Author's Notes:

I didn't finish Daisies are for Innocence yet, (for which I humbly beg your forgiveness) but I kind of scribbled this up one afternoon. It's very short. It's also a sort of song fic. You don't have to read the lyrics, since they're not really not that relevant. I just liked the song.

Warnings: VERY slight Yaoi, Y/Y pairing.

~*~*~

Early one winter morning, Yami was awakened from a sound sleep by a joyous shout. Blinking his eyes against the pale light that flooded the room, he looked around for the source of the disturbance. Surprise, surprise. It was an adorably eager aibou. Namely, Yugi Motou.

"Look Yami! It's snowing!" Yugi jumped out of bed, dragging (to Yami's dismay) the blankets with him.

/Aibou!/ Yami reprimanded sharply, though the overall effect was somewhat ruined by his teeth chattering. /It's cold here, bring back the blanket./ Yami obviously wasn't going to put up with being roused so suddenly by a hyper other half, no matter how cute that other half might be. /Get back here…/ He repeated when it became obvious that Yugi wasn't listening.

Completely oblivious to his Yami's discomfort, Yugi stared out at the rapidly accumulating snowflakes. His eyes were shining brightly, cheeks flushed red with excitement, anticipating, no doubt, snowball fights and sled rides down steep hills. /Wake up, Yami!/

~chiisa na shiawase o daiji ni atatameteta

Even small happiness can warm up the right moment.

nee omou to mune no oku konna ni itaku naru no

Hey, your soul, your heart, do they feel like this?~

 "I'm awake, little one. And awaiting the return of the warm blanket you pilfered earlier." Yami yawned widely in an exaggerated show of exhaustion, partly to indicate that he was tired, but mostly to cover for the fact that he had been staring at Yugi. Yugi, of course, didn't notice.

~anata no me anata no koe subete itoshikute

Your eyes, your voice… I cherish all of you.~

 "Don't be silly! It's too nice a day to stay asleep. Besides, it's your first snow…"

"I've never seen snow before and I certainly don't plan on doing so today. Now bring back the blanket!"

"But Yami…" Yugi tore his eyes away from the frozen white coverlet of snow outside and walked back towards the bed. He threw the blanket back onto the bed, which Yami clutched at gratefully.

"Thank you. Now if I could go back to sleep…" Yami turned over. And found himself face to face with Yugi, their noses almost touching. Making a sound that was half moan, half growl, Yami braced himself for the inevitable.

"Please, Yami? I want to play outside in the snow…" Yugi did his best to look pitiful, and, being Yugi, succeeded very well.

Which is how Yami found himself dressed in snow pants, a coat, hat, earmuffs, and mittens, helping Yugi make a snowman outside that afternoon. The snow was still falling, though it had tapered off a little after they came out.

"We couldn't even wait for it to stop…" He grumbled half-heartedly. When no answer came he looked around for Yugi and sighed when he saw no sign of him beyond footprints. Looking up at the drifting white flakes, he sighed again. "Still, aibou was right; this is kind of fun. The snow is pretty…"

And a snowball hit him right in the face.

Even while clearing the snow off of his face, he heard laughter. When he could finally see again, he saw Yugi looking at him innocently. Well, as innocent as anyone (even Yugi) can look with snow decorating their mittens.

"Aibou…" He mock-growled at Yugi, who laughed again. Yami leaned down and scooped up some snow, expertly patting it into shape and packing it tightly. He tossed and caught it a couple times.

Yugi turned and ran, but not fast enough. The snowball hit the back of his head, almost knocking him off-balance. Not at all bad, considering it was Yami's first snow. 

Yami gave chase, occasionally dodging the handfuls of snow his quarry threw back at him and letting loose a few of his own. Finally, catching up to Yugi, he tackled him. Yugi fell into the snow face first, Yami following him down. Luckily, the soft fresh snow cushioned their fall.

Yami flipped Yugi over and pinned him down with hands and knees. Yugi's eyes were still laughing, even as he struggled to get free. He almost slid out, but got nothing for his pains but another snowball right in his face.

"Do you pay the forfeit?" Yami's voice came from somewhere above him, sounding slightly choked. He wasn't sure, seeing as how he was blinded by snow and the melted water was running into his ears.

"Nn…" Yugi wiggled again, trying to escape, even while blinking snow out of his eyes and with his mouth full of snow. Yami simply held him tighter. "Well? Do you?"

Finally getting around the snow, Yugi shouted, still laughing, "I give, I give!"

"Will you pay the forfeit?"

"Of course." Yugi answered without hesitation. "It's only fair, isn't it?"

Yami was silent for a minute, and then whispered, "Close your eyes."

Yugi did so. He shivered as even more snow melted and dripped down his face. Several ran into his mouth; Yugi tasted salt.

~konayuki ga hoho ni maiori namida ni kawatta

The flakes of white powdered snow, rolling down my cheeks, forever changing my tears.

itsu made mo soba ni ite kono te o hanasanai de

I'll always stay at your side; please don't let go of my hands.

fuyu no sora kirameku hoshi wa futari o tsutsunda

The stars of winter's sky sparkle and glimmer all around the two of us.

shiroi kata shiroi iki anata to kanjiteru WINTER WISH

White shoulders, white breath, I'm feeling you as my shining winter wish.~

 "Cold?"

He nodded, wondering what was going to happen. Was Yami crying? He felt Yami wipe the drops off his face and then shift his weight slightly, freeing Yugi's arms. "What are you…?"

He was cut off by Yami, dropping a kiss on his lips, still wet from the melting snow. Yugi kissed back, wrapping his newly freed arms around Yami, purring slightly. When Yami pulled away, he smiled, then giggled.

"What's so funny, Yugi?" Yami asked, slightly breathless.

"You taste like mint," was his response, "and we never got to finish our snowman." He finished petulantly.

Yami laughed at him. "It's getting dark out. Shouldn't we be going in?" He got off Yugi and pulled him to his feet. "We can always finish it tomorrow."

"All right then!" Yugi smiled again, this time mischievously. "We can have hot chocolate. I'll ask Grandpa to light the fire for us!" With that he ran off, calling back belatedly, "Race you!"

"Aibou! You cheated!" Yami yelled back, kicking up snow as he ran after the other.

"And you love me that way, admit it!"

~hajimari wa konayuki no IVU chiisana SUTORI

This is the beginning of our small story, of powdered snow on this winter's eve.

dare yori mo aishiteru kono te o hanasanai de

I've fallen in love with your true self; please don't let go of my hands.

arukidasu futari no mirai naranda ashiato

We walk and our footprints trace out our future together,

nukumori mo yasashisa mo anata to dakishimeru WINTER WISH

Both warm and gentle; I embrace you as my winter wish.~

~*~*~Owari~*~*~

Endnotes: Yes, I know how common this is. Cliché? Yes. Overdone? Yes. But well written? Please tell me what you think.

Review please!