Chapter 1: The Bet and the Meeting

Honey brown eyes glanced out the window nonchalantly, a slow smile creeping up his face and almost reaching his blonde locks. Joey Wheeler immediately felt good about his day. In his line of vision he spotted a short teen a year behind him waiting by the bridge at the end of the school grounds, just like he'd instructed him to the day before.

Nothing could screw this up, he was sure of it. Tri-colored hair blew in the light breeze of the cooling season and Joey was certain that even from the distance between them if those violet eyes glanced his way he'd spot the shy nature dancing just behind the large irises. Knowing he had no friends, Joey had wanted to introduce him to another teen in their year that he was sure to get along with: Ryou Bakura.

~Flashback~

Joey looked down one of the several halls he strolled by, bored and waiting for something interesting to happen. A grin reached his face and he paused mid-step. "Hey, Malik," he called, waving energetically and directing his feet in the other direction. "What's up?"

"Huh," the teen gasped, jumping at the sudden loud voice. Barely glancing over his shoulder, the sandy-blonde teen offered the smallest of blushes to his friend. Amethyst eyes gave everything away. "Nothing much."

A wide grin answered him and Joey playfully slugged his shoulder and waggled his thing eyebrows. "So, Marik finally got the guts to make a move, huh? Bout time."

Malik nodded eagerly, losing his initial shyness and embarrassment. "Finally," he agreed enthusiastically. "It was one of the best nights of my life, but so far it's been a bitch to walk around all day."

Throwing his head back, Joey barked out a laugh. It echoed loudly around the stone hallways and his sandy-blonde haired friend quickly looked around to make sure no one was coming. "Wouldn't know how that feels," Joey finally retorted, rubbing the back of his head and roughing up his hair. "But I'm happy as long as you and Marik don't start acting like Yami and go screwing with everybody." A scowl immediately erased the usual laugh lines around his face and he pulled out a folded up note from his pocket. His baggy jeans immediately felt lighter with the offensive paper. "Check this out."

Violet eyes scanned the contents of the page before widening, whistling and then choking when he reached further down the page. "That's Tea's number," Malik retched uncomfortably, voice rising with disbelief. At Joey's nod his stomach churned uncomfortably and he stared at the tally marks next to said brunette's name. Then the obvious hit him. "How did you get this?"

A smirk worthy of Seto Kaiba touched the honey blonde's face as he snatched the paper back up and folded it back into his pants' pocket. He'd have to remember to store it away somewhere safe when he got back to his own rooms. "Don't tell anybody, not even Marik," he began in a whisper, glancing around and then stepping closer to his friend, waiting for a nod and then continued. "I just made a bet with that slut though," he grinned smugly and basked in whatever glory he was feeling at the moment. "I bet he had to stay with one person for two weeks with no sex."

Malik's eyes widened, bulging and then blinking rapidly and kept his surprised scream of "What!" swallowed in his throat. "Think he'll make it," he decided on instead.

Joey shrugged. "Don't know, but I sure hope so. Then this school can finally start rumoring about more natural things than his newest lay. Besides, this could be just what he needs to return him back into the Yami he used to be."

"I don't know, Joey, you know how he thinks. He might seem okay with this now…but when it's over who's to say when your bet's over Yami won't just take whoever you set him up with to bed?"

A scowl came over his face again and the blonde let out an annoyed sigh. "That's exactly what I'm trying not to think about. It's bad enough how many people that slut's had and how many times," he shivered and turned to go with a lazy way. Pausing with one foot in the air he glanced back. "By the way, have you seen Yugi Motou?"

Wrinkles appeared on the usually smooth face and Marik was noticeably chewing on the inside of his cheek. "Yugi Motou," he repeated quietly, mentally scanning through a list of people he knew at their boarding school. Just as he was about to shrug a picture of a small teen who looked like only a sixth grader in his mind's eye and his mouth dropped open. "Shy thing," he asked, "older than he looks with spiky hair and big purple eyes? Doesn't talk much?" At Joey's slight nod he grinned. "Yeah, he's in the library. I just came from there."

This time it was Joey's turn for his jaw to drop. "You," he joked, "In the library. I doubt it has those kinds of books."

Smacking his shoulder more harshly than he intended Marik frowned angrily. "Zip it, Wheeler," the junior year hissed. "I was just returning that stupid English book our teacher made us read. Marik told me all the stuff I had to know so there was no point in reading it."

Joey laughed again, rubbing his shoulder where he was pretty sure he was going to be lightly bruised later. "That's how it goes," he agreed and then took off for the library.

The large wooden doors that looked like they belonged more in a middle-aged castle than a boarding school out in the mountains. They creaked loudly enough for the librarian all the way in the back to glance up at him and scowl, shushing him in a voice that echoed over the squeal of the un-oiled hinges. He was almost tempted to shush her right back. Almost.

Stepping inside he knew he'd have to be careful. The almost ceiling high bookshelves towered in a complicated labyrinth that hid anybody who didn't want to be found with an ease that bothered Joey more than he'd admit. Probably why he never liked to step foot in the muddled room. The smell of musty pages hit him hard and he sneezed with a resounding ferocity, earning him another anger shush from the lady in the back. He waved apologetically and took a quick turn right through the history section. He could only hope his current target would be around a while. If he got lost in his own mess of a bedroom that he'd been living in during the past three school years, he'd no doubt be stuck in the book-infested room lacking even further in direction.

It was well known around the school that it was only just used for studying, hence the several long table that turned large hallways into cramped alleys. The ones closest to the door were owned by the honor students and the straight-A nerds that were better known as the teachers' pets. Further in the back though the studios habits turned a little more…enjoyable. Joey smirked as he thought of that, remembering one of his first make out sessions was in this library. Knowing Yugi though he'd be somewhere hidden but closest to the front.

Finally the blonde huffed, turning the corner and spotting the undeniable spiky hair sticking up in a hidden corner. "Of course he'd pick one of the hardest tables to find," he muttered as he worked his way around the table currently in his way. Like usual, the sophomore was engrossed in a thick novel and his large eyes swiveled back and forth as a pace that Joey could only reach when reading comics and mangas.

Carefully and quietly as possible, Joey sat himself down across from the younger teen and grinned widely. Thinking over again why he was tracking down the longer, he couldn't wait to let him know the good news. It took him forever just to get the short male to call him by his first name.

Violet eyes paused when he reached a good stopping point, glancing up shyly over the top of his book at the source of the shadow that had passed over him. He scooted back in his seat shyly, shifting uncomfortably.

"Hey, Yug," Joey greeted happily, using the nickname he recently started using as he leant forward on the table and rested his chin on his elbows.

Looking away, the teen nodded with a noticeably pink stain tinting his somewhat pudgy cheeks. "I bet-ter go," he stuttered out with embarrassment, hurrying to gather his things. In his rush he instead knocked his tower of books off the table and Joey swore he heard another shush from the librarian from just around the corner at the sound. Without sparing a thought as to whether the old witch was following him or not, he knelt down and started to help pick up the books. "T-thank you, Joey," Yugi muttered, cramming everything into his overused bag and turning to go.

Placing his hand gently on the shy teen's shoulder, he grinned. "Hold up there, Yugi," he pleaded a little louder than necessary. This time he heard it without a doubt, the librarian sneering his last name from just around the corner. He rolled his eyes and wondered how she could still hold such a grudge over finding him in that first make out session. He'd already apologized for the mess he made on the books he soiled. Ignoring her for the moment, he quickly led Yugi around another shelf.

The blonde felt sorry for the sophomore and always did his best to be on his best behavior with even if they weren't friends. At least, that was his idea but Yugi never seemed all that interested since he shadowed himself from everyone else.

He guided him through the maze, grumbling under his breath when he made a couple wrong turns, and then Joey finally led him out of the library. The thought of another detention that week didn't interest him all that much as it usually did when he was set on his self-assigned mission.

"Hey, Yug," he started, making sure to keep a hold on the younger teen so he didn't slip away like the last time he tried to talk to him. "You're always alone like that, aren't you?"

Eyeing him for a second through his colorful fringe, Yugi hesitantly nodded and kept his head towards the cobbled stone hallway.

Joe y grinned weakly and gave him a slightly awkward half hug around his shoulders as he continued to walk. "How would you like someone to hang around with for a while," he offered. "He won't take advantage of ya or nothing like that. You've got a lot in common. I'm sure you'll like him."

Losing himself, Yugi quickly nodded. "I'd love nothing more!" His bright expression clouded over immediately though and he took a step back. "What's the catch," he asked suspiciously.

Joey hurried to shake his head, holding his hands up carefully as a show that he wasn't trying to pull anything over on him. It didn't even cross his mind to be insulted by the question since he knew other people had lied about the same thing numerous times. How others could be that cruel, he'd never know. "There isn't one, I promise ya. Just meet them at the bridge tomorrow right after lunch. Stay there until somebody shows up just in case something holds them up. I swear, Yug, someone'll be there."

Grinning, Yugi nodded at the older student. So far Joey had done nothing to grant him suspicious and he was glad his comment hadn't offended him. "This means a lot to me," he told him honestly, blushing as he did so and clutching his book bag to his chest like a lifeline.

Smirking, the blonde ruffled his hair just as the sound of the warning bells rung throughout the halls of the school. He waved before running at top speed towards his next class as he planned out where Yami could meet with his own personal friend for their bet.

~End of Flashback~

The longer Joey stared at the loner through the window the deeper his frown became. Him and Yugi weren't friends, but mere acquaintances who spoke only whenever Joey was in a conversational mood. The spiky-haired sophomore was much too shy for Joey's tastes and as far as he knew they had absolutely nothing in common other than the Domino Academy they went to. He could tick off things on one hand about what he honestly knew about the teen and still have fingers to spare. He played some kind of card game and he enjoyed reading.

Narrowing his eyes, the junior shifted and heard a crinkle of paper. He'd forgotten to take Yami's tally slip out of his pocket the night before and there was never any time to run back to his room and tuck it away. Just thinking about having his once best friend carrying it around daily and constantly making notes on it sent his stomach churning. Treating people he had sex with like items to be compared in a store, remarking on how good or how loud they got. It sent a shiver down his spine.

Their argument from the previous day had started in the very spot Joey was sitting now: in the dining hall. He and Yami used to spend all their free time talking to each other ever since they met back in seventh grade. After their first year at Domino Academy though, after Joey had been so excited to keep his best buddy even when going away to the boarding school, Yami had changed. Over the summer break between their freshmen year and sophomore year Joey couldn't have believed the transformation unless he'd seen it himself.

What came from a popular outgoing teen was a swearing, rude, scantily dressed whore. Since the academy didn't have any uniforms Yami had gone from jeans to leather with tight fitting everything. The biggest gotcha though was how adamant Yami had been when he'd wanted nothing to do with sex until he'd found the perfect person to a machine that jumped around from bed to bed as if he couldn't get enough.

He wasn't even sure how it happened when he began speaking with Yami again, but he supposed it started how it always did. Joey wanted to find out what changed his best friend and it turned into their usual argument before escalating even higher when the blonde challenged his ability to keep it in his pants.

~Flashback~

"No way," Joey yelled across the table, red-faced and heated, "You wouldn't last a day!"

Yami Hitokage gritted his teeth and slammed his fists on the wooded surface and clattered all the nearby silverware. His red eyes seemed to glow with anger and looked appropriately scary. "How the hell would you know?"

Now in each other's face with Joey's friends backing him and Yami's slut behind his sleek form, the blonde refused to back down. "When was the last time you slept in your own bed," Joey shot back. "That look in your eye proves you can't get enough!"

"Fine! I'll prove it."

Bingo! This was his change now, he could spit out what he'd always wanted to say or he could just admit that he didn't think Yami could handle being obstinate about lack of sex. Just seeing all the girls and some boys at his once best friend's side glaring at him settled it. "I bet you can't stay with somebody for two weeks without having sex with them!"

Yami smirked and his crimson eyes glinted with the glow of a challenge. He didn't even hesitate before offering his hand. "You're on, Wheeler."

Gripping his hand back equally tightly, Joey nodded and a sense of victory shot through him. "I pick the person and I'll have them meet you tomorrow at the bridge by the gate. Give me a list of who you haven't had sex with," he demanded, figuring it would shorter than those who Yami had already laid.

With an annoyed growl, the crimson-eyed junior ripped open his backpack that had yet to be used for anything school related and tore a few sheets from a thick notebook inside. The papers had a huge list of names with tally marks and jotted notes beside each one. Several of the ones with the most marks, Joey noted, were the first ones who'd come to Yami's defense when their conversation started to become heated.

To say Joey was disgusted with how many tally marks he glanced at altogether that he had to admit he'd almost hurled, especially so when his eyes landed on the comments. Tea Gardner was right near the top of the list and by far had the most number of anybody on the list. With a curt nod, the blonde folded the note and jammed it in his pocket before he turned on his heel and stormed from the crowded room.

Yami watched him go with a smirk, all the while thinking how easy it would be to win this bet. And, after he did win, he'd make sure the new toy would be his best playmate of all before parading the fact in front of the honey blonde. This is going to be fun.

~End of the Flashback~

Joey yawned loudly as the bell rang for the end of their history lesson echoed throughout the halls. He didn't even bother jotting down the homework, he never did it anyways. As he'd been saying for years, whatever he was going to do with his life he didn't need a bunch of dead war heroes to help him get there. He stood and turned to go, kicking Yami's foot out of the way as it stuck in the walkway.

"You're an ass," he muttered low enough for the teacher a few feet away not to hear.

The blood red eyes shimmered as their owner smirked. "I could do with some of yours," Yami noted, licking his lips and glancing the blonde up and down. He'd been trying to have Joey since the very beginning and couldn't understand why his best friend was being so stubborn.

"Don't even think it, Yami. We're on a bet."

"Not yet, we aren't," he argued. "You haven't found anybody willing to do the dirty work yet."

With a growl Joey grit his teeth. "Have so," he shot back, knowing for sure he'd never be able to lose with said person. "They'll be waiting for you close to the end of lunch. Hopefully with some food in your gut you won't be ruled by your hunger." And he wasn't talking about eating. Everybody knew where Yami went for his lunches and it wasn't the cafeteria.

Rolling his eyes, Yami nodded and shoved a notebook full of doodles into a bag that he hoisted over his shoulder.

"You better follow my rules, Yami," Joey threatened, making sure the teacher still wasn't listening in.

Waving his hand with annoyance, Yami ignored the low tone. "Yeah, yeah," he brushed off with a bored sigh of his own. "So what happens with the loser?"

Joey only spared a second to think. "If you lose you can't have sex for the rest of the year and I get the satisfaction of being able to hear real school rumors for a change." He couldn't help that he was a sucker for some good gossip.

"And if I win?"

Biting his lip, Joey had to put a lot of faith in his choice of a person as well as Yami. He wanted to believe his ex-best friend had self control so maybe if he put something up for grabs that he really wanted than maybe… "If you win," he started slowly, shooting his tongue out to wet his dry, cracked lips. "If you win, I won't bother you about what you do anymore and…" his heart thundered underneath his chest as Yami raised a single, thin eyebrow with impatience. "And I'll be your slave for a month." The smirk on the teen's face and he was quick to finish, "But I won't have sex with you!"

Now well outside the hearing of any teacher or student, Yami let out an angry growl. "Give it up, Joey! Seto won't do it with you. He's way too proud to take someone like you to bed and that snobby, richer-than-thou personality would never even allow him to get into bed with you!"

Shoving Yami up against the wall, an unbearable heat gathered in Joey's chest. "Don't insult my boyfriend," he hissed angrily, glaring at a Yami groupie who ran passed when she slowed to hear what was going on. "Think it or say it out loud whenever you want, I don't care, but not when I'm around to hear it!"

"Fine, but," Yami laughed, "keep your pants on."

Sniffing with annoyance, he released him and actually wiped his hands off on his jeans. "No worries there," he muttered quietly. "That good enough for you?"

"It'll do." They shook on it once more and then separated for the next class.

Yugi shivered in the chilly air and huddled further into his mess of sweatshirts and jackets to seek more warmth for his thin form. He'd only been waiting five minutes for the mystery friend Joey promised him, but he'd been so eager to meet them that he'd skipped lunch entirely.

Staring out at the vast trees and low fog that surrounded the edge of the school, the main gate acting like magic that kept the grounds inside clear. It was such a nice place that he couldn't believe he'd never come here sooner. It had such a calming effect that he didn't even hear the echoing footsteps on the wood of the bridge. If it weren't for the two arms that encircled his shoulders, immensely helping to block out the cold air, he never would've known anyone was there.

Very grateful, Yugi forced himself to stay calm at the intrusion to his comfort bubble at the remembrance that this must be the person Joey had mentioned. He turned to thank the person but ended up choking on his words when red eyes stared back, the only pair of red eyes in the whole school. Knowing Yami's reputation quiet well he tried to turn and tripped over his own feet, anchoring back over the low railing of the bridge.

He clenched his amethyst eyes tightly, awaiting the inevitable freezing water to swallow him under but then opened them with confusion several seconds later. It was only then that he noted that two strong hands were wrapped tightly around his thin wrists. As if he as nothing more than air, Yami pulled him back up and curled his shivering body, partly from cold and partly from fear, into his arms once more.

"Th-thank you, Ya-Yami," Yugi whispered, hating once more his stuttering and unable to do anything more about it. This time he blamed it on his chattering teeth though. Without a second thought, and probably against his own better judgment, Yugi curled himself further into the inviting heat. He wanted to be able to trust Joey. Maybe Yami wanted to change.

Yami grinned at the younger teen, interested in how innocent the sophomore seemed even in his own, impure arms. He had to praise Joey. Someone like this was sure to give him a challenge, but it also made the win almost too easy. By the time he managed to crack open the shy nature Yugi Motou was known for the bet would be over and he'd be free to do as he wished. Joey would break apart when he knew what fate he just sealed. Lifting him effortlessly, Yami carried his new charge back to the school doors.

Amethyst eyes blinked open and he stared up with confusion, but unable to find himself pulling away. Yami wouldn't do anything…like that with him…would he? He tried not to think so. Joey wouldn't do that…he hoped.

Yami grinned once more and decided on a more agreeable personality, much more of how he used to be. Something like that was sure to get Yugi to warm up to him that much faster. His usual cussing and hotheadedness would only drive him off. "Don't worry, little one," he assured, surprised at how easy it was to slip into his former self. "The heaters inside are on full blast and we'll warm up again in no time." The tensing was unmistakable and he allowed a smooth, gentle chuckle to escape him. "Not like that," he promised. "I wouldn't do something like that to you." Yet. What surprised him further was when shy, unapproachable little Yugi smiled and rested his head on his chest. Did he actually trust him that fast? Was he that comfortable already? Yami refused to dwell on it as a surge swam around in his stomach. It wasn't the usual heat that begged for him to release himself. It was something else entirely that bothered the teen to a fault. A feeling he'd never felt before. Protective?

Though they had to split for the afternoon classes soon after arriving back inside the school building, Yami quickly sought out the shy teen as soon as the dinner bell echoed throughout the grounds. Together they ate a light dinner and spoke with minimal conversation before separating for bed.

Before leaving Yami called back the amethyst-eyed teen. Once having his attention he grinned at him, still amazed the shyer male trust him already not to do anything. He had to wonder just what Joey Wheeler told him to convince him to take part in this bet. Shrugging off that question for the moment, he focused back to the teenager in question. "Would you like to have lunch with me tomorrow," he asked.

Yugi was still a bit hesitant about spending time with Yami. Joey had said they'd get along but…why him he had to wonder. Out of all the people in the school how would Yugi be the one that would get along with him the most? He nodded slowly. "I'd like that. Thank you, Yami." He waved briefly at the older student and then ran down the hallway with his book bag slapping into his side with each jog.

He watched him go before Yami turned on his heel and headed towards his own room, the first time he'd been in there in a few weeks, a smirk playing on his lips the whole way. "This is going to be a breeze," he told himself. "Joey has no idea what he got himself into."