Chapter Text
After the Pharaoh defeated him in the memory world, Zorc was definitely gone, erased from this world. But as the Dark God was destroyed, a part of Bakura managed to get back to the ring. A broken soul, a shadow, what remained of the man who once was the mighty Thief King.
The Egyptian raised his head, his tired eyes meeting Ryou's. His host was standing in the middle of the darkness of the ring’s realm. He simply watched him. There was no fear or hatred on his face. Pity, maybe. Sadness. Bakura walked to him and let his forehead fall on Ryou's shoulder. His host let him do so and, very gently, he brushed the spirit's hair.
"I'm tired, Landlord."
"I know."
Ryou put his other hand on his back. This man who terrified him for so long, who made his life hell, who abused his mind and body... Was he always so small? So fragile? If he held him too hard, Ryou was sure the spirit would break like glass.
"It's over," Bakura whispered, "I lost. I couldn't avenge them."
Ryou stayed silent. Even if he couldn't be part of it, he saw it through the ring. The memory world. The truth. The reason Bakura pacted with a demon and tried so hard to kill the puzzle's spirit. It didn't excuse anything, but Ryou understood him a bit better.
"Let's go home," the young man said.
"I don't have a place to return."
"You have one. With me. We've been together for so long. I hated you, you know. But you were here when no one else was."
Ryou gently held the thief's face in his hands. His thumb brushed the scar on his cheek. Bakura looked so tired... there was nothing left of the vengeful spirit in his eyes. He was barely holding himself together, Ryou felt like his soul could vanish any moment.
"I'll not let them take you away. The ring is mine."
Bakura didn’t answer. He didn't have the energy to argue with Ryou or to care about what happened to him. He was just so damn tired. Tired of everything. Tired of being angry, to have been fighting for so long, to have carried upon his shoulders the vengeance of a hundred souls since he was a child. Bakura didn’t even know why he came back here. Probably some dumb survival instinct that kicked in at the last minute, because he would have been fine to just disappear with Zorc. This way, the pain would have stopped at least.
His host took his hand and pulled him away from the darkness of the ring. They entered Ryou's soul room. It was as bright as usual, looking similar to Ryou’s room in the real world but with way more mess inside. There were crafting tools and paint all over the ground, figures and games on the shelves along with occult books. It was hard to walk in without stepping on anything, but it was warm, just like the hand holding the thief.
Ryou made the spirit sit on the bed, before he put a hand on his shoulder so he would lay down. He brushed some hair from his face.
"I'll take care of the rest. You better not disappear while I'm gone. I'm serious."
Bakura chuckled softly, "Since when are you this bossy?"
Ryou smiled, relieved to see him reacting a bit, "I had a good teacher," he said before he stood up.
"Wait," the thief grabbed his hand, "I-"
Ryou shook his head.
"We will talk and you will apologise properly once you're rested. Try to get some sleep for now."
Ryou gave his hand a light squeeze before Bakura let him go. He smiled at him one last time and vanished from the soul room.
When Ryou found his way back in his body, the first thing he saw was Yugi taking the ring from him. He quickly grabbed his hand to stop him.
"Don't!" He exclaimed, making his friend jolt in surprise.
There was going to be a lot of talking to do, but Ryou would not let anyone take Bakura from him.