Ch. 2 - In which Yugi sees his ship sail

Back when the whole puzzle-thing was still new, the pharaoh didn't reveal himself unless he deemed his presence absolutely necessary.

Nowadays, to the detriment of Teá's heart, the pharaoh and Yugi body-swapped like it was going out of style. This wasn't a new phenomenon, but after the Tournament, things had changed. Where before, the sudden company of the pharaoh caused her heart to give a happy beat, now his presence sent it into maximum overdrive.

It'd been a month since the Tournament where Teá had actually challenged the pharaoh to the Game of Love, and though there was no point system to keep track of score—or any defined rules, really—she was 100% sure he was winning.

Only a few days after the tournament, she'd been eating ice cream with the gang at the local park. Teá had gotten her favorite flavor—apricot. Joey and Tristan balanced three gigantic scoops of their own preferred flavors on cones tiny in comparison—one called Moose Tracks and another dark one that looked like fudge. Duke ate something coffee-flavored, and Serenity had strawberry. Beside her, Yugi licked a classic vanilla. They leaned in a line against an old cast iron fence facing the pond, feeding the ducks and koi. It was the perfect summer night.

"Hey Yugi," called Duke from the end of the line. "Do you and the pharaoh like the same sorts of foods?"

"Not sure," said Yugi, breaking off a piece of his cone and throwing it in the water. The ducks swarmed. "I'm not sure he remembers what he likes." That's kind of sad, thought Teá. She looked at her orange ice cream, a trickle of it going down the side; it spilled over her knuckles. Beside her, Yugi shifted.

"Actually, Duke…" Teá started as a deep voice spoke beside her, a hand encompassing her wrist. She turned to find Yami raising her ice cream cone to his lips. "I quite enjoy apricot." In one smooth motion, he ran his tongue over the drip of orange melt up the side of the cone, passing it over her fingers, and took a bite off the top. He released her and wiped the orange from his mouth with his thumb. Inspecting it, he glanced at her, then back to his thumb, then back to her again, lavishing it clean with an audible smack of his lips. Teá stared; her brain short-circuited and crashed. Yami stared back and smiled.

She dropped the cone; it fell to the ground with a wet plop.

This is revenge. This is definitely revenge.

"Cool," said Duke. He threw a large crunch of cone towards the pond. "I never knew they had ice cream in ancient Egypt."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

A few more embarrassing incidents happened in the following days in which Yami proved himself to be a true contender in their Game and Teá proved herself to be a hot mess—casual touches, frequent and heart-stopping eye contact, self-satisfied smirks left her vulnerable to his every advance. But the final straw occurred last week.

She had been studying with Yugi for their big history exam in Grandpa Mutou's TV room under the kotatsu. Yugi had been reading a passage from the textbook when the millennium puzzle flashed. A deep voice began to read in his place.

Though she hadn't expected the pharaoh to make an appearance during study-time, Teá was doing a great job of keeping herself respectable in light of the new situation (yet it was true she couldn't concentrate on what Yami was saying…she just heard an attractive rumbling that dragged her deeper into the depths of his cadences) when he cut himself off with, "This textbook lies."

That she registered. "What do you-?"

"Here," said the pharaoh. He dragged the textbook over and settled himself closer to her. "The text states that learned men determined the ritualistic nature of this artifact by the hieroglyphics engraved on the lid." Yami pointed to a zoomed-in photograph of the object in question— an ancient urn's top covered in various symbols. "However, the hieroglyphics say nothing of the sort. I'm afraid these men have mistaken a chamber pot for something of great significance."

Teá snorted. "You're joking."

"I am not," replied the pharaoh. He leaned in close to her ear, murmured something low in a foreign tongue that sent her heart racing.

"What…what did you say?" she whispered, attempting to make eye contact.

Yami flipped a page. "Roughly translated: 'This urn is for serious business only.' It is a play on words, you see."

Teá deflated. "Oh, I thought…" She cut herself off. What did she think?

"Hmm?" said Yami. He caught her stare, pressed himself closer. "Did you expect the object to say something more….or did you expect me to say something more?"

"I, er, um-" Maybe?

"You think I forgot about our Game." Yami encircled his arms about her waist, and Teá squeaked. He chuckled and proceeded to speak a language lost to the desert sands quietly into her ear. She couldn't understand a word, but by the way his voice dipped and rose and gasped, the way he pulled her in closer against him, told her his words weren't strictly study guide-related material.

If French was the language of love, ancient Egyptian was a worthy and steamy contender. The world tilted on its axis. His lips grazed the cartilage of her ear; she heard herself sigh. In response, the pharaoh hummed deep in his chest and continued his monologue with his nose pressed under the hollow of her ear, his breath short and hot against her neck. He smelled exotic- like spice and oil rubbed into his skin.

I'm so screwed I'm so screwed I'm so screwed.

If she didn't remove herself from this situation soon she would not get any studying done, let alone win their little Game, let alone survive. With a supreme effort of concentrated will, she extracted herself from his embrace. She stood, feet swaying on the carpet, determined to salvage the last bit of dignity she had left.

"Y-Y-You've w-won this battle," she wheezed, putting up a trembling finger. "But not the war."

Yami cocked an eyebrow, leaned his elbows back on the kotasu, and winked. Teá sank to the floor.

"…Strange then," said Yami, "that I already have you down on your knees."

Teá staggered home in a heady, befogged haze, frustrated in more ways than one.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Considering these previous events and several other no-less mind-blowing ones– Teá was in pretty rough shape.

Yugi turned towards her in the cafe, Teá's breath catching in her throat as the millennial puzzle glinted in the light from the booth's window.

False alarm.

"Stop," said Yugi.

"What?"

"Eyes up here, sister. Stop staring at my puzzle." Her friend sighed dramatically. "I'll start to think it's the only thing you think I'm good for." Yugi's smile quirked into a mischievous grin.

Teá let out a relieved laugh. "Sorry, Yugi. It's just-" She paused, leaning in to whisper, "Er, he's not – ah, around, is he?"

Yugi didn't bother to match her tone. "If by around you mean floating right next to us, then no. He's in the mind palace."

"The mind palace?"

"We recently saw Sherlock. That's what we call the soul-rooms now. From BBC?"

"So-?"

"So it means he's not around."

"Right." Teá swallowed, remembered her purpose. She spoke softly. "Look, this is awkward. You know I'm really sorry about the Tournament last month. It's led to some things that I…er, never expected from the pharaoh. I said it before, but I don't know what came over me." She paused, trying to hit the point home. She was sorry.

Yugi actually rolled his eyes. "I know exactly what came over you, and his name is Nameless Pharaoh. And I told you before- I want him to live his own life." Yugi waived his hand. "Have at it, Juliet."

"Shhh!" said Teá, borderline frantic. "Keep it down. I don't want him prying."

"Teá, he's inside my mind-"

"I know. And I know that you know when he's here." She grasped for words. "Just think of my comfort-level, ok? Do it for me."

Yugi's mouth quirked like he was going to protest, but he nodded. "Fine."

"Thank you." Teá fiddled with the hem of her skirt. "What on earth came over me to challenge him? He's…he's too good, Yugi. I don't have chance. He just makes me so…" Teá's face grew warm.

"….hot and bothered?" Yugi wasn't even trying to suppress his grin now. "Isn't that the point?"

"Now you stop," growled Teá. "And no. I mean, not really. I don't know. Not like this. He's obliterating me."

"I have to say—you brought this down on yourself. I mean, a challenge? He races against me to finish the morning crossword. The King of Games couldn't back away from that."

"I know, it was…a little too perfect. Much, much too perfect." Teá grew warmer. "But I invited you out for a reason." She took a deep breath. "I need you to give me an edge over him."

"You mean like talk to him?"

"No! No, I don't want that. I just need an advantage."

Yugi dipped a fry in ketchup. "You totally deserve this."

Pause. "What happened to the sweet, good-natured boy I used to know who stood up for his bullies against the meaner, nastier bullies?"

"He was possessed by an ancient Egyptian spirit. Not that I'm complaining. Your old Yugi is still down there. Just…a little rougher around the edges."

"I suppose I can thank the pharaoh for that?"

"He's not totally to blame, but yes."

Teá sighed. "I can't even look at him, Yugi. But I-I can't stop thinking about him, either. And when I see him, let alone by surprise, it's just…a disaster. And now he's learned how to flirt." Teá put her head in her hands.

"Wow, you're really serious about this, aren't you?"

Teá nodded to the ground.

Yugi slurped his soda. "Tell you what. How about I give you a signal? That way, you'll know when a switch is coming, and you can prepare yourself. It's not much, but it's something."

Teá looked at Yugi like he was the only light in the world. "Yes! That would be amazing. Thank you." It was certainly better than nothing!

"Great," he said. "Now Ixnay onway ethay alkingtay….he's here now." Her friend glanced over his shoulder.

"W-what? Oh. Um," Teá's heart fluttered; she racked her brains for something, anything to talk about. She glanced at the menu in desperation. "Er…can you believe this place serves 50 kinds of hamburger?"

"Oh, gosh," said Yugi, mystified. "You really are hopeless."

"…he's not here, is he?"

"Definitely not."