He shouldn't. He knew he shouldn't. He was certain he shouldn't.
But then again, he was a hypocritical idiot who never listened to those little voices in the back of your head instinctively telling you to do something.
Seto was, of course, on Siegfried's doorstep again. After leaving the busy office, he put aside any papers that could wait until about a week from now and decided to spend his break playing chess with his rival.
Rival. Of course. Nothing more.
He, as usual, rapped on the door and waited for Siegfried to eventually open the door, let him in, and act with a fake air of kindness about him until the game started and idle chatting begun.

And, this time without bothering to pause to hate and mull over the moment, Siegfried stood up from where he had been sitting -- in front of the chess board, of course. And then stopped, considering. No, this time he'd just send the idiot to bring in his rival. He'd been lax with his authority prior to now; never again. Siegfried sat down.
"Idiot," he said, "Please answer the door and bring him to the chess table."
"Yeahsure," OOC!Sieg said, blinking and tearing his eyes away from the -- Gameboy, was it? -- that he'd been playing, and heading to the door in a brisk trot. He opened it, blinking.
Was his vision going blurry because of the videogames, or was it Kaiba again, even after that argument? He didn't dwell on the thought, because he preferred to dwell on wonderful thoughts involving shooting things and good graphics. He just responded as he generally did. "Hi," OOC!Sieg said conversationally, "How're you? Having a nice day? Hope you are. I know I am."

"...Right then..." Seto raised an eyebrow at the uber-gamer. Siegfried was using him as a maid to get the door for him now? He made a note to say something about becoming lazy when he saw the IC version.
"Having...a fine day, I guess. I assume your other self sent you to take me over to him because he can't be bothered to get up off his ass for a moment?"

"Yeah, I guess. I don't know why, but, uh, I think that he just wants me to be more useful. It's weird, and stuff." OOC!Sieg shrugged. "But I guess he knows best, and I am getting to stay at his house. His television is larger than mine..." He blinked again. "Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Heh, do you want to come in? I know I would..." He moved out of the way. "And I guess you can find your way to him yourself, seeing as he's where you two always are." He quailed slightly. "Please tell me you guys aren't going to start yelling again," he said quietly, looking back and forth furtively, "It really threw me off my game..."

"Hopefully not," shrugged Seto, "but I suppose we'll have to see about that..." He strode in, finding the other Siegfried staring intently at a chess board already set up for them. "...Won't we, Siegfried? Highly doubt another argument will do any of us good."

"I doubt it as well. I think I'd prefer it if I kept my words to myself, and I feel the same about you." Siegfried grinned. "As I am sure you do. But enough on that. Black or white, Kaiba? Abomination, you get out of here."
OOC!Sieg, who had been listening absently, gave a quick bow and scurried off to who-knows-where.

Seto sat where he always sat on the couch facing Siegfried. "I think I'll choose white this time. You know, you could at least call him your other self or something like that instead of insulting him each and every time. Not like I should dictate what to do with him, as you've never listened before anyway, but I'm just saying..." He crossed his legs. "So, how have you been since we last chatted?"

Siegfried turned the white side towards his enemy. "See, you haven't tried living with him. When you have, talk to me. Tell me he deserves to be compared to me. As for how I've been surviving, I have been..." He paused, then went on. "Decent. And you?"

"Oh, the same, I suppose," he replied, moving the first piece like always. It seemed to be a routine now. "I really can't complain about the work--it's just the idiots I have to be on the same planet with that's the problem. As for everything else...as fine as it could be, I guess."

"Good, good." Siegfried nodded. He picked up one of his pieces and moved it forwards. "Wouldn't want you to be suffering or anything...of course, in your situation I would be, but I suppose for you boredom is a good thing, hm?" He smiled wryly. "At least, so I've gathered from the conversations I've had with you."

"I guess it depends." He moved. "It's not normally all that much, really. It's just because I've not done any work for two months. And those blundering morons can't do anything right over there. I guess it's more like a vacation from home, now, seeing as I'm hardly there anymore."

"Sad, really. If it's not too horrible I feel rather sorry for you." He shrugged. "I hope you don't despise me for my pity, though I must say I feel it." Siegfried moved a piece. "And I'm not trying to be patronising, or anything along those lines, if you're going to ask me that now."

"No, actually," he started, moving a piece of his. "I was going to ask why exactly you feel sorry for me. I mean, with the exception of a larger workload, I don't think there's much going wrong."

"That you're hardly home. Come to think of it, I really am not either, but...oh, God, I am so envious of your workload." Siegfried laughed, reaching out to make his next move. "I do all the work I can and yet there is never enough for my taste. I suppose I'm not someone who should be allowed to feel sorry for other people, am I?"

"I didn't say that, really. I suppose I should be the one feeling sorry for you, since you have little to occupy yourself with." Seto did not fail to notice the...rather odd amount of kindness Siegfried held in his voice and the more informal than usual conversation as he moved. Best not to comment on it lest that end. "If you take out the fact that Noa and Seth are there, then I'm glad to spend some time out of that place. At least Mokuba's going to be busying himself with whoever the hell he's brought from Europe."

"Ah, yes. I heard about that." Siegfried moved his piece forwards idly. "Which is, as I said, a pity, because I should not be reading journals when I ought to have work. Emphasis, of course, put on 'ought'..." He winced slightly, then went on: "It's a good thing that he'll be shut up, at any rate; maybe you'll be able to have a few moments' peace."

"Hopefully. But I wish there was a way to get him to go to school. At the very least as much as I do." Seto sighed and reached for a piece. "I mean, if law dictates that I have to to keep him here and not in foster care--same with myself--he could at least give himself an education." He set it down on a new square.

"True. And maybe he'd learn something. Grow a mind," Siegfried spat. "He's almost as bad as the other me, if I dare suggest it. And I must say I do think that his obsession with sex is quite unhealthy and that you ought to try getting through to him." Siegfried moved another piece. "But it's possible he may be too far enamoured with his current way of life for anything short of brainwashing to get through to him. I can't help thinking...is it not illegal here...?"

"Yeah, of course. But really, Siegfried, think of everyone we know around here--do any of them care about the law? I wonder if the police even care about the law." Seto moved, shaking his head. "Most people around here would already be in jail for a few lifetimes for sex with minors and drug posession, that kind of thing. How unfortunate that they aren't."

"Hmm, I wonder if we couldn't just tip the authorities off? Perhaps they don't know. Now, as long as my history isn't brought up -- and I don't think they'd take too kindly to what I've done, even if there are no hard feelings -- I think everything'd turn out all right. People would recognise these fools for the delinquents they are." Siegfried picked up his piece and transported it to a different square. "Oh, if only..."

"I just fail to care after a while. I've got enough to worry about than throwing people in jail anyway." He paused in his musings to consider his next move, then executing it. "And honestly? I think most people have done something that would be worthy of telling the cops. I just don't think it's worth it after a while."

Siegfried shook his head. "It was wishful thinking," he said rather sadly, "Nothing more." He leaned closer to the board, thinking, then slowly made his move. Wishful thinking that would probably be a lot better manifested in reality, he privately thought, but chose to keep his mouth shut. Perhaps an anonymous tip-off would do the job well, and no-one need ever know for certain, even if they did suspect. He'd have to consider this.

"Yeah, I suppose so..." The next piece was moved. "It's not like we can do much to change all that we'd like to change, unfortunately."

"If only we could," Siegfried said agreeably, making his own move. "But I suppose someday it'll be better. Maybe. Hopefully. If we're lucky."

"I don't believe in luck." He moved again. "And even if I did, given my track record, I'd say I have pretty lousy luck, so I'm not being optimistic. ...Of course, when am I ever optimistic?"

"Mmm, good point. But we'll call good fortune luck, shall we? Suggest that there's a higher power behind everything. It's amusing to do that, I think, knowing that there probably isn't." Siegfried made his move. "It's just us, wouldn't you say?"

"I'm rather fond of being an athiest, really." Seto shrugged. "I like to think I'm in charge of my own life. But then again, if that's the case, then I haven't exactly been doing a very good job about it." He moved his piece.

"You can't blame a higher deity for the state of your life, but you can blame other people for problems," Siegfried remarked, voice indicating amusement. "Irresponsible and hypocritical, if one also talks about running their own life, but it gives a decent excuse..." He made his move. "Not that you'd ever bother to sink to that level, Kaiba."

"I've already done the blame game, Siegfried. And it's already gotten me into a bit of trouble. It might be a bit easier to blame everything and anything on others, but when fault lies with me, well..." He pondered a bit before making his move.

"Well, to each their own," Siegfried said, smiling slightly. "And I suppose it's good to take the blame when it belongs to you. Shows you have...character or some other such nonsense." He leaned in closer to the board, apparently thinking the situation over in his mind, before nudging a piece onto another square.

"I've been told I take the blame far too often, but..." Another sigh. "You know what, I have no idea what the hell to think most of the time. It's either I'm to blame but say it's someone else's fault, or I blame myself but it's not my fault at all. And since when the hell do I help people as much as I've been doing lately?" He reached for a piece, stopped, then reached for another and moved that one in it's place. "I've actually been called selfless, you know that? Really weird."

"You could say that again. I hope that I never sink that low." Siegfried laughed again. "Seriously, can you imagine? Thankfully, I cannot." He made his move. "It'd be horrifying, though, I'm sure."

"I seem to be losing whatever reputation I may have previously had now." Seto moved another piece. "You and selfless do not go in the same sentence unless there is at least one negative involved. You helping people...is as bizzare as ME helping people."

"Exactly why I don't. Or perhaps I should say, why I usually don't." Siegfried shook his head. "Can you imagine what people would think about me? I'm glad I'm this way." He made his move. "It suits me better."

"I'd probably start fearing the end of the world or something if that happened. But then, a lot of strange things seem to be happening lately..." During this, Seto had moved. "Earlier on my journal, Pegasus was apologizing to me. Can you believe that? He's been pissy at me for quite some time now, and he just up and apologizes for acting like more of an ass than usual. Talk about strange..."

"After his constant dismissal of any possibility that he doesn't hate you -- and good heavens, it's obvious he never did -- he just gives in like that? I am ever-so-amused." Siegfried made his move. "Do tell..."

"Funny thing is...I've just had a feeling like he's been plotting something... Of course, that could be my paranoia again, but he really seemed to hate me there for a while. Like he wanted to do something to get back at me." A white piece slid across the board. "But anyway, yeah, he just apologizes to me--in French, of course, probably because he knows that annoys the hell out of me, but still... Not that I care that much, really, seeing as I couldn't care less about the guy."

Siegfried countered the move. "I sometimes wonder if he doesn't just set out to be irritating. Constantly trying to get attention, saying things that are obviously lies...etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. It's pathetic. Especially when I say something that gets to him, and he just says things along the lines of 'Lalalalalala I CAN'T HEAR YOU.' Idiot. ...wait, I'm bringing my intense loathing of him into this, aren't I?"

"Not that I mind--who doesn't intensely loath him, anyway?" Seto shrugged and made his move. "I mean, he was annoying enough the first time I met him. And, oh joy, he lives around here now, isn't that wonderful? Yeah, I mean, I wanted nothing to do with him at all. Or anyone around here anyway in the first place," he growled. "But, of course, now I'm knee-deep in everyone's business when I really couldn't give a fuck."

"So it seems. I'm glad the majority of this disgusting populace leaves me alone, for the most part. Maybe you ought to try being more loathesome; it really seems to work." Siegfried made his move. "And then set the dogs on those few who persist..." He crossed his legs, smirking. "Is it wrong that I'm amused by that thought?"

"If it is, then I'm just as wrong as you are," said Seto with a similar smirk. "I'd probably end up sending them on Mokuba, too, heh." His move was made.

"As long as you don't set them on me, I'd just laugh." Siegfried made his move. "And if you did, I'd have to shoot them down, and wouldn't THAT make a huge mess?"

"Now, now, if I wanted to sic the dogs on you, I would have done so when you came over for chess." He moved. "Which I obviously didn't. Of course, at the time, I wanted to play chess, so it's a good thing I didn't."

"Well, I'm glad that I at least am safe. You can kill the rest of them, though; I really don't care what you do to them and would enthusiastically applaud anything less than nice you do to them." Siegfried nodded, still grinning, and made his own move.

Seto made a move right after that. "I suppose you would. I ought to consider that, really. Anyway..." He trailed off for a moment. "Have you ever had one of those moments where you suddenly remember something from a long time ago for seemingly no reason at all?"

"Yes," Siegfried said, evidently somewhat surprised at the question. "Why..." He pushed a piece into its new position. "...do you ask?"

He shrugged. "I dunno. I suck at changing topics. It was more because I keep having that kind of moment whenever I hear windchimes. Think I might've said something about that on my journal once." He moved a piece. "I heard some on my way over, which is why I think about it."

"What is it that you remember?" Siegfried said curiously. "Unless you're not going to tell me, in which case I'd be a little unhappy about the fact that you brought it up in the first place...but I'm rather hoping you wili find it within yourself to tell me." He made his own counter-move.

"It'd be rather stupid of me to bring it up and then drop the subject entirely and not tell you, wouldn't it?" asked Seto as he made his move. "Well, you see, the other week before Atemu was put in the hospital, we were just kinda walking and talking, and then I hear these windchimes, and I just space out for a bit." He shook his head, staring at a spot right past Siegfried's shoulder and getting a rather glazed look in his eyes. "I had no idea what it was, really. Seemed more like a dream. I just saw the general setting...the grass, the sky, there was some delicious smell coming from an oven in the house, someone talking to me... Didn't know who it was, and I didn't make out words at the time. I just knew it was...nice. Pleasant."
His eyes went to the floor, and he chuckled, although neither were sure why he did. "...Truth be told, I only learned it was really something I remembered from years ago when I was coming here. Startled me, really. I suppose I only brought it up because it's now starting to sink in. I mean, I remember a lot of things, even before I went to the orphanage, but... It must've been ten or eleven years ago, really. Something like that. I remember the quaint little house with the white picket fence...how it wasn't anything like the city with decent sized yards, and you could hear the birds instead of car horns and whatnot. The wind blowing just enough for the windchimes to sound..." He looked up again, a small smile on his face. "I must be sounding sappy to you, but you wanted to know. I think the smell was some bread recipie mom had made herself. And it was my mom who was talking to me, actually, which is how I know it was so long ago. She was telling me about windchimes and the wind making music...yeah... That was a bit of a long-winded explaination, but...it's rather nice...can't believe it took me so long to figure out what it was, really..."

Siegfried blinked. "...really," he said, sounding to be somewhere between fascinated and just polite. "That sounds..." He trailed off, not finding any words to use in response. ...heh... "It sounds something," he said with a weak laugh. "Which isn't at all a bad thing; sorry I can't be more verbose." He made his own move after some thought.

"Heh, yeah, well..." Again he trailed off, making a move. "Well, you asked, I answered, so...there you go. I dunno, I guess it was a rather random topic change, but...maybe I just had to get that off my chest or something."

"Ah. I see..." Siegfried shrugged. "Well, I certainly have nothing against you speaking your mind. It was that something, anyways." He made his coutermove. "Which is probably a good thing, so it's fine, at any rate."

Seto was quiet for a while in a bit of a contemplative mood. That and the fact that he really did suck at finding a suitable change in topics much like his mun, so he merely occupied himself with thinking about the next move and doing so. If Siegfried had anything to say, he would eventually say it.

Siegfried...really didn't have anything to say either, so he was quiet. Hn. He'd think of something soon anyways; something interesting, that could actually serve a purpose. He made his counter-move, then sat back, thinking over two things: what to say, and what his opponent's next move would probably be.

...Or...you know, neither of them could have anything to say, and this would end up being a very quiet game. Which was, of course, better than yelling at each other like last time, but still, it made there be an uncomfortable air around them, almost awkward. Seto leaned forward slightly, gazing at the board and getting all of the moves in his mind before moving. There had to be something to say. Anything at all.

Siegfried raised his eyebrow. So this was how it was going to be. He idly thought about the possible subjects there were to discuss (hmm, not himself again, maybe Kaiba? Oh, but how to start THAT conversation). He shifted slightly in his seat. Damn. This was rather unpleasant. Oh, well; he made his move anyways.

...Damn. Damn again. And damn it a third time. He despised this. A little silence was never bad, but this was just downright awkward. And awkward silences never led to anything good for him, normally. Seto moved. And then looked up at Siegfried once. And then back at the board. And still had nothing more to say, damn it.

Siegfried bit his lip, looking down at the board as well. This was too uncomfortable for his taste. One of them'd have to say something, and soon, or he was going to go insane. He moved a piece. Better now than never. "...so," he said, uncertain of how to continue. Perhaps he wouldn't have to. He hoped that'd be the case.

Well, it was something, anyway. "So...what now?" he pondered, moving a piece, adding once more to the monotony of the whole situation. "Seems we've run out of things to say..."

"It seems so," Siegfried said, stating the obvious with no apparent relish. He repositioned one of his own pieces. "Which is really a shame, because I like talking while playing chess with you. The conversations are actually stimulating."

"Usually they are. Seems we're at a loss of a topic, I suppose, since I highly doubt we've actually run out of possible things to say..." He plucked a piece from the board, idly examined it for a few seconds, then plunked it back down on a new square.

"Yes, so we need to brainstorm for something to talk about, hmm?" Siegfried pushed his piece into position. "Like...oh, God, I'm at a loss. Please tell me you have an idea...?"

He laughed. Normally he would just chuckle, shake his head a bit, but this was oddly very, very, deeply amusing to him. "Unfortunately not..." He grinned a lopsided grin and moved a piece. "Which is why I was sitting here waiting for you to say something."

"Oh, that's just wonderful. I don't think we're going to get anywhere with this...ah, well," he said, grinning, "As long as there is the barest shadow of a conversation going, this game has meaning. Of a sort..." Siegfried shrugged, moving.

"You mean, this doesn't have meaning without conversation?" asked Seto, thinking for a moment before moving. "I thought it a nice little change of pace from all the thinking and moving pieces until someone won, but..."

"It's not as interesting," Siegfried said, blinking. "It's much more so if we're talking even as we play against each other. In my mind, at least. And the entertainment is the most important part of it, isn't it?" He made his move thoughtfully. "It's not really...dare I say it, fun...without the conversation."

"I agree," said Seto with a nod of his head. "The silence is...oh, what's the word I'm looking for..." He chuckled again and moved. "And now I suppose we're just going to ramble on like this until one of us happens to stumble across a decent topic, right?"

"Yes, and I would rather like it if one of us thought it up fast," Siegfried remarked, moving a piece lazily. "If it keeps going at this pace, the game will finish before we actually get around to talking about whatever it is we're going to talk about."

"Yes...hm..." He moved a piece and sat back. This lack of actual conversation was making him restless. "...Aaand I'm still at a total loss for a topic. Damn. This sucks."

"Well, as long as we have nothing to talk about, what are we going to say?" Siegfried laughed quietly, nudging his piece onto a new square. "Let's not say nothing..."

"Let's talk about..." Seto wracked his brain for a moment. "Music. The arts. Writing. Movies. I dunno, something." He added a resignated sigh to his move, shifting around a bit with that uneasiness, that restlessness he was feeling.

"Something. Exactly the problem. What something do we talk about? There are so many somethings -- interesting or otherwise -- that we could discuss," Siegfried mused, making his move. "And I can't think of one in particular that I want to discuss."

"Books. Cards. Yes, dueling, shall we talk about that? ...Well, I dunno what we can talk about there, either..." Damn, this was getting way too annoying. "Games in-general. Poker. Cellos. Nights. Clothes. Something. Anything. Astrology, astronomy, psychology..." He crossed and uncrossed his legs a few times, then moved.

"Hmm..." Siegfried shook his head, making his counter-move. "I don't know. Here. If it wasn't me, if it was someone else that you liked more, what would you want to talk about? I'm curious if there'd be anything that you'd talk about that you wouldn't think to discuss with me."

"I don't see why it would make a difference with another person," mused Seto, moving again. "I suppose things dealing with love and sexual preference, but that's merely for the reasons that I don't normally bring up that subject because I don't give a damn, and the last time I brought up the subject of 'love', we had an argument."

"...I overreacted last time. I won't do it if you don't go into what you did last time..." Siegfried looked down at the board for a few moments, then looked back up after he had made his move. "If there's anything you want to say on the subject in my prescence, which I almost doubt."

"No, I won't make any of those accusations again. I think we both may have overreacted. I really don't think I've got much to say on the topic, however." Well, there WAS one thing he could say...but he wasn't about to trust anyone like Siegfried with that information. He moved, getting bored with this back and forth pseudo-conversation going nowhere. "Let's see, more topics...death, depression, animals, the news, posters, previews...it's like I'm doing a one-sided word association now. Peachy."

"Word association..." Siegfried murmured. "If we needed to sink that far, it is indeed a possibility. But I'm not sure -- fun, I suppose, but I don't know." He moved a piece. "It'd be interesting, at the very least."

"Celebrities, role models, school, magazines," continued Seto, "notes, rules, coffee, family, technology...if you find anything interesting to talk about, you can always stop me." He moved, stared at the ceiling in a bored way, and listed a few more. "Pens, traffic, cars, copters, maids, time, role playing..."

"Maids?" Siegfried asked, amused, and pushing a piece forwards. "What would we discuss in regards to maids? Seems a rather...well, simple subject. Not providing much commentary, I think. ...but time..."

"I'm just picking random things here. I could get out a dictionary and start listing things in there until we found something." Seto looked back down at the board and thought hard for a few moments before deciding on the piece to move. "Time is a good subject?"

"If there was a good topic sentence, I'm sure it would be an incredibly stimulating discussion that was provided." Siegfried made his own move. "Of course, it might be difficult to decide what exactly to say about time...oh, damn, I suppose that wouldn't work, either." He sighed.

"A Brief History of Time? Hell, I dunno..." He moved, still bored. "Idiots, prices, arcades, comic books, regrets, things we've always wanted to do in life but never did, never got the chance to, or were just impossible...wow, that was an oddly specific one..."

"Well, we can talk about it. If you want to start the discussion..." Siegfried grinned, moving his piece forwards. "I don't know if my starting on the subject would do us ANY good. Probably not...probably the opposite."

"Oh?" This bit caught his attention. Finally. "And why would that be, might I ask...?" He made sure to move before he accidentally forgot with this newly revived interest.

"It might involve you. And it might take a long time to get through it. Or it might take no time at all. It really depends..." Siegfried made his move. "...on how in-depth into my regrets and dead wishes I feel like going. As I said, it would probably be better for you to start the discussion...just because I'd rather not piss you off first..."

"My list would just be depressing." He moved his piece rather slowly, gathering his thoughts. "Of course, it's a depressing topic. But, I suppose if you really wanted me to go first... Hm, I could delve into the obvious, but... All right. I regret not keeping in contact with old friends. Of course...I either never had many friends or never found out what happened to them...considering I got moved out after dad died to the orphanage, and after being adopted, I had no way of knowing what happened to anyone..."

"I see..." Siegfried murmured, making his move. "...hm. Do we take turns, or just have you go into as many as you can think of? Just wondering if you wanted to do the list, or not..."

"Turns sounds good. Or it'll be awfully one-sided, don't you think?" He shrugged and moved. "I swear I'll try not to get pissed off at whatever you have to say."

"...fine. I regret..." Siegfried thought about it while he made his move. "...I regret manipulating my brother heartlessly. It got me to a better position, but I could have gotten to the same place without taking his feelings and using them as a pawn in my war." I regret that. ...really, I do. ...sometimes.

"I will always regret getting into that chess match with Gozaburo," said Seto in more of a mutter. "But then, I suppose that was an obvious one. I guess we did end up having a better life because of it, but...depends one one's point of view." He made his move, already a bit aggitated by the topic, but it was Siegfried's turn now.

"I regret..." Suggesting this topic? "Allowing Yami to ever think that his interest in me possibly, maybe, just might have the possibility of being returned. That was a mistake indeed." Siegfried winced slightly, then made his own move.

"Heh, I'm sure it was. Hm..." He fiddled with a piece before setting it down again. "I regret...sometimes I regret telling people the things that have happened to me and what goes on in my life."

"Hn. I regret going on that wretched road trip..." Siegfried laughed, shifting rather uneasily in his seat before making his move. "I still cannot help feeling that the authorities will eventually come after us and find me...somehow."

"Oh, geez--y'know, I regret going off to the casino in Vegas with the mutt. Or at least letting him tag along. I keep thinking I'm going to run into someone from the Italian Mafia and be murdered." He sneered at the thought and then laughed. "Long story. Anyway..." He moved.

"I regret -- sometimes -- actually coming here in the first place; I will get what I need done done, but it's still a pain in the neck to be around the incompetent idiots I am..." Siegfried relocated a piece.

"I regret blaming Mokuba for my mom's death sometimes." He surprised himself by how easily that one came out, blinked, then shrugged and moved. "Because sometimes I do. Late at night, deprived of caffiene, thinking more than I should."

"Ah." Siegfried blinked, then made his own move. "I regret not actually having a chance to have friends when I was younger. My...'people skills'...could use a bit of work, I'm sure, and having more people I could relate to even slightly around would probably have helped that. Even if friends ARE a stupid concept...it would be nice to have some."

"I suppose you're right..." contemplated Seto. "I never thought you of all people would regret not having any, but... It must make for a rather lonely life." He moved, then cocked his head to the side and thought for a moment. "I regret not even really trying to make nice with anyone around here after taking control of KC. Well, I suppose I'd rather not associate myself with scum like them, but I mean in-general. I guess I always had the chance and never took it."

Siegfried made his move quickly, saying shortly, "It's not that I'm emotional, but it would be much easier for me to relate -- or even just pretend -- to relate to everyone. Hm." He took a few seconds to think. "I guess I regret not telling some people certain thoughts I have about them. I have my reasons, but really, it can make certain dealings extremely awkward for absolutely no reason. It can be...difficult for me."

"What's difficult--telling them or not telling them?" Seto quriked a brow and moved his piece. "I find it very hard to keep things in sometimes, keeping them from slipping out. Ah, well, I regret...heh, I regret not showing people my poetry sooner, kind of. It's at least become a big hit with Atemu, anyway--hell, who'd've thunk me to be a songwriter of all things?" He chuckled some and leaned back, amused expression on his face.

"Both," Siegfried said. "But that's not the point, really. I regret ever letting the idiots around here know that I have not ever engaged in sex. Somehow. All it did was lead to people doubting my words, saying 'you'll like it when you try it', and insulting me just because I won't screw everything in sight. Idiots. How do THEY know they don't like sitting on a cactus, I want to know? Same principle." He moved a piece. "I suppose I could also regret not having had sex," he added as an afterthought, "But to be honest I really just don't care about it."

"Same, really. It's not like it's any of their business anyway. Since when did sex lives suddenly become public, anyway? I mean, I guess I might like to someday, really--as in, you know, it not being forced on me--but I don't go out looking for sex." Seto moved. "Hm, I guess I could say I regret ever feeling love at all. I have felt it, strange, but true. I despise love now. So many love polygons and...it's all so complicated."

Siegfried's lip curled into a slight sneer as he countered the move. "Heh. I agree with you. Hm. I regret letting that imbecile of my other self live out what is for him a normal life in my house. It's unhealthy, irritating, and will garner me a bad reputation. Plus he takes up valuable space with his things that could be better utilised for other purposes that could be much more appreciated."

"Like what?" asked Seto as he thought about his next move. "If he's found room for all of it, then you really weren't using the space for much, were you?" He made a move. "...I'm starting to regret making that one move a few turns ago. Heh. But really, I regret letting so many people just use my place like a hotel. Really hasn't happened on a large scale like before lately, but it's like more and more people want to take up permenant residence there."

"Oh, there are plenty of things I could use it for," Siegfried said airily, moving one of his pieces. "Don't feel like actually going into it, though. Now...what else do I regret...ah, but of course. I regret starting this thing. And I also regret allowing everyone to comment on my journal. It can just be PAINFUL, reading some of these idiots' opinions on my life, what they think of me, especially when they know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about it."

"I should have mine friends only. And then take everyone off my friend list. But then I don't see what the point of having it would be... I suppose for the same purpose as private posts, but..." He idly moved another piece. A smirk came across his face. "I regret being so damn hot that nobody can seem to resist hitting on me." A laugh escaped him. "Kidding, of course..."

"Kidding?" Siegfried coughed, made his move, then added: "If you're kidding, then that would make your regret invalid? I think you'd best think of another one; that is unless, you want to cut the game short." He raised an eyebrow. "If that's the case..."

"Of course it was invalid--I was merely trying to be funny. Althought I've been known to have a rather dry sense of humor." He rolled his eyes, pondered his move, and made the move. "Heh, this little game really didn't seem to be going anywhere anyway, really... Why, did you have any ideas...?"

"Oh, no, of course not..." Siegfried muttered, then added louder, "No, I don't, really. I was actually wondering if you did. If I did, I'd say so." He made his move. "I'm not the type to keep quiet about what I want unless there's good reason, and what type of reason is there now?"

"I suppose none...depending on what it is you want," Seto added in a bit of an airy tone. "There always seems to be a reason for you to keep things just beyond the knowledge of others. Of course, if you regret that, perhaps you should just start coming out with things..." He left that particular subject at that and moved. "But no, I've no ideas at the moment, so I guess we're back to where we were previously."

"Damn. Ah well..." Siegfried said, smirking, "Perhaps something will manifest itself, hmm? And then we'll have something to talk about. But for now..." He shifted slightly in his seat, then leaned in closer to the board and made his move. "For now, I suppose we might have to revert back to an uncomfortable silence. Again."

"We could just complain about how, while we pretty much have the brain capacity the size of a planet, we cannot come up with a topic," sighed Seto, moving. "I do so hate the boredom and monotony of silence after a while."

"Brain the size of a planet, indeed. It IS so depressing boring when there's no topic..." Siegfried moved one of his pieces. "I suppose we can complain about it, but I don't find that generates much interest."

"No, but neither does absolute silence," pointed out Seto. There was that uneasiness again. He tried not to fidget as he was, of course, prone to do in situations of extreme boredom. This was rather unsuccessful. He moved the piece. He DID, in fact, resist the urge to get up and walk around. For the moment, anyway. "I could always go back to saying random words until I hit upon a suitable topic..."

"I don't know how well that worked in the first place..." Siegfried remarked, "But I suppose so, if we must salvage this conversation from the depths of the boring silence. That seems as though it would be the best method, unless..." He crossed his legs, and made his own move. "Unless one of us thinks of something quite soon."

"Hm...you know, I think I might have something..." murmured Seto, moving. "I'm not sure how interested you would be in it--it's another game, really. Supposed to be one of those stupid drinking games, but... Have you ever heard of 'I Never'?"
"No, I haven't," Siegfried said, raising an eyebrow and making his own move. "Do tell. If it's interesting, it doesn't matter if it's a drinking game, really. It's not bad if it accomplishes its purpose and entertains."

"Well, it seems rather silly now after we've done all those regrets, but... It's basically that whoever's turn it is, they say 'I never...' blank. Like 'I've never been in love' or something like that. If it's a lie, the person who said it takes a drink. For the other participants," he continued, making his move, "if it's false, they take a drink. If it's true for anyone, they don't drink. Simple, but..."

"Ah. I see. And what do you propose we drink? Just curious..." Siegfried made his move. "If we intend to play -- which I suppose we could -- then it'd have to be best if we figure out what we're going to utilise."

"Well, it is, of course, normally played with alcoholic drinks, but if you didn't want to, we could always go with something like coffee or soda or water." Seto shrugged. "Alcohol might, depending on how much we drink, throw us off our game, but I think I'll leave it up to you, as it doesn't matter to me either way..." He shruged again and moved.

"Hn," Siegfried said, raising an eyebrow and making his own move. "Well, I suppose alcohol might not be best, unless you are capable of dealing with it and playing chess at the same time -- I never have, but probably could -- however, I have absolutely no preference outside of that. You're the guest," he purred. "You pick."

"As long as we don't drink too much and get completely wasted..." he pondered, moving. "I think a little alcohol wouldn't hurt..."

"Us, wasted? Oh, Kaiba, perish the thought." Siegfried snerked and pushed his piece into position. "Now, what kind of alcohol would best suit our purpose, I wonder."

"I dunno--what do you have? I would think you must have quite a lot of wine. Of course, I doubt playing with something like, say, whiskey would be smart, even if you had any." Seto examined a piece idly before moving it. "Nothing strong."

"I have access to all types of alcohol. And I do indeed possess wine. Not that much, but enough." Siegfried's eyes widened slightly to achieve the almost-manic smirk he occasionally wore. "Well," he said lazily, repositioning a piece, "Do you have any preferences as to what you want to drink today, Mister Kaiba?"

"No, really. Not that I drink much anyway, so I'm sure you would know better than I what might be best." He said this in a slightly unnerved way, not at all liking that look on Siegfried's face. Perhaps it was best to be ignored. Yes, ignore any weird shit he happens to do. Yes. ...Probably. He moved.

"Right. IDIOT!" Siegfried called.
OOC!Sieg scurried in, obviously more than a little unhappy about having been called in from wherever-the-hell he was playing videogames. "Yes?"
"It's sir. Now. Get," Siegfried said, "A bottle of Spätlese."
"What?"
"Wine, you incompetent buffoon. It's a wine. God, why are you such an idiot? No matter. Get a bottle of the Spätlese -- any bottle, I'm not talking specifics, don't ask -- and bring it in here with two glasses. Go. Now..." the former breathed menacingly.
Looking rather harassed, OOC!Sieg left the room, muttering to himself rather hopelessly.
"We'll just have to wait a minute..." Siegfried said nonchalantly, picking up a chess piece and moving it.

Seto sighed and said nothing as he moved. Ah well. It really didn't matter how one treated the other at the moment, really. A little wine, a little talking, a little chess, then he'd probably be out of there and in a hopefully better mood as he went back home.

Siegfried tapped his foot on the ground somewhat irritably. "...sometimes I wonder if he can even read..." he murmured under his breath as he reached out to make his move. "Probably got lost and died somewhere. Joy." Louder, he said, "I have absolutely no idea what could be taking him. He ought to be here in a minute or two."

Seto rolled his eyes. "Oh, dear, and if worse comes to worse, you could actually--dare I even think it?--go and get it yourself! Oh, perish the thought." He moved, smirking to himself.

"Yes, do," Siegfried said, grin widening. "I would, but then I'd have to throw him out for freeloading, and there'd be one more homeless person on the street." He made his move.
OOC!Sieg came running in, bottle of wine and glasses shaking precariously on a small tray. "Here it is, sirs," he said, bowing shortly to the two.
"Good. Now pour some into each glass."
Sieg twitched slightly, but did so anyways, then handed both their respective glasses.
"Cheers?" Siegfried asked almost mockingly, taking his glass and holding it aloft.

"Hn. Cheers." Seto had a lopsided grin and clinked his glass with Siegfried's. He moved a piece and raised a questioning eyebrow. "Well, shall you go first, or shall I?"

"You should probably go first," Siegfried said, making his move almost automatically, "Seeing as I am not quite as familiar with the game as you are. I'm going to have to pick it up as we go along, I suppose..."

Seto moved, hoping to at least get in one last sober move before any drinking happened. "All right... Hm...let me see..." He glanced at the ceiling in thought before looking back at Siegfried. "I've never had surgery," he stated simply enough. No drink for Seto this turn.

Siegfried blinked, moved one of his pieces, and thought about it for a moment. "...I have never intentionally lied about anything important to those closest to me." And he took a small sip.

Seto frowned a bit and sipped the wine. "Hm. ...This is good, actually. Heh. Anyway... I've never been to a funeral." Seto sipped again and moved a piece.

Siegfried took another sip. "I know. Hm. I have never gone out of my way to hurt someone even when it was totally unnecessary." And another. He shifted, and made a move.

Seto thought this one over and then decided a sip was necessary. A bit of silence came over him as he looked over the board and made his move. "I never wanted to live in a city."

Siegfried blinked, then chose to abstain from drinking also, instead making his own move. "I have never felt anything for anyone in the world beyond everyday hatred or simple apathy." Hesitantly, he took a sip.

Seto was quick to drink on that one. "Hm...I never believed in a god." He made his move, then he took another drink. He'd have to stop picking things to drink for at this rate.

Siegfried also drank for that. "...I have never been so jealous of someone else's success that it almost got to the point I was obsessed with them." He laughed quietly, took a drink, and moved one of his pieces.

Seto blinked. "You know, I'm not sure if this game was meant to be quite so serious..." he commented cautiously, not drinking but instead moving. "But then again... I have never--" He paused, rethought his statment, and tried again. "I have never kissed a woman before."

Siegfried took a drink, lip curling slightly into a sneer, and pushed one of his pieces into its new position. "I have never gone into a bank and robbed it at gunpoint," he said lightly.

He rolled his eyes and examined the board intently. A piece was moved. He thought hard about the next one before saying, "I never killed anyone on purpose."

"On purpose?" Siegfried murmured, before making his own move. He thought for a second before saying, "I never really liked that damned card game anyways." And taking a sip.

Seto smirked and sipped. "I...have never gotten so drunk that I had a hangover in the morning." He didn't sip, merely moved a chess piece instead.

Siegfried rolled his eyes, decisively not sipping. He made his responding move while considering. "...I never think anyone else's needs are more important than mine."

Seto watched for a moment, then realized that Siegfried was not, in fact, going to sip. Well, he would, at least. "I have never wanted to die." He put a wry smirk on his face--although, truth be told, he wasn't certain why; he just felt like doing so, so he did--and moved. The remaining wine in his glass was downed, and he reached for the bottle and filled it up again.

"..." Siegfried took a very small sip, apparently intent on saving the last bit for later. "I never wanted anyone on this disgusting planet to love me." And of course he finished the glass, reached for the bottle, and refilled it.

"I think you've got the 'disgusting planet' part right there," Seto chuckled while taking a sip. "Hmmm...I've got one--I never thought anyone did love me." He contemplated taking a sip but then decided not to. Shrugging, he elaborated. "Well, now I do, but had anyone asked me if I thought that a few months ago..."

Siegfried took a sip almost immediately. "Hm," was his only comment on the statement. He thought for a moment, examining his glass, then said, "I never kissed anyone because I loved them."

Seto drank and sat back, leaning his head back a bit and relaxing. ...Waitaminute--
...DAMN IT!
That one was a bit low. He didn't let any of his sudden frustration at himself and Siegfried register on his face, however.
"I've never cried for anyone." Sip.

Siegfried raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. "Does yourself count?" he asked, "Because I'll be taking a drink either way, I guess." And he did so. "I've never really been in love."

"Wasn't really counting myself there, but..." He lazily took another sip.
DAMN IT AGAIN--well, actually, he already knew I've been in love, so...
He was actually a little disappointed that Siegfried didn't drink to that. "I have never wanted to just grab someone and start snogging the shit out of them." He chuckled at this one and shrugged to himself. No drinking, though.

Siegfried took a drink and leaned back. "Hmm...I have never watched a full episode of one of those reality television shows." He shrugged, and grinned. "Sorry if that's too pathetic."

He almost forgot to be surprised that Siegfried drank to that last one. Seto did the same. "Heh, I'll admit, I watched a bit of Survivor when it first came out... Seemed good at the time. Ah well...I never sing in the shower."

Siegfried took a small sip. "Sometimes." He thought for a few moments about what to say, then said, "I have never been extremely irritated at someone at the same time that I wanted to embrace them." And took another drink.

Seto was about to do another but paused. And blinked. And slowly lifted his head back up to stare across the table at Siegfried.
...
"..."
...
"..."
Yes, his mun's just being silly now, but that's really what was going on in his head. The wheels had suddenly stopped turning. Or going at a very, very, mind-numbingly slow pace, pun unintentional.
"...Correct me if I'm wrong..." he said slowly, "but I do believe you're talking about me right there."

Siegfried cocked his head. "You do? You really do?" He crossed his legs and arms simultaneously, practically folding in upon himself. "I had no idea. I had most certainly not intended for it to seem that way...except for the fact that I did. Are you somewhat disturbed, disgusted, or in any other way confused by that? I hope you are. Am I telling the truth? Yes. Are you going to get extremely twitchy about it? You tell me."

"...Well...I'm at least more than a little confused..." he admitted, setting down his glass of wine. Lest he let it slip from his slackening grip and shatter on the floor and stain a few things. That would be bad. "...Care to elaborate so as this may be rectified?"

"Elaborate?" Siegfried said, setting his glass down as well. "...no. No, I really don't care to elaborate. I think you've got it down pretty well, despite the fact that your total inability to pick up subtlety made me dubious as to the chance that you'd actually get that. So no, I don't think I need to go more into it."

He blinked a few more times. "...But...but you said--! We had that whole argument, and...!" A hand went through his hair, taking a deep breath. "So...are we talking about...just feelings, or...love, or...something else entirely...?"

"Mmm, I'm not sure. Feelings~" he said, waving his hand about. "Possible, but I don't know. Love? If I were capable of it, perhaps." Siegfried laughed. "You credit me with too much, Kaiba," he said, shaking an admonishing finger. "Really, think about it from MY point of view. To be in love with you would be...a bit of an inconvenience, to say the least, wouldn't it? And I cannot really afford that, right now."

"Doesn't mean that it's not possible," Seto commented, pointing that out. "Just because you don't want it to happen doesn't mean it won't. Or hasn't already." He paused for a moment. "We really didn't need to go through that argument, then, you know."

"It was necessary," Siegfried said coolly. "I wouldn't've bothered if it wasn't. Anyways, if I didn't want it, or at least accept it, it wouldn't ever happen." He nodded, to underline the statement. "I'm like that, you know."

"Yeah, but..." Words failed him now. What was all of this supposed to mean? That he had yet another person chasing after him? Had the situation not been rather serious at the moment, he might have laughed at the mere thought.
"...So...what...exactly does that mean? What does that make you to me, if anything at all?"

What, does he expect me to be stunningly emotional and overdramatic or something? Honestly.
"Nothing," Siegfried said, raising an eyebrow. "Nothing at all."
Pity he's so oblivious, though...might've had something there.

"..."
An uncomfortable silence befell them. Of course, Siegfried was never one to come out and say everything he was thinking and feeling on a whim.
"Er...so..." The glass was lifted and immediately half emptied. He suddenly wanted a very strong drink right now. Curse this wine.

Siegfried grinned. "So what?" he said, "So what do you want to know now? Are you going to start interrogating me on the subject? Or run away?"
This is just too amusing...
"Because I'd really like you to state your intentions. I'm curious."

"Neither, actually," admitted Seto. "Because you're hardly willing to explain any more than you already have, and I don't run away from things. Not that I'd have a reason to do so at the moment, anyway." He turned the glass around a few times in his hands. "Erm, I do believe we have a game to finish, don't we?"

"Yes, we do. Two of them, I think. For the chess, I believe it is my turn." He looked down at the previously forgotten chess board, and lazily pushed a single piece forwards. "And for the drinking game, yours. Go ahead, Kaiba~" Siegfried said, sneering slightly.

This whole other game had completely thrown him off now. His strategy was left in the dust, and he stared at the board blankly for a few moments before snapping back to reality. Damn, did he wish to be drunk right now. He moved. "I see... Uh, I never...let's see... I've never intentionally harmed myself." Sip.
Must get drunk, must get drunk...
Too bad that wasn't really working.

Siegfried made his own move, smirking and not taking a drink.
Have I thrown you off your game, Kaiba? Oh, no...
"I have never kept an animal as pet," he said after a little thought. "Which is rather a pity; I suppose I will acquire one soon, though."

Seto chuckled uneasily. "Weren't you getting one of Malik's kittens for your other self? I don't suppose you're going to have a party for your birthdays, are you?" He moved after some thought. "I've never gone skinny dipping."

Siegfried took a drink, made his move, and leaned back. "Yes, I'm getting one of the animals. I doubt that I will bother with having a party, though; who would come? The peons? No, I don't want that. ...I've never written anything on the door of one of the stalls in a public restroom." He shrugged.

"Heh, I've actually always wanted to do that. Hn, you could always just send personal invitations for a party so that only those you might actually want to come did." He moved his piece. "I've never gone to church on Christmas." He took a sip.

"So it would be...me. And...me. Wow, some invite list." Siegfried took a small sip. "I've never been amused by the supreme idiocy some people are capable of." He repositioned a piece, then took another sip of his wine.

Seto sipped as well. "What, you wouldn't want to invite little old me...?" he questioned mockingly. "And then there's your family. Although I'm sure a trip from Germany to here isn't a fun trip..." He made his move. "I never had a comic book collection as a boy." And took another sip.

"Oh, if you wanted to come to a two-person party, you'd be welcome, I suppose..." Siegfried said, lips curling a little into a sneer. "But I wouldn't go out of my way to invite you." He moved one of his pieces forwards. "Hn...I have never drawn something utilising a nude model." He took a small sip.

Seto snickered a little at the thought. "Hell, I've never drawn." He moved a piece across the board. "Hm...I never pulled a prank on any of my teachers. And got away with it." He sipped, an amused look still on his face.

Siegfried blinked, making a responding move. "Hm. I wouldn't call what I did pranks, so I suppose not. I've never actually loathed anyone; merely disliked them." He took a drink, of course.

Seto downed the rest of his glass, contemplated ending the game there and not filling it up again, decided against it, and filled it up again. "I never wanted to fall in love." Another sip. He added a move to the end of that.

Siegfried took a small drink. "Hn. I have never played one of those abominably stupid videogames that my other self does," he said thoughtfully, voice barely concealing his disgust at them. Instead of drinking, he reached out to move one of his pieces.

Seto rolled his eyes and drew from the glass. "I wish I had more time to play them, really." He pushed forward a piece and crossed his legs. "Hm...I never have been stereotyped," he pondered and drank again.

Siegfried also took a drink, then reached out for the bottle and refilled his glass. "Hn," he said, as he pushed a piece into position. "I have never needed to have stitches..." He held his glass up as though about to drink, then rethought it and instead abstained from it.

He shrugged. "I've probably needed them a few times, but I've never actually gotten any." His hand hovered over a certain piece before moving it. "I never recieved any scars." There went another portion of his glass.

Siegfried made a counter-move. After a few moments' thought, he said, "I've never chewed my nails..."
Damn, I'm running out of ideas. ............perhaps--no, bad idea...

Seto moved. "Hm, I...have never supported the war in Iraq." A little lame, but he'd been out of ideas for a while now and was rather grasping at whatever he could think of now.

Siegfried raised an eyebrow. "That war America's in?" He made his own move, but did not drink, for the express purpose that he really didn't care about it. "I've never drunk alcohol for the express purpose of being drunk..."

Seto sighed and sipped to that. "Did that on the roadtrip before you came. Ryou was being emo and angsty and put us all in a depressed mood, so drinks for us all until we got drunk." He moved, a little bored. "But other than that and at a few business gatherings, I've not had all that much alcohol before. Let's see..." He tapped his chin and shrugged. "Do you want to stop playing this? I'm afraid I'm starting to run out of ideas unless we started saying really stupid things."

"Mmmm, same here..." Siegfried murmured. "I suppose so. Not the easiest thing in the world, I guess. Shall we revert to an awkward silence, then? I suppose it's fine, but..." He moved one of his chess pieces. "...well, I suppose we have no other option."

"Hm, well, I think we ought to find something to talk about, then..." He paused in his thoughts, moving a piece. "I hope not to sound like a therapist here, but why don't we talk about your--or my, if you'd rather--feelings, hm?"

"And what exactly about my feelings is it that you want to discuss, Kaiba?" Siegfried asked, his amusement creeping into his voice. "I don't know why you'd want to talk about what I think, for heaven's sake. Unless, of course...oh, but we'll ignore that possibility, won't we..." He repositioned a piece.

"I think you realize just what about your feelings I'd like to know about, but..." He snatched up a piece, tossing it up into the air and catching it a few times. "Unless what, Siegfried, hm? I think we ought to be more open-minded..." He set it back down in a new square.

"Open-minded? Open-minded how? I am quite open-minded enough, I believe -- definitely enough for the situation. Your wanting to know what I think does not really inspire me to tell you anything, anyways; be specific, ask questions..." Siegfried moved one of his own pieces. "Go on. Maybe I'll answer them, but of course it's possible I'll find that I don't really want to answer them and refuse to."

He made a counter move. "Fine. Tell me, then--how long have you had these...oh, what to call it...affections, let's say, for me, hm? A few days, a few weeks, years, even? I'm just dying to know..." The inquisitor quirked a brow and took another long sip of his wine.

"A while," Siegfried said, "I am not certain exactly how long..." He laughed. "But does the amount of time really matter that much, I must ask? I wouldn't think so..." He reached out and moved one of his pieces.

"Not really, but it was just a nagging question. Moving right along, then, are you jealous?" He leaned forward and moved a piece, leaning back again. "Of the others that have a thing for me, that is, or of others that I may have affections for."

"No. Why would I be?" Siegfried raised an eyebrow. "It seems to me that would just be a waste of time, dwelling on what is. Besides, I'm not that interested in you, that I'd be obsessed..." He made his own move.

"Really now? You used to be obsessive...perhaps not we me in the sense we're thinking of now, but..." He mused and mulled over his next move. "You've been rather jealous before, you know..." He finally moved. Seto couldn't help but have a smug look on his face.

"That's different. That's revenge. Of course I'd be obsessed with it. You as a person, however...well, I must say there's very little to be obsessing over. You aren't that great, you know." Siegfried cocked his head. "...mentally, at least; your inability to take a hint does put me off," he purred, pushing a piece into its new position.

Seto nearly facepalmed. "You weren't exactly all that into wanting me to know, the way you were going. It's not like I'd want to suspect it after we already argued about it..." He moved. "But you know there's no way I'd be where I am now without having a brain. So...I suppose this leads me into my next question--what is it about me, anyway? Looks, smarts, quirks...?"

"That," Siegfried said coolly, "Is something I can easily sum up in a few statements: you are actually intelligent. You are not obsessed with sex. You're a decent chess player. You aren't disgustingly ugly -- almost attractive if one squints, and your personality is not to fault for my intense loathing of you." He made his responding move. "Circumstance is, I suppose, but it doesn't really matter what started it anymore."

"Hn, I suppose I ought to take that as a compliment." He examined the board, idly sipping his wine. "Aha, intense loathing--you do realize I'm hardly ever going to believe you when you say that of me now, don't you? Not that I'm saying I'm going to look at you as a fanboy or anything..." He made a move. "No, no, it doesn't matter what started it, really. Like I said, I'm just curious about these things."

"You ought to believe me, though. I'm capable of more than one feeling directed at one person, you know, even IF I generally don't care. Just because I may happen to be attracted to you does not mean that I am going to wax poetic about the colour of your eyes or some other such sappy nonsense instead of having my revenge..." Siegfried's upper lip twitched slightly, as he moved his piece. "It's just that I'll appreciate you more as I do so."

"You appreciate your so-called greatest enemy more...hm..." Seto was still smirking at this, not at all believing this bit. "You have no idea what the hell you really feel, do you?" He made a move, sliding a piece elsewhere.

Siegfried rolled his eyes. "Of course I do. How couldn't I? Why should I bother denying my feelings, anyways? I actively identify and realise my feelings, and just because I may not like the subject of them is no reason to deny them. I pride myself on not being in denial..." He moved one of his chess pieces. "...because really, what's the point?"

"Oh, I don't know, something along the lines of trying to just plain ignore the fact that these feelings exist. I don't ever distract you, do I?" His lazy smirk grew as he moved a piece and sipped a bit more.

"Mmm, sometimes, but it's mostly the loathing that I hold for you that makes me focus on you," Siegfried replied, with a small laugh, and he moved a piece in response.

Seto made a quick counter move. "Loathing for me, or loathing for what you feel for me?" he asked with a short chuckle.

"You, I would think..." Siegfried murmured, making his move. "Why would I loathe a feeling? I mean, it doesn't exactly have a mind of its own, and I can easily repress it."

"Mm, you've certainly done a good job of it so far," answered Seto in a quieter voice. "So, are you planning on doing anything about it, or are you just going to repress it for the rest of your life?" He grabbed a piece and moved to a different square.

"I think so," Siegfried said, licking his lips uncomfortably. Oh, God, what next, is he going to want me to sign over my company over some worthless infatuation? "I mean, what can I do besides repress it? The interests are not reciprocated, and I might do better elsewhere; the feelings'll probably go away if I ignore them long enough," he ended, rather hopelessly, reaching out and moving a piece.

"Perhaps, perhaps not." Seto shrugged rather lamely, unable to come up with much else to say to that at the moment. He pondered over his wine, sipped it, pondered some more, sipped again, and finally moved. "If you happen to stumble across another...I'm sure it might be better, and you'll at least have someone else to feel this way for..."

"Hn. I'm sure. It has to be just hormones or something that's causing this anyways; I'm too young to be 'in love', anyways. These feelings will dissapate in time, and I'll be left to be the same as before. Woe or joy, depending on your point of view..." Siegfried shrugged, nudging a piece into its new position. "...I don't really care."

"Too young to be in love?" snickered Seto. "Hardly. Now, if you were, say, seven years younger, then sure, but c'mon, how can you be 'too young'?" He shook his head and moved.

"Because I am more motivated by my bodily desires than by my higher mental self. Since I am attracted to you on a bodily level, and probably nothing more, it is not love. At this age, the majority of the population does not experience love but lust, which they confuse. I, on the other hand, am able to distinguish." Siegfried nodded curtly, making his move. "And I truly doubt one could call what I experience love."

"Still, it doesn't mean you're 'too young' for love. Hell, look at me--completely head over heels for someone when merely a month ago, I would've told you I despised love. ...Well, I still do, really, but that's besides the point, I suppose..." He drew from his glass, growing more contemplative as he stared off into space for a moment. "Love and lust, hm, yes, easily confused, I'm sure. So this isn't like a little crush, hoping to get my attention so we could be a blushing couple and more like wanting to get me into bed? Heh." He moved.

"Head over heels, indeed," Siegfried murmured. More audibly, he said, "If you ever seriously thought I would consent to be part of a blushing couple, I would, ignoring all 'feelings', laugh you out of my house. Sex, Kaiba. At this age, it is apparently all about the sex, revolting though the concept may be..." He paused to move a piece, then went on: "And besides that, I really don't see the point in the overly emotional tripe people spew, either. I'm sure love and sex are both wonderful, but these people cannot shut up about both subjects. Pitiful." Have I driven the conversation far enough away from that little subject? Hopefully.

"That's partly because they're complete idiots," he said idly, gazing about the board. "And partly because it's either so predominant in their lives, or they just happen to be thinking about it a lot. Which, I suppose, is a reason why you don't talk about a silly subject like love--oh, perish the thought that you would ever feel such a thing. Or about sex." 'With me', he failed to add, thankfully. Although he didn't show it, the whole idea of Siegfried feeling anything for him, even lust, was rather...well, weird, to put it completely mildly. Downright frightening might be a bit of a stretch, but... He moved a piece after a bit more thought.

"Yes, please do perish the thought. Love? I'll take love when I see it, but it won't be with you." ...really. ...don't you say otherwise. Siegfried's eyes narrowed slightly as he considered the possible moves he could make, both on and off the board. "And sex can wait until I feel like having it, contrary to what the idiots would say on the subject."
Are you scared yet, Kaiba? Are you disturbed? Stupid boy. You would be, wouldn't you?
He reached out and made his move.

"Hm, I've said it many times when it came to people like Atemu--you can't choose who you love. Maybe..." he mused, moving a piece slowly, "in a few years or so...when you feel like you ARE old enough for love... Well, who knows? As for the sex, you're pretty much already admitted to being in lust with me, so I don't see why you wouldn't already feel like sex."

"I feel like sex but I'm not going to be bragging about that right now; however, I don't really need it. Nor, for that matter, do I need the many diseases any sexual relationships with the people that surround us could easily provide." Siegfried shook his head, picking up a piece and moving it. "Not something I want to risk, playing with such fire."

Seto rolled his eyes. "That's what condoms are for. But I suppose you may have a point. They can keep their little STDs to themselves. It's not like anyone ever needs sex anyway. Besides," he continued, finishing off another glass of his wine, "if worse comes to worse, there's always masturbation." With one hand, he moved, and with the other, he refilled his glass yet again.

"I think I at least would be able to understand that," Siegfried said with amusement. "Although the very thought of these idiots procreating that haunts me with their every journal entry has made my libido drop to an all-time low. If I don't do something about this, nothing will save me. I'm thinking buying their houses, demolishing them, forcing them to move very very far away from here." He spoke levelly, but inside he was more than a little disconcerted by the surreal nature of the conversation.
Never would have expected this. Next he'll be asking what products I use on my hair, and I'll either have to screw him or go into hiding.
He reached out and moved one of the pieces to another square on the board.

"Now that's the best idea I've heard in quite some time," chuckled Seto, quickly making his next move because these games really don't ever end. "Except keep the Ishtar place intact--I paid for that place, damn it, even if it's not that nice. Give Isis a place to live, as she's not some sex fiend." He cringed. "Well, not the one that works at the museum. Her other self...if you haven't met her, you don't want to. Sex fiend. Prostitute. God knows what else."

"Right. The one that works at the museum. I'll leave her alone. ...well, I probably would've anyways -- she has never struck me as the type I want to hunt down -- but it's truly a pity about her brother. Anyways, I hope you banish all worthless freeloaders from your home so I don't have to demolish that as well." Siegfried moved a piece for great justice. "I'm sure that would be a pity..."

"It would. Hm...kicking Mokuba and Pharaoh out, let me see what the downside of THAT could be..." He feigned deep thought before shrugging. "I guess you're very glad your other self isn't like that as well. Of course, if he was, I doubt you would've let him stay here." He moved Zig.

"He would be without a home within the hour," Siegfried said impassively, "And I would demolish all apartments in the area. I won't tolerate that kind of behaviour from something that looks like me. Unless he grows a brain and it's with me." He made a couter-move that has no chance to survive make your time.

"Have you ever actually been in love, anyway?" he asked with a curious tilt of his head. "After having felt it before--and I'm sure it was in fact love and not lust--I can tell you that all that bull people say about how wonderful it is... I mean, sometimes it's nice, it really is. And sometimes you just wanna rip the feeling right from your body and live like it never existed." He made another move cautiously that set us up the bomb.

"Me, in love? Certainly not. If I were in love, I wouldn't bother trying to surpress it and people would know. ...unless, of course, you consider my affection for myself a case of love. Which it could easily be considered." Siegfried grinned. "At the very least, a romance for the ages." He moved a piece that know what it doing.

Seto wagged a finger at him. "Ah, no, that'd be a case of narcissism." I know the feeling. "Or a massively over-inflated ego. In any event, not love" He sipped his drink and looked at the board, wondering what the best move was. "I must ask, though--is that the reason you're glad I'm alive? This infatuation or whatever you want to call it?"

"Oh, but if I were cloned would it count?" Siegfried asked, with mock puzzlement. "Hn. Well, if you want to blame the infatuation for that, I suppose it's as good a reason as any..." he purred. "In fact, it's a fairly good one, I must say."

"I'd say so as well. Which is why I was asking you, since you're the one with the large list of thousands of reasons that I'd probably fail to care about." He lifted the glass to his lips as if to drink, but decided against it when another thought came to mind. "If you pride yourself on not hiding what you feel and think, then why didn't you tell me about all of this before?"

"Because I didn't feel like telling you. If it were something like love that would in no way benefit me if I kept the details to myself, I wouldn't bother. ...well, if I were in love with you it might be bad to say anything about it, I suppose." Siegfried shrugged. "But I have my reasons to do what I have done, and that's all that matters."

"More of those reasons, eh?" This time he drank. "You're quite the enigma, aren't you, Siegfried? I suppose you pride yourself on that, too? Hm..." The effects of the alcohol were making themselves known. Not drunkenness, of course--it's not like he'd really had that much anyway. "So is it just going to be like this?" He motioned around the room. "Us taking time off from our days, whether they be busy or not, to sit down for chess, blatantly ignore anything in between us, make revelations to each other and the like until we die? Or when we grow tired of chess, whichever comes first, I suppose..."

Siegfried shifted uneasily. "I...believe that's the only thing that can work out. Why, what do you propose, Kaiba? You're the only person I know who can actually play a good game of chess, and why should I throw away the chances for revenge this provides something I enjoy, because of emotions that I'm able to repress? Because of work that I finish anyways, and that you finish anyways? I don't think so. Isn't this the way it works best?"

"I...guess so..." He eyed Siegfried carefully. "I mean, we can't just not ever see each other again--well, we could, but that means no good games of chess. Speaking of which..." He leaned forward and moved a piece before standing, sipping his drink carefully as he did so. "I guess it's nice to play and chat, though we can be at it for quite a while." The board was examined from another angle. "And after being stuck in that office all day, stretching my legs sounds good right about now." ...Get your minds outta the gutter. Yeah, I'm talking to you; I know what you're thinking. Because I am, too.

"Indeed..." Siegfried said, blinking. "I enjoy them, myself, and see no reason to not continue with them. And since I see no reason, there probably is no reason, I daresay." The corner of his mouth twitched slightly. "Not that either of us can come up with, at least, it would seem." Siegfried reached out and picked up one of his pieces, looking at it with semi-interest, then placed it onto another square.

"And if we can't come up with one, I'm sure there isn't one," nodded Seto. "That or we just don't care enough to think up a decent reason, if there is one." He bent down and moved, straightening again.

Siegfried grinned. "Because we're good that way, right?" He looked at the board for a moment, thought about it, then reached out and moved one of his pieces. "Hn. That looks quite a bit like checkmate to me, doesn't it~?" He fought back a loud victorious laugh, instead opting to play the part of a graceful winner. "At least, I think so~..."

Seto had turned his back to the board, looking around the room and drinking casually. This announcement nearly made him spit out his mouthful and turn around. How could that be? "...Ah. So it is." All the while, curses for throwing his game off earlier were running through his head. "Congrats on your victory, then. That makes us...even? Yes, so you still have yet to truly get the better of me."

"Oh, of course. And the same goes for you, I believe. We're even for now. Now we'll need to play another game later to have a tiebreaker, won't we?" Siegfried laughed lightly. "Ah, but that IS a good thing, I think."
I get a chance to defeat you next time, too. Wonderful.

"Hn. I suppose so. Unless that one ends up being another draw." He pondered, perhaps, inviting Siegfried over next time. And having Seth there again. To...referee the outside game, maybe? "I must say, that was...fun. More so than our previous matches, I think."

"I agree. Perhaps their entertainment value increases as time goes on..."
Or when I am the victor...
"Odd, isn't it?" Siegfried smiled somewhat coldly. "Well, we WILL have to have a rematch, anyways. And if it's a draw, we can play another game."

Seto's eyes narrowed slightly, but he kept his voice pleasant. "Yes...hm...will the invitation to come over here still be there, or perhaps you'd rather make yourself at home at my place next time?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as he sipped at the wine.

"Oh, either works, really. It doesn't matter to me; you might as well just make the decision. Which would you prefer?" Siegfried asked, leaning back and surveying his opponent with half-closed eyes and barely-concealed arrogance. "I'll be fine with either location; it's the game that matters."

"Oh, why not my place, then?" he suggested, then added to it: "In fact, we could do it every other game, back and forth, unless it would be inconvenient for one of us to do so. It is more the game than anything, I agree."

"Hm, very well..." Siegfried said, grinning, "Alternate, hm? It would work, I think. And it wouldn't get totally monotonous, as it would if we only played chess in one place all the time."

"Exactly." He swirled the wine in the glass silently for a few moments. "So...I suppose I should get going now, now that we're...done here." But his feet didn't move. Maybe there was something more he could drag out of Siegfried. Highly, highly doubtful, but...
l337Siegfried: "I suppose so," Siegfried echoed. "You have quite a bit of work to attend to, after all."
As I shall, someday, once I have totally decimated your company in the name of my interests.
"It wouldn't be good for you to neglect it, would it?"

"Ah, well, like I said, I had set aside a few unimportant items to play..." mused Seto as he downed the rest of his drink quickly, setting the glass down by the chess board. "But yes, I ought to check and see what other nonsensical stuff I'm going to need to do tonight." He began trotting back in the direction of the door. "If you want me to keep this lust thing to myself, you would do well to tell me now before it slips out."

"Oh, please do keep it to yourself. The idiots would gloat, laugh, and kill me, wash, rinse, repeat. And that would be a bit of an inconvenience, as I'm sure you can understand. I'd just prefer it if we kept it between ourselves like other things that I'd also like to keep between us." He cocked his head. "Why would you want to tell anyone, for that matter? To brag yourself? I'd hope that's not the case..." Siegfried trailed off. "It would make me very irritated."

"Oh, no, not to brag--would I do that?" He looked back with a rather smug grin. "No, not for bragging. Not sure if this would be brag-worthy, anyway. All right, then. I'll keep it just between us, our little secret. Or, secrets, I guess, as there have been other things said between us that I'm sure we wouldn't want getting out."

"Not brag-worthy? Me interested in you, not being brag-worthy? You haven't a clue, have you..." Siegfried twitched slightly. "But actually, I think most of the secrets have been coming from me, haven't they? Why don't you ever share any with me?" he said, feigning sadness and shock.

"Because I'm your enemy, and giving away any big secrets would mean, oh, say, possible blackmail and chances to spot out weaknesses?" Seto answered with a roll of his eyes. "The only real thing you've confessed has been this...thing you have. And yes, I said not brag-worthy. Well, perhaps to your fangirls and fanboys and Yami, but..." He turned around and leaned against the door, crossing his arms over his chest. "What sorts of things about me would you like to know, anyway? Are we talking big, dark secrets that I doubt I'd really tell anyone even with my dying breath, or maybe something more specific about me?"

"Big dark secrets would be amusing. Probably something on the level of what I've told you, if you have any idea how to rate these things. ...and yes, it is quite brag-worthy, I would say. Novel, too; I've never actually been that interested in someone before. I'm sure were I to actually care to let any of them know of it, they would respond with jealousy first and foremost." Siegfried smirked slightly. "And you don't think it's brag-worthy? It seems you're a bit of a waste of someone to be interested in, doesn't it?"

"Quite," he said with a nod. "Couldn't agree more with you there. Doesn't seem to stop people from being interested in me, unfortunately. Let's see, deep dark secrets...not sure why I'd tell you, anyway. You told me yours rather willingly. I'm not the same way, I'll have you know."

"Really? Can't I motivate you to tell me somehow?"
Without torture? I don't need the police after me AGAIN. Those inquiries are always so boring.
"Honestly. It's only proper if you tell me something, seeing as I've shared one of my more personal feelings with you..."

"Then maybe I'm not proper. Hm, not really sure how you of all people could persuade me..." He mocked deep thought and said 42 and shrugged again. "And I haven't a clue was to what I'd tell you, anyway..."

"I have my methods," Siegfried murmured. "Which I would rather not utilise now, so I'm just going to go ahead and ask you. It doesn't matter what you tell me, so long as it's roughly worth the same as what I've told you. Equivalent exchange, and all that. I've been watching a bit too much FMA."

He quirked a brow. "Methods, eh? Hn. Yes, I'm sure you do... Nah, I really don't think I'm going to be persuaded. At the moment, anyway. Secrets are, after all, meant to be kept secret. It's not really my fault you can't keep your mouth shut on some certain topics."

"I can't keep my mouth shut," Siegfried repeated. "I think you seem to have been unconscious all the times I did not discuss the subject when I could've. I waited until the right moment; had I truly been unable to 'keep my mouth shut' about this topic, you would have known much earlier..."

"All right, fine then. Whatever. I'm not certain why you chose now anyway." His arms relaxed and loosened from their tightly crossed position, looking more like he was lazily hugging himself. "You're still not going to get me to say anything."

"I believe that is quite clear. Pity..." Siegfried purred. "Perhaps later, then?"
Before I attempt to utilise certain methods especially favoured by the Spanish Inquisition, maybe?
"I'm willing to wait," he added.

"I'm sure you're going to have a very long wait ahead of you, then," murmured Seto. "Then again, you are rather patient. Hm...I'll tell you this much, anyway--I do have one or two little secrets I've been thinking of telling everyone, just to get off my chest. Stiiiill not quite sure I'm going to, but..."

"But then wouldn't they be common knowledge? I don't need to have common knowledge. I want to know secrets that no-one else knows. You think anyone knows my secrets? Do you think even those closest to me -- admittedly, there is no-one extremely close to me -- know the secret that I told you? And what do tell me in return, but that you -- shock! -- have more secrets. What a revelation," Siegfried said sullenly. "I could never have guessed."

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry," growled the other, "I forgot that we're best buds who share every little thing with each other, things we wouldn't even tell our own flesh and blood. Yes, what could I have been thinking by not telling you anything of the sort? Bullshit, I'm not telling you a damn thing."

"Tch..." Siegfried breathed. "Fine. If you have to be that way, then fine."
You will, inevitably, anyways.
"Though I must say if I were you I wouldn't tell 'my' flesh and blood a damn thing; are you saying you'd sooner tell the blood-sucking anthromorphisation of a worm that calls itself your brother than me? Very well; I suppose it's your loss."

"Fine, bad example on my part." He waved it aside. "Nonetheless, we are bitter enemies still. ...I think." Seto tilted his head to one side. "Now, are you going to come over here and kiss me or what? Unless you have something more to say? I could always leave now, seeing as I'm not going to tell you any secrets of mine..."

Siegfried lifted one eyebrow, expression one of shock. ...well, of mild surprise, really. But to the highest degree! With a quiet, somewhat exasperated sigh, he stood up.
Of COURSE I'm going to go over there and kiss you, you idiot, now that you've invited me, do you think I'm slow or something...
"Why don't you come over here and kiss me?" he said, rather sarcastically. "Or must I do all the work here?"

An amused smirk on his face, Seto wagged a finger at Siegfried again. "Ah ah ah," he berated, "but I'm not the one in lust here, am I?" He then rolled his eyes. "You were taking that seriously, weren't you? Honestly, you think I'd really just tell you to get over here and plant one on me? Heh, only in your dreams."

"Me, taking your words seriously? Oh, please. Has your sarcasm detector overloaded? Or are you just playing stupid?"
Or...well, not playing, Captain Oblivious?
"In my dreams, indeed," Siegfried said, shaking his head. "Honestly." He folded his arms.

"Heh, I bet you'd really like to though... But I suppose that's enough joking around and humiliation for the moment." He stood straight again, grabbing the handle of the door. "I really ought to be getting back. Unless you really were going to come over here and plant one on me anyway. Well, not unless--I'd be leaving in any event anyway."

"Unless? And I'm the one desperate with desire, indeed." He rolled his eyes. "Well," Siegfried said, making his way across the room, "I suppose you ought to go. You haven't exactly been very pleasant for the last few minutes, have you?"
And I thought I could be a bad loser...
"Besides, you and I both have work to do." He stopped a few feet away from the one he twuwy wuved Seto. "Riiiiiiiight?"

He shot a little grin at his lover fuckbuddy rival. "Of course, Siegfried. Well, I at least have work to do, anyway. You can go back to worshipping me or whatever it is you do here. Toodles." Not two seconds later, he was out the door, humming a little tune whilst grinning madly to himself. Oh, if only he could tell the others this... Perhaps some other time, then.