Written for Tier 5 of Ryou VeRua's YGO Fanfiction Contest, challenge pairing Fameshipping: RyuujixVivian, with a side helping of Ninjashipping: MaixJean-Claude Magnum. Oh yes.
"For the Love of Money"
For the oh-so-eligible bachelor Ryuuji, the odds were good but the goods were odd, as far as he was concerned. Then Vivian came to Domino City.
They said that navy was the new black.
But just who were 'they,' anyways? Who decided what was fashionable? Vivian wanted to find them and punch them in the face; give them some black-and-blue to accessorize around. The contents of her closet were spread out across her bed, dresses of every fit and color. She hadn't a thing to wear.
She decided again, not for the first time, that it was all Mai's fault.
She hadn't told anyone else she was returning to Domino. Not that anyone else really cared, and besides, she had only barely visited the city that first time. She hadn't even left any loose threads, ones that she could just pick right back up where she left off, weaving them back into her daily life. Her oh-so glamorous life.
She eyed the small square of white paper again. There probably weren't any duelists who got invited to events like this—of course, besides Mai. She was the one who had passed along the invitation in the first place. Kaiba would probably make an appearance as well. She had even heard a rumor that the star of the premiere had once dabbled in Duel Monsters. Okay, so there were quite a few of them on the fringes.
And herself. She wasn't even sure if she counted anymore, but after a moment's consideration she decided that, maybe, she did.
Vivian teased out one of the dresses from the bottom of the stack, one that she hadn't worn in a while—she supposed it would have to do. She liked the color green, always had. Some of her favorite things were in that hue.
Amidst the crowds and the brilliant flashes of the cameras, she somehow found Mai. "Perfect timing," Mai said, somehow managing to both stand still and move so her diamond earrings caught the light. "I had only just escaped the paparazzi."
"They don't look so bad," Vivian answered, studying the crowd. "In fact, some of them look really good—introduce me?"
Mai laughed, shaking her head. "Trust me, you don't want them…at least, wait until you get inside the theater before you start picking your marks. I've got to go find Jean-Claude—shouldn't be hard; he's never too far from the cameras." She steered Vivian in the direction of the theater before she left to head back towards the flashes of light that ringed the plaza around the premiere theater. Vivian presented her ticket and was ushered inside, and she took a minute to just marvel at the well-appointed lobby. Mai had read her perfectly when she invited her to this premiere—she was a young woman who had just moved to a new city and wanted to get out there and see the city, but wasn't too keen on paying for every meal.
Her seat was terrible and really the movie wasn't that great either—it had been billed as a different kind of ninja movie, but all that really meant was that Magnum's mentor was the villain all along and not his rival like he had thought for the majority of the film—so she passed the time by studying the people around her. It was amazing what people showed when they didn't think anyone was watching them.
There was Kaiba in one of the box seats, not even looking at the screen at all—she suspected he had brought along a tablet or smartphone and was continuing to work. His brother was enthralled with the fight scenes, that much was clear—although she wondered how much of that was Magnum and how much of it was stuntmen. He didn't look exceptionally strong, even though the fitted tuxedo did compensate for it.
Mai looked lovely as always, seated next to Magnum. Vivian didn't know their story, how they got their start—it just seemed that one day they were together, as if they had always been together—and they had that contented sort of happiness, the kind that didn't need to be shouted from rooftops to be understood. She heard secondhand about all the gifts Magnum lavished on her, all of the clothes and fancy dinners. And in return, what could Mai possibly give him?
Magnum cozied up to her, and Mai leaned away towards the other armrest, folding her hands in her lap when he attempted to reach for them. In an instant, it clicked: he was attracted to her because she felt lukewarm towards him.
It was a revelation. Men with power, or prestige, or money, wanted a woman who didn't want them. She applied her theory to Kaiba. She had never met a woman who didn't find him attractive—although she also knew he cultivated his appearance more than half of those women, which was something of a turn-off to her—and finding someone who saw past that, to the person within and still didn't give a damn; well, that would certainly make him take notice, if nothing else.
She did care; she'd just have to fake it. She took a minute to adjust her dress, turning her attention back to the movie. She'd probably have to rave about it to any potentials—it wouldn't do to miss any of the important scenes.
"…But what do you feel?" he asked, only his eyes showing behind the elaborate ninja mask. He looked at his friend, the ex-military sniper, judging him. They were going to take out the true villain, his mentor, at his own home, which was hidden at the base of the mountain. He had to know he could trust the man with his life. "What do you feel when you have the man in your sights, between the crosshairs? What do you feel when you pull the trigger?"
The sniper shrugged. "Mostly, recoil."
Vivian sighed. At least she had the consolation that she could pull off this act better than the actors they had all come here to watch.
The after-party was in full swing—Vivian had lost Mai and Magnum a few minutes after they all arrived, but it was probably for the best. She headed for the long buffet table—at least she could get something to eat while she waited. They had a cash bar, which was a travesty, but it couldn't be helped.
She loaded up her plate and claimed one of the last open high-top tables for her perch. A band was setting up at the other end of the room; the majority of the paparazzi hadn't been allowed inside but she could still make out the occasional camera flash highlighting the crowds of people clamoring for a peek at what Domino considered a celebrity.
The night was still young. She started in on the strawberries on her plate when she felt something brush against her shoulder.
"I'm sorry, were you talking to me?" He was a little bit shorter than her, which was disappointing, but was really sold it were the clothes. She knew he didn't have any money. It looked like the kind of tuxedo he had to buy for high-school orchestra concerts.
She put down the half-eaten strawberry. "No."
"Well then, please start," he said, winking at her.
Please spare me. She smiled thinly, hoping to give him a hint. "Look, it's very flattering that you've come over here, but I'm not interested."
"Do you have the time?" he asked, undeterred. When she pointed out the clock on the wall he smirked, arching one eyebrow. "No, the time to write my number down."
"Thank you, but I said I'm not interested." Of course, only the bottom-feeders were interested. Typical. And although this still proved her theory, it was annoying as hell. When was she going to pull somebody from the top of the society food chain? She glanced around the room, seeing if she could spot Mai, or at least somebody willing to save her—
"Hey baby, sorry I'm late. Couldn't find a place to park. How's the party so far?" Her savior loosely hugged her, then turned and swiftly placed his body between her and the man who finally seemed to realize that he had to go cast his nets elsewhere.
Vivian finally got a good look at him. A good, long, thorough look. She placed him at about her age; tall, handsome—his hair was a little odd but so was hers, so it wasn't a deal breaker or anything. And his suit was immaculate, definitely a custom job. The green waistcoat just set off the whole look. After so many spins she had finally hit the jackpot. "The party's a little better now," she said, mouthing thank you to him, hoping he'd continue the ruse for at least part of the evening.
"I do what I can," he said, smiling. "Ryuuji Otogi."
"I' m Vivian Wong." Now smile, hold it for a few seconds, but don't look too interested. Stay coy, stay intriguing. "How did you enjoy the movie?"
"Couldn't say. Fell asleep about ten minutes into it." He shrugged, not looking at all ashamed about it.
"You too? We must be the only sane people in the room." She took another bite of strawberry to hide her grin. Magnum was no doubt still surrounded by adoring fans clamoring for his autograph or a picture; columnists begging for a few words; all congratulating him on a successful movie premiere. A smaller crowd had moved away, heading past them while loudly shouting Magnum's drink order. All other orders forgotten, the bar staff hurriedly fulfilled his request. "They're all still fawning over him," she said. "I doubt anyone would even consider saying anything critical to his face."
"It's the price of fame," Ryuuji replied, looking at her a little more closely. "You… haven't lived in Domino for very long, have you?"
"No, I only just moved here a few weeks ago." Vivian colored; she didn't think she was that easy to read. "Why?"
He leant in towards her to whisper in her ear; she could smell his cologne, something faint, sophisticated, and not the slightest bit floral. "You should know then… that I'm famous."
She smirked. This was perfect. "Are you expecting me to treat you any better if I know that you're famous? God, I'm probably going to treat you worse."
The band started warming up. Ryuuji grinned. "Come on, let's dance. Show off a little. Maybe you'll change your poor opinion of me."
He held out his hand, and after a moment's hesitation she took it. He pulled her towards the dance floor and they threaded around other couples until he stopped them in the middle, close enough to the band as they started their set. "I don't know," she said as she moved her free hand to rest gently on his shoulder. "It'll take a lot to change that. Right now, you're just above that poor guy I was talking to before you came around."
He was a proficient dancer; Vivian could tell. She always had to fight the instinct to look down when she was dancing, always sure that their feet would get tangled, or she would step right instead of left, but he lead her smoothly, and she was free to look up, at the room, at him.
She laughed. "Although, I hardly think you can count pick-up lines as talking to someone," she said.
Ryuuji spun them around, tightening his hold on her. The cut of the dress was quite daring, and while his hand skimmed the fabric of her dress, she could also feel his touch on her skin. While she never denied the stone-cold fact that he was attractive, she hardly thought it would go farther than tonight, maybe a date or two. When he pulled them together just a fraction more, she had to admit, at least to herself, that this was no longer a game of hard to get.
"You think pick-up lines can never be successful?" he asked, teasing.
"In my experience, no, they can't." Ryuuji spun her again.
"Trust me: It's all about the delivery." They were hardly dancing anymore, just swaying, as the band ended one song and started up another. It was slow, jazzy music, the kind that made a person feel like they could do anything. It transported them a thousand miles away, to a world of blues and greens and golds. That's power; it stirs you and makes you listen inward, to your heartbeat, wondering if the person beside you can hear its music just as you can. "Take this, for example. I'll bet you two thousand yen," he said, smirking despite the seriousness of his eyes, "two thousand yen, that I can kiss you without using my lips."
Vivian smiled back. It would cover some groceries, maybe a meal or two. And if he wanted to up the ante, that was perfectly fine with her. "Alright," she replied. "Bet's on."
He leaned in, and Vivian froze, unable to move even if she wanted to. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of her closing her eyes, but she couldn't help it as he gently pressed a kiss to her cheek, just to the side of her mouth. He drew back, a satisfied smirk on his face.
"I lost."
Vivian scowled. He was still holding her right hand, so she settled for hitting him with her left, balling her fingers into a fist and hoping it at least wrinkled the fabric of his jacket. He started to laugh, and after a minute she joined him, unable to stay angry.
She pulled him off the dance floor; he still hadn't let go of her hand. Point proven, he glanced at her, still smiling. "Now, can I buy you a drink or do you just want the money?"
She pretended to think it over. The night was still young. "Drinks sound wonderful."
Vivian woke up to the sun shining in through the blinds. She only went to the gym every other day and this was her off day, so she figured she'd take her time that morning. There was plenty of time to get ready, google Ryuuji Otogi, and then spend the rest of the day beside the phone wondering who was going to break first.
It was sheer happenstance that she managed to open the newspaper at the gossip page. Taking up the bottom right corner was a color photograph—Vivian saw herself dancing with Ryuuji, face turned obliquely to the camera. The article's caption read:
CEO of Black Crown in relationship with mystery woman?
It went on to describe the movie premiere and a few lines describing their color-coordinated matching outfits, noting this as Otogi's first publicized relationship. It ended by speculated it as a 'publicity stunt' for Black Crown, making a few guesses to Vivian's identity. Was she affiliated with the film? The company? A duelist, like so many of the other professionals in Domino? And just what did this mean for his fan club? Otogi was not available for comment.
She picked another page of the paper at random, ripped it out and crumpled it in her hands. Two more followed that, and then she threw them all at the wastebasket across the room, getting two in. He…he was a CEO? She had spent an amazing evening with the CEO of Black Crown? And now the entire city thought they were dating.
When her cell phone rang, she picked it up, cradling the phone against her ear. "Yes?"
"Vivian Wong, why didn't you tell me? I have to learn about all this from a newspaper?" Mai's voice came out of the phone a little louder than she had intended; Vivian winced, shifting the phone away from her ear. "I'm actually amazed, to tell you the truth. He's your type? I could have introduced you two a long time ago—"
"You know him?"
"Yeah—ever since the Battle City tournament. Vivian, what's going on?"
She studied the paper again. Black Crown… what did they even do, anyways? "He really is a CEO?" A small part of her still couldn't believe it. It was as ludicrous a possibility as dating Kaiba.
"Of course he is! Wait… he didn't tell you?" She could hear Mai's sigh through the phone. "Let's go."
"…What?"
"We're going to go pay him a little house call. Did you read that article? He declined to comment! Be ready in an hour—I'll pick you up, okay?"
"Mai, is this really necessary—?" Mai had already hung up. Vivian left the phone on the table and got up to make herself some tea. She was sure this would ruin her disinterested/interested scheme, but she could always talk some sense into Mai on the drive over. She did want to see him again.
"Oh look, he's not home. Let's just try again later—"
"I can hear him coming!"
"Well then get your head away from the door!"
Ryuuji had not checked to see who was on the other side before opening the door, or else he might not have opened it. Mai elbowed her way inside, pulling Vivian after her. "Have you read that article in today's newspaper?"
"I never read the paper. Too many facts," Ryuuji said, waving away Mai's furious expression. "I just use it for the comics and the Sudoku." He edged away from Mai, smiling faintly at Vivian. "Um…hi."
"Hi."
"Here!" Mai had found the newspaper. Turning it to the right page, she pushed it at Ryuuji. It took him a minute to scan the article, his eyes lingering on the picture, which he wished showed a little more of that dress—
"This is your fault," Mai continued, frowning at him.
"I didn't know the press was going to be there! If I'd have known, I would have—"
"If you'd have known, it would have been worse!"
"Is it your picture here?" he asked, waving the newspaper in her face. "Look, I know you're looking out for a friend, but this is between Vivian and me." He led her towards the couch in his living room and they both sat down, while Mai hovered at the doorway.
"I'm sorry that this got out of hand. You don't deserve that," he said, placing the newspaper on the credenza behind the couch. "But at the same time, I don't regret meeting you. I was… I was going to call you anyways, later this afternoon. We could see where this goes—I mean, if that's what you want…"
Vivian smiled. This was just what she wanted. "Of course! You can introduce me to all your favorite places in Domino." Her fingers found his; she squeezed his hand gently.
Mai checked her watch; she had a life outside of Vivian's transportation needs. "I've got a great idea, how about a double date with Jean-Claude and I—"
"No," Vivian said.
"Hell no." Ryuuji shook his head. "We have standards."
Vivian reluctantly got up from the couch; it was incredibly comfortable but she sensed Mai was ready to leave. "It's very kind of you to offer, though, and you know we don't mean you—"
"—one of us doesn't—"
"—we just want to get to know each other first, right?" Vivian sent him a tight-lipped smile before hurrying out the door after Mai. She was hoping Ryuuji would realize just after she left that they hadn't decided on a time or a place—it was on him to make that happen. She could taste the fancy tuna and roasted duck already.
"It's one of the best restaurants in town," Ryuuji said as he opened the door for her. For Vivian, there was nothing better than a really great restaurant. Fantastic food and impeccable service in a classy environment just brought out the best in people. If you enjoy being pampered, then why not be pampered?
They had a table near the giant, sculptural aquarium in the center of the restaurant where brightly colored fish darted about—completely off-menu, she ensured after a friendly chat with their server. According to Ryuuji, everything on the menu was delicious, and she made sure to order something different so she could try some of his dish as well. They had to order big; places like these put two shrimps on a plate, swirled artful dabs of sauce around them and called it an entrée.
"Why did you move to Domino?"
It was a good question to ask. "Well, I came here first for a Duel Monsters tournament, so my first impressions of the city weren't exactly normal—"
"Yeah, Kaiba does turn the town into a Disney theme park for his tournaments," Ryuuji said, never missing an opportunity to take a stab at Kaiba.
"—but I was, I don't know… happy? Happy as someone who lost a duel right away can be." Vivian picked up her drink; she needed something to hide her smile behind. "But I made a few friends and decided to come back… Mai gave me a ticket to the movie premiere and here I am."
"Do you still duel?" he asked. "Or can I persuade you to make the switch to Dungeon Dice Monsters?"
"It'll take quite a bit of persuasion," she said, leaning a bit more towards him.
"I'll teach you how to play the game sometime."
"You do that." The food arrived and they started to eat, Vivian dropping all pretense of conversation with the first bite. It was delicious, but really, she expected nothing less.
She excused herself and headed for the washroom; she could freshen up and make sure that no remnants of her dinner were stuck in her teeth. It was also the perfect place for a mid-date evaluation. Everything was going perfectly: the meal had been wonderful, he was still charming, and they still looked good together. Still, as she washed her hands, she couldn't quite shake the feeling of uncertainty. She looked in the mirror and frowned. What was wrong?
It took a minute for the answer to hit her—her lip gloss hadn't lasted the meal. She reached into her purse to reapply some before she headed back to their table.
She had to walk through the bar on the way back to the table; it was packed, obviously a hot spot in Domino's nightlife. Her eyes focused on the aquarium, and their table beside it. Ryuuji had stood up, and was talking to someone. Vivian crept closer. He was talking to… a woman? Okay, she could handle that. You couldn't go through life without talking to people. She left the bar and started to approach the table, aware that Ryuuji couldn't see her approaching.
The woman… she hugged him? Right in front of her, she just squeezed his shoulder and strutted off, cool as can be.
Right then, something in Vivian broke.
Forget her theory. Forget being detached, playing coy. If he wanted to get to know her, he might as well know the real Vivian.
And the real Vivian didn't share.
"What was that?"
He didn't even have the decency to look sheepish. "That was my secretary—"
She walked up to him, seething, over articulating each word. "I didn't ask who that was. I asked what that was. Although I think it's just lovely that you and your secretary are so close. What did you talk about, hmm? Lining up your next date?"
"Of course not, that's ridiculous," Ryuuji protested. "We were only discussing—"
"Save it," she sneered. "Mai warned me something like this would happen"—or rather, Mai should have warned her something like this would happen—"but I didn't believe her. Or maybe it's a CEO thing. You've got to up the ante now that Kaiba knows you've won this round?"
"You're… I can't believe this." Ryuuji sat down in his chair and rubbed at his eyes. "When did you get so insane?"
"She was all over you, and you didn't do a thing to stop her."
Just then, one of the servers came by, asking to clear their finished plates from the table. Vivian picked up hers to graciously pass it over, but tilted the plate just as it left her grasp, sending a cascade of vinaigrette-tossed shredded lettuce tumbling down into Ryuuji's lap.
He gaped at her while the server just stared, not knowing what to do. "Oops! Accident," Vivian said.
Ryuuji smartly picked up his own plate, a flick of his wrist sending a small mountain of vermicelli noodles flying at Vivian. Some tangled in her hair, a few strands clung to her dress and he gleefully watched several go down her front. She was fuming, but now all he wanted to do was laugh. "Oops. Accident." He courteously handed the empty plate to the server, who backed away from the table.
She made to pick up her drink glass but he stopped her there with one hand firmly upon hers. "We're leaving," he said, the other hand reaching for his wallet. "And for the record? My secretary's fiancé brought her here for her birthday dinner. He fished a few bills from his wallet, dropping them on the table before he left. Only then was Vivian aware of just how quiet the dining room had become.
"What happened back there?"
They sat on the curb outside the restaurant, waiting for the valet to retrieve their car.
"I don't know," Vivian said. She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, resting her chin in the slope of her arms. "…I do know."
He nodded for her to continue.
"Don't laugh but… I have this theory, okay? From watching Mai and Jean-Claude Magnum—acting sort-of coy and disinterested is supposed to make a man more interested. And it worked! We really hit it off. But it's hard to keep it up around you, because I really am interested… like, really interested." She frowned into her arms, trying to curl up even more. "I was afraid that if I acted like myself, that you wouldn't want me. And when I saw you with that woman, I just… snapped. I'm sorry."
She swiveled her head to look sideways at him. Pieces of lettuce were still stuck to his jacket and pants. Ryuuji ran a hand through his hair and looked at her. It was then that she realized just how green his eyes were. It was her favorite color, for more than one reason.
"So let me get this straight," he said, the faintest smile at the corners of his mouth, "You're basing our entire relationship on something that you learned from Jean-Claude Magnum?"
He started to laugh, and when she lightly shoved his shoulder he playfully pushed her back until she was smiling too. When the car pulled around, he reached a hand out to help her up; pulling her into an unexpected hug that let her know that at least, for now, all was forgiven. Her arm brushed against the sleeve of his jacket, and she made a face. "Okay, the lettuce is still wet… that feels disgusting."
Vivian looked around the ballroom, admiring the metallic colors of the decorations. For this benefit, the hall of the biggest hotel in Domino had been booked, and the room was nearly full, patrons mingling off to one side and enjoying snacks at the buffet tables strategically placed at several points so the room wouldn't turn into one big line for food. She was smart; she had gotten hers right away.
"Why does it feel like the most beautiful girl in the world is in this room?"
God, not another one. Vivian put on her most polite smile and turned to the man who had bravely approached her. "I'm sorry, but…"
Like all the others, this one just wouldn't quit. "If I could re-arrange the alphabet I'd put—"
"But you can't, so would you kindly just let us enjoy our evening?" Ryuuij walked up, quickly hugging Vivian before giving a very cold shoulder to the latest hopeful. "Ooh, they have mini-sandwiches?" he asked, picking the nicest-looking one from her plate.
They had started over. It was clean slate, a chance to get to know each other and share their real selves—no theories, no agendas. And whenever they had a fight or something didn't work out—which usually happened at the second or third date—they started over again. And again. It was starting to be their gimmick—not that either of them minded.
"That guy stole my line," Ryuuji complained, grinning as she threaded her fingers through his.
"Just enjoy the benefit. Kaiba's throwing this party, so we're practically obligated to eat all of his food. And the best news of all: open bar."
He smiled, leaning down for a kiss which she readily accepted. One more. Kaiba was pretty good at filtering out the press, so they didn't fear another accidental headline. He pulled away, just lingering close to her. In some cases, cutting to the chase was much better than playing hard to get. "That is good news."
Still holding hands, she pulled him away from their table and he followed, until they disappeared in the crowd of people.
The End.