Riftshipping (Thief King Bakura x Ryo x Yugi)
Ryo had always felt as though there were a rift between him and others. Ever since the death of his mother and sister, ever since his friends started to fall into comas all around him, it was like he was on an island, surrounded by great chasms on all sides, with no hope of reaching out or being reached out to.
He started to grow used to it. Life was cold, lonely, and dismal. He was cold, lonely, and dismal. Even if people could have reached across the rift to him, there was no reason to. He was not the type of person that anyone would want to be around for long.
And if life was bad, his dreams were worse. Every night he was lost in a world of heat and sand, one where he did not belong and yet he did. The man there, like his darker self but different, chased and tormented him. He sometimes couldn't tell if the dreams were real or just simply dreams. That scarred, tan-skinned man with the sneer certainly seemed real.
You're worthless, he would whisper in Ryo's restless sleep. Alone. All you have is me. And you are mine. Your life is mine.
And he would emphasize the sentiment with a flick of his knife. Waking up was the only way to escape the pain, but the waking world held no comfort either. Ryo was alone on the rift, except for the man in his dreams that laughed as he suffered. There was no escaping. There was no crossing the rift.
Until...well, until Yugi.
A light broke through the darkness of Ryo's life. In his dreams, the scarred man started to become less cocky, less arrogant, but more violent towards Ryo. Ryo would struggle for wakefulness, because even his dead life was better than this. He didn't know why. He had conquered his dark half with Yugi's help during Monster World. Why was the scarred man even there anymore? He should be gone forever, the Ring no longer about Ryo's neck to draw him in. Would he suffer this man's torments forever?
"Bakura-kun, you want to come over?"
That voice flung out like a lifeline. Despite Ryo's gloominess, despite the darkness that surrounded him, Yugi reached out a hand. He smiled, violet eyes bright and cheerful.
"What's wrong, Bakura-kun? You look down."
No one else ever noticed. The scarred man increased his whisperings, trying to drag Ryo down again.
You're worthless! You're nothing! Your only purpose is to be a host!
"...Mutou-kun...why...why do you want to hang out with me? I...I'm not much fun to be around..."
"What are you talking about, Bakura-kun? You're my friend, of course I want to hang out with you!"
Yugi pushed a bridge across the rift. Ryo could see a way across the chasm, and Yugi was waiting on the other side, waving with a cheery smile.
No! You are worthless!
"But, Mutou-kun...I'm not worth much as a friend..."
"Bakura-kun, you're so weird! Of course you're worth something. And how many times do I have to tell you: you can call me Yugi!"
Ryo took a tentative step onto that bridge. The scarred man reached out and tried to grab him. He tried to pull him back into the darkness, out of Yugi's light. With a furious cry, the man snatched at Ryo.
"Come on, Bakura-kun! You can't go home and mope alone all the time. You're coming over to play games whether you like it or not!"
The man missed. Yugi gripped Bakura's hand, and pulled him back onto solid ground.
Ryo was free.
"O-okay, Yugi," he said. "Um...you can call me...Ryo, if you want."
"Sure, Ryo-kun. Come on, let's go!"
A/N: I liked that a lot more than I thought I would. I might start shipping Ryo and Yugi. :) Next is Riddleshipping (Mei x Kyuu x Yami no Yugi).
