Chapter Nine - Threatened Dream

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A/N - Hey thank you so much for reviewing. Guess that Anzu part got you pretty riled up! I won't give away anything yet so I'll just say "Don't Panic!"

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Ryou was almost sick with worry. It was Thursday already and Bakura still hadn't shown up for work that week. He just didn't understand why and was beginning to imagine all kinds of terrible possibilities. What if he'd been hurt by muggers or street gangs or, even worse, by his father. Bakura had never said anything about his domestic situation but it didn't take a genius to figure out that his dad had been beating him while they were in high school.

Not only that but they were supposed to be opening the shop in two days. Ryou was coping but he knew he couldn't manage on his own, especially since Marik had stopped by twice that week and leaving him in an even worse state every time. He was coming again that morning and his car was pulling up outside. Ryou didn't think he could take it this time as his insane cousin sauntered in and grinned at him maniacally.

"Hi there, Ryou. Did you miss me?" he smirked "You don't by any chance have my money today, you thieving little brat!"

"Marik! I really can't handle this!" Ryou whimpered "I'm on my own, this week and you have no idea how hard it is to fix this place up with you out break my legs all the time!"

"Oh! You're in for it now, mister! I don't care if your little boyfriend left you! That doesn't make you exempt from your payments, brat!" Marik screamed angrily.

"Just give my two days. And if I can't pay you back the money by then, you can take the shop, okay?" said Ryou desperately.

"What? This shit hole! Don't make me laugh." said Marik. "I have a better idea. If you don't pay up in two days, I'll take the shop and then I'll take you, brat."

"What?" Ryou cried.

"You heard me. I'm going to make you my personal slave, if I don't decided to kill you, that is." Marik growled. "I'll even let that boyfriend you hide behind to watch, if I can convince Pegasus to give him the day off."

"What? Bakura's working for Pegasus?" Ryou cried joyfully.

"Shut up! I'm threatening you here!" shouted Marik "I'm going to make your life so miserable you'll be begging for death when I'm done!"

"Please! Where is he? You have to tell me!" shouted Ryou.

"He's living in the Mishuku district on 93rd, apartment 12B. Now shut up and take your punishment like a man!" said Marik and punched him squarely in the jaw.

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Ryou struggled to get off the bus, wincing with pain at the many cuts and bruises all over him. He limped over to the tower block he was now faced with. It wasn't as nice as his own home, but it was liveable and was mainly filled with students, he guessed from the parties being held on every floor. He rushed up to his destination, the lift was broken so he very painfully climbed the stairs.

Bakura heard a knock on the door of his new apartment. He groaned. He hadn't told any of his friends where he was so it was either Pegasus giving him another job beating up squatters or that weird old lady from next door complaining about the noise. He wasn't in the mood for either. However it turned out to be far, far worse in his eyes as he answered the door and saw Ryou almost dying on the carpet.

"Ryou? Oh shit! Ryou!" he shouted and dragged the exhausted boy inside all of his anger melting away as he laid eyes on the broken boy and was replaced by fear and guilt. 'It's all my fault! I should never have left him alone with that creep!' he thought frantically.

"Kura?" Ryou whispered gently.

"Yes, Ry? What is it? Did he hurt you again!" Bakura cried.

"Why did you leave?" said Ryou, his large brown eyes filling with tears.

"I was just angry at myself. I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking and I let you get hurt!"

"Why?"

"Well, when I found out you were engaged I flipped out. I felt so stupid, I should have realised you were out of my league. And I was angry at you for not telling me and making a fool of myself."

"Kura, what are you talking about?" asked Ryou looking up at him from his spot on the floor, plagued with confusion.

"You and Anzu. But I'm cool with that now. I understand why you did it. And if you can ever forgive me, I'd still like us to be friends."

"No, Kura, seriously, what the hell are you on about?"

"You getting engaged to Anzu."

"WHAT!" Ryou shouted and looked like he was about to throw up. "Who the hell told you that?"

"She did."

"We are not getting married, Kura. Trust me, the day I marry Anzu will be about a millions years after hell freezes over!" Ryou cried "She's a damn liar, don't believe anything she says."

Bakura looked angry for a moment but then it hit him that Ryou was still free and single and a huge grin plastered across his face, his first genuine smile for a long time.
"So if you don't love Anzu, does that mean..."

"I love you." Ryou cried happily "I love you, Kura! I've always loved you."

"I love you too." said Bakura and leaned down to capture the other boy's lips with his own.

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A/N - Oh it's a cliffy! It's a cliffy! I'm very sorry that I lapsed into a bit of comedy back there but that's just my style.
So anyway. Should I write a lemon? I'm crap at them but I'll try if enough people ask me to. Thanks again.
The Oddity.