Chapter 5

"I'm so glad you could join me tonight my dear boys" the man said spreading his arms out as if welcoming a crowd.

His three adopted sons looked at him from their spots along the long wooden table, not impressed by the man's over-the-top nature.

"You know we wouldn't be here if it was an option" Bakura growled.

His father's eyes narrowed and his silver hair slightly covered his face. "Now we'll have no un-pleasantries tonight gentlemen" he said, his voice laced with an unsaid threat. The brothers felt the room visibly darken from the man's threat.

Suddenly, his whole persona changed and he looked up with a large smile on his face.

"Now let's eat!" Pegasus announced. He clicked his fingers and servers appeared through the multiple doors of the large room carrying trays of extravagant food.

They placed the food on the table and took the lids of the trays. The room was filled with smells of exquisite flavors. The boys however ignored this show of power by the older man.

They plated up and watched their father expectantly. Bakura picked up a piece of steak with his bare hands and ripped a chunk of it out with his teeth.

"As much as we all love these reunions" Yami started sarcastically, "is there are reason you've brought us back here?"

Pegasus ignored the sarcasm. "Ah my boy, you know I always love seeing your faces here. But yes, there is an ulterior reason as to why you all are here tonight. Recently I was informed that there are three workers at Millennium Corp that are actually undercover agents trying to take down the company and with it putting hundreds of people out their jobs by stealing the designs of our duel disks. Unfortunately I am unaware as to the identities of these spies as my source *ahem* fell ill before he told us anymore. I expect that the three of you will uncover these spies and bring the company justice" Pegasus finished.

The three brothers looked at each other, surprise clearly written across their features.

Marik's eyes narrowed "They think they can just come into our company and take away everything we've worked for? We'll deal with them and they'll wish they never heard of the Millennium Corp" Marik threatened.

Bakura grunted in agreement and his eyes held a deadly glare.

Pegasus smiled at his boys. They were growing up just fine.

(S)(P)(I)(E)(S)

Yami, Bakura and Marik returned to their penthouse, Bakura dropping on the couch and switching the TV onto a random channel as Yami walked outside to the balcony.

Marik walked to his room and dropped onto the bed. He was fuming. His mood had soured since finishing work that day. Not only had he and his brothers had to visit their father who was a hell-reincarnate in his own way, but now people were trying to screw with them.

He tried to relax his breathing at his sudden anger and tried to think of something different. A tanned face entered his mind and he relaxed and smiled to himself at the thought of his lunch date with Malik.

Although initially resistant, the younger boy had actually let his walls down a bit throughout the lunch, even laughing at times at something that Marik had said.

Marik beamed at the memory. His thoughts then turned to the nagging question on his mind. Why did the boy look so familiar?

Suddenly, as if a clog had been clicked into place, his mind brought a memory forward from a long time ago.

(FLASHBACK)

"Get away from me" the young boy cried, his small legs backing away from his pursuers until his back hit the chain fence behind him.

"Oh look at that, he's scared" a slightly older boy laughed and continued forward. He was shadowed by two other boys, all three of them bigger than the boy trapped up against the fence.

"I mean it! I'm not scared of you" the young boy cried, wiping his eyes his with slightly too-big sleeve.

The bullies laughed again and the leader of the group stepped forward and kicked the young boy, causing him to drop to his knees.

Malik was absolutely terrified as he looked at the three bullies in front of him. He should have listened to his older sister when she said she'd walk home with him. But he was a big boy now, he could do it himself. Or so he thought. He felt another one of the boys shove him face first into the ground and he tasted dirt. He got another kick to the stomach before he heard an unfamiliar voice.

"Hey what are you guys doing?" a gruff voice sounded and Malik looked up to see another boy, maybe slightly older than he was, walking up to the group.

"Marik, this kid thought he could play here after school even though everyone knows we control this part of the playground" the leader spoke up, trying to justify the horrible acts.

Marik's eye twitched and he showed wisdom beyond his years.

"You have got to be kidding me" Marik said, looking the leader straight in the eyes. "You are despicable, go home"

"Or else what?" the leader smirked. Marik looked at him in disbelief and grabbed the boy's arm and twisted it at an odd angle. The leader screamed and clutched his arm.

"Go home" Marik repeated and the three boys looked at him in fear before running in the opposite direction.

Marik then turned to the young boy who was currently sitting in the dirt curled up in a ball.

"Hey little guy, it's going to be okay" Marik consoled reaching over to hold the boy. Malik looked up and started shaking as everything that had just happened caught up with him.

Marik put an arm around Malik's waist and lifted him up. Malik followed his lead and stood up.

"Why way do you live little guy?" Marik asked.

Malik just pointed to the right and the two walked in that direction, Marik's arm was still around Malik's waist to keep him steady.

They reached Malik's house and Malik's sister opened the door, her eyes filled with worry as she took in Malik's form.

"He had a run-in with some bullies but he should be okay" Marik explained. Malik let go of Marik and hugged his older sister tightly.

"Anyway, I should be off. Keep safe" Marik said going to leave.

"Thank you" a meek voice called out and Marik turned around to see a small smile grace Malik's lips. He smiled back and continued on his way.

He never saw the boy again.

(END FLASHBACK)

Marik sat up in his bed upon remembering the memory. How could he have forgotten those lavender eyes? He lay back down into the bed and closed his eyes. He wondered if Malik had recognised him.

Unbeknownst to Marik, Malik was having that same thought at his house at that exact moment.

(S)(P)(I)(E)(S)

Ryou quickly hid behind a corner as he saw Bakura walking in his direction. Bakura walked past Ryou's hiding spot without noticing the other boy and proceeded to yell at an employee that was in his way. The poor employee ducked his head and fled. The other employees around him took heed and made sure not to be in the director's way upon noticing Bakura's slightly worse than normal bad mood.

Ryou sighed and tried to slow down his beating heart. Ever since the day on the roof Ryou's stomach had butterflies every time he saw Bakura's face. He swore he'd even caught Bakura staring at him across the hall through the glass walls.

The agent put his hand in his pocket to make sure the key card was still there. Yugi had managed to swipe one of the employee's cards when they weren't looking and now they had a way into the duel disk design room.

He turned the corner to the familiar corridor to where he knew the mysterious metallic door was. He immediately turned back when he saw a man with shoulder-length silver hair at the door having a hushed conversation with a man carrying a clip board.

Ryou hadn't seen that man in the office before and quickly walked back to where he came from to tell the others. In his haste, he bumped into Bakura who, as usual, appeared out of nowhere.

Ryou nearly fell backwards but Bakura held onto his shoulder to steady him.

"You're just the person I wanted to see" Bakura sighed, still holding on to Ryou's shoulder.

Ryou looked up into his eyes and noticed how exhausted they looked.

"I've had the week from hell and I need to get out of this godforsaken place" Bakura growled.

His hand slid down Ryou's arm until reaching his hand and pulled him towards the elevators.

"But what about the others? I haven't finished my work" Ryou squeaked as he was lead towards the exit.

"I'll get one of the assistants to tell them, come on. Please?" Bakura asked, turning to look Ryou in the eyes.

Ryou could not resist. He could tell the others about the sliver-haired man later.

"Okay" Ryou replied and smiled up at Bakura. Bakura visibly relaxed but still held on Ryou's hand as they waited for the elevator.

'This is nice' Ryou thought as the elevator door dinged.

(S)(P)(I)(E)(S)

Ryou sipped his cocktail as he waited for Bakura to come back to their private booth. Ryou had forgotten how rich the brothers were. The booth he was currently sitting in overlooked the club but was private enough so that people couldn't look in.

He didn't know how he'd gotten into this situation. His heart was torn. Ryou was legitimately starting to have strong feelings for Bakura but his mission was really complicating things. He sighed loudly; life was really unfair sometimes.

"You sound more frustrated than me" Bakura said as he re-entered the booth, carrying another beer.

Ryou smiled up at him. "It's nothing, just normal work stress" Ryou replied.

"I wish I had that life. Sometimes the pressure of running a company with your two brothers gets to you. And there's always people trying to tear you down" Bakura sighed, thinking back to his dinner the night before with his father.

Ryou looked back at Bakura and saw the agony behind his brown eyes.

"Did you always want to work at the company? Ryou asked.

"No. But I couldn't have left it with just Yami and Marik, they'd have run it to the ground. That's what I told myself at the start. But now, I don't know what's keeping me here" Bakura explained, taking a swig of his beer.

"You know you don't have to stay there for your whole life. Don't waste your life doing something you're not passionate about. You only live once" Ryou said.

Bakura looked at Ryou in disbelief "You did not just say YOLO" Bakura laughed. Ryou looked at him in shock before he realised what he had just said then started laughing himself.

"I guess I did" Ryou laughed. Bakura reached over and ruffled Ryou's hair. Ryou's heart fluttered at the gesture.

Just as suddenly as Bakura's laughter started, it stopped. However the silence was much softer than before. Bakura pulled Ryou's head onto his chest.

"Could you just stay here? When you're here I feel like nothing else in the world matters" Bakura said so softly that Ryou could barely hear it. Ryou's heart broke at the words.

"Of course. I feel the same" Ryou replied. And it was true. When Ryou was with Bakura, he forgot everything. He forgot the mission, his enemies and his dark past. He finally felt at peace.

Ryou felt a soft kiss on his forehead and for the first time in a long time, he felt content.

The two dozed off completely ignoring the outside noises of the night club.

A/N: And there's some tendershipping for you! Let me know what you think xx