Timeline: Post-Dark Side of Dimensions (2-3 years)
Universe/Version: Japanese anime (excluding season zero)
Tags/Warnings: Romance (eventually), slow burn, friendship, drama, angst, mild hurt/comfort, implied/referenced character death, references to depression, grief/mourning, mild language
I estimate Yugi, Seto, and the rest of the main crew are 20-21 at this point, Mokuba is about 16. A lot has happened with the characters between DSOD and this story, so please bare with me; the details of what has transpired will be revealed slowly throughout the story.
Ships (many ships) will come later (the "slow burn" tag is there for a reason), and the tags will be updated as more characters/events are added to avoid spoilers. So please check the tags list (at the beginning of each chapter) for content warnings as the story moves forward.
Chapter One: Ink that Binds
The scratch of a pen dancing across paper came to an end, and Seto stood, adjusting the set of his suit before extending his arm over the top of his desk, a hint of a satisfied smile on his lips.
"Congratulations, Mr. Mutou." Yugi set the pen next to the document in front of him before also rising to his feet, confidently meeting Seto's gaze as he reached forward to grasp the CEO's open palm. "Kame Games is officially part of the Kaiba Corporation umbrella, with you at the helm."
Yugi grinned. "Thank you, Mr. Kaiba."
"No, thank you, Yugi," Seto replied calmly, releasing Yugi's hand along with the professional formalities. "With the addition of Kame Games and the partnerships with both Black Clown and Industrial Illusions, we've secured Kaiba Corp's future as the top producer, manufacturer, and distributor of the world's best hardware, software, and games."
"Hm, don't forget family destinations and theme parks."
"Indeed," Seto smirked, slipping his hands into his trouser pockets.
Yugi chuckled and glanced back down at the contract he had just signed, staring at his own loopy signature sitting next to Seto's fancy script. The still fresh black ink seemed to glitter in the natural light pouring in through the glass wall behind Seto's desk. He was happy. This was a momentous occasion. Something to be celebrated. And yet ...
Seto watched as Yugi's lighthearted smile slowly disappeared the longer he gazed at the document. He'd seen that look on the young Mutou's face before. Though it had become a less frequent occurrence of late, Seto knew that glassy-eyed, almost lost expression would take much longer than a few weeks to fade away.
"Yugi?"
No response. Biting back a sigh, Seto casually reached out and slid the contract across the polished wood surface of the desk, swiftly filing it away out of Yugi's sight. A heartbeat passed. Two. Three. Finally, Yugi seemed to notice something had changed. As if he'd stopped breathing, he drew a deep breath and blinked a few times before glancing back up at Seto. A second later realization seemed to hit him, and Yugi's gaze darted to the floor, his golden bangs dropping over his face to hide his shame.
Seto cleared his throat. "Yugi."
"I'm sorry, Seto." Yugi voice had dropped so low he was nearly whispering. "I don't mean to make you think that I'm ... questioning this or that I'm ungrateful. I do want this, and I'm really appreciative. It's just ..." Yugi's hands curled into tight fists.
"I know," Seto replied softly.
They fell silent as Yugi battled internally with himself. Tucking his hands back into his pockets, Seto turned away slightly to give an illusion of privacy. Beyond the fact that it would make Yugi even more uncomfortable to have an audience bear witness to his turmoil, unless the situation involved Mokuba, Seto didn't deal well with other people's emotions. Though his reasons for extending such a courtesy were far more profound than just a desire to avoid treading through someone else's emotional battlefield: it was the least he could do considering if the positions were reversed, Yugi would have done the same for him.
Oh, how things had changed between them.
The ordinarily gentle ticking of the clock on the side wall pierced through the quiet atmosphere. Preferring to work in silence, Seto had grown used to the sound, but he could almost feel Yugi fighting not to flinch with every passing second. And yet, he didn't say a word. Seto stood still, gazing out at Domino City, patiently giving Yugi the time he needed to piece himself back together.
A shuddering breath and then,"... Seto—"
"Don't." Despite the interjection, Seto's tone lacked its usual bite. "I understand. We all do."
"But—"
"But nothing." Tearing his gaze away from the window, Seto turned back towards his new business partner. Calm icy-blue eyes met red-rimmed purple as Yugi lifted his head, looking a little startled. Given their history, he had probably expected anger or at least some kind of mockery at his expense. After all, that's precisely what Seto would have done not too long ago had things not changed. But they had.
Sugoroku's sudden illness and recent passing had done more to strengthen their once fragile friendship than anything Yugi had attempted over the years. Though Seto would never admit it, watching Yugi lose his grandfather had been one of the most heartbreaking things he'd ever witnessed. To see someone who had become so strong shatter so completely had been incredibly jarring—and not just for Seto but for all of Yugi's friends. They had never seen Yugi in such a state, not even after he left ... The fact that anyone could get Yugi to smile even a little when it had only been a few weeks since Sugoroku's funeral was a miracle.
"It'll take time."
"I-I know. It's just ..." Yugi sniffed softly as if he'd been trying to hold it back, his eyes darting nervously to the side. Seto would have smirked at the young Mutou's futile attempts to make things less uncomfortable had the situation not been so delicate. "Kame Games has been the same little shop for as long as I can remember and now everything's changing. I'm not sure how to feel about it yet."
The last several weeks had been absolute hell—for everyone—but being unable to pick one emotion out of many was better than being completely emotionless, wasn't it? Small steps, Seto reminded himself. That's all any of them could ask for right now.
"Nothing stays the same forever, Yugi." Reaching down beside his chair, Seto snatched up his briefcase and lay it open on his desk, carefully considered his next words as he grabbed the stack of papers sitting on the corner (casually retrieving the contract they had just signed from one of the drawers in the process), sliding them inside with a smooth flick of his wrist. "And while I respected that Sugoroku chose to keep his business small, both for his comfort and the benefit of his customers—and family—that was his dream." Straightening, Seto snapped his briefcase shut and placed his palms flat on the desk, bracing himself as Sugoroku's own words spilled out into the air between them. "Kame Games belongs to you now, to build your own legacy."
Yugi froze, his whole body going stiff and Seto held his breath, the tense silence between them having become all too familiar. Ever since Sugoroku had fallen sick, Seto had constantly been treading the dangerous line between tough love and friendly reassurance, never sure what kind of reaction it would garner him. At best, his efforts would help Yugi pull through a rough moment, even if only marginally. At worst ...
Yugi blinked and swallowed harshly, the sound echoing clearly through the silent office. Seto remained still, watching as he counted the seconds.
One. Two. Three. Four.
"Like you did?"
Yugi had spoken so quietly he'd almost missed it. Relaxing, Seto nearly sighed with relief as Yugi's gaze met his and all he could see through the shimmering dampness coating his partner's violet eyes was genuine curiosity and uncertainty.
Seto smirked. "Well, Sugoroku was never quite as dramatic a businessman as Gouzaburo was."
Despite himself, a small, surprised laugh escaped Yugi, and he bit his bottom lip nervously, an apologetic expression gracing his features. Deeming that reaction good enough, for now, Seto waved a hand nonchalantly in front of him, a quiet sign of forgiveness. They had weathered the storm, that's all that mattered.
Before another word could be spoken, the office door swung open without invitation and Mokuba strode into the room, beaming.
"So?" He asked, glancing between the Yugi and his brother, looking as though he was about to jump out of his own skin. "Did it happen?" At the sight of Yugi's tentative smiled, Mokuba's already toothy grin somehow grew impossibly wider, and he leapt forward, throwing his arms around Yugi's slim frame. "Finally! Welcome to the family!"
Yugi squeaked in surprise, nearly toppling over from the impact. Though both he and Mokuba had grown a little over the last few years, and they were practically the same height now, he hadn't anticipated being full-out tackled. But, trapped in the younger Kaiba's enthusiastic embrace, his infectious joy made Yugi chuckle, and he wrapped an arm around Mokuba in return, giving a slight squeeze of his own.
Seto merely snorted.
"Yugi isn't family."
"Psh, speak for yourself," Mokuba shot back, releasing his 'victim' and sticking his tongue out at his brother, playfully glaring at him over Yugi's shoulder. "Kaiba Corp is a family business, so if Yugi is our partner, then he's family. Deal with it."
Seto rolled his eyes and scoffed, crossing his arms tightly over his chest, but even he couldn't resist a small smile from tugging at his lips. "Whatever. Just don't expect a Christmas card, Yugi."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
"Good."
Smirking triumphantly, Mokuba crossed to his brother's desk and casually hopped up to sit on top of it, staring straight into Seto's eyes as he did so as if daring him to object. A single eyebrow raised, Seto held his little brother's gaze and fought to keep his expression neutral at the smug look on his face. Mokuba was far too pleased with himself.
Yugi merely watched their silent exchange, shaking his head slightly, a small smile still lingering.
Sighing, Seto relented and grabbed his briefcase. He'd normally gripe—if only playfully—at Mokuba's obstinance but now wasn't the time. If the look on Yugi's face was any indication, they had managed to get him into somewhat of a decent mood, and he didn't want to risk souring it with their meaningless sibling nonsense. As it was, a quick glance at the clock told Seto that he was nearly late for his next meeting, halfway across town.
But there was still one more detail that needed to be ironed out first.
"Yugi?"
"Hm?"
"You already have a lot on your plate this week, and the merger won't go public until the paperwork is filed in our system. But once it's complete, your life is going to get exponentially more complicated. I know you're used to running solo, but I'd prefer if you have an active manager working under you, directly within Kame Games."
"Oh," Yugi blinked. "A-alright. I suppose that makes sense. It's just ...", biting his lip, Yugi shifted his weight from one foot to the other and glanced between the Kaiba brothers nervously. "I honestly don't know anything about hiring or how to screen people for this kind of thing."
"No worries," Mokuba piped up cheerfully. "We can take care of that for you."
"I—wait, what?"
Mokuba laughed. "Ah, relax. It's no big deal for us. I've been hiring and firing people for years now," he added, waving his hand casually through the air. "Besides, you have a move to focus on."
Yugi's gaze darted to Seto. "Are you sure?"
"Mokuba's right." Stepping around his desk and striding past Yugi, briefcase in hand, Seto moved towards the still open office door. "You worry about getting settled while the masses are still unaware and we'll take care of the rest until the press conference on Monday." Just before he could cross the threshold, however, a sudden thought struck him, and Seto came to a stop, turning his head slightly to glance over his shoulder, running a critical gaze over Yugi's body from head to toe.
Yugi froze.
"Ah, Seto?" Mokuba tilted his head. "What are you doing?"
Seto's eyes continued to bore into Yugi's, pointedly ignoring his brother's inquiry. "You're going to need a suit."
There was a heartbeat of silence before Yugi's mouth dropped open and he glanced down at his outfit. There was nothing wrong with what Yugi was wearing. Clad in a simple dark grey dress-shirt, black jeans, and a crimson red button-up vest. And of course, the usual studded pointed toe leather boots that had become a staple in the young Mutou's wardrobe since the days of certain ancient Egyptian spirit. Seto wasn't even sure if Yugi had continued to adopt the style because he actually liked it or if it merely helped to comfort him, to fill the hole the Pharaoh had left behind all those years ago ...
Seto swallowed. No, there was nothing wrong with what Yugi was wearing.
Clearing his throat—and shoving that dangerous train of thought back into the deep, dark corners of his mind—Seto felt it best to clarify. "That's fine for regular business, but you'll need a proper suit for the conference and any other strictly formal occasion that you'll be required to attend."
Relief washed over Yugi's features, and he lifted his head, a slightly nervous chuckle escaping him. "Oh, right. Sorry. I'll get on that."
Hopping off the desk, Mokuba landed solidly on his feet and came up behind Yugi, clapping him on the shoulder. "You free on Saturday? We can go together. I might know a guy," he added playfully with a wink, indicating to his own perfectly fitting, white three-piece suit and pastel lavender dress-shirt.
"That would be great. Thank you." Yugi grinned, and it was one of the most genuine smiles Seto had seen on his face since they'd signed the contract.
Taking comfort in that, knowing that Yugi would be in good hands with his little brother, Seto nodded approvingly at the two of them. He was really running late now. "Good. I have another appointment to get to, but when I return, we'll discuss Monday's agenda." And with that, not waiting for a response, Seto swept out of the office, closing the door behind him.
"So," Mokuba chirped, not wasting a second, "when's moving day?"
"Friday."
"Will you need help?"
"I don't think so," Yugi shrugged. "Seto already had all the shop's merchandise packed up yesterday, and I don't really have much in terms of personal property."
"What about furniture?"
"... I'm refurbishing once I get there."
Yugi's voice had quieted ever so slightly, his jaw tightening almost imperceivably, but it didn't slip past Mokuba. Being related to Seto had trained him well.
Nodding, the youngest Kaiba shoved his hands into his trouser pockets, suddenly looking not too dissimilar from his older brother. Not in looks, but in posture. Though Mokuba and Yugi both stood at a modest 5'3" now, and it was nothing compared to Seto's 6'1", Mokuba didn't need height to take advantage of the subtleties of his brother's stance. All he needed was confidence and surety, which practically ran in their blood at this point.
The corner of Yugi's mouth twitched upwards at the sight. "Thank you, by the way."
Mokuba blinked. "For what?"
"... Everything."
Yugi held Mokuba's gaze, pure sincerity shining in his bright purple eyes. But there was something else there too. Mokuba frowned. It pained him to see that little hint of shame. Over the years he'd come to look up to Yugi almost as much as he did Seto, not just for his strength, but also his kindness. He'd been the first person to try to see past their stubborn—and in Seto's case, cold—shell, often putting himself at risk to help them. Even when they had explicitly told him not to. Yugi's selfless nature had been inspiring to say the least, but it had been his constant faith in the Kaiba brothers when everyone else would have given up on them that genuinely warmed Mokuba's heart. And Seto's, though he'd never admit it.
Yugi had been there when they needed him. Every time. But now that the tables had turned, and it was Yugi who was in need, it made Mokuba feel sick knowing that he'd somehow deemed himself unworthy. Regardless of everything that had happened, what he'd put everyone through—what he'd put Seto through—true friends didn't give up on each other.
Yugi had taught him that, and now it was Mokuba's turn to remind him of it. In any way possible.
"Of course. You didn't think we'd leave you in a lurch, did you? Besides," throwing an arm around Yugi's shoulders, Mokuba pulled him into a tight side hug, "it was a mutually beneficial business decision. We'd have been fools to let this opportunity go."
Yugi squirmed a little. "I know but ... the merger is more than enough. You really didn't have to—"
"Whoa, no. Stop right there, Yugi." Releasing him, Mokuba planted his hands firmly on both hips. "I know exactly where you are going with this, and I'm not going to let it happen."
"But—"
"But nothing," Mokuba ground out, emulating his brother's words. "Technically, you're right. We didn't have to help you move. Or make sure you had a nice hotel to stay at in the meantime so that once the media hears of the merger, you'd have somewhere safe to go. Or scrape you up off the bloody pavement when you pushed everyone away." Yugi flinched, ducking his head down behind his bangs. Seto wasn't the only Kaiba who could dish out some tough love. Seeing this, Mokuba drew in a calming breath, his arms falling slack. He hadn't meant to get so worked up.
But what Yugi had been insinuating ...
"Look, I'm sorry." Mokuba sighed, gently reaching out and grasping Yugi's shoulder. "I just meant that we aren't doing it for gratitude or out of pity or expecting anything in return. We're doing it because we care."
Though Yugi remained silent, Mokuba stomach twisted when he felt trembles coursing through his small frame. This was not how he'd wanted their little bit of free time together to go. But he couldn't in good conscience let Yugi dig himself into another self-deprecating hole.
Mokuba squeezed his shoulder. "Yugi?"
"I-I'm okay," he sniffed, his whispered tone sounding quite the opposite. "I ... I deserved that."
Mokuba opened his mouth to protest, but he just ... couldn't. It's not that he thought Yugi deserved it, far from it in fact. Sugoroku's death had brought an uncomfortably familiar memory to the surface, forcing Mokuba to consider how he would feel if he'd lost Seto. Something that had very nearly become his reality just a few years ago ...
No, Yugi didn't deserve to be scolded, but he needed to be. He needed to be reminded that someone still cared enough to put the energy into becoming angry with him at all. But that didn't make it any easier to swallow. There was a reason Mokuba had let Seto do most of the scolding until now.
"I'm not even the one who you should be thanking, Yugi. This was all Seto's idea."
Yugi's head shot up, tear tracks still glimmering along his cheeks. "But he said—"
"That it was my idea, yeah I know. And he's a damn liar." Yugi blinked, and Mokuba threw his hands up in defence, shaking his head. "Don't get me wrong, I'm more than happy to have you as our partner, and I'd have made sure you had all the help you needed myself if Seto hadn't done it first."
Yugi swallowed and tried to brush the dampness from his still flushed skin, confusion evident on his face. "But why? Why would he do all of this after everything that's happened? "
Mokuba just smiled. "Because you're his friend, Yugi."
Seto pulled into the nearly empty lot, parking his sleek silver sports car next to the only over vehicle there: a rather plain, unassuming black economy car. He'd done his best to arrive in a timely manner, but short of flying his Blue-Eyes White Dragon jet, there was only so much he could have done considering how late he'd left Kaiba Corp headquarters. Even still, the humble vehicle next to him made it clear he'd been beaten here.
Smoothly exiting his car, he strolled towards the door of the quiet coffee shop, hearing the little beep of the automatic lock behind him. As always, grateful that this particular coffee house wasn't known to have much business during this time of day, Seto grasped the handle, pulling the door open and stepped inside. The bell hanging overhead signalled his entrance and the waitress standing behind the counter glanced up from her pile of receipts, not looking the least bit surprised to see him. The two exchanged the traditional silent nod before the waitress turned her attention back to her calculations.
Footsteps approached from the side. Turning, Seto's gaze fell upon a familiar set of youthful brown eyes, framed by long strands of slightly messy white hair.
"You're late."
A small smile graced Seto lips. "Hello, Ryou."