About half an hour after he had arrived, his back already sore from the hard plastic chair, Kaiba had a headache from the fluorescent lights and was beginning to regret his excursion. Just as he thought this, Joey finally reappeared, tossing a bottle of cleaning spray and a cloth onto the counter. He barked a goodbye to someone in the office and slumped into the seat opposite Kaiba, who tilted his laptop lid down and peered expectantly at Joey.

"I am pooped," was all he said, eyes closed.

Kaiba thought of his aching back, huffed and tucked the laptop away. "Long shift?"

"Too freaking long. Been working for eight days straight as well." He looked towards the office. "Not that anyone's noticed, but whatever, I could use the money."

Kaiba raised his eyebrows but didn't comment. Instead he swept himself off the uncomfortable chair, rolling his shoulders. Once standing, he waited for Joey to finish grumbling and get to his feet before extending a long arm to the door.

"Righto," said Joey, English slang sounding strange coming from his mouth. "Where are we going?"

"You tell me," said Kaiba as they left. "I barely know this area."

The night air was brisk and Joey shivered as they stepped outside, shrugging into his jacket and tucking it around himself. Kaiba, who seemed almost robotic in his general disinterest in the effects of the elements, merely checked the turn up of his collar.

"I don't know about you," said Joey, "but I could do with a stiff one."

"A what?" Kaiba looked audaciously impish.

"A drink," Joey snorted. "You know what I meant. There's a pub down the road from my place if you're up for it."

"Alright, though I have my car." He gestured to the beautiful black machine parked in the spot in the shadow of some trees in a vain attempt to make it less conspicuous.

"True," said Joey. "Well, if worst comes to worst you can always kip at mine and Téa's if you don't mind a sofa bed."

Kaiba pursed his lips. "We'll see."

"Cool," said Joey, swinging on his bike helmet. "Follow me then, but don't drive up my ass."

Kaiba snorted incredulously. "You need to work on your turn-of-phrase."


Joey parked his bike further up the drive than usual so as to leave room for Kaiba's car and Kaiba managed to squeeze the considerable article into the meagre space. It looked ridiculous next to the battered family vehicles and Joey's dirty bike.

With a swing of his long legs, Kaiba stepped out. He peered up at the tall block of flats as he closed the car door, and with a cocked eyebrow he said, "Doing better for yourself that I thought you would be." He was sincere.

"We get by," Joey said shrugging. "Mind if I shove this in your car for now?" He jiggled the helmet and work bag tucked under his arm. "Can't be bothered taking it upstairs if we're off out."

Kaiba said nothing but held the door open for Joey to throw his things onto the seat. The inside was a deep burgundy leather that filled his nose with a rich, heady scent. Joey thought he might have to persuade Kaiba for a ride.

The door was closed, the lock beeped, and off they set, Joey struggling to match Kaiba's long, easy gait.

"I like that your car does that window wind-up thing automatically," Joey said as they walked, peering back at the shiny vehicle in his driveway. "Never saw one that could do that before. Tris' car you had to wind it up manually every time you got out and pull the front seats forward if you were gonna ride in the back."

"It's a lease," Kaiba said coolly. "But I've enjoyed driving it."

"I'll bet," said Joey.

"The speaker system is excellent."

Joey looked surprised. "You listen to music? I always pictured you as a 'turn that radio off!' kinda guy."

Now it was Kaiba's turn to shrug. It was a curt, spasm of a movement so unlike Joey's easy roll. "Sometimes," said Kaiba. "Or news. Or I make calls. It's useful to have these things if you're driving a lot."

"You've driven a lot here?"

"I didn't see the point in a chauffeur and taxis are a hassle," Kaiba replied. "There's a certain freedom to ferrying oneself."

Joey took a few moments to dissect Kaiba's creative vernacular but he thought he understood. "Yeah, I get you," he said. "You can kinda go anywhere you want if you don't have to rely on anybody.

"But it's kinda nice to know someone's got your back. Being alone can be… uh… lonely."

He blushed. The sentence had trailed off unintelligently.

"I suppose," was all Kaiba said.

Eager to avoid silence falling between them, Joey changed the subject.

"So you know where Yugi is right now?"

Kaiba glanced at Joey to see if this was a trick question but Joey looked sincere.

"I have no idea. Don't you keep in touch?"

"We do," Joey sighed. "But I been busy recently and I may have missed a few messages. I knew he was leaving soon but somehow I didn't manage to contact him. Just wondered if you'd heard anything. Any tournaments or anything?"

"Not that I know of."

"Oh."

Kaiba opened his mouth to say something, perhaps something of comfort, but was interrupted by Joey motioning to a building on his right. The pub's old walls were made of stone and a warm ambient light filtered through the window panes onto the street. Inside was toasty. Both boys shucked their coats and made their way through the building to the bar. A few people shot stares at Kaiba as he walked past, the tall, gangly stranger in the designer ensemble. Some may have even recognised him but like as in many quiet English towns, people were unwilling to make a scene. Kaiba ignored all the attention with haughty indifference as Joey glanced around for an empty table. He spotted a secluded booth.

"Sit down, I'll get you something," he said to Kaiba, pointing to the table. "What're you having?"

"You don't have to pay for-"

"We'll do rounds," Joey insisted. "Now go sit before someone takes it."

Kaiba turned to leave. "Gin," he said over his shoulder.