Jadira: I liiiiive!
Tate: Yay. She's back.
Jadira: Gotta love his enthusiasm, ne? Lol I have had a LLOT of sugar today, can't ya tell? Wheeee! Anyway, sorry it took me nearly a month to update. I posted the first chapter of a RyouxBakura fic, and a one-shot called Misunderstood. Check them out! Btw: I don't own Yu-gi-oh. Duh.
Chapter Three: CaretakerBy the time the three companions reached the stables, Jaide was clinging to Ryou for dear life. The two rode like madmen!
After cooling the horses down the two young men led Jaide into the house. They heard the voices of their friends in the living room and went to join them.
"You can look around if you want, said Ryou. "Just don't go in any of the upstairs bedrooms. The doors should be shut anyway, so just ignore them."
Jaide nodded and glanced around the magnificent entry hall. A thick red carpet lay beneath her feet. The walls were painted a dark crimson color, and all of the windows were covered with heavy black drapes. Numerous candles lit up the house, casting an eerie glow about the place. A further inspection of several other rooms revealed that all the windows were likewise covered.
Meanwhile, the men were al lounging in the living room. "She's pretty," Yugi piped up.
"Hm?" mumbled Bakura, still feeling a buzz in his head from the potent alcohol.
"That new servant. She's pretty," he repeated.
Ryou nodded. "I just want to know why she won't look up. Her eyes are always on the ground. And she hasn't spoken a word since we got her."
"I want to know what her eyes look like," said Malik. The others stared at him and he shrugged. "Just curious," he mumbled.
Another silence, though they still heard Jaide looking around the downstairs rooms.
"Well, I'm off to bed," said Marik, standing up and stretching his stiff muscles. "You coming?" he asked Bakura.
Bakura nodded. "In a few." Marik made his way to the stairs, although he was weaving slightly. They listened to him thump upstairs.
Suddenly, a loud thud was heard. "Ouch!" They all raced to the bottom of the stairs, where Bakura and Malik promptly burst into laughter. Yami, Yugi, and Ryou all tried to hold back their laughs alongside Jou, but couldn't help the sniggers that escaped their lips. Even Kaiba laughed.
Marik was sprawled about halfway up the stairs, evidently having fallen.
"Perhaps we gave him a bit too much to drink?" suggested Ryou.
Bakura thought about it for a moment and had to agree that his look-alike was absolutely right. He nodded vigorously, still laughing.
"Would y'all shut up and help me?" Marik shouted, words still slurred with drink. They all laughed even harder.
Jaide stood at the top of the staircase. Usually when her uncle was drunk, she avoided him at all costs. But now, she felt sorry for Marik, so she stepped gently down to where he lay. Marik's head jerked up as he felt her fingers brush his shoulder.
Marik grunted as Jaide helped him to his feet. His head was pounding. Her strength surprised him. The others stared, dumbfounded, as Jaide slowly helped Marik up the stairs.
When the unlikely pair made it to the large upstairs hall, Marik pointed with a slightly trembling hand. "That one," he rasped. "The second one in from the top. Jaide nodded and pushed open the door. A fast glance showed that heavy drapes covered these windows as well.
The girl bowed her head as Bakura stepped in and went immediately to his lover's side. "Are you OK?" he asked gently, perched on the edge of the bed.
Marik nodded and blinked. "Will you come to bed now koi?" Bakura smiled and curled up under the covers next to Marik. Jaide bowed and left the room, leaving the two to their fun.
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The following morning, they all got a rude awakening.
"I'm ho-ome!"
Yami rolled over in bed and groaned, hugging Yugi closer to him. "Dammit," he mumbled. "He's back."
The voice yelled out again. "What, no welcoming committee?"
Downstairs, a tall man with pale skin, long black hair, and shining green eyes suddenly stumbled across Jaide. Literally. He nearly tripped over her where she lay on the floor, fast asleep.
The motion had startled Jaide awake. She blinked sleepily and glanced up. Upon seeing Duke staring at her, her eyes widened and she quickly got to her feet.
Duke raised one delicate eyebrow. "Who are you?" he demanded.
Jaide didn't respond. Her gaze was fixed on the floor again. Duke frowned, but didn't ask again. Instead he shouted, "Bakura! Yami! Get your scrawny asses down here!" Jaide flinched at the sheer volume of his voice.
Upstairs, Yugi grinned silently as Yami rolled out of bed, mumbling something about it being "too fucking early."
Bakura curled into his lover. Marik smiled and whispered, "Come on koi, get up."
"Don' wanna."
"You have to. Up, up, up."
"Five more minutes."
"Nope. Now." With a slight grunt of effort, Marik shoved Bakura's slim body out of the bed. Bakura hit the floor with a thud and a groan of protest. Marik chuckled as Bakura stood and stumbled wearily towards the door.
As soon, as the door shut, he fell back into bed - his head was throbbing. "Fucking hangover," he muttered. Within moments, he was fast asleep again.
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Meanwhile, Duke was greeted with angry glares from Yami, Bakura, Malik, and Ryou. Apparently the latter two had been woken up by his yells.
Duke gave them all an innocent look. "What did I do?" he asked.
Yami rolled his eyes. "What's your problem now Duke? Did you forget the way to your bedroom or something?"
"Ha ha. Funny. No you dipshit, I know exactly where my bedroom is thank you very much. And I'm sure you do as well." The ebon-haired man winked suggestively and Yami playfully hit his shoulder.
"Shut up you pervert. Seriously, what the hell do you want? I'm tired and I want to get back to Yugi.
Duke shrugged. "I just wanted to know who the girl is."
"Her name's Jaide," said Ryou. "Bakura bought her yesterday when we had to go into town for some, ahem, errands."
"Oh." Duke nodded in understanding.
"I figured she'd make a decent servant," Bakura spoke. "Like I said to the others yesterday, you can have her for a bed slave."
Duke turned to look at Jaide, and was slightly amused to see a scowl cross her delicate features at Bakura's words.
Yami frowned. He didn't like the thought of anyone being used in such a way.
Duke's eyes roved over Jaide's slender figure. 'She is beautiful,' he thought to himself. He ran a finger down her cheek, gently caressing her tan skin.
In response to the unwanted touch, Jaide tried to bite his fingers. "Shit!" Duke swore as he jerked his hand back, eyes wide with surprise. Yami burst into laughter, soon followed by Bakura, Ryou, and Malik.
"Why you little…" Duke went to slap the impertinent girl, but Yami's hand caught his just in time. Duke glanced at him, confused, but the other merely nodded towards Jaide.
When Duke had raised his fist to strike her, Jaide flinched and shrank away until her back hit the wall. Her eyes – the color of which was still unknown – were fixed on the floor as usual.
Duke's emerald eyes softened a bit and he stepped closer. "I'm sorry," he said gently. "I shouldn't have tried to hit you."
Jaide frowned distrustfully. 'Why should I believe that ?' she thought. 'That's exactly what he said to us when-' she cut herself off. That subject was too painful to even think about.
Bakura and Duke both noticed the slight flicker of hurt that crossed Jaide's face, but neither understood the source.
"Anyway," said Duke, shattering the uncomfortable silence. "I don't need nor do I want a bed slave. She can just help out around the manor."
Yami hid his approving smile. He knew his friend would make the right choice.
Bakura shrugged. "Whatever," he muttered before turning to Ryou and Malik. Since yesterday, he was not altogether surprised to see the two locked in a kiss, both battling for dominance. Malik was winning. The older man shook his head with a smirk and turned back to Duke.
"…and so I came back here in such a rush, and now I'm hungry," Duke was saying. "I'll go into town later tonight when it gets darker."
Yami looked slightly apprehensive, but said nothing. Although he and the others had (tried) to drink the previous day, Duke hadn't. And he needed the blood tom live.
"Why not drink from that girl?" asked Kaiba as he came downstairs with Jou.
"Because you idiot, she'd tiny," hissed Duke. "She's barely five and a half feet. And besides," he added, "she's not my personal drinking cup or something."
Kaiba shrugged and headed for the living room to cuddle with his puppy.
Duke frowned. What he hadn't mentioned was the strange feeling he got in the pit of his stomach whenever he looked at Jaide. It felt like a horde of butterflies was nesting there, and he wasn't particularly sure he liked it.
Meanwhile, Ryou was speaking to Jaide. "Why don't you check out the library?" he suggested, grinning when Jaide seemed to like the idea. "You could read a book and dust a bit."
Jaide nodded and followed Ryou and Malik out of the room. Both Bakura and Yami murmured something about going back to bed. They both went upstairs, leaving Duke to his strange feelings.
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Jadira: OK, I hope you guys liked this chapter. I worked pretty hard on it, but next chapter should be really good. I can't wait to actually type it.
Tate: The suspense is killing me.
Jadira: sigh. I don't' know how I put up with him. R&R!