Guardians

Note: Well, here's the first chapter after the wonderful first kiss! What insanity shall insue, and what type of a photo will the paparazzi put on the front cover of tabloids? Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter (a considerably larger amount than usual) and I hope to be hearing from some of you more often! Thanks much, and here's your next chapter! Don't forget to review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh, McDonalds, or McGriddles which is why I have a good ole computer instead of a personal scribe and a laptop.

Chapter Forty-Seven: Tabloids and Photographs

The next morning, Karmina woke up in a lavish suite and it took her a minute to realize where she was. She was on the couch of Seto Kaiba's business suite, waiting for their afternoon flight home. Home… suddenly she realized that she didn't have one of those. But that was a small matter when she considered the big picture. She and Seto had finally made up… solved all of their problems. They were completely, realistically, a couple at last.

She could hear clacking from the next room and grinned. Even at this hour, Seto was working.

"Good morning, Seto," she chimed happily.

"Morning, Karmina."

She sighed and sat down, looking at the computer screen for about five seconds before it hurt her head. "How can you stand that stuff?"

"You get used to it."

She shuddered and tried to adjust her eyes, but gave up eventually. "I give up. Numbers will always just confuse me."

"Yes, you, Karmina, are a girl of words."

"Um… Seto?"

"Hmm?"

"Never, ever, do that again."

He raised an eyebrow and then gave a little half smile. He might have been about to respond, but Karmina's stomach had other plans, giving a huge, ravenous growl at the moment. She blushed. "Guess I'm a little hungry."

Seto turned off the computer and stood up. "I forgot, not everyone's used to my eating habits."

"Oh, don't worry about it."

But he was already leading her to the limo, and probably to a fancy restaurant. But she saw that he had, in fact, taken her to a McDonalds.

"Um, Seto, not that I don't like McDonalds, but-"

"No one would be looking for me here."

"You mean… the reporters…?"

He nodded. "I know it's probably strange for you, but our faces are all over tabloids this morning. Not to mention the news."

She stared. "Wow." Suddenly, the other patrons weren't just people anymore… they were potentially crazy, screaming people after Seto. She didn't like that idea. But she chose to ignore her worries and ask more questions.

"But Seto… out of curiosity… what sort of picture did they-?"

She was cut off as a stream of loud teenagers, not unlike herself, really, came tumbling into the building. They had a few tabloids of their own, and on the front, two people were locked in a kiss. For a minute, Karmina couldn't believe that she was staring at documented proof of her first kiss.

"Oh my…"

He grabbed her arm and steered her into a booth by a very tall potted plant. "Trust me, you don't want them to see me."

"Well… I guess I never realized… how much everyone knowing who you are… can mess things up."

"You get used to it."

"No… somehow, I don't think it's a matter of getting used to it or not… it must be terrible, not even being able to go in a restaurant… or do anything stupid… without so many people knowing about it."

"You-"

She interrupted him by heaving a huge sigh and standing up. "I doubt that I'll be recognized alone, Seto. What do you want?"

"Just order me something."

"Alright then, be right back."

It was strange, but things between her and Seto almost seemed tenser now than before. Was it possible that them being together was a bad idea? Or was it just the press that was ruining everything?

Seto Kaiba hid in the booth, feeling a bit like a coward, but a bit happy to be alone for once, without any responsibilities glaring him in the face. It was just him and the cheap McDonalds booth. It seemed like his mind was clear for once. And then he spotted Karmina's back, straight and nervous as usual as she tried to order something that would fit the CEO's taste.

I should have just told her what I wanted… given her any name so she wouldn't have to second guess herself. I know her better than to send her up there like that.

He watched her for a few seconds, sensing that she was still trying to decide. It was funny, really, how her nervousness just made her embarrass herself more than if she wasn't so afraid of doing so. A little smile graced his lips. He loved her so much, even though she was making his routine life more difficult. She was everything he wasn't, and still more like him than he wanted to admit.

Karmina sighed and finally ordered two McGriddles sandwiches. So what if he didn't like it? She knew that really, she would be crestfallen. It was like everything she did. Once it became her responsibility, she simply had to do it right. And when or if she didn't… well, her tendency to get upset over that had increased since she met Seto. Probably because, of course, there was actually someone there to see it when she messed up. And probably also because she cared so much about him, it was natural that she'd care what he thought about her.

She carried the tray carefully to the table and set it down in front of Seto, who for once was not sitting with perfect posture, but leaning back in the booth. When he saw her, he resumed his normal position,.

"You don't have to be on guard with me, Seto."

He sighed and rubbed his temple. "I know. It's just that I've always been that way, even around my little brother."

Karmina smiled. "I know that. And I do try to understand." But it's hard… because, as nervous as I am… well, I'm still not as reserved as he is. I can be myself around people… the ones that actually notice me, anyway.

They ate in silence thick enough to cut with a knife. It drove them both crazy, but they didn't know what there was to talk about.

Kaiba was thinking about his company, and what would happen to his little brother if the sales dropped, if he couldn't manage Kaiba Corp anymore. He wondered what would happen to himself, Seto Kaiba, if he found something else for his life besides that company. And he knew with all his heart that he had indeed found something else. Or more like someone.

"Why is it, do you think, that the more we figure out, the more there is to wonder about?" he asked Karmina.


"I was just wondering the same thing, but I can't give you an answer." She reached across the table to place her hand atop his. It was wonderful to finally be able to do something like that and have him understand what it meant. "It's been so hard… but really all I wanted was this," she told him.

He nodded, still lost in his thoughts.

"But Seto… I can't forget… no matter how I may try… what happened that day. Your image and what not. I can't help but wonder… if maybe Kaiba Corp will always come first for you."

He shook his head. "Kaiba Corp has never come first. My brother, Mokuba, came first, and now both of you together, are first."

She smiled at the heartfelt words that he could speak when he tried. "In that case… I know that I made the right choice."

"Choice?"

"Didn't you know? Joey wanted… to be with me… And for a while… I wanted so badly to forget you… I tired to make myself like him… like him that way, but… then you showed up in my head, and I knew… he was Joey Wheeler, and a good friend of mine… but you, Seto, you would always be so much more than that."

Besides snorting at her saying Joey was a good friend of hers, he didn't do or say anything for a long time. "You sure can give speeches, Karmina. But you know, I'm glad you chose the one you did. I couldn't stand losing you to that mutt."

She laughed. You have no idea how close it came to being that way. But I never would have been happy with Joey… and even though he'll be upset, I know that he'll be able to be happy with someone else someday… as I am with Seto. "You know, I think I ought to give my friends a call, now that I think about it." Suddenly the happiness of being with Seto at long last wore off enough for her common sense to kick in. "Um… actually, I really, really need to do that right now. Let me find a pay-pho-"

"Use this," he said, pushing an expensive, silver cell phone into her hand.

"Thanks."

She dialed the number to the hotel and then asked for Tea. She'd take the news best. She would deal with Joey later… in more private and personal circumstances.

"Karmina! You had us worried sick! Where are you?"

"Um… in McDonalds, actually."

"Why?"

"Because… well… I'm here with… Seto, actually."

"Oh. Well… that's nice, I guess. You're back together, then?"

"B-back? Well… we weren't actually… together, before… b-but, yes, we are together n-now."

"You know Joey isn't going to like this. It's going to upset him a lot, Karmina."

"I… I know. Please… just don't t-tell him, okay? I have to b-be… be the one to tell him… myself… in person. Seto's driving me over to get my bags in a little while… and I'll… I'll t-tell him then. And Tea?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. For being my friend. Even if it seems like I just ignored y-your advice and all… I did what was best for me, and Seto, and even J-Joey. So thank you."

"No problem. Friends stick together."

Uh-oh… maybe I shouldn't have gotten her started on friendship… "I'll be there soon, but right now… I'm, um… using up S-Seto's minutes."

Click. She broke it off before Tea could say anything else. The excitement had now died away, and left her with the realization that most of the gang wouldn't be happy for her for being with Seto now. Most of them would think she'd been harsh to Joey… or that she'd made a stupid choice… or even that she was shallow enough to want to date him for money… but in then end, she was left knowing that one thing was certain; in her heart, she knew that Seto Kaiba was the only one for her.

End note: Next chapter; Joey's reaction. Please review!