Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

He didn't understand it. He didn't understand her either. They were best friends for years. They had shared a lot more than most people. Everyone thought they'd be a good couple. So why was it they still weren't together? Why? This was the question that aggravated him. Why? Because it was never him, he assumed. It was his ancient, alter ego who resided within his millennium puzzle and body. The spirit that was taller, cooler and stronger than him, not to mention an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh. He was everything that Yugi wasn't. He was everything Téa wanted -Atem. But he was gone now.

Although Yugi was always jealous of the pharaoh, he never resented him. He loved him. He loved him like a brother. They shared so much, a body, many of their thoughts, an identity to the unsuspecting world and even the girl of their affections. Even though Atem never admitted it, or showed any sign of it, he too was interested in Téa. Yugi was able to figure this only, because he shared a body with the guy. Yugi had wasn't as good as concealing his affections about Téa, Atem was a master! This was something else, he was better at then at Yugi. Yugi was glad that as far as he knew, nothing had happened between the girl of his affections and his other half. He wasn't sure if he would be able to handle the pain if Atem and Téa ever got in a relationship together. He felt selfish.

True, he did set them up on a date once, which was very unselfish. He decided that if the two people he loved most in the world were happy, then he could too. But that date hurt him. Even though he confined himself to his soul room during the entirety of the date; he couldn't help thinking what was going on throughout it all, and if Yami and Téa we holding hands, or even kissing during it. He was mad that he couldn't be that person that Téa was infatuated with. He was overjoyed by the fact that, that one date didn't turn into something more.

But then everything changed. Atem left for the afterlife. It was just Yugi and Téa now...and Joey and Tristan...and Duke...and Serenity...and Seto...and Mokuba...and the 'good' Bakura... and Grandpa...and a lot of people. But why couldn't there just be a 'Yugi and Téa' sometimes? Because she didn't like him back, even though in the past she claimed to have liked both 'Yugis' equally.

Now Yugi was mourning. Mourning for the Pharaoh, and mourning the fact that he could not be the Pharaoh for his friends...and Téa. He felt very depressed and empty. Now that Atem was gone, he wasn't as strong or as cool. He was just Yugi. He recalled the life he had before the Pharaoh came along. He was teased constantly and he was alone for the most part. He didn't have any real friends, besides Téa that is, until he solved the puzzle and made a wish on it. Téa and him hadn't even been as close as they were until he solved the puzzle. It had been exactly two weeks that Atem left for the afterlife. Yugi was afraid everything he was able to gain from these few years while the Pharaoh was present would be taken away from him. His title, his friends, Téa...His 'supposed' strength and bravery, which everyone claimed he had, would be gone too; all of which weren't in actuality his, he mused.

Yugi became distant. All his friends were suffering and in pain, but they were able to stay afloat. They were able to share their pain and gradually were healing. Yugi was not. His friends weren't able to help that much. Due to his self pity of thinking he would never being the one they wanted, Yugi slowly distanced himself. Today at school, he turned down yet another request to join Joey, Tristan and Téa at the arcade or get burgers at Burger World with them.

What Yugi didn't know was Téa was hurting, almost as much as him. Not only was Atem gone, but Téa was slowly loosing Yugi. He was the one person whom she thought would always be there for her. He had gone into depression mode, and Téa wanted to be there for him. Too bad Yugi wasn't letting her. She decided that she needed a more direct approach. She called up Joey and and Tristan and said that she would have to pass on the trip to the arcade. She said she wanted to talk to Yugi privately and help him out of his fix. Joey and Tristan agreed and wished her good luck

Téa dashed off to the game shop from her house and into the Kame Game Shop. Yugi's grandpa was there at the register. Téa politely asked for Yugi and Solomon directed her to Yugi's room. Téa climbed up the steps and knocked on Yugi's door which was half-open. Yugi was there laying on his bed with his arms behind his head, and was starring endlessly at the ceiling. He looked up when he heard the knock and saw Téa's head from the side of the door.

"Yugi?"

"Téa." He breathed. He sat up and turned so his legs dangled of the side of the bed and moved his comforter so Téa could sit beside him. "What's up?"He asked casually. Téa glanced around the room. Not that she hadn't been here a hundred times before, but she felt uneasy. She noticed it was slightly more messy than usual. She sat down.

"Weren't you supposed to be at the arcade with the guys?" He questioned.

"Oh I was, but... Yugi." She affectionately said. She put her hand on his knee, in a comforting way and then let go."I wanted to come here. I'm so worried about you. You're becoming so distant. I miss you, so very much. I know you miss the Pharaoh and all, but you're not acting like yourself... and..."

"Well maybe this is the real me Téa?" He interrupted. "This could be the real me without Atem. Ever think of that?" Téa's eyebrows shot up. Yugi had never spoken to her in such a disrespectful tone. She was hurt, then angry. Yugi quickly realized his mistake and tried to apologize. "Téa, I didn't mean ..."

"Yugi, listen to me. You are not like this. You are Yugi Moto, 'King of Games'..."

"No Téa, I'm not!" Téa looked at him shocked, once again. Yugi was really acting different. Yugi continued, "That was Atem. Not me!"

Téa looked at him with her eyes burning with fury. "Now you listen here, Yugi Moto!" Yugi opened his mouth to interrupt her, but she put her finger to his lips. "Listen to me. You are the King of Games. You and Atem battled as a team, remember? Besides, you were the one who defeated Atem so he was able to return to the afterlife. That makes you the only King of Games now."

"Pure, coincidental luck."

"Stop putting yourself down Yugi!" She grabbed both of his hands in a desperate manner and moved her face closer to Yugi's, so they could sit eye to eye. "You are a great person Yugi. You are the greatest duel monsters duelist in the world, with or without him. I don't even care if you aren't the King of Games. You are Yugi Moto. My best friend, since forever. I knew you before you even were up there!"

Yugi shrugged as Téa clenched his hands harder. "When I see you, and only you, I see my best friend. The person I can talk to about almost everything. My friend with that crazy tri-colored hairstyle that I absolutely adore. The person who won't put down anyone and is nice to everyone." Her voice softened. "The boy that has grown so much. The boy that has always been there for me and who has the biggest heart I know." Yugi looked away, no longer willing to stare into Téa's mesmerizing blue eyes. Téa loosened her hold on Yugi's hand and then clenched them tightly again.

Téa paused briefly and then softly continued, whispering this time, "and the boy that... I... I fell in love with." Yugi gasped and looked up to meet Téa's gaze again. Her hands were still clenched in his, and her face was even closer now, her cerulean eyes were now dripping with tears that were now gazing into Yugi's own amethyst eyes.

"Please Yugi, please be the Yugi I know. You're not the Pharaoh. You will never be exactly like him. I don't want you to be. I want you to be Yugi, my Yugi, the one that I..." Téa closed her eyes.

Then Yugi did something surprising. He moved his face a bit closer to Téa's and he kissed her. Téa was extremely surprised. She blinked her eyes wide open. She wasn't expecting her Yugi to do something so bold. Not that she wasn't pleased. She quickly kissed back and threw her arms over his neck. The kiss wasn't extremely passionate or magical, but it was kiss with meaning. It wasn't even that long, but it was long enough. It was a much awaited kiss, and it exceeded both Téa and Yugi's expectation. It felt just so 'right.' There wasn't another word that could describe it so perfectly. Just 'right.' They were both basking in the reality and pleasure of the situation. Years of dancing around their feelings for each other was finally coming to a conclusion and the sweet and chaste kiss meant the start of a new beginning.

Yugi and Téa slowly pulled apart. "Love." Téa whispered, continuing her sentence, that was oh so pleasurably interrupted by Yugi. The both continued to stare at each other for a couple more seconds and Téa, flustered and looked down at her hands. Yugi followed her action and then looked up again.

"Are you still up to going to the arcade? I think I'd like to go with you." He softly asked.

Téa met his eyes again. She grinned at him and responded, "Absolutely."

"Then let's go." He smiled back, finally feeling happy for the first time in a long time. It was enough for her, for him just to be Yugi.

This was actually the first fanfiction I ever wrote. I never got to posting it and it's been sitting in my files for months now. I just made some slight edits now. I think I was too timid to post something like this as my first fanfiction. This was super-uber fluffy lol

Please review and tell me what you think!

~Startistica