A/N: Well, it just started snowing really, really hard outside my house... and it almost NEVER snows in this part of Oregon... so, I came up with this little idea. Nothing much, just a simple little story set a while after the end of Yu-Gi-Oh. Enjoy, read and review, please don't flame or you will shatter what little self-esteem I have... let's see, anything else? Oh yeah, and happy holidays to all. If any of you see snow this season, I hope you can feel a connection with Yugi, Kaiba, and Joey, and Tea and Bakura and whoever the heck else you want. So without further ado, let the story begin.
Oh wait... I guess there is further ado. Despite how often I have wished for the contrary, I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. Happy? Although the ownership rights would make one heck of a Christmas present... hmm, maybe next year.
"Whoa, check it out! It's snowing!"
"Your talent for stating the obvious never ceases to amaze me, Wheeler."
Yugi let out a sigh. Put Joey and Kaiba in a room together, especially if there were cards present, and the two would be bickering in seconds. Tensions were particularly high here, at the national Duel Monsters tournament. Even so, snow was a rare enough sight. On instinct, he reached for the Puzzle that was no longer around his neck.
It was hard to get used to life without the Pharaoh. Even before he ever solved the Millennium Puzzle, he had carried it with him for eight years. It had become a constant in his life. Then came Ushio, beating him – along with Joey and Tristan – to a pulp. Finally giving him the reason to solve the Puzzle, releasing Atem. Since then... there had been so many opponents, so many challenges. Shadi, Kaiba, Pegasus, Marik, Bakura.... every one of them, they faced together. The Rite of the Duel had pitted them against each other, but they were always friends and partners first. Now he and his ancient Puzzle were gone forever, along with every other Millenium Item. Atem had passed to his rightful afterlife. The Millennium Puzzle had vanished beneath the Egyptian sands. Life was finally normal again, or at least as normal as life could become for the King of Games.
It felt rather strange now not to be faced with the threat of death at every turn.
"It probably never snowed in ancient Egypt, did it?" Yugi quietly mused to himself. Now that would have been something special to the Pharaoh... it would be tough to imagine frozen water falling from the sky when you had lived your life in an ancient desert. But his thoughts were interrupted by the thud of Kaiba hitting the snow-covered ground. Apparently Joey had surprised him with a snowball – a perfect headshot. Kaiba now appeared prepared for murder.
"Calm down, you two. Can't you at least stop fighting to take in the snow?"
Kaiba stood up, stock-still for a moment. Then, slowly, methodically, he removed his Duel Disk and set in on the bench. He shot Joey a glance, replied to with a grin. And then, for the first time in human memory, the two cooperated in something.
Yugi, simply standing there puzzled, had no chance of standing the impact of two simultaneous snowballs to the chest.
Maybe the snow really does work miracles. Even Kaiba was having fun.
Thank you all for reading this little oneshot. Happy holidays to all, and good dueling as well! May your booster packs be filled with rares!