Glimpse Beneath the Mask [WARNING: OCs, Yaoi, and YURI]

[Strawberry Pocky Parade]

Kasu was dead quiet for a moment. He should talk to his sister? Did Nariko notice the tension that was between the siblings somehow? She hadn't even really seen them like that--but when they left the Mouto home...well...maybe... his girlfriend was quite astute despite appearances...

"Yea," he continued finally, deciding that he was probably jsut over-thinking things...HOPING that he was anyhow, "She'd probably like to know that I gave her consent to my uncles...Oh, and telling her about the ball in the first place might be a good idea too," he joked, grinning at his shoelaces. "But, go tell Laliah. I'll talk to you soon, okay my sweet? Okay. Bye, now!"

After the phone was back in his pocket, he continued standing still in front of Kaiya's door. Then, a hand was raised above his head. It hesitated. Then dropped down on the wood harsly into two short but fearless knocks. "Kaiya... It's me...please open the door..." he tried, not wanting to sound aggressive in any sense, shape or form.  

[Sketch-Inu]

Nariko smiled as she leaned against the wall and listened to him. For some reason, she felt there might have been a fight between them and it was possible it was a deep one too. So, without a word she hung the phone when the dial tone returned. She was fine with letting him go, he needed to fix some things on his end. After all, she had her own business to attend to here.

Walking a few feet down the hall, she turned to face her sisters door and knocked softly waiting for her to answer her.


Kaiya had plopped herself on her bed in an angry thud. She couldn't believe that her brother would even suggest that she found homosexuality to be something to be disgusted or upset with. Anyone who was gay was fine with her, she just refused to think that she was. To her knowledge, she was never attracted to other girls, sure she found them pretty, but didn't everyone? The thought made her groan to herself before pulling out her iPod and placing the buds to rest on her inner ear. Turning it on, her head began to bang to the music as she allowed herself to be consumed.

Thinking back however, she did wonder why she was feeling so strange toward Laliah. If she didn't know better, she could believe she was flirting with her. For some reason, something would cause her to look and Laliah and something made her feel stronger then before. Around her, Kaiya felt like a protector, a provider, someone to be there and be strong for someone who was shy and fragile. But it didn't feel like how she would feel toward her brother, older or younger, but she could not pin point what it was. Suddenly, there was a rapping at her door.

Tilting her head to the side, she allowed one of the earphones to fall from her ear. When she heard the voice on the other end, her eyes rolled in a full circle. She didn't want to deal with him right now, she just wanted to be alone with her thoughts. Plus, there was no room in there for someone who said things only a stranger would assume. Then, she stared at the door as he asked her to open her door, he seemed calm. Sighing, she rose from her bed and walked to the door. Opening it slightly, just enough to fit her form, she laid against her door frame.

"What?" she asked bluntly.
 

[Strawberry Pocky Parade]

"Ah...." the brother trailed off, nearly losing all of his nerve at the sole way that his sister had answered the door. "I thought...that maybe we could..you know...just sort of talk? About what I said, and about you said, and where it landed us so ungratefully?"

Gosh, he didn't like that look in his sister's eyes..was that annoyance? Was she still mad at him? Well, it would make sense if she were. He had, after all, said things that he regretted now. "So, do you have a moment, sis?"



At the time, Laliah was laying stomach down on her bed, writing in her diary. The poppiest Japanese music was playing through the sterio, but not too loudly, and she found herself spinning her feet and nodding her head to the beat a little bit. Then, there was an off-beat sound. Was it the door? She hesitated for a moment before getting up and skipping over to it, intending to just shove her head out into the hallway before retreating back into her room. The reason why it was closed was because she didn't want to disturb anyone else with her music.

"Oh! Nariko!" She left the door open for her and flitted over to her sterio to turn the sound down further. Next, she dashed to her diary in an almost panic, as if, perhaps, she was afraid that her sister would read what it was that she'd just written.  

[Sketch-Inu]

One of Kaiyas brows raised as he began to stumble on his sentences. She was still rather upset with him and wished he had not asked her to open the door. But, it was hard, since she could tell by the strain of his voice that he was sorry. It was just this time, she wanted to hear it rather then just assume. She refrained from saying anything, causing more discomfort to fill the air, but she was soon struck with pity when he stated his last few words. All he wanted to do was talk, denying that would be rude and wrong on her part. After a few moments of not doing anything, she leaned off the frame and walked to her bed, leaving the door open.

"Alright..come in." she replied as she plopped back on the bed.


Nariko grinned as she watched her sister fumbling in a rush for her diary. It was tempting to start a wrestle fight to see what was in her sisters head, but she would decline this time. There was something more exciting then what was going on on a few blank pages. Giving her sister time to close and put the diary away, she walked slowly over to the bed. Once it was clear, she took and seat beside Laliah and the expression of excitement showed in her eyes.

"Laliah, guess what? Kasu just called me and invited both of us to go down to his house and go to a ball with him and Kaiya." she said, her voice raising with anticipation.
 

[Strawberry Pocky Parade]

Kasujou immediately followed his sister, shutting the door behind him so that no one would hear any carried voices. This would give them the best privacy as they spoke.

"First and foremost--" he started, "---I know--you're NOT a homophobe...It just sort of...slipped out...I didn't mean anything harmful by it. I just... No--no, that's it. It was a mistake, and I should not have said it." He nodded shortly, as if to agree with his own point.

Then, he looked at his sister. He knew that she could be stubborn sometimes, but that at heart, she wanted to believe him. Now, he sat down on the bed next to her. "I didn't mean to offend you when I was talking about Laliah, either. All I'm saying is that you two looked really close, and I think that's great for you."





'A ball?' laliah echoed soundlessly with her lips. Where had that come from? Kasujou and his family did that sort of thing? "And, he invited you because you're his girlfriend, but why did he invite me?" she asked. She had hardly even spoken to Kasjou. It wasn't that she minded being invited, but she was just currious. She didn't want to ask about Kaiya, because she didn't want Nariko to realize that she was just writing about her...but she was hoping that it was because Kaiya wanted her to come.

She would love to see his sister again, and that's why she was probably going to attend. Of course, if Kaiya ended up not going, then Laliah would politely refuse the invitation.  

[Sketch-Inu]

Kaiya sat in a slight pout as she listened to him, it seemed to get worse as he tried to defend himself more then just apologize for it. But, it was better then just expecting her to forgive him. But she was still upset, and it showed, though she failed to think of the possibility that her pouting made her look more cute then threatening. When she felt a weight sink in her mattress, she turned her head, her expression more kind as she looked curiously at him. Once he had finished, sh turned away again, trying to appear angry.

Maybe he was right, he was probably only kidding, but it was not that. What upset her the most was that it was as if she was suppose to take the ridicule while if she fought back playfully, he would snap at her. That thought brought the true look of aggravation back. Even if she forgave him for Laliah and was happy to understand, she was still upset about that. Besides, she was unsure if she was offended because some of what he was was possible to hold some truth.

"Well..that's not the only reason I was upset.." she replied, a little more softly before she shifted her body to face her brother. "Kasu...it was like that every time I tried to joke with you back, you would yell at me and get mad and intentionally hurt me. You didn't use to do that..and it felt like you were expecting me to sit and take your sarcasm like a sissy." she replied, though it sounded more like what a guy would say then expected.


Nariko smiled as she waited for her to reply. When she did, it got her to think a bit as well. Though she knew that Kasu was inviting her for Kaiya, she wondered if the two of them would hit it off as friends. She would be joyful if her boyfriend and sister got close as well, so then they could all be one big group together. She leaned back on the pillow and waved her hand softly.

"He said it would be nice for you and Kaiya to spend more time together. She's going too, plus it would be cool if you got to meet his family with me." she replied.
 

[Strawberry Pocky Parade]

"You thought you were just teasing me, Kaiya, but you had horrendous timing." He stopped again, remembering that sinking feeling in his stomach and starting to physically remember it as well. What he'd done to Nariko...what if she really didn't want it? What if he had been forcing himself on her? He sighed softly, debating if he shoudl share what it was that had been bothering him with his sister. She had a large mouth, but he didn't think she'd tell something like that. Of course, that sort of thing was something that really should stay between him and his girlfriend. "I'm not sure if I can explain to you why, though. It's a bit of a personal...reason..." yea. He was pretty sure that Kaiya could guess what it was anyhow.

Laliah forced herself to stay calm and silent while she 'appeared' to take what her sister had said under consideration. "Yea...actually... Kaiya was a very nice girl," she commented, knowing that it was probably the understatement of the month. "I do kind of want to see her again..." Kind of? KIND OF? Noooooonono, she didn't "kind of" want to see her... "It sounds like fun, Nari!" She 'decided' finally, turning to her sister with a big grin. "Count me in! You can fight off all of the scary letcherous guys for me," she giggled.  

[Sketch-Inu]

Kaiya looked at her brother, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. By now, he should have known that hurting him was unintentional, unless he had started it first. Though their fights today seemed to be them doing just that. She placed her hands in her lap, sighing as her back arched slightly. Listening to him, it was only obvious that she was right about the assumptions before. The thing was, she did not care what he did. If they did get intimate, then she must have wanted it as well, Nariko did not seem like the type to do something she didn't want to do. Once he was finished, she turned to face him again.

"Look..I only said that because I had nothing else to use on you. And you should know I didn't mean anything to hurt you, only when you started poking in areas you knew would hurt me. And besides, you have to calm down about that, you know Nariko would not let you do anything if she didn't want it. She's not the kind of girl to let any guy do anything they want that she doesn't." Kaiya explained, pausing for his response.


Nariko grinned as her sister got all wild up about it. She could tell that she was excited, but she was trying to stay calm to keep her image of elegance and collected. Her hands rested behind her head as she laid back on the pillow, now she was beginning to get all excited about it. The thoughts of a dress ran through her head as she wondered whether to shop in their town or Kasus. Then she began to imagine Kasu in a tux and the thought made her blush and giggle slightly. And lastly, she thought about seeing if her dad would go with them, plus, it would help to get her mothers permission.

"So, now I think I should invite dad to come with us. Having him with us would allow mother to be less worried." Nariko explained, her eyes glancing at the ceiling.
 

[Strawberry Pocky Parade]

"I wasn't thinking Kaiya..." the male answered trying not to feel defensive. There was no reason to feel defensive here. Kaiya wasn't picking a fight with him, they were just talking things out. "and..." he trailed off a little bit. "I know that she seems that way but I'm her boyfriend and it's not like we'd ever..." He trailed off again, feeling weird about how he was talking about this with his little sister. What if he convinced her that he'd raped someone? He didn't feel like he'd raped Nariko, but just perhaps pushed her into something she might not have been ready for at that given time. "You're right Kaiya," he blurbed, not believing it. "She wouldn't have felt pressured into putting her own intrests aside so that I could fulfill mine." He turned and looked back at her, knowing that she wasn't buying it for an instant. He decided to change the subject. They'd both shared their opinions. They'd said their 'I'm sorries'... Now for the good news!

He leaned over a little bit so his body was folded and so he was a bit more at an eye-level as her. He let a grin cross his face, hoping that she'd be excited about the aspect. "That wasn't the only reason why I decided to bother you, though," he hinted mysteriously. It wasn't the sort of romantic-mysterious that he'd used with his girlfriend, but obviously, that was because his sister and him weren' tromantically involved. "I know a little something that I imagine you will be quite interested in." His eyebrows waved up and down as he watched his sister's expression flash before his eyes. "I was just on the phone with Nariko," he continued, not giving his sister a chance to interrupt, "and she is inviting Laliah to a ball for me on your behalf." His grin was nearly ear to ear now. "And, I imagine that she's itching to go if you are... Why don't you call her and tell her that you're coming, and that you want her to come too?"

Of course, he knew that his sister didn't know anythign else about this ball, but he wanted to get the important information out there first--and that information was the bit that concerned Laliah--not the bit that concerned the date, time, and reason for the event.


Laliah's eyes widened for a moment before falling back to their normal state. "That's good thinking..." she said softly. In her mind though, she was thinking something more along the lines of, 'I hope he doesn't follow us around though...' She knew that he probably wouldn't just because he was a neat father, but she wanted to be able to hang out with Kaiya without feelign someone watching over her shoulder all of the time. Her father would probably be more comfortable with her spending her time with a girl rather than a guy, anyway.  

[Sketch-Inu]

Kaiya refrained from groaning as he replied, knowing he was not listening or agreeing with her. This was the point in which she gave up worrying about it, if her brother wanted to stress about it, then it was his choice to do so. Though maybe Nariko could talk him out of it, in a way that would not get her in trouble if she talked to her about it. Hopefully, Nariko would notice his worrying and convince him on her own She decided to place the thought on the back burner before an alsar thrived inside of her as well. When her brother changed tunes to a new subject, she was relieved as she looked him in the eyes. Her brow rose when her brothers tone shifted and sounded like he was hiding something. She waited calmly before he explained himself. Her eyes grew before she squealed slightly.

"No way! She's coming too?" she asked, her voice chiming with excitement.

Though she always hated the dances and gatherings her folks would drag them too. Every time they went, she got some reaction from the others girls that she hated. They would always brainstorm on something to piss her off, mostly it was just them existing in the same world as her. Not to mention she got annoyed with all the dresses she had to wear, she still liked to dress girly, but those dresses were tight and hard to maneuver in. But knowing that someone she liked would be there made her excited, not to mention she wanted to get to know her better. Calming herself down, she nodded at Kasujou and grabbed her phone from the nightstand. She paused and turned to him, wondering if he was going to continue with anything.
 

[Strawberry Pocky Parade]

Kasujou grinned to himself as he silently watched his sister nearly dash for the phone. When she hesitated, he took his chance to speak. "Well, dear sister. You seem awfully excited that she's going for someone who doesn't have a crush on Nariko's sister..." he teased light heartedly. He chuckled to himself and stood up, turning himself on the corner before speaking again. "I think I'll leave you two love birds alone," he continued with a wink that showed that he was only teasing his sister. He didn't really believe that his sister was into girls, but it was fun, for now, to entertain the notion.  

[Sketch-Inu]

Kaiya gave a glare to her brother, but it was one he was familiar with. The stare was always mixed with a pouty face look. She knew by this point, he was kidding. Plus, even if he wasn't, there was no need to stress about it after they just got over what happened before. She sat crossed legged on her bed now that the phone was in her hand, her eyes followed Kasu as he walked to her door. Once he let out that last statement, she grasped a pillow by its case and heaved it toward her brother. It barely missed, making a thud against the door as her brother vanished behind it. After sitting a few moments in silence, she pounded the buttons on her phone. As the ringing filled her ear, she laid back falling onto her other pillow. her eyes glinted with excitement, gazing at the ceiling picturing Laliah.
 

[Strawberry Pocky Parade]

Laliah jumped a little bit when the white cordless dock next to the bed began to ring. She just watched the little red light blip on and off for a moment before she stole a glance to her sister. Her mother never got calls on this land line... And her father rarely did. Her sister had her cell phone... ...this call had to be for her! But who could it have been? Could it be... Kaiya? No--she didn't know the number, did she? Of course...she could have asked Kasujou... or maybe their number had been programed into the phone by her sister's boyfriend...

'Kaiya! Don't hang up!!' She willed, rolling off the bed and beginning to pull things out from underneath the bed. Mostly, it was shoes and remotes for various electric objects. What happened was that she'd talk on the phone, set it next to her on the bed, and fall asleep. The next morning, the phone had fallen to the floor, and she usually ended up kicking the object under the bed so it would be out of the way. Finally, she found the cordless object quickly, she pressed the "talk" button and held it to her ear, speaking before the phone was even on.

"--o? Mouto residence."  

[Sketch-Inu]

As Kaiya listened to the soft ringing, she continued to stare at the ceiling. Her other arm rested behind her head, her fingers lacing around pieces of her hair. The time passed slowly as she continued to wait, beginning to wonder why it was taking so long for someone to pick up. Her toes began to clench and unclench as she waited. One of her legs laid over the other, if seen, it could have been considered a sexual pose. Suddenly, a voice came chiming over the other side, catching Kaiya off guard. Her face beamed red as she sat up in a flash. Now, her legs were crossed Indian style as her free hand rested between them.

"Um..is this Mouto Laliah?" she asked, gulping to make sure her voice didn't crack.
 

[Strawberry Pocky Parade]

"Kaiya-chan! Is that you?" Laliah chimed happily. She popped up onto the bed, sitting straight up from her knees. Her elbows sank into the side of the bed as her eyes moved out of focus. Already, she was intensely focused on the conversation she was having with the other girl. "Your brother just told my sister about the ball. I think that they'll look so cute dancing together, don't you?" She was careful not to mention herself yet. She wanted to know what Kaiya's thoughts were before she mentioned or decided on what she would do. If Kaiya thought that the ball was stupid, and that she didn't want to go, then Laliah didn't want to go either. The only reason why she would want to go would be to see the young Kaiba girl.

Unconsciously, one of her hands reached across the bed and gently took hold of her elder sister's arm. She didn't want her to get up and leave. She was afraid that if she did that she'd say something stupid, or would forget to say something period. Nariko had experience in this area... She had a boyfriend. She knew how to talk to people. Laliah could talk to people, but her sister always seemed to be able to say cooler things so much easier than Laliah did. If she got into a rut, she could always ask her sister for help with her eyes or something.