Disclaimer: Uh, we're up to number… I have no idea. 15, I think, where I say I don't own Digimon. More
Mexican Hot Chocolate
Ken grinned broadly. Yamato and himself had just finished dealing with the two Digimon in the ruins of Mexico and returned little Rosa back home. He was thankful that they arrived just before anything bad happened to her or her Gotsumon, but everything was fine. Rosa had even made friends with Wormmon, but only after hanging all over Ken and watching Stingmon send the Digimon back to the DigiWorld.
Right now, he was sure life was perfect.
It was in the late evening but still very warm out, especially for Christmastime. It felt good, actually, to be able to walk around without feeling the bitter Pacific wind on his skin. He and Yamato had only taken a few minutes to do their job and had to wait for the helicopter to come pick them up. It would be about an hour or more, so the two of them had some time to kill. They were just wandering around the city, talking lightly and speaking with the Digimon about things in general. He was in a state of personal bliss and the Digimon were reveling in the joy of their partners. Yamato was listening to all the Christmas songs being played around them, amusing the small group with his singing.
Ken couldn't think of a person he'd rather be with.
Ken knew Yamato had a thing for boys, which was made plainly obvious by the interaction he had with Taichi or any of the other guys in the group. He himself also had the same feelings, but they were usually directed to Daisuke because the two were so close. However, it wasn't Daisuke his attraction went to. It was the original bearer of Friendship.
He admired the older boy; the way he carried himself with confidence and hidden strength. He liked Yamato's sense of humor and dedication to the group and Gabumon. Most of all, he loved the way Yamato treated him as an equal, a needed partner in a holy Crusade of Digimon.
The problem: Ken had no idea if Yamato harbored any of those feelings to him. The other problem: Ken was too scared to actually ask Yamato if he returned the feelings. The only being that knew of his problem was Wormmon, of course, and had even offered to help. However, he refused, saying he wanted to do this himself. It wasn't working so far.
So Ken carried the pleasure of working with Yamato very close and very secretly. He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he barely noticed his friend stop in mid-stride.
"What's wrong?" Ken questioned, looking at the other boy. Yamato lifted his head up in the air and Ken looked around for problems. "Is anyone coming?"
"No, it's nothing that serious. But do you smell something?" Yamato asked curiously, as he began sniffing the air. The other three lifted their noses and began to search for anything.
"I don't think so," Ken replied. "What am I… smelling for?"
Gabumon tilted his head. "Smells like… cinnamon, I think. Some other spices I can't place. It's mixed in with something sweet. Like…"
"Chocolate!" both boys said at once and then looked at each other, amused.
"Which would make sense, mis amigos, because el café es tres doors down," a hearty voice said from their side. The four turned to see an older man, about 45 or so sitting on his front steps, contentedly smoking and enjoying the warm night.
"A café?" Ken questioned.
"Sí. It's a wonderful little cocoa shop, if you enjoy such indulgences of course," he grinned and took a puff of the cigarette.
Yamato looked at Gabumon, then Ken and Wormmon. The same idea raced through all four of their minds. "Why not?" he finally spoke up. "We have time to kill, and I personally love chocolate. I think I have some money with me. How about it, guys?"
Ken hesitated for a few moments. He'd really enjoy some time with Yamato, but still felt rather shy. He couldn't help it, that's just the way he was. He wanted to but his voice and nervousness wouldn't let him say anything.
Wormmon made the decision for him, as if reading his partner's thoughts. "We'd really like to."
Gabumon nodded firmly. "Then it's settled."
"Gracias, senor, for pointing it out to us," Yamato thanked the man.
"De nada, muchachos. ¡Feliz Navidad!" the man wished the boys, putting out his cigarette.
"¡Feliz Navidad a tu tambien!" Ken wished the man, and the four turned to follow their noses down the street. Then the man gently pulled Ken's shirtsleeve and stopped him in his tracks. Yamato waited a few feet away and watched the scene patiently.
"Try the mexicano style hot chocolate," he advised. "The chocolate es rico, the ambiance es bonita," and he lowered his voice until Ken was sure he was the only one that could hear. "And the spices in the chocolate are known to be somewhat… aphrodisiac when drunk with a loved one."
Ken's heart sped up so fast he had a hard time breathing.
"¿Que?" he stuttered. As the man stood up on his porch, a woman opened the door and put her arms around the man's shoulders.
"Comida, mi corazon," the woman said, then looked at Ken and smiled gently.
"Trust me, muchacho," the man nodded firmly, and turned to walk inside the house. "Mi esposa would agree. Drink with a loved one." He shut the door as Yamato came over to Ken with the Digimon at his heels.
"What was that all about?" Yamato questioned.
Ken shrugged in what hoped it was a casual way. "He said that we should try the Mexican hot chocolate. You know, prior experience kind of thing," Ken told him honestly.
Yamato grinned. "Cool. Shall we?"
"We shall," Ken nodded.
Within moments they were standing in front of a low-lit shop. Ken could see a few patrons inside and noticed it was still open (oddly enough) on Christmas Eve. But… he wasn't about to question what might be a great thing. Miracles had happened on Christmas, anyway.
"Looks nice," Yamato remarked.
"Let's check out the inside," Ken suggested. He had reached his hand out to open the door when he looked and saw that Wormmon was nowhere near. He felt a rush of panic and scanned the area furiously.
"Hey relax Ken," Yamato laughed lightly and pointed over to the side of the building. Both Wormmon and Gabumon were leaning against the building, and Gabumon was holding Wormmon in his arms. Both looked like they were resting peacefully. "They said they were gonna sit out here and enjoy the nice weather. Do you mind?"
Ken wasn't sure if he was going to severely injure the Digimon for scaring a years' worth of growth out of him, or hug him to death for giving Ken the chance for some private time with Yamato. He settled for doing neither and just turned to open the door.
He was bombarded by the sounds of people talking and a guitar playing the background, the sight of a dimly lit café decorated sparingly with chairs and tables, and the smell of chocolate and coffee all around him. Ken only vaguely noticed that Yamato came to stand next to him and let out a breath of appreciation.
"It's beautiful," Ken whispered. Maybe that wasn't the most accurate word for the soothing scenery, but it would have to do.
"Let's look around," Yamato suggested, and the duo began to walk to the back of the café and near the counter.
There weren't a great number of people, maybe only 10 or so, but Ken didn't mind. In fact, the fewer the better. He stopped in front of the counter and looked at the menu behind hanging above. It was all in Spanish and, since he wasn't completely fluent, he would have to guess at what it was he really wanted.
Yamato was admiring the little cakes and chocolate pieces inside of the display case when another person caught them by surprise.
"
Ken looked down and saw a young man a little older than himself and even Yamato standing behind the counter. He looked a little impatient, his eyes tired and a touch distracted. The two stared at each other for a second before the boy spoke again.
"Don't speak Spanish?" he asked in a wry tone.
"That's the gist of it," Ken mumbled, and the boy laughed. Yamato came up behind him and Ken immediately felt better, as if the ultimate protection from all wrongs in the world had suddenly come to his back. This was even better- he had the ultimate ally at his back.
"Anything you want to order now, or are you just browsing?" the employee questioned politely. Ken turned around and looked at Yamato.
"You suggested the hot chocolate," Yamato shrugged. "I'll have the same thing as you."
"Do you have Mexican hot chocolate?" Ken turned back to the server.
He nodded quickly. "We do. Do you want anything with them?"
That caught Ken off-guard. He didn't think there was anything else that needed to be ordered, and he was still a little disorientated from the way everything was moving so fast.
"I think that's it," Yamato said for Ken, saving him from losing face.
"Just one, or do you want two?"
"Two please," Ken said quickly. He could practically hear the judgment in the other boy's mind as he took the order. Then he stood up a little straighter and reminded himself that he didn't have to worry about what everyone else thought of him. He could stand tall under scrutiny; he had Yamato's calm strength behind him all the way.
"¿Regular o grande?"
"Regular."
With quick fingers the young man behind the counter wrote down their order, tallied up the price, and gave the cost to Ken. Yamato handed Ken the money so quickly he thought for a second it had magically appeared in his hand. He paid the boy and received the change, which was passed back to Yamato.
"I'm going to find us a seat if you don't need help," Yamato murmured into Ken's ear, taking his breath away for a moment.
"I'm OK," Ken murmured back and began to wait.
Surprisingly, it only took about 3 minutes for them to prepare both cups of chocolate. When they arrived, there was a puff of whipped cream strewn with spices all over the top. The girl who handed the cups to him smiled and winked.
"Aquí. Do you need anything else?" she asked, her voice low and the insinuation too big to be ignored. Ken blushed slightly and turned to avoid making a fool of himself.
He took both cups and looked around. Then he saw Yamato was waving slowly from all the way in the back of the café and slowly began to walk over.
Yamato was sitting on a couch with a small table no higher than his knee resting in front of him. Ken came over and handed one of the mugs over to his friend and took a seat. He let out a small yelp as he sunk slightly into the couch, and Yamato laughed.
"I suppose I should have warned you," Yamato grinned.
"I suppose," Ken mimicked dryly. However cool his exterior might have been, he was shaking so hard on the inside it was hard to breathe. The two of them were sitting together, no more than a foot away from each other, and about to drink the hot chocolate the older man said would work like a fabled love potion.
Yamato was the first to take a sip, and Ken had to follow because his head was starting to feel woozy. A sense of hope and desire filled him as he mentally repeated a phrase in his head:
Please like me, please like me, please don't hurt me Yamato,
Ken silently prayed as he pulled the drink down. I wish I could tell you how much I liked you.Nothing happened. Or at least, nothing obvious happened. Ken didn't know how to feel, like if the drink would take a few minutes to kick in, or if it just didn't work. Yamato brought the mug down and sighed contentedly.
"You made a good choice," Yamato told Ken. "This stuff is delicious."
Ken didn't even notice the taste the first time he took a sip, so he brought the drink back up to his lips and drank. It was warm, but it wasn't scalding hot like some of the coffees he remembered trying and later needed to suck on an ice cube for hours. The whipped cream was smooth and… well, creamy of course. The spices on top smelled heavenly and the drink itself was intoxicating. It tasted like chocolate but there was the underlying tang of cinnamon and other spices. It was sweet but a hint of sharpness kept it from being too sweet to drink. He let the hot chocolate roll over his tongue to savor the moment before he swallowed. When he finished, he looked at Yamato and laughed softly.
"Yeah, this was a good idea," Ken agreed.
"You know," Yamato began, putting the mug on the small table and leaning against the side of the couch arm. "I don't know anything about you. I mean, I know a little but we've never really talked much to each other. Maybe now would be a good time, since no one is here."
Ken would have spun cartwheels if it were possible. Instead, he spoke in an agreeable voice. "That's cool. I don't really know much about you either."
For the next 45 minutes, a conversation passed between the two Digi-destined boys that could never be copied. Time had faded into the background; everything from the people to the music meant nothing to the two boys wrapped in their own world. They talked a little bit about themselves, a lot about how they felt about their Digimon and the DigiWorld, and more about their beliefs in general. Some of the conversation was tinged with humor; other parts were very serious and profound. Ken never fully realized how alike they were, since he never got a chance to speak with Yamato.
Both had had bad dealings with the dark part of the DigiWorld, and both had come out stronger than before. They enjoyed spending time alone, but always had a good time with their friends. It wasn't really that they had a great number of hobbies that were the same, but that they were just similar personality-wise. They were both very devoted to their friends and Digimon, and understood that sacrifices had to be made from time to time. Overall, Ken was sure that any of the books he read would entertain Yamato, and many of the songs Yamato knew or sung he would probably enjoy.
They seemed to connect on a deep level. Granted, if Ken wanted a real relationship, they'd definitely have to know each other a little more, but this was good for only speaking a few times to each other.
I really want to know him,
Ken thought to himself. I really like him, and I think he might like me back.Finally, after the hot chocolate had been drunk and it was almost time to catch the helicopter, Ken found borrowed courage from somewhere deep inside. Just as Yamato was getting up to put the cups on the counter so they could be cleaned, he finally spoke.
"Hey, Yamato, could you sit for a minute?"
Yamato looked at him and sat down. "Sure Ken. What's on your mind?"
Ken took a deep mental breath and just let the words go. "I like you."
No reaction; at least not any reaction visible on Yamato's face. So Ken continued and prayed for the best.
"I like you a lot. I never really had the nerve to say anything because I didn't know you, you didn't know me, and I was afraid of what you might say. But… I was just wondering if there was a chance that you might like me too."
A moment of silence passed between the two. Then Yamato broke the glass-like quiet.
"I think so," Yamato said slowly, then looked at the shocked Ken straight on. "I mean, I know we haven't talked much, but from what I learned today… I think I like you too."
His heart felt too big for his chest; his happiness was immeasurable by any human standards. Ken nearly fainted from relief, joy, a million other feelings that he wasn't expecting to feel. But he knew it wouldn't be a good idea to do that here and now. Besides, he had to finish the talk with Yamato.
"I don't really have a reason for why, and I'm hoping you're not asking for one," Yamato said wryly, and Ken laughed at that. He didn't really know why either, but he wasn't questioning a great thing. Then Yamato lowered his voice and spoke in the same tone that told of his seriousness. "I just… I've started to learn how to trust my intuition and it's screaming at me now. I can tell that we really could be something, if not very good friends, if we really want if. And I don't know about you, but I'm more than willing to try and find someone I can share my heart with."
They stood up as one and put the mugs on the counter.
"¡Feliz Navidad!" a few voices called to the duo as they left the café. Both Ken and Yamato wished them a Merry Christmas too before continuing the conversation. They went outside and found their Digimon were still sleeping and in perfect health. Yamato had slung Gabumon over his back, carrying him piggyback style while Ken carried Wormmon in his arms as usual.
"So… how long have you liked me?"
"For a few months now."
Yamato raised an eyebrow. "It was pretty brave of you to tell me." He looked straight ahead. "I don't know if I would have been able to tell you if I liked you. I don't have that kind of faith in myself."
Ken was stunned, letting confusion take him over so he felt the same way he did most of the night. "But you're so… confident, so strong."
"Maybe," Yamato sighed. "But everyone has their insecurities. Mine just happen to be a little more… secret than yours, and don't control me as much as yours."
That was true. Everyone knew that Ken was still afraid of being judged by others, and tonight he had overcome the two biggest hurdles of his fears. The two walked in silence for a little while until they saw the temple where the others would be waiting.
Yamato spoke once more, his voice soft and honest. "I'm glad I went with you Ken. I think we could be very good for each other."
"I'm glad you came," Ken agreed, then slowly reached his right hand out until he held the older boy's hand. Yamato looked at him not with surprise, but with pleasure. They walked like that for a few moments, and since Yamato was doing a balancing act with Gabumon on his back, they had to let go. Then Ken laughed just before they reached the edge of the temple.
"What's so funny?"
"The man told me to order the Mexican hot chocolate from the cocoa café today because he said it would be like a love potion, an aphrodisiac," Ken summed up, shaking his head at his own stupidity. Yamato raised an eyebrow at the explanation. "I can't believe I thought it would actually work. It was just regular chocolate and I thought for a moment it would work."
"Well, it kinda did," Yamato said matter-of-factly. Ken looked at him oddly. "If he didn't tell us about the café, if he didn't tell you about the chocolate and let it give you spirit, if you didn't have the courage to tell me of your feelings, then we might not have known all these things about each other."
A wave of giddiness hit Ken like a brick to the forehead. All of what the man said about the drink wasn't true; he was just playing with Ken. But he remembered the man had also advised him to drink with a loved one and practically highlighted the point. It wasn't the chocolate that was important; it was the company that mattered. It was Ken's own faith and valor that brought the two together. Maybe the drink did have some magic role in the warmth shared between himself and Yamato, but he doubted it.
When they reached an area away from the temple, they found the same helicopter that picked them up from before. They rode together in silence, enjoying each other's company. Ken found himself drifting off to sleep on Yamato's shoulder, and his corazon gently brushed his fingers on Ken's face to push away the unruly hair.
The two arrived in New York an hour or two later, and it was much darker out by then. By now, Ken and the Digimon were awake and well revived. When they landed, Daisuke and Mimi were standing there looking impatient. The four got out and Daisuke ran up to them looking both irritated and relieved.
"What kept you?" he nearly yelled. "We've been waiting here forever! I thought you got killed or torn apart or disappeared or whatever!"
"We're fine, Daisuke," Yamato calmed the younger boy. "Sorry it took so long."
"What kept you?" Mimi questioned.
Yamato and Ken shared a glance filled with secrets and affection, knowing that neither Daisuke nor Mimi needed to know everything at the moment. There would be time for that later.
So Ken spoke easily, not bothering to hide the mystery in his voice and words.
"We went out for Mexican hot chocolate."
Hmm… I don't know what to say. Corazon means 'heart' and comida means 'dinner/meal' in Spanish just in case you didn't know. Most of the others words should be easy to figure out. So, if it's not too much to ask, would you please read and review?