So very sorry for missing the update for 'Wilderness'. Between working, moving, and life I've very little free time with which to write/post.

Ryou: PhantomBrat is cycling through her stories and posting as best she can.

Thanks for being patient with me.

Yugi: Hope you all enjoy this chapter!


Ryou was set on a couch in the front den to wait for his brothers to pick him up. He was miserable. Not only could he not walk at the moment, but he couldn't play with Yugi anymore for the rest of his visit and he had to lie to Yugi's older brothers. Akefia and Bakura arrived thirty minutes after Mana had called them to pick Ryou up. Akefia checked Ryou over and gave him his skipped dose of medicine before carrying him to the van.

"Looks like you're going to have the use the 'chair'," Akefia stated as he secured Ryou into his usual seat.

Ryou groaned, "I hate that thing. It's so uncomfortable and makes my hands dirty."

"Sorry sport, but until your nanites get charged, it's the Chair for you. I called your doctors and made an appointment for a few days from now," Akefia stated. "Be glad that it's a holiday and there's no school for the rest of the week. Bakura! Time to go!"

Bakura waved to Yami and Atem as he turned to leave, "Thanks for looking after Ryou for us. Hopefully next time he won't be faking that he's over a bout with whatever's gone around."

"Yeah right," Yami scoffed as Atem went back inside. "More like you and Akefia will conveniently forget that he's been sick and drop him off for a few 'Ryou-free' hours."

Bakura glared at his friend, "Unlike you and Atem, we do appreciate having our baby brother around and prefer to keep it that way."

Yami winced, "We're trying to get to know him."

"That's the point! You should know near about everything about Yugi. What's his favorite game, food, song, music? Do you even know if he's allergic to anything?"

"I don't know," Yami admitted. "He's still a bit wary of us."

"It's no wonder. You and Atem have caused him so much misery and pain since I can remember. The last Christmas party we had as a group, you two gave the poor kid a box of girly things and broken toys that most likely came from the trash. Do you know that despite his half-hearted smiles and false cheer, he wished that his big brothers would treat him as we do Ryou? Did you know that he was crying that day," Bakura growled. "The poor kid tried to hide his tears behind a façade that Akefia and I saw through easily. He told me that he wished you two would change and care for him as we do for Ryou. Put yourselves in his place and think about your actions and their effects on Yugi. Maybe then you idiots will see why he's apprehensive around you.

I've got to go and get Ryou home before he relapses. This cold air isn't good for him. Think about our discussion and share it with Atem. I'm warning you, if Akefia and I hear that you've hurt Yugi anymore and we'll give you two such a beating that you won't forget. Even though the little guy's not our brother by blood, we do care for him."

Bakura then punched Yami in the stomach, "That's for the stabbing that you did to him. Don't bother telling your father as I warned him that it was coming."

Yami nodded weakly, trying to catch his breath. "Got it," he wheezed, holding his abdomen.


Atem tossed Yami an icepack and went to find some painkillers in their shared bathroom. "I didn't know that Bakura could hit that hard," Yami admitted as he lay on his bed. "Let's not tell Yugi or he'll blame himself for turning our friends against us."

Atem tossed the bottle to Yami, "Yeah. So what are we going to do to get him to trust us better?"

"Well, I guess we should start with all the screwed up presents we gave him for his birthdays and Christmases," Yami stated as he tossed back two Tylenol and drank some water. He continued, "Yugi's what, seven now?"

"Yeah. But we missed two birthdays and Christmases," Atem pointed out. He sat on Yami's bed, "So that's seven of each that we need to make up for and his first Christmas that we totally ruined."

Yami paled, remembering that year. "We blasted our music and destroyed everything he had gotten the moment Dad left for that business trip the day after. We even turned off the baby monitor's sound in his nanny's room and she didn't realize that he needed attention until he was completely soaked and had lost his voice. We were so horrible to him and didn't care how much we hurt him!"

Atem nodded in agreement, "So we do our best to make things right with Yugi and that starts right now."

"Agreed."


Yugi felt tired after Malik had been picked up by his brothers. The small boy decided to head to the den to watch the history channel until he fell asleep on the softest couch in there. Atem found him still trying to fall asleep an hour later. He watched as Yugi let out a yawn and shifted for the tenth time in five minutes. Deciding to figure out what was wrong, he stepped around to let Yugi know he was there, "Is everything alright?"

"I'm tired, but I can't sleep," Yugi admitted. "I've tried everything but my medicine."

Atem sighed, "I'll be right back with Dad and your meds. Don't move from here, ok?"

"Yeah," Yugi yawned once more.

Atem and Aknamkanon returned moments later with a bag and a blanket. "Atem says you're tired but can't sleep," Aknamkanon said. "I want you to take your half-dose and sleep in your old room. Atem's offered to carry you there of you want him to."

Amethyst eyes glanced at said brother, "Yeah, Papa. It's ok."

Yugi took his pill and felt Atem gingerly pick him up from the couch. "Tem, thank you," Yugi breathed out as the medication took effect.

Atem watched as Yugi fell asleep in his arms and felt a wave of regret wash over him. "I'll protect you, little brother. I promise I'll do my best to keep you safe," he whispered to his sleeping brother.

Aknamkanon watched silently as Atem carried Yugi to his old room and laid him on the small bed. "Dad," Atem sighed as he covered Yugi with the blanket his father handed him, "I know that no matter how much Yami and I say 'I'm sorry', we can't undo everything wrong we've ever done to him. But Yami and I were talking and we want to try and get Yugi to trust us. We want to make it up to him…and you. We want to start with all the crappy birthdays and Christmases that we gave Yugi. Do you think you can help us?"

Aknamkanon glanced at Yugi's sleeping form and smiled, "Sure, I didn't completely dock your allowances without doing something to the extra money. What you two lost, I put into a 'rainy day' fund, use that to get him something suitable for his age and gender. You can also get some healthy foods as Yugi cannot handle sugar-laden foods as easily as you and Yami. Invite your friends and their little brothers to this event and let them know what it is about.

If you want to watch movies, absolutely NO scary movies. Yugi can't handle them and he is prone to nightmares afterwards."

Atem beamed, "Thanks Dad."


Yami: According to her schedule, PhantomBrat is planning to update 'Fractured' next week.

For those who forgot or are new to reading 'Fractured', it's an AU to 'Broken'.

Mokuba: Until next time!