"Okay everybody. this is my place. It's a little messy, but I've been out
of town, so be kind with the criticisms, okay?" Serene laughed.
"Anybody who even opens their mouth to complain is going to get clobbered, get it?" Joey warned.
Serenity smiled at her brother and her best friend as the five of them entered Serene's small uptown apartment. Turning on the light, Tea helped her with her bags as the women separated from the men to admire the apartment together, It was small but comfortable, sparsely decorated with a fireplace. The green floral couch with the red chenille throw draped across beckoned visitors to sit, and Joey touched the floral arrangement in the center of the coffee table to see if they were real.
"Yes, they're real. I usually get them as thank you gifts from my clients. I'm not particularly fond of live flowers, but I feel as though it's rude to refuse." Serene said.
"I may have to stop by to see how skilled you are as a masseuse. Serene. Plane rides tend to make me nervous." Serenity said.
"Get in line. I have first dibs on this beautiful lady's talented hands." Joey said.
Serene blushed. "Joey, you're embarrassing me. Stop." she said.
He grinned. "Just speaking from the heart. I can't help how I feel, but if you really need it, I guess I can wait second in line." he said.
Serenity playfully smacked him in the arm. "Thanks a lot, big brother. Don't monopolize my best friend the whole time we're here. I still have some secrets to tell her about you." she said.
"It's cool. The two of you can catch up tonight while Yugi and I go over to the dance academy to enroll Tea. Just don't tell her so much that there's no mystery left about me." Joey said.
Serenity laughed. "Oh Joey, you know you've always been an open book." she told him.
"And a fascinating read too, I would hope. I'll see you later, Serene. See ya, sis." Joey said.
The two women waved goodbye to the trio, sharing a laugh between them.
"Okay. Now that they're gone, what do you want to do?" Serenity asked.
Serene smiled. "Girl talk, of course! I'll pull out my most comfortable sweats and warm sweaters, and start the tea kettle to make us some hot chocolate." she said.
"Great!" Serenity agreed, looking forward to spending time with her best friend.
Seto frowned at his squirming brother, forcing him to sit still while he helped him run a brush through his always unruly long mane of raven black hair. He had always worn his hair shoulder length himself, but kept it neat and not anything like Mokuba's wild, untamed hair. Mokuba frowned back at his brother.
"I don't how I allowed you to talk me into meeting with this girl again. I'm too nervous for this, Seto. Now I can understand why you had such problems talking to Serenity before." Mokuba said.
Seto stiffened at the mention of her name. "Yes. I'd admit that sometimes it's not easy to talk to some people, but if you like her as much as you say you do, I'm sure you'll find the words." Seto said.
"Serenity told me at the wedding that the reason she and her family were there was because their eldest daughter was a client of their organization. She didn't even know that Angelique was the heiress to the fortune of the late Jonathon Forrester. You remember, that toy manufactor in the states?" Mokuba asked.
"I remember. Her father and I were business rivals for many years, and still maintain that through his corporation. If his family is as successful as you say, then a marriage between the two of you down the road may prove lucrative for both them and Kaiba Corp." Seto said.
Mokuba laughed. "I'm way too young to be thinking about getting married, big brother, but I agree with you. Our companies could benefit from a merger." he said.
Seto smiled. He was glad that his brother had been able to maintain his innocence, while still maintaining his business sense. He had lost his own during their childhood years beneath the strict upbringing of their stepfather, and used all the resentment and hatred he had built up towards him to establish Kaiba Corp. as the company it was now and to steer his and Mokuba's lives in the right direction. He was admired in the business world for his ruthlessness and determination, the youngest corporation owner ever, and he knew if anything ever happened to him, that his brother would more than fill his shoes.
"You never told me if you had plans tonight, Seto." Mokuba said.
"Actually, I do. I was going to go into downtown and have an early dinner and call it a night. Serenity and I have a mutual meeting with some investors in the next couple days and I'd like some time to prepare." Seto said.
"Big brother, I know it's been a long time since the two of you were together, but do you still have feelings for her?" Mokuba asked.
Seto stared at him for a moment before he answered. "You should know by now that I don't live in the past, Mokuba. She's gone on with her life and so have I. What's important is mine and yours future, little brother." he told him.
Mokuba nodded in agreement, satisfied with his answer, leaving the room to finish preparing for his date. It may be true that I may never get over being with Serenity, but maybe the lovely Serene would be helpful in making him forget...
Feeling slightly like a third wheel but okay with that, Joey followed Tea and Yugi up the stairs into the larger than life dance academy that could almost second for either an art museum or a symphony hall.
"I'm almost afraid to talk in here." Joey whispered.
Yugi squeezed Tea's hand in his, her smiling down at him as they admired their surroundings. "I know what you mean. It's almost like being in a church." Yugi laughed.
"The brochure from this place never prepared me for all this. This is awe- inspiring, it really puts you in a creative mood." Tea commented.
"I'm sure your fellow students will be impressed by the routines you've put together, Tea." Yugi said.
He knew he had been. After performing the routines for him the first time, he had been so enthralled by her grace and beauty that he could hardly wait to be alone with her. Even his older self, the centuries old pharaoh, had been curious and the pair had been able to compare notes on how creative she was in other ways.
He didn't mind sharing her with his other self, since both sides were basically him anyway, Yama with the more aggressive nature, he with the softer side. Yugi was sure there were secrets about Tea that they each kept from each other and just being able to be close to her was good enough for him. Their love for each other was constant and true, and their bond as friends even stronger.
"That reminds me. Serenity mentioned something about checking out this karaoke bar downtown tonight. We can meet you back at her place if you want to take some time to get ready. You may even get to hear your sister and Serene gossip about you." Yugi said.
Joey grinned. "That would be fine, to see if they really are talking about me...okay. I'll see you two later." Joey said.
"Anybody who even opens their mouth to complain is going to get clobbered, get it?" Joey warned.
Serenity smiled at her brother and her best friend as the five of them entered Serene's small uptown apartment. Turning on the light, Tea helped her with her bags as the women separated from the men to admire the apartment together, It was small but comfortable, sparsely decorated with a fireplace. The green floral couch with the red chenille throw draped across beckoned visitors to sit, and Joey touched the floral arrangement in the center of the coffee table to see if they were real.
"Yes, they're real. I usually get them as thank you gifts from my clients. I'm not particularly fond of live flowers, but I feel as though it's rude to refuse." Serene said.
"I may have to stop by to see how skilled you are as a masseuse. Serene. Plane rides tend to make me nervous." Serenity said.
"Get in line. I have first dibs on this beautiful lady's talented hands." Joey said.
Serene blushed. "Joey, you're embarrassing me. Stop." she said.
He grinned. "Just speaking from the heart. I can't help how I feel, but if you really need it, I guess I can wait second in line." he said.
Serenity playfully smacked him in the arm. "Thanks a lot, big brother. Don't monopolize my best friend the whole time we're here. I still have some secrets to tell her about you." she said.
"It's cool. The two of you can catch up tonight while Yugi and I go over to the dance academy to enroll Tea. Just don't tell her so much that there's no mystery left about me." Joey said.
Serenity laughed. "Oh Joey, you know you've always been an open book." she told him.
"And a fascinating read too, I would hope. I'll see you later, Serene. See ya, sis." Joey said.
The two women waved goodbye to the trio, sharing a laugh between them.
"Okay. Now that they're gone, what do you want to do?" Serenity asked.
Serene smiled. "Girl talk, of course! I'll pull out my most comfortable sweats and warm sweaters, and start the tea kettle to make us some hot chocolate." she said.
"Great!" Serenity agreed, looking forward to spending time with her best friend.
Seto frowned at his squirming brother, forcing him to sit still while he helped him run a brush through his always unruly long mane of raven black hair. He had always worn his hair shoulder length himself, but kept it neat and not anything like Mokuba's wild, untamed hair. Mokuba frowned back at his brother.
"I don't how I allowed you to talk me into meeting with this girl again. I'm too nervous for this, Seto. Now I can understand why you had such problems talking to Serenity before." Mokuba said.
Seto stiffened at the mention of her name. "Yes. I'd admit that sometimes it's not easy to talk to some people, but if you like her as much as you say you do, I'm sure you'll find the words." Seto said.
"Serenity told me at the wedding that the reason she and her family were there was because their eldest daughter was a client of their organization. She didn't even know that Angelique was the heiress to the fortune of the late Jonathon Forrester. You remember, that toy manufactor in the states?" Mokuba asked.
"I remember. Her father and I were business rivals for many years, and still maintain that through his corporation. If his family is as successful as you say, then a marriage between the two of you down the road may prove lucrative for both them and Kaiba Corp." Seto said.
Mokuba laughed. "I'm way too young to be thinking about getting married, big brother, but I agree with you. Our companies could benefit from a merger." he said.
Seto smiled. He was glad that his brother had been able to maintain his innocence, while still maintaining his business sense. He had lost his own during their childhood years beneath the strict upbringing of their stepfather, and used all the resentment and hatred he had built up towards him to establish Kaiba Corp. as the company it was now and to steer his and Mokuba's lives in the right direction. He was admired in the business world for his ruthlessness and determination, the youngest corporation owner ever, and he knew if anything ever happened to him, that his brother would more than fill his shoes.
"You never told me if you had plans tonight, Seto." Mokuba said.
"Actually, I do. I was going to go into downtown and have an early dinner and call it a night. Serenity and I have a mutual meeting with some investors in the next couple days and I'd like some time to prepare." Seto said.
"Big brother, I know it's been a long time since the two of you were together, but do you still have feelings for her?" Mokuba asked.
Seto stared at him for a moment before he answered. "You should know by now that I don't live in the past, Mokuba. She's gone on with her life and so have I. What's important is mine and yours future, little brother." he told him.
Mokuba nodded in agreement, satisfied with his answer, leaving the room to finish preparing for his date. It may be true that I may never get over being with Serenity, but maybe the lovely Serene would be helpful in making him forget...
Feeling slightly like a third wheel but okay with that, Joey followed Tea and Yugi up the stairs into the larger than life dance academy that could almost second for either an art museum or a symphony hall.
"I'm almost afraid to talk in here." Joey whispered.
Yugi squeezed Tea's hand in his, her smiling down at him as they admired their surroundings. "I know what you mean. It's almost like being in a church." Yugi laughed.
"The brochure from this place never prepared me for all this. This is awe- inspiring, it really puts you in a creative mood." Tea commented.
"I'm sure your fellow students will be impressed by the routines you've put together, Tea." Yugi said.
He knew he had been. After performing the routines for him the first time, he had been so enthralled by her grace and beauty that he could hardly wait to be alone with her. Even his older self, the centuries old pharaoh, had been curious and the pair had been able to compare notes on how creative she was in other ways.
He didn't mind sharing her with his other self, since both sides were basically him anyway, Yama with the more aggressive nature, he with the softer side. Yugi was sure there were secrets about Tea that they each kept from each other and just being able to be close to her was good enough for him. Their love for each other was constant and true, and their bond as friends even stronger.
"That reminds me. Serenity mentioned something about checking out this karaoke bar downtown tonight. We can meet you back at her place if you want to take some time to get ready. You may even get to hear your sister and Serene gossip about you." Yugi said.
Joey grinned. "That would be fine, to see if they really are talking about me...okay. I'll see you two later." Joey said.