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Seto could admit he could be reckless at times.
It didn't matter; being reckless was what had gotten him and Mokuba out of the orphanage, with all its consequences.
He never threw himself into a situation without knowing the costs and benefits, and the benefits were always worth it.
(Sometimes, if necessary, he chose to risk it anyway.)
Yuugi (no, Yami, at this point he could even admit that there were two, but only to himself) hadn't gotten the memo.
“First Pegasus, then Bakura. Do you have any self-preservation instinct?” Yami asked, shoulder leaning against the wall.
“If you can beat them, so can I.”
He didn't want to say I don't want to depend on anyone, I don't want to be weak and helpless. Not again, not ever.
But Yami understood. It was the worst thing. Because the rest of the group of losers saw a teenager with too much money and strange obsessions. But Yami saw him, and it was worse.
“You'll get yourself killed," Yami told him, his tone unbearably soft. As if he didn't want to scare him, as if Seto were a beast that needed to be approached and calmed.
(And wasn't it terrible how often he felt that way?)
“Better me than Mokuba or…” he stopped. He was saying too much.
“Or? Come on, who are you afraid of? Who do you want to protect?”
Seto wanted to respond with something scathing, cruel, childish if necessary, but he couldn't.
How could he? It would be like admitting weakness, and he couldn't afford that.
Seto wanted to respond with something scathing, cruel, childish if necessary, but he couldn't.
"Only Mokuba. I only have my brother."
"That's not the case anymore. "
Seto scoffed, "No? Who else do I have? Roland? He's an employee, he's forced to...
"I'm here now, too."
It was an absurdly clichéd phrase. But it was nice to see how he had managed to surprise Seto.
"We're not friends," he blurted out, though a part of him whispered no, but we've always been more than that, haven't we?
Yami shrugged. "We have a bond, Seto. Even if you deny it."
"If it's still that Fate thing..."
"Of course not, even if it had its importance. No, I chose you. We're connected, and I want you."
There were too many things Seto wanted to ask, too many questions destined to remain unanswered.
But for once, Seto Kaiba remained silent, and the other smiled. It was yet another victory for him, but somehow, it felt like a victory for both of them.