Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh!
Chapter VII
Where We Stand.
"Does the Milky Way really have big bottles of milk like in that movie? I really want to see it. Can we go there, please, obaasan?"
"Of course, Anzu-chan."
Her grandmother had humored her silly, little question. And years later, reflecting on what a foolish question it was, drew a line of uncertainty in her mind. In regards to her situation concerning Yuugi, she realized that it was the same as her Milky Way question: complete absurdity.
Yuugi was considered a friend, almost a brother in her eyes, so any form of guilt concerning him was derived from betraying a family member, right?
"This is getting me nowhere." Anzu grouched, her temples aching with the onset of what she suspected to be a migraine. It seemed when she finally arrived at a conclusion, the doubt plaguing her subconscious reared its ugly head. "Just once, I wish my problems would just solve themselves." She grumbled, sipping her drink moodily despite the cherry atmosphere of the little café.
"Well, well, well." A deep voice -- as rich as the chocolate cake she'd seen in the bakery a few blocks away -- droned. "If it isn't the wannabe ballerina." On instinct, her head tilted to view the figure standing at her side, her eyes garnering a mixture of amazement and surprise at his presence. Never in her wildest dreams, had she expected to see him greeting her so casually. It made her eyes darken and her lips tilt into a one sided smile.
"And if it isn't the playboy halfer." Anzu cast mischievously, watching as he deposited his attractive physique in the opposite chair. He boldly reached for her hand and caressed the fine bones with slow deliberate movements.
"Now, is that anyway to talk to an old friend, cara?" His bronze gaze shone with an amusing glow, and she couldn't stop herself from producing a genuine smile. He is different, Anzu thought. Not unlike the modest young boy she'd known in middle school. He was older, face defined by his chiseled features, eyes colored in the most beautiful shade of brown and a blanket of dark hair covering his forehead.
He was definitely a man now, and those devilish looks he gained, were enough to send every female into cardiac arrest. It's a pity though, that he did not have the same effect on her. The image of a brown haired man popped into her head and she chased it away.
"You started it." Anzu quipped with a flirtatious wink, one that made his eyes dance in pleasure. "But as always, the great Issei Vincente Ramontella has a point. That isn't the way to talk to an old friend." She lowered her lids in a mock veil of shame. "And especially when she hasn't seen him in two years." His roaring laughter threatened to break her well played façade and she felt her hand being kissed by soft lips.
"Oh, how you tease me. In that case, I hope you forgive me, for you know I love being right." Two off his fingers traveled beneath her chin, tilting and ghosting over the skin of her protruding lips. "Stop pouting, cara or you'll have to face the consequences." He warned darkly.
"Consequences?" asked Anzu, head slanting in query. The gentle grip of his digits intensified and she observed darkening of his eyes. The golden flecks in his gaze glowing with wild abandon.
"Si." He affirmed softly. "Keep it up and I'll have to kiss those delicious looking lips. Do you still use cherry lips gloss?"
Her throat became as dry as the Sahara, her pulse beat's rhythm quickening in her neck and she answered breathlessly, "No. No, I don't. I use strawberry now." As the words left her lips she saw a blur of dark green clothing, the warm pressure against her lips alerting her that she had just been kissed.
"Ah, so you were telling the truth." Issei replied, licking his lips as he settled into the seat for a second time. "Definitely strawberry. Don't look at me like that innamorata." He said observing her flushed but stunned features. "You're going to make me want to kiss you again and this time, with a little something more."
"What happened to you?" Anzu choked on an astonished gasp. "The last time I saw you, you were a lanky fourteen year old with no interest in women." His shoulders shifted in a graceful shrug.
"I wouldn't say I wasn't interested in women. There was one in particular who captured my attention like no other." He sent her a smoldering glance that left her breathless. "I suppose living in Italia has made me appreciate everything that comes with being a halfer." He threw her words back at her with a humored smile. "And as for that lanky figure, don't you like me how I am now?"
Anzu allowed her eyes to wander from one broad shoulder to the other. Her cheeks becoming warm as she treacherously sought his chest, damning the green fabric from further inspection. His Italian lineage was a definite plus in her book, because she had never known a man to be this attractive. Except Kaiba. A voice kept ringing in her ear and she scowled.
"Do you dislike the new me, tesoro?"
"Um, what?" A wave of embarrassment flooded her features and she hurriedly searched for the correct response. "N-no! That's not it! You look..." She glanced at his new physique then quickly averted her eyes. "You look different. Handsome." The flashing of his golden eyes had her sweating, beads of perspiration gathering on her upper lip.
"Ah, so I'm handsome now but not two years ago?"
"That's not it, Issei!" Anzu exclaimed, her pink tipped cheeks doing absolutely nothing to help her predicament. "You were always a handsome guy. And now, you've become even more so." His tooth-baring grin informed her of his delight as he stretched across the table and reached for her.
"Grazie!" He expressed his gratitude in Italian, his lips alarmingly close. "You have grown very beautiful as well, Anzu. So much that I can't stop looking at you." His eyes became wondrous as he spoke, that vivid masculinity of his gaze trapping her in its sensual warmth. Even as his lips whispered against her cheek, she couldn't find her voice, too lost was she in the atmosphere he'd created. "Very, very beautiful." He told her in Italian, as he discovered her neck, his teeth roaming across her flesh.
Blue eyes closed without reluctance, ignoring the need for discretion as Issei slowly glided his tongue across the triangular hollow of her neck. Her fingers threading through his dark locks as his teeth left red marks on the slender column of skin.
And then she felt it.
Not the delicious sensation of a man caressing her as a lover would, but the prickling sensation that she was indeed being watched. That feeling became too intense, and Anzu opened her glassy eyes, her gaze drifting to the large window where the mother of all sights awaited her.
Kaiba.
He was there. Stationed on the opposite side of the road, his glacial eyes viewing the intimate scene being played out before him. And in a moment of delayed shock, Anzu discovered her body had been overtaken by rigidness. She felt like a cheating wife caught having an affair by her husband.
"Cara mia?"
She forcefully tore her eyes away from Kaiba, her head turning at the accented endearment, watching as Issei's eyes raked her face with concern. "Oh I'm fine, I just saw something which startled me." assured Anzu, her gaze straying to the window, only to stifle a gasp at the empty space where Kaiba once stood. Where did he go? He couldn't have disappeared so quickly.
"Are you feeling alright now?" Issei inquired with a frown. "Your complexion has gone pale. Is it something which scared you greatly?" He tossed a few strands of hair from her eyes, thumb smoothing over one cheek. "I hope you can forgive me for acting so impulsively. It's just that I haven't seen you in such a long time and the very first thing I promised myself when I saw you, was to give you a true kiss as I have longed to do."
"Oh, Issei." Anzu murmured, touched by his honesty though embarrassed by his honeyed words. "You were always such a charmer. But don't beat yourself up, I'm not angry at what you did. If I was, I would have kicked your ass the moment you stepped over the boundaries."
He laughed. "Maybe you could have gotten away with kicking my ass when we were children, cara. But I am a grown man, and it might not be so easy now. And in any case," He went on further. "since you have no objections to my actions, shall we resume what we were doing?"
"Not so fast, halfer." Anzu said, pushing a finger up against his lips. It took all her willpower not to blush when he nipped that finger, then slowly allowed his tongue to snake over it. "Uh, this is the first time I've seen you in two years, why don't we catch up? You can tell me about your adventures in Italy. I'm dying to know about what your family has been up to as well."
His brown eyes danced with mischief. "Very well, mi adorata, if that is the way you want to play it. I shall comply to your wishes, but be warned, Anzu." Issei said, with an amused tilt to his lips. "You can't evade me for long, because eventually our lips will meet and then, I shall never let you go."
Locking her front door, Anzu smiled as the memories of the day played over in her head. She was happy. Happier than she'd ever been in the last month and she owed it all to Issei. He was a darling. Not once had he given up on kissing her, and although his attempts were futile, he still maintained a genial air promising he'd get her next time.
Snapping on the living room light Anzu dumped her purse on the couch. She was tired and desperately longed for a nice, hot bath. That bath would have to wait, though, since the phone was ringing off the hook. None to happy to delay her time with the tub, Anzu reached for the plastic nuisance, her words almost a bark as she greeted.
"Yeah, what do you want?" Not the ideal way to answer the telephone and the person on the other end happened to share her sentiments.
"You certainly have a way with words. I suppose your parents hadn't had the time to train you properly, did they Mazaki?" Her heart jumped into her throat and she clamped her mouth shut lest he hear her surprised gasp. She was apparently quiet for some time since the next thing she heard was, "Are you still there Mazaki or did your flashy boyfriend distract you?"
She was right. He had been across the café watching her. Anger pulsed in her veins and she instantly killed it. She wouldn't give him the pleasure of knowing he got under her skin.
"Of course I'm here, Kaiba." Anzu answered sweetly. "It is such a pleasure to talk to you outside of school. Your call is very surprising and the reason behind it must be equally as. So, what can I do for you?"
"You can quit the sarcasm. It doesn't suit you." Her eyebrow quirked at that. "Furthermore," Kaiba continued with infuriating nonchalance. "I have no desire to keep you from your entertainment for the night. You seem to be a very busy girl lately."
Ouch. That hurt.
He kept insisting she was with Issei and that in itself was enough to raise her anger to another level. "That was crude, Kaiba. What I do in my private life is none of your concern. I'm a big girl. I don't need anyone dictating my actions." Anzu savored a long inhaled breath. It pained her, to think he thought of her as a common slut who couldn't control her libido. "And just so you know, I'm not with anyone at the moment. I'm by myself. Alone."
Kaiba said nothing in response and she was almost certain the line had disconnected. "Mazaki." His voice was heavy with exhaustion? Impatience? She couldn't tell. "Since you are adamant that you are alone then you will have no problem in doing what I ask."
Anzu was certain he heard her gulp. "What is it that you want?"
"I'm not coming over to your house to molest you, so don't act like a timid little mouse." He was angry. His tone dripping with annoyance. "Anyways since your stupidity has proven itself once again, I'll be short and to the point with what I'm about to ask." He sounded like he didn't even want to be having this conversation with her. "Mokuba has requested to see you. Tonight."
"Tonight!" Anzu shouted with disbelief. "Kaiba it's late and I want to take a bath and go to bed. Can't this wait until morning? I'm sure Mokuba will understand once you've explained it to him. He is a very understanding kid."
"Are you forgetting what you said? Let me remind you. You said you would never disappoint my brother. Are you going back on your word?"
"Of course not!" She replied to his jab. "Look, I'm sure you're tired as well and I know you'd rather be doing something else other than talking to me. So why don't I call Mokuba myself and arrange for us to see each other tomorrow?"
"He wants to see you. Tonight." Kaiba reiterated with a killing softness. "It may come at a surprise to you, but I have no intention of disappointing my brother. You made a promise, Mazaki. Should I tell Mokuba that you no longer wish to see him and you've chosen to sleep the night away rather than spending a few hours with him?"
"That is not fair, Kaiba." Anzu flared. "It's not like I'm doing this on purpose. I've had a long day and before you called I was about to prepare for bed. Surely you can understand how that feels."
"What I understand is," He sneered. "you have no objection with spending time with your multitude of boyfriends, but when it comes to my brother, you're apparently too tired. Maybe you should make you priorities known to Mokuba."
Anzu had had enough. How much more could she stomach before she exploded. The answer: not much more. "Dammit Kaiba! I usually don't give a rat's ass about your opinion of me, but let me make two things clear. Firstly, I love your brother as if he were my own. I'm sure you remember me saying that. If he desperately wants to see me, then...then I'll see him." She took a breath. "And secondly, I don't have a multitude of boyfriends. Hell, I don't even have one! So, I will appreciate it if you stop labelling me as a whore."
There. She said it. It took nearly all of her energy, but she was able to accomplish her goal.
"Very well." Kaiba spoke, softly. "I understand your anger." Anzu supposed that was his way of saying sorry. She smiled. "Since you've agreed on seeing Mokuba, I suggest you meet me outside your house in five minutes." He told her haughtily. "And make it snappy, I don't have anymore time to waste. Your pointless argument has already delayed me by fifteen minutes."
"How dare...!" She didn't get time to finish as the call was cut and the insistent beeping in her ear alerted her that he had hung up. Placing the reciver back on its cradle, Anzu dug her fingernails into her palms. "That jerk!" She hissed and stamped her foot in indignation. He had predicted her acquiescence and fool she was, believed he had apologized for his brutish behavior. "I really hate him!"
"Get in." Came the rude command and Anzu stared at the open limo door with growing suspicion.
"Where is Mokuba?" She asked, her eyes dancing with wariness as a malicious grin tilted the corners of Kaiba's lips.
"He is at the mansion. Did you really think I'd allow my brother to be outside this late at night?" His teeth bared through cracked open lips. "Well, Mazaki, are you going to get in, or do I have to drag you by the hair?"
Two ugly spots of color appeared on her cheeks, and she hissed fiercely, "You will do no such thing, Kaiba." Again, she stared at the dark interior of the vehicle. Her throat constricting as she swallowed. She did not want to be in that car with him. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea. I'm sure it's way past Mokuba's bedtime." She voiced hastily.
Kaiba, however didn't seem to care. "Are we going to have this conversation again? Didn't you agree not," He checked his watch. "seven minutes ago that you'd visit my brother? I'm a very busy man, I don't have time to play chauffeur to an indecisive girl."
"I'm not indecisive, just..." Weary? Terrified? Nervous? The list was endless. She stared into Kaiba's navy eyes. He appeared annoyed, bored even, and sadly she realized she had given him her word. "Alright, Fine." She conceded with a huff. "I'll go with you."
"Wise choice." He commented, waving his hand impatiently for her to enter and Anzu did so while holding her breath. She settled on the fine leather upholstery, a good distance away from Kaiba who closed the door with a bang. There was a sharp series of clicks heard thereafter and Anzu felt the trepidation crawl across her arms.
"Umm, why did you lock the doors?"
"Force of habit." Kaiba explained, staring straight ahead. "Don't worry, Mazaki. As I've said before, I have no intention of molesting you so you can breathe easily."
"I wasn't thinking you would." Anzu lied and, man, did she feel foolish. "So, how far is the mansion from here? Mokuba often tells me how beautiful it is." She said, trying to make conversation. "He says your garden is well stocked with a variety of exotic flowers. I'm sure they'll look even more captivating in the moonlight." Gosh, she sounded like a rambling mess! But heavens, why wasn't Kaiba saying anything? "Er...Kaiba?"
"What?"
"Didn't you hear anything I just said?"
"I stopped listening after you asked how far the mansion was. Twenty minutes from your house, by the way." He swerved his head to look at her. "And don't make any more attempts at a meaningless conversation. We both know how annoying it is."
"Whatever." Anzu muttered in retaliation. She turned to look outside her own window, suspecting Kaiba did the same once he was done talking. A wistful sigh escaped her lips. Why couldn't he be more polite like his brother?
"Well be arriving in the next sixteen minutes." Kaiba informed her. "I suggest you fix your state of mind to one that will suit Mokuba. He wouldn't be happy to see his self proclaimed "big sister" in a foul mood."
Anzu's gaze didn't budge from staring outside, and said in a irritated tone. "If I am in a foul mood, as you put it, who do you think is responsible?"
"Yourself." He responded flatly. "If you learn to accept things as they are then you wouldn't get angry all the time." He was referring to their previous argument, Anzu realized. It was just like him to play the superior card.
Fire blazed in Anzu's eyes. "I'll try to remember that next time. So sorry to be an inconvenience to you." Not much was said afterwards, and Anzu reclined against the seat, her gaze never moving from the window. She didn't want to look at Kaiba. Didn't want to think about him.
"Mazaki." Kaiba called to her, his voice thick with weariness. "It seems all we do is argue with one another. If we present the air of two bickering teenagers to my brother, then I'm afraid he will be dissapointed."
Again with what was best for Mokuba. The man simply couldn't think of anything else to talk about.
"Are you listening to me?" He asked, accepting the barest nod of her head. "Stop staring out the window like a wounded child and look at me when I'm taking to you."
"You are not my father." Anzu stated calmly. "I don't have to listen to anything you have to say. You seemed to do the same when I was conversing with you earlier. So all this so-called courtesy that you require from me is just wasting your breath."
"Is that so?" He asked, clearly amused with her attitude. "I'm almost inclined to grant you the distance you desire from me. But as it so happens, that is impossible to do. So tell me Mazaki, are you afraid of me?"
Now she did turn and looked him directly in the eye. "I am not afraid of you." She said, forcing herself to keep her voice steady as she hid the truth.
Kaiba's eyebrow quirked ironically and he said, "Do I detect defiance?"
"What the hell do you want from me?"
The eyebrow lifted higher. "Can you seriously ask me such a question?" He demanded from her. "God, woman you are impossibly daft!"
"I won't pretend to understand you Kaiba, heaven knows no sane person can, but I am only here to see Mokuba. So you can just take your nasty attitude and stuff it!" Now who was hiding behind the shield known as Mokuba Kaiba, Anzu asked herself. Yet it was the only safe ground she could thread at the moment.
"Definitely defiance." He said nodding as if her outburst meant nothing. "I seem to remember it from our last meeting. Running away from me, hiding in your bedroom. Really Anzu, do you think those little antics would foil what I truly had in mind? No. Never."
Anzu felt her heart plummet into her stomach. Sweat seeped from her skin and her arms became infested with a plague of goose bumps. "W-what are you saying?" She demanded in shock.
Kaiba looked into her pleading eyes. "What is the matter? Forgotten what we shared already? Maybe I should remind you." His hand reached for her, frowning when she backed away from him, scared. "What is with the attitude? You were certainly responding differently to the man you were with this morning. Do I not suit your tastes?" He inched closer, loving the anger in her gaze. "No that is not it. You couldn't stop thinking about me when you were with him, could you?"
He swallowed her oncoming words with his lips, beckoning her to join him, his possession initially rough but gentled when she softened beneath him. Her lips now pliant folds of flesh, heightening his ardor when she whimpered. It was thrilling, sensational to have her like this, yet he couldn't suppress his annoyance when her fists collided with his chest.
Thrusting himself away from her, Kaiba stared down into her challenging eyes. "So, did my little kiss jog your memory?"
"You bastard!" Anzu hissed. Her arm arched, hand seeking the expanse of his cheek only to get caught midway. Tugging incessantly to escape his grip, she cried, "You're not him. You can't be! Vampires don't exist!"
"Oh?" He said mockingly. "Do you honestly believe that?" She gasped at the sight of those elongated fangs peeking through his firm lips. A whirlwind of emotions assaulted her, wreaking havoc on her unsuspecting body and she closed her eyes against it. "Oh no," Kaiba whispered. "don't close your eyes. I want you to see me. See only me, Anzu. I have waited too long for this day to come and I will not let you slip through my fingers again."
His palm enveloped her cheek with his warmth, his lips at the corner of her eyes beseeching them to show their sapphire brilliance. Digging her fingers deep into the seat, Anzu let her mouth fall open, her eyes following.
"Kaiba, this is not possible. I'm dreaming aren't I? Please tell me I'm dreaming. I don't want this to be real."
"Then I regret to inform you of the opposite." His voice tight, as he continued. "This is not a dream and the sooner you accept it, the better. Didn't I say something about accepting things for what they are? Now, did you miss me?"
"No. Maybe." Anzu confessed, her anger simmering to an almost non existent point. She was too tired. Too tired to attempt to make sense of anything. If only she would just wake up. "I would have never suspected it was you. But I should have seen the signs, right? I'm such a fool." She stared into his navy eyes. "I hate you for what you did to me. I hate you for lying to me. Kaiba, I hate the way you've treated me."
"I don't want to hear any more." He declared angrily. His lips thinning into a straight line. "Keep your words for tomorrow. It is about time you went to sleep."
"What are you...?" The rest of her sentence was drowned by the scream which emerged from her throat. Her eyes flooding with tears as the painful and familiar feel of his teeth driving into her neck seized the last of her energy as his own. Her last sight was of him; his lips covered in the liquid which ran through her veins and his eyes the blankest globes of ice she had ever seen...
"Tomorrow." She heard him say. "Tomorrow you will accept your fate."
A/N:
This chapter, like I said is one of my favorites. Why? Because I simply love Issei. He is my favorite non-vampire character and a potential love interest for Anzu. In the later chapters he will make his return and make Anzu's life even more complicated.
Issei is half Japanese and half Italian, hence the term halfer. Father is Italian. Mother is Japanese. He has spent most of his life living in Italy and his family is close to Anzu's.
The next chaper will be posted soon. It's already written but I want to add a few more things to it. In the meantime, I will post another one-shot for you guys to enjoy.
Thank you for reading.
