Hey guys, it's been a while hasn't it?
I'm sorry that I haven't updated in a while, it's been a rough couple of months for me with: attending Otakon, my last year of school at the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art, and some personal family issues. And to top it all off, my computer crashed so I had to type this whole chapter over again.
But like I've said before, I WILL finish this story if it's the last thing I do!
This chapter will show how Seto and Ishizu's relationship has changed since their "date"(BTW, I kinda lied, there are two more chapters after this, that could be good or bad news depending on how much you like the story). Anyways, I hope you like it!
DISCLAIMER: Kazuki Takahashi-sensei = Grand master of the Yu-Gi-Oh! universe and all it's inhabitants.
NINJA-RENKA = Grand master of nothing (Well, nothing yet anyway - but I'm working on it!)
WARNING: Umm, not really much to warn you about, unless you're strongly against obvious sibling manipulation.
CHAPTER 8 - YET EVERYTHING IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
It has been a few weeks since the End of Summer festival, and the colder temperatures and colorful leaves mark the beginning of October. On a particular chilly afternoon, the students of Domino City High School make their way home after they complete their daily cleaning duties. Bundled up in coats, hats, scarves, and gloves, Yugi and his friends talk as they walk through the school grounds and towards the Kame Game Shop.
"I don't know about you guys, but I've been feeling really good lately" -exclaims Joey.
"And why's that?" -asks Tristan with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, thanks to us, Ishizu and Money Bags are a couple. It's like we performed a public service or somethin'!"
"Easy there, Joey," -replies Tea. "We wouldn't want you to break your arm trying to pat yourself on the back. Besides, If I remember correctly, you spent the whole time at the festival stuffing your face."
The brunette's comment earns her a glare from the blonde. However, the rest of the group chuckles at their antics as they walk across the school's campus.
"I think I get what Joey is saying,"-offers Ryou, the first to recover from laughter. "It's nice to see your friends happy knowing that you had something to do with it."
The others nod in agreement, except Yugi who chuckles to himself at the comment. The champion duelist's friends look at him with confused faces as they wait for an explanation.
"I'm sorry, it's just that I had a funny thought: Marik and Mokuba must be dancing for joy at the success of their plan, but knowing Seto, he won't be happy at being manipulated. And from personal experience, an angry Seto Kaiba should be avoided like the Plague."
After taking the time to think it over, the teens giggle at the thought of an angry Kaiba unleashing his wrath on the unsuspecting partners in crime. As they near the exit of the school, their laughs are interrupted by someone clearing his throat.
"Don't you guys think I took that into account?"-states Marik, matter-of-factly.
The Egyptian teen has furrowed eyebrows indicating his uncharacteristically bad mood. Then again, he had been waiting for them by the front gate of the school grounds in the cold and has heard a good part of their conversation.
"Hey Marik, I thought you usually catch a ride with Kaiba or somethin' ?"-inquires Joey.
"Wheeler, Kaiba hasn't been here all day, he had some important meeting. Didn't you notice the lack of personal insults today?" -The Egyptian informs with a smirk.
"Tch, I wish I had the luxury of skipping school . . ."-mutters Joey.
"Joey, with your grades, the only thing you should 'skip', is your way over to some textbooks." -quips Tristan, receiving a punch in the arm from his blonde best friend.
A loud groan erupts from Marik, resulting in the attention of all the students and teachers in the immediate area, as well as scaring some nearby pigeons.
"THREE WEEKS! It's been THREE LONG WEEKS since the festival and those two still haven't been on one measly date!" -screeches the Egyptian teen.
"What are you talking about? I saw them on the cover of a tabloid magazine just the other day . . ." -Tea offers, hoping to calm him down.
"Pssh! It was probably from a paparazzi that got a lucky shot of the two of them on one of their 'lunch dates'." -Marik retorts. "Lately, Kaiba and Ishizu have been hanging out and stuff, but they've never been on a serious, romantic date. All I'm asking for is a nice dinner at a fancy restaurant with candles and flowers-"
"That's in a spot where you can easily spy on them . . . " -interjects Ryou.
"Exactly! I don't think that's too much to ask for."
The teens make their way down one of the busy streets of downtown Domino, oblivious that the subjects of their conversation are about to meet up as well . . .
Outside the Domino City Museum, A black luxury car pulls up to the curb. The door opens and Seto Kaiba himself steps out. Before he walks away and closes the door, he briefly speaks to the driver.
"You can leave, I'll call if I need you to take me home."
"Yes sir." -replies the driver with an all-knowing smirk on his features.
Ignoring his employee's expression, the young CEO closes the door and walks up the stairs leading to the museum's main entrance. Entering the large building, he walks by the last visitors and makes his way to the administrative floor. Kaiba passes the secretary's desk causing the college intern to look up from her "work".
"Excuse me sir, only museum employees are allowed on this floor. It's museum policy-"
"Let me guess, this is your first day working here." -interrupts the teen as he continues on his way.
Not knowing what else to do, the secretary calls Ishizu to warn her of the "visitor" headed towards her office. Entering the large wooden door, Seto finds the museum curator sitting at her desk that is covered with files and requisition forms. She is wearing a light blue cotton blouse with ¾ sleeves and a pair of gray wide-leg slacks that sit on her waist. Upon hearing the his entrance, the Egyptian looks up at the tall Japanese teen before her as she calms down her secretary over the intercom.
"Relax Yumi, I know who he is, it's fine."
Removing her finger from the machine on her desk, a small smile tugs at her lips as Ishizu turns to address the CEO.
"Seto, must you intimidate every intern here? Eventually, the college will run out of Anthropology students to send here."
"Perhaps, but I guarantee that the next time I come here, I won't be detained by 'museum policy'."-states the brunette.
"Either that made complete sense, or I've been spending too much time around you."
The comment causes Kaiba to chuckle as a few strides bring him closer to her desk.
"Well, at least you haven't been influenced by some of my less-desirable qualities."
"I'm surprised you'd admit that anything about you is less-than-desirable," -remarks the curator as she turns to file something. "So Seto, what brings you here?"
"The same reason I always come here, to feed you."
"Very funny Kaiba, but it's a little late for lunch. At this hour, I suppose dinner would be more appropriate, where do you want to go?"
While she speaks, Ishizu stands and grabs her messenger bag as she circles around her desk. Seto picks up her black wool peacoat that is hanging on a hook behind the door and helps her into it. Blue eyes meet blue as the Egyptian awaits an answer.
"Surprise me."
"Now there's a challenge."-replies the Egyptologist.
"I' m sure you're up to it."
With a smirk, the curator once again presses the button on her intercom to talk to her secretary.
"Yumi, I'm leaving for the day so please direct all my calls to my cellphone."
"Yes, Dr. Ishtar."-replies the intern.
Turning to her companion, Ishizu wraps a green-striped scarf around her neck and looks at the clock on the wall that reads 5: 27pm. Azure eyes widen as a dinner idea pops into her head and quickly realizing that they have little time to accomplish it.
"C'mon Seto, we have to get hurry before they close!"
Clearly confused but not having anything else better to do, the CEO follows the museum curator out of her office, through the museum, and onto the streets of Domino city. . .
It is about 7 pm as Marik Ishtar makes his way home from the Kame Game Shop, his head swimming with ideas to get his sister and Kaiba to go on an official date. Parking his red Kawasaki motorcycle, the teen makes his way into the apartment complex as he fumbles with his keys. Climbing the stairs, a familiar scent wafts through the building.
Onions, garlic, chili sauce, that couldn't be what I think it is . . . could it? -ponders the Egyptian teen.
Marik quickly speeds to the apartment he lives in with his sister, hoping to confirm his suspicions. After quickly opening the door and kicking off his shoes, he practically runs to the kitchen to see Ishizu cooking. On the stove is a pot of boiling water with lentils as homemade chili sauce is simmering in a skillet. Upon seeing her younger brother, the Egyptian woman smiles warmly.
"Welcome home, Marik. Oh, before I forget-"
"Are you making Koshary(Egyptian version of vegetarian chili)?!"
"Well, I had a craving for it and I know how much you like it, so-"
"You're the best, Iz!" -exclaims Marik interrupts his sister again as he hugs her.
"Thanks, although we had a hard time finding all the ingredients. Apparently, not many Japanese people eat lentils."
As Ishizu speaks, Marik follows his nose, only to be further surprised by the Om Ali (Egyptian bread pudding) baking in the oven. However his attention is grabbed when the word "we" escapes his sister's mouth.
"Who'd you go shopping with?"
"If you hadn't interrupted me little brother, I would have been able to tell you that we have a dinner guest tonight."
"Is it some stuffy suit from the museum or something?"
"Guess again, Marik."
At the familiar voice, wide violet eyes look over to see Seto Kaiba enter their kitchen. For the first time since he entered the apartment, Marik spots one of the CEO's trademark coats draped over one of the chairs and mentally slaps himself for not noticing it sooner. The Japanese teen, wearing a black, long-sleeved turtleneck and matching pants, simply smirks at the dumbfounded look on the blonde's face. Meanwhile Ishizu is trying not to laugh as she continues to prepare dinner.
"What're you doing here, Kaiba?"
"I was invited. Although I admit, I was curious to see where you two lived."
"And why is that exactly?"
With a non-chalant shrug of his shoulders, the brunette takes a seat at the other side of the kitchen counter, watching the food cooking before him. Ishizu starts cooking the rice and pasta as she reduces the heat on the sauce and drains the lentils.
"Are you going to tell me what, you're cooking or not?"-inquires Kaiba with a slight impatience in his tone.
"It's more fun if I don't tell you, after all you're the one that asked me to surprise you."
"True, but having you cook for me is surprise enough."
Watching them talk, Marik gets an idea and slowly starts to leave, hoping to slip out without either Ishizu or Kaiba noticing. . .
"Where are you going?"
Unfortunately, Marik hasn't gotten any better at slipping out under his big sister's radar . . .
"Umm . . . to get started on some homework?"
"Okay, but dinner will ready soon."
With that, the teen grabs his backpack and runs to his bedroom to escape the stares of two sets of blue eyes on him. Once out of sight, a grin appears on Seto's face.
"Marik doesn't lie very well on the spot, does he?"
"Nope, and neither does Mokuba."
Meanwhile, in Marik's room, he is frantically looking for his cellphone. Once he locates it, he quickly flips it open and calls Mokuba. The younger Kaiba is currently in the mansion's living room, engulfed in a game of Halo 2 when he picks up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Mokuba! Do you have any idea where you brother is?" -begins the Egyptian in a hushed whisper.
"Um, still at the office I guess-"
"Wrong! At this very moment, your brother is with my sister in our kitchen making dinner and acting like some married couple!
"WHAT?!"
"Tell me about it! I'm on my way over."
"Why?"
"Duh! It won't be a romantic evening if I'm here!"
"Alright, see ya' soon."
"Bye."
Hanging up the phone, Marik changes out of his school uniform and into a pair of jeans and a green graphic tee. He then puts on his leather motorcycle jacket over it as he leaves the room, making sure to grab his helmet on the way. The teen heads to the kitchen to let Ishizu know he's leaving.
"HEYIZ,I'LLBERIGHTBACKIJUSTHAVESOMESTUFFTODOBUT,THEREBETTERBESOMELEFTOVERSWHENIGETBACK!" -shouts the blonde as he runs out the door.
As the door closes shut, Seto and Ishizu both have confused looks on their faces as they try to decipher what Marik just said.
"Have you noticed our brothers' increasingly strange behavior?"-suggests Kaiba
"I've been aware of it, but lately it's become downright bizarre."
For a moment, both are silent as they think over the last few weeks worth of odd behavior from Marik Ishtar and Mokuba Kaiba.
"They are definitely becoming more desperate in their schemes."
"Obviously, did you see how Marik reacted when he saw you here?"-states the Egyptian. "Usually, I'm the only one that can shake him like that, I'm a little jealous."
At the word "jealous", Seto thinks back to the last time he felt the encompassing feeling - the festival a few weeks ago, where the two shared their first kiss. Since that night, the CEO and the curator have done an amazing job avoiding the subject. In fact, there were times when Kaiba doubted it even happened at all. But every time they would meet, the memory came flooding back as if it just happened a few moments ago. Emboldened by the thought, the expert duelist asks the woman next to him a question.
"Ishizu, have you figured out what our brothers are doing yet?"
"Who knows, I don't know about Mokuba, but Marik is always up to something-"
"They, along with the help of Yugi and his friends, are trying to get the two of us together."
Upon hearing the straightforward response, Ishizu stops what she's doing and avoids his gaze. She busies herself by turning off the stove and oven to avoid burning dinner.
"What makes you think that?"
"Well, ever since I met your brother, he has been trying to get to know me better while 'casually' dropping hints about you every chance he gets. Not to mention how often we manage to 'run into each other' recently." -surmises the CEO.
" . . . I had a feeling. Then again, having Mokuba ask me what kind of men I'm attracted to was a fairly obvious tip off."
The two share a short laugh at the blatant attempts of their siblings. As she thinks, Ishizu's own mind begins to wander back to the night of the festival. The events put a warm smile on her face as she walks around the counter to stand in front of Kaiba. Her sapphire eyes lock with his cobalt ones as a serious expression crosses her face.
"Seto, we never had a chance to talk about our kiss the other night, did we?"
"The both of us have been avoiding the subject quite skillfully."
"Well, I think it's time we talk about-"
The curator is cut off as the CEO pulls her into his lap and into another kiss. This time, the two ignore the rational and logical parts of their mind to let instinct and passion take over for once. Enjoying the intimacy, the couple takes the time to savor one another and the warmth between them. Feminine arms wrap around Seto's neck as masculine hands caress the curves of Ishizu's body. And with every moment that passes, an indescribable tingle runs up and down their spines, encouraging them to continue. Unfortunately, the need for air forces them to stop and catch their breath. A tanned hand makes it way into soft brown hair as Kaiba trails soft kisses down her neck.
"What're we getting ourselves into, Seto?"
"I don't know, but I'm interested to see what happens."
"Maybe I heard you wrong, but are you suggesting that we start dating?"
"According to every tabloid, we already are, Ishizu."
"Really? Well, I'd hate to disappoint, but there's no reason why we shouldn't have some fun while we're at it." -replies the Egyptian with a mischievous smirk to rival her brother's.
"What do you propose?"
"Well I don't want to ruin Marik and Mokuba's fun, they seem to be bonding over this endeavor. I propose that we postpone telling them we are a couple."
For a moment there is silence as the brunette stares at the woman in his lap, a dark smirk on his face.
"Ishizu, are you suggesting that we intentionally let our brothers continue to think that they are 'setting us up' for our own twisted enjoyment?"
"Yes, what do you think?"
"I think our brothers may have been right to pair us up."
With a smile, the archaeologist prys herself out of the businessman's arms and hands him a plate of food. An enticing scent of onions and garlic emanate from the home cooked-meal, reminding the CEO of his empty stomach.
"Good, now eat. I didn't cook this food just to watch it get cold."
"Tch, ordering me around already," -replies the teen with a joking tone causing the Egyptian woman to blush.
As Kaiba enjoys his dinner, a meal that is quickly becoming a new favorite, Ishizu starts to wrap up leftovers for Marik and Mokuba. The new couple unaware of the meeting going on between their younger brothers.
At the Kaiba mansion, Marik arrival has been heralded by the roar of his motorcycle's engine. Mokuba comes out to greet him and leads the older teen through the opulent house and into the spacious kitchen. The dark-haired teen takes a seat at the counter opening a bag of potato chips.
"I still can't believe this." -replies the blonde as he helps himself to the contents of the Kaibas' refrigerator. "At this very moment, Seto and Ishizu are having a romantic dinner at home. I couldn't have thought of a better plan myself."
"Yeah, . . . Your sister can cook right?"
"Of course, she had to feed me and Odion for all those years. Do you really think I wouldn't have let her cook for Kaiba if she was bad at it?"
"I was just making sure, Seto is a picky eater-"
"What a surprise. Trust me, no matter what Iz cooks, he'll eat it. She has a gift when it comes to food."
Mokuba still has a disbelieving look on his face as he snacks on chips, after all he's known his older brother to fire personal chef after personal chef if the food wasn't to his standards on a daily basis. As he thinks, another thought enters his mind.
"Hey Marik, is your sister free on the 25th?"
"I guess . . . Why?"
"I have an idea, and if this doesn't get our siblings together, nothing will."
-TSUDUKU(To be continued)
NINJA-RENKA: Alright, Chapter 8 is done and some interesting events have happened-
MARIK: What "interesting events"?
MOKUBA: Yeah, we weren't there to see what happened!
NINJA-RENKA: Uhh . . . nothing. Just the same old romantic buildup and all that. You didn't miss anything.
MOKUBA: You wouldn't be lying to us would you?
MARIK: Yeah, you haven't updated since July and lying would only make you feel even more guilty.
NINJA-RENKA: Stop reminding me, like I said before a lot has happened to me and this has been put on the back burner. The good news it that I already finished writing it, so I just have to type it up.
MARIK:So we should expect the next chapter to be up in . . . what, mid-April?
NINJA-RENKA: Shut-up. Anyway, the next chapter, CH.9 - Mission Accomplished?, will be about Marik and Mokuba as they try to complete their plan. Basically, you'll start to see how this crazy plan will wrap up! Thanks for sticking with me, even during my unplanned hiatus! Later days!
P.S. If you ever get a chance to try Koshary or Om Ali, you won't regret it!(I used these two dishes because they are Ishizu and Marik's favorite foods according to Wikipedia)
NINJA-RENKA OUT!