Hey Guys thanks for the awsome feedback! And sorry for the lengthy time period that it took for me to update. I'm not going to say much, because I don't want to give away my evil plot, so please enjoy...

Rating: M!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh. but someday...

AN: Enjoy!

The Day After – Phase One:

The cafeteria was noisy as per usual, but Yugi was too deep in thought to really take any notice. He was seated at their gang's usual table, staring blankly at his food tray, absently picking at something unidentifiable that looked just about ready to snatch and walk off with his fork. Conversation between his friends continued on as normal around him, about the general things, consisting mostly of upcoming duels, new games at the arcade they wanted to try, normal high school gossip…and of course girls.

Tea wasn't with them; she usually had something on during lunch hour that held her up for several minutes before joining them, usually something to do with assignments and stuff, which was kind of a relief for him right now. Things were really complicated for him, and nothing even closely resembled to how he had pictured the aftermath to be like if things had ever got that far between them. Tea had no idea that anything was wrong, or if she did, she didn't show it. In fact, as far as she seemed concerned, they were together just like any other happy teenage couple.

Well…not officially yet.

He stabbed into the slush a little too violently, poking the metal surface with enough force to make it 'cling,' much louder than what he thought should have been necessary, making him the centre of attention for both his friends' gazes. Damn it! The last thing he needed was a string of questions thrown at him right now that he'd have to cover up with another of his awfully well-acted, cheerful smiles, as though what he was going through wasn't really eating at him from the inside.

Even though they weren't exactly calling it public that they were dating, Joey and Tristan, being their closest friends, did know that they were, 'involved,' but they didn't know about the sex yet, something which Yugi figured wasn't exactly ever going to be said right out in plain black and white.

"You okay, man?" Tristan asked him with a half-concerned, half-amused expression, "You're way more, quieter than usual."

"And dat's say'in something!" Joey grinned from his position on top of the table, using a vacant chair for a footrest, in a lazy posture, though his body was still tensed in a way that prepared him for an instant physical confrontation if the need arose, something which Yugi had figured was just a habit you developed if you got into fights too often.

"I'm fine," Yugi mumbled through a small smile, which he particularly made to look lazy. It wasn't all a lie, he was still pretty wowed by the fact that he and Tea had done it, just wished he could forget how it ended… If it had actually ended the way he thought it had. He still wasn't one- hundred percent sure that she had whispered, "Yami," for all he knew it could have all been his imagination, which he really hoped it was, and it wasn't exactly as though it was the first time he had 'heard' or even 'seen' Yami, since he left.

In fact, ever since that day, Yami was practically 'everywhere!'

"Yeah, sure you are," Joey rolled his eyes, and leant down to flick Yugi on the forehead.

Yugi flinched and scrunched his eyebrows together, before muttering and ouch of sorts, and automatically – out of habit – rubbed the spot. Why did Joey always have to do that? It was so pointless. It was just like violence, there really wasn't any need for it. What did beating the crap out of each other, ever actually achieve? Tell the high school bully he's a jerk and you'll get your ass kicked, by him and his friends, why? It was never going to change the fact that it had been said. Worse was that nowadays victims of bullying seemed to get more dangerous than bullies themselves, and Yugi always secretly wondered when the day Domino High was going to be just another school that was gunned down by another victimised student that had snapped.

It was a never ending cycle with a rippling effect that always led to the ultimate consequence.

"Come on Yug' what's really botherin' ya?" Joey pressed.

Yugi sighed and dropped the fork that he was holding just a little too tightly. "I…I just miss him." Though definitely not a lie - as Yami's departure from his life had severely affected him during the last four months and Yugi did indeed feel depressed about losing his best friend - it was an excellent diversion to hide what else was really bothering him, one that his friends wouldn't be able to detect while believing in the first answer he gave them.

Both Tristan and Joey's eyes softened in a haunted way, each experiencing the same kind of piercing pain that he felt, only Yugi felt it the worst. To share a soul, mind and body with someone was not exactly your everyday kind of bond in life that you stumbled into with someone, and when it was stripped away…well.

"Yeah, we all miss him," Joey sighed.

"Yeah," Tristan agreed solemnly with a small fond smile, "But you know he's in a much happier place right? The guy deserved it after what he'd being through."

"Yeah and like I said in my moment of brilliance back then, he didn't go anywhere, cuz he's always going to be right here in our hearts!" Joey declared strongly, with a bright passionate spark in his eye which was that of a true believer, and Yugi was honestly grateful for that, because it made him really believe that they hadn't totally lost him, and that he was in some way, still with them.

"Yugi a champion doesn't belong on his knees…" Yami's voice spoke out softly within his memory, drawing Yugi back into the darkness of his thoughts, bringing with it a whole series of different emotions and physical sensations that were all too familiar to him by now. "You achieved a great victory for us both…"

Yugi smiled sadly as he heard Yami's voice, which had now started to fade away with time, and soon Yugi was sure he would forget it all together. Sure, at times, his own voice came pretty close to it, but he knew both in his heart and mind that he would never sound exactly the same. Yami's voice always brimmed with confidence and strength, something that he naturally found himself incapable of. He remembered how he dove into battle mode as he and Yami duelled, determined to beat him, completely forgetting that was fighting to send his friend away.

"Yeah, my sensitive friend!" Tristan teased as he smacked Joey's head from behind, non-too-gently.

"Ouch! Wha' tha heck you do that for?" Joey whined, grumbling a few curse words that Yugi immediately tuned out, as his thoughts once again returned to Tea. He'd never forget her tears that day, or her soft crying that night in the room next to his, from which he could hear through the thin walls. Worse yet was whenever she saw him after that, she seemed to grow even sadder and it was as if his presence turned on an emotional tap behind her eyes. He thought she blamed him, which was hard when he already blamed himself for it, but after a while she started meeting his eyes again, and then started talking to him again, something which he had taken as good sign of improvement, but he always felt that there was so much left unsaid between them.

"Hey Yugi!"

Her voice caught him by surprise as he jolted into the table, which luckily didn't make too much of a thud to gain any attention from his friends, but was sharp enough to wound him as it hit the left side of his rib cage, dead-centre. Why? He mentally yelped in pain that he desperately tried to mask, and seemed to pull off, as he flashed her, a tiny inviting smile, though inwardly he felt his heart lurch. "H-hi Tea…"

She sat down beside him and smiled at Joey and Tristan, giving them a quick friendly greeting before pulling out an incredibly huge, dark red apple, definitely the biggest Yugi had ever seen, of her backpack, and wiped it against her sleeve. "How's your day being so far?" she asked casually, before taking a small bite of a now glowing red-fruit.

Forbidden fruit…nice.

"Um…it's been…good I guess, how about yours?" he knew he sounded unsure, nervous in fact, and he also knew that she'd immediately pick up on it.

She gave him a small, partly inconspicuous, questioning look, before swallowing. "You guess? Is there something wrong Yugi?" she asked him gently, her tone warm with concern, which met her large blue sapphire orbs that he loved so much.

"Yeah I'm-" he began, but Tristan immediately cut in with the last thing he wanted brought up at that moment.

"We were just talking about Yami," he said.

Tea's eyes immediately gazed downward towards the table's surface, with a softened vulnerable look in them, appearing so sad that it practically broke Yugi's heart just to look at them. One because she was hurting, and he instinctively wanted to make it stop…but the second reason was because it was another guy she was hurting so badly for.

However, it wasn't long after that, that a small fond smile played across her lips, and her eyes glazed over thoughtfully, seeming to be a million miles away from them, "Do you remember the first time we made him watch The Mummy?" she asked softly.

They did and it was hilarious.

As Yugi recalled, it was a Friday night and the gang decided to have a movie night at Tea's house, in which it was decided to watch something that Yami would have related too…well at least that was the plan, instead it just confused him. Yugi also remembered how close Tea had sat down beside 'Yami' that night on the loveseat, which she insisted he share with her, and he of course, didn't resist…

"Or that time Yug, Triss and I made him watch, 'Brokeback Mountain,' poor guy," Joey snickered.

"You made him watch what?" Teas squeaked in shock, and even Yugi had to grin at that.

"If you thought Yami looked lost after watching The Mummy, you should have seen him after he watched that," Tristan chuckled.

"Yeah up till then he didn't know what being 'gay' meant," Yugi mumbled softly under his breath as he relived the memory of Yami's incredibly shocked and horrified expression.

"You let him watch something like that?" Tea asked him with a very accusing and shocked tone, turning to face him with wide blue eyes.

Yugi held up his hands half-heartedly in defence, "Was not my idea." In fact Yugi hadn't even really paid attention to the movie at all, and spent most of the time, day-dreaming in his soul room.

"Nah, it was mine!" Tristan proclaimed proudly with a triumphant smirk. "He needed to know that girls weren't his only problem when he rose to fame."

Yugi thought he saw a dark glint form in Tea's eyes, but it disappeared immediately, as she rolled them in dismissal, before throwing him a small friendly smile. "Speaking of movies Yugi, do you want to go see one this weekend?"

He automatically nodded, not exactly processing what she had asked him, till after. A movie?

She smiled at him excitedly, before turning back to her apple. That's all she really ate lately, salads and fruits, apparently dieting to keep her weight under control for her ballet classes, but Yugi really couldn't see how she could possibly weigh any less, as she practically felt like air in his arms, but he knew better than to voice that thought, aware from experience how touchy that subject was around her.

Tristan shot them both a smug, knowing glance, with an amused grin, before wiggling his eyebrows at Joey, who winked at him in return. "Look's like our little Yug, is starting to grow up," he said lowly, to which he and Tristan chuckled over.

Yugi rested his head on a closed fist and stared at his friends with a somewhat sympathetic gaze. If they only knew…

Tea grinned sheepishly, obviously following the same trail of thought as he did, as a light, barely visible blush burnt over her cheeks. She threw him a quick, conspirator's glance, before skilfully turning their attention away with a playful, cheap shot at Joey's new relationship with Mai, an older woman, but not before secretly grabbing hold of Yugi's hand, beneath the table, and squeezed it gently.

Yugi felt his heart rate leap up a notch in its pace, hammering lightly against his chest, and thudding in his ears. He could already picture spending another evening with her like that again, and imagined her hands running over his bare skin, moaning softly in his ear- oh Ra…his shifted uncomfortably in his seat, doing his best to shove the images out of his mind. Getting turned on at school was a crisis situation.

They continued to tease and mock each other, thankfully unaware of Yugi's dilemma, when a girl from a grade below them, shyly approached their table with a light blush stained on her cheeks. "Uh h-hi, Yugi," she said softly, in a tone that was just short of a whisper. He had seen her around before, but they had never exchanged words, and the only thing he knew about her, was that her name was Risa, so it came as quite a surprise to him when she approached them.

"Hey Risa," Yugi greeted her politely, with a small friendly smile, wondering about the unexpected surprise. The trio that sat beside him, immediately stopped their verbal battle, and turned their attention to their unexpected guest, who stood shyly on his side with her arms folded over her stomach, hands tightly clasped together and shy turquoise eyes barely meeting any of theirs. Yugi hadn't ever seen her up close before, so he had never noticed how pretty her eyes actually were, until now.

"Hey there Risa," Tristan greeted her out of politeness, though he was just as surprised as they all were of her presence.

"Yeah, hey," Joey soon followed with a small nod. Tea however, just acknowledged her with a small smile and a jerk of her head, but there was an almost unwelcoming spark in her eyes, which Yugi found weird since it was highly uncharacteristic of her.

She flashed them a nervous smile, "Hi everyone…um, I hope I'm not, um, interrupting anything am I?"

"Nope not at all," Yugi assured her with a smile, "What-"

"What brings you here?" Tea finished for him, flashing him an amused grin, before turning her gaze, which seemed rather cooler than usual, back to Risa's shy ones.

"Oh I uh, I uh…" she brushed a silky, dark blue bang out of her eyes, smiling sheepishly, before focusing solely on Yugi. "I-I was just wondering if I could have your autograph…Yugi? I m-mean if y-you don't mind that is." She bit her bottom lip and lowered her eyes immediately away from his, as though preparing for rejection, which blew Yugi's mind. Since when were girls shy around him?

"Uh…sure Risa," Yugi replied a little taken aback, and he could tell that his friends were too, as a shocked silence fell over all of them.

Risa smiled widely as though it were Christmas morning for her, and excitedly handed him a very girlish pink diary, with a fluffy covering that had 'Risa' embroidered on its surface. He took it from her gently, briefly wondering about how ridiculous he looked holding it, before taking note of a picture of him, stuck to one of its expensive, silky gold pages...

'Okay that doesn't freak me out,' he thought to himself secretly as he took the pen she offered him, giving her a small smile that he hoped looked confident enough to hide his unease. It wasn't even a printed photograph swiped off the net, but an actual one taken by her, obviously, when he wasn't looking, during the Battle City Tournament. "Uh…where do you want me to sign?"

"Anywhere but across your face," she said a little too quickly without thinking, and blushed darkly as her eyes widened in embarrassment, "Uh, um, I mean…" She giggled nervously, no doubt wishing a black hole would swallow her whole from beneath her, but Yugi shrugged it off, deciding that he didn't want to know what was going on. He was still having trouble getting rid of several suggestive images of Tea, out of his mind. The gods were really having fun with him today.

He signed across the middle of the photograph, surprised how well the pen wrote without smudging or spilling unnecessary amounts of ink, and glanced one more time at it before handing it back to her with a smile. "Is that okay?"

"Yes! Thank you so much Yugi and congratulations about winning the World Championships, I, uh, didn't get a chance to when you did…I was rooting for you all the way." She brushed the same strand of hair back as she giggled a little nervously, "Um, okay, thanks…eh, bye!" She hurried off before he could say anything, and practically raced through the oversized sliding doors that led out into the hallway.

"Wow dude! Looks like you just got your first groupie!" Tristan announced loudly, lightly punching Yugi in the shoulder from across the table.

"And she's cute too!" Joey commented with an amused grin.

Yugi blushed slightly and shook his head, dismissing the idea by waving both his hands twice, "I really don't think it's like that guys! She's probably just a fan of the game."

Tea remained silent for a long while, seeming very interested in her half-eaten apple.

Joey and Tristan then went on to discuss things about Risa that Yugi really had no interest in, such as her cuteness. He looked over at Tea, and gently nudged his shoulder against hers, catching her attention. "Hey, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered in a neutral tone with a small smile that seemed a little off to him. "Hey Yugi…about yesterday, you don't regret it do you?"

The question caught him by surprise, "No! No way, it was…amazing Tea, why? Do you?"

The side of her mouth twitched slightly, before a small – but still slightly offish – smile curled onto them, "No I don't." There seemed to be an unspoken 'but' at the end of that, but as she continued onward, Yugi lost that train of thought. "It's just that today you seem really…distant."

Did he? He frowned as he realised that he probably had. "Sorry, you're right, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be, I guess I'm just…well…" He didn't know how the hell to explain himself without lying to her, or revealing the truth, both of which he couldn't exactly handle, at that point in time. Luckily Tea seemed to make up her own assumption.

"Yeah I know, it's okay…we're all 'coping,' but I guess it's just going to take a lot of time…um," she bit her bottom lip lightly before running her tongue along it, with a thoughtful expression, soon turning rather sheepish as a light, barely visible blush stained her cheeks.

Yugi was about to ask her what more she wanted to say, but the loud, ear-piercing sound of the school bell, shattered his opportunity, as loud voices of protest, and even louder carrying on of conversations, made it even hard for him to hear his own thoughts. Tea gave him a regretful smile, before rising to her feet, in which he followed, suddenly groaning as he remembered what class he had next. Why the hell had he taken Biology? He should have taken art instead, at least that way he may have even succeeded to an 'F' instead of the 'negative X' he felt he was receiving at present with a subject he was more than sure, he would never use again.

As he made it out the doors of the cafeteria, he passed by a small group of girls that all flashed him smiles, before giggling amongst themselves, which again confused him. Did Joey put a 'kick-me-sign' on his back again, he wondered as he rounded the corner, and tried to inconspicuously feel his back to see if there was anything stuck to him, and glad when there wasn't. Guess girls were more, weirder than he knew.

His mind automatically switched over to Tea, which made him remember something else that he had thought of earlier that morning when he woke up, and cringed before frowning as he entered the classroom, passing several rows of desks before making his way over to one by the window. There was somewhere he needed to go after school, which he didn't exactly imagine was going to be a very pleasant experience for him, but one that was very necessary, he just hoped he didn't meet up with anyone he knew along the way.

As he sat down, their biology teacher, a short man that was roughly about the same size Yugi had been - before he suddenly experienced a very noticeable growth spurt, soon after the ceremonial battle - marched in through the door and rushed across the room, straight to the chalk board and began to write 'Human Reproduction' in huge white letters.

The gods really were playing him today.

When Yugi went home immediately after school, his Grandpa was stationed behind the counter reading a newspaper as per usual, only looking up when he heard Yugi walk in. "Hey Grandpa, I'm, back."

"I can see that," he chuckled as he folded the newspaper back into its original folding. "Hello Yugi how was school?"

"Fine," he muttered half-heartedly, while he made his way towards the stairs.

"Yugi?" the wary tone in his Grandfather's voice made him freeze to the spot.

"Yes Grandpa?"

"Are you alright son? You've been…different lately, is everything okay?"

Yugi wanted to snap and say that he was sick of being asked that question and that of course everything was not okay! But he got himself under control, and simply nodded, before saying through partly clenched teeth, "Yeah, I'm fine." He forced a reassuring smile to his lips, before turning back to the stairs and making his way up them, "Nothing to worry about Grandpa." Inside though, he was screaming.

He shut the door to his room the minute he walked into it and flung his backpack to the side a little harder than he intended to, before marching over to his closet. As he picked out a new outfit to wear, his thoughts circulated back to his almost-outburst with his grandfather, which was highly uncharacteristic for him. Yugi never had mood swings before or in fact, even a short temper, and he most certainly never got angry with his grandfather…which meant, something was very wrong.

He picked out a pair of dark black jeans, which he suspected were actually blue, and a black sleeveless shirt with a barely visible grey skull printed on its front. He wasn't in the mood to dress up, and after a few minutes' thought, decided that it was probably a good idea anyway since he didn't want to be noticed. Once dressed he made his way back down the stairs and surprised his grandfather when he made his way to the front door. "Um, I got to go pick up something quick Grandpa, I'll be right back."

He didn't wait to hear what the old man had to say, before making his way downtown, hoping that he wasn't going to meet up anyone he knew along the way. He kept his head down, and strolled casually towards a dodgy little establishment that he had only been to twice in his life, and all of those times were with Joey and Tristan when they were looking for cherry bombs or some kind of prank-device. It also had a reputation…

He took a deep breath before entering the store, glancing around suspiciously for any familiar faces, before making his way hesitantly up to the counter. The clerk on duty was paging through a manga, and seemed only a few years older than him, with dark, spiky red hair and bored seeming hazel eyes. He looked up as Yugi approached him, and cocked an eyebrow, obviously noticing Yugi's evident discomfort.

"Um…hi," Yugi mumbled, as he ran a hand through his own spiky hair.

"You here for Stan, dude?" the clerk said in a cool, laidback kind of voice that sounded like he should have been surfing along the Californian coast instead.

"Who?" Yugi asked in confusion before shaking his head, "No, I'm here for um…I need to get…" This was hard.

The clerk closed the comic and leaned up on his elbow lazily, patiently waiting for Yugi to finish.

"I need…condoms." Shit! That sounded so damn lame. Yugi wanted to be swallowed whole by a black hole that spontaneously opened beneath him. He felt a deep red blush burn along his cheeks from embarrassment. How did guys do this everyday of their lives, inviting total strangers an insight into their active sex lives? It sucked!

The clerk actually smiled, which made Yugi feel even worse. "You a newbie?"

Yugi ground his teeth together in annoyance, but his blush deepened regardless.

"What kind do you want?" the clerk asked, in an almost bored tone, as though he dealt with things like this everyday…which he probably did.

"Uh…" Now Yugi just hated this situation even more, not knowing what the hell to even say.

"Relax dude, I've been there, I know how it is…want help?" the clerk offered kindly, but Yugi couldn't help but wonder if there was some kind of sick joke going on here.

"Yeah I guess…" he mumbled, refusing to meet the guy's eyes.

"I'm Al," he introduced, as he began to get off his stool and make his way to the other side of the counter where several racks were lined up, holding up several different types of products in neat rows.

"I'm Yu-"

"Yugi Mutou," he finished for him, surprising the younger teen.

"Ah…?"

Al chuckled, "Everyone in Domino City knows who you are dude, you're a big name around here."

Oh shit, that's right. Sometimes it was easy to forget that he wasn't exactly invisible anymore thanks to all the attention he got from being the official King of Games now.

"Oh, yeah…" he muttered quietly under his breath, feeling really stupid.

Al began introducing each type and brand in detail, and even went on to tell him which was the best of the rest, and which ones were overrated. Yugi learnt a lot more than what he bargained for - or expected - and soon grew a little more, comfortable around Al, who handled the topic almost like a science lesson, and did it well…clearly more experienced.

"So you want these?" Al finally asked, pointing to a box of condoms that had Red Devil written across it in large red letters, which were apparently the best and had a longer lifespan.

"Yeah thanks," Yugi glanced over his shoulder, having sensed someone behind him, but saw nothing.

"That all? You don't want a Playboy or something like that too?"

Yugi widened his eyes, "Aren't those age-restricted?" Then he blushed realizing how stupid he sounded.

Al chuckled again, this time more openly amused, "Apparently, but I've been reading them since I was fourteen. Want one?"

Yugi contemplated saying no and walking out the store with what he had really come for, but the temptation and curiosity was just too great. "Uh, yeah sure."

"Oh, by the way, some advice dude, call them rubbers next time."

By the time everything had been rung up and paid for, Yugi was leaving with three different kinds of dirty magazines and a box of condoms, which were placed in brown bag, just in time before the next customer entered. Yugi had just picked it up when he heard a familiar voice from behind him. "Yug?"

He spun around almost dropping his parcel, to face Joey, who stared at him with a surprised expression. "Yug, what you doing here?"

"Uh, h-hi Joey!" Yugi greeted overly cheerful, feeling so totally busted that there wasn't any room to find humour in it. "Just uh…picking up a few things."

"A few things? From here?" Joey looked surprised, but shrugged it off just as immediately, obviously still under the delusion that Yugi was incapable of anything other than innocence, which for some reason really pissed him off. "Hang on a sec, we'll walk back together I just also need to pick up something too." He walked up to Al and flashed him a greeting smile with a small nod, "Sup' man, the usual."

Al nodded back and placed a packet of cigarettes in front of Joey, which he immediately shoved inside the front pocket of his denim jacket while shoving some cash across the counter, then returned to Yugi's side with a friendly smile. "Kay' let's move."

Yugi really didn't want to risk Joey finding out what he had bought, but he also didn't want to walk back home alone, so he held the package close to his chest and followed Joey out, making sure to keep it out of sight at all times.

"What ya get in there?" Joey asked casually, throwing him a quick glance, which Yugi hoped didn't catch sight of the slightly guilty expression he wore.

"Um…stuff," he answered vaguely, which he knew would add fuel to suspicion.

"Oh?" he could already hear suspicion slightly line his best friend's voice, "What kind of stuff?"

Ra! Wouldn't anyone just stay out of his business? He ground his teeth in annoyance, ready to snap, but forced his anger back down and breathed in deeply in order to regain control over himself. "Um, it's a new hobby of mine," he said through a small, shy blush, and automatically rubbed the back of his head.

"Oh really?" Joey raised his eyebrows, quite surprised, "What kind of-"

"I don't want to talk about it!" Yugi snapped suddenly, and then immediately bit his tongue regretfully as Joey flashed him a worried look.

"Yug…are you okay?" he asked gently with wide eyes.

Yugi nodded his head slowly, before shaking it, without meeting Joey's eyes. "Yeah I am, sorry Joey I didn't mean to snap, I just don't want to talk about it yet."

Joey nodded his head in some extent of understanding, but then he looked worriedly back in the store's direction before resting his gaze back on his friend. "Um Yug, I respect that kay' but I gotta ask ya just one more thing before I leave it…you aren't doing drugs right?"

Yugi glanced up at Joey horrified, "What?"

"Cuz' I know it's been tough lately, but it's just not worth it pal," Joey said quietly, keeping his eyes steadily on Yugi's.

Yugi looked at Joey as though he had never seen him before. "What the heck are you talking about Joey? Of course I'm not on drugs! I'm not stupid! I'd think that you of all people would know me better than that!" he growled angrily, very close to slipping in a few curse words to add a more powerful effect.

Joey clearly not used to Yugi losing his temper, held up his hands in surrender with wide, surprised eyes. "Whoa calm down Yugi, I'm sorry I didn't mean to offend ya…it's just, you know where guys from Domino get their fix right? Uh…sorry, I mean fix as in where they get their drugs from."

Yugi growled in annoyance, "Joey I know what a fix is!"

Joey smiled a little sheepishly, "Sorry Yug, just sometimes you're just so…"

"So what?" Yugi said in a dangerous, low voice, glaring at Joey, who shook his head in response.

"Never mind…all I want to warn ya about is that if ya want a fix, ya go to Stan, that's the word on the street…so just be careful of that place."

Yugi suddenly felt bad, realizing that Joey's intentions were as good as any concerned best friend's. "I'm sorry Joey I'll steer clear of it in the future."

Joey lightly smack his back and smiled down at him cheerfully, "No need to apologise man, and ya don't need to stop going there if that's where ya get your stuff, just make sure you always have either me or Tristan go in with you."

Yugi once again felt a flare of irritation spike through him, "Why do I need a babysitter for everywhere I go?"

Joey looked taken aback, "Uh, Yug?"

"I think I'm capable of going into a store by myself without a bodyguard Joey," Yugi said irritably and began walking away, feeling heat rise to his cheeks.

Joey rushed to catch up with him, keeping a really concerned gaze on him, "That's not what I meant Yugi! Could you just wait up a second?"

Yugi stopped and turned on Joey expectantly.

"All I'm saying is that it could get dangerous, ya never know what the heck these drugged up loonies are going to try with ya when they're like that…I just don't want ya to get hurt buddy." Joey explained.

"I guess I can understand that," Yugi mumbled lowly, forcing rational thought over his angered-influenced ones.

"Hey, you want to stop by Burger World?" Joey offered as they continued walking, "My treat?"

Yugi forced and smile and shook his head, "Nah, thanks for the offer, but I have a ton of Biology homework on Human reproduction that I need to get through."

Joey smirked, "Need some help from an expert?"

Yugi rolled his eyes before turning to look at him, "Joey? Have you ever done it before?"

His unfaltering boldness in the question took Joey by surprise as he looked at Yugi with a cocked eyebrow, before glancing away sheepishly, "Uh well um…what?"

Yugi waited for several moments before deciding to press further, "Mai?"

Joey looked at him with both surprise and discomfort. "Uh, wait a sec, what?"

Yugi smirked, which took Joey totally by surprise, because his friend never smirked! A grin, yes…but a smirk? Something was definitely different about him. "You going to fill me in?" he asked confidently, without any hint of shyness, once again surprising the young blonde.

"No way, you're too innocent for this kind of talk!" Joey teased as he playfully pulled Yugi in for a noogie, still partly recovering from his young friend's sudden weirdness.

Yeah you keep thinking that Joey, Yugi thought darkly as he squirmed out Joey's hold, muttering a few unintelligible curses and comments, before walking down his street waving Joey off. "See you tomorrow Joey!"

"See ya Yug!" Joey waved back, before walking in the opposite direction, throwing one more concerned and slightly, baffled glance at him.

Yugi glanced back just once, before breathing out a sigh of relief, realizing how close he had come to busting himself, just to prove a stupid point. What was wrong with him anyway?

He wondered in through the shop's doors and muttered a greeting to his grandfather who was busy with a client, before making his way up to his room and locked himself inside, still clutching the bag tightly to his chest. Phase 1 of Operation Protection, was complete…and he suddenly felt like a dork for calling it that. He almost smiled, before a terribly cruel thought occurred to him, what would Yami have said?

He immediately lost his smile as he pondered on that, realizing exactly what he had done. Yugi had never been the guy you'd find, purchasing condoms at a shady downtown store where drugs were secretly sold, for a girl that wasn't even really considered his girlfriend yet. He was far too innocent for stuff like that. However, he had no idea if Yami would be impressed with his newest development or downright horrified, which pissed him off. Yami should have been there right after for him to share his experience with, and either be scolded by the older spirit or congratulated, either way, talking about it like they generally shared all their new experiences in the past, would have at least given him some guidance on whether or not he had made the biggest mistake of his life or the greatest triumph, but instead he just felt really alone.

The only problem was that Yugi wasn't so sure if Yami had stayed that it would have ever turned out that way. Instead, he might have been the one on the receiving end of that information…

He slumped down on the floor by his bed and rested his back against it, thinking about Yami again. The pain of losing him was still fresh and painful, as though it had only been hours and not months that had gone by without him. He almost stopped playing duel monsters, and still wanted to, as it reminded him too closely of Yami, but Kaiba's insistence and well as several other wannabe champions, made it impossible. Pegasus however, wanted his insight on designing new cards for the next generation of duel monsters, and planned to recruit him immediately after finishing high school…so giving up the game seemed very unlikely in the near future.

Whatever happened to his childhood dream of becoming a fireman?

He heard his cellphone ring and dug in his pocket to pull it out, taking a quick look at the caller ID before widening his eyes. Tea? He hesitantly pressed the call button and answered. "Um, hey Tea, what's up?"

He listened to her voice, which sounded weird over the phone, his eyes widening at what she was telling him. "Um…are you sure?"

She continued to speak to him, and he felt his chest constrict. "Yeah I can…sure."

He side glanced at his alarm clock. "I'll be there in ten."

He felt his grip tighten on the phone, while he listened to her.

"Yeah, I love you too. Bye." He hung up the phone and stared blankly at the wall. "Shit!"