A/N:
This is a nothing story that goes nowhere, but I've spent the last year or so in a whole different writing style and I'm trying to catch up on some abandoned projects, so I thought this might be a good little exercise to get me back into the swing of things. The "Noah is alive and everyone is happy" AU is, was, and always will be my favourite.
Seto Kaiba has been hearing some very strange noises in the middle of the night. They rouse him from his sleep; slowly at first with the gentle footfalls and the sounds of hushing. But then suddenly, as the inevitable thump jolts him upright. He thinks that, probably, one of his brothers has gone for a drink of water or a midnight snack and tripped on something, but invariably he finds his hallways and kitchen empty, and Mokuba and Noah both tucked up in their beds. Though occasionally, he will also stumble across a broken piece of pottery or a painting that has been knocked off the wall.
The security footage, of course, finds nothing. No signs of an intruder or a member of staff toiling away at the wee hours of the morning for that coveted promotion. Seto might almost believe the noises are in his head, if not for years of conditioning to assume the worst of all things at all times.
One night he stays awake, poised with his bedroom door ajar just a crack, ready to pounce on the source of the disruption, but that's the night all stays still and calm. He might have just dropped the issue after that, were it not for his guardianship over the younger two. On the off chance this near-nightly cacophony posed some kind of threat to his brothers, he could not remain passive.
Mokuba had joked more than once that their house was probably haunted. That, of course, is absurd, and a reasonable man like him will not entertain the notion, thank you very much. But admittedly, the thought does play at the back of his mind as his search for the disturbance comes up empty, time and time again, night after night.
It's not until about a month in that the perpetrator reveals himself. Seto is personally recoding a small bug in KaibaCorp's most recent prototype from the comfort of his immodest home office. It's an almost relaxing pastime for him. The noise of the keyboard drowns out the subtle creak as his door is pushed open wider. Then, without any kind of warning, he jumps up onto the desk, knocking off almost everything in his path, and wanders across the keys. Seto stares, surprised yet somehow vindicated, into those wide golden eyes; and those eyes bore back into him. Then the kitten rolls over, purrs and exposes his stomach, and Seto can almost swear that he looks expectant. Random numbers and letters fill the screen he'd been so close to finishing with. Clearly this animal has no regard for Seto's job.
He's about to call out for the other two, but in vain. Seeing the door open further than just wide enough to hear into the hallway, Mokuba bursts into the room, followed by a significantly calmer Noah.
"Seto! You got a cat!" Mokuba observes, in the least convincing tone ever. Noah just shakes his head, seeming resigned to the fact that they'd been caught.
"I told you it wouldn't last." Seto watches as Noah picks the kitten up, chiding him adoringly for being: "...a menace! How do you keep getting out?" But there's nothing on their faces to suggest that either of them is capable of actually being mad at this little ball of fur.
A quiet sigh passes Seto's lips. The kind that is acquiescent, as if he doesn't quite have it in him to be exasperated. The kind that says: this might as well happen today.
"I thought we agreed we were too busy for pets?"
"Well, yeah," Mokuba begins, reaching across to scratch behind the kitten's ears. "But we didn't exactly go looking for him. We found him!"
"Where, exactly?" His tone is suspicious. The younger two exchange a look. It's Noah who answers.
"...A giveaway."
Of course. But they seem so attached to the thing already that Seto has no plans to make them give it up. Besides, it's not exactly going to cripple them to have one more mouth to feed. But Mokuba and Noah don't know that's what he's thinking, and immediately start launching into their respective pleas.
"We weren't gonna bring one home, we just wanted to look! But he just took to us, and we couldn't leave him. Look at him! He's so tiny, how can you say no? He even likes you already, Seto! Don't worry, we'll take total responsibility for him! We'll feed him, and bathe him, and clean up after him. We already have a little bed for him that goes between our rooms-"
"You know, studies have shown that pets are very good for kids. They teach them responsibility, empathy and selflessness. And we're already really responsible pet owners. Besides, cats are pretty independent-"
Seto holds up a hand to silence them. He begins to speak, but Mokuba talks over him.
"Come on, Seto. Say yes. Pleeeeeaaaase?"
Seto had been right to be concerned. The things that go bump in the night are dangerous. Those four eyes, such complimentary shades of blue and purple, so wide and innocent, gaze up at him. And Seto Kaiba, billionaire CEO of the largest corporation in the world and duelist champion, is rendered helpless. Even if he wanted to argue the matter, he can't.
He takes the cat from Noah, holding him up until they're at eye level. The cat just stares, as calm and credulous as such a little thing can be. "He can stay, but I don't want to hear from him after bedtime anymore. Deal?"
Naturally, the younger two agree. And, for what it's worth, it's mere days before the kitten's new favourite sleeping spot becomes Seto's own bed.