Chapter 14:

The butler opened the door to Gozaburo's main office, stepping aside to allow the young Kaiba entrance. Seto slowly bowed, both to show respect and to buy himself as many seconds as possible, before entering the room. He took two steps in and swallowed, already smelling the stench of cigar smoke, whiskey, and corruption that seemed to seep out of Gozaburo's offices. Every single one, even the one at headquarters, had that concoction of scents that made Seto's stomach turn, and he knew the second he took over, he would deep clean every nook and cranny that the bastard worked in.

When he took over...a day that felt like it would never come.

The door behind him closed shut, and Seto heard a lock click into place. His hands started to shake, but he quickly tucked them into the pockets of his brown slacks. He couldn't show fear. Not this early, and not with this man. Instead, he looked at his surroundings. It was equipped just like all of Gozaburo's other offices. Two leather seats for guests, the great mahogany desk with Gozaburo behind it, and paintings of the cruel CEO and several corporate sponsors hanging from the walls. A wooden door led to an adjacent bathroom, and a bookshelf stood next to a full-length mirror that was placed just next to the bathroom doorway.

"Seto," Gozaburo started, standing from his seat and circling his large desk. He leaned back against it, taking the whiskey cup in his right hand while putting out the cigar with his left. He was dressed in a dark green suit that Seto knew was padded at the shoulders, which made the brute seem even larger. He wasn't making eye contact, reminding Seto of a criminal lord more than a corporate leader. In Seto's observations, he knew Gozaburo was much more the former than the latter.

"Gozaburo," Seto replied, bowing ever so slightly despite his best intentions. It was a sign of fear, of buying time, of avoiding what was to come.

"Please explain to me, in great detail, how Mitsuhama's son managed to learn about that bruise I gave you two weeks ago."

"The bruise...?" Seto frowned. Which bruise? The bruises on his hands from the butler's switch for when he spelled something incorrectly? The bruise on his wrist from being grabbed and thrown against the wall when he lost a piece of paper meant for Gozaburo? The bruise on his cheek that was just now starting to heal, given when Seto had failed one of the countless impossible tasks thrown his way?

One year out of the orphanage, and he still was receiving beatings from others. He almost wished for the kids' weak throws and punches. They were easier to dodge.

But no, Mokuba needed a home. He needed-

"Yes, you moronic plebeian, the bruise," Gozaburo repeated, his voice already rising in anger and frustration. "The one on your right arm. After you dropped all my folders containing blueprints for our new drone weapons."

Seto froze, remembering the half dozen folders, each filled to the brim with papers, that Gozaburo demanded Seto carry down three flights of stairs. Gozaburo had grabbed his arm and held him up when news of him dropping the stack reached him. Seto had been dangling from the CEO's grip as the bastard demanded that each piece of paper be returned to its proper folder within the hour. Seto had just barely managed to pull it off, but the mark on his arm had remained.

"I… I don't know," Seto answered, doing his best to meet Gozaburo's cold gaze. "I only met Mitsuhama's son at the event a week ago, and I was wearing a long-sleeve shirt. I had no reason to bring it up, and I don't play with my sleeves. Maybe he touched my arm at some point?"

"And how did he learn it was me who did it?"

Seto's eyes widened. "I… I don't know." Seto repeated, swallowing hard. He hadn't talked to Mitsuhama's son, a cute boy named Kenichiro, for very long, but Seto clearly remembered the bruise coming up. Something about sports, perhaps, or falling down some stairs. Something benign. Whatever it was, he hadn't-

"You told him, didn't you?" Gozaburo turned, flashing demonic eyes directly at Seto. His glass of whiskey was empty, and he slammed it down, sending a shockwave across the room. To Seto, the monster seemed to grow bigger still. "You told him, just so you could escape, didn't you?"

"N-No, I didn't!" Seto exclaimed, now taking his hands out of his pockets. "Honestly, I did no such thing! I would have no reason to tell him what happened."

"Show me. Show me your arm right now!"

Carefully, slowly, Seto did as he was told, rolling the sleeve of his shirt up to reveal the remains of the bruise. It was light, barely visible, but Seto could see the clear outline as though it had just been inflicted. Was it really still that visible? Or was Seto's mind playing tricks on him?

"A tad high up for a friend to bump into," Gozaburo observed, taking slow steps forward. Seto swallowed and looked back up at his adoptive father only to cry out in pain when Gozaburo grabbed exactly in the same spot as before, squeezing fiercely.

"P-Please!" he begged in a hushed tone, knowing it was futile but not knowing what else to do. He looked directly at Gozaburo, hoping against hope that the man could see Seto was telling the truth. "I didn't tell Mitsuhama's son. I didn't tell anyone. I know… I know what would happen if I did."

"Then how did he know, Seto?!" Gozaburo grabbed Seto by the front of his shirt with his other hand, lifting him off the ground, causing Seto's breath to catch in his throat. "Then how did he know?!"

"I-I-I don't know! I don't know! Maybe...maybe it was a lucky guess?"

Wrong answer.

Like a bull, Gozaburo charged forward, and Seto screamed in pain as his back came in contact with the large mirror. The glass shattered in a dozen pieces, and Seto felt his back crack at the impact, the wind knocked out of him for a brief second. "One more time, you ungrateful brat," Gozaburo hissed, his eyes ablaze with fury and contempt. "How did he learn? Because now Mitsuhama is asking questions, and we can't have that, now can we?"

"I swear, I swear…" Gozaburo pushed ever so slightly, and Seto gasped as shards began to pierce his shirt, some falling down between the fabric and his neck, cutting into his back. "I swear, I don't know how Kenichiro found out. I kept it hidden. I told no one. I-"

Pulling him away, Gozaburo growled and lunged Seto forward once more. Any piece of glass still clinging to the mirror fell off, and Seto cried out as he felt rivulets of blood begin trailing down his back. Tears were falling down his cheeks in equal measure as pain radiated from his back to his head, arms, and legs. The door to the office opened, and a familiar voice called out, "Gozaburo, sir!" Seto felt himself drop to the floor, his hands landing on little pieces of glass. He glanced backwards only to hiccup at the sight of blood dripping from a broken shard. "Gozaburo, please, stop this!" the guard shouted. He gasped as Gozaburo pulled the mirror down, the back landing right on top of Seto-

Kaiba gasped, greeted by total darkness.

He tried to breathe and felt his throat constrict. He tried again, and again, and again. He couldn't breathe, couldn't find the oxygen his body needed. Sweat began to form along his brow. He was hyperventilating. He needed air. He felt sweat roll down his back and feared it was blood.

Sitting upright, Kaiba placed a hand on his chest, feeling his beating heart underneath. His hands were shaking. He grabbed the blanket with one hand, keeping his other hand on his chest, and took in a large, deep breath of air, nearly coughing when an influx finally took hold. He inhaled, exhaled, inhaled and exhaled. Finally, after three long, deep breaths, he sighed heavily and leaned forward, clenching his hands in anger and keeping his eyes shut.

He didn't want nightmares here. Not on vacation. Not at the beach. He could deal with them at home in the dark privacy of his room, but not...not here…

Remembering where he was, Kaiba pushed himself upright and looked over at the other bed. Mokuba was still dead asleep, his mouth open and a bit of drool hanging out. Kaiba could see just a trace of sunlight coming in through the window. He grabbed his phone and read that it was 5:30 in the morning. Too late to go back to sleep, he thought slowly, his mind reeling from the nightmare, But too early to get anything ready. He sighed and leaned back in bed, checking against his better judgment for blood. No blood, you idiot. Those wounds closed long ago. He began scrolling on his phone for a brief minute before setting it back down on the nightstand. His eyes stared up at the ceiling, but all he could see was the vivid nightmare that had resurfaced.

He slowly, very slowly, wiped the sweat from his brow, then sat back up. He didn't want to be lying in bed anymore. He had to walk away from it. His one weakness just had to strike when he least expected it.

Stepping into the bathroom, Kaiba shut the door and turned the light on, flinching at the sudden brightness. Proof that vacation simply doesn't solve all problems, he reflected as he turned the cold water knob on the faucet. Letting his hands hover underneath the water for a brief minute, he then splashed the water on his face, wiping away the remaining sweat and fully waking himself up.

He cautiously looked up at himself in the mirror. There were minor bags under his eyes, and his cheeks appeared slightly pale despite his tan, but he otherwise looked fine. Nothing major to indicate he hadn't slept well, meaning no questions to answer from his brother or Jounouchi. He sighed, pushing himself up to a full standing position, and grabbed a nearby towel, wiping his face down.

Feeling the softness of the towel, Kaiba let his face just rest against the fabric for a brief minute. A jolt went down his spine as his mental vision went back to that moment, of the glass mirror being thrust down on his back, the impact of which had knocked him out cold. It had been the worst of Gozaburo's offenses, but it had also been the one that finally stopped the CEO's physical torments. Rumors had spread like wildfire when Kaiba had been bedridden for three days' straight, his back taking its time with the healing process. Scars had formed, though, which forced Gozaburo to watch his actions and exercise a measure of restraint.

Fortunately, it had been by far the worst of the assaults. Kaiba could recall most of the earlier instances of physical punishment in his time with Gozaburo, the pain making strong imprints on his memory, but in comparison to the last of the bastard's loss of control, they were like the mild bruise: painful, but easily brushed aside. There were, unfortunately, a few incidents that still haunted Kaiba, still made a rare night here and there absolutely miserable. He had kept a shred of hope that one of his lingering nightmares would leave him be for the week.

Putting the towel down, Kaiba looked back at his reflection. He was just content with the fact it occurred so late at night. He knew, if it had been earlier, he would be facing the day with absolutely no sleep.

Splashing his face one more time, he turned the faucet off, wiped his face again, and set the towel down. He wasn't as sweaty as he anticipated, but he felt a warm shower was in order. But first, a glass of water, he thought as he turned the light off and exited the bathroom. Carefully shutting the door behind him, he examined his brother for a good, long minute, making sure he hadn't disturbed the boy's slumber. Mokuba turned briefly in his sleep but otherwise showed no signs of waking.

Kaiba mentally nodded, satisfied with having at least avoided such an incident. He made his way across the room and exited into the hallway, leaving the door just slightly ajar to avoid making any further commotion when he returned for his shower.

Stepping out into the kitchen, his back towards the living room section, Kaiba opened a cabinet and pulled out an empty cup. He held it against the water dispenser built into the refrigerator, listening as the crisp water began to fill his glass. He focused on the sensation of the cold, his body shivering at the memory despite himself, and soon he took the glass away and placed it on the countertop. He briefly wondered if he should eat something as well but decided against it, figuring he would wait to cook breakfast.

He took a long, slow sip of his drink, then sighed heavily. He then carefully leaned forward, crossing his arms as he set them against the countertop, and let his head hang.

I hate this, he thought as he stared vacantly at the cup of water. I absolutely hate this. Why can't the memories just disappear? Why can't they just die with that old, senile bastard? Swallowing hard, Kaiba shook his head, knowing logically that such thoughts were useless but desiring them nonetheless. And why now? Why here? I haven't had that dream in, gods, over a month now. He reached out and took another small sip of his water. I suppose it doesn't matter. It happened here. I woke up early. My body is reacting to the adrenaline, just as it always does. I know it'll pass… It'll pass. I just have to...figure out what I want to do…

He placed his forehead against his arms, letting his shoulders sag forward. I hate this. He knew if it hadn't been for all the emotional training he had gone through, he would be crying right now. His body felt heavy, as though it was suddenly carrying a great weight. As it was, all he could do was breathe, focus on the sensations around him, and do everything mentally possible to get Gozaburo's voice out of his head. It was how he had trained himself to overcome the awful nights. He had to logically walk his mind through the trauma. It was the only way he knew how.

Doing so for a full, long minute gave him the confidence he needed to push himself up and finish off his glass of water. Setting the empty glass in the sink, he glanced over at the clock on the coffee maker. Nearly six… he read. Perhaps the pool is open. Or the hot tubs. Though I suppose I should shower first… Though if I'm getting in the water anyways...

"H-hey…" It was a soft muffle, but it caused Kaiba to stiffen, and he swiftly spun around only to blink in surprise. Peeking up over the armrest of the sofa was Jounouchi, whom Kaiba hadn't necessarily forgotten about so much as presumed was sleeping. Wiping the sleep from his eyes, Jounouchi slowly pushed himself up and glanced around the room. "Damn, man, is it stormin' or somethin'? Why's it so dark…?"

Despite himself, Kaiba felt an immense wave of guilt wash over him, knowing he was the reason for the blonde's early awakening. "It's just early," Kaiba whispered, remembering he had left the door to his room open.

"Are you all right?" Jou asked, turning to look over at him. "You, uh, don't seem okay."

Kaiba shook his head. "I'm fine," he answered.

"You sure?"

Kaiba cleared his throat. "Yes." He had to sound stronger than he felt. Jounouchi cannot know.

"Why're you up so early, anyways?" Jounouchi stretched his arms and stood, glancing outside the patio doors. Through the glass, the rising sun could be seen warming up the sky, with the darkness being pierced by a slow mixture of blues and reds. "Planning an early raid of the pool or something?" Kaiba softly shook his head. "Then, uh...you just awake at your normal hours?"

Realizing he would need an excuse, Kaiba shrugged his shoulders and muttered, "I simply woke up…a bit early. As you implied, it seems my body is already reverting to my normal hours."

Jou nodded and turned to look at Kaiba, making the brunette feel slightly uncomfortable as he unsubtly once again looked him up and down. This time, Kaiba was sure the blonde was reading him for the truth, but he seemed satisfied as he said, "A'ight, man. I can dig it. Well, since we're both up, wanna get some of that awesome iced coffee we got yesterday?" Hiding a second yawn behind his hand, Jou added, "No point in goin' back to sleep now."

"Why? You still have some time."

Shaking his head, Jou stifled his yawn as he explained, "If I do now, I won't get up until after Mokuba's awake, and I don't wanna waste the day. But I'mma need some good coffee if we're doin' something big today."

Kaiba nodded in understanding, still feeling guilty over waking the blonde. "I'll be ready in about 10 minutes. I just want a short shower. Then we can head down and get some coffee."

"Sounds good, man." Walking forward, Jou casually approached him. "Just, real quick… You, uh...positively sure you're okay?"

Turning away before the blonde could read his face, Kaiba muttered a soft "Yes," then walked down the hallway and entered the bathroom. Before his mind could catch up, he was turning the nozzles of the shower and soon standing naked underneath the hot water.

I'm in survival mode, he reasoned. Just to get away from that nightmare. He couldn't fight it, and quite frankly, he didn't want to. Any excuse to not lie back down and experience that again. At least, not for today…

He felt the hot water drip down his back and shook his head, hating how weak he felt in that singular moment.