Truths

Seto needed a drink. Badly. His hands shook as he lit yet another cigarette. It was midnight. Mokuba hadn't called. At all. Not since he left yesterday afternoon. He said he'd call, though... Something had just kept him...

Seto needed a drink. Badly.

Mokuba couldn't sleep; he was just to damn worried about his brother. "Calling him wouldn't be so bad... I can always just accuse him of sounding drunk and give myself a reason not to go...." he muttered to himself as he stared down at the arduous piece of technology one would call a 'phone'.

Twelve oh three. No good. He needed a drink. "Isono!" he yelled. There wasn't any alcohol in the house, but he would sure as hell send him out to buy some...

Finally, with a heavy sigh, Mokuba picked the telephone up and dialed his brother's number. "I'm going to regret this..."

Seto jerked and snatched up the phone, opening it quickly and with a sigh of relief. "Mokuba..."

"Seto," he replied simply.

"I thought..." A shaky laugh came in the elder brother's voice. "I was being an idiot. I was beginning to think you weren't going to call."

So Seto really was smart..."You don't sound good..." God it killed him to do this, but what choice did he have? "You drank, didn't you?"

"What?! No! Ask Isono, there isn't anything in the house for me to drink... I'm just tired, I've been up smoking, waiting for you to call..."

"Don't lie, Seto...It's clear in your voice that you've been drinking." What the hell was he doing? "You couldn't go one day?"

"Mokuba, I haven't been drinking!” he said desperately. "You have to believe me... I promised you I wouldn't, and I haven't."

"How can I? The last time you said you'd try I walked in to see you on your third bottle...Why should I believe you now?" Mokuba let his head fall down to the desk, loosely holding the phone.

"Because it's the truth, Mokuba. I wouldn't have lied to you last time...If you asked if I'd been drinking I would have admitted it. I haven't this time, though..."

"If you just tell me the truth now I'll forgive you, Seto... But it's so clear that you've been drinking. How much have you had already?"

"I haven't had a drop, Mokuba," he swore solemnly. "Please, believe me. I was about to send Isono out to get me something when you hadn't called by midnight... but I haven't had anything." He sat in the corner of the couch, cigarette crushed out on the table, pleading mentally with Mokuba to believe him.

A sigh. "Let's see you make it through next week and then I'll come up... I'm not coming this weekend. And don't lie to me again, Seto..."

"Mokuba..." he said hoarsely. "I'm not lying..." His brother had so little faith in him... he believed he'd drink behind his back and lie to him about it...

"Good bye, Seto," he said dryly, before hanging up the phone. "What the hell is wrong with me?" he groaned.

Seto dropped the phone nervelessly and hoarsely called for Isono to bring him something to drink, now.