Chapter 4

The next couple of school nights found the two settling into their new routine- minus the twinkie of course. Their conversations were a little one-sided at times, but Anzu didn't mind. It was Kaiba-so it was expected. Sometimes, given his personality, she even preferred it that way.

"When the hell are you going to get some furniture in here?"

Like now.

They had been sitting on the floor, as usual, their homework spread out between them. Kaiba had made it a recent habit to put off his homework until late-and so ended up doing it along side Anzu. He told her once that it was simply so he wasn't doing the same work twice in one day. She replied if he was really doing her work for her, he was spelling her name wrong at the top of his papers.

Anzu didn't raise her head from her textbook as she replied to his latest complaint. "I'm so sorry your highness. I'm waiting for more hours to be available at work; in the meantime, I can loan you a pillow for your oh-so-delicate backside if you wish." She looked up at him with her next comment. "Besides, didn't you say I've already got the most important thing already?" She gestured to the kitchen counter, where a brand new coffee maker sat.

"Coffee is a necessity. At least it proves you have your priorities straight."

"Food, clothing, and shelter are necessities. And I only got the coffee maker so you'd quit complaining about me having nothing to drink here."

"Nothing I'd drink, anyways. Coffee is a staple of the food pyramid where I come from."

"You're not normal."

"Of course not." He said indignantly. "I'm better."

She snorted. "Oh, ha ha."

She saw Kaiba to the door as usual, and leaned against it once it was closed behind him. A familiar, but faint flutter in her heart made her sigh resignedly. 'There is no way I'm falling for the stereotypical tall, dark, and handsome…asshole. She gave another, deeper sigh and hit her head against the door.

"Ow!"

Okay, that didn't work.

A quick detour into the bathroom to retrieve some aspirin helped slightly. Musing silently about the frightening parallels her life was beginning make with some of the most awful soap operas, she made her way to her room for a restless night.

- - - - - - - -

It was a few weeks later when Kaiba stopped on the main road instead of turning with Anzu down her street. Puzzled, Anzu stopped as well.

Instead of looking directly at her, he turned his head to the side and began talking to empty space. Anzu learned long ago this was usually indication that whatever he was about to say, he was uncomfortable with saying.

"I am unable to escort you home tonight." One hand was shoved into his pocket, the other clutching his ever-present briefcase at his side. "I haven't been spending much time with Mokuba recently, so he decided we're having an all night movie marathon." He gave a barely discernable smile. "Tonight's theme is vampires."

Anzu gave a small laugh and waved her hand, brushing his comments aside. "That's okay, I'm sure I'll be fine walking home alone for this one night."

Kaiba looked at her and narrowed his eyes in a glare. "I don't think so. We've been over this argument before-you're not walking down there by yourself."

Anzu narrowed her own eyes and put her hands on her hips. "What do you propose I do? Setup a tent and camp out right here?"

He growled at her insolent tone. "I'm 'proposing' you come with…"

He was interrupted when Anzu gave a short screech of alarm and would have crashed into his chest had he not caught her about her shoulders. 'What the-'

A pale hand fell back into the shadows it came from before a shock of white hair and a grinning face revealed itself.

Kaiba's hands still held her shoulders, but Anzu managed to turn her head enough to see who startled her. "Bakura!" She knew that smirk anywhere. Brushing the brunette haired teen's hands from her, she stepped towards the figure of her friend. "What are you doing here?"

Bakura's gaze darkened as it focused on the other boy's face. "Just passing through." He lightened up fractionally when he turned his attention towards her. "So why would you need an…escort?"

Anzu crossed her arms and turned her head to glare at Kaiba. "I don't. I'll be fine for one night."

He glared right back at her. "All it takes is one night for something to happen. Especially where you live."

"You've moved here? To this street?" Bakura peered down the dimly lit street. "Brave girl."

Anzu huffed. "You're not helping matters any."

He grinned at her and folded his arms. "Didn't know I was supposed to."

"See?" Kaiba gestured at the white-haired boy. "Even he's leery of that hell-hole you call a neighborhood."

Bakura snorted, the grin still faintly playing about his face. "'Even he'?"

Kaiba ignored him. "I'm not going to be responsible for you get-"

"Who asked you to be responsible for me?" Anzu interrupted. "I'm almost an adult now and I can certainly take care of myself for one damn night!"

"Not that your little lover's quarrel isn't fascinating and all-"

Both brunettes turned to him with a snarl. "We're not lovers!"

He merely chuckled, a cocky look on his face. "How cute. Denial in stereo." Before either one could rip his head off (figuratively speaking…maybe) he continued. Turning slightly to look at Anzu, he held out his hand. "Would you like me to accompany you home?"

The other two looked at him with something kin to shock written across their faces. Kaiba, of course, was the first to recover. "You?" he said incredulously.

Bakura mocked an affronted expression. "I'm offended at your tone of voice. Is there any reason I can't offer to help a good friend of mine? That would effectively solve your problem, right?"

The other boy stood still for a moment, his face reverting to it's cold mask of indifference. "Do it. I don't care." With that, he spun around, and stalked back down the road. "Just stop wasting my time."

Anzu may not have known exactly why he was pissed, but she recognized that look from past encounters with her other friends. She also knew Bakura could be a real pain in the ass when he wanted to. "Kaiba! Wait!" When he didn't respond, or slow down, she sighed. 'Isn't he overreacting a bit? I know Bakura's being an ass, but he got his way. I'm not walking home alone now. What is his problem?' Shaking her head at the futile effort of understanding men, she turned to the remaining figure beside her. 'And what is he up to?'

That question would remain unanswered, however, even if she had spoken it. Bakura was gone, she could see, leaving her with the gentler side she was more familiar with. "Hey Ryou." Anzu greeted her friend with a wry smile. "Hope you don't mind being volunteered to walk with me. If you are, I can just-"

The boy smiled and held up his hands, forestalling her speech. "I don't mind at all. He may go about it the wrong way, but Kaiba has a valid point. You really don't want to be walking around here by yourself."

She simply shook her head, and proceeded down her street, Ryou falling into step beside her. "So what brings you down here?" She gave him a sideways glance. "Or do I not want to know?"

Ryou laughed a bit, waving her inquiry away. "I think a better question would be how you ended up here." He cocked his head and looked at her. "I stopped at your house a few times, but your aunt wasn't very…forthcoming concerning your whereabouts. I never would have guessed you'd be living somewhere like this."

Anzu smiled; somehow, it didn't seem so derogatory coming from him. "Well, like I told Kaiba, it's the only place that was willing to rent to me. And, as a bonus, it's really cheap."

"I'm going to assume you haven't told anyone else about your situation."

"It's not a 'situation'. That makes it sound like I'm in trouble. I'm simply living on my own. Once I got over the mind-boggling terror of having to provide for myself, it's kinda fun." She looked at Ryou. "I'm sorry."

He raised his eyebrows. "For what?"

"I didn't tell anyone because I didn't want them to be worried, or worse, feel obligated to ask me to stay with them. I think-" she shook her head. "I know that you'd have understood, and I should've told you."

Ryou laughed. Anzu was startled, then a little offended. Hands on her hips, she threw him a mild glare. "What's so funny?"

He shook his head. "I'm not laughing at you, Anzu, honestly. I'm just-I'm happy." He looked at her once more, something unreadable flashing through his eyes. "That you would feel bad about not telling me, out of everyone else, well, it makes me feel special."

Anzu blushed, and hung her head, a bit embarrassed. They continued to walk in companionable silence until they reached her building.

"Looks like someone's moving in. Kinda late for delivery trucks though."

Anzu lifted her gaze from the ground to peer at her apartment building. Sure enough, there was a large delivery truck parked in front, and a small team of men moving what appeared to be the last of their load-a small, overstuffed couch.

All thoughts of her impending neighbor left, however, upon seeing a light on in what she was certain was her window. She stopped abruptly, fear washing her body in goosebumps. Ryou crowded closer to her, sensing something amiss. "What is it, Anzu?" His gaze scoured the building, but did not find anything that would cause such a reaction in his friend.

A shiver ran down her spine as she replied. "Someone's in my apartment." Saying it out loud seemed to make it more real, and she was frozen by indecision. Did she go up there and confront them, or should she just camp out in the park until they left? Ryou made the choice for her when he brushed by her and strode quickly up her steps. Watching his figure disappearing into her building, realizing what he intended to do, sobered her up.

"Wait, Ryou!"

Anzu dashed in after him, catching up to his long strides on the second flight of stairs. She managed to grab hold of his sleeve, effectively halting him, if only for the moment. "What are you doing? You can't go in there! You don't know how many people are in there, if they have guns; we need to call the police-"

He twisted his captured hand so he could grasp her wrist. "Anzu, calm down. I know what I'm doing." His other hand reached down and cradled the side of her face, and he could see the worry she held for him. God, I don't know what she does to me. He could feel his other side's reaction to that thought-and it wasn't as negative as others might have thought, had they known. He tried to shake that train of thought. It's nothing she wouldn't feel for anyone else she considered a friend.

He grinned, the expression a touch too predatory for the shy boy, but she knew Ryou was still in control. "We can handle anything that may come up. You wait down here." A blink of the eye later, he was once more ascending the staircase, leaving Anzu behind him. But not for long.

She hurried after him, taking the stairs two at a time until she was just behind his determined stride. "Hey! There is no way I'm letting you guys go in there alone! It's my responsibility…and anyways, you guys don't even know where I live…at least, I don't think so." The last part was said a bit lower, but was still picked up by the boy's keen ears.

"It wasn't so difficult to guess which one was yours, judging by the direction of your gaze outside." The tone of his voice showed the small smile that she couldn't see, jogging behind him. Pausing before the door leading out into the main hallway, he glanced back at her and added "Anyways, what are friends for if you can't depend on them once in a while?" He pushed through the door and strode briskly towards the door of Anzu's home, when a sight brought him up short.

The movers, who had been a head of them coming into the building, were just now navigating their load through the door of what he could've sworn was the apartment Anzu had been gazing up at with such fear. The girl in question peeked around her friend to see what was holding him up; and gasped in astonishment. She moved her mouth a few times before words were able to break through her confusion. "What the hell?"

Ryou glanced down at her, eyebrows raised at the uncharacteristic comment . "So that is your apartment, I'm assuming?"

"Yes, but I didn't order anything! Why are they moving that stuff in my home? And, more importantly, how did they get in?" She quickly rummaged through her pockets, and came up with her set of keys. "Well, I still have them…so how…"

Anzu closed her eyes and shook her head. "One way to find out, I guess." She half-jogged up the hallway to where one end of the couch still remained outside her door. "Excuse me-" she called to the man holding his end of the furniture.

The man didn't even glance her way. "You'll have to wait a moment, miss."

She reached the entrance of her home. Although it was currently blocked by the two moving men and their load, she caught a glimpse of the inside, and almost died of shock. It was almost completely furnished. She did a quick double-take on the door, making sure she had the correct apartment.

"But this is my apartment!"

At that exclamation, he did spare her a look, but went back to maneuvering his end of the couch. "I'm sorry miss, we'll be out of your way in a moment."

"Hey, listen, I didn't order any of this! This stuff isn't mine! I can't afford it!"

The two men glanced at each other, then set the couch down in the middle of the doorway. The gentleman trapped on the inside retrieved his clipboard from the small dining room table he had set it on. Walking back to the couch, he glanced through the sheets and checked the number on the door. "Nope, we got the right one. It's prepaid, and they included a bonus for after-hours delivery." He handed the clipboard to his partner, who took a quick glance himself and handed it to Anzu.

They continued maneuvering their load into the apartment while Anzu walked back to Ryou, reading through the papers. "How is this possible?" Ryou's nimble fingers plucked the clipboard from her hands, ignoring her exasperated "Hey!"

Flipping through to the end of the paperwork, he gave a low whistle at the total amount-and who paid. "You're right about one thing-I don't think you'd have been able to afford it." He lifted the papers high above his head just as Anzu's hands made a grab for them. Tossing her dignity aside for the moment, she began to jump for the clipboard in his hands, but he managed to keep them just out of reach, teasing her. Turning his back to her, Ryou made as though he were still flipping through the paperwork; however, the few questions he had had already been answered- and the one unanswered one he could take a good guess at. Lost in his thoughts, Anzu managed to surprise him by jumping on his back. Holding on with one arm over his shoulder, and her legs around his waist, she reached out with the other arm; her fingers trying desperately to grasp the clipboard.

He began to laugh; unfortunately he laughed a little too hard, and unbalanced as he was, they both ended up on the floor. He was still chuckling as Anzu stood up, and finally managed to snatch the clipboard back.

Flipping to the end, she stared at the signature in shock. "Kaiba Seto?"

- - - - - - - -

The movers were long gone, and the two teens were finally inside the apartment. Ryou made himself comfortable on a strange, circular chair. Anzu had yet to sit down; he could hear her muttering to herself as she paced back and forth from the living room to the hallway, glaring at the furnishings.

"Who does he think he is? Emperor of Japan? He can't just furnish my house the way he wants it. I told him I was going to buy my own stuff! God!" She paused, then sorted through her purse, which was setting on the dining room table. "I have half a mind to call him right now and-" cell phone in hand, she deflated slightly, not knowing his number. She threw the little device back in her handbag, and continued pacing.

"He replaced my coffee maker! It was a brand new coffee maker! What was wrong with it?" She growled in frustration.

"Anzu, why don't you sit down and relax? You can hash it out on him on Monday; there's no need for you to get so upset right now."

Anzu paused in front of the living room. Crossing her arms, she glared at the couch, the two chairs against the back wall, the coffee table, and nice sized flat panel television. She growled yet again, and gestured with her hands. "I can't relax in here! Every single piece of furniture is a constant reminder of that jackass, and how he's just, he's just…I don't know!" Capitulating, she threw herself into the chair beside her friend. The girl sighed, her energy running low.

Covering her face with her hands, she mumbled as she heard Ryou make his way into the kitchen. "Maybe I could call the movers and have them pick all this stuff back up."

He called back to her, head bent to get a look inside her fridge. "Can you afford to have them pick it back up? Even if you can, you don't know where to send it back to. By the way-" he held a bottle of fruit-flavored soda out to her, guessing correctly her throat would be parched. "I think he bought you groceries, as well."

Anzu placed her drink on the low table in front of her, and resignedly made her way to the kitchen. Peering into her cupboards and fridge left her in slightly better spirits. "No, he didn't." The two teens returned to their respective chairs, and leaned back. "Are you trying to make me pissed off at him? He's doing a good job of it himself, if you are." A small smile played about her lips.

Ryou laughed. "Not intentionally, no." Internally, he sighed. 'Why am I feeling like this? It's not as though I've made a prior claim on her. Perhaps I should have done things differently…' The darker part of him growled. 'Like you had a chance, with the Pharaoh in the way?'

'Shut up, Bakura.' He was tired enough that he didn't care. 'I wasn't asking you.'

'Worthless…'

Ryou frowned. Why would he be upset?

His attention reverting to the outside world, he nearly jumped out of his skin at Anzu's hand waving not two inches from his face. She had, apparently, been attempting to get his attention for a while.

"Hey, are you feeling okay?" Briefly laying a hand against his forehead, she inquired further. "Are you tired? You can crash on the couch if you'd like. I don't know how comfortable it is-" Ryou waved her concerns aside.

"I'll be alright, Anzu. I think I am feeling a bit tired, I should get going-"

"I'm sorry. Am I keeping you from something important?"

He stuttered a bit. "Ah-no, not really, but-" But Bakura did have plans tonight; or so he had thought.

A snarl sounded in his mind. 'Fuck it. I'm not in the mood.'

Before Ryou could respond, Anzu spoke. "Then stay, please. I'll worry about you all night if you walk home this tired."

He gave a wry grin, and held up his hands. "All right, you win."

Anzu smiled and retrieved some blankets and a pillow from her room. "Thanks." She said, dropping them onto the couch. They both stood there for a few beats, uncomfortable, not knowing what to do. "I guess, I'll…see you in the morning, then."

Ryou smiled. "Sure. Sweet dreams, Anzu."

Anzu walked away with a blush, though she didn't know why.

- - - - - - - -

She awoke suddenly, in the middle of the night, disoriented. 'God, what time is it, anyways?' Glancing at her clock, which now sat on a small bedside table, she could've cursed. Although it was the weekend, she wanted to get up early to catch Kaiba before he went into work. She didn't think he went in at three in the morning, however, which was almost what her clock read. 'Perhaps it's the new bed. Maybe I'm just not used to it yet.' Anzu sighed silently to herself, and was about to try falling back asleep when something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye.

A hand covered her mouth lightning-fast, before she could make a sound. She immediately began to struggle, fear and adrenalin warring within her. Managing to slide off the bed, she hoped her captor would lose his grip; but he managed to keep his hold over her mouth, and caught her body with his other arm, preventing her from hitting the floor.

'If I can make some noise, Ryou will hear me!'

One of her arms was pinned to her body by her abductors' iron grip. Her free hand was scrabbling at the one muffling her mouth, but to no avail. She was rewarded with a low hiss as one of her legs very nearly missed a crucial point on his body.

"Dammit, girl!"

The tone was low, barley whispered into her ear, but she paused for a moment in her struggling. 'I know that voice…' In that one moment, however, he managed to perch them both on the fire escape outside her window. He finally removed his hand, but now Anzu was too confused to do anything about it. What the hell was going on?

He had crept back to her window, and was about to enter her room when she snagged his sleeve. She opened her mouth, intent on finding answers, but was silenced with two fingers pressed against her lips. Bakura glared at her.

"For the love of Ra, can you keep your mouth shut for five minutes?" he hissed.

Eyes wide, she nodded and braced herself against the back of the small balcony-type landing. Her companion glanced inside the apartment for a moment, then back at her. "You have some uninvited guests-and if what they're carrying is any clue, they're not too friendly, either."

She padded her clothing, for a moment wondering why her cell wasn't in her pockets-then realized she was standing in nothing but her pajamas. Bakura made as though to enter her room, but she called out silently to him.

"Shouldn't we call the cops? You could get shot, or stabbed, or seriously hurt!"

He gave a devilish grin from the other side of her window. "And ruin my fun?" His gaze darkened. "They don't know who they're dealing with." With that, he disappeared into the darkness of her home.

She could have been standing there for seconds, or minutes, shivering in the early morning cold, but it felt like hours before a faint scuffling sound met her ears. Anzu crept slowly towards the window, curiosity getting the better of her. A large, dark shape flying out of her window and over the balcony had her jumping back in fear. She heard the object land in the garbage bin below, and then heard it groan. 'Was that-it couldn't have been…'

The sharp report of a gun slipped a half-shriek from her mouth. She could hear the sounds of a struggle, and she forced herself to remain quiet. She was shivering again; but this time it wasn't from the cold.

A figure finally emerged out onto the balcony. Her heart in her throat, she gazed up-and saw dimly a shock of white hair. Anzu almost wept in relief, and was about to go to him, but he turned back to the window to grab something.

That "something" turned out to be the legs of the second intruder. He managed to pull the unresisting body onto the fire escape, balanced it on the railing, and gave a good shove. This one landed right on top of the first, causing another groan to sound from below. Only then did his attention land on Anzu.

She was tired, and cold, and scared, which was the only reasons she could think of to explain her next comment.

"Will Resolve take blood out of the carpet?"

- - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - -

A/N:

February always sucks for me; probably because my birthday is in it.

I thought that would be as good a place to end as any. I'm sorry it's taking so long to get out; I still have taxes that need to be done by today-but I really wanted to get this out!

Now if only I can figure out how to file an extension, I think our company will be okay. :D

-Aspen XIII