Aw, poor Ryou-chan. It hurts to put him through such things, but for the sake of my fan fiction I must! Anyway, please read and review!
Chapter TwoWalking home after school Ryou limped his way home. The others had of course been worried but he had simply told them he had taken a fall off the stairs and it was nothing serious. If they found out about Bakura it would only put a burden on their shoulders. They would probably be even more suspicious tomorrow since he was late in getting home and his Yami would most likely be angry with him. Turning the key in the lock Ryou called, "I'm home!"
"Would you shut your pie hole?" came the shouted response. "I still have a headache you idiot!"
Moving quietly and cautiously Ryou went to living room. Sure enough Bakura was still lying on the couch but had gotten an icepack for his head and his eyes were closed. Despite him getting an icepack the dirty breakfast dishes were still lying on the coffee table.
"You're late," Bakura said to him with eyelids still shut.
Picking up the tray Ryou softly answered, "I had some things to do."
"Like what?" he asked and slightly opened his eyes so the threatening glow in them could be seen.
Averting his gaze away from Bakura's eyes Ryou said, "Detention for being late to school."
"Walk faster next time," the Yami said forebodingly and closed his eyes again.
Keeping a straight face Ryou left the room to the kitchen with the tray to clean up a little. As he entered the kitchen his eyes saw an empty beer bottle resting on the counter. So he could get an icepack and beer for himself but still not pick up the dishes while he was at it. Typical Bakura. He never did any work around the house. He waited on Ryou hand and foot for everything and it caused Ryou to lack in his own work and schoolwork, which affected his grades. He just didn't have time to deal with all of it.
Rolling up his sleeves Ryou got to work on the task of washing Bakura's dirty dishes and the breakfast pans he had used that morning. He just didn't have the time to do it in the morning anymore. He didn't even have time for himself.
Getting up from the couch Bakura stretched his arms and legs. Of course having a hangover was bad but the refreshed feeling of the aftermath of it was all right to go through.
The smell of dinner caught his nose and Bakura smiled. Ryou was more than a good guy, he was a great guy and an even greater cook. He hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast so Bakura hurried along to the kitchen to fill his stomach.
Ryou was standing at the boiling pot and at the same time he was holding a book in his free hand and reading aloud from it. Apparently he was trying to get some schoolwork done while doing dinner. The familiar tinge of guilt was there again in Bakura. Ryou slaved for him and he received nothing but bruises.
As soon as Ryou turned around to see him standing at the kitchen entrance Bakura immediately switched back to his usual scowl. His reputation was not going to suffer because of his hidden soft spot for the boy.
"Oh, Bakura, I'm sorry but dinner's not quite ready yet," Ryou stammered and frowned in concern. Obviously he was worried if he would receive a beating for it.
Glaring a little at him Bakura replied, "Well, get a move on, I'm starving."
"Yes of course," Ryou answered and turned back to the pot and lay down the book so he could work faster.
Sitting down at the table Bakura waited for dinner. In the corner of his mind he debated whether or not to ask Ryou on what happened last night. He never asked but recently Bakura had been getting worried if he was really close to killing him or not. But if he asked it might show concern and the reputation would be damaged some.
A bowl of steaming soup was placed in front of him and Ryou sat across from him with his own bowl. Any time Bakura looked at him he would avoid his sharp gaze and turn back to his reopened textbook to study and would occasionally eat his soup. Eating his own soup Bakura decided to ask him later and not bother him for the moment.
When the dinner was done Ryou went upstairs to take his shower before bed and Bakura stayed downstairs and watched TV. Right when he was going to turn off the set for lack of interest for anything on the telephone rang from beside the couch.
Picking up the phone Bakura said plainly, "Hello, this is Bakura."
"This is Yami," came the other person on the telephone. Bakura groaned openly. Yami could be a real pain sometimes, being a real goody good and having to be nice to him because their hikaris were friends.
"Ryou's busy right now, you'll have to talk to him later," he told him in annoyance.
Yami replied, "I don't wish to talk to Ryou. I want to talk to you."
"Listen, I don't want to talk to you," Bakura snarled to the receiver. "So I'm hanging up now."
"I want to talk to you about Ryou."
Pausing from setting down the receiver Bakura asked, "What about the little twit?"
"Treat him better," Yami responded sternly. "Yugi tells me that Ryou has been coming late to school and is limping. I know it's not just from falling down the stairs, so don't use that as an excuse. You've been drinking haven't you?"
"What business is it of yours?" Bakura snapped immediately.
"He is your hikari. You should show him more respect even if you don't like him. Ryou should not fear you in the way I know he does. He should be able to look up to you and trust in you, like me and Yugi do."
Scowling at the phone Bakura growled, "I'm hanging up now."
Yami sighed and said, "One more thing of advice: Remember, he is you and you are him."
Bakura slammed down the phone.
Was it his business on what went on in his life? That good-for-nothing ex- pharaoh Yami knew nothing about him or what he felt. Bakura knew how bad it was that he was an alcoholic but he didn't need someone to shove it down his throat. He would solve it on his own.
At least he knew one thing now. He was abusing Ryou.
