So, I took forever to update. It's not MY fault, this site was down.. I can imagine you seeing Seto as OOC in this chapter, but everybody acts different when they're with a crush, right? That's just the message I'm trying to get across. Please read and review, and I don't think I've said this in a while, so here goes: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.
~*~*~*~
Serenity was quiet most of the way there. They drove for a while, neither daring to say anything. It was like the way to Seto's house, for him at least. She had new things to ponder.
Finally, they rounded a corner. She heard waves crashing, and smelled the surf rolling in on the crisp breeze. They had arrived. Seto stopped the car and stepped out. Walking around to her side, he opened the door for her. Serenity stepped out onto the sand, glad she wasn't wearing the platform shoes from yesterday.
"This is a beautiful stretch of beach," she commented, breaking the silence as she had before.
"It is, isn't it?" he nodded. It was. It was a cloudy day, and the sun hardly ever escaped from behind the gray cover. The air was thick with the smell of rain, and fog laced the crashing waves. It was somewhat dark, like a storm was rolling in.
"Shouldn't you put the hood up on the car?" she asked. He shrugged.
"It isn't really supposed to rain. In fact, it's supposed to clear up in time for a nice sunset tonight," he said. She smiled. This day was getting better and better.
Right then, nevertheless, it was still cloudy. However, the sight of the mist on the waves was almost artistic.
"There's a boardwalk up here. Would you like to see it?" he asked.
"That would be nice," she replied, looking up at him. The kept a steady pace. Soon, they reached the boardwalk Seto had described. It stood far above the water. The view had to be beautiful.
"It's so picturesque!" Serenity exclaimed. Seto almost smiled at her amazement, but caught himself just in time.
They walked up the boardwalk, over the water. The planks of wood below them creaked with each step. It had obviously seen many storms in the years it had stood. Far below them, the waves crashed, and the clouds shifted above their heads.
A foghorn sounded across the bay as they reached the end of the walk. There was a bench facing the water. Serenity sat, and Seto took the seat beside her.
"You and your brother seem very close," she said, trying to hit on a subject that she thought would make for a light and casual conversation.
"We have to be. We're all each other has left," he said. She nodded.
"I'm pretty close to my brother, too. Even though we still have living parents," she added.
"We've certainly been thorough enough together," he said with a sigh.
"What do you mean?" she asked. She hadn't heard the edge to his voice. In a moment she'd regret asking.
"Well, our mother died at Mokuba's birth, and when our father died soon after, we lived at an orphanage for a while," he started to explain.
"What was it like there?" she questioned.
"Well, the boys there were pretty mean to Mokuba. He'd get upset. I'd always comfort him like any brother would. When people came to adopt children, they'd always try to take me. I insisted on staying with him. He needed me, Serenity. Finally, one day I said I'd play chess with one man who happened to be the CEO of KaibaCorp. If he won, he could take me, and only me. If I won, he'd take both of us. I did win in the end. That was the biggest gamble in my life. Also one of the dumbest," here he stopped for a moment. She realized that she'd been hanging on to his every word. He continued.
"I guess you could say that things went downhill from there. He was an abusive parent, and insisted that I take his place as CEO one day. He taught me everything I know now. Finally one day, I got fed up. I'm not going to describe it, but he ended up dead. I didn't exactly kill him, if that's what you're thinking. I took over as the owner, and, well, here I am now," Seto said.
"That's horrible!" Serenity exclaimed. Seto nodded. His eyes were misty and clouded over as he stared off into the distance, the worst kind of nostalgia taking its toll.
"Joey and I didn't have it easy, but nothing like that," she said.
"Care to elaborate?" he asked in a dismal tone.
"Well, our parents fought all the time. They didn't really ever pay as much attention to us as they should have. I had an eye disease that could, and almost did, make me blind. Joey got the money at Duelist Kingdom for me to get the operation," Serenity said.
They sat there for a moment, reflecting on what each other had just said, and maybe understanding each other a little better.
****
I had to divide this into two chapters. It was just plain too long. Oh well. At least you can expect a sooner update. =) One more thing: remember chapter two? As hard as it may be to think back that far, stick with me now. I used the CD by Michelle Branch, The Spirit Room. I don't own it or Capri Suns, which I think I also used, just to let you know. Anyway, chapter twelve will be the most amazing . . . capturing . . . exciting chapter yet! So please review now, and read the next chapter!
~*~*~*~
Serenity was quiet most of the way there. They drove for a while, neither daring to say anything. It was like the way to Seto's house, for him at least. She had new things to ponder.
Finally, they rounded a corner. She heard waves crashing, and smelled the surf rolling in on the crisp breeze. They had arrived. Seto stopped the car and stepped out. Walking around to her side, he opened the door for her. Serenity stepped out onto the sand, glad she wasn't wearing the platform shoes from yesterday.
"This is a beautiful stretch of beach," she commented, breaking the silence as she had before.
"It is, isn't it?" he nodded. It was. It was a cloudy day, and the sun hardly ever escaped from behind the gray cover. The air was thick with the smell of rain, and fog laced the crashing waves. It was somewhat dark, like a storm was rolling in.
"Shouldn't you put the hood up on the car?" she asked. He shrugged.
"It isn't really supposed to rain. In fact, it's supposed to clear up in time for a nice sunset tonight," he said. She smiled. This day was getting better and better.
Right then, nevertheless, it was still cloudy. However, the sight of the mist on the waves was almost artistic.
"There's a boardwalk up here. Would you like to see it?" he asked.
"That would be nice," she replied, looking up at him. The kept a steady pace. Soon, they reached the boardwalk Seto had described. It stood far above the water. The view had to be beautiful.
"It's so picturesque!" Serenity exclaimed. Seto almost smiled at her amazement, but caught himself just in time.
They walked up the boardwalk, over the water. The planks of wood below them creaked with each step. It had obviously seen many storms in the years it had stood. Far below them, the waves crashed, and the clouds shifted above their heads.
A foghorn sounded across the bay as they reached the end of the walk. There was a bench facing the water. Serenity sat, and Seto took the seat beside her.
"You and your brother seem very close," she said, trying to hit on a subject that she thought would make for a light and casual conversation.
"We have to be. We're all each other has left," he said. She nodded.
"I'm pretty close to my brother, too. Even though we still have living parents," she added.
"We've certainly been thorough enough together," he said with a sigh.
"What do you mean?" she asked. She hadn't heard the edge to his voice. In a moment she'd regret asking.
"Well, our mother died at Mokuba's birth, and when our father died soon after, we lived at an orphanage for a while," he started to explain.
"What was it like there?" she questioned.
"Well, the boys there were pretty mean to Mokuba. He'd get upset. I'd always comfort him like any brother would. When people came to adopt children, they'd always try to take me. I insisted on staying with him. He needed me, Serenity. Finally, one day I said I'd play chess with one man who happened to be the CEO of KaibaCorp. If he won, he could take me, and only me. If I won, he'd take both of us. I did win in the end. That was the biggest gamble in my life. Also one of the dumbest," here he stopped for a moment. She realized that she'd been hanging on to his every word. He continued.
"I guess you could say that things went downhill from there. He was an abusive parent, and insisted that I take his place as CEO one day. He taught me everything I know now. Finally one day, I got fed up. I'm not going to describe it, but he ended up dead. I didn't exactly kill him, if that's what you're thinking. I took over as the owner, and, well, here I am now," Seto said.
"That's horrible!" Serenity exclaimed. Seto nodded. His eyes were misty and clouded over as he stared off into the distance, the worst kind of nostalgia taking its toll.
"Joey and I didn't have it easy, but nothing like that," she said.
"Care to elaborate?" he asked in a dismal tone.
"Well, our parents fought all the time. They didn't really ever pay as much attention to us as they should have. I had an eye disease that could, and almost did, make me blind. Joey got the money at Duelist Kingdom for me to get the operation," Serenity said.
They sat there for a moment, reflecting on what each other had just said, and maybe understanding each other a little better.
****
I had to divide this into two chapters. It was just plain too long. Oh well. At least you can expect a sooner update. =) One more thing: remember chapter two? As hard as it may be to think back that far, stick with me now. I used the CD by Michelle Branch, The Spirit Room. I don't own it or Capri Suns, which I think I also used, just to let you know. Anyway, chapter twelve will be the most amazing . . . capturing . . . exciting chapter yet! So please review now, and read the next chapter!
