Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ You, Revisited ❯ Love You Endlessly ( Chapter 3 )

IMPORTANT: In this chapter the words "Tea" and "Téa" show up. "Tea" is pronounced the same way it normally is in English (i.e. Tee) while "Téa" is pronounced the way one pronounces Anzu's dub name (i.e. Tay-ah). I've checked each time I use it specially, so there areno mistakes where this is concerned.

Also, you may need to get the song I mention in this chapter to get the real feel of what's happening. But you can work without it.

You, Revisited

Chapter 3: Love You Endlessly

I just wanna be close to you
And do all the things you want me to
I just wanna be close to you
And show you the way I feel…
…I feel love
When I'm lying in the midnight hour
Holding you is just like a dream
Love is never what it seems...
…When we touch
And you're holding me the way you feel
Girl,you make my dreams come true
You make my dreams come true…

…I just wanna be close to you
And do all the things you want me to
I just wanna be close to you
And show you the way I feel…

…I feel love
Every time your body's next to mine
Something deep inside of me
Wants to love you endlessly…
…When we touch
Girl, you don't know
How it makes me feel
I just can't believe it's real
I can't believe it's real…

…I just wanna be close to you
And do all the things you want me to
I just wanna be close to you
And show you the way I feel…

From: Close to You - Maxi Priest

"Shit."

Seto threw down his pen and scowled ferociously at his paperwork. He ran his right hand through his hair and leaned his head back against the cool leather of his office chair. He couldn't concentrate. Mokuba was getting more work done than he was and that was saying something. Although he had no doubt that when his brother put his head down to work he could do wonders, Seto knew that the general administration details Mokuba was in charge of didn't particularly keep him riveted.

Seto, however, knew exactly what was wrong with him. It had been almost a month since the Chinese function and Seto Kaiba hadn't seen or heard anything more of Anzu Mazaki. It was telling on him, too. He hadn't slept a full night since then and none of those could be attributed to Shizuka. In fact, he hadn't seen his fiancée in almost a week. Not that he minded, really.

His office door opened and, in a flash, he was ready to rip the throat out of the offender.

"Seto?"

He sighed and signalled for his brother to enter. Over the years, Mokuba had matured from a cheerful, active kid into a lively, athletic young man. Seto snorted in his head, he sounded like an old man when he was scarcely four years older. But he still refused to cut his hair. Tame it, yes. Never cut it. And the taming had only happened recently.

"If you keep doing this to yourself, you're going to have one foot in the grave before you're 30," Mokuba commented as he flipped through some files. He held out a few sheets to Seto.

"Doing what?" Seto asked as he took them. He scanned them briefly and nodded. As he picked up his pen, Mokuba qualified his statement.

"You're working yourself into the ground. That or-" the black-haired teen paused, minding his tongue. Seto finished off with a flourish and then looked up.

"Or?"

"Or you're still hung up on last month." Quite suddenly, Mokuba noticed a change in the line of his brother's mouth, in the furrowing of his brows and then, just as quickly, the entire expression dissolved into one of defeat.

"I take it you saw." he stated. "Did you see her?"

Slowly, Mokuba nodded. He had indeed watched. When he had heard that Anzu Mazaki was back in Japan - in Tokyo to be exact - he knew that the Seto would have collided with her somewhere. He had hoped vainly that it wouldn't be in front of national television cameras…or Shizuka.

"What did you think?"

"She grew her hair." The younger Kaiba exhaled loudly and plopped into one of the chairs in front of Seto's desk. The elder Kaiba raised an eyebrow but waited. Mokuba was silent for a while before answering tentatively. "She's older. It shows."

The two sat in silence, pondering this small yet meaningful insight. A question nagged at the back of Mokuba's mind and had, if truth were told, been there for a long time - approximately three years. Finally, he voiced it.

"How did you manage to screw up so badly, Seto?"

"What?" There was no warning in his tone, only a need for clarification.

"Why did she break up with you?" Seto knew that one day he would have had to answer this question. It might as well be sooner rather than later.

"You remember the weekend I spent in Kyoto? The one right before she broke up with me?" Mokuba nodded. "The weekend that she left was-"

"Your second anniversary - your second year together, I know. She chased me out of the house." A reminiscent smirk crept across Mokuba's face as he spoke.

"Right. But the weekend in Kyoto wasn't as uneventful as I said it was… I don't even remember why but I found myself in a bar, wound up stoned into the next morning and woke up with-" He hesitated. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to tell Mokuba the identity of the woman he'd been with. He didn't like her much as it stood.

To his surprise, Mokuba knew. "Shizuka."

"Yes."

"And Anzu found this out somehow?"

"Yes."

"How?" Seto looked at Mokuba, the eyebrow quirking upwards as if to ask, do you really want to know that? But he continued.

"Sunday morning, Anzu tried to wake me up. I was dreaming about her." His lips twisted into a pained sort of smile. "But when she spoke to me, the face changed - morphed into Shizuka's. It shocked me to the core. I swear the only reason I said Shizuka's name was that. And I can't - couldn't - lie to her…"

Abruptly, Seto looked away, stopping.

"She left and the rest is history." Mokuba finished the sentence and nodded. After three years of wondering, he finally received a conformation. Speaking of which…

Digging through his files, Mokuba finally produced the sought after item. "Shizuka's airline tickets have been confirmed. When are you leaving?"

"What?" Total confusion.

"The tickets to Rome. Did you forget?" Seto shook his head indicating the negative. He reached across his desk and took the proffered tickets.

"When did she order these?"

"Last Monday."

"She didn't mention it."

"Strange."

"She probably forgot. I'll take them. I know how much you-" An epiphany. "You knew. Is that why you've never liked her?"

Mokuba looked up, his expression enigmatic but not in the least remorseful. "Perhaps."

Then he stood up and was striding out of the door before Seto could get a word in edgewise. Seto stared after him for a moment before looking down at the tickets in his hand.

Rome?

"Shizuka, are you-?" Seto stopped mid-question. The hotel room was in disarray and his fiancée sat on the bed, in her bathrobe, looking utterly wretched. "What's wrong with you?"

"I don't want to go to France." She pouted, knowing fully well that he wasn't susceptible to such antics. "I'd much rather stay here."

She looked pleadingly up at him. "Please, Seto. You know you're going to be heading off from one business meeting to the other and, frankly, I'm tired of them. I just sit around and listen to statistics all day. There's so much more to see here."

She rose from the bed and took on a much more dictating air, "We can both get to Domino on our own; we're grown-ups. And I'm sure you'd want some time off. Why not take a few extra days? I've already spoken to Mokuba. He's sure he can hold the fort for a few days more. You've been wearing thin lately. Spend some time with yourself. Relax."

Busily removing his personal items from their shared travel bag and transferring them into another, she added, "Besides, I wouldn't make it to the airport on time, anyhow. I'm nowhere near ready."

She turned, handed him the bag, and hopped up on the bed so that she could be eye-to-eye with him. She draped her arms around his neck and pecked him on the cheek. "I'll miss you."

He looked at her and she kissed him.

"I love you," she said. "And try to have a good time."

When Seto was seated on the plane, staring out of the ovular window, waiting for take-off, he realised that he had done what he always did.

But he could never bring himself to reply to her the same way.

Shizuka wasn't affronted when Seto hadn't responded to her. She hadn't expected him to. And he hardly ever fought her when it came to what she wanted it. If she wanted it, she could have it. Nothing ever seemed to bother him in that respect. Honestly, nothing ever seemed to worry him when it came to her.

Recently, although she knew that Seto cared for her, she had come to realize that he wasn't in love with her anymore. Or maybe he never had been in the first place? Had she? She shook her head, clearing it. She turned and walked back into her hotel suite, wrapping her robe more protectively around her small frame.

Sometimes, she even thought that the great difference in their statures was a natural hint that, no matter what either of them may have wanted to think, they weren't meant to be together. Sometimes, she thought she was the only one who wanted to think that.

Therefore, even though she knew that what she was doing was iniquitous, and she felt vulnerable every time she did it, Shizuka picked up the telephone. As her hand hovered over the key pad, it trembled slightly in both fear and excitement.

What was the name of Duke's hotel again?

It was a sunny day in Nice, France as Anzu Mazaki, the famed Japanese modern dancer, made leisurely steps down the busy sidewalk with her long, brown hair tied neatly and securely back in a ponytail that still suggested a freedom of spirit. Wrapped around the base of it was a flowing silk scarf, splashed in shades of blue.

Her white outfit was an interesting, sleeveless one-piece with a wide collar, the V dipping tantalizingly but not scandalously low. Instead of tapering to a skirt (and therefore worthy of being called a dress), it ended in short-pants with an abstract blue/green pattern along the hem and along the edges of the pockets. On her feet, she wore white, Romanesque sandals with small heels that laced up to just beneath her knees. Though they had taken a little while to put on, they were extremely comfortable.

Stopping to lose the sunshades before she entered the quaint little café that was her destination, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the glass. She even had his style, colour-wise. She shook her head as she pushed the door open.

The purpose of this trip was to get away from him and his wedding. Recently, Anzu had been frequenting this place so much she had a booth of her own. The waiters knew her regular and all she had to do was smile at them. As anticipated, her booth was waiting. She had a few letters she wanted to finish off and then, she presumed, she would do some reading.

Halfway through her letter to her father, which was a separate affair from her letter to her mother, she was interrupted by a familiar tune - Maxi Priest. The rhythm of the drums was recognizable and the first verse, though a bit quiet, caught her attention. As the chorus began, she looked up, directly at the open door, and into the wide, midnight eyes of Seto Kaiba.

…I just wanna be close to you…

Seto Kaiba impulsively turned and headed in the direction of a small, private-looking café he'd seen on the opposite side of the walk. Café Europa? As soon as he touched the doorknob, he could hear the drums. He knew this song too well: Close to You by Maxi Priest. He shook his head slightly. There was no escaping it.

The chorus began as he simultaneously looked straight ahead and into the clear, sparkling pools of blue that were Anzu Mazaki's eyes. His eyes widened. This was, without a shadow of a doubt, their song.

Without conscious control of his actions, Seto moved forward, walking toward her seated form at a slow, deliberate pace. Their eye contact never breaking, he sat across from her. Images and memories plummeted down around them, colliding, and tumbling to create a frenzy of emotion.

…Love is never what it seems…

"…Are you sure?" Anzu questioned. It was going to be a long three-day weekend. She was going to be alone in her Tokyo flat. When she'd been accepted to Tokyo U at 18, she'd moved to Tokyo. The guys had either stayed in Domino at the highly-rated local university, or they had gone off on their own to different parts of the world. Hell, Honda was in Korea. And her parents didn't think it that necessary to relocate to simply another city only about a half-hour's drive from their own home. Consequently, she was alone. At least, so she thought. Until she'd run into Seto.

"Yeah, unfortunately."

"Well, I suppose I can't keep you all to myself," she sighed. "Don't worry about me, I'll find something to keep me company. Hey! What does Mokuba have planned? We could have this huge party-"

"He's going with me."

"Oh." Both ends of the phone line were silent for a breath.

"Tea," he said, using his only nickname for her, "I'm sorry but I have to go. I'll see you Tuesday. I swear."

"Go ahead," she replied, the smile evident in her voice. Seto smiled too, thinking that he knew exactly why he loved her so much. "Enjoy your business reports. It's not like this is a special occasion or anything. See you Tuesday."

"Bye. Love you." He never felt awkward about telling her that.

"Love you too." And then the dial tone…

…Late Friday afternoon, Anzu lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering what Seto was doing. Actually, she was trying to come up with a nickname for him. Ever since he'd discovered that her middle name was Téa and had accidentally mispronounced it, he'd called her `Tea'. He claimed she was one reason for his caffeine addiction. Nevertheless honestly, when she thought of him, only one word came to mind - Saiai(1). And that wasn't a name. She shrugged mentally. The very fact that she was allowed to call him `Seto' was intimate enough.

Unexpectedly, the doorbell rang. There stood Mokuba, holding out two bags and smiling wickedly.

"Wear these. I have a surprise for you."

Confounded, she did as she was told but not before teasing him: "I hope you don't smile like that to any girls in school. I don't think Seto could deal with any more little Kaibas that weren't his own." Mokuba flushed from hairline to toes as Anzu disappeared into her room.

The car ride was uneventful. Mokuba sat next to her in the backseat of the 5 Series, keeping far and refusing to answer a single question. Finally, when they arrived at the mansion, he blindfolded her. Although this left her very vulnerable, she knew that Mokuba would not hurt her. They had been friends even before she and Seto had…

…Seto stood waiting at door to the pool area. When he saw Mokuba turn the corner, followed by a blindfolded Anzu, he smirked. She would love this. Thankfully, he'd remembered to have the blindfold scented. She picked up on his perfume way too easily.

Nodding his thanks silently, he opened the door and let Mokuba walk her in. she noted the difference in the light instantly. Mokuba slipped out and they were alone. Standing behind her, gently removed the blindfold then kissed her earlobe lightly, wrapping his arms around her slim waist.

She gasped in wonder. "Oh, my God…Seto, it's beautiful." Then, abruptly, she turned and smacked him on the arm. "Weren't you supposed to be in India?"

He laughed, more in love in that one moment than he had ever been before. All of a sudden she wrapped her fingers around his neck and pulled him into a searing kiss. When she pulled away, he mumbled mischievously, "I pulled a few strings. Welcome to the Caribbean, Ms Mazaki."

And it truly was the Caribbean. The entire poolside had been transformed into a paradise for two; palm trees had been planted and the air was filled with the sweet aromas of other innumerable flowering tropical plants.

"And I have another surprise for you," he whispered in her ear, as she spun round and round, looking at everything. "Close your eyes."

He took her hand lightly in his and pulled her towards the far end of the pool. The entire poolside, in point of fact, was a replica of a huge Parthenon raised five steps off the ground. Towards the end, when one climbed down the steps, there was - to Anzu's knowledge - an expanse of lawn, not overly wide but sizeable, and then the steep edge of the cliff the Kaiba mansion was built on.

"Open them." When she did, she found herself staring down at large, square, marble tiles that paved all the way to the fence. Cut into this was a slightly smaller square bordered by a shallow stream of running water across crystal-blue glass tiles. The entire area was thickly hedged by more palm trees. "Your dance floor."

Seto found himself enveloped in a hug so tight he almost couldn't breathe. Still, he reciprocated in kind…

…Seto really had gone all out. They had dinner, by the fading light of sunset and candles. The food was real Caribbean style, prepared by a Guyanese immigrant chef, and was everything under the sun, ranging from Jerk to Dhal-puri to Cook-up (2).

"It's a crime to ignore the pepper sauce," Seto advised as he watched her sample. "Besides, I've had it specially imported. I even did the testing myself…" He grimaced a bit. "I don't think I have many taste buds left."

She laughed and reached for the bottle. When she tried some, her eyebrows shot up and she nodded her approval. "Where on earth did this come from?"

"A Caribbean company in Florida: Caribbean Gourmet Inc (3). Of all the sauces I've ever tasted, this is the best."

"It is," she agreed readily, reaching for her water glass. "But very hot."

He reached across the table to swipe some off the side of her mouth, "No where close to you." She smacked him…

…"Dance with me?" Seto purred, nuzzling her neck as the stared out at the ocean. The sun had set and the sky was a beautiful clear navy, dotted with diamonds. She nodded instantly. From his pocket, he produced a small remote and pointed to a seemingly obscure corner. He stood and pulled her up, taking her into the middle of her dance floor.

The music emanated from all around. He began to move in time, and she followed because, despite the fact that she was the dancer, she preferred to have him lead at times like these. Anzu could never dance the way he did - she danced alone.

It wasn't a slow song but it wasn't fast either. For some reason, it sounded like the Caribbean. Seto loved Reggae anyway; she should have expected it. She lost herself in the movements until Seto leaned down to sing in her ear.

"…I just wanna be close to you
and do all the things you want me to
I just wanna be close to you
and show you the way I feel…"

She never knew he could sound like that. And he never realised that he could feel like that.

Author's Note: I know people hate me but, Hell, I ran up against a block. I decided this was as good place to stop as any I could get to. Besides, I found a great song for the next chapter. Am currently suffering from another bout of PEST.

Saiai - means "beloved" in Japanese. Just in case you were wondering.

"Jerk to Dhal-puri to Cook-up" - These are all authentic Caribbean dishes, all of which rock. My mother, grandmother and aunts make them absolutely deliciously. We're from the Caribbean, after all. And yes, it's true to skip the pepper sauce is a crime.

In aces you're wondering, Jerk is a way to prepare meats. It's a Jamaican delicacy. Dhal-puri is an Indo-Guyanese specialty that can't be found anywhere else in the world, and Cook-up is simply 100% Guyanese. Now, guess my nationality. LOL

Caribbean Gourmet Inc - Is a real company in Florida, USA that makes the one of the most flavourful and hottest pepper sauces in existence. I suggest you grab a bottle. But you'll probably only be able to find it in certain places. But look for it. It's worth it…every last drop.

And now, to reply to some queries/comments:

For Aftertaste of a Razorblade: I use Duke and Joey's dub names because, I like the sound of "Devlin", and "Joey" is just much easier to type than Jounouchi (did I even spell that right? Point taken?) As the writer, I'm using my artistic license. And, if you think about it, one can argue that everyone uses Seto's and Yugi's dub names too.

For Nightengale 13: I have tried to minimize on the bold. However, there are only so many ways one can format in order to stress already italicized words. And I hate asterisks. BTW, millions of thanks for the super-long review. I think it's the longest I've ever gotten in my life.

Disclaimer (for series): I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh and make no profit off this piece of fiction.

Disclaimer (for song): I do not own the song Close To You by Maxi Priest. The lyrics are reprinted without permission and, once again, I make no profit off their use. But I love this song. It's one I would highly urge you to get a copy of. And then read the chapter again, just to get the real feel. LOL

LEAVE A REVIEW PLEASE! ANYTHING IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. HOWEVER, CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM WILL BE TAKEN IN BETTER STRIDE THAN FLAMES.