Mastermind

Hello, I am back after two years. I never intended for it to take this long. I work a lot in a hospital. I have many health issues and I had back surgery recently so I'm taking time to relax and write. If you've read my other works, welcome back! If you're new here, welcome!

A few things before you read: this story has changed from what I had originally planned. Somehow there is now rivalshipping (don't worry it doesn't last) and angst shipping. This is a puzzleshipping fic. Slow burn. It's also meant to be exaggerated in a lot of ways. I enjoy a soap opera feel to my stories. So if you can handle that, enjoy what's to come!

Chapter 2

Fateful Returns

Showering had made a great deal of difference. His body felt somewhat rejuvenated and his mind felt less anxious.

The more time he spent in his childhood home proved to unlock age old memories he fought to hide. Leaving this place behind had been hard, but needed after the many things life had dealt him.

He could no longer claim to have the luck of the draw as he had during his duel monster days. Those days were often banished to the recesses of his mind. Nothing good was left for him here and so far his heart pounded with each passing second.

Ryou had left him a mysterious message weeks prior, leaving him little to no time for him to prepare or even refuse his request.

"Malik and I are visiting Domino with an exhibition at the museum. I believe that there is something of 'great' interest for you to see that I have here."

That was all the message had said. Simple as that. Yuugi wanted to delete it, but he knew Ryou well enough not to. The curator would badger him until he replied.

"If not him, his crazy motorcycle obsessed idiot would," he chuckled under his breath.

That pairing had been a surprise to everyone. But Yuugi had figured it had something to do with their shared trauma.

Marik and Ryou… They had been together for god… He had to think. At least ten years if not longer?

The duo had been living in Egypt or simply traveling since Ryou finished his masters degree. The RPG enthusiast still favored the occult and Marik was happy to tag along on his spooky adventures. The only stipulation: No more relics housing homicidal spirits seeking world domination, powers of a long dead pharaoh, or extracting revenge on said pharaoh.

Needless to say, the two were sickeningly sweet together and it drove Yuugi absolutely insane.

"I'm not jealous of their sappiness," he retorted. Although he knew deep down it was a damn lie. He had never been the same, especially not after his own fucked up love life fell into a million pieces.

"Screw this," he growled running a hand through his semi damp spiky mess of hair. He glanced in the mirror nothing the dark shadows beneath his eyes, the amethyst bloodshot in the stark lighting. "Man, I look like a mess. But I guess this is as good as it's gonna get."

Going about the task of dressing in the unassuming dark wardrobe was meaningless. He tied the laces of his trainers and placed his glasses back on.

Keys in hand, Yuugi let out a heavy sigh and headed out the door, hoping the rain had let up even a bit. He really didn't want his hair to look any worse than it already did.

—

Ryou Bakura (or Ishtar) as his official title was known, tapped his foot impatiently, nerves on edge. His deep chocolate eyes stayed focused on the clock before him, a frown gracing his lips.

"How long does it take to shower?"

A chuckle escaped his partner's lips as he sauntered into the room.

"My dear, you need to relax. You're lucky he even agreed to meet you at all. You and I both know how much he despises Domino city or even the talk of anything pertaining to Egypt."

Ryou glanced over at his blond partner, taking in his deep bronzed skin, alluring violet eyes and gorgeous freshly "fucked" hair, (Mario's name for his hair, not his).

"Well, I didn't exactly say that it had anything to do with Egypt," he admitted sheepishly. "Yuugi wouldn't have come otherwise."

Marik shot him an incredulous look. "He will skin you alive, Ry!" The Egyptian turned away hotly and smirked. "I'm not defending you against the midget. That's all on you, babe."

"Marik don't call Yuugi a midget! He's not so short anymore! Besides, we want him to have a clear and open mind especially with who is coming and what we have discovered."

Before Marik could counter with another witty remark, both men were caught off guard by the deep laugh that met them.

"Really? You both are still calling me damn midget? Should I just pack up and head back to America?"

The duo were so startled they barely fathomed words. It took them a moment to gather their composure.

"Yuugi?"

The former game king stared at his friends, amusement dancing in his tired eyes. It had been at least six or seven years since they had seen one another in person.

"In the flesh." Arms crossed over his thin frame, Yuugi glanced around the room, shuddering at the sheer amount of Egyptian artifacts that surrounded him.

It was like his own personal purgatory.

"So, what is with all the smoke and mirrors, Ryou? Why did you drag me all the way out here against my will, might I add?"

Marik smirked over at his husband. 'I told you so.' Was written all over his face. He merely grinned at Yuugi and offered his hand.

"It's been so long. I do believe it's been before our wedding since we've seen you last."

The smaller male cringed at that. He had missed their wedding among other get togethers over the past so and so years.

"Yeah, about that. I am so sorry."

Ryou reached out, placing a hand on Yuugi's shoulder, squeezing it gently.

"Yuugi, it's okay, we understand. It wasn't meant to be said in any bitterness. It was just a statement."

Violet eyes visibly lightened, a harshness leaving them. Shoulders once raised and tense loosened, relaxing to their normal stance. Relief was evident ten fold.

Ryou felt the change under his touch, surprised but chose not to comment on it.

"Thank you," Yuugi mumbled. "It's not often I come across someone who is understanding or even… forgiving these days."

These words held a haunted tone that spoke volumes to Ryou and Marik. They both stared at one another worriedly.

What the hell happened to the passionate, game loving, ball of sunshine Yuugi Mutou?

This man before them exuded a deep sadness, depression laden beneath his very being. This was a shell of the man they once knew.

This wasn't their Yuugi Mutou. This wasn't the man they spent years fighting to get the pharaoh's.. no Atem's memories back.

This was a broken man who had lost the will to go on.

'Yuugi did not look like this when we saw him last." Ryou thought. But then again, how long had that been?

Yuugi cleared his throat, eyes fixated on the duo before him. He raised a brow and asked, "Can we please get to the point of this meeting?"

Ryou glanced over at Marik to see if he was in agreement. With a nod from the blond, he began.

"Well, here's the thing, Yuugi. There's a lot to this and we need one more person to show up before we can truly start this conversation."

This seemed to irritate the former game king. They watched in shock as he clenched his fists tightly at his sides and yelled out, "I'm tired of your games, Ryou! Tell me why you dragged me back to Domino. Especially now! Just tell me, or I'll just leave."

A set of footsteps echoed down the hallway, signaling the arrival of the other party.

A very tall shadow emerged from the dark hall, the light flowing like a halo around his lanky form.

"Hmph, you never change, Yuugi. You're running off again, just like you did last time." The voice was snide, deep and angered. It slithered down the petite man's spine like a serpent. His entire being froze in the middle of his ranting when he finally realized who interrupted him.

This voice once sent pleasure-filled shivers down his spine in steamy late night encounters, and now it left him filled with anger and sadness.

Yuugi closed his eyes and turned toward the taller man that he knew all too well.

"Seto, it's been a while," he muttered sarcastically, never meeting the man's deep cobalt stare.

The tech giant stood, briefcase clenched in hand, dressed in a dark business suit. His cold, stoic demeanor radiated off him in waves. His gaze hardened as he gazed down at the former duel king.

"That's all you have to say after ignoring me for the past nine months, Yuugi?!" he seethed, venom evident in his tone.

Ryou and Marik exchanged looks with one another in surprise. What in the world was going on here?

Marik decided to intervene, his nosiness getting the best of him. "Kaiba, what do you mean by ignoring you for the past nine months? Yuugi hasn't spoken to most of us all that often in years. Cut him some slack. You're not special."

The CEO turned on the tomb keeper, anger flaring to life.

"This doesn't concern you, Ishtar. Yuugi knows exactly what I mean." Seto set his gaze on the aforementioned man, gauging his reaction.

Marik fought the urge to roll his eyes as Ryou shoved him hard in the side. Both of them fell silent as they expected this from Kaiba. He was always dramatic. But he managed to keep his personal life and affairs private. He didn't mention anything to anyone except to his brother, Mokuba.

However, this case seemed different. The tech giant was beyond livid with Yuugi over something or another.

Why did Seto Kaiba think he could approach his rival like this? Atem would be seething in rage right now.

They had a plan to approach this differently didn't they?

"How many times do I have to tell you, Seto? It's none of your business where I'm at. Stop trying to fucking track me!"

Ryou and Marik fell silent feeling awkward in the midst of this ordeal. Their anxiety rose with each passing second. Ryou knew he shouldn't let this escalate further. Yuugi and Kaiba could drag this out for ages. Yuugi was a lot like Atem in that way.

"Alright, stop it you two. We are all here for the same reason." Ryou pointed to both Yuugi and Seto. "You to can finish your childish bickering on your own time."

Yuugi rolled his eyes, turning away. "No. I'm not staying if he's here."

"What if I told you that Kaiba was the one who called me, Yuugi? We all have things to discuss that pertain to this particular subject matter," Marik tried gently.

Everything was falling apart. His thinly made mask was shattering. Anxiety was rising deep in his chest, and rock bottom was his mistress at this point. Yuugi welcomed it as his friends broke through the static buzzing in his mind.

"It's always about him," Ryou whispered. "Everything always comes back to him."

Yuugi sunk down to his knees as Seto opened up his briefcase, caring little about the tearful violet eyes that observed his actions.

He carelessly dumped familiar gold pieces onto the cold tiled floor in front of the smaller male.

"It's always been about him, Yuugi, " he muttered darkly. There was a dark edge to his tone. He seemed to care little for the fear and anger that crossed over the duel king's face.

"No, not this again. I'm done with this shit. Stop trying to ruin my life, Seto."

Yuugi stood on shaky legs, bypassing the puzzle as if it were lava. He stumbled away, ignoring the shouts from his friends and former dueling rival.

Why was everything tied to that stupid old Egyptian relic?