by Lethe
Chapter Six: We Can Guide Each Other Through
------------
Yep, it's true, this Honda/Jou segment was just another uncompleted fic lying in the recesses of my brain. But at least I got it down, right? You know… the more the better?
Proof that I'm an obsessive Yu-Gi-Oh! maniac: I'm actually composing a song – with lyrics! – for Smile using the program 'Cakewalk' and the chapter titles, as well as my own head. It's in MIDI form, and if you would like me to send what I have so far to you, e-mail me! I'm friendly!
And one last thought before I leave you to the fic: Have you ever gotten a chain-mail quiz from one of your friends? I did, and one of their answers was actually quite funny. Here's what it said:
If you could speak to one person, living or dead, who would it be? The living one! Duh!
::slaps head:: Of course. As for me, I said Kazuki Takahashi…
Okay, I'll stop now. Enjoy!
-------------
"Damn! You rigged that, didn't you?!" Honda glared at Jonouchi, and Jonouchi glared right back. Yugi laughed.
"How could I rig it? It's your game system! I won fair and square." And then, to emphasize his argument, Jonouchi stuck his tongue out.
"How about best two out of three, then?" said Honda. "You're going down!"
"Yeah, right," said Jonouchi, picking his controller back up.
It was Saturday, and Jonouchi and Honda were spending the night at Yugi's house. Sugoroku had holed himself in his own room for the evening, muttering something about noisy teenagers and not being able to nap.
Jonouchi couldn't put his finger on it, but something seemed different about Honda lately. He was… quieter, in a way. More likely to go off on tangents, or trail off altogether, staring at an undetermined point in the distance. But it wasn't that noticeable. Jonouchi only saw it because he had known Honda for so long.
Maybe he was just being crazy. He should ask Yugi; that boy observed everything. Probably because it was a skill he needed to be so good at Duel Monsters. Jonouchi had almost beaten Yugi recently…
"Whoa! That was a near miss!" Jonouchi swerved his battleship out of the way, silently scolding himself for going off like that.
Honda laughed evilly. "You're doomed now."
Yeah, Jonouchi would ask Yugi later. When Honda was in the bathroom or something.
-
"All right," said Yugi cheerfully. "It's time to get ready for bed." Jonouchi and Honda moaned. "No complaints! Just because we're getting ready for bed doesn't mean we're going to sleep."
"Fine," consented Jonouchi with an exaggerated sigh.
"And since you're so enthusiastic, I'll even let you shower first!" said Yugi. "The towels are in the cabinet next to the bathroom."
"Thanks," said Jonouchi.
Once he was gone, Yugi and Honda looked at each other. "So…" said Yugi. "How's school?"
-
Jonouchi had finished showering, and was heading back to Yugi's room. He was about to open the door, when he heard Yugi ask Honda: "Um, I don't mean to pry, but is something wrong? You've been acting different lately."
Feeling that it wasn't quite right to eavesdrop, but curious nonetheless, Jonouchi leaned closer to the door.
"Um, I don't mean to pry…" said Yugi quietly. "…But is something wrong? You've been acting different lately."
Honda looked away. "Was it really that noticeable?"
Yugi smiled. "No. But I know you, Honda. What's on your mind?"
Should I tell him? Sure. Why not? Jonouchi isn't here, and Yugi can keep a secret. "Can you promise me that you won't tell Jou?"
Jonouchi frowned in puzzlement. Had Honda stolen from him or something?
"Well, if it doesn't involve anything criminal, then yes," answered Yugi truthfully. "You can tell me."
Honda sighed. "Um, I…"
He was talking so quietly! Jonouchi pressed his ear against the door.
"I'm in love with him." Honda sat back and closed his eyes.
"Oh…" murmured Yugi.
WHAT?!
"That explains a lot of things," said Yugi. "You've felt this way for a long time, haven't you?"
"Yeah," said Honda. "I guess I kind of assumed that we would get together eventually, and…" He shrugged. "You know, he chose Kaiba."
But what about all those times when he was mooning over Shizuka?!
"It feels…" began Honda. Yugi prompted him.
"Feels…?"
"It feels like I've been acting ever since they got together. I mean, if Jou found out, he'd probably never want to talk to me again, right? So I pretended."
"You pretended to be interested in girls," realized Yugi. "So that Jonouchi would still be your friend."
"Yeah."
That's not what I would have done, thought Jonouchi desperately. Aw, Honda… I'm sorry! I didn't know…
"But you're not quite right," said Yugi. "Jonouchi would never have pushed you away."
"He might not have," said Honda, "not intentionally. But he would have been awkward. He wouldn't have known what to do, so he'd have avoided me."
Yugi looked down at the carpet. "You've been giving this a lot of thought."
"Of course."
"So what are you going to do, Honda?"
Honda smiled sadly. "What I always do. Act."
Jonouchi could hear the pain in Honda's voice, even through the door. Honda – I'm sorry…
"I think that that would be very hard on you, Honda," said Yugi.
"Well, it's what I have to do. There's no other way. After all, I love him." When Yugi gave him a puzzled look, Honda elaborated. "Because I love him, I want to know that he's happy. It's all right if I'm not the one making him happy, as long as he is. Even if it hurts, I'm also kind of glad… you know? It might sound like some dumb soap opera speech-"
Damn if it doesn't…
"But that's how I feel." He shrugged. "I'll get over him eventually."
Yugi put his hands on Honda's shoulders and looked him in the eyes. "Honda, you are one of the smartest people I know. I'm glad that you could come to this conclusion." He smiled. "So can you start being your old self again…?"
"Yeah. All right. Thanks, Yugi." I guess I just needed to talk about this with someone, thought Honda. He felt better already.
And, as if on cue, the door swung open. "Hey, Honda, your turn," said Jonouchi. "Hurry up and get back. We can have a pillow fight or something."
Yugi paled.
-----
Weeks passed, and life in Domino went on as it usually did. After a while, the conversation Yugi had had with Honda was forgotten. Anzu, Yugi, Honda, Jonouchi, Shizuka, and even the Kaiba brothers got together quite often, talking, playing games, and just plain having fun.
It seemed to be the way that things always had been, and always would be – together for the moment, and relishing it.
Nobody knew; nobody saw how Honda glanced in Jonouchi's direction a bit too often, left his hand on Jonouchi's shoulder for a bit too long.
Honda's feelings never faded.
And it was the way things always had been, and always would be.