Terms and Conditions

Seto Kaiba was sitting in his office typing up a new contract, when he heard a major commotion outside his door. It sounded like some guys arguing with his secretary. He was about to get up to see what all the racket was about when a group of boys burst through his door. Joey was the first to speak, "Kaiba, we need your help!"

To say that Kaiba was surprised would be the understatement of the year. Natasha, his secretary came in and said, "I am sorry Mister Kaiba; I tried to stop them." He waved her off and said, "It is fine, just shut the door."

Joey, Tristan, and Yugi looked up at him hopefully. Kaiba smirked, "Isn't there someone missing from this meeting. I am sure we could reschedule this to where your cheerleader could attend."

Tristan grabbed the back a Joey's shirt, knowing his short temper. "That is what we are here about. I am sure you noticed Tea has been missing from the university for almost a week now."

Kaiba shrugged, "Yeah, I have noticed Ms. Perfect Attendance has been slacking. What about it?"

Tristan explained, "Joey heard from one of his old gang's members that he saw Tea tied up and being offered to the ringleader as reparation for some money her parent's borrowed."

Kaiba snorted and replied, "They really need to brush up on their haggling skills."

Tristan ignored Kaiba's comment and continued, "Her parents have a gambling problem and if they didn't come up with the money they owed fast, they would have been pushing up daisies. They had hoped that offering their daughter, they would forgive the rest of the loan. The ringleader took Tea, but only offered them a year extension on their loan. Tea is going to be sold tomorrow night to the highest bidder."

Kaiba thought about what Tristan said. Although he would never outwardly admit it, he couldn't imagine how it felt to be sold by his own parent's; to be thrown away like yesterday's newspaper. But, he had a reputation to uphold. He couldn't help them without having an ulterior motive behind it.

His thoughts were interrupted by Yugi pleading, "Please Kaiba. We will do anything!"

Kaiba grunted and said, "Fine, I will get her out of there on a few conditions."

Joey was about to ask what they were, when Yugi said, "We accept."

Kaiba smiled and thought, 'This is going to be like taking candy away from a baby. He is finally going to beat Yugi at something.'

"Here are my terms," Kaiba explained, "I will buy Tea's freedom, and since she obviously no longer has a home, she will stay at my mansion. In return, she will marry me and become a mother like figure to Mokuba."

Joey screamed, "YOU WANT TO MARRY HER! YOU ARE NO DIFFERENT FROM ANY OF THOSE OTHER LOW LIVES TRYING TO BUY HER!"

Kaiba shook his head, "I am not interested in an actual relationship, physical or otherwise. I simply want someone to act as my wife while attending business parties. There are several family oriented companies that would look at me better if I were married. My other criteria is that she is to keep an eye on Mokuba when I am at the office."

Tristan didn't like the terms, but Joey looked like he was going to kill Kaiba and Yugi was too stunned to speak. Tristan finally said, "We agree, just get her out of there so she doesn't get hurt."

….

It was the night of the auction and Kaiba sat in the back wearing waiting on Tea. When she was brought on the stage, she was kicking her legs thrashing like crazy until she saw Kaiba and her friends sitting in the back. Tea couldn't believe it, 'He is here to help me.'

Kaiba noticed her eyes light up when she saw them in the back. He mentally chuckled, wondering how long that look would last when she discovered his terms.

The auctioneer started the bidding at ten thousand dollars. (I don't know dollar to yen translation, nor do I care.) The bid went back and forth between Kaiba and two other men. Kaiba finally got tired of it and wanted to get this over with so he said, "One million dollars." The two other men stopped bidding and the auctioneer said, "Going once…going twice…sold!"

A man pulled Tea off the side of the stage and beckoned them to follow him. When they reach backstage, Kaiba showed the man the inside of his briefcase which contained the money. Kaiba turned to Tea and began to untie her wrist. "Count it if you want," Kaiba said, "but it is all there. Come on, Gardener."

Much to his surprise, as soon as her hands were freed, she threw her arms around him and started to cry. "Thank you, Kaiba. I was so scared," she whispered.

He was shocked, but quickly recovered and said, "Don't thank me yet. You don't know the terms and conditions yet."

Kaiba instantly regretted his choice of words when Tea's face changed from relief to fear. He walked with the group to the limo. Once inside she asked, "What do you want Kaiba?"

Kaiba smirked and replied, "A wife."

Yugi, Joey, and Tristan sat quietly…they knew this wasn't going to end well.

Tea started to laugh and asked, "Now where do you expect me to pull one of those from." Kaiba's face was unchanged and he waited until realization hit her. It didn't take very long for her to realize that he was serious and she became quiet.

Once Kaiba was satisfied that she knew what was going on he continued, "I have several companies I work with that would look at me better if I had a family. You would merely be required to attend those functions and to keep an eye on Mokuba from time to time. I am looking for a marriage, not a relationship."

Tea looked Kaiba directly in the eye and asked, "So let me get this straight, you want me to marry you and you are not interested in me in the slightest. So essentially, you are looking for a nanny and a trophy wife."

Kaiba chuckled and replied, "You're not much of a trophy, but yes that is what I want."

Tea fumed from his comment and replied, "You're not much of a prize either Mr. Kaiba. Why the hell do you want me? I wasn't brought up in the world of glitz and glamour. I highly doubt I would fit in with your business friends."

Kaiba frowned and replied, "None of them are my friends. You don't even have to talk at those parties. (I kind of wish you wouldn't) All you have to do is sit and be pretty. I will have someone teach you business rules, etiquette, and other essentials. As to why I would choose you, I trust you with Mokuba and you're convenient."

Tea wasn't sure if she should be flattered he called her pretty or insulted that he said she was convenient. Like she was some fast food joint.

Yugi then spoke up, "Kaiba, aren't you interested in marrying for love?"

Kaiba rolled his eyes, "Please, once you have become a public figure, there is no such thing as marrying for love. Marriage is a game and it is only used as a bargaining chip. A pawn in a much larger game of chess."

Tea frowned, "So that is what I am to you, a pawn." She was furious but she was also homeless. What could she do other than accept his offer? She held her hand out and mumbled to herself, "This is not how I imagined I would be proposed to." Kaiba had been close enough to hear it, but the other boys were preoccupied with their own thoughts.

The car pulled up to the game shop and Yugi, Joey, and Tristan exited the vehicle. Tea wanted to go with them, but she figured Kaiba would have more he wanted to discuss.

Kaiba thought, 'What do you expect from me? You should know that I am not the romantic type and considering the situation she was lucky. She was about to marry one of the richest men in the world. Why would she worry about something as miniscule as a proposal?' Once the guys were gone Kaiba then told Tea, "That is because this was not a proposal. This was a proposition. A proposal would imply that I had feelings for you. A proposition is simply a business transaction. You technically didn't have to accept, but you and I both know that I always get what I want."

Tea's stomach churned at his last statement, 'I always get what I want.'

Kaiba watched her closely and saw pure terror in her eyes. He let out a sigh, he wasn't trying to scare her. He just didn't know how to talk to people. The only life he knew, belonged in a boardroom.

They pulled up to the Kaiba mansion and Tea was in awe. She had never seen such a large house. Especially considering that only Kaiba and Mokuba lived in it. When the car pulled up, Mokuba ran out the house to greet his brother.

Tea smiled as she saw Kaiba greet his little brother with open arms. She had always admired the bond that the two brothers shared. Mokuba looked up at her surprised and asked, "Tea, what are you doing here?"

Before Tea could say anything, Kaiba replied, "Tea is going to stay with us for a while. If that is alright with you of course?"

Mokuba smiled and answered, "Of course it is! Come on Tea, we'll show you around."

Kaiba followed behind the two. He had more important things to tend to, but part of him wanted to know more about Tea. After all, he would be marrying her. Mokuba showed her the kitchen, living room, games room, and she was smiling so he assumed that she approved. But her eyes really lit up when she saw the ballroom. Kaiba knew she had always dreamed about being a dancer so this wasn't much of a surprise. But he wondered if he could do something to make life here better for her. Maybe she wouldn't hate him so much…not that he really cared what she thought about him, of course.

After Mokuba finished giving a tour of the nicer rooms he decided to go down to the kitchen to fix a few bowls of the soup the chef had prepared for dinner. Tea was about to follow him when Kaiba grabbed her arm. "There is one more place you need to see," Kaiba said with authority.

Tea nodded and followed him. He opened up a door at the end of the hall and said, "This is our room."

Tea looked inside and saw a white and blue color schemed room. The walls were white and the bed had a satin blue canopy hanging over it. There was a desk and a few book cases on one side the room and two doors on the opposite side of the room. On the wall in front the bed was a flat screen television. The room was breathtakingly beautiful. Suddenly what he had called the room registered in her head. "Our room?" she asked, "I thought this marriage was going to be platonic."

Kaiba frowned as she misinterpreted his gesture. He replied, "It will be platonic. I am rarely ever home to use this bedroom and even if I am home, I generally fall asleep in my desk chair. I just figured you might want to sleep here since it is the largest room in the house. If my rare presence makes you uncomfortable then by all means pick out a guest room."

Tea seemed to be having a battle with herself. If she stayed, she might have to share the bed with him every now and then. But, if she chose a guest room she might insult Kaiba and he could make her life a living hell."

Finally, she decided that she would stay in that room. Besides, the rest of the house kind of freaked her out. It was just so impersonal, there wasn't hardly any pictures in the house. At least Kaiba's room had some signs of life."

They met Mokuba downstairs in the kitchen. He had 3 bowls of soup prepared. Mokuba realized he forgot to grab some crackers so he went to look in the pantry. Tea was about to sit on the sofa when Kaiba said, "I don't know what type of barn you grew up in, but we eat in the dining room."

Tea's eyes narrowed and since Mokuba wasn't in the room she replied, "Well, you just purchased me from the people who owned that so called barn so I would back off. If you weren't satisfied for my upbringing you should have picked somebody else."

'I wish I had,' Kaiba silently thought to himself. He was done trying to deal with her attitude so he snatched her bowl from her and carried it to the dining room. She followed behind him more pissed than ever and thus began the most awkward dinner ever. Mokuba came back with the crackers and saw that neither Tea nor Kaiba were talking to one another. Heck they refused to make eye contact with each other. Mokuba looked on in silence, he wasn't sure what, but he knew something was going on between them.

When Tea had finished, she washed her bowl and marched up to the bedroom. She didn't want to deal with him anymore tonight.

….

"What the hell is going on?" Mokuba asked after Tea left the room.

Kaiba was a bit shocked but answered, "I am going to marry Tea."

"Marry her?" Mokuba asked, "Did she agree to this?"

Kaiba nodded and replied, "We made a verbal contract."

Mokuba rolled his eyes, 'Oh boy, his big brother was clueless.'

"A relationship contract, I doubt I could think of anything more romantic if I tried. Why don't you get it down in writing?" Mokuba's comment was dripping with sarcasm.

Kaiba crossed his arms and replied, "I thought about that, but if the contract were to get into the wrong hands, it would prove to be disastrous."

Mokuba realized his older brother was dead serious and part of him wanted to cry. He realized that Seto had little to no people skills. But, it should be obvious even to Seto that he couldn't force Tea into a marriage and expect that she would be happy.

Mokuba then asked, "Seto, business and politics aside, what do you exactly do you expect to accomplish by marrying Tea?"

Kaiba thought about Mokuba's question and answered, "I want you to experience what is like to have a mother. I only knew our mother for a short time, but I wouldn't trade the days we had for anything in the world."

Mokuba continued, "Okay Seto, let's dig a little deeper. What do YOU hope to get out of marrying Tea? JUST YOU."

Kaiba sighed and answered, "I want what any human being wants, someone to grow old with. You aren't going to be around forever. One day you are going to want to get married and have kids. And, I want that for you, but that would leave me all alone. All my life I have been working to make a future for you and me. It's just, I have come to realize that you are going to make your own future, and it is about time that I start thinking about mine."

Mokuba listened intently, he knew that his big brother had a hard time explaining how he felt and he didn't want to interrupt while he was speaking because he doubted his older brother would ever be this open to the subject again. When Seto finished Mokuba asked, "Big brother, do you have feelings for Tea."

Although Seto didn't give an official answer, he just shrugged at the question. Mokuba could see that his older brother seemed to be having an internal battle on the subject. This signaled to Mokuba that Seto did indeed have feelings for Tea, he was just uncertain of what those feelings were.

Mokuba sighed and said, "Look, if ever do end up sorting out your feelings for her, don't you think it would be difficult to find out what she truly feels about you if she is force into the marriage."

Part of Seto knew Mokuba was right. But, Seto was not about to back down, "Things will work out… You'll see." Even Mokuba could sense how uncertain Seto felt at that moment.

Mokuba shook his head and headed towards his bedroom. There was no use in trying to talk to Seto anymore tonight, his mind was already made up.