by Terrie (striket@stu.beloit.edu)
Author's Notes: This was originally started for Cynthia's Jyori contest. But, needless to say, it was finished waaaaaay too late to be entered into the contest. Oh well. Anyway, it's yaoi. Men with men. Two guys doing the nasty. In other words, you've just been warned, so you don't get to whine about it. You don't like it, don't read the story. Also, Izzy and Joe are both a bit OCC, due to plot reasons. If you don't like it, please exit through the door at your left. Lastly, I'm treating this as if 02 ended similarly to 01, with the Digimon in the Digital World and the Digidestined in the real world.
The format's a bit odd, since it jumps between two points in time. It should be clear when that happens. Drop me a note if it's not, and I'll work on fixing it. One time line runs from when Iori is about nine to when he is nineteen or twenty. The other time line is much shorter (a few weeks) and takes place when Iori is in his early thirties.
Digimon and its collected characters are not mine (just Ken -- and Spot, my Dark Tyrannomon). I'd like to thank Aviril, my beta reader.
Joe shut the door to the apartment and immediately flopped down on the couch. He glanced over at Iori, who was sorting mail at the kitchen table. "You know, a foot rub right about now would earn my undying adoration."
Iori looked up from his work. "I thought I already had that."
"My endless respect?"
The young man smiled. "So, it's true that they don't respect you afterwards."
Joe laughed. "Fine. Be that way. Just don't expect me to move from this spot."
"If that's what you--" Iori stopped and held up an envelope. "Hey, the invitation finally come."
"What's it say?"
Iori opened it up. "It's addressed to me."
"Of course it is. But what does it say?"
"No, I mean it's *only* addressed to me."
"What?" Joe was off the couch and standing next to him faster then either of them would have thought possible. The invitation only included Iori's name. "Maybe it's a mistake."
"As much as I hate it, I don't think so. Daisuke may be forgetful, but he's not that bad. Besides, Ken would have been helping him with them."
"I don't understand. They never mentioned... At least, not to me. Did they say anything to you?"
"No, they didn't. I'll call Ken..." He glanced at the clock, which read eleven-thirty. "First thing in the morning. Right now, we should get some sleep."
"Do I get a foot rub now?"
"No." Iori grabbed Joe's hand and tugged him towards the bedroom. "But I can promise something better."
Joe paused to wait for a break in the traffic, then dashed across the street. "Izzy! Hey, Izzy, wait up."
The younger boy stopped and turned. Joe ran up to him. "I've been looking for you."
"Oh, how come?"
"Uh.... Daisuke's birthday is coming up. And Iori and I are planning a surprise party for him. I need to know if you can come, and if you're willing to help get ready for it."
"When is it?"
"We're not exactly sure yet. We wanted to find out when everyone was free. Probably in about three weeks. It doesn't look like we'll be able to do it on his birthday, so we're aiming for a few days before."
Izzy thought it over. "I don't have anything planned at the moment. I'll keep my calendar clear until there's a more definite date, okay?"
"That's great!" Joe bit his lip for a moment. "Hey, you wouldn't happen to be free this Friday night, would you?"
"Why? Do you need help with the party?"
"Actually, I was wondering of you wanted to go see a movie. And maybe have dinner?"
Izzy looked at him, startled. "Joe, are you asking me on a date?"
"Well...." Embarrassed, Joe turned away. "Yeah. I guess I am."
Izzy was quiet for several long moments before he answered. "I'm sorry, Joe, but it just isn't possible. Not now, and... well, not ever. I really am sorry."
Joe shrugged and scuffed one shoe against the pavement. "Hey, no hard feelings. It was just a question. I figured it couldn't hurt to ask. So, I'll call you about the party?"
"Yeah. Talk to you then." Izzy waved as he headed down the street.
As Joe stepped through the door of the apartment, he was torn between slamming it shut in anger or closing it carefully so that he could avoid detection and enjoy what he felt was a well deserved sulk. It turned out not to matter.
Iori was waiting for him in the hallway. The boy watched him close the door and lean back against it. "Do I even want to ask how it went?"
"He pretty much told me it was never going to happen."
"Did he really say that?"
"Well, his exact words were 'not now, not ever'." Joe sighed. "Maybe I misread everything. Do you think he could be straight?"
"I suppose it's possible. Or maybe you're just not his type."
"Gee, that makes me feel better."
"Sorry."
There was a long pause. Joe looked over at Iori. "On the plus side, he agreed to help with Daisuke's party."
Iori disentangled himself from Joe's arms. The older man groped at Iori's side of the bed until he drew Iori's pillow to his chest and settled back down. Iori quietly slipped out of the room and padded down the hall to the bathroom.
Standing under the stream of hot water in the shower, he considered the invitation. He couldn't think of one justifiable reason for Joe to have been left off. He could, however, come up with several reasons that he, at least, felt were petty in the extreme. Still, it could have been something as simple as an accident. There wasn't much point in jumping to conclusions before he'd had a chance to talk to Daisuke or Ken.
He grabbed a towel off the back of the toilet. Rubbing at his hair, Iori wiped the steam from the mirror. He ran a hand over his chin. Considering it was his day off, he could get away with not shaving.
He wrapped the towel around his waist and headed to the kitchen. He filled the kettle and placed it on the stove, then headed back to the bedroom. Joe lay sprawled across most of the bed. Iori smiled down at him, then flung himself onto the bed with a cheerful, "Good morning."
"Wha?" Joe jerked awake. He blinked blearily at Iori. "It's morning."
"Uh-huh." Iori leaned over for a kiss before bouncing off the bed. "C'mon. Water's on to boil, and the bathroom is free. Time to get up."
Joe moaned into his pillow. "I'm up. I'm moving."
"Really? Because from here it looks like you're still in bed."
Joe levered himself into an upright position. "I'm moving. See?"
Iori smiled and headed back toward the kitchen. He checked the kettle and, glancing at the clock, picked up the phone.
"Hello. Ichijouji residence. Ken speaking."
"Hi, Ken. It's Iori."
"Iori. How are you?"
"A bit confused, actually."
"You got your invitation, didn't you?"
"Last night."
"It was Daisuke's idea. He didn't mean anything by it, not exactly. He just thought that it would be better if we didn't invite any of the older group. That it would help avoid any scenes."
"I see."
"Not that it matters any more. The moment she got her invitation, Kari called up asking if she could bring Tai. And Daisuke never could refuse her anything. TK claims that he won't be outdone by Kari, so he's insisting on bringing Matt. And we going to have to invite Mimi and Sora, or Miyako is going to throw a fit about the guys outnumbering the girls."
"So it's okay if I bring Joe?"
"Yes, it's okay if you bring Joe. Tell him we're sorry about everything and that we look forward to see you both there. Because we really do."
"I will. Thanks, Ken." He hung up the phone.
Joe wandered out of the bathroom. "Iori, have you seen my blue shirt?"
"It's in the wash. Wear the white one with the blue strips."
Joe headed into the bedroom and came out a few moments later, his shirt in hand. "Say, did you call Daisuke and Ken?"
"I just got off the phone with Ken. He said it was mix-up and that we should be there with bells on."
"Somehow, I doubt he said bells." Joe pulled on his shirt, his fingers nimbly working the buttons. "Think he'll settle for my good suit?"
"I don't know. I think you'd look good in just bells."
Joe carefully raised Iori onto his shoulders. "You okay?"
"Yes. But if your drop me, I will never forgive you."
"I won't." The two boys teetered precariously. "But just to be on the safe side, you'd better hurry up."
Iori taped the streamer to the corner of the ceiling. "Got it."
Joe swung him down. "That should be enough."
"Are you sure?" TK looked around the room. "You guys got four streamers up."
Iori handed TK the streamer roll. "If you think there should be more streamers, you can put them up. We're done."
Joe glanced over at the clock. "Don't bother, TK. Tai and Kari should be here with Daisuke in about fifteen minutes. We don't have time. Everyone, get ready to get into position. Sora, can you keep watch at the window?"
Iori poked his head into the kitchen. "They'll be here soon. Is the cake almost ready?"
Miyako sighed. "It will be as soon as someone convinces Izzy that a birthday cake does not need to be 'geometrically balanced'."
Izzy said, "It's been proven that balanced images are more aesthetically appealing."
"It's for Daisuke," said Iori. "Do you really think he'd notice either way?"
The other boy considered it for a few moments. "Good point. The cake's fine as is. Here, Miyako, let me carry it."
Izzy carried the cake into the other room and Miyako and Iori followed. Miyako smiled at Iori and said, "This party was a great idea."
"I can't take all the credit. None of this would have happened without Joe."
"Both of you deserve a big thank you. Everyone needed the break."
Daisuke tore bright paper off the package and opened the box. "Oh, wow. Matt, how did you afford these? The pencils I use now put a dent in my allowance, and they're not nearly as nice as these."
"Hey, if there's one thing I know, it's that an artist needs good tools."
Mimi shoved in front of Matt and shoved her gift into Daisuke's hands. "And we saved the best for last."
His expression curious, Daisuke reached in the bag. He pulled out a small, blue stuffed animal. "It's Chibimon! Did you make this yourself?"
"Uh-huh. It was a home-ec project."
"I'm really impressed. So, what's next?"
TK grinned. "This is the part where we all sing 'Happy Birthday' off-key, then stuff ourselves on cake."
"What kind of cake is it?" asked Daisuke.
"Chocolate," said Joe.
"Well, what are you guys waiting for? Let's get the singing over with and have cake!"
Iori picked up the paper off the floor and stuffed into the bag that Joe held open for him. "What a mess."
"Yeah, but it was worth it."
"I could have done without the food fight."
"True. That was a bit much. But the others did stay to help clean up."
Kari called out from the kitchen, "And you'd better be grateful. You wouldn't believe the number of dishes in the sink."
"Believe me," Joe called back, "we are."
Kari came into the room, wiping her hands on a dish towel.. "It's all done but the drying, and TK and Matt can manage that on their own. You two seen my brother? I'm ready to go."
"I'll go get him," said Joe.
He headed down the hallway where he'd seen Tai head earlier. He slowed down as he approached the bathroom. The door was half-open and he could hear Izzy's voice. "Tai, stop that! It tickles. No, I said keep your hands to yourself."
Both boys with laughed and Joe felt slightly ill. He cleared his throat loudly and said, "Hey, Tai? Kari wants to know if you're ready to go."
There was silence for a moment and then Tai came out of the bathroom. "She's done with the dishes?"
"Pretty much." When Tai looked back towards the bathroom, Joe added, "Everything is more or less done, so you can head out when ever you want, Izzy."
Izzy came out of the bathroom, a guilty look on his face. He looked over at Tai. "I'll see you later, okay?"
"Yeah, I'll call you."
As Tai walked around the corner, Joe turned to Izzy. "So, how long has this thing been going on?"
"About two months." He wouldn't meet Joe's eyes.
"Were you ever going to mention it to the rest of us?"
"Eventually. We wanted to enjoy it for a bit first."
"I suppose that's fair." Joe's tone was flat and distant. "Like I said, you're free to leave whenever you're ready."
He started to leave, but Izzy grabbed his sleeve. "Wait. We should talk about this."
"There's nothing to talk about. I have to go. I promised Iori's mother that I'd see he got home safe by ten."
Iori watched as Joe kicked a pop can down the street. "Are you going to tell me about it, or are you just going to brood all the way back to my building?"
"Since it's not worth talking about, I guess I'm going to brood."
"Was it something Tai said?"
"No, not exactly." Joe stopped. "Did you know that Tai and Izzy are dating?"
"No, I didn't."
"Yep. For about two months now." He sighed. "And I don't know what to think. I'm jealous, that it's Tai and not me. I'm glad that he's happy. But mostly, I'm angry. Angry that he's happy and it's not with me. Angry that he hid it."
Iori slipped his hand into Joe's larger one. "I'm sorry, Joe. If you want to talk about it, I'm willing to listen."
"Thanks, but now is not the time. If I don't get you home soon, your mom is not going to be happy."
Iori flipped through the catalog and scowled. Joe leaned over his shoulder and looked down at what he was working on. "What's the matter?"
"I can't figure out what we should get Daisuke and Ken. They already have everything they need."
"Matt's getting them a toaster."
"They already have a toaster," said Iori.
"I know. But he says this one is better." Joe hugged him, then straightened up. "We could get them a puppy."
"I think that's a bit much. Maybe a fish?"
"A fish seems kind of impersonal. And they're boring. You know, if it were anyone else, I'd suggest a nice piece of art."
"I don't think they would go for that. You know how proud Daisuke is of his work," said Iori. "And Ken had a bunch of his stuff framed for the apartment."
"All that leaves us with is something completely frivolous, or a houseplant."
"Maybe a *tasteful* house plant."
"That's worse than the fish idea."
Iori dug around in the closet for the wrapping paper. "I'm still not too sure about this."
Joe shrugged. "We couldn't come up with anything else. At this point, I say we go with it."
"I suppose." He smiled. "Besides, we already paid for them."
"That's the spirit!" Joe took the paper out of Iori's hands. He spread it out on the table and sat the large box on top of it. "Do you that's enough paper?"
Iori eyed it critically. "Yeah, it should be."
"Anyway, I think they'll get a laugh out of it."
"I hope so. And if not, they can always get us something equally ridiculous. Either that, or they'll kill us."
Iori awoke with a jerk. He rolled over and groaned into his pillow. This was getting absurd. At thirteen, he was certainly old enough to be interested in sex -- Daisuke had been a bit younger when he'd thrown himself first at Kari and then Ken -- but he hadn't expected this. The boys thing wasn't too surprising. Sora once said that, having found half yourself in an inhuman-looking digimon, it was hard to be hung up on something minor as gender. So boys or girls, Iori could handle it. But dreaming of Joe was a different story.
True, he could acknowledge that Joe was a very attractive young man, but that was an intellectual acknowledgment. Like acknowledging that his mother was still an attractive woman, even if she was his mother. So he couldn't be attracted to Joe. It would be like being attracted to his mother.
So why didn't that help?
Iori unfolded the note from Benjiro and rolled his eyes. *Have you seen the new girl? O_O!* While Iori considered the other boy his friend, his concept of what was attractive was rather limited -- generally to large breasts and short skirts. Iori's tastes were generally more subdued. Luckily for their friendship, his private nature meant that Benjiro rarely asked for his opinion.
He stuck the note into his pocket and laughed. He didn't want to think what Benjiro would think of his current interest. Nothing positive, that much was certain. Probably point out that there were hundreds of beautiful women in the world just waiting for a guy like Iori. Then comment that, well, if Iori liked guys, that was less competition for guys like Benjiro.
Iori pulled his backpack out of his locker and considered his situation. As he struggled with his feelings, it became harder to be around Joe. If he continued to avoid the other boy, Joe would start noticing that something was wrong. Which was why this afternoon was so important. If he could get through this afternoon study session with Joe, he'd be fine. If not... well, that meant he'd made an idiot of himself.
"...So if angle a is equal to angle f, segment x is equal to segment z. You see how that works?"
Iori nodded, then actually looked down at the paper Joe had placed in front of him. "No, wait, can we go over that again?"
"Are you sure? You usually only need my help getting started, not with the whole problem. Is something bothering you?"
"I've just got a lot on my mind."
"You want to talk about it?"
"It's not important."
"So you have a lot on your mind, but it's not important."
"That is, it is important, but there's nothing you can do about it."
"Are you sure? If you just want to talk about it, I'm willing to listen."
Iori shook his head. "I'd rather not talk about it."
"It's not something I did, is it?"
"No!" He stared at Joe. Even worse then his abrupt reaction, he could feel himself turning red. "What could you have possibly done?"
"Iori, you're blushing."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are." Joe nudged him with his elbow. "What could make the solemn Iori blush? Maybe a crush?"
"Joe!" Iori buried his face in his hands.
"It is a crush, isn't it? Who is it?"
"I'm not going to tell you."
"What not? You tell me everything else." Iori glared at him. Joe's eye's widened. "Oh."
The was a long uncomfortable moment of silence and Iori buried his face in his hands again, peeking out between his fingers. Joe looked at him and suddenly smiled. "Hey, I'm flattered."
"What? Iori lifted his head from his hands to look at him.
Joe shrugged. "It wasn't that long ago that I was thirteen. I remember what it was like. All those hormones. You walk down the street and you're thinking 'I like that and that and that and that.' It's nice to know that I'm good-looking enough to fit in among all that." Seeing Iori's slight smile, he pushed on. "Besides, at least you know that I haven't been secretly dating Tai for the past two months."
Iori laughed. "Thanks, Joe."
"Hey, no problem." He slung an arm over Iori's shoulder. "What are friends for, if not causing acute embarrassment?"
"Have you seen my tie?"
Iori rolled his eyes. "It's on the bed, where you left it."
"Thanks." Joe came out of the bedroom, knotting the tie around his neck. "How do I look?"
Iori looked him over. "Forget Daisuke and Ken. Let's stay home."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"Believe me, it is." Iori grinned. "Do you have the present?"
"It's sitting by the door, waiting for me to grab it on the way out."
"Just so long as we don't forget it."
"How long until we have to leave?"
Iori glanced at the clock, then shoved Joe towards the bedroom. "Ten minutes. Go comb your hair."
Daisuke flung his arms around Iori's and Joe's shoulders. "Hey, I'm glad you guys could make it. And you brought a present!"
He took the gift out of Joe's hands and carried it over to a table covered in similarly brightly-colored packages. Iori smiled. "He never changes, does he?"
"I can't say I'm disappointed. I like him this way," Ken said.
"I have a feeling you'd like him anyway he offered."
"Probably. Not that it's any of your business." He shook the two men's hands. "Daisuke's right. We're both very glad you made it."
"We wouldn't have missed this."
"After all," added Joe, "it's free food."
Iori elbowed him in the stomach. "Ignore him. So who else is here?"
"My parents, of course. And Daisuke's family."
"Jun's here?" asked Iori. "I'm a bit surprised."
"We told her she didn't have to come, but she insisted. She's handling everything really well. This whole thing was her idea."
"I bet Daisuke's happy with how things turned out. He never liked Piao."
"That would be putting it mildly. Let's see, who else is here... Some of our friends from work. You wouldn't know any of them. TK and Matt are here, so is Kari. Matt brought his girlfriend, Ami. Miyako, Sora and Mimi are all coming together, but they're going to be a bit late."
"Are Tai and Izzy here yet?" asked Iori.
"I haven't seen them. But that doesn't mean anything. Until you got here, I was cornered by my mother, telling me how happy she was for me."
"Ouch." Joe winced in sympathy. "As if you don't have enough to worry about."
The city stretched out before him, distant but never quiet. The lights never seemed to dim and he couldn't see the stars. "Iori, shouldn't you be asleep?"
"So should you, grandfather."
"The old bones don't need much rest. I'm not doing much with them these days."
"You're not that old, grandfather."
"Maybe you're right. I'm not so old that I can't tell when something is bothering you."
"It's not something you need to worry about."
The old man snorted. "Sure. My grandson is spending his nights moping on the balcony and I'm not supposed to worry. I'm going to have to insist. Indulge a nosy old man."
"Fine. I'm in love."
"Ahhh. That's a good thing.
"I'm in love with a *man*, grandfather."
"I see." He eyed Iori critically. "So that's why you haven't said anything. Do you think so little of me and your mother?"
"What?"
"We want you to be happy. That's more important than who you're happy with."
"I didn't want you to be disappointed."
"I suppose I'm a bit disappointed that you're not going to have children. Not just to carry on the family name, but because I think you would have liked being a father. But I'd be more disappointed if you made yourself miserable for my sake or you mother's."
"Thank you, grandfather."
"So, tell me about this young man of yours."
"He's not my young man. And he's not that young, either."
"An older man, eh? Bet's he's still younger than me."
"He is."
"Is it anyone I know?"
Iori blushed. "It's... it's Joe."
"I take it he doesn't know."
"How can I tell him? He still thinks of me as a child."
"You know, your grandmother was ten years younger than me. It never occurred to me to think of her in that way. Then, one day, she sat me down and explained that we were going to get married and raise a family and be very happy. And that I didn't have a choice in the matter. Wonderful woman, your grandmother."
"I don't understand."
"I needed to be reminded that your grandmother was no longer a child. That's what Joe needs. Past a certain point, age doesn't matter, only the heart."
"I'm not so sure."
"You'll do fine." He ruffled Iori's hair. "Who could resist you?"
Joe was sprawled out on the couch, flipping through the channels on the TV. He had nothing to do that afternoon and planned to take advantage of it. So when the knock on the door came, it took him a few minutes to get up the momentum to move. If it was Hiro from next door, coming to complain about the volume of his TV again, he was going -- "Iori, hi. What are you doing here?"
"I was wondering if I could talk to you."
"Sure, come on in." Joe stepped out of the doorway and waved him inside. "What did you want to talk about?"
Iori felt his cheeks grow hot, and he couldn't meet Joe's eyes. "What am I to you?"
"You're a good friend and practically my younger brother. But you *know* that." Joe sounded confused.
Iori forced himself to look up and meet Joe's eyes. Joe froze at the raw look on his face. "What if I want more? What if I want you?"
Joe stumbled back onto the couch. "I knew you used to have a crush--"
"No! This isn't a crush. It's not lust or infatuation. I want you, yes, but it's more than that. I love the way you laugh and smile. I love the way you roll your eyes when you don't agree with someone. The way you forget where you set something down because you were thinking about something else. I love everything about you there is to love." Iori knelt before him. "I'm offering myself to you. Say yes and I'm yours. Heart and soul, body and mind. To do with as you will. Say no and I'll never speak of it again. But I don't believe you'll say no, and I don't think you believe it either."
Joe reached out with one hand to trace his cheek. "You're so young."
"I'm nineteen. I'm not a child, Joe."
"No, you're not. Not anymore." He ran his fingers through Iori's hair before cupping his face between his hands. "I didn't want to hope."
Iori took advantage of the situation and leaned forward to press his lips against Joe's. Joe's arms went around his waist and Iori became frustrated as he attempted to undo the buttons on Joe's shirt that were pinned between them. He could hear the fabric tear under his impatience, but couldn't bring himself to care. Joe pulled away. When Iori protested, he smiled and pulled his shirt off over his head. He moved back into Iori's arms and said, "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."
Later, Joe wrapped his arms around Iori and giggled into his hair. Iori mumbled, "Wha is it?"
"Just thinking. Here I was, worried about taking advantage of you, and I think you just took advantage of me."
"Well, if it makes you feel better, next time you can take advantage of me." Iori turned over and nuzzled at Joe's collar bone.
"Hey, stop that! I am way too tired for anything like that."
"Sorry." Iori settled back against him.
"Liar." Joe ran his fingers through Iori's hair. "So, what are we going to tell the others?"
"I don't know. I suppose saying that we fell into bed together in a moment of dramatic lust wouldn't go over very well."
"I doubt it. And you know they're going to question the age difference."
Iori considered the problem. "Let them. We should tell the others we're together, but we shouldn't have to justify ourselves. It's our life."
"I like the sound of that. *Our* life. My Iori and our life."
"Possessive much?"
"Yeah, probably. Better get used to it, because I don't plan to stop for a long time."
"How long?"
"Hmmm... How does forever sound?"
Iori stiffened in Joe's arms. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, why not? I've got faith, you know. I know you do as well. And I know you've got the digimental to prove it."
He groaned. "Joe, that's horrid."
"Yeah, well, one of us was going to say it eventually. So we might as well get it over with."
"It was still horrid." Iori yawned and snuggled closer to Joe. "Good night. Love you."
"Love you, too."
Daisuke sprawled on the blanket and pulled Ken onto his lap. "Well, hello there, handsome."
Ken giggled and turned to face Daisuke. The brown-haired man planted a kiss on the end of his nose.
"Hey," said Kari. "Don't get too carried away. We do have to eat off that blanket, you know."
"I don't know. Ken looks good enough to eat," said Daisuke, smiling at his boyfriend.
"On your own time, boys." Kari laughed. "You two are horrible."
"Nah," said Daisuke. "Not horrible, just shameless."
"Either way, cut it out. You guys came early to help me set up. Not to get arrested for making a public spectacle."
"She really is just jealous. She doesn't have anyone to cuddle, after all." Ken got up from Daisuke's lap. "Here, I'll help you set up."
"Sure, first you tease me about the fact that my boyfriend is out of town, then you offer to help. And to think that I once thought you had the best manners in this menagerie."
Ken took the food she handed him and smiled. "Well, you were young and naive then, so I guess we have to excuse you."
"Hey!" Kari crumpled up one of the paper napkins and threw it at him. It landed harmlessly at his feet, never having touched him. "You take that back."
"Never!" He threw the napkin back at her. With a playful growl, Kari chased him around the blanket, with Ken laughing all the way.
"If you break him, you are in so much trouble, Hikari Kamiya!"
Ken, rounding a tree, slammed into someone. Landing hard on his rear, he looked up, a bit dazed. "Joe, what are you doing there?"
"I thought I was going to a picnic. Here, let me help you up." He reached down to grab the younger man's hand. "You really should watch where you're going."
"Sorry. Things got a bit out of hand, I suppose." Ken looked over at Kari. "Stop that."
"What?"
"You were going to laugh. I know you were."
"So?" Kari smiled. "You'd laugh if our positions were reversed."
"Guys?" asked Joe. "As much as I'd love to continue this discussion, can you point me towards the picnic area we're using?"
"Oh, sorry." Kari beckoned for him to follow. "C'mon, we're over here."
Joe followed her through the woods. "So, is anyone else here yet?"
"Nah, just us and the hormone twins." She gestured towards Ken. "They're in full form today."
"You're just jealous," said Ken.
"At least I'm not indecent."
"There's nothing indecent about two people expressing their affection for each other. It's healthy."
"That's not an expression of affection. That's sucking face."
"I think she sounds jealous. What do you think, Joe?"
"I think I'm staying out of this one." They broke through in the clearing. Matt sat on the blanket, helping Daisuke finish laying out the food.
"Hey, we were wondering were you guys had gotten off to. Hey, Joe." Daisuke jumped up and fling one arm over Ken's shoulders. "Let's eat!"
"We should wait for the others. Otherwise, there won't be any food of them."
"But I'm hungry now." Daisuke pouted at his boyfriend.
"Well, I'm sure I can come up with something to distract you."
Kari rolled her eyes. "And they wonder why we call them the hormone twins."
Daisuke stuck out his tongue at her. "Jealous, jealous, jealous. So there."
Matt rolled his eyes. "Hey, Joe, I brought a Frisbee. You want to play why we're waiting for the others to arrive?"
"Sounds like fun." He turned to the younger members of the group. "Do any of you want to play? Or are you going to continue with the argument?"
"I'll play," said Kari.
"I volunteer to snuggle Ken."
"Gee, Daisuke, where would we be without your noble sacrifices?" asked Matt.
Iori hitched the bag up higher against his chest and ran a little faster. He was late already, but if he didn't hurry, there wouldn't be any food left when he finally got there. Laughter and shouting came through the tress. He followed it into the clearing and laughed at what he saw. Daisuke was cheerfully bouncing grapes off of Matt's head. Tai caught sight of him and waved. "Hey, have a seat. Joe saved you some food."
Iori settled down next to Joe, curling up to his side. Joe flung an arm over his shoulders and planted a kiss on his cheek. A startled squeak escaped Kari. Iori and Joe turned to see the whole group staring at them. Matt cleared his throat. "Is there something you want to tell us?
Iori glanced at Joe, who shrugged. "We're... involved."
"How serious is this?" asked Tai.
With a serious expression, Iori said, "After this, we're going to go back to his place and have wild monkey sex."
Daisuke burst out laughing. "Sounds like fun. What do you think, Ken?"
"I think you shouldn't be allowed to speak in public."
Joe smiled and pulled Iori into his lap. "No lectures, okay, guys? We know what we're doing."
Joe leaned back against a tree and watched the younger Digidestined play a game that seemed to consist of tackle Daisuke. He chuckled as Daisuke tried to hide behind Ken, only to have Ken wrap his arms around Daisuke's waist and pull him to the ground.
He laughed as Iori tackled both of them as they tried to struggle to their feet. When Daisuke got his arms around Kari's ankles, sending her tumbling to the ground, Tai ran out to rescue his sister. This left Izzy sitting by himself.
Joe moved to sit next to him. Izzy glanced over at him, then looked back to the group. "So, you really think you know what you're doing?"
"I don't see how that's any of your business."
"I think I'm allowed to worry about my friends."
"You're a friend of Miyako and she's Iori's friend. That makes you a friend of a friend."
"What about us? We're friends?"
"I guess." Joe picked up a small stick and idly poked at the grass.
"You guess?"
"Yeah, we're friends. It's just... we're not as close as we once were."
"People change. But you're still my friend and I'm worried about you."
"Don't be. I know what I'm doing."
"I hope so. Because this has a huge potential to blow up in your face. At the very least, I hope you're not sleeping with him yet."
"Sorry to disappoint." Joe shrugged. "What can I say? He was really easy to get into my bed."
"That's a horrible thing to say."
"Izzy, it's my choice and Iori's choice, so just drop it."
"Yeah, I guess I should." He gave Joe a harsh look, before standing up and heading over to Tai.
Joe watched Izzy go. He probably should have said something more, but there didn't seem much point. It was if the ever-widening gap between them had suddenly increased into something unbridgeable. He turned his attention back to Iori, who looked over and waved.
Joe handed a glass of punch to Iori. "So, what do you think?"
"I'm amazed at the number of people here." Iori looked around the room. "I only recognize about half of them. I didn't realize that they knew so many people."
"Where is the happy couple?"
"They went to hide in the coat room and make out."
"You're kidding, right?" At Iori's look, Joe shook his head. "Sorry, I forgot who we were talking about for a moment."
"Want to follow their example?"
"Hey, I thought I was supposed to be the corrupting influence in this relationship. Besides, the coat room's already taken."
"Oh!" Iori perked up suddenly. "There's Miyako. I'll be right back, okay?"
"You do that." Joe planted a quick kiss on Iori's cheek. "It's almost time, so I'm going to see if I can find the happy couple."
Joe headed back towards the coat room. He called out, "Do your parents know you two are in there?"
There was a startled gasp from within and the sound of rustling clothes. Joe laughed to himself. "You two had better be decent, because I'm coming in."
He entered to find Daisuke hastily tucking in his shirt. Ken's shirt was unbuttoned halfway down his chest and pushed open to display a magnificent hickey along one collarbone. "Can't you two keep your hands off of each other for one afternoon? When this is done, you can go home and screw each other's brains out, but a public appearance about now might be nice. It's almost time for everyone to sit down and eat."
"Thanks for the warning." Ken quickly buttoned his shirt. "We kinda lost track of time."
"Gee, I can't imagine why."
Daisuke laughed. "Like you wouldn't be doing the same thing if you could."
"Probably, but Iori and I aren't the ones who went to the trouble of inviting all these people. So go out there and be social."
"Miyako!" Iori waved to the older woman.
"Hey, Iori!" She ducked around a small clump of people and threw her arms around him. "How are you? We haven't talked in weeks."
"I know. Joe and I have both been so busy, we barely see each other, let alone anyone else."
"Tell me about it. I met this really great guy last week, and I told him I'd call. I really meant it, but I simply haven't had the time. Work has been absolute chaos and, on top of that, I had to get a gift for Daisuke and Ken. Those two are impossible to shop for."
"I heard that Matt got them a toaster."
"They already have a toaster."
"That's what I said. This one is supposed to be better." Iori shrugged. "So, I hear you came with Sora and Mimi. How are they?"
"They're good," said Miyako, with a slightly wistful tone. At Iori's look of concern, she smiled. "Oh, stop that. I'm just being nostalgic. Mimi was great, but in the long term, it would have been a disaster. We're both too flighty. And she and Sora are absurdly happy. Besides, commitment really isn't my thing."
"As long as you're happy."
"I am. Or, at least, I will be once Izzy stops with the slave driver act." She winced. "Oops, sorry, sore point, I know."
"Not with me. Just with Joe."
"What is up with those two, anyway?" asked Miayko.
"I don't know. I once asked Joe about it. He couldn't explain it. I doubt that it's any one thing. Just a lot of little things that added up over the years."
"I suppose. It just always seemed so strange. They were such good friends. Kari said they were really close once." Miyako sighed. "It just seems so sad. Two digidestined fighting like that."
"I've just been glad that they never asked any of us to choose sides."
"Probably because they knew that if they tried, we'd kicked both their rears from here to China." Miyako squealed. "Oh, I almost forget to tell you. You know Kari's pregnant, right?"
"I couldn't have missed that if I'd tried. Not with TK running around going 'I'm going to be a daddy' to everyone who stops moving for even a moment."
"Good. Well, anyway, apparently it got Tai and Izzy thinking and they're looking into adopting a baby."
Iori smiled. "That's great. They'll make great dads."
"What about you? Any chance of little feet in your future?"
"No. Joe and I talked about it once, and we're so busy with work that we barely have time for each other. It wouldn't be fair to bring a child into that. It's not that we don't want children..."
"You just don't always get what you want. I can relate."
"And what is that you want?"
"I'm not entirely sure yet." She grinned at Iori. "This may be why I don't have it yet."
Iori shook his head. "You are as impossible as ever. Come one, Joe went to get Ken and Daisuke, so things should be starting soon. We should sit down."
"Where are you two sitting?"
"Not sure. We haven't had a chance to find our seats yet."
"I found mine earlier, when I first got here, but I don't remember seeing yours. Still, you must be somewhere around here. All the digidestined are."
"Hey, Miyako?" Iori pointed to a young woman with long, black hair. "Who's that?"
Miyako glanced over at her. "Oh, that's Ami, Matt's girl. I don't think it's going to last."
"Why not?"
"Because Matt got here and the first chance he got he abandoned her to go play 'Remember When' with Sora and Mimi. Of course, she is a bit of a doormat, so who knows?"
"A doormat, huh?"
"It's not too surprising. With this crowd, you either need someone pushy who will insist on being included in everything, or someone who's enough of a, well, doormat to not mind being left out of everything. And I don't think Matt's into pushy women."
"I think Jun put him off those permanently."
"Hey, I found your seat. And you're at the same table as me. How did I miss that?"
"Probably too busy watching some cute guy's butt."
Miyako grinned. "Actually, I think it was a girl."
"I'd try and act surprised, but it wouldn't be believable." Iori looked across the room and waved. "Joe! Over here!"
"And he's got Ken and Daisuke with him. Looks like we're gonna get started."
Through heavy eyelids, Iori stared at the clock. "Oh, crap!"
"What is it?" asked Joe.
"I have to go." Iori leaped out of bed and gathered up his clothes. "My mom's going to wonder why I'm so late."
"She knows we're involved, Iori."
"She knows we're dating, not that we're going at it like there's no tomorrow."
"She's going to find out sooner or later."
"I know." Iori slowed for moment, his pants in one hand. "She just needs to think of me as her little boy a bit longer."
"Well, little is not the word I'd use...."
"Very funny. Hand me my shirt, will you?"
Joe tossed it at him. "I think we lost another button."
Iori held up the shirt for inspection. "This just isn't my day. And 'we' didn't lose the button, you did. I swear, you're so impatient sometimes."
"Can you blame me?"
He squirmed a bit under Joe's stare. "Well, it was my shirt you ripped a button off of."
"Sorry. I'll make it up to you, okay?"
"You better." Iori leaned down for a quick kiss. "I love you."
"Love you, too. See ya later?"
"Yeah."
Iori left himself out of the apartment, hurrying down the stairs to the street below. He was surprised by who he found waiting for him. "Izzy, hi."
"Hi, Iori. Can I talk to you for a moment?"
"Well, I'm in a bit of a hurry.... But if you don't mind walking while we talk, no problem."
The two young men set off down the street. Izzy was silent for a few moments, before blurting out, "Are you... happy?"
"What kind of a question is that?"
"It's just that... You're the youngest in the group.... And Joe's so much older than you...."
"The youngest, but never the baby. That was reserved for Kari. And sometimes Ken. Of course, Daisuke babied Ken enough for ten people."
"Why those two?"
"They were both touched by darkness. You'd see it in their eyes sometimes. They'd stare across to the horizon and you could see that they weren't thinking about how beautiful the scenery was, but how easily it could all be destroyed. And they were both so afraid of what they could do." Iori refocused on Izzy. "But you didn't track me down to talk about that. You wanted to know about me and Joe."
"Well... Yeah." He had the grace to look embarrassed.
"It's the age difference, isn't it?"
"I just want to make sure he's not taking advantage of you."
"Izzy, this is Joe. Can you see him taking advantage of anyone?"
"Not on purpose, no. But if he didn't realize what he was doing...."
"I promise you, he's not taking advantage of me. I know what I'm doing. I may be the youngest, but I'm not a child. I haven't been since my father died."
Izzy nodded. "I know. I just needed to hear it from you. So I could be sure."
"Well, now you know. I hope that's the end of it."
"Yeah, it is."
"Good. You deserve an explanation because you're a friend. But I'm getting very tired of giving them."
"C'mon, Iori, we have to tell her sometime." Joe rolled his eyes at the younger man's stubbornness.
"I know that. But why does it have to be now?"
"Because if you keep saying 'why now? why not later?' we're never going to tell her. Besides, with the holidays coming up, now is the perfect time."
"Why not wait until the holidays?"
"Because if you're going to move in here, you need time to pack." Joe wrapped his arms around Iori's waist, pulling him close. "And, anyway, I like the idea of us spending the whole holiday together in our home. Just you, me, no classes, no work. And if I'm going to get time off, I need to tell them soon. Which means we have to tell your mom."
"I know, I know." Iori sighed. "You know, even with Izzy's questions, telling the others was easier than this."
"Izzy's questions?" Joe frowned.
"Yeah. A few days ago, he was asking me questions, trying to make sure you weren't taking advantage of me. I refrained from telling him it was more a problem of me taking advantage of you. Now matter how amusing it might be, it's not nice to give your friends heart attacks."
"No, it isn't." He gave a half-hearted laugh. "So, back to the earlier topic, when are we going to tell your mom you're planning to move in here?"
"You want to come over for dinner tonight?"
"You mean it?"
Iori leaned against Joe's shoulder. "I just want to get this over with, you know?"
"Yeah, I know."
Joe grabbed Izzy by the front of his shirt and slammed him into the wall. "I thought I told you to drop it."
"Joe..." Izzy's voice held a note of forced calm. "If you'll just let go, we can sit down and discuss this comfortably."
"I'm perfectly comfortable. So why don't you explina to me why you wouldn't drop it."
"I just wanted to make sure everything was okay, that's all."
"So you laid in wait outside my apartment building for him? You know, when he first told me, he didn't mention that part. I wasn't too happy that you'd asked him about us, but I figured that it had just come up in conversation, so I wasn't going to worry about it much. Imagine my surprise when I found what really happened."
"I think I have a right to make sure my friends are okay."
"What are you so worried about? Just because you and Tai hid your relationship for two months doesn't mean that the rest of us have things to hide."
"What do Tai and I have to do with it? Unless you're still jealous that I chose him over you."
Joe laughed. "Jealous? As far as I'm concerned, having you turn me down was the best thing that could have happened. You know, when I planned to asked you out, Iori was the one who helped me plan it. When you turned me down and when I found out about you and Tai, Iori was the one I talked to. As long as I have known him, he's been a part of my life. But it wasn't until I brought him *into* my life that you had a problem with it. If I wanted to hurt him or use him, I could have done it a long time ago."
"But it's a different sort of relationship now."
Joe released his grip on Izzy's shirt. "But I'm still the same guy. So what does that say about your opinion of me?"
Izzy didn't have an answer.
Joe was watching the other table again. He was trying to be subtle about it, but Iori noticed anyway. He glanced in the direction that Joe was looking. Mimi was deep into some sort of story, her arms waving about in the air. Sora was blushing badly enough that it was visible from where he was sitting, which meant the story was probably about her. Tai and Izzy were leaning against each other for support as they laughed, while Matt regarded the proceedings with his "I'd find this funny, but I'm above it" expression.
Iori nudged Joe. "You know, you can go over and say 'hi' if you want to. There aren't any rules against it."
"Sure there is. It's called 'I don't want to.' Don't worry, I'll talk to everyone later. But I want to wait till after Daisuke and Ken speak."
Miyako leaned across the table. "When are they going to speak?"
Joe shrugged. "Not sure, but soon, I think."
Miyako leaned towards the main table, where the men sat with their families, and hollered, "Speech! Speech!"
Joe and Iori traded equal looks of exasperation, but it did have the desired effect. Daisuke stood and signaled for quiet. "Hi, everyone. I'd like to thank you all for coming. As most of you know, this was supposed to be my sister's wedding reception. Unfortunately, that is one event that's been postponed. It says so much about the strength of Jun's heart that she allowed Ken and I to make use of her reservation here. I'd also like to thank the hotel for refusing to refund her deposit."
Daisuke turned to Ken. "You're better at this part, so it's your turn."
Ken stood up. "Daisuke and I promised ourselves that we wouldn't have any sort of commitment ceremony until it was legal for us to actually marry. That hasn't happened yet. But that hasn't stopped us from being committed to each other. This year, Daisuke and I celebrated our twentieth anniversary. For those of you doing the math, yes, that means we've been together since we were children. People have asked me if I ever regret narrowing my choices in life so young. I say to you the same thing I say to them. Without Daisuke, it would be no life."
Daisuke blushed and said, "Yeah, ditto."
The two men kissed to laughter and cheers.
Daisuke ripped the paper of the box and held it up for inspection. "It's a... toaster. Matt, you know we have a toaster already."
"I know. This one is better. So you won't burn your toast in the morning because you're half-asleep."
"Thanks."
Ken pulled another gift off of the table and handed it to Daisuke. Joe grinned, recognizing the wrapping paper. Daisuke attacked the paper as he had on all the other gifts. Once the paper was off, Daisuke examined the plain cardboard box. He looked over at Joe, who just grinned in response. Daisuke opened the box, pulling away the tissue paper that covered the gift from Joe and Iori. He snickered as he saw what it was.
Curious, Ken leaned over to see what it was. He shot Joe and Iori a dirty look and pulled the whip and handcuffs. "And just what are these?"
Joe shrugged. "We figured you could us 'em to exorcise old demons... among other things."
Daisuke examined the handcuffs. "Neat."
With yet another glare for Joe and Iori, Ken grabbed the handcuffs away from Daisuke and shoved another gift into his hands. "Here, open this one. It's from Akiko at work."
Joe and Iori did their best to look contrite, but they had both caught Ken's wink and quick grin.
Joe watched Iori swing Miyako around the dance floor. As much as he loved dancing with Iori, it did have the downside of not being able to sit back and watch the man move. So when she had asked Iori to dance, he had gladly let him go.
With a final look for Iori, Joe wandered over to Ken and Daisuke. "So, when are you two heading out?"
"Soon," said Daisuke. He smiled. "We need to try out your gift."
"Of course, you will get just as bad from us some day, you know that."
Joe nodded. "Yeah, we know. But we'll probably enjoy it just as much. Besides, it was either that or a house plant."
"We approve of your choice. Definitely, definitely approve."
"You know, Daisuke," said Ken, "keep talking like that and someone is going to think you're a pervert."
"So?"
Joe laughed. "Well, if I don't see you before Iori and I leave, you two have a wonderful time in Italy. I'm going to go find Mimi and Sora."
Scanning the room, he found Sora over near the band. He worked his way through the crowd until he reached her side. "Hey, Sora."
She hugged him tightly. "Joe! There you are. I saw you at dinner. Why didn't you come over and say 'hi'?"
"Why didn't you?"
"I was too busy being humiliated by Mimi."
"What did she say?"
"You think I'm going to repeat it? Forget it. That's what you get for not coming over."
"So, what have you been up to?"
"Not a whole lot. Business has been steady, but not overwhelming, thank god. Mimi picked up a rich client, which means she's been going crazy with ideas for redecorating the aprtment, now that we can afford it. Our living room has been eaten by carpet samples."
"Lots of pink?"
"You can't imagine."
"Hey, Sora, Mimi's looking for you." Izzy pushed his way through the crowd to reach Sora's side.
Joe smiled at Sora. "Well, I'll see you some other time, okay?"
"Oh no, you have to come say 'hi' to Mimi first."
"I don't know... I mean, Iori and I were going to leave pretty soon, and I have to go find him..."
"It'll just take a few minutes. C'mon." Sora tugged at his arm, dragging him through the crowds as Izzy trailed behind them.
Mimi sat with Tai at the table they had occupied during dinner. Sora sneaked up behind her and wrapped her arms around her neck. "Hey, love."
Mimi twisted around in her seat. "I see Izzy found you."
"Yep. And look who I found!"
Mimi looked over at Joe and jumped out of her chair to give him a hug. "I'm so glad to see you!"
"Me too. But, uh, Mimi? Air?"
"Oh, sorry." She removed her arms from around his neck. "How are you?"
"I'm great. How about you?"
"Perfect. More than perfect. Wonderful."
"I think wonderful falls under perfect."
"No, I need both. Sora's mom is selling me the shop. She's going to retire early."
"That's great."
"I know." Mimi squealed in happiness. "And Sora's mom is happy that the shop will stay in the family. Sort of."
"Like it's my fault I have no skill with flowers," said Sora.
"Oh, hush." Mimi turned back to Joe. "How's Iori?"
Joe smiled. "He's perfect. Wonderful, even."
"I glad to hear it. You two are the cutest thing."
At that statement, Izzy snorted and headed off into the crowd. Everyone looked after him in startlement. Tai blushed and rose from his seat. "Sorry about that. I should, uh, go after him. Nice to see you, Joe."
Sora, Mimi, and Joe watched Tai move into the crowd. Mimi turned to Joe. "You know, I'm getting really tired of this."
"Huh?"
"You and Izzy. I am *so* sick of your behavior. You are acting like three year olds."
"Mimi, I don't see how this is really any of your business."
"None of my business? Every time I see you two, I get stuck in the middle. And that hurts. But you know who gets hurt more? Tai and Iori. The people you're supposed to love."
"Look, this is neither the time nor the place to discuss this."
"Then when should it be discussed? I've been waiting years for the 'right time' but it never comes, Joe. It never comes. I keep waiting, and waiting, and it never comes. And in the mean time, the chance of you and Izzy putting this whatever it is behind gets smaller and smaller."
"Mimi." Sora placed a hand on her girlfriend's shoulder. "It's all right."
"No, it's not all right. It'll never be all right as long as their fighting. We're supposed to be friends. All of us. Not just some of us."
Mimi's voice was becoming more loud and more hysterical as she went on, and the group of them was starting to attract attention. Most of the stares were from people Joe didn't recognize, which meant that they had no idea what was going on and were probably wondering if they were actually friends of Ken and Daisuke or if a bunch of crazy people had wandered in when no one was looking.
"Mimi, I have to go find Iori. I promise you -- I promise -- that we will talk about this later."
"Somehow, I just don't believe it, Joe."
"I'm serious. I'll call you tomorrow. If I don't... Well, knowing you, you'll show up on my doorstep demanding an explanation."
Mimi sniffed. "You see if I don't. Now get out of here. Before I change my mind."
Joe kissed her cheek. "Thanks, Mimi."
He found Iori on the other side of the room, oblivious to what he'd missed. Joe slowed as he approached Iori, who was swinging Miyako around and around, like two kids trying to see who would fall down from dizziness first. Mimi had said it was Iori who he hurt most of all with his distance from Izzy. As much as he hated to consider it, it was possible that she was right. Iori had looked up to the other man. And why shouldn't he? More than any of them, Izzy had been a mentor to the younger generation
Maybe Mimi was right. Maybe it was time to settle things between him and Izzy. They'd never be friends again, but there was no reason they couldn't be civil. He call Izzy tomorrow morning, no, evening, because the other man went in to work early. He'd ask him out for a drink, coffee or something, and to talk. And to listen, finally.
And who knew? Maybe there was hope for their friendship after all. Still, it wouldn't happen over night. It was far easier to destroy things than to rebuild them. Give it time.
But before any of that happened, Joe had something important to take care of. He would go home, take his lover in his arms, and remind both of them how much their love meant to him. And then, even if Izzy refused his offers, he would keep trying. Some things are important enough that you don't give up.
Joe tapped Miyako on the should. "Mind if I cut in?"
As she stepped aside, he took Iori in his arms and smiled. "Let's waltz on home."