"You're going out with Ryou Bakura?" yelled an overly alarmed Joey the day Tea told her friends.
"Yes… Why so shocked?" Tea blinked, a tiny bit of rage beginning to bubble inside in case she didn't like Joey's answer.
"Because-" Joey paused awkwardly "It's, erm, just… Really-"
"Really unexpected" Tristan finished for him "Just didn't see it coming"
"Yeah, Tea- but it's good an all" stuttered Yugi, sounding nervous.
"Thanks Yug" Tea smiled gleefully, before turning to Joey and Tristan, looking rather annoyed "What's your problem? Why can't you two be like Yugi and just be happy for me?"
"We are, we are!" the two assured in unison.

The thing way, it wasn't Joey or Tristan with the problem- it was Yugi.

Yugi, the sweet boy who was well and truly stuck in the friend zone to the girl he loved.

Yugi and Tea had been friends since they were 5. Yugi had been an extremely petit, quiet child, and quickly became a target for bullies, including one boy that would later become his friend- Joey. But Tea took pity and created diversions on numerous occasions to save Yugi from another day of teases and kicks. And to repay her, Yugi played her servant. She hadn't asked him to, he just did.

"I'll do it Tea!"
"I'll get it for you Tea!"
"Here Tea!"
"You can have mine Tea!"
"What would you like Tea? It's no worry Tea!"
"I'll do it Tea!"

Such a sweet, dedicated child, that Tea felt mean just telling him to stop. When she finally picked up the courage to ask him to stop, little Yugi looked horrified.
"Don't you like me, Tea?" he asked with sad watery eyes "I'll go away if you want me to…"
"No!" Tea yelled in a panic "I like you Yugi! But I want you to be my friend! Not my helper-person" 5 year old Tea grabbed Yugi's hand and held it tightly, making him smile brightly.

They'd remained friends ever since, but Yugi wanted more than that. When he finally got a chance with her, it wasn't really him. It was Yami, taking control of his body. Yugi was miserable at the fact that Tea didn't want him, but the mysterious spirit that possessed his body. But then, when the spirit had his own body, tea was no longer interested, and she remained uninterested in Yugi. Instead, she had taken Ryou, a boy who had been half a friend and half a simply acquaintance to Yugi.

Yugi had felt his heart crack and shatter when he found out they were a couple. And Tea had been blind to it, too busy thinking about Ryou.

"Why do you like Ryou?" Yugi asked, trying to sound just interested and not all jealous or curious.
"Why?" Tea asked, blushing slightly. "Welll...

Tea Gardner's list of why she likes and loves Ryou Bakura
1) He's sweet
2) He's kind
3) He's beautiful
4) He's shy
5) he's deep
6) He has an amazing imagination.
7) He's mysterious. There always something you don't know about him, and there always something he doesn't want to tell
8) He's interesting
9) They have common interests
10) He actually listens to SuG and Alice Nine! Tea had thought she was the only one, not including Marik who was obsessed with SuG. Tea only counted people she truly liked.
11) He introduced her to so many new things
12) He gets embarrassed so easy
13) He thinks of other before himself
14) He was big enough to forgive his Yami
15) The way he dresses
16) The way he wears eye liner
17) The way his eyes go wide and glossy when he plays on Ps3
18) He actually listens to her
19) He finds Miho annoying- just like Tea
20) He encourages her to keep dancing
21) Everything

Yugi smiled at her when she was finally finished, calling them sweet and saying other kind things, but in truth ever word she had said had shattered his heart more. But he wasn't going to tell her, he was sure of that. He would keep his feelings strictly to himself. Just because he was jealous did not give him the right to ruin two other peoples lives, and he knew that. He didn't want to hurt his friends.

When Yugi asked Ryou the same question, his answer was short and honest.

"I just love her"
Yugi raise an eyebrow and said that he must have a reason.
Ryou laughed and said "You misunderstood. I love her. Everything that is her. I'm just talking about the way she looks, but her personality and quirks and voice. Everything. She just… Intrigues me."

"I guess you two are perfect for each other"

Short, I know, but the next chapter should be longer. Hope you enjoyed it anyway