Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh
The pairings introduced right now:
Anzu/Yami no Yuugi
Seto/Yuugi
The crushes introduced right now:
Jounounchi/Mai
Ryou/Seto
Thanks to Relinquished for beta reading again!
Okay, this chapter is pathetic, not very funny, and hitting the cliché's at every turn. This is where the 'Ryou falls for Seto' finally locates the "ENTER" sign to my plot. Happy now, Wildwolf? If not, chapter ten will probably please you (if I stop editing it like I'm obsessed…or…something…).
Chapter de Sixth: A Job Too Well Done
"What is your problem, Bakura?" Mokuba scowls me as I lose once again at checkers in three moves.
"Headache," I sigh.
"Take a pain killer."
"Where?" I ask wearily.
"Bathroom, duh, no, we keep the drugs out in the parlor, on the table, so anyone who stops by can treat themselves," he sighs at my idiocy.
I nod and walk to the bathroom. Kaiba's house is so big; I wonder why he doesn't have male/female rooms. So many people actually visit while I'm watching Mokuba that I wonder if there's some attraction here I can't see.
Oh yes, purple-white haired freak whose going insane, only five dollars to observe. (A)
Don't forget the gift shop on the way out.
"Someone's in here, go down the hall," I announce as a fist knocks on the bathroom door. I'm staring at the wall and picturing little phone numbers written all over it. "Jenny: 867-5309" crosses my mind. (B)
"What are you doing, Bakura?" I hear Kaiba ask.
"Counting wallflowers," I holler back.
"Yeah right, Bakura," I hear him smirk annoyingly, "If you were counting you'd just ignore me."
I frown at my reflection. That snob knows me too well. I shake a few non-aspirins out of the jar and scowl as I see I'll have to get water unless I want to chew them. My father chews aspirin when he's suffering from a migraine. It's really kind of eerie and frightening to see someone do that so quickly, not even trying to wash the flavour out. He had very bad stress headaches and I'm starting to wonder if I picked that up as well.
"Can I not use the bathroom in peace, Kaiba?" I ask, sitting on the rim of the tub and glaring down the door. I listen as he walks off and I look at the tiny white pills. I will never intentionally put something in my mouth that will taste awful unless I can wash it out.
I open the door and walk to the dinning room where there is always cold water and glasses. I pour some and down one little pill.
"What are you doing?" Kaiba asks and I look across the room surprised to where he stands. I can see he wants to tell me something by the slightly anxious order in his eyes for me to hurry it up though he is looking otherwise like his usual impassive self.
Well, he also looks a bit concerned at me taking medication.
"I have a headache and I'm taking some non-aspirins. Why, is it a crime?" I ask in slight annoyance. My head really hurts.
"No," he answers. I nod and swallow the second one.
"What do you want to tell me?" I ask after I finish. Kaiba looks at me surprised that I could know such a thing when he hadn't said a word about it. Hey, if he's going to brag about how well he knows me, I'm going to flaunt my knowledge about him as well.
"Don't you want to know how your plan worked?" he asks. I cringe. I wish I didn't know how it was going to fail eventually. I nod slowly.
"Everything went according to your plan, you know," he informs me, "Yuugi laughed at the mums like you said he would, and he does like Asian food."
I nod quietly. Was he sure Yuugi wasn't laughing at him and not the mums? Kaiba holding large, puffy flowers would look quite funny when you think about it.
Kaiba sounds almost happy for once. I sigh slightly at the irony that something that makes him so glad is going to cause him so much pain once it fades.
And this is my fault.
"What are you going to do next?" I ask sleepily as I've already mentally complained all I could over this mistake. I might as well watch it crash and burn from the little spectators' stand I've made.
"I don't really know," he ponders. I'm not alarmed at the puzzled expression now. I'm used to that, he's only human. What would scare me now is concern for my well-being, and not just in Kaiba's eyes. No, after everyone finds out my greatest error, I won't expect any of them to want me near their safe worlds.
"Maybe there are some current events you could drag him to?" I suggest. I hope I can save them both though. I hope I can make them stay together even if it's wrong. I don't want to see myself fail now.
Yes, I know I'm being entirely self-oriented, but I don't want to be alone. I don't want Kaiba to go and tell the world what a horrible person I am after he finds out my flaw. If he does, I'll be snubbed wherever I go.
This is why you never mess with the faces that shape the world. They can kill you when it goes wrong.
"There's a concert tomorrow at the theatre," Kaiba suggests, "its orchestra; but they're good."
"Yeah, Yuugi will like that," I say. I grab an orange and look at the bumpy texture.
"You know if you eat that now, it will be the first thing I've ever seen you eat." He motions at the fruit I'm holding.
"Really?" I ask. I never noticed this before.
"Yes," he answers. I'm a bit surprised now at his boldness. I don't know if Kaiba realizes how badly he is freaks me out sometimes.
"So, are you going to take Yuugi to the concert?" I ask, putting the orange back in it's bowl.
Kaiba nods. I progress to studying some cherries. He walks up and takes one from the cluster and I just watch. I suddenly don't want him close to me, in case he can read my mind and discover my erroneous planning.
"So how are you coming?" he asks. I look at him surprised.
"What?"
"How are you coming with us?" he restates his question.
"Why would I go?" I'm confused. What could I possibly do besides just break down and confess my fear that him and Yuugi will never work? If I see the two together again, I just might do that.
"Advice. What if Yuugi does something I don't understand and I say the wrong thing about it?" he asks. There is a slight worry in his voice, but this is all strategy. He needs an informant on stand-by. Kaiba Seto refuses to be caught off guard.
"Why? Did he do that yesterday?" I ask, terrified Yuugi had said something about me and was bringing this ship down faster than I expect.
"Well, yeah, he did," Kaiba syas slightly shocked I realized this.
"He's probably just worrying about something, Yuugi does that a lot." I inform him quickly.
"What does he possibly have to think of so much?" Kaiba muses. I know the answer. He's worried about me and now every time he sees Kaiba he's going to wonder about what's all wrong with my life. Kaiba has noticed Yuugi distancing. This is worst than I thought. This is terrible. This isn't supposed to happen. This is the end for me.
"Stuff," I answer softly and choke back at the same time. I doubt Kaiba can hear me.
"What?" he asks.
"Stuff, all sorts of stuff. He cares about everyone and everything. That's the person he is, he's good. Don't worry about it," I inform him as I back up as fast as possible without seeming rude.
Without seeming rude my foot! I'm all but running out of the room.
"Are you okay, Bakura?" Kaiba calls as I reach one of the ten exit/entrances.
"I'm fine," I mutter and open the door, leaping out.
Bakura, spell 'the end' please.
"M-Y, space, S-T-U-P-I-D-I-T-Y."
Correct, A plus one hundred.
I look around the large theatre that the concert will be held in tomorrow. The plan is I get to be an usher. This means I stand by the door and hold it opened for people, checking their seat numbers if there's a mix up. Kaiba got the theatre to let us practice my role. They also agreed to let me man the left door: man it down to hell.
At least that's where I think all of this is going to end up.
But this was Kaiba's ingenious plan, not mine.
"Now when I was an usher, this place wasn't half the size it is now. This may prove hard for you, Bakura."
"Why did you need to work here anyway?"
"Dragon Dice, and Dungeons wasn't always such a hot game," Otogi answers for the fifth time, "Now pay attention."
"But didn't the school not let you work?" I ask again like I have been for the past thirty minutes.
"I didn't go to school back then, Bakura, I was home taught," he sighs. I don't know why he's still bothering to answer the questions.
"Will you shut it and listen to him already, Bakura?" Kaiba orders from where he's sitting on the back row.
I silence my redundant inquisition about Otogi's past occupation of ushering. I keep asking for the same answers, wording all the inquiries differently. I had hoped that if I didn't learn what to do by three when the theatre kicks us out, then I wouldn't have to be there when the concert starts tomorrow and Kaiba comes with Yuugi.
"Kaiba, don't be so rude to Bakura!" Otogi snaps while I count the chairs around the frightening businessman.
"He's not participating," Kaiba scowls.
"So, he doesn't like people yelling at him to shut up," Otogi defends me, "And he was talking to me. You can tell him to behave when he gets the manic desire to speak to you, baka."
When I wasn't asking questions, Kaiba and Otogi where arguing with one another. It was funny when we picked Otogi up and he got in the car. Kaiba doesn't like Otogi very much, I soon learned. They bickered about how rude the other was and who happened to be more polite. If Kaiba said something to me, Otogi reprimanded him for being an ego. It was vice versa when Otogi made fun of me.
"You're going to let him talk his way out of our plan?" Kaiba growls. I never did agree with him about the ushering thing, but the guy is terrified Yuugi might start dying or something and that for some reason I'd know exactly what to do.
KAIBA: Oh god, Yuugi's stopped breathing! Get Bakura!
ANNOUNCER VOICE: Never fear, Bakura is here!
SUPER BAKURA: "Don't worry, I lay my hands on him and ta-da!"
YUUGI: Wow, great thing Bakura was here!
SUPER BAKURA: "Thank you, I'll go man the door now."
ANNOUNCER VOICE: Once again, Super Bakura saves the day!
"Did he even agree?" Otogi asks Kaiba then, waking me from my thoughts.
"He's doing this for me and Yuugi," Kaiba lashes smartly.
"I can see the Yuugi thing, but when does Bakura care about making you happy?"
I sit down quietly. Maybe if they argue for the next hour I'll be off the hook? Then they can only blame themselves for my lack of knowledge in the trade of ushering people around the theatre.
"Fine, you can tell him what to do." Kaiba scowls, getting up from his seat and making for the door, "I can't because I've never gone so low as to have to lead people to their seats."
"At least I didn't have to pay outrageous amounts to see the show!" Otogi calls as Kaiba leaves. I hear the door out of the lobby slam shut.
"I don't see why you like that baka, Bakura," he sighs.
"I don't, Otogi," I remind him quietly.
"Well then I don't know what Yuugi or you see to be nice to him," he scowls and sits down.
"Neither do I," remark glumly into the stiff, old theatre air. Otogi smirks.
"I know, Kaiba's just so full of charisma!" he jokes.
I smile politely and continue counting chairs. That's not all that the billionaire's full of. How about himself? He will not take no for an answer, the phrases "you can't" and "I won't" don't exist till he uses them on others.
Kaiba wants me to be usher badly, but if Yuugi does something, he must realize I might not know what to do about it. I don't think he sees I do not have a mind link with the Motou; I just worry about his safety because he reminds me of myself before I was sundered from everything. My father didn't realize just how strongly I clung to him when he used to drag me around on his trips. He finally dumped me off in Domino, away from my mother and sister. I hardly knew I had a sister even before both of them were gone. My mother was angry with my father for taking me away from her and the family; I was her pride, the son, and she was always more than willing to spoil me. I think she'd hate me though if she saw me now, a weak, shy person with no voice whatsoever. She was always quite ruthless about how she thinks men and boys should behave.
She was. She's not here anymore.
My parents were married when my father took me on those long business trips; don't think otherwise. This was only because my mother wouldn't say she'd made a mistake, getting married to a weak man, an archeologist. What job is less socially oriented than that? My father is quiet and I end up more like him, only he's not gay. I don't know if he ever has been; so don't ask.
"Bakura, are you counting the chairs?" Otogi asks. I just keep numbering. I'm on one hundred fifteen now.
"Please stop, I'm not going to just ignore you because you're spacing out. Do you want to learn how to usher or not?" he asks in frustration. For once, I will myself to stop counting.
"Yes," I answer. I'll do this for Kaiba, just to prove that I don't hate him like Otogi made it sound when arguing.
"I can't believe you're going to do this," he mutters as he stands up. I follow him to the door I get to rule over tomorrow night. I open it slowly and look out at the lobby. Outside the window, I see Kaiba's car has gone. My apartment is only a few blocks away though so this is not an issue.
"Now, you open the door inward," Otogi, instructs.
I nod and try to remember everything.
"I'm pleased you decided to help, Bakura," Kaiba thanks me in his hard emotionless way. I nod and shift uncomfortably in my uniform. It's an ugly black suit thing with silver fringe hanging at what seems an extremely random interval every few inches and turns. It is very warm and I hope the theatre is colder tonight than it was yesterday afternoon. I feel like the temperature could drop to negative thirty and I wouldn't know it.
I enter the lobby as he drives off to pick up Yuugi. The rest of the staff waves to me politely and I nod. One woman comes up to me with an annoying grin.
"Hello, you must be Ryou," she greets.
"Bakura," I correct her. She looks at me confused.
"Call me Bakura, not Ryou," I inform her. She blushes slightly as she realizes her error and what this could have meant to someone a lot more outspoken.
"Oh yes," she beams. I don't like her very much; she is too fake looking. Her smile is too big and she talks too airily.
"You know what to do, Bakura?" she asks. I nod.
"Good, then go by the left door as we let the audience in," she commands lightly. I walk over to my door at the far side and wait.
Soon, people who have filed up out side come in. My door is one of three that leads to what is commonly referred to as the 'cheap seats'. It is near the restroom in case Kaiba has to excuse himself and rush over for advice. Most importantly, it is very low traffic and within the first thirty minutes I have only about fifteen people walk through. This is very little for tonight.
I wait for Seto to show up with Yuugi. As I see his car pull up, I hide behind the door, least Yuugi sees me. The couple walks to the first row seats happily while I watch. I usher a few more people through my door before I'm given the order to close it. I stand inside and wait for the show to start.
Eventually the lights fade and the orchestra men and women straighten up. I'm reminded of algebra class where everyone is slumped over and falling asleep until the teacher blows up and attacks her desk with the meter stick. I smile at the sight as the lights focus on the conductor. He bows to the audience and turns, signaling for attention from all the musicians around him. He keeps time with his hands and conductor's wand till he hits the downbeat that sets off the entire group of strings.
I watch silently and have no idea what is playing. It sounds quite sad though. The lights have been shaded blue to fit the movement's expression of melancholy. I feel like crying as I listen. How long is this show going to be?
Suddenly the drums come to life and like thunder cause me to jump. I've never liked rainstorms because of thunder; it terrifies me for some reason because right after the lightening flashes you know what follows and you wait for the boom. Then there's just a slight rumble and you're okay. You get comfortable when the next flash of lightening strikes and you fail to really acknowledge it. Then there's this terrible sound that makes you want to scream.
Thunderstorms are horrible when you're in the house alone; really terrible since there's nobody to help you. No one but the oni, who sit back and laugh. You can hear oni-demons in the pitter-patter as they jest and hiss at fearful children, increasing the ferocity of the storm. (C)
Well, I could hear them.
I was afraid.
The lights are switched to red as the music speeds up and grows violent. I listen to it and close my eyes, leaning against the wall. The music: It's angry and sad, but it's beautiful because I want to see someone will make the sounds glad again, find some resonating notes that could be translated into a bit of happiness. The current harmony is arguing that the conductor is treating it all wrong I want to go up there and tell it otherwise. I want to corner the music, tell it to stop crying about it's silly problem and wake up to this thing called joy. I'd lean over the tune, which thinks its distance is just so strong and intimidating, and hush those drums of rage. I need to tell it there's nothing wrong with the theatre and that if I somehow caused the rush of anger and grief, I'd be more that willing to do what ever was needed to help. That I'd knock out that time keeping conductor in control steering the music to a climatic fury I can hardly stand. I'd take the song in my hands and do the best I can to comfort its ego and hate for everything.
I have always had such a vivid imagination….
"Bakura," I hear a voice behind me and I turn to it. I see Seto right there, all self-esteem lost, as there is a slight shade of worry in his face.
"What?" I whisper so the people around don't glare at us. I barely notice as the music around me has slowed again. It's hard to see the billionaire as the light goes to a deep indigo.
"Yuugi's nodding his head and I think he's bored. Why? Does he not like it here? How can he not like it? Is he doing that weird counting thing?" Kaiba asks me. I would scream and rip his hair out if it wouldn't put the music off beat.
"He's just thinking, Paranoid," I scowl at his interruption, "Music makes people think about things. Yuugi doesn't count either; he's not me."
Kaiba watches me clueless. I sigh at him and his lack of imagination. Is he so up there on his high horse he can't enjoy good entertainment? Kaiba's superiority in his genius is the place where I also assume his greatest stupidity reins. I want him to see this before he messes up his morals too much.
"Don't you ever start to think about things the music reminds you of, become inspired?" I ask in frustration, "Don't you listen and feel not unpleasantly tired, but alive and awake, the clearest setting of mind that you've ever had? Maybe you're the one bored by the music, and not Yuugi. Just because Yuugi is next to you doesn't mean you can't enjoy yourself. He thinks this and he's actually not paying any attention to the fact that Seto Kaiba is to the right him; he's feeling the voice and the setting of the tune and losing his thoughts to it. You could try that too, give into the random ideas that might strike you and ponder them, even if it means forgetting your business face. Maybe then you can leave the concert just as happy as Yuugi will be, just as awake. I told you before, Yuugi likes these things and if you don't think so, you may need to find another boyfriend."
Kaiba is watching in shock. I threatened him and lectured him at the same time. I sound like someone's mother.
I know that was long, okay. I just was in a mood to be a bore. Music is very inspirational for me. I get in the rhythm and then when you ask me question, I give you books that make you feel you should be writing all I say down. Yuugi and Otogi have told me this before and now Kaiba's just found out for the first time.
My defiant spurt finally releases a pathetic wail and abruptly dies. I blush and study the ground. Kaiba is still looking surprised.
"You can go back to Yuugi now," I says. He nods and goes.
"Lovely," someone nearby remarks at my speech, "You're such a straightforward speaker, young man. No one feels strongly for this music anymore."
"Sorry," I blush even further and rush out the door. I stand in the lobby, where the music is quieter, trying to catch my breath.
"Why aren't you inside, Bakura?" a voice asks. I turn to see the woman who greeted me.
"Bathroom," I excuse myself and rush to the men's room where she can't follow.
I stare at my reflection in the mirror, in my dark uniform. My face is slowly fading to normal again.
I can't believe I did that, summed up my opinion of the orchestra's effect for Seto Kaiba. I suddenly realized something while in there.
I care about Kaiba.
I want him to be happy so I'm helping him get Yuugi even though I should have known it was pointless. I should have seen it before, but I was so eager to help that now the world will fall apart.
I should have listened to Ryou Bakura when he first tried to tell me I should have left Kaiba's house right after that kick at his nose. But no, I went into assist mode and decided I was going to aid the billionaire in whatever he wanted. Now I'm stuck. I know what I want now, like Yuugi tried to tell me yesterday. I wanted Kaiba to like me, respect me, but until now I never wanted him to love me.
It's entirely that stupid music's fault. I really should have never come.
I stare at my refection, counting scrapes in the glass till I hear the orchestra stop for applause. After some singing numbers the concert is over and people start leaving. I wait in the restroom as a few guests enter.
"You work here?" a guy asks.
"Yeah right," I reply and walk out while he frowns.
Outside I hold open the door. One old man and woman stop to wait for a lull in the traffic and turn to me.
"Was that you who was talking about music to that incredibly rude boy?" the man asks loudly. For a few seconds I don't know what they mean.
"Yes, sir," I reply as I turn slightly red and watch my feet. I feel I should run away as quickly as possible.
"You have an opinion that I think is shared by many," the woman says. It means absolutely nothing. "You sound like you are a public speaker."
I smile slightly. I'm a fair liar, but I don't public speak.
I don't 'public' anything often.
"Actually," I stutter slowly, "No--no I'm very quiet."
"But you have an active mind. It's good to know that the entire generation isn't a group of hopeless technology obsessions." I nod; old people love to give me credit because I'm so terribly out of style. My behavior convinces them that they aren't that behind; aren't that ancient really.
You should see me work the new microwave oven in my kitchen. Of course you'd have to wait a while since I can't. That's how bad I am with technology and top of the line things. I don't like being on the cutting edge. What if it slips and slits my throat? It's too risky, that position.
"Thank you," I mutter as I see Kaiba and Yuugi leave the theatre, last, believe it or not.
"You should meet my daughter and her husband, they could help you get quite far even if you are quiet. How are your writing skills?" the woman adds.
"They are decent I guess," I shrug politely as I watch Kaiba and Yuugi leaving. I want to say my writing skills are terrible, but I hold back my self-insulting instincts.
"Decent! You're modest too!" she exclaims, "I bet they are superb!"
I blush again and watch the ground, resisting the urge to start memorizing the order if the colored lines that make up the carpet. I don't write actually, not past tests answers where Ms. Teacher Lady can't expel me. I'd probably be considered the dullest bulb in the school if not for the different semester grade cards that prove otherwise.
"Well we really must be going now, tell us, what is your name so we can know if we are seeing you again?" the man asks.
"Bakura, sir," I answer slowly.
"Yes, we will remember that" the woman promises me. "Goodbye Bakura," she and her husband wave and leave.
I look around; the theater is now empty. Happy to be going, I exit the lobby and walk down to the street. I see Kaiba and Yuugi not too far away.
I stop dead in my tracks.
They're kissing.
I watch and my world falls away. I can hardly believe it and feel like I shouldn't be watching. The sight scares me and suddenly I wonder if this Yuugi and Kaiba match I've made will work.
I'm not even sure I want it to anymore. I feel weakened as I see Kaiba holding Yuugi so gently. I feel like dying now for some reason. Kaiba loves Yuugi so much it terrifies me. Yuugi should have been just an obsession Kaiba couldn't have reached, but no. The billionaire met me and I practically threw the Motou into his arms to make him happy.
Quickly I hail a taxi and jump in, ordering him to take me to my apartment.
Once inside the relative safety of living room, I stare around desperately. I'm looking for something, somewhere. I can't find it. Now in my mind I see Ryou Bakura and there's a gaping hole right through him, a missing part. I need to find it.
I'm probably trying to recover my nerve. Or my sense. Who knows?
My insides lurch as I try to see what fills the hole. Nothing; I have nothing that will help. It's outside, where all the pain is. The pain is now in here too, in the ache that stresses what must be my heart. I think I'm finally going to break down.
This is great; this is nice. My world is going to end and I'll just moan in agony at what item of torture I've wrought for myself. I'll just die finally, alone in this apartment like I've always been.
The lobster is mocking me from the bathroom. He is always making fun of my idiocy when I come home.
"Shut up!" I scream at it, "Who told you that you had to make this worse? Who appointed you my tormentor?"
The lobster snaps his claws at me threateningly.
"Get your own food!" I yell, kicking the tub. My foot is hurt at the impact and I scream.
I've wanted to scream for so long.
"I hate you," I growl at the lobster, leaving the room and slamming the door. I lock the thing in as if this would keep him away from me, even though it's not very likely he would have been able to turn the knob anyway.
I go to my room and rage war in my mind against Ryou Bakura.
Guess who won.
Hello, I'm Ryou Bakura. I've been locked away since I was ten because my father left me alone all over this country after telling me the two females in our little family where dead. He then ran away on long trips.
How are you? Did you know this Baka here screaming didn't realize he was a helpless dog till a little while ago?
I hate myself.
(Wow, and this doesn't include me.)
This isn't happening. I'm not being this pathetic. Everything will be okay.
(Sure, yadonushi, slip into denial,
again now.)Thank you, I'll do that then.
Notes and Stuff:
A: I'm supposing Ryou's hair is dyed white or that is the original colour. I mean, it was purple and purplish blue for a while. Now it's white? For the majority of the Manga it is pale again. I decided not to bring up that issue in this story line. I'm going to pretend Ryou's hair was always white.
B: Okay, that is reference to the song "Jenny: 867-5309" by I don't know who.
C: Oni are demons that bring on storms and bad stuff like that. I think they are Japanese, but I'm not sure. Look it up if you care. I just read about them recently and I only know that they are from eastern Asia somewhere. In Japanese 'oni' is just an ogre or demon roughly translated.
That was my shortest chapter. That has got to mean something.