Secret Admirer
Riddle Seven: The Beginning, the Middle, and The End
.nachzes black-rider

Dedication: To Willowwind Adurois, who has been my best friend for six years. May you continue to bless my life with your presence for six years to come, and more.

"Guys, do you really think that this is a good idea?"

"'Course it is, Yug'. We need to make sure he's not going to try anything with Téa."

"'Try anything'? Like what, Joey?"

"Like—auugh! Tristan, get your feet out of my face! Don't you know anything about climbing trees?"

"Whoops, sorry man." Tristan reclaimed his foot, Joey grumbling something about incompetence and settling himself on the branch he was perched on. Several minutes passed in silence, until a harsh whisper from Tristan broke it, the leaves around him rustling as he shifted. "So," The brunet said, "remind me how us being stuck in a tree is going to help Téa if this guy goes wacko on her, and how are we supposed to see through a thousand-year-old stone wall, if we don't have X-ray vision?" At this, Joey was silent, the sounds of the night, and the noises made from inside the restaurant reaching the ears of the three boys. "Okay," Tristan said, "we'll just pray that he, whoever 'he' is, has booked the balcony."

"I love your logic, Tris."

"Shut up, Joey, before I have to hurt you. Hey! Here they come, and it's—oh, my God!"

Joey shut up.

.-. .-. .-.

Nervous, Téa shut off the engine of her new Sky and removed the keys from the ignition, distractedly fiddling with the key ring as she stared up at the foreboding dark grey exterior of the restaurant, contemplating whether or not to go inside. Finally she sighed and dropped the car keys into her purse, pushing the door of the car open and climbing out, clutching the thin strap of her best beige leather purse, fingers white with nerves. Drawing in a deep breath for courage, she smoothed the sky blue fabric of her dress over her hips and waist, following the lines of silver-white embroidery with painted fingernails. "With me luck," she whispered to the air around her, and smiled crookedly, starting forward, heels clacking on the cobblestone pathway up to the door. Pushing the heavy wooden portal open, she stepped through, the door closing behind her with a soft snick. Glancing around the interior of the restaurant, and resisting the urge to stop in her tracks and stare, she walked straight up to the front desk and, smiling her best smile, said, "Hello, I believe I have a reservation."

"And does miss know what name her reservation would be under?" the man behind the desk asked, picking up a quill pen and opening a day planner, one styled to make it appear Elizabethan.

Téa took a deep breath to steel herself, and opened her mouth. After this, there was no going back…. "Seto Kaiba," she said.

.-. .-. .-.

Seto Kaiba was not having second thoughts. Seto Kaiba never had second thoughts!

Oh, but he was having them now.

After all, love was one area in which Seto Kaiba was inexperienced, and uncertaintly about what to do next was the one thing that could make the teenage CEO nervous. Of course, you wouldn't know it by looking at him. Dressed in black dress pants, a blue silk dress shirt that matched his eyes exactly, a black suit jacket, and a black satin tie, he looked as pristine as ever, but inside he was sweating profusely.

Suddenly a waiter appeared from around the corner, walking toward him—a young boy, looking quite nervous in his Elizabethan-era black riding boots, black hose, black velvet tunic embroidered with a silver crescent moon and two lip-locked silhouetted heads underneath it over the left breast, a white satin shirt under the tunic, and a fake silver rapier belted to his waist. "Sir?" the boy asked, "Téa Gardener has arrived."

Seto exhaled quickly, gave his tie a quick straightening, and handed the boy a fifty dollar bill for a tip without remorse as the elder exited the room, heading straight towards the front desk, and his date. "You made it," he said to Téa, cursing himself inwardly as the tell-tale catch in the back of his throat came back with a vengeance. Swallowing hard to rid himself of it, he continued. "You look nice tonight," she told the brunette truthfully. She smiled.

"Thank you," she said graciously, giving a quick curtsy in the fashion of the restaurant, the fabric of her dress rustling slightly. "You look very handsome," she told him, liking her arm through his when he offered it. "Shall we?" she asked. Seto nodded and steered them out of the foyer and onto the balcony, releasing her arm and pulling her chair out for her, then crossing to his side of the table.

"So," he asked her, picking up and opening his menu, "when did you find out that it was me?"

"After about the second riddle," she answered him, beginning to search through her own menu. He nodded, looking across the table at her from over the top of his menu.

"I like your hair like that," he said suddenly. "You should wear it up more often."

"Do you really think so?" Téa asked, delicately touching the bun at the back of her head. In response, Seto nodded, and Téa smiled at him over the top of her own menu. "Well then," she said, "thank you."

"You're welcome," Seto said. "Umm…would you like to order now?"

"That would be nice."

"Alright." Waving the waiter over, Seto gestured for Téa to go first, the server turning to her, quill and notepad held at the ready.

"I would like the…pâte de la lune," she said, glancing down at her menu, "with angel hair pasta and the cream sauce, and a tomato salad on the side. Italian vinaigrette."

"And to drink?" the waiter asked, jotting Téa's order down.

"Sweet iced tea, please."

"Certainly. And you, sir?" he said, turning back to Seto.

"The agneau d'épices, with garlic potatoes on the side," Seto said, "and I'll have sweet tea to drink as well."

"All excellent choices," the waiter said. "Now, would sir or miss like to share an appetiser?"

Seto looked across the table to Téa, who glanced back down at her menu hurriedly. "The brusquette?" she asked. Glancing at Seto, who nodded, for confirmation, the waiter jotted this down and held his hand out for their menus.

"You appetiser should be with you shortly," he said, bowing, and left.

"So…" Téa said, "why the riddles, Kaiba?"

Seto's lips twitched, and he smiled. "I think," he said, "that considering the circumstances, you could call me 'Seto'."

xOxOx

"Mm, that was delicious," Téa said, sitting back to allow the waiter to clear away her empty desert plate, blotting her lips with her napkin, having just finished polishing off the last bite of her gâteau chocolat. "My compliments to the chef," she said, beaming up at the waiter, who smiled back and bowed.

"Of course," he said. "I shall pass the message on. Your bill should arrive shortly, sir." Seto nodded, and the waiter left with a short bow, leaving the two teens alone in the silence. Finally, Seto cleared his throat and spoke.

"I have one last prize for you," he said, causing Téa to look up at him. Seto reached a hand into his breast pocket, and pulled out an envelope, handing it wordlessly to Téa, who took it. "It's an acceptance letter to Julliard," Seto said. "With a note authorizing that you have three years of dance education pre-paid for you." Téa's eyes were wide and filled with tears now, her hands trembling slightly as Seto went on. "Téa…I…don't know how to say this, but…" he took a deep breath, and let t out in a whoosh, eyes darting about to focus on Téa's own. "Téa Gardener," he said, "will you dance with me?"

Téa laughed happily and stood up from her chair as Seto did the same across the table. "Yes, Seto Kaiba," Téa said, "I will."

.-. .-. .-.

"Is she dancing with him?" Tristan yelped, eyes wide, "Is she dancing with Kaiba! Has she gone completely insane?"

Yugi smiled. "I think it's nice that Kaiba's finally found a friend," he chirped.

"Oh, trust me Yugi, Kaiba's got a lot more on his scheming little mind than friendship, I can tell you that," Tristan said darkly, eyes narrowing.

"I know," Yugi said, "he loves her. She's his girlfriend.

Thump. Joey had fallen out of the tree, unconscious.

"Oops," Tristan commented, looking down at his friend. "Bad luck, that."

.-. .-. .-.

Dancing with Seto was…nice, Téa decided one moment, smiling. And then, in the next, suddenly, with the stars so very, very bright over Seto's shoulder, they were kissing; she draped an arm over his back, suddenly dizzy and giddy and breathless, all at once, as they separated. And then she knew.

Seto reached into his jacket pocket again, producing a simple Valentine's Day card, and handed it to Téa. "Téa," he said, "I love you."

The girl grinned. "I know," she said. "I love you too." And she kissed him again.

fin