Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or anything from the company. Not even a single scrap of trash from their waste bin. Poopie. I also don't own any song mentioned or used in this fan fic so their not mine. They belong to the respected artist that will be noted in every chapter. Thank you.

I got sudden inspiration for this story when listening to Three Days Grace's "I Hate Everything About You." Recently I've been in a Yu-Gi-Oh mood so I decided to write a fanfic. I'm found of yaoi so I decided to use it. I hope you like! (As a side note, I plan on using these to in more fan fics!)

Chapter One: Abuse

The blow struck Ryou hard. He hit the ground and did not bother to get up. If he did Bakura would just strike him down again and again until he couldn't get up even if he wanted to. The downside was now Bakura would assault him with various kicks until his sides we bruised so bad he would wince for days.

The Yami showed no sign of relenting but instead had on a smirk. In his left hand he clutched a freshly bought bottle of whiskey that was almost drained of its contents. Not even pausing to stop kicking his hikari Bakura took long swigs out of the bottle and would lick his lips. He was too drunk to care that Ryou was slipping into unconsciousness for the third time that week.

When the contents were drained he finally halted in his brutal beating and said to Ryou cruelly, "Let that be a lesson to you. Next time, remind me when we run out of whiskey." He then swaggered over to the living room and Ryou heard him plop down on the couch.

Painfully and wearily getting to his feet he clutched at his aching side. Wincing at the random shots of pain Ryou fought back the hot tears forming in his eyes. If he cried then that meant Bakura would be getting what he wanted: Finding pleasure in his pain.

Limping out of the kitchen Ryou made the painful journey up the stairs to get to his room. Taking a nice long sleep after being beaten helped a little. At least he could be in his own world for a few hours before fighting reality again. Carefully crawling under the covers he closed his eyes and sleep took him in a few minutes.

Before he fell asleep Ryou silently wished that he was not destined to find Bakura or the Millennium Ring and just live a normal life.

Clutching his head in the morning Bakura moaned quietly. The awful hangovers whipped at his brain like no tomorrow at even the smallest sound. The feeling of barely knowing of what happened the night before was also aggravating. Who knew what could happen in that time?

The sound of the toaster made him wince miserably. Ryou must be up then. Perhaps it was a school day. With hangovers it hurt to think to hard. Looking around for a moment he saw he had fallen asleep on the couch that time. Bakura sighed and looked to his side. On the coffee table close by there was a glass of clear water and two headache pills. They were always nearby after his drunken nights. Ryou knew how to take care of him, kudos for that.

At the thought of Ryou he then saw him emerge from the kitchen carrying a tray. Placing it on the coffee table next to the pills Bakura saw it had a plate of eggs, toast, crispy bacon, and a cup of hot coffee. Once again, kudos to Ryou. Nodding his head curtly at Bakura, Ryou didn't say anything to him and went back to the kitchen.

Bakura quickly noticed that Ryou was limping and had an occasional wince cross his face. Frowning at that he lay back down on the couch he shut his eyes.

Not again. He couldn't have possible beaten him again. But then again he could never remember what went on when he was drunk. Bakura didn't tell anyone, but he was truly regretful on the horrible things he did to Ryou. He was a really nice guy and didn't deserve it. His reputation would not allow him to become friends with him, however. If that happened everyone would walk over him and Bakura the King Thief would be no more.

Ryou emerged again from the kitchen, this time with his school bag on his back, a buttered toast in his mouth, and in one hand a bucket. The bucket made him remember the drinking. And the feeling that came when drinking too much whiskey. Normally it didn't happen, but last night he remembered a lot of whiskey.

Clutching his mouth the vomit traveled up his throat and into his mouth. Leaning over to the edge of the couch Bakura threw up his stomach's contents. He was surprised to find that when he opened his eyes Ryou was at his side and the bucket had been there to catch the vomit. He looked uneasily at the mess in the bucket but then gave a small smile to him.

"Remember to bring me the bucket a little faster next time," Bakura said coldly to him as he lay back down and the smile from Ryou's face lessened.

Once again not speaking to him the hikari picked up the bucket and limped back to the kitchen. The sound of the kitchen faucet could be heard as Ryou rinsed out the bucket. He must have been rinsing it shining clean since it took several moments. He was earning lots of kudos points today.

Bringing the bucket back Ryou placed it beside the couch and gave another curt nod and said quietly, "I'll be off to school now."

"You don't need to tell me, just go," Bakura told him in the same tone.

The smile fell completely off his face and Ryou didn't even nod as he left the house. He just quietly closed the door behind him without a word.

Wearily crossing the room to the table Bakura swallowed the pills first and hoped they worked fast; the hangover was getting worse. Eating the breakfast Ryou had prepared for him he seriously considered cutting back on the alcohol. If he wasn't careful Ryou could wind up dead.

It would not only mean he wasn't a good spirit, but the only person actually there for him was Ryou.

People like that weren't in his past and he wasn't about to let the person in his present leave him.