Seto Kaiba (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
firstrateduelist) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
kittensinboxes2024-11-22 12:34 am
firstrateduelist) wrote in kittensinboxes2024-11-22 12:34 am
I Ended Up Losing And It's All His Fault
Kaiba had gone to the afterlife. He'd finally achieved his dream, and in doing so, faced his eternal rival in combat.
It was never meant to be permanent, of course, but he hadn't neglected to consider the possibility that he might struggle to come back intact. Before launching across dimensions, Kaiba had set his affairs in order, although only Isono was privy to what that meant.
If he was gone for more than a month, his shares would be converted into Mokuba's name, thereby protecting the interests of Kaiba Corporation. At this point, Mokuba would be appointed interim Chief Executive Officer of KaibaCorp.
If he was gone for two, then Mokuba would formally inherit the business in its entirety, with Isono overseeing most functions from day to day with stricter clauses added to his work contract that would disallow him the chance or ability to destabilize Mokuba from his position, which would still be interim CEO for all public records.
From that point on, the changes were only reversible on paper if Seto returned within a year from the launch date. If not, Mokuba really would inherit the business as the true CEO. He'd meant it when he said he was leaving it all in his brother's hands. What else could you say when you intended to launch yourself at speed from your own space station, with no full guarantee that you wouldn't impact, rather than travel across dimensions?
It wasn't a smart idea from the start to do that, and although Kaiba had achieved his goal metaphysically, the reality was that he had, in fact, launched himself from a space station down to earth. The impact was real, and while the safety features of the pod offset a great deal of the damage, he didn't escape unscathed.
The wreckage was found half a day later, bored sixty feet into the ground. Kaiba had been pulled from it and immediately hospitalized for his injuries which ranged from mild bruising to broken bones, specifically his legs and one arm. His resting heart rate had settled at 130, which was...less than ideal, and needed to be treated.
For the next 3 months, he remained in the hospital in a private room paid for by Mokuba, away from prying eyes and off the general record so that he could heal from his injuries and reawaken healthy but still remain incognito. The former worked out, but waking up...well, Kaiba simply wouldn't. His brain activity was elevated, and his heart rate often spiked, but Mokuba, at least, knew what that meant. He'd pulled his brother from their Neural Network inches before a severe cardiac episode before.
If his vitals were behaving that way, then he got what he wanted--he got that final contact with Atem that he'd been denied due to fulfilling his own dream of spreading Kaiba Land all across the world.
What happened was anyone's guess.
But after three and a half months, Seto Kaiba finally opened his eyes, and the light made his head ache. His heart rate was finally at a level that didn't indicate atrial fibrillation, and although he was pale, thin, and exhausted, he'd finally made it back where he belonged.
He was back home--no. He was...back in a hospital. Why a hospital? Why wasn't he home? Surely, he couldn't have been gone for more than a week or so, right? The dimensional connection had been flimsy at best, and he'd had to spend his time with Atem as quickly as possible.
So why were his limbs heavy? They felt wrong. So much felt wrong, and his eyes wouldn't open all the way, but he can make out a blurry image if he just...forces them to move. Someone...?
"Mo...ku...ba?"
Ugh. No, even his voice sounds awful. The muscles of his throat feel stiff, his voice is hoarse from disuse, and he'd barely managed to say his brother's name, to see if it really was him, or...maybe someone else.
It was never meant to be permanent, of course, but he hadn't neglected to consider the possibility that he might struggle to come back intact. Before launching across dimensions, Kaiba had set his affairs in order, although only Isono was privy to what that meant.
If he was gone for more than a month, his shares would be converted into Mokuba's name, thereby protecting the interests of Kaiba Corporation. At this point, Mokuba would be appointed interim Chief Executive Officer of KaibaCorp.
If he was gone for two, then Mokuba would formally inherit the business in its entirety, with Isono overseeing most functions from day to day with stricter clauses added to his work contract that would disallow him the chance or ability to destabilize Mokuba from his position, which would still be interim CEO for all public records.
From that point on, the changes were only reversible on paper if Seto returned within a year from the launch date. If not, Mokuba really would inherit the business as the true CEO. He'd meant it when he said he was leaving it all in his brother's hands. What else could you say when you intended to launch yourself at speed from your own space station, with no full guarantee that you wouldn't impact, rather than travel across dimensions?
It wasn't a smart idea from the start to do that, and although Kaiba had achieved his goal metaphysically, the reality was that he had, in fact, launched himself from a space station down to earth. The impact was real, and while the safety features of the pod offset a great deal of the damage, he didn't escape unscathed.
The wreckage was found half a day later, bored sixty feet into the ground. Kaiba had been pulled from it and immediately hospitalized for his injuries which ranged from mild bruising to broken bones, specifically his legs and one arm. His resting heart rate had settled at 130, which was...less than ideal, and needed to be treated.
For the next 3 months, he remained in the hospital in a private room paid for by Mokuba, away from prying eyes and off the general record so that he could heal from his injuries and reawaken healthy but still remain incognito. The former worked out, but waking up...well, Kaiba simply wouldn't. His brain activity was elevated, and his heart rate often spiked, but Mokuba, at least, knew what that meant. He'd pulled his brother from their Neural Network inches before a severe cardiac episode before.
If his vitals were behaving that way, then he got what he wanted--he got that final contact with Atem that he'd been denied due to fulfilling his own dream of spreading Kaiba Land all across the world.
What happened was anyone's guess.
But after three and a half months, Seto Kaiba finally opened his eyes, and the light made his head ache. His heart rate was finally at a level that didn't indicate atrial fibrillation, and although he was pale, thin, and exhausted, he'd finally made it back where he belonged.
He was back home--no. He was...back in a hospital. Why a hospital? Why wasn't he home? Surely, he couldn't have been gone for more than a week or so, right? The dimensional connection had been flimsy at best, and he'd had to spend his time with Atem as quickly as possible.
So why were his limbs heavy? They felt wrong. So much felt wrong, and his eyes wouldn't open all the way, but he can make out a blurry image if he just...forces them to move. Someone...?
"Mo...ku...ba?"
Ugh. No, even his voice sounds awful. The muscles of his throat feel stiff, his voice is hoarse from disuse, and he'd barely managed to say his brother's name, to see if it really was him, or...maybe someone else.
no subject
But that comment. That...question.
Do you expect something?
"No." It came out his mouth without hesitation; to expect something like this as a Matter of Course was not just absurd, but cruel. Entitled. The Worst kind of person, especially when they weren't...
"I just...I'm usually pretty physical with my friends. Jonouchi and I hug all the time. I've fallen asleep on Bakura plenty. But..."
He bit his lip.
"I do care about you, in a way that's...more than that. Friendship, I mean." Could this get any more awkward? "But I don't expect or feel entitled to you reciprocating those feelings, if that's what you mean."
no subject
It's not said with cruelty, but it's strongly worded.
"Temper your expectations. I'm..."
Kaiba trails off, gripping the sheets awkwardly. He notices that one arm hurts more than the other when he grips too hard, but it's nowhere near as painful as his legs.
"I'm not well at this time, and even if I was, your assistance would be appreciated and properly compensated...but your feelings, I cannot promise that I will reciprocate them in a way that you'll find acceptable."
Which isn't meant to give Yuugi hope. Kaiba really isn't the kind of guy to just--suddenly kiss another man.
As he said: he's not well. Not just physically, but his mind. Even he knows that much...
no subject
Why would he?
He was just happy to be his friend. To be close to him. He didn't need anything else, really.
"I just... want to help you. So long as you're okay and happy, that's all I need."
Selfless, perhaps...
But wasn't that Yuugi Mutou to his core?
a safe for work thread? in this economy!?!?!
Guilt?
Why would he feel guilty?
Maybe because...Yuugi had clearly spent time with his brother, and with him, enough to care for the both of them, and now here he was spitting on that kindness. It felt like he shouldn't be doing that, really. But he's Seto Kaiba, and accepting kind gestures isn't written into his DNA.
"You don't have to spend so much of your time on this though," he finally answers. "There's your own personal time to consider. I'm grateful that you found me, and that you have contributed to my care."
That is really weird to say.
"However, it shouldn't inconvenience you anymore."
no subject
After yesterday, after all Kaiba said-- he thought he was inconveniencing Yuugi?
(Or... did he simply not want him around?)
I'll keep you.
"It's... really not an inconvenience for me," he said, "I don't mind."
(Do you, though? Do you mind?)
no subject
Kaiba isn't sure wh he's insisting on this. It's not as if he wants Yuugi to leave, if he's honest with himself--
--but that's the problem. He's not every good at being honest with himself, and furthermore...it's easier to push someone away than to let them in, where they can see the parts that are well and truly irredeemable.
It doesn't matter what happened in the afterlife, or what he was told he should do. Seto Kaiba didn't do anything that he didn't want to do. Right?
"Are you going to stay and watch as I recover from surgery? Stand there and watch me go through therapy? Get serious, Yuugi. That's not a life you need to live.
You have things to do. You have a game to make, don't you?
...It's a good game."
no subject
Yuugi was maybe a little harsher than he'd intended; the words came out in a flood, pouring and unrelenting as his heart ached.
"I don't want to stand and watch: I want to cheer you on! I want to be there for you! Spherium will be made, no matter how long it takes."
Seto always pushed everyone away. The closer you got, the harder he pushed!
I'll keep you.
"It will remain, long after I'm dead and gone; I'm sure of that. But I only have one life, and I'm tired of living with regrets.
And if I turned my back on you and let you push me away, I know I'd regret it for the rest of my life."
no subject
Kaiba says it coldly, but it's not with the venom or brutal honesty he'd normally put into that kind of thing.
Yuugi is annoying. Like a clingy cat you can't get to leave you alone. He doesn't want to be pet all the time, or to be overly involved. But he wants to keep existing in a space where he's hardly welcome.
Or rather, where Kaiba himself has not gotten used to the idea, but Mokuba had already opened the door.
"Don't make it sound as if you're choosing what's best for you, when in reality, you're choosing what you want more than that.
...If it's what you want, then I can't stop you from following your chosen path, whether I think it's foolish or not."
no subject
Yuugi's smile was almost cheeky; a mischievous thing that saw the gesture for what it was. Seto Kaiba was the kind of man who would push even harder if he truly didn't want something, no matter how sick or injured or laid up he was. The fact that he responded like that was...
Well.
It was encouraging.
"And sometimes...what I want and what's best for me are the same, you know. Not always, but in this case...I just have a feeling."
He learned to trust those over the years. It wasn't as fine-tuned as someone like Isis's, but his gut was an insistent thing that he'd had to learn to trust over time. Sometimes the inner voices were right, after all.
no subject
"Feelings are a fickle thing. Minds change," he says distantly. "People leave."
More like they leave you.
"That's why destiny is a lie. Because in the end, it can be broken with enough force. Nothing has ever been able to hold me fast if I didn't want it to."
Atem couldn't hide from him. He'd pushed past the limits of what was possible, to grab at that man desperately by the throat--
--and what had it gotten him, but pain?
"Everything has a price which must be paid, however. You'll pay it too, even if you don't know it."
The price of proximity. The price of trusting Seto Kaiba.
no subject
You say that my destiny is to just change my mind. To up and leave. Well, screw that."
It was hard to put into words just how much disdain he had for Kaiba's 'declaration' that people inevitably left you.
Even after everything, where had Yuugi been but constantly following him, reaching his hand out like he was a feral cat in need of a home?
"And I'm already kinda paying a price. I make Mokuba's breakfast and pack his lunch every day."