AN: Just a cute little Tendershipping one-shot that I just had to write. Bon appetite et joyeux Noel!
"I swear to god, the check out lines get longer and longer each year." Bakura complained, shoving the apartment door open. He didn't bother kicking his shoes off as he rushed to dump their grocery bags on the kitchen table. Ryou followed more slowly, shaking off his shoes before kicking their front door shut.
"I can't argue with you on that one. Even the self check-out lines move like molasses around this time of year." Ryou plopped his bags by Bakura's, not wasting a second to get their cold food into the fridge.
Bakura nodded, handing Ryou their vegetables and meat to store away in their fridge. He had learned quite earlier on while dating that it was best to just let Ryou organize the kitchen however he wanted – he was the superior chef between the two. "Hypothetically, we got enough food to make it through the holidays. We have a shit ton of ground beef to eat through."
Ryou rolled his eyes, moving from the fridge to the freezer as he made space for their new arrivals. "That's for Yugi's Christmas party this Saturday. So no touching that until then."
"You know you could make your meatballs a day early and nobody would realize a few were missin-"
"Bakura, no. I'm not having this argument with you again."
Bakura slipped his arms around Ryou's waist, leaning in close to nuzzle his neck. "But Ryou, don't you want to see me with your balls in my mouth?" He whispered the words slowly into his boyfriend's ear, enjoying the sight of Ryou's rosy cheeks becoming more flushed.
"Stop teasing me, you asshole!" Ryou chuckled nervously, his eyes carefully avoiding Bakura's. "I'm making them on Saturday – I don't have time before then to do it anyway."
Bakura sighed loudly, slinking away as he put away their non-perishables. "Damnit, why do you hate me!"
"Stop being so dramatic. You'll get your meatballs later."
"But your making me spend a night with Yami to get to them. That's the cruelest treatment of all." Bakura couldn't help the way he snarled Yami's name. He had a very long feud between him and Yugi's cousin. There had been a lot of bad blood between their families and having to spend time with him at Christmas did nothing to put aside Bakura's frustration.
"It'll only be for a few hours. We don't have to stay long. Plus it'll be nice to spend time with friends – that's what the season is for." Ryou put a kettle on the stove as Bakura finished up putting away their groceries. He set two mugs out on the table as he waited for the water to heat up.
Bakura rolled his eyes, crunching up the plastic bags to throw under the sink. "Correction, Ryou – the season is a corporate ploy to get us mindless consumers to spend an absurd amount of money of stuff we don't need in a desperate attempt to show how much we care about the people in our life. And before you ask, no, a night with the Pharaoh isn't going to teach me the true meaning of Christmas."
Ryou snorted, shaking his head. Pharaoh was a nickname Bakura had come up with for Yami. He had coined it since Yami always spoke about his childhood life as the son of a wealthy diplomat. He had spent a lot of time in many countries, including being born in Egypt – something he never let his friends forget. It was Bakura's unsubtle jab at him that he would use around Ryou.
Even if Yami hadn't figured out who this nickname was referring to him, Bakura was fairly certain his other friends had already picked up on it.
"Okay, Mr. Scrooge. Don't write off the season just quite yet. People might surprise you." Ryou handed a freshly brewed cup of tea to Bakura, leaving the kitchen to sit down on the couch. Bakura followed, blowing lightly on the hot beverage before taking a quick sip. Bakura doubted Ryou's suggestion. His boyfriend very much loved the Christmas season while he personally could never stand the plasticity and shallow nature of the holiday.
"The sooner the 25th passes, the better. I just want to get this nightmarish season over." Bakura complained, folding his legs across Ryou's lap in a defiant gesture to keep him from getting up. Ryou rolled his eyes, taking a sip of his tea before putting it down. He patted Bakura's leg for a moment, a curious look on Ryou's face.
Bakura didn't say anything, watching as Ryou bit his lip in thought. He knew if he gave him time, he would eventually make sense of what he was thinking. Sure enough, Ryou shifted away from the couch, Bakura letting him go. "You know, I was going to make you wait until Christmas, but after thinking about it, I think you should open one of your gifts early."
Bakura blinked, somewhat confused as he watched Ryou leave. He had only just gathered himself as Ryou returned with a red and white striped box. "Wait, really? Why?"
Ryou shrugged, though his face was already growing rosy again. He fiddled with the ends of his hair, unable to keep from fidgeting. "I feel like you need it right about now… Just open it."
Bakura raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He turned his attention to the box sitting in his lap, carefully tearing off the tape. He pulled back the lid, flicking away the tissue paper. He glanced down, spotting the thick, green wool underneath. He felt his lip twitch in reflex. "An ugly Christmas sweater?"
Ryou nodded, his face now bright red. Bakura wasn't really sure what to make of it. He pulled the sweater out of the box, staring down at the green sweater with a bird right in the center. This gift… confused him. Ryou was typically really good at figuring out what he would like for Christmas. The fact that Ryou gave him a gift implied that this would be something Bakura wanted or would cheer him up.
Bakura honestly had no idea what to make of it. He didn't really care for ugly Christmas sweaters, but Ryou got it for him. He supposed he would wear it.
"You hate it."
Bakura snapped his head, Ryou now hiding behind his bangs. He shook his head in protest. Regardless of whether he cared for the gift was beside the point – his boyfriend got him this and spent the money on him. The least he could was be grateful and wear it. "No, no. I like it. Thank you."
Ryou snorted, shaking his head as a wry smile grew on his face. "You don't need to lie to spare my feelings, Kura. I can tell that you're not a fan."
Was it rude to admit the truth? Bakura felt like it was, but at the same time, Ryou had called him out and was completely aware of his distaste for the sweater. "I can wear it for the party. It's fine."
Ryou rolled his eyes, reaching his hand out to take the box. "It's not like I can't return it and get you something else. I'd rather you have something you liked than you pretend to like something you secretly hate. It's fine. I still have the store receipt."
That's when Bakura noticed. The bright smile on Ryou's face, the calming, assuaging note in his voice. Most of Ryou's friends assumed that was just Ryou being himself, kind and polite and always putting his friends before himself. But Bakura knew better. He knew that Ryou was lying through his teeth right now. About what parts, Bakura wasn't entirely sure.
But Bakura also knew that fighting Ryou on this further would only end up with them in an unfortunate spat.
He slid the box to Ryou, watching him as he left the room. There was more going on here than Bakura observed. He was going to have to do a bit of digging around, but he suspected this wouldn't be the last he heard of this sweater. He needed to know what exactly was the story behind Ryou giving this to him. And he had a few ideas of where he could find out.
Bakura put these thoughts aside as Ryou came back, flicking the TV on to some mindless Christmas special. Bakura chuckled, letting Ryou choose an activity for the rest of their lazy afternoon.
The following couple of days passed smoothly with no mention of Ryou's gift to Bakura. The less they talked about it, the more it drove Bakura nuts. He knew hounding Ryou wouldn't give him answers, so he was left to try and decipher what the hell went on in his boyfriend's brain. He wasn't any closer to figuring it out. Apparently, dating Ryou for over two years did little to solve the mystery surrounding his secretive partner.
It had gotten so far that Bakura was still trying to decipher the mystery on the day of the party. Feeling somewhat annoyed, he decided to do what he did best and ignore his problems. Ryou was at work, so Bakura decided to hop onto the Duel Monsters server. Lucky for him, Marik was on.
Ever since his Egyptian companion left the States, the two had to keep up via gaming. Ryou often wrote and called their mutual friend, happy to keep in touch. It was this knowledge that gave Bakura an idea. Perhaps if he played his cards right (figuratively and literally), he could reap in the rewards. He bantered back and forth with Marik as the two duel, more interested in their conversation than the actual game.
"Doing anything for Christmas this year?" Bakura typed, trying to figure out which card to toss to the graveyard.
"I'm going to France with my siblings this year. We're going to take a week to travel along the Mediterranean and hit up some towns. You?"
Bakura snorted. He forgot about the stupidly exorbitant inheritance that Marik and his siblings had. They certainly knew how to ride out the holiday season. "Just a low-key evening with Ryou. Nothing fancy."
"Nice! Have you figured out what you're getting him for Christmas?"
"Yes."
"Want to tell me?"
"No."
"Why not?" Bakura smirked. He could almost hear Marik snapping at him all the way across the Atlantic.
"Because you're just going to turn around and tell Ryou. You can't keep a secret to save your life, jackass."
"Piss off."
Bakura couldn't help but grin. Conveniently, Marik had directed the conversation in the direction he wanted. "Hey, that reminds me. I need to ask your opinion."
Marik took a few moments to respond, almost as if debating whether it was worth his time. "I know you probably don't deserve my advice, but screw it. What do you want?"
Bakura, trying to think of how to carefully word this. He would ask Marik's help in one regard, but he needed to not let on to his true intentions. If he did, Ryou would find out. What was the point of going behind his boyfriend's back if he found out now?
"Ryou decided to give me one of my gifts early for Yugi's party today. Should I let him open one of his gifts then?"
Bakura waited, feeling anxious by the length of time to respond. Though in reality it was only a few seconds, Bakura couldn't help but feel as if hours were ticking by. "Wait, you mean he gave you the sweater?"
Bakura raised an eyebrow. Well, that simplified matters more. It was like watching a robot play chess against itself. Apparently, this sweater was a known factor. "The very same."
"Ah nice. I didn't even realized he finished it. How'd it come out?"
That was the tip off Bakura needed. He leaned his head back, a smirk on his face. Ryou knitted the sweater. In a way, it shouldn't have surprised him – Ryou seemed to have an array of hidden talents and skills that Bakura kept discovering. But it surprised him still that Ryou took the time to knit him a sweater at all. The gesture was really very touching and sweet of him.
Which only made Bakura's lackluster response even more mortifying. He should've been more excited for Ryou. Way to make his boyfriend feel awful for doing a nice thing. Even if it hadn't been intentional, he knew he had hurt his Ryou's feelings by his disinterest in the gift.
The message notification blipped again on Bakura's screen, catching his attention. He had forgotten to respond to Marik. He started typing again. "It looks great. He was a nervous wreck giving it to me though."
Marik was quicker to respond than Bakura had been. "Haha I'm not surprised. He wasn't sure how the whole toeing-the-line with being offensive and subtle would work, but it looks like he pulled it off."
Bakura pursed his lips, thinking. Based on what Marik stated, Ryou had a hidden message in the sweater. One that he would pick up on. Except he didn't when he opened his gift. Bakura considered this when Marik sent him another message. "Hey, mind sending me a pic of the back? I need to see how that turned out."
Bakura tilted his head, realizing that he hadn't checked the back of the sweater. In fact, he had barely glanced over it. What exactly had Ryou done with the sweater? Regardless, Marik demanded his attention now. "Sure. I'll send you a pic later."
"Cool. Well, as for your original question, that's up to you. If you have a nice sentimental gift for Ryou, then perhaps an exchange would be nice. But this is you we're talking about, so probably not."
"Piss off, Marik. Just because I'm not into Christmas doesn't mean I don't try and get Ryou something nice."
"Still wouldn't hurt for you to be more romantic. Ryou does all the work in your relationship."
"Who are you, Ishizu? This is rich coming from someone who's been single for over a year now. How's Namu doing, by the way?"
Bakura smirked, cackling to himself as Marik sent an emoji in response. He grinned at the middle finger given to him, sealing the deal as he finally knocked Marik's life points down to zero. Marik didn't waste anytime logging off afterwards, not wishing to be harassed by the albino any further. Bakura was left to chuckle, letting his friend leave with his dignity somewhat in tact. If Marik couldn't win, he could at least give Bakura the bird.
Bakura blinked, a realization finally dawning on him. It was subtle and a long shot, but at the same time, it was a likely connection. Ryou liked subtle, almost unnoticeable jabs. That's why they referred to Yami as the pharaoh anytime he was around so as to keep gossiping about him (for Bakura's sake). The more he thought about it, the more he was certain that he was finally starting to understand the sweater Ryou knitted him.
Bakura closed his laptop, deciding now was as good of a time to hunt down that sweater. He wandered back to their bedroom, staring at the closet that he had been forbidden from for this month. Ryou wouldn't be back for another hour, so he had to find the sweater quickly. He flung open the doors, eyes glancing over as to not look at any unwrapped gifts that might have been hidden.
He spotted the familiar red and white striped box, snatching it before sliding the door shut. He walked over to the bed, putting the box down as he stared down at it. He took off the lid and pulled the sweater out, staring at the bird that covered the front of the sweater.
The bird. Ryou's own knitted emoji.
Perhaps Bakura was just reading into the situation where there was no actual subversion occurring. It could just be a stupid bird. But no. Ryou was smarter and sneakier than that. Ryou knew Bakura better than that. This was the exact subtle message Ryou thought Bakura would love to trot around at Christmas parties.
Honestly, it was probably one of the most romantic gestures he could think of. It was like his boyfriend knew him.
Bakura smirked, flipping the sweater around to throw it on. He would wear it tonight for his boyfriend but also so he could silently give everybody at the party the bird. Especially Yami. That would be extremely satisfying to do. Before Bakura could put it on, he noticed something on the back. He blinked as he pulled the sweater away so he could see it better.
His eyes widened as he started to chuckle. His laughter quickly grew in volume before it became a wicked cackle. How the hell he hadn't noticed the message on the back was beyond him. Apparently Ryou's message wasn't as subtle as he thought. Ryou had an evil side to him that Bakura hadn't been aware of. This was going to be the best Christmas ever.
Bakura grinned, eager for the Christmas party tonight.
Ryou felt himself rushing to get home. He had put the meatballs in the crockpot this morning, but he knew he would have to crank up the heat on them before they left that evening for the party. It didn't give him a lot of time, but he figured he could rally Bakura's help on the matter by promising him a few meatballs before the party for his help.
Ryou stepped into the apartment complex, pulling his scarf away as he hopped onto the elevator. He tried to focus on the party, forcing other unpleasant thoughts from his mind. Despite how he tried to occupy himself with current affairs that demanded his attention, he couldn't help how his mind wandered to his usual heartache this week.
He had really hoped Bakura would have liked the sweater he knitted.
Ryou knew he was a bit of a hopeless romantic at times. He was aware that Bakura hated the Christmas season. It reminded him of a childhood of shuffling around between foster homes and rarely having a safe and loving environment at this time in year. Ryou understood that Bakura's bitterness and grievances at the holiday were deeply rooted and he only put up with the Christmas festivities for Ryou's benefit.
Still… Ryou had wanted to do something so that Bakura could enjoy the Christmas season a bit more. Perhaps it was a long shot, but he had talked about it with Marik, thinking that perhaps the best way to bring some Christmas cheer was to meet him in the middle and embrace his Grinch-iness. After all, Ryou liked his sardonic approach and sarcastic quips. That's what made Bakura, after all.
Ryou stepped off on his floor, sighing as he walked down the hallway. Well, the sweater had been a complete bust. It seemed like an obvious question to ask first, but Ryou hadn't even thought to ask Bakura's opinion regarding ugly Christmas sweaters. This would have been fantastic knowledge to know before Ryou spent a good quarter of the year knitting one.
He shrugged as he stepped into the apartment. He couldn't force Bakura to enjoy the season, but he could help make the holidays special for the both of them. Compromises had to be made sometimes. Ryou took off his coat, shaking his head as water droplets scattered out of his hair.
"Ryou, you home?" He could hear Bakura in the bedroom. Ryou nodded, realizing after the fact that Bakura wouldn't be able to see him. He kicked off his boots as he started for the kitchen.
"Yeah, sorry I'm late. Busy day." Ryou paused a moment, staring at the crockpot filled with meatballs. He should probably ask Bakura first before rushing himself to get ready. "Hey, Kura. I've been thinking – if you don't want to go to the party tonight, we don't have to. I know you aren't on particularly good terms with my friends and if you'd prefer it, we can stay in. More meatballs for us, if so."
Ryou joked lightly, though he knew his own smile was weak. He already knew the answer, but that still didn't mean that Ryou wasn't disappointed about missing the party. Yugi always threw a fun get-together and the multitude of desserts was Ryou's dream come true. Christmas was the perfect time of year for his sweet tooth, and an even better time to spend it with friends.
But he loved Bakura more. Damn that stubborn man. But not really.
Ryou could hear the bedroom door close, Bakura likely making his way to the kitchen. "Hell no, I'm not missing this party. We're going tonight!"
Ryou blinked, wondering if he had just imagined that response. Probably one too many cups of eggnog at the work holiday party today. He blinked as he turned towards the hallway, knowing his boyfriend was coming to join him. "I'm sorry – are you saying you actually want to go now? What's with the sudden change of mine?"
Bakura stepped around the corner, a large smirk on his face. That smirk widened as Ryou felt his own jaw drop as he recognized the sweater his boyfriend wore. "Well, if you had asked me a few days ago, you would've sold me at 'more meatballs for us.' But since then, my boyfriend made me this kickass sweater and I absolutely need to share it with all of his friends."
Bakura grinned as he turned around, showing off the text on the back. "Especially Yami."
Ryou knew what he had knitted there, but that still didn't help the burning red that flooded his cheeks. He raised a hand to cover his mouth, not sure if he was still slack-jawed or fighting a grin. It was one thing to create it, but it was another thing to see his boyfriend wearing a not-so-subtle message on his back for a certain nemesis of his. Bakura seemed almost like a defiant child, excited to wear something his parents didn't approve of.
Though Ryou suspected no parent would ever let their child out of the house with "KISS MY JINGLE BELLS, PHARAOH" on the back of their shirt.
Bakura turned around, leaning in as Ryou struggled to compose himself. "You look confused, Ryou. Something wrong?"
Confused? Yes, Ryou was feeling extremely confused. Baffled really. Bakura leaning in with that knowing grin on his face was enough to bring Ryou back to his senses enough to ask the questions on his mind. "But- I thought you hated it…"
Bakura shook his head, an impish look on his face. "Are you kidding? I get to give everyone the bird at Christmas parties. And nobody is ever going to realize it. That's my level of petty."
Ryou shook his head, the red now extending down to his neck. So Bakura had picked up on that implication. That was a relief. He had been worried that he had been too subtle with it.
Still… Ryou was reminded of when he gave the gift to Bakura. Despite the smug and arrogant look on Bakura's face, Ryou was always careful to not assume. People often hid what they were feeling – Ryou was guilty of this on many occasions. He glanced away, lowering a hand to fiddle with the end of his shirt. "Bakura, that's nice of you, but if you don't like it, you really don't have to wear it. It's fine."
Ryou expected some confident, witty retort back. Bakura did like his bantering almost as much as he liked to complain. So Ryou was surprised when he felt Bakura take his hand, pulling it away from his shirt. "You made this for me, right?"
Ryou paused, not entirely sure how Bakura figured that out, but figured it was the least important of the questions he had. If he knew, he knew. Ryou nodded, still not meeting his boyfriend's gaze. He could tell Bakura wanted to him to look, but Ryou couldn't. Not yet. He felt so confused and frazzled and looking at Bakura would only make him more so.
He felt Bakura's other hand trace along his cheek, gently caressing him. Ryou closed his eyes, sighing softly as he leaned into the touch. Bakura was never one for romantic gestures. He liked to be spontaneous and surprise Ryou – whether bringing him lunch at work or taking him out on a surprise date, Bakura liked to be creative to express his affection.
Softer, intimate moments initiated by him were a rarity, something Bakura wasn't comfortable with. Ryou would often initiate cuddling between the two of them – Bakura wasn't averse to it, but it wasn't his go-to show of affection. Ryou savored these few moments like now, where not much was said and all was communicated with these soft, simple caresses. He shifted his hand so as to link his fingers with Bakura, raising his other hand on top of Bakura as he continued to trace along his jawline. Nothing sensual or teasing – just a reassuring touch.
Perhaps that's how Ryou understood that Bakura wasn't putting on a front and pretending to like the sweater. He knew that Bakura was being sincere when he said he wanted to wear the sweater and he wanted to go the party. And even though Bakura asked only one question, Ryou understood why that question mattered.
In his own way, Bakura understood why Ryou gave him this gift. Ryou had worried that the intent and reasoning behind give him the sweater – to give him something exemplifying his love of Christmas while also embracing his Scrooge-like attitude for the season. There was so much to be said to explain why Ryou loved the season and why Bakura detested it. They had had arguments and discussions for hours on the topic.
But at the end of the day, Christmas would pass and come to end. They wouldn't. So perhaps making the season special for each other was enough for both of them.
Bakura leaned forward, kissing Ryou lightly on the lips. It was so tender and brief that it stole Ryou's breath away. His eyes flitted opened, smiling as Bakura pressed their foreheads again. "Perhaps I'm being overly sentimental, but thank you for the sweater. Really. In case you haven't noticed, I really do like it."
Ryou giggled, tilting his chin so that his lips brushed against Bakura's. "You're welcome. Figures the one gift that turns you into a romantic sap is a sweater that allows you to flip everybody and tell your rival to go suck it."
"Keep whispering sweet nothings in my ear. I love it when you insult me."
Ryou couldn't hold back his laughter at that remark, pulling in to kiss Bakura once before stepping away. He looked over Bakura, checking out his attire. "I will say, the sweater looks pretty damn good on you."
"Are you complimenting your handiwork or my body?" Bakura grinned, walking over to check on the meatballs cooking.
Ryou bit his lip, unable to help the grin growing on his face. "Can't it be both?"
Bakura smirked, raising a single eyebrow. Ryou felt his heart racing, but reprimanded himself to keep it together. They had to get ready for the party – he could not get distracted now.
"Need a hand getting ready?" Bakura asked, eyes flicking down to the crockpot. The gesture made Ryou laugh, the albino stepping forward next to Bakura.
"Not really – it's pretty straightforward until they're done. But I will need someone to taste them to make sure their ready."
"Well, you did promise meatballs." Bakura grinned, bumping Ryou with his hip.
Ryou smirked back, bumping his boyfriend back. "That's not all I promised."
Bakura's smile widened, a gleam in his eyes. Ryou felt himself flush as Bakura glanced over him. It reminded him of when they first started dating, when everything felt so new and exciting. The way Bakura gazed at him as if he was the most beautiful man alive caused his heart to beat steady and fast. And damn it, Bakura was looking fine as hell tonight with that confident smirk and gleam in his eyes.
Ryou hated being late for stuff, but he decided he could make an exception tonight.
"I need to pick out an outfit tonight. Mind helping me?" Ryou smiled innocently, taking Bakura's hand as he led him back to their bedroom.
Bakura shrugged as if he had nothing better to do, but his quick pace revealed how eager he was as well. Ryou grinned, thinking despite how good the sweater looked on Bakura, it was going to look much better crumpled on the bedroom floor.