Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The Yami Virus ❯ Reminders ( Chapter 30 )

Note: The cards that Ryou uses in his duel with Yugi are from the new "Ancient Sanctuary" booster packs! I want "The End of Anubis!" *whines and stamps foot*

Liann: There's not going to be a seto x Ryou lemon, but I am writing a one-shot "what if" lemon between them that will be posted separately from the story.

Little Uke Io: This story is also on mediaminer.org and also on my website. So, if AFF net is down, try there. It's under 'bakurasgirl' there, too.

star: Aria's blood doesn't cure the virus. There's so much more I want to do with this story.

Kura Magician Girl: Enjoy your vacation!

Broken Time: There's not going to be a Yami x Bakura NCS until later.

Valea: Everyone will be there for Yugi.

I Is Me: Yami's not going to get a chance to hurt Bakura…yet.

Reminders

Seto passed Ryou and sat on the bed. Ryou approached Seto slowly. The CEO looked up at Ryou who stood between his legs.

Ryou reached down and stroked Seto's face. "Tell me what's wrong, Seto."

Seto lifted Ryou's shirt and buried his face in the white-haired boy's stomach. "Ryou….it's about Jaimen."

"He's a beautiful little boy."

Ryou felt tears fall on his belly. "Seto? Why are you crying?"

"Ryou….I feel so violated. I feel….responsible. I feel…..like it's happened all over again."

Ryou stroked Seto's hair. "Who are you talking about?"

"Jaimen. Jaimen is my son."

"You've told us that, Seto. Who's his mother? Did you adopt him?"

Seto shook his head and buried his face in Ryou's stomach. This had always been his comfort, even before Ryou had become pregnant.

"Ryou, I was raped….by a woman."

Ryou bit his lip and kneeled down between Seto's legs to look the other man in the blue eyes. "Seto…I….I never knew."

"Only one person knew….Alex. He works here still. But, he knew. I never told anyone besides Alex. I did tell Joey when we first started sleeping together."

Ryou cupped Seto's face in his open hands. "Poor Seto."

"I was still in high school. I must have been only fourteen at the time. I was young and cocky. I thought I had recovered from my step-father's abuse, that I could wash it all away. I could pretend it didn't exist. One day, I brought in a woman and told her I was cutting her funding to her genetics research lab. This is the same woman who kidnapped Aria."

Ryou felt a spark of rage flow through him. It didn't come from his yami. It came from him. His maternal instincts wanted to track down this woman or her corpse and make her suffer a myriad of deaths.

"This woman held me down on my desk…and raped me. I didn't know what to do, Ryou. I was frozen! I didn't know I had fathered a child! Hell, I don't even know what the odds are that I was so young and fathered a child!"

Ryou's jaw dropped. "Jaimen is that child, isn't he?"

Seto nodded and stood up, pacing angrily. "I love Jaimen! But, it kills me to look at him! It kills me to say his name! His presence in every way, shape, and form kills me! He's a constant reminder of that day! He's a constant reminder of what that bitch did to me! Now I have to raise the kid whom I did not choose to create!"

Ryou sat on the bed. "The child cannot help that he was fathered by such a cruel act, Seto. It must be hard for you."

"Hard? HARD???! RYOU! You try living with a child who reminds you every day of your pain! You try living with a child who was a product of someone hurting you like that! You don't know what it's like! Try looking into the eyes of your child and not have it break your heart to know that your child was a product of an act of hate and violence!"

Ryou stood up. He was never afraid of standing up to Seto. "First, Seto, I do live with two children who remind me of pain. I went through pain to bring them into this world! Bakura doesn't force me anymore, but, there's not a day that goes by that I don't look at Aria and think that, even though I love her to death, her father is the one who constantly beat and tortured me for four years. My child came from my assailant."

"But, you love your assailant! You married him for Ra's sake! I didn't love Diane!"

"But, Seto, I do live with a child who is a product of someone who hurt me. That is my point. I do love Bakura, Seto. I loved him when he was beating me senseless, too. Same thing with Aten. Before Bakura changed his ways, he used to lend me out to Marik. Marik hurt me so many times I can't count. But, Aten was fathered by Marik. I love Marik and Bakura, but it doesn't change the fact of what they used to do to me."

Seto continued to pace the room angrily. "If I had just fought back that bitch, I wouldn't have to go through this now! Jaimen is a constant reminder of what she did to me, Ryou! That's always going to be on my mind! If I hadn't climaxed from it, I wouldn't have to worry about this shit! But, no! I had to give in to my own body's fucking pleasure! GOD DAMN THAT WOMAN!"

Seto tugged at his hair with fury.

Ryou ran to the CEO and put his arm around him. "Seto, I understand." Seto needed a comforting shoulder…someone to whom he could rant and rave and scream.

Seto wrapped his arm around Ryou and wept. "Why did she have to do that to me, Ryou? Why…?"

Ryou stroked the CEO's brown hair. "I don't know, baby."

"Why did my body have to react?"

"You couldn't help it. It wasn't your fault."

"Ryou, I'm worthless….I've messed up his life….I messed up everything."

Ryou kissed Seto's cheek. "You haven't messed up everything. If Jaimen is such a harsh reality for you, why not send him somewhere else? You know, someplace where you can visit him."

Seto shook his head. "I have to keep him with me. The legal documents say so. I could just pay off whomever. It's worked in the past. But, I can't have him go somewhere else."

Ryou looked Seto in the eyes. "Seto, this isn't easy. You need to know that you are not responsible for what happened. Jaimen is a little boy who needs his father."

"Tell me about it! He's been following me around all morning. He follows my every move. The kid's starved for affection."

Ryou nodded. "You both need time to adjust to each other. His entire arrival has been a shock to your system. No only do you have to adapt to the fact that you fathered him, you must also adapt to the facts surrounding the circumstances under which he was created. Both are very taxing to your psyche, Seto."

Seto rested his head on Ryou's shoulders. "It's never surprised me how clear you can make things seem sometimes, Ryou."

Ryou nuzzled his cheek into Seto's hair. "You can always count on me, Seto, for an ear and a shoulder."

Seto brushed Ryou's cheek lightly. "I know I can, Ryou. I'm sorry for going off on you. I just really needed to blow off some steam."

Ryou nodded. "I know. Don't worry about it, Seto. I was wondering. Can Yugi and I borrow your dueling arena downstairs? I really need to blow off some steam with a good duel. I brought my disk and my deck."

Seto snickered, moving his hand down and stroking Ryou's hip gently. "You did say 'deck' right?"

Ryou rolled his eyes, laughing. "Yes, I said 'deck,' Seto Kaiba! What do you think I said?" Ryou asked innocently.

Seto and Ryou broke into laughter. Seto wiped a tear away.

"Yeah, sure, you can use my dueling arena. I think we all need a diversion."

"Bakura's going to need to lay down. He won't be able to take standing for a duel."

Seto nodded. "He can take the spare bedroom for now. Jaimen is sleeping there now, but, it's just for a little bit."

"I just need a little break. Even for the length of one duel, I want to forget that I have a dying husband. I want to forget that I'm a parent and just go back to the way things used to be. I need a break from being a mommy and a husband."

Seto nodded. "Understandable, angel. Sometimes you just need to get away. I love Hayden to death, but sometimes I need a break."

Ryou smiled at him. "Do you feel better now?"

Seto took Ryou in his arms. "You always find some way to make it better. I love you, Ryou."

Ryou gave a contented sigh. "I love you, too, Seto. Maybe that's why I put up with you."

Seto and Ryou held each other, standing still.

"It's been a long time since we held each other like this, Seto."

Seto buried his fingers in white locks of hair. "It's been too long, my white-haired angel."

Ryou gave another sigh. With all that had happened, this is a moment he didn't want to end. Seto's arms always offered a comfortable kind of security that nobody else could offer him….not even Bakura.

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

Marik watched as Yugi and Yami walked down the hall. Yugi's skin on his hands and his face had wrinkles. Yugi's hair was turning a sickly gray.

The yami gripped his Rod tightly as Yami approached him.

"Hello…thief."

Marik's lip curled in disgust. "Hello…..Lifeforce-Stealer."

Yami narrowed his eyes. "I don't know what you are talking about."

Yugi saw Bakura standing in the hallway with Malik. Bakura was affectionately petting the velvet curtains in the hallway.

Marik gripped Yami's collar. "You're stealing Yugi's lifeforce, aren't you? You want to stay young…you don't look like you've aged a day."

Yami sneered at the wrinkled, gray-haired yami. "Get your hands off of me, you old….broken….decaying… man," Yami said calmly.

Marik's hair twitched. "Stop stealing Yugi's lifeforce."

Yami chuckled. "What are you going to do? Beat me with your cane?"

Marik grit his teeth against a wave of pain and he fell forwards on Yami.

Yami smiled as he looked down. "I may be a Lifeforce Stealer….but I do not suffer the pain of yami death."

A whimper of pain came from Marik's throat as he leaned against Yami. "I will not steal Malik's lifeforce…..I love him. You used to love Yugi….."

Yami ran his fingers through his brightly colored hair. "I do not age. I do not suffer the pains that you do. Who is the lucky one?"

Marik pushed himself off of Yami and stared the other in the eyes. "You may be the lucky one, but who is the loyal one? I'm loyal to Malik….I will not let him suffer the pain of my death."

Yami pat Marik on the cheek. "Then you are a greater fool than I took you for, Yami Marik Ishtar."

Yami walked away and stood in front of Bakura. "What's he doing?"

Malik put a hand on Bakura's shoulder. "Petting the curtains."

Bakura smiled at the velvet material. "So pretty……..curtains…."

Yami laughed. "Once the most feared thief in Egypt. The King of Thieves…scourge of ancient Egypt….murderer…rapist….reduced to nonsensical mumblings and petting curtains! Can this day get any better?"

Yugi glared at Yami. "You're no better than him, Yami."

Yami crossed his arms quietly in response.

Bakura turned to Malik. "Ryou…..sleepy. I'm so tired."

Yami laughed at the other wrinkled gray-haired yami. "Time to put the baby to bed, Malik Ishtar."

Malik took Bakura's hand. "Let's go, Bakura. I'll put you to bed."

"Are you going to come to my duel with Ryou?"

Malik looked at Bakura, another line of drool coming from the corner of his mouth. "Someone has to stay with Bakura at all times. He panics if he's alone and he has wandered away from the house."

Yami snickered.

Malik growled. "It's not funny! Bakura has Alzheimer's disease! He's very sick."

Yami walked away, uninterested.

"I'll stay with Bakura, Yugi. Tell me who wins! Good Luck!"

Yugi hugged Malik and Bakura. "I will!"

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

Ryou and Yugi stepped up on the Dueling Arena. The duelists slapped their Duel Disk to their arms. Ryou smiled at Yugi and brushed his long, white hair behind his shoulders.

"Ready to duel, Yugi?"

Yugi grinned, narrowing his eyes at his friend. "I'm ready!"

"DUEL!"

Aria and Aten cheered from the side of the arena. "GO MOMMY!"

Aten jumped up and down. "That's my mommy dueling!"

Aria squealed. "GO MOMMY!"

Both duelist drew their cards.

Joey cheered, jumping up and down like the kids. "GO YUGI!"

Seto crossed his arms as he grinned at Ryou. 'Go, Ryou,' he thought.

Ryou called to Yugi. "You start, old chap!"

Yugi drew a card. "I play Great White (1600/800) in attack mode! Then one magic/trap card face down. End turn!"

Ryou drew a card. "I'm placing one magic/trap card face down. I play "Emissary of the Afterlife" (1600/600). We have to each pick one normal level 3 monster or lower from our decks and show each other what we have picked. That card goes into our hands and then we have to shuffle our decks. End turn."

Yugi picked The Giant Soldier of Stone (1300/2000). Ryou picked Sangan.

They shuffled their deck and Yugi picked up a card. "I play The Giant Soldier of Stone in defense mode. I play one magic/trap card face down. End turn."

Ryou picked up a card. "I sacrifice my "Emissary of the Afterlife" and I summon "The End of Anubis" (2500/0) in attack mode! As long as he remains on the field, all of the effects from your trap, magic, and monster cards that designates a monster in my graveyard as a target are negated!"

Aria and Aten jumped up and down. "Anubis!"

"Anubis, wipe out Yugi's Great White now!"

The spectators watched as the fiend destroyed Yugi's monster, reducing Yugi's lifepoints to 2400.

Yugi picked up a card and grinned. "I summon the Wall of Illusion in defense mode! Now you can't attack it if you don't want Anubis to return to your hand! I also play Sparks! You lose 200 Life Points."

Ryou laughed. "I play "The Key That Opens the Door to Hell"! Since your damage to me is not battle damage, the damage goes to you! Bringing you down to 2200!"

Yugi looked up from his duel disk. "End turn."

Ryou drew a card and played "Agent of Creation-Venus" (1600/0) in attack mode.

Yami narrowed his eyes. Ryou was an agent of creation….he created Aria and Aten. As a woman, Ryou had given birth to his enemies from ancient Egypt.

Yami turned his back on the dueling arena. He had once celebrated Ryou's pregnancy, believing his children would not possess yami strengths. However, he had been proven wrong.

Both Ryou's son and daughter had powers of a yami. And both had the potential for being, in his eyes, dangerous murderers. They would become no better than their sires…..a thieves and murderers.

Yami left the arena, no longer interested in Yugi's duel with Ryou. Someone else was on his mind.

Someone who was not present at the duel.

Someone….who was vulnerable.

Yami left the arena, searching for some amusement.

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

Malik brushed back Bakura's spiky hair. He sat beside the spiky gray-haired yami, who was uttering a pitiful moan.

"Don't worry, Bakura. I'll be here for you."

"Ryou……"

Malik took Bakura's hand. "Ryou is dueling Yugi now, Bakura. He will be back soon. You know Yugi doesn't stand a chance. Ryou's become a great duelist….with your help." Malik sighed. "If only you were back to your old self, Bakura. If I could give you some of my lifeforce, I would." Malik kissed Bakura's hand. "We all miss you, you know," he said calmly. "Ryou misses you a lot. I know Marik is not as calm as he appears on the outside."

Malik looked out of the window at the sky. "He's scared, Bakura. Marik is afraid he's going to lose you. He cries alone in his room sometimes. My yami is never one to cry."

Malik sniffled as he watched the yami twitch. "We're all scared, Bakura. We know you can fight this."

"Ryou……"

"Ryou's not here. He's dueling."

A tear fell down Bakura's cheek. "Ryou….."

Malik sighed, feeling nothing he was saying was being heard. He was better off letting Bakura sleep.

"Bakura, it's time for you to shut your eyes and go to sleep. Take a nap, Bakura."

Bakura closed his eyes, his body twitching and his right hand trembling again.

Malik watched the yami, knowing that Bakura's nervous system was being damaged by the virus. It was hard to watch Bakura shake and tremble.

The yami's brain was slowly disintegrating…his motor control…his personality…his memory. Watching the mental disintegration was difficult. Watching the physical effects of the disintegration was torture.

Malik brushed Bakura's hair off his shoulders and gave him a kiss on the lips. "I'll be right back, Bakura."

Malik ran into the bathroom, composing himself. Unbeknownst to him, that someone had entered the room when he left.

Yami walked into the room and looked around. He saw his old bed chamber from ancient Egypt.

And on the bed…a familiar sight…..Bakura Itemri….on his side. Vulnerable.

Easy prey.

Yami's lip curled into a grin. 'If Yugi cannot give me what I want, I will take what I need from someone else. I've already had Bakura….and he has been my best conquest to date.'

Yami walked up to the bathroom door, hearing Malik's sniffling. He reached out his hand to the doorknob and the Puzzle glowed.

He turned to Bakura.

He slowly walked to the other side of the bed. Bakura was on his side, facing away from him. Yami watched the gray-haired yami twitch and moan in his sleep.

'Perfect.'

Yami put a knee on the bed and Bakura's eyes shot open. Before he could react, he was face-down on the bed, screaming into the pillows.

His arms reached behind him to defend himself, but his upper body was shoved harder onto the mattress.

"Ah! Ah! Ryou!"

Yami grabbed Bakura's pants, tugging them down. "Quiet, prisoner!"

"Bakura?!" Malik called from the bathroom. The doorknob turned and shook. "Locked! BAKURA!"

"PHARAOH! HELP! RYOU!"

Malik banged on the door. "Yami! Don't hurt Bakura! Stop!"

/Marik! Marik!/

//What? Yugi just pulled an awesome move!//

/It's Yami! Bakura! I think he's hurting Bakura!/

Malik repeatedly crashed himself against the door. Malik heard a tearing of clothing and he banged himself harder into the door.

A shrill cry of pain came from Bakura and Malik's heart froze.

"Stop crying, you dog!" Yami growled.

Malik gathered all his strength and burst through the door. He saw Yami with his pants down, kneeling behind Bakura, whose pants had been pulled down. Yami was ready to enter Bakura when Malik grabbed the metal lamp off of the bureau and attacked Yami, hitting him on the head. Yami fell forwards onto Bakura, making Bakura shriek in fear.

Malik brought the lamp down on Yami's shoulder, making the pharaoh cry out.

Yami stood up and Malik chased him from the room, slamming the metal lamp against Yami. When Yami ran from the room, he turned to Bakura.

Bakura was still face-down on the bed, his bare buttocks sticking up in the air. Unintelligible moaning sounds came from the yami. Malik could tell Bakura was speaking, but the words were not coming out coherently.

Malik ran to Bakura and sat beside him. "Bakura, Yami is gone."

Bakura rolled on his side and rocked back and forth, sobbing. Malik pulled up Bakura's pants and laid beside him. He gathered the sobbing, shaking, moaning yami into his arms.

"I'm here, Bakura. It's okay, baby."

"Ma….Ry…..Ya…"

Malik leaned down and kissed Bakura on the cheek. "I'll protect you, Bakura. It's okay, angel. Just relax. Take deep breaths. Nothing will happen to you while I'm here."

Bakura clutched onto Malik. "Lo….Lo..v-v-ve You…..Ma…Ma…Malik."

Malik smiled. "Love you, too, Bakura. Just relax, baby."

Marik burst through the door, gripping the Millenium Rod in his hand. He looked around, agitated. "What happened?"

"Yami tried to rape Bakura!"

Marik growled. "Where did that pompous, self-righteous bastard go?"

Malik shrugged. "He left when I beat him away. I've been holding Bakura since Yami ran."

"Coward."

Ryou ran in with his duel disk on his wrist. "Bakura, baby? Are you okay?"

"RY--! Ya--!" Bakura stammered as he reached out to Ryou like a child.

Ryou removed his duel disk and sat beside his yami, gathering him into his arms. The yami clutched onto him shivering and shaking.

Aria and Aten ran in. "Is my daddy okay?" Aria asked, running to her father. She climbed up on the bed and crawled over to her father, putting a consoling hand on his cheek. "Poor daddy."

Aten looked up at his yami father. "Who hurt Daddy Bakura?"

Marik growled. "The pharaoh."

Aten returned the growl and ran out of the room. He returned with his duel disk and his deck. He shoved his deck into the disk and his hair twitched. His smooth hair went spiky. His blond streaks forming lightening bolts in his hair.

Jaimen watched Aten take a complete shift of personality.

Joey and Seto ran in, looking down at Chibi Marik in yami mode.

Seto turned to the father and son. "Look, you two, don't destroy my building!"

Yugi ran up to Bakura. "Bakura?! Bakura, he didn't hurt you, did he?"

"Ry-Ya…Ra…..p"

Yugi put a hand on Bakura's arm. "I am so sorry, Bakura."

Bakura whimpered at the boy with the same color hair as the pharaoh. "P-Please…..g-g-o…aw---ay. Don-Don-Don't…..tush……me."

Yugi looked down sadly.

"Don't take it to heart, Yugi. He isn't mad at you. He's having a hard time distinguishing you from Yami."

Yugi nodded. "I understand." Yugi's face turned red. "Where is he?"

Yugi left, followed by Yami Marik and Yami Aten.

Seto shook his head. "Puppy, please stay here. I have to make sure they don't wreck the place."

Joey watched Seto leave, knowing Yami father and Yami son was not a good combination….especially if the son was Marik's.

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

Yugi called out. "Yami! Where are you?!"

Aten looked down the hall, snarling. The hair on the back of his neck twitched. "He's down this way! I can feel him."

Seto's eyes widened. Aten was speaking normally again. Only in Yami mode could he speak properly.

Aten ran down the hallway, followed by his father. He stopped at the elevator and growled. "He went down, father."

The group followed Aten, who ran to the dueling arena.

Seto and Yugi gasped when they entered the arena. Yami was standing on the dueling arena, Slyfer the Sky Dragon coiled around him.

"Yami! What did you do to Bakura?" Yugi screamed angrily.

"Marik! If it weren't for your hikari, I would have succeeded in taking Bakura!"

Marik drew a card from his duel disk. "I won't let you hurt Malik!"

"SLYFER THE SKY DRAGON!!!!" Yami bellowed from the arena.

Aten drew a card quickly before his father could react. "Helpless Child! Hear my cry! Defend my father!"

The Helpless Child appeared in front of Marik kneeling with his arms crossed in front of him and his head bowed reverently.

"SLYFER! ATTACK MARIK ISHTAR!"

"I defend my master's sire," the child whimpered before it exploded into hundreds of tiny pieces before them.

Yami growled. "You are helpless, Aten!"

Yugi jumped in front of Aten. "Yami, stop this! This isn't right!"

Yami clenched his fists. "I'm tired of listening to you, Yugi! Marik is our enemy! Just like he was in Battle City! Now you are defending him!"

"I don't want him hurt! I don't Bakura hurt either!"

"He beat Ryou senseless, Yugi! How could you not want him to get revenge?"

Yugi stepped up on the arena. "You tried to kill Ryou in the Game Shop! You attacked him with Bakura's dagger!"

Aten's eyes narrowed and they turned black. "You tried to kill my mommy?!" Aten shrieked.

"And you know what, Yami Yugi Motou? I'm not going home with you tonight! Not after you tried to rape Bakura!"

Aten's eyes grew darker and narrowed. Seto looked down and saw the child's entire body trembling with fury. For the first time in his life, he was afraid.

But not afraid of just anyone….

Aten.

Aten's reaction was scaring him!

The nine year old boy raced up to stand beside Yugi. He had known about that word since he was two years old. Memories of his "sessions" with his grandfather circled in his head. Old feelings of anger, hatred, and humiliation resurfaced. "How dare you try to rape my Daddy Bakura!"

Yami laughed. "And what are you going to do about it?"

Marik stepped beside his son. "Winged Dragon of Ra, come to your master!" The Egyptian drew a card from his deck, chanting.

"Great Beast of the Sky
Please hear my cry
Transform thyself from orb of light
And bring me victory in this fight

Envelop the desert with your glow
And cast your rage upon my foe
Unlock your powers deep within
So that together we may win

Appear in this shadow game
As I call your name
WINGED DRAGON OF RA!!"

Behind Marik, the Winged Dragon of Ra appeared, standing over the two Ishtars.

Seto looked at the two Egyptian God Cards in his dueling arena. "This…can't be good."

"Uncle Yugi, step down before you get hurt," Aten said to Yugi.

"Yami? Why are you doing this?"

"Because I am going to take the Winged Dragon of Ra from the hands of that thief!" Yami growled, pointing at Marik. "SLYFER!"

"MY GREAT BEAST! WINGED DRAGON OF RA!"

Seto ran to the arena's edge. "Yugi! Jump! I'll catch you!"

"No…..," he said calmly. "If I cannot live without the Yami I love…..there is no life for me," Yugi said closing his eyes.

"Yugi, don't be an idiot! Jump! I'll catch you!"

"I miss my Yami."

"YUGI, PLEASE!" Seto begged. "Don't do this! I can catch you!"

Yugi hung his head low. "Goodbye, Yami."

"ATTACK, SLYFER!"

"ATTACK, MY GREAT BEAST!"

Seto called out to Yugi. "Yugi! You'll be killed if you stand there! Please! NO!"

Seto saw Slyfer preparing to attack. The head appeared not to be aimed at the Winged Dragon of Ra, but where Yugi and Aten were standing.

"Goodbye, Seto," Yugi said, closing his eyes, hearing Slyfer the Sky Dragon's attack approaching….

Updates: Sunday