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azuriteI haven't done review replies in a while, and you might think that because I have the ability to use FFnet's new Review Reply option, I would take advantage of it. However, the thing with the FFnet Review Reply is that they are private, not posted anywhere on the site. With these, not only can you see which reviews I took special notice of, but which ones asked pertinent enough questions for me to answer. As always, keep your eyes peeled for interesting information or secret spoilers!
Note: I do not post all reviews that I receive here; only the ones that I feel I should reply to. For all reviews, I do NOT edit them for content/spelling/etc. in any way.
For lengthier reviews, I will insert my commentary where appropriate. The actual review will resume in italicized text.
If more reviews come in for this (or any older) chapter(s), then I will respond to them at the BOTTOM of this page, and indicate a “last updated” section here at the TOP. If there is no LAST UPDATED area, that means this post has not changed since the original post date.
I will be posting Chapter 20 and 21 Review Replies shortly after this entry; Chapter 22 was just posted on FFnet earlier today. Thanks so much for your continued support, and feel free to comment on this entry to respond to any review or one of my review replies!
Yamia Ishtar -- omg...omg...poor Odagiri...i think thats the only thing i can say now...no wait(giggle), i can say more now! this chapter was really great. too bad Seto and Tea didn't get to do it.oh well, there's always a next time! please update soon Azurite, i'll wait with baited breath for your next chapter! ja for now!
*grin* I didn't intend to create so many original characters, but I'm glad the ones that are in WDKY aren't overpowering the main characters, and that they do "reach" you in some way. By the way, Odagiri's name is loosely taken from Azusa Odagiri (or is it Odaigiri?) from the hit Miki Aihara manga "Hot Gimmick." As for your baited breath, have you been eating fish lately? ^_~ Thanks for your review!
mischiefmagnet -- Well, I certainly enjoyed this! It's funny-- with the length of this story and the amount of time it's been since I actually went back and read the entire thing (hmm, maybe a good rainy day activity) I had sort of forgotten that Seto and Téa haven't done...THAT yet. Haha...
I was both delighted and enraged to see a shower scene; delighted because it was well written and oh-so-sexy, enraged because I have been tenatively planning to have a shower scene sometime in the next few chapters of 'The Night Before'. (sigh) Haha, oh well-- it's not like there aren't a zillion S x A shower scenes out there. Or maybe it IS, in which case there would be even more of a reason for me to write one too! : )
For anyone that isn't![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
mischiefmagnet reading this, she is one of THE BEST Seto x Anzu writers I know, more than worthy to be part of The White Rose Society (also includes some of the big original Azureshippers: Atlantis2, Guardian Kysra, Geniusgirl; The Original, Winterwing3000, Mamono, and Svelte Rose) that enjoys well written Azureship-- especially of the steamy, sexy variety. So to just GET a review from her makes me all *_*. Her story, "The Night Before" is absolutely ASTOUNDING. Go read it. Seriously.
You've really done such a great job of giving them authentic uncertanties and inhibitions. I could actually feel the special kind of panic Téa was experiencing when Seto wouldn't go through with the 'act' because she was sick. Sometimes when you want so much to please someone or for them to show you affection, the words that come out of their mouth can go through a sort of filter, causing it to register in your brain as some form of rejection. Not easy to deal with! I really felt for Téa, even though Seto was really doing the right thing.
And I'd like to point out that, when I asked people what other anime bishounen Seto reminds them of, one of the ones I thought of (though I don't know if I named him) was Tsukasa Domyouji from "Hana Yori Dango," also known as "Boys Over Flowers." In the last volume of the HYD manga, Domyouji stops at the start of "the act" because his girlfriend is sick. I thought it'd be something Seto would do too, so it's a bit of a tribute to those annoyingly complex guys like Seto and Domyouji that would do that, even if you know they want more.
Another point of interest: I must say that I TOTALLY AGREE that Seto would have a thing for chocolate. I don't know why; I've just always imagined him having a secret stash of really high quality dark chocolate hidden somewhere, and enjoying the bloody heck out of it in spare moments where no one is around. It seems to be one of those things that just appeals to the collective imagination, because I'm pretty sure there are other writers out there who have expressed the same suspicion.
I'd love to see a fic where Seto has a secret craving for something a bit more unusual. Like a spaghetti fetish or something. I had him have a gingerbread weakness in one ficlet of mine...
(sigh) Well, that's it for my massive review. As I believe I said to someone else in a review yesterday, boredom on my part tends to produce some pretty blabbermouthed correspondence. You deserve the nice long review anyway, of course! Keep up the fantastic work, eh?
THANK YOU BUCKETLOADS! Every review I appreciate; I adore long reviews; I SQUEAL fangirlishly (literally) when they're from writers I admire. :)
Starian Princess -- Hm... could this be the beginning of a triangle? If it is what I think it will be then *grins* I think this story has gotten a whole lot more interesting on a different level. Because then the new conflict would be a triangle and it happens to be one of my favorite kind.
I happen to be a big fan of triangles, especially where Seto and Anzu are concerned. I've always seen them as more complex than people will give them credit for, and give Seto a worthy adversary (which could be practically any of the big players in the series, if you think about it) and romance might actually be "in the cards" for him.
Leave it to Seto to be such a gentleman- no, wait, he's also kind of a romantic in this chapter. Hey, he wanted their first time together to be perfect. And that scene from the bathroom. I reckon that'd be pretty hard to get out of your system. It just shows that Seto has a large amount of self-control. Ah, a feature very characteristically found in our favorite young CEO.
The jealous Tea at the beginning, I also very much liked. I mean, who knew that she could have that side of her? Well, I'm glad she has that side. Because what relationship would be complete without the jealous factor on both parties? Jealousy = A whole lot of love.
Sometimes you're aware that your jealousy roots from a very stupid place, but you can't help it. As with all of my characterization (especially where Téa is concerned), I like to inject realism-- based on what I know and have gone through myself. Then again, who HASN'T experienced jealousy at some point in their lives? I like people to relate.
Oh gosh, it is Seto's birthday isn't it? I cannot believe I almost forgot. Oh... and Happy Anniversary. You've made it this far and the story never ceases to amuse, interest and keep me coming for more. The progress takes a while but it's always- and I do mean ALWAYS- worth the wait.
I hope you have tons more twistedly wonderful ideas for this and may you create more chaos for Seto and Tea. Mwa haha. I know it's evil but like I said in my last comment, with more conflict comes more realization of how deep their love actually runs.
More power to you and your awesome story!^^
^^ Thank you so much for your awesome, long review!
Winterwing3000 -- Erks, sorry about the last chapter, never got around to reading and reviewing it! But you're making good process! Things start to heat up considerably for Seto and Tea, but I think... that it is a little rushed. Even though they've been in each other's presence for nearly a year now, they've gotten quite intimate.
I'm going to defend "how far" I let them come simply because this is meant to be realistic, but exaggerated. Sort of like your favorite WB show, or a long-running soap opera. They've been through so much crap (together) both in the show and in the fic, I decided that it was perfectly realistic for the both of them to want those kind of things at some point. You might not think about it 24-7, but I'd say it's a pretty common thing for teenagers... at least ones in particular situations! ^^; Living together, constantly being tempted but never being allowed to give in... Well. ^_~
Mai has such a mysterious past, but I hardly would've guessed that she would be the kind to have an abortion. Then again, when "you're young, you're dumb" and these things happen. Wonder if Joey would ever find out and how he would react to the news. I know that he's not gonna leave her... he loves her too much!
True. There were many things I didn't know about Mai, but I started to invent a very sticky past that defined her character in the show. She's sort of like an older Téa, in a sense, because she's already BEEN through so much crap, and she's come out on top. But of course, there's psychological and emotional damage to every situation, and I hardly think Mai's forgotten about her past relationships or betrayals; that defines how she acts, even throughout WDKY. But as for if/when/how she's going to tell Joey, I'm not sure on that just yet.
And Bakura! He comes back into the picture with a "vengeance"! I nearly forgot about the deal that Seto and he made in order to save Tea. Bakura seems very possessive of her, and Ryou's in love with her. Wow... things are gonna get messy! I have this irking feeling about it.
I didn't want to make it too explicit that Ryou is "in love" with Téa. Likes her, admires her... but is more confused and unable to act on his feelings (whatever they may be). In this latter half of WDKY, his dark half tends to take control more often, leaving Ryou with no memory and no way of acting on his own control. In this way, I'm emphasizing the control his dark half really has, and how forceful he is when he wants to get something, or act on a desire. Where Bakura is concerned, always keep an eye out-- he's definitely one of the more fun characters to play with.
Lol, Seto's view about those girls' whining at him because they didn't get anything back from him on White Day seems to be a very common scene! Poor Tea... maybe all Seto Fangirls ought to be knocked in the nogging.
And Odagiri... I think that he's a type of warning or foreshadowing for the next chapter. ^-^ Well, these last two chapters were great. Seto's slowly changing and adapting to these new feelings, Tea's taking things at a pace but seems to be a little rushed..., Ryou seems awfully anxious (much like him on TV). I can't wait for the next chapter! They're going to the tournament!!
Tournament chapter(s) are in the late-20s: think 26+. But people seem to want to see some original duels, some Mai and Téa tag teaming-- and, well, I don't want to let anyone down! So there will definitely be progress in every aspect! Thanks for the review, and I hope you stay tuned... even if this is getting pretty long and overwhelming!
Crystal56 -- Woah. This really is getting good. I can't wait to read what happens next. You're really getting so much better at writing! I've noticed significant improvements since the first chapters that I read.
WOAH!
I appreciate it. I do think I've been improving, but as both a writer and a reader, I have to go back and proof my own works before they go live. I also have to re-read past chapters to make sure I'm not suddenly warping facts. I have so many notes and planner files for WDKY, it's crazy! So don't be surprised if you see the older chapters getting updated even now, because I can't stand to leave a mistake glaring for any new readers that may come along!
Thanks for taking the time to review! ^^
A Devil in Heaven -- First of all, this was an awesome chapter! Though I think its a little fast for Seto and Tea, but not that much. ^_^! Anywayz, Mai sure had a lot of luv problems when she was younger! I feel sorry for Mai because her father disowned her. And whatz the deal with Bakura? He's creeping me out!(I think thats his job!) ^_^
Update! ^_^!
*laughs* And whatz the deal with Bakura? He's creeping me out!(I think thats his job!) ^_^ That line made me grin. It's so true! I'll defend the "speed" of the relationship between Seto and Téa up to this point, for the same reasons I pointed out to Winterwing3000 above. I happen to like the romantic angst that develops from those "Will they? Won't they? But why (not)?" scenes that I throw in every now and then. It's not just for the sake of romance, but also because it furthers the plot. You just have to pay attention! ^_~
Janime Lee -- Steam from both hot water and scene--who needs lemons? Suggestions are just as good. Whoohoo!
Mai, oh man, I never would've thought. I've known a couple girls from h/s that went through almost the same situation. Her advice is the truth.
Ah, Bakura, so nice to see you again (NOT!). I feel so sorry for Ryou. And poor Odagiri. Looks like he's not going to let Joey know about what happened at DV8 anytime soon.
I have the feeling that Bakura's "connection" with Téa will cause a LOT of problems, as well as be his undoing.
Marik! Where are you? What the hell is going on?
I love Bakura. Malik not so much, but he is going to play a crucial role as the whole saga unfolds, especially in Circle of Seven (WDKY's sequel). And you do have your eyes trained in the right place; keep watching Bakura, Malik, and Mai as the story progresses! Thanks for the review, and I hope you keep reading!
LeiDeeKaiba -- oh...*looks @ screen with wide eyes...O.O* things finally get...steamy!XD hmm...i don't find that scene too fast, as the other readers said. I think it's about time! (n__,n) And also, I knew that they would get to that point sooner or later...heck, they're living under the same roof for heaven's sake! XD
Excellent chappy as always! (does a thumbs-up) Keep up the good work...and look! 10+ reviews! Yay!!
Congratulations! n_n
Ciao~!
*points at the review* SEE? SEE EVERYBODY, SEE!? -_-; I knew I wasn't the only one. I am not on crack! Not even the Menchi-flavored kind! :P Then again, I suppose I'm one of the few people who actually has some experience with the exaggerated reality that I write about. o_o In any case, thanks for the review, and I hope you keep reading!
Inu Kaiba -- I must say, I really enjoyed this chapter. It was a lot better than the last one. I liked the romance between Seto and Tea in particular.
The way they styled each others hair with the shampoo was ingenious(sp?) I must say and the 'Tea-ceratops' and 'Seto-saurus' made me smile.
I liked your characterization throughout the entire scene up until the pair fell asleep. It seemed like the scene could actually happen in the manga.
I WISH! But thank you. :)
My favorite part of the chapter though, had to be when Tea went to go see Mai at the DV8. I liked the fact that they had a conversation and some bonding time.
But the part I enjoyed the most out of this scene was Mai's story about what had happened to her. From the way she entered into the anime in the second season, it seemed very likely that this could happen to her in the anime. Or at least that's what I thought in the back of my mind, seeing as she's got this rich air about her but she never talked about her parents and didn't seem to be carelessy throwing out money.
I'm still disappointed by the lack of Joey/Mai romance. I know this is a Seto/Tea story, but Joey and Mai are the secondary couple here, it appears and I just really like Joey/Mai.
You're not the only one to feel this way. They're definitely going to get their time in the spotlight, especially in the later 20s chapters.
And if I'm not mistaken, you are foreshadowing something with the whole Bakura's angry at Tea because she's more concerned with her relationship with Seto than her friendship with Ryou. Then again, why would you put those parts with Bakura in if you WEREN'T foreshadowing?
Bwahahaha.
Anyways. Congratulations on reaching and breaking a thousand reviews with your fic! Here's another to getting more reviews and getting further and further until you actually finish. n.n
Update soon, I'm looking forward to it!
Thank you very much for your extensive review! I really appreciate the time you took to tell me what you thought!
Mamono -- Wow, it's been a while. Hundreds of apologies! Like you know, I read this during school, and had little ones questioning me. Such a juicy chapter. Usually, I don't read stea--foggy (;p) fics... but I'm addicted to this.
*grin* I think I've told you this before, but I don't think I could write a true lemon, even if I tried. The thought has occurred to me, to write "alternate chapters" for AFF.net or something, but... NAH! I happen to like the steam better, anyway. If Atlantis2, Guardian Kysra, and Mischiefmagnet can all get away with it, why can't I? I definitely aspire to their level, so aside from my personal preferences, there's that keeping me back from adding any true "citrus" to my fics.
The shower scene was definitely surprising... I liked how you let us know what was goining on without 'LETTING US KNOW.' ^^; This is my personal preference.
You've probably never been reading a really good fic when all of a sudden it gets explicit... and it ruins everything. You'll see people rant about it all the time-- starting to get scientific with human anatomy, or vulgar with language. I never liked that in fics; I'm one of those where, if I have/want to write steam, I want to do it where it gives you that "warm, delicious shiver up and down your spine." No dead giveaways, just smooth sensuality.
I was beginning to wonder about Bakura... I knew he was coming back...sometime... You did it in a nice-- creepy!-- way, too. I wonder when he's going to confront her... I would think Ryou might be getting a little scared? I can't eplain the word... he's jealous, but I think he'd be ashamed of that... ^^; Kinda hard with Bakura being his twisted form of protective...
Indeed. I luvs me Bakura. I never knew how cool he could be!
DarkShadowFlame -- Ooh. Bakura is creepy. And by creepy, I of course mean irresistable. He is getting a little possessive beyond his usual psychotic bonds. I wonder how many more lives he'll destroy on his rampant quest to get whatever the hell he wants. :P Ryou makes me sad... watching every night to see if Tea shows up? Poor thing is obsessing.
I should take a poll and see how many people think Bakura is creepy. So many people have used that exact word to describe him! But I do see a distinct difference between him and Ryou, so I like to highlight that whenever I get the chance. Obsession is probably one of the few traits they share, but in very different ways.
Tea and Seto were so cute together in the shower. I totally love the hairstyling idea. It's even funnier to picture with anime hair, because that stuff can defy gravity with ease. Go figure that Tea got sick... I guess it's a good literary technique, slow the action, keep the rest of us in suspense, but goshdarnit!
Seto got sweeter in this chapter. :P Thank goodness he's less grumpy.
I'd write more but I want to save some rambling for the next chapter, which I shall proceed to review shortly!
-DSF-
I really appreciate it! As I've said to so many others before, the long, well-thought out reviews are the best, especially so when they come from authors I admire! Hey, so when are you going to update!?
Saiya-jin Spice -- *sigh*
Sadly enough, I've been meaning to review or at least say something for the last - what is it now? - 19 chapters, but I've never got around to it. So, no more excuses, I'm definitely going to comment today. In any case, you never fail to amaze me, Azurite. I have to say that this is one of the most steamy and amazing chapters in the whole entire story so far. The mere concept of Anzu and Seto in the shower together is brilliant, if I may say so. Ah, especially the way he reacted! I adore how bold Anzu was! *grins* I just want to hug her for being the one "wearing the pants" and getting things going in the relationship! And then I want to hug you for even thinking of it.
Ah, I want to take credit for that whole scene, really, I do! Everything up until her sneezing was my idea, so I can take credit for that. But as I mentioned to a previous reviewer, the inspiration for the sneeze-you're sick, I'm stopping scene came from Yoko Kamio's manga "Hana Yori Dango" or "Boys Over Flowers." But I always love seeing Téa portrayed as bolder than people think; she's no simpering cheerleader! And I think if she wants something badly enough, she'll take action-- even Seto might hesitate, especially when it comes to situations he's unsure about!
I really have to give you credit though because you definitely tricked me; I honestly thought that this was the chapter that they were going to fuck. Er, so to speak, for lack of a better term. My favorite part was when Anzu returned to DV8 and was complaining to Mai that "isn't it the dumbest thing you've ever heard?", regarding Seto's excuse as to why they couldn't sleep together. Ah, yes, Seto. As smart as you are, the best your extradinary brain can come up with is because she's sick. Brillaint. Really. *laugh*
Bit of a scaredy cat, isn't he?
With joking aside, you truly did write that shower scene well. Honestly, it was done with great taste, and it wasn't anything trashy. I've seen that the whole concept of sex bothers some readers - scoff - but, really. What can you expect? It's a very real aspect of a relationship. Which brings me to my next comment; how completely realistic this story is! You seriously have a gift or something because it's amazing how IC all the characters are, and how realistic the mannerism everyone behaves in is. A problem I see a lot in fanfiction stories is that the dialogue sometimes can get corny, cliche, or simply strange because it seems old-fashioned. But your story is the strong exception. I feel as if these characters - or should I say the way you write them - were in real life, they would be one hundred percent believable. Because of this simple fact alone, I can't help but absolutely adore this story. It's such an enjoyable read.
I feel really embarrassed repeating this, but I do draw on some aspects from my own experiences. I think it helps with the realism factor.
I would say "update soon", but I realize there's two more chapters to read. ^^ Lucky me! Regardless, I just wanted to say you did a fantastic job with this chapter -all the chapters, really - and I admire your writing style. Seriously. You're like, my writing idol or something. So...keep up the amazing job!
xoxoxox,
Spice :)
I totally appreciate it! I feel like a broken record with the way I say this at the end of every review, but you get my point. :D
Ambiance-Dream -- Ok, I know that this isn't in my little “review every five chap” thing, but I couldn't help it. Sue me.
Aw... poor Seto and poor Téa... At first, I sympathized more for Seto, but after seeing why Téa was unhappy, I felt really bad for her. *sigh* It must suck to have all the girls at your school be in love with your boyfriend, and have them give him PRESENTS. Morever, your boyfriend ACCEPTS those presents. That really really sucks.
o_O How can Seto be surprised that he's getting all of these presents? Hello, he's the hottest CEO in the world. *everyone simultaneously drools*
When Téa gets home and the story changes into her perspective, you really see how sad and hurt she is from all of this popularity. She tries to not be angry at him, but she can't help it. I can't blame her. All she really want is to know that Seto still loves her most. And thus, she comes up with the twisted but awesome idea of getting in the SHOWER with Seto.
o_O
Téa has a very twisted mind.
*laughs*
I had DIED, DIED, DIED, DIED, DIED of laughter when I read the next following paragraphs. It was HILAROUS to imagine Seto “cornered in his shower”. You're BRILLIANT! You know that?! This idea was just so, so ABSURDLY fantastic!! And “Téa-ceratops”?! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA LOL
Oh, I thought someone would call me on the cheeseball/corniness of that whole scene, but everyone was so focused on how STEAMY or SWEET it was! I was surprised no one was like "LOLz, you call THAT sexy!?"
Oy. But things seriously got HEATED and SERIOUS after Téa's *declaration*... This was all just so well done. True, it was a big awkward for them when Seto watched Téa look... down... But it was all... um... worth it in the end, right??
I was SO embarrassed writing that scene. Seriously, if I had those little author commentary doodles, my face would have been so red during those scenes! Really!
All of us readers were on the edge of our seats and about to fall over, and yet you had Téa SNEEZE. *sigh* Oh well. Maybe next time... We'll just have to wait...
Eh heh heh, it's so cute how Téa goes to Mai to consult her little... *mishaps* with Seto. And I LOVE how you had Ryou listening in...
NO! BAKURA'S BACK! -_- *weep*
Bwahaha.
And when Mai consults Téa, she(Téa)/we readers really see how much Seto cares for her. He stopped the day before, but only because Seto wanted everything to be PERFET. *sigh* How sweet and romantic...
That's so sad about how Mai aborted a baby. The story seems to have really affected both Mai and Téa.
Bakura's really freaking me out. At first, I was like, yay, Odagiri appeared, he'll save the day, but the last sentence of this chapter proved me wrong, apparently, and brought chills down my spine. Hey, I was reading this at midnight yesterday, and it was really really scary!!
This is such a compelling story... You're doing a great job so far, Azurite!! *^-^* Ja ne!!
Thank you so much! ^_^ I'm glad you tell me what you're enjoying, because it gives me a gauge of what I should keep doing. I always like re-reading my own chapters to see if I react the same way my own readers did/do, and it helps when writing the later chapters. Thank you for your review!
Note: I do not post all reviews that I receive here; only the ones that I feel I should reply to. For all reviews, I do NOT edit them for content/spelling/etc. in any way.
For lengthier reviews, I will insert my commentary where appropriate. The actual review will resume in italicized text.
If more reviews come in for this (or any older) chapter(s), then I will respond to them at the BOTTOM of this page, and indicate a “last updated” section here at the TOP. If there is no LAST UPDATED area, that means this post has not changed since the original post date.
I will be posting Chapter 20 and 21 Review Replies shortly after this entry; Chapter 22 was just posted on FFnet earlier today. Thanks so much for your continued support, and feel free to comment on this entry to respond to any review or one of my review replies!
Yamia Ishtar -- omg...omg...poor Odagiri...i think thats the only thing i can say now...no wait(giggle), i can say more now! this chapter was really great. too bad Seto and Tea didn't get to do it.oh well, there's always a next time! please update soon Azurite, i'll wait with baited breath for your next chapter! ja for now!
*grin* I didn't intend to create so many original characters, but I'm glad the ones that are in WDKY aren't overpowering the main characters, and that they do "reach" you in some way. By the way, Odagiri's name is loosely taken from Azusa Odagiri (or is it Odaigiri?) from the hit Miki Aihara manga "Hot Gimmick." As for your baited breath, have you been eating fish lately? ^_~ Thanks for your review!
mischiefmagnet -- Well, I certainly enjoyed this! It's funny-- with the length of this story and the amount of time it's been since I actually went back and read the entire thing (hmm, maybe a good rainy day activity) I had sort of forgotten that Seto and Téa haven't done...THAT yet. Haha...
I was both delighted and enraged to see a shower scene; delighted because it was well written and oh-so-sexy, enraged because I have been tenatively planning to have a shower scene sometime in the next few chapters of 'The Night Before'. (sigh) Haha, oh well-- it's not like there aren't a zillion S x A shower scenes out there. Or maybe it IS, in which case there would be even more of a reason for me to write one too! : )
For anyone that isn't
mischiefmagnet reading this, she is one of THE BEST Seto x Anzu writers I know, more than worthy to be part of The White Rose Society (also includes some of the big original Azureshippers: Atlantis2, Guardian Kysra, Geniusgirl; The Original, Winterwing3000, Mamono, and Svelte Rose) that enjoys well written Azureship-- especially of the steamy, sexy variety. So to just GET a review from her makes me all *_*. Her story, "The Night Before" is absolutely ASTOUNDING. Go read it. Seriously.You've really done such a great job of giving them authentic uncertanties and inhibitions. I could actually feel the special kind of panic Téa was experiencing when Seto wouldn't go through with the 'act' because she was sick. Sometimes when you want so much to please someone or for them to show you affection, the words that come out of their mouth can go through a sort of filter, causing it to register in your brain as some form of rejection. Not easy to deal with! I really felt for Téa, even though Seto was really doing the right thing.
And I'd like to point out that, when I asked people what other anime bishounen Seto reminds them of, one of the ones I thought of (though I don't know if I named him) was Tsukasa Domyouji from "Hana Yori Dango," also known as "Boys Over Flowers." In the last volume of the HYD manga, Domyouji stops at the start of "the act" because his girlfriend is sick. I thought it'd be something Seto would do too, so it's a bit of a tribute to those annoyingly complex guys like Seto and Domyouji that would do that, even if you know they want more.
Another point of interest: I must say that I TOTALLY AGREE that Seto would have a thing for chocolate. I don't know why; I've just always imagined him having a secret stash of really high quality dark chocolate hidden somewhere, and enjoying the bloody heck out of it in spare moments where no one is around. It seems to be one of those things that just appeals to the collective imagination, because I'm pretty sure there are other writers out there who have expressed the same suspicion.
I'd love to see a fic where Seto has a secret craving for something a bit more unusual. Like a spaghetti fetish or something. I had him have a gingerbread weakness in one ficlet of mine...
(sigh) Well, that's it for my massive review. As I believe I said to someone else in a review yesterday, boredom on my part tends to produce some pretty blabbermouthed correspondence. You deserve the nice long review anyway, of course! Keep up the fantastic work, eh?
THANK YOU BUCKETLOADS! Every review I appreciate; I adore long reviews; I SQUEAL fangirlishly (literally) when they're from writers I admire. :)
Starian Princess -- Hm... could this be the beginning of a triangle? If it is what I think it will be then *grins* I think this story has gotten a whole lot more interesting on a different level. Because then the new conflict would be a triangle and it happens to be one of my favorite kind.
I happen to be a big fan of triangles, especially where Seto and Anzu are concerned. I've always seen them as more complex than people will give them credit for, and give Seto a worthy adversary (which could be practically any of the big players in the series, if you think about it) and romance might actually be "in the cards" for him.
Leave it to Seto to be such a gentleman- no, wait, he's also kind of a romantic in this chapter. Hey, he wanted their first time together to be perfect. And that scene from the bathroom. I reckon that'd be pretty hard to get out of your system. It just shows that Seto has a large amount of self-control. Ah, a feature very characteristically found in our favorite young CEO.
The jealous Tea at the beginning, I also very much liked. I mean, who knew that she could have that side of her? Well, I'm glad she has that side. Because what relationship would be complete without the jealous factor on both parties? Jealousy = A whole lot of love.
Sometimes you're aware that your jealousy roots from a very stupid place, but you can't help it. As with all of my characterization (especially where Téa is concerned), I like to inject realism-- based on what I know and have gone through myself. Then again, who HASN'T experienced jealousy at some point in their lives? I like people to relate.
Oh gosh, it is Seto's birthday isn't it? I cannot believe I almost forgot. Oh... and Happy Anniversary. You've made it this far and the story never ceases to amuse, interest and keep me coming for more. The progress takes a while but it's always- and I do mean ALWAYS- worth the wait.
I hope you have tons more twistedly wonderful ideas for this and may you create more chaos for Seto and Tea. Mwa haha. I know it's evil but like I said in my last comment, with more conflict comes more realization of how deep their love actually runs.
More power to you and your awesome story!^^
^^ Thank you so much for your awesome, long review!
Winterwing3000 -- Erks, sorry about the last chapter, never got around to reading and reviewing it! But you're making good process! Things start to heat up considerably for Seto and Tea, but I think... that it is a little rushed. Even though they've been in each other's presence for nearly a year now, they've gotten quite intimate.
I'm going to defend "how far" I let them come simply because this is meant to be realistic, but exaggerated. Sort of like your favorite WB show, or a long-running soap opera. They've been through so much crap (together) both in the show and in the fic, I decided that it was perfectly realistic for the both of them to want those kind of things at some point. You might not think about it 24-7, but I'd say it's a pretty common thing for teenagers... at least ones in particular situations! ^^; Living together, constantly being tempted but never being allowed to give in... Well. ^_~
Mai has such a mysterious past, but I hardly would've guessed that she would be the kind to have an abortion. Then again, when "you're young, you're dumb" and these things happen. Wonder if Joey would ever find out and how he would react to the news. I know that he's not gonna leave her... he loves her too much!
True. There were many things I didn't know about Mai, but I started to invent a very sticky past that defined her character in the show. She's sort of like an older Téa, in a sense, because she's already BEEN through so much crap, and she's come out on top. But of course, there's psychological and emotional damage to every situation, and I hardly think Mai's forgotten about her past relationships or betrayals; that defines how she acts, even throughout WDKY. But as for if/when/how she's going to tell Joey, I'm not sure on that just yet.
And Bakura! He comes back into the picture with a "vengeance"! I nearly forgot about the deal that Seto and he made in order to save Tea. Bakura seems very possessive of her, and Ryou's in love with her. Wow... things are gonna get messy! I have this irking feeling about it.
I didn't want to make it too explicit that Ryou is "in love" with Téa. Likes her, admires her... but is more confused and unable to act on his feelings (whatever they may be). In this latter half of WDKY, his dark half tends to take control more often, leaving Ryou with no memory and no way of acting on his own control. In this way, I'm emphasizing the control his dark half really has, and how forceful he is when he wants to get something, or act on a desire. Where Bakura is concerned, always keep an eye out-- he's definitely one of the more fun characters to play with.
Lol, Seto's view about those girls' whining at him because they didn't get anything back from him on White Day seems to be a very common scene! Poor Tea... maybe all Seto Fangirls ought to be knocked in the nogging.
And Odagiri... I think that he's a type of warning or foreshadowing for the next chapter. ^-^ Well, these last two chapters were great. Seto's slowly changing and adapting to these new feelings, Tea's taking things at a pace but seems to be a little rushed..., Ryou seems awfully anxious (much like him on TV). I can't wait for the next chapter! They're going to the tournament!!
Tournament chapter(s) are in the late-20s: think 26+. But people seem to want to see some original duels, some Mai and Téa tag teaming-- and, well, I don't want to let anyone down! So there will definitely be progress in every aspect! Thanks for the review, and I hope you stay tuned... even if this is getting pretty long and overwhelming!
Crystal56 -- Woah. This really is getting good. I can't wait to read what happens next. You're really getting so much better at writing! I've noticed significant improvements since the first chapters that I read.
WOAH!
I appreciate it. I do think I've been improving, but as both a writer and a reader, I have to go back and proof my own works before they go live. I also have to re-read past chapters to make sure I'm not suddenly warping facts. I have so many notes and planner files for WDKY, it's crazy! So don't be surprised if you see the older chapters getting updated even now, because I can't stand to leave a mistake glaring for any new readers that may come along!
Thanks for taking the time to review! ^^
A Devil in Heaven -- First of all, this was an awesome chapter! Though I think its a little fast for Seto and Tea, but not that much. ^_^! Anywayz, Mai sure had a lot of luv problems when she was younger! I feel sorry for Mai because her father disowned her. And whatz the deal with Bakura? He's creeping me out!(I think thats his job!) ^_^
Update! ^_^!
*laughs* And whatz the deal with Bakura? He's creeping me out!(I think thats his job!) ^_^ That line made me grin. It's so true! I'll defend the "speed" of the relationship between Seto and Téa up to this point, for the same reasons I pointed out to Winterwing3000 above. I happen to like the romantic angst that develops from those "Will they? Won't they? But why (not)?" scenes that I throw in every now and then. It's not just for the sake of romance, but also because it furthers the plot. You just have to pay attention! ^_~
Janime Lee -- Steam from both hot water and scene--who needs lemons? Suggestions are just as good. Whoohoo!
Mai, oh man, I never would've thought. I've known a couple girls from h/s that went through almost the same situation. Her advice is the truth.
Ah, Bakura, so nice to see you again (NOT!). I feel so sorry for Ryou. And poor Odagiri. Looks like he's not going to let Joey know about what happened at DV8 anytime soon.
I have the feeling that Bakura's "connection" with Téa will cause a LOT of problems, as well as be his undoing.
Marik! Where are you? What the hell is going on?
I love Bakura. Malik not so much, but he is going to play a crucial role as the whole saga unfolds, especially in Circle of Seven (WDKY's sequel). And you do have your eyes trained in the right place; keep watching Bakura, Malik, and Mai as the story progresses! Thanks for the review, and I hope you keep reading!
LeiDeeKaiba -- oh...*looks @ screen with wide eyes...O.O* things finally get...steamy!XD hmm...i don't find that scene too fast, as the other readers said. I think it's about time! (n__,n) And also, I knew that they would get to that point sooner or later...heck, they're living under the same roof for heaven's sake! XD
Excellent chappy as always! (does a thumbs-up) Keep up the good work...and look! 10+ reviews! Yay!!
Congratulations! n_n
Ciao~!
*points at the review* SEE? SEE EVERYBODY, SEE!? -_-; I knew I wasn't the only one. I am not on crack! Not even the Menchi-flavored kind! :P Then again, I suppose I'm one of the few people who actually has some experience with the exaggerated reality that I write about. o_o In any case, thanks for the review, and I hope you keep reading!
Inu Kaiba -- I must say, I really enjoyed this chapter. It was a lot better than the last one. I liked the romance between Seto and Tea in particular.
The way they styled each others hair with the shampoo was ingenious(sp?) I must say and the 'Tea-ceratops' and 'Seto-saurus' made me smile.
I liked your characterization throughout the entire scene up until the pair fell asleep. It seemed like the scene could actually happen in the manga.
I WISH! But thank you. :)
My favorite part of the chapter though, had to be when Tea went to go see Mai at the DV8. I liked the fact that they had a conversation and some bonding time.
But the part I enjoyed the most out of this scene was Mai's story about what had happened to her. From the way she entered into the anime in the second season, it seemed very likely that this could happen to her in the anime. Or at least that's what I thought in the back of my mind, seeing as she's got this rich air about her but she never talked about her parents and didn't seem to be carelessy throwing out money.
I'm still disappointed by the lack of Joey/Mai romance. I know this is a Seto/Tea story, but Joey and Mai are the secondary couple here, it appears and I just really like Joey/Mai.
You're not the only one to feel this way. They're definitely going to get their time in the spotlight, especially in the later 20s chapters.
And if I'm not mistaken, you are foreshadowing something with the whole Bakura's angry at Tea because she's more concerned with her relationship with Seto than her friendship with Ryou. Then again, why would you put those parts with Bakura in if you WEREN'T foreshadowing?
Bwahahaha.
Anyways. Congratulations on reaching and breaking a thousand reviews with your fic! Here's another to getting more reviews and getting further and further until you actually finish. n.n
Update soon, I'm looking forward to it!
Thank you very much for your extensive review! I really appreciate the time you took to tell me what you thought!
Mamono -- Wow, it's been a while. Hundreds of apologies! Like you know, I read this during school, and had little ones questioning me. Such a juicy chapter. Usually, I don't read stea--foggy (;p) fics... but I'm addicted to this.
*grin* I think I've told you this before, but I don't think I could write a true lemon, even if I tried. The thought has occurred to me, to write "alternate chapters" for AFF.net or something, but... NAH! I happen to like the steam better, anyway. If Atlantis2, Guardian Kysra, and Mischiefmagnet can all get away with it, why can't I? I definitely aspire to their level, so aside from my personal preferences, there's that keeping me back from adding any true "citrus" to my fics.
The shower scene was definitely surprising... I liked how you let us know what was goining on without 'LETTING US KNOW.' ^^; This is my personal preference.
You've probably never been reading a really good fic when all of a sudden it gets explicit... and it ruins everything. You'll see people rant about it all the time-- starting to get scientific with human anatomy, or vulgar with language. I never liked that in fics; I'm one of those where, if I have/want to write steam, I want to do it where it gives you that "warm, delicious shiver up and down your spine." No dead giveaways, just smooth sensuality.
I was beginning to wonder about Bakura... I knew he was coming back...sometime... You did it in a nice-- creepy!-- way, too. I wonder when he's going to confront her... I would think Ryou might be getting a little scared? I can't eplain the word... he's jealous, but I think he'd be ashamed of that... ^^; Kinda hard with Bakura being his twisted form of protective...
Indeed. I luvs me Bakura. I never knew how cool he could be!
DarkShadowFlame -- Ooh. Bakura is creepy. And by creepy, I of course mean irresistable. He is getting a little possessive beyond his usual psychotic bonds. I wonder how many more lives he'll destroy on his rampant quest to get whatever the hell he wants. :P Ryou makes me sad... watching every night to see if Tea shows up? Poor thing is obsessing.
I should take a poll and see how many people think Bakura is creepy. So many people have used that exact word to describe him! But I do see a distinct difference between him and Ryou, so I like to highlight that whenever I get the chance. Obsession is probably one of the few traits they share, but in very different ways.
Tea and Seto were so cute together in the shower. I totally love the hairstyling idea. It's even funnier to picture with anime hair, because that stuff can defy gravity with ease. Go figure that Tea got sick... I guess it's a good literary technique, slow the action, keep the rest of us in suspense, but goshdarnit!
Seto got sweeter in this chapter. :P Thank goodness he's less grumpy.
I'd write more but I want to save some rambling for the next chapter, which I shall proceed to review shortly!
-DSF-
I really appreciate it! As I've said to so many others before, the long, well-thought out reviews are the best, especially so when they come from authors I admire! Hey, so when are you going to update!?
Saiya-jin Spice -- *sigh*
Sadly enough, I've been meaning to review or at least say something for the last - what is it now? - 19 chapters, but I've never got around to it. So, no more excuses, I'm definitely going to comment today. In any case, you never fail to amaze me, Azurite. I have to say that this is one of the most steamy and amazing chapters in the whole entire story so far. The mere concept of Anzu and Seto in the shower together is brilliant, if I may say so. Ah, especially the way he reacted! I adore how bold Anzu was! *grins* I just want to hug her for being the one "wearing the pants" and getting things going in the relationship! And then I want to hug you for even thinking of it.
Ah, I want to take credit for that whole scene, really, I do! Everything up until her sneezing was my idea, so I can take credit for that. But as I mentioned to a previous reviewer, the inspiration for the sneeze-you're sick, I'm stopping scene came from Yoko Kamio's manga "Hana Yori Dango" or "Boys Over Flowers." But I always love seeing Téa portrayed as bolder than people think; she's no simpering cheerleader! And I think if she wants something badly enough, she'll take action-- even Seto might hesitate, especially when it comes to situations he's unsure about!
I really have to give you credit though because you definitely tricked me; I honestly thought that this was the chapter that they were going to fuck. Er, so to speak, for lack of a better term. My favorite part was when Anzu returned to DV8 and was complaining to Mai that "isn't it the dumbest thing you've ever heard?", regarding Seto's excuse as to why they couldn't sleep together. Ah, yes, Seto. As smart as you are, the best your extradinary brain can come up with is because she's sick. Brillaint. Really. *laugh*
Bit of a scaredy cat, isn't he?
With joking aside, you truly did write that shower scene well. Honestly, it was done with great taste, and it wasn't anything trashy. I've seen that the whole concept of sex bothers some readers - scoff - but, really. What can you expect? It's a very real aspect of a relationship. Which brings me to my next comment; how completely realistic this story is! You seriously have a gift or something because it's amazing how IC all the characters are, and how realistic the mannerism everyone behaves in is. A problem I see a lot in fanfiction stories is that the dialogue sometimes can get corny, cliche, or simply strange because it seems old-fashioned. But your story is the strong exception. I feel as if these characters - or should I say the way you write them - were in real life, they would be one hundred percent believable. Because of this simple fact alone, I can't help but absolutely adore this story. It's such an enjoyable read.
I feel really embarrassed repeating this, but I do draw on some aspects from my own experiences. I think it helps with the realism factor.
I would say "update soon", but I realize there's two more chapters to read. ^^ Lucky me! Regardless, I just wanted to say you did a fantastic job with this chapter -all the chapters, really - and I admire your writing style. Seriously. You're like, my writing idol or something. So...keep up the amazing job!
xoxoxox,
Spice :)
I totally appreciate it! I feel like a broken record with the way I say this at the end of every review, but you get my point. :D
Ambiance-Dream -- Ok, I know that this isn't in my little “review every five chap” thing, but I couldn't help it. Sue me.
Aw... poor Seto and poor Téa... At first, I sympathized more for Seto, but after seeing why Téa was unhappy, I felt really bad for her. *sigh* It must suck to have all the girls at your school be in love with your boyfriend, and have them give him PRESENTS. Morever, your boyfriend ACCEPTS those presents. That really really sucks.
o_O How can Seto be surprised that he's getting all of these presents? Hello, he's the hottest CEO in the world. *everyone simultaneously drools*
When Téa gets home and the story changes into her perspective, you really see how sad and hurt she is from all of this popularity. She tries to not be angry at him, but she can't help it. I can't blame her. All she really want is to know that Seto still loves her most. And thus, she comes up with the twisted but awesome idea of getting in the SHOWER with Seto.
o_O
Téa has a very twisted mind.
*laughs*
I had DIED, DIED, DIED, DIED, DIED of laughter when I read the next following paragraphs. It was HILAROUS to imagine Seto “cornered in his shower”. You're BRILLIANT! You know that?! This idea was just so, so ABSURDLY fantastic!! And “Téa-ceratops”?! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA LOL
Oh, I thought someone would call me on the cheeseball/corniness of that whole scene, but everyone was so focused on how STEAMY or SWEET it was! I was surprised no one was like "LOLz, you call THAT sexy!?"
Oy. But things seriously got HEATED and SERIOUS after Téa's *declaration*... This was all just so well done. True, it was a big awkward for them when Seto watched Téa look... down... But it was all... um... worth it in the end, right??
I was SO embarrassed writing that scene. Seriously, if I had those little author commentary doodles, my face would have been so red during those scenes! Really!
All of us readers were on the edge of our seats and about to fall over, and yet you had Téa SNEEZE. *sigh* Oh well. Maybe next time... We'll just have to wait...
Eh heh heh, it's so cute how Téa goes to Mai to consult her little... *mishaps* with Seto. And I LOVE how you had Ryou listening in...
NO! BAKURA'S BACK! -_- *weep*
Bwahaha.
And when Mai consults Téa, she(Téa)/we readers really see how much Seto cares for her. He stopped the day before, but only because Seto wanted everything to be PERFET. *sigh* How sweet and romantic...
That's so sad about how Mai aborted a baby. The story seems to have really affected both Mai and Téa.
Bakura's really freaking me out. At first, I was like, yay, Odagiri appeared, he'll save the day, but the last sentence of this chapter proved me wrong, apparently, and brought chills down my spine. Hey, I was reading this at midnight yesterday, and it was really really scary!!
This is such a compelling story... You're doing a great job so far, Azurite!! *^-^* Ja ne!!
Thank you so much! ^_^ I'm glad you tell me what you're enjoying, because it gives me a gauge of what I should keep doing. I always like re-reading my own chapters to see if I react the same way my own readers did/do, and it helps when writing the later chapters. Thank you for your review!
