Look! I'm back from the dead! BWAHHAHA! -cackle- This is what I have been working on. xD Yes folks, I am rewriting Control! I dont know whether or not to delete it, so a word of warning, if you actually like the thing (God forbid) then save it... I better delete it, or I might get in trouble... o.o' But this is really vastly different. For example, this nearly four thousand word chapter is, just chapter one. Thats it. xD. It does follow the same plot. Bleh. Read it, and marvel at how much I have progressed in writing since last April. xDDDD
Disclaimer: All I own is my Computer, a bag of clothes, and my handbag. (I am serious, by the way.) Sue me? Go ahead. xD
"And so class, that concludes today's lesson. Homework-" The teacher frowned, glaring over her spectacles as she raised her voice above the cacophony of students packing their bags. "Will be the worksheets I gave to you, so make sure you all reread chapters seven and eight if you want to get full marks. Have a good weekend children!"
Soft brown gazed depressingly at the creamy plastic of his desk, pale rosebud lips parting for a moment, emitting a soft, defeated sigh. Yeah, have a good weekend Mrs. Osaka. The gentle whitenette rubbed at his eyes momentarily, lifting his school case in his hand as he made to leave the classroom.
"Oh, Mr. Bakura!" The bespectacled teacher frowned, brushing a lock of ebony out of hazel eyes as she gestured for Ryou to approach her. "Can I please see you for a moment?" The fifteen-year-old paused in his walk, a soft frown creasing his fair brow as he hesitantly made his way towards the teacher's desk.
"Mr. Bakura…" The woman removed the black framed glasses from her eyes, staring rather strangely at Ryou. "This may sound strange, but, are you feeling all right?" Ryou started at the question, his frown deepening as he swept his silvery curtain of hair out from his eyes.
"I-I'm fine, Mrs. Osaka." Ryou said carefully, careful to not let the flicker of fear in the back of his mind physically show. "Wh-why do you say that?" Miko Osaka continued to shuffle at her papers, determinedly avoiding Ryous eye.
"Your disposition in my class has changed drastically." She frowned, sliding her rectangular glasses back up her nose. "You used to be my best pupil, but now…" She frowned. "You're very antisocial, and you're marks have lowered considerably. I've even caught you falling asleep in class a few times… Other teachers have told me you act the same in their classes as well, and it's getting us all rather concerned."
A stone seemed to crash from Ryous heart and plunge into his stomach as he bit his lip, lowering his gaze to the floor. "Mrs. Osaka, I swear, I'm fine. I just need to be getting more sleep, that's all." He faked a small smile, inclining his head momentarily in a short bow to his teacher. "Um, please excuse me miss, but I really do need to get home." The whitenette continued, his eyes focused on the teachers desk. The woman nodded, frowning as she stared after Ryou, watching him leave the room.
Outside the class, Ryou was nearly in tears as he leaned against the wall, his knees feeling weak. They're starting to suspect me. He panicked, clenching his eyes tightly shut. What am I going to do, what on earth am I going to do, if they look into my permanent record, if they decide to visit me at home... I can't lie, I can't talk my way out of this one. God, I am so screwed... The teens legs were trembling as he made his way over to his locker to collect the biology textbooks he needed for homework. All the while, as he made his was out of the now silent school, devoid of its pupils, who had a whole weekend to enjoy themselves before they were trapped again for another week, he kept his anxious chocolate eyes on the the several school clocks scattered about the school corridors. I'm late now, of all things... I've probably missed the train, oh Jesus. When I get home, Bakura-sama is going to kill me. Or thrash me within an inch of my life. I'd prefer the latter.
The silvery sheen of the sharp switchblade seemed to wink in the light, catching the golden rays of the late afternoon sun, sinking steadily lower into the cerulean sky. The hypnotic knife had sent the pale demon into somewhat of a trance, reddish-brown orbs half lowered slowly as his eyes followed the path of the blade. It was a loud HONK from a taxi below that dragged Bakura out of his stupor, startling him back into reality with a sharp gasp and a jolt.
Son of a bitch. Bakura sneered mentally, throwing a venomous glare to the window leading outside. I should destroy his soul... He continued in this train of thought for a few moments, until the rather odd position of the sun brought him back to reality. The yami frowned, shifting his wood-crimson gaze to the clock. Five o' clock? Bakuras narrow eyes widened. Ryou was due home an hour ago. Where the fuck is he? He mused angrily, his slim porcelain fingers tightening around the switchblade. I'll kill him. Or harm him grievously. Unless he has a good excuse... Nah, I'll just thrash him within an inch of his life. More fun that way.
It was the soft, tentative sound of the front door to the small apartment that sharply broke Bakura out of his thoughts. An evil leer spread across the yamis face as he slipped as quietly as a cat out of the small plush couch, creeping silently into the kitchen. He could almost smell the waves of fear cascading from the trembling light as he closed the door behind him, his harsh, ragged gasps so sweet, so intoxicating to the demons ears. That's it. Bakura smirked to himself. You're afraid, aren't you, little host of mine?
Yes, Ryou was afraid. Very afraid. Just as he suspected, the teenager had missed his train, and although it was quite a short walk- only forty-five minutes to Domino High- He still took the train, mainly because he had to be home by three thirty every day, without fail. And now, now, it was almost five. The walk had taken so much longer, because Ryou dawdled along the way, gazing lazily into shop windows, pausing to pick up a copy of the days paper and a cup of coffee, and generally prolonging his inevitable return to his house for as long as possible. Secretly, the Briton was pleased with himself for this small act of defiance, purposely disobeying one of Bakuras most important laws, the curfew that was set in concrete for as long as the young whitenette could remember. It was a small, hopeful reminder that Ryou still had his free will. Insignificant to most, but little things like 'forgetting' to buy Bakura steak from the butchers, or coming home later than three thirty, or conking out on the forbidden bed while the demon was still in the lounge, it all kept Ryou sane. Sure, it earned him more beatings than the light thought he could handle without going into hospital, but it gave Ryou hope, that there was still a chance, still hope, that he would one day be able to win against his yami. Not that he never let Bakura know about any of this, it would kill him for sure. Or get him hospitalized, which would in turn alert the social services, and eventually, Bakura would have to kill a few people and/or send them to the shadow realm before Ryou finally got to live on his own again. Instead, Bakura took the small acts of defiance as stupidity, beating Ryou worse as time progressed, as though he wanted to literally pound the knowledge into the delicate teens skull. Ryou however, took the abuse without fail, keeping his toe on the line whenever he could.
Okay, so maybe Bakura had some justification sometimes, when Ryou did something to piss him off, and he had to take it out on someone, but was having your head repeatedly dunked into a bath of freezing cold water for so long you almost passed out a fair punishment for not cleaning up a spilled glass of water when you were told? Ryou certainly didn't think so. Or what about the time Bakura held his hand on the red hot element for almost a minute after Ryou overcooked the yamis steak? (He had to wear a bandage for weeks, and the strange questions he had to try and answer...) Not exactly reasonable in the young lights eyes. But if he was going to keep deliberately fucking up in front of Bakura as a silent act of defiance, what else could Ryou expect?
But just because Ryou came to expect the abuse, it didn't mean he wasn't afraid. Oh, he was terrified. He wanted to walk right out that door and run like a madman to the nearest mental hospital, jail, or other such 'safe' place. Hmm... Ryou couldn't help but wonder rather dryly. I wonder if he's going to be creative today? Or maybe he'll just be simple and use a knife or his fists? God, I just want this to be over...
"Oh, hikari..." The cold, mocking sound with the quantity of fine sandpaper rang out from the small three-walled kitchen bathed in darkness. Ryou froze, his pupils dilating in fear as he swung towards the source of the noise, his soft jaw line trembling. His breath seemed to stick in his throat, not making it to his lungs, not making it through his lips. "Why so afraid?" Ryou tried to answer, really, he did, but his words were stuck in his throat, just like his breath.
"I-I" Ryou gasped, his doe-brown eyes wide in fear as he gazed wildly into the darkness, only just able to pick out the faint outline of his darker half, bloodied brown eyes glaring menacingly, sadistically, at the quivering teen, who stood like a deer caught in the headlights, both hands held over his mouth. Oh no, he's got that sadistic look in his eyes again... I'm really in for it now... This wasn't a good idea. His knees felt weak as he struggled to stand upright, he was literally shaking in his shoes. I don't know how much more of this I can take...
Ryou screamed into his hands, the force of the blow to his stomach sending him crumpling to the floor, shaking like a leaf as he held his head in his hands, silver locks trailing like fine spun silk through his trembling fingers. Bakura couldn't decide what he looked more like, a baby deer about to get hit by a car, or a baby rabbit who had just been cornered by a fox. Either way, it was pathetic. He was sixteen years old. Sixteen! And Bakura was comparing him to a baby animal. A pathetic, stupid, defenseless one at that. By Ra, how many times to I have to knock the sense into him? Bakura rolled his eyes heavenwards for a moment, before seizing the front of Ryous royal blue jacket, dragging the trembling boy up so they were staring eye to eye. Well, Ryou still had his head in his hands, eyes clenched tightly shut.
"Look at me." Bakura breathed, his burning anger almost scorching the trembling Ryou, who tentatively brought his head from the safe cradle of his fingers, wide brown eyes flooding with fear as he gazed at the yami. "Now." Bakura shoved Ryou roughly against the kitchen countertop, the young light perched precariously on the edge. "Where were you?"
"I-I missed my train." Ryou breathed softly, eyes lowering to his knees. "I had to walk." The snowy-haired demon snorted as the pathetic excuse, a pale, cruel hand grasping Ryou's chin harshly, jerking him up so the yami could look him in the eyes.
"It doesn't take you an hour and a half to walk across downtown Domino, you pathetic child." Bakura spat, eyes narrowing to scarlet slits. "I'll ask you one more time. Where were you?" Ryou swallowed deeply, deciding to at least give his darker half a semi-truth to keep him happy- and to maybe lessen the inevitable beating that would proceed the confrontation.
"I-I was taking my time." Ryou whispered, hands clenching into fists as he felt his heart hammer away in what felt like the base of his throat. "I stopped for a coffee, read the newspaper... did a bit of window shopping down the main drag." The light continued, deciding to throw in another truth/lie hybrid. "I-I was scared to come home, so I was putting it off, and putting it off..." Ryou whimpered slightly, clenching his eyes tightly shut in expectancy of a blow to the side of his face. His prediction was true, unfortunately, and the young Briton winced at the red flush across his left cheek. He would have to put ice on that later...
"You stupid pathetic mortal!" Bakura spat, one fist tightening on the lights school shirt. "You honestly think you can get away from me?" A twisted leer spread across his face, his free hand gently running along Ryous eyelids as a silent command for him to open his dark mocha orbs. The younger boy complied, shrinking away at the sadism etched on Bakura's face. Oh no, I've really done it this time, he's going to hurt me so bad, oh Jesus, oh God, oh someone please help me...
"Praying to your foolish deities is fruitless, stupid boy." Bakura spat, eyes narrowing further. "And besides, I forbade it." His hand tightened even more on Ryous coat, stretching the fabric even further. The young light had clenched his hands tightly, setting his teeth.
"No." He muttered lowly, his fair brow creasing into a frown as he glared at the yami. "You cannot, and will not take my own religion away from me." Ryou raised his voice another notch, his jaw set in a scowl. The day Bakura forbade his host from going to church, reading the bible, praying, or generally participating in anything Christian was still etched in his mind, particularly after the time the demon caught Ryou scanning through the pages, circling particular phrases with a pencil. Ryou stammered that it was for his bible study class, which of course, on enraged Bakura more, adding a few more bruises to the extensive collection on Ryous slender body hidden by clothing, until he came up with the appropriate 'punishment' for breaking one of his rules.
Ryou still remembered how terrible the ink tasted in his tongue, how hard it was for the pages, as thin and frail as old woman's skin, to travel down his throat without a glass of water, sticking uncomfortably in his esophagus, how it settled like a rock in his underfed stomach for what seemed like days until it was completely digested.
Bakura burned the rest of the bible.
This was just one of the acts he had caused, -especially since the bible belonged to his mother- that had stoked the fire of rebellion burning in Ryous chest, like a simmering volcano, just waiting to explode.
"I'll do whatever I like with my possessions." Bakura snarled, his other hand not curled into the lights jacket joining the first, lifting Ryou off of the kitchen table. Ryou gasped as his feet dangled helplessly in midair, eyes widening as he gazed at the spirit.
"I-I'm not a possession!" Ryou blurted out, and with all the strength he could muster- and some he didn't know he had, the young light pushed Bakura with his frail slim arms. The sudden act of defiance took the demon by shock, momentarily releasing his hold on the lights shirt, the latter stumbling slightly as he landed on his feet, breathing hard. Oh dear, what do I do now? I have to run, he looks pissed, run Ryou run, get out of here while your legs aren't broken like they almost were last time you were late... Although it would have been more intelligent to flee the small apartment altogether, Ryou, still quite numb and unthinking from his shock, ran desperately across the small living room, an enraged Bakura hot at his heels. The door slammed with a large BANG as the light managed to block out the yami, forcing all of his body weight on the door to keep it closed.
"You little BRAT!" Bakura screamed, his fists pounding on the door. "Open this door right now, you little slut!" He kicked the door several times for good measure, the wood panels creaking as he threw his weight against it again and again, struggling to fiddle with the locked doorknob. How dare he speak back to me like that! Bakura was raging inwardly. I'll show him how to respect his betters, the stupid, useless little worm...
The whitenette was still having trouble breathing, his ragged gasps coming up short in his throat, his lungs struggling for air as he curled tighter into his little protective ball on the single bed. The deep orange sunset burned throughout the sky, bloodied red rays of light seeping through the blinds and into the small room, giving it a somewhat zebra effect. Although tears pushed at the corners of his eyes, Ryou refused to let them fall, struggling to calm himself with attempted deep soothing breaths. I finally stood up to him. The Briton rejoiced inwardly. I'm not weak and pathetic and stupid, I'm not, I'm not! And he finally knows that.
Oh Jesus.
He finally knows that... I'm dead. He's going to kill me, he's going to hurt me so badly I won't be able to move without being in agony, he's going to punish me so much for this... Ryou moaned aloud, clutching his head in his hands. He. Was. Screwed. Sure, the light had acted against Bakura, many times, but not like this, he never said no to Bakura, never retaliated, never fought back...
He was dead. So, so, so, so dead.
Because Ryou was so caught up in those morose, panicked thoughts, he didn't hear the resounding BANG, as Bakura finally picked the lock open, and slammed the wooden door so hard, the handle set a dent in the wall. Ryou squeaked, raising his head from his hands for a moment, shivering at the lithe, angry demon who was stalking across the small bedchamber, radiating hate and fury. The light whimpered softly, curling back into his tight ball of protection. Oh God, oh God, please leave me alone, Bakura-sama, please don't hurt me, I didn't mean it, please stop this, please please please...
"What were you thinking." Bakura hissed, angrier than Ryou had ever seen him. The light whimpered as he felt the small shift on his bed as the demon joined him, his nose only inches away. "Look at me, you pathetic boy." Ryou whimpered, raising his head from the protection of his knees as he slowly opened his eyes, shrinking away at the demon who leered over him. His soft doe brown eyes left the yamis glittering orbs of crimson for a moment, trailing his gaze down to Bakura's hands. Ryou gasped, a soft whimper emitting from his throat as he curled into tighter into himself, his heart threatening to escape from his ribcage in fear. He's holding a knife, he's going to hurt me, he's going to kill me... Oh God, he's going to kill me, please help me, someone, please, I don't want to die...
"So now you are afraid." Bakura smirked, the cool flat of the glimmering silver blade trailing across Ryou's cheekbone. The light froze, his slender form shaking in fear as his eyes locked onto the yamis. He opened his mouth to speak, his breathing harsh and erratic in his throat.
"P-Please..." Ryou whispered, shaking under the yamis hold. "I'm sorry, Bakura-sama, I didn't mean it..." He swallowed deeply, whimpering as the blade in Bakura's hands began trailing down the soft curve of his jawbone. "P-Please don't hurt me, Bakura-sama, please..." The yamis eyes narrowed further, his left hand on Ryou's shoulder tightening.
"Do you think that a pathetic plea for mercy is going to help you?" Bakura sneered in his husky voice, the blade digging deeper into Ryous skin. "Do you think I will let you go unpunished for speaking to me like that? For thinking that you are better than me?" Ryou squeaked in fear, beginning to writhe under the demons hold, pushing against Bakura in a futile attempt to escape.
"I'm not better than you." Ryou whispered, still struggling with Bakura, but in vain. "I'm dirt, I'm lower than dirt, I'm nothing, and you're everything, you're my master, you're my better, you're superior to me in every way!" Ryou blurted out, his chest heaving for air as he struggled to breathe. "Please..." Bakura's smirk widened, a slightly amused look in his eyes.
"It seems the stupid child has finally learned his lesson." The pale demon sneered at Ryou, who merely nodded wordlessly, his chin trembling. "Maybe he will be able to go unpunished." Ryou nodded again, his eyes wide with fright.
"Please." He whispered softly, uselessly, knowing Bakura was just toying with him. He wasn't going to go unpunished, he was going to get hurt grievously for defying Bakura, for trying to defend himself. He just hoped that it would be over quickly, that his uniform wouldn't be so bloodstained he couldn't wash it out. Hoped he would still be alive...
Bakura frowned down at the small light, trembling like a frightened rabbit under his grasp. Why did Ryou just stand up to him a few short minutes ago, why did he try to fight back, why did he say no? The demon was under the impression that Ryou was weak, defenseless, and incredibly stupid, but maybe he was wrong. Maybe Ryou was cleverer than he thought. Either way, Bakura still commanded ultimate fear over Ryou, still beat and broke him down. He thought Ryou was dead inside, but instead, he found the bright flame of rebellion, burning on deep inside the light, so deep he couldn't find it.
He knew a way to quell Ryou's fire forever. All this time, he had been going for the body, inflicting psychical pain on the Briton, when he should have been attacking something much frailer. The heart, the soul, the emotions. Bakura knew, he knew from the way Ryou sometimes looked at him, from the way he would blush deeply whenever he sat next to him on the couch, he knew that Ryou had a crush. Manipulation, dishonesty, and then, shattering Ryou's heart and silencing his free will forever.
He couldn't wait.
-giggle- I'm about halfway done through Chapter Two, so I'll have that done soon, I swear. I mean it. xD And I have 1200 words of broken lights... as soon as I get an idea, I'll post it. Realleh. xD
R&R!