Jaid: Hi guys! Ooooh, I got so many nice reviews!
Jad: And this is good why?
Jaid: *in a dangerous tone* What is that supposed to mean?
Jad: *gulp*
Naga: He means is that when you get good reviews, you get hyper and full of yourself.
Jaid: . I don't even know why I keep you two around…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
The school was buzzing about the dance and posters were up all over announcing it.
"Ryou just got here, where's Rei?" Duke asked, as they stood in the front hallway of the school.
"I think she's inside. There was a meeting for the school reporters." Tara said, then began humming "Matchmaker." Duke looked at her, then rolled his eyes.
"Oh, come on! You know it's fun." Tara teased. Duke didn't answer, but he did smile.
"Hi Tara!" Tea waved to her friend as she passed by. Tara waved back.
"Oooh, that reminds me; I have to ask Tea if she's got a date and wants to come with us too."
"Are you inviting the whole cheerleading squad?" Duke asked, somewhat alarmed.
"No, just Tea." Tara told him. "Hi Ryou!"
The white haired boy smiled shyly. "Hello."
Tara beckoned him over.
"I want you to meet somebody, okay?" she said. Ryou nodded a little hesitantly, as if he knew what was coming.
"Hey Tara, hi Duke." Rei said from behind them. They turned. Rei stood there, books in one arm, while the other tugged uncomfortably on her short school skirt. "Why'd they have to make these damn things so short? It's winter for crying out loud-Oh…" she trailed off when she saw Ryou.
"Ryou, this is my friend Rei Yukimona. Rei, this is Ryou Bakura." Tara said quickly. Rei held out a hand, while Tara and Duke discreetly back-pedaled.
"Nice to meet you." She said in a polite, somewhat distant voice.
"Likewise." Ryou said and smiled sweetly.
"Aww," Tara murmured to Duke. "How could she resist a smile like that?"
"Easily is my guess." He muttered back. Tara punched him in the arm.
"They're talking. Yes! Rei's talking to a guy." Tara said happily, doing a little dance. Duke rolled his eyes.
"Maybe I shouldn't have bought you that mocha." He said. Tara stuck her tongue out at him and he grinned.
The bell rang. The students left in the hall began scrambling to their rooms.
"Bye!" Ryou called to Rei as he left. Rei smiled and waved back.
"So?" Tara asked, linking arms with her friend as they headed to their room.
"He's nice."
"What'd you talk about?"
"Duel Monsters." Rei answered calmly. "We were comparing our decks."
"From memory?"
"Uh-huh. To be a good duelist, you have to know every card in your deck and what it does."
Tara sweatdropped. "You guys are way too obsessed."
"Says the coffee-addict."
"Hey! Coffee is different!" Tara protested as they entered the room. Rei rolled her eyes.
"Right."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
\\ I'm cold!\\ Scales shouted.
/\You're not even outside. Stop complaining./\ Shadi calmly reprimanded as he wrapped his robes tighter around himself (A/N: I just couldn't see Shadi in 'normal' clothes…can you?)
//The snow's pretty.// Ankh commented. //Could we come out for a little?//
\\ No! We don't want to do that!\\ Scales protested. \\ Snow is wet! It'll get us all dirty and muddy…\\ Shadi could feel him shudder.
/\Yes, you can come out if you wish, Ankh./\ Shadi told him. The Ankh glowed and the kindly spirit appeared looking curiously at the snowflakes that came gently down.
"Scales should really come out." He said.
\\ I am staying RIGHT here!\\ Scales exclaimed, going into his soul room. Shadi shook his head at Ankh and the spirit shrugged, then stooped and began matting a handful of snow together. Shadi watched him for a moment, then turned…only to get a snowball in the face. Spluttering, he wiped away the cold stuff, only to find Isis standing there, looking rather sheepish.
"I meant for it to hit your back, but you turned." She admitted, then started to giggle. "Sorry."
Shadi had a feeling that she was not sorry. "That's all right." He said with a slight smile and turned back to Ankh. The healer's ball was large and he had put it aside to make another one. Shadi glanced back at Isis. Her back was turned and she was stooping like Ankh was. Making another ball thing, he decided.
"Ankh," he said quietly. "Can I have this?"
Ankh looked up. "Yes." He said, sounding rather puzzled. "What are you going to do with it?"
"He's going to hit Isis, idiot." Scales growled. Ankh looked up startled, but Shadi had felt him leave the Item and so didn't pay attention. Standing quickly, he turned and threw the snowball at Isis. It hit her shoulder and she turned, looking surprised. Her dark blue eyes scanned over the three others, wondering which it had been who had hit her.
"Wasn't me." Scale said. He was glaring at the white stuff all around him and unconsciously holding his robes up slightly to prevent them from getting wet.
"Hm." Was all that she said, then threw another ball at Shadi. He dodged and it hit Scales on accident. But Isis had made quite a few snowballs, and let them go quickly, hitting Shadi again in the face. She laughed.
"You are doing that on purpose." The man accused. Isis didn't answer, she was too busy replenishing her supply. Shadi bent down and began forming balls as well, deciding he should be prepared.
Splat!
"Ankh!" Scales shouted, while Ankh giggled. Grumbling, Scales picked up a handful of snow and flung it at the healer. Giggling even more, Ankh ran in the opposite direction, Scales following, flinging snow all around and angrily shouting.
Isis watched them go, then looked at Shadi, who was still stooped and making snowballs. The normally serious man looked rather funny and she hid a smile behind her hand, while tiptoeing up behind him. She had meant to smash a snowball on his shoulder or head, but when she reached him, Isis had gotten an idea.
He looked like a kid kneeling there, and before she could take it back, Isis' hand reached out and gave him a shove that sent him sprawling from his kneeling position. Shadi looked up, surprise on his face and Isis began laughing. Shadi narrowed his eyes slightly, then grinned.
"I think someone is asking for this cold stuff to be put down her back." He said, reaching for a completed snowball. Isis stopped laughing and her eyes went big.
"Shadi, you wouldn't…" she said backing up. Shadi stood and dashed for her. Isis turned and ran, laughing for no reason, except that they were both slipping on the icy ground as they ran. Isis stepped on a patch and fell, only to be caught by Shadi.
"Don't!" Isis gasped as she tried to wriggle out of his gasp then cried out in surprise as half the snowball went under her collar.
"That's cold! Shadi!" she cried, wriggling even more to get the snow out. He still hadn't let her go and was laughing. She looked up at him and they both stopped for a moment, their faces close together, staring into each other's eyes. Isis felt a blush creep up and wondered what was going to happen. They were close enough to kiss right now. For a moment, time stood still.
"What are you two doing?"
Isis and Shadi jumped apart as Scales stood there, looking at them while scowling. Ankh was just behind and he smacked Scales' shoulder.
"It's getting towards noon." Isis said nervously, wiping her hands on her coat. "Maybe we should head back and get lunch."
Then she quickly walked away. Shadi followed after a few moments, his expression unreadable.
"Why'd you smack me for?" Scales demanded.
"They were about to kiss!" Ankh said. "You ruined it!"
"So?"
Ankh shook his head and sighed. "Never mind."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I just don't know what to do." Tea finished. She was talking to Mai in a little café after school. The blonde shook her curly head.
"Just tell him." She said. "No harm in that."
"Yes there is." Tea answered. "Once I say that, we can never go back to where we were."
"Why would you want too?"
"What if he doesn't feel the same way?" Tea asked. "I don't want…"
"You don't want to risk the friendship? You don't want him to know because if he doesn't feel the same, it will be awkward afterwards and you won't be as close as you are now." Mai said. Tea nodded glumly. Mai sighed and shook her head again.
"That's part of the risk Tea." She said. "Look, life is a lot like a game. You have to go out and do things that could turn out bad. But if you play it safe, you lose. And you don't really experience the game like you should."
Tea stirred her spoon in her hot chocolate and looked outside at the snow. "I guess you're right."
"Of course I am."
Tea smiled a little at that. "Then I guess I know what I have to do." Her smile faded. "I just have no idea how to do it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yugi stood in front of the apartment building. He looked up for a moment, then set his shoulders and walked into it. Yami was right. He probably should have said something before now.
Reaching Isis' door, he knocked. The girl answered.
"Hi Yugi." She said.
"Hi." He answered softly. "Look, can I have that card back?"
"Sure." Isis answered, opening the door for him. "You going to give it to her yourself?"
"Yeah."
"That's probably best. I'll be right back."
A few minutes later, Yugi was on his way home and Isis was thinking about dinner. Well, she was supposed to be thinking about dinner. In reality, she was thinking about that afternoon. About her almost kiss with Shadi. They had been so close. Would he have really kissed her? She didn't really know. Isis half wanted to use the Tauk to see if anything happened in the future, but the other half of her said that was a sort of cheating. Besides, the vision could always be wrong.
"Oh Ra." She murmured, leaning her head against the wall. "Dear sweet Hathor, if you are truly the guardian of love, help me now."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Perhaps it was coincidence that Shadi was thinking along the same lines as Isis was. Of course, he had to put up with Scales' demands as too why he had been holding Isis like that and Ankh's queries about if he really did like her. Finally, he'd ordered them both to their soul rooms so he could have some quiet.
It was like a replay of yesterday. He was seated on the bed, holding the card and looking at it. He didn't even know what it said.
"I need someone who can read Japanese." He murmured. 'Someone who isn't Isis.' He added mentally.
//I'm sure it's nice. Just give it to her.// Ankh prodded.
/\I'd rather make sure first./\ Shadi said.
\\ The both of you are saps.\\ Scales snorted.
//Come on, Scales,// Ankh said. //Didn't you ever have a love?//
\\ That is none of your business.\\
//I'll take that for a yes.//
\\ I never said…!\\
/\Stop!/\ Shadi sighed and put the card away again. /\What else did Isis say about this day, Ankh?/\
\\ You're actually going to-\\
/\Quiet Scales, I need to talk to Ankh./\
//Well,// Ankh began doubtfully. //I think you usually give a girl something with the card, like candy or flowers.//
\\ Candy?\\ Scales seemed interested.
//For a lover.// Ankh said.
Scales seemed to deflate for a moment.
//I'll get you something for Valentine's Day though!// Ankh cheerfully told him.
\\ What! No!\\ Scales suddenly seemed to get very flustered. \\ I'm going to my soul room!\\
//He's being doing that a lot lately. I guess he forgot about the friends thing…//
/\Yes, probably. I'll get you both some candy if you promise not to eat it in one sitting./\
//Thank you Shadi!// Ankh said. //Now about Isis…//
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jaid: I certainly hope you liked it! Remember to review!
Iris: Weird? Yeah, definitely. But you get used to it. Oh, I'm so glad I got Tara right!
SilverShadow: lol, I can't tell you how much your review made me laugh! Thanks!
Amberliz: Hey girl! You need to E-mail me!!!!! Especially about the story! Actually I should probably e-mail you…glad you liked it! Katya's coming, don't worry!
The Legendary Centurion: Thanks! Hope you like this one as well.
Indigo: lol, Ankh is continually the matchmaker in this story. I think he enjoys it. Yeah! I know what you mean. Although I seem to be using a lot of OC's these days…lol.
TK: I'd be happy to read your story. What is it called?
SweetSweet: Yeah they are. Um, I guess Rei and Ryou don't really fit, not apparently. I think they're a couple that would take a lot of work, so I'm not sure if their relationship will be resolved in this story or not. *sighs*
DDW: lol, I guess! But pretty much everything I do is random. Glad you're enjoying it! (And yes, it is Mai/Joey and Seto/Serenity)
