Hello one, hello all, it's me, Revolutionnaire Rouge. Yes, I know. It's been over a year – please don't kill me, but instead bask in the glory of the fact that I actually posted another chapter. I've had this one done for a while now, but kept telling myself that I wouldn't post it until I made it longer, to make up to all of you for all of the time I made you wait. However, as you can tell, that only caused you to have to wait longer, rather than getting anything done. I apologize that, for the year it's taken me to get this up, I only have 22 pages for you all. In my defense, a LOT happens in the chapter. It's a big one, trust me on that.
I don't honestly know when I'll next be able to post – I'll shoot for Christmas, since I'll actually (maybe) have some time to write, but even that is really pushing it. Please don't hate me or maul me for something as silly as this chapter. I hate to admit it, but I'm going to get emotional here… It's been a long, long year. School got a lot busier and harder (last school year I was taking 5 AP classes), my Grandpa passed away from cancer, I got involved in the school musical, and I went through some really difficult times this spring and summer. But there were good things too – I managed to keep my grades up (although I slipped from 8th to 13th), I turned sixteen (yes, I know. You all can do whatever math you want to) I visited the UK for the first time, and passed my first IB exam. Now I'm a senior (gasp!), taking all IB and AP classes (because I'm masochistic, obviously), and starting to send in my college applications. Things are going to be really hectic for a while, so I apologize that these updates may become even less frequent.
I'd like to thank all of my faithful readers and reviewers, and I'd also like to recognize my newest readers – some of whom sent me reviews only a few days ago. You all are wonderful – thank you so much for your dedication. I'd especially like to thank T-Cha-Cha, for being so tenacious in reminding me to update and being so enthusiastic about, well, everything. Thanks, love.
Alright, alright, enough emotional blathering. Get on with it!
Much love,
Revolutionnaire Rouge.
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! and any related characters, nor do I claim any rights to The Black Eyed Peas, The White Stripes, or Queen.
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Like The Rain, by Revolutionnaire Rouge
Chapter Thirteen – Hook, Line, and Sinker
L
'My Hump, my Hump,
My Hump, My Hump,
My lovely lady lumps,
In th-"
"Mokuba!" Kaiba screamed, nearly crushing his thin phone as he made a fist around it," How many times have I told you NOT TO MESS WITH MY CELL-PHONE!"
Kaiba could see Mokuba shrug and smirk as the boy replied," As to date, four-thousand, two-hundred and… seven times."
"You shouldn't have even made it to one! DO YOU REALIZE HOW EMBARRASSING IT IS?" The young man was nearly hyperventilating as he shrieked at his uncaring brother. Of all the things that boy could have done…
"Well, knowing you brother, I'm sure that right now you're doing a pretty good job of embarrassing yourself without my help. Can I ask – are you still at school, or are you in range of innocent civilians?"
All around him, students and adults alike had stopped to stare at the fuming Kaiba. As Kaiba met their eyes with a burning glare, whispers and giggles began to break out and a crowd began to form. He whipped around and began to walk, setting a brisk pace that few people could keep up with on the crowded sidewalks. However, the mass that had formed shifted in an attempt to at least keep sight of him. From behind he caught a glimpse of a few flashes, and wondered how quickly outburst would make it to the media.
"There is nothing innocent about our civilians!" he hissed, catching another glimpse of a camera flash, and this time of the ogling fan-girl behind it. Mokuba chuckled on the other end.
"So," Kaiba snapped, walking even faster as the crowd seemed to close in," What do you want?"
His younger brother mock-gasped," Oh, brother dearest, what could even cause you to think that I wanted anything from you? Can't a younger brother call his Nii-san without full force questioning?"
"When the younger brother happens to be a conniving munchkin? No."
"I am NOT a munchkin!" Mokuba yelled back. He took a moment, and regained his calm," Actually, Nii-san, I didn't call to ask you for anything. I just wanted to tell you that Becky and I wouldn't be coming to dance practice today. Becky caught a bad cold after being out in the rain for so long on Saturday, and is in no state to even leave her house. Professor Hawkins has to work late tonight, so I volunteered to watch over her. You know, warm blankets, chicken noodle soup, fluids, lots of 'get-better' kisses, that whole deal," he said casually.
"That's fine. Just don't leave until I get home, and promise me you'll let the chauffer take you and bring you back."
"Can do. I'd honestly not like a repeat of Saturday. And since Becky and I won't be there, that means you don't have to go to Anzu's dance practice or anything…"
Was it just Seto, or was there some tone of hidden intention behind Mokuba's voice?
"Hmph. Well it's not like I have anything else to do."
Seto smirked as he listened to Mokuba's shocked silence. Try that on for size, punk.
"You mean… you're still going to go?" Mokuba finally managed to splutter out.
"I'll do whatever I please," Seto replied coolly.
"Right. Right." Mokuba seemed to be trying to make sense of Seto's words, as if he didn't believe what he was hearing.
"Oh, and don't get sick. If you do, I'll have to call Isis over to look after you."
Another long silence.
"You wouldn't dare."
At this, Kaiba couldn't help but smirk. "Oh, I would."
"Ah, but that would require you to actually speak to Isis."
This time the silence was on Kaiba's side, and it was an uncomfortable one. Mokuba chuckled nervously.
"Um, well, I guess I'd better be going, Becky's calling in and-"
"I'll see you soon Mokuba."
"Right. Uh. Love you Nii-san!"
"Love you too, Dead Meat."
There was a fast click and soon the dial tone was ringing in his ears. Kaiba smirked, and flipped his phone closed. It wasn't much longer until he reached the mansion. He would change, check the weather, then be on his way. After lunch, and after his conversation with Bakura, Seto was almost hesitant to go Anzu's dance practice – he wondered if he was a glutton for punishment. Ryou's reaction had surprised him. Obviously Ryou had seen him and Anzu talking at lunch, and gotten the wrong impression from it. Although now Ryou's words had summoned another storm in Kaiba's mind, leading him to wonder if possibly the impression wasn't as wrong as Kaiba had previously thought. Anzu? Choosing him? Ryou? Losing her to him? He was still wondering when he would wake up. Seto hoped it would be before he lost his sanity.
Kaiba reached the gates of the mansion before he had even realized it. The heavy iron gates slid back soundlessly as he approached, and closed behind him with a soft thud. He walked across the front lawn, grass green and springy from the nearly perpetual rains. The younger maid who had taken Helena's position quickly opened the door as he walked up the steps, breathing a light," Good Afternoon, Mr. Kaiba."
She shut the door, and then walked behind him as he made his way upstairs.
"Mail arrived today specifically addressed to you at the mansion, air mailed internationally, I believe. Ms. Ishtar called three times today – the first two times I informed her that you were away at school and unable to talk, and the third time… Mr. Mokuba took care of it."
"I can only imagine what he said," Seto muttered, rolling his eyes. Despite herself, the young maid giggled slightly.
"There was also a call from a young lady, but she did not leave her name or a message, and the number was unlisted. However, I do believe she sounded similar to Mr. Mokuba' s last dinner guest – the one who got lost."
Mazaki? he pondered, doubting that it could be anyone else, Why would she call?
"And finally, Sir, Mr. Mokuba is in his room, on the phone with Ms. Hawkins."
"Thank you, Natalie," Seto replied, picking up the phone on the dresser as he entered his room," You may return to your duties."
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"So, Operation: Lonely Hearts seems to be regaining stamina after this past weekend."
"That's right!" Mokuba breathed, nearly bouncing in his seat," Seto's actually going to Anzu's dance practice on his own!"
"Is he now?" Rebecca exclaimed," I was actually beginning to doubt that he would. I mean, with me being 'sick', he was given the perfect opportunity not to go… assuming of course that the classes were still torturous to get through, which seems now not to be the case. How in the world did you manage…?"
"I used reverse psychology, in a sense," Mokuba said with a laugh," I told him that since we weren't going, he wouldn't have to go."
"So he told you that he would?"
"Well… not in the exact words, but pretty much. He told me that he didn't have anything else to do, and that he would do whatever he pleased."
"I suppose it just depends on how pleasing Anzu is, huh? But Mokie, how do you know that he's not just planning on going and working all night?"
"Because," he said, eyes sparkling mischievously," Seto just got home, and I can hear him rushing around. Business can go on any time, there's no reason for him to hurry. But Mademoiselle Sarcelle Dugin's dance instruction begins in 15 minutes."
"Of course. So, what do we know about Anz-"
Suddenly, the two heard a light click on the line. There was a brief moment of silence, before Rebecca picked up again.
"Mokie, I just don't know what to do!" she rasped, her once clear voice now the perfect sound of sickness," If they find out I'm pregnant-"
"Calm down Becky," Mokuba said with a sigh, catching on quickly," I think we should probably tell Seto first, you know, get the hardest part over with. I-"
"Mokuba Kaiba!" Seto's sharp voice filled the two teen's ears," As soon as I get home, we are going to have a looong talk."
"Yes brother," Mokuba said cheerfully. Seto slammed the phone down, and Mokuba and Rebecca broke into a fit of hysterics.
"N-nice one Becky! I kn-knew there was a reason I s-started going out with you!"
"Thanks!" she wheezed back, her voice no longer strained," I t-think the plan is going well – Seto chose going out over lecturing you!"
"Definitely a good sign."
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Seto nearly felt himself struggling against the heavy air as he entered the upstairs loft of the dance academy. The atmosphere was cling wrap – clear and sticky, holding him back as he pushed against it. Turning his head slowly, he took in the view of the dance studio. The dancers, usually light, upbeat and chattering as they warmed up, now stretched in tense hush. Anzu was stretching at barre closest to the small sitting area where Seto stood. He hesitated momentarily, and then whispered to Anzu.
"Mazaki, what's going on here?"
Anzu looked up and stared at him ponderingly. Her eyes were a hazy and unfocused blue. She said nothing. Seto waved his hand in front of her face, and she jumped, as if startled by his not-so-sudden appearance.
"Kaiba." she said simply," I didn't think that you'd be here today." Anzu suddenly sighed, and nervously ran a hand through her hair. "Auditions today. For the solo in the recital. Madame surprised us today by changing the date – they were supposed to be Friday, but she said that who was prepared now deserved the solo."
"And are you prepared?"
The girl bit her lip," I don't know."
"How can you not know?" Seto snapped quietly. A few dancers looked their way, but then returned to their warm-ups.
"I don't know!" she hissed back, and for the first time, Seto noticed how puffy the skin around her eyes was, and how red her cheeks were.
"Come on Kaiba, you know the feeling. That feeling you get right before you present a new idea to a company board, or something like that. No matter how much you've researched and practiced, no matter how well you know your stuff, your stomach is still uneasy, and you just don't know if you can do it. I know you know what I'm talking about."
Seto scowled.
"I'm not going to know if I'm prepared or not until I get out there."
The was a moment of silence between the two as Anzu lifted her leg up to the barre and stretched to touch her toes.
"Where are Mokuba and Becky?" she inquired, still bent over.
"Rebecca is ill, so Mokuba went over to take care of her." he answered stiffly, suddenly realizing that the two of them were 'alone'.
"Ah."
The silence became uncomfortable, which Seto took as an indication that Anzu had come to the same conclusion he had. Anzu began to stretch vigorously while Seto attempted to look around with mild disinterest. It was difficult; Seto's mind seemed to want to stray back to the girl who stood just a few feet in front of him, bending and stretching her thin frame. He would tear his eyes away for a moment or two before finding it impossible not to look at her again. Something sharp pierced him on inside, digging itself in.
Finally, it seemed, Anzu had exhausted all of her warm ups. She glanced up at the boy just as he glanced down at her, and averted her eyes once before resigning herself to look him in the eyes. Seto tried to peruse the emotions that flickered behind her stare, but found that they moved too quickly –
Anger-guilt-confusion-sadness-confusion again-something-
She opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a voice coming from the center of the studio.
"Eef you vill please, come to dee front, and ve vill begin de auditions for de solo." Madame Dugin proclaimed. There was a noticeable increase in the already taut air as Anzu pulled away from Seto and from the barre, and quickly moved to the other side of the loft. She sat down on the wooden floor and crossed her legs, her back to him. Seto settled himself into one of the plush old armchairs of the waiting area.
"I 'ope that all of you 'ave practeeced and ah ready for de auditions. I vish you all good luck, and vill now take volunteers before I call names."
At that very moment, Anzu looked back at him over her shoulder. Abruptly the sharpness returned, tugging at him viciously. Her blue eyes revealed a plethora of nervousness, and Seto suddenly wished he could alleviate her worries.
If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, Seto, the voice in the back of his mind said with an amused sigh, You're going crazy.
"Now, vould any of you like to volunteer, or vill I 'ave to begin calling names?"
Seto waited for Anzu to speak up. The studio remained silent. Madame Dugin rolled her eyes," Oh come now, eet ess not like I vill bite. I really do not vant to call names."
A petite red head sitting next to Anzu nervously raised her hand. "I will go first, Madame."
The woman clapped her hands together," Very well, let us begin then!"
Strangely nervous, Kaiba felt his muscles tense and anxiety build up where they contracted. On edge he felt, as if at any moment he could take a plunge across some undefined abyss. The feeling was disconcerting. Anxiety mounted as each dancer moved to the front while Anzu sat firmly in place. With less than mild interest he watched the same solo, over and over again. Certainly, every dancer performed differently – some with more skill than others, but Seto quickly realized that these variations weren't enough to keep his attention. The agitation spread, thin and sharp; Kaiba's finger's danced across the worn fabric of the chair, pattering softly in almost perfect time with his heart. The music stopped, as it had many times before, but on this occasion, Seto felt his skin prickle, like a ghostly body moving through him. The silence of the loft was suffocating, nerve-wracking, and he felt himself holding his breath in edgy anticipation. Slowly, with no more sound than her feet lightly brushing across the floor, Anzu stood and made her way to the front of the loft. All eyes fixed on her, but none were more transfixed than his. A penetrating and heavy weight coiled itself around his gut, twining itself up his body, crushing his heart until it pounded wildly, squeezing his lungs until he felt asphyxiated by the unknown pressure. In one flicker of a moment Anzu looked across the room, her ocean eyes snagging his and dragging them along as her gaze continued towards Madame Dugin. She nodded, and it took all of his self will not to nod along with her. The French woman's finger pressed down on the 'play' button of the black and beaten stereo.
Seto began to take a deep breath as the music started, but then Anzu moved. His long drawn breath hitched in a manner that surprised and disconcerted him, however he was quickly distracted from his own thoughts as Anzu began move to the music. Her body followed a pattern similar to that he had seen the other girls perform, but the fluidity of each movement transformed the solo into a completely different choreography to the point at which it was nothing Kaiba had ever seen before. The music, which had before seemed tinny and weak, seemed to grow in timbre until it each beat pounded ruthlessly in his ears. As he watched Anzu, he felt her raw emotion; the feelings seemed to seep off of her in heavy, roiling waves that broke over him with enough force to draw him back to her like a stormy full-moon tide. She continued to dance, as swept up by the music and her own emotion as he was by her. Anzu leapt and landed effortlessly, muscles pumping vigorously. Seto could barely follow her actions, but yet took in every movement. Then she spun, and he felt himself being reeled in; it wasn't until he heard the creak of springs in the ancient armchair that he realized he had been leaning in, closer, closer. Like the music her body moved lithely into a crescendo, arms and legs sweeping majestically in a way that he had never seen her move before.
Suddenly, before he was ready, the music ended, drenching the loft in near silence again. The only thing Seto could hear was his own breath, ragged and gasping as if he had been plucked from the water and left to flop helplessly on the land. Taking a deep, shaky, breath Seto allowed his gaze to settle firmly on Anzu who, to his surprise, stared directly back. She too breathed heavily, and along her face was strung a mishmash of expressions from weary contentedness to fish-gaping shock. Hesitantly Anzu smiled – smiled, at him! – then stood from the final position of her solo audition. A brief curtsy and a moment of stupefied applause was all she needed before she quietly tread back to the place she had been sitting before. The moment she sat, Kaiba felt the strangling threads of anxiousness loosen, allowing him to regain the clear mind he had taken leave of while she stood.
Part of him, a good part of him, reviewed what had just happened. Analytical, the voice in his mind that for a time had been quiet spoke up again, revealing to him the reality of only a few moments ago. Anzu had danced. He had been enthralled. Engaged. Ensnared. It was foolish, that voice continued, to think of anyone in such a way, to let one's cold strengths be so blatantly undermined and his weaknesses revealed. This sensibility began to build up in him, attempting to push away the emotion he had felt as she danced. But then, tout a coup-
She looked back.
She looked back, and she smiled at him again, eyes luminescent with a sparkling joy Seto couldn't recall ever seeing before.
The icy analyzer vanished, replaced by that grating voice which had found a comfortable niche in his thoughts over the past few weeks.
He grinned back to her.
Seto Kaiba hasn't just melted, the voice muttered in partial disbelief, he's undergone sublimation.
And at that moment, Seto wished that he knew more about chemistry.
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Breathless.
Blood didn't just flow – no, it pumped, pounded, through veins, until she thought that she was going to explode. Anzu gasped for breath, pulling in every bit of oxygen she could as if her sanity depended on it. She had danced. She had smiled. And, what's more –
He was smiling back.
With all of her might she convinced her body that it needed to continue to intake oxygen, when really all she wanted to do was float away, leaving everything behind but the ecstatic euphoria that now charged her very being. The loft, which when she entered had been plagued with an air that darkened the space, now seemed to shine ethereally; she wondered briefly if would wake up soon, passed out on the floor of the tense and gloomy loft she last remembered.
Seto's grin held her in place and seemed to magnify own expression until she thought that surely all that must be left of her face was one, big, smiling mouth.
He must be smirking about what a fool you're making of yourself, or about some kind of devious plot or… or…
But the smile seemed genuine, one he usually reserved only for Mokuba, and one that few others besides his younger brother ever even saw a trace of.
Breathe Anzu. Breathe. The more rational section of her mind reminded her. Although the loft was silent as the next girl prepared for her audition, the music of Anzu's solo still seemed to throb around her as if its chords had been permanently etched into the surrounding air. The beat pounded in rhythm with her heart, throbbing powerfully in her chest.
His eyes were sparkling brilliantly – two blue fire burning sapphires. The grin that stretched across his lips seemed so natural that she knew to the core that it was genuine. Anzu had caught a glimpse of Kaiba, the true Seto Kaiba. And… she had been the one to induce it. Her, and her dancing.
The solo-
Her mind was racing as she recalled what she had done, how she had danced. The memory was little more than an outline, as her every action seemed to have been effaced by her nervousness, her emotion, and now the pleasing reaction she had seen in Seta Kaiba. Slowly she began to reconstruct what she had done, how she had danced, and as she did so she became more excited. Maybe, just maybe, she had a chance. If possible, her smile widened even further. She knew she must be grinning like some crazily drunken fool, but she didn't care. Unexpectedly Seto shook his head and let loose a low chuckle, laughing as if he too felt the same lightheaded disbelief she did and was equally amused by it. His chuckle swirled close to the floor towards and spun to her, moving up her entire body before it decided to stay and dance in her ears. Anzu shivered slightly, but felt no chill. It was then she knew, more so than any time before, that she had gone insane.
A husky laugh escaped her lips and mingled in the air with his. The cacophony of their meeting, along with the sound of her pounding heart was surely drawing the attention of every person in the room, yet no one looked their way. Another student was up at the front dancing and faltering after having seen Anzu's intimidating performance. It was just the two of them, locked in the moment, in their own stream of emotion.
Anzu took a deep breath and locked eyes with the man who now stood in front of the old gray armchair. Exhaling she forced every worry and pain out, knowing that, at least for a while, she would be alright.
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Kaiba had shaken on it, but that didn't mean that he felt comfortable leaving Anzu in Kaiba's hands. Nor did that mean that he would ever fully accept her decision.
Ryou undid the buttons of the dress shirt he wore for work with shaking fingers. In his mind, he marked the day as one of the most unpleasant he had ever undergone. First, there was Yami's decision that Anzu should quit dance and the subsequent breakdown of trust and most likely friendship that followed. Then there was the confrontation with Kaiba, who, while not completely aware, still seemed to grasp the situation that Ryou had spoken about to him. Finally there was the drudgery of working at the museum with a director whose unbearable mood Ryou could only chalk up to that most unpleasant time of the month. Over all, it had been a miserable day for Ryou.
He was still trying to make sense of everything that had happened at lunch. Really, he hadn't been that surprised when Anzu revealed where so much of her time had been siphoned to. He wasn't even surprised when Anzu broke in front of him and Yami. Over the past few months he had seen it coming, even while relations between Anzu and Yami still bordered on more than friendship. Anzu was her own person and was intelligent enough to see, as Ryou had quickly seen, Yami's alpha position in their group of friends. Ryou had had a feeling from the beginning that there would be either and explosion or a meltdown. Admittedly, he was somewhat surprised to see both occur at the same time. He knew himself well enough to understand his own feelings and reactions when Anzu told them about Kaiba and her lies, and had watched Yami enough to have expected his reaction also.
Ryou had been hurt that Anzu had lied to him, and on more than one occasion. They were – or at least had been – best friends, regardless of Ryou's own feelings. He could understand why Anzu would want to keep her mishap encounters with the Kaiba's secret from the rest of the group; as soon as the name 'Kaiba' was brought up amongst that crowd, they turned from a group of relatively peaceful teenagers to a mass of violent reactionaries. However, he just didn't know why she wouldn't talk to him about everything that was going on. Ryou wondered if maybe subconsciously, Anzu was aware of his feelings for her, and had kept quiet for his benefit. As soon as the idea crossed the threshold of his mind, Ryou knew that that was the answer.
Anzu had tried to kill two birds with one stone; she had tried to protect him from the painful truth and her from the hidden viciousness she had detected in those she called her friends.
The ironic thing was that, besides lying some, Anzu had done nothing wrong. It was not as if she had cheated on him with Kaiba, or had plotted with Kaiba against the lives of Yami and the rest of the group. All she had done, whether she realized it or not, was try and find herself a shelter before the rain of her life drenched and drowned her. It was just that…
Kaiba had become her shelter. Kaiba had become her safety, her stability.
Not him.
And that was what hurt Ryou the most. The fact that some part of Anzu felt as though she couldn't come to him, couldn't trust him to hold her up. Maybe he couldn't, and she knew that. Maybe she had wanted to be strong and stand up on her own, and Kaiba had simply been the only one around to catch her when she fell. Anzu had lived a heavy life, and it had finally all come crashing down on her.
Clenching his fists, Ryou determined that he would not make anything more difficult for Anzu than it already was. He would be there for her if she needed him, and be supportive of any decision she made. That was what she needed more than any kind of instructions or charity.
Ryou stopped, realizing that he had been walking aimlessly for the last twenty minutes as he allowed himself to be overruled by his thoughts. He looked up from the sidewalk and saw that his feet had taken him to the front of Anzu's apartment complex. Looking at his watch, he knew that she would not yet be home from dance. This was the moment where he made his decision – he could go up and wait for her, talk to her, or he could leave now, leaving behind the unasked questions that still existed between them and had the potential to rip them apart forever.
He was half way to the stairwell when he noticed something in the parking lot that caught his attention and made him stop, dead in his tracks. A sleek silver car was parked a few spaces down, reeking with an over the top elegance that the other tenants of the lot lacked. Only for a split second did he entertain the thought that maybe Mai had invited one of her millionaire designer friends over for a cup of tea. Ryou knew exactly who the car belonged to. He had seen it before over a year ago, but the memories were still glaringly fresh in his mind.
"Damnit." he muttered as he dug his cell phone out of his pocket," This is not a good time."
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Anzu did a pretty little spin, slipped, and ended up smacking Kaiba in the face as she flailed to regain her balance. The man scowled and grabbed her arm, forcefully righting her.
"Sorry Seto!" she said, managing to keep a straight face for a millisecond before a rising giggle undermined her true lack of sincerity.
"Whoever stereotyped dancers as being graceful obviously never met you," he replied, rolling his eyes and Anzu skittered ahead yet again, leaping and twirling animatedly.
"Well that's odd - I think that whoever stereotyped you as being an insensitive jerk did a pretty good job." She turned to face him and attempted to appear serious but, just like her attempt to be apologetic, failed. Having already decided that any self restraint would be both pointless and impossible Seto let out a chuckle; the delight in the girl's form was contagious. Her smile widened and she came towards him, finally falling into place at his side. He couldn't think of an instance prior to that moment that he had seen the girl so truly happy. Other times, he decided, that he'd seen her happy and smiling were mere phantoms compared to the joy Anzu radiated as she skipped to keep up with his long strides.
"If I was truly such an 'insensitive jerk', would I have offered to escort you home?"
The question, in part, was addressed to himself along with Anzu, although he had a feeling that neither would come up with a satisfying answer.
"Possibly. Now that my position as a world famous dancer has been secured, you wish to become part of my inner circle, so as to bask in the well placed social connections I am soon likely to amass." Her voice intentionally took an airy, Hollywood dreamer type of tone which Kaiba broke with a primitive snort.
"Of course Mazaki. One solo and you are a world famous dancer. Because that makes perfect sense."
Anzu's hands went to her hips and her nose rose in the air as she closed her eyes and drew her lips together, all in all looking the offended star.
"Now that, Mister Kaiba, is no way to speak to a celebrity."
"No, but it is the perfect way to speak to a want to a delusional, want to be diva."
The girl mock gasped, affronted. "Why I never! You arrogant upstart!"
"Bathos prima donna" he shot back.
"Aggravating, intolerable-"
"Obnoxious cheerleader-"
"jerk, insufferable mongrel-"
"mindless tree hugger-"
"bastard, stubborn, egotistical- Hey! I do not hug trees!"
"Agitating friendship girl." Kaiba finished, a smirk gracing his features. Anzu smirked back, despite having been out insulted by him. Like him, she had come to the realization that they were arguing again.
"It appears as though everything is back to normal," he said, and Anzu nodded slowly, almost dreamily, confirming his suspicion that she was actually taking pleasure in the long-sought normalcy of the situation.
He knew he was.
"So," she said, her eyes sizing him up," if I'm so obnoxious, so agitating, why did you insist on escorting me home?"
Her voice was light, still holding the playful edge of their previous argument, however he sensed a flutter of urgency beneath the banter and smiles. Something within him stirred, warning him that his answer could have a greater importance that he realized. It made him uncomfortable. He thought for a moment.
"Because if I hadn't, you would have found some way to get yourself into some kind of life threatening danger, and as soon as Mokuba found out, he would blame me for your misfortune." Somewhere deep down, Kaiba knew that that wasn't the right answer, and even deeper down he knew that neither Anzu nor himself would believe it to be true.
Anzu put a slender finger to her chin, thinking," You're right," she finally said," It would have started raining and I would have ended up catching pneumonia from getting rain drenched, and it would have been your fault because you still haven't gotten me a new umbrella."
"Again with the umbrella, Mazaki?" he said with a feigned scowl," That seems to be all I ever hear from you. Umbrella this, umbrella that, umbrella, umbrella, umbrella!"
Walking on, he continued to mutter about Anzu's umbrella fixation under his breath. It wasn't until he heard a bellow of laughter that he realized Anzu had fallen behind, and was now out from under the cover of his umbrella, doubled over and soaking wet. Her face was red but radiant as she clutched her sides and shook with uncontained mirth. With a sigh he turned around and walked towards the giggling girl.
"What is it now?" he asked, casting his eyes to the heavens.
"I-it's y-you!" she replied, her gasping breaths causing her speech to hiccough.
"What about me?"
Anzu took a deep breath, but didn't let go of her heaving sides. "You- you sounded s-so funny! Go-going on about the umbrella a-and-" she burst into laughter again.
Rain steadily coursed down from the dark sky, tracing the lines of her narrowed eyes and rolling down her flushed cheeks. The rivulets of water then dropped onto her shoulders and the rest of her frame, causing her white tee-shirt to cling to her frame and reveal the lines of the leotard she still wore underneath. As Seto observed the girl, he felt the same sharp pain hook into him, this time pulling – no, dragging, him closer to her. Suddenly he felt warm, flushed and light headed as if he had been laughing for too long while spinning in circles. Without a thought, he closed his umbrella, allowing the cool rain to fall down on him.
On some subconscious level of thought, Anzu realized that it was raining, no, pouring, the clouds unleashing their water mercilessly to soak them to the core, and that the two of them stood unprotected, accepting the full brunt of the sky's sorrows. She realized that the streets were empty, the sidewalks completely abandoned but for she and him. She realized that he had drawn nearer to her – near enough for her to feel the sheer heat radiating off of him. She realized although her gasping laughter was beginning to subside, her heart was still racing, nearly pumping and pounding out of her body. But these realizations were all later processed, merging to form a sort of after-the-fact replay. She finally recovered from her laughing fit, uncrossed her arms from her waist, and stood fully. At that very moment, all she was aware of was the fact that Seto Kaiba was now standing very, very, close.
Seto's face loomed over hers, and she resolved to turn her eyes and face up to his. Her face flushed even redder, as if she had suddenly succumbed to a fever. They stood there for half a heartbeat in silence, simply staring at each other. Around the two, rain drops hit the pavement with an increased intensity, bringing the earthly orchestra to a full, pounding crescendo.
"What about me… is so amusing, Anzu?" Seto whispered huskily, his voice barely audible over the melody of the rain. His ocean eyes never flickered away from her sky blues, but held her there, just as intensely as she held him.
Before either could register what had happened, they drew closer, bodies now lightly touching. Anzu's hands somehow found their way to his chest; Seto's rested lightly on her hips. The tips of their noses touched.
"Everything," she breathed.
Anzu titled her head slightly, Seto lowered his, lips nearly brushing.
There was darkness as two pairs of eyes fluttered closed, and they drew impossibly closer with miniscule movements. She could hear his breath, ragged, feel it warm the raindrops on her cheek. He could feel her hands tighten slightly around his shirt, feel her lips so close to his.
"Oh, the boat, you know she's rockin' it
And the truth, you know there's no stopping it'
The boat, you know she's still rockin' it-"
Anzu and Seto jerked apart, eyes exploding open. Music blared loudly from the messenger bag which rested across her shoulder. Seto could hear her curse under her breath as she dug into the bag, and pulled out an angrily buzzing cell phone. She sighed as she looked at the caller ID.
"Ryou." she whispered, raising her eyes to send him a look of desperation. He saw her hands twitch, in an indecisive movement to answer.
"Don't." Seto suddenly commanded, his voice icy. Her hands stopped, and her eyes widened, as if understanding every reason for his interference.
"You're right." Anzu conceded. Pressing a button on the side of the phone, the noisy machine slipped into silence mode.
Rain rushed down the sides of her face, curving around her eyes and streaking down her quickly blanching cheeks. For a moment, had Seto not known any better, he would have thought that the girl was crying.
L
"Hi, you've reach Anzu. I'm not here right now, so please leave a message after the beep!"
Ryou cursed as Anzu's cheerfully recorded voice broke his tense quiet. Gripping the phone more tightly, he waited for the promised tone. Finally, it came.
"Anzu, please, it's me, pick up the phone! For God's sake, answer! Anzu, look, please, I'm sorry about everything that happened before but just ignore that for right now – I'm over at your place and they are here and you have to do something! Please, just call me back!"
Slamming his phone shut, he cursed again. This was not turning out to be his day. Resigned, he walked away from the apartment complex, knowing that if he were caught, there would be hell to pay.
L
The walked in silence, Kaiba holding his umbrella above them. Anzu took a deep breath.
"I should call back and see what he wanted. Or at least listen to the message."
There was a moment of silence.
"You should." Kaiba replied. "But do you want to?"
"He's my best friend," she said weakly.
"That doesn't answer my question."
She stared up at him, hoping that the fixedness of her frustration would cause him to look at her, just once. He stared forward, eyes unmoving.
"You're one to talk," she grumbled," You never answer my questions."
"I don't? I'm positive that I've answered every question your little mind has ever spewed out. And trust me, that has been a difficult task, as you never seem to stop asking inane questions."
"But yet, you're so sure that you've come up with an answer for every one of my questions. That seems inane in itself, Kaiba."
They were nearing her apartment building – she could already see it from where they were on the sidewalk. All Anzu wished for now was to be home, warm and dry in her living room, curled up on the couch. Glancing up to the man next to her, she decided that, at that moment, the Dragon was an optional fixture in that scene.
"Your attempt at changing the subject has been noted and appropriately shot down," he remarked, looking down to her and catching her gaze," Now tell me. Do you want to?"
Is it just me – she thought, eyes widening some - or was there more behind that question than there should have been?
As is reading her mind, Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Get your mind out of the gutter Mazaki, you know what I meant."
There was something in his voice though, that still caught in her mind, sending up small red flags. As if he didn't fully believe what he said he meant. Anzu paused, silent in thought as her feet carried her nearer to home. Sky blue eyes shifted to scrape across the sidewalk.
"I. I'm not sure."
"Then don't."
The conviction in Kaiba's voice was startling. The emotion, nearly overwhelming. Anzu's eyes tore away from the ground and once again fixed themselves to his sharply cut visage.
"You don't want me to call him." she said simply. Kaiba blinked, as if taken aback by her words.
"Ridiculous." he said, sounding affronted. "Why should I care about what happens between you and your little lover boy?"
Anzu's brow furrowed and her eyes returned to their previous place on the sidewalk. There had almost reached the stairwell that would deliver her to her front door. She didn't know why, but his words were accompanied with a hot, sinking feeling at the pit of her stomach, and a glazing over of her eyes. They reached the stairs. Anzu quickly took the first step up, placing herself somewhat in front of Kaiba. He snapped the umbrella shut and followed her as she slowly moved up the stairs.
"That's true," she replied carefully," I forgot that you didn't care about anyone or anything."
The only noise that came from the man behind her came from his heavy footfalls as he treaded behind her. She continued on, the words he had spoken before tearing a larger gash inside of her.
"It must be nice, never having to concern yourself with the petty matter of feeling strongly about some one else."
Although he again was silent, Anzu could feel the hot anger rolling off from him. She paused for a moment as she reached the stair landing, then felt herself jerk forward as Kaiba ran into her from behind. Anzu had not realized how close he was behind her. Continuing, she turned on the landing to climb the next set of stairs, saying nothing in apology. Only a few more steps, and she would be outside of her apartment. Digging for her keys in her bag, she continued.
"Although I will say it must be an utter waste for all of those little fan girl groups to chase you around – you being epicene and all."
Finally, she reached her doorway. As she moved to place the key in the deadbolt, Anzu felt herself roughly tugged by the arm. Spun around, she now looked upon the red and angry face of a Dragon. Kaiba scowled down at her, but it was the near growl she heard in his voice that caused her to back up until her back bumped up against the door. On the inside, she was trembling, unsure of what he would do in his rage, but Anzu stared up at him trying hard to appear unfazed. His scowl deepened but he drew nearer in a movement that struck Anzu as familiar, although at the moment she couldn't place it.
"Epicene?" he rumbled," Impressive vocabulary Mazaki."
"Thank you. I find it fitting." Her voice snagged; She struggled not to tremble.
"Well I don't. If I were as asexual as you claim, would I be standing here?"
Suddenly Anzu's knees seemed to fold in on themselves – her hands flew to his arms and clung for support.
He should not be having this effect on me, her mind tried to scream, but even in the caverns of her brain, the thought came out as a dulled whisper. His face moved in closer; in an uncontrollable but familiar reflex, she tilted and raised her head. At that moment it was if everything seemed to shine with an unusual clarity – Seto's eyes were jagged and brilliant, his face clear and close. Her thoughts became concrete, but confused. Seto's lips hovered over hers again.
"How come you get all of the last-word one liners?" Anzu said suddenly, lips lightly sweeping against his as she did so. Seto blinked, but didn't draw back. Instead, his eyes seemed to light up. Suddenly Anzu could read every emotion, each thought magnified by a clear piece of ice – confusion, amusement, and something that reminded her of…
"I'm not going to let you ruin the moment again Anzu," Kaiba whispered.
"Sorry." She was transfixed, frozen in a wave of cerulean, burning in the most sapphire heart of a flame.
"Don't be."
One of Seto's hands moved above her head to seek support on the door, the other rested on her shoulder. She could feel him shaking as he drew in a breath. He felt so close, his lips moved to hers.
Anzu lurched back and Kaiba jolted forward, suddenly lacking the support of the door. With surprising speed, Anzu caught herself, but Seto, taken by surprise, did not react fast enough and fell into the smaller girl. The door had opened up from the inside, causing them to lose balance. There was a moment where everything was still, Seto still pressed in the arms of the girl whose body had stopped his fall.
"Anzu Mazaki!" a voice rang out from behind the girl.
Seto felt the girl against him stiffen. He regained his balance and moved away from her, to allow Anzu to turn around. However, she did not – instead, she stood facing him, deathly still, eyes narrowed and body tensely erect.
"Hello Mother," she responded venomously.
L
Deviant that he was, Mokuba Kaiba had little to no resistance to the whims of his even more cunning girlfriend. While she claimed her crafty ways were the result of higher intelligence, Mokuba continued to believe that it was the college education that had transformed Rebecca from the cutely innocent if not somewhat psychotic little girl he had first met to the extremely tempting yet still psychotic girl that now laid across the foot of his bed, flipping through her notebook of "Battle Tactics".
"Are you sure you should be here Becky?" Mokuba asked, although in all honesty he couldn't think of anywhere else he'd rather her be. "If Seto comes home and finds you here, he'll know you're not sick and we'll both be busted."
Rebecca looked up from her work and smiled devilishly," Don't worry Mokuba. You called your brother, right?"
Mokuba nodded," Yea, and he didn't pick up. His phone is never off, so I guess it was on silent."
"That must mean that Seto is… otherwise occupied," she said, her face a mixture of triumph and suspicious disgust.
Mokuba's eyes widened," You don't think that they, you know?"
In contrast, Rebecca's eyes scrunched closed," Eww, no! How could you think like that Mokie?" Her face burned red, but she then managed to regain control," No! What I mean is that he's probably somewhere with Anzu, and eventually, he'll check his cell phone. He'll see that you called and call back, so we'll have a loose time frame for when I'll need to book."
"But Rebecca, we don't know that he's with Anzu…"
"He is," she said assuredly," Where else could he be?"
The boy rolled his eyes. "Seto? Oh, I could think of a thousand other places he'd rather admit to being."
He bit his lip as his girlfriend shot him a pointed look. "Ok. Well, maybe like, two other places. But still…"
"You're worrying Mokuba… that's unlike you."
Mokuba couldn't help chewing on his lip even harder.
"Well, you know-"
"Oh, love,
Oh, lover boy,
What'd you do tonight?
Oh, hey boy-"
The boy blinked as he felt the cell phone in his pocket begin to vibrate. However, he didn't recognize the ringtone. He glanced to Rebecca, who only giggled.
"Oh, lover boy
What'd you do tonight?"
"That's probably Seto calling in. You ought to answer it… lover boy."
He shot Rebecca a glance that fell somewhere between loving and acidic. Digging his cell phone out of his pocket, Mokuba looked at the caller I.D., which flashed on the front screen. His brows furrowed, and he flipped open the phone.
"Hello, Mokuba Kaiba speaking."
After a moment, Mokuba's eyebrows rose in surprise.
"Oh, hi! No, I haven't seen Anzu. Why do you ask?"
He listened for a moment, and Rebecca focused in on trying to read the boy's face.
"Hm, yea, I guess they have been around each other a lot recently. But no, I haven't heard from her or Seto. I know he went out to go to her dance practice- Oh. Oh."
"I can give you his number, although he didn't pick up when I called him a bit earlier- I'm sure she's fine though. Anzu's a tough girl, and if Seto's with her, no one will mess with her."
There was obviously a sour reply to Mokuba's last statement, for Mokuba scowled in defense of his brother.
"Please remember, he is my brother, and I have complete faith in his gentlemanly conduct." He said icily. Even from where she was on the bed, Rebecca could hear a rushed but apologetic reply.
"I understand, it's okay. You're worried. But I'm sure she's fine. I know she'll be alright. Oh? Oh? You mean- wait, wait a second." Mokuba's expression rose a notch closer to one of mild panic. "Slow down. NeoCorp? Disapproval? Her-?"
He paused again.
"I know she'll be alright. I'll call Seto again immediately. Try Anzu again. No, no. – Of course – Right, I understand. It will be alright, don't worry. – Alright. I'll talk to you soon. Bye, Ryou."
With a sigh, Mokuba closed his phone. His eyes sank to the ground, scanning the carpet for sudden answers to sudden questions.
"Was that Bakura?" Rebecca finally asked. Mokuba nodded, suddenly seeming weary and worried.
"Yes."
He leaned up against the base of the bed, and raised his arm to grab her hand. He squeezed tightly.
"Becky? What's if we're doing the wrong thing? What's if what we're trying will affect more than just Anzu and Seto, or you and me?"
She pursed her lips, and thought for a moment. Her eyes lit up after a moment of pensive thought, then darkened as she realized the implications.
"Oh."
L
At the first, startled, observation, the woman who stood behind Anzu was an almost exact mirror image of Anzu herself, only in chic business attire rather than Anzu's ragged looking shirt and leotard. The woman shared Anzu's compact but well built structure, for Kaiba saw that she was lean and curvy in all of the same places Anzu was – not as though he had noticed the curvature of Anzu's body until that moment, of course. Anzu's mother had the same rounded face, carrying the same sharp nose and full lips. It was only after Kaiba further viewed mother and daughter that he saw the differences in the two – for the first time, it occurred to him that Anzu was most likely of half Western descent. He saw that her mother carried the fully Japanese traits that Anzu simply did not; Anzu's wide eyes were a brilliant blue, while the glance Seto earned from her mother was narrow and deeply brown, and Anzu's hair was a light shade of brown, a contrast to the near black of her mother's hair.
"Anzu, darling! Turn around so I can see your lovely face!"
The words were unsurprising coming from a mother, but something in the woman's tone, paired with the look of disgust on Anzu's face clued Seto in to a deeper displeasure. Anzu stood facing him for a moment, before grudgingly turning around to face her mother.
"Don't call me that," Anzu replied, her voice heavy.
Her mother only smiled, and grabbed her daughter's chin, lifting and turning so as to get a precise picture of the girl Anzu had become. She then stepped back and gave Anzu a once over with the coldly appraising eye of one assessing an heirloom that had long ago lost its sentimental value.
"You're getting a little pudgy, aren't you dear?" Her mother finally said, smiling like a shark.
Seto's jaw nearly dropped. If Anzu had even an ounce of fat on her, in must be have been hidden somewhere he'd never seen. He had certainly looked.
"Well maybe if you and father had let me continue dance, I would have avoided putting on any of this weight you apparently see on me."
Not at all the reaction Kaiba was expecting from the usually feisty girl. Anzu abruptly grabbed Seto's hand and pushed past her mother into her apartment. As soon as she passed the older woman, Anzu stopped, causing an unaware Kaiba to lightly bump into her back.
"Hello Father." Anzu said stiffly. Looking beyond the girl, Kaiba saw an older man, clad in suit and tie, sitting at Anzu and Mai's small kitchen table, clasping a small piece of paper and scowling.
"Anzu." he acknowledged," How intuitive of you to bring up your dancing." Unfolding the paper, he read aloud what was written. " Mme Dugin, Dance Classes Monday through Friday."
The pale blue eyes of her father met Anzu's sapphire orbs. She paled considerably.
"Vater, bitte, I can explain-"
Seto, unsure of what to do, moved further into the apartment and settled on the edge of the couch of the joined living room. His muscles tensed even as he did so. While Kaiba wasn't completely sure why, he was silently preparing himself to defend Anzu – be if physically or verbally. The tension that filled the small apartment was thick, but only overwhelmed by the hatred he could feel literally radiating off of Anzu. There was no love between parents and offspring, that much proved evident.
"Silence, Anzu." Her mother cut in.
"You understand the boundaries we set for you when we allowed you to stay and live alone in Domino." Her father's Japanese held a faint German accent, which explained to Kaiba Anzu's semi-Western origins. "We made it clear that you were not to participate in any dancing instruction, or the next time you saw us you would be returning with us."
Kaiba saw Anzu straighten. A look crossed her face that Seto had seen before, although never on Anzu Mazaki. It was a business face, the face of a CEO or President or Director about to make a stand. Her eyes flared up dangerously.
"Cut the grandiose talk, Father, and get to the point. You wouldn't be upset with me over a few dancing classes unless it directly interfered with one of your own plans. I understand that this isn't simply a courtesy call. What do you two want?"
Her mother shook her hand, smiling grimly. "Ah, Anzu. You always were the bright one. Your father and I want you to come to Hong Kong with us and work with PR and International Expansion for the new branch."
"Because I'm the face of the new world?" Anzu replied, her tone vicious," Because I'm half Japanese and half German. Internationalism and brotherhood are lovely concepts to prattle on about in business, aren't they? Why don't you get Katja to do it? She's got the same genes."
At this, husband and wife shot each other a glance.
"Katja…" her father began," while quick to comply to direction, does not demonstrate the finesse for business you do, Anzu. Also, your sister has the tendency to become too… emotionally involved."
The girl shook her head. "I should have guessed. My older sister never had a chance, not between you two. She could play puppet for you for only so long, couldn't she? Believe it or not, beloved father, there's more to business than sheer manipulation."
"She was certainly more obedient than you ever were, Anzu Mazaki!" her mother exclaimed.
"Was?"
With a sigh, her mother brought a hand to her forehead. "Katja made the regrettable mistake of looking into the transfer of power in NeoCorp. As soon as she found out that your father and I had gained control of NeoCorp but informed Frei that the loss of his corporation was the fault Seto Kaiba, she left. She informed us that 'lying violated both moral and business codes'. Of course, we couldn't tell Frei that we usurped him from the throne he'd inherited from his father… the boy has too many connections in the Eastern European area – connections that we needed to retain."
Anzu froze in mid speech. It took her a moment to process what her mother had said. Kaiba had also paused, desperately trying to thread together the constantly fraying family story line.
"Wait. You said Frei? As in Axel Frei?"
Seto stood up from the couch abruptly. He'd made the same connection as Anzu. He took a few steps forward and stood at her side.
The other woman snorted," Of course I mean Axel Frei. Sweet boy, really, but a little high on his horse. Once his father passed away, he let the company go lax. It wasn't hard to wrest control from him."
"But you told him that it was Kaiba's fault that he lost his power and influence in the company?"
Her father frowned," You're not regularly so dense, Anzu Muhle."
Anzu's face turned red in fury," Only a few days ago Frei came to Domino, kidnapped Mokuba Kaiba and his girlfriend, and held them and Kaiba at gunpoint! He was going to kill Kaiba!"
Seto took a step past Anzu. He was livid. Parents or not, the desire to tear apart the two adults that stood smugly before he and Anzu was nearly overwhelming. Anzu grabbed him by the wrist, and squeezed tightly, sensing his rage. Her mother raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow.
"Oh? I never heard a word about such an event in the news."
"Kaiba paid to keep the event private." Seto replied coldly. Father and Mother regarded him for a moment, before finding him of little worth and turning back to their daughter.
"All very unfortunate, of course. But back to the matter at hand Anzu-"
With that phrase, all hell broke loose in the small apartment. Anzu began screaming at her parents all the while grasping Kaiba's wrist even tighter. Her parents argued back, loudly, and the three changed languages with each sentence, giving Kaiba no time to piece together the entire argument.
"Je ne sortira jamais!" the younger girl screeched," Et jamais pour tes idees betes!"
"There is no way that you will stay here!"
"Und du, du-"
"Dancing is my dream, and you're both perfectly content to crush me!"
"We've cared for you, funded everything you've ever wanted, and this is how you treat us?"
"Et, et cet homme a presque nous tuer!"
"Why can't you be more like-"
"Neither of you want me for anything more than some stupid mascot and-"
"We've paid for everything!"
"You've paid for nothing!" Anzu roared in nearly flawless English. "You've done nothing! You've never cared for anything more than your own welfare! That's why you never wanted me to dance; you were afraid that I would lose interest in business and leave you without a crutch. Well you know what? I am NEVER letting you control me, never again, and neither will my sister, now that she knows what monsters you are! Katja and I always were just pretty little dolls to make your company look better!"
Anzu lunged forward, but Kaiba grabbed her by the shoulders and drew her to him. The girl was breathing heavily, muscles tense, eyes flashing angrily, wildly. Her mother and father allowed equal looks of disgust to penetrate usually tamed business faces.
"You, Anzu Mazaki, are a disgrace," her mother hissed. "We will not longer tolerate your flagrant disrespect for the boundaries we've set for you! Your father and I came all the way here from Berlin just to visit you, and when we get here, what do we find?!?" The woman's voice had remained steely, rather than rising in hysteria," You're off, directly disobeying the order we gave for you to quit dancing, and, and cavorting with some lowly street vagabond outside of your front door! For all of your 'charms', you'll ruin our reputation, no doubt!"
Anzu sent her mother a mocking smile. "You didn't come all the way from Berlin just to visit me. You're both on your way to Hong Kong – I was merely an afterthought to advance your business relations. You disapprove of me dancing because it means I'm interested in something other than business, something other than making life easier for the two of you. Lord forbid!" she bit out. "Lord forbid I try and work for myself. Lord forbid I try to support myself and enjoy my life at the same time!"
Anzu took a deep breath, and tore herself from Kaiba's grasp.
"Get out. Now."
"You have no right-"
"I have every right, Father. You have played no part in the rent of this apartment. In case you haven't noticed, I haven't spent a cent of the pity money the two of you ever so thoughtfully send me. Thus, there is nothing in this apartment you can call claim to, nothing you can legally claim as your reason for not leaving now. Now. Get out."
"Anzu Mazaki. We are your parents, legally-"
"You may be my parents, but you aren't my family, and you sure as hell aren't in control of my life."
Anzu stepped towards her parents, but they remained unmoving, apparently unfazed. The younger girl smirked, but her eyes grew icy. Kaiba had seen the same expression many a time. In himself.
"But before you go, I would like to personally introduce you to a good friend of mine."
Her voice was eerily congenial.
She took Kaiba by the hand; He took a step forward and stared her parents down, understanding Anzu's intention.
"Seto, meet Sebastian Haruka Muhle and Tomoya Mazaki, my father and mother, and joint CEOs of NeoCorp."
Seto only stared, unmoving. Anzu's smirk widened as the two adults viewed Seto with open disdain.
"Mother, Father. Meet Seto Kaiba, Founder and CEO of Kaiba Corp International, and lowly street vagabond." Anzu put extra emphasis on the last detail.
"Common courtesy demands that I say it's been a pleasure," Kaiba rumbled," But I believe it is even further outside the bounds of proper decorum to lie." The Dragon smirked, this time mirroring the girl next to him," I expect to meet the both of you again around a conference table. As a warning, I have very high standards when it comes to business partners, and you have in no way met my expectations."
Sebastian stood up from the kitchen table, and Tomoya paled significantly under the twin stares of the fearsome teenagers.
"Next time you intend to indirectly kill myself, my brother, and your daughter, make sure to do so with more tact. Now leave."
The two adults made there way to the door.
"We'll be back to continue this conversation as soon as you are done entertaining your company," Tomoya hissed, voice tight.
Anzu's parents stood in the corridor outside the door. Anzu came to the door.
"No. You won't. Goodbye Mother, Father."
And with that, Anzu slammed the door shut, locking it with the heavy deadbolt. The girl took a deep breath, and leaned against the wooden door, visibly shaking. Seto took a step closer, unsure of what to do. He imagined that Anzu was close to tears.
Suddenly Anzu stood straight and walked past him to her room. She slammed the door. Seto stood there in her living room, between a rock and a hard place. He certainly didn't think it was wise for him to stay, but he in no way wanted to leave and face Anzu's parents – not that he was concerned about managing them. He was simply exhausted of people, especially people like them, and he knew that if Anzu was not there to restrain him, there was the possibility that she would be an orphan by the end of their 'encounter'. No, Seto decided, it was definitely better for him to stay in the apartment, at least for the moment.
It was the scream that tore Seto from his thoughts. Although muffled, screams could be heard coming from Anzu's room, piercing enough to rocket through the walls and reach him. She was beyond upset or angry, she was furious. And, as far as Kaiba could tell, more furious than he or any of her 'friends' had ever seen her. After a few moments of animal like screeches, Seto clearly heard the sound of objects being hurled – pillows, books and-
"DAMNIT!" Anzu screamed as Kaiba registered the sound of breaking glass.
The entire apartment fell into silence. Slowly, Seto settled himself onto the couch. He absently flipped through the Fashion Magazine on the coffee table, then remembered the drawer. Pulling the drawer in the table open, Kaiba found that the Mazaki/Muhle family portrait was at the very top, as if Anzu had been recently regarding it. He now recognized her mother and father; The two looked exactly the same, despite the obvious years in between the time the picture was taken and the present. Anzu looked just as displeased in the photo as she did when she first set eyes on her parents again. Kaiba imagined that the other, older looking girl was the older child, Katja. Anzu's older sister – the older sister Anzu had conveniently never mentioned. Finally, agitated, Kaiba stood up. Did Anzu expect him to stay there? Did she want him to stay there? Did he want to stay there?
You know you do.
"Shut up," he muttered to himself. For once, the voice complied. Having moved into the kitchen, Seto opened the fridge, trying not to be disgusted as he did so. It was no wonder Anzu was so slim – there was nothing edible for her in the household. Not that he had noticed she was so slim. Of course. Reluctantly, Kaiba took out his cell phone to order Chinese delivery. He had a feeling Anzu would be ravenous when she finally came out of her room, and Seto had no idea when Mai would be home. As he took out his phone, he saw an unusual message.
"2 Missed Calls."
Kaiba blinked. He then recalled that he'd set his phone to silent right before Anzu's dance class. Last time his cell phone had gone off during her practice, he had almost been kicked out of the building. That and he hadn't had the chance to change his ringtone to a less "Fergalicious" and more Seto Kaiba sort of ringtone. Flipping open his phone, he dialed his voicemail and listened.
"Nii-san, it's me. Why didn't you pick up – you never have your phone on silent. Are you busy with Anzu? Look, anyway, I just got a call from Ryou, and he's concerned that you have kidnapped our beloved Anzu and whisked her away from safety. He mentioned something about her parents...? Anyway, call me back before you head home."
Seto frowned. While everything Mokuba had said seemed normal, something in the tone of the boy's voice indicated worry – and a deeper worry than Kaiba finding out that Rebecca was at home with Mokuba without Seto's permission, which he imagined she was. There was something especially odd with his mentioned of Ryou, and how the boy sounded when talking about him. Kaiba made a mental note to question Mokuba about it when he finally got home.
He listened to the second message.
"Kaiba, it's Ryou Bakura. Look, I don't know where Anzu is – she's not answering her phone – but I have a good feeling she is or was with you." The British boy took a deep breath, as if calming himself," Anyway, if she is with you, please keep her away from home for an hour or two – I dropped by a bit ago and her parents were there. Don't ask her any questions about it, and don't mention it to her, just keep her occupied. However you can. (There was another pregnant pause) Even if it means you being around her. Whatever. Just keep her away for a bit. Please, do this for her."
And with that, Ryou had hung up. Seto slammed his phone shut and cursed. He cursed Anzu for not answering her phone, himself for telling her not to, Ryou for calling, for questioning, for caring so much.
And why shouldn't he care? He is her best friend.
Kaiba didn't answer.
Is it that you worry he's going to take Anzu from you?
"Ridiculous," he grumbled.
"What's ridiculous, Kaiba?" Anzu suddenly asked. Kaiba jumped, and turned to see Anzu standing outside of her room, leaning on the door frame. Her arms were crossed over her chest, her blue eyes bright and dry.
"Your little loverboy called me, that's what."
Anzu scowled, looking offended. Something in Kaiba's mind went off. She suddenly slumped forward some, a defeated expression crossing her face.
"That time Ryou called… it was to warn me not to come home yet, because my parents were here. I just listened to the message."
Seto thought for a moment. "He called to tell me to keep you occupied and away from the apartment and not mention anything about your parents," he said simply.
"Hm." Oddly, Anzu's face looked unconcerned about the discrepancy of requests," Ryou's trying to protect me, I imagine."
Hearing a peculiar hollow ring in her voice, Seto wondered how truly shaken she was by the events of the day. First she'd been… betrayed, was truly the only word for it, by the people she'd put her trust and faith in, then despite all of that Anzu secured a victory in the form of her ballet solo… only to afterwards discover that her home had been invaded by the two people Anzu seemed to loathe even more than him – her parents. Seto allowed himself to be immersed in these thoughts, so it wasn't until he heard his own voice did he realize he had begun to ask her a question.
"Protect you from what?" Seto asked, the second part of the question coming out rather strangled sounding as he had been startled by the realization that he was speaking, but so surprised that he wasn't able to stop in time.
Anzu met his eyes, her own still brilliantly blue, shining, reminding Kaiba of the fighting spirit he often underestimated.
She shrugged," Yami, I imagine. My parents." Her eyes seemed to flick away from his face for a moment before she spoke again," You."
L
Well, that's all folks… for now. I really hope you enjoyed it, even after having to wait so long. I hope you enjoyed all of Seto's little hypocrisies, and, well, the building tension. I get such delight from these things.
Please review – while I've read over this chapter time and time and time again, I may have missed some things. I always love constructive criticism, or analyses, or just happy input. I'm shameless, I know.
Please don't kill me
Love
RR