A/N: This is my first time writing for the Yu-Gi-Oh! fandom. I've loved the show since I was little and just started watching the complete series (English dub), considering I managed to somehow miss most of the episodes when they were actually on TV. lol.

Here's the idea with this fic: this is a collection of oneshots based around both events in the series and anything that I happen to cook up in my head.

I will explain the foundation of each chapter at the beginning of said chapter (under the term of 'Basis', as shown below). Also at the start of each chapter, there will be small note saying what inspired the chapter ('this chapter was inspired by' quip at the bottom). I just think that's fun; you don't have to read it, of course.

Not to disappoint most of you, but there may not be a whole lot of these focusing on pairings, seeing as I basically focus on the friendships/sibling relationships in the show...but who knows? I may just get inspired!

By the way, just so you don't get confused, most of the time I call Seto 'Kaiba' instead of using his first name (works better for me), unless something like 'the elder/younger Kaiba' pops up (or it's Mokuba/Noa/others close to him talking: eventually, perhaps, Yugi and the others).

Basis: This takes place during the Battle City Tournament, when Yugi's trying to find his friends after his duel with Marik's goth/mime mind-slave (Strings) and is stopped by Umbra and Lumis in an alley. Kaiba steps in, and because I've always loved Mokuba's relationship with Yugi and the gang (I love Mokuba's relationship with his elder brother, too), I wanted to know how Kaiba might view it...and this hatched!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Never have, never will. Darn... X(

This chapter was inspired by:

Seto wonders why his little brother is so taken with Yugi Muto and his friends.

Chapter 1: "Little Boy Lost"

There he was. Again.

His arch rival. His nemesis. The only one to ever defeat him in a duel.

Yugi Muto. King of Games.

But not for long.

Soon, he would defeat Yugi in a duel, become reigning World Champion of Duel Monsters again, make the great Game King just another amateur duelist, make his little brother stop yapping about the wanna-be runt and his dopey gang—

Wait! Mokuba!

Abruptly, Kaiba halted in his tracks and glared at the ground, clenching his fists. Why was Mokuba so worried about Yugi and his friends? Why did he care so much? This was his rival, for goodness' sake! Mokuba should hate Yugi as much as Kaiba himself did!

But then, a small thought came to him, and he realized Mokuba was far too kind-hearted to hate anyone who didn't directly deserve his animosity—even the matter of being Kaiba's enemy didn't seem to faze the boy very much anymore. From what he'd tolerated hearing about the tri-colored small-fry, his little brother and Yugi, along with his friends, had long since resolved their initial issue and had become quite close.

Beside him, Mokuba called out, tried to get him to come to his senses, but Seto didn't quite hear him. A small hand came to rest on his shoulder now, but as there was something like a numbness claiming his body, he did not feel it.

The boy'd only known them for a while, but he'd already connected with them like it had been so much longer! He admired them, cared for them, wished to have them protected: Kaiba could see it in Mokuba's eyes!

And it—the proud Seto Kaiba wouldn't admit it, he wouldn't ever admit it—but it hurt! This was his little brother! His, and no one else's! He—he actually found himself jealous…of—of him, of the ignorant child-gamer he'd hated ever since that first defeat of a duel months ago…!

"No..." he whispered darkly, so quietly Mokuba didn't even hear it. The boy was still trying to get him to snap out of it, screaming louder as tears gathered in the corners of his eyes in his fright. His big brother hadn't responded in a little over three minutes, after all, and the eleven-year-old was deathly afraid. He couldn't imagine life without his brother, not after everything, and he told him as much as his big brother's walls began to crumble the smallest bit under the weight of such excruciating thoughts.

"Seto! Wake up, please!" Kaiba started to come back at his brother's tearful voice, but then: "This isn't right! Yugi needs your help!" He receded again. Help him?! Why?! "He's about to get crushed in a duel by two strange men in cloaks! He doesn't have time for this! Joey, Tristan, and Téa could be in trouble!" Cloaks? Strange men? This sounded like those Rare Hunters he'd heard so much about… But why should he care about Yugi's stupid friends?! The idiots got themselves into this mess; they could get themselves out! "Ah! Seto!" Becoming frustrated, Mokuba let out a great cry, and he did the only thing he could think of that would both bring his brother out of his stupor and not permanently hurt him: he slapped him across the face, hard.

Instantaneously, Kaiba whipped back to himself and lost all traces of his terrifying state. He snapped his neck to Mokuba and stared at him, gazed into his stricken face. After a moment, he asked a simple question: "Mokuba, why do you care what happens to Yugi and his gang of rag-tag buffoons? You know they're a total waste of time."

Appearing distraught and confused at his elder brother's rather unfeeling question after all that'd happened in the last five minutes, Mokuba decided to save his own inquiries for later. They were curious, really, these mood swings of his brother's, but because they usually had to do with him…

He gave the smallest of inward shudders before regaining composure. He'd ask him to explain when they got home. For now, he figured it would be in everyone's best interest to just answer honestly.

Giving his brother the biggest smile he dared, which was miniscule at best, he did so.

"They're my friends, Seto. They fought against that clown Pegasus's henchman said was you to save me, they rescued us when Pegasus took our souls, they helped me save you when those corporate jerks trapped you in your own game, and whenever I'm with them, they take care of me just like you would!" Even as his brother stared at him indifferently, disbelieving every word he said about 'such inferiors,' Mokuba's smile grew a little. "Don't you see, Seto? They protect me, they care about me, but most of all, they care about you." His voice went soft. "And not just for me either." Kaiba's face was shocked, and he found himself fighting the words even more. "Yugi cares about you, Seto, because he's a good person. You don't deserve it," Mokuba folded his arms across his chest and glared at him reproachfully, and the accusation in the boy's voice made his elder brother involuntarily flinch, "but he does, big brother. Whether you like it or not, it's true." The eleven-year-old unfurled his arms and grinned as he gave his brother a thumbs-up. "That's why, Seto. I love them because they love you, just like I do."

Kaiba was speechless, quieted to the core. Then, he heard cackling and aggravated shouting to his left and remembered why he was even here in the first place. Yugi was trying to find his friends, all of whom had supposedly been targeted by a madman—though Kaiba believed the boy spewing such things to be half-crazy as well.

A low growl in his throat, a twist of his heel, and Seto set his sights on his rival and the two Rare Hunters confronting him. Stepping forward, he glanced back at Mokuba and gave him a rare smile—it was a small one, but it was there all the same—before butting in where he was certainly wanted, if only he would let himself be.

"Looks like it's my turn!" The cloaked men and young duelist turned to him, startled at the unexpected interruption. Yugi smiled in relief and nodded, accepting his help without complaint and with much gratitude involved, but Kaiba wasn't going to let him off that easily. "Don't think I'm helping you 'just because,' Yugi. You're duel is with me, right after we defeat these losers!"

Another nod, more decisive this time. "Fine, Kaiba, but we make sure my friends are safe first!"

An exasperated frown settled on the CEO's lips before a mysterious, entirely inappropriate smirk took its place.

Yes, yes, Yugi's friends… He was getting to them… "Agreed." But for now, he'd settle for ending this duel all the faster.

After all, it was the least he could do—all he would ever do for the Muto boy, he swore—to thank Yugi for being all that he was to Mokuba.

And, secretly, all he was to him, too.

A/N: Thanks for reading! If this has some punctuation or grammar errors, please tell me about them! I was writing really fast, and I'm really tired! Thank you! (Considering I just switched this from present to past tense/third-person doesn't help either!) Oh, and the title of this chapter is referring to Kaiba, who felt utterly lost when he thought he was losing his brother to Yugi. Hope that makes sense.