Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! I only accept constructive criticism.
10-10-2-Do-Me
Chapter 22
Missed Call
"We shouldn't keep you and your brother longer than needed." Isis slowly stood from her chair, trying her best not to give anything away. Already she was backtracking on her newfound confidence and possible lead in this unspoken game. "I'm sure you both have to get up early tomorrow." The tension in the room felt overwhelming.
Kaiba gazed at Isis with curiosity. Why was she trying to kick him out? He stood to his full height, eyes locked in.
"You are staring again, you know."
"I thought you were taller." He gave her a slow and very intentional head-to-toe scan.
"I was wearing heels earlier." Isis felt hunted. She wondered if it would be dramatic to roll across the bed and run out the door.
Kaiba shifted so he was fully facing Isis. "How tall are you?"
Isis' blinked a few times. "I believe I am 5'5?"
"You believe?"
"I don't often think about how tall I am. Though I'm sure you focus on your own stature."
"6 feet, 3 inches."
Kaiba stepped forward, thoroughly invading her personal space. The top of her head was just shy of his shoulder; her face was level with his chest. He could easily rest his head atop of hers and was halfway tempted to do so. You know, for reasons he refused to explain or understand right now.
"You're short."
Isis could feel his body heat radiating into her person. She nodded, angling her neck to look up. "I suppose so if we're doing comparisons." She wondered what it would be like to rest her face against his chest…and she felt utterly ridiculous for even thinking about that. She fidgeted with her slouchy shirt.
Kaiba took another step forward and Isis dropped her hands by her sides. He reached forward and pinched the corners of her shirt between his thumb and index. "…" He adjusted the top so both shoulders were exposed. Gently he rested his hands against those shoulders. Her skin was soft and warm.
"…Thank you…" Isis heard her voice waver as she looked away from his face.
Gently he trailed his right hand over her exposed shoulder before his index and middle finger traced her collarbones. The same pair of fingers slinked up her neck and traced against her pulse point. He could feel her accelerated heartbeat before moving those fingers back to her collarbones, once more following the ridges. Since when did he have a thing for necks, collarbones, and shoulders? He didn't know what it was but touching her felt like finally scratching an itch he had for too long.
Isis bit her bottom lip as that hand trailed from one side to the other, caressing all exposed skin; his left hand still sat firm on her other shoulder. Her eyes felt heavy as she attempted to keep her breathing normal. He was just touching her, but the way he was doing it made her knees feel weak. Who knew he was capable of such a tender touch?
"What are you doing?" Isis all but whispered as Kaiba's hand continued. She kept her eyes level with his chest, not trusting to see his expression.
"Do you like it?" Kaiba's voice was raspy.
"Yes…" Isis stabilized her speech and added, "…I'm not sure why…"
"…Me neither…" Kaiba's right hand ran up the front of her neck and cradled her jaw, while his left arm dropped to her waist, wrapping around her middle and pulling her snuggly into his chest. "Is this OK?"
Isis shakily nodded as she fought not to melt into his embrace, closing her eyes. "…Yes…"
"Look at me…" His thumb brushed against her lips as he tilted her head back.
She slowly opened her eyes and found a stormy blue pair powerfully looking at her. Immediately her face flushed. "…Seto…"
"Should I…?"
Isis was pressed against that strong body and his face was mere inches away. Her arms hung limply at her sides before finding strength; she wrapped them around his torso and her palms ran flat up his strong back, feeling the delicious tension in his body. None of this made any sense and she wasn't going to pretend that it did, not even for the sake of a kiss. A kiss she was dying to have.
"You're not…you don't want..." Her tone was stern but oh so affected. She licked her lips, accidentally brushing the tip of her tongue against his thumb.
A rush of breath bloomed from his nostrils, "What if…" Kaiba gulped, "…I…was…interested?"
Isis gave a slow blink as she processed his somewhat confession. "Prove it, Seto."
That's not what he was expecting. "What?"
"You've done a wonderful job of confusing me thus far." Her cerulean vision was hard a stone. "Prove to me your intentions."
Kaiba wasn't sure why, but the request made his blood heat. Isis was choosing to be the final boss to his day's adventures. He defeated Pegasus and he got Mokuba back, but this? This was a delicious challenge. She was holding him to task – keeping him accountable for his earlier actions and words.
Kaiba's eyes were wild. "Did you challenge me?"
"I suppose I did." Isis rediscovered her confidence from the thrilled look in Kaiba's eyes. "Now, are you going to continue to waste my time?" Isis found she was holding her breath, waiting.
Kaiba felt a renewed flow of energy buzz through his body. He pressed his forehead against hers as he closed his eyes. His head was spinning with arousal and he needed a minute to gather himself. He opened his eyes to find Isis already watching him. Her mouth was slightly parted, and her eyes were hazy. She wanted this kiss and dammit, so did he. "You just made a crucial mistake…" Painstakingly slow he pursed his lips closer to her pair.
When their lips pressed together, Kaiba let out a rush of breath from his nose. Isis instead inhaled that breath. He kept his hand firmly on her jaw, tilting her head to compliment his next set of slow hot mouth kisses. His tongue slithered between her parted lips. The moment their tongue tips met Isis let out a soft moan. It was so quiet Kaiba almost didn't hear it. He rubbed his wet appendage lewdly against hers. The kiss was going from respectable to indecent rather quickly; sloppy loud smacks echoing in the room.
Kaiba never broke the kiss as he removed his hand from her face and instead wrapped both arms around her waist. His hands made a silent agreement as they slid down her back and immediately locked onto her bottom. He squeezed both globes and groaned in appreciation.
Isis gasped at the firm touch, pulling back from the kiss with a blush spreading from the bridge of her nose across the apples of her cheeks. "You're touching…"
"Your ass?" Kaiba gave it another firm grip for emphasis. "Am I not supposed to?"
"No just…" Isis looked across the room before making eye contact again, "Surprised me."
"Oh really?" Kaiba pulled her in and using his hold on her bottom, he hoisted Isis up against his chest.
Isis squeaked as she wrapped her legs around Kaiba's waist, arms locking around his neck. "You're…um…strong…"
"Hmm…" Devilishly he bounced Isis in his arms, mimicking a certain position that required a level of strength and stamina. "I am strong."
Isis fought the second blush blooming across her face, "You're being naughty Seto…"
"Did you really just call me naughty?"
Isis ditched further embarrassment and kissed him first.
Kaiba chuckled against her mouth before kissing her back. He turned and walked backwards to the bed, allowing himself to fall back with Isis on top of him. Once more his hands were on her bottom, pressing her hips into his.
Isis kissed back fervently, rocking her hips into his. She felt that familiar something poking through his expensive slacks. Her head was starting to spin with the need to take things further, to take off her clothes. She pulled back and sat up on his lap.
Kaiba watched as Isis reached down and removed that slouching sweatshirt. She was wearing a strapless bra that looked more like a tub top. Through the fabric he could make out something pressing against the fabric. His hands reached up on their own, cradling her breasts against his palms as his thumbs nudged the jewelry through the material of the bra.
"You're pierced…" Suddenly he was into nipple piercings. He didn't expect someone like Isis to have them. There were clearly sides to her he'd yet to see.
"I am…" The feeling of him fondling the tiny silver circle made her nipples harder than before and felt amazing.
Kaiba trailed his hands down over her flat stomach and got a better look at the belly ring. "Do you have other piercings?"
Isis smirked, "I do…"
Kaiba looked from the junction between her thighs back to her playful lips, "Where…?"
Isis leaned over Kaiba, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips before nuzzling against neck. "My ears…" She seductively whispered before giggling.
"Ha ha." Her tongue suddenly slithering along his ear made him forget how annoying her little joke had been. He groaned quietly as Isis kissed down the side of his neck.
Leaning back, Isis rested the full weight right on top of Kaiba's lap. "You're flushed…"
Kaiba had a cute pink hue across his face with his eyes half-lidded. "Your ass is directly on my dick – what do you expect to happen?"
Isis cocked her head to the side as she wiggled her derriere against that hard column of flesh. "Do you ever take a break from being discourteous?"
"Fuck…" Kaiba closed his eyes and hissed, his hands gripping her thighs. "And the answer is no."
"Perhaps I should find a way to silence you." Isis leaned back, resting her hands on either side of his legs for balance. She undulated her middle section creating deliciously slow friction.
Kaiba could not think straight. He slowly opened his eyes to find Isis watching him, a playful glint in his eyes. Gone was the timid woman he cornered just a few minutes ago. Isis looked confident, spirited, and in control. Somehow, he'd seen her like this before…or was it someone else? All the blood had rushed south of his brain, so right now his thoughts weren't making much sense.
"You're enjoying this…"
"No…shit…" Kaiba continued stroking her thighs, struggling to keep his eyes opened.
"I see I'm not working hard enough – you're still being rude." Isis spread her legs wider and reached between them, squeezing him through his pants.
"Oh fuck," Kaiba groaned loudly, "we should get naked." Wow, that was bad. Kaiba grimaced at his word vomit, his face flaming red.
Isis giggled from her perch on his lap, "How seductive." Kaiba embarrassed was not only funny but kind of cute.
He reached up and pulled Isis back down for another firm kiss. This time Kaiba placated his embarrassment through kisses.
They hungrily devoured each other's mouths, moaning appreciatively from the tongue play and continuous grinding. Kaiba rolled Isis onto her back and pressed himself between her legs as he continued the onslaught of fiery kisses. Isis slid her hands under his shirt and felt the back muscles flex under her palms.
Kaiba leaned back, sitting up on his knees and pulled his sweater over his head. He tossed it over to the chair in the corner. He then slowly unbuttoned his white-collar shirt, tossing it towards the chair as well. But it missed, landing on the floor under the chair.
Isis took in the well-defined abs, strong arms, and broad shoulders. She couldn't help but stare.
Kaiba narrowed his eyes as his ears tipped red. "What?" He really hadn't shown off his body since he started his new workout routine. He'd never been out of shape, but this was the most muscle definition he'd had in his adult life.
"I didn't expect you to have a body like this…" Isis reached up, trailing her hand down the front of his chest. She pressed her palm flat against his abdominals and felt the muscle press back into her hand.
"Why not?" He tried to control his tone, but the touch was affecting him greatly. It felt so good to be touched like this.
"You're a busy man, but you have time to work out and maintain this body…" A body Isis wanted to see the rest of.
Kaiba stared at Isis for an extended amount of time.
Isis wondered if she did something wrong.
"What if I told you I was building a space station over the next 5 to 10 years, and needed to make sure I'm physically fit to visit my investment?" His tone was very matter of fact.
She had no clue where that admission came from. "…But you run a gaming company…?"
"Yes, I do…" Kaiba leaned down and returned the favor of covering her neck in open mouth kisses. His right hand slid down her body between her breasts, across her stomach, before settling between her legs. He gently cupped her. He pulled back so they were nose to nose, "…I want to touch you…"
Isis gasped not just because of how hot Kaiba sounded, or the perfect placement of his hand, but because of who he sounded exactly like. On her last video call, the he had said the same exact thing to her. Her heart started racing at the idea of her two worlds suddenly colliding.
Kaiba once more hungrily press his mouth to Isis' awaiting full lips, "Do you want me to touch you?" He mumbled against her lips.
The question stirred something in her belly but also Dahlia's. What was happening?
Suddenly there was a polite knock at the door.
"Seto? I gotta get going soon," Mokuba spoke respectfully through the door.
Neither moved nor spoke – both barely breathing. Whatever intimate bubble they created popped as reality returned to the bedroom.
"Seto?" Another knock at the door.
"I heard you," Kaiba called in a firm borderline irritated tone.
They listened to Mokuba walk away, his and Malik's voices muffled in the living room.
Isis sighed deeply as she sank further into the bed. She was disappointed and relieved. "You…have to go."
A weird feeling started forming in his stomach and for whatever reason he felt stupid. Should he say something? He felt on edge.
"Are you going to let me go?"
"What?" Kaiba gruffly retorted.
Isis hated the way the question came out. "I mean, get up…off the bed…"
Kaiba awkwardly climbed off the bed and looked for his shirt. He spotted his black sweater but not the button down. He didn't even care to look for it, choosing to instead pull the sweater on.
Isis slowly stood up, pulling her sweatshirt back over her head. She didn't feel like she did anything wrong, but she couldn't look at Kaiba. Her brain was creating ridiculous ideas and she felt guilty about them. Casually she brushed past him and headed for the door. She didn't look back, "Are you coming?"
Kaiba grunted in response and followed her. He couldn't read her body language or temperament. Maybe she was just as bothered as he was that this was cut short.
Isis opened the door and walked into the living room to find Malik and Mokuba sitting on the couch, a brightly colored controller in each hand as they played a racing game. "The hotel has video games?"
"No, that's Mokuba's." Kaiba spied the competitor's handheld gaming system hooked up to the TV. "He doesn't go anywhere without it." How long were they in there that Mokuba had time to go back to his car? Kaiba lost track of time. Kaiba lost track of time because of Isis.
Isis was very aware of how close Kaiba was standing behind her. "Oh, OK."
Malik suddenly jumped to his feet. "I can't be stopped!"
Mokuba rolled his eyes, "Guess it was about time you won a race." He got up, grabbing his device and controllers.
"Don't pretend like this is my first win, Mewtwo."
"For the last time, it's Mokuba," he playfully corrected as he placed his gaming device and wires back in its proper carry case.
"Just be ready for when we connect in other games, then we'll see who's really the superior Pokémon."
"What does that even mean?" Mokuba laughed as Malik snickered right along with him, shrugging his shoulders.
Did Malik make…a friend? "Where's Duke?" Isis glanced at his closed bedroom door.
"Asleep." Malik walked over thoroughly inspecting Isis and Kaiba. They looked different but he wasn't sure how. "Housekeeping changed his sheets while I got him cleaned up in the shower. We put him to bed shortly after."
Isis wondered if Malik's care of Duke was instinctual or because he was slowly forgiving him.
"Are you guys flying first class tomorrow?" Mokuba asked. "It's better to have a hangover in first class. Well, actually no. Better to fly private with a hangover."
Kaiba wondered what Mokuba had been up to recently, but knowing his friends, it could be anything.
"We're flying first class, so he'll just have to make do." Malik crossed his tattooed arms and directed his attention to Isis and Kaiba. "What were you two up to?"
"We were talking." Isis' was telling the truth. Nothing really happened...unfortunately.
Mokuba gave Kaiba a look that was returned with a glare.
"Mokuba, let's go. We're done here." Kaiba immediately headed for the door, refusing to do goodbyes. That edginess was gnawing at his decision making. He opened the door, leaning against it to keep it open.
"Rude," Malik chided.
Mokuba sighed patiently, "Seto…is well…Seto... Anyway, it was nice meeting you guys. Malik, I'll see you online."
Malik extended his fists. "Pound it, bro."
Mokuba's face went red as a shy smile crossed his lips. "Uh yeah, man," he bumped his fist into Malik's. "Bye."
"Bye."
Isis chose to walk Mokuba to the door. "Nice meeting you too. Drive safely."
"Thanks."
Isis kindly stood beside Kaiba, taking over holding the door open. "Have a good evening…Seto."
Mokuba's ears perked at the name use and he paused in the hallway. Even Malik paused after turning off the TV.
Kaiba stood in the doorway watching Isis. The use of his name was offering him his last chance to say something, anything. He opened his mouth, "…" He turned on his heel and took off down the hall, Mokuba following.
Isis let the door go and listened to it swing shut and lock. She stood there feeling utterly foolish. She was leaving tomorrow, what part of that didn't she get? Kaiba had nothing to prove to a perfect stranger like her. However, she felt she at least deserved a goodbye. She sighed, rubbing her forehead. Why did she do things like this to herself?
"Isis?" Malik came over. "You OK?"
Isis turned around, giving her brother a very tired smile. "Malik, this trip was horrendous."
"Did something happen with Kaiba?"
Isis shook her head.
"You're upset about this?"
Isis let out a heavy sigh, "I'm not sure…" She was very unsure about many things surrounding Kaiba.
Malik's playful attitude was nowhere to be found. His face was just as serious as his tone. "Did he hurt you?"
"No." She lifted her arms before letting them slap against her sides. "I…I'm just overthinking…"
Rather than ask additional questions, Malik hugged his sister. She easily returned the hug. "We'll be home tomorrow…"
"Yes, we will…"
"Isis, can we talk?" Malik cautiously asked as he continued to hold his sister close.
"Of course." Isis pulled back and led them over to the couch.
Malik slouched next to her, his head resting on the back of the couch. "I'm sorry for what happened today…"
Isis waited for him to continue.
"I lost my temper…" Malik glowered at the ceiling. "Even though Duke betrayed me, it had nothing to do with you. I'm sorry for putting you in an unfair position. I begged you to come with us, only to give you the worst trip of your life."
"Thank you for apologizing Malik." Isis placed a gentle hand on the top of his head. "You're good to me."
"Am I? Pretty sure I did a shitty job today."
"You did."
Malik kept his expression harsh, but his eyes conveyed his misery. "So, you do hate me?"
"Malik you apologized; that's what makes you good to me." She gently ran her hand through his hair. "Though I wish things hadn't gone as they did, it'll take more than ruining my pants and shoes to have me hate you."
"I've felt like an asshole since the clinic. I would have said something sooner, but I didn't want Duke around for our talk."
Isis could understand that. They each needed one-on-one conversations with each other. "I appreciate you talking to me."
"Well…I appreciate you, appreciating me…"
Isis teasingly pulled his hair. "Will you be talking to Duke as well?"
"I have nothing to say to that traitor." Malik's tone was all attitude.
"Malik, he didn't betray you."
"Yes, the fuck he did." Malik balled up his fists by his sides, "He chose Pegasus over me."
"Why do you feel that way?"
"The way he stood there like a coward in the lobby when Pegasus called me his subordinate…I should have punched him then."
"It was good that you didn't. While I agree Duke was a coward, he didn't have malicious intent behind his lack of action."
"I don't believe that…"
"What else has he done?" Isis knew the answers, but it was best if Malik talked through things.
"How about when we were at Pegasus' house and he was willing to hear that man out, rather than leave with us?" Malik's tone was dark and utterly malevolent. "Duke showed me what my friendship meant to him and it wasn't shit."
"I'm sure this can be resolved."
"That's where you're wrong."
"Malik—"
"—No Isis. Stop playing ambassador for Duke – he fucked up. Either I destroy him, or I forget about him. Those are my only options."
Isis hated seeing Malik like this. Rather than admit his feelings were hurt, he was choosing to be hateful. It was his go-to defense mechanism. "What will you do once we get back to Las Vegas?"
"I'm leaving the parlor."
Isis' mouth hung open. "Don't be so rash!"
"The money I have saved up, combined with what I made from this trip, is plenty to tie me over until I figure out what I want to do." Malik crossed his arms. "I have loyal clients who will follow me. I'm not worried about money."
"It's not about money Malik, it's about your career and future. You love working there and your associates love you."
Malik turned to Isis, "How do you expect me to work under someone who doesn't respect me? He tells me not to fuck Bakura while he was fucking Pegasus. He tells me nothing happened with the business plans, but I learn another side when every else does." Malik stood up visibly seething. "Duke thinks I'm a fucking joke and if that's the case, I'll have the last laugh."
Isis wasn't sure what to say. Her brother was stubborn and followed his own plots. There was truly little she could do or say at this point. She stood up, taking his hands in hers, "Malik, this is one of those times where I would ask you to think this through."
"I've thought plenty about it."
"Give it time. Don't make any rushed decisions when we get home. Why not take some time off?" She squeezed his hands affectionately. "Clear your head and go from there."
Malik seemed to be processing her words. "We'll see… We're done discussing this."
"We should get to bed." Isis let his hands go.
"See you in the morning." Malik entered his bedroom, soundly closing the door.
Isis sighed, turning off the final lamp and going into her room. She set out her clothes for the next day and packed up any items she wouldn't need in the morning. She plugged in her phone and pulled back the curtains of her balcony. While walking to the bed she noticed something peeking out from under one of the chairs.
Reaching down, Isis found none other than Kaiba's button down. She picked it up and stared at it for way too long. Isis felt her cheeks warm before pressing her face into the fabric and inhaling. It smelled amazing and she felt like such a creep. She neatly folded it up and placed it in her suitcase. If she couldn't have a proper souvenir, Kaiba's shirt would do.
Isis climbed into bed and turned off the bedside lamp. She stared up at the ceiling, listening to the occasional car or group of people pass by. Her brother's words were an excellent distraction to what she really wanted to contemplate about.
While she still had hope for Malik and Duke's friendship, she wasn't sure what Duke was going to have to do to win Malik back. Her brother was hurt. Malik had extensive experience with family, friends, and strangers letting him down. It's why he was so fiercely loyal to those who he cared about because he knew what the other side felt like. It was also why he didn't handle situations well, that caused him to question someone's trustworthiness. She put herself in Malik's position and understood the pain Duke caused him. But she also put herself in Duke's shoes and saw the misguided but apologetic man's side. Being home would make everything easier to process for them both. She had to keep the hope that it would.
But what about her? Isis folded her fingers together and placed them on her stomach. As hard as she tried to avoid these thoughts, they were here, and they were loud. There was something about the way he made her feel. After Shadi, Isis wondered if she'd ever feel that spark again; that excitement just from being in the same room as the person. She was terrified she may have found this, but she was also already grieving the loss of it.
Their time together in her room had not only been comfortable, but the chemistry was undeniable. The way he kissed her, the way he touched her – she couldn't get the image of his pink cheeks flushed with arousal out of her brain. And his body? Isis knew he was in shape but seeing just how broad and toned he was, sans shirt, was something she would not soon forget. She wished Kaiba was there now, still shirtless, still kissing her. She felt simple-minded for liking someone she'd spent so little time with. But he'd been the best part of this trip, whether she wanted to admit it or not. Maybe the terrors of the trip created a proximity factor? That had to be it. It was a small degree of Stockholm Syndrome.
Isis rolled over, closing her eyes, forcing herself to believe just that. But she just couldn't…she also couldn't sleep. As impossible as it was, she could still hear that statement in her ear:
'I want to touch you…'
The Chairman. Seto Kaiba. She thought back to when she inspected the Chairman's barren profile and how all she found was his location: Japan. Kaiba lived in Japan. This was a coincidence. Isis feared that her desire for Kaiba and her attraction to the Chairman was taking a psychological toll on her. Once again, Kaiba left her high and dry. Apart of her was expecting him to stay – to want to stay or even express that he did. But he did neither. She didn't even get a goodbye. She fell for the same thing twice. She even almost believed him when he mentioned possibly being interested. Instead of accepting the second rejection from Kaiba, was her mind trying to convince her that he did indeed want her because he was the Chairman?
She felt a dropping in her stomach. Was she blurring her worlds together? So far, she'd done a great job of separating Dahlia from reality. However, in the case of a man showing interest and she too being interested, the wires were being crossed. There was a chance she and Dahlia couldn't coexist in a world where she wanted romance and Dahlia sold sex. At least back in Las Vegas there were no suitors for Isis to pine over. She rubbed her forehead, tired of the mental gymnastics and overall, being in Japan. This trip revealed things for Duke and Malik, but it was now exposing things Isis thought she'd overcome. She was more than ready to go home.
Downtown Domino City
Mokuba started the car and put his seat belt on. He waited for his brother to secure his belt before he activated his headlights and he pulled out of the back-parking lot. Once they rounded the hotel front and got back on the main road, Mokuba glanced over at Kaiba.
"Seto…"
Kaiba didn't make a peep on the walk to the elevator, during their wait for the elevator, the ride in the elevator, or even as they crossed the lobby to the guest backdoor exit, where security gladly let them out. Mokuba felt he'd kept quiet long enough.
Kaiba didn't even hear his brother, his mind was running a mile-a-minute. That restlessness was growing when he thought walking out would stomp it out.
"Seto…" He repeated his name.
"What?"
Mokuba started things patiently. "Malik told me he met you and Yami for the first time, at the towers today. He also told me about all the drama with Pegasus. Poor Duke."
Kaiba snorted. Duke really was an idiot. "He had to learn the hard way of how awful Pegasus is."
"Yeah…" Mokuba sighed with a happy smile, "Good thing we were around, right? We helped him out, plus I got to meet Malik."
"I saw…"
"He showed me his tattoos. I really liked the art on his arms. His back tattoo is his family's history in hieroglyphics. Did you know he and Isis are the descendants of tomb protectors? Imagine having to live underground."
Leave it to his brother to find out someone's life story after spending a short time with them. "That's interesting…"
Mokuba shook his head in wonder, "Yeah, I can't imagine! Malik told me he got arrested once for going down into a tomb. He somehow talked the authorities into letting him go, based on his family history. Isn't that cool?"
Kaiba paused his internal struggle to give his brother an incredulous look. "You find that cool?"
"Kinda…" He shrugged, "Sounds like something you would do."
"…" Kaiba couldn't deny weaseling out of few situations based on flagrant actions.
"I showed him some of my art too. We're friends on social media now, we also shared gamer tags."
"Cool." Of course, Mokuba gets a new friend out of his good deed. Meanwhile Kaiba gets a load of racing thoughts and the feeling of unfinished business. He leaned into the door, crossing his arms, and looking out over Domino.
"Are you OK?"
"Fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Yep."
"Seto…"
"What?"
"You're brooding."
"No, I'm not."
"Then why are you leaning on the door like that?"
"I'm tired Mokuba."
"You don't get 'tired' like normal people. You're either awake or you've crashed – that's it."
"Thanks for calling me a robot," Kaiba mumbled in a sullen tone.
Mokuba knew for sure his older brother was pouting. "What did you and Isis talk about?"
"Pegasus."
"…Was that all?"
"Yes."
Mokuba frowned, "I call bullshit."
Kaiba cut his eyes to Mokuba, "I didn't know you were there."
"I didn't need to be." Mokuba came to a stop at the red light before the highway. "You're missing your button-down shirt, big brother."
Kaiba felt his cheeks burn as he suddenly felt naked. His shirt was missing. Dammit.
"Now," Mokuba began, "tell me what's wrong."
The usual resistance that Kaiba had for sharing his thoughts with his brother were nowhere to be found. "…She challenged me, Mokuba."
"To a duel?" Mokuba threw his car in second gear as the pulled on the onramp. "Malik mentioned something about that."
"Not the duel." Kaiba completely rested his head on the window, dropping fully into a teenage inspired slouch, as he fell headfirst into his turbulent emotions. "She challenged me to…prove it…"
"Prove what?"
Kaiba rubbed his forehead. "This is stupid. Never mind."
"This isn't stupid. I want to know." Mokuba's eyes were on the road but he was attentively listening.
"Just…ask me something." Kaiba couldn't form the words properly.
Mokuba was happy Kaiba was so ready and open to share with him. Showed how much their conversation earlier that evening impacted Kaiba's willingness to be open. "Do you like Isis?"
"In what way?" While Kaiba was prepared to talk about things, he wasn't going to make this easy.
"You know, like-like?"
"What are we, in grade school?" Kaiba's face was tomato red.
Mokuba giggled, "You do like-like Isis, don't you?"
"I…" Kaiba searched his brain for the right words. "I…I don't dislike her…"
"OK…?"
"If Isis were a CEO—"
"—what would her company be?"
"What?"
"What kind of company would she have?"
"Mokuba…why does that matter?"
"It'll help me better understand."
Kaiba glared at his brother's smiling face before shrugging, "I don't know, maybe a nonprofit."
"She seemed like a philanthropist type."
"How do you even know that? You spoke to her for 5 seconds."
"I'm a really good judge of character Seto.
"Anyway," Kaiba glared out the window, "If Isis ran a nonprofit, I wouldn't destroy her company from the inside out."
"…Would you attend her charity events?"
Mokuba was really getting on his nerves. "Yes."
"I bet she'd look amazing in those gala gowns."
"…" Kaiba refused to agree or disagree with that statement.
"Would you donate?" Mokuba glanced over to his brother. "Would you donate to CEO Isis' causes?"
This conversation was so stupid. "Yes, Mokuba, I'd donate too."
Mokuba's smile lit up the night, "No. Fucking. Way."
"You're an idiot." The comment sounded far less rude considering who he was talking to.
Mokuba happily tugged on Kaiba's sweater before returning his hand to the gearshift. "Seto this is huge!"
"Not really."
"Yes, it is!"
"It doesn't matter…" Kaiba's glare intensified. "She wouldn't believe it if it were true." His dam of indifference was crumbling allowing the poorly withheld rush of unknown need for Isis wash over him. He wanted to crawl out of his skin.
"Let me guess, first, you acted like you didn't like her," Mokuba carefully began as his eyes stayed glued to the highway. "Then you acted like you did like her, then told her you didn't like her – most likely through some type of rude action – but you actually did like her all this time?"
Kaiba was offended. "Fuck you."
Mokuba shook his head, "You and Duke tie for the disasters of the night."
"Excuse me, I don't think I'm anywhere near Devlin's level of mess."
"While you may not have thrown up on an expensive comforter, you didn't tell Isis how you felt."
"Felt? That's a little extreme Mokuba." Kaiba ran a hand through his hair, "Besides, I told her…I was…interested…"
Mokuba ignored the first part of Kaiba's statement. "What did she say?"
Kaiba mockingly muttered, "'Prove your intentions, Seto.'"
"She means business."
"She disrespected me."
"Riiight," Mokuba was enjoying this way too much. "You have to prove it Seto."
"She leaves tomorrow."
"OK…?"
"They live in Las Vegas."
"Malik told me."
Kaiba didn't understand what Mokuba wasn't getting. "You may not know, but Las Vegas is located in the United States."
"Doesn't matter."
"I suppose 5,525 miles between us is just a small detail," he snarked.
"A small detail you took the time to learn." Mokuba slowed the car as he took the 'Millennium Way' exit.
Kaiba leaned more into the window, hating this conversation. He watched the familiar empty streets turn into the front plaza of his towers.
Mokuba pulled up to the parking gate and punched in a code. "We can talk about this in full detail later Seto. I'm confident we'll be hanging out again soon." The parking garage door lifted, and he drove his car to the bottom level.
Mokuba wanted to hang out again? Kaiba couldn't deny hearing that felt good.
Mokuba pulled his car up where Kaiba's black Audi A6 coupe was waiting. He parked in Yami's empty spot and leaned back in his chair. "I just want to leave you with something to think about…"
Kaiba shifted so that he was slouched in Mokuba's direction. "I'm listening." He petulantly crossed his arms.
Mokuba shyly wrung his hands, a small smile on his face. "I have a confession: Rebecca and I met on a dating app."
Kaiba was confused. "I thought you two met at a party?"
"That was the lie I agreed to." He chuckled, "Rebecca feels too good for dating apps and refused to have our love story start with swiping right on each other."
Kaiba sat up straighter taking off his seatbelt. Rebecca really was something else. "Who messaged who?"
"I messaged her."
Opposites attract was the definition of Mokuba and Rebecca's relationship. At least that's what she tells people, when they (who know the truth) ask why she happened to swipe right on Mokuba. At the time, Rebecca was new to Tokyo and working on her internship with the same lab she now works fulltime for. She was fresh from Harvard, grasp of the Japanese language perfect, when she saw a boy with long hair covered in paint, awkwardly smiling for the camera. Her lab friends told her to just put herself out there, even if it was just to better take in the culture. Hanging out with locals was always a good way to do so. Mokuba had an art internship in Tokyo during that time, which brought him to the city daily. When he saw he matched with that freckled face American he got way too excited.
"I didn't have anything interesting to talk about." Mokuba blushed laughing nervously, "She thought I was cute and agreed to let me treat her to the best coffee in Tokyo. Two years later, here she is happy to be with me."
Kaiba didn't know what this had to do with Isis. "…"
"What I'm trying to say is sometimes just putting yourself out there pays off. Rebecca wasn't into dating apps and was days away from deleting it. You know I wanted to do my internship overseas and was upset the one in Tokyo was the best option for me. We both put ourselves out there and it led to us meeting."
Kaiba remained silent.
"Isis made the decision to come to Japan because Malik begged her to. You went to that party because we had a fight…" Mokuba smiled to assure Kaiba he was OK with said situation. "You met each other."
"You're making this sound bigger than what it is."
Mokuba rolled his eyes, "Seto, you're really good at getting worked up, and refusing something just because you don't want to be bothered."
"I do not."
"Yes, you do."
"Examples."
"That time in Germany with Zigfried von Schroeder. You went there to handle business and what happened?"
"My lawyers advise me not to discuss that trip. Next example."
Mokuba narrowed his eyes, "Fine. Your best-man speech at Yami's wedding."
Kaiba's face went pink. "Mokuba…"
"No, you asked for another example. You worked yourself up about your best-man speech and refused to be bothered. So, what happened? You got drunk off champagne and—"
"—I know what the hell I did, OK? We don't have to talk about it…" Kaiba rubbed his face. That was a bad day. "…You've made your point…"
"Really?" Mokuba quickly fixed his face, "I mean, yeah, of course I did." He couldn't believe he may have gotten through to his stubborn older brother. Maybe Kaiba really was making a change.
"Mokuba…" Kaiba rubbed his forehead. "Theoretically…if I were to do provide proof…"
Mokuba knew exactly what his brother was asking. "You have to find your own unique way of letting Isis know how you really feel. I know you're not mushy like me, but you do know how to get a point across, that's for sure."
Kaiba nodded, staring at the glowing dash, and listening to the hum of the high-performance engine. He then got out of the car.
Mokuba activated the trunk and got out as well. He joined Kaiba at the rear as he retrieved his briefcase. "What are you going to do?" He handed Kaiba a bag with his food from 'Malihini'.
Kaiba closed the trunk and took his to-go bag. "No clue."
"You'll figure it out." Mokuba pulled Kaiba into a bear hug. "I had fun, well, crying wasn't fun, but the rest was, big brother!"
Kaiba stood there, arms by his sides, face as pink as a strawberry as he allowed his brother those last few moments of contact. Slowly he wrapped his free arm around his brother, gently squeezing back.
Mokuba held on a little bit longer before finally letting go. "Drive safe Seto and let me know when you make it home."
"OK."
Kaiba got inside his car and placed his briefcase and food in the passenger side. He watched Mokuba back out and head out of the parking garage. Kaiba started his car and realized just how heavy his body felt. He looked down at his phone to find it nearly midnight. Rubbing his eyes, he put on his seatbelt and backed his car out of the parking spot. The drive home was uneventful as most people weren't on the street. His mind would not stop forcing an imagine of a certain woman. He refused to entertain anything having to do with her.
In less than 10 hours, Isis would be on a plane back to the States and Kaiba would never have to see her again. He would go on forgetting about her. Mokuba's words echoed in his brain about the events that happened to bridge the gap between he and Isis meeting. But Kaiba wasn't one for luck or romance. No matter what he did or didn't say, did or didn't do, this was all a blip in either of their timelines. Isis would forget about him just as quickly as he'd forget about her. Apart of him was debating backing out of their duel. Was this the 'can't be bothered' thinking Mokuba spoke about? Shit, it probably was.
Sighing, he gave in to the memories. He thought back to his hands on her thighs, that ass on his crotch – it shouldn't have felt as glorious as it did. Yes, he was extremely attracted to Isis but there was something else about her. He didn't quite know what it was, but it felt comfortable and necessary. She was different and he didn't know why. Kaiba wasn't one to buy into the 'I'm not like other girls' trope, but Isis just wasn't like most of the women he met…because he didn't meet women. In fact, he didn't meet anyone for that matter. Was he interested because it'd been so long? Maybe it wasn't necessarily Isis, just the experience of being close to someone attractive?
Kaiba pulled his car into the parking garage and quickly got out heading for the elevator. Today showed him just how much he avoided his enemies, his family, and his own desires. Two of the three had been successfully addressed, so why was it such a struggle addressing the third one? He got off the elevator and entered his home. He placed his briefcase on the couch before entering the kitchen. Immediately he placed his food in the microwave. While his leftovers heated up, he went into his bedroom. He placed his discarded clothes in a hamper; he then put on a pair of cobalt blue slippers with a matching cashmere robe.
Kaiba made his way back into the kitchen, his food still twirling. He grabbed his phone and pulled up the D.O.T.M app and went to his message with Isis:
TheUltimate_BlueEyed_DragonDaddy: 'I went ahead and added you just in case you forgot. Also, I personally deleted your second account – it goes against the rules. But I'm sure you already knew that.'
Maleficent_Mudora: 'How foolish of me to confess my secret account in front of the creator and owner. I will avenge my Duchess account when I beat you in a duel.'
He reread the messages as if he were decoding a secret message. As if something would stand out and offer him direction on what to do. Did he actually like Isis? Or did he just want to fuck? Should he message her? Tell her goodbye? That seemed stupid – they barely knew each other. Did he want to forget about her? But she challenged him – Kaiba felt like silence was somehow losing. He placed his phone on the counter as his food beeped.
Kaiba sat at his island, chewing, glaring at the microwave. It was almost 1am, he was in his underwear and robe eating spam, deeply thinking about a woman he met a total of three times. He took another mouthful of spam musubi, growling in the back of his throat.
"This is so stupid."
He wished Isis were already gone; the very idea that she was lying in a bed just miles from him drove him nuts. If only—wait. If silence to her challenge was losing, while talking to her admitted to something he wasn't sure was true, he would toe the line. It was time to be passive aggressive, Seto Kaiba style. Quite the idea took root in his mind and was already blossoming. This was a way the brunet could kill two birds with one stone.
"…That's it…"
Kaiba grabbed his phone to access his home app, to turn on the lights and computer in his home office. He scooped up his leftovers and a bottle of water for good measure. He had emails to send and phone calls to make, and this could not be done on an empty stomach or when poorly hydrated.
Saffron Seasons' on 7th Hotel
Isis took a long look at Kaiba's folded shirt in her suitcase. She grabbed it by the shoulders and held it up. It was wide and long; it would probably look huge on her. The idea of wearing his shirt made her blush, especially since she knew it would probably be happening in the safety of her bedroom. It would be a cute outfit idea for Dahlia. Spotting what she thought was a stain by her doing, she quickly looked at the bottom of the shirt and fingered the spot. It wasn't a stain but stitching. A blue 'SK' was stitched in italics on the underside below the last button. She found it kind of cute that he put his initials on his clothes.
She looked out her windows at the beautiful sunrise bathing Domino City in champagne gold, vibrant orange, and stand out pink. The overall atmosphere on the street was fast paced but orderly as people headed to work, school, or whatever responsibility awaited them. Isis wondered if Kaiba was already up and headed to the office. Shaking her head, she refolded the shirt and placed it in her bag. She zipped up her luggage and took it off the bag stand, placing it down on its wheels.
Isis did a slow sweep of the room to make sure she didn't miss any of her items. With a heavy sigh, she turned off the bathroom lights and the single lamp she had on in the bedroom. She placed her purse atop her suitcase and rolled it into the living room.
Duke was sitting in a living chair, his suitcase, tattoo supply kit, and duffle bag stacked next to him. His hair was pulled into a top knot and he was sporting a pair of large but stylish sunglasses against his nose splint. He was actively texting and swiping on his phone.
Malik was sitting on the couch across from him with his suitcase and tattoo roadie case beside him. He had his backpack on. His hair was also pulled into a top knot and his arms and legs were crossed. He was glaring at Duke. Why? Because Duke had on the same exact outfit as Malik.
They were both in black track suits with double white lines running up the outside of the pants and along the sleeves of the top. The shoes were also black with double white stripes. It was apparent the track suits and shoes were a set.
Isis looked back and forth between the two. "Was this planned?"
"No," they both grouched at the same time. Malik sounded livid while Duke's voice was tired and annoyed.
"Great minds think alike?"
The glare Malik gave Isis would make anyone question if he liked her. "Isis." It was a warning.
Isis nodded once in understanding.
"Let's get the fuck out of here." Duke stood up and started rolling his items towards the door.
Surprisingly, Duke hadn't been useless when he woke up. He called room service for extremely specific items to help with his hangover and even ordered them all breakfast. While Isis and Malik ate in their respective rooms, Duke made sure he was the first one dressed and ready. He went to check them out while they got ready. When he returned, he found Malik sitting in the living room, dressed in the same exact outfit as him. While Malik chose to quietly seethe, Duke added it to the list of inconveniences from the trip.
The elevator ride wasn't as tense as the first one, it was low energy. All three of them were tired. None of them slept well for different reasons. They just wanted this nightmare of a trip to be over and to return to their true beds.
The three of them rolled their luggage across the active lobby despite it being 6am. Duke lead them outside and down the sidewalk to a handful of people. They were all gathered with their luggage; a small hum of different languages being spoken amongst the group. This was the waiting area for the shuttle to the airport. The ride itself would take roughly an hour.
Isis looked down at her phone, double checking to make sure they were checked in and their flight was on time. The murmur of voices picked up bringing Isis' head up to look around. The shuttle was rolling down its designated lane. Right on time.
The crowd orderly presented their information and helped one another load up their bags into the undercarriage of the commercial vehicle. Isis was one of the first people to step on the bus and chose to sit closer to the front. She took the window seat. Shortly after Malik stepped on, glanced at her, and took the seat directly behind her. When Duke got on, he paused, sighed, and stood next to Isis' two-person row.
"Do you mind if I sit next to you?"
"Of course not."
Malik loudly sighed from his seat.
Duke glanced his direction before sitting down, resting his shades on top if his head. He looked beyond tired and rightly so. "Thanks Isis."
"I doubt you want to sit next to a stranger."
"Yeah, not really." Duke opened his phone and started going through his messages, hurriedly texting back before turning to Isis. "I uh…"
Isis placed a comforting hand on Duke's knee. "It's OK Duke."
"No, it's not." Duke looked through the crack of their seat to find Malik now joined by a stranger. Malik had his headphones on and was staring out the window. He turned back to Isis, "I need to talk to you."
"We're talking now."
Duke shyly smiled, "Yeah…guess we are…"
The driver of the shuttle got back on accompanied by a woman in a uniform from the hotel. She announced in Japanese, English, French, Mandarin, and Cantonese that they were now departing for the airport and to please remain seated. She also supplied the location of the bathroom in the back and requested that people keep track of their trash. She then sat down in the front and tapped the driver on the shoulder. The driver pulled out of park and started rolling towards the exit of the hotel.
"Now that that's over," Duke began referencing the announcements, "I just want to tell you how sorry I am. I'm not an idiot…but I am stupid. So damn stupid."
"I accept your apology Duke."
Duke looked visibly pained by his actions, "I will never live any of this embarrassment down. I can only imagine how much worse things would have been if you hadn't of been here."
Isis was surprised by the comment. "You really feel that way?"
"Isis, are you kidding me?" Duke gave a dry laugh, "You're the reason Kaiba didn't humiliate me. You're the reason Malik didn't kill me. In some strange way, I even feel like you're the reason Mokuba helped me get safely back to the hotel. This is really cheesy but…you've been my guardian angel."
Isis gave Duke a sympathetic smile and fondly squeezed his arm. "You're very sweet Duke."
"And don't forget stupid…" He leaned back into his chair and closed his eyes. "I just want to get home and hide out in my house for a few weeks."
"I feel like Malik might do the same."
Duke tensed his jaw at the mention of his best-friend. "I know I royally screwed him over Isis."
"You should talk to him."
"I'll talk to him when I have something to offer." Duke's tone was very matter-of-fact, as if he had something in the works.
Isis wasn't sure if this was a good or bad thing. "What do you mean by that?"
Duke nodded, a small smile on his lips, "Don't worry about it. I've got it all figured out." Just then his phone buzzed, and he looked at the blinking screen. "Mako's calling me – give me a second." Duke answered the phone in Japanese and continued the conversation in the language.
Isis was a bit confused by this since she knew Mako spoke English, but perhaps he needed to vent without worry of she or Malik understanding. She redirected her attention out the window and watched the interstate views rapidly pass by. Suddenly her eyes were drooping and eventually closed.
Sometime later, Duke gently shook her, and she opened her eyes to find they'd arrived and were pulling up to where their gate would be. The uniformed lady was once more making announcements, but Isis didn't understand the language and instead followed Duke's lead. She looked over her seat to find Malik awake but clearly groggy. The three of them stood when they rolled up to the terminal with their airline. Duke walked towards the open doors when the uniformed lady stopped him.
"Duke Devlin?" She asked in accented English.
Duke wasn't sure why he'd been stopped. No one else had been. "Yes, I am."
She smiled brightly and handed him an envelope. "From your host."
Duke took the envelope and thanked her before rushing off, locating his bags. He paled looking down at packet in his hand. Host? His stomach started hurting and it wasn't from the hangover.
Malik and Isis came off and located their luggage before joining Duke. They heard the exchange and weren't too sure what it meant, but they had an idea.
"Duke, are you going to open it?" Isis patiently asked.
Duke looked between Isis and Malik. "Should I?"
Malik sat on his bag with his back to them both, choosing not to participate.
"I believe you should." If it was from Pegasus, best to address it now. They didn't need to take any part of that man back to the States with them. The memories were more than enough and unwanted.
Duke opened the envelope and reached inside finding passes on lanyards. He read the note attached and his jaw hit the floor. "No…fucking…way…"
Malik looked over his shoulder in interest.
Isis braced herself for more Pegasus shenanigans, "What did he do?"
"This isn't from Pegasus…"
Malik immediately turned around to see what was going on.
Isis felt her heartrate increase. "…What?"
Duke cleared his voice as he read from the note:
'Devlin, the next time you come to Domino – don't. To speed up the process of you getting the hell out of my country before you can further embarrass yourself, I've provided one of our private jets for travel. No point in subjecting a plane full of people to your less than presentable appearance. Unfortunately, you're still a part of my company (you're welcome) and I can't have you tarnishing the brand.
I know you're from Las Vegas, but don't trash my plane. I'd also advise all parties involved to wait until you're back on US soil before any additional punches are thrown. I refuse to be a part of any legal handlings due to assault on my plane.
A representative from my company will be waiting inside the airport to direct you.
PS. You're right, I didn't make these arrangements with you in mind.
– SK'
PLEASE READ:
This chapter was a struggle. Soooooo many ideas, soooooo many things I wanted to do but I had to prioritize. Good things still coming.
Hey everyone! I recently moved to a new state which was the hold up on this process. I had to put my focus on getting things in order during June and July.
After a three-day road trip to my new city, I'm so excited to be here and mostly settled in. Hopefully with the bulk of such a big life change completed, I can get back to focusing on what matters: Trustshipping. Hahaha.
I'll try to have the next chapter out sooner than later since you've all been patiently waiting.
Side note: Yes, I know Kaiba is 6'1 but I made more room for his ego by making him 6'3. You're welcome.
Posted especially for:
All you amazing readers, lurkers – thank you for patiently waiting! I'll return to responding to reviews next chapter.
Still stands: If I don't get one measly review, no new chapter, however if I do get one measly review, new chapter.
REVIEW!
Well I'm out.