Pegasus had always been the master at stroking Seto the wrong way, in every interpretation of that phrase. There were, however, very few instances (recently) where the elder Kaiba brother actually got angry with the man. They quipped, they quarreled... about things that were very important and things that weren't honestly worth the time of day to be debating about. But in the end, Pegasus would always back down. Seto had come to expect it. Under any other circumstances, with any other person (and sometimes with this person) he would take that as a victory.

It was when it was obvious that it was something Pegasus cared a great deal about that it aggravated Seto.

He himself would (and had) put the world on hold before, just because he had a single desire that wasn't completely fulfilled. He would fight with everything he did and didn't have to get whatever it was that he wanted. And there was a time, though in the past (which seemed so distant), that Pegasus had done the exact same thing.

There was no victory in a forfeited battle.

Now the older man's eyelid would flicker, he would hesitate, he would inhale, his hands would tighten just barely, his shoulders would tense, and then he would let his breath out slowly as he would smile for the coup de grâce. That was when the change in his answer would come.

This new pet peeve of Seto's caused him to close his eyes and he clenched the bridge of his nose almost painfully. "Why do you always do that?" he demanded. His voice was strained.

Pegasus turned his head slightly but his eye did not wander. "Do what?" he asked, though it was obvious that he was inquiring for an answer he already suspected.

"Why do you always give up? Don't you want us to go on this stupid vacation? You've been bringing it up for weeks." The last bit was added to further demonstrate his irritation that had been growing since the moment the suggestion had first left Pegasus' mouth.

Pegasus only smiled again at him, but this time it wasn't for presentation, it wasn't out of habit, it wasn't fake. It was just sad. "Life is too short to spend it fighting."