NOTE: Okay, the next two…three or four chapters are going to involve the plot at the end of this chapter, okay? Well…maybe it starts near the middle…never mind…I'll explain it later, just read.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Chapter 12: The Arrangements

November

By the time Tea and Seto returned from the party, it was around 10:30 pm. They found Mokuba and Noa asleep on the couches in the front hall. They had books, board games and video games littered across the area.

Seto sighed, realizing they'd bomb him with questions tomorrow, and picked up Mokuba, to put him in bed. He'd make a second trip for Noa. When Kaiba had disappeared on the second floor, Tea looked at the sleeping Noa.

Deciding to help Seto out, she hoisted Noa up into her arms (which was, might I add, a very stressful deal) and slowly carried him up the stairs to his room. Now, being Tea Gardner and not Seto Kaiba, she didn't possess the strength that he did. This made the trip up the stairs slow and somewhat painful and stressful on her arm and leg muscles.

She had just turned the corner from the stairs, when her arms just about gave out. She would have dropped Noa, had Seto not been there at such a convenient time, and helped him back up…this time, into his arms. It was a good thing that Noa was a very sound sleeper. All he did was stir in his brother's arms.

"You didn't have to try and help. I had every intention of coming back for him," Seto said, his voice quite warm.

"I…I wanted to help," Tea replied, "After all…you've helped me."

"Is…that the only reason?" Seto inquired, with a hint of longing in his voice. Now, only the width of Noa's body separated the two.

"Y-ye…n-no…I mean…I don't…" their heads where moving towards each other.

"Which is it?" Seto asked again, his nose a hair's width away from hers.

"Uh…n-" Tea was interrupted as someone sneezed. Tea backed up slightly, and the two looked down at Noa.

"Aw, crap…I ruined the moment. I tried holding in the sneeze, honest, but it just had to come-" Noa was stopped.

"What moment?" Tea inquired blankly, and then strode off rather quickly to her own room. Seto practically dropped Noa; but instead, flipped him vertically, rather harshly. He wasn't going to admit it…but he really had wanted to kiss her…to know what a kiss felt like when you actually loved the person.

"Ouch," Noa rubbed his kneecaps, from landing on them so hard, "Gee, I'm really sorry, Seto, but I couldn't help it. I wanted to watch too…it was getting pretty go--"

"How long have you been awake?" Seto suddenly asked, turning towards Noa's room.

"Uhh…since I felt myself plummet for a second, them come back up…. You know…the same thing happened in my dream…I fell off a cliff and…landed on a trampoline…" Noa ended, sounding thoroughly confused. Suddenly, Seto grabbed him around the waist and tossed him into his bed. Noa landed in the pillows, laughing quietly.

He opened up the covers, and crawled in. Seto sat on the edge of his bed. (Noa was already in pajamas. They had anticipated the late arrival of the two, and took the pajamas as a precaution, before they had to sleep in their clothes, if they did fall asleep, as they had.)

Noa sat up eagerly, "So, what happened? How did the party go? Did anything…interestinghappen?"

"Nothing, fine and no," Seto replied, ruffling his brother's di-green hair, "Night."

"Aw come on. Something had to happen. Tell me!" Noa replied childishly.

"Humph, even if something did happen, I don't think Mokuba would like missing out on it," Seto retorted. He stood up to leave, and was just about to walk away, when Noa popped another question…or, set of questions.

"Seto…were you really going to kiss Tea a minute ago?"

Seto's head turned toward the door, as he blushed slightly, "No."

"Are you sure? It looked like it to me," Noa pressed on.

"No."

"You're denying it, aren't you?" Argh! I'm sick of that word, 'denying,' Seto thought.

"No."

"Do you like Tea, Seto?" Noa inquired.

Seto turned around, "As in…how?"

"You know what I mean," Noa crossed his arms.

"Honestly, I don't. There are many meanings to the word 'like.'"

"Argh! Does male instincts ring a bell? Male attraction to female? Huh?" Noa sighed.

Seto walked to the door, and put a hand on the knob, "Maybe."

Noa's face partially lit up, "Come on, tell me fully! I'm your brother, I can keep a secret!"

"Sure you can," Seto said, sarcastically, "Goodnight," he stressed, flicking off the lights, and closing the door, leaving a very impatient, and tried Noa.


Not two seconds had Seto entered the kitchen, did Mokuba and Noa run to him, pummeling him with thousands upon thousands of questions…or so it seemed. Really, they were just the same ones repeated dozens of times.

"Noa told me…how could you not wake me?" Mokuba inquired, while Noa asked:

"Are you going to tell me now?"

"What happened last night?"

"Did you sulk the whole time again?"

"Did you dance this time…with Tea?"

Did you do this, did you do that? It was getting on Seto's nerves.

"ALRIGHT, ENOUGH!" he shouted. That shut them up. "Why don't you go ask Tea, if you want to know this stuff? Just leave me to drink some coffee and get me a newspaper. I'm not in the mood right now."

"We already asked Tea," Noa stated.

"Then why do you want to know the same information again?" Seto interrogated.

"She…kinda went silent on us, and started shaking…like she had gone insane or whatnot," Mokuba added.

"What?" Seto looked up at the table, and indeed saw Tea, sitting…or shaking, rather, while trying to read an equally shaky book.

"T-t-t-too m-m-ma-a-any q-q-ues-s-stions-s-s," Tea stuttered, though she sounded more like she was trying to sustain from laughing.

"You okay?" Seto inquired. Tea suddenly burst out laughing, and fell off her chair. The two young boys rushed over to help her up, while she still kept laughing.

"I-I-I'm sor-r-r-ry…but it was-s-s ju-u-st t-t-to f-f-unny-y s-s-seing t-t-hem conf-f-fused and al-l-l-ll," Tea replied. Seto sighed. This was going to be a long day….


December

Three weeks after the dance, Tea walked outside, in the snow. She looked at the park around her, full of happy kids, building miniature snowmen and throwing snowballs at each other. She smiled. She wished she could have fun like that.

Her eyes kept on scanning the park, until they landed on a flyer posted to a streetlamp. She ran over to it, and read it carefully. Suddenly, she squeaked with joy, tore it off the post, and ran with it back to the Kaiba Mansion.


While walking up the long driveway, she found the front yard quiet…too quiet. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a snowball pelted her on the side of her hood. Tea's head spun around to see who the attacker was.

She was immediately pounced upon and brought crashing into the snow. Two familiar laughs of two familiar boys filled the air. She looked up, wiping the freezing snow off her face, and saw Mokuba and Noa standing over her.

"Very funny," Tea said, as the two helped her up. Little did they know that as they pulled up with one of her hands, the other scooped up some snow….


Seto watched from his office window, as his brothers sabotaged Tea and brought her crashing into the snow. He then saw her turn around and pelt them with a snowball. The battle began. Around the front yard the three ran, throwing snowball after snowball at each other.

Seto sighed; half wishing he could be out there too. His brothers looked so happy…and he wanted to make them even happier. It was then, that an idea popped into his head. Why not make them happier? Heck with work. He had more than enough time for that.

He walked out of his office, and down the hall to the closet, where he grabbed one of his winter trench coats, and snuck outside.


Mokuba was sneaking up behind Noa. Slowly…quietly…smack! Noa spun around; but it wasn't him who had been attacked…it was his attacker who had been attacked.

"Well, I have to admit, Tea, you really got me th--" Mokuba turned around and stopped, his eyes widening.

"I don't really look like a girl to you, do I?" Seto inquired, throwing a snowball up and down in his hand.

"S-Seto!" Mokuba ran over to him.

"Hey, you came out!" Noa replied, also running over.

"But, don't you have work?" Mokuba asked, concerned.

"Work? What work?" Seto cracked a smile. Suddenly, his brothers pushed him down into the snow. It was a mass of laughing Kaibas.

Tea watched on a few yards away, smiling. She was happy: happy that Seto finally had enough sense to put away work and have some fun. She wasn't going disturb this family reunion…after all; she wasn't part of the family. She just…stayed there.

Tea rubbed her arms, and turned to walk inside. Man, hot-chocolate sounded really good right about now….


After about an hour being out in the snow, the three Kaibas came inside, dripping wet with melting snow; cherry pick noses and cheeks, and frozen hands. They dumped their coats on the nearest couch and stood there for minute, letting the heat sink in.

Suddenly, Tea's head appeared by the entrance to the kitchen, "You guys want your hot chocolate now?"

"Yeah!" Mokuba and Noa cried, running to the kitchen. Seto walked to the kitchen after his brothers. The three sat down in their normal spots and to their surprise, already found the steaming cups sitting there, before them.

Tea was seated, in her usual spot, next to Seto and Mokuba, sipping down the last of her hot chocolate.

"Hey Tea," Mokuba started, "Why didn't you stay outside?"

Tea simply said, "I didn't want to ruin your fun," then, she laughed slightly.

"You wouldn't have ruined it!" Noa protested. In Seto's mind, he thought, you would have made it all the better.

"Yeah, well, who would have made your hot chocolate?" Tea got up, put her cup in the sink and walked over to the freezer. The tree turned back to their cups. Tea closed the freezer, and walked over to the entrance to the kitchen, "Oh, Kaiba…you forgot something."

"Did I?" Seto looked up and his face was met with a thrown snowball. Laughter erupted in his midst.

Laughing, Tea replied, "I may have pelted your brothers, but I never got to pelt you. My work here, is done," and she walked off to her room.

Seto continued to wipe the cold snow off his face. When he could finally see without the sharp coldness stinging his eyes, he saw his brothers rolling in laughter.

"She got you good, didn't she, Seto?" Noa inquired.

"Yeah…got me good," Seto cracked a small smile. Now he really needed that hot chocolate….


A knock came on Seto's office door, "Come in," he said, plainly. Tea meekly and barely stepped inside. She closed the door, yet stayed in her spot.

Seto barely looked up from his laptop, "Yes?"

"Um…Kaiba…I was wondering…if maybe…I could …take about…three days off of work to go…to a dance audition in Tokyo," she ended, sweating bullets. Seto's eyes looked up at her, as he raised an eyebrow, while his head stayed in the same, bent position.

"Dance audition? As in…a different place to work? Is this job not suiting you?" Kaiba inquired. The tapping on the keyboard had stopped.

"No-no! It's not that…it's just…it's my…dream…to dance…on stage…" Tea ended. She didn't really feel comfortable telling Kaiba all of this. However, he needed to know if she had any chance of going. Seto noticed the rolled up flyer in her hand.

"Is that the notice?" He said, his head barely gesturing to her hand.

"Oh, yeah!" Tea quickly fumbled with it, "Did you want to see it?"

"I suppose," Seto said, putting out his hand. Tea set the flyer in his hand. Their fingers brushed for a second, before she backed away to give him some space.

Seto barely looked at it. He pretty much just scanned it over, looking at the picture and the notice.

Well…it's a traveling dance team…if I let her go…and she makes it…I'll never see her again…which I don't really want to happen. However…I don't want to make her sad or depressed over some silly thing like this…and what's to say she's not going to be booted out of this one also? After all, she said she's tried many of these auditions, and one after the other has turned her down. Who's to say they probably won't do the same?

"When is it?" he asked, not seeing the date at the bottom, more concerned with his thoughts.

"Oh…it's at the bottom…this weekend: the 5th through the 7th," Tea explained.

Seto looked up, "This weekend?"

"Yes…" Tea looked at him strangely, "Is that a problem?"

"Actually, yes. I was going to ask you to watch over Mokuba and Noa this weekend, since I have a business meeting in---. Did you say this audition was in Tokyo?"

"Yes…but what were you saying about going on some-"

"Fine, you can go," Seto replied, handing back the flyer.

Tea took it back, "But you said-"

"My meeting's in Tokyo. Looks like we'll just have to go…together," Seto tried to keep from smirking.

"T-T-T-Together? Y-Yeah…sure…o-okay…thanks…" Tea replied, backing up. She bumped into the door, mouthed an "oops" and quickly sidestepped to open the door and let herself out.

Seto went back to his laptop, and opened up the Internet, to look for hotels to stay in. Eventually, he found one: however, the site hadn't been completely finished, and you had to reserve rooms on the phone. Good thing was: the phone number was posted on there.

Also, they had had enough time to post up pictures of the two different kinds of rooms. They could either rent two single bedrooms, or one room containing two bedrooms, branching off from a living room, complete with a small kitchen. Whichever one(s) were in stock.

Seto picked up the phone next to him and dialed the number. After a couple rings, the other line picked up.

"Tokyo Grand Hotel, what can I do for you?" a woman inquired.

"I'd like to make some reservations," Seto replied, sighing, tiredly.

"Well, sir, you're in luck. There's one room left and-"

"I'll take it," Seto replied, not giving her a chance to continue.

"…Okay…um…your name please?"

Seto sighed, "Seto Kaiba."

"Oh! Mister Kaiba! What a pleasure to speak-"

"Yes, yes, now can we just continue with the reservations?"

"Oh, yes, of course, sir," she hurried, "How many will be staying? Just you…or the three of you, or-"

"Two…adults; two nights: the 5th and the 6th," Seto said trying to hurry up the conversation.

"Oh…two…adults…well, I just thought-"

"You thought wrong."

"Well…um…two…er…Mister Kaiba…there's something you should know then…."

"Are we finished yet? I have a lot of work to do," Seto said.

"Yes sir. Your total comes out to…$275, sir."

"Yes, I'll be sure to note that. Thanks," and he immediately hung up the phone.


On the fifth of December, Seto and Tea were loading up his car, getting ready to leave. They couldn't take the limo, due to the fact that the chauffeur would need a place to stay, and none were available.

Tea walked back up the front steps to the mansion, to say goodbye to the two littler Kaibas. They were grinning happily…a little too happily.

"What are you two so happy about?" she inquired.

"Nothing. We're just happy you two are finally getting some time to spend with each-" Noa was cut off.

"It's…a…dance…audition," Tea stressed, "and in Kaiba's case, a meeting. Nothing else. That's it. They both just happened to be in Tokyo." Seto suddenly walked in, and was ready to give his brothers a farewell.

"Tch, dance audition," Mokuba looked at Noa.

"Business meeting," Noa looked at Mokuba.

Together, the said, "That's what they all say."

Mokuba took over, "We really doubt that's what this is all abo-" Suddenly, Tea socked their heads, and they fell backwards onto the floor.

"You…two…are…sick. To even think-" Tea started. Seto was looking angrily at Tea, she having knocked into his brother's heads. However, they were talking unimaginable things.

"Ouch…that hurt," Mokuba rubbed his head.

"And to think she was originally going to watch over us," Noa added, "Now I'm glad she's going with Seto…. Although, she probably wouldn't lay a hand on him," Noa said, especially loud, looking over at Mokuba.

He got the signal, "Would she, though?" Tea was spitting fire by now, and had her hand raised again, ready to pound the two. They were doing this just to annoy her and make her crack in front of Seto!

A hand suddenly grabbed her wrist. Tea looked up and saw that it was Seto's hand. She followed the arm back to his face, which was back in its usual sour mood.

Tea sighed, "Let's just get going before these two knuckleheads crack up any more disgusting jokes. Bye you two," she said, walking off into the snowy world.

Seto knelt down before his brothers, "Lay off. There's nothing, and never will be anythinggoing on between Tea and me. So just get the notion out of your head. She just happened to have an audition-"

"Uh huh, sure…. That's what they all say. That's what she said," Mokuba relayed.

"Watch it. This is why I don't like leaving you two alone. Now, promise me you'll take care of yourselves. I don't want it to look like Hiroshima here, as it was back in 1945, got it? Love you guys," he said, hugging his brothers, "See you in a couple days," Seto said, standing up, and walking out the door. He closed it.

"I'm not taking a 'nothing happened' for an answer when they come back," Noa said.

"Yeah. I mean, look at what happened when we went to that sleepover months ago. They were downstairs together, sleeping at the counter. Now tell me, if being in the same hotel room for a couple nights doesn't drive them to do something, then I be darned," Mokuba added.

"Oh, they'll get together Moke…yes they will," Noa replied.

(Okay people, just remember: this is a PG story. No…lemons. Heck no. I'll be "darned" ((I'd stress it more if I could)) if I ever write one of those.)


The ride to Tokyo was uneventful. Seto drove, while Tea sat in the passenger seat, feeling a tad uncomfortable. No, the leather seats weren't the uncomfortable part. It was the fact that she was sitting directly next to Seto, in his car, that made her uncomfortable. Not to mention that they'd be in the same room for two nights.

Seto had told her that he had luckily gotten the last room available, and had showed her a picture of the schematics: the two bedrooms branching off on opposite sides of the small living room in their room. She wasn't too worried; but she was still nervous and anxious.

He had also told her to pack a semi-formal dress. Nothing too fancy. He had just said that they were going to dinner at Jon's (a restaurant I made up: which I make to be a pretty fancy restaurant) on Saturday night (the 6th). He didn't want hotel or fast food the entire time. This being because (even though he hadn't told her this) Seto had only had fast food twice in his life.

The drive from Domino to Tokyo was a good seven hours. Tea had offered to give Seto a rest, and let her drive, but Seto refused, no matter how much he wanted to give in. He REALLY didn't want her, first of all, to drive his car. Second, he didn't feel that it was most right for a woman to drive while he was in the car. After all, that's why all of his chauffeurs had been men.

So, to substitute for his tiredness, he drank coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.

Tea, on the other hand, listened to her personal CD Player, after decided it wouldn't be rude, ignoring Kaiba, since he was pretty much ignoring her. She also read her book and napped.


It was about 5:00 pm, when they reached Tokyo, and another twenty minutes later, they reached the Tokyo Grand Hotel. Seto parked his car, and the two got out, and went to grab their own suitcase.

They walked in, and immediately, all eyes were upon them. Seto just shrugged it off, but Tea had an uneasy feeling growing in her chest and stomach. They reached the reception desk, where Seto began to associate with the receptionist.

Many of the women in the lobby were giving Tea rueful or nasty looks. One of them even came up to her.

"Hmm," she huffed, looking Tea up and down, "You're nothing special. Why are you hanging out with Seto Kaiba anyway?" she said, quietly, so that Seto wouldn't hear.

"Shove off, will you?" Tea retorted. Her temper was growing.

"That will be $275, Mister Kaiba," the receptionist's voice cut through the air. Tea whipped around, taking out her wallet.

"Uh…Kaiba, how much am I paying for this? You're a lot faster at math and everything-" Tea was cut off.

"Nothing. I've got it," Seto said, handing the receptionist three, one hundred dollar bills.

"But, I don't feel right, not pay-"

"Gardner, I said, I've got it," Seto replied. Though as stern as his voice sounded, his face wasn't as grumpy looking. The man behind the counter handed Seto the card-key and his change of twenty-five dollars. Seto pocketed the money and card, and then picked up both of their suitcases. He began walking to the elevator.

Tea walked after him, "Kaiba! You don't have to carry that! I'm just as capable of-"

"I've got it," Seto said, reaching the elevator. Tea zipped her mouth shut, remembering him say that two seconds ago. She pressed the "up" button and stepped aside, so that Seto could get into the elevator. Once they were both inside, Tea punched in the floor to their room (which she had overheard from the receptionist).

The elevator took them up to the third floor. The doors opened, and Seto led the way to their room. He set down the suitcases, slipped the card in the lock, waited for the green light, and opened the door for Tea.

She stepped in, and walked past the bathroom, then stopped. Her eyes widened, and her mouth dropped slightly.

"Kaiba…when you reserved, did the receptionist mention this?"

"What?" Kaiba walked up to where he was. His eyes widened too. Now that he thought about it, the receptionist had probably tried to mention this to him. Let's just say this, and sum up their thoughts:

This wasn't the room they thought it would be. This was the other type of room the hotel offered:

The room with only one bed.


Hehe, did you like that chapter? I did. Hehe, what are their real reactions going to be to this one bed thing? I can't wait! However, there isn't much hope of you getting the next chapter before I leave on the 1st. Crap for you…I left you with a cliffie. Ohhh…that one must've hurt. Hehe…. runs offin panic See you later! Oh, and remember to review!