A/n: okay so I've turned myself into Seto x Anzu fan. I'd like to say thank you to 'just this once' whoever you are, I hope you're reading. And I'd also like to say this---Anzu in the manga is NOT all friendship and sunshine, in fact she's got a bit of a mouth on her. I like Anzu not Tea yes there is a big difference. Okay I'm done ranting now, please enjoy and review, ja!
Broken---that's the only way she could describe it.
He was broken.
Seto was kneeling on a dock just staring up at the full moon in tears.
This was so unlike him that all Anzu could do was stare.
What had happened to him to make him cry?
She had never seen him cry.
She knew mokuba was fine so what was wrong with him?
She slowly walked up to him and placed her hand on his shoulder.
He crumbled and fell into a ball, sobbing uncontrollably.
She was about to speak when he whispered almost inaudibly.
"I just can't take this anymore. I can't be alone anymore."
He refused to open his eyes, believing it was Mokuba who had just kneeled to him.
She spoke so softly that he didn't notice it wasn't who he thought.
Or perhaps in his sorrow he didn't care.
"Why are you alone?"
He lay still as she pulled his head into her lap and brushed his hair away from his face.
He clenched his fists and slammed them onto the wood beneath him.
"Because I don't have the guts to tell her that I love her! I need her and I can't find the words to tell her!"
She gently blew onto his forehead, taking all the care in the world to calm him.
"What were you doing out here this late at night? And so far away from home?"
He took a shuddering breath and calmed himself.
"I keep dreaming about her. I've never wanted someone so bad in my life but she's so important to me and she doesn't have a clue."
Anzu pulled him closer.
"Why not? Who is she?"
He took a few breaths as she continued to smooth out his ruffled hair.
"I guess it's because I tease her and her friends everyday but I really think I love her. Anzu---I love Anzu."
His eyes snapped open as she kissed him.
Frantically wiping the tears from his eyes, he stood and stared down at her.
"I thought you were---"
She stopped him as she stood.
"It's okay Seto---I want to talk about this."
He shook his head and took a step back, almost loosing his footing but she caught him.
"No, I can't! I have to go."
He started to walk away as she spoke.
"Everyone---"
"I'm not going to listen to your dumb little friendship speeches. I haven't got time for friends."
She looked down.
"No you're not going to hear one of my speeches because that's not what I was saying. Everyone looks at you like you're a creep but I see through that mask Seto, I see how you react to Mokuba. You have a heart, why don't you use it?"
He stopped and his voice became low as he tried to hide his emotions from her.
"But you see that's where you're wrong---I don't have a heart anymore."
She took a step closer and spoke softly.
"You've already confessed to me Seto, stopped hiding behind your pain. Don't you think I have pain too? It may not be as great, or from the same source, but it's there."
He turned to her with his eyes closed and lifted his head to the light of the moon as a strong wind blew from the sea, whipping his long white coat around him and ruffling his hair again.
He took in a deep breath and unknowingly smiled at the light sent of flowers she was wearing.
"That perfume drives me crazy. Yes Anzu, alright, I love you but I can't start having a relationship with you."
She looked down into the swirling black abyss that was the ocean and sighed.
"Why not?"
He looked down at her.
"Because I'm afraid I'd hurt you. I do that Anzu, I hurt people---even if I don't mean to."
She looked up at him and took another step closer.
"Just give in to your heart Seto. Even if it's only one kiss---please listen to your heart this once."
Without warning he pulled her closer and kissed her roughly.
He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly as he kissed her once again.
She laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes as he took her hand.
"Aren't you glad you listened?"
She felt him sigh and he kissed her head, smelling her sweet perfume.
"Can we keep it a secret?"
She looked up at him in confusion.
"What?"
He looked up at the moon again.
"That Seto Kaiba has a heart? That he cried because he dreamed of a girl he thought he'd never have. That. Can we keep all that a secret?"
She nodded and closed her eyes again.
They stood in each other's arms and watched the moon set, and the sun rise over the ocean in silence.
Seto smiled as he looked down and found her to be asleep so he picked her up and carried her away.
@'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anzu woke sometime that afternoon and looked around her unfamiliar surroundings.
Unfamiliar until she woke up a little more and realized that she was in the Kaiba mansion---on a couch in Seto Kaiba's room.
She glanced across the large room expecting to see him asleep in his bed, but turned to the window where she saw him concentrating on his laptop at his desk.
He looked up with a smile as she walked up to him.
"Sleep well? It's almost four, you missed lunch but if you like we can have dinner together."
She smiled as she leaned over the desk.
"Don't you ever sleep?"
He gave her a stern look and went back to his work.
"Not for the last month no. Every time I close my eyes I see you."
She stepped back looking a little frightened.
"I'm sorry, was that too direct for you? I'm not obsessed, it's not how it sounds."
He closed his laptop and stood.
Leaning on it, he closed his eyes and sighed.
"Go."
"What?"
"Go."
"Why?"
He looked up at her and sent a chill down her back with his piercing gaze.
"You want to stay?"
He began to walk around his desk but with every step he took, she took one back.
"Are you afraid of me? Afraid of what I say? Do you realize that you've been tormenting my dreams for more than a month? That last night was not the first time I'd walked down there. Do you know why I went down there Anzu?"
She shook her head and stared at him, somehow finding herself unable to move as he stepped ever closer to her.
He dragged out his steps so that it looked as though his entire body was in pain.
She began to shake and closed her eyes as he snatched her into his arms.
His voice was like a hungry growl as he leaned closer.
"Because I was terrified that day that Merik put your life in danger! I keep dreaming about what would have happened had I not saved your life!"
She took a deep breath as he kissed her roughly and held her tightly.
His eyes widened when he let go of her.
Tears ran down her face.
"Why are you crying?"
She merely turned and ran.
He started to run after her but found Mokuba in his way.
Before he could speak Mokuba shook his head.
"You scared her, I saw the whole thing. She was perfectly willing to stay until you did that. Sit down and listen if you want to get her back."
@'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anzu ran straight to Yugi's.
"Anzu?! Are you okay?!"
She started to say something but seeing Jonouchi, she changed her mind.
He noticed her tense as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into the shop.
Jonouchi walked up to her.
"What happened Anzu?!"
She shook her head and answered with a shaky voice.
"Nothing I just---it's nothing."
Yugi saw the look in her eyes and looked up at Jonouchi.
"Jonouchi---can you please go get her a glass of water?"
He nodded and dashed off upstairs.
"Now, what's wrong? Please tell me Anzu."
She fell to her knees and closed her eyes tightly, letting her tears fall unchecked onto her hands.
"Seto---Seto thinks he's in love with me! But he was so cruel to me! He---"
She stopped as she felt a strong hand on her shoulder.
She froze at the low voice and started to see visions of something that had happened not too long ago.
"I kissed you the wrong way, I'm sorry. I told you that I hurt people, even when I don't want to."
She found herself being pulled up and she opened her eyes to be staring into his but saw another man standing there.
"Let me do it the right way this time."
She couldn't answer as he closed his eyes and leaned in closely.
"Anzu."
And kissed her sweetly.
He held her gently in his arms and brushed his fingers through her hair.
When he broke away from the kiss he whispered softly into her ear.
" I'm sorry that I scared you. I was too forceful. Come with me and let me show you the soft side of my heart."
She took a breath that worried him and she almost fell but he held tightly to her.
Yugi took a step closer and Jonouchi stopped dead in his tracks as he saw Seto standing there.
"Anzu! What'd you do to her you creep?!"
He set the glass at his feet and grabbed her away from Seto picking her up.
Yugi looked up at Jonouchi.
"It's alright Jonouchi---just take her up to my room, Kaiba san and I will be there in a minute."
Jonouchi nodded silently with a look to kill and headed back up the stairs.
As soon as he was out of earshot Yugi looked up at Seto.
" I don't know what you said to her Seto Kaiba, but if I find out it had anything to do with what just happened, you will be sorry!"
Seto stared him in the eye and spoke in a low voice.
" I didn't make her faint Yugi---I'm afraid this was the effect of my behavior earlier. I scared her and I didn't mean to."
Yugi looked down and was about to speak when Anzu was heard from the stairs.
"Jonouchi I'm fine, let me go!"
She came down the stairs, Jonouchi following her.
"I just think you should rest, I freaked when I came down the stairs and you were unconscious in Kaiba's arms!"
She turned back to him, not yet noticing Yugi and Seto staring at them.
"He didn't knock me out Jonouchi, I was in shock."
Seto went to take a step forward but Yugi grabbed his arm.
Jonouchi sighed.
"It's alright if you had that day dream again anzu---it's been a while but it still upsets you I know, it upsets me. It's okay."
Anzu leaned against the railing and looked dizzy.
Seto ran to her and caught her just as she was about to fall.
"Shut up Katsuya! I don't know what you're talking about but it's obviously disturbing to her!"
Anzu caught her breath and closed her eyes for a moment while the room stopped spinning.
To Yugi and Jonouchi's shock, Anzu turned to face Seto and wrapped her arms around him.
"Thank you."
He sighed and picked her up, pushing past Jonouchi and carried her back into Yugi's room, setting her on the bed.
" As much as I dislike him, Katsuya is right. You stayed up all night and you've obviously got something troubling you. You should rest."
She took his hand and looked up into his eyes as she sat up.
"I'm fine now I just---"
Jonouchi cut her off as he walked in.
"Yugi wants to talk to you alone Kaiba."
@'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"So you see, Anzu had a really bad relationship with this guy that used to hit her a lot so it's hard for her to trust."
Seto sat back, listening to Yugi and remembered her words.
'Don't you think I have pain too? It may not be as great, or from the same source, but it's there.'
Now he knew what she meant.
"So it wasn't what I said, it was how I approached her. Mokuba told me there was a reason why she was so afraid of me, but he refused to tell me why. But what does Katsuya have to do with it?"
Yugi was about to speak when Jonouchi did.
"I saw him hit her and pulverized the guy. She's asleep. I've been really protective of her since then and what I saw with you and her made me think of what he used to do."
Yugi looked over at Seto and took a deep breath.
"He would whisper things to her that would scare her to the point of tears. I knew that's not what you were doing but when she fainted---I thought I was wrong."
Seto gave a look of half sickness half shock.
"What twisted psycho did that? Why did she stay with him?"
Jonouchi shut his eyes as he sat in a chair across from them.
"He threatened to kill us all if she didn't. And he had the means too, I almost didn't make it out alive."
Yugi looked down.
" I suspected something off right when I met him but she insisted that I was wrong. Then I went to his house one day and saw all the swords and guns and I knew I was right so I sent Jonouchi and that's when he saw them."
Jonouchi picked up a soda bottle that had been sitting next to the chair from earlier, and took a swig of it before talking.
"I could hear him screaming before I got to the door. He used to make her come cook him dinner every night. Well I guess she did it wrong or something---"
Seto looked up and stopped Jonouchi as he heard soft cries.
He ran up the stairs and found her sitting at the top of them.
"He hit me and pushed me into the counter. He took a knife---if Jou-chan hadn't come he'd---I'd be---"
Seto sat beside her and pulled her into his arms.
"It's okay now. You don't need to say anything more. Just sit here and I'll hold you. I'm so sorry for the way I acted earlier."
@'-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anzu stared into Seto's eyes as she sat across from him in a fancy restaurant.
They had just finished eating and were sitting for a while.
He spoke softly and gently laid his hand over hers with a soft smile.
"I ordered us a bottle of wine, maybe a glass will relax you."
She sighed and looked down.
"I'm really sorry that you saw me like that today."
He took her hand into his and kissed it.
"It's okay. If anyone should be embarrassed it should be me---curled up in a ball and not even aware of who I was talking to."
She smiled as he placed feathery kisses in her palm and on her wrist.
"But I'm glad it was you who found me."
She looked confused for a moment.
"How did you know I would go to Yugi instead of home?"
She was startled as he looked up at her, his eyes showing brilliant emotion that she'd never seen in them before.
"I've been paying attention. Whenever you're upset you go to your closest friend, Yugi---though I wished it were I who you ran to at the end of that insane battle between Katsuya and Yugi. But why do you want to date me?"
Her smile brightened.
"You're more than just handsome and rich, you do have a wonderful heart that I can see."
He chuckled softly and closed his eyes.
" Seto in stone."
She watched him intently, studying his face.
" Don't you mean 'set in stone'?"
He shook his head and stared at her, his eyes becoming dark as he spoke.
"I am stone. I was chiseled to be cold and unfeeling. Seto Kaiba in stone. I was raised this way and I will die this way."
She looked down.
"But you do love me?"
She was startled at his voice.
Lower than just a moment ago and filled with passion.
"Yes Anzu---you are the only thing I can feel. You put a crack in me at duelist kingdom that I hadn't realized was there until just last month. I love you Anzu---more than I should."
He sat silently for a moment as the waiter brought a bottle of wine and two glasses, filled the glasses half full and left.
He took a sip of his and stared into the deep red.
"I want to take you somewhere. We have to go after it closes but it's only open another hour or so."
She smiled as she stared into his eyes.
"Why do we have to wait until it closes?"
He smiled as he took her hand.
"I want to be alone with you."
@'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seto glanced at his watch as they walked towards a large white building that looked like a mansion.
"What is this place Seto?"
He smiled and wrapped his arm around her waist.
"This is a privately owned club that few people can get into. You have to have social status, or lots of money."
She smirked and wrapped her arm around his waist.
"I can guess which got you in."
He nodded with a smile.
"We're here a few minutes early so would you mind if we just hang out until they close?"
She nodded.
"That's fine. Who else is here?"
He shrugged.
"I don't come often, I'm not sure."
Taking two steps in the door found Seto slammed up against the wall.
"What are you doing with her?!"
His vision blurred and he swapped at the hand tightening around his throat.
"Let go of me lap dog!"
He fell to his knees as Jonouchi released him.
He rubbed his throat and caught his breath.
"I was holding her what did it look like! And if you ever do that to me again you'll find your face very sore! Now get out of my way. Anzu, I'm very sorry but I'll be right back."
She nodded with a look of worry as she helped him up.
"Are you okay? Seto, I'm so sorry."
He nodded as he glared at the blond.
"I'll be okay Anzu, I just need a little water."
She almost looked hurt as he walked away.
Anzu glared at Jonouchi as he spoke.
"You're really with him?"
She nodded silently, her bright blue eyes threatening to spill tears.
He sighed and rested his hand on her shoulder.
"Just don't get hurt okay---if he does or says anything you're not comfortable with, leave."
She nodded as he left.
She was startled as she felt Seto's arms come around her.
"Come with me."
He took her by the hand and pulled her behind him as he went up a staircase that was to the right of the front door.
"How many floors are there?"
He chuckled and in one move turned, picked her up and continued.
"Five, tiered and we're going to the roof of the fifth. There's over six hundred steps."
She giggled.
"No wonder you're so thin."
He smirked.
"Yeah I carry beautiful women up six hundred steps every week.."
She laughed and kissed his cheek.
"Oh my, Seto Kaiba made a joke! I think I'm going to faint."
He set her down as they reached a landing with a door.
"Here we are. Close your eyes."
She smiled and closed her eyes.
He opened the door and led her out into a garden.
It was so high up that the lights from the city were drowned out and the stars shone brightly.
Tea candles lay in a spiraling pattern of light made a walkway around the circular rooftop.
He placed his hands on either side of her face and kissed her softly before stepping back.
"Open your eyes."
She was breathless as she looked around at the hundred types of flowers in varying shades of red.
Cherry blossom trees lined this floating garden and their buds were just beginning to bloom.
He wrapped his arms around her from behind and she closed her eyes as he placed a light kiss on her neck.
She looked up at the bright stars and sighed.
The moon hadn't risen yet, which left all the constellations in view.
"Thank you Seto."
His only response was another kiss.
They stood there, the only two people in the world it seamed, until almost midnight.
@'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
They came to a stop at her door and he stood close to her.
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her softly.
He spoke quietly as he slowly backed her into the door.
"Can I come in?"
She stared into his eyes, searching for his intentions and shook her head.
"I don't think that's a good idea."
He held her with one arm and reached around to the already unlocked door with the other.
Opening it he pushed her in.
"I'm not giving you a option."
Her eyes grew wide as she tried to push away from him.
"Seto what do you think---?"
She screamed as he threw her onto the couch and stood in attack, one hand reaching in his jacket pocket.
That's when she saw the other man.
The one she thought was dead.
She scrambled to the phone as Seto fended off punch after punch.
Her heart stopped as she picked it up to find no tone and the cord cut.
"Here, catch!"
He pulled out his cell phone and threw it to her but got clipped for it at the same time.
He staggered back but recovered quickly and started punching him.
"You had better stay away from her you hear me punk! Anzu is mine!"
Seto grabbed him by the collar and slammed him up against the door.
"Anzu belongs to no one---punk! You're the one who needs to stay away! Just get---"
She looked up in horror as Seto staggered back and fell to his knees.
He pulled the dagger from his shoulder but before he could make a counter attack he was kicked in the stomach.
His vision doubled as he lost blood.
"Seto help!"
He felt hot tears burning down his cheeks as he stood and charged at the man who at the moment was a mere shadow to him, a shadow that was standing too close to his girlfriend.
"That's it! Anzu run! I don't want you to see this!"
He dodged more daggers as the man turned to him.
He caught one by the blade just before it was about to dig into his throat.
"A word of advise---don't give the man your trying to kill a weapon to defend himself with! That was a bad mistake and now you're going down!"
Anzu stood frozen just behind Seto as he threw the two daggers.
The first missed but the second hit its target, the throat.
His eyes widened and he snapped around as she screamed.
He ran to her and pulled her out of the apartment just as the police arrived.
"I already saw him die once. How did he---"
He put his finger over her lips.
"He's dead now---that's all that matters. You're safe now."
He attempted to reach up to her with both hands but his shoulder stopped him.
Without warning he fell forward and she held him up.
"Seto!"
@'-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seto sat up in a panic and found himself back in his bed, his arm in a sling and bandages wrapped around his shoulder.
His shirt and jacket lay over the foot of his bed.
He started to calm a little as he saw Anzu across the room.
She was sleeping peacefully on the couch.
He smiled and walked up to her.
As soon as he reached out and brushed his fingers over her hair she woke with a start.
He lost his smile as she sat up and backed away.
"What's wrong? Why are you backing away from me?"
Then he remembered everything from the night before and sighed as he sat next to her.
"I knew he was in your apartment---I forced myself in because I saw him look out the window."
She seemed to relax a little.
"But why didn't you just tell me or call the police?"
He shook his head.
"I don't know, I guess I was afraid he'd come out and I didn't want you to get hurt. And I couldn't have forced you to come home with me. So why'd you stay here?"
She looked down.
"I was just so scared last night---I didn't want to go back home."
He pulled her closer as he watched her wipe away her tears.
"It's okay now. Come on, let's get out of here."
@'-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anzu yawned and laid her head on Seto's chest as they sat together that evening on a park bench.
He smiled softly and brushed his fingers through her hair.
"As much as I'd like to watch you sleep my love, I'm afraid I can't carry you home this time."
She sighed contentedly.
"Call Jou-chan."
He scoffed at this idea and turned cross.
"The risk of being punched is too high not to mention the questions he'd ask."
She couldn't help but giggle.
"Seto---He's just going to have to get used to you hanging around."
He thought about that for a minute.
"So it's a stalemate. I can't take you out of your world and you can't take me out of mine. Katsuya and I will never get along Anzu I'm sorry."
She held closer to him and he wrapped his arms around her as a cold wind blew.
"I'm not asking you to get along with him Seto."
He sighed and closed his eyes.
"Would it make you happy if we did become friends?"
She nodded silently.
He kissed her head and tightened his grip on her.
"Than for you I will at least attempt to, but he's got to want to too."
She giggled again and stood, pulling him up too.
"Where are we going?"
She shook her head.
"No where, just walking."
He wrapped his arm around her waist with a smile.
"Thank you."
She looked over at him in confusion.
"For what?"
He stopped her and kissed her.
"For showing me that I have a heart."
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.
"In time I'll show you that you need friends too."
He smirked and entwined his fingers in her hair.
"For now I'll be content just to kiss you."
He gave her one last kiss under the stars before continuing on in silence.
The end.
So what did you think? Ja!