I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
by Rhapsody Moonschild and Tat Claire Kokoro
|~*Rhapsody: Yay! Time to clear up some misconceptions!!!
Tat: Some what?
Rhapsody: **clears throat** Misconception. Noun. To interpret something incorrectly. The misconception is that this fic has something to do with the story of its title. It doesn't.
Tat: **mutters** Surprised she doesn't charge for her services… Neways, it's time for disclaimer.
Rhapsody: **yawn** Yu-Gi-Oh! is the property of Kazuki Takahashi.
Tat: We're jealous.
Rhapsody: Just huggle your plushies and be glad we didn't have to come up with such a convoluted plot.
Tat: A what plot?
Rhapsody: **sigh** Convoluted. Adjective. To be curved or twisted.
Tat: Are you sure you just don't make these words up?
Rhapsody: **death-glare** Very sure… Now start the fic.*~|
CHAPTER SIX (by Rhapsody)
Yami's POV
He seems a lot better this morning… Good. I wasn't sure if my healing powers would work properly. I haven't used them in a very long time, and never on such an injured mortal.
Without even asking he places the plate in front of me and gets back up to make another breakfast. I protest that he doesn't have to give me his food but he ignores me, opening the fridge to find another egg. I watch him as he cooks.
The sun is shining high again, casting a golden glow on his white-silver hair. He moves a little stiffly on his right side, the one he was injured on, but otherwise seems perfectly all right. In fact, I hear him humming quietly to himself as he cracks the egg in the pan.
He turns and gives me a look. "Aren't you going to eat?"
I shrug and dig in. He's a pretty good cook and I finish quickly. Then I have an idea on how to repay him—I get up and put my dishes in the sink, then start to wash them.
"You don't have to—"
"I owe you," I smile, and motion for him to hand me the pan when he's done. Finally he does and sits down. I submerge my hands in the warm dishwater and then scrub, thinking all the while.
How was I to ask Ryou about his abuse? There had to be an end put to it, preferably before Bakura figured out how to pick the lock I had put on his soul room and escaped on another murderous rampage.
I didn't think Ryou could survive the next one, with my help or not.
"Ryou…" I say finally.
He looks up from his plate innocently. "Yes, Yami?"
"Ryou, how can I help you with Bakura?" I ask. He drops his gaze again sadly and mutters something.
"What?"
"There's nothing wrong between Bakura and I," he says carefully. He picks at his food.
"Ryou…" I sigh and decide to tell him… "I didn't go home last night. I saw…"
He looks up at me again and this time his eyes are wide and scared. "You saw? Please don't tell Bakura—he'll get so mad!!!"
"Bakura isn't anywhere around here," I say vaguely. "But what are we going to do about him, hmm?"
"Forget it, Yami," he says as he rises from his seat and hands me the plate. "Just forget it."
"What?"
Forget it? Forget he tried to kill you, Ryou? I could never do that to a friend! I think fiercely.
"I can't forget it," I say. "What do you want me to do about his beatings?"
"Nothing," he replies dully. "Thanks for the visit."
And he wanders off into the next room, obviously trying to get rid of me. But it's not that easy to shake off the attentions of a millennia-old pharaoh. Silently I follow.