Segment dedictaed to Buzz and Yue-chan, who wanted more and Loren who helped with the writing. ^^ Sorry it took so long. - Fran

----

He paused outside the door, knocking. "Are you dressed yet?" he called.

He frowned as there was no response. What was the psychopath doing now? Shaking his head, he pushed the door open, one hand almost hovering near the Rod so he'd be ready for anything.

Anything except the site of the psychopath's host still wrapped in the sheet, shaking with choked sobs that were muffled by the pillow his face was buried in.

Placing the mug down, the blond Egyptian moved to the side of the bed. "Hey..." he said, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder.

The pale haired teen flinched at the touch, tensing slightly.

Malik swore under his breath, pulling his hand back. "What's wrong? Why didn't you get dressed?"

"It hurts..." the boy choked out. "Oh god, it hurts so much..." he whimpered, curling up slightly, fists clenched.

Malik winced, feeling a pang of empathy for the boy. "I'm sorry..." he said softly. "I didn't realize..." he nearly bit his lip, remembering how gleefully he had attacked the psychopath in their 'love'making, digging his nails into the pale flesh as the man beneath him spurred him on with his moans and exclamations.

He rose to his feet, moving to his dresser to retrieve a small jar before returning to the boy's side. "Where does it hurt?" he asked, voice still uncharacteristically soft.

"My back... and-- and my sides and-- and---" the boy tensed up again, unable to continue.

Malik winced again, knowing where else the boy would be hurting. "I have a cream," he explained. "It can numb the pain, but you have to let go of the sheet."

The boy was silent a long moment before slowly pulling the sheet out from under him, not looking up.

Malik pulled it down to expose the boy's back, noting the burning red-marks and slashes. Uncapping the jar he scooped out a glop of the off-white cream and gently began rubbing it into the scrapes and scratches, doing his best to sooth away the boy's pain.

He smiled softly to himself as he worked, remembering how Rishido would do the same thing for him whenever his back ached. It always comforted and calmed him, the gentleness of his older brother-figure's hands making him feel safe and cared for.

He smiled again when he felt the smaller boy begin to relax under his touches, tencing briefly whenever Malik began working on a new spot, only to relax once more, periodically giving small sighs.

It was amazing how smooth the boys back was, Malik mused. The pale skin looked almost as if it had never been exposed to the sun, and the contrast of the Egyptians darker skin only made the smaller boy look even paler. Gently, Malik brushed aside the smaller boys barely tinted hair, moving to sooth the bruises he had inflicted when he had held the psychopath down with violent passion. Carefully he moved the cord that held the Millennium Ring and began massaging the cream into the pressure-marks.

He paused, hearing the boy's breath catch. "Too sore?" he asked.

The boy shook his head slightly, reaching up to pull his hair down to cover his neck, face slightly red.

Malik nearly chuckled and obliged, moving to attend to the boy's shoulders. So the psychopath shared his host's sensitive spots...

He shook his head slightly, pushing the thought from his mind. Now was not the time. Especially not when damage from the roughness of the previous night would be at it's worst.

Finishing his ministrations, he pulled away, recapping the jar. "Better?"

"Un... Arigatou..." the boy said softly, a small relaxed smile on his lips.

Malik smiled back. "Think you're up for some tea?"

The boy gave a small nod, shifting to slowly sit up, wrapping the sheet around his waist carefully, looking very self conscious.

"Here," Malik handed him the slightly cooled off mug.

The pale haired boy took a small sip and blinked slightly before giving a smile. "I know this tea..." he said softly, voice almost fond. "Whenever I get to go with Tousan to Egypt, I have this tea..."

"You've been to Egypt?" Malik asked, interested. It would explain the psychopath's knowledge of the language, he mused.

"Un," the boy smiled softly, eyes warm. "Tousan works there. He's an archaeologist," he nodded before taking another sip of his tea.

'Hm,' Malik thought with amusement. The pyschopath's host was the son of someone who would be considered an enemy of his tribe. There was an amusing sort of irony in that fact, he mused. "That where you got that?" he asked, pointing to the Ring.

The paler boy nodded, putting a hand over the Ring, expression fond. "Tousan brought it back for me."

Malik gave a small snort. "I thought finds were suppose to go to a museum?"

The boy blinked, then gave a small smile. "He didn't find it on a dig, he bought it at a bazaar."

The Egyptian boy barely managed to cover his laugh with a cough. Someone bought a Millennium Item at a bazaar. The clan would be furious if they knew.

There was a long awkward quiet as the paler boy traced the outline of the Ring, expression saddened.

"Why do you wear it?" Malik asked finally, startling the boy out of his thoughts. He frowned slightly as the boy seems to be searching for an answer. 'The truth, now...' he ordered subconsciously, using the Rod's power to lean into the boy's subconscious slightly.

The boy's eyes glazed slightly and he looked down. "I have to..." he said softly.

Malik raised an eyebrow and gently nudged the boy to continue, frowning slightly as the boy spoke. "But if it causes you so much trouble, why don't you just get rid of it?"

"I've tried. Every time it comes back to me." The boy's dulled eyes looked at his chest, a hand unconsciously rising to trace the 5 puncture scars under the Ring's pendants and Malik's eyes narrowed slightly as he noticed another similar scar on the back of the boy's left hand, much larger then the ones on his chest. "It's my destiny to have it... and be it's host..."

The Egyptian's expression darkened. "This too is the Pharaoh's will..." he muttered angrily. So it wasn't just the Gravekeepers that suffered for the sake of the past. His frown deepened. Did that mean the psychopath was similar to the Pharaohs spirit?

He looked over to where the pale haired boy was looking vacantly at the Ring. In a way, the boy was just as much a pawn as he was, the Egyptian mused. He let go of the Rod as well as his control of the paler boy.

The boy blinked slightly, eyes clearing slowly as if just waking. Seeing Malik's gaze, he looked down, pulling the sheet up around him closer, looking visibly upset.

Malik frowned slightly at the boy's action. He shouldn't have been aware of any change.... "Something wrong?" he asked.

The boy shook his head. "I-- I just had a memory lapse, gomen..." he gave a small nervous laugh. "I must have spaced out, I'm sorry if I acted strange at all."

"Memory lapse?" Malik pressed. He hadn't used that much of the Rods power on the boy, had he?

The paler boy gave a small nod. "It happens to me a lot, like a type of amnesia." He fidgeted slightly, his hold on the sheet tightening.

Malik looked at the boy a moment. "You don't remember last night at all, do you?" he stated in realization.

The boy gave a small nod, hugging the sheet close to his chest, looking almost fearful, much like he had when he had first awoken. "Go-- gomen..." he whispered, curling slightly into a ball.

The Egyptian boy nodded slightly to himself. "Do you remember me at all?" he asked, keeping his voice neutral.

The paler boy shook his head, hugging his knees to his chest under the sheet. "Gomennasai," he apologized meekly.

Malik nodded again, expression thoughtful. So the boy wasn't aware of what happened when the psychopath was in control of him, much like those he controlled with the Rod were unaware of anything outside their minds. After a moments thought he extended his hand to the boy. "I'm Namu," he introduced.

The boy looked up, expression slightly surprised before he gave a small smile. "Bakura," he returned, carefully taking the Egyptian's hand. "Bakura Ryou."

Malik smiled. So the psychopath had used the boy's name when he had introduced himself. "Can I call you Ryou?" he asked, continuing when he saw the boy's reluctance. "I already know someone named Bakura," he explained. "It would be awkward for me calling you that."

The boy hesitated a moment, then gave a small nod.

Malik gave a smile. "Yorushiku, Ryou-kun."

Ryou gave a small smile in return. "Yoroshiku, Namu-kun," he said softly, relaxing slightly.

--
Notes: Tousan = Dad
Yoroshiku = pleasure to meet you (roughtly.)
Gomen = Sorry
Gomen nasai = very sorry
Arigatou = thanks.