Sunlight
It rains
And rains
And rains.
But there is a sky above the rain,
Nothing can rot the sky.
Earth has turned to mud. What of it?
The heart of the planet is made of fire, of ardent sun.
(from "A Rainy Day")"
― Visar Zhiti, The Condemned Apple: Selected Poetry
Chapter Nine
People always say they remember where they were when they heard the news, what they were doing, the weather, the smell of the air.
It seemed like so many of those moments in his life happened in the spring.
His heart pounded in his chest, ready to burst through his ribcage, and his side ached so badly that he was less than two seconds away from vomiting. No longer concerned with his pride, he flopped in half and dropped an F bomb that fizzled pathetically from his mouth like a dud.
Ken laughed. Sometimes he was a sucky friend.
"Shut... up," Davis wheezed, wiping sweat from his brow. Some had already trickled into his eye, making half his face look like it had gone into some sort of seizure.
Ken's hands rested on his hips and his thin lips stretched sideways, barely parting for air while Davis continued to puff away to catch his breath.
"We've only gone two miles," he said. He looked just as smug as he did in his Digimon Emperor days.
Davis tried to find the energy to tackle him, but he only had enough to force himself straight and sneer. "Go on...without me..." He took a long gulp of air. "Long-legged bastard."
"Let's walk back." Ken slapped his sweaty back. "It's a nice day."
"Ugh..." Davis groaned. "I'm so outta shape. This sucks."
"You just have to shed your baby weight."
"Ha ha," Davis chanted dryly. He rubbed at his eye so it would stop twitching and followed Ken's lead back from where they came.
The trees enveloping their path swayed with a gentle breeze and the few cherry blossoms that had lingered past their season, wilting and brown, scattered along the earth. Petals smashed beneath his sneakers, grinding into the pavement as he trudged along, leaving smears of pink. Davis squashed a few on purpose and then felt so guilty that he stopped to gather a few of the nicest ones he could find.
Ken's eyebrows rose like question marks on his forehead.
"Ty likes 'em," Davis explained, wrapping the petals into the curve of his sweaty palm.
When they finally reached the playground, he found his son holding onto the park bench by Yolei's legs, his tiny pudgy body wavering as he pounded his newfound toy against the painted wood. Ty caught sight of his father and smiled, showing all four of his teeth. He smacked the toy against the bench with a joyful fury before shoving it into his mouth. Davis squatted down and ruffled his hair. The little burgundy tuft had thickened over the past few months, covering Ty's entire round head in a mane of unruly fuzz, and a bruise, faded and green, lined the corner of his eye - a well-deserved trophy of his daring first steps.
Davis opened his palm to let Ty observe the flower petals, wrinkled from the warmth of his hand. In reciprocation the nine-month-old pulled the pair of goggles he was chewing away from his mouth and held them out like an offering.
"Thanks," Davis chuckled, turning over the heirloom to empty the lenses of drool. The goggles had become Ty's favorite chew toy. Davis had given up keeping them safe after they had been repeatedly dragged from his hair and into his son's mouth. He only hoped Tai didn't notice the teeth marks on them next time they got together.
He slid them over his head and hoisted Ty into his arms, letting him grab the flower remnants into his tiny fist.
"Davis..."
His head snapped up at the shaky voice and found Yolei's eyes filled with tears. Cody, who had been keeping her company (or rather, had been listening to her blabber on about her daughter's newest accomplishments while he attempted to study) stood solemnly beside her, and Ken's mouth was covered by his hand.
"Mommy?" Aiko tugged at her mother's skirt. The digimon, who had been playing with her in the park, gathered around her feet.
Yolei's lips trembled, fingers curled tightly around a cell-phone. "It's..."
Davis felt his arms tense around Ty's tiny body and he had to force himself to loosen his hold.
"It's Tai," Cody finished, having pulled Armadillomon into his arms. "He's been shot."
Davis took a step backward. The words slammed into his chest, taking his breath. The world suddenly seemed hazy and muted. "What- when- is he ok?" he stuttered. "H-He's not...?"
"I don't know," Yolei whimpered.
"Da." Ty pushed his little fist into his father's face, trying to get his attention. "Da!"
Davis shoved his hand aside. There was a fit of angry tears and then the petals, crumbled beyond recognition, fell as a heap to the earth.
It was supposed to be a day of celebration. Tai Kamiya, ambassador of Digiworld, had joined the Japanese prime minister to announce the immediate naturalization of Japanese digimon partners, allowing them to live in their country permanently and with the same rights as their human counterparts. It was a huge step for the nation, being one of the last first world countries to accept digimon as citizens.
But some people were still filled with fear and hate and their violent backlash had found the young ambassador its most obvious target. It was two days before he was stable enough for visitors.
Only Agumon could claim more hours at his bedside than Kari. He knew by the stark red of her eyes and the way her expression remained unchanged when she met his gaze. It was like looking at someone sleeping with their eyes open.
"Hey," Davis greeted from the doorway, hesitant to step inside. Tubes and wires created an intricate maze around the white lump on the bed. Veemon gently pushed the back of his legs and he stumbled forward into the room. "I dunno what those guys are talkin' about," he said, observing the mass of flowers, chocolates and get well cards that adorned every available surface. "This looks pretty cushy to me."
Kari had already turned back to her brother, whose limp hand dangled between her palms. In the oversized hospital bed, Tai's body seemed small. His cheeks were sunken beneath the hose that ran into his mouth, pumping oxygen into his lungs.
Davis collapsed into the empty chair beside her and swallowed heavily, watching the machines expand and contract and hiss. He ran a hand over his face and into his hair before allowing himself to speak again.
"He looks good," he lied. "I bet all the nurses are slipping their numbers under his sheets."
The respirator seemed to grow louder in the silence. His gaze wandered sideways and found fresh tears pooling in the corner of her eyes.
Despite their agreement at becoming friends again, he had only seen Kari twice since that day in the coffee shop. The first time was at a digidestined meeting that had taken place a few weeks ago. Everyone had cramped into Tai's bachelor apartment (much cleaner than usual thanks to his sister's early arrival) to hear the news about Japan's new stance on digimon rights. TK had joined them via video chat all the way from France.
Davis couldn't help but notice the easy way TK and Kari spoke to each other, as if their relationship hadn't ended in the way it had, like they had never been more than friends. Kari had even let out a soft laugh when Patamon exclaimed his excitement at soon being an "uncle digimon" and wished TK and Catherine the best of luck with the little one due in a few short months.
When Davis went to pick up Ty from his parents' that evening he was reeling drunk. His mother banned him to the couch as if it were his room and he was still 12-years-old. He got a long lecture that morning about his lack of responsibility while his dad derailed his mom's scolding by stumbling around the living room in a humorous reenactment of his drunken antics.
The second time he had seen Kari was when Yolei agreed to babysit her son. She showed up, disheveled and beautiful, and they exchanged forced pleasantries like they were strangers meeting for the first time. Davis spent the afternoon staring at her kid, eyebrows furrowed skeptically, as his own son crawled laps around him.
Haru seemed a bit scrawny for a baby, with silky brown hair like his mother and an equally soft disposition. He was content to stack blocks with Aiko while Ty thwarted their efforts, knocking their tower down with boisterous laughter. And when Ty grabbed fistfuls of his wispy locks, successfully removing a clump of hair from his scalp, Haru only let out a soft whimper and silently sobbed a river of tears. Davis finally let go of any suspicion that Haru was his and made himself scarce when Kari came back to pick him up, too disappointed to face her.
Davis laced his fingers behind his head as his attention returned to the sunken body of his mentor. He leaned into the back of the seat, ignoring the hard metal digging into his shoulder blades, and let the tension in his chest dispel with a long sigh. Kari sniffled sadly and his fingertips wove knots into his hair.
Veemon, who had quietly hung back until now, broke the silence by dragging another metal chair across the floor. "Where's Gatomon and Agumon?" he asked, flinging himself up into the seat.
"I'm here," squeaked a tiny voice. The bed sheets rustled and slid off two long pink ears. "But I'm Koromon now." The digimon bounced carefully around his partner's head. Then, without warning, he broke into a loud wail and hurled himself onto Davis's face.
Davis lurched backward and was only saved from falling on the floor by Veemon's quick reflexes.
"Koromon..." Kari's fingers slid beneath Koromon's ears and along Davis's scalp, untangling the digimon from his hair. Davis swiped tears and slobber from his burning cheeks as she allowed the digimon to take a more dignified seat in his lap.
"I didn't see it! It happened so fast!" weeped Koromon, ears falling behind him like discarded string. "I couldn't protect him."
Davis squashed the digimon between his hands until he resembled a deflated pink football. "I don't want to hear a word about this being your fault or I'll punt you out the window, got it?"
Koromon's eyes bubbled and continued to water over.
"Davis," Kari scolded.
"Tai'd say the same thing if he was awake." Davis let go of Koromon only to grind his knuckles into the top of his head. "I saw the footage. You saved his life! The bullet came out of nowhere."
Tai had been standing beside the Prime Minister, grinning in triumph as cheers erupted around them. The sound of the gunshot was simultaneous with his crashing to the earth. It had barely missed his heart.
Davis shook the image from his head. "If you hadn't pushed him out of the way at the last second he woulda—he would already be—"
Tubes and hoses wavered, covered in a translucent pool. Over trembling pink ears, he watched Tai's chest rise and fall, steady and forced. A strange involuntary sound curdled in the back of his throat as he remembered Sora's tearful words when they passed her in the waiting room.
They don't know if he's going to make it.
His bottom lip curled under his teeth as his cheeks lifted into an odd smile, trying to squint back tears. When he felt the cool touch of Kari's fingers enclosing over his hand, he lost it.
"Fuck!" he gurgled. He slid a palm over his face, hiding his eyes. "Those Humanist bastards. They can't get away with this. They-" Kari's grip tightened, turning his fingers white. Breath stuttered into his lungs as he tried to steady his voice. "He's gonna be fine. He's strong."
"He's going to be fine," Kari repeated and Davis turned to see her face suddenly stoic, like chiseled stone. "He won't leave me."
Her arms were wrapped tightly around him, crushing his bruised ribs. "Don't ever leave me like that again," she said in a voice thick with tears.
All his pain melted away at her demand. "I…" Her back shuddered beneath his fingers and he gave it a pat to avoid lingering there. "I won't."
A soft knock crashed into his memory, leaving him stunned by its blow. A man stepped cautiously through the doorway. He stood tall and slender and, for a second, Davis thought TK had returned from France.
Kari released his hand and blood pooled back into his fingers.
"We brought you a sandwich," the man said softly. Gatomon was at his heels.
"I was just leaving," Davis croaked. He hurried to his feet and returned Koromon to his unconscious partner; his gaze flitting over Kari no longer than necessary. "Let me know when he wakes up, will ya?"
Gatomon's tail swished peevishly. "Don't be so jumpy."
Veemon scooted down from his chair to greet her and she dodged backwards before he could grab her into a hug. "We just got here," he said, ignoring her hiss.
"You must be Veemon." The man reached down to shake his partner's hand and Veemon cheerfully took it, happy to be noticed. "And that would make you Davis, right?"
Davis squinted as he stepped forward, finally able to get a good look now that his eyes had cleared. The guy stood at least a head taller than him, almost as tall as TK, with brown shaggy hair that was just manageable enough to be fit for the office. He wore a pressed white dress shirt, long wrinkled, and dark slacks, like he had just finished a long day at work. The creases in the corners of his eyes suggested he was a bit older, but they could have just been lines formed from the kind smile on his lips. His eyes were dark and calm and Davis thought he could easily pass as a fully Japanese version of the bearer of Hope. It twisted his insides in a way he wished it wouldn't.
"Yeah," he answered through clenched teeth. "You're Kari's husband, right?"
"Takahiro Nakayama." He held out his hand and Davis shook it, squeezing hard. "Kari's told me a lot about you."
"I don't know anything about you."
Takahiro seemed unfazed by the hostile tone in his voice. "I left Haru with Grandma," he told Kari after Davis released his hand. He swept to her side like a knight. His dark eyes turned sadly to the hospital bed and Davis felt his cheeks go taught at the honest sympathy on his face. "Any change?"
"No," Kari whispered as he placed the foil wrapped food in her hands.
"Why don't you take a break and eat?" Takahiro suggested, putting a hand on her elbow to guide her away. He threw Davis a glance over his shoulder. "Would you mind staying with him for a few minutes for us?"
The way he asked, as if Davis were doing them a favor when it was really the other way around, made Davis hate him even more.
"Sure."
They left the room, only pausing when Kari stopped to glance back at her brother, her hair so close to Davis that he could almost feel it on his cheek.
"I think you lost some weight," Gatomon remarked, her cat eyes squinting coyly at Davis after her partner had disappeared through the door.
"Shut up."
"Be nice," Veemon scolded. "It was a compliment."
Gatomon turned into the hallway and waved her sharpened claws back through the doorway. "Of course."
Davis rubbed his nose and returned to his seat, slumping into it like a rag doll. "You really like that guy?" he asked Tai.
Koromon looked at his partner pathetically, as if he would never speak again.
"Hey." Davis hunched forward and flicked Koromon in the ear. "You want some trail mix?" He pulled a bag from his pocket and shoved it in front of him.
It took a minute for Koromon to respond. The offended ear twitched and then flopped behind him out of Davis's reach. "Where's all the chocolate?" he sniffed.
"I ate it," answered Veemon.
"You gotta stop doing that," sighed Davis. "C'mon, the rest is pretty good. I made those granola cluster thingies from scratch."
"No, thanks."
"You aren't gonna help Tai by being a useless underfed baby."
Koromon pouted and then opened his mouth as if to protest. Sharp teeth gleamed in the dim lights and for a second Davis thought he was about to bite. Instead his long ears swiped the bag of trail mix and dumped the entire thing down his throat, devouring it in one enormous swallow.
"It's a little bland."
"That's 'cause you just ate a plastic bag."
"I thought it was trail mix."
"Inside the bag."
A loud belch masked the slow beeps and rasping ventilators. Veemon let out his own burp as if it were contagious and then apologized sheepishly even though no one had admonished him. If Tai were awake, Davis might have even joined in. He still had yet to bring his own bodily noises to the decibel at which Tai seemed to be able to produce them.
Davis watched the tube pump air down Tai's throat. He ran his hands into his hair and under the band of his goggles and then, with a sudden fury, ripped them from his head. He shoved them into Tai's limp hand, but they slid from his lifeless fingers, almost falling to the floor.
The angry creases in his brow softened and he repositioned Tai's arm so that the goggles would stay put.
"You're the real leader, Tai," he mumbled. "You always have been."
Veemon stared at him wide-eyed. "Davis…"
"You've been leading the whole world—both worlds—and I just—" His teeth scraped together. "I never really asked why you wore them. I just thought they looked cool…and I wanted to be like you." He fixed his eyes on the tiny bite marks ground into the rubber lined lenses. "Anyway, I always felt a lot braver when I wore 'em, like I was stronger or invincible or something. Maybe it's 'cause it kinda felt like you were with me—that you believed in me."
He bit his lip and threw his hands behind his head. The ceiling tiles were old and one had a stain that looked like an odd version of a swastika with one line curved into a U. A gust of breath shot from his nose, startling the digimon. Folding his body in half, he returned to his one-sided conversation.
"But I—we still need you to lead us. So you just hold onto these for a while, ok?" His fingernails bit into his palms. "I want them back. You know, when you wake up. I won't take 'em from anyone else. Make sure he knows that, okay Koromon?"
Koromon nodded furiously.
"We're gonna take out the assholes that did this," he muttered to himself. Veemon gave a nod, always beside him, no matter what.
They stayed with Tai for what seemed like an eternity and Davis tried his best to subdue the surmounting fear and anger by telling jokes. He had never been very funny when he tried and after a number of pity laughs even Veemon started to groan. The machines encompassed the silence that followed.
"Oh, Davis!"
His name wavered on a voice stuck between joy and tears and he stood from his chair. Yuuko Kamiya looked so much like her daughter, the same silky disheveled hair and tired light brown eyes, rimmed with red. She hugged him warmly after he gave a quick bow.
"Look at you. All grown up," she said in that same happy tone that shook in a way it shouldn't. She smiled as she looked him over, but her pupils slid to the side, fleeting over her comatose son.
Davis scratched the back of his head. "I guess."
"And a father now! Where's your little boy? I heard he's a spitting image."
His cheeks warmed and he briefly allowed himself to wonder which Kamiya sibling had told her. "He's home with the Ichijoujis. They were planning on stopping by later, I think."
She nodded absently, the joyful pretense fading as she moved closer to Tai's side. "Thank you for coming." She sat in the chair Davis had been occupying. "I know it means the world to Tai to have such good friends." She gave Koromon a gentle pat and then placed a small tin on the hospital tray that swung over the bed.
"I brought some tofu raisin cookies," she sniffed. "They're his favorite, but..." Trembling, she pulled off the lid and gave a small laugh. "Would you like one?"
Davis took a step backward. "Oh... uh..." He saw the wet trail of a tear in the wrinkle by her eye and he grabbed one of the lumpy concoctions from the tin against his better judgment. "Thanks." He had hoped to 'save it for later' but she just watched him expectantly so he took a bite and felt his gag reflex instantly kick in.
He swallowed it back. "Ughhmmmmm."
"Can I have one?" Veemon asked.
Davis tried to shoot him a warning with his eyes, but it was too late. Veemon had thrown the poison down his throat in a giant gulp. Koromon looked on with dread.
"Wow, that was delishish! You should get the recipe, Davish!"
"Maybe some other time," Davis said politely, trying to still the twitch in his brow. "We should probably get home before Ty drives Yolei up a wall." He scuffed his sneaker on the floor. "Um, I asked Kari, but in case she forgets or something... can you let me know when he wakes up?"
Yuuko chewed on her lip for a moment and then gave him a sad smile. "You're such a nice boy, Davis. It's so good to have you home."
Davis suddenly felt extremely awkward. He gave Tai's still frame another glance and took a long deep breath. "Hang in there, buddy. I'll see ya later, okay?"
His question hung in the silence.
"Bye." He left the room before she could reply, if she even wanted to. Running his hands into his hair, he marched down the sterile hallways, past bustling nurses and doctors, and into the waiting area toward the exit. Veemon hustled quietly behind him.
Sora and Matt were there, both their heads hanging low with drowsiness. They had been fighting when he had arrived, Sora refusing to leave and rest despite the tiny bump beneath her t-shirt. Now they sat next to each other, leaning on opposite ends of their seats. Izzy was beside them, blearily gazing at his computer screen to pass the time. Davis could see Kari from the corner of his eye, bouncing a little Haru on her knee as her husband massaged her back. He walked past them all toward the exit until he heard Mrs. Kamiya's voice calling his name.
"You forgot your goggles," she said softly as she reached him. She ran a hand over the scratched and bitten lenses when Davis only stared. "They were his grandfather's — from the war. Tai thinks so fondly of you."
"I-" His jaw clenched. "I thought he should hold onto them for now. He can give them back to me when he wakes up."
The goggles curled into her chest. "Thank you."
"He's gonna wake up."
Kari had stopped bouncing Haru to watch him, but Davis didn't dare look her direction. He couldn't bear to see anything but hatred in her eyes.
"I'm not sure whether I should punch him or hug him. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time."
"I didn't think it was funny."
"Sorry, Koromon." There was a muffled snort. "Ow, it's worse to hold it back!"
Kari might have laughed too if she hadn't seen the way his face crinkled in pain with each chuckle or heard the strange wheezing sound each time he took a breath. Her eyes withdrew from the rain rolling down the windshield just briefly enough to catch a glance of her brother's taught cheek bones, pushing up his eyes until they were barely visible.
"Are you okay?" she asked quietly as she turned back to the road. The street lights glared in the puddles, causing her to squint.
Tai dismissed her question with a flick of his hand. "Onward, good sister. We have an idiot to rescue."
"I think one of the news vans followed us," Gatomon remarked from the back seat.
"Ah, the life of the rich and famous – minus the rich unfortunately. You know what? I think I deserve a raise. Do digimon dish out hazard pay? Koromon, remind me to talk to our friends in Digiworld about my salary. Also, make sure Davis and Veemon pay me back for bailing them out of jail."
Kari's hands tightened around the steering wheel.
"We can always detour to the Ishida abode," Tai said, his hoarse voice attempting to sound nonchalant. "Matt and I can tag team the beating—or the hugging. I still haven't decided."
Kari shook her head. "It's ok. I want to go."
Tai gave her a short nod. "It might not be pretty." She could feel the dark of his eyes fall on her; the note of concern drifting through his voice.
Her lips pressed together and she nodded in return, fighting the sting in her eyes.
"Okay." Rain swept in through the lowering window. "Then let's lose our company, shall we?" Tai secured the goggles nestled in his short hair and then hung the entire top of his body out of the car. His hands flung wildly in what Kari could only guess was a rude gesture and the news van finally turned a corner.
"You probably shouldn't do that," Kari said when he retreated back into the car, water dripping off the tip of his nose.
"I'm not going to die if I catch a cold, I promise."
"I meant giving the finger to the reporters. It's bad publicity."
"Always concerned about our image. Are you sure you don't want to ditch those slobbery kindergarteners and go into politics?"
Kari shook her head, but a smile tugged on the corner of her mouth. "My kids don't slobber."
"I know one that does," Gatomon said, pawing at her side. "And he left a drool stain in my fur."
Tai reached back and rubbed the top of Gatomon's head, causing her ears to flatten. "Be nice to my nephew."
She batted his hand away with retracted claws. "I let him salivate on me. What more do you want?"
Rainwater splashed against the sides of the car as Kari turned into the dark parking garage beneath the Tokyo police station. A chill sent a swarm of goosebumps along her arms.
"Do you want to wait in the car?" asked Tai after they parked.
"No."
Their footsteps echoed against the tiled floor, yellowed from age, as they shuffled into the foyer of the station, Tai leaning onto Kari's arm for support, Koromon squished in the curve of his bicep. Gatomon followed close behind, tail flicking nervously. The waiting area was bustling with activity. A man covered in tattoos whistled lowly at Kari as he passed, wrists bound in handcuffs and a policeman at his back. Tai stood to his full height, hiding a grimace, and put his arm around her shoulders while Gatomon casually stuck out her claws, running a few tears through his jeans.
"Yo, thasa guy dat got shot," someone attempted to whisper, too inebriated to realize he was shouting.
Tai had always had one of those faces that were easy to spot in a crowd and lately his face had been adorning television screens around the world as newscasters broadcasted daily reports of his condition. There was something about his bright confidence, the sharp nose and boyish cheeks that gave him away, even though his usual public attire had been traded in for an old t-shirt and baggy sweats. It was what he wanted to wear home from the hospital.
When they reached the front desk Tai leaned casually over the edge, rapping on the window with the back of his knuckles.
The woman behind the counter opened the bulletproof glass and her voice shook as she said, "Ambassador Kamiya, sir-"
"Tai."
She shook her head, as if unable to call him by his first name. "H-how can I help you?"
"We're here to bust out Motomiya." When she seemed at lost for words he added, "Kidding." He slipped her his card. "I spoke with Chief Matsumoto earlier this morning about his release."
"Oh. Excuse me." She stood and bowed politely. "Please, have a seat."
The only empty chairs were across from a young girl, intoxicated and sobbing belligerently as a cop went over her paperwork. Kari pulled Gatomon up into her arms, grateful she didn't protest when she squeezed a little too hard. Tai squirmed in the chair beside her, trying to find a comfortable position. He eventually gave up and pulled out his cellphone, jamming his finger oddly into the screen as he wrote a text. He always seemed to have issues getting his fingers to hit only one button at a time.
"Who are you talking to?" Kari asked, trying not to stare at the bawling girl.
"Cody. Just making sure he's got all the facts."
She nodded. Cody was working as a paralegal while he finished law school. One of the lawyers at his firm had been in touch with Tai and the police chief regarding Davis's arrest.
"He's not thrilled that I came down here myself apparently," Tai continued. "Said it'll draw media attention." He cracked a smile. "Cody wouldn't make a bad politician either."
"He's too honest," said Kari. "And he's right. You probably shouldn't be here."
"What's the point of being a UN ambassador if I can't pull some strings once in a while?" He let Koromon take over his phone to play Candy Crush and gestured to Kari so he could whisper in her ear. "Plus, I think they're trying to make up for their crappy security at the press conference. I'm gonna play the sympathy card for all its worth. "
He lifted his arms overhead in a long stretch and yawned. "I was hoping to hold out for VIP seats at the World Cup or a nice trip to the Prime Minister's personal geisha house—Ouch! I'm kidding! I think you left a mark." He pouted and rubbed at the pinched skin on his forearm. "Davis owes me big time. I think I'm gonna force him to be my personal chef and then make him get up at five in the morning just to pour cereal."
"I'm pretty sure slavery is illegal in Japan."
"Fine. Then he owes me a drink."
"You shouldn't be drinking on your medication. And I don't think Davis should be drinking period."
Tai looked at her sideways and she looked away, cheeks flushed. The warmth in her face didn't leave until after Davis and Veemon came trudging out of the double doors, following the chief of police himself. Tai shook hands with the chief and accepted a gush of well wishes regarding his recovery while Kari's stomach flipped and turned and tied itself into a dozen knots.
She could barely see his face. Bruises lined the left side of forehead and a jagged split ran across his top lip, making the turn of his mouth more pronounced as he frowned at the floor. Tai gave Chief Matsumoto a bow and he responded with an even lower bow before stepping away, leaving nothing between Tai and Davis but distance. Davis finally looked up, his dark eyes filled with tears.
"Oh God," Tai said with all the seriousness in the world. "Don't tell me you dropped the soap."
"Shut up." Davis's lips pressed into a straight line. "I-I'm sorry, Tai. I—"
Tai pulled him into his arms and slammed him hard in the back. When he let go, Davis was having trouble keeping his face straight. In his attempt to lower his gaze, Kari caught his eyes. The rim of his brow was a purplish green, drawing attention away from the deep brown of his iris. His nose twitched and he pawed at his busted lip, turning away.
Veemon tugged on his pant leg, red eyes wide with concern. "I think some of the shoap dripped when I washed my hands. Was that bad?"
"Did you bend over?" asked Davis, rubbing at his eye with the heel of his palm.
Tai laughed and then clutched his side. "You two have to stop." He let out a strangled chuckle. "My lungs can't take any more."
"I still don't think it was that funny," pouted Koromon.
"Huh?" Davis asked, confused.
Tai crossed his arms like a disapproving parent. "Did you allow my partner to ingest an entire plastic bag?"
"Uh... maybe?"
"Did you know that plastic stands up extremely well to stomach acid and can hold an enormous amount of methane gas?"
"Wha-?"
"Koromon farted out a balloon," Gatomon explained with a roll of her eyes.
Davis let out a loud guffaw and covered his mouth with his hand when Koromon glared. His knuckles were cracked and bruised.
"Wow! Did it make you float?" asked Veemon.
Koromon grimaced. "No. It just got stuck."
"Joe-" Tai snickered, "Joe had to extract it from his little ass with a pair of tongs." He cracked up and coughed so loudly that he bent in half.
Kari immediately went to his side to steady him. Air went stagnant in her lungs until he caught his breath and her rigid body shook as she expelled hers. Her hand slid around his back and found Davis's fingers there. She could still feel his rough scabs on her fingertips when she withdrew to clutch Tai's arm.
"You sure you're s'posed to be outta the hospital?" Davis asked, his cheeks twitching with and odd mix of amusement and concern.
Tai forced himself straight and shook his head. "I'm fine."
"No, you're not," Kari said. "The doctor said you shouldn't exert yourself. I'm taking you home." She tried not to look at the guilt clouding Davis's face and interrupted Tai's protest. "And I'm not overreacting. You almost died."
They left the waiting area and loaded into the elevator. Davis leaned against the back wall of the small space, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Maybe you shoulda just left me in there," he said when it began to descend, only looking at Veemon when he spoke.
Veemon wilted.
"Did you enjoy jail?" Tai asked, smirking. "I didn't know you were the type."
Davis shot him a glare.
"What about your son?" asked Kari, unable to keep the edge out of her voice. She met his eyes and forced herself to hold his gaze.
His jaw clenched.
"Speaking of," Tai said lightly, pulling the goggles from his damp hair. "I bet he misses these."
Davis flushed and pulled his hands out of his pockets to accept them. He ran his fingers over the indents in the rubber. "Yeah." His fist closed around them and Kari could see one of the scabs crack on his knuckle. He picked at, making it bleed.
The elevator door opened.
"You really did a number on that guy, huh?"
Davis shrugged as they stepped out. "He asked for it," he said non-chalantly, but when the elevator doors closed behind them, he didn't budge. His hands shook around the goggles and then he bowed low, holding them out to Tai. "I don't deserve them."
Tai's lips drew into a sad smile. "Koromon said you wanted them back."
"I haven't been a leader for a long time," Davis muttered to the ground. "You—you're out every day, fightin' for us, and I just—you got shot!"
His voice cracked and Kari took in a sharp breath of air.
"That damn Humanist—he said it served you right. And they—they didn't think you would—." Blood seeped from his scab and left a red trail on his finger, smearing on the clear lens. "God…I was so drunk and I—I'm just a big fuck up. I don't deserve these. They were your gramp's, you should give 'em to your kid someday."
Tai took the goggles from his hands and wiped them clean with the hem of his shirt.
Davis seemed to sink lower, still speaking to the pavement. "S-sorry about the bite marks. I'll pay for goggle repair. I shoulda took better care of 'em."
Tai sighed and then stretched the elastic band taught, releasing it over Davis's head with a loud snap. Davis let out a yelp and fell backwards, startled.
"You don't have to wear them anymore if you don't want to," Tai frowned, "but I'm not taking them back. They're yours, Davis."
"But-"
He cut Davis off with an outstretched hand and pulled him to his feet. "I still believe in you," Tai said sternly. Then, wincing, he put his hand to his ribs. "Geez, you did gain weight."
Jutting out his bottom lip, Davis turned to Gatomon. "I thought you said I looked like I lost some."
"Some."
In the car, Tai popped some painkillers and leaned his seat back, closing his eyes. "I thought you were in for assault. Why does it look like someone beat the hell out of you?"
"He had some friends," Davis mumbled. "At least until ExVeemon scared 'em away. Man, they had a time puttin' 'cuffs on him."
Kari's eyes flickered to the rear-view mirror and saw Veemon grin proudly. Davis was leaning against the window, watching the rain roll down the glass.
"Wish I coulda seen it," Tai said groggily, patting Koromon's head a bit too hard.
"You shouldn't encourage him," said Kari, eyes back on the road.
"You can't stop Davis from being Davis, Kari."
"That's not—I—" Kari swallowed her words and tried hard not to steal another peek into the mirror. She could feel his gaze on her back and heat traveled up her neck.
"I'm sure that'd make you happy," Davis said. "If I wasn't me."
She felt a sharp pang in her chest. "It'd be one less thing to worry about."
"Brrrrrrr," Tai sang dramatically. "Is it cold in here or what?"
Koromon's pink ears flew to the car thermostat and Tai choked back laughter, groaning instead. He poured a couple more pills into his mouth, swallowing them dry.
"How many of those have you taken?" Kari asked.
"A couple—"
"I just saw you take three."
"Handfuls," Tai finished with a grin, his eyes slipped closed again. "Finally starting to feel better."
Kari reached over and grabbed the pills from his limp hand and the car jerked into the other lane. She quickly righted it.
"Yo. Precious cargo here."
"I hope you're referring to me," said Gatomon.
Despite all the tension and worry, Kari felt a smile turn up the corner of her mouth. She could see Davis in her mirror, smirking lightly like he used to, and if she didn't look too hard, she couldn't see the tension in his face.
"He's obviously talking about me," Tai said, swinging a loose arm to the side of his seat. It fell backwards into Davis's lap, squashing his legs. "Unless he's got a secret he's not telling us." His arm lifted overhead and a single finger squished into Davis's belly.
"Uh… nothin' there but noodles." Davis raised an eyebrow. "Man, those pills work fast." He nudged his knees up, making Tai bounce.
"What did they do to him?" Koromon asked, stretching his body upward to peer at Tai's face.
"Made me feel like I'm riding on a bumpy cloud."
"They help dull the pain," Kari explained.
"And made him loopy," Davis added.
"I'm just relaxed," said Tai. He seemed to study Davis's face for a moment. "Next time I ride a cloud, I hope the angels don't look like you."
"Thanks."
"You are the ugliest angel I've ever seen."
"Wow. You had to take it the next level, huh?"
"I don't think angels are s'posed to look like they put their face in a garbage disposal."
"I don't think I'd have a face if I did that."
"You'd have to get a face transplant. You can have mine if you want. Can't feel it anymore anyway."
"I'd rather have someone prettier."
"You can have Kari's face."
Pink spread over Davis's cheeks. "That'd be weird."
"Please don't offer my face to people, Tai."
"What if he needs it?"
"I'll just ask Ogremon for his. Gotta keep the ugly goin'."
"Awwwwww," Tai drawled. "I was kidding. You're adorable." He flicked Davis in the nose. "When you don't look like a garbage disposal tried to eat you."
"Thanks."
"He doesn't believe me." Tai rolled his head in Kari's direction. "Tell 'im he's adorable."
Her whole face went flush. "I think someone needs to go to bed," she said.
Water ran up the side of the car as Kari pulled into their old apartment complex where Tai would spend the next couple of weeks recuperating with their parents. Headlights followed them into parking garage and it wasn't until Davis was helping her unload Tai from the car that she realized they had belonged to the same news van they had lost earlier.
A camera flashed and Tai groaned, hiding his eyes. "Persistent bastards."
"Ambassador Kamiya, how are you recovering? Where did you go after you were released from the hospital?"
"Great... Jail."
Kari gave his arm a squeeze. "My brother needs his rest, please excuse us."
"Are you Davis Motomiya?"
"Uh…yeah."
"Ambassador Kamiya, do you condone your friend's violent behavior?"
Davis turned red and clenched his teeth.
Tai smiled. "I will if you don't go away."
"One more question?" The reporter pointed at the goggles nestled in Davis's hair. "Are those the same goggles you wore home from the hospital?"
"Sure, he let me borrow them for a while, but they're his." Tai slung a heavy arm over Davis's shoulder, knocking himself off balance. Kari had to put herself under his other arm to hold him upright. "You're a good leader, you know that? I made plenty of mistakes too, trust me. You're good." He ruffled his hair and grinned at the reporter. "They look better on him, don't they? It's the hair. His face looks like it went through the garbage disposal."
"What exactly is your relationship with Mr. Motomiya?"
"That's enough questions," Kari said. They started toward the elevators but the reporter followed.
"Mr. Motomiya, did you order your digimon to attack innocent civilians?"
"He didn't order me to do anything!" Veemon frowned. "And they weren't innocent. They were beating him up!"
"Hey! They were not."
"Then why does your face look like that?"
"Would you shut up about my face?"
Tai pinched his cheek. "It's so adoragly."
The reporter snapped another picture before the elevator doors closed behind them.
"I sure hope that doesn't make it to the front page," Davis sighed.
"It probably will," said Kari, "along with the story of you putting a Humanist in the hospital.
His eyes met hers, first filled with shame, then lighting up with anger and disbelief. "Those assholes tried to kill Tai."
"No one can kill me," said Tai. His eyelids drooped, turning his pupils into tiny slits. "I die of my own accordion."
Davis let out a hearty laugh. He could always switch so easily from pain to joy. "Dude, you're high as a kite."
"You could die by accordion. They're heavy." Tai grinned. "And twisty."
"And loud," Gatomon said, pawing at her whiskers, annoyed.
The apartment door was opened and the three humans (melded together like an odd six-legged creature) and three digimon found Susumu Kamiya sprawled on the couch, watching the news, a beer in hand. He jumped to his feet and swept all three of them into a huge hug. Kari felt a splash of cold liquid on her back and Tai groaned between them.
"Dad!"
Laughing, he released them. "Just saw you and your brother on TV," he said. "I thought you were going to be home hours ago."
Kari tried not to look at Davis as he slumped guiltily beneath Tai's weight.
Her father didn't notice, too busy setting his beer on an end table. "Your mother is in a frenzy cleaning up your old room – I made it into a man cave." He hid his mouth with his hand, whispering, "She doesn't like the pin-up girls." He looked around, worried he'd been caught. "I told her to leave it like that – you'd love it, but you know how she is."
He stopped his odd rambling to look Tai over. His big hands reached out and clapped Tai's shoulders, pulling him close. "It's good to have you home, son."
Tai patted Susumu's back sympathetically. "Thanks, Dad." Then, a bit wobbly, he straightened and cupped both hands around his mouth. "MOM! Don't take away the girls! I love girls!"
Davis snickered.
Yuuko appeared around the corner, hands on her hips, a dust rag clenched in one fist. "I hope you aren't referring to the pictures your father has plastered all over the walls." Her lips curled into an amused smile.
"But you look so good in a string-bikini," Susumu whined.
It took a few seconds before Tai's eyes popped open. "The pin-ups are Mom?" An accusing finger flung in front of Susumu's face. "What is wrong with you?"
"Your mother is a fine piece of-"
"Dad, please," Kari said, embarrassed. "We have company."
Veemon waved while Davis took a step forward, trying to peer down the hallway. "Can I see?"
Tai smacked the back of his head. "That's my mother."
"Don't worry, honey, I already took them down," Yuuko smiled, her cheeks a soft pink. The dust rag swung playfully at her husband before she returned her attention to Tai. "How are you feeling? Would you like something to eat?"
"No!" Tai shouted oddly, almost tripping over his own feet as he stepped backwards.
"He needs to go to bed," said Kari.
"High as a kite." Davis clicked his tongue, pretending to pop pills.
"Come on, kid, let's sleep it off," Susumu said, hoisting Tai's arm over his shoulder. Kari heard him whisper, "I'll slip you some pizza later," as they disappeared down the hall, Koromon bouncing behind them.
"I can't believe he's finally home," Yuuko said softly, tears in her eyes. She enveloped Kari in a quick hug and for the first time since Tai had been shot, Kari felt overwhelmed with relief.
"He wasn't gonna let those bastards take him out," Davis said confidently. Kari pulled away from her mother, wiping away tears, and he put a fist to his mouth, clearing his throat. "Uh... I should probably call a cab or somethin'."
"Oh, you poor thing," Yuuko said suddenly, grabbing his hand. His scab had completely ripped off, leaving the knuckles bloody and raw.
"You should see the other guy," Davis said flatly.
"I'll get the first aid kit," said Kari. She took off to the kitchen, drying her tears, and felt his eyes boring into her back.
"S'ok," he said. "It'll just scab back up."
"It might get infected," Yuuko said. She took hold of his arm and led him to the couch, forcing him to sit. She didn't remark on Davis's comment or the wounds on his face. "Make sure you get him some alcohol."
"A drink would be great."
"She means for your cut," Gatomon sniffed, jumping onto the cushion of the loveseat beside them.
"You mean you aren't gonna lick it clean for me?"
"Do I look like a dog?"
"Do you need me to lick it, Davish?"
Kari stepped back into the living room just in time to rescue Davis from Veemon's tongue. "Let me see," she said, holding out her hand.
His fingers slowly slid into hers, rough and damaged in the palm of her hand. She sat beside him and began to wipe away the blood with an alcohol wipe, hoping he didn't notice the flush in her cheeks.
"Why don't I make you all some tea?" Yuuko said. She left them and busied herself in the kitchen. The news blared loudly on the television set, covering the unrest in Humanist groups around the world after the attempted assassination. Veemon took a seat beside Gatomon to watch.
They fell silent until Davis let out a short hiss of pain as the wipe slid against the deeper part of the cut. "You don't have to take care of me," he said shortly. "I'm fine."
"No, you're not," Kari whispered, worried that if she talked any louder her voice would crack. She placed the bloodied wipes on top of their packaging and pulled out a roll of gauze.
"I've had worse."
"I don't mean your hand." She took a deep breath as she took hold of it again, slowly turning it over as she strung the gauze in a tight loop around him. "I'm worried about you."
"Huh."
She finally looked up and felt her heart race at their proximity. If it weren't for the scowl on his face she might have retreated. "What?"
"Just find that hard to believe."
Kari looked away to grab a piece of tape and tried to ignore the sting in her eyes. "I thought we were friends."
"You didn't talk to me for a year, Kari. Not even an email. You changed your number."
"But you said—" She took a long deep breath and pulled the tape tight over his hand.
"Don't pretend to worry about me now. I know you're just tryin' to be nice."
The water in her eyes sat against her lashes, begging to break free. "Do you really think I didn't worry about you all that time? That I didn't think about you at all?" She loosened her hold on his hand and he pulled it to his chest, rubbing the bandage.
"I dunno," he shrugged. "I guess I figure you were too busy bein' married and havin' babies." His cheeks indented with the clench of his jaw. "I can take care of myself. I'm not that little kid you rescued in grade school," he said. "You don't have to feel sorry for me."
Something clawed at the pit of her belly, making her stomach churn. "Is that what you think?"
She left the question hanging there and by the purse of his lips, she figured he understood. He didn't answer her, and she couldn't bring herself to deny it, but his lack of words brought a hot fire into her chest.
"You haven't grown up at all," she spat, her voice hushed as her mother hummed in the kitchen. "You just do what you want and don't care about the consequences. You were in jail, Davis. I don't think you're doing a very good job of taking care of yourself."
"He—"
"I don't care what happened." She began picking the pieces of torn medical supplies off the coffee table. "Sometimes you have to hold yourself back."
From the corner of her eye, she could see him staring at her in disbelief. His voice took on a strange hysterical lilt. "What do you think I was doin' all that time you were with—"
"This isn't about us." She finally met his eyes, her own now dry and angry. "You're a father now. What would your son do if you got put in prison? You're all he has."
Davis opened his mouth to argue, but he seemed at loss for words. Yuuko returned to them holding a tray of tea and cookies. Kari thanked her mother and grabbed a cup of tea with shaky hands, taking a long sip.
"I made those tofu cookies you liked so much last time," Yuuko declared proudly, giving Davis her sweetest smile.
"Oh." He waited for a moment, but she had clasped her hands beneath her chin, waiting in expectation. "Thanks." Kari could hear a gagging sound in the back of his throat as he chewed. A smile, really half grimace, appeared on his face as he gave her a thumbs up.
Yuuko happily returned to the kitchen and Davis spit the cookie into a napkin. "Is she tryin' to kill me?" he asked seriously, looking nervously over his shoulder at her mother. "You didn't tell her..."
"No!" Kari blushed.
Davis wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "No wonder you and Tai stay so skinny."
"Are you gonna eat those?" Veemon asked, eyes wide with desire at the sight of the tray.
"Help yourself," said Davis.
They both watched Veemon devour the entire batch, chewing happily, and forgot everything but their disgust.
Susumu finally returned from Tai's bedroom and sat beside them on the couch, joking about his son's addiction to painkillers and nothing else was said. They sat in silent tension, watching a mindless sitcom, until Kari felt Davis shift beside her. His breath was warm on her ear.
"You're right," he said beneath the drone of a loud commercial.
And things became very different after that.