Author note: This is part 8, in case anyone forgot how to count. Ken's my hero in this one. Such a quiet, unassuming young man. Ha! And Mini-me? Never assume anything.

Disclaimer: Don't own it. Want it. Want Dai and Ken, and official Daiken, but will live.

Warning: Yaoi. Gay-bashing. No violence, thank you. Angst. And a happy Daisuke.

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Author: Rae (penname)
Title: Undecided
Content: Yaoi, Daiken referencing, that's all I'm telling ya:)!

They hailed a taxi downstairs, Ken's arms still around Daisuke's shoulders. He offered support, despite the odd glances they received from passer-bys. He had tightened his hold when they stepped off the elevator and the redhead had made to pull away. He knew his friend needed him, whether he wanted to admit it, or not.

Ken held the door to the yellow car while Dai slid in, and across the seat. He gave the driver the Motomiya's address, and settled back against the seat. The radio was set to a station that played music akin to what is found in elevators, at such a volume to be easily spoken over.

"So. Read any good books lately?" Ken asked, nonchalant. The weak grin that Dai sent him was genuine.

"Can you pick a topic, and stay on it? I bet you flip television channels every thirty seconds, too." They both knew that that was untrue, and that the conversation was being moved away from any topics that might be painful to Daisuke. His teasing was a way of getting himself under control, back into a semblance of normalcy.

"Of course. And I bet that you've never watched the same channel for six hours because you couldn't reach the remote?" The driver looked at them through the rear-view mirror, his swarthy skin broken by his yellow smile.

"Of course, not. Just as you've never locked yourself in my bathroom after spending the night to iron your underwear." Score! Ken blushed, his shoulders shaking in embarrassed laughter. Daisuke looked on with a satisfied grin, his shoulder squaring unconsciously.

His shoulders drooped when the taxi stopped, and they stepped out to look up at his apartment building. Ken gave the man his fare, and turned concerned indigo eyes to his friend. "Dai? You ready?" His response was a nod, and then they started forward, Daisuke taking small hesitant steps, not wanting to go.

He wasn't afraid of his father, or his mother, or even Jun. He wasn't worried about what they'd say to him. He was frightened of what they'd say to Ken, or he'd say to them. He didn't want things to go so badly that his best friend would walk off and leave him. He doubted that Ken would, but the fear was there. The fear that he wasn't really important enough for Ken to stand by him. Especially against his father's animosity.

And what should happen if the Ichijouji's didn't want him in their home? He knew his parents had been there. He was certain that they had told them he was gay. He couldn't beleive that they'd calmly allow their son's little faggot friend into their home for an indefinite amount of time. The world didn't work that way.

As for Ken himself, he seemed to have gotten over the touching thing, if the hand at his elbow was any indication. He was glad, that of all his friends to take him home, it was Ken. He had already made enough of a fool of himself in front of the others to last him a lifetime. Ken wouldn't judge him, wouldn't hate him, wouldn't look down on him.

His self-worth reaffirmed, his stride lengthened. No matter what, Ken would stand by him. He knew that, Ken himself had said the same thing the day before. There was nothing to fear. No worry about what would transpire, because Ken was there, and that made everything okay.

Ken looked at his friend as he seemed to straigthen, and hurried up. He smiled slightly at the determined look in those brown eyes. He didn't know what pep talk Dai had given himself, but it seemed to be working. He removed his hand from the tanned arm that he had been using to propel his friend forward with.

They walked through the lobby, keeping pace with each other. An old woman by the desk looked up and smiled, thinking that they looked like a little team. They were, really. Paired up against a foe greater and more powerful that Malomyotismon. Parental disapproval.

"You okay, Dai?" Ken asked as they walked up the stairs. They had bypassed the elevators, since Dai lived on the third floor, and it took just as much time to walk as taking the moving contraption.

"Been better." His lips tugged up in a small smile. His eyes met Ken's and the warmth in his seemed to blaze. "Thank you, Ken. For everything. Helping me yesterday, and today. For making me face this at the same time that you're taking me from it. No matter what happens, I'll always appreciate that you were here when I needed you."

He paused at the door, his hand on the knob. With a deep breath, he turned it, and pushed it open. The first thing they noticed was the blare of the television, then the smell of something cooking. It was the normal everyday things that existed in his house, with one exception. He could hear the sound of someone talking in the living room.

In his family, they didn't talk to each other unless necessary, or in front of company. Voices meant that they had company. He looked at Ken, and angled his head toward his room. They started down to his room, as quiet as possible. Ken seemed to respect his silent request for privacy to pack his stuff before they faced his parents.

They made it as far as the living room when the voice of Mr. Motomiya interrupted their quest. "Davis, is that you?" He used the dreaded nickname, the one that distanced him, while seeming to sound endearing to the outside world.

He stopped in the doorway, and nodded at the couple sitting in his...the living room. "Yes, father. Ken and I have returned to pack, since I'm at his house." He made it sound as if they had planned it together, instead of him just throwing it out at them.

His father narrowed his eyes, the only indication that he wasn't aware of what was going on. "I seem to have forgotten. This is Mr. Tagami, an associate of mine, and his wife. They're staying for dinner. I had wanted them to meet you, but if you're not going to be home, I guess they'll only get this chance for you to impress them."

Translation: Pretend you're not the little bastard I know you are, and make them think you're a model son.

Ken caught the meaning behind the man's word, and felt the stirring of anger in the boy next to him.

Response: Fuck off.

With deliberation, he bowed to the couple, then reached out and curled his hand around Daisuke's. "Of course, Motomiya-san. We'll be right back. Let us just gather his things." He smiled charmingly, then pulled Dai with him toward his room, not relinquishing his hold.

The door shut gently behind them. Dai leaned back against it, pulled his hand away, and doubled over in laughter. Ken let a small, satisfied smile curl his lips. "My father is so going to freak! And did you see Tagami's wife? I thought her eyes were going to drop out of her head!"

"Yes, well." He moved away, grabbing Dai's backpack from beside the bed. "What shall we take?"

The redhead shrugged away from the wall. "Don't know. Clothes?" For added measure, in case anyone was stupid enough to stand outside his door. "Or will I need them, sweets?"

Ken looked up sharply from where he had been pulling things out of Daisuke's bottom drawer. It was the first endearment that his friend had called him, even in jest. Dai caught the look and sighed, misinterpreting it.

"I'm not about to jump you, Ken. Thank you for what you did in there. If you hadn't pulled that stunt, I might have gone off." He moved away, searching through his closet. A gentle hand touched his shoulder, lacking the pressure to turn him around, just enough to get his attention.

"I don't feel uncomfortable with you, Dai. You're still my best friend, no matter what. I know that you won't 'jump me', or anything of the sort. I trust you. And as for what I did in there, you're father deserves that, and whatever else he gets." The skin under his hand seemed to relax, and heard Daisuke sigh.

"If you're not...worried that I'll...put the moves on you, then why do you seem jumpy every other time I touch you?" He asked quietly, looking at the floor of his closet. Ken put his other hand on the corresponding shoulder, and leaned in to whisper his answer in Dai's ear.

He never got a chance. The door flew open, Mr. Motomiya speaking loudly. "Of course, Tagami-san! We'll be right there." He stopped in the doorway, and glared at the two boys that turned to look at him. In quieter tones, he addressed them, his voice holding warning. "Tagami wants to talk to the two of you before you leave. You know the drill, hurry up."

He went out again, his abrupt departure making Ken mad, and Daisuke sigh again. "We go out, pretend the world's a beautiful place, and make our excuses quickly." He pulled away from Ken to put more clothes into his bag. He zipped up the opening, and shouldered it, looking at Ken with a small smile. "Let's get this show on the road!"

His grin in place, Dai lead the way out of the bedroom, leaving Ken to follow a few paces behind. When they arrived back in the living room, his father gestured for them to sit on a small, two-person couch, angle toward the Tagamis.

With a broad smile, the older balding man started questioning them. "So, how long have you been dating?"

Ken answered first. "We're both fifteen, right now, so it's been about four years." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mr. Motomiya's fist clench.

"Really? That's quite a long time to date anyone at your age, especially another boy with all the animosity still in the world. Do you have friends that accept this, also, or have you kept it a secret?"

Ken's smile faltered. Tagami knew that it was rude to ask such personal questions, but seemed secure in the knowledge that nobody would object to his third-degree drilling. Daisuke answered. "We have a tight group of friends, who accept us as what we are. We've been friends for years, and Ken fit into our group very well four years ago, so we have a support group."

"That's really very neat. So many people find homosexuality threatening, that it's nice to see a man open his home and heart to his son's boyfriend. I have a lot of respect for your father, Davis, to be so open-minded."

Ken took over. "Yes, sir, it is wonderful. There are so many close-minded and narrow people in the world, that it's great to find a man who appreciates his blood and kin, despite the rest of society. It takes a brave and masculine man to admit that his son's sexuality isn't a result of breeding or geneology, but of fate and love. It's hard for so many to see that it doesn't really affect them, or their own preferences. And it's great to see a man place the love of a son, over the approval of society."

They all looked at him, open-mouthed, surprised by his little verbal onslaught. He just smiled at Tagami, head held high, and took Dai's hand in his. The redhead was looking at him, visibly stunned. With a smile, Ken put his hand to his jaw, and closed his friends mouth gently.

"Right." Daisuke stood up, tugging on Ken's hand. "We have to go, if you'll excuse us." He bowed, pulling Ken with him, and then walked out, grabbing his pack from the archway. When the door shut behind them, he turned to Ken with a huge grin. "You were wonderful!" He dropped the slim hand in his, and wrapped his arms around the other boy's waist, ignoring the stare of a passing neighbor.

Ken smirked, embracing his friend in return. "Wasn't I, though?" They laughed together, their shoulders shaking in mirth. "I think it will be a while before any of them recover."

"I thought my father was going to have a heart attack!" After several moments, their humor subsided. Dai relaxed, leaning into Ken a little. He enjoyed the feeling of being in his arms, the safety and warmth of the arms encircling him. Ken didn't pull back. Instead, he tightened his grip, and put one hand on the back of Daisuke's head, letting him rest his cheek against his shoulder.

"It's been a long day, hasn't it?" He asked quietly, eyes closed as warm breath cascaded over his neck.

"Mm." A soft sigh was his only reply. With tenderness, he pulled away from his friend, smiling into tired brown eyes.

He took his hand again, and pulled Daisuke willingly behind him. "Come on. We'll go back to my place, and you can nap on my bed. It will only be six by the time we get there, but you can eat later, after you've rested."

"Okay." Daisuke would have agreed to anything in that moment. Still warm from the hug, his hand safely snared in Ken's, he would have agreed to jump off the end of the world.
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End note: Say it with me now: Aaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! I know, pure sap. I had to make up for a new story I just completed and posted. Some things are just too depressing.