Chapter 16 – Reckless
Love was in the air. At least, it was in the rest of Domino City. Honda hadn't felt any love since...he can't remember.
"Who you takin' out this year, Honda? Sunako? Amaya?" Jou asked his buddy as he nudged him; a cheesy grin on his face.
Hiroto Honda had a date every single Valentine's Day since he was able to date. Every year, he's taken out some lucky girl for at least one night of romance and fun. This year, Honda hadn't even thought about it.
A couple girls had come up to him, giving him chocolate a week before the holiday had even come. One girl, a first year, had blushed uncontrollably as she handed him the little box of affection. She had bowed her head and left before Honda had time to accept or decline her gift.
Honda shrugged as he looked over at his friend, "I don't know."
"You know, Shizuka doesn't have a date or anything." Jou pointed out. The boy was so obvious it made Anzu and Yugi laugh. The four of them were strolling their way over to the arcade to waste a Sunday.
"You never know. She's a big girl. She can find her own date." Once again, Honda shrugged. Now that it was brought up, he can't help but wonder who he should take out for Valentine's Day.
"Well, I'm having a party." Anzu said quickly. She pulled three invitations out of her purse, "It's going to be a Valentine's Day party at my house. Everyone's going to be there." She sighed a little, "Even the Ishtars."
Jou made a face, "Malik? Oh man!" he opened the door to the arcade, "You only invited them because you wanted Isis to go."
Anzu pouted, but didn't want to get into the discussion any further. She brightened up and pointed, "Oh look! The DDR's open. Let's go Yugi!" she grabbed her friend's arm and dragged him away.
Honda arched a brow, "What was that about?"
"You didn't know?" Jou asked as the two sat down in front of their favorite game, "Anzu has the hots for Isis."
"You don't say?" Honda blinked, "When did this happen?" he selected his character and waited for Jou to decide.
Jou multi-tasked well for someone who's so dysfunctional, "Since forever ago. Where have you been, Man?" he bit his lip as the game started, "Mai's got herself a comfy spot in between Isis's tits, so I doubt Anzu's got a chance, but you never know. They're all my friends so I can't really bad mouth any of them."
Honda looked somber, attacking Jou in the game, "Must be nice…to have that ability."
"Huh?"
"You don't have to choose. You can just sit back and watch whatever happen, happen." Honda was starting to speak freely. As of late, he hadn't been able to keep his mouth shut. When he had something to say, he said it. He blamed Kaiba's office. "It's really not a big deal to you; having all of that drama happen. It's actually none of your business, but if one of them go crying to you, you'll be there for them." He looked up at Jou, "But what happens when they all come at you? What will you do then? You can't stay undecided forever. You have to make a choice." He locked eyes with Jou as the blonde stared at him with surprise. There was no fear in Honda's eyes; no regrets towards anything he had said.
Jou was astonished, "What's up with you, Man? Where did that come from?" he reached over and touched Honda's shoulder, "Dude, no offence, but lately you've been freakin' everyone out. You're not being yourself. Is something wrong?"
"No…" Honda said as he removed Jou's hand, "I'm just deciding." He pressed the button on the game and waited for Jou, "Let's do this."
Jou shook it off and put on his smug grin, "Heh. I'll kill you this time." He hunched over the game, ready for action.
Ring Ring! Ring Ring!
"Shit." Jou reached in his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. He held it up to his ear and said, "Jou… oh. Hey Honey." He made an apologetic face at Honda, "Huh? Yea I'm with my friends at the arcade. You what? Oh…" his brow knit together, "Sure. I know. I love you. Later!" he hung up and looked at his friend confused, "Seto wants to see you at his office."
Honda blinked, "Oh." He was just as confused at Jou, "I guess I should get over there then." He put his hands in his pockets, "Sorry, Man. We'll do something later, okay?" he walked out into the afternoon sun and headed over to the KaibaCorp building about a mile away. It wasn't until he was halfway there that he realized just what Seto wanted to see him about.
"Fuck."
x-x-x
Hotaru gave Honda the most depressing look a person could give as he stepped out of the elevator and walked over to Seto's office door. Did she know? He shook his head. He doubted it. Putting it out of mind, he stepped into the office that he once again feared.
Seto sat very stiffly in his chair, His legs were crossed in a dignified manner and his fingers were thread together under his chin. He watched Honda's entrance through his silver rimmed glasses and for the first time in a long time, he wasn't smirking. Honda immediately knew that work wasn't on the other boy's mind.
"Honda Hiroto." He said stiffly, "Let's cut the shit." He stood from his chair and offered the one in front of his desk, "Sit."
Honda knew not to leave Seto waiting. He sat very tense, his eyes wide with anxiety. This is what he was dreading. The rejection was on the tip of Seto's tongue. Why was he dragging it out? Why couldn't he have just said it already? He clenched his eyes shut, waiting for the blow.
"I owe you an apology."
Honda's eyes snapped open. What had he just heard? He looked up at Seto with his jaw dropped, "W-What?"
The billionaire walked around his desk and leaned against the wood with his arms crossed, "All this time…I had no idea." Seto pushed his glasses up delicately, "Imagine that. I thought I was intelligent, but it's hard to brag when you miss something that's right in front of your face." He laughed softly, "Though, I can't help but admit I did assume something."
"Assume?"
"I didn't know you cared for me so deeply." Seto spoke as if they were discussing the weather, "On the contrary, I thought you hated every bit of my existence."
Honda's eyes got even rounder, "What are you talking about?" he stood up in anger, "Everything I have done for you! All of the obvious flirting! The smiles! The shoulder rub I gave you!" he blushed at the mentioning of the last event.
"Thank you, by the way." Seto rolled his shoulders, "That felt a little too good." He sighed, "I thought you were just playing nice. You know, with Katsuya being your best friend and all."
"If I hated someone, I would treat them as such without caring who they were dating. Besides, I wouldn't let Jou date someone I didn't like." Honda mumbled the last bit and his eyes wavered.
"And it is comments like that that made me assume that you were in love with Jou."
The sky had fallen. As the setting sun filled the office with its orange glow, there was only the sound of the computer humming and the pounding of Honda's heart. The boy was amazed, "You thought I was- what?"
"My mistake. It's really no big deal." Seto picked up a stack of papers from his desk and began to shuffle through them, "I acted all nice for you and everything. To be honest, I'm not even jealous. Human emotions are too ridiculous to get worked up over." He smirked, "Though, I'm sure you know all about that, don't you?"
This was horrible. Honda was ready to vomit. In his blinded judgment, he yanked the paper work away from Seto and flung it in the air behind him. He leaned forward, grabbed Seto by the collar of his jacket and pulled him down into a kiss.
Honda clung to the jacket for dear life, not wanting to pull his lips away. If he was going to be alive for ten more seconds, he would want to die knowing that the last thing he did was kiss Seto Kaiba. It was amazing. Seto wasn't even off guard and complied to the kiss, not touching Honda, but kissing back just enough to respect the action. It was almost a pity kiss, but Honda didn't care.
He pulled away breathing heavily, "I love you." He said while he was still inches away from Seto's face, "I don't care whoever else you think I love because you're wrong." He sank back down onto the floor and let go of Seto's jacket, "I've been keeping it a secret for so long, letting all of the burden and all of the hurt bottle up inside of me. I don't give a damn anymore about what happens. If you fire me from my job, stop Jou from seeing me, and avoid me for the rest of your life…so be it."
Seto leaned down, holding Honda's chin in his long fingers, "Do you have any idea what you've just done? You just made me cheat on my boyfriend, Honda; on your best friend." He continued to smirk, "Did it feel good, Honda? Did you enjoy ruining both of our relationships with him? Do you honestly not care?"
For some reason, not even that deep down, Honda really didn't. He proved it and tilted his head up, kissed Seto again quickly, "If this makes me trash, then that's what I've been all along."
"I admire your aggressiveness." He pulled away from Honda, continuing his leaning on the expensive desk, "However, I will have to ask you to leave me now." The smirk that had lined his lips had disappeared and a sterner look replaced it, "I'll be seeing you at work tomorrow morning."
Honda did not know how to take Seto's behavior. The man was hiding any emotion in his body, but it looked like he was having a difficult time maintaining it. He sighed and nodded, "Of course. Bye Kaiba" He said and walked out before the other boy had time to sass him about not calling him "Mister". That was the last thing he wanted to hear.
x-x-x
"He thought what?" Otogi gasped. His leather clad rear was on the counter of his kitchen, a banana half unpeeled in his hand, "Oh man! This is so messed up!"
"You're telling me!" Honda held his head in his heads at the kitchen table, "What the hell is wrong with me? I acted like a…like a woman!" he cried out, "I threw myself at him. Who the hell do I think I am? He's probably going to hate me forever!"
"…Speaking of being a woman." Otogi rolled his eyes, "You're being way too dramatic about this. Think of it this way…what's the most important thing to Kaiba?"
"Work."
Otogi nodded, "Exactly. He didn't fire you. That means a lot in Kaiba language." He finished unpeeling the banana and threw the peel into the trash, "You're fine."
Honda moaned, "He could have done that just to work me to the bone."
The other boy shrugged, "Maybe." He took a bite of his fruit and swallowed, "Do you think he'll tell Jou."
"Doubt it." Honda said, "Kaiba probably thinks it's none of Jou's business."
"Which it isn't when you think about it." Otogi finished his snack, "No, this is between you and the CEO. You'll be okay, Honda. The worst that could happen is…well. I don't really know."
"Death?"
"That's the spirit!" Otogi smiled warmly and slid off the counter, "Come on, Darling." He pulled Honda up out of the chair, "I think you need some shut eye."
"I suppose." Honda agreed. The two of them traveled upstairs and divided in the hallway to their respectable rooms.
When Honda was dressed and finished brushing his teeth, he had started to travel back to his room until he heard Otogi call out, "Honda?"
He poked his head into Otogi's room and asked, "What's up?"
Otogi pulled back the blankets of his bed, not looking the boy in the doorway, "If you want…you can just sleep here. You don't have to keep sneaking in and out of my room."
The brunette was surprised, "You knew?" Honda had only slept in Otogi's bed on occasions; no more than twice a week. "I was like…ninja I was so sneaky about it."
"You're not ninja when I wake up in the middle of the night and you're drooling on my pillow." Otogi laughed at his own joke as he got into bed, "Come on. I promise not to pull anything."
"You better not." Honda joined him and laid on his back just as he always did. He sighed in content and said softly, "Goodnight, Otogi."
Otogi, who curled up like a kitten against Honda's left side smiled with his eyes peacefully shut, "Goodnight, Darling."
Honda played with Otogi's hair a little as he stared up at the ceiling. It was nice being in Otogi's bed; not hiding and not being molested. He sighed again, promising himself that if he miraculously had a nightmare, he'd jump off the roof.
x-x-x
Another chapter done. Wowzers, I'm on FIRE! There was some action in this chapter as well and what am I doing with Honda and Otogi? I'll try to hurry up and let you guys know. Thanks for any feedback!
