My cheeks sting from the needle prick kisses the icy breeze gifts my skin, biting through layers of skin and muscle to pierce right into the marrow of my bones. I knew this coat was older, but I didn't think it was possible for a coat to get thinner with age. If my freezing limbs weren't bad enough, I don't know where Yami has run off to, my phone battery chose now to die, and Kaiba keeps following me around like the ghost of Christmas future. I don't even know why he's following me, he's made it clear twice now that my affairs are of little consequence to him, yet here he is trailing my steps like a condescending shadow. 

   "You don't have to stay."

   "Nor do I have to go."

   "I promise, I will inform you the second I find him."

   "I know you will," he replies in his typical cool tone. His eyes remain fixated on his phone, nestled in the palm of his gloved hand. The corner of my eye twitches in annoyance at the sight of his cool demeanor, or rather his ironically warm frame. He came to duel with Yami, and I applaud him for his perseverance after realizing his absence, but I'm certain he could have found a multitude of tasks to fill his time rather than skulking behind me like a specter.

   "Don't you have a company to run?"

   "Kaiba Corp. is in capable hands." 

   "I'm sure your abundant faith flattered Joey."

   "Wheeler?" He splutters, halting mid step. "You think I left my company in the hands of someone like Wheeler?"

   "No, but it'd be rather funny if you had."

   "Funny like a sinking ship." He mutters, the wind offering little cover for his words.

   A shiver trails the curve of my spine as frigid air slips past my coat's defenses, my skin acting as a conductor for winter's worst creation, shivering. I've never been partial to the cold, even less so after my time being bonded to Yami through the Millenium Puzzle; his life in Egypt did nothing to prepare him for snowstorms or negative degree windchill. 

   I recall his first winter when we shared a physical form; he experienced the shift in temperature for a maximum of five seconds before shifting back into the puzzle, adamantly proclaiming he will never step foot out into such hellish conditions again. Amusing really, such a stark sentiment, coming from a man who I can no longer keep from falling spreadeagle into the snow, lips stretched in a wide, radiant smile.

   He's evolved, adapting to this new life with an ease I never imagined possible. That all too familiar selfish portion of my soul wishes that he had more reason to rely on me, to cling to me for understanding and aide. This selfishness disguises itself as affection, an all too clever guise that has deceived me before. I don't wish to be selfish, at least not with him. We should reserve selfishness for the trivial pleasures of this life, something should never tarnish the love of another, especially something as acidic as jealousy.

   "Why haven't you told him?"

   "Told him what?" 

   "Don't be coy," He tuts, his tongue faintly clicking against the roof of his mouth. "waiting will not make it any easier."

   "I know." My fingers curl into tight fists within my pockets. Trapped blood flushes my fingers with heat, temporarily dulling the bite of my nails into the palm of my hand. "But there is also safety in silence."

   "Safety for you perhaps." 

   "For both of us, ignorance is bliss. What you do not know cannot hurt you until it's known and for now he does not know, so it can not hurt him." I don't have to look at the young man behind me to know his piercing blue eyes have narrowed into slits and his thin lips press together; I'm all too familiar with his expressions of displeasure and the weight his gaze presses into me in such moments. 

   "You're hiding." His reply is simple yet catastrophic. My feet falter, tripping over themselves as I come to a screeching halt just before a crosswalk. Seto brushes past me without hesitation or backwards glance, the chilling sweep of air his momentum summons hits me like the backhanded swing of a slap. "Protecting yourself from rejection, there is nothing more to it than that. It's self-serving and no amount of word-smithing will ever make it anything less."

   Sinking my teeth into the flesh of my lip I censure myself. Seto Kaiba has never been an easy person to get along with, or be around for any period, but I put in the effort for Joey. I'm regretting not requesting payment from Joey for every minute I can withstand his boyfriend's condescension. If I had, I would own my own multimillion-dollar corporation by now. 

   Taking a deep breath, I stride past the arrogantly observant millionaire, doing my best to ignore the way his eyes track me as I step off the curb. He reminds me more of a snake lurking in the grass than a young man in his early twenties, though I suppose growing up in a corporate environment would have that effect on people. I hear his steps shadowing mine, a blissful silence settling between us. It appears he's said his peace for the time being and I am left with the responsibilities of locating Yami and struggling to ignore the bitter realities of his observations as they gnaw away at me. 

   My path is riddled with holiday shoppers. A mob of men and women struggling to hold on to their children and their purchases, staring concernedly into the windows of shops at price tags, or wandering with uncertainty as they try to conjure a gift idea for a relative or loved one. A litany of festive bells ring as shop doors swing open and shut, signaling the arrival and departure of consumers as they wander about the streets. 

   Keeping my hands in my pockets, and ignoring the obnoxious young man behind me, I forge a path through the street. Carefully avoiding knocking elbows with strangers as I peer briefly into the windows of shops, scanning for the familiar gold and crimson glow of his hair. Unfortunately, it would seem he's become a master of camouflage; I haven't spotted a single spike of his hair or his tan skin. It's shocking really, since he stands out amongst the pale reflections of Domino City citizens.

   "Just fix it!" I pause mid-step, my foot hovering just off the curb. Seto almost collides into me as I scan the surrounding shops, searching for any obvious source. "I don't care how long it takes, fix it!" Spinning around, I push past Seto and follow the sound of Yami's voice. Pausing for a moment in the open doorway of a hair salon, the door propped open with a few magazines as a wall of heat pours out into the frigid air. My presence gains a few curious glances, but that doesn't concern me, I fixate my complete attention on the origin of his voice as he sits in a salon chair with his hair wrapped tightly in towels.

   "Teá, I swear on all the gods, you will fix this." He snaps, dark lashes making his annoyed expression even more fearsome. 

   "You've got to be kidding me," Seto huffs behind me. Brushing past me without hesitation he strides in like he owns the place. "This is where you've been?" His tone sounds accusatory, and perhaps it is, but at the moment I can't imagine him sounding any more childish. Yami's eyes settle on Seto in confusion, his eyes widening in a brief display of panic once he notices my presence, his fingers tightening around the seams of the towel, concealing his hair from view. 

   Crimson and icy blue eyes clash for dominance as they silent barrage one another. These two have gained an almost freaky form of communication, understanding one another perfectly with only a few glances and shifts in expression. It has to be an ancient Egyptian or reincarnation thing, it's the only way any of it makes sense. 

   "I'm so sorry," Tea repeats, brown eyes brimming with tears. 

   "Don't apologize. Fix it." Yami hisses through his teeth. Sidling up beside Seto I look at Yami curiously, his eyes flick uncertainty between Teá's face and my eyes. It's strange seeing him like this, but I don't press it as his eyes settle on the safety of his laps. 

   "Hi Teá," I greet, offering a brief comforting smile. "is everything alright?"

   "I messed up," she chokes. "He offered to help me practice, and I messed it all up. I don't know to fix it Yugi."

   "Hey," I comfort. "I'm sure it's not that bad." Yami scoffs in response, his eyes remaining trained on his lap. "Yami volunteered for this, so he can handle a few mistakes with grace and forgiveness." Crimson eyes peer up at me through a veil of dark lashes, his face framed by his arms as he pins the towel to his skull. 

   A startled gasp escapes Yami's lips as my fingers brush his as I reach for the towel. His knuckles turn white as he tightens his grip. His eyes scorch with what I can only describe as shame as he looks at me, a foreign gleam of vulnerability shining in his iris. Pressing a comforting palm atop his knuckles I wait for his grip to relax, which after a few minutes of mixed coaxing and goading from Seto and I his hold relents. The towel slips away, and it has replaced his marvelous crimson and gold locks with brilliant shades of cobalt and sapphire.

   It's different, but lovely. Seto sneers silently before turning on his heel to leave, undoubtedly to share this little escapade with his lover. He may act like he's above all of us, but he loves a good story just like the rest of us. 

   "You're staring," Yami mumbles bashfully. 

   "It's a lot to look at." 

   "I know," he groans. "It's hideous."

   "I didn't say that." I catch Teá slipping away out of the corner of my eye, seizing this opportunity to escape Yami's understandably embarrassed pride. "The colors are lovely."

   "This wasn't supposed to happen. She has to fix it."

   "Unfortunately, I'm not sure how she can without bleaching all of your hair again. Even if she were to color your hair back, it wouldn't look the same."

   "That's not comforting." He buries his face in his hands. I can feel his embarrassment and pride through the link, his vulnerability allowing a few spare emotions to slip past his defenses. An overwhelming sense of worry passes through and as I follow it all I find at its source is my name. He tenses as he senses my prying, pushing me out of his mind before returning his thoughts to their sealed vault. He looks at me appraisingly before grabbing onto my hands. "What am I going to do Yugi?"

   "Well, I suppose you'll have to wait for it to grow out," I murmur, brushing my thumbs across his wrists comfortingly. "Unless you'd like to shave your head completely, destroy all the evidence."

   "You're teasing me." 

   "Only a little." I confess. "Shall we go home? Rescue you from the public eye?" He briefly nods, glancing toward the discarded towel as if considering recovering his hair. A deflating sigh escapes him as he settles his gaze on me and rises to his feet, hands still ensnared with mine. 

   "I suppose there are worse things than blue hair."

   "You're right, you could be bald."

   "Don't even put that out into the universe!" He huffs, surrendering himself to my guidance as we slip out the door, into the awaiting jaws of the frigid air and the curious glances of passerby.