Wow, I can't believe how long it's been since I updated this. So sorry for the wait, I hope you enjoy.
The train pulled in and we watched the crowd of people pour out from a distance.
It took me a moment, but I finally spotted Serenity as the crown began to clear out.
"Kaiba and Mokuba? What are you two doing here?" she asked, looking surprised and a bit worried to see us.
"Your mom had to run to the store and buy something before they sold out," Mokuba explained. "She asked Seto to come get you."
"We had plans later regardless," I shrugged. "Come on, let's get some breakfast." Serenity's face brightened and I took her suitcase, catching Mokuba's smile as he moved over to allow Serenity to walk between us.
We found a breakfast place nearby that Serenity said had good food. It was a small, family run place, but it was very well maintained and our waitress was friendly, without being annoying.
Mokuba ordered the largest waffle plate with whipped cream, chocolate sauce and strawberries while Serenity decided on French toast with whipped cream and green and red sprinkles. I decided to go for something with a slightly higher nutritional value and ordered eggs benedict with hash browns and a fruit cup.
"So, I can have one of the cars right, Seto?" Mokuba asked between bites.
"Yes, you may," I sighed, knowing he was likely going to spend the day with Rebecca and try to sneak in late at night. "Do you want me to drive you back home?"
Mokuba glanced between us with a smile on his face.
"No, it's okay. You guys have plans. I'll cab home and go from there."
"Are you sure?" Serenity asked. "I don't want to make you do that."
"Don't worry about it, you guys have fun." I nodded and let Mokuba and Serenity make small talk while we finished eating.
We bid farewell to my brother after I enforced that curfew was three am, much later than Serenity and I would be out, but I assumed he'd want to spend as much time as possible with his girlfriend.
"So, where would you like to go?" I asked once Serenity and I were alone.
"Hmm, I'd like to go for a walk in the park and maybe take some pictures of things to paint later," she said after thinking for a moment. "Is that okay?"
"Fine by me."
We walked through the park, pausing now and again for her to take pictures of the frost covered trees, children throwing snowballs and the Victorian looking sleigh and horses.
"I've always wanted to go on a sleigh ride," Serenity commented, tucking her camera away. "I know you only ride around the park, but they just seem so romantic in the movies." I looked at the sleigh, then back down at Serenity. Something had caught her eye and she was hastily retrieving her camera. I waited for her to snap her shot and put the camera away once again before I took her arm and led her towards the sleigh.
"How much for a sleigh ride for her?" I asked the driver. He paused from his coffee and glanced between us.
"Sleigh rides are for couples only, no single riders. Besides, it's Christmas eve, I'm all booked for today." Serenity looked a little disappointed, but she hid it well.
"It's okay, Kaiba. Some other time." The driver sighed and pulled a book from his pocket.
"My last ride is at eight, if you can be back here by 8:30 I'll do one last ride, but it has to be for the both of you."
"Agreed," I nod. He gave me the cost and I paid, plus a tip in thanks for squeezing us in. "Where would you like to go in the mean time?"
"The mall? I could use a warm drink." I nodded and tried not to think about how crowded the mall would be with last minute shoppers.
Serenity ordered a chai latte and insisted I try one as well. It was a bit foamy and creamy for my liking, but I enjoyed the subtle spice.
"I love the decorations they put up. The reds and greens. Must be such a pain for you to decorate, your house is so big."
"Not really, we don't decorate." She looked surprised.
"But the KaibaCorp building is always decorated, I assumed you did your home too."
"The company is decorated because it looks good. It was your mother's idea actually. I think she stuck a wreath on my office door, but that is the extent of decorating I have." She frowned, deep in thought.
"Come on," she said with decisiveness. "Let's go and buy you some decorations and a tree." I rolled my eyes.
"On Christmas eve there is likely nothing left and there is no point. Mokuba and I don't exchange gifts, so there will be nothing under the tree."
"Just humour me?" I groaned about it, but did as she asked.
We found a good sized tree, a bit taller than I. It was one of the left overs, but looked the least pathetic of the bunch. The decorations, of which we had some better luck finding, were silver and blue of various shapes and sizes. We also found some garland and lights. It all seemed a bit excessive to me, but a glance down st her smile made me swallow any complaints I had. We stopped at one of my own shops for the tree topper. I'm not religious and thus felt no need to have the traditional angel or star on the tree, instead we bought a Blue Eyes designed to cur around the top of the tree like a predator waiting to attack.
Serenity set her ipod up to my stereo system and began to play Christmas music. We put the tree up and the decorations, taking our time as we had several hours until our sleigh ride. I couldn't believe she actually had several Christmas songs on her ipod, but seeing her joy as she softly sang along I realized that she truly loved the holiday.
A song began that made her eyes light up. She put down what she had and took my hands.
"Rocking around the Christmas Treeat the Christmas party hop," she sang pulling me to dance with her. The dance was nothing like we had at the formal. She was lively, swinging our arms and rocking her hips. "Mistletoe hung where you can see ev'ry couple tries to stop." I smiled and spun her, to which she only smiled more. We finished decorating the tree between songs and Serenity lamented the lack of egg nog in my fridge. Next year, I promised. Perhaps this could be a new tradition, I wouldn't mind sharing this with her. She gave me a reason to enjoy the holiday as more than just a day to see a movie with Mokuba, a tradition that he seemed less enthusiastic about since he began dating.
"Come on, we should go before we're late for out sleigh ride," I said glancing at the clock on my mantel. Serenity followed my gaze and nodded, following me to the entrance way.
"I'm surprised you don't have a shiny gold Rolex," she commented taking her jacket from the closet.
"I don't need one. Besides with the clothes I generally wear I can't have anything on my wrist. Ready?" I asked sliding on my leather gloves and wishing I had a scarf or toque, my ears were going to freeze.
"Oh, wait," she said, slipping her shoes back off. "I forgot my bag in the living room." She returned quickly, bag over her shoulder and we headed out. She looked me over as we left the house. "Don't you have a hat? You'll get frost bite."
"No, I'm usually not outside long enough to need one." She rolled her eyes and took the pink toque of her own head and pulled me down to her level so she could put it on me. I'm sure it looked ridiculous. "Won't you be cold now?"
"No, I've still got my scarf and my hair is long so it covers my ears a bit too." I shrugged and we got into my car where I let her fiddle with my radio stations until she found the Christmas music.
We made it with a few minutes to spare so I bought two cups of hot chocolate for us to drink. Soon enough the sleigh arrived and we finished our drinks and got on. The driver laid a worn, green and red plaid blanket over our laps and set off. It has started to snow, but Serenity just seemed to enjoy it even more.
"Cold?" I asked when she snuggled up to me. She shrugged, but I wrapped my arm around her to keep her warm. Kaiya would kill me if I got her daughter sick on Christmas. "Want your hat back?"
"It's okay," she said and we fell back into silence for the remainder of the ride. After it had ended I thanked the driver and gave him a large tip then returned to where Serenity was standing.
"Come on, let's get you home." She looked up at me, about to say something, then stopped. She looked above us, something had caught her eye. I followed her gaze to see a green little plant with white berries. I turned back to her to ask what was so important about the plant when suddenly I felt her lips, soft and warm on mine. It was a bold gesture, but I could still feel her shyness and hesitation. I was so stunned I wasn't sure what to do, and I most certainly didn't kiss back. When she pulled away she looked embarrassed. "What was that for?" I asked, confused.
"Mistletoe," she explained pointing at the plant. "Tradition is when a couple meets under it, they kiss. I'm sorry if it was out of line." I told her it was okay, but it wasn't. For one, I had never kissed any one before. I refused to let myself become close enough to anyone for that to happen. I learned the hard way to never let it get that far, you get close to people and then they leave. My parents and slowly even Mokuba began to pull away. I couldn't trust anyone and that was how I lived my life. For another, the empty feeling in my stomach was back, what had Mokuba called them? Butterflies? Maybe Serenity meant more to me than I had been prepared to admit.
I didn't voice any of these thoughts, instead I enjoyed listening to her sing Winter Wonderland.
I pulled up in front of her house, noticing the silhouettes of two people in the living room window. Kaiya and Serenity's brother presumably.
"Do you want to come inside for a bit?" she asked. I shook my head.
"No, you go enjoy your time with your family. I have your gift for you," I told her reaching to the back seat and handing her a basket.
"Can I open it?"
"Of course." She lifted the white alpaca blanket off the top, it was actually a bed spread, but she could use it on the couch if she wanted. Under that was a set of baby blue Sea Island Cotton Pajamas, slippers, a few packs of gourmet hot chocolate and three movies from the top ten movies of the 20th century. "A winter survival kit," I told her.
"We'll have to watch these movies together some time," she said leaning over and giving me a hug. She pecked me on the cheek. "Thank you, Seto, and merry Christmas." I watched her go inside and drove home, feeling a little glow.
She had called me by my name.
Mokuba wasn't home yet, so I decided to settle in the living room with a book. I left Serenity's toque on the end table in the entrance way so I wouldn't forget to give it to her when I saw her next. As I was getting comfortable on the couch I noticed a small box wrapped in green and tied with a red bow under the tree. Curiously, I got up and brought it over to the couch, hesitantly opening it.
Inside was a silver pocket watch, it was more costly than I thought Serenity could afford. Suddenly I had an image of her saving up for months to buy it for me and felt touched. I turned it over and saw she had it engraved. Quickly, I put on my reading glasses.
The Best Things in Life Are Free
I sighed, I could tell myself all I wanted that I didn't care about her. It wasn't love though, I argued. I've never loved anyone before, so why would I start now? She was just some girl that I had gotten used to being around and talking to, that was it. Really, I wasn't lying. I meant it. There was nothing there and the feelings I kept having were just in my head, they weren't real.
I was trying to hard to convince myself of it that I didn't even hear Mokuba come in.
"Hey," Mokuba said from the doorway, startling me. "When did we get a tree?"
"Serenity and I set it up," I told him, tucking the watch into my pocket. Mokuba eyed me critically.
"You okay, Seto?"
"I'm fine, just thinking." He came over and patted my shoulder, saying good night. I was so lost in thought that it wasn't until he had already gone upstairs that I was able to process what he'd said.
"Butterflies don't lie."
Serenity's gifts were the best of the best, Seto spent roughly 1500$ on her. And yes, for those who have been so patiently waiting for me to update Seto is beginning to realize his feelings towards Serenity. They've been bonding over over a year, I'd say it's about time ;)
Also, if anyone wants to do a picture of Seto wearing Serenity's pink toque you would be very awesome indeed.
Reviews = Karma