DD: Hey guys! Just going to warn you that the chapters will be darker from here on out. Hope you don't mind! And thanks so much for all of your votes in the 2015 Yugioh Watty Awards! I own nothing. Hope you enjoy!
Reviews:
Ern Estine 13624: Glad you're enjoying it.
kit-lelouch ai: Hope this is enough to satisfy you for a while!
Kigen Dawn: No kidding.
animatronic 2.9: Here you go!
"M-Mom," Ryou choked out, his face pale. He gripped Bakura's hand tightly.
"Ryou." Akane scowled.
Bakura rolled his eyes. "And Bakura. Now we're all acquainted except for him." He nodded at the man that Akane was clinging to.
He smirked, his dark brown eyes glinting. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
"Yes, I would." Bakura's eyes narrowed.
"His-H-His name's T-Takato," Ryou stammered. Bakura glanced at the younger boy, but his look was ignored. "Mom, wh-what are you doing back here?"
Akane laughed. It was a shrill, cackling sound. "Ryou, this is my house too, y'know. I can come back any time I want to."
"But... you never come back..." Ryou's voice was no louder than a whisper, but Akane still heard it.
"Well this time I did." She scowled at them. "Now I think it's about time that you two leave."
Ryou jumped up, looking like nothing would please him more.
Takato, on the other hand, chuckled. "Hang on, Aka. Maybe they could stay."
Both Akane and Ryou shot him a look. "What?"
Takato turned to Akane. "There's that kink you've got that you never got to try."
A sickly smirk crept onto Akane's face. "You make a good point." She looked at Ryou. "Ryou, out. Your friend can stay."
"I'm not staying unless Ryou stays," Bakura hissed, standing next to Ryou.
Unfortunately, his statement came across the wrong way.
"What a fantastic idea," Takato said. "Both of you can join."
He took a step towards them but Bakura pushed Ryou behind him. "Stay away from him."
Takato chuckled. "You're the one that wanted him to stay."
"That's not what I meant and you know it!" Bakura snarled.
Akane raised an eyebrow. "Snarky, isn't he?"
Takato nodded, still smirking. Bakura narrowed his eyes and glanced at the door. Takato stood in the way of it, and Akane would be sure to catch them if they tried to run that way.
He grabbed Ryou's hand. Backdoor? He spelled out on Ryou's palm with his thumb.
There was a pause before Ryou nodded. Kitchen, he spelled out on Bakura's hand.
Takato took the nod as a sign that they were agreeing to his suggestion. "Good boys."
He took a step towards them. The two boys bolted for the kitchen.
Takato laughed and chased after them. "It's pointless."
"Oh go fuck yourself," Bakura yelled over his shoulder.
"I'd rather fuck your little boyfriend."
Ryou tensed but continued pelting towards the backdoor. Bakura ripped it open and they ran outside, slamming it shut behind them.
They continued running. Ryou's breathing grew laboured and he stumbled, but Bakura grabbed his hand and pulled him along.
Finally, they slowed to a halt at Domino park.
Bakura glanced behind them, panting for breath.
Takato was nowhere to be seen.
Ryou sat down on a bench beside Bakura. He closed his eyes, gripping the edges of the wooden seat tightly. His breath was coming in large gulps and gasps.
"Are you okay?" Bakura asked, nudging him.
He nodded. "Y-ye-yeah, ju-just... give me a-a moment..."
Bakura nodded and sat down beside him. For a few minutes, Ryou's breathing was the only thing that either of them could hear.
Bakura stood up again. "I'll be back in a minute."
Ryou nodded, his eyes still closed. He didn't have the energy to protest.
Bakura strode over to a nearby vending machine and dug his hand into his pocket, searching for change. Two hundred yen. He glanced at the machine.
Water was a hundred and ninety yen. He nodded and pressed a button to order water before feeding his money to the machine.
Nothing happened.
He scowled. "C'mon..." He glanced behind him to make sure that Ryou was still there.
He tapped his foot impatiently and glanced down when he heard a crackle of paper.
He picked up the paper. It had tape on it, so it had likely fallen from the machine.
Out of order.
He growled and kicked the machine. The water fell from its shelf and landed in the collecting dish.
Bakura smirked and picked it up before walking back to Ryou. "Here."
Ryou looked up at him, still breathing hard. "T-thanks..." His hand shook as he took the water and opened it.
Bakura sat beside him, waiting patiently as he drained half the bottle.
When Ryou closed the bottle, Bakura wrapped an arm around him. Ryou leaned against him, his head resting on Bakura's shoulder.
"What was that?" Bakura murmured, his voice soft. "With your mom and whoever that was."
"T-Takato," Ryou mumbled. "His name's Takato... And i-it's a long story."
"Then it's a good thing we have plenty of time."
Ryou shook his head. "N-Not yet, Kura. Just... soon. I promise."
"I am never going shopping with you ever again," Marik huffed as he flopped into one of the café armchairs.
Malik chuckled as he sat across from Marik. "Oh come on, it wasn't that bad."
Marik shot him a look and held up the bags in his hands.
Malik rolled his eyes. "You bought at least half of that stuff."
Marik shrugged. "I guess. I'm still never going clothes shopping with you again."
"The fact that you came in the first place surprise me," Malik laughed.
Marik shrugged again. He glanced into the bag. "How come you bought guys' clothes as well?"
Malik looked down. His shoulders hunched and he began rubbing his palms together. "Ishizu really believes in heteronormativity, so... yeah."
Marik rolled his eyes. "Cultist."
"Hey!"
"Not you. Her."
"I know, but still." Malik kept his gaze down. "She was brought up with it. It's all she really knows."
"She should still know the difference between right and wrong," Marik scoffed. "You shouldn't have to feel uncomfortable in the clothes you wear."
Malik shrugged. "Part of life, I guess."
"No; it's not." Marik picked up one of the bags and held it out to Malik. "Go put it on."
Malik hesitated. "But-"
"Go. Now," Marik insisted.
Malik hesitated but took the bag and peered into it. "I didn't pick this out..."
"As you said; I bought half of this stuff. Doesn't mean that I bought it for myself," Marik pointed out. "Now go. I want to see it on you."
Malik nodded and walked towards the bathroom. The waitress came out a few moments later and Marik just ordered a water for himself and some complicated sounding coffee for Malik.
The waitress nodded and winked at him as she left. Marik rolled his eyes. You're barking up the wrong tree, lady.
"Marik?"
Marik looked up as Malik approached. He seemed more hesitant than before. His gaze flitted around the café, taking in the double glances and scowls of everyone, even if they weren't directed at him.
He was holding the bag Marik had given him, which now presumably held his old outfit of jeans and a t-shirt. Now, he wore a pair of shorts that faded from light purple to blue with square-shaped sequins and a pair of light purple converse boots. He also wore a darker purple t-shirt with the print of a mouse using its tail as a moustache and a black, zip-up hoodie with white stripes on the pockets and hood and small, white mice prints everywhere else on it. His hair had been loosened a bit so that it was no longer brushed back in an effort to make it seem shorter than it really was, and the silver necklace that Marik had gotten him with a key charm on it was around his neck.
Marik grinned. "You look great, Malik-pretty."
Malik met his gaze. "Really?" Marik nodded.
Malik's hesitance seemed to fade and his usual, confident aura returned, but it was different. It didn't seem forced this time.
He sat down across from Marik again as the waitress returned with their drinks. She smiled at Marik but hesitated as she handed Malik his coffee.
Malik looked down and mumbled a quiet 'thank you'.
Marik frowned. "What was that?" He asked once the waitress left.
Malik took a sip of his coffee. "This is delicious. What is it?"
"Malik."
"What?"
"What was that?"
Malik sighed. "Nothing."
"It didn't seem like nothing to me." Malik looked away. Marik sighed. "I think you should try to get counselling, Malik-pretty."
Malik's head shot up. "Why?"
"You're still hurt by your dad and sister."
"Yeah, but-"
"But what?"
Malik hesitated. He rubbed his palms together again. "I... don't know..."
Marik reached over and grasped Malik's hand. "Just... just try it. You were fine when you came with me yesterday."
"Yeah, but..." Malik hesitated. "That was different. It was with you."
"I don't mind going with you the first time," Marik offered. "I can keep going with you until you decide you're ready to go alone."
Malik bit his lip. "Really?"
Marik nodded. "Of course. They'd have to drag me kicking and screaming out of the building to get me to leave you in there before you're ready. And even then, I'd be pulling the counsellor with me."
Malik giggled. "Okay. I'll try it."
Yugi hesitated at the bushes. "Mutou?" Rex raised an eyebrow. "Are you in or out?"
Yugi looked around. The familiar abandoned train station gave him no comfort, nor did the wall of the bridge that he was about to go under. "Yeah," he mumbled.
Mai grinned at him and patted his shoulder before gracefully gliding through the bushes. Rex and Weevil chased after her, looking more like blind bears as they barrelled through the leaves and branches.
Yugi took a deep breath before following them. He slipped in the mud and fell down the steep trail, landing hard on the concrete below.
He groaned and looked up as silence fell upon the clearing. Everyone's eyes were on him. Then a cheer broke the silence and everyone rushed at him.
"Great entrance," Valon laughed, thumping Yugi hard on the back. "Good to see you back, man."
Yugi laughed awkwardly. "Yeah, good to see you too."
Soon, the crowd parted enough for Yugi to make his escape. He made his way over to Jaden, Jesse and Chazz, who were two familiar faces that didn't annoy him as much as Rex and Weevil. "Why are they all treating me like I'm a celebrity?"
"Because you are one!" Jaden laughed, throwing an arm around Yugi's neck. "You've become a legend with all the shit you pulled when you were first here."
Yugi raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
Chazz snorted and took another sip from the can in his hand. "For once, the slacker isn't exaggerating."
Jaden frowned at him. "What do you mean for once?"
"Don't start this again," Jesse groaned. Out of the three, he was the only one who never got high. He occasionally had a bit to drink, but that was it.
He was always given the position of designated driver. Not that he seemed to mind.
The only reason he even went was to make sure that Chazz and Jaden didn't overdo it. Neither of them were bad.
Well, yeah they were.
Chazz just did it because he could. Yugi suspected that it was to do with his brothers. Jaden... well Yugi didn't know why he did drugs. He never asked and Jaden never volunteered the information.
"Hey, Yugi!" Atticus grabbed the younger boy and offered him a roll of weed. "Here. Have some. It's on the house."
Yugi grinned and took it, lighting it with his own lighter. Well, his granpa's. He paused and looked at the lighter before shaking his head and shoving it into his pocket.
He wouldn't find out. He was in Egypt for the next two weeks anyway.
The next few hours blurred into one another.
Yugi passed from person to person, laughing and stumbling and falling just like he had on his first night. He couldn't breathe. He was trapped.
There was a cliff. He was going to fall.
Oh gods he was going to fall!
"Guys, give him some room! Gods' sake, he's had too much!" He heard someone yell.
"He's fine! You worry too much; look at him! He's having the time of his life!"
Couldn't they see that he was about to fall off a cliff? No. Okay then.
That's fine.
He felt someone grasp his arm and pull him closer to the cliff. He struggled. If they weren't going to save him, that didn't mean they had to push him.
"Yugi, calm down. It's only me."
He recognised that voice.
"Shit, he's had way too much..."
He felt hot all over. Oh gods.
He was going to be sick.
He stumbled and threw up. He heard laughter and cheering.
"Relax, Jesse. Just give him some more and he'll be fine. Here, Yugi. Eat this."
Yugi took whatever it was that was being handed to him and swallowed it. Again, the hours blurred. Or was it minutes?
He didn't even know.
He felt someone grasp his shoulders and looked up to see Jesse with a stony face. "We're going."
Yugi laughed and pulled away from him.
"Yugi, come on." Now it was Jaden. "Jesse's giving us a lift home. You should come too. It's nearly midnight."
Midnight? It was only midnight? Oh hell no.
No way was he leaving yet.
"Then go!" He called. He couldn't hear himself. Was everyone else talking? It seemed like it.
"Yugi, come on. You've had enough."
Chazz too? He didn't usually get worried so easily.
Yugi rolled his eyes. "I'll be fine. Mai'll drop me home. Or this guy." He pointed to someone he didn't know. "Who are you again?"
"Yuma," the boy replied. "And I don't have a car."
"Mai then," Yugi decided. "And Yuma'll come with us and stay over or something."
"Yugi, you've had enough," Jesse insisted.
"Listen to the guy, Jess," Valon said, glaring at the teal-haired male. "Just head home. We'll take care of him."
"Yeah," Yugi agreed.
Jesse rolled his eyes. "Since when have you ever been able to take care of anyone?"
"Since always!" Valon shot back, lurching slightly. The beer in his can sloshed over the side.
"Just go," Yugi whined. "I wanna stay!"
"Yugi, seriously," Jaden tried. "We promised to take you home."
"Then unpromise whoever you promised!" Weevil snickered. His nose was red. "He's not going anywhere just yet."
Jesse looked at Yugi again. "Last chance."
Yugi shoved at him, but missed. "Go on. I'll get home on my own."
"If you're sure," Jesse sighed.
Jaden looked at Jesse. "But-"
"He wants to stay, so we'll let him stay. He's old enough to make his own decisions," Jesse replied. His face was stony. "Chazz, you ready?"
"Been ready for a while now," Chazz snorted. "Let's go, slacker."
Jaden hesitated, glancing at Yugi once more before following Chazz and Jaden out from beneath the old train bridge.
Yugi grinned and sloppily kissed Valon's cheek. "You're the best," he slurred.
Valon laughed, playfully shoving him away. "I know I am. You don't need to kiss me to prove it." He held up a tray with white powder on it. "Want to try something new?"
Yugi grinned. "You bet."
Malik groaned as he opened his eyes. His phone was ringing. "Shut it off," Marik grumbled next to him.
Malik glanced at the clock by his bed. Half one. He sighed and answered it. "Hello?" He mumbled, rubbing an eye.
"Malik, where are you?" Yami.
"Motel," he muttered in response. "Near the park. Ryou and Bakura are in the next room."
"Why are you-?"
"Dunno. Ryou told us that we couldn't go back to his house right now." Malik sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of the double bed.
Marik grumbled in complaint at the loss of warmth and curled up under the blankets.
Malik smiled softly at the other's actions. "So what's up?"
"Yugi's missing," Yami replied.
Malik frowned. "What?"
"He's missing and I don't know where to look."
Malik bit his lip. "What did he say to you when you last saw him?"
Yami hesitated. "He just said that he was going to meet up with some old friends."
Malik's blood ran cold. "I know where he is," he mumbled. "Ryou and I'll get him. You stay there." He hung up without another word.
Marik opened one eye, looking up at him. "Malik-pretty?"
"I'll be back soon." Malik petted Marik's hair. "You sleep some more."
Marik nodded and closed his eye again. Malik pulled on the clothes that he had worn earlier that day before leaving the room and crossing the hall to Ryou and Bakura's door.
He knocked until Ryou came to the door, looking tired and annoyed. "Malik, what-?"
"Yugi's gone back."
Ryou froze. "The Wreck?"
"The Wreck."
"I'll get dressed." Ryou moved back into the room.
Malik took a step in as well and had to duck to avoid a projectile pillow. "That's for waking us," Bakura muttered, lowering his arm again.
"Sorry," Malik muttered, running a hand through his hair.
Bakura frowned and sat up. "Did you just apologise?"
"Yeah. What's it to you?" Malik snapped.
"Both of you stop acting like children," Ryou scolded as he pulled on his t-shirt and jeans. "Bakura, I need to go. I'll be back soon."
"Ryou, it's the middle of the night."
"I know, but this is important," Ryou insisted.
Bakura snorted but nodded. "See you soon then."
Ryou chuckled. "Get some more sleep." He turned to Malik. "Ready to go?"
Malik nodded and they left the room.
Yugi stumbled as he tried to follow Rex and Weevil. Mai had left a while ago. Keith hadn't shown up in the first place.
So now, he was stuck with them.
Black dots swam at the edges of his eyes and he threw up again.
Rex sighed. "You really haven't done this in two years, have you?"
Yugi shook his head. Weevil grinned. "Well you're starting in time for your sixteenth birthday. That's in a few months, right?"
Yugi nodded. "Perfect," Rex chuckled. "You'll have gotten used to it by then. We'll get you a 'cake'."
"You guys are the best," Yugi laughed feebly.
"New friends of yours?"
The three paused at the sound of the new voice. In front of them, a burly figure with dark hair leaned against the wall.
Yugi's face paled. The shock was almost enough to sober him up. "U-Ushio..."
Ushio smirked and stood, walking towards him. He glanced at Rex and Weevil. "Get out of here."
The two hesitated, glancing at Yugi. "But-"
"Go!"
They ran without another word.
Ushio laughed. "Some friends you've got."
Yugi hesitated. "They-they're not..."
"What happened to those two that were with you in the alley? Malik and Ryou, wasn't it?" Ushio asked. "Did they finally decide to ditch you?" He grabbed Yugi by the hem of his shirt. "It's about time they made the right decision."
He pulled back his fist to punch Yugi, but he was knocked sideways by something. Yugi stumbled as he was released and fell into someone. "Yugi, are you okay?"
He looked up, trying to focus on the person who had spoken. "R-Ryou...?"
Ryou smiled at him, his gaze worried but reassuring. Yugi looked back at Ushio to see Malik standing over him. Malik in... girls' clothes?
When had that happened?
"Come near Yugi again and I'll rip your eyes out," Malik spat.
Ushio chuckled. "Where was that bravado in the alley, fag?"
"Don't call me that." Malik kicked him hard. "And I think you forgot that your friends aren't here this time."
Ushio hesitated as though only noticing this now.
"Get out of here," Malik growled, turning back to Yugi.
Ushio didn't exactly scramble away, but he wasn't slow about leaving either.
Tears were falling from Yugi's eyes and he sobbed in Ryou's arms. He fell into a sitting position and Ryou followed him to the floor, still holding him. Malik crouched down next to the sobbing boy. "Are you okay? He didn't hurt you, did he?"
Yugi shook his head. "I-I-I'm s-sorry," he cried.
Ryou held him closer, gently rocking him back and forth on the alley street. "It's okay," he cooed, his voice soft. Malik shot Ryou a look but Ryou ignored him. He ran his hand through Yugi's hair. "It wasn't your fault."
"Ryou, stop doting on him," Malik scoffed. He gripped Yugi's chin, forcing the smaller boy to look at him. "Yugi, you fucked up. It was your fault. But you know what? Everyone does it sometimes."
Yugi hiccupped, watching Malik. "Y-you're not mad?"
"Oh, I'm mad," Malik assured him. "And so are Ryou and Yami. But we'll get over it."
However, this didn't seem to be what Yugi needed to hear at that moment, for he began crying even harder. "I-I'm s-s-sorry... I'm s-sorry-y..."
Ryou frowned at Malik and continued stroking Yugi's hair. "It's okay, Yugi. Just calm down. We'll bring you home." Eventually, Yugi's tears stopped.
He looked between Malik and Ryou. "How're you doing now?" Ryou asked.
Yugi hesitated. "I just really want a milkshake," he giggled, his eyes still red from crying.
Malik rolled his eyes. "Sorry, shrimp. No milkshakes for you." He wrapped an arm around Yugi's waist. Ryou did the same and between them, they managed to pull him up. "Think you can walk?"
"Maybe," Yugi replied. He took a shaky step forward. He didn't fall, but only because Ryou and Malik were supporting him.
Ryou sighed. "We're not going to get a cab at this hour," he muttered. "The game shop's not far though..."
Malik nodded. "C'mon, Yugi. Let's get you home."
Yami paced up and down through the aisles of the shop. He and Yugi had been switching shifts regularly since Solomon had left a few days ago.
Yugi usually took the after-school shifts to give Yami time to do his homework and then Yami would take the shifts in the evenings after eight and on weekends to give Yugi a break.
Neither of them conversed much so when Yugi had left, Yami hadn't questioned him much.
I really messed up. He groaned, running a hand through his hair.
He looked up every time the door to the game shop opened and was always met by disappointment when it was a late night customer.
After a while, he had just closed the shop. He knew that Ryou and Malik would come in anyway.
He dusted the shelves. He checked inventory. He swept the floor. He counted the money in the cash register. He checked inventory again.
Anything to keep himself occupied. He looked at the clock and bit back a yawn. It was nearly four. Yugi was lucky that it was a Sunday tomorrow.
Or was it today? Today. Yeah, today.
Yami paused mid-yawn as he heard the familiar ring of the bell that signalled the door opening. He looked up and relief washed over him as Yugi stumbled inside with Ryou and Malik helping him.
Ryou smiled at him sleepily. "Found him."
"Thank you," Yami sighed. "Sorry for waking you. Do you want to stay here for the rest of the night or-?"
"Nah, the motel's not too far away," Malik replied. He patted Yugi's shoulder. "Just keep an eye on him. Make sure he's okay."
Yami nodded. "I will." Once Ryou and Malik had left, he ran over to Yugi. "Yugi." Yugi wouldn't look at him. Yami crouched down on one knee, placing his hands on Yugi's shoulders. "Yugi, look at me."
Yugi hesitated before raising his gaze.
His eyes were bloodshot. Possibly from crying. Possibly from something else. His nose was red. His whole face was red. He was probably running a fever.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Yami asked, barely able to stop himself from shouting. As it was, Yugi flinched from the sound. "For Ra's sake, Yugi! I thought you had been mugged or-or killed or something. Just- what the hell?"
Yugi seemed to be trying to look away, but he couldn't. Fresh tears formed in his eyes. Yami took a deep breath to calm himself down and he pulled Yugi into a hug. "I'm sorry. I'm just glad you're safe." Yugi didn't return the hug. "Please. Please don't do that to me again."
There was a pause. Yami thought Yugi was about to reply, but instead, he pulled away.
Yami frowned. "Yugi?"
Without a word, Yugi walked past Yami. Yami stood again, watching as Yugi walked towards the stairs that led up to the house section of the game shop – which Yami avoided as much as possible. It may have been converted so that it looked less like an attic, but it was still a converted attic.
Yugi paused at the bottom of the stairs and glanced at Yami. Yami opened his mouth to say something.
Anything.
He wasn't sure what.
Maybe to ask what was going on, maybe to scold him, maybe to apologise.
Maybe to say he loved him.
But before he could say anything, Yugi looked away again and walked upstairs, leaving Yami alone in the game shop.
Bakura was still awake when Ryou returned. "Everything okay?" He asked once Ryou closed the door.
Ryou jumped at the sound of his voice. "I thought you had gone back to sleep..." He gripped his chest. "Don't do that again."
Bakura shrugged a shoulder. "Sorry." He didn't sound it.
Ryou sighed and made his way over to the double bed. "Everything's fine. Yugi just ran into a bit of trouble," he replied.
Bakura wrapped his arms around Ryou and pulled him down beside him. "I was talking about you," he murmured.
Ryou looked away. "I'm fine."
"No you're not." Bakura cupped his cheek. "Ryou, what's going on?"
"Nothing," Ryou insisted. "I just don't sleep well when I'm not at home."
"You were sleeping fine before Malik woke you." Bakura gently rubbed Ryou's cheek with his thumb. "What's going on with that Takato guy you saw earlier?"
Ryou tensed and shook his head. "Not now..."
"Ryou... Take it from someone who knows," Bakura said, "if you keep saying 'not now', you'll never be ready."
Ryou hesitated, looking up at him. "When... when I was about eight or nine, my mom met him at a coffee shop. This was before she got into drugs. I was actually really happy; he was the first person that my mom got serious with after my dad and he was really nice to me. But then after a few months, he began getting my mom into drugs. He was still nice to me so I didn't really mind. I didn't even know what drugs did at-at the time..." He swallowed.
Bakura gave him a reassuring smile. "You're doing great."
Ryou shakily nodded. "One day, I came home from school and... And he was different. Drunk, or high, or something. I don't know. But he... he had a camera set up in my mom's room. He... he said we were going to make a video to show her as a surprise when she got home. S-so I followed him in there and..." He choked on a sob, throwing his arms around Bakura.
Bakura held him close, rubbing his back as Ryou cried into his chest.
"And-and-a-and h-he..." Ryou hiccupped. "H-he r-r-recorded t-the w-whole t-thing..."
"What whole thing?" Bakura murmured softly.
Ryou shook his head, tears pouring from his eyes. "H-H-H-He r-r-r-r..." He took in a shaky breath. "R-r-raped m-me..."
Bakura's arms tightened around him but Ryou pulled away. "Ryou-"
"No!" Ryou wrapped his arms around himself. "Y-you probably h-h-hate me now..."
Bakura shook his head. "Why on earth would I hate you?"
"B-because of th-that..." Ryou cried. "A-a-and th-this..." He shakily lifted the side of his shirt to reveal a scar on his hip. It was a sloppily carved T. "H-he d-did it-t a-a-after... S-so that I-I'd alw-ways remem-em-ember it... Wh-what-t he did-d-d..."
Bakura pulled him into a hug, ignoring his muffled protests. "It wasn't your fault, Ryou," he murmured softly. His hands were shaking slightly. Ryou's protests died down though he was still crying. "And I could never hate you. Especially not for something like that."
"B-but I-I-"
"You were the victim. You're not to blame for what happened," Bakura murmured. "And besides." He pressed a soft kiss to Ryou's lips to hide his slight hesitation. "I love you."
Ryou's teary eyes widened and he looked up at Bakura. Sure they had kissed, and he supposed they were dating. He hadn't asked Bakura, and Bakura hadn't asked him but they seemed to agree that they were dating anyway.
But... love wasn't a word that Ryou threw around lightly. He loved three people in this world.
Yugi, and Malik. As friends of course. But they had been there for him through everything. They mightn't have known about everything, but they had still been there.
And the third person... There never used to be a third person.
Ryou didn't even know why he came up with the figure three. Usually it was two.
Bakura was watching him, not expectantly. Just watching him. He didn't need Ryou to say it, and Ryou knew that.
But a soft smile still crossed his lips. "I-I love you too."
"You're not good enough."
Yugi blinked. He could have sworn-
"You'll never be good enough."
"Anzu?" He looked around. He was in the middle of the game shop. He spotted Anzu at the end of the video game aisle. "Anzu, aren't you meant to be packing?" Anzu had been accepted into a dance academy in New York on a scholarship and had been spending the past few days packing.
She just glared at him.
"She's right, Yugi."
"Ryou?" Yugi whipped around.
The white-haired boy was standing near the till. "Why have you been getting it so easy?" He sneered. "When all of us have been going through all of this?"
"I..."
"You deserve pain." Bakura walked up beside Yugi. "You deserve to go through what we did for those eight years."
"I don't... I don't know... W-what are you saying?" Yugi whimpered.
"Didn't you hear him?" He turned to see Malik standing by the case of Duel Monsters cards. "You should have. Or have you gone deaf? Poor little Yugi. Just another thing to be pitied over."
"Maybe Yami should get him into BDSM," Marik snickered. "That way he'll feel the pain we went through."
"That's not what BDSM is like," Tristan sighed, approaching Malik and Marik. "BDSM is meant to be trust between partners and knowing that your dominant won't hurt you. Not that Fifty Shades crap."
"Exactly," Duke agreed. "Yugi needs to be hurt. Not to be able to put his trust in Yami."
Marik shrugged. "I guess so."
"Maybe you could get into your old house," Joey suggested, coming up behind Yugi with Seto. "You could use some of the things your dad and uncle used on you."
Bakura smirked. "That's not a bad idea. For a dog."
"I'm not a dog!" Joey spat.
Seto chuckled. "Calm down, puppy. Take your anger out on Yugi. Not Bakura. Yugi deserves it more. After all, he's the one who has it easiest and yet he's the one who brings pain on himself by doing drugs with his old 'friends'."
Yugi stumbled back as his friends surrounded him. He looked for an exit. There was a gap between Bakura and Marik.
He ran for it but suddenly, Yami was blocking his way. Tears filled his eyes as he looked up at him. "Please, Mou Hitori..."
Yami just smirked and pushed him back into the circle. He didn't say anything.
He didn't have to.
Yugi's eyes flashed open and he sat jolt upright in bed. His head was swimming and he looked around. It was dark.
His hands clenched the sheets beneath him tightly.
Just a dream. He squeezed his eyes shut. Just a dream. Just a dream.
His hands shook and his breath came in laboured gasps. Just a dream just a dream just a dream.
He shook his head and pulled the covers off, swinging his legs over the edge of his bed. Maybe a drink would calm him down. His eyes shot open again when he heard his floorboards creak.
His mouth dropped open, but before he could scream, a large hand muffled him.
"Hello, little one," he heard a familiar voice chuckle. "I think it's about time that you gave me back my nephews. Don't you?"
DD: Well, you guys asked for more shit to happen to Yugi. For those of you who didn't ask for it, I'm sorry. I actually hadn't planned on everything that's going to happen happening to him but then a few reviews changed my mind and I decided that if they wanted dark, they got dark. Please review! See you next time, Killer Queens!