Summary: 'Tis the season to be... miserable? The holidays may spell joy for most people, but definitely not for Ryou Bakura, whose only wish to make his and his significant other's first Christmas together a memorable one turns into a disaster upon the unexpected arrival of an old acquaintance.

Pairings: Bakura x Ryou (Tendershipping) and others.

Disclaimer: (For all chapters) Don't own it. Never will own it.


'Tis the Season

By, Dorobo

Chapter One: Deck the Halls

Christmas carols issued from the speakers of the portable stereo placed on the tiled porch in front of the Tanaka-Bakura home. Outside, at the very top of a tall ladder, a man with shoulder length silver-white hair stood, hanging Christmas decorations from the roof. Cursing the incessent cheerful music of the twenty-four hour Christmas station, he stapled a strand of icicle lights above the garage door. He wanted so badly to throw his staplegun at the music box in hopes of silencing it once and for all. If there was one thing he hated about the holidays, it was the music.

The sound of bells chiming alerted the man on the ladder –Akefia Bakura, or just Bakura, as he preferred to be called - of the arrival of another person. As he glanced down he caught sight of a petite male with hair almost identical in color to his own, only grown out so that it just touched his waistline. Currently, the long silver-white locks were pulled back into a low ponytail, leaving the boy's warm chocolate eyes exposed to the world.

In his hands he carried a large box, filled to the brim with even more decorations. Bakura held back a groan as the younger male –his roommate and significant other, Ryou Tanaka – set the box down in a section of the driveway free of snow and began unloading its contents.

"Let's see," he said to himself, looking over his shoulder back at the small one-level house. "The wreath still needs to be hung and the light-up reindeer need to be assembled and set out... And that should do it for outdoor decorations." He gave a bring smile as Bakura descended the ladder, standing back up to face the other male. "I really appreciate you helping me with this. I know you're not too big on celebrating Christmas, but... well, you know how it's important to me..."

Bakura gave a rare smile, reaching out to ruffle the smaller male's hair playfully before pulling Ryou into a warm embrace. "Well, as much of a pain-in-the-ass as it is, it does seem to make you happy... so I guess I don't mind too much."

Ryou beamed up at him. To show his gratitude, he leaned forward, getting on his toes to plant a soft kiss on the other's lips. Bakura decided an affectionate Ryou was definitely worth the time and effort that setting up the stupid decorations took. Wrapping his arms tightly around the younger male's waist, he brought Ryou closer to himself, kissing him thoroughly.

They had been dating for almost two years now, although they had known each other as friends since they first started high school. Sweet and shy Ryou Tanaka had moved to Domino High from England, and was immediately swept up into the crowd of 'popular' students, where the pretty cheerleaders all but gobbled him and his thick accent up.

Overwhelmed by all of the new attention, Ryou had barely even noticed the gangly outcast Akefia, until, as fate would have it, they were partnered together for a parenting project. The two – along with the ten or so other pairs in the class – were given two eggs (one a 'girl' and one a 'boy') which were to represent babies, and they were expected to take turns carrying the eggs around in a basket (which they were also responsible for buying and decorating). While Akefia Bakura was unenthused by the project, Ryou had gotten very into it by making little outfits to dress the egg babies in, and even naming them – the egg boy was dubbed Akefia Jr. and the egg girl was named Amane, after his younger sister.

The project required they spend quite a bit of time together, and during that time the two white-haired teenagers came to learn a lot about each other – such as the fact that Ryou's parents were divorced and Ryou had been forced to move to Domino with his father, and that Bakura's parents were merely foster parents.

The end of the project meant anything but the end of their friendship. On the contrary, they only grew closer together after that – so close that, by the commencement of Ryou's sophomore year (Bakura's junior year) at Domino High, the two were practically joined at the hip, one never seen without the other.

It was when Bakura was a Senior and Ryou a Junior when they legitimately became a couple. Surprisingly, it was Ryou who officially asked Bakura out and not the other way around. Several days before the school's annual Homecoming dance, Bakura had cornered his best friend and long-time crush at his locker at the end of the day, and requested that Ryou be his date to the dance. Ryou, after many moments of silent debate, said he would agree – but only if Bakura conceded to be his steady boyfriend from that day on.

And they'd been together ever since. After Bakura graduated from Domino High he got his own place and begged Ryou to move in with him. It was several months later before a hesitant Ryou accepted the offer.

Presently, the two were looking forward to spending their first Christmas together under the same roof – their first Christmas together, actually, since Ryou tended to visit his mother and sister during winter break every year – and while Bakura wasn't especially fond of the winter season, Ryou was determined to make the holidays an extravaganza the likes of which Bakura had never seen. They'd set up decorations both inside and outside, and when he wasn't at school, focusing on school work, or at work, the younger of the two white-haired boys absorbed himself in baking little treats for his significant other to enjoy.

Bakura had come to enjoy the season more, now that he was getting the chance to spend it with someone who was so obviously enthralled by it.

When their kiss broke, Ryo pulled away reluctantly to glance over at the box of decorations sitting several feet away. Idly tracing patterns against the soft material of the jacket covering Bakura's chest, he suggested they finish their work.

"And then we can go inside and have some hot chocolate, maybe snuggle on the couch..."

He let his voice trail off, a gentle smile appearing on his face. Bakura snatched another kiss from the pliant lips before him - causing Ryou to release a noise equivalent to a giggle - and then nodded his head in agreement. Eager to get to the more pleasant activities Ryou alluded to, Bakura immediately set to work on completing his Christmas decorating.

- / - / - / - / -

Later that evening found the two white-haired males huddled together on the crème-colored sofa in the living room, a sole blanket covering both their bodies. Bakura lay stretched out across the length of the couch, one arm supporting his head while the other curled comfortable around Ryou's waist. The brown-eyed teen rested against him, using Bakura's broad chest as a makeshift pillow; his eyes were half-lidded as they gazed absently at the Christmas tree standing proudly at the other end of the room, the white lights on the branches dancing in his dark irises.

"The tree turned out pretty," he mumbled tiredly, closing his eyes for a moment.

Bakura blinked, turning his head slightly to catch a glimpse of the aforementioned tree, before nodding his concurrence. "You're prettier."

Ryou blushed at the compliment, playfully smacking the taller male's chest. "For the last time, Bakura, I'm not having sex with you on the couch." Such was his typical response to any flattering remark Bakura gave him.

The short-haired man chuckled and leaned down, covering Ryou's lips with his own. "Sure I can't change your mind?" His usual response to Ryou's response.

Ryou hummed, chocolate eyes falling shut once again as he returned the kiss. "I love you, but no." Then, much to Bakura's dismay, he stood up from the couch and stretched his arms over his head. "When did it get so late? I need to get up early tomorrow to go shopping."

Bakura sat up, scratching the back of his head. "Shopping?" he asked, a grin tugging at his lips. "For what, I wonder?"

The shorter shot him a look. "Nothing that concerns you," he replied, though it was fairly obvious he would be looking for Bakura's Christmas gift. Only one more week until Christmas; he needed to hurry and find something.

Shrugging, Bakura stood back up. The grin never fell as he took hold of Ryou's hand and led him to the bedroom. "If you say so, I won't question you."

The two made their way to the bedroom they shared, quickly changing and getting under the warm blankets, gravitating towards each other for extra heat.

"Night, Ryou," Bakura whispered several minutes later, earning an incoherent mumble from his partner, who had already drifted off, comfortable in the arms of the one who loved him.


I know, not much has happened so far, but things WILL get better as more characters are introduced and the plotline thickens. Until then, I'd really appreciate it if you left a little review and tell me what you thought - what you liked or didn't like.

- - Dorobo.