Atem cracked an eyelid open, staring up at the curved surface of the stone ceiling, feeling a wave of nausea so strong, he had to close his eyes again.

Hating everything, Atem rolled out of bed and swam hazily to his door, inspecting his reflection on the mirrored surface. His skin looked dull, and dark circles clung stubbornly underneath his angular eyes.

I'm sick…again? Atem thought furiously, yanking his door open to swim slowly down to the hall towards the medic's chambers.

What was causing his sickness? Was it from residual side-effects of shore illness?
Or was it the blood loss from his reckless stunt?

Drifting weakly through the doors of the medic's chambers, Atem glanced around, noticing empty pods and beds. All was quiet. Where was everyone?

He sagged heavily against the door, feeling another horrible clenching wave of nausea overtake him. Out from the corner of his eye, Atem saw the nurse zooming towards him, reaching out to hold him steady.

"My king!" he cried anxiously, leading Atem to one of the nearest beds and gently easing him down onto the plush sponge mattress. "Rest here. She will be back soon…! She went to view a passing ship along with the others."

Atem turned over on his side, trying to stomach another wave of pain that stabbed through him, and he shut his eyes with his teeth tightly clenched.
It felt like someone had reached a hand down inside him and was twisting violently.
Was he dying? Because this was what dying felt like.
What had he done to deserve this pain?
This was probably another punishment from his horrible pact-making with Seto Kaiba.

On shore, Kaiba stumbled, and his knees hit the sand as a sharp jolt of nausea caught him off guard. He dropped the spear he'd been holding and gasped as his vision pulsed green, white, red, and his lungs grew impossibly tight.
He was suffocating.
Holding his breath tightly while the blood rushed loudly through his ears, Kaiba curled his fingers into the sand, his lungs screaming for air.
Why?
Why the fuck was this happening?

"Whoa! Man down!" Tristan cried anxiously, racing back to Kaiba across the beach. "Jou! Come back! One human down!"

Kaiba felt himself being pushed over onto his side, and Tristan's face hovered above him, his brow wrinkled in fear and worry.

Can't…fucking breathe! Kaiba thought frantically, grabbing his throat with both hands and shaking his head. Get me in the water!

"…Uh…normally, when people can't breathe, you don't drown them in water…" Tristan said uncertainly, patting Kaiba's pockets for the syringes of slugs. "Let's try this first!"

No! Don't waste those, you idiot! Kaiba coughed thinly, his fury rising as his vision began fading in and out. He rolled onto his stomach, eyeing the ocean's horizon, feeling as if his head was going to explode.
Air. He needed fucking air. Why couldn't he breathe?!

Something sharp stabbed him in the thigh, and Kaiba cursed furiously to himself, trying to crawl away from Tristan.

Joey came running towards them, his heart nearly stopping his chest when he saw Kaiba curled up on the ground by Tristan's knees, looking limp and lifeless.

Oh…shit.

He skidded to a halt, spraying Tristan's back with sand as he hovered over his friend, watching Kaiba behave strangely, grabbing his throat and thumping the sand with one fist.

"He's suffocating…" Joey whispered. He made a split-second decision and shoved Tristan aside roughly. "Move!"

He lunged forward and lifted Kaiba out of the sand with effort before he turned and raced back towards the water, feeling the waves rush steadily against his shins.

"W-Wait, what?! No! You'll kill him! He needs a doctor!" Tristan yelled, jumping to his feet and dashing after Joey, who was already waist-deep in water. He watched with rising horror as Joey dropped Kaiba into a large oncoming wave and dove down into the depths.

Cursing, Tristan ran into the water after them, powering through several large currents that nearly washed him back to shore, but he managed to kick off the shallow sand underneath him and swim forward, keeping his eyes peeled for his two companions.

Kaiba opened his eyes slowly, seeing his own hair floating in his peripheral vision, and Joey's concerned face hovered inches in front of him.

They were in shallow water, and the setting sun was sending streams of orange light around them.

Are you awake?! Can you breathe? Do I need to cut a hole in your throat? Joey asked nervously, and he held up his index finger with one long claw extended. I ain't a doc, but I see that's how they do it back where I'm from.

Get the fuck away from me! Kaiba jerked away and felt his back scrape against a rough bed of rock.

You mean, 'thanks for saving me'? Joey glared, pointing accusingly at Kaiba. You over-exerted yourself on land. Now we're even.

The blond merman swam upwards and popped his head up for air, treading water lightly as Tristan approached them quickly.

"Yo! What the fuck man?" Tristan cried, bobbing awkwardly in the water beside Kaiba and Joey, slightly dismayed that their spear-run had been cut short. "Is he dead? What's going on?"

Kaiba eyed the surface of the water fearfully, wondering if he would feel that horrible tightness in his chest again. Only one way to find out. He slowly rose up, first his forehead, then his eyes, nose, and mouth.

Inhaling tentatively, Kaiba trembled from head to toe, feeling his lungs ache strangely. He took another careful breath and felt the pain subside.

"I'm fine…" Kaiba said hoarsely, trying to stifle a cough that was climbing up his chest. "It was nothing."

"Nothin'? You almost died," Joey growled, turning away to look out over the horizon instead, his heart pounding rapidly with a mixture of guilt and anger. "You don't got much time left on land if you're suffocating randomly."

"I said…I'm fine," Kaiba hissed, curling his fists at his sides, resisting the urge to punch Joey. "You're getting on my nerves saying doom and gloom shit every time something happens."

"Because I've seen it before!" Joey whirled around furiously, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "You—"

"Shut up! Someone's coming!" Tristan yelled, holding his hands up for silence while he whipped his head around anxiously, searching for the source of the laugher he thought he'd heard.

The group fell silent and Kaiba listened intently, hearing a vaguely familiar giggle in the distance, but it seemed to be vibrating through the water. He wasn't hearing it through his ears.
Something in the water around them was carrying this sound and it made his hair stand on end.

The pretty face of the mermaid named Anzu with short brown hair flashed through his mind, and Kaiba grinned, trying to contain his excitement. Was it that time already? Atem's mermaid friends were back!

"…I don't hear nothin'," Joey said nervously, sinking his head underneath the water. "You're always hearing things Tristan."

Tristan gave Joey the middle finger, spinning comically around on the spot as he scanned the water around them with his eyes narrowed.

"Yeah, never mind dudes. You're right. I thought I heard something but it's nothing."

Kaiba glanced incredulously between his two companions, his confusion rising.

"It's the girls," Kaiba said stiffly, folding his arms across his chest, bobbing up and down against a gentle wave. "The blonde goddess and her short-haired friend."

Joey and Tristan stared blankly at Kaiba, tilting their heads in unison.

"How the hell do you know that?" Joey wrinkled his nose doubtfully. "Do you have Sight as well?"

"What the hell is 'sight'?" Kaiba asked fervently, his heart racing at the new information he was undoubtedly going to learn. "It's like visions, right?"

Tristan gave him a strange look, opening his mouth to speak, but before he could, pale arms wrapped around his neck, yanking him down underwater.

Joey let out a startled yell, and Kaiba saw a pair of arms raise up to drag him beneath the surface too.

"Boo!" Anzu cried, clinging onto Tristan as he thrashed clumsily, gurgling as he attempted to break away from her.

"Gotcha cowboy!" Mai laughed, pressing Joey's head between her large breasts while his face steadily grew redder and redder. "Surprise! We're back!"

"M-Mai…" Joey choked, kicking his legs out weakly as he felt a rush of excitement. Her boobs were right beside his ears and they were so soft.

Kaiba rolled his eyes and sank under the water to join them, and the women let go the second they spotted him.

Anzu released Tristan and hid behind him, keeping one arm draped over his shoulder. "H-Hey Mr. Kaiba." She waved apprehensively, seeing Kaiba give her a tight nod in response.

Mai shoved Joey away and swam demurely up to Kaiba, giving him a foxy smile.

"I see you're enjoying an evening swim. How are you, Mr. Kaiba?"

"Fucking great," Kaiba flashed her a smile he hoped didn't look like a grimace, and he held his hand out expectantly. "What did Atem say? Do you have anything for me?"

There was a long silence as the mermaids glanced anxiously at Joey and Tristan, who shot them equal looks of shock and confusion.

"What?" Kaiba withdrew his hand and opted to keep them crossed in front of his chest defensively. "Spit it out."

"In my experience, humans can't talk underwater," Mai said sweetly, bobbing gently up and down in the water as another wave rushed overhead. "And when they smile, they don't have fangs."

Kaiba blinked.

What?

"Right here," Anzu said nervously, pointing inside her own mouth and giving Tristan another look. "…When you smiled…"

Kaiba slowly slid his hands up his face and slipped a forefinger past his lips and into his mouth, feeling a sharp point graze dangerously against his knuckles.
Oh fucking shit.
What the fuck!
Shit. Shit! Would these go away after he got out of the water?
Fuck!

"And now he's panicking, acting as if we're fucking idiots," Joey grumbled, waving his hand over his shoulder dismissively. "Don't bother with this asshole."

Kaiba's heart skipped a terrifying beat after he heard this, and he dropped his arms to his sides, curling them into fists. "Hey!"

"Don't even bother hiding it anymore," Anzu said, composing herself as she swam out from behind Tristan's broad back. "Atem walked through your memories after he put on the rings. We know you're Pure, so just cut the act already."

"What act?!" Kaiba raged, running a frustrated hand through his floating hair to keep it out of his face. "The teeth? The fangs? These are all from—"

"Yeah, that you're stabbing yourself with dead scales and slugs to stay alive? We know." Tristan said, his face uncharacteristically dark. "We know, man. You don't have to pretend anymore."

Kaiba held his hands up in an exasperated surrender as he growled, "I was never pretending."

There was another long, uncomfortable silence before Mai broke it by leaning against the rock beside him to give him another sweet smile.

"New requests," she said, sounding bossy. "We want magazines and lipstick. That's our fee for delivering your love notes to Atem."

"Ooo! I want a bra!" Anzu added excitedly, and Kaiba felt his cheeks burn with fury and humiliation. These women were using him as a mule.

"What kind…of bra?" Kaiba asked through gritted teeth, and he felt Mai lean her shoulder against his, her hair draping over his arm like a golden waterfall as she giggled.

"Any kind will do! I like blues and pinks. Oh, can you get one with lace? And I didn't know you were so fluent. How sexy…."

Joey growled and glared but said nothing, shooting Kaiba a private thought.

Hey, man. Stop laying merspeak moves on her. Lemme get in there. You owe me!

"In return, here, these are from Atem," Mai said silkily, reaching down to slip her hand through Kaiba's much larger one, giving him a tight squeeze.

Swallowing thinly, Kaiba resisted the urge to pull away as she glided several beaded bracelets onto his wrist while their hands were still connected. He suppressed a shiver, feeling a rush of warmth and a strange tugging sensation deep inside his chest.

He recognized it as Atem's love…and longing.

Kaiba jerked away from her and edged closer towards Tristan, his heart racing as he nodded furiously at the mermaids who were gazing at him hopefully.

"You'll get your damn bras and lipstick," he said, having some difficulty finding his voice. "Thanks for the jewelry."

"He made it with you in mind," Anzu said quietly, staring at Kaiba whose expression had softened. He looked…quite forlorn. "Now let's go, Mai. Everyone is at the ship viewing. Let's get back before anyone notices we're gone."

"A ship viewing? Where?" Tristan asked excitedly, popping his head above water for a quick gulp of air before coming back down, grinning.

"Somewhere around here," Mai answered vaguely, kicking off the rock and looping her arm around Anzu's to pull her away slowly. "We'll meet you at Kaiba's Private Rock instead of here, okay? Atem has Mahad's schedule figured out, so we're safe."

"Yeah, alright. See you there," Joey nodded, waving energetically at Mai who was steadily swimming away without another look over her shoulder.

"We'll have all the stuff you want when you come back!" he called, still waving at the two women whose fins had become shadows in the distance.

"You mean I'll have all the shit they want," Kaiba growled. "Where the hell are you two dweebs going to get money to buy bras? You're broke."

"Will you shaddup?" Joey fumed, turning on Kaiba once more. "Your Camaraderie is so shitty, it's no fucking wonder you've been left alone."

"Hey, hey! No infighting," Tristan splashed water towards Joey and Kaiba, attempting to calm them both down. "We're a pod now, so let's get along, c'mon guys."

"As if anyone wants to be in a pod with this prick," Joey grumbled, ducking beneath the water and swimming away rapidly, his heart churning with turmoil. He knew Kaiba couldn't help the way he behaved because he'd been abandoned on land, but it still didn't stop the anger from gushing forth when they did fight.

Kaiba said nothing, watching Tristan give him a frustrated look before diving underneath the waves to swim back to shore.

A strange feeling swirled around in his chest, and Kaiba ran a hand through his hair again, hating how it was obscuring his vision every time the water moved.

Whatever. If these two dweebs wanted to call their odd friendship "a pod", he'd put up with it…for Atem.

Shoving the strange feelings back down his chest, he swam after Tristan, feeling the new bracelets burn on his arm as he pushed through the water. All that mattered was that Atem was still thinking about him.

Mana laughed delightfully as she raced through the water alongside the ship, hand-in-hand with Serenity, listening to the excited cheers from the other mer-people around them as they circled the hull.

The roar of the ship's engines was so loud, they had to shout to be heard or speak in their thoughts.

No one will see us, right? Serenity called, gripping Mana's arm tightly as someone darted past their noses so fast, the tips of their fins nearly grazed her cheek.

Hey! Watch where you're going! Mana cried angrily, clutching Serenity's arm tightly as a handsome merman waved apologetically at them.

Oh…he's cute. I forgive him, Serenity said earnestly, and Mana giggled.

Let's go somewhere with less people! Mana said, pulling her friend away from the streams of people surrounding the ship. Want to check out the front?

Yes! Oh, this is the largest vessel I've seen yet! Serenity smiled, swimming excitedly after Mana, her fins aching. I need to rest. Let's hang on to someone for a while, preferably a strong warrior who is a fast swimmer! How about that handsome man who ran into us earlier?

Mana nodded in agreement and they broke away from the crowd to swim closer against the hull of the ship, where she spied the railing of a ladder above their heads.

"Here!" Mana gasped, reaching an arm up to hang onto it, pulling Serenity along behind her, giggling and laughing. "Is this better?"

"Yes!" Serenity smiled and clung onto the railing tightly, enjoying the way the water rushed through her hair. This was so nice…!

Several feet above them, a party was happening in full swing on deck, under the silver stars. A man with long white hair leaned against the sleek metal railing of the ship, watching the people dance and sway happily to the live music on stage.

He gripped his wine glass tightly, turning around to observe the ocean behind him, his boredom quickly seeping in. Everyone was drunk and rowdy, dancing with their pretty partners all dressed up in their glittering evening wear. It only made him miss his darling even more.

Sighing heavily, he glanced down and saw a ghostly hand clinging onto the metal ladder on the side of the ship, and he dropped his glass in surprise, whirling around to cry out for help.

"Someone's overboard!" he shouted, but to his rising dismay, no one paid him any attention aside from a passing waiter, who held out a tray with a fresh glass of water ready for him.

"Mr. Pegasus, please don't drink too much," the waiter said seriously. Then, he pointed at a man sitting on a white wooden chair on the upper deck with a red life ring sitting lazily on his lap.

"The guard there will know if anyone has fallen over, and an alarm will sound."

"Wh—but, there's a hand, down there! They're hanging on for dear life!" Pegasus cried angrily, bending over the railing and pointing at the metal ladder, seeing nothing but a white rush of foam lapped against the side of the ship. The waiter peered over the edge too, and sighed, shaking his head.

"Enjoy your evening, Mr. Pegasus," and he walked away slowly with the empty tray tucked under his arm.

Furious, Pegasus set the glass of water down on the ground and leaned intently over the side, staring down into the dark waters. He wasn't crazy. He had distinctly seen a woman's hand gripping the metal rungs on the side, and he was determined to help her.

Mana gasped and ducked her head back down, motioning for Serenity to let go. A man wearing bright red was looking down in the water directly at them.

Serenity glanced up and saw a distorted face through the water, hearing frantic thoughts streaming down from above.

She's hurt? Did she drown? I know I saw her hanging on! Should I jump down?! If she's still there, I can help her!

No! Serenity cried, letting go of the metal rung to grab Mana's arm. He saw us! He thinks we're humans in need of help! He said he's going to jump down!

Then we'll tell him we're fine! Mana insisted, bravely sticking her hand out of the water and waving energetically before pressing her thumb to her index finger with three fingers raised, making an OK sign.

Pegasus felt the wind leave his lungs in a sudden whoosh as he stared down at the beautiful hand signing 'OK' for a split-second before it disappeared underneath another foamy wave.

Straining his neck further down, he leaned forward dangerously, his head rushing as the blood flooded his ears. A woman was definitely in the water…but she was fine….
What did this mean?!

"Mr. Pegasus! Look out!"

A strong hand wrapped around his chest, yanking him back from the edge, but Pegasus fought the man furiously.

"Let me go, you fool! I just saw…a phenomenon! It's a girl! A mermaid! A siren!"

"We'll rest in your room for the remainder of the evening," his manservant said, craning his head back to avoid a flailing arm that nearly knocked the glasses off his face. "You've had a bit too much to drink, Mr. Pegasus, please calm down!"

Is he going to be okay? Serenity asked worriedly, peering up at the railing, seeing the man vanish in an instant. Looks like another human pulled him back.

Let's leave, Mana said hastily, grabbing Serenity's arm again and letting the ship churn forwards through the water past them. We shouldn't poke our heads up to check anyway. It's against the rules.

Yeah, let's not tell anyone what we did, Serenity said nervously, swimming away quickly and seeing a group of their friends hovering in the distance. Oh! Look, there's Rebecca!

Agreed, Mana answered quietly, giving the surface one last guilty look before diving after Serenity, beating her tail heavily through the water. At least now, she had a story to tell Atem!

Joey weighed the car keys in his hand while watching Kaiba duck into the car, opening all the doors before closing them with a loud click! and he gave Tristan an nervous look.

He's acting crazy again, Tristan said with a huff, and Joey gave him a tight nod in response as Kaiba glared at them both.

"Now, if I find even a speck of dirt or a scratch on this vehicle, you're both dead," Kaiba said firmly, eyeing Tristan and Joey with deep suspicion. "Repeat it back to me so I know you idiots aren't taking this as an opportunity to go joyriding."

"No harm will come to this vehicle," Tristan chanted, rolling his eyes. "Man, we're just hitting up bookstores! Why you gotta be so uptight?"

He grabbed the keys from Joey and circled the car excitedly. "I call dibs on driving first!"

"What?! Hell no!" Joey cried, leaping into the roofless car and landing on his ass in the passenger seat, trying to wrestle the keys out from Tristan's fingers.

Kaiba pressed a finger and thumb to his temples, a headache building behind his ears while his companions jostled each other for the keys.

Tristan yanked his arm away from Joey and gave him a playful shove before sticking the keys into the ignition and starting the car with a loud roar.

"Damn! I like that!" He yelled over the rumble of the engine, flashing Kaiba a thumbs up. "We'll come back with books and magazines for the girls, don't worry!"

Joey buckled up with a sour look on his face, his eyes nailed to the steering wheel with envy as the car pulled off the driveway. Kaiba raised his head, shouting after them, "…no pornography!" But they were already past the black gate, laughing and blasting music as they drove away.

Gritting his teeth in annoyance, Kaiba stalked back up the marble steps into his home, nearly running head-first into Mokuba, who was wearing a tight, form-fitting black suit, looking oddly overdressed for a random sunny afternoon.

"Where are you going?" Kaiba asked, frowning as he noticed Mokuba had stolen one of his silk ties. "Hey, that's mine."

"Yeah, well, it's not like you get dressed up for stuff anymore anyway," Mokuba said, edging away from his older brother with a glare. "I have a photoshoot in the garden today, or did you forget because you're too busy having fun with your delinquent friends?"

"Right…" Kaiba nodded stiffly. He had forgotten.

"Are you coming?" Mokuba asked roughly, avoiding eye contact as he brushed past Seto and walked out into the bright afternoon sun. "They should be done setting up now."

Kaiba frowned, pointing half-heartedly towards the garage, "I was headed to the bookstore—"

"No," Mokuba cut across him rudely, and his eyes glinted strangely. "Those nerds are going to the bookstore. I heard them yelling about it, and you don't need to be seen in public with them. You can do the photoshoot with me, today. Now."

Kaiba opened his mouth to protest, but then he closed it when he heard spiteful thoughts from Mokuba, and they cut through him like a knife.

Seto needs to find friends his own age.
The last thing he needs is bad press.
Doesn't he know that everyone thinks he's a creep and a weirdo?!
He needs to do this photoshoot to improve his public image! Those two flunkies don't help!

"Go upstairs and get changed," Mokuba said, sounding almost threatening. "Then come back down for hair and makeup. See you fifteen minutes or I'll send Isono to get you."

"I don't need you to babysit me," Kaiba fumed, but his little brother had already rounded the corner of the house and disappeared after a few long strides.

Damn it, Kaiba growled to himself, turning back around to walk up the grand staircase, making sure to send Joey a text saying that he wouldn't be coming along.

He had been so preoccupied with fulfilling the mermaid's requests for bras, lipsticks, and magazines that he had forgotten to fulfill a promise he'd made to Mokuba about being more present.

But does it have to involve the media?! Kaiba wondered furiously, throwing his closet doors back and stepping inside to sweep the first suit his fingertips landed on, freezing in place when an idea struck him.

Where was this photo going?
On the cover of a magazine?
Then it was possible for this magazine to land right in Atem's hands with the help of the mermaids, which meant…that he needed to look fucking good for this photo.

Filled with a renewed sense of purpose, Kaiba's eyes burned as he scanned his suits, deciding to also go with classic black, so he would match Mokuba, and to ensure that he would look timeless.

Pushing the hangers aside, Kaiba unhooked the black suit and stared resolutely at his thumbnail which was so long, it curved out into a sharp, threatening point.
Shit.
He needed to file down the claws.

Stepping out of his spacious closet, Kaiba tossed the suit onto the bed and ran into the bathroom, catching a glimpse of his own face in the mirrors as he ducked down, rummaging through the drawers for the heavy-duty metal file.

Baring his teeth, Kaiba's heart thudded in his chest with relief when he saw that his canines had shrunk back to their normal size.
No fangs.
Where were the fangs?
Was there a way to make them appear?

I'll deal with that later, Kaiba thought fervently, grabbing the metal file and grazing his nails over the surface hurriedly. A horrible scratching noise echoed in the large bathroom and Kaiba winced at the noise.
This was fine.
He just needed to look fucking human.
A shower wouldn't hurt either.

Outside, Mokuba sat on the garden bench impatiently, tapping his foot against the grass beneath him while he waited. Everyone was also getting impatient, and he could feel it, because the photographer had asked if he wanted to add more time to the shoot, because he had only been paid for three hours, and at this rate, they weren't going to finish in time.
It had already been thirty minutes.
What the fuck was Seto doing?!

"Isono, go get Seto!" he called, seeing Isono bow stiffly from between two large umbrella lights and hurry away.

"No need! I'm fucking here," Kaiba called, striding confidently across the grass, using a hand to shield his eyes from the sun. "You sprung an impromptu photoshoot on me so I'm doing my best, kid."

Mokuba tensed, ready to shout back at Seto for calling him a kid, but his voice died in his throat when he saw Seto…his Seto, the old Seto with the mean lines in his sharp suit, the real Seto, dressed in his usual, imposing manner—the knot in his tie done with just the right amount of intention, and the cuffs that shivered over a glassy, pointed shoe—his Seto had returned!

The change was almost too sudden.
His older brother was back, looking like his old self, walking across the grass towards him, looking tired and annoyed…as usual.

Overcome with emotion, Mokuba curled his fingers over his knees, thinking that this was an enormous contrast to the pale, haggard-looking and slightly disheveled Seto who always wore a set of dark pants with a tight turtleneck, clearly content with being dressed down because he had no one to impress.

Blinking rapidly to keep his eyes dry, Mokuba glanced down at his own knuckles, his heart thumping nervously in his chest. What had changed in that short amount of time? Maybe he ought to make Seto do photoshoots more often!

"M-Mr. Kaiba!" Several staff members cried out in surprise and waved at him before they caught themselves and hastily put their hands down.

Kaiba broke out into a light sweat when he realized people were staring at him more than usual. Even the gardener who tended to the rose bushes had dropped his shears and was gaping at him shamelessly with his mouth open.

Kaiba swept his gaze around the garden, counting the chairs, lights, cameramen, and spotted a props truck parked on the grass several feet away.
There was quite a crowd here.
What was this shoot even for? He had neglected to ask and was now regretting it.

"S-Seto!" Mokuba cried, finally finding his voice as he leapt to his feet and raced towards his older brother, throwing his arms around Seto's shoulders and bringing him into a tight hug. "You're back…!"

Isono stood at his side, smiling warmly while he gushed happy thoughts.

Something good must've happened! Master Kaiba looks refreshed and very much like himself. Someone must have clicked back into place. I'm so happy for Mokuba, the young man is crying a bit….

Kaiba patted Mokuba's arms which were locked tightly around his neck, slowly choking the air out of him. Damn, Mokuba was just as tall as he was.

He pulled away with effort and realized with a jolt that Mokuba was indeed crying. A tiny tear hugged the curve of his high cheekbone, and Kaiba felt slightly uncomfortable.

"What's wrong, kid?" Kaiba asked gruffly, and Mokuba composed himself instantly, shooting his brother a glare.

"I'm not a kid, stop calling me that," he snapped, patting his cheeks gingerly with two fingers and straightening up. "Get in the makeup chair and hurry up. The photographer is only here for another two hours."

Kaiba nodded and found himself being dragged over to a chair. Several hands came for his face and hair while another brushed a lint roller across his shoulders and down his sleeves.

Blinking rapidly, Kaiba watched Mokuba walk around the set, ordering people around with ease, and a strange lump stuck in his throat, threatening to choke the air out of him.
It struck him that Mokuba loved doing this.
He loved being the center of attention, looking good, in command, and in control.
It was like he was a stranger in his own garden, and Mokuba was running the show today.

"Mr. Kaiba, it's been a while since I've seen you," said the woman tapping a makeup brush across his cheeks with a shy smile. "Do you remember me? Mokuba hired me as a permanent member of his—your team!"

Gosh he doesn't look a day over 25! I remember the last time I did his makeup for the '30 millionaires under 30 photoshoot', his skin was glowing…and it's glowing now, wow I'm so envious ugh…where do men like this come from?

"Yeah, I remember you," Kaiba said evenly, seeing her blush deeply and lower her eyes respectfully. "It was the 30 under 30 shoot for Tine's* magazine, wasn't it?"

"I'm so happy you remember," she whispered, fumbling and nearly dropping her brush onto the makeup tray sitting on a pop-up table to his left. "You look well."

"Thanks, you too," Kaiba answered mindlessly, still watching Mokuba parade around making people shift the lights and move benches. "How many shoots have you done with Mokuba?"

She tapped a cold balm onto his lips and tilted her head. "Ah…too many to count," she said, nodding vigorously. "But he's so nice to work with, always organized, and we always end on time, so I never feel overworked."

"How…nice…" Kaiba said through gritted teeth as she swept a tiny brush on his lower lip. "Are we done here?"

"One moment please," she replied hastily, reaching for a powder. "It's a bit hot today, isn't it? But this sun will make everything look cheerful. Eyes closed please."

I hate this, Kaiba fumed privately, but he closed his eyes, and she tapped the brush along his lids.

Sensing his impatience, she gave his face a few more passes with the brush before bowing and hurrying away with her ears red.

Opening his eyes, Kaiba saw Mokuba standing beside him, looking flushed and excited.

"You look good, big bro!" he said cheerfully, flashing Seto a grin as his heart soared happily at the sight of a healthy Seto with color in his face. "Alive, at least. Maybe you'll finally get a date if you walk around looking less dead."

"Ha fucking ha," Kaiba gave Mokuba a dry smile, feeling a rush of relief.
This was what Mokuba meant when he'd asked him to be more present.
They were back to their old dynamic with the joking around and the playful insults.

"Okay, this is for a fall edition of MQ, so we can both be featured, or I can give you the cover, I don't care either way," Mokuba said in a rush, pulling Seto towards the bench. "We'll pick the photos together when we're done, yeah?"

Kaiba nodded and saw staff nodding back at him in return, so he looked away hastily.
What the hell was up with people today?

"Sit. You're not gonna ask me how I snagged a cover for MQ?" Mokuba asked, giving Seto a playful nudge with his elbow, seeing Seto give him a warm smile.

"I'm guessing it's because you were nominated?" Kaiba replied, giving Mokuba a congratulatory pat on the shoulder. "Good job making it on the cover of Men's Quarterly."

"What? No!" Mokuba laughed, turning to face the camera with his shoulder squared. "They want a fiancé's opinion on things. Cool, right?"

Kaiba blinked rapidly as his voice caught terribly in his throat, so he opted to nod. Yes.
Mokuba was getting married. That was a thing that was happening…very soon.
A seating chart had been shoved under his nose a couple weeks ago, and a venue had already been selected….

"Mr. Kaiba, please look towards me…. Yes, no, not you, Mokuba—I mean, Kaiba-kun, ah…how should I address you…sirs?" The photographer lowered his camera hesitantly, glancing between the brother's with confusion.

"First name is fine, Tenjou-san," Mokuba said evenly, giving his brother a rough pat on the back. "Sit up straight, Seto, don't slouch like the old man you are."

"Call me an old man one more damn time and I will fucking kill you," Kaiba growled, and Mokuba threw his head back to laugh heartily. The laugh was mirrored by a couple people standing around them, and Kaiba realized with horror that he'd been heard.
God…dammit. How fucking embarrassing.

The photographer smiled widely and knelt on one knee, clicking the shutter rapidly, and Kaiba mentally slapped himself. It was hard getting back into his old groove in front of the camera, but Mokuba's confidence at his side was comforting, and Kaiba was able to relax as the shoot dragged on.

All he had to do was think about Atem's face and his reaction when he would inevitably see the photos in the magazine.

Tristan thunked the books down onto the counter and ignored the glare from the cashier.

"Hey, where's rich boy? He's taking a while. This is the fifth bookstore," he said, wiping his brow as the cashier lifted a book from the top stack and scanned it with a soft blip. "Jou?"

"Yeah?" Joey looked up from the bike magazine he was flipping through, and he ruffled his hair after shrugging. "I dunno man. Wait. He gave me a phone, let me see."

Tossing the magazine onto the counter while also ignoring the glare from the cashier, Joey dug out his phone and saw one text from Kaiba, sent three hours ago.

"Not coming. Spending time with Mokuba. DON'T BUY PORN/NUDE SHIT"

"Wet rag," Tristan grumbled, reading the text over Joey's shoulder before inching a swimsuit calendar out from between two history books and gazing at it longingly. "But it's just one…he won't mind, right? I'm sure the girls would want to see what human girls look like in these bikini things."

"We've bought one per store," Joey snickered, texting back a reply before shoving his phone back into his pocket with a grin. "Should we get the one where they're wearing costumes?"

"Cash or card?" The cashier asked flatly, setting a plastic tray on the counter while eyeing Tristan and Joey with mild disdain.

"Card," Joey said confidently, tossing Kaiba's credit card onto the tray and snatching the calendar from Tristan. "Lemme hang that on my side of the room."

"No! I found it, so I get to keep it on my side," Tristan argued, elbowing Joey aside. "Get your own."

The cashier slid the card through the machine and rolled her eyes.

Kaiba felt his phone buzz in his pocket, thinking it was about time Joey and Tristan responded, but he couldn't answer it because a man was interviewing him for the magazine.
Mokuba had also sneakily sprung this on him after they had finished with the shoot.

"We're getting four pages, so say some interesting stuff, Seto." Mokuba had said with a sly grin, and Kaiba felt his insides shrivel up with dread.

He loathed interviews. It was never going to end.

The sun had set, and everyone was packing up the equipment.

"…What do you look for in a relationship?" The man asked lightly, and Kaiba turned his attention back to him, hearing the interviewer's thoughts seeping intrusively into his head.

Is he gay? Oh my god, I would ask him out on the spot if he is. There have so many rumors over the years, I can't contain myselffffffffffff! I'm getting an exclusive scoop…!

Kaiba narrowed his eyes and folded his arms across his chest. "Next question."

The man shook his head desperately, pressing the stylus tighter against the pad, his fingers visibly shaking.

"I-I can't skip any questions…this is the theme, Mr. Kaiba," he said, lowering his head respectfully.

Wow! This guy doesn't like to talk in complete sentences….

"I'm looking for someone specific," Kaiba said furiously, curling his fists in his pocket as he grappled with himself for what he was about to say. "Someone kind and understanding. Someone who understands my situation and my place in life. Someone who won't judge me for my sexuality."

JACKPOT!

Kaiba winced at the man's sudden, loud thought, seeing him nearly teeter off his chair as he typed with a frenzied energy.

"Would you please elaborate on what you mean by your place in life and your…sexuality?" the man asked breathlessly, not daring to look up from his pad.

Kaiba leaned back into the chair, thinking he had dug himself into a shitty hole he now had to crawl out of. Goddammit. Why couldn't he answer all of these questions with Atem's name?

"I'm a public figure whether I like it or not," Kaiba said with a grimace. "So people are going to pry into my life, and it's hard finding someone who wants to deal with that shit. And regarding my sexuality, it's a little hard to explain, so I'd rather not."

Noooo! What do I do? Shit shit, think think…. Maybe I should butter him up….

"I see, I see," the man said, nodding fervently. "Very informative. This will be the first time people are hearing about this. Perhaps if you went into more detail, someone will come forward and help you…"

Or date you! Can he please just say he's gay? It's not that taboo anymore. He's rich and can do anything he wants! Is he trying to be polite?

"I doubt it," Kaiba said seriously, feeling a laugh climbing up his chest but he reminded himself to be serious. Atem was going to read this.

"I'll put it this way…" Kaiba drawled, giving the man an appraising look as he prepared for another loud shout in his thoughts. "Gender doesn't matter to me."

Because Atem is a fucking fish, Kaiba thought mildly, curling his fingers around the armrest of the plastic chair.

"I see," the man said again, his voice shaking with excitement. "Is there a specific term to describe your sexuality?"

There was a long silence and Kaiba waited for the man to say something in his thoughts, but to his surprise, there was nothing but more silence.

"Is there a term? I don't know, because I don't like being put in boxes," Kaiba said slowly, his gaze drifting over the man's shoulder, landing on a dark red rose sticking out from the bush. "But I'm not particularly interested in sex…with other people. I've stopped dating because I feel out of place and a little used."

Out of place? U-Used? The man paled visibly and cleared his throat.

"Because of your status?" the man asked encouragingly, tapping the tablet. "It is really hard to find someone who is blind to money…I understand."

"Do you?" Kaiba asked ruthlessly, fully aware that he was making the man uncomfortable. "It's pretty shitty, so I've resigned myself to being alone. Mokuba got one of the good ones though. Go interview him."

"I already have," the man said quietly, seemingly unable to make eye contact. "Now, you say…gender doesn't matter, but I'm sure you have a preference?"

"I prefer men," Kaiba said casually, crossing his legs and resisting the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose as he felt another headache wrapping around his temples. "But I'm not opposed to dating a woman."

Atem was prettier than any woman he'd ever encountered, so no woman could compare to his beauty.

Finally! He is gay! The man beamed, glancing up briefly to make eye contact for a split second before he ducked his head back down to continue typing out notes, his thoughts spilling out rapidly.

That was like pulling teeth, holy shit.
He could've just started with that…then I could've spent this entire time asking him about what kind of men he likes, but our time is up, and he keeps tapping his foot, its driving me insane….

"Are we done here?" Kaiba asked coldly, feeling his phone buzz in his pocket again. Damn, he was itching to answer it.

"Last question," the interviewer said hurriedly, his cheeks turning pink. "What type of men are you attracted to? Do you have a certain…occupational range you adhere to personally?"

"Royalty," Kaiba answered with a playful smirk.

The interviewer laughed and he pressed a hand to his chest, composing himself.

"Please answer seriously, Mr. Kaiba."

"I'm being serious," Kaiba said mildly, examining his nails and marveling at how rounded his fingernails looked. "Large and in charge, that's what I like. Oh, and a spiky hairstyle. Write that down."

The man gaped at him, the stylus hanging loosely from his fingertips while his mouth twitched upwards into another smile.

"You-uh…you like men who spike their h-hair?" the man stammered, running a hand through his own hair nervously, and Kaiba couldn't help but smile evilly.

"But it has to look intentional," Kaiba added, enjoying this interview fully now that he had the man flustered and speechless. "Add some colors like blond spiky bangs, and some fiery red tips. It looks very cool if you do it right."

There was tense silence as the man stared at him, his eyes watering while his thoughts raced incoherently.

What the—is he crazy? He's yanking me around, right? He's saying it so seriously too, so I can't tell! I want to ask if he would consider dating me, but he just demanded ridiculous physical traits?

"Well, that's all the time I have," Kaiba said blandly, rising to his feet and attempting to catch Mokuba's eye. "Don't put words in my mouth or I'll sue you for slander. Did you sign the non-disclosure?"

"Yes, yes," the man chanted, tucking the tablet under his shaking arm, clearly eager to leave. "Mr. Kaiba—ah, I mean, your brother has everyone sign it before we step through the gates. Good luck with your search, and here, please take my card if you think of anything else to say."

The man handed Kaiba his card informally with one hand before he dashed away with his head down, mumbling to himself.

Flicking the card between his fingers, Kaiba tucked it away in his other pocket while he slipped out his phone.

The screen flashed on with two notifications, both from Joey.

Jou: chill out, we only bought one porno from each store.

Jou: WE R BACK! Why are there so many people in the garden? We'll be inside out of sight

"One porno from each store? How many is that?" Kaiba growled through gritted teeth, shoving his phone back into his pocket and stalking across his property towards the guest house.

He couldn't trust those clowns to do anything right.
He'd explicitly said, no porn. Did they also not know how to read?

"SETO!" Mokuba called, waving at his brother who was speeding towards the guest property with long strides. "Come have dinner with me!"

Kaiba paused mid-step and nodded at Mokuba before he continued on his way, his mind filled with thoughts of Atem's reaction when he would inevitably see his answers in the magazine.

Author's note:

Kaiba gets the bracelets atem made for him, and mai + anzu make demands for lipstick and magazines.

Then, he gets dragged into a photoshoot with mokuba while Joey and Tristan go magazine shopping.

edited by: taedae

hugs,
Ugli