A/N: Chapter 2! No mind speaking in this chapter so italics just represent personal thoughts. This chapter is really just foreshadowing for the next two so stick around ;)

Disclaimer: Not mine! Although I am incredibly jealous of Yami/Yugi's hair...

"Moshi-moshi, Anzu speaking," Came the curious feminine voice and Yami resisted flinching away from the closeness. Just a phone...it's just a pile of wires, he reminded himself firmly.

"Yo," He said awkwardly and the strange greeting made her voice brighten as she replied, "Yami!" It figures she would know me by my voice; he thought then remembered why he had called.

"Ah, hi Anzu...I don't want to keep you, I just had a favour to ask," He said, wondering why he felt so nervous. It wasn't like he was asking her out...yet.

"Sure, whatever I can do for you," She replied in a light tone but she sounded slightly excited over something. Maybe he had called at a bad time?

Clearing his throat slightly he got to the point and asked, "Do you have Mai's number? I need to call her to ask her a...important question," He said stumbling over his reason. Why hadn't he thought about needing to explain it before? There was a slight silence on the other end.

"Anzu?" He asked hesitantly, wondering why she didn't respond.

"You shouldn't call me asking for another woman's number. Ask one of the guys," She said in a cold tone followed by the sound of her hanging up. He stared at the phone, stunned that she had actually hung up on him.

He didn't think that had ever actually happened to him before...frowning at the phone he glanced up and across the room at Yugi who sat on the bed, waiting expectantly as he swung his legs impatiently.

"So?"

"She hung up on me," Yami grumbled, very disgruntled. He knew enough that women did not hang up on you unless they were upset. Suddenly chucking the phone across the room, Yugi fumbled to catch it, looking confused.

"What do you want me to do, call her and apologize for you?" He complained, inadvertently causing Yami's face to lighten with the sound of a slight chuckle.

"No aibou, I fight my own battles. I do need you to call Jounouchi though and ask him for Mai's phone number."

"How is that fighting your own battles?" The smaller exclaimed, fearing the reaction of his friend if he even brought up Mai. A slow and painful death crossed his mind though.

"I can't ask him or he'll suspect me. If you ask he might be suspicious but he'd never accuse you," The Pharaoh deduced and Yugi struggled to get around the soundproof logic. There was a possibility Jounouchi would get defensive anyways but Yugi wasn't exactly Mai's type...or her height.

"Why don't you," Yugi replied shooting the phone back at him, "Just tell him the truth?"

"He would never let it go," Yami said darkly obviously imagining a future full of Jounouchi and his teasing.

"Aibou...please?" He asked softly, the closest the great ex-Pharaoh ever got to begging and ever would. His pride was wounded enough by this whole affair. Sighing to himself, Yugi got up and marched across the room to take the phone, dialling in the well known number and holding it up to his ear.

"Jounouchi? Its Yugi...I'm calling because I need a favour...well don't get the wrong idea, but I would like Mai's number...I told you it's not like that! Really! I just wanted it because, um, we haven't talked in a long time and...No! Not like that! I wanted to, um, duel her again. That's right, I wanted to duel her again to see if she's ready to face you. After we duel I'll tell her she should face you again...it's not that I think she can't beat me I'm just trying to help you...yes really...why is that so hard to believe?...alright I'm glad you trust me, you're a great friend Jounouchi...Thanks!"

He clicked off the phone then promptly collapsed onto the floor, looking strained from lying so many times in one phone call. It was physically draining to the innocent boy. Grabbing a pen off the desk he scribbled it down on his hand and chucked the phone at Yami, holding it up for him to read.

Dialling in the numbers he hesitated then glanced guiltily at Yugi. The smaller 'brother' glared as menacingly as he could which was...well, almost enough to intimidate a small child.

"Don't you dare, after what I just did for you you're not backing out!" Standing up off the floor he threatened, "I'm coming back in ten minutes and if you haven't called her yet I'll press call myself!"

Walking out of the room Yami chuckled slightly as he watching him go knowing it was just his aibou's way of letting him do this on his own and keep his pride mostly intact. He waited a moment longer, gathering his courage as he fingered the medium sized golden hoop that protruded from his ear lobe.

Though he couldn't wear the lavishing jewellery of his time, he did wear the simple trinket, the only sign of his days as Pharaoh, and he often found his hand drawn to the smooth metal to remind him that there once was a time when he wouldn't stop at anything to get what he wanted.

Taking a deep breath he pressed the call button and raised the phone to his ear with new determination. It was a strangely familiar sensation to the first time he called Anzu...actually the way he felt every time.

He worried that he would be a bother but he always conquered the feeling, knowing that she could hang up at any time if she wished and what he wished to talk to her, so he would.

"Moshi-moshi!" That voice was far too high pitched to be Anzu's though.

"Yo," He said then berated himself. Again with the strange greeting!

"Yo? Who is this?" The woman's voice turned suspicious and he swallowed slightly. Suddenly this seemed like a really bad idea.

"Um...it's Yami."

"Yami? How'd you get this number?" The voice asked, sounding surprised but not annoyed at least.

"It's a long story..." He said, rubbing his temple tenderly. "I called because I need to ask you something," He said hoping her reaction would be better than Anzu's.

"So ask, I'm a busy woman," She said but that was just her straightforward way. He relaxed a little. This was Mai, he had duelled her many times, this wasn't all that different.

"Well...it's about dating," He said and felt stupid all over again as she went completely silent. Suddenly she burst into girlish laughter that made his ears ring.

"I don't blame you for asking but Jounouchi will never forgive you," She finally said and he frowned, confused.

"Why not? He doesn't have feelings for her," He said, figuring that both of them must know that the blond had feelings for...the other blond.

"Her? You're not talking about me?" She asked, also confused now.

"Why would I be talking about you?" He asked and she made a small noise in protest to his bluntness.

"You're obvious disregard for me feelings aside," She said dryly before continuing, "I take it you called to ask for advice?" He was silent for a moment then, slicing his pride to ribbons mumbled a quiet, "Yes."

"So you've finally plucked up your courage to ask out poor Anzu-chan, eh? About time," She commented with a small snort. "Did you ask yet?"

"No," He replied, knowing it was useless to deny. She was the only girl he was close enough to anyways, anyone with half a mind could guess at his feelings for her.

"Then don't be selfish. That's the only advice there is when it comes to relationships. Someone can tell you how to ask her out or where you should take her but everyone is different, the only person who knows what she really wants is her. When you make decisions concerning your relationship just don't be selfish," She advised in a grave voice and it was possibly the most serious he had ever heard her.

He wasn't exactly sure what to make of her advice, mostly he wondered how he was supposed to figure out if he was being selfish or not.

"Yami? You still there?" She questioned after a moment and he snapped back to attention. "Yes, thank you Mai-san," He replied politely, trying to mask the way it made his head spin.

"Well that's all the advice I have for you. To repay me you should tell Jounouchi to get his lazy ass over to a phone and call me one of these days, I don't spend time on younger boys all the time you know." He blinked, constantly confused by her train of thought. Repaying her for advice?

"I suppose I could say...something along those lines to him. You should also know, Yugi would like to challenge you to a duel," He added, remembering Yugi's cover-up story.

"Eh? Well why did you waste my time with this! Put him on the phone right now!" Poor Yugi...

A/N: Indeed poor Yugi, I wouldn't want to be in Mai's war path! Is that really the closest the 'Pharaoh' can get to begging? Guess we'll find out later hehehe...please review, I have no idea how I'm doing so far and I'd appreciate any advice/compliments!