Takeru looked into the classroom. Every head was bent down looking onto paper, busy writing something. He swore under his breath. Late again, eh? Letting out a breath of resignation, he started to walk over to the boy's bathroom.
Stepping into the less than clean room, he walked over to the sink to splash some water onto his face. Instead, as he got nearer, a muffled sobbing sound grew louder. There was a faint smell of cigarettes in the air. He stopped in front of the suspicious stall, and knocked. To his surprise, the door creaked open, and the sobbing abruptly stopped.
Unsure, but willing to investigate further, he let the door fall open. On the toilet sat a boy. His red hair was messed up, and he was hiding his face. His clothes, although told no sign of a violent encounter (as Takeru had suspected) were really rather messily pulled together. As he took in the sight, Takeru gasped with recognition. The words were almost reluctant to come forth. "...Daisuke? ...Is that you, Daisuke?"
The boy didn't respond. Unsure if he was right, Takeru stepped closer. "It's me. Takeru." he said hopefully, as if the redhead would answer to his call, and things would be okay again. Another step. "Hey, I mean, are you okay?" Another step. "I just want to help, Daisuke. You remember me right? I heard you crying, so-"
"I wasn't crying."
Blue eyes met brown. Takeru let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. "Daisuke, what? I.. What happened to you?" Sure enough, Daisuke was sporting a bruise on his cheek, and what was soon enough to be a black eye. Takeru frowned. "Did you get into another fight?"
"Just lemme alone, kay?"
Takeru looked on exasperated as a former savior of the world sat forlornly on a toilet in the middle of school. Some courage, right. As stubborn as he was, Daisuke was all that bad. Far from it. He was really rather sweet and understanding when it mattered most. Like when everyone else shunned Ken, who but Daisuke befriended him?
It didn't matter that none of the old group really talked anymore. They all scattered here and there.
The older digidestined group went off to find jobs, and mates. Joe, being the oldest had his own private doctor's office and was married. Izzy went off being smart about computers still, and Mimi was studying fashion somewhere in Europe. Tai and Yamato somehow both ended up owning a flower store, and Sora took over her aunt's restaurant.
The younger set didn't have much luck staying together either. Yolei already had graduated and was studying business in college, while Cody was training to be the heir for his grandfather's kendo hall. Ken ended up moving far west, and went to a private school there.
For a long time, it was just three of them together: Hikari, Takeru, and Daisuke. At least until Hikari got a scholarship and went off to join a private all girl's school in Tokyo.
Now, it was just them, and they didn't even bother talking.
They had at first, trying to save a connection that seemed almost non-existent. After a while.. They just grew apart like everyone else. They were already juniors in high school, so college came into play.
Daisuke didn't have any college plans. Takeru did. That became the end of it. Takeru spent most of his time catering to his mother's wishes that he graduate top class in his school, and to continue on to college. He wasn't even sure if he'd make it. And if he did, he wasn't sure if he'd want to be there. As of late, it simply didn't matter to the blonde boy whether he made it as valedictorian or not.
A long time ideology of the redhead concerning college.
College seemed far as could be from Daisuke's mind. He spent most of his time getting in trouble, and befriending the wrong sort of people. Daisuke was always the one being called up to the principal's office during the middle of class for something "he didn't do". Really, in all honesty, the boy seemed a wreck. He was failing his classes, and he didn't exactly have anything stored in a bank somewhere to fall back on.
Short story was, if he didn't shape up soon, he'd be spending life out of high school on the streets.
Right now, Daisuke looked unhappy to be sitting on the toilet in the middle of school, while being stared at by Takeru. He cleared his throat. "Takeru, I told you to go. You're staying. This is the opposite of going."
Takeru raised an eyebrow. "You were crying.", he said in an accusatory manner, causing Daisuke to make a face.
"I wasn't crying."
"Then what were you doing?"
Daisuke shifted, uncomfortable. "...Nursing my wounds."
"Look, Dai, I, you know... I know we haven't been the best of friends lately...", here Daisuke rolled his eyes, "but I just want you to know that, you know, I'm here for you.", stated Takeru. "Nothing's changed."
"Easy for you to say." Daisuke muttered.
"Daisuke." Takeru shot out a hand to touch the cinnamon colored hair. Daisuke jerked back.
"What are you doing?!"
"Just come here." Takeru said, running his hand through his hair. Soon, he let his hand travel down to the bruise on Daisuke's cheek, frowning at the heat he felt. It was too hot.
Daisuke squirmed, and glared. "That hurts, you know."
"Bet you're not going to tell me who did this?"
"Damn right I'm not."
"Mind telling me why?"
Daisuke looked up. "Why? Well, I guess, he was trying to teach me a lesson."
Takeru raised an eyebrow. "Did it work?"
"...It worked a long time ago."
"Huh? Then you don't mean..." Takeru stopped. Of course not. Daisuke wasn't the sort of person to just sit around and take a beating.
"That I get beat up a lot? Or that it teaches me a lesson?" Daisuke blinked.
"That you get beat up a lot! By who, Daisuke?"
"Oh. I, well, I guess I just get beat up a lot. I mean, no big deal, a lot of people beat me up, right? I guess it's just the way things are."
"...Dai..."
"Hey, don't look so disappointed!" Daisuke gave a odd sort of smile. "I'm okay..."
Takeru felt strange. Whether it was for Daisuke, or whether it was for himself, he wasn't sure, but while looking at the skinny, beat up brunette, he got a sense of that whole feeling.
a/n: Okay, great. Finished a chapter. I'm not even sure if it was any good. Reviews would be GREAT, but if you don't want to write a thing, this is understandable. ANYWAY, hope you liked it. @_@