Disclaimer: i do not own yugioh. that is all.
A/N: HELLO! I'm really excited that I got another chapter of this story done; and I have chapter three in work right now! I'm trying out a new sort of format-thing, switching from past to present. I tried to make everything clear, though. Hope you enjoy!
chapter Two:
Slow progress.
That's how to make things work.
An easy way to see if you like it, before you keep or toss it.
But not the way for a thing to gain power.
Fast, rapid climbing is how something takes you over.
Before you know it, that need has the reigns.
All that you thought you could overpower now consumes you.
But you can't stop.
Because you're falling.
Because you can never control it.
All you can think about
is your newest
addiction.
Four months earlier, if anyone had asked Kaiba which woman, if any, he pictured himself falling for, he would have immediately answered that he didn't need love. If that specific anyone had gone on to ask how he felt about falling for a certain girl Kaiba knew called Tea Gardener, he would have kicked that person in the balls, found said Gardener, and warned her to keep the hell away from him.
The idea of the two of them ever getting together was:
A.) Irrational
B.) Inconceivable
C.) Absolutely never in a thousand lifetimes going to happen because even the very wretched thought was vile and a virus to the mind (Kaiba's personal stance on the issue)
The solitary female in Yugi Mutou's group of geeky tag-alongs was someone far below him; she wasn't worth insulting. Of course, she was someone Mokuba practically adored. And she had saved the boy. And she was surprisingly attractive- for a bitchy, friendship obsessed cheerleader of course. He didn't think about her. He hadn't ever really cared about her. So obviously, on his list of potential candidates for ownership of his heart- not that he could ever be persuaded into making such a list of course- she would be very, VERY low. Actually, not even worthy to be on it.
Yet, in spite of all his disdain for her, somehow he had managed to fall head over feet in love with that very girl. Somehow. Some unfathomable, nearly impossible way. His mind was still reeling from the knowledge. He hated to admit it, but there was really no way around it. And all he could do was continue in the same wanton way, because he would never, ever tell the girl what he was feeling. Never. He wouldn't do it.
Thinking back on it, he was surprised they had gotten together in the first place. Things had started strangely, to say the least, and upon really considering the matter, the person most responsible for hooking them up was Joey Wheeler- probably the one person who would be the most disgusted at the relationship. If it was ever brought out into the open, that is. Because no matter how much he needed her, no matter how addicted he became (if there even was a deeper level than the one he was already on), no one would EVER find out that they were together.
Everything had started one day at school:
(flashback mode)
For a major test grade, all the chemistry students were required to complete a big lab. They would be in there for two or three days, and then all the teams would be required to write up a lab report. Tea was excited; doing labs was a lot more fun than just sitting in the classroom taking notes. She, Joey, Yugi, and Tristan were all talking about it during lunch.
"I hate labs," Joey said sourly. "I always fail the stupid report things and usually my group ends up spilling the chemicals or something. I can't ever do a single damn project right."
Tea laughed. "Come on Joey, surely you don't screw up all the time."
He looked at her pointedly, an eyebrow raised. Tristan couldn't help but chuckle. "No Tea, he's right. He hasn't done a lab right since the beginning of the year. All the times I've been partnered with him, I ended up having to come back and do the experiment again."
"Well don't worry Joey," she said with a smile, "this time I'll be your partner, and I always succeed fabulously. We'll get the highest marks in the class." Joey whooped, and thanked her profusely. He was glad to have a competent lab partner.
Or that's how it was supposed to be. Because Tea ended up sitting alone, hoping Joey was just late to class, not accepting the other offer she got to work with someone. Joey didn't come. There was almost no one left. No one good certainly, but she didn't think it would be too bad. She wasn't expecting a horrible school experience, that is until the teacher told her that her lab partner would be Seto Kaiba.
Seto Kaiba.
Tea had to repeat it to herself just to make sure she wasn't in a nightmare. With a groan, she got her books and things and moved over to the table he was sitting at. "What are you doing here Gardener?" he sneered, noticing her sitting down.
"Since you obviously weren't paying attention, I'll have you know that the teacher just assigned you as my lab partner. And I came here to do the lab. This is a huge project, and we have to get a good grade on it. It's practically as important as our nine weeks test!"
"And I care because?"
"You have to pass too, you know. Whether you like it or not, you have just as much at stake as I do."
"Except I'm not making a big deal about it. Of course I'm going to do well on this project; the subject matter is impossibly elementary."
"Could you be any more egotistical? You're convinced that you can do no wrong. Guess what Kaiba, you're human. Even you, oh great one, can make mistakes."
A moment of annoyed silence. "Did I ask for your opinion?"
"Why yes, you seemed to be quite interested in all that I had to say."
"Your sarcasm is wasted on me Gardener. I play that game much better than you ever could." His body language signaled the end of the conversation. She rolled her eyes. He was just as charming as she remembered.
Luckily, the teacher chose that moment to begin passing out their assignment sheets, and as such saved her from having to make more forced conversation with the rude boy beside her. Tea knew that she could do the work- she was smart and paid attention in class- but she wasn't sure that she'd come out of the project alive. Having to work with Kaiba was a fate not suited for the weak-hearted. She read through the papers, trying to get an idea of what they would need to do.
But he snatched it right out of her hands. "Hey! Kaiba! Give that back to me."
"Hmm, I think I won't."
"You jerk! Why do you have to be so infuriating?"
"Oh, I don't have to be; but why would anyone in their right mind want to be civil to someone like you?" He smirked mockingly, without any hint of real happiness, and made a big show of reading the papers in front of her.
She wanted to pull out her hair in frustration. Better yet, she wanted to rip out all of Kaiba's hair. And maybe stuff it down his arrogant, absolutely unbearable throat...
"Gardener," he said in an aggravated tone, snapping her out of her momentary lapse. "Can't you manage to focus for one minute?" He gestured toward the front of the room, where the teacher was giving instructions. "How are you supposed to do this project you were so worried about if you're not even paying attention?" He made an impatient, annoyed noise at the back of his throat. "But really, I wouldn't have expected more."
Tea was really, really close to her limit. "I- wait. How am I supposed to do this? I think you mean we. Or at least you better mean we, because I don't care how much I despise you, and believe me that is no small amount, this is too much work for one person to handle by themselves."
He glared at her for a second, before turning back to the front and ignoring her. The mutual dislike was palpable, and neither seemed interested in any kind of reconciliation or compromise. How they were ever going to get the project done was a question for the ages.
Luckily, they were spared the burden of more unwelcome thought by the much anticipated bell. Kaiba stood without another word and stalked out of the room. Tea rolled her eyes and happily joined Yugi and Tristan. The three friends walked to the cafeteria, and promptly sat down at their usual table.
The boys could tell something was wrong with her. She was much quieter than normal, and she looked very tense. As soon as she sat her lunch on the table she announced, with no warning, "I am going to KILL Joey."
Tristan and Yugi exchanged glances. "Um, why exactly are you going to kill him?" Tristan asked a bit hesitantly. "I seem to be having trouble remembering what he did this time."
"Oh, nothing too bad, nothing horrible, nothing absolutely unforgivable, nothing that has completely ruined my life for the next three weeks!" She slammed her bottled water down on the table, gritting her teeth with the effort of her words. "Stupid, stupid Joey..."
"Why are you so mad at him Tea?" Yugi asked innocently. "I'm sure he didn't mean to make you so angry."
Just then, Kaiba sauntered past them, heading for some remote corner away from the bustle of the rest of the students. With a flourish, she raised up out of her seat and pointed after him. "That is why I am angry with him. That socially inept abomination, that rude, discourteous jerk- and because of Joey I have to be the one stuck with him!" She sank back down in defeat, the edge to her voice gone.
But her dining companions still looked lost. "Ok, let me get this straight," Tristan said slowly. "You're mad at him because of a trash can."
Tea looked at him like he was insane and said, "What!" Her hands shot up and she started making unclear gestures. Tristan just cleared his throat and pointed behind her. She turned and looked, and sure enough, a large garbage bin was directly in her line of sight. "No! Not some stupid trash! I'm mad at him because, in his eternal carelessness, his complete disregard for prior responsibility, he didn't show up to school today!"
"But-" Yugi began, only to be stopped by an angry upraised palm.
"I'm not finished yet," she fumed. "Because of his deplorable act of selfishness, I am being forced to endure a fate worse than any I have previously known! As you probably already know, Joey was supposed to be my lab partner for chemistry."
The boys both hesitantly nodded.
"Right. Well, because we were supposed to work together, I refused all other offers. And, in so doing, got stuck with the absolute WORST partner imaginable. The most foul, hideous-"
Yugi knew instantly who she meant. "I'm sorry Tea, but he's really not that bad. I know you can make your project work."
Tristan, however was still in the dark. "Oh man, you mean you got paired with that horrible-smelling kid who always sits in the back of the class because he never showers?" He laughed. "Oh man, Tea, I wouldn't trade with you for the world!"
He was rewarded with a quick blow to the head. "Ow..."
"No! I did not get paired with him. And it's not nice to make fun of people! I got paired with..." She put her hand to her forehead, pretending she was close to fainting. "Kaiba."
Still nursing his wound Tristan was quick to commiserate. "Man, that sucks. I bet he's going to make you do all the work. And you actually have to spend time with him?" He shuddered. "That blows. Really."
Tea glared at him. "I know. Oh, when I get my hands on Joey. He will pay."
The other two exchanged glances. They- well, not so much Yugi- had been on the receiving end of her rage before, and they knew that when she said someone was going to get it, they were never going to forget what they had coming to them. "I don't know about you," Yugi said quietly, "but I don't think I've ever been happier that I'm not Joey."
"Gotta agree with you on that. She's going to kick his sorry ass from here to next week."
Suddenly they heard the sound of a throat clearing. Looking up guiltily, they saw Tea drumming her fingers on the lunch table and gazing at the two of them venomously. "I can hear you both, you know," she said. "I am sitting right here."
"Sorry Tea," Yugi said, "but let's forget about all that for a while. I'm hungry, aren't you?" He started eating vigorously, nodding for the two others to join him.
Tea couldn't help but smile at her friend's attempt to clear her mind. "Yeah Yugi, you're right. I am hungry, and we only have about twenty minutes left. So, have you guys seen that new movie that's out?"
(Warp Back to the Present)
A knock at the door jolted him out of his memories. "Seto?" A familiar voice said, "What are you doing up so late? I got up to get some food, and I saw your office light on. Everything OK?"
"Yes Mokuba, everything is fine. And I could ask you the same question. Why are you up so late?"
"Well," the younger Kaiba said, his reply punctuated by the occasional yawn, "I woke up from this really weird dream I was having about these killer robots, and I realized I was hungry. I was going to go down to the kitchen to get some cookies or something, but like I said, I saw your light on." He rubbed his eyes sleepily. "I was sleeping fine."
Suddenly, he noticed his brother's strange activity. He sat in his favorite chair, absentmindedly twirling a rose between two fingers. "Um, Seto?" he asked curiously, "what's up with the rose?"
"What? Oh. Nothing. Really, nothing of any importance. I..." He frowned, trying to think of an answer. "It's late Mokuba, you need to go back to bed."
He rolled his eyes at his older brother and yawned again. "Night Seto."
"Goodnight Mokuba."
End A/N: YAH! Another chapter up! I would really appreciate your opinion, positive or negative. Just be nice, that's all I ask! Hopefully, I'll be able to update soon. Oh, and if this story suddenly appears under another name, it's because I'm thinking about changing mine. Nothing definite yet!
signing off... I.L.B.