The ever-cliché Yamato and Takeru brother fic! *grins insanely* Entry for TK Takaishi's contest - I'm entering twice 'cause I have no life... Sibling ficcy! *giggles*

Disclaimer ~ *checks bank account* Oh, drat. Still don't own digimon...

Read & Review puh-lease!


Wish Upon A Star


Yamato Ishida stood solitary on his back porch, seeking refuge from the yells and screams that reverberated through his small apartment. Tipping his head back, he let the gentle night breeze caress his face, ruffling his golden hair as he stared at the sky. Each and every one of the stars were winking merrily, cushioned in a nest of velvety black eternity.

//Star light...//

"Yama?" The soft, babyish voice of his younger brother reached his ears as the porch door slid open silently. Takeru stepped outside, joining his brother tentatively. His normally bright azure eyes were dull, glistening with tears unshed as he shut the door behind him, effectively blocking out the chaotic noise.

"Yeah, TK?" Yamato replied, unconsciously using the childhood nickname he had christened his younger brother with. He reverted his captivated gaze from the sky, focusing instead on Takeru's face.

Takeru sniffed back a tear. "Mama and Daddy... Are they gonna die?"

Yamato looked at his brother in shock. "What? No!" He knelt by the younger boy, who was bravely holding in his sobs. "What makes you think that?" he asked gently, laying a comforting hand on Takeru's shoulder.

"I think," confided the blonde toddler sadly, "that they're gonna kill each other, Yama." He finally succumbed to the sobs that had been beating at him all evening, clutching frantically at his brother. "I'm scared!"

Yamato quietly rocked the crying boy in his arms, silent fury boiling inside of him.

//Star bright...//

"This has gone on long enough!" he burst out suddenly. Takeru looked up at him questioningly, wiping tears from his overflowing eyes. His lips trembled when he saw the anger etched on Yamato's face.

"Not you too, Yama!" he cried, clinging onto the older boy's leg when he abruptly tried to stand. "Don't be angry!"

Somewhere in the apartment, a vase crashed into the wall, followed by furious shrieking. Yamato saw through the glass doors as the pottery shattered, littering the ground with shards of sharp pieces. "Don't worry, TK," he assured the little boy. "I'm not angry." Takeru sighed, satisfied, and nestled himself in Yamato's arms once again.

"I wish it could always be like this, big bro," he whispered, falling asleep. "Just you'n me..." His voice trailed off as he drifted into a world of dreams. Yamato lay him gently on the porch, tracing the paths the dried tears had left on his face.

//First star...//

Sliding the glass door shut behind him so Takeru wouldn't hear, Yamato stormed into the kitchen where the fight was raging, heedless of the sharp pieces of potter that cut into his feet.

His parents didn't even notice him as they screamed insults at each other, and Yamato felt his own eyes tear up as he watched silently. Wiping the tears away hastily, he interrupted their dispute with a scream of his own.

"Will you just shut up?!" he cried angrily. The two brawling adults looked aside in surprise.

"Yamato! What are you doing in here?" his mother chided him, scurrying to his side. "Your feet are bleeding!" She immediately turned to her husband, who had been glowering at her. "This is all *your* fault, you know."

"Mine?" The man glared at her. "And how, dear wife, was this my fault? You threw the vase!"

She turned to face him fully, ignoring her eldest son as she rebuked him. "But *you*," she snapped, prodding her finger into his chest, "provoked me. And if you wouldn't have ducked, the vase would've hit you instead of injuring my son!"

"And how is that my fault?" he bellowed in response. "Did you want me to stand there and take the hit?"

"Yes!" she shouted.

"EXCUSE ME!" Yamato yelled, stepping in between the feuding pair. They glanced at him, startled.

"Yamato, what are you doing still here?" they chorused in unison, before exchanging simultaneous glares.

A sob rose in his chest, getting stuck when it reached his throat. He drew in a shuddering breath, unable to continue. The three stood and stared malevolently at each other, interrupted only when the glass door slid open again, and Takeru stepped in gingerly among the porcelain shards.

Rubbing sleep and tears from his eyes, Takeru took Yamato's hand and pleaded, "Please don't fight, you guys. Please." His cerulean eyes shone with heartfelt sadness.

//I see tonight...//

"It's okay, TK," Yamato said bitterly. "We can go to my room where we can't hear *them*." He turned away swiftly, but Takeru didn't move.

"Mama? Daddy?" he asked hopefully. "Please don't fight." He hung onto Yamato's hand, holding his brother in place while he awaited the answer.

The two adults looked at each other again, and then back at their youngest son, silently coming to a conclusion.

Mrs. Ishida knelt by Takeru, taking his hand in her own. "Honey, I'm sorry. The only way we won't fight is if..."

"If we get a divorce," finished her husband, who was talking primarily to Yamato. He reached out a hand to comfort his son, but Yamato jerked away from his touch.

"Get away from me," he said coldly, his ice-blue eyes freezing over to prevent the tears from coursing down his cheeks. Although he tried, he couldn't keep the emotion from his voice. "How could you?" he cried, the statement a mixture of anger, sadness, rebellion, and strangely enough, relief.

Takeru buried his face in his hands. "Don't you love me?"

His mother's gaze softened. "Of course we do, sweetie. It just... has to be this way."

"C'mon, squirt." Yamato turned, his expression apathetic as he took Takeru's hand and led him into his room, away from their parents. He reveled in the silence as he closed the door, and yet, his heart felt like it was being ripped in two. He felt a scream rising, boiling in his blood, but he held it contained. Instead, he sat Takeru on top of his bed, gazing into the toddler's glistening eyes.

"Don't worry, li'l bro. We'll always stay together," he promised. Takeru looked up at him and sniffed.

"You mean it?"

Yamato nodded decisively. "With all my heart."

//I wish I may...//

Takeru looked fearfully up at his older brother. "Today's the day they fight for custard-y of us," he whimpered.

Yamato tried to paste a brave smile on his pale face. "Don't worry, Takeru, we'll stay together."

"Y'promise?" Takeru asked, his ruddy cheeks glistening with tears, but his eyes shining hopefully.

"Definitely," Yamato responded, hoping that his voice was strong. I hope, he added silently to himself.

"Hurry up!" their mother called from the door. Yamato looked reassuringly at his brother, who gazed up at him trustingly. He gulped, trying to quell the butterflies that danced in his stomach.

"Coming," he yelled back. He glanced at Takeru, trying to muster a brave facade. "Ready, squirt?"

"Uh-huh," Takeru affirmed, grasping Yamato's hand tightly. He tugged on his brother's shirt, and Yamato bent down. "Y'know why?" he queried innocently.

"No, why?" Yamato murmured back.

Cupping his hands around his mouth as if to contain an enormous secret, Takeru whispered directly into Yamato's ear. "'Cause I made a wish on a star the night they told us. We can't be separated now!"

Summoning a feeble smile, Yamato straightened up. "Well, then, nothing can go wrong!" If only I believed that, too, he thought to himself dejectedly.

//I wish I might...//

Takeru watched the actions in the courtroom with wide eyes, trying desperately to comprehend what was happening. Beside him, Yamato was shaking in fear at the inevitable verdict.

"Are your arguments concluded?" the judge asked, her sharp, beady eyes darting to each of the Ishida adults. They nodded conclusively. She brushed a lock of hair back from her eyes, sighing, as she brought the gavel down decisively onto her desk.

"All right, then. Domestic case number 24-C is ended. I have decided this." She paused, shuffling a stack of papers in her hand. "Conceding to both of the parents, Ishida Takeru will live with his mother. Ishida Yamato will live with his father. Court is adjourned."

Yamato's sky-blue eyes clouded as tears squeezed themselves out. The judge looked over at him pityingly. "Sorry, kid," she murmured, before standing and exiting the court.

Takeru gazed up at his brother, trying to understand what had happened. He saw the tears cascading down Yamato's cheeks, and his eyes widened in terror.

"No... Yama, please..." he whimpered, his lip trembling.

Yamato averted his head. "Sorry, TK," he choked out, trying desperately to draw an even breath despite his shaking shoulders. "I couldn't... do anything..." He collapsed as Takeru leaned against him, succumbing to shuddering sobs.

//Have the wish...//

"Takeru." The crying boy looked up at his mother's stern face. Her expression softened, but not by much, as she grasped his hand, trying to pull him away from his brother. "Takeru, *please*," she implored.

"No," sniffled the boy stolidly, clinging to his brother's arm. "I'm not leaving Yama. I'm not leaving Yamaaa!" His last word ended in a wail as his voice broke off, interrupted by another wave of unstoppable tears.

"Yamato, come here *now*," Mr. Ishida ordered. Yamato glared at his father's steadfast expression, but slowly obeyed, detaching Takeru's hands from his sleeve.

"Yama, don't leave me!" Takeru's eyes filled with fresh tears that he tried, futilely, to choke back, as his father and brother walked away. His father didn't look back, but Yamato did, his icy blue eyes somehow melted into melancholy puddles.

"I'm sorry..." he mouthed.

Takeru shook his head, sniffling as his mother led him away. "No, Yama, I'm sorry," he whispered. "My wish didn't work."

//I wish tonight.//

Takeru Takaishi sat up on the balcony in his apartment, staring sullenly at the starless sky. He closed his azure eyes that had been slowly filling with tears, blocking out the moon.

I wish I could be with you, Yama, he thought sadly, but inside he knew it could never be true. Opening his eyes again, he saw that a cool wind had moved a cloud, uncovering a bright star that winked at him cheerfully.

Takeru took a breath, hoping against hope, wishing against logic. "I wish you could be here with me, Yama," he whispered. He shut his eyes tightly, then opened them again, almost laughing at his foolishness. Wishes never worked. He had learned that long ago.

"Takeru! Phone call!"

Sighing, Takeru walked slowly into his room, closing the door firmly behind him before picking up the telephone.

"Hey," he said dejectedly.

"Squirt! You sound in the dumps, TK. What's wrong?" Takeru's eyes widened as his face split into an irrepressible smile at the familiar voice.

"Yama! What's up? I was just thinking about you! What're you doing? I miss you so much!" he babbled, only pausing briefly for breath.

On the other end, Yamato laughed. "Hold up, squirt! Keep your pants on, I'm right here."

Takeru grinned sheepishly. "I know, Yama, it's just that I miss you so much! I wish you were here right now."

"Oh, TK, when will you ever learn? I'm still with you!"

"Huh?" Takeru scrunched up his face in confusion. "What d'you mean, Yama? You're all the way in Odaiba!"

"That's not what I meant, squirt, and you know it," his brother chided. "Okay, I'm gonna tell you what to do so that I'll always be there, okay?"

Takeru narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but nodded dubiously all the same. "Okay, Yama, whatever you say..."

"All right then. Put your hand over your heart," Yamato ordered.

Feeling rather foolish, Takeru obeyed. "Now what?" he asked.

Yamato sounded surprised. "Now nothing, squirt. That's it."

"Stop teasing me, Yama," Takeru replied sarcastically. "It's not doing anything."

"Should it? All I meant was that I'm always in your heart, no matter where either of us are. All you have to do is remember."

"Oh..." Takeru fell silent, his hand still placed over his heart, as his brother continued.

"Just remember all the good times we had, li'l bro. Everything we did together, and everything we shared. Then it'll be just like I'm there with you."

A smile slid its way across Takeru's face as he gazed out his window, watching the single star that still winked merrily at him. "I guess wishes come true after all..." he murmured.

//I wish...//


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Argh... Yet another poorly written fic. When does it stop? *giggles* Heh... Well, anyways, review. Flame if ya like, I prob'ly deserve it... *shrugs* I promise, next fic'll be better! (I hope...)
Hmm... I wish I could write... Now there's a good idea...

*points at review box* Review! I order you!