Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Steam ❯ Chapter 1

Steam

written by Atlantis

©2004

Well, here it is. This sucker has been done forever now but I just never got around to actually posting it. I only had the time now because I'm staying up to finish a late load of laundry and just in case my sister wakes up since she's got a high fever. Anywho, I'm sure you're all intelligent enough to realize this doesn't take place in the show or really have anything to do with the show other than the blatant use of these characters.

One request I have of all of you: If you do not like this pairing then kindly click your back button and don't read it. I don't want to read mindless flames about how you despise this couple when it clearly states in the summary who this fic centers around and the nature of it. I'll say it once more. This is a Seto/Téa fic with a heavy lime bordering on a lemon. If this isn't your cup of tea, then go ahead and leave.

Disclaimer: I hoping you know that I don't own the show. If not, then I'll go ahead and claim it and make fun of people who think I'm telling the truth.

Rating: R/NC-17

***

Patience can persuade a prince, and soft speech can crush strong opposition.

Proverbs 25:15

***

    She dipped her toe in.

    "Ah, that feels so good..." she sighed contentedly, slipping into the remarkably warm water, holding the towel around her body securely. Once she was in, she adjusted the towel so that it wouldn't fall off and reached up to pull the hair-tie from her hair, letting her brown, healthy locks drape down over her shoulders and into the water where it fanned out across the surface of the in-ground hot tub. "Mai sure knows how to make a girl feel pampered."

    Mai Valentine, a good friend of Téa Gardner's, had finally ended her Duel Monsters frenzy, but not before taking a vast amount of the money she had won and investing it into a small spa business on a midtown Domino street. When the old woman who had run the place had announced her plan of retiring, Mai had immediately offered to buy the place from her at a price that had turned out to be a bargain. Under Mai's meticulous management and manipulation, the spa had become a full-fledged resort, bit-by-bit, addition-by-addition. Buying the two empty lots behind the spa, she had been able to expand the original building and include a variety of special treatment centers where patrons could find a great deal of relaxation for a hefty price.

    But they were all so willing to pay once they had tasted Mai's divine touch on the small business. Full-body massages, face masks, facial treatments, manicures, pedicures, pore refining, hair stylists, hot tubs and steam rooms, pool, work-out center, mud baths, lash tinting, cosmetic tattooing, general tattooing, makeovers, clothes sales, snack bar... If you could name it, Mai had done it, turning the once small building into an inner city Eden. She had made a respectable name for herself and was as proud as ever, claiming Domino's most respected business-men and -women as customers, as well as diplomats, international dignitaries, and multi-national corporate giants. It was a well-known fact that Mai could run an establishment, and nobody had yet proved her wrong.

    Though she was haughty to a fault, Mai didn't forget her friends and gave the few that she had complimentary visits whenever they asked: the works. Joey and Yugi often went for the massages (Joey making special requests to have Mai as his masseuse), Tristan, Duke, and Serenity for the gym, Bakura for frequent hair-cuts, and Téa... well, she took advantage of nearly the whole package at least once a week. Having finally gotten a full-time job as a dancer, working days as part of an elite academy and nights to pay for it, she gladly accepted Mai's kind offer.

    She took great care of her body and often found that she over-taxed herself, making Valentine's, the name of Mai's resort, an absolute god-send. At present, she had just finished a lengthy massage and facial and was continuing the relaxation by soaking in the dual purpose hot tub and steam room. There, occupants could sit on the mahogany benches along the walls of the room and simply exfoliate in the steam, or soak in the large in-ground tub directly in the center of the spacious room. Either way, it made for the marvelous loosening of every muscle in the body.

    With the steam so thick and warm, it was hard to see two feet in front of oneself, let alone half way across the room, so when Téa heard the chamber door open, she thought nothing of it and leaned her head back against the cushioned edge of the tub. A minuscule splash was the only hint that another person was now in the bubbling water with her.

    "Oh god, yes," came the soft-spoken whisper, the low rumble of a man's voice. Téa lost interest in relaxing the moment she heard him, listening intently for another sound of his voice. She was almost certain she knew who that rough baritone belonged to. Unfortunately for Téa, no such words escaped the mouth hidden in the steam and she settled back down once more, convinced she had gotten her hopes up. There was no way he'd be there, so why had she reacted as if it were possible? A snowball had a better chance of staying frozen in that steam room than him being there...

    "Is someone there?" The rough question came from that hidden place in the steam, somewhere across from her, and Téa looked down to see her fingers tapping the top of the water unconsciously. Naturally she stopped and blushed.

    "Erm, me?" she ventured back.

    "Who the hell is 'me'?" Sudden movement in the water alarmed Téa that whoever belonged to that wonderful voice was moving to her side of the hot tub quickly and she grabbed the top of her towel as a reflex. The shadowy outlines of a form glided through the steam and half a moment later Téa saw the sexy brown hair and angry blue eyes that belonged to none other than Seto Kaiba. Not a second later, Téa gave an appreciative perusal of his wet bare shoulders, chest, and stomach which showed hard evidence of a rigorous work-out schedule. He glared down at her, then blinked in disbelief.

    "Gardner? What the hell do you think you're doing here?" Téa shook herself out of her infatuated trance and glared right back at him.

    "What's it look like, knitting? I'm relaxing, same as you!"

    "I reserved this room for an hour today. A *private* hour," he responded heatedly. Téa's right eyebrow quirked up and Seto found his heartbeat fluttering as she leaned back against the wall, looking at him unaffected.

    "Nobody told me. Didn't you ever learn to share?"

    "I never saw the use in it," Kaiba bit back, settling in next to her in an attempt to goad her enough to leave. He opened his mouth to say something else but became slack-jawed at the sight presented before him that he had failed to notice during his short rant.

Téa Gardner, good friend of Yugi Moto (his still-despised rival), had grown up over the last couple of years and it was apparent that college had done her very well. Her poise was relaxed but not sloppy and the curves and dips of her body were visible even in the bubbling waters. The skimpy towel she wore covered her amply-blessed chest area and hugged an obviously very trim waist, leading underwater to barely skim the tops of her thighs. And her neck, tilted back in disregard of him was dripping with condensation and presented a very tempting treat.

After a moment of calculating thought, Seto Kaiba decided not to oust the siren and moved in as close to her as he dared without being indecent, eyeing her like a glass of blackberry brandy.

"Since you're no longer demanding that I leave," Téa said, interrupting Seto's train of naughty thoughts as he stared at her, "let's play a game in an attempt to be cordial to one another. This is called the Question Game. I ask you a question, you ask me a question, and we'll continue until we leave or tire of the game. You up for it?" she asked, opening her eyes languidly to greet his gaze with glazed blue.

    "You know how I like challenges, Gardner," he told her with a meaningful look. She ignored him and he added, "Since you came up with the idea, it's only right that you begin the game. Nothing is off limits; any question can be asked and nothing will be considered invalid."

    "Fine with me," she agreed. "Alright, what to ask Seto Kaiba... Got it!" she snapped her fingers. "Do you, Mr. CEO of Kaiba Corp, masturbate?" Kaiba choked on his breath. Gardner was starting off that explicit? She turned her body so that she could watch him give his answer, having to rise out of the water slightly to tuck her legs beneath her. When she sat back down, her knees were brushing against the side of Kaiba's towel-covered leg and he had the fleeting thought that he'd rather jump her than answer her question. He cleared his throat.

    "What do you think?" he asked. Téa wagged her finger at him.

    "Nuh-uh-uh, I'm the one asking the question here. It doesn't matter what I think. You just have to answer," she chided him, bopping him on the nose with the previously wagging finger. Her hand was in his grasp without any warning and he surveyed her well-manicured hands, rubbing his thumbs over the back and palm, then looked down at her, something dark in his eyes.

    "Of course I do." It was plain, simple, and oh-so-sexy. Téa concluded that it had to be the single sexiest answer to a question she'd ever heard. "And what do you think is on my mind while I'm doing it?" Regardless of how bastardly he was a majority of the time, Seto Kaiba still had hormones and they were demanding that he do something about the physical problem Téa was causing. This was no game he was playing at: it was all-out seduction, and he meant to come out on top.

"Is that your question?" Kaiba blinked out of his hazy state of mind and re-focused on Téa. She rolled her eyes at him. "Is that the question you're asking me? The whole 'what do you think is on my mind while I'm doing it' thing?" Kaiba chuckled. The girl was undoubtedly sexy, but she just distracted him from his thoughts far too much. She was fitting the game to her terms and Kaiba realized his seduction strategy might not work on this particular brunette. Téa Gardner was far more intelligent than people gave her credit for.

"Sure, go for it," he told her, leaning back and letting his eyes wander shamelessly over her

scantily clad body while keeping her hand prisoner. He watched as she bit her lip, smoothed over it with the tip of her tongue, and then bit it again as her eyes moved back and forth over the frothy surface of the water in concentration. Some invisible power kept Seto from leaning forward, roughly grabbing her hips and kissing her until she sported bruises on her lips; until she wore his brand. Fortunately though, Téa glanced up at him and gave a little quirk of her lips, studying him. She sighed.

    "You look like the type of guy that goes for a really busty platinum blonde bombshell who wears nothing but heels and a smile with a glass of champagne in one hand and scented rubbing oil in the other. No feelings attached, just animalistic one-night-stands with Tahitian beauties and supermodels who would die just to bring you off," Téa said in almost a sad little voice. Kaiba immediately leaned forward and the lift of his eyebrows significantly widened his stunned gaze. Could this girl be serious?

    "Actually," Kaiba drawled, throwing a suggestive glance Téa's way, hoping she'd notice it, "I go for a different type altogether. You see, it's those leggy brunettes that grab my attention, with generally proportional measurements on the ample side, confidence, clothes meant to pull on the imagination yet tantalize without being a harlot and long, slender hands so that when she touches me... You know, I've actually seen her. She's a real person. And it's strange but she looks exactly like you..." Kaiba drifted off, eyes shutting while his hands caressed and massaged Téa's. Téa gasped sharply and pulled her hands out of Seto's grip, looking confused and torn as he re-opened his eyes.

    "When did you find... How did you know?" she gasped, her blue eyes rapidly searching his half-open gaze for an answer of any kind.

    "What are you talking about Gardner?"

    "My night job, dammit! Who the hell told you that I worked in a strip joint?" she demanded, rising slightly out of the water, panic clearly written on her normally complacent features. Kaiba promptly fell into a cough.

    "What the bloody hell are you talking about?"

    "Oh puh-lease! With that description who or what the hell else would you be describing? I assume you think it's funny to make a fool out of people who are working hard to get themselves through school, no matter how they're doing it. But listen here Kaiba, the pay is good, my boss treats me more decent than many of the other guys in my life, and patrons aren't allowed to touch me. You may think I'm a slut for working at a joint like that, but not all of us are blessed with the privileges you have and effort has to be made in order to take the reigns on one's future. Dancing is what I *do* and there's no way in hell that I'm letting anything, especially money, get in the way of that!" Téa stood to get up but was halted by Kaiba's firm grip on her forearm.

    "I didn't know," he said softly, looking up at her. Téa gave a bitter laugh.

    "Of course you didn't," she yelled suddenly. "I just opened up my big fat mouth and blabbed to you what I've been effectively keeping as a secret for nearly eight months. Could I be any more of a moron or an airhead?" Téa slumped back into the water and faced away from the young man beside her, tears creeping out of the corners of her eyes and sliding down the sides of her face. A hand at her chin forced her to turn back around.

    "Why have you been keeping this a secret for so long?" Kaiba's voice was unnaturally calm and soothing, like a warm brandy sliding down her throat. A few more tears found their way down over Téa's cheeks and jaw.

    "Are you kidding me? Anyone who knew would look down on me. They'd suddenly see me as a scantily clad girl who likes to show off her body to horny old men for a pretty penny in order to buy herself new and expensive things. It wouldn't matter that I've been busting my ass and working hard in order to pay the rent, buy groceries, pay for tuition and books, and even put away some for saving after making sure appliances and services were taken care of. It wouldn't matter that this is the only possible way that I can afford the lifestyle and schooling that I now have. It just wouldn't... they wouldn't care." She sniffled and her lip quivered as Kaiba's unwavering eyes bore down on her.

    "I thought you didn't care about what people thought about you. It was all about your principles and standing up for them," Seto said quietly, still holding her still with the gentle grip of his thumb and forefinger on her chin. His thumb moved slowly, cautiously, sliding over her cheek to collect the stray tears and wipe them from her face.

    "Yeah, well, news flash! Being a stripper is one of the exceptions to that rule. You just can't *not* care when you're working that hard in that particular profession. It's not possible. I just want to take care of myself, and that's the only way it'll happen."

    "I don't think it's a shameful way to make a living," Kaiba stated clearly, making sure that Téa understood and comprehended what he had actually said. "In fact, I'd say being a professional entertainer like that is more alike to what I do than almost anything else. It's all about manipulating the customer so that you're getting what you want out of them. In our case: money. You have to be willing to take risks and do the unorthodox and go through politically incorrect venues in order to get to the top, reach that goal. When I came in here a few minutes ago, I had no respect for you whatsoever. You were just another pretty face who got what she wanted. But now I know you get it because you sacrifice for it. That is something that I know and understand." He released her chin and framed her face with his hands. "Don't let anyone ever make you believe that you are beneath them because of this. Never!" His hands dropped and he looked her over one last time before climbing out of the hot tub, making sure to clutch his towel to keep it from falling off his waist.

    Only a moment passed before Téa was out as well, trailing after him and mimicking his protective hold on the towel around her body. He stopped in the area between the back of the room and the tub and Téa let her eyes wander over his sculpted back, wanting to trace the indents and curves with her mouth and fingers. She stepped closer and watched as he tensed, his muscles bunching up as if he was expecting an attack from her. Droplets of water followed already existing paths down his back, coursing down from his wet hair and drawing Téa eyes to the top edge of his towel, wrapped low around his waist where each and every lucky water-drop disappeared into.

    "Kaiba," she said softly. He didn't turn around so she walked around him to stand in front of him and gave a silly smile when she saw that his eyes and fists were clenched. Reaching up on tip-toes, she placed a fleeting kiss over each of his eyes and whispered, "You're not the heartless bastard I thought you would be," before pulling him down by his neck to her lips.

    Almost immediately she began second-guessing herself because of his still-rigid posture and loosened her hold on his neck, preparing to step away and flee the steam room. But that was before a hand clamped over hers, holding it to his neck while the other one looped around her waist and pulled her to him as he responded desperately to the kiss. His lips pushed against hers, slanting and sucking, caressing with force. Téa opened her mouth to him the moment his tongue reached through the part in her lips, realizing that he had the unique taste of cinnamon and chocolate, dark and intoxicating as he wove spells with his kisses. It seemed as though he was almost angry with her, the way he kissed her. But even as she let that thought shimmer through her thoughts, Seto gentled his hold on her and his kisses went back to the chaste touching of lips, brushing skin against skin, hugging her close to him.

    His lips left hers, dropping butterfly kisses on her eyes and nose, nuzzling the spot just below her ear and running his hands over and down her bare back, through her slick hair. Téa could feel his breath on her neck, then his lips as he licked and soothed, nipped and kissed the sensitive skin there. Her fingers clutched the skin at his neck and shoulder, taking in sharp gasps of air as Kaiba's lips worshiped her. She'd never felt so much emotion before through mere kissing, but then again, she'd never kissed Seto Kaiba, and he was a passionate person if she had ever met one. The way he threw himself into his work and responsibilities was beyond admirable, and he still made time in his busy schedule for his little brother Mokuba. They were each others' foundation and worked as a team, both stubborn and loyal and demanding. No wonder the world couldn't get enough of their story of struggle, of the sheer amount of money they made each economic quarter. It wasn't only because they were young; it was because they did the work. People had become so lazy in the world that whenever a person actually earned their living, the story had to be shared, exploited, and told over and over.

    It was just so mind-boggling for Téa to think that Seto Kaiba, Duel Monster champion and CEO of his namesake Kaiba Corp was standing in front of her, making out and necking with her. Talk about an oxymoron! She would have never thought that anyone, let alone Kaiba, would overlook the fact that she was working as a stripper and then proceed to kiss her breathless. A soft smile graced her features and she turned her head to place a kiss on Seto's temple, his head resting against her shoulder as he breathed hard. His eyes rose to hers, seeing the familiar light and spirit within her eyes that made her such a spitfire. He smiled back at her.

    "I respect you," he said softly.

    "You told me," Téa giggled. He shook his head and wrapped his arms even tighter around her.

    "No. I respect you, but I just can't get it out of my head how much I want to... damn it all to hell! Téa, you have got to be the single-most attractive girl I've come across in a long while and all that's on my mind is..."

    "... how much you want to screw me?" Téa supplied for him. He looked dumbfounded, so she added, "I work in a place surrounded by horny men, remember?"

    "Can I... can I touch you?" he asked, unsure, his blue eyes wide and nearly child-like. Téa closed her eyes and smiled, then opened them again and reached out with her hand to take his, giving it a gentle squeeze before leading it to her breast. Seto could feel the rapid beat of her heart through the thin towel and felt as though he had a bird trapped between his hands who would break if he didn't treat her as carefully as she deserved. He bit his lip and looked back at the water, then at Téa and at the water again before slowly tugging her back down the steps and into the steaming water. "Close your eyes," he whispered. She did so, all-but hesitantly.

    Running his tongue along the curves of her jaw and chin, Seto made sure he was incredibly close to her, his hands working in slow, sensual circles on her back as his lips kissed over her ears and temples. He kept his eyes open, watching every reaction the young woman made, for she was no girl, and made sure to repeat whatever he was doing particularly when she clamped down on her lower lip with her teeth. His hands found the small knot that held her towel together and he distracted her with a fierce kiss while he made small work of the material that kept him from his goal. The towel slid down her body and to the bottom, made of such a thick material that it couldn't float after being soaked. Téa made to cover herself, her eyes oddly enough still closed but Seto placed his hands over hers and sucked on her lower lip.

    "Let me," he whispered smoothly and her hands slid away, one resting on his hip and the other moving up to tangle in his thick, wet hair. Pulling away slightly, Seto watched Téa's face as his hand, laying flat against her collar bone, slowly moved down between her breasts and over her ribcage, then back up, slowly brushing the undersides of her breasts with his thumbs. Téa's lips pursed together and she breathed through her nose, the hand in his hair pulling almost painfully; he took it as a good sign. His hands came out of the water slightly as they curved around the tops of the wet mounds of flesh, trailing tantalizing circles up and around until reaching the peaks. Still watching her, he bent over slightly and closed his lips over her right nipple, rubbing the flat part of his tongue against the taut bead. He grinned and sucked a little harder as Téa made a low sound in the back of her throat and gained an open-mouthed moan when he began stroking the other nipple between his thumb and pointer finger.

    Wanting to please her and taste her as much as possible, he soon moved his mouth over to the other breast, providing it with the same treatment as its sister. Téa's hands were now insistent, the one at his neck holding him close like an infant and the other tugging at his towel, trying to find the knot but not succeeding because of her limited arm length. She moved a curvy leg through the water to hook around his waist, pulling him closer and grinding herself against him, knowing how aroused he was by the insistent prodding at her thigh. Seto released her breast and took a deep breath, looking down at Téa, her mouth slightly open and her nipples a deep pink from the attention he had lavished upon them.

    Backing up slightly so that he could sit on the bench under the water, he adjusted Téa so that she straddled him, her knees locked firmly on either side of his narrow hips and just at the edge of his towel. Leaning forward, he caught her mouth in a lazy kiss, delighting in the way her lips opened to him as if on instinct and how the movements of her tongue were unhurried, undulating against his own like the pushing and pulling of ocean waves. She was the one to pull away but caught his bottom lip between her teeth gently as she did, scraping over it and then sucking, running her tongue over it to add to his pleasure. Her hands had taken up residence over his lower stomach where they kept dragging over the firm muscle in her frustration and desire, forcing the muscles to jump under her touch and send thrilling jolts up and down his spine. She grinned against his lips as he pulled her into another thorough kiss.

    Her mouth wrenched away from his on a massive gasp as she felt his fingers dip into her very core, smoothing around that little spot that she knew would make her see stars. He maneuvered his hand so that his thumb could flick at that tiny bundle while he slid one finger deep inside of her, her head falling back on silent moan.

    He could not believe it. The very feel of her inner walls clenching and un-clenching around his fingers was arousing and damn near orgasmic as he slowly pushed the finger in and out of her, still rubbing over the tender spot that made her body jerk towards his. His eyes greedily drank in the sight of her body curved backwards, caught in the climb to euphoria; mentally recognizing that it was he who was doing this to her, allowing her to experience such pleasure. And it was at that very second that he knew he wouldn't allow any other man to touch her. A woman that he touched, that could affect him spiritually, mentally, and physically just by responding to his touch, was a woman he would not dare give the opportunity to another to have. She. Was. His.

    Téa knew that she was close and she knew that Seto knew, which was why he kept his rhythm tortuous and changing, not quite letting her reach out and touch the point she so wanted to feel engulf her. He was in total control and she loved it. But as his finger started moving within her once again, this time at a quicker and purposeful pace, she knew that it wouldn't be long. Her hands reached down to the bottom of his towel and gently pulled up, careful not to hurt him and traced along his arousal, feeling him twitch and harden under her touch. He paused.

    "Don't stop," she gasped in his ear, wrapping her hands around him firmly and shifting them up and down. It was the strangest and yet most indulgent sensation she had ever felt: she had never really touched a man before and the way Seto Kaiba moaned and bucked into her touch let her know that she could also hold power over him. With the added friction of her unexpected hands, Seto knew that he too was close to the edge he had been approaching and continued pleasuring Téa with his fingers, feeling the beginnings of her orgasm as her body began to tighten unbelievably above him. He kept his eyes open and watched, transfixed as Téa's back suddenly straightened and her mouth dropped open, a few short breaths escaped her throat before an painfully extended breath, then she slumped forward on his chest and whimpered against his skin, her insides still convulsing around his moving fingers. It was only a moment later that Seto followed, his eyes screwing shut and a moan ripping from the depths of his throat as Téa's dexterous fingers circled the very tip of him.

    Téa panted against him, her arms dangling in the water at his side and he rested his hands over her thighs, head resting back against the edge of the tub and eyes closed, breathing deeply. Both took several minutes before attempting to say anything and even then, the conversation was limited.

    "Wow," Seto breathed.

    "Uh-huh," Téa agreed.

    Several more minutes passed before Seto finally regained the ability to move his limbs and managed to pull both he and Téa out of the tub, reaching for fresh and dry towels found near the door. He took great care to completely dry Téa off with his hands in the towel, silently marveling at her beautiful body. Téa nearly cried at the underlying tenderness in the gesture and attempted to return the favor but instead Kaiba wrapped yet another towel securely around her before drying himself off and wrapping another around his waist. He had seemed to have no qualms about being nude in front of her, though that didn't surprise Téa because he seemed like the kind of guy who wasn't embarrassed by much. Especially with a body as... well-endowed as his. Just before they were about to leave the room, Seto laid a hand on her shoulder and turned her around so that she was encircled within the protection of his arms.

    "I want you to know that this isn't over. I didn't and wouldn't use you like that. I want to take you out sometime. Is that all right with you?" His face betrayed nothing of his worries but his eyes were slightly wide, letting Téa know that he at least feared rejection.

    "And I wouldn't have let you use me," she responded. "Name the time and place, Seto Kaiba, and I will certainly be there." Téa watched him smile, a look of relief fluttering through his eyes before he dropped a quick kiss on her lips, soft and sweet, before the two of them left the room, sneaking glances as they traveled in opposite directions.

***

    Meanwhile, a particular blonde's jaw had dropped. Several times.

    "Oh. My. GAWD." Mai could not believe her eyes. She had had those security cameras put up as a precaution but now she wasn't so sure that she wanted to keep them up. "I can't believe it... I SO knew there was something between them! You'd have to be blind, deaf, and just plain dumb to not know there was a hell of a lot of sexual tension in the air whenever those two clashed. But who knew they'd actually go this far..." Mai chewed on a perfectly manicured nail and heard a clear laugh behind you.

    "Well, at least now you know my system works. If nothing else, you can use this as a... persuasive measure... should they ever forget what happened in that little steam room of yours." Mai turned to look at the woman about her age with glossy black hair that cut off neatly just above her shoulders and bangs that brushed straight across her forehead over her eyebrows. Mai shrugged. "I must be going now. Tell all of your friends about me," the woman winked, handing Mai a business card as she picked up her briefcase and walked out the door.

    "Nabiki Inc.," Mai read aloud. "For all of your security and snooping specialties."

***

Kudos to anyone who caught that Ranma 1/2 reference-joke in that last snippet.

Finished! There won't be another chapter, please don't ask for one. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed. This was my second semi-lemon ever so I'm a little anxious to know what people thought about it. Don't forget to review!