Chapter Six:
Seto helped Yugi into their hotel bedroom and shut the door. Yugi was continuously smiling and definitely none-too-steady on his feet. He sat down on the edge of the bed, smiling up at Seto. Seto snorted at him and started to undress. It wasn't until he realized he'd been fumbling with his belt twice as long as usual that he had to admit that he wasn't completely sober himself.
Yugi seemed to realize that, and, with the power of being drunk, seemed to think it was hilarious. He started giggling so hard he nearly slid off the bed. He managed to catch himself and pushed himself back up, still sniggering. Seto got the belt off and dropped his pants to the floor.
"Stop laughing, idiot. Let's see you get all those buckles off."
Yugi stopped laughing abruptly. He looked down at his outfit with something akin to drunken horror and Seto couldn't help but be amused. But, he managed to stop himself from laughing. He wasn't that drunk.
Seto finished undressing and changed into his pajamas while Yugi was still working on his throat buckle. Seto finally reached out and did it himself. As he took off the matching cuffs, Yugi smiled in a way that was now beginning to look sleepy.
"Thanks."
"It's out of pity."
He unhooked Yugi's belt, with a little less difficulty than he had his own now that he realized his condition, and left the rest to Yugi, going into the bathroom. When he came back out, Yugi was lying in only his boxers on the bed, atop all the bed clothes, on his side and with his limbs thrown all over. He was already fast asleep.
Rolling his eyes, Seto climbed into the bed and turned Yugi over so that he could have some room. Grumbling, he switched off the lamps and got himself under the covers, pulling them up over Yugi as well.
"You're damn lucky you're light as a feather or I would have just shoved you off the edge."
******
The next morning they all did sleep in late, very late. It was almost noon before Seto even opened his eyes. Yugi, clearly having been more affected by the alcohol than he, did not wake but as he was breathing evenly, Seto wasn't worried. Stretching himself, he got to his feet. It was a testament that they had not gotten very drunk as he didn't have a headache. Yugi's susceptibility to the alcohol most likely had to do with his small body size as well as his lack of experience drinking.
Seto got himself a shower and went out into the main common room. Yami was just setting a pot of coffee on. He was wearing a hotel-issue terrycloth robe and looked up when Seto entered the room.
"Oh. Good morning, Kaiba."
Seto grunted. "Yugi's still dead to the world. The Mutt the same?"
Yami's eyes narrowed and his expression hardened. He walked closer to Seto, his ire obvious. "I promised Aibou along with Joey that I would not fight you and I intend to uphold that, but I will not allow you to stand there and insult my lover."
Seto bent at the waist to bring himself closer to Yami and sneered in his face. Straightening, he shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever. Yugi's not here to hear it."
"Honor has always been one of your greatest attributes. You forget, Aibou and I still share our bond. If he opens his side of the link, he will see as I see."
"Hn. And I suppose Wheeler calling me Moneybags and Rich Boy does not count?"
He saw that he'd caught Yami off-guard. Picking up a fresh apple from the as-yet-unopened fruit basket delivered when they'd taken up the hotel suite, he retrieved a knife from the drawer and started paring it. Keeping his eyes on his work so he didn't slice into his fingers, he didn't watch Yami but after a moment the silence made him stop mid-motion and look up.
Yami was staring at him as if seeing him for the first time. He tilted his head slightly and seemed to be debating what to say.
"You know something, Kaiba? You're right. I suppose my bias towards the situation blinded me to the fact Joey was using insulting names for you as well. I apologize."
"Hah. If I hate it when Yugi apologizes to me, what makes you think I'll accept yours? I don't care at all what Wheeler or you or anyone else says or thinks about me."
"Except Aibou."
Seto bared gritted teeth and returned to his apple. He pared it into six sections and tossed the core away, setting the apple on a plate before paring an orange. Silence reigned in the kitchen and he was glad for that.
The coffee finished brewing and Yami poured two cups, setting them on a tray before returning to the bedroom he shared with Joey. Seto noticed he'd pulled two extra mugs from the cabinet and left them sitting beside the pot. A peace-offering, he supposed.
Smirking, Seto finished his fruit plate with a sliced banana and a bunch of grapes from the basket, then went into the fridge to see what else there was to be had. He made some toast with butter and filled a small coffee-creamer cup with jam before pouring some coffee for himself and milk for Yugi and returning to the other bedroom.
The shower was running so he set the tray on the side table and turned on his laptop, sipping his coffee while checking his e-mail and Kaiba Corp's stock points. Yugi came out of the bathroom wearing a terrycloth robe almost identical to Yami's. Seto looked up from his laptop, watching as Yugi's eyes went to the fruit tray and a bright smile spread across his face. Seto glared at him to head off a lovey-dovey thank you session.
Yugi picked up the tray, then came over and slid into Seto's lap, setting the tray on the main table away from his laptop.
"Mm, breakfast in bed. Or my lover's lap. Equally good."
"I don't remember when I became furniture for you."
Yugi looked up at him with a sweet smile. Seto hmphed and took another drink of his coffee.
"I've long since learned you can manipulate with your expressions, Yugi. You're not nearly as innocent as you try to appear to be."
"Damn. Maybe I should come up with a new strategy."
Seto had to admit, he liked it when Yugi cursed. Initially he had dismissed the smaller boy as a weakling, like nearly everyone else who had ever met him, except Yami. Yugi insisted, despite his dark's protests, that he had been weak and it was only Yami's help that had made him stronger. Whatever way it had happened, his gradual rise to strength had been what had caught Seto's attention in the first place. Seto had no time for frailty, but Yugi had more often come to show a backbone and an intensity the longer he'd known him. When Yugi fought and his expression hardened, there was a potential for ruthlessness in his eyes that Seto liked. Even when he'd been on the receiving end of it, like during Battle City. It was the losing to him he'd disliked.
In some ways Yugi was like Yami. Their expressions got pretty similar when they were angry, and they were both strong, but Yugi didn't have Yami's self-righteous attitude that so pissed Seto off. And eventually there was some attraction to Yugi's gentle side, too, as long as he didn't try to change him, which he never did, unlike Yami. The only thing he requested was more respect for his friends, otherwise he liked Seto for himself. Yami seemed to think he was supposed to be his old Priest reincarnated.
"Seto?"
Seto looked down, realizing Yugi was looking up at him in concern.
"You looked angry all of the sudden. What's the matter?"
Under normal circumstances Seto would tell him, that he thought his dark half was an arrogant, blind, past-oriented bastard, except that this was supposed to be a fun vacation for Yugi. So he shrugged his shoulders.
"Nothing, Yugi."
"Okay..." Yugi smiled and took up a section of apple, eating it while he got out of Seto's lap. Another point in Yugi's favor, he knew when to quit.
"Hey!"
Seto sighed as Wheeler's irritating voice came through the door again with another knock. Yugi walked across the room, still holding the tray in his hand, and opened the door.
"Morning, Joey."
"Hiya, Yug'. Oh, you got breakfast, huh?" He lifted his eyes over the top of Yugi's head, to where Seto was still sitting. Mentally daring him to say anything, he was surprised when Wheeler merely looked back down. "Okay, Yami and I'll be heading out on our own, then. Yami wants to split up for today if that's okay with you."
If Yugi wondered about that, he didn't show it. "Okay. When are we heading to the house again?"
"It opens at six, but it's about an hour drive from here. How about we meet back here at four to get ready and check out of the hotel?"
"Sounds good. Where's-- Oh, hi, Yami."
The angle from where Seto was sitting didn't allow him to see around the edge of the door to where Yugi could see Yami, but he heard him.
"Good morning, Aibou. Did you sleep well?"
Seto smirked as Yugi's profile reddened. "Yeah."
"See ya guys later," Wheeler said.
"'Bye."
Yugi returned to the table Seto was sitting at without closing the door again. He set the tray down and picked up a slice of the banana, popping it into his mouth and chewing.
"Aren't you going to eat anything?"
Seto shook his head, turning back to his computer. "It's for you."
Yugi silently ate the fruit for a few moments before speaking again. "Maybe we can go out to eat lunch."
"Fine."
Seto went through Kaiba Corp's financials and read the emails Mokuba had sent him updating him on all that had happened while Yugi finished his fruit plate and got dressed. Once he was, Seto reluctantly turned off his computer and accompanied him out into the city. They killed time by wandering around downtown, Yugi amusing himself by checking out some of the shops and Seto following him.
"Hey, what's that?" Yugi asked, pointing to another hotel.
Seto looked and saw a sign that said, "The Treasure Island Hotel" and another that said, "The Sirens of the TI." A big pirate ship floated on a lagoon out front.
"I don't know."
"Let's go check it out."
Seto followed him reluctantly as he crossed the street to the hotel.
"Excuse me," Yugi said, smiling at the nearest person. "Could you tell me what this is? I've never been to Las Vegas before."
The woman glanced at him. "Yeah, honey. It's the Sirens of the Treasure Island show. Free show, the sirens of lore against the evil pirates." She smiled in a way that was supposed to be appealing. "Going to stay and watch one?"
Before Yugi could answer another woman joined the first. She was a very pretty blond with green eyes. She was dressed in a low-cut shiny green dress that looked as if it was a mermaid's tail, except without the flukes. Her shoes were also shiny and green. Her lips were cherry red and her eyes had pale green and light blue sparkly shadow. She looked at them both and smiled at Seto.
"Hi. Never seen a Sirens show before? My stage name is Amariella, the lead Siren." She spoke with pride and smiled again. She was clearly flirting with him. "I'd bet you'd like it if you stayed. Who knows, maybe you could be the lead pirate some day."
Seto snorted at the idea of himself as a pirate in a seedy hotel show. Nevermind that he could tell that the Treasure Island hotel was supposed to be one of the more extravagant ones, similar to the one they were staying in. To his surprise, Yugi was glaring at the woman. Not overtly, as that was not his style, but Seto knew how to read him now. Was he jealous?
Amused, Seto looked down at him. How could Yugi be jealous? The woman could flirt all she pleased, she was obviously not what Seto liked. He decided not to leave just yet, enjoying Yugi's resentment.
"Thanks," Yugi said with equally false smile and sincerity. "But we have some place to be."
"Oh, are you sure?"
"Sure. Come on, Seto, let's go." Yugi took his elbow and pulled. Seto went with him without lingering. Yugi looked over his shoulder with one last dark look at the Siren and her friend back at the other hotel. Finally four o'clock rolled around and they returned to their own hotel.
******
"Hi, Yami," Yugi said cheerfully as they entered the common room. Yami and Wheeler were sitting on the couch, talking. "What's that?"
Yami smiled and extended his arm to better show off the gold armlet around his right bicep. It was in the shape of a thin snake coiling three times around his arm, the head and tail on the same side of his arm. The eyes were green emeralds.
"Joey got it for me. It is an Edjo armlet very similar to ones worn when I was Pharaoh. She is the cobra goddess who protects the Pharaoh."
Yami lowered his arm. Wheeler smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "I saw it, thought of him."
"Aren't we getting ready to go to this house?" Seto asked, not interested in any romantic moments between Wheeler and Yami.
"Oh, yeah," Yugi said. He looked up at him and smiled. "Let's start packing. Are you guys ready?"
"Nah, not yet. We were just hanging around here until you got back."
"Yes," Yami agreed, standing. "But we should get to that if we're to be leaving in about an hour."
They separated and Seto and Yugi went into their bedroom. As they got the few possessions they had around the hotel room gathered up, Seto couldn't resist.
"So, Yugi. Did you actually think that Siren would steal me away from you?"
He enjoyed the bright blush that colored Yugi's cheeks as well as the ashamed look on his face.
"Oh, was I that obvious?"
Seto shrugged his shoulders. "To me, but then, I know you."
Yugi smiled, his flush slowly fading. He came over and wrapped his arms around Seto's waist, looking up at him. "You know I'm not normally a jealous person, but when it comes to you..." He shrugged his shoulders.
Seto smirked and bent down to kiss him before lightly pushing him away. "Let's get packed so we can head out."
Yugi nodded and let go of him and they finished their packing. Returning to the common room, Yami and Wheeler had not finished with their own packing, though the door was open. It was a quarter 'til five, so they had plenty of time. Yugi got a drink while they waited, though he hadn't finished half of it before the other two came out.
"All right," Wheeler said with a typical wide grin. "Let's go spend the rest of the weekend getting scared silly."
Seto just refrained from making a disparaging comment. He didn't believe in ghosts and haunted houses. Most likely this was going to be a scam; some woman dressed up as a New Age medium channeling spirits that bang on the table whenever her knee moved and flashing lights set on timers. He could see from the look on Yami's face that he thought the same thing. They were both here only for their lovers.
They checked out of the hotel and Seto called for a limo service to take them out to the house, paying extra for the long travel.
"Wow," Yugi said with a grin when they saw the house.
It was huge thing, about as big as his own mansion. It was done in a Gothic style with turrets, gargoyles, and arced, multi-paned windows. A low, brick wall surrounded the property with a small wrought-iron gate. The wall and gate seemed to be only for show--the wall was only three feet high and the gate four. The house stood on a gently-rising hill, overlooking the rest of the land imperiously. The rest of the land, like most of Nevada, was desert. Only sand, dirt, and scrub brush dotted the landscape for miles, excepting mountains and plateaus in the distance.
The limo dropped them off and they entered the house, which was unlocked. The dark-wood double doors opened up into a grand foyer made of marble floor and walls papered with pale green wallpaper. A sweeping staircase led up, while from the main foyer opened out a half dozen hard-wood doors. The ceiling was vaulted, rising up fifteen feet above their heads. And in the foyer was another four couples, all heterosexual and between twenty and forty. Two were white, one black and probably all local or at least American. The third couple were mixed races: one who looked Indian and the other Phillipino. All had luggage at their feet.
They all looked up as they entered before turning back to their own conversations. However it was only a couple of minutes before they were addressed.
As if she had appeared out of thin air, a woman in her thirties appeared at the top of the staircase, wearing a black dress with a bright red shawl over her shoulders. Her black hair was pulled back in an elegant bun and her light brown eyes surveyed them from the top of the staircase as they all looked up at her. She was a handsome woman, but not beautiful.
"Welcome, visitors," she said. Her voice held an accent, but Seto was unfamiliar with American accents and couldn't place it. "Welcome to the Marvell Haunted House. My name is Abigail Douchett. I hope you enjoy your stay. Supper and the tour will begin in forty-five minutes. Please take this time to go up to your rooms and make yourselves at home. Oscar will guide you to your rooms upstairs."
A man entered from an open door off to the side. He was a very tall man, even taller than Seto, thin, with white hair smoothed back and nearly black eyes, wearing a black suit. However, he wasn't the typical, creepy bulter. He smiled warmly at them all.
"Welcome. Please, follow me upstairs to the guest floor."
Oscar headed up the stairs, Abigail stepped back to allow them the room, smiling at them all as they passed her. The second floor consisted of a long hallway stretching out in both directions from the staircase. At least eight doors lead off from the narrow, dark-wood hallway lined with frosted-glass lamps in sconces.
"Every couple has their own room." Oscar pointed off to the left wing of the hallway. "The Millers are in the far room on the left, the Narendras on the right. The Maxwells are here on the left from the staircase." He pointed to the right. "The Johnstons are near the staircase on the right, Yugi and Kaiba on the far left, Yami and Joey on the far right. Enjoy your stay and we'll see you at supper. Down the staircase to the ground floor, double doors to the left when facing the front doors."
He turned and descended the stairs. The parties split up; the four of their group headed down to the end of the hallway. Yugi pushed open the heavy wooden door to the room he shared with Seto. It was a nicely furnished room, like an old-fashioned bed-and-breakfast. The table, chairs, and two low dressers were all antique-looking. The bed was the only modern piece in the room, large and sturdy with a heavy wooden headboard and four low posts without a canopy. The covers and the curtains were all green.
"Nice," Yugi said cheerfully as he set down his bags.
"Hey, ours is red!" Wheeler called from across the hall. "It's like they knew Yami was coming."
"They did know, Joey, it was a reservation."
"You know what I meant."
"What do you think?" Yugi asked him.
"Truthfully I think this is a scam, but that doesn't mean it won't be entertaining."
Yugi smiled in a way that clearly indicated he knew he was being humored. "I really do appreciate you coming, Seto."
"It hasn't been entirely irritating."
Yugi laughed and headed across the hall to look at the others' room. Seto stayed in theirs, looking around, mentally daring a spook to show up. The house seemed wholly normal, without so much as a cobweb to lend a creepy atmosphere. It seemed the caretakers couldn't even do it right.
"I guess we might as well unpack for the weekend," Yugi said as he came back into the room. "Then we'll head down to dinner."
They did that before joining Yami and Wheeler and heading down to the main foyer. As they went towards the dining hall for dinner with the other guests, Seto looked around. The outside had made him certain there was a third floor to the house while this main floor held five rooms other than the hall. The doors to the other bedrooms had been open as they passed as well as the doors down here. Seto could see a parlor with a baby grand piano and fancy antique furniture, a conservatory filled with plants and a fountain, and a room that boasted of three tables with chairs surrounding them. The tops held what looked like a chess set, Scrabble, Monopoly, and a Oujia board. Why the games? Weren't they supposed to be entertained with ghosts this weekend? The fourth door led back behind the staircases and though the angle was bad, Seto suspected it was the kitchens.
The fifth door was closed, the only one in the house they'd seen so far that was. Why? What lay behind it?
"Hey, Kaiba, hurry up or I'll eat everything in sight!" Wheeler called as Seto had paused to consider the closed door.
"Like you don't do that anyway," Seto retorted, moving to rejoin them as they all entered the main hall.