Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Hostile Takeover ❯ Drained ( Chapter 33 )

Amane Bakura: Hey, you know…who's got daddy's bloodlust. I haven't figured out Aria's future occupation yet. But, thief sounds like it will fit her. And as far as that Bakura and Aria moment went, even I was sniffly.

bakachibi voidfox: Aria will be ok. Bakura will be too.

joeyrules: Aten is adorable! *squishes aten*

Valea: Aten will always have his art. Art will continue to be a part of his life even until he reaches adolescence.

Malik Lover and anzu basher: I will have more evil updates soon…very soon.

yamis lawer: they won't find out about aku until much later. I have plans first.Yami and Bakura have always been at each other's necks. This was just a cataylst.

Lady Elfskye: *hands bat and steven plushie* there. hurt that.

Dragondreamer: Aten is a little cutie. *Yami falls over holding his crown jewels*

Shadow of Light: Sicky is not fun. Art is going to be important to Aten through his life. Even when he gets older, art is his escape.

Malik Lover and Anzu basher: I think that new penname could work. And Seto shouldn't wear clothing. It's against the laws of nature.

Drained

Ryou yawned and opened his eyes from his nap. Beside him, Aria was sitting up smiling and hugging her pink bunny plushie. Her face didn't look flushed anymore and her skin had regained some of its healthy color.

Ryou smiled up at her. "Hello, baby girl. Are you feeling better?"

Aria nodded and smiled. "Mommy, you're funny when you sleep," the chibi giggled.

A sigh of relief came from Ryou as he pet his daughter's cheek softly. "I'm glad you're feeling better, my angel."

Aria looked down as her tummy growled. "My belly is talking to me, mommy."

Ryou sat up and grinned. "It is? What is it saying?"

Ryou took Aria into his arms and laid her on the bed. "Let me listen! What's your belly saying?"

Ryou lifted her shirt and pressed his ear to Aria's belly. The chibi arched her back, smiling and squealing. Aria fisted her hands in Ryou's white hair.

"Mommy, that tickles!"

Ryou laughed as her belly growled again. "You're belly is talking! Let me answer it!" Ryou pressed his lips to her belly and blew on it, sending little ripples across her skin. The little girl squealed and tried to curl up into a ball.

Ryou pressed his ear to her tiny belly and listened. He could hear her little heart beat frantically with her play. The stomach growled again and Ryou gave a squeal of his own.

"I HEARD IT AGAIN!"

Ryou created the ripple motion again and tears came down from Aria's face.

"That tickles, mommy!"

Ryou looked down at her and she curved her tiny back. "My little

girl wants some dinner?"

Aria nodded. "Yes. I'm hungy, mommy!"

Ryou bit his lip, trying to fight the urge to hug her until she stopped breathing. "Let's get my girl something to eat, then!"

Ryou put her on his shoulders and checked on Marik.

"Malik…….don't hurt Aten and Aria….leave her alone."

Ryou approached and took Marik's hand. "Marik? Are you hungry? You haven't eaten at all in two days."

Marik shook his head. "Can't eat…."

Ryou sighed. "Marik, you'll have to eat sometime. You can't just lay here. We need you."

Marik buried his face in the pillow. Ryou sighed and brushed his hands through Marik's blonde hair.

He carried Aria downstairs as someone knocked on the door. Ryou froze.

Ryou put Aria down and crept to the window by the door to see who it was. To his relief, it was Joey with Aten.

Ryou opened the door and Aten wrapped his arms around Ryou's leg. "Hewwo, Mommy!"

"How is my little boy, hmm?"

Aten smiled and looked up at his mother with large, bright chibi eyes. "Dees peetle tame into Unkie Puppy's tudio and wooked at my painings! Dey weawwy wuffed my painings, mommy!"

Ryou ruffled the child's hair. "That's my boy!"

Joey clenched his fists excitedly. "When I have my next show, the Museum Gallery Board Members want to see Aten's paintings with my own! They also said they would like to have one of Aten's paintings in the museum!"

The white-haired boy's mouth hung open and his eyes widened in shock. Slowly, his hand raised to his chest.

"Well? Doesn't that sound cool?"

Ryou stood there motionless.

"Ryou? Say something."

Ryou shook his head. "I think I need a pill." Ryou turned and walked into the kitchen. Aria clung to Joey's leg, preventing from him following Ryou.

"Unkie Puppy, I'm not sick anymore!"

Joey picked her up and kissed her. "'I'm glad, baby girl. Listen. You and Aten go play for a little bit. I have to speak to your mother."

Aria nodded. "Okay, Unkie Puppy! Come here, Aten!" Aria lead Aten over to her dolls as Joey went into the kitchen. Ryou was sitting at the kitchen table with five heart pills.

"Ryou?"

"This is all the medication Aten and I have left," Ryou said with a sigh.
Joey walked up to Ryou and put a hand on his shoulder. "Well, you need to refill the prescription."

Ryou buried his face in his hands. "With what money?"

"Umm...health insurance."

"Marik lost his job, Joey."

Joey scratched his head. "Oh yeah. Well, when he gets a new one, he'll--."

"He's not looking for a new one, Joey. He's upstairs laying on his bed recovering."

"Recovering from what?"

Ryou turned around and wrapped his arms around Joey's waist. "Malik….raped Marik. And now Marik doesn't do anything but rock and mutter and cry to himself!"

Joey looked into the living room and saw the chibis playing with the dolls and watched Aten cringe at the sight of the naked male doll in his hand.

"But, Ryou, you should know what he is going through."

Ryou removed Joey from his embrace. "I feel for Marik's problems. I really do, Joey. But, when I was with my father, I knew I had an obligation. I had a job to do. I had to keep Aten safe. Yes, there were times when even the slightest movement was like a stab with a hot poker, but I still had to make sure my son was clean, happy, and fed. I and a duty to do and so does Marik." Ryou saw Aten put two male dolls together and made them kiss. An almost pained look was on his face. Aria cocked her head to the side and scratched her head in confusion. "You know, I would go out and find a job. But, who will take care of my children? Day care is no good. I don't trust Aten or Aria with strangers too easily. Marik isn't responding to anyone or anything. Bakura is gone because Yami sealed him in the Millennium Ring."

Joey sighed. "Maybe I can go up and talk to Marik. He may not listen to me, but it's worth a shot."

Ryou returned the pills to their container.

"You know, Ryou, if Aten sells one of his paintings, you'd have enough money for the medication."

Ryou nodded. "We would. And Aten has another doctor's appointment with Zira soon. If I can't pay for the appointment then, he won't worry about it then. I hope he understands."

"Zira's a good guy. He'll understand. I'll be right back."

Joey went upstairs to talk to Marik. Marik just looked blankly at Joey when he entered.

Joey stood beside the bed with his arms folded. "Ryou needs you, Marik."

"Nobody needs me."

"He can't take care of the kids without you, man! C'mon and haul your carcass out of bed!"

Marik shook his head. "I cannot leave this bed."

"Marik, we know you are confused and hurt. Ryou and I know what you are going through, but you have to think about your son! Aten needs you! You know what he went through, Marik! Aten went through this, too. And if you lay here, ignoring him, then he's going to get the message that this is the correct way to handle what happened to him!" Joey looked at the floor covered in Aten's drawings saying, 'I Love My Daddy!"

"Aten's downstairs playing, Marik. He's being a kid. Are you going to get out of bed and take care of your responsibilities like an adult?"

Marik looked up at Joey and groaned. Marik didn't move.

"Do what you want, Marik. But, Aten needs his father. Aten needs to know that his father is always there for him. Aten learns from you, Marik. And I can tell you right now, you are teaching him all the wrong lessons."

Joey put his hands on his hips. "Aten's going to learn that it's not alright to talk about your feelings, let alone have them! He's going to learn it is better to avoid the problem than handling what happened. Aten is learning right now that it's ok to let something like this ruin or run your life. What happened to me, Marik, does not run my life! I am in control of my life and I refuse to let my father get the better of me no matter what he did! Aten is going to suffer because of this, Marik. Ignoring Aten is the worst thing you could do at this point in his life…especially when you both suffered the same way. It's up to you, Marik. Only you can make that decision."

Joey left the room and went downstairs. He saw Aten with the two male dolls.

Aten bit his lip as the one male doll kissed the other male doll. Aria scratched her hair. "Aten, why are John and Michael kissing? Are they going somewhere?"

"No. Chon no wike tissing."

"Oh. Then why are they doing it?"

Aten bit his lip harder as Aten pulled the two dolls apart. He put one doll on its back and moved the other doll away.

"Chon will tum back. He's doe-ing to det tumeting to pway wif."

Aria nodded. "What are they going to play? Do you want my horsie doll and they can ride the horsie?"

Aten shook his head sadly. "No. Chon wans to pway wif tumeting else."

Joey kneeled down to Aten, knowing Aten was acting out what happened to him with the dolls. Joey knew play therapy when he saw it. "What does John want to play with, Aten?"

Aten looked at the doll laying on its back and sniffled. "I no wan to pway wif de dowwies anymore, Awia. I'm doe-ing to pway in my woom." Aten stood up hurriedly and struggled up the stairs.

Joey returned to the kitchen and saw Ryou sitting with a hot cup of tea.

"Aten's using his dolls to re-enact what he went through. I just thought you should know."

Ryou sighed. "Well, he doesn't understand what happened to him, really. He's using his dolls to cope. Any luck with Marik?"

Joey shook his head. "Nope. Well, I gave him a talk, so, let's see if that works."

Ryou nodded. "I'll take care of them, Joey. Even if I have to do it myself. Alone."

"Do you have dinner for yourself and Marik?"

Ryou stood up and checked the cabinets. "I'll need some milk for Aten. I have vegetables and meat for dinner. Can you also pick up some chocolate chips? I have to replace the chocolate chip cookies that were ruined the other day."

Ryou reached into a jar. "Here's our debit card. There should be enough in the bank to cover it. We don't carry much cash except for emergencies." Ryou gave Joey the PIN number.

Joey nodded. "Okay, buddy. You stay here and I will go get some groceries for you. Anything else?"

"No. I can't get anything else if I want to have barely enough for Aten's doctor's appointment."

***********************

Joey went to the grocery store and bought chocolate chips and milk for Ryou. He went to the cashier and handed the girl the debit card.

"I'm sorry, sir. The card was rejected."

"Rejected?"

"Insufficient funds."

"'Insufficient funds?' There should be money in there."

The girl shook her head. "Sorry, sir."

Joey pulled out a ten dollar bill and paid the girl. Joey bought the groceries and returned to Ryou's home. The blond put the groceries in the refrigerator.

Ryou called the bank. There should have been a few hundred dollars in there at least! Plenty to cover chocolate chips and a gallon of milk!

"Sorry, sir. That bank account has been wiped clean. All of the money has been withdrawn and the account has been closed."

Ryou leaned against the wall trying to breathe slowly. "That can't be right!"

"It is, sir. The account was closed by Mr. Malik Ishtar this morning."

Ryou's bottom lip trembled. "We….we have no money?"

"Not if the account is closed, sir. I'm sorry. You could come in tomorrow morning and open a new account if you wish. We could make an appointment."

Tears fell down Ryou's cheek. "I have a sick three year old who needs heart medication to live and I have no money??!! My son will die if he doesn't have his medicine!"

"I empathize with your situation, sir, but I cannot do anything if the account is closed. We do, however, offer loans to fit your financial needs."

Ryou slammed the phone down angrily. Ryou backed against the wall and wrapped his arms around himself.

//Ryou?//

/Malik closed our account, yami! I have….We have no money./

//CLOSED THE ACCOUNT??! Why?//

/I don't know! I don't know!/

Joey brought Ryou into a hug. "Don't worry, Ryou. You can count on me!"

"If my account was clean, how did you get the milk and chips?"

Joey shrugged. "I took care of it, man! Don't worry about it."

"Thank you, Joey."

Aria ran into the room and pulled on Ryou's pants, tears in her little brown eyes. "Mommy, I'm really hungry!"

"I better feed these two, Joey. Thank you for the groceries."

"No problem, man. I'll check up on you tomorrow."

Ryou nodded. "Okay, Joey."

Joey left as Ryou started dinner for his children.

********************

Joey returned home. Hayden was waiting for Joey at the Security Desk. When he arrived, Security told him that he had a visitor in the library.

Joey took Hayden's hand and lead him to the elevator. "Who's in the library, son?"

"Malik Ishtar."

"I wonder what he wants."

Hayden ran to his room as Joey proceeded to the library. Mokuba was sitting in front of the fireplace with a book. Malik sat on a high-backed chair looking gloomy.

"Malik? What are you doing here?" Joey growled, remembering what Ryou had told him. "Ryou told me all about what happened!"

Malik turned to Joey slowly and fell to his knees in front of Joey. "Joey, I don't know what got into me! Please, you have to help me!"

"Help you? HELP YOU? And why should I do that?"

Malik sniffled. "Because I don't know what's been wrong with me! All I know is I did something really bad to Marik! I have no where else to go! Ryou and Bakura won't let me near the house anymore!"

Joey folded his arms and growled as Malik sobbed on Joey's sneaker. "What do you want from me, Malik? You got yourself into this mess!"

Malik tugged on Joey's legs. "I don't! I don't know how I got myself into this mess! One moment everything was fine! Aten and Aria were starting school! My yami was in love with me! Ryou was hugging me and we were all right! Now, I can't go back to my house! Ryou won't talk to me! I've been living on the cold streets! And I don't know why everyone is mad at me!"

"You truly and honestly don't know why people are mad at you? You beat up your yami!"

Malik let out a whimper. "I don't remember it……..Please, Joey. Help me."

Joey looked at Mokuba watching them intently. "Do you know that I risk Mokuba and Hayden's well being if you stay with us?

"Please, Joey! I'm confused and scared," Malik cried, his body trembling and sobbing desperately. "You can post guards at my door if you want! I won't do anything to anyone!"

Joey rolled his eyes and shifted uncomfortably. "Fine. You can stay. But, I will be posting security guards at your door. I'm not risking Hayden or Mokuba being hurt. This is for one night only, Malik!"

Malik wrapped his arms around Joey and sobbed in relief. "Thank you, Joey! Thank you, oh thank you!"

***************

Malik laid in his bed. He sighed as he felt the soft covers envelop his body. He sighed in contentment as it was his first bed in three days.

//Time for me to go play, my little puppet. You rest. I have some more lives to ruin.//

Aku separated from Malik and stood in front of the sleeping boy. He could walk around and not be noticed by the guards. He had grown strong enough from his own hikari's mental anguish at harming his yami. He brushed back his white, spiky hair and grinned, revealing his canines in the moonlight.

Aku left the confines of his room and laughed at the ignorance of the guards standing outside the door. He was transparent as he casually strolled to the bedroom of his first victim of the night, Joey Wheeler.

Updates: Tomorrow

P.S.: No, nobody is safe from Aku, not even Joey. *evil laugh*