Disclaimer: Just own the words, not the folks.
In the Colourful Way
"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!" Yami's laughter rings throughout the house and I feel very foolish.
"Jou's the one who said it first," I protest, pointing at him defensively.
"Hey! I said I wasn't sure," Jou retorts, obviously feeling as foolish as I do.
Especially since Yami is now doubled over on the floor with laughter. It's really not that funny!
"We just wanted to be sure," I mumble.
Eventually Yami calms down, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes as he climbs from the floor to the couch, clutching his sides in pain. Serves him right for laughing at us.
"S-sorry, aibou," he gasps. "I know you mean well and all, but Mokuba? Gods, why would you think I'd even…He's just a kid!"
"I know," I mumble. "That's why we were worried."
"Oh? You weren't worried about it being a him and not a her?" he smirks.
I don't respond right away. I've known about Yami's preference for a while now, but did Jou?
"Well," Jou begins, scratching his head sheepishly, "We kinda worried about that too. Right, Yug?"
"Umm…"
Yami's smile vanishes. Jou frowns at me.
"How long have you known," Yami questions seriously.
I look him in the eyes.
"Since I saw you and Taki in the art room."
Yami's eyes widen and he turns away blushing.
"I take it Taki's a guy," Jou interjects.
"Mmm hmm," I respond, hoping Yami's okay with us knowing.
"And I don't want to know what they were doing in the art room, do I?"
"No."
"Why didn't you say anything," Yami whispers, still turned away from me.
I shrug.
"I figured you'd get around to telling me sooner or later."
A tense silence settles in the air until Jou breaks it with a hasty, "Uhh…I'll go make us some tea and then we can plan where we're going for our apartment hunt today."
Jou heads into the kitchen and I continue to watch Yami, wondering what he's thinking.
He finally turns back to me with a sigh.
"So, I guess it isn't a problem for you," he concludes.
"Only if you're hoping for some action," I smirk.
"Eww, no. That would be like doing my brother," he laughs.
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After going home from Jou's to shower and change, I hop back on my bike and head to Seto's office.
Just once, I'd like him to come to me when we have issues to resolve instead of always having to go to him. But I know that'll never happen because in Seto's world, there are no issues. If there's a problem and it's not life threatening (or Kaiba Corp. threatening, same thing) then he ignores it until it goes away.
I know he's also trying to back me off so he can get used to my not being around when I go to college. Though I'm going away soon, I'm not gone yet. And I won't be ignored.
Using my access card, I park in my space next to Nii-sama's in the Kaiba Corp. garage and head up to his office. I already checked with Minako, so I know his afternoon is free. I wave to her as I step from the elevator and she smiles brightly.
Man, if I were a few years older…
I enter Nii-sama's office without knocking to find him sitting on the couch in the corner, sipping a tall glass of something, probably alcoholic, and staring at a box of scattered paper.
"Nii-sama?"
He doesn't look up.
"This is the fifth day of school you've missed in the past three weeks. Care to explain?"
"I…umm…I don't…umm…I don't have one," I sputter. He definitely caught me off guard. I didn't think he'd been paying attention to anything I did lately.
His eyes lock with mine. They're cold, hard. I haven't seen them like that in a long time.
"Maybe if you spent less time with Yami, you'd remember to go to school and wouldn't need explanations," he sneers.
I frown at him.
"Are you trying to tell me who I can have as my friend, Nii-sama?"
"He's obviously a bad influence, Mokuba. I don't want you around him."
Wow. Seeing Yami must have really shaken him. He's never tried to influence my choice of friends. He didn't even tell me to stop hanging with the Yugi-tachi and he honestly hated them!
I sit down in the chair opposite him.
"What's happened, Nii-sama?"
"Nothing's happened. I just don't want you around him anymore. I won't have you missing school just to spend time with him," he glowers.
I pause, studying his face for any hints. He looks away, back at the box of paper. Hmm. Something in that box must be what's bugging him. I grab the box and pull it to me.
"What's this, Nii-sama?"
He snatches it back so fiercely it scares me.
"None of your business!" He bellows. "Now go home! And stay away from Yami!"
He downs the last of the liquid in the glass and bellows for Minako.
"Yes, Mr. Kaiba?" she bows as she appears in the doorway.
"My brother is leaving. Have a car take him home."
"Yes, Mr. Kaiba."
She scurries away.
"I'm not leaving, Nii-sama," I spit, now angry myself. I will not be dismissed like one of his employees or sent to my room like the 12 year old I once was. We're going to talk this out now!
"Yes you are," he growls.
I stand and close the door before calling Minako on the intercom to let her know to cancel the car.
"I'm not," I state confidently from his desk.
I can see the rage building in his eyes at my defiance, but I won't be put off again. Whatever is going on with him has to be resolved now or he's going to lose it in a meeting or at a presentation.
Instead of confronting me, he pours himself another drink, retreating back to the sofa. If I needed any more proof that something is very wrong, I just got it. Nii-sama having more than one drink during office hours? Running from an argument? Losing it over a box of paper?
Whatever it is, it's big.
I return to my place in the chair.
"What is that, anyway?" I nod in the direction of the box that's now tucked tightly between the sofa and the end table.
"Yami's letters," he mumbles into the already half empty glass.
"What?" He can't mean… "But, how?"
"My secretaries conspired against me," he smirks, emptying the glass and reaching to pour another.
I frown. He's starting to scare me now.
"Nii-sama, maybe you shouldn't drink anymore."
He pauses before downing the little he'd already poured then putting the bottle and glass on the table and leaning back on the couch.
"You're right," he sighs, draping an arm across his eyes. "I need to keep a level head in case any of those idiots under my employ need me to do their job for them. Again."
I can't help the smirk that curls my lips.
"I don't know what to do, Mokie," he sighs, startling me.
"About what," I prod lightly. I knew he needed to talk.
"Yami."
I pause.
"What did his letters say?"
"That he was sorry. That he missed me. That he was still my friend."
"But that's good, right?"
He sighs again.
"I hated him for a long time, Mokuba."
"Do you still?"
"I don't know."
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And that's the problem. He doesn't know how to forgive Yami for walking out on him, even briefly.
"Shit!" He swears under his breath. This would have been so much easier if he hadn't read those letters. He'd accepted the loss of his friend. He'd accepted that no one cared about him but Mokuba. He'd accepted that soon even Mokuba wouldn't be around to care. And now…with those letters…
He'd lied to Mokuba about what the letters said. Well, not lied exactly. Because Yami's words were just as Seto reported. But the feelings between the words…
And that lost time…
What the hell happened? He had to know. But since the letters didn't say, the only way to find out would be to ask Yami. Ask the only friend he ever had. Ask the person who'd deserted him at the drop of a hat.
The traitor. Who, it turns out, wasn't really a traitor. But he's hated him for so long…
"Nii-sama?" Mokuba's voice cuts into his musings. He supposes he's been quiet a long time. Glancing at his watch he sees that it's nearly five o'clock. Maybe he should just go home. He's not going to get anything else done today.
'I'll have a limo take us for food and then home,' he decides, stumbling a little from the alcohol as he goes to call Minako on the intercom.
"Minako."
"Yes, Mr. Kaiba?" she chirps. Gods he hates that she does that. Why doesn't he fire her again? Oh, right. Exceptional competence. Not to mention brave enough to defy him and stand up for her beliefs.
"Make reservations for my brother and I at that restaurant on the pier for 6:00 pm."
"Yes, Mr. Kaiba."
"And tell the driver we'll be down in ten minutes."
"Yes, Mr. Kaiba."
"And send a security detail and a truck to get Mokuba's bike from the garage and bring it to the mansion."
"Yes, Mr. Kaiba."
He turns back to his brother who's looking very relieved. He smiles a real smile at Mokuba and opens his arms. In that one embrace, all is forgiven. Pulling away after a few minutes, Mokuba packs up and shoulders Seto's laptop and heads out. Seto puts on his suit jacket and trench coat, and then grabs his briefcase and the box of letters, before following Mokuba to the car.