So I am working on the last fic along with this one, and it is going to be crazy. I'll just say this: yes dueling, yes twins, yes virtual world. And I just came up with a wild twist. It's going to be good.

This one is more tame, but it's sweet. It's nice for nobody to be in danger for once. And now we continue.

~Seto's POV~

I awoke... contently. That hadn't happened since-

I opened my eyes, and there she was. She still snuggled against me. I looked at the time. It was 8am, I had slept later than I planned. Although, when I set that schedule, I had not anticipated running into her, let alone this.

My slight movement stirred her. I turned back to watch her. She turned into me a little more, pinching her eyes before she began to roll back. As she turned I felt her satin hair rub against my arm. She seemed to sense something was different as I watched her eyes slowly open, already set on me. She waited, probably waiting for me. I suppose it was fair for her to wonder if things were still the same now that the night had passed.

I was glad she was awake. Now I could touch her without disturbing her. I reached out, weaving my fingers into her hair that had loosened in the night. She reached up, pulling the elastic from her hair to lessen any restrictions for me. I took a strand of hair from behind her ear, then slowly pulled it toward me. It felt like pure silk as it slid through my fingers. Every sensation I received from her was wonderful, unlike anything I had ever had before. I liked her small frame pressed to mine and the feel of her warm, soft skin. I admired the flutter of her eyes and the hint of her smile.

Her hair fell from my fingers at its length and I moved my hand to rest on her cheek. My eyes were fixed on her pink lips. I used my hand to encourage her to stretch towards me and grace me with them once again. As she kissed me, she lifted herself to make it easier for her. As she twisted I felt some of her hair fall to my chest, where she still kept her hand.

I took my hand away to her shoulder, sliding it down until it came to rest just at the side of her ribs. Though this spot teased me with its nearby curves, it allowed me more control over her.

Gradually, she pulled away, but continued to hover over me. I watched as her eyes darted from one of mine to the other, studying them intently. Slowly, she slid her hand up from my chest, then tenderly touched my cheek. I felt her fingers move slightly as she studied my face. I watched as she adorably bit her lip, thinking. She was beautiful, and vulnerable, and so incredibly appealing. I brought my hand back up to run my thumb over her lip, which she released for me.

I then pulled my hand away to take hers. I held it steady as I turned my head to kiss her wrist. Then I pulled it back to the pillow and resumed my gaze with her. I didn't bother to worry about my affections towards her anymore. I had moved past that. I was looking towards the future now, not focusing on the past. And my future involved having everything I wanted, so I would kiss her if I damn well pleased. If I wanted her, then she would be mine, if she wasn't mine already.

But whether she was mine or not, in my arms or afar, I still had obligations. "I plan to leave soon," I told her. "Do you still plan on returning with me?"

"If you'll have me," she answered. Oh, I would have her. "Just let me get ready."

With this I rose, letting her slip through my arms. As I went to my clothes, she sat up, tucking her feet behind her.

"I'll work until then," I informed her, assuming she would not be ready as soon as I would.

"May I shower?" she asked. I looked back at her. At first I thought she might be joking since I had declared I was working, but I realized she knew nothing of her distraction and was indeed being serious.

"Yes," I answered, returning to my task and trying to again claim my focus.

I was ready for the day and had everything ready for my departure. I had an office in the house, but instead worked at the downstairs table. This allowed me to be more prepared for our departure and for her to find me easily.

She wandered in after a bit, then saw the English muffin, fruit, and milk out on the counter near her. "That's for you," I mentioned.

"Did you make this for me?" she asked, surprised.

"The house did," I answered simply.

She hummed happily before picking up a strawberry and bit into it. I could sense her eyes on me for a moment before she calmly returned the stem. Slowly, she walked over to me. She glanced at my work, then brought herself even closer to me, starting to move between myself and the table. When I saw this, I withdrew my left hand to let her continue. Then, she slid sideways into my lap, her arm around my neck and body pressed and pointed towards me.

I let her be there as I continued working, not minding her doting on me at all. She brought her hand up to rest on the cheek that she wasn't kissing, then drew back.

"Sorry," she said, resting her head on the side of mine. "Am I in your way?"

"No," I stated.

"Good," she replied, wrapping her arms all the way my neck and relaxing in my hold.

Quietly and contently, she watched the rural road race toward us from the passenger seat. The cliffs and area were beautiful and plentiful in the daylight, easily claiming her attention. Though we weren't far from the city, there were hardly any houses here, and the couple we passed were exquisite like mine.

I remained silent as we drove. I glanced over at her in her wonder, and again noticed her legs. As I returned my eyes to the road, I reached out a spare hand to rest on one. I couldn't get enough of her skin, and I wasn't sure when I could get it again.

She allowed this. When we passed through the city, she asked, "Where's Mokuba?"

"He's back home. This was only an overnight trip," I answered.

"What for?" she asked curiously.

"KaibaLand."

"Is that what you were working on all break?" she asked.

"No." I narrowed my eyes. "I had a tournament."

"How did that go?" she asked innocently, casually looking out the window.

I did not want to tell her about my defeat, or the virtual world, or much of anything that happened. But then I remembered two moments that I thought she would like. "I humiliated Wheeler in a duel and blew up an island."

I left it at that. Jem, listening intently, rested her head against her seat and turned to look at me. Her eyes were steady on me and I could tell I had captured her full attention. "Those things sound fun."

"They weren't," I told her off. "I don't play Duel Monsters for fun. It's a strategy game, not just anyone can play it. Joey Wheeler is a nuisance. And the island," I narrowed my eyes, "was built by my stepfather."

Jem glanced down at my hand and began playing with the hem of my sleeve. I liked having her attention, and I liked how she was coming to me.

I typically did not like chatting like this, but I was testing her. Her reactions were different from any I had ever received before.

"I understand you like winning." She paused. "Perhaps things would be different if I shared the high of winning, but my father always made the games so unbearable that I didn't want to play at all. Nothing was worth it." She looked back at me. "So now what, now that your tournament is all over?"

"I've started building theme parks around the world. That's where you came across me last night."

Jem raised her eyebrows and smiled at my comment. "Really? What made you want to do that?" she asked.

"When Mokuba and I were at the orphanage, we used to build these intricate sand structures of amusement parks. I promised him one day we would build our own line of them."

If this was ever mentioned, people dwelled on the fact that I was in an orphanage. Instead, Jem laughed, more like a hum accompanied by a smile, taking something completely different from it. "That's a nice story." I looked over at her, not quite sure what it was exactly that she enjoyed. Her eyes were cast down. She still occupied herself with my sleeve on the hand that rested on her. "I vaguely remember playing." She was quiet for a moment, then, "How old were you when you were adopted?"

"Twelve," I answered simply, carefully watching how her thoughts came along while trying to simultaneously watch the road.

She raised her eyebrows again. "You got a whole extra six years," she remarked. She glanced up. "Then after that it was... similar?" she insinuated, referring to what I knew of her experience.

"Yes." But I didn't truly understand. "Pegasus never had you play?"

"It's not fun when it's forced," she answered. "And he was so mad and depressed for such a long time after my mother died that we hardly saw him. I was left in the care of those goons who knew nothing about children and just wanted me to behave. When my dad came back around, then all he wanted to do was play games and set us up with cartoons. But it was too late. Now I can't stand any of it, though maybe he just chose really stupid cartoons."

"What did you want to do then, as a kid?"

"I remember stealing things from around the house to make small explosives out of for when I got locked in my room-"

"Like fireworks?" I asked.

She looked back at me, puzzled. "What are fireworks?"

I didn't feel like explaining them. "Nevermind, continue."

She obeyed. "I would stash the materials away, and then every now and then would find that someone, probably Croquet, had gone through and discovered them. They would be replaced with a comic strip. I would also read in secret. A lot of nonfiction." That explains why she's so literal. She glanced up again. "How about you? What got you through?"

I wasn't quick to answer this question. "Duel Monsters."

She nodded and looked back down. "Of course." But then she looked up at me and smiled, still seemingly happy after all that. I hadn't seen her smile much. I couldn't be sure, but I thought it was because of my company, and I don't mean Kaiba Corp.

She again leaned her head back, looking at me. She moved on. "So what are you going to do with me now?"

I glanced at her briefly, only to realize that she was again being literal and not flirting. She probably didn't know the implication of her remark.

"I was going to return you to your apartment. I have work to do," I answered. "Why, did you want to read to me?"

"I could. Do I get to kiss you before and/or after reading?" she answered with a question. I glanced at her again to see her smiling, a bit mischievously. This time she was definitely flirting.

I looked back ahead at the road, then answered candidly, "Perhaps." I had her right where I wanted her.

Next Chapter: Return

I turned back to look at her. She had a softened expression on her face with her head tilted, gazing at him.