High Regard
By: Vaniti
Disclaimer: Yuugiou © Kazuki Takahashi
::Four::
"Happy Hump Day!" Anzu all but sang as she darted past her new employer.
The young CEO, Seto Kaiba, stared at her incredulously. He was dressed impeccably in a black pinstripe suit complete with a navy tie.
"Yes. A pleasant Wednesday to you as well, Mazaki. It would be going better for me if my newest employee could at least practice pretenses of formality while at work."
Anzu found the self-restraint to hold back her laughter when she observed his slight eye roll. Her delight was subdued at his next words though.
"The Pharaoh has seemed distracted."
"Oh, yeah?"
"Might you shed any light on the reason why?"
"I don't understand why you're asking me."
"I was merely projecting an observation."
"I see. And I'm merely stating that I still don't know why you're asking me."
"I surveyed as much. I'll ask you one more time."
"I don't know," she said flippantly.
"And might I be so bold as to suggest you attempt to fix whatever is distracting him? My tournament is a slight three days away."
"Atemu doesn't let distractions affect him in the dueling arena."
"Hmm," his low voice purred out disdainfully, "I would think it would depend on the strength of the distraction. In any case, I must be on my way. I have too much to do to fall behind."
"Of course." Anzu was proud of herself for keeping the mockery out of her tone. "Enjoy the rest of your day."
"There is work to be done." He repeated solidly without glancing over his shoulder and made his departure.
Anzu pursed her lips together and waited a few moments to make sure Kaiba had truly left. Satisfied at the lapse of time, she retrieved her phone from her pocket. Hesitating for the briefest of moments she decided to send an impulsive text to Atemu...
"While I'm flattered that you want to see me, I don't have time to see you, Anzu…"
That was what his reply had said. She had spent the rest of the day unfocused and nursing wounded feelings.
To be honest, Anzu had not expected this. Especially not after his previous desires to see her. Then his…well, kiss, on top of it. At the very least, she would have imagined a slightly warmer response. But that was all he had "graced" her with.
And she had not opened the envelope he had given her yet. She did not know why. Anzu merely sensed or felt it was not time to discover its contents. Now she had the urge to because it might shed some light on Atemu's aloof demeanor. She certainly was not supposing that Atemu should wait on her or be exceptionally agreeable.
She had just hoped they could go back to being the tight-bonded friends they had been before.
This distraction had come at an inopportune time because she was still in the process of learning her new job. The last thing Anzu needed was to get fired so rapidly. Not to mention having Kaiba think he wasted his time in helping her out on top of it.
She said her goodbye's to the young head of the company vaguely noting his grumble in answer, and headed home.
Numbly, she got to her residence and paced a bit aimlessly. She checked her email after pouring herself a glass of iced tea. Feeling stuffy she opened her bedroom window a crack. The sun was partially out, but half-concealed in navy clouds. There was no breeze which led Anzu to believe a possible thunderstorm was on its way.
It was on these idle actions and reflections that she faced her concerns.
The King of Games was most unquestionably playing a game with her.
While she was no expert, and preferred the honest route, she would try her hand at it as well. She would not open the envelope to see what its fillings were. It was probably what he wanted. And she would refuse to allow his blatant attempt, at a shut-down game, get to her. Anzu had not replied back yet, but now she felt ready to.
It's a good thing you are not officially competing this Saturday in the tournament. I know this time Kaiba would have the upper hand.
She did not formulate a response to his former rejection. She felt it appropriate to send the hazy message to surreptitiously chip at his ego. With the way he had been behaving recently, she knew with all the regard Atemu held for himself, he would not take kindly to criticism concerning his skills.
After all, the game was all he had.
At random chilled teardrops of rain splattered against his tanned face.
The sun was blanketed behind a swelling of dark clouds and the telling grumble of thunder complained. The air was still rather warm and so Atemu had taken his navy jacket off and tied it behind, as he often did in the past when dueling. It billowed faintly like a cape although there was little breeze.
His enigmatic eyes were contemplative and held hints of amusement which warmed their deep color.
He returned his modern world device of communications back into his jean pocket. A peculiar and uncomfortable strumming vibrated with repetition in his chest. It was a sentiment that he considered much close to regret. Yet, there was something else. He believed it to be pain.
By Ra, of course in all his blood he desired to see Anzu.
It was his pride that prevented himself from doing so.
By instinct, he could not tolerate something, or someone, gaining the advantage over him. Worse yet, it was not in him to be conventional.
However, now it caused him grave discomfort to shun her and take the initiative to be away from her.
It was his indifferent response to her earlier that had got him thinking. Now he found himself mulling over his actions, his purpose.
He had been out here for quite some time now.
His train of thought was leading him in a rather different direction.
A direction that would take him someplace that was the exact opposite of Domino City.
Saturday
A bleared-eyed Anzu made it her effort to send Kaiba the frostiest of stares as she took a long swill out of her can of sugarfree Red Bull. It was six o' clock in the morning. No, it was not the end of the world, per se. But seeing as how the young CEO had called her at ten 'o clock the night before, while she had been out with the gang, coolly informing her that he expected her to be at work the next day at six a.m., was a different story. And to get ready and hustle all the way across town to the Kaiba Mansion was early!
Since she generally liked to stay positive, she would conclude by saying this was not technically for her official position. Kaiba had dropped the bomb on her last minute she would be helping with the tournament. It was not that she minded, but she would have liked a tiny bit of notice in advance.
Kaiba now idly acknowledged her. He glanced down at his Rolex watch and then back at her.
"It's two minutes past six. You're late."
"Thanks. And you're as charming as ever."
"I hardly think your sarcasm is appropriate language to communicate to your boss with."
"And I hardly consider tournament business on a Saturday morning work related."
Kaiba skewered her while simultaneously dropping a mountain of pamphlets into her arms.
"Learn the information on here. Pass them out. You're to moderate the flow of traffic and answer questions."
"Yes, sir."
"About the sarcasm —"
"There was none. You're my boss. Since when is addressing one's boss as 'sir' sarcastic?"
"Just keep it as Kaiba, fair?"
"Yes, Mr. CEO," Anzu agreed gleefully.
Kaiba's chilly stab of a glare remained as he promptly adjusted his tie.
"Behave yourself. We'll be leaving in an hour for breakfast to meet Atemu, and then heading out for the tournament after that."
The breakfast statement sobered Anzu's mood somewhat. Breakfast with Atemu? Another bomb dropped on her. There was no way this shared breakfast between them, and whoever else, would be comfortable. For her own delicate reasons with Atemu…Well, that was enough cause for disquiet.
Being as swift as ever, Kaiba folded his arms over his chest, while keeping his stare glued on her.
"It's none of my business. But if you are to start something with the pharaoh today…consider yourself without a job."
Her initial instincts kicked in and her temper soared. "It's not any of your business. And pin this on me? Ridiculous. Besides, I can't help but feel there's something you know that I don't. What's with the references to Atemu and myself?"
Kaiba momentarily shut his eyes. He held up his right hand frigidly. "Perhaps coincidence, Mazaki. I am observant; a gift I take pride in. Just don't initiate any trouble." The Persian-eyed CEO did not bother to say any more as he strode from the room and allowed the elevator to remove him from her premise.
Anzu's blood was still boiling. She was still hot-tempered long after the telltale "ding" of the elevator indicating Kaiba's departure.
Truthfully, what upset her was not so much Kaiba's temperament or words. It was the fact the King of Games was obviously including her or insinuating her enough to be a concern to Kaiba. In what terms she had no clue. All she could say was that over a week ago, she had thought they had been friends. Yes, he had his arrogance about him, but they had all permitted that to slide. He was an ex-pharaoh and perhaps dealing with the contemporary world in the best way he could.
But what had abruptly changed? Had there been a breaking point? And why her, of all people, was being targeted? Or, at the very least, dragged into it.
She attempted to the best of her ability to read over the basic information Kaiba had provided to her, but her brain was a muddled concoction. Before she knew it, an hour had snuck up on her and she was scrambling to get to the front of the mansion. She did not want to deal with the "late" speech a second time that day. Anzu was just tucking her pamphlets into her tote for safe keeping when she froze in her tracks.
And there he was.
The perfect picture of comfortable elegance. He lounged back in a cinnamon recliner his face tilted ever so slightly; his eyes focused lazily on something in the distance. Dressed with his classic and unique sense of fashion, Anzu noted the added gold jewelry making him appear more pharaoh-esque.
She had not made much noise so she was surprised when he glanced up the moment she entered the room. His face was a faultless blank before a velvety smile spilled over his lips.
"Good Morning."
"Morning," she replied carefully.
"You look radiant."
"You look composed."
"I thank you, I believe."
Anzu wanted to say something else but her tongue refused to cooperate. Why were words so difficult to retrieve? She clenched and unclenched her hands into little balls. She did not have to worry then because Atemu spoke instead.
"How are you liking your employment with Kaiba thus far?"
"It's actually great so far. Beats waiting on ungrateful customers."
Atemu's eyes were far-away again as he absentmindedly stirred his black coffee.
"I'm pleased it's accommodating for you in the meantime. With hope, you'll be on the stage performing before you know it."
Anzu's heart shuddered and she folded her arms over her chest protectively. She could not take this. Not a moment longer without confronting the white elephant in the room.
"What gives. Now you're suddenly concerned with trite things about my job to my future? Yet you can't even get back to me during the week. Not even spare a damn little second to see me. Now you want to talk? Now that you have nothing better to do?"
Just the tiniest hint of his loss of composure began to crack through. Atemu set down his cup of coffee and stood to his feet.
"Anzu, I sincerely hope you didn't think I was ignoring you."
"Don't phrase it so condescendingly! Let's just knock it off with the dancing around shadows here, okay? Enough with your games. If you think for one minute I don't know what's going on here, I do. We all do, Atemu."
"What are you attempting to imply here?" Atemu's tenor was arctic and dead.
"I'm not implying. I'm telling you. Ever since you chose not to pass on you have not been yourself. And I know why."
"So you do?" Now his voice melted into indulgent contempt.
Anzu did not allow his self-defense mechanisms to deter her.
"Yes. You're insecure. Beneath your appearance and show and arrogance, you don' t know where you fit in this world. And it's okay. How can you? You're an ancient pharaoh who after thousands of years has been given his body back, and is now coping with modern society."
Atemu did not respond immediately. Only for the fact that Anzu knew him so well, she realized exactly what that meant. She had finally struck a heavy cord with him. And she had been so dead-on with her estimation that it shook him.
It was fleeting because the Game King retreated to a familiar tactic.
"While I'm flattered you're sharing what you've learned in your psychology class with me, I can assure you that your cause for concern is unnecessary. After being locked away in a puzzle for thousands of years, I believe I can handle myself in adapting to any environment."
"Then why the mental games? Why? I truly know you're not that sadistic. And that's exactly what this is. You're playing games to keep from exposing yourself." Anzu didn't realize her voice had been growing in volume until it echoed off the towering walls of the foyer.
Atemu took a step towards her mirroring her earlier actions of clenching his fists. His gaze was burning, smoldering. And Anzu saw it. The ghost of pain peeking behind his proud stare. However, before he opened his mouth another, cool voice interrupted them.
"What in the world is all the commotion in here? I could hear the racket all the way from the other side of the mansion. If you primates are done making a fiasco we have a tournament to launch." Kaiba stepped into view with the newest version of a Duel Disk convulsing on his forearm.
Anzu's shoulders slumped at the untimely disruption and Atemu slipped into amused defense mode.
"Oh, calm yourself, Kaiba. Surely playful banter could not have been too boisterous. Perhaps you're merely getting old."
Kaiba arched an eyebrow as a male employee rushed in and assisted Atemu with his own Duel Disk.
"Well, well. You're a fine one to talk in terms of age."
Atemu smirked with mirth as he made the final adjustments to his Duel Disk. Anzu fidgeted in discomfort and overheat still flushing her from the previous argument. There was not another chance to say any more for Kaiba's butler was already opening the double-plated doors of the Kaiba Mansion.
"And I do believe that's our cue. Shall we?" Kaiba made a sweeping gesture with his arm.
And unknowingly leaving their can of worms open Kaiba, Atemu and Anzu started their expedition to the tournament.
A/N: I love to hear from you :] What do you all think? Next time, tournament shenanigans and can Anzu and Atemu get a private moment alone? And then what? Most sincerely yours —
Vaniti