Disclaimer: I do NOT own Yugioh, or any of the characters thereof.

Walk. Faster, and faster; until your heart races the wind, your chest heaves, your eyes water, and your muscles cry out. Lose yourself in the feeling of the wind in your hair. Close your eyes. The world can't reach you.

Her feet pounded the pavement in a sacadated rhythm, her blue eyes glistened in the sunlight. Alive. Her breath was ragged, but she wouldn't stop; she had to find it, had to find him. Turning at the gate of the park, she ran toward the old willow tree. In its shadow she had seen him for the first time. In its shadow she had fallen in love. In its shadow she had sworn herself to secrecy.
The wind whirled round her, tangling itself in her hair and clawing at her eyes. She suppressed another gasp. She couldn't stop.Her muscles screamed in pain, tightening from the movement and she gasped again.
Finally reaching the willow tree, she stopped, resting her hand on the rough bark. Tears streamed freely down her face, cutting salty trails into her cheeks. Her fingers tightened on the tree, the bark pushing carelessly at her delicate skin.

She loved him. She did. She knew he wasn't perfect, though he would certainly disagree. He was arrogant- perhaps overbearingly so- cold, and indifferent to the point of being cruel, and so ambitious it was almost absurd. Many a time she had been chastised by his sarcastic remarks; each abrasive word, etched in her mind. She should have hated him- for all he had done; for all he was doing to her friends and to her, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She had seen the man behind the mask-the heart beyond the fighter- and she could never forget it.
Another tear trailed down her face. How bitter the irony! She had fallen for the one man who hated her: her best friend's worst enemy.She could still see him standing in the same spot where she was standing now, all those months ago.

Flashback

The sunset spread its orange tendrils through the sky, and the lake reflected the flaming cirrus. In the shadow of the willow tree, a man stood alone. His stance denoted pride and self-assuredness, and yet he seemed so pensive. She moved closer and he tensed sensing movement. He turned around, and she noticed how blue his eyes truly were; they were young, and warm, but only for an instant. With a sneer he put his mask back, his eyes reverting to their usual coldness and dispassion; but she had seen him- the real him- even if it was only a fleeting glimpse.

Without saying anything, his displeasure at seeing her was evident in his face.

"Hi! How-"

"Don't bother me with your pathetic attempts at conversation Mazaki!" he growled moving past her and walking away.

She stayed behind watching him fade from sight, her mind still caught up in the memory of his eyes.

'Oh, why me! Come on Mazaki! Move on!" she chastised herself wiping angrily at her tears. She caught her reflection in the lake, and attempted to smile, but her muscles refused to obey. Wiping her eyes harder, she tried again, finally managing to will her mouth to curl slightly upwards. Behind her, a twig snapped and she flinched. Turning around she saw the very person she had been thinking about. He looked shocked. Because of her? His eyes bore that rare flicker of compassion that he seemed to bestow on Mokuba alone.

"Mazaki…" his voice, though low, was not unkind.

"Hi Kaiba!" she pushed another smile onto her face, with great difficulty, and brushed passed him. She felt a strong hand wrap around her upper arm and suddenly she was face to face with him.

His eyes bore into hers, asking her questions she did not want to answer, and she trembled.

His face looked as dispassionate as ever, but his eyes burned blue speaking of emotions he didn't dare name, and she understood. He was cold because he had to be, because whatever he had been through did not allow him room for emotions; but, he didn't want to be like that…A tear ran unbidden down her face, spilling noiselessly on his hand. He lifted his other hand and wiped it gently. She knew then she was tied to the man before her, and that no matter how hard she tried, it would never change; so she did the one thing she could do and called out to him, whispering his name gently. His eyes flickered infinitesimally with disbelief, but he drew her to himself, and she held tighter to him. Her heart raced, asking her questions she did not care to answer; they were all irrelevant- she loved him and he…? How did he feel? The erratic pounding of her heart resounded throughout her body. What if he was just taking pity on her? Surely, Kaiba did not do anything he did not intend to do…but…

He tightened his grip on her and suddenly she heard him whisper.

"Anzu" The word was barely louder than a sigh, but undeniable…and suddenly she knew it. He felt the same way. Maybe he'd never tell her, but for now she was in his arms, and that was all that mattered.

Author's note: Hey ya. This goes out to all of my wonderful reviewers. Thank you for taking the time to let me know what you think.