Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. I do not own cherry candy canes or Pepsi.

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In front of the fireplace, Ryou sat sucking on a candy cane. It was one of those cherry ones, all red and left your teeth, lips and tongue red. Ryou enjoyed cherry candies and bought loads of the candy canes every year at Christmas so that he could have them throughout the next year. He saved his money every year so he could buy them. He wasn't aware of how those sticks of red dyed sugar could effect the most unlikly person.

Standing in the door frame of the living room, more in the shadows then the boy with the candy cane, Bakura watched Ryou stare into the fire while sucking his treat. His cherry flavored treat, Bakura noticed. Bakura had a thing for the cherry canes, too. But not in quite the way the smaller boy did. He liked watching Ryou suck on the candy, lick it, watch Ryou's lips turn red.

I hate you, Ryou, he told himself. It was technicaly true. But every year he would watch Ryou, especialy at Christmas. He watched Ryou eat those candy canes. How he wanted to make every candy cane on earth disappear. Definatly make the cherry ones disappear.

It always effected Bakura to no end, to watch the person he hated most in the world in front of a fire with a slightly vacant look in his vivid, emerald green eyes. The fire reflecting gold and bronze on silvery hair and pale skin. It made Ryou look delectable. Damn, how I hate you Ryou, he told himself again.

Ryou was probably unaware that Bakura stood in the doorway every night watching him until he couldn't anymore. Physicaly atleast. Watching Ryou too long would make the older boy jump him to get rid of his . . . of his problem. When that urge came, Bakura would glare at the boy and turn to leave, once again shouting in his mind, I hate Ryou!

Tonight seemed to be different. Bakura didn't want to move away from the door. He wanted to stare at Ryou until that candy was gone. Or go join the boy and take the candy from him and pop it into his own mouth, to taste Ryou's saliva mixed with the cherry. Bakura was having an inner battle of wills between his heart, brain, pride and self-image. So far his heart was taking the lead from his brain. He decided to go take a chower. The safest thing he could do. Maybe a beak from looking at Ryou would make his heart lose the battle. He would welcome a win from his pride, brain or self-image. I hate you more then I have ever hated anyone else, Ryou.

His shower was cold. It only helped one thing and that wasn't his brain or heart. Pride and self-image had already given up the battle. They were no match to the persistant heart. The brain was it's only match. Ryou finaly had him in a place he didn't want to be. Or hadn't wanted to be before.

Knowing he would freeze when he got out, Bakura turned the hot water on. He hissed as it stung his cold body. He forced himself to stay under the stream so it would warm up his hair. He had decided to wash it and knew it was almost immpossible with cold, wet hair. When his scalp couldn't take the onslaught anymore, he backed up and added cold water to the hot. Bakura grabbed a bottle of shampoo. Brain being as muddled as it was, he didn't realize he had picked up Ryou's shampoo. He could tell it wasn't the normal texture but passed it off as him being so screwed up. He thought he was losing touch with reality. Maybe because he hadn't been getting much sleep all of December. Thanks to a certain boy and his candy canes.

Stepping out of the shower, he towel dried his hair with a large, fluffy green towel. Ryou always liked huge towels that were incredably soft. Before he got to far, he smelt something in his hair and it wasn't his usual shampoo smell. The smell of coconut hit him like running into a brick wall. The fact that he had used Ryou's shampoo shocked him almost as much as the fact that he liked the smell of it. His brain decided enough was enough and Ryou didn't matter to him.

Shaking his head to snap out of his thoughts, he dried himself off and walked to his room with a towel wrapped carelessly around his hips. The smooth skin of his shoulders, chest and back glimmered from still being slightly damp. He changed into silky, black pajama pants and ran a brush through his thick white hair. Much to his surprise, some of the knots he couldn't get out, came out. I hate you Ryou, you and your nice shampoo.

Being thirsty, he headed downstairs, carefully averting his eyes from looking at the fire-lit room. He didn't need his brain's resolve to give out enough for his heart to make him act the way it wanted. After drinking a mouthful of carbonated water, otherwise known as Pepsi, he dumped the rest and started towards the stairs. Aparently, he didn't want anything to drink after all.

This time his heart got the better of him and his dark brown eyes strayed into the living room. He gasped at what he saw. Or maybe he gasped at the effect of what he saw had on him.

Ryou was now facing the Christmas tree whose lights he had turned on. The fire was low and only reached Ryou's skin ocassionaly. The lights flashed blue, red, yellow-white, green and pink on the pale features. The green needles of the tree had been painted white with fake snow and presents which were to be opened the next morning were under it.

The sweet boy was laying on his back, left arm proped back to give him leverage, right arm holding the candy cane to his very red, full lips. His eyes were twinkling with excitement for the next day. His father wouldn't be home, but he was going to Yugi's place for Christmas dinner. He had gotten presents from most everyone he knew, excluding Mai, Rex, Weevil, Pegasus and Seto Kaiba. Mokuba had given him a present signed with his and his brother's names but anyone could tell the boy had signed it himself. Bakura hadn't gotten him a gift either.

Speaking of Bakura, he was once again in the doorway, staring at Ryou. More precisly, Ryou's mouth as it contently devoured the cherry candy cane. Bakura's heart wasn't out for the count as it had seemed, because he suddenly got ideas in his head. Ideas he didn't need. Ideas that pride nor self-image would allow him to do. But they had left, hadn't they? His brain finaly gave in as Ryou's red tongue shot out and slowly licked up the straight end of the candy.

Fuck, he whispered before he was striding into the room quickly and quietly. He swooped down on his surprised angel and took the candy away from Ryou's mouth. "You won't be needing it," he whispered gruffly to a confused expression.

He lowered his lips to red, pouty ones and gave Ryou a sweet kiss that held an under current of desire and pasion. Ryou kissed back and was the one to take it to the next level by licking Bakura's lips. Bakura groaned and shoved his tongue into a complying mouth. The taste of cherry was over powering his senses. Maybe cherry sugar sticks weren't such a bad idea.

They pulled apart as the clock chimed twelve. "Merry Christmas, Bakura." Ryou said and was pulled against Bakura's chest.

"Fuck. I hate you so much yet I love you even more. Damn."Bakura stated in a whisper Ryou only heard because his ear was right next to the other's mouth. Ryou smiled a huge smile and placed a kiss on his new boyfriends cheek.

"I love you, too." he sighed contently. Right next to Bakura's ear. Bakura had no other choice but to shiver.

Ryou was sure he had gotten the best present he ever would. Bakura didn't know much about Christmas, but he was sure Ryou was one thing thing that had been sent to him by the gods that he wouldn't destroy, throw away, hurt or deny anymore.

Merry Christmas and I love you.

I still hate you.

No you don't.

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A/N: Tell me what you think. Review!

- Empress Mara