Sorry again for the late chapter… I had planned on uploading this almost 2 months ago, but I just wasn't happy with the way it turned out, so I scrapped the chapter and rewrote it. I saved some parts and kept it in this chapter and cut half to put in the next chapter… maybe. And other than writers block, I just wasn't feeling up to writing a lot this prior month. I won't make any excuses.

But, I hope that the wait was at least worth it. I hope you all enjoy! Please feel free to leave any comments and critiques! I always love to hear what you all have to say!

"That's the last one." Mokuba grins, setting down the last cardboard box full of my things.

I had no where near the strength that he had in order to carry those books up here, but I was grateful all the same. Mokuba dusts off his hands and stretches out his arms, cracking his knuckles as he does so. I look around the room, now cluttered with a mess of boxes and bags. Everything was cleared out of this room just so I could have one all to myself.

"Still don't know why you don't just move it all into Seto's room," Mokuba adds in, "But I'm sure you have your reasons."

Hearing his name gives me an instant flush as my stomach turns with butterflies. "I don't want to take away his personal space. Besides… We're right next to each other. It's not a far walk if I want his company, and the same for him."

Mokuba chuckles, and scratches the back of his head. "So… Uhm. Can I ask you some personal questions?"

My heart sinks a bit. It had been avoided for a couple of days now, as I was getting settled into this room and resting after everything. But… I knew the questions would all have to come at some point. Better it be from Mokuba than from some reporter… They were already crowding the mansion after hearing of the dispute with Kojiro.

"I guess I don't mind..." I avoid looking him in the eyes.

I could tell he could sense my unease. "You know, you can say no, right?"

"I'm aware..." I sigh for a moment, "But I would like to make sense of things too… So maybe talking about it can clear my head?"

I walk over, and take a seat on the bed—which currently has no covers. It's weird to sit on just the mattress, but a break before organizing is much needed anyway. Mokuba leans against the dresser, just slightly across the room, pushed against a wall before it's permanently placed else where.

"Well, feel free to tell me if you change your mind and don't feel like talking about it… Okay?" He was always trying to reassure me.

I can see why Seto takes so much pride in being his brother. I smile at the thought. "Of course."

There's a pause for a moment, making things feel a bit awkward. Mokuba takes a deep breath before asking his first question. "So you remember what it was like, how ever long ago it was? In your past life?"

I nod. "To an extent… I guess?"

"So it was real? Yugi and everyone wasn't bull-shitting?" You could just see the curiosity in his eyes growing. "Can you tell me what it was like?"

I felt my heart sink again… I don't think he realizes that for me, it wasn't a good life. Where Seto had worked so hard and became someone of high status and respect… I was on the opposite spectrum. Though… that much could be said for present times as well… But this life is substantially better for me. The fact that Seto gave me the time of day in either life still bewilders me at this point.

"Well… I couldn't tell you much from Seto's life. But from what I knew of him… He wasn't as… Rude?" I was trying to word things in the best way possible. "Not that he was ever really rude..."

"No, he's an ass. I get it." Mokuba laughed. "But, go on."

I felt my cheeks flush. "But… Back then… He was a hero to me. My village… it was destroyed and I had been taken away. There was talk of slave trading, and human trafficking, pillaging, and… Well, I digress—I had been captured and I must have only been about twelve years old when Seto saved me from those bandits. He couldn't have been more than a few years older than me?"

I get side track in my thoughts. I think we were closer in age in the past then we are currently. It's so odd to think that we truly reincarnated from such a world. Or the fact that reincarnation exists at all.

It brings me back to wondering… Who was the man that offered me a second chance? I still have no recollection of it. There are some memories that are still just blurs, and are completely scattered in pieces.

"Kisara?" Mokuba leaned forward, trying to get my attention.

"Oh—sorry." I give an awkward smile. "Anyway… that was when we first met. And he beat up a couple guys to get us to his horse—was it even his?...Sorry. I'm doing it again… But, we rode away and he jumped off and had me ride into his village. I don't know where he went, but the bandits followed after me. The destroyed his home… From afar, I watched his home be torched as they held him back and made him witness everything. Even his own mother's death..."

It wasn't a good story… It was a horrible story. And I was such a coward…

"It wasn't until one of the bandits held a dagger to Seto's neck, ready to slit his throat was I able to help… And I didn't even realize it at the time—but I summoned my soul to protect Seto… My vision filled with white lights and a dragon emerged from the fire. In fear, the bandits tried to run, but… the dragon burst forth white lightning."

It just hit me, "I killed them..."

"So, monsters really exited back then?" Mokuba crossed his arms and looked to the ceiling, lost in thought. "I wonder what my soul would be?"

"Not monsters… Just souls." To think, I'm really harboring a blue-eyes-white-dragon within me.

"What was Seto's soul?" He really wasn't holding back any questions.

I had to think for a moment. He did summon his soul before me once… When we were up against that man… The man who killed me… Seto's father.

"He.." I almost told him of Seto's father instead of answering his question. "His soul was called… Duos if I remember correctly."

Mokuba bit his thumb, as though trying to think. "I don't recall that being a duel monster..."

He pulled out his phone and started typing on it. I could only assume he was looking it up.

"Well… I don't think it was created into a card, because it was never sealed away in stone." I looked down, watching my feet to keep my gaze away from him. "But it's kind of like the Swordstalker card. Only… more refined and more alive looking."

Mokuba was speechless for a moment, "You actually know duel monsters cards?"

I blushed a bit more. "I was studying up. So that I could be more help at Kaiba Corp."

I looked up for moment, and Mokuba smiled gently. "You really love him, don't you?"

I felt my heart in my throat. "I do. I love Seto with all that I am."

But there was no hesitation in my voice this time.

Mokuba smiled, tilting his head to the side, "I'm jealous!"

I couldn't tell if he was joking, or if he was actually jealous. But jealous of what we had, or jealous… because at one point, I almost gave myself to him?

"What was it like when you fell in love back then?" He continued with other questions.

But thinking back… there was no romance for Seto and I. The only moment we held hands was when he was trying not to drop me to the shadows below us… He only held me when he carried me, limp or lifeless. We never exchanged beautiful words… The most he ever showed was concern for an innocent woman—and even back then, it seemed as if it were only to repay a debt. Though… I'm really the one who owed him. He saved me so many times. And my life paid for the debt I owed.

"We didn't..." I dug my fingers into my thighs, gripping tightly as I stared to the floor. "We had only met a few times, each was an exchange of helping one another… And I questioned his kindness every time… Back then… I didn't know Seto as anything other than the noble man who saved my life—though I vowed to only use my soul to protect him. And I did, to the very end."

Another few moments of silence, before Mokuba again spoke. "I don't understand that though… Seto mourned for you ever since his memories returned… If there was so little between the two of you, why did it hurt him so much?"

Even I didn't have an answer for that. "I wish I knew..."

"You know..." I looked up at Mokuba, who was now standing up straight, "He cried for you so much… When he came back from Egypt after discovering his past life's memories, he locked himself away. He nearly drank himself to death a few times. He even once… thought of ending his own life."

My heart stopped just hearing of it.

"I'm sure all those thousands of years ago, Seto loved you then, just as he does now." Mokuba smiled brightly. "I bet he wished he could have given you the world back then, just as he does now."

It still felt like a dream, remembering those days. The memories that came without Seto… They were mostly dreams of trying to find him, trying to reach out to him… And constantly failing to call his name when ever I got close enough to the palace. My world revolved around paying my debt, and finding the answers to his kindness. I can remember crying so many times, wishing for Seto to find me… I wonder if he had done those things too?

"Kisara… I'm sorry..." Mokuba looked upset.

But I was the one with tears running down my face. I pressed my fingers to my cheek, wiping off some of the stream, but not stopping it. I stared at my fingers that now stained with tears.

It was like there were two people living inside of me, feeling different and yet similar things. Coping with the emotions that me and my past self were intertwining was hard… And yet, it felt as though this was how things had always been for me.

I tried wiping the tears away again, rubbing them away from my eyes. I began to sob, but I didn't know why. I didn't feel in charge of my emotions. I didn't know what to do. I just couldn't make the tears stop.

Mokuba walked over, pulling me forward gently and hugging me. "It's okay… I'm sorry if I pried too much..."

I just let my head rest on his chest, still trying to press the tears from my eyes as I cried. And in my head, words filled my mind—a voice that I couldn't recognize, and yet it sounded so familiar…

"Don't waste the time you have."

A few days have passed since I've moved into the Kaiba mansion. It's odd, with how much I've been keeping to myself. I focused on getting my room set up, but now that everything was where I wanted it to be, I didn't know what to do.

Ever since I regained my memories… I had a hard time facing Seto. Things felt… awkward. I knew that I loved him in this day and age, but even after talking with Mokuba about it the other day, I still couldn't figure out if I had truly loved him in the past.

Over and over, I played things out in my head. I relived the memories of him saving me. Was it envy? Was it that I looked up to him for having rescued me? Was he just a hero in my eyes? Or did I feel that we had something more? But then why was I so afraid to approach him?

I was sitting on my bed, knees pulled to my chest with my chin resting upon them. I stared down at the white carpet the covered the floor. I bit my lip as I sighed.

The more I thought of him… the more I missed him. I missed him bad. I sat up straight, and stared over to the dresser against the wall. The dresser had on it a larger mirror, and though I was looking at my own reflection, my mind was thinking about the wall behind it. That was the wall separating me from Seto at the moment. Was he thinking of me too? Was he missing me just as I was missing him in this moment?

Or… is this all just in my head? I know I'm the reason we haven't spoke much in the last few days. And it's not like I'm regretting anything that happened between us. In fact, I love him more than ever because of everything that we've been through. So why am I being so standoffish just because of these memories from my past life?

I wonder… if this is how he was when he remembered?

Slowly, I stand from the bed, still staring at myself in the mirror. My hair was a tangled mess. I was wearing just a green tank top and gray sweat pants that said domino in black lettering down the side. I blush as I stare at the mess I was in. I become even more flushed as I check to see what bra and panties I was wearing. They didn't match… But that didn't really matter. I looked back to my reflection and walked to the dresser. I grabbed a hair tie, and pulled my hair up into a messy bun.

"A little better..." I whispered to myself, as I press my fingers to my bottom lip.

I never really was one to have chapped lips, but I still seemed surprised at the fact that they were so soft. Seto's lips were soft too…

I wanted to kiss him right now…

I let my hands fall to my sides, staring over at the door to my room. I wonder what he's doing right now? Is he even in his room? Is he even here? I hadn't been checking on him… But he's probably at work. Now that I think of it… I hadn't gone to work in such a long time… because of everything that's been happening…

Didn't the tournament start? Or… is that starting in the next couple of days? Maybe I should talk to him about when I should go back to work? I mean… it's a start to a normal conversation.

"Am I really having this much trouble… talking to him?" I slouched my shoulders for a minute and sighed once more.

But the butterflies began building in my stomach the more he raced through my mind. I held my hand to my chest, staring down at my ring finger. It was no longer threaded through that ring… I was free from Kojiro. So why did I need to hold myself back at all?

I swallowed away the nervous thoughts, as I began to walk forward to leave my room. I opened the door, leaving slowly and closing it quietly behind me. I looked up and down the hall way. No one was cleaning this hall as of yet. No one was even passing by at this time. I felt a little better about them not seeing me walk to Seto's door. I'm sure that some, if not all of them are aware that there's… something between us.

But I don't want Seto to have to deal with anyone who may have a problem with him dating his… "employee." Not again anyway.

As I approached his door, I started having second thoughts… I started thinking of retreating back to my room and shutting myself in. It's like I was a trauma patient, stuck in a loop of PTSD. I don't understand why my emotions couldn't be kept in line…

But I found myself knocking anyway. I stared down at the door knob after knocking. I waited. I watched to see if it would turn. The light wasn't on in his room, or so it looked like from beneath the door. I then looked at the frame, following it's carvings all the way to the top of the door. I never realized how high the arches of the doorways really were.

I feel like I have attention deficit disorder right now. Everything is distracting me.

But my distraction is interrupted as the door to Seto's room opens. I jump, startled by it actually opening. Seto leaned his head against the frame of the door, peeking out. He looked tired, as though he was sleeping.

Wait… what time was it?

I quickly looked at his attired. He was wearing jeans, his belt a brown leather, and a Black t-shirt. I blushed as I looked back up to his face, trying hard not to stare awkwardly. When Seto got passed the tiredness, he open the door more realizing that it was me standing before him.

"Afternoon." He rubbed his eye and stood up straight. "You okay?"

And my stomach flipped again with butterflies. I could feel just how hot my cheeks were as I stared at him. I felt like if I spoke, I would mess up my words. I knew I stuttered when ever I was embarrassed or shy, but trying to speak to Seto made even my thoughts become tongue twisters. So instead, I just nodded. I twiddled my fingers as I stood, just staring at him.

I'm making things awkward…

So I stared down to my fingers, watching them as I couldn't stand still. I couldn't look him in the eyes. Staring at his face made me shy. I could feel his gaze on me though. He probably is wondering what the hell I'm doing here.

"I… Uhm..." I couldn't get the courage to say anything to him.

"Want to come sit down?" Seto flipped the light switch that was next to the door, illuminating his room. "It's okay if you don't feel like talking."

I looked back up to him as he smiled down at me. I wish I could keep my composure like he could. I wish I was as calm and collected like him. Everything about his struck me as perfect. Past and present.

I swallow away the nervousness in my throat finally. "Yeah..."

So he steps to the side to let me in. After I step inside, he shuts the door behind us. I make my way quickly to his bed, sitting on the edge and avoiding looking at his face again. I can feel my face still burning. Seto chuckle as he walks to the nightstand, grabbing off some papers and climbing onto the other side of the bed. He kicks his feet up and leans against the head board, one arm resting behind his head as he holds the papers with the other and reads them.

I turn and stare at him. I feel weird just sitting here… but it's nice to also be near him. It takes me a minute, but I climb closer to him, sitting next to him as he drops one of the pages to read the next one. It just falls onto his stomach. It must not be too important since he wasn't keeping them organized. Curiously, I peek over his shoulder, to see what he's looking at.

It's a list of names. Most of them I didn't recognize. But I eventually came across Joey Wheeler and Yugi Mutou. This must be a list of everyone in the tournament.

"Did the tournament start already…?" I felt kind of bad asking. "I haven't been at work… so I'm a little out of the loop."

"It starts next week. You're not missing out on much anyway." He looks over at me, sitting up a bit. "Honestly, I've been thinking of my own deck structure and strategies these last few days."

I was taken aback. "Are you… planning on entering the tournament?"

That's where his smirk surfaced. "Remember when I was showing you how to use the scanner for entering the decks for the tournament?" I nodded as he looked over at me. "Well, we scanned in my deck. I'm in the system. So I don't much have a choice."

I didn't know whether to be excited, or if it was something to be upset about. "I mean… you could easily take yourself out of the system."

He smiled. "I know that I could. But it's a challenge I can't back down from. It's my stubbornness."

Hearing that made me smile for some reason. "I like you being stubborn."

I finally was able to look him in the eyes. His expression was hard to read. There was a light flush on his cheeks though. Was being embarrassed contagious? I had the feeling that he was fighting off stomach butterflies as much as I was.

He looked away for a moment, but only to set the pages down on the smaller dresser on his side of the bed. He also collected the pages that fell onto him and lied it with the rest of the pages before turning back to me.

"Kisara..." His tone felt a little more serious. "Do you understand the reason I really stopped dueling now?"

My heart sank… He stopped dueling after coming back from Egypt. He stopped dueling after remembering his past. He started drinking…

"It's… because of me." I felt sorrow thinking about it.

But Seto shook his head. "It's because… every time I saw a Blue Eyes White Dragon defeated… I felt a pain in my chest." He pointed to where his heart was. "Seeing that… reminded me that I have a heart… And I didn't like that… I didn't feel like I deserved to have a beating heart after letting you down… The only reason my heart beats today is because you rescued me..."

For the first time ever… I was seeing tears in Seto's eyes. Real tears, of a sober man. They did not fall just yet, but they were building.

"I failed to save you Kisara… And watching the Blue Eyes shatter reminded me of letting you down… Watching you die in my arms… Wishing that it was me instead of you…" He closed his eyes and turned his head away. "I vowed never to watch you die again..."

Without a second thought, I wrapped my arms around him. I held his head against my chest and buried my head in his hair. "You don't have to duel Seto… You don't have to take this challenge."

He didn't stay silent like I thought he did. "But these cards aren't you..."

My heart stopped.

"These are just cards." He looked up at me, the tears completely disappeared. "And I have you now… And I have the strength to win now. And even if I don't win—I still have you. The one thing I never thought I could have in this world—you are right here. And that's the only prize I'll ever need."

I'm no prize… But damn his words melt me.

And before I have time to speak or even think again, Seto's pressing his lips against mine. That craving I had was finally being met. He pressed against me more, causing me to fall onto my back, Seto holding himself above me. My thoughts went blank as I stared up at him.

"I'm never going to lose you again." Seto leans in and kisses me again, a little harder. "I promise you this Kisara."

He pulls away to keep saying such sweet things, but my mind is blanking about anything else. "I love you, Seto."

I press my hands to his cheeks, pulling him down to kiss me again. He lowers his body over mine, warping his arm under my back and around me. He pulls me up and presses my body to his as he pushes us closer to the middle of his bed. He lies me back down, still atop his arm as he pulls my bangs back behind my ears. I wrap my arms around the back of his neck and one of my legs around his leg.

He presses his hand onto my hip as he thrusts against the inside of my legs, his jeans rubbing against my sweats. I could already feel that he was ready for me. I wanted him just as badly. I ran my hand under his shirt, tracing his sculpted abs and pulling his shirt up as I found my way to his chest. He sits up on his knees, taking back his arms ash he pulls his shirt over his head. It hangs off of his hand as he rests his forearms on the sides of my head. He kisses me again. And again.

I lick his lips, the taste overwhelming my senses. I don't even know when instinct kicked in, but all I could think about was giving myself to him.

I don't want to waste a single moment with him.

I wrap my arms around him, digging the nails into his back. I didn't notice the grooves before… But these feel like scars. Part of me wanted to look… But the rest of me was too focused on kissing him. Preparing myself to give my body to him once again.

I knew this time what I wanted. It was still so embarrassing, but my body wanted it. I was too hot to stop anything. I didn't want to stop anything.

I felt his hand digging under my back. I arched, letting him reach the bottom of my tank top. He tugged it upwards, the elastic getting stuck beneath the wire of my bra. I snapped it over my bra and helped remove the tank. As I was pulling it over my head, he was already unsnapping my bra. I felt it sliding down my arms, the straps feeling limp. I slide my arms out from the loops as Seto dashes it to the side, along with the shirt that had still hung from his hand. Quickly, he kisses my neck, kissing a trail down to my breast. He kisses it before licking the nipple. It's sensitive, but it feels good.

I let out a small "eep" sound as I close my eyes while he nibbles it gently before licking it some more. He massages my other breast as he does. I can feel the bandage that's wrapped around his hand. I had completely forgotten again that it was hurt.

I lift my head for a moment, peeking at him with one eye. "Does… your hand still hurt?"

It was hard to speak. My breathing was heavy, and my breath was hot against my own skin. I let my head fall back onto the bed Seto pulls his head back over my face. I raise a hand to my lips, biting the nails of my middle and index fingers.

"It's healing up, so it's not bothering me." He smiles as he leans down, licking the corner of where my chin and neck meet. He then kisses up to my ear, nibbling on the lobe. I didn't realize how much I enjoyed having my ear nibbled on. I take in more deep breaths, my chest rising and falling rapidly with each one. I turn my head, giving him a better angle to bite my ear.

I hear him chuckle as he licks the side of my ear. I bite the knuckle of my index finger in turn, trying to keep quiet.

But then he sits back up, pulling me up with him. He turns to where he is lying down, and gestures for me to climb atop of him. My stomach flips as I straddle him, my knees just above his hips.

"Tell me what you want..." He wasn't holding back this time.

Instantly, I feel my entire body burning. "I..."

But I'm too nervous to say it. He sits up a bit. He can move effortlessly, even with all of my weight on him. He reaches up, just passed my face. I suddenly feel my hair fall, as he removed the hair tie. But my appearance didn't bother me in front of him. He already made me feel beautiful, plenty of times. He knew of my birth mark—which I now know was a scar from the past.

But it was just kindling in me that is was a scar. I look at his body, expecting to see perfection. But… he too has blemished skin. Scars of untold pains. Even one looks like… A bullet wound from years before. Was it just too dark to see before? Or… had I just never actually looked at him.

"S—Seto…?" I run my fingers across it gently.

He doesn't avert his eyes. "My… adoptive father. Gozubora."

"He did that?" My heart was sinking.

"It was a long time ago… and an even longer story." He brushes his hand through my hair and gently pulls me forward to kiss my forehead. "But let's forget about that right now… We have all the time in the world to talk about everything."

And like static in my head, I hear it again. "Don't waste the time you have."

For a moment, I feel dizzy. Slowly, I lean down, my face hovering about Seto's. My hair falls down, strands lingering on his cheeks and lips. I stare gently, my vision slightly hazy for a moment. I look at his eyes, passed my cloudy sight. I reach up, moving my hair off of his face and kiss him gently.

"Seto… I want you." I whisper to him…

But… It doesn't feel like I'm the one who's speaking...

He wraps his arms around my lower back, hands caressing me, and he kisses me harder.