Ok, Chapter 7! I know, short chapters are bad. I'm trying, I really am. This is a longer one. Read and enjoy!
Morning sunlight slanted through the window and illuminated Ryou's features as he lay alone in the bed. His silver hair flamed into strands of white gold as the rays of light played across his face, but he turned away, moaning softly, and nestled deeper into the blankets. His eyebrows creased slightly and he frowned, dreaming…
He stood on a beautiful sunny beach, ankle deep in sparkling blue waves. All around him, people were laughing, playing. Yugi and Yami dashed past him, hand in hand; nearby, Joey and Mai were flirting and splashing each other. Yet somehow, it was cold, so cold, and he was suddenly standing alone, the beach and his friends melting away, their laughter fading and echoing eerily down a corridor, the walls pure white, a dead white, sterile and soulless. At the end of the hall, Bakura stood motionless, facing away. Ryou called out to him, but the spirit didn't hear him, just began walking down the hall. Ryou followed, running after him, a hospital gown fluttering around him like pale wings. The thin scars on his arms that had almost faded flared with pain, bright, angry red against his skin; as he ran, they broke open and began bleeding, drops of crimson falling like tears, falling and splashing against the white walls and floor without leaving a trace. Bakura was still walking away but his figure was shrouded in darkness now, disappearing slowly, piece by piece. Bakura! Bakura, wait! Ryou cried. It was getting hard to see, hard to move, but he kept going, even when he could barely see Bakura, even when he had been forced to his knees, crying. But his tears turned to blood too, leaving a scarlet trail of intermingled blood and tears behind him, a trail that vanished when he looked back at it, the corridor white again, unmarred. He couldn't go back; he knew that when he tried to go back, he would find himself trapped in that endless stretch of cold, impersonal, white walls and floors and ceilings, never to find his way back to the dreamlike paradise he had been in. It was not for him, that shining beach with its whispered promise of happiness and love, not a place for those who were broken, shattered. He kept going, crawling now, always calling out for Bakura until he collapsed, too tired to move anymore, and Bakura walked on…
"Bakura, wait!" With a sob, Ryou wrenched himself out of the nightmare. The room was silent, save for the sound of his own harsh panting. He sat up, slipping his feet out from under the tangled covers, and padded softly to the bathroom where he closed the door and leaned against the sink, glancing into the mirror. He grinned wryly at what he saw there. The tearstained face staring back at him seemed to be that of any normal teenager; only a faint tightness about the mouth betrayed the pain he was feeling. Looking at his reflection, Ryou recalled the countless other times he had done this, always after something Bakura had said or done to him. Why was it that he constantly measured his own worth by the way Bakura treated him? The smallest compliment from the spirit could make him deliriously happy, while the slightest rebuke left him feeling worthless. He studied his face closely, the eyes especially. Yes, it was still there; the three months that had passed after his attempted suicide still hadn't quite erased that deadened look of listless resignation lurking there. Abruptly, Ryou turned away, not wanting to see any more. He groped blindly for the door and stumbled back to his room, curling up on the bed as hot tears coursed down his cheeks. Just having a good cry, he thought, mocking himself. How much more girlish can you get? He allowed his mind to wander to the nightmare he had had. It frightened him, how willing he had been to follow Bakura, even when he was in pain, even when Bakura didn't care whether he followed or not. It's only a dream, his rational mind whispered. Yet he knew that, were it in real life, he would still have followed Bakura, that even now, he was still willing to bleed for him, to give everything he could and, when he had given everything he had, to die for him. The Millennium Ring flashed then, and he heard Bakura's voice in his head.
{My, my, what gloomy thoughts on such a beautiful morning! It's not like you to be so maudlin, little one.} The spirit's tone was teasing, but there seemed to be a darker meaning to his words as he added, {I must admit, I find your devotion flattering.}
Ryou sat bolt upright. "Bakura!" The door opened and Bakura slipped in, wraithlike. In a flash, Ryou had crossed the room and was hugging him. "Bakura, you're back, I missed you, I had the most horrible dream, please don't go away again!" The words spilled from his mouth as he tilted his head back to look at Bakura. Bakura looked back at him; his face appeared kind, but something in his eyes made Ryou shiver. There was something cold or possessive about that gaze…he blinked and whatever it was disappeared.
{Everything all right, little one?} Bakura asked silently. Ryou smiled and nodded; he leaned against Bakura's chest contentedly. Bakura held him quietly, stroking his hair in an absentminded fashion. Finally, he disengaged himself gently.
"Ryou, you should really go eat breakfast now," he reminded. Ryou ducked his head, looking like a scolded puppy.
"Sorry, Bakura, I'll go right now," he said quickly. He dashed out of the room, running towards the kitchen. Bakura watched him go, a curious half-smile hovering around his lips as he listened to the sound of Ryou's footsteps receding down the hall.
Ryou sat at the table, swirling his cereal around as he stared out the window. It was a beautiful day out; the sun was shining, the sky was an incredible clear blue without a cloud in sight, and he could hear birds singing somewhere. How can it be so perfect? he wondered. I thought beautiful days were only in books and cheap movies. He shoveled a spoonful of soggy cornflakes into his mouth and made a face, putting the spoon back down and returning his gaze to the window. As he watched, a hummingbird came flitting up, bumping against the window. Ryou laughed out loud with delight; his laughter turned into a shocked gasp when the little bird hurled itself full force against the glass.
"No!" He ran outside. On the porch, he found the feathery body motionless by the window. He picked it up and cradled it in his hands. The hummingbird didn't move; it seemed to be stunned or dead, lying limply on his palm.
"Ryou? What are you doing out here?" Bakura asked, coming to stand by him. He had heard the door bang when Ryou ran out, and had gone to see if something was wrong. Ryou turned to him, close to tears.
"It just flew into the window," he said, showing Bakura the tiny bird in his hand. "I don't know if it's ok, it was just bumping up against the glass and then-" His lip trembled.
Bakura cast a cursory glance at the bird, his attention mostly focused on his hikari. He's so sensitive, he marveled. Crying over a random bird that he's never seen before today… He forced his mind back to the immediate situation. "Don't worry, little one, it's probably just stunned." He took the bird from Ryou. "I'll take care of it. Why don't you go finish your cereal?"
"Will it be ok?" Ryou asked tremulously.
"Of course," Bakura reassured him. Ryou gave him a grateful smile and went back into the house.
Bakura looked at the hummingbird he held. It was beautiful; its iridescent feathers glowed with rich jewel tones. The throat seemed to be plated with tiny, overlapping rubies, while the wings shone a deep greenish blue. He admired it, watching the way the sun reflected off the feathers, then closed his hand around it hard, feeling the fragile bones break in his grip, warm blood gushing out. With a casual flick, he tossed the carcass into the grass and wiped his hand clean. Oh, Ryou, he thought fondly. You and that hummingbird, such beautiful creatures, yet so easily broken… He examined his hand to make sure there were no stray feathers left, then went inside.
Oooh, creepy. How do you like it? The hummingbird scene was inspired by the time a real hummingbird crashed into my window. I wasn't going to have Bakura kill it at first, but I ended up writing it. Review please!