Smile
Part Two
by Lethe
Chapter Ten: I Shall Hold You
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All right! I have pretty much all of the rest of the story outlined. ^__^ Maybe it won't take as long to write?
And in comes the beginning of the Otogi/Honda conspiracy…
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"Seto!" called Jonouchi, beckoning to the boy. "Over here!"
Seto made his way to the cafeteria table and sat down, uttering a sigh of relief.
It was then that Jonouchi noticed the haunted, somewhat possessed look of his boyfriend's eyes. He gulped. "What happened?"
Seto turned to him slowly. "Never… get… a dog," he said.
"Uh, Seto, you're freaking me out," said Jonouchi.
"Yesterday was hell. It was worse than hell. I was dragged there and back fifty million times in the first thirty minutes alone. Yes," said Seto darkly, "it was hell…"
"Er… Did you walk Shingo, or what?"
"Don't say that name!" cried Kaiba. He looked around wildly. "It might hear…"
Yugi, Honda, and Anzu were giggling.
"Snap out of it, Seto!" said Jonouchi.
"Snap… branches… branches going past… it was dragging me…" Seto said. He stared at Jonouchi. "I hit a tree…"
Jonouchi stifled a laugh. Kaiba must have gone through some trauma. Was that how he had been talking to teachers all day? "Seto, it's all right. Shi- I mean, it – isn't anywhere near. Okay?"
"Hold me…" whispered Kaiba. "I'm afraid…"
Jonouchi sighed and hugged Kaiba. Honda stuck his fingers in his mouth and whistled.
"Hey, guys," drawled a voice from behind them. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything. Mind if I sit with you?"
"Otogi!" said Jonouchi in surprise, shoving Kaiba away. "Sure, go ahead. I went to your shop yesterday. Didn't see you."
"Really? Huh. You must have just missed me. I was at the counter almost all day."
"Why did you go to Otogi's shop, Jou?" said Yugi in a small, betrayed voice.
Jonouchi gulped. "Ahehe, uh, um? No reason at all."
Kaiba whimpered slightly. "No… stop, dog… heel… heel! No…"
"What's with him?" said Otogi.
Anzu blinked. "Otogi? You didn't seem to care when Jonouchi hugged Seto."
"Why should I?" said Otogi, surprised at the sudden change of conversation. "They're going out, aren't they?"
"How'd you know that?" said Jou.
"It's obvious! Practically the entire school knows. Of course, a lot of them are in denial… 'No! Kaiba's so hot! He can't be gay!'" he mimicked in a high falsetto voice.
"Oh…" said Jonouchi. "Nobody ever said anything."
Otogi jabbed a thumb at Kaiba. "They're afraid of him," he said with an implied duh.
"Oh," repeated Jonouchi. Then he glared at Otogi. "Are you saying they don't say I'm hot?"
"You? Nah," said Otogi. He smirked. "They say even Honda is much better-looking than you. And I happen to agree."
Jonouchi crossed his arms sulkily. "Well, what would you know?"
"A lot more than you."
"Hey!"
"Now, now," said Yugi. "No fighting!"
"You wouldn't want to have to put on that dog suit again," added Anzu.
"I think Otogi's right!" chirped Honda.
"Glad you think so," said Otogi. "Did you guys know there's a dance tomorrow?"
"Really?" said Anzu brightly. She looked at Yugi. "Yuuugi…"
Yugi grinned. "Anzu, would you like to go to the dance with me?"
"Oh, I'd love to!" said Anzu. "You're so sweet, Yugi, it's like you can read my mind…" She hugged him enthusiastically as the other people at the table jammed their fingers down their throats.
Jonouchi looked at Kaiba. He seemed to be somewhat more normal. That freaky dead look wasn't prominent in his eyes any more. "Seto?"
"Do you even know how to dance?" said Kaiba.
"Er, no. You could teach me," said Jonouchi. "Pleeeease? Please please please?"
"All right," said Kaiba. Yugi, Honda, Otogi, and Anzu 'awwww'ed.
Otogi sighed. "That leaves me without anyone to go with…"
"What about your fangirls?" said Jonouchi, frowning.
"No," said Otogi bluntly. "They're not… my type."
"I have an idea!" said Yugi.
"Go ahead," said Otogi.
"Well, Honda doesn't have a date either! So you two could go together!"
Honda and Otogi both gagged. "What-?!"
"I'm not…"
"No, not like that," said Yugi quickly. "I mean, you could go and try to pick up dates together. You know?"
"Oh," said Otogi. "You mean to say… the more people, the better the chances of success?"
"It might work. And you'd have company, besides."
"Good point. Honda, will you go to the dance with me?" said Otogi.
"All right," mumbled Honda. Is Yugi up to something, or what?
No matter. It's not like it'll change anything.