ShirayuriRetribution

I ᗯᗩS ᗷOᖇᑎ, ᗩᑎᗪ Tᕼᕮᑎ I ᖇᕮᗩᒪIᘔᕮᗪ I ᗩᗰ ᗷᑌT ᗩ SIᗰᑌᒪᗩTIOᑎ

ᾋᾗẏ͜ҭђ͡ἷᾗ͏ʛ Ἷ ђᾄ́vἔ ʀἔṩἔ̀м͏вłἷᾗʛ͡ ̶ᾄ҉ ̡ṩὄ̀ὗ̢ł ̧ђ̸ᾄṩ͢ vᾄᾗἷ̸ṩ̸ђἔ̸ḋ̕

ᕼOᗯ IS IT TᕼᗩT ᑎOᗯ I ᑕᗩᑎᑎOT ᖴᕮᕮᒪ ᗩ TᕼIᑎG?

Ἷ͠ ̷ƈᾄ͢ᾗ'͝ҭ̶ ᾄ҉вᾄ͜ᾗḋὄ͏ᾗ ҭђἔ͠ ῥ͡ʀ̀ἔ͟ҭ̷ἔᾗṩἔ ͜ҭђᾄҭ ̧ἷṩ ҭ̵ђ҉ἔ̵ ͞мἔᾄᾗἷᾗʛ ὄ͡ғ ͠ἔẋ̀ἷṩҭἔ͘ᾗ͠ƈ͟ἔ

Yuugi quickly got into the car after Seto and settled in, making sure to buckle himself in, looking around. He shifted in his seat, running his fingers over the expensive looking leather.

“Do you own anything that’s not super luxurious?” he asked, jokingly, wondering if the other’s silence was because Yuugi had said something so serious before. Would it have been better for him to have apologized for that kind of thing? Maybe to was too awkward for Seto. “I think you should see what the world looks like from a slightly less expensive perspective,” Yuugi lightly teased. “If you want, I could show you the kind of places that I go to, sometime. Obviously not today, but eventually…”

Was that a bit weird? Basically, it was Yuugi wanting to find excuses to spend more time with the brunet. He wanted to get to know Seto better, though Yuugi did wonder if Seto even cared. If he made an effort to actually be friends with the CEO, would Yuugi only be met with rejection?

He turned to look at Yuugi. It was a question asked by multiple people. What was the point when there were cheaper options? “I don’t see a reason why if I can be comfortable I shouldn’t be.” There were probably some things he owned that weren’t the most expensive of their kind but it wasn’t as if he was going out of his way based on price. “I merely buy what I want and the way I want it. I don’t think about the price tag placed on it.”

“I’d like that.” The response was fairly quick, not having to think about it much. Noa wanted to experience things he had yet to have a chance to. Even if it was what his father would consider a waste of time. He was heavily sheltered, not even attending school, it was all tutoring within his home. Even now he was isolated to the Kaiba Mansion and Kaiba Corp most of the time.

“I actually can’t think of anyone more suited to read it than you,” Yuugi replied, honestly. There was no joking tone to his voice, anymore. His words were sincere. “You saw the difference between the Other Me and me long before anyone else did and you’ve respected my abilities, my own strength. You expect me to shoulder the responsibilities the Other Me left for me and you believe I’m up to the task. Kaiba-kun, you might not realize this, but you’re the only one who thinks of me that way.”

Yuugi paused when a very expensive looking, sleek black car pulled up to the curb, a little surprised when the chauffer stepped out to open the door for them.

“O-Oh, uh… I guess you should get in first, since it’s your car,” he said, gesturing for Seto to take the lead. “And it’s your birthday, so after you, Birthday Boy-san!” He grinned, speaking so easily and casually as if he hadn’t just spoke of something so serious only moments before.

Saved.

It wasn’t a bad feeling but it was a feeling he couldn’t quite place words or logic to. Which just made him feel uncomfortable in the end. Was Yuugi always this open? If those others that were always around Yuugi were his friends wouldn’t they see him for who he was? From how he spoke it made it sound like they treated him like a child. It seemed wrong.

Noa stepped into the vehicle, situating himself. He would have insisted Yuugi got in first but wanted to avoid being referred to as ‘Birthday Boy’ again.

He sat there in silence for a little too long, thinking over Yuugi’s previous words. That other Yuugi had caused quite a few problems, thought he did feel thankful to him in one way or another. Seto chased after him and in turn left his body without a soul. 

“Then, what if I asked you to not only attend, but read my jisei?” Yuugi was going to ignore how aggravatingly rich that Seto was. What the guy needed so much money for, Yuugi had no idea. It didn’t make sense to him, but if it made Seto happy, then he really didn’t have any complaints.

Though he kind of expected Seto to at least show up for maybe five minutes for Yuugi’s own funeral, he highly doubted that the brunet would have honored the request to read Yuugi’s death poem. It was the one thing that Yuugi was sure Seto would refuse. Even still, amongst Yuugi’s friends, Yuugi knew that no one else would have been able to stop crying long enough to get through it.

“That should be left for your mother or one of your other friends to read.” It wasn’t a no right out. More that he didn’t feel right accepting it. The two of them might of been friends, though how far Yuugi’s friendship with Seto extended was lost to him. It was clear the other people in his group were far more fit for the task. Perhaps he was a little embarrassing to think Yuugi thought so highly of him to give such an honor, even as a joke. 

“Oooh, if we’re going that far with it, then I’ll have you pay for the wake and whatever gettogether my family and friends want, afterwards, too!” Yuugi was still just teasing Seto, even if he’d managed to pull his mouth into a pout and huffed out his words. “I’ll choose the fanciest, most expensive restaurant, the most expensive temple, the whole works! After all, you’d have no problem paying for any of it, right?”

He couldn’t keep up the charade for very long, soon falling into a fit of giggles, waving his hand in front of him as if to shoo away his façade.

“You’re better at playing this kind of game than me, Kaiba-kun,” Yuugi laughed. “You can keep your voice so serious when joking around. It’s like you’ve taken acting classes! It’s really quite impressive!”

Watching with an expression that seemed as if he was taking in everything Yuugi said, though in reality most the requests were going in one ear and our the other. Yuugi wasn’t actually going to die. At the most get an earful and even if for some reason he did die paying for any silly demand wasn’t an issue. 

“Because if it’s a game or not I could afford anything you’d ask for. It isn’t a problem for me.” His gaze turned back to the phone in his hand as a notification went off. Their ride would be arriving shortly. 

That smile of Seto’s had Yuugi pausing for just the briefest moment. He was used to the brunet’s smiles being of a more cruel or sadistic nature, even mocking or something like that. Yuugi had only seen such gentleness aimed at Mokuba.

It made his heart flutter to think that Seto’s opinion had changed about him so much that Yuugi could be granted such a look from the other.

“You’d better,” the boy then huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “Otherwise, I’ll come and make sure to haunt you. Mokuba-kun’s too nice to haunt, but I’ll keep you up at all hours of the night, until you keep your promise and give my family a good life! Of course, I’ll expect you to pay for the funeral, too, and the posthumous Buddhist name. It’d be the least you could do.”

There was still only a few people who could get a real smile out of him. Yuugi wasn’t around him for ulterior motives. Of course he wouldn’t consider himself an expert on human emotions but the other really was an open book with his emotions.

“Good to know I’ll be murdered at the hands of someone younger than me. You’d better make it well worth it, Kaiba-kun, if this is going to be my last night on this Earth.” Yuugi knew the other was joking around, which was, in itself, surprising. Though, it was entirely possible that Mokuba would have suffered Yuugi some kind of retribution, he doubted that the younger Kaiba brother would commit murder.

Even still, Seto had to have been in a good mood to not only joke around with Yuugi, but to call him a friend. Yuugi wasn’t sure that he’d ever heard the CEO call him that. It left him a little curious, but he didn’t want to press the issue and spoil the moment. “You have too many resources, too; Mokuba-kun would get away with it. At least pay restitution to Jii-chan and Mama; you can afford it.”

“Mokuba is far more capable than a normal person his age. You should be honored to meet your end by his hands.” A hand reached forward, stopping to rest on Yugi’s shoulder. A small but genuine smile rested on his features. “I’ll make sure your family lives a very comfortable life after you’re gone.”

Noa @ Seto: something something you and all your little friends.

“R-Right. Of course you would own one. I half forgot who I was talking to, for a moment,” Yuugi replied, a bit jokingly. Still, he was a little surprised to hear that Seto had such a fancy boat. The brunet was definitely more the type to spend his money on ridiculous amounts of technology, or things to further his business. At least, that was what Yuugi had assumed. They weren’t bosom buddies, or anything, so there was quite a bit about Seto that he’d no idea of.

“And, well, if you’re willing to spend some of your birthday with me, then I’d be happy to accompany you!” Yuugi then said with a bubbly, bright grin. “Just so long as Mokuba-kun doesn’t think I’m stealing away his time with his precious big brother, that is,” he laughed.

“If he does... Mokuba might kill you upon our return.” It was a joke but he said it with a fairly earnest expression. There was the small chance his brother would be upset, he’d just have to make it up to him another time. 

Yuugi’s mind first went to a simple fishing boat, but then, considering who he was talking to, he amended that thought. A wide smile pulled at his lips, happy that Seto was actually being receptive.

“There are party boats and other luxurious ones that you can rent out for specific occasions; considering who you are, I don’t think it’ll be hard to get one at a moment’s notice, either!” Yuugi chirped, brightly. “Poor Mokuba-kun, though; are you sure you’d be okay with leaving him on shore? Ah, no, now that I think about it, you two will probably end up having your own private celebration, huh?”

Noa would have laughed if he saw what Yuugi was thinking. “Yuugi, I have one we can take. There’s no need to rent one.” Even if he didn’t own one he probably would of just purchased one for the occasion. 

“Hm, for my birthday? I usually gather with my friends and they drag me along to places to have fun. Sometimes, we’ll go to an amusement park, or arcades. Going to karaoke is really fun, too!” Yuugi tried to think of what would have seemed appealing to Seto, but all he knew about the brunet was that the other really liked Duel Monsters. He wasn’t actually aware of any of the other’s interests.

“What are the things you like to do for fun?” Yuugi then asked, slightly cocking his head to the side. “Oh, and we can get you a birthday cake, too! It’s really fun when people sing to you and then you get to blow out the candles!”

I wasn’t something that took long to think on once he really thought about it. There was something Noa had been wanting to do since gaining a body.

“You want to celebrate it?” It was very like Yuugi to be the type to overhear something like that. He trotted up to the other, lacing his fingers behind his back. “That’s unlike you; you usually ignore your birthday!” Grinning widely, Yuugi seemed ecstatic about the idea. “If It’s okay, then I’ll celebrate with you, Kaiba-kun!”

“I do.” The words weren’t intended for Yuugi but he actually took this as a blessing rather than a curse. “What do you normally do for your birthday?” He had always enjoyed celebrating birthdays as a child with his family. They got stranger and just stopped happening after he was put in cyber space.

“Uh… well ya’know uhmm–”

And no good cover story popped into his mind. Dang, he needed to work on his improv skills! Sheepishly he held of his cup. 

“Guess saying I was just getting a shake wouldn’t cut it, huh?” he joked.

Well. This Seto clearly recognized him as Mokuba, but as to where this world’s Mokuba was… things could easily get messy if Mokuba tried to pass himself off as the one from this dimension, so he decided to not bother with the hassle.

“I’m not from around here. Though I’m guessing you could probably tell, couldn’t ya? I may sound crazy, but I’m from another dimension and it seems like I’ve slipped through a rift between them. I’ll be able to get back though, don’t worry! May just take a little while, heheh.”

“You slipped through dimensions?”

Noa moved closer as his ‘little brother’ spoke until he was in arms reach. 

“Don’t you even know how dangerous that is? You don’t know when something could go wrong. Do you have any idea how people would feel if something happened to you?!” His voice rose but it was filled with more concern and frustration than anger.  

Did his Seto really just let him go around through dimensions like that? Seto continued to give him more and more reasons why he wasn’t deserving of his brother’s affection.