Disclaimer: Just own the words, not the folks
Title: Duel Monsters Next Top Model (5/?)
Author: Mishiko Shinsei
Rating: NC-17 (eventually)
Pairing (s): Various
Beta: None
Spoilers: Minor for the series
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in Yu-gi-Oh, just the cracked-out stories I write about them.
Summary: Pegasus is crazy. He draws two other crazies with him, Dartz and Siegfried von Schroeder. Together the three make our beloved duelists an offer they can't refuse. Warnings for crack! and slight OOC-ness.
Week 0 – Part 3
"Because of Marik's "injury", the start date for the contest is pushed back a week," the contestant informs his boss. "Meaning that the houseful of duelists have to share each other's company for at least another seven days. Added to the four days that they've already spent together, nerves and attitudes are dangerously at the edge for all.
"Except Kaiba. After Marik's "accident" Kaiba commands a wide berth from the bulk of the other duelists. The "Yugi-tachi" of course defying the odds, for some reason not afraid of the 'slightly-psychotic-around-the-edges' CEO. Kaiba has also seemed to acquire an unlikely ally in the form of former DOMA member, Amelda."
Dartz listens to the last of Noa's findings, frowning at the mention of Amelda befriending Kaiba.
"What is he up to," Dartz wonders aloud.
"Sir?" Noa inquires from the other end of the cell phone.
"Nothing, Noa. Thank you for the report. Please continue to keep an eye on things for me and let me know if anything else goes wrong."
"Yes, sir," Noa acknowledges before hanging up.
"Goes wrong, indeed," Dartz mumbles to himself, placing the cell phone on the console before him. Having Kaiba nearly kill one of the contestants definitely wasn't in their plans. "I didn't realize that he was wound so tight. That could become a problem."
Putting that concern aside for a moment, he contacts his partners in crime to make sure that all is in readiness to record the contest for television after the first cuts are made.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Humph. 'Goes wrong' he says. I wonder if he would consider the return of my stripped memories as something 'wrong'," Noa mumbles to himself as he walks back to the house.
While he understands that he owes Dartz for bringing him back to life, he's feeling increasingly uncomfortable about helping the Atlantean and those other two betray his stepbrothers. Sure, he wants to take over Kaiba Corp., but he doesn't want to hurt Seto to do it. Not anymore. And he certainly doesn't want to hurt Mokuba!
As his memories return, the need to protect his little step-brother grows. If he knew where Dartz and the others were holding the raven-haired young man, he'd release Mokuba for sure! But he doesn't. And he's certain that Dartz will never let that information slip.
"And it's not in any database or anywhere on his network or stand-alone computers," he re-affirms to himself, mind racing to figure out another plan.
A part of him wants to approach Kaiba directly and suggest that they pool their talents to find Mokuba, but he knows that idea is foolish.
"He'd probably kill me as soon as look at me," he sighs.
Opening the front door of the house that's been little more than his prison for the past week, he heads to the back patio where he knows this morning's breakfast will be served. As expected, a huge buffet is set up near the elaborate garden that leads to the Olympic-sized pool. At one of the carefully placed tables among the foliage, he spies an empty seat near one of his cell, er, roommates. After filling his plate with several delicacies, he sits down to eat.
Mako Tsunami smiles brightly at the slim, green-haired man pulling up a chair beside him. The ocean-obsessed duelist finds that he rather enjoys Noa Kaiba's company and that at least he can carry on a sensible conversation with the man. Frowning, he tries not to listen to the comments from his other roommate at the table next to him, Bandit Keith, and his chosen tablemates, Shadi, Rex and Weevil. As usual, the four blatant homophobes are discussing their mutually despised gay duelist, Amelda. Mako shakes his head and starts a conversation with the more rational Noa.
"They'd better be careful," Mako murmurs solemnly to his roommate. "It's not like Kaiba's gotten any saner over the past few days, and it's obvious that Amelda is important to him."
Noa nods in agreement, the sentiment echoed by their other tablemates, Leon Wilson and Esper Roba. Self-consciously, they all glance toward the large table in the far corner of the patio where Kaiba and several of his roommates are seated. Kaiba is staring at Jonouchi with disdain as the blonde duelist inhales a large omelet.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Kaiba stares at Jonouchi's voracious devouring of his meal. It's not like he hasn't seen the Mutt eat before. It's not even that he hasn't seen the blonde inhale an omelet or three before! It's just that today...today it reminds him...
He manages to tear his eyes away, finding himself suddenly forced to hold down his own light breakfast of crepes and coffee. He'd never really liked eggs in the first place, but he didn't truly hate them until that bastard forced him...
With a hastily mumbled, "Excuse me," he jumps up from the table, sending his chair clattering loudly behind him and sweeps into the house, trademark white trench billowing in his wake. All eyes on the patio watch his swift departure and the quick trailing behind of three of his roommates, Amelda, Yami and Jonouchi.
Amelda finds him first, hunched over the toilet in their master bath, too involved in losing his breakfast to have even shut the door. The redhead closes the door quietly, sympathizing with the brunet retching behind him.
"I hope it's not something he ate," Jonouchi offers, turning a little green at the sounds coming from their bathroom.
"I think you need to go back outside, Jonouchi," Yami insists. "We don't want you to get sick too."
"Good idea," Jonouchi agrees, scrambling out the door and back out to the patio. After a tall glass of cold water and minute or two to get his stomach under control, the blonde goes back to inhaling his second omelet.
Back in the large bedroom, Amelda and Yami are trying to piece together the reason for Kaiba's sudden illness as the sounds behind the door quiet down and are replaced by first the sound of sink water and then the shower.
"Did he say anything?" Yami inquires as he and Amelda sit across from each other on the double beds.
"No, he had his head in the toilet when I came in," Amelda responds.
They continue their silent vigil as Kaiba showers, the brunet emerging a few minutes later in just a towel before stepping into the closet for a change of clothes.
"Sorry to disappoint you two," Kaiba's voice carries from inside the closet, "But the positions of 'Seto Kaiba's bodyguards' has been filled for quite some time."
"What about the positions of 'Seto Kaiba's friends'?" Amelda retorts smoothly.
There is a short pause before the CEO replies.
"I'm still writing the job description for that one, but I'll be sure to let you both know when the position opens."
"Good enough," Yami smiles, hopping up from the bed. "We'll meet you out front. Something tells me that you're done with breakfast and a nice walk might do us all some good."
"Perhaps," Kaiba acknowledges as he watches the two duelists leave their bedroom.
'Hah, 'their bedroom'! Is that ever a weird thought!' he contends.
Shaking said thought from his mind, he proceeds to get dressed to meet the other two out front. Maybe a walk would do him some good. If nothing else it will keep him away from Bandit Keith and his homophobic minions. If they knew that the stone patio reflects all conversation into the corner where Kaiba sits, they'd be much less vocal in their hatred of Amelda.
"Maybe I should tell them, just to see their reaction," he smirks. "Better yet, I'll casually mention that despicable nickname they've given Amelda and watch them soil themselves in fear."
When Kaiba exits the large house laughing maniacally, Yami and Amelda aren't sure what to think.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Are you sure that he's not gonna try and kill me again," Marik asks Ryou shakily. The white-haired 19-year-old turns to his counterpart in inquiry.
"Umm, we're reasonably sure," Bakura offers.
"That's not good enough! Turn this limo around! I'm going back to the hospital!" Marik exclaims.
"Stop being such a wuss," the platinum blonde's other half pipes up. "You brought that on yourself, so just deal! Right now we have to think about Ishizu! They've already postponed the start of the contest a week for you, which means one more week that she's somewhere being held captive. You will get yourself together and do this for her! I've already given the Millennium Rod to the Pharaoh for safe keeping –"
"You what?" Marik interrupts.
"You heard me! I gave the Rod to the Pharaoh to hold on to for the duration, which is a small price to pay toward getting our sister back. That's the ONLY reason that we're here, Marik; to get her back! And if that means giving up the Rod or even you getting on your knees and begging Kaiba's forgiveness, that's what we're going to do!"
"On my knees? Beg? You must be joking," Marik laughs darkly.
"If it's necessary," Malik snarls, leaning into his shocked counterpart's face, "you will."
"Whatever," Marik tries to dismiss his smaller look-alike.
"And did you even stop to think about what Rishid would do without you, you selfish prick," Malik grumbles as he sits back.
Marik's eyes widen in shock and he reflexively reaches for the gold eternity band normally set snugly on his left ring finger; only find the space bare.
"He took it off of you that night," Malik responds to the silent question. "Said he didn't want it damaged."
"Is he okay?" Marik questions quietly.
"I guess," Malik shrugs. "He's been his usual quiet self the last few days."
Marik nods solemnly, understanding the vehemence of his other half a few moments ago. He really hadn't thought about Ishizu or Rishid when he went to pull that prank on Kaiba.
"Fuck!" Marik curses succinctly. If Rishid ever finds out what he tried to do..."Fuck," he swears again. He has to be the biggest idiot on the planet.
"Wait, lemme get this straight. You and that tattooed guy are married?" Bakura exclaims, finally overcoming his shock over the forceful Malik and the wimpy Marik.
"Yeah," Marik growls, "for the last two years. You wanna make somethin' of it?"
"Nah," Bakura laughs. "It's just hard for me to see you as the "settling down" type."
"Yeah, well. Whatever," Marik dismisses the now snickering white-haired fiend with a wave.
"So Rishid didn't come with us to get you because you don't want anyone to know," Ryou surmises.
"Yeah, it's still a secret. So don't go blabbing it to everyone you know Tomb Robber!" Marik demands.
"Okay, Marik. I'll do my best not to tell them that you turn into a wuss when Malik gets mad!" Bakura howls with laughter, ignoring Ryou's smacks on his arm about 'being nice'. No, he wouldn't tell the Tomb Keeper's secret. After all, he has his own secrets to keep.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Strong, familiar arms circle Ryuuji Otogi's waist and he snuggles back into them.
"I thought you might not be coming tonight," he sighs into the warm embrace, turning to face his lover. They'd gotten together in just the last week, though they've been dancing around each other for years.
A warm, passionate kiss steals the dice-master's breath away.
"With you in my bed, I'll be coming every night," the other nips at a bare shoulder after relieving Otogi of the tank top to his pajamas.
"Ah, but this is my bed, so does that mean you won't be coming tonight?" Otogi teases.
"You're mighty chatty tonight, dice-freak. I guess I'll have to shut you up the hard way," he quips, grinding his arousal into Otogi's.
"Mmm. Yes, shut me up the hard way, love," Otogi moans, clutching at what he knows to be a wild, white mane as his lover's warm mouth latches onto one of his nipples.
The soft mist of the Shadow Realm envelops them, concealing their tryst from nearby eyes and ears.