Yu-Gi-Oh is not mine.

I've been working on this since three in the morning because I had a nightmare and I didn't want to go back to sleep. Pathetic, I know, but still.

You were only ten years old when you received the Millennium Ring from your father. You were so pure then. So innocent.

So corruptible.

When you first slipped the lace around your neck, I took in the sight of the pure white walls of your soul chamber, tainted neither with blood or agony. I smirked. I would have to fix that, wouldn't I, Yadonushi? I claimed a portion of the chamber for my own and painted it in my colors, swirling blood red and black together like a sick tapestry.

But that wasn't good enough. No, Yadonushi. I had to finish what I had started.

I began my work by night, weaving your once pleasant dreams into twisted tales of murder and bloodshed. I laughed to myself to see you writhe, my pretty little Ryou. Watching you squirm was simply intoxicating.

My favorite part was always when you awoke screaming, wide brown eyes alive with fear. Your terror was delicious. Even now I can hear your cries echoing in my ears. Perfect.

However, just as I thought this was going to be too easy, I discovered a hidden aspect of you. You were stubborn. In many ways you still are, but you are learning, eh, Ryou?

You fought against the nightmares, staying up for days on end, creating half-hearted lies to explain the deep circles under your beautiful eyes. The fear on your flawless face.

But you would always succumb to fatigue before a week had passed. And then I would quickly make up for lost time. And still, you hid everything from your family and those fools you called your friends.

One day, as you played a game of Monster World with your 'friends', I sensed a golden opportunity to make you feel helpless. I couldn't resist it, my landlord. I overtook your weak little body with a minimum of effort. From there, it was a simple matter to seal those pathetic excuses for a mortal existence into the selfsame figurines they once played as, taking for granted that any moment could very well be their last.

I purred in delight to hear the anguished sounds you made when you came around and noticed my handiwork. I shuddered in sadistic delight when you cried your empty tears. They will not bring them back, you know, Yadonushi. You can stop your pathetic display now, boy.

No? Very well. I will only torture you more tonight. The punishment will fit the crime…

At first, you convinced yourself that it was just a freak coincidence and pushed it into the back of your mind. Unfortunately for you, pretty Ryou, the back of your mind is where I dwell. I decided to prove to you that it wasn't a coincidence.

I did it again. And again. And again.

Ultimately, you came to realize that it was you that was causing these little 'accidents'. You moved from one school to another, struggling in your pathetic attempt to make new friends. Sadly, Yadonushi, our reputation preceded us, and most of those fools were wise enough to stay well out of our way.

You started drawing into yourself, seeking solace in writing letters to that dead sister of yours. Pathetic. This was not the reaction I desired, my beautiful hikari. I was certain then that I would have to increase my efforts to break you.

Now, even in your waking moments, I would whisper to you stories of darkness, ensuring you could never escape me.

And still you resisted. You told yourself it wasn't happening. You told yourself it was just your imagination, and you continued to live your life. You shut out my voice. You ignored the dreams. You even ceased the delightful shouts when you woke up.

This is when I began to get angry. I would have to teach you a lesson, wouldn't I, little Ryou? I would have to teach you to not defy me.

That night, as you slept, I took control of your lithe little body. I stood up and headed to the kitchen of your small apartment. Slowly, I pulled a knife from its sheath and brought it up to your wrist.

I slashed the blade across the exposed skin over and over, creating four long cuts. Four- one for every year we have been together, little Yadonushi.

Next, I started on the other arm, this time creating fourteen gashes in your flesh. One for every year you have lived, landlord.

But I was not done. Now I took the blade and brought it up to your throat, drawing a long, yet shallow line horizontally on your slender neck. One. How many lives you were allowed to live.

Blood oozed from the many wounds. I smirked as I gave your damaged body back to you.

You screamed when you saw the blood. You screamed louder when you saw the cuts. My smile grew wider. This was the reaction I had been longing for.

After that day, you were as skittish as a frightened kitten, looking over your shoulder every second of the day. I am not over your shoulder, am I, Ryou? I am only in your mind.

Eventually, your various expulsions led you to Domino High school. This time around, you avoided making friends as best as you could. You were determined that if anyone would be hurt, it would only be you.

Still, little Yugi was a fool and decided he wanted to befriend you. He wore a large, rather gaudy golden puzzle around his neck.

The Millennium Puzzle.

You reached out to touch it, and I, in my excitement, drove the spikes of the Millennium Ring into the skin of your chest.

You cried out in pain. Yugi asked if you were alright. You said you were.

You were always a horrible liar.

Years continued to pass. I continued to torment you. And still you resisted me. Still you fought against me with every ounce of life in your body. And still, when the pharaoh unleashed the wrath of Slipher upon us, I shielded you. Only I was aloud to make you scream, landlord. Only I was allowed to make you cry.

When the pharaoh saved you from the Shadow Realm we had been banished to after my defeat at Marik's hand, I was separated from you for a while, rotting in the bottom of Yugi's duffel bag.

Of course, it was only a matter of time before I found my way back to you.

You were walking home from a convenience store late at night, carrying a couple of grocery bags filled with various foods that could not have been good for you.

You shouldn't be out so long after dark, I hissed in your ear. It's dangerous for someone like you, my pretty Yadonushi.

You dropped the grocery bags. You ran. Couldn't you see that it was pointless? You cannot run from me.

You fled into a deserted Christian building. Now how, exactly was that supposed to keep me away, Ryou?

You argued with me. You said I cannot force you to do anything. Let me show you just how wrong you are.

The windows shattered as I once again entered your mind, taking what was mine by right.

The bond was weak. I could hear your cries of protest echoing through my head. Our head, for now. But not to worry. I knew just how to strengthen it. I would just have to make an unannounced trip to little Yugi's house.

You can never escape. No matter what may happen, no matter how many times you are taken from me, I will always return to you. Because you are my pretty Yadonushi. My beautiful hikari.

You are mine.