"Hey, Yugi, where are we going today?" Joey Wheeler asked Yugi Mutou, one of his closest friends.
"'We'? What do you mean, 'we'?"
"Like you and me and Tristan and Tea. We."
"I don't know where you three are going, but I am going to get some more cards."
"Now that you mention it, I need some more, too..."
"You and I have dueled more than anyone else in Japan, so you and I need more surprises for each other. You can come with me, but I forbid you to look at any of my cards that I get."
"Pleeeeaze, Yugi? You and me are best buds... C'mon, Yug..."
"No, Joey. Knowing you, you'll figure out every possible combination of my cards and know how to counteract it."
"Fine, I'll go as your bodyguard. There's no telling if any of Pegasus' henchmen are out. You do know they're after your blood, Yugi."
"You make them sound like a bunch of vampires!"
"They practically are. That, or werewolves..." Joey made the mistake of looking behind him, where an impatient Téa was glaring at him. "Oh... Hi, Téa..."
"Are we going somewhere today or not? With school, today is our only day off this week, and I won't listen to you pinheads argue whether Pegasus' henchmen are werewolves or vampires."
"Er... What's your opinion, Téa?" Yugi asked tenatively.
"Will it make us go any faster?"
Yugi and Joey looked at each other mischeviously.
"It'll get us moving..."
"But we'll keep discussing it the entire time!" Joey finished.
Téa rubbed her temples and glared at them again, then muttered something under her breath that sounded like a curse.
"Tsk! Such ladylike language!" Joey laughed.
"You're cute when you're angry at us," Yugi said while trying unsuccessfully to stifle a grin and laughter.
Joey cocked his head. "Wow, you really are! How 'bout a kiss, babe?" he asked through puckered lips.
"You better do it," whispered Tristan, who suddenly appeared behind Yugi. "Unless you want to be stuck here all day!"
"Yeah, he won't let you move until you kiss him," added Yugi. "It doesn't have to be a real one, just a peck..." Joey nodded vigorously, then looked indignant at the last part.
"But it has to be on the lips. He's really, really stubborn about that."
Téa grimaced. "There's no way I'll kiss him!"
Tristan and Yugi shrugged. "Have fun. I'll be looking for cards," said Yugi.
A few hours later, Yugi came into the house, eager to duel Joey. Or, at least, he tried to come in. Realizing that Joey was blocking the inward-opening door from Téa, Yugi pounded on the door. "Lemme in! Joey! It's Yugi!" he shouted.
Joey opened the door a little way to let Yugi in, then shut it immediately after he was inside.
"My lips are numb and she's been trying to escape ever since you left two and a half hours ago," Joey said sorrowfully.
Yugi winked at Tristan, who had come in earlier. "Who wouldn't want to spend almost three hours with you?"
"Obviously not Téa!" Tristan whispered to Yugi.
"I'll just try later," Joey sighed.
"Good idea. Maybe she'll be more accepting then," Tristan snickered.
"Shaddap..."
Late that night, Joey crept out of the room that he shared with Yugi and Tristan. He made sure that both of them were soundly asleep, then tiptoed over to Téa's room. Time for my midnight surprise, he thought.
Drawing back one of the curtains around the canopy bed, he saw that she slept on the other side and stifled a curse. He padded around the bed and drew back another curtain. He found her body in a mass of sheets, blankets, and comforters. He started to lean down.
"Hey," she said.
"Wha? Huh?"
"Come on. You look tired, get in."
He was about to say that it was Joey, but then he realized that she had her eyes closed and played along. He got in the covers on the empty side of the bed and glimpsed her body.
My God, he thought. She sleeps like...this?
"Kiss me."
"What!"
"Kiss me."
He happily obliged. The moment their mouths touched, he felt his blood turn to fire.
"Ooh, you're much better than you were last time," Téa said.
Joey chose to ignore that. "Mmm... You are, too..." Before he knew what was happening, Téa was slipping off his loose shorts that he wore to bed every night. She ran her fingers over his abs that he was working so hard to get.
"You've been working out, huh?"
"Er... Yeah..."
"You're better... Much better..." She finally opened her eyes. "Joey?"
"I'm sorry... I just wanted that kiss... Guess I got it, huh?"
"Yeah..."
"Who was I better than?"
"I don't kiss and tell, Joey!"
"You thought I was him!"
"...Point made. You're better than...than...
"Who?"
"Tristan..."
"That's who's been sneaking out of our room ev--er, him? Er, I mean, are you his girl—er..."
"Please don't tell."
"Only if you tell him!" Joey noticed she was crying. "Oh, God, I'm so sorry... Don't cry, you look much better without red splotches and puffy eyes..."
"I'll tell him. It really was an innocent mistake..."
Joey cleared his throat. "Don't be surprised if I look at you wolfishly. Guess I'll go now."
Téa dangled his shorts from one finger. "Forgetting something?"
Joey turned a very deep shade of red. "...Thanks..."
"I know it was a prank, Joey. I won't hold it against you."
He winked. "Thanks, babe."
Joey never asked Téa for anything—much less a kiss—again.