Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Youth ❯ Youth-Chapter 8 ( Chapter 8 )

This chapter is about 15 pages so feel lucky you got almost two chapters in one! I hope you like it as always so ENJOY!!!

Yami stood looking at the mansion as he glanced at Bakura and Marik who both had equally serious looks on their faces about the situation. I noticed the bars on the window and Ryou had the keys so we couldn't unlock the door. I slapped myself in the forehead at that thought I had a tomb robber with me for Ra's sake.
"Bakura can you pick the lock? It would be nice if we could sneak in and have the element of surprise, and it would give me enough time to get Ryou and get out of the house before you caused any real damage to Seto...not that I'm complaining." Yami added as he began to walk toward the house.
Bakura smirked. "You ask like it's a hard thing to do." Reaching into his pocket, Bakura pulled out a lock pick. "Just give me a moment." He mumbled, inserting it into the lock and tinkering around for what seemed to be only a moment, before a soft click was heard and the door silently opened. "Idiot, depending on such a flimsy lock..." Bakura groaned at the ignorance of the people in this age. "Well, its open and I'm ready to kill Seto, so if you're both ready..." Bakura said smirking viciously.
Marik gave him an equally evil smirk but grabbed his wrist before he went inside. "We'll wait here Yami, once you get Ryou outside we'll go in, right Baku?" He asked knowing Bakura hated that name but it being the main reason why he used it.
Yami nodded as Bakura shot Marik another angry look for the nickname as he went upstairs. Yami knew he wouldn't need Bakura to pick a lock or anything because Seto kept the locks on the outside of doors in the entire house except for his room. Yami went to the room where Seto had kept him last and thankfully, Yami saw him on the bed. HE went over to Ryou but noticed his eyes were halfway open and he was staring blankly at the ceiling.
"Ryou?" Yami whispered softly but didn't get an answer back from the youth
Yami bit his lower lip, why wasn't he responding? Yami pushed the thought out of his mind for the moment being, he needed to get Ryou out of the mansion so he could get him to a hospital as soon as possible. He removed the comforter and picked Ryou up using the sheet to conceal his body, which he already was wrapped in. Yami noticed his bruised lip and the numerous bite marks and bruises on his neck but he hadn't had a chance to inspect his body further. He picked him up gently which cause Ryou to stir as he begun to cry softly. Yami held his head to his chest and tried to sooth his soft sobs but it didn't stop. HE quickly and quietly ran outside. HE told the two not to worry and he would take Ryou to the nearest hospital.
"Don't do that, take him to my place I can perform healing spells on him instead." Marik said as Bakura approached his Hikari noticing he was crying.
Bakura shook his head. "Urge...to kill rising Marik...Are we quite finished waiting?" he grumbled, brushing the hair from Ryou's face. "Its ok Ryou, Seto will never hurt you again." he said softly. "Yami, hurry and get him out of here, Marik and I need our time to be as sadistic and evil as we were meant to be. Heh." Bakura said with a wicked smirk. "C'mon Marik, lets go teach Seto why it is wrong to touch a Hikari..." he growled, entering the house not bothering to wait for Marik, if he wanted a share in the torturing and killing of Seto, he'd hurry and catch up.
"...good luck" Yami said although the two Yami's were already in the house and probably not caring what he had to say in the first place he turned his attention back to Ryou. "Ryou?" He asked softly as he raised his chin "Please...answer me..." Yami said but was only met with glazed over eye's that seemed to stare straight through him as they gave forth rivers of tears.
Yami sighed as he started to walk toward the cab that they had called in advance to pick him up, He climbed inside and told the driver to go to Marik's apartment as he held Ryou tightly and rocked him gently hoping to sooth his tears and trembling body but to no avail.

Bakura smirked when he entered Seto's room silently. Looking to Marik he nodded gently, having the urge to wake the sleeping teen, that way he'd witness every second of what he had coming and not miss some of it because he had been asleep.
"Do you want the honor of first blood, or shall I?" Bakura said, taking on a sadistic manner that both he and Marik shared. Blood between two slightly psychotic and VERY sadistic yami's was like a bonding. He and Marik had a relationship that no one else could share because of their humor.
"Or, perhaps we could BOTH take a fine hunk out of him at the same time. I believe that I was the leader of our last kill, so its only 'fair' that you get to call the shots this time...unless of course you're feeling nice"
Marik smiled at him, mannerism in the situation of killing was always very important to Bakura, it was after all his specialty. "By all means Bakura, it was your Hikari after all...you first." Marik saw softly handing him his millennium rod as he watched Bakura change it to a dagger quickly as they went on opposite sides of the bed, not making a sound as they did so.
Bakura smirked wickedly, deciding to add a bit of cruel irony in Seto's death. Smoothing his hair slightly and coughing just a bit, he lowered himself to Seto and gently shook him awake. Knowing that when someone first wakes up they have a moment where they don't remember exactly what had happened before going to sleep, Bakura intended to play Ryou for that moment as he had used the skill many times before. When Seto realized who he actually was, he and Marik could have their fun. The first thing Bakura planned to do, was a draw between stabbing Seto in the gut, or carving his skin up like Ryou carved jack-o-lanterns. Most likely, it was going to be a stabbing, after all carving was Marik's favorite thing to do.
Marik smiled realizing what Bakura planned as he sunk back in the shadows and watched Seto's confused expression as he looked at Bakura more than likely thinking it was Ryou.
"How the hell did you get out of your room?" Seto snarled angrily.
Bakura smirked. "Oh, well you see, you left the door unlocked a-and I...thought I heard something from in here..." He said in Ryou's soft slightly accented voice, although his vicious smirk rather ruined it.
Seto eyed Ryou curiously, did he sound mad? No Seto thought, not after his little lesson he wouldn't dare use that tone with me, I'm just still asleep I guess he said stretching.
"You're hearing things..." Seto said standing grabbing Ryou's wrist as he lead him down the hall and back into the other room shoving him toward the bed. He wasn't able to see the angry glare Bakura had at being shoved and lead around like a child or a very quiet Marik behind him, not even the fact Ryou now had clothes on seemed to register. Marik looked at Bakura asking if now were the time but Bakura shook his head leaving a very anxious Marik in the hallway.
It was VERY hard for Bakura to not burst into hysterical yet maniacal laugher. Seto had to be the slowest learner....
"Seto...are you sure nothing's going on?" he said softly. "I...I could have sworn th-that I heard something...." he said as he watched Marik switch sides of the hallway, so if Seto left he wouldn't run into him. If he was having a hell of a time not laughing at Seto's ignorance, he could only imagine how amused Marik was.
Seto rolled his eyes as he stepped outside standing at the foot of the stairs "Yes, I'm sure. Wake me up again and I swear we will repeat what we just did." He snarled at Bakura.
Marik bit back a bit of laughter when Bakura pushed him down the stairs growling furiously, Marik relished in the sounds of a few cracking ribs and an arm as he finally reached the end of the stairs all to soon. Thankfully, he wasn't knocked out though but obviously pissed off.
Bakura howled with laughter at this, unable to hold it in anymore. "You freaking dumb-ass..." He said wiping at his eyes, before his tone became deathly serious. "NEVER touch my Hikari again, you son of a bitch." He growled, walking down the stairs smirking. "You think that just because you have money that you are Ra almighty don't you? Sick little peon." Bakura said reaching the bottom of the stairs and picked Seto up by his collar. "You know what I did to people who pissed me off back in Egypt?" He said stabbing Seto in the side with the millennium rod turned dagger and twisting it sharply.
Marik emerged from the shadow's practically bathing in Seto's pained scream and horrified expression.
"You have good reason to be scared, you have no clue how much you have crossed the line with us Yami's." Marik said taking the dagger from Bakura and shoving it through his arm as Bakura dropped him on the floor carelessly. Marik smiled down as his blood began to pool around him slowly.
Marik frowned "The blood isn't pouring fast enough my friend." Marik said stabbing the major artery in Seto's thigh as burgundy blood began to spew from the major artery. "That was for cutting Ryou's hair." Marik spat angrily at him but saw a new flame emerge in Bakura's eyes obviously not knowing about Ryou's hair or noticing it when Yami came out of the house.
Bakura growled. "You bastard! You cut his hair?! He loved his hair!" He said kicking Seto, hearing a few more ribs snap as he continued to kick the hell out of him. "I can't believe how arrogant you were. You raped him, you beat him, and you cut his hair!! Do you have any other shameful acts you need to tell me before I kill your fucking ass and leave you for the hounds of hell to devour?!" He said before looking to Marik. "Can I borrow that? I think he needs a little more pain, because he sure as hell doesn't look as sorry as he should be." He said, before taking the dagger, and dragging it down Seto's chest, leaving a deep yet not too deep gash down the center. "You touched Ryou and Yugi, TWO Hikari's. Two of the most innocent beings in this world...you not only raped them, but you tortured them...you sick bastard..." Bakura said, having the urge to shove the dagger up Seto's ass, and see how he would like a searing intrusion that feels like your insides are being ripped and shattered. To see how Seto would like to be raped by a dagger.
Seto spat out blood and looked at Bakura angrily, he knew he was going to die but didn't care "Those Hikari's shamelessly preformed for me in ways you can't imagine...You should see the wonderful things I did to them, look in the room I kept them in." He was silenced by his own screaming when Marik stabbing him below the belt as he glared at him dangerously.
"He will die of blood loss soon Bakura, kill him." Marik growled or banish him into darkness which ever you prefer." Marik said as if it was a simple everyday decision.
Bakura nodded to Marik. "Even the darkness is too good for the likes of him." He said kicking Seto once more. "And Neither Ryou OR Yugi would perform for you, had you not used their own good natures against them. I hope you enjoy the death you're getting for your actions. Because trust me I sure have." He said laughing lightly. "I'll bring flowers." Bakura said sarcastically, taking his own pocketknife out and stabbing Seto in the throat, taking special note to mangle it to the point that no morgue beautician could ever let him have an open casket funeral. "I'll see you in hell." Bakura said smugly, even though at this point he knew Seto was long past dead.
After a moment of coming down from the high, that all the blood had given him he looked at Marik with a pleased expression, which resembled a cat that had just finished off a bowl of cream. "Well, this was more fun than I thought it would have been."
"I shouldn't have stabbed him in that artery, it was over to soon...damn...maybe we should endanger the pharaohs Hikari so we can have some more fun again?" Marik said jokingly as they left the mansion quietly walking home not wanting to call a cab.

Yami laid Ryou gently down on the couch as he began to pull the sheet away to better inspect his wounds. He heard a struggled chocked sob come from Ryou who closed his eyes and looked away.
"Shhh, it's okay Ryou, I won't hurt you." Yami said although it didn't seem to register with Ryou at all.
He pulled the sheet down regardless noticing his badly bruised stomach and ribcage, which seemed to have a few broken ribs. He turned Ryou on his side and cringed at the various bruises and such that marred his beautiful white skin usually. He slid the sheet further down but pulled it back up noticing Ryou becoming more frantic also seeing how badly his hips had been bruised. He bundled Ryou up in the sheet and rocked him gently although it didn't seem to help.
"Please Ryou, it's Yami, I just want to help you." He said and shook his head angrily not knowing what to do.
He looked at Bakura and Marik desperately when they walked inside after an hour or so of trying to calm Ryou down but to no avail.
"I can't get him to answer me or stop crying..." Yami said trailing off
Bakura kicked off his bloodied shoes and shook his head. "I can hardly blame him...Seto was a sick bastard until the...heh...bitter end." He said walking over and looking at Ryou closely. "Bastard DID cut his hair...He loved his hair...Yami what else has he done? You've had time to see the damages..." He said stroking Ryou's cheek gently. "I'm so sorry Ryou..." Bakura said quietly.
"His wrists are broken and he's bruised all over practically, really badly on his hips...I didn't see past that he got a little frantic when I tried to remove the sheet totally." Yami paused "I think he has a few broken rib's as well." Yami said as Bakura reached out for him which Yami reluctantly gave him up for Bakura.
HE was surprised when Bakura cradled him gently and rocked him. Ryou struggled though and began to cry harder. "P-please..." Ryou mumbled before returning into a fit of sobs. Marik grew concerned as he watched Bakura try to sooth his Hikari who was quickly becoming hysterical in his arms.
"I'll get the spell book and be back soon." Marik said rushing gout of the room.
Bakura hugged Ryou gently. "Ryou, its ok...it's just me. No one is going to hurt you anymore. Its all over...Seto will never hurt you or Yugi again." He said gently rocking the small teen and looking at Yami helplessly, "Look at what Seto has done...he doesn't seem to know that any of us are taking care of him." He mumbled shaking his head miserably. "Maybe you should hold him again...at least then he wasn't sobbing as hard..." Bakura said gently offering Ryou back to Yami.
Yami took him but it only helped a little as he still cried and struggled a little. "I don't think he knows it's us...I think he thinks it's Seto or just someone trying to hurt him." Yami said rocking Ryou again which helped him go down from hysterical to a soft sob. Marik walked in with the book.
"I have good news and bad news guys..." He said reading the test
"What?" Yami asked,
"Good news is I can heal him." Marik said setting the book down...bad news is wherever he is hurt I have to touch that area...so the further south I go Ryou's probably going to get really hard to handle." Marik said shaking his head slightly.
Bakura nodded. "It's for his own good, so he'll just have to deal with it. When he finally comes back, he will thank you." He said looking to Yami. "If you need help holding him as Marik goes, I'll be glad to. Remember it is for his own good; don't let his crying sway you. He just thinks we're going to hurt him...so he'd cry even if we did nothing." Bakura said softly. "Besides, we don't know how horrible the damage is further south, because he starts crying...we need to heal him." Bakura smiled at Marik. "Heal away, he really looks awful."
Yami nodded in agreement; slightly concerned he pushed Ryou's sweet voice out of his mind so that he wouldn't give in to his crying when Marik had to touch him. Marik did as Bakura asked slipping the sheet off his shoulders. Ryou shivered trying to pull away from Yami but he held him firmly which seemed to scare Ryou more as eh struggled more with him but Yami was strong enough to hold him. Marik felt horrible for having to touch him cause he whimpered at the smallest touch he had to give Ryou. When he took hold of Ryou's wrists Ryou screamed trying to pull away nearly success in doing so but Bakura took hold of his arms firmly but gently at the same time like Yami was doing.
"Shhhhh, Ryou please, stop struggling we are trying to help you." Yami said trying to hold him still so Marik could more easily work his craft on the small boy he looked at Bakura sadly. "It must hurt for him to be moving so much..." He said softly looking away.
"I know...but remember...if we don't do this, he'll be in more pain in the long run." He said sternly. "You need to learn the basics of tough love Yami." he added gently yet firmly holding Ryou down so Marik could heal him further. "Because right now, Ryou needs that the most." Bakura held Ryou a bit firmer when Marik began to travel further south, healing the ribs and the bruises that littered Ryou's creamy chest.
"Ryou calm down, its just Marik. He's healing you. I know you can feel it. Just calm down." Bakura mumbled in his ear, resting his forehead against Ryou's, knowing Ryou tended to calm down when he was cuddled and hoping now was one of those times when he would. "Shhhh....its ok..."
Ryou managed to wrench one of his arms away from Bakura who couldn't catch it fast enough before he threw his fist at Bakura as hard as he could knocking him off stunning all three Yami's as Yami held on to him strongly so he couldn't squirm away at all.
"Don't, I can't!" He yelled in a fit of sobs as he struggled with Yami harder when Marik removed the sheet completely revealing his bruised hips and thighs and the dried blood between them as he cried desperately.
"Bakura! I really need your help here!" Yami said as Bakura began to recover from the shock of being hit by someone he was trying to help.
Bakura scrambled back over and grabbed Ryou helping Yami once more. "Remind me...." he said as Ryou struggled. "To comment on how hard he hits when he doesn't know who he's hitting when he snaps out of it." He said, almost amused at the strength he, and apparently everyone else, and never knew the youth had. "Ryou calm down! We're just helping you!" he said sternly to the Youth, hugging him to his chest which helped decrease the use of Ryou's arms. "Just fucking calm down!" He grumbled as Marik worked. "Hurry up! You aren't the one who can get decked, although I admit, that would have been funny in any OTHER situation." Bakura groaned as Ryou almost got his arm loose again, before he grabbed it and stopped the small teen from punching someone else.
Held his arms finally using all his strength not allowing him any use of them as Ryou shook his head furiously and hot tears spilled over his cheeks. Marik worked as quickly as he could as he gently spread his legs apart.
"N-no! Please, I'll be good! I'll do anything just please don't rape me again!" Ryou pleaded.
"I won't do any such thing." Marik said as he healed his thighs, which even removed the blood from his skin. He felt horrible as he touched him in the most abused part of Ryou's body as he screamed at the contact. He quickly withdrew his hand and moved away from Ryou feeling horrible for having to touch him in such a way but more so, it was actually necessary for him to do it.
"What are you doing?!" Yugi asked as Ryou broke free from the other two Yami's and ran sobbing into Yugi's arms who held the naked trembling tenshi protectively and looked at the Yami's accusingly.
"It's not what it look's like Aibou, I swear, you know I would never hurt him." Yami said but noticed Ryou would at least let Yugi touch him but not them.
Yugi gently patted Ryou's back. "I know you wouldn't hurt him...but do you mind explaining what you ARE doing? Because he's been so loud that I couldn't sleep...so I came down to see what he was so upset about...and I found you guys." He said shushing Ryou gently. "Its ok..." He whispered hugging his friend softly. "What's wrong Ryou?" He asked softly tucking the hair that was in Ryou's eyes behind his ear, and noting that Ryou wasn't really looking at him or anything else for that matter. "What's wrong with him?" Yugi asked quietly, looking up from Ryou to the three yami's concern and fear in his eyes.
"We don't know..." Yami said softly, "He won't respond to any of us."
"We were healing him Yugi, I had to touch him to heal him and he didn't like being touched at all, he was crying whenever Yami or Bakura touched him as gently as they could. SO needless to say when I had to touch him and remove the sheet revealing him completely he got a little hysterical." Marik explained,
"We had to hold him down so that Marik could finish, we didn't hurt him." Yami said
"Here" Marik said draping a quilt over Ryou but not daring to come to close to the sobbing trembling boy in Yugi's arms.
"not again..." Ryou said softly almost inaudibly as he slid down and hugged Yugi's waist who sat down with Ryou as he rested his head in Yugi's lap crying softly to himself.
Yugi gently stroked Ryou's hair shaking his head. "Poor Ryou...He's healed now right? How long is he going to be like this...?" Yugi asked softly, hugging Ryou again. "Shhh Ryou....its ok...no one is going to rape you." He said softly, feeling the urge to cry as well. Not because he himself was hurt, but because Ryou was so hurt...hurt far beyond bodily damage.
Bakura sighed shaking his head. "He'll be ok...he just needs time." He said, remembering how horrible it had been when he had gone through something like what Ryou had. "All things take time..." He said looking at the floor, cursing himself for not being there for Ryou.
Yugi looked at Yami helplessly. "So...do we just leave him like this?"
"We have little choice here Aibou...if he doesn't get better with time we can try to get some professional help for him, but I think he need's to be reminded who we are and that we won't hurt him." Yami stood up sighing deeply looking at Ryou who had calmed some.
"Since he won't lash out at you Yugi it think I would be best if you watched over him, make sure he doesn't hurt himself...I'm not sure what he'll do, and I'm positive that he doesn't want us three sleeping in the same room as him." Marik said
Yugi nodded lightly. "Hey Ryou...are you tired? Do you want to get some sleep?" He asked, hoping he would be able to coax a bit of a response out of the other teen. "There's room in the guest room, if you don't mind sharing a bed...or I could sleep on the floor if you don't want to." Yugi said rubbing Ryou's back softly. "Where are you guys gonna sleep?" he asked still rubbing Ryou's back and coaxing him to talk a bit.
"I'm staying downstairs." Yami said softly as he planted himself on the couch.
Marik shrugged grabbing Bakura's wrist as he lead him upstairs with him apparently the two going to share a bed with Malik as Bakura only stopped to wish Ryou a goodnight rest. Yami would have rolled his eye's at the two had the situation not been so serious. Ryou shakily got up leaning against the wall and stared once again into nothingness as Yugi embraced him and he relaxed in his arms and his crying finally stopped. Yami sighed as he watched Yugi lead him step by step up the stairs slowly and carefully.
"Good night Koi's" Yami said waiting until the two were in the safety of their room and Yami could no longer see them as he turned off the lights and feel into a dreamless sleep.
Yugi pulled the blankets back on the bed. "Ryou...is it ok if I sleep on the bed too? Do you want me to sleep on the floor?" Yugi said softly, guiding Ryou over to the bed.
Yugi couldn't help but feel terrible for Ryou. 'If only I had said something sooner...maybe this all could have been avoided.' he thought to himself, as he tucked Ryou in. He hated what he had put Ryou through, even though it wasn't really his fault. He crawled into bed next to Ryou gently, to see if Ryou would object to sharing the bed. 'When he is better, I'm going to make sure he knows how sorry I am he had to live through something like that...' He thought gently, turning out the bedside lamp, noticing that Ryou seemed to be already asleep.
Yami awoke taking a deep breath smelling egg's being cooked as he got up.
"Malik?" Yami asked
Malik looked over his shoulder. "Yeah?" He grumbled as he cooked. Never being much of a morning person.
Yami shook his head "Nothing, has anyone else come down?" He asked taking out a frying pan and decided to make breakfast for everybody else not having anything better to do.
Malik shook his head. "Marik and Bakura are slobs, they wont be down for hours...and I'm guessing Yugi is still asleep too."
Yami smiled slightly as he cooked some eggs, "Somehow I doubt you say such thing's in front of them...and considering the night they had I'd let them sleep." Yami said as he walked in the living room turning on the TV. The news was talking of the murder of Seto as Malik came in to see what it was talking about.
"Turn it off" Marik voice said from the stairs as Yami did as he asked and went back into the kitchen to watch his eggs. Malik looked at Marik curiously. "What?" Marik asked as he followed Yami in the kitchen.
Malik rolled his eyes. "You and I both know that you did it, with Bakura." Malik said annoyed that his Yami was acting so secretive about the whole thing.
Bakura came in at the same moment and snickered. "Did what?" he said smirking at Marik, who returned an equally amused look.
Malik sighed. "Never mind..." he grumbled piling his eggs onto a plate and grabbing some toast to eat it with.
Marik grabbed Malik around the waist lavishing kisses upon the boy who actually giggled slightly before he pulled away form him.
"Like you didn't love hearing about last night..." Marik said seductively as he hugged his Hikari
"HEY!" Yami said slightly annoyed not wanting to hear about their little relationship that apparently Bakura was involved in.
Bakura snickered a bit. "What?" he asked, plastering a semi-innocent look on his face, before laughing.
Yugi came down the stairs quietly. "Yami?" He asked looking like he did every morning, as if he'd been trampled by a stampede of wild horses, then electrocuted for good measure. "Can I take some food up to Ryou? He's still up there, but at least he's calmed down now."
"That's fine." Yami said kissing him on the cheek gently as he went to the stove to make some food for the two. it grew deathly quietly in the kitchen as the only sound was the frying of the eggs.
Malik looked at Yugi curiously, "What's wrong with Ryou?" He asked

"Oh yeah..." Marik said "you didn't wake up last night till me and Bakura had...Ow!" Marik said after being slapped in the back of the head by a once again annoyed Yami.

"Here Aibou, he might not eat anything but try okay." He said softly as Yugi bounced off. "I'd appreciate you not saying such things in front of my Hikari Marik." Yami said shaking his head.

Bakura frowned. "Well, Seto hurt Ryou worse than anyone should be hurt...and he's retreated into himself. He doesn't seem to know anyone...and wont let anyone but Yugi even near him." He mumbled suddenly losing his appetite and sighing. Seeing Ryou like he was, made him remember just how awful it IS to be raped...and no matter how hard Bakura tried, he couldn't force away the awful images of what had happened to him any easier than Ryou could push away his own nightmarish hell.

"Hey Ryou..." Yugi said softly, closing the door behind him and sitting on the edge of the bed. "You hungry? Yami made some breakfast. You should eat...you need the food. I promise Yami's a good cook." Yugi said, the last part in a slightly chipper voice. "You need your strength to get better, and guess what! Eggs are from the meat group, plenty of protein and stuff that the teachers go on and on about that is good for you." He said, hoping Ryou would respond a bit, and possibly agree to eating.

Ryou bit his lower lip looking at the food skeptically, the first emotion he had had since he woke up but it went blank again in a second. He began to stare blankly again as if looking straight through the food before him. He looked at Yugi as if he expected him to

do something.

Bakura stood up and walked from the kitchen his movement slightly ridged as he went to the balcony leaning on the railing sighing deeply to himself. Yami frowned as he followed him outside placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"He'll be fine you know..." Yami said but Bakura slapped his hand away and glared at him dangerously

"Do you even realize how long it will take him to trust anyone?! Hell I STILL trust no one, but Marik, and that is only because we are like brothers...my pain is his and his pain is mine. Ryou was never meant to feel that kind of pain! He might NEVER recover!!" Bakura said heatedly, before staring out into the city. "He's strong...but he's also fragile. Even the great pyramids are weathered away by the tiniest grains of sand over time, the strongest in architectural achievements history fallen to the sands below. You couldn't possibly understand what is going through his mind..."

Yugi shook his head and helped Ryou into a sitting position. "C'mon Ryou, its ok...its good see?" Yugi said smiling a little at getting a slight response out of the boy and picking up a fork full of eggs and eating them. "We all want you to get better, but you have to want to as well." Yugi said filling the fork with food and offering it to Ryou. "Please, you don't have to eat it all, just eat some. For me?" Yugi said, a hopeful look on his face.

Ryou took the fork gingerly from Yugi a spooned a little in his mouth as he chewed slowly. His eyes now in then showed a little sparkle of light but they kept on clouding over again. Yugi be slow and patient with him and didn't push him into anything. He and Ryou practically shared the plate of food a he helped Ryou change into some clothes although he was a little reluctant to do so. It seemed all Ryou really needed was reassurance...extra reassurance as he managed to convince Ryou to come downstairs.

Yami sighed at Bakura's comment and he felt slightly responsible for what happened to Bakura...because he was slightly responsible. Yami pushed that thought out of his mind.

"You shouldn't say such things though Bakura it's almost as if you're giving up on him...he won't recover if those closest to him have that kind of attitude." Yami sighed "Besides if it gets to the point where it is taking forever we can get him some professional help, from what I hear they might be able to succeed where we can't." Yami said hoping to add some optimism in Bakura's perspective.

Yunikon16: Bakura nodded slightly. "Just what he needs, a doctor." He said skeptically. "I'm sure that would have made MY life a hell of a lot better too, had there been mind doctors back in Egypt. Don't you agree?" he added angrily. "I'll do anything I can to make him happy, but he'll never be the same Ryou. Not that you could ever understand. When someone uses you like he was used...like I was used...you lose a piece of yourself. He lost a hell of a lot more, he lost his virginity to boot. That's something even a tomb raider and killer like myself would never dare to steal and something that no amount of loving or doctors or hope can ever give back." Bakura said softly, never lifting his gaze from the buildings in the city. "Sure, he'll come out of his shell sooner or later and piece together his life...but there will always be that gaping hole. That single piece that he'll never have back."

"He is still pure within his soul...no one can touch him that deeply unless he allows it." Yami said turning to face Bakura. "He still has that to give, it may not be physically there but it's something no one can take from him no matter how hard they try...It's mentally there just as true as it was physically." Yami said softly. "He'll piece together his life and feel incomplete for a little while but that's why we are here to fill in that space with love and friendship." Yami smiled as he walking back inside happy to see Ryou up and about but felt a twinge of sadness upon noticing his blank expression and how he clung almost desperately to Yugi's arm as if he would fall should he let go.

Yugi smiled a little. "Hey Ryou, it's Yami...you know he made breakfast. You should thank him, maybe a little smile?" Yugi said patting Ryou's back slightly. "He wants you to get better too...we all do. He's the one who saved you, while Bakura and Marik took care of ....other things." Yugi said hugging Ryou softly. He looked at Yami hopefully, before handing him the empty plate. "We kind of shared your eggs...but he is eating..." Yugi said smiling brightly.

Ryou hid behind Yugi and wouldn't look Yami in the eye's as he buried his face in Yugi's shoulder and held onto his shirt tightly, the reassuring were not working when he got around the others. At first Yami assumed it was because they were older than he was but he wouldn't even let Malik near him. Yami frowned slightly he would only let Yugi touch him. He would become almost violent when Bakura came near him and was almost terrified of Marik completely; he seemed to be less hostile toward Yami between the three yami's.

"I think he only lets Yugi come near him because he experienced the same thing with the same person...and he probably sees himself in you Bakura that's why he is so violent toward you, and I guess he's still recovering slightly form you 'healing' him earlier Marik." Yami said sighing as they watched Ryou timidly move around with Yugi as if they were joined at the hip.

Yugi carefully lead Ryou into the living room and sat down on the couch with him. "Ryou...do you want to talk? Maybe we can play a matching game, or something. Does that sound fun?" Yugi said hugging Ryou softly, trying to coax him out of his shell just a bit more. "Maybe if we ask Yami very nicely, we can go walk in the park and just relax, would you like that? We all want you to come back to us you know. Everyone loves you very much, and we're all very worried about you..." Yugi mumbled, picking up a nearby hairbrush and combing through Ryou's hair gently, hoping Ryou's age-old stress reliever would work even when he wasn't doing it himself. "I know Seto hurt you...but you can't let him win. He's far, far away now, and you're safe." Yugi murmured as he brushed, feeling awful for Ryou's situation but not really knowing what more to do than offer him kind words and reassuring him that everything was ok. "You know you'll always have me to talk to...right?" Yugi said sniffling slightly. Remembering how awful it had been to recover Seto, each time he was used. "I'll always be here for you...but you can't get better all alone..."

Ryou reached up to his shoulder as if trying to stroke his hair although it was no longer there as he simply grabbed thin air as his body trembled slightly as if he just relived Seto cutting it off. His eyes came to life for a moment but then burst into tears as he curled himself in a ball. He wasn't sobbing it was a silent crying, the one where you can do nothing for them because there is no emotion behind the tears. Yugi hugged him softly and stopped brushing his now short hair as he gently whispered in his ear. Tami sighed wanting to comfort him but feared it would only upset him more if he did.

"Maybe we should take him home...it might help him to be around his normal surroundings again." Yami suggested

Yugi nodded slightly. "You're right he should go home...he needs to relax." he said, looking at Ryou and shaking his head. "I feel so horrible...It's my fault that he's like this...I should have said something..." he mumbled, gathering the crying teen into his arms and just rocking him back and forth, starting to cry softly as well. "I could have said something, but I didn't...and look what it's caused him...." Yugi said sniffling and burying his face into Ryou's shoulder, continuing his soothing rocking, more for Ryou than himself. "It's all my fault..."

"I've told you a hundred time Yugi that this isn't your fault...he didn't take Ryou because of you. He had his eye on him from the beginning and nothing could prevent what happened to him." Yami said sighing slightly wishing that it wasn't just chance that had befallen Ryou that something else had caused such a crude twist of fate but it didn't seem likely for the pale haired Hikari. Yami forced a small smile as he helped Yugi to his feet who in turn helped Ryou up as they headed out the door Bakura trailing behind them.

Yugi was glad when they entered Ryou's home, after the slow walk back. Bakura seemed pleased and relieved as well, when he entered his home. "Hey Ryou...look you're home!" Yugi said as cheerfully as he could, hoping to stir Ryou a bit.

Bakura smiled a bit, when no one was looking, glad to see that Ryou was no longer in danger, and home to safety. "Don't get too hopeful, it's only been a day...you'll be lucky to get him to nod..." He said softly, noting the clutter from Yugi and Yami's move from the game shop. "What's all the junk?" He blurted confused, since he didn't know about the move. It hadn't been a real priority in the last few hours.

"Long story, it won't be here forever so you shouldn't worry to much about it." Yami said noticing that Ryou's eyes were at least focusing onto things again but he still wouldn't answer him when he spoke. Ryou went upstairs with his arm still latched onto Yugi's as they went to his room together. Yami sighed a she looked at Bakura.

"If you know of anything that would help him more I'd like to know." Yami asked Bakura the only one really having experienced something like what Ryou was going through.

Bakura snorted slightly. "Ryou and I are worlds apart, I recovered because I had the will to do so...he doesn't even look like he's trying. He has to WANT to go on, before he'll even start." Bakura said shaking his head slightly. "But, with Yugi around, he just might be able to come around. I admit, if Marik hadn't been there for me...I would be ten times as psychotic and bloodthirsty as I am now..." Bakura said, sitting in an uncluttered potion of the couch. "Ryou will have a fit about the mess..." He said after a moment, chuckling slightly.

Yami smiled slightly, "I never understood his whole obsession with cleaning, he seemed to do it a lot when he was nervous." Yami looked to his left noticing the lock of hair he had. "He also brushed his hair, gave him a since of calmness, he said something like it reminded him of his mother...where is she anyway?" Yami asked not knowing in all truth.

Bakura frowned. "She died, a long time ago. Ryou doesn't talk about it much...but he treasured his hair, because it reminded him of her. That's why he left it so long. He cleaned because he always felt the need to do something...so when he was nervous he would clean to keep himself from fidgeting. It helped clear his mind. I asked him once because he pissed me off when he cleaned MY room." Bakura said grumbling slightly.

"You got angry because he picked up after you?" Yami asked laughing slightly unable not to.

Bakura groaned. "I have an order! He moved it and ruined my perfectly organized room! I knew where everything was until he picked it up!" Bakura bellowed throwing a magazine at Yami in aggravation. "Ra forbid I should know where my own things are." Bakura grumbled, looking almost like a 2 year old.

Yami rolled his eyes slightly, and then realized he was actually getting along well with the tomb robber, which surprised him a great deal, as he watched Bakura, who still fumed slightly at his comment.

"Would you mind helping me move these thing's into the basement so when Ryou comes around he won't throw a fit?" He asked softly.

Bakura sighed. "Why not, I don't feel like listening to his screeching either. 'Clean this!' 'That's SOO disgusting!' 'That's just awful! Completely uncivilized!' and whatever else." he said, picking up a few things. "Unless of course you're in the mood to hear him pitch his cleanliness fits." Bakura said smirking. "I know you like him a lot."

Yami turned his face away, he wished he could just tell everyone how he felt about Ryou but couldn't seem to take his willpower that far although everyone probably knew he eyes Bakura suspiciously as he picked up a few things as well.

"Are you okay with that?" he asked, he knew that Bakura couldn't stop Ryou form being with him if that's what he truly wanted but it would be so much easier for them if Bakura would accept it rather than try and stop them.

Bakura rolled his eyes. "If you ever hurt him I'll kill you. He's been through enough." He said opening the basement door. "I can't stop him from seeing you, and I'm not going to even try. However, I swear to Ra...if you hurt him...you'll wish you were Seto, because his death will have been a slap on the wrist compared to what I'd do to you." Bakura grumbled as he began walking down the stairs, followed by Yami. "I know for a fact your Hikari fancies Ryou as well...its obvious every second that he spends with Ryou. Yugi looks like a love struck fool sometimes. You do as well when you forget about hiding your dignity." Bakura laughed putting down the boxes and turning to see the slight blush darkening Yami's features.

"And you act like an eight year old girl around Marik and Malik so you really have no room to talk now do you?" Yami said setting down his box and heading upstairs to get the rest but stopped halfway up the stairs. "I wouldn't hurt him Bakura...why would I even conceive such a thing?" Yami said as he walked into the living room smelling something in the kitchen cooking and noticed it was Ryou as Yugi watched him intently Yami smiled as he walked over to the two cautiously so not to frighten Ryou any.

Bakura wandered up shortly after and blinked. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" He said cautiously.

Yugi nodded slightly. "Its ok, I'm making sure he doesn't burn down the house or anything...but I think its helping him a little."

Bakura looked at Yugi skeptically. "I'll leave it to you then...." He said leaving the room to get a second load of things to carry to the basement.

Yami smiled his Aibou sometimes acted like a mother hen, but at least someone was. Yami was happy that Ryou could now at least focus on things, being home must be helping as he followed Bakura's example carrying things back and forth until everything was down in the basement but neatly so not to upset Ryou who even takes care of the basement like it was expecting guests. Yami smiled noticing the small curl to Ryou's lips as he quietly cooked. Yugi put on some tea for everyone making Ryou's favorite, which was green tea, Yami liked the aroma if nothing else. As he sat down for the first time in days where he didn't have to worry about the two youth's being taken away form him again...they were safe now and also Bakura would allow him to be with Ryou now so no sadistic Yami to worry about either. Yami stretched out on the couch considering he would be sleeping on it considering Ryou probably wouldn't let him near him just yet. Bakura sat in the recliner relaxing as well although eh seemed to be thinking about something else as he kept glancing back to the basement.

Bakura thought for a moment. "There is a box of pictures down there...maybe after lunch I'll run down there and dump them on Ryou's floor, so when Yugi takes him up, he can look at them while picking them up." He said thoughtfully. "It might help a little to see pictures of him and all of us, his family..." Bakura added, leaning back a bit and propping his feet up on the coffee table, which always made a clink noise, and was USUALLY followed by Ryou shouting from any room in the house "Bakura! You'll dirty Father's favorite coffee table!". It was almost eerie sometimes how Ryou knew that particular table's glass that made the clink noise. 'I might as well get away with it now, when he's not going to say anything.' he mused slightly.

"It's so quiet..." Yami commented he had been over to Ryou's house numerous times and Bakura always seemed to be doing something he wasn't supposed to follow by Ryou scolding him for doing it. He sighed remembering that they still needed a place to stay and that they couldn't stay here forever even if it was okay it wouldn't be right and unfortunately Mokuba carried out Seto's plans to bulldoze the game shop so there was no option to return any time soon.

/Aibou?/ Yami asked softly not wanting to disturbed him if he and Ryou were busy

Yugi smiled softly still watching Ryou cook. //Yes Yami?// he asked picking up the salt and handing it to Ryou. "Here, put some on it." He said smiling as Ryou did so, then handed it back absently. //Ryou seems so much better since we've come back...//

Bakura smiled softly, noting the lack of yelling from Ryou, but noticed the smudges of mud, and slight smears of blood on the table. Ryou was going to pitch a fit when he noticed, then sterilize it for hours.

//Ryou's a really good cook, and he's not even really trying right now...but he looks so happy.// Yugi bubbled, watching Ryou.

/I'm glad/ Yami said as he noticed Bakura eyeing the table which he had his feet on noticing all the stains and shaking his head. /Not going to ask/ he said mentally not realizing Yugi was listening as he continued /Bakura has some photos that might help him remember us all, I don't think he has totally forgotten us he just cant seem to realize we won't hurt him yet./ Yami said softly

Yugi blinked. //not going to ask about what?// he asked, curious. //what's going on in there?// He added before getting some plates for Ryou to put the food on. //The pictures seem like as good an idea as any...besides it'll give him something to do, other than sit around and stare at walls.// Yugi said helping Ryou put the food on each plate. "Can you carry a couple to the table?" Yugi said softly, picking up two.

"Like I said, I'm not going to ask so I have nothing to tell." Yami said aloud obviously stirring Bakura from his thoughts. "I think dinner is ready." Yami said softly as the two walked into the kitchen the table set neatly with their food on their plates as Ryou was putting the dishes in the sink.

"Ryou?" Yami asked softly although he didn't answer. "Are you going to come eat with us?" He asked

Ryou looked at the table skeptically but decided to sit taking a seat next to Yugi as he poked the food with his fork absentmindedly.

Yugi shook his head softly. "Ryou, eat some. You took the time to make it, I think you deserve to eat some of it. It's really good." He said, taking a bite and chewing. In all honesty Ryou had done a great job cooking, it was delicious. "Besides, you need to eat so you can get well." Yugi added with a smile. "After lunch we're gonna look at some pictures. Then maybe I can find some ice cream. I know how much you like ice cream." Yugi added cheerfully, winking at the mention of ice cream and hoping it would please Ryou enough that he'd smile.

Ryou looked up to meet Yugi's eyes as he smiled slightly at him and took a few bites chewing it slowly like he did with breakfast. Yami smiled happy that he was a little more responsive and that he seemed to recognize Yugi at least as he glanced at Bakura who was watching Ryou's every move as if it would help him to get closer to Ryou should he study him. "Bakura?" Yami asked softly

Yunikon16: "What?" He mumbled shoving some of the lunch into his mouth, not lifting his gaze from Ryou.

"Why are you looking a him like that?" Yami asked which seemed to catch Ryou's attention as he turned to face his Yami their eye's locking as the two starred at each other.

Bakura smiled for a moment. "Because he's going to murder me later, and he cooked a fine meal. Don't you think you should thank him as well?" Bakura said bowing his head a bit in thanks, before locking eyes with Ryou again and smiling. "I guess I might have to go out to get some ice cream...I think he ate it all before it all started...damn his late night snacks..."

Yami smiled as the two simply starred at one another in silence "Is you mind link working with him?" Yami asked curious

Bakura nodded slightly. "He's not talking...but I can sense his emotions again...its a start I suppose..." Bakura said, shoving another forkful of food into his mouth and chewing, before deciding to try talking to Ryou through their link. /Ryou...I'm glad you're smiling again./ he said in the softest most gentle tone he'd ever used, while smiling around his food.

//I...// Ryou began but pulled his gaze away staring back down at his food as he took another small bite of it. He shook his head lightly as if he had done something wrong as he stood up and went straight upstairs.

Yami looked at Bakura "What happened?" Yami asked

Bakura frowned. "He started to talk...but then he stopped..." he said shaking his head, frustrated that he might have done more harm than good by speaking to him. "I said I was glad to see him smiling again...I better not have sent him back two steps..." he grumbled finishing his meal and picking up his plate and Ryou's before putting them in the sink. He disappeared into the basement shortly after, before returning with a shoebox full of pictures. "Here, if you want to use them. I'll take care of the dishes..." he mumbled.

Yami watched as Yugi took the shoebox and ran upstairs. Yami turned to Bakura "I'll clean off the table, why don't you go clean of the table in the living room, no?" Yami said raising an eyebrow.

Bakura laughed. "Because it amuses me when he freaks out, besides he'll just find something else to yell at me about." He said laughing slightly. "If I were you I'd start walking around in a plastic bubble, Ra forbid you get your 'filth' anywhere." Bakura said shaking his head. "I sometimes wonder how I got paired with a neat freak...then I remember that karma bites ass." Bakura said getting a washrag anyway, obviously going to clean the table anyway.

I hope you liked it everyone we will be bringing in the lemon soon and we will have a three-some in between Yami/Ryou/Yugi so be warned now ^_^