Hey everyone, here's the next installment of 'The Morning After'. I hope you enjoy it, it's my favourite so far :)
I don't have much to say apart from that so I'll just go right to the disclaimer.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or the characters in this story. Everything apart from plot belongs to Kazuki Takahashi.

Anzu then realised that Seto hadn't been asleep at all but that he had been listening in to every word.

"Care to share?"

Chapter 3:

A Long Night and a Tough Decision

Anzu's stare slid down to look at the floor, not wanting to look into those blue eyes of his any longer.' Ra dammit. When will I stop doing this to myself?'

"Well?" Seto's exasperation snapped her back into the here and now. Looking up and seeing him once again with just the sheet wrapped low around his hips, leaning back against the wall behind him and crossing his arms obviously waiting for a response on her behalf. She was completely oblivious to how Yami could have not sensed his presence, he practically exuded heat waves. Just being in the same room as him was getting her hot. Despite the fact that she was once again going out with Yami, she couldn't deny the fact that Seto Kaiba was incredibly hot. Oh no, her senses had been attuned to his presence and there was no switching that off now, not after... Her thoughts were cut short by an abrupt humph noise emanating from Seto's direction.

"Mazaki, are you going to answer me or are you going to ogle me all day?" There was no chance of hiding the smugness in Seto's voice and face at that moment. He knew he was hot, he knew Anzu knew he was hot and he got immense satisfaction from that fact. Truth be told she would have much rather the later, seeing the night's sweat still dampening his muscular abdomen and the way his hair stuck up in every direction. Very unKaiba like. But she knew she had to come back to the here and now eventually.

"You knew I was reeling from a break up with Yami, what did you expect? That after a week I'd have completely forgotten about him?" Anzu wasn't exactly sure what she was supposed to be defending. Sure they had had fun but that was all right? She certainly wasn't looking for anything serious so soon and she especially didn't think that Kaiba, of all people,would want something like that.

"I expected some common decency!" He had pushed himself off the wall and was no longer cool or calm. He had strode across the room and was now standing right in front of her. "Especially from you" he was accusatory, cruel and everything Kaiba should be. Not the kind man she had gotten to know so well over the past week.

"But I knew it was never me you wanted. I've known ever since you first prevented me from speaking, you're the only one that's ever been able to. It was obvious that is was so you could at least pretend that I was him, that I was Yami. But that didn't matter, so long as I was with you that didn't matter because it was me and not him. That should account for something." He was resigned to the fact that Anzu didn't feel that way about him.

He walked off into the bedroom, without saying a word. Anzu, knowing that if she didn't sit down soon her body would do it for her, went and sat down on the couch with her head propped up on her hands. 'Does Seto like me?' She pondered over this for a few minutes before Seto remerged from the bedroom fully dressed minus a few badly placed buttons.

"Oh, and if you don't want all your little pals, including Yami, to hear about this then I expect something in return." Before she had a chance to ask him what he meant he was out the door, the end of his coat wafted around the corner before vanishing.

Seto was right, about everything. The reason she didn't want him to speak while they were 'together' was so that she could remain blissfully ignorant to the fact that he wasn't Yami. That whole week she had almost deluded herself into believing he was. She lied down on the couch and stared at the ceiling. It was a familiar feeling, like she had been here not long ago. Small, vulnerable and struggling to keep herself in one piece.


The previous week:


She walked down the steps of the Game Shop and past Yugi as though she were in a trance. He didn't try to stop her this time to ask how she felt, it was apparent what the answer was. She started walking, not anywhere in particular, she just walked and kept on walking. She had kept up a steady pace for nearly 2 hours and her feet were getting tired but she didn't notice. She couldn't feel anything anymore, let alone the measly problem of sore feet. The sun had started to set behind the buildings of downtown Domino. It sent rays of orange, red, purple, pink all the colours of warmth, light and love. Colours that represented everything she no longer had.

She continued to walk long after the sun had gone down. By this time people were home safe in their beds so that their friends and family wouldn't grieve if anything should happen to her but she didn't care if anything happened to her. In fact she welcomed it at this point. 'Would I feel anything then?' She was watching her feet, as she had been for the past 10 minutes, right before she walked into somebody. She was about to apologize before she realised was who it was.

"Mazaki! What are you doing here?" Anzu looked around trying to figure out where she was, it was obvious she hadn't been paying any attention in the slightest as to her surroundings. She put her head back down after realising she had no idea where she was. He was more shocked than angry at seeing her. In fact, if she hadn't walked into him he may even have been happy at chancing upon her. He had liked her for a while; he could no longer deny this fact. But just because he knew this didn't mean she had to know this.

"So are you going to apologize?" He didn't really care if she apologized or not, he just didn't want to be seen as anything less than the cold hearted prick everyone else knew him to be.

"I'm sorry" He struggled to hear her as her words came out barely more than a whisper. Not more than a moment later had he heard sobs, so soft they were hardly even there. He grabbed her chin and yanked it up so that he could see her face. Sure enough her eyes were red and puffy, sure fire signs that she had been crying. Almost as soon as he had done it Anzu pulled her face away from his touch and turned herself around to walk in the completely opposite direction. Seto sighed before trying to stop her.

"Do you even know where you're going?" Seto was genuinely concerned. Anzu was the one member of the brat pack that he could stand, she wasn't afraid to speak her mind and didn't step down in times of hardship.' So what could happen that would break her stride like this?' Anzu stopped at his words and reluctantly shook her head. 'Hn, even so, she finds it hard to compromise her pride'. She didn't continue to walk, just stood there obviously waiting for Seto to catch up. It took him only two strides to catch up to her. Seto growled at the next words that tumbled out of his mouth.

"Did you want me to walk you home?" He had heard from Mokuba that Anzu had moved out of home and into an apartment near the park, so he would walk her to that area and let her take over from there.

Once again she nodded her head reluctantly. Kaiba didn't know whether it was because he wasn't one of her Goonies or because she didn't want to go home. But she had to eventually right? 'I refuse to let her go and have something happen to her. I actually do have a guilty conscience unlike some others might think.'

He faltered only for a moment to figure out where to go then set off down the street. Seto thought about how far away the park was, he then remembered it was only a 10 minute walk. 'I suppose I did want to go for a walk though, even if it was meant to be a quiet one.' But that didn't prove an issue, it seemed as though Anzu wasn't in a very talkative mood that night. But Seto was feeling strangely gregarious, but mostly curious.

"So are you going to tell me why you're out this late? Didn't you even think that something could happen to you?" Didn't he know that's exactly what she wanted? To just feel something, anything. All he got in response was a slight whimper. He might just have to drop the mean act, just for the night. Just for her.

"Well what about your friends? What would they think if something happened to you?" He was tender now, but still somewhat forceful. He saw her clench her fists a little bit, he had struck something, but maybe this was the only way to get it out of her. "What about your 'precious' boyfriend Yami, what would he do?" She turned to face him now, looking up at him with bloodshot eyes.

"What do you care! Why should my safety be any concern of yours?" She had started crying but continued on with tears flooding her eye sight."If anything happened to me it would be my own problem. Not yours, not my friends, and especially not Yami's!" That was it, she couldn't continue any longer, Anzu collapsed to the ground and cried, not stopping even when Seto crouched down in front of her. This had to have been the hardest thing he'd ever have to do. She had quietened down a little bit by now.

"I-I'm sorry." He wasn't sure exactly what for, something to do with Yami? This stopped the tears flowing; she looked up at him with wet eyes. 'God she's beautiful, even when she cries'.

"Don't lie to me." She was about to start crying full ball again, Seto had to stop her.

"Do you want me to prove it? Fine!" He leant in and kissed her so softly that it was barely even a kiss. He backed off, letting her contemplate it. Her eyes turned into a look of bewilderment.

"What was that supposed to prove?" Seto honestly didn't know what to say, he didn't know what it was going to achieve or how it was going to help the situation. He just know that it stopped her from crying and that was worth all the complexity in the world to him.

"I don't know. I just wanted you to shut up." She was looking at him with a look of anger mixed with astonishment but a crooked smile appeared on his face, she could have melted into the pavement where they were sitting.

"Come on." He held her bicep and helped her up. Now they were standing, unsure of what to do so they just kept walking hoping that the awkwardness would stay in the spot they just vacated.

"I'm sorry about that before; guess I over reacted a little." He didn't expect her to apologize, she had obviously been hurt. But maybe now was a good chance to ask why she had reacted like that to him mentioning Yami.

"So did he finally tell you how he felt? About him and jounouchi? Or maybe it was Otogi or maybe even Honda." A look of bemusement had settled itself upon Anzu's face. "Well he has to be somewhat queer what with all the leather and chains."

She turned around to glare at him but seeing that the comment was paired with that irresistible smile she couldn't help but grin, 'well it was rather funny'. Her smile had made Seto's heart skip a beat. No matter how beautiful she was when she was crying; her beauty would increase tenfold whenever she smiled. It had the ability to light up the darkest corner.

They soon became aware of the fact that they were quite obviously staring at each other, embarrassed they quickly turned away from each other in an almost comical manner.

Several times during the trip they bumped hands apologizing awkwardly every time. Anzu soon figured out it would be better to just cross her hands in front of her chest. Seto noticed her doing this, he also noticed that when she did it she pushed her bust up a little bit. 'Woah, probably shouldn't be having those thoughts. Not like anything is going to happen' He sighed unconsciously and Anzu turned to look at him. His profile was stunningly gorgeous, his hair hung in front of his face so that she could only see part of his eyes but god where they blue. 'And people say my eyes are blue, his remind me of an ocean. Endless.' She saw his eyes flicker towards her indicating that she had once again been staring at him, this was getting ridiculous. Looking around as an excuse to look away from him she realised they were in the park near her house. She didn't know whether to feel relieved or disappointed.

Eventually they had made it to the front of her apartment blocks. They stood awkwardly for a while before saying anything at which point they both started speaking at the same time.

"I gue-"

"Could-"

They looked away again. Seto tried speaking again.

"So I guess I'll get going then." He turned to leave and got far enough away to think he was safe, until he thought he heard her call out to him.

"Don't" She hesitated for a moment before continuing "please don't go." Anzu had looked down, afraid of his response. Afraid that he would say no. He still hadn't responded, she took that as a good sign and continued to try and sway him. "I just don't want to be alone tonight."

'Tonight? Does she want me to stay all night?' Kaiba was definitely confused by this point and wasn't sure whether he should stay for fear that he might not be able to help himself if a situation were to arise. But there was something in her voice that made her sound just so helpless. Damn him not being a cold hearted prick. He slowly started walking towards her and looked up to see her face, no longer sad or helpless but at ease, like my presence could help her. 'Well here goes nothing.'

As they head up her stairs Seto wondered at what the night would have in store. 'Only one way to find out.' And by the time he stepped into the door it was too late to turn back.


Well there you have it. Can you see why it's my favorite? :) Well I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I do and as you can see it set's itself up for another chapter so you can count on me to do that within the week I'm hoping. As long as assingments don't get in the way :)

Don't forget to review! You all know that I love hearing from you :D