A/N: Thank you all so much for your continued support! I hope the story is developing well, and that you're still enjoying it!

Read, enjoy and review! Much love ❤

Chapter 24: Introductions

The entire mansion seemed to be full of people, based on the volume of food being eaten, drinks being drank and voices talking noisily. A table in the front hall was overflowing with presents, wrapped tightly with all different types of paper. Alyssa walked all around the large round table, holding out a hand and running it over the various boxes.

"How on earth could my small gift compare to all of these..?" She wondered quietly to herself, judging the various sized boxes and the various wrapping paper. "All I did was put my gift into the box Roland gave to me. All of these have had so much more work put into them..."

"But yours was heartfelt." She gasped and brought a hand to her chest in surprise. Kaiba stood behind her, leaning casually on the doorframe and watched as she turned around and shook her head.

"You need to stop doing that Seto..." Returning her attention to the gifts, she smiled. "When are you to introduce me to your friends?"

"They are not my friends." Alyssa giggled and continued running her fingers along the tops of the gifts.

"Alright, acquaintances then." He shoved his hands rather hastily into his pockets and looked down at the beige carpet.

"To be frank, I'd prefer not to." This made Alyssa stop in her tracks and turn around slowly. Her mouth formed a perfect 'o' shape, as she tried to focus enough on him to know what he was thinking. "If I attempt to introduce you, I won't quite know how. They will ask questions, questions that neither of us will want to hear."

"I... I have to be kept a secret then?" Kaiba met her gaze and sighed.

"I think that would make things worse... I don't know what to do." Both stood awkwardly in the large hallway, one focusing her attention on the others' gifts and the other focused entirely on the young lady in front of him. When the sound of classical music came from the living room, Kaiba was broken from his daydream and he smiled slightly at Mokuba's gesture.

"This music is different from what they were playing a while ago..." Aqua blue eyes blinked with surprise, contrasting with her dark hair and pale skin. Kaiba nodded and the smile stayed in place.

"It's a famous piece, written by a very famous musician. This piece is my favourite." With the confession in the air, Kaiba looked out of the window with embarrassment and sighed. Alyssa could sense that he was troubled by something and was about to ask him what it was, when he suddenly turned around to face her. "Would it be strange if I asked for a dance?"

"A... A dance?" She wasn't sure what he meant and waited patiently for him to elaborate.

"When a man wants to dance with a lady..." He moved closer and held out a hand, bowing to her graciously. "He asks permission first." Alyssa smiled and placed her tiny hand on his. She didn't know how to dance and trembled with anticipation, something that Kaiba noticed immediately. He pulled her gently but quickly toward his torso and wrapped a hand around her waist, holding her in place.

"Seto, I don't know how to dance..." Her worry was ignored by him, as he twirled her around and moved her in time with the music.

"Stop panicking Alyssa. I asked you to dance and you're dancing." She looked down at her feet, moving in time with his and smiled.

"I guess I am..." They continued to move around the hallway together, and she became very aware of her feelings for him. He acted differently around her, and took his time with her, even when she was being difficult to deal with. She knew that she could be a pain to handle, especially when she didn't fully understand something, and she also knew that Kaiba wasn't usually a patient man. This thought alone made her smile even more as she followed Kaiba's lead.

The music came to a stop and Alyssa stood gently away from Kaiba. "That was fun. Thank you Seto." She bowed and smiled in response to his smirk. An annoying Brooklyn accent interrupted their conversation and Kaiba rolled his eyes.

"'Ere Kaiba, who is this?" Joey Wheeler's nasally voice was unfamiliar to Alyssa and although she had heard him briefly at the park, she was still taken aback by his rude interjection. She turned in his direction and stood back three feet, frowning slightly at his close proximity.

Kaiba, on the other hand, thrust his hands into his pockets and stood in front of Alyssa, making Joey take a step or so back. This move caused Joey's temper to flare, but Kaiba felt the need to protect Alyssa and annoy Joey simultaneously. Slowly, the rest of Yugi's band of friends moved into the front hallway with Mokuba following.

"She's a friend of mine Wheeler. Her name is Alyssa Takahashi, but you may refer to her as she wishes." At this, he turned to Alyssa and waited for her to decide how she wanted to be known. However, Mokuba made an interjection before she could reply.

"Friends Seto? Last I checked, friends don't kiss each other!" All eyes in the room were suddenly pointed at the younger Kaiba, then the older, as all present attempted to comprehend what Mokuba had just said.

"What are you talking about Mokuba?" Kaiba's stern voice permeated through the air and Mokuba chuckled quietly. Taking out his phone from his pocket, he opened his gallery and proceeded to show a photograph of Kaiba and Alyssa kissing in the front hallway. Alyssa blushed and looked down at her shoes; Kaiba took a deep breath and braced himself for an interrogation.

"Kaiba, you could have just said you were dating her. We won't judge you." At the sound of Yugi's voice, everyone looked at him with confusion, including Alyssa.

"Dating..?" Her uncertain tone of voice earned her the attention of all present. For anyone watching the display from the top of the staircase, this entire event would have looked similar to a tennis match, with all heads turning in one direction simultaneously.

Kaiba shook his head and was about to explain what Yugi meant to Alyssa, when she suddenly pulled a strange face and frowned at Joey. "Don't think of that, please." This made Kaiba turn to Joey quickly and demand to know what he was thinking.

"No... Nothing..." Stepping backwards with his hands in the air, Joey was intimidated by Kaiba's stance and Mokuba stood between them.

"Seto stop! He doesn't realise!" The older brother was tempted to order everyone to leave, but Mokuba continued talking. "Alyssa is very special, okay guys? She knows what we're thinking, so you have to be careful of what you think around her. I know I questioned Seto when he said they were friends, but they really are just friends! I just took that photo at a weird angle and made it look like they were kissing!"

Everyone felt slightly uncomfortable in the large hallway; no one knew what to say or how to say it. Téa made the bold decision to introduce herself after Mokuba's explanation. "My name is Téa Gardner. Nice to meet you Alyssa." While she and Alyssa shook hands, Kaiba gripped Mokuba's arm and pulled him to the doorway to the living room.

"Delete that photo Mokie." The softness in his voice made Mokuba frown slightly.

"Why?" Kaiba released his arm and sighed, running his hand through his hair.

"It might upset Alyssa." Mokuba smiled and nudged Kaiba's arm with his fist.

"You like her, don't you Seto?" Kaiba looked over to the centre of the room where Alyssa was joking and laughing with Yugi and the rest of the group. Her smile was infectious and Kaiba found himself smiling the smallest of smiles.

"Yeah, I might do Mokie." Mokuba chuckled.

"Might? You're head over heels big brother." Kaiba opened his mouth to rebuke Mokuba's comment, but Alyssa ran over and interrupted their hushed conversation.

"Oooh, Mokuba said we can all go in the swimming pool now! Can we?" The others behind her were waiting patiently for Kaiba's answer. They all seemed to have taken to Alyssa quickly, with each of them smiling and eager to speak with her more.

"I don't see a problem with that, provided they all have bathing suits." Kaiba refrained from smiling at her sweet face, all too aware of the group of people present. Téa and Serenity held up their large handbags and shouted in unison;

"We have them all!" Alyssa giggled and ran up the stairs quickly, eager to wear her bathing suit in front of Kaiba. Mokuba showed everyone where they could get changed and Kaiba made his way upstairs, unaware of Alyssa's excitement.