It wasn't often the TV was turned on in the top office of Kaiba Corporation. Mokuba had long since grown out of hanging around without doing anything, and Kaiba certainly had no need of it. Atem didn't make it a habit to watch television at all, regardless of his setting. But when he'd gotten to the office to relax, he'd gotten a text message from his friend telling him to turn on a recent broadcast. Asking for it was awkward enough but Kaiba put up little resistance, busy with his work- as long as Atem promised not to turn on any childish drivel and keep the volume low.

When he found the channel he'd been requested to watch, footage of the last tournament he'd been spending his time at for the past month flashed on screen. There was a perky young interviewer going around the entire fairgrounds taking whatever she could, so long as she got someone with a duel disk on their arm. Atem didn't remember taking an solo interviews this time around (or many in his entire career, he avoided it as much as possible), so he wasn't sure what he was supposed to be watching out for. He pretended not to notice Kaiba glancing up from time to time, though the keystrokes never once ceased.

Eventually one on one questions died out and a montage of duels started playing. Atem's were most prominent, and he wasn't entirely fond of watching himself duel. He was tempted to turn it off but he was sure this wasn't what he was supposed to be seeing. Kaiba's typing slowed every time a duel clip came to its end, life points hitting zero. Several times Atem walked across the field to give his opponent a bright smile, a handshake, and some words of kindness. Complimenting his opponents was the greatest thing he could think to do, especially when every duel was unique in its own way and his opposites really were trying hard.

After a few moments, one of the final duels came on and he sat a little closer on the edge of the couch. While he really didn't want to rematch, especially with someone's commentary on top of it all, he couldn't resist watching his duel with Jonouchi. He was sure it was what his friend wanted him to watch anyway. He'd come out on top in the end but it had been a spectacular duel and Jonouchi had had him in a few tight spots throughout. Watching it again was only a fraction of the excitement he'd felt when dueling him, but it was fun to see it again from a different perspective. Once the footage ended, Jonouchi bounded across the screen to throw his arm around Atem.

Watching it brought a fond smile to his face and he sat back again. The typing stopped completely but he wasn't paying too much attention. On the TV Jonouchi and he were busy chatting, though Atem was a little upset that the moment had been filmed. He hadn't even realized. The reporter's voice came up over the image of the two of them, speculating on how close the relationship was, something that made Atem roll his eyes. There was never any shortage of gossip in this profession, he'd found. Another text hit his phone, though Jonouchi was laughing the entire thing off. It certainly wasn't anything to get upset about.

As he settled back onto the couch to respond back, the TV was turned off from Kaiba's side of the office. The typing resumed, but he could feel Seto watching him. He didn't look up from his phone.

"It's ridiculous how much time they spend speculating on this than the actual duels." He made sure to maintain a wholly disinterested tone.

"You shouldn't console the losers who fall to you." Before Atem could interject Kaiba continued, "And you shouldn't let them slobber all over you, either."

He exhaled a breath, steeling another roll of his eyes. "The people I go up against try their hardest. The duels are spectacular." Atem really didn't want to touch on the subject of Jonouchi. That was a very delicate place to go into, and he certainly hadn't gone up there to start a fight. Or participate in one.

"Their skills are poor compared to yours. They don't deserve your attention. It weakens your image when you act like they're on your level." The typing resumed, slow but harder, Kaiba's fingers coming down on the keyboard as if he were trying to prove a point. That he wasn't really paying attention, perhaps.

Which Atem knew to be far from the truth. Finally he looked up from his phone, shuffling over to lean against the arm of the couch, closer to the desk's direction. "My image is just fine. And I have no interested in playing cold to budding duelists." That certainly wasn't any way to cultivate talent or interest in the game.

"And it's why you are weak." The sentiment was cold.

Atem tried to let it go but in the end shot back with something he knew he shouldn't have. "Does this have to do with Jonouchi?"

The corner of Kaiba's jaw tightened, Atem could tell he was grinding his teeth. "That mediocrity does not deserve anything from you, more so than the other losers. Letting him drool all over you after losing is by far the worst thing you can do."

Again he couldn't resist. "You're not-" Jealous. Kaiba was always jealous.

"Don't tell me you let his stupidity rub off on you as well." Kaiba was obviously not up for entertaining such a ridiculous idea. "That dog-"

"Jonouchi," Atem corrected sternly, "Is my friend. And a great duelist. And I'll compliment him whenever he deserves it." He stared straight at Kaiba who had finally lifted his gaze. The match went on for a few moments before Kaiba narrowed his eyes, trying to get Atem to back down. Never in his life would it work, but he'd always try.

And when it didn't he simply dropped his eyes back down to his computer with a scoff. "So let your reputation slide. It won't matter when I take everything back from you."

Though he should have perhaps been angry, instead Atem rose from the couch, smiling slightly, and settled himself on the corner of Kaiba's desk. "Victory wouldn't be as sweet if you took it from someone with a weak reputation. Is that what you're angry about?" Letting Kaiba off easy; he simply had no wish to fight, especially not with the topic at hand.

"Perhaps you are not as stupid as you act, if you can understand that much." He grunted out, shoulders rolling back. He was trying to keep his attention away from Atem.

"Perhaps." Muttered before he rose and cross his arms. He was sure Kaiba had seen the duel with Jonouchi- or all his duels, for that matter. He did watch rather obsessively. "I'm going to get dinner." Even though he'd only just gotten there, his motive the entire time had been to entice Kaiba away from the office. "Are you coming?"

"You know better than to ask that." He was busy. Always. He made no concessions. Not for Atem. Never. …even when he did, which was more often than not as of late. Not that he'd ever admit it. He watched Atem shrug and move towards the door.

"That's fine. Jonouchi wanted to go out anyway." At the growl, with his back facing Kaiba, he couldn't help but smirk. Sometimes those buttons were entirely too easy to push.

"Let them catch you again with the filth so the rumors can circulate?" Kaiba stood abruptly, chair creaking with the quick push. "We're not going to that low class burger joint." And just like that he'd invited himself back in, grabbing his coat.

Atem smiled up at him as he strode to his side. "One day I'll get you to try it." Cheeky in his response.

"Your delusions are worse than your stupidity at times." He raised his hand to the small of Atem's back- only to push him to the door. The more time they wasted the worse the work pile would be when he got back. It wasn't as if he were jealous or trying to reclaim his position. Never. "Hanging around the dog really does hinder you."

"And hanging around you?" He was decently happy with the way things turned out, even if Kaiba was still sniping at his best friend. That would never stop. He wasn't going to count on it. They could fight, and often did, but Kaiba would never change his mind. Especially not when Jonouchi was close and did things like put his arm around him during tournaments.

"It will improve you. Slightly." Said with a smirk as he peered down at Atem while they walked.

He smiled up at him. "Good enough."