Chapter Five:

Yugi awoke the next morning early. Sitting up in the bed, he yawned and stretched, looking at the bedside clock. It was not quite seven, but his internal clock told him it was almost two in the afternoon in Japan. It was going to take a while to get used to the time difference.

He looked down to see Seto still sleeping beside him. Never did Seto look more peaceful than asleep. Yugi wished he wasn't still constantly stressed and driven, but that seemed to be his personality core. For all Yugi worried about his health, Seto seemed to thrive driving himself half-crazy every day with work and control. Smiling, Yugi slid out of bed so as not to wake him and went for a shower.

The bathroom was almost as large as his old bedroom in the Kame Game shop, which he still missed from time to time. This held a shower that had jets of water coming out of every surface but the floor, making for a pleasant shower. He enjoyed the fact he could feel the hot water all over his body at once without having to turn around against a single spray. He washed up quickly, dried, and got dressed. Seto was still sleeping and Yugi didn't disturb him. He'd been working hard right up until the moment they'd left for the private jet and after that exhausting flight, he had to be tired.

Yugi wandered out into the main common room, not surprised to see Yami was awake. He knew as well as anyone how restless Yami was. At the moment he was standing on the balcony outside the common room, looking down at the city. A fresh pot of coffee sat on the counter, but Yugi didn't like the taste and instead got himself some orange juice from the fridge before joining Yami on the gallery.

"Good morning, Aibou," Yami said without turning around. Even with their link closed, they could generally sense each other's presences.

"Morning." Yugi stepped up beside him at the railing and looked out over the city. "Have you been up long?"

Yami shook his head, taking a sip of the coffee. "No. Less than an hour. What do you think of this Las Vegas?"

Yugi looked over at him and shrugged. "I don't know yet. I did a little bit of research before we came here. It used to be called Sin City."

Yami continued to look down. "I'm not surprised. It seems nearly everything is legal here."

"Still, it might be fun. Joey wants to take us to one of the casinos after breakfast. I don't know anything about the games, though."

"Nor do I."

They lapsed into silence, drinking their drinks and watching the morning sun climb higher. It wasn't long before noise in the common room drew Yugi's attention. Seto was awake now, cleaned up and dressed, and helping himself to the pot of coffee Yami had made. He joined them on the balcony, which surprised Yugi. Seto's normal routine was to get the coffee and then read the morning paper before hopping on his laptop. It seemed he was going to change that for the trip.

"Someone is probably going to have to drag Wheeler out of bed," he said by way of greeting.

Pleased he hadn't called him 'the Mutt', Yugi nodded. "Knowing Joey, probably. But it's only about seven-thirty or something. Let's order breakfast and then we'll wake him up."

Yugi went back into the common room and picked up the room service menu that the bellhop had left on the kitchen counter. The appliances in the kitchen were largely for show, operational if someone wanted to do their own cooking, but otherwise merely decorations. The kitchens downstairs offered a huge selection of room service foodstuffs. Yugi returned to the balcony, where Yami and Seto were standing in civil if not companionable silence.

"Wow, you can order just about anything you can think of. Even foreign dishes. There's some Japanese on here."

"You pick," Seto said, taking another drink of his coffee.

Seto ususally left decisions like that up to someone else, such as Yugi or Mokuba or the cook. He didn't care what he ate. Yugi glanced at Yami, who shrugged. He didn't care either. Yugi perused the menu thoroughly, deciding to try some American-style breakfasts. He went back into the common room to use the service phone and ordered some dishes to be brought up.

"They said the food will be ready in about half an hour," he announced when he came back onto the balcony.

"Then I should wake Joey," Yami said. He left the balcony, dropping off his cup on the kitchen counter before going into their room.

"Are you still okay with this?" Yugi asked once they were alone.

Seto looked down at him. "This is for you."

"Well, I know, but that doesn't mean you can't say you want to leave."

Seto said nothing at all. Yugi smiled and leaned against him, choosing to be affectionate since there was only Yami and Joey to observe. Seto didn't push him away.

The breakfast arrived before Joey was ready, but once the food had been set out on the table, the smells attracted him out in a few moments. They all sat down and ate the breakfast, Yugi pleased that not once was there an insult or a fight.

After their breakfast they headed outdoors. There were no hours for casinos and Joey led them to one. Yugi noted that Seto showed an ID with the rest of them, and he knew perfectly well Seto's ID wouldn't show he was 21. At least, not his real one. But he said nothing and neither did Yami or Joey. Inside was already a flurry of activity, despite the morning hour. There was a lot of noise, people talking and sounds of coins clinking, the whirr of machinery, short musical themes, and cheers or groans. Waiters and waitresses in black and grey outfits walked around with trays of drinks. People sat at the machines, pulling the levers, or sitting at tables with cards and dice.

"Cool," Joey said cheerfully. "Okay, we just exchange some money for chips and do what we want. Hmm." He looked at Yami and Yugi thoughtfully. "Knowing how good you guys are with games, maybe we'll make more than we spend."

"Greed is an ugly thing," Yugi said.

"Whatever. Come on, Yami, win some money for me."

"Yes, I'm sure-" Seto stopped in mid-sentence. Yugi had been certain he'd been about to insult him and had stopped himself. He smiled brightly at him. Seto glared at him and folded his arms. "Just pick a machine and play, Yugi."

Joey looked at Seto like he was trying to decide if it had been insult he'd been about to say, or as if he was waiting for that insult to come anyway. Yami wandering off dragged him out of his contemplation and he hurried to catch up.

Seto gave Yugi some money and he went to exchange it for chips and quarters. He went to a slot machine and looked at it for a moment before putting in a quarter and pulling the handle. To his surprise, a little music played and his quarter came back with eleven friends.

"Hmm. Maybe Wheeler was right about your luck," Seto said from behind him.

Yugi gave him a coy look. "Luck has nothing to do with it."

Seto snorted at him. Yugi turned back to the machine and properly lost three of the quarters. Seto chuckled when he lost the fourth and Yugi stood up.

"The smart thing is to know when to quit," Yugi told him.

"Hm."

"Come on, let's go try that spin-y thing with the ball."

Seto raised an eyebrow. "You mean the roulette?"

"Yeah, that. Hey, I'm new at this."

"I've never set foot in a casino before either and I know the name."

"Yeah, well, you're that way."

"What way?"

Yugi gave another coy smile and walked away. Seto followed after him, not bothering to ask him again. He went to the roulette and looked at it. The house attendant looked at him.

"Help you?"

Yugi smiled at him. His English was perfect. "Sorry, never been in a casino before. How do you play?"

The house attendant explained the rules. Yugi nodded and played a few rounds. The people standing at the table looked at him suspiciously when he raked up a small pile of chips. Yugi blinked at them innocently. He really had just gotten lucky. He smiled at the house attendant and took the chips he'd won.

"You also know when to run away before people think you're cheating," Yugi told Seto. "You want to play?"

"No."

Yugi shrugged his shoulders. He found another slot machine to play and toyed with that for a while. He looked up at Seto, who was just standing there.

"It's probably boring watching. Sure you don't want to play?" When Seto shook his head, Yugi shrugged again. "You don't have to hang around, you know. You can go back to the hotel room and do something for Kaiba Corp."

Seto looked at him for a moment. Yugi leaned towards him, winking, speaking in English just to tease him. "I'll meet you in bed, later, koi."

Seto glared at him, but a faint smile tugged at his lips. Yugi turned back to the slot machine and put in another quarter. He played for a little while, but he was soon getting hungry and decided to find the others and get some lunch. To his surprise, Seto was not there anymore. He hadn't seen him leave. Well, he was around here somewhere, he wouldn't have left entirely, or he would have said he was actually going.

Spiky hair caught his eye. He smiled and went after his darkness. Yami was standing at a dice table, holding the dice in his hand. Three dozen people stood around the table, but they weren't playing. They were all staring at Yami, and Yugi realized he had a fan club. Yami tossed the dice and the people cheered. Yami had just won the toss, however he did that.

/Yami, I'm hungry, let's get some lunch./

/Yes, just a moment, Aibou./

Yami got the dice again and threw another toss. His fans cheered again.

Joey suddenly popped up. He looked at Yami, taking in the substantial pile of chips in front of him. He laughed and patted Yami's shoulder. "That's my Yugioh. Come on, it's lunch time."

"In a moment." Yami took up the dice again. He threw and his fans groaned. Yami sighed and held out his hand for the dice again.

"Yami, come on."

"One more throw, Joey."

Joey laughed abruptly. "Yami, this is how you get hooked." He reached out and lightly took hold of his wrist. "Drop the dice."

Yami looked up at him. Yugi smiled fondly. Yami had gotten hooked on playing, sort of like Duel Monsters, and though that had turned into a quest to save the world, he had originally played to play. Yami had a passion. /Mou Hitori no Boku?/

Yami actually blushed and set the dice back down. His fans groaned again, protesting. Joey reached down and picked up his chips, putting them into a bag he pulled out of his pocket. He held the bag out to Yugi, who dumped his fewer chips in.

"Where's Kaiba?" Yami asked, to cover up his evident embarrassment.

He had no reason to be embarrassed, but Yugi let it go. "I don't know."

"Well, let's split up and find him," Joey said. "I'm starving. Although..." His voice turned teasing as he smiled at Yami. "Maybe I should keep you with me, so you don't get addicted again."

Yami gave him a glare. He turned and stalked away, but Joey didn't stop smiling. Yugi was glad he realized Yami was embarrassed, not angry. Amused, he shook his head and headed his own way. He wandered through the machines, looking for the familiar white coat. Where had he gone?

/Aibou? I believe Joey has found him, he is waving at me. Over by the card tables./

Yugi turned and headed back that way, catching up with Yami at the tables. Yami gestured down the aisle, where Joey was standing a ways down. Maybe a half dozen feet behind him was Seto, talking to someone, which was a surprise.

Yugi headed that way, but before he could get that far, he watched Joey turn around and look at the two behind him and worse, Seto suddenly drew back his fist and slugged the guy in the face.

Yami gasped in surprise beside him as Yugi froze in shock. Joey hurried over as Seto stood over the man, who had fallen against a slot machine by the sheer force of Seto's hit. His mouth was bleeding. He yelled something Yugi couldn't hear over the sudden noise of the astonished gamblers and got up, running off. Yugi broke out of his stall when Yami grabbed his arm, and together the two of them ran forward.

"Seto, what happened? Oh, I thought you were going to keep your temper down!"

"Ah, Yug'-"

"Yeah, well, I guess I can't help myself," Seto said.

"But hitting someone's not like you, so what-"

"Forget it, Yugi. See you at the hotel."

"But, Seto-"

Seto turned in a sweep of his trench coat and walked away. Yugi glared at him, sighing and folding his arms. "I had thought he was being truthful when he said he wouldn't lose his temper."

"Uh, Yug', far be it from me not to enjoy someone being mad at Kaiba, but not you mad at him. So I've gotta come clean and tell you what happened, even if Kaiba doesn't want me to."

"You heard?" Getting a nod, Yugi reached out and grabbed his arm. "Tell me, Joey, everything."

"Okay. It wasn't pretty. Apparently that guy heard you tell Kaiba you'd meet him in bed and he, ah, made a comment. Asked if you were as good...a fuck as you looked." Joey's cheeks colored and his jaw tightened. He rubbed his knuckles like he was planning to throw a punch of his own. "Then he saw Yami waving towards him when he was actually acknowledging he'd seen me and asked if rich guys always got twins and if he could borrow one. That's when Kaiba clocked him." Now Joey smiled a little. "You yelled at him for being your knight in shining armor and defending your honor, Yug'."

Yugi felt his cheeks burn and was ashamed, but at himself. "Why didn't Seto just tell me?"

"Perhaps he just didn't want you knowing what that man said, Aibou" Yami said. "It was disgusting and degrading."

"Or maybe he'd rather you were angry at him and thinking he was a jackass than be all mushy 'cause he stood up for you," Joey suggested.

Yugi nodded in agreement. Both sounded right, just like Seto. He had to go apologize. "I've got to go."

"Of course," Yami said. "We'll see you later."

"Thanks."

Yugi hurried off and went back to the hotel. Seto was there, sitting down on the edge of the bed. Yugi closed the door and took off his jacket, hanging it up. "Seto...?"

Seto didn't look at him. "So the Mutt told you."

Yugi sighed. "Don't call him that." He crawled up onto the bed behind Seto. "Why didn't you just tell me? Why did you let me say that to you?"

"It doesn't matter, Yugi."

"Of course it does." Yugi smiled, leaning over his back, winding his arms around him backwards. "It means you love me."

Seto growled warningly. "Yugi."

Yugi chuckled and kissed his cheek. "I'm really flattered, though." He rubbed Seto's shoulders thoughtfully. "Hm. Lay back."

He slinked around Seto, pushing at him to lay on his back on the bed where he'd vacated. Seto looked up at him with a frown. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" Yugi gave him a lustful grin and reached down to begin undoing his belt.

"Yugi, you don't-"

"-have to do anything, yeah, yeah. This isn't about thank you, koi."

Yugi opened Seto's pants, pushing them down enough to free him. He reached down and began to stroke him, smiling as Seto moaned softly. Yugi looked up from where his hand was to watch Seto close his eyes, stroking him to a full erection. Once he was there, he bent down and pulled him into his mouth, relaxing his throat to take him slowly down to the hilt. Pausing for a second, he braced his hands on the bed on either side of Seto's hips, then began to bob his head slowly. Seto groaned again and began to thrust gently, Yugi taking it in stride.

He rubbed him with his tongue on every withdrawal, sucked the shaft with every push in. Seto's breathing was getting rough and when Yugi skimmed his hands along his thighs, he could feel the muscles trembling. Not once did he lose control of his gentle rhythm.

"Yugi."

Yugi loved the way he said his name when he was on the edge, how incredibly deep his voice got, how his name sounded like a dirty word. He sucked harder, reaching down to begin fingering his sac, urging him to come. Seto groaned more loudly, his fingers digging into the sheets, before finally releasing. Yugi swallowed and lifted his head, licking his lips. Seto lay with his eyes closed, breathing heavily in recovery. Pleased, Yugi tugged his pants back up and fastened them again before sliding up to snuggle against him, resting his head on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you." He smiled when Seto wrapped an arm around him but said nothing in response to his apology.

They rested there for a few minutes before Seto's other hand cupped under his chin and tilted his head up so that he could be kissed. Yugi sighed happily and kissed him back. He figured Seto was about to take it further when knocking on the bedroom door made him jump.

"Hey, guys, come on out!" Joey's voice called through the door. "The fun's not over yet. We're gonna play a game ourselves."

Seto growled and glared at the door. Yugi sat up in curiosity. "What game?"

"You'll see." Joey's footsteps departed.

Yugi looked over at Seto, who looked irritated. He cocked his head and shrugged his shoulders. "You don't have to play if you don't want to."

Seto studied him for a long second, then shrugged and stood up. "Just one more chance to put that dog in his place."

Yugi remained sitting, trying to will his blood in a new direction. He had after all just given his lover oral and was still rather aroused by it. Seto noticed his predicament and smirked evilly.

"Maybe I should just pick you up and throw you out there."

"Don't you dare."

"It's not like you don't share every sordid detail with Yami."

Yugi squawked in indignation. "Seto! Gross! Yami and I do not talk about our sex lives or mind-link during or any of that."

"Relax. I was teasing."

No one but Yugi, with the possible exception of Mokuba, knew of this side of Seto. It was rare, but occurrences of teasing happened. The cold, hard public image most people saw was the basis of Seto's personality, but not its only facet. Just like Yami could be playful and loving at times, so could Seto. Yugi stuck his tongue out at him and got to his feet.

Immediately Seto reached for him. Yugi evaded him, glaring. "Don't! I just now, uh...calmed down. I do not need you touching me right now."

Seto's wicked smile was doing nothing to cool his blood. Even for him Seto rarely smiled and when he did, particularly that way, it was all Yugi could do not to jump on him. He turned away quickly and headed out of the bedroom, Seto following after.

Yami was sitting at the common room dining table. Directly in from of him was a silver lid-covered tray. Four bottles of soda pop from the fridge sat next to it. A little off to the side of Yami's place was a small pile of cash bundles. Startled, Yugi stopped and looked at it.

"What is that?!"

"Yami's winnings," Joey said from behind the counter in the kitchenette, laughing. "After you left, he went back to the dice table and won some more games. I might have had to knock him out and carry him back if the house wasn't getting suspicious he was cheating."

/It is not as bad as he makes it sound,/Yami said in annoyance. /I am not addicted to gambling./

Yugi laughed and sat down next to him while Seto sat on his other side. /Are you sure? We all know how much you like to play games./

/Exactly, play games. The money was merely the prize./

"Looks like you'll be able to afford Wheeler a new water dish."

"Screw you, Kaiba."

"Guys," Yugi complained.

"Right, right, sorry, Yug'."

Seto didn't apologize, not verbally, but Yugi knew his expressions. He sighed and let it go. They were trying, and he couldn't expect them to be entirely well-mannered around each other. Yami was glaring at Seto and to head off another argument, Yugi turned to Joey.

"What game are we playing?"

tbc...