So after this chapter, I might have to deal with an extreme case of writer's block. I'll try to write more, but I don't know what else could happen, haha.

Yugi had school the next day, so he didn't stay in the puzzle all night. He knew it was going to be a difficult day. He had realized how difficult it was going to be to talk to Téa after all that was said.

In fact, she wasn't even in school the first day he returned. The day after, she was there, but she refused to talk to him. He couldn't catch up with her all week. She didn't even speak to Joey or Tristan.

Joey was shocked when he found out why Téa was angry, "You turned down Téa? I thought you liked her, Yug…"

"I did… I guess I just changed my mind. I didn't mean to hurt her so much though. All I want is to be friends with her."

Yugi and the pharaoh talked it over and decided that they would tell everyone about their relationship as soon as possible. Maybe if Téa understood, she would relax and talk to them again. Anyway, it was about time they explained their odd behavior. Joey and Tristan were growing more and more suspicious by the day.

When class ended on Friday, Yugi got up right away and headed for Téa's desk. She had already started for the door, but he managed to walk around the desks and corner her.

"Téa, it's important. Plea-"

"Leave me alone,"

"I need to talk to you," he managed to disrupt her stubbornness with his heart-breaking eyes.

She paused, behaving like a trapped animal, "…What do you want?"

"I'm ready to tell everyone what I've been hiding… It should explain why I turned you down too… I'm having Joey and Tristan over today. You should come if you want to know the truth. I'm sorry about what happened… I really am."

Téa's first instinct was to say 'no,' but she had been so curious about Yugi's secret. And maybe knowing what made him reject her could help her get him back.

"Okay… I'll be there."

Yugi smiled, "Thanks."

She turned away, not thrilled to give in, "Yeah, yeah."

An hour later, the group was sitting on Yugi's couch, waiting in anticipation for him to explain himself. Though Yami was beside him for support, he was beyond nervous. He didn't even know how to start.

"So… Is anyone thirsty?" He needed to stall and get his thoughts together.

"No," Téa and Tristan said, anxious for Yugi to speak.

Joey, however, could sense his friend's fear, "Yeah, can I have a glass of water?"

Yugi smiled, knowing Joey was on his side, "Sure!" He immediately left for the kitchen.

Yami followed, "Don't worry, Yugi. They will understand."

He gave Yami a nervous smile, "I know… I'm just worried about the initial reaction."

Yami placed a hand on his shoulder and said honestly, "Me too. But we will be uncomfortable together, right?"

Yugi laughed, "Yeah, that's right."

He got Joey's water and returned, ready to admit the truth.

"Well… It's about the pharaoh and me…" His hands were shaking, and though he knew the next words, the idea of actually speaking them was terrifying.

Yami took his hand and nodded for him to continue. Everyone else was quiet, waiting.

"We're sort of… An item…" That's a nice way of putting it, he thought, proud of his word choice.

"Like a millennium item?" Joey asked, clueless. The others didn't seem to understand either.

"No, I mean we're… Seeing each other," he couldn't believe they didn't get it the first time.

"In a vision?" Tristan asked this time.

'Yugi, you need to be more direct,' Yami said, also a bit frustrated with their ignorance. Yugi nodded and continued more adamantly.

"Don't you get it? I'm trying to say that we love each other!" This time Tristan seemed to understand. His jaw dropped. Téa appeared suspicious, but was not yet convinced. Joey, of course, still had no idea what Yugi really meant.

"Well, of course you do. Friends are supposed to love each other," he didn't see how any of this was a secret.

"Joey… No," He shook his head, baffled by his friend's obliviousness.

"What are you trying to say then?" He was so confused.

"We love each other… In a… In a romantic way."

Joey finally had nothing to say. After the words sank in, a look of pure shock spread across his face. He looked at Yugi like he had just grown a second head.

Téa was speechless as well. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

After a minute of awkward shock, Joey managed to exclaim, "What?!"

"You heard me," he certainly wasn't going to repeat such a thing.

"How is… What? I never thought you… Seriously?"

"Yes, I'm completely serious."

"But the pharaoh… Is a dude…?" He knew Yugi wasn't gay. They had been friends for years and he knew all about Yugi's preferences in women. Yami didn't fit any of those standards. Mostly because he is a man.

"I know he is."

"So what, he's your boyfriend?" No one else dared cut in. Joey seemed to be getting answers well enough on his own.

"Well… Yeah, I guess he is." Yugi had thought of using this word initially, but it didn't seem right. The term seemed childish to him. What he and Yami had was far beyond their years. It wasn't some high school relationship just waiting to end. But it was good enough if it made Joey understand.

Joey calmed down a bit and folded his arms, still confounded, "I never though you, of all people… No offense."

"I'm with you there. I didn't see it coming either."

Tristan finally joined the conversation, "You mean you didn't know… You were, uh, gay?"

Yugi laughed awkwardly at that, "The thing is… I don't think I am gay." They all grew bug-eyed at that response.

"What do you mean?" Joey asked, even more puzzled.

"I've never liked a man before… And I never will. Except for Yami… I mean the pharaoh," they didn't appear completely satisfied. "Joey, do you remember when we watched our first Duel Monsters Tournament on TV? You thought the guy who won was so brilliant, you said he was the only man you would ever go gay for."

"Yeah, but I was just kidding, Yug," he sounded a bit annoyed that Yugi had brought that up again.

"Well, joking aside, think of it this way: the pharaoh is the only man I would go gay for… And I did," he blushed.

"I see…" Joey thought for a moment, "Well… I'm not quite used to the idea yet, but I guess I can accept it and all."

"Thanks, Joey," he turned to Tristan and Téa, "What do you guys think?"

Tristan answered right away, "It's a little weird, but… If it makes you happy, I'm cool with it," he smiled, though he was obviously feeling uncomfortable.

Téa frowned, "I'm sorry, Yugi, but how do you expect this to even work? How do you even have any physical contact with one another? It just doesn't seem healthy…"

"We can enter the puzzle at the same time. We basically have our own bodies there." He said this with little emotion. He was disappointed with Téa's reaction.

"Whoa, so all that time you were alone in the puzzle with him, you were…" Joey looked horrified.

Yugi put his hands up frantically, "We weren't doing anything!"

"Really?" Joey gave him a look.

"Nothing… Nothing you need to know about." Yami smiled next to him. He was often humored by Yugi's embarrassment.

"I don't understand, Yugi," said Téa, ignoring Joey's foolishness, "Why is this happening all of a sudden? Are you sure you're not just confused? Does the pharaoh feel the same way?"

Yugi was embarrassed by her question. Of course their feelings were mutual. He wouldn't be sitting here telling everyone if it was just him. He answered her, getting annoyed by her negativity.

"You should know he does by the way he reacted when you tried to kiss me."

Téa blushed bright red, not wanting the others to know about that, "Yugi!"

"Sorry. I just don't like your attitude right now. I thought maybe you'd be more supportive."

"I'm trying to tell you as a friend that I don't think you're making a good choice."

"You're just mad because he dumped you!" Yugi couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You don't even know which one of us you like! You just can't accept that we both don't want to date you. Come on, Téa, please try to get over yourself."

The pharaoh was surprised by Yugi's directness. He tried to warn him to calm down, but the boy was too upset to pay attention.

Téa knew what Yugi was saying was true, but the fact that he blurted it out in front of everyone was humiliating, "Yugi, I can't believe you just said that to me… In front of our friends." The group surrounding the two was speechless and uncomfortable.

"You're the one who always says we need to do everything together as friends," he was being too harsh, and he knew it. But she hadn't spoken to him all week over things he didn't even say. And now she was trying to break up him and Yami. He was sick of her behavior as of late.

"You're unbelievable," she got up, about to leave. Yami knew Yugi would not forgive himself if she never came back. He immediately switched with the boy and got up to follow her.

"Téa, wait," at the sound of the Pharaoh's voice she turned around. She remembered with disgust what last happened between them and continued walking.

He followed her outside, "Téa, I'm sorry about what I said to you last week. And Yugi doesn't mean anything he said back there," she stopped walking, hearing him out, "He misses you, and he was just upset that you were still being cold to him," she folded her arms and looked at the floor, guiltily, "All he's been telling me all week is that he wants to be friends with you again."

Téa was still a bit mad, "He just humiliated me back there."

"But you hurt his feelings first. It's rare that he behaves that way and you know it. He's obviously having a difficult time if he's resorting to anger."

Téa realized this was true. She hadn't been easy on him since last weekend. She looked the pharaoh in the eye, "You're right. I've been too stubborn, haven't I?"

"It's my fault. I was too harsh on you. Don't take the things I said too seriously. I think you've been a wonderful friend to Yugi. And I only want that to continue."

"Yes," she began to cry. She had missed Yugi too, "That's all I want." Yami hugged her and left Yugi's body.

The boy had heard everything, but was surprised to get control again at a moment like this. But he hugged her back nonetheless, happy to have his friend back.