AUTHOR'S NOTE: So... we're in the final stretch of school, I have a project and a 10-page paper to do, plus eight hours of volunteer work over two weeks, plus.... You get the idea. I'm busy. VERY busy.

So if this chapter was released too slow for your liking, or if you don't like the tiny wait between this one and the next, remind yourself that I'm still trying to come up with a thesis statement for my philosophy paper and to learn beginner's level Serbo-Croatian (yes, I know that's politically incorrect).

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CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX - Between the Pages

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"I can't believe Malik and Marik... did that!" Yugi squealed, cheeks pink, as she and Yami walked away from school the next afternoon.

"You're surprised?" Yami countered. "I can't believe it took them so long to 'do that'. Malik is kind of a loose woman, hikari."

Yugi smacked his upper-arm but didn't argue because she knew it was in at least a little way true. As they walked, they came across the crowd of girls trying to get into the witch's magic shop. "... Do you want to go back in?" Yugi asked.

"Perhaps," Yami agreed carefully. "I would like to know if there is anything more she can tell us; we know little enough right now so it cannot hurt."

They managed to push through the crowd and get into the shop, looking around for the old witch.

"So, you've come back have you?" she asked, stepping out from the back of the shop. "What do you need from me, eh?"

"To know what more you know about our situation," Yami replied, "I have the feeling you know a lot more than you've said. Else you wouldn't be talking to Shadi or giving us charmed necklaces."

She cackled quietly to herself and looked around at the shopping teens. "Come in back, then, come, come, come. No need to air your dirty laundry all over my store after all. Come, come."

Yugi stepped forward and tugged on Yami's arm, bringing him with her. "Let's go, Yami."

They stepped back behind the curtain and a black cat jumped off of a table set up, walking up to Yugi and coiling around her feet, the pet's silky soft fur tickling her bare shins. She leaned down and picked up the cat, hugging it to her chest.

"Please be careful with him," the witch said, "He's my dearest friend."

Yugi smiled and stroked the cat's ears while Yami looked on, grinning. Even though he was the Egyptian, Yugi obviously loved cats; she had even gotten him the toy one a few weeks ago.

"Sit down, both of you," the woman said, "and we can answer your... questions."

Yami pulled out Yugi's chair for her but made sure that she wasn't sitting too close to the witch. He still didn't trust this woman no matter what Shadi said. "Instead of us asking questions, why don't you tell us everything you know?" he countered.

She grinned at him and Yami noticed for the first time that she was missing a tooth or two. "If you don't ask the questions, then you obviously aren't ready to hear the answers to them. You'll ask about what you want most to know."

The pharaoh wasn't pleased but knew that trying to force the woman could result in something worse happening to his hikari.

"Am I ever going to turn back into a boy?" Yugi asked, deciding that she should have the first question since it was her mis-gendered body.

"... When the time comes, you will have a choice. Which choice you make is up to you, but, yes, you can become a boy again."

"And when will that be?" Yami demanded.

"When the lesson has been learned."

"What lesson?"

The witch cackled and answered him flatly. "That doesn't concern you."

Yami's irritation flared but Yugi reached out and grabbed his hand, knowing that a response like that would have made him mad. "Do you know what caused me to turn into a girl?"

"I have a theory," she answered. She snapped and the thick spell book appeared in a puff of smoke on the table. "None of the spells in this book can change someone's gender in the way that yours and your friends' have, but if two spells were blended, it's not impossible."

"Why do you think it's a spell from that book?" Yugi asked curiously, reaching out slowly for it and taking it when the witch didn't snap at her or turn her into a toad.

"That doesn't concern you either," she said. "Come now, if I told you everything, what would you learn from this experience? Eh? Just relax. Enjoy it! … One of your friends certainly seems to be," she added slyly.

Yugi blushed remembering what Malik had said. "Th-that-!"

"How would you know?" Yami demanded, "Are you watching us?"

She waved her hand, dismissing his question. "That's neither here nor there."

Yami glared at her imperially with his firm purple gaze. "Is that what these charms you gave us are for?!" he asked, gripping his silver charm in his fist, ready to rip it off if she was using them to spy on him.

"Not at all!" she said sharply, "And you'd be a fool to take them off! Even that ghost of yours wants you to wear them, so don't take my word."

"Please don't, Yami," Yugi agreed. "We still don't know what they're for and it could cause trouble if we're supposed to have them and don't."

"Then what are they for?" Yami challenged. "I don't like having a spell on me without knowing what it is."

"Let's just say they're protection," the witch answered, slyly.

Yami sighed and looked through the book of spells with Yugi. It looked so... orderly. It was neatly divided into chapters. Luck charms, love spells, curses, etcetera. He ran a finger over the side of the book. "You said you think the spell that changed Yugi and the others came from this book?" he asked.

"I'm quite sure of it."

"Then can we buy this book from you?" he asked. He turned to Yugi and added, "it might be a good idea for us to start looking on our own. It's been a few weeks and you three obviously aren't going to suddenly just change back. I don't think we can wait it out."

"You're right," she agreed. She asked the witch, "How much is it?"

"Hmm, for you two it's free," the woman answered. "We'll call it a loan. I want it back when all of this is over. And if I find out you've been using it to make any mischief, I'll take it away and you'll never turn back," she warned solemnly.

"W-we wouldn't," Yugi insisted, giving the black cat a gentle squeeze. Ryou and Malik would never forgive her if she did something that caused them to not get to change back into boys.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV ((I randomly decided to do another Tristan/Duke moment. So... yeah))

"So you wanna do something this afternoon?" Tristan asked Duke awkwardly as they walked a ways behind Bakura and Ryou, who were apparently bickering (Tristan swore he'd heard the line "no, you can't eat the squirrel!" but he wasn't sure).

Duke tilted his head a bit and watched Tristan out of the corner of his eye. Did he? Well, yes, of course he wanted to spend time with Tristan; after all, he only had a raging crush on the spike-haired brunet. But would things be too awkward between them now that Tristan knew that? "Like what?"

"I don't know," Tristan admitted, "Maybe a movie?"

The dice-master considered that. Well, at least it wasn't dinner or something; if things got too weird between them, they could pretend they were just too into the movie to talk.

"Well, what's on?" Duke asked, not about to agree too quickly since that would just be even more awkward and embarrassing. "I'm not going to go see that horror movie that just came out, just so you know."

Tristan grinned. "You don't want to have nightmares until you're forty?"

"Pussy!" Bakura called back, apparently eavesdropping. Ryou gave him a firm pinch on the arm and started chattering at him again.

Duke glared at Bakura's back and said, "No I do not, thank you very much."

"How about action flicks? That new movie 2012 looks kind of cool," Tristan suggested.

"Yeah," Duke replied, "Because we're totally unfamiliar with world destruction and chaos." Tristan sulked and Duke couldn't help but think he looked cute. "Alright, that actually does look kind of good. We can go."

"Sweet! Alright, Bakura, Ryou, we're turning up here! See you guys at school tomorrow."

"Bye!" Ryou called sweetly, giving them both a bright smile as she dragged her yami away.

Tristan chuckled and shook his head. "Gotta admit, she makes a pretty cute girl. I would never say this in front of Yugi, but those three were kind of girly to begin with."

"I think if they heard you say that, all three of them would brutally murder you with their bare hands just to prove you wrong," Duke answered, trying not to be jealous.

"And not all together, either," Tristan agreed. "Nah, I just mean like how those three are the only ones in the group who could say 'bai-bai' and it be totally normal."

Duke huffed but he had to fight back a smile since he agreed. "I guess so."

They walked to the theater and Tristan announced at the ticket window, "I'll pay since I practically dragged you here with me."

"You don't have to do that," Duke argued. It wasn't like they were on a date so why was Tristan even offering? Duke wouldn't have agreed to come if he didn't have the money to cover it.

"I said I'm going to," Tristan decided, giving the kid behind the window the money before Duke could.

Duke shook his head. "I'm buying popcorn, then, Monkey Boy."

They got a huge tub of the buttered snack and two sodas and headed into the theater which was almost full of other high school students who had just gotten out and decided to catch a film. After a little searching, they found two seats together and sat down right before the theater turned dark, putting their book-bags on the Coke-sticky floor.

The previews started with a barrage of gunfire that made Duke jump, but he supposed he should have known better since it was going to be an action movie after all. He took a sip of his Sprite and reached into the popcorn bucket.

"That one looks pretty good, too," Tristan deemed in a whisper, "Want to see it when it comes out?"

"Will I get to pay next time?" Duke sniped back. God, they really did argue like a couple sometimes.

He felt some satisfaction when he saw Tristan roll his eyes in the light of the movie screen.

As the movie started, Duke let himself slide down in his chair a bit and crossed one long leg over the other, getting comfortable. Tristan grinned at him and reached for the popcorn again, taking custody of it since Duke probably wouldn't be able to hold it balanced.

As they watched the beginning of the movie, they continued to snack. As Duke reached in for another handful, Tristan's hand brushed the back of his.

"Sorry," Tristan whispered, pulling his hand back and waiting for Duke to finish.

Duke's hand shook a bit as he pulled it out of the popcorn bucket. Dammit, why did the slightest brush of his hand against Tristan's make his pulse sound louder in his ears? He needed to get over this stupid crush so they could at least hang out as friends.

Things went smoothly for the next few minutes, but then Duke reached into the bucket and felt his fingers brush against Tristan's palm. He jerked back up and said, "You can finish the rest."

"You sure, man?"

"Yeah."

Tristan shrugged and hugged the bucket a bit closer. Duke took a long drink of his Sprite, wishing he could hold the cool cup against his forehead to try and stop the heat that spread through him at every simple fucking touch. God, Tristan was going to drive him insane if he didn't move on.

After the movie, they tried to file out with everyone else while the end credits were rolling. Duke started to get pissed as he was bumped and shoved from all sides. "Tristan?" he asked, muffled, trying to find his friend in the crowd. A hand reached back and grabbed his wrist firmly but not too tight. And Tristan was lucky Duke could recognize his hands or he would have gotten at least four fingernails digging into his skin for that little move.

They finally got into the lobby and everybody dispersed. "They need to have more aisles in movie theaters," Tristan decided. "That post-film rush is crazy."

Duke gently wrenched his wrist free and nodded his agreement. "It was a pretty good movie."

"Yeah, it was," Tristan agreed. "I've only seen a few things that John Cusack has been in, but they're always good. Did you see 1408?"

Duke shuddered. "Yes. God, I hate movies like that. I'm always up all night after them, trying to make sense of them and it never works."

"Well you're not supposed to make sense of them, stupid."

Duke glared and gave Tristan a punch in the arm, knowing his thin arms sure wouldn't hurt the muscley brunet.

Sure enough, Tristan just laughed. "Come on, dude. I'll walk you back by your place since it's on the way home."

"Yeah... alright."

They walked down the street in silence for a while before Tristan said suddenly, "Want to hear something funny?"

"Sure."

"Okay, so I was talking to some people from Shop about what we did for Halloween and two of the girls started talking about this huge party they went to. Flashing lights, music so loud no one could hear the lyrics, underage drinking, the usual, right?"

Duke grinned a bit. "That's something we should take up with Kaiba; where was the booze?"

"Ah, you know he'd throw himself a CEO-sized shit fit if Mokuba went near a beer. Anyway, so one of the girls went as a cat like Mai did, but the other girl went as Tinkerbell. You know, from those Disney movies?"

"I know who Tinkerbell is," Duke said, "I watch TV, too, dummy."

Tristan glared at him but continued. "Anyway, there were a ton of cops parked across the street because this party was huge. Guess they wanted to catch anyone that might have done drugs or anyone who was planning to drink and drive and boost their arrest record. The two girls are leaving – a little silly but not totally wasted – and they have to walk past the cops. One of them leans out his window and calls out, 'Oh my God, I love Tinkerbell!'"

Duke snickered into his hand. "I bet the other cops were staring at him funny for the next few hours."

"I know, right? So the girls look at each other then the one dressed at Tinkerbell turns to the guy and says, 'Thanks... I love cops!'" *

Duke cracked up laughing, thinking that had to be top funniest things he'd heard all month. "You're kidding me!"

"No! Isn't that the fucking stupidest thing you've ever heard?!"

"It's fantastic!" Duke deemed, "Who was it that said that?"

"That Maiko chick. You know her."

"Man that's hilarious." Duke shook his head, trying not to tear up with mirth. The stupid things teenagers did sometimes. No wonder they got a bad rep.

They got to Duke's and Tristan shifted awkwardly, fiddling with his back-pack strap. "So, can I ask you an awkward question."

"Dear God, are we going to play this game every time we hang out now?" Duke demanded. "I am not your liaison to the psyche of the gay male, Tristan."

"Dude, I've got Joey for that. Hell, my best friend's practically a high-society rent boy," he joked.

"I'll tell him you said that."

"No, man, please! Kaiba's monkeys would hunt me down and shoot me!" Tristan clasped his hands together in a begging motion. "One question and I'm done for the day, alright?"

"Alright. One."

"Cool. So, um... have you ever... yanno, done shit with a guy? Like kissing or... any thing more?"

Duke's eyes went huge and he smacked Tristan upside the head. "As if my sex life was any of your business!"

"Ow, ow, ow! Okay, okay! Jeez, I wasn't asking because I wanted all the details!" Tristan rubbed his stinging head. "I just... I don't know, was curious."

Duke could have practically breathed fire from his nostrils. "Why?"

"Cause, I just wondered what kissing a guy is like! I mean, I've never done it before, not even in a game of truth or dare or anything."

Duke scowled and said, "I imagine it's rather a lot like kissing a girl. Just with a higher chance of facial hair."

Tristan snorted and said, "Okay, that's actually funny. No, man, I'm being serious. Is it any different? Joey swears it's not."

"You don't believe him or something?" Duke asked.

"Well, Kaiba was standing right there, so not really."

Duke growled in a bit of frustration then did something he knew he was going to regret. He grabbed Tristan's head and leaned up, kissing the hell out of the brunet. Tristan let out a muffled 'mrph?!' but Duke didn't pull back for a few long seconds.

"Happy now?" he demanded, glaring at Tristan.

"Um... sure?"

Duke threw his hands in the air then turned and stormed into his house, slamming the door behind him. Yeah. He really really needed to get over his stupid crush on Tristan.

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* = I swear to God, true story! This happened to one of my friends last Halloween, but I completely forgot about it until now!