A/n: Hi! Phew, let's roll this chap., okies?

Disclaimer: Me Owning YGO……that's too scary to be true! ------

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% Chapter Six: Promise Not to Bluff %

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"No! You can't do this! You can't!"

What does she mean?!.....! Is it---?! D--

"You can't ask him to marry you! HE has to! Him! Not you! It always has to be like that, okay? Always!" Mai practically shouted into Serenity's stunned face, who had fallen to the ground in an attempt to rescue her brother's ring. Deep, but brief silence.

"Oh-h kay….." Serenity stuttered, deciding to play along. taking back the box. "I won't…..!…?" She ended the sentence as a question of profound confusion, but Mai was relieved, nonetheless. She got up with a dazzling smile in place once again.

"Oh, honey, what's wrong? You look so pale!" she said in a concerned tone to an ashen Joey, who quickly realized what happened: Mai thought Serenity had brought the ring to propose to her boyfriend. Relief took it's time to hit him, slowly. Disgust was more instantaneous at the thought.

"Maybe you shouldn't go shopping today," Mai went on, gathering up her purse to make it to the mall before it closed. "You got out of it today! Bye, darling." In nearly simulations movement, she kissed him goodbye and left in a whirlwind of golden hair.

The siblings stood stock still long after the dark green door had slammed shut, then Joey practically staggered to the floor where Serenity knelt. "Jeez, sis! You practically gave me a heart attack! What's da big IDEA, droppin' it on da floor like that, RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER?!"

Serenity bowed to him over and over in complete apology, still sitting. "I'm so sorry, brother! I thought I'd switched my coat before I left the house, and oh, I almost ruined your plans! Please forgive--!"

He cut her off by taking the jewelry box back. "I'd betta take this back…." He muttered, as he pocketed it safely. And this time she won't see it until it's time! He looked back at his sister and saw her eyes were huge and brimming with tears.

"Yes, you're absolutely right, you should take it back! I'm too clumsy," she rattled off. "And….you shouldn't trust me anymore! Wah!" she buried her face in her hands.

"Whoa, sis! I never said that I wasn't gonna trust you ever…..again…." He trailed off; she was shaking and near hysteria. "Come on….." he helped her up, "you should go lie down; you're actin' really strange…….maybe you're catchin' something…."

Serenity seemed to calm down after she was safely tucked into his bed, though she still looked gray. Joey checked her forehead; she didn't seem to have a fever. "Now, look sis, you'd better stay here for a while……didja go see a doctor at your appointment?"

"Yes….." she nodded, "and he took some tests, but haven't came back with the results yet….."

"Okay. I want you to stay here and take it easy! No more running around doing errands for a while okay? Your health comes first…." He came around the edge of the bed, running his hands through his head in exasperation. "I'm gonna put an end to this……I'm going to do the proposal. Tonight."

"Tonight?" Serenity shot up slightly, a smile dawning. "You mean--?" he nodded in affirmation. "Oh, brother, I just have to see it too! I want to be there, too!"

"Sis, I told ya, you're in no condition right now. Besides, it's either tonight or tomorrow I'll do it…." He looked tense with anxiety, silent a minute, then: "I'll check on ya later. Stay," he instructed, leaving the room and locking the door after him.

That's what HE thinks……there's no way I'm missing this! I'm going to go…..

%%%%%%Phew! lol%%%%%%

"I can't believe I'm being forced to help out my competitor," Duke grumbled, lugging a big slate brown box across the room, throwing Tea a look.

Tea ignored him and his comment and continued taking inventory. She and the two guys: Yugi and Duke were in the old, dusty Game Shop, cleaning and unpacking things the lawyers had planned to confiscate. Duke can whine all he wants, she thought, reaching in her warm up zippered jacket for a pen to check off: stock, games. No one ever pays any attention! But she bit her tongue.

When she'd sawn the shop for the first time in nearly two years, she'd been significantly horrified at the state it'd been. Gramps had been a neat freak, constantly sweeping the already polished and waxed tiled floors, the porch, even the carpet when he'd forgotten his reading glasses. Now, one inch thick dust covered everything, from the cobwebbed shelves to the old counter sitting at the front. Unpaid bills stacked one corner.

Yugi looked sheepish, hiding them someplace. "Didn't ever get around to paying them….." he wandered over to a corner and started unpacking boxes along with the others.

"You know, " Tea murmured to Duke nearby, "Yugi ought to expand his business……maybe add some stuffed sofa and chairs so people can be, you when playing the games…." Her mind whirled. "And add a juice bar or maybe some coffee maker….."

"I don't think that'd work, but whatever." Duke lugged a particularly heavy box and groaned. "Geez, where is the rest of the help? this'll take forever!"

"Good question." Tea punched Joey's number on her cell phone and asked him where the hell he was. He said he couldn't make it there today, or tomorrow, because of some luncheon at the Valentine estate. Briefly intrigued, Tea asked, "Oh, don't forget to ask Mai's father for permission before you ask her you-know-what. It's only tradition." To her surprise, he agreed, saying that now he knew how important it was when you were at the receiving end. "AND RIGHT AFTER, YOU'D BETTER GET YOU LAZY SELF DOWN HERE AND HELP OUT. Okay?" Tea hung up, as the others pretended not to look at her sudden mood swing. "Well, do we know any one else that could help us?"

……I guess…." Yugi said ultra slowly. Tea brightened.

"Great! Here, use my phone." He did so and soon the front door opened, not with a chime, but rather a clonk, since the boxes were in the way. Rebecca entered, shoving her round glasses up.

"There you are Yugi!" she half exclaimed, half squealed in a voice that really got on Tea's nerves. Cold air from outside rushed in, and Tea went to close it. Duke watched Tea grumbled to herself and Rebecca give Yugi a big hug, more like a clamp, really, and thought, Hmm this could be interesting……with my help, that is…. He began to plot.

"Yo." A new, strange voice nearly made Tea jump out of her skin. The store was pretty dim, since the florescent lights had burned out ages ago, and the crew was only working by a single bulb. "Whussup, Tea."

"M-mokuba…?" she faltered, jaw dropping at the sight of the once energetic, high spirited little boy, now a slow moving, gangly and tall dressed in black, save for silver glinting rings on his eyes and nose. He grinned in a way that scared the shit out of her. "Ulp. Hi."

The others greeted him familiarly, Duke just nodded. Tea thought crazily, what are they mad or something?! Can't they see he looks like something that just crawls out beneath a tombstone? Or a cemetery…..How can Kaiba let him run around, looking like that…..unless he's changed too…a total personality adjustment!. She calmed down and spoke above the chatter. "Let's get to work, huh?"

They did in silence, clearing up the boxes and restocking the shelves. Rebecca leaned back lazily as a malicious idea formed in her head. "You know, Yugi, you ought to add something that no one else has in your store….."

"I know. But I don't know. I can't compete with the technology you have, Duke," he said forebodingly. Maybe we should quit…..

As thought reading his thoughts, Tea exclaimed, "Well, we can't quit after this far. How about----"

"You take the homey approach?" Rebecca cut her off, having heard Tea's earlier idea. But Yugi didn't! "You know, like, add, like, some, like, chairs and tables, and such?"

Duke, not appreciating being forced here in the first place, said exuberantly, "Now that IS a great IDEA!!"

"You know…..I always wanted to do that," Yugi said, considering it over. He was nodding his head and the others were throwing random suggestions while they took a short break.

Duke grinned. "Isn't that right, Tea?"

Tea turned and stomped off while everyone exchanged confused glances. Some were genuine……

%%%%% Later %%%%

"Stay still," Mai ordered, adjusting the hem of the suit with pins as well as safety pins, which made no sense since they were just as sharp and pointy as regular pins. At least according to Joey. Mai had come with enough packages to make him think she bought out every store in mall to bankruptcy, and made him try on all the outfits like if he were a big dress up doll. [a/n: who says he isn't?lol] Without even asking if I liked any of them! But he was used to it. In the past year, he'd been subjected to being a 'test bunny' while she was building up her fashion business. "Quit fidgeting!"

"Well, jeez, ya don't have to yell," He figured she was just tense about meeting with her folks, for real this time. What's da big deal. They'll only have heart attacks when dey see me! He leaned against the back of a chair, arms crossed and smiled at the thought. Ah, den that'll mean….no in laws!

"What are you smiling about," she said without looking, still fussing and adjusting the white suit he was wearing at his feet, a tape measure around her neck. I can hear him making that weird chuckle he always makes when he's up to something! "Maybe……that your sister finally getting married….?" Yeah, in a million years he would!

That brought the expected choking sound. Suppressing a smile, Mai let some of the tension go from her shoulders, about tomorrow;s critical meeting. "Look, my sis is neva gonna get married to---You-Know-Who…."Though maybe I oughtn't say that, since she still believes that was Serenity's ring!….. "Are ya done yet?!"

"Almost…." She said comfortingly, tipping her head with a critical look. "Though it is possible, you know." He scowled, she didn't have to lift her head to know that either. "Okay, what do you think?" She got up and nudged him to a mirror.

"……" A long silence. "I look like a waiter…" He was wearing an all white suit, sort of in uniform style, like a sea captain. "Or that Angel of Death…."

"Exactly," she smiled at his reflection, one hand perched at her hip. "Now all I have to do is sew it out…..you get a haircut…." That last part of said in a low voice, nearly a mumble.

"OH no. " A dozen times before she'd given him hundreds of makeover, but he just went right back to the way he was. But never did she touch the hair. And it shows, it's nearly down to his waist! She thought, thinking of ways to convince him and get around his stubbornness. "I am not getting no fancy schmancy hairdo. Got it?" They had agreed that he would wear whatever she said, except he would keep his long hair and not cut it.

She threw him a scowling look and bent down again. "I'll just cut it…when you're sleeping anyway," she muttered, threateningly. "So there."

"And then I'll just have to pull you in!"

"You'll have to wake up first." She said demurely.

"I'm a light sleeper…." Which wasn't true, but oh well. I'm sure I'll be able to wake up first, he thought confidentially, knowing she was dead serious. The last time she tried to, I did! Course she had scissors…..ouch. Gradually he realized that Mai was muttering something as she continued to fuss.

"….that was a beautiful ring…." She was saying wistfully measuring around the hem, a sad tinge to her voice. Then, "Do you……" she cleared her throat, uneasy, since she didn't want to pressure him, "think….something like that would happen to us?" Soon?

He hesitated. Wanna say yes, but I can't say yes without having her suspect something…. "My sis is NOT getting married." Yeah, that's right. Avoidance. Always works..

".....Oh." She took it to mean that since he thought that, he wasn't thinking of marriage either. Forcing a smile, she went on airily, "Well, it's not like I want to! I mean, I'm much too busy, with my career, to even THINK about a family…" even her own voice sounded over-bright and cheery and he shot her down a curious look. But it was too late. "Anyway, let's go back to how you're, uh, supposed to act….." Even though there was no point now…. " I haven't seen Mother and Daddy in ages, but try not to make any silly jokes, okay? Be serious for once."

"….Me? I'm always serious," he said with a mock frown. She laughed, poking him with a pin. "Ow!"

"I think I'll just take one of these along, just in case, to keep you in check," she thought aloud, standing up and holding a particularly long pin. "So whenever you start to act up…." Grinning, she made a stabbing motion. I'll bet I'll have to use it a lot!

"Verrry funny….you're just lucky I'm so nice," he groused, rubbing his leg where she'd poked him. "And if you call me a wimp…." He said when she started to open her mouth, then shut it abruptly, looking innocent.

Yes, I am lucky… even though……he's not ready to marry me….[a/n: oh! The irony! It's killing me! X-x] Taking a swipe at him playfully, she ducked and evaded his grab. "Your….you're going to wrinkle your clothes, Joe!" Laughing, she ducked again as he tried to capture his quarry, but more carefully. "Hold it….there's…..some lint…..on your seat…." Holding him still, she reached behind…..

….just as Duke and Yugi came in the conveniently placed front door. Both froze, and looked at them. Yugi cleared his throat, and Duke, always needing to be the center of attention, said loudly, "Okay, guys…..that kind of goosing is highly inappropriate in our fine institution of learning!" Yugi looked like he'd rather be swallowed up by the earth than be in this situation.

"We weren't---" They both said at the same time. Rather, yelled. "THERE WAS SOME lint----!" They tried to explain in frantic tones.

"Okay, 'lint,' " Duke went on, throwing up both hands in a pantomime of disbelief. "Is that what they call it now? Innteresssting!" it was sort of ironic, since at first he didn't believe that they would ever together at all----"Highly unlikely--!"--- and now that he'd finally acknowledged it, he did everything to embarrass them. Why? Cause it was fun. At least to him. Except when they both beat him up afterwards…..

But that still didn't stop him! Nuh uh. Will he ever learn? Nuh uh.

TBC!

A/n: well, I hope you got all that. R&R X-x…..