm.
"You swallow that unless I say otherwise!"
With another sickening drop, Yugi found his face hovering just over the splatters.
"Fix it."
Fighting tears again, Yugi stuck out his tongue and dragged it through the mess. Melvin squatted close by, watching until he was satisfied every drop had made it down Yugi's throat.