Hey... after receiving all those death threats... thought I should update XD Wow... people out there actually LIKE this? Wow.. thank you so much for all of the nice reviews! And sorry for the late ass update! I'm such a loser But hey, here it is. A little on the short side, but at least I think I know where this is going now.
Oh and seeing as this has banned the slashes...
;Denotes Yami to Hikari speak;
#Denotes Hikari to Yami speak#
Ryou shivered to himself as he kept his head titled against the sudden downpour of rain that had started up just as school had ended. Usually he would have walked home with Yugi or Joey, but seeing as Yugi was at home already and Joey was at the hospital... he would have to brave this alone.
Hoping feverishly that he would make it home before a certain person discovered that he walking alone and unprotected, the white haired boy started walking faster, his heart racing. He couldn't hear anything other than the pattering of rain around him, and was worried that the gentle sound would be blocking out any sounds of someone's approach.
He was deeply worried about his two friends. He wasn't sure why Yugi was so upset by his father's return, but didn't like to see him that way at any rate. And Joey... Ryou felt a small pang of guilt. Joey had been sent to hospital trying to protect him, which meant that it was his fault.
;Wheeler's in hospital?;
Ryou blinked, and shivered slightly against the rain before answering Bakura.
#Yes.# he replied softly, #He got beaten up. Really bad#
"By the same person that hurts you," Bakura suddenly stated, materialising in front of Ryou. The smaller boy stared at him, open mouthed, unable to think of a response to that. Feeling his shoulders shake with sudden emotion, he threw himself at his yami.
Bakura had been expecting this, and with a small sigh held his arms out for Ryou, before holding him close against his chest. Feeling the younger boy shake against him, Bakura tightened his hold, ignoring the rain for the moment.
"Stupid hikari... " he hissed lowly, "Why didn't you tell me!"
"Because... I didn't want you to get hurt," Ryou whispered back slowly, his words murmured from where he was pressed against his yami's shoulder, "I didn't want anyone to get hurt... and now Joey's in the hospital...-"
"Wheeler is probably the only one of your stupid friends who could withstand such a beating, think of it that way," Bakura interrupted harshly, "If it had been the pharaoh's brat, for example then this would be a lot worse"
Ryou fell silent, too overcome at that moment to say anything more, knowing that Bakura was right. Sure he was overcome with worry for his blond haired friend that had tried to save him, but when it came down to it, Joey did have the most experience in fighting and would of stood a much better chance than the rest of them.
Bakura noted Ryou's quietness with an impatient sigh, and slowly started to lead his hikari back home, an arm held around his shoulders protectively.
It had taken quite a while to calm Yugi down, but after a long while, he was finally content to be leant into Yami's shoulder, his face buried and hidden from his grandfather. The old man was watching his grandson in concern, occasionally raising amethyst eyes to Yami in question, to which the spirit would shake his head.
"Yugi," Solomon began gently after the small boy's sobbing had ceased, "Please... tell me what the matter is. Perhaps I can help?"
"..he...," the boy stuttered softly, warm tears still leaking out of his eyes as he pulled himself away from Yami's shoulder, "I... d-don't want him to be back."
"...your father?" Solomon repeated in evident confusion, "But.. why not? Isn't it a relief to know that he did not die all those years ago? Are you not happy to have a father again?"
"No!" Yugi replied forcefully, wiping the fresh tears away with the back of his hand, "I... I wish that he was dead! I don't want him to be back! I don't want be hurt again!"
"Hurt? From his death?"
"No!" Yugi stood up, trying to meet his grandfather face to face, "He.. he hurt me, grandpa! He... he used to hurt me... w-when he got angry..." he trailed off, falling silent at the look on the old man's face. Yami rose to stand quietly at Yugi's side, offering him comfort in his time of need.
"What Yugi says is true, " he added softly, "I have seen his scars."
"Scars?" Solomon repeated weakly, his gaze fixated upon Yugi, "Yugi.. please. Let me see..."
Yugi shivered, before glancing up to his yami, who nodded solemnly in response. Sighing softly, Yugi turned his back on his grandfather, just like he had done with Yami only yesterday, and began to unbutton his shirt. Solomon looked on silently, his eyes widening noticeably as his grandson's scarred back came into view.
"Yugi..." he whispered softly, shaking his head, "What did you not say anything before now?"
Yugi turned back to face him, more tears falling onto his pale cheeks, shaking his head as he struggling to form words between the oncoming sobs.
"...because I thought that you loved him," he whispered back, "I didn't want to ruin your memory of him."
"Memory of who?"
Yugi froze, and couldn't bring himself to turn around and see the source of the voice. Solomon let his gaze drift past his grandson, those eyes narrowing significantly when they fell upon the owner of the voice. Yami turned back slightly to glance at the intruder, before placing an arm protectively around Yugi.
His father was stood there, an insane grin lighting his features as he held a gun out towards the trio. This grin increased when he saw the look on Solomon's face, and he threw his head back a little, laughing.
"Well then," he began pleasantly, "I assume that he will be going to tell you WHY I did that to him. Which means that I'm afraid you will all have to come with me."
"And if we don't?" Yami growled, crimson eyes glowering dangerously at the older man. Yugi's father laughed again, before shaking his head slowly, curling a finger around the trigger of the gun.
"You all die," he replied simply, "I have a van waiting outside. You are all to get into it quietly and without a fuss. Otherwise I will shoot you. Understand?"
"But... why?" Solomon suddenly stammered, his eyes wide with fear as he looked over at his son, "What have we ever done to you to warrant this?"
"Him," was the cold reply, and the gun was jerked towards the motionless Yugi, "He knows something that he should never utter. I do not trust him to tell. I thought I taught him not to say anything, he knew of his punishment if he did. And now, thanks to his selfishness, all three of you will be coming with me."
Kaiba sighed, and removed his hands from the keyboard to rest under his chin for what must of been the fifth time that night. Despite all the figures and letters dancing across the black screen, he couldn't stop himself from seeing the image of Joey lying in that bed, looking so... well so non-Joey like.
Actually, he paused, it wasn't so odd to see the other with bruises and cuts on him. As did most people, he had always assumed that it was just from his street fights that he boasted about constantly. But, he frowned slightly, remembering the blond boy's reaction when he had mentioned them. Was there really something deeper at work here?
It was more HOW the boy acted. Sure, he acted like the same old Joey, but with less spark. He was lying flat out on that bed, exhausted from the combination of the drugs and the pain. The normal Joey would be fighting it, insisting that he was fine and for everyone to leave him alone. But the Joey he had left lying there, he was even too tired to tell them to do that.
And, why did he even care? This was Joey Wheeler, that dumb annoying mutt who annoyed him constantly. No, he suddenly realised, this was Joey Wheeler, someone who was eerily like himself in many ways. Someone who was feeling pain that he could so easily relate to.
"...stupid mutt," he sighed, his tone not unkind, "I bet if you knew that you were distracting me from work outside of school, you would be ecstatic."
He paused, before smirking slightly and shaking his head, raising his long fingers above the keyboard to start working again.
"You would like it even better if you knew I was talking to myself about you as well..."