Once Upon a Dream
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh no matter how much I would like to.
Authors note: I told you that last chapter would be longer! Hope you like it! Please review!
Story Description: AU Serenity and Joey have always told each other everything? Right? Everything, except for one secret that happened after they were separated. And what happens when this "secret" comes back into Serenity's life after all of these years? SetoXSerenity.
Chapter Five:
James Bond
"Would you like anything Mr. Kaiba? Miss Wheeler?" A maid antagonized them when they walked in the door
Seto shook his head, "No thank you Isota."
They had arrived at the mansion after stopping at a small shop to get some hot drinks. The study that they had decided to work in was well hidden from the maids. It was one of those hard to find doors that doubled as a bookcase. You had to find the right book, pull it back and turn the knob. Yes, it was a little "James Bond-ish", but it kept the maids away nevertheless.
"Seto?" Serenity piped up
"Hmmm?" He mumbled while he took out his homework and play script
"If you, what." She said referring to his interrupted sentence earlier before
I took Seto a few moments to register what she was referring to, "You don't forget anything do you?"
"Nope," She said with a grin
"I was going to say: If I had known you had a boyfriend I wouldn't have kissed you last night."
"Oh don't worry about that; I didn't mind." Serenity toyed
Seto was extremely shocked at her reply, "Um, I'll go get something to drink." Seto offered, changing the subject "Hot chocolate good?"
"Hot chocolate's fine,"
Seto left the room and Serenity smiled a fake smile as he closed the door.
"Stupid! Stupid!" She said while smacking her forehead.
She walked around the office before stating "Private office huh?"
She hated it when her curiosity got the best of her but she couldn't help it. She picked up a yearbook from a previous school and flipped through its pages. Serenity had found no 'Seto Kaiba' in the book although she had passed a familiar version of her once pig-tailed self.
"I didn't know that Seto went to my old elementary" It suddenly hit her, she knew what was going on, "No, he can't be-"
She continued flipping through the old book and came to a familiar page that she often looked at. As she turned to a page that held a picture of her and Seto Mizoka a small bundle of papers and pictures fell out. She lightly fingered through them and fell back into his desk chair with a strong THUMP!
Serenity held a receipt for a custom bouquet of white calalillies and baby blue roses; she held a school picture of herself and a sixth grade portrait of Seto; it was slightly burned and she could barely make out the message on the back which read:
'To Reni, I hope you are having fun at your new house, I really miss you, don't forget about me here, I hope I can see you sometime again.'
She kept flipping through the pages after stuffing the papers back in their hiding place until she found what she was looking for; a note and signature written by her.
"He is, Seto M-Mizoka, why wouldn't he tell me?" She said, voice trembling
The door knob turned and she stuffed the album into its proper hiding place before sitting down in an arm chair.
A fire was roaring in the hearth and a warm pitcher of hot chocolate was steaming on the desk. Seto and Serenity were sitting on the couch practicing their lines for the play when Serenity finally changed the conversation.
"Seto, I was wondering something,"
"Yeah, what is it?"
"I know this is none of my business, but, well, you were adopted by Gozaburo Kaiba, right?" Serenity said awkwardly
Seto turned his gaze into the flames before answering with a blunt "Yeah,"
"Well, this is just my stupid curiosity speaking, but, what was your real name, you know, before 'Kaiba'."
Seto's heart raced and he scurried his brain for a possible answer. She had finally figured it out, but the question was; should he tell her the truth or not.
"Um, I'm really not sure that's any of your business" He lied
"I know but I figured that, I should get to know you a little better."
"Maybe later or some other time." He gripped his mug until his knuckles were white
Serenity saw the pressure on his mug and placed her hand on his hand before saying "Fine, you win. So, what should we do next?" She teased slightly
"We've done all our homework and gone through the whole play. You tell me." Seto said
"I heard from your brother that you're pretty good at kempo."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"Why don't you show me what you can do? Or are you scared to face a girl?" Serenity teased
"Fine, but how about we fight with no weapons. I wouldn't like to put Juliet into a coma so close to opening night."
"So have you ever done this before Serenity?" Seto asked
"Nope, but I'm willing to give it a shot."
"Ok, to make it a little more interesting lets make a little bargain." Seto held
"Ok, what are the conditions?" Serenity said skeptically
"If I win you can't ask me anything about the time before my adoption and I get one favor from you whenever I ask it. If you win you can ask me anything about the said time period you want and you get a favor from me whenever you ask it."
"What about if we tie?"
"Um, if we tie we get one favor from each other and one free question with no questions asked."
"Sounds good, let's start."
"I can't believe we tied." Seto said breathlessly "Are you sure you have never done that?"
"Never that, but I took gymnastics for six years." Serenity smiled as she gave Seto a small peck on the cheek
After the strenuous match they had finally broke even at a tie. Serenity ended up that she had hurt her ankle badly enough that she couldn't walk. Seto was now walking back to the secret office with Serenity on his back when he spotted one of his nosy maids.
"Don't make a sound. Just follow me."
"Do I really have a choice?" Serenity asked questioningly
Seto cut her off with a sharp shhh! And doubled back the way they came.
Seto checked the halls before murmuring an "Okay". He rummaged in his pockets for a little bit until he was finally able to emerge a strange shaped key. He lifted back a small, thin, sheet of brick to reveal a keyhole. Once he opened the wall there was a retina scanner installed.
"Being a little protective aren't we, James Bond?" She had a slight air to her voice that time
Seto just rolled his eyes before focusing them on the scanner; it made a slight 'ting' before it opened and they were once again in the secret study.
Seto gently set Serenity on the sofa and propped her ankle while he looked for some kind of a wrap for her ankle.
"Seto? Can I ask you something?" Serenity said while fidgeting with the drawstrings on her sweatpants
"Now, would this be the free question or the no-questions favor?" He asked slyly
"Neither," she said stubbornly "More like a request…"
"A loophole, hmmm, I might have to remember that one for later. Anyway, what is your, request?"
"I would just like you to avoid Tristan is all, I mean if hasn't already guessed you then he will eventually and I don't want you to get hurt." She forced out a laugh and a smile, pushing back the lump growing in her throat.
"Don't worry about me," he chuckled "What's he going to do stab me with his ridiculous hair-do?"
This got Serenity to laugh but the chuckle was short-lived; in a matter of seconds she was frowning again, lost in deep thought.
"It's ok Serenity. I'll be careful, I promise." He said seriously, taking her up in his arms "I'll watch my back around him. Now smile, I hate to see you sad." Seto used his thumbs to stretch a grin onto her face.
"Ok, thank you," Serenity said, moving his hands away
Serenity slowly inched her eyes open and took in her surroundings. She was leaning against a slumbering Seto which had his arm around her. The fire was dying down and the room was comfortably humid. She checked her watched and immediately started to attempt at waking Seto up. The time read 9:45, she needed to cross town in fifteen minutes and Seto slept just like Joey; oblivious to everything around him.
"Fine, I'll just drive myself home. Hope you don't mind getting your bike back tomorrow." She quickly scribbled down an explanation and set it on his chest. "Goodbye Romeo." She gently kissed him on the forehead and quickly ran to one of the maids.
Seto woke up to the sound of a motorcycle speeding off in the distance. He looked to the side noticing that Serenity was missing. Running out into the hall he asked Mokuba where Serenity had gone.
"She just left. She didn't want to be late for her curfew. Maybe you should read the note she stuffed into your front pocket." Mokuba chuckled while heading off to his room
Seto scanned the letter mumbling to himself, "I tried to wake you…hope you don't mind… I borrowed the black one …Love Serenity…P.S. I'll pick you up tomorrow." He stuffed the letter back in his pocket and headed of to his room muttering "She had to take the black one…I should have guessed she would take my favorite."
