Title: Curious

Pairing: RishidxIshizu/Xenoshipping

Season Eight. Round Six.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Ishizu could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she slowly walked through the candlelit corridors of her underground home. She had been thinking about this for some time ever since she and her father had traveled through one of the villages a week ago. It was a sight she had never in her eleven years of life thought about, and she was instantly curious to try it out.

Rishid didn't seem to be the one to object to anything if persisted enough, but, this task may unnerve him more than usual. Ishizu knew that her adopted older brother was nearly six years older, and much smarter on these types of things, but…

"I'm just curious," she reminded herself, knowing that she didn't mean any harm to come out of it. She was certain that she had a good head on her shoulders about most things, despite her heavily sheltered life.

Her heart hammered heavily now as she neared her adoptive brother's room, her feet wanting to move faster despite her nervousness. However, she steadied herself by bracing a hand on the stone wall a few feet back from the actual doorway, staring at the bright candlelight that spilled out onto the floor.

Taking a deep breath to further reassure herself, Ishizu started again, walking to the doorway, her nerves flaring up again as she spotted Rishid working at his desk, his back to her.

"Rishid?" she asked in an unusually timid way, forcing herself not to shy away.

Her adopted older brother turned around in his chair, his black ponytail swinging at the motion, his unmarred face glowing softly in the candlelight. "Yes, Ishizu?"

"May I come in?" she requested, the back of her mind silently hoping that he'd say no. Ever since Marik had been born, she had noticed that he had developed a sort of resentment towards the whole family, since he was not to be the next Tomb Keeper.

But, ever kind to her, he smiled a little. "Sure, sister. What's on your mind?"

Swallowing, Ishizu tentatively pulled herself into the chamber, moving out of the doorway. Her blue eyes met his green ones, but she quickly averted her gaze to the ground.

"Is something wrong?" he inquired. "You don't seem to be acting like yourself," he added with a look of genuine concern. To her horror and embarrassment, he rose up from his place at the desk and walked over to her. Going down on his knees, he examined her for any injuries or signs of illness.

"Ishizu?"

She could feel her face heat up as she recalled the scene from the village. It was all that she could go off of, and she couldn't think of any other way to go about it.

Without warning to herself, or Rishid, she grabbed him by the face and linked their lips.

Blue eyes widened considerably, staring into shocked green ones as she kept their faces together, their lips frozen against one another. After a couple of seconds, she felt large hands on her shoulders, and then she was shoulder-width apart from Rishid.

The air was tense as Ishizu vowed never to let her curiosity get the better of her again, her stomach doing flops of humiliation as they merely stood there gaping at one another.

"I-I…I…" she stammered, unsure of what to say. Rishid simply kept his mouth shut, obviously expecting her to explain herself, and Ishizu was at least grateful that he didn't seem in the least bit angry with her.

But how was she supposed to explain the fact that she saw two people kissing for the first time, thus compelling her to want to try it for herself out of pure curiosity?

Just then the silence broke as their younger brother, Marik, bound up the doorway, calling Ishizu's name enthusiastically. The girl happily took the opportunity to finally turn away from Rishid, trying to force her blush down for the sake of her brother.

"Ishizu!" Marik called with relief, showing that he had been looking for her for some time now. He nearly ran into the room with the energy only a seven-year-old could have, hugging her around the waist, his lavender eyes shining up at him. "Ishizu, you'll never guess what father brought home today!"

She could still feel Rishid's gaze on her, but she paid her attention to Marik. "What did father bring home for us today, Marik?" she asked sweetly, glad that the youngster didn't take too much notice of her flushed face.

"Only the sweetest treat ever, sister! Guess, guess!" Marik pressed, wanting the free entertainment of his sister guessing all the wrong things so that he could proudly produce the right answer.

She shrugged, wanting to just get out of the room as quickly as possible now. Rishid would no doubt confront her later when Marik wasn't around, and that was just fine. She needed to think her previous actions through.

"Is it a toy?" she guessed blandly, just wanting her brother to say no and immediately blurt out what it was.

"No, even better!" he exclaimed, nearly jumping up and down in excitement.

"What is it, then?" she asked, Rishid's constant shocked stare starting to unnerve and irritate her. "Please no games, Marik."

Oblivious to her distress or Rishid, Marik blurted out in a near shout, "It's chocolate! Chocolate, Ishizu!" He quickly took her hand in his smaller on, intent on showing her that he wasn't making it up. "Come on! Father said we could have a small piece before dinner!"

Grateful for the small distraction and opening to leave, Ishizu didn't even chance a glance at Rishid as Marik led her out of the candlelit room. As Marik babbled on how awesome it was that their father actually bought them chocolate, Ishizu bit her lip, unconsciously tightening her grip on the younger's hand.

She had an inkling that Rishid wouldn't tattle on her for such a thing, but…the tightening in her belly worsened. She was only curious, curious, curious! Nothing else. Surely Rishid would have spotted that, right? She desperately hoped so.

For the next week, Ishizu purposely avoided Rishid despite the fact she knew he deserved an explanation for her abrupt actions. But she couldn't find it within herself to draw up the strength to confront him.

But he didn't come and find her either. And it was obvious he hadn't gone and told her father, for he didn't question her about it. Yet, the uncomfortable feeling still dwelled in her gut, and she wanted it gone.

So walking down the familiar corridor one afternoon when she was sure Marik was off studying, Ishizu once again walked down to Rishid's room, her heart hammering again when she saw him working just like before.

"Rishid?" she whispered, wondering if she even uttered the name it was so soft.

But with no other sound filling the room, Rishid heard her. He turned around, his green eyes landing on her with a kindness to them. "You may come in, Ishizu," he allowed, turning all the way around in his seat. "What brings you in today?" he asked calmly when she timidly tiptoed in.

"Uhm…I-I'm sorry, Rishid," she apologized softly, her face heating up again, her stomach full of thousands of butterflies.

"For what?" he questioned with honest confusion.

Had he really forgiven her that easily? It was a sin, in some ways, what she did. She had quickly realized that girls should not be kissing their adoptive older brothers like that. She felt horrible for the act, and he seemed to be acting like it never happened.

"For, uhm, you know," she offered awkwardly, not liking the feeling, "The kiss."

It was rare that Rishid actually smiled. Even if it were a small one. But he did and shook his head like the rest of the adults usually did when she or Marik said something that they didn't quite understand, and she felt embarrassed again. "Ah, that."

He looked at her, clasping his hands together. "I'll admit that you took me by surprise, and I didn't know what exactly what to think, but…I suppose that all girls go through something like that, from what I gather when I have to run an errand in the village. It's kind of hard not to observe girls up there, and how they all act."

Playing with the hem of her sleeve, Ishizu admitted, "I was just curious is all."

Rishid chuckled once. "I guessed as much." Then he looked at her with a kind expression. "Don't worry about it, Ishizu, I understand what you mean. Just think through what you're going to do if there's a next time, okay?"

Determined to never embarrass herself again, Ishizu said sternly, "There won't be a next time, Rishid." Her blue eyes blazed with resoluteness.

He didn't know what to make of Ishizu's change of tone and finality, but Rishid merely smiled at her a little more.

When her older brother didn't say anymore, Ishizu unexpectedly felt out of place. "Uhm, I guess I'll go check on Marik now." With that, she walked out of the room, intent on getting rid of all the feelings suddenly bombarding her.