So, I originally planned to have this up last week but my friend got me addicted to Vampire Diaries. I watched all five seasons in one week. Then, I finally got caught up with Once Upon A Time. Let's just say that the season finale for both shows made me want to hit the writers in the face with a brick. Now since I'm all caught up with shows, I have no idea what to do with myself. It's a legitimate problem. Anyhoo! Read on.
xxxx
After quite a long reunion filled with hugging and crying, Seto found himself sitting on the couch in Abigail's small living room. Mother and daughter sat next to each other, hand in hand.
"What are you doing here?"
"They're in jail now Mom. The whole family is and they'll be there for a very long time. They can't come after us anymore." Abigail pulled Alissa into another hug.
"I'm so glad you're alright. My beautiful baby girl."
"I missed you Mom."
"I missed you too Sweetie. How did you know where to find me?" Alissa pulled away and turned to Seto who was sitting on her other side.
"Mom, this is my boyfriend Seto Kaiba. I don't know how he did it, but he found you." Seto let out a tiny yelp when he found himself dragged into a hug. A very, very tight hug. He resisted the urge to push the woman away. He could handle hugs from Alissa, so he supposed he could handle one from her relative, even if he was having trouble breathing.
"Thank you for taking care of my baby."
"You're welcome, but you're giving me too much credit. Alissa knows how to hold her own." Abigail let go of Seto and hugged her daughter again.
"That's my girl." Alissa clutched onto her mother just as tightly. "I missed you so much."
"I missed you too Mom."
"Where have you been for the past nine months?" Abigail asked, finally releasing her daughter.
"Well after I left Tony's, I was moved to a city in Japan."
"They didn't hurt you while you were living with them did they?"
"Nothing I couldn't handle," Alissa answered immediately.
"Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure. They didn't hurt me." Seto couldn't help but frown. Why is she lying? He decided it best to hold his tongue so he stayed silent.
"As long as they didn't hurt you."
"Mom?"
"Yeah Sweetie?"
"Come back to Japan with us?"
"What? You don't want to live here?"
"I want to live with you back in Japan. I have a pretty good life there. I have the best friends ever, I have Seto and his little brother, and I'm even graduating high school in a month. I don't want to leave my life there, but I don't want to leave you. Please, come back to Japan with us? We could buy an apartment-."
"That won't be necessary," Seto cut in. "The mansion is big enough for the both of you."
"Seto, you don't have to-."
"You of all people should know by now that I don't do anything that I don't want to do. If I didn't want you to live with me, I wouldn't ask."
"Thank you, but only for a few weeks. I was serious when I said I needed to find an apartment. Before you get defensive, I love living with you and Mokuba, but you can hardly manage one Todd woman, if you had to live with two you'd probably go crazy. Where'd you think I got my abrasive nature from?" Alissa turned her gaze back to her mom after addressing Seto. "So Mom, what do ya say?"
"Okay."
xxx
The next two weeks passed too slowly for Alissa. Before her mother could move to Japan, she had to pack up her home and sell it. Finally, two weeks later, her mother was on her way to Japan and the Kaiba mansion was ready for its newest resident. Alissa was currently sitting cross-legged on the couch in Seto's home office. Her Calculus book was balanced on one knee and her notebook on the other. She frowned as she tried to work out the problem she was on for the third time. At this rate there's no way I'm going to finish my homework before my mom gets here. She quickly erased what she had written and ran a hand through her hair. The excitement of her mom's arrival really wasn't helping with her concentration. The steady clicking coming from Seto sitting at his desk wasn't helpful either. Suddenly, a light bulb went off in her head. She scribbled the numbers down quickly, smiling in triumph as she entered the numbers into her calculator to see if she came up with the right answer. Suddenly, Who Let the Dogs Out blasted through the room. She let out a frustrated roar before shoving her things off of her lap and snatching her phone.
"I was right in the middle of a mathematical epiphany so you'd better be dying!" she snapped into the phone.
"Uh, sorry bout dat Alissa," Joey apologized. "I just had a question about da history homework."
"Yeah?"
"Uh…what was it?" She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation. She loved Joey to death, but sometimes his cluelessness really made her want to scream.
"We're supposed to do all twenty-five questions on page four hundred and twelve."
"Okay, thank ya Alissa. I'll see ya."
"Bye Joey." She hung up her phone and dropped it back onto the couch next to her. She picked up her notebook again then stopped. She had completely forgotten how she had worked out the problem. She let out an agitated sigh and fell backwards to glare at the ceiling. Alissa turned her glare to Seto when she heard him chuckle.
"What the hell are you laughing at?" Her snappy tone just made his smirk widen.
"Aren't I supposed to be the tense one?" he teased.
"Shut up," she snapped. "I was in the middle of a mathematical epiphany and then I lost it. There's now way I'm going to finish everything before my mom gets here."
"Do you want help?" She sat up and stared at him with a confused frown.
"You're busy. I don't want to distract you."
"And your constant hemming and hawing isn't considered distracting?" She grabbed her textbook and notebook before climbing off the couch and approaching his desk.
"It's number four." He grabbed the books from her and placed them on his desk next to his laptop. She came to stand behind him, leaning her body against the side of his desk chair. He scanned the book and then moved his gaze to her work.
"The reason you're having issues is because you copied the question down wrong."
"What?" She looked at the book then back at her notebook. She smacked her palm against her forehead.
"That would explain it. Okay, thank you." Seto was about to pass her book back but stopped. He looked at her notebook with a frown. Almost every question was written incorrectly. Some of the numbers were even facing backwards. It was obvious that Alissa had gotten frustrated because she had crossed out and scribbled over some of the page.
"Alissa," he started slowly. "All of these are written down wrong."
"Oh. I guess I just wasn't paying attention when I wrote everything down. I'll fix it, thanks for the help," she said nervously as she reached out to grab her things. His voice stopped her.
"Alissa, are you dyslexic?" She stayed silent as she quickly grabbed her books and headed towards the door.
"I'll let you finish up."
"Alissa."
"Yes. I am. I'm dyslexic. It hasn't been this bad in a while though. I usually take medication to help it but I ran out and haven't been able to get it refilled. Stress makes it worse too and working out the details of my mom moving out here hasn't been easy."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because it's embarrassing! Why do you think I'm always the last one to finish a test? Because if I don't go slowly and carefully check each and every answer I'd fail every test I take. You're a genius and I'm an idiot who can't even see words or numbers correctly!" She jumped and dropped her things to the floor when he appeared in front of her. He used his index finger to lift her chin up until her eyes met his.
"Don't ever say something like that. You aren't an idiot. You're the furthest thing from it. Understand?" She swallowed around a lump in her throat. She hadn't expected him to react so strongly.
"Yes."
"Good. Now, if it would make you feel better, I can have the prescription renewed." She nodded.
"Thank you."
xxx
Abigail's move in went smoothly. She moved in and quickly readjusted to her new life with her daughter and the Kaiba brothers. The Saturday after she had moved in, Alissa convinced Seto to allow a small get together at the manor in celebration of their graduation in two weeks. Alissa stood in the kitchen frosting the cupcakes that her mom had made for the small get together. She jumped when a pair of arms wrapped around her waist.
"Jumpy?"
"Seto! You scared the shit out of me!" He smirked, dragged his finger through the frosting of one of the cupcakes, and then stuck the frosting coated finger in his mouth.
"Mm, the frosting tastes good. And the cupcakes don't look burnt. Your issues with operating an oven obviously didn't come from your mother." He had another finger full halfway to his mouth before her voice stopped him.
"Would you stop sticking your fingers in the food? If you want something there's some cookie dough left in the bowl over there." She squealed in surprise when he wiped the frosting onto her face. He chuckled and moved away from her before she could retaliate. He took a spoonful of the uncooked dough and tasted it.
"Mm, the cookie dough tastes good."
"Does it?" she asked, coming to stand next to him. She stuck her finger in the dough then dragged it across his face. "There. Now we're even."
"Oh, you'll pay for that one Todd." He took a handful of cookie dough and flicked it onto her. She screamed in delight before grabbing a handful and throwing it at the CEO. Before the two of them knew it, they were running around the kitchen throwing and dodging pieces of dough. She squeaked when he lifted her by the waist and spun her around.
"Stop!" she giggled. "That's cheating!"
"Is it? How unfortunate," he chuckled.
"I hope you two weren't planning on leaving your mess." The couple stopped laughing and turned their attention to the entrance of the kitchen.
"Sorry Mom. We'll clean it up," Alissa replied as she was put back down on her feet. Abigail sighed with a small smile.
"I'll clean up in here. You two just go clean yourselves up before your friends get here."
"Thanks Mom. Sorry about the mess." She kissed her mom on the cheek as she passed. Seto followed behind her and the two headed upstairs to clean up.
"You have something on your face," he said with a smirk.
"Is that the best joke you could come up with?" she asked with a smile and a raised brow. "I thought sarcasm was your forte. You must be losing your touch."
"Hmm, maybe so." The two went to their respective rooms and quickly changed out of their dirtied clothes and washed the dough off of their faces. Alissa ran into Seto in the hallway right outside her room. He was now dressed in a pair of dark pants and a dark blue thermal. She grinned when she noticed a small piece of dough still stuck to his collarbone.
"You missed a piece." She reached up and swiped it off before putting it into her mouth.
"Mm, you're right. The cookie dough is good. Want some?"
"You just ate the last of it. How am I going to have any?" Alissa grinned. For a genius, sometimes he could be really, really, really slow. She stood on her toes and pressed her lips to his. He wrapped his arms around her small waist as she threaded her fingers through his chestnut locks. He pulled away and pressed his forehead against hers.
"You taste like cookie dough."
"Do you like it?" He kissed her again in response. They pulled away when the doorbell rang.
"Looks like our friends-."
"Your friends." She rolled her eyes at him before continuing.
"It looks like my friends are here." She scampered down the stairs to open the door and allow her friends entrance.
"Hey Alissa," Yugi greeted, followed by a chorus of hellos from his friends behind him.
"Hey guys! Come on in."
xxx
Alissa sat in the living room with Yugi and the gang. Seto had excused himself to his home office, much to Alissa's disappointment. The trays of sweets were empty, devoured within the first couple hours of the party.
"Okay, your mom is da best Alissa."
"I'll let her know you're a fan Joey," Alissa said with a laugh. "I can't believe we graduate in two weeks. Where are you guys going to college?"
"Tristan an' I are goin' to da community college."
"I'm probably going to the community college too. With all the chaos of moving out here and getting situated I missed the application deadlines. I'll probably transfer somewhere second semester. Where are you going Yug?"
"Oh, I'm probably going to take a year off from school to help Grandpa out with the Game Shop. How about you Tea?"
"I got into NYU."
"What? Tea that's great! You're going right? Please tell me you're going!"
"I don't know," the brunette said sheepishly, blowing a few stray hairs out of her eyes. "I mean, New York is so far away and plane tickets there and back are so expensive. I'd hardly get to see you guys."
"But you want to be in the New York City Ballet! You'll be right in the heart of New York City if you go to NYU. You should go."
"Alissa is right Tea. Besides, there are plenty of ways we can all stay in contact."
"I'll miss you guys."
"Oh, don't get sappy on us yet Tea! We still have a couple months left before college even starts! You'll be so sick of us by then that you'll be aching to leave!" Tea grinned at Alissa.
"Are you sure you'll be able to handle these guys on your own?"
"We might need to schedule weekly Skype dates but I think I'll manage."
"Oh! Speaking of college and graduation, have you gotten your dress yet for the senior banquet?"
"Oh. No. I'm probably not going."
"Whaaddaya mean ya aren't goin'?"
"I'm not going. It's probably too late to get a dress anyway."
"Why aren't you going to go?"
"Well if I were to go, I'd go with Seto but social gatherings aren't his thing so-."
"Wait, so ya aren't goin' just because of Rich Boy? If he doesn't wanna go dat's his problem!"
"Joey stop! It's not that big a deal. I mean sure, I would've loved to go but it wouldn't be fair for me to ask him to do something he doesn't want to do."
"Den don't make him go! Just go wid out him. You can hang with us!"
"But then he'd be alone graduation night. We'll find another way to celebrate graduation."
"But-."
"It's fine Joey. Just leave it!" Joey sensed the aggravation in Alissa's voice and fell silent. Alissa swallowed when she sensed the tension the conversation had caused. She stood and walked towards the stereo system.
"How about we listen to music. Any requests?" Little did the group of friends know that Mokuba had been heading to the kitchen during their conversation. And he heard every word. Seto doesn't know that she wants to go to the banquet? He slapped his palm against his forehead. For someone who was supposed to be a genius, his brother could be really stupid. Mokuba, relationship expert to the rescue.
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So…the beginning of this chapter was kind of rocky but I think it got better towards the end. This chapter is on the short side again, but I plan on packing lots of stuff into the last one. So, you know, the usual. Read, enjoy, review if you want, and I'll talk to you guys next update.