Tired could not even begin to describe the lethargy within Anzu. Between the physical labour of the day and her dance class, her exhausted mind and body wanted nothing more than to curl up like a cat and shut the rest of the world out. She stood slumped against the entrance to the mansion, unable or unwilling, she couldn't decide which held the stronger claim, to move any further.
"Should I put a sign pointing to the kitchen, out on the drive?"
Anzu wearily threw a questioning look at Seto.
"You seem to have taken up residence there, a tad difficult for people to enter don't you think? So either you move, or we have to rework the role of each door."
Her smile, small as it was, still brought the same luminance to her slightly dulled eyes. She marvelled quietly at the details her tired mind was able to see, that her active mind couldn't. If she hadn't been so tired she would have missed the underlying humour within his eyes, her active mind would have focused solely on the expressionless face and scurried away hurt.
"Mr Kaiba, cook wants to know if everyone is ready for dinner."
Seto gave a sidelong glance at Anzu, while redirecting his attention to the maid.
"Tell her to wait until Miss Mazaki has had a bath and returns downstairs."
"Very good Sir."
"No wait,"
Seto raised an eyebrow archly, while the maid stopped in her tracks.
"Sorry, I was just going to say, I'll have a bath later. I'll just go upstairs and have a quick wash and change my clothes. You can tell cook I won't be longer than 10 minutes."
"Very good Miss."
Seto looked thoughtfully at the retreating figure of Anzu, filing it away for future reference.
As promised, Anzu had returned downstairs well within the 10 minutes. Stepping into the dining room, she stopped suddenly as she took in the guests within the room. Biting her bottom lip she sidled up to Seto.
"You didn't tell me they would be here."
"Did you ask?" his mouth twitched slightly, blue eyes alight with the same humour as before.
Anzu's mouth hung slightly agape. With a movement so fast, that only he would see, she poked her tongue out.
"Careful flies might carry that cheeky tongue away," He whispered in her ear, passing to carry the drinks he'd prepared to the others in the room.
After the initial shock, Anzu relaxed and lost herself in the evening. Her attention constantly brought to the squirming Mokuba on the opposite side. She could see him from the corner of her eye, each time she started in conversation with those to her left and by instinct her head would turn towards him. Sheepishly he would apologise for interrupting. And each time he received the same reply.
"This is your house Mokuba, we're merely guests."
Mokuba perked up, only to wither away again under Seto's gaze. No words ever passed his brother's lips the look spoke more than enough for him to digest.
"Well seeing as our plane leaves at midday, and we've still a few things to organise, I think it's time you and retired for the night Arlie."
Receiving no immediate reply, Anu waved his hand in front of his wife. With a start she returned to the world of her surroundings. "Ah yes, quite."
Anu stood, momentarily placing his back to his wife. Arlie quickly mouthed to Anzu. "What did I just agree to."
With a confused frown as he saw his daughters lips twitch and purse Anu quickly turned to look at his wife, receiving an over enthusiastic smile in answer to his unspoken question.
Mokuba was nearly beside himself. It was like watching the family comedy channel only better, because he was a part of it. He could hear the muttering of Anzu's father wishing he'd had a boy, at least the odds would have been stacked in his favour, instead of being alone on a limb and out of the loop all the time. And then the counter from her mother as she patiently explained that it was his own fault he had a daughter.
Confused by her mother's response Mokuba classified it as an ask Anzu later question?
Anzu laid her arm on the table in front of her, resting the elbow of the other arm on the edge. With her forehead cradled in the hand of her raised arm, she shook her head.
"And this Mokuba is why sometimes it's good not to have parents, they embarrass you."
Arlie walked round and kissed her daughters head. "You know you love us."
A groan was all she got in reply.
Despite retiring late to bed, Anzu rose early. She'd had a thought when she climbed into bed, and it played through her dreams. Even without the alarm to rouse her, Anzu's inner clock rang loud and clear telling her it was time to get to work. This would be her last day with her parents for possibly well she didn't know how long really but knew that it wouldn't be anytime soon. She wanted to do something special for them. She also wanted to thank those who were taking her in at such short notice.
She pulled the brush through her hair, the action slowing as she thought about her host. He was such a puzzle, certainly more intricate even than Yugi's millennium one had been. One minute he would show for all the world how much he hated her, the next he was bending over backwards to help. He could have let her out on the pavement yesterday and driven off, but he didn't. He could have left them all to stay at the hostel for the night, yet again he didn't. He certainly didn't owe them anything, but then maybe he felt indebted for her time with Mokuba.
She could feel the stamping foot again in her subconscious. Ah yes that thought needed addressing didn't it. She'd promised to see to it last night, but her tired mind did not recall. She would mull this one over a bit, watching and waiting for a sign to guide her.
Skipping lightly down the stairs, she went straight to the kitchen. Cook was in readying herself for the day ahead.
Placing her hands flat on the hard surface, Anzu leaned on the bench, kicking the toe of her shoe lightly into the tiled floor a pleasant smile gracing her face.
"Cook, how would you like the morning off?"
Cook juggled the skillet she had just removed from the cupboard below, steadying at the last minute to allay the inevitable crash.
"Well I can't say as I wouldn't mind, but Mr Kaiba hasn't approved it."
She reminded Anzu of a prairie dog in a documentary she had seen, eyes popping out and head swivelling, sniffing for any trace of the enemy. It was all Anzu could do not to laugh at the poor woman.
"You leave it to me," Anzu said calmly walking round to remove the skillet from Cook's hand. Placing it on the bench, she then undid the strings of Cook's apron, lifting the neck strap over her head and placing it haphazardly beside the skillet. With gentle hands on each shoulder, Anzu steered Cook out through the kitchen doors. Cook's head still swivelled about expectantly.
"I don't know about this Miss," Cook's tone was dubious. She appreciated the immediate gesture of the girl, it was the aftershock she wasn't too keen on.
"It'll be fine, I promise. Now you go and take yourself off somewhere nice for the day."
"If you say so."
Walking back to the kitchen, Anzu fancied she could hear Cook packing in preparation for a new abode.
"Ye of little faith." Thought Anzu.
A little over an hour later she was ready, and the kitchen as pristine as it had been before she began. She only hoped that what she'd done would be to everyone's liking. She knew her parents enjoyed wild mushrooms and asparagus with egg's benedict, the disturbing realisation that perhaps Seto and Mokuba didn't only now dawned on her. Doubt clouded her mind as she took the covered plates to the dining room, having already laid the table, she placed them down in each spot. Running upstairs quickly she knocked on each door, calling them down to breakfast. Turning on heel she returned just as fast to the kitchen, grabbing the pot of fresh coffee. Entering the dining room she slowed, hiding her surprise at seeing both Seto and her father already dressed and seated.
The foot stamped again.
Anzu's eyes narrowed slightly and her mouth set in a line. "Stop it! I'll talk to you later. Besides you're wrong."
Not realising she had the rapt attention of both men she nearly drilled a hole in the table as she rammed the pot down on the coaster.
"Everything all right?" Enquired her father.
"What? Oh sure just thinking." She flashed her smile.
"Some thought." Answered Seto dryly, looking intently at the base of the coffee pot.
He felt certain he could see sapphires beginning to shine in her eyes, but was relieved when she merely said.
"You two were quick."
"We've been up for a while, talking over a few things."
Anzu caught her fathers gaze and held it.
"Really, what things."
"I was telling your father about my trip to America."
Anzu nodded, her attention solely on her father. "You two should start eating, before it gets too cold, I'll go and see what's keeping the other two."
Lifting the cover Anu let out a whoop of joy. "Now I wonder who told Cook your dear old dad's favourite breakfast."
Passing behind her father she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed his cheek.
"I never told Cook a thing, I swear."
"Then how'd she know to make it?" Came her father's perplexed response.
"Cook didn't make it," An angelic reply from the stairs wafted through the door.
Seto looked at his plate and then to Anu.
"Egg's benedict." Anu said, placing a forkful in his mouth.
Seto merely looked at the door.
Anzu's eyes danced with quiet laughter as she watched Mokuba peering at the underside of the mushroom he'd raised with his fork.
"Anzu?"
"Yes Mokuba?"
"Wait for it!" Her mind said.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Wind the handle this records going round again."
"You just did." She replied desperate to keep her stoic expression.
Mokuba let the mushroom drop to the plate.
"Anzu!"
"Oops mouth twitched, come on Mazaki, you can do it, straight face."
"Mokuba?"
Mokuba sat in silence contemplating his next move.
"Never mind."
The shell cracked and Anzu laughed. "In answer to your question Mokuba, the answer is yes."
"But I didn't ask it?" said the confused boy.
"You didn't have to."
"My daughter the mind reader, if you don't make it dancing honey, you could always take up fortune telling. People seem to be quite big on that sort of stuff these days." Her father joked. "Seto and I were having an extremely interesting conversation on the habits and traits of the human race."
Anzu offered a blank expression at Seto. "Such as?"
"Well," continued her father. "What draws one person to another for instance. Is it merely their intellect, or their physicality? Do they see only monetary value or moral? Or perhaps their physiognomy, Seto was telling me about one of the flight attendants. What did you say her name was?"
Anzu's insides coiled tightly around each other.
"Angela." Reply flat.
The coil wound tighter still.
"That's it, well in her case it seems to be a combination of all things."
Arlie looked disbelievingly at her husband. The effect of the gaze however was lost as he persisted with his chosen topic. By the end, Anzu and her mother, not to mention Mokuba, had each received a fairly detailed description of the ethereal woman. Each equally depressed by it.
Gathering up the plates, Anzu declined offers of help and fled to find sanctuary within the kitchen. Letting a single tear fall, she scolded herself.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid. And you." She told her stamping subconscious, " Are stupid too. I told you, you were wrong. Of course my father would be okay about me staying here, there's no danger is there. There never was, this Angela has it all sown up. I wonder does Rose know that she's been passed over yet? God Mazaki you're pathetic, even your own father kn...ew…"
At this point she felt the sharp kick of a boot to the head, figuratively of course. The knowledge slowly sunk in. Her father knew!
a/n - again thanks to all for reading and reviewing. If this chapter seems a little confused, my apologies but it will eventually make sense.