Options, Choices and Obsessions – CHAPTER 9:
Footsteps on the Carpet
"What do you think it tastes like?" Honda flipped a page of the menu in front of him.
Kaiba raised an eyebrow. "Like dead cow."
"Was that supposed to be funny?" Honda stared blankly at his companion.
Kaiba shrugged. "You asked a question and I gave you the answer."
"No shit Sherlock," Honda rolled his eyes.
"Elementary my dear Watson," Kaiba replied without hesitation, a twitch of amusement showing on his face.
Honda shook his head, chuckling. "Dear?"
Kaiba hid his face behind his menu and mumbled. "You've never read Sherlock Holmes?"
Honda chuckled. "Who?"
Kaiba shrugged, trying to put on an act of indifference. "You're really missing out on something, you know?"
"You like that sort of stuff?"
Kaiba smiled a tiny fraction of a smile, noticing the look on Honda's face. "Each to his own."
Honda grinned. "Obviously you never learnt the principles of sharing and caring."
"Sharing and caring my arse," Kaiba snorted.
Honda's cheeks flushed bright red and he burst into laughter.
Kaiba looked up sharply. "That wasn't what I meant!" He quickly raised his glass in front of his face, taking a hurried sip.
Honda smirked. "I'll be first in line when you do."
Kaiba coughed, jerking forward and spilling his water over the table. What the hell? What was that?
Honda laughed, ignoring the indignant glare and the embarrassment permeating from the boy opposite him. "Uh… You know what I mean," he covered a little lamely, causing Kaiba to raise an eyebrow.
"Do I?"
Honda smiled, hiding it behind his menu. "I think I'll have the filet mignon. You?"
"Don't change the subject," Kaiba wagged his finger. Then he shrugged nonchalantly. "Dead cow, dead chicken. Isn't it all the same?"
"Like I said, learn to appreciate your food more."
"Has anyone ever told you how stubborn you are?" Kaiba rested his elbow on the table and leaned forwards.
Honda chuckled. "Apart from you?"
Kaiba declined to comment, merely smiling a little and meeting Honda's amused look with his own.
"Honda!"
Both Honda and Kaiba turned to see a head of white fluffy hair heading towards them. "Hi Bakura…" Honda said weakly.
"Isn't it great?" Bakura beamed happily, pushing a shopping bag towards Honda. "I bought it for you."
Honda smiled as Bakura looked around. "Hey… you got a really small table Honda."
Honda sweatdropped. That had been the idea…
The waitress returned, looking at Bakura with a twinkle in her eye. "Shall I move you three to a larger table?"
Bakura tilted his head to the side in confusion.
"A larger table," she repeated, pointing across the room.
Bakura nodded and held up six fingers.
Kaiba saw the door opening again and the other three stepping in. 'The unavoidable attachments', he thought with annoyance.
"Hi Honda!" Anzu waved happily, pulling her scarf off and walking over.
Otogi was a little more reserved, walking rather slowly, as though trying to delay the inevitable. He caught Honda's eye for a moment, and Honda cringed.
"Otogi?" Honda stood up from the table and began walking over to the larger one, weaving around other tables to get there.
Kaiba simply followed.
Bakura sat down, patting the seat beside him. "Have a nice rest Honda?"
"Erm…" Honda's felt someone sit down next to him, brushing his left arm a little. He looked up quickly. "Oh… Otogi…" He smiled, hoping Otogi might just smile back.
Otogi flicked his hair. "Honda."
Yuugi sat on Bakura's right side, and Anzu sat on Otogi's left, so Kaiba took the last seat between Anzu and Yuugi. It probably wasn't his seat of choice, Honda thought with amusement.
"Ready to order guys?" Anzu asked, looking hungrily across to the next table where a couple sat with an untouched pizza. She looked about ready to jump across and abduct it.
Bakura nodded. "I'm hungry."
"You're always hungry," Honda said accusingly.
"I'm a growing boy." Bakura protested.
"That's what you always say," Otogi raised an eyebrow. "I swear you haven't grown an inch since I met you."
Bakura pulled a face.
"And if you have, I don't see it." Otogi added, staring suspiciously.
Bakura blushed and laughed nervously, not knowing how to interpret the comment.
"Come on guys! Let's order already!" Anzu insisted, her stomach growling.
"I'll have the steak and the hamburger deluxe with a serve of fries," Bakura said, settling back in his chair.
Honda grinned. "Are you sure that's enough for you?"
Bakura nodded, almost thoughtful. "I can order more later if I'm still hungry."
"So what did you guys do?" Anzu asked, still eyeing the pizza on the next table. She picked up the saltshaker and started playing with it absentmindedly.
"Nothing." Honda shook his head.
"Hn…" Kaiba just grunted.
Anzu smiled, shaking her head. "Nothing? We were shopping for four hours, and you did nothing."
"I read a book," Honda offered reluctantly. "That was all."
Anzu wasn't really listening. "Ooh, where's that waitress? I'm so hungry!"
Bakura put his arm up in the air, trying to catch the attention of the waitress as she hurried from table to table.
Honda put his elbow on the table and rested his chin on his hand sleepily. Kaiba was sitting directly opposite. He blinked as Honda smiled at him.
"We bumped into Sensei today," Anzu said, beginning another one-sided conversation.
"Oh?" Honda tried to look interested.
Yuugi nodded. "Some of our stuff's been cancelled for tomorrow, so he said he's hoping to find something to make up for it."
"Like skiing." Otogi quipped.
"More like snowboarding," Yuugi smiled. "I've never done it before."
Honda perked up. "Really? Me neither."
"He said we can get lessons if we want," Anzu added. "I don't think he expects us to learn by trial and error…"
"Because we'd probably crash into trees…" Bakura said, still waving his arm in the air for the waitress.
"Any idiot can do it," Kaiba said coolly.
"Crash into trees or snowboard?" Honda teased.
Kaiba gave a smirk. "Both, I expect. But we'll find out tomorrow."
"You must be talking from personal experience," Otogi said a little snidely, examining his nails.
Kaiba looked surprised for a moment, but he covered quickly. "Learning from other people's mistakes…"
Otogi scowled. "Because of course, you wouldn't make mistakes, would you Kaiba?"
Honda instinctively put his hand on Otogi's arm; something he was used to doing with Jounouchi. "Everyone makes mistakes, right Kaiba?" He stared straight at Kaiba, watching as the boy closed his eyes and crossed his arms.
"Hmph."
Otogi merely flicked his hair.
"Am I supposed to be keeping score?" Anzu asked dryly.
Keeping a straight face, Bakura announced the results. "Kaiba-kun 5, Otogi 2 and Honda gets 20."
"Someone's been bribing the judge," Otogi quipped.
"Don't look at me," Kaiba smirked.
"I admit it. It was me… I slipped him some bacon under the table." Honda held up his hands, keeping a straight face.
"You didn't have to bring that up again," Otogi sniffed, but he struggled to keep the smile off his face.
Kaiba had no idea what Otogi was referring to, but he sat back in his chair a little, looking at Honda and seeing the twinkle in his eyes.
Honda's stomach growled. "Do you think that waitress is ever going to get around to us?"
Bakura had long since stopped waving his arm. He sighed melodramatically. "No."
Honda felt something brush against his leg; just a little touch. He instinctively glanced down, seeing Otogi searching in his pocket for something. He guessed that it had just been a slip of Otogi's hand so he didn't bother saying anything…
Two minutes later, he felt Otogi's hand brush his leg again…
Honda could feel the blush creeping into his cheeks. That couldn't have been accidental. He stole a glance at the boy next to him. Otogi's eyes met his for a moment, before the boy looked away embarrassedly.
Honda felt a twinge of guilt, and when he looked up to meet Kaiba's curious eyes, he had to fight the urge to look away.
-(S)-
"So what are we doing here again?"
Honda muttered under his breath. "It's a cultural experience."
Otogi shrugged, shifting his arm to take up more space on the armrest.
Honda smacked Otogi's arm. "Do you mind?" He whispered loudly, catching more than a few dirty looks.
Otogi snatched his arm away from Honda quickly, glaring at the boy. "Actually, I do."
Anzu was now leaning over in her seat, glaring at them both.
"Fine. Best two out of three," Otogi whispered, his eyes challenging Honda.
Honda grinned. "Jan ken pon!" He was going to win. He never lost this game, especially against Jounouchi. He raised his fist and grinned at the irritated look on Anzu's face. So they were in the middle of a theatre, and yes, they were supposed to be paying attention to the stage in front of them, but he was too busy with Otogi for the moment.
Jan ken pon!
Otogi pulled a face. "You cheated."
"How?" Honda smirked.
Otogi narrowed his eyes but couldn't explain.
Jan ken pon!
"See? You did it again!"
Honda just grinned and raised an eyebrow. "I win."
Otogi shrugged and leaned to his left, away from Honda.
Anzu flinched as her hand was elbowed off her armrest and she glared. "Otogi!"
"Want to play? Best two out of three," Otogi offered cheekily.
Around them, the sounds of violins, cellos, flutes and the single piano filled the air. The strains of music; loud, unerring and unforgiving caught his attention for just a moment. Honda was suddenly captivated by the notes of the music. Melodies and harmonies seemed to engulf him in waves. The sea of music was like the waves of the ocean; washing away his coherent thought.
In the midst of it all, he heard a small buzzing sound and realised it was Kaiba's phone – again.
Kaiba pulled his phone from his pocket and hurriedly flipped it open. Worry seemed to flash across his features for a moment, and he stood up hurriedly, weaving his way past their classmates to get to the aisle.
Honda looked towards Kaiba, and found himself following; his body moving almost of its own accord before he'd made his decision.
"Kaiba?"
Honda watched him disappear through the doors of the theatre, and ran out of them a moment later, only to see an empty lobby.
-(S)-
Anzu looked worriedly past Otogi again. Both seats next to him were unoccupied, and had been for the last ten minutes, at least. As the final notes of music died out, people stood around them, applauding.
It wasn't until they filed out of the hall that she began to worry. "Otogi? Do you think Honda and Kaiba are okay?"
"Of course they are." Otogi smirked. "They probably got lost on the way to the bathrooms. Personally, I don't think Honda could navigate out of a Coke can."
Anzu nodded. "I hope you're right."
-(S)-
Kaiba ignored Honda's look as they walked the short distance back to the hotel. The lights of the city were shrouded in a white haze and the cold night air stung his skin.
He had so many things on his mind that he didn't have time for Honda and he really couldn't care less if Honda was sulking because of something he did or didn't do.
A tap on his shoulder brought Honda out of his thoughts. He glanced back but saw no one. Instinctively, he turned and looked over the other shoulder. Still no one.
"Looking for someone?" Otogi teased, falling into step beside the brunet.
"Otogi?" Honda blinked in surprise.
Otogi raised an eyebrow. "What are you sulking for?"
Honda shrugged. "Who said I'm sulking?"
Otogi rolled his eyes. "Guilty until proven innocent."
Honda didn't perk up at all. Instead, his steps became longer as he strode to get away from Otogi.
"Seriously. What's up with you?" Otogi took a few quick steps and lightly punched Honda's arm.
Honda shrugged. "Nothing."
"Nothing besides your hair."
"What's wrong with it?" Honda argued angrily.
Otogi startled, before quickly covering and shrugging. "Well, first of all, it's a dangerous weapon which is fully capable of taking out an eye. And secondly…" Otogi trailed off.
"Secondly?" Honda prompted, rolling his eyes.
Otogi shrugged. "I guess there isn't a 'secondly.' But seriously, Anzu and I are going out tonight. Want to come?"
Honda looked at Otogi, noting the boy's impatient flick of his hair. He shrugged. "I'd rather sleep."
Otogi's face showed just a flicker of irritation. "Why? You can do that tomorrow."
"Aren't we going snowboarding tomorrow?"
Otogi shrugged. "So sleep while you're on the slope. Maybe you can get ten minutes rest in between the top and the bottom."
Honda snorted.
Otogi adamantly put his hands on his hips. "I'm being serious."
"I know. You've said so three times already."
Otogi ignored the statement. "Anyway, it's already eleven, so make up your mind soon."
Honda shrugged. "I've already made up my mind."
Otogi looked at him with one eyebrow arched in suspicion.
Honda grinned. "I've made my decision to sleep tonight."
Otogi looked irritated. "So make up your mind the other way."
Honda shook his head. "Some of us like our beauty sleep, even if we're not as beautiful as you."
Otogi eyed his companion with scepticism. "Are you being serious?"
Honda grinned. "Of course. As serious as you are."
-(S)-
Kaiba folded his shirt neatly, trying several times to get the folds right before he placed it into his suitcase. He frowned, thinking of his daily routine back in Domino. Usually he'd just drop his clothes around near the door and wait for someone to pick them up.
Pedantically, he picked up the shirt again, laying it flat on the bed and folding it again – folding the sleeves under and folding it in half.
Honda walked out of the bathroom and dropped his socks on top of his folded clothes. "Having fun?"
Kaiba rolled his eyes, frustrated as he huffed and tossed the shirt onto the floor. He reached over and grabbed his laptop, walking over and dropping into the chair with it.
Honda just shrugged, picking up his book and flopping lazily onto the single bed.
It was quiet, excepting the small hum coming from the laptop, and the muffled laughter coming from the corridor. Otogi had gone out with Anzu, leaving Yuugi and Bakura in their own room and Honda and Kaiba in theirs.
"Why aren't you going out?" Kaiba asked.
Honda looked across at him, raising an eyebrow. "Should I?"
Kaiba shook his head.
Honda smiled. "See?"
Kaiba stared. "See what?"
Honda grinned. "Nothing."
"If there's nothing there, how can I see it?"
"Has anyone ever told you how stubborn you are?"
"Apart from you?" Kaiba rolled his eyes at the irony in the question and answer.
Honda grinned, tossing an empty Pocky box at the bin. "Stubborn as a donkey."
"Are you calling me an ass?" Kaiba's mouth twitched into a tiny smile.
"A nice one, I'm sure." Honda teased playfully, laughing, and Kaiba blushed. He embarrassedly cast his eyes to the floor, licking his lips, but Honda's laughter was contagious and he choked out a small chuckle.
Honda couldn't explain the silly rush of happiness; the stupid joy that Kaiba gave him with his choked laughter.
Kaiba coughed, clearing his throat as he looked up again, and Honda just grinned.
-(S)-
Yuugi was sprawled out under the covers of the bed. Bakura could clearly see the outlines of his legs under the blankets and he was careful not to poke the boy as he slipped into the bed to join him.
"Yuugi?"
Yuugi opened one eye sleepily, trying to curl up a little as the cool air seemed to invade his space under the blankets, sweeping away the heat. "Hm?"
Bakura smiled gently, slipping in and trying to pull the blankets around himself. "Nothing."
"Nothing?" Yuugi opened the other eye as Bakura flicked the bedside light off.
"Do… do you think Otogi likes Honda?"
Yuugi blinked. "Does it matter?" he asked slowly, carefully.
Bakura felt Yuugi shifting under the covers, but his eyes were slow to adjust to the darkness, and he could only see his friend's silhouette. "No… but I mean…"
Yuugi licked his lips.
"I don't know… I just get the feeling that I'm missing something…" Bakura trailed off, wondering if Yuugi could understand what he was alluding to. He felt something rubbing against his hip and realised with a start, that it was Yuugi's hand. "Yuugi?" he whispered into the darkness.
"Bakura."
Bakura startled yet again, so uncertain of his surroundings that he physically twitched when he felt the heat of Yuugi's breath on his neck. And then something softer, more gentle, touched his cheek.
"Yuugi?"
"Shh…"
Bakura stared, blinking rapidly as he tried to think. He reached up his hands and felt Yuugi's shoulder. "What are you doing?"
For a moment, there was no noise, no movement. Then Bakura felt a slight pressure across his hip and stomach, and he realised that Yuugi was leaning into him. He trembled, not knowing what Yuugi was doing, his body caught between anxiety and expectance.
Yuugi's kiss was soft, not weak or hesitant, but gentle and warm. One hand found the hem of Bakura's shirt and pushed it up a little, his fingertips sliding across the bare
skin beneath him.
"Yuugi!" Bakura breathed out suddenly, breaking the kiss and jolting the boy above him.
"Bakura? I… Are you okay?"
Bakura giggled. "It's just… your hair keeps tickling my ear…"
-(S)-
"Honda?" Kaiba's voice was quiet.
The curtains were left open so that the white moonlight shone through the windows. Patterns etched across the carpet; moving and flickering like a sea of movement and yet, there was silence.
Honda was curled up on his side, and he looked across the room to the mattress on the floor. "Kaiba?"
There was an incomprehensible mumble from Kaiba, and then the room was silent again.
"I was looking for you before… at the theatre," Honda said, watching the other boy.
Kaiba didn't respond for a moment, then with a little hesitation; "Mokuba called."
Honda saw the grimace on Kaiba's face. "Is he okay?"
"He's… He just wanted to know how I was, that was all."
Honda shifted onto his back and stared at the ceiling. "I wonder what Otogi's doing."
"Probably something indecent," Kaiba answered.
Honda smirked. "Possibly."
Kaiba tried to wriggle down into the blankets just a little bit more.
Honda closed his eyes, tiredness running through his muscles. "Do you think we're really going snowboarding tomorrow?" he mumbled, trying to stifle a yawn.
Kaiba shrugged.
Honda began drifting off to sleep. A few minutes later, his mind registered Kaiba's lack of response and he mumbled a little louder, "Are you asleep?"
"No."
Honda sat up, looking down at Kaiba. "Are you cold?" The blankets pooled around his waist, feeling heavy.
"Hn."
"Was that the 'yes-hn' or the 'no-hn'?" Honda said, feeling awake again.
"And you called me an ass, smart arse," Kaiba grumbled, a little teasingly.
Honda snorted. "Dumb arse."
The room was again silent for a moment, before Kaiba spoke.
"Are you cold?"
"A little." Honda shivered.
Kaiba sat up in his own bed and raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Are you trying to prove your point?"
Honda rolled his eyes, pulling the blankets up around himself and pulling them out from where they were tucked in under the mattress as he did so. It only made the cold worse.
Kaiba smirked. "So who's the dumb arse now?"
"Hmph," Honda responded, inadvertently sounding like Kaiba. "Kaiba?"
"Yes?"
Honda looked over at him with a grin. "You didn't say 'what'?"
"So?"
"Nothing." Honda grinned.
"Nothing again?" Kaiba put a hand to his head.
"Something then."
"What something?" Kaiba began rubbing his temple in small motions with his fingers.
"You're a nice guy Kaiba."
Kaiba looked at him, his fingers stopping their motions. Then he rolled his eyes. "And you're a liar."
Honda was taken aback for a moment, then he rolled his eyes, reasoning that it was Kaiba's way, and jumped off the bed.
Kaiba looked at him with bemusement on his face. "What are you doing now?"
Honda grinned. "Coming to join you."
Kaiba stared. "What do you mean?" He watched Honda's feet padding across the carpet. The shadows were dancing across his bare legs and he was wearing that same 'Bite me' shirt again.
Honda shrugged. "I mean what I say."
Kaiba looked down at the blankets on top of him. "Wouldn't it be bet-"
Honda threw his blankets over Kaiba's head, cutting the boy's sentence off.
Kaiba hurriedly pushed and pulled the blankets off himself and glared.
Honda just laughed. "It's cold over there."
"It's cold over here too."
Honda shrugged. "So share the blankets, stupid." Then he straightened out the blankets and looked at Kaiba again. "You don't really mind, do you?"
Kaiba grunted and slipped back under the blankets.
Honda too, wriggled under the blankets. "See, sharing and caring," he smirked.
"Is that your knee Honda?" Kaiba turned his head to eye the brunette suspiciously. Honda was curled up, facing Kaiba, and Kaiba could feel something pressing against his leg. Logic seemed to suggest that Honda's knee was the culprit.
Honda didn't reply.
"Honda?" Kaiba reached out his arm and poked Honda's chest under the blankets.
Honda still didn't reply.
"Hmph."
Kaiba curled up on his side, pulling the blankets up to his chin and shut his eyes, but not before glaring once more at the sleeping Honda.
A moment later, he opened his eyes again, and stared at his companion. Well, Honda probably didn't quite deserve the glare…
Kaiba yawned, closing his eyes. "You know… you're an ass Honda…"
No one and nothing answered him.
"But… you're a nice one…"
If Kaiba had opened his eyes, he would have seen the smile that spread across Honda's face.
- MM -
lily22 – Thanks for reviewing and thank you especially for picking that up! I did mean 'bemused' as opposed to 'amused', because I guess there's a certain amount of misunderstanding and confusion between Honda and Kaiba. They don't really share the same sense of humour, so part of the 'getting to know each other' is learning to relate to each other's sense of humour. But they're definitely more amused and less bemused in this chapter :D Kaiba's lightening up a little. I almost feel like the apocalypse should be coming xD
Mokuba's Official Glomper – Honda and Kaiba make such a nice duo together :D I'm so glad you like them! I think they compliment each other, and they're both just reasonable enough that they'll somehow make it through the disagreements and misunderstandings. Of course Kaiba might turn around and say 'what misunderstandings? It was all his fault anyway!' o.0;;
Mutou Yasu – I have to apologise! When I read 'triangle' the first time, I kept thinking 'three-way relationship', but now I can't explain what I mean without giving away the story line! But don't worry, no one gets hurt! (Bops self) That was silly of me, ne? But I hope you'll like the ending all the same :D
kimerakeepdr – xD For some reason I'm really amused by that 'unsignable' thing! Actually Honda and Kaiba were going to kiss in that chapter, but I keep thinking that they don't really know each other that well to start a relationship. Maybe I'm too conservative, but I figure it's best not to jump straight into something serious sounding yet! So the story becomes longer every time I write it…:P
Nanashi Ni – Thankimasu Nanashi! (Glomps) I can't type asterisks in here, which is kind of sad… Glad you like the story though! And Yuugi and Bakura finally did something! xD That wasn't so hard to write, so why did it take so long? 0.o;;
Raven Scorne – Crisis fixed! Sort of. :P I can't stop myself from writing even when I should, so chapter 9 is here :D I'm glad you like Honda/Kaiba though! They're such a nice pair…
Rice Kracker – I think you just won the award for longest ever review RK:P Honda's a pretty tough guy so I think he'll sort out his feelings… at least by the end of the story anyway! Kaiba is pretty suspicious of people on the whole, but I think I would be too if I were in his position… I imagine once he and Honda finally work everything out, he'll be as emotionally attached to Honda as he is to Mokuba. :P It'll be true love! xD Or perhaps Kaiba's just very possessive.
Bishoplover – Yes, those two needed to sort things out. I thank Kaiba's phone for that :P So even though Kaiba doesn't much like Jounouchi, he's starting to put aside his dislike just a little, only for Honda's sake…
A huge thank you to everyone who reviewed and who reviews my stories!
- MM -
