FicWad

Mai wouldn't have thought it possible that the noise could get any louder but, as the rescue team continued to make their way to them the sounds of the drills became more and more intense. The noise seemed to swamp her senses; she couldn't think straight, her muscles felt tense from the vibrations and the constant instinct to blink her eyes was making them ache. Occasionally she would look across at Seto, seeing his clenched fist and tightened jaw muscles she guessed that he was experiencing much the same as she was. His eyes were hidden behind his fringe of chestnut brown hair but she could tell that he was frowning. The same frown he would use when dealing with his enemies; the same frown that he used for dealing with people who wanted to be his friends; the same frown that he had used with her just a few hours ago.

She wondered whether this experience would change that or whether, as soon as he was free of the confines of the lift, he would revert back to the harsh, cynical and sneering man that she had known as 'Kaiba'.

'I hope not,' she said aloud allowing her words to be swallowed up by the sound of the drill.

Seto suddenly looked at her, whether he had been alerted by the soft sound of her voice or simply by the fact that she was looking at him it was impossible to tell. He broke his frown to give her a small smile.

And then the lights went out.


The drills stopped and Seto could just make out the faint sound of agitated voices on the other side of the wall. In the new silence his ears buzzed, he allowed his body to relax raising a hand to rub his jaw which ached from having been clenched for so long. He blinked his eyes trying to become accustomed to the dark and trying to rid his vision of the ghostly white image of the now black room. A small movement and an extended groan beside him indicated that Mai was stretching; loosening tense muscles. He could almost picture her arching her back and elongating her neck, cat-like and sensual. He imagined her full lips slightly parted in the exhalation of that sexual sounding moan. He could feel his own heartbeat increasing at the thought of it and his stomach gave a flip as he suddenly realised that he didn't want to leave her. Of course he wanted to be rescued, to leave this cramped environment but he felt sure that, once they were out, everything would change. She would probably revert to the brash and sarcastic woman that he had known in various duelling tournaments. She would almost certainly laugh in his face should he try anything romantic. A woman like Mai Valentine must be all too used to the hapless advances of men, he reasoned.

But, for the moment they were still here, together, and the engulfing blackness gave him the protection he needed. He felt tense again but in a different way, nervous of rejection his stomach tightened and his breathing halted for a few seconds. Wordlessly he reached out a hand towards her, hearing a soft gasp of surprise when he brushed gently against her arm. He hesitated but didn't withdraw his hand. After a moment he felt a warm hand entwine with his.

The voices of the rescue workers stopped and Seto prepared himself for what he knew must be coming next. Mai however jumped when the drills restarted, her hand tightened around his. She moved closer to him and he took the opportunity to pull her in so that, even in the absolute dark, he could feel that she was stood before him and could feel the heat from her body.


Mai stood before Seto. Even with the ever strengthening vibrations coursing through her body she could still feel the rapid thudding of her own heart. Deprived of vision and hearing she concentrated on her other senses. She felt Seto's long slender fingers in her hand, could feel their coolness in contrast to her heat. Although no other part of her was touching him she could sense that he was standing only inches away. She imagined that he would be looking down at her and she raised her head to a point where she supposed she would be meeting his gaze. She pictured his face; so handsome, so serious. She wondered if he was frowning now.

Gently extricating her hand from his she reached forward finding the soft fabric of his top. Softly she traced her hand upwards, eventually feeling the gentle warmth of his bare neck. She felt him tilting his head exposing his neck even more. She held the palm of her hand tenderly against his cheek the backs of her fingers being tickled by his hair, her fingertips delicately passing over the cut above his brow.


He flinched in spite of himself and felt her immediately withdraw her hand. Reaching out he caught hold of her wrist. He rubbed his thumb against the soft skin of her inner arm and then, moving his hand around to her waist he pulled her even closer to him. His other arm snaked around her shoulders, his hand resting on the nape of her neck. In the process he knocked her bad arm and he felt her wince. He immediately backed off just as she had done; he held his arm motionless just inches away from her body waiting for some sort of signal that it was okay to continue.

Mai answered by pushing even closer to him and laying her hand on his chest again, feeling the shape of his muscles and the gentle rise and fall of his chest as she did so. She felt his hands travel up to envelop each side of her face, a soft pressure encouraging her to tilt her head upwards once more. She could sense his face coming closer to hers. His warm breath played across her eyelashes and then, her head tilting even further, her lips met his, brushing against them with a gentleness that belied the surge of emotion that coursed through every inch of her body. She closed her eyes and allowed the moment to engulf her. She found herself reaching up to wrap her hand around the back of his neck, to pull him down further even as she instinctively lifted herself onto her toes. She let her lips part -

There was an almighty crash and a blinding light. Mai and Seto sprang away from each other like two guilty teenagers caught by a disapproving parent.

As the noise of the drills faded back into silence they both stood blinking into the light that was pouring through a break in the wall. A face appeared, grinning and framed with wild black hair.

'Hey Mai, hey Seto. Ya miss me?'


*

An hour later and Mai made her way across a deserted arena towards an area that stood out in sharp contrast to the sleek glass and steel perfection of the main duelling hall. The lift foyer was a mess; the walls blackened and buckled; the floor strewn with debris. As she got closer she could hear voices and she slowed her pace trying to make out who it was. She came to a complete stop when she suddenly heard Seto's voice cut across the mumbling platitudes of the others. She couldn't make out the words but she recognised the tone: harsh and sneering and very angry. She sighed to herself. Since Mokuba's dramatic rescue effort she had seen practically nothing of Seto. His advisors had drawn him away quickly, talking in hushed voices about the press and other troubling issues. She had been left with Mokuba who had been very sweet, taking her up to a private room where Kaiba Corp's top doctor had washed and redressed her wound.
She had tried not to think about her kiss with Seto. She tried to dismiss it as just another meaningless kiss in a long line of meaningless kisses. She felt almost certain that Seto would feel the same way and that, now he could get away from her, he would jump at the opportunity to do so. She was almost completely certain of the fact. But there was a part of her, a long buried, optimistic part of her that thought he might be wanting to see her as much as she had been longing to see him.

As she watched him talk animatedly with his advisors amongst the devastation of the blast she realised that her more cynical self had been correct. She turned on her heel and walked back across the arena to the lift area on the opposite side of the large hall. She should get going anyway, she had promised Joey that she would let him drive her home since he seemed convinced that she wouldn't be able to make the short distance on her own.
'Mai,' a voice cut across her thoughts.

Turning she saw Seto striding purposefully towards her. Her stomach gave a small flutter even as she considered cutting her losses and getting the hell out of there before she allowed her emotions for this rude, arrogant, gorgeous man to deepen even further.

'Mai,' Seto had closed the gap and now stood only a few feet away. He stopped and looked at her intently. 'Are you leaving?'

'You don't want me cluttering up the place.'

'Weren't you going to say goodbye?'

She shrugged, glancing over Seto's shoulder at his advisors who were all staring at her, intrigued. 'You looked busy,' she stated simply.

'Didn't I tell you, I'm always busy?' he said, waving a dismissive hand towards the on looking group. 'That doesn't mean I can't make time for what's important.'

'Am I important?' Mai tried to control her voice, tried to make sure the question didn't seem as important as it felt in her mind. She added a crooked smile to complete the effect of indifference.

Seto looked at her for a moment. He too was feeling the tension and he wondered if he should give a light-hearted answer, to evade the truth and to protect himself from the possibility of being laughed at. Eventually though he simply said 'yes'.

They looked at each other for a long time.

'Well,' Mai said after a pause that seemed like an eternity, 'that's alright then.'

She smiled the smallest of smiles and Seto smiled back.

'Mr Kaiba,' a deep voice called across the room.

Seto didn't take his eyes off Mai, the intensity of his gaze made her tingle. She remembered the feel of those long arms around her the gentle touch of his lips and she just wanted to -

'Mr Kaiba,' came the voice again, more insistent this time.

Mai shuddered briefly, snapping out of her sweet reverie she looked over Seto's shoulder. 'Some guy in a dark suit and sunglasses wants your attention,' she said softly.

Seto closed his eyes and, when he opened them again he was already turning to face his employee.

'Mr Kaiba, sir. I am sorry to interrupt and I wouldn't do so if it weren't important, but I'm afraid the press are becoming quite impatient. The major news programmes are going out at six and they are threatening to run the bomb story with or without your take on it. We must release a statement or hold a press conference as soon as possible.'

Seto sighed heavily. 'Okay Roland. Tell them they'll get their press conference. Set it up in the downstairs conference room and tell them I'll be there in ten minutes. Also, can you get hold of a change of clothes?'

'And a new coat sir?'

Seto smiled and looked briefly at Mai, 'No coat thank you Roland. I'm thinking of changing my style slightly.'

Roland nodded politely and walked quickly away, barking orders into his radio.

Seto turned back to Mai, 'I've got to go.'

'Yeah, me too,' they locked eyes again.

'Mai, there you are! We've been lookin' all over for ya!'

Mai winced as Joey's brash voice filled the room. She turned and smiled.

'I'll be right there hon!' she said sweetly adding, pointedly, 'why don't you go on ahead and get the car ready.'

'Okay. See ya Kaiba, oh about what you may have heard me say earlier... It was just a joke, ha ha,' he trailed off lamely. 'No hard feelings, right?'

'No hard feelings,' Seto confirmed coldly.

Joey ran off, happily.

Seto took a deep breath, taking a small step towards her. 'I've really go to -'

'Yes, right, go. I mean, you've got less than ten minutes to get changed and prepare for a press conference... I don't suppose you need any help with the getting changed bit do you?' she asked playfully raising one eyebrow.

Seto smiled a wide smile. 'I'd better not, although it is very, very tempting.'

Mai smiled. 'Well... bye then,' she took a step towards him.

'Bye,' he moved to close the gap between them.

'How will you contact me?' she asked softly running a finger across his chest.

'I'll find you,' he whispered huskily.

'How -' the rest of her words were lost as he leant down to kiss her.

This time it was stronger, more passionate. His arms encircled her and crushed her body into his. Her good hand reached behind him to the small of his back and down, where she felt the sharp edges of his duelling deck. She parted her lips just as she heard a polite cough nearby.

Once more they both jumped apart as if reacting to an electric shock. She felt herself blush and she turned away, straightening her hair.

'Mai...' Seto's voice was heavy sounding and he seemed to be short of breath.

'I know,' she panted, 'get going.'

'Will I see you soon?'

'I hope so.'

She smiled at him warmly and he grinned back. She forced her feet to turn and walk away even though her legs felt like jelly and every part of her wanted to stay with him here forever. She turned half way to the lifts and watched him following Roland out of the room. Roland was talking intently but Seto was noticeably quiet, catching a glimpse of him in the reflection of a glass panel she thought she saw him smiling.


*
[Extract from the six o'clock television news broadcast]

'There was drama today at Kaiba Corporation's New York offices where a suspected assassination attempt on the young CEO, Seto Kaiba, led to him being trapped in an elevator for over six hours. Our reporter, Vanessa Williams, is on the scene. Vanessa?'

'Yes Natasha I'm standing outside the Kaiba Corp offices on Vesey Street. Witnesses to the event claim that an explosion took place just after eleven o'clock this morning on the crowded upper level of the building. The area has been turned into a dedicated duelling arena for the company's flagship game 'Duel Monsters'. Despite the fact that the arena was full it seems that the blast itself was confined to the elevator foyer area which was empty at the time. However the elevator that Mr Kaiba was travelling in was hit by the blast and fell thirty-two stories before the emergency brakes were able to slow its decent, resulting in Mr Kaiba receiving only minor wounds.
Police and ambulance crews who attended the scene say that it was a miracle that no one was seriously injured.'

'It certainly sounds like they had a lucky escape Vanessa. But didn't Seto Kaiba hold a press conference this evening?'

'That's right Natasha, just an hour after being rescued by a team headed up by his own brother; Mr Kaiba called a press conference to discuss the day's events. This is what he had to say.'

'Clearly this is a very serious matter and, if it is confirmed that it was a bomb, then we will be doing everything in our power to track down the person or persons responsible. Irrespective of their target these people have shown a serious disregard for the lives of innocent men, women and children. People who came to our offices today to enjoy an entertaining display of gamesmanship.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the ambulance crews that came here today and did a sterling job to help those who had been wounded by shrapnel and those who were in a state of shock. With regards to the police, I would also like to extend my gratitude to them for their investigations so far. However, as the CEO of Kaiba Corp I will be initiating my own investigations into the affair and I hope that I can work side by side with the police to bring the matter to a satisfactory conclusion as soon as possible.'

'He seemed to be in pretty good shape, considering?'

'That's right Natasha, and not just physically, a number of press journalists who have come into contact with Mr Kaiba before have commented that he seemed in unusually high spirits. He even laughed and joked with us all before the conference began which is apparently entirely out of character.'

'Maybe the whole experience has worked to lift his spirits. Ha ha ha.'

'Ha ha ha, yes, maybe you're right... Anyway, that's all from me for now, from the Kaiba Corp offices this is Vanessa Williams handing you back to the studio.'

'What an amazing story, don't you think Ted?'

'Absolutely Natasha, of course this is the same guy who destroyed another of his duelling towers in a fit of pique after losing a game to a rival, isn't that right?'

'That's right Ted. Rich kids and their tantrums, huh? Ha ha ha...'