Disclaimer: Just own the words, not the folks.
And SoI sign in, and follow the nurse.
"Today's a pretty good day for him," she notes as we walk down the familiar corridor.
I haven't been to see him in a long time. I hope he's not mad.
Actually, I hope he is. At least it would be something other than that blank stare, the insane laughter or the broken sobs. Usually I get the blank stare, though there have been a few snatches of the laughter. I've only heard the sobs once, but that was enough.
I sit down in the chair across from his still form on the floor near his bed, leaning on the wall and gazing into space.
His pale, slim form still looks alien to me in those white scrubs, even though I've been coming here for over six years. They keep his hair pretty short because once it touches his ears or the back of his neck he begins screaming Atem's pet name, Yoshi, and tearing it out.
To see him now, it's hard to believe this is the same Seto Kaiba who killed five cops, three random people, his father's three bodyguards, his father's girlfriend and his father on live TV. His face littered the world news for weeks, as did some of the footage not too graphic for the average person. The raw stuff can still be found easily on the Internet.
Unfortunately for me, I was one of the millions who caught it live. He'd called me. Told me to be sure to watch. I thought he wanted me to witness the unveiling of his personal triumph, Kaibaland. He'd thought of doing something like that after Mokuba died. But instead, I saw him step from beside his father, close his eyes and whisper something and then pull out two blades from inside his always-immaculate white trench coat. The girlfriend went first via a clean cut that nearly decapitated her. He'd quickly done away with two of the bodyguards and one bystander when the first cop arrived on the stage.
His father tried to run, but Seto hamstringed him before killing the first cop and the last bodyguard. Then it became an even bigger bloody mess on the stage.
God, what he did to his father…
After killing those others, he carved into his father almost slowly, prolonging his agony, grinning like a madman.
And that laughter…
Honestly, between the two, I think I'd rather hear the sobs.
No shrink in the world would have declared him fit for trial even before he became this statue before me.
"Hey dude," I begin, wanting to project warmth and friendship, "How's it hangin'?
As usual, he doesn't reply or even look my way, but I'm not discouraged. I know he can hear me on some level.
"I'm sorry for not visiting in a while, but the wife wanted me to take care of some of the things on the 'honey do' list that had been festering for a while.
"Okay, really, work was kickin' my ass. I couldn't get the necessary time off to fly here and see you. It's not like flying from Singapore. It's a long, long way here from Washington, DC.
"I know what you're thinkin'. I don't even have to work anymore now that you set me for life. You know Schroeder Corp. stock rose another three points yesterday," I ramble. "Looks like I'm gonna be rich for a while longer."
I still can't believe he left such a lucrative company to Atem's brother Katsuya and me. It's also amazing to me that Kats even deigns to speak to me, considering I'm Seto's closest friend and his family blames Seto for Atem's murder.
I'm sure Kats also appreciates that $10 million dollar trust fund for his kids.
Speaking of money Seto's given away, I need to call his aunt and uncle while I'm here. I forgot they wanted me to come and see the new battered women's shelter they built with funds from the Meiko and Mokuba Foundation. I'll have to tell them I can't make it this time. As it is, I'll barely get a chance to visit Kats, Nina and Yami. I can't believe that kid isalmost seven years old already! Man, time flies.
"Do you remember I told you about mom's boyfriend, Mitch?" I continue. "Well, he graduated to fiancée last week. Mom's on top of the world. They haven't set a date yet, but I'm sure it'll be within the year.
"So Rena's makin' noises about wanting to have a baby, but I'm not sure. I don't think I'd be a bad dad, but I just don't know if I want to be a dad right now. She keeps going on about her biological clock ticking and I'm like 'Baby, you're only 24. It can't be tickin' that loudly.' She doesn't think it's funny."
I ramble on for another twenty minutes or so until a quick check of my watch reminds me I'll need to go soon if I'm going to catch Kats and family before I go home.
"Man, look at the time. I gotta go soon. I don't know when I'll be back again, Seto. Life as a civil servant can be grueling, you know. Ah, don't listen to me. Doing public defender work has its benefits too, though I hate when I get stuck with those absolute dirt bags. Still, all it takes is one truly innocent person to thank me sincerely and profusely and I'm ready to take on the world again.
"And actually, I get a surprising number of them."
I'm about to go on when he turns to me and I see a flicker of recognition in his face and eyes. He offers me one of those pure smiles I remember he'd give me every once in a blue moon before the glaze settles back over his eyes and he turns back to his own world.
"God, I miss you, Seto."
I get up and leave before I start bawling like a baby.
-Fin-
A/N: This story came to me, almost in its entirety, one day while hearing 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' by Procol Harum as I ate dinner at a restaurant. The chapter titles are all from the lyrics of the song.