kaiba

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    Oh, how he was like the very thing he could only love. A dragon with snark and temper. Choosing to play logic then believing that something far more powerful was at play against his little game of a tournament.

    Pride was something the male strive, then again who didn’t strive for their pride? Cocky and far too full of himself, a slivering combination of something not easy to be broken, but so much fun to break down into small pieces. 

   ” Depends. Aren’t you the one who’s wandering around aimlessly. ” For the certain matter, he was probably going to assume that Kaiba thought him to be dear Ryou who was currently tucked deep inside of him. Considering the two, which would be Ryou, of them hadn’t spoken very often, he could be safe to play the part of Ryou, not that Seto would most likely be aware either of whom he really was, or what foul things he did in-between the games he ran. 

Practicality dictated the reach of his dominant appendage and the offered phone was accepted. The device was primitive compared to what he knew but the strangeness of it stemmed from the cleanness. He normally came across items like this in junk yards, rusted and worn. This one was smooth under his fingers; he didn’t need to remove his gloves to know that much. His image was flawlessly reflected in the platinum coating.

It took a few moments of swift exploration to navigate his way through the old style interface. He sent a text to explain his absence, words concise and reflective of his practical nature. A poet may have done the situation more justice or at least softened the abruptness of the news. Unwitting, his priority sated, he surrendered the phone he felt he no longer needed.

His headache was getting worse; what began as a faint natural nagging was now ringing loud in his ears. A torturous sound, one that wailed like a tuning fork for his ears alone, with a pitch that increased as they neared the lab. He swallowed, he endured and he refrained from scratching at the itch that took his skin. By the time they came to stand before the entry he had squeezed one eye shut and realization dawned. It wasn’t his mind that caused this silent agony but the marking on his face.

❝Should’ve expected that.❞ 

This was his first time being around such a concentrated pocket of old technology. His criminal brand was buffering uselessly. Receptive yet incompatible, the resulting jam a burden on a device already tampered with and broken. The invisible clash was so painful in this proximity that it bled him. Angular yellow edges now dotted with pinpricks of claret.

No sooner had he stepped out of the vehicle was it dismissed. Doors slammed and wheels screeched. The haste of the staff sparked by the scorching gaze of his host. A blue fire, impatient and burning, his wake was ashen and silent. He felt like a shadow, involuntarily connected and therefore in pursuit.

The entire situation was oddly nostalgic: falling into stride with a looming figure and the billowing tail of their white coat. He felt as if he were indulging one of Jack’s fits instead of walking with Yugi’s friend. It made him wonder if the relationship between the two was similar. Instead of asking he focused on the way ahead. His attention coincidentally directed there.

❝Gotta say you’ve mentioned this lab a few times but not why you want me there. Not like I brought my gear with me.❞ 

This posed the question: how much ‘help’ could Seto actually offer him? It seemed more likely that the CEO only had ambitions about helping himself.

Yusei kept the bulk of his apprehension to himself. The feeling guarded by the consistent resolve he wore like a heart on his sleeve. His smaller legs were also busy keeping a strict pace. Conditioned to keep up, not lag behind, he held himself as anyone’s equal. Distantly, in the back of his mind, he noticed himself falling prey to a slight headache.

Phone? Peh.

The topic of his own choosing, practical in essence. With a single sentence Kaiba had turned the situation on its head. He felt lead into his own trap, unaware of how something so innocent could even become one. Whether it had been done intentionally or not was another matter. If the smirk on the duelist’s face was any indication Yusei was ready to bank on the former. No one smirked at their opponent like that unless they were exactly where they wanted them.

He’d completely lost this hand.

❝I don’t know his number.❞ 

Admitting it aloud increased his sense of vulnerability and yet there was no point in denying the obvious. They both knew that he was dependent; he was away from the city, cut off from his friends and unable to communicate. As if his trust weren’t already being tested to the fullest he was asked to consider staying the night. He wondered if it was a genuine option or simply the way it would be.

So far his assessment of Kaiba’s character seemed accurate. The duelist was accustomed to having his way by whatever means necessary. Most people he’d met with money were averse to the word ‘no.’

Yusei’s mind was racing behind his collected exterior. Habitually turning corners, exploring every possible option. For now it seemed as though he would have to play along. A conclusion that furthered the knot in his brow. Two could play at this game. Kaiba hadn’t won the war. Determined, he then spoke.

The increasing distance between him and the city offered two kinds of clarity. Now the sky around them was unhindered. A dark expanse of inky black adorned with stars which bled into the distant tangerine glow of sunset. It hadn’t seemed nearly so late when the street lamps, skyscrapers and billboards illuminated the sidewalk. This very thought brought him to acknowledge his second realization: this was not the quick side trip he had been lead to believe.

❝I think you’re the kind that doesn’t like taking no for an answer.❞ 

Despite saying so Yusei reclined in his seat as if relaxed. His calmness denoted independence of will. He had no intention of giving in simply because it might be difficult.

When asked if he trusted Yugi the tone set by his eyes was solemn. Yugi was the reason he allowed Seto Kaiba the benefit of the doubt. Yugi was the reason he had seated himself in this lavish car, enduring veiled hostility. The scent of fresh leather still an assault on his senses, foreign and expensive, exhilarating and not.

❝I’ve already proven I do.❞ 

He held his breath for a moment before posing a genuine question.

Distantly he became aware that they were starting to leave the city behind. The buildings they passed were becoming smaller and less frequent. There were houses now, tiny pockets of suburbia, and he almost caught himself staring at the green open spaces after that. Whatever district they were heading to it was a far cry from the slums in which he’d been raised.

The sharp retort from Seto Kaiba was enough to refine his focus. His mind immediately began to race. Hundreds of scenarios habitually considered in split seconds. Each possibility deemed plausible or not, some thought through more than others. In the end he offered an ideal out of politeness; whether he trusted this duelist or not the CEO still warranted some respect as one of Yami’s friends.

❝I’d like to think you heard it from Yugi.❞

The fact that he was from the future seemed to be established. He was glad for that; trying to explain it always sounded ridiculous. It didn’t seem like a good idea to delve into time-machine technology with such a resourceful personality either. There was no doubt in his mind no by what Yami meant when he described Kaiba’s ups and downs. For all the potential this duelist promised Yusei could tell had the potential to be a serious danger if he so desired. All the more reason to stay on his game, composed. Underestimating one’s opponent was a fatal mistake at this level.

Outside the world was passing them by. Tall buildings and crowded sidewalks a mere blur in his peripherals. He didn’t know how much further they were going or how far away he was from his friends. Before that moment he hadn’t seen the point in obtaining a phone for this time period. It had seemed silly to bother when he wouldn’t be staying for long. Now, in hind sight, being without immediate contact was disconcerting.

❝Sounds like you’re pretty well informed. How’d you get this information?❞