Title: String of Fate
Author: MiyAsuka
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Kazuki Takahashi does.
Pairing: Bakura/Ryou
Rating: R
Warning: Yaoi (duh!), sexual references and a lime or two in later chapters.
Summary: The Ring's gone, and even though Bakura is still there, things can't go back the way they were.
Notes: Wow, it's been around two months since last update. Sorry for the wait and enjoy that new chapter.

Chapter 4: Empty

"Okay, forget all the stuff I said about your father being a selfish bastard," Bakura said while looking at the gift Ryou had gotten for his birthday. Even though Bakura came from another age, he had spent enough time with Ryou to know that things like this were worth a little fortune.

His former host looked less thrilled however. All the presents he got didn't change the fact he hadn't seen his father for more than a year. He sighed and took a look at Bakura. The spirit was watching Ryou's brand new laptop with great interest.

It looked as if things were back to normal. The way it used to be before Ryou moved to Domino and met Yuugi and the others. After that, Bakura had been acting odd, hiding things from Ryou. Would he tell him the truth now?

"Bakura?"

The spirit turned his face toward him. Ryou swallowed hard. "What happened?"

"Huh?" Bakura frowned.

"During those last months, what happened?" Ryou asked. "You changed a lot. You did... all those things. I still don't understand."

Bakura sighed. He had expected this. But truth was, he still didn't know how to justify his actions. And he still didn't understand everything himself. "I'll tell you... later."

"You always say that..." Ryou broke eye contact with Bakura. "But in the end, you keep everything to yourself."

"Look, I'm not proud of what I did-"

"Then why did you do it?" Ryou shouted, startling Bakura. "Sorry," the boy sighed. "It's just... It was my body. And you wouldn't talk to me. And then... he did that, twice."

Bakura raised an eyebrow, not getting this last statement.

"It was scary Bakura. It hurt and I didn't know why. It felt so hollow and I didn't even know why." Ryou's voice was shaking. His eyes were starting to glisten with tears about to fall.

"Don't start crying," Bakura hissed.

"I can't help it." Ryou wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "You don't know, Bakura. You can't even guess how it felt."

"I don't even know what you're referring to."

Ryou bit his lips. He couldn't answer. He couldn't say it without shedding more tears.

"You said he did something. Who and what?" Seeing Ryou wasn't replying, Bakura began to feel really annoyed. "Who and what?" he repeated more harshly.

Ryou shook his head and covered his ears with his hands.

Bakura growled. "Ryou!"

"Don't say my name!"

The spirit fell silent. Ryou was desperately trying to calm down.

In fact, it would be foolish to think that everything was back to normal, they both knew it. Bakura had trampled Ryou's trust, though it hadn't been his intention. Now, how many months would it take him to gain it again? Or would it remain out of his reach forever like everything else?

Ryou's long fingers started typing on his laptop keyboard. The spirit tilted his head to read the few characters displayed on the screen.

'I'm sorry'

Bakura couldn't refrain a bitter smile. He hugged Ryou. Of course, neither of them could feel anything. But it was comforting enough.

"You still don't want to tell me what this... person did to you?" Bakura asked.

"Just... not yet. There's something I need to do first."

"And what?"

Ryou's lips began trembling. He couldn't answer. Bakura sighed and moved back to look at Ryou's face. The white haired teen had his eyes cast downward.

"Alright..."

Ryou blinked.

"You do what you have to do and then, I'll tell you what you want to know."

The former host raised his eyes. "Really?"

The spirit groaned. "Yeah..." He wasn't really keen on doing that but it was the only way to get Ryou to talk, since Bakura couldn't force any information out of him anymore.

Ryou smiled. "Thank you, Bakura." He stood.

"Where are you going?" Bakura asked, frowning.

"Somewhere," Ryou replied evasively. "Don't follow me."

"Why not?" Ryou's pleading look was enough to make Bakura change his mind. "Alright, but you better make up for it when you're back." He smirked.

The teen looked puzzled. "Make up for it...?" Then it hit him. "Oh! Oh..." He blushed and fidgeted nervously.

"Unless you'd rather do it now?"

"Bakura!" Ryou felt beyond embarrassed now. "Why would you want that anyway? It's not as if you could do anything..."

"Even though I can't touch you, I can still watch you." Bakura licked his lips like a predator about to pounce on his prey. "Besides, it's been a while..."

"True..." Ryou admitted, blushing but looking sad at the same time. It had been months – ever since they came to Domino to be exact – since they both had enjoyed this particular kind of intimacy. It probably had been better that way though, Bakura realized, with him being sort of out of control at that time, who knew what he could have done to Ryou.

"Shouldn't you be going now?" the spirit reminded Ryou. The teen nodded.

"I'm going."

If Ryou was walking any slower, he would be stopping. He knew he had to do this and yet, he just wanted to turn back and run away. He remembered too well the last time he had took this path. But it had to be done. He needed to know.

He forced himself to hurry his pace. He felt a bit distressed that Bakura wasn't with him but it couldn't be helped. Ryou didn't want him anywhere close to Yuugi. Because Ryou had no clue what Yuugi would do if he learned that the spirit of the Ring was still around.

Ryou couldn't risk that. Not after what had happened last time. He shivered. As he kept walking, his mind strayed back to those events that had hurt so bad.

"I won again!" Yuugi exclaimed happily as he put down his last card on the pile.

Ryou laughed. "You really have the lady luck on your side. I mean, winning seven times in a row."

Yuugi blushed slightly as he picked up the Uno cards. "Come on, you're embarrassing me." He stood to put them away in his desk drawer. Ryou took this opportunity to look at his surrounding, looking for the place where his Ring could be. "I'm really glad you're here, Bakura-kun." Yuugi sat back in front of Ryou. "We didn't get to talk much outside of school since Duelist Kingdom."

Ryou nodded. He felt a little guilty, tricking Yuugi into thinking this was just a friendly visit while actually his main reason for coming was retrieving his Ring. Unfortunately, he didn't get the chance to look for it yet and he couldn't bring himself to ask Yuugi.

The shorter boy smiled at Ryou. "Do you want to play another game? Oh wait, we just got this new board game, you're gonna love it." Yuugi stood. "I'm gonna get it." He left the room quickly, leaving no time for Ryou to answer.

This was the chance he had been waiting for. Ryou seized it and began searching frantically for his Ring, rummaging through every drawers, every cupboards in sight.

"Bakura... Where are you, Bakura?" he whispered urgently. Maybe the Ring would come to him if Bakura could hear him.

Minutes passed but Ryou still hadn't managed to lay his hands on the Ring. He was shaking with frustration. It had to be there.

Suddenly, he got the feeling he was being watched. He turned around and saw Yuugi standing in the doorway. How long had the other been there, Ryou had no clue. He was about to apologize profusely when he realized it wasn't the same Yuugi. It was the spirit of the Puzzle.

"You were looking for the Ring." It sounded like a question but Ryou knew it wasn't one.

"Yes..." Ryou couldn't give up now. "Yes I was."

The other Yuugi said nothing for a while, observing Ryou. "I was expecting it," he finally admitted.

"I want it back," Ryou spoke harshly. He didn't like the way Yami Yuugi was looking at him. Like he was... judging him or something.. "I-It's mine."

"No, it's not."

Ryou saw red. "How dare you say that? I've had it for years! My father gave it to me! You..." His voice broke. "You have no right to keep it... He's mine..." He was crying now. He felt pitiful. He wasn't strong enough to help it. But he wasn't giving up. He would get his Ring back, by force if necessary.

"I see." Yami Yuugi calmly stepped inside. Ryou watched him. The spirit of the Puzzle picked up a bag in a corner of the room. He put it down on the bed. Ryou felt his hear beating faster with anticipation. Had he won already? Was Yami Yuugi really going to give the Ring back to him? Was Ryou going to be with Bakura again?

He heard the bag's zipper but couldn't see what Yami Yuugi was doing. When the spirit of the Puzzle turned around, it wasn't the Ring he had in his hands. Ryou was certain he had never seen it before. However, he knew it was another Millennium Item. It looked like... some kind of scepter. Yami Yuugi took a step toward him.

Ryou began to feel scared. What was Yami Yuugi planning to do? He looked calm at the moment but who knew what he capable of doing. Ryou remembered too well what had happened in Duelist Kingdom. When Yami Yuugi nearly killed Kaiba.

"G-Give me the Ring back," Ryou attempted one last time.

The other shook his head. "I'm sorry, you give me no other choice."

The Millennium item shone. And something blocked a part of Ryou's mind.

Ryou hazily walked to his door. He couldn't remember well what happened before that. He had been at Yuugi's, but why? He shrugged. It probably wasn't important. He opened his door and stepped inside. He removed his shoes. "I'm home," he whispered. But why was he saying that? There was no one else home.

He was alone.

He stumbled in the middle of the living room. He couldn't see anything, his eyes were blurred with tears. But why was he crying? He had always been alone. Right?

No, something was missing. Something big.

But what?

He felt so... empty. He wanted to scream something – a name maybe – but the very word he wanted to pronounce felt like it had been ripped from his memories.

Ryou was sobbing now. Why? Why was he feeling like this? Why couldn't he understand? The more he tried to remember, the more painful it felt.

And he didn't even know why.

Ryou shook his head, as if to get rid of those bad memories. Atem had managed to block his memories of Bakura. Of course, at that time, Ryou hadn't been able of knowing and that's why it had felt so painful. His feelings for Bakura ran so deep within his soul that the spirit's absence couldn't just be dismissed. It had been dark, scary... much worse that all the things Ryou had been subjected to during those last months.

He wanted to know if Yuugi knew about this. Ryou had to make sure. Maybe Honda was right, maybe Yuugi really did have no clue about how much Ryou had suffered.

He hoped that was the case. Otherwise, Yuugi would have been really cruel.

And Ryou would never be able to forgive him.