Chapter Fourteen

Connections and Concern

Review. Please. ~DFP

Aquarius woke up the next day at ten and felt like she'd been shot to death and kicked back to life. Her eyes were red from crying and there were dark circles under her eyes. Instead of getting up and preparing for the day as she normally would, she buried herself in the center of the bed under blankets curled in a tiny ball. She didn't want to be in this world without her brother.

A knock on the door and Yugi walked in. Seeing the ball, he knew the mood Aquarius would be in. "Wake up." Yugi pestered yanking off the sheets. Aquarius didn't move. "I'll dump water on you." Yugi threatened going and turning on the shower. He peeked around the corner noting that she still didn't move. Sighing he went and sat on the bed pulling her onto his lap and hugging her. "It'll be okay, Kaiba's taking care of it." Yugi murmured.

Aquarius opened her eyes and stared at him. "It's not his problem." She said quietly getting up and walking to the bathroom.

"If only you knew how big of a problem it is to him." Yugi sighed hearing her step into the shower he chose to leave.

Aquarius thought that maybe the cold water would drown out her sorrows. She was disappointed when the scorching water seared her skin. The guy probably had unlimited hot water since this was his personal mansion. Dialing down the heat she started to wake up. Scrubbing away the stress and pain with coco scented body wash and cinnamon apple shampoo. Aquarius paused as the smells assaulted her nose. There was no way that Kaiba just had this kind of stuff laying around, yet here it was in the bathroom she was using. Had he been expecting her? The thought lingered in her mind as she dressed and made her way down to lunch.

"Yes, and I want everything done right this time." Kaiba commanded as he hung up his cell phone.

"You okay?" Mokuba asked eating a fry.

"I'm stressed, over worked, and have never been so upset and worried in my life!" Kaiba exclaimed running a hand through his hair in annoyance.

"Everything will work out. You and Aquarius are a winning team." Yugi smiled, forever the optimist.

"I wish she knew that. You mind telling her for me?" Kaiba asked strain apparent on his face.

"I think she knows." Yugi stated taking a bite of his hamburger.

"What did I miss?" Aquarius asked obliviously as she walking into the room and sitting down next to Yugi.

"N-nothing." Kaiba stuttered.

Aquarius was wearing light blue yoga style sweat pants, a white tank top, and a matching blue hoodie. She looked at Kaiba closely, still the same dark business suit. She had to figure out a way to get him out of that suit. Wait, no she hadn't meant that. She'd meant, and into something more casual, right?

"You know you can't lie to me, right?" Aquarius questioned as Yugi offered her a fry.

"Who says I'm lying to you?" Kaiba asked slowly trying not to fidget under her penetrating gaze.

"I just know." Aquarius smirked ignoring the fry Yugi jabbed at her.

"I'm not lying to you, because I've told you nothing." Kaiba stated watching as Yugi tried, and failed, to get Aquarius to eat the French fry.

"You haven't told me anything about what?" She questioned pervasively.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Kaiba deflected as a servant brought out a tray of food.

"What's this?" Aquarius asked suspiciously as the house cleaner opened the steaming trays in front of her.

"Your breakfast. I ordered for you since you never eat." Kaiba stated superiorly.

There was a plate of pancakes, bacon, grits, and eggs. All were fresh and steaming yet Aquarius seemed totally disinterested.

"I'm not hungry." She stated evasively.

"We aren't having this discussion." Kaiba muttered flipping through some kind of manual.

"Good because I don't feel like arguing with you about food." Aquarius stated pushing the plates away.

"You're eating, end of story." Kaiba stated feeling his blood beginning to boil.

"No, Kaiba, I'm not." Aquarius replied feeling her spine stiffen in preparation for a fight.

"Mokuba, let's go to the game room." Yugi motioned standing up and walking away from the table.

"Yeah, let's go." Mokuba nodded nervously knowing his brother's volatile moods.

As the room was vacated, a tense silence ensued. It was going to be a dangerous battle of wills and neither was willing to lose. Kaiba slowly stood up from his chair and walked over to Aquarius to stand behind her chair. She sat facing forward her back rigid against the chair. Her arms were folded over her chest in a rebellious pose. Kaiba moved his hands down the back of her chair until his long fingers touched her shoulders.

"Aquarius." He whispered huskily against her ear.

"I'm not eating." Aquarius stated, yet there was a slight amount of resolve missing from her voice.

Kaiba gently threaded his fingers through her silver blue locks. With slow skill, he caressed her ear pausing to rub the pad of his index finger against her earlobe.

"You can't seduce me into eating." Aquarius murmured slightly breathy.

Kaiba slowly moved around the chair to face her. Putting his hands on the armrests of the wooden chair, staring directly into her face, only inches away.

"I bet I could seduce you into doing anything." Kaiba murmured his face impossibly close to hers.

"Don't bet your best suit on it." Aquarius murmured as Kaiba's lips inched closer.

"I never make bets I can't win." Kaiba spoke as his lips barely touched hers.

Aquarius closed her eyes as she waited to be pushed into the sweet ecstasy that was a kiss from Seto Kaiba. She was rewarded with a spicy salty taste. Aquarius's eyes flashed open as she felt Kaiba's hand over her mouth.

"It's bacon. Swallow or I'll be more difficult than I was being before." Kaiba stated softly.

Aquarius glared cold death into Kaiba but chewed and swallowed.

"If you ever try to do that to me again!" Aquarius threatened, as her statement was only half finished Kaiba took the opportunity to shove a slice of toast into her open mouth.

"Swallow." Kaiba commanded.

Aquarius almost choked on the toast as she chewed and swallowed. Still struggling to breathe she glared at Kaiba incredulously.

"What is wrong with you!" She exclaimed.

"Are you going to eat by yourself now or do you need my help?" Kaiba questioned his lips once again inches away.

"I'll eat." Aquarius growled as Kaiba smiled.

"That's my girl." He smirked moving away.

"You may win this time, but that's not the way it'll always be." Aquarius murmured as she cut into a waffle secretly thrilled that he had said 'my girl'.

"Don't make this a habit, or I might get annoyed." Kaiba smirked as he went back to his chair.

"You haven't seen anything yet." Aquarius stated her eyes narrowed as she continued eating.

"To true, to true." Kaiba nodded as he went back to the magazine.