AN: Thanks to all who read and reviewed chapter one; Acirederf, Yamisactualwife, TheAlphsChives, Bill and the elusive guest. I would also like to give particular thanks to Nenya85 for her advice and encouragement.
I hope you continue to follow and find the liberties I'm taking with this classic entertaining. This is the chapter where Kaiba first starts to recognise his growing attraction to Yami…hope you enjoy :)
"For he is such a disagreeable man, that it would be quite a misfortune to be liked by him." Jane Austen, P&P.
Chapter Two:
Not far from the game shop lived another family with their mother. The eldest son being another keen player of duel-monsters it was unsurprising that he would be drawn to the same social sphere as Solomon's family, he was a sensible, intelligent young man named Yugi…and he was Yami's most intimate friend.
The following morning the two met up at the game shop to discuss the events of the previous evening.
"You played well against Rex in the second session Yugi," declared Solomon, "your use of mirror force causing his Serpent Night Dragon to destroy itself was superbly timed."
"He had already succumbed to Mai in the first round also," laughed Yugi, "I don't think he had a very enjoyable evening. I noticed Mai seemed to enjoy hers though, despite an unexpected defeat," he added with a teasing smile in Joey's direction. Ignoring the sudden flush in his friend's cheeks, he continued, "I overheard her later too - talking about Joey…" he tailed off provocatively.
"Come on man, you're killing me here!" his target begged pleadingly, the uncharacteristic urgency of the tone betraying how much he hoped it had been a positive anecdote.
"That's cruel Yugi," declared Yami, coming to his brothers assistance, although sharing a look brim-full of amusement with his friend.
"Oh no Joey! Of course it's something you'll want to hear, how could you think I would be deliberately unkind Yami?" Yugi immediately responded looking slightly flustered and immediately wishing to reassure Joey.
He was always tender-hearted and in such areas could thus be relied upon to misconstrue mischievous intent mused Yami, inwardly smirking at the double torment he had inflicted.
Realising he had 'fallen' into a trap of Yami's devising, Yugi cast him a reproving look before returning his attention to the expectant Joey. "She was asked if she thought any of our local players had talent Joey, and she said surely they'd seen her duel against you…'looks and talent wrapped up in one package' is an exact quote." He finished with a beaming smile.
After a single dumbfounded moment, Joey wandered off with a dreamy look.
"My eavesdropping was more to the purpose than yours Yami," Yugi declared, following up indignantly, "Kaiba is not so well worth listening to as his friend is he? – Poor Yami! – to be merely an adequate, small-town celebrity."
"Yami should certainly not be vexed by anything he has to say," Solomon interjected, "he is such a disagreeable man that it would be quite a misfortune to be liked by him. Everybody says that he is eaten up with pride."
"I do not mind his pride," said Yugi, "there is some excuse for it…he has so much wealth and gets so much attention, it is not surprising he should think highly of himself, but I wish he had duelled with Yami."
"Another time," huffed Solomon, "perhaps Yami will refuse to duel with him!"
"I think I can quite safely agree that that will never happen," responded Yami, "I could more easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine."
"Perhaps I could help direct his thoughts into more positive channels." interjected Marik, who had entered the shop just in time to overhear these last remarks. "The rod can be very encouraging!" he declared brandishing it vigorously. Laughing the others hurriedly diverted him, bringing an end to the conversation.
Throughout the ensuing days Yami and Joey encountered Mai and her sister on numerous occasions, the gaming community encouraged such meetings as searches for supplementary cards and lectures on play were always likely to draw the interest of such like-minded enthusiasts. Yami had plenty of leisure to observe the deepening interest in Mai shown by his brother. There was distinct warmth in the deep brown eyes each time they rested upon her and he was quick to perceive the answering softness in her own as they returned his interest. Yami was satisfied, an equal regard was developing between them – they enjoyed one another's company and their personalities complimented each other. He would have been anxious had Joey seemed to be falling so strongly for someone who did not return his regard (for beneath his insouciant exterior Joey felt strongly and his loyalty once given was forever) but Mai seemed to truly see the real Joey behind the banter and gave every indication of valuing him just as she ought.
The local notoriety of the duelling brothers had led to several visits to the penthouse currently occupied by Mai and her sister, ostensibly for the purpose of gaming discussions and often in the company of other guests. Kaiba himself was sometimes present, although as was usual, his laconic interjections were few and occasionally blighting. Yami often found him insufferable.
Yugi had also noticed the progress in the relationship with equal interest (in some areas they were remarkably similar) and the two discussed the developments feeling pleasure for Joey. However…occupied in observing the development of the rapport between his brother and Mai, Yami was far from suspecting that he was himself becoming an object of some interest in the eyes of her host. Kaiba had at first looked upon him with his habitual disdain; he had dismissed him as a duellist and when he again was encountered had expected only to find more fruit for criticism. Nevertheless no sooner had he made his utter indifference plain to himself and his colleagues than his contrary nature began to assert itself.
He found Yami's duelling strategies strangely compelling and beneath the ridiculous (but striking - he grudgingly admitted internally) hair, he noticed the uncommon intelligence of the expressive face and the passion behind that fiercely compelling purple gaze. To this discovery succeeded others equally mortifying. Though his critical eye could detect failures in Yami's form, he was forced to acknowledge that overall he found him attractive - the slight figure had a sinewy strength to it and he moved with a certain supple fluidity. His manner though unfamiliar to Kaiba, was decisive, confident and intellectual; Kaiba's attention was further caught by the easy camaraderie he was so often on the outside of.
He began to wish to know more of him but was amazed to find that when he overheard someone comment excitedly to Yami about the prospect of the potential for a duel between them - Yami demurred. He passed it off lightly, but Kaiba was adept enough to hear the unspoken criticism. Yami had no desire to duel him! The prodigious Kaiba was disapproved of, not only did he feel the first unrecognised stirrings of unfamiliar desire; his ego also was now piqued.
One evening after Joey had left some time earlier to visit Mai (the pretext this time his new Red Eyes Black Dragon card), Yami received an agitated phone call from her. After calming her down he was able to elicit the information that Joey had been brought to her rooms by the doorman who had fortuitously caught sight of a disturbance on the corner of the street in the deepening gloom. Joey had been attacked en-route to his destination by a group of rare-hunters who had somehow 'caught wind' of his new acquisition and proposed to relieve him of it. The doorman's intervention had been timely and he still possessed the card but he had suffered a violent attack.
Mai assured the anxious family that a doctor had immediately been summoned and he had declared that Joey would be fine but that he should not be moved for a few days due to a slight concussion. Since Joey would be staying in the penthouse for a period, Mai immediately invited Yami to stay also - so that he could watch over his recuperating brother and reassure the concerned Solomon and Arthur.
Gratefully the family accepted the offer and Yami set off to join his brother at KaibaCorp, bringing with him necessities for their stay.
(A point of interest: The family were informed next day that the police had captured those concerned, after several robed individuals were found wandering, their minds very disturbed and incoherent – "the price of drug abuse," said one officer shaking his head wisely.)
For the first day or two Yami was completely absorbed with the care of his brother for Joey had indeed been shaken up and was subject to dizziness and headaches. However, when he began to show signs of recovery and Mai repeatedly offered to sit with him, Yami was quick to realise whom would be the preferred 'nursemaid' and began to spend some of his time with the other occupants of the penthouse.
Following his first appearance at lunch, Vivian (to whom Kaiba had earlier made the rookie mistake of describing Yami as having fine eyes) began to speak ill of him as soon as he was out of the room. His manners were criticised as a mixture of pride and impertinence, he thought he knew more than his betters (about duelling) and was staying an unnecessarily long time – surely his brother did not require such careful attention…it was all a ploy. Into all of this spitefulness Weevil and Rex (who were intimidated by Yami) entered wholeheartedly, but upon meeting with nothing but bored disdain from Kaiba they moved smoothly on to criticise his family.
"I am sure Joey seems a sweet boy," said Vivian patronisingly, "but as part of such a family I cannot see anyone of substance wishing to ally themselves with him." She continued spitefully, "His father's 'partner', the two losers who hang around the lowest dicing haunts and that other oddball who is certainly special in some sense of the word…certainly enough baggage to drag anyone down."
"It must certainly very materially lessen their chances of allying themselves with people of any consideration in the world," replied Kaiba, thinking for the first time with slight anxiety about Mai's evident preference for the blonde in the other room.
To this the others gave their hearty assent and indulged their mirth for some time at the expense of their friend's vulgar relations (to the inner disgust of Kaiba who wasn't sure why he suddenly felt so alienated).
Later that evening Yami again joined the others as Mai was amusing Joey with stories of various tournaments she had entered. When he came into the room the others were playing a game which he declined to join since they were playing for money. He instead stated that he would amuse himself by looking through Kaiba's impressive collection of duel-monster cards (those not in his deck of course).
"Yami despises other games," declared Vivian, "he is a devotee of duel-monsters and has no pleasure in anything else."
"I deserve neither such praise nor such censure," exclaimed Yami, "I would not call myself devoted and take pleasure in many things."
(Kaiba's hand trembled slightly at this statement, unnoticed by the others).
"What an amazing collection you have Kaiba," gushed Vivian, batting her eyes at him (surely he would notice how fine eyes really looked).
"It ought to be good," he replied calmly, "it has been one of my chief interests for many years now.
Yami was deeply interested in this and turned his head to listen, hoping for further discussion in this vein.
Vivian however was moving smoothly to another ingratiating strategy. "How is your wonderful brother?" She queried unctuously, "He is another budding duel-monster genius I am sure."
Despite himself Kaiba's expression softened slightly as he thought of his brother. "Mokuba is fine," he said "and he is certainly improving his card strategies although he really prefers capsule monsters I think".
"How I long to see him again! I never met with anybody who delighted me so much, he is so accomplished for his age."
In an attempt to stem this flow of sycophantic small talk without being forced to be publically rude to a guest, Kaiba declared that "some of us have a business to run," in his most repellent tone and opening his laptop was immediately engrossed in company matters. Vivian however proved impervious to the implied snub and continued her unwanted attentions – commenting variously on 'how clever one must be to control an entire company,' 'how speedily Kaiba was able to assimilate information' and how 'he typed with such an air of authority.'
Yami becoming steadily more sickened by her transparent attempts to ensnare a ranking duellist excused himself at this point on the score of attending his brother and quickly left the room.
The following day Joey was improved enough to spend the evening with the others, Yami was able to observe with pleasure how attentive Mai was towards him. They were soon seated together and involved in close conversation.
Kaiba attempted to engage Yami in a discussion of cards but was swiftly rebuffed, "You ask about my opinions only so that you may despise them," Yami declared challengingly, "I shall not give you the opportunity and you may despise me if you dare!"
"That was not my intention," Kaiba replied, somewhat stiffly but with none of his usual bite and Yami was amazed by his forbearance. He did not realise the interest Kaiba was beginning to feel in him; indeed Kaiba was beginning to believe that were it not for the inferiority of Yami's connections he could be in danger of admiring him.
Vivian saw or suspected this interest enough to be jealous and when Yami was not present she tried to provoke Kaiba into disliking him by continual references to the oddness of the parental set-up and the inferiority of his brothers.
Over the next day or two Joey continued to steadily improve and after consultation with the doctor it was agreed that he and Yami should be collected by their family. Arthur gravely thanked Kaiba for his kindness in allowing the boys to stay on his premises during Joey's recovery and a mention of returning to the game shop led to a general discussion of duel-monsters. Solomon recalled some of the duels from the recent evening and was unable to refrain from casting a disapproving look at Kaiba as he mentioned the play he had seen at the tables.
It was at this point that Kaiba astonished the company. His pride was still smarting from the contemptuous manner in which Yami had spoken of duelling him and he resented the impertinence of Solomon in daring to presume to criticise his behaviour. This led him to an impetuous decision - to unveil the reason for the beta-testing earlier than he had planned. He suddenly announced that he would be holding an evening of duelling in a few weeks' time to showcase his new holographic duel disks. All gamers in town would be invited.
AN: So here's chapter two, I have to admit that the thought of a lake-diving Kaiba confronting Yami has been occupying far too much of my thoughts lately. I'm trying hard to push it aside until I get there! Mmm wet-look Kaiba…
Please review to keep me encouraged…