*sheepishly accepts crown and title of "Queen of Forgetting to Update".* Sorry guys! I've gotten a really great response to this story on and a decent response to it on wattpad, so I really should remember better... XD. Oops!

Chapter 7:

The Learning Experience

A month had passed since all of this occurred.

Yami had been practising his lip reading every day, and could now understand almost anything that anyone said to him. He could read Yuugi's lips and tell the exact words he used; an especially good exercise, since Yuugi's vocabulary was quite expansive.

All the hard work had its downfalls, though. Since he was constantly improving his talents, watching internet videos to help, watching Mai's lips as she spoke, and generally spending time bettering himself, Yuugi was pushed off to the side. Despite how much he wanted to spend every moment he could with him, (they had grown even closer in the second month Yuugi had spent at the hospital) Yami had to learn to speak, for him. Once he finally did, he could surprise Yuugi with it, and then, they could start spending more time together. He could observe and practice with Yuugi. All the missing him was practically driving Yami insane, though.

At least they still had nights. Yami would get up sometimes, (he just had a feeling of when he should, he couldn't explain it, but it was always right) and walk through the hospital, faking drowsiness, to Yuugi's room. He'd lightly tap on the door if it was closed and Yuugi would stumble around with his cane for a little while until he found it, hands fumbling for the handle as he tried to open the door. Once he finally succeeded in his task, Yami would step through and immediately hug him. Sometimes, he was happy. Other times, he looked sad, as if he'd been crying again.

That was another reason Yami couldn't wait to talk to Yuugi. He knew that Yuugi was sad; he just didn't know why. He wanted to learn everything about him, including his troubles, and try to make them better. Yuugi clearly needed comforting, and Yami knew that he wouldn't talk to a stranger about it. He only hoped that Yuugi would find them close enough to talk to him about it.

As for right then, Yami was laying in Yuugi's bed next to him, the television turned onto Supernatural. Yami was focusing on reading their lips for the most part, but relying on the subtitles for phrases or words he didn't yet know. He'd been instructed to carefully look in the mirror each day and try to mouth words to himself, even trying to actually say them at times. He had to copy everything just right; the way the lips moved, where the tongue went, the actual talking part. It was difficult, and he'd just started the stage a week ago, but he thought he was getting along good so far. He had decided, though, not to ask Mai to help him with that part. He knew it was cheesy and cliché, but he wanted Yuugi to be the first one to hear his voice.

He reached over, no longer paying attention to the TV, (well, technically it was netflix. They had to start over so Yuugi could see (well, hear) the whole thing) and ran his fingers gently through Yuugi's hair, snuggling closer. Yuugi nuzzled in to his hand, giving a small smile. He reached up and grabbed Yami's hand from his hair, intertwining their fingers together. Yami felt his breath catch in his throat as Yuugi's smile lit up his face.

This was another new development. Yuugi no longer had any reservations concerning physical contact; he would reach out and grab Yami's hand all the time now, whenever he felt the urge. It had started about a week ago, and despite the countless times it had happened, it never failed to take Yami's breath away. He felt so happy and light, in a way he'd never felt before. He couldn't even begin to comprehend how someone he'd known for only two months had managed to become such a prominent part of his life. It was a little disorienting, honestly.

There was a sharp tap on the door and Yuugi's head snapped in the direction of the sound, fully intent on finding out who it was. Yami sighed and let go of Yuugi's hand, (Yuugi gave a small frown) and got up, figuring that there was no use in making Yuugi use his cane. He was getting better at it, and now had very few accidents, but Yami still didn't like to put him in the position where he had to. Yuugi seemed annoyed with the thing most of the time.

He peered out the window for a second before opening it, revealing Mai behind the door. Her hair was slightly messy and her shirt was a little rumpled up. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Were you and Joey making out in the closet again?" He asked. Mai's face turned a light shade of pink, but she kept her head held high pridefully as she bounced into the room, ignoring the question. Yami rolled his eyes as he shut the door again, shaking his head back and forth.

Mai and Joey had gone out on three more dates since the first. Yami was happy to see that they acted the same, though; they hadn't changed the way that they treated each other, (well, if you don't count the whole "sneaking off every few days to make out") and they seemed to be working out just fine. Joey had proven to have a romantic side when he brought a flower in for Mai, (or, more accurately, dragged his muddy feet into the door and thrust the thing into her hands because he had gone on a nature hike to actually find something he thought she would like) which helped him seem more mature to her. Of course, they were still taking things slowly. Going too fast in any relationship where such heavy emotions were involved could potentially be disastrous.

"Hey, how are you two doing?" Mai asked, not bothering to sign it out. Yami smiled, feeling a small bubble of pride at being able to understand He shrugged, gesturing towards Yuugi as if to say, "Ask him, not me!". Yami was fine as long as Yuugi was happy; that's what he really wanted.

"I'm doing fine, Mai." Yami read from Yuugi. Yuugi had waited until Mai had told him what Yami had insisted to speak, not wanting to accidentally trample on the words of his friend. He wouldn't want to interrupt; that was something Yuugi had been disciplined for at the boarding school.

Mai's eyes flickered briefly to Yami for a moment, to make sure that he understood what Yuugi had said. When she had confirmed this, she looked back at Yuugi, smiling and saying that that was good. She soon turned slightly concerned and she turned to Yami, giving a small frown as she did so. She looked like she was thinking things over, contemplating her next move. Yami had a feeling he wouldn't like what happened next.

"Yami, how about you go and see Mokuba?" She suggested. Yami perked up at the idea. He thought that Mai was going to scold him or had bad news, but he was more than happy with that turnout. He nodded his head eagerly and waved at her in consent, feeling the dull ache in his chest he got when he missed someone. He hadn't realized it had been that long since he'd seen his friend, but now, he wanted nothing more than to see him.

Since they started him on the miracle medicine, Mokuba had been improving rapidly. He was no longer the small and frail child that he had been before; he was fierce, his comebacks quick and his mischief peaked. He was alive and young and innocent and was healthy enough to blush when someone talked about Rebecca, (despite his denial, everyone knew he had a small crush on Yami's old translator) and he was bouncing with energy and youth. Places where bones had previously jutted out were now round with a soft layer of healthy fat, and he could keep down almost all of his food now. He had gotten out of the bed to walk around the hall twice that week, much to the alarm of the nurse, whom had told him explicitly that no matter how well he felt he couldn't do that.

Yami quickened his pace, eager to see how his friend had improved. He wondered why Mai had sent him to see the little brat, and wanted to know if Mokuba had said anything about his absence. His practice time had taken time from all of his friends, not just Yuugi. He was wary, but knew that the hard work would more than pay off in the end. As long as he slowed down once he was good enough, to avoid the possibility of foster care.

He looked up to find that he had arrived at Mokuba's door, and smiled. His hand hesitated over the cool metal, flashing back to so many other times he had opened this door to find Mokuba weak and sickly, bones jutting out awkwardly as he bent over the bed and heaved. He flinched at the memories and reminded himself firmly that this was different, that Mokuba was getting better now. He took a steady breath before he pushed the door open, unconsciously clutching the handle just a little tighter than necessary.

Yami opened the door to find Mokuba cheerily sitting up in his bed, complexion pink and eyes sparkling with happiness as he looked down at the table. Joey sat beside him, staring down in shock at the cards that were sprawled out in front of the pair. He shook his head in disbelief, throwing up his hands in defeat as Mokuba laughed. Yami could read his lips as he said, "That's the fifth game of poker I've won in a row. I'm sure it's still just beginner's luck though, right?"

Joey half-glared at Mokuba as he pouted, placing his arms firmly across his chest as Mokuba collected the poker chips laying in the centre of the table. His eyes flickered up and around the room absently as he preformed the task, his hands halting their progress as he spotted Yami.

"Yami! How have you been?" He asked cheerily, dropping the poker chips and using his hands to talk. Joey, noticing Mokuba's movement out of the corner of his eye, glanced back over to look at Yami and smiled broadly, the woes of losing all but forgotten. Mokuba soon began to determinedly move his legs, (he had barely been able to have enough physical therapy before the last few months to keep him mobile, but now, he was using them like a pro) his hand reaching out to grab the bed sheet and throw it aside. His brow furrowed in concentration as he stood up.

He stumbled a couple of steps towards Yami before throwing his arms around his friend's waist, his head nuzzling into Yami's chest. Yami was frozen for a moment before he slowly reached down and patted Mokuba's head, returning the hug with his other hand. He glanced up to see Joey sighing deeply and putting his head in his hands; as good as it was that Mokuba was standing right now, he wasn't supposed to be, and Joey didn't know how he would keep him from it.

Of course, Mokuba didn't like the physical therapy. It was painful and more times then not uncomfortable bending his motionless legs to awkward angles and enduring the burn of his muscle naturally stretching. He had stuck with it, though, and he was determined to get some use out of the countless hours his muscles were quaking and burning while he practised his exercises. He was therefore almost impossible to keep in the bed, no matter how hard Joey tried to coax him to stay still with games of Poker or long stories about when Yami and him were a couple of years younger.

"Mokuba, you should be resting." Joey tried feebly. Mokuba pulled away from Yami and slowly unwrapped his arms from the other's waist, sticking out his tongue at Joey as he did. He glanced back up at Yami again momentarily before he stepped back and stumbled a couple of steps to the bed, climbing in slowly, pain briefly etching across his features as he lifted up his leg. He eventually ended up underneath the covers again, back by the poker table, and Yami realized then that he had been holding his breath. He let it out with a sigh of relief for Mokuba's good health and ability to balance himself, and stepped forward to observe their game of poker.

"Did Mai send you?" Joey asked. Yami almost responded, before he realized that Joey didn't yet know he could understand, and turned to Mokuba to watch him translate. His mind wandered a little as Mokuba worked, before being jerked back to reality as Joey nudged his arm. He shook his head a bit before remembering that he was supposed to be responding, and sheepishly raised his hands.

"Yes, Mai sent me. She stayed behind with Yuugi, though." Yami informed Mokuba, whom in turn relayed the information to Joey. Joey nodded his head slowly and picked up his cards again, looking thoughtful on his decision.

"Yeah, she said she wanted to talk to him." Joey mumbled. Mokuba relayed the information, and Yami's eyes widened in slight confusion. Mai wanted to talk to Yuugi? Was it about something personal? Is that why she'd told Yami to leave?

"Really? What about?" Yami asked curiously. His interest rose to a peak as Joey played his cards slowly, pondering his answer. Mokuba flipped over the other two cards, revealing that he'd won the round again, and Joey's face became one of an obviously faked blank indifference. He spoke as he dealt the next hand.

"I'm not actually sure. She didn't talk about it. Didn't she tell you?" Joey questioned. This time, he looked up as he spoke, question flickering in his eyes as he regarded Yami with curiosity. "She said something about talking to you, too, but I figured she'd talk to both of you at the same time. I guess she just had to say something for Yuugi's ears only, and you being there would make her too nervous?" Joey questioned. His head was tilted to the side and his body language gave away that he knew this assumption was wrong; Mai was never nervous, and she told Yami absolutely everything, so she almost had to have been questioning Yuugi. Now, the only question was, on what topic?

Yami tried to scan his mind for what the two could be talking about, but he came up blank. He couldn't see any reason Mai would need to talk to Yuugi alone, or any reason why she would kick him out in the first place. Suddenly, he was worried. What if something was wrong with Yuugi and he didn't know it? What if he had done something wrong, or Yuugi had been upset by somebody, and Yami couldn't be there to help him? Why wouldn't he tell Yami if something had happened?

Anxiety churned in his stomach, growling as if it were an angry mother bear. He shook his head to make himself snap out of it, his own half-hearted reassurances that nothing was wrong doing almost nothing to make him feel any better. He shook his head back and forth half heartedly, trying to tell himself that he was being ridiculous. He smiled at Joey, and it came out as a little more of a grimace.

"Maybe they just needed some time alone. After all, Mai does have a pain in the butt boyfriend, she has to have someone to complain to." Yami teased him. His stomach didn't feel quite well, and he was considering just going back to his room for a little while. He needed to practice his speech for today, anyway.

Joey rolled his eyes and grumbled something about Yami, (Mokuba didn't translate it and Joey was mostly facing away, so it was hard to make out he shape of his lips) turning back towards the card game he was so painfully losing. He lay down an ace from his own hand, beaming in pride as he did so. He actually managed to win the round, looking overjoyed as he smiled and declared his gaming prowess, pumping a fist into the air in victory.

"Yeah, now it's only seven to one! You're catching up!" Mokuba exclaimed, and Joey deflated. Yami resisted the urge to chuckle at the affair, finding any kind of distraction amusing at this point.

"Guys, I'm going to go and spend some time alone now, okay?" He informed them, frowning a bit. He resisted the urge to put his head in his hands and sigh, turning and walking out the door with a wave over his shoulder. He turned around in the doorway just long enough to see Mokuba sign goodbye and Joey say it, turning to Mokuba and asking him to sign it for him. Mokuba rolled his eyes and said something along the lines of, "He knows how to read lips for that much."

Yami shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts as if they were an etch-a-sketch board that could be shaken blank. He went through the bits of information that he had one piece at a time, his mind working through everything slowly in attempt to snap the puzzle together. He didn't even really realize when he stepped through the door and into his own room, and was almost startled when he looked up and found himself in the familiar environment.

Thinking logically, the conclusion he had come to was that Yuugi had something wrong. He couldn't talk to Yami about it yet, because Yami wasn't ready to be able to talk, but he had something he needed to get off his chest. Yami couldn't begin to express how discouraging it was that he wasn't able to listen to what Yuugi said, that it had to be done by Mai. He felt almost as if all of his hard work so far was going to waste, but he knew that telling Yuugi before he was able to actually respond would only end up frustrating for them both.

So, the logical thing to do would be to practice. Even if he was discouraged and didn't feel much like it today, he was rapidly improving and would be able to talk soon if he just kept working at it. He picked up his hand mirror and stared himself down in the glass, blinking as his eyes drifted down to his mouth, which was puckered distastefully. He smoothed the grimace into a smile, starting with a couple of simple phrases.

His eyes stayed trained on his lips as he slowly formed them into different shapes, slowly articulating his words. He opened it wide and tried to look at what his tongue was doing, before shutting it again and pressing it against his front teeth, as he'd been instructed to do to make the 'T' sound. He watched the shape of his mouth, concentrated on where to put his tongue, and even actually made his voice box hum a couple of times, saying simple words out loud. He said things like, "Hello" or "How are you", before finally moving on to some more complicated things, like Yuugi's name. His eyes never left his lips in the mirror, and he found that even the way his mouth formed the word seemed sweet. He couldn't help but to close his eyes for a moment, putting the mirror against his chest fondly as he paused.

When he opened his eyes again, the door was shaking just a little bit on it's hinges. He tilted his head to the side briefly as he wondered who could be knocking, (most of the nurses just barged right in) before he realized that he'd regretted to leave the door unlocked. He set down the mirror he'd been using and walked forward, fumbling with the lock for a moment before he let the door swing open, revealing none other than Mai Valentine.

"Mai!" He exclaimed, his previous ponderings coming back to him all at once. He stood up just a little straighter and stood aside so that she could come into his room.

She barged into the small area, her eyes assessing as they scanned the things he had. He cleared his throat subconsciously as she did, shifting just a little. Finally, her eyes settled on his bed (luckily, he'd actually felt like making it that morning) and she walked over to the small cot, turning around and situating herself on the thing. Her eyes flickered up and she smiled dangerously, leaning back as she did so. Yami found himself resisting the temptation to ask her immediately what she and Yuugi talked about, figuring that if he needed to know, she'd tell him soon. Mai was a reliable friend.

He licked his lips, smiling nervously as he waited for her to start talking. She stayed silent, and the tension in the room slowly grew as Yami's anticipation reached a peak. He felt like he was going to explode at any moment if she didn't start talking. Finally, the silence so thick you could cut it with a butter knife, Yami relented. He needed to know what was said, and if any of it was his own fault.

"So, what did you and Yuugi talk about?" He asked. Mai looked down a bit, as if she was slightly reluctant to tell him, but when she looked back up, her face was in a neutral mask.

"Honey, I know I shouldn't have meddled, but the boy has been waiting for at least a month out of the two for you to ask him out. All I did was ask him how he felt about you. How did you know I was talking to him, anyway?" Mai questioned, raising her eyebrows. Yami hardly heard the last part.

He could have sworn that Mai wasn't going to meddle. He should have known her better than to assume that, though. Now, he had a million questions swirling around in his head and almost no answers, and the effect was almost dizzying. What had happened to make her decide to broach the topic? How did she ask him? Most importantly, how did he respond to her question? Did he think now that Yami had put her up to talking to him, as if they were in middle school. He let his legs take over and he began to nervously pace, biting his lip before turning to Mai expectantly. "Well, how did it go?" He questioned. Mai didn't need any more prompting.

"Well, at first it was a little awkward. I just asked him how he felt about you. He started out by just saying that you two were really good friends. I asked him if he thought of you as anything more than that, and he looked a little uncomfortable. He made me promise that I wouldn't breathe a word of this to anyone, of course, he went back on that later, and he said that he has had a crush on you for awhile now. Did you know he still has that blue flower you gave him sitting in his window sill? It's dead as a doornail by now, but anyway... I told him that you felt the same about him, and that you were just too shy to admit it. He was overjoyed, Yami, you should have seen him," She gushed, doing a small dance in celebration. "He said he'd be open to going on a date with you. Tonight." Mai said. Yami had to sit down.

He walked over to the bed beside her, thoughts swirling in his head as he rested his weight against the fabric. He felt almost like this was a dream; he couldn't believe what was happening right now, despite the fact that it was right in front of him. He shook his head to clear it. Yuugi, the boy whom he had harboured feelings for ever since the first day that they met, had a crush on him. He almost couldn't believe the luck that he must have; he felt joy threaten to overtake him, but his face remained blank. He wasn't sure what to do right now; a date? With Yuugi? Was this even possible?

"He really likes me?" Yami asked, turning to Mai with hopeful eyes. She rolled her own.

"Of course he likes you. It doesn't take a genius to see, Yami. You need to go and ask him to dinner tonight in your own words. He's missed spending time with you; you've spent almost every free minute for the past month on learning to speak. None of that matters if you push away the one you're learning for." Mai said gently. Yami nodded his head, pushing down a small wave of guilt. It was in the past now, and he had to keep moving forward.

So, he nodded his head, ignoring the knot of anxiety in his stomach. Yuugi had already said yes; now all he had to do was grab Mai and get her to translate. She'd mentioned that Yuugi would want to go on a date and implied that he'd all but said yes, (on top of being free tonight) but Yami wanted to do this the right way. If he was going on a date with Yuugi, he was going to ask him out himself.

It was time to stop pushing this off; sometimes, he thought that all he ever did was delay. This wasn't something he would delay again. He fully intended to ask Yuugi eventually, and now as the time. If he kept telling himself that he had to be perfect at speaking before he started to get serious, it was never going to happen. Yuugi was most likely tired of waiting by now, and honestly, he was too. He didn't have to talk to go on a date and have a good time.

So, he gestured for Mai to follow him as he confidently walked back to Yuugi's room, standing up straight and going through the exact words he would have Mai say once he got there. They finally arrived and the door loomed over him; he refused to let himself be intimidated. He marched through them and came to stop in front of Yuugi's bed. Yuugi was smiling a huge, beaming ray of happiness towards him, and he couldn't help but be warmed by it.

"Mai," He signed. He paused briefly, trying to keep his thoughts together. He just wanted to be simple- Yuugi knew that he felt the same way about him by now, and that's all tat really needed to be exchanged for that part, but Yami did want to go on a date. Yuugi would have to say yes for that to be a reality, so he would just ask. "Ask him how..." He hesitated again. Mai put her hands on her hips, raising an eyebrow in question.

How was Yami losing his nerve now? Of all times? He should be jumping for joy and excitingly spitting out the question as fast as his hands would allow him to. Only, that wasn't what he was feeling- he felt like things had to be perfect. More importantly, he wanted them to be perfect—for Yuugi. All he could do was take a deep breath, his eyes closed tight, and soothe his nerves. "Ask him how he'd like to join me for dinner tonight?" He finally signed. Mai smiled and turned to Yuugi, relaying Yami's question word for word.

Yami thought that Yuugi's smile couldn't get any bigger than what it had been before, but he was wrong. Yuugi absolutely radiated warmth and light and happiness, and Yami thought he could detect a small trace of a blush making his cheeks rosy. He nodded his head enthusiastically, saying yes in Mai's direction. She knew that she didn't have to translate, though; Yami's smile and chuckle as the tension faded from him were sign enough that he'd gotten the message.

"Good." Yami signed awkwardly, smiling just a bit. He tried to keep his face neutral and recompose himself, but found it difficult to stop the smile that seemed to want to permanently plaster itself on his face. "I guess I'll come and get you at seven, then?" Yami questioned. Mai quickly translated and Yuugi nodded his head again, looking down at the ground.

"I'd like that." Yuugi mumbled. Yami was able to read his lips, and he felt another small burst of pride at the achievement. He nodded his head again and stood there awkwardly for a moment, before Mai's hand wrapped around his wrist and she attempted to usher him away. He slowly relaxed his body and allowed himself to be pulled out of the room in a flurry of motion and force, giving a small wave towards Yuugi despite the fact that he couldn't see it. It still made Yami feel better, the small and nervous gesture that he'd grown so acclimated to. Every time one of the patients would leave or he'd be saying goodbye to a friend, he'd give the little wave. It was almost like saying, "Goodbye, see you again." He felt like it finalized the end of the conversation; made it just that much more real.

Mai tugged him away excitedly, talking to herself the entire way. Yami could read her lips from where he stood, but didn't bother to make out the actual words. He was too light and airy and felt like he was dreaming, and focusing on the small things could make him wake up. He wanted to savour this moment as long as he lived; a date with someone cute, sweet, funny, and all together perfect for him.

Finally, she paraded him into his room, grabing some nice clothes and thrusting them into his arms. He held onto them and slowly looked up at her blankly, the unasked question of what they were for flickering in his eyes.

"Weren't you paying attention?" She asked after a moment of silence, raising her eyebrow in question. "It's a date, you have to look good for it!" She gushed, smiling broadly as she shoved him towards the bathroom to get changed. He turned and dumped the clothes back into her arms, and she tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for him to say what he wanted.

"He's blind, Mai. I don't have to get dressed up." Yami argued. "It's not like we're going anywhere particularly fancy, anyway." Yami said. Actually, now that he thought about it, he didn't know where they were going at all. Before he could panic, Mai spoke, shoving the clothes back into his arms as she did.

"I asked him his preference, and he says he likes Italian food. You've not done anything but work and practice for the last month, so I assume Olive Garden will be in your budget?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. Yami shook his head yes; he'd been there a couple of times, and the food was excellent, and it wasn't all that pricey for good Italian food. As soon as she had confirmation, she turned him around and shoved him into the bathroom, making small noises of dissatisfaction as she went through his hair care products.

It sounded like the rest of the night was going to be long for him.

She couldn't keep him trying on different outfits and parading around for her amusement forever, though. He had an appointment to keep, so at six forty-five sharp, he grabbed his wallet and ducked around her outstretched arms, marching out the door and starting on his way to Yuugi's room. She professed her belief that his hair wasn't quite ready yet and they still had time, but it fell on deaf ears. Literally.

Yami was soon standing in front of Yuugi's room again, Mai soon materializing seemingly out of nowhere beside him. She stepped forward and knocked on the door, standing beside him and standing up as straight as she could manage in attempt to look formal. She had messaged Joey and told him to get Yuugi ready while Yami was changing the first time, so she knew that he would be ready and looking sharp at around this time. She tapped her foot impatiently while Joey scrambled around in the room, (Yami could see him stumbling through the small glass window) before throwing open the door, nearly knocking Yami over.

"Hey, it took me an hour to find that outfit. You'd better not misplace a hair on his head." Mai said indignantly. Joey rolled his eyes at his girlfriend, stepping aside silently and revealing Yuugi standing behind him in wait.

Yami took one look at him, and he felt like his breath had been taken away. Yuugi was in a loose white, button-up shirt that hung around his loosely, flaring out towards the end and shaking loosely around a pair of black wrist-bracelets he wore. His pants were black as midnight and hugged his figure in all the right ways, bringing out his slightly more girlish figure and making him somehow look taller than usual. As far as Yami could tell, his hair had been purposefully thrown just the slightest bit out of place, and he could just see the usual black collar through how his shirt's collar was flared up. He awkwardly sifted his position, and Yami reached out to clutch Mai's wrist urgently, turning towards her.

"Tell him he looks beautiful." Yami begged, then rethought, "On second thought, tell him he looks handsome." Yami adjusted slightly. Mai rolled her eyes before dead panning the information to Yuugi, who's face was tinged the slightest bit pink with the information. He took a couple of steps forward, his cane clutched into his left hand, and held out his right as an invitation.

It took Yami a moment to realize that it was for him. Once he did, he quickly reached out and took the hand that was offered, clearing his throat before he took a step, leading Yuugi away from the door. He waved towards Mai and Joey, trying not to let anxiety get the best of him as he remembered the two-block walk towards olive garden.

The pair made it to the front desk and stepped outside, the cool chill of the night attempting to wrap it's cruel fingers around the duo. Yuugi let a small shiver pass through him, and Yami paused, biting his lip. After he finally decided that it would be okay with his partner, he let the other hand slip from between his fingers and put an arm over Yuugi's shoulders, pulling him close as he dared to ward off the unsavoury chill.

The walk was filled with the small brushes of legs and tentative touches of hands, and Yami couldn't believe that this was happening to him. He felt connected to Yuugi in a way he'd never achieved with anyone else, and he doubted he'd ever be able to feel this way towards someone else. Yuugi's small smile and concentration and the way he seemed to radiate care and compassion while still having a little, quirky sense of humour was almost unreal. Yami could appreciate every little thing about him, from his talk to the way he walked to the sense of determination he had when starting anything new.

Finally, the lights of the restaurant were visible, fighting against the warm glow of the sun as they walked together towards the building. A surge of warm air greeted them and practically sucked them inside the building as Yami opened the door, and they were greeted with relative luck; almost nobody was there apart from them. Yami grabbed a notepad and wrote down a request for a table for two, and the waiter came back almost immediately with one available.

They were lead down a couple of rows to an available table, and the waiter bowed over before rapidly asking for their orders.

"Oh, excuse me, sir," Yuugi said, "My friend here is deaf. Would you mind getting a notepad for him to write to you on? Oh, and do you have a Braille menu?" Yuugi asked, knowing full well that they practically had to, or else it may be discrimination. He'd been taught all of the basics and could quote the laws forward to backwards if anyone were to question it.

"I think I'd be able to do that! Give me just a minute. In the mean time, how about I just go ahead and bring some bread sticks, hmmm?" The waiter propositioned, and Yuugi nodded his head. Yami felt his stomach give a small twist in complaint of having skipped lunch to spend time with the boy whom was now sitting across the table from him, but he ignored it in favour of leaning forward and looking at Yuugi.

His eyes traced the contours of his face, the set of his mouth, the shape of his eyes, before they finally came to look at one of his favourite features, Yuugi's nose. It seemed small and perfectly proportioned to his face, and the slight sharpness of it brought out his other, more cherubic features perfectly. That was one difference between their appearances; Yuugi was softer, where he was all hard lines and sharp angles. His limbs were longer and thinner, his proportions not as even.

Suddenly, he realized just how glaringly awkward this would be for anybody else. He was sitting across from someone he'd liked for quite some time, and there was no conversation. They sat facing each other silently, the premise of talking not only unbreached, but seemingly unbreachable. Yami wanted the first time Yuugi heard his voice, (the first time anyone would hear his voice) to be special, and sitting in a crowded restaurant surrounded by other people he barely knew knowing that he wouldn't be the only one to hear it just seemed wrong. However, he could feel the tension he had at the situation mounting, and it would only get worse as time would go on. He searched for a way to make things better, for a way to lighten up the mood, when-

He felt a soft prodding a his feet from across the table. He looked up from his thoughts, fingers crossed and raised, chin settled squarely on top. Yuugi sat on the other side of the table with an entirely blank expression, hands folded, but laying on the table, his face the very picture of innocence. Yami paused for a moment before he brushed the incident off, finding his previous ponderings much too important to worry about some phantom feeling.

However, as soon as he returned to the issue, his foot was prodded again. This time, his entire body froze as he fought the urge to look under the table, before he forced himself to calm and gave a brief sigh. As soon as he was entirely settled, his foot was prodded a third time, this time a heavy weight descending upon him, pinning his feet to the floor. He finally leaned over and looked under the table in confusion, before letting out a small laugh as the puzzle pieces clicked into place.

Yuugi was looking just a little too innocent over there, his hands folded neatly and his head turned off to the side. He faltered and his lip quirked up in just the smallest degree. Really, Yami should have seen straight through his poker face ages ago, but what can you do?

Other than fight back, of course.

Yami's feet quickly separated, and Yuugi's mouth opened the slightest bit in unsuspecting surprise as his feet his the floor. His small crack in composure soon turned into a wicked grin as he realized that Yami was playing along, eager for a game he was ready to win.

Their feet continued to work underneath the table, the foot war escalating to the point where a couple of guests gave them rude looks. Yami eventually was able to successfully pin Yuugi's feet to the floor, which left him panting from exhilaration and happy beyond compare. He felt like his life was coming together when Yuugi leaned forward over the table, hands splayed out on the smooth surface, nose crinkling as he smiled with Yami.

Yami couldn't resist the temptation to lean forward and press his nose against Yuugi's, foreheads following to bump together, as if they were looking into each other's eyes. Yami knew that he was making a bit of a display so he sat back, nervously looking around to make sure nobody was paying attention to that last part. He preferred that moments like that remain private at first, and here he was breaking his own rules. Oh, well. It's not like they were set in stone, anyway.

The waiter soon returned with the bread sticks and the Braille menu, handing it to Yuugi as he handed Yami the writing pad. They looked over the menu for a few moments before Yuugi told the waiter something and snapped the book shut, handing it back to him politely. He turned towards Yami and raised an eyebrow in question, looking down at the notepad before back up at Yami. Yami reached for it and wrote down something simple, one of the first things he saw that sounded appetising, before he shut the book too and handed it back, nodding his thanks to the waiter.

Yuugi was back at gently prodding his feet, and he let them swing back and forth together this time, not being forceful but rather just enjoying the slow and steady sway of contentment.

Since the restaurant wasn't all that busy, they got their food soon after that. By that time, Yami had already gone ahead and switched to the other side of the booth and his hand was resting lightly on Yuugi's, fingers slotting together like they were meant to fit. The waiter approached and set down their plates in front of them, flashing a smile as he asked if they would like anything else. Yuugi shook his head no with a smile, waiting until the waiter was gone to dig into his food.

All through dinner, Yuugi would gently brush up against Yami, skin touching momentarily in tentative displays of affection. They ate in a forced silence, but neither of them minded. When they were done, they just sat there contented for a little while, Yuugi's head resting on Yami's shoulder. The warmth from the gesture spread through Yami's whole body, and he knew he blushed when the waiter came back with the check, not used to public displays. He felt a small burst of pride at the smile he shot their way, though, and he gave Yami a small wink before disappearing to wait on other tables.

When they were finally ready to leave, Yuugi's hand slipped easily into Yami's, and they were easy and natural. They stayed close on the side walk to combat the cold, the warm feelings of love and affection helping with the cold. Everything felt like it had been hand set up in this moment, to be perfect for them. Yami felt like it was perfect.

Finally, the perfect end to a perfect night, should always be a kiss. They had arrived back at the hospital and Mai and Joey decided to give them their privacy, (and by that I mean they were spying around a corner instead of directly approaching the duo) so they were essentially alone. Yami stopped right outside Yuugi's door, Yuugi moving to face him on instinct. His back was pressed up against the door, and his expression showed that he was hopeful. He smiled up tentatively at Yami, taking a small breath and making their chests touch lightly.

When had they gotten that close? When had Yami been this close to anyone whom he actually desired to share his space with? He couldn't honestly remember. All he knew was that this time, with Yuugi, everything felt so startlingly right that he couldn't ignore it. He leaned in just a little bit more, anticipation coiling tight in his stomach like a cobra ready to strike.

But, he couldn't lean forward the last half inch. No matter how much he tried to force himself, he felt like something was... off. He couldn't quite place his finger on it, but it seemed too cliché. They had just went on the most amazing first date he could have went on, but this felt almost customary. He didn't want their first kiss to feel forced, he wanted it to feel... natural.

So, he did the only logical thing he could think of.

He leaned forward, diverting his lips slightly to the side to aim for the cheek instead. He didn't want to not do anything, because Yuugi might think he had done something wrong if Yami didn't. So, he pressed his lips gently to flesh, then slowly pulled away, almost regretting doing so the whole time. Yuugi seemed a little confused, but he smiled and gave Yami a warm goodnight before he disappeared back into his bedroom.

Yami stood there for a second, dopey smile still plastered onto his face before he shook his head and turned back around, watching his own feet as he walked back to his room.

It might not have been the right time then, but he could feel that it was coming soon.