Control

"But I want to stay with you," Mokuba said.

They were trying to get Mokuba to stay in his own room for the night, which was opposite of Seto's, but clearly too far away in Mokuba's eyes. Gozaburo had been placed down the hall, although once he put his bag inside, he rejoined them in the hallway.

"There is just the one bed, kid."

"I bet it is a big bed. There will be space for me."

"Mokuba, you are being rude," Gozaburo said.

"I am staying with you tonight," Mokuba insisted. He made a show of grabbing Seto's arm and squeezing, like his hands were manacles.

Téa watched passively, but Seto saw the traces of a smirk around her lips. She didn't speak any Japanese, that Seto had checked early on, but the intention of the conversation was clear regardless of the language.

"He wants to stay in your room?" Téa asked.

"He does."

She held a finger to her lips and smirked, picking up Mokuba's backpack and carrying it into Seto's room. She winked at Mokuba when he started to grin, although Gozaburo wasn't as accepting of Téa's gesture.

It wasn't late enough to go to bed, and Mokuba was still caught in his tourist mode, so he wanted to see more of the building. Seto wasn't in the mood for the full tour, so he offered to take Mokuba down to the game room where he had spent the previous night. Joey had overheard the plan, so he and Serenity were planning to join in as well.

But Pegasus overheard that plan, and he decided to make a night of it. Families bonding, he called it. Now that their families were going to be "getting intimately acquainted," they had to do things together, which would prove difficult with Seto's half living overseas.

Seto wasn't looking forward to the game night like he had been when he suggested it earlier. He had expected to spent a few hours alone with Mokuba, which might have been their last alone time for months or years. Although he hadn't imagined spending his last few hours of time with Mokuba with an entire group, and while at the same time having to translate everything that was said, he would take it over video chatting with Mokuba at weird hours of the day.

After Téa put Mokuba's things in Seto's room, Seto led the way to the elevator, glaring annoyingly at the guard tagging along behind them. He thought of the conversation with Bakura the night before and knew he wouldn't be getting that level of discussion from anyone who would be present. Bakura was intelligent, probably more than was required for his position. A get-to-know-each-other night would be mostly filler conversation and over-told anecdotes.

"We should go to bed early," Mokuba said. "That way, we can stay up a bit talking. I know that tomorrow is a big day, but that will be our last real chance to talk."

"We can make that our plan."

Mokuba grinned and asked which button he should press on the elevator console. They ran into Joey in the game room, and he was on his phone, waving his hand in an angry gesture.

Mokuba gawked at the game room when they went inside. While he wandered through the space, Seto stared out at it and wished it was abandoned again, but with Cecelia and Serenity at the shuffleboard table, and Pegasus throwing darts with two of his guards, it just wasn't the same.

"Kaiba-boy!"

Out of courtesy, Seto crossed the room to greet the king for the second time that day. He hoped that he wouldn't be called upon to play a round of darts, as he was particularly terrible at the game. His depth perception was off, and his contacts did little to alleviate the problem. It really only proved to be a problem when it came to things farther off, so he couldn't drive or play games like darts.

"Do you play?" Pegasus asked, lifting a dart in Seto's direction.

"No, your majesty."

"I'm not a savant, but I like making holes in the wall."

Seto managed to get out a polite expression that didn't quite reach a smile, and did look over to see a couple of darts sticking out from the wall. There was just one on the board itself, which was close to the bullseye.

Leaning back against the nearest pool table, Seto watched as the guards handed Pegasus a dart for him to throw, the dart land in the wall, and Pegasus get handed another dart. The pattern fell into rhythm in Seto's mind so he could count the beats rather than pay attention, and that made the time go by a bit more quickly.

Mokuba was still checking out the room, and the adjoining spaces that Seto hadn't gotten around to looking at the night before. Gozaburo took another phone call, standing in a corner over by the elevator, and Joey started racking up balls on a pool table.

"Seto! Play me!"

"He's very good," Pegasus offered, throwing another dart. "I'd like to see him lose."

The unspoken challenge made Seto smirk, and he walked over to the table Joey had set up. He accepted the cue offered to him, checking it to make sure it wasn't defective, and nodded.

"You can break, lovebug. Small favors and all that."

Mokuba came over and wished Seto luck. Seto wanted to be able to say that he didn't need the luck, but he didn't know what Pegasus considered good, which could be anywhere from average to a pool shark.

Seto was interested to find out.

He lined up to break, trying to figure out how to win before even touching the cue ball. He wished it was as easy as chess, but he couldn't look out over the table like he could a chess board. Pool could be lost in a single turn if the opponent ran the board, and Seto didn't want to give Joey the chance, just in case he had that level of skill.

He landed a stripe and a solid, then looked out over the placement of the balls and announced, "Solids."

There were a few straight shots, or at least, the following shots would be if Seto could make sure to put a back spin on the cue ball, and ricochet it off the bumper after it hit the two, he would be able to get at least the first three in with little to hinder himself.

"So, are we smiling in these pictures tomorrow or what?" Joey asked.

"Whatever you prefer," Seto answered. He tapped in the two and watched as the cue ball moved to the exact position he was planned for it to end up. It gave him an easy line on the seven, so he moved around the edge of the table.

"I mean, it's not like it's a happy day for anyone. At least, no one who is going t'be there. I'm beginning t'think they'd rather let the war go on."

"That does seem to be a possibility."

Seto hit the seven, but didn't end up with as clear of a shot on any of the other solids. Maybe if he was able to jump over the ten, if he could hit the ball at the right angle, it might land in the corner pocket over by Mokuba.

"You just don't seem like much of a smiley person."

"Smiling is ill-suited to me."

"Mokuba gets you to smile a lot."

Hearing his name, Mokuba looked over to Seto for a translation. Seto waited to answer or translate while he bent forward to check his aim, wanting to ensure perfection and make sure that his calculations were right. His real problem would come in the actual jumping portion, since it had been a while since he had practiced that he wasn't sure if he would clear the ten.

His jump made it over, but he put too much force on it. Seto straightened his back and decided to answer Mokuba first.

"He commented that you can make me smile."

"Of course I can. I am way nicer than he is."

With Joey watching, Seto hated that Mokuba made him smile, as if proving that point.

"You can hardly expect my brother not to make me smile."

"Your dad doesn't."

"You have met my father. I suppose you have figured out why."

Joey did a lap of the table while surveying his options. He used his cue stick to measure out some angles on shots, making some clicking sounds with his tongue.

"If you shove cake in my face tomorrow, I may punch you in front of everyone," Joey said.

"I agree with the sentiment."

"I get that we need pictures to advertise all this," Joey said, knocking in the nine before continuing. "-but I just need us to avoid that photographer as much as possible."

"Joseph," Pegasus said as he approached the table. He still held a dart, and somehow had ended up with a glass of wine in the other hand. "You will not avoid the camera."

"It's my wedding," Joey mumbled. He hit two in with one shot.

"It is a wedding for two countries, and I'm sure that they will want to see the two of you looking happy."

Seto noticed Mokuba had edged away when Pegasus approached their game. He understood Mokuba's anxiety about being that close to the king, and while Seto didn't feel the urge to create distance between them, he was more uncomfortable in the man's presence. There was just something off about the way the king looked at Seto and reacted to the things he said, particularly those things regarding his work at Kaiba Corporation.

"I'd rather get through tomorrow with as little attention as possible. I realize that's asking a lot, seeing as how it's my wedding and all, but even so, I want the focus off of me and onto something more interesting."

Seto chose not to answer in favor of hitting his next two shots. He wanted to end the game before Joey got the chance to sweep the victory from him, but ended up missing on the eight ball, and having to give control of the table back to Joey.

"What time does your flight leave tomorrow?" Pegasus asked.

"Seven," Gozaburo said.

With a nod and a glance at the dart in his hand, Pegasus said, "I thought about getting the boys a flight over to the Falls for tomorrow, but with so much publicity going on, I figured driving would be best. Kaiba-boy, you had been told about the drive tomorrow?"

"I have been, your majesty."

He had been told about it that morning. Téa gave him the information in passing while instructing him about packing up Seto's room. Apparently, the plan was to move all of Seto's things over to Joey's suite while they were away, everything he didn't pack for the honeymoon. He was supposed to leave his bags for the trip, along with anything else he might need to take on the bed, and his things would be packed in the car for him during the wedding. He supposed it was a good thing, then, that he hadn't received the chance to bring his things from home earlier.

Seto didn't know why he assumed that the house staff would rifle through his things. It was just a nagging sensation he couldn't ignore.

"You won't need to worry about a thing, Mr. Kaiba. Joseph's team of guards will be accompanying them, along with a small group of our regulars."

Seto felt like he missed part of the discussion, but it also could have just been Pegasus's tendency to jump between subjects without a transition. He had been paying more attention to the dwindling number of balls on the table.

"I doubt allowing anything to happen to Seto would reflect well on your ability to run your country," Gozaburo said, somehow managing to keep the words sounding civil.

Pegasus chuckled and took a sip from his glass. "No, I suppose you're right. After they return, I'll hold interviews to see about getting Seto his own set of bodyguards. Joseph's have been stretched a bit thin this week trying to watch them both."

Joey made his way to the eight ball while their fathers were talking. With a glance at Seto, he called a pocket by tapping on it, giving Seto a pointed stare to make sure that Seto understood the gesture. Seto watched as Joey leaned forward, halfway across the table, sticking out his tongue in focus.

"Your consideration of my son is truly remarkable. Is it possible for me to take a part in that selection process? I would like to be able to keep up with Seto even from a distance."

Joey's shot landed in the called pocket, ending the game. Seto sighed, and knew he would have to be content having lost by one, although he didn't like what it seemed to say about the future.

"I think Seto is keeping you well informed. You have nothing to worry about when it comes to his well-being. I assure you, he is very important to us."

Gozaburo laughed softly and reached into a pocket near him to pull out the eight ball.

"You lost, Seto," he said.

"I did."

"See, dad? I told you Duke wasn't just letting me win."

"Or maybe Seto lost on purpose," Pegasus said. He took another sip from his glass, and Seto's fingers itched to have his own glass of wine. His mind wanted the slight buzz as well.

"Sometimes, Dad, I feel like you don't know Seto like I do. Guy's too pretentious to just let me win."

"Guy is also standing here," Seto said, not even trying to hide the words under his breath.

"Play me again," Joey said. "Just to prove to Dad that I'm totally winning on purpose."

"I highly doubt you would lose on accident."

"Can I play?"

"After Mokuba has a turn," Seto said. He handed Mokuba the cue stick he had been using and told Joey that there was no need to go easy on Mokuba just because he was young. Mokuba wouldn't like it if Joey let him win out of pity or trying to be cute.

"Rack them up, little man."

Mokuba did, happy to have his turn, and seeming to understand what to do when Joey held up the rack.

"You want to break?"

When Joey gestured at the racked balls, Mokuba shook his head and returned the gesture. Joey nodded, and Mokuba smiled. It was a very minor bit of communication, but Mokuba seemed happy for what little he could get since Seto wasn't having to interpret every sentence.

They got started and Gozaburo continued to subtly glower in Pegasus's direction. Seto wondered if his father would be less inclined to lash out at the king if Seto was allowed to continue to work from America. The subject had to be broached eventually regarding what Seto would be doing daily after the wedding. This charity work nonsense that Bakura had mentioned would never slide.

"Do you doubt my ability to take care of Kaiba-boy, Mr. Kaiba?"

"I am sure that you would feel the same if you were in my situation."

"Is there a reason you are pressing this so much?" Seto asked. He looked across the table, past Mokuba taking a shot on the three, and at Gozaburo.

"I did not waste the past twenty-one years making you into my heir just to have that slip away."

"And here I thought it was all because you cared."

Mokuba glanced up at Seto while the conversation was going back and forth over his head. He had missed the shot, so Seto glanced down to see that Joey was winning, but only by two.

When Seto checked with Joey, he got a shrug in response.

"I care about my company, Seto. If you are unable to work, then we are going to be behind in our task output. How do you think that is going to reflect on me?"

"I think people might understand since your son was traded off to a foreign country. You have a right to be a little distracted."

"Have you learned nothing about business practices? No one cares about you. They will forget about you by Monday. All they will notice is that Kaiba Corporation is putting out inferior products than before."

Mokuba had kept his head down while Gozaburo and Seto were talking. Pegasus kept an amused eye on the situation, taking casual sips from his glass and twirling the dart around his fingers.

"I still fail to see how their ability to keep me guarded relates to the running of your business."

"If something were to happen to you, it would reflect poorly on me," Gozaburo said.

"You know it's super rude to talk in front of people while they can't understand you," Joey said. It was still his shot, but he was taking longer between each one than he had with Seto.

"Then you get to understand what it is like to be Mokuba right now," Seto said, then to Gozaburo, "Should I apologize for being such an inconvenience to you?"

Seto hadn't realized that he was leaning forward until Mokuba tapped him with the end of his cue stick. Unlike the others in the room, Mokuba was able to understand their discussion.

"Watch your volume and remember your place. Which just so happens to be under that boy."

"If you will excuse me, your majesty, your highness, I think I will retire for the evening. I am going to bed, Mokuba."

"I'm sure you could use the rest before tomorrow," Pegasus said.

Seto gave the king a slight bow and ignored Joey altogether. There were still half a dozen balls spread out over the felt, so Seto let Mokuba know that it was okay if he wanted to stay down to finish.

"So you are running away because you dislike the truth?" Gozaburo asked.

"I would tell you to just go home, but I would like Mokuba to be here tomorrow. Feel free to argue pointlessly with King Pegasus about my well-being, even if it is just for show."

Waiting no longer to go, Seto spun on his heel to walk back toward the elevator. One of the guards walked to follow him, and Seto wished it could have been any of the guards he was familiar with. All the stranger's presence did now was remind Seto of his situation, that he would have strange gazes on him for potentially the rest of his life.

Mokuba must have decided to play out the game, because he didn't head up with Seto. Seto couldn't look back into the room, so he kept his gaze down on his crossed arms. He stayed over to the side by the elevator buttons to keep the most distance that he could between the guard and himself.

His hands were shaking, even though his fingers clutched his arms. It wasn't that he ever imagined Gozaburo was concerned for Seto on a personal basis, but treating him like a business item was still a bit much. And mentioning being under Joey in front of Mokuba just set it over the edge.

When he reached the fourteenth floor, Seto stormed out of the elevator and over to his room. He needed to pack, so that gave his hands something to do and his mind something to focus on. It wouldn't take that long, and Seto couldn't work that slowly. Mokuba would come up after a few minutes; Seto couldn't fathom him staying downstairs any longer than the game he was currently playing.

But before Seto did anything, he pushed Mokuba's backpack to the bottom of the bed and collapsed down on it. He messed up his hair, which had been styled a certain way for the entirety of the rehearsal, ruffling his bangs until his hair obscured a lot of his vision. It didn't matter. He almost took out his contacts while lying down.

While he was thrilled to see Mokuba walking through the doors at the venue for the rehearsal dinner, seeing Gozaburo there had dampened his mood. He understood that Gozaburo was expected to be present if at all possible, and Mokuba wouldn't have been allowed to come alone. It wouldn't speak well about the Kaiba family if Mokuba showed up for the wedding and Gozaburo stayed in Japan.

If the general public was going to forget about Seto by the upcoming Monday, he was surprised Gozaburo would have gone through the effort.

Seto stayed in bed until Mokuba opened the door. The amount of time that passed couldn't have been that long, so Seto assumed that he was right in his guess that Mokuba had just finished out the game.

"Sorry, Niisama."

"What Otousan says is not your fault."

"He is just mad about losing you."

"Because I am so thrilled."

Mokuba sat on the bed beside Seto, who sat up and brushed his hair from his eyes. Mokuba loosened his bow tie and got it off, tossing it over to his backpack.

"I hate not understanding anything."

"I know. I am doing what I can."

"I am just glad you understand everyone. Imagine being stuck here without knowledge of the language."

"How are things going at home?" Seto asked.

"Otousan is very cranky because you are gone and your team is falling apart."

Getting up, Seto took off his own jacket and tie, leaving them on the bed to be packed. He slipped out of his shoes and kicked them over away from the bed, taking a second to roll up his sleeves before getting started.

"My team should be fine without me. They went to school and received the same training that I did."

"Since when are you modest?"

Seto smirked and walked around the bed to his closet. Most of his clothing was hanging up, so none of that could be taken down before the morning. But his shoes were inside, and all but the pair he needed for the wedding, and maybe a pair to wear down for breakfast in the morning, could be packed up.

Téa had left a few suitcases and garment bags over by the door for Seto to pack inside. As he walked by the armchair that had the garment bags draped over, he picked them up to go ahead and zip over the suits he had hung up.

"I think America is ruining me," Seto said, and although he was aiming for a light tone, it sounded sarcastic even to him.

"I hate this, Niisama. I need you to come home."

"That probably will never happen. After 'I do,' this is going to be my life."

"You are being punished for being smart and rich. Maybe I am sounding a bit spoiled, but they cannot just make you get married for some treaty. I mean, who even does that anymore?"

"America and Japan, apparently."

And tomorrow, he would be married.

Thanks for reading!

You can expect an update on Sunday, March 26th.