Begin Tape Two

"Where do we go from here?" I whispered into Yama's ear so as to not wake the others. We were back at the campsite, trying not to gain attention. He, thinking we were the only ones up drew me in and kissed me instead of answering. "Come on, for real here, Yama." I hissed. "We don't even know what we're going to do about the gang if they find out."

"If they find out, they find out. As for us..." he fingered a strand of my blue hair. Half asleep I pushed his hand away from my ear. "I always did wonder why it was blue." he giggled. I mentally groaned.

"Lets see how things go as is before we do anything that might make us outcasts." I whispered, but not before I managed to snag one of Yama's golden locks and curl it around my fingers. Not far away Agumon shifted in his sleep, reminding us that we weren't alone. "And if we do... lets make sure it's not here." He gave me a stupid smile as his hand traveled along my shirt. I stopped it before it got too far. "We gotta do this for Takeru's sake, too." I said knowing that this would stop him dead in his tracks. He did, but not before covering my mouth in a smoldering kiss. As I tried to catch my breath after he did, he curled up next to me, and my arms went around him almost of their own will. We fell asleep like that, Yamato next to me, his head resting on my shoulder, my own arms around him, and a stupid smile on my face.

I woke up slowly the next morning and gradually became aware of Yama's presence in my arms. He, too, started to wake up. I saw him looking at me, one eye open, his mouth went up to greet mine, and strong hands went to my sides.

"Baby mine." the old nickname for any girl he was dating came out of his mouth a choked whisper, almost like he was still in shock that we were together.

An airy smile spread across my face as strong hands went under my shirt, lifting it off. He leaned over me and put a well placed kiss on the upper center of my chest. The feeling that I had always gotten whenever Yama was around me spread, a feeling of iron, or steel, spreading out from his kiss. It was odd at first because the rest of my body felt like it was on fire, and the feeling of cold steel was there as he kissed me a second time, about a hand width down from the first one. I gave a small noise to tell him not to go any lower. For whatever reason he understood me and his last kiss was dead center, just below my neck.

He started to back off of me, but I pretty much threw him down, and covered his mouth with mine. He gave a tiny shocked protest as my hands slipped off his green sleeveless and my lips went to his neck. His hand went up to the clasp of my breeches grappling desperately with the buckle.

Not far to our right I heard something shatter as it hit the ground. Freezing in the positions we where in, both our heads swung in the direction of the noise. Less then 5 meters away stood Izzy, eyes wide, eyebrows up so far they threatened to go over his forehead. The redhead's hand still in front of him where it had once held the jar which now lay shattered on the ground. It wasn't till then that I thought what we must look like: Both of us bare chested, my face not far from Yama's neck, and his hand frozen in shock, still clutching the clasp of my breaches. Izzy made a sound something like the cross between an "eep!" and what a strangled cat might sound like. With that he turned so hard on his heel that he nearly fell; walked away, eyes still wide with shock, and hand still in front of him like he was still holding the jar that now lay shattered on the ground.

"I think he saw us." I said, my voice cracking as I lifted myself away from Yama. He just nodded in response. Looking over to where the smaller boy had disappeared I quickly grabbed my shirt off the ground. Yama followed suit, and soon he was jamming his own shirt over his head.

"Izzy! Wait up!" I shouted as I tried to find the damn hole at the top of the shirt. Unfortunately my blouse had other plans, making my life miserable. After what seemed like hours of wresting with the cloth I found the damn top and broke into a run after Izzy.

I sprinted into the woods, and looked for the little redhead. "Izzy! Izzy, where are you?" After nearly tripping over a branch or seven I spotted a flash of orange. Why the hell is he running? Hell, when did he start running? "Izzy! Izzy, wait up!" He didn't stop, but he did slow down. I caught up with him as he hunched over, his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath. "Please," I begged. "Let me explain."

"What's to explain?" he asked, his jaw set, but eyes dull and colourless.

"I— huh? No, I meant that... please don't tell anyone..."

"...Fine." Izzy's voice was flat and emotionless.

"That's it?" I said stunned.

"Who would I tell? Don't worry Jyou, your secret's safe with me." kind words came out of a stern face. His voice was so toneless that had he not been right in front of me I wouldn't have known it was Izzy.

"Thank... thank you, Izzy."

As I turned to leave and go back to my Yama I could have sworn I heard a muffled cry come from the smaller boy. When I looked back at him he was smiling an odd smirk and I was sure there were tears brimming in his eyes. He kept insisting that he was alright so I eventually left him there alone. The next time I looked back he was sitting on a log, hands covering his face.


Yamato was trying to get Takeru to sleep. Sora stood next to Tai talking of soccer camp. Agumon and Gabumon zipped past them running and shouting like a couple of five-year-olds, while Gomamon, Gatomon, and Tentomon with Izzy as he hacked away at his computer. Somewhere to my right Piyomon and Palmon played with Mimi's hair. I stood alone by the fire watching Yamato tend to the small blond child. As I sat I wondered how long it would be before Izzy betrayed us. Not that I didn't trust the redhead, I just wasn't sure if I should. I glanced over at him, as if I could see into his soul, telling me if he had spoken. He was looking at me over his computer. His face grew red as he noticed I had seen him.

I sighed and wandered over to Yamato to see if Takeru was asleep. I ran my hand along Yama's face. He closed his eyes and leaned into it like a puppy. "Is he doing better?" I asked softly. Yamato nodded, a relived smile crossing his face. One the smaller child had fallen asleep Yama took my hand and led me back to the fire.

I looked around and noticed that almost everyone had gone to sleep by then. Gently I kissed him. He shook his head, probably remembering what had happened the last time. Once again he took my hand and started leading me, this time into the woods.

"The waterfall!" I gasped in realization. Yama gave me a grin. Quicker then I thought possible we arrived at the lake and were splashing in the water.

Grinning, I lurched out from under the water, scaring the crap out of Yama. He retorted by splashing me back. Soon we were in a huge water fight, soaking each other completely, and thoroughly exhausted. I led him back to the alcove. It seemed like years since we had been there.

"I just love it up here!" he breathed. I gave a nod. "But I would have thought that the long grass would have rotted or dried up by now," he mused.

"Don't question what the gods give you Yama-chan." I grinned fingering his crest.

"And don't you play with fire, Baby mine," he winked, and swatted away my hand, the corner of his mouth coming up in a sly grin, "You might just get burned."

"I'm counting on it."

"Twisted." he grinned. Strong arms surrounded me, and lips found mine. The tip of my tongue found his. A strong hand stroked my thick blue hair. "You don't know how long I've been waiting for this," he said as I fell backwards onto the long-grass floor.

"Your giving me an idea." I said.

It was going to be an interesting night.


Yamato slept peacefully beside me, his arm cast over my chest. I glanced at the crests which lay near him, having been ...removed... when they had gotten in the way. I fingered the symbol on his, fascinated by the yin-yang quality to it. I put it back down, accidently brushing Yama's side. I retracted my hand as he opened his eyes.

"Sorry man." I said as I ran my hand down his cheek. "Didn't mean to wake ya." he caught my palm in his hand and held it in place on his chest.

"Don't worry about it," he smiled at me as he closed his eyes again. I drew myself closer to him. "Everything's different now..." he murmured as I did.

"But... we were already close friends, now we're just lovers." I said unsurely.

"You'll know what I mean soon enough."

"Is there something I should know...?" I asked unable to keep fear from my voice.

"It's alri— Shh! Did you hear that??"

"What?" I said quickly sitting up. Then, over the crashing waterfall, I heard it. The sound of a guy and a girl heading this way. And they were damn close.

"What do we do?"

Yama jolted up. "They're closer then I thought."

"Lets get out of here!" I hissed. Yamato nodded in agreement, just as Tai and Sora's faces appeared at the mouth of the alcove. They were both nude, having swum to get to the alcove, save their crests, which hung on strings around their necks like ours... had.

"AHHH!" Sora screeched

"AHHH!" I cried.

Tai yelped like a wounded dog, any words dying in his throat. His eyes darted between the two of us. "How did you— Why are you— Oh my god, you guys..." I shook my head fervently, and put my leg down hiding of a glossy white spot that would tell otherwise.

"You guys." Yamato sighed. Tai and Sora looked at each other.

"No!" they shouted the same time.

I turned to Yama. "That would explain the long grass." Sora's face was so red she would have made a tomato jealous.

"And I suppose your crests 'fell' off and landed near Matt." Tai sneered. My face grew hot, a sure sign that I was blushing. "Matt and Jyou. What were you doing?" Tai mocked.

"It doesn't matter." Yama said in a deadly voice. I wouldn't have been able to detect the tremble in his it if I hadn't known him as long as I did. I slipped his hand into mine, to try to comfort him. Tai sneered at this.

He faked a sniff. "Aww. That's so CUTE. I'm just touched."

Yamato's eyes fired up. He pushed Tai hard shouting "Who are you to judge us?" Tai fell backwards into the water unhurt, except his wounded pride.

"Faggot." I heard Tai growl. My stomach lurched at the familiar phrase that Yamato's father had often used to describe relationships like ours. I heard Yama draw in a sharp breath.

"Bastard." I snarled. While Sora was tending to her 'wounded' man Yama grabbed my hand and we jumped out of the alcove, through the waterfall, over Tai and Sora, and into the cold water.

"Talk about a mood killer." I heard Sora grumble as she tended to Tai.


Takeru had recovered from his fever so we decided to leave the lake with the waterfall. I think that it was more so that Tai could get away from memories then anything else. That day we traveled from forestation and waterfalls to dry desert. It was like the deadly desert in wizard of OZ, in that it was completely barren. Now if we had turned to sand when we touched it, the scene would have been complete. Besides it wasn't that bad, if it weren't for the fact that the digimon didn't like it. The only good thing about it was that we spotted the evil digimon before she attacked us.

She was large and bright in the sky, like a second sun. With wings of silver fire extending from it's body, the Pyramon lived up to it's legendary name. Of being an evil digimon.

We were surrounded by a ring of fire. As our digimon digivolved I began to understand Pyramon's logic behind her attacks. We were split up in to smaller groups, until it was Kari, Tai and Sora in one section, Izzy in another, Mimi in another, and Yamato, Takeru and I in the last. "Divide and conquer." I whispered to the wind as Yamato and I huddled around Takeru, and the fires used to divide the Digidestined blazed around us. In air and on land our digimon put up one hell of a fight. But since only Kabuterrymon and Birdramon could fly we were in a bit of a bind.

"Get 'um Ikkakumon!" I shouted as he let a harpoon torpedo fly at the silver phoenix. The mighty firebird looked at my group, eyes blazing like emeralds. She let out a blood curdling scream as she went down defeated, but not before she had managed to let a fireball fly at my group.

I heard Takeru screaming as the fire came towards us. Instinctively I grabbed him and threw him to the ground. It wasn't until the heat from the fireball reached unbearable that I realized that Yama had covered us with his body to protect us. I felt a searing pain as the fireball struck, seconds seeming like hours. It felt like my blood was boiling and my back itself was on fire. I think at one point I even screamed, but I don't know for sure, because everyone was at that point. Then, sooner then I expected it to the moment passed, the rest of the gang started to gather around as I got up to see if Yamato had survived.

He was laying limp, his skin coloured red from the fire. Fear jumped in my throat and lodged itself there so hard I could barely breath. Yama's cloths were burned and ripped, but for whatever reason nothing had stayed on fire, and nothing was grafted. Even his hair was ok, but Yama lay in the sand unmoving. "Come on Yama-chan, don't leave me now...." I cradled his head in my lap, more panic coming forward, choking me. "Come on Yama, live..." Pushing fear away I remembered training. Pulse... where is his pulse??? I can't find it!! I could hear the fear in the rest of the gang as I examined Yama's unmoving body. I grabbed his hand and held it in mine, and choked back a sob. He can't be gone... "No, Yama I love you..."

It was then that it happened. The aurora returned, stronger then ever. "Please don't take my brother!" I heard Takeru's strangled cry. I knew then, that it wasn't going to. There was a terrific wind that ripped around the three of us. Takeru, holding tightly onto Yamato's hand and I cradling his head, one hand slipped in his, I remembered something: {i}It was then that I knew there was a magic, a fire, within Matt's soul, one that would never let his beloved brother die.{/I} By the same token there must be a fire in Takeru's soul, one that would never let his beloved Yama die.

By an unspoken bond... I understand now... Yamato and Takeru began to glow the same fire that I had seen Yamato give to his brother whenever he was sick. But this time... this time I was part of it. "...Live Yama, live..." The wind screamed louder around us and the light grew so bright I thought I might go blind. "Live..."

Slowly, ever so slowly, Yama opened his eyes. "Now you know why I stayed with my brother when he was sick..." his skin began to return to it's normal colour. Linked by an unspoken, mystical bond. A bond that is not is not of mortal flesh. "I'm not going to leave you, Baby mine."

Ever since that day my beloved Yama and I have been more then Just Friends. We've been lovers, friends, allies, cronies, pals, sympathizers, cohorts... and soulmates. We are linked, as one by a mystic bond. One that can't be broken.


My brother sits at the table drumming his fingers. "You've GOT to be kidding me," he says leering at me like a tiger ready to pounce. "That was the dumbest, most fantasy laden story I've ever heard."

"And your a dork! It's true, Yamato and I are soulmates. There is a mystical bond that we share, linking us as—"

"Yes, and I believed every word of it. Could of used a vampire though."

"Don't even joke about that! What do you think Myotismon was??"

My brother looks at his watch. "You sat me down for god knows how long, to tell me that you had sex with some Yamato character, and that you hear voices in your head."

"You know you just suck the fun right outta this whole story, Dork."

"Why couldn't you be more like TK?" Jim says, a smirk pricking the corners of his mouth.

"Why couldn't you be more like Yamato?"

"Because there are rules against incest." he easily retorts.

I groan. "Saw it comin'."

"Anything else that you want to add? Maybe that you got abducted by aliens while you were in the Digiworld? Or perhaps just that you and Matt made the wind and the rain last night too."

"Not really, only that Just Friends is a sucky fic and Phoenixfire knows it. If you want to know what this relationship got based on, but DON'T want me and Yama doing —what did you call it? — the hot monkey dance, then Phoenixfire suggests that you read Father Figure, and blame the TV stations for having nothing good on."

"No thank you. I've had enough of Matts and Jyous for one life time." my brother leaves our apartment as quickly as he can.

I go to the window overlooking the city and press my forehead against the cool glass. The figure across the street picks up the phone. A tiny smile crosses my face.

"Did you tell them?"

"He doesn't believe me."

"Well... Maybe its better that way," I see the figure shift uncomfortably.

"Did you tell them?"

"Not yet. I-- He's just walked in now! I'm sorry Jyou, I gotta go," the figure's eyes leave me and turn to the inside of the apartment. He glances back and gives a halfhearted smile.

"Alright then I'll see you tomorrow."

"If I live that long," the voice groans.

"Goodnight Yama. Baby mine."