I know that I just updated this yesterday, but I couldn't help but write more. I am really enjoying writing this story, and I don't really want to stop.
For now, I've decided that the current title will remain, but my mind is still flirting with the idea of maybe changing it in the future. I've also decided that perhaps the red-light district may appear more in the story? At least to show things of their past.
Disclaimer: Don't own Digimon.
It wasn't a smell that he woke up to very often, it wasn't a smell that was native to the red-light district that was sadly the first place he had ever called home, but as Daisuke pushed himself up from the Yagami's couch, school clothes all wrinkled from having slept in them, the smell of a home cooked breakfast was undeniable.
The food honestly didn't smell like anything spectacular, this always being the case when Yagami Yuuko was the one behind the cooking. Still, as he rubbed his eyes, as memories of whatever dream he had in the night fluttered away from him, he was happy to have food ready for him to eat once he woke up in the morning. Had it been the home of anyone else, even his own, Daisuke would have felt as if he had been imposing on them and would have felt uncomfortable eating their food, but the Yagami household was different. Unlike a lot of the world, unlike the red-light district where he and Takeru had learned the harsher truths of life, the Yagamis were wonderful people.
"Are you awake, Daisuke?"
He stood up when he heard the woman in the kitchen call out to him, and he did his best to straighten out his clothing so he didn't look like as much of a mess as he already did. It was something that was only slightly annoying since the only classmates of his whose opinions he cared about were Takeru and Hikari, but he knew his wrinkled uniform and disheveled self would probably lead to rumors about the delinquent Motomiya being homeless.
"Yes! Good morning, Yagami-san!" he called out to her as he rubbed his eyes again, afterward rearranging the pillows on the couch he had slept on so that they would look at least somewhat presentable.
Back in the old days it was something that visitors to the Yagami residence would ask about, why the apartment was always filled with kids or teenagers. Whether it was the older trio of Yamato, Taichi, and Jun, or if it was his own group of Takeru, Hikari, and himself, there were always young people around and about the apartment. To some it seemed odd, especially considering the fact that the two bright-eyed and lovely Yagami children had somehow drifted to red-light rats, but over time the questions stopped, as did the visits from the more haughty of the Yagami acquaintances.
He had never been sure about whether or not to feel guilty about the fact that possibly his presence had maybe caused some hassle to the Yagami family, but somehow, perhaps it was that breakfast that smelled so good even if it oddly didn't smell delicious, but there was a part of Daisuke that told him that the Yagamis would not have wanted things to be any other way.
"Are you hungry? I'm making tofu bacon with vegan approved eggs. You can't taste the difference!"
The food wasn't as glorious as meat, but hey, it was something. At least now Daisuke didn't have to worry about finding a rat in his box of cereal.
"Sounds good. Thank you, Yagami-san."
He stretched and yawned and made his way to the kitchen. Yuuko was humming a happy sounding song, though not one that he could put his finger to where he remembered it from. He peered over at the food she was making, and tweaked his head slightly to the side. The food looked gray.
"Morning!" a voice came from behind the two of them, Daisuke being surprised to see Susumu when he turned around to greet the Yagami patriarch.
"Good morning, Yagami-sama."
Susumu was usually out of the house earlier than the current time, a little after 7:00am, but the man seemed just as surprised to see Daisuke at the moment.
"You spend the night here, Daisuke?"
"Yeah, sorry about that. I crashed on the couch by accident."
After watching the man walk into the kitchen to give his wife a kiss, he saw Susumu turn back his attention towards him and laugh.
"Next time sleep in Yamato and Takeru's room. It might be cramped with the three of you in there as well, but at least you'll have a matress, eh?"
He nodded at the Yagami patriarch, but that was a subject best left for another time. The cramped room wasn't very comfortable, but there were ulterior reasons as to why he didn't think that sharing a room with Takeru for the night would be the best option. Hikari wouldn't like it for one. Considering, well, everything.
"Your parents know that you're here?" Susumu asked as he stretched and yawned and slowly made his way to the dining room table to sit, content that he had a late work day.
Since Yuuko was busy finishing up her cooking, Daisuke rummaged through the cupboards for a mug, and poured a glass of coffee from the coffee pot to serve it to Susumu. The older man thanked him, and Daisuke too sat at the table.
He patted around the different pockets of his uniform, and pulled out the cell phone that Jun had bought him. It was almost dead but thankfully still had a bit of juice left in it, but when he checked it he saw that he only had two missed calls and one voice mail, all from his sister. As he expected, nothing from his parents.
"Nope."
He watched as Susumu opened his mouth to say something, but then the man stopped himself and sighed, taking the next moment to close his eyes and take a sip of his coffee. Yuuko hurried about, setting enough food around the table for six people, and Daisuke looked up and saluted two figures that were walking into the dining area, Takeru and Hikari both emerging from their respective rooms. He couldn't help but laugh when he saw the faces on his two friends when they caught of whiff of Yuuko's cooking.
"Anything good today?" Hikari asked, voice filled with dread despite the fact that she wasn't any better a cook than her mother.
Laughing, this time alongside both Susumu and Yuuko as well, Daisuke picked up a gray stick of crusted mulch that was supposed to be bacon, and took a bite out of it. He answered with complete sincerity.
"It's the most delicious thing I've ever had."
Originally the chapters of this story were going to be named after Aerosmith songs, but I decided against it when I started listening to my ipod one day, and the song "I'll Follow the Sun" was the first one that popped up.
Also, I've changed the name of the first chapter title. I know it may seem cheap, but I changed it from "Happiness is a Warm Gun" to "A Beginning", which I think I should have named it from the start considering it's the beginning of the story. I will use "Happiness is a Warm Gun" later though.
Man, I love The Beatles.
Anyways, I have two images in mind for when I think of what I want the cover image of this story to be. The first is the trio walking down a street a la the album cover of Abbey Road. The other is the trio running down a steeped road, Daisuke in front having stolen from Takeru, Takeru chasing after him, and Hikari trailing behind them with her schoolbooks clutched to her chest.
If any of you guys know people who draw pretty good, let me know if they're willing to let me commission something?
For now I'm using a picture of three strawberries nailed to a wall. To people who have watched Across the Universe (which is tied with Watchmen and The Dark Knight for being my favorite movie), you'll recognize the strawberries.
