Chapter 14 - Gentle January

Honda awoke several hours later to the smell of tea. He smiled and shifted under the blankets. He stretched and opened his eyes, satisfied with seeing himself in the guest room if Otogi's house.

The unnerving feeling that someone was watching him made him sit up. He wasn't surprised to find Otogi standing in the doorway, holding two plastic mugs in his thin fingers. "Your eyes scare the crap out of me." Honda groaned as he sat up in his bed. He yawned as he reached out for a mug.

Otogi passed him one, his eyebrow raised, "Well, I can't help you there." he took a gulp of his tea, "Do you want to take a shower?"

Honda shook his head, "I need to get home. My mom packed some of my things up for me."

"Need some help?"

"Nah." was his reply. He wrinkled his nose at the caramel colored tea, "Thanks anyways." He had no desire to swallow down the liquid in his hands.

"Drink it." Otogi seemed to read his friend's mind, "If you stay in my house, you have to eat and drink and keep it down."

Honda pouted as he took a sip. He smiled as the warmth went through his body and a sweet sensation was left on his tongue, "It's good."

"I put a little honey in it." Otogi smiled as he shook his hips with his words.

"You're such a fruit, Otogi!"

"I am not!" Otogi was defensively, "I just have a sweet tooth..."

Honda laughed for the first time in a long time. He couldn't remember a time when he had so much fun. It was almost like he and Jou were goofing off at school all over again. He took another gulp of his tea and swallowed that memory down. For some reason, he thought Jou and he were dead. It was almost if his whole life before now had disappeared. Would it come back? That's what Honda needed to know. Would it be like the way it was before ever again?

He snuggled up in his borrowed bed, pulling the covers up over his head, "I love your bed."

"Mine's better."

Honda's head poked out of the covers, "It is?" he grinned broadly. He hurried out of the bed and down the hallway. Otogi gasped, "Honda. Don't you dare!" he quickly followed the other boy, "I just changed the sheets!" he entered the toom just as Honda jumped into the pillows and wrinkled the new blankets. He sighed and jumped in as well, tackling Honda out of fun.

The two shared a laugh, tangling their limbs in the blankets. When their breath was out and their laughter could not last, they both laid side by side, facing the smooth white ceiling in silence. "Honda?" Otogi asked.

"Hm?"

Otogi turned onto his side, resting his head on his hand, "This is about more than loving Kaiba, isn't it?" he said, "I mean, I know you and Jou are best friends, but..."

"But what?" That's it." Honda kept his focus on the ceiling, "Jou has been my best friend since I don't even remember how long. I would never hurt him." he sighed, "He's always got my back. Shouldn't I do the same for him?"

Otogi flipped onto his stomach, twirling a lock of his ebony hair, "He obviously cares about you, Honda. Do you think it's fair to him? He's hurting you and he doesn't even know."

"I'd rather have him not known than have it ruin our friendship." Honda said firmly.

"Isn't him being with Kaiba ultimately 'ruining the friendship'?"

Honda's eyes went wide, "So, what are you saying?" Should neither of us be with Kaiba?"

"Well... yea?"

Honda never looked at it like that. All this time, he blamed himself. He blamed the way he looked, his lack of charisma, his inability to confess to Kaiba first, but he never realized that there was never anything wrong with him.

Otogi noticed the glazed over look in Honda's eyes, "Honda?"

"I need to get my stuff." Honda said in a rush, "My mom's probably freaking out." he got out of bed and changed his clothes.

Otogi sat up and watched Honda with disinterest, "Maybe if Jou stops dating Kaiba, I can finally tell him how I feel.

Slipping on his borrowed jacket, Honda shrugged, "It's possible. I wouldn't mind." he grinned, "Just as long as you don't hurt him. Afterall, he is my best friend."

x-x-x

Honda's mother was, indeed, "freaking out". He barely had his hand on the doorknob when it swung open and she wrapped him in her arms, "Hiroto! I was so worried!" she realized how easily she could wrap around his waist and stared at her son, "Have you been eating? Are you hungry? Let me make you something."

Honda shook his head, "I'm fine, Mom." he swallowed hard. Lying to her was more horrible than he thought, "Did you pack my stuff?"

She nodded and handed him a carrier bag for his motorcycle, "Do you have your keys?"

"In my pocket." he took his helmet from her shaking hands, "Don't worry about me. I'll be home soon." he kissed her cheek and started to walk away.

"What should I say?" she blurted out, "...If someone should come calling for you?"

Honda bit his lip, wishing he could face his mother and run into he arms. He wanted to be seven years old again, so he could cry the pain away and have her make it all better with her kisses. He wanted to confess about Jou and Seto and how he's been hiding his homosexuality from her for a good handful of years. He wanted nothing more than to tell her that no matter how muchhe loved her cooking, he had refused to eat it and he wanted to apologize if he had to throw it up. Most of all, he wanted to tell her how much he loved her for not asking so many questions and for being here for him now, but the other thing that could come out of his mouth was, "Just say I'm not available."

With that, he straddled his motorcycle, tugging on his helmet and drove his way back to Otogi's.

Thanks Mom.

He stopped at a red light and was surprised to find that his vision was poor. There was something putting speckles of water on his helmet. Was it raining? It was too cold for rain. He lifted his visor and felt the wet sensation on his nose. He completely ignored the green light and the honking horns from cars. It was finally snowing.

x-x-x

I know this was an extremely short chapter, but I thought it was appropriate to stop here. Sorry. See you in chapter 15!

-Rain