****Tea's POV*****
The next morning, in home economics class, Mrs. Wai had a surprise. "Well, I read all the worksheets you've turned in. Some were very interesting. Very interesting. Right, Mr. Kaiba?" she said, weaving around her desk towards his.
Everyone snuck a look at him, he was typing on his blue-grey laptop, not taking notice of anything around him. He said 'mm-hm' absently, eyes glued to his screen.
"You seem to believe in spare the rod, spoil the child theory?" she asked him, but was studying me. I put a disgruntled look on and studied the back of the kid in front of me, turning pink. "Mr. kaiba?" she said when he didn't look up.
"Correct." he said in his deep, monotone still not looking at her for a moment, then finally raising his eyes in a glare as if daring her to make fun of him any further. The silence rustled the trees outside.
"I see," said the teacher with a mischievous smile. She was usually didn't pick on us. "Well, I've got news. Instead of more worksheets to hand in-" the class cheered, "Part Two will be....this!" She bent under her table, reached, and slammed a cardboard box down. The flap fell open and a plastic doll fell out.
"Boo! Hiss! Dolls?!" the boys hissed. The girls cooed, "Oh, how cute!"
Personally, I thought the dolls were ugly, not cute. They were all pink, bald and naked save a white cloth diaper. They had those creepy eyes that shut when laying down and opened when sitting. They were about the size of a real baby.
"These are Maybe No Babies," explained the teacher with a sort of weird smirk. "They were made for young teenage wanna-be mothers from courts, to prevent the teenage pregnancy problem." I rolled my eyes discreetly. Greeat. "You and your partner will have to care for your 'children'. A computer chip is placed in each doll, which records everything you do to care for it, then gives you a grade for it." She went on to explain how every mishap and neglect would be tested and that they cried and fed and wet like a real baby. The class reaction was silent; the boys were in deep disgusted silence, the girls had starry, dreamy eyes. As for me.....
.....I snuck a look at Kaiba, to see his reaction; today he had sat next to me. Schwing! He wrinkled his nose like he just ate something sour and heaved a 'why me?!' sigh that blew his chestnut bangs up. I secretly agreed, there was something fishy about this whole thing, and faced front again, tucking a limp strand of my own hair around my ear.
"Come up with your partner, and I will tell you what you are congratulated with." The teacher donned on a hospital nurse white hat with a bright red cross on it. The class giggled and laughed. She stared going down the list. Most people had, 'It's a boy!' or 'It's a girl!' At the end, she called us.
"Mr. and Mrs. Kai-ba?" Mrs. Wai sang with this huge smile. And I used to think she was nice. I stumbled to the front, my head down, my skirt askew. Out of the corner of my eye, he saw him, walking slower than usual, a bit stiffly. His back must've still hurt him from the other day. I didn't raise my head until we faced the teacher. She paused agonizingly long.
"Congratulations! Twins!" she exclaimed, putting a baby with a blue hat in my arms and a baby with a pink hat to him. He took it reluctantly, his grip tightening. The class jeered and clapped in delight. It was sort of funny to see him holding the thing away by it's arm like it was a jellyfish. "Now, the 'recording' of your handling starts now," she said pointedly at him, "So it's best you don't hold it like that, or you're going to break it's arm." The class guffawed.
"I don't care," he hissed under his breath so only she could hear.
"If you want to pass this class and graduate, you will." She hissed right back, smiling slightly.
He had no choice; he cradled it in his arm instead, like a football player, and whirled back around to his seat, his shoes clicking sharp against the tile. I followed slowly back, deep in thought. Think of the positive things of this, I instructed myself. ..Well? When nothing came.
"But, Mrs. Wai, it's the senior/junior graduation trip this weekend," complained one. "How're we supposed to go AND do this work?"
"Well, I guess your babies'll get a fun ride," the teacher smiled cheerily. "Have a good weekend." The bell brringed. Everyone got up, talking and chatting. Serenity, Joey's baby sister, came over to me to chat awhile. She had gotten a boy, with Tristan as her partner; I'm sure he was in heaven.
I greeted her with a smile, and she said, "So are you going on the that trip? You're a junior, right?" I nodded, and set my doll down to put on my backbag. "I wish I was one, that amusement park sure sounds fun" she went on, patting her hair.
We started walking to the door to the cafeteria. "I don't know why Mrs. Wai only gave us twins to only us, " I said, complaining. "That's twice the work!"
She smiled, saying dreamily, "Well, Seto-sama sure must be fun to work with......"
So naïve, I thought cynically. "Well, least I'm not grounded any longer so I can go. I don't know how I'm supposed to with this though, " I said, holding it up. It stared at me with glassy green eyes. I sighed, as we sat down. The boys were talking about the big senior/junior trip. They both were juniors, save the twins.
"Here: twins for the twins," I quipped, showing them our boy dolls.
"Hey, you two got one too?" Yugi and Ryou said, showing theirs. Yugi had a pink hat doll (a girl) and so did Ryou too. He looked funny carrying it around. Joey took my boy doll.
"Hey these things sure are scary lookin'," he commented, poking it. "Attack of the Living Dolls!' " he and Tristan guffawed.
"Go poke your own demented kid," I said, snatching it back. Joey's messy doll had ketchup stains on it's diaper, already! I shuddered to think of it by the end of the week when we had to turn it in. All black with dog hairs sticking out and smudgy greasy black fingerprints, I'm sure. "So, Yami, are you going to the trip?" I asked him and he nodded, and I searched for something to say. "I don't know how I'm going to take this doll to my dance class next Tuesday," I shrugged helplessly.
Yami opened his mouth to make a helpful suggestion, but Joey beat him to it. "How about if ya take it wit ya to yo dance class?" he said, snatching my doll and making it dance across the tabletop, singing, "La da da, da dee." Yugi and Ryou sweat-dropped. I was about to give him a piece of my mind when a voice interrupted me.
"Mutt, put that down right now. if you cost me any deduction from my grade, you'll pay for it." A calm, tight voice. Kaiba had snuck up behind us in the noisy cafeteria as his camoflauge.
"What?! You mean you and Tea are partners?!" Joey said incredously and he gave my doll back. Everyone was; everyone knew how much I hated him, except for Serenity. And Yami.. he knows about my crush also! I hope he didn't tell....
"Brother, please," Serenity said, as he burst into loud laughing at the very thought. Kaiba ignored him and reached into his case.
"You take this," Kaiba pretty much threw his twin girl doll at me. "It won't stop crying, the blasted thing. Do something about it." He ordered, quite meanly. The girl's plastic face was twisted in pain and was bawling.
"Well for one, you're not supposed to stuff it in your briefcase!" I yelled, then looked down and checked it over. Not hungry, not wet... What could it be? I frowned up, scolding. "Got it?!"
"I can't be seen carrying it around; it'll ruin my reputation." He replied coolly, raising his chin and shifted his case from one hand to the other.
"Whee hee hee!" Joey giggled. "Kaiba carries dolls in his briefcases!" he taunted.
"Shut up, moron!" He grabbed Joey's' smudgy doll and banged it furiously hard on the edge of the tabletop in rage. It immediately started to cry, in loud, piercing wails.
Every other student turned around and said, "Ha-ha!" and turned back, whispering and gossiping. Joey's face turned into a mask of anger. Kaiba just sneered back.
Kaiba said over his shoulder as he left, "I'm surprised. It didn't yelp, dog-face." He left, sauntering off.
"Why ya---!" Tristan had to restrain him. Serenity said, "Oh, don't worry, big bro," She took up his crying baby doll, and rocked it gently, speaking soothingly. It gurgled happily and stared at her with big grey eyes.
I tried that, but not until I held both twins did Kaiba's girl-doll stop crying. "Hey look, when their together, they stop and are calm," I said happily while the others nodded back, noticing it. "That's pretty cool. Uh oh." I made a funny face, scrunching my nose and brows as a sudden thought occured.
"What, did it poo?" Ryou asked, his accent twisting it like his mouth was now. "Cause I think mine has, er diarrhea" Stuff was leaking out of his kid's diaper and into his lap. There was a loud scrape of metal chairs as everyone went back. "Excuse me, all." He said politely.
"Boy, they do make these as real as possible, don't they Yami?" Yugi commented, staring reverently at it. He always is fascinated by high technology..probably sees the doll a game. I figured.
"No." I said to Ryou's earlier question. "I have to return Kaiba's doll! I'm not gonna be stuck taking care of them BOTH!" I shot up out of my seat determinedly and stomped out. On the reflection of the cafeteria window, I saw them exchange glances. Their there-she-goes-again glances I thought, proudly sticking my chin up. Yup, that's me! So?!
*****
I found him getting stiffly in his always-shiny limousine outside the Domino High School. I stopped and slowed, knowing he was limping because he hurt himself yesterday and I felt a teensy guilty. And we still needed to finish the cooking part..Oy vey. How are we ever going to get past this.in one piece?
"What do want, Gardener." He said in a grumbling, absent voice that I was so used to hearing.
"Take your doll." I cut to the chase, thrusting it out to him with my best no nonsense look. The next thing I knew I was being thrown into the limo like a beanbag. "Hey!" I yelped in a high pitched voice, rubbing my arm. I tried to clamp my legs together since it was cramped and I was still wearing a skirt.
"Weren't you paying any attention earlier?!" he hissed very close near my face, so close I had to lean back. "I Don't want anybody knowing about these damned dolls!" I was shocked by his furious expression. And by the way his chest was close to my lap, but he still seemed eye level with me. Weird.
"W-well everyone already knows!" I tried to push him away, but my arms still held the dolls. In agitation, I was about to kick him off with my bare foot, since my sandal had fallen off when he threw me in. My once neat hair was everywhere, I tried to fix it back into place, basically looked as uncool as possible.
Fortunately, he moved away to the other side. I think he was embarrassed by the way he'd acted because he said in a lot calmer voice, "They only stop crying when together," he bit out, "so you take them both." At least, calmer for him.
I realized it was true; despite it all, they were sleeping peacefully. I lifted my gaze to him. "Then you take them both; I'm doing all the cooking part!"
"By your choice, idiot. I offered to help but you said you'd do all by yourself. So don't complain."
"I'm not! I just want you to do your half."
"No, you want to get revenge on me through humiliation. Everyone does."
Now that kind of self pity just grates on my nerves. I pressed my lips together and slowly counted to forty. I must've looked like a steaming kettle about to whistle as I did. Finally, I lifted my eyes to him when I felt calm and like myself again. The outdoor sunlight cast a shadow on his face from behind, but I could tell he was amused as he watched me with his arms folded and his legs crossed. [a/n he really does sit like that! O-o]
"Better?" he smirked.
"Yessss." I said grudgingly and had the impression he was about to burst out laughing at me. Instead, he just looked to his right at the driver, who was spying on us in the rearview mirror and closed that little window between the driver and the passenger.
I felt a sense of dread, like he planned to 'get rid' of me like in Mafia. I brushed the feeling aside. "I'm really trying to help you get this grade and graduate," I insisted, remembering what Mrs. Wai had said. His slight smile faded and he busied himself looking out the windows. I followed his gaze and realized the car was moving by the poles whizzing by. "Hey where are you taking me?!"
"To your doom." [a/n lol Kai made a joke O.o]
"Ha. Ha. Very funny, if it weren't coming from you," I muttered casting my glance away, referring to his notorious reputation of people disappearing mysteriously into thin air. "It better be my house...." He just shifted to a tiny built in computer by his wrist. A long silence passed, then I gathered up my courage. "W-what, uh....."
"Ask away, Gardener," he said sardonically when my confidence dropped. "We all know you're going to anyway."
"Okay, I will." I pretended not to take notice of his sarcasm. "What d-did you mean that my attitude needs fixing and my appearance at the library?" I held my breath, knowing I was setting myself up for a major ego bashing. When he didn't answer, I looked up at him, thinking he didn't hear me. His head was cocked to one side, like he was really considering it.
"First, of all," he began, like he was going to make a big speech, " the people you hang around are total losers, save for Yami. Get rid of them." My fist clenched tight into a ball, but I held myself back. You asked for this, didn't you? "Plus you talk nonstop. Period. . At all. " I opened my mouth and then closed it. "and that's only the beginning."
"Okay, okay." I growled. "Can we change the subject? Sorry I asked!" He shrugged like it was no big deal away. "Anway, " I went on,. "About the doll project. How about this. I take care of them for six days out of the week, and you only one. But I choose which day you have to. Okay?"
Kaiba considered, staring up at the ceiling and twisting his mouth in thought. "Okay. You have a bargain." I held out my outstretched hand and he took it. I felt a tingle that I hadn't felt before. I saw his gaze shift towards mine; he'd felt it too. There was a bit of a silence.
"Heh. Must be static electricity," I explained slowly, voice trembling from my heart jarring in my throat, rapidly beating.
"Riiiight." he replied slowly and disbelievingly. His hand slid up to my wrist. Rubbing around, the feeling was delish. "Then how come your pulse is pounding, hm?" he said softly.
"Because I'm, I don't know, alive?" I struggled. "Let go!"
"You really do have a crush," he said in a half fascinated, half disgusted way that irked me and stung my pride. A slow feral smile crept up his face. I could just hear what he was thinking:
How can I use this to my advantage?
I was silent, even htough I knew it would only confirm it. Out of one corner of my eye I saw him take a breath. He's about to say something, but what? I was too afraid to find out. Luckily, one of the babies started wailing; the girl-doll, which was his. He released me so I could check on her. I breathed again. "Here." I handed it to him.
"What?" he said looking at it like I held out a squid.
"You have to learn, don't you?" I pointed out. I ignored his cursing and instructed, "I just fed her so she must be you know, burped." I demonstrated with my boy doll. "The instructions say hold it like this-"
"Wait a minute." He reached up and pressed a button. All four of the tinted black windows came up, enclosing us. I sweatdropped.
"No one will believe it if they do happen to see us," I said sardonically.
"Just continue Gardener with your explanation."
So I explained. " Right above your shoulder.....right.... tilt it up.and pat on it's back.....gently," I emphasized. "But not too much or it'll-" Too late.
BRRRAP! White stuff started to pour out like a fountain.
He let out an expletive. "&#@% thing!!!" he shouted. "It threw up on me!!!" I forced to think of another more disgusting thing to keep from rolling around in laughter. He continued cursing, holding it an arm's length away. I managed through a tight mouth, "You can't swing it around like that, or it'll cost you deduction points."
He understood and took it gentler, still cursing underneath his breath. The girl doll opened her green glassy eyes and said in a mechanical voice:
"Da-da. Da-da. Da-da."
He froze, and this time I couldn't hold it back. "It inherited your voice, at least!" He scratched his jaw, scowling at me while I tucked my knees up to my chin, stifling my giggles unsuccessfully. My stomach hurt and I was gasping soon while he found some towels to wipe himself off.
"Stop laughing." He commanded but that just made it worse. I took ahold of my self control again and wiped my sweaty face off. The limo stopped with a bump, arriving at it's destination. "Take it, it's yours for now." He ordered.
I decided not to argue for once and took them both and slid out. I realized with a start that this wasn't my house; it was in front of my dance studio class. I looked at him with questioning eyes.
"Today is Tuesday, isn't it your classes on Tuesday?" he said then drove off before I could blink even once. I watched the vehicle roar down the street inot the distance, shocked he remembered. Surprised Kaiba had even paid attention ot what I said.
"Yes!" I called back, after his disappearance, kicking a pebble in the direction, "but now HOW am I supposed to get my dancing equipment from my house?!" I was still in my school uniform and my house was two miles away. Too late. Well. I guess he had GOOD instentions....
I GUESS.....
TBC
so howzat? haha kaiba's a papa! i think i made kaiba too meanie to tea, but it amuses me when dey fight. i don't usually cheer for da bad guy or anything, but i do cheer for im. anyway, so what'll ol' kai cook up with his knoweldge that tea like him? what will he scheme? maybe he likey he too-y? yah! He's such a mystery, eh? Heh. It's not as ez as he thinks it'll be ot take care of it...NOPE ^_^ so R&R!