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.
AUTHOR'S NOTE 1: This is the last chapter in this story, although, as I explained to D Human in chapter 3 of 'Interview with an Authoress', the story is finished but not exactly complete. There is going to be a sequel and I suspect that there might be a companion story or two as well. By the way, for anyone wondering about the jumping from one thing to another and the loose ends that don't get tied up, as I said in 'Interview', it's intentional. This story was intended to be a collection of scenes that gave a glimpse into a much more complicated sequence of events. Whether or not I've succeeded, I'll leave up to you to decide.
AUTHOR'S NOTE 2: There is one more chapter, a special one. It's intended as a thank-you to everyone for reading this, rather than a continuation of this story.
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Part 20: Téa and Seto
By Shadow's Mirror
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"I'm really sorry, Yugi. Will… will you be okay?" Téa gripped the phone cord tightly, unconsciously mangling it as she listened to the husky voice on the other end of the line.
"Don't worry Téa. I'll be fine." Yugi's voice was completely without its usual enthusiasm. He sounded miserable and Téa was certain she heard him sniff a few times. Her heart ached for him.
"I wish it didn't have to be this way." Téa was almost in tears, but she tried to sound like she wasn't. Yugi was feeling bad enough. He didn't need to know how upset she was. Or how guilty she felt.
"It's probably best." Yugi's voice gave out on the last word. He coughed and sounded strained as he added, "I… I'd better go." Before he put the phone down on his end, Téa was positive that she heard him sniff again. She slowly put the phone down.
"Oh, Yugi…" She just stood there for a few moments, trying not to cry. She knew what she had to do and she had to do it now. She couldn't afford tears. After taking a few deep breaths to calm her racing heart, Téa picked up the phone again and dialed a number. "Hello, could I speak to Seto Kaiba please?"
"Where is he?" Téa paced up and down restlessly, her anxious eyes scanning both directions relentlessly. "He promised he'd meet me here at nine. It's already…" she checked her watch for the tenth time in five minutes, "ten past!" She resumed her pacing, her speed increasing as she grew more frantic. "Oh… what if he doesn't come?" Téa suddenly froze, her mind filling with all the possible scenarios, none of them good. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all…"
"Talking to yourself?" Seto Kaiba's voice came from behind Téa, causing her to jump. She whirled around, one hand instinctively going to her chest as though she could physically make her erratic heartbeat calm down again.
"Oh! Seto! I was beginning to think you weren't coming." Téa breathed a sigh of relief.
"I said I would be here, didn't I?" Seto frowned at her and Téa shifted slightly under the stern gaze.
"Well, yes… but…" She stammered to a stop when his frown only deepened.
"When I say I'll do something, I'll do it. Shall we?" Seto stepped past her and opened the door, gesturing for her to go ahead of him. Téa took a deep breath, gathered all of the poise that had abandoned her during her nervous wait, and forced herself to obey him.
'Courage. I just need to have courage. I can do this. I know I can do this. Yugi… No! I mustn't think about Yugi. Not now. There's too much at stake. My whole future depends on this.' Téa took a deep breath and looked straight into Seto Kaiba's brilliant blue eyes. Her face softened, her brown eyes shimmering with unshed tears as she softly spoke the words that she'd wanted to say to him for longer than she cared to remember. "I love you."
"I know." Seto shifted slightly, drawing her more closely into his one-armed embrace. His other arm rose, his hand lightly caressing her cheek as he looked deeply into her eyes. "I have a confession to make. I love you too." He barely whispered the words, but it was enough. Téa heard him.
"Oh…" Her lips parted on a soft sigh and she allowed herself to lean into his warmth, her head tilting up so their gazes still met. She searched his expression. "Do you really mean that?" she asked softly.
"Yes." Seto slowly began to lean down, his face moving gradually towards hers until they were barely an inch apart. "I really do." Téa felt the words warm against her lips as he whispered them.
The harsh jangling of the bell echoed through the room, resulting in a wave of noise and chaos.
"Pack up quietly now class!" Miss Ridgemont clapped her hands and then sent a quick smile over to Téa and Seto, too distracted to notice that they were still in each other's arms. "Téa, that was excellent work! You've earned yourself an A for that wonderful performance!" She beamed and managed to look directly at Seto for a full second. "Seto, thank you so much for your assistance! It was very good of you to step in and replace poor Yugi. Of all the times for him to get ill…"
She shook her head, as though it had been Yugi's fault that he had woken up that morning weak and feverish with a terrible cold. He'd been so ill that Téa had found it difficult to understand him when he'd called her that morning to let her know that he couldn't make it to school to do their play. Fortunately, Téa had managed to come up with a back-up plan.
"Please, don't mention it." Seto's voice was polite, but the coolness of his eyes added the word 'ever' to the end of his sentence. As usual though, Miss Ridgemont was too distracted to notice. She bustled out of the room without even noticing that Seto was still holding Téa, refusing to let her leave.
"Téa…" Seto leaned in close, his lips to Téa's ear, his voice barely above a whisper. "I kept up my side of the deal. Now it's your turn." He felt her go still in his hold.
"Just say when and where, Seto." At Téa's soft confirmation, Seto released her and moved to the door.
"I expect every copy of that infernal song on my desk by tomorrow morning." He paused in the doorway, but didn't look back. "And I mean every copy!"
Téa nodded, then smiled slightly. "Are we still on for tonight?"
Seto Kaiba glanced back at Téa and suddenly smirked. "My place at seven. Don't be late."
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