Hi. Yeah, I know…this was supposed to be done like 3 weeks ago. Blame Tokyopop and Barnes and Noble for facilitating a recent Manga binge. ::shrug::

In any case, the holiday theme of this fic isn't too prominent, so I guess it doesn't matter that much. And it's getting finished one way or the other, so hopefully anyone who has been reading will want to know what happens anyway!

A few notes:

First of all, I've never been to Australia, so I don't know what Sydney Chinatown (I assume there is one) is like. The little chunk of Chinatown visited in this chapter is modeled after the one I'm most familiar with, that being Montreal's. So please don't be bothered by anything that seems…off. I'm just working with what I know.

Second, we finally seem to be getting somewhere in this chapter as far as romance is concerned. There might be some OOCness, but I feel like I've spent enough time building towards getting them together that it works in the context of the story. I'll let you be the judge. They're not easy to push at each other, are they? The stubborn fools…

A huge thanks to everyone who has been reviewing this. The feedback has encouraged me greatly.

Holiday Blues
Chapter 4: Selfish Bastard

Mokuba Kaiba flicked a strand of dark hair out of his eyes as he walked across a busy Sydney intersection with a warm, pleasant breeze blowing behind him. It was a strange sensation; here in the Southern Hemisphere it was summertime, and Mokuba was used to crisp and cold December weather. The feeling was almost…alien, like wearing an invisible jacket. He was on his way to meet Rebecca at a Japanese teahouse in Chinatown. Mokuba liked to go there every now and again when he felt a little homesick or just really wanted a proper cup of tea.

As he turned a corner and passed through the gate to one of Chinatown's pedestrian enclaves, Mokuba noticed a group of girls giggling and gesturing toward him. He rolled his eyes, adjusting his earphones to shut out their squealing.

The past few years had been good to Mokuba. Now 18, he'd grown into his gangly limbs and lost most of his youthful clumsiness. His form was elegant and slim like his brother's, though he wasn't quite as tall or imposing. Mokuba's face had also matured nicely, taking on a pleasant shape which no longer seemed overwhelmed by his large gray-blue eyes. His shiny black hair was shorter, but persisted in its endearing unruliness.

Girls had certainly taken notice. They seemed to be everywhere. Popping out from behind shelves at the library, stumbling into his path on campus, peering over the top of monitors in the advanced computer science lab, staring at him in restaurants…and here in Australia they didn't even know who he was.

Mokuba smiled as he turned down a colorful cobblestone alley. At least he had Rebecca. When he was with her, other girls wouldn't dare even look at him, lest they face Rebecca's wrath. Mokuba was accustomed to protective and possessive behavior on the part of his brother, but receiving such fierce affection from a woman was something else. It was enough to make Mokuba blush.

Removing his earphones, Mokuba entered the teahouse. He followed the silent hostess to his usual table in a corner by the front window. He was unsurprised to note that Rebecca hadn't arrived yet. The girl had made being late into quite an art form. She was usually tardy by 10 or 15 minutes, and when she did arrive at the designated meeting place she would typically storm in with her blonde hair flying behind her and a pretty pink flush on her cheeks. Mokuba thought she was radiant; and in this particular case he was glad of her lateness for another reason, too…

…he still hadn't thought of a way to tell Rebecca that she couldn't stay with him at Christmas.

Mokuba sighed, looking down at the table as the hostess brought him a small pot of tea. He had done a lot of thinking, and as much as he disliked it he found himself unable to go completely against Seto's wished – no matter how irrational they seemed.

Desiring to satisfy both Seto and Rebecca, Mokuba had devised a compromise. He figured if Rebecca flew back to Japan with him, he could put her up in a hotel or have her stay with one of his friends. That way, he could spend time with her and with Seto individually. He'd much rather enjoy Christmas together with both of them, but it seemed rather unlikely that this would be possible. The solution wasn't what he really wanted, but it was the only one he'd come up with so far. He figured it was better than leaving Rebecca alone with nowhere to spend the holidays.

Sipping his tea, Mokuba imagined the two of them having a snowball fight in Domino Park. It would be nice to go home to a real, wintry Christmas. He just hoped Rebecca would understand…he was afraid the change in plans might hurt her.

Suddenly, the door to the teahouse flew open, admitting an out-of-breath Rebecca Hawkins. She waved to Mokuba with one hand, using the other to push some flyaway strands of hair behind her ear. Approaching the table quickly, she dropped her teddy bear shaped bag by the window and flounced to the floor across the table from Mokuba. She flashed him a large smile.

"Sorry I'm late, Mokuba. I missed the bus again!" Rebecca leaned across the table, pretty eyes sparkling as she planted a glossy strawberry-flavored kiss onto Mokuba's lips. Mokuba blushed, having received an eyeful of cleavage from within Rebecca's blue sundress as she retreated to her side of the table. She took his left hand into both of hers, gently stroking her thumb across his knuckles.

"So, did you want to talk to me about something?"

Mokuba looked dumbly into his girlfriend's smiling face, distracted by her affectionate behavior and the scent of her perfume. "Uhmm…yeah—I mean—"

Rebecca's smile faded. "Mokuba, is there something wrong?"

"No! No, of course not!" He molded his lips into a smile and laced his fingers through hers tenderly. A voice in his head was screaming.

You're wimping out again! You've got to tell her! The flight leaves in two days!

"I…wanted to make sure you didn't forget that it's winter in Japan, so make sure you pack plenty of warm clothes!"

Rebecca giggled. "Mokuba, you already told me twice! Did you ask me to meet you just because of that? Silly guy…" She tapped his nose with a perfectly manicured finger.

It's now or never!

"Well, actually, there's also been a small change of plans…"

Mokuba began to tell Rebecca about his conversation with Seto and the compromise he'd come up with, hoping – praying – that she wouldn't run out of the restaurant in tears…

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Seto's stomach growled again as his freshly showered form crept across Anzu Mazaki's living room. There was an inviting mix of smells drifting in from the kitchen. So…she was cooking? Seto hoped she didn't expect him to stay and eat. Sure he was starving, and it might smell tasty, but she was probably a lousy cook. He could grab something back at the mansion. He would just peek in, say goodbye, and get the hell away from here.

Stepping into the entrance to the kitchen, Seto braced one arm against the doorframe and peered out from behind slightly damp and disheveled bangs. He was greeted by the sight of Anzu's shapely backside as she leaned down to examine something in the oven. He felt suddenly light-headed.

"Would you get crispy already? Stupid croutons…"

Seto heard a shaking sound as Anzu adjusted whatever was in the oven. As she straightened up and closed the door, Seto cleared his throat to get her attention.

Anzu jumped, startled, and spun around to face him. Her face was flushed pink from the heat of the oven and she was wearing two checkered oven mitts. "Oh! Kaiba…I see you're still good at sneaking up on people."

Seto didn't dignify that comment with an answer, shifting slightly to cross his arms.

"I see you at least found a shirt…I didn't think the pants would fit." She shrugged, removing the oven mitts and placing them atop the counter.

"Yeah…thanks. I guess I'll be going now." Seto turned to leave the kitchen, running one hand through his hair. He felt like he should say more, but he really couldn't think of anything.

"Umm…" He paused, looking over his shoulder and waiting to see what Anzu would say.

"…why don't you have some soup before you go?"

Soup? He'd been expecting her to start berating him for being ungrateful or something.

"I…don't think so."

Anzu took a couple steps toward him. "Come on, Kaiba. I promise I won't bite." She smiled at him hopefully. Damn she was persistent…and was she accusing him of being afraid of her?

"I'm not hungry." He began to turn away again, but his traitorous stomach chose that moment to rumble in protest.

Anzu giggled. "Right. You know, I didn't go to all this work for nothing. And I'm sure your kitchen staff would appreciate the afternoon off." She grabbed his arm and began to pull him across the room.

"Actually, I do my own cooking."

She shot him a surprised glance as she pushed him into a chair next to the window. He noticed that a few inches of snow had fallen overnight.

"Is there anything you can't do, Kaiba?"

He glared at her as she returned to the stove to finish preparing lunch. The voice in Seto's head taunted him.

Yeah, there's something you can't do. You can't stop being outsmarted by Anzu.

Seto leaned forward, resting his chin in his hands. "Grrr…"

xxxxxx

Anzu peered cautiously at her unexpected lunch guest. Kaiba hadn't said more than three words since the two had sat down to eat. Despite the frosty silence, Kaiba seemed to be enjoying Anzu's famous vegetable soup. Well, he was eating it anyway. 'Enjoying' might be pushing it, but with him it was pretty hard to tell…

Shifting her attention back to her own soup, Anzu tried to think of a way to start a conversation. Maybe they could talk about cooking? She'd been surprised when he said that he cooked for himself. She wondered what his favorite dish was, and imagined him cooking it in his kitchen wearing an apron with 'Kiss the CEO' written across the front. Looking at him again, she just managed not to giggle out loud.

I guess he probably used to cook for Mokuba, too…

Mokuba! That's what she could talk about. Surely Kaiba wouldn't object to an innocent inquiry after his little brother. And maybe if she got him talking, she'd be able to determine the cause of the strange behavior which had caused him to visit her apartment…

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It was…really tasty. He had to admit – to himself anyway. He could imagine her triumphant grin if he were to tell her that he liked her cooking. With those twinkling blue eyes crinkling up with delight…how nauseating. And asking for the recipe was definitely out of the question.

She was looking at him again. He could feel that she was studying him carefully. He was used to it – people were constantly trying to gauge his reactions and feelings, from business associates with an agenda to gold-digging women trying to win his attention. He wondered briefly what Anzu Mazaki wanted to understand about him.

For a moment, she looked rather amused. There was nothing funny about him, he was fairly certain. Did he have soup on his face or something? He traced a napkin across his lips just to be safe. He looked over again to find Anzu regarding him thoughtfully. She opened her mouth to speak. He knew the silence had been too good to last…

xxxxxx

"So…umm…"

Yeah, great start, thought Anzu. Kaiba was now regarding her with a mixture of irritation and curiosity. Geez, he must think I'm a blithering idiot…

"Yugi said that Mokuba is studying in Australia?"

Kaiba's frown had steadily increased with every word she spoke. "…Yeah." He stared out the window at the snowy expanse of Domino Park.

Anzu resisted the urge to sigh. This was even harder than she'd anticipated. "So…how is he doing?"

"His grades are very good."

"That isn't what I was asking."

He glared at her. "The rest is really none of your business."

Anzu glared back, pushing aside her soup bowl and leaning her forearms on the table. "I was only wondering if he's happy. If things are going well for him."

Seto pushed his chair back, preparing for his escape. "I imagine that they are."

Mirroring his actions, Anzu watched Seto with disbelief. "You imagine? Kaiba, what's up with you? It's not like you to talk this way – not about Mokuba!"

Clenching his fists, Seto's blue eyes flashed dangerously as he stood. "And what would you know about it?" He was halfway across the kitchen in two long strides before Anzu seized his arm in a surprisingly strong grip. She peered up, mustering enough resolve to survive the death glare he was presently displaying.

"Did you and Mokuba…have a fight or something?"

An emotion looking suspiciously like pain flashed across Seto's face. "You really are too nosy for your own good." His voice was quiet, but full of icy warning. He wrenched his arm out of Anzu's grip and turned his back to her.

Now is the time to run away, his rational mind instructed.

The other voice in his head cackled maniacally. I'd like to see you try.

Anzu could tell she'd struck a particularly sensitive nerve. The pained expression that had flashed across Kaiba's face had been heart-wrenching. She realized that she'd rather be subjected to hundreds of his stony glares, angry frowns, or superior smirks than see such hurt in his face again.

She carefully shut out the part of her brain that was trying to tell her why she was feeling this way.

"Kaiba…" she began, wondering why he hadn't yet made a break for it. "Seto…I'm only trying to—"

"What, help?"

Anzu gave a small startled jump as Kaiba spun to face her, advancing several steps like a predator stalking its next snack. She drew away from him slowly until her back collided with the kitchen counter. "Well, y—"

He glared down at her. He was little more than a foot away now. She could smell her soap and shampoo mingling with the scent of his skin…

"Then why don't you go and help Mokuba and his girlfriend plan themselves a nice romantic Christmas together? Seeing as my company doesn't seem like enough for him anymore."

Anzu's jaw dropped. So this was what it came down to? Kaiba was jealous…jealous…of Mokuba's girlfriend?

As soon as the words had escaped his mouth, Seto had averted his gaze away from Anzu. He couldn't stand the thought of her looking at him with pity, didn't want to hear her start telling him that everything would be OK if he just did this or that

…and he hated himself for feeling vulnerable, especially because he knew that she could tell…

Anzu had never seen Seto Kaiba look so dejected…and apprehensive? It was like he'd just confessed to some terrible crime and was waiting for her to pass down the judgment.

All this drama, and he was truly being ridiculous! Didn't he know that Mokuba would never abandon him, or think that he wasn't enough? And besides – hadn't Yugi told her that Mokuba was so excited about bringing his girlfriend home for Christmas so that he could spend time with her and Seto together?

Well, Kaiba never had liked to share…

A small smile began to form on Anzu's face as she regarded the man before her.

"You know, you really are a selfish bastard sometimes."

"What?!" Seto's head snapped up, his blue eyes locking with hers. He was still maddeningly close, and she could see every emotion that he was feeling. Surprise, insecurity, anger, confusion – he had never seemed to shockingly human, or so irresistibly attractive.

Unable to speak or to tear her eyes from his, Anzu did the only other thing she could. She snaked her arms behind the bewildered Kaiba's neck, pulled him down to her, closed her eyes, and pressed her lips against his.

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Phew! Finally. Sorry to leave it on a bit of a cliffhanger, but it seemed like the right place to stop. Trust me. The next chapter should be awfully exciting, hmm? There are only one or two chapters left, depending on how wordy and descriptive I happen to be at the time of writing. LoL. Don't worry, their problems aren't over yet. That would be way too simple. Drop me a review and tell me what you think!