Delicate by Sangha
Hope you still like it!
Chapter 5 – Shattered Hope
Kaiba's hand reached out to switch off his alarm clock. He groaned and wiped a hand across his face. He was lying on his bed and was still dressed. Remembering last night he knew why. He had come into his bedroom after leaving Serenity Wheeler in the kitchen and threw himself on the bed. Switching on his TV he tried to watch some silly action movie but his mind kept turning back to thoughts of the young auburn haired woman until he must have fallen asleep.
Serenity and he had met in his kitchen and suddenly a feeling of anger overcame him and he needed to get away from her. Anger because he was in turmoil within himself. Why couldn't he just stop these feelings towards his younger brother's girlfriend? This had to end soon. Kaiba sat up in bed and thought about how irritating last night's dream had been. It wouldn't help, so far he was sure.
The dream
Seto and Serenity were walking down the aisle and he gave her a smile full of love and devotion. She returned it, looking ever so beautiful within her bridal dress. Music was playing and in the audience Joey was waving at his sister, smiling proudly.
Kaiba should have guessed that it couldn't be real. Why would Wheeler smile proudly when Seto was walking with her down the aisle? But as it had been a dream Kaiba didn't realize.
Suddenly Seto stopped midway and couldn't walk on. As much as he tried he couldn't go further but the young woman did. Seto called out her name but no sound came out, no word was released through his lips. Joey kept on waving to his sister while she was going further until she approached the altar, where indeed Mokuba was waiting for her.
The penny dropped with Kaiba and his eyes narrowed. Joey was waving now at the two of them. Mokuba smiled happily waving back at him, and then he smiled at Seto and the rest of the audience till his gaze stopped at his bride who shone with love for the younger Kaiba. Seto's look shifted helplessly around.
Mai was winking at him as if she wanted to tell him 'you proud big brother'. Tea was crying like a baby and gazed with her two big blue eyes upon the tall brown haired as if to beg him 'marry me, marry me'. Tristan Taylor was clapping Mokuba's back and giving him the thumps up.
But Kaiba – he couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't do anything at all but to watch how his cute little brother got married to Serenity. In the middle of the wedding, during the ceremony even, that imitation of Yugi calling himself a pharaoh suddenly stood beside Seto and clapped his back. Startled the tall man turned to gaze at the smaller guy with that upside down pyramid around his neck.
'Seto, this is your fate.' He said in his most advising tone. 'You have to accept it.'
These words were too familiar to Kaiba to really care about them but Yugi wasn't finished.
'You only would have been second best. You have always been second best.'
Serenity was waving at Kaiba who was suddenly standing in an arena and the side opposite him was empty. People were everywhere cheering and clapping their hands when suddenly Pegasus appeared, announcing the winner of the championship. It was Yugi and next to him stood little Mokuba, still the kid he once had been. He was gazing up at Yugi and smiled happily.
Dream end
"Holy crap!" Seto muttered under his breath when he slowly headed for the bathroom.
What hell of a dream was that? If he believed in analyzing his dreams, he would have gone insane long time ago. Of course, it was crap that Serenity was with Mokuba because Seto would only have been second best but it was true compared to Yugi when it came to play Duel Monsters. Maybe it was similar, though. There was nothing, not even anything; Kaiba could buy to make him beat Yugi. He had tried and not given up but it was senseless.
Certainly there was nothing Seto could have done to make Serenity love him instead of Mokuba. The thought pained. How did he think about his own brother? It was ridiculous, actually. Kaiba hadn't even tried to make Serenity fall for him and that was possibly his only mistake. So what? She was with Mokuba now and that had absolutely nothing to do with being second best. If the fateful day should come and Mokuba would marry Serenity, then be it.
Kaiba chuckled at his reflection in the mirror. How crazy was he? What was he thinking? He was freaking about something that wasn't even relevant so far. Freaking because of a woman. But there was no need, was there? Today was now and he will see what tomorrow brings. He just needed to be strong and tough. That's what he had always been. It was always the best.
Leaving the bathroom Kaiba got dressed and headed downstairs. It was early, too early for Mokuba to stand up on a Sunday morning. That was good. So Kaiba would have enough time to drink a cup of coffee and watch the news on TV before he left. Even on Sundays he found enough work to do in his company and that, he didn't want to miss.
Successfully Tea had taken her mind off her problems with Yugi or Kaiba. Although she hadn't slept that long, she was ready to start the day and made herself a big breakfast. Freshly baked (former frozen) croissants, a huge glass of chocolate cream and a big cup of cappuccino was what she had eaten after she had showered and dressed herself in the most casual clothing she owned, pink cotton pants and a light green sweater.
During breakfast Tea watched some silly talk show where a woman confessed to her husband that he wasn't the father of their newborn baby daughter.
"That bitch…" The brown haired woman muttered and buttered another half croissant with chocolate cream. It was her fifth now.
Shaking her head still wondering about how cruel that woman was to her husband, Tea walked over to her kitchen counter and switched on the kettle once more for another cup of cappuccino before she sat down again, fastening her gaze at the small television screen. The man was crying by now over the oh so cute looking baby in its mother's hand who tried to apologize. She was telling her husband that she just had a fling; a mistake with the other man and that she only loved her husband.
That was the point where Tea could have vomited her whole breakfast and her face went pale. She wasn't even better than this bitch. Though she loved Yugi, she had had a fling with Kaiba. And it was back, this bad feeling in her stomach concerning her life. The ring of the bell slightly startled her and with an annoyed expression she went to open the door. Confused who might visit her on a Sunday morning she was surprised to find a familiar blond woman waiting in front of her door.
"Mai, hello." Tea said and led the blonde inside.
"Morning Tea." The tall grown woman smiled and winked. "I thought you'd be awake by now. Joey's under the car, again, the third time this week. That stupid thing keeps breaking down every other day!"
"Well," Tea chuckled softly and offered a smile. Mai was something else, that was clear but she could need a woman's talk. "Take a seat then. Would you like a cup of cappuccino?"
"Oh yeah. That would be gross." The blonde grinned and sat down at Tea's kitchen table, stealing one of the remaining croissants. "Were you expecting guests?"
"No, why?" The brown haired asked when she came back with the cappuccino and placed it in front of Mai. Seeing her friend's raised eyebrow towards the used items on the table, she was slightly embarrassed. "Oh you mean… well, no. I was just hungry."
"I see." Mai smiled and softened her voice. As much as she could penetrate with her voice, as soft she could speak if only she wanted to. "Tea, can I ask you something?"
The other woman slowly sat down as well and gazed at her concerned friend. "Well, yeah." She shrugged.
"What's up with you, darling? I'm worried about you and not even because you had a drinking session with Kaiba but most of all, you seem so thoughtful and sad. Last night you've been so quiet all the way home. Something's eating you up, Tea, and I've got no clue what and why." The older woman grabbed hold of Tea's hand and squeezed it comfortingly.
The younger woman just sighed. Would Mai understand what was wrong with her or would she just laugh at her? Mai had always been younger than her age but a woman with great life experience. Being with Joey for more than six years now had grown her to a close friend to Tea and the others. If someone was there Tea could talk to, then it probably was Mai.
"Do you remember what I've told you how I came home that night when I was drinking with Kaiba?" Carefully Tea began to look for a way to explain.
The blonde nodded, so the other woman continued. "I was lying. I didn't take a cab. Kaiba offered to bring me home in his limo." She stated calmly, avoiding Mai's violet-eyed gaze. "I'm sorry about lying to you and I understand if you're angry with me now."
Mai took a breath before she tried to say something. "Oh Tea, I'm not mad at you. Though I can't see why you've been lying about that. What's wrong with Kaiba driving you home?"
Suddenly the brown haired was overwhelmed by her feelings. Mai was so nice and a true friend and didn't even see a reason to be mad at her. But Tea had been so stupid and should have listened to Mai when she asked her to come back to her friends that night. Instead she went with Kaiba.
"That's not everything yet." Tea said with tears that stung behind her eyes and threatened to fall. "We… I asked him to come up with me." That was enough to make her burst out and give in to her tears that rolled freely down her cheeks now.
At first Mai didn't get it but it slowly dawned on her what Tea was trying to say and though her friend was shocked she reached out and took both of Tea's hands in her, stroking them comfortingly.
"It's okay, Tea." Mai tried to soothe her. "What did he do, that cruel bastard?"
Tea gazed up at Mai with a start, locking eyes. "Don't you understand, Mai? He did nothing. I was the one asking him."
"You were drunk, Tea."
"And so was he." The blue-eyed sighed. "I was stupid to do that and I know that. It had been wrong and a big mistake."
"And what does Kaiba think about it?"
"That's where the problem starts. He's obviously convinced that I want to be with him but he thinks of it as a mistake. That was probably the reason why he had left my apartment even before I woke up."
"He's a coward if you ask me." Mai couldn't help her statement.
"Maybe. I was trying to talk to him last night in Rainmen's but he refused. He doesn't want to talk about it. He just ignores it as if nothing's happened at all." Tea's voice slightly rose in anger.
"Wait a second. We all know how stubborn Kaiba is and his reaction doesn't surprise me, really. If you both think of it as a mistake why don't you just leave it? Why do you want to talk with him?" Mai was confused about it but she had once been younger and knew how things could go.
"Because for once, he was coward enough to run away after what's happened and now he's probably even thinking that would have been the only way to escape me! This is humiliating and I feel miserable. What if he even tells someone about this and praises himself even? I can't let that happen and that's why I've tried talking to him. That's when Yugi got to know about it." Tea slightly trembled having to talk about what had caused pain enough so far.
"Slow, Tea. Yugi? Yugi knows? You told him."
"No, I didn't tell him. I was running after Kaiba and tried to convince him that we needed to talk. That's when he mentioned how much fun we had and that it would have been a mistake and that I should get lost as far as I remember. I didn't realize that Yugi was behind me. He had heard everything!" She exclaimed sadly and hung her head low.
Mai gazed at her puzzled. "Stop Tea. Are you embarrassed because Yugi knows? He should be friend enough not to laugh at you. Or was he angry with Kaiba? I don't get it. What did Yugi do?"
"Nothing. That's just it. He did nothing. He was staring at me somehow shocked, but also disappointed and even sad. Then he turned and headed off. He hasn't spoken a single word to me since. Instead he was far more busy with that Hawkins witch." Wiping away the last remaining stains of tears on her cheeks Tea took hold of her cup and sipped at her cappuccino.
Mai sighed thoughtful. "That doesn't make sense. Yugi had always been there for his friends, even if it was that Kaiba asshole. And then he just heads off after he had got to know that his best friend had spent the night with a guy that cruelly ignores you and wants you to get lost. Really, that's weird."
"I need to know why Yugi has been like that yesterday." Two sad blue eyes stared ahead into space.
"Yugi mentioned that he trusted you and Kaiba. Maybe he's just disappointed."
"Me too. And I feel really bad. How come you're not walking out on me, Mai? You could be as much disappointed as Yugi."
"I haven't said I'm not. But hey, everyone makes mistakes and almost everyone makes an experience like you did at some point of their lives." The blonde tried to cheer her friend up.
"Did you?"
"Long time ago. Even before I met Wheeler. Oh hell, I was in your age when I met him and Yugi on that ship to Duelist Kingdom." Mai got almost a dreamy expression on her pretty features but it faded as fast as it had come. "However, Yugi can't ignore you just because you've done a mistake."
"Maybe I'm just not worth being his friend. He has Rebecca and all and seems pretty much occupied with her." Blue eyes suddenly narrowed.
"Are you jealous?" Violet eyes gazed quite seriously.
"Why?" Tea blushed in a deep shade of red.
"God, Tea. Now that makes sense. You like Yugi. Finally, I thought you'd never get it." Mai almost giggled but stopped, seeing Tea's embarrassed expression. "Sorry."
"So what if I do like him?" The younger woman nearly snapped.
"Then it would be great, I think. Though…" Mai laid a thoughtful finger to her lips. "Though I've to say, it complicates the whole situation immensely. You really need to make sure, that Yugi knows how you feel about Kaiba and that he doesn't mean anything to you. Else you're lost."
"Thanks for reminding me." Tea smirked. "That is if he ever talks to me again."
"Oh, he will. I'm sure he will."
"Your word in god's ears."
Mai grinned at the brown haired and shook her head.
"What?" Tea asked. "I don't know what's so funny."
"Sorry Tea, I know it's not but I still can hardly believe it." Mai sipped at her drink before she continued. "You really did spent a night with the ever so unreachable millionaire. I can hardly imagine him being a passionate lover. He seems so… cold."
The other woman sighed and hid her face in her hands with her elbows propped on the table. "Seems like there's more to him than meets the eye." She muttered in her hands, not facing Mai.
"Or the alcohol does wonders."
"Oh I could do without such wonders."
Mai suddenly stopped grinning and turned serious. "Mentioning alcohol, how drunk have you two been? I hope, not too much to forget protection." The elder woman gazed at Tea with an expression of a doctor.
Tea swallowed and tried to remember, then shrugged.
"WHAT?" Mai shrieked upon seeing this. "Does that mean you can't remember?"
"Not exactly." The brown haired tried to avoid the scolding violet gaze of her friend.
"Not exactly? Whether you can or you cannot." She fumed.
"So what if I can't! I guess but I'm not sure. One more reason to talk to Kaiba!" Tea hissed. "I'm certainly not proud of what I did but I can't change how it is."
Mai looked at the heap of sorrow left of a friend and her gaze softened. Tea was right. She must feel awful enough. Still, she needed to make sure, that she wouldn't have an unwanted result of her wild night with Kaiba. Mai felt sorry for Tea. She was obviously in love with Yugi and did the probably worst mistake of her life sleeping with Kaiba who by the way ignored her and denied what had happened. One thing was sure for Mai. Tea needed friends and comfort.
"Oh holy shit!" Mai exclaimed seeing the time. "I'm supposed to cook for Joey! Damn, he's going to kill me! Sorry Tea, but I need to hurry now. If Joey gets hungry and nothing's prepared, the whole world will be in great danger." Mai winked.
"I know." Tea offered a smile. "I wonder how you do that."
"You do? Well, me too." Quickly the blonde dressed up in her winter's coat and hugged Tea for goodbye. "I'm gonna pick you up this evening. Let's see if we can find Yugi, so you can talk with him."
Tea nodded and wished her friend goodbye. Mai could be such an optimist at times. But she was right and the blue-eyed woman was glad to have a friend like her. Her friends had always been the best in her life and she would do anything that Yugi was feeling the same again about her. That would be at least something, even if he was in love with Rebecca.
Mokuba fiddled nervously at the auburn strands of hair at his girlfriend's head. They were sitting on the sofa in the living room in the evening and watched TV but the raven-haired guy wasn't actually in the mood for sitting at home and doing nothing really. He sighed.
"I'm bored, Serene." He gazed at her with his two big gray-blue eyes. "Let's go out or something."
"I don't know, Mokuba." She replied quite unsure about his idea. "I've got uni tomorrow and I've got to read at least three chapters of a book we're going to discuss. I really rather stay here."
The young man released an unpleased sigh and turned back to the television while the girl rested her head on his chest. Mokuba let one of his toes circle in nervousness and thought about a way to convince the woman on his side when suddenly the door went open and his big brother strolled in with an unreadable expression of nothingness.
"Hey Seto." Mokuba immediately turned his attention from the TV to his brother. "Where've you been?" Ha asked casually.
"Work." The brown haired man answered and put his file case on the table. Then he pulled out his cell phone and switched it off placing it on the case in front of him.
"Work? It's Sunday, Seto." The younger Kaiba gave a short chuckle.
"So?" Seto knew what Mokuba was on about but he didn't really care and sat down on a chair, opening a magazine he had fished out of his file case.
"It's god's free day!" Mokuba exclaimed not understanding his brother's attitude, even after he should be used to him working on Sundays after so long time.
"But I'm not god." The elder replied and placed his magazine in front of the table, circling an advertisement with a biro from the table.
"Although you'd like to be." Mokuba grinned and received a sharp glare from his brother. Usually the raven-haired didn't go that far as to annoy his brother with sharp comments like these but he was bored and Seto knew, he didn't mean to insult him.
"Why are you at home at all? Usually I rarely get to see you on Sundays." Kaiba stated with a smirk but kept his gaze down on the magazine.
"Because my girlfriend doesn't want to go out." The younger brother replied with a glance down at his girlfriend.
Serenity wasn't prepared with the sudden look she got from the piercing cold blue eyes of Seto. He slowly raised an eyebrow at her while the woman widened her hazel eyes before she glared at Mokuba.
"Why don't you want to?" Kaiba asked with a lopsided smirk and kept his gaze fastened on the face of Serenity who gazed at him surprised and caught off guard.
"I've got uni tomorrow and need to study. I've to get up early and…" Her eyes shifted from the older Kaiba to the younger and back. "I just don't know if it's a good idea to go out today."
Seto darted his eyes back down at his magazine, not caring to reply anything. She seemed to be a smart woman after all and very grounded but he kept his thoughts inside. There was no need to compliment her. It wasn't his nature.
"Oh c'mon, Serenity." Mokuba started to beg her, thinking he had his brother on his side. "We don't have to stay out long and I will let you read your book afterwards and I swear I won't bother you during your study. Pleeeaaaseee."
Though Seto didn't gaze up at Mokuba he knew how he must have been looking like. He still could be the adorable sweet kid he used to be. That's probably why the girls fell for him every other day. Just like Serenity. She was no exception and just like any other girl.
Serenity sighed inwardly. "Fine. But not that long." She voiced out her condition and immediately Mokuba's face lit up in excitement.
"Great!" He exclaimed standing up with a start. "I'll just get changed." Instead of leaving he gazed down at his girlfriend who didn't move so far. "Aren't you going to get changed?"
Serenity looked up at the man in front of her with an astonished expression. "No, why?" Her hazel eyes darted down at herself in utter confusion. She was clad in blue jeans and a pink top to which she was wearing a suiting pink sweat jacket. "Something wrong with my clothing?"
"No, you're right." Mokuba smiled. "You're beautiful as you are." Leaning down he quickly planted a kiss on her lips before he ran out of the room, leaving Serenity to stare after him.
Seto could have grinned at his brother's behavior. Just in time Mokuba had saved his head to get bitten off. Maybe he was used to overdressed young women but he had said himself, that he liked Serenity dressing herself discretely. Hopefully he wouldn't change his opinion. Serenity did seem to have her doubts.
Serenity's gaze shifted from the door to the reading Kaiba. He hadn't said a single word and seemed not to care about what Mokuba had said. The woman felt slightly embarrassed. Of course she had noticed the way Mokuba was wondering, even if he was being sweet as ever. At least Seto wasn't commenting this. That was the last thing she needed right now.
"What are you staring?" Kaiba voiced out but kept to continue with reading. If he actually did.
"Nothing." Immediately Serenity forced her eyes on the television screen. She couldn't help the blush that was rising on her cheeks. Damn that Kaiba. He had caught her staring at him.
Seto could see from out of the corner of his blue eyes that Serenity blushed. She felt probably embarrassed and hell, he was glad about it. Somehow he felt good knowing he had an affection on her that resulted in such an adorable reaction. Almost a smile rose on Seto's usually sharp features without him being aware but it faded quickly when the door opened and Mokuba strolled in.
"I'm ready, Serene. We gotta go if you're ready."
Obviously Mokuba had found a reason to dress up in his newest pair of blue jeans from another unknown brand to the woman and a dark blue shirt combined with a black vest that made him look like a Latino. Gladly he couldn't see the raised eyebrow of his girlfriend when she slowly headed to catch up with her boyfriend. The raven-haired man grabbed hold of Serenity's small hand and yelled a goodbye to his brother before they left together.
Maybe not exactly the perfect match, after all. Seto had his doubts. If only they became true. But shaking his head he refused thinking like that of his brother's choice of a woman. He loved her. She loved him. Seto shouldn't even care, not to mention think such bad thoughts. Switching off the TV he leant back in his chair and read his magazine.
When Mai and Tea entered Rainmen's the guys were sitting at a table and chatting with their beer bottles in hand, not caring to use glasses with no women around. Tristan, Joey, Yugi and even Bakura who hadn't shown up for a long time were obviously having a good guy's night out.
"I'd really like to have a Mitsubishi Spider. That car's cool." The blond haired beamed at his friends and leant backwards with a dreamy expression.
"Yeah and Mai's going to shot you if you'd gamble away your money for a car." Tristan snickered.
"Probably but I hope my sister's going to marry Mokuba, so he will buy me a brand new sports car." Joey grinned and joined in when his friends started to laugh.
"So that's what your sister's good for, huh?" Mai smirked and all four of the guys sat up straight with a start. The woman instead laughed her famous laugh and was highly amused by her male friends. "Go on, guys and shift. Two ladies are here to get a seat."
"What time is it?" Tristan asked more himself and gazed down at his own wristwatch. "I gotta go anyway. I've got a date with the sweet chick from yesterday."
"Oh yeah, really?" Joey grinned when he stood up in order to let Tristan change seats with Mai. "What was her name?"
"Miho." Tristan smugly replied and waved quite silly at his friends for goodbye before he finally left, still riding a bike instead of driving a car.
Bakura smiled immediately seeing Tea, his former girlfriend. "Hi Tea, haven't seen you in a long time." He jumped to stand up and offer the woman his hand to shake. He couldn't do anything else anyway as he was squeezed between Yugi and the wall.
Yugi stood up and sat at the head of the table on a chair, giving Tea space to sit next to Bakura who smiled genuinely. The Duel Monsters champion rested his head on his palm and propped his elbow on the table, gazing into space. Of course he knew Tea wouldn't want to sit next to Bakura but it should be some sort of punishment giving her no choice..
Tea smiled at Bakura and nodded though she wasn't in the mood for talking about how long has it been since she had last seen her former boyfriend. Instead she quickly decided to change the topic.
"So Tristan has a girlfriend now?"
"Not really. But he has a date." Joey replied to her question.
"One step at a time." Bakura mentioned in his timid voice.
"But without me there wouldn't have been one step at all." Joey beamed proudly.
"How come?" Tea quickly asked and was glad for once that her blond friend was telling a quite long tale now. As long as she wasn't alone with Yugi, there was no possibility to talk with him and Bakura, he really didn't need to get to know something accidentally. What Tea needed was time.
Not very much later a tall raven-haired man entered Rainmen's with his beautiful girlfriend at his hand. The way to the place where her brother was sitting and talking with friends wasn't that far but it took them both quite a while to arrive there. The reason was obviously Mokuba's popularity in the club. Every now and then they both needed to stop for another mate of the nineteen year old Kaiba, many of them were girls.
"Hi Mokuba." This time it was slim build pretty one with long dark brown hair and dark brown matching eyes.
"Hey Jodie, how are you?" He replied sending a smile.
"I've seen better days, actually. You were supposed to call me." She pouted at him before she let her eyes dismissively wander over Serenity.
"Oh sorry, I was busy at the company. You know, we had a really bad crash down of all our computers and my brother wouldn't let me go home for almost a week." Mokuba was a good actor if he wanted to save his neck from any claws.
"Yeah, it's okay." Jodie said.
"Sorry, I gotta go, Jodie. Give your brother my greetings." The young man pulled at Serenity's hand and quickly left the beauty with the dark brown hair.
"Who was she?" Serenity asked. She hadn't missed that Mokuba hadn't introduced her to his friend.
"Jodie's brother was at College with me. He's a friend." He explained while they were heading through the crowds of people.
"And what is she?" The woman didn't forget to put the right tone to her sentence, which made Mokuba stop immediately and turn around to face her.
"Past." He replied carefully with a cute pouting mouth and big puppy eyes.
"I do hope so." She said with raised eyebrows, then smiled.
Approaching the rest of the clique Joey jumped up to hug his sister, finally ending his fairy tale about him saving Tristan's love life. After the usual hellos Mokuba smiled quite nervously.
"Serene, I'd like to go over there for a while." He pointed with his thumb at a group of young guys in his age. "Are you coming along?"
"No, I'll stay here. You go and talk your guy's stuff!" She grinned and shoved him playfully away from her. With another adorable smile he left.
"Hey Bakura, can you play pool?"
Almost everyone rolled their eyes when Joey asked the famous question. Bakura had no clue what was in store for him tonight. Since Joey had an addiction to pool billiard no one was save to get challenged. And so was minutes later Bakura trying his luck.
Realizing that the three woman were alone with Yugi now, Mai kicked Serenity softly at her shin.
"Hey sister in law, you like to watch?" Mai cocked her head at the starting pool game and pulled strange faces at Serenity who didn't know if she should do what Mai wanted or better call a doctor for her.
Serenity decided to obey and followed her to the pool table where Mai leant close to her. "Yugi and Tea need to talk about something. Sorry, I couldn't possibly tell over there." She whispered.
"Oh." The auburn haired nodded. "Are they okay?"
Mai nodded. "Yeah, sure. But I'd like to ask you something else. Is it really okay for you that your boyfriend's occupied with someone else all the time?"
"What do you mean?" Innocently two hazel eyes tried to act and stared up at the taller woman. But seeing the look the older woman gave her, she sighed and started to explain how she was feeling about the situation with Mokuba.
Meanwhile hidden in between crowds of young people there was a blond girl standing and watching them. Rebecca had been here all evening and was waiting for Yugi. She hadn't the courage to go over to him when the other three men had been around, nor when even Mai and Tea joined. The right time just didn't seem to come but she needed to talk to him.
Rebecca's eyes narrowed realizing that Yugi was left with only Tea sitting next to him. Was that her chance?
"Yugi, I need to talk to you." Tea said and gazed into the two big violet eyes, which looked back at her with raised brows. Yugi shrugged. "It's about Kaiba and what you've heard yesterday."
Yugi couldn't help the deep breath he obviously drew in and back out. "What's there to talk?"
"I'm sorry I was lying about how I came home that before night. I should have told you. But about what Kaiba had said, I'm not in love with him, don't think that."
"Why are you telling me this, Tea?" Yugi really didn't need further details about what had happened that night. He could pretty much imagine what was enough already to tear at his heart. "I really don't care if you're in love with Kaiba or not. I just thought you were my friend and the only thing you've done wrong is that you've been lying to me."
An excuse, Yugi knew, but that was the only thing he could accuse her for as the friend she was, nothing more or less.
Tea was surprised and shocked that Yugi said he didn't care but she needed to convince him anyway. "I'm sorry I was lying to you but I was ashamed and embarrassed"
"That's okay." The young man cut her off. "I accept your apology for lying to me."
Tea's two big blue eyes stared at her friend for a while and wondered that he was forgiving her so quickly. Still, it felt as if he really didn't care about her.
"Thank you, Yugi. What has happened between me and Kaiba was all a huge mistake and"
"Yugi." A female voice suddenly rang above them.
Again the blue-eyed woman was cut off. This time by Rebecca Hawkins who gazed down at the young man with a sad expression. Yugi looked up at the blonde quite puzzled.
"Yugi, can I have a word with you?"
"It's not a really good time right now, Rebecca." He voiced out slowly with a careful expression.
Immediately the girl turned desperate. "But I really need to talk to you. Yugi, please. It won't take long but it's important." She begged.
Yugi sighed and sent an apologizing look at his best friend. "Sorry Tea, I'll be back in a minute." With that said he stood up and walked off in Rebecca's tow.
The blond girl stopped at a place where she could talk to Yugi without getting interrupted by his or her friends. Standing in front of him she looked up into his face with two big sad green eyes. Rebecca still couldn't believe Yugi rejected her.
"About yesterday. I understand if you think it's all gone too quick when I kissed you. Really, I might give you time if you need it. You can't possibly have meant it when you said that it won't work out between us." She started to find reasons but Yugi sighed, even sadly.
"Rebecca, I don't need time. I've meant what I said. You are a really pretty girl though and there are plenty of other guys who would give the world to be with you." He tried to explain.
"But I don't want them!" She whined. "I want you!"
Yugi smiled with sympathy. "I know but I can't be with you. I'm not in love with you and it wouldn't be right if we got together though."
"But I love you!" Her green eyes filled with tears. "Isn't that enough?"
"I suppose it isn't." Yugi shook sadly his head. "Not for me. I'm sorry."
The young man reached out to lift the girl's chin when her head hung low suddenly and burning tears fell down her pretty face.
"I want to be your friend, though. You are one of my best friends for years and I care about you a lot. I don't want you to be sad but I can't be with you and you have to accept that. All I can offer to you is friendship. That is if you still want it?"
Rebecca nodded sadly. "Of course I still want you to be my friend." She said very sure about it. "Is there really no chance that maybe sometime, if I wait long enough…." She stopped seeing Yugi shaking his head.
When she hung her head low again the young man reached out and pulled her close to him. Taking the girl in a friendly embrace he gently stroked her back when she was crying in his chest.
"I'm sorry, Becky." He whispered soothingly and kissed her head as a friend.
Tea watched the scenario between Yugi and Rebecca and felt the anger and disappointment rising in her again. Of course she had no clue what they were talking about but it was enough what she saw. Rebecca was in a tight embrace of Yugi and he even kissed her on top of her head. Tea felt sick and in inner self clenched. Why did she even want to talk to Yugi at all? It was senseless, obviously. He had already forgiven her and didn't see a reason to care for anything else.
The brown haired woman stood up and walked over to Mai and Serenity. There was no need to stay here any longer and risking to do anything stupid again. She would go home where she could be alone and feel sorry for herself.
"I'm heading home, Mai."
"What? Why?" The blonde stared at her friend in disbelief. "You can't go. Have you been talking to Yugi yet?"
"Yes, I'm gonna tell you tomorrow, okay? I'm really not in the mood right now." Tea smiled apologetically.
"Okay." Mai replied reluctantly but she understood when her friend wasn't in the mood for talking right now. Sensing that Tea's talk with Yugi didn't go very smooth was not difficult, though she needed to know what had happened. Hopefully not the worst, Yugi rejecting Tea if she told him her true feelings. But Mai didn't want to jump into conclusions. "How will you come home?"
"I'll call a cab." The blue eyes answered. "Really, I promise."
Mai nodded. She knew Tea wasn't drunk this time and trusted her. After Tea had bid Serenity and the two pool-playing guys goodnight she left the club. She hadn't told them the truth about her leaving. She had just told them she was tired.
Serenity gave Mai a puzzled expression about Tea but Mai simply shook her head. "Don't ask. I know as much as you. Anyway, where were we? You were tell me that you're jealous!"
"I didn't say that!" The younger woman exclaimed in denial. She had told Mai that she wasn't always comfortable with Mokuba having had quite a past with girls in his young age but she trusted him nevertheless.
"Okay, okay." Mai held up hands in defeat. "How many girlfriends has he had so far actually? I mean, I've seen him here with many people, most of them girls but I can't tell how many of them he had brought home." She laid two fingers to her chin quite funnily. "Maybe you could ask Kaiba!"
Serenity rolled her eyes. "Mokuba says he had quite a few but nothing serious since I came along."
"How sweet!" Mai exclaimed.
"It doesn't matter that much anyway. I know he loves me and I trust him. Even though we are quite different." The smaller woman mentioned.
"How do you mean that, now?" The blonde furrowed her brows. "Do you mean the age gap?"
"Not just that. That's the slightest problem. I mean that I could stay at home and have some quality time while Mokuba would rather go out and party. Still, this isn't a problem. I like to go out, too. But not every day. It just seems to me that he could do with going out every night." The hazel eyed tried to explain.
"I see. I often let Joey go out alone when I wasn't in the mood."
"Yeah, that would be a solution. I just guess he wouldn't like that very much. He'd rather have me coming along." Serenity sighed. "Anyway, it's not that much of a problem, after all."
"Hopefully."
Serenity nodded, more to reassure herself than her older friend. It appeared that Mokuba did come back to join them and therefore, they should take their talk to another time. Smiling the younger woman received a kiss from her boyfriend when he strolled back to them in good moods.
"I'm thirsty, what about you?" The raven-haired guy asked. "I'll go to get some drinks."
"Could you bring me a water?" His girlfriend asked.
"Sure thing, Mai?"
"Me too. Thank you, Mokuba." She replied and Mokuba headed off to the bar.
The club was still full of people but Mokuba was lucky to find space at the bar. He ordered the two glasses of water and a soda for himself and waited until the bartender finally brought the drinks and the raven-haired guy paid. He was about to take the ordered drinks in his hands when he recognized a familiar blonde head sitting near with her head hanging low. He bent across the bar in order to make her see him but she seemed to be spaced off.
"Hey, hello." Mokuba waved a hand and sent a cute smile to the slowly turning head of Rebecca.
"Hi Mokuba." She said low and forced a smile, failing miserably in the attempt to look happy.
"What's up with you? You're looking like someone's died." He mentioned when he closed the remaining gap between them.
"Maybe I'm the one who died." Rebecca replied shrugging. "But I don't want to bother you."
"You wouldn't bother me. You are my friend, aren't you?"
The blonde gazed up at the two friendly blue-gray shining eyes and thought about his words before she finally answered. "Yeah. Yeah, you are." Then she even smiled at the tall young man. "Maybe I never told you but I'm glad you are my friend."
"Welcome." True that she never told him before but even now it wasn't too late. It meant more to him than she could have ever known that very moment.
"But I don't want to waste your time right now. Your girlfriend's probably waiting for you, Mokuba. I'll go and let me drive back home. I've to get up early tomorrow." The blonde said and stood up. She had meant what she had said and would leave. It was to no use to sit here and hang her head. It wouldn't change anything.
"Okay, but you can call me anytime, if… you know… if you want to talk or so. I'll be there." The young man said almost hoping she would do so. If there was something bothering her, he would give the world for her turning to him.
"Thank you." Rebecca smiled nodding. "Good night."
"Good night." Mokuba watched the girl disappear before he finally took the drinks and walked back to Serenity and Mai who were joined by Yugi now.
Thankfully receiving their water the women smiled and kept talking. Mokuba, instead, was with Rebecca in his thoughts. What could possibly bother her that much? Wasn't she happy? She had always been happy even if she wasn't with Yugi, her one and only crush. That man could call himself lucky. The girl was ignoring all kinds of boys and even men just for that miniature of a man calling himself Duel Monsters champion. Maybe it was that what Rebecca made so interested in him. Mokuba could ask Seto for advice and become also champion. Very funny, if even Seto hadn't been able to beat Yugi so far and he didn't even try anymore. But what was Mokuba thinking? He was with Serenity now and very happy by the way.
"Mokuba?" Suddenly Serenity's voice distraught him from his thoughts. "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah sure." Sure he wasn't, that was the only sure thing.
(A/N: Okay, this had been pretty few Seto and loads and loads of Tea. A quite long chapter by the way and I'm really tired now. I guess I finally reach the direction where the whole thing should lead to. At the moment it's quite boring but I promise the next chapter will be more interesting again!)
