Eyes Are The Gateway To The Soul

He's in a bit of a sour mood today it seems. Nothing overly unusual for him in the past, but nowadays quite a bit more rare.

“I suppose. But if I don’t force myself to get over it and move forward, then my animals will suffer as a result. I can’t afford to mope around, I’ve already had my time to do that. Besides….I’m used to dealing with it on my own, have been for the last ten years anyway.”

There was a reason he never went to domino anymore, after all. It was a place of far too many memories, so instead, when it had all happened, he’d run away to the countryside in hopes of healing the deep wounds his younger brother’s death had left behind. Yet they never truly did, despite the pain getting slightly better as time went on.

He's in a bit of a sour mood today it seems. Nothing overly unusual for him in the past, but nowadays quite a bit more rare.

"Oh, isn't this a new rare sight," Atem teases as he comes over, having decided to give a surprise visit to Kaiba with two cups of coffee in hand. He offers one over to him. Perhaps a peace offering for the now seen sour mood.

"....Maybe."

Seto seemed to sort of snap out of his thoughts, but what replaced that old, sour looking expression was likely not what Atem was expecting. He wasn't particularly in the mood to be joking around, but he wasn't angry. Just...Sad and exhausted and it showed.

Atem was more so hoping he'd be more annoyed/frustrated, not... sad. Wine-colored eyes softened immediately then, taking note that this perhaps was not the moment for teasing.

"You don't have anything to apologize for. I don't mind the company, cows don't exactly make for good conversation most days."

Seto set the coffee mug down and moved to cross his arms over his chest, shifting a little to stand a bit more comfortably. He wasn't upset with the sudden visit, but this time of year was always difficult for him. That, and...Today in particular was always the hardest.

"This...Isn't really something that has a solution." He murmured, it wasn't something he liked talking about, and despite most days being a little easier, this particular date was one he just couldn't ever seem to move past smoothly despite how many years it had been.

He's in a bit of a sour mood today it seems. Nothing overly unusual for him in the past, but nowadays quite a bit more rare.

"Oh, isn't this a new rare sight," Atem teases as he comes over, having decided to give a surprise visit to Kaiba with two cups of coffee in hand. He offers one over to him. Perhaps a peace offering for the now seen sour mood.

"....Maybe."

Seto seemed to sort of snap out of his thoughts, but what replaced that old, sour looking expression was likely not what Atem was expecting. He wasn't particularly in the mood to be joking around, but he wasn't angry. Just...Sad and exhausted and it showed.

"You have your ranch, not your old company! Of course you don't count!"

"I was waiting to see how long it would take you to notice."

Seto chuckled warmly and wrapped his arms around the man that had just crash-landed upon his lap. There was no hesitation as he began peppering Atem's face with kisses, not sparing a single inch.

"Setooooooo... I missed yooooooooooou~"

Kisses after kisses after kisses because once Atem has his arms around someone he misses he will NOT let go.

"And the ranch, and the cute animals, and the sweet cows, and... nnnnngh."

"Says the one who can visit whenever he wants and never does." Seto quipped back, though of course he wasn't at all angry about it. Nope, instead he was far too focused on giving his pharaoh many little pecks on the lips instead.

"I know, I should one of these days figure out either how to make them or find a place that makes them because they're good... and just... funny to say."

...

Wait, was that...

"SETOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

"I was waiting to see how long it would take you to notice."

Seto chuckled warmly and wrapped his arms around the man that had just crash-landed upon his lap. There was no hesitation as he began peppering Atem's face with kisses, not sparing a single inch.

"Yes you are." A low chuckle radiated within his chest, quirking a brow in the process.

"I wouldn't have expected you to. You've only just come back, I'm sure you've had a lot to catch up on."

A soft chuckle left him then... And surprisingly, a genuine but soft smile appeared on Kaiba's face. That was a sight nobody ever would have expected years ago, but nowadays it was becoming his natural state of being. For once in his life, he actually seemed content, perhaps even happy, very unlike the person he once had been.

"I gave up control of Kaiba Corp after he passed and I've been living out in the countryside ever since. I've discovered that cows tend to make very good company." Of course, he'd kept many monetary assets in his early retirement, but at the very least he had found somewhat of a sanctuary.

That was also... just as surprising. In a different time, he would have expected Kaiba to have a snarky retort to the fact that he wouldn't have known. But what truly caught him off guard was seeing that smile. Sure, he'd see the confident, cocky, and sneering kind of smile, everyone had. But this one was... soft. It felt like an honest smile from him, despite recalling something this painful.

Atem listens patiently to the other's words, tilting his head and giving an occasional nod to show he was still listening. A softness appeared on the Pharaoh's face at the thought oh the former CEO with baby cows and living his little brother's dream in his memory.

"Oh, uh...Hold that thought, please. One second."

And just like that, he was turning to trot back to said truck, opening the door and soon turning around with a large bottle in one hand...And a little newborn calf in his arms before walking back to Atem and gently settling the little creature back onto its feet. Within seconds, he had offered the aforementioned bottle, and the little one was suckling away, tail wagging happily in the process.

"I'm sorry, sweet girl, I forgot it was your lunchtime~." For a brief second, everything else was forgotten and his attention fell purely on the fragile little life he was taking care of, the loving warmth upon his face was something he'd once only shown to Mokuba, and even then it had been an extremely rare sight.

Returning his attention back to Atem after a few more seconds, he decided to continue the conversation.

"Anyway, to answer your question, I haven't actually dueled since I moved out to the countryside. I still have my cards, but I guess I've been so busy these last ten years that I just haven't had the time. I would like to relearn it one day, and maybe...Even learn to duel just for fun. That was something I never really got the chance to do."

“GODS DAMN IT HOW DID YOU EVEN FIND OUT????????”

"I wouldn't have expected you to. You've only just come back, I'm sure you've had a lot to catch up on."

A soft chuckle left him then... And surprisingly, a genuine but soft smile appeared on Kaiba's face. That was a sight nobody ever would have expected years ago, but nowadays it was becoming his natural state of being. For once in his life, he actually seemed content, perhaps even happy, very unlike the person he once had been.

"I gave up control of Kaiba Corp after he passed and I've been living out in the countryside ever since. I've discovered that cows tend to make very good company." Of course, he'd kept many monetary assets in his early retirement, but at the very least he had found somewhat of a sanctuary.

“GODS DAMN IT HOW DID YOU EVEN FIND OUT????????”

"...Find out about what? This is the first time I've seen you in years, why are you yelling at me...?"

Whoops. Definitely not one of the Kaibas he meant then. That’s unexpected—

Atem stands there for a moment, trying to think of how to explain… but finally just says.

"Well, I haven't exactly been around Domino for the last ten years. I only came back today to visit Mokuba. Well....His gravesite, anyway." He responded casually, arms loosely crossing over his midsection in a comfortable way. Nothing like the previous body language he'd shown before, it seemed. The loud, pompous asshole he once was had been replaced with someone calm, softspoken and seemingly respectful.

“GODS DAMN IT HOW DID YOU EVEN FIND OUT????????”

"...Find out about what? This is the first time I've seen you in years, why are you yelling at me...?"

That look in the other man's eyes was one he recognized all too well. He had seen that look in the mirror one too many times after Gozaburo had died, and yet, he knew better than to press for answers. So instead, he decided that perhaps it was best to offer a distraction instead.

"...The weather this evening is quite nice. I was going to take a drive up to one of my favorite spots to watch the sunset, sit on the tailgate for a while. Why don't you come with me? You've been working hard since you got here, so...I figured it might do you some good to have a break for a little while, and I want to at least try and reward you for your hard work. Some fresh air might help clear your mind."

"Sure. Why the hell not?"

Jounouchi sighed, he hated it when he got into moods like this. Where he felt like an inconsolable piece of crap. But he supposed he didn't have any bad habits to distract himself. Never picked up what he saw his dad destroy himself with.

He was stronger than that, and yet he still felt so weak.

"Well, when you spend the first ten years of your life as an angry hermit that only comes out to be Domino's equivalent of the Grinch, you learn that going out every now and then isn't such a bad thing." Seto grunted back in response, he still had a small amount of his old sass left it seemed.

As the other got up, Seto stretched a little bit. He had a feeling that Jounouchi was expecting a ride in some fancy car, but unfortunately Seto's lifestyle changes came with a change in what he liked to drive, too.

"I'll go get the truck fired up, I'll be right outside whenever you're ready," he said, turning and easily making his way out the door to go and fire up said vehicle. The sound of an old engine sputtering to life was probably the last thing anyone who knew the old Kaiba would expect to hear, and yet, there Seto sat, perfectly content in an old, beat-up and rusted white Ford F-150 that looked like it had probably seen the ending of the last three dynasties and then some.