Chapter Ten: Home for the Holidays
After the game was over, all three awoke and got out of the pods. "What's with that game?" Joey asked Kaiba after getting out.
"What do you mean?" Seto asked, looking up from his book.
"Well," Yami explained. "It's kind of childish."
"I know," Seto said as he put his book down. "It was made for ten-year-olds." They all blinked.
"That explains the knight and princess outfits." Seigyoku said.
Seto chuckled. "Yami," he said. "I did you a favor." Yami blinked. They heard a giggle. Yugi stepped out from behind Seto.
"Hi daddy," he said. Yami blinked again and looked at his watch. Yugi had gotten out of school over an hour ago.
At first Yami was speechless, then he said "Thanks Seto," Seto smiled. Yugi walked over to his dad and Yami picked him up. "Did your homework?" Yami asked.
"Yep," Yugi said. "Mr. Kaiba helped me."
"Good," Yami said.
"You can go home," Seto said.
"What's our new work schedule?" Seigyoku asked.
"There is none," Seto explained. "Whenever I need you, I'll call." They agreed and went home.
Yami tossed Yugi on his bed and laid down next to him. "Are you gonna be home more often?" Yugi asked.
"Yep," Yami said. He kissed Yugi on the forehead. Yugi giggled. Yami pulled him into a hug. "I love you so much!" he said.
"I love you too, dad!" Yugi said. Yami chuckled and turned on his back. He picked Yugi up and held him up in the air. He looked at his son with caring eyes. Yugi just giggled. Yami smiled at him. Yugi was so innocent; so unknowing of the real, stressful world. Yami wished Yugi could stay that way forever. "Daddy," Yugi said innocently.
"Yes Yugi?" Yami said gently.
"What are you thinking about?" Yugi asked with a smile. Yami smiled too.
He bought Yugi down and hugged him. "Nothing Yugi…nothing." Yugi smiled slightly as he rested his head on his father's chest. Yami's cell phone started to ring. He let go of Yugi with one arm and answered. "Hello?"
"He's coming!" Kaiba shouted.
"Mokuba?" Yami asked. Yugi immediately looked up.
"Yes!" Kaiba said.
"Get your ass over here!" Joey said excitedly from the background.
"I'm coming!" Yami said. They hung up. "Yugi, want to go see Mokuba?" Yugi immediately nodded. Both Moutos grabbed their coats and hopped into the car. Yami called Seigyoku on the drive to the mansions and she said she would come. She arrived a few minutes after Yami. They all waited anxiously for Mokuba to arrive. Yami noticed that Seto couldn't stop smiling. Yami felt so happy for him. They waited for about an hour. Then the door started to open. Kaiba stood and walked halfway to the door. Everyone stood, ready to greet the younger Kaiba. Once the door was open, Mokuba stood in the doorway. His black hair, once all over the place, was now tied back into a neat pony tail and his voice had already gotten deeper.
"Hey Moki!" Seto said, opening his arms for a hug. Mokuba looked at him. His blue-gray eyes that were once filled with innocence were now filled with sorrow. "Moki?" Seto said. "You okay?" Tears started to pour from Mokuba's eyes, then he ran up the stairs and to his room, leaving his suit case at the door. Seto turned to go upstairs, but looked at his friends. Joey gave him a nod, letting him know it was okay. Seto smiled and hurried to Mokuba's room. Yami and the others sat down again.
"Daddy?" Yugi said. "What's wrong with Mokuba?"
Yami looked at Yugi's worried face. He smiled comfortingly. "Mr. Kaiba will tell us when he comes back." He hugged Yugi, but he still seemed worried.
Yami, Joey, and Seigyoku seemed to have waited forever. Sometimes they heard Mokuba yell, but never Seto. When Seto finally came down, they looked at him with concerned eyes.
Seto threw himself in a chair, then said "His girlfriend broke up with him."
"He had a girlfriend?" Joey asked, somewhat surprised.
"He never told me," Seto said, feeling hurt. "Mokuba said he wanted to surprise me by bringing her over for Christmas…but he walked into her dorm room and saw her…" He trailed off looking at Yugi. "Uh…with someone else." Seto sighed. They were silent for a few seconds.
"First love?" Seigyoku asked. Kaiba nodded.
"Damn bitch," Joey said. Yami glared at him, trying to cover Yugi's ears. "Ruining the holidays like that for us."
"Don't let Mokuba hear that," Seto said. "He already apologized for ruining the holidays."
Yami blinked. "It's not his fault." he said. Seto shrugged. They all fell silent again. "So," Yami continued. "What now?"
Seto shrugged again. "We have two weeks until Christmas and I doubt Mokuba will feel better by then…" Seto sighed.
"So," Joey started. "What's Mokuba doing now?"
"He cried himself to sleep," Seto said.
As the adults talked about ways to make Mokuba feel better, Yugi snuck away from his dad and went upstairs to Mokuba's room. Yugi slowly opened the door and smiled when he saw Mokuba lying on his bed. He closed the door softly as he walked in. The lights were off but there was enough sunlight from the open curtains. Yugi walked to the other side of the bed. Mokuba didn't notice him at first. He blinked when he did. "Yugi?" Mokuba said sitting up, half way. Yugi smiled and giggled.
"Hi." Yugi said.
Mokuba smiled slightly. "Hey you," Mokuba sat up. He picked up Yugi and put him in his lap. "What have you been up to?" Yugi hugged Mokuba quickly.
"I'm okay," Yugi said. "What about you?" he asked. "Mr. Kaiba seemed really sad." Mokuba frowned. Yugi blinked confused. "Mokuba…?" Yugi said worriedly.
"It's alright," Mokuba said. "I'm okay…I'm just a little sad."
Yugi blinked. "Why?" he asked. Mokuba sighed.
"How am I gonna explain this to him?" Mokuba thought. "Well," he started. "I lost one of my friends."
Yugi blinked. "Why?"
"Cause she didn't like me anymore," Mokuba said. "So she replaced me with someone else."
Yugi made a face. "That's mean." he said.
Mokuba chuckled. "Some people are like that, Yugi."
Yugi fell silent for a while, then he hugged Mokuba. "I'll still be your friend!" he said. Mokuba smiled and gave him a hug.
"Thanks, Yugi." Mokuba said. Yugi smiled.
"Where's Yugi?" Seigyoku asked. Yami blinked and looked around.
"Yugi?" he said while looking around.
"He's probably in Mokuba's room." Joey said. They all headed upstairs. Through Mokuba's door, they could hear both boys laughing. Seto smiled as he opened it.
"Hi big bro," Mokuba greeted with a smile. He was holding Yugi up-side-down by his ankles.
"Hi daddy!" Yugi said with a wave.
"Bet all the blood's rushing to your head." Joey said, smiling.
Yugi giggled. "Not really." Mokuba gathered Yugi up and handed him to Yami. As Yami took Yugi in his arm, he kissed Yugi on the cheek. Seto's cell phone then started to ring.
He answered it. "Kaiba…What! Now!...Fine, we'll be there." He hung up. "Sierra wants to meet my game testers."
"Us?" Seigyoku asked. Seto nodded. He looked at Mokuba.
"Moki," he started. "I'm sorry, I'll be back as soon as I can."
"It's okay bro!" Mokuba said. He hugged Seto. "I'll see you when you get back." Seto smiled as he hugged his brother.
"Yugi," Yami said. "You're gonna have to stay with Mokuba for a while."
"Kay," he said. Yami put Yugi down.
"Be good," Yami said, with a hint of a stern tone. Yugi nodded. Yami, Joey, Seigyoku, and Seto went downstairs and left. Mokuba picked Yugi up.
"I don't know about you," he said. "But I'm hungry!" Yugi smiled as they went downstairs and to the kitchen. Mokuba put Yugi at the table and said "What do you want to eat?"
"Whatever you're having." Yugi said, watching Mokuba looked through all the cabinets and in the refrigerator.
"Okay," Mokuba said, talking to himself. "What did my dearest brother do with all the snacks?" Yugi giggled. "Ha! Found some!" Yugi laughed as Mokuba put a bag of chips in front of them. He handed Yugi some as he opened the bag. Then Mokuba sat down in the chair across from Yugi. "So," he said. "Who was that woman?" Yugi glared at the ground. "This is gonna be a sensitive topic." Mokuba thought. "Yugi?" he asked.
"She's dad's girlfriend!" Yugi said angrily.
Mokuba blinked. "Is she mean to you?" Mokuba asked worriedly.
Yugi shook his head. "She just annoys me." Yugi said more calmly.
"How?" Mokuba asked gently.
"I don't know," Yugi said as he started to fidget with his hands. "She's just…"
"Not your mother?" Mokuba finished. Yugi fell silent and looked at the floor. Mokuba frowned. He couldn't blame Yugi for missing his own mother; she had only been dead for a little over a year. Mokuba forced himself to smile. He walked over to Yugi's chair and gave Yugi a gentle hug. "It's okay," Mokuba whispered.
"Everyone keeps telling me that!" Yugi said. "But nothing's better!"
"Isn't your dad happier?" Mokuba said, looking at Yugi.
Yugi hesitated to answer. "I guess," he finally said.
"Does your dad know how you feel? Mokuba asked.
"No," Yugi said immediately.
"How about giving Seigyoku a chance?" Mokuba suggested. Yugi hesitated.
"I guess…" he said reluctantly. Mokuba gave him another hug. The phone started to ring and Mokuba got up to answer.
"Hello?" Mokuba answered. "Hey big bro! Huh? Oh sure, no big…No it's okay…I'm not mad, I'm totally used to this. Okay, I will bye." Mokuba hung up. He turned to Yugi. "Guess who has to stay over tonight with me?" Mokuba smiled.
"Yes!" Yugi said, standing up in his chair. Mokuba chuckled. He picked Yugi up, carried him to the den, and they started to watch TV. "What did daddy say?" Yugi asked.
"It wasn't Yami," Mokuba said. "It was Seto. He said they had to stay late tonight. And he apologized over and over again." Yugi giggled. Mokuba let Yugi sit in his lap. They watched TV and went to be at nine.
Seto and Yami quietly walked into the mansion. "Is Yugi in the guest room?" Yami whispered? Seto shrugged. They went upstairs. Yami checked in a guest room. Seto looked into Mokuba's room and saw Yugi in Mokuba's arms. Seto went get Yami and Yami slowly took Yugi from Mokuba's hold. "Night," Yami said as he turned to leave.
"Night," Seto whispered. Yami left. Seto turned to Mokuba. He looked as peaceful as he did when he was a child. Seto moved Mokuba's bangs out of his face. "Love you," Seto whispered. He kissed Mokuba on the cheek, then went to his own room.
Yami buckled Yugi into his car and drove off. At a red light, Yami stopped and looked at Yugi's innocent figure. He could only smile. Once he got home, he changed Yugi into his pajamas and tucked him in, kissing him on the cheek before he left. "Night," Yami whispered as he closed the door.