Ficlet: Another Detour
I wrote this years ago, and never ended up posting it. So to kick off my next YGO fanfic, I figured this was good a time as any to unearth it.
Part 2 of 2 of a prologue of sorts to my "Life With Kai-baby and Yami-kins" series. Follows right after “ A Detour.”
Another Detour
Last time Kaiba had run into Yami by chance by the game shop's garbage bins. This time, the so-called "King of Games" was strolling along on the sidewalk, eyes forward, hands stuffed in his pockets.
Kaiba jerked his red Ferrari sharply towards the bike lane, barely missing grazing the curb by inches. He rolled the passenger side window at the same time. "Hey!"
Yami's eyes were wide with surprise, making him look almost like Yugi, as he reflexively leapt back from the curb. He looked as if he'd been about to get plowed over by a reckless driver. "Kaiba? What are you doing?"
Hmm... what AM I doing? Kaiba wondered. He'd spotted Yami and pulled over, completely forgetting about the fact that he'd been on his way to a do an on-radio interview. Kaiba shook his head. "What about you?"
Now over his shock, Yami stepped closer to the car and leaned a little on the window, so he wouldn't have to yell against the sound of the passing cars. "Just going to get lunch."
Kaiba's fingers drummed against the steering wheel for a beat or two. His eyes sought out the time, then he glanced back at Yami. "Need a lift?"
Yami looked down the street, then back at Kaiba. "Not really. It's only a few blocks anyhow. I walk there all the time."
The brunette rolled his eyes. "WANT a lift?"
Yami considered it, then smiled. "Well, if you put it that way..."
Kaiba threw open the door. Yami got in.
"Where to?"
"Teriyaki place in the strip mall right over there," Yami said, gesticulating at a parking lot nearby. "Told you it's close."
Kaiba nodded and merged back into traffic, then pulled over a lane to make the turn into the plaza. "Your uniform for the game shop is as hideous as ever," Kaiba added, though his eyes were more on Yami's hair as the ridiculous mass of spikes swayed in the breeze from the open window.
Yami looked down at his shirt - he'd cut off the sleeves and cropped it, but it was the same loud green shirt he'd been wearing last time they'd seen each other - then burst into laughter. "Did you have lunch yet?" he asked when he finally got his laughter under control, as Kaiba pulled into a nearby parking space.
"No."
"Want to?"
You don't have time. You're going to be late, Kaiba's brain told him over and over. But when he opened his mouth to reply, the word that came out was, "Okay," and as if in agreement, his hands threw the car into park and even turned off the engine. Goddamn it!
"Don't worry, it'll be quick," Yami promised, as if Kaiba had announced all his thoughts out loud. "I have to bring back lunch for Jii-chan too."
"Hn."
The place really was a hole in the wall. Plain beige walls and linoleum, plain faded black tables and vinyl covered chairs, a homemade menu on the rear wall above the counter where customers placed their order. Kaiba wasn't sure if food from a place like this was even edible, but Yami didn't seem to share his doubts. He went right to the counter, where the proprietess greeted him like he was a regular - given the proximity to the game shop, he probably was.
"Kaiba, what do you want?" Yami asked after rapidly rattling off his order to the cashier. "My treat."
"Why would I need you to pay?" Kaiba asked. He wasn't really hungry but found himself reaching for his wallet anyway; he had agreed to lunch after all.
"It's to thank you for driving," Yami said, holding up his hand. "Please."
Kaiba grudgingly put his wallet away after a slight hesitation. He didn't get it - he'd driven about 50 feet - but Yami had said please and so he wasn't going to press the issue further. "A beef teriyaki, I guess."
The lady added it to the order, Yami paid, and then he followed Kaiba to the table in the rear of the small dining area, right by the kitchen.
They sat in awkward silence for a few minutes before Yami finally had it with staring out the window and said, "So what's with the drive-bys past the shop? Stalk much?"
"Don't flatter yourself. I have better things to do."
Yami smirked. "But still... you agreed to lunch."
"I didn't have to."
"No, you didn't," Yami agreed.
The food came out, housed in styrofoam containers, along with Yami's to-go order. The ex-spirit immediately began tucking into his food while Kaiba stared uncertainly at his. He really didn't care about lunch, but he'd agreed to it and Yami had paid, and it was awkward just sitting there in silence watching Yami eat, so after a slight bit more hesitation Kaiba picked up his chopsticks and started picking at his plate as well.
Although the situation was unfamiliar, lunch wasn't unpleasant. The food was acceptable - nothing fancy, but not bad. Yami was more preoccupied with eating than talking, but it was nice just having someome to sit with. If it wasn't for the relentless ticking of the clock, Kaiba might even say he was enjoying himself, but he couldn't help but count each second as it passed by.
Yami finally caught Kaiba glancing at the clock. He took a final bite, shut the lid on his lunch, and laced his fingers under his chin as he studied the other teen. "I know you're busy; I have to get back too, before Jii-chan's order gets cold."
Kaiba nodded and began standing up.
Yami shoved his leftovers in the to-go bag, then stood up as well. "Thanks for lunch."
Isn't that my line? Kaiba wondered. After all, Yami had paid. But Kaiba simply nodded, unsure of what else to say.
They headed back out to the car, but instead of getting in, Yami paused at the door when Kaiba threw it open. "I guess you need to get back to work. So I can walk..."
"No. I said I'd drive you, so I'll drive you."
"Kaiba, it's just 2 blocks."
"I said I'll drive you!" Kaiba yelled, louder than intended. Shit... I'm late!
Yami sighed. They were both wasting time bickering about it... time that could be better used to getting back to their respective jobs. So he got in without further argument.
They didn't say anything else on the short drive back. Kaiba pulled in to the little parking lot beside the shop and struggled for something better than "Bye." He wouldn't mind doing it again - having lunch - but he didn't know when he'd have time for it, nor how he would explain it if Yami were to ask him why he was interested in doing so.
"Maybe we can do this again sometime," Yami said as he began getting out of the car.
Ah. It was much easier to go along with that than to initiate anything in return. "Maybe."
Yami grinned broadly. "See you around." And then the crimson-eyed teen stepped back, letting Kaiba close the door, before disappearing back into the game shop.
The young CEO drummed his fingers on the steering wheel a moment, digesting everything that had happened in the last twenty minutes, then he pulled his car back onto the city streets, speeding towards his destination. If he really hurried he could still make it on time... but for some reason the thought of being late no longer weighed on him the way it had earlier.
Part 2 of 2 of a prologue of sorts to my "Life With Kai-baby and Yami-kins" series. Follows right after “ A Detour.”
Another Detour
Last time Kaiba had run into Yami by chance by the game shop's garbage bins. This time, the so-called "King of Games" was strolling along on the sidewalk, eyes forward, hands stuffed in his pockets.
Kaiba jerked his red Ferrari sharply towards the bike lane, barely missing grazing the curb by inches. He rolled the passenger side window at the same time. "Hey!"
Yami's eyes were wide with surprise, making him look almost like Yugi, as he reflexively leapt back from the curb. He looked as if he'd been about to get plowed over by a reckless driver. "Kaiba? What are you doing?"
Hmm... what AM I doing? Kaiba wondered. He'd spotted Yami and pulled over, completely forgetting about the fact that he'd been on his way to a do an on-radio interview. Kaiba shook his head. "What about you?"
Now over his shock, Yami stepped closer to the car and leaned a little on the window, so he wouldn't have to yell against the sound of the passing cars. "Just going to get lunch."
Kaiba's fingers drummed against the steering wheel for a beat or two. His eyes sought out the time, then he glanced back at Yami. "Need a lift?"
Yami looked down the street, then back at Kaiba. "Not really. It's only a few blocks anyhow. I walk there all the time."
The brunette rolled his eyes. "WANT a lift?"
Yami considered it, then smiled. "Well, if you put it that way..."
Kaiba threw open the door. Yami got in.
"Where to?"
"Teriyaki place in the strip mall right over there," Yami said, gesticulating at a parking lot nearby. "Told you it's close."
Kaiba nodded and merged back into traffic, then pulled over a lane to make the turn into the plaza. "Your uniform for the game shop is as hideous as ever," Kaiba added, though his eyes were more on Yami's hair as the ridiculous mass of spikes swayed in the breeze from the open window.
Yami looked down at his shirt - he'd cut off the sleeves and cropped it, but it was the same loud green shirt he'd been wearing last time they'd seen each other - then burst into laughter. "Did you have lunch yet?" he asked when he finally got his laughter under control, as Kaiba pulled into a nearby parking space.
"No."
"Want to?"
You don't have time. You're going to be late, Kaiba's brain told him over and over. But when he opened his mouth to reply, the word that came out was, "Okay," and as if in agreement, his hands threw the car into park and even turned off the engine. Goddamn it!
"Don't worry, it'll be quick," Yami promised, as if Kaiba had announced all his thoughts out loud. "I have to bring back lunch for Jii-chan too."
"Hn."
The place really was a hole in the wall. Plain beige walls and linoleum, plain faded black tables and vinyl covered chairs, a homemade menu on the rear wall above the counter where customers placed their order. Kaiba wasn't sure if food from a place like this was even edible, but Yami didn't seem to share his doubts. He went right to the counter, where the proprietess greeted him like he was a regular - given the proximity to the game shop, he probably was.
"Kaiba, what do you want?" Yami asked after rapidly rattling off his order to the cashier. "My treat."
"Why would I need you to pay?" Kaiba asked. He wasn't really hungry but found himself reaching for his wallet anyway; he had agreed to lunch after all.
"It's to thank you for driving," Yami said, holding up his hand. "Please."
Kaiba grudgingly put his wallet away after a slight hesitation. He didn't get it - he'd driven about 50 feet - but Yami had said please and so he wasn't going to press the issue further. "A beef teriyaki, I guess."
The lady added it to the order, Yami paid, and then he followed Kaiba to the table in the rear of the small dining area, right by the kitchen.
They sat in awkward silence for a few minutes before Yami finally had it with staring out the window and said, "So what's with the drive-bys past the shop? Stalk much?"
"Don't flatter yourself. I have better things to do."
Yami smirked. "But still... you agreed to lunch."
"I didn't have to."
"No, you didn't," Yami agreed.
The food came out, housed in styrofoam containers, along with Yami's to-go order. The ex-spirit immediately began tucking into his food while Kaiba stared uncertainly at his. He really didn't care about lunch, but he'd agreed to it and Yami had paid, and it was awkward just sitting there in silence watching Yami eat, so after a slight bit more hesitation Kaiba picked up his chopsticks and started picking at his plate as well.
Although the situation was unfamiliar, lunch wasn't unpleasant. The food was acceptable - nothing fancy, but not bad. Yami was more preoccupied with eating than talking, but it was nice just having someome to sit with. If it wasn't for the relentless ticking of the clock, Kaiba might even say he was enjoying himself, but he couldn't help but count each second as it passed by.
Yami finally caught Kaiba glancing at the clock. He took a final bite, shut the lid on his lunch, and laced his fingers under his chin as he studied the other teen. "I know you're busy; I have to get back too, before Jii-chan's order gets cold."
Kaiba nodded and began standing up.
Yami shoved his leftovers in the to-go bag, then stood up as well. "Thanks for lunch."
Isn't that my line? Kaiba wondered. After all, Yami had paid. But Kaiba simply nodded, unsure of what else to say.
They headed back out to the car, but instead of getting in, Yami paused at the door when Kaiba threw it open. "I guess you need to get back to work. So I can walk..."
"No. I said I'd drive you, so I'll drive you."
"Kaiba, it's just 2 blocks."
"I said I'll drive you!" Kaiba yelled, louder than intended. Shit... I'm late!
Yami sighed. They were both wasting time bickering about it... time that could be better used to getting back to their respective jobs. So he got in without further argument.
They didn't say anything else on the short drive back. Kaiba pulled in to the little parking lot beside the shop and struggled for something better than "Bye." He wouldn't mind doing it again - having lunch - but he didn't know when he'd have time for it, nor how he would explain it if Yami were to ask him why he was interested in doing so.
"Maybe we can do this again sometime," Yami said as he began getting out of the car.
Ah. It was much easier to go along with that than to initiate anything in return. "Maybe."
Yami grinned broadly. "See you around." And then the crimson-eyed teen stepped back, letting Kaiba close the door, before disappearing back into the game shop.
The young CEO drummed his fingers on the steering wheel a moment, digesting everything that had happened in the last twenty minutes, then he pulled his car back onto the city streets, speeding towards his destination. If he really hurried he could still make it on time... but for some reason the thought of being late no longer weighed on him the way it had earlier.