Queer As Tachi – Chapter 76
The flight from Cairo was coming in at roughly the same time in the afternoon as before, and this time Ryo didn’t have to skip any classes in order to meet it. He was free to be there early and wait at the gates for Marik to disembark from his plane, standing behind a partition with his hands gripping the railing to keep himself from pacing. There was no nervous apprehension this time, only excitement and impatience as three months of teasing, talking, plotting, and loving from afar finally came to fruition. At first they had both laughed off the idea of Marik moving to Domino as the product of missing each other’s company immediately after his last visit, but the more time passed and the more they realized their attraction to each other was only growing stronger, and their long, late-night talks were bringing them closer together, the more it started to sound like a good idea. And not merely to save Bakura money on his phone bills; while he had never been directly threatened or seen anyone threatened, Marik was always wary of the disapproval of homosexuality among his countrymen. There was nowhere for him to go, nothing to do, and the only person he wanted to do anything with was halfway around the globe. Ishizu did not disapprove of his relationship so long as the chats and calls did not get in the way of him doing his chores and regular work, which Marik was careful not to let happen. Odeon always encouraged his younger brother by not discouraging him, and even suggested to him that he might consider moving to Japan if he liked it there long before Marik ever brought it up. Thus, when he finally went to his family to ask their permission and blessing, they were ready to give it. Ishizu’s only concern had to do with tombkeeper destiny, but somehow she got a hold of Shadi in her own way and relayed that he had no direct objection to Marik’s leaving. She rationalized it as making it possible for Marik to serve the pharaoh directly by living in the same city as him, and gave her consent for him to emigrate. They had one last family dinner together at one of Cairo’s finest traditional restaurants before Ishizu and Odeon kissed their worldly young brother farewell and sent him on to the arms of his lover.
The moment the signboard above him switched from “On Time” to “Arrived,” Ryo sidled around the railing and went to stand in front of the gate along with a couple other people who were similarly waiting for their loved ones to disembark. Waiting for the plane to taxi up and passengers to begin spilling out of the entryway was the worst part of it, but then Marik was there, backpack slung over his shoulder, looking keenly around for the person he needed to see. They spotted each other at almost the same time and rushed right into each other’s arms, hugging each other tightly and almost falling to the floor together in their enthusiasm. Ryo practically squealed, and Marik started laughing in delight. Once they got their fill of squeezing each other tightly, they stood back, drew deep breaths, and plunged into a passionate kiss. It didn’t last long, though, they were too excited to see each other to drop their hesitations and make out there in public. At last, Marik pried himself off his companion enough to clasp his hands and look him over to see that he was looking as beautiful and warm-eyed as ever. “It’s so good to see you,” he breathed.
“I can’t believe you’re here to stay,” Ryo whimpered happily. “Marik…” He lunged and caught his lover up in another embrace.
Marik chuckled and hugged him back. “I know, it’s strange. To have settled down, and then picked back up again…” They stood back and gazed at each other, beaming, and heaved identical sighs at the same time. “Well, here I am,” Marik added.
“Here you are indeed,” Ryo smiled. “Did you have a decent flight?”
“Decent? I suppose you could say that.” Marik then cocked his blond head and smirked. “What, no flowers this time?”
His boyfriend gave the cutest smile. “Silly, I need both hands free to help with the baggage,” he replied. “I assume you have some this time?”
“Yeah, two big suitcases and this.” He shrugged to indicate his backpack with the duel disk strapped to it. “Ishizu is shipping a box with some of my less important personal effects by the slow route. The rest is here with me.”
Ryo’s eyes widened. “That’s all you have?”
“Of course.” Marik sidled up to him and took his hand, intending to walk with him down to claim his luggage. “I sold most of my unnecessary worldly possessions after Battle City, when the Rare Hunters were disbanded and I no longer needed it all. Everything I have in the world can fit in those suitcases and the box – I hope it’ll fit in your flat.”
“If that’s all it is, then yes, there’ll be no problem,” Ryo assured as they started away. “But I feel a little sad that you got rid of your stuff.”
“I honestly didn’t need it,” Marik said. “It was just stuff, stuff I didn’t care about and only collected because I had the money and power to do so. But I saved up all the money from selling it all, so if I find out I need something here, I can buy it. Even a new motorcycle,” he added with a teasing smirk.
“Oo, sounds exciting.” They flashed each other similar grins and quickened their steps as they made their way through the bustling airport to the baggage claim.
Bakura wisely splurged for a taxi and helped carry the large suitcases upstairs to his flat, gratefully setting them down outside the door with a weary sigh so he could fumble with his keys. Unlike the last time, the two of them had chatted comfortably but quietly the whole way home, not wishing to express too much in front of the taxi driver but eager to talk and share. Marik stood aside smiling widely while the door was opened for him, and as he stepped through, he was surprised and delighted to see a big vase of roses waiting for him on the little island at the edge of the kitchen – with a set of keys hanging on a cord tied around the vase. He began to laugh a little. “So much for not getting flowers!”
“Do you like them?” Ryo sidled up behind him and wrapped his arms around him, resting his chin on Marik’s shoulder. “They’re yours. The keys, I mean. You’re officially my roommate.”
“It’s wonderful. And the flowers are a nice touch, too.” Marik turned to face his partner and gathered him up for a sweet little kiss. “But how could you afford them?”
Ryo gave him a mischievous smile. “I’ve managed to come up with a little extra, just in time. Don’t worry about it.”
They leaned in for further kisses, finally able to indulge each other now that they had made it to the privacy of their own home. After a bit, though, they just sagged against each other in relief and held each other, silently savoring the ability to do so again after three months apart. Ryo thought to himself that his fears were unfounded, that no matter what common sense might dictate, the way he felt right now meant that this relationship, this sudden move, was the right one. He had longed for Marik so much that he was afraid he was building up the expectation to levels that couldn’t be met, but now that he was here, warm and soft and hugging him tightly, Ryo felt a sense of comfort and serenity, as if the missing piece of a puzzle had been put in place. Then, Marik’s body expanded with a sigh, and he lifted his head. “You don’t mind if I grab a shower and a nice long nap before we officially start living together?”
“Oh, of course!” Ryo pulled back and smiled warmly at him. “Anything you want. This is your place, now. You don’t have to ask me for anything.” He made a concerned pout. “You must be tired.”
“I am,” Marik admitted. “I tried to sleep on the plane, but you know how pointless that can be.”
“Then, by all means.” Ryo took his hand and towed him through the flat to the bedroom in back. “Have yourself a shower, and nap for as long as you need. Maybe I’ll even nap with you.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Marik assured. “It’s the middle of the afternoon, you can’t possibly be tired.”
“Maybe not,” Ryo conceded, “but I just want to be near you right now. I’ll lie with you, even if I’m not tired enough to sleep.”
Marik laughed softly. “All right. I’m not going to say no, it would be nice to curl up with you. Shower first, though.”
Bakura agreed and let go of him long enough to allow him to find his personal effects in one of the suitcases and disappear into the bathroom to clean up after his long journey. When he came out, fresh and clean and smelling like Ryo’s floral soap, they curled up together on the futon so Marik could nap to his heart’s content. As they were settling down, with Ryo combing his fingers lovingly through his partner’s wet hair, he murmured quietly, “There is one thing you should know…”
“Hmm?” Marik turned his head slightly to listen.
“It’s nothing important. I just thought I should mention while it was on my mind, Yugi and Joey have made it their duty to throw me a birthday party tomorrow.”
“Ahh.” Marik closed his eyes and snuggled in to sleep, feeling his exhaustion creeping over him. “What kind of party?”
“I don’t know.” Bakura smiled down at his partner. “The only thing Yugi told me was that you and I are supposed to be ready to go ‘out’ at five tomorrow afternoon. I guess it’s a surprise.”
“Sounds fun,” Marik mumbled. “Count me in. I’ll worry about it later, though.”
“Yes.” Ryo brushed back a lock of straw-blond hair from Marik’s brow and gazed dreamily at the sight of his partner falling to sleep. Having someone to share his life at last made him so happy that he didn’t know how to express it, except by sitting with him while he slept. “We’ll take care of everything else when you wake up,” he whispered gently. “You can settle in, unpack, make yourself at home. After all, this is your home now.” Your home with me, he added to himself, and another thrill seared through his mind and heart. The pain of the circumstances which had brought them into each other’s lives in the first place was well worth this payoff. Ryo knew he didn’t have to be alone ever again.
Yugi and Joey’s master plan was to show up at Bakura’s flat with Tristan and Duke and essentially “kidnap” Ryo and Marik and drag them out on the town, first to dinner and then out dancing. Mai would join them in progress, as she had something at work that would keep her unavailable until well after five. During the decision process, Yugi had said something about it not being as much fun going out dancing without Yami, but he would at least be there to watch if not actively participate. Once they started to get ideas they didn’t stop, and it was actually Joey’s idea to keep it a surprise from the guests of honor. They didn’t want Bakura backing out on account of shyness, so they told him in no uncertain terms to be ready at five and plan to have fun. He would never have expected the group that showed up at his flat just a few minutes early: four young men dressed in all black, though in a sexy manner, and all wearing sunglasses. Duke looked like a rock star, and Yugi wasn’t any less outrageous in his favorite leather pants, but even Joey and Tristan managed to find black shirts in their closets. They climbed up the stairs as quietly as they could, though they were all giggling over their plans, and took a few minutes standing just down the hall from Bakura’s door to stop making such a racket and put their game faces on. Duke glanced sidelong at Joey over his sunglasses and smirked. “Wow, Joey. I think you look just as hot and just as gay as the rest of us in that.”
Joey eyed him through his shades. He was wearing a tight black tank top and jeans, with his favorite silver necklace resting on his chest, the sort of outfit that would flatter anyone proud of their build. The tank top was the only black item of clothing in his wardrobe. “Shut up,” he grumbled. “I do not.”
“You do look good, Joey,” Yugi complimented.
“You look more gay than I do,” Tristan offered.
Joey groaned and tossed a hand dismissively. “Come on, let’s do this. We’ve got reservations to keep.”
They managed to hush their snickering and clustered around the door, giving each other a nod of agreement before Joey raised his hand and rapped his knuckles hard on the door. It swung open to reveal Marik, who looked delighted to see his company but a little surprised at their appearance. “Hey, guys!” he greeted them cheerily.
The four managed not to jump all over him in joy but instead, kept grim, straight faces and burst into the flat like thugs, pushing Marik gently ahead of them. In the instant before the door opened, Yami and Yugi had bonded so that both of them could be a part of the joke together, and it was his duty to pounce on Marik and restrain him. He wrapped an arm around the slender young Egyptian and pinned his arms to his sides, but not aggressively. Marik only had a second or two to be astonished at their behavior before Joey stepped up to do his part as the ringleader of the gang. Bakura came from the bedroom wondering what all the noise was about, and Joey instantly pointed at him. “You two, get him!” he ordered Tristan and Duke.
“What?” Ryo barely had a chance to flinch when the two taller men surrounded him and took him by the arms. Their restraint wasn’t as harsh as that of actual thugs, but Ryo didn’t know how to react to it. He shot Marik a confused look, but Marik was just as puzzled to have Yami Yugi holding him back out of the way.
Joey stroked his chin thoughtfully as he paced through the flat, inspecting first Marik and then Ryo through his sunglasses. “What do you think?” he asked Yugi. “Think that one passes?”
Yugi looked coolly at Marik. “He’ll do.”
Joey nodded and returned to Bakura. “You, on the other hand…” A daring smirk curved his lips. “You’re nowhere near hot enough. We gotta do something about that shirt.”
“What? My shirt?”
“Take him back into his room and find something nice to wear. Something black,” Joey bluntly ordered, somehow managing to keep a straight face.
“Black and sexy,” Yugi offered helpfully in a stern tone.
Tristan and Duke nodded and dragged Bakura backwards into his room, leaving Marik alone with the other two. He glanced warily over his shoulder at Yugi, perplexed, but suddenly saw one violet eye behind the sunglasses close briefly in a wink. It made him grin, but he stifled it and returned his eyes forward to Joey. “Hello, Yugi,” he muttered under his breath.
“It’s good to see you,” Yami Yugi muttered back in a low tone.
“All part of the game, right?”
Yugi nodded slightly, and beneath his arm, Marik relaxed considerably. Joey still paced, looking impatient, though he noticed things like the vase of brilliant red roses as he glanced around the apartment. They could hear a great deal of shuffling and rustling from the bedroom, interspersed with comments of “maybe,” “no way,” and finally “oh, I think we have a winner.” A few moments later, Duke and Tristan hauled Bakura back out into the living room, having forced him to change into a high-necked sleeveless sweater – black – and some different jewelry. Marik had apparently passed muster in his black sleeveless shirt and cargo pants, but Bakura needed some improvement in order to be seen with the group. Duke presented him to Joey. “What do you think, boss?”
Even Marik nodded. “Yes, I think that’s much better.”
Joey eyed him as if to say “we didn’t ask you,” and fought to keep a grin off his face. “That’s more like it,” he said.
Bakura had gotten over being startled once he realized what the boys were making him do, and decided to play along. “Oh, Marik, help me!” he gleefully called out, unable to keep the smile out of his voice. Pretending didn’t come very natural to him. “Protect me from these yakuza thugs!”
Marik glanced at Yugi again and completely failed to stop himself from smiling. “Don’t worry, just do as they say and I think we’ll be fine.”
“That’s right,” Joey warned, “play it cool and nothing bad will happen.” Having been a street punk in the past, he was very good at being threatening. He folded his arms over his broad chest and glanced back and forth between their captives one more time as if to assess and confirm that they were ready to go. “All right, these are the rules,” he then stated. “You get your keys, you get your IDs, but no money. And you come with us quietly or we’ll mess you up. Got it?”
Marik and Ryo quickly checked their pockets, and fumbled to extract their IDs so that they were bringing only those and nothing more. Once it was determined that they had what they needed, Joey and Yugi took over control of Bakura, putting him between them with their arms linked. Tristan and Duke took Marik in the same way, and they left the flat brusquely with only the slightest pause to lock up. They muscled the two guests down the stairs, out to the sidewalk, and into Duke’s car, which was the only one big enough to hold everybody. It was still a tight fit for six, so Bakura sat curled on Marik’s lap with Joey and Yugi on either side of them. Everyone tried to look straight ahead and appear menacing with their sunglasses and black clothing, but as soon as Duke pulled away from the curb, they couldn’t contain themselves any longer and broke out laughing. “Happy birthday, Bakura!” several called out, and then Yugi added, “And welcome back, Marik.”
“Yeah, welcome home,” Joey said emphatically.
Marik and Ryo laughed along. “Thanks, guys,” Marik acknowledged. “It’s great to see all of you. What a welcome!”
“Yes, this is quite a production,” Ryo giggled. “Where did you come up with the idea?”
“Don’t ask,” Duke said over his shoulder.
“We just wanted to make a big deal for ya,” Joey assured. “We didn’t scare you too much, did we?”
“I was more confused than anything,” Bakura replied. “I knew you wanted us ready to go out, but I had no idea.”
“That was the point,” Yugi said coolly, smiling with Yami’s elegant countenance. “It was supposed to be a surprise.”
“It certainly was.” Ryo looked down at his shirt and then grinned at Marik. “What do you think? Are you glad they forced me to change against my will?”
“I really like that,” Marik nodded. “You look hot.”
Ryo’s cheeks flushed bright red, and he stammered something under his breath before looking shyly away. Tristan turned to grin at them both. “You guys okay back there? I know it’s kind of tight, but we had to come all together. Mai’s gonna meet us at the restaurant.”
Ryo blinked at him. “Oh? Where are you taking us, anyway?”
“That’s none of your business,” Joey said with the same threatening bluster as before, but while grinning to negate the toughness. “We told you, man. It’s a surprise. The night’s on all of us, so don’t worry about it. We got you.”
Bakura’s face glowed with a smile. “Thank you. All of you.”
They chatted idly while Duke drove them all downtown, asking Marik how his flight was and what he would be doing with himself living in Japan, comparing school schedule and class difficulty between Bakura and Joey, and generally catching up on news big and small in each others’ lives. Marik had heard plenty about the earthquake aftermath via Ryo, but other things like Tristan’s job and Yugi’s tidbit about the Legendary Heroes game were new to him. Yugi regretfully informed them, then, that the only person from the gang not available to party with them was Téa, since she had flown back to America for the new school semester just two days prior. But that was all right, since Marik didn’t really know her and Ryo was still smarting a little from her outburst at Yugi’s party – he had never received the benefit of a personal apology. At last, Duke pulled into a parking lot near the city’s thickest conglomeration of restaurants, clubs, and night spots and they all spilled out of the car. They looked the part of young men out on the town, all clad in black, as they clustered around Joey and Yugi to take their direction. Still bonded, Yami Yugi turned and gestured for the rest to follow. “This way. We can walk the rest of the way.”
Ryo slid his hand into Marik’s and snuggled to his side. “I’m so excited, I can’t wait to find out where we’re going.”
“I hope it involves food,” Marik said wryly. “I’m hungry!”
Tristan glanced over his shoulder at them as he clasped Duke’s hand lazily. “You’re not the only one.”
“Don’t worry,” Joey said from the front of the pack where he walked with Yugi. “Food is definitely first on the agenda.”
They walked up the block to a popular karaoke club and restaurant that the locals knew by name. Finding that Joey was going to the door and holding it open for the gang made Ryo’s eyes pop out in surprise. “Dinner here?” he gasped. “I’ve never been here before…”
“I’ve always wanted to go,” Duke said. “This is a great chance.”
“We made reservations for one of the private rooms,” Joey bragged with a grin. “Come on, birthday boy. This is your night.”
Giggling shyly, Ryo stepped up alongside Yugi, towing his partner along, and couldn’t stop grinning as the host confirmed their reservation and led the way past the bar to one of the private karaoke rooms that were all the rage these days. Groups of friends, businessmen, tourists, or what have you could gather together and massacre songs among their peers rather than in front of a bar full of strangers, usually making for a far more entertaining night. Marik was the only one still underage, but there was no problem getting him in as they only checked IDs upon ordering alcohol, not at the door. Brimming with enthusiasm, the boys clustered around the table and flopped down onto the cushions ringing the table while the host showed them briefly how to work the karaoke and then promised a server to take their drink orders shortly. Just before settling down to a seat, Yami decided to depart from Yugi and leave him to embarrass himself at karaoke without his partner’s assistance. There were few things in the world the pharaoh’s spirit refused to be caught dead doing – singing pop songs was one of them. Yugi mentally chided him for being scared but let him go, understanding completely and perfectly fine spending the first part of the evening without interference. He was of a mind to pounce on Marik in welcome anyway, and shower his friends with affection in a far less restrained manner than the pharaoh.
Within minutes of sitting down together the waiter came to offer drinks, revealing just who among the group was all for utilizing his legal status to indulge. Joey ordered a bottle of beer without flinching, and was treated to a round of chiding from his friends. “What? I’m not driving tonight,” he explained himself. “Mai is. So there.”
“So am I,” Duke sighed, “so have one on me.” He smacked Tristan in the shoulder. “You may as well, too.”
“You bet. One for me, too, please,” Tristan grinned at the waiter.
Everybody else ordered sodas, including Ryo, for which Joey soundly criticized him. “You’re legal now!” he pointed out. “Go on, treat yourself! It’s on us, after all!”
Bakura waved a hand politely. “No, I’m not really interested. I don’t think I’d much like the taste.”
“You can have a sip of mine,” Tristan offered. “Then decide for the next round. Eh?”
“Maybe if we get some sake to make a toast, with dinner,” Yugi suggested. “Even I’ll have a sip of that.”
“Why do I foresee a lot of karaoke happening after the toasting?” Duke smirked.
The drinks had just arrived and they were sitting around talking about what possibly to order when Mai finally arrived, making the entrance of a lifetime in her own way. The door to the private room slid open with a snap, making the boys all look up sharply – they had just told the waiter not a minute before to give them time for the rest of their party to arrive, so it couldn’t have been him again. Mai stepped through from the darkened bar beyond into the light, and everyone’s eyes widened or jaw dropped. She had decided to take part in the running kidnap gag herself by dressing, as Yugi had described it, “black and sexy,” but being Mai, took the outfit one step further. Everything she wore fit the part – bustier, gloves, leather miniskirt and tall boots – yet she was perhaps showing more skin than black from neck to toes. Not even Joey had known to expect this, from the gaping look on his face. Marik broke the stunned silence with a subtle murmur under his breath. “Now there’s a sight that’ll turn any one of the five of us straight…”
“Hello, boys,” Mai purred warmly. “Looks like I’m in the right place.”
“Hell yeah you are,” Duke said suggestively, earning a glare from his partner.
Smirking to herself, Mai stalked around the table to where Bakura sat and insinuated herself between him and Marik by planting one high-heeled boot almost in Ryo’s lap. He looked up along the length of her leg, eyes wide and almost panicked, making her smile. “Looks like my henchmen took good care of the merchandise,” she complimented, leaning down toward him. “Got him here in one piece, anyway.” She then cast a glance to the tall glass on the table in front of him and frowned disapprovingly. “Soda? All right, who’s to blame for this?”
“S-sorry,” Ryo stammered up at her. “I…I don’t want anything else.”
Mai immediately broke character and grinned at him, kneeling down and giving him a blatant kiss on the cheek to leave a lipstick imprint there. “Relax, Bakura! You look so scared! It’s your birthday – live it up a little, would you?” She laughed until he smiled back, and then cast his partner an equally kind smile. “Good to see you again, Marik. And this time for good, I hear?”
“Hello, Mai,” Marik said with a pleased smile. “Yeah, you heard right.”
“Good. It’s about time you started doing something to make yourself happy. That goes for you, too,” she added to Bakura. “We’re here for you tonight, so anything you want, just speak up.”
“All right,” he said shyly, looking away while she straightened up and adjusted her miniskirt. After she sashayed away, Marik reached over and politely wiped the lipstick off his boyfriend’s cheek.
Joey couldn’t stop staring at his fiancé as she sauntered over and curled her legs gracefully under her so she could sit down without flashing the entire table. All he could say when he finally picked his jaw up off the floor was, “You walked through the whole restaurant in that?”
Mai cast him an aloof look. “No, I had a team of five muscled guys carry me through.”
Joey shook his head violently and blinked. “I mean…uh…you lo…”
“Thanks,” Mai said with a cute smile before he could fumble his way through “you look nice.”
“Damn, Mai,” Tristan added for himself. “It’s just like the old days.”
Mai beamed. “I’m just happy to find out I still fit in it. All right, did any of you yakuza-wannabes order me a drink, or do I have to do everything myself?”
That was only the beginning of what would be a long night of fun for the group. By the time the food arrived they had been through a couple of drinks, and with dinner came sake for the usual birthday toast. The only one who couldn’t be convinced to have some was Marik, he swore up and down that he hated the taste because it wasn’t as sweet as the Middle Eastern wines he was used to. Ryo had sampled and turned down Tristan’s beer, but he took a cup of sake, as did Yugi, to enjoy the toast. Yugi began with congratulations on Ryo’s birthday, but Marik knew Ryo the best and finished it out with his own glowing words of joy, speaking of the light inside Ryo he had been able to discover and hoping that the years ahead would find them strengthening what the past year had started. It made Bakura’s brown eyes shimmer and everyone lift their sake in profound agreement. That done, it was time to eat. There was plenty of food to share and fight over, and for a good while the room was filled simply with the noise of chattering friends and happy munching. But between the companionship and the drinks, it didn’t take long for them to goad each other into karaoke; after all, that was why they had picked this place over any old restaurant. It was a good thing Yami beat a hasty retreat early, for Yugi had no qualms about making a fool of himself in front of his friends, be it solo or via duet with Joey that made all the others throw wadded-up napkins at them. It was pure, silly fun, made easier with the liberal lubrication of alcohol, but it had its limits. No matter who tried to beg or threaten him, Ryo refused to sing anything, and Marik swore he didn’t know any of the songs, so the two of them were more or less safe. Everyone else had plenty of turns, though. When they exhausted the amusement potential of karaoke, they ordered dessert and piled small gifts on Bakura, mostly in the form of cards. All of them made him blush and grin joyfully, as the cards would come in handy to rebuild his deck. Finally, at a lull after gifts, dessert, and the last round of drinks, he leaned his elbows on the table and fixed his black-clad captors with a cheery smile. “Well, thank you, everyone. Is this it, or is there more I should be worried about?”
“Definitely worry,” Tristan snorted before draining his beer bottle.
“We’ve got one more stop on this ride,” Yugi grinned. “Hope you’re ready.”
Ryo and Marik glanced at each other and mutually shrugged. Their glasses were empty, dessert had been decimated, and no one was going to get them to sing. “Sure. Lead the way,” Bakura decided.
Their other destination was only a short walk away from the karaoke lounge, which was good because more than one of the boys were slightly on the wobbly side and could use a few hours of vigorous activity to cleanse their systems. Duke and Mai were the drivers tonight, but even they had indulged in a toast’s-worth of sake, perhaps a little more. Along the way, Yugi fell back behind his friends slightly, smiling to himself at the way they all leaned on each other and carried on as merry-making friends ought to. There in the safety of a private moment, he and Yami agreed to bond once more, so that the pharaoh could take part in the festivities and do his best to make it up to Yugi for not actually being there. He couldn’t dance with his young love, but they could dance together as parts of a whole. The Eye of the Puzzle flashed as their minds melted into one, and with a daring smirk, Yami Yugi hastened his step to keep up with his friends.
A few hot dance clubs had sprung up around the bars and night spots in this part of Domino, all very classy and modern in a style meant to emulate the better places in Tokyo. The pack in black made their way up to one door, several still wearing their sunglasses even though the sun had set, and passed through into the noisy, black-lit club thronged with people their age already cutting loose. Mai stood like a queen among the boys, having one on her arm and the rest ringed around her like the world’s prettiest bodyguards, but even in that outfit she was perfectly safe – keeping company with five gay men and her fiancé. Bakura’s eyes went wide as he beheld the scene: this club was much bigger than Dream, much louder, and much more crowded. Not to mention, the crowd appeared to be primarily men. As he stood at the railing looking down on the sunken dance floor below swirling with lights and writhing bodies, Duke slunk up beside him and leaned in to speak in his ear to be heard above the music. “Guess what?” he said. “It’s Boys’ Night here. You can totally be all over each other and no one will care.”
Ryo turned to him with brown eyes wide. “Is this a gay club?”
“Tonight, it is.” Duke smirked and then leaned back as his own boyfriend’s arms came around him and snuggled him. “We figured turning twenty meant you needed to have your eyes opened wide. So what do you say? Ready to find your wild side?”
Ryo blinked at the spectacle before him. Unlike the sedate décor of Dream, which emphasized the talent of their DJs and the exclusivity of their special event nights, this club flashed and sparkled like a gaudy diamond. There were platforms around the edges of the main floor for people to climb up and dance on, strings of lights and shiny mylar ribbons, and a bar ringed in neon lights where anybody not dancing up a storm was currently clustered around. The crowd was more boisterous than any of them were used to, throwing up their hands and cheering when new songs mixed in and the lights swirled and burst in time with them. Had Yugi been in control of himself, he would have probably been laughing with delight, but as it was, the pharaoh staring out of those keen, violet eyes wore a dangerous smirk that hid the fact that he and his lover were currently whispering all kinds of private things over their mental bond. Then, Marik pounced on Ryo and hugged him tightly from behind, breathless from laughing over something with Mai behind their backs. “It looks amazing!” he exclaimed. “Let’s go! I want to be in the middle of this!”
Ryo turned to him as Marik tried taking his arms and dragging him down to the dance floor. “Are you sure?” he asked. “You want to go in…there?” He peered down over the railing at the packed crowd bouncing in unison to the beat of the current song. Even seasoned clubbers might have been intimidated by the sight; Ryo was terrified, but in that good sort of way that a roller coaster might make one feel.
Marik took him by both hands and leaned up to him, meeting his eyes and grinning. “Yes, I do,” he replied. “I’m tired of being shy and letting everybody else have the fun. Let’s go. I want to take you in there and dance with you all night long.” He lunged and gave his partner a fierce kiss on the lips, and then stepped back with his eyes sparkling. “I’ve got the most beautiful boyfriend here, and I want everybody to see me with him.”
It was enough to sway any lover. Ryo beamed cutely and relaxed, letting Marik pull him away. “All right, then! Show me what you’ve got…”
They hurried away to the stairs and stepped down into the pit of energy, immediately followed by Yami Yugi, and then the other four in quick succession. No one would be sitting this night out to just stand and people-watch. Even Joey and Tristan managed to keep up with the others and not make fools of themselves, at least not that anyone noticed. They danced, they flirted, they had the time of their lives. The intensity of the action in the club that night had them all going wild in their own ways, even shy Bakura. With his friends all around him and a deliciously hot boyfriend slinking up to him to captivate him, he found himself able to loosen up and let go, to discover in himself the confidence and self-awareness that had turned all of his friends into party animals as they grew older. Marik’s undivided attention helped considerably, though Ryo was tickled to have Yugi flirting with him as well, even though they all knew it was harmless. It made him feel extra special, that was all. The music never let up for a second, keeping them all out on the floor having a great time with no care for the other patrons around them or the time that flew by. Whether or not other men in the club that night cast interested looks their way, no one in that group of friends noticed or cared. They were interested in each other, as couples or friends, in such a tightly-knit fashion that no one ever interrupted them.
Once or twice in the course of the night, a strange man dressed as a geisha who seemed to be the emcee came up onto the stage with a microphone to make announcements about the club, the drink specials, or people in the crowd, as one or two got singled out for personal shout-outs and even a birthday announcement. That got the attention of one of Bakura’s friends, though he never found out which of them slipped away from the group to find the emcee. The next time the music dropped low to accommodate another round of announcements, the geisha-boy came out grinning. “We have another birthday in the house!” he sang, making the crowd on the dance floor cheer and shift to pay attention. He waved a note in his hand with the incriminating information. “Oo, and this is a good one. It seems a certain Ryo Bakura is – oh my! – coming of age today!”
The entire crowd went “ooo!” in reaction. Where he stood, Ryo suddenly clapped a hand over his face, feeling the blush seeping through every inch of his body. Beside him, Marik laughed brightly. The lights shimmered and all came to focus on one spot – on him, on Ryo, picking him out of the crowd. He peeped between his fingers to see why it was so bright, and heard all the men around him begin to cheer. “There he is!” the drag queen crowed. “Let’s hear it for the boy – I mean man! And he’s a cute one, too.”
To his embarrassment, Marik grabbed Ryo’s hands and pulled them away from his face, letting him be seen while the crowd around him applauded. Bakura shyly smiled by way of thanks, and then focused on Marik before him, smiling back at him. The young Egyptian lunged forward and kissed him cutely, eliciting even more cheers from the audience. “Oh, too bad, boys,” the emcee laughed. “Looks like this one’s taken already. Too bad indeed! Happy birthday, Bakura, from your friends and from all the boys here tonight.” He fluttered his fan before his face and swept back off stage, having no more announcements to make at the moment. Marik wasn’t content with just one kiss – the lights were still on them, so he moved in more slowly and favored Ryo with a long, deep kiss, pressing harder, drawing him in. Despite the very public moment, Ryo couldn’t stop himself from falling under the spell, kissing back just as fiercely, as the music thundered its way into crescendo and the melody exploded, along with the club ceiling: silvery mylar confetti began to rain down on the dance floor at just the right spot in the music, making all the dancers lift their hands into the air as if to catch it. Ryo and Marik still stood alone in the crowd, arms wrapped around each other, steadily making out while big pieces of confetti drifted around them and tickled their faces. It was the sort of moment to be captured in memory, just in case nothing like it ever happened again.
Their friends waited tactfully until Marik and Ryo broke apart and grinned at each other before interrupting, patting the guest of honor on the back and laughing about somebody having gone to get the announcement made. Try as he might, Ryo couldn’t get any of them to own up to having done it. He settled just for grinning at them all. “Thank you, all of you,” he enthused, raising his voice a little to be heard above the music. “This is the best. I couldn’t ask for more.”
“Hey, I need a break,” Duke called out to all of them. “What do you say we get something to drink?”
No one had an argument to that, so they reluctantly pulled themselves off the dance floor in one big pack and went back upstairs to the bar, mostly for sodas or water to rehydrate after all that activity. A table conveniently opened up by the railing as they were coming away, so they swarmed on it and claimed it for themselves so they could peer out over the packed dance floor while they sipped at their drinks and laughed. Yami Yugi lounged against the railing itself with his arms stretched out on the top rail, smiling coolly as he listened to his friends carrying on on both sides of him. Within his bonded mind, Yugi was just as pleased and excited to be there, watching, listening, experiencing it all vicariously even though he wasn’t able to touch his partner that particular night. For an instant, their bond slipped out of sync enough for Yugi to murmur something specifically to Yami. “We’ll have to come back to this place ourselves, sometime.”
“It is very exciting,” Yami affirmed. He glanced over his shoulder at the dance floor behind him, filled with men of all shapes and sizes, at least half of them with their shirts off, all abandoned to the music and each other. The club practically oozed sex. “I think you and I could get to like it here.”
Yugi’s youthful chuckle rang in his mind, and then they bonded again, not wishing to take each other’s attention away from the rest of the gang. Marik had an arm wrapped firmly around Ryo as if not wanting to lose contact with him for a second, but they were both leaning on the table to talk to Tristan – who in turn was having his ass casually groped by his own boyfriend. Mai was draped all over Joey, who appeared to be quite pleased with her outfit as well as her attention. “What, nobody’s hit on you yet?” Duke teased Joey. “I’m surprised.”
“They probably can’t get close enough, what with Mai kind of suction-cupped onto him,” Tristan snickered. “You’re so obviously the straight one, here.”
“Oh yeah, like you’ve been checking out anybody besides Duke,” Joey sniped back. “You can’t fool me.”
Tristan shrugged and grinned. “Yeah, I admit it. Lots of guys here, but I don’t find a single one of them hot. Present company excluded,” he tactfully added.
“Oh, there’s some nice ones,” Ryo said with a giggle. “But I have everything I need already.” He turned to favor his partner with a cute smile, and a smooch quickly followed.
Joey groaned comically. “You guys are so cute it’s nauseating. You’re almost as bad as Yugi and Yami.”
“What?” The accused turned to give him a boggled look. “We’re not that bad…are we?”
“Don’t listen to him,” Mai interjected. “He’s just jealous. Maybe I need to start being cute in public.” She fluttered her eyelashes at her fiancé, who eyed her dubiously in return. She couldn’t keep it up for long and snorted into her drink. “Nah. That’s so not my style.”
“Yeah, leave it to the experts,” Joey teased.
Once they were refreshed they could hit the dance floor again, and did so with relish, losing themselves in the crowd and literally dancing the night away. With so many other people around them intent on the same goal, the club was getting hot and left all of them sweaty and flushed. Shirts were going to start coming off sooner or later, but Tristan led the way, as his only choice for dressing in black was a longer-sleeved shirt. It earned him a raised eyebrow and approving smiles from several men behind them, but Duke noticed and wrapped himself possessively around Tristan, grinning wickedly to challenge anyone to come between him and his partner. Marik was next, but he looked just as good sans shirt as he did with it, with all his gold jewelry. Ryo gaped at him, perhaps because he so blatantly was willing to let an entire club full of strangers see the markings on his back more than anything else, but the way Marik pulled him close and danced with him erased any concern from his mind. Being as Yugi was the only one physically alone that night, the others kept him in the middle of their coupling, subconsciously protecting him from anyone on the outside who might want to hit on him. But he was abandoned to his own world of thought while his body swayed to the beat, enraptured by emotion. No one would have been able to get his attention even if they wanted to.
The night had to end sooner or later, and all it took was for one person to suggest he was getting tired for the others to start realizing they were fast running out of energy themselves. It still astonished them just how many hours they had spent in the club, but it was worth it. All of them were happy and tired and could easily say that they hadn’t had such a fun night in some time. They managed to tear themselves away from the excitement still going on down on the dance floor and head for the door, pulling shirts back on and taking hold of each other’s hands or bodies. The slap of cooler outside air made them all stop for a moment and take a deep breath, grateful for the change. Mai then slung her arm around Joey’s neck and pulled him toward her. “All right, you. Come on. Looks like I’m driving.”
“What?” Joey protested. “I haven’t had anything to drink since the restaurant.”
“So? You’re coming with me.” She shoved him gently and then hooked his belt loop instead, smirking past him to the others. “That should leave you guys plenty of room in your car.”
“You’re in trouble now, Joey,” Yami Yugi said with a smirk.
“Yeah, I know,” Joey grinned.
“We’ll catch you guys later, all right?” Mai said.
Tristan and Duke waved. Ryo clasped his hands together before him. “Thank you so much, Mai, Joey. I’ve had a wonderful night.”
“Good! That means our evil plan succeeded.” Mai blew him a kiss and then smiled at Marik. “And you. Welcome home. I wish you all the quiet nights alone you could possibly want.”
Marik smiled back. “Thank you.”
Mai yanked hard on Joey’s belt loop. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
Joey’s only farewell to his friends was an obvious grin as he let himself be dragged backwards a few steps. He righted himself and they continued on down the sidewalk, arms around each other. Tristan huffed a short sigh. “Yeah, he’s getting some when he gets home.”
“Come on,” Yugi laughed. “We have a way to walk to the car. I’m sure the rest of you would like to get home, as well.”
The five remaining men turned and went the other way down the sidewalk to the place where Duke had parked earlier, and piled into the car with some relief that there was indeed more room for them now. Yugi sat in the back with Marik and Bakura, who could no longer keep their hands off each other even with their friends so close by. They sat side-by-side with their hands entwined, focused solely on each other as they whispered sweetly to each other in between little kisses. Yugi tried not to watch them, so they could have a modicum of privacy, but as he sat with his eyes forward he noticed Duke’s free arm was draped over the back of the seat so he could caress the back of Tristan’s neck while he drove. It made Yugi smile to himself, and surreptitiously steal a glance sideways at Marik and Ryo sharing a quiet, lingering kiss. A moment or two later, he heard Bakura’s shy murmur. “I’m sorry, Yugi. I hope we’re not bothering you…”
Yami Yugi looked at him with genuine surprise. “Hm? Oh, no. It’s all right. This is your night, you’re welcome to do anything you want.” He smiled intently. “I was just thinking.”
“Making plans for what to do when you get home?” Marik said with a suggestive smile.
The gleam in Yugi’s eyes intensified. “Perhaps.”
“You know? It’s kind of funny.” Ryo cocked his head with a smile. “Here we are, all together, after both of us…” He nodded toward Marik. “…once had a crush on you.”
Yugi’s curious glance flicked toward Marik as well. “You told him?”
Marik shrugged. “I felt he had a right to know.”
“It’s all right,” Ryo assured. “It’s not as though I could be upset, I had the same crush. Well, more or less,” he added with a sheepish grin. “You are still two separate people.”
“And both of us still care about the two of you,” Yami Yugi said in return. “It’s a joy to see you together, especially now that Marik is here to stay. I’m sure this night is just the start of many more like it.”
“I hope so.” Ryo shyly caressed Marik’s hand, though he looked down at his lap instead of at his friends. “I am very much in love…although when you danced with me, earlier, I admit it made me feel some of that old crush all over again. Even though I know it was just for fun.”
“Somehow, I didn’t mind, either,” Marik confessed.
“Of course, it was just for fun.” Yugi lifted his left hand enough to point out his ring. “I would never violate my promises, even if our two minds are stuck in one body, tonight. However, it doesn’t mean that I can’t show you a little extra attention.” All three of them gazed at each other, then, and Yami pushed himself away from the seat so he could lean all the way over and favor Marik with a short but provocative kiss – right in front of Ryo’s wide brown eyes. When he finished, the Puzzle suddenly flashed, and it was adorable young Yugi sitting there, turning now to Ryo and giving him an identical kiss. Both partners gasped a little, at which Yugi just sat back and chuckled. “Consider it a gift, from both of us,” he said.
Duke lifted his eyes to the rearview mirror. “What are you guys doing back there?”
“Nothing,” Yugi sang, making Duke glance up again at the change to his tone of voice. After all this time, his friends still weren’t used to the shift between minds, but they were getting a little better at discerning when it had happened. Yugi beamed at Ryo and Marik, who smiled shyly back. “You’ve got each other,” he reminded them. “Never let that go.”
Ryo squeezed Marik’s hands affectionately and turned to look at him, sharing with him the same smile that told each other that they agreed with Yugi’s advice wholeheartedly. It was a good thing they weren’t far from home, because it was starting to get difficult to hold themselves in check. Between the dancing, the flirting, the sexy outfits, and the whole crazy night, and now the sight of Yami and Yugi kissing each of them, they were completely turned on and could hardly wait to get up to their flat. Duke dropped them off at the curb, and their friends gave them a few last “happy birthday” and “welcome to Japan” cheers before they pulled away. Bakura tugged eagerly at his partner’s shirt, and they practically ran each other over going up the stairs and racing for the door to their flat. There was giggling, the fumbling of keys, then a mad rush through the darkness to the bedroom. Once safely there, though, and sprawled out on the bed, they slowed down and treated each other to long, sensual kisses as a reward for being able to make it through the night to this point. Having already divested each other of their shirts, it was easy for Ryo to lie there beside his lover and bestow his chest with feathery caresses. Marik smiled contentedly at the feel. “Well?” he murmured. “Did you have a nice birthday?”
Ryo closed his eyes with a dreamy smile. “Probably the best, ever.” He giggled softly and tapped his finger to the end of Marik’s nose. “I don’t know how we’re going to top it when you come of age in December…”
“There’s no need to top it,” Marik assured. “As long as I get what I want. And I’m pretty sure I’m going to.”
“Oh?” Ryo feigned ignorance, raising an eyebrow. “And what would that be?”
“The same thing I’ve got right now.” He pushed gently at Ryo’s bare shoulder to roll him onto his back, and from there it only escalated. The rest of the night was theirs for passionately making love to each other until exhaustion claimed them. They weren’t the only ones; when Duke and Tristan had finally dropped everyone off and made it home, they, too, pushed each other mutually down on the bed and wrestled off their clothes in record time. The lateness of the hour be damned, they had had too much fun at the club and wanted each other now.
Yugi snuck quietly through the house so as not to disturb his grandfather’s sleep, glad that he didn’t have to work the morning shift tomorrow. He padded silently into his room and stripped off his sweaty clothing, and then fell onto the bed half-dressed with the Puzzle chain still around his neck. There was only one thing he wanted now, and it wasn’t sleep. It was easy enough to fall into the trance, and when he pushed open the door separating his mind from Yami’s, he was pleased and excited to see the pharaoh’s spirit waiting for him, though standing aloofly aside as if pretending he wasn’t. Unlike his younger half, wearing just pajama bottoms, Yami chose to envision himself still wearing the tight black pants and black shirt from their evening out, and turned at the sound of the door to give his love a seductive smile over his shoulder. Yugi strode right up to him and grabbed him around the middle, leaning up for a kiss. “You,” he accused.
Yami raised his eyebrows playfully. “Me?”
“I’m so turned on,” Yugi hissed under his breath, hugging his lover tightly as if to meld their bodies together. “Everything you did tonight…all the teasing and the flirting and the silliness…”
“How much of that was due to your influence?” Yami queried, slinking his arms around Yugi’s shoulders. They gazed hungrily at each other, chuckled at the same time, and then the pharaoh descended to fasten his lips on Yugi’s neck. Gasping, Yugi let his head fall back to encourage him, his hands clutching at Yami’s back. Yami savaged his neck and chin, and then his lips, finally breaking away for a husky whisper. “I know what you came here for. I was expecting it. Come. I want it, too.”
Yugi stood there and smiled cutely as his lover stepped back, taking his hands in both of his and beginning to lead him down the nearest corridor of the Puzzle to their special room. “That’s what I was hoping to hear.”