APRICOT SUNDAE
" Ugh…..where am I?" Slowly, with little effort, Anzu sat up from what she barely realized was a bed.
" How did I get here….?" She whispered, studying the pitch black room she was in. The only light source came from a window to her right, supplied by the moon peaking through the clouds.
She was a little scared how or why she was in a room when she had been in a warehouse only minutes ago.
At least it felt like just a few minutes ago. How long have I been here?
" Y-Yuugi?" She sputtered, swallowing in an effort to calm her nervousness and fear.
But it was more than obvious she was freaked out. Who brought her here? What if---
What if Marik brought me here? Yuugi…..the guys……..what if they're hurt?
" Guys?" She croaked. "Anybody?"
She squinted; it was impossible to see two feet in front of her. She hated not being able to see. What if Marik was standing right in front of her and she couldn't even tell?
As though fearing this, she backed up into the headboard of the bed, tangling herself further in the blankets draped across her legs.
The door creaked open, revealing a tall, lanky silhouette. She could feel them staring at her. " Whose there?"
The person moved their arm up against the wall, a faint click following, before the room was basked in light. Anzu winced, shielding her face with her right hand.
" I see you've decided to wake up. It's about time." Anzu gaped. Was she dreaming? Could that really be---
" Kaiba?" She sputtered in disbelief. He stepped forward, letting the light hit his frame.
" Be grateful. Next time I won't be so generous," He said. What was he talking about?
" Where am I? What happened? What about---"
Kaiba cut her off. " The rest of the geeks are also here, so quit worrying."
But where was here? Kaiba Corp. It must be. Where else would Kaiba take us? " And Yuugi?" She persisted. Last she remembered he'd fallen unconscious. She was beginning to really worry about him.
" He's in the other room." He replied shortly. It seemed he wasn't in the mood to talk. Or maybe it was because he just didn't like her, and who liked talking to someone they didn't like?
" What about Marik…?" She dreaded what he might say.
" He got what he deserved," Kaiba muttered, appearing angered by the mention of the Egyptian.
" W-what do you mean?" Did Kaiba actually……defeat Marik? For good?
Kaiba crossed his arms over his chest, clearly stating his annoyance by her list of questions. " If you're able to talk, then I assume you're healthy enough to leave,"
Anzu gulped. Whoa, there. Kaiba's definitely not in his best of moods. Ignoring his rude comment, she finally met his cold stare.
" Can you take me to Yuugi? I….." She hesitated, finding herself embarrassed. " I'd like to see him,"
Kaiba grunted. " Then hurry up and follow me; I don't have all day," With that he vanished out of sight, his footsteps the only reassurance she needed to know he hadn't disappeared off the face of the Earth.
Although it wouldn't be an entirely bad thing. Anzu smiled, before quickly getting up and rushing into the hall to find Kaiba standing impatiently affront a door to her left.
He didn't look pleased by her slow pace, but didn't comment as he waited for her by the door with his arms crossed over his chest.
As if debating, Anzu slowly pushed the door open and walked in while Kaiba stayed in place by the entrance. She was oddly thankful he wasn't following behind her. Kaiba had a way of making her feel conscious and insecure.
You're supposed to be worrying about Yuugi here. Not if Kaiba's looking at you. She straightened mid-stride to the bed she assumed Yuugi would be on.
Instead, she found Yuugi, Jou, and Honda all scattered on the bed at different angles, as if they'd been thrown there aimlessly without proper care.
Kaiba must've carried them. That or those creepy guards of his. Anzu looked at Kaiba from the corner of her eye only to find him gone and no longer standing there.
She looked back over to the three boys, who were, thankfully, all in pretty good shape. Jou was on his back at the left edge of the bed, one arm draped across his stomach while the other dangled behind his head and off the bed.
She couldn't help but smile at the sight of him drooling. That's Jou for you. Honda was laid out on his stomach, arms rested by his head on the pillow.
As for Yuugi. Anzu moved closer to find the short duelist in the middle of the two taller boys', snuggled up against a pillow clutched in his arms.
He almost resembled a baby or something. She found the way he slept adorable and cute. The puzzle. Anzu gasped in thought.
She could barely see it but the puzzle was visible between Yuugi's chest and the pillow, the chain still broken.
Thanks to me. Anzu sighed. Nothing would ever be the same. What would Yuugi say? Would he hate her? What about the rest of the gang, Jou and Honda, would they hate her too? She was scared; for what she did……they could, and might, very well ignore her and no longer be her friend.
I just hope Yuugi forgives me. I don't think I could bear--- She turned around mid-thought to stare at the boy standing at the entrance of the door.
" Mokuba?" She was a little surprised to see the little guy around here.
" Hey Anzu," He smiled, a genuine one that lit up his oval face.
" How do you feel?" He asked, moving aside as she stepped out of the room, shutting the door behind her before facing him.
" Other than a little freaked out, I'm just glad the guys are okay,"
Mokuba nodded, silent. " Seto isn't all that bad. He can be real nice,"
Anzu blinked; where did that come from? " Where is he, anyway? I want to thank him," For helping me and the guys. If Kaiba didn't, we'd all be goners.
" In his office on the top floor," Mokuba instructed. Anzu gaped. She knew Kaiba Corp was huge just by looking at it from the outside, and she was a little worried how many flight of stairs that'd mean for her to walk.
Maybe he'll take an I.O.U? I don't exactly feel up to killing my legs to thank Kaiba.
" We can use the elevators," Mokuba added, quite delayed.
Duh! I can't believe I completely forgot about those!
She nodded. " Alright,"
Kaiba angrily ran a hand through his hair. He couldn't work.
If I don't send these damn things soon, I might lose half of Kaiba Corp, and that's just unacceptable.
But he couldn't concentrate. Not after everything that had happened in that warehouse. After Marik had knocked Anzu unconscious and placed her aside, it was a duel to the death: Kaiba versus Marik.
Jou and Honda were too busy trying to drag Anzu and Yuugi out of there to the safe outside that they'd missed the entire duel between himself and Marik.
He'd risked his life just to save their sorry behinds, and the thanks he gets? Nothing. Zip.
But he wasn't dueling Marik just to help out the geek squad. No. It was other personnel issues he'd rather not discuss.
I beat Marik fair and square, so why didn't I get his Egyptian God card? Kaiba shut off his laptop and slammed the lid down, too frustrated with thoughts to work properly.
After an all out duel Kaiba had won, and, he admitted, not by much. It was a close one that even Kaiba thought he might lose.
And it wasn't luck. He assured himself. No, it was skill. And he had that. More than Marik. He thought.
After he'd defeated him, Marik vanished, and Kaiba had tried countless times, after getting back to Kaiba Corp by helicopter, to find Marik's location on his tracker only to find that he was undetectable. He'd paid good money for the damn thing and it was useless; he couldn't find Marik at all, it was as if he'd vanished off the face of the earth.
Or maybe…….he didn't exist at all. Kaiba thought. For all we know he could've just been a hologram. A mirage.
But that wouldn't explain how Marik was able to come in contact with people and touch them. Holograms couldn't.
It doesn't add up! Kaiba grabbed the sides of his head in silent frustration and rage.
There was a knock at his door, startling and both annoying him. Didn't they know he was busy?
" What is it?" He demanded in a fierce shout.
" It's me Seto,"
" Mokuba!" He was shocked; what was his little brother doing up this late at night? " Come in," He added after a moment of silence.
Mokuba stepped in, but he wasn't alone.
"What's the meaning of this?" Kaiba asked Mokuba, but his eyes were glued on Anzu standing behind the twelve year old boy.
" She wanted to tell you something," Mokuba said, moving aside to let Anzu walk in front of him and stand a foot away from Kaiba's desk.
" I just wanted to thank you for getting me, Yuugi, and the other guys out of there to safety," Anzu said, proud she didn't once stutter or appear nervous.
Kaiba scoffed, arms crossing. " Your thanks isn't needed. Or wanted," He stressed, eyes narrowed. " The only reason I bothered was because I had no choice,"
Anzu glared. " Why can't you just admit it for once and say you wanted to help us!" God he could be so stubborn!
" Because I didn't," He replied, straight-faced. Was he serious? Did Kaiba really have no heart?
" Right," She crossed her arms over her chest. " Well, for whatever reasons, I still owe you,"
He leaned back in the leather chair, posture stiff. " I don't need your foolish 'debt'. Give it to someone who cares,"
Her shoulders bundled up. " Why do you always have to be such a jerk, Kaiba? What do you get out of it?" She demanded.
He scoffed, refusing to answer or look at her.
" Look at me!" She ordered, voice cracking. He refused to make eye-contact with her, clearly proving his point that the conversation was over, and he had nothing more to say, and she would be wise to think so too.
" Forget it," She mumbled, realizing he was never going to answer her. " Just forget it, Kaiba,"
She turned her back to him, preparing to leave. " And don't worry. Me and the others will be gone as soon as possible so we won't bother you," With that, she stomped out of the room.
Kaiba watched her leave, making sure to glare a nonexistent whole in her back. Why did that girl always give him problems? Always ridiculing him, expecting more out of him.
Who does she think she is? She's not my parent. His eyes narrowed. She'll never be apart of this family.
Anzu sighed, back in her room, staring at a wall blankly. What's wrong with me? I must still be edgy from everything that's been happening. Why do I always have to argue with Kaiba? He seems to get the worst out of me….
She looked down at her hands fisted in her lap. Wake up soon guys, I don't think I can take Kaiba's attitude any longer…
Not only that but the whole idea that Marik was truly gone just didn't feel right. Something was wrong. It all didn't add up. Kaiba made it sound so simple, too simple.
Something inside her, too strong to ignore, insisted Marik was still out there, and very much alive.
She had a good feeling she wasn't going to get any sleep tonight, not until she knew Marik was gone for good and never coming back.
It was early morning, quarter past seven, and Kaiba was awake and in the kitchen, fetching a cup of coffee to relieve the stress that still hung to him.
He hadn't had a good sleep last night---as if he did every other night--but this was the worst.
Probably because those geeks are here. Not paying attention to where he was pouring the coffee, some of the hot liquid spilled and fell on his hand, burning him.
" Damn it!" He cursed his luck and shook his hand, trying to stop the stinging. Angrily he slammed the mug down, no longer thirsty.
Everything was so messed up. Because of her he couldn't get a good night's rest. Mazaki always has a way of ruining my day.
He glared at the red mark on his thumb where he'd burnt himself.
" Put it under cold water," A voice advised. Kaiba whipped around, meeting the blue eyes watching him in concern and wonder.
" I don't need your stupid help," He snapped, edgy from lack of sleep and the spilt coffee.
" It'll stop the stinging, that way it won't hurt as bad,"
" I don't need you telling me what to do, Mazaki," He strained, keeping his voice low and tight.
" Listen Kaiba," She said, sighing the words as she entered the kitchen completely from the doorway.
" Don't you know that saying " Take care of yourself before you can take care of others." ?"
" No," He knew she was implying his brother Mokuba. She's right. How can I look out for him when I'm like this?
She smiled, knowing he'd gotten the message. " Well…..alright. But really Kaiba, I can't thank you enough for what you did,"
He stiffened visibly. " I already told you--"
She nodded, cutting him off. " I know, and I guess it doesn't matter whether you did it out of a good heart, or just because you had to, I still owe you my thanks, and if you need anything---"
" What could I possibly want from you?" He snapped, interrupting her from finishing.
Her face grew red in anger, before she stormed off, saying something under her breath that caught Kaiba's attention all too well.
" I'm such an idiot, I don't know why I bother anymore."
Kaiba looked away. Why was he always so cruel to her? Sure he was like that to everyone, but only to people who asked for it and personally annoyed him. She never annoyed him, beside those constant cheers for her teammates, but she never did anything to him to deserve it.
She's Yuugi's friend, that's reason enough.
He turned on the faucet in the sink, letting the cool water run over his left hand. Shutting his eyes, he silently wondered why he felt so compelled to apologize to her.
I don't do apologies. Kaiba thought. He shut off the faucet, before grabbing a cloth and padding the red spot on his thumb.
Maybe, just maybe, he didn't hate her as much as he thought. Maybe she wasn't like the rest. Maybe she did want to help him.
No. Kaiba shook the thoughts from his head. If anything, she's just being Miss Goody-Two-Shoes. What else is new?
He realized he was in denial. So then, what did that mean?
A/N: I know! Short chapter! FORGIVE ME! Lol. But hey, we got some Kaiba/Anzu interaction. Although it wasn't on such friendly terms. God Kaiba! You can be such a jerk!
Kaiba: You fool, don't you know it's because I secretly like her?
Anzu: Whoa…….really?
Kaiba: Why the hell didn't you tell me she was here!
Me: Erhm…….popular demand? Anywho! Hope you liked the chapter, sorry I didn't actually write out the duel itself, but I can't do those, and I think it might have ruined the story, besides, now you're all wondering what really did happen to Marik!
Marik: I'm right here…..(groping Anzu from behind)
(Pun not intended. ;) )
Anzu: AHHH! REVIEW PLEASE!
Marik: Yes……I'd like to know what happened to me.
Bakura: What about me? Why am I not at Kaiba's too? I was at the warehouse also!
Kaiba: Oh, I didn't bother saving you….my back already hurt from carrying mutt face over there.
Speaking of Bakura, I'll explain next chap what happened to him! And maybe Marik too, if you're lucky!
READ AND REVIEW! XD It's good for the wrinkles!
