Author's Note: Merry Christmas! This is a little stocking filler for all of my readers this Christmas! I've never written Ryou or Bakura before so you may have to cut me some slack. Also this piece is a little more artistic than my regular stories or one shots, so just er...go with the flow lol! Hope you like it and I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and New Year!

Warnings: Yaoi (BakuraxRyou), extremely mild cussing.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh much as I don't own Christmas I suppose. Drat, should have put them on my list to santa...

Five Gold Rings

Ryou Bakura yawned and rolled over. Sleepily his foggy mind registered the gentle scent of cologne from somewhere on the bed next to him and his ears picked up the sound of gentle breathing. Gradually his mind began to piece together his situation. He remembered the writing of Christmas cards, the wrapping of presets, a few glasses of mulled wine, the touching of lips in tipsy but gentle passion, the slow and loving event and the contented sleep afterward. A small smile formed on tired, silken lips as the memories flooded back to him and he was filled with the warmth of love once more. Slowly Ryou moved a hand to the space on the bed next to him, where it met with the bare, toned flesh of another male's chest. So he was still there. It was unusual. Ryou was always the late waker in their relationship. Without opening his eyes the hikari turned again in bed but this time to carefully rest his head upon the chest so close to him. Silver locks brushed against tanned skin as Ryou settled himself down, contented smile still firmly in place. He could feel the gentle rise and fall of his lover's chest, hear the steady, relaxed pace of his boyfriend's resting heart, and then, brushing against his face, the cold metal of Bakura's millennium ring, the thing that brought them together. All was peace and Ryou felt as though he were touching heaven. He was in love and there was nothing that could happen to change that.

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"What do you mean you don't want to?" Bakura roared angrily as he rather violently stabbed a fork into a fairy cake to see if it was finished cooking.

"I mean that I don't want to Bakura." Ryou replied quietly whilst re-tying his apron in a double bow. "I thought that would be ok,"

"Well it's not!" The yami growled, throwing the cakes back into the oven and slamming the door so hard that a spoon fell off the table. Ryou dutifully bent to rescue it. "Did you even think to ask me Ryou?" Bakura continued to fume, "Well? Did you? You didn't think about my feelings did you? I do have them you know!"

"I know you do 'Kura." The hikari replied again, his voice still level. "I thought that you would understand."

"Understand what? That you're selfish? That you're thoughtless? Or that you don't love me as much as you used to?" With each question the now furious yami viciously stacked plates into the cupboard chipping them as he went.

"'Kura." Ryou replied, not looking at his boyfriend and instead turning to wash the dishes, starting with the spoons and then moving on to a gold cookie cutter. "Please be careful with the plates." Bakura didn't reply, but a moment later Ryou found himself being spun to face his murderous looking boyfriend.

"You didn't answer the question." He growled, his voice dangerously low, "And don't talk to me about the God-forsaken plates!" His grip on Ryou's arms tightened and he moved one hand down to grip the hand of Ryou's that held the baking instrument. "You don't love me like you used to…do you? That's what this is really all about. That's why you won't come to the Christmas party with me isn't it? You don't want to be seen with me." Ryou didn't reply, he could feel the circular cutter digging into his hand. Bakura was already beyond reason, so there was no point defending himself. "Or…you're seeing someone else aren't you?" The yami's eyes flashed. "What's he like? Is he good in bed? Is he handsome and charming and clever? Do you tell him about us?" Ryou dropped his head to his chest.

"Please, Bakura, you're hurting me." A moment later the hikari was released, but he did not raise his head, instead examining the crescent shaped cut on his hand from the gold cutter. He heard his yami's cursing, he heard the glass bowl of cake mix crash to the floor and he heard the kitchen door slam. Sadly Ryou looked at the cutter in his hand and at the bloody line on his palm. But he was in love and there was nothing that could happen to change that.

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Midnight had long since passed but Bakura had not come home. It had taken Ryou over an hour to clean the kitchen and then he had set about bandaging his hand. When it became apparent that the hikari was destined to spend the night alone he had finally moved up to the roof. He couldn't bear sleeping in their bed alone. It felt so empty without Bakura to share it with him. Instead he had grabbed a jumper and some blankets and headed for the roof to spend the night there, under the stars. As much as Bakura protested there were many benefits to living in the suburbs. With a sigh that sent frosted breath fanning out in front of him, Ryou settled to lay on his back against the tiles. Above him stretched the expanse of space; beautiful, captivating but lonely, much like Ryou himself. It had never occurred to the hikari that he was attractive, or at least it hadn't before he'd met Bakura. Before their separation the yami had been downright abusive, but, in time and with love and patience, Bakura had grown a heart and one that was for Ryou, and Ryou alone. He had worshipped his hikari, told him that he was beautiful, clever, charming, alluring and all of the things that he could ever wish for, all of the compliments under the sun, arranged in a staggering dance of dedicated seduction and eternal devotion. It was then that Ryou had begun to see himself as attractive, as worth looking at and being cared for, a prize to be won. They had flourished from each other's ministrations and grown with each other to their fullest of potentials. Slowly, Ryou's eyes raked the diamond encrusted sky. But they stopped short of their final destination. There, among the stars, only small, but definitely there. A redish golden ring. A galaxy millions of miles away. Ryou let out a sigh as he gazed on at the tiny nebula, this was the kind of moment that he would once have shared with his lover. He would have pointed out the spectacle and smiled, then his boyfriend would have held him close and laughed,

"You're stupid sometimes you know Ryou?" And they would be in love and there would be nothing that could happen to change that.

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Bakura stood at the front door awkwardly. What was he going to say? He'd yelled at his love, hurt him, broken things, got violent and called him a liar, a whore and a cheat. Suddenly the doorbell seemed a million miles away. Why couldn't he have just apologised there and then, because he'd been too stubborn and pig-headed. It had only gotten worse. He'd spent the night at a hotel because he'd been too worried that Ryou wouldn't forgive him, but being away from his hikari had only given him time to deliberate on his mistakes. Slowly he raised his hand to the gold ring of the door-knocker, but he couldn't find the courage to use it. What if he'd pushed it one too far this time? What if Ryou didn't take him back? It would be no less than he deserved. How Ryou could put up with his constant mood swings and violent behaviour was beyond him. But somehow he did, somehow Ryou always found it in his heart to take him back, to ride out the lows with him. He'd never met anyone else like that, someone who was so patient, so dedicated, humble, loving, selfless, tolerant, forgiving. Most people who knew him simply judged Bakura as violent and dangerous and to some extent that was the truth. But Ryou had taken the time to get past that and help him expose his more vulnerable aspects. He had dared to love him and Bakura had been only too happy to love him back; completely, whole heartedly, eternally. It was probably that that made him lash out a Ryou. That he loved him so much, maybe too much. He was a constant victim of paranoia when it came to Ryou. How could such an angel be faithful to someone like him? Ryou had to be cheating, no man was lucky enough to be able to catch a vision like that and keep hold of him for very long. Bakura got edgy when other people were too touchy with Ryou. What Ryou meant as kindness others may interpret as something else and he'd be damned if he let the angel slip away from him. There were times that he firmly believed that if Ryou left him no one could ever love him again. Just the thought of his boyfriend leaving him was enough for Bakura to move himself into action. He couldn't live without his hikari, without his lover, and so if that meant apologising it was a small price to pay. With a heavy hand and a heavier heart Bakura grasped the knocker and dropped it against the door. Time seemed to slow and an eternity felt like it was going by as Bakura waited for a response. Would Ryou answer? Was he even at home? What if he was cheating and was out with the man right now, their tongues down each other's throats and another man's hands all over milky flesh that belonged to him and him alone. It was a huge relief when Ryou finally answered the door.

"I…" Bakura started, but he was stopped as his lover pressed a gentle finger against his lips to silence him. With a grace that made the yami fall in love with him all over again Ryou drew closer to his lover and smiled fractionally, a smooth, accepting little smile.

"Welcome home." The hikari replied simply and removed his finger to dust a light kiss across his lover's lips. Bakura smiled and responded with an equal amount of delicacy to the soft touch of lips. It spoke volumes. It said, 'I forgive you,', 'I love you,', 'I need you,' and 'I want you,' all at once. And, as if a fire had been rekindled, he was in love and there was nothing that could happen to change that.

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The fire cracked as it burned away at the logs in the grate. It had been his father's idea to get a real fireplace and it was at times like this that Ryou mentally thanked his father for his forethought. In the corner of the living room stood the Christmas tree, decorated simply with white lights and a star atop it. Bakura had had to do the star, being a few inches taller and whilst his boyfriend had busied himself with the tree's crowning glory, Ryou had wrapped up the last of the presents and stowed them under the tree. Those days, only a week ago, seemed as hazy memories now, fond remembrances of a time passed. With a smile of content Ryou curled up a little tighter on the sofa next to Bakura, his head resting contentedly against the more muscular of the pair.

"'Kura?" He asked, just above a whisper. For a moment there was silence in which Bakura simply savoured the warmth from the fire and the soft voice of his lover.

"Yes love?" He replied at last, his voice a little louder but still hushed as if not wishing to break the atmosphere.

"I love you."

"I love you to." Bakura replied, "In fact…" With difficulty the yami shifted so that Ryou was forced to sit up.

"In fact what?" Ryou asked sleepily, rubbing his eyes.

"In fact, I love you more than I have loved anything in my entire life. You are the centre of my world and without you I feel cold and alone. You have helped me become a better man and you dared to love me when others wouldn't." Slowly Bakura got off the sofa and reached into his pocket, bringing out a small black box. Ryou's heart stopped. Could it be…? Was Bakura really…? After a moment Bakura dropped to one knee and Ryou's heart suddenly exploded into overdrive. "When I think of a life without you I think of no life at all. Simply being your boyfriend isn't enough anymore, I worry that you are too good for me and that if I don't catch you now you'll float away from me. You taught me how to love and now I love you Ryou." In one smooth motion the box was brought up, clicked open and a beautiful white gold band complete with diamond was revealed. "Will you marry me?" The silence seemed to stretch forever as he waited for his boyfriend's answer. Inside Bakura could feel his internal organs tightening with nerves. But this was what he wanted more than anything and if some nerves were all he had to put up with in order to spend an eternity with his beloved than he would take them and savour them. Finally Ryou replied.

"Nothing would make me happier than spending the rest of my life with and only you Bakura. I love you and yes, I will marry you." For a moment the two silver haired men simply grinned at each other, taking in every detail of the moment and of each other's faces. Then, Bakura carefully took the ring from the box and slid it onto his fiancé's finger.

"Forever and a day Ryou."

"Forever and a day." The hikari replied and then flung himself forwards to embrace his husband to be.

The fire went out. Soft tendrils of smoke curled up the chimney to signify the fire's inevitable end. But there was no one to relight it. Both inhabitants of the house were busy. Ryou was lying atop Bakura, still frozen in the embrace from that moment, and beneath him Bakura held his hikari with the same love and warmth. And they simply lay there, gazing at each other in a total but comfortable silence. That was until Ryou spoke, once again just above a whisper.

"I'm sorry about the Christmas party." Bakura smiled up at his love and shook his head.

"It doesn't matter, I was stupid about it. It wasn't that big a deal." He moved his head up a bit to kiss Ryou's forehead. "But…out of interest why didn't you want to go?" Ryou smiled and rolled over to lie next to his yami rather than atop him.

"Because," The hikari turned his head to look straight at Bakura, "I wanted to spend it with you." Bakura smiled and Ryou smiled back. It didn't matter that the fire had gone out anymore. Neither noticed. They were in love. Totally, completely, irrevocably, and there was nothing, be it arguments, illness or death that would ever even come close, to changing that.