I'll Look Up To You
"Hey, Squirt."
A young blond with pale and soft skin opened his innocent azure eyes. Lying in the bed, a smile appeared on his face and his dry lips parted to say, "Hey, big brother."
"How are you feeling?" Yamato knelt down beside his younger sibling's bed and set his arms on the clean, fluffy sheets.
"I'm feeling great. I could go to your concert now. So everything's going to-" The youth was cut off by his mother. She walked in with a thermometer and gave him a look.
Yamato smirked, "I know you'll make it. You're going to pull through. It's just the flu."
Since his band suddenly kicked off on a great performing streak, Yamato was asked to play at a fancy restaurant with many guests to be there. It wasn't a formal party, it was for a teenage girl and she was turning sixteen. So Yamato couldn't let her down on Sweet Sixteen and the day before Christmas, of any given day. All her friends were looking forward to it. Even Yamato was ready to play. His band picked out their most popular songs and then he let the Birthday Girl chose her favorite. They were all set and prepared. The girl agreed to let Yamato's friends come along. Yamato could have asked to take her house and she would have said yes if he were to play at her birthday.
It was two days before the concert and Takeru was ill. The young Takaishi wanted to watch his brother perform so much. After all, he went to every performance he did so far- he wasn't going to miss it for some stupid virus. His mother on the other hand, there was no way of him getting out of the house even if he was .1 over average body temperature. Takeru was trying desperately to get well and attend the party. All of the Digidestined were to go. Except for Mimi, she apologized for not being able to come, and they naturally forgave her.
"One zero two." Ms. Takaishi reported. Takeru's heart sank.
"But Mom!" he protested, "I really do feel great! It's just the stuffy room and everything. Trust me, Mom! Please! You can't be serious about doubting my appearance at Yamato's show."
She didn't say anything; her son already knew what she would've said. A heavy sigh came out from the boy and she left.
"Hey, don't worry about it. You have two more days to get well." Yamato messed Takeru's already messed-up hair.
"I'll get well. You just see."
--Later that night--
Takeru sat up and stared out his window and at the falling snow. It was that innocuous snow that made him get the flu. In his mind, Takeru knew he wouldn't get better for his performance. Unless he can get well in the next two days, it was hopeless. Hope… what could he hope for now? In midst of his thoughts, Takeru came up with a small poem.
"I'll look up to you," he whispered, "like I always do…"
It didn't take him very long to release a sheet of paper from his desk and grab a hold of a pencil. Soon he was scribbling things onto that blank piece.
--The next day--
Takeru was up, as usual, and staring out that window of his. It was one of the only things he could do. The radio station was out and he didn't want to listen to any of his CDs. He didn't want to read either, it hurt his eyes. Boy, was he picky. A knock on the door led his attention away from the luring snow.
"Hi, TK." Hikari poked her head through the door.
"You shouldn't be here. I don't want you to-"
"It's okay. I don't mind being ill. I just wanted to make sure that you were okay."
"Me?" Takeru asked surprised, "of course I'm okay. Aren't I always?"
Hikari sat down on a chair and smiled faintly. "As I remember, you were complaining while building our snowmen."
"What?" he laughed, trying to be on the 'innocent but macho' guy side. "I wasn't complaining."
"You were to."
"Was not. It was creative ways to say that I didn't like the cold."
"Oh, sure!" Hikari teased playfully. "Well um, I'll be seeing you at the show right?"
"Correct, fair maiden." Takeru played on with medieval slang.
"Ah, Sir Sick-a-lot, I'll be expecting you then. I'll save ya a seat." She winked.
Takeru nodded and she exited the room. Again he looked out the window. I hope I can get well soon.
--Mid-noon--
For a daily check-up, Yamato made his way into his sibling's room and saw that he was asleep. He removed the book from Takeru's grasp and set it on the table. As he turned to leave, his eye caught a piece of paper with the words "I'll Look Up To You" in bold pencil lead letters. In a minute, it was in his hand and he was reading it. When he finished, he looked down at his sleeping brother and grinned. Yamato left the room in silence, keeping the sheet of paper.
--The day of the concert--
"Mom! I'm well! Okay!" Takeru yelled unwillingly.
Ms. Takaishi waved the thermometer around in his face. "Read, Takeru! It's still at 102! You're not going to get worse. There'll be other concerts, don't worry."
"But Mom!"
"No, Takeru. That's it. A mother's worry is more powerful than anything. Remember that. You'll just have to miss this one. Yamato will understand."
Takeru slumped against the wall by his bed. How could his mother be so misunderstanding? She knew how much it meant for the brothers to be at each other's big events. Yamato made it to all Takeru's basketball and sport games; Takeru made it to Yamato's concerts. It was as simple as that.
~
"Thanks, Kari," Taichi yanked a video camera out of his sisters hands and held it to his eye. "This is going to be great. The perfect Christmas present to Takeru."
"I feel so bad that he can't make it." Hikari said as she watched her brother focus the lens out the window.
"We're all going to make it up for him." Taichi swirled the camera towards Hikari and zoomed in and out frantically. "And Takeru's present is… Hikari!"
She frowned, blushed, and batted at her brother's head. He dodged with a laugh and walked out of the door. Night had fallen quickly and the concert was to begin in a half-hour. Taichi and Hikari were ready to go, they were just waiting for their parents to take them.
On arriving at the precise time, the Yagamis parked the car and walked into the restaurant. Girls and boys were seated at the table with both formal wear and casual wear. The birthday girl was chattering happily with the girls around her at the very front of the room. Yamato's band had already set up the stage and was waiting in the back.
Taichi dramatically wove through the stream of teenagers, making several comments to humor the 'audience' whom was going to watch it. He kicked open the door and startled Yamato.
"What do you want?"
"It's a documentary." Taichi whispered mysteriously. "About the Band Witch!"
"Lame," Yamato shook his head. "Seriously though."
"It's for Takeru." Taichi replied honestly and zoomed for a close up of Yamato's face. "Smile, Matt! The camera loves ya!"
"Whatever." He mumbled and pushed it away.
Taichi shrugged and walked back out, informing Hikari of Yamato's mood.
"Nervous, probably," she said.
Her brother focused the camera on the stage the second the first band player stepped on. Within a matter of moments, everyone was hushed and listening to the first song. At the end of the melody, the crowd was cheering almost too enthusiastically. Song after song they came, some dedicated to the girl's friends or herself, others just because they planned it. When they played their last scheduled song, Yamato told them an announcement.
"Um," he said nervously despite his greatness in his songs, "my brother, Takeru was supposed to be here to see uh, my performance because he always makes it and everything. Well uh, tonight, he couldn't make it because he had fallen ill."
A few sympathetic sighs came from the girls of the crowd who knew his brother.
"So since he ah, couldn't make it, I have a song for him."
Some more awe noises came from the crowd.
Yamato laughed uneasily, "I went into his room to check up on him the other day and he was asleep. When I was going to uh, leave, I saw a paper with a poem written on it. With the creative words of my brother and my urge to write it into a song, my band and I made a song." Yamato glanced at the camera that Taichi was holding. The brunette held a thumbs-up. Yamato continued, "Right now he's probably pouting to his mom and such. So uh, Takeru, this song's for you. It's just to let you know that I uh, wish you a merry Christmas and I love you, Squirt." Yamato quickly added above all the girls' smiles and remarks to his speech, "It's from Takeru's point of view. And… it's called 'I'll Look Up To You.' "
The blond shook his head at his choice of words to his brother and one of his friends counted them off. At three, they harmonized a soft and gentle tune, one that could make you cry in a vulnerable mood. With five measures of instrumental music, Yamato finally sang into the microphone:
" I'll look up to you, like I always do.
And I'll see your eyes, so-o fierce but blue.
Even though we fight, I know one thing's true,
You're still my big brother, and I~
…Still love you.
Maybe when I'm wiser, I'd be just like you,
And even when I'm older, I'd still look up to you.
Please be with me, brother. And though I can't compare,
I'd still look up to you, because you were always there.
Don't look at me as a kid, for I know what you know,
And don't think of me any lower,
When I say I'll always love you so.
I've known you my life; you've protected me from my fear.
But all I want now, is to keep you near.
As our family drifted, you remained by my side.
And since you were older, you've had -my- secrets to confide.
I've always been the helpless one, and you, the brave.
Just to be a younger you, was my highest, greatest crave.
Maybe when I'm older, I'll be just like you.
It's an inspired dream, I guess. Because I look up to you.
I know we say "I loathe, I hate" but I know that you still care.
Just remember that I look up to you…
Because you were always there.
I'll look up to you, like I always do…
And I'll see your eyes, so fierce but blue.
Even though we fight, I know one thing's true,
You're still my big brother, and I still love you.
Yes, I'll look up to you.
Just like I always do.
Because I still…love… you…
When Yamato ended his dedicated song to his brother, the crowd was quiet. The whole band exchanged worried glances.
"Eh, heh…" Yamato smiled falsely, "Thanks folks and happy birth-" he was interrupted by a sudden rush of applause Several kids were saying:
"That was adorable."
"Aww, so sweet."
"Takeru's lucky to have a big brother like him."
"Yamato could find anything and turn it into a song."
"That so? Well, if he found my underwear, would he sing about that?"
"Shut up, you have to respect for singers."
Taichi was keeping the camera on Yamato the whole time. The blonde's eyes shifted hastily before he left the stage.
"There you have it." Taichi rested the camera down on the table.
"Have what?" his mother asked.
"Takeru's perfect Christmas gift." Taichi replied.
--Christmas Day--
In his room, on his bed, bundled with many blankets and pillows, Takeru lay on his back, his eyes staring towards the window. It wasn't snowing today. Nor was it sunny. Just a plain old cloudy day in December it was. His mother and himself had already exchanged gifts and Takeru was gripping his fresh, new basketball in his hands. Sure he received other stuff, like clothes, cards, and various types of supplies. But he hadn't yet seen Yamato. The door was kicked open a second later and it seemed like the boy's wish came true.
"Hey, Squirt." Yamato said with his normal greeting.
"Hey." Takeru noticed a videotape in his hand. "What's that?
"You're dinner." He remarked sarcastically. "It's your Christmas present, come on already."
The youth leaped out of his protective layer of what seemed like thousands of blankets and followed his brother out the door and into the living room. When Yamato put it in, they watched Taichi's 'documentary on the Band Witch.'
(On the video)
Taichi is behind the camera and he zooms into a girl's face. "Hey, you enjoying the party?"
She looks at him and rolls her eyes. "I was before you came."
Takeru laughed along with Yamato. There were many other outtakes of the party. But it soon fell upon Yamato's performance and Takeru watched with envious eyes. He was staring at the screen, picturing what it would have been like if he was there. The words of Yamato trickled out easily into harmonious music and peacefulness was within the music. Takeru watched, eagerly awaiting the following song. When the last song came about, Takeru froze to listen to the words.
'I went into his room to check up on him the other day and he was asleep. When I was going to uh, leave, I saw a paper with a poem written on it.'
Takeru looked at his brother curiously. "My poem…"
He automatically stopped when he heard music playing. Again, his eyes were glued to the television screen. The words of his brother made mazes through his mind and Takeru was absolutely amazed by such a song dedicated to him. As the 'documentary' ended by Taichi filming Yamato's walk down the stage, Takeru looked up to Yamato from his spot on the couch.
"Did you like it?" Yamato smirked, already knowing the answer.
Takeru stood up and hugged his brother tightly. He sniffed and said, "Thanks, Yamato. A lot. I love you, big brother." He sniffed again, "And I'm not crying."
"It was no problem. Thanks for the poem." Yamato hugged him back tightly and rocked him slowly just as he did when they were younger. "I love you too, Squirt."
Uhkay, you can now freely flame me for the bad story I have just given out. ::sweatdrops:: I intended it to be you know, a lot better. But when I started it and finished it, I don't think it turned out very well. Still, a brother-to-brother story is a brother-to-brother story. Jeez, the ending -was- a drag… Anyway, I'm not going to fix it. I'll mess it up even more. Please r/r. Again, this is for Lace123's contest thingy. Tata! ~HT