Hold Me Tonight

By: Winterhart

'Please, let me die...' Davis thought pleadingly, as his world went dark.

Blackness was surrounding him, pulling him away. He pulled in one last breathe, and then stopped breathing altogether.

'What have I got to live for? Kari hates me...the others don't need me.. better off without me.....'

Veemon would be sad, but he'd get over it....

Very, very suddenly he felt someone's mouth over his own, and a rush of air entered his empty lungs. Not enough to pull him from the darkness, but enough to keep him alive.

'W-who?' he wondered brokenly.

Another breath. And another. And another.

"Come on, please don't leave me..."

A quiet, tearful voice cut right through Davis' soul. Tugged at his heart.

It wasn't Kari.

"Davis..."

Who is it? And why do I feel so.....strange? I know that voice....but from where.....

Davis Motimiya drew in a long, shuddering breath. It hurt, oh, how it hurt. But he breathed again.

Sensation was returning. He could now feel the arms around him, holding him close. Feel the beating of someone's heart. Hear the soft whispers of 'I'm sorry' over and over again.

He didn't know how he knew. But somehow, some way, he knew who held him. Still, he didn't want to believe. He wanted to stay in these arms, all his pain forgotten. Forever.

"Davis....?"

The person had discovered his eyes were open. Much to his dismay, the person released him, though not completely. The person held him before him, so they looked at each others' faces.

The realization hit Davis like a brick wall. He could not move, he lay frozen, staring into a pair of clear blue eyes.

"Ken....." he tried to shout, but it came out as a pathetic dry whisper. His stomach churned. There he lay, in the arms of the person who had caused him all this agony. In the arms of the one who was now looking at him through those blue eyes, who weren't so clear anymore.

They were slightly misty and red. The dark haired boy was gazing at Davis almost longingly, with eyes full of worry, concern, and.......love?

Searching for unknown strength, Davis tried to push himself away. Away from Ken. Away from his tormentor. Away from his confusion and turmoil.

'He was holding me........and I want him to hold me again...' unbidden, the thoughts rose, carrying with them feelings Davis had never even dreamed of.

He pushed away, but all he managed to do was cause himself to fall back to the ground in a heap. Treacherous tears gushed from his eyes, holding all his pain of the injuries he bore, both physical and soul.

Ken, instead of gloating at his fall, rushed forward. Too weak to protest, Davis remained still and sobbing as Ken gently slid his arm under his shoulders, and, ever so carefully set Davis in a half sitting position against the wall.

Davis closed his eyes, partially to stop the flow of tears, and to block out the reality that was seeming more and more like a dream every second.

"Leave me alone...go away....please.." he whimpered, not sure whether he spoke aloud. Out loud. He felt Ken's eyes, those eyes, looking at him.

'Look away....damn it, leave me alone....'

But Ken did not look away. And eventually, Davis was forced to open his eyes. Only to gaze at the dark haired boy again.

Seeing him like this was even more frightening than seeing him in a rage. Not for the life of him could he figure out what had caused him to change his mind, to come back and save him from the grips of death.

Right now, death seemed better than this awful silence and uncertainty. The terrible standoff. What was Ken going to do? Stare at him until he went mad?

Unaware, Davis failed to recognize until now that Ken had reached over and was tracing a finger across the whip cut across his left cheek. Alarmed, Davis jerked his head away.

"What do you want from me?!" he demanded. Ken pulled his hand away as if he had been burned.

"I want to tell you what I've held in since...." A smile twisted by grief, sarcasm, Davis couldn't tell "..ever since you first entered the Digital World."

Davis stared at him somewhat disbelievingly. Was he saying what he thought he was saying?

"You love Kari." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Davis made no answer, but looked at him in disbelief.

"She doesn't love you in return."

Davis opened his mouth to protest, but Ken continued.

"That's why..... that's why I hate her so much."

"What are you talking abou-"

"Don't you get it!!" Ken practically shouted "It's that-because-Oh, damn it, I love you!"

Davis' eyes went wide. The last sentence seemed to echo in his head. Ken-the conqueror of the Digital World, the one who had practically killed him more than once-loved him?!

"That's why I saved you! Those freaks were going to kill you, damn it! I didn't save you to hurt you even more...."

His voice broke and he looked away. To Davis' shock, he saw tears coursing silently down Ken's face.

"Perfect human being," he muttered "I'm anything but. Courage, friendship, loyalty, that's what makes you perfect...not hate.."

"You are brave, to face us everyday." Davis said suddenly. He wanted Ken to stop crying. It was twisting at his heart, and he didn't know why.

"Courage and ruthlessness are two different things." Ken said bitterly. The tears still flowed.

Out of an impulse, Davis reached over and brushed the tears away. This boy, who until now had seemed to be without a soul, had just poured out his heart to Davis. He loved him...he had since they'd first seen each other. It was a little to much for Davis to take in.

"I-I don't know who-what I am anymore." Ken smiled, but it was twisted with bitterness "In many ways, I'm worse than all those evil Digimon combined. I'm human. I'm supposed to act it. I'm not supposed to be what I am now...."

Ken looked away, crying silently. The fading rays of the afternoon sun dimly reflected off those blue eyes.

Tentatively, Davis reached an arm forth, and placed it around Ken's shoulders. The dark haired boy snapped his head around to face him, eyes wide. He looked as if he wanted to say something, but no sound came out.

And, slowly, he reached an arm carefully around Davis' bruised shoulders.

The stayed unmoving in that half-embrace for what seemed like a while, gazing into each others' eyes.

It was not much of a surprise when Ken put the other arm gently around Davis. Davis did not pull away, but found himself almost enjoying the touch. A sort of warmth, from the inside, spread through him.

Almost unconsciously, the two leaned closer. And, slowly, their lips touched.

No urge to struggle rose within Davis. No sense of disgust, no hate. Just welcome. Welcome to the feeling of a person who loved him holding him, kissing him.

When they did break contact, Davis buried his face in Ken's shoulder and cried. Ken held him there, letting the boy let out all the pain he had inside. Letting him know someone cared.

Davis ceased crying, but did not pull away. He stayed there, wrapped in the arms of his love, feeling a sense of peace flow through him. Peace. Something he had not experienced for a long time.

All the pains from the injuries seemed insignificant, because now, the largest wound of all, the one in his heart, had been healed.