Note: I threw some Laria's POV in here. This is mainly supposed to be a story composed of Kaiba's memories and feelings, but later I'll explain those intermezzos.

I've worked quite hard to keep at least Ishizu in character, since I've given up on Kaiba even before I started writing. I didn't bother much about the Pharaoh, though, I guess you'll see why.

I'm not feeling too much like explainig why I updated on Monday while the regular update should be Friday. I'm just telling the whole three of you reading this that updates are going to be Sunday or Monday from now on. If you disagree, it means I get a review, which is always good news.

Disclaimer was posted in the prologue. If you're still interested, go there read it. I only own my original characters, Jade and Laria.

Things you may want to know: MajorOOCness, sex, drugs, general immorality (is that even a word?).

Ishizu

Tell her to make me a cambric shirt,

parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme

without a seam or fine needlework,

and she shall be the true love of mine …

Traditional - Scarborough Fair

Kaiba never really anticipated that Laria would have a knack for history, rather that she would be easily excited. In any case, she knew about some special exibit months in advance and promised Mokuba to take him there. He wasn't interested. Work was piling up on him and although Laria truly took time to help and to improve his computer mainframe, he still felt unprepared for anything unexpected. Of course, she couldn't work miracles with the university and general screwing about to chew at her time, and he noticed she wasn't too happy about what she had done. She often went about gesticulating madly and mumbling something along the lines of 'that incapable bastard who wrote the security algorhitms', followed by barely understandable jibbrish, half spoken in some programming language and half in English.

However, he couldn't afford having the whole mainframe redone like she believed it should be.

"Look, Laria, I'm enough of a programmer myself that I know what I have. I should have taken time to check on it earlier. No, I'm not transfering the whole system to free and open-source technologies. Us tycoons must hold together." He smirked through the intercom. "Yes, I'm feeling fine, why do you ask?"

Next day, he was so sick he barely had the strenght to lift himself from the bed, but it still took both Mokuba and Laria's persuation skills to keep him in bed for more than the short night's sleep, and even then he demanded a full report from Laria on what happened during the day in the evening. Laria pulled a trick on him then, giving him something that wasn't exactly a sleeping pill in his herbal tea, and even after he awoke, he felt sleepy and unable to do anything for the next few days.

"Do I want to know what you gave me?" he asked her unpleasantly as she set the last report on his working desk.

"Something just nasty enough to keep you in bed, but not enough to weaken you further. You're way better now than you'd be if I didn't give it to you and you'd be walking about the very moment oyur legs would carry you."

He studied the report for some moments. "Listen … were you forging the reports up to now to keep me from yelling at you too loud, or did you make a drastic change yesterday?"

She shrugged. She didn't have the decency to blush, or perhaps just her dark skin hid it perfectly. "I didn't forge them. There are no original or truer copies. I wrote them this so you, as you put it, wouldn't yell at me too loud. I don't think people missed you too much, and I made sure they didn't miss me. I have a university to attend, you know. Perhaps you should just know better than setting a student to the head of your company."

He narrowed his eyes. He felt fury rising in his chest. She had some nerve to say that. Even more so regarding what she did to his company without telling him. "I'm not going to yell at you. Get out."

She didn't move. He found his fury faltering somehow, but his determination remained the same. "Get out, I said. Don't try to explain, I know you well enough, you self-righteous bitch."

Now, she finally turned and left with deliberate slowness. He closed his eyes and counted to some apropriately high natural number to compose himself, then opened them again and started working. Laria could not be expected to solve problems, only to create more of them.

He brought his work home and continued when Mokuba turned the TV on to watch the press conference that preceded the opening of the oh-so-expected exhibition. Laria was in the kitchen – he could hear her searching for some pan, or at least that was how it sounded. One couldn't be sure, for her battles with the cutlery were going more epic with every encounter.

Mokuba called out to Laria if she'd still take him there.

"If your brother is as good as to lend his car," she answered, bringing out the pan she had been fighting for. "How many eggs?" The phone rang. "Anyone?"

Seto picked up the phone.

"Kaiba."

Whatever the caller said, it remained between the receiver and Seto's ear.

"How did you know I was watching?"

"I'm personally inviting Seto Kaiba to this evening's private exhibition. I promise that whatever he will witness, will change his life forever!" said Ishizu on the screen.

The time stopped for a second. Laria slammed the pan onto the cooker with unnecessary force. "Eggs, anyone?"

"Two for me," announced Mokuba, also very loudly. Seto still stared at the screen. Ishizu was now answering journalists' questions. How did she know? he thought.

"Seto? Any eggs for you?"

He finally turned away. "No, thank you, I won't eat."

"You have to ..." Laria began, then stopped and made a face. "All right, I won't play a mum any more, but I'd really like to see you live on air."

"I'll fix myself something later. I can't think on a full stomach, and I think I'll need the brain tonight."

She lifted her brows. "For the exibition? What will you do, memorize complete egiptian history in one evening?"

"Laria." He deliberately nade his voice hard. "You're doing it again. Don't you think that I know what's the best for me?"

"In fact, I'm pretty certain that you don't, but do as you will, perhaps I'm not the one to tell you."

He refrained from answering, and she sullenly went to kill the eggs and serve them before they run away. He'll have to remedy their relationship one of these days, he knew, but for the moment, he was yet too angry at her. She won't learn the lesson, he knew her better than that, but he needed time to do everything she left undone, and to find his calmness again.

* * *

He was at the museum at the time Ishizu specified, and there was no-one around.

"Where are the other guests?" he asked her in stead of a greeting.

"I said it would be a private exhibition," she said with a small smile. Private, huh, he thought, then felt a stinge of disgust for himself. Laria taught him to think dirty thoughts at the smallest incentive, and it was fun sometimes, but disturbing at others.

He looked the woman up and down. She was good-looking, if not exceptionally beautiful, very young – he estimated her to be his age, quite an extreme for a scholar like her – and in a way, her looks reminded him of Laria. It was hard to define in what way, since the only thing they truly had in common was Arabic origin, which meant some similarity in facial features and golden tanned skin. But Ishizu's eyes were the color of a summer sky and her hair was a fall of perfect, straight blackness down to the middle of her back. Her only decoration was Egypt-themed golden jewelry, her dress a white linen epitome of unpracticality, her figure mostly hidden beneath it. Nothing like Laria at all. But still … something within him stirred. It wasn't entirely unknown. Thrill of the hunt, he realized. He had every right to seduce a woman, he just never chose to do so. But now, Laria was locked away from his bedroom for some weeks, and he suddenly wanted to fill the blank.

Oh, great. Now I have a mind-crushing desire for them Arabic types, he thought. Must be something about my genotype.

He turned away to hide the discomfort. His consciousness wanted him to leave now and forget that he ever met her. He had a woman at home, true that they weren't on the best of terms at the moment, but...

"We've locked all the exits. No-one is allowed in or out."

Fantastic. He barely heard Ishizu's explanation. He was stuck there. He shouldn't have locked Laria out, he truly shouldn't, he wasn't like her, he didn't just go around desiring women that just accidentally came his way.

"I believe it is in your best interest to see all that we have to offer," Ishizu said. He couldn't help thinking, I'd be quite interested in what you had to offer ...

"Kaiba, do you believe in destiny?"

If it involves you, me and a bed, I could. He shook his head. No. What am I thinking?

"Does it matter?" he said grumpily.

She went into the explanation about the old Egyptian way of thinking, unexiciting but interesting enough for him to follow it.

"... that it was destined for us to meet, " she finished. He nearly squirmed at that. He suddenlly remembered what Laria once told him – the trick about sucessful seduction is mostly in that you don't allow yourself to reveal more desire than absolutely necessary, for the one that feels it is the weaker.

But he never did this before. He tried to turn her lecture down, even. He never felt so split before. What he wanted to do seemed so completely morally wrong, and yet, he was in no relationship that should matter. Laria wouldn't mind, she did it all the time to him. What made him want to leave Ishizu there, to argue with her, to be so grumpy? And why did he desire her so?

Ishizu just told him to be patient. Patient. Yes, that was what he needed to be. He needed to wait, and to think, and to decide what he wanted.

She led him further through the exhibition, and he was grateful for the silence. He watched her walk in her low-heeled shoes, naturally and securely. She had an air of complete self-consciousness, he noted, as if she possesed a great power and knew how to use it, but rarely chose to do so. In that aspect, she was similar to him, but she seemed to invest the power in some mystical hocus-pocus. He could allow that. Yes, that was the way of thinking. Imagine her to be his already, and allow her things.

She seemed to be prepared to share knowledge about extremely powerful Duel monsters, and he was interested. Suddenly, the idea occurred. He didn't need to act the interest in Duel Monsters, and she seemed to know a lot. So, he coul invite her for a dinner to get more information. Or something.

The shining hallucinations enveloped him with little warning. He saw the past, he saw the origins of the great tablet she was showing him, the tablet with him and Yugi on it, and a woman of little importance in the background, the woman that looked so deliciously like Ishizu, her image was there no matter what, right next to him, so close he thought he could feel the warmth of her body, and then she was gone, the real world came crushing down on him. Ishizu stood a few feet away, ataring at the tablet, oblivious to everything that was happening to him.

Her magic was great, he had to admit to himself, and pehaps he should tell Laria … no, don't think of her now, you fool! What he glimpsed were quite possibly just hallucinations – but they were pretty real and coherent hallucinations. He suddenly felt something like awe for her. If it is truly in her power to make people see things, that was a great power. And she was so calm and self-possesed. She took all his insults with stone calmness. Compared to that woman, Laria is merely a child, playing with the world he thought. Ishizu was far more sure of herself and although he couldn't agree to some of her beliefs, they were still quite a basis to her stoic personality.

To have her, that would be a true victory.

She handed him the card – Obelisk the Tormentor. He touched her hand when he took the card, and held it there for longer that it was absolutely necessary. She was watching him thoughtfully.

"You will return the card."

Something in those words hit him hard. She was so certain of them, he could almost believe it.

"Does the card have any special abilities or anything I should know about?" he asked, then checked his watch and continued before she could answer. "No, wait. I'm truly sorry, but my time is limited. But you have my interest. Could we perhaps meet another time to discuss this? I have an evening off tomorrow. May I treat you to a dinner?"

She smiled that small, guarded smile of hers. "That is an unexpected invitation, Kaiba. But I accept."

He nodded. "I'll have a car sent for you. We shall go to the Aristocat."

"You do value that information," she said expresionlessly, and he had a feeling it was a part of a practiced act. He tuned and left, without a greeting, the way he had come.

Laria was in his bathroom the next evening, when he chose to start leaving. He frowned at her. They haven't met all day, and he supposed she would go to her own appartement when she returned, as she usually did those last weeks. She turned from the mirror and smiled at him.

"Hey, Kaiba. Sorry I'm here, I have a problem with the sink and someone is working on it right now, so ..."

"Don't lie."

She pouted. "It's true. As if I would try to patch us up by coming to your bathroom. It's extremely uncomfortable for the case."

He looked her up and down. She had her night-gown on, a short silk one without any decoration but great cleavage, but she wore it often, and she truly didn't do a thing to rouse him on purpose. She had a tooth brush in one hand. Nothing inconspicious, but he could never be sure about her.

"It is early for your evening toilette."

"I have a feeling I'll have nothing to do but sleep in the evenings. And I need that, too." Only now she seemed to perceive his attire, and she added, "Opposed to you, I see. Where are you going? A date?"

He nodded, and stepped next to her to the mirror, completely casually, as if he did it every day. He chose a cologne and combed his hair and only then, Laria quietly said, "Should I keep completely away for the night?"

"Yes, I think this is a good idea. I don't think she would appreciate your presence, and I know I can't handle even you alone, let alone two of you." He smiled at her confused expression in the mirror.

"Have fun then, I guess," she said, her voice slightly strangled. She fought the tears back, he could see that, and it took her long seconds to compose herself. She started brushing her teeth as if nothing happened, but he knew her well enough to see through the mask. He hurt her feelings, and she was only letting him go because she knew it would be true hypocracy to stop him.

What's with her? She was always teasing me about having only one woman in my life. Why would she cry now? Then, the possibility hit him, and he nearly shuddered. No, I don't want her in love with me! It's not meant to be this way! We should be friends, we should live without such powerfull emotions to cloud the reason!

He turned away. He couldn't deal with the matter now. There was another woman waiting, a beautiful woman to spend the evening and quite possibly the night with him, and that was the important part. He made his choice, he will not turn away now.

"Kaiba?" Laria spat into the basin and looked up. "Would you tell me at least who is she?"

He saw no reason against it. "Ishizu Ishtar."

Laria's expression gained the teasing dimension back. "Well, get ready to c-rumble," she said lightly, and the lightness wasn't entirely false. No matter how she felt, she was obviously still able to be happy for him. "Go, now, don't make her wait. If anything happens, you know where I live."

He smiled and left her. Sometimes, he had to wonder at that girl or perhaps at that woman. Quite possibly the strongest fortress of cheerfulness in the world, and yet, there was a gentle soul sometimes spilling her hair from the tower, hoping for someone to climb to her. This time, he would not; but some other time … no, now is not the time for that.

The limo was waiting, and Ishizu was there within. They greeted soberly and he sat at a respectful distance from her. They began a comfortable small talk that lasted the whole way, enveloping them with blessed normality. Later, Kaiba treasured those moments – they were the only ones he ever called his relationship with a woman normal.

Aristocat was a fine restaurant, the fact it was named after a cartoon aside. It was always quiet, giving guests all the privacy they could wish for. He usually went there for more formal occasions, like bussiness dinners, but it seemed a good choice in this case as well. Ishizu liked the place and he liked her – she wore only a little more adorned white dress and chose the more refined jewelry, but her strange necklace remained the same. He noted her careful makeup and the fact she wore low-heeled shoes again, as if she feared something would go wrong and she would have to run, but remain good-looking at that.

The waiter appeared, discreet as ever, and offered them the menus. He allowed her to choose the wine, a dry rosé, and a dessert, a chocolate mousse with figs. They both chose a sea-fruit dish, smiling at the similarity in tastes, and the waiter was gone.

He poured the wine and raised the glass to her. "To the succesful tournament," he cheered, and she repeated his words.

"You wanted to talk about the cards," she said as the main course was served.

"I did."

So he asked the questions and she tried her best to answer. She didn't seem to have as many information as he expected, though – she didn't know anything about defeating those monsters, and even her knowledge regarding the use of them had some holes. So the dessert was served, and there was nothing more to say.

"Perhaps you could now reveal the real reason for the invitation," she said after a few moments' silence and licked at her spoon. "You are not a man who would treat a woman to such an elite and expensive restaurat just to get some information about cards."

He shook his head. "Is it such a sin to invite a beautiful woman out?" He felt the words heavy in his mouth – he never tried a sentence such as this before.

She smiled again. "Perhaps it is. I know there is a young woman in your life, Kaiba, and I know she was hurt when you chose to invite me out instead of patching your relationship. But I can be selfish for one time in my life, and choose not to care. I know you mainly invited me out so you could bed me." She licked her spoon again – such a natural move when eating a mousse, and yet quite a rousing one.

He lifted his brows. "And what does the destiny have to say to that?"

She lowered her gaze. "All that was revealed to me was that much of the future depends on the it."

"So, for the one time in your life, the destiny is speechless? Did I insult it with the idea?" He couldn't help a smirk.

She pierced him with a gaze. "There are some parts of the future that are hidden to me. The history is bound to repeat itself forever, but it doesn't go in circles – rather in loops. You can't be certain which part of it awaits you. Sometimes, one decision directs it towards a specific loop, and I believe this is one."

He shrugged. "So? What do you say?"

She smiled quite more widely than usual. "You are no seducer, Kaiba. There are many, many women who would be completely repelled by such a question, even when attracted to you before hand. It just isn't how we work." She seemed to float away in thought for some moments, and her necklace gave a ray of light. Her face suddenly grew serious, even grave.

"Perhaps you should be the one to change his mind," she continued quietly, "for now that I've decided, I received a vision. You shall be the one to suffer most by the consequences of the deed. But yes, I accept. I wish to spend a night with you, and perhaps it will not be the only one."

"We shall see about that." He finished his dessert. "Would you like anything else?"

She smiled again, but this time there was a shade in her face, nearly like nervousness. "A little more wine would be welcome. Perhaps something sweeter?"

He nodded and called the waiter to make the final order and ask for the bill. They left, his limo was waiting for them at the entrance. Kaiba lowered the screen between them and the driver. They sat for some time in silence, then he turned to her and gently took hold of her chin. She looked at him shyly, but did not resist the kiss. Her lips were cool and only tasted of lipstick. He felt that he needed to be gentle, as gentle as possible, and only very slowly he tugged at her with the tongue, begging for entrance. She allowed it, but he felt a tremor in her and pulled away.

"Are you afraid of something?"

She shook her head. "I've never … done this … just like that," she said, like lost. "I'm kind of a nervous."

"I will be gentle," he assured her. He kissed her again, and this time she seemed to get the feeling of it. She kissed without passion, but her gentle touch carried a great weight behind, a weight that stirred the senses more than passion ever could. He was overwhelmed with a simple wish to be close to her, to feel her body right next to him, to make love to her. He would never want to break the kiss, and he was mayorly dissapointed as the limo came to a soft stop. They stepped out in front of the skyscraper. Kaiba noted that the light was still on in Laria's room up somewhere – the only window still alight, and the door to the balcony was open. He looked up, and he thought he saw two shade-shapes in the room. Two? Laria never brought anyone home, and she said she will only be reading and then go to sleep. Whatever. He hurried across the lawn to avoid being seen, but Ishizu stopped and looked up.

"So this is where you don't live," she murmured.

"There are three appartements up there," he said. "I don't need them all, at least not all the time. Come."

She nodded and followed him. He lead her to the living room and offered her a drink. They sat on the sofa, as if embarassed to touch again, and watched each other across the brims of their glasses. He suddenly realised how much they had drunk during the evening, that he was actually pleasantly drunk, enough to warm him, to stir his desires higher than they would go by themselves. He emptied the glass and set it down next to hers. She moved closer to him, kissing him again. He returned the kiss. He held her close. She at one point chose to sit in his lap, and they kissed, sweet kisses, no more lipstick-tasting ones, no more fear in her. She broke the kiss and asked for more drink, and then she tasted of sweet Martiny. He found he nearly didn't have to supress his desire. It grew slowly, but the kisses were a pleasure even as themselves. Then, he reached for her breasts, and she instantly froze.

"I'm sorry," he whispered in surprise.

She shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. It's just … " She shook violently, as if refusing something. "Kaiba, I just want you to know … It is my first time. I … I'm a virgin."

Now it was his turn to freeze. "Ishizu," he whispered. He closed his eyes, trying to compose himself, and when he opened them again, her face was hardly inches away from his. "It doesn't matter," she whispered. "I've made my choice. You are a beautiful and worthy man, Seto Kaiba. I desire you just as you desire me. Show me the way." And she kissed him again.

I can't do this, I can't just take her viginity, this is just so wrong … But she was persistent, kissing him, caressing him, until he gave up again. He carefully caressed her body, afraid that he might startle her again, but she truly seemed to get over with whatever doubts had been troubling her. She pressed her body against him so that he felt her warmth, her quickened breath, the beating of her heart. He found a zipper on the back of her dress and gently tugged at it, asking for permission.

She got up and stood tall in front of him. "Help me with the dress," she said in low, sensual voice. He carefully unzipped the dress and allowed it to slip down, revealing her body beneath it. He took off her earrings, her head-piece, her bracelets, the ring she wore on the left hand, but he didn't touch the necklace. He sensed she wouldn't want to part from it. He embraced her again, unbuckling her bra, kissing her shoulders and breasts and belly, then took hold of her panties. He looked up, into her eyes, and she gave a small nod of permission. He pulled them down, then rose and looked at her, naked and trembling with chill, looked her perfectly curved golden body, and suddenly he felt like a virgin himself. No other woman he ever saw was alike her. Jade was slightly plastic and very fragile, Laria was a muscular, scarred tomboy, but Ishizu was a true female, gentle, but not brittle, soft, but not weak, her skin perfectly smooth and even, the nipples of her small but firm breasts dark and hardened, a trace of transparent liquid down already her thighs. She sensed the unspoked question and turned around, exposing herself completely. Her back was a gentle curve, finishing in an invitingly round butt. He felt himself stiffen. He never before felt such urge to enter the woman there. He did it once with Laria, there were few things he they hadn't done, but the initiative was hers. He supressed the desire. He can't allow it now, with Ishizu.

She neared him and slowly pulled his coat off his shoulders, removed his tie, unbuttoned his shirt. She took her time undoing his belt and the button of his trousers, obviously nervous about what she was to find beneath. She pulled them down and removed them together with the socks, then rose, looking into his eyes, like he did before, offering him the lips again to ease the tension before she finally pulled at his underpants. She stood back, watching him in kind of awe, her eyes sliding over his exposed body.

Adam and Eve must have felt something like that when they first met, he thought. So completely exposed, curious, but nervous.

He was suddenly embarrased of every fault he ever found on his body, from the out-sticking bones of his shoulders to the fact that his member looked somewhat inapropriately big compared to his thin thighs. But then she came to him, embraced him, rubbed her skin at his as a cat, then shyly set a hand on his penis and rubbed it with inexperienced move. He covered her hand with his and led the way, quickly finding himself supressing the whispers of pleasure. He let go of her hand and she understood the signal, removing the hand herself. Now, it was his turn to explore her points of pleasure; he touched her gently, breasts and Venus alike, and she didn't bother to hold the voice within.

"Let me take you to the highlands," he murmured and she managed a smile. She lay down on the sofa, watching him for a while as he placed himself between her legs and began the labour with his tongue, but she couldn't hold it for long, she closed the eyes, small moans escaping her lips now and then. He waited, he knew the female body well enough to read the signs she was giving, and when he knew she was reaching the peak, he carefully slipped a finger within her, only taking a few moments to discover a certain point, and he nudged it. He felt how the energy within her made a jump, and she gasped, but it wasn't over yet, she had to endure the sweet torture for just a little longer … there!

"Aaagh ..." Half a breath, half a scream, the muscles twitching, nerves weaving around themselves with overload, and then she was still, still but for the heavy breathing, for long moments as he lay down beside her and embraced her, waiting for her to compose herself.

She gave a laugh; he couldn't say he knew her feelings, but his analitical brain presented him with data that after a ecpecially powerful orgasm, the body gets overwhelmed with hormones that resemble opiates, inducing a somewhat drugged, but extremely pleasurable state where the world seemed soft and fuzzy and worries never existed, and soft laughter was more of less the only expression possible. He smiled, proud of himself, but aware that the main part is yet to come. She turned in his embrace and rested her head upon his chest, thoughtfully playing with one of his nipples. He decided against stopping her – she probably wasn't even aware of it. Then, she said dreamily,

"I never felt anything like this before… I just wish it to last, only to last ..." There was near-sadness in her voice.

"It will last," he breathed into her hair. "There are so many things yet to discover for you." He kissed the top of her head and rocked her gently. "Let's make love."

She half-lifted herself on the elbows, so that she could look into his eyes. "Yes," she whispered. "Let's make love."

He started to stand up to find a condom, but she held him back. "It's all right, I won't get pregnant," she said.

"You sure?"

A chuckle. "Yes. I'm sure."

He held her close again, kissed her, wanting to make her comfortable. She slid beneath him and wrapped her legs around him. Her expression tensed again, but she looked determined.

"Just relax," he murmured. He pressed against her insides and she gasped, her breathing and hearthbeat growing faster with pain, but he already felt something tear under the pressure, and her pain was gone. She was so narrow, he moaned with effort as he violently supressed the intense feeling. He moved and now, she was the one to moan.

"Oh, fuck" she whispered as he continued with same refrained intensity, and then louder, "Fuck, fuck … I can't … oh, fuck!" He considered stopping, but she held onto him forcefully, her hips thrusting against him, as if afraid of losing control and already losing it.

"Let go!" he half screamed, and as she did, the slightly changed position tore down both their defences, sending them to an intense heaven.

Minutes passes unnoticed. Consciousness was on a trip to the south. They lay on the sofa wrapped together, as they fell, and senses knew only the warmth between them. Long, long time seemed to pass, but they just didn't want to acknowledge it. The world was too far away.

"Seto?" murmured Ishizu as she regained the feeling of time and space.

"Mm?"

"I should get myself washed. I think your sofa in already bloody."

"It's seen worse. Just a little longer."

Again, moments passed, and he finally let her go, but still unwillingly. He sat on the floor and stared at the drops of virginal blood on the sofa. Now, it has seen everything, he thought. It was probably the most abused piece of furniture in the house and the most often cleansed one as well. It had seen pretty nearly every kind of food he ever had in the fridge, pretty nearly every sexual pose he ever sported, a big lot of blood of different people that Laria brough on … well, not only blood, it was pretty nearly every kind of liquid human body could produce, and he mostly just avoided thinking about it when he sat on it. Then, it served as a hiding place, mostly for certain illegal substances, but sometimes also for Mokuba of even Laria in a mock fight, as a couch fortress, as a … well, his memory failed him, there must have been many other things a white leather sofa could be used for. And he sat there thinking about a piece of furniture, waiting for his no-longer-virginal one-night-stand to return. She came, picked up her panties, and asked if 'his woman' had a stash of her … intimate equipment anywhere in the bathroom. He shook his head.

"I think she keeps them in her own bathroom in her own appartement," he told her. "I wouldn't go there if I were you, she probably isn't asleep yet."

Ishizu checked the clock. "It the middle of the night. Does she always sleeps so late?"

He shook his head again. "No, just when she's unhappy."

Ishizu shook her head violently. "Anyway, could you get them for me? I really feel unpleasant, bleeding like that."

He rose and embraced her. "Does it hurt?"

"No, just … I feel somewhat unhygenical."

He sighed. The idea of facing Laria to get some feminine necessites for the woman he just slept with seemed … bizzare. The awkwardest of situations. The only consolence was that she will probably be in the marihuana heaven, regarding the open balcony he saw when they arrived, but then again, she'll still remember it in the morning. But he had to do something.

"Can you make do with something else? A towel or something?"

She scowled. "I'd rather not."

"You just want to make me go and face her, don't you?"

"It is your destiny."

Now, he was pissed off. She was making him do the impossible, refering to the destiny, and with a completely calm face at that. But it was still the better option than Ishizu going herself. He grumpily got up, pulled the coat and trousers on the bare skin. He just got up from the couch as he remembered another thing.

He bent down and carefully searched the folding between the back and the sitting part of the sofa. There was nothing, so he checked under it, and it was empty as well. He sighed.

Ishizu looked at him questiongly, but he gave no answer. She didn't have to know that he caught Laria stashing her stuff in the sofa just the day before, and if she took it out – whole five gramms of so – she was probably sleeping anyway.

He left up the stairs, nervousness rising.

The light was still on in Laria's apartement, so she was awake. He stopped in front of the door, bracing himself. He knew that her ability to envelop him in a bubble of safety will now work against him, for he can't allow himself to share anything that had happened. That would be just too awkward. He stepped in without knocking, expecting her to be on the balcony or at least not right beyond the door. She was standing in the small anteroom, staring at herself in the mirror. She still had the very same night-gown on that she wore earlier, and all her hair was standing straight with chill. She turned to face him, her eyes brilliantly white and shiny black in the twilight, her stance straight and tense. No strange aroma filled the room – she was sobre, watching herself in the mirror – is that a sign of weakened self-esteem? He could have sworn Laria would never lose it, if any woman on this world.

"Hey there," she said quietly. "What's up?" Not waiting for the answer, she turned and left for her living room, sat on the couch and covered herself with a blanket. He followed her, but didn't sit down.

"Ishizu just asked for the … female equipment," he said awkwardly.

Laria nodded. "I'll get it." She stared at him for some long moments, her expression unreadable. Then, she got up, went to the bathroom and brought back a small bundle, handing it to him.

"Here," she said quietly. Then, she suddenly jumped to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, embraced him warmly, then just as suddenly let go.

"Don't hurt her," she said dryly as she turned away. "You may say I act like a mother towards you, but that's one of the times you should listen. Don't hurt that woman more than you already have." She looked at him across the shoulder, piercing him with those mad glistening eyes, and he suddenly realised she was fighting back the tears. "I listened to some of the things you two talked about, and she has my respect, but she may be more fragile than she looks. And I will hate you for hurting her. You hurt Jade. You even managed to hurt me, even though I didn't think that possible. So, don't hurt her, you selfish, arrogant, egotistic bastard."

Her voice was controlled and emotionless, even as she said the insults, but he could believe every word she said. She's hurt, he thought. She doesn't want to be hurt, she finds it unfair, and yet, she pains … I can see what this is about, and I want it no more that she does.He didn't know what to do. He hated what Ishizu called destiny that brought him to that situation. He should just refuse and tell her to use some toilet paper or even cut a towel to some more usable size, but he wanted to appear gentleman and so he stood there watching the woman he knew he will never be able to love the way she loved him. She was sitting on the couch wrapped in the blanket, her back painfully straight, and she stared at him with a defiant face, but the tears were now clearly visible in her eyes.

"I won't hurt her," he said quietly. "I promise." He went to the door and looked back. She returned the stare. "We'll talk in the morning."

She gave a stiff nod. "One more thing," she said. "Stuff that back into the couch, would you? I don't want Mokuba come to wake me up and find it on the table." She miraculously produced a baggie of green substance and threw it at him. He shook his head and put in into the pocket. "One day, Laria, you will start hiding you stuff in your apartement. It's big enough, isn't it?" She smiled wetly and shook her head. "I think I trust you more with it."

He waved goodbye and left, wondering about the mistery of her soul. Who is the woman who can cry and smile at the same person at the same time?

Laria wiped her eyes and sighed. She was so tired, she could fall asleep right there, and pain was coursing her veins, but there was no rest yet. She got up and opened the wardrobe.

"You can get out now," she said.

Yugi climbed out and shook in disgust. "You don't only store clean clothes in there, do you," he said. "It smells like it had seen all your lovers together after a hot night."

"Well … I guess I sometimes just stick something in that I don't want Seto to find," she retorted, looking just slightly embarassed.

"You have an awful lifestyle, judging by the smells. Marihuana, sperm, blood, all possible kinds of dirt ..."

"Don't tease me. I'm in no mood."

He came to her and embraced her carefully for the umpth time that evening. She was way taller than him, even taller than the pharaoh, so he had to stand on his toes to reach her neck even as she bended to receive him. It was an uncomfortable position, but she needed every drop of warmth she could get.

"What am I going to do?" she asked miserably into his hair. "I never knew it could hurt so much to know your beloved brought home someone else."

"I believe you will forget and go on living. You already like Ishizu, I know you do; you are not a person to take offence by the whole situation. The pain will pass." Pharaoh's voice was gentle and soft, his warm arms comfortingly wound around her. She could relax in his embrace, she could forget for a moment, but as he let her go, she was cold and lonely like never before.

She nodded, wiping her eyes again. "Yes, I know it will pass. I know that even now. But it is so hard to believe." She moved to the balcony. "I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight if I don't get at least a little high. I still have stuff for a joint. Want some? No? Well, just come to the balcony with me then, it is an epitome of loneliness to smoke alone."

She rolled the stuff up and they sat on the balcony, close together against the cold. The smoke curled in the air around them, whipped by the breeze. Laria rocked a little, murmured a melody, hanged her legs in the air, obviously relaxing on purpose.

"Pharaoh … what did you think when I called you before?" she asked suddenly. "I mean … we never hung out like that, but I just thought you might be able to help."

"I thought you were lonely and needed some comfort. I know you don't trust many people, and I was honoured that you called me."

She blew at the smoke to thin it. "You like me. I know you do," she said out of the blue.

He flushed. "Well … you do that to men, Laria. It is not exactly that we can do much about it."

She sighed. "I know. I like you too, Yami. If you weren't exactly Kaiba's greatest rival, and you didn't share a body with the most innocent boy in the world, I'd try my best to seduce you." She pondered a little. "Ehhh … to hell with it. Would you stay the night with me? Just to cuddle and comfort me, and to watch me sleep? No, really, I don't care if you run away when I'm asleep, but I want someone to hold me until then. Pretty please?"

He shook his head. "Temptress, that's what you are. You know I can't do this. And I never knew you made a selection of who do you seduce and whom not."

She gave him an innocent face, just slightly corrupted by the smoke winding from her lips. "I get in less trouble this way. Pretty please with a cherry on top? I won't try anything, I promise! Even I wouldn't temp you like that!"

He closed his eyes and curled his knees to the body. "I believe I fought some hard battles in my time, but what you do to me is way worse. And you even say you won't try it!"

She smiled sweetly now. "It is easy to give in, isn't it?"

His gaze went from tortured to amazed within moments, forgeting the fire within his body completely. "You're doing this on purpose? How?"

She shook her head, and the pressure on him lowered. "Damn, I didn't think you'd notice. No-one has up to now."

"So you are doing this!"

"Yes, I do. Don't give me that eye, it's nothing! I just … take what there is and push it a little further. Only works with basics, like desire, disgust, fear or safety, and only if person actually wants to feel it. It's like making a decision for them. And I don't do it for fun. At least, not often."

Yami shook his head at her. "That's a dangerous art you are using. Magic shouldn't be messed with for fun."

"That's no magic, just a trick my step-mother taught me. And mostly I do it to comfort people, and never to do harm! Kaiba would have had a nervous breakdown by now if it wasn't for the safety I provide!"

He nodded. "I know, Laria. If something is true about you, you don't mean harm. But it may still happen. Can you imagine what Kaiba would do if he ever discovered that? Just for instance?"

She sighed. "Yes, I know. It would take days for him to see that he's not harmed in any way by it, that it even helps."

Yami looked unconvinced. "You know, Laria, I see why you fell for Kaiba. He is the very one person that gave you any challenge in being a bigger self-righteous bastard than you are, but I think you still beat him. You are the one that always thinks best for everyone."

"And you know what is tragic? I'm mostly right."

"But not in this case. You leave other people's feelings alone."

She lowered her gaze. "I never found it harmful in any way. It's not that I'm intruding what they truly feel. I just make it a little stronger."

"Anyway." He held her hand and squeezed it gently. "Trust me. Horrible things happened to people who meddled too far into this. I don't know how I know, but some things are just … clear to me."

She looked at him. "So, are you staying with me or not?"

He gave a laugh. "You don't give up easily, and you did not answer me." His expression grew serious again. "I will, Laria. Just this one night, I'll stand by your side, and I'll leave once you fall asleep."

She extingushed the filter that started burning and stood up. "I'd hug you right now, but I know how I smell, so I'll go brush my teeth first," she said. "See you in bed. And I'm not promising you anything – you would be intruding my decisions if you made me do this."

He rolled his eyes. "All right. But please, be careful, and tell me if you notice anything strange."

***

Kaiba returned to his own living room and handed Ishizu the bundle Laria gave him. He wouldn't be surprised if it contained a painful prank, but it didn't. They got to bed and she curled against him like a child, making him embrace her instinctively. He kissed the top of her head.

"Ishizu?"

"Mm?"

"I just want to know … Why did you decide to do it just like that? No true love, no perfect moment, none of that crap women always chirp about?"

He felt her move, and he knew she was fully awake now. "I come from a quite traditional family. I wasn't supposed to know any man but the one my parents chose for me. By being with you, I broke the rules, I broke free."

He nodded, touching her head with his chin, then kissed her hair again. "Good night," he murmured, finding that he could make up no further questions. It's been a long night. And just before he fell asleep, when dreams were knocking on his eyelids, he thought he heard the lift moving down, making him wonder at it for a moment before the sleep claimed him.