Chapter Text
Mokuba Kaiba was running KaibaCorp because his big brother still hadn’t come back.
“Mokuba, take care of things while I’m gone.”
That was the last time he ever heard from Seto. It felt familiar. Screeching tires on the pavement as a car sped away. The orphanage gates closed from behind. Mokuba closed his eyes.
They hadn’t even said goodbye.
Time deepens all wounds. Each passing year that blurs into another, Mokuba doesn’t need to be reminded how he should put it all behind him.
Life kept moving too fast, but he was frozen in a time when that person was still there. He didn’t want to call it a memory. Memories meant the past. Not the present, and definitely not the future.
But he couldn’t get himself to call his Nii-sama a memory. Even though his Nii-sama wasn’t in the present, there was a possibility he’d be part of the future.
“I’ll wait for you forever. Nii-sama.”
Eight Nii-sama-less years had gone by and the probability of him returning lessened, but was never zero. Seto Kaiba was stuck the same way Mokuba was stuck at thirteen when the clock stopped moving.
And no amount of money or power could stop time itself.
Mokuba grew taller (taller than Yugi. Finally beat him at something) and found himself entering his twenties.
The company grew with him, and while Mokuba poured his blood into it, he couldn’t preserve the smile he used to have or the light in his eyes.
His heart just didn’t beat the same.
The more successful KaibaCorp became the more he was stripped of his emotions. It was perfect for the business world.
The papers had his face plastered everywhere with titles such as “Powerhouse CEO”, “Young. Handsome, Rich.”, and, “Sexy Business Mogul.”
When he walked into the room, the aura changed. Everyone stood and bowed as he tried to lessen his harsh gaze. He was never like this. There was a time he was happy and free. He needed to put it all behind him…
He curtly nodded and took his seat at the head of the table. In the back of his mind, he still saw him.
That aching feeling returned; it reminded him he could still feel something. And that’s when he wished he didn’t feel at all.
A man stood up, clearing his throat.
“Mr. Kaiba,” one of his employees started the meeting. “Sir, we have submitted all our progress on the prototypes with positive results.”
“I’m aware,” Mokuba’s intense gaze bore into the man. He didn’t like people wasting his time. Over the weary years, his patience had thinned.
“Y-yes sir, well, we were hoping to–”
“You can move on to the next stage of development.” Mokuba’s lips fell into a straight line, his hands clasped on the table. The air shifted with exhales.
“However, I have an upcoming business meeting with a prospective company that specializes in Biotech enhancements. Integrating their research and bio-enhanced AR interfaces could advance our current technology. Making it safer and faster. Until then–” Mokuba paused.
“The project is halted from further advancements. I will notify you of my decision. That is all.”
With that, he left.
Mokuba stopped by the entrance to his office. Without looking at the man he spoke, his voice stern.
“Isono, confirm my meeting for tomorrow at 9am sharp. I don’t want to delay this project any further from the deadline.”
“Of course–” But Mokuba had already shut the door before Isono could finish. “...sir.”
The next day Mokuba arrived at KaibaCorp promptly in the limousine. This wasn’t his first business deal. It was unnerving for him. Staring down other men in the room that were twice his age had become sort of a hobby.
Anyone with a cocky grin usually left with a defeated tail tucked between their legs. Word quickly spread that underestimating Mokuba Kaiba was a grave mistake. Being young meant nothing when he had more business sense than anyone else in the room. He wanted to say it was because he had learned from the best but really he had grown too cold. It scared alot of people.
Still, that hadn’t meant that everyone was old and grey, but usually no one was as young as him. Except now that he had left the teen years, he encountered many young professionals, and each time they always tried to hit on him. Pretty women with much too low cleavage and attractive men making shameless passes. Mokuba rejected each advance despite being a young man with urges.
The countless men and women who threw themselves at him would never be the person he craved.
His Nii-sama had his heart, even to this day.
And Mokuba wondered how his brotherly love became so warped into something so forbidden. But what did he expect when he loved his brother so intensely that living without him almost killed Mokuba. Any suicide ideas he had were quickly crushed when he pictured his brother’s disapproving face.
What do you call it when the other person is your everything, the very air you breathe? Mokuba had been suffocating silently.
Again, he walked into the room and everyone from the BioTech company all stood and greeted him.
The CEO was an older man with silver in his hair, who had come personally and shaken Mokuba’s hand. Praising him for his accomplishments at such a young age. Mokuba nodded. His face remained unchanged. Flattery didn’t work on him.
Surprisingly, someone else took center stage for the presentation and pitch. The elder CEO introduced a tall young man. “This is one of my brilliant Biotech Research Engineers.”
It felt like deja vu. The brown hair, parted to the side, styled with gel. The handsome man extended his hand forward. Mokuba hesitated for the briefest moment before taking it firmly. A familiar shade of blue eyes locked with his.
Their hands lingered together longer than they should have, and Mokuba felt something flicker through him. It wasn’t supposed to feel like recognition, but it did.
Mokuba yanked his hand back first. What was that? Who was this guy?
“My name is Akio Ryuzaki. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” The half-smile and half-smirk should've been illegal. He didn’t deserve those pair of blue eyes with the smug glint in them. Mokuba had met many arrogant men before.
This one intrigued him.
That face. That muscled body. Akio’s aura. Too much like him. Mokuba’s jaw tightened. Was it jealousy that festered? Mokuba tried, but he couldn’t tear away his gaze. Not fair. Not right. He looked more like he could be Seto’s brother than Mokuba. Bastard. Was that why he found himself pissed all of a sudden? The same color hair and eyes, the facial structure, the same build; the resemblance was uncanny. Mokuba scoffed. Looks were deceiving.
Except…
The presentation went... well. Too good. The pitch? Perfect. Akio wore a tailored designer suit that made him appear like a shiny salesman. It was irritating, really. Akio had no business being that charming—with a persuasive voice made for sales, the mind of a scientist, and the skills of an engineer.
Mokuba’s eyes were steady as he asked tricky questions. Akio didn’t miss a beat. Quite impressive. Begrudgingly.
“KaibaCorp strives to be the best and takes pride in all of our products. We expect the same from our partners.”
Mokuba let the silence hang in the air before speaking.
“What makes your company the best for us?”
Akio grinned. “Let me show you.”
Their prototype fused seamlessly with next-gen biotech augmentations, supercharged KaibaCorp’s AR interface.
“If you would allow me—” Akio started, bowing in a grand gesture, “I’ll personally work closely with you on this.” Somehow, someway, these were flirting words.
“So you’ll see firsthand why our company’s the best when it comes to biotech,” Akio said.
A few moments passed before Mokuba spoke, not taking his eyes off Akio. “Mr. Okabe,” Mokuba said. The elder CEO almost jumped, as if forgetting that Mokuba knew his name.
“We have a deal.”
“And Akio?” Mokuba rose. “Don’t make me regret it.”
Akio met his gaze. “I won’t.”
The meeting should’ve ended after that. Most of the staff filed out, leaving Mokuba with the elder CEO and his golden boy.
“As promised, Mr. Kaiba, I’ll lend Akio to you to get your team started. He’s been the lead to all of this, and I truly believe you’ll see what a great addition he’ll be.” Mr. Okabe said.
Mokuba nodded curtly, his eyes already flicking back to the younger man at his side.
Akio lingered by the conference table, even after his boss left. A jacket draped over one chair, as if he belonged there.
”I just wanted to say—“
“If you came expecting compliments, you came to the wrong company.” Mokuba kept his eyes on the paper.
“I didn’t,” Akio said. “But I’ll take one when I earn it.” How earnest.
Arrogant prick. But Mokuba said nothing as he turned to leave. The sound of another pair of footsteps should’ve followed him out. Is he staring at me? Mokuba didn’t bother looking back.
What would’ve taken a few days happened at the end of the workday. Mokuba had a feeling this would happen sooner or later. It always did. But he had to give Akio credit. Asking him out in only a matter of hours? That was bold.
“One drink? While we discuss blueprints, of course, Mr. Kaiba.” There was that devilish smile again.
Fine, he’d play along. With a sly curl of his lip, he leaned in. “Mokuba. Call me Mokuba.”
Akio took him to this overly fancy restaurant, which was expected; Mokuba assumed he’d put it on the company’s tab.
The atmosphere was upscale yet vintage. Quite the opposite of what Mokuba thought a modern mind like Akio’s would like.
As if reading his mind, Akio spoke,“I have an appreciation for the past. After all, the past builds the future.” Hmph. He really does know all the right things to say.
One drink turned into two. Mokuba felt himself leaning in closer, as if to hear better. The scent of Akio’s cologne danced around him. Maybe it was the drink buzzing through his system. The jawline was sharp. Not a single brown hair out of place. Akio’s lips were moving but Mokuba couldn’t hear the words.
Until he got closer.
Akio really was handsome.
There were more words said, something about buying him another drink and more intense eye exchanges. There was something in the air.