"So you think you'll be home in an hour or so?" Yami spoke in to the receiver, which he held between his ear and shoulder as he dried the last of the wine glasses he had been cleaning.

"If things keep running as smoothly as they have been, I should be." He smiled when he heard the tired voice of his lover on the other end.

Yami was speaking with Seto while preparing for the Christmas party he had decided to hold at the mansion. It was Christmas Eve and he had roughly fifteen minutes before his guests would start arriving.

Yami had been living with Seto for a little under a year. They had been 'dating' for a year and a half, though Seto refused to call it that. He was picky when it came to labeling their relationship. He would never actually give in and call them boyfriends. To him, what they had was personal and didn't need to have a name. Yami was just happy that Seto had finally let his guard down and let him in to his heart.

"Seto?" Yami said softly.

"Hm?"

"I want to thank you for letting me have this party. It means so much to be able to spend my Christmas with everyone, even if you do hate most of them," Yami smirked.

"Yami, I don't-"

"I love you." Yami cut him off before he could defend himself.

"I love you too."

Yami hung up when he heard the click on the other end, signaling that Seto was gone. They weren't interested in goodbyes.

Yami grabbed the now clean wine glasses and took them in to the lounge room where the main entertainment was happening. He placed them on the table with the beverages and then hurried back to get the last tray of sweets. Upon returning he realized that an ornament had fallen from the tree and he snatched it off of the floor to replace it.

He looked it over, smiling when he saw that it was the ornament that he had purchased the Christmas before when it was still quite early in their relationship. It was two penguins, holding up a banner in front of them. Etched in red were the words 'Our First Christmas'. He knew it was slightly cheesy, but it was simply the kind of person he was.

He had changed a lot since getting his own form. It was a shock to his system after returning from Egypt. He had so many things at his disposal. He was living in a modern world and suddenly he was seeing movies, eating at restaurants and listening to music. He quickly had to make up his mind about things that he liked and didn't like. He decided that he hated action movies and enjoyed romantic comedies. He disliked the taste of Caesar salad and enjoyed green peppers on his pizza. He despised rap music and couldn't get enough of slow, meaningful songs. Out of all of it, and after experiencing love in his own life, one thing was for certain: He was a romantic.

He placed the two penguins back on the tree he had picked out by himself just as the doorbell sounded. His body got a rush of adrenaline and he sprinted to the door. He could tell by the feeling in his heart who was waiting on the other side.

"Yami!" He welcomed the rather cold hug he received from his light, not being able to control the smile that graced his face. If Yugi were a duel monster, spreading smiles would definitely be his special ability.

Yami looked behind Yugi and saw Jonouchi, Honda, Shizuka, and Otogi coming up the path leading to the door. He let everyone in and took their coats, letting them shake the cold from their bones. Shizuka approached him, holding a small parcel in front of her.

"Yami this is for you and Kaiba! For inviting my brother and I in to your home," she spoke softly like she always did.

"Shizuka! This was not necessary!" Yami took the parcel, glancing at their neatly written names on the tag.

"I tried to tell her money bags didn't need anything and to just address it to you, but she insisted," Jonouchi shot as he walked past them in to the lounge with Honda and Otogi. The doorbell sounded.

"Jonouchi!" Shizuka yelled after her brother, then turned back to Yami. "Please don't listen to my brother's rude comments."

"It wouldn't be Christmas without them!" He handed back the gift and suggested she place it under the tree while he greeted the next round of guests. Yugi accompanied him.

Waiting outside when he opened the door were Mai, Anzu, who had flown in from New York the day before for the holidays, and Anzu's special guest.

"Hello, Yami! I would like for you to meet Daren," she gushed once they were all inside with their coats off.

Yami assessed the man in front of him. He was tall, standing about a foot above Anzu and roughly two feet above Yami. He had a handsome face, with a dark complexion and deep, ink black hair. Despite his fiery appearance, his eyes told it all, holding a great deal of passion and drive.

"Welcome to my home, Daren. It is a pleasure to meet you finally." Yami held out his hand and they shook firmly. He was pleased that Anzu had found someone who suited her.

The last cluster of guests joined the rest of the party in the lounge and they fell in to casual conversation. The wine got passed around, and Shizuka kindly chose a soda, being that she wasn't of age. She was always a rule follower; how unlike her brother.

Yami reentered the room, soda in hand, and all eyes were suddenly on him intently. He paused, his heart skipping a beat as he wondered if there was something seriously wrong.

"Is everything okay?" Yami asked as he handed Shizuka her drink. Yugi was the first to speak up.

"We were all wondering when Kaiba would be joining us," he said impishly, looking as if he were pushed in to asking. Yami immediately calmed.

"Oh! Seto will be home within the hour. He always works on Christmas Eve," Yami replied, taking a seat on the couch beside his light.

"So it isn't the fact that Kaiba is too ignorant to spend time with your friends and family?" Jonouchi snarled, staring at Yami from across the room. He received a slap from his sister.

"I assure you that he would like nothing more than to be here right now, however sometimes the good of his company outweighs the need to be here. Things are running smoothly, so he should be right along." Yami had learned to deal with Jonouchi's hostility over the past year. However, he let it affect him more than he should have due to the situation of his lover being absent on such a special night. He was starting to doubt Seto's word as the minutes ticked away. Surely tonight would be an exception to how all of the other nights tended to end up.

Kaiba sighed as he stood from his leather office chair. He took a moment to stare out of his 30th floor window at the gentle snow that fell to the ground in Domino. He took out his phone and saw that it had been an hour since he had talked to Yami and that he should be home by now. He was just grateful that he would be home at all; even if his home was filled with a few characters he wished to spend his Christmas Eve without.

Just as he closed his briefcase and shut down his laptop, the door to his office opened. He simultaneously held his breath.

"Mr. Kaiba there seems to be a problem with our affiliate in America," his secretary spoke softly, yet with an underlying sense of urgency. Dread coursed through his veins.

"Which one?" He spoke sharply, reopening the screen to his laptop and sitting down. He had had problems with America before with their long distance business relationship.

"It's the warehouse, sir. Their stock of duel disks is dwindling and because of the obvious difference in time zones people are still shopping and they are demanding a product that is not in supply." She rushed over to his desk when she realized he was going to stay.

"Get the manager in a conference call. I'll need numbers, and the status of the shipments that have not yet arrived," he ordered, bringing up the airmail transaction records on his screen.

"Yes Sir!" She hurried out of the dimly lit office, shutting the door behind her.

Before diving in to more work, Kaiba knew he owed someone an explanation. Pulling out his cellphone he made the fateful call.

"Hey, Yami? Yeah, it's me. Listen, something came up..."

Yugi watched from the doorway of the lounge as his dark talked quietly on the phone. He could feel in his heart that the news coming from the other end was none too positive, and by Yami's posture he knew he was talking to Kaiba. He could visibly see Yami's shoulders droop by a fraction, and could hear his voice struggle to stay even. When the call ended Yami took what he thought was a private moment to regroup himself.

Yugi became frustrated when he saw Yami turn around, only to be greeted by a bright smile. Over the year and a half that Yami had been with Kaiba, he had grown in to an impeccable liar.

"Was that Kaiba?" Yugi spoke boldly as Yami walked back over. Yami visibly flinched.

"Yeah!" Yami absently played with the hem of his red sweater.

"Is everything okay?" Yugi prodded, hoping to get something out of his partner.

"Things are great! There was a little snag, but he'll be right along when he's finished," Yami said through almost gritted teeth.

"That's wonderful!" Yugi followed Yami back in to the room where the party was in full swing, doubting very much that anyone would get to see Kaiba that night, let alone Yami getting to spend Christmas with the one that he cared for.

"Yami!" Jonouchi called as he reentered. "Where's money bags? Is he still too good for us after all this time?"

"No of course not!" Yami exclaimed, taking his seat on the couch once more. "He'll be here."

Yami attempted to help Jonouchi in to his jacket, which was harder than it seemed given the level of inebriation the blond was experiencing. Definitely too much wine.

"At least try and be classy!" Mai snapped as she kept him from falling over.

"It's okay, Mai, I'll take him!" Shizuka took the weight of her brother. She was the driver, everyone else having had at least one glass of wine. Anzu's boyfriend, having just had a taste, was the driver for the second car. The two had already said their goodbyes and were waiting in the car for Mai, who quickly hurried out while shouting a 'Merry Christmas' over her shoulder.

"Hey, we'll help him in to the van, okay?" Honda and Otogi took hold of Jonouchi and then turned to Yami. "It was a lot of fun catching up like this! It's a shame Kaiba couldn't make it," Honda bowed and Yami smiled, agreeing that they should all gather more often. The four made their way to the van, leaving only Yami and Yugi standing in the foyer.

There was a long pause while the two stood and looked anywhere else but at each other. There were things that needed to be said, but it was a toss up as to who would speak first.

"You'll be coming to Christmas dinner tomorrow?" Yugi finally asked, almost startling Yami as the silence was sliced.

"Of course," Yami nodded.

Another long, awkward pause.

"Um, are you sure that you don't want to come home with me? I just feel bad leaving you alone in this big house on Christmas-"

"I won't be alone for long, Yugi-"

"Yami, he isn't coming!" Yugi's voice came out louder than he had expected. Yami just stared at him, unsure of what to say.

"I understand your feelings for him, and I understand that sacrifices must be made for people you love, but it's Christmas! If he can't even make time for you one day out of an entire year, then maybe this isn't worth the stress that I know it is causing you! I know how lonely you get here! I know that you want this to be as perfect as it used to be back in Egypt, but it won't! Kaiba and Seto are two entirely different people! You will never be Kaiba's first priority!" Yugi had grabbed hold of Yami's hands, squeezing them tightly as he expressed all that he had been keeping in for so long. He released them, suddenly ashamed of his anger.

Yami closed the gap between them, drawing Yugi in to a warm hug. He held him close, and Yugi felt the built up tension slowly ease away from his muscles. He sighed, wrapping his arms around Yami's thin frame.

"I just want you to be happy. I want to know that you've made the right choice and that this is what you want," Yugi whispered.

Yami smiled.

"Yugi, if there is one thing you should have gathered from all of the years we have spent together, it is that I take situations and I learn to deal with them, and that I never give up on the people that I care about."

"Merry Christmas, Yami."

"Merry Christmas, Aibou."

Kaiba sighed as he dragged his tired body through the front door of his house. His arms felt like jelly as he removed his scarf and his coat, hanging them respectively in the closet. He kicked off his damp, salt-stained shoes and trudged in to the kitchen, setting his briefcase on the island. To the left of it was a small piece of paper with a sugar cookie shaped like a snowman on top of it. It was decorated with icing and sprinkles.

'If you're hungry, there's pasta in the microwave.

Just turn it on. I love you. xx'

A year ago he would have felt repulsed by the mushy, almost maternal way the note was written. Now, though, little notes like that were common and they were somewhat comforting after a long, grueling day. They were small reminders that there was still someone waiting for him when he got home.

He warmed the pasta and walked around the bottom floor of the mansion while he ate, seeing the evidence from the party that had taken place in the lounge. All of the dishes were cleared and the alcohol stored away, and all that remained were various games and playing cards on the coffee table.

When he was finished he returned to the kitchen, dumping the little remaining pasta in the trash and grabbing the sugar cookie. All that was left to do was the part that he was dreading the most, no matter how happy the note had sounded.

He entered their third floor master bedroom, shutting the door quietly behind him. He made his way over to the bed where Yami was sleeping rather soundly, facing away from him. He discarded his watch on the bedside table and went in to the closet to get changed.

Some time later he emerged in navy flannel sleep pants. He took a deep breath and crawled in to bed, wondering how the reaction would take place or if there would be any reaction at all. He moved himself so he was mere inches away from Yami. He stared at him, thinking over the best way to go about it. He sighed and realized there was only one.

All at once he wrapped his arms around Yami's clothed torso, pulling himself forward so he was flush against Yami's back. Yami began to stir as he pressed his lips to his neck softly.

"Mmm. Trying to take advantage of me while I'm asleep, I see..." Yami's groggy voice pierced the silence that Kaiba was hoping would last.

"I'm sorry I woke you," he mumbled as he buried his face in to the crook of Yami's neck.

"Shut up and kiss me," Yami almost snapped as he craned his head backwards. Kaiba stretched so he could plant a deep kiss on Yami's waiting lips. While their mouths were pre-occupied, Yami took the opportunity to turn around in Kaiba's arms. When they pulled away, he was smiling.

"I'm sorry about tonight, Yami. I'm sorry I couldn't be here like I promised." Another thing Kaiba had gotten used to over the past year was apologizing.

"Seto! Don't be like that. Everyone understands that work calls you away a lot. Besides, it gave you an excuse to avoid a couple people that you can't stand." Yami pecked his lips.

"That isn't the point! I asked you to move in so that we could see more of each other and spend more time together. You spend most of your days alone-"

"But then at night I get to welcome you home and spend these few short hours wrapped in your arms which I otherwise wouldn't be able to do. I didn't come in to this thinking it would all be sunshine and lollipops, Seto. I know that you are always going to have other priorities, and that's why it's little moments like this that I cherish. For the next little while I don't have to share you with anyone else." Yami rested his head on Kaiba's chest as he felt a hand run through his hair gently. "Now don't ruin it with all your little depressing apologies."

Kaiba chuckled and continued to rake his hands through Yami's hair, feeling his warm little body go slack against him. He knew all of the things Yami liked, including having his hair played with and his scalp massaged. He was a very physical being.

"You're unbelievable," Kaiba whispered in to the silent room, not knowing if Yami was even still awake, nor really caring.

"And that's why you love me," Yami chimed in.

"And that's why I love you." Kaiba agreed, no longer surprised at how easy it was to use that word with every ounce of the sincerity it required.

Yami picked his head up and leaned in for a kiss, stopping part way to make Kaiba work for it. Meeting him in the middle, Kaiba once again initiated a kiss, letting it linger for a few seconds, enjoying the tingle that he felt in his fingertips. Yami was the first to pull away, once again placing his head in the crook of Kaiba's neck. "Mm, I love it when you taste like icing."

"Goodnight, Yami," Kaiba yawned, ignoring that last bit of information.

"Merry Christmas, Seto."

"Merry Christmas."