Falling To Pieces

Kaiba's mind seemed nonstop once the shock of Mokuba having hit him wore off, and so he spent the rest of the night and most of the morning pacing his room.

What am I going to do?! For years I have said I need no one, but..., "I do!"

He slid down the wall next to his bed, just before getting his knees to his chest a gleem from under his bed caught his eye.

"What is this? He never took it?", the bottle of Johnny Walker Blue, "I-I wonder..."

He crawled a little farther under the bed to find two more.

"Ha! I thought I only had the one! Lucky... no... I can't..." he started to slip them back under the bed when it seemed his hand had a mind of it's own and began twisting the top.

I can't do this... hell with it, it's not like he's ever coming back, and Mokuba... I don't even know where he is...

Hesitant at first, he raised it to his lips, then in one quick shot he sucked it dry.

"Ha-huh-ah... that was... hit the spot!" he winced, "Just like old times, Johnny..." he collected the other two and placed them into his briefcase.

You two are coming with me. I have a meeting today.

Honda woke to the smell of what he swore to be coconuts.

He shifted under the weight of the scent a bit to get a better look.

"Mokuba?" he said softly, "Coconut shampoo, eh?" he smiled when it hit him, Mokuba! Gods, I forgot!

He gently slid from under him, trying not to wake him.

What am I going to do with him?!

He backed out of the room and was caught by another sweet smell, Coffee... Otogi's up...

"Mornin' sunshine!" Otogi greeted, hopped up on a cup or three of coffee already, "Have some?"

"Definatly!"

"Didn't sleep well, huh?"

"I slept fine, despite having Mokuba using me for a pillow all night..."

"??"

"I said that out loud, didn't I?"

"Yup."

"Ah, shit! I don't know what to do with him..."

"What do you mean? Take him home..."

"I don't think he wants to go back... not yet anyway, and I don't think I can..."

"Why not? You said yourself lastnight you miss Kaiba..."

"Yea, but if I face him now, I'm not going to want to leave him..."

"Isn't that the point... OH! Miho!"

"Yea, Sherlock! Miho! But I think I have that figured out..."

"Oh? You going to tell her..."

"Yea, just not yet... after the dance..."

"The dance isn't for another week! The longer you wait, the more it's going to hurt..."

"Hurt...?"

"Yea; her, you... and Kaiba."

"'I don't know what to tell you, man... I'll leave it up to Anzu...'" Honda mocked, pissing off Otogi.

"Ass hole..." he said under his breath, "Look, all I'm saying is, yea, it's great you want to tell her, but tell her now!"

"No way! She's so looking forward to this dance, I don't want to hurt her..."

"Let me get this straight; you're putting off your happiness to be with someone you want to be with to go to a dance you don't want to go to with someone you don't want to be with... real smooth..."

*blink-blink*, "Huh?"

Otogi slapped his forehead, Stubborn, thick headed... no wonder he and Kaiba get along... and it's too early for this!, "Nevermind, ok? Just, all I can tell you is do what you think is right, and if you think this is right, whatever..."

The two spent the next few seconds glaring at eachother over their cups when Mokuba snapped them back.

"Hey guys..." he said sleepily, rubbing his eyes.

"Hey, kiddo," Honda said, tapping his lap, inviting him over, "Sleep ok?"

He climed onto Honda's lap and lay his head on his chest, about to go back to sleep.

"Huh? Yea, I slept ok..."

"Yup, you have me fooled." Otogi joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Shut up," Honda scowled, "You want me to take you home?"

"N-no. Not yet, if it's ok with you, Otogi..."

"Yea, it's cool." he said, a bit more sympathetic this time.

"Hey, Honda," he said, reaching into his pocket, "Who's is this?"

"M-Miho's bra?!" Otogi exclaimed.

*sweat drop* "Yea, talk about smooth. Thanks."

"W-who's... oh, I guess that means..."

"Mokuba, look, your brother and I... well... I... shit!"

"That was quick." Mokuba said sullenly, "So, you really like her then...?"

"N-n... well..."

"I think this is my que to go. I have to meet Shizuka anyway..."

"Man, don't leave me!" Honda lipped, silently pleading for Otogi to stay.

"See ya later!"

Shit, shit! Jerk! Oh, man..., "Mokuba, if you swear on everything you know and love..."

"I do, I do!"

Honda took a deep breath and let it all out, "I still love your brother, but I got in deep with this girl and she wants to go to this dance so..."

"So?! Yea?!" he asked eagerly.

"If after the dance, Seto will take me back..."

"He will! I know he will! He misses you so much!"

Now fully awake, he hopped from Honda's lap and began pacing the kitchen.

"He's going to be so happy... again! Honda, you'll be giving me my brother back... again!"

"?!"

"He's been miserable! Like, well, before you two got together, and with ojiisan..." once it set in what all had happened to his brother in the past week, he suddenly realized he was now just as guilty of hurting him and his mood took a sharp turn, "Ojiisan! I'm so horrible!" he jumped back into Honda's lap and began to cry, "When he told me... he was so upset already, and I... I..."

"Mokuba, calm down!"

"I hit him and yelled at him and called him a liar...!"

"Mok..."

"I have to go to him!" he said as he slid off Honda's lap, "I have to apologize!"

"Want me to take you?"

"No, you do what you have to... but just know this..."

"??"

"It's going to be a long week."

You aren't kidding. he though as he watched the little raven haired boy run as fast as he could down the street.

"Shit! Mokuba!" he called, but it was too late; he had put everything into his legs for speed and was gone, How the hell did you find me?!

Kaiba had managed another half a bottle before entering the board meeting.

The company was small, so it was no big deal to him if things fell through, besides, he was feeling no pain at this point.

He pretended to aknowlegde people speaking to him by simply nodding; whether he was agreeing with something or not, he didn't care.

To be honest he was flat out board, til a very handsome man at the end of the table had caught his eye.

Hmm... nice..., he thought, while still nodding at some woman going on about numbers and statistics, How did I miss him?

As far as he could tell even though they were sitting; he was tall, nice complextion, dark hair. His eyes were such a deep rich brown, they were practically black.

Things seemed to be looking up, until the man noticed Kaiba eyeing him.

His eyes narrowed and Kaiba felt his heart jump. He tried to read it; it was either 'What are you looking at?' or 'Come here.'

What am I thinking?!, he quickly looked down at the papers in front of him, trying to look as though it were a mistake, I'm such a fool!

He couldn't wait for this meeting to end. Hopefully someone could fill him in on what happened since his attention was most definatly not on the meeting.

"Well, Mr. Kaiba, I suppose things are in order then and we'll begin right away!" the woman said, giving the impression Kaiba had agreed to just about anything and everything she said.

"What? Oh, yes, please..." he couldn't seem to take his eyes off the man now shaking hands with one of Kaiba's right hand men, "Um, may I ask..."

"Oh, I thought I introduced you two..." she said apologetically, waving him over.

You might have., "Uh, well..."

"Yes, ma'am?" he asked as he slid to her side.

"I-I did introduce you two, yes?"

"Yes you did, but that's fine," he said cooly, taking Kaiba's hand with a firm grip. Up close, Kaiba could tell he was actually a bit older than himself, but it didn't matter; he was still very attractive.

"Um, I'm sorry," Kaiba said, "I don't think I caught it..."

The man guestured he was fine, so the woman stepped out, and Kaiba found himself pulled in closer by the strong grip.

"Doesn't matter, does it?" he whispered in his ear, "You know where we're staying..."

"Y-yes..."

"Good. Bring some of that good stuff you've been hogging to yourself..."

"?!"

"You can't fool me," he said, noting Kaiba's swaying, "I know a good drink, or drinker in this case, when I see one."

"O-ok..."

"See you tonight? Eightish? Oh, and wear something a little more comfortable, you might just be able to relax."

"S-sure..." as the man let go of his hand, he opened it to find a key slickly placed in his palm, How the hell...?

He sat in his room staring at the key in his hand.

I shouldn't go... but, who's to stop me?

"Nii-sama!" Mokuba cried as he flew through the door, running straight for him and landing in his lap, "I'm so sorry!"

He squeezed Mokuba tightly to him, "You had me worried! Where did you go?!"

"I-I can't tell you... I'm sorry..."

"You were with Honda... I know he doesn't want me knowing where he is... and I don't care anyway..."

Mokuba knew his brother was lying; he cared, he cared very much.

"Nii-sama, I'm real sorry about how I acted when you told me..."

"Don't worry yourself, it's what I expected." he got up to find something to wear not realizing he had dropped the key on the floor as he stood.

Mokuba picked it up to examine it, "What's this key to?"

"What!?"

"This key?"

Shit!, "Nothing to concern yourself with!" he said, angrily snatching the key from him.

"Well, it looks like a hotel room key to me..."

"So what?!"

"You're not... I thought you... please don't do this!"

Kaiba hadn't thought about Mokuba knowing anything about how he did business; the corporate slut as Honda had put it.

"Are you...?"

"How do you know about what I did?!" he demanded.

"You must think I'm really stupid or something!" Mokuba yelled at the top of his lungs, trying to keep from crying again.

"How dare you raise your voice..."

"You do! You think I'm stupid! That's why you never told me about ojiisan! I wouldn't have told anyone, you know that! No, I take that back, you didn't know that! You didn't trust me..."

"Lower that tone with me!" he warned, "If you hadn't gone off the deep end when I told you, I could have explained...!"

Mokuba ignored the warning and just got angrier, "Honda told me! He said you didn't want anyone knowing because you were afraid, but I wouldn't have told anyone! You don't trust me, do you?!"

It was Kaiba's turn to become just as angry, he wasn't going to take this from his little brother, "One last chance, lower that tone of your's with me..."

"Or what?" Mokuba challenged.

"?!" he hadn't thought about that, he just assumed Mokuba would know better.

"Well? You going to punish me or something?!"

"Mokuba..."

"Ground me, is that it?! Or, I know," he started to laugh, "You're ganna spank me, that it?!"

"Mokuba, you're pushing your luck..." he growled through his teeth.

"I don't care! Why should I?! You just go do what you have to, you slut..." he started out the door just barely making it before Kaiba caught him.

"What did you just call me?!" he had a painful grip on Mokuba's arm, "I don't think I heard you right...!"

"You heard me!", he excalimed, undaunted by the pain, "You selfish, mean..." before he could finish, Kaiba had landed a stinging backhand to his cheek, sending him to the floor, "N-nii..."

"I warned you." he said softly as he went back to what he was doing, "Now go..."

"W-where...?"

"Your room. Go. Now."

Mokuba scrambled to his feet and quickly backed out the door, keeping his eye on his brother til he was out of harms way.

I'm sorry, Mokuba... I'm so sorry, but this isn't business... this is loneliness...

With his composure in tact, the bottle and a half of Blue, and a more comfortable button-down shirt and jeans, he gave the key one last glance.

I don't care who you are or what you have to do with this company... just please help me forget.

Mokuba stared at his reflextion, lightly rubbing the small bruise below his left eye.

I guess I had that coming... he wouldn't hurt me like that unless... I really hurt him again...

He soaked at towel with cold water and pressed it to his face.

"Ow!", I'm sorry, nii-sama! I don't know what to do either, I didn't mean to take it out on you!

He tried his best to keep from crying again, knowing it would just irritate his sore cheek.

Laying back on his bed, he turned on the tv and tried to relax.

Honda, please come back soon.