Since posting a lot this weekend, it seemed that my writers block has cleared up and inspiration has hit me, YAY! For those of you who are a fan of my When Silence is Broken, I'm working very hard on it as well and hope to have it up soon. Anyway, another update so enjoy XD
Warnings: M. Yaoi. No spoilers here. The plot is mine.
Chapter 15: Ryou's Diary.
Malik slowly awakened being extra warm, very comfortable and the overwhelming feeling of being safe. Malik had almost forgotten what those feelings were like or waking up in such a situation that he would willingly welcome more sleep. The solid warm wall his back was pressed against moved. He noticed then that he was being held by someone, Malik now wide awake didn't know what to do, his heart seized up.
Malik freed himself from the arms and leg that were wrapped about him and in his haste; he tumbled to the floor with a thud and swiftly rose to his feet with the bedside lamp in his hand, to beat the son of a bitch who dared think they could get away with such actions... "I was having a good dream." Bakura mumbled with one dark eye barely open. "Come here." His words were slurred and Malik again froze staring at Bakura.
Was, was it ok to crawl back into that bed, to be engulfed by the arms of someone else's dark soul? Malik's chest twisted up painfully, words and feelings couldn't describe how much he wanted too; it even had him stepping towards the bed. He wanted too, he really did, but he had been there before with a dark soul, he wouldn't do it again.
"I can't." Malik took the quick escape out of the room only to bump into his sister.
"Morning," Ishizu greeted in her usual warm manner. Malik didn't respond as he dodged her ran into the bathroom and locked the door behind him, leaning on it. Malik needed a moment to catch his breath and steady his racing heart. "Malik?" She knocked on the door. "I ordered breakfast would you like some?"
"Leave me alone!" Malik snapped moving away from the door and heard her walk away. Malik went right for his bag on the basin, digging through it he pulled out his few bottles of prescribed medication.
An hour later Malik exited the bathroom dressed for the day and feeling less of a wreck and something close to normal. Heading in the general direction of the kitchenette his eyes however were on his closed bedroom door, wondering if Bakura was still sleeping. "I was worried you might have drowned." Malik froze again on the spot locking eyes with Bakura, who sat at the kitchen bench. "I was planning on going in there and rescuing you."
Malik averted his eyes. "I'm fine." He moved again when Bakura said nothing but stared at him in such a way that it spoke volumes that the other could see through his lie and read his thoughts... could he read thoughts? Malik glanced at him again.
"I was wondering if you wanted to take a small trip."
"A trip?" Malik roped in the need to flee the room and gripped onto the counter to anchor himself in place.
"To my house." Bakura raised an eyebrow.
Malik caught on right away. "That's not a bad idea getting a look at where all this started. You might even remember." Malik stopped talking as that need to run came stronger than ever. "But I don't..." The realization struck that he would have to leave the hotel, a chance that he may run into someone from the old days.
"I'll be with you all the way." Malik gasped and stepped backward into the counter, how did Bakura get so close so suddenly. "I need to do this and I need your help."
Malik glanced about for an escape, his mind shut down of any excuses so not to leave the hotel room. Malik again froze when his chin was gripped and tilted up and he once again locked eyes with Bakura who was but a kiss away, if only he lent in a little more. "I won't leave your side for a second."
Malik bit his lip, he had promised to help after all. "Alright." He breathed out and Bakura took a step away. Malik felt the sting of disappointment that Bakura hadn't kissed him... maybe, Malik thought, he just wasn't that kissable.
Yugi had to bite back a cry of pain as he awakened and moved. His body ached all over, some places more painful than others, which brought his attention to his good hand and found two of his fingers dislocated... Yugi couldn't recall all the events of last night, only that it was a painful blur. Yugi slowly sat up, seeing the bed sheets torn and bloody. His own body didn't fare much better, from cuts, bites and bruises. He'd have to throw them away without his Grandpa noticing... Yugi frowned, one thing he did remember and that was the amount of noise he had made would have gotten his Grandpa's attention.
Did his Grandpa know what had been happening to him all along and not care? Tears filled Yugi's eyes and the loneliness threatened to overwhelm him. Yugi refused to believe that his Grandpa would be ok with this if he knew. Yugi got to his feet and made his way to the bathroom as quickly as he could.
"Stop!" Yugi froze by the bathroom door that was ajar; Yami's muffled voice floated out into the hallway. Yugi moved closer peaking through the crack and tried to hear and see what was going on. "Please." Yami hissed at his refection in the mirror. "He won't ever forgive me." Yami gasped falling to his knees holding himself, hands covering his face. "You enjoyed it as much as I did, don't deny it."
Yugi leant forward a little too much and moved the door, instantly Yami's head snapped in the direction of the door and with a growl rose to his feet. Yugi gasped and backed up, he wasn't fast enough as he was grabbed onto and yanked into the bathroom and slammed against the closed door. "Spying on me?"
"No." Yugi shook his head his throat tightening in fear. "I didn't mean too, it's just that I can't let... Grandpa will be up soon and I don't think that he..."
"Easy pet." Yami let go and stepped back, which Yugi stopped talking and was thankful for the distance between them. "If you wanted to shower with me you could have just said so." Yami grinned in such a way that it sent chills up Yugi's spine.
"I can wait." Yugi went for the door handle; he'd had more than he could stand of Yami.
"Nonsense." Came the growl and narrowed eyes that promised a punishment far worse than last night if he disobeyed. Yugi removed the little clothing he had on as he approached the shower.
Yugi managed to get out of the house without Yami making too much of a fuss on skipping breakfast. Yugi glanced down at his dislocated fingers; he'd have to fix them soon, but most of all Yugi needed help getting rid of Yami forever, he'd do it not matter what it took.
"Are you sure no one is home?" Malik bit his lip looking at the front door to Ryou's house.
"I'm sure." Bakura reassured and watched Malik pick the lock. The trip over had been uneventful, but for the panic attack Malik had outside a construction site and Bakura had to hold him to prevent Malik from running away on him. The more distance they got from that work site the calmer Malik became.
The lock clicked and Malik pushed open the door, Bakura entered first with Malik close behind. "So what are we looking for?" Malik asked, the house was cast in shades of grey the stale air proved that no one had been here for some time.
"Don't know, but if I see it I'll know." Bakura muttered moving towards the stairs.
"Great." Malik said with a sarcastic tone, and stopped to look at the photos on the wall, mostly seeing pictures of a woman... "This is Ryou's house, right?"
"Yeah, Ryou's Aunt is a bitch." Bakura muttered, opening a drawer and pulled out a photo, of a very young Ryou, in the arms of what looked to be his parents, Ryou looked more like his mother then his father, they all looked so happy. "She comes off as caring but all she's after is the money she'll get when Ryou turns eighteen, then she'll kick him out and he'll be on his own."
"How do you know this?" Malik held the photo.
Bakura shrugged. "It comes in pieces..." He continued up the stairs.
Malik glanced at the photo one more time before putting it in his pocket and went to follow; spotting a door that was ajar down the hallway and slowly approached it... it led to a basement. Malik flicked the light switch on and a light came on somewhere down below, it wasn't bright enough to light up the stars. "Oh this isn't creepy at all." Malik took a deep breath and descended the stairs.
A low hanging light lit up an area and that looked like a study, desk overflowing with papers and books, chairs a beat up couch, bookshelves over stuffed and newspaper, pictures of old men from books, old artefacts and magazines clippings pinned all over the walls, with red strings running over them some linking one bit of paper to another on a huge map of the world and Ryou's handwriting scribbled in places here and there.. This was an unhealthy obsession of a madman.
Malik moved to the desk, picking up and glanced over papers, opened books that pages were marked at and read them over. It looked like Ryou was following a list of renowned archaeologist's research and artifacts they found, even the museums where they were being displayed, attached to each picture was a news article of that item stolen. Malik couldn't make head or tails of what it was meant to be, was Ryou playing Scooby-thing and hoped to solve the case?
"Weird." Malik muttered looking over the board again and glanced to the right to see an old beat up couch complete with pillow and blanket, Ryou slept down here?... Malik pulled out the chair and sat down at the desk; if Ryou spent so much time down here that he was even sleeping down here, he was doing something more serious than solving a series of crimes.
Malik lent back in the chair and ran his hands through his hair with a sigh. "What are you up to?" Malik sat there for a while looking everything over. A book fell from the edge of the desk, Malik leant over and picked it up and tossed it back onto the desk, until he noticed the writing on the cover, he picked it up again; the cover was in a strange written language.
Malik flipped it open his eyes widened as he sat upright in the chair. "What..." Each page gave detailed instructions for demonic summoning, sacrificial summoning of the animal and human kind. Malik dropped the book and with a sweep of his hands, all the top layer of books and papers spilled onto the floor and under all that more papers and books lay... more books and papers of the same kind, most were dark magic and rituals and even the Millenium Items were among them, leather binders with even more confusing notes in Ryou's hand writing.
Malik stood and backed away from the desk, his heart pounding in his chest... was Bakura's death all Ryou's doing? Malik turned and ran as fast as he could out of the basement.
"Bakura!" Malik called out as he headed up stars.
Later that night Malik sat on the floor of his room, Bakura had wanted everything in that basement, but there was only so much Malik could carry, so he took the books that looked most important, Ryou's notes and a Diary Bakura had found. "Listen to this." He read out loud to Bakura who was reading through another book.
'He's been gone now for six months, I have a way to bring him back. I need him back, the loneliness is more then I can bare'. Malik frowned and continued reading. 'It failed; I fear that my own sacrifice isn't enough, so much pain and blood loss, I keep passing out... Bakura may be too far out of my reach. I don't know how many more times I can try without killing myself, I'll try for him.'
'Second attempt, it's been two weeks and I've failed again, I feel something is blocking me, stopping me, WHY!? What am I missing? The sacrifice maybe too much for me to bare alone, I passed out and awoke hours later in agony, maybe I'm not doing it right, I'll need help.'
Malik flipped through the pages, reading out more of Ryou's failed attempts and his frustrations.
'Today Yugi confronted me, asking about my injuries, in his usual concerned way, but it wasn't Yugi asking but rather Yami... I wanted to kill him where he stood, why did he get to stay with Yugi while I lost Bakura, it's not fair!... I have to stop for awhile, I need to heal and replenish myself, I'm tired and need to do more research.'
Malik flicked through a few more pages, Bakura got up and sat down beside him.
'It finally worked, I got him back and granted his wish as well, Bakura has his own body, surprised however that it's similar to mine, it doesn't matter, it's him I have him back.. it wasn't without cost, the ritual demanded a life... the neighbour's dog, I'll give it a proper burial in my yard later, there has to be an easier way.'
Bakura took the book from Malik's hands and flipped through the pages himself.
'Yami cornered us, despite Bakura putting up a great fight; Yami banished him yet again to the shadows. It doesn't matter; I know how to bring him back now.'
'It's like Yami is on the hunt for us now, every time Bakura leaves the house he gets banished. I don't know what to do, the neighbours are suspecting something they're locking their pets up; I'll have to continue the ritual myself, again.'
'What have I done? Tonight was a disaster! Yami tried to stop the ritual, it was like he knew. I got Bakura out again, but something came out with him! I think... I think it possessed one of us, but who and what is it? I don't know... Bakura's in such bad shape, I don't think he'll make it.'
'Two weeks Bakura's been in a coma, I've passed him off as my twin brother, I haven't strayed too far from his side in fear Yami will show up or Bakura might vanish and I'll wake to find this to be nothing but a bad dream. The doctor's say he won't make it, I can't lose him. He has to pull through, he just has too.'
Bakura ran his finger over the tear stains on the page.
'Yami and Yugi have separated, each in their own bodies... I have to wonder, if Malik and his darker half have their own as well... I'll have to call him sometime and find out.'
'Yami's attacks are vicious and calculating, there's no mercy in him anymore like there used to be, he makes not only Bakura suffer in their battles but me as well, forcing me to now banish him as punishment, since when did Yami punish... at least if I banish Bakura it's not as painful for him.'
'Today Yugi wasn't in school; I did however get a phone call in the middle of class from Bakura. He only spoke my name, my heart stopped; I rushed home fearing the worst. I found my other half unconscious half-naked and bleeding on the living room floor, his wounds were extensive... he wouldn't tell me what happened. I see something in Bakura's eyes that had never been there before, fear... More research, Yami has to go!'
'Three weeks, Yami and Yugi have left the country I overheard his little group talk in class, Anzu tearing up asking why she wasn't told or why Yami didn't take her with him. Life is good, Bakura's back to his normal self and most of all I have the answer, a way to be rid of Yami forever, I'll need help, another sacrifice, a bigger one this time, so big that I don't know if it can be done... I just may lose Bakura again.'
"That's it." Bakura said. "No more entries."
"There has to be." Malik took the book from him and flipped through it and indeed there was nothing else. "What's the answer? Where would he have written it down?" Malik searched all the books; nothing he found on Ryou's summoning rituals or a way to banish Yami for good.
Malik slumped against the bed, maybe he would have to find Ryou, but where would he be? And if Malik couldn't find Ryou and work out how to banish Yami... it was unavoidable he'd have to seek Marik's help.
TBC
Please Review I love hearing from you guys, (Love and Cookies)