He knew painfully well what this night would mean… it was the end. He'd felt it weeks ago, when the first notes of carols began to grace the air. They seemed to gather in his stomach, like a stone that kept growing and weighing on him. Tonight, what he'd had nightmares over since the love of his life was returned to would finally come to pass…

Yami and Yugi had pined for each other too much for things to continue as they were. The fates had been unable to deny them happiness, for however short a time it could be. Like it or not, the nameless pharaoh had passed into the afterlife, and no soul was granted the chance to leave, ever. 'If you're dead, stay dead, damn you' was about all they generally said to that sort of thing. However, to the one who'd defeated Zorc, the one who was likely to do something all too rash in his worsening depression and withdrawl, they'd allowed an exception.

Without warning, he'd been spirited back to Earth, in a form of his own, but still just as much a part of Yugi as he was those years ago when the game-loving shortie had come into the height of their shared bond. He'd been welcomed back into the lives of those who sorely missed him, and the two lovers had jumped at this chance and hit the ground running – er, fucking. But their love for each other was not just physical, sometimes they'd sit for hours on end and talk about everything and nothing, or even sit in silence, enjoying together the wide music library Yugi had amassed to drown his emotions in during his forced isolation from his dark. But there had been a price.

Before he'd woken before Yugi at Domino Park one perfectly miserable day, the fates had whispered to him thus: Return to your love and with him make the most of the time you have. You shall remain on Earth until we deem you both fit to continue the rest of your lives in your destined worlds, or that it will never be. We wish to end your pain whichever way we must…

Those words had haunted the spirit as of late, but he had no clue what to make of it. Of course they'd never be happy without each other. Or at least, Yami wouldn't. Yugi had proven he was quite capable of living his life without any help, but without Yami… he didn't WANT to do that. He'd shut himself down to the point of hospitalization before he would even think of picking up the pieces. Then what? How would they end his pain however they must? What would they do to him? To Yugi?

The light, meanwhile, had merely asked for them to spend the evening lounging by the fire, in a warm embrace, lost in thought as Manheim Steamroller echoed eerily around them. He knew something was to happen, but he had no idea what! He would've spoken up about it ages ago, but he knew Yami was high-strung over something at the moment, and he didn't really want to burden him with this paranoid feeling of his. Leaning back to rest his head in the crook of his dark's neck, he willed the tension to leave him (at least partially) in a long sigh, closing his eyes and relaxing into the embrace of his lover.

He just took in the musky scent of his lover mixing with the sugar cookies on his breath and the two mugs of cocoa long abandoned on the table nearby. He took in the feel of those strong arms around him and their shared body heat. He took in the ethereal glow his other seemed to have taken on in the light of the fire in an otherwise shadowy room, and the way his- wait… glow?!! Oh, shit.

Jumping out of his arms to stand and look at his lover fully, amethyst orbs full of fear and pleading, he saw it, hand flying to his mouth in dread: transparent, almost like a trick of the light… the puzzle. The Puzzle was around his neck, the eye seeming to wink at him mischievously before the light intensified with the solemn music.

"Aibou, what is it?" Yami barely had time to look down at himself before reality seemed to rip away from him, yanking him upright as it stripped the modern clothes from his body, replaced by the traditional robes of a Living Horus, complete with majestic crown. Reaching out, he saw Yugi lunge for him, to embrace him one last time-

(ba-da-bum-bum-bum, bum, bum, bum…ba-da-bum-bum-bum, bum, bum, bum)(AN: since my skills at typing out the sounds from the song are dismal at best, if you're listening, this is about1:59 into the song)

Yugi went through him, eyes breaking yet again as he sailed on to land haphazardly on the couch, turning back just as quickly, yet frozen on the spot now, "…Yami…"

He was gone. The mug of hot cocoa he'd left half-finished had remained, and a small black box that had escaped from his pocket fell softly to the floor… The presents from him and for him had not been touched, nor had the stocking with hieroglyphics and a very well-stitched picture of the puzzle been disturbed. Only he had been stolen away from the world… only him… as always, only Yami was ripped away.

He felt himself sobbing, but he didn't seem to hear it. Hot tears steamed down his cheeks and onto the collar of his turtleneck, but the gasps of his shaky breath were silent, allowing the melodies to console him with the lamentation that was the music. His shattered mind reformed himself, just had he had reassembled the shattered puzzle so many times during his adventures, and only one thought came to mind: Not again… Never again would he be left behind like this. Yami didn't have to leave the golden bliss of the afterlife… the light would come to him there. Rising from the couch, his pale face hardened in thought: but how? How would he do this… There's only one way to get into the afterlife, you have to die. Yugi would readily do that… cast off the chains and the troubles of this thankless world and join the rest of his soul.

Rising and venturing back through the house, Yugi was quite thankful his Grandpa had agreed to attend that conference with Hawkins in America- oh gods… Grandpa. What on Earth would he think about all of this? Forget that, he'd at least be understanding. What would the gang think?! Seto would call him either a coward or a weakling, as always. Jou would be heartbroken, but accept it in the end, maybe, if he didn't end up bitter over being left behind. Malik and Marik would understand, they knew what it is was like to be without your soul. Ryou… Ryou would most likely follow his lead, just to return to Bakura. Anzu, she'd be heartbroken, but understanding. Honda and Otogi, he wasn't sure, and most likely he wouldn't care. Mokuba would be comforted by Seto, and who gave a damn what Pegasus would think. Rebecca had known this was coming all along, Yugi realized, for she had made him promise: if you go, at least tell us… and be sure to tell us why.

'I left because life with only half a soul is empty. There could be no light without the dark.'

He quickly entered the kitchen, and after a moment's consideration wrote the small answer on a snowy napkin before further debating the main problem now: how. He had to die, but that could be accomplished a zillion different ways. Hanging, drowning, burning, smothering, electrocution, falling down the stairs, poison, stabbing, cutting a vein… He didn't want it to take too long, nor did he want it to damage the house. He didn't care about the pain… what would be the quickest, then? What would leave his body presentable for burial without mortician's putty? He journeyed upstairs, into the spare room that had turned into Yami's room for a few all-too-short months.

Taking the alarm clock he was quite sure would never be used again (as Yami had heavily abused it with his shadow magic), he ripped out the power cord, exposing the wires that would send him to the gates of heaven. He then plugged the cord back up near the bed, which he then sat down upon, testing the wires for sparks before calming himself the only way he could at this point: he looked around. A few pictures caught his eyes, all of him. The earliest was taken of Yugi shortly after finishing the puzzle, he was grinning as he held it gently, almost lovingly… just as the finally began to notice the dark. The next was after the Oricalcos fiasco… mere days before Bakura's Ancient Egypt RPG. Yugi and a transparent Yami were standing together, a hand looped over the other's shoulders, the other making sign: Yami a thumbs up and Yugi a peace sign. The final was taken ten days ago, a picture for their Christmas cards. Both were in black pants and turtlenecks, Yugi's a cheery green and his love's a festive red. They both smiled so easily for the picture, but now as he looked at it, he noticed that they both had the same worry hidden in their eyes. Yami had feared this was coming, too… he hadn't known it would be mere days before Christmas, one of the happiest days of the modern calendar.

Going over, he kissed his fingers before putting them to the glass over his love's face, "I'm coming, too, this time…"

Then he returned to the bed, lying down as if to fall asleep there, where Yami's scent still lingered, and after pulling the cords further apart, jammed the exposed copper into both side of his chest. The energy filled him quickly, and a gasp of pain arose from him, muffled still by the music echoing from down the hall… he heard the plug overloading, and then it all faded away into the shadows that surrounded him, consumed him.

Whoosh…

He found himself before the judge, his feather being taken and weighed. The scale did not fall against him, and then after receiving a look of – was that pity or contentment – from them, the gates opened, and he beheld the peaceful paradise within. There was nothing too special about it. He could see in the horizon every era of civilization scattered about, from prehistory to current day. And from one of the many desert castles to his left, he saw someone running towards him like a bat outta hell.

His robes were haphazard, his cape close to falling off, as was his crown, and he was receiving varied looks of bewilderment and annoyance as he darted past. His crimson eyes were… wait. Why was he crying?

Yugi ran to meet him, tackling him to the perfectly warm sands in the most heartfelt hug he'd ever given him. Finally they could be together and no one would take it away…

"Why?" Yami choked out moments later as they broke apart, "You had a whole life left ahead of you… why would you leave them all to come with me?"

"Silly Yami…" He giggled as he pulled himself back into his dark, "There is no life for me without you… Besides, if we're both here, then we have forever to enjoy together. No worries of the next global threat, no fussing over illnesses or injuries of life-threatening situations…"

Yami took a few moments to take all of this in before nodding, "You're right…"

The two lay down in the sands, celebrating together their true reunion, and both agreed on one thing much later on: it may have come a few days early, but that was the best gift they ever had besides each other. It became tradition (though frowned upon by the others for adhering to a false religion, though all knew they didn't really believe in Christianity, merely Christmas in the sense of modern days: a day where you give those you care about a gift, and spend time with your loved ones). Each night before Christmas Eve, they'd lock themselves in the castle Yami had regained in the afterlife (fully renovated for any modern devices they'd wanted because the wonders of magic were kind in this place), and make love by the fire whilst listening to that same CD.

(Bum…Bum…Bum…piano ending)Whoooooooosh…

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Happy Holidays, one and all.

I'm rather glad with this fic. I was able to give it that happy ending I wanted, despite how truly somber the song is. The holidays seem to get me in a writing mood, so I might do a sequel (though not as morbid, I hope). I however would like to know which couple it should be geared towards. I'm a devout follower of the hikari-yami pairings (Yugi and Yami, Ryou and Kura, Malik and Marik) and Puppyshipping. So where should this go? I want to do the next to Josh Groban's rendition on 'I'll Be Home for Christmas' (my lords, it's so SAAADDD!!! I cried when I hear that little girl at the end!).

-Ara, Goddess of the Broken