Honda woke abruptly to muffled cries. Looking around a moment, he remembered where he was. He got up from the couch and walked down the hall to Bakura's room, then knocked on the door. "Bakura," he called. "Are you ok?"
There was no reply save a muted whimper from inside.
After a brief hesitation, Honda went into the room. He shook Bakura gently. "Wake up, Bakura."
The boy's eyes shot open in a near panic. "Ho--Honda-kun...?" he asked in a small voice, frightened eyes looking up at his friend.
"Bad dream?" Honda asked with a compassionate expression, hugging him.
The boy's eyes widened again at the contact, but he slowly melted into it, nodding slightly. "Gomen..." he near whispered.
"For what? Having a bad dream?" Honda rubbed his arms lightly, then yawned. "Just pretend I'm your big brother. I'll protect you." He guided Bakura to lie down again and held him like a teddy bear.
For a moment, Bakura felt as if he had forgotten how to breath. Finally taking a deep shuddery breath he melted against the taller boy, eyes watering slightly as he near clung to Honda's shirt.
"Shh," Honda murmured tiredly.
Slowly, Bakura relaxed, resting his head on Honda's chest, letting the warmth of the other boy calm and assure him.
Bakura's eyes opened, focusing on the slowly rising and falling chest of the boy in front of him. He gave a soft smile, enjoying the feeling of Honda's arms draped protectively over him and snugged closer to the boy, hoping he wouldn't wake up anytime soon.
Honda's arms tightened reflexively and he groaned, waking up. "What time is it?"
The pale haired boy held back his sigh and looked over at the clock. "I don't know, it looks like we lost power again last night."
"Oh good. No school." Honda's eyes closed again, and he pulled Bakura into a tighter hug.
The boy's eyes went wide in surprise. Slowly he smiled, relaxing fully in the embrace.
"So what are we going to do when we decide to get up?" Honda wondered quietly, mouth near Bakura's ear.
Bakura didn't answer, trying hard to ignore what the tickle of the taller boys breath was doing to him.
Honda blinked and raised himself on one elbow to look down at Bakura. "Something wrong?"
The boy shook his head. "I was thinking," he said softly, both grateful and disappointed the taller boy had moved away.
"About what we're going to do today?" Honda asked, settling back into the bed.
Bakura nodded. "And wondering if there'd be any food left by tonight," he smiled.
"I don't eat that much," Honda protested. "Just for that, I must make you pay!" He began tickling the smaller boy.
Bakura gave a squeak, gasping for air as he laughed, trying to get away. "Honda-kuuun!" he protested between laughs.
Honda ignored him until he was almost completely breathless, and then he pulled back, holding Bakura tightly and stroking his back. "Just breath, Bakura."
The boy took deep gasps of air. "Hidoi, yo, Honda-kun!" he exclaimed when he had finally regained his breath, laying near limp in the taller boy's arms.
Honda hugged him. "Gomen," he said, not sounding sorry.
Bakura near melted into the boy's embrace, sighing happily.
Honda looked at Bakura strangely for a moment, then gave him a quick squeeze and bounded out of bed. "Let's see what there is for breakfast!"
Bakura near groaned. "Honda-kuuun..." he near complained with a smile as he pulled himself to his feet. "You can't expect me to cook breakfast after that!"
"All right, then. I'll cook it for you." Honda struck a dramatic pose.
Bakura gave him a look of disbelief and then gave a small laugh. "I've never been so afraid for my kitchen," he joked.
"Don't worry. You'll love it," Honda assured, wrapping an arm around Bakura to lead the still-shaky boy to the kitchen.
Bakura near giggled as he watched Honda cooking. "Mou, Honda-kun!" he laughed. "You're going to get egg on the ceiling like that!"
"Nonsense!" the taller boy replied. "This is the only way to make eggs."
"I'd prefer to eat them, not wear them!"
"You worry too much," Honda commented, flipping the eggs neatly in the pan. "I'm a pro!"
"If they fall, you'll be cleaning them," the pale haired boy warned with a smile.
"You have no faith!" Honda proclaimed. "I know what I'm doing!"
With no mishaps, the tall boy finished making breakfast and presented it with a flourish to Bakura, making a second plate for himself.
Bakura continued watching Honda as he ate, noting the boy was being a bit more sedate in his cooking now that he thought the pale haired boy wasn't watching.
Honda settled into a seat across from Bakura. "Well? What do you think of my gourmet breakfast cuisine?"
"It's very good," Bakura smiled. He finished the egg and rose to his feet. "Can I trust you alone while I go take a shower?" he joked.
"What am I going to do? Wash your dishes to death?"
"If you wash dishes the way you cook eggs, I think I'm justified in my worry."
"You worry too much," Honda said affectionately. "Just leave everything to me."
Bakura gave a smile before exiting the room.
A half an hour later he finally emerged from the bathroom, toweling his hair dry as he walked across the hall to his bedroom to get dressed.
"Your dishes are all in one piece," Honda greeted him with a bow.
Bakura startled, clutching at the towel around his waist. "A--Arigatou...."
"And I was looking around that game room of yours. Wanna play something?"
"I--I'd like to get dressed..." Bakura said faintly.
"Go ahead. No one's stopping you," Honda said, looking confused.
Bakura quickly skittered across the hall, closing the door behind him and leaning against it, exhaling slowly. 'Honda-kun's going to think I'm a freak...' he sighed to himself as he walked to his dresser. He put a hand over his chest, covering the five small and faded scars. If Honda noticed them, he'd want to know where they came from so he could beat them up, and then things would get awkward....
A short while later, he emerged, dressed wearing his faded jeans and a short sleeve shirt, covered by an open button down long sleeve shirt, and still toweling his hair dry, trying to keep it from fluffing up.
As he walked by, Honda grinned from where he was pressed to the wall next to the door. With a shout, he jumped on Bakura, causing the pair to roll a few times on the floor. He looked down at the boy he'd pinned with a rakish smile, then helped him up.
Bakura felt as if his heart was going to explode out of his chest as he struggled to regain his breath. "Honda-kun!" he exclaimed, smiling slightly at the boy. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"
"Gomen," Honda said, still not sounding sorry. "I forgot you aren't used to having a brother."
"So that's what brothers do? Try and kill each other?" Bakura smiled.
"You get used to it, and I haven't been able to get the jump on someone in years."
Bakura blinked. "Get the jump on...?" he repeated with amusement.
"You should've seen my brother when he was sober," Honda reminisced with a smile. "I could never catch him unaware."
The pale haired boy looked at him in curiosity.
"Well, he's just so much older than me that he always knew what I was doing." Honda smiled. "But after a while I knew enough to be able to throw him off when he jumped me." He paused and waved a hand. "But listen to me run on. We were going to play a game." He grabbed Bakura's hand and dragged him into the game room.
Bakura gave a small smile. He paused a moment, gently pulling out of Honda's hand to walk over to the large table in the room. Hesitating a moment, he slowly opened the drawer on it and looked at the contents before giving a relieved sigh. "So," he said, turning to Honda with a smile. "What did you want to play?"
"I don't know. What do you like to play? They're your games, after all."
"I like them all," Bakura smiled. "You can pick, I don't mind."
After some thought Honda decided.
Much later the pair was watching TV, Honda slightly sprawled on the couch, arms draped over the back of it, Bakura sitting next to him, leaning slightly against him. They had spent most of the day going through Bakura's collection of games.
Honda gave him a squeeze and glanced at the window. "I should probably try and head home."
Bakura gave a small sigh. "Un," he agreed, nodding, voice disappointed.
"I'll meet you before school tomorrow, right?"
"Un!" Bakura smiled. "Make sure you get to sleep early enough. I don't know if I can convince Jounouchi-kun to leave you alone this time."
"I'll make certain," Honda promised.
There was quiet a long moment. "Ne, Honda-kun...?" Bakura said in a soft voice, idly playing with the tail of the taller boy's shirt.
"Hm?" Honda asked, reaching for the remote.
"I just... wanted to thank you for last night."
"Thank me?" Honda asked with a laugh. "For what?"
"For being there to stop the nightmare...." Bakura said softly, not looking up.
"That's what I'm here for," Honda said, giving the smaller boy a hug.
Bakura's smiled softly, almost snuggling closer. "Arigatou, Honda-kun...."
There was no reply save a muted whimper from inside.
After a brief hesitation, Honda went into the room. He shook Bakura gently. "Wake up, Bakura."
The boy's eyes shot open in a near panic. "Ho--Honda-kun...?" he asked in a small voice, frightened eyes looking up at his friend.
"Bad dream?" Honda asked with a compassionate expression, hugging him.
The boy's eyes widened again at the contact, but he slowly melted into it, nodding slightly. "Gomen..." he near whispered.
"For what? Having a bad dream?" Honda rubbed his arms lightly, then yawned. "Just pretend I'm your big brother. I'll protect you." He guided Bakura to lie down again and held him like a teddy bear.
For a moment, Bakura felt as if he had forgotten how to breath. Finally taking a deep shuddery breath he melted against the taller boy, eyes watering slightly as he near clung to Honda's shirt.
"Shh," Honda murmured tiredly.
Slowly, Bakura relaxed, resting his head on Honda's chest, letting the warmth of the other boy calm and assure him.
Bakura's eyes opened, focusing on the slowly rising and falling chest of the boy in front of him. He gave a soft smile, enjoying the feeling of Honda's arms draped protectively over him and snugged closer to the boy, hoping he wouldn't wake up anytime soon.
Honda's arms tightened reflexively and he groaned, waking up. "What time is it?"
The pale haired boy held back his sigh and looked over at the clock. "I don't know, it looks like we lost power again last night."
"Oh good. No school." Honda's eyes closed again, and he pulled Bakura into a tighter hug.
The boy's eyes went wide in surprise. Slowly he smiled, relaxing fully in the embrace.
"So what are we going to do when we decide to get up?" Honda wondered quietly, mouth near Bakura's ear.
Bakura didn't answer, trying hard to ignore what the tickle of the taller boys breath was doing to him.
Honda blinked and raised himself on one elbow to look down at Bakura. "Something wrong?"
The boy shook his head. "I was thinking," he said softly, both grateful and disappointed the taller boy had moved away.
"About what we're going to do today?" Honda asked, settling back into the bed.
Bakura nodded. "And wondering if there'd be any food left by tonight," he smiled.
"I don't eat that much," Honda protested. "Just for that, I must make you pay!" He began tickling the smaller boy.
Bakura gave a squeak, gasping for air as he laughed, trying to get away. "Honda-kuuun!" he protested between laughs.
Honda ignored him until he was almost completely breathless, and then he pulled back, holding Bakura tightly and stroking his back. "Just breath, Bakura."
The boy took deep gasps of air. "Hidoi, yo, Honda-kun!" he exclaimed when he had finally regained his breath, laying near limp in the taller boy's arms.
Honda hugged him. "Gomen," he said, not sounding sorry.
Bakura near melted into the boy's embrace, sighing happily.
Honda looked at Bakura strangely for a moment, then gave him a quick squeeze and bounded out of bed. "Let's see what there is for breakfast!"
Bakura near groaned. "Honda-kuuun..." he near complained with a smile as he pulled himself to his feet. "You can't expect me to cook breakfast after that!"
"All right, then. I'll cook it for you." Honda struck a dramatic pose.
Bakura gave him a look of disbelief and then gave a small laugh. "I've never been so afraid for my kitchen," he joked.
"Don't worry. You'll love it," Honda assured, wrapping an arm around Bakura to lead the still-shaky boy to the kitchen.
Bakura near giggled as he watched Honda cooking. "Mou, Honda-kun!" he laughed. "You're going to get egg on the ceiling like that!"
"Nonsense!" the taller boy replied. "This is the only way to make eggs."
"I'd prefer to eat them, not wear them!"
"You worry too much," Honda commented, flipping the eggs neatly in the pan. "I'm a pro!"
"If they fall, you'll be cleaning them," the pale haired boy warned with a smile.
"You have no faith!" Honda proclaimed. "I know what I'm doing!"
With no mishaps, the tall boy finished making breakfast and presented it with a flourish to Bakura, making a second plate for himself.
Bakura continued watching Honda as he ate, noting the boy was being a bit more sedate in his cooking now that he thought the pale haired boy wasn't watching.
Honda settled into a seat across from Bakura. "Well? What do you think of my gourmet breakfast cuisine?"
"It's very good," Bakura smiled. He finished the egg and rose to his feet. "Can I trust you alone while I go take a shower?" he joked.
"What am I going to do? Wash your dishes to death?"
"If you wash dishes the way you cook eggs, I think I'm justified in my worry."
"You worry too much," Honda said affectionately. "Just leave everything to me."
Bakura gave a smile before exiting the room.
A half an hour later he finally emerged from the bathroom, toweling his hair dry as he walked across the hall to his bedroom to get dressed.
"Your dishes are all in one piece," Honda greeted him with a bow.
Bakura startled, clutching at the towel around his waist. "A--Arigatou...."
"And I was looking around that game room of yours. Wanna play something?"
"I--I'd like to get dressed..." Bakura said faintly.
"Go ahead. No one's stopping you," Honda said, looking confused.
Bakura quickly skittered across the hall, closing the door behind him and leaning against it, exhaling slowly. 'Honda-kun's going to think I'm a freak...' he sighed to himself as he walked to his dresser. He put a hand over his chest, covering the five small and faded scars. If Honda noticed them, he'd want to know where they came from so he could beat them up, and then things would get awkward....
A short while later, he emerged, dressed wearing his faded jeans and a short sleeve shirt, covered by an open button down long sleeve shirt, and still toweling his hair dry, trying to keep it from fluffing up.
As he walked by, Honda grinned from where he was pressed to the wall next to the door. With a shout, he jumped on Bakura, causing the pair to roll a few times on the floor. He looked down at the boy he'd pinned with a rakish smile, then helped him up.
Bakura felt as if his heart was going to explode out of his chest as he struggled to regain his breath. "Honda-kun!" he exclaimed, smiling slightly at the boy. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"
"Gomen," Honda said, still not sounding sorry. "I forgot you aren't used to having a brother."
"So that's what brothers do? Try and kill each other?" Bakura smiled.
"You get used to it, and I haven't been able to get the jump on someone in years."
Bakura blinked. "Get the jump on...?" he repeated with amusement.
"You should've seen my brother when he was sober," Honda reminisced with a smile. "I could never catch him unaware."
The pale haired boy looked at him in curiosity.
"Well, he's just so much older than me that he always knew what I was doing." Honda smiled. "But after a while I knew enough to be able to throw him off when he jumped me." He paused and waved a hand. "But listen to me run on. We were going to play a game." He grabbed Bakura's hand and dragged him into the game room.
Bakura gave a small smile. He paused a moment, gently pulling out of Honda's hand to walk over to the large table in the room. Hesitating a moment, he slowly opened the drawer on it and looked at the contents before giving a relieved sigh. "So," he said, turning to Honda with a smile. "What did you want to play?"
"I don't know. What do you like to play? They're your games, after all."
"I like them all," Bakura smiled. "You can pick, I don't mind."
After some thought Honda decided.
Much later the pair was watching TV, Honda slightly sprawled on the couch, arms draped over the back of it, Bakura sitting next to him, leaning slightly against him. They had spent most of the day going through Bakura's collection of games.
Honda gave him a squeeze and glanced at the window. "I should probably try and head home."
Bakura gave a small sigh. "Un," he agreed, nodding, voice disappointed.
"I'll meet you before school tomorrow, right?"
"Un!" Bakura smiled. "Make sure you get to sleep early enough. I don't know if I can convince Jounouchi-kun to leave you alone this time."
"I'll make certain," Honda promised.
There was quiet a long moment. "Ne, Honda-kun...?" Bakura said in a soft voice, idly playing with the tail of the taller boy's shirt.
"Hm?" Honda asked, reaching for the remote.
"I just... wanted to thank you for last night."
"Thank me?" Honda asked with a laugh. "For what?"
"For being there to stop the nightmare...." Bakura said softly, not looking up.
"That's what I'm here for," Honda said, giving the smaller boy a hug.
Bakura's smiled softly, almost snuggling closer. "Arigatou, Honda-kun...."