Hey Everyone, I'm back! Contrary to popular belief, I did not abandon fanfiction, was not killed, and was not abducted by aliens and replaced with an inert rock. I'll only offer my apologies for the shamefully long time it took in getting this chapter out – all I can say in my defense is: a busy school year, an emotional melt down and reformation, three weeks in India (I'm not Indian though, in case you might be wondering) and a week in Minnesota. This year has been ever crazier than I ever expected, and I'm afraid it might only get worse. School starts in August, and will be intense, but until then, you all ca expect some more frequent updates! Well, enough with me, on to the story!
Just a note – Thank you to all of my reviewers. Please forgive if this chapter has some issues, it isn't beta approved, only author created. It's in the raw.
Jean-Luc Lover – Thank you so much for your help! I just don't know if everything will work out, just because of who I am. Once I finish a chapter, I'm anxious to get it out, and therefore don't spend time editing… sorry…
Dedicated to Nii-san. I'm glad everything worked out, otherwise this chapter might have never been finished. Love ya.
RR
Like The Rain, By Revolutionnaire Rouge
Chapter Twelve – The Difference Between Hearing, and Listening
"This rainy season…" Anzu said shakily," Is making us all crazy, isn't it?"
Above her, Kaiba chuckled ever so slightly. They were standing close, and she still clung to the fabric of his shirt. She could feel the heat radiating from him; feel his heavy breath across her cheeks, feel his upturned eyes move down to focus on her face. Anzu felt another wave of emotion surge up and then break, crashing down on her in a violent dark rage. The pressure made her knees buckle slightly, and she buried her head once again into his chest and sobbed, not caring what he thought or how he acted. Anzu expected him to stiffen, or completely push her away, but instead…
She stiffened slightly as she felt his arms circle around her, not to hurt or to deny, but to comfort. The embrace startled her, but she slowly relaxed as she basked in the reassurance. Her breathing became more even, her sobs dwindled until she was simply leaning against him for support. Anzu didn't look up at him – she was too shocked, and too confused. There was no way that his intentions could be misinterpreted. He was trying to calm her, which, in some ways, panicked her more.
"Yes Anzu," he said, his voice barely above a low whisper," I guess it is."
They fell into silence, and despite the noisy chaos taking place all around them, Anzu seemed to be able to hear each rain drop as it hit the pavement, ending their already short lived rain existences. The rain came down harder and faster. The cries of each pelting drop merged together into a symphony of voices, each singing its own somber requiem.
Anzu was brought back into the reality she had temporarily managed to escape by the sound of heavy footfalls. She moved her head so that she could see who was approaching. The man was short and squat, older, and uniformed, showing himself to be one of the Domino Police. From what she could see, Anzu guessed that the man was the head of the squad which had come in on Mokuba's request. She could feel Seto stiffen slightly as the man stopped before him.
"Mr. Kaiba, Sir," the man said, his voice high pitched despite his heavy set build," I will need to speak to both you and your-" he glanced to Anzu, his narrowed eyes taking in everything," your girlfriend, individually. While the reports from your brother and Miss Hawkins should be a sufficient conviction, we will need your input on what occurred tonight."
Seto stood up straight, his wide eyes burning like the blue heart of a flame. He gently pushed Anzu away and turned to stare directly and the smaller man," No."
The officer blinked, and drew back slightly, a mixture of confusion at being denied and fear of Kaiba evident on his face.
"I'm sorry Sir, but it's procedure."
"Mazaki is not my girlfriend," Kaiba said, staring the man down.
An unreadable expression crossed the C.E.O.'s face while the police officer looked between Anzu and Kaiba.
"I- Please forgive me f-for the mistake, Mr. Kaiba," he stuttered," But t-that still doesn't change pr-procedure. We'll need to speak with both of you. Individually."
The sudden fear of being alone swept Anzu back up into the raging tides of emotion – she threw her arms around Kaiba and clung tightly, looking up at him with a lost expression. Kaiba stared back down at her, looking more startled than she had ever seen him, but did not push away nor reprimand. He gazed down at her pleading expression for another moment, then focused his attention back to the man.
"You will interview us together." Seto said, his voice hard-edged.
The police officer blinked, taken aback, and then shook his head weakly," No, no Sir. All interviews must be done individually, to assure evidence credibility."
Kaiba scowled, and glanced down to see that Anzu was doing the same.
"The evidence will be just as credible whether it's given together or alone," Anzu said, her voice containing an air of commanding strength despite the fact that it barely rose above the rain's continuing sonata," Kaiba and I were at the same place, involved in the same event. There will not be – there could not be – any sort of discrepancy."
Her words showed her growing calm, but Anzu still held tight to Kaiba, afraid as though letting go of him might cause her to lose herself in the wailing sounds of sirens and rain.
The officer opened his mouth to speak, then closed and opened it again before he was able to formulate words," Ah- ah- I'm afraid that that would be completely against-"
"We will be interviewed together."
Kaiba took a step forward, and glared down at the small man. Anzu could see the eyes of the dragon flash as the cold, blue flames of his words bore down on the officer, melting down every resolution into a weakly smoldering lump. She couldn't help but smirk slightly as the officer's face went pale, and his knees shook. Too often had she seen the effects of Kaiba's razor edge personality on others, and too often had she been one of those victims.
"V-very well, Sir," the man stuttered, starting to step back in an attempt to escape the ferocity of the C.E.O.'s gaze," Both of you, p-please follow me."
Kaiba nodded silently and the man turned away. He pushed himself into the swarm of people who moved through the alley, and Kaiba and Anzu followed, Anzu still attached to him like an extra limb. Anzu caught a brief glimpse of Mokuba and Rebecca speaking with another group of police officers, and saw how tightly Mokuba held to Rebecca, but the image was swept away as quickly as it had come into the swirling influx of people and sounds. She had no idea where she was being led to, but simply stayed close to Kaiba, trusting herself not to let go as he followed the police officer. An unmistakable blonde head broke through the crowd, and Mai was suddenly at her side, keeping pace with Kaiba, who had not stopped. Mai's violet eyes were wide with a panicked confusion.
"Anzu, the police called and I came down as fast as I could, are you alright?"
Anzu nodded dumbly, feeling less alone now that both Kaiba and Mai were here.
"I'm fine, j-just a little shell shocked," she stared up at her friend," Are Ryou or any of the others here?"
Mai shook her head," No. I was only able to get a hold of Yugi at the shop. Marik and Shizuka were out, Jou was with Honda and Duke at some Duel Monsters tournament, Ryou's working, and I don't know where Yami was, but he wasn't home."
Thinking of all of the others made Anzu's head twinge. She had little doubt as to where Yami might be.
"We've got to get interviewed by the police," Anzu said, panting slightly as she struggled to keep up with the still silent Kaiba. Mai nodded.
"Good, and then you can tell me what the heck is going on."
Anzu looked to her roommate and friend, her eyes desperate and pleading at the same time," I'll try," she said.
The police officer stopped, and Kaiba stopped in front of him, signifying to Anzu that their walk was over. Anzu sent a meaningful glance to Mai, and Mai gave Anzu a quick hug before melting back into the mass of people. The officer stuck a hand into the crowd and pulled out a frazzled looking younger officer.
"Officer Yon will be asking you some questions about what happened tonight," the older officer said, his annoyance and discomfort both apparent. The younger man shot the older a confused look, but said nothing to his obvious superior.
"Yon, you will be questioning both Mr. Kaiba and his-" the man blanched as Kaiba and Anzu both glared at him," acquaintance together."
"But Sir," Yon gaped, staring at the other officer," That's-"
"I know, I know," he snapped, obviously feeling more empowered now that he was not addressing Kaiba," It's against procedure, but just do it!" He turned, and merged back into the crowd, but not before a briefly mumbling," And I'll probably lose my job for it."
"And then we'd all be better off," Anzu mumbled not-so-quietly. Yon smirked, and Anzu could feel Kaiba shake slightly in a silent chuckle. The officer turned back to glare at her, but said nothing.
"Are you going to be alright?"
Anzu jumped, startled out of her silent reverie. Turning away from the tinted window and its view of the wet, narrow streets, Anzu met Seto's azure eyes. She had felt them on her since they had first gotten into the back of the limousine, and had entirely avoided them up to this point. Now she knew why. Those blue eyes were like the ocean's tide – pulling her in and then washing her out in a cycle she couldn't control. He stared at her full force, not angry or condescending, but concerned. Anzu shifted slightly in her seat, and averted her eyes down to folded hands.
"Yea, I'll be fine."
"Where's Mai?"
Anzu shrugged," She said that she was going on ahead to the apartment. She mentioned something about making hot chocolate… although Mai is about as competent at cooking as I am…" she trailed off, a small smile crossing her lips. She tilted her head back slightly and looked up at the roof of the car.
"Are you going to tell her the truth? When will you tell your friends?"
Anzu scowled, and she snapped her head up to glare into those blue eyes. His face was impassive, which only fueled her sudden anger.
"What is this?" she snapped, his cool demeanor bothering her as much as his words," 20 Questions?"
Kaiba sighed," So, you still haven't told them. You do realize that they'll find out, don't you? Somehow, Motou, or Bakura, or one of your other 'Nerd Herd' friends will discover something. And then, what will you do?"
Crossing her arms, she looked away from him again, trying to avoid his convicting gaze.
"Why do you care, Kaiba? Last time I checked, anything leading to my demise would please you."
"Well, you had better check again," he said, his voice low and quiet.
That voice. Just like his eyes, his voice drew her back to him, made her look to him again. She found herself lost for words.
"And I don't care, I just don't want to see you make an idiot out of yourself – well, anymore than you already have."
His face was still a blank slate, but Anzu was quite aware that hers wasn't.
"Do you realize what a contradiction you are Kaiba? You tell me to check again. You say you don't care, but in the same sentence, you say you don't want me to make an idiot out of myself. You ask me if I'll be alright, and then insult me," Anzu sat up straighter in her seat," What is wrong with you? Why do you care? What do you think my friends will have such a problem with?"
Seto sat back, and for once allowed a glimmer of emotion to break through his cool mask. Unfortunately, it wasn't an emotion Anzu could pinpoint.
"In case you haven't noticed Mazaki, your friends seem to hate me. Especially Motou. I don't think he or Bakura would be particularly pleased about the fact that we've been spending a lot of time together."
Anzu's jaw dropped in disbelief," What is wrong with you? You sound like we're having some kind of secret relationship! And besides, none of this has been my choice! You're the one walking in the rain, you're the one who comes to all of the dance practices, you're the one that forces me to come to your house, it's you!"
Seto bit his lip, watching Anzu in all of her shocked frenzy. She was right, a thought that startled him as much as the thought of him caring about her. But hadn't this evening shown something?
Yes. The voices were back. It shows that you're going crazy, Seto.
He focused in on her again, and realized with both panic and confusion that she had begun to cry softly, her strong façade broken by her own emotions.
"Mazaki…"
The limousine pulled up to a red light. In one fluid moment, Kaiba unbuckled his seat belt and crossed to the other side of the car. He sat down next to her just as the car began to move again, not knowing why exactly he was acting as he was. It seemed as though being around her caused him to lose his sense.
"You're right," she muttered, not seeming to notice his closer presence," You're right, damnit. They would freak out, they would be so angry. They would be angry with me that I hadn't been telling them everything. They already are angry that I let dance consume my life. They wouldn't understand – they don't understand."
Seto sighed, mentally cursing himself. Why was it that, every time they were around each other, they argued? It seemed that the only thing he was good at now was making her cry. Was it something about him in particular, or was it all part of a larger picture…?
Anzu was now looking up at him.
"God damnit," she muttered, her cheeks still glazed with tears" I always do this. I just can't seem to control anything anymore. One moment, everything is fine, and then the next – I'm getting shot at."
She laughed weakly, still staring up at him with her blue eyes, now crystal clear. Seto tried to pull away from her, from her eyes, but just couldn't. They were pure, brilliant sapphire, a stark contrast to their normally dull bluish-gray, different from the stormy dark blue he had been faced with on so many occasions. But now, just now, Anzu's eyes reminded Seto of raindrops, two clear and perfect cleansing droplets.
"If I may remind you," he replied, just as quietly," I was the one getting shot at."
"Right," she whispered, moving her gaze from his face to the seats on the opposite side where Mokuba and Rebecca slept quietly," Poor kids, they've had quite a day."
"What are you going to do when they find out?"
Anzu sighed, and sunk down in her seat. She stayed focused on Mokuba and Rebecca, knowing that if she looked up at him, she would again lose what little composure she was clinging to.
"You know, Yami once said something like that to me," Anzu felt Kaiba's whole body tense at Yami's name, but ignored his reaction," about my parents. What I would do when they found out that I was still dancing, even when they had ordered me not to. And I'll tell you the same thing I told him."
"Which is?"
"They won't."
"What makes you so certain?"
"The sheer fact that they can't," Anzu shook her head, and sighed. Without a thought, she leaned against him slightly, enjoying how much warmer he was than her wet clothes," They just can't find out, or else everything will be ruined. Yami will have a fit, Ryou won't trust me, and the others will feel shocked and hurt. They just wouldn't understand that everything that has happened has been out of coincidence or necessity - they would think that I was leaving them to be with you."
She risked a glance up at his face.
"Which we both know is not the case," she finished.
"Why wouldn't Bakura trust you? Aren't the two of you best friends?"
Was it just her, or had Anzu sensed some bitterness-
"I would think that, of any of your friends, he would understand."
"I think that he would be hurt. You're right, we are best friends, but… he doesn't know. He thinks that I got hurt by some muggers out for my money. I've been lying to him, and if he found out…" Anzu paused, and scowled slightly," And again, it comes to the question of, why do you even care? You seem to have better grips on my life than I do."
Seto didn't answer. How could he answer a question that he didn't know the answer to? Anzu sighed, and rolled her eyes.
"You're not going to answer that question, are you? I suppose it's like the answer to the number of licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie pop – the world will never know."
He couldn't help but chuckle dryly," Your poor attempt at good humor has been noted, never try that again."
"Shut up," Anzu mumbled, a faint blush across her cheeks apparent to him even in the dark of the car.
The two sat in silence again, both consumed in their own wild, spinning thoughts. Anzu continued to lean up against him, growing with each moment more comfortable and more exhausted. Her thoughts became muddled and drowsy, but even through the haze of her dimming mind, two words remained clear and concise. Seto Kaiba.
She couldn't explain how, but something had changed. There could be nothing more obvious – the two of them were different. Maybe the change had come that night, as he comforted her in her panic, or maybe even earlier, when she confronted him about Mokuba, or maybe even earlier still, but something had been altered. The way he spoke to her and questioned her and, dare she think it, cared for her. The whole idea that Kaiba could care about anything she did still seemed ridiculous to her, but was becoming more real. As Anzu looked up at him, she suddenly realized that she was beginning to care about him. What he said, what happened to him, how he reacted. Before, a statement or gesture would have meant nothing to her, but now, now, it was more…
Maybe Ryou and her other friends would have reason to be angry or worried. If, that is, they ever found out about everything.
"The way we talk about it," she said sleepily," it really does seem as if we're having a secret affair. I don't think that rain walks and cooking mishaps really count as dates though. More like coincidental accidents."
Seto didn't answer, leaving Anzu to wonder if he had even heard her. Anzu felt her eyelids grow heavy, and knew that she didn't have much more time in the land of the conscious.
"Seto?"
No response. Anzu decided to continue anyway.
"Seto, why do you like the rain?"
Anzu felt him tense, and then suddenly relax. Although her eyes were now closed, she knew that he was staring down at her, scrutinizing her every feature and word under his sharp blue eyes. She heard him take a deep breath.
"I started the 'rain walks' shortly after Gozaburo died. At first, I just walked to get away from everything, the office, the people, the responsibility, but the walks soon became something else. I would go out almost anytime it would rain, anytime after I had an argument with Mokuba or made a horrible decision about something. They just became ritual. I found that I could think more clearly, organize my thoughts when I was out there."
"But it doesn't rain all of the time…"
Seto could barely hear her voice, he knew that she was almost asleep.
"No, it doesn't. But it always seems to at the right time."
"Whatever… Tell that to the dress I ruined…"
And with that, Anzu was gone, her breathing deep and even. Her head rested on his shoulder, and her body leaned against his. Seto looked down at her sleeping face, debating whether to wake her or simply let her sleep. He rolled his eyes and grumbled under his breath, but did nothing to move the girl. Seto was now the only one awake in the back of the vehicle.
Seto gazed out the window of the limousine, regarding the wet streets with some longing. The rain still swept across the city, and from the heaviness of the clouds, would probably last all night. He had a lot on his mind, and a lot he needed to wash away. A rain walk would do him some benefit. Already, he was finding himself unable to think straight. Anzu had asked him why he liked the rain. He had answered, told her something that he had never even told Mokuba. Yes, he had a lot to think about.
The limousine stopped outside of Anzu's apartment complex. The chauffeur came around and opened the door, carrying an open umbrella and peering in expectantly.
"Mazaki," Seto muttered in her ear, shaking her gently. The girl didn't move. "Anzu, come on, we're at your complex."
Nothing. The boy sighed, but knew what he had to do. He shifted her slightly and wrapped one arm behind her back, and then stooped down and wrapped his other arm under her knees. Very carefully, he maneuvered out of the back of the limousine and onto the sidewalk. Anzu shifted slightly in his arms, but never woke. He turned to the chauffeur.
"Go ahead and take Rebecca and Mokuba home. I'll take Mazaki up to her apartment and then walk home."
The chauffeur nodded, more than used to Kaiba's rain walks. Without even offering the umbrella, the driver turned from Kaiba and returned to the limousine. In a matter of moments, it was pulling away, headed to the Hawkin's residence.
Already, Seto was starting to feel his arms tire. He held Anzu closer to his chest and began to walk to the stairs, talking to her as he went, even though she slept.
"You're not particularly light for a dancer are you?"
He trudged up the stairs, careful not to trip or drop Anzu as he did so. The stairs were dimly lit by dirty glass globes that emitted a weak, orange light. Despite the light, as Seto looked down at her sleeping face…
He stumbled slightly, but managed to regain his balance before the two of them toppled to the bottom.
"Why couldn't you and Mai have lived on the first floor?" he complained. As if hearing him, Anzu smiled slightly, but he knew that she must have been dreaming.
Seto reached Anzu's apartment, and by maneuvering Anzu's body in his arms, freed a hand to turn the doorknob. It was locked. He cursed, and began to knock the door with his foot. There was a key above the door frame, he knew, but he couldn't reach it and still manage to hold Anzu. After a few moments, a weary looking Mai Valentine opened the door. She gave them a strange look, but let him in none the less with a muttered, "Thank God."
"She fell asleep in the car," Seto said, feeling somewhat defensive as Mai gazed at him with knowing eyes. She smiled and nodded gently, but her smile contained a hint of something Seto couldn't place.
"Her room is this way, follow me."
Mai led him down the hall off of the living room and opened the door to Anzu's room. She flipped the light on and revealed to Seto a world of shades of blue, ranging from the sky blue walls to the baby blue comforter across the bed. The color décor surprised him – he would have expected Anzu's room to be an unbearable shade of pink.
"Just set her down on the bed," Mai said, turning from him and moving over to the closet," I'll get her some dry clothes…"
He walked over to the bed and slowly laid the still sleeping Anzu on top of the comforter. Their faces close as he began to straighten, he was able to hear as Anzu mumbled something in her sleep…
"Seto…"
Seto froze, still standing over her bed. There was no mistaking what she had said. One breathless, airy name had passed over her lips in her sleep, and he had heard it. His own.
"Kaiba-"
He quickly straightened up and turned to Mai, who was looking at him curiously. She held dry clothes in her arms.
"I was just saying, not to be rude, but you should probably leave, unless you want to help me get Anzu into these clothes."
Seto's eyes widened and he shook his head violently. Mai chuckled," I didn't think so. You should leave, it's late." her eyes narrowed slightly," Are you feeling alright Kaiba? Your face is really red."
Again, Kaiba shook head, his eyes cast to the floor not daring to look at the blonde woman. "I'm fine. I'll show myself out."
Mai nodded, and Seto left, quickly exiting the apartment and rushing down the stairs. No, Mai Valentine was no dumb blonde. He remembered what a competent duelist she had been before she had taken to modeling, an excellent strategist and manipulator. Doubtless, the woman could see more than even he could. Oh, how good she was at manipulating a situation, in mere seconds!
Seto stepped out from under the overhang that covered the landing, and into the cool rain. It poured down, a refreshing change from Anzu's room, which had seemed to him extremely warm. He felt the rain melt away the deep blush from his cheeks, wash away all of the confusion, all of the guilt, everything that he had done wrong. Seto Kaiba walked towards the Kaiba Mansion as the rain washed everything away.
"Seto… Seto?"
Seto watched the streets pass by, bright and warm after the long night's rain.
"Are you listening to me?"
The limo passed the Kame Game Shop – it was busy, as it always seemed to be. He wondered if Anzu would ever tell the rest of the "nerd herd".
"Look man-"
But what was there to tell?
"If you don't start paying attention, I SWEAR I'M GOING TO SEND YOUR RICH ARSE TO THE SHADOW REALM!"
Kaiba looked away from the window to find himself nose-to-nose with the face of an enraged Egyptian. He blinked, and then scowled.
"Isis, will you please tell your camel-brained brother to get out of my lap before I mail him back to Egypt in a Duel Disk box?"
Marik blanched, and scuttled out of the compromising position he had placed himself in as a means of getting Kaiba's attention.
"Honestly Marik, I didn't think you swung that way. But I mean, after dating someone like the mutt's sister – "
"Don't you say a word about Serenity yo-"
"WOULD YOU TWO PLEASE STOP FIGHTING?"
Marik and Kaiba silently turned to face the other two occupants of the vehicle – Isis and Mokuba.
"Big Brother," Mokuba began," It's extremely rude to say a thing like that about Shizuka, especially as she's never been anything but nice to you."
"And you Marik," Isis scolded," Should watch what you say to Seto, as he's been nothing but a-"
"An arrogant, uptight a-"
"Stop it. Now."
The air inside the limousine was as thick as thunderclouds and equally as electrified. They were on the way to the Museum, and for Kaiba, the usually quick drive across town was taking next to forever. But maybe the other occupants of the vehicle had something to do with that.
"As I was saying, before I was so rudely ignored," Isis glared at her boyfriend venomously," The Museum has requested that I stay in Domino for another two weeks, to help train the guides for the new exhibit. While I've got a lot of work back in Cairo that Rishid has been handling for me, I've decided to stay!"
Isis clapped her hands together happily and smiled, but was met with three deadpan stares. Her smile melted, and morphed into an expression of deadly calm.
"I thought that the three of you would have been excited," she breathed," You know, 'Oh, that's so wonderful Isis!', 'We're so glad,' 'We miss you when you're gone!'"
The three men blinked in perfect sync.
"Oh, that's so wonderful Isis!" Mokuba said quickly, forcing a smile.
"We're so glad." Marik followed, with less enthusiasm.
Seto had returned to watching the street pass outside of the window. Mokuba jabbed an elbow into the older boy's ribs.
"Yes, we miss you when you're gone." Kaiba said blandly.
"Oh, bravo boys, great effort. It's nice to know that one is appreciated."
She rolled her eyes and snapped her fingers right under Kaiba's nose. He blinked, and his cloudy gaze momentarily cleared.
"What's wrong with you Seto?" Isis demanded," You've been in a daze all day – it's unlike you."
"I didn't sleep well last night," he retorted, his voice more than laced with annoyance at the woman – his girlfriend? – sitting across from him.
"Yea, that's because you were out all night in the rain," Mokuba muttered. Seto threw a sharp glance in Mokuba's direction, and the younger boy shrugged before making the motion of zipping his lips.
"I just don't know what's gotten into you recently," Isis complained, tossing her hands up in defeat," You never call, you never visit, you're always moody when we are together, and you're always out in the rain! Did you catch a cold or something…"
The woman continued to gripe – she was a radio, playing the same whiny pop song over, and over and over… Seto tuned out.
He couldn't help but wonder if this was what Anzu felt like when she was surrounded by her friends. Alone, annoyed, misunderstood, maybe ready to kill someone.
Good job, Seto, The Voices said cheerfully, you just met every standard for homicidal teenager.
"Anzu, Get Your Guns," he mumbled to himself, nearly amusing himself with his play on names.
"Did you say something Seto?"
He glanced up to Isis.
He glanced up to Isis, and saw Anzu.
And you're now officially delusional. Congrats.
Seto shook his head violently, in answer to both Isis' question and his own newly found lunacy.
Monday morning.
By some miracle, Anzu had managed to survive both English and Biology III without once making eye contact with Seto Kaiba – a true miracle as in both classes he had been seated within a four foot radius. Which was, of course, three feet too close. Yes, they had saved each others lives only two days ago. And yes, she had not only clung to him most of the time afterwards, but had fallen asleep on his shoulder on the drive home, only to awaken the next morning in her bed.
But that still didn't mean that any kind of contact – even eye contact – would be comfortable.
Only once over the weekend had she picked the phone up to call, and the one time that she did so, neither Kaiba had been in, leaving her to flounder pathetically when the maid who had picked up asked if she could take a message.
Anzu wasn't sure when exactly the discomfort set in, but it certainly had. Maybe it was when she realized how close she had gotten to him, or how deeply she had cracked the ice. Maybe it was when she was left on her own all Sunday, giving her more than enough time to fully consider the repercussions of actually caring for a man like Seto Kaiba. Or maybe, just maybe, it was when he walked into English that morning – tense, silent, and unfocused, with obvious dark circles lining glazed eyes.
And while Anzu might have been tempted many a time to force eye contact, or mutter a brief word – any word – in his direction, she never did, leaving Kaiba as dark and hazy as he had been the moment he entered. The temptation was a strong one, a kind of desperate desire to make a connection with him somewhere outside of the rain or his limo, as it seemed to Anzu as if every other connection she had with the real world was starting to fall away. While she had been pondering the enigma that was Seto Kaiba that next Sunday morning, Anzu had missed meeting up with Yami, Ryou and the others at the arcade. This, of course, led to one thing and one thing only.
"Anzu! Why weren't ya at da arcade yesterday?"
The brunette looked up from her unappealing left-over lunch, interrupted from her daydream of white chocolate sugar chunk cookies by a curious Jou. She and Yugi were the only two sitting at the bench, the others were either still in line for food or were simply gathered around the bench standing.
"I had a really busy day at work on Saturday," she lied, wondering in the back of her mind if she was becoming an expert at it," and then intense dance practice. I got home Saturday night, and just collapsed. I didn't hear my alarm go off Sunday and overslept," she shrugged and made a perfectly regretful face," Sorry."
Jou returned her shrug and put his lunch tray on the bench table," No prob, although ya musta been pretty tired ta oversleep til' 4 pm."
"Dance is exhaustive," Anzu replied simply.
"And that is yet another reason why you should quit!"
Anzu stared up at the just arrived Yami as he placed his lunch tray down next to Jou's. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, giving her the appearance of a dying fish, before she managed to choke out word.
"I-I'm sorry – Are we picking up from another conversation, b-because I don't think I was present for that one!" she exclaimed. Yami sighed.
"Anzu, I know how dedicated you are to dance, and I know how much it means to you. Originally, I really supported your decision, but… I don't know, it just doesn't seem to be the right thing. Dance is always taking up your time and energy, not to mention that if your parents ever found out…"
"Yami, I- I know that dance takes up my time, but it's my passion, I mean, I guess I thought you understood that-"Anzu was almost too shocked to be angry. Almost. A vicious red flush swept up through her face, and she did nothing to try and hide the indignant tone in her voice.
What had suddenly happened to the boy that had once been her Prince Charming?
"Who are you and what have you done to Yami?" she demanded. Honda came up behind Yami, followed only seconds later by Duke.
"Whoa Anzu, sounds like some pretty crazy accusation," Honda said.
"Well what do you expect? Yami's telling me to quit dance! It's like me telling Yugi to quit Duel Monsters or Jou to quit eating!"
"Calm down, Anzu," Duke said smoothly, sitting down across the table from her," Look, we talked about it after the whole arcade thing yesterday an-"
"You talked about it?" Anzu nearly shrieked. What was this? Had the whole world decided to go insane, and she missed the memo? "Since when were you all against me and dance?"
This time, it was little Yugi who spoke.
"Since we stopped seeing you, Anzu."
"Yugi's right, Anzu," Jou said in an odd moment of seriousness," We neva see ya 'round anymore. It's always dance dis or work dat or oh I gotta go do blah blah blah…you're our friend, right? And friends ah s'posed to be der…"
"Friends are supposed to support their friends, through good and bad!"
Anzu had stood now, and was looking back and forth to each face. Between her panicked glances, her eyes caught and snagged on a measured stare, observing her distress from afar. Realizing he had been seen, Kaiba turned and walked into the main building, disappearing in a fit of freshmen and swinging doors.
"Anz', what's going on?"
She allowed a sigh of relief to escape at the sound of a familiar and friendly voice. Warm chocolate brown seemed to melt as Ryou fixed his gaze on her face. Anzu smiled in relief.
"Ryou… Yami and the others are talking about me quitting dance!"
Ryou, her best friend, the one person who Anzu thought she could depend on, nodded. Anzu seemed to wither right then.
"It's ridiculous, isn't it? I told them that there was no way you would quit dance," he said matter-of-factly, and Anzu bloomed again into a large smile.
"By the way, I saw in the paper today that after a kidnapping last weekend," Anzu's heart nearly stopped at Ryou's words," the Domino Police Department is really starting to crack down on crime. Did the police ever find the men who mugged you?"
Everyone around the table went deathly silent as they all fixated their stares on Anzu, but Anzu's own ears were roaring loudly with the magnified sound of blood being pumped through her veins.
"Anzu," Yugi cried out in shock," You were mugged?"
"Why didn't ya tell us ya were attacked?" Jou exclaimed," Me an Honda woulda tracked down those good fer nothin…"
"When did this happen?" Even Yami was genuinely shocked and concerned as Anzu turned deathly pale and Ryou regarded her strangely.
"Well," Ryou answered, voice peculiar," It was around the time of the opening of the new museum exhibit. That same weekend."
"WHAT?" Jou, Honda, Duke, Yugi and Yami all exclaimed. Anzu merely sunk low on the bench, wondering if she would be able to escape from under the table.
"Anzu, why didn't you tell us?" Yugi demanded, unusually fierce.
Anzu remained silent, already plotting her escape patterns. If she managed to outrun Jou she could make it…
"I thought she did tell you," Ryou said, eyes focused only on Anzu," That was how she got hurt so badly…"
"But ya told us you got hurt at work! Some jerk eatin' in da restaurant!" Jou said with a frown.
"How could she have gotten hurt and you not know, Jou?" Ryou questioned, his face still calm," You gave her clothes to change into after she got attacked, because her work clothes got messed up and…"
He trailed off as he saw the look on Jou's face.
"I never lent Anzu any clothes – when she got ta Yugi's an' told us she got hurt at work, she was wearin' different clothes. She told us dat one of da guy's at work gave her them."
"So," Yami grumbled, cutting off Ryou before he could begin to speak," If you didn't get the clothes from work, and didn't get them from Jou, where did they come from? And why would you lie to us about getting mugged?"
Anzu was shaking now, her head in her hands. This couldn't be happening to me… not now. How could it happen so fast? Maybe Kaiba's psychic…
And there it was again – Kaiba. It seemed as though he was always there now, always forefront in her thoughts. She didn't look up to face her friends. She could have handled Honda and Jou and Duke, maybe even Yugi and Yami. But there was no way she could look at Ryou, not yet.
She felt someone sit down at her side, and place an arm around her shoulders.
"Anzu, what's going on?" Ryou whispered, pulling her close to him. She shook her head violently, trying to push away from him as she did.
Seto said this would happen… it was idiotic of me to think that it wouldn't.
Ryou released the girl, and sighed.
"Whose clothes were you wearing?" he asked quietly. Anzu was startled by his voice – in one sentence, Ryou had managed to sound worried, upset, angry, bitter, even. She looked up at him, stared into his soft brown eyes. He raised his eyebrows slightly, reinforcing his previous question.
"Why don't you just tell us, Anzu?" Yami demanded, slamming both hands on the table. Anzu didn't jump, nor did she turn to face him.
"Ryou," she muttered," You're my best friend and"-
"Anzu, please," he begged, silencing her," Just tell me who the clothes came from."
"Kaiba. Seto lent them to me."
"WHAT?" the group roared for the second time that day. Ryou nodded sadly, as if he weren't in the least surprised, only disappointed.
"Y-you've been skippin out on us ta spend time wit dat two-timin, friend stealin', arrogant, stick up da butt, jerkwad KAIBA?"
"He's not a jerkwad," Anzu mumbled, her head now back in her hands to avoid Ryou's penetrating gaze. Okay, well, maybe he is a jerkwad, but after everything he's done…
"AND NOW YER STANDIN UP FER HIM!" Jou screeched," WHAT'S DA WORLD COMIN TO?"
Yami put a firm hand on Jou's shoulder, and gave Anzu a hard stare," Calm down Jou, maybe Anzu will explain."
"Please, do," Ryou breathed.
With those two words, Anzu broke, her feelings snapped in two by the people she had thought were her friends, had thought would understand. The story started slowly, small raindrops pattering hollowly, but as she continued, the storm grew, until each over-swollen drop rushed out, hitting and meeting their end with an explosion of emotion. The trickle of the story became a flood, and she wished that maybe it would wash her away with it, past her friends, down the gutter, out into the streets, where she could join Kaiba and his frustrating but understanding nature and his even steps and…
With each word, a new emotion washed over Ryou's face, paining Anzu even more. She could almost see what he was thinking… why would she lie to me? How could she do this? I thought she trusted me… I thought we were friends…
Yami, on the other hand, was as unchanging as the heat of the desert, and just as blistering. He made his anger and confusion apparent with the way he frowned and clenched his fists.
"And then, the next thing I knew, I was in my room and it was Sunday morning."
Anzu finished, leaving the others to stare in shocked silence. Of course, she had omitted certain parts of her tale from the summary… like their conversation in the limo… and their closeness in the kitchen… and her newfound fixation.
"You should have told us sooner, Anzu," Yugi said, looking concerned, but not angry.
"These things should have never happened!" Yami exclaimed, livid," I've told you all time and time again that nothing good comes from a Kaiba, and this is a perfect example! Two times you almost got yourself killed!"
A spark of anger flickered up inside of Anzu, and she could feel the fire growing, feeding on the raindrops in her heart rather than shrinking from them.
"I didn't realize you cared about what happens to me, Yami," she replied scathingly," You were oh-so-concerned when I showed up late to your house bleeding myself out on your furniture."
"Well-"
"Don't even start!" she hissed, flames licking up higher, greedily consuming everything inside her," Ever since Isis showed up, you've been completely different! Oh, sure, you were always a little controlling, but as soon as she comes into the picture, you think you're the King of the World!"
"Anzu, this is about you and Kaiba! I never knew you as one to be jealous-"
"That's just it, isn't it? You never knew me! I was always just the happy-go-lucky friend, wasn't I Yami, just another friend that would follow every order and fawn over you!"
Anzu stood up from the table, bumping the bench back as she did. Both Ryou and Yugi leaped up, and placed a hand on her shoulder. She shook them off, and glared acidly.
"Dancing is my passion. And Kaiba, well, Kaiba-"
"Is he your passion too, Anzu?"
She blinked, speechless and turned to face Ryou, taken aback by his suggestion. Even Yami looked shocked, and the others nearly dumbfounded.
"Ryou, how-"
He shook his head and grinned darkly," Never mind, don't answer that. I don't want to know."
"But Ryou-"
"It's fine Anzu, just"-
"So, you too?" Anzu scowled, the closest to tears she'd been all day," Of all people, I thought you would understand, even after I told you. I prayed that maybe you could forgive me; maybe you could help me understand what to do, what was happening. I thought maybe you were different. You're my friend. At least, I thought you were."
Ryou's eyes widened, and it was his turn to look taken aback. Anzu stared back at him, bottom lip quivering slightly.
"I'm going," she stated, not hiding the regret or the pain in her voice. Her face, however, was determined. She slammed her lunchbox shut, and grabbed her back pack. Anzu left the lunch table, walking past Ryou and a stunned Yugi, brushing past the still furious Yami and the silent others.
Ryou watched as she walked past and away from them, a slight hitch in her step as she sped up, faster and faster until her feet were pounding across the courtyard, people yelling as they scattered to avoid a collision. He watched as she ran away from them, ran away from him.
He ran a hand through his white hair, smiling sadly, maybe bitterly. Yami's jaw had dropped, but he no longer looked angry. The whole group had turned to stare at Ryou. He let his head fall to the table, relishing in the clunk as his skull hit the wood.
"We messed up," he muttered, not caring if the others heard him or not," Not just me, or Yami, or Anzu, but all of us. There's no single person to blame, it's all our faults. The world is a screwed up place… and maybe Anzu was just trying to make sense of her little piece of it."
Ryou sighed, and lifted his head. He saw the door to the main building swing open and then slam shut.
"In the end, she tried to get us to understand, but we refused."
He stood up, and began to walk towards the main building. Yami grabbed him by the arm, but Ryou shook the boy off.
"Ryou, what are you doing now? Just let her cool off, then she'll be back." Yami said, an air of command in his voice.
"Damnit, Yami!" Ryou hissed," We've ruined things enough! I'm surprised it took her this long to walk away!"
"What are you talking about?" the other boy asked, taken aback.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about. You just refuse to accept it."
With that, Ryou pushed past Yami, and made his way to the main building.
He was waiting.
He wasn't exactly sure what he was waiting for, but he knew it would come, and soon.
It must have been the look on Anzu's face – her expression was the only storm advisory Seto had ever followed, insisting that he vacate the premises before things took a turn for the worse. Seto had an odd feeling that Anzu would be needing shelter soon, but he was still questioning whether he would be the one to provide it.
"Shelter? Don't be ridiculous Kaiba," he scolded himself. He had been like this since Saturday, even though he had tried to wash everything that happened away with the rain and Isis. That Saturday night, he had momentarily forsaken his own mental façade, allowing himself to feel. Feel guilty, for what he saw as betrayal to Isis. Feel concerned, that maybe everything Mokuba had said about him were true. Feel confused, for what was happening to both him and to Anzu. Seto realized that through his life he had truly become 'Cold as Ice Kaiba' – not just on the outside, but internally. Were it not outside the physical realm of possibility, Seto wondered if he might have developed a mental ice cap that beat down any stray emotion or rebellious thought. But now he could almost hear the slow groan as the ice became unsettled and cracked, and the glacier of his inner being trickled down. It was perturbing at best.
The door at the end of the hall swung open, and the echo of footsteps reverberated loudly. Kaiba discreetly cast a glance down the hall, masking his anticipation. Two girls were chattering at a rate that he could barely follow, causing him to wonder if they even understood each other. Immediately he donned his flawless face of cruel disinterest, and pressed himself further into the wall of lockers.
"I know this sounds so pathetic to you-" one of the girls said with a giggle, and Kaiba now realized that they were speaking a proper language," but I just can't keep my mind off of how hot he is!"
Kaiba rolled his eyes and tuned out, unable to find a reasonable explanation for why he had been doomed to wallow amongst shallow idiots.
The girls past by quickly, lowering their voices only as they passed him. Soon they were at the opposite side of the building, up the stairwell, and out of sight and mind.
Maybe the ice wasn't shifting as fast as he had thought.
This time, both doors flung open, and Seto didn't need to glance to know what was coming. Desperate footsteps pervaded the previous silence of the nearly empty hall, and he was aware of the fact that the calm before the storm had ended. Seto pushed off from the lockers, and as he did so he was met with a heavy blow to the chest. He exhaled sharply.
"Mazaki," he wheezed," You really need to loose some weight."
"Oh shut up Kaiba," the girl hissed, and she squeezed him even tighter around the middle. Mind still reeling from the impact, he took Anzu by the shoulders and pushed her away from him.
"Mind explaining your sudden urge to attack? I haven't provoked you since Saturday."
"No, you haven't," she admitted," You haven't done anything today but mope around and give the world the silent treatment."
And whose fault do you think that is? The voice is the back of his head said, rolling its unseen eyes.
"But of course you've been a glittering ray of sunshine all day."
"Shut up Kaiba," she said again, looking away from him.
"If I had a dollar for every time you told me to shut up-"
Anzu clenched her fists and stared at the scuffed linoleum of the hall. He saw now that she was shaking, but her face was resolute and her eyes dry.
"They know." she said, voice monotone.
"Of course they do," he replied. He was only mildly surprised that her friends had pushed her over the edge… Kaiba knew it would happen eventually, but he had never expected it would be so soon.
"I didn't want to believe it would happen," Anzu continued, her eyes fixated on some invisible floor wonder," And I didn't think they would react the way they did. It seems as though everything that has happened has now been completely blown out of proportion. Yes, I did lie to Ryou, and Yami and everyone else. And yes, I do seem to be spending a lot of time around you – inadvertently, of course. But is it really that great of a sin? Thinking about it now, none of it really seems that important. Just a few bumps on my path, nothing to go insane over. But they didn't want to hear what I had to say, didn't want to reason. Maybe this is all my fault-"
"Stop right there," Seto commanded," And think. The only thing you've done wrong is try to protect them."
"No… no… Yami and the others were trying to convince me to quit dance – everyone except Ryou of course, but,"-
Seto shook his head in frustration, realizing that he was strangely furious with the people who called themselves her friends.
"Ryou was upset that I lied to him. He was upset that I had been with you, although I can't understand why…"
"Of course he was!" Kaiba snapped, his suspicions that Anzu was completely blind Bakura's devotion now confirmed. Anzu's head shot up, and she faced him with dazzling blue eyes.
"At first, I felt almost betrayed," she said evenly," But then, when I saw him, I couldn't help feeling like the betrayer."
"The only thing you've done wrong is let them guilt you. I've run Kaiba Corporation for years, and I would be a liar if I told you now that I did so while upholding the highest moral standards. I've done things far worse than you have – I've ruined companies, ruined lives ruthlessly, I've beaten people down until they're nothing more than spineless followers. Your lies are nothing compared to what I've done."
Anzu sighed, but didn't look away from him this time.
"You know Kaiba, sometimes I truly do envy you. You always have this mesmerizing – if not slightly irritating – level headedness."
"Level headedness? Most people call it frigidity."
"That too. Whatever it is… I wish sometimes that I could have it. The ability to mask the person underneath, to be a closed book, unreadable, impenetrable."
"Overrated."
The girl sighed, and slowly wrapped her arms around him," Maybe so."
"Why did you come to me?" he asked, not caring that his arms again encircled her frame. By now, the gesture was eerily natural.
"Because I'm insane."
"Well I'm not, so that's no answer."
The girl shrugged and pressed her face against his chest.
"I don't know. Because somehow I knew you would understand, even if it seems utterly impossible. Which almost scares me more than what's going to happen next time I talk to them."
The bell rang, and Ryou remained in his seat, watching as Anzu stood up, haphazardly gathered her books, and sped out of the classroom. She fumbled with her bag at the doorway, nearly dropping her things. On any other day, Ryou would have been right there at her side, helping her catch her balance while joking about her lack of dancer's grace. But today, he continued to sit at his desk, merely observing as his friend struggled against overwhelming tides of her own troubles.
Do I even deserve to call myself her friend?
Anzu managed to regain her composure, and made her way out into the chaotic hallway, never once looking back to see if he might be following. As soon as she was out of sight, Ryou stood up and moved to the doorway, peering around the frame. He found it impossible to find Anzu amongst the sardine-packed crowd of students. Ryou swung himself back around to re-enter the classroom, but instead collided into something with a sickening thump. Ryou fought back a scowl as he pushed away, instead choosing to mirror the expression of mild disinterest that the boy he had ran into was already wearing.
"That is the second time this has happened today – I'm beginning to tire of it."
Ryou glared up at the taller boy – "Well then, maybe you should stop getting in people's ways."
Kaiba made no other indication of emotion but to raise his eyebrow," You're one to talk, Bakura."
"What, no name calling, Kaiba? I didn't even think you knew my name – I've always just been lover-boy to you."
"You used to just be lover-boy, but we both know that's not the case anymore, now is it?"
"What are you talking about?" Ryou hissed, already disliking where this conversation was headed. At the same time, he had anticipated it… and had planned to stay back and catch Kaiba before he left.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about."
The white-haired boy scowled as his own words were used against him.
"You know, Bakura, I had always been under the impression that friends stood up for each other, even if they go against the status quo."
"Don't you dare bring her up - this has nothing to do with Anzu!"
Kaiba grimaced, his eyes narrowing," You know as well as I that this has everything to do with Anzu. I didn't even breathe her name in this conversation, yet here we are, already arrived at the subject. We wouldn't be speaking right now if this weren't about Anzu."
"You don't know anything Kaiba, so don't pretend to!"
"I'm not pretending anything." Seto crossed his arms and leaned slightly against the doorframe. "And don't think for a minute that I'm anything like those other idiots that Anzu likes to call friends."
"What, so you think you actually know what's best for Anzu?"
"You should realize that the only one who knows that is Anzu herself."
Ryou tore his gaze away from Kaiba's and scowled bitterly. He knew what he had glimpsed at lunch, in the hall, and he knew what he had to do.
"Look Kaiba, I don't know why or how Anzu came to choose you"-
At this, Kaiba allowed himself to look generally surprised," Wh"-
"But she has. It's obvious you know my feelings for her, so there's no need for me to explain them. Regardless of what you might think, I would do anything for her. Even… " Ryou took a deep breath," even if it means losing her to you. The only person Anzu seems to be happy around now is you. The only person she even seems to be human around is you. I won't even pretend that I understand her decision, and sometimes I wonder if she even does. I really do just want Anzu to be happy. I won't try and interfere, I'll just try to be there for her."
Ryou watched Kaiba's face carefully, and he could clearly see that Kaiba thought he had gone insane.
"If it's you she chooses to be with… so be it. But," Ryou's voice suddenly grew cold, razor lined," if you ever so much as upset her or hurt her in any way, I will come after you, and you will regret it. Anzu is precious to me, and I will never allow you to trample all over her. Understand?"
Kaiba blinked as Ryou glared daggers.
"I wouldn't have it any other way," he finally replied.
And they shook on it.
Well, that's all! I've already started on Chapter 13 – who knows where that will go (well, besides me, that is!) Please review, send your comments, concerns, and scolding for me taking so long…
Also, if you are a fan of Full Metal Alchemist, please check out my newest work – Les Portes Tordues (insert shameless promotion).
RR