"Téa, dear, could you please come to my office?" Pegasus stuck his head into the dressing room, where Téa and a few stragglers were packing up their purses after the show had ended on Friday night—nearly Saturday morning, at that rate. Several of the other girls were a bit disappointed that they weren't going home, say, with a rich businessman, but Téa obviously didn't mind. Yugi aside, she didn't particularly like how they looked on her and her fellow dancers—ignoring the complex movements and downright artistry of some of the routines, hoping to see a flash of nipple, coming up to them after the show, faces clouded with cigarette smoke, the so-called lucky girls clinging onto their arms as the pair dipped into growling limousines.

She supposed Yugi, Joey and Tristan were at the Baby Dragon, as they so often were, doing whatever it is was they did. The thought turned her stomach.

"Of course, sir!" Téa grabbed her purse and threw on her coat, following her boss down the narrow, drafty backstage hallways and up a flight of stairs to his office. The other girls ran to the doorway, sticking their heads out with curiosity and chattering amongst themselves.

Though the stairs leading were creaky and undoubtedly in need of repair, Pegasus' office was unquestionably the nicest one Téa had ever been in. It fit the theater—and him—perfectly, all high windows with velvet drapes, gold accents on the walls and prints of famous artworks on the walls. As she looked over her surroundings, a pang of envy struck her, catching her off-balance. She and Yugi had once had nice things—not quite so nice as these, of course—but Pegasus' office was a reminder that luxury and wealth did exist. Just not for her anymore.

"Please, sit down." Pegasus smiled solicitously and took his seat behind his desk and motioned for her to sit in one of the ornate chairs on the other side of the desk.

Téa sank into an overstuffed Rococo chair; she couldn't help feeling a little apprehensive. Her usually unflappable, overly-charming boss had a slight tension about him that evening, which revealed itself in the twitching corner of his mouth. What was going on? Téa jiggled her right leg almost subconsciously as she studied her boss' choreographed mannerisms.

"My dear Téa," Pegasus began slowly, lacing his hands underneath his chin, "something has… come up, shall we say. Something quite important for me and for Industrial Illusions." When he'd gotten the call earlier that day, he'd been as surprised as any—his company hadn't been called on for this project in about a decade, and he'd almost forgotten its existence. Still, with the absence of the old games, one must turn to the new to fill the void, he supposed…

He'd been requested to make a quick decision, and though it had not been a difficult one, he'd thought immediately of the girls, and then his thoughts had turned to Téa as successor. And why should it not have? Who knew the organization as well as he did? Who else choreographed the dances, was close with the girls, and was hardworking and down-to-earth to boot?

Téa's eyes widened, her brow furrowing. "Sir?"

Pegasus offered her a gentle smile and continued. "You see, my dear girl, I've been given an offer. A very generous offer from a private company that I once had ties to, briefly, to return to my design work at Industrial Illusions. Full-time." The offer had been obscene. He would have been a fool not to take it, and Pegasus hadn't gotten where he was in life by being a fool. Politics aside, the money would be a boon, and he couldn't plan on being a club proprietor forever, now, could he?

Téa forgot how to breathe. Her body broke out in gooseflesh as her pulse started to race. "I don't understand—what happens to the House? To us?" Her voice cracked at the end. Already the bills were piling up in her mind—electricity, water, Internet, groceries, medical—and with Yugi contributing nothing as usual, Téa's heart dropped into her stomach as it lurched with anxiety.

Here Pegasus smiled a bit larger, showing perfectly white teeth. "Well, Miss Gardner, with me working at Industrial Illusions full-time, there would be no one to manage the House of Pegasus brand regionally." He withdrew his hands from underneath his chin, and reached into the gilded top drawer of his desk and withdrew an ecru-colored cheque, pushing it towards Téa with graceful hands.

Téa cast her eyes down at the small piece of paper in front of her, breath coming in short gasps. Card stock, the finest paper she'd ever seen. It even had a watermark. It probably felt like parchment. It must have cost more for one ream than she made in a week. Leave it to Pegasus to have it all, fineness and taste, down to the last detail. "I don't understand, sir…"

"My dear girl, you've gone above and beyond for me during your tenure here. You've proven yourself to be steadfast, loyal, disciplined, and able to accept criticism. Clearly working here was not your first choice, but you've managed to take it in stride." He leaned forward towards her. His smile was positively beatific. Téa needed this. She needed something more than what she had been doing, something with a future attached to it, and what was Pegasus if not generous?

"Téa, what I'm giving you is a cheque for one hundred thousand dollars. Once I leave the day-to-day operations of the House of Pegasus, I want you to replace me."

You could have knocked Téa over with a feather. "I… I…"

"While you have promise and creativity, what you lack is a business sense. Thus, my dear, the money is not a free gift. You will use it to enroll in a year of business courses at Domino City College. Then, once you are ready, I will resume my old post at Industrial Illusions, and you will succeed me as the manager and proprietor of the House. While I will be on the leases and paperwork and will have final say over any major change, you will be in charge of the run—not just of the House at this location, but of the other three in the region." Pegasus stood behind his desk and extended his hand.

Téa looked from his face down to the cheque and back again. Was this a trap? How could this be?

If she accepted the offer, would she be bound to the House of Pegasus forever? Could she ever leave the operation? She'd be forever in Pegasus' debt if she accepted.

On the one hand, it would be nice to have a steadier source of income for her and for Yugi—assuming he ever proposed, assuming he found himself able to stay with her and out of trouble.

Yet what about five years down the line? What about the girls? Could she command their respect and loyalty like Pegasus could? Could she manage choreographic and managerial duties? And what about the sleazy patrons—could she command their respect and enforce their distance?

Was she becoming, in essence, a madam of sorts?

What about dancing?

Téa somehow found her tongue. "T-thank you, sir… I… I…" It fled her as quickly as it had arrived.

Pegasus withdrew his hand and nudged the cheque. "I understand that you might like some time to think about this, and that's fine, darling. Just know that I believe you can do this. I believe that you would do me proud."

Téa bowed her head, cheeks flushed, eyes welling up against her better judgment. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears, the thin slickness of her blood in her veins. How could she dream of refusing this responsibility? How could she not?

Pegasus reached inside his desk drawer again, withdrawing another slim piece of fine paper. He walked around the desk towards Téa and placed a fatherly hand on her shoulder. "As a measure of good faith, please accept this." In his other hand he brandished a cheque.

Téa took the cheque and looked at Pegasus curiously before scanning the cheque. Ten thousand dollars… once again, her breath escaped in a shallow hiccup-puff. What she and Yugi could do with ten thousand dollars…

She forced herself to demur. "Please, sir, I can't accept this. It's too much." Yet her fingers gripped the slip of paper as tightly as anything.

Pegasus' eyes grew warm, and he leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. He really did consider himself a father-type to her. He could see how his offer had affected her, and how dearly she wanted to take the cheque. "Please, dear, I insist. You have been invaluable to me."

Téa's eyes grew moist again, and she bit her lip to stop herself from crying, from throwing herself into Pegasus' arms and getting snot all over his finely cut white suit. "Thank you," she murmured, willing her voice to be steady. With this cheque, she and Yugi were safe for a few months. She still needed to think about the offer, but Pegasus' generosity made her feel like a much-loved daughter.

Her hand drifted up to his shoulder, and she squeezed it appreciatively. "Thank you, sir," she repeated, her voice slightly stronger.

Téa placed the cheque in her purse and wrapped herself up in her coat. It was only in this office that she noticed how threadbare it looked, how cheap the buttons were, how threads danced along the seams like hair.

She was tempted to curtsey, but refrained out of sheer pride.

As she walked towards the door to Pegasus' office, he called after her: "Please take a week or so to think about this, lovely!"

Téa whipped her head around. "I will, sir!"

"Another thing, my dear," Pegasus began. "Please, call me Maximillian. You've more than earned the right."

Téa was glad that her back was to him, as that was finally what brought the tears out, and the snot. As she left the House and walked to the bus stop, her face dribbling with salt and goo, she could hardly do much else but silently weep, against her pride and her better judgement.

After Yugi had been revived from his brief faint, he, Joey, and Tristan had set to the phone lines, calling up every duelist they could think of to come to the Baby Dragon now, with their red carnations, because who knows when the next game would be once Kaiba came to collect his money.

Mako Tsunami, who had delivered the bad news, showed up first, face utterly apologetic. He approached Yugi and Joey's booth practically on his knees, like a henchman approaching his don, and promised to do whatever he could to help.

Yugi managed to roll his eyes, half-tempted to have Mako kiss his ring. That is, if he had a ring. Joey raised an eyebrow at Mako, who bowed his head and took his place by the bar, where Tristan had whipped up Mako's standard poison—margarita, no ice, extra salt on the rim.

As is the way with such nightcrawlers, the vast majority—some twenty duelists or so— shuffled in through the door, chimes tingling incessantly, decked out in suits or jeans and accessorized with a red carnation. That silly little old-fashioned quirk did more for others than it did for some.

Amidst the dull rumble of duelists, Yugi found his legs and climbed to stand on top of the table, willing himself to not fall over.

"Gentlemen, gentlemen!" The crowd fell silent immediately. Some part of Yugi relished his strange power over the others. Having been bullied for being small and weak as a child, it was immensely satisfying to have such large, strong men look to him as a leader and not as a target.

Yugi wondered how best to phrase his next words. "Thank you for coming on such short notice. As you can see, the floating card game situation has grown tense, my friends. Seto Kaiba is indeed out tonight, and will not be returning until the morning." This bit was met with a few scoffs. "At this point, we lack the proper funding to secure Espa Roba's spot…"

The door chimes emitted a melody to announce a new entrant into the Baby Dragon. Yugi's voice trailed off as he saw who had arrived.

She emerged from behind the throng of duelists, spike heels first. Then came an expanse of perfectly peach-colored bare legs, capped off with garters that peeked out from under a dark purple skirt.

The other duelists broke out in whispers, clearing a path for her, their eyes eating up every curve of her body.

Sensuality radiated from her like perfume. Her long hair was golden-yellow and curled about her shoulders like a finely wrought cloak. Her eyes were dark violet and flirtatious, her lips pursed as they so often were. Her exquisite body was poured into a white bustier that looked it like was molded on her. Nearly every man in the room wanted to push her up against a wall and do ridiculous things to her, to make her throw back that beautiful head in pleasure, her mouth rounded in a perfect, small O. And didn't she know it.

"Now, is there going to be a game or what, Yugi?" came the sing-song voice that everyone in the Baby Dragon recognized.

"Mai…" Joey's cheeks flushed and his heart skipped wildly, dangerously, careening about his chest with no sign of stopping. The time that had passed had not changed a thing. He clenched his fists, burying his head in his chest, as memories of her laughing in his arms flooded his minds' eye without warning.

If Mai Valentine noticed her former lover's reaction, she did not acknowledge it. She trained her eyes on Yugi, who had amusingly become the alpha-dog while she'd been gone. How positively absurd. How adorable.

She crossed her arms and cocked her hip. The duelists behind her dissected her clothing, wishing with all their hearts for x-ray glasses. Surely Yugi Moto's floating games would make coming back to this hellhole of a city worthwhile.

Yugi coughed to clear his throat, fully aware of how silly he looked standing on the table. He climbed down and walked towards Mai, extending his hand. "It's been a while, Mai! I'm delighted to see you around Domino!"

Mai rolled her eyes at Yugi's chirpy tone, but shook his hand anyway, letting her long, manicured nails graze his wrist. "Well, I do hope you're going to make it worth my time, Yugi…"

"How was your flight? I mean—did you fly? Did you get a cab? How was your trip?" Yugi prattled on. Where have you been? Why did you leave? Why are you back now? He was keenly aware of Joey slumped in the booth behind him, failing to hide his reaction to Mai's return, and he felt nothing but pity towards his friend, and confusion towards the woman who had left him half-broken in her wake.

"That's not really important," Mai replied airily, withdrawing her hand and examining her immaculate nails. Her already short patience for these idiots starting to wear thin.

She walked towards the counter, and the crowd of duelists recalibrated itself around her. "I came here to duel. Let's duel." She raised a single finger and beckoned Tristan over. "I'll have a glass of milk, please."

"…Milk?" Tristan responded. Mai hardly seemed like the type of woman who liked fruity drinks, to be sure, but milk?

"Skim, please. This figure isn't going to take care of itself," Mai said tartly. She whipped her glossy head back over to Yugi. "Well?"

"I-I was just working on getting to that, Mai," Yugi said dully as Mai reached for the drink in front of her, placing the straw into her mouth rather suggestively.

Yugi walked back to the booth and climbed up to stand on the table. "So… as I was saying…"

"Bakura!" Someone towards the back of the room shouted, having seen the sinister white-haired Detective slinking down the street towards the Baby Dragon. The duelists immediately assumed their positions, splitting up amongst themselves in booths, tables, by the bar.

Yugi felt his blood run cold. Of course—this was just what he needed on today of all days. Just his luck…

He plopped down into the booth and tried to rouse Joey, who had essentially gone comatose at Mai's arrival. Mai seemed unperturbed, choosing instead to sit herself down at a bar stool and linger over her glass of milk. She crossed her legs innocently, showing even more leg. Joey thought he was going to die.

Detective Bakura's entrance was accompanied by the chiming, which took on a minor key. His hair looked greasy, his suit rumpled. Dark circles traced under his eyes. "Well, well, well… what have we here…" He leered at the duelists scattered about the room, sharp eyes noting each and every red carnation. His gaze passed over Yugi and Joey in the back booth before settling on Mai's chest, then flicking upwards to her face.

"Why, Mai Valentine. What a pleasure," Detective Bakura murmured, moving over to where the blonde was nursing her drink. He took a seat across from her and placed a hand on her thigh, uninvited. Mai bristled imperceptibly, quickly covering it up by glancing up at Bakura under long black lashes. That usually seemed to do the trick.

"Hello, yourself, Ryou," Mai winked at him, setting all of the duelists in the room on edge. What in the hell was she doing?

"It's Detective Bakura now," Detective Bakura responded silkily, squeezing Mai's knee. Her presence alone in this bar was practically all the proof he needed. Yugi was indeed trying to hold a game—why else would Mai be back in Domino, and in this hole in the wall, of all places? He could feel the handcuffs clicking together on his belt, and anticipated leading Yugi to prison in shackles with relish.

Detective Bakura withdrew his hand and turned his attention to the men in the room. "What lovely red carnations. Just the touch of class that this place could use. Am I right, Tristan?" It was a rhetorical question.

Pantherlike, he rose from his stool and sauntered over to where Yugi and Joey were sitting. "I've been looking for you for a long time, Mr. Moto," he practically hissed.

Yugi returned Detective Bakura's fierce gaze with stern composure. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Detective?" Calm. Cool. Collected. He had to do this. He could not risk even a moment of weakness.

"Well, well, well. It seems like you've gone Domino's finest all gathered in this lovely establishment. Might I inquire what for?" His tone was predatory, hushed. Yugi fought a shiver from dripping down his spine. Of all the things in this world that frightened him, Bakura was near the top of that list.

"Well… you see…" Yugi began.

"It's a party!" Tristan shouted from behind the bar.

Everyone in the room turned in surprise at this outburst from their laconic friend. Yugi caught up the thread where Tristan had left it. "Yes, Detective, it's a party. That's why everyone's all dressed up like this…" He prayed to God he wasn't as shitty a liar as he felt.

Detective Bakura lifted an eyebrow, his smile growing wide. "A party? But what for, Mr. Moto?" His words hung in the air between them, accumulating tension like fine dust.

Out of the blue, Tristan boomed again: "It's an engagement party—for Yugi and for Téa! He's going to propose to her tonight!"

Yugi felt his jaw drop, but snapped it up as Bakura narrowed his eyes at him. "Yes, Detective—I am planning on, um, settling down with Téa. We have been together for years, and I love her dearly. It seems only right that I, to put it one way, seal the deal." What the ever-loving fuck had Tristan gotten him into?

Not that he hadn't planned on proposing at some point, but his finances weren't exactly on the path to a ring, let alone a wedding and honeymoon.

His breath came in spruts. His fingers twitched. A bead of sweat threatened to spill onto his forehead. Don't panic. Don't panic.

Joey, suddenly alert, looked at Yugi with huge, baleful eyes. How was Yugi going to get out of this one? Mai's delicate mouth twisted into a small smile as she bent her head for another sip of milk.

Detective Bakura rolled his eyes. Did they think he was stupid, or merely naïve? He hadn't made it to Detective in record time without some level of savvy. "Congratulations to you, Mr. Moto. But I must ask—where is the lovely Miss Gardner now? Some engagement party without the fiancée…" Let's see them get out of this one, those pathetic fools.

And of course Téa had to come through the door at that moment, cheeks flushed and blue eyes wild. She panted for breath as she took in everyone in the room. Her heart sank as she saw Detective Bakura and the duelists lingering around the bar. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled. Were she and Yugi to get no peace?

As her eyes fixed on Mai, however, she couldn't contain the pure joy that bubbled up inside her heart. "Mai?" She dashed over to where the blonde was sitting, throwing her arms around her. "Oh, Mai, I've missed you so much! Why are you here—what brings you back to Domino?" The words somersaulted over one another. When Mai had left, Joey had taken it hardest, of course, but Téa had also lost a dear friend and confidante.

Mai allowed herself a small smile, for she was genuinely happy to see Téa again. She pressed a quick kiss to Téa's cheek, somehow leaving no lipstick.

Tristan, sensing Detective Bakura's growing suspicion and waning patience for what was, patently, a farce, coughed loudly. "Y-Yugi! Don't you have something you'd like to, um, say?"

Yugi blushed crimson as he fixed his eyes on Téa. Even after all this time, after the messes he'd gotten them in, seeing her face now was like seeing her for the first time—infinitely new and fascinating and almost painful to look at, like staring at a glittering silver star.

Téa's eyes widened in confusion. "Yugi? What's going on?" She released Mai and walked over to where Yugi was perched in the back booth.

Ignoring the eyes of everyone else in the room, she dropped to her knees, so that Yugi's seated form was closer to her face, and leaned in tenderly towards him, worry spreading from her chest out through her limbs. "Is everything all right? What's going on—"

Yugi closed his eyes for a moment and swore silently that if this worked out, he would give up the floating card games after tonight. By God, he would.

Suddenly, he leapt out of the booth, startling Téa, who snapped up straight. Yugi sighed almost imperceptibly and sank down onto one knee while Téa's hands quivered up towards her face.

"Téa Gardner," began Yugi, whose confidence in what he was doing grew the more he looked at Téa's beautiful, kind face, "I know we've been through so much recently. I don't have the money for a ring, and I can only promise you myself. Will you make me the happiest man alive?" Well, if he was going to hell…

Téa hadn't believed that it would be possible to be more shocked than she had been that night, but this took the cake. She hadn't anticipated this in her wildest dreams. Sure, she had hoped for it, idly, as one hopes to win the lottery or be bumped up from coach to first class…

She quickly became aware of how silent the room was, save for the sound of her own breath. She could feel Detective Bakura's eyes burning a hole into her back, and what felt like every duelist in the room holding their breath. Her skin erupted in gooseflesh. Her knees felt weak. She looked into Yugi's eyes. While his shoulders shook slightly, his eyes were shining with hope.

"Yes. Yes!" she heard herself choke out. Yugi sagged with relief, rising from his kneeling position and taking Téa's hand in his. He peripherally registered Bakura's evident shock with a glimmer of pride as he pulled Téa in for a triumphant kiss.

The duelists in the room began clapping and singing "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" (which hardly anyone ever sang anymore). Mai rose from her seat and clasped her hands in apparent glee, eyes glittering with evident pleasure at her friend's success.

Téa sighed between kisses as Yugi moved his hands to her waist, bending her knees slightly to lessen the height difference between them. His breath grew ragged; his pulse raced beneath his skin. Téa slid her hands up Yugi's ruined arms and clutched at his shoulders. A moan sounded from the back of her throat, stirring the both of them. She pressed her hips against his; Yugi moved his lips to the spot at the base of her throat that she so loved. Every cell in Téa's skin felt shiveringly bright and alive.

It was Yugi who eventually remembered where they were, and gently lifted his lips from her, noting with pride the scarlet blush on Téa's cheeks and her swollen lips. "Ahem."

Mai released a peal of laughter, clear and melodic. Even Joey guffawed at the spectacle. Bakura gritted his teeth. "Well, then, I must once again offer my congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Moto." He spat out the last few words with plenty of phlegm, mentally kicking himself for failing to catch these idiots doing something illegal. No matter—he would merely wait for the next opportunity. It surely could not be that far off.

Téa beamed at Detective Bakura. "Thank you, Officer—I mean, Detective." While her tone was light, her eyes were stern, and Bakura saw in her an unquestioning love for her now-fiancé as well as a loathing of Detective Bakura himself. He cast his glance back to Mai, who dipped her head towards her nearly empty glass of milk.

He knew he had lost this round. It was all he could do to leave the Baby Dragon without first wrapping his hands around that fucker Yugi Moto's throat.

The chimes announced that the coast was clear, and everyone in the room let out a collective sigh.

Téa turned back to Yugi, who was still holding her hand, cheeks ablaze. "Um… Yugi…"

Yugi smiled and cut his gaze up back to her. Crisis averted for now. "Yes, Téa?" As he moved his eyes up her figure almost hungrily, it took everything he had to send the duelists home and go back to the apartment with her.

"I have some news I'd like to share with you tomorrow morning, all right?" Téa pressed a kiss to Yugi's forehead, remembering the cheque in her bag and the opportunity she'd been offered by Pegasus. It felt like a world away, and she was beyond worn out.

Eventually Yugi would give up the game, go legit like she hoped, but she was too tired—and frankly, too happy—to fight with him about this. Yugi loved her. She knew this now. And even without a ring glistening on her finger, it was all she really needed right then.

Téa made her way out the back door of the Baby Dragon, limbs made heavy with the anticipation of sleep. Despite herself, her heart skittered like a leaf on the wind. There would be infinite tomorrow mornings.

Yugi watched Téa go, wishing that he could join her in their bed and continue what had so promisingly begun. He let out a small, contented sigh as he realized that everyone in the room had their eyes trained on him. Some of the duelists had mirth in their eyes, while others were more charitable and just looked happy for him. Rather than talking amongst themselves, they had chosen this moment of moments to train all their attention on him, at a time when it was neither wanted nor requested.

As Yugi fumbled through what exactly to say in this moment, Mai took her cue to stand up from her seat and strutted over to him, her legs like running silk. She pecked him on the cheek and threw him a saucy wink. He felt inwardly grateful to her in this moment for cutting through the tension. "Congratulations, Yugi. Now let's get back to business, shall we?"