Time had passed so fleetingly over the past month, not four weeks ago in June Tea was sitting across from him at the same table, with the same expression and the same silence. Those same four weeks ago when Yugi's training first started. The candlelight flickered in the darkness of the almost vacant dining hall. It looked so different now from the last time she saw it. The tables that littered the giant room were removed and now only one long dark cherry wood table stretched across the floor. Tea had also noticed the fireplace that she had not recalled seeing previously, and the fire on her left kept the room warm aside from the icy moon that poured its thick light in like blood through red curtains.
She was pleased that their families had been gracious enough to enjoy their supper upstairs in the second dining room, so she and Yugi could share a romantic dinner together. Yugi's eyes were down on his plate taking in the sight of exquisite foods, he had rested his elbow on the table and Tea noticed that he had eaten about as much as he had said. Tea pressed her napkin against her painted lips and then leaned forwards, her bust supported on the table.

"Is anything the matter my lord?"

Yugi shook his head "No princess, I am alright." He lied "Are you enjoying your meal?"

Tea nodded "Yes…"

The conversation seemed redundant to Tea at that time and she looked at Yugi, watching his casual movement as if she wasn't there. Seto had spoken to her before she had left home for her visit and he had expressed that he didn't trust Yugi or the Moto family. And Tea took that advice to heart since she and Seto had a close sibling relationship. She smiled at how protective Seto was of her especially recently with the marriage topic constantly brought up in everyday conversation.
Tea found herself gazing over the table to Yugi, his eyes seemed to be missing a kind of shine then from when she first met him. This was her second visit and he still had nothing to say, he had barely spoken a word to her since he came in from his training that morning. She could still smell the sweat in the air and the way he stood near Yami. She had also taken into consideration Seto's mistrust for Yami as well. All these thoughts began to swell in Tea's head and she placed her fork down beside her plate.

"Do you really have nothing to say to me?" Tea said, irritated.

Yugi looked up startled by her voice and his lips parted to reply, but he was cut off when Tea stood, her wooden chair screeching along the floor. She threw her napkin onto her plate before she came around the table towards Yugi.

"I see I've wasted my time." She snorted while leaving the room.

Yugi turned, watching her pick up her dress to approach the door. She placed her hand on the closed door and then a travelling hand wrapped her free arm around her stomach. Tea quickly hunched over before she let escape a loud and painful growl. Yugi sprang out of his chair and followed to her side, placing his hands on her shoulders her saw her face frowning so hard that her eyes had scrunched closed.

The cold moon beaming in from the windows washed them over with a white colour and as the pain subsided slightly she glanced up at Yugi. She had just insulted his pride, any other man would have struck her, but his eyes his face showed caring and compassion. Different from any other eyes she had ever seen before.

"What is the matter?" Yugi asked, sounding faint to her.

Tea was surprised and she looked up to Yugi innocently "I am not feeling well…"she whispered

Yugi took her arms, standing her onto her feet, and placed his hand upon the heavy door. She watched Yugi's face as his mind focused on the task at hand, thinking of how committed he was to looking after her, even after how she had spoken to him. Another man would label her a useless woman and she would have to fend for her ill feeling self. In the pale moonlight as they approached the stairs, she thought of how in only three weeks Yugi's face seemed to change and grow from a boy to a man. Tea smiled, ignoring the pain in her gut. Maybe this was a kind of love. Her eyes peered down to the floor as she felt a little guilty and the abrupt stop at the door to her room.

"I am sorry…"

Yugi had already though nothing of it "For what?"

Tea gave him a weak smile and allowed him to follow her into her room,

"Is there anything I can get for you before you retire my lady?"

Tea shook her head and pulled the sleeves of her long flowing red dress down her ivory skin. Yugi looked away at the indecent behavior and turned back to the door. The room suddenly felt cold as he heard Tea's clothes slipping off her skin. He sensed that as he turned away he insulted her, but her body was not what he wanted, and was sure that it was not what she really wanted either.

"Why do you turn away?" Teas asked whispering a tone the colour of starlight.

"Because this is not want you want. You are unwell…" Yugi said, turning his head slightly as Tea would not be in his sight "Goodnight, your highness."

When the door clicked shut, Tea grabbed her stomach again; wrinkling whatever was left of the fabric on her body and escaped to her private bathroom. She leaned over the sink preparing herself for the violent heaves of her turned stomach. When after a moment of silence had passed Tea splashed a handful of water onto her face, allowing the cold water to bite her sweet skin, and she couldn't help but turn her face up to gaze through the mirror.
As she looked at herself she wondered how she had become that person looking back at her. If she knew that it had come to this she never would have agreed to the plan. Her family was strong, that much was true but Tea couldn't spill blood as easily as others. She never had before. Silken water dripped off her bangs and into her palms, the drips, drips of blood. Tea shut her eyes, there was a long time before the deed was to be carried out, she was sure she'd feel better by then. She must be hallucinating; the pain turning her cheeks red, must have been giving her a fever. How she managed to get this illness was beyond her and as she pondered every possibility. Then her train of thought came to a screeching halt. Then it hit her, she smiled and placed her hand just below her stomach and she knew exactly why she was feeling the way she did.

Yugi leaned against Tea's closed door and released a breath he didn't know he was holding in. She had been acting so bizarre that day. Although Yugi wasn't necessarily sure what normal behavior was for Tea in the first place. He only met her two months ago, and she wasn't even around for his birthday. The way she acted today though…-Yugi found that the more he was around her the less he wanted to be with her. Tea's extremely arrogant and extravagant upbringing was shedding some light onto her real personality and that she wasn't the shy and timid creature she first appeared to be the day he met her. She was already making plans with him and taking him to parties and shops in town as if they were already married. Yugi was amazed if he could even read one chapter of his book without interruptions during the day when the Kaiba's were visiting. And Tea's little brothers weren't a bed of roses either, they were the opposite of Seto and ran amuck around the castle causing more trouble for the Moto's then the ten plagues brought upon Egypt.

Yugi was growing afraid to ask for some free time to do more training with Yami. The family had already planned to attend an overwhelming fancy party tomorrow night at the royal court house to celebrate how many years the families had been hosting the slave business together. Yugi couldn't help but to sigh again as he pieced together these stressful thoughts.
The Kaiba's had only been in their home for two nights and as the occurring thought of five more days snuck into Yugi's conscious thought, he felt like throwing himself out of that nearby stained-glass window. He pushed himself off Tea's door and delicately slipped his hand onto the banister of the stairs, peering down into the welcoming darkness. It seemed much more inviting then Tea's room. Her bright skin glowing off the moonlight that slipped in through shut curtains, bare unclothed shoulders and the warm touch of another human lovingly welcoming him to share the same embrace under the moon. Tea's arms were empty. Her touch would be as cold as the darkness he peered into now, but in the darkness he would be alone- a luxury rarely bought these past few days. Solitude, pure unhindered solitude was something Yugi was looking forward to, although secretly felt sad inside for the love he would be forced to portray to this woman- it was be false, brittle and dishonest love. Yugi didn't know if he could do what he had to do for his kingdom.
His feet had carried him down the steps and as he pulled on the iron door handle of the library he knew that there was only one thing he could give himself to make him strong and loyal to this country.

Yami had prodded through every book in the library by now and still had not found the book he had been hunting for, he had placed a few on the big desk in the room, but they were all satisfactory. Yami could spend days inside this library trying to find just one book, but he paced himself- taking in whatever he could. The scent in the library absorbed into Yami, hints of logical thought, artistic creations and knowledge, the most powerful weapon a soldier can have.

That is why he was searching for books, to assist with Yugi's training and Yami was allowed to be in the library after hours as long as her had been granted permission from the king. They both knew that logical thought was very important to determine a victor in battle. Since Yami had once learned when he was younger that rushing in headlong did not win a battle.

His mind came across Yugi. The boy's body was slowly building; Yami could feel the strength everyday in Yugi's strike. He was learning fast and even though his body was growing sharper, he couldn't help but notice that sometimes Yugi's sheltered naivety was a hindrance.

Pondering that he slapped a book shut sending dust up into the air from the aged scripture. As his eyes watered he looked about the dank and solitary room, so sure he had scaled every wall and shelf of this library but sauntered over to a bookshelf behind the steps to check again.

As he found another book to add to Yugi's study, he heard the door click and shudder with forceful movement. Yami turned his head behind the bookcase praying to whatever Supreme Being that his midnight visitor wouldn't be the likes of Seto Kaiba. The light footsteps on the wooden stairs sounded delicate enough to be a woman's walk but as Yami peered from around the bookcase he noticed that his visitor was his blossoming and growing student. Yami didn't want to scare him so he wondered how he should approach Yugi. Yugi's face was long and blue, he looked as though if anyone spoke to him he could commit the unthinkable. Perhaps it was best if Yami just slipped out of the library and let Yugi confront his thoughts. Although it wasn't good for anyone to keep their emotions, or physical wants bottled inside. Yami silently cursed himself at his own selfishness.

Yugi walked over to the large desk in the center of the room and ran his fingers over the dusty wood, he felt like he hadn't been in here for weeks when suddenly he noticed a pile of book were sitting out of place on the desk. Yugi didn't remember seeing these books before. He stepped around the table to the plush red chair where he dragged one of the books across the surface to him. His depressed eyes glanced over the dull material and he closed his eyes, hoping the tears in his heart wouldn't fall through onto the page.

Why are you crying, what the hell is wrong with you? There isn't anything to cry about! The cook the butlers, Joseph they all have the right to be the ones to cry. Look at yourself Yugi, you have everything, a comfortable home, food, family, and a future bride. A future bride that you don't love physically or emotionally, but still a bride-

"Yugi?" Yami whispered as he stepped over to the desk, spotting the moisture gathering in Yugi's eyes.

Yugi felt as though he had been caught, he probably shouldn't be up after hours. His head shot up and he looked into the confident and peaceful eyes of his teacher, it was only then that Yugi felt a small flutter of happiness or something like it in his stomach. "Oh. Yami," Yugi stood and wiped at his eyes before sniffling "What are you doing down here?"

Yami placed his hands on the desk and shifted his weight "I was going to ask you the same, but I feel that I already know the answer."

Yugi watched him slowly turn and seat himself on the desk, as if he was already prepared to listen to Yugi's problem. "I'm sure you don't wish to hear my troubles. I don't want to bother you."

As Yugi came around the desk and walked past, Yami reached out and snagged Yugi by the wrist. His grip was firm but it didn't even look as though he was trying to hold Yugi back. His arms were powerful and Yugi failed in comparison for strength. Yugi was jerked and he came face to face, almost nose to nose with his instructor who sat royally on the table and he simply grinned.

"Try me…"

Yugi, blushing wildly, stood in front of Yami feeling absolutely powerless, and the heat of tears stung his lashes again. He brought his hands over his face and let his shoulders shudder terribly as he could no longer hold back this explosion of sudden useless feelings. Yami got up off the table and placed his hands on Yugi's shoulders, deciding that no wise or calming words would be able to stop the tears of a prince. Yugi felt himself being pushed into a warm, comforting hug. Yugi's arms were pushed up against his chest, his fists under his chin as he was pulled tightly into Yami.

"You don't have to say anything you don't want to." Yami whispered squeezing him tighter "You don't have to do anything you don't want to."

Yugi buried his face in Yami's shirt "Yes I do…"

"…Yugi."

"I have no choice in the matter. Even if I am to marry Tea, I'll never love her. I don't even know what love is. I've failed in her eyes as a husband, I failed in Gozaburo's eyes as a son, and I failed my grandfather, my mother as a King." Yugi sniffed and hit his head lightly into Yami's chest repeatedly "I'm so useless. I'm probably a failure to you as well. A failed student…"

"I'm not expecting you to move the stars Yugi, no one is." Yami told him "Gozaburo is a difficult man and you shouldn't be trying to impress him, even as a future son in law. They may think you're useless Yugi, but I know you. You've shown me so much over the past two months that I have never seen in other people before. So let them think what they want, you'll prove them all in the end. And I know it hurts now but… remember that you can pull through even if it is only me standing beside you. Knowing that I have your back, isn't that good enough?"

Yugi pulled his head up from Yami's chest, his eyes wet from sorrow, his cheeks red and stained and Yugi nodded "How can you make everything sound so simple. My failure to this country will lead to my people's death. I can't have that over my head."

"How can you be a failure if you haven't even tried yet…" Yami said pulling away from him. "You can't save everybody."

Yugi stood on his own feet for a moment shocked at Yami's honesty. His words in his head, echoing like a fresh clap of thunder. Yugi knew Yami was right and although he didn't want to admit it, he did inwardly. Yugi felt almost worse than before that he couldn't even come up with this solution on his own, Yami was so much better than him, he knew everything and was strong. Yami could fight and yet he had the grace and charm of any royal blood.

Yami looked over Yugi, his small frame desperately crying out for any kind of affection. His confidence was never built up with achievements and family faith. Yugi was broken and Yami was almost like an acting father. But he obviously could not see Yugi as a son, not when he had the feelings he did. Holding Yugi in his arms and not advancing was the hardest physical emotion he ever had to push past. To Yami's surprise Yugi stepped forwards, not wanting Yami to push down his physical want any more. Yugi wanted him to take advantage of it, and he came forwards pressing a surprised and wanting Yami back to his seated position the desk.

"-but can you save me." Yugi whispered.

And just as Yugi began to weave his fingers up into Yami's hair, Yami pulled on Yugi's arms physically expressing if Yugi was sure of what he was doing. Yami leaned forwards to Yugi but then stopped awkwardly, since the last time they had a moment Yugi had pushed him away. Yami's sudden vulnerability and face red with embarrassment at the attention, made Yugi pulse with anticipation. Not letting another second pass where they would be apart Yugi forced a knee onto the table between Yami's legs and pressed his lips into his teacher as hard as he possibly could. Yami was shoved back by the attack on his body and he rested a hand behind him to stop him from falling completely backwards but allowed his other hand to un-tuck Yugi's shirt to feel the warm skin on his back.

Soon enough after Yugi had searched every crevasse of Yami's mouth he brought his other leg up onto the table positioning himself neatly into a straddle with one knee at either side of Yami's hips. Yami's cheeks glowed red when he felt Yugi's weight on his upper thigh and then sat himself back up reaching to the small of Yugi's back to pull him up so that every curve touched. Yugi clenched his fingers in Yami's hair and parted himself from the sweet taste of his lips and he attacked Yami's collar, licking and nipping at the curve between his neck and shoulder. As Yugi worked his lips and tongue quickly around Yami's neck, he found that Yugi was moving his hips in little circles and the euphoria of everything made Yami's eyes half close and his head roll back releasing an uncontrollable moan into the dry air. Yugi nipped at him again as if urging the musical sounds to escape Yami and he did, Yami inhaled through his teeth before releasing another deeper more authoritative gasp. Yugi couldn't be more beautiful at that moment, and just as Yami was about to pull Yugi into a reassuring kiss the grandfather clock in the room chimed loudly twice for two am and Yugi's eyes went wide with surprise at the message of time. Yugi slid himself off Yami, pulling himself away from Yami's lips- who tried to follow. Yami exhaled as Yugi's honey tasting lips were no longer his.

"...Shit" Yugi whispered, surprised that such foul words could escape him

Yami slowly guided Yugi down to the floor and the prince looked up at Yami's soft and understanding expression.

"I have to go" Yugi protested quietly

Yami reached out, sliding his hand down his cheek and lips "I know."

Yugi touched his hand and turned towards the stairs, picking up his feet faster each step he traveled and as Yami watched his prince hurry up the stairs he wondered to himself what this would be the beginning of.