Here is my story for Round 3 of the YGO Fanfiction Contest! The lovely pairing is Protectshipping- Hiroto Honda x Ryou Bakura- which I absolutely adore, but which decided to give me inordinate amounts of trouble. Seriously, this thing was freaking impossible to write! D:

In case you are confused by the structure of the piece, it is based on the idea that every group of friends gossips, but that there are sometimes underlying truths hidden among all the other dramas. I'm sure we've all had experience with innocent gossip- me and my friends do it all the time! So why should the Yuugi-tachi be any different?

Basically: normal writing is the gossip, italics is what happened between Ryou and Honda.

*really didn't explain any of that well* I hope you understand it! And I hope you like it more than I do...

Pairing(s): Protectshipping, Revolutionshipping and Bakura x Ishizu x Seto. (Don't even ask! XD)

Warnings: Just the occasional swear word.

Hope you like! :D

If there was a way to sum up that group, it would be that they were friends who stuck with each other when times were tough, and who spent the rest of their time gossiping.

Which is probably true of most friends, but there were just so many in that group (seemingly countless people that had been drawn to the original four and had somehow become stuck to them, whether they liked it or not) that there was bound to be more than usual to gossip about.

So it was perhaps strange to think that despite all of this, despite all of those wagging tongues and inquisitive stares, there was one relationship which managed to escape everyone's notice.

Well, not completely, but Ryou reasoned that being mentioned in passing a few times by close friends was better than having his entire relationship scrutinised and talked about for hours on end in a crowded bar.

They'd always been there, though. Somewhere in the web of rumours and secrets and drama that made up the lives of those friends was the gradual development of the relationship between one Hiroto Honda and Ryou Bakura.

Afterwards, when questioned about how they managed to keep it so quiet, Ryou always shrugged and said: "The signs were there. You lot just didn't see them."

To which no one could ever find a good enough counter-argument.

28th September 2003

"Can you believe it? It's crazy, but at the same time-"

"Wait a minute, Anzu- you're telling me that he's back?"

Anzu nodded happily, shifting her bag strap on her shoulder. She was stood on the paved walk way that ran through the park; she had been on her way home from a dance class, but had been distracted by the sight of an old friend and had been chatting with her in the afternoon sunshine for several minutes.

"Like I said, no one can explain it. Well, maybe Ishizu will when she comes back from Egypt- but to be honest we're just happy he's home."

Mai smirked. "Of course you're happy," she teased, causing Anzu's cheeks to flush a dusty pink. "You being so incredibly in love with- Ow!"

Anzu had whacked her friend on the arm reproachfully. "Stop teasing me! There's nothing between us- anyway, he only just got back three days ago!"

Mai rubbed her arm ruefully and was about to quiz Anzu further on the remarkable and sudden reappearance of Yuugi's other half, before a thought occurred to her and her cheerful expression immediately vanished.

"Anzu... when you say that Ya- Atemu's back, does that mean... I mean, what about-" she trailed off, biting her lip with uncharacteristic anxiety.

Anzu's smile disappeared as well to be replaced with a sombre frown. "Bakura's here too," she leaned in, her eyes flickering around the deserted park nervously. "And I don't know about Marik. We... We're not really sure what's going to happen about that, to be perfectly honest."

"What do you mean you don't know what's going to happen?" Mai hissed. "The guy's a maniac! A psychopath- he should be locked up!"

Her harsh words were a sharp contrast with their peaceful surroundings, and Anzu winced. "He hasn't done anything." (Mai interjected a snort and a 'yet') "And Ryou... Well, Ryou was a bit of a mess at first, but Honda took him aside and must have told him something to calm him down because he seems okay now; Bakura's staying at his house."

Anzu nodded to herself, and continued firmly: "And as long as Ryou can put up with it, so can we."

Mai sighed and folded her arms. "Just don't expect me to be nice and friendly to him," she muttered, defensively. "And I will be having serious words with Atemu if that bastard Marik Ishtar," she spat out the words as if they were poison, "Ever comes near me again."

Anzu laid a soothing hand on her friend's arm. "Don't worry; we're not even sure that he's returned at all."

Mai smiled weakly (Anzu knew that she still had nightmares after what had happened, what he had forced her to endure when she was trapped in her own mind) and tried to change the subject.

"I wonder how Honda got Ryou to change his mind," she said, thoughtfully. "Must have been pretty difficult."

Anzu shrugged and murmured something about Honda being a 'very good friend'.

x-x-x-x-x

"I can't, I'm not going to, and that's final," Ryou hissed at Honda as he was pulled away from the crowd of their friends who had gathered in the front of the Game Shop to welcome back the Pharaoh and to eye the Thief with a mixture of fear and hostility. "There is absolutely no way I can..."

His voice cracked and Honda was shocked to see tears gathering at the corner of the smaller boy's (tired, weary, scared) eyes. "Please, Honda," he whispered after a pause, covering his eyes with one hand as if to protect himself. "I can't have him near me."

Honda shifted on his feet uncomfortably. He didn't really know this strange and sad child who had become so inextricably tangled up in their lives. But he did know that guarded, wary expression that he had seen in Ryou's brown eyes- he'd seen it so many times before when he had questioned Jou about his situation at home. It was the 'Back off, I don't need to be looked after' look. And (Honda knew from experience only too well) that look could only mean that this boy was in desperate need of being looked after.

And Honda (being Honda) decided that he was the perfect person to undertake that task.

So he patted Ryou on the shoulder and whispered in his ear: "There's nowhere else he can go. Plus, Atemu said that he won't do anything, and I trust him. And if he ever does anything to hurt you again, just tell me or Jou. We'll sort him out in a flash." He thought this would be the right thing to do- offering his protection, surely, would make Ryou feel safer…

But Ryou stared at him with those huge eyes, and Honda felt a pang in the pit of his stomach as he recognised the message he saw there: 'You've betrayed me.'

"Fine," Ryou said, as calm and collected as he always was; the moment where he had allowed Honda in was over, and implication was clear- he would never do so again.

Honda stuffed his hands in his pockets and watched with a sigh as Ryou turned and walked over to the Thief, who was standing quietly to one side staring up at the sky as if he had never seen it before.

Honda couldn't help but wonder if he had made a serious mistake.

15th October 2003

"So that's that, I guess."

Otogi nodded, fiddling with his dice earring absentmindedly. "You think they'll stay in Japan?"

Jou shrugged. "Dunno. They might- they've bought a house and everything. Oh, and Rishid enrolled Malik in our school, I saw him in the office yesterday. And from what I hear Ishizu's got a job as Head Curator at the museum."

Otogi cast him an exasperated look. "So basically they're staying."

Jou glanced up from his maths homework which was spread over the desk, and grinned. "Guess so." He sucked on the tip of his pencil thoughtfully. "The Ishtars are here to stay."

Otogi shifted in his seat so that he could see out of the classroom window and leant his elbow against the window frame. "I didn't really have much to do with him in Battle City," he said. "So it shouldn't be too hard for me. But for you and Yuugi-" he gestured at Jou- "That's got to be difficult."

Jou tapped his pencil on the side of his desk. "He's changed, according to Yuugi. He even went to meet them at the airport."

Otogi raised an eyebrow. "By himself?"

"No- Ryou, Honda and Anzu went too. I was... busy," he ducked his head so that Otogi wouldn't see his face flush with embarrassment; he really didn't need Ryuuji Otogi, the biggest gossip in the school, to know that he had spent Saturday night at the local hospital while his father had his stomach pumped after passing out drunk in the supermarket. "And… Bakura," he finished, with difficulty.

Otogi fidgeted, uncomfortably. "Lots of change. Hard to deal with, huh?"

Jou snorted. "I'll tell you what's hard to deal with- this homework! You're supposed to be helping me!"

"And?" the other boy drawled.

"So help me!" Jou returned to his maths, while Otogi smirked.

x-x-x-x-x

"Malik! Malik, over here!" Yuugi bounced up and down on the stop, trying to make sure his waving hand could be seen above the crowd outside the Domino Airport lobby.

Malik spotted them and smiled, tugging his suitcase over to the small group. He grinned upon seeing Yuugi, Honda and Anzu, shot Ryou a nervous smile and came to a complete stop when he saw Bakura. They eyed each other suspiciously for a few seconds (while Ryou fought the instinct to step between them and prevent the scrap he was sure was coming) before breaking into grudging smiles and greeting each other with a sort of hesitant friendliness (Ryou breathed a sigh of relief- he had a nasty feeling that starting a Shadow Game in an airport may have caused an international incident).

Seconds later Ishizu and Rishid came up behind Malik, greeting the group with tired smiles.

After the initial 'How was the flight?' and 'It's been so long' type pleasantries had been exchanged, Yuugi mentioned timidly that as Atemu and Bakura (he gestured unnecessarily at the man behind him, causing Rishid to narrow his eyes warily and move closer to Ishizu) had returned, was Marik back too?

There was an uncomfortable silence, during which Ryou moved closer to Malik and pressed a comforting hand to the boy's arm (because he knew better than anyone exactly how Malik hated having to answer that question).

"Yes," Ishizu said finally, and both Bakura and Honda jumped and stared around them as if expecting Yami Marik to just appear out of someone's suitcase.

"But we don't know where he is," Malik interrupted quickly, and seeing their puzzled expressions continued on: "He appeared in the night outside our house, but before we could get him inside he ran off. We've warned the authorities about him, but he's just… vanished." Malik's frown darkened.

Ishizu saw this, and turned to the others and quickly changed the subject, "Would you lot mind helping us to the taxi with our things?" Yuugi and Anzu moved to help Ishizu and Rishid, while both Honda and Bakura lingered, both subconsciously attaching themselves to Ryou.

Ryou bent down to help Malik. "Let me get that," he said, gently.

Malik stared at him and suddenly muttered in a low voice, "Bakura, I never got the opportunity to apologise-"

Ryou waved him off with a sad smile. "Don't say things you don't mean. Why should you be sorry for what happened to me? And besides," he glanced backwards at Bakura. "I'm just Ryou, now. The name Bakura belongs to someone else."

Malik nodded slowly. "I really am, though. Sorry."

Ryou smiled, and for a moment there was life in his eyes. "Thank you. Friends?"

"Friends?" They shook hands awkwardly, balancing the suitcases in their other arm.

Honda watched the exchange with a grin, feeling strangely happy that Ryou seemed to be slowly moving on. Ryou glanced up, met his gaze and smiled tentatively and Honda's heart suddenly felt inexplicably light.

1st January 2004

"It was a pretty awesome party, I must admit," Shizuka heard Anzu say blearily down the phone. "But we all stayed up far too late to bring in the New Year, and… let's just say none of us are in the best shape."

Shizuka chuckled and slumped down into an armchair. "I can imagine. I was so annoyed that I couldn't come- Mum wanted me over here."

"Yes, you would have really liked it. There were loads of us all crammed into Yuugi's; me, Jou, Honda, Ryou, Malik, Otogi, Mai… Not to mention Bakura, Mokuba- even Kaiba turned up briefly!"

Shizuka snorted in disbelief. "I am impressed! Sounds like you had a great time- send me some photos!"

The phone line crackled as Anzu giggled. "I'll warn you now- in some of them a couple of us are a bit drunk."

"At your age? Tut tut, Anzu!" Shizuka said in mock-outrage. "Now I really want to see them."

"Okay, okay. I'll send them through. There are actually a couple of good ones; Malik hates cameras -you wouldn't think it, not with looks like those!- so Otogi chased him round with a camera all night and managed to get some really funny photos, then there's a hilarious one of Jou dancing with me, and a really adorable one of Ryou and Honda watching the fireworks. You have to come over soon, though- I haven't seen you in ages!"

x-x-x

Ryou slumped down on the grass, listening in amusement to the laughs and shouts of his friends behind him.

After only a few minutes there was a tap on his shoulder; Ryou twisted around to see Honda standing behind him looking uncharacteristically sheepish. "Can I sit here?"

"Of course!" Ryou patted the grass beside him, and Honda settled down. "We should have good seats for when the fireworks start," he said conversationally.

Honda nodded, and took a gulp from the bottle he had clutched in his hand. "Definitely."

There was a slightly awkward pause as the pair gazed up at the inky sky side by side.

"Ba- Ryou, sorry," Honda said, suddenly. Ryou tilted his head to one side, questioningly. "Are you alright?"

Ryou's face immediately fell into the suspicious, wary expression that Honda knew (hated) so well. "Yes. I'm fine," he replied, stiffly. "Why?"

Honda bit back a sigh of annoyance and turned his head away. "Just checking. You don't need to be so defensive all the time, you know," he muttered. "I'm your friend."

There was a pause, and when Honda looked back Ryou was staring at him with a completely unreadable expression.

After a long moment Ryou's mouth curved into a small smile. "Sorry. It's a habit."

"That's okay," came the gruff reply. "As long as you're happy… I'm not worried."

Ryou's smile grew and he glanced back to where Bakura stood with Otogi (presumably plotting where next to sneak up on Malik- Bakura had gleefully discovered the camera, and it was clearly his latest favourite 'modern day invention').

"I'm telling the truth, though. I really am fine." He tentatively reached out and squeezed Honda's hand on the ground next to him. "Thank you, Honda," he said simply, before drawing his fingers away.

His eyes almost glowed in the darkness and as his pale face was lit up by the dazzling lights of the fireworks, Honda thought he had imagined the sudden spark that he'd felt when Ryou had touched him.

17th February 2004

-Ring, ring-

-Click-

"Hello? Shizuka Kawai speaking."

"Shizuka, it's Anzu."

"Anzu, hi! I didn't recognise your voice- do you have a cold or something, you sound like you've been crying…"

"Shizuka, you need to come to Domino right away."

"What? Why?"

"T-there's been an- an accident… Jou… Jou was… Your father, he… Oh Shizuka, I'm so sorry!"

"Anzu? What's going on? Oh god, Jou's not hurt is he? He's alright, isn't he?"

"Shizuka, please just get here as fast as you can. Jou's in the hospital… I don't know, I don't know what's going to h-happen… Honda's there with him now, and Ryou I think- just please get here soon…"

"…"

"Shizuka?"

"…"

"Shizuka?"

"… Tell him I'll be there as soon as I can. And don't let the big idiot give up before I get there!"

"Wai-"

-Click-

-Bzzzzzz-

x-x-x-x-x

The hospital was very white.

Honda felt almost blinded as he slumped on the plastic seat in the waiting room, surrounded by plain white walls, shiny white floors, grim faced doctors in white coats.

He closed his eye, feeling faintly sick, but the whiteness seemed to be on the inside of his eyelids and he could still hear the squeak of shoes against the polished floors- could still hear the faint moans of pain from different areas of the hospital, could still imagine Jou's bloodied battered face…

No! He jerked his head involuntarily to get rid of the image. Jou would be fine… He had to be okay. He'd gotten through worse than this before, he would get through this as well.

Honda screwed up his face and buried his head in his hands, desperately trying to think of something else anything else that would take his mind away from the horrific, unimaginable thought of life without his best friend…

"Honda?"On hearing the timid voice Honda opened his eyes slowly, almost afraid to return to reality. Ryou stood in front of him with a worried expression (but no tears, thank god he wasn't crying, Honda didn't think he could stand that…) "I- I heard about Jou. I thought you could use some company."

Honda nodded mutely, not trusting his voice to answer.

Ryou sat down on the seat next to Honda's, looking up and down the seemingly endless hospital hallway. "What happened?" he asked, after a long pause. "Yuugi wasn't very clear on the phone."

Honda didn't answer for what felt like a long time. Eventually he managed to force out the words in a cracked, hoarse tone: "It was his father. They ended up in a huge fight, bigger than the ones they used to have, and the bastard was roaring drunk of course," he was speaking faster and faster, hating the words he was saying, spitting them out as if they were poison. "He started throwing things, hitting and kicking- Jou put up a fight, like he always does, he didn't want to hurt his dad but he had to get away until the man had sobered up…" he took a long, shuddering breath. "But this time he didn't get away in time," he noticed distantly that his voice had dropped to a whisper, and that his hands were so tightly clenched that he could see the half-moon marks from where his nails were digging into his palms. "I don't know what happened exactly. There was so much glass and blood and- and-"

He felt Ryou's comforting hand on his arm and his breathing steadied. "Jou had some of my notes for a class; I was going round to his house to get them back." (Honda wouldn't allow himself to think of what would have happened if he hadn't gone round that night.) "I opened the door and there he was. Just lying there in the darkness, covered in blood and bruises and glass-"

His voice broke off and he closed his eyes once more, remembering how Jou had cracked open one eyelid long enough to attempt a grin and a faint: "Give us a hand? Dad may have had a bit too much," before passing out.

Ryou rubbed his back soothingly. "It wasn't your fault, Honda," he said softly. "You couldn't have possibly known this would happen."

Honda let out a strangled moan and muttered, "But I did know. He would come and stay at my house so many times with bruises and black eyes and no explanations, and I wouldn't ask because I knew he wouldn't tell me…"

"You were a good friend," Ryou insisted, firmly. "You took care of him and respected his privacy. If you'd interfered he would have hated you for it."

Honda looked up and met Ryou's gaze for the first time that night and Ryou felt a stab of pain when he saw Honda's bleary, bloodshot eyes. "But he wouldn't be here now, would he?" Honda said, hoarsely. "It wouldn't matter if he hated me because he'd still be safe and well." Then he felt that his cheeks were wet and realised with a shock that he was crying.

Ryou didn't (couldn't) say anything and just wrapped his arms around the other boy in a tight hug as he closed his eyes.

Honda buried his face in Ryou's white (safe white, good white, not hospital-white) hair and sobbed.

21st March 2004

"Yami?" Yuugi sat fidgeting with one of his bangles on the bed. It was early morning and both boys were preparing for another day; one for a day at school, the other for a day working.

"Mhmm?" Atemu grunted, sleepily applying kohl to his eyelids in the corner (they'd all tried to explain to him that boys in the modern day just didn't wear make up, but this had been one Egyptian habit that he had refused point blank to give up. Besides, he argued, girls thought it was cute- look at the reaction Malik got! And Yuugi just couldn't argue with that).

"Do you think he's telling the truth?"

Atemu glanced up as he twisted the lid back on the kohl stick. "Who?"

Yuugi stared determinedly down at the chunky bangle he held in his hands, refusing to meet Atemu's eye. "You know. Marik," he whispered, clearly trying to act casual.

Atemu sighed. "Yuugi… We have to trust him. You know that- if Malik is willing to give him another chance then we should too." He peered at himself in the mirror. "Anyway, he's managed almost six months without destroying anything and we didn't even know where he was. I think Ryou's right- he's changed."

Yuugi nodded uncertainly. "Yeah, I guess you're right." Clearly reassured, he slipped off the bed and went into the adjacent bathroom to clean his teeth.

"I was surprised when Ryou stood up for him though," he called through the door. "I mean, I would have thought Ryou would be totally against the idea of having two former-psychopaths running around, especially ones that can hardly been in the same room together without ripping each others' throats out!"

Atemu snorted; that was an accurate description of the pair's feelings. "I think Honda persuaded him. After all, Honda managed to get him to give Bakura another chance and look how that turned out. They're as thick as thieves!" he chuckled to himself, and Yuugi reappeared in the doorway with a toothbrush in his hand.

"I understand his argument," Yuugi, ignoring the terrible pun his other half had just made. "That if Marik is a reflection of Malik's mental state, then he should be a lot calmer now that Malik's normal again."

He laughed at Atemu's sceptical expression and added: "Well, relatively normal!"

Atemu shrugged and replied, "I'm just glad we know where he is. At least we don't have to worry anymore about him running amok on the other side of the world!"

x-x-x-x

Ryou had received the phone call when he was having an afternoon study session with Honda and Jou- who had only just gone back to school after being in hospital for several weeks. Thankfully, Jou hadn't sustained any permanent injuries; a couple of broken bones, flesh wounds and a punctured lung (caused by a broken rib) which had been the doctor's main concern. Luckily, Honda's speed at getting him to hospital had meant that the surgery occurred before too late, and now Jou was up and walking- looking tired and very pale, but also very much alive.

Which was something that Ryou was grateful for every day. If Jou had died... No, it wasn't worth thinking about.

The phone conversation had been very brief, mainly consisting of Malik's panicked voice- 'He's back- come now' – drifting out of the speaker, causing Jou, Honda and Bakura to stiffen and jump into a standing position as if electrocuted.

"Who's back?" Ryou said blankly, staring at the phone. "Malik? Malik, are you there?" He threw the phone on the sofa with a bewildered expression. "He hung up on me!"

Honda threw him an anxious look. "Which must mean something bad has happened."

Ryou's face suddenly went ashen. "You don't think he meant-" he trailed off.

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out," Bakura said, already half way out the door.

xxxxxx

Yami Marik didn't look like himself.

That was all Honda could really think as he paused in the doorway taking in the scene before him. Malik and Marik were standing in the centre of the room completely silent, staring at each other as if they were frozen in time. Honda was wondering Malik's bravery before spotting the slight shake in his shoulders that betrayed how terrified he actually was. There were several other people scattered around the room- Ishizu and Rishid standing tensely in the corner, clearly poised for a fight, as well as Anzu, Yuugi and Atemu who had been phoned by Malik in his panic upon seeing his old 'yami' standing quietly at the door.

But it wasn't any of them that had drawn Honda's gaze; it was Marik. Honda remembered him (only too vividly) as a manic psychopath, strong and loud, with seemingly every word punctuated with a cackle.

Marik had been evil.

The man standing before him didn't look evil.

If Honda had to put his finger on it, he'd say that Marik just looked very, very tired. Massive dark circles ringed his eyes, which had lost their bloodshot quality. His face was much thinner than Malik's and his bronze skin had a sickly tinge. Dressed in a simple T-shirt and trousers, and without the billowing purple cloak he had favoured, he seemed bizarrely small.

Most importantly, that gleam of intelligence and wickedness that had always shone in his eyes was gone. He just looked extremely tired, extremely weak and extremely confused.

'How was I ever scared of him?' Honda couldn't help but think. He almost felt sorry for the man- every single person in the room was glaring at him with vicious loathing, and he wouldn't even meet their gaze.

It was Bakura, of course, who broke the spell.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he stormed into the room, making for Marik as if to hit him. Ryou immediately took a hold of his arm and pulled him back, whispering soothing words in his ear (which didn't have much effect, Honda thought wryly).

"Bakura," Atemu warned, holding up a hand. "I know this is a stretch for you, but please don't do anything stupid."

Bakura stared wild eyed at him. "How can you say that? After what he did-" he broke off pointing an accusatory finger at Marik, who merely stared back without retaliation. Bakura had never dealt well with losing to Marik in Battle City, and had been dying for revenge ever since the man had locked him and Ryou away in the shadows.

"What he did is no worse than what you did," Atemu returned, sharply. "And I intend to give him the chance to explain himself, just as I did you."

Bakura looked like he was very much tempted to argue the point further, but was reduced to muttering words that sounded suspiciously like 'arrogant prat' under his breath, and attempting to bore a hole in Marik's head with the ferocity of his glare.

Honda didn't really take in much of the talk that followed. It seemed to involve a lot of Atemu and Yuugi questioning Marik (where have you been? What have you done? Have you killed anyone?) to which Marik replied with uncharacteristic civility (Travelling. A lot of thinking. No.) in a quiet, almost sheepish, tone. Eventually it got to the point where it was clear to even Bakura that something fundamental had changed in the man's psyche. And still Malik had not said a word.

"Why are you so… so…" Yuugi eventually burst out in frustration.

"Different?" Marik put in, and the corner of his mouth twitched into a bitter smile, an echo of the wide slash across his face that it used to be. "I don't know. I don't know anything. I don't know who I am anymore."

"I'm glad you finally know how that feels," Malik croaked, and Honda noticed that he had fisted his hands up to stop them shaking.

Marik didn't say anything, just bowed his head.

"Why did you come back?" Malik said, and it vaguely occurred to Honda that the boy may be holding back tears.

Marik paused for a second, before saying slowly: "I needed to end this. I needed to tell you that if you want me gone then that's fine, you'll never see me again." His voice dropped to a whisper and he gazed fiercely into Malik's eyes. "But I needed to know if you want me to stay."

Malik tilted his head, a mocking grimace forming on his face. "Why would I want that?"

"Because I'll die if you don't."

The room went oddly silent. It didn't feel like anyone was breathing.

Marik sighed. "You created me, Malik Ishtar. However much you hate that fact, it's true. And I physically can't survive without you nearby. You're my life source- or something like that, I don't really understand it. I've tried to stay away, believe me I've tried. But you can see for yourself," he gestured ruefully at his skinny frame. "I won't be able to last much longer. So if you want me to go then that's it." He finished with a hint of defiance, and for a moment Honda could remember how he used to be, and he shuddered at the memory.

"Why… why would you be willing to die to give me peace of mind?" Malik asked slowly.

Honda never heard the answer to that question, because at that moment Ryou stood and made insistent gestures to everyone else in the room to 'get out'. He managed to force them all reluctantly out of the room into the hall and responded to their protests with: "This is none of our business. Besides, Marik's clearly in no shape to hurt a fly let alone Malik- he doesn't need us as bodyguards. And for what it's worth," he turned, eyes blazing to Atemu. "You should give him a second chance. He's changed."

"And how do you know that?" Atemu replied, still watching the door suspiciously.

Ryou shrugged. "I just do."

xxxxxx

Honda caught up with Ryou as he was walking down the street, wind whipping at his face and the clouds overhead looking ominously grey. "Ryou, wait!"

Ryou turned to look at him quizzically. "Honda?"

Honda stopped panting. "I just wanted to tell you that… that what you did in there was really brave."

Ryou eyed him. "Thank you," he said at last. "I just remembered a certain someone making me give my yami a second chance, and suddenly it seemed the right thing to do."

Honda smiled and placed an awkward hand on the other boy's shoulder. "You're a good person, Ryou."

Ryou replied simply, "You're a better one."

Honda's heart swelled and hesitantly he put his arms around Ryou, before kissing him in the middle of the street.

It was short and sweet and right, and Honda suddenly felt like laughing with happiness when he saw the smile slowly spread across Ryou's face.

12th April 2004

"Did you hear?" Yuugi leant in over Jou's desk with an uncharacteristically gleeful expression.

"Hear what?" Jou asked, not really paying attention to Yuugi as he bent over his homework.

Yuugi paused for dramatic effect. "Atemu and Anzu are dating."

Jou's mouth dropped open, and he shoved his homework aside in favour of this new juicy piece of gossip. "No! Really?"

Yuugi nodded happily, drawing up a chair to Jou's desk. "Uh-huh. I saw them outside the Game Shop last night- it was really late, and I was curious. So I looked out of the window and I saw them," Yuugi's voice dropped even lower and his eyes gleamed. "Kissing!"

Jou raised an eyebrow. "Yuugi, that's not exactly the most scandalous thing any of us have ever done," he pointed out.

Yuugi pouted slightly. "But it's interesting though!"

"Yeah… I can't believe that they're actually going out!" Jou returned, before shooting Yuugi a slightly concerned glance. "Are you okay? You used to like Anzu."

Yuugi blushed, but waved him off. "I'm fine. That was a long time ago- I'm just really excited for them!" He paused, and a small frown crossed his face. "I just don't understand why they didn't tell me."

"Are you kidding? That's the best part!" Yuugi looked confused, and Jou's grin grew wider. "You do realise that we have the power to make their lives very, very awkward until they finally confess?"

x-x-x-x

Ryou sipped at his drink and smiled as Honda studied him across the table. They had come to a fairly low key restaurant; they didn't want to make this new relationship anything more than it was- simple and relaxed. With friends like theirs they knew only too well how every new couple was exposed to some serious scrutiny.

Although they had been together for a couple of weeks now, this was their first official date. And although they had both been seriously worried (would everything be different now that they'd officially labelled their relationship? ) everything appeared to be going smoothly.

Until Honda glanced across the room and nearly choked on his food.

"What is it?" Ryou asked, alarmed.

Honda, still coughing, gestured to the doorway of the restaurant. Ryou turned in his seat and his eyes widened; standing there chatting to the waiter were Anzu and Atemu. Ryou noted in bewilderment that they were holding hands, but all thoughts were driven out of his mind as the pair started to turn in the direction of him and Honda.

Without thinking he immediately ducked underneath the table, tugging the tablecloth down far enough so that it hid him completely.

"What are you doing?" Honda hissed.

"Hiding from them!" Ryou answered, and pulled Honda out of his seat so that they were both cramped underneath the table.

They sat on the floor in the half-light that filtered through the table cloth, listening breathlessly at the faint voices of Anzu and Atemu drifted further away to the other side of the restaurant.

When they couldn't hear them anymore, Honda and Ryou both let out a simultaneous sigh of relief.

"That would have been seriously awkward," Ryou admitted, turning to Honda with a smile in his eyes. "Sorry for just grabbing you like that."

"That's okay. It is a bit strange though," Honda's mouth started to twitch. "We are under a table."

"Yes," Ryou replied, straight faced. "It seems that we are."

Honda suddenly burst out laughing, which set Ryou off until they were both giggling like children underneath the table, shushing each other furiously so that they wouldn't be overheard.

"I've got to say," Honda remarked, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes, "That this is the most bizarre first date I've ever been on."

Ryou smiled, eyes sparkling. "Glad to know that I made an impression."

Honda paused, and brushed a stray hair away from Ryou's face. "It's really good to hear you laugh like that," he said, quietly.

Ryou just looked at him, catching his hand before it moved away and holding it to his cheek. "You make me very happy."

Honda smiled, and moved in even closer (impressive, considering the cramped conditions), sliding his arm around Ryou's shoulder and gently pressing their lips together.

It was ten minutes later that a bemused waiter lifted up the edge of the tablecloth to find two teenage boys with their arms wrapped around each other, kissing so passionately that they didn't even notice the disturbance.

The waiter decided that he would come back later.

30th May 2004

"Okay, you are never going to believe what I am about to tell you." Anzu stormed into the bar, literally throwing her bag onto Atemu's knee and sliding into the booth where her friends were sitting.

"Nice to see you too," Atemu muttered, shifting her bag onto the floor.

"Oh, sorry," Anzu gave him a quick kiss and turned straight back to the small group, eyes gleaming. "I was just speaking to Ishizu and you are never going to guess what has happened!"

"Malik's finally decided to get a sex change?" Jou guessed, and responded to the exasperated looks of his friends with an indignant, "What?"

Anzu rolled her eyes. "Oh, do be serious for once. No, this has something to do with Kaiba."

"Oh- has that bastard boyfriend of hers released a new Duel Disk system or something?"

"No," Anzu breathed out. "But they've certainly made their relationship more interesting."

Yuugi looked at her blankly. "What, he's proposed or something? Aren't they a bit young?"

Anzu shook her head, clearly enjoying her friends' confusion. "Nope. Guess again."

"They've moved in together?" Atemu asked, and Anzu shook her head.

"Um… he bought her a car?" Jou put in. "'Cos I really wouldn't put that kind of thing past moneybags…"

"No," Anzu grinned. "You're never going to get it. I'll give you a clue. It's got something to do with Bakura."

On seeing everyone's blank looks Anzu gave in. She paused for a second longer, leaning in, and then whispered dramatically, "They're dating."

Her friends looked at each other, completely confused. "What?"

"I'm not joking, the three of them actually are!" Anzu laughed, gleefully. "I don't exactly know how it started, but Ishizu says they're going to give it a go- she sounded really happy on the phone, I actually think she likes them both!"

Jou whistled. "Wow. That's got to be the weirdest thing I've heard in… Well, a long time!"

Atemu shrugged. "Polygamous relationships aren't that uncommon. They were a lot less frowned upon back in Egypt, anyway."

Jou rolled his eyes. "I swear you're always saying that," he complained. "Is there anything that was frowned on in Egypt? Anyway, that's not what I meant. I meant a relationship involving both Bakura and Kaiba? As well as Ishizu Ishtar? I mean, that's got to be a train wreck waiting to happen!"

x-x-x-x-x

"How long have you been sleeping with the midget's friend?"

Ryou looked up in surprise from his book to see Bakura leaning against the doorframe, staring at him with an unreadable expression. "S-Sorry?"

"How long have you been sleeping with whatshisface, the one with pointy hair?" Bakura asked again, impatiently.

"Honda," Ryou corrected automatically, before blushing scarlet. "Why do you think I'm sleeping with him?"

Bakura rolled his eyes. "You're very easy to read," he replied, sarcastically. "You've been extremely happy recently, and you have this dreamy expression in your eyes. I've only ever seen that look in two different situations; basically, you're either in love or you're high."

Ryou threw a cushion at him.

"I'll assume that means you're in love."

Ryou sighed. "Fine. Just don't tell everyone- if they figure it out, fine, but I'm not going to flaunt this all over the place."

Bakura toyed with the edge of his fraying sweater. "With friends like yours I'm not surprised!"

Ryou snorted and put his book down, pulling his knees up to his chest. "While we're on the subject, how's your love life going?" he asked in a teasing voice.

Bakura shot him an incredulous look as he slumped down on the end of the sofa. "Don't say stupid things."

"I'm serious," Ryou laughed. "Come on, Bakura- as much as you may hate to admit this you are human. I'm sure you must like someone!"

Bakura was silent for what felt like a very long time, refusing to meet Ryou's eyes. "I don't… like someone," he said, with difficulty.

Ryou's face grew serious as he realised that Bakura wasn't actually joking for once. "Are you sure?" he asked, softly.

"Yes," Bakura looked up, eyes blazing. "Ryou- there are two people. I think… I think I like two different people."

Ryou had to fight to keep his mouth from dropping open. "T-two?" he forced out, not really believing what he had heard. "Bakura- no offence but it's hard to imagine you liking one person, let alone two!"

Bakura scowled. "I know. I hate having these pointless human emotions again!"

Ryou rubbed his arm, soothingly. "Well… who are they?"

Bakura folded his arms and muttered, "Seto and Ishizu."

"Oh."

"Don't laugh at me!"

Ryou covered his mouth with his hand. "I'm not laughing, Bakura, but you've got to admit- it's pretty funny!"

Bakura groaned and buried his head in the sofa cushion. "I never should have told you!"

Ryou poked him in the shoulder. "No- you're right. You should be telling that to Seto and Ishizu."

"That's the worst part," came the muffled voice.

"What?" Ryou asked, suspiciously,

Bakura peeked one eye over the top of the cushion. "I already did."

Ryou nearly fell off the sofa. "You did what?"

"I didn't mean to! I was with Malik and we got really drunk, and then he randomly mentioned that his sister was on a date with Seto so I thought it would be a good idea to ring them up and tell them while they were both in the same place…"

Ryou stared at him and Bakura let out a strangled moan. "It seemed like a good idea at the time!"

Ryou placed a calm hand on Bakura's shoulder. "Okay… Don't worry, we can fix this. This is isn't the first stupid thing someone's done while drunk and it most certainly won't be the last! At least you told them," he attempted to sound optimistic. "That's something, at least."

Bakura lifted his head from the cushion and glared. "I shouted down the phone that I wanted to fuck them in the back of Seto's Blue Eyes jet!"

Ryou winced. "Okay, so you didn't tell them in the most ideal way… Do you really want that?"

Bakura had returned to his attempt to smother himself in Ryou's cushion. "That is completely beside the point!"

Ryou opened his mouth to suggest something (he wasn't quite sure what) when the phone began to ring.

"Hello? Ryou speaking," he said into the speaker. "Yes? Oh… Ishizu… What a surprise-" He shot Bakura an alarmed look. "Er… Yes, he's here- I don't know… Oh, alright-" Bakura looked up and shook his head vehemently, gesturing to Ryou to put down the phone. "No, of course not… Here he is!"

Ryou handed over the phone, shrugging helplessly under Bakura's ferocious glare.

"Ishizu?" Bakura forced out, grabbing the phone from Ryou. "Yes?... Well, you should know that it was a complete mistake, and I- what?... Yes…"

Bakura stood up and walked swiftly out of the room and Ryou was left sitting on the sofa feeling rather bewildered.

A couple of minutes later there was a knock at the door. Opening it, Ryou was greeted with the sight of Honda holding what looked like a box of takeaway sushi. "Dinner?" he grinned, leaning in to kiss Ryou.

"You're a lifesaver," Ryou grabbed the food and led Honda into the kitchen. As he began to set out the plate he remarked, "Oh, just a warning; I think all of our friends are going to have some new gossip concerning Bakura very soon."

Honda raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Mhmm," Ryou smirked. "But I'm saying nothing."

"I'm sure I'll hear it through the grapevine soon enough," Honda laughed, catching Ryou around the waist as he passed and pulling him onto his lap.

"I'm sure you will," Ryou replied, and kissed him soundly on the mouth.

9th July 2004

"I don't believe it."

"We would have noticed."

"How did they manage to keep it so quiet?"

"I'm telling you, I know what I saw-"

"Hey, you lot." Jou was interrupted by Ryou who had walked up behind the group standing around the Game Shop counter. "What are you talking about?"

Yuugi stared at Ryou for a few seconds before asking, timidly, "Ryou... We were just wondering-"

"Wondering what?" Honda asked, appearing in the doorway to the shop.

"Well..." Yuugi stammered, before Anzu took over. "Is it true?" she demanded. "That you two are together?"

x-x-x-x

The weather was warm but there was a cool breeze in the air, a relief from the sticky humidity of the previous weeks. Ryou and Honda sat on a bench by the side of the street in the early evening, watching the first stars wink into life in the rosy sky.

"It's a really beautiful evening," Ryou whispered.

Honda smiled down at him, and slipped an arm around the boy's shoulders. "It's not the only beautiful thing around here."

Ryou chuckled, eyes dancing. "That was such a cheesy line."

"Yeah, but you love me anyway," Honda joked.

Ryou's breath caught in his throat and Honda's smile disappeared as he realised what he had just said: "Not that I mean love love, just joking love-"

Ryou placed a finger on his lips to stop him babbling. "I do. I love you," he whispered, tentatively.

Honda gazed at him and decided that life really couldn't get better than this. "I love you too."

They kissed slowly and sweetly. When they pulled away, Honda opened his eyes to see a completely shocked Jou standing on the other side of the street.

"Oops," he muttered to Ryou. "I think our secret's out."

Ryou laughed and said, "So what?" before pulling him down for another kiss.

x-x-x-x-x

Ryou and Honda looked at each other and shared a secret smile.

"What, you didn't know?" Ryou asked innocently, taking Honda's hand.

"We just assumed you did," Honda said, equally artlessly. "Sorry about that."

And the pair walked out of the shop, stifling laughter at the flabbergasted expressions of their friends.

Their relationship may not have been loud or dramatic.

But it was there, if you knew where to look.

Because, as Honda always joked, friends mean well- but they can be awful gossips.

I know, I know... But I literally don't have any more time to finish this. I'd revise it completely if I had the time, but oh well! :/

One quick note: The whole Yami Marik scene was a bit of an experiment, and I've never really written his character that way before. I don't know... I actually quite liked that, experimenting with characterisation is fun! ;D

Thanks for reading! :)

Bookworm