DISCLAIMER: None of the characters belong to me.

WARNINGS: Yami is a teacher, Yuugi is a student. While the romance isn't what you'd say traditional, the concept itself is generally looked down on in most societies. Yuugi is 17, Yami is 24. Also, there is a bit of bad language thanks to our dear friend, Malik, but what else can you expect from someone like him?

GENERAL NOTES: Full disclosure - I never intended to publish this. I thought it was a plot bunny that would just go away. That being I said, I went through some of my old notes and actually liked where it was going. Updates will be slowish because I don't actually have an ending (or even a middle!) planned out yet, but I hope you enjoy what I've got.

-Pulled-

Prologue: Another Day in Paradise

Seventeen year old Yuugi Motou listened to the calm, baritone voice with as much attention as he could muster on a humid Friday afternoon, his large, violet eyes watching as a thin, tanned tan sketched various symbols on the chalk board at the front of the classroom. He scanned the newly drawn hieroglyphics and translated them with ease, glancing down at his thick text book only to verify what he already knew. Satisfied that he understood the material at hand, he allowed his gaze to flick around the sparse room, shifting from the pale, yellow walls covered in some places by cheesy motivational posters, to the lax faces of his classmates who were seated in perfect rows of small, wooden desks.

Domino High's eleventh grade Ancient History class was a large one; however, while Yuugi attended the class to study the subject, the rest of the student body attended it to study the instructor. Yuugi's gaze returned to said teacher, who was continuing his lecture on 'The Formal Writing Systems of Ancient Egypt'. Mr. Yami Atemu was almost unnaturally beautiful (yes 'beautiful' Yuugi thought, though he was hesitant to apply the term to a man); he was slightly below-average height, but his slender, chiseled body could have put the Statue of David to shame. Coupled with his flawlessly tanned skin, his slanted crimson eyes and his perfectly erratic spikes of pure black hair, it was an almost other-worldly combination that made the man impossible not to notice.

Mr. Atemu had also had an unforgettable start to his career at Domino High; one that had earned him major points with not only the student body, but with the staff as well. As a new teacher, he had been shafted to field duty during lunch hour, and had happened upon the school's star athlete, Tristan Taylor, warming up for his next basketball game... just as the captain smashed his knee against the pavement. Making use of the medical training that all teachers were required to have but few actually possessed, he had managed to clean, steady and brace the boy's leg as he waited for the ambulance to arrive. Tristan's knee later turned out to be fractured, and had he moved his leg at all, he could have risked permanent damage; but as it was, he just needed to take it easy for a month or two. The rumor that Yami Atemu had saved the star's knee and thus the school's chances in the playoffs had spread like wild fire, and had only added to the instructor's appeal.

Long ago, Yuugi had stopped being embarrassed by his crush on the gorgeous man, after realizing that he was just joining a long, long list of admirers that included the entire female population at Domino High, and a good portion of the males as well. I wonder if I should make a club, he mused, after all, Grandpa always says that colleges always look for extra curriculars. I could call it the 'Club de J'Aime Atem…U'? No, it sounds better without the 'u'. He snorted loudly as he pictured a group of elderly college admissioners trying to make sense of that particular EC, causing a couple of startled heads to turn in his direction - including that of the girl sitting on his right.

"What are you laughing at?" his best friend, Tea Gardner murmured, her clear, blue eyes curious. Tea was a very pretty girl; in fact, Yuugi had thought himself in love with her when he was thirteen. As head cheerleader and a professional dancer on the side, she was tall and lean, with short, brown hair that framed her pale, heart-shaped face perfectly. On top of that, she was just so darn nice that you couldn't help but love her. Though a couple of failed dates and awkward kisses had quickly flushed all thoughts of romance from Yuugi's system, he still adored the girl and thought of her as the sister he had never had.

"Oh, just planning the J'Aime Atem fanclub," he whispered conspiratorially back, causing the brunette to snicker in amusement. They often joked about their shared affliction, dubbed Atemu-itis, especially when the object of their attraction was right there, within their sights. "You in?"

"As long as you let me be VP," she replied, winking. Yuugi rolled his expressive eyes, but couldn't stop the grin from spreading across his face.

"I could never deny you anything," he replied, sighing in mock exasperation, causing the two to break out in giggles again. They failed, however, to notice that twenty pairs of eyes were now staring at them.

"Yuugi and Tea," a deep, amused voice interrupted, replacing their shared mirth with embarrassment. "Care to share what you find so entertaining with the rest of us?"

Yuugi immediately blushed crimson, and he was sure that Tea was doing the same. 'Well sir, we were just discussing the hierarchy of your new fan club… would you like to make any suggestions? ' was probably not the answer that the instructor was looking for, and though Mr. Atemu was the definition of 'laid back', Yuugi doubted even he would let one slide. Instead, Yuugi remained wisely silent.

"Well in that case," Mr. Atemu continued good-naturedly with a smirk pulling at his thin lips, "I know its last period on a Friday, and it's beastly hot in here, but give me ten minutes and I'll send you home for the weekend. This material will be on your final, though, so try to focus."

"Sure thing, Mr. Atemu," Yuugi replied, "sorry about that."

"No worries," Mr. Atemu replied with a smile. "Now, as I was saying Egyptian scribes consistently avoided leaving large areas of blank space in their writing and would sometimes even invert the order of signs if this would result in a more aesthetically pleasing appearance. Yes, Joey?" the teacher said, gesturing to the tall, sandy blonde boy in the back row, that was waving his hand lazily in the air.

"If dey changed de order of the symbols witout tellin' anybody, den how could anyone read it?" Joey Wheeler asked with his drawling, Brooklyn accent. Joey was Domino High's bad boy and best friend to Tristan Taylor. They were something of an odd pairing, but they played off each well, usually making hilarious, though sometimes crude, jokes that amused the students and most of the teachers. That being said, he wasn't exactly known for his dedication to his education, and it was rare that he chose to participate in class discussions constructively.

"Great question, Joey," Mr. Atemu replied encouragingly, closing the lecture book on his desk. "Keep in mind that the Ancient Egyptians didn't write as we do; that is, rather than combining symbols to make sounds, they combined smaller parts to form a larger picture. That's why there are so many different symbols, as many represent an entire thought instead of a mere syllable."

"That seems kinda complicated," Joey stated, crossing his arms.

"Yes and no," Mr. Atemu said, shrugging, "it is definitely not the most efficient system we've studied, but they conveyed their meaning well enough to leave us with enough information about their culture and way of life to fill thousands of textbooks. However, as always, I encourage you all to draw your own conclusions. Now, I believe that's all we have time for today, please read pages 265-278 over the weekend to prepare for our Tuesday discussion. Oh, but don't look so glum!" Mr. Atemu exclaimed at the disgusted looks on his students' faces. "It's what you've all been waiting for: The Pharaohs of Egypt!"

Although the thought of homework still put something of a damper on things, the class whooped before breaking into an excited buzz. With a satisfied grin, Mr. Atemu dismissed the students for the weekend, the noise increasing substantially as the students gathered their belongings. Mr. Atemu clapped his hands together to remove the excess chalk, and chatted cheerfully with various students as they passed by.

"Later Mr. Atemu!" Joey exclaimed, holding out his palm. The teacher rolled his eyes in amusement but completed the high five anyway. "Have a good one!" the blonde shouted as he bolted from the classroom.

"You too Joey," Mr. Atemu replied good-naturedly, "and how many times do I have to tell you to slow down?"

"I'll remember next time!" Joey shouted cheekily, as he did after every class. With that, he disappeared through the door, his loud voice carrying back into the classroom as he greeted his friends in the hallway. Mr. Atemu shook his head in fond exasperation.

"Have a great weekend Mr. Atemu," Yuugi said as he neared the gorgeous man, flanked by Tea. "Sorry again for the interruption, won't happen again."

"Have a wonderful weekend yourself Yuugi," Mr. Atemu smiled in return, "and all is forgiven. I know the last place you want to be at three o'clock on a Friday is locked in a classroom with me."

That's what you think, Yuugi thought dreamily, focusing so intently on his own thoughts and the crimson eyes in front of him that he forget to censor his own speech. So, rather than a cool, witty retort, what came out was a rather rushed, and unbearably sappy: "I think you're a great teacher, Mr. Atemu."

Oh God, Yuugi thought, becoming more and more mortified as he realized exactly what he had said. As he heard Tea inhale and laugh under her breath, he began seriously considering jumping out of the window and burying his head in the garden outside.

"Thanks Yuugi, that means a lot." Mr. Atemu said gracefully, and to Yuugi's surprise, he appeared genuinely pleased. "I'll see you Tuesday."

"Bye," Yuugi muttered before darting to the door, his eyes planted firmly on the floor. He could hear Tea's graceful strides behind him, punctuated by the occasional girlish giggle. As they began winding through the crowded hallways, Tea could no longer restrain herself.

"You're a really great teacher!" Tea mimicked in a high pitched squeak, causing Yuugi to blush fiercely.

"I-I don't sound like that," he protested, running a nervous hand through his messy black, blonde and crimson spikes. This only caused Tea to laugh more.

"You sure do," she taunted, neatly dodging a freshman who was juggling a large pile of books and pencils.

"Do not!" Yuugi exclaimed, puffing out his cheeks in indignation. "Was it really that bad Tea?" he asked seriously, after a moment.

"Nah," she said soothingly. "I'm just teasing you, silly. I think it was kind of cute actually."

Cute, Yuugi contemplated in annoyance. That's even worse. "I don't wanna be cute," he replied petulantly.

"Well sorry sweetie!" Tea said, wrapping her arms around her best friend and resting her chin on his head. "You're cute whether you like it or not. Tiny and cute!"

"Am not!" Yuugi grumbled, shooting her a glare. Of course, he was so distracted that he failed to notice a tanned boy directly in path. The impact nearly sent Yuugi tumbling to the ground, and succeeded in knocking the wind from his chest.

"Watch it!" an angry voice snapped, as two hands shoved Yuugi against a wall of lockers. Disoriented, Yuugi took several moments to realize that he was looking into the amethyst eyes of Malik Ishtar, easily the most offensive and angry person at Domino High, and quite frankly the last person that Yuugi ever wanted to run into. Despite his small stature (though he was still bigger than Yuugi) and the fact that he kind of looked like a girl with his long, platinum hair, Malik was probably one of the most dangerous students as well.

"I'm so, so sorry," Yuugi began, only to be cut off by the irate Egyptian boy.

"I don't care about your excuses you little freak!" Malik hissed, his eyes flashing. With a flick of his wrists, he smashed Yuugi against the lockers again, with more a little force.

"Yuugi!" Tea exclaimed, stepping forward to defend her smaller friend. The hallway fell silent at her shout, as hundreds of eyes turned on the boys and hurrying feet cleared a large space around them.

"Stay out of this, bitch!" Malik swore in return, causing Yuugi to puff up despite his current predicament.

"Hey, don't talk to her like that!" Yuugi defended, and he felt Malik's hands tighten on his shirt.

"You," Malik began, his attention returning to his original target, "should really learn when to back down."

"So should you Malik," a cocky voice said as Joey stepped forward, his hazel eyes blazing. Behind him, Tristan Taylor and a small, white haired boy watched the Egyptian fiercely. "Put Yuugi down now, and dis doesn't have ta get ugly." As if to stress his point, Joey cracked his knuckles threateningly and broadened his shoulders, emphasizing his clear height and strength advantage.

Malik glared at Joey in hatred, before dropping his hold on Yuugi's shirt. "He's not worth my time anyway," he stated coldly, before spinning on his heel and stalking away. The blonde's eyes burned a hole into Malik's retreating back for several more moments, and Yuugi could tell that Joey was considering whether or not to go after him.

"Man, I hate dat bastard," he grumbled, clearly choosing the later, before switching his gaze to Yuugi. "You all right der Yuugi? Ryou came an' got me as soon as he heard Malik yellin' at ya," he continued, gesturing to the small, white haired boy on his right, Yuugi's other best friend, Ryou Bakura.

"Yeah, thanks Joey," Yuugi replied shakily in return, massaging the spot where Malik's hands had been mere moments before. "He just surprised me, that's all."

"No problem buddy," Joey said with a grin, shaking his shaggy hair like a dog ridding water from its fur. "Let me know if he tries anything again, will ya? I'm dyin' ta teach that creep a lesson."

Yuugi smiled back, but chose not to answer. While it was nice having someone offering to protect him, he was not a violent person and he knew what Joey was capable of - he wouldn't wish that on anybody, even someone as cruel as Malik.

In middle school, he was often picked on because of his size and his unnatural aptitude for gaming. Yuugi had never lost a game, be it jacks, chess, pinball, or his favorite, Duel Monsters. However, he'd been unfortunate enough one day to play Joey and thoroughly trounce him; that was when things started getting rough. There are many things that Joey was good at, but losing was not one of them; he seemed to take Yuugi's victory personally. From that day on, Yuugi became a victim of Joey's and even occasionally Tristan's abuse, and while the boys never physically hurt him, their cruel words cut just as deeply. Joey had even convinced some of the other, bigger boys to taunt him every once and awhile. Yuugi knew now that bullying was a normal part of growing up, but he was glad that those dark days of crying himself to sleep had passed. By about tenth grade, it seemed as though everyone had grown up enough to realize that bullying was pointless and juvenile, and Joey was even friendly with him now; still, Yuugi never thought he'd see the day that childhood tormentor would actually volunteer to become his defender.

"Thanks again for your help Joey," Yuugi said gratefully, straightening the wrinkles from his shirt. "Have a great weekend."

"Yep, see ya Monday," Joey said cheerfully, as he and Tristan walked passed and continued down the hall way. Gradually the gap around Yuugi lessened and the silence dissipated. Yuugi was sure, however, that everyone was still talking about what had just transpired.

"Geez Yuugi," Tea murmured quietly, "that was close. Are you okay?"

"Yeah no kidding!" Yuugi replied, breathing a sigh of relief. "I'm fine, but that could have gone really badly."

"Tell me about it," said a quiet voice, with traces of a British accent. "Thank God Joey was nearby." Yuugi looked over at the pale white face of Ryou Bakura, whose doe brown eyes were still wide with concern. "I'm glad you're all right, Yuugi," the small boy continued, with a small smile.

"Thanks to you, Ryou!" Yuugi said thankfully, pulling his friend into a quick hug. "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't grabbed Joey!"

"Been pounded into a pulp probably," Ryou retorted honestly, as was his way. Ryou was generally quiet and rational, but when he chose to speak, he always said exactly what was on his mind, though he sometimes came across as brutal. More importantly, he was incredibly brilliant and insightful, so anything he did say was worth listening to, even if you didn't want to hear it.

Yuugi had known Ryou since he was four; their parents were archaeologists and had met on a dig in Egypt. Upon realizing that they both had sons that were the same age and living in Japan, Mrs. Motou and Mrs. Bakura had immediately gotten on the phone and set up a play date via the boy's respective guardians; in Yuugi's case his Grandfather, and in Ryou's case, his aunt. The two had hit it off, and been best friends ever since. It was a good thing too, for Yuugi was the only company that Ryou had, what with his parents away and his aunt rarely around; it had lead Ryou to have a cynical view of the world and an expectation that anyone he cared for would eventually leave him. Yuugi had been the constant in his life since he was a child, and was therefore the only person that he had really trusted, though he had eventually warmed up to Tea as well. This by no means made Ryou unpleasant; it merely meant that it took a lot of effort to befriend him.

"Ryou's right," Tea agreed solemnly, "that Malik boy's bad news. Was he always like that?" she asked suddenly. "I don't really remember him in middle school."

"No, he used to be really nice," Yuugi replied as the three began walking along the tiled hallways towards their lockers. Luckily, they shared a home room, so all of them were beside each other. "He was kind of quiet, but not always alone and miserable like he is now. I wonder what happened?"

"Surely you must remember," Ryou said softly, "that scandal with his sister and father? It was around that time that Malik started isolating himself. They were all he had, after all - his mother died when he was a baby."

Realization dawned on Yuugi at Ryou's reminder. Ishizu Ishtar was Malik's sister, and had been in her final year of high school when Yuugi, Ryou and Tea had been in seventh grade. He remembered that she was extremely beautiful, with long, shiny black hair and naturally tanned skin. However, he had completely forgotten the scandal that had ruined the Ishtar name, both in Domino and in the business world.

"Oh, you mean when Ishizu disappeared, and we all later learned that she'd dropped out of school and ran away with that older man?" Tea asked, as she suddenly remembered the tabloids. Domino Daily had posted the story for weeks, first portraying Ishizu as the latest unfortunate victim of a kidnapping, and later as a gold digging whore who destroyed her influential father's reputation in the business world.

"Older man?" Ryou said as the friends reached their respective lockers and opened them. "That's putting it lightly: he was seventy two! And Mr. Ishtar was absolutely furious. He wound up in jail six months later for drinking in public and various other petty crimes. I also heard that the inmates did a number on him."

"You mean they beat him up?" Yuugi asked, horrified, pausing in his book packing.

"A very wealthy and famous man in a communal jail cell surrounded by thieves, murderers and the general scum of Domino's underbelly?" Ryou listed, shoving his things into his backpack before sliding the lock closed on his locker. "I'm afraid Mr. Ishtar was like a lamb in a lion's den."

"And when he got out, he went completely berserk," Ryou finished robotically, as if reading the information from a newspaper, "he sold his business for nothing, began muttering nonsensically to his deceased wife, and was eventually admitted into an asylum. As far as I know, he's still there."

"Wow," Tea said softly, as she too finished gathering her textbooks and closed her locker. "It almost makes you feel bad for Malik. He's gone through so much."

"He did try to hurt Yuugi though," Ryou reminded her, his normally soft voice going hard. "Harming others, especially Yuugi, is uncalled for."

"He's lashing out," Yuugi said simply, closing his locker with a click. "It's probably the only way he knows how." Ryou still looked unconvinced, which caused Yuugi to laugh. "I know I'll never persuade you once you've made up your mind, so let's agree to disagree okay?"

Ryou smiled softly, before nodding his head. Yuugi's grinned toothily as his friend's chocolate eyes returned to their usual warmth, before adding, "Besides, we've got a whole weekend to enjoy! Let's not hang around here any longer!"

With all of the excitement of a kid in a candy shop, Yuugi darted towards the doors, followed closely by his two best friends.