APRICOT SUNDAE


Peering into the room, Anzu sighed to herself, looking away and shutting the door behind her, leaning against it in hopes of wasting time while she waited for the guys to get up. They were knocked out good, deep in sleep, and probably wouldn't be waking up till later in the day.

I can't blame them…She pushed off the door, walking absently down the hall toward her room. After what happened at the warehouse with Marik, I'm pretty exhausted myself.

But she couldn't sleep, not like this, not in her situation. She had to be strong for the others, stay up and make sure if anything went wrong, she'd be there to help.

Not to mention she couldn't sleep in someone else's house. Especially Kaiba's. She thought with a scowl, crossing her arms stiffly over her chest.

Here she was trying to give him a lending hand, some advice, and a good boost to lift his spirits after catching him burn himself, and what did he do? He completely snapped at her!

Go figure. She finally made it back to the room she'd woken up in, the one she assumed was hers, stepping inside and blindly finding her way to the bed.

" Gah!" With a wail of her arms, she found herself being flung backward and onto her butt in a painful, not to mention embarrassing, fall.

" What the….?" She looked down at the source that caused her to trip. A shoe? She examined it further. Hmm, looks like a little boy's shoe…hey, wait a sec, is this Mokuba's shoe?

" Oh great, just great, how did I end up in his room?" She stood up, leaving the shoe near the bed and looking at the lump in the bed, no doubt Mokuba.

Seeing as there was no-one else to talk to, the guys dead asleep, and Kaiba being the regular ice-cube he was, she figured Mokuba would be the best listener, even if he was asleep.

" It must be tough having a brother like that, huh?" She sat at the edge of his bed, hoping not to wake him as the bed screeched and tipped down from the additional weight.

" How do you do it?" She asked, staring at him through the darkness, making out his sleeping face.

She found herself laughing. " You two are nothing alike." She confessed, lowering her head with a sigh.

" I wonder…..is Kaiba really like that? So cold? Was he always like that?" She stared patiently at the slumbering little boy, his face snuggled in the blankets.

She knew he wouldn't answer, but it felt good to talk and get all the baggage off her shoulders.

" I bet he was," She felt herself smiling. " I bet he picked on kids at lunch and stole their money just to buy you some extra snacks," She laughed at the thought of a small, young Kaiba picking pockets just so his younger brother could have more food.

" But it must've been hard……" She stared at the door. " For the both of you. If I never knew my parents, I don't know what I'd do…..how I'd survive."

She stretched her hand out, smoothing out the messy black hair topped on Mokuba's head. " You and your brother are so brave. I would never be able to go through what you two did."

She moved her hand away when she saw him shift in the bed, mumbling incoherently in his sleep.

" I guess……I guess I can understand why Kaiba's the way he is…..maybe that's just how he dealt with the pain."

She smiled fondly at him. " But that doesn't mean he has to put others down when they're just trying to help, right?" She sighed loudly.

" I can't believe I'm talking to myself," She stood, eyeing Mokuba one last time before leaving the room as quietly as possible.

Well, at least I got that off my shoulders. She kept her eyes down, closing it behind her.

" I just wish he'd open up…and let me be his friend,"

" Didn't know you were a schizophrenic," She gawked at Kaiba as he made his presence known by the entrance of his office, leaning casually against the doorframe. In all her life she'd never seen him look so…defeated.

" Not funny, Kaiba!" She snapped, glaring at him. " And I wasn't talking to myself!" She defended.

" Why were you in Mokuba's room?" He demanded, moving away from the door to stand more formally, a threateningly look making its way across his eyes.

She shifted nervously. " It was an accident," She confessed. " I thought it was my room." She cleared her throat nervously when he continued to stare heatedly at her, never moving his eyes from hers.

" You're a horrible liar," He muttered, crossing his arms over his chest, leaning against the wall by the open door leading to his office.

" I don't lie!" She huffed, offended by the comment.

He smirked, but it wasn't one of amusement or delight. It was fake and dead. " I heard you talking. Who were you talking to?"

" That's none of your business," She replied smoothly, trying to keep her calm.

" It is when you're in my brother's room blabbing off non-stop," He snapped, eyes narrowing.

" Okay! Fine! I was talking to myself!" She blushed in embarrassment and anger, looking away from him.

" Frankly, Mokuba could care less about your problems,"

She stared up at him with wide eyes. How'd he know? " I just needed someone to talk to," She admitted, sighing. " And everyone else was asleep,"

" Did you forget he was asleep as well?"

Shoot, he caught on. Kaiba wasn't one to be fooled. " I just figured….."

" Figured what?" He pressed.

" Well I wasn't going to talk to you about my problems! The last thing I need is for someone to make fun of me and call me weak!"

" Then you were smart not to come to me," He eyed her a moment longer, before he looked past her, through her.

" I'm not a charity, you're friends' better wake up soon before I decide to throw them out," He replied, before he disappeared in his office with a slam of the door.

Anzu blinked, before turning red in pure fury. Ohhh! I hate him so much!


With a final press of a button, he stored all the files into a saved document, exhaustion weighing down his sharp eyes that were now half-lidded and glazed in weary.

He even looked horrible. He'd ridded himself of the trench coat long ago, the buttons of his blue silk shirt opened at the collar to allow a small peek of his strong collarbone.

His hair, normally sleek and combed to its finest, was unkempt, giving him a disheveled appearance that added to the wrinkled shirt and black slacks he'd sat in uncomfortably for the past three hours, uninterrupted.

If you can call it that. He thought. Mazaki just had to make a huge racket like always, and here he was, stupid enough to go see what the hell she'd done. He was more worried if she broke anything, rather then if she had broken anything.

He had expensive antiques around the mansion, which he promised himself if she had broken any, he'd be sure to strangle her to death.

Thankfully that hadn't been the case. But, he was nerved by what he had found. Or rather, heard.

With ease Kaiba stepped in front of the door leading to his brother's room, hand extended, ready to turn the knob.

That's when he heard it. Heard her. Talking. Soft, whispering, but his ears caught enough.

" You and your brother are so brave. I would never be able to go through what you two did."

Brave? He sneered. Is that what she thought of him? If anything he was a coward. After his parents' death, being in a scum-bag for an orphanage, dealing with an abusive step father, he was nowhere near brave, courageous. None of those.

The mask did all the work. When he put it on, it hid the pain, the memories, the past, the fear, leaving him dry and empty, cold and heartless, no room for emotions or feelings. If he let the mask fall, he'd be bare, they would see him like he really was, what he really was. A coward. A boy who wasn't able to grow up, an innocent child deep inside that still refused to let go of the bitterness that he was dealt with in life.

He shook his head, finding his mind wandering. He leaned in closer to the door, listening again.

"…Kaiba's the way he is…..maybe that's just how he dealt with the pain." He only caught half of it, but it was enough.

He turned from the door, fists tight by his sides. She thought she figured him out, but she didn't, she never would, she couldn't. He couldn't.

Seto, the orphan, died years ago, and was never coming back. None of her friendship speeches, her pity, her kindness, her understanding, none of it mattered. None of it could heal the wounds that not even he could rid of. They were permanent scars that reminded him of the pain and hardships people brought him.

He no longer believed in trust, hope. Not with a life like his. A Childhood like his. He couldn't trust her either, shed just turn her back on him like all the rest when he needed them most. Like his parents, for dying and leaving him and his brother alone. Leaving them to rot in an orphanage, then he taken into the home of a cruel man.

He was drawn from his thoughts by her footsteps nearing the door, and he quickly headed into his office, making it seem like he'd just walked out just as she came out of Mokuba's room.

He blinked, easing the flashback from his mind, a headache breaking through.

" How long are those damn dweebs going to be here?" He demanded aloud, not bothering to wait for a response as he stood.

If anything he hated company. Especially if it was unwanted. He tried avoiding her, she being the only one awake, seemingly wandering the mansion to past time, but it was all in vain. No matter what he just kept bumping into her, or she'd walk in on him.

He absently rubbed the burn on his thumb, before walking out into the hall, feeling the need to get out for some fresh air.

" Going out?" He recognized her voice immediately. That and she was the only female, beside his secretaries, to ever be in the mansion.

" As if that's any of your business," He snapped, not turning to look at her.

She was still standing in front of Mokuba's room, and he wondered just how long he'd be in the office after catching her talking to his brother in his room.

He checked the watch on his right wrist. Ten o'clock. An hour had past. Had she really been standing there that long? Why? Was she waiting for him to come out?

Probably to annoy me with her stupid talks of friendship.

" How's your hand?" He wasn't surprised by how calm and confident she sounded. She was the first girl, if any, who talked to him without missing a beat. The first to ever scold and snap at him.

He remained quiet, keeping his eyes ahead.

" Did you put it under cool water like I said?" She prodded further, tilting her head to try to see his face, but he kept it hidden, keeping his face from view.

" About Mokuba….it really was an accident," She watched him from their small ten foot distance, amused by how disheveled he looked. Without the trench coat that confined his body from all angles, she could now see the long legs and strong broad back that curved down to narrow hips.

" Don't do it again," He snapped, before disappearing down the hall and out of sight.

She sighed, letting out the breath she'd been holding. She always got nervous around him, even if she didn't sound it she was. She absently wiped her sweaty palms against her clothes.

Who would've thought his presence alone was intimidating. No wonder he controlled such a big company at such a young age.

She followed him secretly, looking out the window in the room the guys slept in to watch him leave the mansion.

Was he going for a walk? That wasn't like him. Kaiba taking a walk? Was he really that stressed?

Maybe I'm not the only one around here who's drained from what's been going on.

She froze when he lifted his head and looked directly at her.


After walking a good ten steps, he felt the familiar prickle in the back of his neck: someone was watching him. Annoyed he looked up where he knew she was watching him, meeting her eyes with a cold stare.

She stood frozen by the window, one hand held up against the glass, something an artist might find perfect for a portrait of a girl trapped in a room trying to escape.

He looked away sharply, easing his hands in his pant pockets. He didn't care if she looked. He could care less.

After all he was used to it; fan girls always drooled and ogled him every chance they got. He found himself smirking, his head tilting back to look at her. She was gone. Vanished from thin air.

He was oddly disappointed. When she was watching him, he felt like her company had soothed some part of his stressed thoughts. Even if she wasn't standing beside him.

" Kaiba! Wait up!" He stopped walking again.

" Mind….if I….join you?" He turned to watch her heading toward him, huffing and puffing from obviously running all the way out of the mansion.

" Yes," He replied, voice even.

She glared. " Hmpth, well you know what? I don't need your permission!"

He held back rolling his eyes and saying , " Then why bother asking me?"

She stepped in stride with him. " It's always good to get out sometimes. But it's even better to do it with a friend," She smiled warmly at him.

He looked away from her, keeping his eyes straight ahead on the sidewalk. " We're not friends," He knew what she was implying.

" Well I consider you a friend, so there! You can't make me change my mind,"

He made a sound in his throat that oddly sounded like and," Ugh,"

" Do you really hate the idea Kaiba? Having friends?" She looked at him from his right, eyeing him intently.

He scoffed. " Did I not make it clear already?"

" Why? What's so bad about having friends?" She crossed her arms, adding matter-of-factly. " Everyone needs friends. Even you Kaiba."

" You assume to think you know everything," He hissed.

" No, but I can tell you're hurting. That's what I'm here for. What friends are for. To help each other out." She insisted.

" The last thing I need is help from the geek squad,"

" See!" She pointed out. " It's all just a cover up. I'm not blind Kaiba. I know why you're mean to everybody,"

He gave her a hard look, stopping.

" You do it so that everyone will give up on you and not bother you. But that's not going to help or make things get better. Please just listen to me Kaiba,"

He was looking away, headed tilted up and to the side. He'd done this before when they'd all been trapped in Noa's virtual world.

" If you keep living like this, you'll never be happy. And neither will Mokuba. Do you really want that kind of life for him?"

He finally met her eyes, but his eyes were icy and indifferent. " The life I choose for Mokuba and me isn't your concern or business. Frankly, Mazaki, I'm tired of you shoving your nose where it doesn't belong, and I've had enough of you and your friends. I want you out of my mansion by tonight!" He stormed back to the mansion, clearly not wanting that walk anymore.

" You can't just run away from everything Kaiba! You have to get over it or it'll just haunt you for the rest of your life! Please," She begged. " I can help."

He paused a fraction of a moment, seemingly listening to her. " I want to help," She stressed, moving toward him slowly.

" I'm not going to repeat myself," He replied, jaw stiff. " Either you and your friends leave by tonight, or I'll personally throw you out."

She watched him walk inside and disappear upstairs. She couldn't give up, not yet. She knew Kaiba was giving in, she just needed more time to convince him.

" A-Anzu….?" She gasped and looked sharply behind her at the source of the voice.

" Oh my God! Ryou! What happened to you?" She rushed to his side, catching him just before he fell on weak knees.

His clothes were ripped and covered in blood.

" Marik…." She found herself saying. " Did he do this to you?" She felt anger rise in her, her heart speeding up.

" I can't remember….everything is black…." He leaned against her, leaning his head down and burying it in her shoulder where he let out a soft cry. " I just want it to end, Anzu."

She hugged him to her, keeping in mind the wounds covering his body. " It will, I promise," She soothed.

" But he's still out there…I know it," He whispered, clinging to her more tightly.

" I know….I can feel it too…but we have to be strong okay?" She smiled weakly at him.

" Anzu I'm…so tired…I looked forever for you and the others," He let his face rest near her neck. " But I'm glad….I…found you…." He grew limp in her arms.

" Ryou? Ryou! Oh God, Ryou, please answer me!" She shook him by the shoulders, but stopped when she felt his breath against her neck.

Oh thank God. For a moment I thought……..She shook off the dreading thought and struggled to carry the boy to the mansion.

Please let Kaiba be understanding for once. " Kaiba!" She shouted.

" Kaiba! I need your help! Please don't ignore me!"

Ryou's wasn't heavy, but she wasn't exactly wonder woman with super strength. She started to get frantic. Ryou needed medical attention soon.

" KAIBA!"

" Damn it! What is it now?" He shouted, looking out of his office window, ready to scold her for bothering him.

" Please! I need to get Ryou inside fast, but I can't carry him on my own!"

Kaiba gritted his teeth. You owe me big time, Mazaki!

" I'll do anything! Please, just help me get him inside! He's losing a lot of blood!" She cried, getting hysterical.

" Calm down!" He snapped, turning and vanishing from sight.

Anzu sighed in relief. Thank Goodness…..I really owe you Kaiba….

Kaiba came out quickly, before he knelt down in front of Ryou with his back facing them. " Put him on my back!" He instructed.

She did so, moving Ryou out of her arms and pushing him on Kaiba's back.

" Thank you, Kaiba. You don't know how much I appreciate this," She said, watching him stand with ease.

He eyed her from the side as they both made their way into the mansion. " Thank me later after we get him inside,"

She nodded. " I'm keeping my word! I'll do anything to thank you for helping Ryou," She insisted.

" I know you will," He looked away from her. I already have a plan in mind.

Oh she was going to owe him alright. Big time.


A/N: Wa-laaa! Another chapter! And it almost took me a month to update!

Yu-Gi-Oh cast: BOOO! ( throw rotten banana peels and apples at me)

Me: I'm SORRY! But I'm so busy with school lately, and I've had writers block with this story, not to mention I have other fics out I try to update every so often. -- me and my smart idea to have multiple fics out!

Kaiba: Real brilliant...

Me: Shut up Kaiba or I'll make Anzu fall for Ryou instead! He did get second place after all!

Kaiba: You.Wouldn't. DARE!

I will! And I can! lol. Well I hope you guys liked this chapter, it was more of the serious type. And don't you all just feel bad for Ryou! ;;

Well, you know the drill, READ AND REVIEW!