Together We Make Shadows

Chapter Eight

It was a nice sunny Saturday. One of the few that he was actually home for the whole day instead of at work. The only one around not including the staff was Amane. He was still trying to pass on the illusion he was still unwell, but on the way to recovery. He was enjoying the time he got to spend away from work. He'd been using the opportunity and spending majority of his time with his brother. When Mokuba wasn't at school or with friends they'd be together. Currently Mokuba was visiting his friend with Roland watching him very closely. His brother had wanted to say goodbye to everyone before they left for Egypt. After all they didn't know how long they'd be gone for. Ryou was at the museum visiting his father. He wasn't even sure if the other boys father knew that Amane had been released from hospital. Amane had been staying at the mansion. The young girl needed constant care which she wouldn't get at her brothers apartment. If it wasn't for the risk to her safety she wouldn't be permanently out of hospital. It was simply too dangerous for her to stay in the wizardry world any longer. Especially if that evil guy who kidnapped him managed to revive himself ... again. The mansion staff didn't mind either; they'd fallen in love with the sweet innocent girl.

At the moment a certain sweet innocent girl who was a month older than him but seemed so much younger was pounding the floor throwing a tantrum. The noise was giving him a headache. Mokuba had always been a good child and never thrown tantrums. He couldn't say the same for himself; he'd thrown his far share. The screaming teenager was currently making him question why he wanted children eventually.

"What the matter Amane?" He asked her, trying to keep his voice gentle. Using his gruff tone of voice on the young girl would only cause her to scream more. He knew that from experience.

"I want to play" she pouted.

"What is it you want to play?" He asked her. Looking at all the toys thrown around the room. He wasn't sure how if fell to him to keep the girl entertained. He wished that Ryou or Yugi was around. They'd know what to do with her.

She didn't seem to be happy with just playing with toys at the moment; she wanted to play with other people. Considering he didn't see any other children in the permanent ward he was wondering what the young girl did when she wanted to play, knowing the wizards they probably put her to sleep or something else with magic to make her stop.

"Dress ups." She replied happily. "We can play Kings and Princesses." She seemed happy to just have attention. "I want to dress up as a princess." she sung happily as she spun around. Making the long skirt she was currently wearing come up. The woman who dressed her made it a point of having the teenager wear bike pants or leggings under her dresses for that very reason.

"I don't really have much in the way of costumes." He told her. The girl before him began to pout. He could feel another headache coming on. He didn't want her to start another screaming match. He continued. "Let's see what I have." Even if they didn't find any appropriate clothing for her to dress up in; hopefully by going exploring she would be nicely distracted and tired out.

He had her follow him to the old wing which had grown up in, after he was adopted. That wing had been too depressing, and to many bad memories of the past. After he'd returned from Duellist Kingdom he moved to the wing he and Mokuba currently occupied. He was looking for a woman's room. That mad man had to have had a mistress or a wife considering Noa. Maybe there would still be some clothing around. After trying a few doors they found such a room. Their where pictures of a lady with pale hair who looked slightly like Noa. This room was filled with pictures of the woman and Noa along with a wedding picture of herself and his abusive adoptive father. She looked so happy in the early pictures. As the years progressed she slowly lost her smile and spark of life in her eyes. He wondered briefly if she was still alive, before open the wardrobe and found a closet full of ball gowns and dresses. Mrs Kaiba had been a classy lady. He didn't have to worry about slutty dresses in this closet. He was actually been worried for a moment that would be the type of outfits they would find. He didn't want to deal with a tantrum for refusing to let her wear inappropriate clothing.

Amane choose a pink puffy frilly ball gown. He took a few more dresses that looked like they would be suitable for the young girl to play in. They also raided her jewellery for items that Amane could use for dress ups. The items were probably worth in their thousands or millions, but items had just been gathering dust. May as well let Amane get the use out of them.

Once back in Amane's play room, he called one of the staff who'd been put in charge of helping Amane change and bathe. The woman also did Amane's hair pulling it into a loose bun. She was happy with the tiara that had been in the jewellery box.

"I look just like a real princess." she exclaimed happily twirling in the dress. She really did look like a real princess. The dress was slightly too big, but it wouldn't be much longer before it fit her properly. "It's your turn to dress up."

He did go through a phase where he wanted to be king of the planet. He changed into his white tunic he no longer wore out in public and the red cloak he used to wear with it. Amane approved but then she wanted a cloak as well. She ended up with Mokuba's purple one. He was sure his brother wouldn't mind.

Amane then made him a paper crown before dragging him outside to the playground he'd had built for his brothers a few years earlier.

He'd forgotten what it was like to be a child. He'd never had much of a child hood. Especially after he was adopted. He found himself playing along with Amane. Going along with her royal speeches. Slaying imaginary dragons with sticks. Playing on the swings to see who could swing higher. Playing on the seesaw. Going down the slide. It was fun, the most fun he'd had in a long time. It was like being at primary school again except Ryou was missing and he didn't have other children taunting him. He was unsure how long he and Amane spent outside but that was where Mokuba, Roland, Ryou and Yugi found them both when they returned home. Mokuba actually started crying watching him play. He felt slight self conscious having been caught playing like a child. Before too long Amane dragged Ryou and Yugi into their game.

"Is everything alright Mokuba." He knelt next to his only brother. Pulling him into a hug.

"Everything's fine." Mokuba replied through a sniffle. "It's been so long since I saw you playing. Are you having fun?"

"It has been a long time. Yes, I'm having fun and you're missing out."

He held his brothers hand as he walked him to the swings. Quiet happy to just stand and push his younger brother. "We need to do this more often."

"I'm not a little kid anymore." Mokuba replied, with laughter.

"You'll always be little to me, no matter how old, tall or big you get." He replied.

He looked over towards the Bakura siblings and Yugi. They were all having fun. Enjoying the few rest days before heading to Egypt.

Authors Notes: Thankyou Rosenkreuz for the review. It made me happy to know that someone is still reading and enjoying the story.