CHAPTER TWO
Tea paced the family room, doing her best not to yell, " Why me! What did I ever do to you!", at the top of her lungs. She kept her cool, but couldn't get the edginess to go away every time she reminded herself that the Obnoxious Celtic Guardian was inside her house.
She chewed at her lip, looking around for Celtic Guardian to find him studying the house and furniture with small curiosity. She couldn't tell if he was bored, or if he even had a clue as to what he was looking at. After all, the guy was a card.
Was. Tea stressed. Not anymore!
What am I going to do? It's not everyday a duel monster comes to life! Not only that, but she had no idea how to take care of someone other than herself. She wasn't a babysitter!
She turned to look at him, watching him slowly make his way from one wall to the other. What kind of food does he eat? Does he even eat food? What about drinks?
He didn't seem the least bit nervous or scared of his surroundings. He seemed to have a strong control over his expression and emotion.
Tea blanched. What about going to the bathroom? Can cards even do that? What if he doesn't know how and I have to teach him!
She shook her head. Get a grip! There's no way a grown guy like him doesn't know how to go to the bathroom!
Oh she could cry right now! First things first. Tea thought, nodding to herself, trying to raise any confidence she had.
There's no way I'm leaving him here by myself. He might go on some mystical elf rampage and slice all the furniture with that huge sword of his!
She nodded. That was reasonable. The last thing she needed to risk was having her house destroyed, then having to explain to her parents' just what happened while they were away on some business trip.
But I can't take him out looking like that! She gave his clothes a quick once-over. Definitely wouldn't do!
But my dad's clothes….. Well she doubted they'd fit. This guy was at least six foot four.
Hmm, well no-one really noticed Marik's rare hunters, and those guys wore purple robes! In public! And in a group!
People probably thought they were some cult.
If people ask, I'll just say he can't be in the sun too much! Yeah! That would do! People would buy it! They had to! At least, just till she bought him some new clothes that were more normal.
She gave him a small glare. This'll be coming out of my hard-worked money I saved up from Burger World! This better be worth it!
" Come on!" She called, waving him over. " We're going shopping!"
" Now remember what I said, no talking, no looking at other people, never let my hand go, and whatever you do don't go with strangers!"
Celtic just looked at her, a blank look, as if he didn't understand her. She sighed.
" Just hold my hand and don't let go," She extended her hand, waiting for him to grab it. She felt like she was baby -sitting, her being the mother and him being the child.
He grabbed her hand stiffly, unsure with the act, but he said nothing and showed no signs of asking or confessing his curiosity.
Of course, before they'd left the house, she'd made him remove his sword just in case he decided to attack some innocent person in the mall. She was surprised how calm and collected he looked and acted in the real world, and not in some virtual, holographic one.
Wasn't he scared? Frightened by the technology that followed him everywhere? She doubted he'd seen a television before, let alone a mall.
Tea sucked in a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment. Please let everything go well.
" Alright! Let's do this!" She stepped close enough to the doors for them to open and pull apart on their own, welcoming her and Celtic to the mall itself that was crowded with people.
There were groups of friends, mostly teenagers, mothers with their children, couples, and sales people scattered about advertising from a range of lingerie to duel monster cards.
Definitely creepy. She noted, zooming past the man who looked like he was about to stop her and ask her if she was interested in a lingerie bra.
Not once did she let Celtic's hand go, not risking losing him in the herd of people where he could get kidnapped or worse!
" Why hello there young man, would you like to try..."
" No thanks! We're good!" Tea shouted, shooing the saleswoman who was holding up a bottle of cologne in Celtic's face.
The woman batted her hand. " Oh don't be silly! I'm sure you're boyfriend here would love this wonderful smelling cologne as a birthday gift!"
Tea gritted her teeth. " His birthday already passed,"
" Oh! Then maybe an anniversary present?"
" No,"
" How about..."
" NO!" Tea cried. The saleswoman went from shock, to disbelief, to anger. She 'hmphed', lifting her nose in the air, as she left to harass another couple with her samples.
" The nerve," Tea grumbled. As if 'No' wasn't good enough. Those sales people were crazy!
" Come on," She gave a light tug on his hand, making her way through the people walking in the opposite direction.
" Now, let's see," She said to herself aloud, looking around. Sure she'd been to the mall, but it was to buy herself clothes, not guy clothes.
Is there even a place where they sell guy clothes? She shook her head. Of course! How else would guys get their clothes?
" There! This place looks nice enough," Tea said, pointing to the male department section. For some reason she felt excited. It was kind of fun shopping for someone else!
Celtic followed Tea, but his eyes were everywhere except in front of him. This place was incredible. He'd never seen so many people crowded together in one huge building.
Not only that, but everyone was dressed odd. Like his master, Yugi. He was disturbed by the amount of skin the girls around here showed.
He looked back ahead to Tea. He knew her, from his master's group of friends, and he knew he could trust her enough to follow her without being suspicious, of course with the exception of being slightly curious as to where she was taking him, and why she'd brought him to this place in the first place.
He stopped when she did, only to realize she had led herself and him in a store that had mostly men walking around inside, looking at clothes.
" Now remember what I said," He looked down at her when she spoke. " Stay with me, and we'll be good,"
She guided him down an isle, keeping a watchful eye on him while looking over the rack of shirts.
Soon enough, however, Tea was absorbed in the clothes. I never knew there could be such a huge variety of guy clothes!
She whisked through the shirts, specifically looking for a dark forest green colored shirt with sleeves. He would look weird in any other colorblack would do tooand it just gave her the heebie jeebies of thinking of Celtic in some t-shirt.
Hmm, maybe even a turtleneck would do. Soon enough she was looking around the store without realizing Celtic had fallen behind in another isle.
Celtic grimly eyed the empty isle. Where did she go? Without her he wouldn't know how to get out of this labyrinth, or whatever it was!
Shimatta….. if only he'd had his sword, he'd slice his way through till he found her.
" Hey there cutey pie. You wouldn't be lost would you?" Celtic whirled around, eyeing the man standing behind him. Being separated from the girl was aggravating enough, and the last thing he needed was distractions.
He stared down at the shorter man in a curt manner. He didn't like him for some reason, his aura was giving off bad vibes….
Not only that but Celtic didn't fail to notice the man was dressed in a woman's attire. He was disturbed by this. Where was that girl?
Celtic turned slightly, but was stopped by the man who managed to grab him by his right hand.
" Leaving so soon?" Celtic made an annoyed grunting noise in his throat. He did not wish to resort to hurting this man for no reason, but if necessary….
" I must say," The man continued, eyeing Celtic in an openly manner. " You're clothes are very unique. I like that in a man."
Celtic quickly retracted his hand from the man. Was this man…..did he have the audacity to……flirt with him?
" Don't feel like talking?" The man asked, looking disappointed by the blonde's silence. Celtic gave him a cold stare.
" That's alright…….I like my men quiet," The man let out a laugh.
Celtic backed up a good foot. Even though he was taller than the man by a good foot, he felt threatened.
" Oh!" The man giggled. " And those elf ears of yours! Where did you get them? They look so real!" The man went up to touch them.
Celtic gave the man a rough shove to the ground. No-one touched him! Especially his ears!
Not knowing his own strength, Celtic had involuntarily sent the man flying into a rack, all the clothes falling off their hangers and piling on him.
Celtic gave the man a silent, curt look.
" Oh my god! There you are!" Celtic turned to see Tea running toward him from the opposite end of the isle with several clothes tucked in her arms.
" I thought I lost you for sure!" She cried in relief, stopping to bend on her knees and catch her breath.
" What happened here?" She asked, looking over to the unconscious man who she could barely see under the stack of clothes if it weren't for his arm and leg sticking out.
Celtic didn't bother answering, just turned and walked down the isle where she'd just come from.
Tea gave the man one last look, before she dashed after Celtic. " Hey! Wait up! I can't lose you again!"
Tea eyed Celtic a moment. What exactly had happened back there in that store? Thanks to Celtic they'd been kicked out of the store!
So much for getting him clothes! She thought with a loud sigh.
Celtic was stiffer than usual, and he kept looking around like someone was going to pop out and attack him. She frowned. Did that guy back at the store try to pick a fight with Celtic?
Like he'd stand a chance! Tea gloated. Celtic wasn't just any ordinary guy. He was a fighter, a warrior, one who was skilled in the art of swordsmanship. Not only that but he had to be a heck-load strong to lug that huge sword around all day!
He must get back aches all the...WHOA! It's the guys! Tea ducked behind Celtic. Wait, what was she doing? She was supposed to be hiding him from the guys, not herself!
" Hide!" She hissed, nudging Celtic into the nearest shop which happened to be a lingerie store.
" Teya? Dat you?" Joey walked up to her, Tristan tagging along, caught up in winking and giving his best charming smile to a group of middle school girls giggling in front of a bench.
Tea rolled her eyes. Tristan had some nerve flirting with girls who were half his age, let alone still kids!
" Who else?" Tea said, hands on hips, playfully glaring at the approaching blonde. Tristan managed to catch up after exchanging a few words with the girls who slipped him pieces of paper.
" That's gross, Tristan," Tea said, heatedly eyeing the brunette who was tucking the stack of papers in his pocket.
He grinned at her. " Just having some fun, Tea. It's not like I'm going to call them,"
Joey laughed at that. " Yeah right, man. Dose girls are probably da closest you'll get ta a girl,"
Tristan narrowed his eyes at the offensive comment. " Hey, Man! I thought we were buds?"
" We are," Joey confirmed with a wide grin. " Just statin' da truth," He looked at Tea. " I'm guessin ya heard 'bout Yugi's trip ta America?"
" Don't remind me," Tea mumbled, looking angrily to the side.
" Whoa, Tea," Tristan said. " We know you like Yugi and all, but isn't this a bit extreme?"
Tea let out a bitter laugh. " Me? Extreme? I'm not the one who asked Yugi to go to America for a whole week!"
" It's not like dere goin on a date or anything," Joey said with a shrug. " 'Sides, dey look more like brotha and sista than a couple,"
" Really?" Tea asked, hopeful. " You really mean that, Joey?"
Tristan laughed. " Man, Tea, you got it bad,"
" Got what bad?" She snapped.
Joey's grin became full-fledged. " Nuttin'. So, what ya doin here, Teya? An' by ya-self?"
Her anger left quicker than Yami Bakura's appetite when he found out a banana split with strawberry, chocolate, and pineapple syrup looked similar to the Pharaoh's hair style and color.
And poor Bakura, he'd spent a good dollar bill on that sundae! Yami Bakura was so ungrateful sometimes!
" Teya? Earth ta, Teya!" Joey waved his hand in front of her face.
She looked sharply at him. " What? Oh, sorry guys. Uhm….I just came to shop for some new shoes….heh…..you know how us girls are,"
Both boys' muttered under there breath; they knew well of girls and shopping.
" Why are you guys here?"
Joey scratched the back of his head. " Mai's birthday's comin up"
" He wants to buy her a gift!" Tristan blurted. Joey glared at him. " What?" Tristan looked on innocently.
Tea smiled. " Really? Wow, Joey, didn't think of you as the romantic type,"
" Ah, shut up!" He mumbled, looking away from her.
Tristan snorted. " He's such a doofus when it comes to 'Mai'," If it hadn't been for his comical impersonation of what Joey sounded like when he said her name, the blonde wouldn't have tackled him to the ground in the middle of a mall.
" GUYS!" She shouted, trying to pull them apart. " If you don't stop right now, I'm going to tell Mai and Serenity what you guys did!"
They stopped, freezing in place. Tea let out a loud breath. Well it worked…
Celtic wandered the store, a small one crowded mostly with women, few men who looked like they'd rather be somewhere else. He plucked at the garments hung on wired hangers.
What were these things? He lifted up the flimsy cloth and put it against the light. Was it some sort of cloth to clean weapons? It was silky, the softest stuff he'd ever felt.
He pressed it to his right cheek. Indeed his clothes were rough and worn from battle, but this was the finest material he'd felt.
He studied it again, then looked at the small white tag poking out from just beneath the hem on the inside. He lifted it and looked it over. It was numbered. Five? What did five represent?
He lowered it and put it back on the hanger.
Some women were looking at him, talking back and both in little huddles.
He gave a low grunt. What were they staring at? He caught bits and pieces of their conversation. His sensitive hearing did come in handy once in awhile.
" How adorable. He must be shopping for his girlfriend!"
" Or wife!" Another suggested. The women nodded, looked back at Celtic, then back at each other.
" You don't see guys like that these days!"
" He is rather odd looking." One commented. The stout woman beside her nodded. " He must be out of town, just look at those clothes!"
" I wonder who the lucky girl is?" One questioned. They all shrugged. " Maybe he just likes expressing himself?"
" Oh, an expressive guy, definitely not common," The women giggled at the inward joke.
Celtic looked away, feeling rather uncomfortable under their eyes. Maybe he would go look for Tea. Those women were beginning to nerve him.
" Oh! He's leaving!" One of the older women piped. They all shared a sigh of disappointment; it wasn't everyday a guy went shopping for underwear for his girlfriend!
I thought I told him to stay put! Tea quickly looked away, hoping Celtic wouldn't recognize her, and praying the guys wouldn't get suspicious with a six foot four armor clad guy, who looked very much like the Obnoxious Celtic Guardian in Duel Monsters, walking in their direction.
" Do you see wut I see?" Joey said, directing Tristan's attention behind Tea.
Tea panicked. Too late! They recognize him! Shoot! How am I going to explain this to them?
Tristan peeked around Tea. " You mean…."
Tea prepared for the worst, sucking in a deep breath and briefly shutting her eyes.
" …..a bunch of really hot chicks?"
Joey laughed, and both him and Tristan exchanged a high-five. " I say we go work our charm!"
" Yeah! After all, we need the practice, so we can really be studs for Serenity and Mai!"
Tea let out the breath she'd been holding. Oh thank God!
For once she was glad Tristan and Joey weren't the 'brightest' guys on the block.
" We'll catch ya later, Teya!" Joey called, waving to her before dashing off to the group of girls.
" Yeah, see you later, Tea! Don't go killing anybody now!" Tristan said, before running after Joey.
Tea rolled her eyes. " Yeah, yeah, just go already!" Like she'd kill someone!
She screamed when someone grabbed her by her shoulder. The first thought in her head was, Pedophile! And not wasting any time, she whirled around sharply and slapped the guy across the face.
Celtic stood in place, silently stunned that the girl had just smacked him across the face. His cheek stung, a bright red from the harsh slap. He didn't make a move to talk or nurse his cheek, just stood still, like a statue.
Tea gasped. " Celtic! I'm so sorry!" She apologized. She moved her hand over the cheek she'd slapped, a heavy weight of guilt pressuring her shoulders when she saw something flicker in his eyes.
She must've hit him hard to make him actually respond to it! She softly moved her fingers over the red spot on his cheek.
" I didn't know it was you. I thought…." She paused. " I'm really sorry…"
She knew that the slap probably didn't even affect him, but she had a good feeling he was shocked by her actions. Nothing in his facial expressions showed it, as he kept a blank mask of indifference, a calm tranquil look, but his eyes expressed it all.
She felt like she'd cheated on him or something, and they weren't even dating! She lowered her hand from his cheek.
" I feel horrible….." She sighed. She felt like the worst person on the planet. She felt cruel, evil, bad enough to be in Bakura and Marik's group!
They could be buds now! Tea the heatless jerk who slaps innocent guys like Celtic, with her two buds Bakura and Marik who just liked hurting people and sending them to the shadow realm!
But what could she say? Sorry wasn't enough, and it didn't make the guilt go away. The redness was already going away, a soft pink now, and there were no severe injuries on his face, but she felt ashamed nonetheless.
He was silently studying her again, his eyes deeply fixated on her face. No-one had ever looked at her so intensely.
She shifted nervously under the thick weight of his eyes. " Maybe we should head back home? Is that okay?"
He didn't nod, shake his head, or make any gestures that he even heard or understood her. Tea bit her lip, looking to the side nervously. The mall had become unusually quiet, the voices, footsteps, music, it all seemed to zone out till all she could hear was the rapid beating of her heart.
Say something…..anything. She felt like a fool, like she normally felt around Yami and Yugi, a shaky, edgy feeling you got when you were around your crush.
She inwardly shook her head, trying to get herself together. He still needs clothes. I came here to buy him clothes, not freak out and give up just because I feel like the meanest.….biggest jerk….I feel meaner than Kaiba!
She grabbed his hand. " Come on, we need to get you some clothes," He didn't object, quietly following in step beside her.
She squeezed his hand, not bothering to look at him. " I…didn't hit you hard did I?"
Of course he didn't answer back. She sighed. For once, Tea hated shopping.
Unfortunately after Tea had shopped for some clothes for Celtic, she decided to take a shorter route back home…
" Let's go this way!" Tea said, pointing down the alley that led to another street. With all the bags in her arms, not wanting to burden Celtic and ask him to carry them, she squeezed through the slim path with him following close behind.
When they managed to meander through, they were back on the street. Of course, with ten bags piled in her arms, Tea didn't see the group of girls coming from the opposite direction.
WHAM!
" Whoa!" The bags flew in the air. With a flail of her arms, Tea tripped backwards and into Celtic who easily caught her and steadied her from falling.
The bags of clothes, however, weren't so lucky, and neither were the group of girls who were all piled over one another.
The clothes! Tea slapped her hands over her head and looked at the scattered clothes on the street and sidewalk
" Watch where you're going lady!" One of the middle school girls shouted, picking herself off the floor along with her friends who looked frustrated and angry.
" You almost killed us!" Another cried, rubbing the scratch on her elbow.
" Lady?" Tea muttered stiffly, right eye twitching. They made her sound old! " Well sorry," She grumbled.
Reluctantly, after giving them a good glare, Tea knelt down and collected all the clothes from the sidewalk. These girls had some nerve giving her attitude. They should've been paying attention too! It wasn't entirely her fault!
It must've been a trick of the light, but Tea could've sworn, when she looked at them, that they'd all turned into Rebecca, laughing and pointing at her, chanting, ' You should've known I'd get Yugi!'
Tea gripped the clothes, almost making rips in them. Breathe, Tea! They're not Rebecca! They're just a bunch of really annoying girls!
About to give them a piece of her mind, because frankly she felt she done her fair share by apologizing, and they still had the nerve to give her evil looks, she wasn't about to let these little girls ruin her day or step all over her!
She didn't even let Kaiba back-talk her without giving him a good whiplash!
" Listen here…" She started, only to stop when she realized they weren't listening or even looking at her. They were looking behind her, rather, with big stars in their eyes, some with hearts.
" Wow…" One breathed. " He's so….."
" KAWAII!" They all cheered.
Tea looked behind her. Celtic? Did they mean Celtic was cute? She couldn't help but laugh. He wasn't cute! Okay…maybe just an incy bit…..okay maybe he was drop-dead gorgeous!
Still, Tea thought. He's a card. You shouldn't think a card is cute!
At this point Tea had barely managed to pick up all of the clothes and put them back in their bags." You must be his sister or something," One of the girls whispered, hopeful; Celtic was a stud to them, he just had to be single!
" No, I'm not," She gritted out, standing and pressing the bags tight to her chest. She really wanted to just get home, not deal with them!
" Oh, I know!" One squealed, smiling, but it wasn't the least bit friendly. " You must be his mother,"
" Yeah," One agreed in a giggle. " You are old enough!" They all burst out laughing.
Tea gasped. Those little! Oh! Just wait! She was going to give them a good whack to teach them to talk to her like that!
Tea stepped forward, ready to take them on. She stumbled a bit, caught off guard, when Celtic restrained her with his hand on her shoulder.
" Hey!" She cried, frustrated. Was he defending them? " I'm not going to let them get away with talking to me like that!" Tea said, snapping an angry glare in their direction.
His grip tightened to a light squeeze. He obviously objected to her decision.
Tea puffed, still a bit peeved. She understood he didn't want her to go harm those girls without good reason, but hey, she felt being called old was good enough!
" Hmph," One of the girls said, catching Tea's attention. " I can't believe he's on her side!"
" She's probably using some kind of freaky witchcraft on him!" One cried, eyes wide. The rest of the girls gasped.
" Yeah! There's no way he'd go out with her based on looks!"
" Oh! Let me at 'em, Celtic!" Tea cried, trying to wiggle out of his grip. The next thing she knew her face was buried in his chest, one of his arms encircled around her shoulders, keeping her there. She couldn't help the blush that crept into her face. No guy had ever touched her like this. Well, sure Yugi, but it was always those friendly hugs.
Sometimes….. Tea's eyes drooped. Sometimes I wonder if Yugi will ever like me back.
She pressed her face deeper into the breast plate strapped over his chest, her head barely reaching it. She didn't know why but being so close to him like this, being held like this, even if to Celtic it was just to restrain her, all the things she never wanted to think about, the possibilities, the horrible what if's, they all came full-force.
What if she was wasting her time? Yugi didn't like her past a good friend, it was obvious. His actions, his smiles, everything, it was all just for a friend. Nothing else.
Suddenly she didn't feel like wasting her time on those girls. She just wanted to go home and get away from it all. And fast.
" Let's go…" Tea said, moving her head off his chest, not looking at him.
He looked at her a moment, before he removed his arm from around her. Something was troubling her, he sensed it.
The group of girls, realizing the sudden shiftof mood, reluctantly left, albeit hesitant to not get the 'kawaii' armored boy's number or address!
Tea let herself lean against Celtic's left side, the leader and follower in a sense, as she lead them to her house, but followed his strong stride. If it weren't for him she probably wouldn't have made it back home.
The only one that can help me get my feelings straight….. Tea sighed. Is going to be enjoying himself in America for a week.
A/N: Hope you enjoyed the 2nd chap! Not exactly a masterpiece, but eh! I figure it had some funny parts. And if none of you got it, Celtic was looking at underwear in the lingerie store! Lol. And yes, that was a gay man flirting with Celtic! No offence to homosexuals! It was just part of the fic, so no hard feelings!
READ & REVIEW! XD