RF: I love you guys! You make me want to write, not just feel obligated. I knew most of you would guess; I'm really bad at secrecy. It's ok Chibi Chib, if it were someone else's fic I never would have guessed it either. Anyways, on with the fic!
Legal stuff is all in the first chapter, nothing has changed.
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Wind howled and whipped the long trench coat against his legs as Seto headed into a department store. He scowled and pulled his collar up. Although it was warmer in here, Seto still felt chilly. A very stupid love song was blasting on the store radio circuit right above his ears. Mentally cursing the singer, he moved away and kept far from any speakers. Steeling himself for the overly cheerful employees and customers, Seto set about completing his mission here as fast as possible.
Being a teenager, running a business, trying to go to school, and raising a ten year old brother was very much a hassle. Often times a few things had to be put aside to deal with the more important. For Seto, this meant having any sort of normal life as a teenager was out of the question. Taking care of Mokuba got very difficult at times too, and the kid didn't appreciate it. More often than not Seto had to forgo the care of his brother in an effort to keep his company afloat. At these times Mokuba was left in the competent care of the house employed staff. This, however, made the younger Kaiba miss his big brother. As apology Seto liked to buy Mokuba whatever he wished for, thinking that material possessions could replace his love. There certainly were many things Seto Kaiba didn't understand about love.
Seto fixed his step determinedly for the toy section. Mokuba wanted a new video game; he'd beaten all his old ones. Of course, being a rich man Kaiba could have easily sent out a maid to do this. But that would had defeated the whole purpose.
On his way to the video game shelves Seto passed a basket full of stuffed animals. Normally he would have paid it no mind, except something caught his eye. On the very top of the animals, sitting as though on a throne, was a pure snowy white kitten. It's cotton "fur" was short on it's face and chest while long and puffy on it's back. It had a small blue bow tied around it's-his?- neck. What caught Seto's eye most, however, wasn't the soft pillow-y fur or the festive bow. It was the eyes. They were a rich brown, the pupils night black. From across the isle Seto knew he was falling into those eyes, drowning in the plastic sea of melted chocolate.
Overcome by this strange need to possess the kitten, Seto picked it up and resumed his course towards the video game isle.
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After giving the new game to Mokuba, Seto retired to his study. The staff as well as his little brother figured he had just gone to do more of KaibaCorp's never-ending paperwork. The brunette had other plans. While upon his entrance he -did- take out his computer, it was not KaibaCorp work he was planning to do.
-I don't understand why you keep obsessing over love. I've already explained how futile an emotion it is. It will take you no where in this world. Why don't you find something more satisfying to be the object of your obsessing, like school work or a sport?
Knight to E5. Seto Kaiba-
On the small digital chessboard the black knight jumped to the square Seto had indicated in the e-mail. Somewhere in Domino City, on an identical chessboard, the black knight jumped to E5. E-mail chess, a new game Seto had invented. All it took was a quick download and two people could be playing chess halfway around the world. Ingenious, if he did think so himself. The reply came speedily.
-I don't understand why you keep trying to make me forget this obsession. I've already explained to you how wonderful love is to me. Ignoring love will take you no where in this world. Why don't you just accept that love can be as satisfying an emotion as I say it can be? Rook to A4. I know you love. You love Mokuba don't you? Your Secret Admirer-
It only took a moment for Seto, observing the chessboard, to choose his next move. After all, he hadn't learned absolutely nothing from Giovani. With a few ticks of the keys, he had written his response as well as his next move.
-Touché. Bishop to C7. And can I call you something-anything-but "secret admirer" please? That phrase just annoys. Seto Kaiba.-
-Queen to D8. Call me Samara-
-Samara? Like the freaky girl in the horror movies? That's an odd choice in nickname…Care to enlighten me? Pawn to D8. Seto Kaiba-
-It's kind of a difficult story to explain. Let's just say I have a passion for rings. Bishop to D8. Samara-
-That was stupid. A pawn for a queen? Not a good exchange. Knight to B4. Seto Kaiba-
-I'm not very good at chess, and certainly not as good as you. Pawn to D7. Samara-
Seto looked smug. This girl certainly knew how to play to his vanity. He'd have to watch himself around her. Sipping his coffee without care, the brunette gave the clock a casual glance. The red digital numbers blared back at him; it was one minute past midnight. Sighing Seto began searching for a quick end to this chess game. Although if the players stopped sending e-mails to each other it would remain inactive until the next e-mail, Seto did not like leaving things hanging. He also did not like the amount of sleep he was losing while he stayed up to e-mail this girl. Once again he promised himself he wouldn't do this tomorrow night. It never mattered. The promise was always forgotten the next morning, and he always broke his word when he settled down the next night. This had been going on for a week now. He knew this only by the calendar; he hadn't been keeping track of the time himself.
Finding the quick fix he needed he smiled to himself. "Samara" would be upset with him for once more beating her. She would go away angry with him and forget by her next letter how angry she had been. Besides, what did she expect? He was a champion at chess.
-Sorry to have to do this to you. Again. Queen to F7. I have to leave though. It's late. I have business to attend to early tomorrow morning. I'd end with my usual plea for you to stop contacting me, but I don't see the use. Goodnight now. Seto Kaiba.-
As he sent this e-mail, the queen on his board swept in and took the king. A mini, cartoon-like explosion rocked the board, the word "Boom!" blinking bright colors amid a puff of smoke. When the smoke cleared the board was swept clean, all the white players off to the side with dead looks on their small digital faces. The black players looked as stone-y and silent as ever. A little fan-fair music played, with a banner flicking across his screen which said "You won!" He smirked as the quick connection of his computer pulled in one last reply from Samara before he signed off.
-That's not fair! You ALWAYS win! One day I will beat you. Why do you keep asking me not to contact you? I know you enjoy it almost as much as I do. Samara.-
The screen faded to black, reflecting Seto's slightly stunned face. It regained that smirk as he stood. Obviously the girl had no idea what she was talking about. If he could end their conversations, he would. There was no way he enjoyed these e-mails at all.
A few minutes later, dressed in warm flannel to counter the increasingly cold night air, Seto climbed into his warm bed. He pulled the covers neatly all the way up to his chin, checking to make sure he wasn't wrinkling the sheets. Not far from his head, perched on a chocolate brown pillow, was the stuffed kitten he had bought that day. Although he liked having it near him, Seto would not allow himself to cuddle a stuffed animal as he slept. Moments later he had fell into a deep sleep.
Unconsciously Seto rolled over onto his side. If he were in his right mind, he wouldn't assume the tight little ball he always slept in. But he was always fast asleep when he did this and it was a subconscious thing. Reaching out long fingers, he grabbed the kitten and pulled it tight to himself. Seto would have murdered his subconscious if it ever let on that he liked to cuddle.
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"Crikey!" Seto shouted, shoving his laptop down on the table. His eyes were very narrow, partially in anger and partially to keep others from seeing how tired he was. Never one to accept defeat easily, Seto crossed his arms on his chest and stared at the letter he was supposed to be translating. It didn't suddenly split itself open and pour out it's secret meanings. He willed it to, harder. The concentration was doing nothing but hurting his eyes. Giggling brought his attention off of the paper.
Ryou Bakura, sitting across the room behind his desk, was covering his mouth in a vain effort to contain his laughter. His eyes narrowing even further, Seto glared pure ice at him. Ryou stopped immediately, frozen in what the brunette guessed was fear. Satisfied that he had scared the albino enough, Seto turned back to his work. His voice came out as icy as his eyes.
"And what, precisely, is so funny anyways?" He asked, which proceeded a few more giggles from Bakura, before the boy was able to force the answer out.
"Is that what you call cursing? I may not curse often but even I know that's light." Bakura answered him. Seto paused before explaining.
"I try and keep my cursing to a minimum. It's easier to just not curse altogether than to try and keep a clean mouth in front of Mokuba."
"Ah, I see. I'm sorry, it was rude of me to laugh."
There was a silence which stretched on. Seto glared holes through the homework paper. Still the words jumbled together and taunted him. The couch shifted slightly as more weight was added to it.
"Do you want some help?" Bakura asked. Seto sneered.
"I -don't- need any help!" It didn't matter that he was exhausted. It didn't matter that English (1)was his worst subject and homework had been coming harder to him since his communications with Samara. Help was just something Kaibas didn't accept. Giovani had taught him that much. Involuntarily he shivered. Bakura pretended not to notice and looked at the paper Seto was griping about.
"It's simple compound sentences. Not difficult." He soothed. It was the wrong thing to say.
"I know that! Are you implying that I can't handle simple compound sentences?" Seto dared him, his voice dangerously low. Bakura knew better than to push him. Without a word, and without much obvious emotion, he stood. Seto glared him back to his desk. The albino sat and continued the typing he had been doing previously. His eyes were a shade lighter, but other than that Bakura showed no evidence that the last few minutes had happened at all. Seto set his gaze back at the translations. Deciding he could always translate them with the help of a net dictionary later, he put the paper back into his brief case. Settling back on the couch, he yawned briefly and took a nap.
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Much later he awoke to the shaking of his albino companion. He growled and shoved the boy away. Weaker, Bakura stumbled back with a squeak and toppled over a chair. Seto stood, smirking, grabbed his brief case and left.
"Thanks for waking me. You serve as a useful alarm clock." Seto said as the bell chimed with his words.
A quick stop at his locker and a swift walk through the overcrowded halls later, Seto opened the door of his slick black limousine. Once he had sat he pulled his personal computer out of brief case as well as the translations he was supposed to be doing. The sound of the breaks squeaking slightly as they stopped at the end of the block the school was on covered Seto's initial gasp.
Stapled to the back of the sheet of translations, in a flawless duplicate of his own writing, were several English compound sentences.
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(1) English as in the language. In Japan students are required to study the English language, and considering this is technically set in Japan, Seto would have to study English too. Just to clarify incase anyone was confused.
RF: I wrote this chapter so fast for three reasons. One, Elton John is getting married on Wednesday and as my own personal celebration I wanted to show my support of gay marriage with this chapter. Two, I have break so it's so much easier. Three, you guys are so great that I just can't stand leaving you hanging if I can avoid it. So please, keep me wanting to write. Review!