The Game of Life
By: Rogue Fox
Part One. Some Things Never Change
A/N: Hello there, everyone! This is the sequel to "Yuki". There won't be as much supernatural battles or adventure this time, but they will be there, rest assured. This story is more about growing up, growing together, and growing apart. I count life as an adventure, so I don't think it'll be worse that "Yuki" was. Anyway, there will be more flashbacks to Himeko and Yami's past, and don't think Pegasus and Yami Bakura are finished, by no means! I'm still having fun! By the way, I got a lot of complaints that the POV was hard to understand in Yuki, so now I'll let you know who's talking. Anyway, we join Yuki, Yugi, and the group a little after the Epilogue, so a little more than six months after Egypt. So, read on as everyone in the group learns to love, hate, and leave things and people behind.
*+*+*Yuki*+*+*
It's funny, how you can live something incredible one day, then just pick up your normal life where you left off the next. I died in Egypt. But thanks to a supernatural artifact, I returned to life. And now, I'm living a normal life. Or, as normal as my life would ever get.
" Dark Eternity! Take that!" Himeko shouted, chasing after Jou. I sighed and watched the small, really harmless balls of energy shoot past Jou's head. I was pretty sure that Himeko wouldn't really hurt Jou. But on the other hand, I wasn't positive.
" I give! Uncle! UNCLE!" Jou bellowed. Himeko stopped chasing and gave him a dirty glare.
" Give it. Now." She told him. I had no clue what she was asking for, and personally, I'd probably rather keep it that way.
" Fine, here." Jou said, handing her a crumpled piece of paper. " But I know your secret!" he said.
" What?! You read it?!" Himeko asked shrilly, blushing profusely. She shook her head furiously and screamed. " I'm turning into a high school girl!" she cried. Seto came down the stairs that led to his private study, where he retreated for privacy.
" Correct me if I'm wrong, but according to the birth certificate I had to have forged for you, you are a high school girl. Not an ancient princess of Egypt." He said.
" Yeah? So?" Himeko asked threateningly. Unlike Yami, she had adjusted to life outside my head very quickly. Yami was still working on it.
" So you might want to consider acting like a high school girl, as opposed to a princess." Seto said, grinning. Himeko was still blushing in excess. I laughed.
" Shut up, Yuki!" she yelled at me. She was dressed in a short black leather miniskirt that neither Yugi nor Yami approved of and a black top that left her stomach bare to about her middle. The top also had a heart cut over her chest, showing a fair amount of cleavage, and wound around her neck to the back, no sleeves. I suspected that she always wore her most daring outfits when she came over to our place, because of Seto. She had never told me flat out, but I was pretty sure she had a crush on him. I was fine with that. I had my own budding romance to contend with. And it seemed like no one was going to give me a moment's peace about it.
" Hey, Yuki? Don't you have a date tonight?" Jou asked, flashing Himeko a malicious grin. He knew something she didn't want him to know, that much I was certain of. I decided to get it out of him later.
" Yeah. I should be getting ready." I said, giving the clock a doubtful glance. It was my first date with Honda. I had finally agreed to go out with him. According to Mai and Anzu, I couldn't keep turning him down. Besides, I reasoned to myself, he's a nice guy, and you do like him. I stood and climbed the stairs to my room, Seto following me, as a new argument between Jou and Himeko broke out. It probably had something to do with whatever was on that paper Jou had returned to her.
" You're really going out with Honda." Seto said, as though he couldn't quite believe it.
" It's not like we're an official couple or anything. It's just a date." I protested.
" I know." Seto said quickly as we entered my room. I was quite used to having Seto in my room, and it didn't bother me at all when he plopped down on my bed as I started rummaging through my closet. " Mind if I hang around?" he asked.
" Do I ever?" I retorted good-naturedly.
" Nope." Seto said, answering his own question.
" Mai wanted me to wear one of her outfits, you know, the ones she designed, but I think I'll go with something a little more simple." I said. Seto nodded approvingly. I knew he approved of Mai's creations even less than Yami and Yugi did. I grinned. I had three men telling me what I could and could not wear. Of course, I'm not the daughter of Himeko's soul for nothing. I wear what I want, regardless of them. Although, tonight, I just didn't feel like any trouble.
" It is your first date. So, where is he taking you, anyway?" Seto asked.
" An Italian restaurant. He said it's pretty fancy." I said, pulling out a casual black dress that had spaghetti straps and came down to my knees. I went into my own personal bathroom, changed and came out for Seto's inspection. I knew he would be honest with me, and wouldn't lie just to get me out of something he thought was improper. Unlike Yami.
" You look good." He said, nodding. I liked the look of approval on his face. I ran through a few other dresses, but Seto seemed to like the black one best. I had a lot of super-formal gowns I didn't even dare to touch for this occasion. I had those in the case of a ball or formal party, which Seto had taken to dragging me to so he wouldn't look like a total idiot.
" Okay, now for shoes." I said, dropping to my knees to examine my selection. " How do you think these will look?" I asked, holding up a pair of black slip-on shoes.
" I said you look good in the dress. I don't know a thing about shoes." Seto said, holding his hands up in surrender.
" Hey, Yuki!" Himeko yelled. Seto grinned at me.
" Ask her." He suggested, getting up and leaving the room.
" What?" I yelled back.
" We're coming up, you'd better be decent!" Himeko answered. I opened the door just in time to see her coming down the hall.
" Who's we?" I asked.
" We're we." Mai said, stepping out of Himeko's shadow. " Thought you might need my expertise on this." She added, grabbing me by the shoulders and dragging me into the bedroom. " Hmm. Nice choice. Simple, yet classy." She complimented me. " What shoes are you wearing?" she asked as Himeko stepped into the room and jumped onto my bed.
" I was just working on that." I said, holding up the pair of shoes I still had in my hand.
" Not those. You'd look too ready to take it off." Mai said, tossing the shoes in question aside. Her remark was lost on me.
" What?" I asked in confusion, and she sighed.
" Never mind." She told me, hunting through my collection of shoes. She held up a pair of high-heels I had worn only once. " How do you like these?" she asked.
" Not at all. I still remember the blisters." I said.
" Fine. I'm stealing them, then." She said, setting the shoes aside. I didn't care. My female friends and I had a habit of "stealing" from each other's closet. No doubt there were shoes in there that Mai had bought originally, or perhaps had stolen from Himeko or Anzu. What was mine was their's as well, and likewise. Himeko suddenly leapt off the bed.
" I think I've got a pair that would look great!" she announced.
" That's terrific, but Honda's going to be here in twenty minutes and your shoes are at your place!" I said, exasperated.
" But our darling brothers are still home." Himeko said, picking up the phone I kept in my room. She dialed in her number and gave someone instructions as to which shoes to bring and to bring them in a hurry. Himeko officially lived with Yami and Yugi, but, like all of us, she seemed to travel from home to home. Many times she had slept on my floor, on the couch in Mai's apartment, even on Honda's couch when his parents were away. We had all slept everywhere, at everyone's home, but the most common hang out was our home, Seto's mansion. Seto often complained that his home was ground zero for all our little catastrophes. He always conveniently forgot that he was usually involved as well.
Moments before Honda was due to arrive, Yami drove up to the mansion, Yugi in the passenger seat. Yami didn't seem to mind cars all that much, all though he had a big problem with microwaves, electric coffee pots, and much more. The latest on his list of dislikes was one of Himeko's new favorite CDs. A hard rock band. The way Yami had described it, it had been like a herd of elephants had been attacking him. I still thought that sight was worth big money to see. Yami jogged into the house, carrying the shoes in question, which found their way onto my feet in record time, and then he sized me up.
" Nope." He said.
" What?" I asked him, distracted.
" Nope. There is no way, come hell or high water, that I'm letting you out of this house in that." He said. I glared at him. Yami was one of the few people that I had ever met that was immune to my glare. But I never gave up trying.
" Give her a break, Yami. She looks great." Yugi said, flashing me an encouraging smile that I was grateful for. Yugi was as protective as Yami, but he was much more trusting.
" She looks foxy!" Jou declared, earning a smack from Mai. " Ow!"
" That's exactly what the problem is." Yami said, flashing me a grin, then throwing my over his shoulder. He, like Yugi, had grown considerably. Enough to leave me helpless when he decided to use force.
" Ah! Yami! Put me down!" I cried as he started up the stairs. That had no effect. I decided to try a more subtle method. I stopped kicking. " Please, big brother?" I asked in my sweetest voice.
" No." Yami said stolidly. I pouted and returned to my original plan of action, kicking and screaming.
" Put me down now! Yami! Please! He's gonna be here any minute!" I cried, kicking and flailing my fists. I remembered Pegasus's goons carrying me, for a single instant, then I pushed that thought from my mind. " Yaaaaaaamiiiiiiiiiiii!" I cried, drawing out the vowels to a wail. I knew that would make him stop. Yami couldn't stand it when I sounded upset. True to his nature, he stopped and put me down. I jerked away from him and sprinted back down the stairs, Yami hot on my tail.
" Yuki! Get back here!" he bellowed. I ran around the couch, and he leapt over it, ignoring the laughter of our friends. I sought shelter behind Seto, who just laughed and tried to step out of Yami's way.
" Don't expect me to get into your sibling disputes." He said, but I stayed behind him. That turned into a game of running around in circles around him while Yami chased me. The chase stopped when the doorbell rang.
" I can't believe he still rings the doorbell!" Mai cried. " Everyone else just comes right on in."
" Tell me about it." Seto said, stepping away from Yami and me. I dashed away from Yami, yelling to Yugi for help.
" He wants to stay on Kaiba's good side. After all, since Yuki lives with Kaiba, he could always place her under house arrest." Jou said.
" I wish he would!" Yami yelled, charging at me. I leapt out of the way and followed Seto into the foyer. Honda smiled up at me, wearing a button up white shirt and a pair of slacks. That was one of the things I liked about him. He always looked so clean and well groomed. It was a quality I liked. Yami grabbed me from behind and tried to haul me off before I could say hello.
" Yaaaaaamiiiiii!" I wailed.
" Not this time!" Yami responded. I grabbed to the banister of the stairs, determined not to let him drag me up them. Himeko chose that moment to come to my aid, grabbing her big brother by the ear and dragging him off. I jogged back over to Honda and Seto, who were laughing.
" Hi." I said, smiling at Honda. He was taller than me, more so than Seto. He smiled at me winningly. I was glad I had agreed to go out with him. I just wished everyone else would stop making such a big deal about it.
" Awww. There goes my little sister, off on a date." Himeko said, nudging Yugi. Yugi smiled at me playfully.
" Be good, you two. No hanky-panky." He said. I cocked my head.
" What?" I asked. I hadn't understood. I looked at Honda, who was blushing grandly.
" Um, yeah. Anyway, we're out of here. Don't blow anything up without us." Honda said, obviously trying to stop blushing. I decided this must be one of those things that I would never understand and let it go, following Honda out the door and to his car.
*+*+*Seto*+*+*
I watched Yuki go out the door, in that black dress. She looked good in it. Really good. In fact, she looked great. Honda thought so too, I could tell by his expression. Yami glared at the door, the shrugged and plopped onto the couch I'd had moved into the room. The first couch hadn't been enough for all of us, unless Himeko was making us take one of her "sardine pictures," which found us all crammed together, grinning like idiots (with the exception of Yami, who doesn't quite trust cameras and numerous other modern technological objects yet), and usually looking like a bunch of over- eager teenagers on the trip of their lives. Himeko had developed a love for the media. She loved super stars, and her room both here and at the Motou household was literally caked in posters. She loved taking pictures, but liked being in the pictures more. That girl was born to be in pictures. She was so photogenic, it made most models I had seen look sad. She had Yuki's exotic beauty, crossed with her own type of strength, and sense of fun and danger. I had gotten into the habit of picking out the differences between her and Yuki. Don't ask me why. At that exact moment, Himeko took a running leap, landed on the couch, and threw her long bare legs across Yami's lap. I had seen her pull this trick before, except the subject then had been me.
" Yaaaaamiiiii." she drawled, purposely drawing out his name in such a cute fashion she knew he wouldn't be able to resist. Yuki used the same technique herself, when she thought it was necessary. Difference number one; Himeko was much more bold than Yuki, who preferred to get what she wanted through a more subtle means.
" Whatever it is, the answer is no." Yami said stolidly. I grinned at Jou, who returned it. Yami was very protective of all his little siblings, including the trio that Yuki brought into the deal, her boys. He even watched out for Mokuba. But his particular concerns lay with "his two girls," as he liked to call them. He was a severe keeper for his sisters, but I knew he had only the most loving intentions. His deepest desire was to protect them from all the maniacs of the world, even if those maniacs happened to include his own friends. Prime example; Honda. Honda and Yami got along great. Until Honda started asking Yuki out. Then, Yami regarded him as a highly dangerous element, and literally refused to allow either Himeko or Yuki to speak to him. However, Yugi had given them special permission to ignore him this time, so long as they didn't try to antagonize him on purpose. Himeko ignored both of them. She figured she didn't need their permission for anything. Yuki was, as always, more subtle. She started wearing Yami down almost immediately, until he finally gave into the date in question.
" Aw! You don't even know what I'm gonna ask yet!" Himeko cried, indignant.
" And I bet it won't make a difference if I do or not." Yami retorted, reaching for the remote for the TV. I tossed it to him, since he was out of reach. Himeko pouted, jerked her legs off him, and kicked him off the couch.
" Fine! All I was gonna ask was if I could shopping with the girls tomorrow, but noooo, you don't trust me." She said, still pouting. I doubted that was true. Jou clapped me on the shoulder.
" Well, I'm headed home. See you tomorrow." He said. I nodded and gave him the mandatory high five. I was getting good at this group thing.
" See you tomorrow." I said as he and Mai went out the door.
" Bye!" Mai called. Himeko waved to her energetically, her pout momentarily forgotten.
" Bye-bye, Himeko!" Jou called mischievously. Himeko growled and chased him out the door, sending flying small balls of dark energy after him.
" What dirt does he have on her?" Yami asked, pulling himself off the floor where he had fallen after Himeko pushed him.
" Dunno." I said. " Whatever it is, it must be good."
" Let's get home." Yugi said, pushing Yami from behind.
" Go home yourself. I'm waiting for Yuki to come back." Yami said, plopping resolutely back on the couch.
" Do you mistrust her that much?" Yugi asked incredulously.
" I trust her just fine. It's the rest of the world I don't trust." Yami said matter-of-factly.
" Well, I'm sure Kaiba doesn't want us hanging around, and I can't get home without you cause it's too far to walk and you're the one with the driver's license." Yugi said, yanking Yami to his feet. I loved watching these two argue. Despite the fact that Yami had a definite authority over his siblings, Yugi usually won all the arguments with him.
" It's Himeko that doesn't want us hanging around." Yami grumbled, allowing himself to be pulled out the door as Himeko came back.
" Bye, brothers! I'll see you tomorrow! I'm crashing here!" she called after them.
" Oh, are you?" I asked.
" Yep, I am." Himeko announced. " I rented a good movie. Want to watch it?" she asked, holding up a rented DVD. I smiled.
" You were planning this all along, weren't you?" I asked.
" No!" Himeko protested, a cute blush spreading across her cheeks. " I wanted to be here when Yuki got back, so I rented a movie to pass the time. You just happen to be here." She explained. I doubted it, but I accepted it nonetheless.
" Sure." I said, sitting down next to her on the couch after popping the DVD in. I was both pleased and uncomfortable with how close she sat to me, practically on my lap. My last thought before the movie started was about how Yami would murder me if he saw this.
It was near the end of the movie when I first noticed Himeko leaning on my shoulder. I didn't really care. I liked her. I liked the dangerous air she gave off. I liked her exotic good looks. But most of all, I liked her, herself. Then, I noticed her hand, creeping up my chest. Hormones started moving pretty quick at that point. I took a deep breath and tried to calm down. The last thing I wanted was to lose it.
" Himeko?" I asked, despite the still going movie.
" Yes?" Himeko asked. God, I thought, she's got a great voice.
" You know how angry your brothers would be..." I said, trailing my voice off.
" I don't really care." Himeko stated evenly. Her lips pressed against my cheek and I sighed, wrapping my arms around her. I kissed her first, surprisingly. I had honestly thought I wouldn't have the guts to do it. She was a great kisser. Her lips felt like silk, teasing me. Why did I feel so guilty, then? Like I was betraying someone. Himeko broke the kiss and nibbled seductively on my ear, running her hands through my hair. She was very good at this. How could something like this feel so right and so wrong? I tried very hard to forget the conclusion I had come to in Egypt about Yuki. Besides, I was willing to admit even then, that it could be Himeko I was falling for. The movie played on, and we ignored it. After a few minutes of making out, I heard a car pull up and broke a passionate kiss abruptly.
" What?" Himeko asked, her voice a whisper in my ear.
" Yuki's home." I whispered back, turning to the movie and trying not to look too guilty. Himeko backed off of me, and I was silently grateful.
" Hey, let's go spy on her!" Himeko suggested, enthusiastic yet quiet. She pulled me off the couch before I could protest and hauled me to the door. We peeked through the windows beside it as Honda and Yuki approached the door, Yuki laughing at something Honda said to her. I was terrified Yuki would see me. This was the ultimate betrayal of her trust. Spying on her? God, why did I let Himeko drag me over her, I thought despairingly. Thankfully, Yuki's attention was on Honda. On the other hand, maybe that wasn't something to be thankful about. It was a dark night, no moon, and I had not been smart enough to leave the porch light on. But we could still see them, and hear every word that was said.
" I had a great time." Yuki said, her voice characteristically soft. She, like the mother of her soul, had a great voice.
" Yeah, I did too." Honda said. I grinned. I had never seen him so flustered. " Maybe we could go out again sometime?" He obviously really liked her.
" I'd like that." Yuki agreed. Then, very quickly, Honda leaned down and kissed her quickly on the lips. I wasn't the only one pulling some moves tonight. Although Honda was way more in line than I had been. It was just a quick grazing of the lips, but I could tell even from my vantage point that Yuki liked it as much as he did.
" Good night." He said.
" Good night. See you later." Yuki replied. She stayed on the porch as he left, and Himeko and I made a mad dash for the couch. I jumped into it and Himeko leaped over me, her top sprawled over my lap.
" Get up!" I hissed. Himeko giggled and sat up, although I was having trouble not giggling myself. Yuki walked in the door and into the room we were in.
" Hello." She said. We both looked up as though we had just noticed her.
" Hi." We both said in unison. Yuki gave us a curious look, but decided to ignore it.
" I hope you weren't waiting up for me. We were running a little late." She said, pulling off the shoes Himeko had loaned her and handing them back to her. Himeko accepted them with a nod.
" Actually, we were, but we started watching this movie and lost track of time." I said. " Did you have fun?" I added.
" Yeah. The restaurant was great, both the food and the service." Yuki said. Then she grinned. " Honda even had the violin player come over and play a song for me." Jealously flashed over me, but I ignored it.
" How romantic." Himeko said teasingly. Yuki glared at her briefly.
" Well, I'm going to take a shower and go to bed. I'll see you two in the morning." She said.
" Goodnight." I called after her as she started up the stairs. As soon as we were sure she was out of ear shot, Himeko broke out into a fit of giggles, burying her face against my chest. I laughed from relief. I couldn't decide which was worse; Yuki finding out I had been spying on her, or Yuki finding out I had been making out with her sister. I was just glad she didn't know either way.
" Wow, that was a close call." Himeko said, trying to stifle her laughter. She raised her head to look me in the eye. She had such beautiful eyes, just like Yuki's. Now I had two girls in my life with those gorgeous eyes. Sure, Himeko's had a more dangerous glint and lacked Yuki's soft kindness, but the similarities were still there. I closed my eyes and breathed in her scent as she leaned forward for another kiss. I didn't like how far this was going, no matter how good she tasted. Why was I holding back? I couldn't figure it out. I pulled my head away from her, despite the fact that my hands seemed to have developed a mind of their own.
" Himeko..." I whispered. She ignored me, pressing her lips to my neck. " Himeko, stop." I said, more urgently. Still she was ignoring me, and it was getting steadily harder to ignore her and all those dumb hormones. " Himeko!" I said, a little louder than I had planned, pulling her away from me by her shoulders. She looked thoroughly annoyed.
" What?" she asked.
" Stop." I said simply. " You'd better go home now." I advised.
" Why?" Himeko asked, trying to get close again. I wouldn't let her.
" Because, you know we shouldn't. I know you know." I said, still holding her firmly by the shoulders.
" There's nothing to stop us. My brothers can't scare you that much." She protested.
" It's not your brothers. I think it's you." I said, breathing in deeply. There. I had said it. My first potential night with Himeko and I had just blown it forever. Note to self; SHUT UP!
" Me?" Himeko asked in disbelief. Might as well go the whole nine yards, I thought sadly.
" I'm not sure I trust you. I'm not sure you can be trusted." I said.
" Ammon trusts me." She said, inching forward. My resolution was weakening. That outfit she was wearing wasn't helping at all. Himeko and Yami still called each by their Egyptian names, when only friends were around.
" He doesn't trust you with men." I reminded her.
" Well, who says I'm asking you to trust me?" she asked. She managed to get a little closer. I gulped and glued my eyes to her face. Did she enjoy watching me squirm?
" I do." I said, pushing her farther back. " You need to go home now." I said, determined. Another part of me wanted to know why I couldn't have listened to the previous note to self and just shut my mouth. Himeko pouted.
" I don't get you, Seto. One second, your body language is saying 'Let's go,' and the next, you're telling me I need to get out of here? What's the matter with you?" she asked. Just like Himeko to not hold anything back.
" I'm trying to figure that out myself." I said. Himeko got off of me and stood up.
" Well, I'll see you tomorrow then." She said. I stared at her. She had given in very quickly. I thought she would try to get me to cave a little longer. " Oh, and Seto? You're a great kisser. We should definitely get together sometime." She added, walking out the door. I stared after her, trying to decide if I hadn't dreamed it all.
By: Rogue Fox
Part One. Some Things Never Change
A/N: Hello there, everyone! This is the sequel to "Yuki". There won't be as much supernatural battles or adventure this time, but they will be there, rest assured. This story is more about growing up, growing together, and growing apart. I count life as an adventure, so I don't think it'll be worse that "Yuki" was. Anyway, there will be more flashbacks to Himeko and Yami's past, and don't think Pegasus and Yami Bakura are finished, by no means! I'm still having fun! By the way, I got a lot of complaints that the POV was hard to understand in Yuki, so now I'll let you know who's talking. Anyway, we join Yuki, Yugi, and the group a little after the Epilogue, so a little more than six months after Egypt. So, read on as everyone in the group learns to love, hate, and leave things and people behind.
*+*+*Yuki*+*+*
It's funny, how you can live something incredible one day, then just pick up your normal life where you left off the next. I died in Egypt. But thanks to a supernatural artifact, I returned to life. And now, I'm living a normal life. Or, as normal as my life would ever get.
" Dark Eternity! Take that!" Himeko shouted, chasing after Jou. I sighed and watched the small, really harmless balls of energy shoot past Jou's head. I was pretty sure that Himeko wouldn't really hurt Jou. But on the other hand, I wasn't positive.
" I give! Uncle! UNCLE!" Jou bellowed. Himeko stopped chasing and gave him a dirty glare.
" Give it. Now." She told him. I had no clue what she was asking for, and personally, I'd probably rather keep it that way.
" Fine, here." Jou said, handing her a crumpled piece of paper. " But I know your secret!" he said.
" What?! You read it?!" Himeko asked shrilly, blushing profusely. She shook her head furiously and screamed. " I'm turning into a high school girl!" she cried. Seto came down the stairs that led to his private study, where he retreated for privacy.
" Correct me if I'm wrong, but according to the birth certificate I had to have forged for you, you are a high school girl. Not an ancient princess of Egypt." He said.
" Yeah? So?" Himeko asked threateningly. Unlike Yami, she had adjusted to life outside my head very quickly. Yami was still working on it.
" So you might want to consider acting like a high school girl, as opposed to a princess." Seto said, grinning. Himeko was still blushing in excess. I laughed.
" Shut up, Yuki!" she yelled at me. She was dressed in a short black leather miniskirt that neither Yugi nor Yami approved of and a black top that left her stomach bare to about her middle. The top also had a heart cut over her chest, showing a fair amount of cleavage, and wound around her neck to the back, no sleeves. I suspected that she always wore her most daring outfits when she came over to our place, because of Seto. She had never told me flat out, but I was pretty sure she had a crush on him. I was fine with that. I had my own budding romance to contend with. And it seemed like no one was going to give me a moment's peace about it.
" Hey, Yuki? Don't you have a date tonight?" Jou asked, flashing Himeko a malicious grin. He knew something she didn't want him to know, that much I was certain of. I decided to get it out of him later.
" Yeah. I should be getting ready." I said, giving the clock a doubtful glance. It was my first date with Honda. I had finally agreed to go out with him. According to Mai and Anzu, I couldn't keep turning him down. Besides, I reasoned to myself, he's a nice guy, and you do like him. I stood and climbed the stairs to my room, Seto following me, as a new argument between Jou and Himeko broke out. It probably had something to do with whatever was on that paper Jou had returned to her.
" You're really going out with Honda." Seto said, as though he couldn't quite believe it.
" It's not like we're an official couple or anything. It's just a date." I protested.
" I know." Seto said quickly as we entered my room. I was quite used to having Seto in my room, and it didn't bother me at all when he plopped down on my bed as I started rummaging through my closet. " Mind if I hang around?" he asked.
" Do I ever?" I retorted good-naturedly.
" Nope." Seto said, answering his own question.
" Mai wanted me to wear one of her outfits, you know, the ones she designed, but I think I'll go with something a little more simple." I said. Seto nodded approvingly. I knew he approved of Mai's creations even less than Yami and Yugi did. I grinned. I had three men telling me what I could and could not wear. Of course, I'm not the daughter of Himeko's soul for nothing. I wear what I want, regardless of them. Although, tonight, I just didn't feel like any trouble.
" It is your first date. So, where is he taking you, anyway?" Seto asked.
" An Italian restaurant. He said it's pretty fancy." I said, pulling out a casual black dress that had spaghetti straps and came down to my knees. I went into my own personal bathroom, changed and came out for Seto's inspection. I knew he would be honest with me, and wouldn't lie just to get me out of something he thought was improper. Unlike Yami.
" You look good." He said, nodding. I liked the look of approval on his face. I ran through a few other dresses, but Seto seemed to like the black one best. I had a lot of super-formal gowns I didn't even dare to touch for this occasion. I had those in the case of a ball or formal party, which Seto had taken to dragging me to so he wouldn't look like a total idiot.
" Okay, now for shoes." I said, dropping to my knees to examine my selection. " How do you think these will look?" I asked, holding up a pair of black slip-on shoes.
" I said you look good in the dress. I don't know a thing about shoes." Seto said, holding his hands up in surrender.
" Hey, Yuki!" Himeko yelled. Seto grinned at me.
" Ask her." He suggested, getting up and leaving the room.
" What?" I yelled back.
" We're coming up, you'd better be decent!" Himeko answered. I opened the door just in time to see her coming down the hall.
" Who's we?" I asked.
" We're we." Mai said, stepping out of Himeko's shadow. " Thought you might need my expertise on this." She added, grabbing me by the shoulders and dragging me into the bedroom. " Hmm. Nice choice. Simple, yet classy." She complimented me. " What shoes are you wearing?" she asked as Himeko stepped into the room and jumped onto my bed.
" I was just working on that." I said, holding up the pair of shoes I still had in my hand.
" Not those. You'd look too ready to take it off." Mai said, tossing the shoes in question aside. Her remark was lost on me.
" What?" I asked in confusion, and she sighed.
" Never mind." She told me, hunting through my collection of shoes. She held up a pair of high-heels I had worn only once. " How do you like these?" she asked.
" Not at all. I still remember the blisters." I said.
" Fine. I'm stealing them, then." She said, setting the shoes aside. I didn't care. My female friends and I had a habit of "stealing" from each other's closet. No doubt there were shoes in there that Mai had bought originally, or perhaps had stolen from Himeko or Anzu. What was mine was their's as well, and likewise. Himeko suddenly leapt off the bed.
" I think I've got a pair that would look great!" she announced.
" That's terrific, but Honda's going to be here in twenty minutes and your shoes are at your place!" I said, exasperated.
" But our darling brothers are still home." Himeko said, picking up the phone I kept in my room. She dialed in her number and gave someone instructions as to which shoes to bring and to bring them in a hurry. Himeko officially lived with Yami and Yugi, but, like all of us, she seemed to travel from home to home. Many times she had slept on my floor, on the couch in Mai's apartment, even on Honda's couch when his parents were away. We had all slept everywhere, at everyone's home, but the most common hang out was our home, Seto's mansion. Seto often complained that his home was ground zero for all our little catastrophes. He always conveniently forgot that he was usually involved as well.
Moments before Honda was due to arrive, Yami drove up to the mansion, Yugi in the passenger seat. Yami didn't seem to mind cars all that much, all though he had a big problem with microwaves, electric coffee pots, and much more. The latest on his list of dislikes was one of Himeko's new favorite CDs. A hard rock band. The way Yami had described it, it had been like a herd of elephants had been attacking him. I still thought that sight was worth big money to see. Yami jogged into the house, carrying the shoes in question, which found their way onto my feet in record time, and then he sized me up.
" Nope." He said.
" What?" I asked him, distracted.
" Nope. There is no way, come hell or high water, that I'm letting you out of this house in that." He said. I glared at him. Yami was one of the few people that I had ever met that was immune to my glare. But I never gave up trying.
" Give her a break, Yami. She looks great." Yugi said, flashing me an encouraging smile that I was grateful for. Yugi was as protective as Yami, but he was much more trusting.
" She looks foxy!" Jou declared, earning a smack from Mai. " Ow!"
" That's exactly what the problem is." Yami said, flashing me a grin, then throwing my over his shoulder. He, like Yugi, had grown considerably. Enough to leave me helpless when he decided to use force.
" Ah! Yami! Put me down!" I cried as he started up the stairs. That had no effect. I decided to try a more subtle method. I stopped kicking. " Please, big brother?" I asked in my sweetest voice.
" No." Yami said stolidly. I pouted and returned to my original plan of action, kicking and screaming.
" Put me down now! Yami! Please! He's gonna be here any minute!" I cried, kicking and flailing my fists. I remembered Pegasus's goons carrying me, for a single instant, then I pushed that thought from my mind. " Yaaaaaaamiiiiiiiiiiii!" I cried, drawing out the vowels to a wail. I knew that would make him stop. Yami couldn't stand it when I sounded upset. True to his nature, he stopped and put me down. I jerked away from him and sprinted back down the stairs, Yami hot on my tail.
" Yuki! Get back here!" he bellowed. I ran around the couch, and he leapt over it, ignoring the laughter of our friends. I sought shelter behind Seto, who just laughed and tried to step out of Yami's way.
" Don't expect me to get into your sibling disputes." He said, but I stayed behind him. That turned into a game of running around in circles around him while Yami chased me. The chase stopped when the doorbell rang.
" I can't believe he still rings the doorbell!" Mai cried. " Everyone else just comes right on in."
" Tell me about it." Seto said, stepping away from Yami and me. I dashed away from Yami, yelling to Yugi for help.
" He wants to stay on Kaiba's good side. After all, since Yuki lives with Kaiba, he could always place her under house arrest." Jou said.
" I wish he would!" Yami yelled, charging at me. I leapt out of the way and followed Seto into the foyer. Honda smiled up at me, wearing a button up white shirt and a pair of slacks. That was one of the things I liked about him. He always looked so clean and well groomed. It was a quality I liked. Yami grabbed me from behind and tried to haul me off before I could say hello.
" Yaaaaaamiiiiii!" I wailed.
" Not this time!" Yami responded. I grabbed to the banister of the stairs, determined not to let him drag me up them. Himeko chose that moment to come to my aid, grabbing her big brother by the ear and dragging him off. I jogged back over to Honda and Seto, who were laughing.
" Hi." I said, smiling at Honda. He was taller than me, more so than Seto. He smiled at me winningly. I was glad I had agreed to go out with him. I just wished everyone else would stop making such a big deal about it.
" Awww. There goes my little sister, off on a date." Himeko said, nudging Yugi. Yugi smiled at me playfully.
" Be good, you two. No hanky-panky." He said. I cocked my head.
" What?" I asked. I hadn't understood. I looked at Honda, who was blushing grandly.
" Um, yeah. Anyway, we're out of here. Don't blow anything up without us." Honda said, obviously trying to stop blushing. I decided this must be one of those things that I would never understand and let it go, following Honda out the door and to his car.
*+*+*Seto*+*+*
I watched Yuki go out the door, in that black dress. She looked good in it. Really good. In fact, she looked great. Honda thought so too, I could tell by his expression. Yami glared at the door, the shrugged and plopped onto the couch I'd had moved into the room. The first couch hadn't been enough for all of us, unless Himeko was making us take one of her "sardine pictures," which found us all crammed together, grinning like idiots (with the exception of Yami, who doesn't quite trust cameras and numerous other modern technological objects yet), and usually looking like a bunch of over- eager teenagers on the trip of their lives. Himeko had developed a love for the media. She loved super stars, and her room both here and at the Motou household was literally caked in posters. She loved taking pictures, but liked being in the pictures more. That girl was born to be in pictures. She was so photogenic, it made most models I had seen look sad. She had Yuki's exotic beauty, crossed with her own type of strength, and sense of fun and danger. I had gotten into the habit of picking out the differences between her and Yuki. Don't ask me why. At that exact moment, Himeko took a running leap, landed on the couch, and threw her long bare legs across Yami's lap. I had seen her pull this trick before, except the subject then had been me.
" Yaaaaamiiiii." she drawled, purposely drawing out his name in such a cute fashion she knew he wouldn't be able to resist. Yuki used the same technique herself, when she thought it was necessary. Difference number one; Himeko was much more bold than Yuki, who preferred to get what she wanted through a more subtle means.
" Whatever it is, the answer is no." Yami said stolidly. I grinned at Jou, who returned it. Yami was very protective of all his little siblings, including the trio that Yuki brought into the deal, her boys. He even watched out for Mokuba. But his particular concerns lay with "his two girls," as he liked to call them. He was a severe keeper for his sisters, but I knew he had only the most loving intentions. His deepest desire was to protect them from all the maniacs of the world, even if those maniacs happened to include his own friends. Prime example; Honda. Honda and Yami got along great. Until Honda started asking Yuki out. Then, Yami regarded him as a highly dangerous element, and literally refused to allow either Himeko or Yuki to speak to him. However, Yugi had given them special permission to ignore him this time, so long as they didn't try to antagonize him on purpose. Himeko ignored both of them. She figured she didn't need their permission for anything. Yuki was, as always, more subtle. She started wearing Yami down almost immediately, until he finally gave into the date in question.
" Aw! You don't even know what I'm gonna ask yet!" Himeko cried, indignant.
" And I bet it won't make a difference if I do or not." Yami retorted, reaching for the remote for the TV. I tossed it to him, since he was out of reach. Himeko pouted, jerked her legs off him, and kicked him off the couch.
" Fine! All I was gonna ask was if I could shopping with the girls tomorrow, but noooo, you don't trust me." She said, still pouting. I doubted that was true. Jou clapped me on the shoulder.
" Well, I'm headed home. See you tomorrow." He said. I nodded and gave him the mandatory high five. I was getting good at this group thing.
" See you tomorrow." I said as he and Mai went out the door.
" Bye!" Mai called. Himeko waved to her energetically, her pout momentarily forgotten.
" Bye-bye, Himeko!" Jou called mischievously. Himeko growled and chased him out the door, sending flying small balls of dark energy after him.
" What dirt does he have on her?" Yami asked, pulling himself off the floor where he had fallen after Himeko pushed him.
" Dunno." I said. " Whatever it is, it must be good."
" Let's get home." Yugi said, pushing Yami from behind.
" Go home yourself. I'm waiting for Yuki to come back." Yami said, plopping resolutely back on the couch.
" Do you mistrust her that much?" Yugi asked incredulously.
" I trust her just fine. It's the rest of the world I don't trust." Yami said matter-of-factly.
" Well, I'm sure Kaiba doesn't want us hanging around, and I can't get home without you cause it's too far to walk and you're the one with the driver's license." Yugi said, yanking Yami to his feet. I loved watching these two argue. Despite the fact that Yami had a definite authority over his siblings, Yugi usually won all the arguments with him.
" It's Himeko that doesn't want us hanging around." Yami grumbled, allowing himself to be pulled out the door as Himeko came back.
" Bye, brothers! I'll see you tomorrow! I'm crashing here!" she called after them.
" Oh, are you?" I asked.
" Yep, I am." Himeko announced. " I rented a good movie. Want to watch it?" she asked, holding up a rented DVD. I smiled.
" You were planning this all along, weren't you?" I asked.
" No!" Himeko protested, a cute blush spreading across her cheeks. " I wanted to be here when Yuki got back, so I rented a movie to pass the time. You just happen to be here." She explained. I doubted it, but I accepted it nonetheless.
" Sure." I said, sitting down next to her on the couch after popping the DVD in. I was both pleased and uncomfortable with how close she sat to me, practically on my lap. My last thought before the movie started was about how Yami would murder me if he saw this.
It was near the end of the movie when I first noticed Himeko leaning on my shoulder. I didn't really care. I liked her. I liked the dangerous air she gave off. I liked her exotic good looks. But most of all, I liked her, herself. Then, I noticed her hand, creeping up my chest. Hormones started moving pretty quick at that point. I took a deep breath and tried to calm down. The last thing I wanted was to lose it.
" Himeko?" I asked, despite the still going movie.
" Yes?" Himeko asked. God, I thought, she's got a great voice.
" You know how angry your brothers would be..." I said, trailing my voice off.
" I don't really care." Himeko stated evenly. Her lips pressed against my cheek and I sighed, wrapping my arms around her. I kissed her first, surprisingly. I had honestly thought I wouldn't have the guts to do it. She was a great kisser. Her lips felt like silk, teasing me. Why did I feel so guilty, then? Like I was betraying someone. Himeko broke the kiss and nibbled seductively on my ear, running her hands through my hair. She was very good at this. How could something like this feel so right and so wrong? I tried very hard to forget the conclusion I had come to in Egypt about Yuki. Besides, I was willing to admit even then, that it could be Himeko I was falling for. The movie played on, and we ignored it. After a few minutes of making out, I heard a car pull up and broke a passionate kiss abruptly.
" What?" Himeko asked, her voice a whisper in my ear.
" Yuki's home." I whispered back, turning to the movie and trying not to look too guilty. Himeko backed off of me, and I was silently grateful.
" Hey, let's go spy on her!" Himeko suggested, enthusiastic yet quiet. She pulled me off the couch before I could protest and hauled me to the door. We peeked through the windows beside it as Honda and Yuki approached the door, Yuki laughing at something Honda said to her. I was terrified Yuki would see me. This was the ultimate betrayal of her trust. Spying on her? God, why did I let Himeko drag me over her, I thought despairingly. Thankfully, Yuki's attention was on Honda. On the other hand, maybe that wasn't something to be thankful about. It was a dark night, no moon, and I had not been smart enough to leave the porch light on. But we could still see them, and hear every word that was said.
" I had a great time." Yuki said, her voice characteristically soft. She, like the mother of her soul, had a great voice.
" Yeah, I did too." Honda said. I grinned. I had never seen him so flustered. " Maybe we could go out again sometime?" He obviously really liked her.
" I'd like that." Yuki agreed. Then, very quickly, Honda leaned down and kissed her quickly on the lips. I wasn't the only one pulling some moves tonight. Although Honda was way more in line than I had been. It was just a quick grazing of the lips, but I could tell even from my vantage point that Yuki liked it as much as he did.
" Good night." He said.
" Good night. See you later." Yuki replied. She stayed on the porch as he left, and Himeko and I made a mad dash for the couch. I jumped into it and Himeko leaped over me, her top sprawled over my lap.
" Get up!" I hissed. Himeko giggled and sat up, although I was having trouble not giggling myself. Yuki walked in the door and into the room we were in.
" Hello." She said. We both looked up as though we had just noticed her.
" Hi." We both said in unison. Yuki gave us a curious look, but decided to ignore it.
" I hope you weren't waiting up for me. We were running a little late." She said, pulling off the shoes Himeko had loaned her and handing them back to her. Himeko accepted them with a nod.
" Actually, we were, but we started watching this movie and lost track of time." I said. " Did you have fun?" I added.
" Yeah. The restaurant was great, both the food and the service." Yuki said. Then she grinned. " Honda even had the violin player come over and play a song for me." Jealously flashed over me, but I ignored it.
" How romantic." Himeko said teasingly. Yuki glared at her briefly.
" Well, I'm going to take a shower and go to bed. I'll see you two in the morning." She said.
" Goodnight." I called after her as she started up the stairs. As soon as we were sure she was out of ear shot, Himeko broke out into a fit of giggles, burying her face against my chest. I laughed from relief. I couldn't decide which was worse; Yuki finding out I had been spying on her, or Yuki finding out I had been making out with her sister. I was just glad she didn't know either way.
" Wow, that was a close call." Himeko said, trying to stifle her laughter. She raised her head to look me in the eye. She had such beautiful eyes, just like Yuki's. Now I had two girls in my life with those gorgeous eyes. Sure, Himeko's had a more dangerous glint and lacked Yuki's soft kindness, but the similarities were still there. I closed my eyes and breathed in her scent as she leaned forward for another kiss. I didn't like how far this was going, no matter how good she tasted. Why was I holding back? I couldn't figure it out. I pulled my head away from her, despite the fact that my hands seemed to have developed a mind of their own.
" Himeko..." I whispered. She ignored me, pressing her lips to my neck. " Himeko, stop." I said, more urgently. Still she was ignoring me, and it was getting steadily harder to ignore her and all those dumb hormones. " Himeko!" I said, a little louder than I had planned, pulling her away from me by her shoulders. She looked thoroughly annoyed.
" What?" she asked.
" Stop." I said simply. " You'd better go home now." I advised.
" Why?" Himeko asked, trying to get close again. I wouldn't let her.
" Because, you know we shouldn't. I know you know." I said, still holding her firmly by the shoulders.
" There's nothing to stop us. My brothers can't scare you that much." She protested.
" It's not your brothers. I think it's you." I said, breathing in deeply. There. I had said it. My first potential night with Himeko and I had just blown it forever. Note to self; SHUT UP!
" Me?" Himeko asked in disbelief. Might as well go the whole nine yards, I thought sadly.
" I'm not sure I trust you. I'm not sure you can be trusted." I said.
" Ammon trusts me." She said, inching forward. My resolution was weakening. That outfit she was wearing wasn't helping at all. Himeko and Yami still called each by their Egyptian names, when only friends were around.
" He doesn't trust you with men." I reminded her.
" Well, who says I'm asking you to trust me?" she asked. She managed to get a little closer. I gulped and glued my eyes to her face. Did she enjoy watching me squirm?
" I do." I said, pushing her farther back. " You need to go home now." I said, determined. Another part of me wanted to know why I couldn't have listened to the previous note to self and just shut my mouth. Himeko pouted.
" I don't get you, Seto. One second, your body language is saying 'Let's go,' and the next, you're telling me I need to get out of here? What's the matter with you?" she asked. Just like Himeko to not hold anything back.
" I'm trying to figure that out myself." I said. Himeko got off of me and stood up.
" Well, I'll see you tomorrow then." She said. I stared at her. She had given in very quickly. I thought she would try to get me to cave a little longer. " Oh, and Seto? You're a great kisser. We should definitely get together sometime." She added, walking out the door. I stared after her, trying to decide if I hadn't dreamed it all.