M: Hello, everyone! Long time no see!
Yami: About time!
M: Sorry! I've been really busy! Before I forget, I would like to thank everyone for the over 4000 views!
Y: Very impressive!
M: Without further ado, please read and enjoy! I don't own rights to the characters of the series!
The Split
Chapter 10
Yugi POV
I stood as one of the suits entered Kaiba's office. "Sir, we found her! We had her placed in the infirmary!" Briefly, I locked eyes with Kaiba and Yami before we sprinted out the door, following the guard as he lead us through the mansion to the west end. I nearly shoved him out the way as she came into view.
"I told you, I'm feeling perfectly fine!" She flung her hands up into the air as the nurses forced her back into the pillows. Her figure was decorated with small bandages, and I heard the two men behind me exhale. "You guys! Tell these people that I don't need to babied!"
I launched forward, engulfing her in a hug. She was a little on the cool side and a little thinner, but otherwise unharmed. "We were so worried about you," I whispered, squeezing her tightly, then holding her at arms length. "Where did you go?"
Her eyes fell to the sheets as she hung her head. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry anyone. I needed..." She casted a weary look in Yami's direction. "Sometime to myself, that's all."
"Care to explain where that was?" Kaiba intervened, moving to stand on her left.
"I was at the dance studio," she answered, a faint pink dusting her cheeks. "I thought that I would get a head start on the next stage of the competition. I'm sorry I didn't call or let any of you know."
I leaned forward, grasping her hands in mine. "You were there, dancing, for over sixteen hours?"
"Has it really been that long?!" Her eyes widened as they shot to the clock on the wall. "I really lost track of time! No wonder Kaiba's suits were freaked out when I came back." She stuck out her tongue. "Sorry!"
I rolled my eyes. "Jeez, Anzu, you had us worried sick!"
"It couldn't be helped," she said, pulling out her iPod. "A few of my team members were actually thinking the same thing. They all met me at the studio and we happened to lose track of time. There's no clock in the studio, so we use out phones or watches to check the time when one of us thinks about it." She showed us a few pics and videos of her team practicing. "We actually got a lot done today."
"Then where did these," Yami and Kaiba chorused, gesturing at the bandages. "Come from?"
She giggled, scratching the back of her head. "I came up with an idea that proved to be too dangerous to pull, and I ended up falling into one of the mirrors. The glass shattered, so I must have been cut by the shards."
"The cuts are very shallow," one of the nurses assured, removing one of the bandages on Anzu's right arm and showing the fresh formed scab. "She will be good as new in a few days, a week at most."
...
Yami POV
Kaiba ordered that she stayed in the infirmary until every scratch was healed, and Yugi left to find Mokuba to inform him that Anzu had been found. I waited until doctor and nurses left before approaching her and taking Yugi's seat. When she noticed that we were alone, she avoided eye contact, looking out the window at the starry sky.
I couldn't find any words to say. What could I honestly say to help her understand how sorry I was? We sat in silence for what seemed like hours, neither of us saying anything. The guilt I was feeling was overwhelming and had kept her words ringing in my ears all day.
"Sorry..." I leaned forward, thinking I had imagined her whisper. She shyly cast a glance in my direction. "I'm sorry for running off..."
"No, Anzu," I began, taking her hands. "I should be the one to apologize. I shouldn't have let my attention fixate on cards."
She attempted to pull her hands out of mine, but I held onto them. Her teeth pulled at her bottom lip, drawing my gaze. "They mean a lot to you, don't they?" she whispered, her eyes lowering to the floor. "Sometimes I wonder if you can care about anything else..."
"I don't blame you for thinking that," I sheepishly admitted, my guilt growing ten-fold. "I haven't exactly been treating you like a friend, have I?"
She remained silent.
Sighing, I released her hands. "I'll leave you alone, so you can rest." I stood to leave, but froze as something tugged my jacket. My chest clenched as I caught sight of my jacket between her slender fingers. "Anzu?"
Her head was tilted forward so her bangs overshadowed her eyes. I sat back down when she didn't say anything, her fingers moving to clench the sheet instead. It took me a second to notice that she was shaking. When she finally raised her head, I was shocked to see fear in her sapphire orbs.
"What's wrong?" I asked, taking her hands again. "Anzu?"
She physically shook herself, blinking as if she had just woken from a dream. Her eyes darted down to our hands and a pink tinge entered her cheeks. "Um..."
"Do you want me to let go?" I offered, prepared to fulfill her wish.
She shook her head, smiling softly around a yawn. "I'm sorry, I'm just a little tired." Shyly, she peeked up at me through her bangs. "Can you stay a little longer, at least until I fall asleep?"
I nodded, feeling my being warm exponentially. She wanted me to stay with her until she fell asleep. She snuggled farther under the covers until the sheet reached her chin, keeping one of her hands in mine. Her hand seemed so small and slender in my own, and her ivory skin seemed to glow faintly against my medium tan. In no time at all, she was sleeping soundly, her hand still resting in my own. Watching her sleep so peacefully put my worries and guilt at ease.
"Anzu," I whispered, gently brushing some stray hairs form her face as I felt sleep begin to consume me. "I'm going to make a promise to you." My head fell to rest on my arm that was resting on the bed. "I promise to always protect you," I continued, my eyelids growing droopy. "And I promise to be more expressive...from this day...forward..." I finished, my eyes closing and sleep welcomed me.
...
Kaiba POV
"Well I'll be damned," I raised an eyebrow as Yugi nearly squealed in his excitement. We just saw the whole thing from my security camera and we couldn't believe what we just saw. "He's actually getting somewhere."
Yugi turned to me, his eyes dancing. "This is perfect! I can't wait for the next stage!"
I face palmed. "So this was all in your plan too?"
"Any step he makes is a stage." He explained, growing serious. "I'm sure I speak for all of us that her kidnapping was a complete surprise. I for one never would have expected it."
"Want to tell me a little more about what happened?" I asked, gesturing to the sofa to the right of my desk. "I don't think we would get much sleep if we went to bed now that it's 2:42 a.m."
M: I know it's on the short side, but I felt that this was a good stopping point.
Yugi: Finally! We're getting somewhere!
M: Please leave a comment/review! See you next time!