In Love with Art

Summary: When he was adopted, Seto received a gift statue of a girl. Not thinking much of it, he lets it stay in the middle of the entry hall until he hears strange noises one night. Unfortunately, a few months later, the statue is stolen and young Seto spends over 10 years searching for it until he finally gets a clue. Fem! Atem×Seto Kaiba

Seto startles from his light sleep as he heard a strange, loud noise coming from downstairs. He was getting sick of this, as it was the third night it happened. He was sure someone was creeping around the first floor of the mansion in which he now lived with his younger brother and his stepfather, but every time he checked the camera footage in the morning, there was nothing there.

He sighed in frustration as he got out of bed to check it out.

It had all started when some strange merchant appeared at their doorstep, all muddy and beat up, but otherwise looking rather decent. Seto had been the one around and he has screeched the staff's ears off when they were about to turn the man down. It was only after the guy was escorted into one of the rooms and his wagon he was pulling was searched through by the security, did they find a boy who can only be the man's son by how similar they looked.

Seto had made sure that they were taken care of until Gozaboro, his stepfather and the master of the house, arrived and almost threw them out. Seto has been the one that stood up to the enraged man and he had received the beating he was hardly ever going to forget. Not like he was going to forget any of the things his stepfather ever did to him ...

The point is, Gozaboro allowed the bald son and father to stay three whole days, long enough for them to recover. Shada, the father, suggested that they give the Kaiba family a gift for helping them and while he and Gozaboro shook hands, Shadi, Shada's son, led Seto to their merchandise. Seto was fascinated by all the ancient looking art he was shown and he spent a whole minute just gawking at it all. As he was looking around, a statue caught his attention.

The statue was of a beautiful girl that seemed to be Seto's age and she was in a standing praying position. From what he was able to see back then, she was dressed in a tunic like the ancient Egyptians usually are with a cape around her neck and shoulders with lots of jewelery. Her hair was like nothing he had seen ever before and her face had a look of innocence as it was framed by lightning shaped bangs.

Shadi had instantly seen how his companion was drawn to the statue and he explained that it was of one of the greatest Pharaohs Egypt has ever had. The bald boy told him about the girl's sacrifice of her soul so that her people could live and he was fascinated.

When he said he wanted her, Shadi and Shada were a bit hesitant about letting it go, but they allowed it.

An hour or so later, the statue was placed in the front hall and the two strangers were gone.

What confused Seto was that he often found himself thinking of the statue and wanting her to be real. That night was the first time Seto had thought he had heard something bumping downstairs, but when he went to check, he found everything was as it should be. The next night the same happened, and when he went down he again found nothing out of the ordinary. The morning after that happened, he had talked with his stepfather about it, but Gozaboro just said that maybe Seto should take a break and said that his lessons will start a bit later tomorrow.

Now, here Seto was, sneaking around to try and catch a glimpse of what was making all that noise. The front hall was far too dark for him to see clearly, but he could make out the form of a short person walking around the big space. Making sure he was as quiet as quiet can be, the little brunet made his way down the stairs as the figure walked towards the living room. When the person stopped in front of the large floor-to-ceiling windows, Seto couldn't hold back a gasp as he saw what he thought must be a dream.

There stood the prettiest girl he had ever seen, clad in clothes that were far too similar to that of the girl in the statue for it to be a coincidence. True enough, when Seto looked over to the place the statue was supposed to be, there was nothing there. He looked back over to the girl, only to find her staring at him from across the room. He gasped again as the moonlight bathed her tanned cheeks, ebony, gold and crimson hair, gold jewelery and silk clothes the color of ivory. The cape she was wearing was purple and there was a strange light blue cloth hanging from her gold waistband. On her upper arms were armbands and around her wrists and ankles were also gold bands. Around her long, graceful neck was a chocker and hanging from her small ears were ankh-shaped gold earrings. On her forehead rested a tiara-like crown with wings on either side and an Eye of Ra in the center.

She was of petite built, but her limbs were rather long for a still growing child. Her hands were small and her legs and arms were slim. She had slim hips and a small waist if the tunic was any indicator. Her naturally tanned skin was flawless and it glowed in the light of the Earth's natural satellite. Her face was heart-shaped with high cheekbones, a petite nose and full lips. Her large eyes were circled by long eyelashes and her eyebrows were thing. Her face was framed in lighting goldenrod bangs while the bigger part of her hair was black. It was highlighted by crimson on the edges and there were a few more strands of gold hair defying gravity s they ran through her hair and upwards. The style was heavily layered and spiky, but it suited her exotic features.

But what really entranced Seto were her eyes. Sharp and large, the deepest crimson red he had ever seen. He felt himself getting lost in those eyes as if she was staring straight into his soul. They were just so beautiful, but they seemed ancient and troubled. It confused Seto but more than anything, he didn't understand how she could be the statue he had wanted.

''Who ... Who are you?'' He finally asked. He hadn't expected for her to shift her eyes back out the window or the sadness he only now noticed to increase.

''I don't know.''

''What do you mean you don't know!?'' Seto asked incredulously, his patience starting to diminish.

''I ... I don't remember ... '' She said as she started walking towards him. Seto crossed his arms and watched her with a skeptical eye. ''I don't remember ... ''

''I get that, but how are you even alive? You're a statue!''

She stopped in front of him and touched his cheek. Seto flinched at her touch and she looked hurt as she reluctantly moved her hand away from him and took a step back. The brunet didn't understand his urge to reach out and apologize, but is scared him for some reason.

''Am I now?'' He arched a fine eyebrow at the strange tone in her voice. ''I wouldn't know. I don't remember. I don't remember anything.''

Blue eyes widened as he finally understood why she looked so lost. ''Then you need a name.''

The girl perked up at this, only for her face to fall again. ''I don't know any good names ... '' She mumbled and Seto frowned.

Seto sighed in irritation. ''Fine! I'll think of a name for you!''

Her face light up and Seto swore it was like a sun was shining in his face at how cute she was like that. ''Really?'' The boy felt a blush grace his cheeks and he nodded. ''Thank you!'' She squealed as she hugged him suddenly and Seto lost his balance. She landed on top of him, but she didn't appear awkward about it like Seto was currently feeling. ''What is your name, by the way?''

''Seto.'' Said the blue-eyed boy as he drank in the sight of the pretty girl as he slowly sat up, taking her with him. She slid off of him and sat on the floor next to him and smiled at him as she repeated his name.

''That sounds so familiar.'' She commented as she frowned suddenly. ''Like I've heard it somewhere before ... ''

Seto raised an eyebrow, knowing full well that his name was a rare one. ''Maybe you have?''

She frowned. ''I wouldn't know. I don't remember.''

Seto sighed. Not this again! ''Okay, how about this ... '' He though for a moment as the girl returned her full attention to him. ''What do you think of the name Yuna?''

''Yuna?'' She repeated the name again and again, as if that in itself would help her decide. ''It sounds nice. What does it mean?''

Seto snorted. ''What makes you think it means anything?''

''Because it sounds as old as I am.'' The brunet stared at her and the girl just shrugged. ''Judging by the difference of our clothes, we can not be from the same era.'' Blue eyes regarded her for a minute longer, but he just sighed as he decided that yes, it does make some sense.

''Light of Hope.''

''Pardon?'' She titled her head to the side and Seto swore that her picture should be put in a dictionary as the definition of the word cute.

''Light of Hope. That's what Yuna means.''

Crimson eyes twinkled in happiness as she nodded. ''Then I will be Yuna.'' she said with a sweet smile that had Seto smiling back at her despite himself. ''It was nice meeting you, Seto!'' She took his hand and shook it like the many times she had seen her previous owners do when they met someone.

''Ah.'' Was all Seto could say as the two small palms held his. The rest of the night, Seto spent with the girl until the crack of dawn when he watched her return to her place and turn back into stone. It left him with an empty feeling inside, but the little brunet didn't dwell on it. Instead, he went back to his bed and fell asleep, exhausted and thanking whatever god was up there that Gozaboro would be out the entire day.