NOTE: Oh my goodness! An update and a some-what shorter chapter! :O ...I think this chapter may be another "filler" chapter...but...it contributes to the story later on. I feel like I haven't worked on this story in forever...which I haven't (I haven't contributed to this story at all over the weekend...hence why I'm updating now instead of the weekend). Hmm...if I don't stop with the quick updates then this story will be over soon...and I won't know what to write next...oh well...

WARNING: Slash and Language. Don't like slash? What are you doing all the way in chapter 8 of this story then?

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Digimon...trust me. You would know if I did...


CHAPTER 8. Secrets

"The Teenage Wolves?" Takahiro asked the band. I nodded with out looking up from the music and lyrics I was writing. The Teenage Wolves and I were sitting in a backstage room, awaiting the time to perform for three judges. We found out from Takahiro, that to be able to make it into the "War of the Bands," the band competition, we had to go through a sort of audition process. I guess the judges felt like it was necessary to do this so that they wouldn't waste their time on horrible amateur bands. Takahiro looked at each of the members of The Teenage Wolves band, then back at our application paper. "How did this name come to be?"

"It was a collaboration effort," Anneke informed the red-headed judge. "See, a few of our band members couldn't decide between 'Teenage Revolution' and 'The Lone Alpha Wolves from the North.'"

"I still like my idea," Shino muttered to himself.

"It was too mouthy," Masaru shot back. "People would be like, 'Hey! That was a cool band! Too bad I can't remember the name of it because it was so damn long!'"

"Anyways," Anneke continued. "We finally decided to let our 'lovable' leader of the band decide on the name. And he decided to mesh the two names together." Again, I didn't look up from the music sheet I had been scribbling on since October.

"Well, I like both of those names," Takahiro said. "But The Teenage Wolves is also a very good and creative name. It's nothing like we've heard of." He gave us a comforting grin and headed out with our application. "A stage manager will come here and let you guys know when you're next. Best of luck to The Teenage Wolves!" Then he left the room. My phone buzzed in my pocket and I paused for a second to see if it was a call or a text. It buzzed only twice, which meant it was a text. I pulled it out to check who it was from. I smiled when I saw Taichi's name, and opened the message.

knock, knock. I stared curiously at the text and started typing in a reply.

Who's there? I pushed send and waited a moment. He replied quickly which meant that he was probably bored out of his mind.

Orange.

Orange who?

Orange u glad i txtd u?

...ha ha. You're so funny…*sarcasm implied*

lol. wat r u doing?

Cringing at your terrible spelling. You?

Nthng. :D How's the band thing going?

Still waiting…

Rlly?

Ya…shoot me… XP

Wanna hang after?

"Yamato!" I looked up from my cell texting conversation to Hayato's face. "We're up next in five minutes. Get ready." My stomach started to flip around nervously. This was it. A make it or break it for The Teenage Wolves. I quickly texted Taichi a reply.

Hell ya! Gtg now. The band is going on. Wish me luck! I dropped the phone on the desk and quickly followed my band members on to back stage.

"Stop! Stop! STOP!" a gruff voice bellowed out. "Horrid! Absolutely horrid! Honestly, it felt like I was listening to a mixture of cats being shoved into the blender and metal nails being repeatedly rasped against a chalk board! Ladies, don't sing unless you know what the hell you are doing!" My heart sank as his cruel words echoed in the air. I looked over at the rest of the band. They were all looking at me, hope and fear both in their eyes. I gave them a thumbs up and looked back out to the stage.

"Thank you ladies," a female voice said into the microphone. "That will be all." We opened a path way to allow the poor girls to exit off the stage. "Next?"

"Band number forty-five," Takahiro's familiar voice called out. "The Teenage Wolves." The stage manager started to push us all out on to the stage. Sitting at a long table, behind their own personal microphones, were the three judges of the competition. Sitting at the far right was Takahiro, who gave us a comforting grin. In the middle was a middle-aged woman with short light brown hair and she eyed us curiously. The last judge seated at the far left, was a plump older man. His hair was completely gray and he wore an unimpressed scowl on his face. "When ever you're ready kids." I looked back to check on my band members. They were checking their equipment quickly then nodded to me to signify they were ready. I stepped up to the microphone.

"Good evening," I spoke into the mic. "We are The Teenage Wolves. We will be performing a song for you called, 'Walking on the Edge.'" Takahiro and the woman started to scribble things down on a piece of paper; the elderly man just sat there and stared on disapprovingly. I gave my band a count and we started the song. I listened carefully to my voice and also the other member's music notes. I would make mental notes when I heard a note too sharp, someone was off beat for a few counts, or I felt like we should change something in the music for next time. The song was over once Anneke strummed the last F sharp on her guitar. I stared down at the ground for a second before looking back at the judges. They were expressionless, a quality judges usually have to not give away what they thought of the performer. They must have obviously liked us however, because we were not stopped during our song.

"Thank you kids," the woman nodded while pulling out small reading glasses. "We have a few questions for you now. My question is: how long have you been together as a band?"

"Um…probably about four and a half months, ma'am," I replied. She nodded, scribbled something down, and then looked at Takahiro.

"The song you performed, is it an original piece?" The red-haired man asked.

"Yes sir," I nodded.

"Do you usually write your own music?"

"Well…yes, sometimes. We usually practice playing songs that are already out, but we've been practicing this song for about a month now."

"Impressive…" Takahiro grinned big and wrote down some things on his own paper. The two judges turned to the last member. He was chewing on his nail, examined it, then leaned forward toward us. His glaring face was directly at me, and I shrank a little.

"Are you a homosexual?" He murmured into his microphone. I froze completely. Was he being serious? Was he joking? How did he guess anyways? Takahiro leaned back in his chair and said something inaudible to the last judge. The female judge nodded and supported Takahiro's argument angrily. I bit my bottom lip and hoped for the best. Someone walked up behind me and took the mic from me. It was Masaru.

"Sir, I can assure you that no one in this band is gay. Isn't that right Yamato?" He smiled at me. I didn't say anything. "Right?" His smile faded when I didn't respond and he looked worried. "Yamato?"

"We apologize for the inconvenient question," the woman spoke angrily into the mic. "Please, wait backstage where you were and we will send one of our judges to speak with you." I nodded and walked off the stage and to the room where we were waiting previously. I picked up my phone, but before I could see the reply text Taichi sent me, the band came barging into the room.

"You're gay?" Shino's voice was a pitch higher when he asked that question. "And you didn't tell us?" I guess Anneke really didn't end up telling them like I had thought she would.

"Shino," Hayato said. "It's his business, not ours. If he didn't want to tell us, he didn't have to."

"Who says he is actually gay, Hayato?" Masaru growled. "I've known Yamato for a really long time, and I'm sure that he is not gay. Right, Yamato?" Anneke came up behind her cousin and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Masaru," she said gently. "I think we should let him have a say." I stared at all of the band members. They stared at me, waiting to hear what I had to say. I placed my cell phone in my pocket, swallowed and opened my mouth to say something.

"Hey, guys," Takahiro poked his head into the room and we all jumped. "Can I talk to Yamato for a moment?" I sighed with relief and gratefully left with the red-haired judge. I looked up at him with curiosity when we were down the hall, so that the others wouldn't be able to hear. "Well, you guys are in."

"That's great!" I grinned. Takahiro didn't seem too happy however and I frowned. "What's the catch?"

"Well…see…Mr. Yalo, the older judge who asked you that…"

"Yeah, I remember him. And?"

"He's…a bit of a homophobic."

"…oh…"

"Yeah…I'm sorry Yamato. You guys did really great, that's why Mrs. Gull and I fought hard to keep you in the competition. Unfortunately, the press was also there to listen to that whole thing, so I'd be on the look out for them. Especially since you guys made it now." I stared at the floor. We made it into the competition…but it was going to be harder than ever to impress the last judge.

"Hey, chin up kid," he said patting my head. "You guys made it. Don't worry about Mr. Yalo, we'll try to soften him up." He turned and headed back to the stage. "I'll see you guys in February. Best of luck to you guys." I nodded and walked back to the room, where my band was waiting for me.

"Well?" Masaru asked. "What's the answer?" I looked at all of them again and sighed. There was no turning back now…

"Yes," I said softly. "I am gay." There were mixed reactions from the band. Masaru's eyes widened and his jaw dropped open. Anneke looked calmly at me and then to her cousin. Hayato looked surprise, but then nodded and muttered something to Shino. Shino looked dumbfounded.

"Have you had a relationship before?" Shino asked while handing Hayato twenty dollars. I nodded. "You still with him?"

"Hell no," I muttered. "He…wasn't the best boyfriend…"

"Do you like anyone?"

"…maybe…"

"Anyone in the band?" Masaru glared. I flinched at his hostility.

"No, not anyone in the band…" I replied.

"Who then?" Hayato asked. Before I could answer, I felt arms wrap around me and lift me up from the floor.

"Guess who?" Taichi grunted happily as he spun me around.

"Taichi! Put me down!" I blushed. He did so and flashed his goofy grin at me. I looked back at the band and from the looks on their faces, they must have concluded who the "maybe" person must have been. I also saw Hayato once again mutter something to Shino. Shino sighed and handed him another twenty dollars. I turned and faced Taichi again.

"Someone die or something?" he asked.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him.

"You never answered my text."

"I told you I had to go."

"Ah, well I got impatient."

"Of course you did…"

"Yamato," Taichi looked closely at my face and grinned again. "Did you know that you're cute when you're blushing?" I blushed even harder as I heard the others snicker at the comment. I shoved Taichi out the door.

"Out," I shooed him. "Wait for me outside!"

"But it's snowing," he protested.

"You're hot! You'll—"

"Why Yamato…I never knew you thought of me that way."

"Just get out!"

"But I—"

"OUT!" I pushed him out and closed the door. Turning back to the band, I waited for them to say something.

"I knew it," Hayato grinned. Shino pouted miserably at losing his forty dollars. Masaru kept his eyes to the ground and Anneke gazed at me with her dark eyes. "Yamato, it's ok that you're gay. And it's ok if you like Taichi too."

"I don't like him," I muttered.

"You don't?" Shino asked.

"Yes."

"You do?"

"No!"

"…do you or don't you?"

"I don't…know…" I sighed and shook my head. "I don't know…I certainly don't when he embarrasses me like that…" I looked up at Masaru. He looked rather upset and I felt slightly guilty. "I'm sorry Masaru…" He shrugged and murmured something under his breath. "…on the bright side guys, we made it to the actual competition."

"We did?" Anneke asked, looking and sounding a little surprised.

"Yes!" Hayato punched the air and grinned at Shino. "Pay up dude! Another twenty!"

"Is there anything else you two made a bet on?" I growled, irritated when Shino handed his friend another twenty dollars. They exchanged glances then looked back at me.

"What's your favorite color?" Hayato asked. I blinked a few times, then thought for a moment. Almost instantly, my crest of friendship, Gabumon and Taichi's shirt came to my mind.

"…blue," I said. "My favorite color is blue."

"Dammit!" Hayato cursed. It was Shino's turn to rejoice as Hayato gave him back the sixty dollars he had won and now lost. I smiled in amusement, but then frowned.

"What's wrong Yamato?" Shino asked.

"Takahiro said that some people from the media were out there to hear all of what had just happened. He cautioned us to be careful."

"…you don't want people to know?" I shook my head. The band looked at one another, then Shino walked up to me and placed both hands on my shoulder. "You're still the same Yamato band leader we all know and respect. I promise I won't tell anyone. Even if they tie me to a truck and drag me across the country." Shino turned back to the rest of the band. "Who's with me?"

"As I said before," Hayato nodded. "It's ok if you're gay Yamato. And I also promise not to tell." We looked at the last two members. Anneke dipped her head and then looked at her cousin. Masaru still kept his gaze on the floor.

"Masaru," I walked over to him. He turned away slightly. "I'm sorry…that I didn't tell you. I just didn't feel…ready…" Masaru slowly, and reluctantly, looked up at me. My close band friend and I exchanged silent words while looking at each other.

"…I don't like it," he admitted. I nodded understandingly. "But…you're still my friend. I won't tell either."

"Thank you," I smiled at him and then to the rest of the band. Masaru picked up his bass and left the room with out another word.

"Better get to your 'hot' date soon," Hayato teased. Shino chuckled and the two friends also left. I blushed and sighed at the comment. Anneke then came up to me and handed me…my music.

"It's really good Yamato," she said in her soft voice. "As much as I hate to admit it. You should finish it and we should perform it for the competition."

"I don't think so," I shook my head. "I'm just writing this for fun. We'll probably just end up using it for practice."

"No. You're writing it because you love Taichi," Anneke smirked slightly.

"I do not," I growled and scanned through the music to see if there was any hint at all that I was in love with someone. She looked at me carefully and I blushed. "I don't know how I feel, Anneke! I'm…not ready to have any relationship with anyone again."

"Hmm…well, when you do finally decide to stop being so damn stubborn and admit that you're in love with the air-headed soccer player, let me know."

"He's not an air-head!" I said defensively as she picked up her guitar and headed out the door. She stopped at the doorway and turned to look at me.

"Mm-hmm," she smiled. Then she also vanished. I stood by myself in the room and started to feel really confused. It was getting harder and harder for me to say that I didn't love Taichi. Was Anneke right? Am I just being stubborn? Well…if she was right, which I'm not saying she is, maybe that would give me more courage to…come out of the closet. When I'm with Taichi, I feel…stronger. Like, together, nothing came stop us. Not the hate, or critiques, or hell that would charge full speed at us. Taichi…he confuses me so badly. I scratched my head and sighed in frustration. I don't know…I really don't know…My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and looked at the text.

I no u said i'm hot, but my ass can't stand the cold any longer! Hurry up! I smiled with amusement. I gathered my stuff together and then remembered to check the other message Taichi had sent earlier. Good luck! I smiled at the text and then hurried to my "hot" friend who was waiting for me outside.

Thanks Taichi…I'm going to need it now more than ever…

-X-X-X-X-

Tell me what you want to hear
Something that'll like those ears
Sick of all the insincere
So I'm gonna give all my secrets away
This time
Don't need another perfect lie
Don't care if critics never jump in line
I'm Gonna give all my secrets away

-Secrets, One Republic


Tai...y do u suck txting? Hee hee. Well, that's chapter eight for the story "Patience." After this chapter...things will start to speed up/get interesting. In fact, here is a sneak peak at a future chapter (just because I'm really nice and UBER tired):

"I hate the fucking hospital. Nothing good has ever come to me when that hellish place comes into my life. First, Hikari was taken there for getting pneumonia. Because of me. Then she once again is taken there due to a late detection of appendicitis. Because of me. And now, I sat in the waiting room of the white walled asylum, staring at my hands. They were stained with blood…Yamato's blood. The only person I ever truly fell in love with was now in the hospital fighting for his life. Because of me."

That was Tai's POV. Although I treated you all to a sneak peak, I don't mind a few words on the preview but I'd appreciate more comments for the chapter itself. No flames please, or else I will use them for a weenie roast. :)