Argh, this chapter was supposed to be violent, but it ended up fluffy. I hate it when that happens. O.o And before you ask, NO RYOU IS NOT A VAMPIRE. Go read Soulbound if you want vampire. ^_^ The song used is Yakyoku, or Nocturne, from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. I seem to be obsessed with using this song in fics. x.o I have an MP3, email me if you want it. Lyrics and translations are from http://www.animelyrics.com

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"A-Aaahh.." whimpered Yami Bakura, cringing. Ryou blanched as he saw his dark half moan with pain, the blood still flowing freely.

"Yugi, shouldn't we do something?" Ryou's voice was full of concern. "Go call an ambulance! Wait…perhaps that's not the best idea," he mused. "If he starts trying to attack the doctors, we might all get in trouble! But the loss of blood is going to seriously hurt him!" Ryou's voice was tense with worry, and Yami nodded, understanding the danger.

"Bakura, go hurry and fetch some bandages!" Yami Yugi commanded, sensing the urgency in Ryou's voice. The white-haired boy nodded and dashed off towards the medicine cabinet in the bathroom.

Yami Yugi surveyed the situation. His archenemy was writhing on the floor, weakened and injured. He could probably kill him in one or two blows.

But he didn't.

Although Yami Yugi realized the danger in the situation, he was genuinely curious as to what would happen with the Millennium Eye. If the Eye rejected Yami Bakura, his existence would be prolonged, but in a torturous state of insanity. Being honest with himself, Yami Yugi realized that he would enjoy seeing the tomb robber's spirit in pain. He just didn't want to risk Ryou getting hurt.

The white-haired boy appeared in the doorway, carrying a stack of bandages and towels. He began to bend over his older incarnation, when Yami Bakura let out another piercing yell. He arched, and his hand involuntarily jerked to his eyesocket.

With a flash of light that temporarily blinded all of them, the Millennium Eye suddenly and unpredictably ejected itself from Yami Bakura's face. It bounced off of Ryou's forehead, ricocheted off the hallway wall, and came to rest on the floor. It was bloodless and gleaming, and pulsated with a strange energy. Yami Bakura screamed again, and the blood flow seemed to increase even more.

"And that," Yami Yugi declared, a strange note of triumph in his voice, "is what happens when you interfere with the awesome power of the Millennium Items. They choose their masters with care."

Ryou's face twisted in worry, and he rushed to his Yami's side. He dropped and pulled the other close, despite his attempts to claw and slap at Ryou's face.

"Hold still! I'm just trying to help you," Ryou said, a bit sharply. He grabbed one of the bandages and attempted to stem the flow of blood, wrapping it tightly around his gasping Yami's head. It quickly soaked through, however, and Ryou tried to add another bandage.

"Leave me." Yami Bakura's voice sounded strange and metallic, and Ryou glanced at Yami Yugi questioningly. "Yugi…What is the consequence for being rejected by a Millennium Item?"

"Insanity," replied Yami Yugi after a bit of thought. "Madness. Sometimes worse. But usually just madness. The Millennium Items have much power within, and they will appropriately torture anyone who tries to use them for purposes of malice. After all, they were instrumental in sealing away the Shadow Games. They do not want the Shadow Games to return They rarely kill those who try to use them for such purposes. They sometimes bring people to the brink of death, yet rarely death itself."

"Oh…" Ryou's large brown eyes seemed to expand with sadness. He placed a hand on his Yami's shoulder, causing the man to flinch yet not lash out.

"Bakura, I know you have feelings for him. I know you are attached to him. Yet such is the nature of evil spirits. They bring about their own undoing through their lust for power. Do you think he ever meant to use you as anything but a pawn? Do you think he ever cared for you? You were and are merely a shell for his energies. He wanted to take over Mokuba's soulless body in order to have a shell free of resistance."

"But he didn't! He stayed with me…"

"He only didn't because Honda stopped him."

"Honda!" Ryou laughed. "Do you really think Honda could stop one with such great powers as his? He wanted to stay with me."

"He abuses you, Bakura! Physically as well as mentally, if he gets the chance. He uses you for whatever purposes suit him at the moment, as should've been made very clear this morning." Yami Yugi stared pointedly at Ryou, causing the boy to blush. "Bakura, I know it is difficult for you…"

"How would you know anything about our relationship?" Bakura snapped. "You are so different from him."

Ryou pulled his Yami closer. "Leave me…" he murmured again. Ignoring his darker half's protests, Ryou ran his fingers through the other man's hair, caked with drying blood. He ran a finger over the other man's cheek. The blood which had been so bright at first had begun drying, staining his face with a rusty brown.

"Bakura, I'm telling you, don't— " Yami Yugi tried to interrupt, but Ryou bent over and gently licked at Yami Bakura's bloodied cheek, trying to erase the stains. Yami Bakura placed a hand on Ryou's wrist and clenched, then released.

"Hand me one of those towels," spoke Ryou, gesturing towards the pile he'd dropped at the doorway. Sighing, Yami Yugi complied, placing a blue and white striped towel in the other boy's hand. Ryou gently moved the towel over his Yami's moistened cheek, rubbing away as much blood as possible from the other's cheek. He then moved around to the other side and pulled his Yami's head into his lap, running his hands again through the silky silver hair.

"Bakura." Yami Yugi's voice was urgent. "He may be barely conscious at the moment, but after he recovers somewhat, he could be quite dangerous. I don't want him to hurt you…"

Ryou's deep, piercing brown eyes settled on the other. He didn't say anything, but his gaze was so full of sadness that Yami was forced to look away. He sighed.

"Very well, Ryou, but I warned you." He then seemed to sink into a silent meditation, no doubt conversing with his own other half.

"What are you telling him?" Ryou's voice was a tiny bit alarmed, but mostly curious.

"Don't worry, I won't reveal your secret." Ryou thought he could detect a trace of amusement in Yami Yugi's voice, which irritated him since he didn't know why. He occupied himself by checking his own Yami's bandage. It seemed saturated with blood, but there didn't seem to be any more coming, at least. Ryou wondered how badly his eye was damaged: would he be blind on that side? Probably. Ryou wasn't sure exactly how the Millennium Eye worked, but judging from the amount of blood, it couldn't be pretty. Now you know how Pegasus feels, Ryou couldn't help thinking. He didn't even want to imagine the pain that Pegasus had gone through when Yami Bakura had gouged out the Eye.

Ryou traced Yami Bakura's unhurt cheek with one hand, still running his hand through his hair with another. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the image of his moaning and bleeding Yami. It was one that wouldn't leave him easily, but he had plenty other images in his mind that he wanted to forget. One of them, admittedly, was his betrayal of his Yami during the Shadow Game. Although he was glad that he was able to save the souls of Yugi and his friends, the pain he had suffered since that moment, both because of his own conscience and at the hands of his Yami, was quite excruciating.

Ryou hummed a tune to himself as he rubbed his Yami's face and hair. "Yugi, do you mind if I sing?" He blushed slightly, removing a hand from Yami Bakura in order to rub the back of his head nervously. "I mean…It might stop me from worrying a bit…"

Yami Yugi smiled slightly. "If you would like…"

Ryou blushed further. He wanted to be alone with his Yami, but he knew that Yugi's dark half was too worried to leave the two of them there alone. He didn't really blame the spirit, but he still wanted him to leave. He smoothed his shirt, a habit he had when he was nervous, and then ran a hand through his fluffy white hair.

He then opened his mouth and began to sing quietly, gradually gaining strength. His voice was fairly high, almost feminine, yet it had a haunting quality that echoed the song's melodies and words.

Megami wa eien no, shiawase no naka de…Nageki tsuzukete wa,, utau nokutaan.

[The goddess is in eternal happiness. My continuing sorrow is the nocturne I sing.]

He paused for a moment, blushing, then continued.

Ai wa owaru, inochi mo tsukiru sore nara…Onaji, toki ni, ito wa kitte.

[Love ends. Life also runs out…At the same time, cut the thread.]

Ryou gasped slightly as his hand, absently stroking his Yami's cheek, grew wet. He glanced down, expecting to see the bloodied bandage overflowing and dribbling down his Yami's cheek. But that was not what happened.

Tears…?

A small line of moisture streaked down from Yami Bakura's intact eye, running down his cheek and touching Ryou's hand.

"You're…Crying…" He mentally berated himself after this statement, not wanting his Yami to think he considered him weak.

"I didn't know…you could." Ryou's large brown eyes were near the point of brimming over, but he forced himself under control.

"That was a very beautiful song, Bakura." Yami Yugi smiled slightly, but his expression of kindness was tinged with sadness. "I only wish you did not have to endure such suffering at such a young age."

Ryou pulled his Yami closer, tenderly wiping away his tears.

"Such is the pain of this love," he responded. "Yet I still feel it. I can't help it. I only wish…" He sighed softly. "I only wish it could work out. I know it cannot. Even if he were to change his ways, he is an immortal spirit. I am but a man. I will wither and die while he stays fresh."

Yami Yugi shook his head. "The Millennium Items bring pain and turmoil to whoever they touch. Their promise of powers beyond all comprehension is alluring, yet it comes at a great price. I sometimes wish that I had never intruded on young Yugi's life, that he was a normal boy still innocently enjoying the world of Duel Monsters with no greater interests at stake. But such is not the case. The Millennium Items were necessary to seal away the great evil of the Shadow Games," he murmured, "yet I wish there had been another way. I wish there had been another way…a way that did not involve the torment of so many souls that could have been innocent. You are strong, Bakura. You will survive this, and when you do finally age and die, you will rest in peace, knowing you helped prevent evil from overtaking the world."

Ryou's eyes were still large and sad, and he ran his fingers through his Yami's hair again. "I hope that what you say is true," he responded.

"I hope it's true…"