Not in the Cards - part 16

They crashed and woke up around five a.m., took their time getting ready, then headed for Ishizu's home.  Bakura was weary as they'd only talked about Marik's life after Battle City once or twice and from the sound of things Ishizu's personality had changed.  Living above ground, for one, had taken a lot of getting used to.  She'd managed to keep her job, but work was her life and she was oblivious to much else.  Those things aside, she and Marik hadn't talked much since he moved to Domino and neither of them knew how she truly felt about him anymore.  As his sister she would always love him, he knew that, but she also knew her behavior was a determining factor in his decision to leave, and her loyalty to their religion and heritage made her very much unable to accept the way he was living.

When they arrived, Odion came out the front door almost immediately.  Despite no longer being their servant, he maintained his loyal personality and took care of Ishizu much like a housewife.

"M...Master Marik?!"  he couldn't contain his shock.  He waited anxiously for the boy to step off the vehicle and remove his helmet.  When he did, the blonde greeted his step-brother with a pleasant smile.

"Hello, Odion."

Odion smiled nervously, his eyes darting from his brother to his friend and back to the door.  "Ishizu is..."

"She doesn't know we're coming," Bakura said quickly.  "Marik wanted to call but his phone went missing."

"Do you need us to buy you a new phone, Master?"  Odion asked.  Marik laughed and hugged his step-brother.

"No, I'm sure it's at home somewhere," he pushed away in a girly fashion, leaving Odion confused, "and stop calling me Master, I thought we went over that already?"

"Forgive me, Ma...rik," Odion caught himself as he walked toward the house.  Marik smiled and held his hand out to Bakura who laced their fingers together before following them indoors.  The building was quaint; the front door lead into the kitchen, but you could see into the living room from the doorway.  Bakura smirked down at his lover as the tanned boy looked around nostalgically.  He would have only lived here for a year, but it was home nonetheless.

Marik closed his eyes, inhaled the scent of Odion's cooking then grinned at the young man.  The happiness gave way to confusion as he observed that Odion was shifting rather uncomfortably.

"Is something the matter, Odion?"  Marik asked.  Bakura suddenly took his hand back and stepped away from his lover, earning a hurt look from the boy.  "Bakura..."

Bakura cleared his throat and tilted his head toward Odion.  It took a moment, but Marik finally put two and two together.  Before he could speak, a door was heard opening, closing, and then a voice came from the living room.

"Odion?  Are you cooking already?"

"Ishizu," Odion tried, but it was too late.  She stepped into the kitchen and froze at the sight of her baby brother.

"Marik?" she was either in awe, or disbelief.  "Is that really you?"

Marik smirked and held out his arms.  "Sister, are you still hallucinating?"

Ishizu blushed.  Since giving up the Millennium Necklace she could no longer make predictions, but the power it had created in her left behind some trace and she often suffered visions and déjà vu.  Marik and Odion were the only two she'd told about it, and the cruelty in the joke somehow solidified the idea that the boy she now saw was, indeed, her brother.

The siblings crossed the small room and embraced one another.  Ishizu planted a kiss on her brother's forehead, but when she did she took notice of the other visitor they had.  She cleared her throat nervously and held Marik by the shoulders so she could look into his eyes.  Marik's smile faltered and he shook his head warningly.

"Ishizu, we're here on vacation," he explained.  "Our plane back home leaves on the morning of the seventh."

"That's two weeks," she observed.  She looked back to Bakura with a troubled expression, but when her eyes returned to Marik's she forced herself to smile.  "Will you be visiting me often?"

"As often as possible," he smirked.  He walked back to Bakura and hugged the boy's waist causing him to grin nervously.  When Marik looked up and saw this, he scoffed.  "Bakura, it's fine.  We're in the privacy of my home, now."

"My home, actually," Ishizu put in, "and I'd appreciate it if you could behave, brother."

Marik looked back to her with genuine surprise.  "Behave?  What do you take me for, Ishizu?"

"Marik," Bakura warned, but the boy was too upset.

"No, Bakura," he said firmly.  "Sister, I understand you're not comfortable with my personal life, and I didn't come here with the intention of flaunting it.  I know as well as the next person that being gay is looked down upon here but I thought, at the least, I could hug my own boyfriend in front of the two other most important people in my life."

Odion had returned to his cooking, trying to ignore the conversation.  Ishizu cast a glance at him, then looked back to Marik.  "I'm sorry, brother, I just..."

"Wait," the tanned boy pointed accusatively, "I'm not finished.  I don't appreciate you keeping secrets from Odion.  He has a right to know..."

"She told me," Odion put in.  Marik was silent for a moment, then began to ease.

"Oh," was all he said at first.  "Well then, I guess I know how you feel about it.  I'm sorry, Ishizu."

"Forgive me... Marik," once more, the young man caught himself, "I was raised more strictly than our sister."

Marik couldn't help but feel his step-brother's unease was partially due to how loyally he'd served him for so many years, but he was already disappointed with this reunion and didn't want to risk making it any worse.

"Fine, then," he said decisively.  "If it makes you both feel better, Bakura and I will pretend to be just friends."

Considerably uncomfortable at this point, Bakura strolled over to Odion and observed what he was making.  He failed to hide his confusion as he looked back and forth from the two plates trying to figure out what was on them.  Odion gave him a look that was mostly irritated, but also showed a hint of curiosity.  In an effort to fix the damage already done, Bakura decided to be social and asked Odion to explain what it was.  The young man instantly brightened.  Marik all but gaped in surprise, but Bakura leaned over and dropped him a subtle wink.  With a pitiful smile, Marik shook his head and mouthed the words 'thank you'.

Bakura had no interest in eating what Odion had made, but the young man was more than happy to serve his breakfast to his step-brother.  Marik turned him down at first but Ishizu commented that she would like to share a sit-down meal with him.  She pointed out that it was getting cold and Odion assured him that he did not mind having to prepare more for himself.  The siblings sat at the small kitchen table and swapped stories about recent events in their lives, while Bakura watched over Odion's shoulder to see how these strange meals were prepared.  Odion asked the spirit if he was sure he didn't want to try it, but he simply grinned.

"I'm not kosher like your family," he explained, "I've cut back on my meat intake, but it's still part of my diet."

Odion looked at him thoughtfully.  He knew the answer, but wanted to hear it.  "Why?"

"Why?" the spirit mused.  "I don't share your beliefs, I wasn't..."

"Not that," the young man pressed, "why do you eat less of it now?"

Bakura looked away and scoffed.  "I share my meals with someone who doesn't approve of it."

Odion did as Ishizu had earlier and forced a smile.


During their breakfast, Ishizu informed Marik that because he had not warned her he was coming, she wasn't going to be able to set aside much time in the day to spend with him.  He understood and explained again why he hadn't called, then proceeded to arrange a day which they could spend together.  Bakura and Odion didn't talk much once they left the kitchen, but neither of them minded.  They knew that allowing Marik and Ishizu time together was what was most important.

Odion busied himself with cleaning while Bakura observed the small home, making sure not to wander too far.  The siblings went to their bedrooms (Marik was hardly surprised to see that his hadn't been touched) and Ishizu showed off the few gifts she'd bought herself in the year since he'd been home.  One of the things she picked up was a small black box which she handed to her brother.

"I know we've left our past behind us, Marik," she said, "but I always wanted to give you this."

Marik opened the box curiously.  Inside was an enameled copper winged scarab necklace.  He smiled and closed the box then hugged his sister.  "Thank you, Ishizu, but you know I don't like loose jewelry."

"I do," she smiled back, "but I hoped you'd at least hang it up somewhere and think of me whenever you saw it."

He nodded, "I can do that, sister."

He looked to the side, seeming sad all of a sudden.  He set the box on her vanity, then sat on her bed and motioned for her to do the same.  She watched with growing concern as he looked away; his hands fidgeting nervously.  She put a hand on his shoulder causing him to jump and look at her.

"What's wrong, brother?" she asked, fearing the answer.  In a wave of emotion, he threw his face in his hands.

"What's wrong?  What's wrong?" he repeated frantically, "how can you even ask that, sister?  Everything I've ever done has disgraced our family.  I spit in the face of our ancestors, turned my back on my duties, murdered our own father, and set my sights on killing the very Pharaoh I was supposed to devote my life to!"

"Marik, Marik," she whispered soothingly, pulling him closer.  He turned and grasped the wide collar of her dress and broke down in her arms.  "Shh, it's alright, brother.  We've already dealt with all of that."

"Sure we have," he cried, "and then I turned my back on the only two people I had left, the two who had stood by my side and still loved me even after everything I'd done!"

"Odion and I never thought less of you for leaving, brother," Ishizu assured.  "We never thought you were running away or trying to hurt us.  This life just isn't suited for you."

"Clearly not!"  Marik had stopped crying and was angry now.  "By leaving, I disgraced you more and spit in the face of every rule against us.  I don't live at home, I don't provide for you, I'm dating outside of intent to marry, I've had premarital sex... oh, and I'm gay."

Ishizu winced at the last word, though less at its meaning and more at the mocking way in which her brother had said it.  For her own sanity, she completely ignored the second to last thing he'd listed.  She placed a hand over his and gave the most sincere smile she could muster when he looked at her.

"Marik, listen," she sounded more like a mother than a sister, "I love you.  Odion loves you.  We are your family, we are all that matters..."

"And we accept you," Odion put in, causing the siblings to look toward the bedroom door.  Neither of them knew how long he'd been standing there but they were both too overwhelmed to care.  Marik opened his mouth to speak, but Odion came in and sat beside Ishizu.  "I may not have spent much time with him, but I can tell your friend really cares about you."

Ishizu observed the even way Odion spoke.  The change was too drastic; it made her suspicious.

"Do you really believe that?" Marik asked hopefully.  Odion nodded.  Ishizu would need more convincing, but the gesture was enough for the tanned boy.  "Thank you, Odion.  It means the world to know I have your support."