[ This is definitely one of the more unusual things that he's experienced, talking to a dragon who definitely understands his questions. But of course she does. She's smart. She's Kaiba's -- so of course she's smart. And definitely better than the one that had him and Yugi trapped in its stupid den!
He visibly relaxes when it seems Kaiba's fine. Well. Mostly. At least he's not in outside peril. The peril he faces now is internal -- a slow-brewing mental torture that he shouldn't be facing alone. Tech frowns and follows where the whelp leads. ]
Does he know you came to get me?
[ Or is he about to be yelled at for showing up unannounced? He'll take it if he has to -- because honestly, it's nice to think the dragon thought of him. Even nicer, though, is the thought that Kaiba might have sent her himself... ]
[no answer that time. kisara just navigates through the winding halls with ease. a dragon was a dragon, even a teeny-tiny one.
just as before, kaiba appears to have left his door open. that or a clever little beast found a way to prod it ajar. she politely waits for tech to catch up before nudging back into the suite. as to be expected, it's prim and proper and perfectly clean. one of the bedrooms was blocked off, presumably for privacy. what little privacy they actually had.
but kisara makes a beeline for the far bedroom, where sleeping beauty awaits. as in literally asleep, curled into himself. and true to his word, there's a nasty set of horns sprouting from his head. any blood has since dried, but they don't look natural -- big, black, sharp. they contrast with his clean clothes. prim and proper, just like the suite.
he doesn't even stir when kisara hops up, though maybe something heavier will do the trick.]
[ He trails behind her, even if a small voice tells him maybe he should turn around, respect Kaiba's need for space. Curiosity gets the better of that voice, though. He has to see how bad it is. He has to see Kaiba. And when he stumbles in on him sleeping, a small smile forms. He might be curled into himself, but Kaiba so very rarely looks so relaxed.
Naturally, his eyes go to the horns. The crust of blood paints the picture of the pain Kaiba must have endured when they sprang out of his skull. Tech draws in a hitched breath, expression solemn. They would figure it out. He knows this. He's confident in it. Even if not by his hand, Kaiba would find a way to reverse it. That doesn't take away the fact that they're there for now, a stark reminder that this place could infect even the most stubborn, most brilliant of men.
Tech gently closes the door behind himself, and then circles the bed, coming to Kaiba's back. He kicks off his shoes and then eases onto the mattress to shamelessly slip an arm around him. If there's any credence in the fact that 'demonic features spread through contact,' Tech clearly doesn't care. It's a risk he'll take. It's a relief to see Kaiba mostly human again, but overall it's a relief to just see him. Period. ]
[kaiba liked to play at being an adult. but he was also much younger than that. and it was only ever apparent when he was asleep, as that was when he let his guard down. he was so much younger when he wasn't putting up a proud front. and he looks young as he cracks open his eyes to stare at the little dragon that was nuzzling into his arms.
he doesn't register that tech was touching him. not at first. so he talks to kisara and rubs over her horns as she purrs and purrs.]
Those look a lot better on you, huh?
[he's not stupid. he knows he's not alone. he's just tired.]
Dragons are beautiful, after all.
[yes, he knows he's there. that was too tongue in cheek otherwise.]
[ It's pretty endearing the way Kaiba interacts with his dragon -- a perfect match. Tech's smile is fond as the creature trills and purrs like a cat. And while Kaiba strokes the horns of Kisara, Tech gently traces his hand across Kaiba's side. ]
Can't say I would have learned to appreciate them the same way until I met you.
[ It's playful. He props his elbow on the mattress, dropping his chin onto his palm. ]
She went on a little bit of a journey while you were asleep, you know.
[ Did he know? His eyes linger on the back of Kaiba's neck, unable to keep the stupid smile off his face. ]
[well, no human had invited him in. the resident dragon didn't care so much, driven by no other reason but master seems sad.
he doesn't shift to face him. his features turn sullen. but he doesn't raise his voice, or hiss at him, or tell him to leave. it's pointless. it was always pointless to tell tech to leave him alone or to do anything other than what he wanted to do. it was probably why they were a good fit for each other and he hated that was the case.]
Didn't we already play big spoon, little spoon? Can't you find someone else to annoy?
[ He peeks over Kaiba's shoulder toward the dragon with gratitude before he resettles, arm slithering around Kaiba's torso to dangle there and head drooping against the pillow. ]
Sorry not sorry. You're always at the top of my list and of the highest priority.
[ An idle kiss is pressed against Kaiba's shoulder blade, eyes sweeping up toward the pointed tips of the horns. ]
They are pretty draconic -- the curvature and the angle. It doesn't take anything away from you...
[ And the unspoken behind that is: I don't think anything less of you. ]
[there it is, that flash of youth. stubborn, obstinate, rebellious.
it didn't hurt anymore. or at least not very much, not enough to notice. he holds the little dragon to his chest like some sort of security blanket or stuffed animal. things he was never allowed to have as a child. things he would've refused anyway, because he had to look after his brother.]
And I hate you. Just slightly less.
[he stays still. sitting like this, so close, he might poke him by mistake -- even if he deserved it.]
[ He says. Calm. To all of that. His gentle grip on Kaiba tightens briefly, an approximation of reassurance that no one asked for. He can imagine the sort of expression Kaiba has right now -- the way the irritation creases his brows, the slight downward turn of his lips, the quiet embers burning cold behind blue eyes. ]
But that's gonna make victory taste that much fucking sweeter. Because you're gonna win, Kaiba. I know you are. You summoned a fucking god from the dirt. I mean, who fucking does that? I don't know anyone who can do that. Not even my creator.
[he doesn't know jack shit. and he almost tells him so, but he's too tired for that too.
gently letting kisara down on the floor and shooing her away -- she obeys without complaint -- he turns only his head to leer at tech over his shoulder. so needy, so clingy, almost from the start. he doesn't trust it, the claims that he cared. he suspects it only extends as far as his own welfare, chasing some fleeting high. just like one of his drugs.
not that he could blame him. in this place, getting by however you could meant doing whatever you could for as long as your sentence might last.]
Are we winning?
[a god from the dirt. what a wonderful parrot he was.]
We're still standing when this fucking place did its damnedest to tear us down. Isn't it winning?
[ He meets Kaiba's gaze, unflinching. Maybe this doesn't feel like a win. Maybe it only feels like a stalemate. But this place did it's best to break them both, and neither of them let it. It came hard. It came with everything and neither of them let it. They didn't escape unscathed, of course, but they're still standing.
And if Kaiba was wavering on that thought, Tech Boy wouldn't let him. He wouldn't let Kaiba lose. One loss is both of their losses -- at least from his perspective on this partnership. ]
What happens here and now is just a little time out. And you can be as pissed or upset or down as you want. I'm here to get you back in the game.
[kaiba just stares for a long, long moment, then says:]
You're pretty shitty at pep talks.
[which was the stone cold truth. effortlessly delivered by seto kaiba, once more.
but he does turn all the way over to face him. his eyes aren't quite as irritated as he might have expected; they're just dull, dreary. a deep, dark blue, as opposed to their usual hue, a much sharper sapphire. nor does he sound all that angry. just weary of wakefulness, roused from sleep too soon.]
Are you alright? Did you need me to look at anything?
[when in doubt, redirect. if in further doubt, redirect again. he'd rather not talk about himself. not this time.]
[ His arm loosens so Kaiba can easily turn and while he does, Tech Boy laughs, quiet and almost embarrassed. ]
Hey. Pep talks aren't meant to be my thing. That's all Media. But I'll give anything a try once where you're concerned.
[ Once Kaiba has resettled into his new position, Tech scoots closer to selfishly pull himself into his chest. ]
Sorry to say I'm still operating smoothly since the last time you tinkered. Nothing broken. You're too good at your work.
[ A light pat to Kaiba's chest. He settles for a moment in silence, contemplative. And then finally he speaks again. ]
Did I ever tell you I'm rooming with one of the guys Monika was also dating when we were together? I mean that part doesn't matter, but he's like this AI who thinks it's on him to 'fix the broken AI.' So like...
[ His grip tenses, a hint of anxiety. ]
I just have a feeling one of these days he's gonna try and kill me when he finds out what I did to her. I can probably stop him. If there's still tech in him, I can force stop his movements. But also it's like this clock ticking down on a bomb, you know? The whole situation's a fucking mess I wish I could just erase.
[ Eyes flicker toward Kaiba and he smiles with a bit of exhausted humor. ]
Can we just hurry up and find our way out of here, already?
[oh. cool. hugging is happening. definitely down for that. no problems there.
kaiba doesn't resist, though. as usual, tech gets his way, by virtue of being a big baby. operating smoothly, of course, except for the part where he was the most emotionally unstable individual he had met outside his own deceased brother. tech pats him, he pats back. really, what else could he do at this point? they sure were stuck with each other.
well, he can at least veto any monika discussion. not in his house, nor sir.]
I don't care about your boy troubles, Tech. Tell someone else.
[he dug his own grave. or her own grave. whatever. he waves it aside.]
But I will find a way out. It just might not be for both of us.
[ It's a disappointing response. One that should have been expected, but one that still hurts to hear. For as much as he knows what Kaiba has promised from the beginning -- that he's only out for himself here -- somewhere along the way Tech got some stupid hope that for as much as he has Kaiba's back, Kaiba might return the favor. As an investment or a part of their partnership at the least.
His eyes lower, but he swallows it back ultimately. It's just the way it goes and it doesn't do anyone any good to hope for something better. ]
A bridge we'll cross when we get there, I guess. I mean, it's more important you get out of here anyway.
[ His head withers to listen to the steady drum of Kaiba's heartbeat. It's easier to stomach his disappointment if he doesn't make eye contact. ]
because honestly, tech doesn't need to say a word for him to just know he's sulking about something. and he's the something, in this particular case. he's dealt with younger siblings; he knows how they tend to pout. it calls into question tech being older in any sense of the word. or being any more mature, when he continually pulls stunts like this.
so he reaches down and takes hold of his chin. firmly, but not harshly. more of a now you listen to me sort of grip.]
Do I need to rewire you? Make you less clingy, maybe?
[as if that were even possible. well, at least tech has his attention.]
I don't hate you, you moron. I don't even dislike you. So quit acting like I'm throwing you out like trash.
[ It's just this special Seto Kaiba talent apparently to know when something's amiss even when Tech tries to not bring it up. One of those things Tech both hates and likes about the guy. His head lifts because it's forced to -- and he really doesn't want to chance what those claws can do if he resists, but his eyes linger elsewhere. ]
That's not the issue, dude.
[ Although it's nice to hear that confirmation. 'I don't even dislike you' could be translated to 'I like you.' It's a clear step up from where they were a month ago. ]
I just wanted to think for as much as you've invested in me, you'd find a way to get me out with you and we'd find that solution together.
[ He shrugs. ]
I know. It's stupid. And it's not like I'm gonna blame you for taking any way out you can get, but...
[ He hadn't really thought about it up until now. He assumed there would be some portal or something they'd step through and it'd bring them to either of their worlds. Something like the backstage gods could travel through in his world. But now that Kaiba has asked that question, he realizes it's hit on something he has subconsciously wanted all along -- something that bled through into his words. He does want to tie his fate to Seto Kaiba, long after they serve their sentence here. ]
You are brilliance, innovation, everything I've searched for in my world. You're only eighteen and you surpassed everything my creator has done with his whole fucking life. Of fucking course I want to come back with you -- to see what you continue to bring to the world and where the future takes you.
[ His shoulders lift. ]
With you, I finally see fucking freedom.
[ No more Mr. World breathing down his neck, threatening to delete him. No more stupid war that he doesn't particularly care to fight. Just technology, advancements, evolution -- the way it should be, helmed by a single brilliant human with sometimes questionable sanity. ]
[well, he's not really sure if he has a problem with that. which might have been a problem in itself.
trying to get tech back to his own time would have been a problem. promising him things even he couldn't guarantee would have been a problem. feelings would have been a problem. and arguably there were feelings involved here, but tech makes a much better case for himself. appeals to logic rather than sentiment. the praise didn't hurt, of course.
he can respect the desire for freedom, to go beyond godhood. because the answer to his earlier question was and would always be human.]
I could use a dedicated admin for my global server...
[and tech would love it. it was what he was born to do, after all.]
But do you really hate your own world that much? Isn't there anything you'd leave behind?
[ His expression brightens after Kaiba's remark. He rolls onto his back, tucking a hand behind his head, eyes on the ceiling as he visualizes this future -- getting to just be, getting to feed off of a global network, and ultimately being there for every new creation and invention, helping Kaiba innovate the fuck out of his world.
That is what the god of technology is meant to be and it has been a very long time since he has felt such optimistic hope. In his current version, he's basically never felt it. ]
There's not a single thing for me back in my world. Before I got here, I was locked up by another god who planned to siphon me for my power. Everyone I've ever remotely cared about betrayed me. So I'm not leaving anything behind.
[ He says these things very matter-of-fact. It's not a ploy for sympathy. He doesn't want sympathy and doesn't expect it from Kaiba. But it's why it's been so easy to carry on with Kaiba, who had been upfront about the possibility of betrayal from the start. He could respect the lack of manipulation and outright honesty, even when honesty hurts. And it's why he would head to his world without hesitation, why Kaiba has earned his loyalty beyond hell. ]
[gods could die; he had seen it happen. but hooked into such a network, he's not so sure it could ever happen to tech. functional immortality seemed right up his alley.
he watches tech snap out his funk and it does please him on some level. he was positively insufferable whenever he got himself into a sulk, but borderline brilliant whenever those gears began to turn and he started to plot at warpspeed. because he hadn't lied, he really was capable of amazing things. master of the only religion he would ever abide.
it also gets him to forget about those two horns on his head, at least for a while.]
You are kind of a weakling. No offense.
[he thinks on it a moment longer, then declares with all his usual finality:]
Alright then. Assuming it's a straightforward solution, you can come along.
[what's the worst thing that could happen? he'd cling even harder? no harder than this, he thinks.]
[ He rolls his eyes at Kaiba's first remark, playfully dour. But his expression soon clears to something sincere -- a note of genuine happiness. Kaiba's not the only one in his world, either. Yugi would be there, too. So that's already two positives. ]
I've been anchored to the US for so long, it'll be nice to get a change of pace -- see Japan.
[ He shifts something in his programming to briefly talk in Japanese. ]
I can switch up languages, no problem. [ And back to English. ] So adapting will be a no brainer. I look forward to getting the grand tour of Kaiba Corp.
[ A softer smile. ]
And meeting Mokuba, so I can tell him all about how fucking cool his big brother was. The G-rated version. [ Wink. ]
You'll have to bone up on your manners. Funny as dropping f-bombs might be, it's not really how we do things over there.
[not even seto kaiba could get away with doing that. or he could, but he'd lose a lot of business.
but maybe this was for the best. it would keep tech quiet and he would no longer hear him harp and whine and bitch and moan about how mean he had been on any given day, at least not so much. he seemed satisfied and that's about all he can expect from such a flighty god. and he's satisfied too, if only in a selfish sense, always seeking efficiency.
the hold on his chin loosens, one of his hands pulling out a length of hair with distaste.]
And get a better haircut. No street thugs on my payroll.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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He visibly relaxes when it seems Kaiba's fine. Well. Mostly. At least he's not in outside peril. The peril he faces now is internal -- a slow-brewing mental torture that he shouldn't be facing alone. Tech frowns and follows where the whelp leads. ]
Does he know you came to get me?
[ Or is he about to be yelled at for showing up unannounced? He'll take it if he has to -- because honestly, it's nice to think the dragon thought of him. Even nicer, though, is the thought that Kaiba might have sent her himself... ]
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just as before, kaiba appears to have left his door open. that or a clever little beast found a way to prod it ajar. she politely waits for tech to catch up before nudging back into the suite. as to be expected, it's prim and proper and perfectly clean. one of the bedrooms was blocked off, presumably for privacy. what little privacy they actually had.
but kisara makes a beeline for the far bedroom, where sleeping beauty awaits. as in literally asleep, curled into himself. and true to his word, there's a nasty set of horns sprouting from his head. any blood has since dried, but they don't look natural -- big, black, sharp. they contrast with his clean clothes. prim and proper, just like the suite.
he doesn't even stir when kisara hops up, though maybe something heavier will do the trick.]
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Naturally, his eyes go to the horns. The crust of blood paints the picture of the pain Kaiba must have endured when they sprang out of his skull. Tech draws in a hitched breath, expression solemn. They would figure it out. He knows this. He's confident in it. Even if not by his hand, Kaiba would find a way to reverse it. That doesn't take away the fact that they're there for now, a stark reminder that this place could infect even the most stubborn, most brilliant of men.
Tech gently closes the door behind himself, and then circles the bed, coming to Kaiba's back. He kicks off his shoes and then eases onto the mattress to shamelessly slip an arm around him. If there's any credence in the fact that 'demonic features spread through contact,' Tech clearly doesn't care. It's a risk he'll take. It's a relief to see Kaiba mostly human again, but overall it's a relief to just see him. Period. ]
Hey...
no subject
he doesn't register that tech was touching him. not at first. so he talks to kisara and rubs over her horns as she purrs and purrs.]
Those look a lot better on you, huh?
[he's not stupid. he knows he's not alone. he's just tired.]
Dragons are beautiful, after all.
[yes, he knows he's there. that was too tongue in cheek otherwise.]
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Can't say I would have learned to appreciate them the same way until I met you.
[ It's playful. He props his elbow on the mattress, dropping his chin onto his palm. ]
She went on a little bit of a journey while you were asleep, you know.
[ Did he know? His eyes linger on the back of Kaiba's neck, unable to keep the stupid smile off his face. ]
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[well, no human had invited him in. the resident dragon didn't care so much, driven by no other reason but master seems sad.
he doesn't shift to face him. his features turn sullen. but he doesn't raise his voice, or hiss at him, or tell him to leave. it's pointless. it was always pointless to tell tech to leave him alone or to do anything other than what he wanted to do. it was probably why they were a good fit for each other and he hated that was the case.]
Didn't we already play big spoon, little spoon? Can't you find someone else to annoy?
no subject
[ He peeks over Kaiba's shoulder toward the dragon with gratitude before he resettles, arm slithering around Kaiba's torso to dangle there and head drooping against the pillow. ]
Sorry not sorry. You're always at the top of my list and of the highest priority.
[ An idle kiss is pressed against Kaiba's shoulder blade, eyes sweeping up toward the pointed tips of the horns. ]
They are pretty draconic -- the curvature and the angle. It doesn't take anything away from you...
[ And the unspoken behind that is: I don't think anything less of you. ]
no subject
[there it is, that flash of youth. stubborn, obstinate, rebellious.
it didn't hurt anymore. or at least not very much, not enough to notice. he holds the little dragon to his chest like some sort of security blanket or stuffed animal. things he was never allowed to have as a child. things he would've refused anyway, because he had to look after his brother.]
And I hate you. Just slightly less.
[he stays still. sitting like this, so close, he might poke him by mistake -- even if he deserved it.]
I hate everything here. And everyone else too.
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[ He says. Calm. To all of that. His gentle grip on Kaiba tightens briefly, an approximation of reassurance that no one asked for. He can imagine the sort of expression Kaiba has right now -- the way the irritation creases his brows, the slight downward turn of his lips, the quiet embers burning cold behind blue eyes. ]
But that's gonna make victory taste that much fucking sweeter. Because you're gonna win, Kaiba. I know you are. You summoned a fucking god from the dirt. I mean, who fucking does that? I don't know anyone who can do that. Not even my creator.
[ His eyes linger on the horns again. ]
You're still breathtaking, you know.
no subject
gently letting kisara down on the floor and shooing her away -- she obeys without complaint -- he turns only his head to leer at tech over his shoulder. so needy, so clingy, almost from the start. he doesn't trust it, the claims that he cared. he suspects it only extends as far as his own welfare, chasing some fleeting high. just like one of his drugs.
not that he could blame him. in this place, getting by however you could meant doing whatever you could for as long as your sentence might last.]
Are we winning?
[a god from the dirt. what a wonderful parrot he was.]
Is this what "winning" looks like?
no subject
[ He meets Kaiba's gaze, unflinching. Maybe this doesn't feel like a win. Maybe it only feels like a stalemate. But this place did it's best to break them both, and neither of them let it. It came hard. It came with everything and neither of them let it. They didn't escape unscathed, of course, but they're still standing.
And if Kaiba was wavering on that thought, Tech Boy wouldn't let him. He wouldn't let Kaiba lose. One loss is both of their losses -- at least from his perspective on this partnership. ]
What happens here and now is just a little time out. And you can be as pissed or upset or down as you want. I'm here to get you back in the game.
no subject
You're pretty shitty at pep talks.
[which was the stone cold truth. effortlessly delivered by seto kaiba, once more.
but he does turn all the way over to face him. his eyes aren't quite as irritated as he might have expected; they're just dull, dreary. a deep, dark blue, as opposed to their usual hue, a much sharper sapphire. nor does he sound all that angry. just weary of wakefulness, roused from sleep too soon.]
Are you alright? Did you need me to look at anything?
[when in doubt, redirect. if in further doubt, redirect again. he'd rather not talk about himself. not this time.]
no subject
Hey. Pep talks aren't meant to be my thing. That's all Media. But I'll give anything a try once where you're concerned.
[ Once Kaiba has resettled into his new position, Tech scoots closer to selfishly pull himself into his chest. ]
Sorry to say I'm still operating smoothly since the last time you tinkered. Nothing broken. You're too good at your work.
[ A light pat to Kaiba's chest. He settles for a moment in silence, contemplative. And then finally he speaks again. ]
Did I ever tell you I'm rooming with one of the guys Monika was also dating when we were together? I mean that part doesn't matter, but he's like this AI who thinks it's on him to 'fix the broken AI.' So like...
[ His grip tenses, a hint of anxiety. ]
I just have a feeling one of these days he's gonna try and kill me when he finds out what I did to her. I can probably stop him. If there's still tech in him, I can force stop his movements. But also it's like this clock ticking down on a bomb, you know? The whole situation's a fucking mess I wish I could just erase.
[ Eyes flicker toward Kaiba and he smiles with a bit of exhausted humor. ]
Can we just hurry up and find our way out of here, already?
no subject
kaiba doesn't resist, though. as usual, tech gets his way, by virtue of being a big baby. operating smoothly, of course, except for the part where he was the most emotionally unstable individual he had met outside his own deceased brother. tech pats him, he pats back. really, what else could he do at this point? they sure were stuck with each other.
well, he can at least veto any monika discussion. not in his house, nor sir.]
I don't care about your boy troubles, Tech. Tell someone else.
[he dug his own grave. or her own grave. whatever. he waves it aside.]
But I will find a way out. It just might not be for both of us.
no subject
His eyes lower, but he swallows it back ultimately. It's just the way it goes and it doesn't do anyone any good to hope for something better. ]
A bridge we'll cross when we get there, I guess. I mean, it's more important you get out of here anyway.
[ His head withers to listen to the steady drum of Kaiba's heartbeat. It's easier to stomach his disappointment if he doesn't make eye contact. ]
You have something to return to back home.
no subject
because honestly, tech doesn't need to say a word for him to just know he's sulking about something. and he's the something, in this particular case. he's dealt with younger siblings; he knows how they tend to pout. it calls into question tech being older in any sense of the word. or being any more mature, when he continually pulls stunts like this.
so he reaches down and takes hold of his chin. firmly, but not harshly. more of a now you listen to me sort of grip.]
Do I need to rewire you? Make you less clingy, maybe?
[as if that were even possible. well, at least tech has his attention.]
I don't hate you, you moron. I don't even dislike you. So quit acting like I'm throwing you out like trash.
no subject
That's not the issue, dude.
[ Although it's nice to hear that confirmation. 'I don't even dislike you' could be translated to 'I like you.' It's a clear step up from where they were a month ago. ]
I just wanted to think for as much as you've invested in me, you'd find a way to get me out with you and we'd find that solution together.
[ He shrugs. ]
I know. It's stupid. And it's not like I'm gonna blame you for taking any way out you can get, but...
[ Finally he makes eye contact. ]
...doesn't mean it won't still sting.
no subject
You want to come back with me...?
[getting out was all well and good. getting out together, going back to the same world, was a very different story.]
no subject
You are brilliance, innovation, everything I've searched for in my world. You're only eighteen and you surpassed everything my creator has done with his whole fucking life. Of fucking course I want to come back with you -- to see what you continue to bring to the world and where the future takes you.
[ His shoulders lift. ]
With you, I finally see fucking freedom.
[ No more Mr. World breathing down his neck, threatening to delete him. No more stupid war that he doesn't particularly care to fight. Just technology, advancements, evolution -- the way it should be, helmed by a single brilliant human with sometimes questionable sanity. ]
no subject
trying to get tech back to his own time would have been a problem. promising him things even he couldn't guarantee would have been a problem. feelings would have been a problem. and arguably there were feelings involved here, but tech makes a much better case for himself. appeals to logic rather than sentiment. the praise didn't hurt, of course.
he can respect the desire for freedom, to go beyond godhood. because the answer to his earlier question was and would always be human.]
I could use a dedicated admin for my global server...
[and tech would love it. it was what he was born to do, after all.]
But do you really hate your own world that much? Isn't there anything you'd leave behind?
no subject
That is what the god of technology is meant to be and it has been a very long time since he has felt such optimistic hope. In his current version, he's basically never felt it. ]
There's not a single thing for me back in my world. Before I got here, I was locked up by another god who planned to siphon me for my power. Everyone I've ever remotely cared about betrayed me. So I'm not leaving anything behind.
[ He says these things very matter-of-fact. It's not a ploy for sympathy. He doesn't want sympathy and doesn't expect it from Kaiba. But it's why it's been so easy to carry on with Kaiba, who had been upfront about the possibility of betrayal from the start. He could respect the lack of manipulation and outright honesty, even when honesty hurts. And it's why he would head to his world without hesitation, why Kaiba has earned his loyalty beyond hell. ]
no subject
he watches tech snap out his funk and it does please him on some level. he was positively insufferable whenever he got himself into a sulk, but borderline brilliant whenever those gears began to turn and he started to plot at warpspeed. because he hadn't lied, he really was capable of amazing things. master of the only religion he would ever abide.
it also gets him to forget about those two horns on his head, at least for a while.]
You are kind of a weakling. No offense.
[he thinks on it a moment longer, then declares with all his usual finality:]
Alright then. Assuming it's a straightforward solution, you can come along.
[what's the worst thing that could happen? he'd cling even harder? no harder than this, he thinks.]
no subject
I've been anchored to the US for so long, it'll be nice to get a change of pace -- see Japan.
[ He shifts something in his programming to briefly talk in Japanese. ]
I can switch up languages, no problem. [ And back to English. ] So adapting will be a no brainer. I look forward to getting the grand tour of Kaiba Corp.
[ A softer smile. ]
And meeting Mokuba, so I can tell him all about how fucking cool his big brother was. The G-rated version. [ Wink. ]
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You'll have to bone up on your manners. Funny as dropping f-bombs might be, it's not really how we do things over there.
[not even seto kaiba could get away with doing that. or he could, but he'd lose a lot of business.
but maybe this was for the best. it would keep tech quiet and he would no longer hear him harp and whine and bitch and moan about how mean he had been on any given day, at least not so much. he seemed satisfied and that's about all he can expect from such a flighty god. and he's satisfied too, if only in a selfish sense, always seeking efficiency.
the hold on his chin loosens, one of his hands pulling out a length of hair with distaste.]
And get a better haircut. No street thugs on my payroll.
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[ He wrinkles his nose when Kaiba tugs out a piece of hair. Like.....seriously??? The guy has seen Yugi and he's going to harp on his look? Geesh! ]
Uh, my appearance is digital. Thank you. I can change it on a whim. When my powers are running top shape. They don't here, obviously.
[ His hand drapes across his own stomach, fingers drumming against it. ]
But like if I'm on your payroll, you gonna expect me to call you Kaiba-sama outside the bedroom, too?
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fin~