R-CV 5

The day that everything changed would be forever etched in his memory, even though he had forgotten what the initial disagreement was about. Everything changed the moment the phone cut through their voices and she hushed him in order to answer it. Seto furrowed his brow with obvious annoyance before rolling his eyes and huffing a sigh. There was a moment of sudden silence, like a wet sheet of ice that was about to crack and give way, and then he heard the distant voice over the phone.

"Ms. Payne your mother passed away last night," her words created a vacuum that pulled all the air out of the room. Seto couldn't breathe. In a single moment he watched every ounce of strength and facade fall away, the ivory tower burning. He didn't know how to react and froze, a deer in headlight, a chicken on the chopping block, it was the end. Already Kisara was flushed, tears falling down her face. Her voice shook as much as she did.

"I'm sorry, I...I need to go. I will call you back," she shot out, "I need to freak out and process," and then she hung up the phone and looked to him, her icy eyes looked foreign, vulnerable. She was gasping for breath and composure. "Seto...please….I- I- please contact… my assistant...and...a-and my sister Kay and please...please...tell them...I'm sorry...I need," she stuttered out dumping her phone into his hand. She began to stumble down the hallway, and openly sobbed as she made her way to her room. Seto stared at the phone, unsure what to do, all he could hear was her wailing, screaming, cursing and throwing things in her room. He opened the phone and clicked on the text message icon. Her assistant was the first one listed. He scowled. This wasn't his job, why was he bothering with this? It was her mom. He huffed a sigh and pulled out his phone, texting Mokuba what had happened. While he waited for a response, he pondered doing what she had told him to do. Was he being an asshole for not doing it? He looked at the reality, she had just hit a difficult breaking point. She wasn't asking because she wanted to, but because there was no one else. They had been stuck living in her apartment for almost a year, and yet they barely knew each other. Biting his lip he opened her phone and texted the assistant, 'Mom died' and that was it. A moment later Mokuba responded, telling him to not be a stubborn jerk and to help her with whatever she wanted, but don't try to fuck her because she wasn't into him. Frustrated he snapped back with 'If that's what I wanted I would have done it by now,' yet, even as he typed it, he knew it to be a lie. It's not that he didn't want to, he just didn't want to deal with the scorn of possible rejection, especially because they were living together. Seto had come to terms with the fact that he was only going to get to be with her, if she initiated it, and he would never admit it, but he wanted to more than anything.

She was still screaming, except now, she attempted to cover it with the noise of metal music. Seto frowned. He still had one more person to contact and he didn't want to have to go through her phone, maybe he could get the assistant to do it. As he opened the phone once more a call came through from 'Kay.' He answered.

"This is Seto Kaiba. Kisara is unavailable, her- your...mother passed away," he stated as respectfully as he could. He felt like he was drowning in an ocean of unfamiliarity, waves washing over him, dark, solemn waves.

"Oh, shit. Tell her I'll be there as soon as I can, thanks," she responded before hanging up. Breathing a sigh of relief he set the phone down on the coffee table rubbed his temples, trying to ignore the now intermittent wails from Kisara's room.

Minutes later, Mag, the assistant walked in, laden with multiple bags and coffees. She greeted Seto and then immediately got to work moving the coffee table to the side of the couch, she took off the cushions and pulled out the mattress before dressing it with bedding from a nearby closet. Once that was done she began emptying the bags out on to the coffee table. Whiskey, wine, cigarettes, iced coffee, three bottles of water, a diet soda, snacks, cigarettes, a lighter, dragon pipes from the drawer of the coffee table and other oddities that Seto didn't recognize, finally, he asked what she was doing.

"The way Kisara handles people passing is by binging, caffeine, alcohol, pot, cigarettes, food, whatever she can get her hands on for a few days, then she deals. Trust me, I've been through this with her before. I'm loading all of her favorite dragon movies, and I have tons of bath stuff for her too Honestly, I'm glad you're here to keep an eye on her, she was close with her mom and I can't imagine how devastating this is for her. At least I can take comfort in knowing she won't be calling Duke this time, I don't like that guy," she rambled on. However, he wondered if she thought they were sleeping together, he wasn't about to correct her if she was.

"No one does," Seto added. Mag shrugged and finished setting up glasses on the table, before asking Seto if he was drinking. He told her yes, and she retrieved another wine and shot glass. The sound of a door opening made them both stop in their tracks, halting stone still as if they were intruders.

Bleary eyed and red faced Kisara walked out, her long hair tangled, and mussed. Seto wasn't sure if what he was feeling was sympathy or pity, was there really a difference? Mag walked over to console her, and through a long hug, they held a hushed conversation that Seto deliberately ignored. Soon, she was gone.

In a daze Kisara dropped to the sofa bed and clutched one of her many dragon pillows. Her eyes red rimmed and hollow. Seto didn't know how to handle it so he poured them each a glass of whiskey and handed it to her. Eyes glazed over and distant she took it and thanked him. He took a sip of it and grimaced, while she downed hers as if it were a shot before she leaned over and put the glass on the table. She grabbed one of the packs of cigarettes and lit one before pouring another glass.

"This whiskey tastes like shit," he remarked off handedly before opening a bottle of water. Kisara furrowed her forhead and grit her teeth.

"It's the whiskey I can afford. Sorry, not all of us can afford $500 whiskey and a fully stocked bar in our homes. We do what we can," she snapped back, sounding like a wounded animal trapped in the corner. Knowing he was treading on thin ice Seto opened up his phone and decided to order some better whiskey, and a few good red wines. She blew out a plume of smoke and selected one of the dragon movies her assistant queued up.

"I think the occasion calls for some indulgence. What was your mom's favorite drink?" he asked. The words felt strange in his mouth, like spitting marbles. She was taken back by his strange question, but after a long pause, answered.

"Scotch, on the rocks with coffee on the side. I have the coffee, but not the scotch- whiskey is essentially the same thing," Another plume of smoke. She grabbed one of the coffees and took a drink. He added his favorite single malt scotch to the cart and ordered, before he ordered his own coffee and several pastries- she wasn't going to be making dinner and he was not going to ask her to. Seto couldn't help but notice how frail and vulnerable she looked curled up on the couch, this incredible, independent strong woman reduced to a shell fragility. He hated it, it made him angry to see her beaten so far down. He wanted to help, but he didn't know how in the slightest. It was like walking through the desert with no water, hoping and praying that you come to an oasis, but every one that you see is nothing more than an illusion. His phone went off signaling that his liquor and coffee had been delivered. Opening the door to the hallway Seto found his purchases on the table next to the door. Grabbing the bag and the cup of coffee he headed inside and emptied the bag on the kitchen counter, immediately putting the wine in the fridge. He grabbed some ice, the pastries, coffee and the scotch and returned to his chair. He dropped the ice into the glasses before he poured the scotch over it, filling both of them just over halfway. Unsure of what to say he silently handed her the scotch before taking a drink of his. She thanked him and took a drink before praising his choice in scotch.

"Oban, it's very smooth. Was her favorite...thank you for spending $200 on a bottle of scotch. I appreciate your efforts," she told him in a thin, whispery voice before lighting another cigarette. Her eyes were still puffy and red, occasionally watering. Seto just nodded. He wasn't used to people that weren't Mokuba thanking him, he wasn't used to helping people. It all felt so awkward and alien. He put the bag of pastries on the table and pulled one out before tossing the bag to Kisara. He had no ide what say or how to justify the pastry bag. She peeked inside before opening the bag and grabbing a cheese danish and a slice of lemon bread and setting them down on her coffee table.

"So what did you do, order half of the bakery?" she inquired, picking pieces off the bread and nibbling on them. He shrugged, finally ready with a response.

"Didn't know what I wanted, and I wanted a few for later since you won't be cooking," he stated with his usual smug arrogance. He didn't want her to think he was trying to help. Surprisingly, she laughed and took a deep drag off of her cigarette.

"Damn right. I'm ordering tacos tonight from the nice, expensive place that mom loved. I don't care if it's $150. I don't have anything better to spend my money on anymore, well not until those dragon cat posts are released and I already pre ordered," she rambled, showing off her intoxication. Seto took another small drink and listened half heartedly to her tirade. This was hell, literal hell. They barely got along when she was sober and now she wasn't and he was supposed to just leave her to her own devices but he couldn't. He was drawn to her in a strange way he couldn't identify or understand. "Anyway, have you see The Dragon and the Hunter?" she asked. He nodded. "I hope you liked it because we're watching it, then we're going to watch The Dragon's Keeper and then I don't know. We'll see how I feel." She ranted as she queued up the movie. Before starting it, she wandered back to her room and returned with more blankets and a few dragon plushies. She adjusted her little nest before settling in. Seto watched as she switched between scotch and coffee and chain smoked cigarettes. She ate less than half of her bread and danish. As the credits for the movie rolled across the screen Kisara asked him to refill her scotch glass.

"Get over here," she told him while they started the next movie. He was startled.

"What?" he questioned, unsure if he had heard correctly. She sighed, pushing her hair from her face. She looked at him with bloodshot eyes.

"Get. Over. Here. I want you to sit with me, you ass," she clarified. He rolled his eyes and got up with a heavy sigh. Grabbing his scotch glass he sat on the other side of the sofa bed, but it was so packed with pillows and plushies that he was squeezed in right next to her. "I'm surprised you obliged," she added. Again he rolled his eyes and sighed.

"I'm just trying to avoid an argument, especially because you're drunk. Arguing with the drunk is futile," he remarked. She scoffed.

"If I knew it was that easy I would have been doing this a long time ago," she quipped, taking another drink.

"I would've jumped from your balcony after a week," he cut back. She spat her coffee and laughed.

"Glad to know there's a light at the end of the tunnel and I'll be rid of you in a week," She shot back taking another drink of coffee. As he was about to snark back he stopped. No, that was too far his brain told him. He held his tongue and repeated in his head Do not say to her that you will say hi to her mom after you jump off the balcony. Bad idea Seto. Her next remarked scared him "Who know, I might beat you to it," she added. He spat back the quickest thing that came to mind.

"I'm not cleaning a litter box or taking care of cats, if that's the case I'll race you to the pavement," he uttered. She laughed and took pause at his words. Immediately he was embarrassed by his response, he could feel his neck flush.

"You must be drunk, your personality is showing," she teased, lighting another cigarette. He stiffened and furrowed his brow, he began to smell the heavy stench of her cigarette.

"At least I have one," he snarked back. She gave a small chuckle. He was grateful that he could spar with her and give her a few minutes of distraction from her pain.

"I have one too, it's just horrible now shut the fuck up and watch the movie," She finalized before settling in next to Seto and laying her head on his shoulder.

It was late, and they had been watching movies for hours, Kisara lying in his arms. He hated how much he was enjoying the physical contact with her, even if she was drunk. Then she did something he never expected, leaning up she kissed him. Caught off guard he kissed back, not realizing it until she pulled back, her pale hands balled up in his shirt, her lips ghosting against his.

"Come to bed with me," she whispered. Immediately his heart rate spiked, blood rushed in his veins, his face flushed as she kissed him again. He pulled away.

"You're drunk, ask me again when you're sober," he growled in a hoarse whisper. She scoffed and pulled back, obviously offended,

"I'm not drunk anymore. Don't try this gentleman bullshit with me. If you don't want to fuck me just man up and say it and I'll call Duke," she spat back, pushing away from him.

That was it.

Something inside of him snapped. Maybe it was the blow to his pride, or the mention of Duke, but it was enough that he pulled her close and kissed her before attempting to push her down to the bed, but she pushed back, hard, hard enough that she was able to pin him down before announcing,

"Oh no honey, we're doing this my way." Her voice was raspy, purring like a kitten. It was on the tip of his tongue to refute, but the moment he looked up and saw her his mind went blank. Her robe had fallen down her back, open, exposing her nudity as she straddled him. The sight of her pale naked skin and tattoos had literally made him stupid, He stared, stuttering out an "Okay," while he continued to gaze at the sheer beauty of her body. She gave him a curious look and a short giggle before she leaned down and began to kiss his neck. Everything felt surreal, like a dream or an alternate reality. Her voice snapped him back.

"Touch me you asshole," she purred as she dragged her hands down his chest. She began to unbutton his shirt and he startled, grabbing her wrists.

"Don't," he pled firmly. She stopped and nodded, before asking if she could touch him. "Just don't undress me," he furthered before finally touching her, his hand ghosting over the tattoo on her thigh. She could feel him shaking. She grabbed his other hand and brought it to her breast before leaning down to kiss him again. Now, he was engaged, exploring her body. He could feel the scars under her tattoos and wondered briefly before she brought his focus back to her. Seto loved the way she touched him, how her nails dragged over his skin, under his shirt, he badly wanted to overpower her and throw her down, do it his way, but he was enjoying her way far too much until she slipped her hand inside of his pants. He jumped and pulled her hand away, immediately ashamed he felt the need to do so, but she didn't exploit that shame like others had or ask questions about it. Instead she asked if he wanted to touch her, and he was caught off guard, barely uttering a whispered 'yes'. This time instead of telling him what to do, she guided his hand to her before she leaned over and playfully nipped at his ear. He knew how to play back, one hand on the back of her neck he pulled her close, tasting her skin, like his other hand worked against her heat. It didn't take long before he could feel her legs shaking against his thighs. He knew what he was doing, knowledge is power, and power has a price. She encouraged him while also cursing him in the same breath. She grabbed his wrist tightly while her body tensed from his ministrations, he felt her release and she was cursing him, panting as she laid on top of him.

"I underestimated you," she confessed in a pant before she pulled back looming over him once more.

"Many do," he simply stated, at a loss for words. He didn't want to talk, he wanted to take control and fuck her, but he refrained. She brushed her lips up against his neck again, telling him that she wanted to keep going. He brushed his hand up her back,

"No, no more foreplay Seto, please, just fuck me already," she stated. He words sent a new thrill through him, Adrenaline, anxiety, he wasn't sure which was which anymore. With a trembling hand he undid his jeans before exposing himself, and pushing up against her, letting her guide him, he hated that she was in control, and she moved faster than he did. It made his head spin as his breath hitched through his teeth. When she started rocking her hips against him he nearly lost it like he would as a teenager, and he was realizing that he had also underestimated her. He should have known better, had known she'd be far beyond any league of his. She felt so good, and her skin was like satin against his hands, and the way she touched him, was skilled far beyond anyone he'd ever been with. He was fucked, literally and figuratively. Now, he had to play along. It was more than just a game of cat and mouse, this was something else entirely, he had no idea it could be this intense. This was more than just sating an urge or satisfying a craving- this was the epitome of indulgence.

He tried with every fiber of his being to hold out until finally she finally grabbed his throat and leaned in.

"Either you're not that into me, or you're deliberately holding out, now which is it?" she hissed in his ear. He bit his lip, trying to think, touch her and not lose it at the same time, finally, he just shouted something he'd heard her say multiple times.

"Don't kink shame me," he growled. She chuckled, and licked his jaw.

"That's great, but I still have my ways Seto," she purred, gently squeezing his throat.

"Then do it," he roared. She grinned and gripped his throat, hard. His head spun, his vision tunnelled, and he cursed louder than Kisara had. Finally, she collapsed next to him and wrapped her arm around his chest while they both caught their breath. He was spinning, blown away by the intensity of their encounter. It took him a few minutes to realize that she spooned up against him. As much as he hated it with others, strangely this time he didn't mind, but he had a reputation. Soon, he spoke up.

"I don't cuddle," he stated while making no effort to move her or turn away.

"Tough. Suffer," she responded, throwing her leg over his. "Asshole," she added. He scoffed, and laid his head back falling asleep almost instantaneously.

Author's drunk note to self:

(FOR THE FUCKING LOVE OF GOD YOU BETTER PUT IN THE FILLER/BONDING WHEN YOU SOBER UP YOU TALENTLESS CRIPPLED ASSHOLE. IF YOU HAVE TO DRINK TO WRITE YOU'RE SHIT. DO BETTER YOU WASE OF SPACE)

AN: I thought my drunk note was funny so I left it in. I'm sorry this took so damn long. Also, it's probably going to be the last chapter. I have no motivation for this crapfic anymore. Well, I tried, again, and failed. Thanks for hanging around. I'll see you in another fic. I love you all. Take care. MK