To lucidscreamer, thank you from the bottom of my ego for your review.

Chapter Two: The Lost Souls

She'd always been such a happy girl. Even as a baby, she'd wake with her bow-shaped mouth curled in a smile, her mother had murmured brokenly late that night, long after the tears had dried. The perfect daughter, almost: so sweet, so gentle, and so very kind. Obedient.

Her father hadn't shed a tear; he'd just sat on the hearth, staring blindly into the flames. Friends and family had left him to work through his grief in stoic silence. A bloody axe lay in a congealing puddle at his feet.

If someone had looked closely, and no one did, they'd have seen how his hands shook.

Apparently, Ryou had been in. A lukewarm cup of apple and cinnamon tea sat at his elbow. He'd found it by nearly knocking it over when he woke.

Yami sat up with a groan and glanced at the prone figure on the bed, Yugi, he'd learned from the boy's student card. He hauled himself out of the armchair he'd spent the night in, and cautiously approached the bed.

Unfortunately, Ryou's friend from the hospital hadn't appeared yet; during the night, Yugi had awoken twice, and he'd been in a wild rage both times. Several new cuts were gouged into Yami's hands and arms as a result. Ryou had forbidden Yami from knocking Yugi out again, saying,

'You have to let the rage run its course. That's one of the places you've gone wrong in the past. He'll tire himself out eventually.'

He'd been right; a few hours before dawn, Yugi had slipped into a fitful slumber. Yami had been more than welcoming of the reprieve.

The door eased open and Ryou poked his head into the room.

'I just got off the phone,' he said. 'My friend says she'll be here a little later, probably around ten-thirty.' He glanced at the bed. 'I see you've had an interesting night.'

Yami tossed him a dirty look.

'You could've helped, you know. It's not as though he'd kill you.'

'I know,' Ryou sat down in Yami's vacated armchair. 'But I thought that it was about time you got over this complex you have. I'll help now, if you ask me.'

Yami folded his arms and glared through the window at the murky sky.

'What's the time now?' he asked finally.

'About ten,' Ryou answered. He curled his legs up to his chest and rested his chin on his folded arms. He cast another glance at Yugi from beneath his eyelashes. 'I'd wrap something around my arms, if I were you.'

'Why's that?'

'He's waking up again.'

Hungry. So hungry. Pain, hunger. Flung his eyes open. Light, burning, bright light.

Screamed.

Tore his throat. More pain.

So much pain, hunger, pain, oh!

Closed his eyes, eased the pain.

Slightly.

Still pain. Still hunger.

Lashed out, blind, so angry. Red anger.

Fingers outstretched, tangled in…soft. Nice… gripped.

'Ryou, he's got my hair.'

Words. Couldn't quite grasp… Couldn't quite understand. Infuriating.

Growl.

'Ryou. He's got my hair.'

'I can see that.'

'Then do something.'

'Like what?' Pause. Fingers relaxed.

Not much.

Enough.

Hunger. Red hunger. Pain. Red.

Voices… who, what…?

'I'm not going to break his fingers, Yami.'

'I didn't ask you to.'

'You were thinking it!'

Deep breath. Not his.

Voice… threat? Who? Growl, warning. Grip harder.

(Who?) Something. Scrabbling at his fingers.

Anger. Nipped. Blood…

'Ryou. He's biting me again.'

Licked his lips. Spat. Blood. Wrong. Bitter.

'If you don't like my blood, why do you keep biting me?'

Angry. At him… No. Didn't like that. No.

Slitted his eyes open. Glared. (Something…) Eyes coloured …(word?) wine.

Yes.

Glaring. Ferocious. Threat…?

Growl.

'…Don't make that noise at me.'

Stern, warning. Almost growl. Dominant…? Probably.

New sound!

Threat?

'That's probably the blood.'

Something. Holding his arms. Restraint!

No! Bad! Thrashed.

'…Are you alright?'

'If that is the blood,' something grunted. Held him tighter. 'You'd better hurry.'

Light footsteps. Leaving. Where? Still being held.

Worry. Fear. Hunger!

…tired. Bones. Tired….

Waiting on Ryou's doorstep, a small box containing a bag of fresh blood tucked under one arm, Anzu fidgeted with the sleeves of her shirt. One was longer than the other. Another of her roommates' pranks, she supposed, probably in retaliation for … what had she done to deserve it?

…Nothing that she could think of, really. It wasn't even a good prank. It was just… annoying, and it'd take her ages to unpick the stitching and fix it. That is, if they hadn't cut the sleeve…

She was shaken out of her reverie when the door opened and Ryou's very relieved face greeted her.

'Anzu!' he breathed. 'I'm glad you're here.' He stepped aside to admit her.

Adjusting her hold on the box, she followed him into the hall and up the narrow stairs, placing her feet on the hardwood floor with infinite care. Ryou's house was always so quiet; the silence always seemed… almost sacred, to her. It was as though she'd walked into a cathedral…

…Or a crypt, she thought. Ryou opened a door on the left and motioned with one hand for her to wait outside. He quietly took the box from Anzu's hands.

'Won't be a moment,' he told her. 'Would you like to wait in the living room? I'll be there in a moment.'

Anzu nodded hesitantly, and, with a curious backward glance at the room, made her way back downstairs.

When Ryou entered the guest room, the box cradled in his hands, he wasn't surprised to see that Yugi had fallen asleep again. What did surprise him was that Yami was holding Yugi's upper body, right hand laid delicately over his shoulder blades, left hand supporting his lower back. The boy's head had slumped forward onto Yami's left shoulder. A lock of his hair fluttered over his face with every breath.

Yami glanced up as the door gently closed behind Ryou. He grimaced, almost sheepishly.

'He… fell asleep,' he tried valiantly to appear offhanded. 'At least he's not pulling my hair out or biting me any more.'

'Blood,' Ryou stated, he set the box down on the bedside table and faced Yami with a knowing smile. He knew it would annoy him. He couldn't help himself. 'Wake him up…' he allowed his smile to widen marginally, 'whenever you're ready, and get him to drink that,' he patted the box.

Yami frowned darkly. 'Yes. Fine. Are you leaving?'

'Do you need help?' Ryou asked, now with genuine concern. 'If you do, I'll just tell Anzu I'll be a little longer.'

Yami shook his head (carefully, so as not to jolt Yugi). 'Go. Entertain. Will he be sane after he drinks that?' He nodded toward the box.

'He'll be… coherent,' Ryou said slowly. 'Actual sanity may take a couple more days. He probably won't bite you as much, though.' He smiled. 'Well. I'll be heading downstairs now. Come down when you're done, I'll introduce you to Anzu.'

With that, he flowed out of the room.

'Probably,' repeated Yami flatly, glancing at Yugi.

Before I go tonight, I just want to state an opinion. It is relevant to the fic, so if you're interested in reading it, it may explain a few things that will happen in the future.

About how I personally interpret Yami and Yugi's relationship: I realise that not everyone enjoys shonen-ai. One of my friends can't stand it. That's fine. I have no intention of stating anything explicitly anyway. But I do see them as working as a couple, and I can definitely see them falling in love.

Now that that (actually rather banal) author's not is done, I'm going to bed. Goodnight, mes enfants.

This is an edited version of Chapter Two, because Yugi's little POV bit bothers me.

Chapter title belongs to AFI