Bakura rushed at the door and flung it open enthusiastically. "Tousan, Okae--" he paused, blinking. "Yuugi-kun? Jounouchi-kun?"

"Are you ok, Bakura-kun?" Yuugi asked. "Honda-kun said something happened with your father...."

"Un, daijoubu yo," Bakura smiled. "Tousan will be back soon, I know it. I'm making dinner for him now."

"He hasn't eaten anything yet today," Honda added, coming to the door.

Bakura looked at him over his shoulder. "I want to eat with Tousan when he comes back," he explained.

"When's he going to be back?" Yuugi asked.

"I'm not sure," Bakura confessed, looking slightly embarrassed. "But I'm sure he'll be back soon!"

Jounouchi rolled his eyes, arms crossed.

"So if he's not back yet, you should eat your breakfast and lunch. And then you can eat dinner together, right?" Yuugi proposed.

"But it's almost dinner time now," Bakura pointed out.

"But if you haven't eaten yet then you've missed breakfast and lunch, so it's safe to eat them."

"I guess so..." Bakura said slowly.

"So let's go eat breakfast," Yuugi said heartily, pulling Jounouchi into the apartment and closing the door behind them.

"Damn..." Jounouchi commented as they entered the kitchen. "There's enough here to feed a football team!"

Bakura gave an embarrassed smile. "Sou...? I wasn't sure what Tousan would want when he came back so I made a few things so he could chose."

Honda scowled and leaned against the doorframe.

"Well, he won't want them for dinner, so we have plenty to eat," Yuugi said with a smile.

"I guess so..." Bakura sighed. "I'm not very hungry though, you and Jounouchi-kun can go ahead and eat. I'll wait for Tousan," he smiled. "Honda-kun? Did you want something as well?"

With a last scowl, Honda went into the next room.

"Honda-kun...?" Bakura blinked before following the boy. "Honda-kun, what's the matter?" he asked, concerned.

"You are, Bakura," Honda said shortly. "All you've done all day is to talk about what you're going to cook for your father. You know what, Bakura?" He swung his arms out. "He hasn't come home yet. You don't even know if he's going to want to talk to you when he comes home. I doubt he's spent all day waiting to eat until he got home." He crossed his arms again, holding them tightly across his chest. "There's a problem here, goddammit."

"But he'll be back soon... and he always says how he likes my cooking...." Bakura trailed off, looking down.

"You don't know when he'll be back," Honda contradicted, "And when he DOES come back, food is going to be the last thing on his mind."

"But it might make him feel better..." Bakura protested weakly. "And-- and then everything will get better, right....?"

"It won't and you know it. It'll only be better if you can talk to him. And you CAN'T talk to him if you won't admit that something's wrong!"

"But nothing will be wrong!" Bakura insisted. "He'll come back and it'll be like it was before...."

Without a word, Honda turned and headed for the door.

"Honda-kun...?" Bakura's voice was almost fearful as he followed. "Honda-kun, what-- what are you...?!"

"I can't do this anymore, Bakura. All you've done all day is cook and says that you're dad's coming home any second. He's not. And if you really want it to be like it was before, I'd better go." He sat in the entry and started putting his shoes on.

"Honda-kun!" Bakura exclaimed, starting to hyperventilate. "Honda-kun, please!" he cried, reaching out for the boy, eyes starting to water. "You-- you can't leave me--" he near whimpered. "I-- I can't lose you too, please...." His voice cracked as tears began to stream down his cheeks.

Honda paused, then turned. "You're not losing me. You're not losing your father either. But there are some things that need time to be dealt with. I can't deal with you denying that there's a problem." He looked at Bakura. "I've been hitting my head against a wall all day with you, and I can't do that anymore."

"I don't want there to be a problem!" Bakura near screamed, fists clenching as he cried.

"That doesn't mean there won't be," Honda said quietly, still looking at Bakura.

"But I don't want there to be..." the boy repeated brokenly. "I can make it not hurt if I push it away..." he near whimpered, looking at the floor in utter misery as he hugged himself.

Honda tugged Bakura to the floor and wrapped his arms around the boy. "No you can't. You can only make it hurt more when you have to face it."

Bakura buried his face in Honda's shirt, sobbing. "I don't want to face it..."

"It's safe to face it. I'm here with you. I won't leave you to hurt alone."

"Promise...?" Bakura asked in a broken whisper, clinging to the other boy.

"I will never leave you to hurt alone," Honda swore. "Whatever happens, I will back you up and protect you."

"Honda-kun...." Bakura near whimpered before dissolving into heaving sobs.
An hour later the group was sitting in the living room. Bakura was still clinging to Honda, eyes red and expression miserable, periodically pulling away slightly to blow his nose before curling up against the taller boy again.

Jounouchi looked at the pair, expression unreadable, then gave a sigh. "Honda? What I said last week? I'm taking it back."

Honda looked up from Bakura, still stroking the boy's hair gently. "What?"

The blond looked vaguely uncomfortable. "I was an ass cause I thought you were just-- you know," he finished lamely, not wanting to admit what he had thought. "I didn't think you actually cared for him. I'm sorry I lashed out at ya like I did..."

Honda looked down at Bakura, then shrugged, pulling the boy tighter against him. "You couldn't know."

Jounouchi gave a small snort. "I coulda asked before I attacked ya like that," he countered. "Or at least given ya the benefit of the doubt instead of being an ass..."

"Yeah, you should've," Honda said, then shrugged again. "You're like that. I don't want to talk about it any more."

"Sorry..." Jounouchi near mumbled.

There was an odd quiet which was broken as Bakura blew his nose again. "Honda-kun...?" he asked in a small voice.

"What is it, koi?"

"If Tousan doesn't come back..." the boy's voice cracked slightly. "Do-- do you think I could stay at your house...?"

"You can stay with me as long as you want," Honda assured, hugging Bakura fiercely.

Bakura near melted against him. "Arigatou, Honda-kun..." he smiled slightly, eyes watering again slightly.

"But I'm sure he'll be back. He just needs some time to think things over."

"You really think so...?" Bakura asked, looking up, eyes hopeful.

"He said he'd at least call, but that's a bad way to make up, don't you think? He's sure to be back after he's thought. I don't know how long it will be, but when he comes back he'll wait for you if you're not around."

"I don't want to leave..." the pale haired boy said softly, looking down again. "Not until he calls... just incase...."

"I understand. I'll stay with you. Yuugi and Jounouchi will get our schoolwork, right?"

Jounouchi gave a nod. "Just don't expect my notes," he warned. "I need those."

Honda snorted. "Like I'd want your notes."

Jounouchi scowled. "There's nothing wrong with my notes!" he defended. "I happen to be a very good note taker!"

"Good notes. Which is why you're barely passing most of your classes."

"Teme..." Jounouchi scowled.

Bakura gave a small smile, looking at the end of Honda's shirt that he was playing with.
Hours later Bakura was still curled up against Honda on the couch, only half watching what was on the TV. The pale haired boy gave a small yawn, rubbing under an eye slightly.

"Go to sleep, koi," Honda said gently. "I'm not tired yet. If he comes home or calls I'll wake you."

"Demo..." Bakura protested softly.

"You want to be able to talk to him, right?"

Bakura nodded. "I just..." he trailed off. "I don't know," he sighed.

"You won't miss anything, I promise. And if you're exhausted you can't spend time with him anyway," Honda pointed out.

The pale haired boy debated a moment, then sighed. "All right..."

Honda sat and watched TV, stroking Bakura's hair.

Slowly the boy fell into an exhausted slumber, looking very childlike as he curled up in his sleep.
A few hours later the door to the apartment opened. "Ryou...?" Bakura's dad called.

Honda got up and moved to the doorway. "We're in here. Let me wake him slowly."

The blue haired man nodded, removing his shoes. "You're his... boyfriend, right?" he said awkwardly, seeming vaguely uncomfortable.

Honda nodded. "For a few weeks now."

The man was quiet a moment. "You haven't... you know... have you?"

"Had sex?" Honda said bluntly. "No."

"Oh good," the man gave a relieved exhale. "Where is he?"

"In here," Honda repeated. "He's asleep."

The man nodded. Almost gingerly he knelt next to the sleeping boy. "Ryou..." he called softly, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Ryou, wake up."

The boy made a small murmuring sound, but stayed fast asleep.

His father looked at him sadly. "He's been crying..." he said softly, almost cringing. "Oh Ryou, I'm so sorry...."

"What did you expect, walking out when he was begging you to stay?" Honda asked, still standing in the door with his hands in his pockets.

The man gave a sigh. "I don't know," he admitted. "But if I hadn't left, it would have been worse."

"You were that angry?"

"In shock more," the man corrected, looking at his sleeping child. "I was expecting to come home and surprise him, but instead..." he shook his head slightly.

"He worried about you all day," Honda said. "You should have at least called to say you were ok."

The man was quiet a moment. "Do you have a name?" he asked.

"Honda Hiroto."

"Honda-san, do you love my son?"

"Yes," Honda replied promptly, raising his chin defiantly.

The man was quiet a long moment. "You will treat him well..." he said softly, almost requesting.

"I always do."

Gently, Bakura's father shook his son's shoulder. "Ryou," he called softly. When the boy still didn't wake his father sighed softly. Moving aside Bakura's bangs he bent down and kissed his forehead. "Sleep then. I'll be here when you wake," he said softly before getting to his feet. "So, Honda-san.... shall we talk?"
Bakura's eyes slowly opened, blinking in confusion. Suddenly he sat up quickly, looking around. "Honda-kun?" he called, voice worried.

Honda, hearing the plaintive call, pushed his seat back and hurried to the living room, pulling Bakura to his feet and hugging him.

The pale haired boy near melted in Honda's arms. "Yokatta..." he near whimpered. "I thought--" he paused, eyes widening as he saw the blue haired man enter the room. "Tousan...." he whispered, voice amazed and frightened at the same time.

The man gave a small smile. "Tadaimaa, Ryou," he said softly.

Bakura's eyes watered slightly and he pulled out of Honda's arms. "Tousan!" he cried running over to hug his father tightly, tears over flowing. "You came back... You came back...."
There was a soft knock on Honda's door. "Honda-kun?" Bakura's voice called.

"Door's open," Honda called back. "Careful of the cat."

Carefully the door opened and Bakura smiled, bending down to scoop Bastet into his arms. "Tousan's gone back to the dig," he said softly, an also sad smile on his face.

Honda grimaced. "Short vacation," he commented, putting his book down and making room for Bakura next to him

"Un," Bakura agreed. "He only had a few days," he explained as he sat down, snuggling against the taller boy as he continued petting the kitten in his arms. "Which is why he had wanted it to be a surprise."

"Too bad it backfired," Honda said, stroking Bakura's hair. "It would have been a good one."

"Un," Bakura agreed again with a small sigh. "Demo, next month he's getting to show off his latest finds and decided as a way to make it up to me he'd invite us both down to the exhibit," he smiled.

"Both?" Honda asked with a smile. "I'd embarrass him. I don't know anything about archeology."

Bakura smiled. "You wouldn't. By the time Tousan was finished you'd be a near expert on whatever he had found. He always talks up a storm about it."

"As long as he doesn't mind me sleeping through half of it." Honda nuzzled against Bakura's neck. "You smell nice."

"I doubt he'd notice," Bakura smiled, leaning over slightly to give Honda more access, blushing lightly at the compliment.

Letting his tongue out briefly, Honda made a soft humming sound. "You taste good too." He wrapped his arms around Bakura, pulling him closer.

Bakura's blush deepened slightly as he melted against the taller boy. "Honda-kun..." he said lovingly.

"Bakura," Honda murmured in return, then paused and pulled away a bit. "You know, after talking to your dad, calling you 'Bakura' is just weird."

"Eh? How so?" Bakura asked, turning slightly to look up at Honda.

"Well, I called him 'Bakura-san.' So calling you Bakura is just... associating you too much with him. I'll need to call you something else."

"You could call me Ryou," Bakura suggested.

"But that's what your dad calls you. I want to call you something special. Something that only I call you."

"Gomen, I can't think of anything..."

Bastet stood on her hind legs and pressed her front paws against Bakura's chest, butting against his chin.

The boy gave a small laugh, cuddling the kitten. "Gomen yo, Bastet," he smiled, rubbing behind the kitten's ears.

"That's it!" Honda decided. "I'm going to call you Ryou-neko!" He hugged Bakura. "MY Ryou-neko."

Bakura gave a laugh, snuggling against the taller boy. "Mou, Honda-kun," he smiled. "Boku wa neko ka?" he near teased.

"Well, you purr when I scratch behind your ears," Honda teased back, scratching behind the boy's ears.

Bakura smiled, relenting slightly as he gave a soft satisfied sound.

Honda replaced his fingers with his lips, nipping around the edge of Bakura's ear.

The boy gave a small squeak. "Dame yo, Honda-kun!" he protested, blushing slightly.

"We can send the cat out."

"De-demo..." Bakura protested slightly. "Wouldn't that be cruel to poor Bastet? We spent all weekend at my place..."

Honda sighed, pulling back. "I suppose we should spend time with the kitten," he allowed, "But you're not going to get any kisses out of me after this."

"Hidoi yo, Honda-kun..." Bakura pouted slightly.

"Come now," Honda said, beginning to enjoy himself. "I'll rub your belly, Ryou-neko, and I have some string you can play with. You just have to be careful not to get tangled in it." He paused, then grinned. "Although you being tangled in string might be a good thing...."

Bakura blushed slightly. "Mou, Hentai no Honda-kun...."

Honda smiled and kissed the end of Bakura's nose, then picked up Bastet and put her on the other boy's shoulder.

"Ah! Dame yo!" Bakura protested as Bastet began to play with his hair. He reached up to move her away, but she was already tangled in the pale threads.

Honda smiled contentedly at the pair.