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Coming back into his body was a slow experience, each sensation registering in his brain as he clawed his way back to consciousness inch by inch. He felt the firmness of the bed beneath him, could hear the drip of an iv bag, and even under his closed eyes he was aware of a bright sterile light that surrounded him.
A hospital room. Or at least a place for medical care given the sterile and overtly sharp smell of practiced cleanliness.
Pain and exhaustion were the next immediate things brought to his disoriented attention. Nursing a headache wasn't surprising, nor was the tiredness he felt down to his very bones. Vaguely, he was aware of his injured arm. It felt as if it burned anew and throbbed with pain and a dull ache, as if it needed to say the same thing over and over.
Your fault. Your fault...
Your fault
Despite his groggy start, his eyes immediately flew open and he stared upwards at the tiles on the ceiling, a realization of the past events that transpired flashing through his mind. He was on a blimp and participating in a tournament, there had been an arrangement with Malik, his most recent memory was one of him in a battle with the Pharaoh.
Everything all at once became sharper and cold.
-
Ryou fell to his knees, confusion painting his features as he looked at his surroundings. His distress wasn't helped as he winced from an unfamiliar pain shooting up his left arm and the sudden fatigue hitting his system.
It hurt to breathe, it hurt to move, it hurt seeing he was yet again set against his friends in some sort of shadow game.
Bakura.
The spirit must've done something. Entangled them both in this situation and has left Ryou to deal with some sort of fallout and the consequences. The others didn't hold it against him. They never did and judging by their concerned expressions both on the field and off, this time was no different. Yet Ryou was filled with guilt all the same.
Still trying to get a handle of everything around him, Ryou cried out, "Yugi! Where are we? What's going-"
The words had choked in his throat. He didn't need context to know he was in a duel, and seeing Osiris the Heavenly dragon looming overhead, he could hazard a guess as to what was about to happen next.
Through the exhaustion, he felt Yugi's hesitation and heard both the referee and Kaiba telling him to attack or forfeit. From behind, he even heard the spirit of the ring talking with someone else, their voices warbled as if Ryou was underwater.
"You've tied Yugi's hands down."
"As per our agreement."
"I'm impressed Malik. You're dirty tricks have surpassed even my occult deck."
"But still, even I have ways I like to win and ways I hate to win! Stay out of this Malik!"
A clear noise rung out and Ryou felt the pressure in his skull cut in half, leaving him alone with the dark entity of the Millenium Ring.
He felt the spirit pushing forward with the intention to take control, the necklace heating briefly before Ryou immediately pushed back to prevent him from doing so. He forced them back into their soul room, a confrontation imminent.
Time seemed to jerk to a stand still.
"Yadonushi, swap back now." The timbre of his voice was smooth, Bakura now stood opposite him, obviously expecting to be obeyed.
Pushing himself up on shaky legs, Ryou glared at his counterpart, "why? So you can torture my friends again?" 'To torture me again?' went unsaid.
Bakura gritted his teeth, why couldn't he understand- "This isn't about them anymore and we're running out of time. You need to let me take over. Now!"
Yes Yugi was at a crossroads on whether to attack or not but there was no strict guarantee that he wouldn't play to win. It's a matter of everyone's safety verses Ryou and testing their commitment of 'No friend left behind' isn't one Bakura was willing to try.
"No! I-I won't let you out to hurt them again!"
Moving forward, Bakura grabbed a hold of Ryou's wrist, "I told you! There's no time to argue. Swap with me please ." He stressed the last word, needing Ryou to relinquish control.
The plea caused Ryou's eyes to widen, warm brown meeting that same dark reddish brown stare. The spirit seemed earnest in his request, had it been any other moment, perhaps he would have broken.
"...... I can't. I need to clean up this mess. I'm going to clean up this mess."
Bakura released him, throwing his hands up in frustration and growling, "Has it occurred to you that perhaps I need to be the one they see?!" In an effort to get his lighter half to see reason, he continued, "The Pharaoh's currently hesitating because it's you there!"
If anything were to get Ryou to see reason it should be that his precious 'friends' victory was on the line if he didn't switch back. The only cards left to play was between Bakura taking the loss or Ryou's appearance causing the Pharaoh to forfeit. Even if Bakura won, the victory would be hollow. And he wasn't about to be indebted to Malik for a dishonorable ruse. Whoever said there was no honor among thieves had yet to tangle with the Thief King.
A pensive expression flicked across Ryou's face.
"Its almost over? The duel won't finish without you?"
"More or less. Now Landlord just-"
Suddenly Bakura was thrust back to reality once more, standing behind Ryou who was currently standing with his shoulders squared and head high. He hardly got a word out before he heard his own voice coming from his Yadonushi.
"Yugi! I humbly admit defeat this time. Now attack!"
Startled silent, his eyes went wide at the imitation. People always saw Bakura in place of Ryou and hardly anyone would tell the difference. No one could have predicted that one day it would be Ryou to adopt Bakura's persona. And judging by the look of contempt on Yami's face, he was falling for it.
"What? Your little friend won't die, don't worry! So, come at me Yugi!"
"Osiris the Heavenly Dragon! Direct attack!"
Dread curled in Bakura's gut as he watched the dragon rear its head back and mouth begin to illuminate with an attack.
"Yadonushi! Switch with me! Now!!!"
Bakura went unanswered, panic beginning to thrum in his veins as he saw the beam shoot down.
This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. Ryou wasn't supposed to get caught up in this fight. He shouldn't have trusted Malik's intentions, he shouldn't have put his Landlord in a position like this in the first place.
"Yadonushi! Ryou !-"
Everything was enveloped in a blinding light.
Distantly, they heard the clink of their Millenium Ring clatter to the floor.
-
Feeling like he was dipped in ice water, he moved his hand to grasp at his chest.
Nothing.
No Ring. Only the distinct 5 pointed scars embedded in his chest from the item.
His mind went to the connection to his other half next, feeling along the tether that connected them both together. Mentally he kept pulling and pulling and pulling before it reached its end. There was no one on the other side. Nothing but the same emptiness. The line was frayed as if broken off, and like an exposed wire it was leaving him raw.
Everything came crashing down on him. His breaths became quick, stuttering. He pressed the palms of his hands into his eyes. Starbursts under his lids as he tried to will away this reality. Desperately pleading to whatever gods deigned to listen that this wasn't happening. Where his careless actions wouldn't leave him alone.
Grief and despair tore from his chest, a loud anguished sound ripping straight from his throat.
Bakura wept.