Chapter 37 : The Night Before The Big Day

"Okay, girls, gather around!"

Anzu placed her bottle of water on the floor and sauntered over to Natsumi and the other dancers. Beads of sweat rolled down her face, and she quickly wiped them away with the back of her hand. "Tomorrow is the big day, the day we've been preparing for this entire year!" Natsumi began. "Get some rest tonight, and be sure to arrive at the theater by 3:00 tomorrow afternoon. We'll do some slow warm-ups, get prepared, run through any last minute changes, then…perform!"

The dancers clapped and cheered in unison, and Anzu's smile widened considerably. She felt someone pat her shoulder and glanced back to see Ayame smiling widely. "Every year we have drama, but at the end of the day, we all come together and put on a fantastic show," Anzu thought.

"For the last time this year, now. Girls, dismissed."

They all bowed slightly before returning to their bags. Ayame trailed behind Anzu, her bag already slung over her shoulder. Anzu could tell her friend wanted to ask her something, and as she leaned down to grab her own bag, she glanced up and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing…" Ayame replied in a taunting voice. "I was just curious when you started seeing the CEO of KaibaCorp…"

Anzu blushed. It was no longer a secret that she and Seto were dating. They had gone out on another rainy night to get something to eat, and a member of the paparazzi blatantly caught them. For nearly four days, it was all over the news. People wanted to know who Anzu was, what she was doing with Seto Kaiba, where they had met, what they did in their spare time. Her connection to Yugi didn't help at all. Some of the things they said about her made her skin crawl, but she was swiftly learning to brush it aside, just as Seto did. It was something he had warned her about, and though it did hurt, it was a small price to pay to be with the CEO.

All that mattered to her was that her friends respected and accepted her decision. And they did. The meeting with the gang was a productive one. Otogi, Honda, Shizuka, Jounouchi, Yugi, and she all discussed the past two months' events. She was shocked to discover that Jounouchi already knew she was dating Seto, but Otogi, Honda, and Shizuka's shock at the news was more than enough. Yugi explained in detail his crimes against her, and he profusely apologized again and again for everything he said. Otogi, Honda, and Jounouchi agreed to keep an eye on Yugi from now on, but everyone, for the most part, accepted her decision and was happy for her. She invited them all to the recital tomorrow, and while it made her a little nervous knowing that her group would be with Seto and Mokuba Kaiba, she was also extremely grateful that the two groups could be brought together under peaceful circumstances.

Still, the tabloids were relentless. Anzu had photos taken of her on her way to dance, and her entire ballet career was now published for all the world to see. She knew the ballet troupe would eventually learn of her actions, and Ayame was now the one making the first move. "Not that I'm one of those who would hate on you for dating him," Ayame continued when Anzu didn't respond. "In fact, I'm happy for you two. The one good picture I saw in the tabloids made it seem as though you two were happy together. I don't understand you dating a workaholic, but it's your decision."

Anzu smirked and nodded. "He can be a pain sometimes, but so can I," she remarked, standing and slinging her bag over her shoulder. Ayame's smirk widened.

"That you can be…"

The two exited the dance studio and walked down the narrow corridor. "Is he going to be at the performance tomorrow?" Ayame suddenly asked.

"Seto?"

"Awwww, you call him by his first name! That's so cute! But yeah, haha, Kaiba!"

"Of course," Anzu answered, blushing at her friend's words. "He as well as my gang of friends. They'll all be there."

"That's so sweet!"

Anzu laughed. "Yeah, it really is."

"You two go on any dates yet?"

"A few. We mostly spend time at the manor in order to avoid all the paparazzi."

"Have you two…done anything yet?"

Anzu blushed profusely. "I don't see how that's your business…" Her eyes widened at her response. "Holy shit, that was a Seto Kaiba response. Don't tell me I'm picking up his mannerisms!"

"So you have been doing stuff, then? No need to get defensive about it if you aren't, Anzu."

Anzu's blush deepened. "Oh Ayame, why do you ask me things like that? I don't go asking if your boyfriend is having sex with you."

"That's because my boyfriend isn't Seto Kaiba, and because you're too prude to ask such questions."

"There's a reason for that…"

"Well I'm not prude. I'm curious."

"Too curious, if you ask me."

The two came out into the main lobby of the dance studio. Anzu turned to look at her friend, and Ayame returned the glance. Both chuckled at their conversation, and Ayame's smirk turned into a smile. "But no, I won't pester you about it if you don't want me prying. The other girls might; I know a few of them were whispering the other day about seeing your name in the tabloids. But I am happy for you, girlfriend. You caught yourself a good one. Be sure to never let him go, a'ight?"

Anzu smiled and rolled her eyes. "You don't have to tell me that."

"Yes, I do. Now I gotta go. See you tomorrow."

Anzu nodded and followed her outside. Splitting away at the entrance, she approached her car and opened the door to the driver's seat, sliding onto the beat-up leather. Seto kept insisting she should let him buy her a new car, but she flat out refused. She was not going to rely on his money for those types of things, and even though he wanted to buy her a new car, he seemed grateful for her determined attitude. She was certainly not one to be involved with him for money, and the refusal of his gesture seemed to strike him. Setting her bag down in the passenger's seat, she closed the driver's door shut before returning to her bag and dishing out her cell phone. "No messages," she observed. Setting it down in the compartment meant for drinks, she started her car up, backed out, and began making her way to her new home, the Kaiba manor.

It didn't take long for her to reach the manor. Pulling down the long driveway, she parked her car at the end, grabbed her bag, and quickly got out. The main foyer lights were still on, but for the most part, the windows of the Kaiba manor were dark. The stars overhead illuminated the clear, night sky. For a second, she peeked back down the driveway and smiled. "This is my home now…" It was still sinking in, the idea that she was living with Seto Kaiba. It was one thing to be his caretaker, but once she made the decision to give up looking for an apartment…it was a lot to take in. "Though the sensation of his arms around me at night sure helps with convincing me to stay." She giggled, wrapping her own arms around her waist for a few seconds in a mocking gesture of the original sensation, before turning and making her way inside the manor.

The main foyer was empty, as she expected. Setting her bag next to the stairwell, she walked past the main living room and down the familiar hallway towards the game room. She knew Seto would be there. It had become their new tradition, playing video games when she came home from dance practice. Their own little bonding ritual.

Making her way to the end of the hallway, she peeked around the corner and chuckled at the sight before her. Seto was sitting on the sofa playing Phantasy Star Online by what she could hear and see on the television screen. The cane stood next to the sofa, but he now needed it very little. "His leg is doing so much better than before," she thought. "He's now walking almost normally and is able to stand on his own. His wrist, too. His wrist is entirely—"

"Ah!"

A softness brushed against her leg, and she jumped in surprise as Yuki stopped and glanced up at her. Hearing a chuckle, she looked up to see Seto smiling over at her. "H-Hey," she greeted, shooting a slight glare down at the cat for giving away her position before approaching her boyfriend. Taking a seat next to him on the sofa, she looked at the television and asked, "How far are you?"

"Not very," he answered. "I just started playing about a half hour ago and only managed to get one quest done."

"How was work?"

"Productive. Mokuba and I have the cover and manual complete for the game. It's all but done."

"And it ships when?"

"Three weeks from tomorrow."

She smiled widely. "We'll have to do something to celebrate…"

"I suppose. But first…" Placing his controller down, he turned and wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing her closer. She smiled and leaned up to kiss him on the lips, which he returned with equal fervor. Her eyes widened, however, when she felt him lift her, bringing her onto his lap. She grinned and winked down at him. He smirked and leaned in to quickly kiss her neck. "You excited about tomorrow?" he asked, leaning back slightly but letting his hands trail up her back.

"Of course," she answered, letting her head rest against his shoulder. His grip tightened around her, and his fingers were slowing working along the muscles, easing the tension from her back.

"Nervous?"

"A little."

"Don't be. You'll do well."

She chuckled and nodded. "I hope so."

"You will. You have been practicing this routine for nearly a year. Unless you wake up with amnesia, you will be fine."

It was the CEO's rational way of comforting her nerves. She smiled. He still didn't do well with emotions. She could tell, at times, it was hard for him to express what it was he was feeling. Most of the time, he would merely stare at her, or move to say something only to turn and flee at the last second. He was trying, though. She could see it in his eyes and motions. Particularly his motions; he was so attentive to her. He was pushing through years of training against the exact thing they were now doing. She had seen all the scars by now; she didn't know what caused them, but she knew the motives behind them. It was why he always struggled telling her what he was feeling. "But it makes the moments like these more important," she thought, feeling his grip continue to tighten around her waist. She reached up, wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes as she placed her head back against his shoulder.

"Did you take your shower yet?" she asked.

"No, not yet."

"You should do that."

"Why? Do I smell awful?"

She chuckled and shook her head. "No, but I'm probably going to just go to bed tonight. I'm too exhausted to play games tonight."

"Oh really?" She opened her eyes and glanced curiously up at the CEO. He had a devious smirk on his lips, and his eyes examined her face with a peculiar stare. He leaned in and kissed her neck once more, and she gasped as his tongue began lapping at the skin. Her fingers began entangling themselves in his soft, brown hair, and she giggled when his tongue lapped over a particularly sensitive spot.

"You're showering me with attention again," she taunted. Attention was the way he showed his love. She had yet to hear the CEO mutter that word, but she knew it was there. The way his eyes softened when he saw her, the delicate kisses and caresses… He was bad with words, they both knew it, and she had avoided the word in order to keep the peace. But what they had was love. There was no doubt about it. She loved Seto, loved him with all her heart. Yet because neither could say it, they left it to actions.

"And you're enjoying it," Seto taunted back, running his hands up and down her back once more.

"I never said I…ah…" His kisses went down to her shoulder, and he was beginning to peel down the sleeves of her ballet attire. His warm breath against her skin sent shivers down her spine. "Sh-shouldn't we go upstairs?" she whispered into his ear.

He sighed in disappointment and backed away from her, replacing her sleeve where it was. She smirked and shook her head. "I didn't say we had to stop," she corrected. He blinked in surprise. Her smirk widened, and she returned the kiss against the CEO's neck, feeling his pulse underneath. Whispering, she added, "I just asked if we shouldn't go upstairs?"

"I thought you didn't want any games?" he whispered huskily in her ear.

She glanced up to see him staring lustily down at her. Her heart skipped a beat. For a moment, neither one spoke. They just stared at each other. "Still bad with words..."

She leaned up and kissed him firmly on the lips. It was all the permission he needed.

The moonlight shone in through the large window down onto their bed. Anzu listened to the CEO's heavy breathing. Wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead, she smiled and glanced over at Seto, who appeared to have fallen asleep. His eyelids were closed, and a few bangs hung in front of his face. The scar along his shoulder was visible, and she rolled over, pressing her naked body to his. Her finger began tracing along the line, and she smiled warmly as she closed her eyes, snuggling ever closer to him. He shifted slightly, and she watched as he opened his eyes to mere slits.

"What's wrong?" he whispered.

"Nothing…" she whispered back. "Absolutely nothing." Everything was fine. Beautiful. Just like him...

"It's late. You should be asleep."

"I know…"

"You sure everything's okay?"

"I know everything is okay."

She listened to him smirk and felt him bring her close. "Go to sleep. You have a big day tomorrow."

She chuckled and thought, "I love you, too, Seto." Closing her eyes, she soon fell asleep.