Kyohei glared at Marik's back, beyond pissed by this newcomer's audacity to even look at him in such a way. Seems like foreigners just don't know their fucking place, don't worry…you'll both learn soon enough. He smirked to himself as class began. Anzu had seen the confidence and it put her at ease. She was afraid that he was getting too friendly with the thorn in their side and lost sight of what they were aiming for.
He knows what he's doing, he's no Yami. She thought to herself, glancing at her ex who was far too comfortable without her. Enjoy your fake fun while it lasts, I know what you really want and I'll have you begging for it soon enough. She leaned back in her seat as she filed her perfectly manicured nails. All in due time.
As classes went on, Marik shared books with Rei. She proved to be not only very pretty but smart as well. Though she did have trouble in math, she was good in literature. Her English was adorable to him, though his accent was mostly gone when speaking English thanks to all the time with Terry who could speak completely without an accent. He noticed her struggling with a question and simply circled the section where the first error was made and nothing more. He wanted to see how she handled herself.
I wonder if she'll ask me or not without trying. There's no harm in asking, but trying is the main part. He hummed, resting his cheek in his hand as he watched her. It was quite the adorable sight. Her eyebrows were furrowed and she had perpetual scowl on her lips that only varied to a pout every now and again. The determination was there though and that only made it cuter.
Rei looked at the circled portion, blinking in confusion as she turned to look at him to see what he meant. Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest at the sight of him smiling and watching her. Her cheeks instantly burned with a blush which she quickly hid by turning her attention back to the worksheet in hand.
What are you doing just sitting and staring at me like that? So straightforward! She found herself flustered by the difference in his attitude from the usual guys she dealt with in class. Ok, ok! Pay attention to your work Rei! Just, just ignore him as best you can! Ignore the utterly hot and sexy foreigner who is literally centimeters away staring at you with his beautiful lavender ey-hey! No, bad Rei! She scolded herself. Why did he circle this though? She wondered, focusing on her work again after a good scolding. The gears in her head reluctantly turned back to the work and slowly it began to click.
Marik noted the sudden blush on her face, stifling his chuckle when she suddenly turned away. She was far too obvious on how he got to her, but he liked that honesty. It was refreshing. He smiled to himself as she erased her work and began to edit where the mistake was as she glanced between the text and the assignment. She clearly realized her mistake so there was no point in doing more. His assignment was already done, math one of his favorite subjects.
By the end of class, they all had handed in their assignments and they were free to prepare for lunch. Terry left her seat, walking to Marik and Rei.
"Hey, how's your first day so far?" She smiled at the two.
"It's been great, I got to sit next to such a lovely classmate. I feel welcomed and right at home." He turned to Rei, winking at her which sent her heart all a flutter.
"I'm glad I could make your first day so comfortable! It can be a bit nerve wracking going to a new school in another district. I can't even imagine how tough it would be going abroad!" Rei smiled at Marik, resigned to the fact that her blush would be stuck there for the rest of her day.
As the three of them talked and laughed, Atem watched and felt a pang of something in his chest. It was a feeling he thought he would never feel again, and yet here it was. Resting a hand on his chest, he frowned to himself, glancing over at Terry but is surprised to see she was looking right at him. She frowned a little and that confused him. When she pointed to her chest he frowned in confusion as well when he looked down and saw he was clutching his shirt. Quickly he released his clothes and waved it off as nothing, but she was not so convinced. He quickly turned away, not wanting her to see how flustered he was from the small interaction.
"I'm going to go check on Atem, you guys want to have lunch together? We usually have it on the roof. I think it'll be a lot of fun with everyone." She offered to them.
"Sure, why not? It sounds like fun and a little fresh air would be good. I'm not used to being so cooped up!" Marik stretched a bit, a few pops in his back proving that he was a bit stiff in the desk. He turned to Rei at this moment, awaiting her answer. Terry looked to her as well.
"You want me to join you? A-are you sure? I mean you guys don't want some time alone or anything?" She asked, nervous and worried that maybe Terry and Marik may have more than they let on. She rather this be clear now before she even dived into interest. She would never want to hurt her friends.
"Huh? He lives with me; we have more than enough time to be jerks to each other. With you around he might behave some and not put me in a headlock!" She stuck her tongue out at Marik who feigned innocence.
"She's clearly just trying to make me look bad in front of you. I assure you I'm quite respectful of women. My older sister taught me as such." He turned to Rei. "So, please join us. I'd love to get to know more about the school and I was hoping you'd keep helping me." He smiled charmingly at her, Terry rolling her eyes at his attempt to clear himself of anything negative. "Plus, Terry's one of the guys so anything we do is harmless fun." He added.
"And there it is, the truth that you do act mean to me." She flicked his forehead to which he jokingly bit at her fingers. Rei watched the two and found herself at ease with the truth and utterly entertained by the banter between them. Her laughter caught their attention as they turned to her and then to one another.
"Look what you did now, you got her laughing at me!" Marik huffed.
"Me? You did that all on your own! Don't blame me if you're not as cool as you're trying to act!" Terry scowled. "She's my partner in my mystery solving, no stealing her!"
"Oh geez, now children!" Rei laughed, patting Terry on the head as she puffed her cheeks. "Weren't you going to check on Atem? I'll bring Marik to the rooftop ok?"
"Oh, yes! Thanks, I'll see you guys there!" She quickly left the two and a bit panicked as she saw his head down. She crouched in front of his desk, knocking lightly on it. "Hey, are you ok?" She asked softly, biting at her lower lip as she worried that he may be unwell. He would've gone to the nurse's, right? Maybe he's just exhausted from the trip. Joey looked pretty out of it too. She looked over at the blond. "Is he ok?" She whispered.
"I, he was fine during class. I mean this morning he was fine too. He just kinda put his head down." Jonouchi answered, scratching his head. "Yo, Atem! You're worrying Terry! You ok?" Atem quickly sat up at the sound of her name, he had been so lost in his own thoughts that he had not realized anything else around him. His azure eyes quickly locked with her grey-blue eyes, not expecting her to be so close he jumped back in his seat and sat up straight.
"Shit, why are you so close?" He scowled. "Shit, no! I mean I'm fine. You don't have to worry." He quickly fixed his words, realizing he was snapping at her for no reason. She was unfazed by the behavior though, her sincere smile still on her lips.
"Oh good, I was worried. You seemed hurt, I'm glad I was wrong." She sighed with relief. "Before I forget though, would you like to have lunch together? With everyone that is. I want you to meet Marik. He's my friend from Egypt. Takes it upon himself to be my older brother of sorts…kinda like Joey."
"H-hey, I am the older older brother!" Jonouchi scowled at this news.
"You both are the same age, you fight it out with him or consider yourselves twins. Either way, you both are way too alike at times." She laughed. "I'm grateful to you both." She added, Jonouchi puffing his chest with pride at her gratitude. Atem snorted at how easily he was assuaged by her words.
"So, you aren't going to the library?" He asked.
"No, not today. I wanted to introduce everyone to each other. Plus, I guess I just need a break from the whole find out who did situation." She said with a troubled smile. "That's not a problem for you right? I mean, you don't mind having lunch together again?"
"What's gotten in to you? So timid and shy…you ok?" He teased her as he placed a hand on her forehead. "I guess you can be cute and girly too." He snickered as she scowled and swatted his hand away.
"I'm trying to be nice here!" She puffed her cheeks at him.
"Yeah? Just be you with me. You don't have to be so formal or awkward…just be like you always were with me. You weren't one for formalities before." He softly spoke, his smile leaving her a little speechless as he moved some hair from her face. Her chest tightened a little at his touch, but she had no idea why. Clearing her throat, she stood up and patted her skirt.
"Well then, if that's the case we're having lunch on the rooftop, c'mon!" She grinned and grabbed his hand. Tugging him along, she motioned Jonouchi to follow who gathered the others. She waved at Rei to come as well, Marik waving back as he stood from his seat as he saw the group all get up. Offering a hand to Rei, he helped her out of her seat like a gentleman and walked out the classroom with her behind the others.
"O-oi, you don't have to yank me around like that!" He huffed, quickly matching her step as he tugged his wrist free from her grasp. They had left before the others, so they walked the halls alone. People watched the two as they walked down the halls, it now a more common sight to see but one they had not seen in some time. He had also made quite the name for himself in soccer, so everyone found him a lot easier to look at or approach. The fear of facing his ire a thing of the past.
"I wasn't pulling that hard, you have long arms!" She rolled her eyes at his complaining, but did observe him a bit to see if she had hurt him. "Seems like people really aren't as afraid of you as they used to be." She noted as they walked up the stairwell that led to the roof.
"Yeah, whose fault is that? An oblivious new student glued herself to me. Now I'm so used to her around and she's a magnet for trouble, not having her around is troubling." He chuckled, tapping his knuckle lightly on her head. "She's stuck with me anyone…she promised to take responsibility."
"I did and I plan to keep my word!" She stuck her tongue out at him. "Do I really cause that much trouble though?" She laughed, but before he could answer the door to the roof swung open and nearly hit her, causing her to lose her footing and fall back. Luckily Atem had noticed and quickly pulled her towards him and grabbed the railing as he slipped down a few steps with her.
"Does that answer your question?" He weakly chuckled, though there was a sharp pain in his arm from the sudden tug from the fall. She opened her mouth to speak, carefully trying to regain some footing but another voice spoke over hers.
"Oh? What's this?" A familiar voice spoke from just above them and Atem looked up to see Kyohei, clearly displeased by something. A low growl rumbled in his chest at the sight of the raven-haired classmate. "Funny meeting you two here…going off on some secret tryst?" He asked, eyeing Terry a bit. She glared back at him, taking a step towards him to confront him but she was pulled backwards and she found herself against Atem's chest.
"None of your damn business what we do or don't do. Fuck off and leave her the fuck alone. Whatever shit you're doing deals with me, so how about you quit being an ass and deal with me directly?" Atem bluntly spoke, Kyohei startled by this sudden courage. The shock was short lived as a smirk spread wide on his handsome features.
"Is that so? Finally done hiding behind her skirt? Fine by me, I'll deal with you." His eyes narrowed with a glare of his own as the two looked at one another. "I'll see you later Terry." Kyohei shifted his gaze to her, the look making her skin crawl. She showed him no reaction though.
"Not like I have a choice since we're in the same class." She flatly responded as he stepped down towards them. Before he could come close enough to even brush passed her, she felt her body squeeze more against Atem as he put his body between them. Kyohei clicked his tongue at the block, but kept his gaze locked with her.
"I wasn't talking about class, but you'll see soon enough." He licked his lips as he eyed hers. "You'll remember soon enough." With those odd words he left. She and Atem looked to one another, confused and concerned by what he as implying. She could see he was as lost as she was.
"He's trying to psych me out or something. Probably another stupid thing him and Anzu came up with." She brushed off, Atem silent as he held her tight to his chest. It was only then that she realized she was shaking a little. She tried to laugh it off but one look from Atem had her silent.
"Quit acting so damn brave and just lean on me already! I'm here, aren't I? I won't let anything happen to you." He whispered the last words into her hair and felt her body relax against him. A small smile tugged at his lips as he rubbed her back and let her take time to settle her nerves. Before either could say or do more there was an uproar of sudden sound.
"Way to go, get it!" Honda shouted.
"Oi, what are you doing to her?!" Marik and Jonouchi both shouted at once as Rei and Minako just laughed at the varying reactions.
"I'm not doing anything except keeping her from falling down the steps! Calm your shit!" He scowled at her two surrogate brothers. "You both should know her knack for attracting trouble." They two looked to one another before silently nodding and mumbling some agreement as they listed the various instances she had given them panic attacks and heart problems. "See? So, before you go thinking shit, actually think!" He grumbled, hooking one arm under her knees he scooped her up.
"No fighting or I'll drop your ass or we'll both end up falling down these stairs and possibly knock down everyone behind us." He gave her a stern look before walking up the steps once more. She smiled a little to herself as she recalled he had said the same thing when he took her to her room when she was sick.
"Ever the gentleman." She laughed, letting him carry her up and out on to the roof.