For all I know, the prompt was referring to the season. But I don't think so? At least, I hope not. Because if that's true, then I definitely missed the mark here.

Then again, I kind of … barely met the brief if "fall" meant what I thought it did, anyway.

That happens a lot with these. But I figure, so long as something interesting comes out of it, that's the important part.

.

"Hahaue always said . . . she said to him, I remember: 'I will stand at your side. I will bleed for you. I will sacrifice for you. I will give myself over to your ambition. This you have earned. But should you fall, should you lose sight of yourself; if your wings melt and you fall to earth, do not expect me to catch you. Our relationship has always been defined by our demands from each other. If you, from me, demand obedience . . . then I, from you, demand excellence."

Seto's face brightened more and more as Noa spoke. "The more I learn about your mother," he said, "the more I think I like her."

"I . . . don't think they loved each other," Noa said, "but I think it was as close to love as Chichiue was ever capable of. He was fond of her, in his own way. It was as much as anybody could expect, really. Hahaue was a remarkable woman. Everyone talked about how she reined him in, how she must be a succubus, but I think the truth was much simpler: she was the only person in his life with the steel in her spine to tell him, to his face, when he disappointed her."

"Did he disappoint her often?" Seto asked.

"No," Noa said, "but only because she was very careful with her expectation. At least, that's what the house staff always said. Thinking back, I can't help but notice how often they argued."

"About you, I shouldn't doubt," Seto said. At Noa's confused look, he went on: "Your father thought of children like trophies; investments in his future. Our duty, as his sons, was to bring his legacy to the next generation. He expected obedience from us, and more to the point he expected us to want what he wanted. But I don't think that's what your mother wanted, either from or for you. I think your mother saw you as a person in your own right, and that didn't suit your father at all."

Noa looked fascinated. "You . . . you really think it was because of me? You think Hahaue wanted better for me than Chichiue was willing to give."

"I do," Seto said. "I only know the barest of rumors when it comes to how he raised you, but I can speak from my experience that any softness he had, any fondness he showed you, was a direct result of your mother's presence. Because Mokuba and I? We never saw any traces of it. He decided, with us, that he was done doing things her way."

Noa lowered his gaze. ". . . I'm sorry."

"You, like me, take responsibility for all sins attached to the Kaiba name," Seto said. "But you, like me, need only answer for what we do. His sins are his own. Mokuba keeps telling me that I need to be realistic about what I'm responsible for. That I need to stop taking on his burdens. I'm sure he'd tell you the same thing."

Noa found a smile. "That kid's pretty smart, isn't he?"

Seto smiled in turn. "He certainly is."