Title: Tendencies and Revelations

Summary: It was all because of a silly piece of homework that Yuugi opened his big mouth, and asked Yami a very personal question. The real question is if Yami will actually answer it or not, and if the ultimate answer will be what Yuugi wants to hear. (YYxY; lite shounen-ai/ boy love; major fluff; oneshot; shortie)

Rating: PG

Rated for: the touchy subject of being gay; the boy-love which to some people can't be rated lower because it disturbs them; and that's all. No naughty language, no claw-your-eyes out anything. It's clean, people. :D Hope I didn't scare off all the readers looking for lemons.

Notes: Believe it or not, this is all inspired by my home economics workbook. :D I had the very assignment Yuugi has: to write down what I want in a future partner. And it "warned" me to make sure my boyfriend/ husband wasn't gay. -twitch- What if I want a girlfriend, hm? Can she be gay? Right, like a straight girl is going to date another straight girl. Smart. (Actually, the book's attitude is explained by the fact that I'm homeschooled, and using a Christian curriculum. Yeah. :D)

This is version 2, posted after Silvershadowfire gave me her absolutely lovely critique! n.n

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tendency, (ten-den-si)

n.

A characteristic likelihood.

or

A predisposition to think, act, behave, or proceed in a particular way.

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aibou, (ai-boh)

(Japanese)

n.

Partner.

(Yami calls Yuugi this in the original anime.)

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"Do you have homosexual tendencies?" Yuugi asked, looking up from his communications and relationships homework, which was spread out on the floor of the den. It was a silly assignment he'd been given: write down what he would look for in a future wife, and then decide what he would or would not compromise on.

Unfortunately, he wasn't looking for a wife, per se. He nibbled on the sky-blue eraser on the end of his pencil, waiting for Yami's answer.

He'd scribbled part of a list in the margins of his paper, following the suggestions of the book as to what to look for: Sensitive, caring, respectful, intelligent... Yami was all those and more.

But the bit about homosexual tendencies completely threw him. The book said it like it was a bad thing: "Remember to ask if your prospective mate has any STDs or has homosexual tendencies." Frankly, Yuugi wondered what they were smoking.

"It's for school," he clarified, as Yami hadn't answered yet. The spirit was sprawled out on the sofa, and was gaping down at him.

"Aibou, I worry about what you are being taught in school. What in the name of Ra made you ask that question?"

"I'm supposed to write down what I'd look for in who I marry. That was a question my book suggests asking."

"And you are considering me as an option for marriage?" Yami looked somewhat startled by this revelation, as if the idea of his Aibou liking him in that way had never occurred to him before. He hadn't quite gotten used to the present day and age, where so often it was frowned upon for a man to marry a man. It hadn't been considered wrong when he'd been growing up, but he had realized that things were different now, and it wasn't so common for men to marry each other. He had not expected his Aibou to suddenly bring up the subject in such a personal way.

"Well, you do fit the profile of a good husband." Yuugi stabbed a finger at his book. "Every single thing listed here."

"And having homosexual tendencies is listed as a good quality?"

"Not exactly; this book denounces it," Yuugi replied, getting more flustered by the second. Why had he opened his big mouth? That was a very private thing he'd just asked Yami to tell him; what if the spirit became angry with him?

Yami slithered to the floor to peer at the book in question. "But do you denounce it?" He watched his Aibou carefully, to gauge his reaction.

"I don't. I don't think there's anything wrong...with..." Yami was getting awfully close, Yuugi realized. "...liking boys."

"Why are you gasping, Aibou?" Yami asked, touching one transparent hand to Yuugi's burning face. "Are you getting sick? Can you breathe alright? You feel awfully hot; do you need to lie down?"

"I'm fine!" Yuugi said with more force than he had intended, and instantly became apologetic when he saw Yami's crestfallen face. "I'm sorry, I really am fine. You were just suddenly...very close, and it startled me."

"Why, Aibou, I have sat this close to you before, and it never bothered you. Is there something you are not telling me?"

"There's nothing; nothing I can tell you right this moment, at least. I'd still like to know the answer to my question, if you don't mind telling me."

It was Yami's turn to begin to look a little flustered; he'd been so worried about his Aibou acting sick, that he'd completely forgotten the question. "You are asking if I like boys?"

"Yes," Yuugi whispered, ducking his head so as not to have to look at Yami's face.

"Aibou, you are a boy, and I don't hate you, I like you. But that is not the kind of liking you meant, is it?"

Yami was being infuriatingly dense, and Yuugi couldn't take it anymore. He lifted his head, stared Yami straight in the eyes, and blurted, "I'm asking you if you like me enough to want to kiss me, okay? Do you get it now?" He almost sobbed with relief; it was out of his mouth and out of his hands.

Taken aback, Yami sat silently for a moment, his only movement a confused blinking of ruby eyes. "When did you start wanting me to kiss you?" he asked finally.

Yuugi desperately wished Yami would stop dodging, and just answer his question. He was going to go mad if he didn't know soon. Forcing himself to maintain a calm exterior, he responded with, "About the time I noticed you were exactly what I'd want for a life-partner."

"At least you've thought about what you wanted; I never did figure out what I wanted in a partner," Yami mused. His eyes faded into a faraway gaze, and he sighed heavily. "Yuugi, do you really think I am a fit option for dating?"

"You are!" Yuugi had barely let Yami finish speaking before the words flew from his lips. "You're everything I ever wanted, and I don't know why I didn't see it before. Yami, I am your Aibou, but only in gaming. I want to-- to be your Aibou in all of life. I want to be your lover." He whispered that last word, unsure how Yami would take this strange love-confession.

"I have never really been in love with anyone, Aibou. I am not at all certain that I know how to be. But if you are sure that you want me to love you, I think you would be the best person to teach me." The spirit pressed his semi-solid forehead against Yuugi's, and smiled reassuringly. "Do you think I should kiss you now?"

"I think," Yuugi breathed, "that you should do what feels right to you."

It became obvious at that point, that what felt right to Yami was to shove his Aibou to the carpeted floor and proceed to kiss him oh-so-teasingly slowly. No forcing of tongues down unwilling throats, no rabid biting of tender necks, just one simple...slow...sweet kiss.

It felt so right to the both of them, that the one kiss stretched out over many minutes, with breaks as needed to catch heaving breath and regain mussed composure.

And so it was that the mutual agreement was made. "You will be my Aibou in all ways," Yami whispered, brushing one gentle finger against the little one's blushing cheek. "And I will love you in the best way I know how."

-END-

READ THIS. Please?

Okay, here's the deal: I'm asking for in-depth critique of this. It's the first YYxY I ever wrote, so please tell me how I did? You know, in characterization, plot (or lack thereof), so on and so forth. I don't mind the "This is cute, I love it!" reviews, ego-strokes are wonderful, but I'd be so very grateful if someone could tear apart my writing and give me a kick in the pants to write better. That's why I write fanfiction, you know; I want to become better and better at writing. (Even if so much of it is mostly fanservice, every little bit helps:D)

I love all my reviewers so much; you've gotten me through tough times in real life, and through writer's block in my writing life. You've inspired me, and flamed me, and several of you have become close friends (insert ginormous shout-out to Cass, and Lil-riter (calling you that in case you don't want your real name out in public), and of course my best friend in the whole world who I was friends LONG before I started writing: the sexylicious Ookami-samaaaa!). Some of you have given me that aforementioned kick in the pants (thank you so much, Misura!), and made me realize I need to change some detail of my writing, and ultimately made it better. Many of you are my idols (Lil-riter, Misura, Ryuujitsu, Cass, and very much so SAMURAI-ASHES for introducing me to slash way back when, and the list goes on and on and ON...), and I read your fics and watch how you write and I get better at it myself. Big thanks to you guys.

I guess what I am saying is, this fic is a little gift to everyone who ever reviewed anything I wrote (yes, even the flamer). (And even to everyone who ever WILL review, really!) I love ya! -tackleglomp- There's no way to express my gratitude enough.

Now that I'm done thanking everyone (and have wiped my teary eyes), won't you please click that lovely blue-lavender button on the lower left-hand corner, and leave a pretty review for me:DDD