Don't bother reading this! Skip ahead and read . Caveat Lector: Brush up on the events of Duelist Kingdom, this fic is set directly afterwards and I am just going to assume that the reader is well-versed in that particular arc.
"Mr. Kaiba?" A newly hired secretary asked quivering slightly. "There is a Mr. Moto here to see you, I'm so sorry I know he doesn't have an appointment-"
"You are bothering me with this? Do you have any idea how busy I am right now? Call security and start clearing up your desk". Kaiba Seto did not need to yell, his words were brutal as is. The young blonde secretary shook even more fiercely, tears threatening to stain her blue pants suit. Before she could give her trembling cry for mercy a short spiky-haired runt of a teenager came barging into Kaiba's office complete withpermanent smile tattooed on his face and mirthful gait. He opened his mouth as if to speak on behalf of the woeful secretary in a plea for clemency. Kaiba would have none of that. He cut him off immediately.
"What do you want Yugi?" That one question told of Kaiba's frustration, annoyance, and fatigue all at once. He was in no mood to deal with the likes of Yugi Moto today. As far as Kaiba was concerned he and Yugi were only to converse when absolutely necessary, usually on Kaiba's terms, and with the ultimate goal to finally rid Yugi of that pesky little title of King of Games.
Yugi walked across the spacious office flanked by various pieces of priceless works of art, opulently lit by lamplight as well as natural light that seeped from grand windows, and filled with lavish furniture of black leather and mahogany. He finally made it to Kaiba's desk in the center of the room.
"What? I can't say hello to an old friend?" Yugi blithely asked.
"You and I were never friends. And the fact that you keep insisting that we are says nothing for your intelligence." Yugi had grown accustomed Kaiba's attitude and was left undeterred, much to Kaiba's annoyance. He reasoned he would just have to think of more perverse ways to offend Yugi to the point where Yugi would one day stop his hopeless fantasies about the two of them becoming friends. That maybe one day he would succeed in finally pushing him away in much the same way he had pushed everyone away.
"I came to ask you something"
"Well get on with it then. I lack the time and the patience to deal with you now. I have a company to run." was all of Kaiba's gruff reply.
"Well firstly, thank you for the money you sent us after Duelist Kingdom, but as I told you before, it wasn't necessary." Kaiba had been true to his word. He had told Yugi he would compensate him for all his troubles at Duelist Kingdom and aiding his brother. He had done so, handsomely. Yami Yugi refused to accept the money but Yugi had reasoned that to refuse him now would be even more disrespectful and rude. And a part of Yugi had hoped beyond hope that this was a sign that he was finally getting through to Kaiba.
"But that isn't the reason you are here, now is it? If you have something to say it would be in your best interests to do so now and stop wasting my time."
'Yugi let me take over. I know this isn't a duel but I think it's best that I take it from here.'
'Okay then, you're the one who wanted to talk to him in the first place'. Yami Yugi took over without skipping a beat. But Kaiba noticed. He always did.
'Oh great, it's the other one now' Kaiba thought to himself. Mentally cursing and wondering why he was still listening to "them".
"I came to ask you about what happened at Duelist Kingdom". At that statement Kaiba had to suppress a little smirk. At Duelist Kingdom, at their rematch Kaiba had finally received the victory he had craved for. To add insult to injury, he forced Yugi to look at a side of himself he did not want to see. Hell he even made him cry. But that victory had been small and empty. Kaiba still had been unable to gain what he had really wanted, needed: his little brother's freedom. After the fact, Kaiba had never mentioned their duel ever again much to Yami Yugi's confusion.
"You finally got what you wanted, Kaiba. You finally defeated me, albeit under less than honorable circumstances. My question is: why didn't you tell anyone? I expected the whole world to know by the time we had arrived back home."
"Simple. That duel was inconclusive. Do not get me wrong, Yugi, I still have every intention of defeating you but that duel would have reflected poorly on the both of us."
'How dare he! How dare he just dismiss our duel so nonchalantly! That duel nearly cost me everything. I almost lost your trust.' Righteous fury coursed its way through Yami Yugi's veins, the kinetic energy making his blood boil with anger.
'I already forgave you for that, Yami. You know that'. Yugi replied reassuringly, calmingly. But Yami still had one more question to ask.
"Kaiba, if I hadn't stopped myself back at Duelist Kingdom, if I had gone on with my attack, would you have- "
"Big Brother?"
All eyes moved to a young pre-teen with black tousled hair almost as long as he was tall. In his arms he carried a tray with what appeared to be lunch balanced haphazardly teetering towards the left and then the right with the boy compensating and over-compensating trying to keep the tray from falling. Mokuba smiled but this didn't seem to bother Kaiba as much as Yugi's had.
"I just brought you some lunch since you looked like you could have used a break." Kaiba was touched by his little brother's thoughtfulness and caring. "Oh, hi Yugi", Mokuba waved happily.
It was small. It was even clear that Kaiba was trying to hide it, but he smiled. If only for an instant, one fleeting instant, but it was enough for Mokuba whose own smile grew exponentially.
Kaiba and Yami Yugi locked eyes. He never finished his question; he never had to. This is what he had feared. Kaiba was manipulative. No one could match him in cunning or wit. And that was why he was so sure that Kaiba would never have thrown himself off that ledge over some duel at Duelist Kingdom. No, Kaiba had just used Yugi, knowing full well that he would never risk hurting Kaiba. By threatening his own life Kaiba had forced Yugi's hand and won the duel. And that was the end of it. Kaiba's threats were just that, empty bluffs and nothing more.
At least that's what Yami Yugi kept trying to tell himself.
He couldn't handle the knowledge that if Yugi hadn't stopped him he would have continued with his attack. He would have killed Kaiba.
No, Kaiba had counted on Yugi relenting before that final attack. Kaiba never had a death wish. Surely life would still seem worth living even if-even if there was no hope of getting back Mokuba's soul as Kaiba had believed.
Yami Yugi had decided to see himself out looking back one last time at the picture of Kaiba listening intently as Mokuba chatted away happily about whatever came across the child's mind at that particular moment.
His attitude changed immediately. Gone was his dismissive attitude of mere moments ago. It looked as if Kaiba was humoring his younger brother, showering him with exactly what he wanted: attention. Mokuba never seemed happier.
This was the child. The child Seto Kaiba would do anything for. Yami Yugi never got his answer and he hoped that there would never be a circumstance where that question would need to be answered.
How far would Seto go for Mokuba?
Ignorance was bliss. And it most certainly put Yami Yugi's mind into a tentative ease as he walked on out of the building.
Thanks for reading! Now flame me, I dare ya!