FicWad

A/N - This is my first go at a one-shot. It originated as a chapter from a story I have bouncing about in my head called 'First Kiss' but since I want to finish 'The Chase' before I embark on another project and that looks like it has quite a way to go yet, I thought I would release this to the world rather than keeping it wrapped up under the dust-sheets of my 'plot bunny' file.

It's set in that murky period of Seto's past between being a cute little kid and being a hard nosed, ruthless business man. The whole story, when I get to writing it, will concern exactly how he got from one point to the other - this snippet hopefully gives a small insight into my take on it.

I hope you enjoy. Any comments are gratefully received.

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Mokuba threw open the door to Seto's room sending it crashing with a loud bang, into the wall. He stood for a moment, framed in the doorway, his wild black hair encircling his young features.

Seto, looking up from the small pile of books that littered his desk, calmly took in the appearance of his young brother. Mokuba's face was red with rage and he was panting slightly having clearly run the length of the mansion to get here. One of his fists was clenched so tightly that the tendons stood out clearly on his wrist, his other hand clutched a newspaper.

Seto sighed inwardly; he knew what this was going to be about.

Mokuba approached the desk; his small feet managing to stomp loudly even on the thick carpet. He thrust the newspaper angrily at Seto.

'Have you seen this?' he asked, his high pitched voice shaking with fury.

Seto dutifully glanced at the article his brother was indicating, even though the words had already been burned on his mind since he'd first seen them that morning. He briefly wondered how his twelve-year old brother had managed to get hold of the business section of a broadsheet newspaper it in the first place. Knowing Gozoburo though, it had probably been left out as a deliberate taunt.

'Yes, I've seen it,' Seto replied after a moment, pushing aside the paper and continuing with his studying.

Mokuba snatched back the paper, refusing to be so easily dismissed. 'He's stolen your idea and passed it off as his own!' he exclaimed incredulously turning the article round so that he could read from it. 'It says here, "Gozoburo Kaiba's amazing innovations in holographic projection technology have taken the industry by storm. Shares in the stocks of his company, Kaiba Corp, shot up as a result and projected profits exceed anything that the company has ever experienced before..."' Mokuba's voice shook as he read the words. He looked up again at Seto waiting for his reaction.

Seto said nothing.

'It's your technology!' Mokuba shouted slamming the paper back down in frustration and causing the pages of Seto's exercise book to turn in the draught, 'your idea! You should be making the massive profits not him!'

Realising that his brother was not about to drop the subject, Seto calmly turned the pages back and turned the book face down to save the spot. Then he looked at his brother. 'I know Mokuba,' he said, simply.

'So what are we going to do about it?' Mokuba leaned across the desk looking at Seto earnestly, as if awaiting instructions.

'We're not going to do anything.'

Mokuba blinked at his brother for a moment in confusion. He knew how hard Seto had worked on the design of that holographic technology. It had been something he'd managed to create from scratch using any spare moment he had to perfect it. Coming to see him tonight Mokuba had half expected him to be in a furious temper, at the very least he expected that his older brother would have a plan to even the score. There was something unsettling about Seto's dead-pan expression that scared him even more than if he'd found his brother destroying his room.

'But we - we can't let him get away with it!' Mokuba faltered, gnawing his bottom lip in consternation.

Seto sighed and looked distractedly out of the window. 'We don't have a lot of choice in the matter,' he said, shrugging.

'You should tell him Seto - '

'No, Mokuba,' Seto shook his head, he smiled slightly, a strange twisted smile that made Mokuba's skin crawl. 'I've been there, done that. The last time I marched into his office I was forcefully ejected, remember?'

Mokuba remembered all too well. It was probably the last time he'd seen Seto really angry. Following the incident Mokuba hadn't been allowed to see him for over a week. That had been more than a year ago and Seto had never really discussed the incident since then.

'Well, if you won't do it, I will!' Mokuba declared, spinning on his heel and stomping back across the room. He was half way to the door when Seto's commanding voice stopped him in his tracks.

'No!'

Mokuba spun round to face his brother, partly gratified to see that he was now on his feet and at least showing some emotion, even if the anger appeared to be directed at him.

'But, he can't do this to you!' Mokuba cried. 'He needs to be told -'

'No,' Seto repeated forcefully, striding quickly across the room and taking hold of Mokuba's arm, 'you're not to go anywhere near that man - do you hear me!?'

'But -'

'No, no buts. You promise me Mokuba.' Seto's fingers dug into Mokuba's arm painfully. 'You don't go near him, you don't speak to him, you don't even look at him if you can help it. Do you understand?'

Mokuba stared at his brother in shock. It had been so long since Seto had become so angry about anything Mokuba had almost forgotten how forceful he could be. His brother's features, usually tempered by exhaustion and defeat, had come to life. His cold blue eyes shone again with an intensity that Mokuba had feared had gone for ever. Under their scrutiny Mokuba was lost for words.

'Well, do you?' Seto asked again.

Mokuba lowered his head and stared unhappily at the floor. 'Yes Seto.'

There was a moment's pause and Mokuba felt Seto's long fingers loosening their grip on his arm. He could hear his brother's shallow breathing begin to calm even as he felt tears begin to prick at his own eyes. He swallowed hard and bit his lip again in an attempt to maintain control.

Seto looked down at his brother and then at his hand, suddenly aware of the strength with which he'd been holding onto him. The white marks left by his fingers were already beginning to fade but Seto felt sickened by his own actions, by his momentary loss of control.

'I'm- I'm sorry Mokuba, I didn't mean to hurt you,' he began in a soft voice.

Mokuba looked up at him, his large dark eyes rimmed with tears. 'I hate it Seto,' he whispered hoarsely, 'I hate it here and I hate him.'

'I know...'

Mokuba threw his arms around his brother in a tight hug, hot tears of frustration running down his cheeks. Seto pulled him in, wrapped his arms protectively around him, he cradled his head against his chest as the heavy sobs wracked Mokuba's body. As Seto looked down at the dark mass of hair his own face crumpled as he let the anger, the pain, the frustration and the sadness wash over him. For a few moments the emotions that he usually kept safely hidden away deep within himself threatened to overwhelm him, he clenched his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut, holding onto Mokuba for all he was worth; taking strength from the love that he knew his brother felt for him. And, for a short while, Mokuba was the only person in the world. Gozoburo ceased to exist, the books, the tests, the endless studying, all ceased to exist. There was only him and Mokuba and Seto knew that, as long as he had his brother with him, that was all he would ever need.

After a few minutes Mokuba's breathing seemed to calm, his choking sobs died down and he shifted slightly in Seto's embrace. Seto opened his eyes and took a deep breath, quickly reassembling his features back into the expression of calm acceptance that he had worked so hard to perfect.

'Are you alright kiddo?' he asked tenderly.

Mokuba hiccupped slightly and then ran his shirt sleeve across his eyes. He looked up at Seto, his eyes puffy and bloodshot. 'How can you stand it?' he asked quietly, looking intently into his brother's cool blue eyes. 'I mean, I'm lucky, he just ignores me but you - '

Seto stroked the top of his head affectionately. 'It'll all work out Mokuba. We just have to be strong. One day I'll be in a position to walk into his big fancy office and tell him where to go.'

Mokuba smiled at the idea. 'You could steal his ideas!' he said and gave a small laugh.

'That's right,' Seto smiled, pleased to see that his brother was recovering, 'or I'll make him take lots of mental arithmetic tests.'

'Or make him eat a whole bowl full of Brussels sprouts!' Mokuba said, pulling a face as he did so, clearly remembering the telling off he'd received the previous week when he'd left a small pile of the offending vegetables at the side of his plate.

Seto grinned. 'That would teach him wouldn't it?' he said, ruffling the boy's unruly hair.

Mokuba laughed and gave his brother another hug.

'Come on kiddo,' Seto said after a moment, reluctantly disentangling himself from his brother's grip, 'Hobson will be in here soon wanting to weigh me down with more books and I'm sure you have some homework of your own to be getting on with?'

'Okay,' he began to walk across the room to the door. He paused and turned. 'Are you going to be okay big brother?'

Seto smiled and nodded. 'We both are, I promise.'

Mokuba grinned and left the room, swinging the door shut behind him too fast as usual so that it closed with a loud bang.

Seto stood for a moment staring at the closed door, then, as he made his way back to his pile of books, he let his gaze wander to the newspaper that had been left on his desk. He reread the headline and scowled darkly. With a sudden movement he swept his arm in an angry motion, sending the paper flying across the room.