Yugi is apprehensive about telling Jonouchi about himself and Mai, but knows he must do so before his friend finds out from some other source.

Warnings: there is swearing and violence in this chapter.

Dirty Dueling.

Ch 6.

Betrayal.

Returning to the hotel after appearing as a guest on a popular TV chat show, Jonouchi was in good spirits. For most of his life he had been a worthless nobody, with what was predicted by his social workers and probationary officer to be a pretty bleak future. Becoming friends with Yugi had changed that predicted future and made him a much better man. And now he was a successful man as well, with a beautiful girlfriend – eat that, naysayers.

But even with his success, some people would still ask him if he minded being in the shadow of Yugi Muto? His answer to that was always, 'Nope! Not at all. I feel honoured to have Yugi as my friend.' He loved the little guy to the stars and back; they were like brothers and would stand by each other no matter what. And they had, loads of times. Jonouchi admired Yugi and could never begrudge him the adulation and success he received as the King of Games. Yugi was always rooting for him whenever he had a chance to shine, too.

The pair of them would stick together to the end, no matter what.

As he entered the hotel, he peered into the bar to see if anyone was around. He would have messaged Mai to say he was on his way back, and ask her to meet him in the bar for a drink, but he couldn't find his phone –must've left the dam thing lying around somewhere, again.

A cursory sweep of the lounge bar and he spotted three of his favourite people in the whole world; the other two being Shizuka, and that big jerk Honda, who he knew was messing around with Shizuka even though they both denied it.

His friends had not spotted him yet, so he strolled up to them and quickly got their attention. "Look who's back from being next hottest thing on TV!" he announced proudly and loudly. "The one and only, yours truly!" He chuckled and pointed at himself.

Yugi smiled awkwardly, and so did Anzu. Mai rolled her eyes and said, "Shut up and sit down. You're making a spectacle of yourself, moron." But she said it with affection.

"Meh… so, what gives?" he said, looking round for another chair and stealing one from the next table. "Why the long faces?"

"What long faces?!" said Mai.

"It's nothing. We're all fine," Yugi lied, beginning to chicken out of telling his friend the truth.

"We're just relaxing after a busy day," Anzu added, catching a side glance from Yugi.

Jonouchi had the distinct impression that something was up but let it go. "Who wants a drink? This one's on me!"

"Another glass of Pinot Grigio, please," said Mai.

"Yug? Anzu? What you two having?" Jonouchi asked when neither said anything.

"I'm okay, thanks." Yugi pointed to his half full pint of beer. "Still got this."

"Erm.. I'll have sparkling mineral water, please," said Anzu.

Jonouchi pulled a face. "Sure I can't tempt you to anything stronger?"

Anzu shook her head. "No."

"Well, okay," said Jonouchi, shrugging. Feeling a bit hurt that they weren't more excited about him being on one of the most popular chat shows in the US, he trotted off to the bar to order.

Yugi let out a sigh and sagged. "I don't think I can do it."

"He seems so happy," said Anzu, "it would be cruel."

"It would be better if he never finds out," added Mai.

"But what if he finds out from someone else? That would be even worse!" said Anzu.

"I have to tell him," said Yugi, resigned to the consequences. "But not here." It needed to be said in private, and not in a public place.

"No, Yugi. We have to tell him. I'm just as much to blame." Mai said assertively.

"Shh.. He's coming back," Anzu whispered, causing Yugi and Mai to go quiet.

"Meh, what'd I miss? Talking about how incredible I am?" Jonouchi teased.

"Not exactly," Anzu said cagily. "We were... actually saying that we hoped you didn't say anything stupid on live TV."

"Meh… ye of little faith. I'll have you know I acquainted myself to perfection."

"Acquitted yourself perfectly," interjected Mai. "You said…"

"Yeah.. that, too," said Jonouchi, grinning at her. He took a sip of his beer. "Anyway, the program ain't live. They said it would be going out tomorrow, after editing."

Anzu gave a wry smile. "They probably didn't trust you not to say something you shouldn't," she said dryly.

Jonouchi shrugged. "You mean swear? Nah… I'll have you know I was on my best behaviour! Didn't even slag Kaiba off when they asked how we was getting on while on tour. Apparently our public spats are legendary!" he stated proudly. His friends all managed to laugh at that, despite their sour moods.

After they finished their drinks, Jonouchi asked if they wanted another, but they all declined.

"I think I'm gonna get my stuff and go home," said Anzu, forgetting that Jonouchi did not know about her being angry with Yugi.

"Go home?! Thought you was staying here, with Yugi?!" He sounded a very surprised.

Not knowing what excuse to come up with, Anzu cringed slightly.

Yugi quickly lied for her, "Anzu's flatmate is sick. Anzu's going home to look after her, aren't you?" He smiled fondly at her and took her hand. Anzu forced a smile and resisted the urge to yank her hand away.

"Yes!" she replied through gritted teeth.

"Well, guess we'll hit the sack then, eh, Mai?" Jonouchi said, winking at his on/off girlfriend.

The four got up and headed for the elevators.

Yugi and Anzu were hanging slightly behind. "Flat mate sick," she hissed at him frostily. "Where did that lie come from?"

He shrugged. "I had to say something!" he whispered back, leaning in close and taking her hand, holding it lovingly as if nothing was wrong between them. He felt her tense. "To stop Jonouchi asking questions about us." Anzu dug her nails into his hand to be spiteful, but not enough to break the skin.

"Yo! Hurry up, happy lovers! I ain't holding this lift all night!" Jonouchi shouted from inside the lift.

Anzu rolled her eyes, pulled away from Yugi and ran into the left, leaving Yugi standing there rubbing his hand.

Sighing, he jogged to catch up. She was really making him suffer.

::::::::::::

Exiting the lift, the group went to their respective rooms. Since Yugi's room was a luxury room, and Jonouchi's room a standard one, they were on different ends of the corridor.

It was a perk that Yugi got and Jonouchi did not. Yugi had expressed his guilt about being given better rooms, but his friend said he wasn't jealous and was quite happy with the rooms he was given.

Swiping his key card, Yugi gestured Anzu inside first. She gave him the evil eye and entered. "Don't try and talk me into staying," she said assertively.

Yugi's patience was wearing thin. He and Mai should not have done what they did, but Anzu had no right to be this angry with him. Not when she had been dating someone else at the time! "I'm not!" he snapped. "If you want to go, go, but stop making me feel like I'm an evil, cheating bastard, when you and I weren't even dating at the time!"

Anzu turned and stared at him incredulously. "What?!"

He glared back at her. "I'm saying, yes, I accept that I've been an idiot; I've been behaving like one since this tour started! All of us have! But I doubt I would have been half as much of an idiot if you hadn't dumped me and told me you were dating someone else. You hurt me so badly, Anzu." Unable to stop his tears, he growled in frustration, leaned back against the wall and banged the back of his head against it. "And now I've got to try and do what's right. On top of that, the woman I'm in love with hates me and I'm probably gonna get my nose broken and my teeth knocked down my throat and lose my best friend over it as well." Sliding down the wall onto his bum, he put his elbows on his knees and curled in on himself.

Stunned, Anzu came over and crouched down in front of him. "Yugi…" she whispered, reaching out to touch his shoulder. He looked up at her miserably.

"See what you've reduced me to?!" he said, trying not to sob.

Anzu did start to sob. "Oh, Yugi…" she said, rubbing his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I know it's my fault we split up, but that's not what I'm upset about; what you and Mai did was reckless."

"Yeah, well I already know what a jerk I am, so don't rub it in," he snapped, shrugging her off.

Admonished, she removed her hand, but remained beside him. "Why don't we talk about it?" she suggested softly.

He gently pushed her away and stood up. "I'm done talking. I'm going to have a shower. It's up to you to decide if you still want to be here when I've finished." He hoped she would be, but he had placed all of his cards on the table. A desperate gamble, but a risk he was willing to take.

Anzu jumped when the bathroom door slammed shut and the door lock clicked. When Yugi used that tone of voice, it meant he was well and truly pissed off. Was she really being too hard on him? There was nothing she could do to change what had happened in the last few months; they had both made some stupid decisions, so perhaps they should both forgive each other and try to move forward. And even if this was the end romantically for them, she could at least try and support him as a friend, because Jonouchi was going to be absolutely mad when he found out.

::::::::::::

Jonouchi was frisky when he and Mai got back to the room they had been sharing, but Mai could not quite get in the mood. There was too much on her mind. She wished she had asked for a her own room when they checked in. That way, she could escape and try to gather her thoughts in peace and quiet. "Pack it in," she grumbled. "I've got a headache."

"Aw, c'mon Mai! Don't be a spoilsport!" He said, trying to tickle her and make her laugh. She sure was being a misery guts.

"Get off!" she said grumpily, pushing him away.

He sat back on his haunches with a puppy dog expression. "Wos-up? You ain't usually like this!" Maybe it was her time of month, but she hadn't said anything.

"Nothing's up! I'm just… not in the mood, okay?"

"But… you're always in the mood!"

Mai growled in frustration and glared at him. "That's the problem! Good old Mai! Always in the mood! You're just like all the other men I meet."

Jonouchi's expression went from playful to sour. "You know me better than that, Mai! I'm nothing like them guys! I respect you. And if you don't wanna, then we won't. How about just a cuddle instead?" He opened his arms.

Mai sighed. She did not need, or want, a cuddle. "If you respect me, why have you spent most of this tour chasing after other women?" she said, moving away from him.

His mouth fell open. "But I thought we agreed?! Open relationship! Free to sleep around!"

She shook her head. "Your idea, not mine. I just went along with it because I thought, well, you're young, you need to sow some wild oats and get it out of your system before you finally grow up and decide it's time to settle down."

"W..what brought this on?" She had been quite happy for them to 'play the field' when they stayed in the same hotel as those big muscly sportsmen! Jonouchi had not minded, because there were plenty of bikini clad bimbos hanging around the swimming pool hoping to pull one of those sportsmen. Jonouchi was pretty athletic himself, and quickly worked out how to charm the bikini's off em.

"Look!" said Mai, steeling herself. "There's something I need to say, and I need you to be calm about it, because you and I were not together at the time, and I was feeling pretty lonely and dejected and… well… Yugi was just there, and we… we shared a bottle of champagne and it just happened." Faltering, she swallowed. He was staring at her like she had just beamed into the room from the Starship Enterprise.

"I get it, Yugi's a good friend. Course he'd lend a sympathetic ear," Jonouchi said shakily, not wanting to believe what he thought she was trying to tell him.

Mai started fretting. "He lent more than a sympathetic ear. We spent the night together, Jou! While you were off out somewhere getting laid, I spent the night with Yugi." She started to cry.

Frozen in time, Jonouchi stared at her, unable to move or speak, until he suddenly felt hot tears pricking his eyes and running down his cheeks. How could his best friend betray him like this?!

"When?" he snarled.

Mai sniffed and grabbed a box of tissues. Taking some, she blew her nose. "The night you got robbed," she managed to say between sobs. She handed him the box of tissues, but he snatched it and threw it with all his force across the room. Luckily, being soft, it did not damage anything.

"You bitch! While I was getting drugged and robbed, you was letting my best friend fuck you!" he yelled.

Mai rounded on him. "It wasn't like that! I didn't know you had walked into a honey trap! Yugi told me you met a Texan glamour model."

"Oh! So he said that to get you into his bed did he? Wait until I get my hands on the little bastard., I'm gonna break his fucking balls!" He got off the bed and started trying to tug on his jeans and tee-shirt, but was in such a temper he could not get them on.

"Stop!" Mai got in his way. "Yugi didn't do anything of the sort! I asked him where you were and he told me the truth. I flirted with him! I suggested it!"

Jonouchi shoved her, hard enough for her to fall backwards against the chair and table. "Why am I not surprised?" He stalked towards her menacingly as she lay there in nothing but her panties, short skirt and bra, defenceless.

He snarled, fists balled, and then yelled. "Think yourself lucky! My dad might have been a violent asshole, but I vowed never to hit a woman!" But he would hit a man, even his best friend, for what he had done. Managing to dress himself this time, he stalked to the door. Hurriedly pulling on a vest top, Mai straightened her skirt and ran after him, grabbing his arm.

"Katsuya! Don't! Please! Yugi's your best friend! Violence isn't the way. We should all sit down and talk."

"Fuck talking." He shook her off, yanked the door open and stormed towards Yugi's room.

That two faced little bastard was gonna pay for it.

:::::::::::

Having forgotten to take his pyjamas or dressing gown into the bathroom, Yugi emerged with just a towel wrapped loosely around him. He was not sure if Anzu would still be here, but when he saw her sitting in one of the armchairs at the table, he smiled with relief, and instinctively wrapped the towel around his waist as he approached her. "Anzu! You stayed!"

She looked up from her phone and nodded. "I couldn't leave, I..." She had rehearsed what she wanted to say, but now her words failed her.

"Anzu…" Agonizing over what to say without it just sounding like pathetic excuses, he sat down on the bed.

She took a breath and turned to face him. "If you're trying to apologise, don't," she said wearily. "It takes more than one person to fuck up a relationship."

"Are we fucked?" Anzu did not have chance to answer his question, because they were startled by frenzied hammering on the door.

"Yugi! You bastard. I know what you did with Mai! I'm gonna fucking rip your balls off!"

At the sound of Jonouchi's irate voice, Yugi and Anzu froze and stared at one another in horror.

"He knows!" Yugi said shakily, his blood running cold.

"Mai must have…" Anzu yelped and they both jumped, when Jonouchi started kicking the door.

"Open the fucking door, you coward, before I kick it down!"

Mai had arrived and was frantically trying to calm her irate boyfriend, but he was too angry to listen.

"Get off me, Bitch!" Both Yugi and Anzu flinched when they heard Mai scream and what sounded like a scuffle.

Fearing that Jonouchi was hitting her, Yugi jumped off the bed to run to the door to intervene, but his towel fell to the floor, reminding he that he was naked. "Shit!" he hissed, scrabbling to pull on some sweat bottoms and a tee-shirt. "Jonouchi! Don't hurt her!" he shouted as he dressed.

Meanwhile, Anzu was already running for the door. "Stop it! Or I'll call security!" she yelled, slapping her palms against the door. But she was too afraid for Yugi to risk opening the door.

She heard Jonouchi's voice. "Ow! Shit, Mai! You made my nose bleed!" Turns out it was Mai who had been hitting Jonouchi.

"Serves you right! Calm down, before you wake the whole hotel!" Other people were already peeking out and yelling at them to shut up.

"Not until I've beaten the shit out of that rat…" He started hammering at the door again.

Yugi ran to the door. "Jonouchi! I'm sorry! If I open the door will you promise me you'll calm down enough so we can talk, before you get into trouble?" Someone was bound to be calling for security and Jonouchi would end up in a police cell.

"No can do, Yug!" said Jonouchi defiantly. "Open this dam door, you cowardly little rat."

Yugi flinched.

"I'm calling Kaiba," Anzu decided, grabbing her phone.

Not happy at being called a cowardly little rat, Yugi braced himself and opened the door. "Look.. J…" Yugi did not get his sentence out, because the door was almost knocked off its solid hinges when Jonouchi barrelled into it. The door smacked into Yugi, knocking him off balance and the edge of the door gave him a painful knock to the side of the head, making him see stars. He barely had time to react, because Jonouchi grabbed him by the collar and shoved him bodily into the wall, with such force it winded the smaller man. The back of his head hit the wall and made him feel sick for a moment when he saw yet more stars. Despite the pain and the feeling of blood trickling down the side of his face, he tried his best to defend himself by grabbing Jonouchi's arm, but was no match for the rampaging street tough brawler, and was easily pinned by a strong arm to the throat. "Jou.." Yugi coughed as his airway was cut off, making his eyes water.

Behind them, both Mai and Anzu were screaming at them to stop.

"Why, Yugi? Why did you sleep with Mai?" Jonouchi felt so betrayed that a fresh round of tears pricked his eyes.

Yugi opened and closed his mouth in an attempt to speak. "S..sorry.." he wheezed, as he tried in vain to push his angry friend's arm away so he could breathe.

Jonouchi snarled and pulled his fist back. Yugi flinched, braced for the blow, but the fist whistled past his ear and connected with the wall. Jonouchi could not hit his friend, no matter how much he hated him in this moment.

Jonouchi yelped as pain shot through his fist. Seconds later, he was pulled away from Yugi by Seto Kaiba, who needed the help of Mai to help restrain a struggling Jonouchi.

Yugi staggered away from the wall, coughing and gasping in air. Anzu was immediately there, her arms around him. "Oh, my god! Yugi!" She had never been so frightened, which was saying something given some of their exploits in the past.

He put his hands up. "I'm okay." He touched his temple and winced. He clearly wasn't okay, but his only concern right now was his friend. "Jonouchi?"

"Shut it, Yugi!" Jonouchi snarled, clearly in some discomfort from his hand. "Get off me Kaiba."

"If I let go, you are not to attack him," Kaiba ordered coldly.

"Just… Grr…" He shrugged Seto off.

"You're an idiot," Seto told him, and then pointed at Yugi. "I warned you." He also jabbed a finger at Mai. "And you."

Jonouchi rounded on Seto with an incredulous look. "You knew?!"

"I know everything you morons get up to." He looked down at the hand Jonouchi was nursing. "That's going to need an x-ray." He looked over at Yugi, who, by the looks of it, also needed hospital treatment.

There we have it. The unthinkable has happened and, feeling betrayed, Jonouchi wants nothing more to do with Mai and Yugi.