Hey guys! So this is a little side-story I came up with randomly. It's a companion to my story ' Broken Angel.' Which is still in progress. But this can be read either during or before, as it has only a little to do with the larger story. In my story I explained that after Seto's parents died he came to live in the manor with his cousin Atemu and his family. Although the two share a bond as close as any brothers could be, things didn't start out that way...
Seto looked out at the city streets, both taking in everything and seeing nothing. The shapes and colors all blurred together to his young eyes. He may as well have been staring at a water-color painting. Nine days. His parents had been buried nine days ago. It had all been so sudden he didn't know which to react to first. His father was an artist, and his mother was a jeweler. Their crafts were the envy of everyone they met. So naturally, they always got called away to sell their art to other places. England, Italy, France, to name a few. It wasn't uncommon of them to have to go away for weeks at a time. But they always came back with treasures from the other worlds and fantastic stories and postcards. Seto reveled in it all and always bragged to the other children in the school about his father's painting residing in the Louvre, or the ruby necklace his mother made, commissioned by the wife of a rich banker in Prague. And why shouldn't he be proud? Why shouldn't he brag? He was the envy of them all, just like his parents. Though he was often forced to stay behind with the nanny, he lived for the rare occasions he got to go with them. The world was so much bigger than he could have ever dreamed of. And he very much expected to become an artist just like his parents. He wanted it. He craved it. Father had begun teaching him how to draw. Mother taught him how to tell the difference between polished nickel and silver. They had to go away again, but he knew they'd be back.
They always came back.
Then they didn't.
Seto had been in the music room, his fingers poking at the piano keys as he meticulously studied which notes were where. He was trying to master Chopin. He kept messing up on line nine. He played the notes one finger at a time, trying to memorize where the proper notes led. A sniffle stopped him in his tracks. He looked up. His nanny, Rebecca, was holding a kerchief to her mouth, tears streaming through her spectacles and down her cheeks. Rebecca was an intelligent lady. Fair and honest, but never one for flights of fantasy or over-emotional conduct. But she was crying. That was how Seto truly knew something was very, very wrong. Rebecca never cried. She took his hand, knelt down to his level...and told him his parents weren't coming back. Because of a storm that rent the ship asunder on their way home to him. Thus, the eleven-year-old's world shattered. It started with his parents. Their bodies couldn't ever be recovered. That was impossible. Instead, a gravestone bearing both names had simply been erected for them in the cemetery outside of town. Many people came. None of them Seto knew. He stayed with the house staff he knew and held Rebecca's hand the whole of the black-garbed service.
The second brick to fall from his tower was the reading of the will. Wills were only read when someone was truly pronounced dead. Up to then, Seto had clung to the belief that since their bodies weren't found, perhaps they did survive. They would come through the doors with tattered clothes and messy hair, certainly looking like they'd been though a storm, but they would be back. The reading of the will dashed that dream. Seto was to inherit everything. The art, the jewels, the estate, the money. All would be his when he came of age when he turned twenty. Until then, however all he could do was wait. The next brick to go was the staff. Economies had to be taken. Much as he vehemently disagreed, a boy of eleven, in the eyes of the family lawyers, was incapable of managing a house. So to his great grief it was decided that the staff was to be dismissed. Tearful goodbyes and well-wished were the tune of the day. Seto was all but numb to the proceedings. A sense of disbelief and pain. Watching the staff go was like an out-of-body experience for him. It was as if he were outside of himself, watching a boy who looked like him shake hands and murmur his thanks with the care and face of an emotionless doll.
The next brick in his tower to go was the hardest. Rebecca. She had been his nanny since he was born. It was she who soothed his hurts when his mother was away. It was she who could both scold him and praise him in one breath when his father was not home. She had always taken care of him. So naturally he assumed it was she who would be there for him now. But like all else in his ever growing nightmare, he was wrong. According to Mr. Kimbly, his father's attorney, he was to go live with his mother's sister and her family, the Sennens. He had the vaguest of memories of them. The last he had seen of them he was what? Six? Maybe younger? They seemed like nice people. Their birthday presents sent to him and the Christmas cards had been well enough. But they were virtual strangers to him. And they weren't Rebecca. It was a nasty blow when he found out she was leaving him. He shouted, he stomped his foot and he said " No" more times than he ever had in his life. He paced his room like a madman as she tried to tell him that though she loved him, love wasn't what declared guardianship. Blood was stronger in this say. He tuned his head away angrily, not wanting to hear another word of madness.
" Master Seto-" He whipped his head around to look at her. A woman that in this moment he both loved and hated with all his heart.
" Yes, I am your master. And as master what I say goes!" He snapped. " And I order you not to go." He snapped. He strode forward and grabbed at her left wrist, giving it a shake for good measure. " I ORDER you not to go. I order you not to go!" He was shouting by now, the tears flowing uncontrollably from broken blue eyes. Rebecca let her own tears fall, unashamed. She knelt down to his level and took both of his hands in hers.
" I would stay with you always if I could, Master. I couldn't love you any more than if you were my own child." Seto hiccupped and drew in a shaky breath as he cried freely, unable to control himself.
" Then stay. Don't go. Please?" Rebeca's face crumbled and her lips trembled as she let her own tears fall undeterred. That alone he knew was his answer. And yet still the stubborn little boy refused to surrender. " Please? Please." He begged. He was begging. He, a boy who was once son of the richest family in town, a boy who had always had everything and wanted for nothing, was now begging of his nanny. Oh, how far he knew he had fallen. Rebecca gathered him in her arms and together they cried out their sorrow.
" I love you." She said to him eventually. There was nothing to be done. No matter what, he knew in the end there was no stopping his world from changing. So he rested his head on her shoulder and held on to her as she rocked him gently.
" I love you, too."
The rest of the night was spent together, and then the next day she helped him to pack his toys and clothes and anything else he deemed necessary for the long trip he was to take. She was unable to go with him. Rebecca had already secured another position with another family, and they had wanted her to start immediately. She helped to pack his carriage and hand the directions to the driver. Mr. Kimbly was taking him to his new home. As his family lawyer, it was expected of him. It happened so quickly. A hug and a kiss from his former nanny, a gentle smile filled with both sadness and hope...then the door of the carriage closed and she disappeared from view forever. But Seto didn't cry. He'd already shed his tears. And his stubborn pride refused to allow him to cry in the presence of a man-much less one he didn't know. Instead, he focused on his anger. And oh, what a well to draw from.
His house was to be locked up, until he inherited it when he came of age. All of the furniture had been draped over with sheets, making his home look like a house for ghosts. His parents were gone, never to be seen again. No more singing and playing the piano with his mother. No more riding their horses through the fields with his father. No more looking at precious jewels under glass with her. No more learning to draw with his father. His family home was nothing more than an empty house now. His friends from school were not going where he was. Even Rebecca was gone from him. And now he was expected to live with these distant relatives of his and be grateful. Like hell he was. He channeled all his anger and indignation inside himself and used this as his anchor. He had no intention of crying anymore, and his patience was gone. And all the while his stupid lawyer prattled on. He offered his condolences, talked about the new house he was to live in, talked about all the city of Domino had to offer, the city's history and things Seto could do there. Seto remained silent until he could see the looming mansion ahead. But what confused him was the fact that mere yards away in front of the mansion was a hospital-one they'd had to drive around to get there.
" Why is there a hospital on the property?" He asked, annoyed. There was certainly no room for horseback riding here, that was for sure. The man ignored Seto's surly tone and instead laughed lightly at the boy's confusion.
" The mansion is actually the hospital's housing unit, although the house and the land all belong to your uncle and his family. It is their substancial financing that help keep the hospital going. They are the head benefactors of the hospital, you know." He boasted. So he was to live with sick people and their germs? Wonderful. The carriage finally pulled to a stop and Seto got out of the stifling compartment immediately. What he saw surprised him. In the courtyard was only one person. And he was the most unusual, bizzare person Seto had ever seen. He was a tiny boy, sitting in a wheelchair. His skin was tan, implying much time spent in the sun. His hair was a wild mass of black and red, with golden jagged bangs framing his thin face. Eyes as bright and hard as rubies watched his every move. He was impeccably dressed with a pressed white shirt, a dark purple vest and a black silk bow tied loosely around his throat, the ribbons shifting ever so slightly in the breeze. His shorts were also purple, with black socks bound up to his knees. There wasn't a speck of dust on his black polished shoes to be found. He looked perfect. Like a doll.
And it creeped him out.
Likewise the boy was scrutinizing Seto as much as he was scrutinizing him. His parents had told him about the death of his aunt and uncle, to which he felt a sort of detached sympathy. While he hadn't known them all that well, he knew his aunt was his mother's older sister, and mother had been crying her eyes out for days. He truly felt sorry for her. But then he got the news. His cousin Seto Kaiba was coming to live with them. They were his last living family, so the courts were placing him with them. He couldn't remember if they had ever met before, but he could certainly see him now. Seto was tall for an eleven-year-old. Just a little over five foot. Maybe five-four if he had to hazard a guess. His hair was a rich brown color, combed to perfection on his head. He was pale, but not so pale as to be taken for unhealthy. He was dressed somewhat similarly to himself as well: A white shirt under a blue vest, with gleaming black buttons and a black collar. He wore a black tie around his throat, adorned with a golden pin shaped like a swallow. Blue shorts covered his legs and back socks were bound knee-high, just like his. His shoes were brown and somewhat scuffed, showing they had been played in often. But it was his eyes more than anything that commanded attention. Two pools of deep ocean blue stated hard at him, as if challenging. The dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep gave them a cold, haunted look. But he was healthy. He was still whole. And The boy knew that his cousin's physical looks would only improve with time. Girls today would call him " Cute." But in time he knew Seto would grow to be classically handsome.
And he envied him at once.
The boys stayed silent as they observed each other, sizing one another up. Seto was the first to speak...and the first to set the tone for his day.
" The hospital's head benefactor is a crippled midget?" He asked snobbily.
" Seto!" Mr. Kimbly scolded. Seto didn't care. A slight narrowing of the eyes and a tightened grip on the arms of his chair were the only tells that the red-eyed boy had been offended. Otherwise, he remained impassive. For some reason, the boy's lack of response bothered him. " The benefactor is your uncle Aknamkannon Sennen. This is his son. Your younger cousin, Atemu." He tried to reason. Seto eyed the weak looking boy and scoffed.
" You mean I'm related to it?" The boy in the chair, Atemu straightened his back and lifted his chin.
" Mother and Father are waiting for you in the parlor. Follow me." Now that was just downright irritating. He looked like a kid, but he sounded like an old man the way he spoke. Whatever.
" Fine." Seto snapped. He didn't acknowledge the lawyer. He was unimportant as far as he was concerned. He walked forward to stand next to his " cousin" and when he didn't move, he looked down, irritated. The kid was just staring at him. No emotion. No expression. And truth be told, it was creeping him out. " Well, what are you waiting for?" He groused. Atemu blinked at him. Then with a swift motion of his arms he spun his chair around...hitting Seto in the right leg with the arm of his chair and simultaneously running over his toes with the wheels in the process. He gasped and cried out in pain through clenched teeth and then groaned as the dual points of pain hit him. He hopped on one foot and held his abused leg in pain. He chanced a look. Atemu was still as emotional as a rock, but he swore he could see a faintly malicious glimmer in his ruby gaze. " Oh, I'm sorry." Atemu offered loftily. Uh huh.
" Sure you are." Seto growled. The boy pushed his wheels forward and Seto was forced to follow at a limp. Mr. Kimbly and the driver followed behind, carrying his things. They were ignored. Seto followed his little cousin through the lavishly decorated rooms of what was to be his new house. Though both this and his old house were equal in grandeur, inwardly Seto stubbornly protested that his own family home had been much more beautiful. They reached the parlor and Seto beheld his aunt and uncle. His uncle was a tall man, even when sitting. His hair was black and shoulder-length, tied back in to a tail at the nape of his neck. His skin was tan, just like his cousin's. He wore a grey suit with a light blue kerchief around his neck. His eyes were a deep red, just like Atemu's own. Beside him was whom he could only assume was his aunt. She was a thin woman yet she seemed to hold an almost ethereal sort of grace. Her eyes were green, like his own mother's had been, and her hair was red. Also like hers. He could easily see the family resemblance between his mother and aunt. They looked very much like each other. The only differences between them seemed deliberate, so that one may tell them apart.
Her hair was framed by golden bangs whereas his mother had only red hair,, and her face was sharper than his mother's. While Lorna Kaiba had held a heart-shaped face and a smile that retained both womanly charm and a child's mischievous nature, her sister's features were sharper, her jaw narrower and her lips fuller. And while Seto's mother's brows had been perfectly bowed, his aunts were arched. His mother Lorna had looked like an angel. His aunt Irena looked like a queen. And when she spoke her gentle voice held the same bearing as she did. " Hello, Seto. Do you remember me?" Wordlessly he shook his head as Atemu wheeled over to rest beside his mother. " I'm not surprised. You were so little when I last say you." She offered. " You'v already met Atemu." She offered, giving her son a small smile. " This is my husband, your uncle. Aknamkannon. But if that's too much, you can call him Aknam." The man looked at Seto kindly and let the corner of his lips lift up in to the smallest of smiles.
" Most of the hospital staff do." His voice was deep and soothing, like a priest or a psychologist. Seto nodded stiffly to him.
" We would have come out to greet you, but we thought you might be more comfortable with someone in your age group. You're only a year older than your cousin if I remember?" Irena asked.
" Yes." Seto responded. When he offered nothing else an awkward silence followed. His aunt cleared her throat and smiled kindly at him.
" I know this all must be hard on you, Dear. We're practically strangers it's been so long since we've seen each other. But you're a part of our family, Seto. And I want you to know if you ever need anything, anything in the world you can come to us." Seto took in her words with bitter cynicism and scrutinized her under his cold blue eyes.
" Anything?" He pressed. Irena smiled at him.
" Of course, Sweetheart. Anything at all." Okay then. Seto stood to his full five feet of height and put his hands behind his back.
" Then can I have my parents back now?" Whatever they were expecting, it wasn't that. Aknamkannon closed his eyes and sighed through his nose. Atemu just kept staring at him. Irena's entire expression fell and her lips parted despite herself. " Can I go home?" No response. Irena sighed sadly. Aknamkannon rubbed his temples tiredly. He knew he was being petty. Seto was very aware of this in himself. But he wasn't happy here, and he wasn't going to pretend to be. Atemu looked from his mother to his father, then back to Seto, glaring at him. Seto ignored him and huffed. The lack of response was exactly what he anticipated. " Then don't make empty promises." He snapped.
" Seto." Just his name. His uncle had spoken so softly. His tone was gentle, but...disappointed? Somehow just his name in just that soft tone made the boy's insides squirm uncomfortably. He admitted to himself that while he was fully justified, his uncle almost made him feel guilty.
Almost.
Irena sighed and looked at him with quite possibly the saddest eyes he had ever seen. His insides squirmed again. " I'm sorry, Seto. Truly, I am. You lost your mother. I lost my sister." Now he felt guilty. He wouldn't apologize, because he felt it would make him look foolish to admit he was wrong. So instead he gave a curt nod and looked away. Irena turned to her son and smiled tiredly at him. " Darling, how about you show Seto his new room? I'm sure you boys have a lot to talk about." Atemu nodded politely.
" Of course, Mother." He said, inclining is head politely. ' Of course, Mother. Jeez, who TALKS like that?! Are they sure there shouldn't be another zero tacked to that ten?!' Seto wisely kept this to himself and followed the boy as he wheeled out of the room. He paid little attention to his surroundings. They held no interest for him. The walk from the parlor though the living room, to the foyer was silent. So he was a little surprised when Atemu spoke." You didn't have to do that. They're just trying to help." He said tonelessly. Seto huffed and shoved his hands in to his pockets.
" I don't want their help."
" But you need it." Atemu pointed out. Seto looked down at him and arched an eyebrow.
" Says the cripple." He scoffed. Atemu frowned and tapped the arm of his chair with two fingers, irritated.
" Please refrain form using that term. I am not a cripple." Seto rolled his eyes both at his cousin and his ' Old man' speak.
" Fine-invalid then. Let's just go." Atemu glared at his older cousin but rather than snarl at him he bit the inside of his cheek to keep from saying things he shouldn't. Instead he performed his daily task. Seto paused, wondering how his cousin got up the stairs. The answer was on the floor. Atemu had eased himself off of the wheelchair and he was now using his arms and hips to push himself up, one step at a time. Curiously Seto looked up. At the top of the plush stairs another wheelchair was waiting. Obviously this was how he got around. Self-assured that his cousin didn't need his help, Seto continued, jogging up the remaining steps. He looked down. Atemu was only on the fourth step. He sighed dramatically, crossing his arms and tapping his foot impatiently as his cousin struggled up the long winding staircase. By the time he reached the top to Seto Atemu was pale and his arms were shaking. He looked tired. He glared up at Seto, as if silently asking why he didn't help. That look pricked at Seto's nerves. " Congratulations. I'm a hundred years old." He said, bored. Atemu glared up at him, panting, but saying nothing. And his arms were still shaking. Oh, this was just pathetic!
" Ugh! Hell's Bells!" Seto snapped. Atemu's eyes widened at the curse-and even further when Seto bent down and hefted him up by the arms. He was not gentle. That was going to leave a couple of bruises. With a light shove Atemu plopped down in his chair. He squirmed to adjust his seating. And was still glaring at Seto. The older boy paid him no mind. The curse was one he had heard his father say occasionally. And while Seto knew cursing wasn't allowed, he figured that since his parents were dead, there was none to reprimand him for it. As far as he was concerned he was the man of the Kaiba family from now on. He could say whatever the fuck he wanted. He moved around and took hold of the handles of the wheelchair and stared forward. " So where are we going?" Atemu sighed, relenting. He was too tired to wheel around right now anyways.
" Right hall. Last Door to the left." Seto spun a perfect about-face and began casually wheeling them per his cousin's instruction. They reached the door in no time. He let go of the chair and walked around to open the door to his new room. Navy blue velvet curtains hung from the south window, the interior gold satin. A large plush bed with a matching blue velvet comforter was straight ahead. A canopy with the same material hung over his bed, tied back to cherry-wood posts. The pillows were covered in gold satin. The floor was polished and pristine. To the left was a writing desk, and beside it a small bookshelf. To the right was a child-sized dresser, made of the same dark cherry-wood as the bed. A full bodied, gilded silver mirror stood catty-cornered from the dresser, fixed with an axle so one could swing it up or down. On top of the dresser was an ivory washing bin and matching water pitcher. His things had been brought up, the trunk and three suitcases sitting on the left side of his bed. The walls were covered in a wallpaper that were colored light blue with silver roses and vines winding up and down the walls. Overhead a small clear crystal chandelier hung, fixed with small electric candles. It was a beautiful room, he had to admit.
But it wasn't his room. That alone made him not like it. " Is it satisfactory?" His cousin asked. Seto shrugged. It would have to be. This was his new space now, much as he loathed it.
" It's fine." His biting tone made Atemu scowl, and alone without the presence of adults, he let his own anger free.
" You know, if it weren't for us and our home, you could be in a foster home now, surrounded by screaming little children. Without us, you could have even been sent to the poor house. Or perhaps you may have even been put in to service, if anyone could find a use for you. Why, I imagine if it had been any worse, you could have ended up on the streets." He sneered. Seto had slowly turned around while his cousin had begun speaking, crossing his arms and glaring down with all the arrogance an entitled child can muster as Atemu scolded him. " If I were you Seto, I would be grateful to live in such a wonderful home." Seto scoffed and leaned one shoulder against the wall, supporting himself on one shoulder.
" If you're asking me to pretend to be happy to be here, then you've got another thing coming, Kid. I'm honest about who I am. Only a coward would lie to save face." He said snootily. Atemu rolled his eyes.
" And only babies throw tantrums." He countered. That was it. Seto had officially had enough of this day. His expression hard had his eyes cold Seto stormed around the chair and grasped the handles firmly, whipping it around at break-neck speeds. Atemu barely had time to utter an indignant " Hey!" Before Seto ran forward out of the room and then down the hall. Then using the momentum he had gained he shoved the chair as hard and as far as he could. Atemu was forced from the room on rapid wheels, screaming. Seto marched back in to his room and smartly slammed the door closed. He heard a muffled crash, followed by a shout. Seto smirked. He had run his cousin in to the banister.
And such was the way of Seto's new life. A strange kind of routine had been established. Each morning he woke up at seven. He would get dressed and then head down to breakfast. His aunt and uncle would often discuss hospital business here or events with colleagues or friends. Sometimes they included him or Atemu in the conversation. Only Atemu ever answered back, sounding like an adult himself. Seto usually kept quiet. If he did answer any questions, it was always to a simple answer that only required a ' Yes' or a 'No' answer. After breakfast their teacher would come to the house. A tall, lanky bespectacled man with long black hair and a permanent smile on his face. They called him Professor Banner. They had asked Seto if he wished to be homeschooled with Atemu or to go to the Domino public school, to which he had given an indifferent shrug. So it was decided that he would try a semester with the professor, and if he didn't like it then he would be enrolled. The lessons always took place in the library, with Atemu siting at one end of the table and Seto at another. The professor sat between them, giving his lessons while asking questions and allowing them to explore their own answers to him. He wasn't like other teachers. He didn't just drone on and expect any answer. He genuinely paid attention to them and wanted to know what they thought. It was a nice switch. Yes, Seto had decided he liked being homeschooled by Professor Banner.
Lessons ended at noon when lunch was served. Again conversation may start, but again for the most part Seto stayed out of it. After lunch their social lessons began with a lady who would come named Madame Kisara. A tall, curvy woman with straight snow white hair and bright blue eyes. She was pretty, and sometimes Seto would catch himself blushing, and his cousin smirking. With her they both learned skills they would need to interact socially. Atemu took violin lessons from her, which he was very good at. Seto took piano, and due to his former experience he found this small bit of familiarity comforting. To his chargin, although Seto came from an artistic family, his own art skills were just ' Okay' by normal standards. But his cousin Atemu on the other hand was a true artist. He had seen him draw and color a facial self-portrait of himself using only an ink pen-and it came out as well as any photograph. Somehow it seemed unfair to him. But he was able to rectify his own form of unfair revenge. Dancing, as Madame Kisara said, was an important social skill to possess. Especially when socializing at parties. Thus he eagerly began his dance lessons. He only needed two reasons. One, because it gave him a chance to dance with the pretty Madame. And two, he took a kind of sick pride in the fact that while he could dance, his cousin could not.
Atemu always sat against the wall of the library in his chair. He sat so still and so quiet he didn't even look alive. More often than not Seto was convinced that he WAS a doll just brought to life. Because no one else he knew ever stayed so still. Or willingly. Atemu sat there every day, his eyes following every move as Seto learned and mastered dances such as the Viennese waltz, the foxtrot, the minuet, the contredance and heart's ease. He moved with grace and followed each step perfectly. In very little time it became very apparent that Seto had a natural affinity for dance. That was one bonus he did not expect with this new life. He had discovered a hidden talent. And he boasted it in full view during his lessons with his social teacher. In front of Atemu, who watching with a blank stare and a jealous heart. Occasionally, his condition, whatever it was, would present itself. Atemu would begin coughing or his body would begin to ache. Those times signaled he take his pills and sometimes either his aunt, his uncle or the maid would bring a glass bottle filled with hot liquid and fitted with a glass tube which Atemu would have to breathe through. He would glare at Seto as if daring him to say anything. Seto remained impassively quiet. Some days he would be reminded of just how sick his little cousin really was. But most days one would never know it. Especially after school.
Social lessons were done by three o'clock and the rest of the day was theirs. And how did they spend it? Torturing each other. The silent war was one that had been established his first morning. He didn't know how and he didn't know when, but at some time during the night Atemu had been in his room. How did he know? Because the break of his first morning in his new room Seto had rolled over sleepily, swung his legs over the bed and landed his feet not on cold wood, but a cold puddle of honey. And when he had hopped over to the wash bin to rinse his feet he caught sight of himself in the mirror-and yelled in anger. His face had been painted with blue ink. Thus the war had begun. He could have told his aunt and uncle. He could have sold his cousin out and watched him get in to trouble. But he didn't want that. If there was to be a reckoning, Seto wanted to be the one to do it. So each day brought about a new way for they boys to test each other.
Seto paid Atemu back for this by sneaking in his room late at night with a bar of wax. He silently worked rubbing down the floor until not even he could remain upright. He ha to worm-crawl out of the room by the time he was done. Then Seto made sure to sleep only sparingly, so that he might wake up in time. At six he awoke and crept out to sit outside Atemu's room. He watched the hall clock waiting...waiting... From inside he heard Atemu's small alarm clock bell go off. He heard it silenced, a groan. He waited. The sound of slipping skin, a gasp, a surprised shout, a bang followed by the creaking of the wheelchair as it rolled away. While trying to steady himself on his right leg, which was his strongest, Atemu had tried to ease himself in to the chair by his bed, like every morning. But no sooner had his feet touched the floor he slipped. He tried to grasp the chair for support only for it to roll away from him and leave him to fall flat on his face on the floor. Atemu tried to get up-only to plop back down. The floor was so slick even his hands to the ground couldn't support him. And here he could smell the wax. The maid didn't wax his floor this month. And she would have never used this much. This could only mean-
" SETO!" It took everything in him for Seto to clamp his mouth shut with both hands and stifle his hysterical laughter, rocking back and fourth on the floor outside of Atenu's room. He fully expected to get told on. But if that was the case, he could always relay his honeyed floor story right back at them. Surprisingly Atemu didn't tell. He managed to crawl back on to his bed and using the service bell by his bed he summoned the maid, old Mrs. Stanford to help him clean the wax and get dressed. And no one mentioned his overly-waxed floor at breakfast, lunch or even dinner. However, Atemu did make it a point to glare openly at Seto each chance he got. And seto responded with a look of unabashed smug satisfaction.
And the war raged on.
When tea time came around, Seto stuffed grass and dirt in a slice of his cousin's chocolate cake. The look of disgust on his face when he took at bite that afternoon was priceless. The next day Seto was getting dressed as usual. He slipped his shoes on, and then cringed in disgust as something cold and slimy seeped through his socks and his toes squished grossly. He yanked his shoes off and examined them. Ew. His shoes had been filled with oatmeal. By this time nightly pranks were off the table, as both boys learned to sleep with one eye open-and nearly caught each other in acts of treason on multiple occasions. So the war moved to the light of day. Atemu was wheeling around the corner, making his way to the gardens when out of nowhere Seto ran out screaming in his face. Atemu screamed in fright and momentarily lost control of his chair, making the corner of his chair hit the wall. Seto bent over laughing as Atemu held a hand to his hammering heart, panting and glaring at Seto the whole time. Seto was casually walking along through the foyer when out of nowhere a mess of feathers and cooking oil was dumped on his head from over the banister. He looked up. Atemu was smirking down at him, with an empty bucket in his hand. Devilish imp.
Each Sunday after church services the entire family always wen to the park. His aunt would carry the picnic basket and lay out the blanket. His uncle would set up a chess board and engage in a game with Atemu. Sometimes Seto would play, if only to have something to do. Hus aunt would read them fairytales by the Brothers Grimm, Aesop fables, or little stories such as ' Old Mr. Kangaroo A Five In The Afternoon.' Usually they would head back together around two, but one day they decided to change things. " Seto, Atemu? How about you two boys stay here and play for a bit?" Irena suggested once. Both boys looked at her like she's grown an extra head. Aknam nodded enthusiastically and folded up the chessboard.
" Fresh air will do you both some good. And the doctor has been encouraging you to exercise more, Atemu." Although this was true, both boys noticed a hint of mischief in the man's eyes. The adults were not blind. Mrs. Stanford had come complaining to them on each occasion the boys had made an offense to each other. Overly waxed floors, honey on the wood, feathers and oil, dirt and mud in the kitchen. A garden lizard in the tub, a pillowcase full of rocks, a garden snake in Atemu's wardrobe, a cache of beetles in Seto's sock drawer, black ink in the liquid soap bottle. Oh yes, they knew. But perhaps time alone in a peaceful place was what the boys needed. The park was only a block away from their house anyhow. And they knew Atemu knew how to get home because often when they returned home, Atemu was wheeling ahead of them. " Just come home before sundown. I'll send Mrs. Stanford for you if you don't." He said, knowing full well that Atemu wouldn't want to stay long, if at all. The children watched in disbelief as the adults packed up and stood to leave.
" Stay together and have fun!" Irena called. Then they were left alone in the park, the sounds of laughing children and birds permeated the air. Seto ' hmphed' and crossed his arms, looking away from him.
" I'm going to walk the flower path. Lemme know when you're done wheeling around." Atemu blinked at him blandly.
" Mother told us to stay together." He said tonelessly. Seto rolled is eyes.
" We're both in the park, so we're together." By that logic, Seto strode away, heading for the cobble-stoned bright flower path made just for the park. Alone by himself Atemu sighed sadly. He was always alone. Ever since he could remember he was always by himself. Atemu was lonely. He had often begged his parents for a little brother or even a sister, just so he wouldn't be alone anymore. But they only smiled sadly at him and said ' We'll see.' Which was grown-up code for ' No.' He had been born with Heine Medin disease, something that killed most babies. He knew his parents were afraid of giving birth to another sick baby. He knew he should be grateful he was alive, but he wasn't. He wasn't really living. Bound to his chair it was impossible. He didn't feel alive. He just felt like he was living and breathing. Each Sunday gave him a chance to interact with children his own age. Perhaps it was because he spent so much time around adults. Perhaps it was because he studied so much. Whatever it was, he found he was simply unable to relate to the other children. They were just these loud, freaky little things he had no idea what to do with. And it seemed they shared the same opinion. When it became apparent that he could neither run nor play, instead of playing with him, most of the children took to teasing him. Fine. He didn't want to play with them anyway.
When he heard that his aunt and uncle Kaiba died, he felt sorry. But that was not all he was told. He was told he had a cousin. Seto Kaiba. He was just a year older, and he was coming to live with them. Atemu had been curious, and truth be told, excited. Finally someone else to roam the halls with. Finally someone who he might talk to who wasn't over thirty. Finally he might have someone to play with. Perhaps even, a new friend. His mother had sensed his excitement and tampered it gently. She told him Seto had just lost his parents and his own home, so when he came he might be sad. She told him to be patient with him and help where he could. Atemu had agreed and waited for his cousin outside of his home. The carriage pulled up and the boy stepped out. The one he hoped could be his new best friend.
" The hospital's head benefactor is a crippled midget?"
Those dreams had been dashed at once.
Disappointment and sadness flew though him at an alarming rate. He kept his face blank. It was his ace. Never let them see you weak. Never let them see you cry. No guard was to be lowered around this boy. It was obvious, painfully obvious...he was just like everyone else. And yet...he wasn't. He spoke his mind, and damn the consequences. He kind of admired that about him. Atemu had been groomed to speak with etiquette and propriety. Seto was unrestrained. It must be nice to be that free. Then the war had begun. Never had Atemu been so tested and so pushed. And he had never had the privilege to prank anyone before. It was frustrating. It was infuriating. It was so much fun! But...Seto disliked him. And because they knew they had never met, it confused him to no end. What had he done wrong? Why? A loud chorus of laughter broke him from his thoughts and he looked up. Ugh. It was them again. He didn't care to memorize names, but these were the kids of other families who always came to the park on Sundays. Many familiar faces with only a few memorable names. But he did know their ring leader. A tall, red-headed boy named Marcus. His father was head of the Domino bank, so he always walked around like he owned the place. And he always took delight in verbally abusing Atemu, or hitting the back of his chair. Atemu hated him. He turned his chair around and wheeled down to the lake, hoping to put some distance between them.
" Hey! Freak-show!" He ignored him. The giggling group soon reached him. He kept his posture straight and his gaze forward. No expression. Nothing effects him. Marcus jogged over and punched his shoulder hard. He grunted, but didn't move. " Hey Freak! When I speak, you answer." No response. " Hey, I'm talking to you! Answer me! Hey! Hey!" With each word he had hit is arm, and successfully chipped away at his patience. Snarling Atemu grabbed his wheels and with all his might rammed in to Marcus, forcing him to stumble and fall back. Someone-he couldn't see who-held his chair back by the handles while another boy...Timmy? Tomas? Whatever-his-name-was, punched him hard in the back of his head.
" Yo! Watch it, you filthy demon!" Atemu said nothing. He didn't even rub away the pain on his head, much as he would have liked to. But that would show them that he was hurt. Never let your guard down. Marcus got up, and a sinister smile formed on his face and a cruel idea in his mind. He strode forward and bent down to Atemu's level.
" Yeah. That's right." He said slowly. " You're a demon. And you must be cleansed." The boy sneered evilly. The children laughed, looking down at Atemu with wicked glee. " Hold him down!" He shouted. Two twin girls in pigtails took the order, each one holding his arms down and pinning him in place in his chair, despite his desperate struggles. Marcus walked to the lake and the others followed suit. One by one the children began filling their canteens with water from the lake, and together they began reciting the lord's prayer. The twins held down on him hard as the children lined up to dump their water over his head, splash his chest and throw the cold liquid in his face. He couldn't wipe his eyes or his mouth of the water. All he could do was take it. Once the prayer was completed, the girls let him go, giggling. He glared daggers at them all.
" Now they you've been baptized, you will walk." Marcus stated haughtily.
" I can't. You know that." Atemu spat. Marcus donned a mock look of surprise.
" But you've been baptized, so God loves you now. And if he loves you, he'll let you walk." He stepped right up to the chair and leaned down to sneer in his face. " So walk. Walk!" That got them going. In no time all of them began chanting that word at him, infuriating him with each demand.
" Walk! Walk! Walk! Walk! Walk! Walk! Walk!" And they continued to chant, despite his pleas for them to stop.
" No! I can't! Stop it! Stop it, I said! Stop, stop STOP!" Marcus ran around his chair and with a mighty shove sent both it and Atemu tumbling to the wet grass. Some of the children laughed, while others continued to chant for him to walk. And there was nothing he could do. His mask cracked. Hot, angry tears streamed down his face as he fisted his hands and cried silently on the ground. That was when he saw it. Seto was making his way back up the trail when the chanting reached his ears. Curious he jogged up the path. The sound was getting clearer. Laughter. Walk. That's what he was hearing over and over again. Then he saw it. His cousin was lying on his stomach on the ground, his wheelchair tossed aside like an old toy. At least a dozen kids he didn't know were circled around him. Atemu was shaking, wet...and crying. Seto had seen enough. He ran across the park, shouting at the top of his lungs.
" Hey! Hey! HEY!" One of the kids, a freckled brown-haired boy spun around. Seto punched him dead in the face. " KNOCK IT OFF!" Absolute silence. Atemu's head jerked up and wide, shocked ruby stared up at his cousin. His chin was lifted, his back was straight and both hands were fisted. His face was terrifying, and his eyes screamed murder.
" Hey, what's the big deal? He's just a decrepit loser." Marcus said, as if it were nothing. The other kids laughed and nodded in agreement. No one, no one had the right to touch his cousin like that. Seto picking on him was one thing. But taking his chair and public humiliation?! Now THAT was unforgivable. Cowards. Bastards. Demons. All of them! Seto's bottled rage shattered. With an angry shout he attacked. He pulled hair, kicked out, screamed, shouted and bit at anyone who dared come near him. He wrenched the pigtails of the twins so hard their little necks snapped to the side as they screamed in pain. A gangly red-headed boy tried to grab at his hands. He bit in to his shoulder, making him yelp and jump back. Another boy tackled him to the ground from behind. Seto rolled them over, then scrambling to his feet he stomped hard on to his clothed crotch. He screamed like a girl. By this time Marcus, their ring-leader, was trying to escape. Seto caught up to him in no time, tackling him to the ground as the other children fled. He forced the boy on his back and began punching him everywhere. His chest, his arms, his head. Marcus screamed and cried. Seto chuckled and kept going. This was the outlet he'd been waiting for. Losing his parents, losing his home, losing his life. He needed a release. THIS was it. And it felt good. Marcus tried to cross his arms in front of his face. Snarling Seto pried them apart...then clasped his hands around the boy's neck. And squeezed. The boy gasped and clawed at his hands. His legs kicked out. No escape. Seto smiled evilly and squeezed harder. This was it. He was gonna pay. The little bastard was gonna die right here! He was gonna-a hand touched his. A feather's touch but one that made him go still. He looked to the owner of that hand.
" Seto." Atemu had crawled across the ground to reach him, and now here he was. Pale, shaking, and coughing as his lungs struggled for air. It had taken nearly all his strength just to say his cousin's name. " Please," Cough, cough, cough. " S-Stop." Cough, whezze. He needed help. He needed to go back to the house for his medicine. His condition was acting up again. And he was responsible for him. All of these factors were takin in to careful consideration by the blue-eyed child. Slowly, he relaxed his grip on Marcus's neck...then let him go. Worldlessly Seto pulled Atemu by the arms to drape across his back. He held his legs as Atemu weakly held on to his shoulders, coughing in to his back. Together they made their way back to the fallen wheelchair. Seto set Atemu down on the ground then picked up the fallen tool. He dusted the grass and what water droplets he could from the seat, then helped his little cousin to sit down. Once he was sure Atemu was secure, Seto began pushing the chair back down the trail that would lead them home at a hurried pace.
" You're crazy! You hear me?! You're both crazy!" Marcus raved.
The boys ignored him.
Atemu had to take his medicine as soon at they got back. His lips were blue and his body was shaking. Seto shouted for Mrs. Stanford and the old woman had come bustling out in a panicked hurry. She carried Atemu to his room and Irena had wired the hospital for his uncle. Seo watched it all grim faced as all three adults tended to his ailing cousin. Pills, a balm rubbed on his chest, the breathing tube. And everyone noticed he was wet. His clothes were stripped and he was dressed in his nightgown and put to bed. Once he was settled, everyone turned to Seto. " What happened?" Aknam questioned quietly. Seto shifted, knowing full well he was in trouble and he fisted his hands.
" A group of kids were picking on Atemu. They pushed him out o his chair and were shouting at him to walk. I told them to back off, but they wouldn't. So I beat them all up. Atemu started coughing, so I stopped and ran him home." It was blunt and unforgiving, but it was the truth. Irena's face was stern when she spoke, and her voice hard.
" I told you boys to stay together. Where were you while this was happening, Seto?" Seto shut his eyes and took a breath. Now came the real reason why he was in trouble. Because he had left his little cousin alone.
" I-"
" He was just going to the bathroom." All eyes turned to Atemu, who looked at them all meekly from his bed of pillows. " Seto had to go to the bathroom, so he parked me by the lake and told me to wait there. Then he went in to the woods. It was while he was away that Marcus Hiller and his goons started teasing me. They called me a demon and threw water at me while they were praying. Then since they said I was baptized, they tried to force me to walk by knocking me out of my chair. That's when Seto came back. He was just trying to help me." Irena's face had softened and she looked like she was on the verge of tears as her son relayed the story. Bullying was nothing new to the Sennens. Though Atemu rarely said anything, they knew by the way he shied from the children at the park and the bruises he might don that he was a victim of bullying. And talking to the bully's parents did nothing. All they ever did was offer an ersatz apology and suggest he stay indoors. It was why they had started going out together each Sunday. To give him fresh air and exercise while keeping an eye on him. It was their hope that now that Seto was there that he could help his cousin. And he had, but in the worst way. And yet they all knew it was unavoidable. They had left the boys to themselves, after all. They couldn't be mad at him. Or at how he had retaliated, however wrong.
" I understand." Aknam said evenly, then he looked from his son to his nephew, who looked as unapologetic as ever. " But you know that violence is wrong, don't you Seto?" The boy rested is hands on his hips and arched an eyebrow.
" Yeah, well. It wasn't like there were any adults there to help." His uncle sighed and closed his eyes tiredly. The boy was right. Irena shook her head and placed her own hands on her hips.
" We understand, Seto. And We're sorry you boys had such a hard day. But violence is wrong, no matter how justified. So as punishment you'll get no dessert tonight." She reprimanded softly. Seto nodded curtly.
" Fine." The Sennens turned back to Atemu, who had watched it all with a blank stare and only reacted when his mother leaned down to kiss his hair.
" I'm so glad you're home safe. Get some rest, Dearest. We'll have some hot soup sent up to you later." Atemu closed his eyes and sighed gratefully as his mother kissed him and his father hugged him gently. Hot soup sounded nice. He relaxed back in to his pillows and the maid and his parents made to leave. On the way out Irena stooped down and to Seto's surprise kissed him on the cheek. " Thank you, Seto. Thank you for protecting him and bringing him home." First he was being punished, now he was getting kisses. Unsure what to do, Seto nodded and hummed as his aunt stood up and left, his uncle patting him on the shoulder on the way out. The door closed and the boys were left Alone. Seto cleared his throat, not meeting Atemu's ruby gaze.
" Thanks for covering for me." Atemu said nothing. He supposed they were done. Seto turned to leave when Atemu's soft voice stopped him.
" Why did you save me?" Seto paused, not looking at his cousin but instead at the door in front of him. " I mean...you bully me all the time. And we're not friends. You don't like me. We both know it. So...why...?" His voice trailed off, the words lost on him. Seto turned around and shrugged it off.
" Because it wasn't a fair fight." Atemu fixed his gaze on him, watching him unblinkingly. Seto shifted uneasily under his gaze. But how to explain? " Look, if it was just a one-on-ne match, then I might have just let it play out. But that wasn't a match. That was a mob. And, they pick on you because they know you can't do anything about it." He stated, as if it were all so obvious. He considered Seto's words, then blinked once at him.
" You pick on me." Atemu pointed out quietly. Seto huffed.
" Yeah, well. Even so, I pull stunts that I know you can take. And you always get me back." He said, lightly glaring at his little cousin, who was still watching him intently. " Sure we fight, but it's on our terms, so we always fight fair. And besides, I wouldn't be so mean as to take your chair from you. There is such a thing as fighting fair, y'know. And I'm fair when I fight dirty." Seto paused and frowned down at that. " Wait, I think I said that wrong..."
" You just contradicted yourself." Atemu said bluntly. Both boys stared in to each other's eyes, searching. Finally it was Seto who broke away with a snort and a roll of his eyes.
" Tch. Whatever." A sound. So faint Seto almost didn't hear it. Again. It grew louder. Louder. It was coming from Atemu. He looked down. Aquiet giggle had transformed in to loud, boisterous laughter. He was laughing. For the first tome since he had come to the house, Atemu was laughing. Seto knew he could feel offended. He probably should have. But, this was something else. Since he had arrived he never saw such emotion in his little cousin, if at all. But now...he was laughing. And it was all so ridiculous that Seto felt a smile forming despite himself. And soon he found himself laughing his guts out, grasping his stomach as he joined his cousin in laughter. Unknown to them Irena and Aknam had paused in the hall, listening for any sounds of disaster. Instead they heard joyous laughter. Irena smiled and felt the tears welling behind her eyes and she turned to her husband who was smiling.
" Do you hear that? They're laughing. Atemu's laughing." She whispered, her happy tears sliding down her cheeks. It was such a rare occurrence. Atemu was always so quiet and closed off. Even in a crowded room he seemed to hold himself apart. He didn't smile often, and he almost never laughed. And now he was laughing unrestrained. Because of Seto. Aknam gently held his wife by the shoulders and held her close.
" It's the most beautiful sound in the world." He said. And she couldn't agree more.
The next day was spent in recovery for Atemu. The boys lounged on his bed, and for the first they talked. A real conversation. A chance to truly get to know one another. " So, what's wrong with you? I mean, why do you need a wheelchair?" Seto asked, looking up at his cousin from his upside-down position at the opposite end of the bed. Atemu shrugged it off.
" I have Heine Medin disease."
" Aaaaand, what's that?" Atemu chewed his lip and picked at the thread in his comforter.
" It's kinda hard to explain. It makes me weak. I feel sick all the time. My muscles aren't as developed as everyone else's is, especially in my legs, and some of my organs don't work all the way. That's why I need my inhaler-my breathing medicine. The pills are for my body aches and fevers. And my back is in pain every day. It's just that some days hurt worse than others. Most of the time it just feels stiff and sore like when you sleep funny. Other days it hurts so bad I can't move." Seto contemplated this and then flipped around. He folded his arms on the bed and rested his chin there.
" Is there a cure?" Atemu frowned and looked down at the blanket.
" I don't think so. If there was, I would have gotten it a long time ago. There are treatments for it, but..." He sighed dramatically and flopped back on his bed. " I hope someone finds a cure someday. Otherwise I'll be trapped in my bed and my chair forever."
"...So?"
" So?!" Atemu asked, slightly offended and sat up to look at his older cousin. " What do you mean ' So?' I'll never be able to do anything!" Seto smirked and sat up.
" Says you. The way I see it, you can get away with anything." Atemu blinked, genuinely surprised and then frowned.
" How so?" He asked cautiously. Seto held up a hand and began listing off the first ideas in his head.
" Let's see; You'd make the perfect lawyer, a politician, lion tamer, a gunman, a robber-"
" How in the devil do you expect me to do all that?!" Atemu pressed. One, because it all seemed so impossible, but also he genuinely wanted to know. Seto smirked and then sat up straighter, crossing his legs to sit Indian-style as he relayed his revelations.
" Okay, well, see it's the chair that sells it, see?" Atemu looked from his legs to his chair, then back at Seto. He shook his head.
" No."
" Okay, well let's start with the first one. Lawyer. You don't need to stand to do that. I mean-even when they say the ' All rise' thing in court, you can still just sit. Standing doesn't win cases. I know you're smart. I figure; Since you can't walk, all the blood that's supposed to be in your legs ran back to your brain, and that's why you're so smart. So automatically you're smarter than any other lawyer. And because you're in a chair, you look harmless. Like an easy win. So you'll always have the element of surprise when you whip out your smart brain and win every case. See?" Atemu looked at his cousin astounded. He had never even considered the possibility of being a lawyer. But then...Seto had a good point. Maybe he could be a lawyer. As for the rest, though...
" Okay. Maybe a lawyer. But a politician?" He pressed. Seto shrugged.
" Same thing. You'll be smart. And in a campaign, no one can really go against you because you're in a chair. It looks like discrimination, and the other guy looks like an ass." Atemu giggled and Seto snickered at the curse. Okay, maybe a politician, too. But come now.
" And what about me being a lion tamer?" He asked sarcastically. Seto puffed out his chest proudly. He had an answer for that, too.
" Easy. Y'know, I hear than in most circuses, all the jungle cats have their teeth pulled out and they're fitted with soft dentures that only make it LOOK like they have teeth. And the thrill factor is all from the bluster and bow the lion puts up anyways, so it's all fake. The audience just never knows. So you'd be fine. And anyone can hold a whip and a chair. So imagine the best thrill when a man who can't walk fends off a lion and his fake teeth! Now THAT would sell a show!" He boasted. Atemu's eyes widened in wonder. Really?!
" You think I could get away with that?!'
" Sure thing! It's easy!" He insisted. Atemu suddenly felt light-headed. It sounded so easy. Had it always been this easy?"
" But...how can you expect me to be a gunman? OR a robber even? How?!" He pressed. Seto laughed lightly and shook his head.
" It's all in the chair! You look weak and defenseless, so no one will suspect you! A sniper has to stay hidden anyways, so you'd be crawling with your gun wherever you go. You just stay low and stay hidden." He demonstrated by hunching down, making a gun with one hand and holding his wrist with the other. " Take your aim, then when the enemy lines up...BANG! HE'S DEAD!" He shouted, ' Shooting' Atemu and holding his gun up in victory. Atemu laughed, delighted at this newfound knowledge and Seto laughed with him. Atemu's laugh, as he was learning, was quite an infectious thing. Once their laughter calmed, Seto went on to answer what he already knew was his next question.
" And robbery is child's play! The chair! No one would suspect you, and no one would search you. We could team up! I'll get us in to the money and the jewels, I steal it, then we hide it on you. Then we leave separately. And if the authorities happen by, so what? They can search me and find nothing. They can't search you because again, you don't look like a suspect. And if they tried, you could threaten to charge them with discrimination and unwarranted assault. Especially if you're your own lawyer." He added with a snigger. Atemu joined in, deliriously happy. It all seemed so impossible before. He never dared to dream of becoming anything. Maybe an herbalist like his father. But a lion tamer? A gunman? A robber? Suddenly his wheelchair didn't seem so bad.
" Why didn't you ever tell me any of this before?" He asked, astonished.
" You never asked before." Seto joked. Atemu smiled, then it faded as a question came to mind. One he knew he had to ask now, lest he never get the chance again.
" That's because you didn't like me." A beat of silence. " Did I do something? I mean, you looked like you hated me." Seto sighed and flopped back on the bed. For a while, he didn't say anything, and Atemu kept quiet.
" I was just...mad. I lost my parents. I lost my nanny, my horse, my school, my home. Everything. And I... I hated everything. I wanted to."
" Why?" His cousin asked quietly. Seto shut his eyes as his throat tightened. He may as well say it now.
" Because if I hated everything, and just held on to it, then that meant that I would be too angry to cry. I don't wanna cry anymore. I feel helpless when I cry." He whispered. Now it all made sense to him. The 'why' was something so simple he could smack himself. He had seen his mother crying for her sister ever since news reached that she died. But she had also been Seto's mother. Of course he cried. And he couldn't even begin to imagine losing one parent, let alone both. Atemu loved his own parents more than anything. Seto must have felt the same about his. Just the thought of losing his own parents made his eyes mist. Atemu felt his own throat close up at the thought of his cousin being sad. It didn't fit him. This obnoxious, free-spirited boy who could command a room, crying. And Atemu understood. He hated crying for the exact same reason. Just because he looked weak in his chair didn't mean he was ever ready to act it. This he understood well.
" Me, too." Seto looked in to Atemu's ruby gaze and knew he was telling the truth. There was too much sadness in his eyes to believe he could be lying. Then, without warning his little cousin lurched forward in to his arms and Seto caught him, surprised. He felt Atemu wrap his arms around his middle and bury his face in to his chest. " I'm sorry, Seto." Sorry he didn't understand sooner. Sorry Seto had lost everything. Sorry Seto was hurting. And sorry that he had, admittedly, acted like a brat to him. His older cousin held him around the shoulders and rested his head on top of Atemu's.
" I'm sorry, too." He whispered. Sorry he had lashed out on someone who hadn't deserved it. Sorry he bullied this frail little boy. Sorry he had been so ignorant of his pain, so focus was he on only his. Sorry he let his little cousin get hurt. And cry. His raging emotion took hold of him and for the first time since their passing he truly let himself grieve. His shoulders shook as he let his tears fall. Atemu held his cousin securely as Seto wept for his parents. He sat up and pulled Seto down so that he was lying on his chest. Seto accepted this and buried his face in to Atemu's shirt as he cried, holding on to him. Atemu didn't move to wipe his own tears, but Seto sensed them anyways. He didn't ask because he already knew. An unspoken trust had been established here. Only around each other would they ever be their true selves. There was no judgement here.
It was safe here.
Once they had calmed Seto sat up and wiped his eyes with his sleeves. Atemu sat up and likewise wiped his own tears. No more crying now. In the silence and sniffles Atemu was the one to break the somewhat awkward silence. " So, if we become jewel thieves, how would we do it?" Seto chuckled at the switch but welcomed it all the same.
" We go in as customers first and see what they have. I'll look everything over and decide what's worth stealing. Then at night, we pick the lock. We can't break the windows because that would make too much noise. So we pick the lock, go in, grab, then I hide it on you, then we leave separately and meet up at home." Atemu nodded thoughtfully, then his brow lined with a slight frown.
" But why do you get to decide what we take?" Seto gave a small smile and leaned back on his hands.
" Can you tell the difference between a fake jewel and a real one? Or between nickel and silver?" Atemu blinked owlishly and shook his head. " I can. Mom was a jeweler, with her own store and everything. A real jewel is easy to tell because the inside is always cloudy or grainy, like from where it was mined from. Fake jewels are too clear, or the colors too perfect. As for nickel and silver, silver is lighter both in color and weight than nickel or painted copper. The good stuff is always stamped with a number and the jeweler's initials or the company's. That's how you find the best jewelry." Atemu considered this new information, then smirked lightly.
" Well there goes your job. You just told me how to do it. I'll take it from here." He boasted confidently. Seto scoffed and grabbing a pillow smacked Atemu in the face. A mockingly indignant gasp, followed by an impish smile. A fluffy retaliation from the pillow behind his head. Neither gave quarter and neither backed off as the pillows found their mark. They laughed and snarled playfully at each other as Atemu and Seto both enjoyed their first pillow fight.
And the pillow war raged on.
It was late. Nearly ten o'clock. Irena and Aknam walked down the hall, intent on telling the boys it was time for bed. They knew they had been having fun. Their laughter and playful teasing could be heard through most of the house. But even energetic little boys needed to sleep. They reached the door and Irena knocked lightly on the wood. " Boys? It's time for bed." She called softly. It was quiet. Aknam arched a curious brow and turned the knob, opening the door slowly.
" Atemu? Seto?" They stepped in to the room and Irena covered her lips to stifle the ' Aaaw' that wanted to escape. They were sound asleep, cuddled together like kittens in a basket. The covers had been shoved down, exposing their legs and making room for the discarded pillw that lay askance on the right side of the bed. Another pillow had ended up on the floor to the left of the bed. Seto was lying close to Atemu, his forehead resting against his little cousin's. His form was curled, indicating he might be a little cold. But his hands were drawn up cutely under his chin. Atemu was curled just as loosely, with one hand under his head, and the other resting on one of Seto's hands. Both were sleeping peacefully. Smiling Aknam and Irena silently crept in to the room. Together they pulled up the comforter around the boys and tucked them in. Irena kissed each head and Aknam kissed both warm cheeks, whispering a soft goodnight. The lights were turned off and the parents left the room with smiles on their faces. Alone in the quiet the cousins slept on in a deep, dream-filled sleep.
Seto dreamed of flying dragons. Atemu dreamed of jewels and lions.
Both eagerly awaiting what more dreams may come.
THE END
Aaaand done! Phew! Took me 3 days but I did it! The description of Seto's glass inhaler is based on an old fashioned one I found on wiki. So they've always been called inhalers, they've just gone though some heavy metamorphosis. There were the glass tube inhalers, rubber mask and brass bottle inhalers, inhalers that looked like perfume bottles and some that jus had a solution you just poured on a cloth from a brass bottle. Inhalers were just one of the tools used to treat Heine Medin, which was the term for Polio back in the day. So yeah, now that the history of Seto's been explained we can get a clearer picture of him in Broken Angel. I love Seto and since there wasn't much room for expo in that story, since it's primarily a YXAXYY story, I got inspired to whip this little number out. And it also gives us a nice view of what life was like for Atemu before...well, before. Please R&R and as always bless your happy happiness!