Ben10 & Digimon Tamers

Heroes and Humanity

Part 01: Heroes and Humanity

Chapter 28

Originally Written:Monday, July 15, 2013 532AM to 754AM

Henry looked around at Takato and the others. He held in a sigh. They were immersed in a topic he didn't care to keep track of. Ai, Mako and Suzie weren't here, understandable. Albedo's appearance however, was not. The thought that he couldn't keep his mind off the white haired male not being here was disappointing. He pressed a hand to his stomach.

'I already checked the bakery, the food court, heck I looked around my own apartment building, but...' Henry shook his head, 'Where are you?'

He wasn't sure who, it was either Kazu or Kenta, but one of them had the grand idea to meet up in front of Guilmon's hideout slash house again. 'I think I may hit whoever came up with this.' He stared down at his chili fries. 'Would I have ever touched the things if I never met him?'

"Gogglehead the second!"

"What?" Henry murmured, not bothering to look at Rika.

"You seen the other gogglehead? The smartass one?"

Kazu called out, "We need to start calling your brainiac."

"No thanks. I'd rather pick princess."

"Who the heck would call you-"

Henry turned to face Kazu. Just like he expected, the young male shied away from a scowling Rika. He turned back to his food, grabbing a fry.

"I didn't know you were worried." Jeri giggled.

"Don't get me wrong. He's a little shit who needs to be put over someone's knee, screw his age, but even he shows up to these meetings regularly."

"Yea..." Takato spoke up, "This is the second one he missed, "Hope he's all right."

Jeri giggled, "He's just really busy."

Henry looked up at Jeri. His eyes drifted to Takato every few seconds, but for the most part stayed on the brunette. Today she was wearing purple. The gaudy neon kind of purple. He wasn't sure why anyone dared to wear such an article, but she was. He was just glad it wasn't leather, or leopard print. "Have you seen him recently?"

Jeri gave him an emotionless smile.

"Is he okay?"

"Mhm." Jeri smiled, "Why wouldn't he be?"

"Gurl," Kazu sang, You know where he is, don'tcha?"

Jeri giggled.

Henry gripped his food tray tightly, "You're not helping at all." He scowled.

"If he had time, he'd be here."

Henry folded his arms. "Hm."

"Okay..." Kenta held up a hand, he pointed to Henry, "Just what did you do?"

"What makes you think I did anything?"

He pushed his glasses up on his nose, "A little over two weeks ago, you indirectly, professed your love to him. Now he's not talking to any of us, and more important than that, he's avoiding you."

Jeri rolled her eyes, "No, he's busy. It's not easy going through the steps to become a professor, including earning all the required degrees at a double or triple time rate, tutoring and grading over 30 students' work, and to make sure to pass the what? Five classes he's taking? I'm surprised he has time to breathe."

"I agree." Ryo nodded, "For all we know he's sleeping. Last time I saw him he was dead on his feet."

"Dead on his feet, but still functioning, what happened?" Rika muttered, "Everyone increased his workload on him simultaneously?"

"Something like that." Jeri murmured. "But it's a lot of things he really can't study for."

"Then why isn't he here?"

"He's really grown on you guys, hm?" Jeri hummed.

The group fell silent. Henry shook his head, "It's a natural concern for another human being."

"Wait a minute," Takato looked at Jeri, "how do you know all this? No one can get a hold of him."

Henry audibly groaned. Kazu belted out one of those warning calls like children do to their siblings when siblings are in heaps of trouble.

"What is wrong with you?" Rika scolded Kazu, as Kenta spoke up with an 'Oh snap,' She looked back at Ryo. Said man held up his hands in defense, gave her a wry smile and shook his head. Rika threw her hands in the air, "Oh for the love of-"

"What the hell, Jeri!" Both Takato and Henry yelled.

Jeri just rolled her eyes.

Henry stood up and paced up and down the stairs.

"Him and you!? In the same apartment building!?" Takato groaned, "You had to know how I was gonna react to that."

Henry ran through the many meditation techniques he had been taught over the years.

"I've told you how much I don't like him. How shady I think he is! And then you invite him to your house?!" Takato shrieked. He almost sounded like a female from those boring tv dramas. "To live with you!?"

Henry glanced at Jeri. He had a hand clamped over his mouth. If he said something, anything, someone was going to bleed. He could already feel his phone shocking him through his pants pocket.

Jeri sat almost disinterested. Henry bet she'd start laughing at them both if the situation wouldn't come out worse for wear. Her face was blank of emotion as Takato yelled and ranted and raved. Henry couldn't focus enough to keep track of anyone else.

He didn't think he could either. About a half minute ago he recognized he was starting to shake, 'It's probably nothing. It's probably nothing. We're all overreacting and we're going to laugh our asses off...'

"Sit down and shut up gogglehead," Rika's voice was stern, strong despite being quiet. Henry stopped pacing unsure who she was talking to. He watched Takato stare at her. "You two are idiots!" She pointed a finger to Takato. "And what have Henry and I told you about your imagination and jumping to conclusions? Remember when Ai and Mako had nightmares for a week? That was because of you!"

Takato, Kazu and Kenta groaned. Henry still shook but he couldn't tell if it was because of Takato's accusations or Rika's "verbal bitchsmack" voice.

"And it's even worse 'cause both you and gogglehead the second run on near the same damn wavelength, lately. Look at him! Look what you did to the poor guy! Your second best friend!" Henry locked eyes with Takato.

He felt his eyes water but he could not blink or look away. Takato looked back at him. Henry visibly shuddered. His mind raced. It was like Albedo was staring at him. Except it was Takato, and it was the same exact look when Takato saw the very first bruise, on his upper arm, near his shoulder. And realization came to his red eyes, just like that. They narrowed slightly and then widened. Just a split second for the act, but it felt like an eternity. Like the Sovereign were judging him and the only one by his side to help him should they declare he be killed was an unconscious Terriermon.

His heart raced, and his own saving grace from hyperventilating was that he was still holding onto one of his easier meditation techniques.

Fear was a strong thing Takato made him realize once again. The sole reason why he'd fight against a boar half the size of a skyscraper, but not a six foot male who only had a strong voice and right hook to his name.

"You're all idiots." Rika threw her hands into the air again. "First off, he's fucking homeless. I don't give a shit how much a dirtbag he is, even a stinking gnat has a friggin' roof over it's ungrateful head. Second off, he thinks everyone but Henry is a pile of shit not worth the grime on his skin! Why the fuck would he do anything with Jeri?! Even Suzie gets annoyed with how calm and happy Jeri is and Suzie might as well vomit rainbows!"

She stood, towering over Jeri. Takato didn't take his eyes off Henry. "And you're being a dick! Why would you even put that in his head?"

Takato blinked.

"Apologize, right now!"

"I-"

Henry shook his head.

"You don't have to like the guy, but your best human friend does."

Takato blinked. He sharply turned to face Rika. "That is not why I said that." He glared at her, holding her gaze. He held his arms out to the side, "What else was I to think?"

Henry closed his eyes. He walked off, not even caring about his lunch. He heard Kazu and Kenta yell, "Shit man, I didn't think you were serious, chumly." and "We were just kidding.", respectively, but he couldn't be sure, and he didn't care anyway.

His phone vibrated in his pocket, giving him comfort that he wouldn't be scolded for breaking another phone. As he neared crowded areas, he moved his hands from his mouth. He put his hands in his pockets. He saw more and more why Albedo didn't like any of them.

Situations like this were so rare, but they stuck in his mind forever. He pulled out his phone from his pocket. Ryo somehow knew the address of Jeri's apartment. Jeri gave him the apartment phone number. Henry steeled himself. If Takato was right, he was gonna punch Jeri. If Rika was right he'd smack Jeri just hard enough to leave a mark. Her calm demeanor about the whole thing drove him up the wall. She didn't even bother to correct Takato.

"I'm gonna kick her face in! Rika's not his girlfriend. She is." Henry muttered with a growl.