Chapter One

"Rough Beginnings"

"Hey Yugi!" A tall brunette cried as she raced down the sidewalk in a plain grey skirt and a faded yellow blouse. The boy blushed slightly but it quickly faded as he raised his hand in greeting.

"Hey Tea, what's going on?" Yugi asked as Tea came rushing up to him, breathless and filled with excitement.

"Haven't you heard, yet?" Tea asked as she handed him a crumpled flier. On the front were Duel Monsters battling with one another and on the back were elaborate symbols and designs with an invitation to all Duelers to participate in the Culling of Duelists. Yugi immediately was filled with excitement as his violet eyes shot up to Tea's warm and smiling blue ones.

"You mean you got an invitation?!" Yugi yelled as she nodded.

"I knew that you'd love it!" She replied with a wide grin and before Yugi could think twice about it, he wrapped his arms around her. Tea chuckled as she squeezed back and Yugi could have happily died right then and there.

"Hey what's with da smilin' faces?" Joey asked as he came out of the nearby café holding two ice cream cones, one already in his mouth. Yugi pulled away to quickly show his friend the flier.

"Look what Tea got!" He shouted and Joey's eyes went wide as the ice cream cone nearly fell from his mouth.

"No way!" He sputtered out as he grasped onto the flier. "This can't be whut all them broadcasters have been talkin' bout for the past months can it?" Joey looked down at his little friend, "Do you know what this means Yuge? It means we get another shot at the big leagues!" He shouted his rough street boy accent slurring his words. "Then I'll be able to get a piece out of whoever Isaac Stone is and show him that Joey Wheeler is a force to be reckoned with!"

"Oh come on Joey don't get too full of yourself just yet." Tea warned and Yugi nodded his head in agreement.

"Tea's right Joey, we don't know who this new opponent is and how good they are but I'm sure that with practice and hard work we'll be able to come out on top." Yugi said with a smile and Joey looked down at his friend before nodding in agreement.

"Aw, you're probly right Yuge, but together we'll show'em what great Duelists really are!" Joey said as he fist pumped the air and giving a wide grin, pointed his thumb at himself. "Especially ol' Joey Wheeler, one of the—"

"Stupidest mutts in the world." Came an all too familiar cold voice to the group. They whirled to find a 6'2, lean and all too deadly and sinister eighteen year old behind them. Seto Kaiba head of Kaiba Corp stood there, a silver briefcase in hand with a cold, bemused smirk on his lips. Joey, always taking the bait, narrowed his eyes at him.

"Hey now Kaiba, I ain't no mutt!" Joey barked with a low growl but Kaiba only glared at him, a smug smile on his lips.

"Really," he said as he came closer and his grin grew more sinister as he racked his penetrating blue eyes over Joey's form, "you certainly smell like one." He stated and Joey's eyes went wide before he balled his hands into fists.

"Why you—" Joey started but was halted by a very ticked off brunette.

"Jerk!" Tea fumed as she glared up at Kaiba, for he towered over them easily. He flicked his piercing blue eyes over to her angry ones and he gave a dismissive sound in the back of his throat.

"Can you not come up with a better come back than that?" Kaiba asked in a mocking tone and Tea's lips thinned.

She hated how he did that...

"I could but I wouldn't want to waste my breath on the likes of you," she retorted and Kaiba grinned wickedly and at the back of Tea's mind she wondered if he ever really did smile or laugh.

"Yes, the likes which tower over you." Kaiba remarked and Tea's eyes went wide in shock before they narrowed and her hand itched to wipe that wicked grin off of his devishly handsome face.

"Kaiba, what are you doing here? Don't you usually drive?" Yugi asked as he peered around and Kaiba flicked his eyes down to Yugi.

"I don't have to tell you." He replied calmly and Yugi blinked up at him and Kaiba tilted his head, seeing the flier in Joey's hands. Reaching out he plucked it from Joey's fingers and studied it. "Don't tell me you and the geek squad are going to enter in this tournament?" He asked mockingly and Tea glared at him.

"And why shouldn't we?" Tea asked and Kaiba barely spared her a glance as his gaze went back to Yugi who was now frowning up at him.

"Is something wrong with the tournament?" Yugi asked and Kaiba snorted as he dropped the flier. Yugi yelped and quickly grabbed it before it could fly away.

"No, it's expected of you." Kaiba replied and went to move past them but Joey stepped in front of him.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" He shouted in anger and Kaiba gave him a bored expression, tinged with annoyance. Giving an irritated sigh he glared down at Joey.

"That simple-minded duelists would enter that dueling tournament, such as yourselves." He stated and Joey gave out a low growl, barring his teeth in a snarl.

"Kaiba—" Joey snarled and Kaiba narrowed his strikingly dangerous eyes.

"My, my, the dog bares its teeth." He interrupted smoothly, only flaming Joey's anger further. "As much as I'd love to continue our current banter, I have work to do." His tone was dismissive and with that he went to walk past them but heated words stopped him once more.

"We aren't objects to be used and then tossed aside Kaiba! We're living, breathing people with opinions and feelings!" Tea snapped at him and Kaiba sighed as he glanced over his shoulder at the exquisite brunette. He couldn't help but like how fire would leap into her eyes and make her cheeks flush.

"More speeches again, Gardner?" He asked but the retort was soon forgotten as she plunged ahead.

"Kindness and friendship mean nothing to you! That's why you don't have any friends because contrary to what you believe about yourself about being all high and mighty you're not! You don't know friendship because even with all your power and genius you still don't know anything." Tea spat at him, her voice laced with venom and both Yugi's and Joey's eyes went wide.

Even for Tea, it was a little harsh...

Kaiba's eyes glittered and if looks could kill, she would have died several times over but she wasn't about to back down. She lifted her chin in the air as Kaiba took a threatening step towards her.

"I don't need friends, their irrelevant, much like you." He whispered before whirling and Tea blinked at his retreating back. His words had struck a nerve that she didn't even know was there but she clamped her jaw and reminded herself of her anger and it came flooding back to her.

"What a…what a…" she desperately thought for the right word to describe Seto Kaiba but it was escaping her at the moment.

"It's alright, Tea, let's go meet Mia and Tristan at the rollerblading park," Yugi said with a calm smile and Tea looked down at her friend. Yugi was such a kind and caring person, always looking for the best in any situation.

Tea gave an irritated, but defeated sigh and managed to smile back at him. Nodding her head in agreement she let Yugi take her arm as her eyes went down the sidewalk to Kaiba's retreating back.

His words came back to her...

For a moment...

She'd thought she'd seen sadness lurking in his striking blue eyes...

VVVV

Who was she to talk to him like that? She had no right, no damn right! He could feel his anger boiling over but he raised his chin, quickly and efficiently cutting it off and placing it deep inside himself. He usually never got angry, not giving into his emotions but there was something about her that got underneath his skin.

He snorted and dismissed it...

The door to the limo was opened and Kaiba seated himself inside. Giving strict directions to his driver he opened his laptop and started tweaking his new designs that he'd created for a new disk.

Work was always there for him...

How ironic...

He didn't know why the brunette's words had made him so angry but it seemed as if she'd struck a nerve he thought he'd long ago removed. He glanced out the window.

He'd have to remedy that...

VVVV

Tea absent mindedly sucked on her smoothie as she pondered what had happened earlier. She watched as Joey and Mia tried skating together and nearly joked when Joey landed on his butt.

"I'm glad you're laughing again." Yugi said from across her and Tea looked at him. "You've been frowning for the past few hours now." Yugi's smile was filled with relief and joy and Tea blinked.

"Oops, I'm sorry Yugi," Tea apologized and she resisted the temptation to laugh again as Joey wiped out. "I guess I'm still angry over what happened earlier with Kaiba." She stated, her mind flashing back to cold, angry blue eyes. Yugi sighed, drawing her attention back to him.

"I think that's why he's so angry all the time, because he doesn't have anyone he can rely on." Yugi whispered and Tea narrowed her eyes.

"He'd have plenty of people if he stopped being such a jerk and smiled once in awhile." Tea flared as she sipped on her smoothie and Yugi glanced at her.

"I agree, but it must be hard for him. He's such an independent person that the thought of opening up to anyone is out of the question for him. It must be lonely." Yugi whispered and Tea's eyes widened before a soft smile graced her pink lips.

"Yugi, you really are a great person!" Tea said with a laugh and leaning over she placed a kiss on Yugi's cheek. Yugi's eyes went wide as his cheeks flared crimson and he stared at her, his mouth open. Tea smiled at him, still laughing and shaking her head. "I'm glad that we're friends, I just wish that Kaiba could see that it's not a bad thing to rely on someone, to trust them and treat them like a human being and not an ant he can crush underfoot." Tea remarked as her eyes again found Joey and Mia. Joey was still hopelessly falling down and Tristan was laughing at him as he tried to help him up. Mia was only shaking her head, her face pinched in annoyance but her eyes were smiling.

"Thanks, Tea." He said finally, snapping himself out of his little daze. Tea flashed him a joyous smile, her anger forgotten.

"I should be the one thanking you." Tea said and Yugi blushed slightly at her smile but quickly hid it.

"Well, that's what friends are for. To cheer the other on and never give up on them." Yugi stated and Tea nodded in agreement.

"Exactly, but let's forget about Seto Kaiba for a little while and have some fun! After all, you guys are leaving tomorrow after school so we better not waste a moment of our time together!" Tea shouted and grasping Yugi's arm hauled him out onto the rollerblading area, laughing and having the time of her life and wishing that these precious moments would never end.

VVVV

Kaiba sighed as he rubbed a tired hand over his face. He was almost done with the reports and was ready to email them when the door to his office was rudely burst through. Before he could open his mouth and rebuff the ignorant intruder a ball of energy with raven black hair and shining eyes jumped into his lap, nearly knocking his lap top to the floor.

"Mokuba!" Kaiba shouted in surprise and annoyance but it was tinged with affection and the boy laughed with joy as he wrapped his arms around his older brother's neck.

"Seto! You're home!" Mokuba shouted in his ear and Kaiba winced at his loud voice but a smile touched his lips.

"Yes, now be quieter or you're going to have to make me get hearing aids." Kaiba warned as he set his lap top aside and hugged his little brother. Mokuba laughed before pulling away to look up at him.

"Sorry, big brother, but I was just so excited to see you that I forgot." He said with a cheeky grin and Kaiba's usually cold heart warmed at that smile.

It was filled with so much joy and warmth and love...

Kaiba decided that he could bear whatever the world threw at him just as long as his little brother was safe and happy.

"It's okay, I forgive you. Now," Kaiba said as he set him on the ground, "have you finished your homework?" Kaiba asked and Mokuba nodded. "Good." Kaiba said while standing and he smiled down at him. "We're going out for ice cream." At his words Mokuba's eyes lit up.

"What? Really?!" He shouted and Kaiba winced but didn't say anything, only smiled.

"Yes, now go get your coat, the wind is still a little chilly and I don't want you catching a cold." Kaiba warned and Mokuba shouted with joy as he tore from the room to fetch his coat. Kaiba watched him go, a soft smile on his lips before going back to his lap top. Quickly tapping on the keys he sent the needed files and grabbing his own coat met Mokuba at the bottom of the giant marble stairs.

It was after all...

The Kaiba Mansion...

"Ready?" Kaiba inquired and Mokuba nodded eagerly. "Alright then, let's go." Kaiba said and held the door as Mokuba dashed through it.

Kaiba followed, not calling for the limo, for he wanted to spend as much time with his little brother as he could, they started walking down towards the giant iron gates. Once through them they turned and started walking down the street.

"How was school?" Kaiba inquired and Mokuba didn't need any further encouraging before launching ahead. His words were beginning to slur together but Kaiba smiled and nodded, watching him with warmth in his eyes. He was always so joyful and filled with energy that it made him forget about his worries.

If only for a little while...

"—and then after that John said that he had gotten me out but really he didn't, the gym teacher said so, so he had to go sit against the wall for lying." Mokuba finished as they came up to an ice cream stall and Kaiba nodded.

"One mint cone and a chocolate chip one." Kaiba ordered as he glanced back down at his brother. "That sounds interesting." He remarked and the younger Kaiba brother nodded.

"It was but then later on John challenged me to a duel in Duel Monsters, saying something about a new tournament that was being held." Mokuba said as Kaiba received the two cones and Kaiba frowned as he handed Mokuba his mint cone.

"Tournament?" Kaiba questioned and Mokuba nodded as he eagerly licked it, splashing ice cream all over his nose. Kaiba sighed as he reached up and wiped it away for him and Mokuba smiled up at him.

"Yep, I think the Host is named Stone or something like that, John said that he was a nephew of his or something." Mokuba said as he greedily dug in and Kaiba would have smiled at his vigor but narrowed his eyes instead.

"You're not entering the competition." Kaiba said firmly and Mokuba frowned up at him.

"Why not?" He asked and Kaiba licked his own cone.

"Because, I don't like it and don't want you entering it." Kaiba said and Mokuba started to pout but heeded his older brother's words.

"Alright, I didn't want to anyway." Mokuba said and Kaiba gave a slightly relieved sigh and smiled at him.

"Eat like a gentlemen," Kaiba said sternly, though his eyes were smiling and Mokuba laughed up at him.

"Okay, big brother, I'll try." Mokuba said with cheerfulness and started to eat his cone carefully but to no avail a piece dropped onto his chin and Kaiba chuckled.

VVVV

Tea halted when she saw the two Kaiba brothers standing there. They were eating ice cream and smiling, Kaiba was even laughing! Tea couldn't believe it! She watched, slack jawed and wide eyed as the two began walking towards her.

If she hadn't know who they were she would have just assumed that they were two brothers out for ice cream, not the infamous Seto Kaiba who was ruthless to the core, never showing emotion besides mockery and contempt towards others with his little brother who was the exact opposite, always trying to lend a helping hand to anyone in need.

Her staring seemed to draw attention to herself and she jumped when Kaiba glanced around, his eyes falling on her with a predatory, evil glint. Mokuba noticed her as well and waving at her, bounded over.

"Hey Tea!" Mokuba shouted as he came to a screeching halt beside her and Tea snapped her eyes down to Mokuba's.

"Hello, Mokuba," Tea said as she smiled down at him and after a moment she raised her eyes to Kaiba's icy ones, "Kaiba." She whispered and Kaiba narrowed his gaze at her.

"Gardner," he replied in a civil tone and Tea frowned but her attention was reverted back to Mokuba.

"What are you doing out here?" Mokuba asked and Tea smiled at him, almost overwhelmed with his energy but she liked it.

"Oh, I just got done rollerblading with the guys." Tea said and glanced at the ice cream cones. Her eyes widened when she saw one in Kaiba's hand.

She didn't know that he liked ice cream...

"We just got ice cream!" Mokuba said cheerfully as he finished licking his mint cone and Tea laughed, her eyes returning to Kaiba's.

"I can see that," she tilted her head, the slight smile still on her lips, "I didn't know that you liked chocolate, Kaiba." She whispered and Kaiba narrowed his eyes at her. The look he gave her was bone chilling and she blinked in surprise.

"We're leaving Mokuba, say good-bye." Kaiba replied curtly and went to stride past her. Tea jumped and reaching out touched his arm.

"Wait, Kaiba I wanted to say that I'm sorr—" her words were cut off when Kaiba pulled his arm from her grasp.

"As I said earlier, Gardner, you are irrelevant." He bit out before striding away, a remorseful Mokuba in tow. Tea watched them go, her hand still in the air where she'd grasped Kaiba's arm. She'd felt guilty for what she'd said earlier and had wanted to apologize but now…now…she felt even worse. But why should she?! Tea clamped her jaw and whirling, strode angrily home.

When she got there she found a note taped to the refrigerator. Her parents were going out of town again on another business trip so they wouldn't be back for about two weeks, if not a month.

Tea sighed, she'd really wanted to talk to them about what had happened today but they were gone. Wadding the note up into a ball she threw it into the trash and headed for her bedroom to undress, wash her face and hair and plop onto the bed. Even her guilty conscious wasn't enough to keep her awake and she slipped into sleep.

VVVV

Kaiba however, did not gain such an easy access to sleep. Mokuba hadn't been happy about what he'd done to Tea but Kaiba hadn't offered him an explanation, for he wasn't exactly sure why he'd acted the way he did himself, causing Mokuba to be angry.

Later on Kaiba had tried to make up for it but Mokuba hadn't listened to him and had gone to bed angry. Kaiba scowled out at the gardens and rubbed a hand over his face, threading his fingers through his thick hair.

Later on Mokuba might have to make him apologize but if he did then Kaiba would, but only if he did. Kaiba didn't owe her, or anyone else an explanation for what he did, much less an apology.

He sighed and for once he felt tired...

Concern gnawed at the back of his brain and he frowned. He didn't know who this new competitor was and for being head of Kaiba Corporations he had many advantages and sources to tap into but none had so far offered up any real information. This concerned Kaiba but he dismissed it with a slight snort. He'd ordered Mokuba to stay away from the tournament so he didn't care what anyone else did and that included Tea and her friends.

His mind flashed back to the moments of when he'd teased them...

He took pleasure in baiting that mutt Joey Wheeler and aggravating Tea but even on occasions battling Yugi Motto. Deep down inside himself Kaiba had admitted that Yugi was a worthy competitor, the only one in the entire universe in fact that he had any shred of respect for. Anyone else didn't have the brains, or the heart he acknowledged silently, to even come close to his level.

Turning he strode from his office to his bedroom and disrobing down to his boxers, slipped between the silk sheets of his giant bed and closed his eyes, letting the stress of the day slip away as his mind drifted back to angry, beautiful blue eyes that belonged to a very cute, but sexy brunette.

VVVV

AUTHOR NOTE: Okay this is my first fanfiction dealing with Kaiba and Tea, so please review and tell me what you think!