I'm so terribly sorry for not updating earlier. I was doing so good keeping up with my updates and then, work happened. First, I was all of the sudden asked to work from home and convert everything I had in electronic form. Then, when we were supposed to finish lessons, I was asked to go back to school and teach. I'd often come home exhausted so I didn't feel okay enough to go through the chapters or write.
But now I am back and I'll try to do better. Once again, I'm really sorry.
As always, this chapter is dedicated to my Bakura, Kathy and Julia, as well as all the great people who are still interested in the story.
Chapter 8:
Marik had his eyes on Yuugi since the very first moment the boy had walked in the bar. He had stayed in the background, not wanting to be seen by the brother, but he had been really curious about the boy. His hairstyle was similar to Atem's but that was where the similarities ended as far as Marik was concerned. The boy's eyes were wide and gleaming with emotions, he was shorter than Atem and his body was curvy where Atem's was all edges. He was mouthwatering, and Marik wanted to talk to him. Still, he had to give his friend his chance to try things his way before he interfered.
Things mustn't have gone well, because the boy was ready to leave far too soon. Atem had tried to stop him, but without success. Thus, it was time for Marik to try working things his way. The boy seemed startled by his appearance and that gave him the perfect chance to touch him, but he was well aware of his audience. Not only did Atem seem pissed but Marik knew Yuugi's brother was fast approaching.
"Be careful, cutie." He said, his voice a seductive purr.
He felt Yuugi shivering, and he fought hard to suppress a grin. The boy was looking at him with his beautiful wide eyes as if he had seen a ghost so Marik decided it was prudent to let him go as soon as he was sure he was steady on his stool.
"Is my buddy giving you any troubles?" the young Egyptian kept his tone light, ignoring the dirty look Atem gave him.
Before Yuugi could say a word, Joey was there. Marik noticed with amusement that somehow the blonde managed to squeeze himself between the younger boy and himself. He also noticed that they were both of the same height, give or take, but Marik's muscular build gave him the advantage.
"What's going on here?" Joey's words came clipped, calculating how to make the most damage with his brother so close to him.
"Nothing." Atem's voice was so sharp that it could cut through flesh.
"Ah, you must be the brother." Marik'svoice was quite pleasant, as if he wasn't facing an angry person. He didn't mind using his fists to get what he wanted but this was their workplace and somehow he doubted he would make a good impression to the beautiful boy behind the blonde by punching his brother. "I'm Atem's friend and co-worker, Marik. I was just about to ask your brother if I could buy him a drink and get to know him."
Yuugi placed his palm on Joey's back, willing him both to relax and to move. "Actually, I was just about to leave, but thank you for the offer." The tricolor haired boy was perplexed by the attention he was getting and by Marik's appearance.
"Do you think you could stay some more?" The Egyptian turned on the charm and slightly worked his magic on Yuugi. He expected to see the boy's eyes going misty, as he slowly gained control over him, just enough to make him want to stay. But Yuugi's eyes were clear and bright, full of confusion and doubt. "Atem has been speaking with such complementary words for you that I would like to get to know you too." His frustration didn't reach his words which were soft like velvet.
Yuugi's eyes turned to Atem. "Has he now?" If Atem's behavior that night was any indicator of what he thought of him, Yuugi wouldn't have guess it. Intrigued to know what else Atem had said about him, he decided to stay. "One drink wouldn't hurt."
Joey moved to the side, recognizing his brother's subtle signal. No matter how fragile Yuugi seemed, Joey knew better than anyone that he could hold his own against these two boys, as long as fists weren't involved. In a way he was relieved they would stay since he wanted to take a closer look at this guy. He guessed that was part of the reason Yuugi also had agreed to stay.
Of course the younger tricolor haired boy was curious about the newcomer. He looked so much like one of Yuugi's best friends that it was impossible not to notice. Well, he looked enough like Malik-even their names were close enough- but Yuugi's friend was slightly shorter than the other boy, had soft white-gold hair, iris colored eyes, and was slimmer and less muscular.
Yuugi was a bit spooked by the fact that not only he had met a boy that looked like him, but he had met Malik's lookalike too. Was there a Ryou look alike somewhere close as well? Prior to meeting Atem and Marik the boy wouldn't have thought it possible since all three boys had such unique hairstyles and hair color but here he was meeting those two.
"What would you like to drink?" Marik asked, his eyes never leaving those of his prey. He was even more intrigued now that he suspected Yuugi was probably immune to his magic.
The younger boy didn't need to answer that question. Another purple drink was slide towards him, the liquid inside the chilled glass shifting as the ice cubes moved. Yuugi fought the smile that was bound to come and circled the glass with his hand. "The bartender knows me." he simply stated.
But that was all the acknowledgement he graced Atem with. As Joey took a seat behind him and Marik occupied the one by his side, Atem was ignored. Joey liked that and he couldn't stop himself from grinning which infuriated Atem even more. As Marik and Yuugi talked about Yuugi's studies, Atem resumed his job as the waitresses kept on bringing orders. Even though he knew Marik had used his magic on Yuugi to make him stay, he didn't like how easily those two talked and how interested Marik appeared to be to whatever Yuugi was telling him.
Marik was definitely flirting with the other boy, way too subtle for the Egyptian's style but he still did. If Yuugi minded it, he didn't show it. His stance was relaxed as he laughed at one of Marik's jokes.
"You know, you are nothing like Atem." Marik said at some point, surprising the younger boy. "Similar hairstyle, yes, though yours is cuter, and a great love for ancient things, but other than that you two are so different."
Yuugi took a deliberately slow sip of his drink and looked at Marik through his thick eyelashes. "How so?"
Joey couldn't see what Yuugi had done from the side he was but whatever it was had Atem ready to throw the beer he was holding to the next people who would talk to him. He smirked. Yuugi was good. Now Joey knew for sure that his brother was collecting info, for his own reasons but it worked fine for Joey too.
"You shine, Yuugi." Marik leaned closer to the other boy. "You are full of life and aren't scared of people, and when you talk you make people want to listen." Despite the dim lights, he noticed how the boy started blushing. "I won't assume you have no secrets, but you seem pretty open to me."
Yuugi felt his cheeks go red. He wasn't used to people talking to him this way and he wasn't sure if he liked it or not. Marik was pretty straightforward showing him he liked him and his words surely had an effect on him. Still, the boy wouldn't allow a bunch of sweet words to turn his head around. Even though he felt the young man wasn't directly deceitful, he could feel that his words had as a goal to make him open up more.
"I don't know Atem enough to make such a comparison." He carefully said, allowing himself for the first time since Marik joined him to look at the crimson eyed boy. Atem chose that moment to turn and look at them, but Yuugi didn't shy away. "Talking to him seems so easy. When I speak to him, I feel he wants to know what's in my head and heart, but then he changes as if a switch goes off and I am left wondering what happened." Now he seemed to talk more to himself than Marik; his eyes still capturing those of the bartender. "He's a mystery for sure." He chuckled to himself and turned to face Marik once again. "It must be interesting being a friend with such a complicated person."
The young Egyptian heard every word Yuugi said and his heart performed a strange jump. Instantly, he left his stool and offered his hand to Yuugi, his palm facing up. "Would you like to dance?" The younger boy blinked, thrown off by the sudden change of subject. "I promise I won't bite. Just one dance." Marik's smile was so sincere and yet so alluring that Yuugi wondered if he could trust him not to eat him alive.
Another thought occurred to him. Did it matter? He was a nineteen years old college student. How often did a guy ask him to dance with him? What was so wrong with letting go for once and having some fun? It was just a dance. He was always so reserved, always trying to be responsible. Would it be bad to let go for one night and dance with a stranger? After all, both Joey and Mai were in the bar. He wasn't being totally irresponsible.
Taking a deep breath, he slipped off his stool and took the other boy's extended hand. It felt rough but his touch was gentle. Feeling himself slowly relax, he allowed Marik to lead him to the dance floor. The song had enough beats to require some movement but wasn't slow enough to be considered romantic. The two boys were close enough to interact while dancing but not enough to touch. Marik seemed to be a natural, the music flowing through him, so Yuugi tried to mimic him, earning himself a smile.
"Relax." Marik instructed, leaning closer to him to be heard. "There is no one but us right now. When we dance, no one cares about what the others do. All that matters is us and the music." He softly pushed away one of Yuugi's bangs. "It's all about the music."
That's what Yuugi did. He enjoyed the music. He moved his body the way he believed he should and found himself enjoying it. Exhilarated, he laughed, and Marik laughed with him. One dance turned into two and when the second song ended and a faster one started, Yuugi and Marik were still dancing, just having fun. The younger boy didn't notice how Marik had crept closer to him, making sure no one else would touch the boy, but he did notice that with each new song the people seemed to fight for the dance floor; the crowd becoming thicker. His heart beat fast, following the rhythm of the song, and his clothes stuck on him. The place was suddenly too hot and he felt so energized. He wasn't sure if he was tired but he knew he was full of life and he loved it.
Suddenly, he felt someone tapping his shoulder and he sharply turned only to come face to face with Atem. The boy's gaze was even more intense than before, and Yuugi found himself unable to do anything but stare at him. The crimson eyed boy looked above Yuugi's shoulder at his friend, his eyes hard. Marik shrugged, taking a step back.
"Will you dance with me?" Atem asked Yuugi, his eyes holding the younger boy captive.
He made it sound like a request, but really it was more of a demand. Any other day, Yuugi would have refused, but euphoric as he was from all the dancing he had done and the confidence boost he had gotten from Marik, he felt ready to take the risk. He moved closer to the other boy and tested the waters by moving his hips. Atem's lips shaped a grin as he offered his hand which Yuugi accepted after a moment of hesitance. Seeing how close Marik still was, Atem pulled Yuugi closer, invading his personal space. Once again, Yuugi didn't shy away. Following Marik's advice, he continued dancing, caring only about the music.
Atem allowed himself to momentarily relax. His eyes fixed on the alluring creature in front of him, he danced with him. Soon though he perceived that he wasn't the only one who had noticed the boy. The dance floor was always a battlefield, a risky place to be, not only because you had to fight for your space but also because there were people who thought dancing made you available to them. Such a person was slowly making her way towards Yuugi, totally ignoring his dance partner. As she was about to make a move, Atem pulled Yuugi to him, their bodies crashing.
Atem was still moving to the music, his body so close to Yuugi's that he could feel the other boy's heartbeat but his eyes were on the dejected girl who slowly backed off. Thus he was unaware of how many shades of red Yuugi's face had changed or how tightly he kept the boy to his own body. When he was sure the girl was in a good distance and no one else would try to steal his dance partner, Atem became aware of the way he held the young boy; too close to be considered innocent or friendly. Suddenly fearful of how much he enjoyed holding the boy close to him, he pushed Yuugi away.
The young boy stammered, righting himself at the very last moment. The euphoria of his dancing experience was all gone. "What's wrong with you?" He asked Atem, his eyes filled with hurt and confusion. Before Atem could give him an answer, the boy turned and left the dance floor.
He could no longer see Marik and he wasn't sure where the bar was. He was pretty sure it was in that direction but it seemed like Marik and he had moved to the other side of the bar while dancing. He made a sharp turn to go the other direction and fell on someone. His traitorous heart wished it was Atem, but he was greatly relieved when he found out it was Joey. His brother had found him just in time. Yuugi was ready to leave.
"Let's go."
Joey didn't need to hear Yuugi saying the words. He was already leading the boy towards the exit. He hadn't liked how he had lost Yuugi in the dance floor but even he couldn't deny that there was no danger allowing him to dance with Marik. Besides, it was quite enjoyable looking at Atem as he was fuming the longer it took those two to return. He had even added more kindle to the fire by taunting the boy; telling him he had lost his chance. Inside him, Joey wanted to say good riddance. Whatever game the crimson eyed boy wanted to play with his brother, Joey would be there to stop it. Then again, Atem seemed to dig his own grade with every passing moment so maybe he wouldn't need to do anything.
Only when Atem found someone to replace him in the bar for a while, Joey started wondering if he was reading the situation the wrong way. If both Marik and Atem were in some kind of scheme to befriend Yuugi in order to keep him close, Atem's approach wasn't the right one. He seemed to genuinely be irritated by his friend's interference, a fact that became even more apparent when Atem interrupted the two dancing boys. Joey had followed the bartender and had seen everything. And he wasn't happy. No, he definitely wasn't happy.
No matter how much he wanted to go back and give Atem a piece of his mind, he kept leading his brother towards the exit, certain that Mai would understand why they had left. If she was as attentive to Yuugi as he was, she had seen everything too. He told himself he would call her in the morning to find out what happened after they left as Yuugi stopped outside the bar, leaning on a wall to catch his breath.
The cold air of the night brought Yuugi back to his senses. Covered as he was in sweat, he felt his body freezing. However that was nothing compared to how he felt after being rejected by the other tricolor haired boy. What was wrong with him? He should have never allowed himself to get so close to Atem. Calling him a mystery was an understatement. They boy seemed to change moods faster that Joey could surf the channels on a Saturday night. Running his hand through his hair, Yuugi took a shaking breath.
"I'm such a fool." He whispered, looking up at the night sky.
A soft weight fell on his shoulders and he turned to see Joey smiling kindly at him. The blonde boy had placed his jacket around his cold brother. "Don't ever say that again, Yug'. It's not your fault."
Gently, Joey pushed his brother towards the streets. Their car wasn't parked far away from the bar. The streets were empty and the boys took their time walking, suddenly tired by the night's events. Both were wondering what was happening back in the bar, even though they both knew that nothing much would be different. Atem would return to work behind the counter. Mai would continue pretending she had some kind of business in that place. The night was far from being over, but the two boys were ready to return home.
"Thank you." Yuugi's voice was nothing more than a whisper as they took their seats and fastened their seat belts, but it seemed loud enough in the enclosed space of the small car. Joey gave him a funny look. "For coming with me tonight." Yuugi clarified.
Joey's eyes softened even more as he ran his hand through his brother's hair, making it even more of a mess. "Yug', you're a strong guy, but if I can, I'll always be there for you."
The tricolor haired boy smiled, filled with warmth by his brother's words. No matter what would happen, he'd always have Joey's love, and that was enough. The uproar of the engine coming to life broke the silence of the night as the two boys made their way back home. No matter what was going on back in the bar, they were done with the night.
Atem is digging a deep deep deep hole for himself. What do you think of Marik? Much like What the Hell, Atem isn't the only person who is interested in Yuugi. Re-reading this chapter after two months, I start wondering if I should have Marik be with Yuugi instead :P
What do you think of Marik's approach? Atem is definitely jealous. I had fun writing Marik being so charming and dancing with Yuugi, helping him relax. If only Atem had used his own chance the same way. Tststs. And Joey…he's the best brother ever! The way he cares for Yuugi fills my heart with warmth.
As always, you can reach me through PM or the reviews. Reading your thoughts makes me happy! Feel free to contact me!