Encouragements
a Yu-Gi-Oh! story
by Gayle
"Come on Joey, let's get you out of those wet clothes before you catch a cold." Yugi smiled at his best friend and led the way back to the storage room that served as their quarters. Joey looked down at his friend sheepishly, "look, I don't got any other clothes. I sorta forgot to pack `em in my hurry, ya know."Yugi smiled sadly as he pulled on his own spare clothes quickly, "oh Joey, that's not good. I wish I could lend you something of mine." He grabbed a blanket and tossed it to the other boy, "here, take off all your clothes except your underthings and wear that until yours have dried out. I don't want you to get sick and not be able to duel after all we've been through to get you on this boat."
Joey nodded and wrapped the blanket around him self, grateful that most everyone else in the room was asleep by this time, "thanks Yugi. Anyway maybe a drop in the ocean was just what I needed to clear my hea... hea.. Ha-Aschu! Ha-echiiu!" He sniffled wetly after the sneeze, remembering that he'd forgotten his handkerchief as well.
Yugi was about to offer Joey his, "oh, mine's soaked. Um, well I guess you could see if someone has one they would let you borrow."
Joey laughed, "nah, forget about it, alright, I'll be totally fine." He faked a cheerful smile and then sank down on the floor, "I'm so sorry Yuge. I couldn't get you're cards back." He nose twitched and he rubbed at it with a finger, "Ah-hah-Chiuu! Hah- Schew! sniff." He wiped his runny nose on the back of his hand and looked up at Yugi guiltily.
Yugi sat down beside his friend and patted his leg, "Joey, I would rather have lost my whole deck to that guy than lost you. You're so much more important to me than a game." He sighed, "but I don't know how I'm going to get Grandpa back without my cards. They were the best ones I had. I'm not even sure if I can win without them."
Joey glanced at Yugi sternly, "I don't wanna hear that kinda loser talk, ya hear me? You challenged Kaiba to a match before you knew what was in your deck to save your Grandpa, and you can beat anyone who comes lookin' for a fight. Ya understand?" Joey's normally friendly eyes were intense.
Yugi smiled and looked down at his hands, "yes Joey, I hear you. You're a good friend and I'm glad you're here with me." He looked back up to see Joey rubbing his nose with a finger, "but you won't be here with me for very much longer if you catch pneumonia." Yugi's voice and words were light, but there was an underlying seriousness as he wrapped a second blanket around his best friend. "Get warm. I'll go see if I can scare up some tea for you."
Joey nodded and covered his mouth and nose with his hand, "heh-chhh! Chhh! Ah-Chhiuu!" He sniffled wetly before wiping his hands on the back of his pants, "gross, sorry about that, Yuge." He sniffed again, still feeling slightly sneezy.
Yugi laughed, "I'm not upset about it, I just don't want you to be sick, that's all." He started to laugh suddenly, "you aren't much of a swimmer, are you?" He smiled at Joey, letting him know that he really didn't think that he nearly drowning was funny; it was just amusing that Joey, who seemed so athletic, wasn't much for cold dives into the ocean.
Joey smiled back at him, looking rather embarrassed, "yeah, Serenity's the one who can do all that stuff. I just got all the good looks in the family. Ha-Shiiuu! Chuuu! Ah-hi-Shiiuu!" He sniffled and wiped his nose on the back of his sleeve.
Yugi winced and handed him a fresh handkerchief, "here, I just found my other one. Use that."
Joey blushed and blew his nose on the soft fabric, "sorry. I totally spaced bringin' anything with me. I wasn't even sure if I was gonna get to go."
Yugi smiled and shook his head, "don't worry about it Joey, I don't mind lending you mine."
Joey looked down at the rumpled, moist handkerchief in his hand with disgust written on his face, "Lending? Ya mean ya actually want this thing back? It's nasty."
Yugi laughed lightly, "well, you can keep it if you really want it, but I could wash it when I got it home."
"Oh no, I'll wash it for you. But it had my snot in it. No offence, but I wouldn't use anything that had your... aw sick!" He dropped the cloth as he realized that he had been using something that Yugi had blown his nose in.
Yugi snickered at him, "don't worry, that one was new, I promise. I just opened a package for the trip. I wasn't sure what types of plants are on the island, and I have some allergies."
Joey nodded and wiped his nose on the handkerchief again, secure in the knowledge that it had never been used before. He looked up at the ceiling, "it's cool, really. Bein' here with you and knowing that Tristan and Tea are on the boat too. It's a real adventure. I never been on a real adventure before. He-eh-Chhuu! Ah-ha-Shiieww! Shiuu! Ichuu!" He sniffled deeply, forgetting about Yugi's handkerchief.
Yugi didn't seem to mind however, "I know, I've never really been on one either. Grandpa's told me about his, of course, but I never dreamed I'd be traveling around to save him. It makes me feel so excited and sort of nervous."
Joey smiled, "you'll do fine, Yuge. I know ya will. Ya can't lose with the cards your Grandpa gave you, `cause he made that deck thinkin' about you." He rubbed his nose on the back of his hand and sighed, "I just hope this don't get too bad and I ain't gonna be able to shake it."
Yugi patted Joey's knee again, "don't worry Joey. You don't sound too bad, I'm sure it will be gone before we land."
Joey nodded and smiled back at him, "you're prob'ly right, Yuge. I'm tired anyway so I'm gonna go to sleep. Heh-eh-Shuu! Ah- Chhuuu! Ih-ihshuu! Chitoo! sniff sniff sorry about that."
Yugi laughed and pulled the blankets tighter around his best friend, "don't worry about it. All I want you to worry about is getting warm and getting better."
Joey stretched out on the floor and closed his eyes, "hey Yuge, what d'ya think's gonna happen when we get there? I mean, how's it gonna start?"
Yugi laughed and rubbed Joey's back, "don't think about it, just go to sleep. Everything will be fine, you'll see."
Joey nodded and closed his eyes. A few minutes later he was asleep, snoring loudly.
Not mine
I had never really watched Yugi-oh (except the movie, which my cousin begged me to take him to. I spent the whole time confused and wondering when it was going to be over. Oh, and telling my other cousin, his sister, all the things that Pegasus and Kaiba did with each other when the camera was turned.) until now. I'm in love with the characters, especially Joey and Kaiba. The show's a lot cuter than I thought it would be too.