Shadow Justice

23: Secrets Hidden in Plain Sight

"Oliver," Walter said, taking in the tense atmosphere with an impressive level of calm.

Kaiba  studied the man who would soon be his kohai's stepfather closely before  sighing and gesturing for his bodyguards to stand down. He met Oliver's  eyes sternly. "Your family, your decision," he said. Oliver nodded  gratefully.

"Kaiba," the Pharaoh said warningly. Blue eyes glared at the Dark monarch until Yami shrugged. "Fine. On your head be it."

"Could  someone explain what's going on here?" Walter asked still radiating  calm despite the situation. "And who might you be?" he asked Yami  specifically. "I don't remember letting you in the house."

Oliver  hesitated, watching Kaiba and Yami before stepping towards his  stepfather-to-be. "It's a long story and this probably isn't the best  place for it," he said. "Too many ears." He raised an eyebrow at the  slightly taller man significantly who did not react to the implied  insult.

"Kaiba," Oliver said, still watching Walter. "Diggle and  Felicity vouched for him and you promised your protection for them as my  family."

"I did."

"And I told you I consider Walter and  Thea my family, as well." He could not hear the response to know Kaiba  nodded. Green eyes narrowed. "Then I want your protection to extend to  them."

"What about Moira?" Walter asked, still confused but  willing to be patient for the time being. He was a businessman, after  all, and knew how to encourage a result that was mutually beneficial to  all parties involved.

Kaiba nodded. "Done. But if they betray you or us, I won't hold back."

Walter did not like the sound of that or the way Oliver's eyes hardened.

"Understood,"  his future stepson said. Oliver stepped back from Walter and turned  around to face the others in the room. "I'll text John and we can get  something to eat."

Kaiba stared at his kohai blandly. "At a time like this, you think of food?"

Oliver shrugged. "Food is good."

"It  is indeed," Yami said with a smile. "You know this city better than we  do," he said. "Do you know a place that could handle an eclectic group  like us this late at night?"

Oliver made a show of thinking, a  cheeky grin spreading on his face. "I can think of a place, but I'll  have to take you in the back way so you don't get carded."

"Oi!" Yami balked.

Kaiba snorted, resting a hand on Mokuba. "Fine by me."

"Yes," Walter said. "But that still leaves me out of the loop."

"Walter,"  Oliver said. "Trust me. Not here." Green eyes flickered to the hallway  outside the living room indicating the chances of another person walking  in on them. "I'll tell you everything, I promise. Just not here and not  now."

"I'll call the driver then, shall I?" Walter said pulling out his cell phone.

"Don't  bother," John Diggle said, walking in on the curious tableau without  batting an eye. "Car or...?" he gestured vaguely to Kaiba. He blinked at  Yami, noticing him for the first time. "You... Are you Yugi's brother?"

"Brother?" Yami repeated, on the verge of laughing.

"Ra forbid," Kaiba groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose and fighting back an intense blush at the thought.

"They are not related," Mokuba said in his best, if heavily accented and somewhat stilted, English. "They are together."

John blinked. "I don't get paid enough for this."