Chapter 11
Every evening for the past two months Tristan had left the house on his bike at exactly six o'clock. He would return to the house four hours later, entering into the kitchen just as the grandfather clock in the hallway was striking ten. As strange as this was the real problem with it was the fact he could never remember anything which had happened to him during those four hours. He was seriously worried it had something to do with his memory problem, but Kaiba assured him the Chip was working fine and, although concerned about his partner's inexplicable memory loss, didn't think it had anything to do with his long standing problem. But in all honesty the thought it had something to do with anything else just made Tristan edgy and returning home to hear the clock strike ten after another four hour blackout left a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach.
'What, no hello?'
Jumping, he turned to see Kaiba watching him as best he could from the kitchen table. Leaning comfortably back in his chair, with a soft smile on his face and the top buttons of his black shirt casually undone, it was hard to imagine anything further removed from the austere Seto Kaiba the rest of the world saw. But then again this was his Kaiba, his lover and his friend.
'So, are you going to say he hello to me or not?'
'Hey,' he couldn't help but smirk slightly.
'Is that it?' He pouted.
'You wanted me to say hello, so I did.'
'Yes, but I didn't want you to say hello like that.'
'Really? And just how did you want me to say hello?'
'I think you know,' he gave him a covert look.
Laughing slightly, he slinked his way towards him.
'Hello,' he grinned, before leaning down to kiss him deeply. 'Better?'
'Much,' his lover gave a light little laugh. 'So do you remember where you were this time?'
'No,' he sighed, shaking his head, 'and it's really starting to get to me.'
'Hmm…' Kaiba pressed his lips together. 'You know I was wondering if maybe I should come with you next time.'
'Come with me?'
'Yeah, you know to see where it is you go.'
'See where I go?'
'You know what I mean,' he rolled his eyes.
'Okay, but who'll look after CiCi and Damon if you're not here?'
'I'm sure Taylor won't mind. If not we could always leave them at Catilin's a little longer tomorrow.'
'Wait, aren't they going to Joey's tomorrow?'
'Change of plans, apparently the whole Lutoni brood has suddenly decided to try their hand at being Kaibas,' Kaiba shook his head in amusement.
'What do you mean?'
'I mean, something's going on and they won't even let Yugi in on it.'
'That's odd.'
'I know. But if that's how they want to be, then let them. I mean, we can't really talk, can we?'
'Well considering you just compared them to us,' Tristan smirked. 'You don't seem very concerned.'
'When do I ever,' he shrugged, 'and besides, you know as well as I do we'll be involved eventually, that's just the way it goes.'
'Again, shouldn't that be a cause for concern?'
'Probably, but I'm not going to let it bother me.'
'Why not?'
'Because,' he leaned up to kiss him, 'it's our anniversary tomorrow and we have the whole house to ourselves, all day.'
'Oh yeah,' Tristan chuckled, as he kissed him back, 'I'd almost forgotten about that.'
'And what's better is that Taylor agreed to drop CiCi and Damon off for us, so we don't have to get out of bed if we don't want to.'
'Now that sounds like my kind of day,' he kissed him again. 'So remind me, exactly what we're still doing up?'
Taylor's heart had leapt in fearful excitement when he'd read the note his Dad had pushed under his door about dropping his cousins off at the Northern Palace instead of the Southern. His excitement quickly turned to disappointment, however, when he arrived to see Drake sat in the courtyard talking privately with Hazelnut. Trying to hide his hurt, he quickly ushered his charges in and headed towards the main hall which lay somewhere within the right side of the palace.
Unfortunately for him he hadn't been to the Northern Palace too often and quickly found himself lost within the maze of corridors. Sighing heavily, he stopped and turned towards CiCi.
'You've been here more than once, right?'
'Uh-huh,' she nodded.
'So any idea how to get to the main hall from here?'
'You passed it about five minutes ago,' she giggled.
'And you didn't think to tell me, because?'
'Because we're Kaibas,' her eyes shone with a knowing kind of glee, 'and anyway, I needed to pay you back for yesterday.'
'I thought we were already even.'
'You thought wrong,' her milky blue eyes gave him an almost deadly sideways glance.
'Okay then,' he rolled his eyes, 'lead the way CiCi.'
'Why?'
'Because I say so.'
'You should do what Tay says CiCi,' Damon grinned up at his sister, 'Ulk Seto put him in charge.'
'Meh meh meh meh meh meh,' she childishly mimicked.
'You're mean,' he pouted.
'And you're a Hateling.'
'Ulk Seto said you shouldn't call me that.'
'Well Ulk Seto's not here, is he?'
'I'll tell him you called me a Hateling CiCi, then you'll be in big trouble.'
'Just try it Hateling,'
'Guys, please,' Taylor interrupted them, 'can you please remember that you're Kaibas?'
'Fine,' she pouted, folded her arms and made her way forward. 'Follow me.'
Starting after her and with Damon in tow, it didn't take long for the three of them to reach the main hall. Not really in the mood to exchange pleasantries with the Silkoneon queen, he left his cousins with her and made a quick exit. Just as he was leaving the palace grounds, however, a hand caught hold of his.
'You're not leaving just yet, are you?' Drake's voice sounded quietly from behind him. 'Only I wanted to spend a little time with you today.'
