Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Rainy Nights ❯ Chapter 1

A/N: "usagi" means "bunny" or "rabbit." "chan" is a suffix used on small children, between close girl friends, and sometimes lovers. This was originally supposed to be Hayashiba-chan's first (and only) PWP but she's lost her nerve (again.) and now this isn't a lemon. It's got a little bit of lime, though. And swearing. ^_^ Yay! Okay… and… it has a bad ending, too…

…actually, it's plotless Ryou/Malik stuff that really isn't Ryou/Malik if you think about it, but if you think about it even harder it IS Ryou/Malik which just confuses things… FORGIVE THE BAD ENDING! Hayashiba-chan couldn't think of anything else!

Disclaimer: No own. Sorry.

Summary: Ryou's a sleepwalker, and sleepwalks right out into the middle of Domino City's biggest storm, where he catches Malik doing something he shouldn't…

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"Rainy Nights"

01/01 (maybe?)

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- Third Person POV -

The rain thrashed the ground in endless, tormenting whip-lashes.

Ryou grunted when he hit the ground with a dull thud; it hadn't hurt. The grass was wet and muddy, the reason why he had slipped in the first place. Above, there was another low boom of thunder, followed closely by a bright crack of lighting, and the rain seemed to somehow beat down even harder.

Ryou stumbled to his hands and knees, cursing himself silently. `Oh, gee,' he thought to himself sarcastically, `I think I'll sleepwalk out to the park in the middle of Domino City's biggest rain storm wearing nothing but a pair of pajama pants and a white tank top!' his meager clothing and hair stuck to him like a second skin, and he grimaced as he got to his feet once more. Apparently he *had* hurt himself by falling… his left ankle throbbed.

Using a muddy hand, he reached down and massaged it slightly, wincing. He swore softly, and, up to his wrists in mud, began crawling toward his destination. It had started raining a few nights before and hadn't stopped yet, so there was bound to be a little bit of flooding in some areas.

Ryou was shivering violently by the time he had managed to pull himself through the park, down a street a ways, and onto a bus bench. Groaning against the wind, which seemed to be pushing the rain against his skin on purpose, Ryou sat down on the curb (Splash. Surprise, surprise. The streets are flooded, too.) There weren't any cars on the road, and, as far as Ryou was concerned, no buses would be coming in the middle of the night down flooded streets.

Ryou splashed, limped, shivered, cursed, crawled, and cursed again several times as he managed to get himself another ways down town, to a different part of Domino City. It wasn't a safe part, but Ryou HIGHLY doubted any gangs, rapists, or murderers would be out in this weather at this time of night. Or was it morning?

`Ankle numb.' Ryou thought, finally finding some shelter under a small overhang behind a dumpster. Once safely down the alley, Ryou leaning against a damp brick wall and slid down, landing with the smallest of splashes. The entire lower half of his hurt ankle was numb. He was shaking violently. He was wet and muddy and miserable. He was tired. He was hungry.

And he was pissed royally at himself for going out in the first place! `Why do I even sleepwalk?! Dammit…'

Ryou started as he thought he heard a crash, and shouting voices. Shifting his weight to his good leg, Ryou stood, slowly, and peered into the misty darkness that night and rain created together. There were shadows, further down the alley. A sudden crack of lightning illuminated the scene: several individuals, something shiny and flashing, something red and sticky…

`A gang fight? In this?' Ryou wondered. He figured quickly enough it'd be better to leave before the fighters accidentally noticed him crouching behind a dumpster.

Grumbling incoherently, Ryou limped out of the alley, tested his leg, and found it didn't hurt to walk on it. It was numb, like his fingers and face and bare feet, though, and wouldn't obey his commands, but still worked enough to stand on. Ryou leaned against building walls as he tried to find his way through the inky darkness and harsh wind.

The rain felt like millions of tiny pinpricks smacking him every where it could. He slid down again, in another alley, under another overhang, behind another dumpster.

Ryou promptly began swearing at everything and everyone when he realized that he'd gone around in a circle. Right back where he had wanted to avoid.

Ryou shuddered, and then shouted when something lurched out at him from the shadows, grabbing him by the neck and slamming him against the wall, high enough that his feet couldn't reach the ground. a knife, or something sharp like a knife, was pressed against his throat, and Ryou winced, narrowing his eyes against the pain that he knew was going to come.

Instead, a voice asked, "Ryou?"

The hand around his throat released him suddenly, and he collapsed with a splash to his knees in front of his attacker. Looking up, Ryou attempted to figure out who it was.

Shoulder length blond hair that looked like it had been bleached clung to mocha-colored skin; two golden earrings glinted every time they were hit with a drop of rain, as did a rod with a deadly-looking blade, currently clutched in the right hand; a purple hoody shirt that only covered his torso clung to his skin, as did black leather pants that only just *barely* covered what they needed to; he was wearing a cloak, although the hood was obviously thrown down, and he had one hand on a hip, the other out holding the rod, thus opening the would-be protection against wind and rain.

Ryou might have been glad to see Malik, if it weren't for the fact that, despite the rain attempting to beat it off, Malik was covered in blood. Blood on the rod, his hands, up his right arm a little, across his face, and running down one side of his stomach. Malik wasn't wounded. It wasn't his blood.

Ryou whimpered under the taller's penetrating gaze.

"What are you doing out here?" Malik snapped harshly, not bothering to shout over the thunder, wind, and rain. He had leaned in close enough for Ryou to barely catch what he was saying.

"Ah- I- I-" Ryou shuddered slightly when Malik knelt down and touched the side of his face with bloody fingers. The white-haired teen flinched away. "D- don-n't p-p-ple-ease-se," he managed to stutter out. Whether the stuttering was caused by the coldness, pain, fear, or all three, Ryou wasn't sure, but he did know that Malik knew he wouldn't be able to defend himself… should - anything "happen."

"What are you doing out here?" Malik repeated, firmer. Ryou managed to rip his gaze away from Malik's, swallowing.

He didn't have the will to summon up any words nor did he have the courage to speak them. For some reason, saying something along the lines of "oh I was sleepwalking, dreaming about you, Malik, hey, what a coincidence, and woke up when I tripped over a swing set! So now I'm lost, cold, tired, hurt, scared, and you're covered with blood!" to some one who had only not too long ago been a psychotic tyrant ready to take over the world seemed… wrong.

Or maybe it was just the part of dreaming about Malik and sleepwalking. Either way.

"Answer me. Ryou," Malik grasped Ryou's chin forcefully, turning his head up so that he had to make eye contact again. The fear in Ryou's eyes made Malik smirk, inwardly at least. He was still a bit of a sadist, it seemed. And the Pharaoh thought he could remove that. Puh. "What did you see?"

"N-nothing," Ryou gasped, quaking and arching his back into the ground, trying to get as far away from Malik as possible without really getting away.

"I…" Malik leaned in to hiss in Ryou's ear, "…highly…" he stood up quickly, jerking Ryou along for the ride as well, finishing, "…doubt that." The shorter shook harder and made a soft noise that Malik couldn't hear through the storm. He then noticed, for the first time, what sort of shape Ryou was in.

He was covered with mud on one side, and favored his left leg slightly - Malik could see the ankle out of proportion, so there was no doubt Ryou had fallen - he had on a pair of midnight blue flannel pajama bottoms that were currently doing nothing to keep him warm, and the white tank top had gone from a white tank top to a see-through second skin. Up to his knees and up to his elbows was muddy and scratched up, showing that Ryou had been crawling as well. His feet were bare, and bloody, and his lips had a slight bluish tint; his snowy hair was dirty, forcefully slicked straight by the rain, and seemed longer - to his elbows, at least - without being rumpled and clumped up.

It curled slightly at the ends. This amused Malik.

The blond was also well-aware of Ryou's violent shaking, and sighed. If Ryou had seen anything, anyway, he wouldn't tell anyone. And if he did, nobody but the Pharaoh would believe him…

…Malik didn't need the Pharaoh knowing that he'd just killed and stolen the souls of seven seemingly innocent humans beings. And Ryou would definitely tell.

Unless Malik convinced him otherwise, of course…

With a firm nod, Malik decided. "Fine. Come."

Ryou gave a startled cry when Malik grabbed his wrist and began hauling him along down the alley. He struggled, only slightly, until Malik tightened his grip on Ryou's wrist. He gasped, feeling his entire hand go numb, not just his fingers, in the length of time it took for Malik to literally drag Ryou down another street and into a parking lot. There, Malik actually lifted Ryou off the ground and set him on a motorcycle.

Ryou slipped and squirmed a bit, attempting to catch his balance on the slick, wet seat of the somewhat tipped bike, using only one hand and one leg. Malik snorted at him through the rain and took off his cloak. Wrapping it firmly around the younger, he sat in front of Ryou and revved the engine, knocking the kickstand back.

Ryou squeaked and clutched at Malik's stomach with one hand and two arms. He was grateful for the cloak; it was still warm from Malik's body heat. The motorcycle growled under the rain and wind, but Malik easily coaxed it into a speed that was, surely, illegal, and took turns hard enough that he had to grab the brakes and put a foot down. Water flared up around them; Ryou whimpered dizzily when Malik finally came to a stop inside a garage of some sort and got off the bike. He turned, hair and earrings flinging water as he did so, and pulled Ryou off as well. He had the cloak wrapped around him like a blanket, and was past the point of shivering.

Malik swore under his breath and carried a slurring Ryou bridal style into his three story 14-bedroomed rather large and elaborate house. He paused inside the door way only long enough to strip him and Ryou, then made his way to the upstairs bathroom, on the second floor. He set Ryou in the tub and turned the water on, warm-hot. After taking care of the mortals' blood, Malik took off his earrings, turned, and joined Ryou in the water, turning it off as well.

Ryou didn't notice someone else in the tub with him, nor did he seem to care that he was in a very deadly man's house taking a bath. He just melted into the warm water, sinking to his nose.

Malik came up behind him and startled Ryou by snapping one arm around his waist and one hand over his mouth. Ryou made an odd, strangled sort of noise and thrashed. Malik held firm, however, and a very terrified Ryou gave up after a few minutes. He was tired. And the warm water had yet to work feeling into his left leg yet, which couldn't be good.

Eventually, Malik took his hand away, and Ryou whispered, "What do you want from me?"

"Information…" Malik replied softly, in Ryou's ear, circling both arms around the lighter of the two tightly before letting go completely and grabbing something out of Ryou's line of vision. Ryou didn't dare move to see.

"What do you… want to know?"

"Just a few questions, boy," Malik assured him before dunking him forcefully under the water. Ryou panicked and began struggling once more, but Malik raked his fingers through Ryou's already wet hair before pulling him back up. Ryou sputtered, and then gasped as Malik poured something wet and slippery over his head.

He realized what it was a moment later when Malik began to lather it, rubbing his fingers and the butts of his palms against Ryou's head and into the rest of his hair. Lilac. Ryou closed his eyes, unconsciously relaxing into the massaging hands of a killer.

"We'll start with why you were outside, at this hour, in this weather." Malik commanded.

"I was…" Ryou murmured, "…sleepwalking… I do that a lot. I can't remember… I don't know how… I got outside, and went through the rain and everything without realizing it… I walked into a swing at a park and fell, that's what woke me up fully, I guess…" he shifted slightly, remembering that he had cut the soles of his feet pretty bad, and the water was bringing the stinging in them back to life.

"Sleepwalking?" Malik asked, and laughed. He dunked Ryou underwater again, without warning, and scrubbed the shampoo out of his hair. Ryou was coughing water when Malik finally allowed him up, and he turned reproachful bloodshot eyes on the older.

"It's not funny…"

"Oh, I think it is," Malik replied, and turned Ryou around again, this time working some conditioner into his snowy locks. "Then why were you hiding in an alley instead of going back home?"

"I… I wasn't… I mean, I…"

Malik smirked. Ryou seemed to like being petted. Weird kid… didn't the thought of a psychotic murderer washing his hair freak him out in the least?

Ryou sighed when Malik stopped working his crown and went to the ends of his hair. Then he was dunked, once more, and rubbed forcefully at his eyes when Malik allowed him to stand once more.

It was a very big tub. More like a small pool.

"You got lost." Malik stated evenly, running his fingers through silken strands, coaxing them over Ryou's shoulder. He grabbed a soapy wash cloth and started at the base of Ryou's neck, working down his back. "Understandable."

Ryou murmured soft nothings as Malik left the wash cloth and massaged his shoulders instead, working the tense muscles back into comfortable form.

"In the alley. Ryou. Did you see or hear anything?"

"…I…" Ryou gave a startled shout when Malik went from his shoulders and upper back to his waist and lower back (below water). He arched slightly, uncomfortable, and all of the sudden realizing that he was *naked* in a *tub* with a bloody psychotic *killer* who would rip his head off without a second thought. "…I'm sorry… I didn't know… I didn't-" he stuttered, suddenly rooted to the spot.

"Didn't what?" Malik purred dangerously, backing Ryou face-first up against the opposite wall of the tub. He pressed his body against Ryou's back to hold him immobile, and Ryou whimpered, fists clenching until the knuckles were white.

Malik wouldn't let him go until he answered, and, most probably, Malik wouldn't let him *live* unless it was the right answer.

Wherein lies the problem. Ryou was a terrible liar.

"I… I didn't see anything, it was too dark and misty… and I didn't hear anything… except for the wind and rain, and thunder…"

Malik tsked. He then moved back slightly, but only enough to allow his hands access to the front of Ryou's body. He began massaging the skin there with soap, listening to the soft whispers and moans of his prey. Ryou didn't just like being petted, it seemed; he liked being rubbed and massaged, too. It didn't seem to matter where, as long as he was. This thought in mind, Malik moved his hands from Ryou's throat and shoulders down his chest and stomach, to his hips and thighs.

He considered moving his working fingers forward first, then fell back on that decision and brought them back, kneading Ryou in places he probably hadn't had touched since he was an infant. Ryou gasped something, pushing himself against the wall to no avail.

"You're lying." Malik stated evenly through all of this. "Tell me the truth, Usagi-chan."

"N-nya…" Ryou gasped, twisting, trying to get out of Malik's reach, failing. "I- I saw figures, fighting, I didn't know it was you, I promise I won't tell, I promise, onegai, Malik-san, stop…!"

Malik didn't stop. He moved his hands forward to run his finger tips lightly over something, making Ryou half gasp half shout something as he finally managed to wrench himself free of Malik's offensive hands. Half drowning in the water, he splashed and scrambled for the other side of the tub, where he managed to lift himself out and fell with a thump on his back, on the ground, dry, warm floor. He was blushing furiously and aching all over, cursing himself.

What else would Malik try to get information out of him?

…how was he going to…?

Malik laughed again, also leaving the tub. Ryou started to get up, but Malik pinned him to the floor, holding his waist down with one hand. He moved the other southwards again.

"Do you not like this?" he asked. Ryou whimpered, struggling as tears began to form in his eyes and spill down his cheeks.

"Stop… stop… stop…" he stammered hoarsely, struggling, pulling at Malik's arms, finally managing to free himself again. Not caring that he was stark naked, Ryou stumbled to his feet, ran into the door, back tracked, *opened* the door, and ran back out down a lavishly decorated hall.

He did, of course, slip, stumble, and trip his way halfway across the house, and ended with a grand finale of falling down the stairs and then promptly running straight into a tall young woman. He blinked up dazedly at Ishizu from where he'd fallen back, not quite comprehending.

"Ra, Malik!" she snapped, looking at him, and then shouted up the stairs, "MALIK, KEEP A BETTER EYE ON YOUR FRIENDS, WILL YOU?! I HAVE WORK TO DO!" Ryou knew he should call after her as she turned and began to head toward what appeared to be a kitchen.

He actually did manage something like a soft, throaty "help" before Malik's strong arms circled his torso and lifted him right off his feet.

"Sorry, Ishizu. We were just playing a *game*…" he said, holding a thrashing and whimpering Ryou firmly against his chest.

"Yes, I could see it and feel it quite *clearly* when he ran into me!" Ishizu's voice replied, sounding mildly irritated. "And keep it down!"

"Whatever you say, Highness," Malik called back over his shoulder, carrying Ryou back up the stairs to the bathroom. There he dropped Ryou on the toilet and then closed the door. Ryou got to his feet, only to be pushed to his stomach on the ground.

"Hold still," Malik told him, "this will hurt."

Ryou only squeaked, having long ago lost his voice, and writhed on the tile as Malik's fingers ghosted over his left ankle, before grabbing it and doing SOMETHING… that was very painful.

Ryou practically screamed into the tile, and Malik laughed, now doing something else. Ryou would have kicked him if not for his… position. Eventually, and still chuckling Malik dropped Ryou's still throbbing ankle and grasped his other foot. This time he just rubbed something stinging against the sole and then wrapped something around it.

He stood up and looked at Ryou's quivering form. Smirking fully, Malik grabbed Ryou by the waist and flipped him up and over, sitting him on the edge of the bath tub.

"If I catch you walking on that foot before it's healed you won't live to regret it," he purred softly in Ryou's ear, and dropped a pile of soft material on his lap before leaving the bathroom.

Ryou sat on the edge of the tub stupidly, clutching the shirt and pants to his chest.

He stared at the place Malik had been only a moment before.

`What the Hell…?'