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"Woah – Wait! What the fuck?!"
Jonouchi-dono's speech patterns would never change.
Rishid held the dark green package with the white ribbon in his outstretched hand, waiting for the other to take it.
September was already coming to an end, yet the weather remained warm and sunny. Though it was much more humid compared to Egypt.
The yard in front of the museum was not very crowded. Ishizu's exhibition had been running for more than four weeks now and the majority of interested visitors had already been there.
"A- a gift?! I didn't– Man, I don't have anything to give you back!" It was one of those rare moments where Katsuya Jonouchi struggled for words. He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.
"Do not be concerned, Jonouchi-dono. You were the one who granted me a gift first. You risked your life and health for the sake of my brother," Rishid explained in his deep and calm voice.
"Naaah, Rishid, drop the formal talk! I didn't need to think twice. I was losing my mind worrying about my friends and sister. I just had to protect 'em. And when Marik did that to Mai..." His voice trailed off. "I had to stop him! No matter the cost!"
"I understand. We both would turn the world upside down for our siblings, would we not?"
Jonouchi closed his eyes and nodded.
"I will forever be grateful that you challenged Marik-sama while I was unconscious. My present is just a small token of appreciation compared to your courage and determination. After Marik-sama returned to his old self, he told me everything. He mentioned your strategy to focus on him and lose on purpose during the Battle Royale, solely to ensure that you would fight my brother in the semi-finals."
"Yeah…" Jonouchi looked down, a bittersweet smile on his face. "But in the end, it wasn't enough. I still lost."
"You unofficially won. You summoned Gearfried the Iron Knight which was powerful enough to wipe out all of Marik-sama's life points. You were merely unable to finish declaring the final attack."
"Ah, haha! Thanks. I appreciate it, Rishid. But honestly? It was Yugi who did all the work. You'd better give that gift to him. He deserves it way more than I do." Jonouchi pointed out. "And don't forget yourself. Only when you showed up on the battlefield was Marik able to defeat his dark side."
Permitting himself a rare, gentle smile, Rishid moved his hand back towards his body. "Thank you. Yugi-dono will also receive his own token of gratitude. But this one is for you. So, don't you want to try my homemade baklava? Marik-sama would gladly risk his life for it."
"W-WHAT? Wait– oooh!" Jonouchi starred at the wrapped box. "Why didn't you tell me right away that it contains food?!" His eyes shimmered at the thought of getting one of the most popular desserts in Egypt. He hastily grabbed the package and ripped off the paper and ribbon.
"I only mentioned it because I have lived in Japan long enough to know that it is customary not to open gifts in front of the giver," Rishid replied. "My intention was to ensure you would transport it safely and store it appropriately at home. The puff pastry layers are delicate and would easily spoil under the hot sun."
Jonouchi had truly not changed at all. Ignoring the explanation completely, he tore open the black metal box adorned with golden, ancient Egyptian symbols.
Instantly, his eyes turned into giant stars and hearts, a thin thread of drool dripping from the corner of his mouth.
It seemed like he hadn't eaten in weeks.
Jonouchi plopped down on one of the museum steps, took a huge bite out of a piece of baklava, and stuffed the rest into his mouth shortly after.
"Delicio-huuus!" he mumbled through a full mouth. Then, suddenly remembering that Rishid was still standing there, he held out the box, offering Rishid his own creation.
"Thank you." Rishid picked his favorite, a diamond-shaped pastry filled with walnut and ashta, and sat down besides Jonouchi.
"Wow!" Jonouchi chomped. "I can't decide which to eat next! The rolls with the crispy hair? The triangles with walnut and cinnamon topping? Or the buds glistening with honey?! Aahh, I'm going nuts!"
Rishid was surprised to hear himself chuckle. "Sharbat."
"What?!"
"The syrup. It traditionally contains lemon juice and orange blossom water. The use of honey is more typical of the Greek version."
"Ooh! Wasn't aware-" Jonouchi pointed his finger in Rishid's face. "You are a food expert!"
"Let's say I enjoy cooking and baking," Rishid stated. "In fact, I am the one who manages the kitchen for the three of us. Ishizu-sama is always far too busy with her museum duties and historical research. And Marik-sama... well, you know how he is. He has no patience for the culinary arts."
"Yeah, way too wild! Too flighty!"
Rishid let out a small huff. "Those are your words, Jonouchi-dono."
"Ah, don't worry about it, just have another one! These things are seriously heavenly. You love whipping up food, and I love eating it! And dueling! Hey... speaking of which, how about a duel right now?""
"What? Here? Now? In front of the museum?" Rishid blinked, slightly taken aback.
"Yeah! Why not?" Jonouchi grinned. "Do you have your deck with you?"
"Of course. My brother remains obsessed with the game. I occasionally duel him for fun now – finally free of any pressure or dark expectations."
"Awesome! Besides, you owe me a real match, dude. One that doesn't get ruined by some fake God card! Let's duel!"
"I... can not deny the truth in that." Rishid couldn't help the soft smile that tugged at the corners of his lips. "There are a few spare Duel Disks stored in the museum's supply room."
Jonouchi jumped up, pumping his fist. "Perfect! Let's go grab those! It's time for me to finally get a fair victory over you, Rishid!"
Rishid stood up, brushing himself down. "We will see, Jonouchi-dono. We will see."