[Open] [The thing with the daughter AU]

[note_atem]

Things on Atem's end had been quiet for a couple of days. He seemed to be struggling with something, though as per the usual, he wasn't letting on as to what it was. Yet somehow he tried to make things seem normal. As normal as they could be. But whatever it was, it had to do with his daughter Yuiko. You know. That cute adorable girl that appeared

Comments

Random's coin flipper said her :)

[whitewizardgirl]

Ryou's protective nature immediately changed once she heard the quiet crying from the little girl. She quickly became serious.

"What's wrong, sweetheart? Is he sick? Could you get a hold of your Tousan, Uncle Mokuba, or Isono-san?" Surely the little girl would have thought to call them first before she would called Ryou. It had her worried if she couldn't get a hold of Kaiba, let alone not Mokuba or Isono.

she's too cute not to

[note_atem]

The crying went on while Ryou spoke, the young girl too distraught to really stop herself. She clutched the phone tight, running a free hand across her face.

"I-Isono is here. Tou...tou-san is busy yelling at e-everyone and Un-uncle is America." She was sitting with the elder caretaker at the moment, the one she'd gotten the phone from. "Daddy's in surgery." She needed someone to reach out to. And once Isono had given her the phone with a slightly anxious feeling she'd called Ryou.

She has that effect.

[whitewizardgirl]

Surgery? Why would Atem need surgery? Must be something serious if Kaiba is yelling at everyone. Ryou picked up her coat from the hall.

"Can you tell me where you are sweetheart, or have Isono tell me? I can try to be there as soon as I can, all right?" She certainly didn't want to leave Yuiko alone to cry while her father was busy and Atem was possibly hurt or something.

[note_atem]

A few more sniffles and hiccups preceded her answer, having a hard time breathing just then. She'd been crying tremendously hard since this all had gone down.

"J-just at the Domino Hospital."

[whitewizardgirl]

"Okay, it's not far from where I am. I'll keep talking to you until I get there, okay?" She certainly didn't want to make Yuiko's feelings hurt worse by hanging up the phone when she was reaching out to her.

"How are you holding up, Yuiko? Are you feeling okay?"

[note_atem]

There was a watery noise of acceptance, something just shy of a whine, not that she could help it. The phone continued to be held tight against her face as she leaned against Isono. The man was still sitting by watching the situation carefully.

The question, however, seemed to spark another set of painfully deep sounding sobs. "I don't want daddy to die!"

[whitewizardgirl]

Ryou stiffed as she hurried as quickly as she could to Domino hospital. She could almost feel the echo within her heart of that awful car crash that took half her family. Her most precious family... Things could be repeating themselves again.

No, she couldn't think these thoughts, not at all. Atem and Yuiko weren't her family, and they weren't going to end up like they did.

Not if she had anything to say about it.

"Your daddy isn't going to die, sweetheart. Everything is going to be okay, all right?"

[note_atem]

"Everyone keeps saying that." Another small hiccup, the phone shaking in her grasp. Yes, everyone kept reassuring the tiny daughter of Kaiba that things would be alright. It was normal, for people to try and ease her. But it didn't seem like it was really working.

"But I don't know... no one will tell me what's happening." A few involuntary sniffles broke through, her breathing uneven as she wiped at her eyes again.

[whitewizardgirl]

"We'll find out together." She wanted to know what had happened to Atem to require him needing surgery of some sort. If not the doctors, she could hopefully get something from Kaiba or Isono, at least, come hell or high water from Kaiba's (no doubt) irate mood.

"No one keeps information from the most important person in your daddy's life, right?"

[note_atem]

"They shouldn't!" She found it hard to resist shouting this. Normally she wasn't really a harsh child. In this time she was finding it hard to hold on to the notion of being sweet when she felt so small and lost and kept out of the loop.

But being that way, she knew, wouldn't make her daddy very happy. In the end it just served to make her wilt in her chair next to Isono and begin to weep again. "I just wan-want him to be okay..."

[whitewizardgirl]

"He will be, Yuiko-chan. He will be." She continued talking to her as she entered the hospital emergency entrance, asking the nurses where Atem Mutou was. After learning, she basically flew up stairs to find Yuiko and Isono, a phone in her hand and her out of breath.

"Told you... I would be here... Yuiko-chan."

[note_atem]

Isono was immediately on his feet when someone rushed so quickly into the wing of the hospital where they were waiting. When he saw that it was Ryou he softened slightly, but still seemed on guard.

Yuiko on the other hand shoved the phone into his care before quite literally jumping from the chair she'd been sitting in and running over to the woman. She threw her arms around Ryou's legs and just began crying all over again.

[whitewizardgirl]

Ryou took a moment to catch her breath as she had been moving, quite literally, at a very fast pace from her apartment to the hospital, as well as up stairs without resting for a break in between.

"Sorry for startling you, Isono-san. I... I felt I needed to come here as soon as I could." She knelt down, pulling Yuiko into her arms instead, letting her cry into her shoulder while lifting her up to hold her closer. That's how her dad held her when she lost her mother and younger sister.

"Shh... it's all right, it's all right." She repeated soothingly, just trying to calm down Yuiko.

[note_atem]

Isono shook his head, readjusting his sunglasses. "It's fine." There wasn't a very big list of who could and couldn't be here right now, and as long as Yuiko wasn't in danger and had someone reassuring her, things would be alright. When that changed he'd do what he had to, but for now he just crossed his arms and looked on.

Yuiko wrapped her arms around Ryou and held on tight, crying into her shoulder. "What if it won't?" The child was terrified.

[whitewizardgirl]

"It will get better, Yuiko. Your Daddy... he's one of the strongest fighters in the world. I doubt something like this will keep him down for long." Ryou adjusted her in her arms so that she could sit down and get some tissues from her bag to wipe the child's eyes and face.

"Now, do you think you want to tell me what happened, before your daddy and everyone had to come here?"

[note_atem]

She didn't really care where she was being taken or placed, just as long as Ryou didn't let go of her. If she was going to be taken too far she was sure Isono would say something. So she just kept her eyes closed and remained firmly holding the other.

"H-he wasn't feeling well. But he doesn't l-like to talk about it." As usual for the man. Both of her father's were stubborn, Atem less than Kaiba, but it was never for good reason.