One Day

A/N: I got the idea from 'Ghost Whisperer', actually. When Delia was talking about her deceased husband. Awesome show. I was glad to be able to incorporate it into a fanfic.

Disclaimer:I don't own Yu-gi-oh or the original idea from Ghost whisperer. I also don't own a really cool italian restaurant in Japan.

X-x-X

Yuugi finally got fed up with my shitty mood. Either that, or he actually cared that I was having a rough week and wanted to know what my issue was. Probably the latter. My best friend is way too nice when I'm being mean. "Okay, Joey, you seriously just tried to bite my head off. What's up with you today?"

I glared ruthlessly. "Why does something have to be up with me?"

"Because, you're not a complete jerk." Yuugi told me honestly.

"I'm not?" I bit back sarcastically. "Really?"

Atem sighed. "Joey just answer him. He's know somethings been wrong with you all week. Please, just tell him, so he'll stop asking if I know anything he doesn't."

Yuugi stuck his tongue out at Atem's annoyance. "So, are you going to tell me?" He prodded.

"Fine." I grumbled. I actually felt a little bad about sucking time away from Yuugi's spirit turned human. He's chosen to be a teenager and go to highschool jut to be with Yuugi. Yuug shouldn't be ignoring him for me. "It's just... Well, my aniversary..."

"Oh, right. Five years with Seto. Is something wrong with you and him?" Yuugi asked.

Atem's eyes narrowed slightly. "Has my 'cousin' done something inconsiderate? I can easily take care of that priest for you."

I slid my hands down my face, squishing my nose flat as I went. "It's not that he's done something wrong. He hasn't done anything! Every single year! He forgets and the day after Mokuba tells him that 'Oh yesterday? Joey was pissed off because you ignored your aniversary.' Then he tells me sorry and takes me to dinner. To the same restaurant he goes to for business dinners! What am I? Some scheduled in client?"

Atem laughed at me! "He could at least schedule you in on time."

I whipped my head toward him and gave him a dirty look. "Don't make me turn you back into a spirit." I threatened.

Yuugi shot both of us a scolding look however. "Now, now. No need to threaten Atem. Though that joke was poorly placed." He looked at a genuinely apologetic Yami. At least he was actually sorry. "Have you told Seto that him not remembering your aniversary bothers you? He'd find it more important if you told him before, rather than Mokuba after."

"Not exactly." Before the 'I-told-you-so' look could latch onto his (irritatingly younger, but still thinks he's wiser) features, I covered myself. "You don't get it though, Yuug. I've been dropping hints like mad."

"How so?" Yuugi questioned skeptically. As if I can't drop a hint subtly! I'm damn good at it!

"Well you know how it's this Friday. So on Sunday we went to dinner at my favorite fast food joint and he told me he didn't know how I could stomach so much grease. So I asked him if I could try this really classy restaurant I'd heard of next weekend called The Riva(1). It's supposed to be the best italian food in Japan. And he said he had meetings all weekend!"

"Joey, sometimes Seto works too hard. He is the CEO of the best gaming company in Japan."

"He said he wouldn't blow off his meeting for something silly like dinner with me just like we have every weekend! I even ordered him flowers for his office yesterday afternoon. On his phone! No way he didn't see it in the call history. My favorite flower shop."

Yuugi patted my arm. "I'm sorry. You know he's a bit..."

"Stuck up his own ass, sometime." Atem finished for him.

"I was going to say 'distracted', but I guess that works too. He loves you Joey."

My eyes burned at the words. "I don't feel loved. I feel stupid for throwing myself at him. He doesn't have time to remember something stupid like an aniversary."

Yuugi said my name reproachfully. "If it's not stupid to you, then it's not stupid to him. He's just busy. You know Seto loves you. You should talk to him."

I crossed my arms in front of my stomach and nodded. Atem shook his head and continued to support Yuugi's advice. "He's just so focused on work, that sometimes he doesn't know you need him Joey. If I could work like that and give Yuugi all that Kaiba gives you and Mokuba, I'd do it in a heartbeat. I feel so sorry that I can't sometimes. He's just trying to do right by you."

"Fine. You guys win. I'll go talk to him. Anyway, I don't want to be here for this round."

Atem tilted his head unaware. "What round?"

Yuugi sucked in a shakey breath as Atem's eyes widened like a deer in headlights. "ATEM! I don't want you to feel that way! I'm so sorry!"

Atem reached toward Yuugi. "What? I don't know what's wrong? Yuugi, please, calm down!"

X-x-X

Seto didn't come home last night. When I went to his office, he was wearing his black turtleneck with his white coat strewn on the other side of the floor across from him. He likes sitting at the window. He didn't even look up from that damn laptop when I walked in the room. I felt my insecurity leave me as anger flooded my system. "What's up, Joey."

How could he ask me that so casually?

Hot tears stung in my eyes again. This time, though, I was mad. "Oh, nothing much. You know tomorrow's Friday right?" I managed to spit out calmly.

He glanced down at a date book beside him. "Yes. I have 3 meetings on game design and a corporate dinner to go to. Why?"

I huffed. "You're sure you haven't forgotten anything. You don't have anything else in that book do you?"

"No. Do you have a point, Joey? I'm kinda busy right now." That's it! Final straw.

I walk over to him and slam his laptop shut (though, I am praying there's an auto-save feature) as tears pour down my face. "What the fuck is wrong with you, Seto? Why do you do this to me? WHO IN THE GOD DAMNED WORLD DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?" I scream at the top of my lungs angrily. Those secretaries won't have to listen at the door frame for that one.

Seto walked away from me and grabbed a Kleenex off his desk. He mopped up my face and then led me to his chair. He made me sit as I sniffled, my anger completely dissipated, while he checked his computer. He sat it in the corner of his office and walked over to me with the date book in hand. "Now, Joey, talk to me. What's wrong with you and why would you take it out on my laptop. I just lost seven different tax forms."

Tears sprung in my eyes. Seven tax forms? Probably about the mansion I freeloaded in. Or the job that paid for my schooling. Or his little brother's special, gifted schooling. Things I had no right to disregard. "I didn't mean to."

"I know. I'm not saying that I'm not irritated, because I spent quite a bit of time on those today. I can see you're upset though. Just tell me why and I'll do something about it."

"You're really busy on Friday?" I asked instead.

He flipped open his datebook to show me this weekend. "I am. I'm sorry, if that's what you're mad about." His cell started vibrating on his desk. The I.D. Showed 'Mokie.' "I have to answer his call. Can we finish after?"

"Sure." I rubbed my eyes. I just couldn't stop crying today.

He flipped open his phone and talked to his brother for a minute then snapped it shut. "Sorry, Mokuba has friends over. He was asking permission. Oh, hang on. He forgot something. It's just a text this time." Seto opened his phone and sighed sadly. "Oh." He showed me the screen.

Hey Seto, don't forget your aniversary again. Joey's been really pissed off this week. He misses you, okay. ~Mokuba.

I found myself vaguely disgusted as a started to cry again. I dropped my head on his desk and bawled. I was starting to act like Yuugi.

"Hey. Look at me, Joey. Talk to me." He said softly. He rubbed my back.

"Why, Seto?" I asked him sadly. I lifted my head up to look at him through my tearful eyes. "It's a day. Why can't you just remember it? I only want this one day. Please. Why won't you remember?"

He got another Kleenex and wiped away my tears (and a bit of snot which I can't believe he'd even touch, honestly). Then he motioned me up and wrapped his arms around me tight. He ran his fingers through my hair. Then he pulled back and kissed my forehead.

He smiled at me. "Do you really want to know what I think about aniversaries? Why I don't care much for them?"

I nodded.

"Joey, I'm sorry I wasn't home last night. You know I work late on Wednesdays, so I pulled an all night-er. Usually I'm home. I get to sleep with you. With my arms wrapped around you every single night. I see you every day for lunch. I see you almost every night for dinner. We go out as a family on weekends. You have to know it means the world to me by now. That's exactly what I think. So I find myself wondering, what's the point of an aniversary?"

I think about why it's important to me and try to explain it. "It's to celebrate knowing you."

He laughed.

"What?" I pouted. "Why are you laughing at me."

He smiled wide. "Joey, it's just one day. Only one. What's one day compared to being able to know you for the rest of my life."

My eyes widened in shock. I opened my mouth and nothing came out.

He kissed my nose. "You're crying again."

I gave up and let the tears fall. I jumped into his arms and wrapped mine around his neck, to try and hold the unbearable joy I felt. "That was the best thing anyone has ever told me. I'm sorry! I love you. God I can't believe you lost all that work."

"It's worth it to be with you, Joey. All the work in the world. Just to be with you for more than that day."

X-x-X

(1) Riva Degli Etruschi is actually a real Italian restaurant in Tokyo.