Plenoptic

For some reason, Ishida strikes me as a bully kind of name.

I am trying to use the Japanese canon names, but for whatever reason Isono still feels more like Roland to me. It kind of makes sense that Seto would have some slick European head of security. Also I do what I want.

The silence isn't so bad

'Till I look at my hands and feel sad

'Cause the spaces between my fingers

Are right where yours fit perfectly.

-Owl City

The smell was the worst. He covered his nose and mouth with his tunic, tried not to breathe, but it invaded anyway, filling him, consuming him. His eyes stung and watered, his throat felt tight and dry, but he couldn't bring himself to move.

The last support strut cracked, groaned, and fell in, lifting a cloud of ash into the air. The blood on his brow was black with it. The house he'd helped his mother build was little more than charred kindling.

Had she been alive still? If he had had the courage to throw open the door, would he have found her within? He could have died with her, at least. Better that than to go on alone. He could still step forward, into the fire.

"...Seth."

A low voice at his ear. Kaname knelt beside him, placed a hand on his shoulder, averting his eyes from the sight of his house smoldering and smoking.

"What happened?"

"...Kaname. You should be gone."

"I saw smoke and came back. Who did this?"

Scum. Slavers. No one of import or value. Men who sought wealth above everything, above human life itself. Men who would do this, slaughter a village, because he, Seth, had denied them one of their products.

"Kaname, did I...do the right thing?"

Kaname frowned, leaning in closer to hear the boy, whose voice was hoarse, choked by the smoke. "What?"

"If I hadn't let that girl go, this wouldn't have happened. If I hadn't saved her, she'd have suffered a fate worse than death. So did I do what I was supposed to do?"

"I don't understand, Seth, but we need to leave," Kaname said, as gently as he could, gripping Seth's arm. "We won't be able to breathe for much longer."

"Mother...is still inside."

"She's not alive, Seth. She can't be. But you are, so let me help you get out of here."

Kaname didn't have time to wait for a response. He pulled Seth's arm around his shoulders and hauled him to his feet, looping an arm around his waist and steering him away from the house, supporting his weight as they staggered, coughing, toward the border of the village. Kaname avoided looking too closely at the burnt, twisted bodies, too afraid that he would see a face he recognized from his brief stay. He had come back against his better judgement, but he was glad he had; gods only knew whether Seth would have ever moved from that spot, or whether he'd have let the fire consume him.

The vampire king took it upon himself to navigate them to safety, remembering vaguely the oasis Seth had shown him where the village drew its water. The blessed patch of green emerged after a few minutes' walk, whereupon Kaname lowered Seth down by the water and went about cleaning him, dressing the wound across his forehead.

"How did you get this?" he asked quietly, pushing the boy's hair back and wiping the injury clean of blood and ash.

"I don't know…" Seth touched a hand gingerly to his forehead, only to have Kaname pull it away hurriedly.

"It looks like you were struck with the hilt of a sword."

"Maybe."

"You didn't answer my question. Who did this?"

"No one," Seth said, and something cold and savage edged his voice. "They're dead men walking now."

Kaname frowned, tearing out the bottom of his cloak and beginning to bind it around Seth's head. "I understand your anger, Seth. But killing them won't bring your mother back. She wouldn't want to see you become a murderer over her."

"They're the murderers!"

"I know. I'm not saying that this wasn't an atrocity. And I'm deeply sorry for what you've lost. Your mother was a good woman."

Seth lowered his head, eyes downcast. "She was the best woman. And I spent most of my life trying to escape this place. Now, I…" He paused, staring down at his hands. "Why aren't I crying?"

Kaname smiled sadly, placing a hand on that russet hair. "You will, when the wounds aren't so raw. Come, you need sleep. I'll put out the blankets."

Seth stopped him, grabbing a handful of his cloak. "Kaname. Are you still going to the royal palace?"

"I am."

The boy tightened his jaw. "Then I'm coming with you."

And then the ceiling of Ishizu Ishtar's office came into focus. Seto Kaiba lay still for several moments, blinking to clear his vision. It was becoming easier and easier to reorient himself in the physical world when recalls ended, a fact he was grateful for; it was too unnerving to sit in an air-conditioned room and feel hot sun beating down on the back of his neck, or sand between his toes.

"Welcome back." The lights flickered on, revealing Ishizu leaning in the doorway, smiling prettily at him. "Have a nice trip?"

"It was a little warm," he retorted, sitting up and planting both feet gratefully on the carpet, releasing a sigh of relief when he remained free of the sensation that his soles were on fire.

"Cute. What did you see?"

"It was an early one. Right after his mother died." Seto frowned, cradling his head in his hands, almost struggling to keep the memory in focus. Sometimes they remained crystal clear and vivid; sometimes they slipped away as quickly as an interrupted dream. "Kaname found him near his house and got him out of the village. They knew one another by name. They spoke as if they knew each other well." He lifted his head, leaning back against the couch and blowing his fringe out of his eyes. "It seems that Seth helped Kaname escape the village that night. On the way back, he ran into the slavers' camp, and found Kisara…"

Isis frowned a little, stepping into the room and approaching the wall closest to her desk. At one point it had been covered in various awards given to the museum, as well as newspaper clippings from her archaeological finds; now, it was completely obscured by an immense whiteboard. She uncapped a marker as she spoke, making a note on the timeline they had started.

"Kaname went back to the village?"

"He saw the smoke from the fire and turned back. It was lucky he did; Seth was about ready to jump into the fire himself." Seto got heavily to his feet, joining Ishizu by her desk and folding his arms over his chest. "They seemed set on heading to the palace."

"They likely journeyed for around two weeks- Seth still had healing burns when he arrived in the city. Isis tended them. I remember that vividly, as it was the first time they ever spoke." Isis chewed on the end of the marker, thinking. "I don't remember seeing Kaname, though."

"They split up? Why was Kaname bound for the royal city if not to see the pharaoh?"

"He may have seen Akhenamkhamon outside of court. It certainly wasn't common for anyone to see the pharaoh in anything but an official capacity, but we know that Kaname wasn't the type to cater to anyone's rules but his own. We'll have to keep watching, hopefully Seth will be able to tell us." She placed a small question mark below the box that indicated Seth's arrival at the palace before turning to her companion. "How are the headaches?"

"Not as bad as they were when we first started. And they pass quickly."

"I find coffee helps," she said lightly, indicating the trash can beside her desk. It was full to brimming with filters and paper espresso cups.

"You should use a travel mug. It's more environmentally friendly."

"I'll keep that in mind. How's Mokuba?"

The young CEO shrugged, pushing off her desk when she sat down and opened her laptop. "He goes back to school tomorrow."

Ishizu raised her dark eyebrows, smiling up at him. "Only a week's suspension for breaking a young man's arm? How did that happen?"

"Ishida's parents proved to be very reasonable people," Kaiba replied mildly, shrugging.

"Seto…"

"Relax. I wrote them a check and they dropped it. And it seems the little punk fessed up to provoking Mokuba, so I think his parents were happy it was over and done with so quickly."

"I see." Ishizu glanced up from her computer, studying Seto carefully over the rim of her glasses. "It was a foul thing that boy said. I'm not surprised that Mokuba reacted so violently."

"I am. Have you ever met anyone less easily ruffled than my kid brother?"

"I suppose not. But you have always been one another's weak spots," Ishizu laughed, shaking her head. "Where's Kiryuu today? Lately I never see one of you without the other." He shot her a sharp look, furrowing his brow, and she held up both hands in pacification. "I'm not teasing you, it's just an observation."

"He stayed at the mansion, if you must know," the young CEO replied somewhat testily. "He wasn't feeling up to a trip into town." On the contrary, he'd let Zero latch onto his wrist again this morning, and had left the young vampire in doped-up bliss, but Ishizu didn't need to be privy to that sordid little detail. If she knew that he not only bought this vampire stuff but was encouraging it under his own roof, he'd never hear the end of it. "Are we done here?"

"If you're done, so am I," she answered mildly, stepping around him to take a seat at her desk, opening up the first manilla folder in front of her. "Have you spoken to Yugi recently?

"Not since you two made your happy call to my doorstep."

Ishizu lifted an eyebrow and pursed her lips, perhaps offended, but didn't change her tone. "He mentioned wanting to talk to you."

"Well, he knows where I live," Kaiba sighed. He couldn't help but feel apprehensive; if Yugi wanted to talk, it could only bode ill for everyone's peace and sanity. "If that's all, I'm going."

"Drive carefully," she suggested, smiling innocently when he shot her an irritated look. "Not that I'm commenting on your abhorrent driving skills or anything."

"I'm sure…" He left the office, shaking his head. It never ceased to amaze him how easily that woman got under his skin. He loosened his tie as he walked through the staff-only hallway, feeling a little suffocated by the museum, as usual. It had always been too stuffy for his liking. Maybe it was time the place got a hefty but anonymous donation to renovate and clean up some of the exhibits...he owed Ishizu that much, he supposed. She could have been a real ass about this recall thing, and thrown in his face some of the snide comments he'd made when they first met and got acquainted, but she hadn't, and he was immensely grateful for that. He didn't need reminding that he'd been a less than stellar human being a few years ago.

But that was a few years ago, he reiterated to himself, tightening his jaw as he stepped out of the museum and into the parking lot, rubbing his hands together to ward off the cold. Headed into October, there was a definite nip in the air. He supposed the first truly chilly day of winter had been the day he found Zero in the alley.

Kaiba paused with the key in the ignition, his stomach doing an odd flip. He was going to be twenty-two years old at the end of the month. Was that right? Mokuba was sixteen now, and would be seventeen in February, and they were five years apart. He was correct, then. He wasn't surprised that he wasn't sure about his own age; it had been a meaningless number for a long, long time. Twenty may have been the celebrated year of adulthood in Japan, but he'd become an adult the day his father died. Perhaps he ought to be excited that his birthday was right around the bend, but instead he just felt old. And why shouldn't he? He'd live to be eighty, perhaps ninety years old. At least a fourth of his life was over, if he was lucky enough to be done in by age and not misfortune. What did he have to show for his twenty-two years? A sprawling international corporation? A fancy house on a hill? Legions of minions who did his bidding and called him 'sama' and 'sir'? Big whoop. That made for a comfortable life, not a meaningful one.

But there was Mokuba. That thought settled the tide of unease that had been tightening his innards into knots. He might not have much to show for himself, but he'd raised one hell of a good kid. Mokuba was a blessing for the world, and Seto was confident that everyone would know that by the time the punk was through. Mokuba might have a wife and kids and a shot at a normal, happy life someday, surrounded by people who adored him. Seto supposed he couldn't ask for much more than that for his little brother.

It probably wasn't too late for him, either. He was only twenty-two. People turned their lives around at fifty and sixty these days. His knuckles turned white on the steering wheel as he waited impatiently for a light to turn. He probably wasn't cut out for a white townhouse kind of life, but he could probably find someone who would be willing to commit to him. Jou had wanted to, of that he was sure. They wouldn't be getting back together, in all likelihood, but if there was one person who'd partner with him, surely there might be one more…

He shook his head deliberately, chasing off that line of thought. He was starting to irritate himself. It was annoying as hell that his cherished pillar of solitude was starting to crumble around his head. Since when was Mokuba not enough for him? What more did he need besides a brother who worshiped the ground he walked on?

But he wasn't all Mokuba needed. The kid had buddies and a girlfriend, had teachers and mentors that he looked up to as well. He didn't just need his big brother anymore. Which was normal and healthy, Seto supposed, but it still felt kind of...well, it felt lonely.

"Welcome home."

Seto jumped and spun around, breathing a sigh of relief when he saw Mokuba at the driver's side window, grinning at him. Lost in his thoughts, he'd found his way home and parked in the garage on autopilot.

"Hey. What are you doing?"

"I was going to go out for a bit." The teenager held up his hands in pacification when his brother shot him a hard look. "I'm going to the library. My history teach is making me write up an essay on the stuff they've been learning while I've been exile."

"What's the subject?"

"I dunno, something about white people fucking up Africa."

"Language."

"Oh, give me a break." Mokuba held out his hand expectantly, grinning. "So can I take the car?"

"This one?" Seto snorted, indicating the sleek red sportscar he'd just parked. "Are you high?"

"Come on-"

"No. Have Roland give you a lift." He jingled his keys tauntingly in front of Mokuba's face before stepping around him and into the house, kicking off his shoes as he went. "Is Zero up?"

"Nah. I guess he had a late night doing Zero things."

"Go get him up before you leave, will you?" Seto sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'll be in my office." He paused, considering, and glanced at his brother over his shoulder. "Wake him up the way you did Jou."

Mokuba grinned widely. "Sure thing."

His favorite part was the hum, right after he plugged it in and right before he touched the strings. That sound, quiet and monotonous, was pure potential, and he savored it immensely. Mokuba flipped through the pages of score he'd laid out at his feet, chewing on his lower lip for a moment before settling on a piece with a complicated opening set of riffs. He mimed the fingering for a few of the chords, making sure he could switch easily from one position to the next, before cranking the volume up a few more notches for good measure.

Poor Zero. He had no idea what he was in for.

Said hunter was snoozing comfortably beneath an immense quilt, curled up on his side with a pillow over his head, enjoying the dark and quiet. He was warm and full and sated, fresh blood churning through him, quieting the monster inside, letting him rest. At first he'd wanted to rush to the bathroom and vomit it up again, but he'd forced himself to endure, and several hours after drinking from Seto, he felt much better than he had prior.

He heard shuffling in his room and chose to ignore it. Mokuba and Seto both came in and out of the guest room on occasion, looking for waylaid bits of clothing or files. Someone ruffled a few pieces of paper, there was a pause, and then-

Mokuba brought the pick down across the strings, and the barrage of noise from the amplifier made Zero jump, smash his head into the wall, and fall off the bed, sputtering and bewildered. The teenager laughed, hopping around in a circle while continuing to play. It had been a while since he picked up his guitar, and it felt good to have it on his shoulder again.

"Do you like A7X?" he shouted over the noise. Zero blinked at him uncomprehendingly. "I said, do you like Avenged Sevenfold? They're from America!"

"What the hell are you doing?!" Zero hollered back at him, his brain finally getting up to speed and shaking off the last sound-blasted vestiges of sleep. "I was sleeping, you little shit!"

"Seto said to get you up! It's past noon!"

"I can get up whenever I- would you stop that for a second?!"

Mokuba paused, grinning widely at the irritated hunter. "Feeling spry and awake?"

"I feel like I want to kill you." Zero groaned and laid back on the floor, scowling when Mokuba strummed out a threatening C chord. "Five minutes."

"You gonna sleep your life away?" Mokuba demanded, poking Zero in the leg with the top of the guitar neck. "You're just like Jou that way. I wonder if my brother has a thing for layabouts?"

"I'm up," Zero snapped in response, sitting up quickly and clambering to his feet. "I'm up, I'm up, happy now?"

"As a clam," the younger Kaiba answered, still smirking. "No big plans for today, then?"

"Of course not. What about you? Last day before you have to go back to hell," Zero reminded him, pulling on a t-shirt and leaving the room, scratching the back of his neck and releasing a yawn. He probably shouldn't drink from Kaiba so early in the morning if it left him feeling so doped up for hours afterward.

"Yeah, I know," Mokuba said, heaving a tragic sigh and hopping onto the banister, sliding down and beating Zero to the bottom of the stairs with ease. Zero wondered faintly how Kaiba felt about his brother rubbing his ass all over expensive polished mahogany. "Wanna hang out? I tried to get Seto to do something today, but he's locked himself in his office as usual."

"Hang out? You and me?"

"Yeah, dummy, that's what I said."

"What would we do?" Zero queried, curiosity getting the best of his usual brand of stand-offish shyness. Mokuba was a constant presence around the mansion at all hours of the day, flitting in and out, but he and Zero had yet to spend any time one-on-one; Kaiba was always around.

"I dunno, man, whatever," Mokuba replied, scratching the back of his head. "I told Seto I was going to the library to write an essay."

"Are you?"

"Of course not, it sucks."

"What about the essay?"

Mokuba raised his eyebrows, quirking a grin in the hunter's direction while pulling open the fridge. The kitchen seemed to be the teenager's default destination whenever he was bored. "I finished it already. There's this thing called Google. Do you wanna hang out or what? There's a pretty great arcade that just opened downtown."

Zero stopped on the spot, staring at the youngest Kaiba brother in shock. "An arcade? You mean, with games and shitty food?"

"Er, yes? Is there any other kind?"

"No." Zero's face split into a grin, eyes almost shining. "Let's do that. I've never been to one."

Mokuba released a startled kind of laugh. "You're not serious?"

"Yeah, I am." It wasn't as if his parents would have given him a break from training to go goof around with other kids his own age. "Seriously, let's go. You have a car?"

"I was gonna have Roland give me a lift, but he'd definitely tell my brother if I go anywhere besides where I said I'd be."

"So how do we get there?"

Mokuba grinned, reaching into his pocket and removing the keys Seto had been teasing him with, jangling them in front of Zero's face. "We 'borrow' the Seto Mobile."

"Down! Down! You dodge with down- Zero! What did I just say?!"

"Shut up, shut up!" Zero snapped irritably, waving Mokuba off while jiggling the joystick back and forth, tongue between his teeth. He threw his hands into the air, appalled, when his character was drop-kicked out of the ring and an iconic splatter of blood obscured the screen, dripping away to reveal his abhorrently bad score. "What the hell!"

"I said down," Mokuba said, hanging onto the edge of the machine to keep from falling over; he'd been laughing almost non-stop for the better half of an hour. "Man, you really suck at this."

"You do it, then, if you're so great," Zero shot back, stepping to the side and folding his arms over his chest.

Still chuckling, Mokuba stepped up and inserted a few coins, waving a hand dismissively. "Watch and learn, little boy."

Zero snorted and shook his head, only paying half-attention while Mokuba won through the beginner levels, letting his gaze wander around the arcade. To be honest, it was everything he'd ever dreamed. Kids Mokuba's age- a few older, some younger- ran back and forth across the slightly grubby carpets, overpaying for greasy food and constantly visiting the coin machines to make change. There was a row of pachinko machines in the corner making merry music, a stark contrast to the sounds of combat coming from the classic arena games that Mokuba was so good at.

"Okay, look, he throws the scythe across the screen, and then it sweeps up, so you've got to crouch down and then roll forward to hit him," Mokuba explained, executing the aforementioned combo with practiced ease and ending the fight with a few jabs to the red attack button. "Three hits is the magic number, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah," Zero sighed, nudging the teenager aside. "I'd have gotten it eventually…"

"I'm sure," Mokuba laughed, lounging against the side of the machine and grinning as Zero attempted the next opponent. "I always liked this chick. I think she's hot."

"I guess so."

Mokuba shot him a sideways glance, wincing. "Sorry."

"Don't be. I don't care if you talk about chicks in front of me."

"Yeah?" The teenager lifted his eyebrows. "Even though you dig guys?"

Zero shifted uncomfortably. "It's not that I dig guys. It's just that the only person I've ever cared about happened to be male. It's not like I'm into every man that walks by."

"Well, sure. I'm not into every girl I see. I mean, I kinda am, but not seriously. Just a little."

"Or a lot?"

"Or a lot," Mokuba acquiesced, grinning. "I'm a passionate person. Must be the Italian in me."

"Italian?" Zero queried, raising his eyebrows and glancing sideways at the teen.

"Yeah. My mom's dad was from Sicily. Her mom was Japanese, though."

"I kinda figured you had some mixed blood."

"Yep, we're real mutts." Mokuba rested his elbow on the machine, cradling his chin in his palm. "I think my brother's liked lots of guys. He never dated anyone until Jou, though."

"Back to the gay thing, huh?"

"Yeah- do you mind? Seto will never talk about it."

"I don't mind." Zero finished the level with a satisfying finishing combo, popping in a few coins to continue. "How long were they together? Your brother and Jou."

"A few months. It was weird, because they never used the words 'boyfriend' or 'dating,' but they were obviously together. They did all the things couples do, anyway."

"Why'd they split?"

Mokuba sighed, running a hand through his hair. "My brother has commitment issues. Jou really wanted them to be publically together, and Seto wanted to keep it a secret." He was playing with his keys, frowning a little. "I guess no one wants to come out of the closet only to rent it as a condo."

"I can understand that, I guess." Hunting was one thing; the problems of the average modern teenager seemed like too much to bear. Zero found himself almost grateful that he'd dodged bullets like coming out and having boyfriends, as much as he'd once yearned for a life of blissful normalcy. It sounded like a huge pain in the ass.

"So what happened to your guy? Kaname?"

Zero jumped a little, letting his character die in favor of staring at Mokuba in stunned silence. The teenager grimaced, leaning his weight back onto his heels and holding onto the machine with the tips of his fingers.

"I, uh...wormed some stuff out of Seto. He died, didn't he? I was just wondering what happened."

"Yeah," Zero said weakly, slowly turning back to the machine. The blinking 'Game Over' screen was unnerving. "He...died. It's been a few months. I couldn't really tell you what happened. It was complicated."

"Sorry," Mokuba said quietly. "I shouldn't have asked."

"It's alright." Zero rubbed his shoulder, uncomfortable with the silence. Once upon a time, he would have stalked out of the room if someone queried him about Kaname. He was either getting over Kaname or going soft. He suspected the latter. "Hey, Mokuba. Sometime, when I'm ready, can I talk to you about it? I haven't really discussed Kaname dying with...anyone."

"Yeah, man," the teenager replied, looking surprised but pleased. "Whenever you want."

They grinned awkwardly at one another for a moment, both feeling sappy and stupid, and luckily someone called Mokuba's name from behind them, breaking the silence. The teen turned, face lighting up, and waved cheerfully at an approaching group of ten or so high school students, all still in uniform.

"What the hell is this, man?" one of the boys was laughing, stepping up to Mokuba and clapping him on the shoulder. "You get to dick around while we work our asses off?"

"It hasn't been fun, I've been locked up all week," Mokuba sighed dramatically, accepting a full-body hug from one of the girls (definitely not Rebecca, Zero noted; he supposed Mokuba must be more popular with the girls than he let on). "And you know I still have to turn in all the work, right?"

"Yeah, like you'll have any trouble with it, smartass."

"It's still a pain!"

"Hey, Mokkun, why didn't you bring your brother with you? I still haven't met him!"

"You wouldn't like him, he's all growly and mean."

"What? But he's the cute one!"

"Hey now, I'm frickin' adorable!"

Zero stepped a few steps away from the machine, excusing himself silently and heading toward the entrance. He was no good in social situations, and he doubted Mokuba wanted to be seen hanging around a strange older man. All the same, he watched the youngest Kaiba with barely suppressed envy. The teenager was laughing, surrounded by his peers, obviously the favorite of the girls and admired by the boys. He was wroth to admit it, but there was a time when Zero would have killed to be liked the way Mokuba seemed to be.

"He's always been good with people, ever since he was little."

The hunter jumped and spun around, clutching a hand to his heart when he realized it was only the older Kaiba standing behind him. "Dammit, why do you have to sneak around like that?"

"Why didn't you realize I was there? Don't you have superhuman senses or something?" Kaiba retorted, raising his eyebrows and folding his arms over his chest as he drew level with the hunter. "Were you an accessory to Mokuba's grand theft auto?"

"Oh, you mean your car? Yeah, sorry about that. How'd you find us?"

"You think I'd let a million yen sportscar leave my garage without a GPS stuck to the bottom of the hood?"

"Uh, guess not."

"You guess right." Seto lifted his eyebrows pointedly when his brother glanced over his shoulder and caught sight of him. Mokuba flinched and raised a hand in greeting, looking appropriately terrified.

"Don't be too hard on him," Zero suggested, elbowing Kaiba in the side as Mokuba turned to bid his friends a last farewell, and presumably will out his possessions in case of his untimely murder. "He's been dying, cooped up in the house."

"He should have thought of that before he put a kid in the hospital."

"He did it for you," Zero shot at him, scowling. "Most people would kill to have someone looking out for them like that."

"Yeah, well," Kaiba began, but fell silent, apparently lost for a good response. Zero smiled smugly.

"I swear I have a good excuse," Mokuba said quickly as he approached them, holding up his hands in mock surrender, "I just needed a little more time to think of it."

"I'll give you until we get home," Seto replied dryly, shaking his head. "And I'm driving my car. I had Roland give me a lift here. And I know this is a pointless question, but did you write your essay?"

"Yes, you overbearing tyrant."

"Good. Then come on."

Mokuba scowled, scuffing a shoe against the floor, but perked up when a thought hit him. "Hey, bro- wanna make a bet?"

"No. Come on."

"Double or nothing? You win, and you ground me for twice as long?"

"I can ground you for twice as long if I feel like it later. Come on."

"You win, and I keep my nose clean for the rest of the semester, and you can ground me for twice as long," Mokuba proffered, and grinned when Kaiba finally stopped walking, one hand on the door. "Interested?"

"Maybe," Kaiba replied reluctantly, turning on his heel and frowning at his younger brother. "What's the game?"

Mokuba stuck his tongue in his cheek, looking around the room. His eyes landed on the machine he and Zero had been feeding with enough change to feed a small nation. "Mortal Kombat?"

"I haven't played in years. Not since we were kids."

The teenager raised his eyebrows, grinning widely. "Scared you'll lose?"

"Are you high?" Kaiba removed his coat and dropped it over Zero's head, rolling up his sleeves with two brisk snaps of his wrists and dragging a hand through his hair, smirking at his little brother. "You go first."

"You want to stop by the store?"

"Why?"

"To get some ice for that burn."

Seto ground his teeth so hard Zero thought he could hear it. "I get it, Mokuba."

"What? You mad that I owned your ass?" Mokuba grinned, sliding down in his seat to kick the back of Seto's chair.

"Knock it off."

"You mad, bro? You mad? You mad?"

"I will kill you if you do that again."

"Don't be dramatic," Zero snorted, entertaining himself with pressing all the buttons the dashboard. With Kaiba pissed at his little brother, the hunter could muck around without fear of incurring too much wrath. "At least now he won't be moping around the house for two months."

"Sure, but- oh for the love of Christ, Mokuba, shut up already!" Seto snapped over another chorus of "you mad?"s. "It's not like Mortal fucking Kombat takes any appreciable amount of strategy or skill!"

"He's just pissy 'cause he sucked ass," Mokuba told Zero in a loud whisper.

"I did not suck anything, I just don't devote all of my time and energy to video games-"

"Yeah, now-"

"Gah! Shut up!"

Zero spent the rest of the drive home snorting loudly into his hand while Mokuba continued to antagonize his brother, more gleeful over his victory than he was being released from what would have been the grounding of his life. He all but skipped inside once the car was parked, kicking off his shoes and flipping his irate brother the bird before closing the garage door behind him.

"Sometimes," Seto ground out, turning the keys in the ignition and sitting back in his chair, still grinding his teeth, "sometimes, I swear I am going to kill that kid."

"Has he ever beaten you at anything, though?" Zero asked pointedly, mock-punching the scowling man in the jaw. "Ever?"

"How should I know? It's not like I keep score," Kaiba said sulkily, to which Zero snorted loudly.

"Yeah, right." He glanced at Kaiba's watch. "Want to go for a drive?"

"What? We just got back."

Zero shrugged. "I'm not tired. And I haven't seen Domino at night."

"You were living on the streets when you first got here. And it's late afternoon."

"Fine, I haven't enjoyed it at night. Or in the late afternoon, whatever."

Seto sighed, and for a moment Zero expected a rude refusal, but then he put the keys back into the ignition and started up the engine, pulling out of the drive at his usual alarming speed and guiding the sportscar back onto the empty street. Zero grinned, pleased, leaning his seat back enough that he could look comfortably out the window.

"Thanks."

"Hn."

The city flashed past them, afternoon rapidly turning to dusk turning to night. A half hour got them across town, and then Seto pulled onto the highway, and the compact urban houses melted into green countryside, dotted with the tiny traditional homes for which Japan was famous.

Zero turned his head away from the window at length, watching his companion, observing every detail of Kaiba's silhouette. The older man was leaning against his door, cradling his face in his palm, driving with one hand on the wheel. He looked calm, at peace almost, gaze wandering between the view outside and the empty road stretched out before them.

"How good a driver are you?" Zero asked suddenly, struck by the naughtiest and most enticing idea he'd had to date- well, since Kaname passed, at least.

"Please," Seto retorted dryly, and Zero sensed more than saw the roll of his eyes.

"Good enough to drive while distracted?"

"If you want to turn on the radio, go ahead."

Zero hesitated for a moment. There was an out, if he wanted it, but...he wasn't so sure he did. "That's not the kind of distraction I had in mind."

Kaiba glanced sideways out of him, brows furrowed- and then realization dawned on his face. There was a long pause, followed by a short reply: "Yeah, good enough."

And then Zero did nothing- not about his little invitation, anyway. He did turn on the radio, cycling through all of the stations three times before settling on an R&B station, the sounds of which blurred into white noise anyway as an odd rushing filled his ears. Kaname had usually been the one to initiate intimacy in their relationship, so Zero had never bothered to become...smooth, for lack of a better word. Apparently he didn't have any problem vocalizing an invitation, but actually doing anything was unprecedented in its difficulty.

He ought to do something, though. The radio didn't do enough to break up the suddenly unbearable silence. Zero steeled himself, chickened out, then steeled himself again- only to chicken out. Several more tense moments passed. Kaiba turned them onto the highway, a long stretch that would loop them lazily around Domino.

Swallowing- so hard he was sure his companion must have heard it- Zero leant over and touched his mouth to the side of Seto's neck. Not a kiss, not really. Barely a brush, only just a touch, but it was there all the same.

"Just in case I wasn't clear," Kaiba murmured, and his voice startled Zero in the relative quiet, "I was consenting a moment ago."

"I know," Zero replied, a little irritated to discover that he was whispering for no apparent reason. "I just...I'm bad at this, so sue me."

"Will I need to be hiring someone to defend you?"

"Shut up." Zero leaned in again, his mouth a little firmer this time, nipping at him gently. "You bruise easily, huh?"

"Could be the freakish amount of clotting factors I'm producing due to you constantly sucking on my arteries."

"Don't be a smartass."

"Don't be a dumbass." His tone was brisk, but Kaiba's hand was in Zero's hair, holding him close. Something tiny and ancient was prickling in the back of Zero's consciousness, not liking the restraint, but he suppressed it with trained ease. He was safe here. His pride and judgement might take a beating, but he knew he was safe.

Zero undid his seatbelt, sliding down a little to avoid the attention of any passing police, and with a final breath to steel his nerves, leaned over and down into Kaiba's lap. There came a soft whir from the seat as it was moved back a little to accommodate him. Biting his lower lip, Zero fumbled with the belt clasp in front of him, getting it undone with some difficulty and pulling the belt out of the first few loops, giving himself some room to work with.

"You know chicks give each other head in the car?" Seto said suddenly, stalling what Zero thought was a pretty enticing advance.

"What? How?"

"Hell if I know. It's cramped as fuck in here."

"Do you talk when you get nervous?"

"I may."

"Well, shut up." Zero slid a hand between the older man's thighs, grinning when Kaiba shifted restlessly. "I've only seen one other cock in my whole life."

"Don't be vulgar."

"Sorry."

He wasn't, though, not really, especially not when he sensed the way Kaiba's heart sped up, almost felt the heat of his blood rising. It took a moment of conscious focus to cool the monster within; there would be little else he could do here if his fangs extended. Actively chewing his lower lip now, letting the sting distract him from his bloodlust, he undid the button of Kaiba's slacks and pulled down the zipper, sucking in a breath when he caught sight of black fabric.

"I'm no expert, but isn't this a really nice brand?" he queried, snapping the waistband of Kaiba's briefs against his hip.

"Do you talk when you're nervous?"

"No, just...who drops this much money on underwear?"

"People who think they might get blown in their insanely expensive sportscar," Seto almost drawled, ruffling Zero's hair.

"So you and every other rich douchebag on the planet."

"I would imagine so."

Zero for struggled for something more to say and found he could come up with nothing. He wanted to draw on some experience, but doing this Kaname had been completely, one hundred percent different. There had been no teasing or bantering, just raw, unbridled want. And he hadn't acted like a nervous virgin on prom night, either, he berated himself. He pointedly slid a hand down Kaiba's briefs-

And nearly shit his pants when the car veered alarmingly to the left and then jerked violently back into the lane.

"What the hell was that?" Zero demanded, sitting up once he was convinced he wasn't about to die.

"Early onset neurological disorder," Kaiba replied through gritted teeth. Zero didn't catch the sarcasm until the other man's hips shifted, both seeking and shying from stimulation. "Warn a guy before you do that, maybe."

"Oh. Fuck. Um, yeah." Zero cleared his throat, looking down, heat blossoming across his cheeks at the sight of his hand buried in Kaiba's underwear. Cautiously, wary of pushing an invisible boundary that they had yet to cross, he opened his fingers, exploring, and was a little surprised to find Kaiba already hard, pushing against his pants. "Double fuck…"

Night had well and truly fallen now. The fingers tangled in his hair tightened marginally when Zero bent his head down again, pulling Kaiba free of the restraining briefs. Tasting blood on his lip, Zero gave him a single experimental stroke, exhaling shakily when Kaiba made the tiniest of strained noises, knuckles going white on the steering wheel. A sort of growly, finicky want coiling tightly in his core, Zero lowered his mouth, delivering a softly teasing lick to the warm length cupped in his hand. The fingers in his hair were twisted almost painfully tight, but Kaiba didn't push his head down. Zero was grateful for that; it would be a shame to ruin their first moment of bare intimacy with blatant assholery.

Kaiba accidentally flattened the accelerator when Zero's mouth engulfed the tip of his member, hurriedly stepping off the gas and turning on the cruise control, swearing to himself. Now that he thought about it, this was his first time getting head while driving. Zero was unexpectedly devilish. It was a turn on, to be sure, but now Seto half-wished he'd had a little more practice...multi-tasking.

He swallowed a gasp when Zero took his full length, applying suction before pulling back, tongue brushing the head, and then he sank down again, slowly, deliberately, silver hair tickling heated, bare skin. The hunter obviously knew what he was doing. Kaiba curbed that line of thought quickly- he had a bad habit of letting his mind wander during sex- and tried to let himself focus on sensation alone. It was delicious, slick and hot and soft. Zero didn't tease or dally; he was firm and consistent, sucking hard where it was most needed and soothing the pressure away with soft strokes of his tongue when he could.

Something akin to panic struck Kaiba when he felt a very familiar heat pooling in the pit of his stomach. Jou had been too energetic when they did this, stopping to pant and catch his breath at regular intervals, during which Kaiba could cool down and mostly curb his climax. But Zero was nothing short of fucking masterful, breathing gently through his nose, keeping his body loose and relaxed. He had yet to pause or falter, and the build-up was quickly becoming too much for his victim to handle.

"Zero," Seto said in a strained voice, forcing himself to let go of the hunter's hair, "I'm- you might want to-"

To which Zero only sucked harder, one hand clutching his partner's knee in a vice-grip. Stunning. Jou had never swallowed, not once, in all the months he and Kaiba had been together. It was understandable, as it wasn't exactly the most pleasant of experiences, but maybe Zero got something out of it. Perhaps it triggered the same response as drinking blood. Something about the act of consumption-

Kaiba's train of thought derailed spectacularly when Zero hummed softly against him, and then he was there, hunching over the steering wheel and coming with two long, hard gasps, a powerful shiver wracking him when he felt Zero's mouth flex around him, swallowing around him with ease. It was too intense and over too quickly, leaving Seto shaking, sweat trickling through his hairline. Zero sat up, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand, watching his partner warily.

"Well?" he prompted after a moment, lifting his eyebrows.

"Well what?" Kaiba said in a distant voice, still trying to reel in his scattered thoughts. Mother of… "Can't you at least let me enjoy the afterglow?"

"Not bad, huh?"

"You want a letter grade?"

Zero smirked, buckling his seatbelt and folding his arms behind his head. "Your unabating awe and adoration will do."

"How about a blank check?"

The hunter punched him in the shoulder. "Don't be an ass. I don't do that for everyone, you know."

"Yeah, yeah." Kaiba pointed shakily to the glovebox. "Grab me a cigarette, will you?"

"Ugh. Do you have to?"

"We all celebrate in our own way."

Zero rolled his eyes, but he did as he was asked, pulling the pack of cigarettes from the glove box and lighting one before leaning over, holding it up to Kaiba's mouth and grinning when the CEO caught it between his teeth, adjusting it before taking a deep drag and rolling down the window to exhale.

"So, listen," Kaiba said after a moment, finally getting his bearings back together. "You want a job?"

"What was that about a blowjob?"

"Don't be immature. I'm serious. You want a permanent position?"

Zero raised his eyebrows. "As what? Your secret hook-up?"

"I mean a security position. You look scary as shit in a dark suit." He flashed the hunter a sideways grin. "And kind of cute, too."

"You'd pay me?"

"Unless the definition of job has changed without my knowledge."

Zero leant over, teasing Kaiba's member and making him jump and swear before pulling up his briefs and redoing the button of his pants. "Want me to move out?"

"No."

A hand caught his, and Zero glanced up, surprised by the abrupt yet somehow touching gesture.

"Call me sentimental," Kaiba said gruffly, eyes locked on the road, "but I want you to stay."

Zero blinked, staring at his companion before looking slowly down at their clasped hands. Hesitantly, he opened his palm, lacing his fingers between Kaiba's and closing them again. Kaiba's hand was smaller than Kaname's, but warmer. It was a nice fit. Not perfect. No hand in his would ever feel perfect again, but…

"Yeah. Okay. I'll stay."

Not perfect, but a damn good start.

DONE. (Collapses)