NOTE: Hey! I'M BACK! YEAH! Everyone throws confetti! Yep! I'm ready to get typing again! I've had this idea for so long! And now…I finally get to put it down! The cliffie shall be subdued! On with the story! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: After a good two weeks of vacation: crap on disclaimers. But, as I must say "I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!"…well…I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!
Chapter 13: Adjusting
Yes: it was the room with one bed. Can you imagine what was going through their heads at the moment? Let's find out:
TEA: What the crap? This must be a mistake…he wouldn't have gotten this accommodation on purpose…right? Oh man…how am I going to live through this? It's bad enough being in the same room with him (on account of I might let my emotions loose and blab everything), but now, I have to sleep with him? Nope! Aw, aw, NO WAY! Here's where I draw the line! And I bet he totally agrees! I mean, sure, I like him and all…but I'm not about to go and sleep with him…yet. Whoa! Don't go there, Tea. Don't…go…there.
SETO: Crap. Crap, crap, crap, crap, CRAP! How did this happen! I must be SO stupid! That stupid receptionist tried telling me this, and I blew her off! Shoot…this isn't good…. On the other hand…it's a great way to finally tell her…show her what I feel for her…. This might not be so bad after all.
"Yeah, well…um…" Tea couldn't find the right words to say. So, she just went back to the door, and brought in her suitcase. She set it down on the floor near the television set, which was placed in front of the bed. Seto did the same, except he put his luggage on the far side of the room.
Tea stood up, "You know…I'm pretty sure I saw a Kohl's or something back down a few roads…. You take the bed…and I'll go buy me a sleeping bag or something, okay?"
Seto stood up, "Lighten up, Gardner."
"Excuse me?" Tea inquired.
"I'm not having you sleep on the floor. It's…uncomfortable," Seto ended, lamely.
"Not like I'd be any more comfortable in that bed," Tea retorted, pouting. Seto gave her that rethink-what-you-just-said look. She then added, almost mutely, "With you."
"Give it up, Gardner; I'm not having you sleep on the floor. How bad can sleeping with someone else be?" Seto inquired. Tea looked indignant. "I'm sure you'll be sleeping with someone else in the years to come."
"Uh huh…and how would you know whether I was getting married to anyone or not?"
"Please, save it Gardner. Who couldn't like a pretty face like that?" Seto regretted saying the words the minute they came out. And his face showed it for a brief minute.
"Pretty face?" Tea looked at him flabbergasted.
"Forget it. The point is: you're not sleeping on the floor; if I have to drag you onto that bed myself. Anyway, where on the floor would you sleep? It's not like there's much room." Seto couldn't understand this girl. Any other girl would give anything for a chance like this, and here, Tea was waving it away.
"Fine," Tea sighed; "You win…but-" she stopped.
"But what?"
"Just…just…don't try anything "funny" with me," she turned around, to block his gaze.
"Don't flatter yourself, Gardner," Seto replied, turning back to his suitcase.
"I wasn't," Tea replied, to where only she could hear. However, accepting defeat, she looked through her suitcase briefly. And then she noticed her pajamas…making her think.
"Uh, Kaiba?"
"What?" he replied.
"You do h-…I mean…I'm only asking-"
"Spill it."
"You…" this was very difficult for her to ask. She wasn't one to generally bring up these things, "you did bring your…pajamas, right? Because, personally, I don't really want to relive that little episode we had a few months ago," Tea blurted out quickly, referring to the time when Seto had ran downstairs in his boxers.
Seto reddened slightly, and retorted, "Of course I do! What do you think I am?"
"Sor-ry, just asking," Tea sighed. However, Seto still wanted to check. He began rummaging through his suitcase. They weren't there. He looked again. He had to be missing them. Seto began to panic. That would be so embarrassing if he had to say he had forgotten them, and then go out and buy a pair to please her.
He stopped and retraced where he had put them. Let's see, he thought. I took them out of my dresser, and put them next to my suitcase, on my bed, and-. And that's it. Seto mentally slapped himself. He had left them on his bed.
Tea heard him stop, and curse softly. She smirked. So, he had forgotten them. She took some stuff out of her suitcase and stood.
"Like I said, I think I saw a Kohl's a few streets back. I'll be in the pool while you search for a decent pair," and with that, she went into the bathroom and shut the door.
Seto leaned back and sighed. She was good, he had to admit that. So, reluctantly, he took his keys, and made a quick exit before she could come back out.
Tea laid her head on her arms on the tile floor surrounding the spa, in the pool area. It was SOOO relaxing. She could stay there all night. Actually, skipping out on being with Kaiba didn't seem like such a bad idea. She heard some of the adults and kids in the nearby pool, yet she was alone in the spa.
Or so she thought.
A pair of hands gently touched her waist. Her head shot up, and she whipped around to she who was there.
"So, you are awake," Seto smirked and leaned back against the rim.
"Yeah, so- Oh my-…er, oh, it's you," Tea recovered. Really, she had been about to say "Oh my gosh," for it's not everyday you see Seto Kaiba…in a bathing suit…perfectly toned and looking so…hot.
"We're not surprised, are we?" Seto inquired, leaning forward slightly.
"No…it's just that…seeing you in here…I just thought I actually had something to worry about."
"And I'm not something to worry about? If I'm not mistaken, only an hour ago, you were having a panic attack…over sleeping with me."
"I was not having a panic attack!" Tea retorted, getting ready to slap him, softly. Seto caught her hand, and pulled her closer.
"We mustn't get violent now, must we?" Seto replied softly, looking into her quaking cerulean eyes.
"P-Please stop. Don't start this again, Kaiba," Tea said, her heart beginning to hammer.
"Having another panic attack?" Seto said, feeling her pulse quicken, under his fingertips.
"N-No, of course not," Tea replied, as Seto put an arm around her waist and moved her even closer (not that he could get much closer to her). He moved his hand from her wrist, down to her waist. Instinctively, Tea moved her hands up to his shoulders. Their heads slowly inched towards on another.
Suddenly, just two inches apart, Tea's head turned to the left, and bent down slightly, whispering, "People are staring."
Seto turned her head back towards him, "Let them watch," he said, not caring. However, Tea pushed away from him, keeping her head down all the while, and walked out of the spa, picked up her towel, slung it on her shoulders, and walked back towards the room.
Seto sighed, disappointed, and slid down further into the warm water. He had been so close! So close! He had wanted that kiss REALLY bad. He cursed Noa for not letting them have had it earlier.
"Suppose I'd better follow suit, for once," Seto muttered to himself, and climbed out. After getting his towel, he realized that the journey back would be an unpleasant one. Hoards of women lined the walk, ready to spring on him when he passed. Seto sighed. This would delay him for quite some time.
Tea stood in the shower, letting the water run over her. She couldn't help but to think why Seto was going to allow her to actually kiss him. After all, hadn't he kissed her before…to just find out what she would have answered to that stupid truth or dare thing? Had he not found his answer? And then, he was acting just like he had been at the top of the stairs that one day: playing with her. What did he want with her?
She sighed as she suddenly thought: what would happen to her when she was in the same bed as him? She knew this had been a BAD idea.
Seto flew in the door the minute Tea came out of the bathroom. Seto slammed the door shut and leaned back against it.
"That was one of m more stupid ideas," Seto suddenly said.
"And you haven't had any before?" Tea inquired, sitting on the bed.
"Not that I know of," Seto gave her a look, and stood up.
"Sure," Tea muttered, "I could think of some."
"What was that?" Seto inquired, strolling over to his suitcase to grab his newly bought pajamas.
"Nothing."
"Sure," he replied, and went into the bathroom. Tea could her the shower turn on a couple minutes later. She herself was in pajamas now: a silky lavender tank top with shorts that went down to the knee. Truly, they were meant to be capris on someone shorter than she; however, the top was the only one in the section the fit. So, she went happily with the "shorts" as well.
Tea leaned back on the headboard of the bed, and took out her book, and began reading.
Ten minutes later, Seto emerged from the bathroom. Tea looked up slightly, and her eyes widened. He even looked good in pajamas. He really did know how to shop stylishly.
His wear consisted of a silk navy short sleeve top, and navy pants, that were a bit baggy, meaning that they swayed a little when he walked. Tea wished to think no more of this hot guy…whom she was sharing a room with…and returned to her book.
She felt the bed shake beside her, and looked over to see Seto plop onto the bed, grab the remote, immediately (a natural talent among males) and switch on the television.
Tea stopped reading immediately, "I was reading, you know."
"I'll turn it down," Seto replied, smirking a tad.
Tea sighed, "Forget it," and she put the book down, "just find something good to watch. Thus, Seto began flipping channels. I mean, the guy glanced at the station for a second, and then was off to the next.
"Oh, that's go- wait that's ni- stop-," Tea tried telling him to stop where she briefly noticed some enjoyable things. Finally she was fed up, "Give me that!" she reached over and grabbed the remote away from him. Seto glared at her.
Tea began flipping backwards, to some stations she had noticed before, "Geez, I feel like I'm on the Comcast © commercials. With the flipping and the not stopping, argh!" she muttered. Seto let out a brief "ha," at her statement.
"Well, what are you doing that's any different from what I was doing? You're still surfing the channels."
"What makes us different is that I'm stopping…" Tea hoped that the station she stopped on would be good. She hadn't found and of the programs from before, "Here."
The man on the television spoke, "Tonight, we bring you another great scare from out FrEaKy FrIdAy Marathon. Now, enjoy our next feature: The Nightmare."
"Oooh, good job Gardner," Seto replied sarcastically, "I'm scared stiff."
"What's the difference, you're always stiff," Tea mumbled.
"Excuse me?"
"Nothing. Anyway, if you don't want to watch, we can just turn it off," Tea said, holding up the remote.
Seto looked at the clock: 8:30; too early, "Fine, keep it on. It's better than going to sleep now…not that I won't during this stupid thing."
"You never look at anything positively, do you?" Tea said, putting down the remote on her nightstand.
You don't know the half of it, Seto thought, while looking at her.
So, they began watching the movie. Not twenty minutes through, Tea was already shaking. Let's just say her emotions let loose very easily. Even Seto had to admit that the movie's production wasn't all that bad…but he wasn't scared…yet.
About an hour through the movie, Tea was whispering to herself, "Don't get scared…you know he's bound to jump out from he wall…don't get scared…he's gonna jump…don't get-"
"Will you keep quiet, Gardner?" Seto said, irritated.
"I thought you didn't want to watch," Tea looked at him.
"My mind is very flexible…at times," Seto replied, shutting her up. Tea turned back to the movie. Not a minute later, having forgotten her chant, she yelped, and grabbed the nearest thing to her: Seto's arm. Seto looked down at her.
This was the perfect time for an embarrassing remark, on her part, "I guess I can live with numbness, and without circulation in that arm." Tea looked up, and then looked at his arm.
"Oh…sorry," she pulled away, and immediately pulled her knees up to her chin, and quaked there, calming her beating heart.
Seto glanced over and saw that in her jump, she had moved her whole body closer to him. He smiled slightly. He then realized that if she kept quaking, she'd wreck the movie for him. So, he decided to calm her, and do something he wanted all at the same time.
Slowly, he moved his arm over to the other side of her body, and laid it on her arm, which was shivering at that moment. He gently moved his hand up and down her arm, and felt her relax. But she still hadn't seemed to have taken in that it was his hand. However, he didn't care. In doing this, he also kept bringing them closer to each other during the duration of the movie.
The movie lasted near three and a half hours. By then (near the end) Tea was shivering madly, and Seto's eyes were wide, yes, with fear. He had finally been scared, and held a tighter grip on Tea. Both their hearts were hammering, waiting….
And then, the movie ended. The two relaxed slowly. Tea put down her knees, and Seto let go of her, bringing his arm back to him. The main credits were just beginning, while walking slowly through a graveyard. Even the credits were freaky. Tea grabbed the remote, when suddenly, on the television, the great beast appeared, and roared at the screen. Tea shrieked, and dropped the remote, her other hand grabbing…Seto's hand…which had, at the same time, grabbed hers.
They looked at each other, then their interlocked hands, and immediately let go. Seto turned away, and reddened slightly. Tea turned off the television that minute, and laid the remote aside. She turned back to look at Seto, who had also returned his gaze. They suddenly began laughing.
"That was an awesome movie!" Tea laughed, at how scared she had been.
Seto chuckled slightly, "And the best part was seeing you scared out of your wits the whole time."
"Hey, you were freaked too!" Tea retorted, having seen his widened eyes during the last half of the movie.
"Was not," Seto replied, serious again.
"Was too."
"Was not."
"Was too!"
"Fine! I was scared! Now will you just shut up? It's midnight already!" Seto slid into the covers, and turned his back toward her.
Tea smiled triumphantly, and did the same. The lights had already been turned off, during the movie.
However, Tea was still scared. Not by the movie, but by sleeping next to Seto. He may have seemed to just want to go straight to bed, but was that what he really wanted to do? It didn't matter, now. She'd just keep her back towards him the whole night. Sure, she probably wouldn't sleep due to that discomfort, and her back would be killing her in the morning, but what else was she going to do?
Soon however, even with her mind running, due to fatigue and worry, she soon fell asleep, Seto doing the same.
Well? How was it? Not the best chapter…I probably disappointed you with the close-but-so-far-away kissing thing…but this chapter was really trying to get them…unknowingly close. And it was meant for a little humor too. However! I promise that the NEXT chapter is what you're ALL waiting for! It'll be SO good! I think…and I think it'll be a long one too….
