(Not much to say this time around. We have a hyper Mokuba, who actually isn't included too much, Seto who's had too many drinks and a few mood swings. Doesn't that sound exciting? Read, review, and enjoy!)


Moshimoshi: Hello (formal greeting)

Sake: Japanese rice wine


Chapter Seven

It was late night. Music played quietly in her hotel room as she practiced, making sure she would not bother those in rooms next to hers. Anzu felt better than she had in a long time. Humming quietly she twirled, crossing and bending her slender legs, shifting her arms to the routine she had gone over probably a hundred times in the past week.

She'd spent the day with Yugi, having been feeling guilty for avoiding him the past several days. Her mind had been distracted throughout most of the date and she had spaced off once or twice, her excuse being either on her dance or the excitement of their upcoming wedding. The wedding that was slowly becoming less and less looked forward to. He'd eaten it all up; what reasons did he have to mistrust her? She had never done anything to make him doubt her before now.

Anzu had barely ended her personal practice when the phone went off. It appeared to be happening a lot lately. Most of the time it was sweet, lovable Yugi. A few times it had been her manager, making sure that she had not gone off and injured herself again. Every time, she had been laughing when she reassured him that she was fine. Once or twice it had been a personal friend. Flipping open the cell a small frown settled over her lips to see the caller ID listed as restricted.

"Moshimoshi?" she answered politely, holding the phone between the side of her face and shoulder.

"I want to see you tonight."

It could have been an entirely different voice and she would have known it to be Seto. He hardly ever asked for anything. Seto gave orders, demands. The way he addressed them clearly hinted that she would not dare refuse even if she had wanted to do so. She had not heard from him since their short met near the theatre. That had been five nights ago.

"Oh... of course." How could she possibly tell him no? She paid no notice that it was past eleven, for this she did not care. He had left her without a single kiss or caress and she had waited for a call or visit or something from him that would ell her that he was still interested. "Where?"

"There should be a car waiting for you outside your hotel." The line clicked dead.

Knowing he would have everything planned out and that he did not like to wait she tossed her phone into her purse as grabbed it, along with her light jean jacket, not bothering to change or do herself up any. Slipping into her shoes she placed a card key to the hotel room door in her purse as well so she could get in later. Down at the lobby she looked around before heading outside. There were not many people out but of the few she did not see anyone she might recognize.

"Anzu... HEY, Anzu!"

She winced at the loud shout, though turned around smiling, to be bulldozed over by none other than the younger Kaiba brother. He was as lively as a puppy that had just woken up from a nap. She could not help but wonder why he was out so late, as he was still young and it was nearly midnight. Later, if she had the time or want, she would scowl Seto about it.

"Hi, little one." Smiling down at him and she bent over to hug him. "I've missed you." Mokuba was hard not to miss. He was like a favorite toy that no matter how old you got you could never get rid of because it was so damn cute and because it was far too difficult to stop loving. "Where's your brother?"

Pouting, he looked as if he was heartbroken to have the attention taken away from him so quickly. "He's at home. He spent me because I wouldn't listen, quiet down and go to bed so he thought it might calm me a bit!" The boy certainly did make misbehavior give the impression of it being not that bad.

Nodding her head she followed Mokuba to the car that was waiting for the two of them. On the drive he talked nonstop, asking how it had been in America, if she enjoyed it, how she was getting along here, and everything else he could think up to ask. By the time they had stopped in front of the manor she was in a fit of giggles at some of the things Mokuba had said. Thanking the chauffer as they got out of the car she let Moki pull her by the hand up to the front doors like a five-year old dragging his mother to a candy shop.

"Seto's in his study. You remember where that is, right?"

She told him she did then kissed the top of his head, telling him that it was very late and that he found be going to bed. Oddly enough, he listened and skipped off. She headed down one of the halls and up a staircase. The first couple of times that she had been here she had gotten lost. Really. The place was not very big, not colossal as people made it sound to be but it was still big enough to lose your way down the many halls and such if you weren't entirely sure where you needed to go. She had been here enough times to memorize every room and corridor. She could tell you that in total, there were five flights of stairs in the house between the three stories, thirty-nine rooms (a good part of which were unused) and nineteen paintings hung through the manor, one of which was done by Mokuba. It was the picture of the Blue Eyes White Dragon that he had given to Seto and it was hung in the elder brother's bedroom, framed and held in pride as though it was a Picasso original. It was not that it was great, it wasn't even good, just a color pencil sketch. But it was so meaningful, so full of effort and affection that it made it the most beautiful things she had ever seen in art.

Down the right hall, to the left, third door down. If asked, she could draw out the blueprints of the manor with ease. Her fingers curled around the handle and she pushed the door in. "Seto?..."

He looked up at her and their eyes met, her smile fading quickly since there was not a hint of a pleased or happy emotion on his face. There was a dull gaze in his eyes. Also there was a glass on his table next to him, a thin gloss of a milky liquid at the very bottom.

Before she could speak again or move closer he had stood up ad briskly strode over to her. A second later he had her pressed against the wall. Blue eyes broadening she held perfectly still as he firmly connected their lips.

She smelled the alcohol on his breath and taste bitter sake on his lips and tongue. One of his large hands settled low of her waist, a quiet gasp leaving her as she felt his other creeping up beneath her blouse.

Not at all thrown off by her lack of reaction he grazed his mouth from hers across her cheek and down to her neck, nipping softly at the flesh, his mouth leaving a moist trail on her skin.

"You've had too much to drink..." She moaned when he ran his tongue over her throat and tilted her head back, arching against the wall and into him.

"So what?" he demanded. "You never care about what I do... you don't care about me. Am I supposed to be happy about that?"

"I-... You know tha-.. that's n-not true. I care about y-you more than-... more than anyone else." She fought the keep her mind and words clear though he was doing a very good job of distracting her.

Abruptly he pulled away and grasped her left hand, raising it up between the two of them. "What's this then!"

He was talking about her engagement ring. She tore her hand away from him. "It's been five years! You're the one who left me without as much as saying goodbye. How do you think I felt about that, walking up to find every single trace of you gone? I loved you. I loved you so damn much."

"It wasn't my choice."

"Yes it was. Even if you had stayed a few more hours, it would have helped. I wouldn't have felt unwanted for all that time. It would not have killed you to stay." Anzu bit her lip. She didn't want things to be like this. Not them fighting. She'd waited the longest time and now she was wasting it by bringing up things that could not be changed. But she wanted answers from him, the tiniest bit to help her understand the reason behind his actions.

"I couldn't have stayed. You knew I was leaving."

"Yes, I knew it, but I was expecting that I would be able to be with you until the very last minute. Why did you do it?"

"I said I couldn't, Mazaki!" She winced as he shouted and dropped her eyes to the floor, which were glazing over in tears. "I-... I shouldn't... be here. I shouldn't have come..." she murmured and dodged away from him, rushing out of the room.

She did not get very far when she felt her wrist being caught in a strong grip from behind and allowed herself to be pulled back to him. His arms encircled her and she buried her face in the collar of his shirt, crying silently. This was far from the fairytale she had pictured. If this was the way things would be if she stayed with him she was better off marrying Yugi. "I don't want us to fight... I just want to be with you." Where were those times from the past? She had only cried because of Seto once before and that was the morning they had been set apart for this wait. She needed to hear him whispering love words into her ear instead of shouting, be hugging her because he wanted to instead of trying to keep her from running away and she wanted his kisses to be telling her how much she mattered instead of the ministrations brought onto due to the effects of alcohol.

He had given her no answer but she did not need one, nor been expecting it. Soon the tears faded though the traces remained. "Oh god, why has it come to this?" she murmured to herself, fingers curled to grasp the material of his shirt. Right now, she did not care whether he was paying attention to her or not. The house was silent and from nowhere, Anzu began to feel very tired. She'd been out all day with an early rise and now it was already getting into the next day.

"It's late. Let's go to bed," she said, looking up at him but he shook his head.

"I have to work; I've been neglecting it for a few days..."

Once she would have protested. Now she knew better. "Don't overdo it. You can always do some later." Pausing, she broke their embrace. "I'll... I'll just go. I need to be getting back anyways."

"No, stay." Like usual, it was a command.

"But I-"

He cut her off in a very effective way and she gave in right away, returning his kiss. "I said stay."


(That's it for now. More coming along soon, though I am very busy with school assignments so it might take longer, especially with my finals coming up next week. Hope this makes up a little for the previous chapter which I am determined to edit sometime and fix up to fit better since I hated it. Reviews, how I DO love them.)