Out of the Closet, Off the Wall, Through the Night

By: JC Maxwell-Yuy

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JC: Chiller… now even I'm scared, just writing this.

Daisuke: Please… change the font! There, that's better.

JC: Uh huh.

Daisuke: What?

JC: You just ruined the mood I was setting.

Daisuke: You're moody, it'll set itself.

JC: Sure it will. (mutters something about goggle boys)

Daisuke: Disclaimer: JC doesn't own Digimon Adventure 02, so don't sue. If he did own it, now… let's count the possibilities… I could have Hikari-chan AND Takeru-chan!

JC: Dream on.

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Night… so cold and dark. Just like he was. Any normal person would have run screaming at first sight of him, but by that time he would be on them, drinking that unfortunate soul's blood. After so long, he saw the monster he had become, and tonight, he would end it all…

(Taichi's POV)

"Yamato!" a shrill voice echoed through the crisp, autumn air.

"Jun." Yamato Ishida turned around. There were two things that I know make his skin crawl: one was a messy kitchen; two was the rabid fan known as Jun Motomiya.

"Yamato-chan!" she grabbed his arm forcefully and dragged him off to some crepe stand at the school carnival.

"She never quits, does she?" Miyako Inoue licked the teriyaki sauce off her fingers and handed the rest of her meat kabobs to Poromon.

"Nah… she's just like that. Annoying as Hell." Daisuke muttered under his breath. "I swear, my sister has NO dignity WHATSOEVER." The new leader of the Chosen Children stooped down to feed Chibimon some of his ramen.

Hikari chuckles, and Takeru shrugs. Everyone knew Jun was obsessed, and that she was too blind to notice that Yamato was NOT interested.

"Oniichan? Is everything all right?" Hikari asks me.

"Eh?" I drop my crepe on the ground in surprise. "Uh, yeah." I can feel myself blushing a bit.

"Oniichan, I know when something's up. Spill." Hikari picked the crepe up and tossed it in the trash. "You don't drop food unless you're nervous."

"It's… you know." I say casually and raised my eyebrow at her. She takes the hint. She's the only one who knows about my… thing for Yamato. Her and Agumon. Hikari turns to watch as Jun pulls Yamato out of sight toward the games. I was jealous of her, even though I knew Yamato didn't like her, I was jealous that she could just throw herself at him just like that. I couldn't.

(Hikari's POV)

My oniichan has been struck by Cupid's arrow in the butt several times. As I turn away to talk to the others, I can see the wistful look in his eyes as he watches Yamato. I don't know if Yamato… could ever like my oniichan the way he likes him. I tried getting hints from Takeru, but he didn't seem to know what I was talking about. I stopped trying to meddle, and decided to see how things turned out, right now, I think he's going to cry. I could say something, but then everyone else might catch on. Daisuke for one, has fallen head over heels for Ken Ichijouji, and I am not going to argue with that. At least he stopped flirting with me; he's much better flirting with Ken.

"Where's Ken? I wanted him to win me one of those stuffed tigers!" Daisuke was complaining.

"Sorry I'm late. The train was delayed." Ken ran up with Minomon.

"Ken! I was just telling everyone how you're going to win me a tiger." Daisuke practically plowed Ken over.

"You want him to win you a stuffed tiger? Tell him that I want the koala!" Miyako winked.

"Oh no. Who said he's going to win anything for you? I want the tiger."

"Koala! And what would you do with that stuffed animal may I ask?"

They're great, that's all I can say. Even though some people in our group might be… different, it's fun to be around them. It's always interesting.

"Forget the tiger. I want a new soccer ball!"

"Forget the ball Ken! Win me that koala!"

Like I said, it's always interesting.

"Come on guys, don't make me separate you." I laugh, watching the exhausted expression on Ken's face as Miyako and Daisuke tried to pull him two ways.

(Takeru's POV)

At that point, we were all having fun just watching Miyako and Daisuke 'fight' over Ken. Personally, I think Miyako was just teasing, because that koala plushie wasn't that cute. Just when Ken was about to give into both, there was a loud scream. The next thing I knew, my brother and I were in the hospital. He had collapsed while he was with Jun. The doctors didn't know what was wrong with him, but after he slept a bit, he was released. Jun had gone into hysterics, and was running left and right trying to decide what to do to apologize. I know I must be crazy, but when I went to see him his hands were like ice. He told me he was all right and was fine; I believed him, but I knew something was still wrong.

(Yamato's POV)

Damn. This is much harder than I thought. I don't know how much longer I can keep this up.

"Yamato, you should stay in bed for a while. The doctors say you need to rest and take it easy. They still don't know what's wrong with you." My father says from the living room.

"Kay'." I put the dishrag down and walk back up to my room. I slammed my fist against the pillow. How much longer until I was dead? Correction, I am dead…

(Daisuke's POV)

After Yamato collapsed at the carnival, Jun went into hysterics. Takeru remained calm enough to go with the paramedics to the hospital. But Taichi stood off to the side. I had a strong feeling that Taichi's feelings for Yamato were more than just friendship. As I watch him, I see his fists bunch up and he slams his right fist into a wall.

"K'so! Yamato… why?" I hear him whisper. Blood streaks from his hand. Hikari runs over and ties it with her handkerchief. At that point, the feeling that Taichi loved Yamato grew stronger, but that's all I could think about the matter because my 'dearly hysterical' sister was now crying the waterworks out on my shoulder.

(Taichi's POV)

I stand outside the door to the Ishida's apartment the next day after school. Yamato hadn't come to school that day, so I decided to go see how he was doing.

'Yeah, really see how he is.' I ring the bell. The sound of shuffling feet comes and Yamato answers the door looking tired and beat.

"Taichi? What do you want?" he mumbles.

"Yamato… maybe… you should go back inside. I'll come back later." I start backing away. Crest of courage? Now it seems like a big joke to me.

"No. Taichi… please. Come in." He looks panicked. My heart gets the better of me and I walk in. The minute he closes the door, he slumps over a bit. The bags under his eyes tell me he hasn't gotten much sleep, and he looks awfully thin.

"Yamato… how… how did this happen?" I ask. How did my beautiful Yamato get to be such a … a tired wreck? He doesn't answer. "Yamato!"

"I'm… fine." He mutters. "Just need to lie down." He starts walking toward the couch; I know that couch, it's all lumpy and uncomfortable, not the best place to lie down.

"Yamato, let me walk you to your room. That couch is really…" I start to say but he's already out. I slowly walk to the couch and pick him up and carry him to his room. 'He's so light… almost as if he hasn't eaten in weeks.' I wonder as I open the door to his room to reveal…

(Yamato's POV)

"Oh Kami…" I hear him say. That's it. He probably knows now. "Yamato…" his voice is scared, concerned.

"Taichi. Please… don't tell anyone." I slide out of his arms to look at it. My bed covered with splotches of blood, my blood.

"I can't do that Yamato. You're killing yourself! You… you…" he looks like he's going to cry, a look I can't stand.

"Shut up Taichi. You don't understand." I snap.

"Oh yeah? Well make me! Yamato, how can you do this to yourself?" he glares at me, tears starting to form in his brown eyes.

"I'm already dead." I whisper, placing my hand against his cheek. He winces at the cold touch.

"Yamato… you're sick. You need…"

"Yeah, I'm sick, and there's no cure." I try to smile, but I just look unhappy, and my fangs still showed.

"Oh my…" he gasps. "You're a…"

"Vampire… yeah. Been one a while." I laugh ruefully.

"But you're…" he stammers.

"Immortal? Maybe. Just starving that's all."

"But why don't you… eat?" he asks, nervous. I don't blame him.

"Oh, Taichi, Taichi. I have been eating. But recently, I've realized… what a horrible monster I've become. And I'm going to end it… all."

"Dame!" his voice is tight. "You can't; I…"

"You what? You can't do anything. Nothing… I never thought I'd go this way, but I have too. Please Taichi… don't think of me as a vampire… please… you're my best friend. I need you to… tell Takeru… about me after I die. Please Taichi… I want…" I stop when I see him removing his shirt. My face seems to flush, but I know I can't even look at my reflection. "What are you doing?" I ask. "Put your shirt back on! You don't know… the hunger. I might…"

"Sssshhh…" he places his finger on my lips, silencing me. "I trust you Yamato. Please, take what you want."

It's too much. Too much for me to handle. "No Taichi. NO!" I turn to leave, but he closes the door and leans against it.

"Yamato. I will not allow you to commit suicide." He says sternly, he raises his head to meet my eyes. That was it… I lost it… complete control.

(Taichi's POV)

"Yamato. I will not allow you to commit suicide." As I raised my head, his eyes suddenly lost their life. The next thing I knew, he was on me, like some starving leech. His fangs sank into my bare neck, and his hands wrapped around me, pulling me closer to him. The bite… it wasn't painful. It was more like a kiss, and it felt damn good.

When he stopped, I was tired. I don't think I was ever that tired in my entire life. I looked at him, and he said one word with tears in his eyes. "Why?"

"I… I…" I don't remember if I said anything else, but then everything blacked out.

(Yamato's POV)

"I… I… love you."

When he said those words, my world stopped. Everything just stopped. I didn't know what to do. I had loved Taichi ever since … since our Digital World adventure. I was going to tell him, one day, but then, I discovered… the other part of me. The monster. The part of me that I knew Taichi would despise and loathe. The part that no human could possibly ever love. I didn't deserve it, I didn't deserve him. Not after what he just did for me.

'Taichi… why?' I continued to ask myself, even though he had given me an answer.

(Hikari's POV)

Taichi never came home that night. I was worried, so I called everyone except Yamato trying to find out where he was. Yamato called me, and said that Taichi was spending the night. He sounded, so upset. I didn't know what to make of it. Did my brother confess his feelings, or not? Either way, if Yamato hurt him, I'll never forgive him.

(Taichi's POV)

When I woke up, it was night. I was in a room… Yamato's room on the bed. I sort of panicked, and got up. The sheets were fresh though, not the blood stained ones from who knows how long. My head hurt, and I was still tired. I started to get up when a soft rustling caught my attention.

"You're up." Yamato. He seemed to melt in and out of the shadows as he approached me. "Bet you're hungry." I nod vigorously and he leaves. As the light from the hallway fades, I could have sworn I saw a small tear in his eye. Five minutes later he was back with some soup and a ham sandwich.

"Yamato, I know that you're probably mad at me. I'll go if you…" I start to get up and grab my folded shirt off the bed, but he stops me.

"Taichi… why? Why did you take the risk that I could kill you?" he asks.

"I told you… I love you." I mumble. "And now you probably hate me."

"Taichi!" he grabs my shoulders roughly. "You just… you're so stupid!" he starts crying.

"I made you cry. I'll go now… and if you want, I'll never bother you again." I start to pull away, but his grip is like iron.

"No… Taichi. Don't go… don't leave me alone…" he says softly. "I… knew I was wrong… to try to kill myself. I thought that… you couldn't ever stand someone like me.

"How can I not stand you? You're my best friend… and then some. You mean so much to me. I can't hate you, not now, not ever." I can't stand it when he cries like that. My heart starts to pound faster, and I lean over and kiss him.

(Yamato's POV)

His kiss… is sweet. Like candy. I don't want to stop. His lips are soft and warm, reassuring. He wraps his arms around me, pulling me closer to him. When we finally stop, he's blushing like mad.

"Yamato. Ai shiteru."

"Taichi… Ai shiteru." I mumble back. I've never felt so light and happy in such a long time.

"Yama-chan?" he prods kissing my forehead lightly. "If you ever need… anything, you can come to me."

"Tai-chan." I snicker, but then my voice becomes serious. "Are you sure?"

He nods and kisses me again. There is no heaven, heaven is right here with Taichi. "Just promise me you won't scare me like that again."

"Promise." I kissed him back. "But what do we do now?"

"Oh I don't know. But I need to call my parents to tell them where I am."

"Already done." I grin. "You're spending the night."

"Really?" he kisses me again. "Better clean your room up more because I think I'm going to be a regular."

I frown a bit, looking at my messy room. With band practice and all, I never had time to clean it, or go grocery shopping.

"Come on Yama-chan." He gently nibbles my earlobe. "Let's try that soup of yours."

"Uh, Taichi. I should warn you it's a little on the…" I try to stop him, but…

"ITAI! IT'S SO HOT! HOT! HOT! HOT!" he runs out to the kitchen for some water. When he returns, he's all red and flustered.

"Spicy side." I finish, giggling at his now flushed and sweaty face.

"Geez, for a vampire, you must have some weak taste buds if you can stomach THAT stuff." He pants.

"But I thought you liked hot." I smirk and gently kiss his chest and trail upward to his face.

"Not THAT hot." He mummers as I capture his mouth with mine.

(An couple of notes from the journal of Takeru Takashi)

When I got to the apartment, I found my oniichan and Taichi all over each other. I didn't ask, and they assured me that they knew what they were doing and if they did 'it' they'd be safe. Uh huh. Of course, after I saw them making out, Taichi shirtless, I suffered from a nosebleed and passed out. It's bad enough Daisuke and Ken can't keep their hands of one another. After I regained consciousness thanks to my oniichan's 'soup' if you want to call it that, I left; feeling a little mixed up. For one, I was happy that Yamato had found love. I also didn't know that Taichi worked out, as well as that you can never have enough vanilla wafers.

(Taichi's POV)

Happy. Just happy and that's it. Although my love life now has some complications, with Yama-chan being a vampire and all, things couldn't be better.

"Oi Taichi!" Yamato runs up.

"Hello koi." I kiss him as my greeting.

Of course, relationships aren't always perfect. Yamato has to take a bite so to speak everyday or so. I don't mind, really, I feel good. And I feel better than if I go donate blood to a blood bank.

"Are you sure?" he asks, for the hundredth time.

"Hai. Yama-chan, how many times must we go through this?"

"I just want to make sure, you can always say no." He's always thinking of my safety first.

"Yamato Ishida. I love you, you know that?" I laugh.

"I know." He smiles, showing his fangs, and sinks them into my neck.

___________________________________The End________________________________

JC: So what'd you all think?

Yamato: You made it TOO sappy.

JC: Come on people, feedback here!

Yamato: Please R&R!

JC: Thanks for reading people, but please, lots of feedback, it helps me write faster.

Yamato: Can you please make the next fic a Jun bashing one?

JC: Lemme think about that.