A/N: Hello my dear fans and new readers! Welcome to The Assassin Bride! This story has been churning in my head for a couple years or so now, and I am finally able to start working on it. Just before we get started with the story, I have some terms and conditions and things to remember.
This will be years after the main anime arc, when Seto, Mokuba, and Bakura are older, and dealing with their lives. Bakura will have his own pairing here, and he will be DARK. An older, dark Marik will also make an appearance. This story is inspired by the show "Married at First Sight." Yes, Seto may be awkward, but keep in mind, he has no romantic experience with women.
UPDATE (11/28/19): This will focus on Seto and my OC's romance. Bakura and Marik will make an appearance as part of my OC's past, but Bakura will *NOT* have his own romance. Why? The OC he would have had a romance with was created by my now former best friend, dark-kokoro. I cannot use her character. The story will still be compelling regardless.
Just like in The Fiery Guardian, this story will:
*focus on their lives years after the anime
*have romance
*have graphic sex scenes, (and unlike The Fiery Guardian, violence/torture scenes) and you will have advanced warning, and they will be marked in case you wish to skip them for any reason
*have chapters that will not be released without at least ONE new review of the previous chapter(s) (CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISMS are acceptable. CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISMS include something I did right, and something I could improve on, in a CIVIL manner. I also enjoy hearing about what you enjoyed most. Flames/ bully/troll reviews will NOT be tolerated. Flames/ bully/troll reviews are when they are nothing but insults and don't offer anything helpful that can be improved on.)
*likely take a while and have long chapters
*briefly mention dueling (the focus is on the story sequence)
If my terms and conditions are acceptable, please, continue and enjoy!
Seto couldn't believe this was happening. He was fuming silently as he stood next to a justice of the peace, at the end of a wedding aisle in a hotel garden that was decorated beautifully with autumnal decorations. Why did Mokuba have to sign him up for this damned show? He was feeling utterly humiliated and exposed as he stood there waiting for the mystery bride with whom he'd been matched with by a team of "experts" in front of a small crowd of his closest staff, the "experts", and a few people on his bride's side of the aisle. Sure, it was a small crowd here, but this was going to be on TV, and eventually the tabloids. He had wanted to get married eventually, but not like this. He gave a sour look to his 19-year-old brother standing at his side as his best man.
"I can't believe you signed me up for this… this makes me feel so foolish, desperate, and humiliated," Seto grumbled quietly to his brother.
"There wasn't much choice. You were lonely. You may not want to admit you were, but I noticed it. Plus, it was time to start following your other dreams of having a family. That wasn't going to happen unless I helped you by signing you up for 'Mystery Spouse.' You didn't have any marriageable women to choose from either," Mokuba retorted.
"I could have signed up for a matchmaker," Seto grumbled.
"But you weren't going to," Mokuba shot back quietly. Seto sighed heavily; he was right. The guests were uncomfortable at their exchange. Though he was still young at 25, and people would surely tell him that "he still had time to find someone," but the only women who wanted to be with him wanted only to sleep with him, and his money. Everyone else was too afraid of him. A matchmaker may have matched him with some women, but it would have been too frustrating for him. This ridiculous show was probably his best option.
His heart leaped in his throat as "Pachelbel's Canon" began to play and a couple of bridesmaids wearing purple bridesmaid dresses started walking down the aisle, scattering fall leaves and red and orange rose petals. He swallowed nervously as his eyes were focused on the end of the aisle, as were everyone else's. When the song ended, the traditional wedding march played, and a lovely, muscular woman with crystal blue eyes and a retro, deep scarlet updo, scar tissue on the left side of her face and her left arm, wearing a long, mermaid style, strapless, ivory, lace gown with a sweetheart neckline, and an ivory, lace veil adorned by a silver tiara appeared at the end of the aisle by herself. Everyone gasped at her beauty. Seto was stunned that he was paired with such a gorgeous, mysterious woman. What was the catch? She was so beautiful, she could have ANY man she wanted, but she willingly went along with this and got matched on this show. Her crystal blue eyes looked up and focused on him, and her full, red lips, broke into a smile, as she made her way gracefully down the aisle towards him, carrying her bouquet of red, yellow, and orange roses and wildflowers. She was regal and had a mysterious aura about her.
"Jackpot," his inner self said excitedly.
"You're telling me," Seto agreed. She made it to the end of the aisle and took his hand with her French-manicured hand and stood with him, while her bridesmaid took her bouquet. He felt a small spark in her grip.
"Hello handsome," his bride greeted him. Seto's heart fluttered a little at the way she said it. He wasn't normally prone to such flattery, but he felt enchanted. She had such a beautiful voice too.
"Hello, beautiful," Seto replied awkwardly and felt embarrassed.
The justice of the peace took over. "Seto Kaiba, meet Anastasia Phoenix," the justice of the peace introduced them.
"It's nice to meet you, Seto Kaiba," Anastasia told him.
"Likewise, Anastasia Phoenix," Seto replied. At least that was less awkward. Mokuba was thrilled! Seto got paired with a beautiful, regal woman who seemed sweet, as well as strong! Anastasia smiled at Seto and turned to him. They recited the traditional vows and exchanged the rings he had chosen. Seto put a platinum eternity band with sapphires in between two rows of diamonds on her finger, while she put a simple platinum band on his finger.
"With the power vested in me by the City of Domino, I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss your bride," the justice of the peace announced to their guests and them. Seto gulped nervously. He had never kissed a girl, let alone a woman before… Anastasia sensed his nervousness and gave him a light peck on his lips without smearing her lipstick. Seto was surprised, but appreciated her taking control, and being so respectful about it too. She held his hand and they faced their guests.
"It is my pleasure to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Seto and Anastasia Kaiba," the justice of the peace introduced them, and their guests cheered and applauded loudly for them as they walked up the aisle. They came back to sign the license and take their wedding photos. Seto was a little nervous and awkward as he took pictures with her, but she was so at ease and so respectful and patient with him. Mokuba had noticed how respectful and patient she was with him and was even happier; she was going to be so good for his brother. After pictures were done, Mokuba went to introduce himself to her.
"Hi Anastasia, I'm Mokuba Kaiba, Seto's brother," Mokuba introduced himself with a big smile lighting up his deep grey eyes.
"Hi Mokuba! It's so nice to meet you," Anastasia greeted with a warm smile lighting up her crystal blue eyes.
"I'm so excited for you to be Seto's wife and moving in with us after the honeymoon!" Mokuba exclaimed excitedly. Anastasia was a little surprised by his excitement, but thought it was sweet and felt welcomed.
"Well I appreciate the warm welcome. You live with Seto, yes?" Anastasia asked in confirmation.
"Yeah, that won't be a problem, will it?" Mokuba asked, suddenly feeling nervous.
"Oh no, not at all," Anastasia replied with a kind smile. She didn't mind him being there. It was their home. Mokuba was relieved she was okay with it. He happily introduced her to the staff, particularly, Roland, Rosa, and Edward. Rosa wrapped her in a warm, bear hug, which caught Anastasia off guard for a moment, but Anastasia hugged her back.
"I can't wait for you and Seto to start your married life together," Rosa told her, with a warm smile in her deep brown eyes. She wasn't sure at first about him being on "Mystery Spouse." She hoped that he got matched to a good wife who would be strong, kind, and patient with him and Mokuba, especially after all they'd been through. She considered them like her sons, and Seto deserved a good marriage, despite his reputation. Her prayers were answered when she saw Anastasia, and how kind and patient she was to Seto and Mokuba. Now she was praying Seto didn't frighten her away.
"Are you all going to be okay with having cameras in the house for 10 hours a day or so?" Anastasia asked. She knew it would be awkward, and she was trying to be considerate of Seto's staff and Mokuba's feelings about it.
"Oh honey, we'll be okay," Rosa assured her.
"We're used to cameras all the time on Mr. Kaiba and Mokuba," Roland assured her.
"Oh, nice," Anastasia replied. She was a little nervous about having cameras on her all the time, but she'd manage. She'd been in way tougher situations. Seto watched her interacting with his brother and staff and she was so warm with them. He really appreciated how well she got along with them.
"May I steal my bride?" Seto asked as he grabbed Anastasia's hand.
"Oh sure! Of course, big bro!" Mokuba replied.
"Certainly Mr. Kaiba!" Rosa, Roland, Edward and the staff consented.
"It was a pleasure to meet you," Anastasia bade and walked with her new husband. "Would you like to meet my guests?" Anastasia offered.
"Sure," Seto consented and met her guests, most of whom were from her work, at The Domino Pen, the publishing company in town, and some friends. She had no family there whatsoever, which he thought strange. He pulled her to their table so he could talk to her and get to know her better.
"Hi," he greeted awkwardly.
"Hi," she echoed.
"I…figured… we should talk… and get to know each other…" Seto told her awkwardly and nervously. He had never had a girlfriend let alone a date before.
"Okay, sounds good," Anastasia agreed and smiled and held his hand to try to help him relax.
"I…noticed that… your guests are only coworkers and friends… may…I ask why your family isn't here?" Seto broached carefully.
"I don't have family, well, until now," Anastasia replied ruefully. Seto felt bad for her. He at least had Mokuba, and his staff, and now her, but she had nobody until she married him.
"Oh, I'm sorry. What happened to them?" Seto asked curiously, but realized it may have sounded insensitive. "Sorry… you don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Seto added.
"The short answer is I am retired military, and everything in my old life doesn't exist anymore," Anastasia replied.
"Wait, you were in the military? What branch?" Seto probed. He wasn't expecting his bride to be ex-military. No wonder she was so strong.
"I'm not allowed to discuss that. It's top secret classified," Anastasia replied deadpan. She really was not allowed to discuss anything about her past, especially her service.
"Oh ok, sorry," Seto apologized. "You could have any choice of guy you want and you signed up for 'Mystery Spouse'? Why?" Seto asked. He had to know what made her come on this show.
"I wanted to try something new and be matched with a quality match from an expert," Anastasia replied easily.
"You needed help?" Seto asked surprised.
"Yeah," Anastasia admitted. "What made you sign up for 'Mystery Spouse'?"
"I didn't sign up, Mokuba signed me up. He noticed that I was lonely and thought it was time to pursue my dream of starting a family, but I didn't have any good wife material candidates. I wasn't happy that he signed me up without my consent, and I wasn't expecting to have a match at all. Nobody wanted me because they're either gold-diggers who want to have sex with me for my money and they don't care about me enough to get to know me as a person, or afraid of me because I'm cold and an asshole, as a result of how my cruel stepfather treated me and Mokuba growing up. My stepfather also never taught me ANYTHING except business and technology; NOTHING else mattered. I also have no experience with women, and nobody would be patient enough with me. I'm also terrified I will screw up the marriage and be left alone forever should it fail," Seto explained glumly. Anastasia squeezed his hand and caressed his face with her other hand, forcing his sapphire eyes to look into her crystal blue eyes. There was such a warmth and kindness in her eyes that he had never seen before in any eyes, save for Mokuba's and his staff's, and long ago, his parents'. She seemed to genuinely care.
"You're going to be just fine. I've survived numerous brushes with death. You're not likely going to scare me away. I'm determined to do my part and make this marriage work. I am very interested in getting to know all I can about you and Mokuba, and bond with you too," Anastasia told him sincerely and kissed his cheek. Seto felt himself smile just a little. Anastasia let go of his hand and they were served their food, and they ate together. They mingled with their guests a little, took more pictures, and the DJ called them for their first dance. Seto felt anxious… he had never danced with a woman before either. The DJ played "All of Me," by John Legend, and Anastasia had him wrap his arms around her waist, while she wrapped her arms behind his neck, and they swayed in circles on the floor to the song, middle school dance style. Seto was relaxed and appreciated how she was trying to make things easier for him. After the dance, it was time to cut their blue and white floral cake, together. They then fed each other a bite of the cake, so carefully. They went back to the dance floor and danced among their guests. Then it was time to throw the garter and the bouquet. All of Anastasia's single female friends gathered on the dance floor and she tossed the throwing bouquet with red, orange, and yellow silk roses, silk autumn leaves, silk sunflowers, and silk marigolds, and one of her friends caught it. After the ladies cleared the floor, a chair was pulled out for Anastasia to sit down and for Seto to get the garter. Seto gulped, feeling a little anxious that he would be going under her dress to get the garter. The DJ played some saucy music as Anastasia sat down, and Seto went under her dress, blushing red, and quickly grabbed her garter after briefly touching her strong leg, and came out from under her dress. Anastasia got up and moved out of the way while single guys came for the garter toss. Seto tossed the garter behind him as hard as he could, and one of the single guys caught it. They took pictures with the catchers, and it was time to go to their hotel room. Mokuba handed Seto's wedding gift for Anastasia to Seto and hugged him and promised to see him later.
"Good night Mokuba," Seto bade his brother.
"Good night Seto. Have a good first night with Anastasia," Mokuba bade and was helping the staff load their wedding gifts into the limo to take them back to the mansion. Anastasia had gotten her clutch purse with her wedding gift for Seto inside and bade good-bye to her friends and co-workers, and also Mokuba and the staff. Anastasia went to Seto and took his hand, and they got the key to their room, where their suitcases were moved.
"That was a lovely wedding," Anastasia told Seto as they were in the elevator.
"Yeah it was. It was a lot better than I expected," Seto admitted.
"Oh?" Anastasia asked surprised.
"Well, like I said, I wasn't sure what to expect… Mokuba signed me up for this… and I did end up getting a beautiful, caring wife," Seto explained. Anastasia smiled.
"That you did. And I got an amazingly sweet and handsome husband," Anastasia agreed. Seto smiled a little again, and then they walked hand in hand to their room. Seto unlocked the door with the key, put the door stop in, and swept her off her feet in his arms to carry her over the threshold. Anastasia giggled as she held onto him as he carried her to the bed and gently dropped her on the bed that was covered in red, pink, and white rose petals in a heart shape. He put the Do Not Disturb sign on the door so they could rest properly, and shut the door and sat with her on the bed. He was nervous now. He gulped and was trying to calm down… it was time to consummate the marriage.
"Honey? What's wrong?" Anastasia asked as she saw him starting to freak out.
"We…are supposed to…c-c-consummate the marriage…" Seto stammered nervously. He had no idea what to do and he wasn't ready. Anastasia sat up on the bed and squeezed his hand.
"We COULD, but we aren't, at least not yet," Seto was stunned as he heard that and looked at her to be sure. Her face was serious to match what she said.
"We…aren't?" Seto echoed surprised, and felt a tidal wave of relief.
"No," Anastasia confirmed.
"But…isn't that what is supposed to happen on the wedding night?" Seto asked.
"Sometimes, but sometimes it happens before the wedding, sometimes it happens later, and this is a case where it is definitely okay for it to happen later. We just met a few hours ago, and you're not ready. We won't make love until YOU'RE ready," Anastasia promised. Seto smiled.
"Thank you," Seto replied genuinely grateful. Anastasia smiled and gave him a peck on his lips. Seto blushed. "I have something for you," Seto told her and handed her a wrapped box. Anastasia smiled and took it.
"Thank you, honey," she replied and then handed him the skinny, wrapped box from her clutch. Seto smiled as he took it.
"Thank you, Anastasia," he said and they both opened their gifts. Seto admired the nice watch she had given him, and Anastasia gasped at the beautiful locket and opened it. Inside was a picture of Seto and Mokuba.
"Thank you!" they exclaimed together and chuckled.
"I wasn't sure what else to give you, but you can never go wrong with a nice watch," Anastasia explained.
"I gave you a locket with our picture so you could have us close to your heart," Seto explained.
"Aww! That's so sweet! Thank you!" Anastasia told him with a sweet, gentle peck on the lips, and she turned around so he could put it on her. Seto opened the clasp and put it on for her, and she admired it in the mirror. "I love it!" Seto beamed with pride and joy. She looked good with it.
"It looks good on you," Seto complimented her.
"Thank you, honey," Anastasia told him with a smile. "Excuse me a moment, I'm going to get into something more comfortable," she said as she got a white, lace nightgown from her suitcase, and got a washcloth and went to the bathroom to change and remove her makeup. Seto got his light blue pajamas with the tiny Blue Eyes White Dragon embroidered on his pocket, changed out of his suit into his pajamas, and sat on the bed. He wasn't sure about sleeping next to her, but she made him feel so comfortable and safe. As long as it was just sleeping, maybe it would be okay?
She came out of the bathroom in the white, lace nightgown, with her locket, sans makeup, and her scarlet hair was loose and curly and cascaded past her shoulders, and Seto couldn't help staring at her. She was so stunning, and dare he admit, sexy. Anastasia noticed that he was admiring her, and she smirked, but didn't say anything.
"Are you teasing him?" Anastasia's inner self asked her as she noticed how he was admiring her.
"That wasn't the plan," Anastasia answered.
"Well, he's definitely admiring you from head to toe," her inner self pointed out.
"He's allowed to, he's my husband," Anastasia retorted and climbed into bed under the covers next to him.
"So, like what you see?" Anastasia asked him point blank. Seto was not expecting that and he choked on his answer.
"Yes," Seto admitted with a crimson blush. Anastasia chuckled.
"Good, I should hope so," Anastasia retorted playfully. Seto chuckled a little, realizing that she was being playful. "So, let's continue talking," she prompted.
"Okay, what should we talk about?" Seto asked.
"I know I told you that we're going to wait for when you're ready to make love, but I think we should at least talk about our…sex-pectations," Anastasia broached.
"Our…sex-pectations?" Seto echoed with a chestnut eyebrow raised skeptically over his sapphire eye.
"How corny," Seto thought.
"But it's cute, and clever," his inner self countered.
"Yes, our expectations for sex," Anastasia confirmed.
"I feel… awkward… talking about it," Seto admitted embarrassed.
"I feel the sooner we discuss it, the better, and we can get it out of the way," Anastasia pointed out gently.
"That's fair," Seto's inner self told him.
"…Ok," Seto consented and took a breath as he steeled himself for this conversation. Oh, this was going to be sooo awkward…
"Alright, so what do you know about sex?" Anastasia asked gently.
"…Very little," Seto admitted embarrassed.
"There's no need to be embarrassed," Anastasia pointed out gently. "I'm not here to judge, I'm just here to gauge what you know, so I can work with that, when the time comes," Anastasia explained. Seto nodded; that made sense.
"Like I said before, the only things I learned from my step-father were business, and being cold and mean to others. I did take anatomy in school, but I don't remember much of it," Seto explained.
"Well, I can teach you what I know, or I can get a professional to teach you about it after the honeymoon," Anastasia offered.
"A professional?" Seto asked quizzically. What did she mean by that?
"A doctor, who specializes in sexual health, can teach you about anatomy, what happens during sex, diseases, protection and contraception, and pregnancy, and anything else they can cover," Anastasia clarified.
"Oh," Seto replied as he understood and he thought about it. "I think I want you to tell me what you know, and go over that together," Seto replied. He'd feel too embarrassed about talking to a doctor about it.
"Alright, ask away," Anastasia invited. Seto asked her questions for a couple hours, and Anastasia patiently answered each one, and even pulled up statistics, facts, and pictures/diagrams on her phone to show him so he could understand. Seto squeezed her hand.
"Thank you, for teaching me about sex, and being so patient and thorough and so non-judgmental about it," Seto told her genuinely appreciating it.
"My pleasure, honey," Anastasia told him with a peck.
"I'd prefer a different term of endearment," Seto requested.
"Like what?" Anastasia asked. Seto thought about it.
"Dragon?" Seto suggested with a blush.
"Dragon?" Anastasia echoed to confirm. Seto nodded. "Alright, sure, dragon," Anastasia consented and tried it out. Seto chuckled. He did like it. Anastasia chuckled with him.
"What would you prefer to be called?" Seto asked.
"Whatever you want, as long as it's appropriate," Anastasia replied.
"Alright, sweetheart," Seto tried out. Anastasia smiled, and Seto smiled back.
"Okay, now that we got sex-ed out of the way, when you are ready, we'll make love with condoms, so you can figure out what you like, without me getting pregnant. Sex is kinda hard while pregnant. It can be done, but it's harder. You have to be more careful with it," Anastasia offered.
"Wait, what?" Seto asked surprised. "You were pregnant?" Anastasia nodded grimly.
"…Do you have children?" Seto asked carefully. Anastasia shook her head.
"What happened?" Seto asked curiously.
"I had a previous engagement with my former partner, but he betrayed me…" Anastasia began.
"And you lost the baby?" Seto offered. Anastasia nodded grimly.
"He poisoned me and our son. Our son didn't make it, I barely survived. Then I found out he joined the enemy, and he had another woman right away after he tried to kill me," Anastasia explained. Seto was utterly shocked. She just shared a shocking, intimate detail with him. She had been pregnant, engaged, betrayed, and nearly murdered, and lost her son. And she had also survived other numerous brushes with death on top of that with her military service.
"Well, I guess you're even now, you shared with her your lack of sexual knowledge, and she shared with you her painful experience," his inner self remarked. Seto was still stunned.
"Oh sweetheart, I'm so sorry… are you okay?" Seto asked as he held her close.
"Yeah, I'm okay. It was a few years ago, but sometimes the memory stings," Anastasia answered and nestled into his embrace.
"I understand. I'd never do that to you," Seto promised. Anastasia smiled.
"I appreciate that," Anastasia replied. "Well, my dragon, I'm sorry for putting a damper on the mood of getting to know each other."
"No, don't worry about it. I appreciate you sharing with me," Seto told her. "So, tell me about what you like?"
"I love painting, arts and crafts in general, sewing, reading, writing, my job, martial arts, music, movies, and animals," Anastasia answered.
"That's interesting. What kind of music and movies do you like? What kind of books do you like?" Seto asked.
"I like mostly pop, rock, and oldies, other countries' music. Movies, I like action movies and comedies. And I like romance books, mysteries, fantasies, sci-fi, thrillers, and autobiographies," Anastasia replied, cheering up a bit. "What do you enjoy?"
"I like playing chess, spending time with Mokuba, creating new technology at work, going to KaibaLand, duel monsters and dueling, and I especially love Blue Eyes White Dragons," Seto answered.
"Is that the dragon on your pocket?" Anastasia asked.
"Yes, it is," Seto replied.
"Maybe you could teach me about dueling?" Anastasia offered. Seto smiled that she was willing to take an interest in dueling.
"Sure," Seto agreed. It would be nice to have another new partner to play with.
"Cool, thank you," Anastasia replied. "So, what do you dislike?"
"I dislike disloyalty, disrespect, lies, the loser squad, owing people, and abuse of children," Seto responded.
"No kidding! Me too, well, except the loser squad bit. I also hate abuse in general, sexism, racism, hate towards people who are LGBTQ+, injustice, stupidity," Anastasia replied. Seto smiled. He would get along quite well with her.
"Oh, the loser squad is a group of third-rate duelists who never cease to annoy me, led by a punk kid named Yugi Mutou with spiky red, yellow, and purple hair," Seto explained.
"Oh," Anastasia replied. "Well, hopefully we never have to see them." Seto chuckled wryly.
"In Domino, we're bound to run into them at some point, but I agree, I hope we don't have to see them," Seto agreed. They both started to get tired, and decided to go to bed.
"Goodnight, sweetheart," Seto bade.
"Goodnight, dragon," Anastasia bade. Seto decided to be a little bold and kissed her lips in a peck. Anastasia smiled and went to turn off the light and rejoined him in bed. Seto pulled her closer to his body and sighed contently as he fell asleep holding her close to him. They both slept peacefully, enjoying each other's embrace.
The next morning, they had gotten up and taken separate showers, and gotten dressed and went to the brunch with Mokuba, Rosa, Roland, and Edward. Seto wore the watch she had given him, and she wore the locket he'd given her, and they were both holding hands.
"Hey big bro! Hey Anastasia! How was your first night together?" Mokuba asked eagerly.
"It was great, we exchanged gifts, and just talked and got to know each other, and held each other in our sleep," Seto recounted.
"Wow, really? What did she give you?" Mokuba asked. Seto showed him the watch.
"That's a nice watch, Mr. Kaiba," Roland told him.
"It really is. That's so nice. Anastasia, how did you like the locket?" Mokuba asked. Anastasia lifted her head so he could see it around her neck.
"I love it, it was so sweet and touching," Anastasia told them proudly. Mokuba beamed.
"So, Anastasia, are you allergic to any particular foods?" Rosa asked. Anastasia told her some foods she didn't like or didn't agree with her, which was just a few things, and she told her some of her favorite foods. Seto listened intently.
"Rosa makes the best food ever!" Mokuba praised her.
"Aww, thank you Mokuba," Rosa beamed.
"Well, I can't wait to try it," Anastasia told her. Rosa smiled. They ate their brunch together, and then one of the producers came with a box for Seto and Anastasia.
"This is your box for your honeymoon clue and your itinerary," the producer explained.
"Ooh, interesting," Anastasia remarked as she took the box.
"Dragon, let's open it together," Anastasia offered.
"Dragon?" Mokuba, Rosa, Roland, and Edward asked confused.
"It's the term of endearment Seto requested me to use," Anastasia explained.
"Oh!" they exclaimed as they understood. Seto opened the box with her and saw that they were going to Hawaii, and they were going to Oahu and Maui, on a tour booked by Hawaii Tours. They were going to stay in 2 4-star hotels; they were going on a guided tour around Oahu to see the top attractions including the Dole Plantation, North Shore Beaches, the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Farm, Nu'u Pali Overlook, the rugged South Coast of Oahu, the Polynesian Cultural Center, Pearl Harbor, The National Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl Crater, the King Kamehameha Statue and Iolani Palace; and then a romantic sunset dinner cruise. Then, in Maui they were going to pick up their vehicle (either a convertible or jeep); do the Road to Hana tour to see tropical rainforests, waterfalls, national and state parks; the black sand beach, the famous Oheo Gulch with the 7 pools, and have a picnic lunch; they were going to do a helicopter tour over West Maui and Molokai; exploring Maui in their vehicle; touring the town of Laihana; snorkeling in Molokini Crater and Turtle Town; and finally, they were going to go to a traditional luau and a buffet with some of the island's tastiest traditional and local foods; and taking the last day before checkout to explore more of the island or get souvenirs.
"Yay! We're going to Hawaii! I've always wanted to go!" Anastasia exclaimed happily. Her crystal blue eyes were lit up with joy like the sun on the Pacific Ocean.
"Well, a tropical vacation sounds nice," Seto agreed. He thought the joy in her eyes was beautiful and sweet.
"Plus, you get to see her in a bikini," his inner self teased, waggling his eyebrows.
"Mhm," Seto agreed and had thought about it for a minute.
"Well, let's start getting ready to go," Anastasia suggested and thanked Mokuba, Rosa, Edward, and Roland for joining them. She really enjoyed brunch with them; they were so sweet. She gave them hugs, and Seto hugged Mokuba.
"I'll take care of everything at work. You just worry about having fun, and taking pictures," Mokuba ordered Seto. Seto really deserved a vacation. He'd been working so much and so hard.
"Thanks Mokuba," Seto told him with a hug, and he went up to the room with Anastasia to get their things together for their honeymoon. They had plenty of time to get ready and go since their flight wasn't until 6:55 p.m. tonight. They took their time packing. They had finished about 1:00 p.m., so they had about 4 hours to kill. Once they were sure they had everything together, they decided to walk around and hang out a bit. They went to a restaurant nearby to get a light lunch and talk. They ordered the food, and settled in to talk.
"So, tell me more about you," Anastasia commanded.
"What would you like to know?" Seto asked.
"What are your normal daily habits?" Anastasia asked.
"Well, I wake up about 5 or 6 a.m., I wake up Mokuba, I take a shower and get ready for work, have some black coffee and breakfast, and then Mokuba and I get in the limo and go to work, and spend all day there. We work late pretty often, and get home about 8 or so and have dinner, relax a little, and then go to bed. That's pretty much life. On the weekends, Mokuba and I relax and have playful duels, play chess, or go to KaibaLand. How about yours?"
"Well, I get up at 5 a.m., sometimes a little earlier, I let my dog out, do my morning workouts, shower, get dressed, feed my dog, eat breakfast, go to work, come home at 6:00 p.m., make some dinner, feed my dog dinner, clean up, relax, play with my dog a little, get ready for bed, and then repeat. On weekends, I either tidy up the house and do chores, I'll relax, work on my hobbies, or do something fun if something is going on," Anastasia described.
"So, we pretty much have the same schedule," Seto pointed out.
"Yeah, pretty much," Anastasia agreed with a shrug. "If you want, you could work out with me in the mornings," Anastasia invited.
"That sounds nice," Seto replied. "What kind of workouts do you do?"
"Mostly stretches, lifting weights, pole-dancing, martial arts, working on my balance," Anastasia replied. Seto nodded as he thought about it, and was surprised about the pole dancing.
"Pole dancing?" Seto asked surprised.
"Yes. It takes tremendous coordination, strength, and balance," Anastasia replied. Seto nodded.
"Maybe one day she can show you," his inner self teased and waggled his eyebrows.
"Maybe," Seto agreed. He was kind of curious and interested to see her on the pole.
"Alright, I can teach you dueling if you teach me and Mokuba about martial arts," Seto bargained, changing the subject.
"Alright, and you come home by 6, at the absolute latest," Anastasia added.
"…Deal," Seto agreed.
"Work will always be there. It's never finished. It's healthy to set boundaries with your work life, and spend it with your family, and frankly, I would like to have a nice family dinner with my husband and brother-in-law after work," Anastasia pointed out.
"She has a point… plus the point of this marriage experiment is to spend as much time with her as possible for 8 weeks to get to know her, and vice versa," his inner self pointed out.
"That's true…" Seto admitted.
"Good, I'm glad you see it my way," Anastasia replied with a smile. Seto smiled a little.
"This will be a bit of an adjustment," Seto admitted.
"I'm sure it will be, but we'll handle it together," Anastasia promised. Seto smiled.
"Fair enough," Seto agreed. The food came and they ate together. This was so nice. They enjoyed the food together, and after they finished, they shared a dessert, and Seto paid the bill.
"Thank you, my dragon," Anastasia told him with a kiss on his cheek.
"You're welcome, sweetheart," Seto replied with a smile. She had an attitude of gratitude, and he, Mokuba, and the staff really liked that. He took her hand and they walked around a little.
"So, what kind of dog do you have?" Seto asked. He wasn't sure about having a dog around.
"I have a retired MWD, a military working dog, a German Shepherd, named Stella," Anastasia answered.
"A military working dog?" Seto asked surprised, but then again, he remembered she was in the military, so it made sense.
"Yeah, she used to sniff and find bombs and weapons, and she was good at attacking enemies and pulling injured troops out of battle. She got injured and had to be retired, and she needed a home, quickly. I signed up to adopt one, understanding what they went through, and I was given her. She's such a good girl. She's so protective, smart, and such a good guard dog," Anastasia explained. Seto nodded.
"How old is she? Does she have any issues?" Seto asked.
"She's 4, going on 5 next month, on November 16th, and she does have a bit of PTSD, especially with fireworks, and she's got some fire damage on her right side of her face, but she's fine otherwise, and she's missing her front right leg," Anastasia explained and showed him a picture of Stella on her phone.
"Oh, I see. Is she ok? What happened?" Seto asked curiously.
"Oh, she's fine, she can see out of both eyes well, and she gets around pretty well. She even has an artificial leg to help her with her balance. She was rescuing a soldier and she was too close when a bomb went off," Anastasia explained.
"Oh. What's her personality like?" Seto asked.
"She's sweet and playful, when she wants to be, otherwise she is pretty chill. She walks well by your side. She's also quite alert and protective of her pack, and she will sleep on her particular chair, or an orthopedic mattress on the floor, and sometimes she will jump into bed with me." Anastasia replied.
"Where is she now?" Seto asked curiously.
"I have a friend housesitting and staying with her until we get home," Anastasia told him.
"Do you think she will be ok if she moves in with us?" Seto inquired.
"Oh, she'll be fine. It might take her a little bit to adjust, but she'll be ok. You, Mokuba, Roland, Rosa, and Edward will have to meet her," Anastasia assured him.
"Fair enough," Seto agreed. "We've never had a dog before, so you'll have to teach us," Seto told her.
"Sure, of course. Oh, and she's spayed too," Anastasia told him.
"Alright," Seto nodded.
"So, when is your birthday?" Anastasia asked.
"October 25th. And yours?" Seto responded.
"April 4th. When is Mokuba's birthday?" Anastasia inquired.
"His is July 7th," Seto answered and was trying to think of another question to ask her.
"So, how do you take your coffee in the morning?" Seto asked curiously.
"I prefer Mexican hot cocoa, water, juice, milk, sometimes sodas, and definitely iced tea. Coffee doesn't really agree with me much, but I will drink it occasionally, if I'm craving it. When I crave it, I prefer it iced, creamy, and sweet," Anastasia explained. Seto nodded as he took in the information and was thinking about what to ask her next.
"What is your favorite color?" Seto asked. He wasn't sure what else to ask her, but he was curious.
"Cerulean blue and purple," Anastasia replied. Seto smiled.
"I like blue myself, all shades of blue, but I do like light blue," Seto explained. Anastasia smiled.
"Cool," Anastasia replied, and she noticed that he froze. "Seto? What's wrong?"
"Hey Kaiba!" a young, lean man with blond, red, and purple spiky hair and a navy outfit; a young man with blond hair and a Brooklyn accent; a young woman with long, blond hair, violet eyes, and a skimpy outfit; a young woman with light brown hair and brown eyes and a pink dress; a young man with a brown, pointy pompadour; a young man with long black hair and green eyes wearing a red and black headband and a dice earring; and a young woman with a brown bob and blue eyes called out to him and ran up to them. Anastasia watched.
"Well if it isn't the geek patrol," Seto retorted irritably. Why did they have to show up NOW?
"And you're as rude as eva, Kaiba," the blond young male with the Brooklyn accent shot back. Seto's sapphire eyes narrowed and his lip curled in a snarl. Wheeler's voice grated on his nerves so much, on top of their appearance.
"Don't you ever stop yapping, mutt?" Seto snarled.
"Seto? Who are they?" Anastasia asked curiously. The group turned to her and they were surprised to see a beautiful woman with cascading, wavy, scarlet hair, crystal blue eyes, scars on her left arm and the left side of her face, holding Seto Kaiba's left hand.
"Anastasia, this is Yugi Mutou, Joey Wheeler aka "the mutt," Mai Wheeler, his wife, Serenity Wheeler, his sister, Tristan Taylor, Duke Devlin, and Tea Gardner, but as I know them, they're the loser squad," Seto introduced them to her.
"Nice to meet you, Anastasia!" Yugi and Tea told her cheerfully and shook her hand.
"Um, likewise, I suppose," Anastasia replied awkwardly, a little put off by their enthusiasm.
"We're not as bad as he says, promise," Tristan assured her.
"Ok," Anastasia replied awkwardly. How was she supposed to respond to that?
"So, how do you know Kaiba?" Joey asked curiously.
"Oh, I'm his wife," Anastasia replied and she and Seto showed them their rings.
"WHAT?!" the group asked in shock. "YOU MARRIED HIM?! WHY?"
"What is that supposed to mean?" Anastasia retorted defensively. How dare they insult her marriage to Seto?!
"He's mean and rude!" the group exclaimed.
"Well, you are all being rude to him now. My husband isn't mean or rude to me, and you WILL stop talking about him as such, or I WILL get nasty, and trust me, that is a dangerous game you DON'T want to play," Anastasia told them, her voice and crystal blue eyes getting a sharp, vicious edge. Seto was surprised that she was defending him. True, he is her husband, but nobody had ever defended him like this before. He was impressed. "Now, if you will excuse us," Anastasia said as they started to walk away.
"Oh great… she's just like him," Tristan remarked. Anastasia glared at him, and spun on her heel back to them without taking her glare off him, in an almost owl-like motion.
"I just don't tolerate disrespect of my family very well, now move along, NOW," Anastasia commanded, as her voice started to go down a timbre to a sort of demonic snarl. The group moved away as they saw her getting scarier. They could see a deadly darkness in her eyes that reminded them of when Marik and Bakura's dark alter egos came out, except hers seemed…deadlier.
"Come along, my dragon," Anastasia commanded as she grabbed Seto's hand again and they started walking again.
"Yes, sweetheart," Seto obeyed as he walked with her, holding her hand, still stunned.
"Holy crap," his inner self remarked astonished.
"Nicely handled. I wasn't expecting the demon in your voice and eyes to appear. You sure told them off," Seto complimented her, and could feel himself get a bit turned on. He loved how she defended him right away when they started being rude about their marriage.
"Yeah, I'm just glad they were smart enough to back off," Anastasia agreed. Seto smiled.
"Indeed," Seto agreed.
"I can see why you don't like them so much, if they're going to be rude to you like that," Anastasia pointed out. Seto smiled a little wider.
"Well, I'm glad you see it that way," Seto replied and gave her a peck on the lips. Anastasia smiled into the kiss. "They annoy the crap out of me, and they're all sucky duelists, but somehow made it into the championship rounds of my duel monster tournaments. Yugi had the soul of a pharaoh living within him, and I was determined to beat the pharaoh to become King of Games. I should have beaten him numerous times, but he always cheated somehow. After the pharaoh left, I was determined to face him and beat him, and I finally was able to manage to beat him when I traveled to another dimension and came back. Those losers continue to pester me and Mokuba and think we're friends. We're acquaintances at best," Seto explained.
"Oh, I see," Anastasia replied and had gotten a gift idea for him he might enjoy for his birthday in 3 weeks.
"I was hoping to avoid them, but I never seem to be able to," Seto told her.
"Well, hey, put them out of your mind. We're going to Hawaii in a bit," Anastasia reminded him.
"Yeah, you're right," Seto acquiesced. Anastasia nodded and squeezed his hand as they walked.
"So, what are your expectations of me as your wife?" Anastasia asked him.
"Just be loyal, supportive, and communicative, I suppose," Seto replied with a shrug. "What do you expect of me as a husband?"
"Pretty much the same, but I also want you to treat me as your partner, your equal, your best friend, and to trust me, and defend me if I absolutely need it. I'm pretty good at defending myself, but there are other times where I may need help. I want you to stick up for me if someone disrespects me. I also want you to be unafraid to be affectionate with me. I also want you to be unafraid to express how you feel in general. If you are angry with me, talk to me about it so we can work it out. Don't try to belittle me, gaslight me, or strike me. If you have to, go to another room and cool down and then come back to me to talk. I also expect to have couple time with just you every once in a while, like a date night. I also expect you to come home on time so we can spend time together as a family, and be healthy. If you can do all that, I'll do the same for you," Anastasia laid out.
"That seems fair," Seto agreed and shook on it.
"Good," Anastasia smiled and gave him another peck. "So, what would you think your love language is?"
"Love language?" Seto asked confused. Anastasia pulled up the website and showed him, and he took the quiz.
"My top ones were Quality Time and Words of Affirmation," Seto told her.
"No kidding! Quality Time is my top one too!" Anastasia exclaimed.
"What's your second?" Seto asked.
"I don't remember off the top of my head," Anastasia admitted.
"Fair enough. So, what does this mean?"
"It means you enjoy spending time together with your loved ones, and receiving praise, compliments, and affirmations of affection," Anastasia explained.
"That makes sense."
"That will help me know how to communicate effectively with you so you feel appreciated and loved," Anastasia explained.
"Give me an example," Seto requested.
"Ok, I will use tacos as an example," Anastasia began. Seto's eyebrow rose in curiosity. "Words of affirmation: 'Your tacos are delicious!' or 'You make the best tacos!'. Acts of service: 'I made you tacos.' Gift-giving: 'here's a taco.' Physical touch: 'let me hold you like a taco.' Quality Time: 'let's go get tacos,'" Anastasia explained, quoting the meme she had found.
"Oh, I see," Seto replied with a slight chuckle. Anastasia also pulled up a diagram to help him decipher how to communicate with love languages, and he found that helpful too. "Thank you," Seto told her.
"You're welcome, my dragon," Anastasia replied.
"Well, it's time to head back to the hotel and check out, and wait for the limo," Seto told her as he looked at the time.
"Ok," Anastasia replied as they walked back to the hotel, got their things, checked out, and got in the limo that was provided to them by the show, and were taken to the airport. They checked in for their flight, checked their suitcases and got their carryon bags, and went to the gate. Seto went to the agent and asked if he could upgrade their seats to first class, and he paid for the upgrade.
"Thank you, my dragon," Anastasia told him with a peck.
"You're welcome, sweetheart," Seto responded. "I wish we could go in my private plane, but first class would be good in this instance,"
"Yes, it would be," Anastasia agreed. It didn't take long for them to board their plane, and they watched the safety speech and demonstration from the flight attendants and settled in as the plane started taking off. Anastasia was so excited and Seto thought it was amusing and sweet. They settled in and relaxed and watched an in-flight movie together, and they put their armrests up, reclined a bit, and Seto pulled her closer and they fell asleep as much as they could for about 5 hours and 20 minutes or so. Just before they landed, the flight attendants woke them up. They put their chairs up, got up, got their carryon bags, and exited the plane.
As soon as they were in the Honolulu airport, they saw a bunch of hula and haka dancers dancing and singing for them, and two hula girls were placing leis around each passenger's neck. Seto and Anastasia both got purple leis. Anastasia was excited, and took his hand and they went to wait to get their luggage on the baggage claim carousel with the production crew following them. A few minutes later, they got their bags and found the chauffer holding the Kaiba sign. They followed the chauffer to the limo and the chauffer put their bags in the trunk.
"Thank you," Anastasia told the chauffer politely and the chauffer smiled. They got in the limo with the production crew and were taken to the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa. They checked in, got their room keys, and they got a luggage cart, put their luggage on it, and took the elevator to their Seto unlocked the door, and they rolled the cart into the crisp, white, spacious, one-bedroom suite that was accented with breathtaking ocean artwork on the wall above their plush, king-sized bed in a separate room, as well as on a second wall. They also had a glass table, a private balcony with a breathtaking view of the ocean and beach across the street, and 55" TV in the living room. They removed their luggage off the cart and moved it into the bedroom, and saw their bed was decorated with pink, red, white rose petals, and plumeria flowers, in the shape of a heart with their initials inside the heart. They also had a basket of Hawaiian snacks for the week in their room on the dresser.
"Oh, how sweet!" Anastasia exclaimed. The staff had really made sure to add special touches for their honeymoon. Anastasia took a picture of the room with the petals and the basket. They also had a production team member take their picture in their room. Seto had made sure to pick Anastasia up and held her in his arms. Anastasia giggled as he did and gave him a peck, which the producer took a picture of. Seto then put her down, and the producer handed her camera back. Anastasia thanked the producer and turned to Seto.
"I'll be right back, I'm just going to take the cart down to the lobby," Anastasia volunteered.
"We can leave it outside our door and the hotel staff can take it," Seto replied.
"It's more courteous to take it down in the event some other guest needs it," Anastasia protested.
"Alright, if that's what you want to do then, go ahead. When you come back, we can go over the itinerary again and check things out, Seto relented.
"Sounds good, my dragon," Anastasia replied and kissed his cheek, took her room key, put it in her pocket of her shorts, and then took the cart downstairs to the lobby for other guests to use. She got back in the elevator with other guests on the way back up to the suite, making at least 5 stops to let the others off. She got to their suite and entered and saw Seto checking everything out.
"What do you think, my dragon?" Anastasia asked. Seto turned to her.
"This is a nice room. I like it," Seto told her and sat with her on the light blue couch. They looked over the itinerary to plan their schedules and set their alarms, and looked at the maps of the area. They decided to do some shopping first to get some new swimsuits, sunblock, some comfortable clothes, and possibly some souvenirs there at the International Marketplace across the street. They got their room keys, phones, and exchanged phone numbers and other contact information in case they needed to contact each other. Thankfully they had coverage so it was easier to call or text without roaming charges. Anastasia got her purse, slung the strap on her shoulder, put her key and phone in her purse, made sure she had her solar battery chargers in case they needed them, and zipped her purse. Seto put his key and phone in his pocket and they went downstairs to the shops. They walked around and looked at different things, but stayed within eye contact distance of each other. Anastasia was looking around at a jewelry shop, and saw a jade stone turtle bracelet she thought would be cool for Mokuba, as one souvenir gift, and she bought it. There would be others, but this was just really cool. She then looked around at swimsuits and clothes for herself and Seto. She glanced at him and smiled and looked at his lean body to estimate his size. He was probably a medium or a large. She found a pair of sky-blue swim trunks that had colorful tropical flowers along the outside seams, and got a pair each in medium and large, and figured he could determine which size was his, and if he liked it. She also found a bikini that was turquoise blue with a tropical flower print in her size, and a sarong and a sarong tie clip. She went to the dressing room to try on her bikini, and it fit well. She put her regular clothes back on after changing out of the bikini, and then went to find Seto so she could show him what she found. She saw him at a clothes rack looking at things, and she saw a group of women staring at him like sharks sizing up a baby seal. He was either unaware of their gaze, or he was ignoring them completely. They were talking to each other and decided to saunter up to him to talk to him and flirt with him.
"Oh, hell no!" Anastasia's inner self exclaimed. Anastasia immediately went up to Seto.
"Hey dragon," Anastasia greeted with a kiss and a hug, Seto was surprised by the sudden affection but responded.
"Hey sweetheart," Seto replied as he got his senses back after the surprise affection.
"I found some stuff to show you," Anastasia told him, and flashed her wedding ring where the women could see it, as if to say "back off, he's MY husband." Out of the corner of her eye, Anastasia saw them grumble to themselves and walk away.
"What did you find?" Seto asked, unaware of what she was doing.
"I found these swim trunks I think would look great on you, a bikini, a sarong cover up, and I bought Mokuba a souvenir gift," Anastasia replied and had him come closer. Seto was curious. "There were a group of ladies sizing you up like sharks sizing up a baby seal, and they were starting to saunter up to you to hit on you. I came up to you and gave you affection and showed off my ring as if to say 'back off, he's MY husband,'" Anastasia explained in a whisper.
"Oh," Seto replied as he understood and smirked. "So, you were being possessive of me and trying to keep some pests from bothering me."
"Yes," Anastasia admitted. Seto thought it was cute and kinda sexy that she was being possessive of him and trying to scare off other women from bothering him. Normally he wouldn't like the possessiveness, but since she's his wife, it was acceptable and appreciated. "Would you do the same if you saw guys coming up to hit on me?"
"Yes, I would," Seto admitted. He definitely wouldn't like anyone else hitting on his wife. Anastasia smiled. "Thank you for keeping those pests from bothering me," Seto thanked her.
"You're welcome," Anastasia replied and gave him a peck.
"So, let me see the stuff you found," Seto requested, changing the subject. Anastasia showed him the trunks, her bikini, the sarong, and the bracelet she'd bought for Mokuba.
"I wasn't sure what size you were, but I estimated you were either a medium or a large," Anastasia told him. Seto looked at the trunks and thought they were nice, and they were a good color.
"You estimated right. I'm a large, and I like them, and the bikini and sarong you picked. I think Mokuba will like the bracelet," Seto told her. Anastasia beamed and she put the medium swim trunks back and got a couple more pairs of swim trunks for him so he'd have some fresh ones for later this week, and picked out a couple more tropical print bikinis in purple and a deeper blue from the same brand.
"Did you find anything?" Anastasia asked as she returned to his side with the other swimsuits.
"Yeah, I found some nice shorts and shirts, and some comfortable-looking shoes. You got more swimsuits?" Seto replied and showed her what he found. He found some moisture wicking sky blue polos, some blue aloha shirts with a shadowed hibiscus in the fabric (meaning the flowers weren't visible at first, but they were in the fabric and visible up close) as well as an orchid print that wasn't too much, and some nice khaki shorts and some Sperry boat shoes.
"Those are nice! Want to try them on? And I figured that we'd have fresh pairs so we wouldn't have to wash them as much and we'd have a swimsuit ready to go for our adventures," Anastasia suggested.
"Yeah, that makes sense," Seto agreed and followed her to the dressing room to try on the clothes he found. Anastasia waited outside and when he came out with an outfit on, she admired him. "How do they look? I don't normally wear clothes like these, so I'm not totally sure about them," Seto admitted.
"They look good, and comfortable, my dragon," Anastasia told him and gave him a playful wolf whistle, which made him chuckle a bit. Seto looked at himself in the mirror, a bit and then went in and changed into the other outfits, which Anastasia liked. He also tried on one pair of the swim trunks, which fit great. Anastasia admired him, and he caught her and blushed. "So, you like them all?" Seto confirmed.
"Yes, I do, but the important question is do YOU like them? Anastasia asked.
"I think so," Seto admitted. He wasn't normally one to wear tropical prints; it wasn't his style, but when in Rome, or rather Hawaii, do as the locals do. At least they looked good on him and he would be comfortable in this balmy, tropical climate this week, and as a plus, Anastasia was admiring how he looked. He changed back into his regular clothes and held onto them. He found a sundress with a sweetheart neckline and a flared skirt that matched his orchid print shirt.
"What did you find?" Anastasia asked as he stopped and looked at a sundress.
"What do you think of this dress?" Seto asked as he showed her.
"I like it, plus, it matches your shirt," Anastasia replied. "Do you want to match?"
"We could," Seto replied. Anastasia giggled.
"Sure," Anastasia consented and found one in her size, a large, and went to try it on. Seto waited outside and when she came out, she looked great, and like a Hawaiian '50s pinup.
"It looks great on you," Seto complimented her. Anastasia smiled.
"Thanks, my dragon," Anastasia replied, and went to change back into her original clothes. They went up to the register, and bought them, as well as some sunblock, beach towels, water shoes, sunglasses, and pouches for their valuables. Then they went to their suite to change and leave their purchases behind. Anastasia wore the dress, her turquoise bikini, and put on her sandals, while Seto changed into his tropical shirt, swim trunks, khakis, and Sperry shoes. They applied some sunblock, helping each other apply it to their backs, and left their purchases in the suite, except the sunblock and water shoes. They grabbed a couple of their beach towels, her camera, put them in a tote bag, and then headed downstairs and they caught the trolley to go around the area. They did some sightseeing and took pictures, grabbing a bite from a local restaurant, and then went to dinner at Duke's Waikiki. They enjoyed dinner, and got some tropical drinks, enjoying each other's company and discussing their adventures today. After dinner, they walked across the street to the beach, and they took in the sunset on the beach. After their dinner, they changed their shoes to their water shoes, put their outfits in the bag, and put their bag and her purse on a beach chair, covered by the towels, and secured by the carabiner clips on Anastasia's purse. Seto couldn't help admiring her muscular body in her tropical, turquoise bikini in the golden-orange rays of the sunset, and he felt turned on, and he felt embarrassed and wrong. True, she had taught him about sex ed and it being normal, but he was still ashamed of it. He looked away blushing and was trying to suppress his growing erection.
"Oh God… please go down… this isn't appropriate…" Seto thought frantically.
"Seto? Are you ok?" Anastasia asked him, concerned. She also couldn't help admiring, his lean, toned body in the sun's golden-orange rays too.
"I…um… was admiring your body… and got turned on," he whispered embarrassed in her ear.
"Is that all?" Anastasia asked. Seto nodded. Anastasia gave a little chuckle.
"What's so funny?" Seto asked feeling more self-conscious. Maybe he shouldn't have told her if she was going to laugh at him.
"Oh dragon, we're husband and wife. You, and ONLY YOU, are welcome to fantasize about me, admire my body, and touch me with consent," Anastasia whispered in his ear and hugged him.
"You're…not mad?" Seto asked. He was expecting her to be disgusted and upset with him.
"Heavens no, I'm not mad. Don't feel guilty, now let's go swim, and play in the water," Anastasia told him with a kiss and led him into the water and enjoyed the tepid water and the waves. Seto smiled and started to relax and have fun and swim with her. Anastasia even splashed him, and he started to splash back and tried to grab her hand or leg, but she was evasive and swam faster.
"Hey! Come here!" Seto commanded playfully.
"Nope! You gotta catch this mermaid, sailor!" Anastasia teased and kept evading him, but he eventually caught her by the foot.
"Caught you!" Seto exclaimed and pulled her close.
"Aww, you caught me," Anastasia conceded. Seto smirked victoriously. "What is your prize?" Seto immediately captured her lips in a big kiss, and wanted it to go deeper, but wasn't quite sure how. He did involuntarily feel his lips part, and he moaned in the kiss. Anastasia felt his lips part and she traced his bottom lip with her tongue, and soon their tongues were doing a sensual tango with each other, which elicited a bigger moan from Seto, and he parted to breathe when he felt it was starting to get to be too much for him, for now.
"Wow!" Seto exclaimed as he was processing the kiss. That was amazing, and he really liked how intuitive she was. "That was intense," Seto remarked. Anastasia smiled.
"There's more where that came from, dragon," Anastasia whispered teasingly. Seto smiled.
"Thank you, Anastasia. Should we go back and get rested? We have a full day tomorrow," Seto suggested.
"Yeah, good idea," Anastasia agreed and they got out of the ocean and started drying off. Seto watched her and felt turned on again, but focused on drying himself off. Anastasia admired him as he dried off but didn't say anything. She got the bag and her purse after wrapping the towel around her body, while Seto wrapped his around his waist and they held hands as they crossed the street and went to the hotel and up to their suite. They took separate showers and got dressed in their pajamas, got their phones plugged in, made sure the suite was secure, and climbed into bed.
"I had fun today, I can't wait for tomorrow," Seto told her.
"Me too," Anastasia replied with a smile. Seto leaned in for a kiss, and tried to make it deeper, the same way Anastasia did, and Anastasia allowed him to, and responded to it. They both moaned, and parted to breathe. "You're getting it," Anastasia encouraged him. Seto smiled.
"Thank you, sweetheart," Seto told her. Anastasia turned out the light and climbed back into bed with him, and felt him pull her close to him. He was really getting comfortable with her, and she was excited about her adventures with him and helping him grow.
A/N: Well I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Coincidentally, I released ch. 1 on their first day of their Honeymoon, the travel day. We're starting a bit light and sweet, and will later venture into darker territory.
Don't forget to leave at least ONE review to get chapter 2 released upon finishing, or to release it from embargo (hold).