NOTE: First, I wish to say sorry for taking a while to make this chapter (sure, it's only been ten or so days, but for me, that's long). It was due, pretty much to minor writer's block. The other part (a pretty lame excuse, might I add) was that I was reading WAY too many fics! Anywho….
Okay, there seems to be some confusion as to what the relationship was in the last chapter. Let's put it bluntly: Teana was in love with Yami at first. However, after seeing Seto console her and all that junk, she began to have some little feelings for him. So, let me show you the relation between the past and the present: In Ancient Egypt, Teana loved Yami first, then became undecided. In Domino, Tea loved Seto first (remember that chapter from so long ago?) and is now…well…sort of undecided…confused…unsure…unknowing…pick a synonym. Anywho, that was to help your confused minds.
Now, however, let us continue on with the story, to Part Three! Writer's block is over and I have the main conflict for this part's plot…plus the ending to the story…shoot…gotta go through the middle first…Anywho, I've blabbed enough, so let the story continue…after this VERY short disclaimer.
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!
Part Three
Chapter 19: Heated Disputes
Tea's eyes fluttered open. Where was she? She vaguely remembered being stuck in some dark place for quite a while…. As well, in the back of her subconscious, memories of the Egyptian past fluttered through, but she didn't notice, or quite remember these.
She sat up and looked down at herself. She was in a white dress…ah! Kaiba's party! Wait a second…Kaiba! Tea turned around quickly, to see that she had been lying, unconscious, on top of him. He was still knocked out, though he stirred ever so slightly.
Tea looked at his sleeping form. He looked so relaxed…calm…peaceful…loveable…wait…WHAT THE CRAP WAS SHE THINKING!
Tea stood up immediately. Why was she even in this room with Kaiba? The man who had turned away from her six years ago? Suddenly, the more recent memories flooded in. Tea gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. What in the world had she been thinking? Why had she accepted his dance? Why…why had she kissed him?
That couldn't have happened…no, it couldn't have. It was impossible…. Ever since that day…the day her had sent her out, Tea had sworn him, along with her new friends, that she was his mortal enemy. And now…she had danced with him…kissed him even!
The brunette backed up slowly, all the while, watching Kaiba. She saw out the window that others were still knocked out while some were stirring, or standing up. She had to leave: now.
Just as she turned the door handle, she heard him stir, and sit up, "Tea?" Tea bit her lip at his voice, hesitating. Suddenly, she yanked open the door and ran out.
"Tea, wait!" Seto called after her, standing up himself, and running. He was not going to loose her again. Sure, it didn't seem like the real him; caring for a girl…but this girl was different: she was special, and he had hurt her, and turned her away. He wasn't about to make that same mistake again.
Having recalled a few vague memories of the past (cough Egyptian cough), he realized that history indeed could be repeated, and he wasn't settling for that repeat.
Yugi stood up, woozily. He also made sure (mentally) that Yami was alright. He seemed perfectly fine, except, his spirits (pardon the pun) seemed down. Yugi was just about to ask him what was wrong when the door next to him slammed open and hit him smack dab in the nose. He grabbed it carefully, yelling in pain, and sank to his knees.
Joey saw this, "Hey, Yugi, are you alright?" Joey would've run over to help his friend, had he not been preoccupied with other thoughts. Joey was quite sure it was Kaiba who had opened the door (as it led to his office) and he was sure to give Kaiba a piece of his mind…and maybe a fist, if he could manage.
These plans turned to mush when Joey saw who it actually was, "Tea?" She didn't stop stomping down his way. She was determined to not let anybody through her path. She was completely fed up, and positively angry. "Tea? What'd are ya doin'? You just made a shiscabob of Yugi's nose! Aren't ya goin' to apologize or somthin'?" Tea didn't seem to notice him, as she walked right past him.
Joey was tired of being ignored, "Yo! Earth to Tea!" he grabbed her arm to stop her. He received a totally different reaction from what he expected and a different name too. Let's just say that Tea's mind was focused on one person, and she thought that person had grabbed her.
"KAIBA, WOULD YOU LET GO OF ME ALREADY!" Tea turned around, and reddened as she saw Joey's look of utter surprise.
"Are you tryin' to insult me, calling me Kaiba?" Joey inquired.
"Actually, she seems to be insulting me," a cold voice rang out. Kaiba could now be seen walking down the stairs briskly.
"Kaiba!" Joey turned to glare at him. He felt Tea's hand slip through his, and he turned back to her, "Tea, wait!"
"SHUT UP!" Tea retorted. Some of the surrounding people gasped slightly. Yugi was back on his feet now, and had moved away from the door. Exactly what had Kaiba done to make her so mad?
Kaiba shoved past Joey and continued after Tea. He finally almost caught up to her, and reached out to grab her arm. Tea turned around and tried pulling away from him, but he had a firm grip.
"WILL YOU LET GO!" Tea yelled at him.
"Tea, listen…"
"NO! YOU LISTEN, SETO KAIBA! WHAT IN GOD'S NAME WERE YOU DOING UP THERE? IF YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED, THAT'S BEEN OVER FOR SIX YEARS NOW!"
Seto look around, growing uneasy at the stares he was getting, "Tea, there's no need to shout…"
"I DON'T CARE WHETHER I SHOUT OR NOT! MAYBE YOU'LL ACTUALLY GET TO EXPERIENCE WHAT THIS SHOUTING WAS LIKE! OR DO YOU NOT REMEMBER WHAT YOU YELLED AT ME! I THINK IT SO HAPPENS THAT IT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY, EXACTLY SIX YEARS AGO! WE'RE THROUGH, SETO KAIBA! WE'VE BEEN THROUGH FOR SIX YEARS NOW, AND IF IT HASN'T SUNK THROUGH THAT THICK SKULL OF YOURS NOW, BY GOD'S WILL, I HOPE IT NOW HAS! AND DON'T YOU FORGET IT!" With that, Tea ripped her arm free from Seto's grasp, which had loosened quite a bit from the outburst. She turned around on her heel and stomped the rest of the way out of the hall.
Seto just stood there, growing quite warm in the heat, receiving either shocked stares, or in Joey's case, nasty glares. Slowly, he began walking forward, to still pursue Tea (man, he's one stubborn, hot guy….).
He saw her walking quickly to the parking lot, where her car was. She had taken out her keys and was unlocking it, when Seto came up behind her.
"Tea, please…just hear me out…"
Tea whirled around and glared at him…a most deathly glare, "I thought I told to you leave me alone!"
"Look, if you'll just hear me out…"
"No! I've had enough of your excuses! I gave you plenty of chances! That day I left, I waited to see what would happen! And you never came back! Sure, we were a lot younger…but that doesn't matter! You haven't changed since that day, Seto Kaiba. You haven't changed! You've been the same, cold, arrogant, jerk that you've been since then! And now you expect me to come back to you--"
"How can you possibly infer that I haven't cared for you! You aren't me!" Seto retorted.
"Well, I'm glad for that! Why would I want to be a cold jerk, like you?"
"That's not the point! The point is that you don't know how much I regretted those words after I said them! I've spent six years trying to find an answer as to why I yelled them, and broke up our relationship; not just that, but our friendship! Do you think I've just been sitting around these past years, doing nothing? No! I've been thinking about that day and about you! So how can you possibly infer that I don't care?"
"Well! Let me just say, you NEVER came running back! I waited days…weeks, for you to apologize, but you never did! And here you say that you've been thinking of the reason you said those words? Well, let's hear it!" Tea replied back hotly.
Seto opened his mouth and closed it, speechless. Sure, he had thought up a million apologies, and a million reasons as to why he might have said the hurtful words...but none of them seemed right…none of them seemed good enough…none of them seemed to show how much he cared.
Tea narrowed her eyes, "I thought so." She opened her car door, and before stepping in, she gave one last remark, "Not until I see a reason for that, or hear an elaborate and meaningful apology, will I ever come back. Six years ago, I walked out of your life, and tried forgetting you…and I still am trying." With that, she stepped into the car, turned on the ignition, and drove off, leaving a stunned, and speechless Kaiba, standing exactly where he had been.
"What was that all about?" Mai inquired, standing next to Joey. Kaiba and Tea had been gone for a good five minutes. The rest of the room had resumed talking, before everyone had to leave.
"I dunno…but whatever it was, Tea's been keepin' it from us," Joey replied. Yugi then, walked over to the two.
Joey turned around, "Hey Yugi! How's your nose?"
"Fine…nothing more than a nosebleed, if that. I don't really want to check," Yugi replied, still pinching his nose. He didn't want blood all over his suit, or the floor.
Suddenly, Mai turned to Joey, "Joey, did you mean what you said…before that whole Millennium Item ordeal?"
Yugi gasped, "The Items! I totally forgot!" He turned around to look for Marik, Bakura and Shadi. He saw an unconscious Ryou being helped up by Marik, but no Shadi. He probably disappeared, Yugi thought.
Mai turned back to Joey, "Well?"
"Joey turned back to her, "Well, what?"
"You know very well, 'well what'!" she retorted.
"Umm…"
"You git! Did you really mean what you said about loving me?" Mai looked at him intently.
Joey reddened slightly. He had to lie now…he still had to keep the secret…he could just tell her it was probably something she picked up from her unconsciousness with the whole past ordeal.
"I said that?" Joey inquired, playing his best.
"You…you don't remember?" Mai looked at him, a little hurt.
"No…I don't remember saying that…" Joey continued to fib, beads of sweat beginning to roll down his neck.
"Are you sure?" Mai pressed on.
"Positive," Joey said, his stomach tightening. This lie was going to return on him one day….
Noa walked over to Mokuba, "Moke, what was that all about," he referred to Seto and Tea's fight.
"I'm not really sure…I mean, I remember she and Seto were practically the best of friends a few years back…but then, one day, she ran out of the house, and never came back. Seto never talked about her, but that day, he became…I dunno…sort of…depressed; enclosed even."
"Oh," Noa responded. Maybe he could have a talk with his brother later….
Sorry, it's so short, but hey! It's an update. I liked the chapter…ooohhh…disputes, and I hope you guys did as well! Don't worry! Everything will simmer down, eventually!
