title: Bizarre Love Triangle
author: Morningstar.
rating: R [for language and intense phermone output]
fandom: Digimon
pairing: Takari, somewhat; Takedai, most definitely; Yama/o.c.
series: sequel to "Chosen Time," first in the "New Order" series.
dedication: to Koi for the beta and undying love and all that {^^;;}, to
Devy, who insisted I write a sequel, and as per usual, to Dais for no
particular reason.
A/N: Kagawa belongs to Daisuke ^^;; which sounds odd, but y'know.
oh, and watch out for nasty!Taichi, who makes an appearance because I
wanted to prove that I could write him straight ::grins::
***
I paced around my room. It seemed, at the time, a perfectly logical thing to
do, to walk around in concentric patterns, closer and closer to then further
and further from the telephone sitting on the floor. Because if there was one
thing I really didn't want to do, it was pick up that phone, and dial that
number I knew so well, and take a chance on breaking that heart I loved so very
much.
Of course, there was always the possibility that I was just being silly, and
she really didn't love me at all, except in the way I loved her, and of course
I wouldn't hurt her feelings if I broke up with her, because she was so sweet
and caring and understanding that she couldn't possibly be offended.
And of course, there was always the chance that he would call me before I
called her, and tell me that it was all a mistake and he hadn't meant for
anything to happen and could we just forget about it, please?
And then -my- heart would be broken.
But that would be okay, because I didn't want to hurt Hikari.
***
I cursed at myself, phone in hand, looking at the clock. It was noon. Noon
on a Saturday; what were the chances that he'd be awake? A few more rings, and
a groggy voice answered the phone.
"'lo?" I let out my breath. Not only had someone answered the phone, but he
had; I lived in terror of the day I called and someone else answered.
"Um, 'niichan?"
It worked, just like it always worked; inject just the right amount of need
into my voice and I could wake my brother up in a second. "Takeru? Are you
okay?" I swear, he has the most maternal instinct of anyone I've ever known.
"I'm fine. I think. Um, can I talk to you?"
"Do you want to come here?"
The boy catches on fast. "Could I? If it's not too much trouble?"
He hesitated. "Can you take the train here yourself, or do you need me to —"
"Yama!" I broke in, "Honestly. I'm sixteen; I can take a train by myself."
I could almost see his sheepish grin as he mumbled an apology. But I can't
stay upset with him — not over something like that, and not now, when I need
him.
***
The door to Yamato's apaato opened slowly, and that mysterious someone-else
that I lived in fear of peeked out into the hallway.
He had blue-green eyes that I was pretty sure weren't natural, purple hair
with three-inch black roots that I was almost definite wasn't natural, and what
seemed like millions of holes in his ears that I was positive weren't natural,
and also an unnatural affection for sparkly shirts the approximate shade of his
hair.
I don't think it was his unnatural affection for the -shirts- that I had a
problem with.
It was more that my brother, my beloved brother, the one who I loved and
trusted above all else, shared an apaato with the most insanely, incredibly,
extraordinairly, stereotypically flaming gay guy you will ever meet. Ever.
He blinked a few times, which I realized was an adjustment from the pitch-
black of the apaato the the relative brightness of the fairly dim hallway.
"Kagawa-san," I said quietly, bowing.
I guess he then realized who it was, because his eyes lit up and he grinned.
"Takeru! Ohhh, Yama-chan said you were coming over. Right. Okay." He shut
the door, unhooked the chain, and opened the door again, letting me in. "Sit
down, make yourself at home; I'll go get him." I found my way, by habit,
touch, and what little light got in through a crack in the curtains, to the
sofa and sat down, trying to figure out what precisely was making me so nervous
about being in my brother's home, something I did fairly regularly. I decided,
finally, that it was a combination of a few things; partially why I was here in
the first place, partially the fact that it was so dark, and partially the fact
that Kagawa had called my brother "Yama-chan." No one called him Yama-chan, no
one but me, and occasionally my mother and sometimes ... sometimes Taichi, back
a couple years ago, when they were still speaking.
I had my suspicions about Yamato and Taichi, and I don't think I was the only
one. I asked Hikari about it, once, and she dismissed the idea, but not before
I saw the look in her eyes, the look that said Of course I've never thought
about it, because I can't think about it, and that's alright really, because It
Can't Happen To Me. And oh, god, if she couldn't even -think- about the
possibility that her brother was gay, how would she take it if her boyfriend
broke up with her because —
If her boyfriend was —
If her boyfriend —
If I —
But oh, god, I wasn't — was I?
Oh, god.
I -was-.
By the time Yamato walked into the room, I was crying.
***
Kagawa had been politely but firmly ejected from the apaato, and Yamato and
I sat on his bed, him looking very concerned, and me blotchy-eyed, sipping
gingerly at a cup of very hot, sweet green tea.
"What's —" he ventured finally, but I cut him off.
"Yama, are you and Kagawa-san — I mean, are you and him — are you —"
"Fucking?" he said bluntly, and I flinched. "Yeah. We are." He sighed, and,
forgetting entirely that I had come here to ask -his- help, I asked what was
wrong. "Hoshi and I, we're doing just that — fucking. I want a relationship;
he doesn't. Simple as that."
I had to know. "And ... and you and Taichi...?"
He smiled sadly. "Me and Taichi ... no. That was the problem. I thought I
could trust him, you know? He was my best friend; I thought maybe he could
accept that I was gay, and maybe he could have, but then I had to go and drop
the bombshell..."
"You loved him," I guessed.
"Yeah. I loved him." A pause. "I still do." Another pause, longer this
time. "That's not why you came here, though, is it?"
"No. It's not." I took a deep breath. "Um, 'niichan, do you think ... do
you think it's genetic, maybe?"
"Do I think -what's- genetic?" Then his eyes widened. "Oh. -Ohhh-. You
mean...?" It wasn't really a question.
"Yeah." I sipped at my tea, stared at the ceiling, the walls, anywhere but at
my brother. "It's Daisuke."
"Oh," he said again, seemingly dumbfounded. "Oh. Does ... does he know? Did
you tell him?"
"I didn't have to tell him. He knew."
"And —?"
"He kissed me."
"He ... -kissed- you?"
"Kissed me."
"You like him."
"Yeah."
"And he kissed you."
"Yeah."
"So ... that means he likes you back."
"I -think- it does."
"And you're upset ... why, exactly?"
"Because what if he doesn't, really? What if it was all just a stupid mistake
and now he'll never speak to me again, like with you and Taichi? It's been
three days, Yama-chan, -three-days-. If you liked someone and found out that
they liked you, too, would you kiss them, rant on semi-incoherantly for about
five minutes about how happy you were, then run away and not speak to them for
three days?" I saw that he was about to comment, and I rushed on before he had
a chance. "And even if he -does- like me, Yama, even if he really does, and
it's just that he got scared or something, and I can't blame him if that's what
happened, really, even if he -does- like me ... then what about Hikari?"
***
"So let me get this straight. Boy A meets Girl A when they're both little
kids, and for some reason everyone always assumes they'll end up together, and
they buy into that assumption and start going out. Correct so far?"
"Correct."
"Meanwhile, as it turns out, Boy A's big brother has fallen in love with Girl
A's big brother, who in turn refuses to speak to him, but that's another story
altogether. More importantly, Boy A and Girl A end up on a series of Nifty
Magical Adventures™ with a bunch of other kids, one of whom, Boy B, is really
hot. Also correct so far?"
"Correct. But don't talk about Daisuke being hot. Just because I can lust
after him doesn't mean you can."
"Okay, okay. One of whom, Boy B, is considered really hot by Boy A. Good?"
"Much better."
"So Boy A continues to date Girl A, while secretly pining after Boy B. By the
time he's finally gotten the guts to tell Boy B how he feels, however, he's
grown so accustomed to being -with- Girl A that the concept of being without her
is suddenly a little scary, although he when he goes to talk to his brother
about this, what he says is that he doesn't want to hurt her feelings. Still
correct?"
"...yeah. Correct."
"Okay. Good. Hand me that telephone."
Not knowing quite what else to do, I picked the phone up off the nightstand,
and watched in silence as he dialed a number very much by heart.
"Hey, Taichi? It's Yamato. We need to talk."
***
Within half an hour we had moved from the bedroom to the living room, where
Yamato felt everyone might be more comfortable. He had made more tea, and there
was a full box of tissues not-too-conspicuously placed in easy reach.
Our "guests" soon arrived, Taichi stony-faced and silent; Hikari looking a bit
confused and a bit worried, then a bit frightened when Kagawa flounced back in,
insisting that it was his apaato too, and we couldn't keep him out forever,
especially not if we were having a party; and finally Daisuke, charmingly sweaty
and tousled from yet another soccer game, seemingly happy to see everyone, but
nervous that "everyone" seemed so serious.
"What's ... what's going on, guys? Something wrong? Did something happen?"
"I just thought we all needed a little quality time together, that's all,"
Yamato said calmly. "Want some tea?"
"No thanks." He sat on the sofa, unwittingly coming between Hikari and me,
who were sitting on its opposite ends.
Kagawa tapped Yamato on the shoulder. "Yama-chan—" I saw Taichi stiffen.
"—Who -are- all these people? Because like ... they're here. In my home. And I
don't know them. I wanna get to know your friends, Yama-chan." He was sitting
next to Yamato on the floor, leaning slightly against him, a more-or-less
innocent guesture that he somehow made look intensely sexual, but that's Kagawa;
he could make washing the kitchen floor an erotic experience. He -oozes- sex.
I think this might be part of why I'm so afraid of him.
Taichi cleared his throat, a nervous look crossing his face for a moment. "Of
course, Hoshi," Yamato said. "I was just about to. You know my brother, Takeru;
that's Daisuke, a friend of his; Hikari, his girlfriend;" Kagawa raised his
eyebrows at that. "And ... an old friend of mine, Taichi. This is my roommate,
Kagawa Hoshi."
"Roommate?!" Kagawa asked in mock-offence. "I've been demoted to -roomate-
status now?"
Yamato rolled his eyes good naturedly and wrapped an arm around Kagawa.
"Roommate and terribly unfaithful sometimes-lover," he corrected. "Happy now?"
"Happy enough, considering there are minors present."
There was silence. Even Yamato was staring at him, jaw a bit slack. "I... I
can't believe you just -said- that," he managed finally.
More silence.
Kagawa shrugged Yamato's arm off and left the room.
"I think I know what this is about," Hikari said suddenly. Turning to face
me, she said, "It's about us, isn't it?"
I didn't respond. I couldn't.
Undaunted, she continued. "You're breaking up with me, right? Because ... oh
god, I can't believe I'm saying this, but — Take-chan, you're gay, aren't you?"
I stared at her, wide-eyed, frozen; Daisuke turned bright red; Yamato buried
his head in his hands; and Taichi let out an exasperated sigh.
"This is your fucking fault, Ishida!" he exclaimed. "First you try to ... to
-seduce- me, and now this shit with your brother? What -are- you? What did you
do, seduce him, too?"
Yamato stood up. He'd been playing the polite host, but there was a limit.
Some things you can't take sitting down, no pun intended. "Dammit, Taichi, I
haven't done -anything- to my brother — your -sister- likes boys; do I accuse
-you- of seducing -her-?"
"Of course not," Taichi hissed. "That's -natural-!"
"You know what? Go fuck yourself, Yagami. If I ever wanted to, I sure as hell
don't anymore. Just get out. Just turn your back on a life-long friendship and
get the fuck out!"
"Friendship? -That's- what you call it?"
"'Niichan...," Hikari protested weakly.
"It's not -friendship- if you're just hanging around someone waiting for a
chance to jump their bones. That's not -friendship-, Ishida."
"I was -eleven- when I fell in love with you, Taichi! I didn't even know what
it -meant- to jump someone's bones, much less want to do it to you!"
"You sure as hell knew what it meant at seventeen."
"Seventeen, yes, but Taichi — I -loved- you, Taichi! Don't you -understand-
that?! It had nothing to do with sex, it was far from 'unnatural' — it was
-love-. I've -accepted- that you don't love me, but is your friendship really
too much to ask for?"
"Yes." With that, he left the room, and a moment later we heard the door slam
shut.
I looked at Yamato, only to see that, indeed, my unshakable brother was crying.
Before I could move to see if this time, I could be the one to comfort him,
Kagawa's arms were around him. I hadn't even seen him come back, but then, I
hadn't been paying much attention.
"Shh, Yama-chan...," he whispered. "It'll be okay. He'll come to his senses
one day, you'll see; and if he doesn't, you're obviously better off without him."
***
"You know," Hikari said, spotting the umpteen millionth kodak moment of the
day, "the two of you are so cute together. You really are."
"I still can't believe you're not mad at me," I said honestly.
"Mad? Take-chan, I love you, and I want you to be happy. The only one I'm mad
at here is Daisuke — you stole my boyfriend, you jerk!" She mock-glared at him,
then broke into a big grin.
"Hey," he protested, laughing, "he seduced me. It was all -his- fault!"
"The truth is, Hikari," I said solemnly, "I don't really like Daisuke 'like
that', but I -really- can't stand you. I couldn't take being around you any more
than I absolutely had to."
She rolled her eyes and punched me in the arm. "Whatever, Takaishi."
"What do you mean you don't like me 'like that'?"
"It was a joke, moron," I answered, leaning in to kiss him.
"I know that — and don't call me a moron," he whispered as he pulled me against
him and kissed me hard.
He should have known better, really, with the photo queen standing next to us.
I swear, that girl probably has photos of us doing god-knows-what posted all over
the internet.
Not that we've done much in terms of god-knows-what; we've only been together
for a week, after all.
Yamato's been wonderful. The episode with Taichi sent him into a bit of a
depression, but he's getting through it. I've been going to see him as much as I
can, and Daisuke, too; Yamato even refers to him as his brother-in-law! And
Kagawa ... I don't think Kagawa is as indifferent as Yamato thinks. Sure, he
goes out to clubs, and sure, he's been known to pick up a cute stranger on
occasion, but he's also the one who holds Yamato when he cries, and makes him
chicken soup when he's feeling too low to even get out of bed.
Hikari's amazingly supportive, considering I dumped her; she understood:
"it's not a matter of love, after all; just of attraction, right?" was the way
she put it. I do feel bad for her, though; she lost her boyfriend and brother at
the same time; Taichi's barely spoken to her since he stormed out of Yamato's
apaato. But she's happy — and that's all that really matters.
That's all that ever really mattered.
Except, of course, for Daisuke.
He wrapped his arms around me, and I snuggled into him, happy. "Daisuke?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
"I know. And Takeru?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you, too."
"I know."
Hikari took a picture.
***
~owari~
author: Morningstar.
rating: R [for language and intense phermone output]
fandom: Digimon
pairing: Takari, somewhat; Takedai, most definitely; Yama/o.c.
series: sequel to "Chosen Time," first in the "New Order" series.
dedication: to Koi for the beta and undying love and all that {^^;;}, to
Devy, who insisted I write a sequel, and as per usual, to Dais for no
particular reason.
A/N: Kagawa belongs to Daisuke ^^;; which sounds odd, but y'know.
oh, and watch out for nasty!Taichi, who makes an appearance because I
wanted to prove that I could write him straight ::grins::
***
I paced around my room. It seemed, at the time, a perfectly logical thing to
do, to walk around in concentric patterns, closer and closer to then further
and further from the telephone sitting on the floor. Because if there was one
thing I really didn't want to do, it was pick up that phone, and dial that
number I knew so well, and take a chance on breaking that heart I loved so very
much.
Of course, there was always the possibility that I was just being silly, and
she really didn't love me at all, except in the way I loved her, and of course
I wouldn't hurt her feelings if I broke up with her, because she was so sweet
and caring and understanding that she couldn't possibly be offended.
And of course, there was always the chance that he would call me before I
called her, and tell me that it was all a mistake and he hadn't meant for
anything to happen and could we just forget about it, please?
And then -my- heart would be broken.
But that would be okay, because I didn't want to hurt Hikari.
***
I cursed at myself, phone in hand, looking at the clock. It was noon. Noon
on a Saturday; what were the chances that he'd be awake? A few more rings, and
a groggy voice answered the phone.
"'lo?" I let out my breath. Not only had someone answered the phone, but he
had; I lived in terror of the day I called and someone else answered.
"Um, 'niichan?"
It worked, just like it always worked; inject just the right amount of need
into my voice and I could wake my brother up in a second. "Takeru? Are you
okay?" I swear, he has the most maternal instinct of anyone I've ever known.
"I'm fine. I think. Um, can I talk to you?"
"Do you want to come here?"
The boy catches on fast. "Could I? If it's not too much trouble?"
He hesitated. "Can you take the train here yourself, or do you need me to —"
"Yama!" I broke in, "Honestly. I'm sixteen; I can take a train by myself."
I could almost see his sheepish grin as he mumbled an apology. But I can't
stay upset with him — not over something like that, and not now, when I need
him.
***
The door to Yamato's apaato opened slowly, and that mysterious someone-else
that I lived in fear of peeked out into the hallway.
He had blue-green eyes that I was pretty sure weren't natural, purple hair
with three-inch black roots that I was almost definite wasn't natural, and what
seemed like millions of holes in his ears that I was positive weren't natural,
and also an unnatural affection for sparkly shirts the approximate shade of his
hair.
I don't think it was his unnatural affection for the -shirts- that I had a
problem with.
It was more that my brother, my beloved brother, the one who I loved and
trusted above all else, shared an apaato with the most insanely, incredibly,
extraordinairly, stereotypically flaming gay guy you will ever meet. Ever.
He blinked a few times, which I realized was an adjustment from the pitch-
black of the apaato the the relative brightness of the fairly dim hallway.
"Kagawa-san," I said quietly, bowing.
I guess he then realized who it was, because his eyes lit up and he grinned.
"Takeru! Ohhh, Yama-chan said you were coming over. Right. Okay." He shut
the door, unhooked the chain, and opened the door again, letting me in. "Sit
down, make yourself at home; I'll go get him." I found my way, by habit,
touch, and what little light got in through a crack in the curtains, to the
sofa and sat down, trying to figure out what precisely was making me so nervous
about being in my brother's home, something I did fairly regularly. I decided,
finally, that it was a combination of a few things; partially why I was here in
the first place, partially the fact that it was so dark, and partially the fact
that Kagawa had called my brother "Yama-chan." No one called him Yama-chan, no
one but me, and occasionally my mother and sometimes ... sometimes Taichi, back
a couple years ago, when they were still speaking.
I had my suspicions about Yamato and Taichi, and I don't think I was the only
one. I asked Hikari about it, once, and she dismissed the idea, but not before
I saw the look in her eyes, the look that said Of course I've never thought
about it, because I can't think about it, and that's alright really, because It
Can't Happen To Me. And oh, god, if she couldn't even -think- about the
possibility that her brother was gay, how would she take it if her boyfriend
broke up with her because —
If her boyfriend was —
If her boyfriend —
If I —
But oh, god, I wasn't — was I?
Oh, god.
I -was-.
By the time Yamato walked into the room, I was crying.
***
Kagawa had been politely but firmly ejected from the apaato, and Yamato and
I sat on his bed, him looking very concerned, and me blotchy-eyed, sipping
gingerly at a cup of very hot, sweet green tea.
"What's —" he ventured finally, but I cut him off.
"Yama, are you and Kagawa-san — I mean, are you and him — are you —"
"Fucking?" he said bluntly, and I flinched. "Yeah. We are." He sighed, and,
forgetting entirely that I had come here to ask -his- help, I asked what was
wrong. "Hoshi and I, we're doing just that — fucking. I want a relationship;
he doesn't. Simple as that."
I had to know. "And ... and you and Taichi...?"
He smiled sadly. "Me and Taichi ... no. That was the problem. I thought I
could trust him, you know? He was my best friend; I thought maybe he could
accept that I was gay, and maybe he could have, but then I had to go and drop
the bombshell..."
"You loved him," I guessed.
"Yeah. I loved him." A pause. "I still do." Another pause, longer this
time. "That's not why you came here, though, is it?"
"No. It's not." I took a deep breath. "Um, 'niichan, do you think ... do
you think it's genetic, maybe?"
"Do I think -what's- genetic?" Then his eyes widened. "Oh. -Ohhh-. You
mean...?" It wasn't really a question.
"Yeah." I sipped at my tea, stared at the ceiling, the walls, anywhere but at
my brother. "It's Daisuke."
"Oh," he said again, seemingly dumbfounded. "Oh. Does ... does he know? Did
you tell him?"
"I didn't have to tell him. He knew."
"And —?"
"He kissed me."
"He ... -kissed- you?"
"Kissed me."
"You like him."
"Yeah."
"And he kissed you."
"Yeah."
"So ... that means he likes you back."
"I -think- it does."
"And you're upset ... why, exactly?"
"Because what if he doesn't, really? What if it was all just a stupid mistake
and now he'll never speak to me again, like with you and Taichi? It's been
three days, Yama-chan, -three-days-. If you liked someone and found out that
they liked you, too, would you kiss them, rant on semi-incoherantly for about
five minutes about how happy you were, then run away and not speak to them for
three days?" I saw that he was about to comment, and I rushed on before he had
a chance. "And even if he -does- like me, Yama, even if he really does, and
it's just that he got scared or something, and I can't blame him if that's what
happened, really, even if he -does- like me ... then what about Hikari?"
***
"So let me get this straight. Boy A meets Girl A when they're both little
kids, and for some reason everyone always assumes they'll end up together, and
they buy into that assumption and start going out. Correct so far?"
"Correct."
"Meanwhile, as it turns out, Boy A's big brother has fallen in love with Girl
A's big brother, who in turn refuses to speak to him, but that's another story
altogether. More importantly, Boy A and Girl A end up on a series of Nifty
Magical Adventures™ with a bunch of other kids, one of whom, Boy B, is really
hot. Also correct so far?"
"Correct. But don't talk about Daisuke being hot. Just because I can lust
after him doesn't mean you can."
"Okay, okay. One of whom, Boy B, is considered really hot by Boy A. Good?"
"Much better."
"So Boy A continues to date Girl A, while secretly pining after Boy B. By the
time he's finally gotten the guts to tell Boy B how he feels, however, he's
grown so accustomed to being -with- Girl A that the concept of being without her
is suddenly a little scary, although he when he goes to talk to his brother
about this, what he says is that he doesn't want to hurt her feelings. Still
correct?"
"...yeah. Correct."
"Okay. Good. Hand me that telephone."
Not knowing quite what else to do, I picked the phone up off the nightstand,
and watched in silence as he dialed a number very much by heart.
"Hey, Taichi? It's Yamato. We need to talk."
***
Within half an hour we had moved from the bedroom to the living room, where
Yamato felt everyone might be more comfortable. He had made more tea, and there
was a full box of tissues not-too-conspicuously placed in easy reach.
Our "guests" soon arrived, Taichi stony-faced and silent; Hikari looking a bit
confused and a bit worried, then a bit frightened when Kagawa flounced back in,
insisting that it was his apaato too, and we couldn't keep him out forever,
especially not if we were having a party; and finally Daisuke, charmingly sweaty
and tousled from yet another soccer game, seemingly happy to see everyone, but
nervous that "everyone" seemed so serious.
"What's ... what's going on, guys? Something wrong? Did something happen?"
"I just thought we all needed a little quality time together, that's all,"
Yamato said calmly. "Want some tea?"
"No thanks." He sat on the sofa, unwittingly coming between Hikari and me,
who were sitting on its opposite ends.
Kagawa tapped Yamato on the shoulder. "Yama-chan—" I saw Taichi stiffen.
"—Who -are- all these people? Because like ... they're here. In my home. And I
don't know them. I wanna get to know your friends, Yama-chan." He was sitting
next to Yamato on the floor, leaning slightly against him, a more-or-less
innocent guesture that he somehow made look intensely sexual, but that's Kagawa;
he could make washing the kitchen floor an erotic experience. He -oozes- sex.
I think this might be part of why I'm so afraid of him.
Taichi cleared his throat, a nervous look crossing his face for a moment. "Of
course, Hoshi," Yamato said. "I was just about to. You know my brother, Takeru;
that's Daisuke, a friend of his; Hikari, his girlfriend;" Kagawa raised his
eyebrows at that. "And ... an old friend of mine, Taichi. This is my roommate,
Kagawa Hoshi."
"Roommate?!" Kagawa asked in mock-offence. "I've been demoted to -roomate-
status now?"
Yamato rolled his eyes good naturedly and wrapped an arm around Kagawa.
"Roommate and terribly unfaithful sometimes-lover," he corrected. "Happy now?"
"Happy enough, considering there are minors present."
There was silence. Even Yamato was staring at him, jaw a bit slack. "I... I
can't believe you just -said- that," he managed finally.
More silence.
Kagawa shrugged Yamato's arm off and left the room.
"I think I know what this is about," Hikari said suddenly. Turning to face
me, she said, "It's about us, isn't it?"
I didn't respond. I couldn't.
Undaunted, she continued. "You're breaking up with me, right? Because ... oh
god, I can't believe I'm saying this, but — Take-chan, you're gay, aren't you?"
I stared at her, wide-eyed, frozen; Daisuke turned bright red; Yamato buried
his head in his hands; and Taichi let out an exasperated sigh.
"This is your fucking fault, Ishida!" he exclaimed. "First you try to ... to
-seduce- me, and now this shit with your brother? What -are- you? What did you
do, seduce him, too?"
Yamato stood up. He'd been playing the polite host, but there was a limit.
Some things you can't take sitting down, no pun intended. "Dammit, Taichi, I
haven't done -anything- to my brother — your -sister- likes boys; do I accuse
-you- of seducing -her-?"
"Of course not," Taichi hissed. "That's -natural-!"
"You know what? Go fuck yourself, Yagami. If I ever wanted to, I sure as hell
don't anymore. Just get out. Just turn your back on a life-long friendship and
get the fuck out!"
"Friendship? -That's- what you call it?"
"'Niichan...," Hikari protested weakly.
"It's not -friendship- if you're just hanging around someone waiting for a
chance to jump their bones. That's not -friendship-, Ishida."
"I was -eleven- when I fell in love with you, Taichi! I didn't even know what
it -meant- to jump someone's bones, much less want to do it to you!"
"You sure as hell knew what it meant at seventeen."
"Seventeen, yes, but Taichi — I -loved- you, Taichi! Don't you -understand-
that?! It had nothing to do with sex, it was far from 'unnatural' — it was
-love-. I've -accepted- that you don't love me, but is your friendship really
too much to ask for?"
"Yes." With that, he left the room, and a moment later we heard the door slam
shut.
I looked at Yamato, only to see that, indeed, my unshakable brother was crying.
Before I could move to see if this time, I could be the one to comfort him,
Kagawa's arms were around him. I hadn't even seen him come back, but then, I
hadn't been paying much attention.
"Shh, Yama-chan...," he whispered. "It'll be okay. He'll come to his senses
one day, you'll see; and if he doesn't, you're obviously better off without him."
***
"You know," Hikari said, spotting the umpteen millionth kodak moment of the
day, "the two of you are so cute together. You really are."
"I still can't believe you're not mad at me," I said honestly.
"Mad? Take-chan, I love you, and I want you to be happy. The only one I'm mad
at here is Daisuke — you stole my boyfriend, you jerk!" She mock-glared at him,
then broke into a big grin.
"Hey," he protested, laughing, "he seduced me. It was all -his- fault!"
"The truth is, Hikari," I said solemnly, "I don't really like Daisuke 'like
that', but I -really- can't stand you. I couldn't take being around you any more
than I absolutely had to."
She rolled her eyes and punched me in the arm. "Whatever, Takaishi."
"What do you mean you don't like me 'like that'?"
"It was a joke, moron," I answered, leaning in to kiss him.
"I know that — and don't call me a moron," he whispered as he pulled me against
him and kissed me hard.
He should have known better, really, with the photo queen standing next to us.
I swear, that girl probably has photos of us doing god-knows-what posted all over
the internet.
Not that we've done much in terms of god-knows-what; we've only been together
for a week, after all.
Yamato's been wonderful. The episode with Taichi sent him into a bit of a
depression, but he's getting through it. I've been going to see him as much as I
can, and Daisuke, too; Yamato even refers to him as his brother-in-law! And
Kagawa ... I don't think Kagawa is as indifferent as Yamato thinks. Sure, he
goes out to clubs, and sure, he's been known to pick up a cute stranger on
occasion, but he's also the one who holds Yamato when he cries, and makes him
chicken soup when he's feeling too low to even get out of bed.
Hikari's amazingly supportive, considering I dumped her; she understood:
"it's not a matter of love, after all; just of attraction, right?" was the way
she put it. I do feel bad for her, though; she lost her boyfriend and brother at
the same time; Taichi's barely spoken to her since he stormed out of Yamato's
apaato. But she's happy — and that's all that really matters.
That's all that ever really mattered.
Except, of course, for Daisuke.
He wrapped his arms around me, and I snuggled into him, happy. "Daisuke?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
"I know. And Takeru?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you, too."
"I know."
Hikari took a picture.
***
~owari~