Disclaimer: I don't own YuGiOh!
"Hurry up, Seto, I want to make a snowman before dinner!" Mokuba Kaiba cried out as he waited for his brother to approve his outdoor gear.
The elder Kaiba brother took his time, assuring that zippers were done and gloves were in place. He didn't want Mokuba catching cold in this dreadful weather. Dreary fall had turned into frosty winter within a matter of weeks, and Kaiba knew that a sudden change in weather often left Mokuba in bed, which in turn produced a very bored Mokuba, which could quickly lead to a very annoyed Seto. And nobody wanted Seto more annoyed than necessary. Including Seto himself.
Finally, inspection completed, Kaiba turned Mokuba loose to go make snow angels and snow men, and have snowball fights with the neighbor kids. Sighing, Seto turned toward his study to get some work done.
"Big brother," a small voice called from the front door. Mokuba stood with one gloved hand resting on the handle. "Will you come out and play with me?"
The hopeful look in Mokuba's eyes were almost enough for Seto to break down then and there and go outside to play with his treasured younger brother. Almost. But the side that overpowered these feelings told him to be mature and try to get some work done.
"Sorry, Mokuba. I've got work to do." With that, he spun on his heel and headed down the hall, leaving a crushed younger brother to go outside and play in the snow alone.
Stepping inside his office, Kaiba realized that from the big picture window he could watch his little brother play from the warmth of the house. Smiling, he made his way across the room, slowing when he saw what Mokuba was doing.
Mokuba was trying, without success, to roll the large lower portion of a snowman across the snow-covered lawn. There were no neighbor kids trying to help him; poor Mokuba was playing all alone.
Taking a deep breath, Kaiba headed back to the entryway. Pulling a warm jacket and gloves out of the coat closet, he bundled himself up less meticulously than he had Mokuba and headed out into the freezing weather.
Slapping his gloved hands together, Kaiba stopped just behind his younger brother. "Okay, Mokie, where do we start?"
"Seto!" the raven-haired boy squealed with delight. Seeing Mokuba's face light up at the sight of his older brother was well worth the chill in Kaiba's bones, the risk of pneumonia, and it was even worth the late night he would surely have to pull in order to catch up on the work he was now neglecting.
Kaiba soon lost all thoughts of work as he and Mokuba made a snowman, complete with a carrot nose and stone mouth and eyes. Kaiba even sculpted a top hat on his head out of snow.
When "Sub-Zero," as Mokuba named him after his favorite video game, was finished, the two boys began making an ice fort. Kaiba couldn't remember having this much fun since…well…ever.
"Hey, Kaiba!" a voice called out from the sidewalk nearby. Seto turned at the sound of his name, just in time to feel a snowball smack into his face. "Catch!"
Wiping snow from his eyes and nostrils, Kaiba looked up to see Joey and Yugi doubled over laughing on the sidewalk. He turned back to look at Mokuba standing wide-eyed behind him, surely afraid that he would be angry and this would be the end of their fun day.
Giving Mokuba a small smirk to show he wasn't mad, he kneeled to pretend he was talking to Mokuba, using his body to shield the snowball he was packing. "Let's get 'em."
Mokuba's eyes grew smaller as an enormous grin spread across his face. He took off after Yugi, who squealed and tried to run while picking up snow to hurl at Mokuba.
Seto rounded slowly to look at Joey, who was looking at him with a small smile on his lips. The two boys stood still for a moment, each staring at the other in anticipation of what was to come. Seto was the first to move, dashing towards Joey who soon took off in the opposite direction.
Joey was certainly fast, but Seto was faster and soon caught up with him. Kaiba tackled him to the ground, stuffing snow down his shirt all the while. Joey squirmed beneath him, so Seto pinned his arms down at his sides, causing their faces to come within mere inches of each other. Seto could feel Joey's warm breath mingle with his own; he could smell the spicy scent of the apple cider Joey had drank at Yugi's house before they came over.
As Kaiba was intoxicated by the warm honey color in Joey's eyes, he began to contemplate kissing the boy here and now, while they were in such perfect position to do so. Just as he began to close his eyes and do what he'd been longing to do again for far too long, he heard the sound of snow crunching beneath two pairs of boots, followed by a breathless inquiry made by Yugi.
"Are you two okay?" he panted. "Looks like you took a nasty spill."
Kaiba leaped off of Joey, swiping at the snow on his pants before facing Yugi and his brother. "I'm fine. You okay, Joey?" he asked.
Blinking, Joey hesitated before standing up himself. "Aside from the snow in my underwear, I'm great!"
The silence was very awkward then, and Joey and Kaiba were looking everywhere they could except for at each other.
"Seto, I'm cold," Mokuba said, breaking the silence and shivering for effect.
Wrapping an arm around the small form, Seto led him toward the house. "Let's go inside and get some cocoa." Mokuba perked up at this; his brother's cocoa was one of the best things about cold weather. Looking back, Kaiba gestured toward Yugi and Joey. "You two are more than welcome to come inside and warm up, if you'd like."
The four boys headed inside to the kitchen, where Seto began digging through cupboards to find an appropriate saucepan. As he set the milk on the stove to heat, Joey nervously tapped him on the shoulder.
"Um, Kaiba?" he asked. "Do you have a shirt or something I could borrow while mine dries?" Kaiba looked at Joey, realizing that the snow he'd dumped down his shirt had melted, causing his entire back to become sopping wet.
Laughing, Kaiba led Joey towards the stairs. "Watch the milk for me, okay Mokie?" Mokuba nodded and bounced over to the stove, taking his brother's request literally.
Once inside the bedroom, Joey closed the door behind him out of habit. Kaiba opened a dresser drawer and pulled out a white undershirt, tossing it at Joey. Joey looked at Kaiba for a moment, then pulled his soaked shirt over his head.
Kaiba's heart began beating faster at the short glimpse he got of Joey's well-muscled body before he pulled the dry shirt on. Kaiba's shirt was a little too small for Joey, practically clinging to his form.
For the second time that day, the two boys locked gazes. And once again, Kaiba closed the gap between them, instinct once again taking over his normally rational mind. Seems that his thought process was lost once Joey Wheeler entered a room.
Pinning Joey's elbows against the wall, Seto's eyes hungrily drank in the sight of his affections dressed in his clothing. Hesitating once again, realizing that this would ruin everything he'd thought long and hard about, that it was Tristan that Joey really wanted to be with, Seto was very surprised when he felt tender lips claim his own. All thoughts lost once again, Seto closed his eyes and ran with instinct for a change.
