Naming the Flame
Trei
Chapter Seven
"Did you know American schools let their students out for three months in the summer?"
"What?"
Malik suppressed an ill-timed snicker and said sympathetically, "'Fraid so, bright eyes."
Abandoning the forty-days-neglected homework (1) hastily, Ryou skeptically hovered over his koi's shoulder, eyes narrow as he scanned the website Malik was reading. Tilting his head vaguely, he asked, "What on Earth are you reading American webpages for?"
Malik shrugged. "Because you discarded me for the invigorating world of education…and so I could show off because I can read English and you can't." Smirking impishly, he demonstrated his unparalleled skill and maturity by sticking his tongue out at Ryou.
Said teenager rolled his eyes and for the sake of his wounded pride, muttered, "I can so read English." Reaching over Malik's shoulder, he swatted the Egyptian's hand away from the mouse and dragged the next page up. "'Community by divided are systems school American'…wait, what?"
The look of utter confusion on Ryou's face twisted a sharp giggle from the Egyptian, Malik barely concealing enough of his laughter to force out, "L-left to right, Ry, not right to left."
Ryou blushed furiously.
"You didn't do very well in English, did you, koibito?"
"Urusai (2)," Ryou grumbled, stalking back to his homework sullenly. "It's a pointless language."
"Mm, you're right. Why bother learning what more than three quarters of the world already know? Let them speak it for you."
"Exactly. Now quit mocking me and let me finish my homework, you."
Malik grinned and returned to his web surfing. Ryou's forty-day vacation would draw to a close in three days and the abrupt realization of that had wrought absolute terror on the younger boy. Not only had he forgotten to start his homework – he hadn't looked at a textbook or anything even loosely connected to education since July 21st. His panic was shamefully amusing to Malik, as the Egyptian through means of his own personal history was, by his sister's law, permitted to skip the education Japan offered. Ryou, however, had no such fortune. In fact, once his father got back, he suspected school would be his preferred haunt.
"Your birthday's the day after you go back to school," Malik observed after a short time, frowning. "And that's a…Tuesday." Wrinkling his nose, the Egyptian complained, "Who celebrates their seventeenth birthday on a Tuesday?"
Ryou wasn't paying attention, his mind elsewhere as he scribbled out another few words on an essay one of his more creative teachers had assigned titled, "Seventy-Five Words About Your Holiday". Ryou was having a bit of difficulty inventing normal experiences to pen, as his life from age seven to sixteen had been anything but normal. Already in the past three years he had been forced into more comas than he would have preferred to remember, one not so enjoyable experience spent in a hospital while the spirit of the Ring and Malik discussed their plans of homicide and thievery.
…So far, he had written: "Over the forty-day holiday break, I met for the first time my cousin, Riku, who lives on a foreign coastline – " (he didn't imagine writing "Destiny Island" would do much to boost his credibility in that class) " – and his friend Sora."
"Ryou?"
"Hm," he replied absently, wondering whether or not to add in the impending doom about to be introduced by the "rare species of rabid dogs" the newscasters had warned of. He decided against it reluctantly, however, as no one but Sora and Riku seemed to remember the reports.
"What do you want to do for your birthday?"
Ryou shrugged negligently. Maybe I should talk about my father's latest dig. …Which would work out fabulously if I had any idea about the subject myself…. "I don't have to celebrate it this year," he said dismissively. "Seventeen isn't as monumental as sixteen or eighteen, anyway."
He neglected to add that for the past four years, he had had neither the time nor the friends to celebrate his birthday as average teenagers did.
Malik made a noise caught between horror and disbelief. "You – you don't want to celebrate it?!" he cried, his alarmed gaze torn from the laptop's screen. "Are you insane?"
Ryou smiled wryly, his head rising from the grueling essay to accommodate the Egyptian's paralyzed gaze calmly. "Given that I'm periodically possessed by a deranged mental case whose sole objective is to thieve every Sennen Item for his own purposes of world domination, koi, I'm appalled that you would even entertain the concept for a moment."
"Yes, well, at least yours wasn't born of the compilation of your darkest hatred and anger that would have otherwise eaten your soul from the inside out. Besides, what's the worst yours has done to you? Mine kicked me out of my own body and abandoned me as a metaphysical spirit left to aimlessly wander the streets alone."
"Don't be so dramatic," Ryou teased. "Don't think I didn't see you floating through people's houses, you nosey little hentai."
Snickering, Malik amended, "Okay, so you know what's happening when yours takes over. That's good to know."
"Yes, because it's so much fun to watch," quipped Ryou with a roll of his eyes.
"I think you've been working too long, kojika…" Malik smiled. "You're starting to pick up sarcasm."
"Maybe you're right," said Ryou with a weary smile.
Lowering the lid of Ryou's laptop, Malik deserted the immaculately made bed (compliments of his denied anally neurotic neat freak tendencies) and traipsed gracefully over to the desk. He leaned forward across his koi's open textbook pointedly and said, "C'mon, you've been stuck on this for, what, four hours? You have three days yet to finish. Besides…." He trailed a hand through Ryou's hair softly. "Once you're in school, we're not going to be able to spend as much time together."
Ryou yawned despite his ebbing determination to finish studying, inclining his head ever so slightly into the warm palm. "All right," he sighed, "you win."
Malik smirked and brushed his thumb just under Ryou's eyelashes. "Don't I always?"
**
Riku's head snapped up seemingly by its own volition as Ryou's hand brushed the knob of the front door. Grinning lazily, the islander asked, "Going out?"
"For two years," quipped Malik dryly, draping an arm around Ryou's neck to punctuate this detail.
While Riku snickered, sleepy azure depths gazed over Riku's arm at the other couple standing in the hallway. Sora yawned languidly against Riku's shoulder and stretched, a remote control dropping from his outstretched hand. Judging by their positions on the sofa, it was stupidly easy to assume how long they'd been resting there – though doing what, Ryou didn't exactly want to know. "Where're you two going?" Sora mumbled hazily to the two in the hallway.
Ryou smiled at Sora amicably and said, "Homework got a little tedious. We were going to get ice cream."
Malik arched an eyebrow. "We were?" he asked skeptically, prodding Ryou's ribs just above where he knew the younger boy to be incurably ticklish.
Ryou muffled a yelp and cast a shocked look at Malik. One silent agreement between them was to keep knowledge of ticklish areas strictly confidential. Apparently Malik was back to his theory of "anything can be justified or at least talked around".
Satisfied with having gained the upper hand over his koi, Malik answered his own question, "Ice cream sounds good." His eyes then flitted from Ryou's childishly appreciative smile to the drowsy pair on the couch. "You two want to come?"
Sora considered the idea contemplatively for a nanosecond before chirping, "I'm in!"
With a little less enthusiasm, Riku yawned, "Sure."
At hearing the consent from his koi, Sora leapt off of his Riku-shaped cushion with all the fatigue of a heavily sugar-induced hyena. When Riku maintained his snug, half-curled arrangement on the sofa, Sora rolled his eyes and threw an apologetic look in Ryou and Malik's direction. "He's not usually like this," he explained exasperatedly, tugging at Riku's slender wrist sharply.
Malik grinned affectionately at Ryou, commenting, "Somehow I know exactly what you mean."
Ryou smiled sheepishly, training his eyes on the abruptly mesmerizing floor. The legitimacy in his smile was brought to life, however, when Malik swiftly brushed a kiss to his cheek.
Moments following the sweet gesture, Sora managed to haul Riku to his feet, the older boy wrinkling his nose against the brutal handling. "C'mon, Sora," he objected. "Quit it with the rag doll treatment."
Sora giggled and brushed Riku's nose with a kiss, latching quickly to the older boy in a brief hug. "But you're my doll."
"Hear my joy," Riku deadpanned. At Sora's sulk, he forced a tired smile and looped an arm around the smaller boy's shoulders.
Malik made a whipping noise. Ryou pinched his neck (where Malik was ticklish) and the Egyptian suddenly reformed again from his old ways.
The street was damp in the shadow of imminent burgundy-daubed storm clouds. Riku and Sora were obviously unsettled by the turbulent sky, but Ryou quickly reassured them that thunderstorms in Japan were no more uncommon than snow in winter. This analogy, however, was lost as well on the two islanders, the two boys blinking uncomprehendingly at their ivory-haired friend.
Malik grinned in amusement as he and Ryou walked alongside the other pair on the street, giving Sora and Riku the sidewalk. Ryou's shoulders moved every now and then with the gestures he wove with his arms, trying to explain the weather to the islanders in a way they could appreciate. Malik paid more attention to his koi's voice than his words, smiling every now and then when Ryou paused to rethink his explanation. It hadn't been too many months ago when Ryou had had to explain snow to him.
"It's just frozen water," Ryou had said, grinning at Malik's wary expression.
"What froze it?" Malik tensed, anticipating to learn of another evil, this time expecting a demon of the sky or the poison-breathing dragon Isis had told him at age six didn't live under his bed.
Ryou had smiled, the corner of his mouth lifting with fondness. "It's the climate, Malik. In winter this part of the world gets very cold because it's not as close to the equator as, for example, Egypt is."
"…So water freezes. Why doesn't it turn to ice?"
"Well…because…." Ryou had wrinkled his nose in an adorable twist of thought, finally admitting sheepishly, "I'm not sure."
Riku's voice interrupted Ryou's stream of enlightenment, thus breaking the melodic atmosphere that had allowed Malik to reflect properly. The islander asked almost the same thing the Egyptian had, "So it's normal for the sky to be that color?"
Ryou smiled with his familiar, distinctive benevolence – the smile that prodded hearts into beating twice their normal rate and melt into pools of scarlet when he laughed. Malik smiled secretively when Sora merely looked on with interest purely in the conversation at hand. He must have truly loved Riku or that smile would have dropped him like a twenty-four hour old fly. Hardly anybody could resist Ryou when he smiled. Least of all Malik, who subtly drew the younger boy's hand into his own then to prove this theory, still giving more concentration to Ryou rather than whatever Ryou was talking about.
Squeezing Malik's hand, Ryou asked Riku, "You never had tropical storms on Destiny Island?"
Sora fielded the question with a taut, "The last time we saw the sky this color on our island, our lives were changed forever."
Riku rolled his eyes. "Way to be dramatic, bijin," he teased.
"Oh, excuse me, Mister 'I'm not afraid of the darkness!'" Sora exclaimed in a high falsetto.
Riku glared. "I don't sound like that," he said flatly.
Ignoring his indignant koi, Sora explained to Ryou and Malik, "The storm was caused by the Heartless and the ones controlling them. Riku had wanted to leave the island and see other parts of the world, so he took the first opportunity to leave that he had handed to him." He looked at Riku with a seemingly renewed peevish expression and soundly whacked his koibito upside his oblivious head.
Riku cried out. "Excuse me! That island was the smallest damn thing I've seen yet! Hawaii was bigger!" he exclaimed.
"Anyway," sighed Sora, rolling his eyes patiently, "the darkness may not have scared him, but it scared the heck out of me – "
"Hold on a second, Sora," Ryou interrupted as they reached the end of his street. He nodded to the left as his corresponding hand was currently busy drawing patterns on the back of Malik's. "There's ice cream near the arcade," he said, looking to his koi to approve the idea. When the Egyptian nodded affirmatively, he smiled at the islanders and resumed their journey down the left street.
Riku picked up from where Sora had been stopped, "On the island, there was this girl, Kairi. We weren't really sure where she came from, and even when we made friends with her, she told us she couldn't remember, either. But she wasn't from our island, so I had proof that Destiny Island wasn't the only piece of land in the world. I just…I felt so trapped in that one place for fifteen years. I couldn't do it anymore. Living every single day and night on that one patch of land. I had it memorized by the time I was three."
Malik nodded slowly, glancing over and seeing the older boy in a more comparable light. "I know that feeling," he said, thinking back on the home he'd endured for ten years under the harsh sands of his motherland.
Sora and Ryou also shared a glance consisting of rolled eyes, though their understanding was exasperated, as if to sigh, "Drama queens".
They paused the conversation as their source of sweets began to glow on the next block. Sora was fairly skipping by the time they got within a few feet. Riku cast a pleading look at Ryou.
"Can't we switch koibitos? I like yours."
Ryou grinned. "Sorry, Riku, Malik's nonrefundable."
Malik glared at him halfheartedly. "There are plenty of second-hand things that are just as good – if not better – the second time around."
Ryou's grin doubled. "Prove it," he whispered.
Malik paused, jaw partially hanging open. It was frightening how certain traits could pass from one lover to the other – his seduction skills, however, had been something Malik had originally intended to keep to himself. Unfortunately, it seemed to have backfired. Though what Ryou was proposing…. "Like Ryou said, nonrefundable."
Sora, oblivious to the conversation, yanked hard on his koi's arm, whining, "Walk faster, Riku! I want my ice cream!"
Riku mouthed, "Why me?" at the sky before nearly tumbling to the sidewalk as Sora broke into a run, his hand still firmly latched onto Riku's wrist.
Casting a smile at Malik, Ryou tugged on the Egyptian's hand and garnered a warning scowl from his koi. Drag me through the streets and I'll finish you, his eyes growled.
Ryou smiled. Try me, his eyes teased.
Already have. Malik winked.
Ryou scowled and slapped Malik's shoulder irritably. "Hentai," he grumbled, pointedly walking a few strides ahead of his wincing koi.
**
The walk home was much blither, the air surrounding the two couples filled with the potent aroma of summer's frozen cream and the night's balmy thrum. On this route, each of the four staked out his own line of the street, trusting his instincts to alert him of approaching cars. Malik's arm lay draped around Ryou's neck, his hand sustaining the chocolate cone his koi was currently devouring like a contented kitten. Sora and Riku were counting the sprinkles on their cookie dough cones and surreptitiously eyeing each other's.
"You have more than me," Riku accused, pointing at the offending ice cream cone.
"I do not! You do!" Sora thrust the cone beneath his koi's nose. "I counted! Fifty-six!"
Ryou paused in his ice cream experience to glance up at Malik and roll his eyes slightly. Malik grinned and lapped a bead of chocolate from Ryou's nose. Ryou crossed his eyes curiously, trying to see what had prompted the Egyptian to lick him.
"Hey, you're making fun of us," Riku sniped, glaring at them over Sora's shoulder. He and Sora spat sulky looks at the cross-eyed Ryou and his laughing koi.
Ryou blinked and shook his head to stabilize his vision. "We are?" he asked dazedly.
"Yes, you are," said Sora confidently.
Riku smirked and bit into his koibito's ice cream while his gaze was distracted.
Belatedly, Sora caught the swift motion and gaped horror-struck at his now crescent-shaped treat. "Hey!" he cried indignantly.
Riku grinned and licked his lips happily. "You're right; I have more."
While Sora strained to knock Riku's cone to the pavement, Malik decided to test his luck and tauntingly drew the cone just out of Ryou's reach.
Ryou swiveled his melting chocolate eyes, doe-like and innocent, to lock on Malik's suddenly frozen lilac gaze. "I want my ice cream back," he whimpered in a decidedly feigned infantile voice.
Despite hearing the teasing note in his kojika's voice, Malik felt his resolve weaken. Grumbling, he averted his gaze and brought the cone back to Ryou's lips. "Brat," he muttered sulkily.
Ryou giggled and tipped his chin up, sweetly kissing Malik's cheek. "Arigatou, kichou!" he chirped, returning to his frozen treat in earnest.
"Yeah, yeah." But Malik was smiling in a somewhat hazy way for the next few blocks.
As they were passing Ryou's school, a sudden flurry of shouting and excited whispers drew the quartet's attention to the field.
"What's going on?" asked Sora, craning his neck to see past Riku's head.
A fairly large throng had gathered at the fringes of the field, forming a thick semicircle around what seemed to be a rather heated lovers' spat. Though the sources of interest were blocked off from view by the crowd, the voices clicked in Ryou and Malik's minds immediately.
"I'm not arguing with you in public, baka."
"You already are!"
"Well, I didn't fucking start it!"
Ryou groaned, burying his forehead in his Egyptian's neck. "Jounouchi-kun…."
"And Otogi," added Malik matter-of-factly.
Riku and Sora looked on blankly. "Who?"
Without answering, the other pair began a brisk detour for the field, curiosity winning out over their respect for Jounouchi's and Ryuuji's privacy. But then…what was privacy when one of the involved was a public figure?
Arm still laced around Ryou's neck, Malik began weaving through the crowd, dragging his koi absently along behind him. A few people complained, but upon realizing who they would have to bring their complaints to, fell silent and moved away. The Egyptian noticed this and smiled. At least fear was still good for some things.
Once they had secured a front row position, Malik and Ryou were privy to the more personal aspects of the argument. Jounouchi's hands were tightened into fists at his sides, his eyes narrow and dangerously flashing. Mere feet away, Ryuuji stood with his arms coolly folded over his chest, seemingly only annoyed by his koi's public outburst. Ryou and Malik traded an exasperated look.
Oblivious to his friends' appearance on the scene, Jounouchi raged, "I thought you trusted me!"
Ryuuji's eyes narrowed briefly, his lips thinned. "I did," he snarled. "But that was back when you gave me reason to."
Sensing the deluge of intimate details about to burst, Ryou left the crowd hastily and fled to Jounouchi's side. Grasping the older boy's shoulder urgently, he whispered, "About half of Domino is about to hear every detail of your relationship if you don't get out of here soon."
Jounouchi wrenched away from the smaller boy crossly, glaring daggers at Ryuuji. "I'm not the one that ever cared if people knew," he growled.
Ryuuji's scowl darkened. "Care if they knew what? About us or about you and the dragon's slut?" he spat poisonously.
Their audience began to hum and chatter with assumptions and confusion. Those who had seen Kaiba duel before knew of his fixation with his Blue Eyes White Dragon card - thus made the connection in record time and moved onto frenzied whispering. Though those who knew of this and of Jounouchi's long-standing dislike of said CEO were the loudest gossipers of the lot.
Malik emerged from the voluble masses and twisted his fist in the back of Ryuuji's collar. With an authoritative look at Ryou, he said evenly, "Yugi's?"
Ryou smiled gratefully at him and nodded, twining his arm through Jounouchi's. "Yugi's," he confirmed.
Ryuuji didn't protest Malik's somewhat rough handling, though he did send his fair share of scowls in Jounouchi's direction. Ryou solved this by acting as a wall between them, blocking Ryuuji's aim of menacing looks and Jounouchi's retaliating growls.
Their audience seemed disappointed to see them leave, but with a few particularly violent glares from Malik, they withdrew with a fair amount of enthusiasm. Riku and Sora stood waiting on the sidewalk, finishing their individual ice cream cones off with zealous appeal.
Malik pushed Ryuuji out in front of him and said lazily, "Riku, Sora, Otogi. Otogi, Riku and Sora." To Ryuuji he said, "Riku's Ryou's cousin, Sora's Riku's koi." Then to Sora and Riku he added, "Otogi's a smug son of a bitch with a severe attitude problem. And this is his koi, Jounouchi Katsuya."
Jounouchi nodded his greeting, struggling to maintain the tight hold he had on his temper.
To Ryuuji, Ryou sighed, "What's happened?"
Before Ryuuji could reply, however, Jounouchi barked, "He's accusing me of cheating on him." To emphasize his opinion on this, he scowled acidly at the koi in question.
Malik's eyebrows nearly vanished behind golden fringe. "Is that true?" he asked Ryuuji.
"Hai," muttered the black-haired dice master, folding his arms.
"With who?" Ryou inquired.
Neither replied.
"I'm guessing Kaiba," said Malik after a moment. "Unless by dragon's slut you mean Mai."
Despite the situation, Jounouchi began to giggle. Ryou sighed, "She's not a slut, koibito. Just…overzealous."
Malik waved a dismissive hand. "So, you're screwing a Duel Monsters' champion and the creator of Dungeon Dice Monsters." He nodded his mock approval. "Cards, dice…. We going for horseracing next, Jounouchi?"
Ryou yelped and struggled to hold Jounouchi back from mauling his koibito. "He was just kidding!" he cried. "Jounouchi-kun!"
"Don't bother," snapped Ryuuji, rolling his eyes in annoyance. "You can't keep him back from something if he wants it badly enough."
Jounouchi halted in his struggle against Ryou's surprisingly strong grasp and growled, "What's that supposed to mean?"
Malik interrupted shortly, "Shut up, both of you. None of us care either way why you two have called off your little nirvana trip. Personally, I could care less. See a couples' therapist."
Ryuuji and Jounouchi stared at the Egyptian in a stupor, apparently unused to being scolded in such a way. Satisfied with their stunned silence, Malik pried Ryou gently from Jounouchi's side and ushered the younger boy down the block. With awkward coughs, Riku and Sora shuffled after them.
As they turned the corner, Ryou heard Jounouchi mutter sarcastically, "If anyone needs to see a therapist, it's you, you deluded baka."
"Fuck off, Katsuya."
"Isn't that what you claim got me into trouble in the first place?"
"…Ugh."
**
"They're just like a soap opera," sighed Malik irritably as the quartet reached the Bakuras' house.
Ryou smiled patiently and lifted his koi's arm, snuggling under it contentedly. Jounouchi and Ryuuji were the farthest things from his mind at the moment. He paused in the front lawn and tilted his head back, studying the stars with meticulous admiration.
Malik nudged his cheek with his nose gently, earning a heart-melting smile from his adorable koibito. "I can see why they'd fight though…it's not every day one finds someone as perfect as you are," Malik mused with a wink at his thoroughly blushing kojika.
Riku elbowed Sora to a stop, nodding with amusement at his cousin and Malik. "Cute, huh?" he grinned.
"Adorable," the brunet deadpanned.
"See?" whispered Malik loudly. "Even foreigners are jealous of me 'cause I've got the most adorable bishounen right where I want him."
Riku and Sora rolled their eyes heavenward, grinning sheepishly at having been caught.
"Which is where?" Ryou inquired, tilting his head.
Malik tightened his hold possessively. "Right in my arms, where he's supposed to be."
Sora jabbed Riku's ribs. "Look, Ryou's melting!"
"Aww. Lovely sap," agreed Riku, starry eyed.
"But, you know, if they're happy now, something's going to ruin it," Sora added.
"Yeah, like Malik gets killed in a freak ski accident in the Swiss Alps."
"Or Ryou falls off a horse in the Kentucky Derby."
"Or Malik'll have an affair with Ryou's long lost sister."
Sora's eyes widened in appreciation. "Ooh, that's good," he said approvingly.
Riku nodded solemnly. "Yes, and she's ten years older than Malik, but they don't care because she can love Malik in a way that Ryou never can, because she's wiser and more experienced."
Sora jumped in, "But she has a son by her old boyfriend that works at Starbucks who wants to kill Malik for stealing his woman."
"And Ryou gets in the way trying to save Malik and he gets shot and blinded!"
Ryou blinked, dizzy by the tragic twists that his life was supposedly about to take. "How?"
Sora and Riku scowled at him warningly, quickly recovering their tangent as soon as Ryou had squeaked and burrowed deeper into the crook of Malik's arm.
"So Ryou falls in love with the Starbucks guy."
"He tried to kill me!" Ryou protested.
/So did your beloved over there,/ cackled a voice from between Ryou's ears.
Ryou chose not to answer that.
Riku continued sadly, "But the guy is in love with Malik – "
"Didn't he originally try to kill Malik because he was dating his old girlfriend?" Ryou interrupted again, warily.
" – So when Ryou confronts the guy with his undying love, he finds him and Malik on the boardwalk locked in a fiery embrace!"
"And Ryou has a heart attack and dies on the spot!"
Ryou looked stricken.
"And Malik sees the error of his ways and jumps off the boardwalk and drowns!"
The islanders paused a moment and traded twin Cheshire grins. "These are the Days of Our Lives," they observed sagely. Moments before tumbling over each other in fits of laughter.
Ryou and Malik wore blank expressions.
Finally, Malik blinked owlishly. "I don't even drink coffee."
**
Ryou ran to pluck the frantic phone from its hook as soon as he entered the kitchen, ending the endless string of what sounded like a goose in its last death throes. With the continued bickering of Riku and Sora in the background, the white-haired boy gasped, "Moshi moshi?"
"Bakura-kun!"
Ryou smiled as cool oxygen began flooding his lungs. "Hai, hello, Yugi-kun."
Malik entered the kitchen covering his ears, futilely straining to block the noise the islanders were obliviously causing. He cast a beseeching look at Ryou, pleading him with his eyes to effectively shut his cousin up.
Smiling apologetically, Ryou shrugged and tuned into what Yugi was saying.
"Mou hitori no boku says the tomb ro - your other side told him about…well…." Yugi hesitated, clearly anxious about discussing possible world destruction over the phone. "Maybe we can talk about this in person?"
"Sure. When?"
"Hmm…we can meet at the shop tomorrow - oh! And Bakura-kun?"
Ryou tilted his head away from the door where Malik was noisily barricading Riku's and Sora's entrance with the legs of a stool. "Hai, Yugi-kun?"
Yugi's voice lowered conspiratorially. "Did you hear about the argument between Otogi-kun and Jounouchi-kun?" he asked.
"OW! Ryou! Your boyfriend just stabbed me with a chair leg!"
"It's a stool, you coconut fruitcake!"
"Landlubber!"
Ryou cupped a palm over the phone and bellowed, "SHUT. UP!"
Malik dropped the stool in shock.
"Bakura-kun? Bakura-kun!"
Shooting a final warning look in the trio's direction, Ryou returned his focus to the boy on the other end of the line. "Hai, Yugi-kun, I did. I was there."
"Well, Jounouchi-kun is visiting as well to get his mind off of it - do you mind?"
"No, not at all."
A sigh of relief. "Arigatou, Bakura-kun. I'll see you tomorrow!"
"See you," confirmed Ryou and hung the phone on its hook. Turning then to the doorway, he frowned on the islanders and his koibito.
Adapting a charming smile, Malik lifted the stool from the floor and replaced it beneath the lip of the island. Riku merely laughed nervously and inched behind an equally anxious Sora.
Ryou sighed and exasperatedly addressed the heavens, "My life could be an American sitcom."
"Or a soap opera," added Riku helpfully.
"Urusai, Riku."
"Huh?"
"SHUT UP!"
"Oh, right. No problem."
**
"I'll go with you."
Ryou yawned in protest and blindly nuzzled deeper into the curve of Malik's neck, his argument successfully delivered. The sun was fizzling in through the open window, a wave of butter coating the walls gold. The light made the smooth play of skin on his Egyptian koi's collarbone shimmer like the jewelry his ancestors once wore. A perfect beginning to what the cloudless sky promised to be an equally perfect day.
That is, if Malik would keep his mouth shut for more than a few seconds at a time.
"I want to come," the Egyptian insisted. "There's nothing to do here."
Ryou groaned; it was far too early for this. "Watch TV with Riku and Sora," he mumbled, seeking darker refuge in the hollow of his koibito's throat.
Gagging slightly at the sudden weight on his windpipe, Malik croaked, "But they watch soap operas!"
"Deal with it," growled Ryou, nipping the sensitive skin his mouth was pressed against. "Let me go back to sleep."
"Ow," complained Malik sullenly.
Ryou smiled slightly and turned his face away from the sun, his ear resting just above the Egyptian heart. At the sound of Malik's pulse so close to him, Ryou felt his ritual morning annoyance melt away and said patiently, "I don't want you getting into an argument with Jounouchi-kun or Yugi-kun while I'm there."
"So, you don't mind if I get into a fight with them when you're not there?"
Ryou's eyes widened, his head rising of its own accord to gape incredulously at his koibito. Malik's lazy smirk graced his disbelief. Frowning adorably, Ryou squelched his easily set off shock system and whined, "My deductive skills don't work this early! That wasn't funny!"
Malik crossed his arms behind his head and considered. "Yes," he said decisively, "yes it was."
Ryou's frown deepened, impenetrable eyes dark with inexplicable innocence. Against his will, Malik felt the corners of his mouth lift into an adoring smile. Ryou might as well have been sugar personified for all the good he was doing Malik's already problematic folly when it came to the younger boy. In fact…Malik slipped a palm to the back of Ryou's neck and pulled him close.
Ryou curiously tilted his head. He could feel the thrill of warm breath against his face as Malik reported, "Your hair smells like vanilla. And honey. You're hiding your good shampoo on me, aren't you?"
"Nani!?"
Malik grinned and threaded his fingers admiringly through Ryou's hair. "Like silk," he smiled. "Or those really soft feathers they use for pillows."
Smiling contentedly under the warmth of Malik's loving touches, Ryou cushioned his head on the older boy's shoulder. "I know what you're doing…and you're still not coming with me," he grinned.
"Oh, yes I am."
Ryou arched an eyebrow, looking up at Malik with a sleepy frown on his face. "No, you're not."
"Yes. I am."
"What makes you so sure?" Ryou challenged stubbornly.
Malik smirked and maneuvered his way out from under the smaller boy, flipping Ryou easily onto his back. Gazing down smugly at his koi, he grinned, "This."
Ryou realized too late what Malik had planned and only managed a small, "eep!" before the older boy had successfully brought his lips down on his own with a vengeance. Ryou surrendered giddily, entirely gung ho about defeat in this particular case.
"I win?" asked Malik once they had parted.
Ryou smiled dazedly. "You win," he agreed.
**
"You may want to consider getting in the habit of leaving a note before you abandon your guests."
Ryou and Malik paused halfway down the staircase and guiltily looked over their shoulders at the islander standing with his arms crossed on the platform above. "Gomen ne, Riku," said Ryou sheepishly. "We aren't trying to abandon you or anything."
Riku's eyebrows slightly arched. "Really," he said flatly, obviously not convinced.
Malik grinned. "No, only Sora," he quipped.
"I heard that, caffeine boy!" echoed Sora's voice from the guest room.
Malik's gaze narrowed in annoyance. "I hate soap operas," the Egyptian grumbled.
Riku reached behind him and closed the door to the guest room with a warning look at Sora before descending the stairs. On his way passing his cousin and Malik, he said breezily, "I'm going out anyway; I'll walk with you."
Ryou sighed loudly. Was it so much to ask for a few moments to oneself?
He felt a sharp prod in his back. "Move it," said Malik kindly, "or I'll carry you down."
Rolling his eyes and mumbling to himself about "personal space", Ryou followed Riku out of the house.
**
Wherever Riku had been planning on visiting would be kept waiting for a few hours, Ryou predicted the moment he saw Mai gawking in the doorway at the suddenly awkward islander. Immediately the blonde girl livened and said silkily, "Coming inside, boys?"
Malik shuddered and backed up a step behind Ryou. Since the conclusion of Battle City and the truce between Yugi and Malik, Mai had warmed up to the Egyptian. More like scorched up to, thought Ryou darkly, drawing nearer to his own blond possessively.
Luckily, however, Mai seemed totally uninterested in both Ryou and Malik, taking Riku's arm the moment he cautiously stepped through the doorway. "You're not from Domino, are you?" she asked with a smile.
Riku slipped his arm from hers, answering somewhat coldly, "No, I'm not."
Mai's smile tilted into a grin. "I didn't think so. Bakura-kun's the only one around here I've seen with hair so light." Breaking Riku's slightly unnerved gaze, Mai tossed a lazy wink at Ryou.
The white-haired bishounen blushed and quickly looked away.
Malik frowned and asked pointedly, "What are you doing at Yugi's, Mai?"
The older girl shrugged flippantly, her full attention now focused on the compilation of new meat walking beside her. "Yugi borrowed my math textbook. Anzu, Jounouchi and Otogi are here as well, but I don't know why they're here."
Any further questioning was ended as they reached the back room where the four teens were spread out in lazy comfort. Yugi ended his inspection of the Sennen Puzzle and leapt up from the couch as soon as they entered. "Bakura-kun!" he said with a touch of anxiety. "I need to speak to you."
Ryou nodded and smiled reassuringly at Malik, whose face had suddenly lost all color at the prospect of being left alone with several people he had previously tried to kill or use as tools in his journey to total world domination. Ryou considered suggesting he play twenty questions to get to know them better before deciding the inhumanity of that particular scenario could and in all likelihood would ruin his koibito's ego.
To the others who were now curiously inspecting the newcomers, Ryou said, "Konnichiwa, minna-san," politely and gestured to Riku. Perhaps with Riku here, they would be less concerned with Malik's presence. "This is my cousin, Riku."
Jounouchi took it upon himself to play host in his best friend's home and said, "Nice to meet you, Riku. I'm Jounouchi. And this is Anzu, Mai and Yugi."
Ryuuji, who had otherwise ignored everything surrounding him, growled from his tense position leaning against the back wall.
Jounouchi rolled his eyes. "That's a pain in my ass," he said dryly.
Whatever comeback Ryuuji spat at Jounouchi was lost to Ryou's ears as Yugi dragged him into the shop itself by his wrist. Slightly panicked, Yugi hissed, "We know what Yami no Malik is after!"
Ryou recoiled in surprise. "So soon?" he stammered. "How?"
Yugi shook his head, looking irritated with himself. "No, gomen, I don't know what he wants," he amended. "Mou hitori no boku does."
"How did he find out?"
Yugi shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. He only told me to call you over here so he could discuss it with you personally. I don't know why he wants you involved…I think it may have something to do with the Sennen Items again, though."
Ryou sighed. "And I suppose we can't talk with everyone else here?" he guessed.
"Hai," confirmed Yugi with a wince. "Gomen ne, Bakura-kun. I didn't think Otogi-kun and Anzu would visit…."
Ryou smiled bracingly. "It's all right," he lied. "We'll have time to talk later, ne?"
Yugi nodded. "But mou hitori no boku wanted to speak to you today…he says it's urgent that you know what Yami no Malik is after."
"So, what do you suggest?"
"We have to distract the others until they have to leave."
Ryou frowned. "How do we do that?"
**
"It's called Ten Side Kiss," said Mai as she turned the ten-sided dice over in her palm with a carnivorous smirk.
Yugi and Ryou exchanged an uneasy look. When they'd asked Mai if she knew of any party games that they could play for a few hours, she had assured them that she had a perfect game in mind. "And best of all, it doesn't involve cards or permanent entrapment inside of a shadow hell," she'd added with a pointed look at both guilty duelists.
"The game only has two rules," Mai continued, either oblivious to or ignoring Ryou and Yugi's discomfort. "One, the kiss has to be mouth-to-mouth. None of that cheek bullshit. And two, no kissing between already established couples!" She eyed Ryou and Malik sharply. Both coughed subtly.
"How do you play?" asked Anzu curiously, neatly tucking her legs underneath her as she sat beside Yugi on the floor.
Mai began tossing the dice up into the air and letting it fall back into her palm lazily. In reply to Anzu's question she explained, "Choose a number from one to eight, since there are eight of us here. Someone rolls and whatever number they roll is the person they have to kiss."
Anzu reached behind her and took a notebook from the couch. "Anyone have a pen?" she asked. Ryuuji handed one to her, his expression somewhat intrigued in the concept of the game. Anzu wrote in large letters at the top of the page, "TEN SIDE KISS NUMBERS". After a moment she looked up and said, "Yugi-kun, you're one; Mai, two; Jounouchi-kun's three; Malik, four; Otogi-kun, five; Bakura-kun, six; Riku, seven and I'll be eight."
"What about nine and ten?" asked Riku.
Mai shrugged. "Roll again if you get either."
"This is stupid," growled Jounouchi. His mood had dropped significantly from its usual cheer to dangerous moodiness. It might have had something to do with the idea of his koi kissing anybody else, too, Ryou thought with a smile.
He and Yugi had told Jounouchi, Ryuuji and Malik of their plan to divert Anzu's and Mai's attention from anything suspicious regarding the Puzzle or Ring holders in case they needed to leave at some point - the pharaoh was somewhat less than patient when it was his schedule on the line.
Ryuuji took the die from Mai and studied it for a moment. "I'll play," he said calmly.
"Hold on," interrupted Jounouchi, eyeing his raven-haired koibito skeptically. "You're actually agreeing to this?" His voice was teetering on hysteria.
Ryuuji cast a swift, meaningful glance at Anzu and Mai before replying smoothly, "Hai. Why, Ka-Jounouchi-kun, you have a problem with it?" His chilled eyes dared Jounouchi to confirm the statement.
"No," snapped Jounouchi, emotions tightly focused on pure annoyance now. "I just don't want to end up kissing you."
If the barb stung Ryuuji in any way, the dice master didn't display any evidence of it. Instead, he gathered the dice into his hand and scrutinized the circle. After a moment of calculation, Ryuuji's lips quirked into a grin and the dice flew at Malik's head. "Feel lucky, Ishtar?" he taunted, his eyes sparkling.
Malik caught the white cube without much of an effort, snatching it straight out of midair. Without so much as a glance in Ryou's direction, he said, "I'd rather stay out of your hentai sports, Otogi," and carelessly flung the dice back at its original pitcher.
Ryou smiled minutely across the circle, catching the lilac gaze gratefully. Malik winked at him, grinning.
Their comfort, however, was stripped to oblivion when the diminutive sound of clickit obliterated the silence. Malik's gaze snapped to the dice resting at Ryuuji's feet, the ebony-haired boy's hands risen behind his head and a feral smirk on his face.
"You heard the rules, Ishtar," Ryuuji said smoothly. "The dice was rolled, whether it was intentional or not. You have to kiss whoever's number that dice landed on. Still feel lucky, punk? Do ya?"
Riku wrinkled his nose distastefully. "This should be all the more insulting considering I spent the first fifteen years of my life on a remote desert island…. Your Dirty Harry impression sucks like a sandhole, Otogi."
Ryuuji ignored him frostily, his eyes scanning the reluctant Egyptian across from him. "Come on, Malik," he said in a slightly mocking tone, "you had no qualms with enslaving the world and bending the wills of nearly everyone you met…and you're scared of a kissing game?"
Ryou rolled his eyes patiently, interrupting with a quiet but firm, "Leave him alone, Otogi-kun. He's more than paid for what he did."
Malik smiled tenderly at him, a vivid contrast from the smug grin he shot at Ryuuji afterward.
"Come on," urged Mai. "Stop stalling!"
Anzu looked from face to face, finally coming to rest on Yugi's. He was smiling at her, vaguely, with a slight blush on his cheeks. Hiding a smile, she said, "I don't think I want to play, guys."
Yugi's blush deepened. "You don't have to if you don't want to, Anzu."
Mai groaned loudly. "Who cares? Ishtar's turn. Stop postponing the inevitable, Ishtar."
Malik smirked in Mai's direction. "I wouldn't be so eager, Mai. The majority of your eye candy aren't exactly following the morals of the straightened arrow."
Snickers broke out from the circle.
This seemed to delay Mai in her eagerness, eyes sweeping the bishounen around her with a sudden awareness. A fair eyebrow arched. "Exactly who here is at least bisexual?" she asked skeptically.
Riku and Ryou raised their hands.
Malik's eyes widened. "You are not!" he snapped, reaching over and pinning Ryou's arms to his sides.
Ryou smiled sheepishly.
"Don't make me prove it," Malik threatened.
Ryou ducked his head slightly, feigning guilt. "Gomen nasai, koibito," he said softly, smiling with adorably childish innocence.
"You are not," grinned Malik. Then, before anyone could object that the Egyptian was taking the time to stall, he pressed a fervent kiss into his koi's softened lips, smiling when Ryou's struggled attempts at demureness promptly collapsed under the observably affectionate feat.
Thoroughly ignoring the augmenting gripes from their audience, Ryou grinned and locked his arms around Malik's neck, drawing the other boy nearly into his lap. The impromptu party would have ended at a fairly awkward note at the rate the two teens were driving for, had Jounouchi not chosen that moment to wrench Malik from Ryou's embrace.
Ryuuji's arms were folded, a smirk on his lips while Ryou strived to reestablish a routine breathing pattern. "What number did you roll, Ishtar?" he asked condescendingly, as a teacher would to a disobedient pupil.
Malik was grinning flagrantly, breaths harshly moving in and out. "Six," he said.
"What number is Bakura-kun?" Ryuuji continued slowly, his smile patronizing.
Ryou joined in Malik's mischievous grin, chirping, "Six."
Ryuuji's face fell. "Oh."
Mai let out an exasperated growl. "Oh, you idiots can't do anything right!" she cried. Turning on Ryou and Malik, now seated comfortably close, she snapped, "Rule number two, you cannot kiss anyone you're dating!"
As Malik opened his mouth to retort, Ryou smiled his soul-melting smile and said, "Gomen ne, Mai…."
The corner of Mai's lips twitched upward, the blonde struggling to remain stern. Finally she gave in and allowed a tiny smile, sighing, "Oh, damn it. He's too cute." She thrust the dice at the cherubic teen, gaze thrown at the ceiling exasperatedly.
Ryou giggled and caught the dice, snuggling under the arm Malik had draped over his shoulders before dropping the ten-sided cube onto the floor. Both light-haired boys' eyes widened when a wine-colored three fell facing the heavens.
Jounouchi was still watching the dice expressionlessly by the time every gaze had drawn to him. Blinking under the weight of their stares, the blond looked up bewilderedly, asking, "What?"
Ryuuji was fuming as Riku grinned, "It's you."
Malik stiffened, looking from Ryou, who was blushing furiously, to Jounouchi, whose face was just now beginning to shine with understanding. And a sweatdrop.
Mai smirked, rubbing her palms together in a decidedly malicious manner. "Finally, it gets interesting," she grinned. She clapped her hands with authority and said, "All right, boys, you heard the rules. The game officially begins now. Kissers, you must remain in liplock with the subject of your bane or pleasure for a minute exactly." She waited for her watch to hit 4:31:00 and said, "You may begin."
Jounouchi wrinkled his nose and whispered to Anzu, "Is it just me, or does Mai remind you of the substitute teacher from hell?"
"NOW, JOUNOUCHI!"
Yelping, Jounouchi was shoved into the center of the circle. Riku pried Malik's arm from his koi's neck and mercilessly heaved Ryou before the blond. Both blushing furiously, Jounouchi and Ryou slowly drew their eyes up to meet. Ryou's smile turned upward in a nervous curve.
Malik folded his arms crossly, his fingers drumming a requiem for the creator of this game. Ryuuji's green eyes were burning jealously.
Mai and Anzu exchanged a giggle. "Kiss!" they shouted gleefully.
"You sure you don't mind?" Jounouchi asked, pushing a golden tassel out of his eyes.
Ryou shook his head, glancing at a red-faced Malik with growing amusement. Grinning, he whispered, "On the contrary…I think it'll be fun."
At Jounouchi's look of shock, Ryou giggled and averted his gaze to Ryuuji, whose scowl hadn't left the white-haired teen once. Jounouchi glimpsed his koi and twisted the corners of his mouth to form a mischievous smirk. Fun could definitely be possible here.
Just when the circle thought Malik's and Ryuuji's fury couldn't augment any further, Jounouchi leaned in and pressed his lips in earnest to Ryou's. Malik buried his fingernails into his palms, his teeth gritted almost painfully on the insides of his cheeks. Ryuuji merely folded his arms and scowled imaginary holes into Ryou's head. Yugi and Riku scooted away from the livid pair, eyebrows raised.
Jounouchi heard a sharp snort from Ryuuji and smirked, lacing his arms around Ryou's waist. Drawing the younger boy closer, he deepened the kiss. Ryou started at the sudden feel of his friend's tongue tracing his lower lip, but did nothing to push him away.
"All right, that's enough!" Malik bellowed, reaching into the middle and roping his arms around Ryou's waist. With a sharp jerk, Ryou yelped and found himself incarcerated in his koi's lap. The Egyptian growled at Jounouchi over Ryou's shoulder, his arms squeezing his koi's waist possessively. "Mine," he spat and nuzzled Ryou's cheek with a sulk.
Mai giggled manically and choked out, "Sixty seconds exactly. R-roll, Jounouchi."
Jounouchi turned to Ryuuji with a smirk and crawled back to his spot beside Mai. The dice master grumbled something under his breath and tossed the dice to Yugi. "Roll, Yugi-kun," he muttered.
"It's Jounouchi's turn," objected Mai as she came down from her laughter-induced high, frowning.
Ryuuji scowled hellfire at her.
Mai cleared her throat and pulled out an emery board, suddenly fascinated with filing her nails.
Yugi thought it best to accept the new rules and pitched the dice into the center of the circle. He glanced at the faces surrounding him, somewhat uneasy about kissing any of them. A sudden burst of laughter erupted and Yugi blinked, returning his gaze to the dice.
Two. Mai.
The blonde grinned and began to move into the circle when -
"Wait!" Riku said, lying a restraining hand on Mai's shoulder.
The dice began to tremble and abruptly flipped to six.
"FOUL!" yelled Malik.
"Oh, shut up," Mai snapped, "this isn't hockey."
"It's not fair! First that damn candle, now this! It's a shapeshifter!"
Ryou tried to push out of Malik's arms but was immediately met by another lung-crushing embrace. "No!" the Egyptian snapped. "I've had enough of this game. Roll again, Motou."
"It's the rules!" Ryuuji argued, grinning.
Jounouchi tilted his head curiously. "No offense, Bakura, but you're starting to become the circle slut."
Malik chucked a quite full soda can at the other blond, scoring a bruising hit between Jounouchi's eyes. "Baka," he growled.
"Thank you, Malik," Ryou smiled.
"He's my slut."
"MALIK!"
"C'mon, Ishtar, let him go," Mai sighed. "It's Yugi. The kid's barely heard of kissing. He's not going to take advantage of him, let alone make out with him."
Yugi frowned crossly. "I know what kissing is," he muttered.
"Then do it!" Mai planted her hands on Yugi's back and flung the boy headfirst into the circle.
Ryou squirmed out of Malik's death grip with surprising strength, giggling, "Don't be jealous, love."
"I have a damn right to be," grumbled Malik, though he did allow Ryou out of his arms - albeit reluctantly.
Ryou smiled apologetically at Yugi and decided to make the kiss as innocent as possible in the sixty seconds they had. Poor Yugi's face was redder than the flame in his hair, his embarrassment written in bold ink across his guilty movements.
"Go," said Mai, poising her watch.
Ryou glanced at his sullen koi with a giggle and rested a hand on Yugi's shoulder. Innocently, he pressed a kiss to the other boy's lips.
Which was exactly the point Yami no Bakura and Yami no Yugi commandeered control over their Item holders' bodies. (3)
**
To be Continued…
1 – In Japan, students have a forty-day break in summer from mid-July to September. During that time, they are assigned various subjects of homework.
2 – Urusai (Shut up)
3 – Written for Sammy-chan, hehe. ^_~
Sailor Comet – Hehe, I'm glad you gave me the suggestion. ^_^ Well, there had to be a REASON that Malik would hand over control. Like a basic contract that he would retake the reins the next ten or so times. ^_~ And I did not kill the candle! The title would be null if I did. *Grin* That's as much hint as you'll get for the reason behind the title, hehe. And yes, Psycho Pharaoh and Whimsical Tomb Robber appeal to me for some reason…. While it's nice to picture Yami no Bakura as sane…he's not! Hehe. Any bishie who finds no problem with driving his hand through a steepled tower is, as you said, a few cards short of a deck. But that's why we love him, ne? Darkest Side of Death – Love the penname. ^_~ Hehe, I apologize for the trailer's meanness. But it kept your interest, ne? Gomen, I won't do it again. ^_^ I'm quite glad you enjoyed it. Enraptured, really! Hehehe. I'm a feedback-a-holic, could you tell? Pepper Breath – Ryou and Malik practically are one in this story. ^_^ Well, Jou and Ryuuji are an explosive pairing…they're pretty much two negatives…they repel when forced together. Hehe, sorry, I had a chem. test today and it's still buzzing in my head. Hehe, I'm a big fan of Darkshipping (more a fan of Angstshipping, but I didn't think that was so obvious, did you? ^_~). It's been one of my favorites since discovering this anime. Hehe. *Grin* I plan to use Malik's somewhat dominating naivety of most social places to my advantage, so the theater was only a preview of things to come! I was actually a little tentative about the lemon, but I'm glad it got such a positive response. I wanted to cement their relationship before they took that step. It was a little fast, but then again, they were already dating for months. Besides, you can't really keep bishies like that in check for long, now can you? ^_^ Gomen, but I don't do shoujo-ai. I'm beginning to warm up to het again, but I'm afraid shoujo-ai isn't in my future. Wildcard – Eep, don't hate me! ^_^ I know what you mean, though. I was laughing so hard at a Yu Yu Hakusho fiction that my parents actually heard me from downstairs and climbed the stairs just to see why I was breaking my ribs laughing. Then I told them about the scene I was reading and they slowly backed away and retreated. Hehehe. I believe they think I'm clinically off. ^_^ Of course…I think I am, too. Hehe. Poor bishounen. ^_^;; Good thing they're not real or they'd hunt us down. The demon Rain – Hehe, glad you enjoyed it! I've never actually liked Yami no Yugi/Yugi. It's never seemed a viable pairing. I guess it could be, but I never have. My mind works in odd ways. Especially if I can see Jou and Ryuuji as a plausible pairing, ne? Hehe. Blondie the Black Sheep – Hehe, it's all right. Ne, as long as you review eventually! ^_^ Glad you enjoyed it! And you got your Mai/Ryou. Hehe. Poor dears. *Shakes head* malik'sgurl – You're the second to be caught laughing at my story! ^_^ Feel proud! Hehe. Aww, you're too sweet, really. But it's so appreciated. My opinion of the story boosts whenever you review. ^_^ Taito-kisses – Well, like I said, as long as you review eventually! ^_^ And thank you! Hehe, the candle is a regular celebrity around here! Shenya – It was long, wasn't it? And with each chapter, I've noticed they're getting bigger. Maybe it's a new style of fiction? The chapters get progressively longer? I would enjoy that…! anime AndrAIa – Hehe, well, you are sweet! Oh, I love Monty Python. Especially the Holy Grail! "You've got two coconuts and you're bangin' 'em together!" "So?" Hehehe! I haven't seen it in so long…. Well, I have a new project! I love Dirty Harry, hehe. I saw it when I was…sheesh, twelve? It was beyond funny to me at the time, because I grew up hearing those lines. And I'd start parroting them during the movie while my poor parents struggled to pay attention to the movie and not me squawking, "Do you feel lucky, punk? DO YA!?" Oh, I have plans for our beloved CEO – trust me. ^_~ Aww, I love to hear people like my story. ^_^ It makes all the toil and effort worth it. Hehehe, yes, Ryou isn't good to cross…especially not in matters of the heart, ne? ^_^ *Blush* Favorites list? Eep! I'm…wow. I'm honored! ^_^ Arigatou! Tokemi (formerly Youko Duet ^_~) – Oh, I've seen that list! I've even done that once. ^_^ The poor Wal-Mart patrons thought I'd lost my mind. Until a really cute employee started laughing and said, "You're doing the list thing!" ^_^ Acting like you've lost your mind in public really is a lovely way to catch boys. Hehehe! *Blush* You haven't, actually, but I'm flattered that you think so! My portrayal of these characters is really important to me. Hehe, I'm very much interested in ancient Egypt, even before Yu-Gi-Oh! The culture fascinates me. His mother?! ^_^;; You can call me Trei-chan; -sama's a little too respectful for me, ne? Hehe. ^_^ I love your reviews, by the way. Jess – Hehe, it's all right. Laziness is a sin, but not in here. *Cough* Because I really can't talk about laziness. ^_~ Hehe, Yami no Bakura is a lunatic, but isn't it better that way? Ryuuji has an awesome name, ne? You know…in some cases, the Japanese names are easier to spell. Yugi or Yugii or Yuugi…. Well, okay, it only works for u's and i's. *Grin* I tried. ^_^ Even saying you'd add me to your favorites if you had one is enough for me. I'm flattered! ^_^ And Seto will be returning, don't worry. Kaiba's got unfinished business…and business he hasn't even begun yet! Kiirar – Hehe, sorry about the wait for the last chapter, but it couldn't be helped. Procrastination and school are two very addicting and overwhelming drugs. And the dice game proved to be…very entertaining, to say the least. ^_^ EnkiduII – I appreciate the review just the same, arigatou! ^_^ Hehe, well, I had to catch attention with the prologue! Besides, this is one of my milder fics. Usually there's more action. Hopefully I can sneak more in this one. ^_^ Hehe, glad you liked the lemon – and the story in general! It's such a shame how low in quantity Angstshipping is. I prefer it to all shounen-ai couples! Though Hiei and Kurama make very good competition in that area…not to mention Riku and Sora, Touya and Yukito…. ^_~ Better stop before I start a whole list, hehe. Kurayami Ryuu – Hehe, it's surprising how often I think of taking a scene out and it turns out to be the best scene in the chapter! I was that close to deleting the theatre scene, but then I just decided what the heck. Oh, I'm glad I helped with your writer's block. ^_^ Don't worry, I didn't think you'd steal. Thanks for the couple suggestions! Hehe, being hyper is always good. Don't stifle it! ^_^ Tofu – Glad you liked it. ^_^ Yami no Malik is an enigma…at least until next chapter. ^_~ *Blink* Death threats? Hey, now, be nice to me. ^_^ elipse – Nice to hear you liked the chapter. I'll try to update faster, now that school's almost over. Evaru – Yeah, the trailer was slightly sneaky…. ^_~ But it kept your interest, ne? *Pout* You reviewers are getting mean. ^_~ Calling me lazy, giving me death threats…. Next you'll be hunting me down! …Er, not that that's a suggestion. *Gulp* Daphne – A recommendation on someone's profile? For me? Wow. O.O Do you know who it was? *Blush* Arigatou; I tried to keep them somewhat in character, hehe. Thank you for reviewing. ^_^ chibi ai – Hehe, yes, I already knew of Yami no Bakura's appearance in ancient Egyptian times, but I appreciate the information anyway. I'm also fond of puppyshipping, though I tend to lean more toward angst shipping. ^_~ Aijin Moon – ^_^ I have to say, I'm deeply touched by your review. Hehe! Arigatou, shoujo. ^_^ Hehe, perhaps I can enlighten you to the adorable and electric qualities of angstshipping yet, ne? Hai, that was the first lemon I've ever written. ^_^;; Hiding? Me? *Innocent smile* Now where would you get that idea? I myself have only recently gotten into liking Yami no Malik…though most of the time is spent glaring at the screen – I've yet to forgive him for his indiscretions…especially those committed against a certain white-haired bishounen. ^_^ Hehehe! Hai, the tomb robber is a fairly flagrant fruitcake, ne? Wow, another violent one! O_O A lot of you out there, hehe. Hehehe! Oh, no! Not the Rod! *Giggle* Froz Flame – Hehe, glad you liked it.
Next Chapter: The Pharaoh and his thieving lover make trouble in paradise for Ryou and Malik, cooking with the islanders and a birthday present to Ryou from Yami no Malik. Stay tuned! ^_~