A/N: Allrighty, here's Chapter 2. I don't think all my chapters are going to be as widely spaced in posting time as this one, but I had orientation for college this weekend – which actually helped to contribute to the length, since I had serious writer's block that only my own mom – who came along – could help me fix! Kudos to my mom! And kudos to you readers!

Voakands: Glad you found it entertaining. Now on to bigger and better things, eh?

Lumen: Probably is, at that. It's a bit late now, but good luck on the finals.

Eusine: Most people are turning that way now... just as well, now she's not a total hate magnet.

Monica: You may very well be right. Take a look and see for yourself.

Wolf: No, you're right, that wasn't really the focus. I like plot development as much as the next person, especially as long as this story's becoming.

Mira: You might find competition with Kaiba and Monica, methinks! Truth be told, I also like 'em... in all sorts of genres, too.

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Kyle sighed heavily as he got off his motorcycle and trudged toward his apartment. It was the dead of night now, and even though the dance was probably still going for another two hours, he didn't much feel like going back there. He wasn't sure if he could face Monica's disappointment, despite Jade's reassurances that she'd get over it.

Kyle, you may not approve of Jade, but she is right. What Monica saw is simply what she saw. It is not necessarily what was.

Oh, I know what she was thinking. She even said it out loud. She thought I was going for another girl.

But that was not the case, was it? Jade approached you, intending to challenge you to a duel. Nothing more.

She asked me to dance.

You and I both know that was not her true intention. Do not worry yourself over something so trivial.

I was having a good time, Theoris. I'm not proud of accepting the duel. I'm not even proud of winning Sanga back. I just wanted to have a worry-free good time tonight. Jade ruined that. She's developing a habit of ruining my good days.

You cannot deny that a good time was precisely what you were having before Jade approached you. And a majority of your day was spent before that time, during which you were feeling, unless I am mistaken, quite happy about your job offer.

Kyle snorted as he opened the door and turned the light on. I suppose so. Today's been pretty eventful.

Indeed, it has. You should be proud of yourself for your accomplishments.

I'm not. All I can think about is the--

--look on her face when she saw you with Jade, yes, I know. The problem is that you are focusing on something you could not have changed. That is the way it happened and it did not happen any other way. Take your mind off the subject and focus on your accomplishments this day. You have been offered employment in a place you believe you will enjoy working. You went to a dance, despite your hatred for such occasions. You enjoyed Monica's company, however briefly. You dueled Jade and won your favorite card back from her.

I suppose all that's been good... I just hope I can make amends with Monica soon. That's all I really care about at this point. Kyle sighed again and began to get ready for bed. He left his computer active; he needed that for his continuous search for another Kazejin. So far, nothing had come up. He almost felt like giving up hope. The only one I've ever heard of is the one Jade's carrying. And she won't want to give that one up. Especially not after tonight.
He had gotten his dress clothes off and was in only a pair of black shorts when there was a knock at the door. He groaned in annoyance, crossed the apartment, and flung the door open.

There stood Monica.

Damn--!

"This is the second time tonight I've caught you with your shirt off," she commented, crossing her arms. "Should I be worried?"

"Uh..." Kyle wasn't sure if she was trying to be serious or funny. He opted not to respond appropriately to either possibility for fear of choosing incorrectly.

She harrumphed. "You gonna invite me in, or have you already got company?"

Kyle clamped his jaw shut at that one, but stepped aside and beckoned her in. She stepped through the doorway and strode over to the middle of the room; Kyle shut the door.

For several moments, neither of them said anything. They simply stared at each other, as if waiting for the other to say something.

"Fine, I'll start," Monica said. "I want to know why you didn't say anything to me about that other girl. I gave you an opportunity and you didn't take it."

Kyle hung his head. "I hadn't expected to see her there. And the look on your face seemed to say that you didn't really care even if I could explain."

"You're probably right about that," Monica responded. "But you could have at least tried. If I hadn't listened to you then, I would've at least remembered what you told me and waited until I could believe it. Or until I could find out the truth."

He groaned. "I'm really sorry, Monica..."

"You should be," she snapped. "You couldn't even utter a single syllable in your defense. The way she was looking at you seriously had me believing that she wanted to go with you."

"Well, then, what about me?" he asked. "Did you bother to see the look on my face? Did you think I was happy to see her there?"

"What I thought was that you were engaging in playful verbal sparring and that you were going to go off with her and forget I even existed. And you did go off with her." She cocked her head slightly, and her expression softened. "But not in the way I thought you would."

He looked back up at Monica, slightly surprised. "You followed us out?"

She shook her head. "Julian was at the door, remember? He heard everything. Heard her challenge you, heard the stakes..."

Kyle stared at her.

"I was going to leave and just go home and forget about..." She blinked rapidly and then shook her head. "Never mind. But when I was leaving, Julian pulled me aside and told me about what happened."

Kyle let out a small sigh of relief. "So you know what she really wanted, then?"

"Yeah, I know. She wanted your Gate Guardian cards." She rocked her head to the other side. "It was Jade, wasn't it?"

He nodded dismally.

"Yeah, I've heard about her. She's been going after those cards for a while now. I'm surprised she hasn't gotten an entire set yet. There're other sets out there than just the one you two were fighting over tonight."

Kyle snorted. "Only three sets in existence. They'd be well-hidden from public view."

"So she went after you?"

"Yeah. Tonight wasn't the first time she's done that. I've run afoul of her a few times now."

Monica blinked. "A few times? You've never told me about her before."

He huffed. "She only wants the Gate Guardian cards, and since those aren't really your problem, there wasn't much point."

They both let out a sigh and said nothing for a few more moments. Monica sat down on the couch and silently beckoned Kyle to sit down next to her.

He did so. She looked him in the eye. "You could have told me about her. I've only heard about her by reputation, never seen her before tonight."

"She's got talent where that's concerned," he said. "What have you heard about her?"

"That she can be outright dangerous sometimes. That she'll do just about everything she can to get what she wants. That she's so pretty, she's thrown guys' concentration off in duels." Monica looked at Kyle in slight concern. "You don't think that's true, do you?"

He pursed his lips. "I wouldn't be surprised if there were at least a few shreds of truth in that."

"That pretty much confirms it." She sighed. "Do you find her attractive?"

"It depends in what capacity you're asking me, Monica," he answered.

She scowled. "I want an honest answer out of you. So give one to me. As a female-appreciative member of the opposite sex, do you find her attractive?"

"Yes," he answered shortly.

She harrumphed. "Thought so."

"Hey, look, you go around ogling guys because of their looks, too, okay?" he snapped. "Matter of fact, I think that not only is she attractive, but if she wanted to, and tried hard enough, she could have just about any guy on the face of this planet. But do you think I really care about her looks? The only thing about her that worries me is her dueling skill. She almost got what she really wanted tonight. And what's stopping her from getting the Gate Guardian set is not my appearance, but my skill. What stopped me from getting her Kazejin when we last dueled was not her appearance, but her skill. And it'll be skill, in the end, that determines which way our little war goes."

Amazingly, Monica gave him a little smile. "Good for you. You've successfully defended yourself with honesty."

He sighed. "You and your little tests. You'll be the death of me."

"Got that right. Me and no one else." Her smile widened.

"Hmph." He reached up to her cheek; his fingertips drifted along that surface, and his eyes displayed worry. "Monica..."

The makeup there had been streaked by a tear stream.

Her eyes widened and she turned away from his touch. "I... um... I just got splashed with a little water... some clumsy oaf at the dance tripped and had a cup of..."

"Monica, you wanted an honest answer from me," he said softly. "At least do me the same courtesy."

She looked back up at him. Her eyes were watering slightly. "Kyle... I thought..." She let out a sigh of exasperation and tried again. "Were you... were you happy with me? When we were dancing?"

He blinked in surprise. "Of course I was."

"It's just... I let my guard down to you for that one moment, and you just seemed to take me in and accept me, for that one moment..." A tear slipped down her cheek. "I felt happy. Not satisfied-happy – just happy-happy. It's been such a long time since I've felt that way, just happy for a simple thing..."

Her eyes seemed to take a sudden interest in her lap. "Then when I saw you with her, it just... it hurt. There I was thinking maybe you and I could dance some more, and there you were with another girl."

"I wanted to tell you," he said. "I just couldn't find the words." He tentatively placed his hand on her shoulder. "Yes, I think Jade is attractive. And I think you're attractive, too. For now, my business with her is finished; she won't demand a rematch tonight. So I'm not going to worry about her. Don't you worry about her either."

"Not worried about her," she said. "It's me. Now I'm afraid to let my guard down again."

He looked at her. "Do you want to?"

"I'm not sure." She looked back up at him, her face twisted with reluctance. "I did, but after that... I'm not sure."

"What do you want, then?"

"I want..." She sighed. "I don't know."

They looked at each other for several moments.

Then, slowly, she leaned down and placed her head against his chest. "Hold me for a while."

He blinked, but then gently wrapped his arms around her.

They stayed just like that for a long time.

--

Monica squirmed, and her eyes slowly blinked open.

She was lying down on the couch... still in Kyle's apartment. And instantly she knew she'd been there for hours.

Her eyes widened and she gasped slightly. What time is it? she wondered, feeling both slightly frantic and more than a little embarrassed. She'd never meant to stay this long!

Sunlight was only just beginning to creep over the horizon and into his eastward-facing windows, and even that light was obscured by the blinds that covered them. She looked around for Kyle and found him a moment later; no longer was he on the couch and holding her, but instead asleep on the floor. Only a pillow and a baggy sweatsuit protected him from having to roll around on the rug.

She squirmed again and found that at some point, Kyle had produced a blanket and drawn it up over her. There was no pillow under her head, but she was short enough to be fully stretched out on the couch without being forced onto the armrests. She fought the inclination to snuggle further into the blanket and fall back to sleep.

Instead, she let out a sigh and rubbed at her eyes – some of her makeup came away with her hand. "God..." she groaned. She threw the blanket aside – her dress was now quite wrinkled in several places – and sought out the bathroom, where she spent the next few minutes washing her face.

When she came back out, she had another inclination. This one begged her to quickly take her leave and pretend it hadn't happened. But as she stepped toward the kitchenette counter to retrieve her purse, she became aware of two things. The first was that her feet were bare; her shoes were lying discarded next to the couch while her feet were treading the cold linoleum of Kyle's kitchen.

The second was that Kyle's eyes were open and watching her every move. They both looked at each other for several moments.

"Feel better?" he asked simply. There was no trace of mockery or condescension in his voice – only curiosity.

Her answer was a silent shrug.

"Kyle rose to a seated position and fixed Monica with a look of sincerity. "You can trust me, you know. I won't take advantage of it if you do."

"That much is obvious," she responded softly. "I don't know anyone I'd trust more right now..."

He offered her a slight grin. "Oh, how the world plays its tricks."

"Yeah..." She played with the strap on her purse for a moment. "Know something?"

"Some would say I don't. What should I know?"

She gave him a strained smile. "I think... you're the only guy I've ever known who didn't make some sort of implication towards me about how much he'd like to... well, you know..."

He knew. And nodded.

"Come to think of it... why haven't you said anything like that?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You need to know?"

"I'd like to."

"Okay... for so many years, you and I hated each other so much..." He shrugged. "It never crossed my mind. And then, after your uncle died..."

"You started being nice to me. I never understood that, though. Why was his death the catalyst?"

"It wasn't, but it was the first opportunity I had to change. So I took it. It takes too much energy to be hateful."

"Figured that out, did you?"

"Yeah. But I guess I shouldn't keep you if you're wanting to leave."

She blushed. "I didn't want to wake you."

"Deja vu." He smiled. "That's what I thought when I realized how tired you were."

Monica only turned a deeper shade of red. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"Don't be."

"Thanks... but I really should go..."

He shrugged. "If you're sure, but I was going to offer you some breakfast..."

She shook her head. "No... thanks, but..."

"Well, in that case, would you like to go out sometime?"

The question had come directly from his brain, almost bypassing his mouth altogether in the process. It hung there for a moment as the two of them stared at each other.

She blinked. "You're... actually asking me on a date?"

"That seems to have been the intent of the question, yes." He suddenly grinned. "Remember the Starbuck's offer?"

"Huh? ... Oh! Yeah." She groaned. "Guess we both forgot about that, huh?"

"Well, here's our chance to do better. Let's go out to Starbuck's for breakfast."

She laughed. His grin only widened. "What? Did I say something funny?"

"Sorry," she giggled. "That just seems... such a bizarre place to start dating!"

"So you'd prefer Dunkin' Donuts, or what?"

She only laughed harder, and it took her several moments to finally regain her composure. "No, no... Starbuck's is fine." She couldn't stop giggling. "Just, um... I should get back to my place and change first, okay?"

"Of course," he conceded. "Sorry to keep you so long."

"It's okay, I..." She gave him a genuine smile. "I enjoy the company."

"Then we have something in common, after all."

"We do, at that."

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