Chapter Fifteen

Isis awoke slowly, trying to figure out exactly why her heart felt so heavy. Then she remembered.

i He's leaving today. /i

Its source identified, Isis's sorrow now grew stronger, and she had to hold back tears. i I don't want Seto to leave. I want to be with him… /i

Seto was packing, dragging out the action for as long as he could. Every few minutes he would "remember" something to do on his laptop, complete the act at a leisurely pace, and then reluctantly return to gathering his things. He wished, for once, he could be less neat and orderly, because there was hardly anything for him to pack.

Seto shook his head in disbelief at himself. In love or not, it wasn't like him to dally and delay like this.

i But I don't want to leave her. /i

Yes, that would be the argument his mind claimed, Seto thought with faint annoyance. For a minute, he was frustrated again with the abundance of emotions that crowded him here, but then he remembered the feeling of being in love, remembered what it felt like to kiss Isis. Not all emotions were bad, he decided. Some, like the ones that had brought him here to learn about Kisara, were necessary. And some were simply wonderful.

"Good morning, Seto." Isis spoke softly, unsure that she could control her voice at a higher volume. She entered his room—which was almost no longer his, with everything packed up. Soon he would be gone from it. Then it would just be a room in her home, a part of the tomb.

Seto watched Isis look around the room, saw her take in its emptiness. He couldn't think of anything to say. As much as he loved Isis, he couldn't share with her his sorrow at having to leave. Finally, he asked, "Are you walking me to the airport?"

With slightly bitter amusement, Isis realized that Seto was trying not to show emotion. Taking her cue from him, she spoke calmly and offhandedly. "Yes. Do you have arrangements for a plane already?"

"A ten o'clock flight. I bought the ticket online yesterday." Seto noticed Isis's eyebrows contract a bit at this statement and added, "They can't tell where I was ordering from."

Isis relaxed and nodded her gratitude—the idea that someone could trace Seto's laptop to the tomb had indeed worried her. "You need to be at the airport at eight, then, don't you?"

"Yes." Seto glanced at the time displayed on his laptop. "In an hour." His stomach clenched. i Only that long? /i

Isis bit her lip. "We need to leave soon," she said quietly, not letting her voice tremble.

The two kept up their emotionless faces as Seto finished packing. Then Isis asked, "Would you like to eat breakfast before you go?"

Seto shrugged. "I can always get something at the airport." Isis's nod of agreement seemed forced to Seto, and he realized that she was looking for an excuse to be with him longer. "But if you haven't eaten, we can eat here first." This time, Isis's nod was more enthusiastic.

Isis led Seto to the dining room and poured him a bowl of cereal. Then, after making one for herself, she sat down at the table, next to Seto but around a corner. i It's exactly like it was that one time /i , she realized, and wondered if Seto had noticed, or had even done that on purpose.

They ate awkwardly, without talking. As she finished her cereal, Isis looked at her watch. It was 7:30. "We should leave now," she said. "It takes a half-hour to walk there."

Seto nodded and ate the last of his cereal. Then he stood, picking up his bag and briefcase. Isis brought him out of the tomb, and they began their walk to the airport.

A few silent minutes passed before Isis had the courage to take Seto's free hand. He didn't pause or look at her at all as her hand closed around his, but looking up at him, she thought she saw him smile slightly.

They walked hand in hand then, neither of them talking. As they neared the city, Seto felt Isis's hand start to tremble. And he was taking purposefully small steps, an obvious contrast to his normal long strides. His thought process had gone from a forced worrying about KaibaCorp to thinking, over and over, i I don't want to leave… /i

He tightened his grip on Isis's hand. "I suppose the only question," he said casually, "is which of us will break down first."

"Yes, that is certainly the question," Isis replied in the same tone, but with a hint of amusement. Because it really should be quite funny, the way both of them hid their emotions. Even when they knew the other felt the same way. It was almost a game.

But as a plane flew overhead, low and large because of the closeness of the airport, Isis and Seto both gave a jolt. Seto cursed himself for his show of emotion, but said with a bitter smirk, "So I suppose we tie?"

"No, I think we should look for more emotion than that," Isis protested lightly with a shake of her head. "Our game shall continue." i It needs to continue /i , she thought, i or I'll lose myself completely… /i Their silence restored, the two continued to the airport.

As they reached the huge building, Isis felt her emotionless mask fade away. "I have to go to work, so I won't be able to come in with you," she said, and her voice wavered.

Seto nodded, deciding not to mention Isis's slip. "Then I suppose now is a good time…" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a slim object, handing it to Isis.

"Seto…!!" Isis breathed. The object was one of his three Blue-Eyes White Dragon cards. "Why are you…?"

Seto folded her hand over the card. "It's for you," he said.

"But… there's no way I can accept this!" Isis exclaimed, opening her hand again and trying to give the card back. "One of your Blue-Eyes…"

Seto shrugged indifferently. "Then let's say I'm loaning it to you," he said, and then a teasing smirk appeared on his face. "And let's say I trust you to give it back."

Isis blinked. "Like Obelisk…" she said, understanding of his allusion the only thing that was able to register on her mind. "But… but if Kisara…"

"She gave her life to protect and serve my past self and me," Seto agreed, knowing what Isis was going to ask. "But that can include protecting you, if I want her to. And I do."

Isis nodded distantly, standing silently for a long moment. She was completely thrown off by the gift. "Wh-when will I be able to give it back, though?" she asked finally. "We're…" Tears appeared in her eyes. "We're never going to see each other again after today," she said.

At last emotion was able to pierce through Seto. He felt tears in his eyes as well, and he put his arms around Isis. "It's a promise, too," he said, his voice slightly choked. "A promise that I'll come to see you. We will see each other again, I swear."

Isis buried her face in Seto's chest. "I don't want you to leave," she whispered. "I love you."

Seto bent down and kissed Isis. She returned it immediately, her hand coming up behind Seto's neck. Each could feel the other's sadness as they shared the deep, longing kiss.

When it ended, Isis and Seto both had tears trailing down their faces. Seto held Isis's gaze for a long minute, not wanting to leave her. But he had to. "A promise," he repeated shakily. "I will see you again."

He turned and began to walk away, and Isis watched for a second before turning herself. She looked down at the beautiful Blue-Eyes card Seto had lent her and said his words over to herself. i "I will see you again." /i