A/N: Okay, another chapter and another day where I ask this: Who's reading this story? Seriously I have no indication if anyone likes it or not. If it isn't wanted then I'll end it sooner and leave it to dry up. Let me know, because if it isn't wanted then I'm wasting time on this instead of writing others that are.

Digimon Tamers: The Legend of the Blue Wolf

Chapter 9

Renamon woke from her sleep, it was still dark but something had disturbed her. She cast out her senses. She could feel Rika sleeping in her room, in a deep slumber if she had to guess. Rika's family was in similar conditions. That left the final occupant of the house, Lycamon.

However, she couldn't sense him. No matter how hard she scanned the house he simply wasn't there. Was he hiding from her? No, that wasn't possible. He couldn't phase out like her. So had he left then?

That seemed the most logical explanation. She expanded her sensing range to its fullest, picking up a trace of her companion on the very edge of her perception. She rose from her bed and left her room before phasing out towards him.

Lycamon stood on the edge of a tall building he didn't care too much for, contemplating his life and what little he had left. Other thoughts wandered in and out of his head, distracting him briefly from his original thoughts.

A noise behind him drew his attention, but he made no effort to face it. He sighed.

"Can I assist with anything Renamon?"

She stepped beside him, following his gaze after a quick side glance. His face was set in a vacant expression, one she really didn't like. "You're not asleep."

"It would appear so." His reply was dismissive and quick, even if his former formality had returned.

"Why are you up here?"

"A question I find myself wondering as well."

She glanced to him again. "How so?"

He didn't break his gaze from the horizon. "I had originally hoped to be elsewhere, but circumstances have yielded a different fate." Renamon kept her eyes on him as he suddenly sighed deeply. "For all my worth Renamon, I am a shadow of myself. I lost more than my mate that day, I lost a large portion of myself too. Nothing will bring that back."

Renamon turned to face the wolf digimon fully. "Lycamon. I know this is far too early, and that I had no right at the time, but there is something I wish to discuss with you."

Lycamon finally turned to the yellow vixen. "I already know Renamon."

She faltered. "You-You know?"

"Indeed I do. The signs are there to see, if you know what to look for." He sent her a curious look. "Although, it remains a mystery to me why this has happened."

Renamon averted her gaze down. "Like I said, given the timing I have no right in this. But I can't avoid it Lycamon. It only amplified when I saw you on that roof when you heard of your mate. I will admit I was jealous of her before then, and selfishly relieved when I found out what happened. Even though it made me out to be heartless and cruel, I couldn't help but feel some joy from all this. A small chance was given to me Lycamon, a chance I didn't have before."

Lycamon stood in an impassive manner, not even blinking. Yes he had seen the first signs, but he hadn't recovered from his recent loss that had shattered him. Hearing Renamon speak only reminded him of his mate, her mannerisms and tone almost an exact copy. It was as if Renamon was simply his mate reincarnated, even though he knew it wasn't true. The similarities were there, and he hated it.

She was too similar. He would be forever reminded of his loss just by being near the vixen. He couldn't do that, it would destroy him further.

Renamon awaited his response. She had her chance right in front of her. She hadn't originally planned on this, Lycamon was just a friend she could talk to. Her first real friend who could hold a general conversation. She had actually laughed around him, his mature manner making his jokes that much funnier. He wasn't the serious digimon she originally thought he was. He had so much character deep within him that it startled her. She seemed boring compared to him.

Her life before Rika was battle after battle, always trying to become stronger. With Rika around her life hadn't changed much, she still fought a lot of the time. There were moments of peace, those points where she had begun to want a social experience no one else could provide. None of the tamers or their digimon could provide that, she had tried to hold general conversation with them but ultimately failed. Not until Lycamon came.

He had been approachable once their stance was cleared, after the fight with his corrupted mate. Her first conversations were rocky yet pleasant, to be expected at first. Over their short time since then they had held more and more talks, delving deeper into the social topics that enhanced their companionship. She had opened up to him, and he to her. Aspects of each others' lives were shared like common knowledge, a situation she never thought to be in. Much like now.

It hadn't been very long since he first arrived here, even less time since his mate had died. Yet she couldn't deny the fact that her stance towards him had altered. She didn't know when it began to happen, or for what reasons, but she no longer saw him as a simple friend. He became someone who she wanted to be with. A magnet for her growing desires. An anchor in her life that gave her purpose. She would give anything for that to happen.

Lycamon continued to stare at her, though not uncomfortably so. She could see the turmoil in his eyes. She knew for sure then that he understood what she was going to say. She could see the doubt, the restraint, the hope, the panic. All swirling in those amber orbs of his.

His lips parted, the first sounds of a word forming from his muzzle.

"Renamon." Her hope flared slightly. "I understand what you're saying." It flared higher. "But I can't." Her hope shattered. "Not now at least." Another flare of hope. "It's too soon for me to make that decision. I'm sorry." She ended up feeling the same hope as she did when she first got to this roof, it felt like the whole time up here was for nothing.

Then she reminded herself that she was wrong, she had gained his understanding. He knew, yet he didn't outright reject her. That alone gave her enough hope to remain strong. He hadn't said 'no', just 'not yet'.

Renamon bowed her head. "I understand Lycamon. Know that, either way, I will always be here to help you through this."

Lycamon returned his gaze across the horizon. "Thank you."