Rating: T - M in later chappies.

Disclaimer: its Takahashi’s universe, I’m only playing in it. and i don't own the ice-cream flavors either!

Warnings/Spoilers: only if you haven’t seen the end. This is based off the Americanized Anime.

AN: I realize it's been a while, but i just can't get motivated lately so i waited until i at least started the next chapter before posting this. and i should have elaborated more, I know, but I kept it short for a reason. It’ll take a while to get there, but there is a reason… I think… ^^’

Ch: 2 - A Simple Night

“Very good My King, I did not have to remind him who to serve. He acknowledges your strength and shall fight willingly beside you.” A very familiar voice said to his left as the ball of brilliant blue energy circled the sandy training ground, the blank tablets lying in wait before shooting up and passing through the ceiling.

He fought to keep the smile off his face at her praise as he turned, gasping at the sight of her. The headscarf hid her hair well, but he’d recognize those sky-blue eyes anywhere. Her dress was almost like the one Ishizu wore in Battle City; clean simple linen accentuating every curve, the overlap in the skirt showing off those shapely legs. The clasps and chains weren’t gold, but silver, dark lapis beads hanging from the chains. Instead of the wide gold collar, all she wore was a single simple pendant of moonstone.

He couldn’t fight the blush at the honest smile she gave; turning away he felt it deepen as he called up the words, “I would be honored if you would accompany me for dinner Priestess.”

Jumping at her soft giggle, he spun to find her merriment shining in her eyes as she held out her hand, “As My King wishes.”

“Nakia,” he softly smiled back as he took her hand.

Only to find he had the key halfway out of the ignition.

“What the hell…” he dropped the keys at his feet, “What’s Nakia got to do with that Ancient Egyptian nonsense?” Pressing his forehead into the steering wheel he mumbled the rest, “…. she wasn’t there….”

“Thanks for letting Yugi call us Kia,” Wheeler’s obnoxious accent cut across his thoughts.

Raising his head, Seto could only stare as Kia walked with Yugi and his geek squad out of the privacy gate. “Don’t sweat it Joey, I asked if there were gonna be roomies. It wouldn’t make sense if he did it all himself.”

Seto smirked along with the others as Joey nervously rubbed his neck, but he jumped at Kia’s giggle as she turned to Yugi, “So call me when you’ve got everything figured out.”

Squeezing his eyes shut, Seto grabbed the wheel before turning away. ‘Why?!?’ the thought made him turn back, watch them go their separate ways, ‘Why does seeing her with Yugi make me feel like this?… I can’t…’ He growled, “I don’t have to.”

Kia laughed as she opened the door, “This is the slowest strip show I’ve ever seen.” Seto barely fought off the blush as he stood there in his blue dress shirt with the white suit pants, his coat relocated with his tie, a plain paper bag in hand. “So you actually own some after all. Is this your deep dark secret?” She giggled as she let him in, going for the phone on the end table.

“You said no reservations,” Seto said, shocked to hear her ordering food.

Kia covered the receiver, “I said if you don’t show up in blue jeans I’m not going; never said we couldn’t stay in. So what do you want?”

“This is ridiculous. I didn’t clear my schedule just to sit around and do nothing!” Seto growled, turning back to the still open door.

“No Seto, this is normal.” Kia answered just as harshly, “I’m not your beck and call girl Seto. We’re gonna be business partners now. If that’s the way you want it between us you can just go.” she turned heading into the kitchen, “Bedroom’s at the end of the hall.”

He just stared at the door, ’Is that all she is…’ thoughts of what he witnessed at the gate, those feelings came back as she stepped back in the room. He quickly closed and locked the door before turning to the hallway. Closing the bedroom door he thought he was hearing things, that same giggle from before barely ghosted his ears. Leaving his shirt untucked, his slacks draped over the end of the bed, he smirked in the mirror as he rolled up the sleeves. The collar open down to just above his heart, locket now outside it, he raked his fingers through his hair a few times before going back out.

“You sure changed your mind quick for someone who’s so…” was left hanging as Kia turned around, blatantly staring at him in those so tight, ultra-faded blue jeans, the shirt that perfectly matched his eyes halfway open. That patented smirk graced his lips as he rounded the couch, breaking her view and her stare.

Kia shook her head sharply before she joined him, one leg bent up on the couch so she was facing him. Putting one leg up on the other knee, Seto let the smirk fall as he stared at the TV, “So?”

She didn’t stop watching, flinch or turn away at that cold tone. “They asked how we knew each other, so I told them about that dinner party when we were 13.”

“Mokie and the paper jumping frogs.” **

She smiled softly, her gaze falling, “Yeah, and they said something about us being friends just because of Mokuba. I told them I’m closer to you than Mokuba.”

He huffed, “Like they believed you.”

“Joey wouldn’t believe I’m your friend period, let alone that it’s been so long,” he turned to her with his glare. “I just looked him in eye and said, ‘What you can’t believe is Seto’s had a friend longer than you have. We didn’t see each other a lot, but we were and still are friends. He was forced to grow up way too soon Joey, just taking care of Mokuba long before they were adopted. I’ve seen what Seto was put through and it just makes me admire him even more knowing he made it through, beat that bastard at his own game.’”

The glare slipped with each word, surprise shining through. She just watched him as the stunned silence was cut through by the doorbell. Smiling, Kia hopped up, completely ignoring him reaching for his wallet as she answered the door. Joking and laughing with the delivery guy, Kia kept ignoring Seto as he stepped up, “Just put it on my tab, Eric. And give yourself five percent.”

The delivery guy laughed as he nodded at Kaiba, before turning down the hall, “Sure thing, have fun you two!”

Turning around with the pizza box in her hands, Kia put on an exaggerated smile as she turned and sat back on the couch. “Don’t tell me you’ve got a credit card on record at a pizza joint?” Seto grumbled as he stood beside her.

“Oh please, it’s only 7 blocks from here,” she started, pulling one of the smaller pieces first, “Besides, it’s not even my card. Pegasus gave it to me years ago to cover my ‘travel expenses’, it’s not my fault he never questions the transactions.” Seto chuckled as she stood with her pizza hanging out of her mouth as she headed back towards the kitchen, “You know I can’t have alcohol, so all I‘ve got is water and soda. Well I‘ve got more, but believe me orange juice and pizza don‘t mix.”

------------------

It felt so strange to be sitting here like this. When Kia came back with their drinks and some napkins, she turned on the TV and just started flipping until she caught the time off one of the news stations and immediately turned it to channel 4, declaring; ‘You’ll like it, he’s even more arrogant and condescending than you with a twisted sense of humor.’ He tried to talk her out of it, but she just stuck the remote between her legs and told him ‘Just shut up and watch. If you don’t like it take a nap.’

He didn’t.

She did.

So there he was, stuck watching some forty-some year old sitcom with Kia curled up against him, her left arm draped across his waist.

His right arm across her shoulders.

He couldn’t remember when he’d done it, all he knew was he didn’t want to move it. Turning to look at her, the smell of orange blossoms washed over him and before he knew it he was burying his nose in her hair. Feeling Kia sigh contentedly, he smiled softly into her hair, his left hand coming to rest on her arm.

“Why?”

He froze as that little whisper shot straight at him. But Kia just tightened her hold. ‘The one thing I’ve been asking myself for over an hour now and she wants an answer.’ he stopped watching the stupid pranks and just stared at the coffee table, ‘That’s just it… I don’t know…'

He almost jumped as Kia pulled away, finding him staring again. “You don’t have to Seto,” she smiled softly when he turned to her, “If you don’t want to.” Seto’s gaze snapped right back to the table.

Biting her tongue to hold back the laugh, Kia’s smile got a bit bigger as she stood up, offering him a hand, “Chunky Monkey or Phish Food?”

** www wikiHOW.COM/Make-an-Origami-Bunny I know the link says bunny, but the instructions for the frog are the 2 leg folds go in the other direction and this link has the best visuals. I’m sure you know how to fix the link too.

AN: 500 Life Points to the ones who recognize the TV shows.