January 23rd
Touzoku offices

Marik Ishtar stared up at the intimidating tower that was the brothers work place. It seemed to stretch on endlessly, and Marik wondered what it would feel like to lean over the edge on the very top, staring down into the busy city. Exhilarating probably.

If you keep staring open-mouthed like this people are going to think you're an idiot.

He quickly composed himself and gathered enough courage to walk through the doors into the building. The entire area was littered in people wearing suits, and Marik felt incredibly out-of-place.

"Excuse me," he managed to blurt out to the woman at the front desk "You have a job opening?" He spoke clearly and stood straight, trying to look somewhat confident, and waited for her rejection.

"Yes, we do. You're Marik Ishtar I presume?"

Marik stared for a moment, before nodding. How does she know my name? ...oh

He remembered the Touzoku brothers promise from yesterday, and couldn't manage to stamp out the excitement that built inside him.

I might actually get this job! Yes! I just need to make sure I don't screw this up now before...wait she's been talking to me and I haven't heard a word she's said!

"Er..." Marik started, as he noticed the woman staring at him "Sorry? I didn't catch that." He silently swore at himself.

She nodded understandingly "We've been waiting for you. You can start work immediately If you like," Marik nodded "Follow me and I'll explain what you're expected to do here."

Fucking mop! Stop being difficult!

He grumbled at the mop again, trying to get it to co-operate.

It was taking a while to get the hang of all the cleaning appliances, and he silently worried someone might spot him struggling and fire him on the spot.

A man in a suit walked out of one of the offices and walked around the area he was mopping. Marik panicked that he was in the way, and stepped backwards into the mop bucket.

It nearly toppled over, but luckily for Marik it stayed put, only a tiny splash of water having escaped.

The man didn't seem to notice, or was too busy to care.

I might not be cut out for this...

"Marik?" He smiled at the gentle voice behind him and could immediately place its owner.

"Hey Ryou!" He turned to see the other in a suit, and still couldn't help the amusement within him rise. He really did look so out-of-place in it.

"So, you got the job! Great!" Ryou's eyes sparkled and Marik laughed.

"I couldn't have gotten it without you and Bakura's help," he sighed "I'm kind of useless at this anyway."

Ryou thought for a moment, before snapping out of his daze "I'll teach you!" He seemed excited and looked ready to drag Marik along to teach him all about cleaning.

"But don't you have work to- hey!"

Marik protested as Ryou took hold of the mop, and quickly began explaining how to use it. When he was done his small lecture Marik could almost hit himself with how simple it really was.

"What else do you need to do?"

As Marik went through his long list of jobs, Ryou explained each one in turn, paying attention to detail. He was almost at the end of the list, before a tall man walked around the corner.

Ryou froze in shock, and Marik's mind immediately went into panic mode.

"F-father," Ryou bowed his head, and Marik could only stare at him. He looks terrified.

The man grunted "Why are you helping this man clean? Shouldn't you be doing work?"

"Y-yes, but he's new, I was only helping explain things, I'll get back to w-"

His father interrupted "He seems useless if he can't clean by himself. Marik Ishtar..." He said squinting at his name-tag "You're fired." He directed the last part at Marik with a glare, and it didn't yet process in Marik's mind.

"No, father, you can't! He just stared work today and I was just showing him the ropes!" Ryou was nearly shouting at this point, and hadn't noticed his father who was now towering in front of him.

He grabbed the front of Ryou's collar and brought him up to eye level before snarling in a low voice.

"Do not question me, brat. He is fired." His grip tightened, daring Ryou to speak up again.

He didn't.

His father let go, and Ryou nearly fell over, but quickly caught himself. If he showed any sort of weakness he was afraid his father may become angrier.

"And you, you bloody foreigner, how did you even manage to get a job here in the first place!?" He stood over Marik now, trying to intimidate him "Don't let me see you in this building again."

The man strode away, his back straight and didn't look back.

Marik could only stand in place. No words could form in his mouth, and he was in a daze.

His mind immediately went to the past. This reminded him too much of his own relationship with his father. Memories he had tried to bury found themselves fresh in his mind.

Finally coming back to reality, he seen Ryou shaking him with tears in his eyes.

"Marik?" He nodded "Finally! you looked so scary standing like that, I thought you were about to have a panic attack!" Ryou's arms wound around him and he realised he was hugging him.

"I'm really sorry Marik, it's my fault you got fired..."

Marik finally remembered how to talk "No it isn't Ryou, I'm just useless at everything-"

"Don't say that!" He hugged him tighter "look, I need to go to my office now, you can come too!"

He hesitated "Won't that just get you into more trouble?" Ryou shook his head and started dragging him along to his office.

"Don't worry about it. If you want you can do some work too, I'll pay you if you organise my stuff for me." He threw Marik a small smile, and they walked into his office.

"But if someone knocks at my office, quickly find a place to hide, okay?" Marik nodded, and felt a small thrill and the small daring position he found himself in.

"I would almost tell you to continue working here, but my father is sure to remember your name and face. I wouldn't risk angering him..." Ryou's mind seemed to wander and he started working at his laptop.

"Oh, the files over there" He said gesturing to a corner of the room "Need to be sorted into the drawers in alphabetical order, okay Marik?"

He nodded and immediately started working.

Bakura sighed and let his head fall to his desk. Finally done...

He wondered how Marik was doing on his first day of working. Maybe I should go find him.

Standing, he put away his stuff, before deciding he should go see if Ryou was done working first. Maybe the three could leave together and go somewhere.

He soon found himself outside Ryou's office, and knocked using their special code. For a moment he could hear some scrambling, before Ryou shouted "Come in!"

Bakura entered wondering what was happening before he spotted Marik at one side of the room.

The three all stared at each other, before Marik looked towards Ryou to explain.

"Marik was helping me organise files..." He started "Father, er, fired him earlier-"

"What?" Bakura looked at Marik for confirmation and seen him look away, ashamed "But it's his first day! Why would he do that!"

Because it's your father. That's why.

"I was helping him, and he didn't like that...and he...no, it doesn't matter now. What's done is done I guess," Ryou shrugged "Marik deserves a better job anyway."

A silence grew between them all, before Ryou finally spoke again.

"I'm done now, we can all go somewhere, if you want?" He turned to Marik, who gave a small nod.

"Great! Oh, and here!" He handed Marik some money for his organising job, and the three finally left, avoiding the man the brothers reluctantly called "Father".

Yes, this is a short chapter I know, but I've suddenly gotten writers block and wanted to update with something

So yes, Poor Marik D:
I can't help but feel angry with myself for making Bakura and Ryou's father such an asshole xD
But if he wasn't the story would be boring

So anyway, please review and tell me what you think of this ^ ^