01 : Shivers
By: Kokoro Kakera HP
Disclaimer: Yugiou, (Manga, anime, products, etc.), belongs to Kazuki Takahashi
Author's Notes:
Notes:
And just in case some people aren't acquainted with the Japanese names:
An idea hit me and I just felt like writing it out. I honestly was not very fond of the series itself and it wasn't until the last one came out (Egyptian arc) that I gained some interest in it. (I attribute this change mostly to the fact that there aren't so many darned card duels ::cough::30 minute advertisements for duel monsters::cough:: going on in the last season!
San - used for respect i.e.: Sir, Mr., Ms./Mrs., etc...
Sama - used for respect as well i.e.: Sir, etc...
Chan - 'little' (not literally) used for friends, kids, term of affection as well
Kun - used for friends
Sensei - teacher
Anzu - Tea
Honda - Tristen
Jounouchi - Joey
Shizuka - Serenity
"Mine... You're mine and only mine..."
"Stop saying that!" She cried, running as fast and far away she could from the voice. Her legs felt as though they weighed a ton each and she was quickly tiring. She couldn't stop though.
"It's the truth and you know it..." The voice was placid and devoid of any form of distress. Just calm.
And very much insane.
"Help!" She yelled. "Somebody, please!"
"I killed them all... all of your friends so that we could be together... Isn't that wonderful? Doesn't that prove how much I want you? Nobody will get between us ever again... ever again..." Heavy footsteps advanced terrifyingly quickly behind her.
"Ah!" Her toe caught on something on the ground and she fell hard. Whimpering, she raised herself up into a sitting position and tried to get up, only to find that she couldn't move. Tears blurred her vision and she quickly ran the back of her shirtsleeve against her eyes to clear them. "Somebody!" She screamed desperately, sobbing because all of a sudden, she was helpless and alone. "Please!"
"No one will help you, Anzu-chan... I'm the only one for you...the only one left..." Hands closed over her...
"Anzu-chan?" A small voice was calling to her, but she really didn't want to answer it, not at the moment while she felt so comfortable...
"Nmnmph?" She mumbled, unable to form intelligible words in her current state.
"Anzu-chan?" The voice came more urgently now, but she still ignored it, wanting to stay blissfully asleep.
"Mnph..." She threw out a hand, not sure where it went but hoping that whoever was bothering her would get the message and leave her be.
"Mazaki-san!" Anzu's eyes shot open and she quickly straightened up in her seat. Only to blanche in horror when she realized the back of her hand was pressed against the side of her teacher's face.
'Oh shi-'
"I'm so sorry!" She yanked her hand back and shrunk in her seat. "I didn't mean to-"
"Mazaki-san." Her teacher's voice was deathly quiet. The students became hushed - some in fear and some in anticipation at what he would say next. "Do you, or do you not support the issue we've been discussing for the past..." He glanced at the clock. "Half hour?"
'...Crap.' Anzu tried to subtly look towards one of her classmates for help.
"Mazaki-san, this is a question for you, not for any of your friends."
Face burning, Anzu prayed that she'd answer correctly. "Yes." She said as confidently as she could. "I do." She hunched down in embarrassment when the class' laughter followed her answer. 'Not good... this probably means that I picked the wrong answer.'
"Unless I was mistaken and you were actually paying attention," Uzume glared at her contemptuously from behind large, telescope-thick glasses, his small beady eyes becoming even smaller, "then I'm sure you'll agree when I say that you really don't support teenage pregnancy and that your 'yes' was a mistake borne of a disoriented teenager waking up from a nap she shouldn't be having in the first place during quite an important class!"
"Sorry Uzume-sensei." Anzu said lowly, sliding down into her seat as if to hide from her classmates' jeering hoots and looks. Unconsciously, she glanced to her left, where an acquaintance - Seto Kaiba of all people - sat. She quickly looked away when their eyes met. He looked thoroughly amused. 'Why'd you even look at him? You don't even know him that well!' Anzu scolded herself. She pouted. 'But it's not like I can help it if he's sort of good looking...' Mentally, she kicked herself a dozen times to rid herself of the thought.
The sound of a familiar laugh made her stop feeling so annoyed with herself.
'Honda!' She glared at the brown-haired boy, baring some of her teeth at him. 'Jerk! Who laughs at their own friend!?'
"You will stay here after class Mazaki-san and serve detention for this transgression."
'Noo...damn it...' Anzu inwardly groaned at her misfortune.
"And you too Atena-san! You know that talking in class is not permitted!"
"Yes Uzume-sensei, sorry..." Anzu blinked in surprise and turned her head back so she was facing the soft-voiced girl.
"Shura-kun?" The girl shrugged and grinned sheepishly.
"I was trying to wake you up."
"I'll be leaving for a few minutes. You three had better keep quiet." Uzume left the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. The girls both let out a breath of relief.
"I'm glad he's gone... when he's around, detention just seems that much longer." Anzu sighed, shifted so that she was facing in the direction her friend sat.
"Ya, doesn't it?" Shura crossed her arms and rested them on her desk so she could use them as a pillow for her chin. "Hey, Anzu-chan, before he comes back, let's talk about something interesting!"
"Interesting?" She raised an eyebrow. Her eyes darted towards the back briefly where another one of her classmates, Nato Juban - a rather buff and silent boy - sat. She'd looked away after catching him staring at her. 'I probably just caught him while he was just glancing my way... No need to be paranoid.' She shook away the shaky feeling she'd gotten. "With him back there?"
"He's probably not even listening!" Shura said, waving her hand carelessly. Anzu shot one more nervous look at the boy. He was looking out the window now.
'Ya... I'm just paranoid...' Anzu let out a breath. "What do you want to talk about?"
"Boys! Who do you like?"
"Like?" An image of Yugi's other half, whom they referred to as Yami, flashed in her mind and she blushed. "A-ah... why do you want to know?"
"Just curious." Black eyes blinked at her inquiringly. "Is it Honda-san?"
"NO!" Anzu nearly choked at the suggestion. "He's a friend, that's it. I really couldn't see myself with him... he likes someone else anyway."
Hn... Describe him to me then. You don't even have to tell me what he looks like." Shura grinned. "Since a description of one boy's personality can easily be mixed with another's. That way, you can keep him anonymous."
"O-okay... Well..." She wondered where to start. "He's brave and really heroic at times... he's thoughtful and kind and handsome..." She sighed wistfully, cheeks tinged with pink.
"A boy like that exists!?"
Before Anzu could reply and verify that yes, a boy like that did exist and she was smitten with him, the door opened and the two were forced to remain silent for the next twenty minutes until the end of detention.
"Crap, crap, crap, I'm going to be late..." Anzu ran as fast as she could, to Yugi's house, where the gang - consisting of her, Yugi, Jounouchi and Honda - had been invited, with the addition of Shizuka, to watch a movie. When she finally reached the house, she rang the doorbell and patiently waited for the door to open. She smiled brightly to the person at the door. "Hey Yugi!"
"Anzu! Come in." He stepped aside to let the girl inside. "I'm glad you could make it. Honda told us about your detention." He'd tactfully avoided mentioning the fact that even he'd guiltily laughed a little after hearing it. Which turned out to be a good move.
Anzu's eyes flashed. "He did, did he?" Yugi swallowed hard. Even Yami had been affected. That look in his friend's eye was dangerous. He prayed that Honda would act intelligently for once and placate Anzu instead of baiting her. "Honda..." She called as she walking into the living room where everyone else was.
"Hey, if it isn't the rebel!" Jounouchi laughed.
"Hi, Anzu-chan." Shizuka shyly greeted her politely from beside Jounouchi.
"Heya, Anzu! Didn't think you'd be here, you know, with your rebellious ways and all - slapping the teacher and supporting teenage pregnancy... I was pretty sure you'd be under Uzume's watchful eye a bit longer." The girl twitched.
"Why don't you come here Honda? To make up for my 'rebellious' ways, I've decided to personally make sure that you'll never need to worry about causing pregnancy." Anzu said with a tight smile, cracking her knuckles.
Yugi and Yami alike, cringed at the very thought of what she'd just insinuated. 'I believe this is one of those times where retreating is in our best interests, aibou.' Yami said from their soul room. Yugi agreed wholeheartedly with him and inched away into the next room.
"Start begging for her forgiveness now man, it's not worth it..." Jounouchi hissed, pulling Shizuka along with him as he shuffled after Yugi.
Honda did the next best thing and bolted upstairs.
"She's sleeping." Yugi said dumbly, stating the obvious out of surprise. The girl's head had fallen onto his shoulder and as a result, he was paralyzed by nervousness and his face felt hot. He and Anzu were sitting on the floor, Honda having taken the couch to sit beside Shizuka. Jounouchi was on the other side of her. They'd all settled down somewhere in front of the television set for the movie, but only a few minutes into the film, Anzu had fallen asleep.
"That's weird... she loves this movie." Jounouchi said. "Must be really tired to fall asleep right at the beginning of it."
"Must be from all the excitement she went through today." Honda said absent mindedly as he snuck his arm around Shizuka's shoulder, only to have it viciously slapped off by Jounouchi.
"Don't touch my sister!"
"I don't think it's just from today..." Shizuka said with worry lacing her voice, completely oblivious to Honda and Jounouchi's mini squabble. "Look... she sort of has dark circles around her eyes... I don't think she's been sleeping very much."
"Really?" Yugi, broken out of his blushy-daze by concern, leaned over to check on Anzu as well. "You're right... But what could be wrong?"
"Why don't we ask her?" Jounouchi made a move to shake her awake, but was stopped by Shizuka's hand on his wrist.
"Jounouchi! It's rude to wake someone up while they're sleeping! Wait until after the movie!"
"Oh... Oops." Everyone rolled his or her eyes.
"Anzu? Anzu? Hey, Anzu?"
"Hn?" She opened her eyes slowly, raising her head from its previous resting place. "Yugi...?" She mumbled. "Sorry about sleeping on your shoulder..."
'Thank goodness I didn't drool all over it...'
"Um, it's okay... The movie's over."
"O-oh, what!?" She blinked and tried to clear her foggy eyes. "Already?"
"Anzu-chan, can we talk?" This time it was Shizuka's voice.
"Talk?" She said groggily. "About what?" She lifted her arms above her head to stretch, shutting her eyes as she did so. It was the only thing that kept her from noticing that all the male occupants of the room had their eyes on her chest.
"E-erm..." Yugi coughed, looking away quickly so that the evidence of his blush would be hidden. "Anzu, we're just a little worried about you... You seem really tired. Have you been sleeping well?"
"Augh... you guys... I just haven't been able to sleep very well at night, that's all." She yawned as she shook her head at their concerned expressions.
"Ya, but why?"
/ "Mine... You're mine and only mine..." /
Anzu stiffened. "I... just haven't." She lied. "Don't worry about it." She smiled. "The problem will go away soon and if it doesn't, I'll go see a doctor, okay? I don't think it'll come to that though."
"Okay..." Yugi said unsurely. He still felt uneasy about just letting the subject go so easily, but before he could ask Anzu about the subject again, Jounouchi caught him in a playful headlock and asked for something to eat.
"Mornings... not good..." Anzu groaned as she opened her locker. Her head hurt and she didn't feel good at all. She'd had the same terrible nightmare the night before and had stayed up until morning arrived, too afraid to let herself fall back asleep.
"Did you not sleep last night either?" Yugi asked beside her. The two had adopted a new schedule for when they could chat, as they were in separate classes now and couldn't see each other so often during school.
"I slept a little..." She lied. She didn't want to worry her friend. He was just too kind for his own good and knowing that one of his friends weren't feeling well in some way usually caused him distress. Anzu didn't want that. Something fell into her hands as she took out her books for the day. "Eh? What's this?" She frowned and turned the envelope over in her hands. It had been sealed with a heart.
"Hn?" Yugi leaned over so he could get a better look at what she was holding. His eyes widened. "This is a LOV-" Her hand coming over his mouth silenced him.
"Not so loud!" She looked around to see if there was anyone nearby - perhaps her admirer making sure that she'd gotten the letter. But there was no sign of anyone.
"Open it." Yugi said, excitement in his voice. She did as he asked, curious as well about what the letter would say. She carefully pulled off the red, heart-shaped sticker and opened the envelope. Pulling out the letter, she unfolded it and turned it slightly so that Yugi could get a look at it.
I've watched you for what feels to me, like forever.
Sincerely,
You're perfect in every way and I want nothing more
then to be near you all the time to feel that
wonderful perfection...
Your greatest admirer
"W-woah..." Yugi blinked. "This person sounds serious. Do you know anyone that would send you something like this?" He looked at his friend for an answer. "Anzu?" He frowned. "Anzu, you okay?" She suddenly looked very pale.
"Huh? O-oh... ya, I'm fine." She put on a shaky smile. "Sorry, Yugi... I just... spaced out for a second... Side-effect of not getting enough sleep you know."
"Is that really it?"
Her head was pounding in a really unpleasant way now and it was harder for her to think of another lie to tell him. To her relief, the bell rang and gave her an excuse to leave for class. "Ah... the bell. See ya at lunch!" Anzu said quickly, smiling at him once more before departing.
Yugi continued to stare at her retreating back, speculatively now. He wasn't so sure he believed her rather flimsy sounding excuse for her current condition. 'But why won't she tell me what's bothering her?'
What if she'd been lying to him during their get together at his house as well? He was perplexed at the thought that perhaps Anzu had been keeping the truth about how she was feeling from him for a long time.'Let me talk to her later.' It was Yami's voice speaking to him telepathically through their mental link. 'Perhaps she feels that telling someone as kind as you would only be a burden to you. She probably didn't speak at the party either because she was afraid that she'd worry everyone.'
'But...' Yugi trailed off. If that was the case, then he really couldn't do anything about it. He knew how stubborn she could be. 'Let's catch her after school then.'
"And by dividing each side by the square of-"
/ "Mine... You're mine and only mine..." /
Anzu flinched. 'Why am I thinking about that right now?' She pressed a hand to her forehead and nearly recoiled when her fingers came in contact with too hot skin. 'Am I feverish?' She pinched the bridge of her nose when a particularly painful ache flashed through her head.
/ "Stop saying that!" She screamed, running as fast and far away she could from the voice. Her legs felt as though they weighed a ton each and she was quickly tiring... /
"Class is dismissed for lunch!" The students hurried out. Anzu only barely registered the quick, 'see you later' called out by Shura as she walked out the door.
"Anzu?" She blearily looked up.
"Honda?" She murmured.
"You don't look so good... You want me to take you to the nurse's office?" She shook her head, straightening in her seat.
"I'm fine... You go ahead and find Yugi... I'll join you guys later."
"Okay... but-"
"Honda..."
"I'm going, I'm going..." He left the room.
/ "It's the truth and you know it..." The voice was placid and devoid of any form of distress. Just calm. And very much insane. /
"Nmph..." She winced and stumbled forward as she tried to stand.
"You should have let him take you." She nearly fell over at the sound of the voice. She directed her attention to the direction it had come from. 'Kaiba?'
"I'm fine." She hid her surprise at finding Yugi's rather handsome rival still in the classroom with her.
"It doesn't seem that way." She glared at him.
"I can take care of myself you know."
/ "Help! Somebody, please!" /
"Can you?" His voice was filled with amusement this time and a smirk graced his lips.
Anger rising, Anzu took a large step in the infuriating male's direction and prepared to give him a piece of her mind. "I'll have you know-"
/ "No one will help you, Anzu-chan... I'm the only one for you...the only one left..." Hands closed over her... /
A glance of Kaiba's face, which was for once, completely lax with surprise, was the last thing Anzu saw before she lost consciousness.