Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! © Kazuki Takahashi
Author's Note: Winner of Challenge #14, "Blood," at the community ygodrabble on LiveJournal.
Blood Brothers
Jounouchi had been watching old American TV movies again, which was the only reason Honda could come up with when he showed up at Yuugi's place, carrying a knife and a roll of bandages.
"No way. No," Honda cried, eying the knife in Jounouchi's hand warily. Where he got the knife was a question for another time. Yuugi was staring at it too, the three of them sitting cross-legged and facing each other in his room.
"But it's cool," Jounouchi protested, waving the knife again. Yuugi's eyes followed it as if entranced. "What better way to illustrate our friendship than to become blood brothers? You, me, Yuugi and other Yuugi!"
"What about disease?" Honda cried, which seemed like a common sense response to Jounouchi's suggestion they cut their palms and exchange bodily fluids.
"Disease? What are you, a girl? We're not going to get a disease," Jounouchi shot back, and then turned to Yuugi. "Back me up, Yuug'."
"Errm," was all Yuugi managed before Honda cut him off.
"I don't think it's a good idea if we all come home with bandaged wrists and then we all develop hepatitis," Honda snapped. "Our parents worry about us enough, but we don't need them to think we're part of some strange cult!"
"Aww, come on, you're just afraid of a little blood," Jounouchi countered, waving the knife again with a less-than-innocent grin. "You're not afraid of a little blood are you, Honda-kun?"
He mock-lunged at him, laughing manically — a bad idea because Honda was two seconds away from punching him as it was. But they were both stopped by the bold, commanding voice that was other Yuugi. "Jounouch-kun, stop it," he said, grasping Jounouchi's wrist.
"Aww, c'mon, Yuug'!" protested Jounouchi, throwing out his pouting lip and 'puppy eye' look. Honda swore under his breath, the urge to punch Jounouchi still very strong.
"No," other Yuugi said, shaking his head. "There is no need for us to exchange blood to prove our brotherhood and friendship. We have the cards for that. Baby Dragon and Time Wizard, and the Battleguard cards for you and Honda-kun."
"Exactly," Honda said, though he had completely forgotten about that. He flashed other Yuugi a thankful smile, and it was returned with a smirk.
"But those are just cards, Yuug'," Jounouchi said, waving his hand again. "Pieces of paper with tiny little microchips inside. This, this is blood. Much more binding!"
The look that crossed other Yuugi's face could only be compared to Jounouchi telling him that Seto Kaiba was a better duelist. "Um, Jounouchi," Honda said quickly, as other Yuugi's eyebrow twitched several times. "You might want to take that back."
"Eh?" Jounouchi frowned and then looked at the other Yuugi's face, where a flicker of a golden eye was glittering across his forehead. "Oh," was all he said, before he slowly lowered the knife. He swallowed, glanced nervously at Honda and then laughed weakly. "Cards are great, Yuug'! Cards are stronger than blood, of course, what was I thinking? S-Sorry!"
And that was that. In apology, Jounouchi bought them all hamburgers, making a strangled squeak when Anzu asked what they had been up to all day. Honda later saw Yuugi (normal Yuugi) toss the knife into the bin with a sigh of relief, before he looked down at the puzzle and smiled. Honda wondered if he was thanking his other self for avoiding potential disaster. When he mentally sent his own thanks, he could swear the puzzle gleamed in reply.