Scarecrow knew one thing for sure, after the night he was having, and that was the fact he was confused.
Which was still understating the obvious.
The night began simple enough, investigating a few places that had been hit in the recent crime spree that made the papers with The Penguin, both of those characters, laying low. Then, out of sheer boredom, he had given up on finding any viable evidence in favor of reminding people that he was still someone to be feared and set out to attack a fundraiser for the Mayor's latest 'Beautify Domino' being held in the Domino City Central Park.
At the same time that The Penguin, the more recent one and not the woman that had a merry dance with Catwoman, decided to crash the same party. With minions. Thug-like minions looking uncomfortable in their tuxedos carrying mini-uzis, automatic rifles, and wearing horrible Penguin looking masks.
The Penguin had ordered his minions to deal with Scarecrow, which they took to with unholy glee if the laughter had been anything to go off of. The Mayor was panicking and issuing empty threats, Commissioner Devlin had covertly called for back-up, people were screaming and running around like chickens without heads, The Penguin stood tall and arrogant throughout the entire ordeal… In the middle of the fight The Penguin found himself in close combat with a second, slightly shorter and more stoic Penguin that had danced with Catwoman.
Scarecrow remembered the confusion that had brought on those remaining, including the minions.
It was no small wonder why! The second Penguin may have the demeanor of a gentleman but he fought like a a man possessed. The first Penguin could barely keep himself on balance under the onslaught of punches, forcing the taller man to carefully back towards the fountain. When in distance of the fountain a simple kick, catching the taller man in the chest, had been landed and sent the taller man stumbling back only to trip over the low ledge of the fountain and fall into it. Humiliated was an accurate way to describe the fight. More so when the minions went after the second Penguin and found themselves facing blade, not even thinking about using their automatic weapons.
Scarecrow had picked up the nearest weapon from the unconscious body of a minion, now curious why the minions hadn't used them on him. The weight was odd, the feel... pulling it apart he discovered that it was a realistic wood and metal replica. A show piece.
Half the minions that had rushed the second Penguin now lay on the ground, knocked out. The Commissioner, and some formal uniform dressed officers, now drew very real handguns on them. Police sirens got closer only for the remaining minions and first Penguin to retreat, using smoke bombs, leaving the other Penguin and Scarecrow holding the ball, so to speak. The Second Penguin had grabbed Scarecrow's wrist and pulled him along into the shadows when the police cars stopped and a pursuit on foot began. Nothing had been said, no feet being drug, and both understood that they had to trust the other… for now anyways.
Those same sirens followed and Scarecrow figured that road blocks were being set up and wondered what The Penguin would do now. That moment was when he found himself tugged into the foyer of one of the older, more ritzy buildings with people milling around in costumes. The Penguin pushed him into a shadowy corner of the room, before any could spot them, and began going through his pockets.
That was how he lost his burlap mask for a silk domino mask, how the other gave up his top hat and monocle for a delicate Phantom of the Opera mask, and they snuck into the Gala with the help of a large donation to whatever the fundraiser had been for by his odd companion. They didn't get away for free, a police officer spotted them and called for back-up.
It was chaotic after that and eventually they were both on the stage of the Masquerade Gala, in front of a crowd with numerous flashes from cameras, without the safety of his traditional burlap mask but a simple black domino mask and his straw blonde wig kissing The Penguin. Many were clapping, the police had shouted something and immediately there was a fury of noise as people were protesting whatever was said but the Scarecrow didn't hear anything but the beating of his own heart.
Staring into those dark eyes, Scarecrow wondered why The Penguin felt so familiar to him.
The shouting got a bit louder and Scarecrow leaned down and initiated the next kiss, cupping the other man's face in his gloved hands. When they parted again all the focus was on the police officers and a woman wearing an elaborate and showy peacock costume ushered them off of the stage and behind the curtains. "Go! Be happy, we will deal with these ruffians." she whispered bustling back on to the stage.
Penguin blinked and stared up at Scarecrow and blushed. They immediately pulled away from the other and went their separate ways.
'Oh dear god, what will the papers have to say about this?' Scarecrow thought pulling his burlap mask back on and slipping into a back alley, hearing only the typical sounds of the city. 'Goddamn it! I just kissed The Penguin, the real Penguin, when I should be kissing Yugi!'he scowled at that thought, coming to a complete stop.
"Look at this freak." a raspy voice laughed and he turned and glared at the malicious gang members that he had passed in his distraction.
"Your suffering will be epic." he intoned smugly. Pushing all thoughts of the night from his mind he focused on venting his anger and annoyance on the idiots that interrupted said thoughts.
The incident with the Mayor did make the news, just based on the location and the sheer chaos cause, as did the incident at the Masquerade Gala, which had been a fundraiser for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Community. He had two pictures on the front page, which was a new record for the Union- one as Scarecrow fighting The Penguin's minions and one of him kissing the other Penguin in a domino mask. Bakur and Marik were sure to have a field day with that entire ordeal.
Brothers were evil like that.
Most of the article about the Mayor's crashed fundraiser had been speculation about the absence of the Dueling Dragons and a now steady rise in crime. The other article about the LGBT Gala was about the discrimination of the police force with the accusations made against a couple that donated 'close to seventy-thousand dollars' to their fund to renovate a small office building to set up shop.
'Screw that, the entire Union will be teasing me for years to come.'Yami mentally whimpered sitting on the foot of his bed with his head in his hands. Why did he have to kiss that man a second time? Why did he feel something for someone that no one knew anything about? Why?
"Yami?" he heard Yugi asked through the door of his room, the other man sounding concerned. The door was slowly opened and Yugi popped his head in, frowning. "I brought lunch, since you seem to be avoiding the main areas today." with that he stepped in and sat the simple tray on top of his messy table.
"Thank you." Yami sighed, staring at the floor trying to will the other man to leave before he did something they may both regret. He didn't realize Yugi had knelt in front of him until the other man gripped his hand, jerking Yami's attention to those concerned violet eyes.
He seen dark eyes in his mind, that both Penguin and Yugi had the same shape eyes.
"You look like you haven't slept in awhile." the other whispered brushing his other hand through Yami's unruly hair.
Taking a deep breath Yami decided that it was now or never. Pulling Yugi up, ignoring the squawk of surprise, he wrapped his arms around Yugi's shoulders and pressed a kiss to his lips. Drawing away Yami waited for the rejection, the disgust…
"Here I was thinking I'd have to walk around naked before you showed any sort of interest." Yugi commented with a brilliant blush.
A blush that vague reminded him of…
'Put that man from mind!'Yami ordered himself carefully maneuvering himself back on to the bed, Yugi following his movements, so that they lay in the others arms felling comfortable and content.
Relaxing Yami let his mind drift back to the detailed map of Domino City, which he hung on the wall at the back of his small closet shortly after Yugi moved in, that was littered with different color pins and framed by cut out news paper articles on the crimes.
It made absolutely no sense yet everything was connected.
In the last week a prominent art museum had been broken into, which made the papers as hooligans causing anarchy by destroying the talented works of Domino City residents. He had donned his Scarecrow façade and investigated the museum the night after the break in and discovered that vintage Victorian Era clothing stolen from an exhibit on fashion, but an exhibit on glasswork had been completely destroyed and an exhibit on modern art defaced with spray paint. During his investigation of the art museum, a team of thieves stole an antique mahogany meeting table from one of the many upper-crust houses in the richest residential district with all the valuables that wasn't locked away at the same time some common thugs robbed a five star restaurant taking three cases of the most expensive white and red wine with all the money and valuables of the patrons. Black Dragon had shown up at the latter and only managed to retrieve the patrons possessions. There were more crimes after that masking stolen goods - bone fans, hair accessories, ancient Chinese bone china, precious gems- all covered up by vandalism.
Like in the previous months, but only on a more accelerated time scale.
His thoughts were interrupted by a poke to the ribs.
"You still need to eat lunch." Yugi reminded him, pouting.
Neither realized that they had company in the form of Ryou, Bakura, and Marik. The last two having decided to visit after seeing the day's headlines, the former out of curiosity. "It looks like our brother may finally get laid." Marik muttered with an insane grin.
"Yugi's former job of a butler does make him a well qualified housewife for our dear Yami." Bakura hummed inspecting his nails. Ryou turned to face both, arms crossed and eyebrow arched in question.
"Humming. What evil are you plotting?" Ryou demanded of his lover, completely ignoring a very amused Marik.
"Think we could get Yugi in a wedding dress?" Bakura innocently asked, looking away like a child with his hand stuck in the cookie jar.
"Isn't that a bit soon?" the botanist deadpanned, still glaring at his lover.
"Yugi has to contend with this second Penguin character. Those two shared a rather hot kiss at that Gala last night." Marik pointed out with a thoughtful expression. "Also, how will Yugi take knowing our secrets?"
Ryou had to hold himself back from laughing. 'If only they knew Yugi as well as I do.'he thought maintaining his outward, disapproving demeanor.
"He took well to helping us humiliate Mr. Freeze." Bakura shrugged shoving his hands into his pockets. "Let's head out to lunch since those two are wrapped up in one another for Yugi to feed us."