Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Anything For You ❯ Do You Love Him Like This? ( Chapter 36 )

Thank you to all of you guys who are so supportive of me! In August, I'm gonna take pics and put them on my website for all to see if you are interested. The fact that you guys support me makes me feel how truly lucky I am to have such great reviewers!

Angelic Mouse Girl: Thank you! Yeah, Joey will Duel Ryou.

Leilarose: Ryou will. It won't be much longer.

Angel Black: Well, public speaking is the most feared of all the phobias. So, many people have it. You are not alone, babe. I've got it too, but college drills it out of you.

Sumomo: I will be.

AMT: Thank you!

Ssjgoddesschico: Thank you!

Do You Love Him Like This?

Ryou sneered at his friends and held his deck tightly. "IF YOU WANT HIM BACK, YOU HAVE TO DUEL ME!"

Aten looked up from his game as he stopped playing with his feet. A little whimper escaped his lips. "Puppy!" Aten tried to reach out for Joey, but Ryou put him on the floor.

Joey grit his teeth and clenched his fist. "Ryou! Let Aten go! You don't wanna duel us, Ryou."

Bakura stepped to the edge of the arena. "Ryou! Stop this now! We love you! We don't want to hurt you!"

Ryou laughed cruelly. He bent down out of view and "Stay there" came from behind the podium. "I won't let anyone hurt Aten again! I will duel you for him!"

Seto stepped in front of everyone. "This is madness, Ryou! You know better than this!"

"Quiet! I will not let you harm him! I will protect him from anyone who threatens him!"

Marik growled and pulled Bakura, Joey, and Seto back. "He wants to duel for Aten. One of us has to do it."

Seto looked over his shoulder at Ryou whose face was red and sweating. "Your God Cards can eliminate him no problem, Marik. Why don't you do it?"

Bakura shoved Seto. "No way! If Marik summons Slyfer, Ryou could get seriously hurt! We don't want to hurt Aten either."

"Unkie Puppy! Daddy! Daaaaaaaadyyyyyy!"

Malik was gripping onto Marik's shoulder. "We have to do something!"

"What's the matter, puppy??? You chicken?"

Joey spun around growling. "What?"

"OH…so the Puppy answers to his name! Come on, Duel me!"

"I am not a puppy!" Joey lifted his head to look at Ryou. Aten's cries could be heard behind the podium. Ryou's eyes were dark, void of any ight.

"Bakura, you duel Ryou."

Bakura shook his head. "I can't." Marik, I can't hurt Ryou, especially if

Aria is right here. I can't do it."

"You love him! You can talk sense into him!"

Bakura rolled his eyes. "Does it look like I've been successful, Ishtar?"

Joey sighed and pulled out his deck. "I'll do it. I'll duel for Aten."

The group looked at Joey. "My monsters will do the least damage to him."

Bakura looked back at his shaking hikari. "Alright, Joey. You do it. Just

don't hurt him."

Aria looked at Joey with large chibi eyes. "Unkie Puppy? Hewp my bwoudder,

puppy."

Joey kissed Aria's forehead and took his position.

Ryou watched Joey walk to the platform.

/Joey's gonna duel me?/

//He wants to take Aten away from you.//

/No...Joey can't take him away!/

//If you lose this battle, Joey will not only take Aten away, he will do the

same thing to Aten as Tim did to you.//

"Joey, I won't let you hurt Aten!"

Ryou, I'm your friend! I don't want to take your kid away!"

"Joey...."

//Don't listen to him! He's doing this to get your guard down! He wants

Aten. He wants Aten to be his slave like you were to Tim and Jessica.//

Ryou grabbed his hair. "STOP TALKING TO ME! I won't let you near Aten, you

sick, twisted bastard!

Bakura gripped the sides of the arena tightly. Ryou was breaking down. He

squinted trying to open the link with Ryou.

Bakura groaned and held is head. Marik and Seto grabbed him before he could

fall over. They helped Bakura to the ground. Aria whimpered and she ran to

her father grabbing his shirt.

"Daddy! Daddy, are you hurt??"

Bakura breathed deeply. "There's soemthingin Ryou's mind. Something is in my

soulroom."

Seto looked up at Ryou who closed his eyes and was mumbling to himself.

"What do you mean?"

"Either he is keeping me out intentionally or soemthing is keeping me out."

Bakura hugged his daughter as he breathed in heavily.

/Bakura's trying to open the link. Why are you keeping him out?/

Ryou opened his eyes and looked at Bakura on the ground with sweat covering

his face holding his daughter.

/ He looks like he's in pain./

//Good riddance. He hurt you.//

/I love him./

// Look at him!//

Ryou opened his eyes. His gaze pierced into his yami's eyes. /Bakura

stayed with me when I was sick. I was dying..../

//He wanted you to stay.//

/He would be lost without me./

//Without you, he wouldn't have anyone to beat up. He would not have anyone

to hate. Besides, without you alive, he can never....take you again.//

"ENOUGH! LET'S DUEL!"

Joey's POV

The lifepoint counter displayed 4000 for each of us. We drew five cards.

Ryou snickered at his hand. "I play one magic/trap card face down and one

card face down in attack mode. Let's see what you got, Joey!"

Ryou was terrible at poker faces. If he knew he had a good hand, he

couldn't keep a straight face. I looked at my hand. Not bad.

"I play Armored Lizard (1500 ATK) in attack mode! And once card face down.

Your turn."

Ryou picked up a card. "I play Demon Dream Ghost (1300 ATK) in Attack mode

and place two magic/trap cards face down! I'm ready for you, Joey!"

Ryou's monster appeared like out of some horror movie. It held a word and a

shield in its hand. My Armored Lizard was gonna take him down!

"Armored Lizard, attack his Demon Dream Ghost!"

Ryou laughed and revealed his face down card. The Malevolent Nuzzler. "This

raises my attack strength by bringing me up to 2000 Attack points!"

I had the cards to beat him. "I play Blast with Chain! It raises my attack

strength by 500 bringing my Lizard up to 2000 attack points! The same as

your monsters!"

"Oh no! My Ghost!....Ha! Reveal my face down card! Remove Trap! Now your

monster goes back down to 1500!"

My Armored Lizard disintegrated in front of me as his Dream Ghost attacked!

No...my Armored Lizard!" I lost 500 life points.

"How does that feel, Joey? I will beat you in this duel and keep Aten away

from you! You will learn never EVER to duel me! You call yourself a

duelist! Now you know what it's like to be kicked when you are down! How

does it feel, Joey!"

That was not our Ryou...

"Joey, you can't let Ryou take Aten away!" Malik called to me.

I went to answer him, and I thought about this. Ryou was dueling to keep

Aten. Ryou is still upset about what happened to him. Bakura did say he had

post traumatic syndrome. Maybe Ryou was having a panic attack. He would

never knowingly harm his kid. I couldn't hurt Ryou either. Maybe I should

let him win. Let him feel a little bit of power and control over his life.

If I let him get back some control over the duel maybe he'll snap out of it.

He's already winning, so that's no big deal.

Ryou picked up a card and he placed Earthbound Spirit (500 ATK) on the

field. "You're turn, loser."

Loser....I was so close to going over there and giving him a good swift

kick, but Ryou didn't know what he was talking about. His eyes didn't even

look like he recognized me...almost as if it wasn't even he who was dueling.

I looked at the card i picked up and put my Spirit of the Harp in defense

mode. That gave me 2000 points worth of protection."

"Joey, did you start dueling yesterday? Defense won't help you beat Ryou!"

Marik called to me.

"I can't attack Ryou! I have an idea!"

Bakura stood up with the help of Seto and Marik. Aria was still in his

hands.

"Unkie Puppy! Don't hurt my mommy!"

I wouldn't hurt him, Aria. I'm going to try to bring him back the best way I

knew how. "End turn."

Ryou laughed again. "My infants can duel better than you, Joey! Come to

think of it, ANYTHING can duel better than you! An inanimate object can win

this duel better than you can!"

I grit my teeth and bit my lip trying with everythig I had to stay quiet.

"You're pathetic, Joey! You're not even going to TRY to attack me, are you?!

I knew you were bad, but who knew you were this incompetent!"

I slammed my fist down. "I am NOT pathetic!" I hung my head trying to fight

back the tears. Ryou, I know what you are going through. My father used to

call me that, too. My father hated my guts. He kicked me out. I had no where

to go until Seto let me stay. My father called me pointless.

"Joey...."

I lifted my head to see Ryou's face clouded with worry. "Joey, are

you.......crying?"

I couldn't lift my head. I couldn't look Ryou in the eyes and show him how

upset I was. "My father thought I was a disappointment, too, Ryou. He

thought I wasn't worth his time or energy. He hated me like Steven hated

you. But I'm better for it, Ryou! Seto loves me! He takes care of me like

Bakura takes care of you!"

"Bakura......"

"Seto is everything to me, Ryou. It doesn't matter what my father said or

your father said. What matters is that we have people who love us and who

would do anything for us! That is what is important."

Ryou picked up a card, deaf to what I had said.

Ryou had two monsters on the field: Earthbound Spirit and Demon Dream Ghost.

I had nothing. I was wide open to an attack.

"I sacrifice both of my monsters to summon....THE DARK MAGICIAN!"

The Dark Magician appeared on Ryou's side of the field and we all heard

Aten's scream from behind the podium.

"NOT THE DARK MISHIN, MOMMY! NOT HIM!"

Aria smiled and clapped in Bakura's arms. "YEAH! THE DARK MISHIN!"

WHAT?? Since when did Ryou have that in his deck? "Hey, Bakura, since when

did Ryou have one of those in his deck?"

"The pharaoh's love slave gave it to Ryou for his birthday. Remember?"

"Ok! That answers since when! But why does he have it?"

Ryou looked up from beside the Dark Magician. "Because Yugi....is

my....fr...fr....friend."

Ryou once again lowered his head and he appeared to waver at the podium. My

Spirit of the Harp had no chance. The Dark Magician destroyed it. I had to

get a monster on the field! I picked up a monster card and placed it face

down. It may take time, but if I could summon my Tri-Horned Dragon (2850

ATK). Then I could defend myself better from a direct assault. Ryou wouldn't

give me the chance.

He attacked my Baby Dragon and then he summoned his Witch of the Black

Forest. This would not be good.

Ryou's POV

Joey didn't put up much of a fight. I didn't want to hurt him, but I

couldn't control myself. I had to protect Aten from Joey.

Did I really? What did Joey ever do to Aten? Joey cuddled Aten and loved

him like a son. Aten played with Joey and never gave me cause to question

what Joey and he were playing.

// Look at that cowering little puppy. He knows his time is coming to an

end. He know he is defeated. He only has 3500 life points.//

/But...it's Joey.....he's my friend./

//Did you hear Aten scream when you played the Dark Magician? Did you hear

his voluptuous, delicious, heavenly, and horrified terror-filled scream?

That is how he will scream as Joey digs his teeth into Aten's flesh. Do you

want to see that happen? It will happen right in front of you....like Steven

cutting your hair...all you will be forced to do is watch and cry.//

/................/

//Then I will feed on your screams. I will feed on your memories of your

father and Tim. After all.....I am feeding off your fears right now.//

/Who....who are you...and why are you doing this to me? What are you making

me do to Aten?/

I retreated into my cold soulroom and banged on the door to my yami's.

"Bakura, is that you? BAKURA! ANSWER ME!"

//Who am I?//

The door flew open knocking me down. The soulroom was filled with a dark

red light. A figure stepped out of my yami's soulroom. He stepped on the

concrete of my soulroom. As he walked, bloody footprints were left on the

ground.

//Who am I? I am all that made you who you are. I am your memories. Look

on me....look on my face.//

The figure stepped out of the shadows and my eyes opened wide. The figure

had white hair like my yami's. He had my father's eyes, and he was as young

as Tim.

I started to shake on the ground.

//You think we were rough on you, Ryou. Think! Now we are all together! Your

memories of what Bakura, Steven, and Tim did to you created me. I am the

hatred you bear them. I am the abuse you suffered. I am.....your other

dark.//

I shook my head crawling backwards to a corner. / This cannot be! Bakura is

my yami! I love him!/

//Did you love him like this?// The figure snapped his fingers and on the

bed in my soulroom was Bakura was on top of me. My arms were bound to the

headboard and he was pushing himself into me with intensity. He growled, he

snarled. He lost patience with me. He backhanded me because I refused to

come for him as fast as he wanted. //Is that how much he loves you? You do

not climax as fast as he wants and he slaps you?//

I hid my eyes. / I can't watch this....../

The figure took me and spun me around holding me still. //If you loved your

yami like this, then there should be no problem.// Bakura pounded into me

quicker and harder, digging his nails into my stomach. I remembered praying

that he would just finish and get it over with. Bakura grit his teeth and

leaned over me. He finally collapsed. I was still shaking. Bakura climbed

off of me and grabbed his ass. "I think I tore an ass muscle. I'll be right

back. And if you don't Ra-damn come for me this time, I'll make sure you do

when I get back!"

/I can't! I can't! I can't watch this!/

//And you never will, Ryou. You can't face me in the face// The figure

kneeled on the ground in front of me. //You will never be able to get rid of

me, Ryou. I am part of you...I am your father....i am your yami....I am

Tim....I am everything you hate. Everything you are afraid to face. I am

your pain, your hate, your anger, your helplessness. My job is to protect

you from further harm. That is my job.//

A drop of sweat fell down my face as I heard a voice outside my

consciousness call out to me. "Ryou! We gonna continue duelin' or what?"

//Insolent little snot! We'll show him, Ryou!//

I opened my eyes and saw Joey on the other side of the dueling arena. The

Dark Magician was standing in front of me. Aten was clutching onto my leg

terrified of seeing the Duel monster.

//Make him attack Joey.//

"Witch of the Black Forest....attack........attack....." I couldn't let Joey

get hurt. This voice was too strong for me to fight now."WITCH OF THE

BLACK FOREST ATTACK JOEY'S LIFEPOINTS DIRECTLY!"

My witch hit Joey.....she hit my friend and his lifepoints reached 2400.

One hit by my Dark Magician would topple him. Why wasn't he trying to win?

Why isn't he fighting back?

Joey staggered back and I gasped. Please, Joey, don't be hurt....

"Joey....are...you....hurt?"

Joey stood up wiping his forehead.

//He's weakened! Finish him off! BEAT THAT DOGGIE DOWN!//

"DARK MAGICIAN ATTACK JOEY! AND THE REST OF HIS LIFEPOINTS!!!"

"Dark Mishin attack!" Aria cheered as the Dark Magician attacked Joey. Joey

fell off podium.

I shook my head. Joey was hurt! I had to help him! It's all my fault! I

jumped down from the podium grabbed Aten and holding him close to me. I

followed everyone to Joey.

//Aww....poor doggie's down......what a shame...//

I put Aten down and he kissed Joey's cheek frantically. "Unkie Puppy? Wake

up!"

I smoothed Joey's hair back. He didn't even put up a fight! "Joey, I'm so

sorry! I didn't mean it!"

Seto took Joey's pulse as Joey's eyes opened.

"What...just happened?"

"I dueled you, Joey. I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you," I said more

apologetically than ever in my life. "I'm so sorry, Joey."

"S'ok, Ryou...You feeling ok?"

//Tell him how you feel, Ryou.//

"What happened, Joey?"

Bakura and Marik and Seto looked at me. "You don't remember?" Seto asked me.

"No. I don't."

"You dueled Joey. Joey lost."

"I…lost on purpose. I wanted Ryou to feel better. I wanted him to see that he still has power over himself and Aten. Ryou, I know how it feels to have an asshole of a dad. "

"I don't even remember challenging him to a duel!"

Bakura brushed my hair back. "You don't remember? You kidnapped Aten."

I grabbed Aten and hugged him. "I'm sorry, Aten. I didn't mean to hurt you.

My poor little boy."

Joey let out a sigh and a groan as he tried to stand up.

Seto shook his head. "It looks like we won't be able to do much tonight,

Pup-sicle."

"No Joeypop?????"

"I never said that."

Aria pulled on Seto's jacket. "I wike Popsticles! I want one!"

Seto and Joey exchanged glances. "I don't think you want this kind of

popsicle, kid."

Aria cuddled into Seto despite his "popsicle" references.

We all helped Joey up into Seto's bed. Bakura pulled me over to the side.

"Ryou, I'm worried about you. What's wrong?"

My eyes got teary as I saw him in my mind hovering above me with his face

contorted in sickening pleasure.

I wrapped my arms around him. "Just hold me, yami......please......just hold

me."

Update: I will update on Friday, guys! Oral report to do on Thursday,.