Chapter 4

The next day found Alex and Yugi both back in class. Not entirely sure what to expect Yugi gave her a tentative smile when he sat down and relaxed when she beamed back at him. The morning passed without incident, going to their classes and talking about mundane things. It wasn't until they were on their way to lunch that Yugi worked up the courage to ask what had been on his mind. "Alex, are you still mad at Yami?"

She looked at him with a sidelong look and a hint of a smile. "Is that you asking or him?"

"Me," Yugi replied. Then he tacked on, "But he's listening."

Aibou!

Yugi grinned unrepentantly.

Alex sighed and her smile fell. "A little bit. I mean, you know how much I hate being treated like a china doll."

Yugi grimaced. He did know. Alex had training in a couple different martial arts and she threw a mean right hook. He'd seen it once when a really sexist guy in one of their classes started making comments about women. Said guy now made a point of sitting on the opposite side of the room from Alex.

Yugi sighed too. "Alex, Yami and I both know you're not some delicate flower, but you have to understand. Vampires are a completely different category than humans. If you don't specifically train to fight them, you don't have a prayer."

Alex glared at the ground. "Yeah, I figured. I don't like it, but I know." She was quiet for a moment before she spoke again. "I guess that's not really why I'm upset with Yami. I just… I don't understand why he blew up about me trusting him and then pushing me away so hard. We were having a great afternoon, getting to know each other and becoming friends and then he totally shut down. You said in your explanations that he let you and Tea and Joey and Tristan in. He's even friends with a few other people. Why not me? Unless he actually doesn't like me at all and just didn't want to say so yesterday-"

"Alex."

The deep voice saying her name and the hand on her shoulder made her stop her rambling. She slowly turned and looked up into wine coloured eyes.

"Do not ever think I don't like you," Yami said solemnly. "I am sorry I made you feel such self-doubt. I enjoyed yesterday afternoon very much too." He took a breath to prepare for what he knew he needed to say. "I am afraid Alex."

Alex's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. "You are afraid of me?"

Yami chuckled. "Not exactly." Then he became serious again. "I'm afraid of you getting hurt. I know, as you said yesterday, that you can take care of yourself, but it still could happen. Especially when dealing with vampires. And it feels like ice runs in my veins when I think of how close you came to getting hurt last week. Worse, is the fact that it would've been done by my own hand." He clenched his eyes shut trying to dispel the images. They flew open again though at the touch of a gentle hand against the side of his face.

"I still don't believe you would have hurt me that night or ever will," Alex started. She held up a hand when he started to protest and continued, "But I can see that it haunts you, so how about this. If I promise to be more careful and not offer myself up to any hungry vampires, will you let me be your friend?"

Yami smiled. "I'd like that." The wind picked up slightly and played with Alex's hair. He gently caught a strand with his fingers and tucked it back behind her ear. Alex's breath caught in her throat at the gesture and when he kept his hand where it was. She could feel her heart quicken slightly when she looked into his eyes. They were so beautiful, she felt like she could drown in them…

"Hey Yug'! Short Stuff!"

Like an electric shock they jumped apart from where they were unconsciously leaning towards each other. I may have underestimated how much I like Yami, Alex mused to herself while a spectacular blush formed.

"You feelin' alright Alex?" Joey asked with a slight frown as he, Tristan, and Tea caught up with her and Yami.

"Of course, why?" Alex asked quickly.

"Well you're all flushed and you haven't yelled at me for calling you Short Stuff. You sure you don't have a fever or somethin'?"

Alex felt herself grow redder but ignored it and gathered all the dignity and huffiness she could muster. "Maybe I just decided not to deign to answer to such a ridiculous nickname," she said turning her nose up and crossing her arms.

Tristan snorted.

"I think she's fine," Tea said with a grin.

"Where ya been Yug'? We were start ta get-" Joey stopped as he realized that Yugi wasn't in control at the moment. Thinking that because Yami was out in the middle of the day and around Alex who didn't know Yami existed, Joey went on high alert. "Hey are you feeling alright Yug'? Anything going on?"

Catching on, Tea and Tristan started to subtly look for anything out of the ordinary too.

Alex tried not to giggle as she realized what the three of them were thinking and hid an evil smile. "Hey guys, don't you think Yugi looks different today?"

"What? No! No of course not! What makes you think that?" Joey said quickly.

"I'm not sure… He almost seems like a different person…" Alex mused tapping her chin thoughtfully. It took every ounce of restraint she had to not laugh at the expression on her three friends' faces.

"Alex," Yami said smiling and rolling his eyes at her antics. "Enough."

"Oh alright Yami," she said giving in with a smile.

"Wait, you know about Yami?!" Tristan exclaimed. Looking between the pair of them.

"She stumbled across me while I was hunting last week," Yami explained.

"Well this makes everything easier. Now there are no more secrets between us!" Tea said with a smile.

"I'm glad. Now Tea, about this shopping trip this weekend…" Alex said linking her arm with the other girl and walking away.

Joey stared at the pair of them for a moment before grumbling and fishing a twenty dollar bill out of his pocket. He glared sullenly as he slapped it into Tristan's hand.

"Told you she wouldn't run screaming when she found out," Tristan said smugly.

Yami's jaw dropped as he watched the exchange. "Wait, you two bet on whether or not Alex would find out about me?"

"Of course not," Tristan said. "We all knew she'd find out eventually. We were betting on her reaction."

Yami continued to stare at them before he slapped them both on the back of the head. "Idiots," he grumbled. "Let's go."

Still rubbing the backs of their heads Tristan and Joey let Yami get a little bit ahead of them before they grinned slyly at each other. "Fifty bucks says Alex and Yami are a couple by the end of the semester," Joey whispered.

"I'll take that bet, but I bet it's the end of the month," Tristan shot back.

"You're underestimating Yami's stubbornness."

"And you're underestimating Alex's determination."

They just grinned at each other before racing to catch up with the others.