Smile
Part Two
by Lethe
Chapter Eleven: And Tell You All the Things
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I was in the bathroom, filling the tub in preparation for the hurricane. The door was open, and I was sitting down, reading Harry Potter – for about the fortieth time. Anyway, Komi (our husky, basis for Master Shingo) poked his head in the door. What're you doing? seemed to be his question. He stepped closer to the tub and eyed it, nose twitching as he sniffed the air. The faucet glugged. He stared at it and then backed out.
About a minute later – and several minor plot devices later – a nose found its way back in, soon followed by the rest of him. I put my book down and watched him.
He was staring at the tub.
His nose twitched.
He backed away again, and then bowed to the tub.
I was trying not to giggle.
Komi lay down and put his face in his paws.
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"Good point. Honda, will you go to the dance with me?" said Otogi.
"All right," mumbled Honda.
And that was how Otogi had ended up in front of Honda's small home, tapping his foot and waiting for the boy to answer the door. How long could it possibly take for Honda to get to the door?! That house seemed barely large enough to turn around in! Jeez!
Otogi took a few quick breaths and tried to calm down. He wasn't angry at Honda, he was just nervous. Really nervous. And he didn't know why. Hormones. Yeah, that was it. He would blame his maturing body. Right. Damn it, what was taking Honda so long?!
The door opened. "Sorry," said Honda. "I, uh, had to…"
"It's all right," said Otogi, waving off whatever explanation Honda had been about to offer. "Come on. I'd rather not be too late. After all, your friends said they would wait for us."
"Right," said Honda, getting into the limo. Sheesh. He reminds me of Kaiba.
Otogi soon followed. He sat next to Honda and buckled his seat belt. The limousine began moving.
"So! Looking forward to the dance?" said Otogi in a semblance of cheer.
"Not really," said Honda frankly. "I only agreed to because Yugi suggested it."
"I see," said Otogi. "Aren't you interested in picking up girls?"
"No."
"…I see." Tonight might not be so dull after all.
"There you are! I was beginning to worry!" exclaimed Yugi, grinning at Honda and Otogi. "Nice outfit, Otogi! You look good."
Otogi, who had managed to shake off his anxiety, smirked and assumed a cocky stance. "Don't I always?"
Honda rolled his eyes and didn't comment. He had to admit, though, that the older boy had good taste, and good features to boot. He might not admit it out loud – even thinking it was almost too much for his ego to bear – but he could have gotten a worse partner than Otogi.
"Where are the rest of your friends, Yugi?" said Otogi.
"Hm?" said Yugi. "Oh! Anzu is getting drinks, and Jonouchi and Kaiba are trying to dance." He giggled. "Jonouchi's not very good…"
As if on cue, they heard a loud, indignant shout from the dance floor. "Jonouchi! Watch the feet!"
"Hey, guys!" said Anzu cheerfully. "Here's your punch, Yugi."
"Thanks, Anzu," said Yugi. He beamed at Otogi and Honda. "Isn't this great?"
"When did you two get here?" said Anzu.
"About a minute before you did," said Otogi. "Honda was a bit slow…"
"Hey, I was in the middle of something, all right?" said Honda. Saving a video game, he added mentally.
"Now, now," said Yugi quickly.
"Let's just enjoy the dance," agreed Anzu. "Which reminds me, have you seen Jonouchi and Kaiba trying to dance?" She giggled.
"Jouuuuu! How many times do I have to tell you?!"
"Yeah, I know, 'Watch the feet!'"
They all grinned at each other.
Otogi grabbed Honda's arm. "So, Honda, what do you say we show them how it's done?"
"What?" said Honda suspiciously.
"Come on!" said Otogi. "Let's dance."
"Yeah!" agreed Anzu.
"Anzu and I were about to go dance anyway," said Yugi hopefully.
"Fine," muttered Honda, allowing Otogi to drag him away. Once they were on the dance floor, though, he pulled his arm out of Otogi's grasp and glared at the boy. "What the hell are you doing?!"
"I'm about to dance with you. What else?"
"This wasn't in the plan," protested Honda. "How is our dancing together going to help pick up girls?"
"They think it's hot. Trust me." A teasing smile found its way onto Otogi's features. "You're not nervous, are you?"
Honda immediately took up the challenge. "Hell, no. I just hope you can dance well."
The song faded, and a new one began. Honda gulped and cursed the deejay silently. Why – why - did he have to choose that moment to play a slow song?
Yugi sighed happily. This was bliss. He was with Anzu… and the song was a slow one. He didn't dance very well, but he thought that slow dancing was the easiest – all he really had to do was hold onto her and sway back and forth. How could he mess this up?
She smelled nice, too, he noted absently as the song played on.
If only this could last forever.
If only she didn't have to leave…
"Hey, see, I can dance," whispered Jonouchi, resting his chin on Seto's shoulder.
"It's not dancing," said Seto. "It's walking with a tune."
"You don't normally walk like this, do you?" said Jonouchi.
"No," conceded Seto. "But I don't think it qualifies as dancing."
"It is fun, though," said Jou.
Seto pressed closer to Jou, his arms lightly encircling the other's waist. "It is."
"It isn't that bad, is it?" said Otogi. "You could stand to be closer than that."
"Shut up."
"There are inches between us, Honda…"
"I said, shut up," growled Honda.
"What's your first name, anyway?"
"Hiroto," said Honda. "Why?"
"It suits you," said Otogi. "You look like a Hiroto more than you do a Honda."
"Quit babbling, idiot," said Honda, moving awkwardly to the beat. The slow, slow beat.
"Mind if I call you Hiroto? You can call me Ryuuji."
"Whatever. Go to hell."
Otogi sighed. "You're a great dancing partner."
"Gee, thanks," replied Honda darkly. "Why don't you go and find some girl?"
"I like dancing with you."
"Well, I don't like dancing with you. I already like someone else, all right?"
"Oh," said Otogi undauntedly. "Why aren't you dancing with her, then?"
Honda stopped. His cheeks were burning. I will not cry. I will not cry… "Him," he corrected quietly.
"Oh," repeated Otogi.
"He's already going out with someone else," said Honda. His voice cracked. Why am I telling him this? "He never even guessed."
The surprised expression on Otogi's face softened. "Would you like to stop dancing? We can go outside and talk about it, if you'd like."
Honda looked about to snap back at him, but something shifted. He nodded.
"So…" prompted Otogi, leaning against the rail. "Spill."
"I've liked him for a long time," said Honda. "He's my best friend. I always kind of figured we'd get together eventually. But then that damned Kaiba…"
Recognition dawned. "You like Jonouchi, then."
"Yeah…" said Honda. He smiled sadly, wistfully, as he looked into the darkness. "He never realized it. He thought that I liked his sister… he would yell at me, sometimes, but I knew he never meant it…"
Otogi was listening quietly. The strangest look was present on his face – he had so many different expressions, it was hard to keep track of them all.
"So, he fell in love with Kaiba. And I didn't do anything to stop him… I didn't tell him. I know, I sound sappy…" He trailed off.
"That's all right," said Otogi. He stepped away from the rail and put his arms around Honda.
"What…?" Honda began to murmur, before Otogi shushed him.
"I like this song," said Otogi. "Dance with me, Hiroto."
"All right…"
"Ryuuji," said Otogi.
"Ryuuji."
And, as a soft song drifted from the doors, the two danced.