Bakura picked up his bag and looked briefly over at where Jounouchi was talking with Yuugi. It had been a week and Jounouchi hadn't acknowledged his presence more then it took to glare or move away. It had made it hard to talk with Yuugi, since Jounouchi had been seeming to make extra effort to spend time with the smaller boy.
Bakura gave a sigh. He hadn't expected Jounouchi to stop hating him, but it hurt see him trying to make Yuugi turn away from him as well...
Arms twined around him from behind. "So whose house are we going to today?" Honda asked softly, pressing against Bakura's back.
The pale haired boy smiled, melting into Honda's embrace. "It is a friday, so I was thinking maybe you'd like to stay over my place tonight...?" he asked softly.
"That would be nice," Honda answered, nuzzling against Bakura's neck.
Bakura gave a deep sigh. "Not in school, Honda-kun..." he requested, pulling away slightly, feeling self-conscious.
Honda sighed, shaking his head slightly. "Okay. I'll wait until we get home." He smirked, grabbing Bakura's briefcase. "So let's get home."
"Un!" Bakura smiled.
Hours later the pair was snuggling on the couch. "Ne, Honda-kun... do you think tonight we could share the bed...?" the pale haired boy asked, playing with the bottom of Honda's shirt.
"I'd like that," Honda replied, squeezing Bakura.
"Yokatta..." The boy smiled happily, snuggling closer. "Part of me keeps thinking this is all a dream," he said softly.
"Shall I pinch you?" Honda offered.
Bakura shook his head. "I wouldn't want to wake up if it was," he smiled.
"It's better to be awake," Honda said, stroking Bakura's hair. "Because then you can deal with it."
The boy shook his head slightly again.
"Well, then, I guess it's a good thing that this isn't a dream."
Bakura smiled. "Un," he agreed. "My dreams always twist horribly at the end anyway," he confessed, playing with Honda's shirt again.
"They don't have to now. I'll protect them."
"Arigatou, Honda-kun," Bakura smiled again. He paused as Honda's stomach decided to join the conversation and gave a small laugh. "Hungry?" he near teased.
"Maybe. What are you offering?" Honda teased back.
"Dinner and desert," Bakura smiled. "And then maybe a little something extra later," he winked.
"I think I'd like to skip to the something extra," Honda said, leaning down to rub noses with Bakura.
The boy nearly giggled. "Not if your stomach's going to interrupt," he chided lightly before kissing the taller boy.
"All this over my stomach. Maybe I should just eat you."
"Mou, Honda-kun," Bakura blushed brightly with an embarrassed smile.
Honda nuzzled against the boy's neck, making chewing noises.
Bakura gave a laugh, squirming slightly. "Dame yo, Honda-kun!" he protested with a smile.
"Fine," Honda said, sitting up. "If you insist on ruining my fun you may as well feed me." He smiled.
"You'll have your fun later," Bakura promised, getting to his feet.
"I'd better," Honda threatened, following Bakura to the kitchen and growling menacingly.
Bakura covered his laugh with his hand. "Or what?" he challenged mischievously.
"Or I'll just have to distract you so much you can't cook," Honda said, adding smugly: "you know I can."
"Hidoi yo, Honda-kun!" Bakura smiled. "And here I though you liked watching me cook."
"I like watching you not cook too," Honda explained.
"Mou," Bakura exclaimed, brandishing a pot-holder with a smile. "You'll behave else I'll start wearing more layers," he countered. "Or borrow Yuugi-kun's shirt with all the buckles so you can't undress me easily."
Honda looked at Bakura consideringly. "Hmm. Leather...."
Bakura blushed brightly, looking down slightly.
"And buckles," Honda continued. "Think of the possibilities."
"Mou, Honda-kun..." Bakura near mumbled, face even redder as he fidgeted with the pot holder.
"Maybe I should ask Yuugi where he got it," Honda finished, running his hands down Bakura's sides and pulling him close.
Bakura's blush deepened. "Dame yo, Honda-kun..." he said, voice almost inaudible as he melted against the taller boy.
Honda smiled. "But just think how much fun I could have taking it off you."
"De-- demo..."
"Demo?"
The red faced boy fidgeted slightly. "Yuugi-kun will know who it would be for...."
"So? Are you ashamed of me?" Honda asked lightly.
"Iie!" Bakura exclaimed strongly, looking up, almost clutching Honda's shirt.
Honda's expression grew serious. "I know you're not," he reassured Bakura, stroking the boy's hair. "And I'm not ashamed of you. I won't tease you about leather anymore if you don't want me to...."
Bakura shook his head slightly. "I just don't want Yuugi-kun to..." he trailed off, looking down again. "He's one of my closest friends and with how Jounouchi-kun's been... I don't want to risk loosing him completely!"
"You won't." Honda pulled Bakura close. "Yuugi does what he wants, not what Jounouchi wants. And he's fine with us." He smiled. "I mean, look at what we know about him."
Bakura smiled softly, melting against the taller boy. "Un..." he agreed. "I just can't help but worry at time... this is the longest I've had any friends for as long as I can remember," he confessed.
"And you're going to have us for much, much longer," Honda said softly, cradling the smaller boy to him. "Nothing is going to take us away."
Bakura smiled softly. "Arigatou..."
Bakura exited the bathroom, smoothing his pajamas in am almost nervous way as he headed for the bedroom.
"Hey! You're still dressed!"
Bakura blinked, then blushed slightly, seeing Honda was only wearing his boxers. "And you're not..."
"You don't have to be dressed to go to bed. Out of that," Honda ordered, crossing his arms.
"But-- I always sleep in my pajamas!" Bakura protested.
"Not tonight," Honda proclaimed, reaching out to pull at Bakura's top.
The pale haired boy gave an almost feminine squeak. "Honda-kun!" he protested, face red.
"What?" Honda asked, fingers working the buttons and keeping Bakura away from redoing them at the same time. "You wear altogether too many clothes at normal times. And this is bed!"
"I do not!" Bakura protested, letting his hands fall to his sides with a sigh.
"Yes you do," Honda said decidedly. Having pulled the shirt off, he reached for the pajama bottoms.
"Dame!" Bakura exclaimed, clutching at the pants.
Honda looked at him, startled. "If you really want them....."
Bakura gave a nod, looking down. "Gomen..." he said softly.
Honda reached out and raised Bakura's face. "Don't be sorry," he said with a smile. "I like to see you smile much better." He caressed Bakura's cheek.
The boy gave a soft smile, leaning into the touch. "I'm just not ready for that yet, Honda-kun..." he said softly.
"I'm not going to ravish you while you sleep, Bakura," Honda protested with a smile. "I'd much rather have you awake for that!"
Bakura blushed slightly. "I know..." he smiled.
"So let's go to bed."
"Un," Bakura nodded. He sat down on the edge of the bed, then slid over to give Honda the most room possible.
"What are you doing?" Honda muttered, pulling Bakura close under the covers and spooning against him. "You need room too."
Bakura near melted against the boy, sighing contentedly.
Honda curled around him protectively. "Night, koi."
Bakura gave a soft smile. "Night, koi..." he echoed before falling swiftly into a comforting slumber.
The door to Bakura's apartment opened and a man with long dark blue hair tied back into a tail entered, dropping his bags in the entry as he swiftly removed his shoes. Being careful not to make too much noise he carefully slid towards the bedroom. Smiling, he pushed open the door to Bakura's bedroom. "Tadaima---" his greeting froze in his throat.
Honda blinked awake at the noise and turned to see who the intruder was. "Who're you?" he demanded.
The man just stared in shock.
"Honda-kun...?" Bakura asked sleepily, peering over the boy's shoulder. He blinked a few times at the man in the doorway before his face lit up. "Tousan!" he cried happily, sitting up.
His father continued to stare. "Ryou, what-- why are you....?"
Bakura's smile slowly slid from his face, replaced with a worried and slightly fearful expression. "Tousan....?"
"Go-- gomen..." the man said before turning and swiftly leaving.
"Tousan!" Bakura cried, scrambling over Honda and rushing after his father. "Tousan, matte yo!"
Honda jumped to his feet and pulled on a pair of pants to follow, knowing that Bakura was going to need back up.
The boy was near hysterical. "Tousan, please!"
His father shook his head, grabbing his bags. "I'm sorry. I just-- I need to think, Ryou. I'll call you before I leave," he said, voice slightly shaky as he left.
Bakura slid to his knees as the door closed. "Tousan....." he said in a faint voice.
Honda came up and hugged him from behind. "He'll be back."
Bakura didn't even seem to notice the taller boy's presence, still staring at the door. After a moment he pulled away, getting to his feet and heading for the kitchen.
"Bakura?" Honda asked, worried.
"He'll be hungry when he gets back. I should make breakfast," the boy answered, voice almost cheerful. He began to hum to himself as he gathered the cooking supplies.
"Bakura... you don't know when he'll be back. It might not be until dinner...."
"He'll be back soon," Bakura replied cheerfully. "He probably just forgot something at the airport, he does that sometimes," he said lightly.
"Bakura...." Honda repeated, getting worried. "He was upset. He said he had to go think. You don't know when he'll be back."
"Which is why I should have something ready," Bakura smiled.
Honda went over and grasped Bakura by the shoulders. "When he gets back he's not going to want breakfast. He's going to want to talk."
"But he always eats first whenever he comes home because he hates the airplane food," Bakura explained patiently.
"He might go out and get something at a cafe. He's not coming in straight off the plane! He's already BEEN here and he left again!"
"But he'll want a meal I've cooked. He likes me cooking. He says it reminds him of mom," Bakura smiled.
"We don't know when he's coming back. It doesn't make sense to make him breakfast. And you don't know what he'll be like when he comes back. He could be angry about us. Or he might not come back! He might stay at a motel until he has to leave again!"
Bakura froze, hand tensing around the mixing spoon. "Of course he's coming back," he said, resuming his cooking. "He could be back any minute now...."
Honda pulled the bowl away from him. "Or he could be gone for months!"
"Honda-kun!" the pale haired boy reached for the bowl. "Give that back!"
"No!" Honda shouted, dropping it into the sink and standing in front of it. "You can't live in a fantasy world, Bakura. I won't let you!"
"Honda-kun!" Bakura exclaimed, horrified, moving to try and retrieve the bowl. "Stop it!"
Honda caught the boy's hands and pulled him out of the kitchen. "Your father came home to find you in bed with another boy. He's not going to be back for breakfast," he said firmly.
"Honda-kun! Yamete!" Bakura protested, trying to pull away. "You're being cruel!"
"And you're being unrealistic. Being in denial won't help the situation!"
"I'm not in denial! Tousan will be back! You even said so!"
"Where did he go?"
"I-- I don't know," Bakura admitted, looking down.
"Why did he go?"
"He--- He--- He said...." Bakura trailed off. "It doesn't matter why, he'll be back. I should be ready for when he does!"
"No, it DOES matter. What if he doesn't want you to see me anymore?"
"Why would he do that?" Bakura asked, blinking. "He'd be happy I've made friends."
"Do you call the two of us topless in bed together 'friends'?" Honda asked, tightly.
Bakura hesitated, unable to come up with an answer.
"When he comes back he's not going to want your food. He's going to want answers. He's going to want to know how I treat you, how long we've been together, why he didn't know before now, why you're with a boy at all, how far we've gone, and who knows how many other things. You have to be ready to answer them. Not ready to pretend nothing's wrong."
"But nothing is wrong," Bakura smiled slightly, looking a bit shaky. "Tousan will understand, I'm sure he will...."
"What if he doesn't?"
"He will!" Bakura insisted strongly, tensing slightly.
"Bakura, the way he ran off isn't promising."
"It doesn't matter," Bakura insisted.
"Fine," Honda said, releasing the other boy and backing away. He gestured towards the kitchen. "Have fun."
Bakura blinked at him a moment, then returned to the kitchen.
Bakura gave a sigh. He hadn't expected Jounouchi to stop hating him, but it hurt see him trying to make Yuugi turn away from him as well...
Arms twined around him from behind. "So whose house are we going to today?" Honda asked softly, pressing against Bakura's back.
The pale haired boy smiled, melting into Honda's embrace. "It is a friday, so I was thinking maybe you'd like to stay over my place tonight...?" he asked softly.
"That would be nice," Honda answered, nuzzling against Bakura's neck.
Bakura gave a deep sigh. "Not in school, Honda-kun..." he requested, pulling away slightly, feeling self-conscious.
Honda sighed, shaking his head slightly. "Okay. I'll wait until we get home." He smirked, grabbing Bakura's briefcase. "So let's get home."
"Un!" Bakura smiled.
Hours later the pair was snuggling on the couch. "Ne, Honda-kun... do you think tonight we could share the bed...?" the pale haired boy asked, playing with the bottom of Honda's shirt.
"I'd like that," Honda replied, squeezing Bakura.
"Yokatta..." The boy smiled happily, snuggling closer. "Part of me keeps thinking this is all a dream," he said softly.
"Shall I pinch you?" Honda offered.
Bakura shook his head. "I wouldn't want to wake up if it was," he smiled.
"It's better to be awake," Honda said, stroking Bakura's hair. "Because then you can deal with it."
The boy shook his head slightly again.
"Well, then, I guess it's a good thing that this isn't a dream."
Bakura smiled. "Un," he agreed. "My dreams always twist horribly at the end anyway," he confessed, playing with Honda's shirt again.
"They don't have to now. I'll protect them."
"Arigatou, Honda-kun," Bakura smiled again. He paused as Honda's stomach decided to join the conversation and gave a small laugh. "Hungry?" he near teased.
"Maybe. What are you offering?" Honda teased back.
"Dinner and desert," Bakura smiled. "And then maybe a little something extra later," he winked.
"I think I'd like to skip to the something extra," Honda said, leaning down to rub noses with Bakura.
The boy nearly giggled. "Not if your stomach's going to interrupt," he chided lightly before kissing the taller boy.
"All this over my stomach. Maybe I should just eat you."
"Mou, Honda-kun," Bakura blushed brightly with an embarrassed smile.
Honda nuzzled against the boy's neck, making chewing noises.
Bakura gave a laugh, squirming slightly. "Dame yo, Honda-kun!" he protested with a smile.
"Fine," Honda said, sitting up. "If you insist on ruining my fun you may as well feed me." He smiled.
"You'll have your fun later," Bakura promised, getting to his feet.
"I'd better," Honda threatened, following Bakura to the kitchen and growling menacingly.
Bakura covered his laugh with his hand. "Or what?" he challenged mischievously.
"Or I'll just have to distract you so much you can't cook," Honda said, adding smugly: "you know I can."
"Hidoi yo, Honda-kun!" Bakura smiled. "And here I though you liked watching me cook."
"I like watching you not cook too," Honda explained.
"Mou," Bakura exclaimed, brandishing a pot-holder with a smile. "You'll behave else I'll start wearing more layers," he countered. "Or borrow Yuugi-kun's shirt with all the buckles so you can't undress me easily."
Honda looked at Bakura consideringly. "Hmm. Leather...."
Bakura blushed brightly, looking down slightly.
"And buckles," Honda continued. "Think of the possibilities."
"Mou, Honda-kun..." Bakura near mumbled, face even redder as he fidgeted with the pot holder.
"Maybe I should ask Yuugi where he got it," Honda finished, running his hands down Bakura's sides and pulling him close.
Bakura's blush deepened. "Dame yo, Honda-kun..." he said, voice almost inaudible as he melted against the taller boy.
Honda smiled. "But just think how much fun I could have taking it off you."
"De-- demo..."
"Demo?"
The red faced boy fidgeted slightly. "Yuugi-kun will know who it would be for...."
"So? Are you ashamed of me?" Honda asked lightly.
"Iie!" Bakura exclaimed strongly, looking up, almost clutching Honda's shirt.
Honda's expression grew serious. "I know you're not," he reassured Bakura, stroking the boy's hair. "And I'm not ashamed of you. I won't tease you about leather anymore if you don't want me to...."
Bakura shook his head slightly. "I just don't want Yuugi-kun to..." he trailed off, looking down again. "He's one of my closest friends and with how Jounouchi-kun's been... I don't want to risk loosing him completely!"
"You won't." Honda pulled Bakura close. "Yuugi does what he wants, not what Jounouchi wants. And he's fine with us." He smiled. "I mean, look at what we know about him."
Bakura smiled softly, melting against the taller boy. "Un..." he agreed. "I just can't help but worry at time... this is the longest I've had any friends for as long as I can remember," he confessed.
"And you're going to have us for much, much longer," Honda said softly, cradling the smaller boy to him. "Nothing is going to take us away."
Bakura smiled softly. "Arigatou..."
Bakura exited the bathroom, smoothing his pajamas in am almost nervous way as he headed for the bedroom.
"Hey! You're still dressed!"
Bakura blinked, then blushed slightly, seeing Honda was only wearing his boxers. "And you're not..."
"You don't have to be dressed to go to bed. Out of that," Honda ordered, crossing his arms.
"But-- I always sleep in my pajamas!" Bakura protested.
"Not tonight," Honda proclaimed, reaching out to pull at Bakura's top.
The pale haired boy gave an almost feminine squeak. "Honda-kun!" he protested, face red.
"What?" Honda asked, fingers working the buttons and keeping Bakura away from redoing them at the same time. "You wear altogether too many clothes at normal times. And this is bed!"
"I do not!" Bakura protested, letting his hands fall to his sides with a sigh.
"Yes you do," Honda said decidedly. Having pulled the shirt off, he reached for the pajama bottoms.
"Dame!" Bakura exclaimed, clutching at the pants.
Honda looked at him, startled. "If you really want them....."
Bakura gave a nod, looking down. "Gomen..." he said softly.
Honda reached out and raised Bakura's face. "Don't be sorry," he said with a smile. "I like to see you smile much better." He caressed Bakura's cheek.
The boy gave a soft smile, leaning into the touch. "I'm just not ready for that yet, Honda-kun..." he said softly.
"I'm not going to ravish you while you sleep, Bakura," Honda protested with a smile. "I'd much rather have you awake for that!"
Bakura blushed slightly. "I know..." he smiled.
"So let's go to bed."
"Un," Bakura nodded. He sat down on the edge of the bed, then slid over to give Honda the most room possible.
"What are you doing?" Honda muttered, pulling Bakura close under the covers and spooning against him. "You need room too."
Bakura near melted against the boy, sighing contentedly.
Honda curled around him protectively. "Night, koi."
Bakura gave a soft smile. "Night, koi..." he echoed before falling swiftly into a comforting slumber.
The door to Bakura's apartment opened and a man with long dark blue hair tied back into a tail entered, dropping his bags in the entry as he swiftly removed his shoes. Being careful not to make too much noise he carefully slid towards the bedroom. Smiling, he pushed open the door to Bakura's bedroom. "Tadaima---" his greeting froze in his throat.
Honda blinked awake at the noise and turned to see who the intruder was. "Who're you?" he demanded.
The man just stared in shock.
"Honda-kun...?" Bakura asked sleepily, peering over the boy's shoulder. He blinked a few times at the man in the doorway before his face lit up. "Tousan!" he cried happily, sitting up.
His father continued to stare. "Ryou, what-- why are you....?"
Bakura's smile slowly slid from his face, replaced with a worried and slightly fearful expression. "Tousan....?"
"Go-- gomen..." the man said before turning and swiftly leaving.
"Tousan!" Bakura cried, scrambling over Honda and rushing after his father. "Tousan, matte yo!"
Honda jumped to his feet and pulled on a pair of pants to follow, knowing that Bakura was going to need back up.
The boy was near hysterical. "Tousan, please!"
His father shook his head, grabbing his bags. "I'm sorry. I just-- I need to think, Ryou. I'll call you before I leave," he said, voice slightly shaky as he left.
Bakura slid to his knees as the door closed. "Tousan....." he said in a faint voice.
Honda came up and hugged him from behind. "He'll be back."
Bakura didn't even seem to notice the taller boy's presence, still staring at the door. After a moment he pulled away, getting to his feet and heading for the kitchen.
"Bakura?" Honda asked, worried.
"He'll be hungry when he gets back. I should make breakfast," the boy answered, voice almost cheerful. He began to hum to himself as he gathered the cooking supplies.
"Bakura... you don't know when he'll be back. It might not be until dinner...."
"He'll be back soon," Bakura replied cheerfully. "He probably just forgot something at the airport, he does that sometimes," he said lightly.
"Bakura...." Honda repeated, getting worried. "He was upset. He said he had to go think. You don't know when he'll be back."
"Which is why I should have something ready," Bakura smiled.
Honda went over and grasped Bakura by the shoulders. "When he gets back he's not going to want breakfast. He's going to want to talk."
"But he always eats first whenever he comes home because he hates the airplane food," Bakura explained patiently.
"He might go out and get something at a cafe. He's not coming in straight off the plane! He's already BEEN here and he left again!"
"But he'll want a meal I've cooked. He likes me cooking. He says it reminds him of mom," Bakura smiled.
"We don't know when he's coming back. It doesn't make sense to make him breakfast. And you don't know what he'll be like when he comes back. He could be angry about us. Or he might not come back! He might stay at a motel until he has to leave again!"
Bakura froze, hand tensing around the mixing spoon. "Of course he's coming back," he said, resuming his cooking. "He could be back any minute now...."
Honda pulled the bowl away from him. "Or he could be gone for months!"
"Honda-kun!" the pale haired boy reached for the bowl. "Give that back!"
"No!" Honda shouted, dropping it into the sink and standing in front of it. "You can't live in a fantasy world, Bakura. I won't let you!"
"Honda-kun!" Bakura exclaimed, horrified, moving to try and retrieve the bowl. "Stop it!"
Honda caught the boy's hands and pulled him out of the kitchen. "Your father came home to find you in bed with another boy. He's not going to be back for breakfast," he said firmly.
"Honda-kun! Yamete!" Bakura protested, trying to pull away. "You're being cruel!"
"And you're being unrealistic. Being in denial won't help the situation!"
"I'm not in denial! Tousan will be back! You even said so!"
"Where did he go?"
"I-- I don't know," Bakura admitted, looking down.
"Why did he go?"
"He--- He--- He said...." Bakura trailed off. "It doesn't matter why, he'll be back. I should be ready for when he does!"
"No, it DOES matter. What if he doesn't want you to see me anymore?"
"Why would he do that?" Bakura asked, blinking. "He'd be happy I've made friends."
"Do you call the two of us topless in bed together 'friends'?" Honda asked, tightly.
Bakura hesitated, unable to come up with an answer.
"When he comes back he's not going to want your food. He's going to want answers. He's going to want to know how I treat you, how long we've been together, why he didn't know before now, why you're with a boy at all, how far we've gone, and who knows how many other things. You have to be ready to answer them. Not ready to pretend nothing's wrong."
"But nothing is wrong," Bakura smiled slightly, looking a bit shaky. "Tousan will understand, I'm sure he will...."
"What if he doesn't?"
"He will!" Bakura insisted strongly, tensing slightly.
"Bakura, the way he ran off isn't promising."
"It doesn't matter," Bakura insisted.
"Fine," Honda said, releasing the other boy and backing away. He gestured towards the kitchen. "Have fun."
Bakura blinked at him a moment, then returned to the kitchen.