Takeru carefully wrapped the mess of bruised and bloodied flesh that lay silently in his lap. Hikari had left him alone and taken the others who were fit to fight towards the towering black pillar on the horizon. Perhaps it would have been safer for him to just go back to the real world with his unconscious companion but Takeru had opted to stay within the digiworld. With gentle hands he pushed the goggles off his friend's head and laid them to the floor. Daisuke had gotten badly injured in the last fight. Things like that weren't supposed to happen. It was the Digimon's purpose to fight, not the digidestioned. Not in hand to hand combat anyway and not with an angry Katsumon. Then again, if he hadn't charged at it and drawn it's fire, Hikari could have been hurt instead.
Takeru shook his head, "Daisuke...the things you'll do for a crush."
The pain drawn face adorned in bloody burgundy hair turned away, unconsciously nuzzling Takeru's stomach.
Takeru frowned. He knew Daisuke hated him. He figured it steamed from their rivalry but even with his best attempts to befriend the hot-tempered youth, Daisuke still remained spiteful and unfeeling towards him. He could remember telling Daisuke that Hikari was like a sibling to him, a sister, trying to arise his hopes. The reaction had not been what he had expected. A sigh of relief, a triumphant shout or maybe even a teasing remark would have been normal coming from the other boy but not the panic stricken flash of fear in those claret eyes. Daisuke had fled before Takeru could question him and since then, Daisuke had been rather silent, very unlike his usual talkative self.
Takeru took a rag and began to wipe away the blood that stained his friend's tanned skin.
Daisuke struggled against his touch, "Stop it, I'm fine. Just let me up.."
"You're not 'fine' Daisuke. You're hurt and you're only gonna hurt yourself more if you take things too fast." Takeru instructed.
"You don't know anything. Just leave me alone!"
Takeru leaned back as a wild fist flew towards him. Daisuke was angry.. at him? What had he done?
"Daisuke?"
The body in his lap began to curl up on itself, muffled sobs escaping thought firmly pursed lips. Takeru was at a loss. One minute the boy was laying calmly, allowing him to dress his wounds, the next he was fighting against the attention and now this.
"Daisuke..." he placed a comforting hand on his friends shoulder, "I know something's been bothering you... if it'll help, you can talk to me about it."
"No!"
The reply was venomous, but beneath it was hinted wanting. Daisuke wanted to say something but couldn't allow himself to speak.
"Daisuke, we're alone here. You can tell me anything." Takeru coxed, "I promise I won't say anything if you don't want me to. It'll be just between you and me. A secret between friends.. if you want."
The burgundy haired boy laughed silently with malice, "Friends? Are we even that, Takeru?" Daisuke brought his hand up to his eyes and whipped away his shameful tears, "We've nothing in common, you know. I used to think you liked Hikari.. I could level with you on that at least..we had that much in common I thought... but you don't. So it's back to the basics. You're Takeru and I'm Daisuke and we're as good as strangers all over again."
The blonde boy shook his head, "Sometimes differences make friendships too. Look at my brother and Taichi. Growing up in the digital world, you'd think they'd rather kill each other than agree with one another. Now you'd never know they'd been that way, that perhaps they'd been friends all their lives."
"Well good for them," he tried to push himself up from Takeru's lap but was held down.
"Daisuke...is that what this has all been about? You and I not being able to be friends?"
With a flustered and frantic look, Daisuke shook his head, "No, no! I could care less! I don't need you as a friend. I don't need anybody!"
"I think you do."
Daisuke managed to get away from the blonde, holding his burning chest in his arms, "You don't know anything about me, Takeru. None of you do! You don't know how all my life I've only been made fun of, that my family could care less about me when they have Jun to worry about. You don't know how hard it is for me to connect with anyone! No one understands, least of all you! So just leave me alone!"
Takeru sat, stunned at the sudden outburst and confession, "Daisuke.... Is it really so hard for you?"
"Just drop it, okay!"
Takeru stood, "I never realized. You're always so upbeat."
"I just want to be accepted..."
"And all people do is take advantage of your openness... poke fun at things you can't help... ignore you when the opportunity arises."
Daisuke blinked wildly, "Yeah... they do.."
"I do understand, Daisuke. It was the same for me when I was younger. I just wanted to be accepted with the bigger kids and tried to act tough to show I could be like them... but they would call me crybaby when things got too tough for me to handle...only one thing kept me together in those days."
"What's that?"
Takeru moved forward and wrapped his arms around Daisuke in an embrace, careful not to hold him too hard and mindful of his wounds. The burgundy haired boy didn't struggle, didn't move at all.. didn't breath.
"When I thought I'd loose my way, I was always welcome in my brother's arms and he'd hold me till everything was alright again. Knowing that someone loved me made everyone else disappear."
"Takeru..." Daisuke felt his strength leave him and he collapsed into his friend's arms, wrapping his own around his neck, "Why do you still want to be my friend after all I've said to you?"
"I've said some pretty bad things to you as well," Takeru admitted, "And it just feels right to be at your side in friendship rather than rivalry." He enjoyed the way Daisuke's body melded with him own, the warmth that traveled between them. Admittedly, he hadn't wanted to take Daisuke to the real world for this reason only. He'd wanted to freely show compassion for the boy and feared the uncertain stairs that might be cast at them. He wanted to be his friend... but the deep burn in his heart craved for much more than friendship.
"Takeru...I want to be your friend too... " Daisuke said in a hushed tone, "but .. I..."
Unable to resist the deep-set urge, he inclined his head and captured Takeru's lips with his own, pressing their bodies closer as he devoured his sweet mouth. He feared the rejection and waited for it. He had no hope that his affections would be returned I want to be your friend, Takeru.. but I can't stop myself from falling in love with you and I can't be content without your love.
Takeru stiffened at first, his habitual reaction to push away stifled by the pleasure running through him and the emotions that surfaced. Knowing that someone loved me made everyone else disappear... and right now I can't see anything but you.. With slow, uneasy movements, he parted his lips and let his tongue dart out to tease Daisuke's bottom lip. The burgundy haired boy drew back, surprise and shock plainly seen on his features. Takeru lifted his hand and cradled the other boy's face, "Friends then?" he asked with a sparkling smile.
Daisuke blinked back his surprise and laughed uneasily, "I guess so.. if you promise we can do that again sometime."
"How bout now?" Takeru leered, leaning down and kissing the soft lips again. The kiss was shorter than it's predecessor, align with promises for the future. A promise of love.
Takeru nestled his face in the burgundy spikes of hair and breathed in it's fragrance, tainted with the coppery sent of blood. He'd forgotten the condition his friend was in, "Oh, Daisuke! Are you okay? I wasn't holding you too tight was I?"
Daisuke shook his head and rested it on the firm chest before him, "I'm fine. Better in fact than I've been in a long time."
Takeru shook his head, "Daisuke...the things you'll do for a crush."
The pain drawn face adorned in bloody burgundy hair turned away, unconsciously nuzzling Takeru's stomach.
Takeru frowned. He knew Daisuke hated him. He figured it steamed from their rivalry but even with his best attempts to befriend the hot-tempered youth, Daisuke still remained spiteful and unfeeling towards him. He could remember telling Daisuke that Hikari was like a sibling to him, a sister, trying to arise his hopes. The reaction had not been what he had expected. A sigh of relief, a triumphant shout or maybe even a teasing remark would have been normal coming from the other boy but not the panic stricken flash of fear in those claret eyes. Daisuke had fled before Takeru could question him and since then, Daisuke had been rather silent, very unlike his usual talkative self.
Takeru took a rag and began to wipe away the blood that stained his friend's tanned skin.
Daisuke struggled against his touch, "Stop it, I'm fine. Just let me up.."
"You're not 'fine' Daisuke. You're hurt and you're only gonna hurt yourself more if you take things too fast." Takeru instructed.
"You don't know anything. Just leave me alone!"
Takeru leaned back as a wild fist flew towards him. Daisuke was angry.. at him? What had he done?
"Daisuke?"
The body in his lap began to curl up on itself, muffled sobs escaping thought firmly pursed lips. Takeru was at a loss. One minute the boy was laying calmly, allowing him to dress his wounds, the next he was fighting against the attention and now this.
"Daisuke..." he placed a comforting hand on his friends shoulder, "I know something's been bothering you... if it'll help, you can talk to me about it."
"No!"
The reply was venomous, but beneath it was hinted wanting. Daisuke wanted to say something but couldn't allow himself to speak.
"Daisuke, we're alone here. You can tell me anything." Takeru coxed, "I promise I won't say anything if you don't want me to. It'll be just between you and me. A secret between friends.. if you want."
The burgundy haired boy laughed silently with malice, "Friends? Are we even that, Takeru?" Daisuke brought his hand up to his eyes and whipped away his shameful tears, "We've nothing in common, you know. I used to think you liked Hikari.. I could level with you on that at least..we had that much in common I thought... but you don't. So it's back to the basics. You're Takeru and I'm Daisuke and we're as good as strangers all over again."
The blonde boy shook his head, "Sometimes differences make friendships too. Look at my brother and Taichi. Growing up in the digital world, you'd think they'd rather kill each other than agree with one another. Now you'd never know they'd been that way, that perhaps they'd been friends all their lives."
"Well good for them," he tried to push himself up from Takeru's lap but was held down.
"Daisuke...is that what this has all been about? You and I not being able to be friends?"
With a flustered and frantic look, Daisuke shook his head, "No, no! I could care less! I don't need you as a friend. I don't need anybody!"
"I think you do."
Daisuke managed to get away from the blonde, holding his burning chest in his arms, "You don't know anything about me, Takeru. None of you do! You don't know how all my life I've only been made fun of, that my family could care less about me when they have Jun to worry about. You don't know how hard it is for me to connect with anyone! No one understands, least of all you! So just leave me alone!"
Takeru sat, stunned at the sudden outburst and confession, "Daisuke.... Is it really so hard for you?"
"Just drop it, okay!"
Takeru stood, "I never realized. You're always so upbeat."
"I just want to be accepted..."
"And all people do is take advantage of your openness... poke fun at things you can't help... ignore you when the opportunity arises."
Daisuke blinked wildly, "Yeah... they do.."
"I do understand, Daisuke. It was the same for me when I was younger. I just wanted to be accepted with the bigger kids and tried to act tough to show I could be like them... but they would call me crybaby when things got too tough for me to handle...only one thing kept me together in those days."
"What's that?"
Takeru moved forward and wrapped his arms around Daisuke in an embrace, careful not to hold him too hard and mindful of his wounds. The burgundy haired boy didn't struggle, didn't move at all.. didn't breath.
"When I thought I'd loose my way, I was always welcome in my brother's arms and he'd hold me till everything was alright again. Knowing that someone loved me made everyone else disappear."
"Takeru..." Daisuke felt his strength leave him and he collapsed into his friend's arms, wrapping his own around his neck, "Why do you still want to be my friend after all I've said to you?"
"I've said some pretty bad things to you as well," Takeru admitted, "And it just feels right to be at your side in friendship rather than rivalry." He enjoyed the way Daisuke's body melded with him own, the warmth that traveled between them. Admittedly, he hadn't wanted to take Daisuke to the real world for this reason only. He'd wanted to freely show compassion for the boy and feared the uncertain stairs that might be cast at them. He wanted to be his friend... but the deep burn in his heart craved for much more than friendship.
"Takeru...I want to be your friend too... " Daisuke said in a hushed tone, "but .. I..."
Unable to resist the deep-set urge, he inclined his head and captured Takeru's lips with his own, pressing their bodies closer as he devoured his sweet mouth. He feared the rejection and waited for it. He had no hope that his affections would be returned I want to be your friend, Takeru.. but I can't stop myself from falling in love with you and I can't be content without your love.
Takeru stiffened at first, his habitual reaction to push away stifled by the pleasure running through him and the emotions that surfaced. Knowing that someone loved me made everyone else disappear... and right now I can't see anything but you.. With slow, uneasy movements, he parted his lips and let his tongue dart out to tease Daisuke's bottom lip. The burgundy haired boy drew back, surprise and shock plainly seen on his features. Takeru lifted his hand and cradled the other boy's face, "Friends then?" he asked with a sparkling smile.
Daisuke blinked back his surprise and laughed uneasily, "I guess so.. if you promise we can do that again sometime."
"How bout now?" Takeru leered, leaning down and kissing the soft lips again. The kiss was shorter than it's predecessor, align with promises for the future. A promise of love.
Takeru nestled his face in the burgundy spikes of hair and breathed in it's fragrance, tainted with the coppery sent of blood. He'd forgotten the condition his friend was in, "Oh, Daisuke! Are you okay? I wasn't holding you too tight was I?"
Daisuke shook his head and rested it on the firm chest before him, "I'm fine. Better in fact than I've been in a long time."