Chapter 5

Warning: According to my dear friend Suki-chan this chapter contains a little something to offend everyone. You have been warned.

"I need to find Takeru, he's in no state to wandering the streets alone. My poor baby I've got to find him!"

"I think perhaps I should go look for him." Hikari suggested knowing that Takeru was more likely to run the other way if he saw his mother right then.

"Jolly good idea little girl! You find the young boy and we'll be going right Natsuko?" Kenta began already pulling Mrs. Takaishi to  the door.

"Make sure my boy is okay Hikari!" Natsuko called back as Kenta pulled her out onto the curb an began waving down a taxi.

"Don't worry Mrs. Taikashi, I'm sure he's just find." she called out reassuringly as they jumped into the taxi and sped away. 'Well lets see if I was Takeru where or who would I go to for help...Yamato! No wait he wont be going to him anytime soon.'

With a sigh  Hikari trudged away from the hotel's curb and headed to the only person she could think of who might have a clue, Daisuke.

It was tough work but he would do it, he had to. Lilah was putting pressure on him to get a court date set, and to find the right judge, a judge that Wolfram and Hart could easily buy out. Usually this was never a problem for him but here in Japan it was different. Emancipation of a minor was still a fairly new procedure and not many judges were willing to touch it. With a sigh of exasperation Lindsey crossed off another name on the list, "twenty judges down" he grumbled. He had to find the right judge and he had to do it fast. Taking a sip of the now ice cold black coffee he began to let his mind wander, if he didn't secure the right judge for the job he would be out of a job and Yamato, what would happen to him? Yamato and the Wolves would probably be forced to take a year off their career and wait till Yamato was a legal adult, and a year off in could kill any chances they had of a career. Then again Natsuko would have no say over him, why did Natsuko want to stop her son's career anyway? Lindsey asked himself but no answer was forthcoming . Just as Lindsey picked up the phone to call the next judge on his list a knock sounded at his door. "Fuck. Lilah's already come to pester." Lindsey hissed getting up and moving to the door, yanking it open he expected to see Lilah's smug face but instead he was rewarded with the vision of Yamato at his door.

"Er...Lindsey mind if I come in?" he asked when it became fairly obvious Lindsey wasn't going to invite him in.

"What? Oh sure come on in." Lindsey squeaked, "uh excuse the mess I haven't exactly had time to straighten up in here. Hard at work and all."

"I can tell, so how is it going anyway, the case I mean." Assuming his usual air of confidence Lindsey placed an arrogant smile on his face , spilling out lies and false reassurances.

"Everything is running as planned, already I have secured a judge and I am now arranging the hearing date, everything is sure to go in your favor and..."

"So its that bad huh?" Yamato commented glancing down at the list of judges Lindsey had crossed off.

"Of course not Yama-"

"Liar."

Lindsey's eyes widened at Yamato's observation, he honestly would never have thought him capable of reading him so well. "Listen Yama we,"

"No don't bother lying, I already know. We're going to loose aren't we, Natsuko will win and the wolves will be set back because of me...

"Yama." Lindsey pleaded trying to calm the teen.

"...our chance at fame will be gone, and its all my-"

"Yamato Ishida shut the hell up before I slap you!"

Instantly the worry that had crept into Yamato's face  drained away and was replaced with a look of utter shock.

"Wha, wha what?"

"Damnit Yamato get a grip you bloody git! This is no time to be panicking, I promised you and Wolves a victory and I will get you one." :Lindsey rasped out trying to get through to the young blonde that stood before him. Suddenly Yamato smiled, fully believing every word Lindsey spoke, in that instant Lindsey saw the part of Yamato that no one ever saw, the shy, self-conscious youth, still trying to find himself. Allowing the moment to seize control Lindsey leaned in and gently placed a kiss on Yamato's lips, almost immediately the blonde responded.

With a sigh of content Yamato allowed entrance to Lindsey's invading tongue, quickly meeting his own in a wild dance that brought a surge of energy that swept over his every being, leaving him light-headed and wanting more. Reaching up he tangled his fingers into Lindsey's gorgeously silky hair pressing their bodies closer he could feel the heat of Lindsey's arousal pressing into him exciting him further. Suddenly Lindsey pulled away and Yamato was left feeling cold and incomplete.

"We, we cant do this..."

"Why not?!"

"At least not yet anyway," Lindsey panted trying to regain his breathe "not until we win the case, and your a legal adult."

"Hmm, until then we'll have to keep it quite then." Yamato began, reaching out and placing feather light kisses along Lindsey's neck eliciting a moan of pleasure form the older man.

"Yamato" Lindsey groaned out.

"Yama, not Yamato." Yamato responded nipping him gently in the neck.

"Not here, mmm and not now."

"And why not?" he asked innocently pushing Lindsey towards the nearby sofa. "I'd say your ready," Yamato whispered throatily placing his hand gently over Lindsey's crotch, he began massaging him through the soft fabric of his trousers.

"Because," Lindsey began, removing Yamato's hand from his groin, "if Lilah head about this she'd feed me my dick and my career on a stick."

With a tremendous amount of effort Yamato pulled away allowing Lindsey to regain his composure. "I see" he began, turning and heading to the door adding an extra swing to his walk, "stop by my room then when you the arrangements for the hearing set up. We'll celebrate." He knew he'd gotten Lindsey's attention even before he felt himself whirled around and carried towards the bedroom.

"Uh sorry Takeru if your looking for Hikari she's not here." Taichi stuttered apologetically.

"Um actually I came to visit you." Takeru stated an edge of steel and ice creeping into his voice. He'd obviously had some trouble bringing himself here and was struggling to keep from bolting immediately. Rubbing his sore forehead Taichi moved aside so that Takeru could enter. Shutting the door behind him. Turning Taichi was greeted with a younger version of Yamato, Takeru was a spitting image of Yamato at that age, minus the Tupperware hat and surfer garb of course, and at that moment Takeru's usually warm blue eyes had turned to an icy pale blue, lending a hardness to Takeru that didn't exist.

"What's with the tough guy act Takeru?" Taichi asked sardonically. The cool look he received in turn would have warned him he was treading on thin ice, had it been a different blonde standing  there before him.

"Yamato arrived today." Takeru stated flatly.

"And your telling me this because?" he responded flippantly, throwing himself down on the sofa, grabbing the remote he began to surf through the channels trying in vain to find another showing of the game he had missed when the TV. suddenly went blank. "What the!" he exclaimed jumping to his feet.

"Sorry but we really do need to talk Taichi," Takeru said holding the television cable in his hand.

"Damnit Takeru I don't care if your dating my little sister I am so gonna kill you if you don't plug that damn TV. back in!" Taichi exclaimed taking a menacing step towards the younger boy.

"Um, no."

"What did you say?" Taichi asked stopping short, utterly and completely confused by Takeru's unusual behavior. Rolling his eyes in exasperation Takeru began.

"Listen Taichi, I'll keep it short and simple for you. Yamato came back today, Yamato, not my onichan mind you."

Taichi had been intent on grabbing a soda from the fridge and ignoring Takeru's ranting, but something in the younger boy's voice made him stop and turn back to face him.

"What do you mean 'Yamato, not your onichan'?" Taichi inquired curiously "Yamato is your onichan."

"He's changed Taichi, he's no longer my onichan, he's so cold now, and his lawyer was even more cold."

"Lawyer! Why did Yama, uh Yamato have a lawyer ?" Taichi asked quickly stumbling over his error. Even now he still felt himself getting dizzy at the sound of Yamato's name, a feeling he was not at all proud of. Folding his arms Takeru told of the events that had played out earlier that day leading up to Takeru's arrival at his door.

"Hmm" Taichi murmured once Takeru had finished, completely shocked at his former best friend's behavior. "One question, what's emancipation of a minor anyway?" Taichi queried completely befuddled at the possibilities.

Smiling slightly at Taichi's lack of knowledge he briefly explained what it meant.

"Whoa." Was all Taichi could manage. Yamato had flipped. He was trying to cut off all his ties, and Taichi knew exactly why he was doing it too. Biting down on his lip Taichi tried to keep the memories of last year's Christmas from invading his mind. Briefly he closed his eyes as if to shut out the awful intrusion of the memories, opening his eyes again he gazed out into his living room but instead of seeing Takeru he saw himself and Yamato, his Yamato on the couch, Yamato's head resting comfortably in his lap whilst they sat and poked fun at Pokemon. He'd been completely happy then, the sound of Yamato's soft laughter filling his ears. In the kitchen Hikari was busy helping his mother bake cookies while he and his blonde angel managed to polish off platter after platter of them. On the TV. Team Rocket was making an escape with all the toys.

"You know," Yamato began "I wish for once Kojiro at least would get the upper hand over the twerps."

"Huh?" Taichi blinked as Team Rocket was zapped by Pikachu.

"Well yeah, I mean someone with looks like that shouldn't constantly get zapped by that oversized rodent." Yamato responded seriously, gesturing towards the purple-haired member of Team Rocket.

"Hey!" Taichi exclaimed indignantly "You don't think he's better looking than me right?"

"Well…ya gotta love the hair."
"I've got cooler hair than that wimp!"

"But his hair doesn't look like it was shocked by Pikachu, where as yours does." Yamato teased playfully reaching up and twirling a strand of the thick chestnut colored hair around his finger.

"My hair looks like it's been shocked by Pikachu? Well what about yours!" Taichi teased in return playfully messing his friends carefully placed hair. In minuets Taichi had turned it into a bird's nest that resulted in a playful wrestling match allowing the two of them chances to accidentally grope each other. 'Hard to believe a couple hours later Yamato would storm out of my life' he thought sadly. Shaking his head Taichi brought himself back to the present where Takeru stood getting more and  more annoyed at his continued silence.

"You know that really is sad Takeru, but I don't understand why you came here to me, he's not my problem." He knew he was being a cold-hearted prick but at that point he didn't care, he just wanted to forget any of this had ever happened.

"What do you mean its not your concern? Taichi you're the one who caused him to leave, its your fault that this-"

Where do you get off telling me its my fault? You don't even know what happened!" Taichi shouted.

"I would if you told me" Takeru shouted back.

"If you really want to know happened why don't  you go talk to that cold-hearted, egotistical, male-whore of a brother of yours and ask that son of a bitch what the hell happened!" The words where barely out of his mouth when he felt rather than saw  Takeru shove him hard against the wall, banging his head hack into the surface behind him. Just as he realized what had just happened he felt Takeru's fist slam into his cheek, slowly he fell into an ungraceful heap. Clutching his cheek in his hand Taichi gazing up into Takeru's face he saw the complete and utter shock he felt mirrored on Takeru's face. Takeru stood staring at his hand still clenched into a fist as if it had taken on a life of its own.

"Is it okay if I stand or are ya gonna slug me again Mohamed Ali?" he asked uncertainly staggering to his feet.

"I, I'm so sorry Taichi…I didn't"

"It's okay, I guess I deserved that." He admitted grudgingly. For a second Taichi's vision blurred and instead of Takeru stood Yamato fist clenched, tears of anger and betrayal streaming down his face. Blinking his eyes Taichi saw only Takeru "Maybe you where right." Taichi admitted startling Takeru.

"Your agreeing with me?" Takeru asked uncertainly

"Yup, maybe it is partially my fault he left."

"Taichi, I don't know what happened, so I cant say it is all your fault, whatever happened. I'm sorry I accused you."

"It's okay, I guess." Taichi responded hesitantly

"So you'll go and talk to him right?"

"What! I didn't say that!"

"Please Taichi, you're the only left who he might listen to, you've got to talk to him. Please!" Takeru pleaded.

"I can try, I guess" he groaned already beginning to regret his decision "What about body guards, how will I get past them?"

"Somehow I doubt the body guards will be any trouble, though the lawyer might be a little tricky, he's a bit of prick."

"Great, no hell is complete without lawyers." Taichi mumbled

"Taichi seriously, please talk to him, after today I think you the only one who has a chance of getting through to him."

Sighing deeply he spoke the words that would seal his fate "I'll talk to him."

She had spent hours hunting down Daisuke in hopes of hunting down Takeru and finally to her immense relief Hikari finally found Daisuke with Ken. It had taken another two hours to get an understandable answer from Daisuke, it had been pretty sound logic. "When I'm upset I go to the park and play soccer with Tai or Ken, so maybe TP found some of his preppy friends and went to shoot hoops." Ignoring the jibes at her boyfriend Hikari had taken the advice smiled her thanks and left, but to no avail Takeru had not been at the basket ball courts. "I give up!" she finally cried in exasperation and headed towards Takeru's apartment, where she would be staying for the weekend. Walking in Hikari was rewarded with the most aggravating sight ever. Takeru sitting in the living room with Iori watching TV. "Why was it life was always more difficult than it needed to be?' she asked silently storming off to the guest room.

That night after Takeru had left Taichi found himself lying wide awake staring at the ceiling trying in vain to think of ways to avoid a painful confrontation with Yamato. Sighing he rolled onto his stomach and buried his face into his pillow. "Kami-Sama, please don't let me make things worse then they already are." Taichi prayed, receiving no sign that his prayer would be answered he gave himself up to a long night of tossing and turning.

~Okay I'll be back with the next chapter soon, please review and tell me what you think, so I'll know whether or not to actually write the next chapter. Sorry this chapter took so long to write but I've been busy last week of school and all. Merry X-Mas