I don't know when I settled on Noa calling his own virtual world "the cage," but once I found that term I knew it was right. That's what it was, after all. A containment cell. A prison. None of it was real. Noa Kaiba was nothing but a brain in a box.

At least, if I understand the arc properly.

Which, thinking back, I'm not sure if I do at all.

YGO makes about as much sense as a house of mirrors on the best day.

.

"You don't have much experience with pets," Noa said; it wasn't a question.

"No," Ryo agreed. "I had a dog once. Just a little pup. Mama got her for me. But she . . . well. Everyone says she ran away, but . . ." Ryo grimaced, and his essence turned inward; his eyes were haunted and angry. "This was just around when I first got hold of the Ring. We all know how much the Ring liked sharing my attention, now, don't we?"

Noa grunted. "I figured it would be something like that," he said. He hummed low in his throat. "I had a dog. I called him my hound, but I'm fairly sure he was a lap dog. I can't even remember what breed he was. I can't remember his name. I can't remember a damn thing about him, actually, except that Chichiue made a digital version of him to be with me when I woke up in the cage."

Ryo's brow furrowed. "Part of me wants to think he did that out of concern for your mental and emotional well-being," he said. "But I think that would be a touch . . . over-optimistic. One might say delusional." At Noa's little chuckle, he nodded. "I thought so." Ryo patted his boyfriend's arm. "We don't have good luck with dogs, do we?"

"No. I don't think we do." Noa shook his head. "Mokuba has a cat. Sausage is her name. Aniki doesn't really do pets. Sometimes I think about getting him a lizard or something. You know. Wink-wink, nudge-nudge." He cracked a smile when Ryo laughed. "But I don't know how he'd react to that. I kind of feel like . . . if he hasn't gotten himself an animal companion by now, there must be something important about it. He must have a reason."

"I think you're probably right about that."

"Have you thought about getting a pet again?" Noa asked, after a short silence. "Now that the Ring isn't a factor anymore, I mean."

"I've thought about it," Ryo said, "but never for long. Keeping an animal healthy and happy is expensive, and I can barely pay for myself." Ryo cleared his throat. "I've heard that a pet can be helpful with . . . you know." He gestured randomly. "Making yourself get up in the morning. Keeping to a schedule. Having another living being who relies on you, but whose affection is unconditional. But what if I get an animal, and I have to take them to the vet? I can't—" Ryo stopped. Turned to look at Noa suspiciously. "You're about to offer to handle that part for me, if I get a pet, aren't you?"

Noa shrugged. "You're the one who said a bookstore needs a cat," he said. "You need to get used to taking care of cats if you're ever going to live your dream properly."

Ryo closed his eyes. "Noa, you're ridiculous."

"It's part of my charm."

"I wonder what you would have thought about me, if I'd been with the others the first time you crossed paths with them." Ryo's eyes narrowed. "How charming would I have found you in that virtual world, hm?"

"Oh, I was insufferable in the cage," Noa said immediately, candidly, without the faintest shame. "I was practically gnawing on my own bones by the time I caught Aniki and everyone else in there with me." He chuckled lightly. "I'm . . . relieved you never saw me like that."

"Is that why you're so generous now? Not just with me, but with everyone? To make up for the cage?"

"It's certainly a possibility, yes."