Chapter 7: Introducing: Pegasus (DON'T TRUST PEGASUS)

Yugi takes the first break from Kaiba’s presence he can, trying not to look too obviously uncomfortable as he all but rushes out of the office. Bizarrely, Kaiba seemed almost cheerful this morning, and had loudly instructed Yugi to fetch him breakfast and coffee from the cafe. What kind of person did Kaiba have to be, to be so bolstered by corporate espionage and nearly getting into a fistfight with a stranger? It makes sense, to some degree , Yugi debates with himself. The man seems to thrive around chaos and conflict, anyhow. A decent point. Maybe it just feels familiar to him.

Quietude and his wandering mind have relaxed him enough that he’s almost smiling by the time the elevator dings. He trots out into the lobby, making his way over to the cafe.

“Morning, Anzu!” He chirrups, leaning onto the counter by the register. “How’s things?”

“Yugi! Good morning, you’re in early!” Anzu sings back, waving from the coffee machine and hurrying over. “The usual? How’s the beastly boss today?”

“Beastly, ” he sighs, looking over the pastry selection. He didn’t get to eat anything before leaving, maybe he’ll grab himself something before heading back up. Kaiba’s inevitable wrath can wait until he’s fed. “And yeah, plus a butter croissant, a chocolate croissant, aaand… two Kuriboh cake pops.”

Anzu raises an eyebrow, but punches the order in quickly. “Boss-man feeding his rage with a sweet tooth, now, or is Mokuba in today? I thought I saw him come in just a second ago.” She shakes her head. “Man, deputy CEO or no, you could never have gotten me up this early at that age.”

Yugi chuckles. “No, everything aside from the butter croissant is for me. Rough morning, I figure I deserve a treat.”

Anzu frowns, looking him over. “No Kaiba Corp Morning Makeover today, though? You seem okay…” Yugi shakes his head, taking the food gratefully as Anzu hands it over the counter and begins making the drinks.

“Nuh,” he says, mouth already full with one of the cake pops as soon as they’re in his hands. He follows Anzu down the counter, jumping up on tiptoe to see her over the machines. “But jheeshush, ‘Gaiba Gorp Mborming Mbage-over’ shure hasha dibberent beaning do mbe dow–”

“Jesus , Yugi, manners!” Anzu chastises, trying hard not to giggle. “Chew your food!!”

Yugi hesitates, then laughs it off, chewing through the cake pop quickly and folding the rest of the food away into his pockets, embarrassment creeping through him. “Oh, heh, y-yeah, sorry, just trying to uh… be uh, efficient with my time–” His voice trails out as Anzu steams the milk for his cappuccino, the loud hissing drowning out his words. He falls into silence, too tired from this morning’s adventure to meet her teasing with his usual cheer and grace. Right now, he just feels like a kid again. Anzu, buried deep in her barista professionalism, doesn’t notice. She slides his drink across the counter and carefully works on Kaiba’s pour over, eyes locked on the grounds to ensure even saturation.

“So anyway,” she says cheerfully, “you heading back to it? Think you’ll have a chance to hang out over your lunch break?”

Yugi laughs awkwardly. “I don’t really get those anymore. B-but I’ll see you at DnD this weekend, right?”

“Yeah sure!” Anzu replies, sliding Kaiba’s drink his way. She frowns as Yugi’s words sink in. “Mr Kaiba doesn’t give you breaks? Yugi, are you okay?”

“Um, well, gotta run, Anzu! Thank you! Catch you later~!” He breaks away quickly, waving over his shoulder as he makes his retreat. He can’t afford any more time away. Probably. Who knows, anymore.

He skids to an abrupt halt as a tall, broad-shouldered, ethereal man in a red suit suddenly appears in his path. His cappuccino sloshes foam over himself, the remaining cake pop splatting wetly to the ground as he fights to keep his boss’ breakfast from joining it. An immaculately polished white snakeskin boot flattens it without thought.

“Ah, I-I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!” Yugi exclaims, his heart sinking at the sight of his ruined breakfast. “I-I didn’t uh… see you… there…” His throat closes around his words as his gaze slowly raises. The designer cowboy boots are covered neatly by lightly shimmering red slacks, a matching color to the tailored peacoat that sits above it. Ruffled cuffs and collar emerge from crisp sleeves, a delicately tied neck ribbon sealing the final touch on a style that Yugi can only interpret as ‘flamingly homosexual Texas oil baron’. A patient, kind smile greets him from between long silver bangs that cover part of his face. The smile does not reach his one visible eye.

“Ohhhh nooooo~!!” The man cries out, a cartoonish exclamation that Yugi can’t decide whether to laugh at or recoil from. “How terriblleee, I’ve disrupted your most excellent coffeeee!!” He tosses his white-blonde hair aside, the long locks shimmering like platinum, briefly revealing the gold eyepatch beneath. He looks, sounds, and moves like a cartoon character. He’s literally shiny. For more than one reason, Yugi can’t stop thinking of a holographic Duel Monsters card.

“I’m… I’m very sorry, Mr Pegasus,” he says, voice low and cracking in his suddenly dry throat. “I wasn’t looking where I was going, excuse me–

“Nooonesense~!” Pegasus howls musically, his grin startlingly white with perhaps too many teeth. “You are a personal assistant, I assume– doing your job, no doubt in a terrrrrible hurry!! Might I beg your forgiveness, assistant-boy?”

Yugi’s head spins. Assistant-boy? He’s seen Pegasus interviewed on tv, plenty of times, so the theatrics aren’t exactly a surprise, but seeing and hearing the man in person feels like a fucking fever dream. Is this really happening? Do people actually talk this way?? He chastises himself, telling himself not to judge superficially. But still, he thinks. The package. The phone. The way his smile still doesn’t reach his eyes.

Pegasus claps, very suddenly, making Yugi flinch like a gun had gone off. The taller man giggles girlishly. “Ahhh, but I know you, don’t I, Yuuuugi-boy? Ah-ah!! Hide that face of shock, my young friend!! I know eeeeverything there is to know about my dear protege, Kaiba-boy~! I am so pleased to see he’s finally asking for help around the place!” He leans down close, one hand up to emphasize a stage whisper. Yugi gets the mildly alarming mental image of a circus clown leaning in to talk to a small, stunned child. If Pegasus produced a balloon animal from his coat he’s not sure he’d be surprised. “Not to be toooo severe on my darling Kaiba-boy, but as I think you know, he can use aaalll the help he can get!!”

Another loud gasp escapes Pegasus’s lips before Yugi can get a word in edgewise. “Ohh, nooo!!” he declares, kneeling to scoop the crushed Kuriboh cake pop up in his hands. A small crowd is beginning to gather around them. Yugi is beginning to sweat. “My littlest creation, cast so sweetly in sugar, wasted and soiled under my own boot!! So pathetic!! Yet, so poetic!! For what else is Kuriboh’s soooole purpose, except to be crushed in sacrifice!?” He stands again, uttering what is a clearly feigned sob, and placing the smashed, filthy mess atop Kaiba’s pour over coffee. Chocolate smears over the opening. Someone’s eyelash is stuck in it. Yugi stares down, feeling a bit sick. He wants to stammer out a comment, an apology, an acknowledgement, anything - but something inside him robs him of his voice, advising him to simply observe until the flamboyant demonstration is over.

Pegasus stands up straight, that smooth, kind, lifeless smile spreading back into place. “Ahh, oh nooo, I’m afraid I’ve gotten chocolate all over you! How caaaaareless of me!” He chuckles, raising his voice just loud enough for the crowd to hear. For what reason, Yugi can’t fathom. “Forgive me, assistant-boy! Please allow me to make it up to you in some way! I will pay for your lunch - no no, I will not accept anything else!!” Yugi nods quietly, still stunned. He hadn’t been going to disagree - although technically everything was already paid for by Kaiba Corp.

Pegasus reveals a crisp $100 bill from his pocket with a flourish - readily available and not in a wallet or billfold, Yugi notes. He reaches forward and tucks it into the breast pocket of Yugi’s vest. His fingers linger for just a second too long, and he pats Yugi’s shoulder firmly. Had the events of this morning not taken place, Yugi would have been bursting with elated pride. But they have taken place, and instead Yugi feels a deep unsettling heaviness in his stomach that brings him close to nausea. His security badge hangs close to the pile of pastries he’s still balancing, and he clings to it tightly with one pinky. He feels a small tug as Pegasus withdraws. The warm, strong scent of clove cigarettes lingers in his absence.

“Thank you very much, Mr Pegasus,” Yugi says calmly. Very calmly. Weirdly calmly. “I do need to get back to work, unfortunately.”

“Of course, of couurse,” Pegasus drawls. “Run along my young friend! And do tell your boss I’m here, won’t you? I know he’s not too fond of surprises during his work day, even from close friends!” He smiles at the crowd as they laugh and applaud again.

Yugi nods and turns on his heel. He thinks he says something as he leaves, but he’s not sure. His feet carry him with speedy strides to the elevator, spilling more coffee on himself as he pulls out his phone, texting Kaiba with shaking fingers. The elevator doors close, and Yugi prays his boss gets the message before he arrives. He doesn’t want to see that reaction in person.

–

Kaiba taps his teeth together rhythmically as he looks over his calendar for the day - a cheerful habit, albeit one that’s hell on his enamel. It’s a remnant from a strict childhood, when Saturday morning cartoon themes were frequently stuck in his head and always forbidden from his lips. It’s the only form of fidgeting he could manage that didn’t end up with a ruler brought down over his knuckles. The habit has stuck, and he taps and grinds out the music that plays in his head.

It’s been a long time since he’s had any music in mind. It’s been a long time since he felt so… normal. Maybe it’s the bitter normalcy of having a human rival to battle against, instead of his own thoughts and failed machinations. He huffs a sharp breath out through his nostrils as he shifts to sorting through his emails and other communications. As much as he hates to admit it, Yugi has also brought a taste of normalcy to his life. Warm breakfast and hot coffee every weekday, lunch whatever day of the week his assistant nags him into it, Mokuba smiling a little more often. He’s even managed to claim two full hours of his day back - nearly a full hour in the morning alone, from a combination of not having to make his own coffee, and actually having the energy from breakfast and a little extra sleep to get started at a faster pace. His hands still shake, but he’s accepted that that’s his norm, at least until this fucking prototype behaves and starts working. He feels a little closer. He knows he’s closer.

His phone buzzes. It’s Yugi’s text notification - two vibrations instead of one. He sighs tiredly and picks it up to read the message. It’s usually some kind of inane, hyper-anxious apology for something he doesn’t give a shit about.

His nostrils flare as he reads it, blood running cold.

7:09 - Assistant (Yugi): Pegasus is here to see you. Coming up stairs.

7:10 - Assistant (Yugi): He’s coming up the stairs I mean. I’m coming up the elevator.

Kaiba slams his phone down, his mind racing. Mokuba’s going to be here any moment. He has to do something, and fast . Why didn’t Mai warn him?? He can’t trust her with Mokuba this time, then. His synapses have only just begun to fire with a plan when Yugi staggers into his office, out of breath despite having only run down the hallway from the elevator.

“M-Mr Kaiba!!,” he gasps, purple eyes wide and gleaming with panic. He slams the chocolate-smeared cup onto the desk, flinging coffee everywhere. Kaiba flinches in disgust. “P-Pegasus is–!!”

“Save your breath, I got your text!” Kaiba snaps, pointing to the door. “Get back down there immediately! Mokuba is on his way in, keep him distracted somewhere public and safe until I tell you to leave! Whatever you do, do not let him know what is happening! And keep him away from anything that smells like clove!!”

Yugi nods, wiping his coffee-splattered hands on his expensive slacks, startled, half dissociated, and obedient. He begins to leave, but turns on his heel, squinting at his boss. “I-I’m sorry, did you say… did you say ‘clove’? I-I didn’t really make that out–”

“ CLOVES . LEAVE, NOW. ”

Yugi is out of the room before the short sentence is over, disappearing down the hallway in a gray and purple flash. Kaiba sits back in his chair, rubbing his forehead with his shaking hands. He should have known the phony cell phone was a teaser of an unwelcome visit. He did know - he just hadn’t thought he would be such an ass as to come the same fucking day . But again: he should have. His singular, repeating mistake with Pegasus is to underestimate the depths of his sadism. He doesn’t know how he keeps surprising him. Kaiba hates surprises.

–

Yugi’s chest is aching by the time he exits the elevator, his breath ragged from panic as much as from the running. His eyes dart around - the breakfast crowd is dispersing somewhat, and Mokuba should be easier to spot. He does what he can to appear nonchalant, but he feels like his soul is walking just slightly to the left of his tingling, numb body.

He’s not sure if he sees Mokuba out of the corner of his eye, but his head snaps to the side of its own accord, locking onto him in the middle of a gaggle of younger interns, who he’s gabbing and laughing with. Yugi breathes a sharp sigh of relief, trotting hastily over.

“Mokuba! Hey!” he calls, inserting himself awkwardly into the crowd of teenagers. Nearly all of them tower above him, staring down in surprise. Mokuba turns and grins.

“Ohh, hey Yugi!! What’s up? Big bro need me already?” He shoos the interns away with a friendly wave, and they scatter like bugs to their respective departments. His brow furrows as he takes in his coffee-splattered, disheveled appearance. “Uhh. What’s up, man?”

“Oh, y-you know, um, n-not much…” Yugi blusters, looking around nervously. No sign of Pegasus. He must already be heading upstairs. “Just… hi, how are you?”

Mokuba curls their lip, tilting his head in confusion. “ Ffiiine , how’re youuu …?” He follows Yugi’s gaze up the stairs, and bursts into stifled laughter. “Ohh, oh no, it’s one of those mornings, huh?” They clap a hand on Yugi’s back, guiding him to the cafe. “Need an excuse to stay out of my brother’s hair? I feel you, I feel you. He’s not throwing things again, is he? Because I talked to him about that!”

Yugi sighs with relief. God, that was easy. Poor Kaiba, such a terrible reputation, even with his own sibling. “O-oh, n-no!! No, no. No throwing. Just… shouting. Very loud shouting.” Good thinking, he thinks to himself. It’s not a lie, at least. “J-just one of those mornings, I guess.”

Mokuba tuts, shaking their head and clapping a shockingly powerful hand across Yugi’s shoulders. “Oh, Yugi, Yugi! Don’t you worry, I’ve got you covered! I’ll just make up an excuse for you to spend the day with me! I always get what I want with him, just watch me!” He starts to pull out his phone, but Yugi reaches out to stop him.

“He uh ah uhhh he’s in a meeting!” he blusters. “He’s… in a meeting. That he’s not very happy about. I-I wouldn’t call…”

Mokuba blinks, then bursts into laughter. “Oh my god, you’re such a boomer . Nobody actually calls anybody anymore.” He taps out a text, adding a few devil emojis at the bottom before tucking it away in his coat’s inner pocket. Yugi takes a moment to inwardly admire the novelty of being called a boomer at 23 years old by a teenager in a tailored three-piece suit, but he opts not to comment on it. His life has become a fucking circus, and he’s beginning to think all rich people are inherently insane. If Yugi has anything, at least he still has his sanity.

“Th-thanks, Mokuba,” he breathes, letting out an honest sigh of relief. “C-can we just hang out at the cafe for a while? I’m sure Anzu would like to see us both, anyway.”

Mokuba puffs up with pride, wide eyes beaming joyously. “Yeah, you think??” He gushes, walking faster. “She’s so nice. What the heck, let’s play hookey!! It’ll make Seto sooooo mad!!”

–

Pegasus’ ascent up the obnoxious Kaiba Corp Tower staircase buys Kaiba enough time to clean up Yugi’s wretched mess of coffee and smeared Kuriboh-pop, and also to lock down his computer systems and ensure the room is fully espionage-proof - or, as fully as he can manage. Who knows what low-tech nonsense the man will be up to this time. Kaiba leans back into his seat, a fresh thermos of coffee in his hand. Nice and piping hot. Just in case. His face is calmly severe as the bastard rounds the corner, dressed in gleaming red velour, like the devil he is. Mai walks Pegasus to the door, meeting Kaiba’s gaze with tension around her eyes. Kaiba ignores her. Pegasus waves cheerfully, knocking on the glass, his lips moving soundlessly. Seto lets him stand there for a moment as he monologues like an idiot, enjoying his last moment of peace and quiet before he lets him in. He’s not sure Pegasus has caught on after all these years that the room is soundproof.

“Oof, wow , such a harsh expression!!” He coos once Mai buzzes him in, arms spread wide as he saunters forward. He drags a chair in from the reception area, flopping into it with a practiced grace. Kaiba pretends to ignore him for a moment, shuffling a few meaningless papers off his desk. He can see Pegasus try to catch a glimpse at them. Fucking pathetic. “No ‘Hello Pegasus, my great and grand guru, to whom I owe everything from my life and my business to even my favorite games’–”

“Cut the bullshit, Max ,” he barks, enjoying how his ex -mentor’s face sours at the old name. “I see you’re still ignoring my restraining order. By the way, I got your stupid box. You here to take it back?” He reaches under his desk for the incriminating package and throws it at Pegasus’ face. Pegasus catches it with one hand, smirking and unflinching.

“And so hostile!! I’m suuuuure I don’t know what you mean, Kaiba-boy.” He sets the box down at an even right angle to the corner of the desk. “Can’t a man check in on his protege every now and then?”

“Do I have to shoot you again to get you to shut up and leave us alone?” he growls. “I won’t miss next time. Now, out with it. Why are you really here?”

Pegasus laughs hard, clutching his sides and feigning wiping away a tear of mirth. “Ohh myyyy~!! You really can’t be saying such scaaaaary things, Kaiba-boy!! You know I know you could never .” He sneers as he says it, looking down his long nose. He taps the box playfully. “But you neeeeever know who might be listening. You wouldn’t want your bad, bad words taken out of context, hmmm?”

“So, just here to brag about your shitty phone, then,” Kaiba drawls, leaning onto one hand. “Unfortunately for you, I don’t hire idiots, and my assistant iced out your frankly pathetic spyware himself.” His gut twists giving Yugi that much praise, but it’s not technically untrue. Maximillion ‘Pegasus’ Crawford doesn’t have to know he’s hired a technologically inept geek with social anxiety. “Okay, you’ve had your fun. The adults in the room have real work to do, why don’t you run off back to the shambling clown show you call a ‘company’?”

Pegasus only grins wider. His voice drips with venom. “Ahh, that’s the new assistant I bumped into downstairs, isn’t it? He’s veeeery pretty, Kaiba-boy. Very pretty indeed.”

Kaiba narrows his eyes, an icy cold stillness creeping across his body. His hand tightens on his coffee, his mind wandering to the gun he keeps in the leftmost desk drawer, second from the top. On a normal day, it’s locked. On a normal day.

“What are you getting at, Pegasus?” His voice is low, impatient. Something’s off.

“ Noooothingggg, ” Pegasus sings, his one good eye squinting with immeasurable delight at Kaiba’s discomfort. He flicks his long silver hair over his shoulder, his gold eye patch gleaming. He chuckles and pulls a matching gold cigarillo case out of his pocket. He puts one to his lips and lights it, leaning back sharply to avoid Kaiba’s attempt to snatch it away from him. He laughs, blowing clove-scented smoke across the desk at Kaiba’s chest. “I’m merely happy to see you finally getting some good help around here, you know? I can’t speak to what that buxom blonde at your front desk is capable of–”

“Ohh, I think you can speak to a great deal of what she’s capable of,” Kaiba sneers, standing and finally snatching the cigarillo away and dunking it into a nearby glass of water. Pegasus’s grin finally snaps down into a frown, his glittering white teeth clenched in repressed fury.

“I wonder what your little boy toy assistant is capable of, hmmm?” he hisses, lifting out of his chair to lean in, the mask of cartoonish charisma dropped for the moment. “I never quite figured out your type, Kaiba-boy, but somehow a lithe, twiggy little lavender thing seems quite up your alley. I wouldn’t blame you if you’d gotten up to anything exciting at work, hmmmm?”

Twisted lavender sheets explode into Kaiba’s mind, imagined sighs and little aching moans transposed across his memories of those wonderful, terrible, exciting pictures that he has yet to delete off his phone. He hasn’t worked himself up to getting off to them yet, but the raging temptation strikes him again, even now, even in this nightmare of a situation. His collar flares with heat, and his hand grips against the warm cylinder coffee cup in a very different way than before.

His jaw clenches, and he smiles thinly, keeping his reactions entirely to himself. “Very cute, Pegasus. But of the people in this room, I think we both know who’s the actual deviant, hmmmm? ”

Pegasus laughs heartily, falling back into his seat and clapping his hands. “Ohhhhh~! I do enjoy our little banters, Kaiba-boy! It is reassuring to see you’re still so full of piss and vinegar.” He stands, buttoning and smoothing out his jacket with a chuckle. He places his hands on the glass desk, leaning far forward, relishing in invading Kaiba’s space. “Don’t work yourself to death , Kaiba-boy, hmm? There’s still so much fun we can have together.”

Kaiba grins humorlessly, malice peeling his lips back from his teeth.

“Get out,” he hisses, barely above a whisper, “before I even out your eyes.”

Pegasus throws his head back with a howl of laughter, blowing his young rival a sickly, clove-scented kiss, his laughter echoing down the halls as he makes his way down to the winding marble staircase.

Kaiba waits until his voice is mercifully cut off by the closing door before collapsing into his shaking hands, his breath harsh and ragged as he struggles to calm his pounding heart.

“Mokuba,” he murmurs through dry lips, ignoring Mai as she hurries into the room. He swats her reaching hand away, quickly pulling out his phone. Mokuba’s texted - he’s safe, and clearly unaware. Kaiba allows himself a sigh of relief, texting Yugi to retrieve him.

He glares at Mai, who glares down at him, chewing her lip.

“Mr Kaiba, I didn’t know he was coming. Truly, I–”

“We’ll talk about this later,” he snarls, standing and shoving his chair over her way. Mai catches it with a sigh, rolling her eyes but staying quiet. “Including why you didn’t know, and what fucking use you are to me if you can’t predict his movements. For now, stay at your desk and don’t fucking talk to me - or Mokuba - for the rest of the day. Understood??”

She raises her hands in defeat, jaw flexing.

“Whatever you want, ‘boss’ .”

–

It’s a nice little escape from work, sitting with Mokuba at the cafe. Anzu has clearly taken a protective eye to Mokuba quickly, and she keeps them both stocked up with coffee and snacks for the duration of their time at the cafe. Yugi can’t help but relish in the attention just a little bit - up until Anzu cheerfully ruffles both of their hair, and Yugi remembers dully, yet again, why they don’t date anymore. Does she really still see him as a 16 year old…? Ugh. Maybe he should just get back to work….

A ping from Kaiba summons them both upstairs, and Yugi is glad for the return to normalcy. He leans back against the cool wall of the mirrored elevator, rubbing his face and agreeing distractedly with whatever Mokuba is happily yammering about. He manages a quick peek at them, smiling to himself. Whatever the hell is going on, Kaiba clearly cares about Mokuba’s well-being, and it’s nice to see the kid so happy and vibrant. Things between the siblings don't always seem terribly smooth.

“This was fun,” he manages, as the elevator slows to a stop at the top floor. Mokuba turns and grins.

“Hell yeah!!” He gushes, offering an uncomfortably powerful high-five. “We should play hooky more often! Sorry my brother is such a bitch, sometimes.”

Yugi laughs, shaking his head as he nurses his aching hand. “Oh, no no, he’s not so bad! He just… has his days. A-and he’s got a lot going on, you know. And I know he really cares about you, so. Clearly he’s no villain.”

Mokuba beams, looking a bit choked up. “Yeah…? You really think so? You think he cares?”

Yugi falters as he walks, his eyebrows a little raised. “Oh. I mean, yeah! Of course he does!! Why wouldn’t he…?” Mokuba laughs awkwardly, rubbing his arm and looking down at his feet as he walks.

“I mean, no, of course, I know he does!! It’s just… I don’t get to see him much, you know. It’s just me at the house by myself, most of the time. You know, with the cooks and the cleaners and the tutors and all my pets and the bodyguards, but… not with him. He’s kinda… like a stranger half the time anyway.” They groan. “Ugh, I see my bodyguards more than I see anyone else, even kids my own age!! I told them to take a hike today, I just couldn’t stand it anymore. And look!! I finally got to hang out with the cool interns!! Did you see Maria’s hair?? God, between you and them it’s making me want to go with some kinda crazy color. Maybe for Pride or something.”

Yugi opens his mouth to ask if walking around without bodyguards is such a good idea given the circumstances, but he slams it shut immediately. Kaiba had said not to let him know what was going on. He’ll just mention it to Kaiba once Mokuba’s out of the room.

He slumps into the office as Mokuba cheerfully trots in, meeting Kaiba's eye with a weary nod. Coast clear. Kaiba visibly relaxes, but there's a tension around his eyes that hasn't left. He stands in front of his desk, hands clasped behind his back. He's clearly been pacing.

Mokuba stops to elbow Yugi in the ribs. "Hey, watch me totally embarrass him," they snicker under their breath. Before Yugi can respond, Mokuba leaps forward, arms outstretched. "Big bwother, I missie-wissied you!! Huggie times!!!"

Kaiba's eyes go wide. "Mokuba!! Wait, no–!!"

But it's too late, and Mokuba has planted face-first into Kaiba's soft, expensive, clove-and-smoke tainted shirt.

There's a brief pause before Mokuba takes an abrupt step back. He's silent. Kaiba is statue-still. Yugi looks over at them curiously - and the look on the younger man's face seizes his blood.

Contorted, Mokuba's lips pull back from a smile into a grimace. His eyes are wide, trembling and darting across Kaiba's features at unnerving angles and speed. Both brothers' arms hover in the air in an echo of a hug, hands frozen into white-knuckled claws. Yugi notes for the first time that Mokuba has started painting their nails. They're purple. Like Yugi's.

Mokuba's scream pulls him out of his dazed stare. It echoes off the glass walls, guttural and utterly inhuman.

" Mokuba!!! " Kaiba races towards his sibling as they fall backwards, their immaculate three-piece suit popping its buttons as they claw and rip at Kaiba's face. "Mokuba!! It's me!! It's Seto!! It's me I'm here, he's not here!!! He's not here!! MAI!!! " He turns, screaming at the closed door. "Yugi, press the button on my desk!! Call for Mai!!"

Yugi stares, unmoving. His feet won't cooperate. His brain won't turn on. Everything is screaming. His body is screaming. The walls are screaming. Something in his chest is screaming. Mokuba won't stop screaming.

" YUGI!!! " Kaiba roars, whipping his head to face him. "Call Mai right now or you're fucking dead!!! "

The command activates a part of him. He watches himself move to the desk as if outside his own body, numb as the vibrations in his throat indicate he's talking. What is he saying? It doesn't matter. Mai is in the room in a flash, perfume in hand, spritzing it over both siblings before tossing it aside, holding Mokuba gently and cooing soft words to him as he thrashes.

Kaiba peels himself away, blood smeared across one cheek. Is he bleeding? Is Mokuba? Yugi stands in numb shock, continuing to stare as Kaiba makes his way around, grabbing him by the lapels with both hands and dragging him over to the bathroom. Yugi yelps, swatting and punching for reasons he can't begin to explain. The walls are screaming. The walls are screaming.

He's dropped back onto his feet, and he immediately cowers as something is thrown at him - clothing. He blinks. Kaiba's dry cleaning.

"Make yourself. Fucking . Useful ," Kaiba hisses, eyes wild, lips blue-white with tension, so wrathful he can barely croak out a sentence, "and get the hell out of my sight . Do not come back. Until tomorrow."

Yugi isn't sure how he leaves the office, but he's aware that it was fast. He staggers to the lift, his mind a white hot blank as he slumps inside, pressing himself against the far wall and dropping Kaiba's laundry in a pile at his feet.

Mokuba's screams linger in his mind, so loud he can't tell if he's really hearing them or not. Everything is ringing - his ears, his body, the elevator itself, everything is noise and pain and darkness and something, something is squeezing his heart from inside his chest, and his lungs are burning and now the screaming is living inside his head and the walls of the elevator are shimmering and waving and darkness is clawing at his mind and through his memories and it's seeping through the cracks between the mirrors and who is that in the mirror that's not him that's not him .

"Not again," Yugi begs, burying his face in his hands to hide what he's seeing, unable to close his eyes, unable to stop seeing it even when his eyes are covered. "Not again, please, please, please not again, I can't do it again, I can't go back , I won't!! "

But the shadows in the mirror and in his heart and in his mind keep dancing and screaming, the walls keep melting, and as his head hits the pillow of his bed he does not remember how he got home.