I've decided to start a one-shot collection with all my favorite YGO character pairings. -smiles- I'm a Pro-Téa/Anzu person, just to let you know now. But this one will be a Mana/Mahaddo one-shot, since I've suddenly become very fond of this couple.

Summary: The rumors weren't true...but they'd let the others believe them for a while.
Pairing: Mana/Mahaddo

Yu-Gi-Oh doesn't belong to me...pity.

It was late morning. Already an hour past a certain apprentice's lessons. Mahaddo walked down the hallways of the palace, searching. He was passing the numerous vases that lined the walls as he walked, and noticed with carefully concealed amusement that one had its lid slightly tilted.

"Mana."

A quiet giggle came from the vase. A second later, a brown haired girl popped her head out of it, smiling widely, a mischievious twinkle in her bright blue eyes.

"Hi Master Mahaddo!"

Mahaddo sighed deeply. "We were supposed to have starting your lessons an hour ago."

"I know, I know. But I was just checking out a rumor I had heard around the palace." Mana wiggled out of the vase and stood in front of him, smiling sheepishly.

"A rumor?" The Priest arched a delicate eyebrow at the girl. "What were you doing listening to rumors? Were you evesdropping?"

"No, Master, of course not," his apprentice replied mock seriously. "Never." She grinned widely.

At that moment, Lady Teana was walking past, and when she noticed the two, she giggled quietly. "Atemu told me that he heard you and Mahaddo were cousins! No wonder why you look a bit alike!" she whispered as she came up.

Mana laughed. "Yeah, can you believe it? Long lost cousins!" she whispered back.

Teana giggled even more. "What a coincidence!" She continued giggling all the way down the hallway. Mana sweatdropped when she heard Mahaddo 'ahem' behind her.

"What...was that all about?" he asked, looking at her expectantly.

"Well...I had to give some kind of excuse as to why we were spending more time together." Mana rubbed the back of her head with her hand, laughing in embarrassment.

"Wouldn't have 'I've started taking my training more seriously' have worked?" countered Mahaddo. "It seems much more reasonable than 'long lost cousins'."

"We do kind of look alike. Besides, it's much more funny. Nobody would believe that I was taking my training more seriously. I don't think so, anyways." Mana burst out laughing when Mahaddo rolled his eyes.

"How true. Alright, you win. Now that you've spread your rumor, may we start on your lessons?"

They started walking down the hallway, and Mana said, "How did you know I was the one who started it?"

"You're the only one in this palace who can come up with something as silly as that." Mahaddo lowered his head to kiss her forehead. "But we'll let the others think it's true."

"For a while right?" Mana replied, the mischievious sparkle relighting in her eyes.

"For a while," Mahaddo agreed, his own blue eyes twinkling.

How was it? It's my first ever one-shot. I stuck Teana in there because I felt like it. Okay? Okay. Review!