A/N: I based the aging system by sibling age-differences as reasonably as I could, using the Yu-Gi-Oh series/manga as a base. For example:
Seto Kaiba (25) and Mokuba Kaiba (20) - age difference - 5.
Isis Ishtar (32) and Malik Ishtar (24) - age difference - 8 (I always thought it was somewhere around 7, but I'm not sure). Yami no Malik would be Malik's twin brother because I see no large age difference between them, unlike Yami no Yuugi/Yuugi and Yami no Bakura/Ryou. I was planning to give Yami no Malik another random name, but I stayed with Mariku because we all don't like name-alterations. XP Of course, obviously, twins would not have near-identical names (Mariku being pronounces as Malik anyway, but for now, it is different, you hear? XD)
Katsuya Jounouchi (23) and Shizuka Jounouchi (19) - age difference - 4. (I have absolutely no idea! It just seemed logical for this story.)
And for my sibling pairings outside the series…
Atemu Mutou (22) and Yuugi Mutou (17 as of June 5) - age difference - 5.
Nusumu Bakura (24) and Ryou Bakura (18 when September 2, but since this is set during the summer, he is still 17) - age difference - 7. If I ever need Bakura's first name, which I just might if he decides to do something illegal (XD), I'll have to settle with Nusumu, which, in Japanese, is the verb for "to commit theft". Corny, I know. Let's hope I don't need his first name.
And just if any of you are wondering: Mai Kujaku (28 – increase of 4 years), Otogi Ryuuji (23 – to match Katsuya and Hiroto's age), Anzu Mazaki (22), Hiroto Honda (23).
Naturally, everyone's age had to be increased… can't gamble if you're not 21. XP I hope that was helpful for those who were wondering how in the world Mokuba turned out three years older than Yuugi, who naturally would be… four years older than him. I feel pathetic to admit, but I actually had this planned out before I started writing the first chapter… eheheh… how embarrassing…. Sorry for the long Author's Notes.
Whatever Happens Here, Stays Here
Chapter 3: Didn't Expect Me, Did You?
By LilPurplFlwr
"Hey."
Malik's heart painfully skipped two beats before he was able to relax against the familiar embrace from behind. He gave a shaky sigh and nestled into the other's arms.
"Don't scare me like that, idiot."
"You're too uptight." Bakura leaned forward, licking the other's ear lightly before kissing a wet path down the blonde's neck.
"Hell, no," Malik answered bitingly, aggravated, but too tired from the day's work to argue, his eyes falling shut at the gentle ministrations, "This new schedule has my nerves completely shot." He tilted his head at an oblique angle to catch Bakura's lips in a heated kiss.
"Mmm…" Bakura murmured, pulling his roommate closer and deepening the kiss, delving into the other's mouth with his tongue. Withdrawing only after breathing became impertinent to live, the Black Jack dealer smirked at the slightly dazed look in the other's darkened lavender eyes. "Would you like to work your frustrations out on me?"
"Oh, would I…" Malik replied coyly, turning around to face Bakura, ready to push the other against the bar's back-room door and continue their activities with his full concentration.
"You two going at it never ceases to amaze me."
A deflated sigh escaped from the Egyptian, who gave a whiny groan and rested his head on Bakura's shoulder, letting his friend's long platinum hair cover his tortured expression.
"Jou, that was uncalled for," Bakura responded lightly, "I think you just killed Malik."
"Fuck me in the next minute, and I'm sure I'll be fine," Malik muttered darkly to Bakura, who had to stifle a laugh.
Katsuya walked behind the counter, "Malik, your shift ends in five minutes, and Bakura, I don't even know when you're supposed to start work."
"In about an hour, I suppose," Bakura gave a careless grin and shrugged gently, careful not to jar his lax partner.
"Oh… the schedules are pretty fucked up then," Katsuya raised an eyebrow, "I never knew I would be alive to see them split up your schedules."
"I'll kill them, god damn it!" Malik seethed, angrily biting Bakura's neck, which was conveniently near him, seeing as Malik still had his face buried against the crook of Bakura's neck.
"H-hey!" Bakura nearly yelped, his fingers lacing through Malik's silky tresses and giving them a slight tug, "Watch it!" The only response was another whine.
The younger of the three chuckled, running his hand through his messy golden strands, "Wow. Malik's not too happy with the new arrangement, is he?"
"I'd say it's fucking up his hormones," Bakura said with a wry grin, before the very smile was wiped off and his eyes widened, "A-ah…what the fuck!"
Katsuya slapped both hands over his amber eyes and turned sharply away from the couple, "Aw, gross, Malik! That borders on public indecency! No! This IS public indecency!"
"M-malik… I-I re-e-eally think that you –" Bakura's sentence was lost as his breathing became erratic.
"Should get my hand out of your pants? I think not."
And using his free hand, the frustrated bartender threw open the door behind his lover, pulled the other inside with a commanding jerk, which eliciting a strangled noise from Bakura, and slammed the door behind them.
"We can get plenty done in an hour."
"Hey, Mrs. Mary?" Atemu asked, having finally caught the elderly waitress when she took a short break, "I noticed that John wasn't at the tables today. Is he sick?" He dumped his plates into the collection of dirty dishes. With all the advantages and bargains that came with being a platinum card member, Atemu felt innately guilty for things like his free meals.
"Oh, Yami, sweetheart," the waitress replied with a small smile, "Calling me 'Mary' is just fine," she gestured at her nametag.
Atemu shook his head, "No, you should be addressed with respect. I may have lived in America for some time, but I'm not that rude."
The woman laughed softly, "I'm glad to know such a courteous young man. To answer your question, my son quit his job this morning."
This troubled Atemu. True that the said dealer was not very good, but gamblers at the casino in general were much worse. "A few people quit then? I just thought there was a flu bug going around or something…"
"I wouldn't call the CEO of Kaiba Corporation just a bug, Yami, dear," the woman gave a discreet wave to the same solitary corner that Atemu had been glancing at momentarily every few minutes throughout his meal – unconsciously, honestly.
"I thought that was a rumor. I heard it about a week ago," Atemu quirked an eyebrow, "Are you sure? He looks… really young."
Another glance at the brunette, who was typing on a laptop with a deep look of the utmost concentration, the glow from the computer screen illuminating his blue eyes with a strange unearthly white.
"He is. Twenty-five years old. Exceptional man. I heard that he was running Kaiba Corporation since he was sixteen."
"Kaiba Corporation!"
"It's finally sunk in?" the waitress laughed, "Yami! And I thought you were from Japan."
"I am! But… I've gotten so used to seeing 'KC' labels on all these products that I didn't really give it a second thought."
"Just think… you would have been in… middle school when he was running a company," she said absently, "What a man."
A small smile graced Atemu's lips, "I'm sorry I can't be your child prodigy. But, what does his coming to check up on his Vegas casino have anything to do with all these dealers quitting?"
"You are a deprived child," she replied with mirth dancing in her eyes, "Don't you know? Now that he's here, he knows which incompetent people to fire."
"You don't seem very angry at your son."
"I understand his position completely."
"I still don't understand."
"Seto Kaiba is a complete monster when it comes to games like these, Yami," she whispered, giving a nod in the direction of the said person, "If you watched him, you would think that luck had nothing to do with it. Of course, if he weren't already a billionaire, he could have been from just plain gambling! I don't know if it's from being a mathematical genius, but – " she signed and shook her head, "It's just amazing. He would have destroyed dealers like my son."
"You guys will be alright, yes?"
"Oh, of course. John found another job at another casino, of course. Quick referrals and all."
"That's good," Atemu mused, studying the CEO deeply.
"Yami, if anything, don't go up against Kaiba-sama."
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Mary. Not to be disrespectful, but I would not rely on gossip like this. Have you ever seen him play?"
"Four years ago, when he turned twenty-one. We haven't seen him then after except when he built this casino and hotel."
"Four years is a long time to hold the title of master gamer, don't you think?"
Besides, this worship has gone on long enough. It's getting ridiculous!
"Wow! This looks so awesome!"
Words could not describe the sight that Yuugi saw from his hotel room. Through the slanted windows of the hotel, Luxor, he could see why Las Vegas was known as the City That Never Sleeps. It was late at night and yet with all the neon lights, flashing signs, and hundreds of people wandering the streets and hotels, it was like there was always something or someone awake.
"Jii-chan! Can we go to Pharaoh's Palace now?"
"Tomorrow, Yuugi," his grandfather turned on one of the two twin beds in their hotel room, "The plane ride was awful."
"I'm sorry, jii-chan," Yuugi apologized, still gazing at the excitement below their room. It was absolutely amazing.
"Tomorrow you can go, okay? I'd like to be awake to get any phone call from you."
"Okay," Yuugi agreed, suddenly awash with the thought of getting lost at this time of night, "Is it okay if I watch the television before I go to bed? Will it bother you?"
There was no response from his slumbering grandfather.
"Here we go."
Ryou's eyes widened as he entered the reception area of the vast hotel, Pharaoh's Palace. A fountain was set in the middle of the floor, amidst the benches and the bridges over the shallow river that circled it. Intricate hieroglyphics were carved on the surface of the fountain, whose clear waterfalls fell into a large Egyptian styled bath that emulated a lotus pond.
"…"
Mariku, who was smoking another cigarette, glanced at the silent boy next to him, and with a lewd grin, he commented casually, "You might want to close that mouth of yours, Ryou, because– "
"Mariku Ishtar! Where have you been these past three days!"
"Shit."
Ryou's eyes fell on a beautiful woman who stormed up to them, a typical Egyptian dress wrapped around her slim, tanned figure. Her bright blue eyes were sparked with something that strongly urged Ryou to duck and hide.
When she reached them, she stopped and gave Mariku a suspicious glare, "That's strange. You didn't turn and disappear on me like you usually might."
"Well, I have something to take care of, sister."
Isis glanced down and blinked twice, seeing a mini-Bakura next to her brother. "Bakura's… little brother?"
"Cute little thing, isn't he?" Mariku asked, taking a drag from his cigarette, which earned another irritated glance from his guardian.
"Sorry, you'll have to excuse him. I'm sorry if I scared you a moment back," Isis apologized, holding out her hand to shake Ryou's, "My name is Isis Ishtar. I take care of your brother's finances, and, hopefully, keep him out of trouble, since he runs wild with my brothers."
"Oh," Ryou managed a weak smile, trying to get rid of Mariku peculiar smirk from his head, "I'm Ryou Bakura. Please call me Ryou. I… uhm… am 'Kura's little brother, I suppose."
Isis gave a tinkling laugh, "So you are. Well, I guess my irresponsible brother here was actually doing something correctly. Once you meet your brother, make sure this troublemaker calls me, okay? I have… some things to… discuss with him."
She shot another chilly stare at the said brother which Mariku simply warded off by looking indifferently the other way.
"A-ah… okay… it was nice meeting you, Ishtar-san," Ryou pulled slightly on the edge of Mariku's black shirt, "Can we go now?"
"Oh, of course. Did my sister scare you?" Placing a hand at the base of Ryou's back and guiding him past Isis, Mariku threw a cool smile at his sister as they walked into the smoky casino.
"What a family," Isis sighed beneath her breath and prepared to go home after a long day.
"Katsuya!"
A young girl dashed into the bar, a gym bag slung over her shoulder, her long copper-colored locks in a ponytail.
"He-e-ey, my little rubber band!" Katsuya ducked beneath the counter just in time for the bag to be flung at his head. He straightened again, this time with a water bottle in hand, "How was practice?"
"Fine as usual. Thanks, onii-chan," she accepted the water bottle and took a big gulp, "We're only the best Cirque du Soliel show on the strip!"
"Those gymnastic lessons did some good, I suppose," Katsuya with a smile at his sister's confidence, "If I didn't know better, I would think your ego's overly inflated."
"I said the show, not me. I get to do a new tumbling series, actually."
"You want to show me?"
"Sure! Anything for my brother," she gave a beaming smile, and moved in between the empty tables, standing in the aisle.
"Do you have enough room?"
"Plenty!"
She zipped up her warm-up jacket, making sure it would not get in her way. She then went through a succession of acrobatic flips. Her feet and hands lined up perfectly on the subtle line marked on the wooden floor.
An enthusiastic clapping issued from the entrance of the lounge. "That was great, Shizuka."
"Mai!" Shizuka smiled and waved, "Thanks!"
Katsuya whirled his head around to see the female dealer enter the lounge. She nodded her greeting to him and settled on one of the stools with a tired flick of her blonde hair, "Coke, Jou."
"Got it. Still got few hours left, huh?"
"Too many. Those idiots just had to shit in their pants and run off at the sound of Seto Kaiba's name."
"I'm glad you're confident in your skills as a player."
"Of course. If you've played as long as I have, you would be, obviously," Mai took the cold glass of soda from Katsuya and took a long sip, "Mmm… this caffeine better keep me going."
"So, Mai," Shizuka sat down next to the older woman, "What are you playing tonight?"
"I've got the Roulette table for two hours and then I'm playing poker for the next three."
"Katsuya… forget the soda and bring out the espresso with extra shots," Shizuka said, her tone dead serious.
Mai laughed, "Jou, you better keep your eyes open for your little sister or you'll be beating off dozens of Shizuka's male fans."
"I've seen a good share of that already," Katsuya replied good-naturedly, "Including that idiotic Hiroto and Otogi."
"Are we talking about Otogi Ryuuji?" Mai laughed airily, "I could have sworn he's queer!"
Shizuka quickly jumped at the opportunity, "Oh, but he is."
"I fairly doubt it," Katsuya grabbed a damp cloth and began to clean the inexistent stains on the counter. "Sometimes he's too busy flirting with you that he doesn't even notice my frightening aura that threatens to consume him."
Both girls laughed. Honestly, Katsuya was anything but intimidating.
"No, actually, onii-chan, between practicing his pick-up lines on me, he just talks about you. Somehow, everything comes back to you."
"What a very odd observation, indeed, Shizuka-chan," Mai supported with an evil smile.
"Stop! That's quite enough about Otogi Ryuuji that I need for a day!" Katsuya childishly covered his ears with the palms of his hands.
"Oh, Jou," Mai offered, "Truthfully, he gives me a lot of dirty looks because he thinks you like me. It's getting a little old."
Katsuya began to turn pink.
"Maybe you should go out with him," Shizuka offered, "Don't do this to poor Mai!"
"Listen to your baby sister!" seconded Mai with an approving grin.
"I don't want to discuss this anymore!"
"Are you sexually frustrated, Jou?"
"That's what I was wondering, onii-chan."
"Where have I heard this before?" Katsuya said with a large sigh.
A couple hours later…
"Hey, sorry. I didn't know Bakura would still be at work right now. Their schedules must have changed."
"It's okay, really," Ryou said softly, as they walked out of the administration office.
"Hold on," Mariku grabbed Ryou's wrist and held it, "I have an idea."
Ryou watched curiously as the other pulled out a cell phone. Having dialed a number, the blonde held the phone up to his ear and waited until the other line picked up.
"Mmm… 'ello?""Well, hey, Sleeping Beauty. Where are you?"
"You're an idiot, Mariku.""What did you do – fall asleep in the back room again?"
Ryou raised an eyebrow. This was some conversation, from what he heard from just the one-sided conversation by Mariku.
"For your information, you pervert, I'm at the gardens. What's wrong? Get locked out of the house? Don't tell me you robbed a bank again."
Mariku growled low in his throat, giving Ryou nearly a heart attack when the grip around his wrist tightened painfully.
"I've got Bakura's little brother with me, but Bakura's still at work. Ryou's getting uncomfortable with just me, but I don't want him wandering Vegas alone."
"Little brother, huh? Awww. My twin's worried about someone else? Fuck, I got to meet this kid. Is he as hot as Bakura?"
Mariku closed the phone quickly, before letting go of Ryou's wrist. "My brother's not home yet, he's still at the gardens waiting for Bakura. Since we all live together with your brother, you want to wait with us?"
Ryou had little choice but to say yes.
Mariku began to walk to the public gardens that was one of the showcases at Pharaoh's Palace, "It's a really pretty garden that's temperature controlled to showcase exotic plants from different places in the world, not only Egypt. It's impressive, you'll like it."
Ryou must have had a terrified look on his face for Mariku to try to comfort him.
The Egyptian's cell phone rang loudly, as if it was angry. Mariku's eyes adopted a steely look again as he picked up.
"It's me, sweetie."
"What is it?" Mariku, who adopted a faster walking pace. Ryou nearly had to run after the taller man. "Sorry, Ryou. No, not that corridor." Mariku absently grabbed Ryou's hand, concentrating too much on the mocking voice on the other line.
"Oo-h, I've never heard that tone of voice… you almost sound like Isis. Anyway, I felt a stab of pain as my darling brother hung up on me!"
"I'm going to kill you when I see you."
"Ryou wouldn't be too happy, would he?"
"Shut up!"
"So is he that cute or what, if you're getting all hot and bothering about it?"Seething, Mariku turned off his cell phone and shoved it deep into his pocket.
"Is everything okay with your… uhm… brother, right?"
"Twin, actually."
"Is everything—"
"Here we go."
Stepping outside, Ryou stepped into what looked like a maze of routes around a large garden. Following him, Mariku pointed to the greenhouses that circled the outside greenery, "The ones that can't grow out here are kept at different climates if you're interested."
"… I've never seen these flowers before." Ryou ran to the first assortment and out of earshot, "Wow… they don't have these in Japan!"
"Oh… is this him?" a familiar baritone asked from behind Mariku, the tell-tale smell of cigarette smoke indicating his brother's entrance.
"He's apparently attracted to pretty things."
"As am I, for that fact," Malik gave a predatory grin, licking his lips, "I really need to thank Bakura's parents for doing such a good job."
"You are unbelievable."
"And your newly found sentimental values are beginning to piss me off, Mariku."
Ryou peered back at the entrance, and blinked wondrously at the two similar-looking brothers. However, they could be easily told apart, seeing as they were probably fraternal twins.
Noticing that Ryou was eyeing them, Malik gave the younger boy a winning smile and a friendly wave. Ryou hesitantly waved back with an uncertain smile.
"Wow, I see why you're attached."
With that, Malik stuck his cigarette between his brother's slightly open mouth, and left to approach Ryou.
"Ryou Bakura, right?" Malik held out his hand in introduction, "I'm Malik Ishtar, very close friend with your older brother. Great guy, honestly."
Ryou slowly shook the other's hand, nearly jumped when Malik's second hand covered his own pale digits.
"You're okay, right?" Malik gave the other boy a concerned look, and Ryou stared, slightly bewildered, into the lavender gaze, which differed from Mariku's darkened indigo. "My brother didn't do anything inappropriate to you, did he? He's really a pervert at heart."
"A-ah…" Ryou turned pink, a full flashback of his first meeting with the said blonde, "H-he did mistaken me for 'Kura."
"No! He didn't!" Malik gasped, "He… he… Mariku… oh my god! He didn't! I'm ashamed to be related to him!"
Ryou was lost. He was completely lost. More lost than he had been even before Mariku found him.
And Mariku, at the moment, was seething. No, seething would have been an understatement. Yes, he knew what his twin was playing at it. And there was no doubt that Ryou would easily fall for it. Mariku hit his forehead with his palm. This could not be happening. But it was. And desperate times called for desperate measures.
-
Bakura was currently in the process of making a table-full of people lose hundreds of dollars when his cell phone rang. Excusing himself, he continued to deal another game, pressing the phone between his ear and shoulder, and answered the caller with a preoccupied grunt.
"Bakura, it's Mariku."
"So it is. What is it?" Bakura hissed quietly, using one hand to flip cards and one to hold the phone, "I'm working, you know."
"And your little brother is in the evil clutches of Malik. Who is about six inches from full-out molestation in the public gardens."
"WHAT?"
That surely scared half the table.
"Oh, fuck, fuck, fuck," Bakura hissed, standing up from his seat and searching the area for anyone on break. "Why is Ryou in Vegas?"
"Wanted to surprise you, I suppose."
"Do something, Mariku! I thought I cured Malik's fucking frustrations!" Bakura spotted Mai closing up her table and heading for the poker tables. "MAI! Take over for me, please? Family emergency!"
Mai widened her eyes and hurried to help her fellow dealer out.
"You know my fucking twin. He's a freaking nympho sometimes."
"Fucking shit," Bakura broke into a run toward the gardens. "Not Ryou. Anyone but Ryou."
"You've got some protective older brother complex there, Bakura."
"You'd know, since you've met him. It's Ryou we're talking about," Bakura replied grimly.
A/N: I spend a whole day on this chapter. XP I made it extra-long for my extra-long absences for my other Yu-Gi-Oh stories. I tried really hard to make it exciting… but… I don't think I did it correctly. O.O;
Sorry, I actually meant to write on, because I wanted to add in this large section of Seto x Yami and… some pissed-off Bakura-ness… but my writing just died.
Next chapter: Seto and Yami are going to play some kind of thing… I just don't know what… because Bakura just scampered off to help poor, tortured Ryou—which is also going to be included in the next chapter. And Yuugi jumps his brother the next morning—once he can stalk down Atemu. Perhaps it's time to throw in Anzu…?
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