Conditionshipping (Kaiba Gozaburo/Kaiba Mokuba)

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((warnings: child abuse mention))

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Seto would be so mad if he knew that Mokuba was doing this. But Seto was nursing bruised ribs in his room, trying to get some sleep and...and Mokuba was so tired of seeing Seto looking like he was trying so hard not to cry...

Mokuba swallowed, rocking back and forth on his heels in front of the giant wooden doors. There was something really scary about big doors. Something that made you feel scared about knocking. He licked his lips—they were really dry...

No, he had to be tough and brave, just like big brother! Never mind how scared he was...no, he could do this. He was going to do this.

Before he could get himself to over think it, he knocked quickly three times as fast as he could and then hid his hands behind his back, as though he could pretend it wasn't him who had knocked.

Silence greeted him.

Mokuba felt nerves tightening his throat, a skitter of fear crawling over his arms and making his hair stand on end as he rocked a little bit faster. Had...had he not been loud enough? Or maybe he was asleep. Maybe he hadn't heard him, or maybe he was ignoring him. Or maybe...maybe he was getting mad at being disturbed and he was deciding how badly to hit him—

Mokuba was inches from fleeing when the door finally opened.

Gozaburo's looming figure appeared in the doorway, his eyes briefly scanning the hall before flickering downwards. His lip curled at the sight of Mokuba and Mokuba flinched.

"What do you want, brat?" he boomed. "Haven't I said there's no excuse for disturbing me?"

Mokuba's shoulders flinched up around his ears in spite of himself. H-he had to talk like Seto, big and strong and—or something. H-he didn't know how to do that.

"E-excuse m-me, s-sir," he squeaked. "I-I'm sorry to b-bother you, b-but..."

"Speak clearly, boy," Gozaburo boomed. "I don't have time to translate!"

Mokuba flinched again and curled inwards on himself, eyes on the floor.

"I'm sorry," he managed to get out without stuttering. "But—but Seto hasn't eaten for three d-days, and—"

"That was his punishment for talking back to me," Gozaburo snarled. "You both know the rules—do you want to be punished too?"

Mokuba shook his head quickly.

"I-it's just, s-sir," he said. "S-Seto can't d-do all his homework w-when he's h-hungry. I-it's s-science, I-I read that y-you can't d-do well if y-you don't eat. S-So I-I was t-thinking that you c-could let him e-eat now, I-I think he k-knows better now."

He was so scared he couldn't even look up. Would Gozaburo hit him again? Would he drag him around by his hair again?

Gozaburo huffed out once, sounding irritable—but not the 'hitting Mokuba' kind of irritable.

"You have at least some guts, brat," he said. "Fine. I'll respect that much out of you, as little as it is. Seto will be allowed to join you at dinner again tomorrow."

Mokuba popped upwards, feeling himself brightening incredibly.

"Oh t-thank you s-sir, thank you," he started.

"Don't push your luck any further, brat," Gozaburo said. "Get back to your room, and I don't want to hear another peep out of you for the rest of the week—or I'll take dinner away from both of you."

"Y-yes sir, understood!"

Mokuba ducked his head quickly before Gozaburo could change his mind about hitting him, and ran as fast as he could down the hall, heart hammering in his stomach.

Still...somehow...

A wild smile grew over his face and it took everything he had not to start skipping. It had worked. He had done something good! Seto would be so proud of him—that is...if Mokuba told him. Which he wouldn't. That would just make Seto upset.

Right. It would be his secret.

. . .

A/N: I hate Gozaburo so goddamn much. Next is Conceitshipping (Mai x Yami Bakura).