9: Indefatigable
“Where are you dragging us today, pharaoh?” It was evening, but the sun would hang low on the horizon for a few hours yet and Kaiba wrapped his head in the gifted blue scarf.
“I believe it’s what Yuugi used to call ‘a date’.” Atem flashed a cheeky smile and was sporting a menagerie of golden finery fit for an outing in the public eye, much to Kaiba’s chagrin. He didn’t appreciate how the word ‘date’ settled on the tongue.
“We aren’t dating,” Kaiba immediately regretted the comment when Atem’s eyes glistened with hurt in a pleading puppy expression he recognized from Mokuba. He rolled for a constitution save in hopes of defusing one of their habitual petty squabbles. “That feels…” Cheap? Trite? Unnecessary? He settled on: “We’re above that.”
“I hope we are never above sharing an evening in each other’s company,” Atem’s face twisted up into a sly expression that made Kaiba’s cheeks burn. He meant to run his fingers through his hair but only got them caught in the scarf.
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“It’s a surprise,” Atem tapped his feet on the stone floor, settling into his gaudy slippers fit only for being carried to his destination.
"I don't like surprises."
“You will enjoy this one,” Atem said, but Kaiba was left unconvinced. Playing into his schemes was a losing gamble. He leaned up to cup his cheek with one hand and bring their faces together. “If you don’t I promise to make it up to you.”
Kaiba hoped the evening would prove suitably disastrous.
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