Me: Here's the contest round two, silentshipping. SILENTSHIPPING!!!! I. HATE. SILENTSHIPPING!!!!!!! IT'S MY LEAST FAVOURITE PAIRING!!! EVER!!! (is not a happy camper) So it's one-sided. (For those who don't know, silenshipping is SetoxSerenity.) In any case, I'm aiming to win, so I did manage to put some effort into this. (Somehow, I keep thinking of America's Next Top Model is relation to this contest… haha.) Oh, and for anyone who's interested, this damn site chopped off about half of Watched You Slip Away, so I reposted it.

Slightly AU, extension of a Dickinson poem, quoted throughout the story. (If you've read my works before, you'll find that I often like sticking poems and quotes in stories. DeDe, anyone?) First person POV – obviously, Shizuka's. If you don't gather, Seto is Death – and yes, she is supposed to fall in love with him. But it's one-sided. So ha, I win. (And Yami is Immortality.)

Note: A tippet is like a cape, or a shawl.

Disclaimer: Hikari Daeron does not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or any affiliations. She also does not own Emily Dickinson's Because I could not stop for Death. This work was written exclusively for the aforementioned contest.

Because I Could Not Stop For Death

Because I could not stop for Death –

He kindly stopped for me –

The Carriage held but just Ourselves –

And Immortality.

There was a knock on the door.

I was sitting in my chair, back as ridged as I could hold it, poking a needle gently through the cloth I held in my left hand. The design was coming nicely, despite its simplicity. I surveyed my handiwork: a flower, an array of colours blending into each other, tickling my senses. Smiling, I placed it on my lap and looked up, expecting for someone to tell me who the visitor was.

I was not disappointed. Moments later, my manservant appeared at the door. Bowing, he said, "My lady, there is a man to see you."

"Oh?" I said, genuinely surprised. I had expected it to be Anzu, who expressed the desire to go into town last I had seen her, or maybe Mai, whom I had not seen in some time. "Who, Honda?"

"He did not say, my lady," said Honda, stepping forward to assist me from my seat. I accepted his offered hand and rose. "However, he seemed very important. Begging my ladyship's pardon, but I do not think it would be wise to keep him waiting. I extended an invitation to come inside, but he preferred to wait out by his carriage."

"His carriage?" I mused. "Does he mean to take me out?"

"If I may," said Honda gently, as we walked towards the door. "He seems to be of extremely good standing. I'm sure the my lord would approve."

I pulled back the curtain and peered outside. There, with a black carriage, was the shadow of a man. I could not make out his countenance, but I felt impeccably drawn to him. Turning, I nodded to Honda. "Let Katsuya know that I am out when he returns from his outing with Yugi."

"Of course, my lady. Lord Jounouchi will know the instant he and Sir Yugi return."

He placed my tippet around my shoulders, and I boldly exited my comfortable home. Walking to the carriage, I called out to the driver. When hearing no reply, I examined it, and found it to be far grander than I had originally thought. Beautiful carvings of spirals, ships, dragons and other worldly wonders decorated the corners and edges of the carriage, made of the finest ebony I had ever seen. And the horses! My, they were the largest and grandest I had seen yet! Perhaps Arabian, they were tall and slender, their manes thick and their colour matching that of the carriage. Staring out in wonder, I reached out a hand to pet one of the beasts, when a quiet voice said, "I wouldn't touch them, if I were you."

Startled, I spun around and had my breath snatched away in an instant. Before me stood the handsomest man one did ever see – so handsome that even God Himself would blush at praise.

He was tall, as his horses were, with pale, flawless skin and a slender physique. His hair was dark, parted neatly on his head, not quite long enough to shade his eyes. Oh, and those eyes! What beauties they were; a dark, rich sapphire, shining with something indescribable… I could not think of a description. Power? Emotion? Lust? Whatever it was, it drew me in. Immaculately, I knew I was more in love with this man than I had ever been with anyone else, whether friend, suitor or family. Even the love I held for my dearest brother came nothing close to what I felt for this perfect stranger.

This perfect stranger was also the example of an exemplary gentleman. He extended a hand towards me, to help me into the carriage. Curiously, I took his long, spidery fingers. Although smooth and flawless, like the rest of him, they were ice cold, colder than those passionate eyes, colder than the deepest winters. It was the iciness of death, one that I had never before felt. Confused, I entered the carriage before he slipped in next to me. There was no driver, but suddenly, the carriage started to move. Puzzled, I lifted a hand to push back some of my hair, hoping such a simple movement might help me concentrate. The motion caught his attention, and, in a very subtle manner, he turned towards and closer to me.

"How do you feel?"

"Quite well, thank you. Just…" I hesitated. "I am a tad confused."

A small smile graced the stranger's face. It was extremely alluring; although it was a mere flicker, it sufficed. I leaned in closer. "You may call me Seto," he said, taking my hand and kissing it lightly. Though cold, the kiss was a mere flutter, as if his lashes had gently touched my hand, as opposed to his lips. "You were too busy to stop for me, so I stopped for you."

"Why, thank you," I said, surprised by his kindness. "That was good of you."

He inclined his head slightly. "I do try," he said. "Are you quite sure you're comfortable?"

"Of course," I said. "Why would I not be?"

He hesitated for but a moment. "Many find my presence a bit… frightening."

"Frightening?" I exclaimed, a hand flying to my chest. "Why, perish the thought! Why should I find you frightening? You are twice the gentlemen of many that I have met."

Again, he acknowledged the praise with a nod. "I thank you, Shizuka."

"You know my name?"

"But of course. How else could I have known to stop for you? If I had not known of you, I might have accidentally invited your brother along, or perhaps one of his companions, or one of yours. No, my dear, I stopped for you, and only you."

I wanted to beam at such benevolence. "You are very kind, Lord Seto."

"Just Seto," he corrected softly. "There are no more titles here."

Such intimacies! I had the grace to blush and look away. When I did, something caught my eye. Turning, I saw that someone else was in the carriage with us! Instead of the hot jealousy I thought I would feel, I felt a warm curiosity instead. It was not a woman who was with us, but someone with such softness of features that he could have been mistaken for female. He was slender, and small, with delicate hands that were crossed on a lap that revealed a thin waist. I looked up and into the stranger's face. It was soft, its skin smooth and creamy, with a small nose and quite mouth. And those eyes! There were slanted and a deep, golden ruby, containing all the fire of passion and desire. The long lashes framing those eyes flickering towards me, and he smiled. I immediately took note of his outrageous hair; he had turned ever so slightly to face me, and I noted that while fair locks flopped into his face, he had black hair pointing upwards towards the heavens, decorated with flaming crimson tips and more blonde strands.

"This is Yami, Shizuka," said Seto gently from behind me. "He will be with us for a while, but rest assured, he won't disturb you."

We slowly drove – He knew no haste

And I had put away

My labor and my leisure too,

For His Civility –

The carriage ambled along slowly. I paid no attention to our surroundings. Instead, after finding Yami to be of few words, I turned to my other companion. "My, how slowly we go," I commented, my hand gently brushing his.

"Yes," said Seto amiably. "I do not find it necessary to go along at the hurried pace most humans do."

I tilted my head slightly. "Oh?"

"Indeed. So many are too busy to take note of what happens around them. If I had gone about like that…" He chuckled. It was a deep, delicious sound. "Why, I might never have taken the time to stop for anyone."

"But you stopped for me," I said coyly.

He patted my hand. "Yes, Shizuka. I stopped for you."

I sat straighter, my heart's pace starting to quicken. I had been thinking to what work needed to be done around my home, and other trivialities. But, now, after such a statement…!

He was too kind. I knew that I could focus wholly on him, and not any of the other trifles that plagued my mind. Seemingly, he read my thoughts, for his lips flickered briefly into a smile.

"A penny for your thoughts," I offered.

His lips twitched again. "Nothing, my dear, just at the thought of the scene through your window." He motioned. "Oh," he added as an afterthought, as I turned. "I'm not sure that you'll want to give me that penny after all."

I laughed.

We passed the School, where Children strove

At Recess – in the Ring –

We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –

We passed the Setting Sun –

Looking past Yami, I saw that we were passing a school. Some children were in a circle, playing a game I remembered enjoying as a child. As I watched, I heard a laughter that after a while seemed almost mechanical. As the children ran, their feet pounded the ground in almost a meticulous fashion; the hair of the girls seemed to rise and fall precisely, while echoing shouts reverberated around the walls. Time slowed, and I made to turn to Seto, when another scene caught my eye.

Here was a field, a house in the background. And in this field, people worked. Grown men and women steadily plowed, picking the grain. I thought it to be harvest season, except something was telling me that it was not… And why did they also glance at the carriage so?

And then we came upon a house, where an elderly couple sat. He was reading, she was knitting, and both sat in rocking chairs. They both looked content, but there was something in the way that they sat that suggested they were tired. The way her withered fingers shook as the needle was threaded in and out of the cloth, how his hands shook when he held his book or adjusted his glasses. Their hair had turned white, and their bodies were small and frail. They both had lived a long life; they were ready to let go…

And then, a casket. My heart tightened at the sight. It was open, showing a face of a girl no older than myself. She looked peaceful, her arms crossed over her chest, her auburn hair lying gently under her. Someone had placed a bouquet of roses by her side.

My eyes widened, and suddenly, I knew.

Or rather – He passed Us –

The Dews grew quivering and chill –

For only Gossamer, my Gown –

My Tippet – Only Tulle –

I started shaking then, unable to cope with what I had just realized.

"N-no," I stuttered, turning to Seto. "No, it's not possible – I can't be – you aren't – "

He looked at me sympathetically. Suddenly, everything made sense. We weren't moving at all, everything was passing us… we were –

I felt very cold, then. My tippet and gown were thin, hardly adequate for such a task. I had nothing with me; I had not even said goodbye to my beloved brother…

No one knew! I shook, my tears slipping from under my eyes. Oh, how I could leave behind everything I have ever known and loved –

"Shizuka," said Seto softly. "Shizuka, everything will be fine. You will learn that it is not so hard after all."

I stared at Seto – no, not Seto. I stared into the face of Death and, biting my lip, said, "I'm not ready."

"No one ever is," he said gently, as the carriage – or at least, the scene around it – started to slow. "That is why I stopped for you, and not the other way around. The cycle is over now, Shizuka. The sun will never rise again for you. You can never have what you once cherished. It's all over."

We paused before a House that seemed

A Swelling of the Ground –

The Roof was scarcely visible –

The Cornice – in the Ground –

I glanced outside. My new home was small. I could scarcely make out its shape and size. But I knew it made no difference. Now, such trivial things would not affect me. I would lie in peace. Nothing could touch me ever again.

And I could never touch anything ever again.

And it saddened me, to know that this was the end. The flare of emotion, the first of its kind, that I had ever felt was being stopped up in me – for who had ever heard of a relationship with Death? And everything else I had ever known – the love for my brother, the respect I felt for his closest friend, Yugi, the affection I held for my friends Anzu and Mai, and even to my manservant Honda – I would never again feel such emotions flicker through me.

Everything that had made me human was fading from me. There would be nothing left.

Since then – 'tis centuries – and yet

Feels shorter than the Day

I first surmised the Horses' Heads

Were toward Eternity –

Serenity Wheeler sighed as she straightened from her crouched position, having laid a bouquet of roses at the headstone of an ancestor. Supposedly from a kind noble family, Serenity's great-great aunt had died young, when she had gone out to visit her friend and been struck by a carriage from behind.

Truly, a pity. From the stories Serenity had found written in the diary of her forbearer's brother, her great-great aunt had been a charming woman, with many friends and several suitors. Serenity smiled and turned to her brother. "I bet she was a really sweet lady, huh, Joey?"

Joey Wheeler turned to his sister. "Who, Shizuka Jounouchi? Yeah, I bet she was, sis." He took her hand and led her away. "Actually, I've heard that she was a lot like you."