Her lips throbbed from the strange new exercise Malik had put the through.
Nekomi paced slowly down the cold, dark streets. After Malik had kissed
her, she had sat on her bed a minute, reflective. Was Malik honestly just
toying with her? She had seen him do this kind of thing before... always
before he asked her to do something. Curse him for being un-readable!
Though this time, he didn't want anything... did he? Except the whole duel
disk thing... Did that count?
So she was on her way to Yugi Moto's house. Again.
The white flowing dress had stayed, Nekomi had decided it gave her an innocent look. And in soft light like the lampposts down the street, she glowed.
The silhouette of Yugi in the second story window paused and turned. He saw her. Fool, she thought, you are head over heels and I'm just using you. Nekomi turned and started down the street again towards the close by lake.
"Wait up!" Yugi called softly, but urgently.
Her footsteps faltered decisively, but she did not speak, only led him as he eagerly followed. Their steps fell together, Yugi matching her stride easily. As they walked he stole glances at her, trying to decipher what she wanted, where they were going. Her eyes had a mysterious look in them.
"The... lake?" They took seats on the soft grass, side by side.
Nekomi glanced at the star-struck waters for a moment. "He's after me again Yugi."
That got his attention. This was no stroll in the park, which explained the look in her eyes, and the fear on her face. She was in danger. And what's more, she was coming to him for help! "Seto?"
Tear time. She buried her head in his chest and he put his arms around her, not just for her own comfort. "I'm afraid he'll come after me... my cousin and I... we live alone and-!"
"Shh. I'll take care of you," he murmured. She could stay with him, for the time being at least. But once the whole deal with Kaiba was sorted out, would he be able to let her go? And would she even agree to stay with him? But... she HAD come to him... "Come stay with me, Nekomi."
Silent tears still streamed down her face, but she looked surprised. You're missing the point, she thought, flustered. "I c-can't endanger you, Yugi."
He pulled her close, and for the second time that night she found herself drawn into a male's passionate embrace. Yugi kissed her fiercely once, then pulled away slightly. "Never think twice about it." His breath came heavier, from lack of air and his own excitement.
Nekomi breathed just as hard, holding back sobs with visible effort. She longed for Malik's soft touch once again, her mind drifting to earlier that night and how her heart had flip-flopped, but still she did not pull away from his shower of kisses. His lips played softly against her skin, her hands stroked his back lightly. Their lips met once more, softer this time. Yugi ran his tongue along her lower-lip, mockingly asking for entrance.
She pulled back, fear in her eyes again. "Not now," she whispered, getting to her feet.
Yugi sighed, still on a natural high from kissing her. "Is there anything you need to-?"
"I'll be back tomorrow morning-."
"You said he was after you," Yugi argued, lovingly, "Kaiba is not one to laze around about things like this. Come with me tonight. We can fetch your things in the morning. Together." He kissed her lightly, persuasively and turned her towards his house.
Good thing I had Malik send my things with Matrome earlier, she thought, but I didn't quite expect things to turn out this way. Still, the change wasn't all that un-welcome. Nekomi smiled and let Yugi lead her back the way they came, stealing one last glance at the lake.
------------------------------------------------------------
Nekomi lay awake on Yugi's bed. She had tried to persuade him to let her sleep on the couch, but after denying to sleep in the same bed with him, he offered her his bed. And refused to hear of it being any other way.
The sheets were silken and welcoming, Yugi's goodnight kiss more welcome, but she couldn't keep her thoughts off Malik. Here she was, with a man tripping over himself to do whatever she asked, and where were her thoughts? On the man that made her so angry sometimes that she couldn't breathe. He'd totally ignore her one-minute, then coax her to do whatever he wished the next. He was rude. Arrogant. And she loved him. She regretted taking Yugi's offer. How long would she have to stay with him... It wasn't the 'with him' part that bothered her, it was the 'away from Malik' part.
But it was for the best.
Right?
She had never let him know what was going on. How would she get word to him that she wasn't returning? Perhaps the lack of her presence would clue him in. He deserved to be knocked off his high horse and this was the way to do it!
She re-played the events from earlier that night, for what seemed like the thousandth time, though she never got sick of remembering the way she felt at that moment. The way his arms held her. The way their hearts played off each other, beating so loud, all other sound was thrust into the distance. Just remembering, she felt as though she could not breathe.
It took a moment to recognize the feeling. Pure and simple love. Or was it just lust?
But when Yugi had offered to share her bed, she hadn't jumped. In fact, the offer had the opposite effect. She wished for Malik. With all of her soul she knew that she belonged with him. It was verging on being too painful for her to endure another moment away from him.
Tomorrow, she decided. Tomorrow she'd awake before Yugi and set out once again, back to Malik's lair. Back to her man. Back to the man her heart had chosen from the moment she had first laid eyes on him.
So she was on her way to Yugi Moto's house. Again.
The white flowing dress had stayed, Nekomi had decided it gave her an innocent look. And in soft light like the lampposts down the street, she glowed.
The silhouette of Yugi in the second story window paused and turned. He saw her. Fool, she thought, you are head over heels and I'm just using you. Nekomi turned and started down the street again towards the close by lake.
"Wait up!" Yugi called softly, but urgently.
Her footsteps faltered decisively, but she did not speak, only led him as he eagerly followed. Their steps fell together, Yugi matching her stride easily. As they walked he stole glances at her, trying to decipher what she wanted, where they were going. Her eyes had a mysterious look in them.
"The... lake?" They took seats on the soft grass, side by side.
Nekomi glanced at the star-struck waters for a moment. "He's after me again Yugi."
That got his attention. This was no stroll in the park, which explained the look in her eyes, and the fear on her face. She was in danger. And what's more, she was coming to him for help! "Seto?"
Tear time. She buried her head in his chest and he put his arms around her, not just for her own comfort. "I'm afraid he'll come after me... my cousin and I... we live alone and-!"
"Shh. I'll take care of you," he murmured. She could stay with him, for the time being at least. But once the whole deal with Kaiba was sorted out, would he be able to let her go? And would she even agree to stay with him? But... she HAD come to him... "Come stay with me, Nekomi."
Silent tears still streamed down her face, but she looked surprised. You're missing the point, she thought, flustered. "I c-can't endanger you, Yugi."
He pulled her close, and for the second time that night she found herself drawn into a male's passionate embrace. Yugi kissed her fiercely once, then pulled away slightly. "Never think twice about it." His breath came heavier, from lack of air and his own excitement.
Nekomi breathed just as hard, holding back sobs with visible effort. She longed for Malik's soft touch once again, her mind drifting to earlier that night and how her heart had flip-flopped, but still she did not pull away from his shower of kisses. His lips played softly against her skin, her hands stroked his back lightly. Their lips met once more, softer this time. Yugi ran his tongue along her lower-lip, mockingly asking for entrance.
She pulled back, fear in her eyes again. "Not now," she whispered, getting to her feet.
Yugi sighed, still on a natural high from kissing her. "Is there anything you need to-?"
"I'll be back tomorrow morning-."
"You said he was after you," Yugi argued, lovingly, "Kaiba is not one to laze around about things like this. Come with me tonight. We can fetch your things in the morning. Together." He kissed her lightly, persuasively and turned her towards his house.
Good thing I had Malik send my things with Matrome earlier, she thought, but I didn't quite expect things to turn out this way. Still, the change wasn't all that un-welcome. Nekomi smiled and let Yugi lead her back the way they came, stealing one last glance at the lake.
------------------------------------------------------------
Nekomi lay awake on Yugi's bed. She had tried to persuade him to let her sleep on the couch, but after denying to sleep in the same bed with him, he offered her his bed. And refused to hear of it being any other way.
The sheets were silken and welcoming, Yugi's goodnight kiss more welcome, but she couldn't keep her thoughts off Malik. Here she was, with a man tripping over himself to do whatever she asked, and where were her thoughts? On the man that made her so angry sometimes that she couldn't breathe. He'd totally ignore her one-minute, then coax her to do whatever he wished the next. He was rude. Arrogant. And she loved him. She regretted taking Yugi's offer. How long would she have to stay with him... It wasn't the 'with him' part that bothered her, it was the 'away from Malik' part.
But it was for the best.
Right?
She had never let him know what was going on. How would she get word to him that she wasn't returning? Perhaps the lack of her presence would clue him in. He deserved to be knocked off his high horse and this was the way to do it!
She re-played the events from earlier that night, for what seemed like the thousandth time, though she never got sick of remembering the way she felt at that moment. The way his arms held her. The way their hearts played off each other, beating so loud, all other sound was thrust into the distance. Just remembering, she felt as though she could not breathe.
It took a moment to recognize the feeling. Pure and simple love. Or was it just lust?
But when Yugi had offered to share her bed, she hadn't jumped. In fact, the offer had the opposite effect. She wished for Malik. With all of her soul she knew that she belonged with him. It was verging on being too painful for her to endure another moment away from him.
Tomorrow, she decided. Tomorrow she'd awake before Yugi and set out once again, back to Malik's lair. Back to her man. Back to the man her heart had chosen from the moment she had first laid eyes on him.