Princess Strawberry: Ohayo, minna! ^__^ Extra perky today, thanks to all of you lovely reviewers, boosting my reviews all the way up to 136!! Arigato!! *bows* And more thanks to Mrs.YamiYugi, Hine no Chikyuu, The Pendant Whackjob, Angel-Anastasia, Dark kitty14, wilted petals, and YugisisterMagenta for putting me on their "Favourite Authors" list! I feel so loved!!! ^-^
Yami Strawberry: Hey...*looks over script for seventh chapter* This isn't so bad! Though we should warn the readers that there will be a gig-*gets slapped with duct-tape on the mouth* MMPHH!! O__O
Princess Strawberry: *hurriedly* Me no own Yu-Gi-Oh! or any of the characters, though I own the plot, and I'm babbling, so let's get a move on here!
~*~ "Speaking"
'Thinking'
/Yugi speaking telepathically to Yami/
//Yami speaking telepathically to Yugi//
\Ryou speaking telepathically to Bakura\
\\ Bakura speaking telepathically to Ryou\\
=Malik speaking telepathically to Marik=
==Marik speaking telepathicaly to Malik==
*________'s Point of View*
~*~*~*~*~*~ - Scene/Time Change (hehheh...I changed the symbol again! ^^;)
((Us interrupting you for a few seconds)) ~*~
Ski Trip
Chapter 7: Close Admittance
"Yami?" Yugi inquired softly, eyes peering around the white door curiously. Duke and him had reached the nurse infirmary right after Carrie's hurried, but dramatic, exit. Duke had quickly explained that he needed to take a shower before the dinner that was set at six-thirty, so Yugi was left alone in front of Room 108, left alone to deal with his feelings.
"Come in," came Yami's low grumble.
Yugi timidly walked in and closed the door gently behind him, avoiding Yami's gaze. His darker half was lying in bed, completely camouflaging him in his white gown. The piece of garment made no effort to float on top of his body; in fact, it was clinging on to him - and the fact that it showed his well-toned muslces didn't help Yugi's position at all.
"Konnichiwa, mou hitori no boku," Yami greeted weakly.
"Konnichiwa," Yugi responded. "What did they say about your condition?"
"Fever and the fact that the nurses won't let me wear leather!" Yami whined, trying to get up, straining his already tense muscles.
Yugi giggled despite of Yami's unfortunate predicament. "But it'll hurt you when you sleep!" he tried to reason with the spirit, who had a funny-looking pout on his face. He placed his hands firmly on Yami's shoulders and eased him back in the bed. "Take it easy," Yugi advised him.
Yami grunted in protest. "But it's so boring just lying here...there's nothing to do!"
Yugi felt a tug at his heart. "All right," he gave in. "I'll try to convince Keiko-san to move you back to our room, rather than being cooped up in here." 'At least that'll give me sometime to sort out my emotions and maybe confess to you...'
Yami was too sore, but let out a strangled cheer nonetheless. "Arigato, aibou..."
Yugi flashed his trademark grin at him. "Key word's try." And he flounced out of the room and out into the hallway.
With Yugi gone from the room, Yami's eyes returned to the white ceiling, pondering. Why did Yugi have such an effect on him?
Oh yeah, he told
himself. Ever since the little light had solved the puzzle and
released him from eternal darkness.
((Me: --; Haven't we gone over this before? But what the heck,
I'll do it again, even if it's boring. You may skip it if you
want...))
It was five thousand years ago when he was Pharaoh of Egypt. Five
thousand years ago when his heart was an impenetrable iceberg.
Five thousands years ago when he sacrificed himself so that the
world would be at peace. Five thousands years ago when he was
trapped in that Ra-damned Puzzle. And then, present day, head
over heals, hopelessly in love with Yugi Motou, the destined boy
who solved the Millennium Puzzle. Present day when his mind would
succumb easily to Yugi's charm or puppy-dog eyes. Present day
when his soul would tear into tiny little pieces everytime Yugi
is sad or crying. Present day when his once-cold heart would melt
at the slightest ring of laughter Yugi made or the merest smile
given to him by Yugi. Present day when...
"Good news, Yami!" Yugi was back. "Keiko-san relented after I told her I knew how to treat fevers, and the nurses actually told me to go right ahead!"
Yami smiled weakly. "That's great, Yugi." He struggled with the blankets as a desperate attempt to get up.
Yugi's eyes widened. "You can't get out of bed just yet! You're in no shape to walk by yourself! Hang on, 'k? I'll go get Joey and the others." And as he prepared to leave the room, Yami grabbed his arm. "Hai?"
Yami swallowed and let out an inaudible sigh. Yes, this is going to be hard, but he's willing to give it a shot...even if it'll cost him their friendship. "Before you leave, aibou, I have something to tell you..."
Yugi's cheerful face turned to one of confusion and curiousity. "What is it?"
"I -"
"Oh, Yami-kins!" Téa threw open the door and came bouncing in. Yami winced. Somehow, one way or another, Téa always found a way to come back, no matter how much damage was done to her. Yugi took the time to slip out of the room quietly, unnoticed by Téa, but obviously spotted by Yami.
//You're leaving me here with her? ALONE!?//
Giggle. /I'll try to be back soon, ok? As soon as I find Joey and the others./
"I heard that you have a fever," Téa came clearly to her point, obviously oblivious to the fact that Yami was glaring at her, despite the fact that he was sick.
"Thank you so much for your concern," Yami said stiffly and coldly. "But really, I need absolutely no sympathy from you...you're not worth my time."
((Me: You think
that was a bit too harsh?
Yami Strawberry: Nah. *shakes head*
Me: Okay! Continue! ^-^))
Fake tears collected at the bottom of her ocean blue eyes. Her form started to quiver. Yami squirmed on the bed uncomfortably. If there was one thing the oh-mighty-King-of-Games was scared of, it was of females crying over some silly matter. Of course, whenever Yugi would cry, Yami just felt the urge to hug the little one close and kiss all those pain away.
Yugi. It always came back to Yugi.
Téa ran out of the room, all the while wailing like no tomorrow. She brushed past the gang (excluding Ryou, Bakura, Malik, and Marik, who were all still in the nurses' infirmary, and Duke, who was preparing for dinner) roughly, wiping her eyes with her sleeves angrily, and avoiding their curious gaze.
"Yami...?" Yugi ventured forth, putting a soothing touch on Yami's left arm, calming him. "Let's go."
Tristan, always the piggy-back man, crouched down and Joey and Yugi helped Yami on to his back. Tristan stood up, and for a moment, Yami felt what it was like to ride on a "wild horse". The ride back to his room was not pleasant, if not for Yugi, who kept sending soothing messages through their mind link.
"Well, we're here," Joey announced as Seto opened the door. As much as Seto hated Yami, he also hated it when Yugi turned big chibi eyes on him.
Yami collapsed on to the bed helplessly and tried in vain to sit up. //Itai...!//
/RELAX./
//...trying to...//
Sigh. /You really leave me with no choice.../
A raise of an eyebrow, also in vain. //Nani?//
"Guys...not to be rude or anything, but could you leave us? I've already told Keiko-san that I won't be at the dinner table tonight, or anytime soon..." he glanced at the fallen form of his darker half. "Until Yami gets better, I'm going to be in this very room taking care of him, all right? You can still visit, as long as his condition doesn't get any worse," he added hurriedly as Joey looked downcast at the prospect of not being able to visit his next best pal.
"Come on, Joey, man," Tristan slung an arm around Joey's shoulder and wheeled him towards the door. "Let's go chow."
Joey's expression brightened immensely. " 'K! You got yourself a deal, man!" The two raced down the hall and the rest could hear them shoving each other against the wall, in a desperate attempt to reach the dining room first.
"Ah well, could've been worse," Mai commented as she moved toward the door. "Catch you two later!" She winked and went out.
And nobody ever took notice of the glare Seto had sent Tristan when he slung his arm over Joey's shoulder as he too, exited the room to leave the two tri-coloured hair boy some peace and quiet.
~*~*~*~*~*~
DING-DONG...DING-DONG...DING-DONG...went the grandfather clock in the main hall. The rings echoed around the resort ten times, and the occupants currently in the gaming room knew instantly that they needed to pack up.
"Oi," Joey stretched as he suppressed a yawn. "I guess I'll be going now, you guys. 'Night." With a slow pace and a heavy heart, he made his way slowly up the stairs.
Seto stood up swiftly. "Good night to you all," he mumbled and hurried out of the room right after Joey.
~*~*~*~*~*~ ((Me: Whoo...it's time for some Seto/Joey action! ^-^))
Joey was just mounting the second staircase and was currently thinking: 'Man, how many stairs does this place have!?' when something, or rather, someone, grabbed him from behind and clapped a hand over his hand, silencing the scream that was about to erupt from his throat.
"Just where do you think you're going?" a rich, deep masculine voice whispered in his ear.
A delighted shiver ran down poor, frightened Joey's spine at the voice. That voice...he knows it...where had he heard it before...?
"Kaiba...?" Joey finally unstuck his throat as the hand removed itself from his mouth.
"Very good, mutt," Seto smirked. Even in the darkness Joey could still make out that evil mouth of his.
'Stop it,' he told himself and shook his head.
"Have you forgotten our deal, pup?" Seto murmured again into his ear.
"What deal?" Joey silently prayed that he sounded innocent.
"This morning...remember the duel?" Seto pressed on, face merely a few inches away from Joey's.
Joey's form started trembling. Kaiba didn't really mean it, did he!?
"There's no way of escape, Joey," as if reading his thought.
The blonde boy gulped as a malicious glint flared inside those two cold blue eyes. There was something he couldn't quite place that he saw in Kaiba's eyes - what was it?
His eyes widened as Seto closed the gap between them and enveloped his trembling lips.
'God!'
'Ra!'
The blonde and brunette were stunned at the feel of each other. Just the feel of lips was enough to send Seto Kaiba, CEO of Kaiba Corp., over the edge.
"Come on," he said lustfully. "We're continuing this in the bedroom." He pulled Joey to his feet and the two stumbled on the steps.
~*~*~*~*~*~
However, things weren't going as smooth as you would have guessed at the nurse infirmary. Bakura had been unconscious for a minimum of six hours. Ryou stayed by his bedside, eyes not leaving his yami's pale face. Malik and Marik had stayed quietly in the corner, every while exchanging a nervous glance with each other.
Only when it was dinner did Ryou allow Malik and Marik to leave to get something to eat. Malik and Marik, not wanting to provoke Ryou's anger any longer, scurried back to the room as soon as they had finished. Finally, Ryou stood up and heaved a big sigh.
"Look guys, this isn't right...just go."
Malik was taken aback. "But Ryou..."
"Listen, it isn't right for me to keep you here. It's not like it'll help Bakura wake up or anything. You can leave anytime you want.
"No, Ryou, listen to us..."
Ryou shook his head furiously. "NO! Leave!"
((Me: O__o
Wow...he's really mad, isn't he?
Yami Strawberry: *snorts* Anyone can tell...maybe except
you...^^))
"Let's go," Malik said softly and tugged at his yami's shirt. "Ryou can be really scary if he wants to..."
Marik turned around and stalked out of the room. Malik sighed. 'What am I to do with you?'
==Oh, I can think of a few things...==
Malik blushed slightly when the message drifted across their mind link. =Hey! You were invading my privacy!=
Marik grabbed his arm and hauled him up the stairs. "You heard what Ryou said...leave...and take it somewhere else..." he grinned evilly and Malik got the drift.
He fidgeted a bit. "Err...hate to ruin your mood, but we don't exactly have a room."
"Who cares? We'll get ourselves one."
Another grin.
"Let's go."
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Bakura...wake up..." Ryou pleaded even though he knew that his yami couldn't hear him. "Please...I can't live without you..."
Still no response.
Ryou placed a gentle kiss on Bakura's forehead. "Hope you can hear me say this: Aishiteru...Baku-chan." And he fell asleep with his head near the crook of Bakura's neck.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Yami was contently asleep. He was in a deep dreamless slumber. Until he heard distant music coming from somewhere in the far corner of his - correction, their (referring to him AND Yugi) - room. His dry eyes were forced to open, and he rubbed the sleep off of them with his left hand.
'What in the name of Ra?'
Sweet, gentle melodies were coming from some shape at the end of their room. Something...black. He lifted the blankets carefully as not to disturb the person who was currently playing the instrument, and on his bare feet, treaded cautiously to the source of sound.
As soon as he was within hearing distance of the person, the music immediately stopped. Drooping violet eyes peered up at him in a mix of astonishment, curiousity, and alarm from behind those soft yellow bangs.
"Yami! You shouldn't be out of bed! Your fever still hasn't passed yet!"
Yami let a smile graced his lips. "I'll be fine, hikari."
"Well, if you're positive..." he sounded doubtful.
Hastily changing the subject, Yami injected a question. "What was that song you were playing?"
"Oh? Did I wake you?"
"Iie. The music just kind of drifted into my mind and it was so pretty I thought I should know who played it." 'Of course, knowing that it's Yugi just makes it about a zillion times better.'
"Beethoven's 'Sonate Pathétique'. Second movement."
((Me: That was the first thing that popped into my mind since I was practising that before I came down to type.))
"It was really good," Yami praised him.
Yugi blushed and looked at the black and white keys of the piano. "Arigato," he said quietly.
"Know another one?"
Yugi wordlessly turned back to the piano and thought a moment. Then fluently let his fingers land on the keys and melodies entertwined with each other.
/It's called 'Nocturne in B-flat minor' by Chopin, in case you were wondering./
Yami nodded absent-mindedly while he moved soundlessly. Yugi's heartbeat quickened as Yami's body heat moved closer and closer to him.
The long slender arms snaked its way around the slim waist. Yugi's face now resembled a ripe tomato.
'Yikes...'
"Keep playing," Yami purred into Yugi's ear.
Yugi shivered. His ear was one of his most sensitive spots.
A few minutes later, the song ended. Yugi turned around slowly to see Yami's head drooping.
"Yami?"
But his darkness had already fallen asleep.
~ To be Continued ~
Authoress' Notes:
Princess Strawberry: Heh, looks like I inserted some more talents into Yugi-chan! ^o^ Heehee...
Yami Strawberry: You're spoiling him too much...
Princess Strawberry: Who cares!? Yugi's too cute...*pinches his face like an aunt would* Aren't you?
Yugi: -___- Help...I am NOT a puppet!
Princess Strawberry: ^^ Anyway, a big thanks to my math teacher, who gave me the idea for this chapter's Seto/Jou fluff moment. Arigato! (Even though she doesn't read my stories...^^;)
Yami: Ano...tell us in your review, or e-mail us, about what we should update next...OTHER than "Feeling Sporty?". Hope that didn't spoil your hopes too too much. *snickers*
Yugi: Read and review, minna-san! ~^__^~ *bows* Be a good audience!
