Between Meats and Cheeses
by fiorae
Summary: Yami just wanted to make a sandwich, but all of Japan seemed to have it out for him. Implied Yami/Yugi puzzleshipping fluff
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! I simply own Yami's sanity.
A/N: At the time of writing this, I was craving a well prepared sandwich but had no materials to make one. So my reasoning in writing this story: If I can't have a well prepared sandwich, neither can Yami!
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Between Meats and Cheeses
Yami was a patient person. Being a spirit who'd spent the better part of the last three millennia trapped in the eternal darkness of an unsolved puzzle, he had to be. So many centuries alone you do begin to develop a sense of tranquility and understanding befitting of a patient person.
Because Yami was a patient person, he had no problem waiting for his slower-than-slow aibou to get ready for school every morning. Yami himself didn't attend school as there would be no point. He was much smarter (and technically much older) than you're average teenager so he'd feel out of place in a institute of learning.
But he did extract great pleasure from watching Yugi shuffle around the room in a nervous haste five minutes before the tardy bell rang.
This particular morning his aibou was making his way out the door with his uniform pants unzipped, one shoe in his mouth, and a rather odd rendition of a matted Mohawk atop his head. Yami couldn't help but chuckle to himself from where he sat on the bed's edge. Yugi fixed him with a pout as he removed the footwear from his teeth.
"You wouldn't think it was funny if it was happening to you, mō hitori no boku. You always wake up before me – it wouldn't hurt to get me up."
Yami tilted his head thoughtfully, shrugging his shoulders. "Now aibou, I can't allow you to become overly dependent on others. I won't be held responsible for your inability to keep a steady job because you never learned how to get up on your own."
The younger boy's eyes narrowed slowly. "That's a terrible excuse. You just like to see me so flustered you bored ghost."
"Bored spirit," Yami replied with a smirk. "Ghost can't take solid forms quite like I can." He flexed his fingers teasingly to further prove his point. Yugi, who was about to make another clever comeback, was struck with a sudden realization.
"Ah! The late bell is about to ring!" he cried, grabbing his school bag. "I'll see you this afternoon, mō hitori no boku. Try not to get into any trouble while I'm gone!"
"Same to you!" Yami winked. Yugi pouted once more before departing in a red blur out the door.
And with that, Yami's morning ritual was complete. Said ritual was not what Yami's patience was needed for, however. He'd come to understand the inner workings of the Motou house fairly quickly. Yugi would leave for school around eight. Jii-chan would head downstairs and open up the Kame Game Shop at about the same time. So until about four in the afternoon, Yami had the upper level of the house to himself. If he could be patient for a few hours after waking up, it was a very delightful reward.
Not that he didn't enjoy the company of the other family members. He just found great pleasure in wondering around the home and tinkering with the household appliances in solitude. Just yesterday he'd learned of a very marvelous machine called a 'juicer' that could turn most anything into a tasty beverage. Oh the fun he'd had with it.
"But what to do today ..." Yami mumbled. A sudden gurgle took him by surprise. He looked down at his stomach, finding the odd growl seemed to be radiating from it. Now this could have meant one of two things; either a demonic monster was preparing an assault from within ... or he was hungry.
The last one seemed to make more sense in his mind.
Yami hopped off the bed and made his way into the hall. The kitchen was, luckily, the room downstairs right before the game shop's entrance so he wouldn't be seen. He'd already decided once he reached his destination that he was going to have a sandwich. Sandwiches were, in his expert opinion, the greatest invention of mankind.
Slowly the spirit crept, taking a step at a time, until he reached the bottom. Almost there ...!
"Ah, mō hitori no Yūgi!"
Instinctively, Yami flinched. Standing in the frame to the kitchen (and thus affectively blocking it's access) was Sugoroku Motou, Yugi's grandfather.
"O-ohayo Jii-chan," Yami grinned sheepishly. Jii-chan smiled pleasantly.
"Ohayo gozaimasu. I wasn't expecting to see you this morning. It's actually very fortunate!"
At this, Yami blinked. "Why fortunate?"
The old man laughed a bit, holding up a large envelope Yami had only just realized he possessed. "You see, I needed to deliver this package today. But being the old and tired man I am, the small walk to the post office is such a struggle! I was going to wait for Yugi to come home today and have him do it ..."
A grin.
"... But since you're here, it'll be easier to just let you do it."
Yami felt a slight twitch itching along his temple. His stomach made a loud howl, urging him to hurry and fulfill it's desires. He pat it soothingly.
"Jii-chan ... I'd be happy to deliver the package for you. But is it possible that I could maybe make myself some breakfast first?" Yami eyed the refrigerator as he spoke. "I was looking forward to a good sandwich ..."
Kur-plunk.
For a moment, Yami wasn't sure what had happened. He felt a dull ache on the crown of his head and it eventually registered that Jii-chan had popped him with some kind of wooden sword that he, once again, was not aware the old man was brandishing.
"That is the talk of a boy! You, mō hitori no Yūgi, are a man! Men can go days without breakfast and you shall as well!" Jii-chan said enthusiastically, thrusting the envelope into the reluctant (and in pain) Yami's hands. Honestly he found the man's words to be contradictory as he'd watched Jii-chan consume the breakfast servings of ten men on more than one occasion. But with the threat of another whack from that rather hard wooden sword looming over his head, Yami eventually accepted his task.
The post office was farther than Jii-chan had implied. It took forty-five minutes to arrive and it was a maze of twists and turns. Contemplating how he was so easily persuaded into things while giving thanks for all those days he'd spent wandering around Pegasus's castle in the past, Yami slipped the envelope into the drop box. With his task successfully completed, he could head back home and make himself the best sandwich ever.
Sighing happily, Yami turned and took off. He'd definitely use white bread. Though, he had become quite partial to wheat bread as of late. Or maybe he'd be witty and try something new. Perhaps a bun this time? But then that would call for a completely different selection of meats and cheeses. It didn't matter though. He had all day to-
"Mō hitori no Yūgi!"
Yami flinched. Slowly he turned around. There stood the younger Kaiba brother, looking as enthusiastic as ever.
"Ah ...! Mokuba-kun," Yami said pleasantly. Mokuba smiled, running up to him and wrapping his arms around his neck.
"It's been awhile! How are you?" he said happily. Yami smiled, patting the younger boy's back. Outside of Yugi, Mokuba was the only other person who could extract a genuine smile from the spirits normally stoic face. The younger Kaiba brother had an innocent aura about him that brought up the same heart warming sensation Yugi raised. He'd come to think of the rogue haired preteen as an adorable little brother.
"I've been pretty good, Mokuba. Not that I'm not happy to see you but shouldn't you be in school now?" Yami asked, tilting his head as he peered down. Mokuba grinned a bit.
"I'm helping Nii-chan with a new project. What's your excuse? Don't you normally go with Yugi?"
Yami took a step back and crossed his arms, placing a thoughtfully wise expression on his face. "I'm giving aibou some independence."
Mokuba laughed. He held his hands behind his back, slightly swaying side to side. "It's actually an interesting coincidence that I ran into you."
Yami felt another twitch along his temple. "Whys that?"
Little fingers pointed to the right in the direction of a children's playground. "Nii-chan is there working on the project I mentioned. I think it'd really help him out if you came over and gave it a try," Mokuba said with beaming eyes. Yami gave him a defeated smile. He couldn't say no to Mokuba any better than he could to Yugi so there was no sense in trying.
--
Seto Kaiba was fidgeting with a odd helmet when Yami and Mokuba arrived. He greeted the pointy haired teen with a slight nod of the head. Mokuba trotted over to him, kneeling at his side.
"Nii-san, mō hitori no Yūgi said he'd like to try it out!"
Kaiba glanced at Yami ... then smirked. He stood to his full height, holding the helmet in one hand and some kind of electronic box in the other. "Is that so ...?"
Yami nodded, eying the helmet suspiciously. "What kind of invention is it?"
The odd looking head accessory found it's way atop the spirits head. Kaiba handed the electric box to him. "Put your Black Magician in that slot."
Confused and light headed from the increasing hunger, Yami did as he was told. Within seconds, a holographic from of his favorite card appeared before him.
"This is really just a little toy I'm developing for our younger demographic. It's pretty simple. You place a card in the holding box. The helmet will materialize it in front of you. And from there what ever you think, the monster you summoned will do it."
Yami had taken an interest in shaking hands with his purple armor coated spellcaster. "Eh ... this is pretty nice, Kaiba."
Kaiba chuckled. "Well since you like it so much, I'm sure you wouldn't mind testing your entire deck in it for me."
That twitch in Yami's ever so fragile temple returned. His stomach roared angrily, obviously loosing it's patience. He mentally pleaded with his digestive system for more time.
"I really would love to, but perhaps another time? I haven't had breakfast yet and I'm really quite-"
"Oh please, mō hitori no Yūgi? It'll only take a little while!" Mokuba pleaded, holding Yami's wrist and pinning him with the cutest puppy dog eyes he could muster. Yami winced and Kaiba chuckled. The spirit was no match for the mystical powers of an androgynous, prepubescent boy. They all knew it.
In the end that 'little while' somehow morphed into five hours. Yami first tested every card in his possession. He then tested every card in Kaiba's possession (a process that took up the bulk of his five hour stay) after which he tested the cards of Mokuba, two bodyguards, a random child skipping school, and an old lady who'd smelled suspiciously of shrimp. If it hadn't been for the flash thunderstorm that rendered the holograms hazardous for use, Yami would likely be testing the cards of dueling chipmunks instead of wandering home.
There was a downfall to the pour down though. The roads were slicked with bits of hail and accidents were becoming frequent, particularly on the streets that led to the Kame Game Shop. Yami was constantly encountering road closed signs that forced him to take alternative (and much longer) routes. But he kept a pep in his step, soothing his tired feet and gurgling stomach with the promise of the most delicious sandwich hands could make.
--
With all the strange street closings and the crowds accumulating due to the weather, it took Yami a whole hour and a half to make it back to the shop. He emptied his water filled leather boots on the porch before entering. Jii-chan, who was talking enthusiastically with a possible customer, shot Yami a cheeky grin as he made his way up the stairs.
He tossed his soaked clothing in Yugi's hamper, grabbing a towel and drying his multicolored locks. He pulled out a form fitting black cotton shirt and a pair of over sized sweat pants from the drawer in the room. After affectively redressing, Yami ran down the stairs and into the kitchen. His stomach was now screaming with anticipation of the meal to come.
Opening the refrigerator, he began to pull out all his tools. Bread, mayonnaise, mustard, pickles, and all kinds of assortments of meats and chesses lined the counter. He added some crispy lettuce to the mix along with a small shaker of pepper. Cracking his knuckles with beaming eyes, Yami began to create his masterpiece.
In five minutes time, the most deliciously superb sandwich sat before him. Coming in at a full eight inches tall, it was almost too magnificent to even dream of eating.
Almost.
Yami carted his beauty over to the table, sitting it down carefully. He clasped the sandwich with two hands, bringing it to his lips ...
"I'm home ..."
He froze, lowering his hands (and the sandwich) back to the plate. Yugi floated into the kitchen, face flushed and a towel atop his head. Yami moved over to him briskly, taking the towel and rubbing the younger boy's damp hair.
"Aibou! You shouldn't be home for another hour," he said, voice laced with concern. Yugi sniffled back a sneeze.
"I started to feel bad so I left early. I was so sick that I slept through most of the day," he groaned. Yami lead him over to the kitchen table and sat him down. To Yugi's surprise a large, beautifully prepared sandwich appeared before him.
"You probably slept through lunch then huh? Eat this while I make you some soup," Yami said, smiling gently at his hikari. Yugi returned the smile and took a bite from his new gift.
"...! This is amazing, mō hitori no boku!" he cried. Yami chuckled softly as he sat a pot to boil on the stove. An unseen smile played on his lips.
Because Yami was a patient person, he had no problem waiting for what he desired. Good things come to those who wait. And though he was quite sure that long sought after sandwich was good, there was no sweeter sight than seeing his aibou enjoy it.
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End.
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