DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fanfiction produced for entertainment purposes only. Yu-Gi-Oh! and all related characters are the creations of Kazuki Takahashi.
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Part 4: Seto and Téa
By Shadow's Mirror
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"This had better be good. You have five minutes. I suggest that you don't waste it." Kaiba strode down the stairs and across the hall to where Téa stood just inside the front door. He stopped a few feet away from her and crossed his arms, glaring at the annoying girl who had dared disturb him.
"I'm here to talk to you about Joey." Téa shifted uneasily underneath his disapproving gaze.
"Then you're an even bigger fool than I thought you were and you won't need to waste any more of my time. You can see yourself out." Kaiba turned to leave, and suddenly found himself facing a disturbingly determined female who had somehow managed to dart around him and into his path.
"No! I'm not leaving! Not until you hear what I have to say!" Téa refused to let Kaiba's lack of manners distract her from her goal. She wouldn't back down until Kaiba listened to her!
"Don't waste your breath, little girl. There is nothing you have to say that could possibly interest me. Especially if it has anything to do with that annoying puppy." Kaiba sneered at Téa and tried to move around her, but she simply pushed her way in front of him again and refused to let him pass.
"That's exactly why I'm here!" Téa put her hands on her hips and frowned up into Kaiba's hard blue eyes. Her own eyes gleamed with determined and passionate fire. "You always do that! Every time his name is mentioned, you get all dismissive and even more arrogant than usual! What I want to know is, why do you do that, Kaiba? If Joey's really so meaningless, then why do you fight so hard to trivialise everything he does? We all know how much you resent Yugi, but you don't treat him anywhere near as badly as you treat Joey! It doesn't make sense!"
"Is that what you wanted to say? To tell me that I should be treating little Yugi the same way I treat that Wheeler kid? Fine. I will. Now that that's settled…" Kaiba shrugged and tried to force his way past her again. Téa still refused to move and he was startled when she suddenly growled at him.
"That's not what I meant at all, Seto Kaiba, and you know it!" She was now glaring at him and Kaiba unwillingly backed off a step. He'd never seen her so angry. He'd seen her passionately defend one of her group before, oh yes, but not like this. She was really furious. At him. Kaiba was suddenly nervous, although he wasn't entirely certain why. He tried to cover up his uncertainty with his usual arrogant sneer, accompanied by a witty comment.
"Do I? Well why don't you tell me anyway? Not that you need an invitation to, I'm sure…" His witty comment was rather less witty than usual. In fact… it was rather lame. He winced inwardly.
"I think you're afraid of him." Kaiba didn't know which infuriated him more, Téa's calm comment or the smug smile that accompanied it. Either way, there was no way he was letting the insult pass.
"Me? Afraid of that ignorant whelp? Don't make me laugh!" He glared at her, eyes flashing in fury.
"I think you're afraid because you know, deep down inside, that Joey has something that you'll never have. Something that gives him an edge over you whenever he battles." Téa was in her element now and an odd change had come over her. She was suddenly completely calm and totally serious, staring up at Kaiba without a trace of fear or intimidation. Her unwavering belief in what she was saying shone in her eyes, their gaze making Kaiba feel very uneasy. He tried to sneer and found himself barely able to manage a half-convincing grimace. Still, he tried to brush her off.
"Oh please. Not more of that stupid magic nonsense again…" he scoffed at her, but Téa still looked up at him with the same oddly calm half-smile on her face.
"No. Not magic. At least, not in the sense you mean. I mean the power of…" Téa's smile became almost radiant and Kaiba froze in horror as he suddenly realised what she was talking about.
"No! Don't say it! I will not have that word spoken in this house!" His words burst from him in a panic-induced growl that shocked him with its intensity almost as much as it shocked Téa.
"Huh? What word?" Téa blinked at Kaiba, stunned at the change that had suddenly come over the normally quiet young man. His eyes burned into hers as he snarled.
"… You know what word. The one you and the others use at the drop of a hat." Téa blinked again, looking confused. Kaiba clenched his hands into fists. "The 'F' word!" he finally growled out.
"The… Kaiba… you can't be serious!" Téa's eyes widened and she stared at him in shock.
"I am!" Kaiba crossed his arms again, still glaring at her. "It's bad enough that I have to put up with it whenever I encounter you and the others, but I draw the line at having it spoken in my own home!"
"Fine. I won't say it…" Kaiba relaxed for just a moment before Téa continued. "As long as you promise to treat Joey more nicely from now on!" She smiled triumphantly.
"What?" Kaiba blinked at her in shock. "You can't honestly expect such a pathetic attempt at blackmail to actually work…" He knew he had said the wrong thing the moment he said it. Téa frowned and opened her mouth. Kaiba only had a moment in which to react.
"Frien…mmphhh!" Kaiba covered her mouth just as she started to say the hated word, 'Friendship'. A startled gasp came from the top of the stairs.
"Uh… big brother… Why are you kissing Téa?"
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