Warning: This chapter contains a lime scene. The rating has been increased just to be safe. Nothing too graphic, but if you find that kind of thing unpleasant please don't read this part.

Disclaimer: Yu gi oh is the property of Kazuki Takahashi. No profit is being made from this story.

Catching a Break: Becoming One

I stirred; the whirling of Mrs. Crumpet's rattletrap vacuum cleaner out in the hallway told me it was morning. I dared to crack one eye open and I immediately wished I hadn't. The blinding light from the window was enough to make me groan and try to sink down to the end of the bed. My head was pounding and my throat felt like it was covered in sand paper. I swallowed and tried to muffle several hacking coughs into my pillow.

While trying to shake off the feeling of absolute misery I stole a quick glance over my shoulder and saw that Yami was still asleep. Good I thought I can get out of here without any trouble. I carefully inched my way to the edge of the bed. I tried not to shift the sheets too much or press too hard against the old springs of the mattress.

Just a little farther.

"AHCHOO!"

Darn it.

I felt him move beside me. I looked at him as he rolled over and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Yugi?"

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to wake you," I said and started to cough again.

I felt him rubbed my back. The feeling was very soothing.

"It's all right," he said and handed me a glass of water from the night-side table.

I nodded gently sipped from the glass. The fit subsided. I set the glass back down then I threw the covers off me and shivered from the chill of the room.

"Yugi, just where do you think you're going?"

"To class I have a test."

"Oh, no you're not. You are in no condition to be going anywhere."

I tried to get up only to fall back on the bed clutching my head. He put his arm around me and pulled me to his chest.

"I'm all right," I mumbled, "I just moved too quickly."

"Yugi, how many fingers I am holding up?" He asked putting up his hand.

I looked at him and shook my head trying to clear it.

"Uh…nine?"

He hugged me tighter and kissed my forehead. "With an answer like that you are not leaving this bed, let alone the apartment," he insisted gently.

"But, Yami, the professor said if you didn't come you get a zero, no excuses."

"Well then your professor can take it up with me because I am not letting you leave," he said staring out the window. "Besides I don't think anyone is going anywhere in weather like this."

I looked out the window and saw he was right. The storm had continued through the night and thick white flakes were still falling. There was snow everywhere, no body appeared to be walking further than a block, and there wasn't a tire track to be seen.

"I guess you're right."

"Of course I am. Now get back in bed and let me help you."

"But you have to go to work and you really shouldn't be around me right now," I said, curling back up under the covers.

"I'm not going in. I am not risking becoming a human fudgesicle just to go to place I hate. And your health is more important right now. You are more important."

"Really?"

He looked at me, he seemed so shocked that'd I questioned him.

"Yes, why are you so unsure about that?"

"No reason."

I could tell he wasn't satisfied with that answered, but he didn't press the matter. Instead he got up and began searching for his shoes.

"Where are you going?"

"I was going to find something to make you feel better."

"Do you have the money?"

"Yes, if you don't mind living off of instant macaroni and cheese until pay day."

"We already live on macaroni and cheese. Besides I hate that stuff just as much as you do."

"I promise to find you one that doesn't taste like it came off a treatment plant wall."

"Promise. Promise?"

"Of course, Yugi, have I ever let you down?"

(Yami)

I'll figure out what's wrong with you Yugi just you wait. I thought still mulling over our somewhat awkward conversation in the bedroom. It was unusual to say the least. We had had other fights before and many of them had been far more intense than that. So why was he still so upset about it? I could not for the life of me figure out what I had done wrong. I'd already apologized and stayed with him and was still doing so, and whether he believed me or not I did truly want to stay with him, what more was to be done?

I sighed and continued looking through the rows of brightly coloured bottles and boxes. It was like he didn't want me around. Yet he had asked me to stay yesterday. I closed my eyes and rubbed my fingers gently across them. All this thinking was giving me a headache. Finally settling on something that looked semi-enjoyable I paid for it and headed back to the apartment.

I came in to find him curled up at the top of the bed his head resting against the window.

"Hey."

"Hey, how bad is out there?"

"Terrible. Makes me glad the store connects into the building."

"That's cheating you know." He choked out the last word and bent over.

I rushed over and held him as he went through yet another coughing fit. He sounded awful and he was still very warm.

"My poor little, Yugi."

"Don't call me that I'm not little anymore."

I smirked and just continued to hold him. I had to admit he was right though. He had grown a lot in the last few years. Not just physically, but mentally as well. He was a gorgeous young man. Still to me he would always be my Yugi to protect, to comfort, and dote upon and he deserved so much more than this.

&&&

The day pasted by quickly as I did my best to make him comfortable. After taking the medicine Yugi spent most of the time drifting in and out of consciousness. The medicine had done a good job of controlling his coughing and sneezing, but his fever was still proving problematic. So modesty forgotten he lay bare under the covers. As I alternated between running a cold towel across his face and chest and keeping him warm with my own body heat. The furnace still showed no signs of life.

I ran my fingers through his hair, as he slowly opened he eyes, enjoying the familiar motion and was suddenly sorry he'd cut it short. Something must have shown on my face because Yugi looked dejected.

"I'm sorry."

I frowned, confused. "For what?"

"For inconveniencing you like this. I know you'd rather be working."

"No, Yugi, you're not costing me anything to do this." Why does he think I want to be anywhere near that place?

"But you said-"

"Yugi, forget what I said. As I told you yesterday I was upset I didn't mean it I don't think of you as a little kid."

"Of course you do! Everyone does that's why they didn't tell us right cause they thought I couldn't handle it. You-"

He stopped as I placed my hand against his forehead. The temperature difference let me know it was still the fever talking not him.

"Yugi, go to sleep."

He opened his mouth to retort, but I put my hand up gently closed it.

"Shh. I'll be right here to yell at again when you wake up."

He lay down again and I put the cloth back on his forehead as his breathing became deep and even.

"I'll always be right here."

&&&

The snow continued to drift past the window as I watched Yugi from the kitchen. I stirred the mix in the cup I put the spoon next to the white cord of the still unplugged phone. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. He tossed and turned.

:Yami, where are you?:

:The kitchen I'll be right there.:

I made my way into the bedroom the warm cup of hot chocolate in my hands. He sat up and accepted it gratefully. After a few minutes of staring into the steaming liquid he looked up at me.

"Yami, about what I said earlier."

I put my hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Yugi, I know you didn't mean it."

"But-"

"No buts. Except maybe yours accompanied with whipped cream."

"You sir are a pervert, you know that?"

"Yes I am that's why you like me."

"One of the reasons anyway."

He finished the drink and flopped down against the pillow.

"How are you feeling?"

"Awful and I want to die."

I sat down on the bed and remembered something he'd said to me long ago.

"I thought you said being sick wasn't the end of the world?"

"I lied."

He rolled over onto his side away from me. I spooned up against him.

"Come on it's not that bad," I whispered into his ear.

"Yes it is now shoot me."

"Would, but I don't have a gun."

"Larry next door is a collector, go borrow one of his," he mumbled.

This is not going well. I had never seen him this bad before. Of course he did get crabby when he was sick who didn't, but he'd never been whiny that was usually my job. I was broken out of my musing when he started waving his hand in front of my face.

"What?"

"Hmm?"

"You look like I just asked you the meaning of life or something."

I shrugged. "No reason."

"Okay now you are just being as bad as me."

"True, but I did make you feel better."

I finally got him to smile at that. "Maybe, just a little."

(Yugi)

I had no idea what time it was when I stumbled my way into the bathroom, but judging from the darkness outside I guessed it was pretty late. I placed my hands against each side of the sink and hunched over it. I breathed deep and slow trying to quell the queasy feeling in my stomach. I really didn't want to throw up as it would only worry him more. Actually I was amazed I managed to get out of the bedroom at all. He had been like a watch dog, always on alert for anything he could do to make me feel better. Not that minded that he did those things it made me feel really good that he wanted to do all this for me. But I also didn't want him over working himself. Thankfully the feeling eventually died down.

I splashed water on my face and slid down the counter to the floor. I heard the floorboards creek as Yami came up behind me. He looked at me. His face showed the familiar features of concern. With the amount of time he'd spent looking at me like that today I was surprised wasn't stuck that way.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, felt sick, but nothing happened."

He offered me his hand, but I declined.

"I can make it back on my own."

I pushed myself up off the floor and attempted to regain my balance. Yami's hands gripped my shoulders from behind to try and steady me. I leaned against his touch and slowly sunk back down on one knee.

"I'm sorry that was not the answer we were looking however we do have some lovely second place prizes for you."

He picked me up bridal style and carried me back to the bed.

"I think I like the consolation prize best."

Yami lay me down on the bed and flipped the light switch. He frowned when nothing happened.

"As if losing the heat wasn't bad enough now we have no power." He growled and began looking for the candles. Once he'd found and lit them I began to notice just how good he looked in the dim light, if only that bulky sweater and those thick pants hadn't been blocking the view.

"You know what, Yami? There is something very romantic about being in a freezing room with a half melted candles."

"You're delirious, Yugi."

"Actually I think it broke."

He placed his hand on my forehead to check anyway. With all the babbling I'd been doing today I couldn't say I blamed him. The minute he touched me though I didn't even need him to tell me to know that I'd been right, we were equal again. He moved his hand back and I caught it in my own and began moving my fingers in circles around his palm.

"Make love to me, Yami."

"Yugi, you are in no condition to-"

"Don't care."

"Well I do-"

"Come on, Yami," I said as I laid back and tried to look as sexually appealing as possible. "I'll even let you be on top."

He continued to have a deer in the headlights look. Like the act was foreign to him, but of course that wasn't true. "Why the sudden interest?"

I shrugged. "Do I have to have a reason?"

"Considering you have just spent the day telling me how awful you feel I think a reason is not an unheard of request."

"I don't feel as bad now just tired and I heard that sometimes sex when you're tried is really good. Besides." I smiled "you looking so hot in this candlelight really isn't helping."

"Don't go blaming this on me. It's not my fault I look hot and-and…and that just sounded really stupid didn't it?"

"Yeah, just a bit."

I slid my hands under his sweater and gripped the edges, and began to pull it off. He wiggled under my touch. The shirt got stuck around his head. He struggled against it, while I giggled like a drunken hyena.

Once he got it off he glared at me jokingly. "Trying to suffocate me in my own shirt is not a good way to get me aroused."

"Sorry about that."

"You're forgiven."

I felt him move behind me as I lay eagle sprawled on the bed, and heard rustling as the rest of his clothes fell to the floor. He moved my legs further apart and moved his hands in circles across my back. Starting at my shoulders and moving down lower, slow and steady.

"You know treating this like some sort of space shuttle lift off is really sucking all the fun out of it."

He huffed and sat back. "Well excuse me for being cautious."

"You don't need to be gentle, Yami, this isn't my first time."

"I know."

I turned around to face him. My hands wrapped themselves around the back of his neck, pulling him close. I kissed him deeply and sucked slowly on his lower lip. I placed my hands on his chest and began to move me hips against his.

"You confuse me, Yugi."

"Mmm. Less talking more rubbing."

"No I mean really you act like such a crab, no offence, and now you…" he trailed off moaning.

"I don't know it's just we've, like we've been reconnecting and it just seems right, you know?"

"Yes I do."

He relaxed into me and began to enjoy himself. As he became more comfortable he moved faster. Both of us took great pleasure in re-discovering each other. The sweet sensation as his fingers moved across my body. The heavy sent of oil. He shivered until I wrapped myself around him. I loved the tang of his lips on my neck. He was clumsy and slipped on occasion allowing me to put red marks all along his as well.

He made a trial of slow kisses down my back. I gripped the side of the bed as he went rigid against me. We became one again as if the last few weeks had never happened, we had the same rhythm and thoughts, lost in the tangle of arms and legs.

The candles had melted down to small stubs when we finally collapsed from exhaustion. Both of us panting hard and covered in sweat. He moved off of me and I moved to untangle myself from the bed sheets.

"Wow we are really out of practice."

"Was I that bad?"

I crawled over to him and rubbed my cheek against the stubble on his chin. Admiring the soft shadows that played on his face from the candlelight. "No, that was wonderful, but you are rusty."

"And you're sick so I think that makes us even."

I laughed. "Maybe."

I kissed him and pulled the covers around us. He wrapped his arms around me and pressed his face into my hair.

"I love you, Yugi."

"..."

(End chapter 4)