"Flavor"
He knew it didn't make much sense. Still, what could he do? Two important people in his life now. A sweet and gentle girl. A loud and arrogant boy. Honda was hard pressed to figure out which he was trying harder to impress these days.
It wasn't like he wanted Otogi to notice him as something other than a rival for a pretty girl's affections. There just wasn't anyone else to talk to. Jounouchi was trying so hard to tie together his fragile family, struggling so very much to prove himself other than another wandering delinquent. Anzu was studying her dance and working after school at a grubby diner. And Yuugi, well, the whole ancient pharaoh thing was confusing enough for anyone.
They still had time together. Afternoons at the park, hiding beneath the shade of benevolent trees. The rare study group after school when Anzu could make it. But even better were the long Saturdays when Shizuka came. Of course she had to spend some of that with her brother. And of course Yuugi and Anzu had distant, blushing looks to exchange.
Really all that left was Otogi for him to talk to for a while. Just circumstance and the other boy's annoying persistence in tagging along even when Shizuka wasn't with them. He wasn't that bad to talk to. Once you got past the polished arrogance and harlequin performance, there was someone worth befriending. Someone almost worth protecting.
Not that Honda noticed. Not that he cared, really. Otogi was just someone to talk to until Shizuka could be gently pried from her brother. Then the pretense at civil behavior would be dropped and quick glares would be started.
It didn't really matter that he was coming to enjoy Otogi's quick and subtle wit almost as much as Shizuka's gentle questions and wise innocence. It didn't matter that the force of Otogi's shove left almost the same faint tingle as the touch of Shizuka's fingers brushing against his own. It didn't matter.
But... Honda wondered sometimes. It was of course, something best left to sleepless nights staring up at the ceiling. Something he didn't want to remember, but something that lingered like the faint aftertaste of an oversweet desert in the morning to follow. What would it be like, Honda wondered at times, to kiss this rival/friend of his?
He'd always flop over on his stomach and bury his head under the pillow when such thoughts came to him. Otogi's lips, quick and insistent against his own. That wiry body (as he knew from the countless times he'd grappled the boy to the ground) beneath his own. Strong, slender hands flitting and stroking, never lingering quite long enough. It was usually at this point that Honda decided to take a cold shower.
What about Shizuka, then? She was naive to the point of annoyance at times, but wasn't that part of the attraction? To watch that shy young girl open up and shine in the presence of friends? It was fun to watch the blush spread across Shizuka's face when she recited a dirty joke overheard from her brother. She was cute and sweet in that perfect girl-next-door kind of way.
It didn't matter. There wasn't a choice to be made, anyway. Honda wanted Shizuka. No one else. Just Shizuka. And. Shizuka and. That was almost another choice wasn't it? Shizuka and Otogi? Would it be possible to have the sweet chocolate of Shizuka's smile and the sharp mint of Otogi's grin?
No! No, no, no! he'd always be quick to tell himself. Jounouchi would kill him, Shizuka would be horrified, and Otogi would only laugh. It was wrong, it was greedy, it was perverted, it was immoral, it was against everything his parents taught him, it was-- It was exactly what he wanted. Sharp and sweet. Sly and innocent. Honda wanted both of them.
It didn't help matters any that Honda's favorite flavor of ice cream was chocolate mint.
He knew it didn't make much sense. Still, what could he do? Two important people in his life now. A sweet and gentle girl. A loud and arrogant boy. Honda was hard pressed to figure out which he was trying harder to impress these days.
It wasn't like he wanted Otogi to notice him as something other than a rival for a pretty girl's affections. There just wasn't anyone else to talk to. Jounouchi was trying so hard to tie together his fragile family, struggling so very much to prove himself other than another wandering delinquent. Anzu was studying her dance and working after school at a grubby diner. And Yuugi, well, the whole ancient pharaoh thing was confusing enough for anyone.
They still had time together. Afternoons at the park, hiding beneath the shade of benevolent trees. The rare study group after school when Anzu could make it. But even better were the long Saturdays when Shizuka came. Of course she had to spend some of that with her brother. And of course Yuugi and Anzu had distant, blushing looks to exchange.
Really all that left was Otogi for him to talk to for a while. Just circumstance and the other boy's annoying persistence in tagging along even when Shizuka wasn't with them. He wasn't that bad to talk to. Once you got past the polished arrogance and harlequin performance, there was someone worth befriending. Someone almost worth protecting.
Not that Honda noticed. Not that he cared, really. Otogi was just someone to talk to until Shizuka could be gently pried from her brother. Then the pretense at civil behavior would be dropped and quick glares would be started.
It didn't really matter that he was coming to enjoy Otogi's quick and subtle wit almost as much as Shizuka's gentle questions and wise innocence. It didn't matter that the force of Otogi's shove left almost the same faint tingle as the touch of Shizuka's fingers brushing against his own. It didn't matter.
But... Honda wondered sometimes. It was of course, something best left to sleepless nights staring up at the ceiling. Something he didn't want to remember, but something that lingered like the faint aftertaste of an oversweet desert in the morning to follow. What would it be like, Honda wondered at times, to kiss this rival/friend of his?
He'd always flop over on his stomach and bury his head under the pillow when such thoughts came to him. Otogi's lips, quick and insistent against his own. That wiry body (as he knew from the countless times he'd grappled the boy to the ground) beneath his own. Strong, slender hands flitting and stroking, never lingering quite long enough. It was usually at this point that Honda decided to take a cold shower.
What about Shizuka, then? She was naive to the point of annoyance at times, but wasn't that part of the attraction? To watch that shy young girl open up and shine in the presence of friends? It was fun to watch the blush spread across Shizuka's face when she recited a dirty joke overheard from her brother. She was cute and sweet in that perfect girl-next-door kind of way.
It didn't matter. There wasn't a choice to be made, anyway. Honda wanted Shizuka. No one else. Just Shizuka. And. Shizuka and. That was almost another choice wasn't it? Shizuka and Otogi? Would it be possible to have the sweet chocolate of Shizuka's smile and the sharp mint of Otogi's grin?
No! No, no, no! he'd always be quick to tell himself. Jounouchi would kill him, Shizuka would be horrified, and Otogi would only laugh. It was wrong, it was greedy, it was perverted, it was immoral, it was against everything his parents taught him, it was-- It was exactly what he wanted. Sharp and sweet. Sly and innocent. Honda wanted both of them.
It didn't help matters any that Honda's favorite flavor of ice cream was chocolate mint.