Yami Mirana: We don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! in any way, shape or form.

Hikari Melanthia: Unless, of course, you count owning a copy of Shadow Games Vol. 1; Best of Friends, Best of Duelists; and Yu-Gi-Oh! The Pyramid of Light. and a bunch of printed pictures of Yu-Gi-Oh yaoi.

Yami: Read, review. I'll send you to the Shadow Realm if you don't.

Hikari: and we accept flames, even. But please be constructive about it?

/Mindlink/

Marik Ishtal watched the snow falling, shivering. It had only been six months since he'd received his own body, like the other Yami spirits, and it was snowing in Domino. He heard the sound of a tea pot whistling, then Tea calling out that there was hot chocolate.

He pushed his hair back, sighing. He continued sitting by the cold window, wrapped in a blanket. He smiled to himself when a large snowflake stuck to the window before his eyes.

These are all so different, not a single one looked the same as the other. There are some that tried flowing against the others, but were dragged down by larger flakes. Held down, as they were buried.

Like Malik…

My Malik is always so unique, always so beautiful. And always held down by his family, the ones who should've cared.

The yami scowled, it wasn't fair to have carved into his hikari like they had. The scars he now bore, etched forever into his lovely tanned back… The only good thing to have come from those damned scars, was the yami that swore to protect the kitty.

/Marik?/ he jumped slightly at the voice in his head, looking away from the window and up into violet eyes. Malik was watching him, concern in his eyes and two mugs in his hand. "I brought you some hot chocolate… Are you okay?"

/Just fine, kitty. Just fine./ Marik took the proffered cup, smiling as his hikari sat on the window seat across from him. He shivered in his lavender tank top, goosebumps raising on his arms and tanned stomach. "Cold?"

"A bit… There wasn't snow in Egypt." The yami glanced about the room, smiling when he saw Ryou wrapped in Bakura's arms, sipping from his mug and smiling. He looked content, as he snuggled further into his own yami. Tea was smiling and laughing with Duke, Tristan, Joey and Serenity. Kaiba was settling Mokuba into a large pile of blankets, the sleeping form smiling despite the noise.

Yami- Atem, he corrected himself.- held Yugi to him tightly as he scowled at the window. Marik smirked, knowing the Pharaoh's time had been much hotter in Egypt; at least Malik had lived in the cool underground. He turned back to his own hikari, who was watching the snow with wide, awestruck, innocent eyes as he shivered.

Marik carefully took away the Egyptians mug, and with his own, set it on the table. He pulled Malik into his lap, stretching his legs to take up the rest of the room in the window seat. Malik blushed, squirming.

"Y-Yami." Marik smiled, easily putting the young teens fears to rest and pulling him closer. Malik buried his face in his yami's shirt, shivers ceasing.

It wasn't a confession. No, Malik decided. If the yami felt anything like he did, he'd wait patiently. He'd wait forever, for his dark half. If he didn't, he'd be content to these moments when the spikey haired teen felt the old pull, the need to protect his hikari.

Til then, he'd settle for pushing Ryou and Bakura together. Cause really, this whole cuddling because the younger albino sniffled and shivered?

Didn't count.