Ello all! XD Brought an update... Dont like it... But what else is new?

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Ryou groaned as the bright sunlight hit his eyes, dragging him out of a fitful sleep, and into a new day. Almost as soon as he was awakened, the discomfort in his stomach returned. No longer a sharp, gnawing pain anymore, just a hollow, empty feeling that plagued him constantly. No matter how much Ryou tried to concentrate on something, the sensation of acute starvation in his stomach that spread throughout his limbs, day by day, made him more and more exhausted, even though his sleep had increased to almost eleven hours a day. Ryou was sick of waking up even more tired than when he went to sleep, sick of the constant hunger, sick of Bakura smugly eating vast amounts of expensive food in front of him, knowing the light could do nothing about it. He had to do something.

"B-Bakura-sama…" Ryou stammered, pulling himself weakly into a sitting position with his skeletal arms. The yami raised an eyebrow, pulling back the last curtain to fill the room with bright sunlight.

"What do you want?" Bakura snarled, glaring down in contempt at the young light, who struggled halfheartedly to his feet. "Look, if you're going to ask for any food, the answer is no. I'm sick of you asking five times a bloody day if you can eat. You only eat when I say you can. And if you keep asking me, then I'll stop giving you any food and you can bloody starve to death. Understand?"

"Y-Yes." Ryou muttered weakly, leaning against the wall for support. "I-I u-understand Bakura-sama." He tried his hardest to keep his voice meek and submissive.

"Good." The demon smirked, patting Ryou mockingly on the head. "And since you've been such a good boy, I'll let you have something to eat." The light let out a long sigh of relief.

"Th-Thankyou Bakura-sama." He whispered, keeping his eyes low.

"There's a loaf of bread in the pantry." Bakura said in his cool, sardonic voice. "You're allowed one slice." Ryou gave a small, fleeting smile, before stumbling towards the kitchen, leaning heavily on the wall as he walked. He ate the bread the slowly, drinking it with a lot of water to make it last longer. It quelled the hollow, empty feeling in his stomach, but it would only last for one hour, two hours, tops. As Ryou sat, slumped against the table with the half-filled glass of water in his hands, Bakura sat opposite, a frown on his face as he gazed steadily at the light. Ryou was burning to ask the demon a question, but knew he was not permitted to speak unless he was spoken to. No exceptions.

"You want to ask me something, don't you?" The question shattered the silence in an instant, Ryou lifting his head off of the table and nodding. "Well ask away then, idiot."

"W-Well…" The teen kept his eyes low, making sure to not look Bakura in the eye. "I-I w-was wondering I-If maybe I-I could go to Malik's after school? N-Not for long, I promise, I'll be back whenever you like, I promise. I-I just really want to t-talk to him. P-Please?" Ryou lifted his eyes, biting his lip as he gazed into the yami's dark pits.

"I suppose." Bakura said airily, leaning back in his chair. "It's a Friday, isn't it? You can stay the night if Malik will let you. You've been behaving very well this week. You deserve a reward." Ryou let out a long sigh, his face breaking into a wide smile.

"Th-Thankyou Bakura-sama." His shoulders sagged in relief. "Thankyou so much." Bakura rolled his eyes, ruffling the lights hair as he passed him. Ryou said nothing. Bakura was far more dangerous, more unpredictable than anyone could comprehend. His ability to manipulate people was unfathomable. He could make Ryou feel so special one moment, and then become abusive, harsh and hurting in less than a second. It was hard, staying on his guard so much. That was partly why he wanted to visit Malik, so he could just relax and let his guard down and cry and not have anyone think any less of him.

"Whatever." Bakura growled, taking a can of beer out of the fridge. It was really too early to start drinking (7:40) but who cared? "Shouldn't you be getting ready for school?"

"Holy shit."

"H-Hi Malik…"

"What the hell's going on?"

"N-Nothing…"

"Don't give me that, Ryou! Look at yourself, you're just skin and bone! What, he's not letting you eat any more or something stupid?"

"Got it…"

"I was kidding." Malik felt like crying as he gazed at the emaciated form leaning in his doorway, wide brown eyes that belonged on a child fixed firmly on the floor. "Oh… Shit. Come in." The Egyptian gently led Ryou to the plush velvet couch, closing the door behind him. "I'm so sorry…"

"It's not your fault." Ryou sighed, leaning into the couch, his eyes fluttering closed. "I said something I really, really shouldn't have." Malik shook his head, sitting down beside the light.

"Come on, Ryou, there is nothing you could have said that would justify this." The blonde wrapped an arm around Ryou's shoulders, the light looking as though he would burst into tears any minute.

"I-I said I was smarter than him!" The whitenette explained, swallowing a sob. "Why the heck did I have to say that to him? I'm such a bloody idiot…" He moaned, leaning against the couch. "I'm so stupid…"

"No." Malik said firmly, looking Ryou in the eye. "Ryou, you are most definitely not stupid. You're one of the smartest people I've ever met. Don't listen to him."

"I-I can't help but listen to him!" Ryou stuttered, suppressing the urge to cry. "I mean, some things he say, they actually make me feel like I'm worth something! And then, the next minute, he treats me like I'm some kind of animal. I hate it Malik, I hate it!" His voice broke, and the dam burst, Ryou's face in his hands as he sobbed without ceasing. "I-I c-can't d-do th-this a-any more, M-Malik, I-I J-Just C-can't…"

"Shhh..." Malik whispered soothingly, rubbing the whitenettes back as he cried, Ryou leaning against his side. "It's okay to cry Ryou, you just need to let it all out." Ryou sniffed and nodded, burying his head into the crook of the Egyptians shoulder.

Ryou certainly had a lot of emotion to let out. Over an hour had passed, and the light hadn't stopped sobbing. Malik certainly didn't mind being a shoulder to cry on, though, occasionally murmuring a soft word of comfort to Ryou while he cried.

"I-It's just so unfair." Ryou finally managed to stammer. "I mean, I don't understand what I've done wrong, I mean, I do some things just to annoy him sometimes, but not enough for him to be so dehumanizing." The whitenette sniffed. "Or does Bakura just hate everyone."

"I think he just hates everyone." Malik said gently, passing Ryou a tissue from the box on the coffee table. "Darkness and hate are all he knows, Ryou, it's not your doing."

"I just wish I could turn the clock back." Ryou whispered. "To find out what I did wrong, and just not do it…"

"You haven't done a thing wrong." Malik said soothingly, an arm around the lights shoulders. "Ryou, he just hates the fact that he's tied to you, and so he lays the blame on you. It's not your fault he hates you."

"I-I suppose." Ryou said softly, wiping his nose with the tissue. "I still can't believe he lied to me like that. It just makes me think that maybe there is some passion and love in there somewhere… Or is it just his brilliant acting? I allowed myself to be sucked in, but I never saw…"

"I know." Malik murmured, Ryou sobbing into his shoulder. "It really sucks, being in love with him."

Someone who thought Ryou's hair couldn't possibly get any lighter had never seen it under the light of a T.V before.

Malik marveled at this idly as he crouched down in front of the light, who had cried himself to sleep out of pure exhaustion, curled up on the couch huddled under a throw rug. His eyes were red-rimmed and swollen, his cheekbones increasingly prominent. Ryou must have been starving for ages; he could feel the boy's ribs under his shirt. Hell, he could see them. It was very, very tempting to either wake Ryou up, and stuff his face, or head over to his apartment and beat the snot out of Bakura, but he couldn't, and it was so frustrating, not being able to get involved. But Ryou had pleaded that Malik stayed out of it all, not get caught in the middle, and he couldn't break that promise. The Egyptian sighed, sitting on the couch beside the sleeping whitenette. It was heartbreaking to see Ryou so thin, so worn and beaten, and yet, the fire of rebellion still burned bright inside him. Bakura had tried hard, but he hadn't broken Ryou.

Yet.

Malik knew that the lights sanity hung by a mere thread, and that if that one last thing was taken from him, Ryou really would give up for good. The Egyptian tried not to thing about the talk they had a couple of months ago. Malik remembered how shocked he was to find out that someone as beautiful and magnetic as Ryou was still a virgin, until Ryou admitted that he was saving himself in the stupid hope that Bakura would fall in love with him. It was so romantic, really, when Malik thought about it. Hell, he sure wasn't a virgin anymore, he couldn't even remember the name of the guy during his first-time, but he knew how precious it was to Ryou. And so did Bakura. So he would never bring himself to commit such a terrible crime… Could he?

Malik couldn't help but feel useless as he gazed at the sleeping light. There was nothing he could do to prevent any of this, Bakura wouldn't listen to him, no matter what he tried. It was so aggravating.

"Malik?" The sleepy murmur from the small figure to his left made Malik start, jumping in his position on the couch.

"Y-Yeah Ryou?" The Egyptian, tried to regulate his heartbeat. "What is it?"

"C-Can you?" Ryou swallowed. "C-Can you sleep beside me tonight? I-I really d-don't want to be alone." Malik let out a long breath.

"Yes, Ryou, of course." He said softly, giving the whitenette a short embrace. "Tell you what." He said, scooping the light in his arms, despite soft cried of protest. "You can sleep in my bed tonight." Ryou smiled.

"Really?" He said softly, wide pools of chocolate gazing into lavender. Malik nodded as they crossed the small sitting room, setting Ryou on the bed gently. "Then… Where are you going to sleep?" the light asked, his fair brow creasing in a slight frown.

"I can sleep on the floor or somethi-"

"No!" Ryou cried out, shaking his head firmly. "I don't want to sleep in the bed while you're on the floor, Malik, You can share with me… I mean, it is a big bed." He finished, looking up at the Egyptian with big imploring eyes.

"Okay…" Malik frowned as he sat beside the light. "Ryou… why is it so bad if I sleep on the floor?" Ryou let out a long sigh, his eyes downcast.

"Th-that's what Bakura does." He said in a small voice. "He sleeps in the bed, and even though there's plenty of space, he makes me sleep on the floor. I-I don't want to be like him, Malik…"

"Okay." The blonde said softly, nodding. "Okay, Ryou, I understand. I won't sleep on the floor."

"Thankyou." Ryou murmured as he lay down on the bed, letting out a long sigh. "I'm sorry I haven't been much fun Malik, I'm just so tired and depressed…"

"Oh Ryou, don't be sorry." The Egyptian explained in a soft, sympathetic tone. "Look at yourself, you have nothing to be sorry for. I kind of expected you to be like this, you know." Malik murmured, leaning against the headboard as he talked, his eyes focused on a point on the wall. "It hurts me a lot to see you like this. And if it hurts me a lot, it must hurt you a whole lot more. I'm so sorry that you have to go through this." Without realizing it, his left hand snaked through Ryou's hair, toying absentmindedly with the snowy strands. "I wish there was something me, or Yugi and his darkness could do to set you free without destroying Bakura. If there was, I would do it. You don't deserve this, Ryou, you don't deserve any of this. I-I'm so sorry." His voice caught in his throat, and tears picked in his eyes, but Malik forced them away, swallowing the lump in his throat. Ryou sighed softly, turning over in his sleep, to face the wall. The blonde smiled shakily, gently tugging the blankets out from under Ryou and placing them over his emaciated form. "Try to have a good sleep." Malik murmured, brushing hastily at his eyes. The clock read 11:49, but the Egyptian, having slept in til three that day, wasn't tired. He was like a live wire, itching to get up and get moving and do something- Not that he knew exactly what. He felt strangely hollow inside, a sensation that had nothing to do with him forgetting to eat any dinner.

"NO!" Ryou screamed, sitting bolt upright in bed. His heart was pounding, his breath hitching in his throat. The teen sighed, slumping back into the pillow with a choked sob. He was really, really getting sick of all the nightmares, of waking up after only a few hours of sleep with no chance of easily returning to his slumber. Beside him, Malik opened a bleary eye, his forehead creased in concern.

"Ryou?" The Egyptian muttered sleepily, rubbing at his eyes. "Ryou, are you okay?" The whitenette sighed, shaking his head as he ran a hand through his white locks.

"I-It was another stupid nightmare." He moaned, burying his head in his pillow. "I'm sick of getting them and waking up and not getting back to sleep. Malik, I get them every single night." He continued tearfully, sobbing into his pillow. "I can't stand it."

"Oh Ryou." Malik sighed, gently rubbing the lights back. "I'm so sorry." Ryou sniffed, his hands over his head.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," Ryou said softly, letting out a long sigh. "It was never your fault."

"But…" Malik ran a hand through his hair. "It just doesn't seem fair that someone as sweet and good-hearted as you gets treated like this." The Egyptian bit his lip, ad Ryou lifted his head from the pillow, eyes red-rimmed and swollen.

"And it was never fair for you to spend your entire childhood locked underground." Ryou reasoned, getting up on one shoulder. "Or for your father to treat you that way. Some things just happen, I suppose. And we can't do anything to stop it. Just fate I guess. Aren't we special?" Ryou concluded bitterly, gazing at the sheets. "God I'm so hungry.." He moaned, rolling over onto his back, face hidden in his slim white hands.

"Then eat something." Malik said firmly, pulling himself into a sitting position. "Come on Ryou, this is going to kill you. You know what's going to happen if this goes on much longer? You're going to get so sick you won't be able to eat anything and then you'll die of starvation." Okay, so that wasn't entirely true, but he was willing to lie if it would get Ryou eating again.

"B-But…" The light stammered, looking down at his hands. "I-If I do, he's really going to hurt me, Malik. H-He'd r-really really hurt me. A-And I don't want to fight anymore. I can't."

"Yes you can!" Malik pleaded, his lavender eyes filling with tears. "Ryou, you've always been so strong. You can overcome him, I know it. You have to." The Egyptian looked like he was going to cry. "You're the best- The only true friend I've ever had. I don't want to lose you."

"Oh, Malik." Ryou sighed, lifting his hands from his face and sitting up. "Don't be silly. I'm not going anywhere. Bakura told me himself he doesn't want to kill me. And I could never kill myself." He gave the blonde a short hug. "I wish you wouldn't worry."

"I'm just tired and stressed." Malik sighed leaning against the headboard. "Ugh, look at the time. I'm usually still awake at this hour but I'm so tired." He ran a hand through his hair. Ryou smiled slightly, a small, sad smile as he leaned against the Egyptian, his brown eyes focused on an amber pool from a streetlight that illuminated a patch of floor.

"We should get back to sleep." Ryou murmured. "Then you wont feel so terrible tomorrow." Malik nodded, burying back into the comforting warmth of his blankets. He really hated the cold. Ryou continued to sit up for awhile, however, his eyes still fixed on the yellow light that the lamp outside provided, thoughts in his head raging along at a million miles an hour, far, far away from sleep.

Ryou forgot what it was like to have his stomach full to bursting. Isis had arrived in the morning, and one look at the whitenette's emaciated form, cooked a huge feast, and despite protest, forced Ryou to eat every last bite of it. There was something about the way her eyes flashed dangerously when she found out about the reason for Ryou's shocking skeletal frame that made the whitenette obey her without question. However, the feeling in his stomach had given way to a sick, churning feeling as he unlocked the door to his apartment, letting out a long sigh as he entered the empty room. Thank goodness Bakura was out; he didn't know if he could face the demon. Although the apartment was a total mess, the light just couldn't face it right now. His stomach was struggling to digest the huge meal that Isis had forced him to eat, and after spending the better part of the night lying in Malik's bed wide awake, he wanted to do nothing more than sleep. Which he did, sprawled across Bakura's bed, instantly falling into a dreamless bliss.

-winces- The next chapter is going to have so much Ryou-torture in it.. MAUHAHAHA!

R&R!