Chapter 14

With his arms weighed down with as much snack food as he could carry, Tristan headed out into the hallway. He'd almost made it back to the room the other two were in when he heard someone entering the mansion via the front door.

'Seto is that you?'

There was no reply. Instead he heard someone quickly making their way up to the first floor and into their room. A heavy sigh escaped him as he realised his early fears had probably just been confirmed; things were going to be awkward and weird now and it was all his fault.

'Was that Seto?' Mokuba pulled himself out into the hallway.

'Yeah, yeah I think it was,' Tristan lowered his gaze, 'who else would shun me like that?'

'I... I'm sure he's not shunning you,' Mokuba's face filled with a weak smile, 'maybe he's just...' he was clearly struggling to find some way of completing his sentence. 'Well he's been out all day doing... who knows what, so...'

'He hates me,' Tristan gave another heavy sigh, 'he hates me because I've made everything awkward between us now. I can't believe I ruined everything; I'm such an idiot.'

'You're not an idiot and I'm sure he doesn't hate you,' there was a strange level of certainty to Mokuba's voice. 'Look, I can go talk to him if you like and I bet you anything we'll just find out that this is him being him. You know as well as I do he can just be moody and reclusive sometimes. I'm sure that's all it is.'

'Like him being who knows where all day,' Tristan rolled his eyes, 'are you seriously telling me that was him just being moody and reclusive and had nothing to do with me being the biggest idiot in the world last night?'

'Yeah, that's exactly what I'm telling you,' Mokuba forced a laugh. 'Now you get back in there and keep Mai company whilst I go talk to my brother.'

'Okay lus braysta, but if you find out that he hates me now...'

'He doesn't hate you now; he could never hate you.'

'Maybe not, but that doesn't mean things won't be awkward from now on and in some ways that's so much worse.'

'You're such a drama queen sometimes,' Mokuba rolled his eyes, 'everything will be fine, you'll see.'

Without saying anything else, Mokuba took off in the direction of the stairs. For a few long moments Tristan just watched him leave as everything in him prayed Mokuba was right somehow. Then he gave yet another heavy sigh, before making his way back into the room Mai was in. He forced a smile onto his face and dumped his bounty of food on the coffee table.

'You weren't kidding about feeding an army then?' Mai laughed.

'I never joke when it comes to food,' he tried to pull his smile into a more natural one as his eyes glanced towards the door.

'Are you okay?'

'I'm fine, it's just…' he shook his head. 'It doesn't matter.'

'You know, if it's not convenient for me to be here anymore, you could always take me back to Joey.'

'Huh?' Tristan shot her a look.

'Well, I would like something to eat first, but... I feel like I need to get back to Joey now. I want to know how the search for Crovell is going.'

'I'm sorry if I'm making you feel like we don't want you here all of a sudden Mai, you're welcome to stay as long as you need; you know that right?'

'Yeah, I know, but... I just get this feeling I should be helping with the search. Maybe it's just all the lazing about we've been doing making me feel guilty or... maybe it's something else, but... I just get this feeling like I need to help them.'

'Okay, I understand,' Tristan lowered his head slightly, 'but only if we both get to eat something first and only if I get to escort you there. I know you can Jump, but... I don't want to make Joey think I can't look after you. I get this really weird feeling like he thinks I'm totally inept now or something.'

'He doesn't think that, but I would appreciate the company back, if only because I'm still not very good at this whole Jumping thing.'

'So it's settled then, we eat and then we go to the Temple of Set.'

Mokuba took a deep breath in and gentle knocked on the door to his brother's room. There was no reply. He tried again a little louder this time, but still nothing. For half a second he couldn't help but wonder if maybe Tristan was right and this situation had become too awkward for Kaiba, but he quickly battered those thoughts away. Mokuba was certain, now more than ever, that his brother had a strong connection to Tristan and even if he didn't share Tristan's feelings there was no way he would let something like this ruin what they had.

With that in mind, he opened the door and entered his brother's room.

'Are you okay?'

'Yeah,' Kaiba sighed as he slowly flicked his way through the deck of cards he was holding, 'I was just thinking.'

'About what?'

'Nothing.'

'This isn't...' Mokuba hesitated.

'This isn't what?' Kaiba glanced towards him.

'Tristan's a little worried he... offended you somehow.

Kaiba went to say something, but stopped. Instead he gave a heavy sigh and returned his gaze to the deck he was holding.

'Are you sure you're okay Seto?' Mokuba frowned at him. 'Only you seem a little…'

'Could you do me a favour?' Kaiba cut him off. 'Could you destroy this deck for me?'

'Huh?'

'I don't need these cards anymore and I want you to get rid of them for me.'

'By destroying them? Isn't that a little extreme?'

'Uh...' Kaiba looked a little caught out, 'but... the... uh... the cards are so worthless; they should be destroyed.'

'Seriously Seto, what's going on with you?' Mokuba shook his head. 'You're acting really... weird. What's happened? And please don't tell me this has something to do with what Tristan said to you because I thought...'

'This has nothing to do with Tristan,' Kaiba cut him off again. 'I just... I just need you to destroy these cards for me, okay? It's not like I'm asking you to go on some kind of murderous rampage here so I don't see what you're getting all worked up about.'

'Okay, okay, jeez,' Mokuba held up his hands in a show of submission, 'if it really means that much to you, I'll do it.'

'Now,' he practically forced the cards into Mokuba's hands.

'Yeah, sure, but...'

'No buts Mokuba, just do it,' Kaiba turned away from him and made his way towards the window.

'I was just going to say you need to talk to Tristan.'

'Yeah, I know, but that's my concern, not yours, so do me a favour and keep your nose out. Now, leave.'

'Well aren't you mister demanding today,' Mokuba rolled his eyes as he made his way towards the door.

Once out in the hallway he made a beeline to his own room. There was something odd about the way his brother was acting and Mokuba was determined to try and figure out what it was. And since right now the only clue he had was the deck he'd been given, that's where he was going to start. To his surprise, it was a pretty decent line up. Even though it consisted mostly of fairy type monsters, it was certainly built to his brother's strategy style. What he couldn't understand, however, was why he brother had built a deck like this in the first place, because it definitely wasn't one he could ever see his brother using or even considering using for that matter.

With the one clue he did have not really pointing him in any kind of direction, Mokuba slipped the deck of cards into his pocket and made his way out of his bedroom and back downstairs. He knew his brother would probably be pretty pissed off at him for not carrying out his request, but there was just no way he could destroy these cards without knowing what the hell his brother was doing with them in the first place.

He arrived back in the room he'd left Mai and Tristan in to find them gone. An edgy feeling began to bite its way through his stomach as he realised he'd been on his own now for a good ten minutes or so. He half considered going back up to his brother's room to spend a little time with him, but he wanted something good to report back to Dr Charm in their next session. If he could somehow stay on his own till Tristan got back then he'd be taking a good strong step towards recovery, right?

Right. So then he would distract himself with a little TV and eat some of the remaining snacks on his own. Now that wasn't too hard, was it?

'Mai,' Joey stared at her as she entered the chamber, 'what are you doing here, I thought you were…'

'I wanted to see how the search was going,' she cut him off. 'Any luck yet?'

'Hey I thought this room was supposed to be really brightly painted or something?' Tristan blocked any reply Joey might have given.

'Does that have to be the first thing everyone mentions?' Joey rolled his eyes.

'Hey I was just asking,' he shrugged. 'So you found the kid yet, or what?'

'No,' he shook his head, 'and we think whatever got him, now has Ahna and Covo too.'

'You don't think it's dangerous, do you?' Mai bit her lip nervously.

'I'm not sure,' Joey turned his gaze away, 'that's why I'd rather you weren't around.'

'Hey what's this?' Tristan began studying a spot on the wall he'd wandered over to.

'What's what?' Joey frowned as he walked over to him.

'This,' he pointed towards what looked like a faded ink splodge.

'Huh, I never noticed that before.'

'Noticed what?' Jay joined them. 'Hey, that wasn't there before.'

'It must have been,' Joey shook his head dismissively.

'Well it wasn't. I went over this place with a fine tooth comb, remember?'

'Is it me or is that ink splodge looking less and less faint?' Tristan frowned.

'Is it me or is it looking less and less like an ink splodge?' Jay's voice pitched with curious excitement.

'You're right,' Joey felt fear bite at his stomach. 'And, if you ask me, it's looking more and more like the Yatnuh.'