What Money Really Means

++A/N++

Yes I am writing an Anzu and Kaiba fic. It's kid of hard because now I'm trying to keep people in character and write a reasonable romance, so don't mind me trying to hard. Well I'm not the best of fanfiction writers but I hope you like it.

BTW if you are looking to write a YGO! Fanfiction go here= . Seriously, it's really a great guide.

Anzu grimaced slightly at the price of the costly gift glittering elegantly on her wrist. The bracelet looked simple enough, gold bands intricately woven in and out of each other to make a sort of braid design with a diamond in the middle of it.

'125?' she thought incredulously and quickly took it off, it was way to steep even for her mother's birthday. Sure she had the money to pay it off, she's been saving ever since she was ten to go to America for a decent dance college. However lately after all these Monster Duels and all this business with evil and Pegasus she just hadn't had the time to work. Plus the fact that the viewing all the battles and taking out the 'other' Yugi around was costing her. The void in her pocket kept reminding her of the fact.

She continued to glance over the assortments of bracelets and necklaces, each more expensive then the other. Anzu bit her lip nervously, to buy or not to buy. Unlike most teenage girls of her time Anzu was extremely careful of what to buy. Money wasn't something taken lightly in her family, well because there was a definite lack. Not that they where poor, but they really didn't have enough surplus to go on rabid buying spree's.

Anzu frown deepened, everything was way to expensive for her liking and she was about to leave when something swished in her peripheral vision. She looked back and was very shocked to see calm and collective Kaiba standing tall and unfazed by her presence.

Her first thought was 'Kaiba? What would Kaiba be doing in a jewelry store?' Talk about of character, however another person had come to make sense of the present situation.

"Hey Anzu," Mokuba smiled politely carrying a small velvet box in his hand. Anzu smiled at him.

"Hey. What's that you got?" she asked curiously trying to ignore Kaiba's icy glare. Mokuba proudly opened it and inside was the very bracelet she was looking at, nesting itself upon its comfortable plush seat.

"Wow that's nice," pretending never had ever seen it before, "Is it for someone special?"

Mokuba turned a bright red and tried to play it off calmly, "It's for a good friend, it's her birthday."

Anzu smiled warmly and decided not to push the boy any farther. Although he was mature beyond his years he still was a kid and all kids are incredibly sensitive about their crushes. Not that there aren't others her age just as nervous about their own crush.

"I'm going to her party, I hope she'll like it," he said suddenly.

"Of course she will. It's really nice looking," Anzu encouraged and Mokuba beamed. Kaiba just shot her a death glare, it was probably Mokuba's first time at a party away from Kaiba, it would do Moukuba good to get away from him for awhile.

"Yeah, I guessed she would like it since you seemed to admire it a lot," Mokuba stated shocking Anzu a little.

"But you didn't buy it, do you need money?" her asked. Kaiba cleared his throat in aggravation, he obviously didn't like the thought of helping a friend of Yugi. That was all well and good because Anzu despised the thought of getting help from someone who was always causing Yugi trouble.

"No, I was just looking," she lied brushing off his offer of help, "In fact I took a little bit to much time to look. I'm late for work."

"Like you would know what work really is," Kaiba snorted, the first word he said to her. Anzu chose to ignore him for Mokuba's sake and then waved goodbye to Mokuba.

Anzu sighed, in her haste she forgot to phone her father to pick her up. She walked down the usually packed street. Strangely enough most of everybody was at their own home, making the path to her home alone and lonely.

She noticed the black clouds smothering the sun and the skies darkened with a looming promise of an upcoming storm.

'Great. Just what I need' she thought in exasperation, 'This day keeps getting better and better.'

~*~*~*~*~

"Are you done paying for that Mokuba," Kaiba inquired in his raspy voice. Mokuba nodded in replience and followed faithfully behind Kaiba who had pulled out a cell phone.

"Bring the car around," he commanded shortly and immediately hung up as he walked to the front of the store. Mokuba walked eagerly behind Kaiba softly fingering the little box. Kaiba swooped in the car swiftly and almost gracefully, while Mokuba tired to mimic his brother but only managed to stumble in.

The first thing Mokuba saw his brother do was pull out a laptop and start working tediously again. It seemed that there was nothing Mokuba could do that could pry Kaiba's hands of the keyboard for more then an hour, unless it involved Duel Monsters.

Mokuba looked out into the darkening sky from the tinted window, "Looks like it's going to rain."

"Hn." Kaiba made a noise to try and convince Mokuba he was paying attention. A fat raindrop fell unto the window and rolled down lazily.

"It's already starting," he said stating the obvious, once again Kaiba made a noise in his throat to replace any other words he could have said.

Mokuba sighed and stared a small figure, barely distinguishable from a dot.

"Hey! I think I see Anzu," he said , this time Kaiba made no noise and leaned closer to the laptop screen.

"Maybe we should help her."

He leaned so close to the laptop that his nose was almost touching it. Anzu was really close now and she was staring at the limo passing by with her arms above her head to help her keep dry.

"Kaiba let's stop for her."

"Too late, we're going to pass her to soon," he said in a monotone voice.

"Well then back up, they're no cars in the street."

"That's against the law."

"Since when did you ever care about the law?"

Defeated he reluctantly took out his cellphone, "Stop the car." The car screeched to a halt- the driver had learned never to question Seto Kaiba.

"Back up to the girl walking and let her it."

"…" There was a confused paused on the other line, and there was good reason. Kaiba was the cold-hearted boss who now seemed to want to help a poor girl in the rain, something wasn't right.

"Are you an idiot? Did you not hear what I said? Do you want me to fire you, I have no time for this incompetence!"

It sounded like the real Kaiba then so the driver shifted the car into rear and drove slowly back. The road where getting slippery as the rain poured harder on the black street.

You could imagine Anzu's surprise when the limo started to back up, and she was even more shocked to see it stop next to her. The shaded window slid down to reveal Mokuba's smiling face.

"Hey Anzu, need a ride?"

Anzu began to debate in her head whether or not to go. She didn't want any help from a guy like Kaiba but she didn't want her pride to come before sensibility. It was cold enough outside she didn't needed to trudging along in soaking clothes.

"Thanks," she mumbled as the door swung open and she could not surprise a gasp. Anzu tried her best to make her face look passive but for a girl who's never been in a car with enough space to breathe without having to bump into something (save a bus) a limo was a new experience.

'This place is better furnished then my entire house' she silently awed. She seated herself as far away from Kaiba as humanly possible and not look to obvious. She sank comfortable in the black leather seats obviously enjoying this small luxury.

They sat in uncomfortable silence during the ride she was grateful that the limo finally stopped. However it did not stop at her house and Anzu was slightly surprised.

"This isn't my house," Anzu stated feeling foolish that she automatically thought the driver would know where she lived.

"Of course it isn't," Mokuba said, "This is my friends house. Bye Kaiba."

'Bye Kaiba? Oh God no, please don't tell me Mokuba's leaving. Please don't leave me with Kaiba,' she silently pleaded. However the gods did not favor her this night as Mokuba gave a quick hug to Kaiba and jumped out of the car.

Of all the things that Anzu and her friends went through at Duelist Kingdom, this was the frightening torture she had to go through. Ok, perhaps Anzu was being a tad melodramatic but 'hanging out' with Seto Kaiba was not at the top of her fun-things-to-do list.

Anzu began to contemplate on whether to ask Kaiba where he knew where he had to go but didn't really feel like directly talking to him. Especially since he seemed so absorbed in his work.

"Kaiba?" there was no response but she went on talking anyway, "Do you know where my house is."

"Hn." Anzu had no idea what that grunt was suppose to mean but she guessed it was a no.

"Well all you have to do is-"

"I know where you live. I don't need directions, the driver is taking us there right now."

"Oh," she said feeling somewhat foolish but then her expression turned dumb-founded, "Hey how do you know where my house is."

"I know everything about Yugi and his little lackeys."

Anzu didn't know whether to feel creeped out by that statement or offended by his use of 'lackey'. Anzu might tolerate a lot of things but she wasn't about to stay quiet while her and her friends where insulted.

"Lackeys? I think you mean friends."

"Same difference," Kaiba said not moving his eyes off the screen.

"Only to a guy who doesn't have any."

Kaiba visibly tensed, she knew she had struck a sensitive spot. No matter what he acted like he deep down was a lonely guy, even with Mokuba. She had known it ever since his reaction at Duelist Kingdom.

"I don't need our 'friends'. I have more then enough companionship."

"Right your brother and your money. Spoken like a complete fool," she snorted, somewhat satisfied that she had the winning hand.

"If I'm the fool then why are you working at a dead-end job for almost no pay to try and accomplish a near impossible dream while I always have thousands of dollars to throw around."

Anzu looked at his widened in amazement.

"Like I said. I know everything about Yugi and his lackeys," was his only explanation to her confusion.

The car was once again overcome by silence and Kaiba resumed typing on his laptop furiously.

'Impossible dream? It's not really impossible. I mean I'm a pretty good dancer and I'm working on the money. It's not *impossible*…' However Anzu knew that Kaiba was a smart guy who knew more things then he should but it was possible that he could be over exaggerating. Perhaps?

"You're wrong Kaiba. Money doesn't mean anything if you got the will to do it."

"Money has everything to do with it. If you don't have it, then you can't get anywhere."

"… Is that why you work so hard for it?"

Kaiba quickly looked away from the laptop and glared at her, "What? Is this a psychiatry session here. Why don't you shut up like a good Yugi lackey and save your voice when it's time for you to be his cheerleader."

"You know you would have a lot more friends if you didn't always act like a cold, egotistical money-grubber."

"Right, friends," he sent out a hollow laugh, "Just what I always wanted. Now I feel as if I should change, become nice and kind. Thank you Anzu, you shown me my new way of life."

"You are a sick loser."

"Right," he said and resumed typing.

"You really could have a lot going for you Kaiba."

"Hn."

"I'm really sure you aren't that bad of a person."

She could see a smirk cross his face and he looked at her with the corner of his eye, "Does that mean there's something that you like about me?"

Anzu was caught off guard by this comment, it was totally uncharacteristically flirty of Kaiba and tried to mutter a few words in defense bur only ended in an exasperated sigh.

"You're impossible."

"Ah yes, you are after all Yugi's little girlfriend."

Anzu frowned deeply giving him the coldest glare she could muster but said nothing. As sensitive Kaiba was with his friendship (or lack of it) she was particular tense about Yugi.

True she was his friend and he was one her best friends since childhood, but that's all she wanted. However it wasn't a huge secret that Yugi perhaps wanted something more, and that everyone else was hinting for them to be together, and all of this was driving Anzu crazy.

And what made it worse was Kaiba now knew, she could tell from the look on his face, the growing smirk. He knew from her face, her actions, and her glare. Yugi was in love with someone that wasn't in love with him, and Kaiba was eating the idea right up. He smiled amused at the twisted love complication and Anzu looked away.

"You're a bastard."

He got up and it seemed he almost glided to her and grabbed her chin and made her look at him. "I haven't said anything offending have I?"

Anzu almost tried to jerk away when she looked at his eyes. Kaiba's icy blue eyes where piercing her, but this time it was different from the others. He was always emotionless and careful not to let feelings show but here she could see what he was feeling.

'It's cruel amusement,' she concluded and tried to push him away but he didn't move. Instead he brought he brought his face closer to her. Instinctively she shrunk back until she was as far back away from him as she could until she was lying down on the couch (remember it's a limo).

He moved on top of her with her face still in his hands, and then he moved his face closer to hers.

'What the hell are you doing Kaiba,' she silently thought. She wanted to jerk away and punch him away but she found herself unable to move. Instead a chill ran up her spine and a new and foreign feeling rush in her heart. 'Excitement?'

Kaiba sort of half laughed without looking away from her, "You are a very strange girl Anzu. A little annoying perhaps, but there's something about you I can't get my finger on."

His face loomed closer. Anzu silently prayed he would go away, she didn't know what would happen if they stayed in this position, especially since she lost all her strength suddenly. Anzu could only stare back at Kaiba in a sort of confused, scared, and fascinated way.

"Why?" is all she could ask as he brushed a few wisps out of cerulean eyes.

"I don't know," he admitted, which was hard for him to do. Kaiba had always had his life control. Everything to him was black and white, he did things for only him and Mokuba. But now everything had come into color, Kaiba wasn't just the one-dimensional Kaiba anymore. He wanted…

"I don't know," he repeated honestly towards her, "Maybe because your different then all the other people I know. Maybe because you are someone I could never have. Maybe because you are Yugi's. Or maybe," he leaned down closer and for the first time, she ever heard him, he whispered, "I'm just attracted to you."

Anzu struggled to have a comeback but only worsened the cause, "They always said opposites attract." And perhaps that was true.

Anzu once, in a failing attempt, tried to learn English in a month. True they taught English in school but it was very different from real life. She had tried to watch this movie which was called Rock-y (it took her a long time to finally understand Rocky was a name) but it was near impossible. Half the time she barely could hear what he was saying because he mumbled everything. However during one of the movies there was a part Rocky was explaining why he married Adrian. She only got a few words but she got the idea. Rocky had certain 'gaps' and Adrian could fill them. Maybe… just maybe it was the same thing here.

Kaiba was the exact opposite from her, he had holes in his life he couldn't fill. But Anzu could. It was a mach mad in heaven, or perhaps hell. Whichever way you want to look at it.

Kaiba grinned slightly, seeing Kaiba a non evil grin without Mokuba around was site she hadn't seen often and she had to admit, it did make it him look better. For awhile everything was silent and Kaiba seemed to come closer, if that was possible.

Suddenly Anzu knew the seriousness of the situation. It wouldn't just be a kiss, it was a promise and a risk. It would signify that they wouldn't hold these secrets in anymore, that perhaps that they had more then just feeling of rivalry.

It would be more then a kiss. It's would a start of an actual realtionship.

Yugi, her family, Mokuba, her friends, they had flashed though her mind and then suddenly their faces disappeared. It felt as if everything had stopped in anticipation of this moment.

Well it did, sort of.

"Mr. Kaiba," said the driver's voice over the intercom, "We arrived at the miss's house."

Anzu wasn't aware that the car had stopped. He didn't reply for awhile and just stared at Anzu. Finally, he got off of her, leaving her lips untouched.

They chose silence.

Anzu straitened up and rushed to the door quickly. She reached for the door handle, but not before she paused to look at him. He stared at her back and then tossed something gleaming magnificently at her, the very bracelet she wanted to buy.

She gripped the gold band and practically tore out of the limousine feeling her heart sink to her stomach and irritation in her eyes. The door closed behind her and although she could not see through the tinted glass she knew that Kaiba was still staring at her. And he would continue staring at her until the car drove out of view.

Outside it was still pouring but instead of running for shelter she stood frozen gazing into nothing. Her eyes moved from the misty and forlorn road to the glittering bracelet she had been admiring. Perhaps it was his way of apologizing.

"Or maybe I'm just attracted to you,"

Anzu couldn't get those words out of her head, the where plaguing her. Why couldn't she forget it.

"…there's something about you I can't get my finger on"

His eyes where haunting her. She was angry at him for saying such things and at herself for those words having such an effect on her.

"Does that mean there's something that you like about me?"

Dear God, could it be? Logically he was everything she hated, but for some reason she had a feeling attraction didn't play along with logic.

"Ah yes, you are after all Yugi's little girlfriend."

She wouldn't deny it, she would probably end up with him. She would probably follow him wherever he went. She was always happy about that before but now…

'Now…'

She felt empty. Her life was paved out in front of her, she would become what everybody expected her to be. She would never be with Kaiba, it was stupid even thinking about it.

Anzu felt a surge of a new mix of feelings rise in her body filling every part of her. Despair, hopelessness, contained, anger, self-disgust, guilt, regret. She threw the bracelet as far as she could. It landed on the street and got washed up in the small stream on the road and finally down a drain. She would never see it again. After it disappeared from sight she turned quickly and started to the door to her house.

Anzu laughed at herself noticing that she was drenched with shivering tears of the heavens. She was better off walking home instead of riding with Kaiba.

"Maybe because you are someone I could never have."

He was right, they can't have each other. He was the cold rival of Yugi who would stare apathetically as Yugi would get hurt. She was a faithful friend, and maybe even 'lover', to Yugi. The possibility of them together was ludicrous. Inconceivable. Idiotic. It just wouldn't happen.

Anzu pushed back her own tears that threatened to fall down her face. She knew she would pretend to hate him forever and he would pretend to hate her back. They would never act on what they felt.

And perhaps… that is the way things are meant to be.

The rain showed no indication that it would let down.

~*~*~*

A/N: Yeay I finished! It only took me forever, I'm so lazy :-P. I really did try to make this in character as possible but let us face it, you can't really make an Anzu and Kaiba fic 100% in character and it pains me to say that. I may love the couple but I also respect the fact they can't be together, hence the ending the end of the story. By the way if you where wondering where the site I got the guide here is the url=

Wonderful site. Go there.