[it wasn't tenderness. it wasn't his way. or he would have like to claim as much. and with any other person, it would have been true. but kisara wasn't like that. she was the heart and soul of the blue-eyes white dragon, the monster that had defined him as a person. there was no blue-eyes without seto, just as there was no seto without blue-eyes.

so he had to be seto here, not kaiba. not the ruthless businessman. and while her priest may have been far from soft, he was also far from cruel. he loved her and she loved him and he had to live up to that. he had to be better. someone worthy of kisara's esteem. he worshiped no god or gods but he loved his dragon as much as any mortal man could.

so he had to love her. he had to try. even if he couldn't really love anyone anymore.]

I did. But you were there with me, every step of the way.

[shaking his head, he implores her:]

Don't apologize. Hold your head high, Kisara. If I have to order you to do it, then I will.

[he lowers their hands, but still keeps them together. he can't leave. she can't leave. they just can't.]

The favor that I wanted to ask... I want to see you turn into a Blue-Eyes. I want to prove to you how beautiful you really are.