Canon says Seto cheated against Gozaburo in their chess match. I don't know how much I buy that, considering I'm pretty sure you can't cheat at chess. If I was to guess, I'd say he probably made fundamentally bad moves in the opening of the game specifically to throw Gozaburo off, to (1) make Gozaburo underestimate him, and (2) to make sure Gozaburo wouldn't be able to use "standard" moves to win.

Thing is, I don't think winning that chess match actually decided Seto's fate that day.

I think it was the challenge itself that mattered to Gozaburo.

.

Amaya wasn't sure if she would ever be able to break it to young Seto that winning a game of chess wasn't ever going to decide whether he would be adopted into the Kaiba family; the mere fact that he'd been willing to challenge Gozaburo had told them both all they would ever need to know. Granted, his victory was impressive, and it helped solidify what they already believed about him, but they'd already decided to take him in well before the board was set up.

The fact remained that anyone who knew Gozaburo Kaiba well enough to study his game, to know his strategies, and construct a counter-strategy custom to him, and then have the sheer nerve to walk right up to the man and say, in essence: I dare you to adopt me. Well. Anyone like that was always going to have a home at Kaiba Manor.

Even if Amaya hadn't been charmed by Seto, which she was, and even if she hadn't been inclined to listen to him, which she was, Gozaburo probably would have insisted on taking this boy under his wing. She knew her husband better than anyone else on earth, after so many years at his side, and she knew when he was interested in a person. She also knew when he was excited to work on a new project.

When he looked at Seto Yagami, both signs tripped immediately.

"He has real potential," Gozaburo said, as he and Amaya were on the way back to the hospital to check on their son. This was as high praise as Gozaburo ever gave anyone, never mind children.

"Sharp eye," Amaya said, "keen mind. Tenacious. Bold."

"You met him before I did," Gozaburo said. "What was your first impression?"

"Good at gauging responses," Amaya answered. "Knows how to walk the line between honest and diplomatic. Not too skilled at hiding his real feelings on his face, but careful with his words."

Gozaburo was nodding. "The little one will prove a good opportunity for Noa, I think," he mused. "Patience, delegation, responsibility." He was already working through a list of angles at which he might view this entire situation for pros and cons, and Amaya knew that meant he'd been sold on it.

"I think we'd best introduce them," Amaya said. "I'm sure you've learned all you need to know from sitting opposite a board from him. I'll learn all I need from how he approaches Noa."

Gozaburo didn't respond with words, but he eventually nodded.

That was enough; they were in accord.

Seto and Mokuba Yagami would be theirs.

.

Both boys were nervous, walking through the halls of a hospital. Seto, doubtless, due to past experiences in a place like this, if not this very building; Mokuba because he took his every cue from Seto. They carried themselves well, regardless. Seto had a firm hand on his brother's back, and he kept his gaze straight ahead. He knew full well, on some level, that this was a test.

This visit meant something important, and he needed to perform adequately if he wanted the future to unfold the way he'd envisioned.

What he didn't know was what the test was, or how he might pass it.

"If you are to join this family," Amaya announced, standing in front of her son's room, "then you will need to understand this family. In order to do that, you must learn. Are you prepared to learn, Seto?"

Seto nodded. His eyes were ablaze. "I am, Missus Kaiba."

Amaya nodded. She decided not to bother asking any questions of little Mokuba; not now. He was too young yet to understand anything she might think to ask. She put a hand on the door's handle. "Very well," she said. "Then you will learn, and it will be your responsibility in the meantime to teach your brother. I am sure that you know there is much involved in the fostering, and adoption, processes. That is to be our part in this arrangement. Yours will be preparing Mokuba for this momentous change. Are we in accord?"

Seto's answer was immediate, confident, and even relieved. "Yes, Missus Kaiba. We are."

Amaya nodded again. She pushed the door open. "Excellent," she said. "Come with me."

They followed.

As soon as Mokuba saw Noa, lying there on the wide bed with monitors and machinery hissing and beeping around him, he gasped. "Nii'tama," he whispered, tugging at Seto's shirt. "Hurt. Him hurt, Nii'tama."

"I know, Mokie," Seto murmured, without moving his lips. "Hush now."

"This is Noa," Amaya said. "Do you recognize him?"

It was, admittedly, a trick. Amaya and Gozaburo both had done their level best, legally and otherwise, to keep their son out of the public eye. There was no way for Seto to recognize him. He never would have seen him before. Amaya wondered, thus: would he lie to avoid a potential insult? After all, if he was supposed to recognize Noa, then admitting he didn't . . . surely that would hurt his chances, wouldn't it?

Seto studied Noa's face.

Eventually, he turned his attention back to Amaya and shook his head. "No, Missus Kaiba. I don't."

Amaya nodded. Honest. Good. "You wouldn't," she said, offering a little smile; she saw Seto's shoulders sag with relief. "Noa is my son. Moving forward with this process will make him your brother." She decided not to make Seto suffer overmuch, and so she explained: "He is currently recovering from a serious vehicle accident."

Seto's face spasmed violently, and Amaya watched a flood of emotion flash across his eyes. More than she would have thought. The boy turned back to Noa and watched him again; there was a softness in his expression now. "I'm sorry," he said. Amaya wondered if he was talking to her or to Noa.

Amaya decided to venture a guess: "You're thinking of something, someone, else right now. Aren't you, Seto?"

". . . Papa," Seto said, slowly. Carefully. "Kohaku Yagami. He . . . died in a car crash. That's why Mokie and I are at the old orphanage."

Amaya's eyebrows raised. "I see." She stepped over and put a hand on Seto's shoulder. "Your father was a good man, wasn't he?"

Seto nodded. "He was, Missus Kaiba." He paused. "I'm glad your son had better luck."

Amaya smiled. "Noa will get better," she said, after a long silence, "but it will take time. Effort. Support. I think other families might impress upon you that you must acclimate to a new environment before contributing to it. Before becoming a part of it. Ours is not one of them. If you wish to be a Kaiba, then you will devote yourself. Can I count on you to help your new brother as he heals?"

Seto watched Noa's chest rise and fall, rise and fall.

Rise and fall.

He nodded. "You can, Missus Kaiba."

Amaya had rarely heard so much conviction in fully grown men.

She smiled again. "Good."