AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Hey! Happy New Year's guys! Sorry I couldn't update—had massive family parties and three apps due (not to mention the Bio test I didn't study for… XX)

Anyway, just wanted to respond to my latest reviews:

Ayame akakaru Kaiba (Chapter 9): Don't worry about it, it simply occurred to me that I wait for people to update too, so I should really try to be good about it and do it as often as possible. Then again, I also understand how busy people are (like you, apparently). Congrats on starting your fanfic! Fanfic-ing is fun—I do it when I need to relax and then it just kind of takes over… like right now there's so much homework I should be doing but hey, why do homework when you can write fanfics? Oh, and you'll always feel special after a review. If somebody's going to take the time to review, I'll at least take the time to respond (and it's not like I'm getting millions of reviews or anything). Funny you should mention Ishizu… She definitely wasn't my model for anybody, since she's actually in the story (you'll see her in later chapters) but I guess being priestesses they all kind of act alike??? I'll keep an eye out for your fanfic and try to review!

Same person (Chapter 10): Mmmm… well, the priestess definitely does, that much should be pretty obvious. Don't know about our main character yet, though… I'll try to answer your question without giving too much away. The Crown is what gives her the power to Channel with others (like Yugi and Kaiba, although it didn't quite work out…). Everything else will be revealed in bits and pieces (and one MASSIVE revelation at the end. Yes, I've already written out the end); hope you like suspense! Don't worry about being a suck-up and advertising—you're completely welcome to do it in your reviews.

And now, the actual chapter.

Chapter 10: Kaiba's Trust

Kaiba wanted to trust me. And he wanted me to trust him. The discovery came to me slowly, in bits and pieces. If I hadn't been so narrow minded, I think perhaps I may have seen it earlier.

After several months together we were sitting beside each other on a park bench, a good eight inches apart. We sat in silence, saying nothing, watching young lovers and children at play go by. I had nearly lost myself to solitude and quiet contemplation when I felt Kaiba slide his arm around my shoulders.

Surprised, I looked over at him. He was still facing straight forward, his eyes deliberately cast away from mine. His hip rested against mine in a quasi-comfortable way—to any passerby, we might have passed for a young couple in love, but I could feel discomfort between us. Gently, he attempted to draw me closer with the arm around my shoulders. I would not allow myself to be drawn in.

Kaiba paused, unsure of how to continue. I knew he was seeking a more personal level to our engagement, one he had been thus far unsuccessful at building. I didn't understand why he suddenly craved my attention and desire. He hadn't bothered when he'd haughtily informed me I was going to marry him.

After a moment's hesitation, he wrapped his other arm around me too, and leaned in towards my face. I sat stoically, intentionally looking away and turning my left cheek and side of my neck to him. I wanted him to know how displeased with this relationship I was. I refused to allow him to become close to me. If he wanted this, fine. I would have nothing to do with it.

Instead, I felt him hesitate again. My coldness had brought him up short. But after another moment, he leaned in and gently kissed my neck. I sat still. He kissed me again, more firmly this time. Then he gently moved up to the line of my jaw, kissing the soft spot behind my ear tentatively. I shivered, whether in pleasure or pain I do not know. At the time, I thought it was pain.

In retrospect, it may have been pleasure.

As I sat still and let Kaiba caress my throat gently, I saw Yugi and his friends approaching out of the corner of my eye. Scared, I reached out to push Kaiba away. But he refused. He easily brushed my hands away and took my face in his hands. I could hear Tristan now, talking about Joey's sister, Serenity. It was no secret that he was madly in love with her. Kaiba quickly turned my head to face him. I looked away.

Quickly, Kaiba brushed his lips against mine in a gentle, tentative kiss. When I didn't scream or force him away, he kissed me harder and longer. At some point during the kiss he forced my lips apart and began running the tip of his tongue gently along my lips.

How long he held me there, trying to tell me something I refused to hear, I do not know.

Perhaps we both felt the eyes watching us; as Kaiba broke away from me I pushed him away with my hands. I looked up slowly, afraid of what I would see.

Yugi and the others were watching us. Slowly, I looked up at each of them, pleading with them to understand. Only Yugi met my gaze with something of sympathy or understanding. Tristan and Tea were shocked, looking away from me. Joey met my eyes with anger. I averted my gaze. I couldn't stand to see their disapproval.

Joey looked ready to say something; Yugi put a hand on his arm, motioning for him to remain silent. I felt the tears pricking at the corner of my eyes. After five thousand years, I had lost the only friends I had ever known because of a marriage I did not want.

"You're better than this," Joey mumbled as they finally turned to leave.

Up until now Kaiba had shed his hesitance and insecurity, lounging beside me comfortably, his arm still around my shoulders. It didn't take long for it to dawn on him that Yugi and the others weren't gawking at the fact that he was out on what appeared to be a date—they were amazed by the fact that it was me with him, and that I was their friend. He smirked upon the realization, gratified in the knowledge that he had something over them now.

At Joey's comment, he stirred angrily, ready to get up and start a fight. I put out my hand and touched his shoulder. He paused, looking at me.

"Please don't," I whispered. "It's bad enough as it is."

I don't know what it was, whether it was the slight tremor in my voice or the tears in my eyes or even a change of heart on Kaiba's part. After a moment's silence he settled back down, not even watching as Joey and the others disappeared along the path.

I knew that he wasn't looking at me either.