Declaimer: I do not own yugioh or any of its characters.

Blooming of a Friendship

Anzu Mazaki sat on her bright purple colored cushiony chair and sighed, having one of the roughest days that month. She had danced for six hours straight, it was a Saturday evening and Anzu sat in her apartment starting her laptop up.

At least I don't have stupid parents bothering me.

She was born in Japan and became friends with Yugi, Joey, Tristan, and Duke when she was young, but when she was twelve her father was posted into the United States in Washington D.C. She lived there and she loved the nation's capital, but it was just different than home, she missed her friends, maybe if she had one of her friends with her she would have stayed there instead of insisting her parents to send her alone to Japan.

Anzu hated her parents with the largest 'H' you could put on the word hate. Her mother was a selfish woman who cared for no one but herself and her father did anything to please her mother. That was why she had moved, because her mother had wanted to see new places, and her mother did not care that Anzu had friends in Japan or that Anzu could not be isolated with her mother and father and not have friends to be there for her. For the two years that she had lived in the United States she loved the country, but she wanted to get away from her parents. She begged her father, who had half a heart compared to her mother, to let her finish her studies in Japan. After two years of constant begging and pleading, her father had agreed on her fifteenth birthday to allow her to live by herself.

Any half decent parent would not let their child go a thousand miles away to live by themselves, but Anzu's parents did not care what happened to her. They never paid attention to her, the father was spending his whole life pleasing Anzu's mother and her mother demanded anything she wanted. Constant fighting between the two adults took place, in which Anzu got very upset, which was one of the reasons her father allowed her to live on her own. Her father sent her enough money for the rent of the apartment, food, and clothing, but not any money for her desired dancing lessons.

Anzu had her life planned out, she would graduate from Domino high, than go to New York to study in dance, than make her way to Broadway. It was her lifelong dream to become a dancer and she knew if she lived with her parents she would never achieve anything. They were reckless money wasters and they hardly sent her enough money to get by the month. Anzu was only fifteen what did her parents expect her to do, get a job? She ended up getting money through giving dancing lessons to younger children at the dance studio which was only a few blocks away from her apartment. From the money she received she put herself into dancing lessons and every month put money away in the bank account her father had made for her to transfer her money into every month.

Anzu had danced that day for six hours straight trying to teach the younger children how to do the 'quick step' and it took the life out of her. The quick step was one of the most tiring dances for Anzu to do constantly moving her feet around and around the dance floor, try doing that and teaching a whole group of little children.

At least I earned two hundred dollars.

The children that she taught belonged to the rich families who lived in large houses and expensive penthouses in the city. The parents of the children and the children themselves loved Anzu, she was polite, even though very young for a teacher, she taught the children and treated them with pure kindness. The families usually paid a little more than what Anzu asked for, a lot more. It was like a tip from them to her for everything she did for the children.

Finally Anzu's laptop started up and she turned on her AOL program that she had brought from the US. She hadn't had time to ever change her internet connection from America Online to some Japanese connection, who cared anyways? Her parents got the bill for America online, let them pay for it. After a few seconds of the dial-up she had, she should really change her connections, but then again, let her parents pay for the internet, the welcome screen came up. She looked at her buddy list, Yugi and Joey were online, but away. Their messages both reading,

"Play duel monster's at Yugi's house, do not disturb."

Anzu rolled her eyes, typical for the two guys, she better not disturb them, she wouldn't want Joey blaming her for 'messing up his concentration.' Sighing she realized she was going into a chat room labeled, 'Domino High students' she realized she had never actually went into a chat room since she had gotten back from the US. It had been around five months into her tenth grade school year and five months since she had came from the US, how come she was going into a chat room now if she hadn't in the past? Oh well, she was bored and chatting was relaxing.

Entering into the chat room, she noticed how there were twenty people in the chat room. She received plenty of hello's from the people in the chat room.

'Hello Oceaneyes334' a person typed to her, Anzu rolled her eyes, she had meant to change her screen name, but she just never found the energy to do so.

'asl?' another named monkeychest112 typed to her. She knew that asl stood for age, sex, and location. She was a little hesitant, she didn't really know if giving her asl was that safe.

'Why do you want to know?' Anzu typed back

'oOo..you'd go great with Blue-eyes124, he or SHE won't give their asl either' Monkeychest typed back. With blank interest Anzu looked at the person with the screen name Blue-eyes124 and clicked on buddy info. She found it to be blocked to her.

Eh, probably one of those kind of old men who just want to toy around with younger kids and not give any information.

Anzu decided it wasn't a big deal if she gave some information about herself out, who was going to jump out of the computer and get her? It wasn't like she was going to actually give her name or address or actually meet anyone in real life.

'Okay I'm fifteen and I'm a female…and I'm located in Domino, Japan." Anzu typed and clicked send. Immediately ten or twenty people in the chat began to swarm her with questions.

'What do you look like?'

'What turns you on?'

'If I came to you right now would you let me do you?'

'Are you a virgin?'

'What's your bra size?'

'Height and weight?'

Anzu was disgusted, she had just told them she was a female and they had plunged her with nasty questions. She felt like leaving the chat room when a message popped into the chat room.

'Why don't you get lost before I give you all a nice taste of viruses into your hard drive?' It was Blue-eyes124. Immediately everyone in the chat room had left, Anzu didn't know if it was Blue-eyes who had done it or if they had left on their own.

'Thank You..' Anzu typed.

'You should have never given your gender to them, I bet half of them were ready to run to you and do you.' Blue-eyes typed back and thus the chat continued between Anzu and the stranger.

After calling quits three hours later Anzu had learned that blue-eyes was sixteen, a male, and lived in Domino himself. They had talked about everything from duel monster's to his favorite dinner dish which was a lemon herb chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans to the side, with the gray poured onto the green beans. Anzu had never talked to a guy who had been so attentive to what she was saying to him. She could tell he wasn't ignoring her, but he was truly understanding what she was writing to him. She could feel a bond grow with this faceless and nameless person online. Finally he had said he was tried from his work and had to go take a nap. Anzu was surprised that the guy worked six days a week and went to school, whoever he was he deserved a rest from talking to her.

Seto Kaiba walked toward his bed and plopped down on it. He had just had the best talk with anyone alive in his whole life. He was bored from his work and decided to see how losers spent their time online, and took a little tour into chat rooms. It surprised him how he had defended a mysterious girl online and how he had kicked everyone out of the chat room just because they had been questioning her. Well they were pretty dang nasty, they did deserve to get kicked out. Kaiba was surprised how he actually talked to this faceless person online, telling her what hardly anyone knew, except his younger brother, but wait, he had told her more than his brother, Mokuba, knew about him.

There's no harm in talking to this person, its not like the person can locate me, I'm just using this person for some entertainment.

Anzu went to the local bookstore, the new Harry Potter book had come out in Japan. (It comes out worldwide) Even though she never had much interest in Harry Potter she wanted to read it so 'they' could talk about it. Her and the so called 'blue-eyes' had talked everyday for the past two weeks online. They had saved each other's screen names onto their own buddy list's and they chatted away to each other, never revealing their identities. Anzu had learned this person enjoyed reading Harry Potter books along with millions of others.

Walking into the bookstore she saw a bookshelf that had only one copy left on it, Anzu squealed for happiness, it was going to be hers! She did a little speed walk to the book and as her hand touched the book another's person's hand landed atop of her hands.

Kaiba!

Anzu's ocean eyes met Kaiba's icy blue eyes and there was silence, still their hands atop each other on the book. They both felt something fun between them, like a shock of electricity. Anzu looked into Kaiba's eye's and realized something.

He has really nice blue eyes………

"What do you want with this book Mazaki?" Kaiba spat at her. He really wanted the book, he never ran around like a monkey trying to get a book from store to store. He went to one bookstore and got the book, easy as that. Anzu tried to gain confedence to say something back, she knew she never had interest in these kind of books, it was because of 'blue-eyes.' Anzu's mind clicked, could Kaiba be blue-eyes? It fit him perfectly, he had blue eyes and his favorite card was the 'Blue eyes White dragon' could it really be him?

Nah, millions of people have blue eyes.

"I want this book to read, isn't that obvious?" Kaiba narrowed his eyes, for summer reading for tenth grade everyone was allowed to use a old Harry Potter book for their essay, but Kaiba distinctly remembered Anzu had said to the teacher she had never read any of the books.

"You said to the teacher a few months ago that you had never read any of the Harry Potter books." Anzu's eyes widened.

Damn, that Kaiba so good at everything.

"I'm reading this book so me and my friend can have something to talk about!" Anzu said and fiercely pulled the book towards her. Kaiba, obviously stronger, grabbed her wrist and sternly tugged it away from the book. Her hand was off, and the book was his, Anzu saw her defeat and sighed. She walked toward the exit with her arms folded around her chest, softly and sadly whispering to herself, "I guess I won't be able to talk to blue-eyes about Harry Potter now."

Kaiba's ears perked up, he swore he hard Mazaki saying something about talking to blue eyes about Harry Potter. Was ocean eyes her? Could it be? It was time to test his suspicions out. Even though Anzu had let go of her suspicions, Kaiba was now determined to know the identity of ocean eyes.

That evening Kaiba logged online and saw that ocean eyes was online. He rarely sent her the first message, usually she was the one to say 'hey' and 'how are you,' but today he was on a mission. A mission for online identity.

'Hey' Kaiba sent to her.

'Hey!'

'How are you?'

'Fine.., you?'

'good' Kaiba decided to test out some suspicions. 'So..did you get the new Harry Potter Book?'

'I tried, but this jerk snatched it from me at the book store.'

'Do you know who the jerk was?' Kaiba typed in, he was getting warmer…..

'Oh stupid Seto Kaiba' Anzu typed into the chat even though she shouldn't be giving names, but she was angry here! She continued typing in her blind rage. 'I wish he would actually be nice to me, after all I just moved here from the US! I have horrible parents so I'm forced to give dance lessons to save money for my own future! They don't even care that I'm living by myself like a thousand miles away from them! They don't even care I have to defend myself, I have to bring money to save for college or dance school! GOSH!' Anzu hit enter allowing blue eyes to read everything and the first thing she though was….OH GOSH I GAVE TOO MUCH INFORMATION. She didn't think the person would know who she was, but still she had typed way more than anyone had to know.

Sitting at the other end of the screen Kaiba's eyes nearly popped out if their sockets. What the hell is wrong with this girl, she just handed her identity to me! Kaiba was a hundred percent sure this was Anzu Mazaki. He leaned back into his chair and thought about what she had typed. She didn't have parent's supporting her, she hated them obviously, she was earning money for her future, she lived alone….Kaiba realized they were both alike. In the past few weeks they had been sharing their interest's and most of them were similar, except for the fact she liked dancing and he liked working with computers. He had never known he could be so different online to a person than in real life. Maybe…maybe I should be nice to her.

'Ocean eyes, we've talked to each other for so long, maybe we should meet somewhere. How about the Domino Café tomorrow 10 o'clock?'

Anzu sighed, was this safe? What if she found out blue eyes was a sixty year old man trying to take advantage of her? After all she had given too much information to him. She saw him pop up another message.

'It's safe, there will be many people around, it's not like I'm going to be able to take advantage of you or whatever your thinking.' Kaiba couldn't believe he was doing this, but he did want to see the shock on her face when she realized he was really blue eyes.

Anzu realized he was right, its not like he would be able to grab her in front of everyone in the café…right? She realized she really wanted to know who this blue eyes was anyway and tomorrow was a Sunday so it wouldn't bother her work or studies.

'Um…okay be there by 10.' Anzu replied and signed off. What had she done? Was she going to regret meeting him? She had a nice image of blue eyes, tall, handsome, caring, kind, giving her warm hugs, talking to her and understanding what she said to him.

Anzu awaited in Domino Café for Blue-eyes, how would she know what he looks like? Would he even show up? Anzu sat at a booth for two with her straight and silky chocolate brown hair down going a few inches past her shoulders. She had grown out her bangs so they divided onto both sides of her head going down to the bottom of her ear length (meaning she could easily tuck her bangs behind her ears). She wore a simple blue baby tee that hugged her curves around her waist showing what a nice flat tummy she has. Along with her tee shirt she wore a very nice pair of jeans that hugged her thighs. Anzu began to play with her fingers, a bad habit she had when getting nervous.

Kaiba walked into the café in a simple black long sleeved shirt that stuck nicely to his skin along with a pair of black slacks. He didn't want to walk into the café with one of his signature outfits and draw complete attention to him, usually when he dressed casually most people didn't even recognize him. He glanced around the café and saw Anzu sitting at a table messing around with her fingers. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face when he would tell her that he was blue eyes. Walking over to her table he made an "ahem" noise.

"What do you want Kaiba?" Anzu shot her head up to see a very nicely dressed Kaiba, not in his usually attire, but to her she though he was very nicely dressed. She tried to put as much venom and coldness into her voice as possible because he was the reason she had exploded online and given blue eyes so much information. Surprisingly Kaiba slid into the seat across from her. The waitress walked over to them asking her what they wanted.

"We'll have two black coffee's one with cream, and one without." Kaiba said to the waitress. Anzu's mouth almost fell open, how did Kaiba know that she liked cream in her black coffee? How did Kaiba know that she like coffee at all? Anzu still couldn't make the connection. Kaiba seemed to enjoy this, Anzu was totally confused.

"But..how…huh?" Was all Anzu could spill out of her mouth. Kaiba handed her the exact Harry Potter book he had taken from her that day at the book store.

"I'm done with it you can read it." He stated simply. Anzu couldn't speak, she still hadn't made the connection. Kaiba was getting impatient.

"huh?"

"Mazaki, don't you get it?"

"no….get what?"

"I'm blue-eyes124 stupid."

Finally it registered to Anzu that Seto Kaiba, the owner of the multinational company Kaiba Corp, age 16, was blue-eyes124. He was in Anzu's class, he was the one all her friend's hated, he was the one who she talked to about everything she had felt in the past weeks, it was him.

"I…..I'm shocked." Anzu said. Kaiba smirked he had gotten the reaction he wanted, a dumbfounded Mazaki. He thought about leaving and telling Anzu to never bother him again and she was a waste of his time, but then he remembered a conversation he had with her a few weeks back.

'Blue-eyes?'

'hm?'

'Your lucky, you said you had a younger sibling, I bet he comfort's you when he's sad or depressed. I……I don't have anyone in the world who cares and comforts me……"

"……"

'Just talking to you makes me feel so…cared about…thank you…"

The waitress came back with two large steaming coffee's. Anzu thanked her and took large gulps of the coffee. She was disappointed that blue eyes had turned to be Kaiba, she bet that he had just toyed with her feelings for his own fun. Anzu thought about how alone she was in the world, uncaring parents, best friends that usually got wrapped up in their own stuff, and all the hardships she had to go through. She was only fifteen for god's sake! She'd been whistled to when she walked to her dance class in her dance uniform once. That day she was late and changed at home so she wouldn't waste time changing at the dance studio and she received so many whistles from cars coming by she almost ran to the studio. She hated the way some older guys living in her apartment complex asked to go on dates with her because they knew she lived alone, she always refused obviously. She had thought maybe someone cared about her, but it turned out to be Kaiba. Large tears formed in her eyes as she looked at her reflection in her coffee and began sliding off her cheeks.

Kaiba looked at Anzu with tears rolling down her cheeks, he knew that she had gone through a lot, he heard other kids talking about how older guys at school messed around with her just for fun. I wonder if her little friends ever help her out, guess not. Something panged in Kaiba's chest, for the first time he actually felt bad for someone else. He had tortured her by revealing who Blue-eyes was, he decided to leave.

Anzu lay in her bed and touched the red bite marks left on her neck, she shuddered, she needed to get into better apartments. She smiled and thought back to that night.

Anzu walked out of the Domino Arcade, she had just seen Seto Kaiba there along with his younger brother. She didn't want to see, talk, or know him, after that morning she felt that knowing who blue eyes was brought her pain. She thought that blue eyes would be a person who actually cared about her. Walking out she walked toward her apartments, it was late at night, around eleven.

A scruffy looking man approached her, he looked as though he was in his late twenties. Anzu realized it was one of the guys who had asked her out on a date and lived three doors from her apartment.

"What some fun tonight Anzu? Your parents aren't home." The man's breath smelled of alcohol, he looked as though he hadn't shaved for a week and his clothes smelled of garbage. Anzu had nightmares like this, a man would come up to her and grab her, usually she would wake up and read a book to forget her dream, but this time it was real.

"L-let me go!" Anzu yelled at him, the man gripped her tighter. He began to kiss and bite at her neck. The streets around them were deserted, it was late the stores were closed and there were no cars around.

Seto Kaiba was driving his car taking him and his brother home. His brother had fallen asleep on the backseat of his BMW. He drove the car calmly, and thought of his meeting with Mazaki that morning, he still felt bad for her, then she had seen him in the arcade and fled. In the distance of the car he saw a girl, who looked like Anzu with a rough looking man holding her, the man appeared to be kissing her neck. Kaiba stopped his car on the side of the road and jogged over to Anzu and the weird looking man. As he got closer he could see that Anzu was yelling for help and the old man was biting at her neck.

"Get off of her old man." Kaiba yelled as he ran to Anzu's side, ripping the man off of her. Bite marks were visible on her neck from what the man had done to her. Kaiba went to the man and gave him a blow in the stomach. It seemed to do the job, the man screamed in pain and fell to the ground. Pulling out his cell phone Kaiba called a cop car to pick him up. Within a few minutes the man was taken away from the scene.

Kaiba walked over to Anzu who looked terrified and scared from the whole scene. He could see the bite marks in clear red on her soft skin. Tears poured out of her eyes, she hugged her shoulders, she felt scared. Kaiba looked at her face, a girl who needed someone to protect her, to be there for her…someone….someone like him. Kaiba didn't know what came over him as he walked to Anzu and hugged her, he felt so bad for her, she didn't deserve what just happened to her.

"Thank you." Was all Anzu could say through her tears of fear. Wiping her tears away she looked at Kaiba.

"I have to go" Kaiba said coldly as he backed away from her. Anzu nodded and looked at him straight in his wonderful blue eyes. All she could think was, he does care, he is the same blue-eyes I talked to online.

"Can you be my blue-eyed friend?" Anzu asked. Kaiba understood what she meant, she wanted them to be friends just as they had been online. She didn't want Kaiba to be her friend, but Seto. The Seto who talked and talked about his favorite book and his favorite foods, and what he did if he couldn't sleep at night. Kaiba looked into her eyes, he could tell she didn't want to be his friend to get his money or fame, she wanted to be his friend for who he was inside. He slightly nodded to her. Sticking out her pinky out to him she asked, "Promise?" Taking his pinky finger and connected it to hers he smiled.

"Promise."

Just to let EVERYONE know this was a little starter story to let everyone know the background of Seto and Anzu and how they BECAME friends. This story continues in my other story "Best Friends Forever" Just go to my profile page and click on that story.