Suffocation

Author's Notes: Well I didn't get many reviews for the last chapter but I guess that's just coz I started writing this one the day after I put it up so here's chapter 6.

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Ryou entered the house. His face was plastered with tears, he felt weak and his knees threatened to buckle. He yelled out frustrated and punched the wall. He fell to his knees, unable to hold him up anymore. He punched the wall once again; this times making his knuckles split and draw blood. He painfully loosened his fisted hand and hissed at the pain.

God, I really am weak.

He managed to get back onto his feat and leaned against the wall. His head bowed and he shut his eyes tight as if it would stop the pain. His breath was shaky and his body shook with ever intake of air. He had gone out to try clear his head, but he had done nothing but bring up all the pain he held in his heart. How could he have done this to Bakura? He had betrayed him. He made his way up to his room, hearing as the whispers echoed through the hallway. He came to the door and slowly creaked it open, revealing Marik's sleeping form on his bed. He had been gone for a few hours now and hoped he would have left. More tears began to well up in his eyes and he closed them to stop the tears from falling down. He sat on the bed, keeping his head bowed as he sighed.

Marik began to stir and his eyes fluttered open. Smiling to himself he stretched, giving a satisfied groan as his elbow clicked.

"Ryou?" He turned over, thinking his lover was lying next to him, but found him sat on the bed fully clothed. He sat up sleepily and placed a hand on Ryou's arm, noticing the extremely morbid look on his face. "What's wrong?" He said gently. The silence lingered over the room, only broken when Marik saw the blood on Ryou's hand. "Oh my god, are you okay?" He pulled the bloody hand towards him and examined it. It was pulled away as Ryou held his open hand in front of him, then closed it into a fist making more blood burst through the knuckles. It ran down his arm and seeped into his jumper, turning the sleeve red.

"Ryou, what's wrong?" Marik pressed, growing impatient. Ryou closed his eyes and turned away.

"Just… go, Marik." His voice broke and he breathed deeply. Marik looked hurt but his expression soon changed to one of hatred. Although he could be gentle, Marik hated when he didn't get his way. So didn't take to kindly to rejection.

"Fine." The word cut through Ryou like a knife, but he showed no change in emotion. He was forcing back the tears. Marik moved off the bed and grabbed his clothed on the floor, pulling them on bitterly. He walked for the door and turn to face Ryou. "If that's the thanks I get then…" he didn't finish. He just left and stormed down the stair, slamming the door shut as he left the house.

Ryou's body jolted at the sound of the door. His tears now freely ran down his cheeks. He didn't want to hurt Marik but he had made his choice. His head landed in his hands as he sobbed loudly. He had to be with Bakura. Sure he seemed like a cocky bastard who was strong and could take care of himself, but Ryou had seen just how venerable he truly was. He needed him. He had been full of so much hate because he had never truly had anyone to love, or had anyone who loved him back. His friends and family had been killed in his former life and since then he'd been alone. Ryou felt like he could relate, sure his entire village wasn't burnt down but ever since his mother and sister died, his father has been distant, always away with work and didn't have time for Ryou. He remembered how happy he had been when Bakura arrived, to have another person to be with. Unfortunately, Bakura wasn't interested in making friends. Ryou lay down on the bed. He could smell the scent on Marik on his pillow and stroked it gently as if it were him.

"No…" He turned the other way. "I can't be with Marik." He said the words but he still loved Marik. He loved Bakura. He was so confused, he didn't even know if it was love anymore. It was love the first time he'd been with Marik. It was love when Bakura showed his true feelings, but what was it now? Definitely not love. Love was a thing of beauty, but this was bitter and deceitful. Why had he done this? He should have stopped. Before that morning he could have just forgotten what had happened and still say it was a dream, but now Marik had conformed it. How could he look Bakura in the eye? But he couldn't tell him. It would break his heart. He screamed into the pillow as madness took hold. He couldn't take it. He hated what he had become and the thought made him beg for his death. He was alone.

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Marik walked down the street. How dare he! He was with me first. A bitter look covered his face as his eyes flashed violently. If anything Bakura should be left, not only did he leave Ryou alone all weekend but also he beat and scorned him for years. Images flashed into his head of Ryou's sad face from not so long ago. He had bruises along his arms and God knows where else. He was a broken child, alone and lost in a world of hate. They all knew it was Bakura doing it but Ryou refused their help. Yugi and his friends would go over to his house unexpectedly to try and cheer him up, but he would just sit silently, listening as Bakura scorned him in his mind. It had only been over the last couple of months that he had changed. He was happier, but still remained distant from others.

Marik suddenly realised tears were falling from his eyes and he rapidly wiped them away. It hit him that he wasn't angry at all. He was covering up him true feelings. He continued walking towards his home. Malik wasn't going to know. He would leave for sure if he found out what had just happened, and Marik didn't want to lose him.

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Ryou spent the remaining time sitting around the house. He didn't answer the phone and he didn't answer the door. He just sat with his legs pressed up against his chest as he scorned himself for what he had done.

On Sunday he sat in the living room. He sat in total silence and jumped when he heard the door open.

"Ryou?" His eyes snapped open and the tears threatened to fall again. He quickly rubbed his eyes and sat up.

"Bakura?" His voice croaked. He hadn't spoken at all since Marik left and his throat burned. A smiling face peeped around the door and looked at Ryou. The smile was soon whipped from Bakura's face as he saw Ryou's red eyes and blotched face.

"Everything okay?" He asked, a look of concern in his eyes. "Holy Ra Ryou! What did you do to your hand?" He spotted the mass of blood and loose skin in Ryou's hand and gently lifted to have a look. Ryou watched as he examined it, trying hard not to cause any more pain than there already was. "Stay here I'll get the first aid box." And with that he ran off into the kitchen. Ryou smiled weakly. He had forgotten how caring Bakura truly was.

Bakura ran back in with a bandage in his hand and the first aid kit in the other. He pulled out a bottle of disinfectant and soaked some into a cotton wool ball.

"Now this will hurt a bit," he said lovingly as though Ryou had never had it on before. He dabbed the wound with it and Ryou hissed at the slight stinging. Normally, he probably would have yelled out or cried but he'd been feeling the pain of it for so long it didn't make much of a difference. Once he was done, Bakura wrapped the bandage around it and places a kiss on it. "There." He stated, admiring his handy work. Ryou looked at the bandage over his hand and smiled. He threw his arms around his yami's neck and hugged his tightly. "Hey!" Bakura yelped as he fell back. He groaned and rubbed his head after it had hit the floor. He looked down and Ryou was holding on tight with his eyes shut. A tear trickled down his pale cheek. Bakura just sat up and held onto Ryou, stroking his hair with one hand.

He placed a hand under Ryou's chin and made it so he was looking at him. The light's breath sped up as he stared into his yami's eyes. He saw a flash of anger in his dark eyes and was scared to think why. Bakura stood up and walked towards the door.

"I'm… going to get some sleep. Long journey and all." He smiled weakly and left. Ryou sat on the floor, staring at the door. His eyes were laced with tears. He felt a great aching in his heart. Did he know?

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Marik lay on the bed, his hands cushioning his head as he stair at the ceiling. He couldn't seem to get Ryou out of his head.

What is it about him? He rejected me and told me to leave. So why is it I can't forget him? He sat up as Malik entered the room. He had his arms crossed against his chest and didn't look too pleased. The hikari quirked an eyebrow as Malik continued to glare at him.

"What?" He was growing tired of the staring contest.

"What's going on Marik?" Marik blinked.

"The hell…"

"DON'T PLAY DUMB!" Marik fell back at the sudden outburst.

"MALIK WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" Marik was already mad enough about the Ryou thing and didn't need his yami shouting at him, that's for sure. Malik calmed himself and suddenly his eyes were filled with sorrow. He looked away.

"I know about you and Ryou." He muttered. Marik stood with his eyes wide. How did he know? But he quickly tried to cover his shock and walked over to Malik.

"Malik…" He placed his hand on the yami's arm, but it was shrugged of harshly.

"I don't care about what you have to say." He looked hurt.

"Come now." Marik rubbed Malik's arm and placed his hand on Malik's cheek, forcing him to look into his eyes. "You know that I could never love anyone more than you." He smiled at his yami and moved his head in. "Now…" he placed his lips on Malik's and forced him onto submission. The yami's arms loosened from around his torso and his hands held onto Marik's hips. He ground them into his own and began moving both of them to the bed. He planted his hikari on his back and crawled on top of him. Marik lured him in with his eyes began to undo the yami's shirt. He pulled him in by the neck, making the kiss even deeper as their tongues pressed together. They eventually broke the kiss and stared at each other, gasping for air. Marik could always get what he wanted.

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Ryou lay in his bed. He faced the cold, empty wall and felt so alone. Bakura had been acting strange all day. First, he had been caring and happy to see Ryou, but ever since he had looked into his eyes… he had just stayed away. He closed his eyes and tears fell down his cheeks as he rubbed his neck. He had been wearing a turtleneck in order to hide the marks from Bakura. He wanted to go back and make it right. He hated himself for what had happened.

He gasped as the line of light from the door grew. Bakura stood in the doorway, looking at Ryou's back. He walked in, shutting the door behind him.

Shit! He's going to kill me! Ryou's breath deepened as the figure drew nearer. It stood for a while, watching him as he lay. Then it got under the covers. He's going to rape me! Ryou tried to calm himself and gasped as an arm snaked under his top. Another slid under him and held him arm gently. He shook violently and he felt the head rest on top of his.

"Why are you crying my little one?" Bakura's voice came gently. Ryou was sobbing lightly, coughing slightly. He began to calm down as Bakura's hand rubbed against his chest, soothing him. He sighed mournfully. He didn't want to answer.

Bakura wrapped his arm round Ryou's waist and pulled him in. He kissed Ryou's head and began to doze off. Ryou had missed his closeness with Bakura. He loved the way he felt against his skin, the way he kissed him, the way he tried to do things for him even if he couldn't. He loved everything about him. He lay awake for hours; insomnia had claimed him and he just lay, loving the feel of Bakura against him. He smiled weakly to himself but more tears soon washed it away. No matter how happy being with Bakura made him, it would always be consumed by the darkness in his soul. It refused to let him stay happy. He pulled Bakura's arm off him and sat up, leaning against the wall as he watched his love with blood shot eyes. He didn't deserve to be held by his yami. If he knew his shame then he would never hold him again. He sat and cried into his knees until the morning light seeped through the curtains. He looked around his room and memories haunted his mind. He closed his eyes to try block them out but it was no good. Ryou climbed over his yami and off the bed. He began to make his way to the door but was stopped when he began coughing. And he kept coughing. He fell to his knees as they gave way and he keeled over in a fit, holding his hand to his mouth. Bakura awoke and ran over to his fallen angel.

"RYOU!" he cried out in fear. He supported the shaking frame with one hand while the over patted Ryou's back with the other. He sounded as though his lungs were about to tare in two and he could barely breath through the uncontrollable coughing. After giving one last cough he fell limp. Bakura pulled him back so he lay back in his arms. Ryou had fainted and looked incredibly pale. Bakura looked in horror as a small line of blood trailed from the corner of Ryou's mouth. Looking down at the hand he had been holding up, he saw a large patch of blood on the palm.

Shit!

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Author's Notes: some of you probably hate me even more for missing yet another Marik and Malik scene but I've already said why so there! Review please!