A Nutcracker Production

AN: I'm so sorry! I miscounted my chapters. Many thanks and much love to s2Teennovelist for pointing this out!

Last Time:

"What in the world?"

Now:

Dark brown eyes eyed the two teens-one of whom seemed to be just this side of asleep- with mild curiosity. Yugi blushed as he looked at the older male. "I-it… Um, M-Malik-kun had a fever a-and, um… He said the h-heat felt g-good…" He stuttered, looking completely mortified at being caught in this obviously compromising position. An eyebrow rose on the man's face while his lips quirked slightly in amusement. The person in question-Malik- simply 'hmmm'd' in sleepy response, nuzzling his face gently against Yugi's clothed shoulder. Yugi meeped and glanced at the intruder, worried he might get the wrong idea.

A deep chuckle rolled through the room as said 'intruder' stepped in and closed the door quietly. "Relax, Mutou-san." Shaadi(1) said. "Malik is very… affectionate- when he's sick." Yugi giggled and muttered quietly about how it was more accurate to say Malik was cuddly when he's sick. Shaadi chuckled again and walked over to check the blonde teen, noticing the towel and bowl of ice water. "I gave him a couple of Aspirin about two and a half hours ago. I hope that was okay; I figured he knew what medicines he could and couldn't take." Yugi quietly informed the man.

Shaadi nodded at the young tri-teen. "It was, and he does. How did you discover he was sick? He usually hides it until Bakura sits on him and Marik forces medicine down him." He stated somewhat curiously. Yugi frowned slightly and glanced at his older friend, slight concern lingering in his shining amethyst eyes. "I was sitting here drawing in my notebook and thinking, when I heard a crash and a thump. Malik-kun had tripped, or fallen, or something and he was on the ground, with those boxes scattered around him." Yugi started, pointing at the offending boxes. Shaadi glanced at them before looking back at the young teen.

"I ran over and helped him up, and helped gather all the boxes before leading him to a chair. I checked his forehead and nearly burned my hand he was so hot. So I grabbed a paper towel, wet it, and placed it on his forehead. But when I went to go get Isis-san or Ishizu-san, he wouldn't let me." Yugi's voice was concerned at first, but by the end, it was also confused. "Yes, Malik has a habit of not wanting people to worry about him. He believes that it would bother them." Shaadi informed Yugi, who looked up at him in confusion.

"Doesn't he realize that we'll just worry about him more if he does that?" Innocent purple eyes gleamed up at the man in a mixture of confusion, sympathy, and concern. With an elegant roll of his shoulders, Shaadi replied as he checked the temperature of the water in the bowl on the table, "Probably not. We tell him, but he doesn't seem to get it." Not finding the water cold enough for his liking, Shaadi walked around the table to the cabinets, grabbed a cup, and filled it with ice from the freezer. Yugi watched as he walked back over and carefully dumped the ice into the bowl. He honestly didn't know what to say about what Shaadi told him.

The two males turned-or twisted as much as possible, in Yugi's case- and watched as the dozing Malik stirred and looked around blearily, his eyes slowly locking on to Shaadi's imposing figure looming right next to him- and therefore, Yugi. The blonde blinked before speaking in a voice raspy from sleep, "What are you doin' here?" Shaadi looked from him to the boxes that were piled on a table nearby. "I came to see why those weren't done yet, but I'll let it go since you're obviously sick. Just get some rest and get better." Somehow, Shaadi managed to come across as both caring, and threatening in that statement. Both teens were left staring after him in wonder as he left the break room, closing the door gently behind him.

Blinking, the two teens glanced at each other before laughing quietly. Yugi's smile lingered as he re-wet Malik's towel, grinning unrepentantly when Malik rolled his eyes in mock exasperation. In retaliation, Malik grinned mischievously and started to tickle his pseudo brother's(2) sides, causing said boy to squirm and giggle hysterically. "That's better," Malik said gently. Yugi glanced at him in confusion. "What is?" He asked. "Nothing," Malik replied with a grin. "Just thinking to myself; ignore it." Yugi blinked before taking Malik's advice with a small shrug. "If you're sure. Are you feeling any better, Malik-kun?" He asked quietly. Malik's lips gave a small twitch that looked more like an amused smirk than a smile, and nodded yes before giving a contented sigh and dozing off slightly.

A few hours after Shaadi left them, Malik woke up, just in time for them all to go home. Luckily, the two boys had managed to get through the rest of the work day without anyone else walking in on them. Yugi stood and cleaned up the break room, while Malik downed a bottle of water and another two Aspirin before helping Yugi- not that there was much to clean up. On his way out of the building with Malik, Yugi caught a glimpse of Yami staring at him. That didn't bother Yugi so much as the expression on his face. Yami looked almost… hurt. Like Yugi had done something to betray him or something. A strange twisting in Yugi's chest caused him to look away from the older dancer and raise a hand to his chest, rubbing the spot over his heart. 'Am I having a heart attack or something?' He thought worriedly(3).

(1): Hahahaha! Didn't expect that, did you?! Bam! The only people who guessed, guessed it was either Marik or Yami/Atemu. Now, I was tempted to have it as one of them, both because ya'll seemed to want/expect that, and because it'd be awesome to write/read/see. But then I didn't want to do that, because… ya'll seemed to want/expect that. XD So I tried to come up with someone really unexpected to walk in on them. I was tempted to do Anzu/Tea, but… She's a bitch in this story, and I want as little to do with her as possible. At least in this story, I do. Anywho…. On to note-

(2): For my wonderful translator, AkuZeku, here is a-belated- explanation as to why Yugi isn't that concerned/flustered. During the weeks he practiced with all of them, Yugi grew close(or closer, in Jou's case) to them all, and Malik and Ryou consider him a best friend/little brother, and he thinks of them as best friends/older brothers. Jou's the same way. Hope that clears it up for you, if not, or if ya'll just want me too, I can type up a quick little side chapter and chuck it in somewhere (that sounds rather… forceful, doesn't it? ^/^ LOL! ) Be warned though, I don't have any other chapters written, so if I do, it'll have to, A: wait until I have more chapters written, or B: take first priority in getting written and posted, making the other chapters wait. Of course, it'll be short(hopefully), so it shouldn't take too long, but I'll leave it up to you.

(3): And naively.

A/N: Poor Yugi… So cute, so innocent, so naïve… And poor Yami! What has happened that he thinks Yugi betrayed him? Does he think that? Or is he just hurt that Yugi doesn't feel that comfortable around him? Thoughts? Opinions? Flames? And I'm so sorry this is so late in being posted. Jeez, I feel so disappointed in myself… *mutters* Stupid writer's block and IRL problems…. Anywho, none of the other chapters are written, and while this one is short, I figured I'd better post something before ya'll tar and feather me, then toss me in a pit with a starving lion… Eh heh! *sweatdrops* Pleasedon'thurtme! *hides under her bed*