Chapter Three:
Amunet nodded to the driver, Isono, who held the door open to the limo that was waiting for her. She quickly slipped in as the door was smartly shut behind her.
"It has been a while-" Seto looked up at Amunet from his papers. "Amunet?"
Amunet waved shyly uncertain. There was a brief moment of terse silence between the two and Amunet shifted slightly uncomfortable under Seto's sharp gaze.
"Glad to see you remember me." Amunet said after a few moments trying her best to loosen the tension.
"Of course I remember you." Seto bit off putting his papers down. "You are the sole reason for my perception of reality being bent."
"Yes, sorry about that." Amunet apologized. "But it happened, I am a part of Annie. Seto you know me, we have dueled together, and we have done many things together in the past. I have been a part of Annie for nearly four years. While it is not exactly something that is normal, and it sort of a little bit perception bending I wish you would accept that I am here."
"I have never said I would not accept you." Seto said his voice a shade warmer now. "I wasn't given much of a chance to say anything when you rushed out and then Annie never called-"
"A phone call works both ways Seto." Amunet pointed out.
"It does," Seto said with a nod, and Amunet knew this was as close to an apology that would ever come out of Kaiba Seto's mouth.
"So Seto, is it alright that I stay?" Amunet questioned.
"What happened to Annie?" Seto questioned an eyebrow raised in question. Amunet accepted this as a 'Seto' way of telling her to stay.
"There was a man inside the coffee shop. Something to do with a coffee spill and him trying to help her clean it up. She ended up face to face with him, and as we both know she does not do well with being face to face with the opposite gender." Amunet said with a small smile crossing her arms, and Seto shook his head. "I assume Mokuba called you?"
"Yes." Seto said with a nod.
"He is worried about you Seto." Amunet said tilting her head to the side studying the man in front of herself. She could see the heavy dark circles around his eyes indicating to little sleep. "Does not look like you are taking very good care of yourself without Annie around to take care of you."
"Running Kaiba Corp takes a lot of hours."
Amunet nodded. "It does. But Mokuba is going to grow up without you noticing and then you will not have him around anymore either. Might want to spend some time with him before he grows too old to want his Nii-san around."
Seto blinked contemplating Amunet for a moment, before the limo stopped and they were officially at the Kaiba Mansion. Amunet looked out the window to spot Mokuba standing on the porch waiting for the two of them to step out.
"He might not always be standing here to greet you, Seto." Amunet said as the door was opened and she slipped out before Seto did.
Mokuba opened his mouth to greet the two, anticipating Annie but closed it again confused as he contemplated the appearance of Amunet.
"Hey Annie!" he said after a moment aware of the guards around them and knowing Annie didn't want attention called to her spirits presence.
"Hello Mokuba." Amunet greeted warmly, throwing her bag on her shoulder and a smile on her face.
Mokuba grinned before dashing forward to hug Amunet. Amunet laughed using her free hand to ruffle Mokuba's hair as his head was buried in her stomach.
"Let her breath Mokuba." Seto said from behind them and walked by and inside.
At this Mokuba released Amunet before grabbing her wrist and tugging it to pull her inside the mansion behind Seto shutting the doors behind them. Amunet was lead into the room that had been fittingly dubbed the game room and encouraged to sit by Mokuba pulling her down beside him on the couch.
Amunet followed without complaint shifting slightly when Mokuba pulled her down onto the couch Annie's bag still swung over her shoulder. She pulled the bag off her shoulder and set it down gently beside the couch before turning her attention to Mokuba.
"Amunet?" Mokuba questioned curious now that they were inside. "Is that you?"
"Yes," Amunet confirmed. "Annie is currently unavailable if that is alright?"
"Um well, what do you want to do?" Mokuba questioned obviously uneasy.
Amunet reached out and patted Mokuba's shoulder in comfort. "Mokuba, even if you did not know it you do know me. I have been around for nearly four years now, just relax." Amunet then smiled as she felt his shoulder drop under her hand. "Now, I do remember some type of promise of pizza and games and movies?"
Mokuba's face broke out with a grin and almost instantly was pulling out games for them to play together.
Later that night Amunet sat on the couch still one arm propped up on the arm beside her holding a book, the other resting softly on a sleeping Mokuba's head. She had long switched the TV off and cards were scattered on the table in front of her along with a now empty box of pizza.
Amunet's gaze flickered up from her book when she heard someone else entering the room. Seto walked in, running a hand through his hair distractedly. Amunet assumed from the yelling that she had heard coming from him earlier that something was bothering the other.
He had abandon his normal white coat somewhere and his typical slacks that came from a day working at his office. Now that he was home, and comfortable Seto had changed into a long sleeved high necked black shirt with a pair of loose fitting blue jeans.
He plopped down quite ungracefully in a chair with a sigh and Amunet then took notice of the small glass of what she assumed was Whiskey in his hand.
"Everything alright?" Amunet ask quietly trying not to wake up Mokuba.
"Those idiots don't know how to do anything without me there." Seto grumbled taking a small drink of the whiskey then looked over at she and Mokuba. "He hasn't been that relaxed in a long time."
Amunet hummed turning her attention to the sleeping Mokuba, brushing her fingers softly though his black hair. The boy murmured a little shifting his head to bury his nose into her leg.
"He is very tired." Amunet said before shifting her gaze back to Seto. "So much like his Nii-san, carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders."
"I haven't seen Annie since we've gotten home." Seto pointed out an eyebrow raised. "Is she alright?"
"She has been under a lot of stress lately with tests and work." Amunet explained her fingers still absently running through Mokuba's hair. "Her Uncle is gone on an expedition so she has been alone which adds to her stress. She is just tired and I thought she might enjoy the rest. She misses you both, but she admitted that being rested would be better the next time she saw you rather than having to cut her time short because she could not stay awake."
"Her Uncle is gone?" Seto questioned with a raised eyebrow. "Why didn't she call sooner?"
"She did not call this time. Mokuba called her." Amunet said looking back at Mokuba for a moment. "She was worried about talking to you Seto. That day, when we ran out it was mostly from a panic attack coming from Annie's end of our bond. She cried for nearly a week straight, locking herself in the room her Uncle gave us. It really hurt her to think she lost you Seto; you are the only friend she really has. She didn't have the courage to call you."
Seto was silent for a few moments seeming to be thinking about the information Amunet had just given him about Annie. Amunet looked at Seto trying to gage his reaction, not that he was in any way easy to read.
"She was afraid to call me?" Seto questioned seeming to be thinking out loud.
"Well Seto, you are not exactly the most easy person to talk to." Amunet pointed out finally moving to close her book and reached out to toss it on the table in front of her trying not to jostle Mokuba too much.
"She should have called."
"So should you." Amunet threw back at him. "This event did not just rest on Annie's shoulders Seto; it is just as much your error."
"Never been one to pull punches have you Amunet?" Seto grumbled looking at her with a glare.
"Pulling punches does not win a fight." Amunet said with a shrug. "I'm the spirit of a warrior, not a coward. It's what made us one of the top duelist in the world." Amunet paused before adding quite a bit of sarcasm to her tone of voice. "Besides would you care for me to coddle you instead, my poor little dragon?"
"You know I hate when you call me that." Seto grumbled not exactly fond of the nickname.
Amunet smirked. "I'm just making a point Seto, no need to get all grumbly."
Seto just flipped a hand in her direction and then took another drink from his glass. Amunet eyed the glass her lips pursed slightly.
"Have you drunk that whole glass full of Whiskey, Seto?" Amunet questioned curiously.
"No I haven't." Seto grumbled again waving Amunet off. "Only drinking a little to wind down and sleep some."
"Mokuba mentioned he wanted to do some shopping tomorrow." Amunet offered the information to the other. "Maybe you could take a day off and go with him?"
Seto contemplated her for a moment almost seeming to actually be thinking about the information he was being given.
"You really think I'm spending too little time with Mokuba?" Seto questioned softly seeming to be really thinking about it.
"Seto, my words were not meant to upset you." Amunet said shifting to lean and prop her head in her hand that was still propped on the couch beside her. "But you do work a lot, and Mokuba is lonely. It is the reason he called Annie. I understand why you work so much, I truly do. I know the feeling of wanting to give him everything you did not have, but you have got to learn to balance out work with spending time with him and being a Nii-san instead of being the Nii-san he doesn't want to be around because he thinks you abandoned him for work."
"You come with us tomorrow." Seto said and Amunet raised an eyebrow. "If you are a pivotal part of Annie then we need to revisit this 'getting-to-know-you' stuff."
Amunet nodded. "Alright, you have a deal, you take a day off work and I will accompany you in shopping and spending time with your brother."
Amunet was silent again as was Seto both just relaxing and enjoying the silence of the mansion and Mokuba's steady breathing as he slept soundly. Amunet turned her gaze back to the sleeping youth a small smile on her face seeing the serene look he had.
"His dreams must be happy." Amunet said and Seto turned his gaze to her. "His face is so serene. I hate to wake him to get up, but it is late."
"I'll carry him." Seto said downing the last bit of his Whiskey and standing up.
Amunet watched Seto set his glass down with the empty pizza box and then walked over to the two of them to scoop Mokuba up. Mokuba only hardly stirred turning into his brother's hold burying his nose just up under his chin and wrapping his arms around his neck.
Amunet stood as Seto walked out of the room and began picking up the mess in the room. She threw away the empty box and put away the cards. She walked into the kitchen with Seto's empty glass rinsing it out before placing it on the counter to dry. She had just turned around to leave the kitchen when Seto walked into the room.
"Annie's old room is still upstairs," Seto said just standing in the doorway his arms crossed over his chest. "You're more than welcome to it; I would assume you know where it is?"
"Yes I remember." Amunet said with a smile hands behind her back. "Willing to trust me enough to stay within your home as you sleep?"
"I'm sure Annie will stop you before you kill us in our sleep." Seto quipped back and then smiled causing Amunet to laugh quietly.
"I did really miss hearing you be yourself Seto." Amunet said a laugh still lying in her voice. "Sleep well Seto,"
"Goodnight Amunet." Seto said the soft smile still on his face as she walked by him and out of the kitchen to the stairs.
Can we take a shower before we sleep Amunet?
Of course Akhu, Amunet instead of turning towards where she knew the room was that Seto spoke of being Annie's room, turned the opposite direction and stepped into the bathroom across the hall.
Amunet quickly showered before stepping out and wrapping up in a towel from a cabinet. She whipped the condensation from the mirror and looked at herself. Beside her a smaller version of herself appeared in a transparent state.
Akhu, everything alright? Amunet questioned her eyes instantly clouding over with worry, knowing that most of the time Annie's soul stayed within the bracelet content with her surroundings.
Everything is fine, Amunet. Annie said with a little giggle. I just have way too much energy; I didn't want to stay inside the bracelet.
Are you just going to wonder around while I let our body sleep then?
Possibly. Annie shrugged looking in the mirror herself. You know Amunet; I never really realized how much we look alike…
Amunet nodded. It is very odd to find such a similar counterpart. Amunet paused again taking in the appearance of the two side by side. But we must rest if you are going to go shopping with Seto and Mokuba tomorrow.
No, I'm not! Annie chirped. You are! Seto said for you to come with them.
Do you not want control of your body on your day off? Amunet ask curiously tilting her head to the side looking at her friend.
Annie smiled. I think it's time you and Seto got to know each other, for real this time. And well I could use the rest, as you said before.
Amunet didn't say anything rather gathered up her clothing and slipped her bracelet back on her wrist before walking over to the door and opening it. Amunet looked down the hallway to make sure neither Mokuba nor Seto were in the hallway before walking across and into Annie's old room.
As soon as Amunet walked in she noticed there was something off. She turned and looked towards the balcony, where the glass doors that lead out to it were swung open. Finding this odd, Amunet cautiously pushed the door closed behind her and walked on into the room and over to the doors to close them and lock them.
Amunet then turned to look around their surroundings her eyes narrowed with suspicion. Nothing seemed to be truly out of place, but it didn't set Amunet at ease. She paused thinking she could smell something different in this room than the others. She took a deep breath.
"Sandalwood?" Amunet said curiously out loud.
There was a dark chuckle from somewhere in the room. "It is still your favorite smell is it not, Sister?"
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