Chapter title: Dinner
Word count: 2.940
Chapter: 11/15
Chapter summary: Yuugi has dinner at Yami's house.
Chapter warnings: -
Pairings: YamixYuugi
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Chapter 11: Dinner

The black glass screen shined as he stared at it. Yami just had the most… emotionless conversation with Yuugi ever. Usually the other man was bubbly and happy, but now he sounded so sad and distant. He had asked Yuugi out but the other had declined, making up excuses like not feeling well, and that he was too busy.

His friend Jounouchi noticed Yami's incessant staring at the phone. "What's up man?" He asked, sitting closer to his friend.

"Yuugi just rejected me. He gave short, curt answers and… this is just very unlike him," Yami said in a tone of disbelief. Jounouchi pursed his lips. He knew how much Yami was at the office lately.

"When was the last time you two went out, just the two of you. You know… romantically." Yami had to think for a little.

"I think about two months ago?" He said unsure.

Jounouchi made a pained face. "He's slipping away from you. You're going to lose him if you don't do something." Yami looked mortified. Losing Yuugi? No, that's not an option. "A man's wife is his life. Well… husband in your case… but you get what I mean. Don't neglect them."

"I never realized I had been neglecting him…" Yami sighed, burying his hands into his hair. He had to do something, fast. He unlocked his phone to call Yuugi but was interrupted by Ryou wanting a spontaneous meeting. Grudgingly, he put it on silent and slipped it back into his pocket. The game had come a long way, and they were looking for betas to test it. A lot of buzz was already going around about the game. They had intentionally 'leaked' some images so people would get excited over it. The responses were quite positive and their audience was very excited.

The meeting took longer than he wanted and ended near his shift. He had stalled calling Yuugi until he got home. First he picked up Juudai, and went to home immediately. As he was cooking dinner, he dialed the number of his boyfriend. Yuugi picked up after it rang a couple times.

"Hey Yami." Yuugi said as he answered.

"H-hey…" Yami was suddenly feeling nervous. Yuugi sounded tired and just slightly annoyed. "I was just wondering if you would like to come over for dinner Friday evening, after you get off of work." He asked hopefully. He could hear Yuugi sigh on the other line.

"I can't. Mom's going out with Akira and there is no one that can look after Omote." He answered. Yami bit his lips. That was the only night that he could drop Juudai of at Jounouchi's to be babysat. "What about Saturday?" He asked. Yuugi sighed again.

"I… don't know…."

"Please Yuugi… I haven't seen you in so long. I miss you…" Yami had to bite his lower lip to keep from crying. His desperation must have reached Yuugi, because the man agreed.

"Alright."

Yami could jump into the air from glee. "Great! I'll cook us dinner at my place. Can you come around 6 pm? I'll try to have everything ready by then." He said happily.

"That's fine Yami. See you then."

"Bye Yuugi." Yami said with a soft smile. His relationship might not be in jeopardy yet.

"Daddy! I'm hungry!" Juudai complained from the living room.

"Almost done!" He called back. As he set the table, Yami thought about Juudai. The boy had turned six not too long ago and Yuugi didn't come to the party. He said that Omote was ill and that his mom was out again. Apparently things had gotten quite serious with the man she was seeing. Yami was upset, but he knew how important Omote was to Yuugi. And he had seen that the little boy's health was deteriorating. He had grown even paler and had lost so much weight. Yuugi worried over him a lot.

"Juudai! Dinner is ready!" The boy was there within seconds. As the father and son ate, Yami decided to talk to Juudai about Saturday. He had noticed that it didn't quite click between Yuugi and Juudai. He hadn't been able to figure out exactly what it was. Yuugi was usually very good with children and Juudai hadn't pranked anyone in a while. Everyone loved him at his office, even the people from the orphanage were warming up to him.

"Juudai." He started, getting the attention of the boy. "We need to talk." Juudai dropped what he was doing. Every one of those conversations started like this. Every conversation where he was told he was going back to the orphanage.

"Y-you promised!" The boy was on the verge of tears. Yami was confused over the boy's reaction.

"W-what?"

"You promised you wouldn't leave me! You're kicking me out like them!"

"Do not raise your voice when talking to me Juudai. Why do you think I am kicking you out?!" Yami yelled. Then he frowned. "Why? Did you do something?" Yami was glaring at the boy. Juudai immediately shook his head. Good, Yami hadn't figured out that he had spilled paint over Yuugi on purpose, or that he had made Omote cry and get punished.

"Okay." Yami breathed out to calm down. He regained his calm demeanor. "What I wanted to say is, Saturday evening Yuugi is coming over for dinner. I couldn't find a babysitter so you're going to have to stay home and I want you to be on your best behavior. Understood?"

Juudai pouted. "But we always play games on Saturday!" He protested.

"No. I know you and Yuugi don't see eye to eye, but Yuugi is very important to me and I do not want to lose him." He said firmly. Juudai lowered his head. "Do you understand?"

"Yes." Juudai muttered. But this was perfect. So Yuugi only needed one more push to leave him and his daddy alone? This was perfect. He could sacrifice one Saturday. There would be plenty more Saturdays he could spend with his daddy.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Saturday had fast approached and Yuugi found himself in font of Yami's door. He was dressed up in black slacks, with a white dress shirt and a black vest. Yami opened the door as soon as he heard the doorbell ring. However, he was a little too under-dressed.

"Did we decide on a dress code?" He joked. Yami was wearing a sweatshirt and sweatpants.

"I don't think we did… but I really needed to gussy up a little. I have been feeling down for a while…." Yuugi admitted. Yami pouted cutely and ushered Yuugi inside by holding his hand.

"Why don't you sit down while I get dressed?" Yami said, leading Yuugi into the living room. Yuugi nodded and sat down on the couch, looking around. Of course nothing had changed, but somehow he felt like a stranger. After about ten minutes, Yami returned, dressed semi-formal.

"How I look?" Yami asked. Yuugi smiled genuinely. The smoking ember had again ignited into flames. Small flames, but flames nonetheless.

"Very nice." Yuugi commented. Yami took him by the hand and twirled him around. Yuugi laughed as butterflies wrestled in his stomach. Yami smiled, already feeling good about this evening.

"I am going to make you feel good again Yuugi… I am so sorry for the lack of attention…" Yami apologized. The two shared a small kiss, looking each other in the eyes after parting.

"It's… okay." Yuugi didn't even convince himself with his words. "I know how busy your job is, especially with a child." He sounded sad. Yami changed the subject fast.

"But now, it's just you and me."

"Daaad!"

"And Juudai." Yuugi didn't look happy. "I tried so hard to find a babysitter but no one was available." He apologized. Yuugi sighed and slid his hand out of Yami's.

"I promise you, you're going to like this dinner." Yami said, grabbing the hand again and leading the man to the kitchen. The dining table was set up for three people, with Juudai already sitting in the middle chair. A small candle holder held three lit, red candles in the middle of the table.

"Sir." Yami said, holding the chair ready for Yuugi. The other man laughed at the old-fashioned gesture and sat down. Yami sat down at the opposite side of Yuugi then realized he forgot to bring out the food. "Juudai come help me." He ordered as he stood up again. Juudai unwillingly stood up and helped his dad.

"Give this to Yuugi." He said, handing the boy the filled plate. Juudai had an idea. It was pretty much the same as the paint-spilling one. However this time he wouldn't throw the food at Yuugi. His dad got really angry last time. He wobbled the plate on purpose to shake the food off, but he wasn't paying much attention where he was walking and tripped. He chin hit the hard floor. The crash attracted the attention of both adults. Juudai started crying as the males came to the rescue.

Yami picked him up and placed the boy back into his chair. "What happened?" Yami asked, wiping the tears away. "You never had any problem carrying plates before." His voice was soothing.

"I-I-I w-was… w-was…." Juudai cried harder. Yuugi started feeling the chin and jaw of the boy to see if there was any injury.

"Everything feels okay. But that was quite the fall." He felt sorry for the child. Whether he liked Juudai or not, a crying child was a sight he never liked.

"Yeah… the food fell on the floor too… I know I should've made spares…." Yuugi looked to see a dismantled hamburger and other veggies lying on the floor.

"You made hamburgers?" Yuugi asked. Yami had kneeled down to the floor and was starting to pick up the spoiled food and pieces of broken plate.

"Yeah. You love them, don't you? Or did I not get the memo that said you changed favorite foods?" Yuugi smiled brightly, that flame growing bigger and bigger.

"Yes… I do indeed." Juudai stopped crying as he heard this. Yuugi loved hamburgers but his was being thrown away. This was revenge for making his chin hurt!

Yami shrugged, standing up to throw away what he picked up. "I can live without a burger."

Yuugi gasped. "How can you say that?!"

Yami turned around and held up his hands. "Sorry, sorry. Hamburger is life." The two adults chuckled at the little banter. Yami rubbed the fluffy hair of the little boy. "Feeling better already?" Juudai nodded, earning him a small kiss on the top of his head from his father. Yami took the two remaining plates and placed them in front of Yuugi and Juudai.

"I feel so guilty that you don't have anything… can't you make another one?" Yuugi asked. Yami shrugged.

"Yours would get cold if you waited for me to have one. I'll just make some grilled cheese and steal a bite or two from you." He said with a little mischief in his voice. Yuugi laughed and shook his head. "So how is your mother doing?" Yami asked as he prepared the grilled cheese.

"She's fine. She is really serious about Akira but I'm a little scared they're moving too fast…."

Juudai zoned out the conversation the two adults had. This was so unfair! He had dropped Yuugi's plate! Yuugi wasn't supposed to get food, his daddy was! His daddy needed to eat so he could grow stronger too! However, Yuugi on the other hand, would do just fine without food. Juudai munched his hamburger angrily.

The sandwich didn't take long to make and the adults sat down to eat dinner. Toasting with their red wine glasses, they ate their dinner with idle chatter. Juudai had eaten his hamburger and potato chips and excused himself from the table. Usually Yami wouldn't allow him until he had finished everything but the grilled cheese hadn't filled him up at all. He was in the middle of clearing Juudai's plate when Yuugi handed him his burger.

"You can take a few bites." He offered. Yami gratefully took the bun and took a big bite. "Not so big!" Yuugi said panicking. Yami looked at Yuugi oddly but noticed the playful twinkle in his yes. He smiled too and took yet another big bite.

"Give my baby back!" Yuugi laughed, leaning over to take his hamburger back. Yami held it out of reach.

"I am suspecting you love burgers more than you love me…" Yami said in mock hurt.

"Do I really have to answer that?" Yuugi joked. Yami laughed and handed the hamburger back. Yuugi split it into two pieces. He handed one of them back to Yami. "I feel really bad that you didn't get to eat. Besides, I'm almost full already." Yami knew Yuugi was lying. The man had a second stomach - especially for burgers. But how could he deny such generosity?

"Thank you so much, Aibou…" Yami said.

"A-Aibou?" Yuugi asked surprised. Yami blushed as he realized he had called Yuugi his secret nickname.

"Y-Yeah… we're partners, right?" Yuugi chuckled.

"I guess we are."

Looking at the time, Yami saw that it was getting late. "Excuse me." He said to Yuugi. "Juudai! Brush your teeth and get ready for bed!"

After tucking Juudai in, Yami joined Yuugi in the living room. The two had cleaned the table together and did the dishes. Yuugi had insisted he help, otherwise he would have just been sitting and staring out in front of him. After that, Yuugi was seated in the living room anyways as Yami made sure Juudai went to bed.

Cuddling up, the couple watched a movie into the late hours of the night. It wasn't until the really late night shows started, that the two realized how late it was. "I-I should get home!" Yuugi whispered loudly. He shot up and went to get his jacket but was stopped by Yami.

"Yuugi wait, it's too late out… and I can't walk you home because I can't leave Juudai alone…." Yuugi nodded for Yami to continue. "Maybe… you can stay and sleep here?" Yami suggested awkwardly. He really didn't want to pressure Yuugi into making him stay, but he also didn't want to let the man go home alone.

"I…" Yuugi wasn't sure.

"You can sleep on my bed and I'll take the couch." Yami suggested, pulling Yuugi with him to his bedroom. It wasn't unknown territory for Yuugi, but he had never slept over before. "What do you say? Or I could call a cab."

Yuugi looked at the big bed. He felt guilty for, first, taking away his hamburger, and now hogging the bed, too. Yuugi smiled, he was going to do something unexpected. However, if Yami did something weird to him, he wouldn't live to see the light of day. He clasped his hands behind his back and started to sway with his body a little. "Or… you know, we can share the bed, like we did with the hamburger." He grinned.

Yami's mouth almost dropped. Yuugi actually wanted to sleep with him? Not that kind of sleep, but just… sleeping. "I-If that's what you want… sure." Yami said with a small blush. Yuugi chuckled as he saw Yami's embarrassed yet eager expression. Yami gathered a fresh pair of pajamas for Yuugi while he put on the sweatshirt and pants that had been discarded earlier. Yuugi got the bedroom while Yami went to the bathroom. Even though they were both guys and didn't have much to hide, it was still embarrassing for them since they were dating. Yuugi crawled in bed as he waited for Yami to return.

Yami turned off the lights as he returned. They first sat on the bed with a bit of an uneasy air around them. Yami decided to break it. "Yuugi… I was so afraid of losing you…" He admitted.

"I'm sorry Yami… I really don't want to be needy but… I feel lonely really fast. Especially now that Omote is feeling so down and mom always out of the house…." Yuugi told. Yami didn't say a thing as he embraced the other man. Yuugi leaned into the touch.

"I'm so sorry Yuugi… after this game is done… I promise I will have much more time." Yami said, lightly caressing Yuugi's hair. Yuugi gently shook himself out of the embrace and gentle petting.

"That's not it Yami… it's..." Yuugi bit his lip. "It's Juudai." He admitted. Yami's eyes grew wide. "Yami, it's just that… ever since he came into your life, everything seems to go wrong… the paint, the fish, this dinner, Omote's behavior…." Pretty much a half year had passed since Juudai first arrived. It had put quite a strain on their relationship.

"Y-Yuugi… are you… jealous?" Yami asked with disbelief in his voice.

"W-What? Of course not!" Yuugi sighed, lying down on the bed with his back facing Yami and covered himself up with the blanket. "Just… nevermind."

Yami turned Yuugi back to him and kissed the other man on the lips. Licking Yuugi's lips, Yami asked for entrance. Almost on reflex, Yuugi parted his lips, granting Yami's tongue entrance. This time, the butterflies did kamikazes in his stomach. That flame, had suddenly combusted into a full blaze. This was the first time they had ever made-out.

The need for oxygen made them pull apart, both out of breath. "Well.. that was…" Yami panted.

"Amazing?" Yuugi finished.

"Yeah." Yami watched as Yuugi's eyes drooped down on their own accord. He himself had been pretty tired as well. Before he even knew it, everything had faded into black.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Author Notes: Sorry for the wait again. My beta had been a little busy but she did a few chapters in advance so the next one shouldn't be too far away now! This chapter had some puzzleshippy fluff so enjoy it~

Just saying… shit gets real in the next chapter fufufufu. If you paid attention at the top, it says that this is 11 out of 15, meaning I have pretty much finished this fanfic. I am currently working one a one shot turned two/three shot called Serpent Skin, I have also started to plan out my next fanfiction called The Experiment which I am so excited to write. Thank you for reading, reviewing, faving and following! It really helps my motivation!

On a different note, I have finally watched GX and omg I fell in love with it. Spiritshipping has become another one of my OTP's. I feel guilty writing Juudai as a little jerk here since he's out of character ;-;