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A Charlie Brown Christmas	By : Hideki LaShae Category: Yu-Gi-Oh > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 2293 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! belongs to Kazuki Takahashi. Story elements © Hideki LaShae. No money was gained in the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 2
- 3
Disclaimer: All Yu-Gi-Oh! characters and references belong
to their respective owners. All Charlie Brown and Peanuts ®
characters belong to Charles M. Schulz and were used in this story with the
best of intentions. Story elements © Hideki LaShae. No money was gained in the
writing of this story.

A Charlie Brown
Christmas
By
Hideki LaShae

Chapter Three

            “Good girl,
Tami! You are the best Christmas tree Charlie Brown ever had!” exclaims
Jounouchi embracing the highly decorated little girl. He still wears his Snoopy
costume except for the head. “This is going to be our best show ever!”
            “Okay,
everyone! Costumes off and then we’ll eat!” exclaims Yugi.
            “Food is
ready!” exclaims Anzu, “We will be serving in the same stages as tomorrow
night, but you’ll have to carry your own plates! And best news is they’re paper
so we don’t have to clean them!”
            Everyone
gets out of his or her costume. They sit down at the tables already laid out
with the first appetizer… thanks to the support staff bringing it from the kitchen.
            Jounouchi
sits down beside Kaiba. “Thank you for coming. It really means a lot to me.”
            “Wonderful
performance. I’m glad I came. You’ve dome something so amazing tonight,” says
Kaiba, “Thank you for inviting me. I’m so proud of you right now and all the
work you’ve done.”
            “Say that
after you taste the food,” says Jounouchi blushing, “if you can…”
            “I’m sure
it’s wonderful,” says Kaiba lifting a piece of bruschetta to his lips. He sighs
contentedly. “Very nice…”
            Jounouchi
smiles and begins to eat.
            Across the
table from them, Kenichi and Yugi share a look and smile at each other.
            “So, Jou,
will your boyfriend be attending the performance tomorrow as well?” asks
Grandmother.
            “I don’t
have a boyfriend, Grandmother,” says Jounouchi.
            “Really?
The way you and Seto have been acting together I thought you two were dating,”
says Grandmother.
            “Joey, be
my boy friend,” says Tami.
            “Um… how
about I be your guy friend? It’s an even better role than boyfriend,” says
Jounouchi.
            Tami smiles
and nods. She dumps the tomato and basil off her bread and just eats the bread.
            “Eat your
veggies, Tami,” says Grandmother.
            “Why does
she look so familiar?” whispers Seto into Jounouchi’s ear.
            “Probably
because she could be Mai’s daughter. Tami’s real mom had eyes like Kujaku Mai
and her dad’s hair was like Varon… You know Mai and Varon are engaged?”
whispers Jounouchi.
            “No, I
didn’t…”
            “Wait
here,” says Jounouchi standing up and lifting both his and Kaiba’s empty
plates, “I’ll go get us the next course.”
            “Me too?”
asks Tami holding up her plate of tomato and basil.
            “Okay. You
too,” says Jounouchi. He takes Tami’s plate as well and heads into the kitchen.
When he returns with the fried polenta, he places the plate with the tomato and
basil back in front of Tami.
            “You know
you don’t need to serve me, Jounouchi,” says Kaiba.
            “I want
to,” says Jounouchi smiling, “Now shut up and eat your dinner.”
            Kaiba
returns Jounouchi’s smile and continues to eat. “Fine, but I’ll serve us the
soup.”
            “You don’t
have to…”
            “I want
to,” says Kaiba.
            Mokuba
moves from his seat with some of the orphans to sit beside Kaiba, and he
whispers to his brother, “Jou’s really outdone himself with everything this
year, huh? Do you think he’ll like the last surprise?”
            “I hope so,
Mokuba,” whispers Kaiba.
            “The food
is very good, everyone,” says Mokuba, “Good job with the cooking!”
            Everyone
continues to talk and eat and enjoy the sensation of success and nervousness,
which always comes with the end of dress rehearsal.
            Once it’s
all said and done, everyone heads home for the evening, and Kaiba graciously
gives his classmates a ride home in his limo.
            Kaiba walks
Jounouchi up to his door. He takes the blond’s hand as they walk. “The food was
fabulous, Jou. You are magnificent.”
            “Did you
really like it?”
            “I loved
it. Your Osso Buco was very good. You can cook for me whenever you want,” says
Kaiba, “I just want to say good luck tomorrow. I know you don’t need it because
everything went great tonight, but… good luck.”
            “Thank
you,” says Jounouchi pulling Kaiba into a quick embrace, “Good luck at your
thing tomorrow.”
            “Thank you.
I’ll need it I’m afraid. Sleep well. I’ll see you soon, Jounouchi…”
            “You don’t
have to call me Jounouchi, Kaiba. You could call me Jou or whatever…” Jounouchi
blushes.
            Kaiba blushes.
“I’ll call you Katsuya if you’ll call me Seto.”
            “Good
night, Seto.”
            “Good
night, Katsuya.” Kaiba turns and heads back to the limo where Mokuba waits to
go home.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

            Jounouchi’s
eyes widen when he’s handed the two tickets with the small snowflake stickers
on the corner. He looks up with a wide grin. “I’m glad you could come!”
            Mai and
Varon smile back at Jounouchi.
            “We
wouldn’t miss this, Jou,” says Mai, “We got the tickets for free.”
            “And all we
need to do is give you this envelope,” says Varon passing a green envelope to
Jounouchi.
            “Oh,
thanks,” says Jounouchi. His shoulders slump discouragingly but he tries to
keep up his grin.
            “I’ll
continue greeting people if you want to read that,” says Honda.
            “Thanks,
Honda,” says Jounouchi, “I’ll take you to your seats.”
            “Thank
you,” says Varon as he wraps his arm around Mai.
            Jounouchi
leads Mai and Varon to a table along the side. “Here you go. Please enjoy the
show.”
            “We will,
Jounouchi,” says Mai.
            Jounouchi
hurries off to the bathroom and locks himself in a stall to read his note. ‘To
my dearest Jounouchi Katsuya. Thank you for inviting me to watch the play and
giving me the tickets. Unfortunately, as you now know, I will be unable to
attend. I wouldn’t want the kids to see me slip out so that I could change. You
see… you already know who I am. I am more than just your Santa. I am Santa to
those kids as well. So I will see you tonight when I pass out the donated
presents. I have one for you that I hope you’ll like. Please accept it. With all
my love, your Secret Santa.’
            Jounouchi
sighs and tucks the card into his pocket. “So the person who’s been making the
children happy year after year is in my class? Could it really be true? Could
you be who I want you to be?”
            The
bathroom door opens.
            Jounouchi
snaps out of his reverie and unlocks his stall. He steps out and nods to the
man at the sink. He heads out to the main door again.
            “All the
tickets have been collected. We’ve got a full house,” says Honda.
            “Good!”
exclaims Jounouchi, “I’ve got to go backstage. Please go to the kitchen and
tell them to start serving the first course!”
            “Right!”
exclaims Honda heading off while Jounouchi rushes to the stage. He walks
through the curtain, and a spotlight shines down on him. He smiles. “Welcome,
friends, to the fourth annual Season of Love fundraiser! Thank you all for
coming. I hope you’re all hungry for some good food, some good company, and
some good entertainment!”
            The
students who agreed to be servers start walking into the room, all wearing their
school uniforms and carrying trays with four plates on each.
            “I see the
food is arriving, and in just a few moments we’ll begin ‘A Charlie Brown
Christmas’ for you,” says Jounouchi, “but first a song from our very own
Schroeder… Reika-chan!” He steps through the curtain and helps Kenichi pull it
aside to reveal Reika at the piano.
            Reika
starts to play ‘Moonlight Sonata’ as the spotlight lands on her. She watches
for the servers to leave the dining area before she stops playing. “We now
present to you… A Charlie Brown Christmas.”
            The
curtains open fully to show Charlie Brown and Linus leaning over a snow-covered
wall while the rest of their friends, including Snoopy, skate on the frozen
pond.
            Reika
begins to play ‘Noel’ and a few of the students start to sing the words, “The
first Noel, the angels did sing over certain poor shepherds in fields where
they lay… in fields where they lay keeping their sheep…”
            Fluffy
white snowflakes tumble from the sky onto a group of joyful children as they
sing and laugh, skating on the frozen pond in town. Everyone looks happy and
full of holiday cheer.
            “I think
there must be something wrong with me,” Charlie Brown tells his friend Linus as
they lean over a snow-covered brick wall. “I just don’t understand Christmas, I
guess. I might be getting presents and sending Christmas cards and decorating
trees and all that, but I’m still not happy. I don’t feel the way I’m supposed
to feel.”
            Linus looks
over at his friend. “Charlie Brown, you’re the only person I know who can take
a wonderful season like Christmas and turn it into a problem. Maybe Lucy’s
right. Of all the Charlie Browns in the world, you’re the Charlie Browniest.”
            Charlie
Brown walks through the snow, thinking about what Linus had said. When he
reaches his mailbox, Charlie Brown hopefully pokes his head inside. It’s empty.
            “Rats!”
Charlie Brown says out loud, feeling sadder than ever. “Nobody sent me a
Christmas card today. I know nobody likes me. Why do we have to have a holiday
season to emphasize it?”
            Violet is
also outside, enjoying the wintry snowfall and reading a holiday card she had
just received.
            “Thanks for
the Christmas card you sent me, Violet,” says Charlie Brown bitterly.
            “I didn’t
send you a Christmas card,” Violet responds.
            Charlie
Brown thrusts his hands deep in his pockets and makes a face. “Don’t you know
sarcasm when you hear it?”
            Charlie
Brown walks past houses on his street, and notices all his other friends
throwing snowballs, building snowmen, and catching snowflakes on their tongues.
Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves, but Charlie Brown still feels sad.
            Desperate
to discuss his inappropriate holiday mood, Charlie Brown sits down on the stool
in front of Lucy’s psychiatric booth. “I am in sad shape,” he tells her,
frowning.
            Lucy’s
excited to have a customer, but she stops him short before hearing any more
details. She demands that Charlie Brown pay in advance for her psychiatric
advice. Charlie Brown reaches into his jacket pocket and drops a shiny nickel
in her money can. The coin makes a metallic clinking noise as it falls to the
bottom of the can.
            “Boy, I
love the beautiful sound of cold, hard cash,” says Lucy, “That beautiful,
beautiful sound. Nickels, nickels, nickels. That beautiful sound of plunking
nickels.” Lucy grins. “Now, what seems to be your trouble?”
            Charlie
Brown tells her that he knows he should be happy during Christmas, like
everyone else, but he just can’t seem to manage it. Lucy is entirely ready to
diagnose his problem.
            “Well, as
they say on TV, the mere fact that you realize you need help indicates that you
are not too far gone.” Lucy looks at him sternly. “I think we’d better pinpoint
your fears. If we can find out what you’re afraid of, we can label it. Are you
afraid of responsibility? If you are, then you have hypengyophobia. How about
cats? If you’re afraid of cats, you have ailurophasia. Are you afraid of
staircases? If you are, then you have climacaphobia. Maybe you have
thalassophobia. This is fear of the ocean, or gephyrobia, which is the fear of crossing
bridges. Or maybe you have pantophobia. Do you think you have pantophobia?”
            “What’s
pantophobia?” asks Charlie Brown.
            “The fear
of everything,” Lucy responds.
            “That’s
it!” shouts a briefly encouraged Charlie Brown. But then his glum expression returns.
“Actually, Lucy, my trouble is Christmas. I just don’t understand it. Instead
of feeling happy, I feel sort of let down.”
            Lucy comes
around from behind the booth to confront her friend face-to-face. “You need
involvement. You need to get involved in some real Christmas project. How would
you like to be director for our Christmas play?”
            Charlie
Brown blinks in complete surprise. “Me? You want me to be the director of the
Christmas play?”
            Lucy tries
hard to persuade Charlie Brown to join in. “Sure, Charlie Brown. We need a
director. We’ve got a shepherd, musicians, animals, everyone we need. We’ve
even got a Christmas Queen.”
            Charlie
Brown hesitates. What does he know about how to properly direct a Christmas
play?
            “Don’t
worry,” Lucy reassures him. “I’ll be there to help you.”
            Charlie
Brown thinks for a moment. Maybe he does need to get involved with a holiday
project in order to feel better about things. Lucy’s confidence is almost
contagious. Besides, he can’t let everyone down. They need him. Figuring he has
nothing to lose, Charlie Brown agrees to meet Lucy and the rest of the cast at
the auditorium.
            “Incidentally,”
Lucy adds, “I know how you feel about all this Christmas business, getting
depressed and all that. It happens to me every year. I never get what I really
want. I always get a lot of stupid toys or a bicycle or clothes or something
like that.”
            “What is it
you want?” asks Charlie Brown.
            Lucy looks
right at him. “Real estate.”
            Just then
Charlie Brown notices his dog, Snoopy, pass by, hauling a large brown box
overflowing with colorful holiday lights and decorations. He follows Snoopy
back to his doghouse and watches as the dog begins to create a large display of
ornaments and lights on the roof. “What’s going on here?” he inquires.
            Snoopy
grins and hands him a flyer. It says: ‘Find the true meaning of Christmas. Win
money, money, money! Spectacular, super colossal, neighborhood Christmas lights
and display contest!’
            Charlie
Brown looks up at the sky in dismay. Even his very own dog has gone commercial!
The thought of the contest makes Charlie Brown feel positively sick. Is money
all anyone cares about? Charlie Brown can’t stand it. He throws the flyer into
the air and leaves Snoopy to decorate his doghouse alone.
            As he walks
away, Charlie Brown runs into his little sister, Sally. “I’ve been looking for
you, big brother,” she says, “Will you please write a letter to Santa Claus for
me? You write it and I’ll tell you what I want to say.”
            Charlie
Brown is in a hurry to get to the school auditorium on time for play rehearsal,
but he can’t say no to his little sister. Charlie Brown takes the pen and
clipboard from Sally’s outstretched hands and prepares to write. “Okay, shoot.”
            Sally
begins to rattle off her letter to Santa. “I have been extra good this year, so
I have a long list of presents that I want.”
            “Oh,
brother,” sighs Charlie Brown.
            Sally
continues, “Please note the size and color of each item and send as many as
possible. If it seems too complicated, make it easy on yourself. Just send
money. How about tens and twenties?”
            Charlie
Brown is dismayed. Even his baby sister has become greedy. Writing a letter to
Santa Claus is one thing, but demanding cash from him is just absurd.
            Charlie
Brown returns the pen and clipboard to his sister and hurries to the auditorium
for the first day of rehearsal. He arrives just on time, and the rest of the
kids are already gathered onstage and in the wings of the theater. He walks
over to the director’s chair to address the cast, but as he begins to speak,
Charlie Brown realizes that all the kids are dancing and goofing around, and
that no one is paying any attention to him at all.
            He picks up
a megaphone and tries again. “All right,” he says. “Stop the music. We’re going
to do this and we’re going to do it right.”
            Lucy picks
up a stack of scripts and begins to assign roles. Freida plays the innkeeper’s
wife; Pig Pen plays the innkeeper, and Shermy plays a shepherd. Snoopy is
delighted to play the roles of all the different animals, from sheep to cow to
penguin. When she comes around to Linus, who is also playing a shepherd, Lucy
hands him his script and instructs him to memorize his lines so he can recite
them on cue. Linus hugs his trusty blue blanket and begins to protest. “This is
ridiculous! I can’t memorize something like this so quickly. Why should I be
put through such agony? Give me one good reason why I should have to memorize
this!”
            Lucy
glowers at Linus and makes a fist, curling one menacing finger at a time. “I’ll
give you five good reasons,” she says, “One, two, three, four, five!”
            Linus
stares at Lucy’s threatening fist and swallows hard. “Those are good reasons,”
he agrees. “Christmas is not only getting too commercial, it’s getting too
dangerous!”
            Lucy
frowns. “And get rid of that stupid blanket. What’s a Christmas shepherd going
to look like holding a stupid blanket like that?”
            Charlie
Brown tries his best to control his temper. “All right. Let’s have it quiet,”
he says. “Places, everybody. Schroeder, set the mood for the first scene.”
            Schroeder
sit at the piano and starts to play a cheerful jazz tune. The entire cast
starts to dance all over the place.
            “Cut, cut!”
shouts Charlie Brown. It’s all wrong. He suggests that they rehearse another
scene instead.
            But no one
seems to be able to concentrate. Freida complains that Pig Pen’s dust is
ruining the style of her naturally curly hair. Sally stays close to Linus,
watching his every move, and occasionally resting her little blonde head on his
shoulder. “Isn’t he the cutest thing?” she asks anyone who would listen.
Meanwhile, Lucy and Snoopy demand a lunch break.
            “Good
grief,” exclaims Charlie Brown, who is determined to get back to work on the
play. “There’s no time for foolishness. Let’s take it from the top again.”
            Schroeder
begins to play the jazzy piano music again, which sends everyone into another
dancing frenzy.
            Lucy comes
over and stands next to Charlie Brown. “What’s the matter?” she asks. “Don’t
you think it’s great?”
            Charlie
Brown shakes his head. Something just isn’t right. “Look,” says Lucy
matter-of-factly, “Let’s face it. We all know that Christmas is a big
commercial racket. It’s run by a big eastern syndicate, you know.”
            “Well,”
Charlie Brown responds, “this is one play that’s not going to be commercial.
What our play needs is the proper Christmas mood. We need a Christmas tree.”
            Lucy claps
her hands. “Hey, perhaps a tree. A great, big, shiny aluminum Christmas tree!
That’s it! Get the biggest aluminum tree you can find. Maybe paint it pink!”
            Charlie
Brown leaves Lucy in charge of rehearsal, and sets out with Linus to find the
perfect tree for their play. The boys finally reach a Christmas tree lot filled
with a vast array of bright, shiny aluminum trees. Then in the midst of all the
brightly colored metal, they catch sight of a tiny green pine tree on a wooden
stand. “Gee,” says Linus, “I didn’t know they still made wooden Christmas
trees.”
            Charlie
Brown goes over to the little tree. “This one seems to need a home,” he says.
            Linus stops
him for a moment. “I don’t know. Remember what Lucy said? This doesn’t seem to
fit the modern spirit.”
            But Charlie
Brown is adamant. “I don’t care,” he says. “We’ll decorate it and it will be
just right for our play. Besides, I think it needs me.”
            They return
to the auditorium, and Charlie Brown walks the little green tree over beside
Schroeder’s piano. “We’re back,” he announces, getting everyone’s attention.
            All the
kids gather around the small, sad-looking tree. “Boy, are you stupid, Charlie
Brown,” says Violet.
            Lucy speaks
up next. “You were supposed to get a good tree. Can’t you even tell a good tree
from a poor tree?”
            “You’re
hopeless, Charlie Brown,” sighs Peppermint Patty.
            “You’ve
been dumb before, but this time you really did it,” says Lucy.
            All of the
kids laugh at Charlie Brown and his pathetic little tree. Then they all walk
away, leaving him alone and bewildered next to the piano. Linus approaches him
slowly, blanket in hand.
            “I guess
you were right, Linus,” says Charlie Brown miserably, “I shouldn’t have picked
this little tree. Everything I do turns into a disaster. I guess I really don’t
know what Christmas is about. Isn’t there anyone who understands what Christmas
is all about?”
            “Sure,”
says Linus, “I can tell you what Christmas is all about.” He walks to the
center of the stage where a single spotlight shines right on him, and he begins
to speak.
            “And there
were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over
their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the
glory of the Lord shone round about them. And they were so afraid. And the
angel says unto them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you tidings of great joy
which will be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David
a savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you. Ye shall
find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger.’ And suddenly
there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and
saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, goodwill toward
men.’”
            Linus picks
up his blanket and walks back toward the piano. “That’s what Christmas is all
about, Charlie Brown.”
            All of the
kids in the auditorium are silent. Charlie Brown takes one of the branches of
his little Christmas tree in hand and smiles. He pulls it outside and looks up
into the dark night sky, twinkling with a million silver stars.
            “Linus is
right,” he says to himself, the words still echoing in his mind. “I won’t let
all this commercialism ruin my Christmas. I’ll take this little tree home and
decorate it and I’ll show them it really will work in our play.” He heads home
and comes upon Snoopy’s prize-winning doghouse. Charlie Brown grabs a large red
ornament from the roof and hangs it carefully on the top branch of his little
Christmas tree.
            Charlie
Brown cringes with dismay as the entire tree bends over from the weight of the
single ornament. “I’ve killed it,” he shouts, feeling sad and frustrated.
“Everything I touch gets ruined!” He gives up on decorating the tree, and walks
away with his shoulders as bent as the little tree’s trunk.
            The rest of
Charlie Brown’s friends walk over to the little tree. Linus leans over and
straightens out the branch. “I never thought it was such a bad little tree,” he
confesses, wrapping his blanket gently around the base of the trunk. “It’s not
bad at all really. Maybe it just needs a little love.”
            The kids
look at Snoopy’s doghouse decorations and then at the little tree. Without
another word, they remove the decorations from the doghouse and gather around
the sad little tree. Working together, they quickly transform it into a truly
beautiful sight, complete with a star on top.
            Even Lucy
has to admit that it looks wonderful. “Charlie Brown is a blockhead, but he did
get a nice tree.”
            The whole
gang circles around the decorated tree, and someone begins to hum “O, Little
Town of Bethlehem.”
            Charlie
Brown hears the noise and comes over to the group. “What’s going on here?” he
asks.
            “Merry
Christmas, Charlie Brown!” everyone shouts. Charlie Brown can’t help but smile.
He catches sight of his tree – his little tree that no one had wanted – and he
can hardly believe his eyes.
            His
friends’ efforts have transformed it into something truly special. Everyone
sings: “Hark, the Herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn king. Peace on earth
and mercy mild, God and sinner reconciled. Joyful all ye nations rise! Join the
triumph of the skies! With angelic host proclaim: Christ is born in Bethlehem.
Hark, the Herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn king.”
            Surrounded
by his friends, Charlie Brown realizes that Linus had been right about the true
meaning of Christmas. This is the Christmas spirit he has been looking for all
along.
            “We wish
you a Merry Christmas. We wish you a Merry Christmas. We wish you a Merry
Christmas and a happy New Year,” everyone sings.
            Jounouchi
pulls off his Snoopy head. “Thank you, everyone, for joining us tonight. Now
you know what time it is. We thank you for your donations!”
            “Ho, ho,
ho!” The door to the banquet hall bursts open to reveal a fat man with a long,
white beard… dressed all in red from his head to his foot. A heavy sack is
slung over his shoulder. “Ho, ho, ho!”
            “Santa!”
exclaims Tami smiling happily.
            “Ho, ho,
ho! I know who’s been naughty, and I know who’s been nice! I’ve brought
presents for everyone nice!” exclaims Santa.
            Mokuba
stands up and pulls his chair towards Santa. “Here you go, Santa. You can use
my chair while you pass out gifts.”
            “Thank you,
Mokuba,” says Santa sitting down and opening his pack in front of him. He pulls
out a present and passes it to Mokuba. “This is for you.”
            Mokuba smiles.
“Thank you, Santa, but if it’s all the same to you, I’ll wait to open it
Christmas morning!”
            “That’s why
you’re a good boy, Mokuba. Now isn’t it getting close to your bedtime?” replies
Santa.
            Mokuba
looks at his watch. “Oh, you’re right! I have to get home!”
            “Go on
then, Mokuba,” says Jounouchi.
            “Thank you
for a wonderful time,” says Mokuba taking an envelope from the inside pocket of
his suit jacket. He walks over to the donation box and slides the envelope in
before leaving with his box.
            “This is
stupid. I’m too old to believe in Santa Clause!” exclaims Varon.
            “You’re
never too old to believe in faith, love, and good will, young man. I still
believe in Santa Claus,” says a ninety-year-old man standing up with the help
of a cane, and a younger man stands up with him. Together, they walk to Santa’s
side. “It’s nice to see you again, old friend.”
            “And you as
well, Naritaka-san,” says Santa pulling out two gifts, “Has your
great-granddaughter decided on a name for her son yet?”
            “Ah, she’s
thinking about Hibiki,” says the old man smiling.
            “It’s a
good name,” says Santa.
            “Excuse us,
please, Santa, but I must get my grandfather home,” says the younger man. He
takes the two gifts from Santa.
            As the two
leave, they both drop envelopes into the donation box.
            In hardly
no time at all, Santa empties his bag of gifts to the guests who all leave
their donations as they head out.
            A small elf
enters carrying another full bag. He wears a scarf tied over the lower half of
his face. “Here’s the bag you wanted, boss.”
            “Thank you,
elf. Everyone, gather round. Ho, ho, ho! I have presents for everyone!”
exclaims Santa, “Ho, ho, ho!”
            Everyone
sits down around Santa, the younger orphans upon the floor, and the older
students and adults pulling up chairs from the tables.
            Santa
reaches into his full sack and pulls out a present. “Ho, ho, ho! Tami, this one
is for you!”
            The little
girl, still dressed as a Christmas tree, scoots over to Santa. “Thank you! Open
now?”
            “Ho, ho,
ho! Yes, you can open it now!” Santa smiles. He begins digging in his pack for
another gift while Tami tears open the wrapping on her present.
            “A teddy!
Thank you, Santa!” exclaims Tami clutching her stuffed bear to her chest.
            Santa pulls
out a gift. “This one is for Yin. Ho, ho, ho!”
            Yin looks
at Yang, and the twins clutch each other’s hand.
            “Ho, ho,
ho!” Santa digs into his pack again and pulls out another present. “Here we
are! Yang, your present…”
            The twins
scramble to get their presents together, and they open them hurriedly. The girl
rips open her CD case to put the CD into her brother’s portable CD player while
the boy puts on one set of headphones and passes the other to his sister.
“Thank you, Santa! We love the Yin-Yang Twins music!”
            Santa pulls
out another present. “Miho.”
            Jounouchi
sits back and watches Santa pass out gifts with a smile. He thinks back to all
the wonderful gifts he’s already received, and he almost misses hearing his
name called.
            “Snoopy. I
do believe this one is yours,” says Santa holding up a clearly bone-shaped
present.
            Jounouchi’s
heart sinks when he sees the degrading gift, but in the spirit of the season,
he rises and walks over to collect the gift.
            “Open it
when you’re alone,” whispers Santa.
            “Thank you,
Santa. It’s what I’ve always wanted,” says Jounouchi.
            “I hope
so,” whispers Santa.
            Jounouchi
moves back to his seat and watches as the last of the presents are handed out.
            “Ho, ho,
ho!” exclaims Santa rising at last, “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good
night!”
            The elf
grabs both empty bags and follows Santa out the door.
            “Thanks for
everything, guys! It’s time to go home now. Clean-up can wait until morning,”
says Jounouchi with a yawn.
            “Yes.
Several young ones need to go to sleep,” says Grandmother holding Tami who
sleeps in her arms.
            “Good
night, Grandmother. I’ll come by tomorrow sometime,” says Jounouchi, “Ken, can
you take the box?”
            “Of
course,” says Kenichi.
            “Will you
need help with the clean-up tomorrow?” asks Miho.
            “If you’re
offering to come help, work begins at nine in the morning. Anyone can come,”
says Jounouchi, “I’m going to change out of this costume.” He heads off towards
the bathroom and locks himself in a stall. He rips open his present first and
sees the dog bone… container. He unscrews the cap and pulls out a scroll of
paper. His heart pounds in his chest as he unrolls the paper to read it.
            ‘To my
dearest Jounouchi Katsuya. This is not the gift I spoke to you about earlier.
In order to get that gift, I’m afraid you’ll have to come outside. Please,
change out of your costume into something warm. I would like to invite you to
share cookies and cocoa with me as we ride through this winter wonderland in my
sleigh. I’m sorry, but my reindeer don’t fly. Upon this impromptu date, and I
call it a date because I would like it to be a date to possible lead us into a
permanent boyfriend-boyfriend relationship. Upon this date, I will reveal my
true name and nature to you, and I will ask you for a kiss… just a simple kiss
and you needn’t give it to me if you’re not ready. I really want to kiss you,
but I respect you so much… I will be waiting out the back door for you. Please
come find me. With all my love, Your Secret Santa.’
            Jounouchi
re-rolls the scroll and puts it back into the bone. He quickly removes the
costume and heads out to put on his winter boots and outside clothes.
            “Want to
walk home together, Jou?” asks Yugi.
            “No. You go
ahead, Yugi. There’s one more thing I have to do tonight…”
            “Do you
need help?”
            “I’m
meeting my Secret Santa. His gift to me today will be his name and his face.
Sorry, but I don’t want you around.”
            Yugi
blushes. “Right! I wouldn’t want anyone watching me make out either! Have fun!
I’ll lead the clean-up if you want to stay in bed with him!”
            Jounouchi
blushes. “Go home, Yugi!”
            Yugi zips
up his coat and heads out with a smile.
            Jounouchi
bundles up and checks all the locks before heading out the front door and
walking around the building to the back. He sees the sleigh, the eight
reindeer, the little elf in the driver’s seat, and Santa in the back with a
thick blanket over his lap.
            Santa
smiles. “I’m glad you came, Katsuya.”
            “I wanted
to,” says Jounouchi climbing into the sleigh beside Santa and covering his lap
with the blanket. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me so far.”
            “I only did
what I thought would make you happy,” says Santa, “On Dasher and Dancer! On
Prancer and Vixen! On Comet and Cupid! On Donder and Blitzen! To the top of the
rood, to the top of the hall! Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!”
            “Giddy-up,
go,” says the elf snapping the reins.
            The
reindeer start to move and pull the sleigh along.
            Jounouchi
blushes as he snuggles closer to Santa. “This is nice and romantic.”
            “I thought
you would feel that way, Katsuya,” says Santa. “May I hold you?”
            “Maybe
later,” says Jounouchi blushing even more, “Thank you for all the gifts you’ve
given me, but I do have to ask you… why? Why are you going through so much
trouble for me?”
            “So you
jump right to the point of this entire date. Do you mind if I change out of
this suit before I answer you?”
            “I’d prefer
not.”
            “I love
you.”
            The elf
giggles.
            “You love
me? You don’t even know me!”
            The elf
drives the sleigh into the darkness beneath a bridge.
            “Close your
eyes, Katsuya. Please,” says Santa as the sleigh stops moving.
            Jounouchi
closes his eyes. “All right.”
            The
rustling sound of clothing reaches Jounouchi’s ears, but he doesn’t open his
eyes.
            A hand
gently brushes Jounouchi’s cheek when all is silent again. “Open your eyes and
tell me I don’t know who you are.”
            Jounouchi
opens his eyes and looks towards the sound of the voice, but he can’t see
anything in the darkness. “I can’t see.”
            “Sorry!
Giddy-up, go!”
            The sleigh
moves out of the darkness, and the glow of the streetlights illuminates the
face of the person beside Jounouchi.
            “Seto?”
Jounouchi looks at the giggling driver. “Mokuba?”
            “Yes,
Katsuya.”
            “Hi, Jou!”
            “You…
you’ve been Santa for the orphans?” asks Jounouchi, “And for me?” A light seems
to dawn behind his eyes. “You sneaky bastard! You said you never saw who gave
me those presents!”
            “I never saw
who did put them there,” says Kaiba.
            “Because
you never saw yourself, but I should have asked if you knew who put them
there!”
            Kaiba
blushes. “I would have told you then.”
            “You sneaky
bastard!” Jounouchi leans against Kaiba. “But I’m so glad it’s you! I’m so glad
it’s you!”
            “Katsuya…”
            “Put your
arm around me, Seto.”
            “Oh,
gladly!” Kaiba smiles and wraps his arm around Jounouchi’s waist. He pulls the
blond up tighter against himself. “I gave you all those gifts because I want to
help you. I want to protect you and take care of you, but the way we’ve always
fought in the past… I didn’t think you’d be receptive any other way.”
            “You’re
right. A month ago, I wouldn’t be sitting here with you, like this,” says
Jounouchi, “I have to know. How long have you realized you love me?”
            Kaiba looks
down at his lap.
            “Oh, hey! I
forgot to give you the cookies and cocoa!” exclaims Mokuba reaching down beside
him to pull up a tin filled with cookies, “Sorry about that, you two!”
            “That long,
huh?” asks Jounouchi.
            “Just about
Valentine’s Day last year,” says Kaiba removing his arm from around Jounouchi,
“but I didn’t believe it at first. I didn’t want to believe that I could care
for anyone the way I did for you.” He sighs. “I didn’t think you could feel the
same way.”
            “So you
continued to fight with me and call me names?”
            “You’re
beautiful when you’re angry, and at least then you were focused solely on me…”
            “Why aren’t
you holding me anymore?”
            Kaiba looks
up at Jounouchi.
            “I swear, I
must be masochistic,” says Jounouchi before placing a chaste kiss to Kaiba’s
lips, “because I love you too.”
            “Katsuya…”
Kaiba tentatively reaches for Jounouchi’s face.
            Jounouchi
nuzzles Kaiba’s hand, and he closes his eyes. “Seto, please show me yourself…”
            Kaiba
blushes a deep red.
            Mokuba’s
eyes widen, and he blushes.
            “Please
show me your real self and not just the mask you show to the world.” Jounouchi
slides closer so he’s almost sitting in Kaiba’s lap. He opens his eyes and looks
deeply into two sapphire orbs. “I love the way you surprise me.”
            “And I love
to surprise you,” says Kaiba, “If you’d agree to be my boyfriend, I’ll show you
as much of myself as you want me to, Katsuya.”
            “Agreed…
Damn! I wish I had some mistletoe right now!”
            “We don’t
need it.” Kaiba winds his arms tightly around Jounouchi’s upper body and
catches his lips in a sweet kiss. “I love you, Katsuya.”
            “Seto… I
love you.”
            Mokuba
looks back at the two older teens and smiles. He begins singing ‘I Saw Mommy
Kissing Santa Claus’ as he drives the sleigh around town with the others making
out in the back.
            After about
fifteen minutes, Jounouchi pulls away. “We shouldn’t do this…”
            Kaiba’s
fist clenches in Jounouchi’s coat. “Why not?”
            “It’s
freezing out here. We might catch a cold. We should wait to do this someplace
warm,” says Jounouchi.
            “Would you
like to come to my place, and we can cuddle up in front of the fireplace?” asks
Kaiba.
            “Yeah!”
Jounouchi smiles. “Hey! I didn’t get my cocoa and cookies!”
            Mokuba
passes the cookie tin back to Jounouchi.
            “Would you
like some cocoa too, Mokuba?” asks Kaiba lifting a thermos.
            “No thanks.
I’ll make my own cocoa when we get home,” says Mokuba.
            “That
sounds nice too. Let’s have ours in front of the fire,” says Jounouchi,
“Otherwise we might make a mess of the sleigh. Where did you get a sleigh and
reindeer anyway?”
            “We rented
them from a farm nearby. In the summer, these guys are in a petting zoo,” says
Mokuba.
            “Girls,
Mokuba.”
            “Huh?
Where?” asks Mokuba looking around.
            “The
reindeer are girls, not guys,” says Kaiba.
            “Really?
How can you tell?” asks Jounouchi.
            “The male
reindeer lose their horns… antlers in the fall, and they re-grow them in
spring. The female reindeer keep them through winter,” explains Kaiba, “These
reindeer have antlers. They’re female.”
            “Why don’t
I know that?” asks Mokuba.
            “Because
you haven’t learned it yet,” says Kaiba.
            “You are
taking us home, right, Mokuba?” asks Jounouchi.
            Mokuba
smiles back at Jounouchi. “Yeah. We are all going home…”
            The gates
to the Kaiba Mansion loom into view.
            “Welcome
home, Katsuya.”
            “Welcome
home, Jou,” says Mokuba, “Please stay as long as you want.”
            “And
forever is acceptable,” says Kaiba.
            Jounouchi
takes Kaiba’s hand and holds it in both of his. “Forever does sound nice,
doesn’t it?”
            Kaiba smiles.
            “What’s
forever for?”
            “Huh?”
            “Well, if
nothing ever lasts forever, what’s forever for?” asks Jounouchi.
            “Diamonds.
Love,” says Kaiba, “While it’s true that not all loves last forever, there are
special ones that do.”
            “I’d like
to experience that type of love,” says Jounouchi, “Would you like to try loving
me forever?”
            “I’ll do
more than try,” says Kaiba kissing Jounouchi again.
            The sleigh
pulls to a stop in front of the door.
            Isono
trades places with Mokuba.
            Jounouchi
and Kaiba disembark from the sleigh and carry the blanket, cookie tin, and
cocoa thermos inside.
            “Hey, Seto.
Do you mind if I go up and play video games?” asks Mokuba kicking off his
winter boots and slipping into a pair of house slippers. He hangs his coat up
in the closet.
            “Get a cup
of cocoa, take a warm bath, then you can play. But you’d better be in bed when
I come up,” says Kaiba removing his coat and putting it away in the closet. He
takes Jounouchi’s coat and puts it away as well.
            “Okay,”
says Mokuba running into the kitchen.
            Kaiba gets
a pair of slippers from the closet and passes them to Jounouchi. “These are
yours now, for whenever you’re here.”
            Jounouchi
blushes and takes off his boots to put on the slippers. “Now where’s this
fireplace?”
            Kaiba
slides his feet into his slippers before wrapping an arm around Jounouchi’s
waist and escorting him to the living room to cuddle together on the plush rug
before the fireplace.
            “I want to
know everything there is about you… the real you, Seto,” says Jounouchi taking
the cup of warm cocoa from Kaiba’s hand.
            “There’s
not much to tell that you don’t already know,” says Kaiba holding out the tin
of sugar cookies.
            “That’s
probably true,” says Jounouchi, “Although I did just learn that you like to
play Santa…”
            “I do enjoy
it. It’s something I look forward to year after year, and now I can look
forward to seeing the play at the dress rehearsal. What do you think you’ll do
next year?” asks Kaiba.
            “Well, I’m
going to technical college,” says Jounouchi setting his cup down as his
shoulders tense, “The semester doesn’t end until December 20^th so I
won’t be able to do the fundraiser next year. I mean, I need to have a job to
pay for tuition, room and board, and stuff, so between classes, work, and
studying… I won’t have time to do the fundraiser. I was thinking about asking
Mokuba to take it over.”
            “What?”
asks Kaiba.
            Jounouchi
turns away from Kaiba so the brunet can’t see the tears starting to roll down
his cheeks. “I don’t have much choice…”
            “You do
have a choice, Katsuya. All you have to do is say the word, and I will help you
keep your dream. I know you love helping those kids. Don’t throw it away…”
            Jounouchi
spins around and throws his arms around Kaiba’s neck. He buries his face in the
brunet’s shoulder as he cries. “What else can I do?”
            “Don’t go
to school in the fall.”
            Jounouchi
shoves Kaiba away, and he glares at him. “What?”
            “I’m not
saying don’t go to school. I’m saying don’t go in the fall. That’s when you do
your fundraiser. You can probably hold down a job and do the charity work
together,” says Kaiba, “So don’t go to school in fall. Wait until the spring
term, and enroll in summer term. Make that your school year and have the fall
off. If you want to start summer school right after graduation, I will pay your
tuition. You can consider it a loan if you need to.”
            “There are
some classes that are only available in fall…”
            “What are
you going for?”
            “Dental
assistant.”
            “I never
knew you had any interest in that.”
            “I don’t.”
            “Katsuya,
please listen to me and consider my words. Take a year off from school to think
about what you really want to do. Get a part time job, continue your charity
work, and live here with Mokuba and me. I will support you in whatever you want
to do! I just want you to be happy with what you decide to do!” Kaiba pulls
Jounouchi up against his chest. “And I don’t think you’re happy about giving up
the fundraiser.”
            “Okay… I’ll
think about it,” says Jounouchi squirming closer to Kaiba. He yawns.
            “Maybe we
should talk about this in the morning,” says Kaiba, “I think it’s time to put
my new boyfriend to bed.”
            “Yeah. I
have to go to the hall to clean it all up in the morning. Then Yugi promised to
help me do my Christmas shopping when we’re done,” says Jounouchi, “What would
you and Mokuba like?”
            “I already
have what I want,” says Kaiba kissing Jounouchi’s forehead, “but Mokuba would
probably like some new scrapbook supplies… a book, stickers, stamps, that sort
of thing. He’s really into making scrapbook photo albums. Maybe we’ll show you
them later.”
            “I’d like
that,” says Jounouchi smiling softly.
            “Would you
like me to show you to a guest room, or would you care to join me in my room to
snuggle while we sleep?” Kaiba’s cheeks turn pink.
            “I’m not
ready for sex, but I can sleep beside you,” says Jounouchi.
            Kaiba
stands up and helps Jounouchi to his feet before guiding him upstairs to his
bedroom. “Would you like to borrow some pajamas?”
            “No… I’m
fine in just my boxers,” says Jounouchi starting to undress. He blushes.
“Unless you’d rather I be wearing something more…”
            Kaiba
blushes and strips off his own clothes before crawling into bed wearing just
his underwear. “Go to sleep.”
            Jounouchi
finishes undressing and slides into the bed beside Kaiba. He cuddles up close
to him and rests his head on Kaiba’s shoulder. “Good night, Seto. I love you.”
            “I love
you. Good night, Katsuya.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

            Christmas
morning finds everyone gathered around the tree in the Kaiba Mansion’s living
room exchanging presents and eating holiday treats.
            Kaiba slams
the lid back on the box as all the blood drains from his face. “How did you
even purchase something like this? You’re too young to go in those type of
stores!”
            Yugi
blushes. “Well, it took a lot of begging and pleading, but you really shouldn’t
have let Isono drive us on our shopping trip!”
            Kaiba’s
eyes widen. “You talked Isono into buying this? Please tell me that you didn’t
say it was for me!”
            “Well,
technically it’s not for you. It’s for Jou! We don’t want you to hurt him after
all!” exclaims Yugi smiling.
            “What did
he give you?” asks Jounouchi, “Or should I say us?”
            Kaiba
passes the box to Jounouchi. “I’m going to kill you, Motou.”
            Jounouchi
opens the box and pulls out a pair of black fur handcuffs. He blushes as he
looks at the assortment of lubricants and sexual toys in the box. He puts the
cuffs back in the box and replaces the lid. “If you asked for all this, Yugi…
I’ll help Seto kill you.”
            “Oh, come
on! You know you’ll enjoy it!” exclaims Yugi.
            “I really
shouldn’t give you this,” says Kaiba throwing a box at Yugi, “I hope it
breaks.” He continues to pass out the gifts he got for everyone.
            “Thank you,
Kaiba,” says Yugi pulling out the portable game system.
            “What the
hell?”
            All eyes
turn to Jounouchi.
            “I don’t
get it,” says Jounouchi looking up at Kaiba, “A passport and two plane tickets
to Paris?”
            “For a
Valentine’s weekend,” says Kaiba, “You can take whoever you want with you. It’s
an all expense paid trip. You would just need money for souvenirs and things.”
            “Seto…”
            “I’d
understand if you’d like to go with someone younger and female,” says Kaiba.
            “I love my
sister, but I’m not spending Valentine’s without you, Seto,” says Jounouchi. “I
love you in a way far more appropriate for the holiday.”
            “Yes, well.
I didn’t want to assume,” says Kaiba.
            “Why don’t
you just kiss him and be done with it, Jou?” asks Anzu.
            Jounouchi
grabs Kaiba’s lapel and pulls him forward into a quick kiss. “We’ll continue
later.”
            “I can’t
wait.”
            “Hey, do
that again! I didn’t have the camera ready!” exclaims Honda aiming the camera
at Kaiba and Jounouchi.
            “Pervert,”
says Kaiba blushing.
            “Oh, come
on, big brother!” exclaims Mokuba, “It’ll be a nice memento of your first
Christmas together!”
            “Oh, fine!”
            “Well,
geez, you don’t have to put so much…”
            Kaiba
kisses Jounouchi long and slow while the camera flashes away. He gasps when
their lips part. “I don’t have a problem with kissing you often. It’s not a
chore or a bother or anything. I just think it’s personal, and I don’t like
having my personal life photographed.”
            “I get it,”
says Jounouchi. He turns around to grab the pile of gift bags he brought and
passes them around. As he passes Kaiba his bag, he whispers, “I’d like to see
you in that on our trip to Paris.”
            Kaiba looks
in the bag at the boxer shorts with Snoopy lying on top of a heart that reads
‘Be Mine.’ He looks at Jounouchi with a raised eyebrow.
            “They had
their Valentine stuff out already.”
            “Before Christmas?”
            “It’s
retail,” says Jounouchi shrugging his shoulders.
            “We’ll make
good use of this on Valentine’s Day, and we’ll bring Motou’s gift too… just in
case,” says Kaiba smiling and pulling Jounouchi to him.
            “I love
you. Merry Christmas, Seto.”
            “I love you
too, Katsuya. Merry Christmas.”

The end.
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A Charlie Brown Christmas