Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh! And I don't know Seto's past.
The leaves were turning golden and even though the sun shone I could feel the chill that was born upon the breeze telling me that soon probably in the next couple of weeks that same sun would be shinning down on a winter wonderland. That brought a small smile onto my face. It had been a long time since I had seen winter, fall even, for myself with my own two eyes. In-fact the reason that I was even outside today was because I wanted to take some pictures of the trees in their fall fashion before all the leaves fell off them. I had spent the last hour searching the city for the perfect picture. I had tried every park but it didn't seem to matter where I went the high rises in the background always ruined the shot. I was beginning to get disgusted as well as cold. Then I saw it. It was a small area of trees that poked up above the brick fence that acted as a barrier against outside forces. I was drawn to it. I had heard about it from who or where I didn't recall. It was a small cemetery that people had quit being buried in back when I had still lived in America. I knew that most people didn't go in there anymore. I had always liked the silence of a cemetery. It was so peaceful, like every noise was more muffled. I walked in the gates and started to roam knowing somehow that I was going to find something perfect here. I had only been wandering around for about 10 minuets when I heard the voice.
"I really wish that you were here right now, you would know what to do… what am I saying?… if you were here right now I wouldn't even be in this mess… I would still be at home and my biggest concern would be weather or not to go to some party… Damn it!… Why did you have to die… Why!…" I heard the catch and the thickness in the speakers deep voice, he was hurting ad I had the feeling that this was one of the few times that he let these open wounds show, "Listen to me! Huh, standing here and talking to you like you can tell me the answers to my problems… Talking to you like you were standing next to me… as though you haven't been dead for twelve years… twelve years and I still hurt like the day you died… Why did you have to die… Why?… why… that seems to be the question that almost perfectly describes my life… Why did you have to die… why the wounds that were put in my soul that day still hurt like they were just put there… Why! Why did you have to Die?… I guess that everyone was right when they said that I was mama's boy… I am… Must be because I've had such bad luck with dads…" I heard the voice drop lower at that last statement and I wondered who was standing there and talking. Opening their soul up to someone who wasn't even in this world anymore. "Listen to me… you know… I can still see you like yesterday… you were the most beautiful person in the world in my eyes…" they swallowed, "By the way, Baby's doing fine… he's really growing… another reason why I wish you were here… I'm no parent, I don't have a clue on how to raise him… but I'm taking care of him just like I promised… It's his birthday today… he's twelve… Did you ever get to see him?… the son you died bringing into the world… I don't blame you for it… or him… At least he's one bright spot in all my misery… He's a lot like you… always happy, smiling... he's a real bright kid… I'll never blame him for your death you know, I love him to much…" the person stopped again, I turned the corner on the trail and peered around the tree at him.
He was only a year or two older then me I knew from what was going around town. But he looked a lot older, like the body of a 17 or 18 year old with the mind and memories of a person four times his age. His shoulders sagged a bit as though they where getting tired of holding up some great burden. He had brown hair, it was a little long but he had it sleeked down, he was wearing a trench coat, not the one that I had seen him wear around town. This one was black where the other was white, instead of belts around the wrists this one had what looked like those bracelets you saw the punk kids wear, with the studs in them. These ones didn't have studs just a single silver line that seemed to winds up his arm. They were longer then usual, they went from his wrist to a little past halfway to his elbow. He still wore black pants, and that black shirt. This time though there was a white ring that went around the collar that acted as a boundary line for his shirt and kept his already pale face from looking completely washed out. He looked thinner then before. His tall, slim, 6'2 plus frame, looked, as my grandma would say, "like he needed to put some meat on his bones." His cheeks were hollowed out and there was barely any colour to his face but that might just have been the darkness of his clothing. Even the rich blue of his eyes that before had looked like they could take on the world, and not blink were, duller. They were usually void of emotion but now it was like I was looking into deep pools, showing in them were so many different emotions I could feel myself drowning, the ones that were the most prominent were the ones of grief, pain, and a sadness and longing so great that I wanted to go over there and comfort him because no person should have to go through something like them alone. But still he looked un-reachable. Aloof and remote, a stone statue on top of a mountain with eyes full of the pain of life. In his right hand he held a single long stemmed red rose. It was perfect, not fully opened yet.
I raised my camera and snapped two pictures. I couldn't help myself I would keep them secret, since I was going to use the school photo lab to develop my film. I was going to take special care of these ones. I had the feeling that the emotion I saw here would be brought out in the film. I put my camera in my pocket; I had what I'd come for.
"Mom… I wish you were here… I wish you were here so much, even just to tell me that everything is going to be alright and that I'll be better one day, that one day all this pain will stop…" the voice of a child who wanted to be comforted was what seemed to speak through him. "I miss you so much mom. I have to go now. I guess it's getting late, and he'll be getting out of school soon, expecting his big brother to be there doubtless. He has more trust in me then I do. I love you…" I took the single red rose that he held in his hand and kissing it softly he kneeled down and set it gently down on the headstone. He took a step back and looked up as though noticing that I was there for the first time. I met those blue eyes and I watched, inwardly fascinated, as he quickly pulled all emotion from his eyes and face, burying it underneath an outer layer that he had made so no-one would know how much he hurt inside and as a shield against the rest of the world. Why did he always have to make himself so hard when someone tried to get close to him? I slapped myself mentally, why did I care he was a jerk. A jerk who is still hurting from a pain over a decade old. He walked towards me. I didn't move.
He gave me a glare that had probably sent most the people who worked for him running for cover. Good thing I don't work for him then. I thought, that look had me looking for somewhere to hide though… almost.
"You," he glared at me. I put a finger to his lips silencing him in his surprise.
"I'm not going to tell the whole world that you actually have a heart if that's what your worried about." I felt surprise that I had just said that, not to mention touch him like that. His own surprise like a real force around us. I gave him a saucy little grin, "Tell Mokuba happy birthday from me eh." I started to walk by him. I felt my hand grabbed by his. I glanced over my shoulder at him a question unconsciously appearing in my grey eyes.
"What are you going to tell them Serenity?" It was a question that demanded an answer. I searched his face for a moment.
"About what?"
"What you saw," since you saw plenty. He didn't say the last part but could almost hear him think it. I looked him square in the eye or as close as I could due to the height difference. An answer finally coming to me.
"That you've got a new trench coat. I think they'll see that for themselves." He heard the hidden message in that and I saw him give me an almost invisible nod of thanks and a grin, that slid across his lips in less then a second. He released his hold on my hand and turning on his heel he continued on his way down the path towards the gate. I watched his back for a minute, then turned and headed towards the other side of the cemetery. No Kaiba I won't ever tell them what I saw, you still have to heal. I hope you let someone help you to do it though. The crisp fall air didn't feel quite so cold anymore. My steps were lighter but I paused at the place where Kaiba had been only a few moments ago, I kept my eyes off the name that was carved into the cold stone but looked at the rose below it. I sent up a silent prayer to the woman who had born that name, and the two sons who now wandered the city. Hope you're keeping an eye on them, whoever you are… They need it more then either will admit. I felt the breeze against my neck warm up a bit, or was it just my mind playing tricks on me. I started walking again, this time towards my own home. I was done for the day.
A.N. I hope you like it. Read and review!
