*** Standard disclaimers about Digimon not being mine, etc. and so on. This fic is the sequel to "For Jyou's Sake," and it didn't turn out as angsty as I'd thought it might. It's actually quite cheery at the end, at least in my opinion. I probably could have drawn out the action a little more, but the story just wasn't coming all that easily. So, I left it a short tale. I'm allowed, so neener. Again, this story is Yaoi, and if you don't like it, you shouldn't be reading it. Oh, and apologies to Yamato fans if I've made the character nastier than he should be. Everyone's complex, and not as accepting as others might be. Perhaps I could draw ths aspect of Yamato out in further fics along this timeline, should I get the inspiration. o.o ***
Right down to the long thin pointed face
And this muddled up and twisted tongue.
And now I find that I'm doing all those
Things you would have done.
Sometimes these things are hard.
So do I thank you?
Do I curse you?
-- "Inheritance," New Model Army
By the time Jyou made his way home, I was nearly halfway completed with an essay for my University's political sciences class. It wasn't terribly late when he walked through the door, which was somewhat surprising, but it was welcomed. Ever since the accident, he'd been putting in extra time at his classes and after hours with professors to make up the time he'd lost in his recovery.
Crossing the room to where we kept the computer hidden away in the corner of the living area, he wrapped his arms around my shoulders as he leaned his lanky frame down so he could embrace me more easily. I paused in my typing, closed my eyes, and smiled at the touch, reaching my hands up to touch his arms.
"You're home early today," I said, turning my head slightly so I could see Jyou out of my peripheral vision.
Jyou smiled and offered a noncommittal shrug. "Class ended early. I figured since it was Friday, I could probably skip out on at least one tutoring session. As long as I don't make it a habit."
I chuckled lightly, shoulders shaking against Jyou's arms. "This, coming from Mr. Reliable?"
Grinning, Jyou gave me a light, affectionate squeeze before letting me go and straightening himself up again. "I gave Misaki my notice. She knew I wouldn't be showing up."
I turned from the keyboard to face Jyou. "Does that mean we've got the evening to ourselves? If I'd known, I might have done something particularly special for the evening."
Jyou went to the kitchen table and began sorting through the mail that belonged to him. "There's no need for that, Koushiro. The evening's already special as it is." He paused, eyeing a particular letter, and proceeded to tear at the seal.
"Let me just finish up this section of my essay here," I said as I turned back to the keyboard. "I've stumbled across an intriguing theory that might lend support to my thesis."
Jyou didn't answer me, too engrossed in whatever had come for him in the mail. I should have known then that something was amiss, as Jyou had grown too quiet. However, as tended to happen sometimes, I had become to engrossed in the processing of my own thoughts to notice anything wrong with my companion.
Fifteen minutes and three more pages of writing later, I had finally gotten out the thoughts that had occupied my mind. "There," I announced with a satisfied grin. "I think my professor will be suitably impressed by this." As I glanced behind me, though, Jyou was nowhere to be found. my brow furrowed lightly, as I hadn't even heard him sneak off.
Clicking off the monitor, I rose to my feet and headed towards the kitchen area of our apartment. "Jyou?" I asked, searching the room for any sign of him. I finally found him outside on the balcony that overlooked the city, lounged out in one of the patio chairs and staring off into the distance.
Opening the sliding glass door, I slipped out into the slightly chilly evening air. "Hey, I didn't hear you leave," I said, offering a tentative grin.
Jyou kept silent, not responding. He merely stared with glazed eyes off towards the glittering lights of Odaiba on the horizon. The letter he'd been reading remained held loosely in his hand. I could see from the stationery that it had been sent by Jyou's father.
Concerned, I crouched down beside him and asked cautiously, "Is everything okay, Jyou?"
He didn't even turn to look at me. "No, I don't think so," he murmured, lost in thought.
My heart leapt to my throat, but I kept a calm, collected exterior, as always. "Tell me what's troubling you?"
Sighing, Jyou shifted his position some in his seat so that he was sitting up straighter. "My father," he replied, tilting his head so he could gaze at me. The city lights reflected off his glasses. "He sent me a letter. Seems he's cutting off my funding, effective immediately. I'm not going to be able to afford school anymore."
I frowned and rested a hand on Jyou's arm comfortingly. "Why would he want to do such a thing?" I asked.
Jyou let out a mirthless laugh, shaking his head. "Apparently, the almighty doctor doesn't approve of my lifestyle."
"You mean--?" I asked, cutting off quickly. I knew exactly what Dr. Kido meant, without Jyou even having to say it.
"Us," Jyou whispered with a sigh. He removed his glasses and rubbed at his eyes tiredly.
I nodded, again feeling a surge of emotions wanting to surface and once more holding them back. An instinctively angry response was just what Dr. Kido would want -- it would give him justification for his actions. "Well, what do you plan to do about it?"
Without even looking at me, Jyou replied, "I don't know, Koushiro. I really don't."
It wasn't the first time Jyou and I had faced adversity. Among out own group of friends, the Digidestined, there were some who just couldn't understand. Even from the beginning...
"You can't honestly think we'll be any better off if we take the path by the river!"
"Well, if you had any survival skills whatsoever, you'd know that the river would be the quickest bet to getting to where we need to be!"
"Just because we can get there faster doesn't mean we necessarily should! You don't know what's out there in the woods!"
Taichi and Yamato were fighting again, the two young boys clashing as they had been for the past several nights, each night getting more and more heated. Even over little things, the two would argue fiercely. It didn't even matter what they truly felt -- if Taichi felt one way, Yamato would fight against it just for the sake of being contrary.
I shook my head as the two boys snarled at each other. Their younger siblings, Hikari and Takeru, had already grown accustomed to the arguing, perhaps because they had to deal with sibling rivalry and bickering at home. Mimi and Sora blatantly ignored the two, as did the Digimon, and instead searched the area for a suitable place to sleep. I pretended to bury myself in my computer, although I was really only typing the words "stop it" over and over.
It was Jyou that was most concerned -- as the "responsible" one, he was always caught in the middle of Taichi and Yamato's arguments. They always left him on-edge and sweating, as he was doing now. Infighting among our team left him a nervous wreck.
"Come on, guys," he protested in vain. "It's almost nightfall. Why don't we settle this in the morning?"
"Yeah, Taichi," Yamato uttered through clenched teeth as he took Jyou's words as an opportunity to argue contrary to Taichi. "It's too late to be worrying about this now. We need to find a place to sleep."
"Are you just too chicken to face the fact that you're wrong?" Taichi chided, obviously provoking the blond-haired boy on purpose.
Jyou covered his face with a hand and crept off, away from the fighting. Even he knew the best time to give up on the two, much as he tried to play the part of the diplomat. I knew how much it could disenhearten him, the way Taichi and Yamato would use him to fuel their own disagreements.
I studied the screen of my computer for a few moments more before I closed the cover to the laptop and slung it across my back. Out of the corner of my eye, I'd watched as Jyou crept down to the river's edge. When I was sure no one was watching, I followed down the same path that led to the water.
Gomamon had given up on trying to cheer Jyou and was happily swimming in the water as his human companion stood at the edge, arms crossed over his chest and his head lowered. I knew he'd be deep in thought -- he'd grown quieter, more melancholy since our capture by the Dhamphirmon. We'd both have scars from where we'd been beaten and tortured, but for Jyou, it seemed the wounds ran deeper than just physical hurt.
As I approached, I quietly cleared my throat. At perhaps another time, Jyou might have jumped out of his skin at the noise, but now he just turned his head to look to me.
"Why can't they just give it a rest for once?" Jyou asked, as if I would have the answer. "They're arguing like a couple of kids."
Joining him at his side, I gazed out over the water at Gomamon, who was backstroking away, oblivious. "They are a couple of kids, Jyou," I replied. "I think they just need to get it out of their systems. They're scared, like we all are. Taichi and Yamato simply don't vent their fears in the same way as everyone else."
"They give me such a headache," Jyou groaned quietly.
I shrugged. "Don't let it get to you. You're not their guardian."
"Yeah, but if someone doesn't keep them in check, who knows what trouble they'd get themselves, and the rest of us, into?"
I glanced over my shoulder, making certain that none of the other kids had followed us to the water, before I placed my hand on Jyou's back. The taller boy didn't resist or pull away, like I thought he might. Instead, he slung his arm around my shoulders, and the two of us stood side by side and silent. After a time, I leaned my head against his shoulder, and he rested his own head against mine, affectionately.
At first, the only noise that reached our ears was the sounds of Jyou's Digimon companion splashing away and singing -- badly -- some American children's song about row, row, rowing boats and life being a dream. Then, came the sound of laughter, a child's gleeful giggling as he bounded down the path to the river. Jyou and I turned in time to see young Takeru breaking through the clearing, followed by Patamon, his Digimon and his older brother Yamato.
"Hey, guys, Yamato said I could go swimming tonight! Isn't that cool? Swimming ... at night!" The eight-year-old boy was absolutely elated, and, perhaps seeing Jyou and myself so close, he ran towards us and wrapped his arms around our legs.
As Takeru held close to us, Jyou and I quickly dropped our arms from around each other, giving each other nervous looks. Yamato's ice blue eyes narrowed, but he held back whatever comments he might have, if only for the sake of his younger brother nearby.
"Takeru," he murmured in his characteristic soft voice, "why don't you and Patamon get ready to go swimming? We're not going to stay out all night, and you should have some fun before it gets too late."
Little Takeru gave his brother a wide, innocent grin and bounced off towards the water, tossing aside clothes and shoes as he went. Patamon dutifully followed.
"Patamon. Gomamon," Yamato ordered, "watch Takeru, will you? I'll be over in a little while."
Jyou sighed and frowned, arms once again crossing over his chest, closing himself off from myself and Yamato. I tried to pretend as if nothing had ever happened, and instead gave Yamato a shaky grin. "Nice night for a swim, isn't it?"
Yamato was in no mood to have the subject changed. "What the hell do you two think you're doing?" He was angry, his icy blue eyes flaring up the way they did during the worst of his scuffles with Taichi.
"It was cold?" I asked, hoping it would be enough of an excuse.
"Don't lie to me, Koushiro. That was more than just a little friendly, if you ask me." Then, turning to Jyou, he muttered, "What was it, Jyou? You seem to have plenty to say when someone else is fighting."
Jyou shook his head. "It was whatever you made of it," he offered, perhaps a little lamely.
"Whatever it was," Yamato hissed, "you'd better cut it out quick. That's not normal."
"Come now, Yamato," I offered, hoping to diffuse the situation somewhat. "We're in the Digital World. There's so much worse that we've come across, that's defied rational explanation."
Yamato sighed quietly and slid his hands into his pockets. "I'm sorry if I sounded harsh. Takeru's still young and impressionable. I don't want him to think that ... whatever it was you two were doing is okay."
Jyou shook his head, his fists clenching tightly at his sides. His voice remained calm, however. "Why is it not okay, Yamato?"
The blond-haired boy was silent a moment, staring out over the water where Takeru and Gomamon were splashing at each other, Patamon pensively hovering in the air nearby. "You're just kids," he offered, finally.
"I can't believe what I'm hearing," Jyou finally spoke up, his voice stronger than usual. "I'm not going to stand here and listen to this. Not this time." However, instead of arguing, like I thought he might do, he walked off, heading back up the path to where the other kids were setting up camp.
Yamato slumped his shoulders, shaking his head. "Look, Koushiro, whatever you and Jyou do in your spare time is your business. But here... in the Digital World, with little kids hanging around... Maybe you should hold off."
"So they don't get the wrong idea," I replied. "I understand." I was lying, then, but Yamato didn't catch it.
"Thanks, Koushiro. It's nothing against you. I'm just looking out for T.K.," he replied, using his brother's affectionate name.
I nodded and stared out at the two Digimon and the one human child out in the water, laughing in spite of the war going on around us. And in the back of my head, all I could think of was Jyou, and how disappointed I was that he refused to stand his ground against Yamato.
Jyou had finally fallen asleep, although it was fitful. It probably wouldn't give him a good rest, but it was better than none. He slept shirtless, and I quietly traced the light scarring along his back with a finger. We both shared similar scars, remains of the Dhamphirmon's attack ten years ago in the Digital World. Although most were faded, some still remained as soft lines marring an otherwise perfect back. Plus, Jyou had a few newer scars to contend with because of the accident.
Jyou might have been asleep, but I was too restless to remain down for long. I decided to log on to the Internet for some time, to type until I got sleepy once again. Giving Jyou's bare shoulder a soft kiss, I slid from beneath the covers and padded over to the kitchen to grab a snack before logging on.
As I poured myself some milk, a glimpse of paper sitting at the top of the trash caught my eye. Jyou had crumpled up and thrown away the letter from his father, apparently. I almost dismissed the note when I saw my name scribbled in Dr. Kido's messy handwriting. I gave a surreptitious glance to Jyou, who was still fast asleep, before picking the note from the trash.
My eyes widened as I read the words written there:
...until further notice I am hereby severing my ties with your financing for school. Your mother agrees completely with me that this is the best thing to be done. You must learn to do what is best for the family, and your relationship with Koushiro Izumi is truly detrimental to both myself and you. I'm certain the media will have a field day with this when they learn about the latest scandal in the incumbent councilman's election campaign. Until you break off all ties and relations with Koushiro Izumi, you may consider yourself disowned. It is for your own good.
Jyou shifted in his sleep and groaned from the depths of a nasty dream, and I quickly tossed the letter back into the trash. I knew I'd never be able to sleep the rest of the night now. Instead of returning to the computer like I'd planned, instead I wandered back to bed. When I wrapped my arms around Jyou's chest, he stopped whimpering in his sleep.
I held on to my lover, wide awake and fearful that it would be my last chance to hold him and quiet his fears.
I returned to our campsite, creeping a quiet path through the darkening woods. The girls had built a fire and were sitting around it with the Digimon and Jyou. Taichi was pacing nearby, and as he saw me approach, he ran to me.
"Koushiro, what do you think we should do?" Taichi asked quickly. "Am I right or is Yamato right?"
I furrowed my brow somewhat, not particularly wanting to deal with Taichi's insecurities at the moment. "I think Jyou would be a better one to ask, not me. He's better at thinking this stuff out."
Taichi rolled his eyes. "He wouldn't talk to me. He just shrugged and said he didn't care either way."
I sighed, and I offered my own opinion on the matter, as trivial as it might have been. My mind wasn't on tomorrow's journey, though. As I spoke, my eyes trailed to Jyou as he sat with his arms wrapped around his knees. Around him, the girls and the Digimon laughed and joked, but he remained solemn despite the happiness surrounding him.
Taichi listened to me with a light frown on his face. He disagreed with me, apparently, but he wasn't going to dismiss my thoughts immediately. "I'll have to think things over a little more, I guess."
I nodded and proceeded to the fire, finding a seat in between Mimi and Sora, who were, as usual, discussing food. It was a common topic of conversation, as we all missed the meals we could have gotten in the real world. Tonight we'd eat fish, pulled from the river by Gomamon, although the meal was barely satisfying to our accustomed tastes for variety.
All too soon, darkness completely blanketed the Digital World, and we human children huddled closer to our Digimon companions. It wasn't exactly cold outside, but we were all scared at having to sleep out in the wilderness. With the Digimon at our side, we were a little less terrified, because we all knew we'd be protected.
Everyone lay down to go to sleep, but I found myself wide awake and thinking. Why had Jyou walked away from Yamato earlier today, rather than sticking up for his own feelings? Why hadn't he stood up for me? It seemed I wasn't the only one who was unable to sleep, as I saw Jyou shift carefully out from under Gomamon's paw and head off into the woods. I made sure Tentomon was still and quiet before rising as well. For the second time that day, I followed Jyou.
We were some distance from the rest of the Digidestined kids when he turned suddenly, as if already knowing I was behind him. "You know," he started in immediately, "maybe Yamato's right. Maybe what we're doing is wrong."
For a moment, I was too stunned to reply to Jyou's blunt statement. It took me a few seconds to gather my wits about me once more to tell him, "What does it matter what Yamato thinks, anyway?"
Jyou shook his head. "It's not that it's wrong as a concept," he said quickly. "But maybe he's right in that we're too young. You said it yourself earlier today. We're just kids. You're what, ten?"
"Eleven," I corrected, somewhat defensively. Because of my height, people always mistook me for being younger than I really was.
"Exactly," said Jyou. "Maybe it's a little too soon in our lives to be worrying about getting close to another person. We should be worried about school, and sports, and having fun."
I shrugged. "Instead, we're here in the Digital World, helping to save the universe. I don't see how we can worry about those other matters while this world needs our assistance."
Jyou nodded emphatically. "That's why we probably shouldn't worry about each other. I mean, how can we function effectively as team players if we're concerned about other issues like schoolwork, or...love."
I frowned, knowing then that Jyou would desert me, as my own parents had eleven years ago. I kept my hurt bottled up inside, though. I wouldn't allow Jyou to see me upset. "Well, you seem to have the answers. What should we do?"
"Do what Yamato said. Not worry about caring for each other until we're home, and finished with saving the world." Jyou sighed and turned away. He obviously didn't like the choice he was making, but perhaps it was the best for us all. Even I, upset as I was, understood that.
Without another word, I left Jyou standing in the middle of the path, and I headed back to camp. There was nothing more that needed to be said.
That morning, Jyou didn't go to class. He called his professor and told him a lie about his asthma acting up, and that he wouldn't be able to attend lecture today. It annoyed me to think that he was already lying because of the letter his father had written. If he would hide the truth from his professors, would he lie to me as well?
Without bothering to make breakfast, I immediately turned on the computer and began to work on my essay once again. The class was this afternoon, and I'd barely made any progress on it since last night. Already, I was starting to distance myself from Jyou, fearing that he might break off our relationship again. After his decision in the Digital World ten years ago, we'd been separated for nine years, each having disastrous relationships with others -- including one I'd had with Mimi until she left me for another man -- before once again rekindling our initial romance.
Although self-absorbed in his own problems, my distance didn't escape Jyou's attention. Several times, he'd tried to talk to me that morning, only to be met with a quiet yet subtle rebuff. When I sat down at the computer, though, it was apparent that he'd had enough.
"Okay, Koushiro," he said, drawing up a chair and flopping down beside me, "what's on your mind?"
I didn't look at him, instead concentrating on the screen where no additional words would come out. "There's nothing the matter," I replied quietly.
"I know when you're upset, Koushiro. Come on, talk to me." His voice was imploring, and it almost broke through my defenses.
"I don't think I have anything to talk about at this point in time, Jyou," I said.
Jyou sighed and slumped back in his chair. "Izzy, I don't need this right now. My father won't talk to me, and he won't allow my mother to speak to me. Don't tell me you're angry with me as well."
I closed my eyes and murmured, then, "Will you leave me again?"
Jyou blinked, dark eyes wide behind his glasses. "Will I leave you?" he repeated. "Whatever gave you that idea?"
"You left me once before, in the Digital World. Remember?" I asked, voice somewhat colder than I'd anticipated it to be.
"Koushiro, I was twelve. I was a scared little boy."
"But it's what your father wants, isn't it?" I blurted out, immediately regretting my words. I'd just given myself away.
Jyou's expression grew pained, though his eyes glimmered with a mild anger. "You read my letter, didn't you?"
I sighed and nodded, unable to hide my guilt.
"And you think that just because my father wants me to leave you, that I'll do it?" he asked in a quiet tone of voice.
"What am I supposed to think?"
Jyou shook his head, and for a moment, I thought he would turn and walk away, like he had ten years ago in the Digital World. He remained in his seat, however, and he reached an arm across the back of my own chair. "Izzy," he said softly, calling me by the affectionate nickname he'd given me long ago, "I'm not going to let him control me. It's my life. He's just going to have to learn to deal with my decisions from now on."
I turned to look at him, finally finding the courage within me to meet his gaze. He gave a gentle smile. "You mean it?"
He nodded quickly. "I didn't want to be a doctor anyway. You know I pass out at the sight of blood. I'm not going to be sorry to be missing out on cadaver dissection, like I was scheduled for next semester."
I gave a quiet laugh, nodding. "But what will you do now?"
Jyou shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe live off your success when you become a world-famous computer programmer." Leaning back in his chair, he gave me a wink.
Smiling, sighing, I turned to face Jyou. He was still concerned about the future, evident in the fine lines of worry around his eyes, but for the time being he wasn't going to think about it. "Do you think you can handle it? I might attain multitudes of admiring groupies. Are you sure you won't be jealous?"
Jyou leaned towards me with a light grin. "I'll just have to make sure you won't go anywhere, Izzy. I'd hate for you to leave me, ever." As he spoke, he tilted his head towards mine and caught my lips in a soft, caring kiss.
As I gave myself to his arms, I knew that he wouldn't leave me again. He'd finally gained the confidence to go on with his life, despite the disapproval of others. Dr. Kido had been right in one respect -- that letter and its message had been for Jyou's own good.