Disclaimers: It has been many years since I picked up the old quill and ink, but as with all age old pursuits, I would like to start by assigning credit to where it belongs. I own not the Digimon series and regret to inform you that the characters in this fic are the genius of another individual, not my own. I do also welcome criticism, as I have been away from fic writing for the longest time and have no doubt lost a lot of whatever it was I once had (under another pen name that I have since forgotten).

Author's note: Thank you everyone for your reviews, I am having fun with this and they do motivate me to write faster. This chapter was written in the wee morning hours and I hope that you have fun with it!

Sumi19 – Thanks for the encouragement, I hope that this next chapter is not disappointing.

KoumiLoccness – Thanks for the review. I have not yet decided what other pairings will emerge, we will just have to see where the mood in Spain takes them. ;)

Balancing on the Balcony's Edge

Not too long after Mimi's news exams began and I found myself with a lot more time on my hands than usual. We all did. Tonight was no exception, what with band practice put on hiatus for the duration of the tests so that we could 'study'. Taichi told me that his soccer practice was also cancelled for the remaining couple of weeks, so he and I spent a great deal of time at one or the other's houses. Did I not mention that he likes to spend the time in class sleeping and I copied out most of the notes in our classes? Tonight was our 'history' night – as in I leant my notes to Taichi and he attempted to concentrate on cramming in all the information while I prepared dinner.

"Whatcha making Yama?" He called out from the kitchen table, attention already wandering.

"Paella," I answered, trying to keep my answers simple enough that they would not take too much away from his studying. I concentrated wholly on finely dicing the onion and did not notice that Taichi had picked up my books and transferred himself from the table to the kitchen island until he perked up.

" Spain is going to be pretty amazing, isn't it? Mind you, I don't really know much about Spain, but it sounds so different from Odaiba... It is pretty awesome of Mimi to invite us all too."

The corners of my lips curved up in a secretive smile, Tai was yammering again, but I could not really contain my elation at the thought either. We were all going to be in different Universities it seemed, aside from myself and Tai who had just so happened to both get into Meiji University in central Tokyo. I didn't vocalize it, but I was pleasantly surprised when I heard that his soccer scholarship had gotten him by his marks in the entrance exams and that he would be joining me there.

"Yeah. It is probably the last time we're going to be together for a while," I proposed, rinsing off the knife and placing a skillet on the stove.

"What do you mean? We're gonna be in the same University Yama!" The tanned teen's response caught me off guard, he had practically yelled it at me and my eyes widened in surprise.

"I meant all of us, dumbass," I couldn't help but smirk as Tai both pouted and blushed at my words.

"You know, calling me a dumbass is counter-intuitive." He shook off his blushed and leaned further over the counter, purring out his response, "you're supposed to be encouraging me, calling me smart and clever and stuff so that I go into the history exams with confidence, right?" There was something suggestive in his smile and a menacing twinkle in his amber eyes.

" Oooh, you picked up some big words recently, didn't you?" I mocked him with a smirk, "I'll call you smart and clever when I see some evidence to support those claims."

"You're just... jealous." Tai fumbled for a response.

My slender eyebrows arched, intrigued at where this was going. I splashed a little bit of olive oil into the pan and turned the heat to medium on the stove, only then turning my attention back to Taichi, meeting his amber eyes with my own sapphire blue eyes.

"Enlighten me."

He had all but abandoned my notes and leaned even further over the counter. "You're jealous that I am not only smart, but that I am popular with the girls too. That and I have a killer six pack and you have..." he paused, lost in thought as the slightest tinge of colour came to his cheeks.

"And that is supposed to make me jealous how?" I challenged him, adding the minced garlic and diced onion to the pan, stirring non-chalantly.

"Well," he retorted, "I am just saying that we are not going to be in high school forever and that there are more important things than school, you know. Among those things are the perks of well... you know..."

Sometimes Tai picked the weirdest places to become shy, I couldn't help but draw out his embarrassment and momentarily abandoned the pan to lean over the counter, our foreheads almost brushing. "No I don't know, why don't you make your point a little clearer?"

I could feel his breath hike a little, the warmth wisps of air on my cheek becoming ever so slightly irregular at the narrowing distance between us. Heat radiated off his cheeks and he tried to break eye contact, but I drew his gaze back just as quickly as it wandered.

"You know..."

"Hmm?"

His cheeks blazed with heat, "Sex stupid!"

I couldn't help but laugh a little at how worked up he was getting over this all. I pulled myself off my elbows and went back to stirring the onions in the pan. "Oh, I am sorry Tai, I didn't know my penis was a part of this conversation. I am sure it is seething with envy." I couldn't hide the mockery in my voice, it was fun reminding him that some of us didn't live with our lower parts in control.

"You wouldn't be saying that if you weren't a virgin," he retorted, straightening up on the island stool and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Who said I was a virgin?" I purred suggestively.

"W-what?" I wanted to drink in all of his surprise, savour it on my tongue. Yeah, I still hadn't had sex yet, but it wasn't like he needed to know that. "When? Where? Who?"

I was having too much fun with this and decided to draw it all out a little longer. "I am sure you would love to know that, now wouldn't you?" Smiling suggestively I replied before momentarily turning my attention back to the fry pan, adding in some peppers and mushrooms.

"Um, well, we're best friends... you're supposed to tell me about these things!" He stumbled in surprise, "Now I expect details, Ishida."

"What if my penis doesn't want your penis to know where it has been?" I vulgarly responded, this was getting to be fun. Tai should consider himself lucky that my penis even entered a conversation, I was being pretty open already.

"Well my penis, takes your penis to court. You have been called to the stands man, confess." He demanded, finally catching up with my joking language.

"Does my penis have to swear on the bible before it speaks?" I grinned.

"Yep, bible and all. Now my penis calls for details: her name, where you did it, how many times."

This was getting to be more fun with every passing minute.

"Who said it was just one girl?" I shrugged, trying to seem calm and cool.

His jaw nearly dropped to the counter at that statement, I could see a mix of envy and something else colouring his irises with golden flecks that seemed to burn deeply. "Now this is something I've got to hear."

I drew out the pause, taking my time by adding some spices and the rice to pan, tossing it a few times before returning to my little ruse. "My penis wishes to leave out names, for the confidentiality of those involved."

"Denied."

"Okay," I smirked as I quickly thought up a few random names of girls I had seen at a few of my shows, "Hanako and Marie." I improvised before painting the scene for the inquisitive teen before me.

"It was the middle of fall, they waited until after my show to approach me, but I could tell the whole time performing what they were thinking. Akira, my guitarist, leant me the keys to his car and I brought them back here. We had a few drinks, made our way to my room, and that is where my penis leaves the rest up to your penis's imagination. Now is your penis satisfied?"

He flushed a deep red, I could tell that he was trying to put together the remaining images and with a little too much detail because he soon shook his head violently. "Wow. My penis thanks your penis and rests on the issue."

I tossed the shrimp and clams into the a pocket I had made at the centre of the frying pan and flipped them into the rice, satisfied with the sweet aroma of spices mingling with the salty scent of the sea. "Still think I am jealous?"

Tai seemed a little withdrawn and his cheeks grew an even deeper shade of red. I was dying to take a picture, but thought against it. I wanted to have this beet-red Taichi all to myself.

"Now my penis would like to call your penis to the stands..." I began but was quickly cut off.

"Yama!" Taichi cried out embarrassed.

"Then how about we get back to Hitler and Stalin for a bit?" I proposed, smiling at my own manipulative prowess as I transferred the hot paella to two plates and motioned for Taichi to bring them to the table as I proceeded to wash up.

Spain is going to be more fun than I imagined...