Repentance

By: ACE329

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership over YGO…that supreme honor belongs to Kazuki Takahashi!

Summary: Assuming someone's devotion is always dangerous. After taking advantage of his younger brother's loyalty for so long, Kaiba finally pushes Mokuba too far. Now their seemingly-unbreakable relationship is quite possibly beyond repair.

A/N: So I was cleaning out my Word documents folder and forgot I was working on a Kaiba/Mokuba one-shot. Problem is, once I started reading I wanted to finish it. Blame it on my compulsory nature. My point? This was my distraction from "Ryou's Story," so I'm sorry. But on the other hand, this is definitely something new and is so long I have to break the one-shot up into two parts. Here is part one, with part two hopefully coming out soon.

Part One

In Seto Kaiba's mind, he thought he was just about perfect. He was a man of many talents, of many skills. There wasn't a soul out there who rivaled his abilities, except maybe for one individual. The other Yuugi, or the Pharaoh (which he still wasn't sure he understood), was a duelist of the highest ability and potentially with rivaling arrogance. Grudgingly, Kaiba would have to admit he respected him, if not for his talent then for his confidence that forced everyone else to believe that he was.

So the day when the Pharaoh finally left his friends (to the afterlife? What nonsense was this?), Kaiba felt a little remorseful. The Pharaoh was, after all, his only competition. As he stood outside the Pharaoh's final resting place with his circus-freak friends, silence reigned heavily among them. Even Mokuba, who accompanied him on the trip, was unusually quiet.

Kaiba decided to shatter this eerie spell cast over the group. Why mourn for the Pharaoh, why wallow in sadness, if clearly he wanted to leave? Let him become food for the insects.

"Well, at least one good thing came of this," Kaiba mused. Everyone turned to look at him, some squinting in the blinding summer sun. "I am now the greatest duelist in the world."

Chaos immediately struck. It started with a disgusted look from Anzu, a cry of outrage from Honda. Then Jounouchi marched right up to him, piercing him with his amber eyes, and spat out, "How dare you? The other Yuugi is dead and all you can think about is—"

"Stop," Yuugi whispered. It was only a scrap of sound yet it was enough to silence the enraged teen. He shot Yuugi a confused look.

"Too soon?" Kaiba sneered. Jounouchi scowled at his thoughtless remark.

The small teen stepped forward. "Kaiba, he was your friend too," Yuugi said.

The CEO easily brushed off this comment. "If you mean a worthy opponent is the same thing as a friend, then yes." No, that wasn't entirely the truth. He did respect the other Yuugi and his presence would be slightly missed, but he didn't owe that insight to anybody.

Yuugi observed Kaiba with his quiet, sober gaze. "I feel sorry for you," he finally concluded.

This peaked Kaiba's interest. "And may I ask why?"

But Yuugi shook his head. "I think telling you would only anger you. And I don't want that. Not today." The muscles in his jaw clenched, as if holding back a flurry of emotions. He looked like he was in severe pain, but desperately tried to hide it.

Jounouchi wasn't able to keep quiet for long. "Allow me to guess." His eyes flashed dangerously at Kaiba. "Yuugi feels sorry for you because you're an arrogant bastard."

"Jounouchi!" Anzu warned. Yuugi closed his eyes, possibly in an attempt to block the sound. Honda put his arm around the small teen's shoulders.

The blond wasn't finished yet. "It's gonna kick you in the ass someday, Kaiba. Your ego. One day you're gonna wake up and realize that there isn't a single soul on this planet who gives a shit about you. Not even your kid brother."

"That isn't true!" Mokuba exploded from behind Kaiba. Jounouchi turned his gaze towards him. "Oh, it isn't? Well, you just wait. I don't want to rain on your parade, but your big brother is as heartless as they come. And he doesn't care who gets hurt, as long as he continues to expand his little Seto Kaiba empire. The sooner you realize that, the better. You're gonna get hurt, Mokuba, it's only a matter of when."

Jounouchi only stopped when Anzu grabbed him harshly by the arm. "He's just a child!" she hissed. "He doesn't need to hear that!"

Kaiba glanced down at Mokuba and noticed how heart-stricken he looked. He wanted to deny those accusations, but now wasn't the time. Yuugi's clan would only gain smug satisfaction from any scrap of compassion he showed. Instead he glared at Jounouchi. "You rabid dog," he murmured. "Next time you talk, try using some brain cells. That's what they're there for."

"I have a million things I'd love to say you, Kaiba," Jounouchi ground out, "but I won't. Yuugi doesn't need this. Hell, none of us do." He kicked at the ground, a clump of dust rising like smoke. But he couldn't resist one final jab. "Kaiba, I don't care how much money you make, you will always be below the majority of the population. You wanna know why? Because not even you can tell me what you're living for." He swiftly turned away, focusing his attention on Yuugi instead. Everyone else did too, and just like that, the callous conversation that had just taken place blew over like a cloud being shoved away from the sun.

Kaiba, however, was still mulling over those caustic words. His fists were clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white as he trembled with rage. It would be easy, he thought, to simply reach out and punch that moron in the face. But he didn't want to risk even touching him. Who was he anyway, to talk to him like that? As far as Kaiba was concerned, he was superior to Jounouchi on every level.

If that were true then, why did the mutt's words still reverberate powerfully in his mind? They wouldn't go away, mercilessly grating on his nerves.

What are you living for? What a stupid question. To make something of himself, of course. To surpass his adopted father in his successes. To be the youngest, most prosperous, CEO in existence. It was a grandiose desire, by no means a brush-off answer to Jounouchi's thoughtless inquiry. That was living.

Kaiba glanced down at his brother, whom was holding onto the CEO's briefcase. It was made of steel and undoubtedly grew hotter by the second in the Egyptian sun. Not to mention, it was heavy, especially for a kid. Yet Mokuba never complained and often insisted on carrying it around for his big brother. Mokuba quickly noticed Kaiba was staring at him and returned the gaze curiously. He looked so young. Maybe now, while everyone was distracted, would be a good time to tell Mokuba that he would never hurt him, contrary to what Jounouchi predicted. He appeared so wounded when those words were ruthlessly lashed out. It was Kaiba's chance to tell him to ignore what Jounouchi said, that it was clearly a lie.

Instead, he began walking. "Come on, Mokuba." He didn't bother to look back to see if his brother was following, because he knew he always would.

"Why did you make everyone so mad today?" Kaiba glanced up from his desktop to see Mokuba standing in front of him. He wasn't sure how long he had been there, or when he even entered his office. He was immersed deeply in his latest project, content with blocking out all sights, sounds, and other distractions. Until his brother pulled him out of his trance, oblivious to Kaiba's desire for solitude.

"Why did I make everyone so mad today?" Kaiba slowly repeated, gradually adjusting to a sight other than his glowing computer screen. It was dark now, with the wide glass walls only letting in the dim moonlight. At Mokuba's nod, he pondered the question briefly. "Because they're weak people who don't understand the concept of moving on. What I said earlier was merely fact. I am the greatest duelist now."

A frown settled heavily on Mokuba's features. "What I meant was, why did you have say that to begin with? Don't you think it was a little…" he hesitated, shifting uncomfortably.

"Finish your statement."

"Um, what you said before. 'Too soon.' Maybe that wasn't the best time to say it?" Mokuba spotted an unfinished Rubik's cube on his brother's desk and began messing with it.

Kaiba ran a hand through his hair. "Are you implying that I tried to anger the circus freaks on purpose?"

Mokuba twisted the top row of the cube, focusing his gaze on the tiny puzzle instead. "They're not 'circus freaks.' They're nice people, and I wish you wouldn't make fun of them…yeah, I think you did try to make them mad on purpose."

It always surprised Kaiba when his brother showed even a trickle of disapproval. Recently, it had been happening more and more. Perhaps Yuugi's clan had been planting weird thoughts into his impressionable mind. Regardless of this unsettling suspicion, Kaiba smirked. "You could be right."

Mokuba still kept his gaze on the cube. "I could be right, or I am right?" He continued to fiddle with the puzzle with fervent intensity.

"Either way, it doesn't matter. I don't care if I anger them or not because I don't plan on remaining in contact with them." When Mokuba briefly glanced up in surprise, he continued. "My competition is gone now, so I'll have no reason to see any of their unpleasant faces again. If they despise me, then great."

This seemed to bother Mokuba more than Kaiba would have liked. "How can you—"

"In any case, as much as I'd love to chat about the fools who pollute our world, I have plenty of work to do." This was Kaiba's dismissal, and soon he was engrossed with his computer screen again.

For a short time, Mokuba stood in silence, unsure of what to do. What he really wanted from Kaiba was some show of regret with the way he had acted earlier. It was tactless, heartless, and yes, he would have to admit, it made him ashamed of his brother. Had he ever felt that way before? Ashamed? Kaiba was his idol, the person he unflaggingly looked up to the most. But this time around, when Kaiba coldly brushed off the other Yuugi's departure, it made Mokuba think twice about his wholehearted admiration of his older brother.

"Why do you hate them?" he asked quietly. He thought of Anzu, who always looked after him like a big sister when Kaiba wasn't there, and Jounouchi, who never let his resentment of Kaiba affect his opinion of Mokuba. Then there was gentle Yuugi, whom Kaiba didn't exactly hate, but regarded with cold indifference simply because he wasn't the Pharaoh. All of them were kind-hearted people, yet Kaiba consistently kept pushing them away. None of it made any sense.

"Mokuba, I don't have time for this," Kaiba curtly replied. He didn't even bother to look up this time. "Go study French or something."

Agitation pricked at Mokuba's feelings. "Good idea. Guess I'll do that, then." Carelessly, he tossed the Rubik's cube back on his brother's desk.

The sharp clatter made Kaiba glance up. Mokuba had left. He fleetingly wondered if Mokuba was actually angry with him. But for what? He probably was imagining things. To think his brother would ever get upset with him was ridiculous.

Before he slipped back into his work, Kaiba couldn't help but notice that the Rubik's cube that was thrown back on his desk was completed.

Whatever seemed to be troubling Mokuba the other day was soon forgotten. Things were good again.

He must have been tired from the day's activities, Kaiba speculated. Kids could get cranky after a stressful trip. They did travel to Egypt, after all. Well, fine, as long as Mokuba didn't have an outburst like that again. Kaiba was far too busy to have to worry about both his company and his brother.

"…So I told him to screw off and punched him in the face," Mokuba concluded. It wasn't until there was an extended pause that Kaiba realized Mokuba wanted a reaction. Problem was, Kaiba was too caught up in his own musings to really pay attention until the last statement. That was when it hit him.

"You did what?" he finally questioned.

"Welcome back!" Mokuba exclaimed, with a slight edge to his voice. "You're finally listening."

"I was listening the whole time," Kaiba asserted smoothly. "I was merely clarifying if you had actually injured someone."

"You're lying," Mokuba insisted. When Kaiba shot him an annoyed look, he said, "I wasn't talking about a fight. I was talking about my grades. I just threw that last bit in there to see if you were paying attention."

"Clever," Kaiba said, unamused. "Was there a point behind all this?"

Any anger Mokuba might have felt immediately deflated, instead replaced with hurt. "Does there have to be a point when I talk to you?" He looked away. "I wanted to tell you that I landed all A's in my classes. Not that it matters."

Guilt began to eat away at Kaiba, though he didn't show it. "This shouldn't be news. Of course you've received a perfect G.P.A. I wouldn't expect anything less." This was meant to come out as a compliment, though the look on Mokuba's face indicated this wasn't what he wanted to hear.

"Thanks, I guess," Mokuba said, devoid of any emotion.

Kaiba rubbed his temples before responding. "Look, Mokuba, we both know I'm not your dad. I can't ever fill that role, so you're setting yourself up for failure when you expect me to have a paternal response." The look on Mokuba's face made his brow furrow. I'm making things worse.

Kaiba sucked in a deep breath. "All right. How about we go out to dinner tomorrow? Wherever you want."

These words had an immediate effect. A wide smile exploded on Mokuba's face, so startling it reminded Kaiba of his brother many years before, when smiling was easy.

"Wherever I want?" Mokuba clarified, still grinning.

"That's what I said."

"Awesome. I'll remind you tomorrow, in case you forget." It was amazing how quickly Mokuba's mood shifted.

"Don't insult me. I don't need reminding for something like this." Despite his indifferent tone, Kaiba couldn't help but feel a trace of a smile forming on his own lips.

Satisfied, Mokuba nodded his approval and headed for the door. "Guess that's my cue to leave you alone then, isn't it?" He didn't wait for an answer as he pushed open the glass doors.

Before he left, Mokuba shot a final look back at Kaiba. For some reason, when Kaiba observed that happy gaze, that damn fool Jounouchi emerged from his thoughts; or rather, his words. What are you living for? Gods, as if a dog would know.

…Though maybe he did bring up a slightly valid point.

Later that evening, Mokuba drifted back into Kaiba's office. The days Kaiba worked at home, his younger brother was always walking in and out. The oldest suspected Mokuba would have sat in there with him all the time, if he hadn't made it clear he needed some "alone time" to work.

So when Mokuba did come in, he made sure he was as quiet as possible, only bothering to speak when he couldn't hold it in any longer. With Mokuba, he was content just being in the same room as his older brother.

Kaiba didn't bother to say anything when he saw Mokuba wander in, as it was the norm on most nights. If Mokuba had something to say then he would obviously say it. Which was soon the case about a minute later.

"You're wearing your glasses." It was the sort of observation that required a commentary on Kaiba's part.

He sighed. "Yes. My vision's not what it used to be, and I'm barely eighteen. It's pathetic."

Mokuba shook his finger comically. "That's because you're straining your vision too much staring at a screen all day."

"You think so? Well thank you, Doctor." Kaiba was dripping with sarcasm, but Mokuba looked pleased.

Kaiba eyed the wall clock. "It's nearing midnight. You should get ready for bed; you have school tomorrow." He cringed slightly when considering his own words. Now that he thought about it, sometimes he did sound more like a father than a brother. At the same time, he reasoned that he really needed a little more time to work without distraction. Reminding Mokuba that he needed to go to sleep soon would hopefully solve that problem.

But Mokuba was unfazed. "Oh, I know. I'm not tired though…hey, guess what?"

Kaiba's attention was barely there as he distantly mumbled, "What?"

"I've decided where we're eating tomorrow."

"Huh." Kaiba stared blankly at his computer screen for a bit before he tossed out another comment. "You plan on telling me?"

"Nope!" Mokuba said gleefully. "But I will say it's not one of your fancy-pants five-star restaurants."

"Joy."

"What if I said I wanted to go to McDonald's?"

"Then I'd say pick another place."

"Lame. Well, I wasn't going to choose McDonald's anyway," Mokuba said. Casually, he sprawled out on the couch he was sitting on. He stared up at the ceiling for a moment in thought. "You know, it's really not that uncomfortable on here. Compared to my bed, I mean."

"Mokuba, you are not sleeping in here again tonight."

The teenager frowned. "Aw, but why?"

"Because beds are made for sleeping, not couches." It was a mindless, simple answer, but Kaiba was too entranced with the document he was examining to be more attentive. Distantly, it occurred to him he could really go for another caffeine fix. He broke his gaze with the computer screen to scoot his empty coffee mug to his desktop coffee dispenser. It was a machine that was absurdly expensive, but to Kaiba, convenience had no price tag. He pressed a single button and smiled in satisfaction as freshly brewed coffee erupted from the nozzle. A few seconds later, after a splash of cream was automatically dispensed into his mug, he gripped the handle and pulled it towards him. I really needed this.

As Kaiba lifted his coffee mug to his mouth, he heard his brother break out into a small giggle. He lifted his eyebrow. "Something funny?"

"Your glasses," Mokuba replied, pointing. "They fog up when you put your coffee mug near them! You look like a creepy pervert."

"Glad it amuses you," Kaiba said dryly. He set his coffee down and proceeded to type something fervently into his computer. It was silent for while, with Mokuba sitting around aimlessly and Kaiba working, until the latter moved to pick up his mug again.

This time though, much to Mokuba's delight, his brother held his coffee just so it completely fogged over his glasses. He looked ridiculous.

"Do I still look like a creepy pervert?" Kaiba asked. His voice was low and solemn, heightening the absurdity of his question. Then it occurred to Mokuba that his brother was doing it on purpose; to make him smile.

It was a rare side to Kaiba that no one ever saw. It was a small part of him that was living proof that Seto Kaiba, arrogant, power-driven CEO, cared.

I wish this moment would last forever, Mokuba thought.

So he smiled at his brother, so widely it hurt.

His worst nightmare was finally coming true. Kaiba Corporation was crumbling, like the mighty Roman empire, teetering in a fragile state right before its destruction. Literally overnight, the stock value of his company unexpectedly plummeted, leaving the stock price per share a fraction of what it used to be. An overwhelming number of shareholders was selling Kaiba Corporation stock for reasons the panic-stricken CEO couldn't fathom.

What the hell happened? Kaiba stared down at the morning paper's headline, screaming out in bold, "An end to a gaming era?" then, in an annoying subhead: "Kaiba Corporation, Gamer's World, among other big names crash in stock market." Well, at least he wasn't alone in his misery. But what could have caused such an abrupt change in fortune?

He had been ignoring journalists' inquiries all morning. His home office phone was ringing incessantly from the moment the sun's rays barely touched the ground, until Kaiba had had enough and pulled the cord. Anyone worth talking to possessed his cell number.

Despite having barely two hours of sleep, Kaiba was wired; he shook with the sort of chaotic energy conjured from desperation. He had already arranged an executive meeting scheduled in twenty minutes, all while alternately discussing options with the CAO and CFO. He sported a Bluetooth headset and cell phone watch and was yelling into both nonstop. All of this happened before nine a.m.

At one point, Mokuba might have peered into his office to say goodbye before he left for school, but Kaiba didn't remember whether he acknowledged him. Admittedly, he had a one-track mind, and it was set firmly on his suffering company. Soon this thought was dismissed, as Kaiba stormed down the flight of steps in his mansion while flinging on his trench coat. Five minutes before, he arranged to have his limo waiting for him before he stepped outside. He had zero tolerance for any delays whatsoever.

Kaiba was currently speaking to the CFO as he glided through the door one of his attendants held open for him. "Did you tell him to hold off until—oh my God." As if he slammed into a wall, Kaiba recoiled as he glanced about his surroundings. "Never mind. See you in ten minutes." Sucking in a sharp breath, the CEO mentally cursed.

There were hundreds of people crowding the outside of his mansion, most of them news reporters or journalists. Kaiba had to squint his eyes against the explosion of camera flashes as he barreled through the masses. How the hell did they get through the gates? he fumed.

"Mr. Kaiba, could you please explain what happened?" one of the reporters yelled over the various shouts. "Did you see this coming?"

What Kaiba would have loved to say was a pleasant "fuck off" as he continued on his way. But that wouldn't have helped the situation, so he merely stayed silent as pushed ahead to get to his limo. Have the bastards claw each others' eyes out as they try to get a word out of me.

That was until someone blurted, "Does your little brother know about this?" Kaiba was a step away from the limo door, but instead of sliding in, he momentarily froze.

"Leave him out of this," he growled lowly, without glancing back. Then he allowed himself to disappear behind the black screen of the car window, broken away from the masses with a solid slam of the door.

Things only continued to grow more hectic as the day raced on. The hours felt like hasty minutes, filled with meetings, conference calls, and finally a select number of calculated confrontations with the media. In the end, by the time Kaiba had the chance to breathe and pop in a few aspirin, the sun was casting long shadows in his office.

"The popularity of games has gone down drastically," Kaiba explained to the corporate publicist. "People keep demanding something new, and they're tired of the same concept. So since we can't come up with a product that will magically revitalize the gaming market, we're going to have to make the public appreciate it again through a change in tactics."

The man stopped scribbling in his notebook. "So what do you want me to tell Nihon Keizai Shimbun?"

Kaiba smiled grimly. "We are going to institute a Duel Monsters Academy."

"And how should I say this will help Kaiba Corp?"

"The academy will raise a new generation to have a deep reverence for Duel Monsters. It will be primarily through means of competition, and a student can only go up in ranks by learning to master the game." The idea for creating such an institution resulted from a fleeting thought about Mokuba being in school. Kaiba had no intention of saying that, but he inadvertently had to give credit to his younger brother for spurring on such a concept. Mokuba was always complaining that there wasn't enough competition in school. "Basically," Kaiba said, "we are soon going to announce our plans for the academy and the 'bait' we're using to get people interested; a full ride to any university of their choice, provided the students are in the top five percent of their class."

The publicist nodded admiringly. "It's hard to get into a good college in Japan let alone afford it; surely most school-age children will want to go."

"Exactly." Kaiba allowed a tight-lipped smile. "And since the need for a college education never dies, the Duel Monsters Academy will always have students." Staggering amounts of stress aside, Kaiba was satisfied with the way his day had went. Soon, things would be running smoothly, and Kaiba Corp would come out more powerful than ever. "But don't say that to the newspapers," he added. "About DMA always having students. Never come across to the public as arrogant."

"Of course," the publicist agreed. He turned to leave then paused for a moment. "Sir, it looks like you have a visitor." He exited the room, replaced by Mokuba, who stood in the doorway.

Kaiba lifted his eyebrows. "Hello," he said, a touch surprised.

Mokuba read his brother's face. "I just stopped by here after school," he explained. "Yeah, I walked, and yeah, there was a huge mass of people swarming the outside of Kaiba Corp. What's going on?"

"I keep telling you, stop walking alone. It's dangerous," Kaiba said firmly.

"Whatever. I know how to defend myself," Mokuba retorted. When he saw Kaiba wasn't moved, he continued, "Lighten up! It's not like I haven't been captured before. In fact, I've been taken hostage loads of times. At this point, I know how to break noses, cut off someone's air supply—"

"This isn't funny."

Mokuba shrugged, clearly thinking it was. "So you gonna tell me why everyone's going crazy around Kaiba Corp?"

"Long story." Kaiba folded his arms. "Now I've got a question for you. What was so important that you felt compelled to visit me at work?"

Mokuba ran a hand through his hair, a bit nervously. "Yeah, I know you don't like me coming here—"

"Not an ideal place for a kid," Kaiba justified.

"—But I wanted to ask about going out to dinner tonight."

Oh. Dinner. Kaiba strained to keep his face neutral.

"We are going, right?" Damn that kid's ability to be so perceptive. He must have sensed something was wrong.

The CEO shifted his weight. "Yes," he said after a pause. "But not today."

Disappointment shadowed across Mokuba's face.

"I realize I told you we were going today," Kaiba said slowly. He placed a hand on his brother's shoulder, his gaze gentler than usual. "But that was before—"

Mokuba shook his head. "I don't need a reason, Seto."

Relief washed over Kaiba. "Good," he sighed. Still, something wasn't right.

Taking a step back, Mokuba broke away from his brother's touch. His grey eyes were clouded over, unreadable.

"Are you upset?" Kaiba probed.

Mokuba smiled blandly. "No."

In reply, Kaiba went on to talk about a good day to go out, shuffling through the papers on his desk as he spoke, only stopping to look back at his brother when he heard no reply.

Mokuba had been long gone, though as to how much time passed in his absence until Kaiba noticed, he wasn't sure.

By the time Kaiba made it back home, it was nearing ten and his conversation with Mokuba was long forgotten. He was thoroughly exhausted, worn to the point of aching bones and throbbing muscles. A whole bottle of painkillers couldn't extinguish his returned headache. Only until he stepped foot inside his mansion he remembered he had been operating on a measly two hours of sleep from the night before. I'm going straight to bed. He carelessly threw his briefcase to the tile floor, not bothering to see where it landed. It was uncharacteristic of him to be so reckless with his belongings, but his fatigue got the better of him. A distance away, he heard footsteps approaching him.

Kaiba only bothered to peer over his shoulder when he heard a soft scraping against the floor. Mokuba had picked up the briefcase, returning his brother's gaze as he did so. Instead of his usual greeting, he said, "Can I talk to you?"

The older brother exhaled as he continued walking. Mokuba trailed after him, lugging the briefcase along. "Can it wait? I'm very tired."

Mokuba kept up his pace. "No, I need to talk to you now."

"How demanding of you. I guess I can listen for a minute." Kaiba finally reached the top step as he strode down the hallway. Despite the tension in Mokuba's voice, Kaiba didn't ponder too hard on what it was he was dying to say. Truthfully, all he could really think about involved sleep and his bed.

Finally in his own quarters, Kaiba made a beeline for the edge of his bed and sat down, taking off his shoes. He sighed, rubbing his eyes. Mokuba stared at him in silence, still holding onto his brother's briefcase.

"So what is it you wanted to tell me?" Kaiba prompted. Might as well get it over with. Though really, he was sure this conversation could have waited until tomorrow. But Mokuba's persistence wouldn't have allowed the preferred option.

Mokuba broke his gaze from his brother to stare out the window. He possessed a strange, faraway look that Kaiba didn't quite recognize. "I want an apology."

That startled Kaiba into a more alert state. He shook the exhaustion off. "Hm, okay. What was my crime?"

Contrary to Kaiba's calmness, Mokuba could feel his temples begin to throb out of anxiety, clutching harder onto the briefcase he still hadn't put down. It was growing increasingly heavy with each passing second.

"I think I knew what would happen today," Mokuba started. "You not following through on your plans. It's always that way with me. You wouldn't dare to back out of one of your business lunches but if you cancel on me then it's no big deal."

"When have I ever said that?" Kaiba frowned. He straightened his back. "And no, I don't 'always' break my commitments with you. Gods, Mokuba, you sound like a woman."

"Thanks Seto, I appreciate your input," Mokuba replied, his voice many shades darker than the usual. "You've always been a great listener."

"You addicted to sarcasm now?" Kaiba countered. "You haven't been acting yourself at all recently. What's wrong with you?"

Mokuba stubbornly crossed his arms. "Oh, I see. I'm finally being more than the admiring little brother so there must be something wrong with me."

"You're pulling my question out of context," Kaiba pointed out. "I'm asking where all this hostility is coming from." And it's not helping that I'm so damn tired.

"You asked me what your crime was," Mokuba said, alluding to when he asked for an apology. "But there's more than one. You can never spare a minute to talk to me, nor do you care to."— As he spoke, Kaiba stood up and began to get ready for bed. Listlessly, he threw off his watch and shrugged off his suit jacket—"I'm not allowed to visit you at work, and you don't really like me coming into your home office…when am I supposed to see you?" Mokuba was about to say, "I miss you," but the words died in his mouth. Kaiba wasn't even sparing a glance in his direction. He doesn't care.

"You won't even look at me!" Mokuba finally exploded. He waved his hands in front of him. "I'm right here!"

Kaiba blinked in mild surprise, barely glancing over his shoulder as he removed his tie. "Of course you are." Then, after a second's thought, added, "You picked a pretty bad day to carry on like this, you know. Do you understand the concept of exhaustion?"

Instead of answering, Mokuba noted how his hands grew numb from holding the briefcase. But he couldn't let go, because he wanted to feel anchored to the ground. Even as words came out his mouth, a part of him didn't believe what he was saying. He never fought with Kaiba. His mind spun in dizzying circles; he just might pass out.

"Seto."

There was no answer. Mokuba knew Kaiba heard him quite clearly, but chose not to respond. He was through with the conversation.

In spite of this, Mokuba tried again. Look at me, listen to me!

"Seto!"

Kaiba lanced him with a disapproving glare. "I think we should continue this conversation tomorrow. Hopefully by then you will have calmed down."

A small part of Mokuba actually agreed with Kaiba. He could just leave the room and stuff sore feelings to the back of his mind and forget about them. Things could continue on as they have been. It wasn't exactly a happy life (it was really quite lonely…), but at least it was stable.

No. In the end, that wasn't what he wanted. He didn't want to grow up being nobody. As long as he lived under Kaiba's shadow no one would ever identify him as his own individual. Someone would always say, "That's Kaiba's little brother," never, "That's Mokuba." Even worse, he was Kaiba's little brother and even Kaiba barely knew him. If he did, he would have easily recognized how torn Mokuba was, or how starving he was for attention.

His urgency to talk to Kaiba tonight stemmed from a frightening realization. In order to remove the constant hurt from being a nobody, even to his brother, it would have to be the last time he would speak to him. He needed to move on.

He felt the briefcase—it was so impossibly heavy, like chains—slip from his fingers. And as it did, he didn't bother to readjust his grip.

He let it fall to the floor.

The briefcase crashed onto the pristine tile, sounding like a grenade as it tore through the stillness. Mokuba didn't flinch, but he was pretty sure he saw his older brother jump ever so slightly from the intrusive noise.

"Mokuba, what the hell are you—"

"I hate you," Mokuba said. As the words slipped from his mouth, Mokuba instinctively wanted to call them back—wait, no, that's not true!—but then he realized he needed to do this. He needed to prove to Kaiba he wasn't some loyal servant who could never stray from him. That aside, how liberating it felt to say something so awful. He had never spoken that harshly to his brother, never with so many negative feelings festering inside of him. To make sure Kaiba heard him this time—loud and clear—he said it again, slower to have the words soak in. "I hate you."

A horror-stricken silence permeated the room.

For the first time that evening, Kaiba turned to fully face his brother. "Mokuba. Are you listening to yourself right now? You clearly don't understand the severity of the garbage you just spewed out." His tone was surprisingly wiped of any emotion, but there was a note of disbelief. No, there was no way Mokuba would dare say something like that. He would never. Nonetheless, Kaiba was attentive, his gaze locked onto his younger brother.

Mokuba began to tremble. "Ever since I could remember, I looked up to you, Seto. As far as I knew, you were better than anyone. You did a good job of protecting me, making sure I was safe. You still do. But…" There was always a condition, wasn't there? Nothing was ever perfect, and Mokuba realized that now. It was both heartbreaking and terrifying. "But I don't want to look up to you anymore. You have a lot of faults, I was just too blind to see them. I do now."

Kaiba felt his blood turn to ice. This wasn't happening. How did this happen? It was only a moment ago when things were just fine between them…

"Mokuba, what has gotten into you?"

The teenager shook his head. "Nothing. I just grew up."

Kaiba narrowed his frosty blue eyes. He was still incredulous, or maybe in denial. "Take back what you said about hating me. Now."

"You can't just boss me around and expect me to comply anymore," Mokuba said. "I'm done putting up with this."

Kaiba was aghast. This can't be real. "What do you mean…you're 'done'?"

"I don't want to be your naive kid brother anymore," Mokuba whispered, as if afraid of saying the words out loud. "Especially since I realized today that, behind your words and actions, you really don't care about me."

"How can you say that?" Kaiba demanded. "After everything I've done for you…?"

"Like what?" Mokuba retorted. "Give me a place to live? I can find that anywhere. Yeah we live in a mansion, but that means nothing if I'm always by myself. So many times…" he cut himself off to swallow, as if shoving back his pain, "so many times, I've tried to reach you and get you to listen to me. Or even look at me! But that's always asking too much of you. Because you don't have time. Face it, Seto, you barely even know I exist."

"You're wrong." Kaiba shook his head curtly. "You're the only person I care about. Don't make me go over something you should already know."

"No, I don't. You didn't even look up from your stupid computer when I said bye to you this morning." Mokuba's voice rose slightly in anger. "How do you think that makes me feel?" Kaiba, for once, couldn't think of a response to this, and after a pause, Mokuba laughed quietly. Perhaps it was the only thing to do besides cry. "You're the only family I have and you don't have the time to tell me, 'Have a nice day.'"

Realization cruelly wrapped around Kaiba's entire being and squeezed him so tight he felt suffocated. He's right.

In hitching desperation, Kaiba blurted out the first thing that came to mind. That didn't make it the wisest thing. "If this is about me not taking you out to dinner, then fine, we'll go right now. There are plenty of late-night restaurants around here."

Mokuba shook his head. "That isn't the point." His tone grew critical. "Was that your ingenious plan? Put a Band-Aid on every problem by taking me somewhere? Are you going to buy me a gigantic hamburger with fries in hopes it'll make everything better? Seto, you could buy me the entire fast food industry and I wouldn't care."

He's never been like this before. It's as if he really won't forgive me this time.

"Then tell me, Mokuba, what could you possibly want me to do?" Kaiba felt his cell phone buzzing in his pocket, choosing to ignore it.

Mokuba's gaze followed his brother's, where the offending cell phone vibrated for a few more seconds. "All I wanted was to spend time with you," he said. "It's the simplest thing, yet you couldn't give it."

Kaiba was hung on a particular word. Wanted? "You're speaking in the past tense."

The younger brother nodded his head. "That's because I don't want to see you anymore." The cold brutality behind the words stabbed Kaiba in his chest. It was suddenly hard to breathe. No…no…no…

Kaiba forced himself to speak. "You don't mean that."

"Maybe I don't," Mokuba admitted. "But I can't live with someone who doesn't have the time to remember I'm still there."

Kaiba floundered for words, while an overwhelming load of memories flashed before his eyes, all of them involving the accusations Mokuba threw at him. The only time the CEO truly focused on his younger brother was when he was in immediate danger, usually in the grasp of a madman. It took a life-threatening situation just to get him away from work.

"Mokuba…"

"Bye, Seto."

Kaiba could have put up more of a fight. He could have demanded that Mokuba would continue to live with him, or at least justify his self-centered motives a little more. He could have refused to accept what Mokuba was telling him, or he could have constructed a sort of compromise. At least in the business world, negotiation was essential.

But in the end, he had nothing worth saying. He recognized that look in Mokuba's eyes, one that was filled with resolve…and maturity from a child who was eventually forced to grow up too soon. It was a look that mirrored his own many years ago, when he overthrew his adopted father and took over his position without an ounce of regret. He remembered how he stared coldly at Guzaburo Kaiba and vowed to be ten times the man he ever was.

I made Mokuba look at me with the same contempt I felt for our adopted father.

Kaiba let his brother leave.