Title: "I'll Be Home for Christmas"

Author: Uke

Rating: G

Pairing: Atemu x Yuugi

Genre: Romance, fluff, sliiiight angst, mostly fluff

A/N: This is a Christmas drabble I wrote for a friend. :) It's very cheesy, but...whatever. xD It's fluff. Merry belated Christmas everyone!!

Warning(s): This story contains SHOUNEN-AI (BOY X BOY!!!!). Please do NOT read if this offends you in any way.

Disclaimer: Atemu/Yami and Yuugi are NOT my own characters. I do not own Yugioh or any of the affiliated characters. This fanfic is written for entertainment purposes ONLY!!

It had been one year since Atemu returned to the past to take his place at home in Egypt. It had been one year since Yuugi broke his own heart just to make sure Atemu was where he belonged and not stuck in some different time period.

Yuugi couldn't really say that he was over it, but he was content. Atemu was where he needed to be, and Yuugi was as well. Atemu had done what he needed to do in the present and now it was time to take his final resting place in his rightful time. Yuugi understood that and accepted that and there was no reason to dwell on it or complain about something that he realized.

But he did miss him.

However, it was weird. No matter how much Yuugi missed Atemu he could never really feel lonely. Sometimes it even felt like Atemu was still around! Not in a sense where he could still talk to him or touch him, obviously, but just a feeling that he was there. It was strange.

But in any sense, it was comforting. Yuugi wouldn't share this feeling that he'd have with anyone, but it was own personal comfort for Atemu not being around regularly. It eased the pain of missing him and it made him feel safe and protected even without being wrapped in Atemu's arms.

Anyway, it was Christmas Eve. The first Christmas Eve without Atemu in his life, but Christmas Eve all the same. It was going to be a white Christmas this year, it had been snowing all day and the weather predictions said that the snow would continue all night. This made Yuugi smile. This was one of his favorite times of year and not only that but having a snow on Christmas was one of the simple holiday joys that would never leave Yuugi no matter how old he got. Seeing snow covering the ground and trees on Christmas morning just made him feel like a kid, it was so exciting.

Yuugi had been busy all morning doing last minute shopping. He had been bugging his grandfather all month about what he wanted for Christmas but of course Sugoroku said nothing. So Yuugi had to think on his own and only came up with the perfect gift idea at the last minute. Last minute Christmas shopping was stressful, but Yuugi still considered it fun. It was kind of a thrill seeing all the hectic surrounding him, but also the joy of families running about from place to place in the snow. And the feeling of getting the perfect gift even though it was the last minute was even more satisfying in a way. Yuugi didn't mind this at all.

He walked into his room and removed his coat as well as other winter gear, dropping them onto the floor. All of his things were damp from the snowflakes that had melted on them. He didn't even want to bother with that right now, knowing that he still had to wrap his grandfather's present that he just bought as well as all of the other gifts that he hadn't wrapped yet. He placed his shopping bag onto his bed when something on his pillow caught his attention. Something gold.

He turned his head immediately and saw that it was a small gold box. "What the-" Yuugi asked out loud, slowly picking the object up into his hands. The box had hieroglyphics carved into the entire thing and it really was a beautiful piece of art. But who was it from? Yuugi turned the box every which way trying to find a name or something to try and give him a clue of who it was from or maybe even who it belonged to. But Yuugi saw nothing. In the front of the box was a small golden latch, and Yuugi slowly opened it to hear music playing as soon as he did. A music box… Yuugi thought to himself. The tune that played was unfamiliar but comforting and soft. It was truly beautiful, and though the inside of the music box was totally hallow and empty, Yuugi felt like it was the perfect gift –whomever it was from.

Yuugi closed his eyes as he listened to the song of the music box. The song went on for only a minute before repeating itself. Yuugi felt as though he was floating, or something else that he couldn't describe. His heart felt light and everything felt safe and happy. There was a familiar warmth and scent in the air as well, and though Yuugi didn't quite understand it seemed to have made perfect sense all at the same time. "Atemu," He whispered out loud, a smile forming across his lips.

He closed the music box, snapping the latch back in place. Slowly he brought the piece of gold up to his lips and kissed the top of it, the gold warm from his touch against his lips. Suddenly the gold began to feel hot and it caused Yuugi's eyes shoot open as he quickly pulled it away from his face. Hotter, hotter… Yuugi made a slight sound of pain and quickly dropped it just for that. As the music box fell to his carpeted floor, it began to glow; a familiar golden light that Yuugi remembered from just a year before…when he was still in possession of the Millennium Puzzle.

And before Yuugi could even speculate or think further about this, a figure began to appear before him. It started off as just a figure shrouded in light, but then it began to take form, a shadow of it even being created on the floor. Slowly the figure materialized; tan skin, violet eyes, silk clothing, gold jewelry…a beautiful Pharaoh.

Yuugi's hands were shaking as they came up to his mouth that was opened. His eyes were wide, he looked like he wanted to cry, but he was mainly too shocked to move. "A-Atemu-! O-oh my god…y-you're here…y-you're…" Atemu smiled softly and nodded, "I'm here. Merry Christmas, Aibou." Atemu's voice was as strong but yet gentle and smooth as Yuugi had remembered it and everything about him was the same. So perfect, so beautiful. All the things Yuugi loved and wanted and more. And he was here!! Right in front of him like he had never left before!

"I-!! Oh my god-" Yuugi wanted to reach out to touch him; run out and hug him, grab him, ANYTHING, but he was still too shocked to move…maybe even a little scared. He was afraid that if he actually touched Atemu, all of this would disappear right before his eyes and be some kind of cruel joke. Did people actually play cruel jokes on Christmas? Yuugi wasn't sure anymore. He wasn't sure about anything right now.

Atemu chuckled and he was the one to move forward, his hand reaching out to brush gently against Yuugi's cheek. "It's really me, Aibou. I'm really here." Yuugi just stared up at Atemu, dumbfounded. "B-but…how…how are you-?" Full sentences and coherent thoughts were escaping him right now. All he could think of was "Atemu!" and "Yami!" and other one-worded expressions of joy and shock and love. "It's that music box, Yuugi. Mahaado and Mana helped me get it here to you. It was the key to bring us together again. I wanted to be here for you again, Aibou. At least for a day! Think of it as a Christmas present of sorts…" His hand was still caressing Yuugi's cheek the entire time to calm him. "I…I missed you so much. I love you… I wish I could have come back to you sooner."

Yuugi made some type of sound that only barely resembled some word and he threw his arms around Yami's neck. "ATEMU…ATEMU!" His face was buried into the taller boy's chest, taking in his scent and whole being. That's when the tears began, running down his face and dampening the fabric of Atemu's cloth. Atemu immediately wrapped his arms around Yuugi's back, rubbing his back and soothing him, smiling all the while as he held him tightly. "I know…I know…"

They stayed just like that for a few minutes; no words necessary. Yuugi crying silently and Atemu comforting him and protecting him. "Yuugi…you know I never really left you, though…right? I've always been here." Yuugi slowly looked up at him, his eyes glassy. "I…I think I know." He said, as he wiped his tears away. "I…to be honest, I felt something. I felt safe and secure even when you weren't around anymore. And even though I missed touching you and talking to you, I never once felt lonely. But I never understood it." Atemu nodded, "That's exactly what I meant. I'm always with you, always. And…we are still connected. I can still come to see you, but it won't be often…and unfortunately not whenever we miss each other. But there will be times when I'll still be physically here. It isn't the same, but-"

Yuugi reached up and placed his finger over Atemu's lips. "No," He smiled, "It's perfect. You're here now…I missed you! This is the greatest Christmas present I could ever have. I'm just…I'm so happy…Atemu…" Atemu reached his hand out and gently held Yuugi's wrist to pull his hand away. "No…call me Yami again…I miss that." Yuugi giggled, and stood up on his tippie-toes and leaned in, inches away from Atemu's lips. "Yami." He whispered with a smile leaning in all the way to kiss him softly. Atemu eagerly kissed back, arms holding Yuugi's waist for dear life.

"Merry Christmas, Aibou." Yami whispered again as their kiss broke for just a few seconds. "I'm so happy I'm here." Yuugi's eyes closed, and his head rested into Atemu's chest once more. "Me too…"

-END-