Chapter Three: Good Morning to Yesterday

The morning light peeked through the blinds the next day and awoke Honda before his alarm. He rolled onto his back, rubbing one of his eyes. He blinked, realizing he wasn't in Tokyo anymore. His heart skipped a beat, but then he saw Otogi and recalled that he was no longer in Tokyo and today was the first full day of his homecoming.

This meant he had a lot of objectives for today. For starters, he promised himself he'd go see his mother. Then, most likely with Otogi and Ryou, he'd stop by the game shop and see what the fates had in store for his friendship with Yugi. If he wasn't too emotionally spent after all of that, his next step, was to find a job.

When he had spoken to Otogi before bed about finding a way to make income, he protested. "Ryou isn't asking for anything and I'm not either.."

"No." Honda replied, "I'm not sick. I don't have any excuse to sit on my ass." He left the room to brush his teeth. When he came back, Otogi didn't say another word about it.

Honda pulled on the same sweatpants from the night before. He kissed Otogi's forehead and smiled as the other man moaned and shifted a little in his sleep. He then made his way to the bathroom across the hall. After a splash of water on his face and a quick brushing of the teeth, he decided he would surprise Otogi with a cup of tea.

Only he was pleasantly surprised to see that Ryou was already in the kitchen pouring hot water into several mugs on the counter. He looked up and smiled warmly, "Good morning, Honda."

"Hey." he greeted back, taking a seat at the table.

Ryou set a mug down in front of Honda, "Would you like something light for breakfast? Toast?" he took a sip from his own white mug.

"I'm fine, thanks." Honda replied, fiddling with the string attach to the tea bag. He then felt a presence behind him. Turning his head, he was surprised to find that a silver striped tabby had wandered its way into the kitchen. Its ears were perked up and she walked with her chin high. "Oh. I didn't know you had a cat." He bent down to pet the feline that had paused beside Honda for attention.

"That's because she doesn't take kindly to strangers." came the voice of Bakura followed by the entrance of the dark spirit. He was already dressed and an unlit cigarette rested between his lips.

Honda continued to pet the elegant creature, "What's his name?"

"She," Bakura corrected, "is Ruby."

"Cute." replied Honda. He then smirked at the spirit that leaned against the doorway, "I never know you to be a cat person, Bakura."

Bakura scowled, "I never knew you to be missing your kidneys. I presume you'll want to keep it that way." and he turned and went out back to have his morning smoke. Ruby swiftly followed.

Honda laughed, "She seems very loyal to him."

Ryou, who had been silently enjoying his tea, nodded, "Oh yes. Bakura is very protective of her. He saved her from a speeding truck. She has been attached to him ever since." he smiled into his mug, "I cannot say he protests her companionship. Sometimes I wonder if he loves her more than me." he chuckled.

Honda joined in the laughter, "No kidding?" he ceased and took a pensive sip, "How is that going anyways?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You and Bakura."

Ryou suddenly got very quiet. He held his tea mug with both hands and smiled into the steaming liquid. "He... is so different. He is not at all what he used to be. He is sweet" he giggled, "and so gentle. I feel as if..." he chose his words carefully, "he was so restless before. I think now, he has found somewhere he can be comfortable." he caught Honda's eye, "We were living in chaos for so long. It is refreshing to simply sit back and enjoy life with one another."

"Wow." Honda replied, "I'm glad. That sounds great."

"It truly is. I wish such happiness on everyone, especially you." Ryou reached across the table and placed his petite hand upon Honda's, "You are worth so much more than you believe, Honda. I have spent the past months hoping that would understand that."

He considered himself to be a very simple man. The only materialistic possession he valued was his bike. He had enough clothes to get him through the week and he owned one pair of sneakers and one pair of boots. He didn't graduate high school and spent the past year delivering flowers so he could pay his share of the rent for a shitty apartment. As far as "worth" was concerned, Honda didn't believe he was worth very much at all. He had never put it into perspective like that before and again, he started feeling sick to his stomach.

Ryou lowered his eyes, realizing that he had said too much. He stood from the table and handed Honda the mug that had been abandoned on the counter, "Here. For Otogi."

He nodded, "Thanks." He rose from the table and retrieved a bottle of honey and a spoon. He took both upstairs with the cup of tea.

There was something about looking at Otogi that made the world spin a little slower for Honda. His dark hair looked so out of place in the bright morning light, but Honda liked it. It felt more real, less angelic, a little dangerous.

He set down what was in his hands and he sat beside the sleeping man. He leaned down and whispered into Otogi's ear, "Good morning, Sleepyhead."

Otogi smiled and rolled over onto his stomach. He buried his face in the pillow and groaned. Honda chuckled, "It's almost noon. I brought you tea."

"Is there honey?" Otogi lifted his head from the pillow and gave Honda a hopeful look.

"I don't know how much you like so I brought the bottle."

Otogi immediately sat up, "A tablespoon."

Honda passed the tea to Otogi and opened the bottle. He poured the sticky amber onto the spoon and placed it into the mug. Otogi's watched intently. His brilliant eyes causing Honda's hand to shake as he stirred.

When he finished, Otogi took a sip, "Thank you."

"Sure." replied the other man. He closed the bottle and licked the dab of honey that had leaked out onto his fingertip.

They sat there for a moment and enjoyed each other's company. Otogi continued drinking his tea. When he was nearly finished he asked, "What do you feel like doing today?"

"I have to visit my ma."

"Oh, that sounds exciting." he replied sincerely, "She'll be thrilled to see you."

Honda rubbed the back of his neck, "Yeah. I'm pretty excited to see her."

"Nervous at all?"

"Oh yeah."

"You gonna go dressed like that?"

Honda looked down at his baggy sweatpants and a shirt he's worn so often, the color has faded and there's a hole forming in the bottom seam. He grinned sheepishly, "I was gonna change."

Otogi giggled, "Okay then. Just making sure." he pulled the covers back and leaned over. He kissed Honda's cheek, "Thanks again for the tea."

"Sure thing." Honda said. He headed over the dresser to find something more suitable to wear. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Otogi emerge from the bed and raise his arms up to stretch. He admired the muscles that flexed in his back and how his ponytail tickled between his shoulder blades.

The heat suddenly lowered to his groin. Honda knew better than to act upon it. He couldn't imagine carrying the weight of any kind of relationship right now. Otogi understood that. However, it has been a long time since he'd felt the touch of another man. Sure, they kiss all the time, but the idea of Otogi's kisses on his skin made Honda bite down hard on his lip.

"... Hiroto?"

"Huh?"

"Are you okay?"

"'m fine." he said as he slid out of the room without facing him. He walked briskly into the bathroom where he locked the door. He immediately began to strip and turn on the shower. In the midst of the steam, he allowed himself to lean against the wall of the shower, close his eyes, and stand underneath the water.

Lately, he felt as if his relationship with Otogi was getting unintentionally complicated. Maybe it was because of these constant urges. Honda wasn't sure if it was because he was lonely or if it had to do with Otogi himself. As a person, he was loyal to the very end. He held on for every ride Honda put him on. He was understanding, funny, and successful. Honda knew that he'd support him.

There was no denying the physical attraction. Otogi had a gorgeous trim body, sexy black hair, and his eyes always drove Honda into insanity. He was frequently having little fantasies. Even now, he imagined that each water droplet was a separate kiss and as they slid down his chest.

Honda leaned his body forward, holding himself up with a hand against the tiled wall. He imagined Otogi slipping behind him. Honda's hand on his body became Otogi's hand. He moaned, feeling his pulse quickening.

The more he imagined, the less he thought of Otogi. The pretend figure behind Honda became taller, broader, more muscular. Honda tightened his grip and bit his lip. Everything became faster, harder, more passionate. Honda could feel ice blue eyes piercing through the heat that was building. More and more Honda started to shake, biting back a cry as he hit the peak.

Gasping, Honda opened his eyes. He stood up straight, eyes darting around the shower as if he was searching for what he had just seen in his head. Slowly, he regained his normal breathing. He shuddered as he turned the water off. The warmth quickly left his body and goosebumps scattered over the surface of his skin.

He covered his face with a towel as he breathed out his name.

Seto.

The man who started it all. Honda would never blame him. There was something about Tokyo that had helped distract him, but he could never forget. There was no forgetting two years ago. The drama, the backstabbing, the pain that had driven Honda out of Domino in the first place was already coming back to him.

There was a soft knock on the door, "... Babe?" he recognized it to be Otogi's.

He wrapped the towel around his waist and opened the door a crack, "Yeah?" he peeked his head out.

"Oh." Otogi said, shifting his eyes away from the shirtless man, "You were in there for a while. I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Heh yeah. Sorry. I fell asleep standing up." Honda tried his best to smile.

Otogi laughed, "Can I brush my teeth? I have to get to the store."

"Sure." He opened the door wider and allowed him to walk in. As he left the bathroom, he heard Otogi hum as he brushed his teeth. A smile spread across Honda's lips as he instantly recognized the little ritual he did everyday. It seemed to make Honda's insides untwist and he was able to get dressed and make his way downstairs with little distraction.

He spotted Ruby sitting gracefully on the back on the couch in the living room. He only assumed Bakura was sprawled out on said couch since it was facing away from him. He called out, "Hey, Bakura?"

"What ails you now?" came a voice from the other side of the couch. Honda had been correct. He stepped into the living room and leaned over the couch back. Bakura was indeed laying on his back with his arms supporting his head. One foot was resting on one arm of the couch while the other swayed over the edge. He opened a sharp dark eye at Honda. He wasn't glaring, but there was no smile on his face.

Petting Ruby with one hand and smirking down at Bakura with the other, he stated, "It's much easier to find you with Ruby around."

"If I didn't want to be found, I'd actually hide."

Rolling his eyes, Honda pressed on, "Right. Well, could you tell Ryou that I won't be home for dinner? I'm going to be at my ma's."

"Will do." Bakura said, closing his eyes and exhaling through his nose, "I'm glad to see you heading over there."

Honda smiled warmly, knowing that Bakura couldn't see it, but would feel it. "Thanks. I'll see you later." and he left the house with his keys and helmet in hand.

The ride from Ryou's to Honda's childhood home was a familiar one to him. Honda never needed to stop to recall where he was. For a moment, he felt as if he had never left Domino at all. It was just an average sunny day and he had spent the day joking around with his best friends. Now, it was time for an early supper with his mother and father.

Those were the days...

Instead, Honda parked his bike outside of the house, planted both his feet on the ground and pulled off his helmet. He took several breaths, knowing that there was a small chance of no one being home. He didn't want to imagine what he would do if that were the case.

He approached the front door with as much confidence he could muster. There was no stranger sensation than feeling like a stranger at your own front door. He knocked softly and waited. He didn't look around for changes. He knew his mother wasn't keen on changing things she thought were perfectly fine. He stared straight ahead at the door and waited.

"Just a minute!" his stomach did a somersault at the sound of his mother's voice. It was a warm melody that swam through his ears and coaxed his fluttering body into calming down. Shortly after he heard her, he saw her. She opened the door and eyes identical to his stared back at him.

Her jaw went lax, and she held a delicate hand over her heart. "Oh my goodness." she said, running her eyes up and down Honda, trying to make sense of what she was seeing.

He took note of her graying hair and her thin wrinkles, but he was indeed looking at his mother. She still had kind eyes and blushed cheeks. When the shock had finally left her, she smiled as warmly as she always had. "Hiroto!" was all she said before wrapping her arms tightly around her son.

"Hey, Ma." he blissfully shut his eyes and returned her embrace.

He heard her sniffle before they parted. She hid her tears, rubbed his shoulders and arms, and said, "Oh. Look at you. You look like the walking dead. Come on in. I'll make you something to eat."

He laughed, "You're still the same."

She snorted, "Heavens, no. Look at me. I'm an old lady now." she smoothed her hair.

"You look beautiful." was his immediate response. It made her smile as she led him back into the house. She made a straight path to the kitchen while Honda lingered in the foyer. She called out behind her, "Your father is still at the office. If you had called, we could have worked out a dinner or something."

"I didn't want you to stress about me stopping by." Honda answered. He ran his finger tips along the picture frames on the hutch in the hallway, "I'm not worth fussing about."

"Of course you are." she said, leaning out into the corridor to frown at him, "How many sons do you think I have? Don't get me started on how concerned I've been about you. Your father's been a mess too. You rarely call. I don't even know where you live, what you've been eating, if you're working. I wouldn't have been surprised if I got a call saying you died somewhere." she shuddered and returned to the kitchen.

Honda shoved his hands in his pockets, "I'm sorry for making you worry. It's been kind of crazy." he entered the kitchen, taking a seat at the eat in table and holding his head up with his hand, "I had to get out of here for a while."

"Honey..." she said, putting a mug of tea in front of Honda before getting out a pan, "I know things aren't right since Jo-"

"Don't."

She pursed her lips and started over, "Even before that, you seemed so distracted." Honda shifted his eyes away. She sighed, "I don't tell you how to live your life. I could never be disappointed by you, but you dropped out of school and just... left like that." she took a moment to wipe a tear forming in the corner of her eye, "I'm so happy to see you come home."

Honda bit the inside of his cheek. He exhaled through his nose and said, "I'm happy to be back. I don't know how everyone's going to take it though."

"Oh, I know some people you're not in good graces with." she paused in her cooking to think, "I know Yugi will greet you with warm arms, but that girl he spends so much time with has said nothing but trash about you." she scowled, "She's not welcome here at the moment." she smiled and turned down the temperature of the stove, "Ryou stopped by once or twice. He's such a kind heart."

"I know. That's where I'm staying."

"I knew you would be. Is he seeing someone? I can't imagine a gentleman like that without a lovely girlfriend."

Bakura came to mind and Honda stifled a laugh. He cleared his throat, "I don't think so, but he's very happy."

"Well, that's all that matters, now isn't it?" she set down an omelet with a pile of rice for Honda. She took a seat next to him and tucked a strand of silver behind her ear, "Speaking of girlfriends..." she gripped onto her apron, "there's something you should know."

Honda, who had lifted his chopsticks, immediately lowered them and made straight eye contact, "What?"

"It's about Shizuka." she looked down at the floor, "It's nothing serious. She... she went missing."

"Missing?" he repeated.

"It was a short while after you did. Yugi showed up at my door looking for her. He said she didn't leave a note or anything. She emptied her bank account, packed a single bag, and she was gone." she placed a hand over her mouth as a tear slid down her face, "We don't think she's in Domino. Her father put out a police search for her, but we haven't heard anything. After six months, the police gave up. Her family is devastated."

"Ma, please don't cry." Honda said with his eyes wide. He wiped the tear from his mother's face and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I don't understand anything anymore." she said, "Life used to be so much simpler. With everything that's happened in the past year, I don't know how to get through the days anymore. I pray and pray with hope that she'll come home." she placed a hand on his cheek, "That you would find the light amongst all of this darkness. I can't understand what's been troubling you for all this time, Hiroto." she begged him with her eyes, "I want so badly to help you."

"Ma... I..." Honda had never told her about his sexuality. He used to bring girls home all the time to lower suspicion. Even though his mother always supported him through everything he's done and she had just said she couldn't be disappointed in him, there was something about telling her about this secret he's kept inside for so long that didn't sit right. It would be another heartache to her. He looked at her bloodshot eyes and her tousled hair. In his opinion, she didn't need more trauma.

"Eat up." she said, standing from the table and wiping her eyes a final time, "It's going to get cold." she began cleaning up.

Honda looked down at the plate that his mother had lovingly put together for him. After hearing about Shizuka, he had no desire to eat, but it had been so long since he's eaten a homemade meal from her. He picked up his chopsticks and said, "Thanks, Ma." before digging in. As soon as he took the first bite, he felt warm inside and his shoulders relaxed. He took the next ten minutes to enjoy the simple meal. For the first time in the past few days, he finally felt at home.