Tearing Down Souls

Angel as sung by Within Temptation

Pairing: Ryou/Yami

*evil laugh* That's right it's the prequel to Beautiful Diaster and Breakdown

Lyrics in **

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*Sparkling angel I believe
You were my savior in my time of need.
Blinded by faith I couldn't hear
All the whispers, the warnings so clear.
I see the angels,
I'll lead them to your door.
There's no escape now,
No mercy no more.
No remorse cause I still remember*

He had known better. Yami and Yugi had been together. They had been happy. It was the way it was meant to be. But he had deserved to be happy too. Hadn't he?

Yami had done so much for him. He had gone up against the darkness controlling him and Bakura more times than he could recall.

Yami could have ended it so much sooner. And more violently. After all if Ryou ceased to exist then so did Bakura and in turn Zorc. Instead he chose to continue fighting.

The white haired hikari had been love struck.

There had been just one small, pint sized, spiky haired, game loving problem.

It wasn't fair. He would have given up anything for Atemu...Yami. Bakura hated it when he called the Pharaoh by his real name. He had learned his lesson about that quickly. Yugi just stood there doe eyed and got whatever he wanted. It wasn't that he hated the other item bearer. But Yugi was in his way. He had been keeping Ryou from what he wanted. What he deserved.

The only one who had noticed his new obsession had been Malik. Of course Malik had the added bonus of having control of an item that could show him the dark secrets hidden with ones mind. That and Ryou had never been good at hiding things from his only true friend. He had tried to warn Ryou away but in the end it didn't matter. In fact in the end it had gotten Ryou exactly what he had been craving. Yami's attention.


Yami had asked Ryou to meet him at the park. Well not the park. Not the one where the friends all met to plan their days together. This one was slightly more ran down. Neglected in favor of the shine of the newer park. It was fitting.

Ryou had been sitting on the swing. Pushing himself up on his toes before letting go. His waist length hair twisting in the created wind. On the back swing he'd catch himself only to start the cycle over again. It had been mind numbing. Just like all the other things he did.

"You don't look happy."

He caught himself with a heavy sigh. "I usually don't."

"Why?"

"Why did you ask me out here?" He hadn't been in the mood for the games. The questions he couldn't really answer. "You never want to be around when it's just me. What's different now?"

Yami had taken up a post on the swing beside him. Tanned hands gripping the chains on the swing. He wasn't moving however. Just staring out at the line of trees in front of them. "Malik. He told me something interesting."

"Oh?" He had let himself go again. Back to the even ebb and flow of the swing.

"He was trying to warn me. It took me a while to get what he was saying. He called. Late last night. I guess his sister was asleep or something." Broad shoulders had shrugged slightly. "He kept whispering. He was telling me that just because you look like an angel doesn't mean anything. Why would he say that?"

"He's Malik. He doesn't know what he's saying half the time." He had never wanted to hurt someone before. Not the way he had wanted to hurt Malik at that moment.

Catch, release, catch and then those ruby red eyes had been right in front of him and he had no where to go.

*The smile when you tore me apart.
You took my heart,
Deceived me right from the start.
You showed me dreams,
I wished they'd turn into real.
You broke a promise and made me realize.
It was all just a lie.*

Dark brown eyes had drifted shut. He hadn't wanted to let the other know. It wouldn't have been fair to Yugi.

Yugi had been his friend. He had said he was. It could have all been a lie but so what if it was. For the first time since his sister had died someone had cared.

He should have lied.

"Ryou?" The gentle question had been spoken too close. Ryou had shuddered hard enough to make the chains rattle. The thin control he had been holding onto so tightly shattered.

"Oh gods. He's right. You shouldn't be around me. I don't know how to make it stop anymore." A tender hand on his cheek startled him into opening his eyes. Yami had been so warm. So alive. So close. Ryou wasn't good at fighting temptation.

"What are you talking about? You're my friend. You're hurting. Something's tearing you apart inside. I've helped you fight your demons before. Why would this time be any different?"

Yugi. That had been what was different. Before they had been partners. Two people with a connection sure but Ryou and Bakura shared the same connection or at least one close to it and they had never been more than fuck buddies. On a good day. On a bad day Ryou had been nothing more than a punching bag. He had wanted someone to care about him the way Yami cared about Yugi.

"Talk to me."

He really should have lied.

"I had a teacher once who told me you should never mistake temptation for opportunity. Which is this? Temptation? Or Opportunity?"

Yami had just stared at him. An unreadable expression in those blood dark depths. "I've dreamed of this. Of you. A t first I thought it was Bakura but those eyes. In real life he could never tell me so much with just a glance. He could never bear so much of his soul. Come with me."

"Okay."

He never should have gotten off of that swing. He never should have followed Yami back to the game shop. He certainly never should have allowed Yami to coax him onto the bed.


*Sparkling angel, I couldn't see
Your dark intentions, your feelings for me.
Fallen angel, tell me why?
What is the reason, the thorn in your eye?
I see the angels,
I'll lead them to your door
There's no escape now
No mercy no more
No remorse cause I still remember*

He had been in such a hazy state of pleasure that he would have promised Yami anything. Every time he and Bakura had done that it had hurt. But Yami's fingers inside him seemed so much better. He teased, encouraged and drove Ryou to the edge but never let him fall over. So when the reqest had been made Ryou had agreed.

"We'll be so good together Angel. My beautiful fallen angel. You and Yugi together will be so wonderful."

"Yugi?"

"You want him as well, right?"

"Yes." It had been so easy to let that lie fall from him lips between whimpers. He had been caught in the moment. Caught by lush lips tracing his skin more gently than he had ever felt before. The feel of Yami pushing his way inside of him had caused him to arch with a loud cry.

A cry that had masked Yugi's entrance.

Ryou had seen him come in. Had seen him stand frozen in the doorway with betrayal written across his features. And he had moaned. He could show him. Yami was his now. A quick stab of regret bit at his heart but he shoved it aside. "Deeper Yami."

"I don't want to hurt you." He had shifted even as he was saying those words. Pushing himself to sit on his knees and pulling Ryou higher. Tilting his hips to find what he wanted.

Violet eyes had filled with tears as Ryou tossed his head back, his nails leaving marks on Yami's chest as he came. He had gasped at the heat that filled him moments later. Yami had collapsed beside him and drifted off to sleep. Ryou had laid there for a long while trying to catch his breath and slow his racing heart.

Neither had seen Yugi flee the room.

He had tried to feel bad about it. But he couldn't. Not then at least. Because he had been happy for the first time in years.

So he had waited to make sure Yami was deep asleep before gathering his clothes and leaving.

'Oh little Haikari. You've been bad. But what a wonderful gift you got for me to make up for it.'

Ryou had been standing in the living room of his own home when Bakura's voice had dripped down the link. Filled with mirth.

*The smile when you tore me apart
You took my heart,
Deceived me right from the start.
You showed me dreams,
I wished they'd turn into real.
You broke a promise and made me realize.
It was all just a lie.
Could have been forever.
Now we have reached the end.*

Ryou had been stunned when his darkness came into the small apartment cradling a multi-colored bundle in his arms. He had tried to deny it.

"I found a new toy. But someone broke it. Now who could that have been." Bakura dropped the other male onto the couch none to gently. "I bet I can guess."

He had no where to go and was in too much shock to have run if he could have found the will to. Bakura had grabbed his arm hard enough to leave bruises in the shape of his fingers and thrown him at the couch. Ryou had managed to stay on his feet but the taller was having none of that. He had placed a hand on either shoulder and pushed down hard. Forcing the light to kneel in front of his so called friend.

Yugi had been curled in on himself. Dirt and leaves stuck in his hair and on the jacket he had worn. His normally bright eyes were empty. Tear tracks had washed away some of the dirt on his face but not all. Yugi always moved. Even when he was thinking he would sway slightly. But the shell sitting before him had been still. Unnaturally so.

"Look what you did."

"I...I didn't think..."

"Of course you didn't. You never do. That's why bad things keep happening to you. You bring it on yourself."

"Yugi." There had been no change to even indicate he had spoken. "Yugi, please. I'm sorry. Oh gods, please, look at me Yugi."

Long fingers tangled in snow white hair bringing tears to his eyes with a sharp tug. Bakura smirked down at him. "Oh he won't listen to you lover. Will you Yugi?"

Yugi had shaken his head ever so slightly. His eyes focused slightly.

"He hurt you didn't he?"

A slow nod.

"So it's only fair that we hurt him back."

Ryou hadn't expected Yugi to come flying off the couch at him. He hadn't expected the small one to have so much strength.

Bakura's cruel laugh had echoed in his mind. For a brief moment he had thought about fighting back but really it had been his fault hadn't it. His fault that Yugi was broken enough to listen to a madman.

So he hadn't fought back. He had let Yugi claw and bite and hit him until he wore himself out.

Then Bakura had picked the other up from where he had fallen against Ryou's chest. "Pack. We're leaving. The Pharoah was a fool but his loss is my key to getting back at him. And you Hikari are coming along."

So he had done what the darkness of his soul had told him to do. He had emptied his old school bag and shoved what clothes he could fit in it then when to Bakura's room and did the same with a large duffle bag.

"We'll get you clothes when we get to where we're going Yugi." Bakura had grinned when Yugi nodded. "Good boy. Leave that damn Puzzle here though. You don't need it anymore."

Ryou had watched in horror as Yugi removed the item from around his neck and carelessly tossed it aside.

"That's why you shouldn't touch things that don't belong to you."

*This world may have failed you,
It doesn't give you reason why.
You could have chosen a different path in life*

So they had left Japan. Bakura hadn't said where they were going but it wasn't hard to figure out. They were running. Ryou knew as well as Bakura did that Yami would move Heaven and Hell to find his light. So Bakura planned for that as well.

Yugi wasn't the same anymore. He had changed in so many ways. Bakura had used his anger and grief to shape someone new. A kitten who would purr as Bakura drew blood, a succubus that would lure Ryou into the bed he shared with Bakura with a few well placed caresses, a giggling doll who refused to leave the house because Bakura told him not to, a child's mind trapped in an adult's body. He was slipping farther into his own madness everyday and there was nothing Ryou could do about it.

It was terrifying to watch.

"See. This is what happens when the light tries to become the dark."

Yugi giggled happily from his place draped across Bakura's lap. "He smiled at me yesterday. He lies with his smiles you know."

"I know." Bakura ran a lazy hand down his side. "He's selfish. He'd do anything to get his way. He doesn't like you."

Another giggle bubbled up. "Who cares."

"He does."

Ryou sat on the floor. His back against the wall, one knee drawn up with his arm draped over it. If he didn't respond Yugi would get bored. Which would lead to him either being left alone or attention being showered on him in the form of sex.

Yugi slid from the couch and crawled towards him singing along with a song only he could hear. "Come play with me Ryou."

It looked like today it would be sex.

Casting a glare at Bakura he gathered the small male close and tipped his head down to catch the soft mouth.

He'd find a way to get Yugi home. Until then he'd pay for his sins however he could.

*The smile when you tore me apart.
You took my heart,
Deceived me right from the start.
You showed me dreams,
I wished they'd turn into real.
You broke a promise and made me realize.