Ren watched Seto's sleeping form from across the fire, her crimson eyes trailing up and down his well shaped body. His cloak lay folded crudely beneath his head, leaving him in his dark pants and white ripped up undershirt.
A large blush crossed her face when his eyes flicked open and he caught her staring at him. Seto, being the kind innocent boy he was, just smiled. "Hey Ren...are you having trouble sleeping?"
"Y-yeah..." She muttered, dropping her eyes to the fire.
Seto sat up and crossed his legs, putting his elbows on his knees and resting his chin in his hands. "Why?"
"...guess I still have a lot on my mind, thats all." She said, keeping her head down but glancing up at the worried purple eyes watching her intently.
"Wanna talk about it?" He asked. "Talking about whats on my mind makes me feel better." Of course, he added in his head, thats only when it's something I don't mind sharing...
"...well... it's about someone I met during the time Shin held me captive." She hugged her knees to her chest and could feel her heartbeat.
Seto nodded. He was thinking about someone he'd met during his travels as well. "Who?" He asked curiously.
"W-who?" Ren yelped, her face burning red. She tried to hide it behind her knees but she wasn't sure if it was succeeding.
"Yeah, who?" He repeated, thinking she'd merely missed the question.
Ren blinked over at the innocent boy and stuttered out a reply. "H-he's a human l-like me..."
Seto sat straight up with a huge smile. "You mean there are other survivors? Do you know where he was? Maybe we can go back and get him!"
She couldn't resist a small giggle at this. Was Seto really that clueless about girl's? In her mind she made a quick plan that she hoped wouldn't fail. "I...I can show you who he is."
The boy nodded eagerly, jumping to his feet and running around the fire to help Ren up. She stared up at him with large scared crimson eyes.
"Why do you look so...scared?" He asked, leaning a little closer with a worried expression on his face.
"Eep! I...I'm nervous...thats all." She nearly fell back, her blush burning ever darker across her features.
"Nervous? Why? Was this guy mean to you?" He questioned, nearly balling up a fist at the thought of someone being mean to one of his friends.
Ren dropped her gaze to his hand and sighed. "No, not even close. He risked everything for me..."
"Oh. So then he's a good guy? Then why are you all nervous and red?" His words were so innocent that she couldn't help but blush even darker.
"...I...I don't know if he likes me..."
"Well, if he risked everything for you, then I'm sure he does!" Seto said with a comforting smile, still not getting the hints she was sending.
Ren gathered her courage and in a quick movement kissed Seto. She drew back as fast as she could, turning away and crossing her arms worriedly.
Seto stood there blinking for a few seconds before he realized what had happened and who she'd been talking about all along. "I... Ren... I had no clue you were talking about me!"
She wasn't sure why, but she'd thought he'd gotten the message. Apparently not. "...so?"
"So..." He wasn't able to think of the right words the say.
Ren turned to face him again, keeping her head bowed. "So? Do you... do you know i-if he likes m-me?"
Seto went to say something but stopped. "Ren," he began, the girl looking up hopefully at him. "I think he... he... no Ren... I'm sorry, he doesn't. But!" He said quickly before she could do anything. "He does think that there is someone out there waiting for you. Someone who will love and treasure you. He does love and treasure you too, but as a friend."
Tears watered up in her eyes and she turned around. She couldn't bare to look at him. She was embarrassed and hurt. "B-but why d-doesn't he l-like me? A-am I st-stupid? Ugl-ly?" She sobbed.
"No no no, none of that. You're a beautiful and intellegent girl, Ren. It's just... you're too late. He found someone long ago." Seto felt tears began to appear in his own eyes.
His hand absently went up to the locket and opened it, taking out the small silver skull ring. "...and... and now though that someone may be gone, it would feel wrong to him."
Ren sobbed into her hands, shaking her head. Seto turned the girl around and hugged her. He felt responsible for making her cry, but he knew it would hurt even worse if he lead her on.
"Now now, it's alright..." Seto said softly, feeling a few of his own tears running down his face. He rocked slowly, hugging the sobbing girl tightly.
A few moments passed before she finally looked up at him. Her face was pale with red around her eyes and nose. "Seto... I-I'm sorry." She hiccuped.
"Sorry? Why are you telling me you're sorry?" He asked, blinking down at the silver-haired girl.
"I shouldn't have brought it up... ever..." She sniffed.
"No, it's a good thing. Look at it this way, now that thats off your chest and you know... know that I'm not the one, we can begin looking for the lucky guy that is. Had you never brought it up you may have gone on with that for the rest of your life..."
Her crimson eyes trailed up to his warm violet ones and she nodded weakly. "..thank you Seto..."
He nodded with a big smile. "Now, what do you say we get some sleep and go out searching for survivors tomorrow? You never know who we'll find." He said with a wink.
Ren's hurt eyes filled with hope and she nodded weakly. "Yeah, you're right... So then good night?"
"Good night Ren." He said with a smile.
