Chapter 2: Royalle's POV
"Where are they? They are actually a bit late?" I giggled at the thought of the 'Great Seto Kaiba' showing up late and apologizing. Then I sighed remembering that I was only a lowly, middle class girl that he looked down upon like he did to almost everyone else in the world.
I had my hair tied back in a normal ponytail, but I did put in a couple hair accessories...Only Ra knows why. I had even changed out of my T-shirt and Jeans. Wearing 'girl clothes' was not something I normally did often. This long skirt was comfortable, but I did like my jeans... I had decided against a coat, it was spring in Domino City after all... 'Though I doubt he would ever...' My thoughts were suddenly cut off as I saw a flash of light gleam off the sparkling finish of the Kaiba's limousine. I quickly got out of the small table booth I was in and rushed out the door. Waving to the owner of my café as I heard the tingle of the bells attached to the door as it swung closed slowly.
Untidy-haired Mokuba happily opened the door for me and ran over to hug me as he got out. Seto was still inside, of course. I gave him a warm smile and hug back as he lead the way to the door and waited for me to get in. His happy sparkling green eyes were such a nice sight to see after a hectic morning of poor, sick, yowling cats. I crawled inside to sit across from the man himself. His silky brown hair was all in place as it should be, his clothes had not a single crease or stain, and of course he wore his small necklace pendant. It held a picture of the one closest to his heart and had always drawn my attention as much as his Icy blue eyes...Just then I looked to his face. 'Wait a minute, am I just seeing things or do I see something close to the happy sparkle Mokuba has in Seto's eyes? And is his expression... is it...more pleased looking than normal?'
He must have noticed a puzzled expression on my face for he said, "Is there a problem? Why are you looking at me as if we don't know each other?"
I heard a soft giggle from Mokuba as I looked away from them both and out the window so he would not see the slight colour that had risen to my cheeks.
"There is no problem." I said a little more icily than I had first intended.
There was no reply from either of them as the car rolled along the road with Seto across from me and Mokuba beside his brother. Then Mokuba broke the silence with his voice, "Nii-sama, I think we should go to the newest Pizza place in town! I've heard good things about it from kids at school!" The sparkle in his eyes was still there, if a bit dimmer than a few moments ago as he had his hands on his knees looking at his brother. I looked to Seto, his serious demeanour was still lingering, but his eyes were softer as he nodded to his brother. He pressed a button on a small panel next to him and spoke into a small speaker "Take us to the new Pizza Restaurant" The reply was from the familiar voice of their trusted driver, "Yes, Kaiba-sama"
"We'll be there in a few minutes. Traffic is not at its best during peak lunch hours in that part of town, but we'll get there before lunch is even half over." He was looking at me as he spoke with his arms and legs crossed, purely professional I reminded myself. But his eyes were not completely icy, and his gaze had lingered on me for a bit before he turned his attention to other things.
I hadn't realized that I was still looking at him until Mokuba began to ask me if I had already been to the new Pizza place. I grinned at him, "Oh you know me, I'm far to busy to travel that far into town just to get Pizza. And today was my work experience day this week. But I got after lunch off today because my boss said that there wasn't as much to do this Saturday. Besides, she thinks my extra volunteer hours would make up for any work I'd miss"
"Yeah, you are just about as busy as nii-sama is! And you both work so hard!" he laughed, "I'm happy to spend time with both of you so much." I swear I heard a bit of emphasis on the 'both' part of the sentence. But I could be wrong, right? I heard the soft clicking of Seto's keyboard keys. No doubt he was working on something for KC again, his computer on his lap and his mind working wonders. I wish he'd not work so hard all the time..."
Suddenly his eyes were lit up, "Wow! Does that mean you can spend the rest of the day with me then?" Mokuba seemed so excited. His expression beaming and his eyes sparkled. Mokuba was always so happy. It was nice to be around someone like him.
"Now that depends on what your brother here thinks" We both looked over to him. Mokuba had pulled out the big guns, his puppy look. I tried not to laugh, no one can resist that.
Seto paused his typing to look at us. He settled his gaze on me, I'm assuming to avoid Mokuba's look, and smirked, "You seem decent enough; you've even dressed like a normal person today. I'm sure if you were going to corrupt my little brother's mind you would have tried to do so already."
'So he did notice?' were my thoughts.
"Heh, so I take it that your answer is a yes then?" I aimed a playful smirk at him. This was always a fun game to play.
"Well, you have at least half a brain. Decoding what I say should not be a difficult task for you."
"Ha, I may not have my own company. But I intend on earning my own specialized practice with good old fashioned hard work. Once I'm done getting fully educated of course."
He packed up his computer, set it aside, and with his elbows on his knees leaned forward and looked into my face with a grin, "I'm sure you'll get what you want, eventually. And hearing you say that you'll work for it is good as well. But I already have my own company. I have worked hard rebuilding it from what it once was. And it is what it is today because of what I've done and decided on my own. I had help from no one getting what I have."
'Oh, so it's a blow to my pride? Teasing me about being middle class and sponsorship from my Band again?'
I also leaned forward and smirked, "Yes, and I know you have made a number of sacrifices for what you have. But I know that getting such vast and great rewards are the fruits from a tree that few can reach. I will get what I have been striving for. Most of my life I have been aiming for this goal, I'll not let petty things get in my way. I too know the sting of painful sacrifice. I have done so myself."
The darker gleam he gets to his eyes sometimes came to his eyes, "Oh really? And what could a middle class brat like you know about pain and sacrifice?"
Our faces were only a few measures apart from each other; the adrenaline of the beginnings of a discussion was rushing in my veins. I could see he was also ready to continue this with the fire he had for the need to win. But before I could counter his words with a little comment of my own I felt the car slow to a stop and the anxious tug of Mokuba pulling my sleeve. "Royalle-chan, we're here!" I heard the door open and his feet shuffle as he got out. He seemed uncomfortable when we talked with such sarcasm and seriousness in our tones. It was just a game we played. Nothing serious, yet.
I so wanted to get a taste of his sweet, tender lips; to feel the softness of his silky brown hair... 'Now is not the time to think of that!' I scolded myself, 'besides, why would he want you? He has so much else...' I had broken eye contact with him as I pushed thoughts out of my head. I was hoping my face didn't show what I felt or was thinking as it so often did. I got out of the car as fast as I could, but wearing a skirt was something I was unaccustomed to. But when I told him that I work to get what I want, I was not just trying to impress him. He better know that. If he doesn't, he'll just have to witness first hand my determination one of these days.
We took a corner table by the window. Less distractions and noise in the corner is what Seto said, Mokuba wanted to be by the window. Seto seemed to be negotiating on his cell phone with someone, about 'business' plans no doubt. I was somewhat disappointed, but not really surprised. The waitress came, we ordered, and Mokuba was telling me what had been going on with him at school while we waited. But I wasn't fully paying attention; I could not get thoughts of Seto out of my head. Even just arguing with him and his cocky ways seemed to awaken feelings within me I do not fully recognize or understand. I wonder how he feels. He seems to get enjoyment from our encounters just as I do. The pizza's came and Mokuba and I dug right in. Seto was finally done but looked a bit annoyed as he tucked his phone away and picked up a piece of pizza, put it on his plate and began cutting it up.
I didn't think it was to hot, but I soon learned otherwise as I burned my tongue on a piece of my Hawaiian pizza. I quickly put my pizza back down as I winced, waved my free hand over my mouth, and then decided to down a few mouthfuls of my lemonade. Seto just shook his head with a grin and Mokuba smiled at me with amusement on his face. Piece by piece Seto ate his pizza, but Mokuba and I bit hungrily into our slices.
Chapter 2: Mokuba's POV
As soon as I hopped out of the car I ran over to hug and greet Royalle-chan. 'Great! She seems to be in a good mood today!' I hurried back to the car 'wow, she's wearing a skirt and a nicely matching shirt today! I wonder if she is trying to look nice for nii-sama?' my smile grew wider as I sat down beside my brother and watched him watch Royalle-chan climb carefully into the car. She sat across from him and they just starred at each other for a while. My brother's eyes seemed a bit brighter than normal and he did seem happy. 'So the reason he is happier is because we're going out with Royalle today! I knew it!' I smiled then heard my brother speak, with a sarcasm dripping from his words. I grimaced to myself as Royalle-chan looked away and gave a slightly icy reply. Things were going good...
Neither of them said a word so I spoke up, "Nii-sama, I think we should go to the newest Pizza place in town! I've heard good things about it from kids at school!" I was looking at my brother, and his gaze at me was soft. He pressed a button on the communicator then spoke, "Take us to the new Pizza Restaurant" Our reliable driver replied, "Yes, Kaiba-sama"
He said we'd be there soon and continued to look at Royalle-chan for a bit before he looked away. Her attention still seemed a bit focused on him though.
"Have you already been to the new Pizza place?" I asked her.
She grinned at me, "Oh you know me, I'm far to busy to travel that far into town just to get Pizza. And today was my work experience day this week. But I got after lunch off today because my boss said that there wasn't as much to do this Saturday. Besides, she thinks my extra volunteer hours would make up for any work I'd miss."
"Yeah, you are just about as busy as nii-sama is! And you both work so hard!" I laughed, "I'm happy to spend time with both of you so much." Then I thought about her time off "Wow! Does that mean you can spend the rest of the day with me then?"
She grinned at me "Now that depends on what your brother here thinks"
We both looked over to him. I put on my 'puppy look' and Seto stopped his typing to look Royalle-chan in the eyes, whether just to avoid my look or because he really wanted to talk to her directly I'm not sure.
Seto was smirking, "You seem decent enough; you've even dressed like a normal person today. I'm sure if you were going to corrupt my little brother's mind you would have tried to do so already." 'Uh-oh, this can't be heading anywhere good' I thought.
"Heh, so I take it that your answer is a yes then?" she was smirking right back at him.
"Well, you have at least half a brain. Decoding what I say should not be a difficult task for you." 'Wasn't that a bit harsh nii-sama?'
"Ha, I may not have my own company. But I intend on earning my own specialized practice with good old-fashioned hard work. Once I'm done getting fully educated of course." Her words seemed to grate a little.
He packed the computer on his lap, set it aside, and leaned forward while grinning at Royalle-chan "I'm sure you will get what you want, eventually. And hearing you say that you'll work for it is good as well. But I already have my own company. I have worked hard rebuilding it from what it once was. And it is what it is today because of what I've done and decided on my own. I had help at all getting what I have." 'Ooh, he did complain a little about Royalle-chan being sponsored from her Native Band Office to go to school...'
She got a serious look to her and also leaned toward him, "Yes, and I know you have made a number of sacrifices for what you have. And I know that getting such vast and great rewards are the fruits from a tree that few can reach. I will get what I have been striving for. Most of my life I have been aiming for this goal, I'll not let petty things get in my way. I too know the sting of painful sacrifice. I have done so myself."
A scarier look came across my brothers face "Oh really? And what could a middle class brat like you know about pain and sacrifice?"
'Oh, this is so not going well... But what can I do?' I was nervous around them when they got like this, I saw we arrived and tugged on Royalle-chan's sleeve, her face was so close to nii-sama's. They looked ready to tear each other apart! I jumped out of the car before I got caught in any cross fire. But she simply had calmly followed me out of the car after a time and walked right to the restaurant. Seto followed after giving parking instructions to our driver. I peeked back in and told our driver I'd save a slice for him.
Seto advised for us to sit in the corner, but I wanted to sit by the window so we snagged a corner window table. Then his cell rang and he seemed to be working some business out with someone. Must be important, few people have access to that number. Royalle-chan seemed a bit down since the incident in the car. She hadn't said a word since then. What Seto said must have hurt her feelings. But she thought it better not to take it up with my brother. Doing that only seemed to make things worse for other people she told me once. But she was different, wasn't she? Did she not see that yet? After we ordered I tried telling her about school and stuff, but she didn't seem to be paying much attention to what I was saying. I sighed and waited for the Pizza to come.
As soon as it came she and I snatched up a slice. An annoyed nii-sama tucked away his phone and placed a slice on his plate and began cutting it up. I saw Royalle-chan smirk at that and she started to bite right into her slice. Just as she did she seemed to have burned herself. She winced and almost dropped her pizza as she waved a hand in front of her mouth and reached for her juice. It was so comic looking I just had to smile to keep from laughing. My brother just shook his head in amusement and went on cutting his pizza, occasionally eating a forkful. I notice Royalle-chan was a bit more cautious when she bit her pizza, and I did the same as we continued to eat our lunch.