Rated M

A/N: Hey everybody! Took me a whole year of a damn pandemic to get back to publishing on here again. Let me put it out there it has been a very rough time. That being said, I have been slowly working on this and other projects. My original goal was to finish the Chosen Pharaoh Chronicles Rewrite first, but the amount of time I put into this was too much not to share ASAP. This section was written as one big part (like 16k words) so I figured it was better to split it into two parts. If you haven't read the trailer for this fic, it has inspiration from the cosmic horror genre. This prologue is more of a character setup before the adventure truly begins. I'm super excited about this new story and I hope you all can be too! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh it belongs to Kazuki Takahashi

Prologue: A Ticket to You Pt. 1

Friday. Thank goodness it was Friday. Heavy limbs demanded to be put to rest, and the loud thump of a backpack meeting the cold hardwood floor only confirmed the exhaustion. Low cut blue Converses were tossed underneath the corner of a small desk. She normally wasn't much of a sneaker person but considering the amount of walking she had to do on a daily basis, boots and platforms weren't a good way to keep her feet from wanting to fall off everyday. The buzzing of her phone caught the brunette's attention.

Hey Tea! I got a big surprise for you! Let's Skype!

Her cerulean eyes widened a bit. Looking at the time on her phone it read 11:05pm. Did she really want to be staring at a bright screen this late? Although this was Yugi, he would never over sensationalize something. If this was a "big surprise", then he sure met it. Pulling her rolling chair out of its tucked position under the small desk, Tea plopped down on the seat and opened her laptop. The second she logged into the video chat application, she received Yugi's call. The bright screen filled up with the spikey haired Duel King's grinning face.

"Hey Tea!"

Bless him for his energy. "Sup Yugi." She cracked a small smile. "So what's the surprise?"

Instantly he brought up his tablet to the camera. "I'm coming to New York!"

"Oh my god." She examined the plane tickets on the tablet. "Oh shit you're coming next week. On your birthday too!"

She finally was able properly beam at her friend. This was certainly wonderful news. Over the past couple of years, she only managed a handful of trips to visit the group back in Japan. School and random part time jobs in the Big Apple had kept her tied up a majority of the time.

"Your semester ended right?" Yugi inquired.

She nodded. "Yeah, I've been off for the past week. My roommate left to be back with her family for the summer. So it's just me staying here at the campus housing."

"Ah." He scratched his chin. "Well, you see Mokuba wants me to attend a few tournaments and conventions over the next three months. So he's renting out this private suite for me and it's like huge. He said if I wanted to invite a friend with me I could. Though this place can hold like 10 people."

A light chuckle escaped him and his happy grin became a nervous one. Ugh. He thought to himself. He literally had no one to friggin talk to about any of this. Joey and Tristan? Duke? No. No matter how much love and friendship they all shared, speaking with them about his biggest crush was out of the question. He can already hear the taunts and teases. The only thing Joey was good for was letting him borrow all those pornographic tapes, DVDs, and premium subscriptions. Also Atem wasn't around anymore, but for once, this was a situation he wouldn't want the old king to interfere with.

It totally wasn't obvious that Tea was even more distraught of his departure than himself. Feelings were left unchecked and without any closure. Although, it had been over two and a half years since then, surely the girl must've gotten over it by now. Right?

"You okay Yugi?" Her seemingly angelic voice broke through his train of thought.

"Yeah. Yeah." He sucked in his lips. "Just thinking. Thinking about how to ask you...this thing."

Tea titled her head. "Ask me what? I'm assuming that you're inviting me to stay with you for the summer. I don't mind at all. Anything is better than staying in this boring dorm by myself."

Yugi did his damnedest not to blush.

"Shit." He didn't curse often, but the habit was starting to grow on him. "I know some people would make up a big and inspiring speech, but the reason I'm only inviting you is because you mean more to me than anyone else I know."

Tea smiled. "Oh I'm honored but um... I don't see why a speech would be necessary for this. We've gone way back, especially before we met the guys so yeah."

That completely went over her head. He tossed her a bright smile, in hopes of perhaps a bit of charm would help make her see. Although, he may not have spoken much about his current intentions with the rest of the gang, he knew that they knew, particularly his grandfather. "I mean, isn't it obvious Tea? How I feel about you?"

Her smile dropped but her eyes widened. Oh that's what he meant. She suddenly felt a bit stupid. Now red dusted the bridge of her nose. "I see now." She scratched the back of her head. "So are you asking me out then or..."

"Yes. I would like to take you out when I arrive. For real this time though. Just you and me having a good time. Trying something new between us."

His amethyst orbs displayed a genuine confidence. This was a man on a mission. Huh. He's a man now. She couldn't remember the last time she paid attention to his height or tone of voice. His features definitely seemed more defined then in early high school.

Honestly being tied up with school, dating was one of the last things on her mind, even though it was something her roommate would always bring up. Yugi was easy on the eyes. They have been best friends since like grammar school. What was there to say no about? It's not like the guy didn't earn her attention, not to mention she has been quite lonely during her studies in America. However, she could feel the slightest tugs of uncertainty coming from her subconscious. Exactly why they were emerging now, she was unsure, but these odd sensations were not going to prevent her from trying something new.

She inhaled slowly and flashed her childhood friend a warm smile. "I think that sounds great Yugi. I'll make sure I'm all packed up and I'll let housing know that I'm staying somewhere else for the summer."

Yugi nodded. "Awesome. My flight should be be there early in the morning of June..." He paused. "Well my birthday. I'll be coming from Terminal 5."

"Okay just text me the gate number and I'll try to wait for you there." She looked at the time on her laptop. It was almost midnight and she could feel her body aching for some rest. "Hey it was great talking to you but I'm going to head off to bed. I'll text you when I wake up."

"Of course! Good night Tea." With that the call hung up. Yugi reclined himself in his desk chair. A sigh of relief escaped him as he threw his head back. He did not expect that exchange to go so smoothly. But it was a step in the right direction. And now for the second hardest step. Packing.

The week flew by very quickly for both Yugi and Tea. It took two travel cases to pack enough supplies and clothing for next few months. She still couldn't believe she just blatantly accepted Yugi's offer to a date. Not the plutonic and friendly ones they used to have in the past, but something of a different nature. He was actually trying for her affections.

She knew that there was always a sort of 'tension' between herself and Yugi. When the pharaoh was around it only thickened as time went on. Tea had her moments where at times, she wasn't sure which of the two her heart was leaning towards. Just on looks and merit alone, the pharaoh...no Atem, always seemed like the obvious choice. But Yugi was her closest friend and his sweet and caring demeanor could not be matched by any of the men she surrounded herself with.

However...she never really got to know Atem. At least not in the sense where the man was coherent of his memories and true identity. The brunette shook her head in an attempt to push away the creeping thoughts and glooming sadness. This was the current reality and she was going to give Yugi a shot for her heart. And oh it sounded so damn exciting. All the smutty conversations she would have with her sassy raunchy roommate could finally be possible for her. After all the hard work in her studies and dancing career, surely she deserved her fun with someone of the opposite sex.

"Geez Tea calm down. What's gotten into you?" She scolded herself for the sudden impure thoughts.

College life suddenly felt like a second wave of puberty. All this saving the world and no time to be a teenager certainly left her hormone ridden body to crave some much needed attention. Up until now any sense of dating was completely non-existent.

After calling a taxi, and having a bit of sticker shock, Tea was well on her way to JFK airport. Yugi on the other hand had just landed and was waiting for his luggage to come through the conveyor belt. He too needed two cases for this trip not including his heavy backpack. This three month stay is probably the longest trip he'll have ever done. As far as asking the sapphire eyed beauty out, that was a whole other accomplishment in itself. His phone buzzed. Opening the smart device, he saw a message from Tea.

Waiting outside by your terminal. Excited to see you!

Yugi's heart sped up in pace. His nerves finally caught up with him after being swallowed down the entire flight here. He exhaled through puckered lips before sucking them back in.

"You can do this Yugi. Just enjoy the moment and be careful where you place your damn hands."

With that sentiment, the Duel King grabbed the luggage that had emerged and quickly paced down to front of the terminal.

Tea stood by a bathroom near the entrance of the building. She wanted to avoid any lines or groups of other families waiting for their loved ones to come out of the gate. It didn't take long for a familiar voice to ring in her ears.

"Tea!"

Quickly turning her head in the direction of the voice, she saw the spikey haired duelist jogging to her, sliding his suitcases along with him. The two collided in a tight warm embrace. Their arms squeezed as much as they could around each other. After a minute the two pulled apart and Tea almost gasped. Yugi was now at her height. Perhaps an inch or two taller? She could never tell with his gravity defying mane. He also smelled great.

"Something up?" He asked coyly.

She shook her head and beamed. "No I'm just happy to see you. New cologne?"

He smiled. "Yeah. I'm trying it out. Figured you'd like it."

"I do." She took a moment to examine him. For once he wasn't wearing his usual leather attire, but dark blue jeans, white Adidas, and a pullover hoodie with their old high school logo on the front. The guy could never have a bad sense in fashion, even in wearing something more comfortable. "You look really good too. Happy birthday!"

The brunette handed over a small red envelope. "It's not much but I wanted to get you something for your birthday. Being 21 here in the states is a big deal. My roommate held a crazy ass party for me."

"Oh thanks Tea. I'll open this later." His eyes then stared at the dancer for a moment.

The two hadn't seen each other in person since the holidays, and of course Yugi was aware of his own growth spurt during that time. Although this was probably the last one he was going to have. Tea looked slightly different too, her hair was a little longer than usual. Her curves looked more accentuated too. Or maybe that was just him really looking this time.

"I can say the same about you." He unknowingly gave the woman a mischievous wink. "C'mon. I have car service waiting for us."

She noticed the gesture. "Yet another favor from the Kaiba brothers."

He chuckled. "I guess you can say that. It's better than paying for a taxi."

She rolled her eyes. "Yes I already paid a pretty penny coming here."

"I can imagine." Yugi laughed as he escorted the woman to the waiting vehicle.

Aside from being stuck in some morning traffic, they arrived at the hotel fairly quick. The first objective for the Duel King was a much needed nap. Tea ended up doing the same and the two did not interact with each until it had approached dinner time.

Yugi emerged from his jet-lag induced coma, or at least that's what it felt like. If anything he felt slightly more groggy than he had coming from off the plane. It could also be the slight dehydration. His tired body slugged across the large suite to the kitchen area and grabbed one of the conveniently placed water bottles. He nearly gulped down half of the thing before he felt a sudden tap on his shoulder. Quickly turning around, he met eyes with the brunette dancer.

"Oh hey Tea."

She gave a small wave. "Hey birthday boy. You have a good nap?"

He noticed it was getting dark outside. "Yeah, if you can call it a nap. How long have I been out for?"

Tea looked at the timer on the microwave. "I'd say like about 5 hours. Don't worry I was the same way coming off the plane. That first hotel bed I was in felt like heaven and I didn't want to leave."

"Yeah, the one I have right now is definitely a huge upgrade to what I have at home. It's gotta cost a fortune though." He snapped his fingers. "Oh and thanks for the gift card to Uniqlo. I didn't even know they them."

"It's a privilege of being in the states. One of these days I'll take you to the big store in midtown." Her eyes wandered around the room. "Let's sit." She pulls a stool from the granite countertop serving as their kitchen table.

Yugi did the same. "Something on your mind?"

She cocked a brow. "I should be asking you that. You're the one who initiated this."

"Oh whatever do you mean?" He looked away and placed a hand on his chest, pretending to be unaware of what she meant.

The gesture made her laugh. "C'mon Yugi I'm serious. Tell me... how long have you been feeling this way?"

His mouth was agape for a moment as he searched his foggy mind for a suitable response. "Uh...since I like hit puberty."

"Wow." His answer did not surprise her at all but she didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable. "That's quite some time to keep it bottled up."

He nodded. "True. But to be fair we were always busy trying to save the world."

"Oh yes, it is hard to forget about that."

He raised his shoulders. "Sooooo... now that we are in a retirement of sorts, what a better time to bring it up then now? Especially since that I'll have the next few months to spend time with you."

She also nodded but did not immediately respond to his statement. His heart began to race with his nerves.

"Have you ever felt the same way about me or..."

"I liked both of you really." She put it bluntly. "I always valued our friendship but for the longest you always seemed to be in your shell of sorts. But then things began to change with you. I guess it all started, for me at least, when I heard that strange voice say 'Let's play a game'."

His smile instantly dropped. "So you were more interested in him..."

"Shut up!" She interjected. "Let me finish. Yes I was interested in him. Infatuated is probably the better word. But I noticed you were changing. Slowly but surely coming out of your shell. Becoming braver and more confident. It was really good to see you grow into the man you are now."

A small smile twisted on his lips. No one liked hearing their crush stating that they had interest in another, especially a best friend. Well, at least he wasn't with them anymore. Again, it wasn't a pleasant thought, but it benefited him. And of course it was flattering hearing Tea mention his personal growth. Instead of responding, he let the woman continue.

"While you guys were very different, you were also very much the same. Qualities I admired in him were often shared by you."

She paused for a moment, and took a deep breath.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is...I really want to give you a chance. Give us a chance."

Yugi's nerves instantly turned into butterflies. So much so that he had to bite his cheek to keep a silly grin from growing on his face. He didn't want to creep her out or seem too cocky.

"Ya know I've always wanted to bring this up but I never knew when was the right time. Also I was worried about what you would say...or where your feelings would lie."

Tea could easily understand his apprehension. If anything he was absolutely right to be unsure of her feelings because quite frankly she was unsure as well. Currently she wasn't feeling any sort of guilt or sorrow for the other guy. Perhaps this was a sign she had truly moved on. At least she hoped so...

"I get it Yugi. I really do. I'm sorry if I ever came across as misleading." She bit her lip. A small blush emerged on the peaks of her cheeks. "And now I feel like this is getting awkward."

"Yeah it is a little awkward isn't it? I mean we've been friends for so long that I guess seeing each other in any other way is going to be... strange...for the lack of a better word."

"Yes it is strange." Tea tilted her head and bit her upper lip. "But if I had to be in an awkward situation I'd rather be in one with you."

Surely, Yugi's face was beet red by now. "That's like...really great to know."

Tea tapped her fingers a few times on the countertop. "So is there anything in particular you would like to do while you are here? Anywhere you would like to go?"

"I'd be lying if I said I thought any of this through. I took more time thinking about how I was going to tell you my true intentions let alone what the hell I was going to do once I got here."

"I mean I could always suggest..." She was then interrupted.

"No no I should be the one taking you out." He held his hand up. "Let's start with the basics. Start off the day with a nice walk in the park and then I'll top it off with us going to a fancy place for dinner. Sound good?"

She nodded. "That sounds great Yugi. I'm excited."

"Excellent." The Duel King then looked around the room for a moment. He noticed for the most part it was still early. For the rest of the evening he was stuck in this suite with his crush. It was much too soon for intimacy. Whoa. He thought to himself. Let's at least take the girl out first before even thinking about touching her. Fortunately for him, she beat him to it.

"So anything you would like to do now?" Her pupils darted around.

If the stool was an actual chair, Yugi would have leaned back. Instead he rested his elbows on the countertop. "Well, for one I'm starving. But aside from ordering food, I'm having a good time just talking with you." He gestured his head to the large television in the living area. "But since its your day, you should definitely order a cake. Something sweet to eat while we watch some movies."

"Cake and movies sounds chill. I'm in."

The next day the two traveled to Central Park and strolled its long walkways until they reached the huge fountain by the lake. Surprisingly, there was not a lot of people for a sunny Saturday afternoon. Yugi found a place to sit by the large staircase. It was hot out and the only real saving grace was the cool breeze coming off the water. He wasn't much of a shorts kind of guy unless the temperatures started going past ninety degrees. But his light brown cargo pants and lavender button down shirt were already sticking to his sweaty body. Tea on the other hand was smart enough to be downed in a golden yellow sundress. The silky like fabric clung to her curves and her every movement in the article was accentuated with each passing breeze. It was a great privilege to hold the girl's hand the whole walk to this spot.

"It's so nice out today." Tea sat beside her date and placed her small white purse on her lap. Her eyes looked to the ground for a brief moment. She wore comfortable cork sandals and Yugi had a pair of yellow and black Converses. She always liked his sense of style. It was never dull or boring. At times exaggerated, but never plain. If anything he got more colorful as he old older. Looking up she could see the boats passing along in the lake. A glance at her petite watch, she saw it was already 3:00 p.m.

"What are you in the mood for Yugi?"

Yugi's gaze looked in the same forward direction. "You."

The dancer cackled. "I meant for dinner silly."

"Oh that." He smiled. "Um, you are my date so anything you would like."

"C'mon Yugi never let the girl choose. We never know what we want."

He leaned back with his hands supporting him. "But you Tea are not just any girl. You always knew what you wanted and you went out and got it. So what will it be huh?"

"Well, I'm flattered you think of me in such a way." She flipped a piece of her hair with her hand. "Fine how about something with a lot of spice and flavor. Mexican."

"Tacos and margaritas sound great."

Tea quickly faced in Yugi's direction with a look of shock. "Since when did you drink?"

"I don't really but that doesn't mean I can't look forward to trying. Besides that's the big deal about being 21 over here and everyone tells me that margaritas are delicious. And who doesn't love tacos?"

Their evening meal took place at a highly rated Mexican bar and grill not too far from the park. With such pleasant weather, the couple decided to be seated outside. The once hot air had turned into a much cooler temperature. Luckily the fruity alcohol concoctions were enough to keep their bodies warm. Their heightened excitement for each other was also a major plus. Tea looked at her glass filled with the bright yellow beverage and numerous chunks of ice. Gently she brought the mango flavored mixture to her lips and a small smile emerged.

"Today was great. I had a fun time with you today Yugi."

He also took a sip. "You mean that?"

She tilted her head slightly. "Of course. Why would I lie to you?"

He held a hand up from the table. "Just making sure. I'm glad you're happy with today."

His own beverage, a lime mojito, was still half full. This was his second serving though and one by one he would grab another chip left in their appetizer basket. The guacamole was too good to let it go to waste. However, he could feel his stomach urging him to cease anymore consumption. I'll just finish my drink then.

The dancer observed Yugi a bit more closely. His violet orbs seemed a bit more dilated than usual. "Already tipsy?"

Yugi flashed a smile. "A bit I guess yeah. These things are pretty strong. Not used to it."

"But they are delicious. Be glad you only got two. This is like my third. The ice really waters them done though." She reaches over for a tortilla chip. "Should we get the check?"

"Yeah definitely. I could use to walk this food off."

"Same here."

Once their last drinks were finished and debit cards swiped, the couple began their long trek home. Several blocks and a cold subway ride later, the two finally returned to their private suite. Tea quickly removed her sandals and retreated to the comfort of the multi-sectional sofa. Yugi removed his shoes as well, but he entered the bathroom. It was a chance to relieve his alcohol filled bladder, but he also needed a moment to think. No matter how great of a time Tea claimed to have, something wasn't feeling quite right. Aside from holding the girl's hand and paying for dinner, neither of them of made a move on each other. Maybe I should have tried going in for a kiss at the park. He instantly shook his head. No I shouldn't force anything on her.

He honestly couldn't get much of a read on her today either. It is as if they had just gone out as friends. If that is how they both felt about the situation, then this date was in a way for nothing. Although he couldn't really blame the girl, going from one type of a relationship to another was not as easy as it looks on TV. But if anything, the rule of thumb for taking the date back to your hotel was to go all the way. Right? Was he too tipsy for this? Perhaps I'm going about all of this the wrong way.

"Or I'm over thinking this." Yugi whispered to himself. He then pointed a finger at his reflection. "Regardless, you gotta try something."

After splashing some soap and water on his face, he strolled back to where Tea was sitting. Her attention was on her iPhone screen, possibly reading an article. Yugi reached for a small remote on the nearby coffee table and turned on the suite's sound system. Using the Bluetooth on his cellphone, he began to play some easy going pop music. He had to make sure the playlist didn't have anything jazzy. He didn't want to make it seem like he was implying anything.

Tea raised a brow and darted her eyes to Yugi's direction. "Trying to get me in the mood?"

He shrugged his shoulders as he plopped down next to the dancer. "Well it was quiet in here so I thought I'd have something nice in the background." His arm stretched out along the spine of the sofa in a manner that made it appear he was holding the woman. Yugi was still unsure about physical contact. "Sooo..."

"Sooo..." She mimicked him.

He bit his lip for a second. "I honestly forgot what I wanted to say so maybe I should start off with asking what you are thinking."

She adjusted herself on the cushions so that she was fully facing Yugi. Her legs were scrunched up to her chest initially but the muscles felt sore from the day's long walks. Her date's features looked at her longingly. She could tell he was trying out the boundaries between them. The whole arm thing he was doing was pretty obvious. The brunette was feeling a lot more relaxed about the situation than he was so perhaps she should give him some subtle hints. Slowly she slide her long legs on the sofa until her foot reached his thigh. He stopped shaking his leg up and down from his nervous tick.

"I was thinking the same thing. All day we were playing catch up on our lives. We went on this great date and yet..."

"And yet here we are."

Yugi gestured his hand to allow Tea's tired calves on his lap. He made sure his hand stayed to his side and on the sofa. Although he felt he was going to go insane if her perfectly smooth and sculpted legs stayed on his person for too long. He took a deep breathe to keep his composure.

"You mean a lot to me Tea. I don't want to go too fast or too slow with anything. I've already waited long enough to start this path with you so I feel I have to be very cautious with the time we have. It doesn't make it better that I'm not completely sober right now either."

"Well you aren't drunk so I think you are doing fine." Tea then cleared her throat. "Hmm. You want my two cents?"

His gave a small smile and softened his gaze. "Of course."

"Since you arrived there has been like this tension in the air. Not in a bad way, but definitely an awkward one." She looked down at her twirling fingers. "Maybe this whole situation feels awkward because unlike going on a random date with someone we just met, we've both known each other since childhood so we aren't really learning anything new other than these new feelings."

Yugi nodded. "True but don't people act differently from platonic to romantic?"

"But isn't a lover also a best friend?"

Ah, she was playing devil's advocate with him. "Yeah but it doesn't go the other way."

"No but it can revert back to its original state if the two people involved are responsible with each other." She sighs. "The only reason I see people burning bridges is because they seem to forget who they were prior to the new relationship or they were never honest with each other. That's what ruins friendships, whether you stay friends or go further than that."

Yugi did not immediately respond. He found what Tea was telling him interesting. Her perspective on these type of situations was quite insightful and if anything, he was starting to feel the heavy weight on his heart and shoulders lift. Perhaps this venture of his was not as risky as he originally thought.

"But hey, what do I know? I haven't really been in a relationship. I've only watched other people around me go through the motions."

Yugi raised his brow. "You sound a lot smarter about this stuff than I do so I think your observations have made you understand what you want. But the real question is..."

Goddammit why am I hesitating now? The Duel King felt his heart beat rise exponentially.

Tea noticed his hesitation. "Yugi. You can ask me anything. I'm not going to get mad or hold it against you."

"But..."

"Just say it."

He huffed quietly. "Fine. The real important question for right here, right now is whether you want me."

She held out her hands. "I agreed to go out with you didn't I?"

He removed his arm from the top of the sofa to hold the both of her hands together. "Going out with me and wanting me are two different things."

Her azure eyes rolled. "Oh my god Yugi..."

"All I want is to hear you say it." His squeeze tightened slightly.

"And if you want to hear me say something like that then make a move already!"

Yugi froze in place. She basically gave him permission to act accordingly, but in their current position on the couch, he could not figure out a comfortable way of doing so. Pulling her arms or legs closer to him seemed awkward and just right out of the question. He couldn't just lean over, they were on opposite ends of the sofa and her legs were in the way. He would literally have to get up and lean over the girl.

Fuck. He scolded at himself. But this was no time to chicken out, he had to prove his worth now or never. Gently he pushed Tea's legs off his lap, and quickly maneuvered on the sofa so his body was just hovering over hers. He ended up propping himself with one leg on the floor and a knee and his left arm on the couch. With his right hand he gently brushed away a strand of her brown hair, and finally he captured her lips with his own. The moment was brief for he didn't want to over stay his welcome. Yugi just hoped his eager yet gentle approach made a good impression. It would be a complete lie to say the action did not affect him physically. So to avoid any embarrassment he slowly sat back on the leg that was supporting him. His right arm moved away from her face and back along the top of the sofa. His left hand stayed by his side.

Tea licked her lips. Her gloss was definitely smudged. She wasn't expecting the once shy boy she used to know to take the reins like that off a single cue. Not that the move didn't impress her. It most certainly did and she's glad that Yugi had taken the risk with her. On top of that his lips were really really soft. The dancer made sure to give the guy some eye contact so he wouldn't think she was ignoring him. His eyes were filled with a mixture of anxiety and desire. Mostly desire.

He couldn't take it anymore. "Well?"

She smiled and laughed briefly. She figured no amount of words could ease his nerves. Tea adjusted herself so that she could lean over to the other side of sofa. With a slight crawl on her knees she cupped Yugi's face and initiated a much firmer lip lock. At first the guy looked at the woman with bugged eyes but a second later he surrendered to the bliss of her cherry flavored embrace. His hands reached up to remove her own from his face and placed them around his neck. Lifting up his slouched body, he bravely continued the kiss with the motion of his lips. This kissing thing isn't as difficult as I thought it would be. A passing thought stated. But his mind quickly become engulfed by hormonal instincts and his hands grabbed the woman's petite hips. It took everything in his power to not wander down to her supple behind.

Before things got out of hand, Yugi pulled away. Both were slightly out of breath. The two sat back to process what had just happened. Tea gave a deep exhale in an attempt to keep her own calm.

"So does that answer your question?"

Yugi started to laugh. Was he insane? "Yeah. Most definitely."

Her brow raised a bit. "Hmm, what's so funny?"

He scratched his chin with his index finger. "It's not that this was funny. It's more like I'm shocked this is even happening."

She too then laughed. "Okay I'd rather you laugh than cry." She paused for a moment. "So what now?"

He licked his lips. Continue making out with you? "Uh, whatever you want." He glanced at his smartphone. "It's about to be 10."

"Still early for the most part, but I'm sure you are still jet lagged. I can see it in your eyes."

Yugi didn't want to admit but he had been struggling to stay up the whole trip back to the hotel. The prospects of a potential girlfriend have been the only motivation keeping his eyes open.

"I mean we could watch a movie or two. I'd stay up as long as you want." He gestures his head toward the kitchen area. "I'll make us some coffee. How would you like it?"

She shook her head. "Nah. Tequila and coffee are not a good mix for me."

"Heh, was that in my drink too?"

Her lips formed a thin line as she nodded.

"Shit." He mumbled to himself. "I'll take my chances then."

"I'm sure your stomach can handle it a lot better than I can."

He chuckled. "Very true."

A couple cups of Italian espresso and a romantic comedy later, Tea was now starting to feel the tiredness in her body. She ended up laying in between Yugi's legs with her head on his chest. This was the only way the guy could have his chin resting on her head. He greatly enjoyed holding the woman like this. A few yawns from her hinted that she was getting tired.

"I think we should get you to bed." He nudged her head with his nose.

She gave a dry laugh. "I'd never thought I'd hear that come out of your mouth."

The bridge of his nose was dusted in red. "You know that is not what I meant. Both of us could use some sleep."

"And you expect me to believe that you weren't thinking of the other thing at all."

He rolled his eyes. "Tis a bold conversation to bring up so soon don't you..."

"We're adults now Yugi. It's nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about."

"I'm not it's just..." He took a deep breath and gulped. "I just think it's a bit early to be asking something like that of you. And of course I think of this stuff. I'm human after all and have you looked at yourself in the mirror?"

The dancer decided to play coy. "Oh and what is that supposed to mean?"

He picked up on her playfulness. "You're down right gorgeous Tea. I've seen you in a damn bikini in high school and you've got a bomber body. I can't sit here and pretend I'm all innocent about it either."

"I'm flatter to hear this." She began to sit up. "But don't feel like you have to adhere to some schedule when it comes to this relationship. Follow your heart Yugi and just go with the flow."

Then I would jump on you now. He smiled away the dark thought. "Let's at least give it a week and see how we feel."

"I'm telling you Yugi giving this stuff a time frame never works out. If it happens, it happens." She continued to lift herself off the sofa.

He looked up at her. "Ya know you're making it sound like you were really looking forward to it."

Tea shrugged and folded her arms. "I mean I had a good date with a really nice guy." With a twirl of her feet she turned away and began to stroll to her bedroom. "Why wouldn't I be excited about it?"

Yugi couldn't help notice the slight sway in her hips as she walked away. He opened his mouth to say good night but quickly closed it realizing it was not the right approach. How dare I send her off without a kiss? He rose up from the couch and followed Tea to her room. Reaching out a hand, he grabbed her arm and stopped their movements at the door. Now that the two were at the same height, stealing away her lips again was fairly easy to do. Snaking his arms around her waist, he brought the dancer closer to him. She was so warm and inviting. A state of euphoria he never wanted to leave. But this wasn't the time to get carried away. Reluctantly he pulled away from the lock and rested his forehead on hers.

"Just wanted to tell you good night and uh, thanks for today." He smiled. "It was better than I could have imagined it."

She giggled while she rubbed his shoulders. "I'm glad it worked out that way. You sure you don't want to do anything else?"

He knew exactly what she was referring to. He never thought the girl could be such a tease. "Yes. Now c'mon let's get some sleep."

The two parted from each other and waved, but not before Tea had the last word between them.

"Just sayin' Yugi...I don't think you'll be able to last the week. I'll bet you fifty bucks too." With that she closed the door after flashing a mischievous wink.

The Duel King shook his head and retreated to his own room. Instantly he began to change into more comfortable clothing.

"I'm not going to rush this relationship. I've waited too long to just jump into bed with her." He licked his lips remembering the delightful euphoria that was her soft lips. "No matter how much she teases me. It is only day one."

DAY 3

Bright sunlight peered through a crack in the curtains. Violet eyes fluttered from the intense shine. A groan escaped the spiky haired man, he was much too comfortable to get up so early. Reaching over to night stand, his fingers searched for the phone that would normally be charging in its place. However, with a quick glance to confirm, said object was not there. Another groan as he pulled his tired body up from the mattress. That's when he felt the coldness of the chilled conditioned air on his bare skin. Although he didn't pay that much attention for locating his fairly expensive phone was much more important. He looked around the stand and even opened the top drawer to no avail. It probably fell down. His eyes darted to the floor but he could swear his heart stopped.

Well, there was his phone, intact thankfully. However... so were his pants and boxers.

"Okay so that wasn't a dream." He mumbled to himself. "Goddamn."

With an inert swiftness, he collected his clothing off the ground and dressed his body according, although with clean articles. A blue comfy t-shirt and black sweatpants sufficed for now. Although only his side of the room was messy. The other half, however, was near pristine. A woman's touch huh? Her clothes from the day before were neatly placed on the opposite night stand. Even his trash bin was cleaned out. After his quick routine in the bathroom, Yugi snatched his wallet and slowly strolled out of the room and into the living area of the suite. Tea was no where to be see in her usual spot. The movement he heard in the kitchen confirmed her location. Not to mention the smell of coffee.

"Oh good you're awake!" She called out.

He decided to stay silent until he saw her. Upon entering the kitchen, he found the woman wearing one of his tournament prize shirts and pink checkered booty shorts. Her hair was also tied in a bun. Good lord she looks so damn cute.

"Yeah. I thought it was early but then I looked at the time and was surprised to see its almost twelve." Yugi pulled out a stool from the counter-top. "So. I hate to bring up the elephant in the room but are we gonna talk about last night?"

Causally he pulled out his wallet and removed a twenty, two tens, and two five dollar bills. He pushed the cash towards Tea's direction. Her lips twisted into a mischievous smile.

"I don't like to be that guy but uh..." She folded the bills and stuffed them in the small pocket on her shorts. "But I told you so."

Yugi couldn't help but chuckle as he smiled and gave the woman a longing stare. His arms were folded on the counter and he was propping up his head with one hand.

"Well, I had such a good time I initially thought I was dreaming when I woke up. But I have to ask you..." He licked his seemingly dry lips. "How'd I do?"

"You mean after you got really excited..."

He interrupts her. "Shut up." His face was heated.

She laughs. "Relax. I'm just messing with you. Not gonna criticize you about something we've never done before."

He raises a brow. "I don't know Tea, you seemed to know what you were doing."

"It's not that hard if you really think about it."

"I know I was." Yugi winked.

The brunette rolled her eyes. "Oh my god. You've been hanging out with Joey too much."

"But I know you want to laugh." He scratched the back of his head. "But really I want to know if you enjoyed yourself."

Tea hopped off her the stool and walked over to Yugi. She captured his lips. Naturally he snaked his arms around her waist. The pressure she was applying to both his mouth and his body made him wonder if the woman was going to take him again right here in the kitchen. Luckily she pulled away before he indulged in the idea. She beamed at the man.

"Of course I had a good time. You did pretty good with me once we got you going again." She tilted her head. "You sure you haven't had any practice?"

His looked up and away. "I mean, I guess I watched a lot of videos and read some stuff." His fingers tapped lightly on her hips. "I didn't want to come here completely oblivious. I do want to please you after all."

The brunette grabbed one of the hands one her hip and brought it up into view. Yugi may not have the largest set of hands but he had long delicate fingers which had now outgrown Tea's. For a moment she caressed his hand and observed the limb with half lid eyes.

"You certainly are good with your hands." She chuckled as she splayed the digits and intertwined their fingers together. "Then again with all the games you play I suppose it is a necessary skill."

A smirk twisted his lips. He was feeling bold enough to flirt back. "One needs nimble digits to move delicate pieces for a swift and strategical victory."

For a moment Yugi's face was not his own. His features were replaced with sharper eyes and wilder hair. That damn smirk of his always made her melt. Yet in a blink of an eye he disappeared.

She chuckled away the awkward feeling in her gut. "I'm glad we decided to give this a go." She pushed back a tress of hair behind her ear. "I'm having a lot of fun with you."

"Good." Yugi squeezed her tighter against him.

Even though I uploaded both sections at once, feel free to leave your review for either or both. As always feedback from my readers is incredibly important!