fluffydeathdealer | [CAMPUS/IC]

...eh? What do you mean, father?

[Ryou starts in surprise, looking over at him. His own face is pale and drained, eyes tired, but there's concern i them despite that.]

You look unhappy still... what's wrong?

I told you that I would always find a way to make time for you... and yet, when you came to find me, when you needed that time, I didn't.

[Nevermind that Henry was suffering the feeling of a part of him being cut out... who knew how much Ryou had suffered, too?

He ignores the question, or at least doesn't address it.]

I'm sorry, Ryou... forgive me.

There's nothing to forgive. You have your troubles too.

[He reaches out almost shyly to rest a hand on Henry's arm, letting the Ring rest on his lap.]

[His eyes drift down to Ryou's hand, a smile crossing his face a little as his own closes over it. After a moment, he lets go, picking up Ryou and taking his seat, resting the boy in his lap.]

You look tired. [A hand moves up to brush aside his hair a little.] What was it that was bothering you?

Ah-!

[He starts in surprise, but doesn't protest. Instead, he just rests, feeling himself relax slightly.]

It's stupid... to be so worried. [A soft sigh and he manages to relax a little more.]

That guy... the one we talked about. He tried to persuade me to be more like him... and then decided he'd prefer me without my soul when I refused. The other me interfered... but for a moment I completely panicked. I was even considering ways to use that knife you gave the other me, if I could figure out a way to do it without getting killed in the process.

Ever since then... I can't seem to relax enough to sleep. Even though he doesn't have that power, who's to say he won't just kill me in my sleep instead? He really seemed insane right then. Like he wanted me dead because I wasn't the future he wanted.

[Tch... Henry's hands tighten painfully on Ryou's arms, but he forces himself to release after a moment, breathing slowly. Even so, Ryou can likely feel that his heart started pounding at that, almost as if Henry himself was afraid.]

The Thief King Bakura... yes?

Yes... I woke up and he was just hanging around my apartment.

[Meaning he knows where he lives.

That fear... he can feel it in both the feeling of those hands and the faster heartbeat.]

The other me told me to... to let him handle it. But I haven't heard a word about it since then. I slept for a while while he was in control, but there's been nothing from him.

I don't think I'll be sleeping again for a while.

....

[Slowly, Henry closes his eyes, breathing and thinking. The pounding of his heart hasn't lessened, even despite his attempts, but he's not showing that fear outwardly anymore.]

Ryou...

[How can he even begin here? What can he say?]

...that man killed Mahad. The Dark Magician.

Eh-?!

[But the Dark Magician was a Duel Monster. More than that... he was Yugi's ace. If he's that powerful...

His heart softens suddenly, realizing, and he presses closer to Henry suddenly.]

I'm so sorry...

[Henry wraps his arms around Ryou, letting his head drop into that soft hair for a moment. Just remembering is causing a slight tremble in his arms, but he forces it to still.]

I don't know what happened, but Yugi was there... and Mahad was dead. He revived, the same as Malik or Rosenkreuz, but he had died.

That man... he's dangerous. I don't know what the other you intends to do -- it sounded like he protected you, but there's no telling how long it could last.

[He lets out a soft breath, one hand falling to rest on the Ring without Henry realizing it.]

[And just like that, a voice whispers in Henry's head.

I know what happened to that guy... the magician. And more than that... I know something that might reassure you a little.

It isn't teasing, like his usual voice. It's serious. And he knows his voice isn't the one that Henry wants to hear right now.

Ryou clings to Henry as best he can, eyes squeezed shut. He killed a Duel Monster... what the hell is this guy?]

[He barely represses the urge to jump at the voice, merely lacing the other arm around Ryou both to reassure and be reassured. The hand on the Ring shifts slightly, moving more firmly on it without grabbing it.

What happened, then? And what could reassure me?]

[The fact that the weapon he used is no longer there.

The answer comes fast and calmly.

He didn't have it when I found him in the halls, and he was horrified at its loss. I sent one of my demons to scour the place but found no trace of it. Yugi must have taken it and disposed of it somewhere after he punished him.]

[That does indeed reassure Henry and he sighs softly, leaning into Ryou's hair some.

I see... that's good. I hope he got rid of it, however he had to do so.

Because Mahad... no, not going to think about that. He really doesn't want to remember any of it. Instead...

I take it you're protecting Ryou from him?]

[I'll tell you another secret as well... Heh heh. That weak fool doesn't even have the power of summoning behind him. He's dependant entirely on human methods.

But the last part... tch, how annoying! He ignores Ryou's comforting cuddling to shoot back a curt reply.

Yadonushi won't have anything to fear from him on that end. I've made it clear to him that I won't let him use the Ring's power, though I wouldn't put it past him to try to replace my host out of a sense of doing what's 'right for me' - or his ego, at least. I'm no match for him in physical strength. My strength is only a little higher than Ryou's maximum capability at any given time.

]

Edited 2013-10-14 05:26 (UTC)

[Bakura may find it annoying, but it's an important worry Henry has. Ryou is his son, after all! And since Bakura's in his body, he has to deal with it. The other hand goes up to idly pet the soft hair, the king sighing softly.

I see... that's good to know if I ever need to stop him. If he tries anything that you yourself can't hold off, then find a way to alert me. You or Ryou... I won't let him get away with something like that again.

There's an undertone to Henry's thoughts, an almost animalistic snarl heavy with rage. He's keeping it pushed down well, but his hatred for that man is almost palpable.]

[When he answers, it's slowly, thoughtfully.

My past is my past. I don't hold any love or hatred for him. But if he's going to be this stupid, even my patience isn't going to last. I don't take kindly to people threatening my host.

Besides, the guy was useless so far. How annoying... he'd expected more of him.

Don't get me wrong... he's dangerous. He may act like dumb muscle, but he's me, after all... and a me who isn't softened by three thousand years of waiting. He nearly rushed right out after Yugi after realizing what had happened to him.

That's right... you wanted me to tell you. Want the full story, or did you hear enough at 'the weapon is gone'?

Ryou nuzzles into Henry's hand without thinking, closing his eyes and relaxing further.]

[The nuzzling calms him down some and he breathes slowly again. He really wants to just tell him it's enough, but...

Tell me.

Even if the weapon is gone, that didn't mean there weren't more of them. He has to be ready. For everyone's sake.]

[Heh... alright.

I found him after everything was done with, lying on the floor in the open in a completely traumatised state. He didn't come out of it for a few hours, though I can understand why. But I was able to piece it together from his own testimony and the things that went on around him.

Somehow, he obtained a gun. A small, weak one, but a gun, none-the-less. He used it to kill your friend, breaking his own nose in the process, but was confronted by the other Yugi-kun, who somehow persuaded him into a Game of Darkness. I imagine it wasn't hard. He wanted the Millennium Puzzle, after all. But he lost.

The Millennium Items have the power to enact a Penalty Game in retaliation for failure. You've already learnt of mine. Mine attacks souls. Yugi-kun's attacks minds.

In return, Yugi attacked his mind with a hallucination of death by melting taken from his memories of the past. He then took the gun, took Mahad's body, I assume, and left him there to suffer in the delusion... quite fitting, after all.

That was where I found him. I checked the state of his mind and found to my surprise that he was convinced he was dead. After a few hours he seemed completely dead inside, so I was about to mercy kill him when he woke up. He was a rather pathetic soul at the time, but he regained his usual obsessive asshole state quite fast. Unfortunately, he didn't learn his lesson.

But I did learn his lack of powers from it. There's no darkness within him. Our master hasn't blessed him with that power, it seems.]

[Hm... yes, he does remember Yugi being different then. An "other" Yugi? Maybe it was something like the spirit... or something else entirely. He'll file that away for later on.

But none of that darkness power... and a punishment like that for killing Mahad. The darker side of Henry twists in delight at hearing about the thief's suffering, then quiets as the king pushes it away. It was cruel to do, but he feels no pity for the man. It was what he deserved, at the very least.

The gun... he hopes it was thrown into the ocean, if nothing else.

And who is this "Master" of yours?]

[That question gives him pause. He recalls mentioning him to Henry before, but not with any details. He'd never even offered the name, then. But things were a little different now, it seemed.

His voice is almost hesitant when he replies. Almost.

Beats me. I know the name, and I know that our goals are the same, but I don't know shit about him. His name is 'Zorc Necrophades'. Anything beyond that is lost to me, along with those memories of three thousand years ago.]

[The name doesn't ring a bell, unfortunately. Hrmph.

I see. Then I'll just be thankful he lacks that power.

And that's all he'll say on that, shifting his other arm a little and snuggling into Ryou some. His heart's calmed a little, at least, resuming its usual, even beat.]

I wish that I could take you in and protect you, Ryou...

[As if in response to those words, Bakura falls silent, retreating into the Ring to allow Ryou his peace.

Closing his eyes, Ryou leans against him a little more, feeling a little better just for his presence.]

I'm grateful you're here even now. Though if this sleeplessness keeps up, I might need to take you up on that offer to temporarily make use of an empty dorm some night.

I could do that. We wouldn't have the barrier that the dorm has, but I could set up the monsters, ensure that everything is locked and covered...

[Sigh. He moves his hand off the Ring, holding Ryou close. This warm presence... he doesn't want to lose it, even temporarily. No.]

Whatever it took for you to be safe.

[And Ryou is happy to be held, cuddling close and relaxing entirely at last. He lets the Ring rest on the rock beside them. His voice lowers, a whisper in Henry's ear that the Ring couldn't possibly pick up.]

Father... I think I need to train harder. I don't like being helpless like this.

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