Disclaimer: I don't own Yu gi oh it is the property of Kazuki Takahashi.

Catching a Break: You, me, and Life Makes Three

"Rise and shine everybody it's a glorious day and I'm here to wake you up with the Stan the morning ma-"

"Oh, shut up, Stan, nobody cares."

I moved the covers back to see Yami's fist on the radio that doubled as our alarm clock and looking like he'd been hit by a truck.

"Careful with that, Yami, it's the only thing in this place that was built in the last decade."

He just put one hand over his eyes and sunk back under the covers.

"Are you okay?"

"Oh, gods I feel like I've just been run over by a chariot at full speed, and then they backed up and did it again," he mumbled pulling the covers above his head and rolling over.

Well it certainly didn't take a genius to figure this out. I knew I should feel bad that he'd caught it from me, but instead I just felt really smug.

"I hate to say I told you so…actually no I don't, so I told you so, I told you so I told you so!"

"Must you rub it in?"

I snuggled closer to him and let his head rest against my shoulder.

"I'm sorry, but you have to admit anyone could have seen this coming from a mile away."

"Okay I admit I was stupid now, can we go back to sleep?"

I tried but the sheets were too stiff and he and I were going to be glued to each other at this rate. The not so glowing aftermath of intimacy.

"I am going to take a shower."

"Why?"

"Because I think I'm stuck to these sheets." I paused. "I would love it if you would join me."

"I'd rather sink into the mattress if it's all the same to you."

"We both need it."

"Yes, but you make the assumption that the water is working. Between the heat and the power you know it's the next thing to go."

"Well we won't know until we try right?"

He finally pushed the sheets off of us and propped himself up on his elbows.

"All right I'm up, happy?"

"Very."

&&&

"One of us should really get sick more often," I said as we stumbled out of the steam enveloped bathroom. Leaving several more things to be cleaned in our wake. He pressed me against the container I braced myself against it and my fingers curled around a familiar cord. I turned my head towards it, breaking the kiss.

"We really, really should plug that back in," Yami said as he followed my line of focus.

"I know. Well it was nice to block out the world while it lasted," I replied and pushed the plug back into the wall.

Not a moment after it was plug in it rang. I rolled my eyes and grabbed it.

"Hello?"

"Is Yami Mutou there?"

I sighed. "Yes, yes he is."

"It's for you."

"Hello? Yes…yes I know." I watched him sigh and pinch the bridge of his nose. He wouldn't dare go in! Not after all this! He can't!

"Lucy, I'm sick as a dog and if Bob wants me to come in dragging snow all over his industrial strength grey carpets and pass this on to everyone in the office so they can't wait on him hand and foot then I will, but if he doesn't, and I know he doesn't, would you be so kind as to tell him to shove off."

With that he hung up the phone and placed his hands on my shoulders.

"Now where were we?"

Suddenly he went limp against me. I caught him in my arms, feeling the heat of his fever radiate off his skin. I reminded myself that just because I felt better didn't mean he did.

"We were about to lie down," I said as I wrapped one arm around his shoulders, and helped him over to the couch.

(Yami)

I flipped through the channels lazily, occasionally getting an actual picture of a show on the ancient screen. After a time I glanced over at Yugi. He lay on the other end of the couch looking over his books and fidgeting occasionally.

"Are you all right?"

"Yami, last night when you told you loved me did you say it because you meant or because it was right for the moment?"

Oh, for the love of Hathor isn't this fixed yet? "I said it because I meant it, Yugi, not because I was supposed to. What is really bothering you, Yugi? I don't mean to sound angry, but I'm getting tired of doing everything I can think of to show you how sorry I am and having you continue to question my sincerity."

"I'm sorry I keep doing this. It's just oh, I don't know."

"Yes you do now what is it?"

"It's just that this relationship isn't what it use to be. I mean outside of these last two days when was the last time we sat around like this? When was the last time we had the kind of passion we showed to each other just now? And hell, Yami, when was the last time you told me you loved me?"

I thought about it and realized to my horror that I didn't know.

"And you never do those little things with me anymore. Like wake me up in the middle of the night and kiss just because you wanted to."

He was right I hadn't done any of that stuff lately hey wait a minute. "I thought you hated when I did that?"

"I thought I did too. I guess it's true what they say you don't know how much you'll miss something until it isn't there anymore."

"Well if you wanted to spend time with me so badly why did you always go off to the library to study? Why not stay here?"

"I assumed you wouldn't want me around to distract you from your work."

Again with the work. "Yugi, why are so convinced that I am obsessed with my job?"

"Well if you hate it so much why did you want to go there rather than spending time with me? I know you say you don't like it, but every time your boss calls you jump at the chance to run away from me. I use to be that something that fulfilled you and made you happy. Now your job is that something."

I sat up in shock and pulled him into my arms, kissing his hair, doing everything I could to reassure that nothing could replace him in my heart.

"No, no, gods never. Oh, Yugi, I did it for you. My Yugi, everything I do is for you. I wanted to give you everything you deserve."

"Oh, Yami, I don't care if I live in a cardboard box and eat TV dinners until I'm forty as long as I'm with you."

Suddenly it all clicked and I finally understood why that night had meant so much to him. It was because it wasn't some grand event that was why it mattered. For Yugi it was important that I showed that I cared about him simple because I did and not because the situation called for it.

I hugged him tighter. "You know we both need to stop assuming so much and start talking a little more."

"So let's talk."

"About what?"

"I don't know school, work?"

"I don't want to talk about work."

"Why not?"

"Because it is a hellish experience that I do not wish to associate with outside of the eight hours required of it."

"So why do you do it?"

"Because bills don't pay themselves, Yugi."

He rolled his eyes and snorted. "I know that what I meant was why do you stay there? There are hundreds of other jobs you could do."

"I've never really thought about it before I guess I do this because I can. I don't know why I don't go somewhere else."

"I do. It's because you don't like the idea of failure. You've gotten good at your job and no matter how much you hate it you don't want to do something else in case you aren't any good at it."

He was right I didn't want to leave because I didn't want to risk failing and in turn looking like an incompetent idiot. A remnant of my days as Pharaoh? Perhaps or maybe it just came from being here, from being human.

"You're right, Yugi, I just-well what else can I do? A high school diploma and nothing else isn't the most wonderful way to build a career."

"They have upgrading programs, Yami, you could go back with me if you want."

"We have enough trouble financially as it is."

"I get four months off in the summer I can get a job then maybe even two if it's something you really want will find a way."

I smiled, touched at how much he could care for me at the expense of himself.

"Well talk more when we're in a better condition to think clearly."

He nodded and tucked himself into the crook of my arm while I played with his hair.

"This was a lot easier when it was new wasn't it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Life never got in the way of us loving each other. There were no jobs no real responsibilities. Plans could be dropped at a moments notice for us and our friends and family didn't interfere in what they consider inappropriate."

"You're right. I guess maybe I had an unreal expectation about how this was going to go."

"No you didn't, Yugi, all you wanted was to be shown affection and I got so caught up in making a big grandstand show of it I forgot that little things like keeping a date with you are just as important."

"You don't need to beat yourself up over it. I mean you shouldn't be the only one showing all the loving gestures. I should too."

"But you do you spent the other day trying to give me less to do. I wouldn't consider it very smart, but it was a loving gesture."

I kissed him trailing them down his face and stared into those deep purple eyes. I've really missed this.

"I love you and no job or boss or creepy landlady will ever change that."

"And I love you and you don't need to buy me a forty room mansion to show me you care. Just being with you like this is all I've ever wanted."

(End chapter 5)