Rivaly Friendship
Rivaly Friendship

A/N: This is for all Daisuke-fans. He's definitely not evil, he's a cool kid with his own kind of problems. But don't even hope on Daikari, I'll never write these without evil thoughts… I'm sorry if I annoyed some readers with my last stories, but I had to release my anger against some Daikaris… About the other stories, I'm still continuing these, but it'll take a little bit more time, I rewrite these very often, erase some ideas or add others. A little warning – this story contains a little bit Takari, but it focus more on Daisuke and Takeru's relationship… Have fun, and don't forget to R/R, but use Your flames for Your own camp fire, I really don't need our house burned down…

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, the series and the main-plot of Digimon, I wished I would but I don't. I don't earn any money or anything else for writing such stories, I do it for fun and experience.

Chapter 1 - Thoughts

Love, did I fall for her ? Did I ever love her ?

It was several weeks ago as she admitted that she loved 'him'. Somehow it wasn't a surprise and somehow I took it very well. I ever thought that I would become furious and extreme jealous, but nothing, I kept calm. At that time I began to ask me these questions. Although she never told 'him' about her feelings I know that 'he' replies them.

But why was I jealous the whole time before ? I still try to figure out. At least I know it wasn't her, the light of our team. But then WHY ?

I know what I ever told myself, he's popular, good at school, has many friends, has a wonderful family, a love, her,  a wonderful partner and respect. But what have I ?

Best I begin with my partner, isn't he wonderful too ? – I have to admit, he's no angel but I have no doubt that he's the best partner I can ever have, we fit together perfectly. He's no angel but for me he's better. The only reason could be that others would rate his angel higher than my 'lizard', but who cares ? Even he finds him kewl, although he still prefers his partner. I have to admit even these two fit together perfectly… - Why do I see in him my rival ?

Friends – he has many good friends, but who am I fooling, we have nearly as many friends, but I never understood this before, even 'him' I count as friend and vice versa – Yes I know what that means, I'm not that dumb… No that aren't his friends… - Then why do I still see in him my rival ?

Love – that's a point he's ahead although both act as if in denial, both of them are in love with each other but are to afraid to advance a step and risking their friendship. Yes, he's ahead, but I think this situation is much worse. At least I know that I haven't found my match but 'he' has found her but he thinks that she's unavailable which causes him pain the whole day. I know that I'll find my match sometimes but not today. – Even here I have an advantage, so why do I see in him my rival ?

Family – He has a wonderful mom and brother, about his dad I cannot say much, I only met him once but even he looked nice. But I ever forgot that his parents are divorced, most of his life he barely saw his brother and dad. I don't know how I'd take such a situation, I still have both parents together and a sister. About my sister, I love her, but sometimes I wished that I was an only child; she can be annoying and persistent, but on the other hand she can also be helpful and nice, but seeing us every day can rape your nerves. Perhaps it is the reason why he and his brother have a good connection, they haven't much time together so that they try to make the best of this situation. Perhaps I should try this too, make the best of the situation with Jun and try not to annoy her too often. – Sometimes I wished I understood my family as good as he his, but I've to admit that I should have an easier situation, but who do I still see in him my rival ?

Good at school – Yes, he really is, but that shouldn't be anything for me to be jealous of. If I'd learn more and do my homework regularly I would also raise my grades, but I have to admit that I hate both, I like to spend my time playing soccer and having a good time with my friends. Even then my grades aren't that bad; I never had a risk of being held back, never. – No grades and being good at school aren't the reason of my rivalry, but then which are these ?

Popularity – Yes he's really popular at our school, he's the captain of our basketball-team and managed to raise it to our local champion team. Every girl around wants to be his girl-friend although he never showed a sign of noticing another girl than 'her'. But why am I forgetting that even I am popular, not as much as him, but I still am. Perhaps it's the missing of girl-attention which makes me think that I'm worthless, but on the other hand no, it's nice to have an own fan club, but having everyday a big hunt isn't my dream of being popular. – No popularity isn't the answer, it has its advantages but also its disadvantages.

There's still the question why do I see in him my rival. I really don't know.

I know that I should perhaps ask someone, but who ? Taichi – Nah, he's good at soccer, and can help me in questions of leadership, but about this I doubt that he could help me. Yamato – Perhaps he could help me, but knowing my sister I doubt that I can find him. The girls : Sora, Mimi, Miyako, Hikari – No I really don't want to talk about this with them – I prefer guy-talk. Ken – Usually I'd ask him, but he has away for the next 2 weeks somewhere in the US. Koushiro – About computers then I could ask him, but nothing else… Jyou – the same except that he's an expert in anatomy. Iori – Perhaps, but he's away with his grandpa, I don't remember where…

That only leaves 'him'. But somehow it's perfect, he's the problem and perhaps he can help me to figure out why. I hope that he has an idea why…

With this thought I write a note for my parents, I doubt that they'll read it, grab my umbrella, it's raining outside, and head to his apartment.

Chapter 2 – A Talk

Just as I am about to enter the building he lives in I notice a well-known person leaving.

"Hi Hikari."

"Hi Daisuke, what are You doing here ?"

"I just wanted to visit Takeru."

She looks at me as if I wasn't myself. I think I understand why, usually I try to avoid 'this'.

"YOU visiting Takeru, that's new…" She tries to hold back a giggle.

"I know, but there's something I'm thinking about lately and I hope he can help me to figure out. I have a feeling that he can probably help me in this point."

"He's at home, I wanted to invite him to the cinema, but he has diarrhea and I doubt that it'd be good at this time for us being at the cinema. If you knock or use the bell, You should be patient, it could take a little time for him answering."

"Have You told him yet ? You know about what…"

"No, I hoped at the cinema, but… Not yet and I'm still afraid about his feelings towards me."

"You should, You could be surprised…" I add a smirk, the best I have.

"Why does everyone tells me the same…"

"Perhaps it's the truth ? I don't want to hinder You, I'll see You."

"Bye…" She waves at me and heads to her home.

I don't know why, but I feel that after this whole love-incident we got better friends, especially by knowing and accepting that we can only be friends I worship this situation much more than this before. I understand why we don't fit together, I'm too much alike her brother and I have nearly the same feelings as her brother towards her. I like to think about her like a sister I never had than a probably girlfriend.

Leaving the last thoughts aside I enter the building and head to his apartment. I use the door-bell and receive a quiet answer that he's coming in a few. I remember the last time I had this, I nearly lived on our toilet, I can understand why it takes this much time.

I patently wait a few minutes until he opens the front door. He looks surprised seeing me, but says nothing in this way.

"Oh hi, Daisuke, I expected everyone else than You."

"I know, that's partly a reason why I'm here. I think I need to talk to You."

"No problem, I hope You understand if I sometimes run as fast as possible to the toilet ?"

"I met Hikari just a few minutes ago, I know. I hope You get better soon."

"Come in, best we talk in my room, don't ask me where Patamon is, probably he's emptying our fridge."

"Is he as bad as Veemon ?"

"I don't know, but Pata can be very hungry"

Meanwhile we go into his room. I notice that I never was in his room before, once I was in his living room, but never in his domain. It's definitely the opposite of my own, it's so clean and I doubt that his mom cleans this up.

"I know how much Veemon eats, I'm only grateful that my parents know about him, before he nearly killed my allowance."

"Take a seat where You want, about what do You want to talk about ?"

"About us, I'm trying to figure out the last days why we behave like rivals or sometimes like enemies. And that's confusing me. I think that I'm the only reason but why I cannot resolve."

"I know how You feel, I had these thoughts many times before too. But one I can tell You, it's not only You, I'm partly guilty too. I barely tried to avoid the fights, sometimes I like them, don't ask me why. But then I remember Yamato and Taichi a long time ago…"

"I never thought that they are the best friends, were they really that bad ?"

"No, they were worse. There was once a time Yamato tried to kill Taichi, one of his worst times. But we couldn't blame him, partly he was brainwashed by a cherrymon. But there was a time of great rivalry between them. And the worst I was one of the reasons…"

"But how could this end without a disaster ? What happened ?"

"First they were saved by the bell, Hikari was possessed by a spirit which told us about our history, why we were chosen. At that time Yamato decided to leave the team to find his way and he found it. I still try to remember how he found his way although I doubt that it'd help us here…"

"Why shouldn't it ? At least we'd have a start."

"We wouldn't. It's his way, You can't simply compare Yourself with him and modify his way simply. You have to find your way by yourself. To be honest, I tried before, but it made the situation only worse in my mind. At that time I really thought of You as an enemy. But I had luck at that time to be at vacation."

"Oh… About comparing, I tried to figure out why I am jealous, but everytime I got either an advanced or an equal situation. And that's odd."

"Perhaps You have only looked at the first oblivious facts. But better forget trying to compare Yourself with others. Once I made this too, I compared myself with my brother and have only seen his qualities. But at that time I forgot about my own."

Huh ? What does he mean ? Comparing with others could let You forget Your own qualities ?

"That sounds interesting, can You explain this ?"

"I try but after a toilet break. Do You like something to eat or drink ?"

"Uhhh… Why not ?"

"Okay…" With this word he runs out of his room.

I have some time to look around, perhaps I can understand him a little bit more.

Like I noticed before, it's a clean room, it isn't perfect but if I compared it with mine it's definitely clean. I notice many pictures, some at the wall, some on his desk and drawer. There are two of both teams alone and one of both intertwined. But he also has pictures of everyone alone with its digimon. Even I have my own picture here although it's not the best place but I have to respect him to have a picture of 'his rival' in his room. To be honest I'd never thought about this. But the best picture is one with him and Hikari in it in front of an American shop or so. If I had ever doubts about them this picture shows how they fit together. It hangs at the best spot in his room, definitely a sign how much he worships it. His bed isn't made, but being ill I guess that he usually uses it if noone is around. In his room is also an own computer although it isn't the newest model, but who cares, he has his own, I have to use my dad's shared with Jun. But on the other hand I own a video console and he not, I think we are somehow equal in this way. And again I compared him with myself, but why ?

I notice that he returns with two sodas and a package of cookies.

"Nice room."

"Thanks, it's hard to keep it this way, but my mom isn't allowed to enter it when I'm away. It's a deal between us, she never checks my room and I never hers."

"Good idea, but I doubt that my mom would do this, she'd break her legs if she tries."

"A few years ago my room was nearly as bad and I broke a leg in it and it was summer. No fun at all. Since then I keep my room clean."

"Understandable. Perhaps I should clean my room too, but it's too much for me."

"A hint, begin slowly, don't overdo Yourself. Perhaps every day half an hour, not much time but it's worth."

"Good idea, but I think we were talking about something else…"

"About forgetting Your own qualities. I remember the time I compared myself with my brother, I ever wished I would be as strong as him, he looked like as if he took the whole divorce 'like a man', he never showed a bad emotion about it, but geeze I was totally wrong, he took it worse than me, he bottled everything up. But noone saw this. At that time I tried to be like him, but everytime failed. I wasn't that strong as he looked like, I was in our group at the beginning the crybaby, but it began to change after Angemon's death…"

Angemon died ? I never thought about this, but this could explain why he reacts so bad around the darkness. I understand why he never told anyone, the only one who can understand him is Ken, he also lost his digimon once…

"I had to be strong at least for regaining Patamon. It took a long time really to understand my own way and my own strength. Finally I understood as Hikari joint our team. Since then I wasn't any longer the youngest kid, it was Hikari. She was most of the time sick and needed my strength to continue. Finally at the battle with Piedmon I understood my own strength, not by comparing with others, I am strong as long I have hope. You have Your own strengths as You showed at our last battle against Malomyotismon or as You offered Ken a second chance. These are the moments You showed Your best qualities. Don't try to be someone You aren't, be simply Yourself; it takes some time to understand but it's worth."

Be myself ? Am I not myself the last months. He's right, I tried to be more like him.

"But sometimes I have a feeling that I don't deserve the digiegg of friendship. Best example is our relationship, we should be friends, but I think most of the time of You as an enemy, it's odd…"

"Not really. Replace the word 'enemy' with 'rival' and it describes our relation better, but despite of this we 'are' friends. A rivalry doesn't make a friendship worthless, but in this point I recommend You to ask my brother, 'friendship' is his métier. We are friends although not good but at least we are. But sometimes we forget this, and yes I said 'we'. I forget this too especially when I bottled my anger too long."

We are friends ? – Definitely yes, I only forget this fact, he's definitely right in this point. But why ? – I remember our rivalry…

"That brings us to my first question, why do I see in You my rival ? I still try to figure out. Why am I jealous of You ? And in one point it's not Hikari."

"She's not, that really was my first thought. But why are You sure about this ?"

"Very simple, You love her, she loves You and I never loved her in this way, I only love her as a sister I never had. There was a time I thought that I loved her, but after her confession I felt relieve not jealousy; at that time I began to think about our relation. Everything I ever told myself was either a lie or only one point of view."

"Perhaps You miss something I have. What do You see in me, what do I 'have' You don't. Never forget, jealousy is something which is created of someone else having something You don't. I know why I am jealous of You although I hardly try to leave this behind. You have a complete family, something I miss since my parents' divorce, something I worship You. I still hope that my parents would get back together but I know that this won't happen, not after these years. I'm happy that I can see my dad more frequent now. Until I moved back I only saw him on my or Yamato's birthdays and once or twice else. And my brother I saw him nearly as often. You don't know how it feels, if You haven't anyone to lend You a shoulder if You need one. I really never had a 'family', I only have a mother, a brother and a father, but no family. And then there was the feeling of loneliness, I had over the years, something I never wish someone else to feel. But to be honest I am jealous of most of my friends in that point, nearly everyone has a family, except for two noone can understand how I feel. Only Koushiro and Ken know this feeling."

"Why Ken I know, but why Koushiro. I know that he has both parents although he hasn't a sibling."

"I can't tell You, ask Koushiro perhaps he'll tell You. It's something personal."

"Okay, I don't ask You about this again…"

If his life is that worse, but why is he most of the time happy ? And why am I not with my own situation ? – Could this be the reason ? – He's happy and I not although I have the better condition…

"How comes that You are most of the time happy even with Your situation ?"

"That's something I learned a long time ago, I look only at the best moments of life and try to forget the worse. I try to worship every minute with my dad or my brother, I try to avoid looking back, I see only the present and future. Even in bad situations I see the advantages of my life. If I have an argument with my brother I can leave, go back home and give us time to calm down. For us it's easy, we don't live in the same apartment, that's something You can't do. After we calmed down we are able to clean up our argument. I learned to see the advantages in bad situations and I'm used to have hope in life although I remember what reality means. I hope that my parents would remarry but I know that the chances are very slim for this."

I wished I would see the world his way. He's able to see the best in every moment unimportant how bad the situation is meanwhile I'm not. Can it be that that's the main reason why I'm jealous of him ? He understands happiness, while I'm clueless. I think I need some time to think all over.

"I hope it doesn't sound nefarious but I think I need some time to think about all over."

"If You need again someone to talk to You know how to reach me and take all time You need, I know how long this can take, even I have some things to think over."

"I cannot promise anything…"

"Don't even do it until You understand the situation. Simply take Your time for this."

"But You can promise me one thing."

He looks curious. "What ?"

"Tell her and make her happy. You should know that she loves You too and if You wait too long it might change."

I know I'd never told him this a few weeks ago, but now I think it's the correct thing to do.

"I promise and are You sure ?"

"Definitely yes, she even told me. Bye."

Before I leave I give him a wink with my eye. I notice him shocked at his door staying but I think I did the correct thing for both. Even if he's my rival I know now that he is also my friend. I only have to figure out if he's still my rival which I begin to doubt. I wished I have talked with him about this a long time ago, we could be very good friends for a long time; I'm only happy that it isn't too late now…