Chapter 38 : Her Night

"Three cheers for Anzu, and a thanks to Kaiba for hosting this party! Ganbei!"

The sound of glasses clinking filled the living room, and Seto leaned back into the loveseat as he took a sip of the sake. Anzu was sitting next to him smiling widely, while the rest of the gang and some of her friends from the dance group sat on the various couches and chairs. The light overhead illuminated the room, while outside, he could see the bright, night sky, the stars glistening off the distant pool. A sigh of content spread throughout the room as everyone sipped at their drinks. Wrapping his arm around Anzu to bring her slightly closer, Seto leaned in and whispered, "You were wonderful."

She blushed and smiled up at him, and he smiled in return. Her performance had been spectacular; whether it was because of the dance itself or the lead dancer, he found that the recital flew by. He saw entranced, captivated by her movements. The dance had been a resounding success, and it was Mokuba's idea to host a party for her afterwards at the manor. Now, for the first time in years, the Kaiba Manor was full of guests, all Anzu's friends and companions.

He smirked as he glanced around the room at all the guests, most of whom were standing and mingling with one another. If nothing else, it was entertaining. Mokuba, Anzu, and even Irika seemed happy about the evening. He had never seen Irika walk around the manor with such a smile on her face. "I guess Anzu just has that effect on people," he thought as she unwound herself from his grasp to go and talk with a friend. Ayame, if he remembered her name correctly. The girl whom Anzu had complained about earlier but now seemed the best of friends with. He shrugged his shoulders. "I still don't get friendships, but who cares?"

He sure didn't.

Taking another sip of his drink, he blinked in surprise when Jounouchi plopped down next to him on the loveseat. "Havin' fun, Kaiba?"

"As much as can be expected with this group of people," he muttered. He glanced down at his silver tie and straightened it slightly, making sure it looked proper between his black, long-sleeve shirt and black-and-silver striped silk vest. He then finished his cup of sake and sighed before looking over at Jounouchi. "What?" he asked. The mutt was smiling curiously at him.

"I saw you smiling today in the balcony seat," Jounouchi remarked.

"So?"

He shrugged. "First time I saw that. You looked happy for once."

Seto scoffed. "You sat down here just to tell me that?"

"Well, no. I mean..." He sighed and shook his head. "Thanks, man. For this party, and for supportin' her. I mean that. I really do. You can be an asshole sometimes, but it's obvious you care for her. You're the most selfish person I know, yet you invited all of us to your manor after making time to support her in something she loves. You got a heart for her, that much is obvious."

"It was Mokuba's idea," he remarked, slightly taken aback by the mutt's statement.

"Yeah, but you wouldn't allow it if you really didn't wanna hold it."

Seto peeked over at Anzu, who was still talking with Ayame, before returning his attention to Jounouchi. "This is her night."

"That's just it. You of all people are dedicating a night to her."

"Why wouldn't I? She did a fantastic job today. She deserves a celebration."

Jounouchi chuckled and stood. Turning to look down at Seto, he said, "All I'm sayin' is this. The CEO I knew in high school would've never done this. You've changed. Whether it's because of Anzu or just from the passin' of time, I dunno. But you've changed. And I respect ya for that." He pat Seto on the shoulder and walked away, leaving Seto somewhat confused as to the purpose of Jounouchi's remarks. Fortunately for him, Mokuba soon approached him and took Jounouchi's seat. He turned to look at his younger brother.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah," Mokuba answered, his smile widening as he took a bite of the small sushi. Appetizers were set on the middle coffee table, and Irika stood at the ready to replace any empty plates or refill cups. "Anzu's performance was awesome today!"

He nodded in agreement.

"I didn't know she was that good. You think she'll be asked to do more big-time shows in the future? Maybe even go to New York City someday?"

Seto shrugged, his eyes naturally wandering over to look at the brunette once again. "Who knows?"

"What would you do, Seto, if she got an offer like that?"

He again shrugged. "That is something not worth worrying over. If it happens, we will deal with it. If it does not, then there is no purpose in fretting."

Mokuba nodded in understanding and ate another bite of sushi. Yuki suddenly jumped onto the back of the loveseat and meowed down at the two. Mokuba chuckled and muttered, "Poor Yuki. She's so confused by all the commotion."

Seto smirked and reached back to scratch the cat behind her ears. "Oi, you got a cat, Kaiba?" he heard Jounouchi call across the room. Seto's smirk widened.

"Yeah, and we taught him specifically to chase out any dogs in the house."

"Hey, I just got done complimentin' ya! No need for that crap!"

"Give it a rest, Jounouchi!" Honda called over. Seto's smirk turned victorious as he watched Jounouchi shake his head in defeat and walk over to Shizuka and Otogi, who were both standing in front of the stereo system. As he scanned the room, he blinked in surprise when he noticed Yugi sitting on the other loveseat talking with a girl.

"Saka... The girl the dance is based on." Seto could see why they would dedicate the dance to her. It was obvious war had done a number on her; she looked frail and a bit shaken, always looking down at the floor, as if she wasn't seeing what was there. But Yugi seemed to be trying to talk to her, and she would nod and timidly smile over at him from time to time. Seto remembered what Yugi told him on the bridge and felt a blush threatening to surface. He wondered if Anzu and he would truly last so long as to have a family of their own... "I never even thought about things like that. Hell, I never even thought I would get a girlfriend, let alone marry and have kids." He mentally sighed and shook his head. "No point in scaring myself over things like that. Take it one day at a time." He couldn't help but look back at Anzu. "She is being so patient with me. She understands I'm bad with words, yet she still puts up with me. She-"

"Right, Seto?"

He blinked and glanced over at his brother. "What?" His brother pouted and gave him a disapproving glare. "Sorry, was thinking about something."

"More like someone." Mokuba chuckled. "I said, it seems like everyone is having a good time. We should do this again when we put out our game."

Seto scoffed. "This is Anzu's night. You can invite your friends over when we release the game, but don't expect much from me. And no, we're not inviting all these people again."

"But they are my friends, too, Seto, and you just said I could invite my friends over."

He sighed heavily. The idea that he would have to deal with this same situation three weeks from now sent a shiver down his spine. He felt his brother lightly punch his shoulder and glanced over to see him smiling. "Admit it, Seto. You're having fun."

"All I'm doing is sitting and sipping my drink."

"Yeah, and who's fault is that?"

"Mine. I never said it was anyone else's."

"Well, if you're bored, get up and talk to someone. I know I am." He blinked in surprise and watched as his brother stood and walked over to where Anzu was standing, joining in on the conversation. He mentally scowled, realizing his brother had just scolded him for being the antisocial person he was. He glanced back at Yuki, who curiously stared at him.

He really didn't want to talk to anyone, and he felt standing up and trying to enter a conversation would be either awkward or dishonest. This was Anzu's evening, after all. He could just sit here and watch. It was what he normally did at social events, anyways, unless he had to talk to another CEO or company executive to get some insight. He was by no means a small-talker, and not even Anzu would change that about him. The idea of leaving briefly entered his mind, but he knew Anzu would come looking for him, and he wasn't about to ruin her evening by being sulky. He pet Yuki's ears and mumbled, "What should I do, Yuki?"

"Hey, Mr. CEO of KaibaCorp."

He recoiled and glanced up in the direction of the voice. Ayame was standing in front of him, wearing a long, black dress with her hair pulled back in a simple ponytail. Her hands were on her hips, and she was smirking down at him. He frowned. "What is it?"

"Mind if I take a seat next to you?"

He shrugged. "Go ahead."

"Thanks." Plopping down next to him, she sipped at her cup of sake and sighed contently. "And thanks for hosting this party. Anzu seems to be having fun, though you're just kind of sitting here."

"These are her friends."

"I suppose."

He growled under his breath. "Why is everyone scolding me for sitting here?"

"Did you enjoy the dance?"

He nodded. "Actually, I did. I found it to be very interesting, and I thought you all did quite well."

"Thank you. We've worked hard, as I'm sure Anzu has told you countless times."

He again nodded. "I respect her, though, for doing it. It's obvious dancing is her passion and makes her happy. It's fortunate that she learned early in life what it is that brings her happiness."

Ayame nodded in agreement. "I love to dance, but yes, I would say it's Anzu's passion. There's a reason we all look up to her. She manages to bring us all together, even when we don't like each other. She deserved the lead role, and I'm sure she'll get the lead role next year as well."

"You aren't jealous of her position?"

"Absolutely not. I would not want the responsibilites she has, and I certainly could not remain neutral when it comes to certain arguments we have. Trust me, there are some catty bitches in our group."

"From what I heard, you're one of them." Seto thought it best to keep that little comment to himself. He instead chose to grab Yuki and lift her into his lap, setting her down and scratching underneath her chin. Ayame chuckled.

"She's very cute. Where did you get her?"

"We found her. She was a stray, and we took her in."

He noticed Ayame's eyes widen at that. "I see... What's her name?"

"Yuki."

"A cute name." She giggled again. "Though I'm sure she's jealous now that you're giving all the attention to Anzu."

He smirked. "Yes, she has become rather possessive of Mokuba and me. But it's something she will have to get used to."

Ayame smiled and reached forward to pet Yuki. She chuckled at her softness as she scratched behind her ear and soon retracted her hand. Returning her attention to Seto, she leaned forward slightly and whispered, "She loves you."

Seto's eyes widened at the sudden statement. Frowning, he looked incredulously at her and asked, "What?"

"Anzu. I don't know if she has said it or not, but she loves you. I've been friends with her for years, and I've never seen her act the way she does when she talks about you." Motioning over to Anzu, who was now talking with Shizuka, Honda, and Otogi, Ayame continued. "Whenever I bring you up, her eyes widen, and she becomes all giggly and happy. She's like a little schoolgirl sometimes, but that's just how she is. I've seen her with previous boyfriends, but never like this. She loves you. I just thought you should know."

Seto stared at the dancer, not knowing what to say. Yuki reached up and licked his face, bringing him back to reality. He swallowed the lump in his throat. "If you're worried I'll hurt her feelings-"

"No, I'm not," Ayame interrupted, receiving a glare from Seto for doing so. She seemed to brush it off, for she immediately added, "I just know that Anzu can sometimes be...a little slow with things. Hell, perhaps she doesn't even know it yet herself. But yeah, she loves you, and I'm extremely happy for her. I thought it best to tell you. After all, I wouldn't want you to give her up just 'cuz she didn't speak up about her true feelings."

Seto scoffed. "I wouldn't dare give her away."

"That's what I like to hear!" Drinking her cup dry, she leaned forward and set it on the coffee table before standing. "Well, I'm going to go talk to her. You take care of yourself."

He merely watched as she walked away, mingling with the other guests. Seto's eyes wandered from her, to Saka and Yugi still talking, to Jounouchi playfully talking with another dancer, then to Anzu, who glanced back over at him. Noticing his gaze, she smiled and winked at him, causing him to blush slightly.

"Anzu..."

Tossing the last of the plates into the trash bag, Seto tied the bag and sighed heavily. "I'll take care of these, Mr. Kaiba," Irika remarked, motioning to the bags. He nodded. Silence filled the main foyer. All the guests had left, and the clock on the wall read ten after midnight.

"Thank you," he replied.

"Of course. And... Mr. Kaiba..." He glanced over to see her smiling. "I hope everyone had a good time."

"I think they did," he stated. "And I thank you for helping with all the preparations."

"Of course."

"Feel free to take tomorrow off. I know tonight ran longer than usual."

"Y-Yes, Mr. Kaiba."

Making his way through the living room, he opened the sliding glass door and stepped outside. Shutting the door behind him, he looked forward and felt a smile tug at his lips. Anzu was dipping her naked legs into the water, the top of her black skirt getting wet. Her light blue t-shirt hugged her figure tightly, revealing her curves and lean muscles. He walked up behind her and kneeled down. He felt a bit of pain in his leg at the motion, but it did little to stop him. His leg was all but healed; rest and some exercises made the last phase of recovery surprisingly swift. Placing a hand on her back, he chuckled when she jumped in surprise. "H-Hey!" she exclaimed, turning and smiling at him. He noticed her pat the area next to her and took it as his cue to sit down. He did so.

"Have fun tonight?" he inquired. A cool, night breeze blew, and the sky was painted with stars. He felt calm sitting there next to her.

"Yes, I did," she said, leaning against him and wrapping her arms around his right arm. "Thank you for all this."

"Thank Mokuba. It was his idea."

"I'm still going to thank you."

He leaned down, kissed the top of her head, and whispered, "You're welcome." Leaning forward, he glanced down into the pool and asked, "So now what are your plans, since the recital is over?"

"We get two months off, during which Natsumi and some of the other girls, including myself, come up with ideas for new shows. After our two month break, we get together and begin working out again, just slowly with stretches and a few exercise routines. It's then that we choose our next dance idea, and we go from there."

"So I can expect another show around this time next year?"

She laughed and nodded. "You can expect a new show around this time every year."

He smirked, again reminded of Yugi's supposed vision as well as Ayame's words. He looked down at Anzu to see her smiling out at the distance. She slowly looked up at him, and her smile widened. She looked so happy, so peaceful. He felt a warmth inside him that reminded me of their previous evening together. He smiled almost naturally at the sight of her. He knew he should have been scoffing at the happiness he felt in that moment, that the Seto Kaiba a month ago would have thought it weak to feel this way, but... "I love you, Anzu."

The words came before he could stop them, but once he said them, he knew them to be true. Anzu's face turned red. He blushed and swiftly went to stand and leave, embarrassment flooding his system, but before he could walk away, he felt Anzu wrap her arms around him, pressing her chest to his back. He sighed in defeat and slowly turned to look at her. "Look, I'm-"

She silenced him by planting a finger on his lips. Standing up on her tip toes, she smiled warmly and whispered, "I love you too," before replacing her finger with her lips. They were soft and tasted slightly of sake. He swiftly wrapped his arms around her as they backed away from each other for air. Her large, blue eyes stared warmly up at him.

He leaned down and placed his head on her shoulder. He then closed his eyes and inhaled a large breath of air. "I love you," he whispered again. It felt like a weight was suddenly lifted from his shoulders. He had wanted to say this...but never could. She felt him playing with his hair and remembered the previous evening again. Their bodies melting into one another's embrace, the kisses, the moans, the smells of sweat and sex... "Yes...I love her."

"You know, Seto... Now that I got two months... We should pick out a new game to play."

His smirk widened as he backed away to get a good look at her face. Moving a strand of hair that hung in front of her eyes, he muttered, "Oh, I can think of a few."

She chuckled and lightly tapped his shoulder. "Not those games. I mean the games you're creating. Video games."

"My answer remains the same."

"Well...?" His arm traveled down her back, and his hand wove its way around her waist into her own hand. He felt her grip on his hand tighten, and she raised her head defiantly. "Am I choosing which game we play?"

"Of course. This is your night, after all."

Her eyes softened at that, and her smile widened. Nodding, she said, "Good! 'Cuz I've noticed quite a few I want to try out!" Walking past him, she nearly dragged him back into the manor, and soon the two were seated on the sofa in the game room, controllers in hand.

"How this all began..." Seto thought as he glanced down at his controller. Feeling Anzu snuggle against him, he peeked down at her and smiled. "How is it you make me smile all the time?" he wondered out loud.

"'Cuz that's what love does, silly."

"I suppose..."

"I know."

His smile turned to a smirk. "Just like you know I'm a good person, right?"

She looked up at him and winked. "Just the same. Though not the same as how I know to search for loot in trash cans."

He peeked down at his controller before returning his attention to her. "When you were a kid, did you ever think about having your own family? Did you ever think about kids?"

"Pfft, not until I was much older. I might want one someday, but not now with my dancing career."

"Same. I'll need a few years to get used to that idea..."

"What brought up that topic?"

"Nothing... We just have a game called The Sims, where you make a family, their house, and live out their lives. Since you're looking for a new game..." A good cover-up.

"Were you thinking of making us a family?"

He smirked. "If I did, what names would you have in mind for our kids?"

"I don't know. You think of something."

His smirk widened. "Nope. It's your night. We do what you want tonight."

"I want to play a game with you...then take a nice, hot bath...then have some hot, passionate sexy time."

He couldn't help but laugh. "You sure you didn't have too much sake?"

"I had just enough to know that that's what I want to do tonight."

His smirk widened. "Then you better pick out a game soon, else we'll be skipping some steps."

"Nope. You said so yourself." Standing to approach the game shelf, she turned her head, winked, and shook her butt at him, causing him to blush slightly. "It's my night tonight."