Chapter 8 – N.O.P.V.
Kaiba looked at the shaking Kashadra. He didn't know what to do. He wanted to pull her close and at the same time, he wanted to push her away. 'Loves me? That's not possible, is it? We've only known each other for six weeks, and yet . . . it does seem like it's been longer.' He placed one hand, carefully and gently, on Kashadra's arm.
"Kashadra, look at me." She, slowly, lifted her head up. Her cheeks were stained with tears, and her eyes held so many emotions Kaiba almost found himself speechless. "Stop crying." He wiped the tears away again, and placed his hand under her chin. He lifted her face until he was looking directly down at her. "You shouldn't cry over someone like me, Kashadra. Never over someone like me, Kashadra."
"Stop calling me that!" she pulled away from him.
"Sha then. You don't need to cry." She just glared over at him.
"Then why did you kiss me? That's why I'm crying, because I don't like my emotions to be played around with, Kaiba."
"I'm . . . not sure why I did, Sha."
"There has to be some reason. Was it because you just felt like toying with me?"
"No, that wasn't it." Kaiba looked away, Kashadra almost reached out to him. She didn't though. "I did because it felt . . . right." He looked back up and caught her gaze. She saw that his eyes held so much pain.
"You really mean that, don't you?" she smiled lightly. "You . . . if you wish you may call me Kashadra. And with everything I told you. Heh." She looked at him with a sheepish little smile on her face. Kaiba just nodded; he looked relieved.
"Yeah, I told you, you shouldn't have cried. You look like you've been run over." She slapped at him; he caught her wrist in mid-strike. "Did you really mean to hit me?"
"No, I just wanted a reason to get closer to you." She moved to where her face was centimeters from his. "The first kiss wasn't really a kiss, was it? So how about you show me what you actually meant now."
Kaiba just smirked. His other hand slipped behind her head and pulled her to where their lips met. By pulling her towards him though, he knocked himself off balance and fell backwards; she landed on top of him. They didn't notice that someone slipped off from the edge of the clearing. Kashadra had to pull back after a few minutes; she'd seemed to have lost her breath. She was still lying on top of Kaiba and his arm rested about her waist.
"You just seem to take my breath away."
"And I hope to do so for a good long while." He pulled her back down to meet lips again. This kiss was deep, but she wouldn't open up completely to Kaiba just yet. And he was fine with just being able to hold her right now. She again pulled back for air.
'How can this be any more perfect?' she smiled down at him.
"Is something funny Kashadra?"
"No, you just look so cute with your hair messed up like this." She ran her hand through his hair. "It's really soft you know. I thought it would be stiff; I mean with the way it seems to be styled."
"You think I have enough ego to style my hair?"
"Well, maybe?"
"It's not. My hair has always been this way." She ran her fingers through his hair again and shrugged her shoulders.
"I can't tell the difference," She sat up grudgingly, "But, that's too comfortable." Kaiba pushed himself up and took a seat across from her.
"Now, I've never been one to be . . . swept away' by emotions as you might say. So, how do you understand this all happened?"
"I think it started when we first met, but I might be mistaken."
"No. I do think you are correct. I . . . just couldn't seem to get you out of my head. No matter how I tried."
"Yeah, almost the same for me. But, I kept remembering things you'd said. We were both hit pretty hard weren't we?"
"Yes indeed. We were hit very hard. But, with what you'd said about your dream earlier, I believe that they may explain why you chose to go to me or why we seemed to fall in love and it's so perfect."
"I think the one I had when I'd passed out earlier might be the one to do just that, but I can't remember it. For some strange reason, I can't remember any that has to do with you or me."
"Divine intervention perhaps?"
"You could be right. But, I've got a question for you."
"What is it Kashadra?"
"When can I call you just Seto?"
"When we're alone. But not around others just yet. They might become suspicious. And the last thing we need on our backs is the media right now."
"Okay, Seto. You know, I like the sound of that. But it is late."
"Yes, we should turn in for the night."
"Fine by me, as long as I get to sleep beside you." Kaiba leaned against the tree behind him. Kashadra moved to where she was sitting right beside him. "You ever have a sleeping partner?"
"Not one like you that's for sure." He purposely ignored the innuendo. Kaiba wrapped his arm around her waist and she snuggled up to him.
"That's a good sign." She fell asleep almost immediately. Kaiba looked down at his watch.
"Nearly half past, that would mean I kissed her the first time at midnight. Strange." He shrugged it off and fell asleep.
Morning seemed to come too early for them both. Kashadra opened her eyes and looked around. Kaiba was still asleep and his arm held her waist in a death grip. She would have much more preferred to go back to sleep, seeing by Kaiba's watch it was only nine, but he decided to wake up right then."Sleep well Seto?" he let go of her waist.
"Yes, very well. And morning." He stood up; stretched; then looked around. "We should probably get going." Kashadra stood up beside him.
"Yep! In a guess, Yugi and his friends should be at the castle by . . . three-thirty. We should get here at least an hour and a half before them. If we want to get your brother." She glanced at Kaiba. He was going through his duel deck. "Anything missing?"
"Not that I see," he put his deck in his pocket. "But, you're right. We should make haste if we want to get there."
"Haste makes waste. We'll take our time. We should get there with no problem that way. Besides, if we hurry, we may miss Mutou's group by an hour or so. Now that wouldn't be wise would it?" she gave a sly smirk to Kaiba. "And another thing is I might get lost if we hurry." He took two steps and was in front of her; she wasn't going to back down.
"Here about the island you're an expert, or so you say, but I'm the one who'll be dueling. I'm the expert in that area."
"And another if I'm not mistaken." She seemed to know something he didn't. Kaiba didn't want to put up with her games, or any possible innuendos she might slip into her speech, this early. He placed an arm around her waist and pulled her up against him.
"I don't play games, Kashadra." He brought his lips down, rather roughly, and met hers. She was waiting for it. Her arms snaked around his neck and she pulled herself closer to him. He deepened the kiss and tipped her head back. Her fingers were tangled in is hair and his other hand was at her neck.
They both pulled back at the same time. "Now, what was it you were going to say?" Kaiba sounded out of breath and Kashadra looked up into his eyes. She was leaning against him, and felt as though she would collapse if he let go.
"I don't remember, but I think it had something to do with you being able to do that." She sounded just as breathless as Kaiba did. "But, I think we should stop doing that until we get to the castle. We might get . . . distracted."
Kaiba agreed grudgingly. "You're right. Let's go, before I change my mind." Kaiba let go of her; nearly having to catch her when he did so. He shook his head and made sure Kashadra was steady before he picked up his briefcase and started off. Kashadra was at his side, leading through movements, and sometimes taking the lead. They made three-fourths the way to the castle, in under four hours, getting lost once. They decided to take a break in a shaded area.
"You're a slave driver Seto." Kashadra plopped down under a nearby oak. "Man, I haven't walked so much in so short a time since I was in one of those walkathons." Kaiba sat down next to her. She grabbed a canteen she had hooked to her waist and took a drink from it. She offered it to Kaiba who took if gratefully.
"You might not be so tired or so out of breath if you'd stop singing."
"I pass the time by singing. It makes the journey seem shorter."
"Yes, and by singing you got us lost that one time." Kashadra looked away, almost embarrassed.
"Well…not my fault. I always got confused at that point."
"Excuses, excuses." He just closed his eyes.
"You know, we have about two miles to go before we reach the castle. But, there's a guard that comes around here soon. I used to have the best time jumping out from the trees at them."
"How long till the guard gets here?"
"Five minutes. Give of take a few."
"We can sit until then." Kashadra looked over at him.
"You have something planned don't you?"
"You figure things out quickly. Yes, I do have a plan. We'll use the guard to get to my brother."
"Good plan. But what to do until then?"
"Whatever you want."
"Hmm." She closed her eyes. "A ten minute rest. Sound fabulous.
I have wondered far and wide
For something real something to die for
But I have found you and you do not see
All that is me all that is true
I am more than you will see
I am more than you will need
I am more than you will see,
More than wanted
As you float on the flimsy surface
You should know life lies beneath it…"
"Enough Kashadra. I could recite that song by heart if I wanted too; I've heard it so many times."
"Well, sorry. I didn't know you were so tired of it Seto."
"No more Kashadra." Kaiba stood. He looked down at her and extended a hand. "The guard should be here soon. I can hear him already." She took his hand and he pulled her up. She fell against him and smiled.
"Oops." She pushed away and looked to her left. "Okay, should I hide or something?"
"Yes, hide Kashadra." She jumped into the nearest tree without another word. Kaiba climbed into the one across the path from hers.
Kaiba was right. The guard was coming down the path. He was loud enough not to be mistaken as a duelist. Kaiba waited until the guard was three feet away from his tree on his right and then jumped down. He landed without a sound but Kashadra nearly fell from her tree and the guard turned around.
"Kaiba! What are you doing here?" he pulled a gun; his hand was shaking lightly. Kaiba flipped a card and stuck it between the hammer and the firing pin. He had the gun after that in a matter of seconds.
"You are going to take me to my brother. Kashadra, you can come down now." She jumped down and landed right beside Kaiba.
"Shall we go?"
"Yes, we shall. And you, get moving!" the guard started walking with the gun pointed at his back. Kaiba and Kashadra were both smirking.
The song belongs to Vanessa Carlton.
