Notes: I do not own YugiOh.
Breaking Stalemate
The day Seto rejects Mokuba, the world doesn't end.
Mokuba watches his brother solemnly from the door. Seto sits on Mokuba's bed, with fingers steepled together in thought. There's a harsh frownline across Seto's forehead that shifts, but his voice is calm. Unmovable. Stone.
"This isn't possible, Mokuba," Seto says, staring down at the floor. "I can't do this. You understand that?"
What Mokuba wants to say is everything doesn't have to be rational, but instead he says: "I know you, Seto. I thought you might think this."
"Then," says Seto, rising to his feet. "Then, this conversation isn't necessary."
Mokuba watches closely as Seto approaches in quiet even steps. For a moment, there's no stoic mask, no dramatic trenchcoat to flare at the world like a flag that proclaims it conquered. There's only Seto, brother and beloved, with weary eyes.
Then Seto leaves, brushes by Mokuba.
Mokuba doesn't turn and speaks into the empty room before him. "Then, why did you come at all?"
He doesn't need to look to know Seto has heard.
The day after Seto rejects Mokuba, life goes on as normal. Seto watches Mokuba closely; even when the CEO rises to get pancakes from the stove, Mokuba can still feel eyes on him. When Seto brings Mokuba his plate, Mokuba stares uncomprehendingly.
"You made a smiley-face with the syrup."
Seto looks wary and says, "Why aren't you smiling?"
"I'm not five anymore," Mokuba answers. He raises his platter and brings it down on the kitchen floor. It shatters into a noisy million pieces, mirroring the collapse of something in Seto's eyes. "I'm not five anymore," Mokuba repeats.
It's time for Seto to reassess normal.
The day after the shattered plate and two days after Seto rejects Mokuba, Mokuba doesn't return home and Seto gets angry.
"What are you doing here!" Seto screams at Mokuba. The wail of a woman who thinks she's doing avant-garde instead of mass-produced Japanese pop makes it necessary. No one knows, Seto never does things just because they're necessary.
"Dancing," Mokuba grinds out and grinds against his dance partner. The blonde moans and thrusts back provocatively.
Seto's face changes. He looks like a little child who has been slapped. Mokuba's brother leaves without a word.
Mokuba pushes the blonde away.
The day after Mokuba doesn't return home and Seto gets angry, two days after the shattered plate, and three days after Seto rejects Mokuba, Seto calls Mokuba into the office.
"You're turning 20 in two days," Seto says. The CEO's chair is swiveled towards the large windows behind a monstrous ebony desk. Seto drums a pen on his desk in a rhythmic pattern that gets faster and faster.
"I know my own birthday," Mokuba snaps sharply. The pen in Seto's fingers does the same.
"What would you like? Half-ownership of Kaiba Corp? A new mercedes? A getaway trip?" Seto looks away. "A getaway trip, for you and your partner?" Seto whispers.
"You know what I want," Mokuba says and there's only wistfulness.
The sunlight illuminates Seto in a saintly halo.
"Mokuba," Seto starts with drawn eyebrows, but it's different this time, because Seto looks like the words to come will hurt himself as well as Mokuba. "And since I can't have it," Mokuba warns, putting his hand on Seto's, "I'll settle for everything else."
Seto's eyes ask a question, but Mokuba doesn't reply.
Five years after everything started, Mokuba watches his brother fall to the floor. "You were always too simple-minded, Seto," Mokuba sneers from his new great height.
He's dressed in black from head to toe. Fitting for the new CEO of Kaiba Corp.
Seto clutches at the carpet like it can give him answers.
"Why Mokuba? Why? I did this all for you."
"I didn't like your rules, Seto, so I became your enemy," Mokuba says nonchalantly, tugging smoothly at the cuffs of his sleeves. The nervous shareholders behind Mokuba's back crowd closer for a better look when they see a suspicious gleam on Seto's lashes.
"This. This isn't a game," Seto says, although his shoulders shake.
"You made it one, brother," Mokuba answers.
"What do you want me to do?" Seto asks.
"You want your world back? You want everything the way it was before? Then it's very simple. There's only one move you have to make, one challenge to overcome and you don't have to be just Seto anymore, you can be Seto Kaiba, CEO of Kaiba Corp again."
Seto looks up with determined eyes.
"All you have to do," Mokuba says, crouching down and grasping victory, "Is convince me to stop loving you."