Fifth Avenue went on forever, and Tea's feet were beginning to throb, but she just kept on marching as if she wasn't totally pissed at herself. Why did she have to accidently let a word as precious as that slip? And out of all of the beautiful people on God's green earth, why did it have to be directed towards Kaiba? Why not a fairytale prince? That way she'd at least know he loved her back!
"We've been walking for over a mile," Kaiba whined from a few feet behind her, "are you going to pick a destination or not?"
"Almost there."
Kaiba groaned, "Almost where? You haven't said a word since we left the Empire State Building." Tea kept walking— faster than him— until Kaiba reached for her arm, slowing her to a stop in the middle of the crowded sidewalk. People were giving them dirty looks for barring the flow of foot traffic, but Kaiba didn't care. Whipping her around, he clasped her shoulders with steady and stern hands. Glaring down at her, he frowned before asking, "What's wrong?"
Like a snotty little girl, she scowled and robustly ripped one of her shoulders from his grip, yelling, "It's nothing, Kaiba!"
Tea could've sworn she heard him gasp under his breath. The shocked look upon his face furthered her trust in her ears.
He growled, lowering his voice to a dangerous level, "What is your problem?"
Letting out a snort of disapproval, she mocked him, "Oh, that's funny, I asked you that same question this morning."
His jaw tightened and eyes twitched. "I'm serious."
Ripping his other hand off of her shoulder, she let her voice get low while her eyes tested his, "So was I." Turning back around, she made her way back into the flow of foot traffic, evading slow walkers and darting out onto crosswalks while the streetlights were red, ignoring the honks from angry drivers. Kaiba attempted to keep up with her but she was quickly losing him. If he wasn't so tall maybe she'd actually have a chance at losing him altogether.
Once Tea reached the entrance of Central Park, the crowds thinned and Kaiba was able to approach her without getting lost in the crowd.
"What is this about?"
She refused to look at him and just kept on walking, "I think you have a hunch."
"I do…" he stated, recalling her more recent response to his attempt at flirting with her atop the Empire State Building, "but that doesn't explain your public outrage."
Tea rolled her eyes, "Like you haven't had one of those? If I remember correctly, you blew up an island in your outrage and almost killed me, and my friends. Thanks for that."
"It was my island and it wasn't necessarily in public and…" Kaiba stopped himself. He wasn't about to dig himself into a hole or continue arguing about something so trivial.
Tea stopped walking, her long brown hair swaying behind her as she twisted her body around to look at him, "And…?"
He shook his head, "It's nothing."
"Well clearly it's not."
Rushing a hand up to his forehead and scraping back his bangs, he sighed, "No, really, it's nothing. You don't need to worry about it. What's said is said and I accept it for what it is."
Cocking her head to the side, Tea examined him. It almost looked like he was the one who was nervous. Did she do this to him? He shouldn't be the one so uptight.
"Tea…." His voice was testy and she soon realized that she must've zoned out.
"Yes."
Inching forward, he reached for her waist cautiously, anticipating a harsh reaction. Realizing she was still, he pulled her into a soft embrace. His cold, chapping lips kissed the hairline on her forehead. The warmth of his breath on her skin warmed her from the inside and she melted into him.
"You don't have to be angry with yourself."
She blinked, looking up at him, stunned. "How did you know I was angry with myself?"
He chuckled, "You made it pretty damn obvious."
Shamefully burying her face into his chest, she mumbled, "And I tried so hard to keep my cool…"
Peeling her off of him, he grinned, "What was that?"
"Nothing!" She waved him off and he smiled.
But soon that smile faded and Tea's heart began to sink along with the lowering of his lips. He looked nervous once again. She couldn't pinpoint exactly what he was nervous about, but she figured it was tied to his drinking.
"Before that security guy interrupted you, you said there was something you needed to…?" She searched for an answer.
He nodded, "Yes. There is something I need to talk to you about." Taking her waist, he guided her further into Central Park. "Come. Let's find a seat."
He led her across stony sidewalks while evading patches of snow along the way. After about ten minutes or so, Kaiba found a more secluded area alongside a hill. It was deeper into the park where there were less people passing by. He brushed a bit of snow and ice from a wooden park bench and let Tea sit down before clearing a spot for himself.
It would be an understatement to say Tea was nervous. Her heart was beating a mile a minute. The further they had walked, the more anxious she got. What made it worse was the fact that Kaiba didn't say a word. Now that they were sitting down, Tea made a mental list of all the things Kaiba wanted talk to her about. Was it about last night? His drinking? Her? The tightness in her throat relaxed when she saw the worried look on Kaiba's face. He was twiddling his thumbs while biting down on his lower lip. Whatever he needed to say was clearly important.
"You aren't going to like me when I tell you this," he finally said.
She tried to sound cheery. "Tell me what?"
He took a deep breath, closing his eyes tightly. It was as if Tea could see his thoughts being scanned behind his eyelids. Kaiba was noticeably looking for the right words to use. "Kaiba Corp. is redeveloping the virtual world project."
Slowly, Tea's eyes widened, "You've got to be kidding me?"
Kaiba hung his head in his hands, "Part of me wishes I were, but the sad truth is…" He faced her, his eyes wide and littered with conflict, "I was the one who pushed for the redevelopment."
No… He couldn't. Not after everything…
He filled her silence, "I know this isn't what you wanted to hear, but you were asking me what was wrong this morning and I didn't have the heart to tell you then."
"So," her voice was a low whisper, "you were drinking because you were nervous to tell me?"
"Yeah…" His voice trailed off.
There was a moment of silence. Everything felt numb to Tea as she considered the possibility of Kaiba working on yet another virtual world project where someone else could get hurt. She couldn't understand, why did Kaiba have to push for this? He wasn't the President and CEO anymore.
"Also, I need to head back to Domino soon. The project is already underway."
Tea hung her head in disappointment. "Why would you do this, Seto? You've seen the consequences. Wasn't my pain enough for you?" She picked her head up and this time there were small tears, "Surely you felt what it was like being trapped in there for so long? I saw you after we got back! I noticed how unhealthy you were! You can't deny it!"
"There's no need to get agitated."
"Then why are you working on this project in the first place? You don't even run Kaiba Corp. anymore! Hell," she stood up angrily, "I don't even know if you have a job! I don't know anything about you!"
For the second time that day Kaiba looked completely shocked. Tea's words had come out of left field and he was left wondering what to say. "I… I thought you did know me." His voice was low, not even close to matching the spontaneous anger of Tea's outburst.
She just stood there, angry and hurt, waiting for him to speak.
"Please sit," he offered, "and let me explain."
Folding her arms across her chest, she sneered at him, "Why? So, you can tell me you're an alcoholic now too?"
"Tea," saying her name with poised rage. She noticed the way his jawline tensed as he grit his teeth, fighting back his anger. "Just please… sit."
Reluctantly, she did.
"You have no idea the amount of anxiety this project has put on me."
Instantly, Tea felt guilty for her comment, but she knew saying sorry wouldn't help. Seto Kaiba didn't appreciate being pitied.
"Ever since I flew here I was thinking of the best way to tell you." He shook his head, getting rid of the restless jitters that came with the topic. "After the trials' verdict, I was told by my Board of Directors to step down. Mokuba is the CEO now, but I bargained with him to continue working as head of project research and development. It's been my passion from the beginning. Being a CEO was never what I wanted to do, and Mokuba knew that. So," he paused to look over at Tea, making sure she was attentive, "I began creating a new virtual world project that would work for both games and medical research. Call it, an improvement on the former."
Tea shook her head, "I can't believe you." She wanted to scream and shout at him, call him a disgrace for working on such a horrid creation. It had caused her so much pain…. But she couldn't. This was Kaiba's passion. No matter what she said he would still work on it. In a way, it was like dance. Dance had caused her toes to break, her back to hurt, and her muscles to ache, but she still loved it. Kaiba and his technology were the same way. He would work for his passion no matter what anyone said. "But I can't change your mind."
"You're…" Kaiba slowly lead on, "Okay with this?"
Tea sighed, "I don't have a choice. You're going to pursue the things you love, and…" she looked down at her feet. Hidden beneath her black boots were the red, calloused and bruised feet of a dancer. "I'm going to pursue mine."
Reaching out and lightly touching Tea's chin, Kaiba lifted her head up, making sure she was looking at him. The rare look of sincerity that Kaiba gave her was something Tea would have to file away in her memory banks for a rainy day. He was simply stunning, the pleasant look of thankfulness in his eyes was enough for Tea to forgive everything he'd ever done. No words of his gratitude of her support were exchanged, just a simple smile. For Tea, it was enough.
Letting go of her chin and standing to stretch, Kaiba stated, "It feels good to finally get that off my chest."
Tea stood with him, instantly regretting it the moment her feet took on the entirety of her body weight, "Ouch…" She muttered, rubbing her sore feet through her boots, "Promise me, no more drinking."
Kaiba chortled, "You know I can't promise that."
She rolled her eyes, "You know what I mean."
Giving her a small chuckle, he replied with, "Fine. No more drinking when I'm anxious."
She placed her hands on her hips, like a mother kindly scolding her child, "And you'll tell me if there's something on your mind?"
"You're worse than Mokuba." When she raised her eyebrows and gave him a pouty smirk he caved, verbally rolling his eyes with every word. "Yes, I'll tell you when I'm anxious about something next time. Happy?"
"Very!" She perked up, grabbing him by the arm and dragging him down the park trail, "I thought I heard music coming from over there," she pointed straight ahead, "I wanna go see what it's about!"
"But weren't your feet hurting just a few moments ago?" Kaiba was vying for a way out of this.
"Don't be silly! I'm a dancer! My feet will be fine."
He groaned, knowing this battle had been lost.
As Tea trotted down the hill she noticed that next to Central Park's ice skating rink was a crowd of people slow dancing. A disk jockey of some sort had speakers and a soundboard set up on a small stage, adorned in holiday lights and other various Christmas décor. The music sounded jazzy, as if it was inspired by the city itself. People had gathered around— couples, old and young— dancing their cares away, and Tea wanted nothing more than to join them.
Glancing back at Kaiba who was strolling idly behind her, Tea shouted, "Hurry! We've gotta get down there!" She didn't wait for him as she jogged toward the crowd.
Once Kaiba met her at the bottom of the hill, she claimed his arm and tugged him into the crowd of leisurely dancers.
The last few notes of the current song were played, and Tea clapped, "Perfect timing!"
Kaiba shook his head at her childish excitement. Suddenly, a song he knew began to play. It seemed as though everyone else in the crowd knew it too. People cheered as the singer's melodic, contralto voice streamed through the speakers.
'At last my love has come along,
My lonely days are over, and life is like a song, oh yeah…'
In the spur-of-the-moment, Kaiba clutched Tea's right hand and pulled her close with his other. She couldn't help but blush, wrapping her free hand around his neck and stepping even closer to him. Their breaths mixed as the cold air evaporated their heat. Small, dusty snowflakes started to fall, delicately topping their hair and shoulders in white fluff.
Kaiba began to sway with the music. He truly was a graceful and charming dancer, and Tea couldn't help but contemplate if she was unexpectedly placed inside a magical dream.
Leaning intimately into her ear, Kaiba softly sang along. His voice was strong, yet delightful, "You smiled… you smiled, oh and then the spell was cast, and here we are in heaven."
Tea choked up, stealing a glance his way, she could see his expression was heartfelt. Happy tears were dangerously close to falling, but she held them back with a sheepish glimpse toward the ground.
Lifting her chin with a gentle touch, Kaiba sang the final line of the song, his lingering eyes revealing his heart and soul, "For you are mine…. At last…"
She didn't know how he managed to do it, but Seto Kaiba had just told her he loved her without even muttering the word.
It wasn't long after their romantic swaying in Central Park that the two found Kaiba's driver and were swiftly picked up and on their way back to Tea's apartment. Traffic was horrendous, but neither cared because their minds were preoccupied with each other's lips. Mouths moving with vicious desire and desperation— the same desperation that had overtaken them last night.
Their love was unlike any other. It was everything they had hoped for. The time spent apart and the unacknowledged love between them, made for the most sensitive, vulnerable, and passionate lovemaking that they'd ever experienced. It was as if it was all a vivid dream…
Tea casually woke, recalling the events of the previous night. Kaiba touching her skin with velvet fingertips… The sounds of frantic moans mixing into the quite atmosphere… The look of happiness in his blue eyes…
Tea smiled to herself as she stretched and rolled over, shaking her duvet covers from her shoulders. As she turned, she was expecting to see a sleeping Kaiba, but instead her heart dropped, and her perfect dream gradually transformed into a nightmare.
The other side of the bed was empty. At first, Tea thought Kaiba was awake, possibly wandering around her apartment, until she noticed the piece of folded parchment gracefully placed upon his pillow. With a shaky hand, Tea deliberately reached for the paper and unfolded it.
She swallowed hard, her throat felt dry and her hands clammed up as she gripped the paper. Tears streamed down her face as she read the letter.
Dear Tea,
I've gone back to Domino. I know this letter isn't what you wanted to read first thing in the morning, but it's the best I can do despite your inevitable disappointment in me. In fact, I've disappointed you quite a bit, and I apologize for that. You deserve better. You deserve someone who will stick by your side— someone who's fully dedicated to you. I'm sorry I can't give you that right now. Regardless, my loyalty to you remains.
If my calculations are correct, which they usually are, your sixteen-month dance program will end roughly the same time my virtual reality project will be ready for testing. I would like nothing more than for you to accompany me in testing out my new technology. After writing this, I realize what a cowardly man I truly am. I can't even face you and tell you that I need you by my side, so I hide behind these words.
It's your decision on where you'd like to go after your dance program is complete. If that decision is staying in New York City and building your future, then by all means, do not let me be the one to stop you. Your passion comes first. But, if you choose to come home, then I hope you'd make the time to see me.
The past forty-eight hours have been the best of my life, and you have no idea how hard it is to leave without saying goodbye. Every ounce of my being wants to be right here in this room with you, waking up next to you, holding you… but I can't… I hope you understand.
I wish you the very best, Tea.
Love, Seto.
A/N: The end is nigh! Seriously, though. It is. Stay tuned for the finale! Also, if you didn't recognize the song I used in this chapter it's At Last by Etta James. Still don't recognize it? Go to YouTube, play it, and after the first thirty seconds you'll be like: "oh, yeah, I know this!" If not, then I guess I don't what to tell you.
Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think. Until next time!
