Rave: Today is opposite day, which means I own every single point on Malik's hair, Bakura's sex libido, EVERYTHING!! Ra, I've always wanted to say that.

Seto: I love you!

Rave: hee hee! And I LOVE hearing that too..

Seto: (growls) I REALLY love you now!

Rave: you'd better, cos know what? I already said "today is opposite day" (when you weren't around to hear it), so when I said it a second time, I really said "today is NOT opposite day!" So that means you DO love me! AHAH!

Seto: WHAT? You can't do- (is jumped and glomped excessively)

Yuugi: (makes popcorn, sits down and watches) She'll never own anything..

Chapter Three: Crimson Bracelets

Trying to hold back a coughing fit, Ryou remained crouched in the corner of the closet. Angry staccato of footsteps paced the room relentlessly.

"You can't hide from me forever you filthy bastard!"

Damn Bakura. Damn him for telling Malik about the secret bedroom. Now the trembling boy was hoping with every ounce of will that Malik wouldn't lean against the bookcase, which was a hidden push-open door which led to a secret space.

"I promise I won't hurt...much!" The Egyptian yelled, starting to throw things carelessly to the floor.

"You'll do nothing of the sort." Bakura's voice crooned. Ryou couldn't decide if he was happy that his yami stepped in, or frightened at the prospect of the tormentors find him faster. "My hikari is mine to control and do what I like. If you're that bored, I suggest you play around with Marik instead of taking things that don't belong to you."

"Defending Ryou? I can't believe you're going soft on that ingrate child."

The tomb robber snickered.
"I never said I was here to protect him! I still need him for..." he cast a glance at the bed suggestively, "...other things."

Malik arched an eyebrow.
"Interesting choice. I personally would have picked a stronger one who actually has some useful skills!"

Bakura's eyes narrowed, and he sat on the bed. With a hungry look in his dark eyes, he said seductively
"Then that makes me the perfect candidate."

Bedsprings crunched as Malik pounced, immediately locking the thief in a powerful, deep kiss.

Changing from a crouch into a kneeling postion, Ryou groaned inwardly at the noise and plunged his hand into his pocket. As his fingers enclosed on a familiar object, a sharp point dug into one of his fingertips. He withdrew the hand, and flickered his tongue over the wound. The metallic taste of blood trickled through his mouth. Calmly, Ryou began to slash at his wrist, shuddering at the muffled moans and gasps coming from outside the door. As the blood poured down his forearm and soaked his knees, he slashed faster and faster.

"I'm only dead weight..why am I here?" The boy thought to himself. A pleasant moment of forgetfulness washed over him like a new rain as he continued to tear at flesh and moving up and down his entire forearm now.

He stopped when he heard his yami cry out in complete satifaction. "And why have I stoppped?" Even in the darkness, Ryou could sense the pool of blood gathering at his knees, and he felt dizzy and weak already. Gritting his teeth, he dug the blade into the sideof his neck, applying more and more pressure. "Why stop now, when there's nothing waiting for me on the other side of this door?" With a yell that made his insides wrench, he thrust the blade into his neck with all his strength and might.

The yell disturbed Bakura out of his post-coital bliss, who jumped off the bed and pointed to the wall. His eyes glittered malevolently as Malik rose to join him.
"I knew he was in there somewhere!" The King of Thieves reared back, and slammed his body against the wall. The impact crashed the door open. When Bakura saw the albino lying in a pool of his own blood, he swiftly knelt and stared at the blade sticking out of Ryou's neck.

"The little fool decdided it was too much for him." Malik said with a smirk. Bakura said nothing. With a final, strangeld gasp, a cry escpaed Ryou's bloody lips.

"Amane..I'm coming.." A gurgle, and he let go of the burden he had had to bear for so long.

"RYOU!!"

The second Yami opened his eyes, he knew he was going to be sick. Stumbling from the bed (naked yet again .) he managed to make it to the bathroom before he keeled over and vomited into the basin. Feeling dizzy and nauseous again as the mess washed away witrh the faucet running, the Pharaoh sank to the floor. He was grateful that Yuugi had not been woken up.

"Was that..real?"

The sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach eased somewhat. Yami struggled to stand, but slid back down to the floor with a splitting headache; pouding a painfull rhythm into his skull. It was too real..but not impossible. Yami grimaced at the memory of the dream he had three days ago; Yuugi's arms and and hands sytained with Anzu's blood, her yells and screams as he killed her without batting an eye. "no.." Yami shook his head, causing his headache to get worse. Holding his forehead, and groaning softly, he muttered
"Anzu wasn't killed; it was only a dream. And so was Ryou's suicide!"

Doubt replaced nausea; an icy feeling spreading through his veins. This had to have happened, Ryou was already depressed and there was no telling how he would deal with it in a moment of desperation. What Yuugi had done was out of character, but it had shaken the Pharaoh permanently. With the possibility that the dream was real, Yami found the strength to stand up, his rear numb from sitting on hard tile. He had to check, just in case...

Mokuba: you can come out, guys. She's gone to get more ramen..

(Marik, Ryou, Bakura, Malik, Yuugi, etc. come out of hiding from various places)

Yami: thank Ra that's over.

Seto: easy for you to say! I'm the one who got caught, tortured, and humiliated!

Rave: now for some flames to boil the ramen!

Yuugi: if you get any reviews, that is.

Rave: are you insulting me?! HEYY...

Seto: He is right, though.

Rave: you're just asking for Round Two, aren't you Seto-sama?

Seto: O.O forget I said anything..