"How on earth did you manage to turn into him?!"

A cold shiver run down his spine. He jerked his head up, fixing his eyes on the raven-haired teenager, who was sitting on the couch right across his desk, arms folded on his chest, eyes cold and emotionless.

Mokuba stood up, muttered something to the blond boy that was still sitted on the couch and slowly left the room, not sparing another look for his astonished brother.

Seto followed the younger boy with his eyes, fixing his gaze on the door that softly closed behind him.

There was no mistake as to who was Mokuba referring to.

Seto's mind wandered off, in parts he didn't like to touch, memories he didn't like digging up.
There he was, with his intense gaze and cold smirk, standing above Seto, monitoring every move, much like a predator stalking its prey.
Gozaburo Kaiba.

The past month, work had become a little overwhelming... even for somebody like Seto.
It seemed as if everything was moving so fast... everything needed to happen at the same time. Business deals, tournaments, press conferences... and well, life.

Having to keep up with a tight schedule and make sure he was on time, Seto found himself constantly barking orders, scheduling, re-scheduling, working and assigning more and more work to employees he hadn't found the time or the desire to ask if they could keep up.
He found himself pressured and stressed... unloading on the only person who seemed to currently care about him.
His little brother.

His gaze was rapidly jumping from one place to another; mimicking his state of mind. He fired people for no legitimate reason that day; he yelled at that new secretary for absolutely no reason that night; he screamed at his brother to go away when he came in the room to bring him some food at some other point...

He was stressed... he was chasing after deadlines and...
And...

He hadn't turnt into him...

Had he...?

His eyes stopped on a certain spot on the floor, as the storm inside his mind stopped and he allowed himself to fall in a sea of self-doubts and fear.
Was he... really like Gozaburo?

Had he really... turnt into his worst nightmare...?

Had his brother really just said...

His hands were shaking... he hugged himself tightly to stop them. A sharp pain on both arms informed him he was piercing his skin with his nails... but he didn't care.

Seto simply let the stress of that past, wild month embrace him, as he slowly examined his every move, his every word and memory that proved the truth in Mokuba's words...

He replayed the last few moments before Mokuba said those words to him in his head a few times.
His little brother was sitting on the couch right across Seto's desk, talking to some friend of his... possibly some member of the "Yugi squad"- Mokuba seemed to be very fond of them lately.

Yes, Seto had noticed his little brother enter his office, talking to somebody but he couldn't really care less who that somebody was, at the time.

Besides... he was explaining to his secretary what she was supposed to be doing.
In a quiet... somewhat hissy tone.
Adding some very unnecessary adjectives, aimed exclusively at the young girl.

He could have sworn he saw tears in her eyes before she quickly left the office.

There was no other warning before Mokuba hit him with his words.

But maybe, no warning was needed after all.

Mokuba had brought some friend of his in here...
But the only one that actually walked out was Mokuba...

Seto raised his eyes, planning to search for the quite unwelcome stranger, but he didn't really have to look that far. There he was, the blond stranger, walking towards Seto... kneeling in front of him.

The worst part was... he was no stranger...

"Katsuya..." he managed to mutter, his eyes fixed on the blond's face.

Not only was he having a mental breakdown... he was also having it in front of Katsuya Jounouchi, of all people.

The boy smiled softly at him. Slowly, he reached out and put his hands on Seto's. The brunet was staring at him as if he was some sort of wild animal, ready to attack him.

Jounouchi pulled Seto's hands, releasing his aching arms from his own nails.

Slowly, the brunet pulled himself out of the rollercoaster of his own mind. He opened his mouth, planning to say something insulting, to get Jounouchi out of his office as soon as possible.
Seems the blond had other plans, however.

"I rarely drink, you know."

Seto blinked fast, a pair of confused cerulean eyes finding warm brown ones.

"I don't like drinking... and I hate drunks. My dad just happens to be one..."

Feeling completely numb, he folded his arms on his chest, allowing his every sense to focus on the boy that was kneeled before him.

"I can't count the times I went back home to find him passed out on the couch. In a way, though, that is a good thing. Because, believe me... he used to be a very violent drunk."

Seto slightly tilted his head, as he silently stared at Jounouchi. Was he... sharing some sort of personal story with him...?
Those words didn't sound like something one simply mentions.

"When I was younger... he used to beat me up. Badly."

"Oh... I..." was all Seto managed to croak.
He didn't even know how he was planning to finish that sentence.

"Couldn't I just do something about it...? Couldn't I at least fight back, you might ask...? Well, yes, I am pretty sure I could. I was so afraid that if I ever responded to these hits, instead of trying my best to get away from him... I would seriously hurt him..."

A small pause, during which Jounouchi draw in a deep breath.

"I was fifteen... a few weeks after Yugi and I became friends. When he tried to hurt me that night... I grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back.
I told him that... if he ever tried to touch me again, I would kill him."

Seto was simply staring at him, silently. A part of him was terrified to speak...
What was he saying...?
Why...?

"It... terrifies me to think that... but I am not completely sure that I didn't mean it. I was so surprised at myself that I didn't seriously hurt him that night..." Jounouchi was staring at the floor, with a bitter smile on his face.

A long silence between the young men.

"Did he... try to hurt you again...?" a numb Seto heard himself asking.

Jounouchi raised his eyes and smiled. "No. He pretty much left me alone after that. Co-existing for a few more years after that wasn't as hard as I had expected... although I am currently saving up to get myself a small apartment and finally move out."

"You... could stay with a friend. Temporarily..." Seto muttered, still wondering where did he find the words and the courage to respond.

"Oh, I don't want a temporary solution. When I finally leave this place... it will be once and for all."

That famous determined gaze brightened his face.

"Jounouchi..."

"Yes?"

"Why are you telling me these things...?"

The young blond smiled. "My father is a man slowly destroying himself... a man that attempted to break his own son, without even being all too conscious while doing it. A man who finds shelter in the bottom of a glass... and spends most of the time he is not drinking passed out.
I... still care for him, somehow. He is my father.
There is this question that comes in mind from time to time, however..." he paused and caught Seto's gaze. "Do you think I will one day turn out like him?"

Seto blinked fast. "You are not a destructive loser, like him, Jounouchi..."

They both smiled, as they let those words that had just come out of Seto's mouth sink in.
The realization that these were indeed honest thoughts put to words, made both of them slightly awkward and yet... somewhat calmer.

"This is something that is entirely in your own hands-"

"Exactly!" Jounouchi interrupted him, a triumphant look on his face.

"Exactly... what?" the confused CEO stared at the blond with widened eyes.

"I never got around to meeting the man that raised you... of sorts."

At the mention of his stepfather, Seto tensed up.

"Quite honestly, I'm glad I didn't." Jounouchi shrugged. "He... hurt you. He broke you. He took away your childhood... but in the end, he lost."

"What... is that supposed to mean?" Seto whispered.

Jounouchi stared at the door Mokuba had closed behind him some time ago. "Mokuba has every right to be mad at you. You have been quite the jerk for some time now. I mean... more than usual."

Seto scoffed at him, but didn't turn his eyes away.

"Whether or not you will really turn into a Gozaburo Kaiba... is completely up to you. I don't know what Mokuba saw in you... why he felt like saying something like that... I am pretty sure he said it because he is worried about you."

Seto lowered his eyes. He wanted to fold his arms... but there was nothing a defensive stance could hide from those warm eyes right now.

"He is worried... because he knows how much you fear this. Him. His memory. This... was something like a wake-up call." Jounouchi smiled softly.
"You will not turn out like you stepfather, Kaiba. You wouldn't let yourself go that far..."

"Says who..?" Seto muttered, his eyes returning on Jounouchi's face.

"Says I!" Jounouchi winked at him.

Seto sat there, in complete silence, staring at the young blond for a few moments. A ghost smile formed on his lips, that was reflected nicely in the bright eyes.

"And how... pray tell... do you know all these things, little mutt?" Seto said in a soft voice.

Jounouchi smirked. "Just because we haven't managed to have a decent conversation in all these years, Kaiba, doesn't mean that I don't know things about you..."

"And yet, I knew nothing about you..." Seto muttered to himself.

"Well, you do now."

"Maybe I should have nervous breakdowns in front of you more often, then..." Seto muttered, trying to make his tone sound bitter... and failing.

Jounouchi stood up, with a big smile on his face. "Feeling better?"

Seto shook his head. "As much as I hate to admit... yes."

"Good..."

"Another question, Katsuya..."

"Yes, your honor!" Jounouchi widened his eyes comically. Seto could barely believe that he had to choke a laugh back.

"What on earth were you doing in my office in the first place..?"

"Mokuba invited me over to talk... He said he needed some sort of advice... I guess we're going to have to meet up a little later." Jounouchi responded.

Seto nodded once again, drawing in a deep breath. "Advice? For... what?"

The blond shrugged. "I never got the chance to find out. My guess is that it was something he wanted both of us to listen, that's why he brought me in the office..."

Seto felt that familiar feeling of guilt surround him once again. His brother wanted to talk to him... and he was busy making his employee miserable.

"Okay then, doctor's orders!" Jounouchi announced. "Get away from that computer, go apologize to that secretary, go talk to your brother... and then send him my way. I'd kill for some ice-cream right now..."

Seto combed his hair with his fingers, his eyes lost somewhere behind the blond that was standing in front of him. Facing his brother... sounded terrifying.
And necessary.

"Don't worry, Seto... I promise. It will be fine. Mokuba still adores you... and you still have the chance to prove that you're nothing like your stepdad... Now if you'll excuse me..."

He followed the blond boy with his eyes, as he made his way to the door. He stood right in front of it and gave Seto a smile.

"It's good to finally be able to talk to you like a normal person... even though I would have preffered if it had happened under different circumstances."

"We... should do this again, sometime. Under different circumstances." Seto said softly.

Weirdly enough... he meant each and every one of those words.