AN: More Mokuba. Sigh, I feel sorry for the tyke. Look at me, I'm so
awful to him! *Begs Mokuba for forgiveness so Seto doesn't kill her *
Hurts XVII
I worked until just after three, when I had to get Mokuba. The doctors had finally agreed that he was okay. I parked the car outside the lobby and walked in to see Mokuba already packed and waiting for me. I signed his release forms and took his bag. We didn't talk as I put his bag in the trunk and didn't talk as he struggled to get into the car. It wasn't until I tried to help him that Mokuba spoke.
"No," He sighed. "Don't help. I've got to be able to do this myself."
"Alright." I nodded, respecting that. I would have said the same thing.
"Are we going home?" Mokuba asked, once he was in the car. I nodded and pulled out onto the road.
"I've set up one of the guest rooms for you."
"But I'd have to..." Mokuba began.
"It's on the first floor. The architect agreed that all we need is an elevator to get you from one floor to another and a ramp at all the exits. She's coming over later to get some measurements and such."
"Oh." Mokuba nodded. "I forgot to tell you though. I've got classes to help with muscle building and endurance on Wednesdays. After school."
"Actually, I was thinking that I'd just hire you a private teacher." I shrugged. "At least until your in high school. It'd be simpler and easier on you. Anyway, you can't continue at your old school. It doesn't have elevators or ramps."
"I see." Mokuba nodded. I pulled into the driveway and shut off the car. We sat in silence for a minute.
"Mokuba, are you mad at me? I know this is hard. You'll have to give up your friends and sports. I just want you to know, that if you need something, I'll do my absolute best to get it for you."
"I know you will." Mokuba nodded. "I'm not mad at you either. You couldn't have done anything anyway."
"You sure?" I asked. Mokuba nodded and I risked a slight smile. Mokuba allowed me to carry him up the steps and inside, since we still didn't have a ramp. After that he insisted on going to his room on his own. I'd already moved all his things in his room on the second floor to the room he'd be staying in. We'd move his stuff back later, when we had an elevator, if he wanted. I let him go off by himself, sensing he wanted to be alone. I'd respect that. I hadn't been lying in the car either. At this point if he'd asked for a chunk of the moon, I would have bought it for him. I was jerked out of my thoughts by the ringing doorbell.
"I'll get it." Mokuba called. Not listening, I stepped out into the hall and saw Mokuba open the door. "Hello?"
"Hello." A lady replied. "Is this the Kaiba residence?"
"Yes. Who are you?" Mokuba told her.
"I'm Ms. Roe. I'm here to see Mr. Seto Kaiba." She told my brother. I walked up behind him and nodded at Ms. Roe.
"I've got it, Mokuba." I told him. He shrugged and went off, presumable to his room. "Hello, Ms. Roe. Thank you for coming."
"Well, I've got to take the measurements. Was that the brother that you're renovating for?"
"Yes." I nodded, leading the way to the area we agreed to use for an elevator.
"You must really care about him." She sighed.
"He's all I have. If I don't care about him, then what do I have?" I asked. "Besides, it's sort of my fault he's hurt."
"Oh." She whispered, not pushing the subject.
"Do you want some water?" I asked. She nodded and I went off, filling two glasses; one for and one for me. I came back and she was already writing down notes.
"Are you alright?" She asked after a minute. About to lie, I realized it was useless. I need to tell someone!
"Not really." I sighed. She smiled kindly.
"Wanna talk about it?" She asked, sipping her water. I rolled my eyes.
"You wanna hear about it?" I joked. She nodded and I shrugged. "Well, you see there's this girl. And even though we started out as enemies, I think I've started to really like this girl. But we can't be friends, because we're enemies and I've got trust issues."
"Why?" She asked.
"Why what? Why can't we be friends or why do I have trust issues?"
"Both." She told me, finishing her water.
"Well, we can't be friends or anything because her friends all hate me and I screwed it up with her before I realized that I liked her at all."
"And your trust issues?" She asked.
"My childhood wasn't too kind to me. My adopted father trained me for this job of CEO, effectively stripping me of all emotions and basically the ability to care." I shrugged, taking some painkillers with my water. She nodded. "I don't talk about it though."
"You know," Roe sighed. "My mother once told me something that I think might help you. I was about your age and I was trying out for a highly expensive and selective architect school. I was terrified that I'd never get in. So she sat me down and told me this story. There was once a small mouse that lived with his grandparents, parents and younger siblings in a very large mouse hole. In the house the mouse hole connected to, there lived a cat, though no one in his family had ever had a problem since the cat was old and slow. One day the mouse and his younger sister ventured out to get some food and on the way back the cat attacked them, hurting the mouse and killing his sister. The mouse made it back to his family and told them the story. Although the family mourned with him, no one understood why he insisted on staying home, so they just left him alone. About a year later the mice received news that the cat had died, and they told the mouse. He didn't believe them and insisted on staying in the mouse hole, even when they brought him proof that the cat was gone. When he died, he died unhappy and never taking the risk of leaving the mouse hole."
"Did you just make that up?" I asked, suspiciously. She sighed, and pocketed her tape measure.
"No. But think about what I said. You live in fear and you'll never be happy. Oh, will you look at that? I've really got to go. I'll come in a few days with some builders and we'll begin work on the ramp to the front door. I'll see myself out." She said with a wave. I watched her leave through the front door and went back to the kitchen, pounding what she had said. Mulling it over in my mind, I discovered that her story was indeed true to my life. I was the mouse, scared that the cat-pain and emotions- would attack me again. I hide behind the walls-my mansion, words and harsh actions-using them as protection against the 'cat'. Even when my mouse family-school people, Mokuba, Tea and her friends-tried to help me out. Did this mean that I should trust them and take a risk? Should I step outside the protection of my cold words and try to make friends? What if I just got hurt again? What if they got hurt? I sighed, not sure what to think, and went off to see how Mokuba was doing in his new room.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
He walked into the guestroom, err, my room, and I could tell he was nervous. I sighed. I wished he wouldn't be; I'd never made him nervous before.
"Hello, Seto." I greeted him from my spot on my bed.
"Oh." He mumbled. "Hello Mokuba. Do you like your room?"
"It's just like my old one, only the colors are off a bit... and there's no view."
"We can move you back when the elevator is put in." He told me hurriedly. I sighed and nodded. I knew he'd say that. "Do you want anything?"
I wanted to scream at him and of course, I wanted to stomp my feet and make a lot of noise. Maybe then he'd notice. 'YES!' I wanted to yell. 'STOP BABYING ME! I'M ALMOST TWELVE FOR GOODNESS SAKES! I'M NOT A CHILD!' Instead I managed to control my anger.
"Uh, yea actually." I mumbled. "Seto, I really appreciate all this that you're doing for me. You really are the best older brother ever! But I'm not two. I don't need you to wait on my hand and foot! Just because I'm paralyzed, doesn't mean that I'm suddenly ten years younger. Just leave things as they were. I'll tell you if I need any help. I promise to let you know."
"You're right." He nodded after staring at me for a minute. "I'm sorry. I'm just trying to get used to this. I should have known. Of course, you're not a baby."
'Great! Now I've gone and hurt him.' I muttered to myself.
"Seto, it's not that you've done anything wrong, you just have to remember, I'm still me. This chair doesn't completely change my personality, just changes my view on life."
"You're right." Seto nodded, a smile playing on his lips. "Of course. I'm not offended. If you see anything wrong you should tell me. These things are important. If I'm making you feel bad or if I'm babying you, point it out. I'll change. I'll get better at this. I will."
"I know you will." I grinned, maneuvering myself into the chair. "Come on. I think it's almost time for dinner."
AN: So you know the dream is semi important, but not really. Just a touch, to be honest. Aww, hell, I haven't the faintest why I put it in. Just struck me as kinda cool to write.
Hurts XVII
I worked until just after three, when I had to get Mokuba. The doctors had finally agreed that he was okay. I parked the car outside the lobby and walked in to see Mokuba already packed and waiting for me. I signed his release forms and took his bag. We didn't talk as I put his bag in the trunk and didn't talk as he struggled to get into the car. It wasn't until I tried to help him that Mokuba spoke.
"No," He sighed. "Don't help. I've got to be able to do this myself."
"Alright." I nodded, respecting that. I would have said the same thing.
"Are we going home?" Mokuba asked, once he was in the car. I nodded and pulled out onto the road.
"I've set up one of the guest rooms for you."
"But I'd have to..." Mokuba began.
"It's on the first floor. The architect agreed that all we need is an elevator to get you from one floor to another and a ramp at all the exits. She's coming over later to get some measurements and such."
"Oh." Mokuba nodded. "I forgot to tell you though. I've got classes to help with muscle building and endurance on Wednesdays. After school."
"Actually, I was thinking that I'd just hire you a private teacher." I shrugged. "At least until your in high school. It'd be simpler and easier on you. Anyway, you can't continue at your old school. It doesn't have elevators or ramps."
"I see." Mokuba nodded. I pulled into the driveway and shut off the car. We sat in silence for a minute.
"Mokuba, are you mad at me? I know this is hard. You'll have to give up your friends and sports. I just want you to know, that if you need something, I'll do my absolute best to get it for you."
"I know you will." Mokuba nodded. "I'm not mad at you either. You couldn't have done anything anyway."
"You sure?" I asked. Mokuba nodded and I risked a slight smile. Mokuba allowed me to carry him up the steps and inside, since we still didn't have a ramp. After that he insisted on going to his room on his own. I'd already moved all his things in his room on the second floor to the room he'd be staying in. We'd move his stuff back later, when we had an elevator, if he wanted. I let him go off by himself, sensing he wanted to be alone. I'd respect that. I hadn't been lying in the car either. At this point if he'd asked for a chunk of the moon, I would have bought it for him. I was jerked out of my thoughts by the ringing doorbell.
"I'll get it." Mokuba called. Not listening, I stepped out into the hall and saw Mokuba open the door. "Hello?"
"Hello." A lady replied. "Is this the Kaiba residence?"
"Yes. Who are you?" Mokuba told her.
"I'm Ms. Roe. I'm here to see Mr. Seto Kaiba." She told my brother. I walked up behind him and nodded at Ms. Roe.
"I've got it, Mokuba." I told him. He shrugged and went off, presumable to his room. "Hello, Ms. Roe. Thank you for coming."
"Well, I've got to take the measurements. Was that the brother that you're renovating for?"
"Yes." I nodded, leading the way to the area we agreed to use for an elevator.
"You must really care about him." She sighed.
"He's all I have. If I don't care about him, then what do I have?" I asked. "Besides, it's sort of my fault he's hurt."
"Oh." She whispered, not pushing the subject.
"Do you want some water?" I asked. She nodded and I went off, filling two glasses; one for and one for me. I came back and she was already writing down notes.
"Are you alright?" She asked after a minute. About to lie, I realized it was useless. I need to tell someone!
"Not really." I sighed. She smiled kindly.
"Wanna talk about it?" She asked, sipping her water. I rolled my eyes.
"You wanna hear about it?" I joked. She nodded and I shrugged. "Well, you see there's this girl. And even though we started out as enemies, I think I've started to really like this girl. But we can't be friends, because we're enemies and I've got trust issues."
"Why?" She asked.
"Why what? Why can't we be friends or why do I have trust issues?"
"Both." She told me, finishing her water.
"Well, we can't be friends or anything because her friends all hate me and I screwed it up with her before I realized that I liked her at all."
"And your trust issues?" She asked.
"My childhood wasn't too kind to me. My adopted father trained me for this job of CEO, effectively stripping me of all emotions and basically the ability to care." I shrugged, taking some painkillers with my water. She nodded. "I don't talk about it though."
"You know," Roe sighed. "My mother once told me something that I think might help you. I was about your age and I was trying out for a highly expensive and selective architect school. I was terrified that I'd never get in. So she sat me down and told me this story. There was once a small mouse that lived with his grandparents, parents and younger siblings in a very large mouse hole. In the house the mouse hole connected to, there lived a cat, though no one in his family had ever had a problem since the cat was old and slow. One day the mouse and his younger sister ventured out to get some food and on the way back the cat attacked them, hurting the mouse and killing his sister. The mouse made it back to his family and told them the story. Although the family mourned with him, no one understood why he insisted on staying home, so they just left him alone. About a year later the mice received news that the cat had died, and they told the mouse. He didn't believe them and insisted on staying in the mouse hole, even when they brought him proof that the cat was gone. When he died, he died unhappy and never taking the risk of leaving the mouse hole."
"Did you just make that up?" I asked, suspiciously. She sighed, and pocketed her tape measure.
"No. But think about what I said. You live in fear and you'll never be happy. Oh, will you look at that? I've really got to go. I'll come in a few days with some builders and we'll begin work on the ramp to the front door. I'll see myself out." She said with a wave. I watched her leave through the front door and went back to the kitchen, pounding what she had said. Mulling it over in my mind, I discovered that her story was indeed true to my life. I was the mouse, scared that the cat-pain and emotions- would attack me again. I hide behind the walls-my mansion, words and harsh actions-using them as protection against the 'cat'. Even when my mouse family-school people, Mokuba, Tea and her friends-tried to help me out. Did this mean that I should trust them and take a risk? Should I step outside the protection of my cold words and try to make friends? What if I just got hurt again? What if they got hurt? I sighed, not sure what to think, and went off to see how Mokuba was doing in his new room.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
He walked into the guestroom, err, my room, and I could tell he was nervous. I sighed. I wished he wouldn't be; I'd never made him nervous before.
"Hello, Seto." I greeted him from my spot on my bed.
"Oh." He mumbled. "Hello Mokuba. Do you like your room?"
"It's just like my old one, only the colors are off a bit... and there's no view."
"We can move you back when the elevator is put in." He told me hurriedly. I sighed and nodded. I knew he'd say that. "Do you want anything?"
I wanted to scream at him and of course, I wanted to stomp my feet and make a lot of noise. Maybe then he'd notice. 'YES!' I wanted to yell. 'STOP BABYING ME! I'M ALMOST TWELVE FOR GOODNESS SAKES! I'M NOT A CHILD!' Instead I managed to control my anger.
"Uh, yea actually." I mumbled. "Seto, I really appreciate all this that you're doing for me. You really are the best older brother ever! But I'm not two. I don't need you to wait on my hand and foot! Just because I'm paralyzed, doesn't mean that I'm suddenly ten years younger. Just leave things as they were. I'll tell you if I need any help. I promise to let you know."
"You're right." He nodded after staring at me for a minute. "I'm sorry. I'm just trying to get used to this. I should have known. Of course, you're not a baby."
'Great! Now I've gone and hurt him.' I muttered to myself.
"Seto, it's not that you've done anything wrong, you just have to remember, I'm still me. This chair doesn't completely change my personality, just changes my view on life."
"You're right." Seto nodded, a smile playing on his lips. "Of course. I'm not offended. If you see anything wrong you should tell me. These things are important. If I'm making you feel bad or if I'm babying you, point it out. I'll change. I'll get better at this. I will."
"I know you will." I grinned, maneuvering myself into the chair. "Come on. I think it's almost time for dinner."
AN: So you know the dream is semi important, but not really. Just a touch, to be honest. Aww, hell, I haven't the faintest why I put it in. Just struck me as kinda cool to write.