Yes, this is a fiction just in time for the holidays, and I’m only doing this because I know someone else will and I wanna beat her/him to it. (Major Shounen Ai/Fluff warning!)

DISCLAIMER: No, I don’t own Yu-Gi-Oh. Leave me alone.

RATED: PG. I told you it’s just like those cutesy holiday family flicks. Actually, no. It’s more like a cleaner version of Fake (Often, if I make a shounen ai fic that’s not about Fake, I have to keep on making references to it.).

By the way, I’m using the characters’ original names for a very special reason. Check out why in the end.

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It is December 24, Christmas Eve. Also, it is the third day that I am sick with the flu. Yeah, it’s been going around. But, everyone else is able to recover quickly–in less than three days! Since I am very small and non-athletic, my immune system is weaker, unfortunately. Stupid vaccination shortage…

It really stinks being ill with this disease–especially on what is supposed to be one of the happiest and most romantic times of the year. Grandpa’s been attending me from time to time, although he is quite busy with it being the holiday season and all. And my headache is too strong to do a mind link with Yami.

Yeah, my friends know I’m here. They bring me my homework each day, but I don’t feel like doing it right now since I am weak and miserable. My hands are too stiff to pick up a pencil, and I feel too feverish and disoriented to not fall asleep while reading.

But today, they’re not here. Why? School let out many hours ago… (1) Well, I know that Anzu has a job and Honda has practice. So, maybe Jounouchi has detention again? No, he would have told me if he did. Ah, I hate this.

Did I also mention that this is the most romantic time of year? Well, next to Valentine’s Day, of course. My illness would not matter if I had a cute girl like Anzu-chan or Shizuka-chan to spend Christmas Eve with. But no way could I ever get a girl. I’m too shy and slight and you know how they like strong men who like to make the first move. I’d probably be better off with Jounouchi-kun…

Wait a minute, Jounouchi’s not a girl! Yugi Mutou, why in the world do you think that you’d want to share such a special time with a guy when you’re also a guy?! I knocked myself in the head at that thought. Ow, that hurt… Well, yes. I would like to spend a holiday with him, but only as a friend. Yeah, a friend…

Oh, no. Now I can’t take my mind off Jounouchi… I kinda hope that this is normal, since he is my friend. But, all I’m thinking about how he’s been so nice to me. How funny he is. How he’s been so giving and so caring to me and everyone else around him. And how protective of me he is. He and I have moved a long way since he used to bully me. "Moved a long way"?! That sounds like I want to be his boyfriend! I don’t. Seriously!

Oh great. Now my mind’s traveling to Jounouchi’s looks. I’m thinking that he’s so… beautiful! When his gold hair flows with the wind, my heart skips a beat. I want to look into his deep brown eyes as if I was seeing a masterpiece done by a famous artist. He’s so strong and powerful… I secretly like it when he beats up people who try to hurt me. It’s like he’s my personal knight… And his smile! I think about his grin, and I feel so assured. All the times he smiled like that were when I was down, and it let me know that he had confidence in me whether I was myself or Yami. Now, I want to know what it feels like to taste that warm, saucy mouth of his. I want to give Jounouchi a…

NO! I am not attracted to him! …Am I? I don’t know what I can do. Why am I having these feelings for my own best friend? Why should I have feelings for him if he’s not here? Why is he not here?! I feel so torn up inside… I’m feeling good things about Jounouchi. But I have to hide them. I’ve suddenly lost confidence in myself. I now know what it feels like to be alone again.

All I can do now is cry myself to sleep. The congestion in my sinuses nearly overcomes me as I shed tears for the night…

*****

It’s Christmas day, and I’m barely awake. I’m still terribly sick. Three of my five senses are damaged for the time being, but I can hear quick footsteps coming towards my bedroom door… and a familiar voice that sings something that sounds like "Jingle bells, Batman smells"… Is it really…?

My door opens, and I see a tall boy with dark blond hair and cheerful brown eyes holding a box with a red bow in one hand, and a cup of tea in the other. I spring right up because it’s Jounouchi! He’s sending me that same little smirk that I love. My heart dances inside my chest, and my stomach ties itself into a knot as I receive it. I can’t help but smile back at him now that he’s here–but wait. Why is he alone?

Jounouchi walks up to me and sets the tea on my dresser next to my bed. "So how are you feeling?" He greets me.

"Oh I’m–" I start coughing again. I guess I can’t say I’m fine today, although my best friend is here.

"You still sick? Ah, that sucks." He shrugged. He places that decorated box in my hands. I see that it’s full of tea bags. He then hands me the cup full of hot steaming liquid. "I already used one of them for you, now drink up so you can feel better."

After I take a sip, I suddenly blurt out, "I’m already feeling better now that you’re here…" I blush in embarrassment.

"Really?" His handsome face seems… elated to hear me say that. I wonder if he…

"Well, actually… it’s just that…" I choke up. "No one came by yesterday, so I was starting to get a little worried…" The tears fill up my eyes again, reminiscing about my period of isolation. "I… I was so lonely…" I sniffle pathetically and wipe them off.

Jounouchi gave me a sympathetic hug. His face is very close to mine… "Don’t cry like that. You’re gonna make yourself even more sick." We ended the embrace, but now he holds my hands. It seems like he doesn’t ever want to part from me…"Yugi… you know how busy everyone else is, but I spent the whole day looking for your present yesterday."

"But you know how easy it is to find tea!"

"Yeah, but Yugi…" My heart is beating so fast, my breath can’t catch up with it. "…there’s this other present that I wanted to give you, and I spent the rest of the night wondering how I should give it to you…"

Jounouchi looks down, but I can see that his face is… red! "W-what else did you want to give me, Jounouchi-kun…?"

"It’s also another reason why I came here by myself…" He embraces me once more, and then he puts his mouth on mine! His kiss is so forceful, like he’s desperately searching for something. And yet, it’s so sweet and gentle… It doesn’t hurt at all. I don’t think I want this to end, but I pushed him away anyway because I can’t breathe!

Unfortunately, he looks so remorseful. I didn’t do anything to hurt him, did I…?

"J-Jounouchi-kun…" I stammered. "A-anou… w-was th-that my present…?"

"…Part of it, yeah…" He averts his gaze. Then he gives me a serious look into my eyes. "See, I wanted to give you my health. I kissed you because I wanted to catch your flu."

That’s so gracious of him… "You shouldn’t have to sacrifice yourself for me, Jounouchi… I have nothing I can give you back…"(2)

"Of course I do, because…" He took a deep breath. It looks like he’s trying to overcome his fear of something. "I’ve started feeling these new things about you, and… my gift to you is my heart."

I’m totally shocked! I can’t believe he said that. Is this true? But… I’ve been questioning how I truly feel about him yesterday, so do I have a right to not believe him?

"So… how about it?" Jounouchi stood up and hid his hands in his pockets. "Do you wanna… be my boyfriend instead of just my friend…?"

Oh, man. I kinda wanna do… But, I don’t know what to say. I don’t even think that all this is real! So, I’ll just give him the most honest answer I could. "I… I’m gonna think about it, Jounouchi…" I look up at his face. I know that he’s really disappointed inside although he appears to be hopeful. "I-I’m not rejecting you, but… I just need some time to think this over…"

"Alright, I’ll let you think it through." He leaves my bedside. But he then stops and turns to face me before reaching for my door. "I know you’re not ready, but I still hope your answer is yes…" Jounouchi left my room and silently closed the door behind him.

But what will my answer be? Should I say yes because he wants me to? Am I really feeling this way for him? This is all so new. Perhaps I should sleep on it…

*****

Two days later I am feeling much better. But not because I’ve just gotten rid of my flu… I knock on the door to Jounouchi’s room while I carry something behind my back. "Jounouchi, are you here?"

"Come in!" He starts coughing violently.

So I did. Jounouchi is in his bed looking as miserable as I was for the past five days. He definitely did catch my disease. But I still get that happy grin that I look forward to whenever I see him. I bet I’m gonna make him smile even more… "Um… Jounouchi-kun?"

"Yes, Yugi-kun?"

"I was thinking about what you said, and my answer…"

His ears perk up with anticipation. "Hm?"

I brought out his material present, a bouquet of wildflowers, behind my back. "…is yes!" Why not? He’s been so good to me lately. Plus, my thoughts from the other day have finally confirmed that I have a crush on him. I’m flashing him a nervous grin, as I had just given him his non-material present, my heart, as well.

"R-really?!" He looks and sounds as though he’s containing excitement. I bet he is.

I shyly approached him and gave him the bouquet. "Yeah… but I don’t wanna be just your boyfriend…"

"What’re ya talkin’ about…?"

"You asked if I wanted to be more than friends instead of just friends, but I still wanna be both your friend and your lover, too."

"My lover?!"

My heart almost jumped out of my chest. "Er! Well, what I meant was…"

"I love you, too."

How sweet. I might as well repay him for that kiss…

"Hold on, Yugi." Jounouchi stopped my lips with his fingers.

But I thought he wanted a kiss… Is Jounouchi backing down?

"I don’t want you to catch my illness."

"Jounouchi, the flu is a virus. You can’t catch the same one twice. You’ve obviously never caught mine before…"

"Oh. Then alright." He pulled my head to his. "But just a dry kiss. Just to be safe."

"Sure. I’d like to start slow, anyway…" Even though it was short and free of tongues, I still enjoyed it. He’s the best present I have ever received–next to the new Mercedes-Benz I’m gonna get for my eighteenth birthday. (3) Just kidding! That’s not for a long while… "Aishiteru, Jounouchi-kun."

"No more ‘Jounouchi’, ‘kay? Call me ‘Katsuya’…"(4)

"Okay… Aishiteru, Jou-- …Katsuya." I run my hands through his shiny hair.

"I love you too, Yugi." (5) A hand of his caresses my blushing cheek.

"Merry belated Christmas, Katsuya." We kiss again. We almost slipped in the tongue this time. I am now in his arms. I plan to stay in there until nightfall, if not forever…

I’ll still think of us as friends… who kiss and declare our love to one another.

The End

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Well, now for an explanation. The "Jou" in Jounouchi’s name means "affection" (or "emotion" or "sensitivity"). That’s why I used the original names and that’s how the title came to be. (I know it says it means something else in Shonen Jump, but yes, I did look it up. And I like Random House’s definition better.)

More cultural notes:

--(1) Kids in Japan still have school on Christmas–unless it falls on Sunday–which it doesn’t this year (‘03).

--(2) Gift giving is a big deal in Japan. One good turn deserves another.

--(3) You must be 18 in order to obtain a driver’s license in Japan, and in the rest of the world. I just thought I’d mention it.

--(4) You don’t usually call someone by their given name (first name), like Jou-- Katsuya made Yugi do, in Far Eastern countries unless you’re like, really, really close to them. But I’m sure you knew that already. And personally, I prefer calling Jounouchi/Joey "Katsuya"… or "Squall" (Cause his haircut almost makes him look like a blond Squall Leonhart).

--(5) There are many ways to say "I love you" in Japanese. "Aishiteru" is one of them.

Happy Holidays! Please review, you pathetic humans!