I know there has been a lot of Seto and Anzu but remember this is a story of Atem and Anzu. There time will be coming soon enough and I thank you guys for being so patient. Let me know how you're liking the buildup and enjoy the chapter.
-Lyra
Anzu awoke to sheets covering her naked body. Seto lay next to her also covered. His arm lay on her stomach and she smiled at the gesture. His skin felt so warm on her.
Her mind reeled back to last night and she couldn't help but close her eyes to think of the feelings he had brought out of her. It was the best night she had ever had, and yet a part of her felt like it was an out of body experience. She could not describe the strange unknown feeling that had encompassed her but gradually ignored it as she looked over at Seto once more. Atem had not entered her mind even once.
She continued to lay there mindlessly thinking of nothing. The sun was high in the sky and she watched the small rays of light enter through the gaps left behind by the curtains. Her hand caught into one of the lights and she found herself playing with the beam, her hand going back and forth against its warmth. She didn't know how long she was left playing with the light until she saw a familiar glow and the eye of Anubis appear. It was so faint and small as it appeared within the beam itself before disappearing a second later. Anzu gasped softly at the unexpected encounter. It was then she realized it seemed for a whole night she had actually forgotten Atem. This was something that had not happened in a very long time.
Guilt flowed heavily through her and she thought it strange she could feel such an emotion for someone not physically with her. And yet she realized he didn't have to be for her to love him. Anzu turned to Seto who blissfully slept unaware of her internal struggle.
It was during these rare moments did she find him truly at ease, truly himself. The wall was broken and the small little boy left orphaned by his parents and caretaker of his brother shone through. This man was a completely different person. He was not void of emotion; he swam in it. He liked to show his love for those he let in openly and soundly. He was kind and compassionate. This was the Seto Kaiba Anzu had truly fallen in love with and it saddened her she could only see him when he slept.
Unsure of the time, Anzu silently slipped out of bed naked. She walked softly along the wooden floors in search of her clothes and slipped them on one by one. She then entered the bathroom and began to washen up before leaving and heading towards the kitchen. It had been some time before she had an actual meal and this was the first day she felt truly herself- at least for the most part. She could not shake the slight feeling of uneasiness that had entered her from the night before but chose to ignore it. It was most likely nothing.
As she entered the grand kitchen, she saw Mokuba already sat with a newspaper in hand and bacon on his plate.
"Good morning." Anzu spoke surprising the young heir.
"Morning." He spoke with a mouth full of bacon. Anzu could tell she had surprised him with her unplanned visit and smiled knowingly.
"You look well Anzu." Mokuba swallowed as he spoke.
"I feel better." She affirmed.
Grabbing a plate from the pile next to Mokuba's, Anzu filled hers with everything laid out on the table and then some.
"Someone's hungry."
"Yes, well I haven't had actual food in some time now."
"True."
They ate in relative silence, the chewing of their food the only source of sound in the massive room. Anzu could feel Mokuba watching her but ignored him for the most part.
"Are you going to marry my brother?" Mokuba suddenly asked causing Anzu to almost choke on her lemon ball.
"Excuse me?" She coughed and drank water to get the piece to go down.
"Sorry, I know it's rather forward of me to ask, but it has been a while since you two have been dating and I figured maybe you have talked about this with each other."
"Mokuba I care deeply for Seto, but you and I both know he's not exactly the get married kind of guy."
"So what, you two will just be dating forever then?"
Forever?
Anzu shook her head unsure of how this topic came about.
"Your brother is a great man, and a very good boyfriend, but this is something I know not to be on his mind or mine. At least not right now." Anzu wanted to say not ever but held back.
Mokuba watched her for a moment longer and then looked down nodding. Anzu took in another lemon ball into her mouth and closed her eyes hoping her doesn't ask her another question that may involve the Heimlich to be used on her.
"Thank you for everything Seto, you have helped me out so much." Anzu reached out and hugged her boyfriend.
"No need to thank me, I would do it all for you a million times over." He whispered into her hair.
Anzu smiled softly before letting go and grabbing her duffel bag. She exited the massive foyer and headed for the car Seto had arranged for her to take home.
As the driver began to leave, Anzu looked back to see Seto watching her with a peculiar look in his eyes, almost like he was scared. She shrugged it off to nothing but something told her there was more to this look that met the eye.
Being home never felt so good to her. She smiled placing her duffle bag on the floor by her door and walking toward her balcony where she leaned against the metal railing taking in the view of her city. The sun proved to be warm against her skin and Anzu smiled in content. Her wounds were now scabs and minor bruise marks. She was no longer sore and she never felt better. It was as though she was born anew.
After some time, she stepped back into her home and decided to make some calls to her job, school and agent. She was up going back to school tomorrow and continuing on with her life. Her life was on hold long enough.
As she began to get herself settled onto her couch a sudden smell engulfed her senses. It was as though she was lying in the middle of the ocean. She could smell the seaweed, taste the salt and feel herself almost drowning in her senses. She looked around trying to make sense of what was happening when a loud boom erupted in the area between her kitchen and living room. Black smoke engulfed the air, until it was immediately pulled back and a figure began to make its way through. Anzu gasped and sat frozen on the couch unsure of what to do. She could feel her hand clutching the pillow that sat to her left but she remained and watched the figure form.
She was tall, almost reaching Anzu's ceilings. Her skin was a deep green, almost an evocative contrast to the blue in her eyes. Anzu could see storms forming from the depth her eyes brought as she continued staring into them. Her hair was long and dark as the night sky. She thought she could see the twinkle of stars in them but how could that be? How could any of this be possible? Her clothing consisted of long blue robes that seemed to flow around her like water. She bore an ancient headdress and carried a long golden staff. Anzu could feel the power of the ocean rolling off of her.
"I am Naunet, Goddess of the watery abyss that holds the universe by which the sphere of life was borne. I was brought to you by the Pharaoh Atem. The fool begged for me to find a way to bring him to you but I cannot, for that is not in my domain. But I did say I could bring you to him."
She stopped speaking and Anzu could not think of a discernable sentence to offer the Goddess that stood before her.
"Because I carry the power of not only the Nile, but of the five oceans on my back I am able to travel between the living and the dead. This is a journey not fit for a regular human so I must prepare you, if you are willing."
She stared down Anzu, her eyes never wavering. Anzu closed her mouth as she had had it open this entire time and thought of Naunet's words.
"A-atem called for you here to take me back to him?" She said in almost a whisper.
"Yes my child."
Anzu could sense Naunet was growing impatient with her idling.
"Will I have to die?" She asked knowing if she decided to go it would be to a place the living were not welcomed.
"Yes."
Anzu looked Naunet watching her with an emotionless face. How could Atem make her choose this? And most importantly, why now?
"You must tell me your answer quickly, for there are other beings who will begin to notice my absence and grow suspicious."
Anzu nodded thinking in her head of all the pros and cons. But she knew even if she weighed everything against going she knew she would regret it. She knew where she was meant to go, who she was meant to be with and it was when she got up to meet Naunet's hand did she know she was making the right decision. Nothing made sense to her and it all seemed so fast, but Anzu knew she did not belong here.
"I will go."
Naunet nodded and clutched Anzu's hand tightly. They were cold, like the deep waters of the Pacific, but also warm like in a pool on a summers day.
The ocean began to roar in Anzu's ears and she could feel herself being wound up in some sort of bandage. Looking down she could see Naunet was chanting something because strips of linen began to form from thin air and wrap themselves around her. Anzu could not help the panic that was sinking its way into her. Naunet was mummifying her right before her eyes.
The linen traveled quick and before long her whole body besides her head was covered. She saw the bandages start to wrap themselves around her neck like a warm hug and continued traveling upward until only her eyes were visible. She looked up Naunet who was busily chanting until everything went dark.