Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Every Time I Look At You ❯ Prologue ( Prologue )

*Ryou's POV *

I woke early in the morning with a sharp pain in my stomach. A bruise gave evidence of last night's beating. I'd only slightly burned the bread I was baking, but Bakura didn't seem to care. He took the rolling pin I'd used to make the rolls with and beat me with it. I felt a swell of nausea rise in my throat and tried to make it to the bathroom. I made it just short of the door, and aimed for the trashcan by my desk. I heard footsteps coming toward me. I leaned weakly against the hardwood desk as I felt a pair of hands grab me.

"Ryou, are you okay?" The normally icy voice seemed unusually soft and caring. Dark circles ringed his eyes, and I could tell he hadn't slept. The nausea finally hit me fully and I was unable to respond.

*Bakura's POV *

What possessed me to behave that way? I looked down at the snowy haired boy. His thin body shook violently with each wave. I know it was mainly nerves, he'd been throwing up since last night. I saw bruises all over his body. What possessed me to hurt him like that? I watched helplessly as he heaved. Finally the storm seemed to have passed and I took him in my arms. He trembled, and I don't blame him. If someone beat me for a simple mistake, I'd be frightened too. I wasn't always this mean, this hateful beast I've become. I wish I could show this child how much I care for him. He's shaking harder now, and I look down at him. His pale face has taken on an even paler hue. I look at the floor and sigh, feeling my anger surge once more. I try to stop my anger, and this time, much to my relief, it subsides. I scoop him up in my arms and carry him into the bathroom. I undress him as I prepare him a bath. I help him ease into the water, then go back to his room to clean up the small mess when he missed the trashcan. I've tried over the past few months to not beat him. Last night was one of the few times I've slipped. I started to take anger management classes after child protective services stepped in and threatened me. I only hit him four times, but each strike left a nasty bruise. I stayed up all night watching him sleep fitfully. I know that the beating brought back bad memories for him.

"B-Bakura?" I hear his voice call me from within the bathroom. "I-I n-need some h-help." He's still frightened. I can't blame him. I walk into the room and see him sitting up in the water. I grab a soft towel and help him out of the tub.

*Ryou's POV *

Bakura's changed a lot over the months. I know he had a bad day yesterday, and I should have been more attentive to my cooking. It's not my fault he did this. It's hard to tell myself that, but it's true. He's even stopped raping me. That's a relief for me, though I miss the feel of him inside me. Even though it always started rough, he soon lost control and his true feelings emerged. He hasn't touched me since he started those classes, and the beatings have become almost non-existant. He helped me out of the tub and carried me to bed.

"I called the school and said you were sick. If they send someone, I'll just show them the trashcan." His brown eyes twinkled. He knew the school wouldn't send anyone now.

I reached over and picked up the remote to my CD player. Bakura hated it because it made sounds from which he couldn't figure out where they came. He liked some of the music I listened to. I pushed play and laid back as soft melodic music spilled forth.

"So, since you are not going to school today, and I called in to work saying I had to take care of you, why don't we spend the day getting to know each other better?" I smiled to myself and snuggled closer. I felt his fingers trace slight patterns around the bruises he'd inflicted on me the night before. It felt nice to have him hold me. I felt my stomach announce the fact that it was empty. Bakura heard the soft grumble and got up. He went to the door then turned back to me.

"I'm going to fix you a small breakfast, then if you can hold it down, I'll fix you something else."

*Bakura's POV *

I went down the stairs and walked into the kitchen. I put some bread in the toaster to toast then put water in the teakettle. Just as the water began to boil, I heard the doorbell chime. I went to the door and saw a caseworker from child protective services standing on the doorstep. I opened the door. She wore a look of concern.

" Hello, I'm Margie Abernathy from Child Protective."

"I know where you are from, Ms. Abernathy. I can probably guess why you are here too. It's because I called in to the school that Ryou is ill today." The woman nodded. She stepped in.

"Can I see him?" I guess she wanted to see for herself that he was sick. " I just want to see him, ask him how he's feeling." She put her hand on my arm, sensing my hesitation.

"Mr. Bakura, I know you are receiving classes in anger management, and I know that you do slip up. I also know that Ryou's had troubles with his nerves before he met you. His father beat him when he was growing up." I nodded and pointed her to the stairs. Then I remembered the state of dress Ryou was in, so I stopped her.

"Ryou just got out of the bath before you got here, let me make sure he's decent." She smiled and nodded. She followed me up the stairs, and waited outside his room while I went in.

"Ryou, someone with CPS is here to see you." The sight that greeted me took my breath away. Ryou had put on a tee shirt and boxers, and was fast asleep under his covers. I opened the door, and Ms. Abernathy stepped inside. Ryou's cheeks were paler than usual. She saw the trashcan by his desk, and began to write in her notebook. She went to his bedside and pulled back the sheet. She pulled up his shirt slightly, and saw one small bruise. It wasn't one I'd placed on him. He may have gotten it this morning when he was rushing to the bathroom. She pulled the shirt back down and pulled his covers back over him. She patted his hair, and his brown eyes opened.

"Margie?" He sat up. Obviously he knew her. I heard the whistle of the teapot and ran down the steps.

*Ryou's POV *

Margie sat down on my bed and pulled me into an embrace. I knew her well; she'd been my caseworker when I lived with my dad. True my dad did worse things than Bakura did; she'd seen me through a lot.

"Ryou, I want to ask you, did Bakura hurt you last night? You know me; I don't put it in your file unless you are seriously hurt. That last year with your dad, I think you spent more time in a hospital than you did at home. Bakura's beatings must feel like love pats compared to your dad."

"He hit me because I burned the bread, I was sick last night, and while I was in the bathroom, I guess the bread got a tiny bit overdone." I blushed. "He had a very bad day at work, and though I know it was no reason to hurt me, I guess that was the proverbial straw that broke the camels back. He felt so bad that he stayed up all night watching me."

"Ah, so that's why he was reluctant to let me see you. He doesn't know me well, huh?" She smiled. "I've seen you less dressed than this. I think I shocked him when I checked you for bad brusing. The reason I'm here today is because his job called me when he called in saying you were sick. The thought that he'd beaten you badly then was staying home to make sure you didn't leave the house. I know from our session yesterday that you were sick, so I came just to make sure you are okay."

I've known Ms. Abernathy for over ten years. She's been sort of a mother to me, I'd begged her long ago not to report most of Bakura's beatings. She promised, as long as I didn't require medical treatment for them. Bakura never really hurt me very bad when he did beat me. Footsteps sounded on the steps, and Yugi and Joey burst into my room.

"Hey Ryou, I heard you were sick." He blushed and pulled his arm from behind his back. In his hand, he held a small pot of miniature roses.

They turned and left, not wanting to be late for school, I guess. Margie put the roses in the windowsill and came back to sit by me.

"Margie, when Bakura comes back upstairs, I want to talk to him alone. There is something I have to tell him." She nodded and began to gather her stuff up. Bakura reappeared with a tray. He put the tray down on my bedside table and left to show Margie out.

When he came back, I took his hands in mine, and took a deep breath.

"Bakura, there is something I have to tell you, and this can wait no longer."

Before I could say another word, Bakura pulled me into a deep kiss.

To be continued…