Melting the Snow Chapter 10: Laughter, a yu-gi-oh fanfic

Melting the Snow

Okay, it took me a long time to get this chapter together. I experienced my first case of writers' block, and I can now see why everyone hates it so much. I hated it before, because when my friend experienced it, I couldn't read more of her stories, but now I can hate it from personal experience! XD

So, anyway, I had to ask several people for help and I'd just like to give credit where credit is due:

HogwartShinobi- I absolutely loved the dueling idea! I honestly never thought of that before!

ChaoticKinkyCola- Lauren, I always love your ideas, 'cuz your as crazy as me!

TranquilSeas- I loved your addition to the whole dueling thing, that's definitely going to show up in this chapter as well! I'm planning on saving the other ideas for a later time though, just to leave the rest of my readers hanging! X3

I got several reviews commenting on the whole giggling thing from last chapter. Just a reminder folks, that wasn't actually Kaiba, it was his little subconscious voice that is finally finding an opening in that emotional shell of his. Trust me when I say Kaiba is probably really freaked out that even his inner voice giggles! Lol!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its original characters, but Ari, Kenta, and this plot are mine, so don't steal them.

Alright then, onto the story!

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Chapter 10

This is the amazingAri said to herself.

She had finally gotten back from work, and was now relaxing in the luxurious bath she had seen that morning. She had layed her head on the back edge, easing the tension in her neck muscles melt away, her hair flowing gently in the steaming waters. It just didn't get any better than this. Before, she had barely ever had time to take a shower at night, what with having to cook dinner for herself and Kenta, then using what little hot water they had to do the laundry. By the time she was done, she barely had the energy to walk to her room, let alone stand under a torrent of cold water for another ten minutes.

Seeing as how there were plenty of maids in the mansion, she didn't have to worry about doing cooking or cleaning. She still felt a little awkward about having someone else take care of something that had been her responsibility for quite some time, but there was really nothing she could do.

After a while, the water began to cool, and Ari resignedly got out. She grabbed one of the towels to dry herself, marveling at how soft it was, and walked back into her bedroom to find some clothes. She figured something simple would do, not as simple as her normal nightwear, though. She still had to go downstairs for dinner, and she wouldn't be surprised if Seto would be there, and somehow she knew he wouldn't exactly approve.

Finally, she decided on a pair of jeans and a loosely fitting black t-shirt would be acceptable. She pulled it over her head, slipping it gently over her form as she shook the remaining water out of her damp locks of hair. Looking at the clock, she saw she still had about an hour until she had to go downstairs, so she decided to take a little walk around the mansion. She wouldn't want to end up getting lost in such a big place, so it was best that she take a look around while she had the time. Running the towel over her hair one last time, she hung it back up in the bathroom, and walked out into the hall.

Try as she might, Ari couldn't help but get lost. After five minutes of turning into one identical hallway after the other, she had completely lost her bearings. She turned down another hall, feeling like she was going in circles. She hadn't even seen any of the maids, or Roland, to ask for help. She sighed. It was times like these that she missed her tiny little house. At least there was no chance of her getting lost there. Putting her hands on her hips, she shook her head. I just had to go exploring, didn't I? she thought. Damn my curiosity!

Suddenly, she lifted her head, her ears straining to listen. There it was again.

It was faint, but she could definitely hear voices. Turning another corner, she finally found herself in a familiar area. This was where Kenta's and Mokuba's rooms were. Ari could hear their voices carrying out of one of the slighty opened door. Smiling, she walked over and pushed it open the rest of the way. On the bed, both of the boys were sprawled out comfortably, in the middle of a game of Duel Monsters. Ari's heart warmed even further. She hadn't seen Kenta so happy before, even after his sleepover.

Looking up, the two of them finally spotted Ari standing in the doorway.

"Hey, sis!" Kenta said, his smile growing when he saw her. "How was work?"

She shrugged, walking over to the bed and sitting down on the edge. "Oh, you know, same old, same old. Got in, teased Kanaye, did a little work on the computer, pestered Kanaye some more, then left."

Mokuba laughed. "That sounds like fun!"

"It was," she replied with a giggle. "So, who's winning?" she asked, glancing at the cards scattered across the bed.

Kenta frowned slightly, his focus returning to the cards in his hand. "Mokuba of course. I've only been playing for a month, so I'm really not that good yet." He paused to scowl at Mokuba. "Plus the fact that a certain someone is the younger brother of one of the top ranking duelists in the world, so he probably knows quite a few little tricks!"

Thought he hid his face, Mokuba's body shook with supressed laughter. Ari giggled at her brother's frustration, and his scowl deepened.

Mokuba finally recovered from his fit of laughter, and he smiled as he lay down a single spell card. "I win!" he said gleefully.

"Aargh! I give up!" Kenta flopped back on the bed.

All self control gone, Ari laughed so hard that she fell of the bed, hitting the floor with a loud thump.

Seto sat at the desk in his room, typing away, as per usual. After he had picked up the boys from school, he had headed straight back to his work. It wasn't that he wanted to, it was just force-of-habit. Sometimes, he wished he could just come home and kick back, but running his company was a twenty-four hour job.

There was a knock at the door. "Come in," he called, his eyes not leaving the screen for even a second.

Roland opened the door, bowing for a minute before he spoke. "Master Kaiba, dinner is ready."

Seto shut his laptop. "Good, good," he muttered, rubbing his eyes so they would adjust to not having to look at the illuminated monitor.

Roland turned to leave, then stopped. "Would you like me to fetch Miss Ari and Masters Mokuba and Kenta as well?"

Wincing slightly as his muscles ached in protest to moving after so long, Seto stood up, gingerly stretching his arms. "No, I'll get them."

"As you wish, sir." With a final bow, Roland exited the room, leaving the door open. Finally feeling that his muscles were sufficiently awakened, he grabbed his white coat off the back of his chair, and walked out. Ari's room was the closest, so he decided to get her first. He headed down the halls, automatically knowing where to go.

Seto reached her room in only a few seconds. He knocked firmly on the door.

"Ari," he called, expecting an answer, yet receving none. He frowned and knocked again. "Ari?" He waited another minute, then opened the door, hesitantly looking inside.

No one was in the room. He glanced toward the bathroom, its door wide open, and saw no one there either. He shut the door and stalked off down the hall again. It would be best to tell Mokuba and Kenta to head down to eat, then he could look for Ari. He growled at the thought of having to search the mansion for a girl who had foolishly wandered off somewhere. It was going to be such a waste of time.

As he reached Mokuba's room, he heard the two boys' laughter, accompanied by a lighter, more feminine laugh. His frown lifting a little, knowing that the girlish laugh meant he wouldn't have search the entire house for a certain someone, he opened the door.

It took a hell of a lot of self control to keep himself from laughing as well.

Ari had her brother pinned on the floor, and was tickling him unmercifully. Kenta was trying to push his sister off, wiggling back and forth in a vain attempt to free himself. Mokuba was rolling on his bed, howling with laughter, tears streaming down his face. Seto wasn't sure if he had ever seen such a ridiculously funny scene.

Finally deciding that they had wasted enough time, the older Kaiba cleared his throat loudly, finally announcing his prescence. All three of the room's current occupants stopped and looked up at him.

The room was silent as they all sat frozen, startled by the intrusion.

Then, Ari began to laugh again. The boys' eyes grew wider as she finally released her brother and backed away, clutching her ribs as she continued to laugh. She didn't even stop when she backed into the wall, sliding down it until she was seated on the floor. Finally, her laughter subsided to a fit a giggles. She looked up at the boys, who had watched her whole little laughing fit, and began to blush furiously.

"What was that all about?" Kenta asked finally.

"I'm not really sure," Ari replied. "It's just-" A few more giggles escaped. "-the looks on all your faces when he walked in." She clasped her hands over her mouth as the laughter threatened to take over once again.

Seto just shook his head. "Well, I think we've wasted enough time. Come on, it's time to eat."

"Alright!" the two younger boys shouted. Without a second glance back, they both raced out of the room. Their shouts of joy carried throughout the entire mansion.

Still shaking his head, Seto turned back towards Ari, who was still currently sitting on the floor, though her giggling seemed to have finally stopped.

"Do you need some help?" he asked.

It was her turn to shake her head. "No, no, I'm fine," she said, putting one hand on the wall for support as she stood up again. She smoothed out the wrinkles in her clothes, and finally started towards the door again. She stopped just outside, listening to the distant sound of Kenta's shouts. Her eyes softened.

Seto watched the change as she visibly relaxed. "Is something the matter?"

She glanced back up at him, and for once, she didn't look nervous.

She turned to look in the direction Kenta and Mokuba had gone. "I was just thinking," she said finally. "Even through all the hard times we've had, I've never really felt like I was beaten, or like I should just give up, because-" Ari looked up at him, a bright, content smile on her face. "-I've always had my little brother there with me. I've always known that I can't give up, because I wouldn't just be letting myself down, I would be letting him down, too. And that is something I could never allow."

Her expression darkened a little. "When we went into our house that night, and saw how everything had just been...destroyed, I really came close to losing it. If you hadn't been there, if you hadn't given us that little bit of hope, I would have broken down completely on the spot, and Kenta..." She shuddered. "I don't even want to think about what could have happened to him if I lost it. He's everything to me, the only family I've got left."

As she looked back up at Seto, she was once again shocked. The same expression he had worn this morning was once again adorning his face, as he too looked on down the hall, as if he could still see Mokuba and Kenta as well.

"I know what you mean," he said, his voice oddly soft. "I feel the same way about Mokuba. Just thinking about how much he needed me got me through more tough times than I could ever count."

Then, just like before, he seemed to wake up, and he was once again his usual, indifferent self.

"We better head downstairs, too," he said, already walking away, his white coat billowing out behind him. "They're probably waiting for us."

Still smiling, Ari followed him.

Dinner was the best meal Ari remembered having in years. She wasn't completely sure of what it was, but she didn't care. It had tasted great, and if given the chance, she would've eaten about twenty more of them.

She watched, amused, as the boys tried to coax Seto into dueling with them.

"Please, Seto!" Mokuba begged as he hung onto his brother's arm. "Come on, can't your work wait for a little while?"

Seto attempted to pry his brother away, but it was as if someone had superglued them together.

"Look, Mokuba," he said, not bothering to hide his annoyance, "I have to get some stuff done. I'll play with you later, okay?"

Mokuba pouted. "Yeah, and then when later comes around, you'll still be busy. That's how it always is with you."

The older Kaiba was beginning to desperate. "Look, if you two want someone to duel with, why don't you ask Ari?"

Ari's smile instantly faded as all eyes in the room turned on her.

"Yeah, sis, why don't you duel with us?" Kenta asked hopefully.

Ari suddenly decided that her lap was very interesting, and kept her eyes glued there.

"Ari?" Her brother's voice had taken on a slight begging tone, just as Mokuba's had seconds ago. Maybe I shouldn't let Kenta hang around him anymore, she thought. He's becoming a bit of a bad influence.

"Come on, Ari," Mokuba chimed in.

She mumbled something just low enough so the others couldn't hear her.

"What did you say, sis?"

She mumbled it a little louder.

"We still can't understand you."

"I don't know how to play Duel Monsters, okay?!" she half yelled.

An awkward silence filled the room. Ari was once again studying her lap with enough intensity to burn a hole right through her jeans and into the chair.

Mokuba glanced up at his older brother, and he immediately wanted nothing more than to be out of the room as soon as possible. Seto appeared to be in a state of shock. Mokuba couldn't say he wasn't shocked either. After all, who didn't know how to play Duel Monsters? It was the most popular game in the world, for crying out loud. Even so, the fact that his brother was openly showing his emotions was still scary.

"Hey, Kenta, race you back upstairs!" he yelled as he ran out of the room. Kenta got the hint, and followed close behind.

Ari and Seto were left alone. They sat their for several minutes, neither of them attempting to break the silence.

She had guessed something like this would happen. After all, most of the work that went on in Seto's company focused around the ever popular card game. She wouldn't be surprised if he never spoke to her again.

Finally, Seto decided he'd had enough. "You," he said firmly as he looked at her, "Follow me."

Ari meekly obeyed, keeping close behind him as he walked out of the room at a rather brisk pace. She followed him into what appeared to be a living room of sorts.

"Sit down at the table over there," he told her. "I'll be right back."

She sat down dejectedly as he walked out again. For once, she didn't even bother to take in her surroundings. Her gaze remained focused on her feet now. She had just succeeded in ticking off the one person who had given her and Kenta a temporary home. Now what was she supposed to do?

Ari finally heard Seto's footsteps as he reentered the room. She decided then and there that she had to do everything she could so as to not lose such a gift.

"Mr. Kaiba, I am very sorry if I offended you in any way." He stopped, stunned, but still she continued. "I know that dueling is a very important part of your life-"

"Ari," he tried to cut in.

"-and it's even a big part of your company and everything so-"

"Ari, I-"

"-I should know how to duel, but I've just never had the time-"

"Ari, could y-"

"-but please, Mr. Kaiba, I-"

"Stop calling me that."

Finally, she stopped her ranting, and looked up at him, startled by the anger she could hear in his voice. From what she could see, he was barely keeping himself under control now. He took a deep breath, trying to stop himself from shaking.

"Stop calling me that," he repeated in a calmer tone.

Ari was once again confused. "Stop calling you what?"

He sighed. "Mr. Kaiba," he said. "You are here as a guest. You're not one of the servants. You don't have to call me that."

Now she was really confused.

"Then, what am I supposed to call you?"

"Seto," he said. "You can call me Seto."

Ari could have fainted right there and then. She knew for a fact that the only person who called him by his first name was Mokuba. Everybody else just called him Kaiba. It was a well known fact that even the famous Maximillion Pegasus didn't dare to call him anything else. There could be no way that he was actually giving her permission to call him by his first name. Ari would've thought that hell would have frozen over first, but apparently she was wrong.

Once again, she was left speechless. She could do nothing more than sit and stare at him, mouth agape.

Finally, she collected her wits. "You...you really mean that?"

"Yes, now will you please just calm down already!"

She gulped and nodded.

"Good," he said. "Now we can get down to business."

Ari was lost for what felt like the fiftieth time that day. "What do you mean?"

"Look at the table more closely."

For the first time, she inspected the table. It had what appeared to be some sort of pattern carved into the top surface. There were two rows of rectangular boxes on each side of the table. Something about them was familiar, like she had seen it somewhere before. She remembered seeing it earlier that day, in Mokuba's bedroom.

It finally clicked, and her suspicions were confirmed as Seto pulled out two decks of cards, placing one on each side of the table in one of the rectangles.

"Since you don't know how to play just yet," he said with a smirk, "consider this your first lesson in Duel Monsters."

I know, I know, it's kind of a cliffhangar, but gosh darn it, I'm tired. It's now 7:12 in the morning, and I literally did not sleep at all last night. No, I just had to stay up all night to get this freakin' chapter done, so no complaints, or so help me God, I will kill your family!

On a lighter note: hurray, they're on a first name basis! In the words of Tristen in Yu-Gi-Oh: The Abridged Series, "Holy s on a s sandwich with s on top, and a side order of s!" Lol! XD

I know I didn't actually get around to using all the ideas that my faithful reviewers suggested, but I promise you, more of them will show up in the next chapter.

I'm actually going to take a little break from writing this, because I've been on my computer too much lately, and my mom is starting to get ticked off at me. Plus, I have other things to do. Me and my friend Lauren (a.k.a. ChaoticKinkyCola) are going to kidnap evil Bakura and spend the rest of the week stealing people's house keys!!!

So, until the next time, aufwiedersehn!