Stage Directions

Okay, so another fic!

'Spin' and a few other fics are being awkward, so I took a weekend (a whole two days!) out from them to write this. I missed writing about TK! This is AU, and some of the characters are pretty OOC. This is done as the whole Digiworld and accompanying adventures being a TV show with actors playing the parts of the Chosen. For simplicities sake, all actor names and character names are the same, as it would be just far too confusing otherwise.

This contains four couples, some more likely than others. Two of them Yaoi. One my fave, Taito!

Warning: This contains Yaoi, leave if you don't like it. Also one hell of a lot of language, and one instance of lime. And even though he seems it, Takeru is not totally evil, bear with me, it become apparent part way through the fic.

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. It's owned by various companies and corporations, but not one bit is owned by me.

Oh, and ages might be helpful: Takeru, Hikari, Daisuke, etc-17. Yamato, Taichi, Jun, etc-20.

That's it, on with the show...

~

"And... CUT!"

All the actors on the set relaxed and began to talk amongst themselves.

"Hey, great job everyone! That's all for today. See you all bright and early tomorrow morning!"

There were a chorus of muted yeahs, and one figure detached itself from the others, and stalked off set. The director hurried over.

"Hey, Takeru! Great job there, that fight scene was really good, one of the best I've ever seen."

"Yeah, whatever."

The slim blonde shrugged and walked away. Settling himself down in a chair facing the set, he pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit up. Inhaling the smoke, he leant back and watched the others who were still all talking to each other.

Bunch of fucking sheep. Bunch of fucking pretenders. All acting as if they were best friends and all that crap, when they only really knew each other through this job. Okay, some of them obviously really were friends, take Taichi and Yamato for example. The two of them had separated off from the others, one now actually lying on top of the other as they stuck their tongues as far down each others throats as possible.

Yeah, so obviously those two actually liked each other, and there were a few other couples amongst the cast, but the rest? Still performing even though the cameras were off. Losers.

He took another drag of the cigarette as he unscrewed the top of a bottle of mineral water.

Fucking losers. Take Hikari and Daisuke for example. That couple was now walking off set and, shit, over to him. Did they have to? Couldn't they tell that he just wanted to be left alone? Didn't want any part of their sappy happy crap as they went along, hand in hand, in the belief that the world was perfect.

"Hey Takeru!" Hikari chirped happily.

Crap. Now he had to talk to them, couldn't just get up and walk away. Far, far away.

"Hey." he replied, non-committally.

"How you doing man?" Daisuke put in.

"Oh, you know. The usual crap."

"Aw, cheer up!"

"Yeah, filming's over for today after all. Dai and I," and she giggled over the rhyme. Fuck her. She composed herself and started again. "Dai and I are going to go get something to eat. You wanna come?"

"No."

"Oh come on!"

"And eat the shit they serve up here? No thanks."

"But we're not eating here-"

"I said, no thanks."

"You sure?"

"Don't I sound fucking sure?"

"Hey! Leave my girl alone!"

"If she leaves me alone."

"C'mon Kari, lets leave Mr Misery-Guts to himself."

"That the best insult you can come up with arsehole?"

The couple glared at him, and turned round and walked off without another word.

Thank God... So, they hated him. What was new. No big deal. They were welcome to each other. It wasn't as if he was interested in her in any case. Or in him either for that matter.

He gave a snort of laughter. Not that it ever did any good. They'd be back tomorrow, the fucking losers, trying to get him to cheer up, and have 'fun'. And all because he wouldn't take part in their little charade.

Takeru took a swig of water.

Now, finally, those fakers were busy going their separate ways, and that meant that soon he could go and... No, wait a minute, shit, that was going to have to wait for a while, fuck them. He wanted to go continue the relationship the others weren't even aware of him having, only here were Yamato and Taichi coming his way, having finally managed to pry themselves apart.

"Hey! TK!" Yamato called as he drew closer.

"Don't call me that stupid fucking name." he snapped coldly as he rose to meet them. "It's bad enough having to put up with being called that fucking nick-name on set without having to put up with it when I'm off the fucking set as well."

"Hey, easy on the language-"

"Who are you, my mother? Get real. You're not really even my big fucking brother, so why should you care?"

The taller blonde fidgeted uneasily.

"Well, you know..."

"No I don't. What."

"How long have we been doing this show for?"

"Nine years. Since I was eight, and you were eleven. And your point?"

"It's just that... Y'know, we've been working together for so long that, well... You seem like my little brother to me."

"But I'm not."

"Yeah, I know that, but-"

"Oh get over yourself Yamato! We are not related. Get it? I would have thought that you would have understood that, even if our fucking viewers don't seem to get it. I mean, what shit for brains must they have?"

"Easy."

"Why?"

"They keep you employed."

"I think I know that, don't you? Don't be so fucking patronising. For fucks sake... We have different surnames! I mean, hello? As for the excuse that oh look, our 'parents' got divorced, that must be why, it's a load of bollocks. Complete shit. Since when have kids changed their fucking surnames when their parents get fucking divorced? Since never. And yet the audience are quite happy to accept that we're really related. If they have brains, they obviously don't fucking use them."

"People believe what they want to believe."

"Sad aren't they?"

"Why are you being like this?"

"Because it's in my character."

"No it isn't."

"I think that you may be confusing me with my on-screen persona."

"Look, Takeru..."

"What?"

"I..."

"Yes?"

"I'm worried about you."

The younger blonde gave a snort of laughter.

"What?! You've gotta be kidding me."

"Why?" Yamato asked, beginning to sound annoyed.

"Why the hell would you be worried about me? Why would any of you? You all fucking hate me. And don't even bother to lie."

"We don't all hate you! Shit... Is that why you act like this? Because you think we all hate you?"

"Whatever."

"Because if it is... For fucks sake, we don't all hate you!"

"Yeah right."

"It's the truth!"

"Well, maybe you should then."

"This isn't like you... You used to be such a sweet kid-"

"Yeah? Used to be. In the fucking past."

"What's happened?"

"I grew up. What do you think?"

"TK-"

"I said not to call me that! Or weren't you listening at the time?"

"You know I was listening!"

"Then why?!"

"I don't know, okay? Can't you just accept that I care about you?"

"Why?"

"Because you really do seem like my little bro-"

"Yeah, you've said that before. Well, y'know what? You may feel like I'm your younger brother, but you don't seem like my older brother, at least not to me. I'm afraid I just don't think of you that way. But if you really want me to start calling you Yama-chan, well then..."

He closed the gap between them, and quite suddenly leaned forwards and pressed his lips to Yamato's. It took a moment for the older blonde to realise what was happening, and stepped back hurriedly from the kiss, looking confused. Takeru smiled, for during that moment of uncertainty he had felt the other ever so slightly respond to his touch.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

"If I'm gonna call you Yama-chan, then I need some reason to do so."

"But-"

"Yes?"

"I told you you're like a younger brother to me! You don't do that kind of thing with your younger brother!"

"And I told you that you don't seem like an older brother to me Yama-chan. And if you really think that, then why did you respond?"

"Wh... I didn't!"

"Oh, but you did..."

"To you get a kick out of being such a shit? If I did, then it wasn't a conscious decision, only an automatic one because I was trying to figure out what the hell was going on! It wouldn't have been on purpose!"

"That's what you say..."

"Hey!"

Taichi, who had been silently listening to this conversation, chose now to interrupt, having decided that things had gone far enough. He glared angrily at the younger blonde.

"Yes Tai?"

"Leave him alone you bastard."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you jealous."

"That wasn't what I meant!"

"Wasn't it?"

"No!"

"Are you sure of that?"

"Fuck you."

"A little further than I was planning to go, but if you insist..." He darted forward and kissed the brunette.

Taichi was quicker to react. He pulled back, narrowed his eyes, and took aim. As his fist flew through the air, it was deflected by Yamato's arm before it could reach Takeru's smiling face.

"Tai... Please don't."

"Why the fuck not? You heard what he said, saw what he did!"

"Because..."

Yamato looked imploringly at his koi, trying to express wordlessly how much he truly did care for the other blonde. How he didn't want any harm to come to him, no matter how much of a bastard he was being.

"Yeah. Whatever." The brunette tugged his arm free of his friends grip. "He's not worth it anyway. C'mon Yama-chan, let's get out of here."

"Yeah. 'Kay."

He took one last look at Takeru before hurrying after Taichi, who had already stalked off.

The young blonde doubled up with laughter.

Shit, that was fun. He ought to try it more often. So, he was going to get punched in the face one of these days, but shit, would it be worth it.

Still laughing, he finally left the studio, and made his way to his dressing room.

***

There was a tentative knock on the door just as Takeru was finishing changing into his street-clothes.

"Who the fuck is it?"

The door opened without an answer to his question, and the blonde spun around angrily, ready to shout at whoever was invading his privacy. However when he saw who is was, his lips curved upwards in a soft smile.

"Aren't you going to shut the door then?"

"You sure you want me to do that?" the slim newcomer asked, flicking raven hair out of their eyes. "You know what the others might think."

"You think that I give a shit what the others think?"

"You used to."

"Well, currently I don't give a fuck. Just shut the door."

It was done.

"You cross with me or something?" Takeru asked, rising worriedly.

"No..."

"Ken? I know you better than that. Please tell me what's wrong. What have I fucked up this time?"

"I saw you kiss him."

"Who?"

"Or rather them. Taichi and Yamato."

"Aw Ken..." The young blonde moved to wrap his arms around the distraught raven-haired young man. He rocked him slowly back and forth as he pressed their bodies together, trying to console.

"I didn't know you were there. I wouldn't have done it if I had."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better is it?" Ken pushed against the blonde, trying to free himself from the embrace, but his efforts were feeble, his heart not really in it.

"Fuck. That came out wrong. You know I didn't mean it like that."

"Do I?"

"Hell, I hope so."

"You shouldn't swear so much?"

"Y'know, you're the third person that's told me that in the past half-hour or so. What's with it?"

"It must be true then."

"No shit."

He saw Ken wince at his words, and his attitude softened somewhat.

"Gomen. I'll try. I'm not promising anything, but I'll try and cut down on the swearing. For you, not for any of those shi-, the others."

"I'm not asking for anything else."

"Good."

Takeru gently stroked Ken's cheek with the fingers of one hand, and studied the violet eyes before him meticulously.

"Tell me." the blonde whispered.

"Why did you kiss him?"

"To piss him off. To get them to leave me alone. I just wanted to be with you, and I couldn't, not whilst they were still around."

"Are you sure that that's all it was?"

"Of course I'm sure. I love you."

"And I love you."

"I really am a dumb shit aren't I? I don't deserve you."

"No you're not. You just may not be the most sensible person at times."

The blonde laughed, and smiling broadly, kissed his koi tenderly.

"No, that's true."

"It's good to hear you laugh. You should do it more often."

"Yeah? But I don't usually have much to laugh about."

"Take-chan?" Ken sounded worried again.

"Yeah?"

"Why don't you want any of the others to know about us?"

"For your benefit."

"I don't get it. We've been seeing each other for nearly two years now... You ashamed of me or something?"

"Hell no!"

"Then... Why?"

Takeru sighed and closed his eyes.

"They all hate me. You know that right?" he asked emotionlessly.

"No they-"

"Yeah they do. They all fucking hate me. I don't blame them. I'm a piece of shit. I don't know why you put up with me either."

"Because I love you."

"I don't see how you can."

"Because I do."

"They all fucking hate me. They all probably wish that I was dead. I would too, if it wasn't for you."

"Don't say things like that."

"Why?"

"Because I couldn't bear to lose you..."

"I just don't want you to have to put up with all the shit I go through."

"Huh?"

"Don't you get it? They all hate me so much that if they knew we were together, they'd hate you too! And I don't want you to have to go through all that. It's just not fair on you."

"Takeru! Have you been listening to the shit you've been saying?" Ken said furiously, shaking the blonde by the shoulders, whose eyes snapped open in disbelief at what he was hearing. "You're talking bollocks! Not fair on me?! What's not fair on me is that I can't admit in public that I'm crazy about you!"

"Wh-what?"

"Do you really think that I would give a shit about what they would think of me? Personally, I think you're talking a load of bullshit when you say that they all hate you, I mean, what the fuck could hate anyone as kawaii as you? But if you're not, and they all hate me for going out with you... Then who gives a shit what they think? If they're really that shallow, then who needs shits like them for friends?"

Takeru stared at his dark-haired koi in amazement.

"I thought you weren't too keen on the incessant swearing." he mumbled.

"Screw that!"

Tightening his embrace about his koi, the blonde buried his face in Ken's raven hair, trying to keep under control the tears that were threatening to spill.

"What would I do without you?"

"I dunno. Go crazy and start swearing like an idiot at everyone you see? No wait... You've already done that one."

There was a funny kind of hiccuping noise from the blonde as he tried to laugh and cry at the same time.

"Why do you pretend to be so tough and uncaring about everything when you're obviously not?"

"Dunno."

"You okay?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"No."

"Listen... It would be much easier on both of us if you would just let me support you during the day."

"Huh?"

"Can we just tell them?"

"Who?"

"Don't be so difficult. The rest of the cast."

"Uh-uh." The blonde shook his head vigorously. "No way in hell. I don't want you getting involved in this. It's not your problem-"

"Yes it fucking well is! If it's affecting you this much then I'm making it my problem whether you like it or not. I still don't see how they could possibly hate you... But if they really are bastards like that, then well... I don't give a shit what they think. Fuck them!"

Takeru wiped the tears out of his eyes and gave a weak smile. Then he smirked, and quirked an eyebrow as he thought of something.

"I'd rather fuck you."

"Would you now..." Ken drawled, running his hands over his koi's chest, and fiddling with the buttons of his shirt.

"Oh yeah..." he breathed, as he leant forward to kiss the other boy.

"You wanna lock the door?" Ken muttered between passionate kisses, beginning to undo the shirt buttons one by one.

"Why?"

"What about the others? What if they come?"

"Almost my thoughts exactly." Takeru whispered breathlessly as they sank to the floor together. "I'm not wasting my time thinking about them. But if you change the 'them' in your last sentence to 'we'... Then Ken-chan, that would be the whole point..."

***

Arriving early the next day, Jun Motomiya sat down and pulled out a textbook for the course she was studying part time at university. She might as well get a little studying done whilst she waited for filming to start...

A cheery whistling shattered the silence, but she paid it no attention as she frowned slightly, trying to understand what the book was saying.

"Hey Jun!" The cheerful voice made her look up incredulously, and for a while she just stared at the smiling blonde in front of her. Not quite believing that this was really happening.

"Whatcha reading?" he chirped, undeterred when she made no reply, craning his neck to try and read the title on the spine.

"T-Takeru?"

"Yes?" he looked up.

"Er..." That bright smile was beginning to unnerve her. It just seemed so out of character from his usual stormy self.

"You wanted to say something?"

"Um... Uh... Astrophysics." she managed at last.

"Astrophysics? Wow." He raised his eyebrows and looked surprised. Jun frowned.

"What of it?"

"Uh, nothing!" he exclaimed, looking a little hurt. Stranger and stranger... He never usually seemed bothered by anything anyone said to him. "I just thought you'd be into something more artistic..."

"Gomen. I thought you were gonna say something...unpleasant. The character I play is not the most intelligent there is, and some people assume that I'm just like her, but I'm not. Sometimes it's just really annoying to have to play such a ditzy character. It's just not me."

"I think I know how you feel."

"Really."

"Uh-huh."

"And always having to run around after Yamato... It's just so obvious that he's not interested, and never will be, so why doesn't my character get it? Besides which, he may be cute and all, but blonde's are just not my type. Er, no offence meant."

"None taken."

She stared at him, amazed at such a transformation, seemingly overnight. What the hell was up? Was this really happening? She was distracted from this line of thought as the door opened and Jyou Kido entered, and called to her.

"Er, listen, I gotta go."

"Sure. Okay."

"Hi Jyou honey!" she called as she ran over to her boyfriend who caught her up in his arms. He glared darkly at Takeru who was staring absently at the set with a half-smile on his face.

"He giving you a hard time?"

"No. Actually he was really nice."

The blue-haired actor gave her a look of disbelief.

"What?!"

"Yeah, I know. That was my reaction too."

"Weird. I wonder what he's up to."

"I don't know. But you know the strangest thing?"

"What?"

"I got the impression he isn't planning anything at all."

The couple walked away from the door, but some distance past Takeru. Just in case.

The doors crashed open a few minutes later the rest of the cast arrived collectively, talking amongst themselves. They saw Jun and Jyou sitting at the other side of the studio and began to make their way over when they saw Takeru. The feeling the party exuded grew instantly more hostile, but the young blonde pretended not to notice.

Ken, standing in the middle of the group, also noticed the change in attitude, and frowned.

Having finally come to a decision as to what to do, Takeru turned round to face them as they passed, giving him a wide a berth as possible.

"Hey everyone. Hey Yama, Tai. Hey Hikari. Hey Daisuke." he said pleasantly, only his raven-haired love picking up on the slightly nervous tone.

They all stared at him, and he fidgeted uneasily under their gaze. There were a few mumbled replies, then the group moved collectively onwards without another word.

"What was that all about?" Yamato asked as they walked off.

"Who knows." Taichi muttered. "I don't trust him though."

"Yeah, what is his problem?" Daisuke asked in disgust as the young blonde turned his back on them.

Studying his koi carefully, Ken saw what the others hadn't. He could tell that Takeru had turned his back on them not to be rude, but because he was struggling to control his emotions and didn't want them to see. Unconsciously he stopped walking, and just stood staring.

"Hey Ken!" Daisuke shouted.

"What?" he asked in surprise, turning around and noticing that the others had reached Jun and Jyou.

"You coming over here or not?"

"Nah. I'm gonna go talk to Takeru."

"You what? Aw, don't be dumb, leave him by himself. He's a worthless fucked up piece of shit if ever I saw one."

Ken narrowed his eyes and glared at the brunette.

"You take that back."

"What?" Daisuke exclaimed, genuinely confused.

"You heard me."

"Why should I? It's true."

"No it isn't. And if anyone's a fucked up piece of shit, it's you."

He turned and made his way back to the blonde.

"What the hell was that about?"

"Who knows. But I think he's heading for trouble." Yamato said sadly. "Takeru will probably punch him or something."

"Yeah?" snarled Taichi. "Well, if he tries then I'll fucking punch him. I'll kick the shit out of him!"

"There, what did I say?" Yamato sighed as Ken reached the young blonde and put a hand on his shoulder. Takeru tried to shrug him off and push him away, but the dark-haired boy persisted in his efforts.

"I'm gonna go punch that little blonde shit in the face. I've been dying to for months-"

"No wait, Tai. I think something's happening."

Takeru had stopped trying to push Ken away, and had allowed the other seventeen-year-old to wrap his arms around him. He buried his face in Ken's shoulder, and allowed the other to stroke his blonde hair soothingly.

"Whoa... Am I really seeing this?"

"It looks like he's... I think he's crying..."

Taichi fidgeted uncomfortably.

"Nah. He can't be..."

"I know it sounds unlikely, but I think that it's the truth..."

They continued to watch as the blonde slowly returned the embrace, and shifted so that he could look into Ken's face. There were soft gasps of surprise when the two pressed their lips together in a tender kiss, and didn't pull apart.

"Well, that explains a lot." said Hikari faintly.

"Right everyone!" the director's voice boomed out, startling them all apart from Ken and Takeru who were too busy to pay much notice.. "I want you all in Make-Up in ten minutes and... Good grief, somebody get those two off of each other! Pour a bucket of water on them or something..."

The two drew apart, laughing, and made their way together in the direction of the dressing rooms.

"Er, hey..." Taichi said awkwardly as the couple passed. "Takeru... I'm sorry about before."

The young blonde just stared at his feet.

"S'okay."

"Er... How come you never told us that you were seeing each other?"

Takeru made no reply.

"How long have you been dating?"

"Uh... 'Bout two years..."

"Shit! Why didn't you say?!"

"Because he thought you all hated him, and didn't want you to hate me too." Ken replied when his koi made no answer. "Now if you would excuse us..."

The two continued on their way, hand in hand.

"Was I wrong about him."

"I think we all were."

"He's not an unfeeling little bastard after all. Well, there go all my theories turned completely upside down. What a day... And it's only 8am!"

Yamato laughed.

"Just a normal day in show-business, Tai-chan."

~owari~

And that's it!

Um, what did you think? I'm not so sure about the ending y'see... Well, please review and let me know if you thought it was okay for two days work...

Oh, I've just been informed that this may not have been as AU as I thought. I haven't seen any of season three, so humour me would ya?!