WARNINGS: Brief mention of Aten and Ryou’s past….in other words, brief mention of Incest!!!

Dragon Tears: Like cardiomyopathy, I do extensive research on topics of which I have little knowledge for my stories. I try to be as accurate as possible.

Dragondreamer: Can’t blame the guy on one hand. I know, poor puppy.

star: I think I see what you are talking about. I can try to see what I can do.

Shadow of Light: Aten has always known his heart was bad. Steven will always haunt Aten.

bakachibi voidfox: Marik will find a way to defeat the curse.

Sweet Misery: Ryou’s gonna be overprotective for a while, but Aten will bring him back to reality.

Lady Elfskye: I can imagine that was scary with the heart murmur. I know that was hard on you.

Terra: No, the world never stops. But Marik and Ryou will get over this.

Ryou’s Mistress: well, I already have the next 7 or 8 years pretty much planned. As far as Aria goes, she’s learned her lessons.

Valea: Robbie will be a big help to Aten. For Aten, Robbie is his reason for living, so he carries on. So cute.

thunderchaos: His future is pretty much planned, unless the boys throw another curve ball at me.

Maruken: Aku won’t appear until he is 15. I couldn’t resist leaving off at the letter.

Seto lover and Bakurasgirl worshipper: The virus strikes.

Roxria: Aten has to, eventually, but I plan to bring him back.

Broken Time: Marik wasn’t just crying, he wailed. You have a kid? How old is she/he?

Background Note For Readers: Aku possessed Malik in the last story. Aku is Ryou’s other yami, created by Ryou’s hurt and anger towards his father, Tim, and Bakura (Bakura used to be violent towards Ryou in the same way Tim and Steven). Read “Anything forYou” if you’re curious about Aku’s origins.

Turn to Dust

******Bakura’s Dream*********

Bakura’s POV

I opened my eyes in the Shadow Realm. Beside me stood Marik, gripping his Millennium Rod in his hand. A large temple was in front of us. Marik turned to me. “Let’s end this, Bakura.”

I raised my eyebrow. “What are we doing here?”

“We’re saving your daughter from Steven. Ryou’s father must be stopped! He can’t be allowed to continue his rampage!”

Steven’s back? Bastard! Let me at him! He damned near killed Ryou and had done unspeakable things to Aten! I’ll make him pay for everything he has done! Bastard!

We entered the temple and I saw my three-year-old daughter chained face-up on an altar!

“Aria!”

Marik and I ran up to the altar. Steven looked up and grinned. He held a dagger to my daughter’s throat. Behind Steven stood the Berserk Dead Dragon.

“Daddy!” my daughter cried.

Oh gods! My baby girl!

“Awia!” Aten cried from behind us.

I turned and saw two Atens standing behind us. The only difference between the two chibis were one had blond hair and both purple eyes were purple. I remember that child with the blond hair and purple eyes was one of Aten’s cards called “The Helpless Child.”

“So, Bakura, you thought you could destroy me?”

Steven tore off his shirt and exposed his back to us. “When you and Marik carved these Egyptian curses into my back, you made me immortal! You can’t kill me! I am doomed to wander the Shadow Realm for eternity! There is no escape from here!”

“Steven! Let my daughter go!”

Steven grinned. “Why would I want to do that? Your daughter’s blood will be spilled, Bakura! I will see to it! This is my revenge on you for digging up my corpse from the cemetery and cursing me to the Shadow Realm! Marik, I will have my revenge on you, too! Berserk Dead Dragon, attack Aten!”

The Helpless Child kneeled in front of Aten and crossed his arms in front of himself. The child lowered its head. “The Helpless Child defends Aten!”

The child shattered apart into thousands of pieces like a Duel Monster.

Steven growled. “I will have my revenge yet, Bakura! Oh yes! I will have my revenge!”

Marik and I growled and we focused the magic from our Millennium Items. It wasn’t enough! I feel weak.

Ryou steps between Marik and I and he channels our energy, combining it with his own inner strength.

Steven fell backwards.

Behind me, I heard something crash through the wall.

Aria’s Nightmare Dragon!

The dragon roared loudly. It can sense Aria here! The Nightmare Dragon’s tail ripped across the top of the temple, causing the roof to cave in. Ryou covered Aria with his body. It’s amazing he wasn’t hurt!

The torches that had been lit fell over, causing the place to go up in flames.

Marik and I run and we couldn’t find Steven anywhere.

“Ryou, take Aten and Aria out of here!”

Marik and I jumped back as Steven appeared in front of us.

“You thought you could kill me, Bakura? If so, you are dumber than you look!”

I growled. This isn’t how it happened five years ago! This is different! Steven spoke Latin! Now he’s talking English!

“Have you forgotten about my curse, Bakura? Five years ago, you ripped my card in half. You forgotten about it, haven’t you?”

My eyes narrowed. “I don’t believe you, Steven! Everything you ever told Ryou was a lie! Your life was nothing but one big lie!”

Steven laughed. “Prove it!”

“You told Ryou that his mother was killed by a stranger! You paid your neighbor Tom Cinetti to kill her! You paid your neighbor to kill your own wife! Then you told Ryou it was a robbery! Cinetti killed your wife right in front of Ryou when he was two years old! My Ryou saw his mother get shot! Your lies didn’t stop there! You said you loved your son, but you tried to murder him because he was gay! You raped your own son, Steven, to make him straight!”

Marik stepped beside me furiously. “You said you would not hurt Aten in the cabin if Ryou agreed to give himself to you, Jessica, and Tim! But, you lied! You molested my son and raped him at two and three years old! I should scatter your remains all over the Shadow Realm!”

Steven laughed. “Yeah, well, both of them were very enjoyable. Just ask Malik. Even under Aku’s possession, I’m certain he enjoyed it. I know he enjoyed Aten very much…just the same way you enjoyed my son, Bakura.”

“Enough, Steven! I’m not going to listen to your lies!”

Steven laughed. “Your five years are up, Bakura! You, Marik, and Yami will perish from the Yami Virus! Of course, Bakura, five years ago, you had Soulroom Sickness when Yami forced you back into your item. Your spirit will weaken quickly. Marik, I hope you can live without your fuck-buddy!”

Marik removed the dagger from his Millennium Item angrily.

“Angry, Marik? You will be when Bakura turns to dust before you do! Then you will be gone. It’s already beginning to take effect! Behold!”

I looked down at my hand and it turned gray. What the hell?????

I touched my arm with my one hand and my arm crumbled into dust before my eyes!

“Your souls are five thousand years old! Your bodies will decay and turn to dust.”

“When you die, Bakura, nothing will stop me from getting my hands on Ryou! Then I will be able to enjoy him like I enjoyed Aten. I will have my grandson and my boy back with me!”

I suddenly felt weak. I fell to my knees as I saw my arm turn gray and turn to dust. My fist grabbed my stomach as a pain spread through me.

My eyes rose to look at Steven smiling above me. “I will not let you have Ryou.”

Marik fell on his hands and knees. “You will not have Aten anymore. I won’t let you.”

My breathing became difficult. I gasped for breath as my lungs disintegrated in my body.

Can’t breathe….Can’t breathe!

Steven laughed. “Die in pain, Bakura.”

*****************

Normal POV

Ryou gripped Bakura’s shoulders as he struggled to breathe. “Yami! Yami! Wake up!”

Bakura sat up quickly and panted heavily, sweat covering his entire body. He looked around and at his arms. He touched his arms and they weren’t crumbling before his eyes.

Bakura stood up and put on his boxers.

“Where are you going?”

“Checking on Aria.”

“She’s sleeping, yami.”

Bakura nodded. “I know. I have to know she’s in her bed.”

Bakura opened the door to his bedroom when a naked Marik stepped out of his bedroom.

Bakura pushed past Marik and opened Aria’s door.

Aria was fast asleep on her bed. The only indication Bakura had that Aria was in her bed was the tiny, braided batwings sticking out from under the covers. Aria’s bed was covered in stuffed animals. Her bed was covered with teddy bears, unicorn plushies, a walrus plushie, Duel Monsters plushies covered her bed. Bakura always wondered how she could sleep on a bed that was covered in stuffed animals.

A tiny snore came from under the sheets and a little whimper accompanied, “Unkie Puppy, I wanna pet the pony.”

Bakura sighed and closed the door. Aria was safe in her bed.

Marik disappeared downstairs. Bakura descended the stairs relieved his daughter was in her bed.

********Aten’s Dream*********

Aten opened his eyes and tried to stretch, but his arms were chained to the stone altar. He gasped and shivered from the cold.

He was laying naked on the altar, a warm trickle slipping down his back.

He looked over and saw himself in a pool of his own blood.

“Hello, grandson.”

Aten turned his head to see Steven standing beside him with a dagger.

“Where am I?”

Steven grinned. “You’re with me, Aten.”

“No! My daddy made you go away!”

Steven laughed. “Boy, you are mine! I carved that on your back for a reason! You belong to me! I took your innocence! I used you for my pleasure! I plan to use you again.”

Aten struggled as he felt Steven’s hands run along his carved back. Steven’s hand traveled to his behind and he let out a scream.

“Go away! My daddy beat you! Leave me alone!”

“Don’t you want to play with your granddaddy again, Aten? I missed you so much after five years. Besides, you’re getting to be such a beautiful, sexy boy.”

Steven slapped Aten’s behind hard. Aten’s eyes filled with tears.

“HELP! MOMMY! DADDY!”

Malik, under the possession of Aku, appeared in front of Aten.

“Malik! Help me! Don’t let him tush me again!”

Malik held Aten’s head down on the stone altar. “Shut up, Aten, and be quiet while your granddaddy has his fun!”

Steven grinned. “You can never be free from me, Aten! Be a good boy and make your granddaddy feel good.”

Aten screamed as he felt a familiar something enter his body……

*******************

Aten sat up in his bed, panting and sweating. His body was shaking, his mouth was dry. He drew his knees up to his chin and looked around the room.

“Granddaddy? Are you here?”

Silence.

“Hello?”

Silence.

Aten shuddered and reached behind him to feel the scar on his back from the dagger. His scar was still there. ‘MINE’ was still tattooed on his back. He reached lower and didn’t feel any blood around his behind.

His eyes shifted uncomfortably as he looked around the room. He cuddled his monkey plushie close to him.

“Granddaddy? You aren’t here, are you?”

Silence.

“Anybody there?”

Silence.

Aten shivered as he remembered his grandfather’s hands on him. He trembled as he left his bed and opened his bedroom door.

He crept to the bathroom and closed the door. Aten lifted up the toilet bowl and threw up. It always happened after a nightmare about his grandfather taking him.

Ryou opened the door and found Aten throwing up. He held back Aten’s hair. “Nightmare, baby?”

Aten nodded as he wiped his mouth. “Yes, mommy.”

“Is your heart okay? Do you need to sleep with mommy tonight? Are you running a fever?”

Aten shook his head. “Mommy, I’ll be otay.”

“Maybe you should stay with me tonight.”

Aten shook his head. “No. I wan go bat to my room.”

Ryou wiped his mouth and watched him brush his teeth. “Honey, I really think I should have you sleep with me.”

Aten shook his head. “No. I wan to go bat to my room!”

Aten jumped down from the stool and went into his room. He turned on the light by his bed and opened up his watercolor paints. He picked up the cup where he held his brushes and started to paint on canvas.

After a nightmare, he found it relaxing if he painted. It helped not only calm him down, it helped him to express what he was feeling.

Besides, his paintings were being displayed with Joey’s in the art shows at the Domino Museum Gallery of Art. The art critics could not fathom that a child of Aten’s age could draw and paint like a professional with decades of training.

Art was a way for Aten to cope with his experiences and Dr. Chapman told Ryou that when Aten was painting, do not disturb him…no matter how graphic and disturbing his painting may be or how emotional Aten was becoming.

Aten combined his colors to make a deep green. He painted the blades of green around the banks of the Nile River. When he was done, he painted crimson in the sunset.

Aten smiled at his picture proudly. “Unkie Puppy is going to lite dis for his art show.”

***********************

Bakura entered the kitchen. Marik was sitting at the kitchen table, his head buried in his arms on the table, a glass of juice beside him.

“Ishtar?”

Marik’s head snapped up and he sighed. “Oh. Hello, Itemri. What are you doing up so early?”

Bakura poured himself a glass of water. “Nightmare.”

“Same here.”

Bakura raised an eyebrow. “Really? What about?”

Bakura sat at the table beside Marik.

“I dreamed that we were in the Shadow Realm. You and I were in front of the same temple we encountered five years ago. You know, the one where we found Steven? Well, I saw Aria on the altar and---.”

“And the Nightmare Dragon came, knocking down the roof after Ryou, you, and I knocked Steven back. The Berserk Dead Dragon tried to attack Aten, but The Helpless Child blocked the attack. Ryou and the kids got out safe and Steven started babbling about his curse that he said in Latin five years ago.”

Marik’s jaw dropped. His eyes widened. “Bakura, you had a dream about that, too?”

Bakura nodded. “Yeah.”

Both yamis looked at each other.

“Do you think it’s true, Itemri?”

Bakura shrugged. “I don’t believe a thing that bastard ever said!”

“Did your arm turn to dust, too, Bakura?”

Bakura nodded. “Yeah. It did. Don’t tell me you honestly believe him, Marik!”

Marik shrugged. “I don’t know what to think. I know I’ve been waiting for the five years to pass to see if it would come true. But, I feel fine.”

A cough came from upstairs and Bakura coughed right after.

Marik gasped. “Itemri! Bakura Itemri, you have the virus!”

Bakura rolled his eyes. “Maybe Ryou’s getting a little cold!”

“But, when our hikaris get sick, we don’t get sick with them!”

Bakura pat Marik’s hand. “Don’t worry, Marik! I’m not dying of the Yami Virus! It’s a superstition! Another story made up by Steven to try to get the last word! We are not dying!”

Marik’s bottom lip trembled. “I don’t want to die….again! I already died once!”

Bakura shook his head. “At least you died quickly and didn’t linger in Yami’s dungeon being beaten, raped, and tortured by the pharaoh and his guards like myself! Do you think I want another slow death, Ishtar? No! I don’t want to take months to die! But, I just can’t believe a word Steven said. He lied too many times for me to take him seriously.”

Marik sighed. “True. But, what if he is telling the truth?”

Bakura gulped his glass of water. He turned to Marik. “Then we better find a way to reverse the process…or our children will grow up without their fathers.”

Marik shivered. “I want to see my boy grow up. That is….if he lives long enough.”

Bakura looked down sadly. “I’m sorry, Ishtar. I wish there was something I could do for Aten.”

Marik finished his juice. “I wish there was something I could do, too. Itemri, I don’t want to see Aten…..die on me. I keep thinking what happened when Ryou was pregnant. Maybe I did something wrong that night when Ryou and I made love.”

Bakura shook his head. “From what Ryou told me, there wasn’t anything different I did than what you did when you made him pregnant. The only difference about when I made her pregnant is we made love on the bed…you made love to her on the kitchen table.”
Marik covered his eyes. “Maybe that’s what I did wrong. I should have taken him somewhere else. Maybe even on the living room couch! We shouldn’t have made love on the kitchen table!”

“Ishtar, you can’t honestly believe that where you and Ryou conceived Aten has any impact on his health! This is the future, Marik! Not five thousand years ago. Aten’s heart problems is not because you created him on the kitchen table! Aten has heart problems because that’s the way he is. It’s a shame, but, Aten doesn’t let his heart stop him from having fun and being a normal child.”

Marik stood up. “Would you be so optimistic if you knew Aria was dying?”

“I’m being realistic, Marik. I’d be worried if Aten went around moping and whining about his heart condition. But, he’s not. He knows his heart is bad. He still likes to play with Robbie and play outside like a normal kid. Let him be a kid for as long as he can, Marik. Because, when it comes down to it, Ishtar, the positive experiences of his childhood are going to make this easier on him. He’s going to remember the good times. Sure, he won’t be able to forget what Steven did to him, but, he’ll want to remember the times when he had fun and was able to be a kid. Let him have that, Ishtar. Without it, the end of his life will be much like ours…..full of regrets. I’m sure you want better for your son than to have him die with regrets. Goodnight, Marik Ishtar.”

Bakura returned to his room. Marik sighed and finished his drink.

Marik went upstairs and saw a light coming from Aten’s bedroom. He knocked on it and Aten opened the door.

“Hello, daddy.”

“Son, what are you doing up so late?”
Aten returned to his easel. “I’m painting. Do you like it? It’s the Nile River at sunset.”

Marik entered the room and looked at it. “It’s very nice, son. Couldn’t you sleep?”

Aten sighed and rubbed his tired, bloodshot eyes. “No. I had a nightmare about granddaddy. I no sleep.”

“Was it the same dream as before?”

Aten crossed his arms and shuddered. He gripped his arms tightly. “I don’t wan to talt about it, daddy. I just wan to paint.”

“You sure you don’t want to talk about it, Aten?”

Aten shook his head and looked away from his father. “No. I don’t.”

“Okay, Aten. But, if you want to talk about it, you can.”

Aten nodded. “I know. I don’t wan to say anyting about it.”

Marik leaned down and kissed the top of Aten’s hair. The boy shivered in fear. After a nightmare like this, he didn’t like to be kissed or held by anyone but his mother.

“Try to get some sleep, Aten. Goodnight, son.”

Aten saw the door close and he fell to his knees before his easel. He wrapped his arms protectively around himself and rocked back and forth. He refused to let himself feel what he felt when his grandfather used him. When he allowed himself to feel, it just increased his torment.

“Must paint….Painting will make it better…..Don’t feel….Don’t feel…..Not allowed to feel……Just paint…Feeling is bad….Tan’t feel….just paint.”

Updates: Wednesday

Next Chappie: Ryou and Aten fight. Aten plays outside with Robbie and the boys experience homophobia first-hand.