The Magicians' Realm Chapter 11: Coattails, a yu-gi-oh fanfic

Chapter 11, everybody! And can I just say, writing romantic-like-stuff hurts….Thank goodness I won't have to write any more for a while….

Angiembabe, thanks for the review! Yes…I wonder why that could be? And no, he doesn't—both should be answered eventually….As will your next two sentences….

Fromtheashtrees, thanks for the review! Yes, you will—someday, you will look back on it…and say "hey, that'd make a good story…." And the story will have a running gag about socks—I can feel it! Ouch. Just keep at it with the Vaseline…and maybe soaking in Epsom-salt water (the doctor recommended that when I injured my foot earlier this year—but the Vaseline was enough. It's a miracle substance, I tell you). Just looked up Halls Gap, and yes, the two do look similar (and apparently there's a Halls Gap, Kentucky, too). My leg muscles ache in sympathy. T-T

References:

Teana gave a forced grin as she accepted another coat.

She was at her night job, taking care of coats at an uptown club. She liked the atmosphere of the building, but more often than not, she didn't care for the people who attended the club.

She certainly wasn't excited about who might show up.

"Hey." She turned to see her friend Miko, holding fresh hangers and looking at her with concern. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing," Teana said, smoothing out the coat she had just received. "What makes you think something's wrong?"

Miko turned to a line of customers. "I'm very sorry you haven't received your coat tickets yet," she announced. "My friend had a very distressing day yesterday and hasn't recovered quite yet."

There was an understanding murmur as Miko handed out the tickets. Teana busied herself with the hangers, glad that the dim lighting hid her blush.

"So," Miko said, when the tickets were distributed and the customers were gone. "What's eating you?"

Teana sighed. Figuring there was nothing for it, she described her meeting and subsequent so-called date with Yami Skellington.

"Woah," Miko said, after Teana had finished. "He sounds amazing! A big cape, you said?"

"Yes, but you know," Teana said, accepting more coats from customers and putting them on hangers. "That guy, and the crowd he hangs out with, seems too flamboyant for me. They're just not my style."

"What?" Miko rolled her blue eyes. "They're magicians, Teana, of course they're flamboyant. And that one guy sounds like the Head Mage."

"Here's the thing," Teana explained, feeling her face warm again. "He is the Head Mage."

"Ooh!" Miko grabbed Teana's arm. "If he likes you…"

"Nothing will come of it, Miko," Teana said, heading into the back room. "After I left him like that last night, and our discussion today, he'll get the hint and leave me alone."

"But he's Head Mage."

"Miko, you know me—do I really strike you as Mrs. Head Mage material?"

"You strike me as stupid material right now," she heard Miko mutter. Teana held her head high and decided to take some extra time in hanging up coats, lest she snap back at her coworker.

Teana was still busy with the coats in the back when Miko stuck her head in again.

"Teana! That guy you were telling me about: was he tall, dark, and handsome; dark eyes, flowing cape, and a mess of spiny hair?"

"Wow," Teana said, looking over at Miko. "You have him down to a T. How'd you do that?"

"He just walked in! Want me to wave him over?"

"No! I don't want to see him."

"You're a fool," Miko said, pouting. "He's obviously a well-to-do mage: this is your chance!"

"A chance for what, pray tell?"

"Um, well….Ah, Teana!" Miko glanced over her shoulder. "He's coming over! What do I do?"

"Don't tell him I'm here!" Teana hissed. "If he asks for me, tell him I'm out!"

Miko hustled back to the desk and tried to look calm.

Yami Skellington strode over and leaned on the desk, steepling his fingers and fixing Miko in a pretty intense gaze, although he looked like he was trying to temper it with a smile.

"Excuse me, but is Teana Gardenier in?"

"Ah, uh, no, she's not." Miko was blushing. Teana, meanwhile, was frantic—how did this guy know she worked here?

Yami leaned forward: Miko flushed even redder from the proximity. "Listen," he spoke in a deep, conspirator voice. "I know she's right behind that wall over there, so why don't we just end the charade and call her over?"

Miko became a new shade of crimson and flustered over to Teana. A few moments later, Teana was standing in front of Yami, arms folded in irritation.

"All right," Teana said, trying very hard not to snarl. "How did you know I was back there?"

"Well, I hate to say this, but your friend isn't that subtle. That, and I could see you from over there by the door. And I checked the roster."

"Hmph," Teana said, unfolding her arms and placing her hands flat on the counter. "So what do you want?"

"A better explanation for why you left last night."

"Ask for something else."

Yami spread his arms in an apologetic gesture. "Why did you leave last night? I was under the impression you were having a good time."

"Well, I guess you were also under the impression that I was easy."

"What gave you that assumption?"

"Well..." Teana fiddled with the check-in sheet. "I don't want anyone to think that I'm some magician's moll. Or anyone's, for that matter."

"Is that how you view yourself?"

"No! But someone else could see it like that."

"And who are you trying to impress upon that you aren't?"

Before Teana could answer, a short, impatient man cut in. "Excuse me, but finish your lover's quarrel later. I want my jacket, and I want it now!" He thumped the counter on the last word for emphasis. Teana jumped a bit.

Yami, however, slowly turned and glared at the man.

He suddenly snapped away the ticket stub that the man had been waving around and examined it. With an almost casual flick of his wrist, he sent the coat rack spinning. The man's jacket came shooting out and collided with the man, knocking him over.

"Your jacket," Yami said, flicking the stub at the man. That done, Yami reached over, grabbed Teana's jacket, and flipped the counter door open.

"Give me another chance," Yami said, offering Teana her jacket. "Come with me, and I guarantee no one will ever bother you again."

Teana looked at the jacket, unsure, and then to Miko, who couldn't hold her opinion in any longer.

"Go on, Teana!" Miko blurted out. "You'd be a fool not to!"

"Miko," Teana sighed, shaking her head. She looked back at Yami, and then at the customer on the floor.

The manager walked up.

"Hey!" he yelled. "What is this?"

Teana made her decision.

She put her arms in her jacket and let Yami drape it over her shoulders.

"Me quitting," she told the manager.

She didn't look back as they left, Yami's arm draped gently around her.

*/*\*

Anzu was walking down the steps of the library, lost in thought.

She paused to look at the beginning sunset, reflecting about her research earlier. Such a train of thought led to the subject of that research, Yami. Would she see him again?

She hoped so. There was something about him, even without the fact that he was next in line to be Head Mage….

She blinked. The notion that he would be Head Mage didn't thrill her in the slightest.

That was a good sign, she supposed. That meant that perhaps her attraction towards him relied on something else.

She sighed; for that to bear any fruit, she would have to meet him again, and that wasn't going to happen.

She turned to walk down the steps and nearly stumbled—coming up the steps was none other than Yami Montgau.

He seemed just as surprised to see her as she was to see him; he stopped dead in his tracks, several steps below her. "Uh, hi," he said, uncertain.

"Hi," she returned lightly, deciding to play it as she had before. "Come for some reading?"

"I uh, came to find you, actually," he said, and came up a few more steps, confident smile reappearing on his face.

"Well you found me," she said, tilting her head. "Now what?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to go out this Monday."

She gave him a coy grin. His grin faltered a little.

"With me….On a date," he finished.

Anzu laughed. "I'd love to," she replied.

"Really?" Yami asked, coming even with her. "Would you like to go on more than one?"

"With you?"

"Yes, with me. And maybe a few of my friends every once in a while. You remember them?"

"Mr. Montgau, I believe you're asking me to be your girlfriend."

"Yes, I believe that's what it's called."

"Do you love me?"

"What?"

It had just slipped out, but she pursued it. "Do you really love me, Mr. Montgau?"

He blinked. "Yes—Yes, I can't explain it, but….I look at you….And there's this, this feeling, this warm feeling in my chest….And I can't imagine my life without you." Here he blushed. "That sounded silly," he muttered, looking down at his shoes.

"Not really. I've read sillier in romance novels."

He half smirked, then looked at her. "What about you? Do you love me?"

She looked at him, considering. "You're the eldest son of the Head Mage. You're the most talented magician in your age group. You're possibly named after either one of the most notorious magicians or one of the most celebrated, depending on whether you were named after Skellington or Hallowen."

"Mom liked the name," he explained.

"I've always wanted to know magic, and if I was nice to you, did what you wanted, you might deign to teach me."

"Or you could ask."

"I could." She took a step closer to him. "But none of that matters to me. I do love you. I feel exactly the way you do, and while I have a lot more to gain than you do, none of that matters to me."

He blinked, nodded his head for a few beats. "Wow, that was honest."

"I figure it's important."

He gave it some thought. "How old are you?"

"Just turned seventeen. You?"

"A bit older than that," he said. "So we're probably too young for a serious relationship."

"Probably."

He scratched the back of his neck. "But that doesn't mean we can't go together, see how things turn out, see if we don't work well together…."

"Are you afraid of commitment?"

"No…."

She leaned in close. "Mr. Montgau, I'd be pleased to go out with you again."

He grinned. "Call me Yami."