"Do You Know What Love Is?"
It was dusk, and as the sun set, casting orange light across the Digital World, Kari thought of what had happened the past few years. It had been tough, fighting the evils of the Digital World, but still, somehow, they had all pulled through. Even Joe had shown the strength to face the enemy at some time or other. It had been hard on all of them, but still things were the same, personalities never changing, friendships never fading. Her brother still fought with Matt, and Mimi still complained about everything. Sora was still her calm, sporty self, and TK and Gatomon were still the best friends she could ever have. And Izzy....
Kari smiled, listening to the sound of fingers typing on the keyboard of a laptop. Izzy was still the same... pretty much indifferent to everyone and everything, except for Tentomon, of course. He'd always been that way, it seemed. Oh, sure, he was a bit friendlier now, especially to herself, but still...
He's always buried in that computer, Kari thought. Sometimes it seems that he cares more about his puzzles and technology than the people around him... but I know it isn't really like that. He has emotions... I'm sure of it. He shows them when I'm around, just me and him... he doesn't like to show them, that's all. I'm the only one he'll open up to.. I guess that makes me kind of special. But he'll always be a hundred times more special than me...
Leaning back and looking up at the stars which were just beginning to appear in the sky, Kari recalled a dream she had had last night. The same dream she had every night. In truth, it was more half-dream, half-fantasy.... Her and Izzy, staying up late and talking.... the laptop stored safely in Izzy's backpack, where it belonged. His fingers no longer typed out code on the keyboard... instead, his hands, soft and gloveless, were touching hers, fingers laced with her own. He would lean down close to her, eyes half-closed, yet filled with emotions... It was always at that time that she would wake up. Somehow, her mind always pulled her from her dreams, her sleep, right before it ended.
"Kari?"
She snapped back to reality, startled by the voice. Blinking, she looked at her side where Gatomon, her digimon, lay curled up like a cat, staring at her intently.
"Yes, Gatomon?"
"What're you thinking? You look kind of sad."
Kari smiled slightly as she reached out to stroke her friend's soft fur. "Nothing much, I guess..."
"Come on, you can't fool me. I know you have something on your mind." Gatomon jumped into Kari's lap and looked up at her, blue eyes twinkling. "So tell me."
"Can't put anything past you, eh?"
"Nope." the digimon replied simply.
Grinning, Kari hugged the cat, listening as she began to purr. "I'm just kind of... confused, I guess. I've got these emotions, but I'm not really sure what they are. I've heard about stuff like this, but everyone has different ideas of what it is..."
"Well, what do you think it is? That's what's important," Gatomon replied, nuzzling her friend in a catlike manner.
"I think I'm in love."
Gatomon stared up at her friend, eyes unblinking. She'd heard of love... it was a human emotion, slightly similar to an unnamed Digimon code which stimulated digital reproduction. But apparently, with humans, it was so much more. It could make you happy for the rest of your life, or it could break your heart. She'll have to be careful, Gatomon thought.
"Well, who is it, then?" Gatomon asked cautiously, glancing around. "Is it TK?"
"No.." Kari replied, shaking her head. "It's just....."
"Who?"
"It's Izzy," Her voice, barely above a whisper, was soft, filled with emotions. Gatomon looked up at her and saw her staring at something off to the side. She followed her friend's gaze and saw Izzy, in the shade of an evergreen, typing away at his computer as usual.
"You love HIM?" Gatomon snorted in disbelief. "He doesn't even have a personality!"
"You're wrong, Gatomon," Kari replied, shaking her head. "You're wrong. You just don't know him like I do. He hides his feelings behind that computer... I think someone once hurt him, and he tries to hold it in."
"Whatever you say, Kari." Gatomon murmured. She glanced back at the hunched figure, who seemed oblivious to everything except the computer before him. "So.. have you told him?"
Kari shook her head. "No..... I can't. Whenever I get up the nerve, the others are always around to interfere. I just can't."
The night became quiet, silent. From the direction of camp, no sound could be heard. Gatomon narrowed her eyes and sighed. I don't like this, she thought. They don't seem right for each other. And yet....
Shaking her head, Gatomon looked up at Kari. I'll do this for her, even if I don't think it's right. After all, what do I know about love?
"Kari?" she whispered.
"Hmm? What is it?"
Gatomon lowered her head. "Everyone else is asleep." she said stiffly. "Here's your chance to tell him. Take it or leave it."
Kari glanced in Izzy's direction, eyes bright. "Thanks, Gatomon." she whispered. She stood slowly, pausing to shake the stiffness which came from sitting in the same position for hours.
"Don't mention it. Please." Gatomon mumbled, looking away. I wonder if I did the right thing, she thought. I don't want Kari to get hurt...
Silently, she watched as her friend walked over to Izzy and sat down next to him, speaking in her soft voice. Be careful, Kari. Be careful.
"What's up, Izzy?"
Izzy glanced at his friend, smiling slightly. "Nothing much, really. I was trying to decipher this code, but my efforts haven't been successful so far. I think I've come close, though.." he sighed, shaking his head. "Sometimes I think I know what's going on, but then things change so rapidly... I just wish I always knew for certain what would happen. It'd make life easier.."
"What, don't like surprises?"
"No." Izzy said softly. "I don't."
Kari looked at him, shocked to find a sadness in his eyes that she hadn't seen before. "Why?" she asked, placing a hand on his shoulder. She bit her lip, then added "Who hurt you?"
He stared at her, mystified. "Does it show that much?" he asked. When she nodded, he looked away. "Never mind. It's nothing."
"Izzy.."
"Just forget it." he said, not realizing his voice had a harsh tone to it.
"All right." Kari answered quietly, looking away from him.
For a moment, all was silent. He's so difficult sometimes, Kari thought. But I have to do this...
"Izzy?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you... believe in love?"
Izzy stared at her for a moment. "What was that..?"
"I said.... do you believe in love?" Geeze, Kari thought. For a smart guy, he's sure dumb sometimes.
"I... don't know," Izzy mumbled as he shut off his laptop and stuffed it in his backpack. "I guess... it depends on what your definition of love is."
"I....see."
"If your definition of love is a feeling for someone, a feeling so strong that you'd do anything to make that one person happy... a feeling which is more than just a feeling, you care so much about that person that you'd even die for them if it came to that, then.." he paused, sighing. "Then... yes, I guess I do believe in love."
Kari could feel her cheeks turning redder by the second. "Izzy?" she whispered.
"Yes?"
"If that's your definition of love, then.." she swallowed hard, struggling to get the words out. "If that's your definition of love, then.. I... love you."
Izzy stared at her, eyes wide. "W-w-what..?" he managed to stammer.
Kari closed her eyes tight. "I'm sorry." she whispered. "I just had to tell you... if you don't feel the same way, I understand, it's just..." she stopped herself before she could say anything more. Somehow, a tear fought its way past her shut lids and rolled down her cheek.
"Kari..." Izzy reached out to touch her face, ebony eyes smiling. "It's all right, don't cry... I love you too."
She opened her eyes and stared at him, barely believing her ears. "You do?" she whispered, voice shaking.
Izzy nodded. "Yes.... I just never got up the courage to tell you. I've never known much about love, and I just.. didn't know how to say it." He smiled, a rare occurrence. "It's lucky for me that you did."
"Izzy...," Kari whispered. She wrapped her arms around him and held him close, resting her head on his shoulder. Somehow, a few tears managed to escape her eyes and she let them fall, the smile never fading from her face.
"Kari," Izzy murmured softly, running his fingers through her soft brown hair. "Why're you crying?"
"I'm just so happy," she whispered in reply, hugging him tighter. "Now... I know what love is."
"Hmm." Gatomon mused as she watched them from the branches of a nearby tree. "I guess I was wrong about the computer geek. Oh well, it's probably for the best, anyway." She yawned, and curled up into a ball, preparing to drift off to sleep.
"Gatomon?"
The cat jumped at the voice. "Huh?!" She glanced around, and spotted Tentomon hovering in the air next to her. "Oh, it's you." she muttered, relaxing. "What do you want?"
"Well.." Tentomon said as he landed on the tree branch. "I guess.. um... well, you know um.... well... Kari and Izzy are together now, so uh.."
"Yeah, get on with it.." Gatomon growled, glaring at him.
"Well, uh.." Tentomon shifted nervously, and looked at her with a pathetic expression in his eyes. "I was thinking... um.. since they're together.." he paused for breath, shaking with nervousness. "Would you.. like to be... my... girlfriend?"
Gatomon stared at him for a second, her blank expression quickly changing to one of disgust. "You've got to be kidding." she hissed, glaring at him. "Back off, beetle breath."
"You... don't like me?" Tentomon said, surprised.
"You got it. I wouldn't go out with you if you were the last digimon on earth," she growled. "Now get away from me."
As Tentomon flew off, Gatomon smiled to herself. "Besides," she said quietly. "I've got a date with Gomamon tomorrow night."