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Fruit Cocktail and Cottage Cheese - Chapter 3
XIV
Anzu is completely silent on her ride back to the hospital, though she had been quite animated at the ramen shop with Kaiba, Yugi and Mokuba.
"Are you alright?" Yugi inquires, briefly breaking away from his conversation with Kaiba.
"I'm fine," she smiles lightly, faking a calm that she doesn't feel.
"Are you sure?" he presses. The odd emotion swirling in her eyes concerns him.
"I guess I'm just a little tired," she offers.
"It has been a fairly long day," Yugi concedes to her unspoken desire not to elaborate. "But once we've said goodnight to Yami, I'll take you home and you can rest."
"Okay," she smiles a little wider, glad that Yugi seems to understand what she needs right now.
As her boyfriend's brother turns back to speak with the love of his twin's life, she wraps her arms around herself for comfort.
At the ramen shop, she'd been able to suppress her thoughts and feelings about the earlier events at the hospital as they all enjoyed a lively meal. But while waiting for Kaiba to put Mokuba to bed, she'd had time to fully think about her current situation and what happened at the hospital.
The Motou's had become her surrogate family since her own parents and younger sister moved to Hokkaido two years ago following her father's job transfer. They'd been there to help her adjust to living alone for the first time in her life. More often than she'd like to admit, they'd even helped her with food and rent when she'd come up short at her lower paying administrative job before she finally found something her field with a comparable salary. Even while she'd been finishing her Master's in Economics and still lived with her parents, Mr. Motou, Yugi, Yami and Hiroto had been warm and supportive.
Hiroto.
She closes her eyes in pain at the thought of the man she loved so dearly. They've been close since junior high school. And he's been her rock for most of those years. She loves him so much that she'd even thought seriously about proposing to him herself; even though that would break the tradition of both their families. Despite that, she turned from him completely, no explanation to her actions. How much had that hurt him? How could she face him and his father after she behaved so horribly?
Normally, when faced with such a painful situation, she'd call her best friend Mai and talk it out, but now…
Mai has been her best friend since just after elementary school, but she's become as much a stranger to Anzu as her former beloved, Hiroto, and his father. Could they have always been the way they are now and she didn't see it? If so, how could they have hidden such feelings from Yami and Yugi? Did they secretly hate Yami for his preference and merely tolerate it because of the prestige of Yami's profession? Would they now abandon the struggling gymnast?
And what will she say when she sees them again? If they will even talk to her. After all, it's not likely that they'll happily welcome her back into the fold after she chose Kaiba and Yugi over Hiroto, spitting in the face of their entire two years together.
Maybe the situation's not as bad as she's making it out to be. Maybe she can speak to Hiroto and Mai and fix things; salvage her friendship with Mai and her relationship with Hiroto.
She looks up at a snicker from Yugi, her eyes landing on Seto Kaiba's smirking profile. Frowning, she remembers how the CEO cradled and comforted his son after Hiroto, Mai and Mr. Motou had upset the child with their viciousness toward Seto.
Does she really want to be around someone who can hate so much that they would turn on their own son or brother?
The resounding, "No!" from her heart and mind reverberates throughout her entire being. Closing her eyes, she shivers at the realization that her world is about to change dramatically.
"Anzu!"
She jumps at Yugi's shout of her name, shocked blue eyes meeting comforting violet.
"C'mon. We're here," Yami's twin prods from the open doorway.
Nodding in acknowledgement, she takes Yugi's offered hand in assistance out of the vehicle, following him and Seto into the hospital. Minutes later, they are making their way down the same hallway she had traversed earlier with Mai, Hiroto and Mr. Motou. As expected, those she'd come with are long gone.
Instead of following Seto into Yami's room, Yugi steers her into the family waiting room where they'd been sitting hours before. It's only as she sits on the same cushions from earlier that the magnitude of what's going on in her life overwhelms her.
"Y-Yugi," she chokes. "I-I don't know what to do now."
Yugi sits down and wraps the lightly crying form into his arms in an attempt to comfort her, even as he knows it to be a waste of time. How can he offer her any support when he's in almost the same situation? Actually, his situation is worse, since he's chosen sides within his own family.
Swallowing a sigh of discontent, he wonders how he'll break the news to Yami, or even if he should. After all, what good would it do? Once Yami is back with Seto, they'll no doubt move into Seto's mansion and rarely be bothered with anyone but himself ever again. And that's only because he's Yami's twin and is on Seto's side.
"I know, Anzu," Yugi soothes, ignoring his own pain. "Let's just go see Yami and we'll talk about it when I take you home.
"A-Alright," she stammers, clinging to Yugi and sobbing harder.
Yugi continues to hold her tightly, worried that the normally friendly brunet won't be able to cope with what will probably be major changes in both of their lives.
'Not that I'll fare much better,' he muses. Hiroto's ability to hold a grudge is legendary. 'He's still pissed at that kid from second grade who broke his favorite toy,' he remembers.
Looking down at the still shuddering woman in his arms, Yugi wonders what kind of hatred he'll earn by helping to break his brother's heart.
XV
Yami had been sound asleep when Seto entered the hospital room 30 minutes ago. At first, he had thought to wake his ex up and apologize, and then follow his apology with a suggestion of reconciliation. The sight of Yami's bruised face, beeping monitors and IV drip into his left arm, had reminded Seto how sorely his lover had been injured. Instead he'd slid into the chair next to Yami's bed, taken the closest of his lover's hands, and settled in for an expected all-night vigil.
Leaning over, Seto rests his forehead against the hand held between his own. Now that he's alone with his thoughts he's unable to shake the one that consumed him as he sped to the hospital earlier today: what if Yami had died? What if he'd lost him forever? How could he have faced Mokuba knowing that his rejection of Yami had been what sent the gymnast down the path that led to this moment? That he is essentially the cause of 'Daddy Yami' being here?
How can he face Yami knowing this?
Hearing a low groan from the prone body in front of him, Seto sits up quickly and leans away.
It takes a few moments before he realizes that the slow blink of Yami's eyes toward the ceiling means that the gymnast is waking up. Seto finds himself both delighted and concerned at the prospect of speaking to his former lover.
What if Yami doesn't want to see him? After all, it's not as though they parted on the best of terms. What if he blames Seto for everything that's happened since their break-up? What if Yami wants nothing to do with him anymore?
Allowing his fears to win out over his desire to re-connect with Yami, Seto lets go of the still groggy man's hand and stands to leave.
"S-Seto," Yami barely whispers behind him.
Stopped in his tracks by the surprise and yearning in the other's voice, Seto briefly leans his head on the door before turning to find Yami staring at him intently.
"Seto?" the injured man questions a little stronger, disbelief warring with happiness across his features.
After a few seconds of hesitation, Seto slowly makes his way back to Yami's bedside.
Not trusting his voice at the moment, he folds Yami's hand between his own before lightly kissing each finger tip and then laying his forehead against the worshipped hand.
"Seto. You're really here." Yami chokes.
The brunet responds by taking his lover's face between his hands and placing one soothing kiss on Yami's forehead and another lightly against those desperately-missed lips. Slipping back into the chair where he'd begun his vigil, Seto lays his head on the bed next to Yami.
"We'll take you home with us when you get out," Seto declares.
"Okay," Yami smiles, running his hand through his lover's hair.
"Oh! Sorry!" Anzu's voice interrupts from the doorway. "We'll come back later."
"No, it's fine," Seto stands. "I'll go get some coffee."
The CEO sweeps past a smiling Yugi and an apologetic Anzu and out into the hall.
"Yami!" Yugi exclaims, hugging his brother lightly before flopping in Seto's vacated chair. "You seem a lot more awake tonight than before."
"It's because Seto's here," Yami insists.
"Probably," Yugi smiles wider."
"Seto and Mokuba were my surprise visitors, weren't they?" Yami inquires with a light grin.
"Yeah," Yugi confirms. Sorry for the 'bait and switch' with Dad, Mai and Hiroto."
It's then that Yami looks again to Anzu standing silently near the door, an obvious distress hanging around her. If possible she looks even more miserable that she did when he woke earlier. He begins to realize that his twin's explanation of 'a bad fight' is woefully inadequate.
"Where's Hiroto?" he addresses her directly, noting the shock and despair fleeting across her suddenly pale features.
"H-he's at home," she stammers, looking away quickly.
Yami's now more alert brain uses her reaction to further support his theory that something is very, very wrong. He turns his attention to his twin who suddenly won't meet his eyes.
"What's happened, Yugi?" he prods. "Did Hiroto do something to Anzu? And don't tell me they had 'a big fight' again."
"Y-Yami, it's really nothing," Anzu stammers again, forcing a smile as she crosses the room. "Hiroto didn't do anything to me. And we really did have a big fight. But don't worry, it will all work out."
Turning back to his twin again after looking up at Anzu's interjection, Yami prepares to delve deeper when the door opens to Seto and three steaming cups of coffee.
XVI
Mai Valentine has been studying people as a psychologist for ten years and personally for even longer. She's always been fascinated by human emotions and psychology. She prides herself on knowing and predicting those emotions and behavior patterns in nearly every personal relation she's had since junior high school. Yet, she finds herself beyond baffled by the recent behavior of her so-called 'best friend.'
She had hand-picked the girl when Anzu first entered their junior high school at 12 because of her obvious malleability. The then 14-year-old had correctly surmised that the young girl's sheltered naiveté' would keep her from questioning too many things. Mai had then proceeded to isolate the young girl for her own purposes. Anzu's ready smile and staunch belief in the value of 'true friendship' had been a novelty for the blonde. Her own cool and analytical parents had taught her that powerful and prestigious acquaintances meant much more than some tawdry 'friendship.'
Thus, Mai spent endless hours assessing and directing the young Anzu in whatever way she wanted her to move. As the time drew for her to leave for high school, she'd been concerned about leaving her charge at the mercy of those unscrupulous wolves and foxes of their junior high. A chance meeting at one of her father's business parties had eased her mind.
The boy was younger than Mai by a year, but projected a cool practicality which she'd found quite intriguing. They'd spent enough time talking that night for her to realize that the cool practically hid a passionate and somewhat volatile nature. She'd been impressed by his ability to maintain his calm façade and quite pleased to learn that he was a new transfer to the same junior high school as her charge. Anzu and Hiroto would later become her first emotional/psychological compatibility success. She'd fostered their friendship and encouraged their romantic relationship; even garnering support from both sets of parents.
Anzu's mom and dad, a hardworking, barely educated pair of military transplants, had been delighted by the discovery that their daughter had landed 'such a fine, upstanding young man.' Hiroto's father, a brilliant former archaeologist, who'd morphed his love of competitive games into a successful chain of gaming stores, had thanked the blonde for 'providing his son with such excellent wifely material.' Her success with Anzu and Hiroto had led her to attempt similar results with Hiroto's older brother, Yugi. (She knew Yami was gay.)
She'd initially had modest success with Yugi, hooking him up with several well-educated women, but a permanent pairing up for the diminutive, eventual International Finance Master's candidate, had continued to elude her.
As for Hiroto's other older brother, Yugi's twin…
She still shivers in revulsion every time she remembers the first time she caught Yami making out with another man. Well, maybe 'caught' is a little misleading. The accomplished gymnast and eventual International Relations Master's candidate had been 'out' when she first met him, and hadn't been shy about it.
Mai had gone by the Motou's that evening for a visit with Hiroto, as usual. Stepping into the family room, she'd expected to find her friend watching some sports event on television, as was his usual habit. Instead, her eyes had landed on Yami straddling a strange man's lap and kissing him passionately. Her yelp of surprise had interrupted their tryst and they'd both turned to look her way.
"Oh! Hey, Mai!" Yami had greeted, casually slipping from the man's lap. "This is my boyfriend, Amelda. Hiroto's up in his room, which is where we should probably be," he'd leered at the other. "See you later," he'd tossed as he'd led the tall red head up the stairs.
Honestly, she still doesn't know how she missed that 'Yami Motou, World Champion Gymnast' was related to her friend 'Hiroto Motou.' It's not as though 'Motou' was a common last name.
It had been a bit of a shock to find out that Hiroto and his father were also quite disgusted by Yami's preference. After all, they were his family and all of her observances of them had implied that they stuck together. She'd found out differently on the evening of Yami and Yugi's college graduation party.
They'd both received their undergraduate degrees and Mr. Motou had insisted that the celebration of their achievement take place at the family home. The twins, who had been living on their own together since their junior year of college, thought so too and a huge affair was planned.
Yugi had arrived with a date, his girlfriend of two months, a brilliant Computer Engineering Master's candidate with a head full of blonde curls framing a round, bespeckled face. By contrast, Yami had arrived at the affair quite alone and obviously seeking a partner just for the night. It had been well after the close of the festivities when Hiroto and his father had made their views clearly known.
"It's bad enough that he's such a deviant, but I hate that he displays his perversion so openly," Mr. Motou had grumbled under his breath as they'd cleaned the kitchen.
"I know, Dad," Hiroto had agreed. "And it's especially disgusting that he's such a slut!"
"Maybe if he'd find some nice educated man and settle down…" Mr. Motou had trailed off.
"No, that would be even more disgusting. I mean, it's not like they could get married or anything, right?" Hiroto had replied.
"I suppose you're right," Mr. Motou had sighed in agreement. "It's sick no matter how you look at it."
"I agree. It is sick," Mai had concurred.
Hiroto and Mr. Motou had jumped at the sound of her voice and then stared at her in shock for a moment before Mr. Motou addressed her warily.
"We didn't realize that anyone was still here," he'd noted.
Mai had recognized the ploy for what it was, an opening for her to explain herself, and had taken it.
"Please don't misunderstand me," she'd smiled lightly. "I harbor no ill feelings toward Yami as a person, but his perversion really is deviant behavior. However, he has been a positive influence for Anzu and he is Hiroto's older brother. It would be impolite not to treat him with a modicum of respect."
Mr. Motou and Hiroto had shared a significant look before Hiroto spoke to her.
"I hate that he's like that," he'd sighed. "But, like you said, he is my older brother, so I want to respect him, but…"
They'd continued to talk about Yami as they finished cleaning and later while they shared a pot of tea. Once the Motou's realized she was on their side, she'd become even more important to them. Mr. Motou thought of her as fondly as a daughter and Hiroto became her closest friend.
Despite Yami's deviant activities and proclivity for promiscuous behavior, Mai really had found him to be a positive acquaintance for her charge; especially once he'd revealed his thirst for knowledge and educational improvement. Those qualities, and the fact that Yami is completely devoted to his family and friends, are probably why Hiroto and his father continued to keep their disgust about the older twin's lifestyle a secret.
At least until Yami met that arrogant, uneducated bastard...
Given everything she knows about Yami, his choice to continue a relationship with that drop-out Seto Kaiba still completely baffles her. True, the CEO is quite wealthy, but it has to be a fluke that his business is so well run. It's not like he's had any formal education past early high school to use in its management. She, Hiroto and Mr. Motou had all decided to do whatever was necessary to separate Yami from such a negative influence; strictly for his benefit.
And of course Anzu had agreed with them, as she always did. Even she knew that Yami needed a partner more suited to him.
Over the years, Mai and Hiroto had made sure that Anzu always knew that they only had only her best interests at heart. Consequently, Anzu never questioned their directions. Ever.
So why now? Why had she turned on them?
Yugi had always been mostly an unknown to her, so his betrayal hadn't been as strong a shock. But Anzu…
Gathering her thoughts again, she seeks the analytical mind-quiet which has served her so well most of her life. She would sort out her own thoughts later. Right now, Hiroto needed her. Parking her car in the Motou's ample driveway, she heads into the swank residence that was like her second home.
Stepping into the front room, she tries her best not to wince at the large, swollen bruise on Hiroto's face. Even with the nearly instantaneous application of ice by an attentive nurse at the hospital, it's obvious that Kaiba's punch will leave a mark.
"Hiroto," she greets, hugging him gently.
"I can't believe that fucking faggot hit me," he grumbles in reply. "When I get through with my lawsuit, that asshole will never know what hit him."
"Are you sure that's wise?" Mai prods. Her instant analysis of her friend cues her to his sincere distress about Anzu. When his reply is to head into the kitchen for a glass of plum wine, she ventures forth with, "She still hasn't called has she?"
"As if I'll ever speak to that stupid slut and my duplicitous brother ever again," he huffs.
Nodding in understanding, Mai knows that the other is very likely to carry out that threat. He held grudges with the same passion he applied to everything else in his life.
"What about Yami?" she poses.
"Fuck him!" he screams vehemently. "It's his fault that our family has been destroyed! His perversion that has tainted everything! He and that faggot Kaiba and his faggot kid can rot!"
"Hiroto!" Mr. Motou admonishes from the kitchen doorway. "I'll not have that name mentioned in my house!"
"Sorry, Dad," Hiroto mumbles.
Mai nods to herself again, not at all surprised by the rage of either man about the CEO. Catching Hiroto's third glance at his cell phone as he sips his glass of wine, Mai offers her own surprising admission.
"She hasn't called me this week either," she intones, pouring herself a glass of the dark purple intoxicant.
Hiroto's glare is her only response. Stoically she accepts that she can never be Anzu's friend again. Though she cared quite a bit for her charge, the Motou's held more importance in her life.
Still, it would be nice to know why the girl chose this particular time to betray them. Perhaps her parents would know. She will contact her former charge's parents tomorrow and obtain their opinion on the situation.
For now, she will spend the rest of her evening with Hiroto and Mr. Motou, lamenting Yugi and Anzu's betrayal, and blaming Yami and that prick, Kaiba, for all that their family has lost.
XVII
Yami holds Mokuba tightly in his arms as Seto pushes his temporarily wheelchair-bound form through the hospital toward the waiting limo. Behind them trails his brother, Yugi, and their friend Anzu.
His stay at the hospital had been both horrible and wonderful by turns. Of course, his reason for being in the hospital in the first place had been horrible. But what came at the end…he hugs Mokuba tighter, momentarily wondering if this happiness wasn't some drug-induced hallucination.
"Too tight, Daddy Yami," Mokuba squirms.
"S-Sorry, Mokuba," he chokes, placing a light kiss on top of the small head.
No, he's not hallucinating. The son of his heart is indeed sitting in his lap as the boy's father takes them to his mansion and Yami's new home; his permanent home with his life partner. Yami's heart is full to bursting with happiness at this turn of events, and yet…
In the limo, he sits sandwiched between Seto and Mokuba with Anzu and Yugi across from them.
"You guys really don't have to stay at the mansion with us if you don't want to," Yami intones. "I'm sure that Seto will have a fleet of medical personnel at his beck and call."
Yugi and Anzu share a momentary glance before Yugi answers him. "We know, Yami. But it is the weekend and we just want to spend some time with you now that you're yourself again and not depressed or hyped up on meds." Yami frowns lightly, noting that Yugi's teasing grin doesn't reach his eyes.
"Well, I just want to sleep in one of the huge guest beds," Anzu snickers beside him. Yugi's forced laughter joins hers as Seto merely cuddles him closer.
They're all hiding something from him. And if Mokuba weren't in the car, he'd force them to explain exactly what that is. Two things he does know are that it's big enough to split apart the two people he'd never thought would separate, Anzu and his brother Hiroto, and that it's bad enough that even their dad and Mai have chosen a side. He's also fairly certain that everything centers around him personally.
Mai choosing a side that includes Hiroto isn't really all that surprising to Yami. From the first time he met the voluptuous blonde it was obvious that she cared deeply for his younger brother. Initially, he couldn't figure out why she'd helped Hiroto and Anzu get together in the first place until he saw how well they complemented each other.
Which is why Anzu and his brother's extended separation troubles him greatly.
Yami knows that Hiroto has always had problems with his lifestyle choice. They've never talked about it, but Yami knew. It was clear by the way Hiroto would cut his eyes at him when he mentioned a new boyfriend or breaking up with an old one. After the cold stare he'd received from their adopted sibling at his and Yugi's college graduation party, he'd made it a point to keep his less-than-committed relationships to himself. But other than that, Yami thought that they got along fine.
As for his dad…
Yami's father is the most deferential man he's ever known, always putting his family's happiness above his own. When their biological mom died in childbirth along with his baby sister, Isis, Yami's dad took a two-year leave of absence from his job as a tenured Archaeology Professor at Tokyo University to take care of him and Yugi.
When his dad fell in love again almost five years later, he arranged for Yami and Yugi to meet with the widowed woman and her eleven-year-old son on several occasions before asking their permission to marry her. After her death a mere two years later, their dad had moved them all to a city bereft of sorrowful memories to start over.
It hadn't mattered that he'd lost a prestigious job and status in the community. Hadn't mattered that his first attempts at starting a gaming store, so that he could be home with his children, hadn't worked out. Everyday his father was home with them, talking to them, sharing their hopes and fears and dreams. He'd sacrificed his whole world for his sons!
So whatever has happened must be more horrible than Yami can imagine. Otherwise, why hasn't even his father called, returned his calls or come to see him again?
Hoping Yugi would explain things if it were just the two of them, he'd broached the subject two days ago.
Seto had gone to pick up Mokuba from school and Anzu had stepped out to get some coffee and something to eat. Because they tried to be as forthright with each other as possible, Yami had asked his brother directly.
"Yugi, why haven't Dad and Hiroto come back to see me? It's been three days," he'd leveled at his twin's genial face. "Why are you and Anzu the only ones here?"
His twin's animated features had turned pensive and he'd shifted his eyes away and then down. Yami had almost gasped in fear and shock because his twin had only reacted like that twice in his life; one of those times being when their stepmother died. Could it be…?
"Yugi!" he'd pressed in a panic, his mind whirling farther out of control as he spoke. "What's going on? Are Dad and Hiroto alright? Have they been hurt? Is it Mai? Has something happened to Mai? Or Ryuuji? Tell me!"
His brother had suddenly become animated again as Yami's panic had led him to all but leap from the bed.
"No, Yami," he'd soothed. "They're all fine. It's just…just…"
"Just a really bad fight between me and Hiroto," Anzu had supplied from the doorway, three steaming cups of tea in her hand. "One that has engulfed you and Yugi, I'm afraid," she'd smiled sadly.
"But…"
"I talked to your nurse and she said that you can have some hot tea," she'd spoken right over him, as she'd pulled his tray table closer. "So enjoy!"
"Anzu, what's really going on?" he'd pressed.
"We'll talk about it later," she'd prevaricated.
Before he could protest, the door had opened to a nurse coming to check his vitals and then to Seto and Mokuba.
When neither Yugi nor Anzu had done more than called the next day, he'd decided to hold his tongue and wait for a more opportune time once he'd left the hospital.
"We're here," Seto nuzzles into his hair, snatching him from his confusing and unpleasant memories.
Seto's arm around his waist and Mokuba's hand in his gives him strength as he walks into what will soon become his permanent home.
XVIII
"What's wrong?" Malik Ishtar puzzles against his lover's neck.
His raven-haired partner had been physically attentive to their lovemaking, but his mind had obviously resided elsewhere.
"We'll have to separate for a while," Ryuuji Otogi replies quietly.
Malik shrugs in acceptance. It's not as though they haven't had to lay low or hide their relationship before.
"What level of contact and how long?" the blonde poses evenly. When his life partner doesn't respond right away, his calm falters a bit.
"Ryuuji?" he prods.
"N-none," the other chokes, "and I don't know how long."
Malik sits up in shock. 'None' is a response he's received before, so is some form of 'indefinitely,' but never together!
"Ryuuji, what's going on? What's happened?"
"He's watching me again," his lover responds.
Malik quells his urge to rant about the latest clandestine action they'd engaged in to see each other.
One month ago Ryuuji had booked a two-week vacation in Bali and Malik booked a two-week cruise to Hawaii. Last week they'd met in a suite at the little known Fitzgerald Hotel in Las Vegas and have only left the room twice since then. Malik fully expected that they probably won't leave but a few times more for the remaining week of their trip.
But the covert operations of this trip pale in comparison to the outrageous things they've had to do for the last three years to see each other in Japan; cross-dressing, temporary tattoos, double dates with closeted lesbians, helicopter tours, fake ID's, bar fights as distraction, hair dye, stage make-up, wigs, fake piercings … Every since the Games mogul caught them that time in Ryuuji's office, they've even occasionally enlisted the help of CEO Seto Kaiba.
Thankfully, at least three times a year they can see each other publically for a few days at one of the Kaiba Tournaments or one of the gaming tournaments Ryuuji attends as EVP of Dungeon Dice Games, Inc.
Malik sighs to himself. Any other man would probably have given up by now, but he is so head over heels in love with Ryuuji that just the thought of leaving fills him with dread. Not that Ryuuji hasn't tried to end things himself, sighting those very same reasons, but Malik has always just brushed it off, telling his lover that 'it would be a cold day in Hell' before he'd abandon their relationship.
Now, cradling the utterly miserable man in his arms, Malik wonders if sticking by his lover's side is ultimately doing more harm than good.
"Your father?" Malik intones, "He's always watching you. That's why we jump through so many hoops to see each other now. Why does that matter?"
"He's set up an Omai; with a business partner," Ryuuji replies evenly.
"So?" Malik presses, not liking where this conversation is going.
"So…so, I can't turn him down," Ryuuji breathes against his chest.
"What does that mean?" Malik jerks his lover's face up to look at him. "Are you trying to tell me that you're getting married?"
"Do you think I want this?" Ryuuji snaps, pulling back.
"Let's just run away," Malik gestures. "You know Kaiba would help you. And Yami and his bunch. Why stay and keep taking this shit from that guy?"
"No. I won't run," Ryuuji counters climbing out of bed and lighting a cigarette. "He owes me for all those years of oppression and abuse."
"But, it's not worth it if you wind up a shell of the man you used to be!" Malik yells in exasperation.
In response, his lover quickly throws on some clothes, slips on his shoes and storms out of the room.
"Ryuuji!" Malik exclaims, wrapping the raven-haired man in a tight embrace as soon as he walks into the hotel room. "Where the hell have you been? It's been almost two days!"
"I needed some time to think," his partner responds, quickly removing himself from the other's embrace.
"Think? About what? You're not seriously planning to agree to an arranged marriage!"
"It's all so black and white to you, isn't it?" Ryuuji snarls.
"What the hell! How did I suddenly become the bad guy?" Malik retorts incredulously.
"Malik," Ryuuji sighs, "This isn't helping me. It's not like I have a choice and you're acting as though I'm betraying you."
"And you don't think you getting married to someone else would be a betrayal?" Malik counters.
"That's not what I'm saying," the other groans in frustration.
Malik sits down in the bed, gesturing for his lover to continue, a tight-lipped, angry frown adorning his bronzed features.
"I-I just want us to enjoy this week together, Malik," Ryuuji pleads. "Please. I don't know when I'll see you again."
"You mean you don't know if you'll see me again," his lover scowls.
"Malik…"
"Maybe we do need to just end this, Ryuuji," the blonde interrupts. "It's not like you'll be able to sneak out and see me once you're married. Not that I'd want to have anything to do with you if you're married anyway."
Ryuuji stumbles back as if shot. Luckily, the desk chair breaks what may have been a very painful fall.
"Y-you don't mean that," Ryuuji stammers, eyes wide in panic.
"Fuck, Ryu! What do you expect me to do? Sit around and wait for you to come back to me? How long would that take? Until your dad croaks? Until you find a spine? What?"
"Malik…"
"It's been three years, Ryu! Three years of this shit! I thought I could do this. I was sure I could do this; could wait with you until the old man dies and you take control of the company. Hell, I was happy to wait with you, to support you! But if you get married…"
Shaking his head, Malik looks away from the man frozen in shock before him.
"I wouldn't be able to stand it if you got married, Ryu," he sighs with finality.
Ryuuji can only watch in silence and despair as his lover picks up his packed suitcase and leaves the hotel room.
Ryuuji Otogi slouches into the remembered pool hall and bar, his mind swirling in despair. These three weeks without any contact from Malik have been more awful than he'd expected. Especially since they'd all but broken up that last time they'd seen each other.
He'd left a message on Malik's cell over a week ago that the Omai had simply been a ruse by his sadistic father to torture and control him. He still hasn't received a reply. He hasn't received any replies from his 40-plus text messages either.
"Otogi! Over here!" Hiroto calls to the despondent Dice Master.
Normally, he doesn't spend much time around Yami and Yugi's elitist family and friends, but any distractions from his empty home and empty life are welcome at this point. He'd received the text from the younger brother, Hiroto, a few hours ago and warily accepted the invitation for 'a night of drunken debauchery.'
Truthfully, he'd only accepted in the hope that he could talk to Yami for a while. For the past few months he'd been so scarce; Yami was bound to have thought he was avoiding him. The gymnast's professional and tabloid woes had worried him greatly, but he'd been unable to escape his father's watchful eye to run by the apartment for a visit.
His father tended to go on a rampage every time Yami was in the news, so Ryuuji had to employ a similar set of tactics to see Yami as the ones he used to see Malik.
The ones that he used to use to see Malik. That's what he wanted to discuss with Yami; what he should do about his situation. He and the older twin have known each other a lot longer than most people know. In fact, they'd almost had a one night stand.
Ryuuji had gone to a gay bar for a quick hook up wearing one of his favorite disguises; low-slung leather pants, a leather vest, and a long, platinum blonde wig pulled into a tail at the top of his head. The contacts were a little irritating, but the chocolate brown shade was as far from his normal brilliant green as he could get. He'd spotted Yami almost the moment he entered the club; a vision in red and black leather heating up the dance floor with a tall red head. He'd cut in to their dance and earned a long leer from the gymnast.
An hour later, they'd been groping and kissing in an alcove when a super-fan had called out to Yami and broken the mood. Ever the performer, Yami had moved to give the fan an autograph. Unfortunately, Yami had caught one of his spiked wrist bands in the hair at the nape of Ryuuji's neck. Moments later, the blonde coif lay in a heap at their feet. Long black hair had cascaded around the stunned man's shoulders, and he'd nearly hyperventilated.
Yami had pulled him deeper into the alcove and kissed him stupid, instantly quelling his panic. At the time, he'd thought the gymnast's action to be unhelpful and completely self-serving. He'd roughly shoved Yami away from him and stormed out of the club. Later, he'd realized that if Yami had tried anything else, he'd have simply panicked more. Ryuuji had tracked Yami down at the club again and they'd been good friends ever since.
He sits with the group at a table near the bar, greeting Hiroto, Mai and Mr. Motou with a practiced smile, and immediately notices that something is amiss. The air is tense around the three and, besides the absence of Yami and Yugi, he is further surprised by the absence of Hiroto's umbrella, Anzu.
'Maybe she's in the bathroom,' he muses, though in his experience with the brunette, she never even did that without Mai.
Frankly, he couldn't understand what the brunette saw in that brute anyway, but to each his own. Reminding himself that Yami has been quite reclusive as of late and that his twin is probably with him, Ryuuji holds off on asking about the absentees. Following a round of beers and light conversation, his curiosity about the others gets the best of him.
"Small group tonight," he comments casually. "The twins and Anzu not up for the festivities?"
"Fuck them!" Hiroto yells in response, nearly coming up out of his chair. "Let them rot in Hell with that fucking faggot!"
Ryuuji is able to control his reaction only because he's used to his father's homophobic vitriol. However, not reacting to the shock and being able to move past it, in this instance, are two very different things. Lowering his eyes to his third large mug of beer for the night his mind races with ideas on how to extract himself from this scene, even as he wants to get more information.
For instance, they couldn't be talking about Yami, since he's been 'out' for several years. So who…?
All at once it hits him…Kaiba. It's really no surprise to Ryuuji that they hate Kaiba, since they've been against him from the beginning. But why would they have turned on Yami, Yugi and Anzu? Especially Anzu; it's not as though she's ever had a thought of her own.
"Ryuuji?" Mai prods in that voice she uses to psychoanalyze people. "You're awfully quiet. I'm certain that this has all come as a great shock to you."
"Yes," he nods, keeping his eyes averted.
She always wants a 'victim' to 'help'. He'll use that weakness against her and find out everything he wants to know.
"Maybe you could explain what's happened," he continues in his most ingratiating voice.
"Well, that ruins this party," Hiroto grumbles. He pulls several large bills from his wallet and tosses them on the table. "We'll meet you at the house, Mai."
Mai smiles lightly in acknowledgement as Hiroto and his father leave them to their talk.
Ryuuji looks up to Mai studying him intently.
"You're one of them too, aren't you?" she smirks knowingly.
"One of what?" he levels in response.
"One of those deviants like Yami," she retorts with a sneer. "I can tell."
Ryuuji stares at her; his mind working through several possible replies. He could deny it, but then he'd still not know what was going on with his friend. He could confirm it, but to what end? What good could come of outing himself in this very public setting? And why would she even want to do that to him, even as a joke? Does she hate him as much as she hates Kaiba? If so, she's hidden that feeling very well.
Ryuuji sighs to himself and sips his beer. Really, the fact that he's said nothing for so long has probably already confirmed things in her mind anyway.
"And if I was, does that mean you won't tell me what's going on with Yami and his family?" he scoffs at her, hoping his bravado masks his true terror of possibly being outed.
"You don't deny it?" she raises an analytical eyebrow.
He hates that superior, 'holier-than-thou' attitude that she's always throwing everywhere. It makes him want to beat her senseless.
'Or put her in her place,' he thinks to himself.
Instead of replying, he pulls out one of his business cards and begins writing two web page addresses on the back.
"I'll find out what's going on from Anzu," he declares, throwing the card at her. "Maybe now that she's grown a spine and gotten away from you assholes, she's become more interesting as a person."
Feeling like himself for the first time in weeks, he saunters haughtily out the door.
Behind him, Mai has pulled out her iPad and is looking up the sites Ryuuji scribbled down.
Her eyes nearly bug out of her head as she reads the information written there.