Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh, nor do I claim rights to any of the affiliated charactrs.

Warnings/Notes: Azureshipping by request. Set during the boat ride at the very end of the series. (Contains spoilers for Yami's identity and "fate") Happy Holidays!


Cutting Losses


"I'm not asking you to understand." She is leaning over the bow of the ship, inhaling sea mist to disguise her tears. "I know it's stupid." He is standing a short distance away from her, back turned, biting back a scoff at the rasp in her voice.

"Then bottle it up." He quips.

For some reason, she sobs harder. Her lips are pressed together so tightly to suppress the sound that her body heaves with the breath, and, for a moment, he thinks she may vomit. "I can't just pretend everything's fine." She battles with the lump in her throat, hands clutching desperately to the wall between her body and the waters below.

"Well by all means cry if it makes everything okay."

She makes a fist against the wall, her body tensing at the notion, "Nothing is okay."

"Then knock it off." He replied sternly. "It's going to be hard whether you whine about it or not, don't start feeling sorry for yourself now."

She huffs angrily; tears halted by his candid demeanor, "I know it won't bring him back. Atem is where he belongs." She grits her teeth through the hurt and turns to face him, hoping to meet his eyes rather than the back of his head, "Thank you."

She wants him to turn on her with taunting eyes or a look of pity, something to insight or pacify her anger, but he bites his tongue. Wordlessly she watches him cross the ship to his sleeping brother and sit by his side, as he strokes the younger's hair to tame his jealousy, he curses the sour taste of Atem's name in his mouth.

In the end the last word is Pharaoh's to keep, because Seto has lost more than just the duels.