DD: Hey guys! Just wanted to say, well done for a user on AO3 for figuring the pattern out! You see, the torture with the Sennen brothers wasn't random. The main base was mental for Bakura, physical for Marik and invasive for Yami. I figured that those would be the types they'd hate the most. And someone got that! Also, for anyone who thinks Yami wasn't effected enough by the rape, don't worry. That's happening. Yugi's dark side is coming up soon as well! Hope you enjoy! I own nothing! Also THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 100+ COMMENTS! I'M SO HAPPY WITH THIS! 100 COMMENTS IN TEN CHAPTERS! THANK YOU!

Reviews:

Ern Estine 13624: Glad you like it.

Kigen Dawn: Yup, pretty much. And Yugi's bullies.

thor94: Okay, first off, Yugi will get his hard time. Second, Ryou and Malik weren't chained and raped and tortured. That was Bakura, Marik and Yami.

ShandyCandy: Love the dialogue and so happy this story made you like Marik!

Gewlface: Aawww, thanks so much! The torture always kills me. I love it, but I love them too. This chapter was one of the worst despite it being easy to write; Malik and Marik are my favourite characters. And thanks for leaving the hundreth comment!

13 charlotte: At least it's only been a few days!

Malik sat on his bed, his body tense. He didn't want this. Not again. He couldn't go through it again.

Every year it was the same thing, over and over again. He didn't want this. Not anymore.

He clenched his fists, gripping the sides of his bed. His knuckles turned as pale as Ryou.

His back itched and burned, but he wasn't allowed take off the ceremonial robe yet. And anyway, it wouldn't help.

The bandages bound tightly around his chest kept a salve on his back that was meant to make sure his back wouldn't be infected.

All he could do now was wait.

And he knew that he didn't have much longer to do that.

He looked around his room. It was bare. The walls and floor were painted a muddy brown; he didn't have a carpet or anything.

The furniture was at a bare minimum; he had his bed, and a small wooden chair that he had long grown too big for.

He closed his eyes. He always did this. Looked around his room before the ceremony.

Imagined what it would be like if he was part of a different family.

Maybe purple walls. A nice wooden floor.

A comfortable bed, a bookshelf. A wardrobe of clothes that he felt comfortable in. Maybe his family would even let him put up posters, or fight for him to wear the girl's uniform at school.

His eyes flashed open. Nope. No, no, no, no.

He couldn't think of things like that.

No. He needed to be a true Callian. At least for today.

He closed his eyes again and went over the morals in his head, as he was supposed to.

One. Do not question Alumuna's judgement. She knows all.

Two. We must prepare for the return of the Pharaoh.

Three. The first born sons will be the ones to carry on tradition.

Four. The ancient religious scriptures are to be carved into the back of every member of the household.

Five. The annual rituals are to be willingly executed on the first born son each year during a full moon.

Six. The body you are born in is the body that Alumuna gave you. Stay in it. Be comfortable. It is what you were given.

Seven. Gender is no boundary with love, but reproduction is necessary. Each household must have at least one child.

Eight. Meat is obtained in the killing of other creatures, which goes against our laws. Meat must not be consumed.

Nine. Do not welch on promises you have made, as each promise will be judged by Alumuna on the day of passing.

He sighed. He couldn't do it. He couldn't.

He stood up, just as his door opened to reveal Ishizu in her ceremonial garb. "It is time, brother."

Malik swallowed and nodded. "Okay." His voice was barely as loud as a whisper.

He was surprised that Ishizu heard him.

He strode out of his room and in the direction of the living room. He already knew what it would look like. The curtains would be drawn. The candles would be lit. The stone coffee table would have ropes next to it, ready to tie him down.

His father would be holding the silver knife over a candle.

Odion would be in his room, waiting out the ritual, just like he was always ordered to do.

Ishizu walked behind Malik, until they reached the door. She stepped in front of him and held the door open as he walked in.

His father glanced up at him and nodded.

He returned the nod and slipped the robe off his shoulders, leaving him in only a plain white shenti.

He lay stomach-down on the table and waited as Ishizu tied his wrists and ankles to the table.

He heard his father chanting the usual psalm. "Kia te marama o Alumuna tae te matamua whanau tamaiti o te whare, me te pure ia ia o tetahi hara i mahia e ia i tenei tau. Kia whakawakia ana kupu: a haamaitaihia e, a kia murua ona mau fafauraa wareware. Kia tae a ia aroha o Alumuna e whakahoutia te mau papa'iraa mo'a, a kia ora ia ki te mahi ia mo tetahi atu tau."

By that stage, he could translate it. He'd studied so many books in Maori that it was like another first language to him.

Let the light of Alumuna reach the first born child of the household and cleanse him of any sins he has committed this year. Let his promises be judged and graced, and let his forgotten promises be forgiven. Let Alumuna's mercy reach him as the scriptures are renewed and let him live to serve her for another year.

It was the family prayer. Each family had their own version of it.

It changed every generation.

Malik closed his eyes. It wouldn't be long now.

He did his best not to scream as he felt the knife pierce his skin. It got worse and worse, every year.

His back was burning. It was on fire.

He could feel the knife cutting into his flesh, reinforcing the scars that were already there.

The knife went lower and lower. It was painstakingly slow. It was almost over. It was past his ribs. He was nearly done.

But it wasn't soon enough.

He counted down the seconds, holding his breath as he felt his father cut into the last words.

Tears streamed down his face. He couldn't tell anymore if it was him screaming or someone else, though he had never heard his sister scream during a ritual before.

The knife lifted.

It burned. It burned so badly. Malik wasn't sure what was worse; the ritual itself or the aftermath.

He could feel Ishizu cleaning the blood away from his back and gently rubbing ointments into it.

He squeezed his eyes shut. It was always the same.

And then it changed.

They heard a loud crash upstairs.

Malik, Ishizu and their father all looked at the door. Their father growled. "Lucy, take care of Billy's back. I'll check what that was, and then we'll continue."

"Of course, father." Ishizu bowed. Malik's eyes were still wide, even after their father had left the room.

It had changed.

"Bakura?"

Bakura looked up. Ryou had followed him upstairs. "What do you want?"

Ryou hesitated, standing in the doorway of Bakura's room. "Are... are you okay?"

"Yeah," Bakura snorted. "Peachy."

Ryou took a step into the room. "You know... I'm here if you want to talk," he mumbled.

Bakura raised an eyebrow. "Talk? To you?" He looked away, folding his arms. "Yeah right." He sat down on his bed.

"Why not?" Ryou asked. He took another step into Bakura's room but a dark glare stopped him.

"Because you wouldn't understand."

Ryou smirked. It was emotionless; it looked odd on his face. As though it wasn't meant to be there. "You think so?"

"I know so."

"How?" Ryou raised an eyebrow. "You know nothing about me or what I've been through. How do you know I won't be able to relate to you, even just a little bit?"

"Why would you be?" Bakura snapped.

Ryou folded his arms. "When I was younger, I lived in England. My mom used to get drugged up all the time. One time, she got drugged up at a ballet recital my sister was at and on the way home, she crashed. My sister died. My parents decided to move to Japan, and we got a nice house, but I'm usually the only one there. My dad finds excuses to be away. My mom is always out with a new boy or girl doing drugs. She's not picky when she's high." Ryou shrugged. "The only happy times we ever had were Christmas, but my dad bailed this year and my mom came home, high, kicked everyone out of my house and tried to force me to take drugs as well. Every time she brings someone new home, I don't sleep. I sit in my room and lock my door and stay awake, not doing anything. Just watching the door in case they come in."

Bakura looked away. "Sad story. But not exactly like ours."

Ryou closed his eyes. "It is like yours. There's a reason I sat awake all those nights." He seemed to choke on oxygen.

Bakura glanced at him again. "Don't," he mumbled.

Ryou looked at him, his eyes wide. "W-what?"

"Don't tell me if you're not ready. I barely know you," Bakura muttered.

Ryou sat next to him on the bed and placed his hand over Bakura's. "But I want to know you."

Bakura looked down. "It's a long story."

Ryou gently cupped his cheek and turned Bakura's head so that he was facing Ryou again. Ryou gave him a small smile. "We've got time."

Seto didn't look up from the computer as the door opened. "You're fired."

"But, sir-"

"I'm running a multi trillion yen company and you are disrupting my work. You're fired."

"Sir, I really think you'll want to see this."

Seto sighed and looked up. "What?" He hissed.

The guard that had interrupted him wasn't phased. "Turn to the security footage, sir."

Seto frowned and clicked onto the security tab on his desktop. A few moments later, his frown became a scowl as he watched Joey's father attempting to climb over the fence surrounding his mansion.

"I want him arrested," he ground out through gritted teeth. "Now."

"Yes, sir." The guard bowed and left the room.

Seto kept his eyes on the security footage, watching as his guards had the man arrested, though not without a small fight.

He would have to pay compensation for at least one broken nose after this.

But it was worth it. A smirk crept onto his face as he watched the man being forced into a car, his hands cuffed behind his back.

He closed the tab. It was over.

All that Malik could hear was yelling. Ishizu was on the phone, but he couldn't hear what she was saying.

Her usually tanned face was pale, and her eyes were dark pools of fear.

He tried to sit up, but he was still tied to the table, preventing him from doing so.

"What's going on?" He choked out, but he was given no response.

The door crashed open, revealing Marik.

Malik's eyes widened in shock. "M-Marik?"

"Malik." Marik ran over to him and began to untie him.

"W-what are you doing here?" Malik asked shakily, forcing himself to sit up once he was free.

"You asked me for help, and I'm here," Marik replied as though it were obvious. "I'm getting you out."

Malik stared at him in shock.

Freedom. He was finally going to be free.

Marik turned and crouched down so that his back was to Malik. "Climb on. You're in no state to walk."

Just as Malik was about to do so, his father stumbled into the room. He was glaring at Marik, blood trickling down from his head. "Get out of this house!" He snarled.

Malik could hear sirens. Why would there be sirens?

He looked at Ishizu, but she was only watching their father.

"I'm only leaving with Malik and his siblings," Marik stated, his eyes narrowed.

"Billy and Lucy are going nowhere," his father growled. He could hear the door crash open again.

His father grabbed the knife that he had used to reinforce Malik's scars and advanced on Marik.

Marik didn't move away. He just watched him come.

"Marik, move!" Malik yelled.

"Keep quiet, Billy!" His father snarled, glancing at Malik.

He lost concentration. In that split second, Marik stepped forward and whacked the knife out of the man's hand.

His face turned red with rage. "You little-!" He reached his hands out to wrap around Marik's neck.

Malik saw Marik tense. Fear and rage shifted onto the older boy's face before fading back to angry stillness.

Marik ducked beneath the man's hands and slammed into him, sending them both to the ground.

They grappled for a few moments, Malik's father roaring while Marik was silent. Malik's father managed to throw Marik off him and stumbled, grabbing the knife again.

The sight of the weapon only seemed to push Marik further into his state of... whatever it was that he was in.

Ishizu rushed out of the room. Malik stayed put, too sore to walk, even if he wanted to.

His father lunged at Marik.

Everything seemed to happen at once.

He heard himself shriek the word, "No!"

He saw Ishizu re-enter the room with a group of policemen.

He saw his father's eyes shift to him.

He saw Marik grab the knife out of his father's hand.

He saw the knife plunge into the man's chest.

His father gasped. He couldn't get a sound out of his mouth. Then he slumped to the ground.

The rage seemed to flood out of Marik's eyes as he stared down at the man. All that was left was fear.

He looked up at Malik. "Malik-pretty?"

The policemen ran over to him, forcing his hands behind his back. Marik didn't struggle.

The whole time, his eyes were locked with Malik's.

Malik tried to protest, but the words died in his throat, even as Marik was forced out of the room.

He looked up at Ishizu. "Why?" He whispered.

Ishizu glared after Marik. "He killed our father. He disrupted the ritual."

Malik wasn't sure which she was more upset about. "Ishizu, he saved us..."

"During the rituals, my name is Lucy, Billy." Ishizu turned her glare to Malik. "And he didn't save us. He doomed us."

Yugi frowned as he sat down at the cafeteria table. "Guys, have any of you seen Marik?" He asked. "I haven't seen him at all today."

Malik kept his gaze on his food. "He didn't come in today..." He mumbled.

"Why not?" Yami asked.

Yugi almost smiled. Yami hadn't talked much since they had kissed. It was worrying Yugi. But now wasn't the time.

Malik wouldn't look at them. "He's been arrested..."

There was a moment of disbelieving silence. "What?!"

"He's been arrested..." Malik repeated. His tone was dismal. He had barely touched his food.

"But... that..." Ryou shook his head. "Why?"

Malik stabbed at his salad with his fork. "He tried to help me. My dad was forcing me to take part in the rituals again."

"You said he had stopped..." Yugi mumbled.

"Yeah. I said a lot of things." Malik put his fork down. "He stabbed my father in the chest. He died at the hospital."

"You don't seem very upset," Bakura commented. "About your father."

Malik snorted. "I couldn't care less about him. He was a sperm donor as far as I'm concerned. Not even that for Odion. I'm more worried about Marik..." He closed his eyes. "His court hearing is in a few days... I don't want him to go to prison... He was just trying to help..."

"Why did he stab him?" Duke asked.

Malik fiddled with the sleeve of his school jacket. Out of everyone, he looked the most unhappy to be back in uniform. "My father ran at him with a knife, and... Something happened... He wasn't himself," he mumbled. "He grabbed the knife and stabbed my father before he could be stabbed."

"So it was self defence?" Seto raised an eyebrow. Malik nodded. "Then he should be let off, especially since he was going to be killed if he didn't do something."

"Ishizu's going to do her best to put him in jail."

"Then I'll get him a good lawyer." Everyone gave Seto a look of disbelief. "What?"

"You're going to do something nice? Without Joey asking you to?" Tristan asked.

Seto rolled his eyes. "Fine. Get your own lawyer then."

"No, no!" Malik cut Tristan off before he could argue. He smiled. "Thanks."

"Thank you, opposition."

There was an odd smirk on Ishizu's face as she came down from the podium. It made Malik's stomach churn.

She wanted Marik to rot for killing their father.

"Defence?"

Marik's lawyer stood up. "I'd like to call Malik Ishtar to the stand as a witness."

Malik gulped and stood up. Ishizu put a hand on his shoulder, forcing him to sit down again. "My brother doesn't have to if he does not wish to."

"Why wouldn't he want to?" The lawyer raised an eyebrow.

"Because everyone knows that man murdered our father and he's still upset over it," Ishizu hissed, glaring at Marik.

"Order," the judge sighed as murmurs broke out in court.

"Ms. Ishtar, my client is around the age of your brother. He is not an adult. I also ask that you let your brother make his own decisions," the lawyer said coolly. She turned to Malik. "Malik, would you mind?" Her tone was soft now.

"Yes, Malik, would you?" Ishizu's tone was icy.

Malik swallowed again and stood up. "Not at all," he croaked out.

The lawyer smiled. "Thank you." Ishizu narrowed her eyes and sat down again.

Malik stood at the podium, watching as the court clerk scurried up to him.

"Please state your name for the court."

"Malik Ishtar."

"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?"

"I do."

"You may be seated."

Malik sat down, fiddling with his fingers as Marik's lawyer approached. "Malik, your family was part of the Calliark religion, was it not?"

Malik nodded. "Yeah. My grandfather was the founder."

The lawyer nodded. "And one of the morals is to carry out religious rituals every year, correct?" Malik nodded. "Can you tell us what the ritual in your family is?"

"Objection." Ishizu stood up. "How is this relevant?"

"There is a point, Ms. Ishtar," Marik's lawyer assured. "You just need to let me get to it."

Ishizu frowned and sat down again. Malik swallowed. "Um... the ancient scriptures are... carved into our backs..."

"What are the ancient scriptures?"

"They... they supposedly tell us that a great unnamed Pharaoh is to return and we have to prepare for his return," Malik replied, his voice shaking.

"And when the scriptures were carved into your back, did it hurt?"

Malik closed his eyes. "It does. It always feels like my back is on fire."

Marik's lawyer nodded. "You're doing great, Malik. I just have a few more questions. Before the ritual, what did you do?"

Malik looked up at her. "I, uh... I panicked... I didn't want to go through it again, and I text Marik asking for help..."

"Why Marik?" She asked. "You'd only met him that day, correct?"

Malik nodded. "Y-yeah, but he said that he'd help me if I needed it, so..." He trailed off. "So I just thought of him first."

The lawyer nodded. "You say you didn't want to go through it again. Would it be safe to assume that you were forced to take part in the rituals?"

Malik nodded. "Yeah... I was the first born son so I didn't have a choice... Whenever I tried to get away..." He bit his lip. "It didn't end well." Ishizu was glaring daggers at him.

"And when Marik came to help, what happened?"

Malik hesitated. "I... I don't exactly know... I heard a crash and my father went to check it out... He was angry that the ritual had been disrupted... The next thing I knew, Marik was there trying to help me out, but my father came back in and grabbed the knife..."

"So he threatened Marik?" Malik nodded. "What then?"

"Then... something changed," Malik replied. "Marik was in a... a sort of trance... I don't know what happened."

"Could it have been flashbacks from his own father, who abused him for years?"

Malik nodded. "It could have been."

"Continue."

"My father ran at him, and he was going to kill him, but... Marik grabbed the knife and stabbed him." Malik shook his head. "I don't think he meant to. He looked surprised. Scared. He just... He didn't want to die, or for me to get hurt."

"So you think it was manslaughter? In self-defence?"

Malik nodded. "I know it was."

The lawyer smiled. "No further questions."

Malik stepped down from the podium and sat by Ishizu and Odion again. Odion gave him a reassuring smile. Ishizu refused to look at him.

"Based on the evidence, I am relieving Marik Sennen of the charges," the judge decided, "due to his age, his history and the circumstances. He will not be arrested, but he will attend counselling twice a week for three months, and once a week for two months after that." He hit the table with his hammer. "Case closed."

People began to file out of the court. Ishizu, Odion and Malik stood up. Malik looked up as Marik ran over to him, smiling. "Malik-pretty!"

Malik smiled happily and threw his arms around Marik. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "It was my fault."

Marik hugged him tightly. "It wasn't your fault," he protested.

"You're right." Malik felt someone yank him away from Marik. "It was yours." He looked behind him to see Ishizu glaring at Marik.

"Sister-"

He was ignored. "Stay away from our family," she snarled before pulling Malik out of the court.

Malik tried to pull against her, but the wounds on his back were still fresh and making him weak, so he couldn't break free.

He looked at Marik over his shoulder and tried to smile.

The only comfort he had was that Marik smiled back at him.

"Your turn," Ryou said, looking across the table at Bakura. It had been a few weeks since Marik's court case.

School had grown mundane again. Malik and Marik were avoiding one another now. Well, Malik was forced to avoid Marik by his sister. Marik avoided Malik so that the latter wouldn't get in trouble.

Bakura narrowed his eyes and rolled the dice onto the table. He smirked. Ryou frowned. Double zero. "Looks like I win."

"Hang on..." Ryou typed the information into the computer. He sighed. "Your attack is powered by the darkness around you. The White Mage doesn't stand a chance. You defeat him in one attack."

Bakura's smirk grew. "Told you."

"Yeah, yeah." Ryou rolled his eyes. He glanced at the computer again and smiled. "You didn't win yet. You just knocked the Mage out." Bakura frowned. "Now it's my turn." Ryou rolled the dice and came up with a zero and three. He typed it into the computer. "The White Mage wakens again. He is injured, but not dead."

Bakura scowled and rolled again. Ninety.

Ryou cringed. "Your attack misses." He rolled. Zero and one.

"You win?" Bakura guessed.

Ryou smiled. "Nope. I invite you back to my house to watch a horror film and have a cup of tea."

Bakura glared at him. "Quit messing around."

"I'm not." Ryou shrugged. "I find that the best way to expel inner darkness is through friendship."

Bakura snorted but went along with it. They continued the roleplay until the 'horror film' was over.

"Your turn."

Bakura rolled. Double zero.

"So do you kill me after the film?"

Bakura smirked. "Nah. Don't think so."

Ryou tilted his head. "What then?"

"I kiss you." Ryou's eyes widened and his cheeks flushed. Bakura walked over to his side of the table. "Well?"

"W-well what?" Ryou asked.

"Do you kiss me back?"

Ryou rolled. His first double zero in the entire game. "Looks like you're in luck."

Bakura smirked as he leaned towards Ryou. "I always am."

Ryou leaned in the rest of the way and pressed his lips to Bakura's. Bakura hummed contentedly into the kiss.

"You lose," Ryou whispered, pulling away slightly.

Bakura blinked. "How?"

Ryou smirked. "I'm a vampire remember? I bite you."

Bakura rolled the dice. Fifty five. "So what does that mean?"

"You don't survive the bite," Ryou giggled.

"Son of a bitch!"

Yugi sighed as he trudged home. It was March. March.

Yami had kissed him in January, just before school had started again. It had been eight weeks since then.

Eight weeks since he had talked to Yami properly.

Yugi stuffed his hands in his pockets. As usual, Yami had stayed late to 'study' in the school library.

He probably wouldn't be back until half nine or ten.

What went wrong? Yugi closed his eyes.

"Hey, Ushio! I found him!"

His eyes shot open. On instinct, he began running.

It had been the same story every day for the past three weeks. He would find a new route home to avoid these guys, and they would find him anyway.

He yelped as someone slammed into him, sending him crashing to the ground.

They were always smart. They didn't hurt him anywhere that he couldn't cover it up.

He tried to scramble away but someone pinned him down.

He looked up to see Ushio sneering down at him. "Hello again, faggot." He grasped Yugi's chin roughly. "Ready for some fun?"

DD: Hope you enjoyed. Please review. See you next time Killer Queens!