Disclaimer: I own nothing involved in this story unless I invented it myself. This is written for fun, not for profit. All forms of feedback eagerly accepted. Concrit is loved the most, but everything is welcome.
Fandoms: Digimon Adventure 02
Title: Lying Hearts
Romance: Ken x Daisuke/Daisuke x Ken
Word Count: chapter 9: 1,137||story: 10,209
Genre: Romance, Angst||Rated: PG-13
Challenge: Written for the Diversity Writing Challenge, section I12, a multichap with exactly 10 chapters; Written for the Halloween Trick of Treat (Advent), Day #17, reveal a hidden identity; Written for the What-If Challenge: What if the Kaiser's personality was Ken's real personality?; One Ship Boot Camp, #50, embrace
Notes: For the purposes of this story, please note the following: Ken's true personality is that of the Digimon Kaiser. No Dark Spore involved at all. The Chosen have fought Ken since they were eleven years old, with matters grinding down to a quasi-stalemate for a multitude of reasons over the last couple of years. It's been six years since this began. Therefore, Miyako is eighteen, Ken, Daisuke, Takeru, and Hikari are seventeen, and Iori is fifteen. There are other points that are different, but those will be addressed in the story itself.
Summary: After long days of fighting the Digimon Kaiser, Daisuke just wants to relax in his boyfriend's arms. That's not so much to ask, is it?
Ken kept his arm around Daisuke's shoulders as the AirDramon they rode hovered over the land. He traced one finger around Daisuke's ear and murmured, "Do remember to be very good for me, Daisuke. Or if I have to put it like this, be good for V-mon's sake."
Daisuke's shoulders tensed and his lips thinned. He didn't look at Ken at all. Instead, he looked toward the figures moving closer than he knew were his friends. When Ken tightened his grip a fraction, he nodded, knowing what was wanted.
"I remember." He needed to do something, but Ken watched him constantly. No, Kaiser watched him, refusing to let up the pressure for a moment. If he could at least get some kind of message to the others, something to let them know that V-mon was in danger and being watched, then maybe he could end up doing something.
He hadn't yet figured out how to do that without putting V-mon into even more danger. Kaiser's constant observation of him made it all but impossible.
A sharp, angry cry rose up from the Chosen below as they came on where Daisuke's old clothes, goggles, D-3, and D-Terminal rested. Takeru grabbed hold of it all and stared at it, mouth working but nothing quite coming out of it.
"Do you all like my gift to you?" Kaiser called out, raising his voice so they could hear him. "It's quite a good trade. You get all that trash and I get a glorious prize I've wanted for years."
All of them looked upward at his voice. Daisuke wanted to at least wave, essaying a smile that he hoped would convey that he wasn't beaten or brainwashed or anything. Kaiser kept his arms from moving, though.
"Daisuke!" Miyako shouted, shaking one fist and glaring at Kaiser. "Let him go! Right now!"
Kaiser's lips curled in contempt. "You expect me to just let my lover go back to all of you? After all the trouble I went to bring him here in the first place?"
"Yes."
That got a cruel, mocking laugh. "Tell them, Daisuke. You can see he doesn't have a Ring or Spiral anywhere, not that those would work even if he did. Everything he'll tell you is because he wants to." He nudged Daisuke, who shifted forward a bit, then looked down at them all.
"Hey, guys. Um… yeah, I'm not coming back. I mean, Ken says that I can go home and tell my parents that I'm moving in with him, but that's not really what I mean." His mind raced; subtle signals and clues hadn't ever been his strong point, but he wanted to try anyway. Takeru still held onto the goggles and everything else, and Daisuke tried his best to send a significant stare at his D-3.
Hikari took a step forward, staring up at him. "Daisuke? Why? I mean, I know you've been dating him, but that's not all of it, is it? What about V-mon? Does he know?"
Daisuke let out a tiny laugh that he hoped didn't sound the way he felt about all of this. "I haven't had a chance to talk to him." He could feel Ken's arm tightening, warning. "But I'll explain it when I can." He fought for something else to say. "Look, guys, I'm just… I'm just with Ken now." He shrugged. "That's all I can really say about it."
They didn't believe him. Daisuke could feel it. He could see the anger in Miyako's eyes, the disbelief in Iori's, the confusion for Hikari, and the rising wrath in Takeru. He looked over at Ken quickly.
"I think we should go." If they stayed much longer, then it would be too much of a risk for him saying something that would mean the worst for V-mon. He wanted to stay. He wanted to tell them the truth. But for V-mon, he had to do what he didn't want to.
Kaiser gave him a quick look, then nodded, returning a brief flick of attention toward the Chosen. "You've seen the truth now. You know who I am, you know that Daisuke works with me now. If you want to surrender, I will gladly accept it. If you think you stand a chance still, then try to keep fighting. You're not as strong as you think you are."
He tapped the AirDramon on the shoulder and the great Digimon slowly turned and headed away, leaving the Chosen behind.
Daisuke kept his attention on the horizon, thinking over the last handful of moments. The way they'd all stared. The way no one did anything but stare and a few quiet noises. They still didn't believe what he'd said; he didn't waver on that. But he'd expected...something else. Just a little.
Ken brushed his lips against Daisuke's ear. "You were very good. I'll have to reward you." Daisuke wasn't surprised to feel Ken's hands start to roam on him.
On an AirDramon, this high up in the air? He wanted to protest, but protesting against Ken didn't do that much for him. Ken didn't go very far, though, just teasing enough to get Daisuke's blood heated up.
"Do you understand now, Daisuke?" Ken whispered still, hands roaming even as he spoke. "They didn't fight very hard for you, did they?"
That was it. That was what was bothering him. They didn't believe that he'd switched sides, but they hadn't tried to fight for him, either. He set his jaw.
"They won't stop fighting you." He knew that as well as he knew his own name. "They're the Chosen. Fighting is what we do."
"They." Ken tapped one finger on Daisuke's lips. "That's what they do, Daisuke. You're not one of them anymore." He stared into Daisuke's eyes calmly. "You don't want to forget that. Not ever."
Daisuke bit his lip, then met Ken's eyes. "I don't think I ever could." He spoke the absolute truth. He could never forget that he'd been betrayed by his lover, that he was being blackmailed by said lover, and that he would have to do things he hated in the future. Never forget, but never accept, no matter what Ken said or did, or what he had to say or do. Never.
Ken kissed him, a surprisingly tender motion. Over his shoulder, Daisuke could see the fortress floating in the distance. He didn't want to think that it was home, because it wasn't. But it would be where he lived for now.
Ken's arms slid around him, pulling him close and holding him. Daisuke sighed. It would take a while, but he'd find a way to rescue V-mon and get back to where he belonged. And if it meant defeating Kaiser, Ken, then he'd do it.
Even though every choice he made hurt so much already.
To Be Continued
Note: Thank you for reading and I hope that you enjoyed the chapter. Please let me know what you thought of it if at all possible.
