Disclaimer: Look for it on chapter 1.
Just to let you know, the "-" symbols mean a quick scene change during phone conversations.
A Kaiba Christmas Wish
Chapter 3
Two stubborn mules
[Kaibas mansion: Guest room: December 12]
Bellona woke up to a strange surrounding. She was lying in a bed that felt very soft and warm. The ceiling was tall, and had floral designs painted on the walls. The bed was made of brass, but it had a Victorian design to it, with engravings of roses and cameos on the foot of the bed. She tried to get up, but a sharp pain in her ribs forced her to lay back down. Clutching at it, she noticed that her left arm had a cast wrapped around it. She then felt her forehead with her right hand. Sure enough, there was a bandage on the side of it.
"Ah, you're finally awake." A male voice said.
Bellona quickly turned her head to its direction. The voice was calm, but she knew who it was the minute she saw the figure sitting on a chair right next to her.
"Kaiba, I presume."
"Yes. You were injured more seriously than I thought."
"Let me guess. You felt sorry for me, and decided to help me recover, right?" she asked in a somewhat mocking tone.
Kaiba merely chuckled at this. "In order for that to happen, I would have to care about your well being. You have my brother to thank for you even being here."
"Oh really. Then why are you here? If you didn't care, wouldn't you be somewhere else?"
Kaibas smirked vanished, as he thought about that question for a few seconds. Finally, he responded.
"My brother sort of made me feel obligated to take care of you. Don't get the wrong idea."
"I wouldn't dream of it." She tried to get up again, but the sharp pains once again forced her to lay back down.
"What's your rush, anyways?"
"Well, asides from having to be around an arrogant jerk, I'd like to see if my sisters okay."
"You really don't have room to talk. Besides, your sister is okay. Mokuba invited her over to Yugi's house."
"The worlds top duelist, Yugi Moto? But why would he even care?"
"He's one of those boy scout types. I doubt if he's actually been a boy scout, but if you've ever heard one of his dueling speeches, he might as well have been one."
Bellona shook her head, grinning. "Sounds like one of those 'I have to always do what is right' types."
Kaiba also grinned. "You have no idea how accurate you are. It's sickening, really. His friends happen to be the worst of the bunch, especially that low-class mutt, Joey Wheeler."
"Joey? I've never heard of him. Is he a duelist?"
"Yeah. He dueled in Duelist Kingdom with Yugi, and also in Battle City."
"He's that good?"
"No. The only reason he was able to participate in Duelist Kingdom was because Yugi gave him one of his star chips."
"That makes sense. And what about Battle city? Weren't you the ones that handed out the invitations?"
"Yes. There was a mix up in the computer that somehow allowed him to enter. It was too late to fix it by the time I saw him prancing about in Battle city with one of my dueling disks. Once again, I think the mutt had Yugi to thank for it."
Bellona laughed, but stopped when doing so hurt her ribs. "If it were 'my' tournament, I would've dueled him just to eliminate him from the rounds."
"Believe me, I would've. Fortunately for him, I was very busy at the moment. Besides, I try not to waste my time with amateurs like him."
There was an awkward silence. Kaiba wasn't used to talking to people in casual manners. Whenever he talked with Mokuba, he usually had to refrain from insulting any of his friends, even though he failed at doing that sometimes. He was actually able to talk to this woman the way he wished, and the fact that she was the same status as he was made it all the better. Unfortunately, the fact that she was the sister to Pegasus kept a distance between them. He couldn't stand Pegasus. He even hated him more than Marik or Joey.
Bellona, on the other hand, also wasn't used to talking to people. To her, the existences of others were merely to serve and cater to her demands. She was very spoiled in nature, and never had to care about anyone else's feelings. The only exceptions were her sister and late brother. Her parents were the neglectful type, only letting their wallets do the parenting, which explains her attitude. Seto Kaiba was the first person, even of her own status, to confront her the way he did. This is what caught her interest.
"(He's kind of cute.)?" She thought to herself. "( I wonder if he finds me attractive? What am I saying? Of course he does! Who doesn't? I am incredibly rich, beautiful, and powerful. Certainly a prize worth having)!" Then she examined Kaibas expressions, which seemed to be a slightly bewildered stare. "(Oops! I'm staring at him too long. I hope he didn't get the wrong idea)." Then she spoke out loud to cover up what she was thinking. "I never noticed before, but you have nice eyes."
"(What was that about)?" Kaiba thought. "(Still, she has good taste)." The he spoke aloud. "Don't think that flattery isn't going to get you thrown out once you're fully recovered."
Bellona frowned. "Flattery?! Ha! You wish! I was just making an observation! Besides, who would ever be interested in a spoiled brat like you?!"
"I can say the same thing about you!" Kaiba retorted. "It's no wonder nobody likes you!" Then he smirked. "Especially now that you have all those injuries."
Bellona quickly sat up, despite the pain in her ribs. "Only my arm, ribs, and forehead! Besides, that was your fault!"
"All I can say is that you had it coming. Oh, and for the record, I still don't take back what I said about your brother."
Despite the large amount of pain, she managed to stand up and face him.
"Take that back or I'll make you take it back!"
"I'd love to see you try."
So Bellona tackled him so that they both crashed on the floor. He certainly wasn't expecting her to actually do something about it, so his guard was thrown off. Bellona groaned in pain as she wasn't able to move without making it worse. Seto took this to his advantage, and rolled her on her back. She tried to spring back up, but he forced her back down. She tried to struggle, but the immense pain from it finally made her stop.
"So, are you going to stop this childish tantrum?" Kaiba asked irritably. "Or am I going to have to hold you like this until Mokuba gets back?"
"Let me go this instant or I'll-"
"You'll what? You can barely even move!"
Without answering, she quickly wrapped her legs around him, and squeezed in a tight grip, causing Seto to feel a slight pain in his ribs.
"Just because I'm hurt, doesn't mean I'm helpless!"
Kaiba just grinned at this, and used one of his hands to clutch her side and squeeze it, causing more pain in her ribs. He kept doing this until her grip loosened, which he quickly escaped from. He then picked her up, and placed her back on the bed. Once again, she tried to get up, but he held her in place.
They were both breathing heavily, each one too stubborn to give in to the other. They stared into each others eyes, glaring. However, that glare was slowly fading. Bellona tried to struggle again, but Kaiba held her in place again, this time, his face being closer to hers.
"When are you going to stop acting like a spoiled brat?!"
"Maybe when you start giving in to my demands!"
"You're by far the most stubborn woman I have ever met!"
"And you're the most insolent man I've ever met! No wonder you've never found a woman, despite your riches!"
"Look who's talking!"
"At least I've had dates! I bet you couldn't even gather the guts to even kiss a girl!"
"You're completely wrong about that!"
"Oh yeah?!"
"Yeah!"
And without hesitation, he kissed her full on the lips. She struggled a little, but then she brought him closer for a fuller, deeper kiss. It went like this until Kaiba's cell phone rang. He quickly broke the kiss, blushing a bit, and answered it.
"This is Seto Kaiba. State your business."
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"Hi, big brother."
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"Mokuba? What happened?"
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"Nothing. Melanie just wanted to see if Bellona was alright."
---------------------------------------------
"Melanie? Is that the name of her sister?"
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"Uh-huh." -----------------------------------------
"Oh. She's awake."
--------------------------------------------
"Good. I'm giving the phone to her. Make sure you let Bellona use yours."
After a few seconds, Melanie answered.
"Hello?"
----------------------------------
"Hi."
--------------------------------
"Is this Seto Kaiba?"
--------------------------------
"Yes."
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"Is sis doing alright?"
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"She's fine."
-----------------------------------
Suddenly, Bellona quickly grabbed the phone from Seto.
"Hello?"
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"Hi, sis! Are you feeling alright?"
---------------------------------------------
"Just peachy, although the host is a pain."
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"What do you mean?"
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"What I mean is--ow! That hurt, you bastard!"
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"Then keep me out of your conversation." Kaiba said as he let go of her side.
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Melanie was a little confused. "What happened, sis?"
----------------------------------------------------
"Nothing big. The bastard just pinched my sides."
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Suddenly, from Melanies side of the phone, she could hear struggling and faint arguing. When the sounds were clear again, the voice that spoke was Seto's.
"Your sister needs to learn when to keep her mouth shut."
------------------------------------------------
Before she could reply, more struggling and faint arguing were once again heard. A few seconds later, Bellona's voice responded.
"I'm back."
------------------------------------
"Sis? Are you sure you're alright?"
--------------------------------------------
"Asides from the pain in my ribs from that duel, everything is fine."
-----------------------------
"That's good."
----------------------------------
"So, are 'you' alright?"
------------------------------------------
"Yes, I'm quite alright. Yugi and his friends are very nice people!"
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"Yeah, I'll bet."
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"What were you and Seto doing?"
------------------------------------
"Um... he was just helping me gain some of my strength back. It actually worked." She didn't want her sister to worry by saying that she was fighting with Kaiba.
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"Oh, okay. Just as long as you're alright."
-----------------------------------------------------------
"So, did you get to duel anybody?"
-------------------------------------------------------------
"Yeah. I dueled Joey using the final countdown cards you gave me."
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"Did you win?"
----------------------------------------
"No. He managed to beat me before the 20 turns were up."
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"Oh. That's too bad."
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"He's a pretty good duelest, and Yugi's best friend, so I guess it's to be expected."
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Bellona raised an eyebrow. "Is this the same mutt that Kaiba referred to?"
----------------------------------------
Before Melanie could reply, another voice could be heard from another line.
"Don't listen to a word that creep says!"
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"Who's this?! Answer me!"
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"It's me, Joey. I just needed to let you know that Kaiba was full of it."
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"Oh? Tell me. What social status are you?"
--------------------------------
"Huh? What's that s'posed ta mean?"
-------------------------------
"Your accent sounds low class."
---------------------------
"Hey! Don't diss the way I speak!"
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"You poor creature. Having the skills to beat my sister, yet having no class to show for it."
-----------------------------
"Sis!" Melanie's voice shouted from the other line. "He didn't do anything!"
"That's right!" Joey chimed in. "After all, I 'am' one of the top duelists."
Suddenly, Tea's voice could be heard from Joey's line.
"Joey! Get off the other line!"
"In a minute, Tea!" then he turned his attention back to Bellona. "Like I was saying, check the records. They clearly show that I'm a talented duelist."
However, Bellona was talking about something else to her sister while Joey was talking.
"Hey! Are ya even listenin'?!"
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Finally no longer able to hear her sister speak, she answered him.
"You're still here? I thought I was finished with you already. Low class individuals aren't worth my time."
-------------------------------
"Keep that up, and you'll end up like Kaiba; a lonely, self-centered creep! Besides, I have lots of class."
---------------------------
Suddenly, Seto's voice took over Bellona's.
"Then be a good dog and stop using your 'class' to waste my batteries!" then he spoke to Melanie. "Have Mokuba bring you over to the mansion. I won't be wasting any further time." Then he hung up.
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After hearing a dial tone, Joey hung up.
"That jerk! I oughta beat some sense into him one of these days!"
"Yes, he's a jerk." Tea started. "But really! You brought it on yourself when you decided to eavesdrop."
"Well, we should probably get going." Mokuba said out of the clear blue. "I'm sure Melanie wants to see her sister."
Melanie bowed. "Thank you for your hospitality."
"Anytime." Yugi answered. "It's always nice to meet new people."
Then Melanie turned to Joey. "And thank you for being understanding toward my sister."
"Don't worry about it." He answered. "If I can handle someone like Kaiba, I can handle anything."
"Yeah, that's true." Mokuba said. "Well, I guess we better get going."
Yugi looked outside to see the sun set, and then turn to blackness.
"It's already dark. I better come with you guys. You know, just in case you guys run into any danger."
"Thanks, Yugi." Mokuba said as he bowed.
"I'll come with ya." Joey chimed.
Yugi looked at his best friend rather worriedly.
"Um, are you sure? You 'do' know where we're going, right?"
Joey waved his hand as if though he were shooing away the problem.
"It's no problem. After all, who's gonna make sure 'you' don't get in any danger? Besides, there's still a few things I wanna say to that stuck up jerk."
Everyone formed a sweat drop on their heads, knowing full well the kind of trouble it might cause. Yugi smiled as politely as he could.
"Well, if you insist."
So Yugi, Joey, Mokuba, and Melanie drove to Kaiba's mansion using Joey's car.
[Kaiba mansion: A few seconds after hanging up]
Seto Kaiba put the phone back in his pocket, and looked at Bellona, who was just staring at him. They were still recollecting the kiss, but didn't have time to react to it earlier. They were silent for a moment, until Kaiba decided to speak first.
"Well, Mokuba is going to bring your sister over."
"Yeah...thanks."
After a few more seconds of silence, Kaiba spoke again.
"Listen. What just happened was due to impulse. It didn't mean anything."
"Yeah, me too. After all, I practically dared you, right?"
"Right."
"Good. Just so we're on the same level."
"Yeah." Then he smirked. "Besides, you're much too arrogant for my tastes."
Bellona smirked back. "And you're as stubborn as a mule."
After several more seconds of silence, Bellona finally spoke.
"Well, you can leave now. I'll call when I need assistance."
"You'll understand if I send a servant over instead. Manual labor is not my forte."
"I wouldn't doubt it...now get lost! And have some servants bring me food!"
Seto grinned, walked over to the door, opened it, and stepped out. However, just before shutting it, he spoke once again.
"Sure... if I ever get around to doing so." Then he shut the door and left. He was going to, but he felt the need to do it on his own terms.
Looking at the ceiling, Bellona thought about the situation. She liked Seto, but the fact that he wouldn't put up with her attitude kind of irritated her. She was so used to getting her way, and now she had to actually be more polite in order to be taken care of. This, however, didn't stop her from wanting to change.
[30 minutes later]
Seto Kaiba was working on some papers that he had brought from his company. He was a little bit behind schedule, and wanted to catch up. While he was writing, he saw the bill for the hole that was caused in the duel. He decided to look at it further.
"Just great." He muttered to himself. "Another unnecessary bill."
While he was signing some things, the thought of Bellona crashing through it entered his mind, followed by Mokuba lecturing him about helping her recover. He did feel somewhat guilty about it, but he wasn't about to let anyone know it. He kept telling himself that she brought in upon herself, but his conscience, despite how small it was, kept nagging at him.
Fortunately, the door knocked, allowing him to shut the nagging up. He went to the door, looked to see who it was, and opened it. The people were Melanie, Mokuba, Yugi, and Joey. Kaiba looked over Mokuba.
"What are 'they' doing here?" he asked irritably.
"They wanted to make sure I arrived home safely." Mokuba answered.
Kaiba then smirked as he now focused his attention on Joey.
"That's good, Mokuba." He started. "I see you brought the mutt for extra protection as well."
Yugi groaned as he expected what was to follow. Joey quickly stood right up to Kaiba, glaring at him.
"You talk the talk, but can ya walk the walk?"
Seto chuckled at Joey's statement.
"Don't tempt me. Besides, I don't believe in being inhumane to animals."
"That's it! You and me! Outside, right now!"
"Well, I normally wouldn't agree, but I need something to take my frustration out on."
Hearing this, Yugi quickly ran in between them. Kaiba shook his head.
"Don't worry. I wouldn't waste my energy beating the crap out of him. I was referring to a duel. Perhaps he didn't get enough at the tournament."
Joey quickly pulled out his deck.
"Now yer talkin'!"
"Joey!" Yugi exclaimed. "This won't solve anything!" Then he spoke to Kaiba. "And stop provoking him!"
Joey smirked, and then put away his deck. "Yugi's right. Besides, at least I'm cool with it when it comes to losin' to Yugi in duels. I don't get all obsessed and emotional about it either."
Kaiba glared at Joey. For once in his life, someone had actually said something to him that bothered him. He then smirked.
"Losing is something you would know very well, especially never knowing what it's like to be in the winners circle."
Joey was about to retort, but Melanie quickly chimed in.
"He 'is' in the winners circle! He duels well, and has friends that care about him!"
"Yeah!" Joey added. "And I have a girlfriend, So in your face, Kaiba!"
"I think that's enough." Yugi finally said. "Besides, it's getting late, and I don't want Tea to worry about me."
"Thanks again for the ride." Mokuba said to Joey.
So Yugi and Joey left to the car. Yugi felt a little sorry for what Joey and Melanie said to Kaiba. However, what they said was true, and maybe it might help the corporate owner consider other peoples feelings. Joey, on the other hand, had a victorious grin on his face.
When the two were out of sight, Seto looked at Mokuba and Melanie.
"What? A lot was on my mind, that's all. I'll just have to make him pay for that remark later."
Mokuba just shook his head. He expected his brother to say something like that. Melanie, on the other hand, smiled. Seto noticed this.
"What do you find so amusing?"
"Nothing." She answered. "It's just that you remind me of my sister."
Taken aback at her words, he just stared at her.
"Really?" Mokuba asked. "How?"
"Well, they're both rich, they both have a sibling, and they're both mean to people."
Seto just scoffed at her words.
"Meaningless rubbish from an adolescent. Now get inside before I get annoyed. I have work to do!"
So the three of them went inside. Melanie went to see her sister, Mokuba went to do his homework, and Seto went back to his paperwork.
[December 19: Kaiba's mansion]
It has been exactly a week since Bellona and Melanie were in the mansion. Bellona was able to walk again without feeling pain, in which she used her regained freedom to either talk with Melanie and Mokuba, or to complain to Seto about how things get done too slowly. When Seto wasn't working on something, he would either spend time with Mokuba, who often had Melanie come along, or to annoy Bellona for annoying 'him' about the way things are done around 'his' mansion.
[December 20: Kaiba's mansion]
While Seto was out working again, Mokuba was getting his things ready to spend some more time with Yugi and his friends. He was planning to have Christmas over there, since Seto was always too busy to celebrate it, and never decorated the mansion. He always 'did' remember to buy Mokuba something, though.
When he was all packed, Melanie knocked on his door.
"Come in." he said.
When she entered, she had a somewhat sad look on her face. Mokuba noticed this, and was a little concerned.
"Is something wrong?"
She nodded, and handed him a journal. Mokuba's eyes widened with shock.
"That's big brother's journal! He'll kill you if he notices its missing!"
"I'll put it back. Besides, what I read on the last page was sad. Here, take a look."
So she handed him the journal with the page already turned there. He looked at it and read aloud.
"For this past week, that irritating woman has been on my mind. Not the 'get out of my face' thought, but the 'why can't I stop thinking about her' thought. It's really distracting me from my work. Still, despite her arrogance, it's actually kind of nice being around her."
Mokuba stopped reading. "What's the problem? This sounds like a good thing."
Melanie shook her head. "Keep reading."
And so he kept reading aloud.
"Unfortunately, I have no time for relationships, and this is no different. The nurse said that she'll recover on Christmas Eve, but for Mokuba's sake, I'll throw her out the day after Christmas. The sooner she's gone, the sooner I can get back to work. Besides, I never cared for anybody except Mokuba before, so why should I start now?"
Mokuba stopped reading.
"Oh, I see. But still. Why should that bother you? From what I've heard, Bellona doesn't really like being here anyways."
"No. She just acts that way to keep people away from her. I've read her diary, and she actually likes him. Since she doesn't want to care, she nags and complains. I've also noticed how she looks at him when he's not looking. I can tell."
"I see. My brother's a lot better at concealing his emotions, though. I had no idea he even thought of her that way until I read this entry."
"Yes, so I don't want Mr. Kaiba to throw her out. I don't want sis to become like our parents, or like our brother."
"Yeah, I know what you mean. I don't want Seto becoming like our stepfather."
"So you'll help me?"
Mokuba looked at her quizzically. "Um, not to be rude, but what do you intend to do?"
Melanie smiled at this. "Since sis mainly thinks about business deals, I'll ask her to go to dinner with Mr. Kaiba to talk about the project."
"Yeah? Then what?"
"Um...I don't know. That's as far as I thought. I was hoping you might think of something."
"Hold on." He answered. He was weighing out the situation. Did he want Melanie as a cousin? Did he want Bellona as an aunt? Melanie seemed very nice, and Bellona, well, wasn't, but at least she was nice to him. Sure, he was thinking too far ahead, but it didn't hurt.
So he decided to just focus on the present. If Seto and Bellona 'did' get together, they might be less cold, and perhaps show more compassion, although probably not by much. Besides, he would get to visit Melanie. After a while of thinking, he finally spoke.
"I'll help you. It would benefit the both of them."
Melanie smiled. "Thanks. I'm eternally grateful."
"Don't mention it."
"So, how do we do this?"
"Actually, I'm still not quite sure, but I'm sure I can ask my friends for help. Wanna come with me?"
"Sure! But what about sis? How can we work on anything if you're over at Yugi's home?"
"I haven't thought that far yet, but I'll think of something."
So after getting his things together, he left for Yugi's home. Melanie went with him right after she told her sister where she was going.
*End of chapter 3*
Well, I hope you liked this chapter. I know it was kind of long, and I hope the phone conversation wasn't too confusing.
Also, thanks everyone for reading and reviewing. It turns out that I won't get this done before Christmas, but I'll be sure to skip time forward to Christmas by the end of the next chapter. That way, I can take the needed time on this fic, and it will still relate to the wish.
Just to let you know, the "-" symbols mean a quick scene change during phone conversations.
A Kaiba Christmas Wish
Chapter 3
Two stubborn mules
[Kaibas mansion: Guest room: December 12]
Bellona woke up to a strange surrounding. She was lying in a bed that felt very soft and warm. The ceiling was tall, and had floral designs painted on the walls. The bed was made of brass, but it had a Victorian design to it, with engravings of roses and cameos on the foot of the bed. She tried to get up, but a sharp pain in her ribs forced her to lay back down. Clutching at it, she noticed that her left arm had a cast wrapped around it. She then felt her forehead with her right hand. Sure enough, there was a bandage on the side of it.
"Ah, you're finally awake." A male voice said.
Bellona quickly turned her head to its direction. The voice was calm, but she knew who it was the minute she saw the figure sitting on a chair right next to her.
"Kaiba, I presume."
"Yes. You were injured more seriously than I thought."
"Let me guess. You felt sorry for me, and decided to help me recover, right?" she asked in a somewhat mocking tone.
Kaiba merely chuckled at this. "In order for that to happen, I would have to care about your well being. You have my brother to thank for you even being here."
"Oh really. Then why are you here? If you didn't care, wouldn't you be somewhere else?"
Kaibas smirked vanished, as he thought about that question for a few seconds. Finally, he responded.
"My brother sort of made me feel obligated to take care of you. Don't get the wrong idea."
"I wouldn't dream of it." She tried to get up again, but the sharp pains once again forced her to lay back down.
"What's your rush, anyways?"
"Well, asides from having to be around an arrogant jerk, I'd like to see if my sisters okay."
"You really don't have room to talk. Besides, your sister is okay. Mokuba invited her over to Yugi's house."
"The worlds top duelist, Yugi Moto? But why would he even care?"
"He's one of those boy scout types. I doubt if he's actually been a boy scout, but if you've ever heard one of his dueling speeches, he might as well have been one."
Bellona shook her head, grinning. "Sounds like one of those 'I have to always do what is right' types."
Kaiba also grinned. "You have no idea how accurate you are. It's sickening, really. His friends happen to be the worst of the bunch, especially that low-class mutt, Joey Wheeler."
"Joey? I've never heard of him. Is he a duelist?"
"Yeah. He dueled in Duelist Kingdom with Yugi, and also in Battle City."
"He's that good?"
"No. The only reason he was able to participate in Duelist Kingdom was because Yugi gave him one of his star chips."
"That makes sense. And what about Battle city? Weren't you the ones that handed out the invitations?"
"Yes. There was a mix up in the computer that somehow allowed him to enter. It was too late to fix it by the time I saw him prancing about in Battle city with one of my dueling disks. Once again, I think the mutt had Yugi to thank for it."
Bellona laughed, but stopped when doing so hurt her ribs. "If it were 'my' tournament, I would've dueled him just to eliminate him from the rounds."
"Believe me, I would've. Fortunately for him, I was very busy at the moment. Besides, I try not to waste my time with amateurs like him."
There was an awkward silence. Kaiba wasn't used to talking to people in casual manners. Whenever he talked with Mokuba, he usually had to refrain from insulting any of his friends, even though he failed at doing that sometimes. He was actually able to talk to this woman the way he wished, and the fact that she was the same status as he was made it all the better. Unfortunately, the fact that she was the sister to Pegasus kept a distance between them. He couldn't stand Pegasus. He even hated him more than Marik or Joey.
Bellona, on the other hand, also wasn't used to talking to people. To her, the existences of others were merely to serve and cater to her demands. She was very spoiled in nature, and never had to care about anyone else's feelings. The only exceptions were her sister and late brother. Her parents were the neglectful type, only letting their wallets do the parenting, which explains her attitude. Seto Kaiba was the first person, even of her own status, to confront her the way he did. This is what caught her interest.
"(He's kind of cute.)?" She thought to herself. "( I wonder if he finds me attractive? What am I saying? Of course he does! Who doesn't? I am incredibly rich, beautiful, and powerful. Certainly a prize worth having)!" Then she examined Kaibas expressions, which seemed to be a slightly bewildered stare. "(Oops! I'm staring at him too long. I hope he didn't get the wrong idea)." Then she spoke out loud to cover up what she was thinking. "I never noticed before, but you have nice eyes."
"(What was that about)?" Kaiba thought. "(Still, she has good taste)." The he spoke aloud. "Don't think that flattery isn't going to get you thrown out once you're fully recovered."
Bellona frowned. "Flattery?! Ha! You wish! I was just making an observation! Besides, who would ever be interested in a spoiled brat like you?!"
"I can say the same thing about you!" Kaiba retorted. "It's no wonder nobody likes you!" Then he smirked. "Especially now that you have all those injuries."
Bellona quickly sat up, despite the pain in her ribs. "Only my arm, ribs, and forehead! Besides, that was your fault!"
"All I can say is that you had it coming. Oh, and for the record, I still don't take back what I said about your brother."
Despite the large amount of pain, she managed to stand up and face him.
"Take that back or I'll make you take it back!"
"I'd love to see you try."
So Bellona tackled him so that they both crashed on the floor. He certainly wasn't expecting her to actually do something about it, so his guard was thrown off. Bellona groaned in pain as she wasn't able to move without making it worse. Seto took this to his advantage, and rolled her on her back. She tried to spring back up, but he forced her back down. She tried to struggle, but the immense pain from it finally made her stop.
"So, are you going to stop this childish tantrum?" Kaiba asked irritably. "Or am I going to have to hold you like this until Mokuba gets back?"
"Let me go this instant or I'll-"
"You'll what? You can barely even move!"
Without answering, she quickly wrapped her legs around him, and squeezed in a tight grip, causing Seto to feel a slight pain in his ribs.
"Just because I'm hurt, doesn't mean I'm helpless!"
Kaiba just grinned at this, and used one of his hands to clutch her side and squeeze it, causing more pain in her ribs. He kept doing this until her grip loosened, which he quickly escaped from. He then picked her up, and placed her back on the bed. Once again, she tried to get up, but he held her in place.
They were both breathing heavily, each one too stubborn to give in to the other. They stared into each others eyes, glaring. However, that glare was slowly fading. Bellona tried to struggle again, but Kaiba held her in place again, this time, his face being closer to hers.
"When are you going to stop acting like a spoiled brat?!"
"Maybe when you start giving in to my demands!"
"You're by far the most stubborn woman I have ever met!"
"And you're the most insolent man I've ever met! No wonder you've never found a woman, despite your riches!"
"Look who's talking!"
"At least I've had dates! I bet you couldn't even gather the guts to even kiss a girl!"
"You're completely wrong about that!"
"Oh yeah?!"
"Yeah!"
And without hesitation, he kissed her full on the lips. She struggled a little, but then she brought him closer for a fuller, deeper kiss. It went like this until Kaiba's cell phone rang. He quickly broke the kiss, blushing a bit, and answered it.
"This is Seto Kaiba. State your business."
-------------------------------------------
"Hi, big brother."
----------------------------------------------
"Mokuba? What happened?"
----------------------------------------------
"Nothing. Melanie just wanted to see if Bellona was alright."
---------------------------------------------
"Melanie? Is that the name of her sister?"
-------------------------------------
"Uh-huh." -----------------------------------------
"Oh. She's awake."
--------------------------------------------
"Good. I'm giving the phone to her. Make sure you let Bellona use yours."
After a few seconds, Melanie answered.
"Hello?"
----------------------------------
"Hi."
--------------------------------
"Is this Seto Kaiba?"
--------------------------------
"Yes."
--------------------------------------
"Is sis doing alright?"
--------------------------------------
"She's fine."
-----------------------------------
Suddenly, Bellona quickly grabbed the phone from Seto.
"Hello?"
----------------------------------------------
"Hi, sis! Are you feeling alright?"
---------------------------------------------
"Just peachy, although the host is a pain."
-------------------------------------
"What do you mean?"
---------------------------------------
"What I mean is--ow! That hurt, you bastard!"
--------------------------------------
"Then keep me out of your conversation." Kaiba said as he let go of her side.
----------------------------------------------
Melanie was a little confused. "What happened, sis?"
----------------------------------------------------
"Nothing big. The bastard just pinched my sides."
-----------------------------------------------------
Suddenly, from Melanies side of the phone, she could hear struggling and faint arguing. When the sounds were clear again, the voice that spoke was Seto's.
"Your sister needs to learn when to keep her mouth shut."
------------------------------------------------
Before she could reply, more struggling and faint arguing were once again heard. A few seconds later, Bellona's voice responded.
"I'm back."
------------------------------------
"Sis? Are you sure you're alright?"
--------------------------------------------
"Asides from the pain in my ribs from that duel, everything is fine."
-----------------------------
"That's good."
----------------------------------
"So, are 'you' alright?"
------------------------------------------
"Yes, I'm quite alright. Yugi and his friends are very nice people!"
--------------------------------------
"Yeah, I'll bet."
-------------------------------------
"What were you and Seto doing?"
------------------------------------
"Um... he was just helping me gain some of my strength back. It actually worked." She didn't want her sister to worry by saying that she was fighting with Kaiba.
---------------------------------------------------------
"Oh, okay. Just as long as you're alright."
-----------------------------------------------------------
"So, did you get to duel anybody?"
-------------------------------------------------------------
"Yeah. I dueled Joey using the final countdown cards you gave me."
-------------------------------------------------
"Did you win?"
----------------------------------------
"No. He managed to beat me before the 20 turns were up."
--------------------------------------------
"Oh. That's too bad."
---------------------------------------
"He's a pretty good duelest, and Yugi's best friend, so I guess it's to be expected."
-----------------------------------------------
Bellona raised an eyebrow. "Is this the same mutt that Kaiba referred to?"
----------------------------------------
Before Melanie could reply, another voice could be heard from another line.
"Don't listen to a word that creep says!"
-----------------------------------------
"Who's this?! Answer me!"
----------------------------------------
"It's me, Joey. I just needed to let you know that Kaiba was full of it."
----------------------------------------
"Oh? Tell me. What social status are you?"
--------------------------------
"Huh? What's that s'posed ta mean?"
-------------------------------
"Your accent sounds low class."
---------------------------
"Hey! Don't diss the way I speak!"
---------------------------
"You poor creature. Having the skills to beat my sister, yet having no class to show for it."
-----------------------------
"Sis!" Melanie's voice shouted from the other line. "He didn't do anything!"
"That's right!" Joey chimed in. "After all, I 'am' one of the top duelists."
Suddenly, Tea's voice could be heard from Joey's line.
"Joey! Get off the other line!"
"In a minute, Tea!" then he turned his attention back to Bellona. "Like I was saying, check the records. They clearly show that I'm a talented duelist."
However, Bellona was talking about something else to her sister while Joey was talking.
"Hey! Are ya even listenin'?!"
----------------------------------------------
Finally no longer able to hear her sister speak, she answered him.
"You're still here? I thought I was finished with you already. Low class individuals aren't worth my time."
-------------------------------
"Keep that up, and you'll end up like Kaiba; a lonely, self-centered creep! Besides, I have lots of class."
---------------------------
Suddenly, Seto's voice took over Bellona's.
"Then be a good dog and stop using your 'class' to waste my batteries!" then he spoke to Melanie. "Have Mokuba bring you over to the mansion. I won't be wasting any further time." Then he hung up.
--------------------------------------
After hearing a dial tone, Joey hung up.
"That jerk! I oughta beat some sense into him one of these days!"
"Yes, he's a jerk." Tea started. "But really! You brought it on yourself when you decided to eavesdrop."
"Well, we should probably get going." Mokuba said out of the clear blue. "I'm sure Melanie wants to see her sister."
Melanie bowed. "Thank you for your hospitality."
"Anytime." Yugi answered. "It's always nice to meet new people."
Then Melanie turned to Joey. "And thank you for being understanding toward my sister."
"Don't worry about it." He answered. "If I can handle someone like Kaiba, I can handle anything."
"Yeah, that's true." Mokuba said. "Well, I guess we better get going."
Yugi looked outside to see the sun set, and then turn to blackness.
"It's already dark. I better come with you guys. You know, just in case you guys run into any danger."
"Thanks, Yugi." Mokuba said as he bowed.
"I'll come with ya." Joey chimed.
Yugi looked at his best friend rather worriedly.
"Um, are you sure? You 'do' know where we're going, right?"
Joey waved his hand as if though he were shooing away the problem.
"It's no problem. After all, who's gonna make sure 'you' don't get in any danger? Besides, there's still a few things I wanna say to that stuck up jerk."
Everyone formed a sweat drop on their heads, knowing full well the kind of trouble it might cause. Yugi smiled as politely as he could.
"Well, if you insist."
So Yugi, Joey, Mokuba, and Melanie drove to Kaiba's mansion using Joey's car.
[Kaiba mansion: A few seconds after hanging up]
Seto Kaiba put the phone back in his pocket, and looked at Bellona, who was just staring at him. They were still recollecting the kiss, but didn't have time to react to it earlier. They were silent for a moment, until Kaiba decided to speak first.
"Well, Mokuba is going to bring your sister over."
"Yeah...thanks."
After a few more seconds of silence, Kaiba spoke again.
"Listen. What just happened was due to impulse. It didn't mean anything."
"Yeah, me too. After all, I practically dared you, right?"
"Right."
"Good. Just so we're on the same level."
"Yeah." Then he smirked. "Besides, you're much too arrogant for my tastes."
Bellona smirked back. "And you're as stubborn as a mule."
After several more seconds of silence, Bellona finally spoke.
"Well, you can leave now. I'll call when I need assistance."
"You'll understand if I send a servant over instead. Manual labor is not my forte."
"I wouldn't doubt it...now get lost! And have some servants bring me food!"
Seto grinned, walked over to the door, opened it, and stepped out. However, just before shutting it, he spoke once again.
"Sure... if I ever get around to doing so." Then he shut the door and left. He was going to, but he felt the need to do it on his own terms.
Looking at the ceiling, Bellona thought about the situation. She liked Seto, but the fact that he wouldn't put up with her attitude kind of irritated her. She was so used to getting her way, and now she had to actually be more polite in order to be taken care of. This, however, didn't stop her from wanting to change.
[30 minutes later]
Seto Kaiba was working on some papers that he had brought from his company. He was a little bit behind schedule, and wanted to catch up. While he was writing, he saw the bill for the hole that was caused in the duel. He decided to look at it further.
"Just great." He muttered to himself. "Another unnecessary bill."
While he was signing some things, the thought of Bellona crashing through it entered his mind, followed by Mokuba lecturing him about helping her recover. He did feel somewhat guilty about it, but he wasn't about to let anyone know it. He kept telling himself that she brought in upon herself, but his conscience, despite how small it was, kept nagging at him.
Fortunately, the door knocked, allowing him to shut the nagging up. He went to the door, looked to see who it was, and opened it. The people were Melanie, Mokuba, Yugi, and Joey. Kaiba looked over Mokuba.
"What are 'they' doing here?" he asked irritably.
"They wanted to make sure I arrived home safely." Mokuba answered.
Kaiba then smirked as he now focused his attention on Joey.
"That's good, Mokuba." He started. "I see you brought the mutt for extra protection as well."
Yugi groaned as he expected what was to follow. Joey quickly stood right up to Kaiba, glaring at him.
"You talk the talk, but can ya walk the walk?"
Seto chuckled at Joey's statement.
"Don't tempt me. Besides, I don't believe in being inhumane to animals."
"That's it! You and me! Outside, right now!"
"Well, I normally wouldn't agree, but I need something to take my frustration out on."
Hearing this, Yugi quickly ran in between them. Kaiba shook his head.
"Don't worry. I wouldn't waste my energy beating the crap out of him. I was referring to a duel. Perhaps he didn't get enough at the tournament."
Joey quickly pulled out his deck.
"Now yer talkin'!"
"Joey!" Yugi exclaimed. "This won't solve anything!" Then he spoke to Kaiba. "And stop provoking him!"
Joey smirked, and then put away his deck. "Yugi's right. Besides, at least I'm cool with it when it comes to losin' to Yugi in duels. I don't get all obsessed and emotional about it either."
Kaiba glared at Joey. For once in his life, someone had actually said something to him that bothered him. He then smirked.
"Losing is something you would know very well, especially never knowing what it's like to be in the winners circle."
Joey was about to retort, but Melanie quickly chimed in.
"He 'is' in the winners circle! He duels well, and has friends that care about him!"
"Yeah!" Joey added. "And I have a girlfriend, So in your face, Kaiba!"
"I think that's enough." Yugi finally said. "Besides, it's getting late, and I don't want Tea to worry about me."
"Thanks again for the ride." Mokuba said to Joey.
So Yugi and Joey left to the car. Yugi felt a little sorry for what Joey and Melanie said to Kaiba. However, what they said was true, and maybe it might help the corporate owner consider other peoples feelings. Joey, on the other hand, had a victorious grin on his face.
When the two were out of sight, Seto looked at Mokuba and Melanie.
"What? A lot was on my mind, that's all. I'll just have to make him pay for that remark later."
Mokuba just shook his head. He expected his brother to say something like that. Melanie, on the other hand, smiled. Seto noticed this.
"What do you find so amusing?"
"Nothing." She answered. "It's just that you remind me of my sister."
Taken aback at her words, he just stared at her.
"Really?" Mokuba asked. "How?"
"Well, they're both rich, they both have a sibling, and they're both mean to people."
Seto just scoffed at her words.
"Meaningless rubbish from an adolescent. Now get inside before I get annoyed. I have work to do!"
So the three of them went inside. Melanie went to see her sister, Mokuba went to do his homework, and Seto went back to his paperwork.
[December 19: Kaiba's mansion]
It has been exactly a week since Bellona and Melanie were in the mansion. Bellona was able to walk again without feeling pain, in which she used her regained freedom to either talk with Melanie and Mokuba, or to complain to Seto about how things get done too slowly. When Seto wasn't working on something, he would either spend time with Mokuba, who often had Melanie come along, or to annoy Bellona for annoying 'him' about the way things are done around 'his' mansion.
[December 20: Kaiba's mansion]
While Seto was out working again, Mokuba was getting his things ready to spend some more time with Yugi and his friends. He was planning to have Christmas over there, since Seto was always too busy to celebrate it, and never decorated the mansion. He always 'did' remember to buy Mokuba something, though.
When he was all packed, Melanie knocked on his door.
"Come in." he said.
When she entered, she had a somewhat sad look on her face. Mokuba noticed this, and was a little concerned.
"Is something wrong?"
She nodded, and handed him a journal. Mokuba's eyes widened with shock.
"That's big brother's journal! He'll kill you if he notices its missing!"
"I'll put it back. Besides, what I read on the last page was sad. Here, take a look."
So she handed him the journal with the page already turned there. He looked at it and read aloud.
"For this past week, that irritating woman has been on my mind. Not the 'get out of my face' thought, but the 'why can't I stop thinking about her' thought. It's really distracting me from my work. Still, despite her arrogance, it's actually kind of nice being around her."
Mokuba stopped reading. "What's the problem? This sounds like a good thing."
Melanie shook her head. "Keep reading."
And so he kept reading aloud.
"Unfortunately, I have no time for relationships, and this is no different. The nurse said that she'll recover on Christmas Eve, but for Mokuba's sake, I'll throw her out the day after Christmas. The sooner she's gone, the sooner I can get back to work. Besides, I never cared for anybody except Mokuba before, so why should I start now?"
Mokuba stopped reading.
"Oh, I see. But still. Why should that bother you? From what I've heard, Bellona doesn't really like being here anyways."
"No. She just acts that way to keep people away from her. I've read her diary, and she actually likes him. Since she doesn't want to care, she nags and complains. I've also noticed how she looks at him when he's not looking. I can tell."
"I see. My brother's a lot better at concealing his emotions, though. I had no idea he even thought of her that way until I read this entry."
"Yes, so I don't want Mr. Kaiba to throw her out. I don't want sis to become like our parents, or like our brother."
"Yeah, I know what you mean. I don't want Seto becoming like our stepfather."
"So you'll help me?"
Mokuba looked at her quizzically. "Um, not to be rude, but what do you intend to do?"
Melanie smiled at this. "Since sis mainly thinks about business deals, I'll ask her to go to dinner with Mr. Kaiba to talk about the project."
"Yeah? Then what?"
"Um...I don't know. That's as far as I thought. I was hoping you might think of something."
"Hold on." He answered. He was weighing out the situation. Did he want Melanie as a cousin? Did he want Bellona as an aunt? Melanie seemed very nice, and Bellona, well, wasn't, but at least she was nice to him. Sure, he was thinking too far ahead, but it didn't hurt.
So he decided to just focus on the present. If Seto and Bellona 'did' get together, they might be less cold, and perhaps show more compassion, although probably not by much. Besides, he would get to visit Melanie. After a while of thinking, he finally spoke.
"I'll help you. It would benefit the both of them."
Melanie smiled. "Thanks. I'm eternally grateful."
"Don't mention it."
"So, how do we do this?"
"Actually, I'm still not quite sure, but I'm sure I can ask my friends for help. Wanna come with me?"
"Sure! But what about sis? How can we work on anything if you're over at Yugi's home?"
"I haven't thought that far yet, but I'll think of something."
So after getting his things together, he left for Yugi's home. Melanie went with him right after she told her sister where she was going.
*End of chapter 3*
Well, I hope you liked this chapter. I know it was kind of long, and I hope the phone conversation wasn't too confusing.
Also, thanks everyone for reading and reviewing. It turns out that I won't get this done before Christmas, but I'll be sure to skip time forward to Christmas by the end of the next chapter. That way, I can take the needed time on this fic, and it will still relate to the wish.