On the Sixth
Disclaimer : Do not own Yu-Gi-Oh
Synopsis : Anything could happen. Something good. Something bad. Anything at all . . Written for the Reunion Challenge (SetoxJou)
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The sound of sneakers pounding into the floor echoed throughout the white hallway. The intern rounded a corner and stopped in front of an O.R. prep room. Gripping a clipboard to his chest, he steadily opened the door.
The smell of disinfectant and hospital soap overwhelmed him. Hopefully within a few weeks he would become accustomed to it. Stepping up to the sinks he waited, somewhat breathless, for the doctor to finish scrubbing in. Once he has finished washing his hands and started to pull on his gloves, he turned towards the intern.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing . . . I mean . . . this . ." He held up the clipboard and the doctor sighed.
"If that's your question, then yes."
"So it really is him? But . . . So I wasn't seeing things!"
"You must have been a duel monsters fan before you interned here. . ."
The intern grinned sheepishly, before continuing, "Well yea . . . But why did he leave?" The doctor pulled on the last bit of his glove and turned towards the inner door.
"Because he wanted to."
"But in his condition, he could have stayed. . . Been treated somehow?" Pausing, the doctor shook his head.
"He didn't want that. He wasn't going to spend the rest of his life in a hospital. He told me he had some loose ends that needed to be tied…"
The intern could only stare dumbly at the doctor, letting the information sick in. As the doctor opened the door, the intern asked the last question. "How long does he have?"
"Six months," the doctor calmly answered, before swiftly entering the O.R.
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Six. It's been six years. Now he had six months.
Well, he was in quite a predicament. Here he was, back in Domino, six years since he graduated from that god awful high school. Six years since he had boarded his private jet and left for America. It was six years of work and six years . . . since Seto had last seen Jounouchi.
Seto smiled slightly as he stared at his folded hands. He had heard from Mokuba that Jounouchi had become a high school teacher. He found it rather amusing that the puppy anxiously awaited high school graduation almost as much as Seto, yet only a few years later he found himself there once again.
His thoughts were interrupted when Mokuba seated himself, across from Seto, at the restaurant's table. Mokuba had matured pleasantly, nearly reaching Seto's towering height. The mischief in his eyes had yet to escape him. Reaching into his pocket, Seto took out a small pill. Silently, he swallowed it down with his glass of water. As his gaze met Mokuba's, the look of worry in his brother's eyes made him feel somewhat unsettled.
"Seto. . ."
"Mokuba, I'm fine. There's nothing else that can be done." Seto felt Mokuba grasp his hand gently, noting his brother's gesture of biting his bottom lip nervously. He never used to do that.
"What were you thinking about?"
"Just something that I hav-- need to do." Letting go of Seto's hand, Mokuba stood up calmly, gesturing towards the entrance.
"Can we walk around the park. Please?"
"Sure." He smiled.
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"What are you going to say?"
What WAS he going to say?
"I don't know." Seto watched several children running around the park's playground. They had been walking for a short time, discussing the matter. He had suggested cracking a mutt joke for old times sake of course. Mokuba had glared at him. So he wasn't left with too many options.
"I missed you would be sincere." Mokuba suggested, a smirk clearly visible.
Seto winced at the idea.
"How's life?"
"I'd rather not sound like some shrink."
"Well you could just talk about Duel Monsters. He still plays sometimes, even if it is a small game now and then with Yugi." Sitting down on a bench, Mokuba looked up at his brother. Seto's eyes were closed, his jaw clenched, then he was fine.
"Does it hurt a lot?" The question was almost a whisper, reminding Seto of when his brother was only a child. The sadness, the confusion, the worry. . . He hated to see Mokuba worry.
"No. It's not that bad. Come here…" Seto opened his arms, and Mokuba, cautiously hugged him, as if Seto could break. Resting his chin on his brother's head, he wrapped his arms around him. Mokuba's grip tightened, clinging to Seto, as he began to cry. Seto murmured softly, trying his best to comfort Mokuba. But what could he do?
All he could do was be there with him.
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The limo ride was smooth. Building after building passed by, the same buildings that he passed by six years ago. It seemed as if Domino hadn't changed.
Mokuba expected him to call with news, as he waited at the mansion. He had given Seto an address, the same address he held in his hands at the moment. The paper was crinkled and almost to the point of tearing, due to the compulsive folding and rolling Seto did to it.
Anything could happen. Something good. Something bad. Nothing at all. Seto hated not being a realist. . . .
What could he say? How would he start? Where would he begin…. Six years ago? When he had realized how much Jounouchi meant to him? Or how many times the blonde was on his mind while he was traveling?
He rubbed the bridge of his nose slowly, feeling the limo come to a stop. He sat there for what seemed like ages, before the door was opened to him. Stepping out as graceful as possible, he stopped to take in the house. It was small, but welcoming. A few chairs were placed on the porch's corner, no doubt where Jounouchi would talk with some of his students. Seto could imagine Jounouchi as the type of teacher that students would talk to, in or out of school.
He thanked the driver before dismissing him. The second porch step creaked slightly as Seto made his way to the door. He paused, looked away, and then proceeded to ring the doorbell. Taking a step back, he waited.
It was incredibly quiet. The complete opposite of Jounouchi, actually. Seto smiled then, just as the door opened.
He looked up to see Jounouchi staring at him. The blonde had grown an inch or two, his hair a little more kept.. But those golden eyes were the same, their youth never diminishing. Seto's smile disappeared, as he struggled for words…
"It's good to see you again, Jounouchi."
Six years. Six years of longing, doubting, waiting, and Seto knew it was true. He waited again, but not for long, as Jounouchi registered what he had said. Their eyes met, and Seto could have sworn Jounouchi had somehow understood perfectly. Stepping back, he opened the door, inviting Seto to come in.
He would never admit to being an optimist, but Seto couldn't shake the feeling that these last six months would be the best of his life.
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The End
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A/N : Ehh.. What do I say? My second SetoxJou fic ever. . .Mokuba and Seto angst, I just sort of focused on that a bit, sorry! But for SetoxJou, I'd like to think that they were happy, even if I'm evil and have to make Seto all… dying…