Stinging Beauty

Wee, yet another chappie-enjoy!^^

P.S: don’t get used to those quick updates, im only having a good phase because my muses bunked in with me -something about cockroaches from Procyon or something...I’m sure I don’t wanna know(sigh, Greek muses are the worst - -‘).

Still, have fun and remember to review, arigato!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

3. Cascades

There was a tension in the air which had nothing to do with the weather or upcoming presidential elections.

Everybody tiptoed around Jou and Kaiba, feeling the shift of power and emotions between those two.

Nobody dared to get between them, not even the teachers, when they eyed one another from opposite sides of the school court, lunch room, soccer field, hall or classroom.

Had they been fighting like the proverbial cat and dog before, it was now more akin to two tigers prowling, circling, weighing, waiting, plotting, trying to gain the upper hand and reign over the other’s territory.

Whoever got caught in the crossfire, would end up a casualty of war.

Of course, suspicions run high as to what might have caused this change, starting from Jou beating Kaiba in a duel, Jou finding Kaiba’s diary over Kaiba asking Jou to dress up in drag, Kaiba wanting Jou to babysit his younger brother, till to Kaiba discovering Jou was really a secret military experiment which had managed to escape.

There were some whispered rumors about a certain..incident in the washroom, but nobody knew anything for real.

The only ones who knew what had happened, where the two directly involved.

And those had sealed their lips.

“Jou, it’s been three weeks! Please tell us what happened! It’s obvious it’s hurting you and Kaiba, so please, let us help you. Jou? Onegai?”

Yuugi, accompanied by Anzu, Honda, and Ryou, pleaded; he turned his bright, shimmering, tear-brimmed eyes on his blond friend, but to no avail.

A rock would have probably reacted less stoic.

Finally, Honda snapped and, grabbing Jou at his shoulders, shook his best friend none too gently.

“Fuck, Jou, quit the brick-face and spill it! We’re sick and tired of the two of you always looking for the perfect killing shot! If you don’t tell us what happened now, I swear I’ll-“

His words froze on his lips when normally amber eyes, now chocolate brown and dangerously gleaming, turned upon him.

“We..had a fight” muttered the blond, and even in his own ears his voice sounded strange.

“A-really bad fight. Kaiba got..hurt.”

For a split-second, chestnut locked with gold, before Jou turned his eyes away again. Honda drew a deep breath.

“Jou..?” he rasped incredulous, receiving a startling silence that was worse than any confession.

“I think I understand the problem. Kaiba always thought himself superior to Jounouchi-kun, and now that Jou actually beat him in a fight, his self-assurance is severely bruised”, stated Ryou calmly. Anzu nodded in agreement.

“Hai, maybe if you sincerely apologized-“

“There are not enough words in the world to ask forgiveness!” shouted Jou, before hanging his head in shame and whispering:

“Not enough blood to wash away this guilt.”

He turned away from his friends, hands rammed into his pockets and shoulders slumped in defeat.

Swallowing hard, Hiroto closed his eyes and drove one hand over his face. Puzzled, Yuugi looked at his brunet friend.

“Honda, do you-“

“Yes. But I won’t tell. I promised.” Anzu gawked.

“Nani? When did-“

“I did because he did.”

Astonished, the other three exchanged curious looks, even as Hiroto stared at the door his best friend had walked through.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

I will be focusing a little more on the Honda/Jou relationship, it’s being too much neglected in the show…besides, he doesn’t get nearly enough attention.