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)
kittensinboxes2024-12-05 10:48 am
firstrateduelist) wrote in kittensinboxes2024-12-05 10:48 am
To Be Endlessly Cold Within [Rivalshipping, Vampire AU]
It had taken some time to get used to living a new life as a vampire. For someone who actively decried the supernatural, it wasn't easy to admit that he'd been overcome by some creature of the night in anything outside of a nightmare.
But he had ended up like this nearly half a year ago, waking up hospitalized with what looked like some kind of lesions at the joint of his neck and shoulder. From that point, it was only a matter of time before he shifted to his new reality. Trying to suppress it out of sheer force of will had only worked out so long, and deflecting his thirst onto a natural human cause had nearly ended in him attacking his brother. That was the last straw.
That was when Seto Kaiba gave in and took the first drink.
He had to, of course, curate his inner circle slightly--tell the ones most important to him what exactly his new life would entail. Mokuba...well, while he hadn't fully intuited it, had been concerned about his brother ever since the hospital stay. How could he not be? Seto had gradually lost color, energy, and most concerningly, weight since he'd been discharged. He barely ate and looked discomforted when he did, and drank liquids constantly. Honestly, figuring out Seto's needs had been jarring, but ultimately relieving.
Isono was the only other person who knew. He was the one responsible for acquiring blood for his boss, and he did so admirably. Kaiba never fed from the vein, no matter what. Even when his jaw ached around others, and his fangs itched in his skull, he'd instead bite down on something else. He kept a solid rubber ball in his desk for such occasions, and it didn't feel right, but at least with his bagged alternatives, he was doing alright.
Isono and Mokuba had floated the idea to him of perhaps feeding on small animals, and while the thought of it had made his fangs stretch past his lower lip and made his stomach twist as if he'd been starving for all his life...he declined. He didn't need it. There were other things to attend to.
And so he never really regained his weight despite a regular diet of blood.
But at least the company was running smoothly. Seto fought the urge to take a fully nocturnal sleep schedule, and instead positioned himself between worlds. He'd come into work around midnight, well before the sun rose, and leave once it had set. Work meetings were scheduled past dusk. Probably the most expensive alteration needed was to slowly have his office windows altered with UV blocking, the tinting of which could be controlled automatically with a single remote. He mostly kept the tinting at a lower level, so he could still enjoy the sun's brightness without harming himself.
His acclimations weren't perfect. Sometimes he ended up burning himself. Sometimes, the hunger was triggered by proximity to his employees...but for the most part, Kaiba had fallen into a holding pattern. Not yet fully healthy by vampire standards, but also not withering away.
Today, Kaiba was to be participating briefly in orientation for a very small handful of new hires. Isono would bring them up, to show them who they would be working for and have Kaiba offer a few words as he often did while he judged the merit of the hires individually. He always thought it unnecessary, but what he thought, and what was actually done? Those were two different things.
The first two hires went through their orientation interview without incident. Kaiba wasn't terribly impressed, but they'd do as entry to mid-level workers. Nothing really extraordinary to be brought to the the table.
He taps the logo on his lapel.
"Isono. Bring in the last candidate, and then prepare lunch," he ordered.
"Yes, Master Seto!"
The third candidate...they better be worth something.
But he had ended up like this nearly half a year ago, waking up hospitalized with what looked like some kind of lesions at the joint of his neck and shoulder. From that point, it was only a matter of time before he shifted to his new reality. Trying to suppress it out of sheer force of will had only worked out so long, and deflecting his thirst onto a natural human cause had nearly ended in him attacking his brother. That was the last straw.
That was when Seto Kaiba gave in and took the first drink.
He had to, of course, curate his inner circle slightly--tell the ones most important to him what exactly his new life would entail. Mokuba...well, while he hadn't fully intuited it, had been concerned about his brother ever since the hospital stay. How could he not be? Seto had gradually lost color, energy, and most concerningly, weight since he'd been discharged. He barely ate and looked discomforted when he did, and drank liquids constantly. Honestly, figuring out Seto's needs had been jarring, but ultimately relieving.
Isono was the only other person who knew. He was the one responsible for acquiring blood for his boss, and he did so admirably. Kaiba never fed from the vein, no matter what. Even when his jaw ached around others, and his fangs itched in his skull, he'd instead bite down on something else. He kept a solid rubber ball in his desk for such occasions, and it didn't feel right, but at least with his bagged alternatives, he was doing alright.
Isono and Mokuba had floated the idea to him of perhaps feeding on small animals, and while the thought of it had made his fangs stretch past his lower lip and made his stomach twist as if he'd been starving for all his life...he declined. He didn't need it. There were other things to attend to.
And so he never really regained his weight despite a regular diet of blood.
But at least the company was running smoothly. Seto fought the urge to take a fully nocturnal sleep schedule, and instead positioned himself between worlds. He'd come into work around midnight, well before the sun rose, and leave once it had set. Work meetings were scheduled past dusk. Probably the most expensive alteration needed was to slowly have his office windows altered with UV blocking, the tinting of which could be controlled automatically with a single remote. He mostly kept the tinting at a lower level, so he could still enjoy the sun's brightness without harming himself.
His acclimations weren't perfect. Sometimes he ended up burning himself. Sometimes, the hunger was triggered by proximity to his employees...but for the most part, Kaiba had fallen into a holding pattern. Not yet fully healthy by vampire standards, but also not withering away.
Today, Kaiba was to be participating briefly in orientation for a very small handful of new hires. Isono would bring them up, to show them who they would be working for and have Kaiba offer a few words as he often did while he judged the merit of the hires individually. He always thought it unnecessary, but what he thought, and what was actually done? Those were two different things.
The first two hires went through their orientation interview without incident. Kaiba wasn't terribly impressed, but they'd do as entry to mid-level workers. Nothing really extraordinary to be brought to the the table.
He taps the logo on his lapel.
"Isono. Bring in the last candidate, and then prepare lunch," he ordered.
"Yes, Master Seto!"
The third candidate...they better be worth something.
no subject
"Yeah, I kinda had a feeling this might not work. I guess it's fine for now. Least until we can clean up your clothes."
Seto can tell the danger of seeing a half-dressed man on his couch has passed, so he reenters the living room, arms loosely crossed. He still looks pretty uncomfortable in his own skin, but the amusement that catches the corner of his lips in a smirk helps to offset that.
"You look ridiculous."
Sure, just go on and say it like that, huh?
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"Big brother, big brother! You don't think it's cool that I look just like you? I'll be big and strong just like you someday!"
The man can use sarcasm.
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"Do that again and I'm putting you out on the street," he says flatly.
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He was... he was joking around with him. Like a friend! Like they were real, actual, honest friends!
"Kaaaaay."
The singsong voice maaaaaybe was a bit much, but maybe the blinding, bright smile was worth it?
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"Hmph."
He takes his seat back on the couch, his expression cold and distant. Yuugi's expression isn't wholly unpleasant to look at, Kaiba has to admit. He's never seen someone smile so earnestly.
And yet...
"What are you smiling about? That was childish."
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He scratched his head, but it really just made the sleeve flop around.
"I was always mistaken as a little kid because of my height; it used to make me mad, but I learned to laugh it off."
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Mokuba can see the turmoil brewing on his brother's expression, and decides to hop onto the couch himself.
"You know--we could watch a movie, or play cards or something! We have plenty of night, if you guys aren't too sleepy, and I don't have to sleep early tonight!"
He should, but he'll be okay. Deflection powers: activate!
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You were the best at making sure the awkwardness got dissipated.
But... Kaiba... what kind of life did he live to feel that way...? He wished he could ask, to see what was behind his eyes...
But....
Yuugi's eyes sparkled.
"Cards, huh...? That sounds fun."
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He's Seto Kaiba. Card games of all sorts fell into his domain of expertise. He'd fleece a child at Go Fish, and a whole room of middle-aged men at no-limit Poker of any variety. Any at all.
But...it was too late to take it back now, and evidently it was enough of a successful diversion to get Kaiba back on a less fraught path.
"Mokuba. Fetch the cards and chips."
Mokuba, of course, gets right back up to do so. Everything's kept on a shelf, and apparently he doesn't need a "please" to obey his brother in this situation. Though would it kill Seto to add it in? Sometimes he wonders...
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If anything, it...
It practically glowed, hardening with just that touch of a competitive something.
"That's exactly why I'd love to play," Yuugi said, "It'll be fun to beat someone as good as you."
His lips quirked up slightly.
A tease?
A challenge?
Yes.
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And yet, Kaiba finds himself excited at the prospect. Most of the time, only ignorant fools rise up against him. But Yuugi he believes might actually put some weight behind his words. After all, the game they'd played before had been proof enough. Dice, cards...all that mattered was the challenge.
Mokuba, of course, is the sobering force.
"I mean...can you even sit up long enough, Seto?" he asks with a skeptical look on on his face. "You're not gonna yak blood if you have to use the coffee table, are you?"
Oh, the look Seto shoots his brother could kill. THERE'S COMPANY OVER DON'T SAY THINGS LIKE THAT--
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Playing games made him bold. Made him confident--
But then Mokuba had to say that.
"I think he'll probably be okay!" Yuugi waved his hands in a placating gesture. "If nothing else, we can use holograms, right?"
It would take minimal movement and they could do it while reclined, yeah?
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Mokuba had meant to tease and needle his brother, but suddenly, having it turned on its head makes him pout as he sets the case full of chips down on the table.
"Hey! That's not fair!"
"Isn't it? You always leave me in charge of the dispersal, like I'm some kind of casino worker. If you want to play, then do your part!"
The brothers lock eyes for a moment, as if they're waging a silent battle of wills there. It's silent for a few long seconds...and then Mokuba huffs out a complaint as he opens the case and starts setting up.
"You're annoying, bro. But I guess you're right," Mokuba grumbles as he deals out an even five hundred in chips for both Yuugi and Kaiba. Surprisingly, he doesn't deal for himself.
Not yet. He wants to watch these two play for a few rounds first.
"Alright, dummies, I'll deal for you, but then you gotta let me play later!" he announces, before beginning to shuffle the deck. The cards are more pliant than Duel Monsters cards, so he riffle shuffles without too much guilt.
no subject
...Jonouchi? Yeah. Jonouchi and Ryou, probabaly. Anzu maybe, but she's lived abroad for so long he didn't get to talk to her nearly as much.
Honestly, watching them was fun, almost as fun as playing a game.
But not quite.
"Okay," Yuugi grinned. "That sounds like a fair deal. Maybe by then we'll feel a bit better and be able to sit up straighter, yeah?"
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As a result, he intends to show Yuugi absolutely no mercy.
Mokuba, the dutiful brother, of course deals the cards. Two to each. So it's Texas Hold 'Em. Fine by Seto, any poker is winnable. He knows card games like the back of his hand!
"Good luck, bro! You too, Yuugi!"
Nonpartisan, huh? Fine, fine.
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No.
Not Yuugi.
While his mind was fuzzed from the loss of blood, fumbling fingers barely able to hold the cards in his hand...
He started to make a comeback, just at the brink of loss. That was the Yuugi Mutou way, after all; it was what won him duelist kingdom and other tournaments.
And as he made a comeback, he grew bolder. That timid little smile evolved into an almost coquettish grin, fingers fluttering over the cards with the kind of in-the-zone confidence and simultaneous boyish glee that could only come from some kind of young card shark or card game wunderkind.
With every taunt Kaiba sent, Yuugi had one back.
Back and forth. Back and forth.
Mokuba kind of wished he had popcorn as the match unfolded.
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Sure, he was hard pressed to do much more than lean back and play what he was handed, but it was still enjoyable.
Then...Yuugi began to fight back. The tide began to turn, and although he had it mostly under control, there was a true change in the game, and despite his efforts, he began to lose ground.
Naturally, the best move at that point was to become emboldened, to push Yuugi into betting high into Kaiba's better hands. But...Yuugi was no fool. He folded as needed, and returned fire, driving him to his knees.
At first, Kaiba was visibly agitated. Who wouldn't be?
The longer it went, however, the more he pulled faces that would scare a child, eyes bright and focused. Even when the smile turned into a scowl at times, there was still a deep-seated enjoyment that, had he a heartbeat, it would be pounding in his ears hard enough to make him dizzy.
That said, having fed so much, there was a clear rush of heat to his face betraying his enthusiasm, even to the last play.
Then...utter defeat. Not a single chip left...!!
Reality sets in then.
Loss. He'd lost.
"Tch! You...!!"
Oh, is he pissed? Hard to tell, at least until he tries to push himself to his feet like a pouty teenager.
"I'm going to bed!"
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Truth be told, he hadn't expected to win; the only thing that mattered was the thrill of the game, the competition between the two of them that shimmered in the air like sparks. Those expressions, intense and beautiful in their ferocity as they stared each other down!
The tension!
The drama!
The back-and-forth!
Gods, Yuugi's palms were sweating!
But then...it was over. It was over, and Mokuba had a bucket of popcorn in his hand (when'd he get that?) and Kaiba was standing up and...going to bed???
"But...you're a vampire." Yuugi tilted his head to the side. "Does drinking that much blood make you tired?"
Poor thing hasn't registered that maybe Seto Kaiba is a really sore loser.
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FFffuck. Kaiba really can't be making sudden moves like that, he's still uncomfortably full, and he can taste it crawling up his throat. Oh, he doesn't look that great. But being Seto Kaiba, he fights his own nausea like a seasoned soldier
(he's done this before, when mokuba spreads an illness to him. conceal don't feel right?)
and swallows it back. Fuck you, body. HE IS THE WINNER!
"--Forget it. Just--just play cards with Mokuba, I don't care!"
Slowly, carefully, he walks off, making sure to stomp and make his feelings known.
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(Or was it a mixture of both?)
Either way, something was...off, about him. Poor guy. After drinking that much blood and the whole...everything, about today, it was no wonder that he'd be on a short fuse. Yuugi was a little on edge himself, but...
Somehow being here made it all better. Like he could breathe.
"Seto!" Mokuba called after him, but he was already out of the room.
"...Rats, he's gone."
Yuugi bit his lip. "I'm sorry--"
"Nope, don't start. If you keep apologizing, I'm going to make you eat Seto's old favorite chocolate covered espresso beans."
"That doesn't sound too ba--"
"Dipped in kimchi."
"Eeeew."
"Exactly."
Mokuba huffed, grabbing the deck and shuffling it with practiced fingers. "Now c'mon, I've been wanting to play against you since you cleaned out half of Seto's chips with a bluff."