Yami's koi: possessed ...I'll be what I am... a Solitary Man.
Bakura: WAKE UP! Now... why did you do two more suicide fics on Ryou?
Yami's koi: because I'm down for one reason or another... but that helps me to write angsty stuff!
Ryou: possessed wake up, wake up, wake up, its time to make a move... wakes Hello? Oh yeah... I forgot, you're trying to kill me off again!
Yami's koi: things are getting creepy here... more later.
Ryou to Bakura Bakura to Ryou
Ryou lay still on the ground, his eyes scrunched shut. His hands had reflexively buried themselves underneath him so that retaliation was not possible, a thing he had managed to teach himself. The dull throbbing pain from underneath his sweatband began to ebb away, just where his cuts were and a small area around it, but this was ignored. All of Ryou's assertiveness had gone now, fled when Bakura had made that first strike.
For one moment, nothing could be seen moving. Then Ryou shifted slightly, and his darkness leapt on his back, his feet balanced on the prominent bones of his hikari's back, right on a nerve. Ryou gritted his teeth, yet still a loud whine could be distinguished beneath.
"Still as weak as ever, bastard?" Bakura sneered, making a small jump on the flesh again. Ryou arched his back with a whimper and, as an effect; Bakura lost his balance and fell to the floor, beside his hikari.
This spelt deep shit for Ryou. Especially when Bakura gingerly touched his own lip, seeing the blood smear on his fingertips. Ryou felt a hand roughly grab him by the shoulders and turn him so that he was lying on his back and not his stomach. Bakura's face was menacing, so deathly. His lips were curled into a snarl, his throat emitting a growl, his eyes reflecting the most deadly of all punishments, for the worst form of crime.
Somewhere, Ryou knew, behind those honey-coloured eyes, there would be the Tomb Robber's inner person, the one who he should be.
And yet that is a concept hard to grasp. Bakura with a more sensitive side to him, one which when surfaced can be beautiful, something so good-natured and kind, someone untainted by hatred. Yet, Ryou used to be that one person, could still be that to Bakura. And yet even then, when that same boy could see his own fearful reflection in his yami's eyes, he doubted that even in Bakura's Egyptian life he was any of those things. And that is pretty sad.
Bakura thrusted his hand forwards, onto Ryou's chest, his fingers digging into the skin when he grabbed his hikari's shirt and pulled him up slightly, so that he could scream right in his face.
"You made me mark my face, bastard," He hissed, reaching two fingers into the sensitive, fleshy side of Ryou's stomach. The Light, in turn, cried out, attempting to retreat. Bakura released a deathly howl, and retracted his fingers in disgust.
"See. So weak you can only stand the torture that is not even a feeling to me. How pathetic." Bakura whispered, in a voice too low for Ryou's liking. He could perceive what would occur now, having known such pattern for a while now.
Bakura would abuse his shell for what seemed the most unendurable ten minutes of Ryou's life. Ryou would attempt no revenge on the snowy haired tomb robber, and neither would he cry. It hurt too much even for that.
With his light in such a preoccupied state, Bakura noted this and used it to his advantage. Firstly he smirked, then began to exercise his power once more. With his right fist he rammed it into Ryou's gut, hard enough to wind the poor boy. Ryou staggered back several paces, clutching his stomach, whilst attempting madly to regain air. If Bakura would allow him. Which, of course, he didn't.
But instead of using his feet and legs for the next half of his torture, Bakura reached into his back pocket... and produced a knife. Being oblivious to all this, Ryou shot a glance of pure, cold fury at his darkness... before his eyes widened in realisation.
"Do you even know what I am about to do with this, little one?" Bakura sneered, using it to point at his light's attentive, terrified face. Wherever the blade went, Ryou's eyes followed it. He would NOT get stabbed, he would NOT get stabbed, he would NOT—
"I can guess," Ryou answered, too cockily for the Tomb Robber's liking. His eyes narrowed, and the knife just scraped the side of Ryou's face, threateningly.
"Do you want me to use this to fuck you with?"
Ryou cried out at that. Of all the things he had ever imagined his yami to be, he had never thought him to be a rapist.
"You're--?"
"Fuck, what do you take me for?" Bakura shouted, pressing the flatness of the knife against Ryou's pale cheek once more, just to remind him that he was very capable of using a blade. "I don't rape, Ryou. I hurt. I give you pain because it is the only way you will become strong."
'Interesting theory,' Ryou thought darkly, still wary of the knife that was stroking his cheek. Despite what his darkness claimed himself to be, Ryou could not banish the feeling of complete disloyalty and betrayal welling up in the pit of his stomach.
Then the feeling was gone... as was the knife away from his cheek. Ryou breathed a sigh of relief, before getting suckerpunched by his yami, right in the gut. Fuck, it hurt the tenshi so much he fell to the floor, crying out at both sources of pain. He heard Bakura sneer something above him, and from there onwards Ryou's eyes adopted a strange, lifeless look. He had nothing more to care for.
Once he knew that Bakura had left the property completely, Ryou rose, whimpering still at the ache. He finally made it to his room, where, after double-checking that Bakura would not come back to abuse him some more, Ryou opened a small box underneath his bed. It contained his journal, the one that he had been given as a birthday present... his fifteenth birthday...
With a small sigh, Ryou began to read the scrawl he had written on the plane to Tokyo.
Tuesday 18th August 2003: 23:45.
I don't know why, but I am missing my mother more than ever, now that I know I have left her forever. I press my face against the glass, but I can only see darkness, the moon distantly shining ahead of us. I am well aware that I shall be quite jet-lagged for a while, due to the nine-hour time difference from British Time to Japanese, but I cannot sleep when in such an uncomfortable position. Such a trait I have inherited from my mother...
... I realise that if I fall into depression, nothing shall be gained for me of worth at my new school. Of course, things will be difficult enough for me already: not knowing anyone is a slightly daunting prospect. Additionally, I have always been a solitary figure to others, even in my previous school. Still... I hope the people there are nice. And I also hope that my accent is overlooked.
Otousama is asleep beside me, and I finger the Millennium Ring around my neck with slight unease. Ever since I have freed my darkness from this divine object, I have been living in a fear that, one day, he will kill me. I fear nothing but Bakura now. The spiritual being that resides within this relic brings me nothing but pain. Not that it is nothing I cannot take... for now, it is just the occasional bruising, with many more insults than actual violence. I pray to Ra that no one suspects that these are self inflicted scars.
Yes... I believe in Ra. At least my religious beliefs are shared with Bakura. How odd it is, to have a yami. I deem that the other wielder's of a Millennium Item possess a coequal themselves.
Though, I must wonder, do they get abused, too? Have they ever lived in fear that they will be beaten so hard that their body will not repair itself? Have they ever been emotionally scarred when an insult, however insincere or untruthful it may be, has been thrown their way?
Or is their yami a complete opposite of my own? Do they actually care for the hikari they have been freed by, and protect them from all things dark, instead of drawing them into foul plots?
Bloody hell. I'm so bored. I'm surprised that I haven't started to twiddle my thumbs for a bit. That prospect seems better than anything, especially communicating with that baka, Bakura. Baka Bakura? How corny... it seems he has also addled my brainpower... unless that's just the current time.
Well, it's almost midnight. I guess I'll be attempting sleep now... 'Night.
Ryou
Ryou blinked and reread the piece, his eyes lingering on the small section he had written about yami's, and their relationships with their hikari's. He had soon found out the answer to that question... the characteristics of one's darkness depended solely on not only the counterpart, but on their desires. Using Yami as an example, and his aims, Ryou could tell that these differed from that of Marik's past intent. It seemed that Bakura was the only evil one remaining.
Again Ryou sighed, risking a glance at the clock. Yet at that moment, the phone beside Ryou's single bed rang. Regretfully he picked it up.
"Ryou Bakura?" He asked, emotionlessly.
"Hi Ryou!" It was Yugi. "We were gonna hook up with Jou and Seto today, but they cancelled. Do you wanna come over here instead? You can sleep over too, if you want."
For the first time in many weeks, Ryou allowed himself a pure smile, devoid of any pain. "Sure. I'll just go tell arsehole where I'm going."
Bakura, I'm going over to Yugi's for the night. I won't be back until... hang on...
"Yugi? What time do you want me to leave your house tomorrow?"
"Well, I... QUIT that, Yami... um... is one thirty okay for you?" He asked, both knowing that the question was rhetorical. Anything to get away from his abuser for a day was paradise, even if for a short period of time.
"Sure! I'll be over in about ten minutes!" Ryou confirmed, hanging up when they had exchanged their good byes.
Bakura, I'm going Yugi's. I won't be back until one thirty tomorrow.
Ryou announced again, blocking Bakura's speech from his mind swiftly after saying this. He did not want Bakura to prevent him from a blissful few hours without his presence.
Hastily stuffing underwear, pyjamas, his duelling deck and other small items into a nearby duffel bag, Ryou began to set out. Halfway, however, his father saw him.
"Peace man..." He slurred, both drunk and stoned. Too pissed to hurt his son, for once. Therefore, Ryou simply smiled and went on his merry way, cheering only when he was a safe distance away from the house.
Ha, fuck Bakura. What could Ryou possibly hope for that was any better than this? With an enormous beaming smile placed upon his lips, the young teen began jogging towards his companion's house, feeling positively delighted about his plans.
Yugi's house
DRRRRRRIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNGGG!
Ryou pressed on the doorbell excitedly, grinning as he saw two tri-coloured haired figures approaching him from behind the misted glass.
"Password?" Yami asked, through the letterbox. Ryou set down his bag and crouched down, staring into the small slot.
"Um... Lemme in now?"
Yami's eyes seemed to smile. "Nope. Try once more and I might reconsider, depending on how good your guess is. Here's a clue... it's an ode for me."
Ryou sighed, and rolled his eyes. "Yami Mutou is the most intelligent, compassionate, and brilliant of all yami's. He deserves to be awarded with a medal for his efforts in caring for others."
Yami shrugged, straightening. "It will do," he announced proudly, opening the door for Ryou's entry. "Although you did forget just how handsome and irresistible I am."
Ryou rolled his eyes once more. "Oh, sure Yami. And look!" He exclaimed in mock excitement, pointing to the window just visible from where he stood, in the hallway. "I can just make out a pig there, on the horizon, soaring off into the distance..."
Yami growled playfully in his throat.
"So Ryou... what finally made Bakura decide to let you out?" Yugi asked curiously, leading them into the living room area of the building. Ryou's smile faded a fraction, but did not allow any thought of his darkness take over him. His rage could be saved for later, for when he really needed it.
"Well, basically I used the mind link to talk to him. As soon as I told him where I was going... I slammed the block up." Ryou answered, fiddling with his T-shirt slightly. Being within Yami's presence usually did not seem to intimidate him... however; it was not just Yami's eyes that were narrowed with suspicion.
"You... had to put the block up? Is he really so..." Yugi struggled to find a word without accusing Bakura too much.
"Violent?" Yami assisted, watching Ryou's face intently for a reaction. The snowy haired tenshi bowed his head, staring at the floor. This really was not what he desired to talk about. Yet regardless of how he felt, Ryou knew that he had to answer. He had left both Mutou's in the shadows about this for so long now, and they deserved a valuable explanation. After all, for friendship to function properly, it is vital for their to be either no secrets, or very few of them.
"Yes..." Ryou whispered, raising his head to look straight back into burning crimson eyes and gorgeous, innocent lavender.
Yami's lips, however, curved up into a small smile. "Just as I suspected." He murmured, regarding Ryou's sweatband with interest. "Ryou, would you care to lift your sweatband to prove to my hikari the extent of Bakura's abuse?"
"Yami, I really don't think you should--" Yugi faded out, eyeing Ryou's fresh scars with horror. "Ryou!"
The beautiful boy could not bear to look into those amethyst orbs of sorrow any longer, speedily averting the gaze when they chanced to tear themselves away from the freshly cut slashes.
Yami took a different approach. Instead of recoiling and whimpering, he extended a finger and gingerly traced the line of dried blood, sighing when Ryou flinched slightly. The Pharaoh knew that he could not prevent the hikari from doing anything too dangerous: the proof was already there that his life was a living doom. And yet he knew that his aibou, his lover, would not accept this.
"I know that I can't go back and change what marks I have made here," Ryou said, carefully selecting every word, "But I do not wish to die. I have friends, even though my father and Bakura don't appreciate that. I just don't want to die when he beats me... I don't want my yami to become a murderer..." He whispered, a tear falling down his cheek silently.
What startled Ryou the most was when Yugi lifted his finger and delicately caught the tear, rubbing gently at the visible moist track it had left. His eyes reflected what Ryou's mind did: sorrow, and a feeling of great loss. Ryou smiled slightly, and wiped his eyes fully.
"Arigatou, Ryou. It couldn't have been easy to do that." Yugi stated simply. "I know that... you don't want to die. You are always welcome here, my friend. If you ever need me, you know my cell number. It'll be on at anytime..."
Ryou's smile widened, a new strength created inside of him. "Iie, Arigatou, Yugi. I didn't expect you to be so calm about this."
"He knows that your intentions are not to die willingly," Yami said, inputting with a small smirk. "But, in any case, you should never take this from Bakura again. And you should never let him make you cut yourself again... how many marks here? Seven? Better than I anticipated. Now..." His smirk widened further. "Let's head off upstairs and get you settled in. You're not going home for another three days. We will all go over together and get any other things you need from your house, preferably when your father is not home... I think aibou's slight outburst last time fucked him up pretty badly."
Stars shone in Ryou's eyes. Four days without Bakura... This would be very interesting...
Yami's koi: the lack of angst in this chapter is surprising, but never mind. Um... I'm thinking of doing a Lord of the Rings parody with the Yugioh cast replacing those cute actors... what do you people think? Please send me a review with your thoughts on this. I am very undecided on this idea and feel you should... does that sound too prepared to you?
Neutral Man: yes. What she means to say is review her seven times a day, then another five saying what you think about the LOTR parody.
Yami's koi: that would be nice, but I would know that not all seven or all five of those reviews would be sincere.
Neutral Man: for reviewing this chapter, you get a plushie of... a shirtless Malik!
Yami's koi: surprise! Well, Luvvies... please review and tell me about my idea!