Téa tugged down on her crop top to cover more of her midriff.
"Stop fidgeting ," Mary said under her breath.
"Sorry," she apologized. "It's just…there are photographers everywhere. I didn't realize it was going to be such an event."
Mary pursed her lips and gave her a condescending look. "They had us get hair and makeup done before this, and you didn't think there was going to be press?"
Téa rolled her eyes, trying to stay behind the lines of girls. Kaiba Corp. was officially opening their team dance studio where the team would practice and the coaches' main offices would be. Mai was apparently turning it into a smaller scale grand opening, inviting press and other KC employees.
They had been given practice uniforms which were basically just an understated version of their official uniforms. They were dark blue, but rather than sequins, they were made of stretchy fitness material. The KC logo was placed on the right side of her chests, just above her breast. They would wear nude dance shoes while they were practicing, but outside the studio, they were given matching blue high top sneakers.
"Mary! Téa!" Mokuba's friendly voice carried over the crowd. Téa spotted him pushing his way through employees and dancers standing outside the entrance of the new studio. She didn't miss how a lot of womens' eyes followed him as he moved through the crowd. "You both look great! Mai did a great job on the uniforms."
"Did you think I would do any less?" Mai asked, making Téa jump as Mai came from behind her.
Mokuba smirked at her, "You're right. Should've known better."
"Everything looks fantastic, Mai." Mary added. "These uniforms are so comfortable, I wanna get five more."
Mai winked, flipping her long hair over her shoulder. "That can be arranged as long as you keep up in the rankings."
Téa frowned. "I thought the polls were closing?"
Mai shook her head, curls tossing with the movement. "No, we decided to just leave them open. We'll be dropping the photos you took last week tomorrow. Let people vote some more. Keep them involved."
"Do we get a say in what photos you use?" Mary inquired.
"Don't worry, I'll pick your best ones," Mai laughed. She lowered her tone and mumbled, "and maybe some other peoples' worst."
Mokuba gave her a reproachful look. "Mai, you know Seto wouldn't approve." Téa's stomach clenched at the mention of the elder Kaiba brother.
Mai snorted, "Because he knows photography?"
"Is, um" Téa cleared her throat, rocking on her heels, "is he coming today?" she asked, hoping she hid her anxiety well.
She wasn't sure what she would do if they had to interact with each other after the company dinner. She had thought about it for the past week way more than she should. Often late at night in her bed.
The rehearsals and training served as a great distraction during the day, but at night she had nothing to keep her mind from wandering to how his hands had felt on her. Or what it meant. Or what it didn't mean. Or the image of him blatantly ignoring her and getting into his car.
Mokuba gave her a curious look. Clearly, she wasn't hiding her feelings that well. "Yea, he should be getting here soon. Once he does, we can finally get this thing started and make long speeches. I don't think he'll be staying long though."
Téa tried to keep in her breath of relief and nodded.
"I think he's here now," Mary jerked her head in the direction of flashing cameras.
Téa ignored the urge to make herself smaller, instead straightening her spine, placing her hands on her hips. If she had to face him, she wouldn't cower away.
"Dancers!" Kris's voice boomed. "To the front!"
"See you later, hon." Mai grabbed Mokuba's arm and started towards the top of Kaiba's head.
Téa barely heard a word of what Mai was saying as she spoke to the crowd about the new official Kaiba Corp. Dance Studio. The big red ribbon was cut, flashes of cameras and applause surrounding her.
Téa kept a plastic smile on her face as she tried to focus on Mai and not the man standing a few feet behind her. But, she couldn't help as her eyes found him, standing tall in a navy blue cut suit. His eyes snapped to hers causing her clapping to falter. She jerked her gaze back to Mai, the sidewalk feeling like it was shifting beneath her.
People began clambering into the new studio, oohing and aahing at the pristine wood floors, tasteful furniture, and Blue Eyes White Dragon statue in the corner. Mary and her poked their head into the actual practice room, which was roped off to prevent people from ruining the floor with their shoes.
"Definitely the nicest studio I've been in," Mary observed.
Téa grunted an agreement.
"Are you ok?"
Téa looked to see Mary looking at her critically.
Téa swallowed. "Fine."
Mary snorted. "Alright, what gives? Is it Yugi? Did something happen with him?"
"No."
"The other dancers?"
"No, Mary. I'm fine."
"Is it Kaiba?" Téa's pulse skyrocketed.
"Oh, look there's Mokuba!"
She was saved from any more of Mary's inquiring questions as Mokuba skillfully carried three glasses of champagne over to them.
"Do you serve champagne at all of your events?"
Mokuba shrugged. "The ones that Mai holds. Seto grips about it every time, but as long as she's on budget, he usually doesn't stop her."
"Shouldn't you be brushing elbows with the fancy people?" Mary joked, taking the glass from his outstretched hand.
Mokuba gave her a flirtatious smile. "I'd much rather brush elbows with you. I'd brush more if you let me."
Téa snorted into her champagne. Mokuba blinked, turning a bit red as if remembering she was still standing there.
"Wasn't your best line," Mary noted.
Mokuba gaped a bit at her. "What was wrong with that?"
Mary shrugged, "Just didn't land quite right. You'll have to try again, I'm afraid."
Mokuba's eyes gleamed at the challenge. "Don't worry. I have plenty more."
Téa smacked Mokuba in the chest with her free hand. "Stop using your charms. You're going to make me puke."
"Mokuba," a deep voice came from behind them. "Let's go."
Téa's smile slipped, the voice sending a thrill down her spine. She clenched the champagne glass so tightly she was sure it would break, as she slowly turned around.
Kaiba stood expressionless, hands in his pockets. Téa's stomach dropped out beneath her as he didn't even glance at her.
"What's the rush?" Mokuba's joyful voice, sounding a bit muffled in her ears as the voices surrounding them seemed to become louder. "We still have some time."
"Valentine wants us for some press photos."
Mokuba frowned. "Oh, more?"
"Apparently."
His eyes didn't move to her once. And that was so much worse than any insult he could have given her.
"Nice to see you, Kaiba," Téa blurted, before she could think better of it.
Kaiba's eyes slowly moved to hers, but he didn't say anything. Téa felt her body heat as his cool gaze honed in on her. His eyes moved down her slowly and Téa would have given anything to know what was going through his mind.
"Mai can wait a few minutes," Mokuba said breezily, oblivious or ignoring the obvious tension. "Grab a glass and join us."
Kaiba's eyes trailed lazily back to his brother. "Unlike you, I don't fraternize with the employees. Let's go, Mokuba." He turned on his heel without a second glance and walked away.
Righteous indignation clawed at her throat. She was an idiot. He clearly had no inclination to acknowledge whatever happened between them. He had left her standing on those steps and now he couldn't even be bothered to remark on her existence.
Mokuba gaped at his brother's back, shock written across his features.
"What crawled up his ass?" Mary spat.
Mokuba gathered himself and apologized, saying "He's just cranky from all the people. Let me deal with him." He scurried after his brother.
"So," Mary chirped after a beat, "I'm guessing he's the reason for the foul mood."
Téa sneered at her friend. "Typical Kaiba. Giving offense wherever he goes."
Mary's eyes narrowed. "Somehow I think it's more than that."
Téa ignored her and plunged into the crowd. She forced a plastic smile onto her face, as dancers and employees alike greeted her all while hoping the ground would swallow her whole.
XXXXX
Kaiba's skull pounded as the slight headache he had felt earlier escalated to a full migraine. No doubt due to the clamoring idiots surrounding him at the studio opening.
Kaiba yanked his office door intending for it to slam shut behind him, but Mokuba stopped it with his hand slapping flat on the door. He could feel Mokuba sending dirty looks towards him the rest of the time they were at the studio opening. No doubt he would be getting a lecture soon enough which would definitely make his migraine worse.
"What the hell was that?" Mokuba shouted, finally slamming the door shut.
Kaiba picked up the phone to make a call but before he could dial any digits, Mokuba pressed his hand over the receiver. "We're talking about this, brother."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Kaiba gritted out, his head protesting at the raised volume of voices.
"Don't know what-" Mokuba gaped. "That little stunt you just pulled! You just completely ignored her and then blatantly insulted her and her friend. What the hell is wrong with you?"
"I've insulted her plenty of times before. I'm not sure why this is any different. And she is, in fact, an employee. I hardly see how that's an insult." he snapped.
Mokuba ran a hand through his hair. "You and I both know she is not just an employee."
Kaiba flinched, Mokuba's words so close to the mantra he had been telling himself.
"It is different now," Mokuba continued to rant. "You two were becoming friends. I thought it was leading to something more. But, let me tell you, insulting her is not the way to win her affection."
"Enough with the matchmaking, Mokuba," Kaiba shouted, fist slamming on his desk. "There is nothing going on."
"Don't lie to me," Mokuba crossed his arms, "What happened at that dinner?"
Kaiba scoffed, willing himself not to act guilty. He rubbed the base of his skull to try to ease the jackhammering in his brain. "Nothing."
There was no need to tell his brother that he was a fucking liar because something had definitely happened at that dinner. He had lost control, their fight on the dancefloor sparking something inside him. He hadn't even realized what he was doing until he had her against the wall with his fingers buried inside of her. He hadn't been ready to face her on those front steps when she called out to him. If he had, he would've dragged her into the limo and fucked her till they were both hoarse. Distance seemed like a necessity at the time.
Thoughts of her, the feel of her, consumed him. When he got home that night, he jerked off to the thought of her twice, her scent still lingering on him, just to calm the hell down.
"Brother-"
"Mokuba," Kaiba exhaled loudly, "she's an employee. Even if I wanted something to happen, which I don't, I wouldn't be able to. Do you realize how much back-lash the company would get?"
Mokuba rolled his eyes. "That's a piss-poor excuse and you know it. Nobody cares who you're sleeping with."
"They'll care if I sleep with her."
"It's not uncommon to have office romances. If I wanted to date Mary-"
"You are pictured with a new socialite every week," Kaiba snapped, cutting off his brother. "It would hardly be surprising." At Mokuba's affronted look, Kaiba said, "I'm not chastising you. But, it's different."
"How?" Mokuba snapped, clearly frustrated.
"People will say that I'm either taking advantage of her while she's auditioning or I'm using her against Yugi. We've known each other for years, and then suddenly an article comes out that we're sleeping together right before auditions start? It's suspicious, Mokuba."
Mokuba waved his arms in exasperation. "So, we'll have some negative press. The company can handle this and so can the PR team."
"And what about her? They'll say she slept with me to get the job. Or worse. The rumors that she and Yugi are more than friends have been circulating for years. That interview made clear implications that there was some love triangle going on, and we've already seen the reactions to that."
Gardner may have been able to clinch a spot in the top 10 of the competitors, but that didn't mean she was out of the woods. Her photo had been one of the highest liked and reshared, but intrigue about what was going on behind the scenes still lingered. The whole interview put the spotlight right back on the question of their relationship. Valentine had informed him that a lot of people were asking questions and speculating about his relationship with her and how Yugi fit into all of it. It wouldn't take a lot for fans to switch from supporting her to destroying her.
Realization dawned on Mokuba's face. "You're protecting her."
"I'm trying to appeal to your common sense. We're a gaming company, our reputation rides on our tournaments, events, and our processes being completely fair."
"Seto, we could spin it. She's already garnered support from other duelists. Even Pegasus tweeted something! You and I both know that we would be able to come up with a way to tell people without damaging either of your reputations."
"You're not listening, Mokuba. What is your obsession with me and her?" Kaiba threw his hands in the air in frustration. "There are plenty of other woman in the world that I could fuck that would be a lot less complicated."
Mokuba scowled, arms crossing over his chest. "Is that what you want? To just meet some random woman for a quick fuck?"
"It's a bit hypocritical of you to judge," Kaiba pointed out.
His brother's scowl deepened.
"I wouldn't if that was what you actually wanted. But, I know you, Seto. I see the way you look at her," he finished softly. "Big bro, you have never cared about what people think. And you have always gone after what you wanted. Why are you stopping now?"
"I care about my company. I'm protecting it."
"And giving up your shot with Téa."
"There's nothing to give up on," Kaiba snapped again.
"Fine," Mokuba conceded with sarcasm, "there's nothing going on between you two." He lifted his hands, his tone making it clear that he didn't believe a word Kaiba was saying. And he was absolutely right not to believe him. Kaiba hated that his brother was so observant sometimes. "That still does not mean that you get to treat her like shit. You owe her an apology."
"Like hell I do."
"Yes, you do." Mokuba pushed. "You don't want to take your shot with her? Fine. But you do not get to act like an asshole just because you're too stubborn to admit that you like her."
"Get out."
"Gladly."
Mokuba stormed from the room, the slamming door causing another burst of pain behind his eyelids. Kaiba groaned as collapsed into his chair, reaching for the prescription pill bottles he kept in his office. He knew he should've taken some sooner.
Stupid Gardner. Between her photo of her in the official uniform and that little outfit of hers today was giving him whole new fantasies. There was just something about seeing her wearing his company's logo that brought up some baser side of him. It had taken everything in him to not drag her out of the studio just so he could taste her again.
He needed to stop thinking of her in that way. Everything had gotten out of control.
She's just another employee, he told himself. Mokuba's earlier words echoed back in his head.
He had been rude, but so what? He swallowed the pills, gulping down some water to wash them down. He was Seto Kaiba. He could do what he wanted. Mokuba was being ridiculous. He didn't even remember the last time he apologized to someone.
"Sir," Jessica's voice came through his intercom. "Your three o'clock meeting is here."
"Send him in."