A/N: READ THIS BEFORE YOU START READING THE STORY!!! I just wanna say to you that I need help. I can't decide which coupling this will be! I just keep thinking: "Sorato or Taito? Taito or Sorato?"

I've got a plot-idea for both of them and I'm asking you *I'm pointing right at you, reader* to decide, simply by writing your favourite of the two in you review.
Okay?

Let's get on with the story, then…

Disclaimer: I own Digimon. (Nah, just kidding, I don't own 'em.)

XXX by ThatGirl

~chapter one~

"Yuck" a blond teen groaned as he examined the mouldy, rotten fruit in his hand. He had learnt not to be picky when it came to food over the last couple of months, but this apple was completely uneatable.

Sighing, the boy threw the apple over his shoulder and started to dig in the box after something else to eat. He really was hungry.

Wandering around in the back streets of Odaiba, trying not to be noticed by them, wasn't the very most glamorous lifestyle one could have. He had to be careful and never off guard.

But for the moment, he just needed to find some food. And even though he hated to steal it, he had no other choice but to starve. And to starve wasn't really an option.

The blonde slammed the box, which he used to keep foodstuff and supplies in, shut, annoyed and frustrated.

Here, in the dark, grimy alleys between the tall buildings, the sun's rays never touched the asphalted ground and thus, the teenage runaway felt rather safe. They wouldn't find him as easily here either.

That was why he was so reluctant in going out to the lively, sunbathing avenues and marketplaces, where he more than often got his food from.

The young man knew the back-streets perfectly and he quickly made his way to a passageway that would lead him directly to a square where many merchantmen sold fruit, fish and many other things that could come in handy for the boy.

Trying to fit in the crowd of people, he wished that his dirty clothes were cleaner and casually walked out of the dark alley, enjoying the wonderful sensation of the warm autumn sunbeams on his face for a few moments.

His stomach made strange noises to let him know how hungry it was when the sweet scent of delicious groceries reached his nostrils. The teen licked his lips, his azure eyes falling on whatever mouth-watering thing he saw.

Tensing his muscles, he nonchalantly approached a fruit-stall.

"Delicious grapes! Apples, apples! Fresh fruit!" the chubby vendor yelled cheerfully, trying to draw attention.

The blond boy was preparing himself to snatch and run.

He coolly got closer and closer to the stall. Just one more step…

*Snatch!*

The merchant turned around, almost as in slow motion. His eyes widened and he stretched out a hand, pointing right towards the youngster: "Thief!"

*And run!*

The teenage boy rapidly got his feet moving, holding on to the fruits under his sweater securely.

Looking behind his back, he saw another stall, which sold grilled meat.

It had been a very long time since he had had anything that wasn't vegetables… And he could make it…

He only hesitated a split second.

Taking the chance and making an abrupt turn, he sprinted back towards the meat-stall and grabbed a warm newly grilled beef and then ran off in the original direction, back into the alley he had come from in the first place again.

"Hey you!" a young man's voice called.

Oh shit, the first boy thought. He recognised that voice. The only question was if the other boy would recognise him.

Sending a quick glance over his shoulder, the teenager saw that the other wild-haired boy was following him, and he sped up his pace.
Even though the fair-haired kid was fast, he wasn't on top because he hadn't had very much to eat nor drink the last months. A good night's sleep was for him, considered a luxury.

Therefore, his soccer-playing pursuer was catching up on him pretty fast.

The blue-eyed boy drew sharp, panting breaths, feeling himself weaken as he continued running into the dark back streets.  The painful hunger in his stomach burned and his head spun.

Not really knowing where he was going anymore, he led the brown-haired boy behind him further into the confusing labyrinth between the blocks.

Stubbornly clutching the food in his arms, he steered his tired feet to the right. He looked up and realized the mistake.

A dead end.

The teen stopped hastily, not wanting to crash into the thick brick wall before him.

The second after, his follower bumped into him, sending him falling to the hard ground.

Harsh hands grabbed his shoulders and forced him to look at the other young man.
Now, he'll surely recognise me, the blond teenager thought.

"M-Matt?" The wild-haired boy let go of him, shocked.

Matt didn't answer. It really had been some time since he had seen his old best friend. He had avoided any contact with his family and friends; it could put them into danger.

"Matt" Tai repeated, still a bit stunned by the sudden surprise of seeing his friend. Helping the pale young man to his feet, Tai finally snapped out of the shock enough to say something else. "Where have you been?" And one question led to another... "What happened? Why didn't you come home? Are you okay?"

Tai looked at Matt and noticed how much weight he had lost.

"C'mon, I'll get you home." Tai grabbed Matt's hand and before the blonde had the chance to resist, he had dragged him through the alleyways toward the open streets.

That was when he saw them.

Them!

They stood by a black, expensive-looking car, their dark sunglasses matching their grey suits and reflecting the sunlight. One of them, a tall guy who looked very strong, stood smoking a long, brown cigar, while the other one simply sat in the front seat, the car-door open, looking about.

In an instant, Matt came to his senses, a sudden stab of fear cutting through him. He stopped walking and jerked back into the alley, pulling Tai with him, but it was too late; the scrawny man in the car shouted something and slammed the car-door shut.

"Shitshitshit" Matt hissed under his breath. He was on familiar terms with both of the men.

The tough looking guy, agent Imai, flung the cigar into a pile of brown, dry leafs, obviously not bothering if they went on fire.

"Matt!?" Tai looked from Matt who had taken off back into the dark passageways, to the man running after him. Deciding not to let his best friend disappear out of his life once again, he got his legs moving and ran after him.

He distantly heard the black car's engine roar to life as the other agent drove away. To where, Tai didn't care.

Matt and Imai was already far off into the maze of shadowy pathways, but Tai could still hear their footsteps, so he simply trusted his ears and followed those sounds.

Farther and farther they ran. Then, suddenly, the chaotic rattling-like noise of a couple of barrels or rubbish bins falling and crashing to the ground rolled between the buildings.

Instinctively, Tai stiffened a bit as soon as the booming racket reached his ears. But he didn't stop running for that.

When he turned right the last time and finally spotted his friend and the agent, it wasn't in the way he had hoped for.

Matt lay on the ground, blood from his nose trickling its way down his face. He had probably bumped into those barrels, Tai thought, referring to the metal barrels he had heard before and which also lay on the hard ground.

Imai, the agent, stood pointing some kind of weapon towards the defenceless boy before him. A gun!

Tai watched as in slow-motion as Imai's finger pulled the trigger…

Before he knew it himself, Tai had thrown himself on Imai, sending the gun out of his hand and down on the asphalt.

Tai's launch had caught the agent by surprise and the big man lost his balance. He hit the ground hard, the teenager still on him, smacking his head into the brick wall beside him. That knocked him out cold.

"Matt", Tai called, getting off Imai and standing up, "Are you okay, man?"

Matt nodded his reply. Then Tai saw the gun Imai had pointed at him.

"What the…" he started, "What kind of gun is that?"

The gun was in grey and white polyamide and it looked very high-tech. Almost futuristic.

"An ordinary one", Matt said, "It wouldn't have killed me. Just anaesthetise me." he continued, almost sounding annoyed.

"Shouldn't you be thanking me?"

"Tai, you don't know what you've done!" Matt yelled.

"What?"

"Now they'll think you know something and come after you too. They need me, but I don't know what they'll do to you!"

"Matt! Stop screaming! What is this all about?"

Matt sighed.

"Come with me. We can't stay here. I'll tell you more when we're in a safe place." With that, he started walking away and Tai understood that he should follow.

After a while of quiet walking, the two reached another dead end. Matt stopped and bent down to open a box, in which he put the beef and the few apples he hadn't dropped while running. After that, he sat down.

"Umm…Is this it?" Tai asked, looking about.

It was nothing but a plain, ordinary cul-de-sac in a warren of many others in the soiled back-streets of Odaiba.

"Yeah", Matt tossed Tai an apple and then took a bite of one too. Tai waited for Matt to chew and swallow.

"Sooo… what happened to you? I mean, you've been gone for about two or three months"

Matt turned his head away. When his answer finally came, his voice was thick and a bit strangled.

"I guess you have to know now, huh", he said.

Tai didn't answer.

Matt turned and faced his friend again and Tai was surprised to see tears stain his cheeks.

The wild-haired teen sat down beside him and Matt angrily tried to wipe the crystal clear tears away.

He then opened his mouth and started to tell his story…

What happened to Matt? Why does those agents need him? I promise, you'll find out in the upcoming chapter…

Confusing, ne? Please review this and don't forget to vote; Sorato of Taito? Taito or Sorato?

/ThatGirl^_^