Title: You Need To Take Care of Yourself
Category: Digimon
Rating: T
Pairing: Ami/Arata
Summary: AU where the gang are agents of Alphamon and Kyoko at Kuremi Detective Agency. Ami comes back from a recon mission that went wrong. She goes to heal her Digimon partner, Palmon, and ignores her own wounds. Arata is not at all happy about this when he sees it.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Digimon franchise.
~~Story Begins~~
"Hello new agents," a young twenty-seven year old woman greeted a bunch of barely seventeen and eighteen year recruits. There were some in the crowd that seemed younger but they were outnumbered."I'm going to be honest with you. 90% of you WILL NOT make it through training, but the training will help you find a new job and might even allow you to discover your true potential and dreams. I will be your guide and for those who survive the first two months, then I will be your drill sergeant. Name is Makiko Date, codename is Detective. Now follow me, take notes because I will NOT repeat myself and don't dawdle!"
Date led the group through the agency that looked like a shopping district, explaining the different restaurants, arcade, and the bookstore as a way for them to relax in their free time. Every place in the shopping district has a dual purpose but only the bookstore's dual purpose would be known as the infirmary. All the other shops is top secret until they pass the six months of .
Date shook her head as most of the female recruits started talking amongst themselves as they passed the CD Store which had posters of Jimiken on the windows while also playing one of his latest hits within the store's radio. Those recruits have failed the brainwashing test.
"The bookstore also functions as an infirmary," Date explained. "This is where you will be sent for your illness and injury. Moving on!"
Date stopped in front of a coffee cafe allowing everyone to take in the smell of slowly roasted coffee beans with small hints of clover, vanilla, and nutmeg.
"Ms. Date," one of the new members called out to their tour guide. "Why are we stopped here?"
"This is the K-Cafe, where you will find the best coffee ever brewed and the place where we will assign missions," Date said opening the door. "Some missions will be available until someone claims it, but none of you will be able to accept those missions until you graduate and receive your partners."
"Hello everyone!" a loud voice greeted with a cheerful tone that wasn't common in a quiet cafe but it matched the cheerful face. A girl that looked younger than most of the new members with pink pigtails and shining bright blue eyes.
"Everyone, I'm sure you recognize the voice but this is Nokia Shiramine, our best recruiter."
"I'm so happy to see everyone here!" Nokia said excitedly. "I hope everyone makes it to graduation, but if not it's okay! You will still make a difference! Oh, I almost forgot, my code name is Wild One!"
"Don't let her positive pep talk fool you, she's also one of our best agent out in the field," Date said. "Now go ahead and order a cup of coffee because it is also break time."
"I saw a CD shop here," one of the girls said to another recruit. "They had posters of Jimi Ken, do you think they sell his latest album?"
"...I see," a male voice said, almost like he was whispering a judgement against them. The two girls looked over at him and saw that he was someone with power or someone who radiated power from the way he presented himself. Jet black hair framed his face, warm grey eyes looked at the girl. "That's a shame."
"Excuse me?" the girl who was curious about the latest Jimi Ken album said.
The man placed his hand on his hip, a frown on his face. "Sorry, I wasn't talking to you. Ah, recruits I see. Yuugo Kamishiro but my code name is Ghost." He turned his head and the girls could see a white device was in his ear, blinking black. "Sorry Ghost Girl, forgot today was introductions."
Yuugo walked over to the wall where the side menu was and pulled up a holographic screen and keyboard. The screen revealed a young woman with jet black hair, her grey eyes narrowed at Yuugo. "Is it necessary to call me by code name when we aren't out in the field?" she asked causing Yuugo to smile as he typed.
"I just like doing it Yuuko, we don't go out in the field often since we are head researchers," he said. "If it really annoys you than I will stop, dear sister."
"Okay everyone!" Date said standing up. "Let's continue on our tour."
Date took them up past the fourth floor and into the residential area. "This is the dorms, they are set up like apartments. You will be living here with roommates. You will have a new roommate every two months," she said. "The rooms on this floor and the next is strictly for recruits such as yourselves. The ones higher up are reserved strictly for our agents who live over an hour away or work around the clock. There are some exemptions, however to this rule. Those exceptions are unique to the situation."
"In other words," a voice said from behind the group, "don't get used to them."
The group turned and most of the girls swoon over the speaker. A young man with black hair resting against the area between his shoulder blades, his grey eyes looked at the group in smug enjoyment.
Date's eyes twitched upon seeing the main. "Geeta," she said.
"Officer," he greeted back with a smug expression.
"It's Detective! I wish I could arrest you right here, right now. Show these recruits on how to act like an agent unlike you," Date said.
"You wouldn't be able to catch me. Just be thankful that I'm on your side now because none of you would be able to catch me."
The man had the biggest smirk on his face as Date growled in anger. Through gritted teeth she said, "Don't be an agent with this cocky attitude. His name is Arata Sanada...codename Geeta. He's one of our very best agents both out on the field and in the research."
"Yeah yeah. Anyway, I came to ask if you have seen Ami?" Arata asked crossing his arms. "Today is Ami's day off and I haven't seen her at all."
"No, I haven't. Did you look in her usual spots?" Date asked.
"Everywhere in this building, even the spots she doesn't usually visit," he said. "Thanks for the no help."
"I'm going to arrest you one of these days!" Date yelled as Arata walked away.
"Can't wait to see you try," he replied back going into the elevator.
It wasn't until the new recruits were being assigned roommates and apartments that Date saw a young woman no older than 20 with red hair in a side pony and bright blue eyes.
"Ami!" Date yelled getting her attention. She walked over to her. "Arata was looking for you. From the confused expression on your face, he wasn't able to find you."
"My digivice would've beeped if we was assigned to a mission," Ami said. "Besides I was out all day...running errands."
Date crossed her arms, "Uh-huh and what type of errands have you been running?"
"Y'know, errand type of things, dropping off payments, shopping, being a delivery person."
"Ami..what did you do?"
Ami sighed. "I had to do some missions on the side. It's nothing major, just some background checks."
"Arata's going to freak once he finds out."
"I know so please don't tell him. Anyway, I'll see if I can find him on my way to my apartment."
Ami started to walk away causing Date to sigh. "Crouching Tiger," she called out causing Ami to turn her head to look at her. "Take care, okay?" Ami nodded and Date uncrossed her arms. "You don't realize this, but you are the reason as to why Arata hasn't' gone AWOL or betrayed us yet."
Five Months Later…
Ami was walking through the agency slowly, her red hair was covered in ash particles, along with her clothes, fresh open wounds covered her body that were bleeding. Blood was running down her cheek as she had a nasty cut on the side of her head.
"Oh my god!" Date exclaimed upon seeing Ami in the bookshop. "What happened?"
"A side job gone wrong" Ami said. "Can you please heal Palmon? She needs it."
Date made a disgruntled sound upon seeing Palmon with minor injuries compared to what Ami had. "You need to be looked at too."
"Fine...that's fine. I know I just mostly need a shower," Ami said. "Can you look after Palmon and hold this for me?"
Ami handed her a dust covered package. "What's this?"
"The reason for the side jobs and please don't open it or let Arata see it. Kyoko and I already checked to see if it is safe."
Another sound escaped Date's throat as Ami was led to a private room to get her injuries treated. That sound evolved into something more disgruntled when Palmon spoke, "That package is Arata's birthday present!"
When Ami came back, she had bandages covering her arm and around her head. Date stared at her, "Explain now." she said.
"The person who had the item in the package for me wouldn't give it to me until I completed his side jobs and since the item is super rare, hard to find, and worth a lot, he wanted the deal to be in a secret so I went to the meeting spot. Come to find out that he had the package riggered to a bomb that would start the fifteen second countdown as soon as I picked it up. He had the item in three lock boxes so it kind of set off some flags since it was supposed to be a comic."
Palmon wrapped her vines around Ami's waist and looked up at her, "Ami~ I'm hungry~"
Ami patthed the vines, "Don't worry, I'm going to get some food in you." Palmon released her and Date handed the package to her. "Thank you for everything and could you please not tell Arata about the package." Palmon grabbed Ami's free hand and started pulling her away and towards the yakisoba shop.
Arata ran his fingers through his hair, exhaustion evident in his grey eyes. "That was a tough assignment," he said to his Keramon who was resting inside of his hood. A snore came from his partner and Arata smiled.
"Ami! Food! Food!" he heard Palmon say causing his attention to divert from the elevator. His eyes narrowed as he saw the bandages around her arm and head.
Ami giggled. "Order whatever you want Palmon, you deserved it."
"Can I order for you too?" Palmon asked jumping up and down.
"Are you going to order me something that I don't like so you could eat it?"
"Maaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyybbbbbbbbbbeeeee," Palmon said drawing out.
"Fine," Ami said shaking her head with a smile. Her right arm get grabbed and she turned her head to see Arata glaring at her arm. "Arata?"
"Three teriyaki -" Palmon said as she started her order.
"What happened?" Arata asked looked at her.
"I came across a bomb trap," she responded clutching the package tighter in her left hand. "I've already got it looked at so-"
"Who?" he asked interrupting.
"Huh?" she said confused.
"Who set the bomb trap?" Arata asked. "Why was you caught in a bomb trap?"
"It was a client, who had something that I wanted so I did some side jobs for him -"
"Is that why i couldn't find you on your days off?" Arata asked almost yelling at her. "Because you was doing side jobs?"
Ami stared at him. "Yes? I mean it isn't uncommon for us agents to do side jobs."
"They don't involve getting hurt," Arata said. "At least not this badly."
Ami continued to stare at him only confusion evident in her facial expressions. "Did you need me for something? You aren't usually this concerned about me...at least...not so openly as you are now."
Arata released her arm, "I've been needing to talk to you for a while. Would it be okay if I went with you to your apartment?"
"You know you are always welcomed," Ami said grabbing the food that was waiting for her...a lot smaller and cheaper than Palmon wanted but the Digimon didn't even notice. "Is everything okay?"
"Everything is fine, I think," Arata said with a sigh.
Ami watched him as they walked to the elevator. "Arata," she said as the doors opened and they walked into it. He looked over at her, "There's nothing to be nervous about. I'm not going to think differently of you." Arata smiled and looked back at the doors. "Unless you are a ghost," she said causing Arata to snap his head in her direction.
"What?"
"If you was a ghost then I'll have to think differently about you," Ami said tapping her lips in throat with a finger. "It would be cool if you was a ghost but than I would have to reflect upon myself and think seriously. 'Ami, your best friend is a ghost. I think it is time to reevaluate your friends'. Having a ghost as a best friend is not something in which regular, normal people have."
Arata laughed and shook his head. "So, if I was a ghost, I would be cool, huh?"
They stepped out of the elevator and walked towards Ami's apartment. "You would lose fifteen of your cool points if you was a ghost."
"Oh? So you think I'm cool?" Arata asked with a small smirk.
"Always have, always will, no matter what," Ami said unlocking her door. "Just don't tell Nokia, she'll flip if she knew what I truly thought of you."
"I will keep your secrets close to my heart," Arata said.
"So, what did you want to talk about?"
"It can wait until after you eat."
"We eat!" Palmon said.
"There's some here for Keramon and you," Ami said sitting the food out. "If you want to bring him over here."
"Kubamon is in my hood, asleep," Arata said sitting down. "Our mission was tougher than what everyone thought. We're fine through, just exhausted and on edge."
Ami sat across him, placing the package behind her. She knows Arata would snoop when she's not looking, but he hasn't asked her about that, he has something on his mind. She knows that he's curious however.
It wasn't until they were done eating that Arata finally talked. "I want to leave the agency," he said. Ami's eyes looked at him in surprise. "I want to leave the agency with Kubamon."
"Than you can," Ami said in a soft, gentle voice. "Kyoko and Alphamon will allow you two to leave."
"You don't know how hard it is," Arata said right before the lights powered off.
The two young adults looked up at the lights as an automatic voice spoke throughout the building, "Security Breach Level 5. All personnel units stay in lockdown. All communications have been disabled until further notice."
Ami looked back at Arata, who was mumbling curses to himself, "Something else is bothering you, Arata. What is it?"
Arata looked at her. "You aren't mad at me for wanting to leave?"
She smiled one of those kind smiles that Arata likes to think she only reserved for him since they have been friends for so long, but that's all it was. A little part of her that he only thinks she saves for him but he knows it isn't. "You've been wanting to leave for a while, or so I've been told." Palmon skipped over to Ami and wrapped her vines around Ami's she looked up at human partner. "It would have been nice if Kyoko, Date, Nokia, Yuuko, Yuugo, Alphamon, and even Palmon here didn't tell it to me first."
Arata flinched but Ami didn't see it as she was looking at Palmon and petting her flower petals. He wanted to tell her the moment he made his mind up, but that wasn't the hard part. The next part of why he hasn't left yet is the harder part.
"Ami," Palmon said hugging Ami's waist and looking up at her. "Isn't it time to change your bandages?"
"It is, but I can't see," Ami said. "With the lights being off, it will be hard."
"I can help," Arata said.
"Thanks for the offer, but I'm afraid you can't," Ami said. "My waist is also injured and you know I'm not like Nokia or Yuuko."
"I can digivolve into Rosemon to do your bandages," Palmon said.
"But-" Ami said.
"I'm fine," Arata said. "I can entertain myself for a little bit."
Ami stood up, grabbed the package, and allowed Palmon to drag her into her bedroom. "Arata?" a tiny voice asked. "Where are we?"
"Ami's apartment," Arata said reaching into his hood, grabbing Kubamon, and placing him on the table. "How are you feeling?"
"Tired, hungry," the little Digimon said with a yawn.
"Well, there is some food left for you," Arata said. He took his coat off and laid down on the couch, his back resting against the arm of it. He heard a little thud and looked over to see Kubamon halfway into one of the take-out containers eating away.
"I see Kubamon is awake," Ami said as she came back. Arata looked over at her as she sat back down. "So, why haven't you left yet?"
"I want you and Palmon to leave with us," Arata said. He could see her eyes widen. "That's why, but I know you won't leave the agency unless I convinced you to leave with me. So, what do I need to do or say to get you to leave this agency with me?"
"Security has been restored," the automated voice said as the lights came back on, blinding everyone. Groans from others who wasn't expecting to be blinded could be heard.
"Nothing," Ami said. "Arata, I -"
"Don't bother," Arata said standing up and grabbed Kubamon who let out a cry as he was torn away from food. "You have loyalty to this agency and I will respect that."
"Arata, wait, please," Ami said as she followed him to her door.
"Hopefully, we won't be enemies next time we meet," Arata said slamming her door shut as he stormed off.
"Ami?" Palmon said seeing the tears fall off of Ami's face.
"You misunderstood me, Arata," Ami said to herself. She knows that Arata could outrun any day. She's tried beating him ever since they were children but always failed. Palmon grabbed Ami's hand. "I don't need you to do anything to convince me to leave. All you had to do was ask."
Two Months Later…
Arata was standing in the observational area of Tokyo Tower, looking at the nighttime city landscape. He is one of the few stranglers hanging around before the tower closed for the night. He's mostly enjoyed his two months away from the agency. Keramon and him have been enjoying living away from Nakano on the outskirts of town in their own home.
It was nice, expect for when it came time to buy groceries, since Arata took the bus to and from town. He missed most of the people, especially Ami, but he didn't miss the work...surprisingly. A stay at home IT tech suited him just fine, though he started to write down his sarcastic comments he wanted to make to some of the clients who was being pure dumb.
However, there was this one old lady who kept wanting to-
"Arata?" a voice asked causing his thoughts to stop reminiscing about random things and going on tangents.
He took a deep breath to mentally brace himself before turning around with his eyes close. "Hello Ami."
He expected some kind of greeting but a surprise frontal hug attack was not that kind of greeting. He at least expected her to respect his personal space and how much he dislikes people touching him, minus a few people (Ami included), She's never just hugged him like Nokia did...so why now?
A son was choked back from Ami, he heard it because it was by his ear, but also because she started to speak, "Ask." Another sob threatening to escape but was choked back down. "All you had to do was ask."
He placed his hands nervously on her sides, she moved her body slightly to the left, like her right side was in pain, but she didn't let him go. "What did I have to ask?" he asked.
"If I would leave the agency with you," Ami said still choking back the sobs but he knew it was getting harder for her to do so just from the way her was body was trembled. "You didn't have to say anything to convince me. You didn't need to do anything to convince me. You just needed to ask. No convincing needed."
His arms circled around her, pulled her closer to him as a sob successfully escaped her throat. "You would've left the agency if I just asked you to leave with me?"'
"Yes, before you even think about it, I already left the agency and I've been trying to find you," Ami said in between sobs as she cried. "Two months, I've been trying to find you. Two months, I've been trying to seek you out without help, without any tips or hints. I finally broke down and asked Palmon for help."
"Why would Palmon be of assistance?" Arata asked once Ami finally stopped crying as he rubbed her back.
"She still talks to Keramon," Ami said as she slowly removed her arms from his neck. He let go of her and she wiped her tears and face. "Sorry, I'm a mess right now. I'm just so happy that I was able to see you again."
Arata looked at her, she's wearing long sleeved shirts. She never wears long sleeve shirts because she doesn't get cold. He turned his head but looked at her over the corner of his eyes. "I know it is late, but would you like to grab something to eat? To catch up?"
Ami looked at him and smiled, "I would like that actually"
They left the Tokyo Tower both enjoying the comfortable silence between them. Arata was grateful for her knowing him so he didn't have to apologize to her. Apologizing was always hard for him so she knows what to look for when he's giving her a silent apology. She knows he's apologizing for this misunderstanding. How? He doesn't even know, but she knows.
"So, why the long sleeves?" he asked as they got their food.
"Uhm, I've been getting cold lately?" she said in a shape of a question.
Arata gave her a pointed look. "You know that I caught onto you lying before you even finished saying uhm. I've known you since kindergarten, Ami, I can read you like a book."
"Yeah, I know," Ami said looking at her food. "It's mostly because I am self-conscious and you know how bad that is for me. Since we've known each since kindergarten."
It was true, Ami was really self-conscious about herself. They had an odd friendship when they first met. He was getting picked on because he was reading books that were more advanced than his grade and she came rushing to his defense. The next day, his parents were late to pick him up so he saw Ami getting bullied because she walks home, taunting her with stupid children taunts about how no one loved her in the family. So, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her outside just as his parents had pulled up and started to get out of the vehicle to gather him.
From that day, his parents either allowed Ami to go home with them until her grandfather picked her up after work, or allowed him to walk with Ami to her house when they had to work late after they found out she lived in the apartment complex that was two buildings away from the school. Those who teased him stopped, but her teasing just kept getting worse and it showed with herself-conscious. Nokia couldn't get Ami to open up any and they met her in third grade.
"You always have been," Arata said. "So why this sudden changed?" She didn't say anything. "Ami."
"The injuries I received from that bomb were deeper than we thought. My arms and side have scars on them," she said than she looked up with surprise. "Oh! That reminds me."
Arata watched as she took off her backpack and rummaged around in it. "Was doing those side missions over a rare item worth it?"
"Here it is," Ami said grabbing a blue wrapped package and slid it over to him. "It's for you. It was supposed to be for your birthday, but you had left before than. So happy late birthday!"
Arata slowly opened the package and once he had it opened, he just stared at it. He stared at her, confused, speechless, shocked. He wanted to pinch himself to see if he was dreaming, but was afraid to move.
Ami's laugh resonated within his brain causing it to restaurant and to process over what is in front of him. "I would gladly go through everything again, the side missions and the bomb just to turn you speechless," she said. Arata looked at her, his grey eyes were still wide. "The scars don't matter that much now upon seeing your expression right now. They are worth it."
"You...you went through that to get me this book?" Arata asked as he remembered how to speak.
"Of course."
"Do you have any idea on how rare this book?"
"You implied it so I did some research over it. If you are worried about losing cool points for being my cool friend, don't. I've-"
"You idiot!" Arata said staring at her. "This book is rare, but someone like you is even more rare."
"I doubt it considering there are billions of people on the planet."
"Not to me," Arata said. "Do you still have that stupid graph over how cool I am as a friend?"
Ami tilted her head to the side. "You mean that graph I started when we was in second grade? The graph you stole from me to shove in Nokia's face after a week of knowing her in third grade because she said you was uncool?"
"Has it been that long?"
"Yeah, I've made like five graphs over cool you are as a friend since then. Why?"
Arata rubbed the back of his neck, "How about you start a new graph?"
"Huh? I just started a new graph for you being a cool friend like a week before you left the agency," Ami said.
"Not as a cool friend, but a..uh..uhm…" Arata said trying to find the word 'boyfriend' in his vocabulary that left his mind.
Ami smiled and tried to keep her blush down, "You always were the most romantic out of everyone, so how about walking me home tonight?"
Arata looked at Ami who was smiling at him with that special smile that he was the only to receive and was able to get it out of her, according to Yuugo and Nokia.
"How does that sound?" she asked.
"That sounds amazing," Arata said relaxing. The fact that the two of them could read in between each other's lines, they didn't even have to talk to have a conversation. They just knew what the other was was possibly why there were the top two agents and usually the reason they were usually partnered up.
The next morning, Arata checked his email and noticed that there was one from Ami. He opened it and downloaded the file, she didn't put a subject or any message. Just the file.
He laughed much to Keramon's surprise as he saw the graph of how cool of a boyfriend he is.
He emailed her back with, 'Looks like I have a lot of work to do.'