Ryou awoke, sun shining in his face. A hand blocked the sun's rays from his eyes the minute his eyes opened. "Don't look at the sun," Marik's voice said boredly. Ryou sat up and turned to look at Marik questionably. "You should move from the sun before it gets too bright, too." Ryou continued to stared at him, confused, so Marik sighed, explaining, "Vampires can be in sunlight, but our skin burns easily. Not enough moisture, I guess. You shouldn't stare at it, either, Master says you become paralyzed.

Ryou nodded, drawing his knees up to his chest. "Where is everybody?"

"Bakura is sleeping in the shade and Master is...gone again."

"I don't want Bakura to hate me," he whispered.

"Well, he does. Get over it."

"Why?"

"For one thing, he found us sleeping next to each other last night," Marik said angrily.

Ryou's eyes widened, both worried and startled by Marik's change in manor from the night before. He seemed much angrier and ready to kill. ~I wonder if it's because Bakura found us. Or maybe he's just angry one minute, crazy the next.~ "I'm sorry," he finally said, unable to think of anything else to say.

"Whatever. I highly doubt it. You probably couldn't care less!" he yelled at Ryou, but barely looked up at the boy.

Bakura walked over to them, crossing his arms. "Are you upsetting him?"

Ryou shook his head. "N-no..."

Bakura turned to Marik. Marik stared at Ryou angrily, eyes murderous. Bakura brushed Marik's hair back, soothing him a bit. Then, without warning, he ran to Ryou, snatching him up with little effort, carrying him by the neck. "Listen you little shit! I don't want you anywhere NEAR Marik or me. Understood?"

Ryou tried to speak, but couldn't. He began kicking his legs, unable to speak. "Ggggllllllphhhh...." Tears began falling down his cheeks. "B-ba- ba..."

"Drop him," Master said coldly. Bakura turned. Master stood there, his hand covering Marik's mouth, leaning in to bite. "I'll kill him, Bakura. Let go of him, right NOW!"

Bakura dropped Ryou in a pile. "Let go of him," he demanded, low in his throat.

"Who do you think you are?! Commanding ME?!"

"Let go of him," Bakura warned.

"What are you going to do?"

Bakura grabbed Ryou again. "I will kill him if you don't let go of Marik RIGHT NOW!"

Ryou began sobbing. "Please, don't! I don't wanna die."

"LET GO OF HIM, BAKURA! NOW!" Marik screamed.

Master knocked his arm into Marik's head, causing Marik to pass out. Master held him up by his wrist. "Come and get him," Master offered, smirking.

Bakura carried Ryou over to Master slowly. "I'll hand him to you if you give me Marik."

Master smiled and dropped Marik onto the ground. "Leave Ryou there. Come here, Bakura."

Marik sat up, his head in his hands. "Bakura, don't. He'll kill you," he whispered, his head throbbing in pain.

Bakura crossed his arms and walked over to Master defiantly and proud. "May I help you, Master?"

Master reached back and brought his arm slamming into Bakura's head. "You're so pathetic!" he screamed, staring down at Bakura next to Marik. "You love him? Do you?! Really?!! Kiss him! Kiss the bastard! I'm not joking! Kiss him!"

Bakura reached to take Marik's face in his hands, but Marik punched him in the gut. "Don't touch me!" he screamed, knocking into Bakura. He began pulling at his hair, screaming. Bakura tried to take Marik in his arms, but he started hitting him over and over. "STOOOOOPPP!!!!" he screamed.

"So he doesn't even care," Master said, smiling. He grabbed Bakura from the ground, throwing him against a tree. "You like not being loved back? Why don't you love me? I promise I won't love you back. I PROMISE," he grinned at Bakura. Bakura narrowed his eyes at Master. "Oh, you think you're such hot shit?" He grabbed Bakura by his hair and knocked his head against the tree. He pulled out the knife and began slicing at his long white locks. He dropped Bakura on the ground next to Marik, who was rolling on the ground, digging his nails into his scalp.

Master spit on Ryou's face and walked out into the woods.

~~~

Kaiba fell to his knees and pulled Yami away from Yugi, carefully moving his hand away. He took Yami in his arms. "Calm down," he whispered, running his hand soothingly down Yami's back. "Just breath, I'll take care of Yugi."

Yami nodded, a bit dazed.

Kaiba left him leaning against the bed and went back to Yugi, who's eyes were closed. He wasn't moving and Kaiba was scared to startled him. He slowly placed his hand on Yugi's chest and whispered, "Yugi? Are you okay?"

Yugi's eyes fluttered open and he gave Kaiba a weak smile. "I couldn't let Yami kill you," he said in his normal speaking voice, as if he was perfectly fine. His hand reached up, waving a bit, to take Kaiba's cheek in his hand.

Kaiba placed his hand on Yugi's, stroking it softly. He gave Yugi a small smile. "You're going to be okay, I promise. I have to keep you awake."

Yugi's eyes glistened with tears, but he nodded slowly. "Okay," he said. "Kaiba, will you marry me?"

Kaiba dropped his hand. "We'll talk about that later, okay?"

Yugi nodded. "Okay."

Kaiba gripped the knife and began to slowly pull it out. Yugi was very calm during the whole thing, smiling up at Kaiba calmly. Kaiba threw the knife aside and began wrapping a bandage around Yugi's chest. "You okay?" he whispered.

Yugi murmured, "Mmmhmmm..."

"Don't go to sleep, Yugi, we have to get you to a doctor. Wake up," he jiggled Yugi a little. "Please, Yugi, wake up. I beg you, wake up."

Yami joined them, running his hand over his brother's forehead. "He has a fever. We need to get him to a doctor."

"I know," he whispered, holding Yugi close.

Yami brushed Yugi's bangs off his sweat-collecting forehead. "I'll carry him," he mumbled and Kaiba obliged. "Stay here," he said, not looking at Kaiba, in an odd voice.

Kaiba closed his eyes, knowing what was going to happen. ~I'm going to take the blame. Fine. Kill me.~ Kaiba had never thought about dying before, but suddenly welcoming it. He sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for the servants to come grab him, watching Yami carried his brother out. ~I know he cares about his brother. Very much. But sometimes his actions are worse than what he's protecting Yugi from.~ He sat quietly, covered in the prince's blood.

He was silent as they grabbed him up, and moved calmly, probably instigating their punched more than if he had fought back. He was thrown in a dark, damp cell-type thing, roughly. He was sprawled out in the corner and he began moving a bit, wrapping his arms around his legs, limply lying his head on the wall. He heard a sound, but was too numb to care.

"Such a pretty elf," a voice said lowly and suddenly Kaiba was lying flat on his back, his arms and legs held down, staring up at a dark face. The face began to laugh and moved into the light so Kaiba could recognize him as the mixed slave they had just bought. He grabbed Kaiba's face in his hands and pulled him into a demanding kiss. "You don't plan to live much longer, do you?"

Kaiba didn't move, didn't blink, didn't stop breathing, though, either.

The slave slammed Kaiba's head down and all Kaiba could see was red. Then black. Then nothing.

~~~

"He didn't do anything!" Yugi shrieked, trying to jump up.

"Stop moving, my prince," the doctor said softly, holding him down.

"Yugi, he was kissing you!" Yami exclaimed in disbelief. "Even if he didn't stab you!"

"I demand to speak to father now!"

The doctor shrugged at Yami. "He's stopped bleeding. He really should discuss this with the king; with his father."

Yami nodded slowly. "Can you walk?" he asked softly.

Yugi nodded and jumped up from the table. "Fine, perfectly."

Yami took Yugi by the shoulder, leading him to their father's sleeping chambers.

~~~