Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!.

Hey everyone, I'm finally out of school for the summer! Sorry about the negligence of my fan fiction profile, I've been way too busy lately with finals and such. I know there are a few unfinished projects that a lot of you are dying for me to finish, but I thought I'd come back with something new, and once I get back into the habit of actively visiting and writing, I'll finish the others. Promise.

Anyway, before you flame me for writing something that may at first appear to be anti-Yami/Tea, this isn't a one-shot...it continues. You should know me better than that by now. -_-

Enjoy! Remember that there is more to come!

Chapter 1

The wind suddenly began to pick up, carrying leaves of red, orange, and yellow through the air, dancing in the fall breeze, some catching on briefly to brunette hair before fluttering out of sight.

Warm arms wrapped around her torso, so loving, so protective...it made her feel secure, like an impenetrable fortress to keep her safe.

But something was odd about the way he held her, and the way he did not speak. His body felt tense and reluctant, as if he was prepared to disengage their contact at any given moment. Something was drastically wrong. This wasn't like him, not at all – at least, not around her.

"What's the matter?" Tea asked her lover, wanting so much to be deeply entangled in his embrace, as it always had been before. Three months of rapturous romance with the spirit of the Pharaoh did not do much to illuminate his deeply mysterious ways to her. Tea still felt as though she barely knew him, and yet she loved him. And she knew in her heart that, despite what he or anyone might say, he loved her back, even if it were just for those three wonderful months. As headstrong and devious as he may have had to appear to his enemies, he would not play her – that was something she was willing to bet her life on. No, it must have been something else entirely.

Yami gave Tea one final small squeeze before releasing her and taking her by the shoulders. His eyes found hers in tightly-locked contact, and they were not only serious, but saddened and guilt-ridden. He took in a shaky breath.

"Tea..." he barely whispered. "I love you so very much... but..."

Even just the tone of his voice scared Tea, put her on edge, making her mind race through the most disturbing thoughts that she didn't dare consider before. Was he interested in someone else? Was he somehow seeing someone else?

No, that's impossible, she thought. He would never do that to me.

"But...?" The word hung so uncomfortably in the air, as if it were teetering dangerously over a cliff.

"I... you... we..." he began, seemingly having genuine trouble putting his words together. His eyes fell to the autumn floor before closing, eyebrows curved slightly upwards.

"We cannot be together."

Tea's entire body froze, paralyzing her from head to toe in cold dread. Though his final answer was too abrupt for her to associate his vocalizations to rational thought, she sensed that he had said something she did not want to hear. Her brain had finally processed his words, confirming her premonition and causing even further panic within her mind.

"Wh-why?" she stammered, unable to come up with anything more profound to say. Her eyes searched for his until his gaze finally found hers, though it was quite unsteady.

"Tea, please believe me, this is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do in my life–"

"I don't understand..."

The way Yami's eyes hardened slightly sent a clear message that he wished to continue uninterrupted. She nodded her head apologetically. A small, barely audible "sorry" passed through trembling lips.

"You have brought so much meaning into my life, and you will continue to do so whether you intend to or not. I love you, but this must end. You may not understand now, but hopefully soon you will."

There wasn't a single thing he said that didn't want to make Tea burst into a flurry of tears and broken sobs onto his waiting shoulder. But even then, she knew it wouldn't have the same comforting effect – not anymore. So, she used any inner strength she had to force it down, at least until she was no longer in his presence. With time passing slowly as they continued to stare into each other's eyes with deep remorse, it became increasingly harder to maintain her control over her emotional distress.

Strangely, what puzzled and bothered her was the fact that though he was evidently very distraught, Yami did not seem to have any trouble keeping himself from shedding a single tear. Was his mysterious purpose for severing the relationship, whatever it may have been, greater in relevance than the regret he felt over doing it? Was she just simply not enough for him?

Yami suddenly leaned forward to kiss her forehead. "Please know that none of this is your fault."

All Tea could manage was a small nod in response.

With a shaky voice, he whispered "goodbye, Tea" in her ear. His hands finally detached themselves from her shoulders, causing an empty, icy chill to wash over her body. He turned his back to her, without so much as a final glance in her general direction, before walking away.

Undetected by Tea, the beginnings of tears lined the brims of his eyes as he approached a crosswalk on the way back to the shop. Keeping his head low, he quickly wiped them away with the back of his hand before they had a chance to fall.

-To Be Continued-