He could hear Marik outside the door, yelling at whatever flunky dared to interrupt them. All he could think of was how glad he was to be alone. ‘Maybe he’s not listening in right now,’ he waited for a response. ‘Finally, I can think on my own.’ With Marik gone Jounouchi found himself truly able to relax, able to think without worrying about Marik knowing. He lifted his head and tried looking around searching for an escape but the room was solid wall except for the door. ‘How do I get myself into these things? Oh yeah...okay so how do I get out of this? Right, Yugi usually saves my ass. Doesn’t look like that’s going to happen this time. Maybe it’d be easier to just give in, do what he wants willingly... if it protects my friends...’

Jounouchi could hear a sneered reply, not by Marik, by that other always-present voice in his head. ‘Right, typical actually, sacrifice yourself for the greater good, just like the “faithful” companion you are. Your friends? Please who needs them? Friends just drag you down to their level, or in your case, up to their level. Maybe you do need them after all.’ He tried to blow the voice off, ‘Go to Hell...’ but he didn’t feel it. Compared to the situation he was currently in, arguing with the owner of said voice was a hell of a lot more enjoyable, even if it was just in his head.

In the other room Marik was still yelling, “Rashid, what in Ra’s name was so important it couldn’t wait until I was done with my new slave?” He was starring daggers at his near brother, Millennium Rod in hand ready to attack.

“Forgive me Master, you said you wanted to know when Lumis and Umbra’s duel started against Yugi Mutou and Seto Kaiba,” the older man bowed, ready to accept any punishment to come.

“Good. Let me know when they win...” Marik turned away, leaving Rashid bowed on the floor.

“Of course Master Marik.”

Jounouchi felt more than saw Marik’s return to the room. ~Miss me? ~ the voice came to his head again.

‘Not really, it was nice in here with you gone.’

~So, you did miss me~ Marik smiled at this. He walked back to the bed where the helpless blond lay, Millennium Rod in hand. “I missed you too; I’m so tired of the interruptions aren’t you?” Marik had sat on the edge of the bed and restarted his finger flight over Jounouchi’s body.

‘No just tired of you,’ Jounouchi barked.

Jounouchi’s head snapped from the slap Marik hit him with. ~I told you if you kept that up you would learn of my temper. ~ Violet eyes that darkened and seemed to glow looked over the body on his bed. The body...so vulnerable, so perfect, so smooth and white. “Which hand do you use?”

‘Huh?’ the question had caught him off guard.

As if speaking with a small child who could only answer simple questions, Marik asked again, “Are you left or right handed fool? When you write...which hand do you use?” Marik leaned over Jounouchi looking down at him.

‘Right, what kinda question is that?’

“Give me your left arm. NOW!” Jounouchi’s arm came off the bed, stretching out towards Marik. “Ever notice the Rod I hold? See the perfect blade...it makes such pretty cuts...” with that, Marik took the Millennium Rod and sliced it across Jounouchi’s outstretched arm.

Jounouchi screamed, the pain causing blindness again. He tried to breathe, gasping for air but feeling nothing but a crushing weight on his lungs. As he tried to comprehend just what had happened to him, he could hear Marik’s maniacal laughter taking sheer delight in the pain caused to the brown-eyed boy.

~Do not try me again. ~

His eyes cleared, vision returned and Jounouchi could see the blood running off his arm. He watched it pour forth, blood flowing like water from a faucet off his arm, ‘there shouldn’t be that much blood...you hit the vein or something...’

~Apologize to me. ~ Marik looked into his eyes.

‘What?’ In his shocked state Jounouchi couldn’t understand what Marik was talking about, his eyes still fixated on the crimson river coming form his arm.

“Apologize for making me hurt you.”

Gasping for breath still, Jounouchi looked up and just stared at him. Again a flash of the Rod, a slice deeper across the arm and Jounouchi’s mental scream filling Marik’s head. Tears filled Jounouchi’s eyes, his pulse raced, ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, oh God... I’m sorry.’ His arm released by Marik’s control was place back on the bed at his side. Marik leaned up to Jounouchi’s face watching the tears falling there, and then licked away the salty streaks.

~I’m sorry? ~

‘yes, oh God yes, I’m sorry...please...don’t...’

“Shhhh. It’s all right now. I forgive you. Do as I say now and I won’t have to hurt you again. I don’t want to hurt you, but you made me.” As Marik was smooth down Jounouchi’s hair, his words and tone reached into the shocked mind, calming it, causing the boy to relax. ~Forget it for now, little one. It’s over...as long as you do what I say. ~

‘Yes, anything...just don’t...’ he couldn’t even finish the thought.

“Shhhh,” Marik lay on the bed next to him, bringing Jounouchi into his arms and held him like a scared child. He kissed the blond hair and swept it out of Jounouchi’s face. Marik could feel Jounouchi’s body tensing under his touch and again sent a command to relax to the boy. He had all the time in the world now.



 

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