A/N: I would like to grovel an apology for the delay on this chapter: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! But! Intense plot action is contained here within!
Disclaimer: ((stares intently at a random point in space for several minutes)) No.
Warnings: My glorious, wonderful, self-sacrificing beta told me this had a gory horror scene. ((blinks)) Whoops. Don't know how that happened, actually.
Writing guide:
"Bold speech indicates possession, where ghosts have taken hold of the bodies to reanimate their own dramatic tales. Creepy, huh?"
(Because of stupid formatting, this is now aibou speech)
((Same reason, now yami speech))
Alphabetically Listed Review Answers: (Again, if you didn't review, please skip down to the story! It's waiting for your enjoyment! However, if you did review, please also enjoy my delighted babblings at you!)
Serena the Hikari of Love: Thank you for the review! And hey! Cookies! ((snarfs, snarfs)) MMmmm… And milk, which is essential to heightening the goodness of sugar. I'm so sorry I didn't update earlier, but look! ((points)) Thirteen pages of plot, all for your enjoyment! Thanks again!
Mists: AAAAIEEE! MISTS! It's so good to hear from you! ((Uber-huge glomp)) Hewwooooo! I missed you! I'm so glad you're enjoying this story! And, for the record, your positive comment about the length of the chapters incited me to make this chapter even longer than previously planned! Go you! Now please, enjoy! ((goes back to laughing at the mockery of Yami's dramatic jacket-cape tricks)) Heheheh… (And yes. You got me so excited that I've added exclamation marks to nearly all of my sentences in this. -.-)
Yamishadowcat22: Thank you for the review. ((laughs)) Yami is a dork – but only because I like making him as one. He continues to be an idiotic dork in this chapter too, but then he… Well, I guess you'll find out, huh? Anyhoo, thanks for waiting so patiently and thanks again for the review!
Sukara-Nudori: I'm so sorry I didn't update sooner, although I did continue it! Thank you for the compliment and the review! I hope you enjoy!
GirlWaterShaman: Thanks for the review! ((laughs)) You liked the Spongebob boxers – I'm so glad! They made me laugh, too! And, with you in mind, I've lengthened this chapter a little. I hope thirteen pages is ok? ((grins)) I'll continue to make them longer in the future, as well!
Chibi neko doll: ((gasps happily)) You liked Bakura's antics and character! Me so happy! ((sheepish)) It was so hard to write him being evil; I kept blushing all the time! But! Here's the next chapter for you! Thanks for the review! ((drools)) Nekkid Bakura…
Hikari's-dark-side-08: Thank you for the review! I'm glad you're loving the story – and look! Here's more! ((bows)) Please enjoy! ((steals back the ramen noodles)) Ramen is gooooooddd…
Silvershadowfire: Hello again! ((laughs)) I just can't stop talking to you, can I? But yes. Yami is in the valley of Denial – where it's not denial at allll! ((giggles)) We should just throw Yami and Yugi in a locked room and videotape the ensuing blushing conversation…. Hmmmm… ((gets Ideas)) Muaha. Anyhoo, thanks for the review! I hope you love the chapter! And ooh! You gave me more Ideas for pairings! Thank you so much – I was totally at a loss! Muahahaa!
Night of Souls
Chapter Five
Without really knowing how, Yami found himself in the main sitting room. He didn't really know why he'd come, or why he hadn't returned to his aibou yet, nor did he know what time it was or how long he'd been standing there.
The cold moonlight oozed sullenly into the room through the paned windows, casting everything into deep shadow and grey relief. Like Yami, the moonlight didn't want to be here, didn't want to give what precious light it had to this chilly room, but somehow couldn't get away.
With dull, incurious eyes, Yami stumbled farther into the room, as if something was drawing him in on an invisible leash. Like cold silk, air currents brushed past him, around him, through him. The temperature of the room swiftly plummeted until he could see his breath, floating upwards and escaping towards the ceiling. A dull murmuring began circling his ears, rising quickly in strength until it screeched at him feverishly. The indistinguishable words took on a life of their own, drawing shapes in the air, making the fireplace explode into flames, tossing the furniture about, beginning to tear at his skin...
Distantly, Yami noted that whoever had organized this haunted house was very, very good. If his aibou hadn't told him how these places worked, then he would have been utterly convinced that this was real. He might have even shuddered away, in a rare moment of undiluted fear, at the power of the unseen entities here. In fact, he would have likely run back to his aibou – to those warm, embracing arms and that soothing presence that would have giggled kindly at this recent silly mistake the ancient spirit had made in the modern world.
Convinced that this was a show (yet somehow unable to stop himself), he staggered forward a couple more steps, his arms rising, reaching for something in the air. Tears pricked at his eyes and began coursing down his cheeks, though Yami certainly couldn't understand why he felt this way all of a sudden. Maybe it was best not to know, he thought. Maybe it would be best to leave and never come back; he would go far away from here and stop bothering the owners...
(Yami?) His aibou's sleepy, golden 'voice' soothed through his mind. With a start, Yami realized he was on his knees near the fireplace, pointing a knife straight at his stomach. He froze, stunned beyond belief and more than suddenly back in his own right mind.
(Yami?) Yuugi's thought was stronger now, a faint thread of red concern seeping into the thought. (Are you all right?)
Taking several deep breaths, Yami tried to calm his racing heart, rushing to relieve his aibou as well. ((I am fine, aibou. I apologize.))
('S alright...) Yuugi was falling back asleep, Yami could tell: his thoughts were slower, more the colour of deep purple than the usual, energetic, vibrant yellow. (Does that mean you'll come to bed soon? It's so cold without you...)
Stabbing, black guilt tore through Yami as he realized that he'd made his aibou anything less than happy, then again when he couldn't block all of that guilt. Yuugi would feel it and think it was his fault! No!
The dreaded pause drifted along their mental link for several minutes, then a deep blue feeling of reassurance floated back down to Yami, calming him once more. (Come to bed, Yami. It's too late for anything other than sleep. The Scooby mystery can wait till morning.)
Though Yami didn't get the reference, the tinge of amused pink assured him that Yuugi was in a good mood. Things were all right.
They always were when Yuugi was nearby.
Finally letting go of the knife to let it clatter loudly on the floor, Yami turned to leave. He debated telling Aibou about the strange experience just now, but then decided otherwise. Despite the ominous feeling that was growing ever stronger, Yami was sure it was all planned. Why else would Yuugi have come along if there wasn't complete safety? Yami knew he was just overreacting and vowed to be calmer in the future.
He closed the door behind him, completely missing the angry wind that raged about the room, swiftly extinguishing the dimly burning fire.
In the silence of his room, Joey gradually woke up, the morning rays softly nudging him back to awareness. Grunting, he turned over and pulled the pillow over his head, trying to block out the warm beams. It was too early for this. Saturday was supposed to mean that you could sleep in, and it wasn't even...
What time was it, anyway?
Sleep-fogged chestnuts pried themselves into squinting width, peering hazily out from underneath the pillow to look at the bedside clock.
9:07 A.M.
Joey moaned loudly this time and flopped back into his stomach. It was way too early.
A timid knock at his door interrupted his current revelry in the bed's warmth.
"Joey? Are you awake?"
In silent denial, Joey scrunched further into the bed. He was warm and sleepy, and he'd be able to back to that dream he'd been having just as soon as Ryou left.
"Joey? It's after nine. Are you up?"
No reply.
"Joey?"
While the blond tuned out Ryou's voice and slipped further into his morning doze, there was a tense silence taking place outside the door. After a minute, Ryou's voice drifted through again.
"Joey? Kaiba's on the phone here and wants to talk to you. Something about an apology?"
Underneath the pillow, Joey's eyes snapped open, his brain jerking awake. Hastily, he tried to jump from the bed, then had to untangle his body from the covers. Freeing himself, he dashed towards the door, throwing it open eagerly.
"Mrr!" Well, his mouth obviously wasn't working yet, but he was ready to hear Kaiba apologize, that was sure!
Ryou's smirking face greeted his expectant eyes. "Whoops. False alarm. Guess you're not even worth a phone call, huh?" Ryou cackled, his narrowed eyes flashing wickedly.
Joey's brow furrowed. "Waitaminute... Ryou doesn't cackle... So that means you mus' be Bakura!"
The spirit that Joey now recognized as possessing his friend went back to smirking. "Ooh. Aren't you quick on the uptake? No wonder Kaiba's so scared of... No wait. He's not scared by you at all. Never mind. You're back to being the lame lapdog you always have been."
Airily tossing off a condescending wave, Bakura turned and sauntered down the hallway. "By the way, the flea-infested Pharaoh has mightily decreed it's time for breakfast and that you should grace us with your aura of stupidity. Just to let you know, though, the food will probably be gone before you show up."
Reaching the end of the hall, Bakura opened the door that led downstairs. Pausing a moment, he turned to look back at the teeth-grinding blond, raking his eyes up and down Joey's form. "Oh, and Joey? Nice boxers."
Bakura left and the door shut behind his mocking laughter, thankfully cutting it off. Joey stayed where he was, glaring at the door for a few more minutes.
"...Jerk," he finally muttered, before returning to his bedroom to get dressed and ready to face the world.
Twenty minutes later and with breakfast happily digesting, Joey was trying to reassure an apologetic Ryou.
"I'm so sorry, Joey! I didn't mean for him to go that far! It's just that we were all waiting for you and Bakura wanted to eat and –" Ryou stared earnestly up at him, his own dark eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
"Listen, Ryou! It's ok, it really is! Quit beatin' yerself up over it, all right? These things jes' happen."
Ryou bit his lip. "But—"
"But nothin'!" Joey effectively cut Ryou off. "I shoulda known, after all. Why are ya gettin' so worked up over all dis anyway? Bakura's done worse things before, right?"
Ryou sighed forlornly. "I- I don't know. I guess I thought he'd changed for the better. So when he said he'd get you up, I didn't think he'd be so mean about it." Ryou looked down, embarrassed at revealing so much, even to one of his closest friends. "I'm sorry."
Joey sighed sympathetically, gazing at the downcast albino. "Ryou? Tell me again – what is Bakura, exactly?"
Ryou glanced briefly upwards, curious. "Well, he's my yami, obviously. What do you mean?"
Joey grinned. "And what does 'yami' mean?"
Ryou tilted his head. "'Darkness.' Look, Joey, I don't see—"
Triumphant, Joey clapped a hand around Ryou's shoulders. "Bingo! It's in Bakura's very nature to be a jerk! Jes' like it's in Yami's nature to get all dramatic and start spoutin' stuff about "Fate" and "heart of da cards" during a duel. Or like Seto, who's naturally a stuck-up, anal-retentive girly-man! Y'see?"
Ryou stared in incredulity, before trying to smother an entirely inappropriate burst of the giggles. "How on earth is Kaiba girly?"
Joey shrugged, a little sheepish at having let that thought slip out. "Well, have you ever looked at his coat? It flares worse dan a hoop-skirt!" He chuckled ruefully. "An' I should know – Serenity's been takin' a fashion course and has been sendin' me pictures of old skirt styles for the past month."
Ryou couldn't help but dissolve into laughter at this point. "Jo-Joey! That's awful!"
Joey's grinned widened. "Awfully funny, you mean."
"Joey!"
"What? It's true!"
Ryou shook his head. "I don't think I'll ever look at Kaiba the same way again."
"Why?" Attracted by the laughter, Yuugi wandered over. "What did Kaiba do?"
Joey bit his lower lip to stop grinning. "Nothin'. He's jes' goin' through a stage in his life, is all."
Yuugi blinked. "O...K..." He grinned suddenly. "Hey! How do you guys feel about exploring the house? I know we got that tour yesterday, but I bet there's a bunch of stuff we haven't seen yet!"
"Like the Pharaoh's spotted, pasty-white butt?" Bakura, as usual, seemed to appear out of nowhere, joining the conversation at the worst possible time.
Ryou stared at his yami for a moment. Aghast at Bakura's behaviour, he could only moan and sink to the floor.
"Bakura, that wasn't nice." Peeved, Yuugi frowned disapprovingly at the smirking spirit. "Please take that back."
To the surprise of everyone, Bakura looked instantly contrite. "Of course. I defer to your knowledge on the matter."
"What?" Now horribly confused, Yuugi could only stare.
Bakura hastened to explain, trying hard to keep his apologetic look in place despite the mocking laugh that was welling up inside him. "Well, you've seen it, haven't you? Tell me," he leaned in close to Yuugi and stage-whispered. "It's got chafing from all that leather, right? No, wait. I don't want to know."
He pretended to sigh mournfully and drew back, shaking his head in mock regret. "You truly are brave, facing that sight every night." He paused, then decided to continue. "You know, when you sleep with him." Bakura leered for effect, making sure that even Yuugi would get the suggested insult.
The change was remarkable. To the background chorus of shocked gasps from the others, Yuugi's eyes went from shimmering in wary confusion, before shrinking in horror, then blooming into a blushing, furious expression. Normally gentle hands clenched at Yuugi's side and he actually stepped forward challengingly into Bakura's space. Yuugi leaned forward even more and spoke, very softly, "Bakura. Don't you ever say that again."
Bakura raised his eyebrows while internally snorting in disgust at the obvious reaction. 'Well, well, well. Looks like little Yuugi's upset. Could he actually have a crush on the Pharaoh?' When would these fools learn that insults were even more effective than honest discussions when it came to finding out people's weak spots?
Letting none of his thoughts show, Bakura leaned forward as well, answering Yuugi's challenge. "Was that a dare, shrimp?" All joking was gone now. He didn't even hide the fact he was reaching for his deck.
A pale hand abruptly grabbed his right arm and began dragging him away with surprising force. Jerked around, Bakura got a good look at his assailant before deciding to go along with Ryou's actions. His work here was done anyway.
"Come on, Bakura," Ryou ground out. "Let's go exploring."
His departure from the room made him miss the sinister appearance. Yami slid from the deepest black of Yuugi's very shadow, dark energy crackling wildly about his form. His eyes had gone entirely red, his face was wrinkled into an expression of disgusted rage, and his Puzzle shone with its own energy, promising destruction. The other shadows in the room shrank back at first, but then started to grow, as if sensing the power of the Shadow Realm flooding the area.
Yami snarled, his right hand flicking the Dark Magician's card into existence. It seemed to reflect the bloodthirsty light from the Puzzle, glinting ominously.
Joey and Yuugi could only stare in varying degrees of horror as Yami began gathering the energy needed to summon the Dark Magician into the earthly plane. There was no doubt in anyone's mind as to Bakura's fate once that happened.
Yuugi hesitantly tried their mental link, and the overpowering, parasitic black rage that he slammed into shook him out of his trance. Summoning his courage, he ran over to Yami.
"Yami! Yami, it's ok. Calm down, please?"
The only sound for a minute was the soft crackling as the floodgates of magic creaked open a bit further. Then Yami realized who was speaking and deigned to reply.
Joey shivered at the inhuman sound that roared out of Yami's throat. Wanting to run for the door, he found his feet stuck to the floor. Dimly, Joey wondered if this was how rabbits felt when confronted with a starved bear.
Yuugi, meanwhile, was still talking Yami down. "Yami? Come on, Yami. He's gone, right? It's ok. No one got hurt. Come on, we can get him back later or something, ok? Yami?"
Gradually, Yami's eyes returned to their normal state and the shadows of the room slumped back. Looking on, Joey heaved a sigh of profound relief before collapsing into a heap.
Only distantly registering Joey's fall, Yuugi dared to rest a hand on Yami's soft cheek. "I'm sorry, Yami. Did you overhear Bakura? I was trying to block him out and let you catch a nap in your soul room, but I guess I can't do that yet. Sorry. I know how tired you must be, considering what time you came to bed."
Yami grumbled something, abashed, but still too wound up to speak coherently.
Yuugi smiled in sympathetic understanding. "Yami?" he coaxed. "How much did you hear?"
Yami sighed, finally leaning into Yuugi's hand and bringing his own hand up to rest on top of his aibou's. "Enough," he muttered.
"Oh dear."
"Yeah."
There was a pause as the two tried not to show what they thought about the implications of Bakura's statement. Finally, Yuugi broke the silence, his voice only slightly strained. "Well, did you hear how I stood up to him?"
Absurdly comforted, Yami chuckled, released the rest of the bottled up energy. "Indeed, aibou. A starved lion protecting his kill would not have been more intimidating."
Yuugi's cautious grin widened."Cool! And hey, um, since you're up, do you want to go exploring with me?" His left hand reached forward and squeezed Yami's encouragingly.
Yami resisted the sudden urge to bend down and kiss his trusting aibou. How could anyone be this pure and forgiving, yet brave and loyal? He bit his lip, instead answering Yuugi's question with a dignified nod.
"Great! Let's help Joey up first though, ok?"
Yami coughed once. "Whoops."
Upstairs, Ryou fumed silently, pushing back tears. Bakura sauntered beside him, his pace easily keeping up with Ryou's unsteady steps. Finally unable to take even Bakura's presence anymore, Ryou turned and dashed into the closest room, slamming the door behind him. It latched shut satisfyingly, and he slid down against it to sit on the cool floor. Drawing his knees up to his chest, he buried his face in his hands, expecting the Voice any second now.
Pause.
"Hikari-mine..." the Voice crooned through the door.
And there it was.
Ryou shuddered, a few tears falling from his eyes. He tried to block out the Voice by slamming his hands over his ears.
"Open the door, hikari-mine. Now." The Voice was soft, seductive, and everything Ryou knew he should resist. But he couldn't... what he felt...
He gasped, pushing himself away from the door when he felt it shake softly. He was outside, trying to get in. The lock would be no problem at all; he'd gotten into thousands of places more protected than a simple room...
Ryou began to hyperventilate, his panicked eyes swiping around the room. He had to hide. Hide! Now!
Legs shaky with fear moved him jerkily over to a bureau which gleamed cherry-red in the sunlight that shone through the window.
"Ryou..." the Voice whispered through the door. It shouldn't have been able to reach him all the way over on the other side of the room, but it did. That meant...
The door swung open, revealing his scowling yami. "Bad Ryou," Bakura scolded, the way a cat treats a mouse. "I've told you not to run away. You know it doesn't work."
"Get... away..." Ryou's voice was breathy with fear. Part of him wondered distractedly at the intense fear – Bakura had only stabbed him that one time...
"Why? You can't live without me, hikari-mine." Bakura's voice washed over him with the confident persuasion of one who is right. Ryou found himself nodding submissively before slapping himself.
"No! You're a monster! You do weird things I don't understand and say mean things to my friends and you're awful!" Ryou screamed the words out, his eyes clenching shut so he wouldn't have to look at Bakura's face. "I hate you and wish that you'd just die!"
Bakura's face was a picture of stunned disbelief and slight hurt, before it twisted itself into an uncaring expression. "If you're not careful, you're going to be the one who dies. Pretty thing..."
Bakura moved in on the trembling figure at the desk before him, his strides belying his age. "It's not as if you have a choice."
"Please!" Ryou sobbed, "Please just leave me alone! Father trusted you! Does that mean nothing to you?"
"No, it doesn't. Your father is a fool." The elder grabbed the younger one, yanking the shaking body against his own and revelling in the fear he felt. "Sending me such beauty and then expecting me to do nothing. Sheer idiocy."
There was a pause, as two sets of eyes gazed at each other in close proximity. Then the taller of the two leaned in even further to whisper promisingly in the other's ear, "You're mine. Forever and ever..."
Several more tears leaked out of the younger one's eyes as they closed in sudden defeated submission. "...yours..."
A tongue snaked out and licked the tears away. "Scream for me, pretty one." The other shuddered in disgust, the resolve to fight growing once again.
"Only when you do..." Unseen, the victim's hand snaked out to the desk and grabbed the letter opener. Without even a moment's thought, it was used to slam into the taller one's gut, twisting to tear even deeper. The normally gentle face was twisted into a snarl of passionate rage. "Die!"
A sudden, howling wind tore through the room and Ryou stumbled from Bakura's suddenly loose grasp. His eyes opened in shock, he stared in horror at what he'd done, then at the room around him. "What...? Oh, no... no… no," he muttered. "Bakura...? Bakura, are you all right? Bakura!"
Equally shocked, Bakura stared at the blood that was dripping copiously onto the hardwood floor. Dazed – and not just from the pain or blood loss – Bakura wondered if this sort of thing had happened before to others. It would certainly explain the floor's rusty colouring...
"Bakura!" Inside their minds, red-hot panic screamed down the link. "Bakura! I'm so sorry! Bakura, speak to me!"
Bakura registered being gently moved into sheltering arms, and focussed dizzily on the blurred face above him, so similar and yet marked by those critical differences. It was ironic, really. He'd taken that hit from Slifer by the Pharaoh during that duel to protect his host body. It hadn't ever occurred to him that he could actually be hurt…
For the first time, Bakura was beginning to see a downside to this whole "living" thing. The masochistically enjoyable pain of arm stab-wounds was nothing compared to the squiggly sensation of having your intestines slither through your ripped open flesh. He looked down. That was actually pretty cool to see, though.
Ryou stared desperately at the stunned form of Bakura who had obviously gone into shock. Calling his name didn't help, their link wasn't working, and the pool of blood they were in was growing scarily larger. Desperate, he screamed for help, his voice cracking in despair.
Using his hands to try and stop the flow of blood, he was only dimly aware of a cold voice that floated about the room. 'I knew you'd scream, pretty thing...'
"BAKURA!"
The blood-curdling shriek of horror easily carried to the main floor, making Joey, Yuugi, and Yami freeze. At the cry, Joey jerked away from the arms that were helping him get up, easily slipping free as Yuugi gave a shriek of his own and jumping over to glue himself to Yami's leather-clad side.
"What was that?" Yuugi barely whispered, shivering. His large eyes were panic-stricken and the pupils had dilated enough to overwhelm the cheery purple of his irises.
Yami drew Yuugi closer, rubbing his hands soothingly along Yuugi's bare arms. "It sounded like Ryou, aibou. I would not worry, though."
At Yami's words, Joey's eyes widened and he tore off like a shot in the direction of the scream. Yuugi made to follow, but his legs were still shaking from that fearful cry.
Yuugi shot Yami an incredulous look. "Not worry? What if he's in trouble? Or--" Yuugi suddenly tensed further, "what if the ghosts attacked him?"
The dark one gave his aibou a quizzical smile "Aibou, you're worrying over nothing. Bakura is with him. As much as I despise the tomb robber, you have to admit he's become obsessively protective when it comes to Ryou."
Yuugi shifted and quirmed, still wound up. "But…"
"Aibou," Yami shook his head, then used one hand to trail it over Yuugi's face to calm the creased brow. "Sshh. If you wish, we will follow Joey. You will see. Ryou will be fine."
Yuugi worried at his lower lip for a few seconds, then gave the timidest of nods. "O-ok," he decided. "But don't leave me!"
Yami celebrated in the privacy of his locked soul room, placing his fisted hands on his hips and laughing with the strength to outdo ten boastfully cackling fiends. Outwardly, he merely offered that reassuring smile that Aibou liked so much and gave the thin shoulders a supportive squeeze. "Fret not, aibou. I would not leave you for the world."
Yuugi seemed to sag into him even further, making Yami's recently beating heart skip like an overjoyed cat in a field of catnip. Yami squeezed those warm shoulders again and smiled supportively.
"What about leaving me for the afterworld?" Yuugi laughed nervously.
There was a brief pause as Yami debated how to assuage all of his aibou's fears. He gazed into those shimmering gems that Yuugi was blessed to call his eyes, then closed his own. Yami placed a hand on the back of Yuugi's neck and drew him into a loose hug. With his head buried in Yuugi's soft hair, he projected his thought into Yuugi's mind, strengthening it with mauve resolve and the most affection he dared to show.
((NEVER.))
Yuugi gasped as the thought hit him, then smiled softly. "Thank you, Yami."
Yami smiled at his aibou again, knowing he would never tire of doing that simple act when it came to Yuugi. "My pleasure, aibou. Shall we join Joey?"
Yuugi nodded again, this time a bit more determined. "I just hope it just wasn't the ghosts."
They started off at a brisk pace. "Aibou," Yami wondered aloud, "why are you so insistent on this phantom presence? Surely the keepers of this place would not allow for hazardous consequences in their staged haunting."
Yuugi shot him an incredulous look. "Ya-Yami?" he said, slowing down. "Do you actually understand what's going on?"
"Is it not as you said?" Yami questioned. "That the strange occurrences in this house are merely tricks performed by the staff of this company?"
Yuugi tugged on his hand so that they picked up their pace again. "That was only for the regular houses, Yami. This one's got some stuff staged, I think, but…"
A feeling of titanic-sized dread began to seep into Yami's limbs. "But…?"
Yuugi offered up a wan smile that was a shade of its normal glory. "But I think this house actually has ghosts. Maybe more than the people who own this place know about. And if what I'm thinking is true…" he trailed off again.
In unspoken reply, Yami tightened his grip on Yuugi's hand and began to run. "Then I fear our friends are in very real danger indeed."
On the second floor, another scream sounded – this one more hysterical than the first.
Yami gritted his teeth and picked up the pace even more. He would berate his own foolish stupidity later on – right now, it seemed as if Ryou needed help. The kind of help that needed more skills from a powerful, incredibly skilled tomb robber and dark spirit.
Quickly, Yami shot a glance at Yuugi, who kept determined pace beside him. What had he gotten his aibou into?
"Ryou!" Joey burst through the door, then stumbled to a stop when the freezing cold air of the room hit him. Instinctively, he backed up, arms crossing to rub the goose-pimpled forearms. "Holy crap, it's cold!" he yelled.
The two forms in the center of the room wavered, then solidified. Their hair, so reminiscent of freshly fallen snow, shifted like the waves of the ocean as they continued to act out whatever they were doing, utterly ignoring the blond's presence.
Ryou shrieked again, clutching Bakura closer to his body desperately, yet with all the tenderness of a dove cradling the first egg. "Bakuraaa!" he wailed.
"Ryou! Bakura! What's going on?" Yami burst into the room, his Puzzle shining its magnificent power as a beacon against all evil. Yuugi dashed in directly behind him, shooting wary glances around the room.
"Ryou? Bakura?"
There was no answer. For the life of him, Joey couldn't figure out what was wrong. He couldn't see anything going on around them, and the only weird thing about this whole scene was that it was Bakura collapsed into Ryou's arms. Huh, that was weird. Normally it was the other way around.
Yami, as was his nature, took charge. "Joey, help Bakura up. We should get them out of this room; it is much too cold to do anything. Yuugi and I will help you."
Joey nodded. "You said it, man. It's freezin'!" He shuffled across the floor, his indoor slippers making slight scuffing marks across the cherry-coloured hardwood floors. When the three of them reached Ryou, they were greeted with glazed eyes and tear-stained cheeks.
"Yami! Joey! Yuugi! Please, you have to help us! Bakura… Bakura… Bakura is…" Ryou broke down again. "It's all my fault!"
In Ryou's arms, Bakura had closed his eyes, looking merely as if he was sleeping.
Joey shared a helpless glance with Yuugi, who shrugged in helpless distress. Yami bent down and placed his hands around Ryou's shoulders. "Of course we will help you. But first, you need to get up, Ryou." He tugged gently at the hikari's arms, giving him a physical reminder.
"No!" Ryou buried his head into Bakura's chest. "I won't leave him!"
Yami frowned. Did Ryou not notice the cold in the room? It was vital that they leave immediately – perhaps it was the cold which had slammed into Bakura and had created an accident… somehow? Stranger things had happened. Either way, they had to get out of the room. "Ryou," he firmed his voice into its most authoritative form. "Get up now."
Ryou rose to his feet on automatic. Realizing what he'd done, he immediately moved to bend back down. "No--! Bakura!"
Joey nodded at the other two and took hold of Ryou, guiding him gently but firmly towards the doorway. "C'mon, man. Yami and Yuug' have got this all worked out. Don't you worry, now."
Ryou sniffled. Behind them, Yami grunted as he picked up the dead weight of the solidified tomb robber. Wanting to help, Yuugi took hold of the legs. It wasn't much of a relief, but it helped. Unable to stop it, Yami shot Yuugi a tender smile as they journeyed to the door.
Manoeuvring their way through the doorway, the five of them made it outside. Joey closed the door, determined not to let any cold air into the hallway…
And things changed.
Ryou stiffened with shock, as if realizing where he was for the first time, while Bakura woke with a startled, cut-off exclamation which probably invoked deity-blessed profanity.
"What?" the two cried simultaneously, then moved over so that they could examine each other.
"All right, Bakura. What happened?" Yami demanded. He was still put-out from this morning's comments.
Ryou answered instead. "I … I don't know!" he exclaimed. "I was here, and then I ran into there," he pointed at the now-closed door, "and then all of a sudden he was bleeding and are you really all right?" This last was directed solicitously at Bakura, who continued to pat himself down experimentally.
"Hn. Guess so." The tomb-robber blandly stated, still confused. Any plans to take advantage of Ryou's distress – and maybe even get a kiss or two – were thrown out the window after that last incident. "What was that, anyway?" he snarled, doing an abrupt switch in disposition.
Ryou stared helplessly at him, those chocolate eyes shimmering desperately.
"Hold on hold on hold on!" Joey yelled. "First t'ings first. Bleeding? I didn't see any blood in there at all!"
Off Joey's look, Yuugi and Yami both shook their heads. They hadn't seen anything either.
"Well, it was there," Ryou offered, having retreated back into his shy mode. He suppressed a shudder. That sight… it would haunt him for ages to come, he knew it. Ryou suddenly experienced an intense flash of desperate need for reassurance. His hand actually twitched from the urge to reach out and grab onto Bakura's arm, or sleeve, or shirt, or hand, or something, anything that would prove that Bakura hadn't left. Ryou closed his eyes.
Joey continued, after pausing sympathetically at Ryou's state. "Well, did you guys notice how freakin' cold it was in there, then?"
Yuugi and Yami vigorously nodded 'yes.' Bakura and Ryou shot a confused glance at each other and shook their heads 'no.'
Joey shot the two a flat look. "You're kiddin', right? I could see my breath in there, practically!"
Bakura shrugged. "You sure that wasn't your brain smoking from trying to think?"
"Why you…" Joey growled.
"Hold on, everyone." Yami stepped in again, raising his arms to bring attention to himself. "Let us take this down to the living room. I believe these are very serious matters we must discuss." Knowing his aibou (and the others, of course) would follow him, Yami started back down the stairs.
Bakura rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, your Royal Dumpness."
Off the warning look Yuugi shot him, he rolled his eyes again and waited for Joey and Yuugi to head off in front of them. Then, reassured that no-one was looking, he placed his arm around Ryou's shoulders, who still looked a little nauseated.
"Hey," Bakura commented off-hand. "Who said mass hallucinations weren't fun?"
Ryou shot him a surprised glance – either at his comment, or at the comfort offered – then smiled shakily. With the utmost timidity, his own pale hand came up to clasp hesitantly at the hem of Bakura's shirt. "Y-You're really ok?" he worried softly.
Bakura leered. "Oh, I don't know… maybe you could…?"
As expected, that wrought a small laugh out of his hikari. "Bakura! Stop it! What's with that look?" he giggled, knowing that if Bakura looked ok and was making off-colour suggestions, then he really was ok. Ryou sighed with relief and moved to go downstairs to join the others.
Bakura followed, quiet for once. Around his waist, Ryou's hand still clutched warmly at his shirt.
The five sat in a circle downstairs. To their right, the fireplace crackled warmly with the fire. Never mind that it was late autumn and not really the season, the familiar sounds of the fire provided much-needed reassurance. To varying degrees, the experience minutes before had given them something to think about.
Yami, of course, was torn between worrying what had happened upstairs, and the equally important discovery that his aibou was now in danger – all because of him. If only he hadn't been curious about this haunted house, then Yuugi would not have needed to offer to come here at all. And now, there was a danger in this house that was very, very real – yet as intangible as the initial projections of the duel monsters. If only he could remember something of his past, then perhaps he would be more able to protect his aibou from harm… but such was not the case. And now, through Yami's own stupidity and cursed curiousity, he had placed his sweet, innocent, trusting light-in-his-darkness in danger.
Again.
He cleared his throat once he noticed everyone had taken a seat and looked relatively comfortable. Evenly, Yami gazed at the others, assessing their expressions and analyzing them.
Yuugi sat to his left. He appeared to be sufficiently recovered from before, and the mental link was firm and unwavering. Yuugi smiled at him the instant that Yami sent him a telepathic check, and the brilliance from that alone comforted Yami.
Joey sat to Yami's right. His honey-brown were shimmering with that ever reliable defiance. Over his lap, his hands were already clenching in anticipation From crazy spirits, to the Shadow Realm, to uptight, obnoxious, closed-minded CEO's, Joey was always, always able to stand up and fight for what was right – with astonishing success. The incident before had alerted him of a danger to his friends and now, like a reliable bulldog, Joey would be vigilant and poised to attack.
Ryou sat on the loveseat, his hands twisting themselves into something that looked like a sweaty pile of nervy snakes. His face was paler than usual, and he was constantly darting his eyes over to look at Bakura. None would blame him for his concern, naturally, but Yami recognized that Ryou was emotionally traumatized and would have to be put on the sidelines of their eventual strategy.
Bakura, for his part, sat on the other half of the loveseat. Arms crossed, legs crossed, and face steadily radiating apathy, Bakura seemed to have turned his surprise of the situation into a burning anger. Unable to attack anything at the moment, his desire for vengeance could only manifest itself in the slight ticking of his right eye. Determination and raw bloodlust screamed through the hardened irises, and Yami could not help but feel a moment's worth of pity for those who had placed Bakura in that situation.
"Well," Yami began in a voice that he hoped was both cool and authoritative, "where should we begin?"
As Bakura opened his mouth, a sudden frigid wind blew about the room. With a momentary gasp, the fire blew out.
TBC
A/N: Whew! Aaand that's it for this chapter! Thanks so much for your patience! For the record, I've started working on the next one, so hopefully it won't take so long. I hope.
More importantly, is apparently on the verge of banning replying (in any form) to the considerate reviews you all send. In my bloated opinion, this makes no sense. I mean, constructive criticism is a critical part of the writing experience, and how are we supposed to properly thank those reviewers otherwise? A petition is being circled around (all it needs is the user name and your e-mail, for authenticity) – please e-mail me if you'd like to sign it! ((bats hopeful eyes))
In the meantime, review and I'll reply to those reviews in the next chapter! Please, please, pretty please, with a chocolate-covered bishie on top? ((grins))