Despite his aching head, Kaiba rose before the dawn, and wondered what the hell Lila was doing curled up on the armchair beside his bed. Was the room I provided not good enough for her? Maybe I'm spoiling her too much… He chuckled softly, then stopped abruptly when Lila stirred in her chair before a violent shiver racked her body and she folded further into herself. She looked impossibly small now, delicate, vulnerable…Pathetic, he corrected himself sternly. She looks weak and pathetic, not that I care. He tore the comforter from his bed and draped it over her. There, at least now I won't have to see how pathetic she looks. And she won't be cold. Not that I care! Kaiba cursed lowly to himself before storming off. After showering and dressing in his freshly laundered business attire, Kaiba exited his room quietly and met Mokuba and the security staff in the kitchen.
"Morning, Seto!" Mokuba chirped cheerfully, his anxiety from the encounter with Pegasus dispelled.
"Good morning," Seto greeted his staff coolly, with a warm, small smile towards Mokuba, who frowned.
"Seto, I checked for Lila in her room, but she's missing! Did you send her out?"
"She's resting in my room," Kaiba said absently as he poured himself coffee and perused the paper. A few security guards looked at each other in bewildered silence. Across the table, Mokuba grinned cheekily.
"Wait, your room?! Oooh, she must still be tired from last night…" Mokuba teased, earning a shocked glance from Kaiba.
"What happened to my innocent little brother? She fell asleep in the chair for some reason! It's not like that!" Kaiba protested, annoyed that Mokuba's smile only widened. "She must be a somnambulist or something! I don't want to deal with her excuses—I've got bigger things to worry about- so I just let her sleep for now…" As the brothers were bickering, Lila snuck out of Kaiba's room to her own, showered and dressed quickly, then headed out to the kitchen.
"Good morning!" She sang merrily, earning a polite acknowledgment from the guards, a bright smile from Mokuba, and a sneer from Kaiba.
"Well-rested?" Kaiba snapped snidely. Lila's smile fell, and Kaiba felt a rush of sick triumph.
"I'm sorry that I overslept a bit. I just slept so poorly…" Lila knew that she wasn't late; it was only 8 AM, and the meeting they were scheduled to attend wasn't until 10 AM. Kaiba was just so ridiculously early that everyone else was late in comparison! But to keep the peace, she apologized anyway. She knew Kaiba hadn't slept well either and she wanted to talk to him about it today if she got the chance; hence she had to keep him in good spirits, if possible.
"Don't waste any more time with excuses. We'll be leaving in an hour!" Kaiba fumed. He acknowledged that Lila was not late, that they had plenty of time before they even had to leave, but he had to yell at her about something; he didn't want her getting too friendly. Although that line was probably crossed when she decided to sleep next to me…Christ I hope not. He fixed Lila with a scathing glare, but she only nodded and took a seat next to Mokuba so they could eat breakfast together. Soon after they left for the meeting, taking the limo into the city then navigating the more narrow streets of the business district by foot. Kaiba's security took the lead to scout ahead, followed by Kaiba flanked by Mokuba and Lila, with more security following them. Mokuba stealthily fell in step behind Seto and Lila, sensing that the two older teens might have sensitive issues to discuss. Seizing the few moments of privacy they had, Lila glanced up at Kaiba and sought to approach the subject as gently as she could.
"Did you sleep well last night, Mr. Kaiba?" She asked innocuously.
"Fine. Not as well as you apparently, but well enough." Kaiba replied curtly, avoiding her inquisitive gaze and quickening his wide strides until she had to walk hilariously fast to match his pace. Unperturbed, Lila persisted, deciding to try a more direct approach.
"I was sure I heard you up and about last night, like maybe you couldn't sleep…"
"Seems like the only one up and about last night was you, Miss Clarke." He slowed his pace and lowered his voice. "Would you care to explain why I woke up to find you in my room? You never struck me as someone that dedicated to your job that you'd be prepared to wait on me hand and foot, all day and night."
"I heard you last night, Seto. It's okay, I haven't nor will I ever tell anyone…I just want to know if you're all right, or if you needed someone to talk to-" Lila whispered.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Kaiba snapped imperiously, regarding her with his most frigid stare. "And don't call me Seto!"
"Do you not remember?" Lila asked incredulously. Based on his reactions last night, the nightmare that had ensnared him was traumatic and terrifying enough to at least recall some of it. And surely he at least partly recalled holding onto her, leaning on her, refusing to fall back asleep until she'd soothed him. She certainly couldn't forget his powerful grip, his ragged breaths and soft cries on her shoulder, the petrified look in his eyes as he'd seemed to search for salvation in the dark. They reached their destination at last and Kaiba fell silent and ignored her completely, leaving her and Mokuba in the care of his security team in the massive hotel lobby. As he ascended in the elevator, he observed her through the clear glass door; she didn't look up. It's just as well; I can't afford to care for her like she cares for me. She's kind and warm… but she's a fool. I've no use for fools, and no one so good could ever love someone like me…
Later that day, they returned to the Kaiba mansion, and Lila helped Mokuba unpack and get ready for the upcoming week before getting him ready for bed. He was still on edge after the confrontation between Pegasus and his brother, but seemed much more comfortable at home, especially after playing a few quick rounds of Duel Monsters with Lila.
"You know, for someone who spends so much time with Seto, big-time gaming mogul and World Champion Duelist, you kinda suck at this game Lila!" Mokuba teased after he once again wiped out Lila's remaining life points and won the duel.
"We don't spend that much time together, and if we did, I doubt he'd teach me to play card games," Lila countered.
"You're right, I'm sure you'd think of something more fun to do…" Mokuba hinted mischievously as he put away his cards and got ready for bed. Lila rolled her eyes and shook her head at him, hoping the darkness of the room as she shut off the bedroom light concealed her blush.
"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear what you just said. Good night, Mokuba!" He smiled and hopped into bed as she left. Maybe Seto had been right about the bad influence of that public school Mokuba attended; at first she'd assumed it was his high-class snobbery presenting itself, but Mokuba's recent taking to poorly disguised innuendos and perverted jokes had Lila reconsidering his viewpoint. Lila descended the stairs to gather her things and return home, only to be halted by Kaiba at the front door.
"Good night, Mr. Kaiba," Lila stated, confused when he shifted his body to block her from leaving. "I said, good night, Mr. Kaiba." Again, he moved in sync with her. "Okay I'll bite, what's up?"
"I have reason to believe your safety has been compromised, therefore I can't allow you to leave. I've sent some of my men out to collect your belongings from your apartment, as you'll be residing here until I give the all clear." He stated, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"Excuse me?! How did you get access to my apartment?"
"You left your key in the outermost compartment of your carry-on bag; it was way too easy to snatch it and secure a copy. And it left no doubt that you're not fit to protect yourself, leaving access to your house so easily attainable." Kaiba sneered smugly as he looked down at her.
"So you went through my things, and now you're invading my apartment? I'm pretty sure that's illegal!" Lila cried incredulously.
"What are you going to do, sue me?" Kaiba chuckled shortly, knowing she didn't have the financial means or connections to go against Kaiba Corp. legal team, even if she had the guts to act against him in the first place. "Look, a simple 'thank you' would suffice; instead all I get is more of your insufferable arguing!"
"I'm sorry, I'm just frustrated because we had this conversation the other night!"
"I…I don't recall." Kaiba snapped stubbornly, vaguely remembering his overwhelming fondness for brandy that evening.
"I appreciate the sentiment, but I won't be alone. Yugi and his grandfather have offered their home. Besides, you seem to forget that I'm more than capable of defending myself; I really don't need anyone's help." Lila struggled to remain calm and civil, knowing she wasn't going to win this fight. Once Kaiba had set his mind on something, his resolve was more unshakeable than her own.
"Yugi? Yugi Moto? That little shrimp can't even defend himself, but you think he could protect you better than me?" Jealousy, hot and angry, flared in Kaiba's chest at the boy's name. Yugi already threatened his title and his pride; now he was after something else of his. Please, she was never—will never—be yours. "Pegasus will come after anyone I'm close to. Besides my brother, you're the only one I'd consider…close. I mean, you're always with Mokuba, we travel together, you have access to the manor—you're a prime candidate for an abduction followed by interrogation for private information!" Kaiba elaborated.
"Okay, you win, Mr. Kaiba. Where do I sleep?" Lila tried to disguise her disappointment that Kaiba seemed to only regard her as an asset.
"You may choose your room. You're not a prisoner after all; you're a guest. The mansion is your home as much as mine." He softened his tone. Lila smirked as an idea popped into her head; finally, a way to get him back for that stunt at dinner the other night. She grabbed her overnight bag and bolted up the stairs, Kaiba following close behind, wary of her abrupt compliance; he'd expected much more of a fight. She burst the door open to the room she wanted to claim—his room.
"I'd like this one then!" She said triumphantly, extending her arms as if she wanted to embrace the room. Kaiba scowled.
"Any room but this one."
"What, why? You said any room, so why not this one?" Lila feigned surprise, studying Kaiba out of the corner of her eye.
"This…this is my room," Kaiba confessed quickly, refusing to meet her eyes.
"Is it really? Hmm…" Lila paced the room slowly, admiring its timeless, minimal style and impeccable tidiness. "Honestly, I expected more dragons." Kaiba rolled his eyes before she continued. "Why didn't you tell me it was your room when I asked you?" Kaiba only continued to glower at her, but Lila wasn't deterred. Instead she made herself comfortable by plopping down on the bed. "Ah yeah, this is the one! Thanks so much, Mr. Kaiba, your hospitality knows no bounds!"
"No way are you taking my room!" Kaiba grabbed her bag from the floor before charging over to her and grabbing her by the wrist firmly. "Get up, you can take the room next to Mokuba's!"
Lila let her body go dead weight as Kaiba tugged her by one wrist, than the other, enjoying his frustration; serves him right for violating her privacy and dictating her life way beyond the extent of her job duties!
"Are you serious? God, you're such a child!" Kaiba spat angrily. He threw her bag down and moved toward the other end of the bed to clasp both her ankles and pulled, hard; Lila countered by holding onto the headboard firmly so she wouldn't budge. Without thinking, Kaiba reached across to pry her hands off the headboard; he was now straddling her, hands firmly clasped around her wrists as he pulled. Startled, Lila's hands splayed out in front of her to push him off; the quick motion brought Kaiba's full weight crashing on top of her. Kaiba's sharp shoulder struck Lila's lip upon impact, Kaiba's hands still engulfing Lila's slender wrists. Lila yelped, more in surprise than pain, but Kaiba tensed, fearing he'd seriously hurt her.
"Shit, are you okay?" He exclaimed as he propped himself up on his hands to look down at her.
"Relax, I'm fine; I'm not going to sue you or anything," Lila mumbled, as she propped herself onto her elbows, bringing her face closer to Kaiba's. "Now that I caught you in your lie, are you going to tell me why you brought me in here the other night, why you slept next to me?" She pried softly, raising her eyes up to his. Kaiba took a deep breath before he raised his eyes from her lips to her eyes, again taken aback by their complex beauty. He realized she'd moved closer and he moved away instinctively, sitting up at the end of this bed. Lila moved to sit crisscrossed beside him, awaiting his reply.
"Since I've gotten to know you, you've made me feel…more at ease. Sitting next to you in class, having you around the house, having you with me when I travel…you have a soothing effect on me. You quell my anxieties, my worries; they seem smaller when I'm with you, like I'm seeing them from a distance." Kaiba tensed painfully as a wave of nausea overtook him. He'd never been this open with anyone, even his brother, since childhood. After being adopted, Gozaburo had beaten that weakness out of him through intense physical punishment, and his body still responded with pain and waves of sickness at the forbidden stimuli. Despite his discomfort, he pressed on, knowing he could never allow this moment of weakness again; it was now or never. "You'd think I'd be grateful to you because of that, but I'm not! I hate feeling that I need you. I hate missing you when you're gone. I hate knowing that I'll let you down, and I will let you down, Lila! Don't you understand that I can never be what you need, because you've made me fucking weak! And I should hate you for that, but I don't… I can't!" Kaiba snarled at her as his pent-up frustration burst forth like water from a busted dam. Overwhelmed by his outburst, Kaiba leaned forward to cradle his head in his hands as he felt the room spin around him. Lila's hand on his shoulder stabilized him and sent reassuring warmth surging through him again, soothing him like balm on a deep burn.
"Kaiba, caring for others does not make you weak; it makes you strong. I see how much you love Mokuba, so much that you'd do anything to protect him. So tell me how something like that could make you weak!" He shifted his gaze to look at her. Her eyes were hardened in determination, her cheeks flushed, her lips set in a sorrowful frown as she beheld the pain and desperation in his piercing blue eyes. Without thinking—or perhaps thinking clearly for the first time in his life—Kaiba leaned forward, clasped his strong hands on either side of her head, and pressed his lips to hers, gently at first, then more passionately as he savored the sweet taste of her. Lila's eyes widened in shock before fluttering closed; as if under a spell, her hands traced the hard outline of Kaiba's chest before she grasped the soft fabric of his shirt and pulled herself towards him until she was practically sitting on his lap. To Kaiba, it still wasn't close enough; he wanted to feel more of her, all of her, against him; beneath him. He shrugged off his jacket hastily before plunging his hands roughly back into her hair, and pushing her down roughly on the bed, eliciting a surprised moan from Lila. Kaiba broke away to catch his breath before trailing kisses along the sharp line of her jaw, against the soft skin of her neck, eliciting another gentle moan that drove him wild with desire. As his hands explored her body, clinging alluringly to each and every curve, Lila felt Kaiba's growing arousal pressing against her through the thin fabric of her clothes. Suddenly, Pegasus' words flashed in her mind and her eyes flew open as she came to her senses and broke away from Kaiba's kiss.
"What's wrong?" Kaiba asked, concern lacing his breathless voice.
"This is wrong…" Lila said breathlessly, as she shoved Kaiba's weight off her gently and rose to her feet. "Is this what you do? You make stupid girls like me fall for you, toy with them, pushing them away then back again until they can't make sense of anything anymore, then use them however you wish because you know you can?"
"Lila what the hell are you talking about?" Kaiba rose to his feet, hands raised in surrender. It occurred to him that Pegasus might have gotten into her head more than he had thought.
"One minute you want to be friends, the next it's like you can't stand the sight of me and you treat me so coldly. And now…" She gestured towards the disheveled bed and his equally untidy clothes and hair. "What am I to you, really?"
"I—I don't know! Okay, I don't know! I've never felt like this before. I'm just trying to work this out the same as you are!" Kaiba exclaimed despairingly, a hand running through his hair distractedly.
"Well, I really hope you do. But until that happens, I don't think us being around each other more than necessary is a good idea. And I definitely can't stay here! I'm sorry, but I need to leave, now!" Flustered, Lila grabbed her bag off the floor and straightened her clothes before heading out the door, tears stinging her eyes. Kaiba grabbed onto her arm and spun her around to face him.
"What did Pegasus say to you?"
"Nothing I didn't know already! I was just too stupid to walk away before it got this far…" Lila wretched herself away and all but ran down the stairs before her heart could betray her again. She heard Kaiba following her, calling out to her, but bolted out the front door and past security into the cold night air, tears stinging her cheeks as they fell freely.
