Yu-Gi-Oh is the property of Konami and Kazuki Takahashi, and this work is only a very appreciative celebration, from which we hope to derive no profit of any kind.

Christmas was a holiday Yami had never celebrated much. His family being Muslim, it hadn't been part of his childhood even while his father was alive. And taking up with Pegasus hadn't changed that, the older man seeming to have walked out on English home-traditions when he'd walked out on his English home. Yami's experience with Christmas was looking at the lighted displays in the windows of big department stores like the Galeries Lafayette and Le Bon Marche, when he and his partner wintered in Paris. It was admiring the quaint Nativity figures for sale in Nice, exploring the Christmas market in front of City Hall in Vienna, and enjoying the free concerts at the Campo dei Frari in Venice. What it was not, and had never been for him, was a home-holiday, because of course he'd never had a home in which to celebrate it.

Apparently, that was all changed now. Once she'd decided to accept him as a member of the family, the Countess did it full-on. Yami was included in everything the family did, and Her Ladyship – Mother, as he was trying to remember to address her. – treated him just the same as she did her own son. He knew for a fact that there was a pile of Christmas presents with his name on it, waiting in the cupboard with the rest of the family's presents. The Countess took him along when she went to the Village school's Christmas pageant, and to the church fete. – She tried to get him to go along when Yuugi and his friends went caroling in Drumfries, but he begged off, telling her it would look suspicious that "Donald" didn't know any of the traditional carols.

And one afternoon just two days before Christmas, she sent for him. Yami and Yuugi were in the nursery. Donald's old room had a feeling of sadness to it, now that Yami knew a little more about the boy who had lived there. He'd moved his things upstairs, more comfortable sharing Yuugi's room, which was alive and full of his treasures, than in the downstairs bedroom, which felt like a funeral memorial.

They were on the bed talking, when they heard a knock. "Please, Master Yuugi, Master Donald," – It was Lizzie, the girl still very happy that her beloved Master Yuugi wasn't being sent away, and showing it by running every errand and carrying every message that was sent him. – "her Ladyship says you're wanted in the kitchen."

"The kitchen?" Yami echoed.

But Lizzie wouldn't say anything more, just, "she says hurry," with a smile on her rosy face. And Yuugi just shrugged, smiling as well.

"We'd better go," he said.

The kitchen at the Jardine house was a comfortable, modern place, all clean tiles and shining, enameled surfaces. Yami had been down here before; he knew the delicious fragrance of the place, and the way there were always cakes, or loaves of fresh bread, or vast shiny pies set out to cool, whatever the time of day. Today was no exception. The scent in the room was spicy, an appetizing smell that promised raisins and brown sugar and nuts, and, that didn't only come from the fruity-looking cakes on the worktable.

"Come here, dears." The Countess' voice came from over at the far counter, and when Yami looked, he saw a lady very unlike the usual elegant figure of Yuugi's mother. This lady had her sleeves rolled up, a big white apron covering her gown, and a smudge of flour across her nose.

Yami looked at Yuugi. "Do you know what this is about?"

Yuugi just laughed. "Yes." His violet eyes glimmering with mirth. He took the large spoon from his mother's hands, giving her a hug as he bent to stir the contents of the big bowl on the counter.

"Everyone in the family has to stir the batter for the Christmas pudding," he explained. "It's a tradition. It brings you luck for the following year. And as you stir, you make a wish."

Yami smiled back. "What was your wish?" His smile flagged a little though, as he saw a flash of sadness shadow Yuugi's face. Donald, he thought, it was something to do with Donald, the brother he'd lost to India this past year. He bit his lip, wondering what to say next.

But Yuugi's sadness was just momentary. The traditional ritual of stirring the pudding pulled him back in, and his smile was bright again, as he handed the spoon on to Yami. "Come on," he said. "You have to do it too."

"Me?"

Yuugi laughed. "Mother called both of us, didn't she?"

Gingerly, Yami dipped the spoon back into the bowl of gloppy batter. He was used to playing cards, to making elegant conversation with the elites of Europe and coaxing them into trusting him, not to stirring bowls full of what looked like chopped pincushions flavored with spices.

"You're not making a wish," Yuugi's voice came from behind him.

"I'm not speaking my wish out loud," Yami answered. "You're not supposed to say it out loud, or it won't come true." He stirred, the batter thicker and harder to move than he'd expected. He didn't have to think what his wish would be. Every member of the family, Yuugi had said. He was a member of this family now, out of choice, and because Yuugi had fought his family and insisted on it. It was the first time he'd had a real family, since… Since he'd been too young to remember what it even felt like. He felt warm and welcome here with the Jardines, but he didn't forget why he was here; he didn't forget the love that had made him risk prison to stay here.

Slowly, he stirred, mixing the heavy batter, turning up raisins and bits of nut with his spoon. He closed his eyes, making his wish. I want to be with Yuugi for the rest of my life.