Glass

Bakura woke up with a groan, shuffling and grabbing Seto's attention. He put down his book and turned from his spot in the bathroom doorway to see Bakura struggling to sit. He inched closer to the edge of the bed before correcting himself.

"Need help?" Seto said.

"No, I think I've – just give me a, a second," Bakura said, scooting back until the wall was behind him for support. He took a deep breath before adding, "I don't mind taking the floor."

"It's easier to get on and off than the bed," Seto said, like that was the reason. Bakura took another breath once he was upright and in the darkness of the bedroom, Seto couldn't make out his face.

"This is your space though."

"It's yours for the week."

"A week?"

Seto nodded.

Bakura's arms, wrapped up as they were, seemed to hug more tightly to himself. "I wasn't sure how long."

"Apparently," Seto said, trying to sound withdrawn, "It's how long he needs to get your room ready."

Bakura turned his face to the light and a flicker of fear left, only to be replaced with a heartbreaking hope. Seto couldn't look away from him, not without giving Bakura the answer he clearly needed to hear.

"Said you needed to be more self-sufficient."

A smile broke out and was hidden away, pressed against his knees. He probably didn't want to get his hopes up. It wasn't like Seto actually knew where he would be going to after. It might be worse than this room, which for Seto would be tragic, but for Bakura, might still be a relief.

"Could I-" Bakura started, pausing before starting over, "Could you get me some water?"

Seto nodded and stood. Bakura's cup was still on the floor where Pegasus left it, within Seto's reach. It was empty, so Seto refilled it from the sink and brought it back to Bakura, who had moved closer to the edge of the bed and the bathroom light.

The cup stayed where it was for several seconds, long enough for Seto to think through how exactly to give Bakura a sip. The idea was simple enough, but he didn't want to end up tilting the cup too much, causing water to pour all over Bakura, or too little so he got nothing. And how was he supposed to know when Bakura was finished? Did sips last a certain period of time?

"I'm sorry about this," Bakura said.

"You can't apologize constantly."

"But I am sorry."

"Keep it to yourself."

Seto held the cup to Bakura's lips and tilted it back. He kept a close eye for any sign that he was doing something wrong, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. He caught the slight motion of Bakura pulling away from the cup and took it away.

"Thanks."

"The gratitude is unnecessary."

"I'm not going to be able to pay you back."

"I didn't ask you to."

Seto walked Bakura's cup over the shelf. Bakura's cup matched Seto's, so he kept them on different shelves to differentiate. He sat back where he had been, but with his back away from the glass this time so he could face Bakura.

"Have you been in here this whole time?" Bakura asked.

Seto nodded.

"I started out upstairs. Then a dungeon. Then-"

The last then had Seto the most interested. He wanted to know what had turned Bakura into the scared, dirty ghost he had seen that morning. It couldn't have just been the dungeons or the time. But Bakura didn't go on, so Seto prompted him.

"He said your necklace keeps coming back."

"He keeps trying to escape."

It wasn't the subject Seto wanted, but he could play along. "How does that work?"

Bakura's laugh was quiet and raspy. "I wish I knew. It comes back and he takes over when it does."

"Even if he can't get away?"

Bakura started to speak, but stopped and shook his head. He brought his knees up to his chest and rested his chin on them, his feet rubbing on the edge of the mattress. "Sometimes, lately, he just gives me a break."

"It was that bad?"

Bakura nodded as best as he could with his knees under his chin. "Yeah," he said, a breath.

And because he had all week to get information from Bakura, Seto said, "You don't have to tell me."

Bakura shifted around a little, mostly moving his arms within their confines.

"I thought you'd fight back."

"There's no getting out of this room without guard or restraints."

"So you've been alone this whole time?"

Seto debated telling Bakura about Mokuba. But at some point, if everything went according to Pegasus's plan, then Bakura would find out on his own. They already had a big enough enemy without alienating one another. And he didn't want to lie to prevent getting caught in it later, so he picked the simplest form of the truth.

"I've seen Mokuba twice. Not for very long. He painted that picture on the wall."

Bakura tried to move back further, but with the wall holding most of his weight, just managed to rock back and forth. "Is he doing well?"

Snorting, Seto said, "He's been trapped here same as us. Better accommodations, I'm told."

The mention of accommodations made Bakura's expression fall from interested to horrified. Seto wanted to ask, but thought better of it. Bakura would bring it up on his own and that would prove he trusted Seto. Bakura might be a good ally.

And if Bakura's darker personality was so good at escaping, he might be good to have around in the future, after the straitjacket days.

"I know that my friends are here. Have you seen anything from them?"

"No."

"Have you asked after them?"

Seto shook his head.

Bakura smiled, small and weak, but even so, Seto hadn't thought it would be an option for him. "It's nice to see that after so long in here, you haven't changed."

"I wouldn't have agreed to you staying half a year ago."

Seto heard the breath and waiting for the follow up, "Why did you?" decided to screw his plan and tell the truth.

"He promised I could see Mokuba again. Longer, this time."

And Bakura started to cry.

Seto's body locked up, unsure of how to handle someone other than Mokuba crying. Sure, he had gotten Mokuba through plenty tears, but that was Mokuba, his brother, his charge. Bakura was a stranger, but a stranger left in Seto's care, and he was now crying out of nowhere.

He didn't know what to say to someone who was not Mokuba and was crying. Was he supposed to say something? But if Pegasus was watching through the camera, which he certainly would be, and Seto didn't do anything then he might take that to mean Seto wasn't upholding his end of their agreement.

So Seto got up and sat on the bed, blocking Bakura from the eye of the camera even though the room was probably dark enough to keep any details vague. And he sat close enough that it would look like he was comforting Bakura in case someone was watching.

"Did I say something?" Seto asked.

"I'm sorry. I've never-" Bakura had to pause when a sob broke through. "-I don't like crying. It's just, it's all this. What is this?"

"Fucked up?" Seto said without much of a better way to describe the situation.

"Why is he doing this though?"

And on that note, Seto decided to lie. "I'm sure he has his insane reasoning."

It wasn't a lie so much as just avoiding the truth. Seto didn't much care to go along with Pegasus's request to keep quiet about the life for a life discussion, but starting off with that news would be bad for everyone involved. It could wait; Seto could wait.

"He's never going to let us go, is he?"

Seto shook his head. "It doesn't seem that way."

It brought out more tears, but the sobbing was under control. His hair, which had dried into odd waves and frizz, covered his eyes while he lowered his face down to his knees. It probably needed to be brushed, and that would be a task that fell to Seto. He would wait until Bakura brought up a need for it.

"Why are you so calm about this?" Bakura asked.

"Lack of a better option."

"Maybe you've changed more than I thought."

The answer was obvious, but Seto said it regardless.

"He has Mokuba."

Bakura lifted his head, two red imprints from his knees on his cheeks. His eyes were dark too, slightly swollen around the edges, but the tears had slowed. He still looked tired, but it could have been the posture giving Seto a false read because the room was too dim to see details clearly.

"I'm doing what I can to go along with him, you know? He just keeps fighting back and I can't convince him to stop."

"He should wait for an opportunity."

Bakura rolled his eyes, a thin trail of tears threatening. "I don't understand him. He has things to do that I'm not allowed to know about. Being here doesn't fit in with his schemes."

"Doesn't fit in with mine either, but I'm not trying to worsen the situation."

"Try telling him that."

"I will. That necklace appears, just go into the bathroom. There aren't cameras in there."

"Why? You won't get anything out of helping me."

Seto leaned back now that Bakura had stopped crying, staying on the bed and facing the same direction as Bakura. Bakura's shoulder touched Seto's arm, but Seto wasn't sure if it could be felt through the straitjacket or not.

"It's my job to help you for the week," Seto said, but Bakura didn't respond, so Seto assumed he must have misspoken. To clarify, he added, "Besides, to get Pegasus to let down his guard, we all need to cooperate."

"How do we even get off an island?"

"Steal a boat and pack provisions. Head a direction he doesn't expect."

"Certainly he could track us."

"If I found the GPS, I could disable it. That's not to say he couldn't follow from a satellite or any other means he has at his disposal."

"That whole plan seems unlikely."

Seto shrugged and tried to avoid looking up at the camera. Back on the first day, Pegasus had spoken to him without being present and presumably heard Seto's responses. He had heard the speaker's crackle at the time, but that wasn't to say Pegasus couldn't hear them now.

"It wouldn't work. He'll have prepared for it."

"Wishful thinking?"

"Right now, I'm only thinking about getting upstairs to Mokuba. Once I'm sure he is fine, I'll figure out the next step."

"This must be hard for him," Bakura said. "Being back here."

"I haven't had the chance to ask him. He seems," Seto paused in search of the right word, glancing over at the painting on the wall, although OKAY didn't sound like the right way to describe him. "-exhausted. I can't convince Pegasus that this isolation will eat away at the kid."

"How old is he now?"

"Fourteen."

"When was the last time you saw him?"

Talking about Mokuba sent waves of heat up Seto's neck. Anger, anger and rage began to take over and Seto couldn't allow that on camera. But Bakura didn't know any better. After all, none of the dolt squad knew much about him other than KaibaCorp and Mokuba. Of course Bakura would end up addressing those subjects.

"On his birthday, almost two months ago."

Bakura's slow exhale was enough of a reply, but he said, "That's too long."

"I'm missing his childhood," Seto said before he could filter himself. It was too personal of a statement to have just thrown out, but could possibly work back in his favor. He would just need to limit those sort of replies in the future and pay more careful attention to what he said.

"I understand," Bakura said, and when Seto met his gaze, about to question the sentiment, Bakura's eyes grew large and he threw out, "I mean, it's nothing. My father, uh, he was gone a lot."

Seto let it slide.

"If all goes well this week, it will be another two months until I see Mokuba again."

At Seto's statement, Bakura leaned closer to Seto's side. It had to be intentional that time, so Seto popped his back as an excuse to add space between them once again.

"Did we do something to deserve this? I thought that, well, Yugi had said that Pegasus changed."

"Something must have changed again."

The speaker clicked on, the lights came up, and both Seto and Bakura turned to Pegasus.

"Look at you two, all chummy and bonding."

"If you brought in a chair, we wouldn't have to share a sitting arrangement."

Pegasus carried a plate in either hand, setting one of them down on the chair before sliding the other through the hatch. Bakura watched in interest, but Seto ignored Pegasus, deciding instead to grab Bakura's cup from the shelf and refill it.

"Well, Ryou, has Kaiba-boy been an efficacious host thus far?"

When Bakura glanced up at Seto, squinting slightly, Seto said, "Effective."

"Oh, then yes."

"Kaiba here prefers to keep his vocabulary so restrictive. I bet there are all sorts of words in there he just never makes time to use."

"I can think of several fitting words right now."

"You'll have to ignore him half the time as well. His filter is usually a little off. Oh, the coffee. Hold on."

Bakura pulled his knees up closer to him, pressing his lips together as if to communicate his lack of interest in joining in the conversation. Seto supposed it was a little disconcerting for him to fall so casually into an insulting match with Pegasus considering their circumstances. But regardless, it wasn't like a glass wall was going to change Seto.

"Did you notice anything I forgot to bring?" Pegasus asked once he returned, giving Seto the mug and taking a seat in his chair.

Seto answered for both of them since Bakura hadn't been awake long enough to check. Seto hadn't found anything missing, not that there was much more room for anything else to be added.

"Your time is combined so I'll have more to go check on the progress of the room we're working on," Pegasus said. He looked from Seto to Bakura. "I think you'll find it quite satisfactory."

"I don't have to go back?" Bakura asked. That hopefulness he had been trying to hide earlier returned, and Seto walked back over to his spot by the bookshelf to stay out of their way, giving his attention to the coffee.

"We'll see. Hopefully this can hold him just as well."

"He's been good."

"Because he knows he can't get out of there. Like our Kaiba-boy, he'll start fighting as soon as he sees his chance."

Seto lifted a palm. "You're assuming."

"Drawing you into the conversation. Don't think that I'm going to just let you hide in a corner."

The way he phrased it brought back a memory of him telling Seto moving in with Mokuba wouldn't be possible before Pegasus knew he wasn't going to be ignored. Having Bakura here would give Seto a chance to disprove the fear.

"Then discuss something I can comment on after Bakura's new room."

"The room will be ready in a week. Conversation concerning it can wait."

From Bakura's expression, he didn't like the idea, but kept his mouth closed.

After so long of being one-on-one with Pegasus, adding another person into the mix threw Seto off. Personal conversations had never been in his wheelhouse, but he at least wanted to believe that he could handle himself better than this. He led plenty of business meetings and discussions, not a one of them with less than ten people. He could talk to two at once.

But putting three people together who hardly knew each other proved more difficult. Seto knew little about Pegasus aside from the persistent get-to-know-me conversations and he knew much less about Bakura. Small-talk topics were out of the question, leaving Seto with very few possibilities.

"Bakura wanted to know about the others."

"Meaning my guests who aren't Mokuba?" Pegasus said.

Bakura nodded.

"They're doing well for the most part. I think we've reached our settling in phase almost all around."

Seto didn't know what information or what questions Bakura had asked, so Seto looked to him to continue the conversation. Most of the information, if not all of it, would be useless anyway.

"Where are they?" Bakura asked. His knees muffled his words and Pegasus must not have been able to hear them, because he looked to Seto, who repeated the question.

"All upstairs save our Mr. Wheeler."

"Why not Joey?"

Bakura spoke loudly enough that time that Seto didn't need to mediate and Pegasus was able to answer, "If he would just stop shouting at me, I'd love to offer him the opportunity. He is, however, intent on refusing me on all accounts."

"Six months in and he still isn't letting you talk?" Seto said, actually impressed.

"The day has come. We've found someone with a superior stubborn streak than you, Kaiba-boy."

You have Mokuba would have been an easy response, but Seto settled for shaking his head and crossing one arm across his chest, the other still holding the mug. There was no need to restate old facts about the situation for clarification. Everyone knew about Mokuba.

"Are they all still alone?"

"Our Téa has been visiting with Little Mokuba from time to time."

"Really?" Seto asked. His arm fell to his side as he faced Pegasus. "You didn't tell me."

"You didn't ask."

"Unprompted information isn't such a bad thing. I would have appreciated that information."

"Well," Pegasus said, biting his lip as he paused. "He isn't taking too well to her."

"He likes her."

"She isn't you."

"He isn't that dependent on me."

"Maybe you should tell him that."

There wasn't anywhere to hide in the room with the bedding and bookshelf to Seto's left, Bakura in front of him, and Pegasus to his right. The best Seto could do was tilt his face down and away from Pegasus to think through the news. He thought Mokuba would enjoy having someone else around, if just to break the daily monotony. It was all Seto could do for him at this point. Mokuba had to know he was trying.

Right?

Seto received evidence of Mokuba's well-being, but nothing was being sent the other way. Aside from any specific questions asked, Mokuba wouldn't have new knowledge of Seto's progression or cooperation. And worse, Pegasus's treatment of Mokuba might not be the same as Seto. Maybe Pegasus did hide things from Mokuba or lie to him. Maybe he had been lying to Seto this whole time about everything.

But Seto couldn't think that way, not if he wanted to get out of this cage. It didn't matter if every syllable Pegasus spoke proved to be a lie. Seto had to take him at his word.

"You know, Kaiba-boy, you didn't even offer Ryou his meal."

That was true. He had gotten used to waiting for Pegasus to leave, but Bakura would have eaten immediately since Pegasus had to assist. Bakura's spot came after Seto's though, which he could use to justify the fact that Bakura wasn't eating any later than normal.

"I'm fine with however Kaiba does things," Bakura said.

"He's supposed to be making concessions for you. If you need something, you have to let him know."

Thinking of Mokuba, Seto said, "I dislike the admission, but he is right."

Seto needed to try harder, because his current level of cooperation wasn't enough. But increasing it anymore would mean actually giving in. The faked surrender wasn't working.

"I asked for water earlier," Bakura said, almost defensively.

Seto tilted his head in acknowledgement of the point. He had asked for breakfast that morning as well. There would end up being more pressing needs that night, Seto was sure. He appreciated Bakura waiting until Pegasus was gone to make any requests.

"Don't you two go teaming up against me now. You want to be my friend here, right Kaiba-boy?"

Seto glared but nodded once. If Pegasus didn't want him to tell Bakura the truth, he shouldn't bring up lead in sentences. Seto wanted Bakura on his side and he couldn't gain that by lying to him.

He dropped his head and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. Even his conscience started to sound like Pegasus. It was still in his own voice, at least.

"You know, with you down in that other room, we haven't had much time to get to know each other," Pegasus said.

Bakura's expression turned blank, but he scooted away from the wall so his legs hung over the edge of the bed. Seto didn't know if the straitjacket made him look hunched or if it was actually his posture, but the position didn't seem comfortable.

"What do you want to know?"

Bakura's feet barely grazed the blanket covering the floor. The blanket was part of Seto's bed for the week, and he grimaced at someone else putting their feet on it, but said nothing about it. He was not going to start an argument—or in Bakura's case, just cause an affront—with Pegasus right there.

"Were you attending a university?"

Bakura shook his head. "I haven't finished high school."

"No? That's a shame. Did you have plans to?"

"I was studying for my GED. There wasn't much time."

"We've got nothing but time now. You wouldn't mind tutoring him down the line, would you, Kaiba?" Pegasus asked, both hands on his knees, but that finger still pointing.

"I wouldn't mind."

"That settles it. Once we're all up in our rooms, we can start a tutoring service. I'm sure Little Mokuba will want to join in."

Bakura nodded and didn't ask the obvious question, so Seto did for him. "Does that mean you'll let them take the test?"

"Unfortunately no. But the knowledge will still be useful."

"You know, if he ever needs to know calculus on your island."

"Tone, Kaiba," Pegasus said, then brighter, "This will be good for everyone."

"I'd like it, if you don't mind," Bakura said.

"It's fine."

"I'll be sure to stock up on textbooks for when the time comes. What else do we have, hm, ah yes. What were some of your aspirations?"

Whether Bakura noticed the tense of Pegasus's statements or not, he didn't comment. Maybe he already accepted that everything before the island was in the past, unlike Seto, who still expected a future.

Seto found himself surprised when the realization hit him. He wouldn't have thought less of Bakura for accepting this nonsense. If he was really as traumatized as he appeared, then Bakura was doing what he needed to in order to make it through. Accepting Pegasus might have been the only way to hold on to his sanity.

"I didn't expect one," Bakura said, quietly again, but Seto didn't repeat the words. It didn't feel like his place, and if Pegasus needed to know that badly, he could ask again, which he did.

"Um," Bakura said, looking up at Seto then back down at his own chest. "Travel? Just see what's around, I guess."

"World travel is a spectacular adventure. I myself have only been to a few countries, but my times there were phenomenal. Did you want to go anywhere in particular?"

Bakura frowned and rolled his head to either side. Seto heard his neck pop while Bakura winced.

"Egypt?" he said, the word sounding more like a question than it should have.

"Kaiba-boy, have you checked for his Ring?"

"I haven't."

"Be a lamb and do."

Seto set down his mug and walked over to the bed, searching for the zipper Pegasus had mentioned. Bakura wasn't looking at him, but staring blankly behind Seto. Reaching for the zipper was more awkward because of his lack of attention, but Seto pulled it down enough that he could check underneath.

Seto didn't know what he was looking at. He closed his eyes and told himself that taking off his glasses would be evidence that something was wrong. Maybe it was an odd reflection. He recognized the necklace Bakura so frequently wore, but it seemed transparent.

Although Bakura had nothing on underneath the straitjacket, Seto reached his fingers down to feel for it, only for them to pass through.

"Well?" Pegasus asked.

Seto couldn't find a way to describe what was happening without sounding insane, and rather than stumble through some convoluted description, he just rezipped the straitjacket and stepped back.

"Nothing yet."

"You seemed taken back. Are you lying?"

"I didn't feel anything. As soon as there is something, I'll toss it in the hallway."

Pegasus's lips turned downward, but after a moment of appraisal, his gaze shifted over to Bakura. "And Ryou? Are you feeling okay?"

Bakura nodded. "I'm fine. Just lightheaded."

Pegasus sent suspicious glances at both of them and Seto said, "If you'll give me the key to this, I'll show you myself."

"No, no. I'll believe you, I suppose. Trust and all. But you will keep an eye out?"

"Of course."

"Now then, we were discussing travel. Did you only want to see Egypt?"

Bakura still appeared to be in a daze, but he just closed his eyes and said, "Ireland. Australia. England. Africa."

"Egypt is in Africa," Pegasus said.

"More of Africa," Bakura said.

They continued talking geography while Seto moved back to his spot and kept an eye on Bakura. If the Ring reappeared at random times, it would make sense for it to phase in like it seemed to be. Or at least Seto assumed that would make sense. He had seen Yugi wearing his necklace for years and never witnessed it reappear or disappear.

If it came back as often as Pegasus made it seem, then Bakura certainly was aware of it. He lied right along with Seto. He must have wanted Seto to talk to the spirit – although the thought alone nearly had Seto rolling his eyes – to risk lying this soon after getting out.

They would need to stage finding the Ring after Seto had gotten a chance to get whatever information Bakura's other half had to offer. They couldn't try anything in front of the camera, but with the straitjacket, Seto had to go into the bathroom with Bakura. They could talk for maybe five minutes before the person behind the camera got suspicious. It would have to be enough.

"Well, Kaiba-boy?"

Seto turned to Pegasus and blinked.

"What?"

"Where's your favorite place to travel?" Pegasus asked, his tone slow as if speaking to a child.

"I don't like traveling."

"Oh?" Pegasus said, keeping his tone and rocking back in his chair. "You always seemed to be out of town when I tried to schedule a visit."

"A wise decision on my part."

He sat close enough to the glass that he could rap his knuckles against it. Pegasus's lips raised on one side. He adjusted the lapels of his suit, a reminder that he was dressed to the nines and Seto wore pajamas.

"You're such a grouch sometimes. And here I've brought you a friend so you wouldn't be so lonely."

As not to insult Bakura, Seto kept silent.

"Well, that's about all the time I have for tonight. Are you sure there's nothing else you can think of before I go?"

Bakura shook his head and Seto mimicked the action. The sooner Pegasus left, the sooner Seto could begin gathering information.

"Very well. Wave at the camera should you need anything. Ryou, just, oh I don't know, jump around or something should Kaiba-boy refuse to help you."

"I'm not refusing."

"Said the grouch before he had to actually do anything difficult."

Pegasus left with the lights still on. Seto stood as soon as Pegasus was out of sight, picking up both plates and carrying them to the bed. He faced away from the camera and asked under his breath, "Is it back?"

Thank you all for your support! Your feedback means so much to me!

You can expect an update on Saturday, April 9th.