- author says... -
I was actually inspired the write this because I thought the mental image of Mokuba all soaking wet was really adorable. Strangely, it's not yaoi or shounen-ai or anything naughty. It's just a Seto and Mokuba story.
I would set the setting of this... I don't know, sometime before Mokuba started helping Seto with things at work?
Thanks to my little sister Sammi-san, who looked over this for me. ^^
Seto sat in his armchair, watching the clock. Mokuba had stormed out of dinner nearly an hour ago; surely by now it would be okay for Seto to approach him.
"You're the worst, Seto! I could run away and go some place where people will actually pay attention to me!"
Seto climbed the stairs, walking quietly to Mokuba's room. Ah, didn't his little brother know how much it hurt to hear him say that? He didn't mean to neglect Mokuba, he just had work to do. He knocked tentatively on the door. There was no answer. He knocked a little harder. Still no answer. Finally he opened the door, looking in.
The room was empty, and the window was wide-open, makeshift sheet ladder hanging out the window. Seto stood in shock. Mokuba had actually tried to run away. He ran to the window, looking out. It was pouring rain, and thunder rumbled in the distance. Mokuba hated thunder and lightning. Was he really so angry that he was willing to go out in weather he hated? Seto ran out of the room, going down the stairs and to the front door. Workers looked at him in confusion as he passed them, but he ignored them. He opened the doors and went out into the chilly rain; it was the middle of October, and it was cold. Damn it, was his little brother stupid? He'd get sick!
"Mokuba!" he shouted into the rain, hoping in vain for a response. Nothing. He went out into the rain, trying to figure out where Mokuba would go. It would obviously be somewhere that he thought security wouldn't find him. And Mokuba wasn't stupid; he'd want to get shelter from the storm. There was an area on the estate that had a small cover of trees; it seemed likely that Mokuba would be there. Seto ran the whole way, searching for signs of the raven-haired child along the way. To his chagrin when he reached the woody area he had not seen any sign of Mokuba. "Mokuba!" Wait, did he hear something? He went into the trees, turning and twisting randomly until he found what he sought: his younger brother, sitting under a tree with his knees pulled up to his chest. His hair was soaked and matted down against his face, and he was shivering. Seto almost collapsed with relief. Unfortunately that emotion wasn't shown in his words. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
Mokuba cringed. "Go 'way," he murmured, not looking at Seto. "Go back to work." Seto sighed and went to his brother, picking him up. "Put me down," he protested, "I'm too old to be carried like this!"
"If you were too old, you would have been smart enough not to get out in this weather." Seto carried his brother all the way back to the house and into it, straight to the bathroom in his bedroom, setting him on the counter and saying sternly, "Don't move." He ran the bathwater, and then sat on the edge of the tub. "Get in."
"What if I want to die of hypothermia?" Mokuba retorted testily.
"Don't try my patience anymore, Mokuba," Seto snapped. Mokuba cringed again and bowed his head, undressing and getting into the water. He sat there, staring at the wall. Finally, with Mokuba at home and safe, Seto sighed, gently stroking the younger boy's wet hair. "You scared me, little brother."
"Why?" Mokuba asked bitterly. "For all you know I could be doing things 10 times worse while you're busy with something else."
"You sound like a bitter lover." Seto reached for a cup on the rim of the bathtub, filling it with water and pouring it over Mokuba's hair; instinctively Mokuba tilted his head back. It had been a long time since Seto had needed to give Mokuba a bath, but it didn't hurt to help. At least it gave them time to talk.
"I should be better than any ol' lover," Mokuba sniffled, "I'm your little brother. I should be the most important."
"You are," Seto assured him, leaning down to kiss his brother's forehead. "There's no one else I would chase out into this weather." Mokuba smiled at him a little bit. "Yea, you hate storms too, huh?"
Seto nodded, his hands automatically reaching for the shampoo to wash Mokuba's hair. He blushed; he was acting like Mokuba was still a toddler, but Mokuba didn't seem to mind. "But I have responsibilities too, Mokuba; you should know that. Kaiba Corp. is a full-time responsibility."
"So am I. I'm only eleven; I'm not old enough to be shoved out of the nest yet."
Seto lathered Mokuba's hair - a fairly trying task, considering his brother's mane - and said, "You're right." Once he was done he dipped his hands into the water to wash off the shampoo. Then he grabbed that cup again, tilting his brother's head back so he could wash out the shampoo without getting it in his eyes. "But you're getting old enough to have some responsibilities."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Mokuba asked warily.
Seto thought for a minute, dumping another cup of water through Mokuba's thick hair. "Why don't you start coming to work with me? I'm sure we can find plenty for you to do. ...And if we can't, I can make something up."
Mokuba smiled. "Really?" Seto nodded, and checked to see if all the shampoo was out of Mokuba's hair; it seemed to be. "That'd be great!" Mokuba got a washcloth and set on the task of washing himself. Seto took that time to go to Mokuba's room and find him some pajamas; it was getting late. When he returned Mokuba was sitting in his room on a chair, towel wrapped around him. "Thanks," he said meekly when Seto handed him his pajamas. He got dressed quickly, a small blush covering his cheeks. "Seto," he asked quietly, "could I sleep with you tonight?"
It was like Mokuba was six again. Seto smiled softly. "Sure. Let me go get dressed for bed." He went to his closet, finding his pajamas and going into the bathroom to change. Mokuba was already curled up in the bed when he returned. He smiled again and turned out the lights, getting into the other side of the bed. Almost immediately Mokuba curled against him, sighing softly. Seto wrapped an arm around him.
"Don't ever try to run away from me again," he said, his voice almost pleading.
"I won't, I promise," Mokuba answered sleepily, yawning. "I love you, big brother."
Seto smiled and closed his eyes. "You too, kid."