Regret

It’s here! Huza!
Sorry for the late chapter but like I said we have conflicting schedules and
there isn’t much we can do about thanks for being patient!

Ryou didn't move as
he heard the soft knock from his door.  "Go away, Bakura." 
He said, clutching his knees harder to his chest. 

"I am not going
away."  Marik’s booming voice said.  "Open the door. 
I want to talk to you."  Ryou looked up with a start, recognizing his
lover's voice. 

"Why?" 
He questioned, slowly getting off the bed. 

"Because,” Marik
said, a quiver in his voice, "I love you."  Ryou stopped,
staring at the door for a minute.  How can he still love me?  He
asked.  I hit him.  I hurt him.  Then suddenly he
understood.  He knew.  Marik wasn't a God.  He was a human
being.  He was just like everybody else, made mistakes like everyone
else. 

"Marik!" 
He cried, running and throwing open the door.  "I love
you."  He said, kissing Marik all over his face. 

style="mso-spacerun: yes"> "I love you too."  Marik said,
through his tears, kissing Ryou back aggressively.  "Please tell me
what's going on." 

"Okay." 
Ryou said taking Marik by hand to the bed.  Ryou frowned slightly, taking
a deep breath.  "Please promise you won't blow this out of
proportion."  He said sitting down.  Marik furthered his brow,

"I can't
promise that, but I'll try."  He said. 

"When I went to
drop off and pick up the rest of the paperwork I fell asleep..." 
Ryou paused biting his lower lip.  "He, Seto.... he makes me really
uncomfortable.  He was watching me."  Ryou closed his eyes, taking
in another deep breath. 

Ryou stared at
Marik, his heart pounding and his stomach flipping.  Marik sat on the bed,
his head in his hands. How did I do this?  He asked himself. 
How could I let it happen? 

"Marik?" 
Ryou asked timidly, "Are you okay?" 

"Yes, no. 
I don't know."  He said, shaking his head.  "I'm so
sorry.  I m sorry for everything." 

"No,
no."  Ryou said, putting his arm around Marik.  "It's not
your fault." 

"Yes it
is."  Marik said suddenly, standing up.  "And for once in
my life, I honestly don't know what to do."  Marik strode quickly to
the door, opened it, and turned around.  "Please forgive
me."  He said quietly, turned around smartly, and walked out the
door.

Ryou felt a few
tears slid down his cheeks. “This is all my fault…” Ryou said as hebed bed into
his hands hearing the front door slam close from Marik’s departure. “He hates
me now…” Ryou said curling into a little ball upon his bed sniffling softly.
Ryou thankfully was left alone for most of the day but Ryou decided to call
Marik near eight, but no answer came. The servant who answered the phone kept
on saying that he was busy and couldn’t receive any calls at the moment making
Ryou feel even worse. He finally gave up calling around the twentieth
time…Marik apparently didn’t want to talk to him. Bakura walked in his room
almost silently as he stood in the doorframe.

“I’m not in the mood
for a lectureht nht now Bakura…please I can’t take it right now.” Ryou said
softly turning his face away from his older brother.

"Mood or not, you will talk to me."style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Bakura said bracingly.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> "I am your big brother.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Moreover, I am not going to lecture, I just
want to know what is going on. Why was
Marik here?"

"You know him Bakura, he's dad contractor..." Ryou
said trailing off slightly forgetting his brother knew nothing of the
relationship he and Marik had together as he looked at him sighing. "He is
also my lover." Ryou said softly

"Tell me something I don't know."style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Bakura said sarcastically.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> "Why else would he get pissed off
because some man was looking at you."

"He was here because of Seto, I work as a correspondent
between the two of them...and that jerk kissed me. Not that allowed him to or
anything but now Marik won't even talk to me I’ve tried calling him but he
won't even come to the phone now." Ryou said miserably drawing his knees
to his chest.

"He kissed you?!"
Bakura exclaimed. "Why
didn't you tell Marik? If you truly
think of him as your lover, you would have told him the truth. You told him he
was just looking at you." Bakura
stared at his little brother again.
"Okay. This is what we are
going to do. I will deal with Seto
personally. It may take awhile, but
consider it done. And I will go to
Marik's, sur sure he is all right.
That is, if you still want to be with him."

"Oh course I still want to be with him Bakura, but you
don't understand if he was to find out what Seto didwoulwould lose it, I don't
want him blowing this deal and losing all he has worked so hard upon on my
account..." Ryou trailed off slightly "I don't want to ruin this for
him, it was going so well before I came into the picture." Ryou said

"Shit happens."
Bakura said roughly. "Marik
is going to have to take a few bumps if he wants you, just like you will.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Also do you think you can hide this from dad
forever?"

"I didn't plan to hide it from dad at all, but I’d
rather tell him in person Bakura." Ryou sighed "Thank-you Bakura,
would you call me later and tell me how Marik is?" Ryou asked

"Of course."
Bakura started walking to the door and stopped suddenly, spinning
around. "Don't worry little
brother. I know he is fine.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> However, let me ask you this.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Is this little white lie helping Marik, or
do you honestly believe it won't hurt him in the end?"style="mso-spacerun: yes"> And with that, he turned back around and
walked out the door.

Ryou sighed leaning against his headboard thinking on
Marik’s' words. He didn't mean to lie to Marik, in truth he knew it was best to
tell the truth especially when the ending result being Marik finding out the
truth later. He waited for the phone to ring as he went into the kitchen to get
something to drink as the doorbell rang. "Maybe Marik wouldn't see
him..." Ryou thought as he went to the door.

"Seto."
Ryou said as he opened the door, feeling as if he had swallowed an
egg. "I really can't see you right
now. We can talk later."style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Ryou said astrietried to shut the door, but
it stopped a few inches from being closed.
Ryou looked down, and saw Seto had placed his foot in the door.

"Don't worry."
He said in a sinister voice, his breath smelling strongly of brandy,
"This won't take long."

"Now is really not a good time Seto, I...I have other
things to take care of at the moment." Ryou said trying to think of a good
excuse. He didn't even know Seto knew where he lived so the object of him
showing up didn't really cross Ryou's mind until now.

"I think your other things can wait."style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Seto said, pushing open the door.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> He walked towards Ryou, causing Ryou to take
a couple steps back. "Don't act
like there isn't anything between us. I
see the way you look at me."

"Y-your my friend though Seto..." Ryou said
backing up into the wall sidestepping into the living room. "There is
nothing between us, but friendship, I thought I made that point clear earlier
today." Ryou said placing the coffee table in-between them to keep Seto
form advancing upon him.

"Friends, right, if I had known in school you were like
me, I would of made sure we were together.
Even in school, you always talked to me, made an effort to see me.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> I thought then it was just friends.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> But seeing you with Marik made me realize I
was wrong." He turned and locked
the front door. "But now I have
the chance to fix that mistake. Trust
me when I say, it will not happen again."

Ryou flinched slightly at the door being locked. "There
was no mistake Seto, I'm sorry but I can't change who I love. I'm sorry that we
never got the opportunity when we were younger but it's too late now I’m with
someone, your business partner. Make no mistake I love him and not you."
Ryou said looking at Seto's eyes that seemed glazed over by jealousy and anger
at the moment.

"Love him!"
Seto exclaimed, slapping his hand against the wall.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> "How can you love him?style="mso-spacerun: yes"> He is a greedy, selfish asshole who only
wants you for a plaything. And lovelove
him! I could treat you so much better!style="mso-spacerun: yes"> I would never hurt you.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Or is that what you like?style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Do you want me to hurt you?style="mso-spacerun: yes"> If I hurt you, will you love me
too?" Seto asked, unbuckling his
belt and advancing on Ryou flipping the coffee table over so it was no longer
between them.

Ryou cried out being slammed against the floor harshly as he
looked up at Seto "Your wrong!" He yelled back at him. "He cares
about me, he would never hurt me, and I’m not just his plaything!" Ryou
paused "Even if that is all I am to him he is everything to me, I am happy
just to be by his side, as long as he will have me I will be his and his
alone!" Ryou yelled back at him. "Please Seto, there is no need for
any of this...just stop, please." Ryou asked softly hoping he would
listen.

"No need? No
need!" Seto said slipping off his
black leather belt and folding it in two.
"There is every need! You
need sense knocked into that head of yours, and I am going to do it."style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Seto yelled, bringing down the belt with a
sickening slap over Ryou's belly.
"A good thrashing and a good lay will make you see the truth."

Ryou clutched his stomach in pain rolling to his side his
stomach forming a welt and bruise that
would surely stay for a while. Seto was stronger than he looked. Seto began to
let the belt crash against his back with dreadfully hard blows, Ryou couldn't
take much more as he broke down into uncontrollable sobs into the carpet.
"Please stop..." He said weakly his voice hoarse from all his
screaming.

"Stop?"
Seto said, landing one last blow and then throwing the belt aside.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> "Are you tired of this game
already? That is fine."style="mso-spacerun: yes"> He said, standing up and unzipping his
pants. "I too think we should do
something else." He took a fistful
of Ryou’s hair and shoved him across the room as he landed ungracefully on the
couch "Why don't you be a good boy now and come here."

Ryou clutched the couch cushion wincing from the immense
pain, looking at Seto in disbelief 'he didn't say that, it's your imagination'
Ryou said trying to block out what he just heard as images of Marik's assault
flashed through him mind as he felt tears slide down his already tear stained
cheeks. "T-this isn't a game..." Ryou said weakly feeling as if it
was all happening again that the piece of mind he had acquired was now
shattered. "Please..." he said holding his head in his hands.

Seto examined Ryouely.ely.
He laid aside his shirt, and walked over to Ryou.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> "lay down on the couch."style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Seto told him.

"No!" Ryou
screamed. "Please..."style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Seto in a terrible rage grabbed Ryou by the
neck and flung him face-first into the couch.

"Don't tell me no, boy!"yes"> He said as he began to strip Ryou. Ryou began fighting back; trying to push Seto away and Seto flung
his hand and slapped the boy, stunning him completely.

Ryou's vision blurred as he weakly fought the hand's that
stripped him of his clothing 'make it stop, please god make him stop...don't
let this happen to me again.' He thought trying to block out images of Marik
and fight with Seto at the same time but it wasn't helping it was as if the two
were becoming one instead of two separate incident's. Seto was saying the same
thing's doing the same things it was too close and Ryou was slowly losing his
grip upon who was actually hurting him at the moment.

"I will show you the truth..." Seto whispered in
Ryou's ear ' “I will make you tell me the truth!” Marik said' Ryou's whole body began to tremble as he closed
his eyes trying to push him away.

Marik loosened his tie with one
hand, grabbing the bottle of scotch with the other. His jacket had been thrown
haphazardly to on the divan, the glass long forgotten. He knew Ryou was lying.
He knew that the one person he had given all his love, hope, and trust to, had
just thrown it in his face. And the ironic thing was, Marik knew he deserved
it. Oh god, he thought, flopping in the chair, behind his desk, what the hell
have I done? He heard the polite knock at the door.

"Sir?"
His butler inquired. "You have a guest."

"Who
is it?" Marik asked more rudely then he had intended.

"A....a....a
gentlemen named Bakura, sir. Shall I send him away?" The butler stammered.

"No.
Show him in." Marik said. This ought to be great, he thought grimly as he
took another deep drink from the bottle. He rolled his eyes, annoyed when
Bakura strode in acting as if he owned the place.

"To
what do I owe this pleasure." Marik asked, staying seated. "Let me
guess, you came to tell me how much I sicken you, how you are going to run to
your daddy and tell him to put Ryou over his knee." Bakura stopped in
front of the divan, looked and Marik with his face screwing up and broke down.
He flung himself backwards on the divan, sobbing uncontrollably.

"I
don't know what to do or what to think. There has been enough grief I-I-in the
f-family already." He said hysterically. "But I am only here because
Ryou needs you. I-I know he lied to you, but please don't push him away."
Bakura watched as Marik sat there, stricken by the other man's show of
emotions. Mutely, he held up the half empty bottle as an offering to Bakura.

"Thanks."
Bakura said, wiping his eyes with his forearm before he took the bottle.
"Look," he said after he had taken a swallow. "You are right, I
don't like it. I don't agree with it. Nevertheless, I can't condemn either of
you for it. It is what makes my brother happy, and I haven't been the best big
brother all of these years. Therefore, that is fine. However, I want you two to
make it right, I don't want him crying. It breaks my heart."

"I
don't know though Bakura. He lied to me." Marik said, getting up and
walking to the front of his desk.

"Yeah,
well, no offense, but I don't even know what is going on and I think you
deserved it." Marik sat there, stunned at how Bakura had easily voiced his
own opinions.

"Okay,
fine, I deserved it. But that doesn't settle anything. Business is business. If
I lose Seto, I am going to be out a lot of money. I am going to have to go back
to step 1 to find someone willing to be my financial backer. That is more time,
more money, then I had ever intended on spending."

"And
I guess with that in mind you intend on spending the rest of your life alone
either, do you?" Bakura asked him, standing up to face Marik.
"Because that is exactly where this is heading. Not only are you going to
lose your business partner, because I am going to fuck him up for touching my
brother, you are going to lose your life partner as well. What?" Bakura
asked, his fists clenched as he noticed that Marik had his entire body clenched
up, ready to fight.

"What
do you mean, he touched your brother." Marik asked in a would-be-calm
voice.

"Oh
shit." Bakura said, knowing Ryou had not wanted Marik ind ind out this
way. "Last time he was in Seto's office, he fell asleep on the sofa. He
woke up and Seto was kissing him. Look," Bakura said quickly, noticing the
alarming shade of crimson Marik's face had turned. "I am going to take
care of it. Don't you worry about a thing. I will make sure Seto pays for
this."

"Pay
for this?" Marik screamed, throwing the scotch up against the wall.
"He will die for this. Where is Ryou?" Marik asked impatiently,
grabbing his jacket.

"He
is back at the house. Why?" Bakura asked, running to keep up with Marik as
he headed for the front door. "What are you going to do?"

"Joey!" Marik said, yelling
at his faithful friend. "I want you to get on the phone with Seto's
secretary, find where he is." He ordered, sliding into the limousine so
Bakura could follow. A couple minutes later, Joey rolled down the privacy
window.

"Hey Marik. The lady said Seto
had gone to Ryou's to pick up some papers." Marik looked at Joey, his
chest caving in to make it hard to breathe. "Let's go."

Sorry about the weird spacing near the
end I don’t know what happened and I couldn’t fix it but oh well!

OH! If you want the scene between Ryou
and Seto tell me in a review!

PLEASE REVIEW!!!