Disclaimer: Don't own digimon
The Swap
Chapter One: Mistake
Taichi slammed the bedroom door shut with his foot finding his hands far too occupied with his shirt to use them. Lips crushed to his hungrily, two slender hands seeking the exposing flesh of Taichi's hardened abs. His back was to the wall as the slighter man attempted to keep contact with his lips while Taichi tried to lift his shirt over his head.
He pushed the blonde man from him, the other stumbled back a few steps while Taichi's shirt was discarded across the room. The other's balance was only barely recovered before he felt Taichi's strong arms around him again, one circling his waist, and the other pulling his head towards the brunet's to keep their lips interlocked.
Taichi backed Yamato up, towards the bed and let the other fall. Surprise was written upon the blonde man's face, blue eyes widened, full lips parted in a silent gasp, hair swirling around his pale face before he landed with his back upon the mattress.
The innocent surprise that appeared upon Yamato's face was gone the moment his back met the comforter of the bed and the smile he gave Taichi was deliciously evil.
Taichi was out of control, he had to have the blonde man now! Taichi bowed towards the other, lips catching Yamato's, his hands holding firm to the other's hips and together they enjoyed the evening, enjoyed the taste of each other, the feel of each other…
In the heat of that moment, in the heat of the passion that coursed through their bodies they forgot the reason they were performing the act; Yamato forgot his loneliness, Taichi forgot that this was forbidden; and in the heat of that moment all they knew was how they felt, how right it felt, how happy they felt, how whole they felt…
They'd remember all the next morning…
The day held thick clouds in the sky, dark grey promising rain. Fall had long come and taken the leaves from the trees and the wind that blew through the city promised an early winter. Yamato walked along the downtown sidewalk, tugging his brown jacket further around his body, wishing to trap some warmth within its confines.
He was walking to the college he attended, letting his feet guide him along the streets he knew too well while his thoughts ruled his mind; his memories blinding his eyes.
He left Taichi's house as soon as he could that morning, he was the second to awake.
"This was a mistake…"
The brunet's words, not his.
He hated thinking them, wished them gone but they replayed again in his mind. His stomach felt sick.
"I'm so, so sorry… This was a mistake. I… Oh my God… "
Taichi seemed rather frightened when he awoke. Yamato woke to the brunette jumping out of bed, obviously not expecting to wake up next to him. Yamato had never seen anyone dress so fast.
He had wished it wouldn't turn out that way. It wasn't an actual wish or a wish he had made upon meeting the brunet at that bar, just a knowledge of the sickening regret he'd feel if the brunet hadn't woken to state the knowledge that he still liked the blonde now that he was sober.
Now he had that regret, the feeling of being rejected wanted to overwhelm him but didn't. He took it in stride, after all he had known at the time how the brunet would react the following morning. He had simply committed the deed for his own selfish reasons. Flirting with the drunken brunet had made him feel good, being flirted back to made him feel great and having that closeness, having someone hold him safe in a large warm bed chased away that loneliness that he seemed to always feel now days.
"Hey!" His arm was cupped, a strong hand grasping him, startling him, and jerked him backwards. He tripped upon the curb and started falling but was roughly pulled up by whom ever had grabbed him. The blare of a horn sounded before him and he came to realize that he had just stepped into on-coming traffic.
Yamato turned surprised eyes to see who had saved him. Green eyes were staring over his head at the passing truck, the man was tall, probably not much older then Yamato. His hair was brown, the same shade as Taichi's Yamato noted, but his skin was much lighter.
The man's gaze turned to meet Yamato's then and a smile painted his pale lips. "Hey, you alright? You seemed kind of distracted."
Yamato took a step back from the other man, making the silent request for the other to let him go. "Yes, I suppose I was. Thank you." Yamato said and forced a strained smile.
The green eyed man then squinted at him, studying Yamato's face from his eyebrows to his chin. "Do I know you?"
Oh, I hope not. Yamato thought and shook his head 'no' for the man. "I don't think so."
"You sure; I swear you look familiar." Yamato shrugged and smiled; he wasn't in the mood to do much more. "Well, then I'd like to get to know you, my name is Garik." Garik held out his hand to Yamato who took it gingerly.
A small blush tinted Yamato's cheeks and he lowered his head a bit to try and hide it, "Yamato."
Garik grinned. "Would you like to get a cup of coffee or something?"
"I'm sorry…" he started but was interrupted.
"I did just save your life, the least you could offer me is your company." It was stated without contempt, his voice rising in all the right spots to make it seem almost like a jest but its intent was to play on Yamato's conscious, which it did.
Yamato bit his lip. "Well, I've got to go to class today but…" and he turned his head to look away before he continued, "I suppose I do have time for a coffee…"
Genuinely life is complicated. Little insignificant events, small decisions or even decisions that one wouldn't even know they were making could set forward a series of events that could ultimately lead them to experience the most joyous or horrid events of ones life, even years later.
Yamato's conscious had gotten the better of him that day, felt obligated to invite this individual into his life, even only temporarily. If he hadn't said yes to the invitation for a cup of coffee at that time than Garik would not have recognized him, Garik would have only remembered Yamato for the golden crown of hair that shined like sun in all weather, but he had taken Garik up on that offer, he had made himself become in-printed upon Garik's mind and it would lead Yamato through a series of events that would change Yamato's life for the better… while turning another's life upside down.
Hot steam filled the small bathroom, fogging the mirror, clouding the air. Tai's eyes were shut, his breath was held; he faced upwards to the heated water that fell from the shower, warming his shaking body. He wasn't cold, though he felt a chill; a chill that traveled up his spine and lifted the hair on the back of his neck like the chill elicited by fear only could.
He was so confused.
He was frightened because he felt good. He loved what he did the night before, loved feeling that slender body beneath his, loved holding the blonde's hips; he wanted to do it again! He couldn't do it again.
He wasn't like that. He wasn't… different. He was like every other guy that wasn't like that. He was sociable, funny, loved sports and cars and… and girls?
He pulled his face from the shower and took a deep breath. Opening his eyes as water cascaded down his face.
And girls.
He thought it again, to confirm it in his mind.
And girls!
No one knew what he did, no one would know. It was like it never happened. But, the blonde knew. The blonde who went to the same school he did. The blonde never talked to anyone.
He'd talk to him, tell him to tell no one. Yamato hadn't seemed terribly upset that morning, just silently left with only a few words of an apology.
It made him feel guilty. He shouldn't feel guilty…
A one night stand. A drunken mistake. Nothing more.
Feeling slightly more at ease Taichi turned the water off and stood for a moment, naked in the shower with his eyes fixed forward on the tiled wall.
A drunken mistake. It meant nothing.
He wondered the time as he pulled back the shower curtain and stepped from the tub, grabbing his large blue towel and wrapping it around his waist.
Having decided that he'd speak to the blonde once at school, he began to get ready to leave.
"Read chapters five and six tonight and remember that your assignments are due tomorrow." The instructor of Yamato's class mumbled as he collected his own books and papers and left before his students.
Yamato sighed and leaned back in his chair; sweeping a hand through his hair Yamato checked the clock on the wall. Class was out early again, this time a half hour early. It meant he could make it to work early, which meant more money which is what he needed right then anyways.
The other students bustled as they stood from their seats, talking and collecting their things. Some moved past Yamato, down the stairs to the door, other's passed behind him to leave and he just sat their waiting for the room to empty before he stood, pulling his note pad from the desk, standing, and traveling down the carpeted stairs towards the door as well.
He pushed the door open, its weight putting some strain on his arm, and nearly walked into someone. He stepped back, still holding the door with his right hand, and went to mutter an apology only to realize that the individual was Taichi.
His eyes widened, mouth opened with shock, and said words he hadn't time to think over first. "What are you doing here?"
Taichi didn't seem all that surprised to see him though and shuffled uncomfortably, a hardly noticeable blush forming upon his cheeks the moment he saw the blonde. Yamato, seeing Taichi's ill ease, stepped back and into the classroom signaling for the other man to follow.
Once inside the empty room Yamato asked, "You go to this school?"
Taichi raised his eyes to Yamato's blue ones, confusion upon his face and nodded, "Yeah. You didn't know?"
Yamato smiled, humored, and let out a small laugh while shaking his head. "I'm not always that observant."
The fading blush upon Taichi's cheeks only flared now, more embarrassed as though feeling his secret was out. It wasn't that he had been watching Yamato since the first time the blond had crossed his path the year earlier during orientation. No. He just happened to notice him.
Yamato happened to be stunningly beautiful; he'd notice Yamato as though he would notice 'Le Parc Monceau' by Monet. Though he wasn't large on art he'd recognize something beautiful, none the less.
He wasn't gay.
"I'm not gay!"
When Yamato looked up all humor was erased from his being; he seemed surprised. It was then that Taichi realized how loud that had sounded and that coyness that had shed from him upon receiving the desire to state the above returned fiercely, along side paranoia.
He shifted and glanced around them before shoving his hands into his pockets and diverting his eyes from the other. "I'm not gay…" He paused, took a breath and risked a glance back up at the blonde, who seemed confused again. "It… It was a mistake. I was… I was drunk, and I made a mistake, and I'm sorry you were involved but a mistake was all it was. I'm not gay."
He waited a moment, silently watching the quiet blonde. When Yamato felt as though Taichi were finished speaking Yamato said, "Okay. Though, you already said all that this this morning but the 'I'm not gay' part; truthfully though, I had guessed that you were just short of saying that had I not left so early. Is that all?"
Tai blinked, a few times and shuffled his feet again. "No, no, Um. I, I don't want you telling anyone…"
"Done." Yamato assured quickly.
Now Tai was surprised. "Just like that. You'll keep quiet about it all."
Yamato shrugged, not seeming to think it was that large of a deal. "Yeah, well, who am I going to tell anyways?" Then he added with a wicked glint in his eyes. "Also, I remember when I went through that, 'oh no, I can't be a fag' stage. It's tough," Yamato then patted Taichi's tense shoulder. "But you'll get through it. Trust me."
Yamato then walked past Taichi, towards the double doors of the auditorium-like classroom.
"I'm not!" Taichi spoke loudly, determinedly. Yamato waved bye to him as he left, not even turning to look at the other. "I'm not!" Yamato was already gone.
Loud music thundered through the building, echoing off walls as a Tantric sound left the numerous speakers stationed around the club. Loud chattering voices, masculine, deep in nature could be heard above the music. Whistles and laughter were accompanying the chatter.
Two bartender's worked at top speed to serve the numerous customers buying the overpriced drinks, the customers attention being far from their opened wallets as they watched boys and men in skimpy clothing dance erotically.
One man at the bar was fixated upon a certain dancer in particular. One with golden blond hair, and deep blue eyes, skin as pale as winter's fresh snow, one with the flawless movements of a cat; the one momentarily on stage.
He sat on the bar stool, Cheshire cat's grin panted upon his face as he drank his scotch in quiet fascination.
Yamato moved upon the stage, spinning around the pole that was there, the oily pole with other people's sweaty fingerprints still marring its surface, and swayed his hips. Spun him self to press his back to the steel object, hands still grasping it, offering him support for his fatiguing legs and creating a sexual image for those sitting around the stage watching.
He swung his hips as he gazed from face to face of his audience, squinting through the lights that were on him and finding the youngest one, the quietest one, and giving him a wink, causing the boy to blush profusely.
He heard whistles and calls made to him, he ignored them all as he continued his dance under the hot lights that made him sweat. The low riding leather pants he sore were becoming more and more difficult to move in. He was grateful as the song came to an end, collecting the tips upon the stage and exited quickly, making sure not to seem too eager to get away from the attention.
Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs leading from the stage Yamato was greeted by the owner of the club, an older man, with graying hair.
"Beautiful Yamato." The man greeted the blond, smiling to the young man. Yamato smiled to the owner, though the smile was a bit more weary then before, Yamato seeming to find no reason to try as hard now that he wasn't getting paid to. "Tired?"
"A bit. It's late." Yamato answered matter of factly. The older man glanced around, conscious of the customers around them, some still eyeing the blond.
He looped his arm around Yamato's waist, guiding him to a more secluded area as he spoke. "You may want to rethink that answer with what I'm about to tell you."
Yamato was brought to a corner of the bar, dark and void of people. The man slid his hand from around his waist to the small of his back, guiding the blond to stand in front of him, cornered and blocked from view.
It made Yamato nervous though he knew he shouldn't be and feigned that he wasn't. "This man came in earlier, young man in a suite. His father owns some big business and he's doing something big as well. I don't know the details."
Yamato stood quietly for a second, waiting for the other to continue, his nervousness making it hard to tell exactly what was meant by these details. Ordinarily he would have understood.
"Yamato, the man wants you in the VIP."
Yamato sighed, "I don't know. I was thinking about just going home. If I go to the VIP for him I could be there for hours."
The man stepped forward to Yamato, giving Yamato his best smile and placing a hand upon his slender shoulder, strong fingers massaging the area. "If you do this I'll get you some coke free of charge. It'll fuel you up and tomorrow I understand if you don't want to come until later, when it's busy. What do you say?"
Yamato bit his lip as he mulled the idea over in his head, feeling his resolve drop. The coke, wasn't really what he wanted. He wasn't fond of drugs, didn't like taking them, but the man who wanted him was rich, could give him one hell of a tip if he did good, and to work the rest of the night with how tired he was he'd need a drug stronger then caffeine to keep him going full till.
"What's the man's name?" Yamato asked ready to give in.
The owner laughed. "Andrew Thomas! What does it matter? He's rich, you'll get a bit of money, I get a new customer, one willing to pay the prices at the bar for all hours of the night. It's a win-win situation, Yamato. This isn't that hard of a decision."
Yamato nodded and sighed. "Alright. I'm going to be taking you up on your offers though."
Taichi brought the beer to his lips, and threw his head back, feeling the taste of beer passing his taste buds and buzzing his mind. He pulled the bronze bottle from his mouth, took a breath, and returned to the relaxed state he had been in; sitting upon the stool with his arms crossed over them selves upon the bar in front of him, beer leisurely held from his loose grasp.
The bar was crowded, people were brushing against his back as they passed, having little room to move in. They talked loudly, over the music and in drunken hazes, their slurred speeches depicting the late hour.
He wasn't that drunk though, just a comforting buzz keeping him relaxed as he watched the small television hanging above the bar; a soccer game was flashing away on the screen.
He sat with two friends, Jiro and Rei, who, too, were mimicking Taichi's leisured movements.
"Man, I'm old." Rei, who sat furthest from Taichi, muttered while glancing around the room before taking a swig of his beer. "Five years ago I would have ruled this place."
"Five years ago you wouldn't have been old enough to drink." Jiro stated while Taichi laughed and the three took another swig of their beer, turning their attention back to the soccer came.
Taichi frowned as someone else had rubbed up against his back while passing; a female, with large soft breast, who shouted out apologies to those she rubbed up to while laughing as she did so, claiming that she was a little drunk in the process.
Was he weird for not thinking that was attractive? Was he weird for finding the feel of her breast to be uncomfortable?
And in his mind he began playing with that word 'weird' thinking on how it defines 'queer'.
His friend then placed an arm around his shoulder, shouting over the noise in the building, "Taichi, man, what's up? You're so out of it. You almost haven't spoken at all."
Taichi shrugged thinking all too much upon the arm over his shoulders, the muscle definition in that arm and did he really enjoy that feeling more then he did the drunk girl's supple breasts.
"I'm fine. Mostly just tired. Big day, you know."
Jiro pulled his arm from Tai then and nodded in understanding. "I'll drink to that," he said before taking a swig from his beer.
"Last call!" The bartender shouted then. Rei raised his hand to signal the tender and called for three more beers.
Yamato's face turned beet red as embarrassment swamped his mind upon entering the VIP lounge. It was just his luck that the suite he was to entertain was none other then Garik, the man who had saved his life that morning.
Garik grinned at the blonde, pleased by the reaction he had gotten. "I knew I had recognized you." Garik sat in a red chair on the far end of the narrow room, a red couch against either side of the room which rarely ever got used. The room was bright, with high ceilings and richly painted walls; soft carpet covered the floor which offered some comfort for Yamato's sore feet.
The drug Yamato had taken not long before had yet to kick in and his tired mind was having difficulty finding a response to Garik's simple statement.
Garik laughed, amused by Yamato's lack of response and beckoned the blonde with a jerk of his head. "I didn't pay the extra to watch you stand way over there. Come on. Dance."
Yamato tried desperately to calm his burning cheeks and forced his feet to walk to the man, keeping at bay his timid-ness. Yamato knew he had to feign comfort so he placed a smile upon his lips as he paced towards the man. "Sorry but you surprised me."
Upon reaching the man Yamato raised his hands above his head suggestively and started swaying his hips, ignoring the fact that there was no music in this room. The man nodded and grabbed his scotch from the small table next to the chair while his eyes roamed Yamato's body, a Cheshire smile remaining upon the man's face.
Yamato could feel the cocaine beginning to work in his body, found energy that he knew he didn't have, finding it easier to pretend that music was playing while it wasn't.
"You've worked here long?" Garik asked, eyes never leaving Yamato's body, never glancing up to Yamato's true beauty. He watched Yamato's slender sides, his narrow hips, his crotch, his ass, with fascination.
"About a year." Yamato answered easily now, embarrassment gone from his thoughts. He turned in a slow circle, hands trailing down his own body to come rest upon his hips as he continued his dance.
The man nodded even though Yamato was facing the other way now, and brought his scotch to his lips, enjoying the show.
Yamato danced in relative silence for a time, Garik seeming content in watching the blonde move, and Yamato was almost convinced that that was how the night would be, and he was happy at the thought. It was after Garik's second glass of scotch that he seemed to become friskier.
He'd sit up from time to time, and touch Yamato by tracing a finger down his back, cupping his ass, and placing a hand between his thighs as though it were a tease. Yamato seemed oblivious to this and danced as he had before.
He had just received his third beer from the server who periodically made an appearance when he decided to grab Yamato around the waist, and bring him back to sit upon him.
Yamato fell back against the larger man, and gasped in surprise, causing Garik to chuckle lightly. The man latched onto Yamato's neck as the blonde spoke. "If you want a lap dance it'll cost extra."
Garik laughed against Yamato's neck, "Not a problem," he said before he went back to sucking and nipping at the blonde's pale skin.
Yamato pushed free from the man's arm that circled his waist and gave the man what he was paying for, consciously knowing he now had a bruise in the spot Garik had been sucking.
The last half hour of happy hour Taichi spent trying to ignore a chatty drunk girl. She sat on the stool next to him, facing him, smiling widely and talking incessantly, seeming to try and make up for the lack of speech Taichi was contributing to their 'conversation'.
She was cute, sure, with her dirty blond hair and round sweet face, but she was also getting on the brunette's last nerve.
"Well, I'm done." Rei said as he swished the remnants of back wash that sat at the bottom of his beer bottle.
Jiro nodded to that and Taichi took the last slug of his beer and rested it back on the bar.
"Oh, that's so funny, 'cause I'm done too!" The girl stated before laughing. Taichi and the two others stood from their stool, Taichi grabbing his jacket and placed it around his shoulders, ready to leave. It was then that the girl stood sloppily from her stool and faced Taichi so he couldn't look elsewhere. "Wanna have sex?"
Taichi's eyes nearly bulged from his head at the blunt proposition while Rei laughed. Jiro stepped forward and placed an arm over Taichi's shoulders guiding him past the girl. "Sorry, sweetie, he's taken." Jiro joked, adding a lisp to his words.
Rei stepped towards the girl then. "You know I'm available though," he said with a wink. The girl almost seemed repulsed by that and mumbled something about needing to go home.
As the three left the bar Taichi pushed his friend away for him, upset by Jiro's implication.
"She's a drunk chic and she rejected me." Rei stated to no one in particular, sounding offended.
Neither Tai nor Jiro took note of it though because Tai was upset and Jiro felt Tai was more upset then he needed to be. "Man, what's up with you?" Jiro asked.
"Nothing." Taichi said. "I'm just not as comfortable as you are with another guy hanging off of me. That's all."
"She seemed disgusted." Rei mumbled.
"Dude, I was just messing around. You know I'm as straight as an arrow. Remember yesterday when we went to that strip joint… oh wait, that's right, you weren't there. You started talking to that guy at the Tavern and the next thing I know your gone. What happened with that, by the way?"
Rage built up in Taichi causing him to turn sharply to his friend, grabbing hold of his shirt and thrusting him into the side of the building they was passing. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Hey man!" Rei said, jumping to his friend's aid, resting his hands upon Taichi's white knuckle fists. "He's just bustin' your chops. Come on."
Taichi starred at Jiro's surprised face for a moment, seeming to mull things over in his head. After a moment, his grasp loosened before his arms fell to his side and his hands slipped into his pockets. With a single sigh, Taichi's aggression seemed to be gone.
Taichi stepped away from Jiro as the man fixed his shirt. "Sorry. I guess I'm just not really with it tonight. I'm kind of tired, I think I'll just head home." Taichi then turned around and left.
"You think I'm an ugly guy?" Rei asked, and the two began walking again.
"No, you're beautiful. Though those pants make your butt look big."
Yamato yawned as he walked into his small apartment, feeling the strong desire to sleep as he eyed his bed in the other room. He felt dirty, filthy, disgusting. He always felt like that when he had an over enthused customer. He needed a shower. He wanted to at least try and wash away the feeling of the other man's touch from his skin.
Deciding to put off sleep just a little while longer he took to the shower only to fail at the ultimate goal. That night he slept fitfully, still feeling the green eyed man's hands roaming over his skin.
I'm not gay.
I'm not gay.
Taichi's remained awake as his thoughts spiraled endlessly from the blue eyed beauty he had shared his bed with the night before, to the confirmation of his sexuality. Every time he seemed to drift off, the smell for the blonde, that salty smell that most people carried, that smell of strawberries that had come from the blonde's golden main, and that unique smell that, no matter how hard he tried, he could not begin to describe that smell, came wafting up from his pillow that Yamato had used, to his nose.
It was comforting and frightful and oh-so delicious. He didn't want to fall to sleep and have that dream he'd knew he'd have though when the sand man had finally come to take him away he couldn't have been happier.
TBC… or is it… (evil laugh)
A/N: I took a small break from ROR to do this. I really like it and I'm kind of curious as to what you think. Please tell me. Andrew Thomas is a name I used, earlier. It was a joke. Andrew Thomas is the guy who appears on the 10,000 yen bill. I'm pretty sure. I found it on a website…
