Shounen-ai: Bakura x Ryou
Created 24th Dec. 2004
Contains implied non-consensual sex

Bakura licks his lips as he hears Ryou's soft moans, as he smells his hikari's fear, as he watches a vivid red drop, contrasting against pale skin, crawl tantalisingly down Ryou's neck. He bends to lick it off, slowly, tauntingly, and Ryou gives another moan, barely audible this time.
Bakura kisses him roughly and then leaves him, a sorry heap on the floor.
The tomb robber leaves Ryou, and the house, and everything behind him as he walks to his motorcycle. He craves some air.

What Bakura can't leave behind, however, no matter how hard he tries, is his feelings for Ryou. As Bakura speeds past the town, not pausing for anything (least of all that Stop sign), he ponders his hikari.
For Ryou is what so many people call The Innocent.

But is he?

Bakura, despite his Egyptian past, has quite a good grasp on the modern language, and he finds it amusing that the word 'innocent' is so often associated with his hikari.

Let's see... he knows there is innocent as in 'not guilty', and in this Ryou is not innocent at all. Bakura knows all too well that Ryou is guilty of many things – he is guilty of making Bakura love him, and hate him, both at once. Most of all, Bakura muses, he is guilty of loving the tomb robber back.

And then there is innocent as in 'ignorant'. Of what, Bakura doesn't know. But he does know that even though people would believe his hikari is ignorant, this is certainly not the case – if anything, Ryou knows too much. Ryou knows all about Bakura, and his past. He knows all about the Millennium Items, and knows that Bakura will one day have them all, no matter what it takes to get them. No, Ryou is not innocent in this respect either.

There is also innocent as in 'child-like'. Bakura smirks as he considers the possibility of Ryou's innocence in this way. Not a chance. Child-like is what Ryou used to be, and will never be again.
Child-like in appearance, possibly, with his pale skin and chocolate eyes, but below the surface, it is a different story. Ryou has not been child-like for a long time, because he has seen too much to retain his childish ways. He has seen, thanks to Bakura, too much death and suffering to be child-like anymore.
Bakura watches Ryou sleep sometimes. And sometimes, often, Ryou will toss and turn and mumble; so that now, even in his dreams, Ryou is no longer innocent.

Of course, there is innocent as in 'a virgin', and of this Ryou is definitely not innocent – once again thanks to Bakura.
Bakura has taken away this aspect of Ryou; why, he really doesn't know. He does remember a small verse from the bible though, because he saw it on a gravestone once. 'The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away'. Well, he gave his love, and his hate, to Ryou, and in exchange, he took his innocence. He supposes that this might be considered, by a few, as fair trade. Bakura gives another smirk at this thought; it gives him satisfaction to know that he is as a God in his hikari's life.

That's right, his hikari. Because Ryou is his, and always will be. And because Bakura doesn't like to share with anybody. Ryou is his, and, come to think of it, Bakura is probably Ryou's as well – such is the bond of Light and Dark.

Innocent. Such a seemingly easy word, yet with such varied meanings. Simple on the surface, but complex below. Just like Ryou. Just like Bakura.

Bakura is so caught up in this that he only notices where he is when he reaches the house again. He roars up to the building and parks his motorcycle, and goes into the house.

Its very quiet – Ryou must be sleeping. Yes, there he is; he must have dragged himself into the bed, because this is where he now lies, curled up into a little ball and his hair draped over one cheek.

For once he is quiet – not tossing and turning, not groaning, not mumbling or crying out. Perhaps, for a time, his dreams leave him be. Bakura watches; sees the glowing pale skin, and the lithe form of his body, naked, under white sheets, and the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he breathes.

The picture of innocence.