Author's Note: Imma just keep cranking this out, apparently. Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed so far! Keep 'em coming, I love to hear what you think.
Disclaimer: Nanako is mine. Yukira is mine. Digimon is not. Daisuke might be though-I have a figure of him, does that count?
Daisuke awoke once again in a cold sweat. He sat up, rubbing his eyes with shaking hands. Another nightmare to add to the growing list.
"You okay?" Nanako must have woken up when she heard Daisuke tossing and turning. She was sitting up in her bed, staring across the dark room at him.
Daisuke nodded silently. He ran his fingers through his tangled hair, wondering if he would ever be free of these dreams.
"Do you love him?"
"Excuse me?" Daisuke whipped around to look at Nanako. She didn't have the manic look in her eye that he had seen earlier. Instead, she looked small and vulnerable.
"Ken," she said simply. His stomach lurched at the sound of his best friend's name. "The way you talk about him says that you love him."
"Uh..." Daisuke wasn't sure what to say. How did this girl see through him so transparently?
"It's okay, I'm not judging you," she said. She threw the blankets off of her and swung her bare feet onto the floor. Silently, she glided over the floor and sat on the edge of his bed. She pulled her knees up to her chest and stared up at Daisuke. For a moment she was silent, then she continued, "I was in love with someone too."
"What happened?" Daisuke asked softly.
"She didn't love me," Nanako whispered. "It hurt like hell."
"I'm sorry," he said, and he laid a hand on her shoulder.
"Does Ken love you?" she asked.
"I don't know," he said. "I thought so, but then he stopped talking to me all of a sudden."
"I hope he does," she said thoughtfully. "You deserve it." She smiled up at him; not the manic smile that he saw from her earlier, but a genuine smile.
Without another word, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He froze, not entirely sure what to do. She squeezed him reassuringly and said softly, "You're my friend now too." And with that, she crawled back into her bed and fell asleep.
The sun was bright by the time Daisuke awoke again. He rolled over onto his side; Nanako was in her bed, reading a book and munching on an apple. She looked up when she heard him stirring and smiled.
"Oh good, you're awake," she said brightly. "My friends and I want to take you out!"
"Take me out where?" he said groggily.
"Anywhere!" she squealed. "We have the whole city and the whole day!" She looked positively ecstatic at the thought, and Daisuke managed a quiet chuckle.
"Alright, lemme get dressed then," he said. Within a couple minutes, the two of them were ready and out the door.
"Oh, she definitely likes you," came Katsu's voice. Like a misty mirage, he appeared, walking casually beside Nanako and grinning cruelly. "Maybe just go out with her instead."
"Oh shut up," Daisuke said. Nanako looked up at him, confused, but before he could explain she said, "Oh, what's your friend's name?"
"Ugh. He's not my friend."
"Oh, he's one of those," she replied darkly. "Well that's okay! I'll distract you! HURRY UP HIDEKI!" A few people looked at her, but mostly, no one noticed them. Daisuke felt invisible and small, and if he were being honest with himself, it felt nice for a change.
Nanako dragged him all over town like a small child in a candy store. They went to an arcade, an amusement park, a beach, a strange antique store, and Daisuke of course had to introduce her to his favourite ramen cart. They were fast friends, and while Daisuke thought she was perhaps a little strange, he enjoyed her company. Maybe they'd stay in touch when he went home.
Home...
"Shit."
"What is it Daisuke?" Nanako looked up from her ice cream. The sunset caught her green eyes and set them aflame, and in that moment she looked almost ethereal.
"I forgot my phone at home," he said. "And I haven't been there in a couple days. They're probably worried."
"Oh..." Her eyes sank and he could see tears forming. "I wonder if my parents even cared that I left."
"Why wouldn't they?"
"They don't like me," she said morosely. "They think I'm a hassle because of my friends."
"I'm sure they care," he offered. "How long have you been gone?"
"Three years," she said, and Daisuke stiffened.
"That's...that's a long time."
"I know." The tears were sliding down her cheeks now. "But I think it's better this way."
"Nanako." Daisuke grabbed her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "No matter what, if your parents want you home or not, I'm your friend now. And that means you're stuck with me."
"Thanks, Daisuke." She wiped the tears from her cheeks and the two of them set off back to their mutual hiding place.
"Daisuke it's okay! Just hold on!"
The ringing started right about when they walked in the door. It had filled Daisuke's ears and pierced his mind. Next was the splitting headache; he was sure his head would burst with the pain. He'd nearly dropped to the ground as his head spun and his legs shook underneath him.
Nanako had instantly rushed to his side, throwing his arm around her tiny shoulders and lifting him onto his bed with strength he didn't know anyone so small could possess. She'd rushed to find him a cold wash cloth for his head and hadn't left his side since.
That was three hours ago, and his condition hadn't improved one bit. The ringing in his ears had turned to maniacal laughter as Katsu screeched and howled at his pain. A sharp pain had developed in his chest and spread to his arms, and his whole body was trembling. He could feel his heart racing in every inch of his sweat-drenched body and he could barely breathe.
"Here," Nanako said gently. "Take this." She handed him two pills and a glass of icy water. He took it with trembling hands and swallowed the pills with some difficulty. She helped him lay his head back down on the pillow and smoothed his hair back out of his face.
"First one?" she asked, her voice calm.
"W-what?" Daisuke could only stammer.
"Is this the first time this has happened?"
"N-no. The s-s-second." He curled himself into the fetal position and she shook her head and said, "No, lie straight, it'll help." He did as she asked, and he could already feel his body levelling out. The sound of laughter was waning from his mind and he could see a little more clearly.
"Did your friend get too loud?" Nanako asked knowingly. Daisuke nodded. His head felt light now, but heavy at the same time. A drowsiness swept over him, but he wasn't tired.
"I have a lot of them, and they all yell really loudly sometimes," she continued. "Just ignore him and listen to my voice for now. He'll go away."
His heart rate slowed, and slowly but surely the trembling in his extremities stopped. After a few minutes, he felt so much better-and the best part was that Katsu was silent. He tried to sit up, but a firm hand held him down.
"No," Nanako said. "The first time you take it will mess with you a little. It's best if you just lie down." She smiled and added, "I'll stay with you until you settle out."
"Thanks, Nanako."
