The Saturday morning sun began to peek above the skyscraper-lined horizon as Seto leaned back against his lounge chair and propped his bare feet on the wrought iron railing, placing his coffee mug on the small table beside him. Sapphire eyes watched lazily as the pinks, oranges, and purples of the rising sun began to disappear and were replaced with the beautiful clear blue of the southern sky.
It wasn't anything strange for him, or any other Kaiba for that matter, to be up so early in the morning even on a weekend. That stupid moronic saying, "the early bird catches the worm," had been driven hard into them from the very beginning by their bastard of a father and, as they say, old habits die hard.
Usually Seth would be out here too, enjoying a few moments of peace and relaxation, but his brother was currently holed up in his room and had been since they returned home last night – or early this morning, rather.
He snorted. Seth could be such a dork sometimes. What the hell happened to his emotionless, holier than thou brother? They used to be so much alike that it wasn't even funny. The only thing that had really been a difference between them was the fact that Seth had been born with a natural tan and Seto had remained pale unless he spent hours out in the sun – which he didn't, since that was a pointless waste of time and energy.
But somewhere over time, Seth had slowly begun to wear his heart on his sleeve, and it was annoying as hell.
Take last night for example. Never before would his older twin so openly show that he was jealous, obsessed, angered or whatever the hell it was, like he did when he saw that punk kissing that other guy. Shit, normally, he wouldn't have even acknowledged someone lower than them.
Speaking of punks, Seto turned his thoughts to the other twin, Yami Mutou, who he had had a brief encounter with. It seemed to him, in that short amount of time, that the one he had met was the more "innocent" of the two. Yami seemed a bit more open, friendly, and, dare he say it… cuter of the two Latino twins? He scowled and shook his head as he grabbed his mug off the table.
If he didn't watch it, he was going to start acting like Seth. But he had to admit, he wouldn't mind seeing more of Yami. He was pleasing to the eyes, after all.
"Contemplating on how to take over the world one business at a time, little brother?"
Seto rolled his eyes at his brother as he took a slip of his lukewarm coffee. God, how he hated that nickname. But unfortunately, he was more than used to it. "More like how to take over one oil rig at a time."
"Ah, still thinking on how to overthrow our loving father, huh?" Seth sat down in the only other lounge chair, stretched his legs out and crossed his ankles. Giving his brother a sideways glance, he studied Seto's expression, watching as it changed from mild annoyance to one of anger at the mention of their father, much to his amusement.
"You could say that."
"And I look forward to that day."
Sapphire eyes turned from the view to his black boxer-clad brother. "Then how come you are insistent on studying some stupid major on the way dead people lived? You could be taking business and we could take over together."
Seth smirked knowing that was as close as Seto was ever going to come to saying that he wanted him to be a part of his life. "No thank you, little brother. You go right ahead with your plans of domination and I'll go right ahead with my studies of dead people as you put it."
"Whatever you say dumbass."
"Hn." Seth shifted slightly in his seat, trying to find a more comfortable position.
"His name is Mutou."
"Huh?"
Seto leaned over and placed his mug on the concrete this time. "I spoke with the other twin last night, said his name was Yami Mutou and they are from Costa Rica. So assuming since they are twins, your obsession's last name is Mutou too."
"Mutou huh? That doesn't sound Latin American to me," Seth mused, but Seto shrugged his shoulders, not really caring. "Did you happen to find out the other twin's name?"
"Sorry, but if you want to know that badly then I suggest you go ask him yourself. I don't care enough about you to do your dirty work."
"You're an ass."
"And you are becoming weak."
Seth growled low in his throat. "And you are turning out more and more like our father. Who, if you remember correctly, is someone we hate. So excuse me if I want to be a little different than him. Excuse me if I'm starting to see beyond power, money, or status. But I'm by no means weak, little brother. And I hope one day you realize that, but until then forgive me for disappointing you."
Seto blinked as Seth stood up and stormed back into the apartment. Where the hell had that come from?
"Psst! Yami! Hey Yami!"
An insistent poke in his side brought the spiky-haired Costa Rican slowly back into consciousness, and he stretched lazily atop the scratchy futon before blearily opening his eyes. A pair of violet eyes and an enormous grin hovering inches from his face greeted him.
"GOOD MORNING!"
"Gah!" Yami sat straight up, the loose blanket covering him falling to the floor in a crumpled heap. "Wha… Where…?"
The violet-eyed face obscuring his vision laughed cheerily. "Did you forget me already, my new little twin friend?"
"Oh… hey Malik… You startled me," Yami mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "What time is it?"
"Nine! You know what that means, don't you?"
"Um… no?"
Malik gasped in mock horror, his enormous grin widening even more. "The mall opens in an hour! You have to hurry and get ready so we can go shopping!"
"Shopping…?" the spiky-haired teen asked weakly.
"Yep! I want to buy some more jewelry. You should get some too; I'll show you all the best places. I've lived here all my life so I can show you around." The grin faded a bit and Malik backed off, though he still looked pleased with himself. "Ooh! You should bring the other twin, too!"
"Atemu doesn't like things like that," Yami replied, yawning, as he stretched and swung his legs over the side of the futon. "I would like to go by my dorm, though; I need to change."
Malik wrinkled his nose. "You didn't have to sleep in your clothes, you know, I would've let you borrow some of my pajamas… well, I would have if I wore them. But you could've slept in your underwear like I do! I don't mind!"
Yami had to laugh at that. "That's okay. Thanks anyway," he replied, disappearing into Malik's bathroom.
Malik followed him, talking through the door. "Well we can go by the dorm and just ask Atemu while we're there! He should really come, since you guys just moved here and don't know anyone except that guy."
"Bakura," Yami supplied, his response muffled by the sound of water running in the sink.
"Right. Do you think they're still in bed?"
"Probably." Yami opened the bathroom door, wiping his hands on his pants. "Though I hope Bakura's gone by the time we get there; I'd rather not get my ass grabbed again."
The other's eyes widened a bit and he fidgeted with his black tank top, smoothing it over his chest. "He would do that even though he's dating your brother?"
Yami shrugged. "They're not dating. They're just friends. Atemu can be really casual about things like that; I've never liked it, honestly."
"I see." Malik frowned slightly before the smile returned to his face and he gestured toward the door. "Well, let's go if you're ready. Don't want to be late!"
Yami nodded. "Thanks for letting me stay over."
"You're welcome! That's what the futon is for!"
Yami nodded again, following the other out into the hall. "Malik? Why don't you have a roommate?"
"Oh, I'm rich." The violet-eyed male winked saucily at him. "Paid extra. I need more room for all my clothes, jewelry, and can't forget the skin care products…"
"Malik? Are you gay?"
Seto yawned and glanced at his watch. 9:00 A.M. He'd been out on the porch for hours, reading one of his textbooks, but now he was finished with his homework and he was bored. The brunet sighed. Television was a joke and he didn't feel like going out, so what could he do?
A wicked smirk spread over Seto's cheeks. Of course. Annoy Seth.
Seto rose to his full height, stretching, before swiftly and silently crossing the apartment and pausing at Seth's door. He heard the light sound of typing and cracked open the door to see his brother clacking away at his keyboard. As Seto watched, the darker-skinned twin pulled up the online student directory and typed in a one-word search.
Mutou.
Results:
Mutou, Atemu
Mutou, Yami
Seth hesitated a moment, obviously trying to remember what Seto had said earlier, before clicking on Mutou, Atemu. A yearbook-style photo of the tanned, spiky-haired object of Seth's obsession immediately filled the 19-inch plasma screen monitor, with the student's email, phone and address listed directly below the picture.
Seth paused. He folded his hands under his chin and sat there for a long moment, staring at the screen; and though Seto could only see the back of his brother's head he could imagine the intense gaze focused on the computer screen.
He snickered. Man. Seth had it bad.
At the sound, Seth whirled, angry cobalt eyes instantly fastened on his look-alike peeking through the doorway. "What the hell are you doing here, Seto!"
The younger twin shrugged, pushing the door open all the way. "I was just checking up on my beloved brother. Is that a crime?"
"Will you get off my case? I don't want to put up with your crap and I'm tired of you judging me!"
Seto smirked. "Overreacting just a bit, aren't we? I haven't said a word about your insane stalking habits."
"I am NOT a stalker! I was just… making sure you weren't lying about the bastard's name."
"Why would you even care if I was?"
"I don't. It was simply morbid curiosity," Seth huffed, turning back to the computer screen. "I might need to know his name in case I ever decide to get revenge."
"Of course."
"Shut up!"
"I was agreeing with you."
"No you weren't! You were… GAH! Just go away!"
"Certainly. I wouldn't want to come between you and your private time with the computer screen…"
"GET OUT!"
Seto obeyed, merely because his brother looked close to hurling a heavy object in his direction, and Seto didn't want any embarrassing bruises. He strode quickly to his own bedroom, smirking all the way, and fell back onto the bed with a contented sigh. Bothering Seth was always entertaining, and it had been even easier than usual ever since the other had begun paying attention to that rude little punk.
Though, he had to admit, the punk's brother had gotten his attention…
Seto's gaze drifted to the laptop on the desk. He glanced back down the hall toward Seth's room, then at the computer once more.
Well. A good idea was a good idea.
"Bastard."
"Asshole."
"Bitch."
"I thought that was Sexy Little Spanish Bitch?"
"Oh, yes. How could I forget that…..Numnuts."
"Numb nuts? No, I can feel them just fine. Especially since you insist on rubbing your thigh against them." Atemu paused, looking thoughtful for a moment, eyes watching the man above him, his hands absentmindedly massaging the paler man's scalp, as he kept the friendly early morning bickering going. "Maletón."
Bakura blinked out of his daze. "I have no idea what you just called me and I really don't care cause that sounded sexy as hell."
Crimson eyes rolled. "So calling you a son of a bitch is ok as long as I do it in Spanish?" He pulled one of his hands out of Bakura's hair and began to lightly trace random designs on the other's pale back.
"Yes, just don't tell me what it means and let me think you are praising my skills as a lover."
Atemu snorted in amusement, "You just keep thinking that."
Feigning hurt, Bakura clutched his chest and rolled off of the Latin man, throwing one arm over his eyes. "That's it, my pride has been damaged. I'll never be able to get it up again."
"Is that so?" Atemu purred as he straddled the other looking down at him with an eyebrow raised in a silent challenge.
"Yep," he sniffed, peeking an eye out from under his arm. "I think it's broken."
"Awww, want me to kiss it and make it better?" he asked as he toyed with one of Bakura's nipples, rolling it around between his fingers.
Bakura removed his arm from his face and placed them on Atemu's hips. "Please?" he all but pouted out.
Nodding his head, Atemu chuckled at the others antics. "I'll see what I can do." Licking his lips, he scooted back some, eying his target….
"Damn, Atemu, I never thought I would see the day you were on top."
Two heads turned to see an amused Yami and a slightly stunned blonde looking at them. Growling low in his throat at being interrupted and made fun of, Atemu could do nothing but flip his brother off before he let out an undignified yelp when he was roughly flipped over. He looked up to see amused chocolate looking down at him.
"Always on bottom huh?"
Atemu shrugged his shoulders and smirked. "So much easier to be on the bottom and let you do all the work, mi esclavo."
Yami snickered, sitting down on his bed and patted the space beside him, gesturing for Malik to join him.
"What did he call him?" Malik asked once he had settled on the bed.
"Bakura doesn't want to hear the meaning, Mocoso."
"Why not?"
"Cause I like the meanings my head comes up with." Bakura stated, glancing between the younger twin and the newcomer.
Yami raised an eyebrow, thoroughly confused, but gestured towards the paler man. "Fine, I'll whisper it and in the mean time why don't you cover your ass up? The sun reflecting off of it is killing my eyes."
Laughing at Bakura's narrowed glare, Atemu reached down and pulled up the comforter as Yami whispered into Malik's ear.
"OOH! Nicknames!" Malik clapped his hands, bouncing up and down on the bed. "Do you have a nickname too, little twin friend?"
Yami scratched his head as both Atemu and Bakura looked at him with a definite 'who the hell is the crazy person' look. "Atemu, Bakura this is Malik. He's a law student and he let me spend the night at his place so I wouldn't have to watch free porn." He turned back to the energetic person beside him. "Atemu has been calling me Mocoso – which means brat – since we were little."
Bakura snorted and grumbled as he laid his head down on Atemu's chest. "Free? I would have charged and arm and a leg to view our show and it would have been well worth it too, I might add. Hell of a show."
Both Yami and Atemu gave identical eye rolls and Malik suddenly squealed causing all three of them to jump, looking at him wide-eyed.
"Ooh! Give me one please? Please?"
"How about Nutcase?" Bakura suggested.
"I want a Spanish one like the rest of you." Malik sent a glare at the white-haired student.
Atemu snorted, burying his face in his friend's white hair and mumbled something incoherent.
"What was that, dear brother?"
Sighing, Atemu looked up "Call him Burbujas."
Yami snickered, "Bubbles?"
"Yeah, he's cute but a complete airhead."
"I like!" Malik exclaimed, seemingly completely obvious to what Atemu had said.
"See what I mean?" Atemu pointed out as Bakura snickered against him. "Anyway, what are you two doing back here?"
"Well first off," Yami stole a quick glance at Malik, who was cheerfully repeating his new nickname over and over again, "I live here too and second, I needed to change clothes so we can go shopping."
"We? As in you and Burbujas over there?"
"No," Yami grinned. "We as in you, me and Malik."
"In that case, then Kura's coming with me."
Bakura lifted his head, "Oh hell no! Don't include me in this!"
"Well I am." Atemu replied as he pushed his lover off of him so he could crawl out of bed.
"EWW! ATEMU COVER YOURSELF UP!" Yami cried, only to be ignored as his brother pulled Bakura out of the bed.
Malik's jaw dropped. Two fully naked fine looking men were standing naked before him. He could just reach out and touch….. "HEY! I want to see!" he yelled, trying to pull away the two hands that had just covered his eyes.
"Remind me why the hell I had to come to this," Bakura grumbled under his breath, his deep chocolate eyes narrowing as he watched Malik drag Yami to the nearest jewelry display, gesticulating excitedly at a particularly gaudy pair of earrings.
"Price of sleeping with me, I'm afraid." Atemu winked at his friend and sidled up beside him.
Bakura scowled. "Well there's some fine print for you."
The crimson-eyed freshman just laughed. "Sorry Bakura. But we can't very well be 'friends with benefits' without being friends, can we? And friends share each other's torment." He made an exaggerated grimace before strolling over to the jewelry stand, where Malik was currently forcing Yami to try on a flashy necklace.
Bakura watched the three for a moment, the tanned blonde smiling happily as he tried to force the nearly identical exotic Costa Ricans into various pieces of jewelry. All three were very nearly perfect; tanned and fit and sensual, not to mention squeezed into clothes tight enough to make his cock twitch at the sight. The white-haired sophomore had the sudden urge to walk over there and claim them all; his very own personal harem… Ah the possibilities…
"Bakuuuraaa!" Malik called. "Come here! I found something for you!"
Bakura sighed. The things he did for his dick.
After at least forty-five minutes of wandering through various jewelry stands – and one particularly interesting clothing store, with displays of leather and sheer material that were very kind to Bakura's imagination – the four college students came to a halt in front of a large metal box-shaped object, with coarse blue curtains hanging on either side. Atemu and Yami stared at it curiously.
"What is that thing?" the twins asked simultaneously; then glared at each other.
Bakura snorted. "Haven't you ever seen a photo booth before?"
"No," they answered together. After another glare, Atemu explained, "We didn't go to big towns much. Most of the time we were stuck in whatever hole-in-the-ground crap city that was near where our parents were researching."
"I'm not sure if they have these in Costa Rica, anyway," Yami added.
"You have to try it out then!" Malik exclaimed. "Come on, little twin friends! We can all get our pictures taken!" He tugged on Atemu's arm, who latched on to Bakura in turn, but the white-haired sophomore dug his heels into the ground and let out a sour curse.
"Oh hell no! You're not dragging me into that thing. I'd rather watch Bubbles decorate his pretty little air head with more of that cheap-ass jewelry than squeeze into some dark, nasty hole with all of you!"
Malik giggled at the nickname before batting his thick eyelashes at Bakura and smiling sweetly. "That's okay, Bakura. We understand if you're claustrophobic."
"WHAT! I'm not scared!"
"It's okay to be afraid sometimes," the blonde soothed. "Don't worry, you won't be left out. I'll take some pictures of you with my digital camera later."
"I'm NOT scared!"
Malik just nodded patronizingly. "Of course you aren't."
Bakura growled. "Come on!" he snapped, grabbing Yami's arm and dragging him into the photo booth. The curtains swished behind them as Malik dropped a few coins into the slot, snickering under his breath.
He and Atemu watched as the camera flashed several times in quick succession, the sounds of a yelp and a loud slap punctuating the flashes of light inside the booth. The spiky-haired teen cut his eyes at the other. "That was evil, you know."
Malik merely smiled.
Fifteen minutes later the four were wandering the mall again, laughing and examining their photos. The first strip was especially entertaining, at least to Atemu and Malik, and the two were caught up in a seemingly endless argument over who got to keep them. The yelp they had heard was Yami's cry of surprise as Bakura had once again pinched his ass. The first picture showed Yami's wide-eyed expression of shock, the second Bakura laughing as Yami glared at him, the third Yami's vicious slap across Bakura's cheek, and the fourth Bakura scowling and rubbing the red mark on his face.
The next strip had both twins snickering behind their hands, Malik looking rather pleased with himself, and Bakura glaring at the three while planning out various ways to steal the pictures. The first one was Malik and Bakura sitting rather calmly together, the middle two showed Malik playing with his white hair, and the final one showed the outcome which was the reason for Atemu and Yami's laughter. Bakura was sporting two beautiful pigtails.
The next row of photos was one of Bakura's favorites since it was four wonderful pictures of him having a sexy twin sitting on each of his legs. No one could mistake the smug look on his face, enjoying himself even if Yami looked like he had just eaten a bowl of lemons and Atemu looked like he was about to fall off from laughing at his brother.
Bakura's other favorite one was just him and Atemu alone making out while the camera did its thing, only stopping long enough for both of them to flip the camera off in time for the last shot.
The last one was of Malik hugging Yami like his life depended on it, followed by a kiss on the cheek, a pair of bunny ears that somehow showed above Yami's spiked hair, and then one last hug for good measure all while Yami's face looked torn between amusement and worried that his new friend was more insane than he realized.
"These are so cute!" Malik squealed in delight as he gathered all five strips into his hands. "When I get home I'm going to start on the Fab Four's scrapbook!"
"Fab Four?" Yami asked, looking at his brother who just shrugged in response.
"YES!" Malik answered, jumping up and down, violet eyes dancing with excitement. "You, me, your brother….and him." He said as he pointed over to the scowling white haired sophmore.
"Oh god, please do not include me in your little friendship girly gang."
"But Kura dear," Atemu snickered as he walked over to the distressed college student and draped his arm around his shoulders. "If you want keep pinching Yami's ass…"
"Excuse me!"
Atemu ignored his brother, "….and sleeping with me, mi pequeño esclavo, then you will deal with it."
Chocolate eyes widened a fraction as he looked back and forth between both twins, weighing his options. With a final growl, he pulled Atemu's arm off of him and walked away mumbling. "Damn my dick."