DISCLAIMER: I do not own Digimon in anyway.
NOTE: This story is inspired by some things going on in my own family right now. Parents haven't talked to each other in a month for stupid reasons you know? This story has no slash or romance or anything. It is simply a brother fanfic that I was inspired to write after talking with my little sister and listening to a song called "Brothers" by Vic Mignogna.
From the outside, you would have never guessed that the Ishida house hold had family problems. When the family would go out, they seemed so happy and perfect to the other neighbors and people that lived in the outside. The inside, however, was a totally different story. There was constant shouting and arguing between the two adults.
This had to do with the fact that the two of them were just too different for their own good. While Mrs. Ishida was strict and wanted things done her way and immediately, Mr. Ishida would be careless and easy going. Mr. Ishida worked long hours at the television station and that would frustrate his wife. Ever since Yamato "Matt," their eldest son, was born, Mrs. Ishida dedicated her life to being a stay-at-home mother instead of pursuing her dreams to become a journalist. The work load doubled once Takeru "T.K." was born and Mrs. Ishida's patience would easily be shortened.
This constant bickering continued on for years. Finally, it came to the point where Mrs. Ishida just suddenly stopped talking to her husband. Five year old T.K. would constantly ask his mother, "why her and daddy aren't talking anymore," but she would just smile and answer, "it's a grown up thing darling."
oXoXoXo
Matt was sitting in his room playing different sorts of tunes on his harmonica. He found it easier to just keep his distance from his mom and dad, especially when they were together. As he blew up and down in the different holes, he heard the door creak open. Matt looked over and saw his younger brother peeking through the crack.
"Is it ok if I come in big brother?" T.K. asked quietly.
"Of course it is silly," Matt grinned and patted a spot next to him on his bed. T.K. came into the room, shut the door behind him and giggled as he jumped on to his brother's bed. Matt rolled his eyes at his easily amused brother. "Do you know if Dad is home yet T.K.?"
"I didn't see him," T.K. replied. "Mommy looked really mad too…that's why I wanted to be with you." Matt smiled at his younger brother. He liked to know that T.K. felt like he needed him. "Matt…is it ok if I sleep with you tonight?"
"Sure little brother," said Matt as he ruffled T.K.'s hair. "Whatever you say."
oXoXoXo
"I don't care if the queen of Spain is coming to town!" Matt opened his eyes groggily at the sudden scream of his mother. "It is not fair that you come here so late at night while I have—" Matt could hear a deeper voice murmur something which had to be their father. The young eight year old sat up and got out of bed. He turned to make sure T.K. had not woken up. He hadn't. Matt tip-toed his way toward his door and pressed his ear against it. To his disappointment, he couldn't hear them very well. It had been a month since both adults had spoken to one another and so he was curious to know what they were finally talking about. Matt opened his door cautiously and slowly made his way to the kitchen where his parents were arguing.
"Nancy," Matt's father sighed. "I know you have given up a lot for our family, but this is the television companies' big break! If I could just leave the house for a few days then we could make a lot more money than we are now!" Matt heard his mother huff.
"That is all that you seem to care about," she spat. "Money this! Money that! Money, money, money! You never seem to care about your family anymore and it gets really frustrating!"
"Oh, and what about you?" Matt's father quickly remarked. "Yes, it's fine for you to criticize me of not caring about our family when you don't completely do so yourself!"
"What are you talking about?"
"I see how differently you treat T.K. and Matt. You spoil T.K. more than you ever did with Matt. If Matt has a question or wants to play, you just quickly send him away. It's not right Nancy! He deserves just as much love as T.K. receives!" Matt thought about what his father had said. He found them to be true. T.K. did get more attention from their mother than he did.
'Maybe that is why Dad and I spend so much time together now…' Matt thought to himself. Matt's father sighed.
"It scares me Nancy," he said, a little more calmly. "Because…well…it seems to me that you feel like it…it would have been easier for us if Matt was never born…" Silence hung in the air.
"Yes…" Matt's mother said quietly. "Maybe it would have been better if he was never born."
"WHAT?" Matt's father shouted, drowning out Matt's gasp of shock. "Nancy! How can you say that? He is our son!" Matt didn't want to hear anymore. He fumbled his way back to his room and quietly closed the door. He slid down to the floor and drew his knees close to him. His heart and chest ached.
'Is that how Mom really feels?' Matt thought to himself. 'That it would have been better if I was never born? Am I the real reason why they are always fighting? I must be…I must be the problem… Matt felt tears starting to fill his eyes. He was about to release them freely, until…
"Matt?" a small voice whispered. Matt looked up at his bed and saw T.K.'s figure from the dimness of T.K.'s night light that he had brought in. "Are you ok brother?" Matt forced a smile and climbed back into bed with his baby brother.
"Yeah, I'm alright," he lied. "I just had to go to the bathroom, don't worry about it." From the kitchen came muffled voices filled with anger. "Sounds like Mom and Dad are talking again…" T.K. scooted closer to his older brother.
"Matt."
"Yes T.K.?"
"I'm scared…"
"Scared? About what?"
"I'm scared that…you won't be my brother anymore." A lump formed in Matt's throat. He felt like crying now more than ever, but he felt that he needed to be strong for T.K. So instead, he took his little baby brother in his arms and hugged him.
"That will never happen T.K.," Matt whispered. "I will always, always be your big brother. Just like you'll always be my little brother. I will always be there for you and I will protect you always…and that is a promise to you T.K."
oXoXoXo
Matt was unable to keep his promise. The next morning, their parents told them some upsetting news. They told them that, "even though they still loved them very much, they just didn't love each other anymore. So they were going to split up and live in different houses from now on." T.K. was too little to really understand what was going on, but Matt understood perfectly. The guilt and pain he had felt the night before returned to him instantly. The urge to start crying also returned, but he forced himself not to.
Two weeks later, the couple had been pronounced divorced. The ex-Mrs. Ishida took T.K. and moved as far away as she could from her ex-husband. The following days were lonely for young Matt. Even though T.K. would still visit them, or Matt would visit instead, things were never the same. Eventually, once the two grew older, the visits died away into nothing. For the following five years, Matt had started to build a mental wall around him. He decided that letting people in was just too painful once they were gone.
Things changed however when Matt found himself in a summer camp. At that time, he had found his little brother once again. He found that T.K. had changed completely and it seemed like he didn't need him anymore. It became even more so when the two brothers and five other kids were sent to a strange world with odd creatures.
It didn't matter to Matt however. He didn't care if the others though he was being too harsh or protective over the youngest member of the digidestineds. Because he had made a promise to his little brother, five years ago, that he would always protect him. Because no matter what happened, they would always be brothers. And nothing would ever change that.
I seriously started crying at some parts while writting this story...it really hits home with me. Maybe I will go back and add some more to my fourth chapter of R4M to lighten my mood...
DEDICATION:This story is dedicated to my little sister, even though she may never read it...She is my best friend and I am not ashamed to say that. No matter what happens to us she will always be my little sister. I love her with all my heart.
Please R&R.