The snow fell in soft flurries outside, already adding to the inches wracked up on the ground. Outside it was very cold, harsh winds whipping left and right. Inside, however, it was very warm despite the large house in which they lived. The high ceilings were terrible for keeping heat in, however the physics were no match for the brunet who was known for messing with the laws and rules of the universe. With the fire crackling just a room away, and blue-eyes locking with crimson-

This was the warmest place to be.

Seto was pacing about, making last minute changes to the house. He miraculously found a way to keep spotting little pieces of dust and mess to clean up. Atem sighed as he watched his love move about, it wasn't like him to be this nervous. Seto didn't care about anyone's opinion.

"Seto, please, calm down. He won't care."

Angry cerulean eyes flickered over to his form. "You were the one who made me retire the housekeeper. This place needs to be spotless before he gets here."

Atem could only smile at that. "How long had she worked for you? Seems like it's time she could use a break."

"This house is not your kingdom, Pharaoh."

Those words struck deeper than Seto meant for them to, and the crestfallen look on Atem's face told all. His only move was to get up from the corner he'd been sweeping to wrap his arms around the others waist. "I love you." Better than an apology, in Seto's opinion.

Atem's arms came up around Seto's shoulders. "And I, you." The soft whisper somehow managed to echo throughout the foyer, ringing in his soft baritone.

The taller released him somewhat, taking a long time to look around the foyer in which they stood. Grand, luxurious in design- spotless.

But something was off.

He walked over to the doors so that he could get a glance of what it would look like first walking in. The house was welcoming in its tones, no longer that scary and depressing mansion that had marked their first years of life. Atem had seen to those changes, not only within the home, but within Seto as well. And that's where the problem lay.

This secret that wasn't a secret- his marriage to a certain Pharaoh from Egypt, was standing out in the open. In fact, he was standing on the bottom step of the main stairwell, looking for the world outside the window. It snapped quickly to Seto's mind that that was what was wrong.

He moved to Atem quickly, bracing the others upper arms, pushing inward and lifting the other from his feet. Immediately a response bubbled from Atem in the form of wriggling and complaining. "Put me down, damn it!" One Atem's biggest pet-peeves; being picked up or carried anywhere. His pride saw to that was a wrong thing to do.

Seto ignored him, moving him to the side of the door, placing him on his feet. "There. Better."

Atem glared upwards. "Better what? Seto, Mokuba doesn't care. He won't. He loves you."

"Everything must be perfect." Seto replied simply, placing a finger to Atem's lips to silence him.

The perfectionist within himself was killing him. As he looked around the room again, it was off. He looked towards Atem, and the other tipped his head and then turned to avoid being grabbed. But Seto's arm reach was longer, and he, again, picked the Pharaoh up by his arms, setting him to the opposite side of the door. "Seto!" He would not tolerate being treated like some object in the house.

Though he didn't release Atem as he placed him on the floor, instead picking him up again and placing him in the middle of the room. "It's not working." He murmured as he looked around.

"I'm going to hurt you." Atem warned.

At that Seto picked him up again, placing him in various corners of the room. All the while Atem continued to huff and puff, kick his legs forward and try to get out of Seto's strong grip. It was a slow dance across the room, with an unwilling participant. Finally Seto came to the most logical conclusion, and set Atem at the bottom of the stairs. He let go of him, looking around and nodding to himself. "Yes, that's right. I think we've got it."

Atem glared. "You-…" But Seto's short laughter cut him off. The stare intensified. "You were- You're-"

"Fucking with you, is the term you want, love." Seto grinned down at him.

The shorter nearly growled. "We'll see who is fucking with whom."

At that he pulled on Seto's shirt, lips brought together quickly. Seto's hand came up to the railing to make sure he didn't fall over the other, but with Atem's quickly impatient hands, the two came crashing to the floor. Seto atop him, the shirt quickly found its way to the stairs, lips, tongue, and teeth attacking every inch of the Pharaoh's skin.

Suddenly a gust of cold wind blew right into the room, the sound of a door shutting. The two occupants looked up.

"Well I guess I know what Santa brought you for Christmas this year, big brother."