Voids

Honda decided - against his better judgement - to wait for Jounouchi after class. He thought hearing the teacher reaming his assailant would make him feel better. He was wrong. He could feel every sting Jounouchi must have been feeling from every word; bully, spoiled brat... nothing he had never heard before but...

Come on! Lay off him! he silently pleaded. Finally his friend emerged, hands deep in his pockets, his eyes hidden under his bangs, fixed to the floor. He didn't even notice Honda at first.

"Hey, man," he said sympathetically, taking Jounouchi by the shoulder, "you ganna be alright?"

"Yea, sure. I'm used to it! Besides, I have other, more important, things on my mind!" All of the sudden he seemed awful cheery for someone who had just had their ass handed to them. Honda's curiosity began to get the better of him, just what Jounouchi wanted.

"Ok, I'll bite! What's up?"

"Not here! We gatta talk... in private..."

"Now you really got me! Come on, spill it!"

"Well, you really want to know why Kaiba has been nice to me?"

"Yea, we all do!"

"Reeeaaaly?" Jounouchi teased. He motioned Honda closer, then looked around to make sure no one was near, "After school." he whispered.

"What?!" It took everything Honda had not to strangle him.

"Really not here, uh... my old hang out, J'Z..."

"That place is a dump! Besides, Rint..."

"The "other-Yugi" took care of them, remember?"

"Oh, yea!"

"And think about it, no one will think to look for us there! And after what the "other-Yugi" pulled no one will bother us!"

"Hey, Jounouchi, why keep this from everyone anyway? They're just as curious about Kaiba being nice to you as..."

"Because... well, just... because! You can tell everyone later... if you want."

"What do you mean if I want?"

"Meet me out back after school. Later!" was all he had left to say and he walked to his next class.

"Yea, later...", Man I hate when he does this!

When the time finally came - it seemed to take forever- he met Jounouchi behind the school and sped off to J'Z before anyone knew.

"Man, two years has done nothing for this place!" Honda declared. It didn't matter Rintanma punks didn't hang out there anymore, there were still others. Jounouchi's only concern seemed to be punks from their own school, whom to their relief, never go there.

As they made their way to a table, it amazed even Jounouchi the place hadn't been shut down. But again, his only concern was since Rintanma's departure, no one bothered anyone. He and Honda would be free to talk, or at least he hoped he could talk. He didn't realize his well practiced speech, as easy as it seemed before, would be so difficult once the moment of truth came.

All he could do was sit and stare at his friend, Why can't I do this? Kaiba's not so bad, but... it is Kaiba..., "Shit!" he looked up to find Honda starring at him cock-eyed.

"Jounouchi?"

"I'm fine. I'm... fine..."

"Good, so get on with it! It's been killing me I haven't been able to tell anybody anything!"

"Ok, here we go..." *Blank stare*, Shit! Lost everything again..., "Uh, Honda, what do you think of... uh..."

"Spit it out, Jounouchi!" Honda was becoming very impatient.

"What do you think of Kaiba, really?" he braced himself for a swift kick up-side his head, then notcied Honda seemed to be concidering the question.

"What? Well, he's... he's not very nice for starters..." Not what Jounouchi wanted to hear, but he knew it was coming. He even told Kaiba himself anyone would be surprised he was being nice.

"Ok, get past that..."

"What are you getting at?" his eyes narrowed and he became seemingly deadly serious. Poor Jounouchi didn't know what to do, and being delicate and subtle didn't exactly come natural to him.

"What if I told you he's not so bad?"

"I'd say you're right. He can't be all bad..."

"What?! Really?!"

"Sure, think about it; he's just as protective of Mokuba as you are of Shizuka. And he did help save Anzu that time on the..."

*Sweat Drop*, "Don't remind me!"

"Oh, right. Sorry..." he seemed to be trying to find other "not-so-bad" things about Kaiba. It was starting to give Jounouchi the creeps. A little part of him did just want to tell him, just to get a reaction.

No! This isn't a joke! he reminded himself, when Honda finally spoke again.

"Oh, and I guess you really can't blame him for how he is..."

"How's that?

"Remember his foster father? What a creep..."

*Massive Sweat Drop*, "Again with the reminders!?"

"Sorry! It wasn't exactly the best of times for me either!"

"Yea, you're right though. That must have been what he meant by it's all a cover..."

"Geez, what all did he tell you?"

"I guess he feels he has to act this way so he doesn't seem weak. Hide the pain..."

"Wow, Jounouchi! You came up with that all by yourself?!" Honda was joking, but as Jounouchi had reminded himself, this was no joke. Instead of clocking him as he usually would, he laid his forehead on the table and folded his hands into his hair. "Jounouchi?"

"I know where he's coming from, Honda..." Honda's face reddened. It wasn't that he had forgotten, it was just Jounouchi was just as good at covering things. He was snapped back as Jounouchi continued, "I have you all to keep me strong, he's... he's lonely..."

"He has Mokuba! The kid idolizes him!"

"It's not the same..." Jounouchi raised his head, yet kept his eyes on the table, "He's lonely for... love." He let a huge sigh and stretched. The weight was gone, but then there was Honda's reaction to deal with.

"Love? Jounouchi, you said this had to do with...", Is Kaiba in love with..., "... me?!"

"I thought... well... Kaiba came to me! I didn't say anything about you giving up girls till he said something first!"

He's in love with me?, "Jounouchi, are you talking about when I said I give up on..."

"Y-yes..." he bowed, unable to look Honda in the eye, "Sorry, Honda..."

"It's alright." Honda calmly got up from his seat. His reaction was not what Jounouchi had expected; he was expecting to have his ass handed to him, literally this time, instead, Honda was smiling.

He started to leave, he had heard all he felt he needed to hear.

"Honda, Wait!" Jounouchi ran for him, just barely catching up with him before he sped off on his bike. "You're ok with this?! Or are you just yanking my chain?!"

"Why wouldn't I be ok with it..." he responded calmly.

"What?! Hon..."

"It's like we said; the more you think about it, he's not so bad..."

"Honda, this is Kaiba! Kaiba Seto! It's not like it's Yugi or me..."

"Don't go there, Jounouchi!"

"Ugh! Sorry... but, if you're ok with this, then you..."

"Yea, so? I said I give up on girls and I meant it! What else is there now but..."

"So you fell for Kaiba?! When?!"

"I don't really remember. I never said anything because like you've been saying, it's Kaiba."

"Honda, I...

"Hey, at least it's not you!" again with the jokes. Jounouchi flinched and just waved weakly at Honda as he took off and left.

"Honda? Honda! Wait! Honda! How am I going to get home?!"