Wings of Time

The Questionable Depth of Agency

            Water rippled past the bus window, warping the world outside to blotches of color and varying shades of grey. The heated interior of the bus was a blessed relief, even if it was crowded as always. Joey and Yugi had been lucky to get a seat period, let alone one in the back. They had also been lucky to get a bus right when it started to rain.

Yami floated in a small space next to the wall above him, trying to put himself in view of Yugi so he could see his concerned expression, because it was the best he could do with no corporeal body of his own.

"Please, talk to me." he was saying. "Let me in. This is unlike you, abiou."

But Yugi was all too happy to enjoy the poisonous thoughts within him alone, mostly because the logical, optimistic half of him was getting more and more exasperated by the minute by it. He was ashamed of himself. He would let Yami in when he had his dignity again.

"So, Yug,"

"Yeah?"

"I've noticed Tea's cheered up. Did you ever hear what was wrong?"

Yugi felt his teeth go on edge. Any normal guy wouldn't be so attentive to someone's changed mood. But Joey had always been hyper aware of what others were doing about him. It was part of the reason he got so quickly attracted to making Yugi 'a man' during their freshman year before they had ever thought of being friends.

He debated his answer. Joey was his best friend. At the same time, he had the mouth the size of Niagara Falls when it came to keeping secrets. Yugi bit his lip.

"Well...it's because she liked this guy, you see."

"Why would liking a guy turn her into a freaking beast, though? I know women will always be a mystery to me, but I thought girls got all blushy and giggly when they liked guys, not tearing people's heads off."

"I think it's because the situation was rather complicated. If it was just a normal guy—"

"Woa, wait. I know where this is going. She fell in love with some old geezer, didn't she?"

"Gak! Why do you always have to suppose the worst!" Though there was some truth to that statement. Yami had to be at least four thousand years old.

The said old man watched Joey and Yugi from next to the window latch, his expression hard and arms folded.

Joey smirked and rubbed his nails on his jacket. "It's because people don't suppose the worst that the worst happens. Now, cough it up."

"What?"

"You know what. The juicyness. Who was Tea hang'n after?"

"No way! I was suppose to keep that a secret!"

"Said who?" muttered Yami. Yugi pretended not to hear the spirit.

"All the more reason to tell me! Come on, man, we're best buddies, aren't we?"

"Yes?"

"And best buddies tell each other everything, don't they?"

"That's true with girls and their friends, maybe."

"Are you calling me a girl?" there was both a hint of amusement and indignation in Joey's eye.

"No. I just don't want to tell you what I've sworn to keep secret. I shouldn't have said anything."