Disclaimer: I write this on my own volition and my own time for no money whatsoever.

A/N: Bakura Bakura Ryou, the kawaii one, not the evil one!

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Afternoon : by Aif

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Bakura turned around on the bench again. Once again, a whole busy square, and not a person to acknowledge him, as usual. Kaiba was late, as usual. Bakura didn't hold it against him that he had things more pressing than a meeting with a friend, but that didn't mean he couldn't be very annoyed when it happened. Bakura sighed and leaned his chin on the back of the bench.

"I want to feel sunlight on my face… see that dust cloud disappear without a trace… I want to take shelter from the poison rain… hmm hn hmm-"

"Having fun?"

"K- Kaiba!" Bakura turned around in surprise, and his mouth formed a small o. "I- oh… honestly… you heard me singing, didn't you?"

"Of course."

"Please try to erase that from your memory." Bakura laughed. "I'm really… very… bad at singing."

"You were very good," Kaiba said. "I just wonder why you sing such rather sad songs."

He complimented me? Bakura glanced over, but didn't comment. He smiled at his companion. "No reason," he said. "I like them better, that's all."

"So… why am I here?" Kaiba glanced idly at his watch.

Bakura flushed. "Well… honestly! Can't I have some fun with an extremely busy and important friend of mine, once in a while? Sometimes it's just nice to spend an afternoon together. Don't you think so, Kaiba?"

Kaiba raised an eyebrow. "Have some… fun. It's a quaint idea, I guess."

At this, Bakura's face fell… until he noticed Kaiba's smirk. "Very funny," he retorted as sarcastically as he could, his heart beating so fast. I'm glad to know Kaiba likes my ideas so much."

"I'm glad Bakura is still my friend despite the abuse," replied Kaiba dryly.

Bakura blinked. "Ano… yes, I am."

He saw Kaiba wait for a wittier response, and blushed when none came from his mouth. Honestly! There was just some kind of problem with his brain today… and every day he happened to be around Kaiba Kaiba. I wonder why exactly I invitied him out today…

"So…"

Kaiba internally sighed as he heard how awkwardly the word fell. Damn. Seemed like if he wasn't on business, he had no way with words whatsoever. I've probably already alienated Bakura well enough for this afternoon as it is, he thought. What a waste of time. Not only unproductive, but counterproductive.

"Kaiba?"

He stared at the large brown eyes in front of him. Right. Conversation would be good, right about now.

"Let's…" he cleared his throat. "Ah, let's get coffee."

Bakura smiled happily. The American "Starbucks" coffee shops that were everywhere in Japan were some of his favorites. And since he was with Kaiba, unlike being with Jou or even Otogi, he could expect not to pay his own way. Not that he was hitting Kaiba up for his money! But… those American imports could be quite expensive.

And he really liked coffee.

"A… frappicino?" asked Kaiba.

Bakura grinned. "I like coffee… but I prefer it if it isn't… actually coffee. Get it? Well, I don't suppose you would!" He wrinkled his nose at Kaiba's black cup.

"Don't wrinkle your nose at my order," said Kaiba. "That stuff you're drinking isn't coffee, it's ice cream… or a milkshake." Bakura giggled, and that annoyed him. "What?"

The white-haired boy shrugged. "It strikes me as very odd to hear you say a silly English word like that out of nowhere."

"Milkshake."

"Kaiba!"

"…What?"

Bakura laughed. "Kaiba is fun to tease. It's too bad you don't let me do it more often."

"Oh… am I fun to tease?" Kaiba asked evenly.

Bakura internally cringed at the innuendo. "Ano… ah… yes?"

Kaiba coughed. "You know how bad that sounds."

"Yeah, I… bad, Kaiba?"

"Well, wouldn't you say so?"

"Ano… I don't know. Why do you say it's bad?"

Kaiba shrugged. "That's one of those points on which it's dangerous to go against society, you know?" He sighed when Bakura just looked at him. Touchy subject… "People feel very strongly about this sort of thing. I think it's better not to bring it up."

"Right." Bakura looked relieved. "That's very practical."

Practical. I'm… practical, then. I suppose I am. "Yes. Wouldn't you expect that of me?"

Bakura smiled nervously. "You do always have a lot of responsibilities… then, yes, I suppose so."

"Bakura?"

"W-what?"

"Are you planning to drink that again?"

Bakura followed Kaiba's finger to his drink. Somehow the ice was crushed. Apparently, he had been crushing the ice without even realizing it, judging from the mangled plastic spoon in his hands. Smooth… "No. If I was going to, I wouldn't have messed with it."

"Sure that's not reversed?"

Damn that, thought Bakura. He should have known that he couldn't pull anything past Kaiba. That guy was just too good at reading people. Then again… he had been acting rather transparent. For the entire day.

Better give him a break, thought Kaiba. "How is school for you? I don't see you very often these days."

"That's because Kaiba is almost all in college classes," Bakura said ruefully. "While I'm just in high-school classes. Not the only eleventh grader in Tokyo University."

"Yes, well… I am rather outstanding, aren't I?"

"Kaiba…"

"What? It's the truth. I should be allowed to be arrogant and cocky about myself if I'm really that good."

"That's horrible," smiled Bakura.

"What, you really think so?"

"Yes."

Kaiba was silent. Now look what I've done… idiot, you know that guy is more modest than a girl!

"Idiot."

Kaiba looked up.

"Can't you even tell when I'm joking?" asked Bakura.

Kaiba thought. True, he usually could… but he was off today. Took him longer to notice things. "No. I'm a very stupid and dense person."

"You think that'll help your case with me?"

"Yes…"

"Why you smug, arrogant bastard…"

"What about me?"

Bakura shook his head in exasperation. Somehow, their conversations always degeneration into these petty sparring matches. "Ok, Kaiba, anyway…"

"Hello?"

"Hmm?" Then Bakura realized that Kaiba had somehow gotten onto his pager. "You paranoid bastard, your cell phone doesn't even ring out loud," he muttered.

"Where? I… shut up! Did I give you permission to talk? No, I didn't. Shut up. If you're trying to apologize you're not shutting up."

Bakura only grinned ruefully as Kaiba hissed into his phone. Of course. Business before pleasure.

"I have to go."

He realized abruptly that Kaiba was talking to him- in fact, that he had stood up and was letting some bills fall on the table. The other boy looked distracted… he probably accidentally lost another few million. "You said that wanted me to pay, right? Here. I'll see you tomorrow at school, Bakura."

"Ah- Bye."

"Un." Kaiba nodded.

Bakura sighed to himself as the door bell rang and the shop door opened and closed. He carefully stacked up the one-dollar bills, and on second thought reached into his pocket to put some change on top, even though the counter service was lousy.

"He's so predictable..."

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A/N: Writing this put me in a good mood for once! Kind of. If you liked it, please review : )