Work Text:
Written for Azure Week 2022
Prompt: "City Lights/Blackout"
Dear Readers, while I have taken certain elements from the manga-continuity and its follow-up, The Dark Side of Dimensions, this fic is animé-continuity only and therefore the events of that movie have no real bearing on this story. As with all my YGO works, I have elected to use the dub names and other select localizations.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or its characters; all rights belong to Kazuki Takahashi. I also do not own the rights to Tokyo Mew Mew; those belong to Reiko Yoshida and Mia Ikumi. I am merely a fan who hasn't had her fill of these fun worlds. This is a fic written for pleasure only, not for profit.
New York City had been bigger than she'd imagined. Darker. Lonelier. For one who had grown up in one city all her life—she knew Domino like the back of her hand—and one so tight with her group of friends, the stark contrast between NYC and her hometown was apparent, and not necessarily what she had imagined. Oh, it still held glamour and prestige and every dream she'd ever had, but in an apple this big there were bound to be a few worms.
Fortunately, most of the 'worms' she'd encountered were more her own epiphanies as opposed to actual people (or actual worms), but she had definitely seen them.
She didn't regret pursuing her dream. She had to follow them, no matter what. Her friends had all supported her and encouraged it.
She had known she would miss them dearly. She had not, however, realized quite how painful 'dearly' could be.
Bzzz.
: lifted her phone to read the message. And smiled.
'Are you still coming over for dinner?'
'Yes', she texted back.
'Great! I have some new designs I wanna show you and I can't wait to watch Joey's match with you and Seto!'
'I'm looking forward to it, too!' Téa replied, a smile making its way across her face. She put her cell phone away and let out a happy sigh. If someone had told her even a year ago that she'd not only be friends with Mokuba and Seto, but spending significant time at their NYC penthouse nearly every day, she would have thought the person telling her that optimistic at best and completely bonkers at worst.
Yet hardly a week (occasionally two) had gone by in the last two years that Mokuba had not invited her over. Hardly a day or two in the last year.
'We'll send Namino to pick you up, okay?' At this, Téa's sigh became a bit more exasperated.
'I…really don't mind walking…'
'Seto minds you walking. So do I. We'll send Namino.'
Téa sighed again. After two years, she should be used to it…but she wasn't, not really. On one hand, she thought it sweet that the two were so concerned with her safety (flattered, too, if she were honest…she couldn't remember another person Seto Kaiba had shown that level of attention to). Certainly, he had a soft spot for orphans—and children in general—but she wasn't either of those things (thankfully).
'All right.'
She liked Namino. She couldn't even say she didn't feel cool, riding about in a limo. But she was also horribly self-conscious about it.
(Though she had to admit…some of the snootier students in the program had started treating her much better since seeing her get such attention from Kaiba.
When she told Seto about it, he'd only smirked. As well they should respect her!)
Still, embarrassing limo ride or not, she could hardly wait to see Mokuba and Seto (and Seto…how odd to say that, and how much more odd and unbelievable how much she meant it). She would never abandon anyone in need, but she had never thought in a million years she would grow to actually crave Seto Kaiba's company. Mokuba and her crew had always gotten along—the little brother none of them had from their own parents—but Seto? She would have thought herself insane!
She glanced at her watch. She had just enough time to stop by the store and get some snacks for Dueling Tuesdays before heading to the dorm for Namino to pick her up. Both Mokuba and Seto always insisted that she didn't have to bring anything, but she always did. They might have a say in sending the limo for her, they might insist she stay in their guest room and strong-arm her into doing such—it was that or let them wake Namino up at two in the morning, since her walking back to the dorm in New York City or spending money on a taxi was out of the question for Seto—and their giant TV might objectively be the best place to watch a Duel or movie…but they couldn't stop her from contributing in other ways, and that meant snacks and sodas!
Hmm…last time Seto had gotten around her by ordering pizza, but he couldn't say no if she bought some hummus dip and vegetables to go with it, right? Some Kettle chips and a dip or two…and of course, movie candy.
At the very least, Mokuba would like it.
Above her, thunder rumbled. Hmm…well, a good thing she remembered her umbrella!
.:Y:.:Y:.:Y:.
"I'm just saying you didn't have buy all that," Seto said.
"Just like you didn't have to order pizza?" Téa countered, setting the bags on the counter. "I know I didn't have to buy it. But if I didn't you guys would be doing everything."
"We don't live on a limited income," Seto replied, and Téa glared at him. Yes, it was true, but he didn't have to keep bringing that up, did he?!
"…That…that doesn't make it right for you guys to do everything!" she finally said. There. Let's see him mess with that.
"…It's right to have someone who makes a fraction of what we do and goes to school, pay for us with her hard-earned money?" Seto replied, raising an eyebrow. Just because he had grown to enjoy Téa's company didn't mean the 'morality argument' couldn't be used both ways. Téa groaned, then crossed her arms. They'd had this discussion before.
"I'm not going to let you guys pay for everything," she amended. "It just feels wrong to me, okay?"
"Not wrong if you're our friend!" Mokuba said cheerfully, coming into the room. "Oh yeah—you brought Sour Patch Kids! I love those!"
"There's plenty more where that came from!" Téa said proudly. Seto rolled his eyes, but declined to argue any more.
"Well. Why don't we get this movie going?" he said instead, voice holding only a hint of irritation. "The sushi arrived just before you got here—"
"Sushi this time?" Téa asked, tilting her head.
"Only New York's finest," Seto replied, and Téa shook her head. After two years hanging out with them, she had gotten somewhat used to it. She no longer felt like her snacks paled in comparison; Sour Patch Kids were always good, right? Just because it was affordable candy didn't make it any less delicious. Mokuba's enthusiastic reactions certainly lent credence to her way of thinking, and Seto never failed to eat his share of them, either.
"Let's get this movie going," she agreed, heading to the cupboard to pull out plates and napkins. The Kaibas' penthouse had an (almost) open floor plan downstairs: the front door and formal living room were separate from the kitchen, but the kitchen was connected to the main living area where the Kaibas (and now she, too) spent most of their time when they were home.
"Now, we just have to—aaahhh!"
"Mokuba?! Téa?!" A light from a cell phone cut through the pitch black—a light from Seto's cell phone. "Are you both okay?"
"I'm fine…" Téa answered. "Just a bit startled, that's all…"
"I'm good, too," Mokuba answered, pulling out his own cell phone light. "What happened?" Seto went over to the curtains, pulling them open.
"Is it just us?" Téa asked."
"Hardly likely," Seto said, going over to the window. He sighed. "Nope, it's the whole city." The one downfall to having such a technologically-advanced empire was that it required power. And when that power failed…
"At Domino we had a backup generator," Seto said. "So blackouts didn't usually affect us. But the generator for the penthouse is on backorder with everything going on—even for us." Téa's eyes widened; there were few hurdles that Seto's money could not jump…so if the warehouse (or wherever) had to put theirs on backorder, that must mean they really didn't have it!
"Well, that bites…" Téa said.
"It could be worse," Mokuba said. "Sometimes we had blackouts at the orphanage, and the matrons weren't very nice. At least we're all together and in our own home." Téa had to smile. And then that was what set them apart from so many other 'upper-class'…their humble beginnings. Their commitment to remember exactly how humble those beginnings had been…and to do their best to ensure any others in the same predicament were not forgotten. Orphanages in Domino suffered much less for Seto's generous donations, and she knew he did plenty for orphans outside the city, too.
"At least we're all together and in our own home," Seto agreed. He drew the curtains wider. "There's some candles in the far closet." Téa blinked, then drew her own cell phone to go help Mokuba. Seto was ready with a lighter when they returned, and soon the living space and kitchen weren't so pitch black anymore. Indeed, even the Kaibas' more contemporary furnishings looked different in the pale yellow light, more antique and homey somehow. Téa grabbed the plate of appetizers she had fixed up before the blackout and came to join Seto and Mokuba on the couch.
"Thanks, Téa," Mokuba said, immediately reaching for the Sour Patch Kids. Seto took a handful of carrots, then handed Téa a pair of chopsticks, nodding to the sushi dishes set out on the coffee table and stack of smaller plates beside it.
…How had she missed those when she came in?
"Oh, those look fantastic!" she said, taking a plate and three pieces.
"Yeah, they really live up to their reputation," Mokuba nodded, putting the candy down to grab a plate and some chopsticks of his own. "And Seto ordered all the best ones!" Téa took another bite.
"Tastes like that to me, too!" she said with a grin.
"There's chocolate parfait for dessert," Seto added, and Mokuba's eyes lit up.
"Yea-heah!" he cheered, pumping a fist, and Téa giggled. Of course Seto would have that for dessert; chocolate parfait was Mokuba's favorite (and quickly becoming one of hers, too!).
The blackout lasted for two hours; Joey's match was just finishing by the time the power finally returned. But Téa was able to see her friend's grand return from near-defeat, much to their delight. Seto nodded; Wheeler had some stones on him, that was for sure. But even Seto could not pin Joey's wins squarely on luck anymore: his actions in Domino had proved the slightly-older young man more intuitive than Seto originally believed. Wheeler had talent, and in recent years had been gaining more and more of a following, himself.
"That was so great!" Téa cheered, turning excitedly to Mokuba. "Joey totally got him in the end, even though he only had 400 Life Points left!"
Seto nodded in approval. Joey did deserve this win, he had to admit. It had not been the first time Wheeler had pulled such a massive comeback, and it certainly would not be the last. However critical Seto had been of him even two years ago—and still was, sometimes; Wheeler could be very annoying—he could not offer the same disdain today.
"We'll have to watch the whole thing on the Internet later, won't we, Seto?" Mokuba said. "I'll bet it was a great Duel!"
"Hey, I wanna see that, too!" Téa protested. She looked outside. Rain still ran in rivers down the windowpanes. "Oh, but not tonight. I have an audition at school, so I'd better get going—"
"Seriously?" Mokuba asked. "Just stay here! Your other stuff is still in the guest room, anyway..."
"Oh, I—"
"You're telling me you'd rather go back to your dormitory and try to practice with all the noise from the other students, and a curfew, when you could just use our gym?" Seto asked, once again making excellent points. "Just stay here. And don't bother telling me you 'don't want to impose'. If it was an imposition we wouldn't offer." Téa sighed. Well, the argument had had a good long run while it lasted. She glanced out the window again…she really didn't feel like walking in that cold rain, even just from the limosine to the dorm. And then Namino would have to walk back, since he was too much of a gentleman to not see her safely directly to her door.
"…Okay, you win," Téa said at last. Her stubborn expression softened to a smile. "Thank you."
…Was it her imagination that Seto seemed to relax?
.:Y:.:Y:.:Y:.
The rain had stopped when Namino dropped her off the next day, but it was still cloudy overhead. Still…nothing quite beat the scent of fresh rain. Téa drew in a deep breath, taking in the wonderful air.
"Spend the night at Seto Kaiba's again, didn't you?" Téa looked up. Her roommate, Minto, stood on the steps with a cup of coffee in her hand and a knowing smirk on her face. Téa turned red.
"Yeah…you know he would have sent his chauffeur out in the rain to get me home otherwise," she said, looking away.
"A likely story," Minto teased, and Téa giggled. She knew darn well that Téa and Seto weren't dating, much as the other students liked to spread rumors. "C'mon, something came for you just before you got here."
"For me?"
"Yep." Minto lead her inside to the communal kitchen. A gorgeous, huge bouquet of flowers, and a card?
"Yugi?" Téa guessed. "But…how did he pull this off?"
"A bouquet that expensive—from Yugi? I wouldn't be so sure," Minto said. Téa cocked an eyebrow at her. Just what was she getting at? Of all her new friends, Minto was definitely the one she got along with best, and Téa felt blessed to know her. But not when she had that darned smirk on her face! Annoyed, Téa ripped open the card.
And froze.
"Knock 'em dead."—SK
Téa felt warmth rise in her. Whether she made it to the next round of the audition or not, it would be okay. Certainly, she would be very disappointed if she did not…but she had everything she needed, right there, in the card.
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Not my best, but I hope you enjoyed it all the same. Minto is indeed Minto Aizawa from Tokyo Mew Mew.
Thank you all for reading!
~MoonlightTyger
MUSIC:
"I Don't Care" (Acoustic)—Ed Sheeran
"Keep Me Crazy"—Sheppard