Thanks to everyone for the reviews…I'm actually surprised by the fast response, but I guess that happens in mainstream anime. Here's the pairing count:
Malik/Tea: 5
Ryou/Tea: 2
The Malik/Tea's win!!
Oh, and BTW, this is a repost of chapter two, because I found my summary of this that I had written beforehand, and I realized my summary was better, so I changed some dialogue and such…its better now.
Chapter Two: When Puppy met Malik* * *
Tea arrived at the Ishtar residence a half hour late, and considerably dirtier than she had intended, thanks to her mucky friend who decided that being held four feet above the ground was a bad idea.
"Good Lord, Tea!! What happened to you?" Isis greeted wide-eyed as she opened the door. Tea pointed out her puppy friend, who was circling and sniffing around Isis' feet, looked up at her, barked once, then moved back to Tea to chew on her shoelaces.
"Need I say anything at all? We both need a bath, but I think she should have priority for the sake of your home." Isis had become a bit of a clean freak since leaving the desert, so all this dirt in one spot had to be taken care of immediately.
An hour later, both Tea and puppy were clean again, the former wearing a pair of Isis' clothes while hers were being cleaned, the latter munching happily on some table scraps that Isis assured Tea were dog-friendly. They got down to work; making sure the puppy didn't stray too far and get into trouble.
Twenty-minutes into their work, the door opened and in walked Malik and Ryou. Their eyes were immediately drawn to the dining canine who, hearing the door open, barked loudly, then ran over to them, sniffed cautiously, then attacked Malik's shoelaces (most puppies do that, its cute, but annoying as Hell).
Malik looked slightly annoyed, but lightened up when Ryou, Tea and Isis started laughing uproariously at him.
"And who exactly does…this belong to?" He asked. Tea managed to get her giggles under control to explain.
"I found her on my way over here…I think she likes you Malik." Malik reached down and picked up the puppy, which quickly realizing that she was no longer at foot level, protested with another bark. Holding the puppy to him in a surprisingly gentle manner, Malik flopped down on the couch, not bothering to remove his shoes as Ryou had.
Ryou, who was pet-friendly, reached over to scratch her affectionately behind the ears. In response, the puppy leaned into it and fell over on Malik's lap, perfectly content to stay there until the end of time.
"Well, since she's so happy where she is right now," began Isis. "Tea and I are going to the Museum for a short while to do some prospecting. Will you behave, brother?" Malik's response was to glare at his sister and say 'Bite me.' Which was Malik for 'Fine. But don't expect me to clean anything.'
When Tea and Isis returned two hours later, Ryou was already gone, and they were met with the cutest sight either of them had ever seen. Lying in the middle of the floor was Malik, peacefully asleep with one arm cuddled around the puppy, which was curled up on his chest, his other arm behind his head, supporting his neck (A/N: If you can visualize this, you'll agree that this is the cutest thing ever! If you're a good artist, please draw a picture for me.) Isis ran to her room and returned with her digital camera and took a picture of the sleeping pair.
Watching Malik, Tea realized how calm and peaceful he looked compared to how he was when he was awake, and remembered how happy he had looked while he had been holding the puppy earlier. Suddenly, it hit her. A pet was exactly what Malik needed! Something he had to take care of and love would most certainly work wonders for his sociability. She had seen a documentary study on how anti-social people, who had been given pets, improved their social skills and became friendlier and better citizens (I saw this on Oz once).
While formulating her plan to reform Malik, the puppy stirred and seeing Tea barked at her as if saying 'Hey! Where've you been?' which in turn, wore Malik up. He sat up, the puppy sliding onto the floor and thumping with a small grunt (a very cute sound). A concerned looked briefly crossed his dark features and he gathered her back up into his arms. He then noticed the camera in Isis' hands, and his eyes grew wide, realizing what she had done.
"Isis," he growled. "Give me that camera. Now!"
"Make me." She stated defiantly. Malik's response was, to place the puppy quickly but gently on the floor, and then jumping over the coffee table, he began to chase Isis around the room to claim the digital blackmail Isis had in her hands.
It was a loud scene, Malik chasing Isis yelling curses in Arabic, the puppy chasing after both, barking raucously, and Tea standing in the middle of the room with one arm crossed over her chest and the other holding her head, feeling a migraine coming on. She then noticed her watch. It was six o'clock. She was late for dinner and then she had a study group with Yugi, Joey and Tristan at eight. She took a deep breath and yelled:
"Excuse me!" All movement ceased, and the puppy, still at Malik's heels, smacked fully into them when he stopped moving suddenly.
"Yes, Tea?" Isis said cheerfully, despite the fact that Malik had just been chasing her with violent intent. Malik simply picked up the puppy and sat back down on the couch, plotting to get back at Isis at a later date.
"I should get going now. My parents will kill me if I'm late for dinner."
"Don't forget your puppy, Tea." Malik, who had been happily stroking the puppy's head while she chewed on a shoelace she had liberated from one of Malik's shoes earlier, looked downcast, his happy smile gone, and his ministrations more despondent.
"Actually," Tea began slowly. "I've been thinking. My parents would never let me keep a pet, let alone a dog and I wouldn't know what to do with her." She paused and then snapped her fingers. "Hey! I know! Why don't you keep her Malik?"
Malik's eyes got huge, and in his surprise, he suddenly stopped stroking the puppy's head who, in response, stopped chewing on the shoelace and chewed gently on Malik's finger in protest to get his attention back.
"Really?" His happy smile began returning, lighting up his whole face.
"Sure! I mean, I wouldn't even think of giving her to a shelter and it looks like she's already bonded with you, it would be cruel to take her away now so…ACK!" Tea suddenly found herself in the air being twirled around in circles by an ecstatic Malik. The puppy, sensing Malik's excitement, joined in the fun by chasing her tail in circles, then falling in a heap on the floor then scratching behind her ears, and finally returning attention to her shoelace.
Malik finally put Tea down, and then stepped away, blushing at his behavior.
"Uhh, sorry about that." Tea was still dizzy.
"No problem." Tea shook off her dizziness and became serious. "There's just one condition." Malik was slightly apprehensive, hoping she was going to suggest something ridiculous like shared custody. (Hey, its Malik, who knows what goes on in his head)
"Yeah?" He said slowly. Tea grinned widely.
"I get to name her." Malik smiled and it was a true smile, like he had never done before, without malice or cruelty, just simple and pure joy.
"Absolutely!" Tea thought he looked exceptionally handsome.
'You know,' she thought to herself. 'Malik really isn't so bad after all. He's really good-looking too…Oh my God, did I just think that?'
So began a friendship between Malik and Tea where none had been before. Isis stood to the side and watched them as they played with the puppy and Tea rattled off names, most of which Malik shot down for being overly sissy.
'Perhaps this may develop into something more than simple friendship.' Isis thought to herself. 'At least maybe Malik will start to act like a normal teenager.' Isis smiled and watched the scene.
"How about Trixie?" Tea suggested.
"No way! Too girly." Malik objected.
"Fred?"
"Not a chance."
"Bob?"
"Are you crazy?"
"Sparkles."
"Oh dear God no."
"Fluffy?"
"Absolutely not!"
So continued the argument deep into the night. Isis called Tea's parents and informed them Tea would be staying for dinner and to inform her friends that study group was cancelled. Here's how dinner conversation went:
"Horatio?"
"Is that even a name?"
"Yeah. Godzilla?"
"Are you even taking this seriously anymore?"
"Eunice?"
"Why do you hate my puppy so much?" Tea glared at him briefly, then blinked at a sudden thought.
"Oh. I got it! How about Camilla?" There was a pause.
"I like it. It's a real name, but it isn't too girly." Malik turned in his chair to look at his newly acquired pet. "Hey, Camilla!" The puppy immediately barked at hearing it, and trotted over to Malik, looking up at him expectantly. Tea leaned over as well.
"Camilla?" The puppy barked. "Well, I guess it's settled. Its Camilla."
That night, between dessert and Tea's departure, Camilla gained a name and a family, and Tea gained a new friend. Perhaps even something more.
* * * *
Okay people. It's definitely going to be a Malik/Tea. It just works for the storyline. I'm also planning out a Tea/Ryou for a later date, so look out for that.
Like the name? Camilla is actually a perfect name for a puppy, especially a golden retriever.
Next chapter: Yugi and co notice that Tea is spending a lot less time with them, and wonder what's up. Is she secretly seeing someone? Yami doesn't like that idea, so he decides to follow her…and guess what he discovers? Wait around and see!!
Reviews welcome, and flames will be laughed at and used as cheap bedding for my muse.
