Discussions on Selfishness
Jul. 12th, 2016 10:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
madimpossibledreamer there were no tears there are no pictures I deny everything categorically
(which is weird because, seriously, I don’t get emotional at television, except for maybe once when they killed off a character in Supernatural, I forget who because there were so many)
…but this was one thing that really bugged me about the finale
So here, have a fix-it
Because Kaiba is awesome and had wasted potential as a character to write
And I will wring that potential outta him and the computer and everyone else I can think of when writing
author's note brought to you by stream of consciousness
~dreamer~
Main Points:
Yugioh Universe Optional
Chapter Summary: The gang aren't the only ones who are troubled by the end...
Word Count: 630
Rating: teen, Spoilers for the end of the series (if you didn't somehow get that from the author's note)
(which is weird because, seriously, I don’t get emotional at television, except for maybe once when they killed off a character in Supernatural, I forget who because there were so many)
…but this was one thing that really bugged me about the finale
So here, have a fix-it
Because Kaiba is awesome and had wasted potential as a character to write
And I will wring that potential outta him and the computer and everyone else I can think of when writing
author's note brought to you by stream of consciousness
~dreamer~
Main Points:
Yugioh Universe Optional
Chapter Summary: The gang aren't the only ones who are troubled by the end...
Word Count: 630
Rating: teen, Spoilers for the end of the series (if you didn't somehow get that from the author's note)
At first, Kaiba had been enraged. He didn’t fully understand what was going on, only that it felt…
Well.
He’d said something about this “Other Yugi” running away, being afraid to face a real duelist, but the simple truth hurt worse than that, cut like a knife.
It was a dismissal. From both Yugis. He would’ve been honored. He’d been instrumental in the rise of a duelist, one who shone. Finally, someone worth his time.
Only he wasn’t worth Yugi’s. Seto Kaiba didn’t need friends, but rivals, equals to keep him sharp?
It took months. Probably for the first Yugi, the mousy, quiet one to get over his mourning…whatever. But then Yugi sought him out.
“I’m sorry,” he says, eyes moist and full of emotion. Of weakness.
“Save it for your sycophants,” Kaiba snarls, and Yugi flinches. But he holds his ground.
“You could have won,” he states with surety that floors Seto, especially since he can’t think how he’d beat all the God cards. “I suppose I was being selfish. I needed to prove that I could do fine on my own, and you…You would’ve been a worthy opponent. Atem would’ve agreed. But…” He shakes his head, looking frustrated, trying to put thought into words.
“It was…easy, I suppose,” he continues softly, staring into the distance. “Share a head with someone and it can be easy to forget other people exist, even for me. They’re just…always there.” A shy smile.
“I felt like I was the only one who really knew him, that all the friends and enemies I’d made were mine, but I got to thinking and…it’s actually not true. Given how often Yami appeared in the duels, and how often we were dueling in the past few years, it was actually him who all of you knew so well. You’ve all barely met me.”
Kaiba makes to stop this. It’s pitiful. But Yugi doesn’t seem to even realize he’s here, anymore. “And I realized that, and it’s so much scarier. Do you know how many people actually know me?” Suddenly, purple eyes are staring into his own. He startles, but he finds he can’t look away from the shrimp.
“Téa. Grandpa. That’s it.” Yugi has a trace of misery in his voice, but mostly it’s blunt. Bleak. “And Téa had a crush on Yami. Still does, I think. I’m still not sure if she would’ve preferred…” Yugi trails off, biting his lip.
“And I’ve gotten off topic. What I meant to say, Kaiba, is thank you, for caring about my friend, and I am so sorry for being selfish. Will you please forgive me?” Yugi bows, low and formal, and it’s absurd.
Kaiba dismisses the way the light dims. “There’s no need for an apology,” is the only thing he can think to say, and when Yugi glances up there’s suddenly a light of amused hope in his eyes.
“No, there is…” he insists, and there. It might be quieter, higher-pitched, but there is the confidence, the strength, that Yugi’s been missing. “But maybe we can settle this as true champions. With a card game.” He smiles. “I…have to remind myself that Atem entrusted me with his legacy. That the duel ‘proved’ I was strong enough on my own. I’ve been worried about that. But Atem didn’t take all his skill with him. I’m good at games, Seto-kun.”
Kaiba feels the familiar rush. The smirk that appears is natural. The ache of being swept aside dwindles to nothing. “Prove it.”
And Yugi does. And for once, Kaiba doesn’t mind, because it means that a challenge is just a phone call away, rather than forever out of reach in ‘another world’, and he’ll continue to improve, and someday the title of World Champion will be his once again.
Well.
He’d said something about this “Other Yugi” running away, being afraid to face a real duelist, but the simple truth hurt worse than that, cut like a knife.
It was a dismissal. From both Yugis. He would’ve been honored. He’d been instrumental in the rise of a duelist, one who shone. Finally, someone worth his time.
Only he wasn’t worth Yugi’s. Seto Kaiba didn’t need friends, but rivals, equals to keep him sharp?
It took months. Probably for the first Yugi, the mousy, quiet one to get over his mourning…whatever. But then Yugi sought him out.
“I’m sorry,” he says, eyes moist and full of emotion. Of weakness.
“Save it for your sycophants,” Kaiba snarls, and Yugi flinches. But he holds his ground.
“You could have won,” he states with surety that floors Seto, especially since he can’t think how he’d beat all the God cards. “I suppose I was being selfish. I needed to prove that I could do fine on my own, and you…You would’ve been a worthy opponent. Atem would’ve agreed. But…” He shakes his head, looking frustrated, trying to put thought into words.
“It was…easy, I suppose,” he continues softly, staring into the distance. “Share a head with someone and it can be easy to forget other people exist, even for me. They’re just…always there.” A shy smile.
“I felt like I was the only one who really knew him, that all the friends and enemies I’d made were mine, but I got to thinking and…it’s actually not true. Given how often Yami appeared in the duels, and how often we were dueling in the past few years, it was actually him who all of you knew so well. You’ve all barely met me.”
Kaiba makes to stop this. It’s pitiful. But Yugi doesn’t seem to even realize he’s here, anymore. “And I realized that, and it’s so much scarier. Do you know how many people actually know me?” Suddenly, purple eyes are staring into his own. He startles, but he finds he can’t look away from the shrimp.
“Téa. Grandpa. That’s it.” Yugi has a trace of misery in his voice, but mostly it’s blunt. Bleak. “And Téa had a crush on Yami. Still does, I think. I’m still not sure if she would’ve preferred…” Yugi trails off, biting his lip.
“And I’ve gotten off topic. What I meant to say, Kaiba, is thank you, for caring about my friend, and I am so sorry for being selfish. Will you please forgive me?” Yugi bows, low and formal, and it’s absurd.
Kaiba dismisses the way the light dims. “There’s no need for an apology,” is the only thing he can think to say, and when Yugi glances up there’s suddenly a light of amused hope in his eyes.
“No, there is…” he insists, and there. It might be quieter, higher-pitched, but there is the confidence, the strength, that Yugi’s been missing. “But maybe we can settle this as true champions. With a card game.” He smiles. “I…have to remind myself that Atem entrusted me with his legacy. That the duel ‘proved’ I was strong enough on my own. I’ve been worried about that. But Atem didn’t take all his skill with him. I’m good at games, Seto-kun.”
Kaiba feels the familiar rush. The smirk that appears is natural. The ache of being swept aside dwindles to nothing. “Prove it.”
And Yugi does. And for once, Kaiba doesn’t mind, because it means that a challenge is just a phone call away, rather than forever out of reach in ‘another world’, and he’ll continue to improve, and someday the title of World Champion will be his once again.
