Prison of Darkness: Trust in Faith
Author's notes: Yo, I'm back… go read, I ain't talking up here right now…
Warnings: Yaoi, swearing, and a somewhat out of character Malik -.-;
Pairings: Malik/Ryou, Bakura/Ryou, (later) Bakura/Malik/Ryou, (implied) Yami/Yugi, Seto/Joey.
Disclaimer: ME. NO. OWN. Stop rubbing it in *sniff*
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Yugi knocked on the hospital room door.
"Come in," a dull, tired voice answered. The tri-color haired boy poked his head in. Malik was slumped half-asleep in the chair next to Ryou's bed, violet eyes glazed and drooping.
"You should let us watch over Ryou, Malik. You're going to fall asleep," Yami commented, appearing suddenly from the Puzzle. Malik gave him a sharp, although weak glare.
"That wasn't very nice Yami," Yugi hissed, jabbing the spirit in the ribs. Yami folded his arms.
"It's true." Malik just shook his head, glancing at Ryou's prone body.
"Have you found anything?" he asked. Yami shrugged.
"We went to see your sister," Yugi answered. Malik winced. "She's worried about you, you know." The Egyptian gave them a guilty look. He hadn't told Isis about the situation.
"What did she say?" he asked.
"The Tauk wouldn't answer me, so I brought it to her. It wouldn't work for Isis either. She did say that it's likely that whoever did this to Ryou might come after Yugi next. His interest doesn't seem to be in the Item's themselves, but in the souls of their bearers," Yami replied. Malik nodded.
"Then there's nothing we can do now," he murmured, placing his hand over Ryou's and squeezing it lightly. Yami shrugged while Yugi looked at him sympathetically.
"How are you doing?" the small boy asked. Malik sighed, giving Yugi a dull look.
"I just want him back. I know Bakura will do what he can to protect him, but I just want to know he's safe," the blond replied.
"Do you really trust the tomb robber that much?" Yami asked. Malik frowned.
"I have to. I don't think Bakura will hurt him. Not even he is that heartless." Yugi smiled, giggling slightly. "What's so funny?" Malik asked dully.
"You and Ryou," Yugi answered. "You act so harsh and cold around everyone else Malik, but you'll do anything to keep Ryou safe." Malik smiled slightly.
"You think?" Both Yami and Yugi nodded.
"It's pretty obvious after this," Yami replied, gesturing to the bed. "You really love him don't you." Malik nodded.
"I know he loves his yami, and I know it won't last. That's how it always goes. But I at least want to be there for him, to protect him while I can. I'll let him go if that's what he wants, but I'll cherish the time I have with him forever," he said calmly, staring off into his own little world.
"Who knew you of all people could be such a hopeless romantic," Yami jibbed. Malik glared at him.
"You're one to talk Pharaoh!" he snapped, nodding towards Yugi. Yami wrapped an arm around his hikari's waist.
"I never denied it now did I?" Malik smiled slightly. He stood, walking towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Yugi asked curiously. Malik smirked.
"There's no point in sitting around here. Even though we have no leads, I'm going to find the bastard who did this," the blond replied, pulling on his jacket. He glanced back at the two. "Are you coming? We don't have much time left." Yugi nodded and glanced up at Yami.
"Let's go."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ryou's eyes blinked open. He was standing in his dimly lit bathroom, the familiar weight of the Ring missing from his neck. He shivered. Why wouldn't this just end? It hurt, everything hurt… why couldn't he just end it? The white-haired boy yelped when he felt something sharp bite into his hand. He looked down. In his hand lay a sharp razorblade. Scarlet blood welled up from the small cut across his palm. Ryou stared at it with morbid fascination.
*Maybe I can just end it all. Maybe I can make the pain go away,* he thought. He heard a hard knock on the door and looked down at the blade, a determined expression on his face.
"Ryou? What's going on in there?" he could hear his yami yell. Ryou smiled slightly, slashing the blade across one of his wrists. He could hear panic in Bakura's voice.
"I'm sorry yami," Ryou whispered, and slashed his other wrist. He watched the flowing blood, fascinated by it as it slowly drained his life away.
"Ryou!" Bakura burst through the door only to see his hikari sway on his feet. Ryou gave him a dull smile.
"I'm sorry."
"Ryou!" he heard his darker yell before the darkness claimed him. "Ryou!" The pale boy blinked awake. "Ryou?" Bakura whispered, seeing his eyes open. He wasn't dead, wasn't bleeding to death on the floor, in fact, he was curled tightly in his own yami's arms. A look of pure horror covered his darker's face. The pale yami had seen his dream. Bakura gave his hikari a stern look. "Ryou I told you I wouldn't leave you, so don't you dare… damn it don't you dare leave me!" Ryou looked up at his shaken yami. A tear slid down his face.
"Yami I'm sorry," he cried, burying his face in Bakura's chest. The former tomb robber lifted Ryou's chin, looking him in the eye.
"Ryou, the Ring wants you gone. It'll do anything it can to destroy you, but you have to fight it," he told the boy. Ryou shivered.
"It's too strong, I can't fight it! I just want this all to go away!" he cried, bowing his head.
"Ryou, you can't just give up!"
"It won't go away. I just want to forget it!" the boy snuggled further into his yami's embrace. "Please Yami… help me forget," Ryou whispered. Bakura was shocked… very shocked.
"Ryou…"
"Please yami?" Ryou asked again. Bakura gave him an appraising look. He lifted the boy's chin. Ryou was shaking slightly.
"Do you know what you're asking?" he asked. Ryou nodded hesitantly.
"Please yami, just help me escape, just for awhile. I can't fight it on my own." Bakura leaned closer to the boy.
"Ryou…" He captured his hikari's lips in a dominating kiss, arms wrapping around Ryou's delicate waist. Ryou's arms wrapped around his neck, twining his fingertips in Bakura's thick hair. Bakura pulled away suddenly, gasping. "Ryou, you have to be sure. I don't know if I'll be able to stop," he said. Ryou nodded.
"I know yami."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Malik!" the Egyptian turned, looking behind him and down the dim street. He saw Yugi running towards him.
"What is it?" he asked. "Did you find something?" Yugi shook his head, gasping for air as he reached the blond.
"No," he said between gasps. He glanced up at Malik. "Ryou's body is missing from the hospital."
"What?!" Malik exclaimed. "What happened?"
"Someone abducted him. Some of the life-support equipment is missing too. Yami thinks that whoever stole the Ring needs a physical body for whatever he's trying to do," Yugi told him. Malik nodded.
"We need to find the Ring, fast," he said. Yugi nodded.
"How are we going to find it?" he asked. Malik sighed.
"I don't know. Can the Puzzle sense other items?" he asked. Yugi shrugged, zoning out for a moment to ask his yami.
"Yami says it's worth a try."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Bakura collapsed over his frail, panting hikari, breathing heavily. He rolled off the boy, feeling Ryou snuggle up against him. The fiend smirked slightly and wrapped his arms around the boy, pulling him closer. He only prayed that Ryou would have the strength to fight off the Ring's dark power with his help. He didn't think he could stand to loose his hikari, not now. Ryou's faith in him was so great, he didn't want to betray it.
"Aishiteru yami," Ryou whispered, before falling into the first peaceful slumber he had found since they had entered the Ring. Bakura smiled, a real smile, not his trademark smirk. He gave his hikari a light kiss on the forehead.
"Aishiteru, aibou."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Malik, Yugi, and Yami, who had appeared from the puzzle, followed the Sennen Puzzel's dim glow. Apparently, Yami had found away to link the Puzzle to the Ring, drawing it towards the missing item. The small group followed the light into Domino's warehouse district, a dark place filled with shadows and secrets. The Puzzle glowed brightly, then faded, leaving them in darkness as they reached the inner circle of buildings. Yami's eyes narrowed.
"I've lost track of it. Who ever has the Ring is blocking me," he hissed. Malik looked around at the various buildings, a hand slipping into his pocket to grip the Sennen Rod tightly. Its cold metallic feel gave him some slight comfort.
"It's got to be in here somewhere. Let's search these buildings," he said. Yugi nodded.
"Yami?" he asked his darker half. The spirit nodded.
"I just hope you're right Malik. We're running out of time."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Author's notes: Wow, I can't believe it! I'm almost done!
Bakura: *sarcastically* Congratulations, you might actually finish a fic…
Malik: *snickers*
You people are so mean… I hope you all are enjoying. This isn't one of my longest chapters; I know… the next one will be longer. Please read and review ^_^