"The Dinner Party"

By: Evangeline Henri

Rating: PG-13

Summary: When the digidestined get together to throw a surprise
party for Ken, everything and anything can happen. Various yaoi
pairings abound, including a love triangle between TK, Ken, and
Davis. And with some Taito thrown in there for good luck.

Archives: I'd be honored, just tell me first.

Dedication: To the beautiful island of Saint Croix, AKA paradise.
Thanks for giving me the perfect place in which to write.
And to my grandparents, for the inspiration. And, of
course, to Atalanta de Lioncourt, who always has the time
to boost my ego with her positivity. And to Mrs. Turcio,
who thought I was diligently taking notes in her class,
while I was really editing this.
*****


Chapter One- Chivalry isn't Dead

"Davis, get your hands away from the centerpiece!"
Yolei hissed. She slapped his arm as he reached across the
table. "God, I can't believe I got stuck coming here with you."

Davis shook her off, and slouched back into his chair.
"Well, don't think you were my fist choice, either. Because
you weren't!"

She rolled her eyes. "I don't even know why I let you
talk me into this. I mean, sure, it's a nice idea, but wake up!
The fact that you're here with me will neither make anyone
jealous, nor convince them that I'm actually interested in you."

But Davis had stopped paying attention to her with
the opening of the glass restaurant doors. TK walked in,
Kari meekly clinging to his arm. He was dressed in a suit and
tie, she wearing a flowery pink dress.

As usual, they seemed completely wrapped up in each other's
existence, oblivious to anyone else. The keepers of the crests of hope
and light always created an aura around themselves, encasing them in a
sort of protective bubble. Nothing around them could ever get through
that shield they lived in. It made Davis sick.

Yolei waved them over. "Sit down, no one else's here yet," she
invited. Her tone, however, suggestive something else- "Please save me
from this nightmare! Must... have.. better... company!"

"Hi, guys," said TK. He pulled out the chair for Kari, and she
sat down, blushing. "So, Yolei, did you and Davis come together?"

Davis grabbed Yolei's hand, and glared at TK. "Yes we did, TQ.
Yolei's my date tonight. Isn't that right-" he searched for a pet name,
"lambkins?"

Yolei glared at him, pulling away her hand. "Of course,
mushbrains," she said, her lips drawn back into a painfully thin smile.

Davis looked at the other couple, trying to gauge their
reactions. Kari seemed mildly amused by the whole situation, and smiled
sympathetically at Yolei. A strange expression passed across TK's face,
and he could have sworn that he saw a twinge of envy. It was gone before
he could be entirely sure, though. "That's nice," TK said hollowly.
"May I take your coat, Kari?"

"Why thank you, TK. How perfectly gentlemanly of you," she
replied with an edge to her tone that was obviously meant for Davis.

Davis snorted at the chivalrous gesture, determined not to let her
bother him. He opened his mouth, perfectly prepared to counter
brilliantly, but Yolei swiftly kicked him under the table. "Ouch!"
he yelped. Not as brilliant as he had hoped.

TK returned, and sat down next to Kari. Davis almost found
his attempts to act unaffected funny, until he realized what they meant.
Why would TK care that he and Yolei were an "item"? Davis caught him
staring once, and met his gaze. TK just blushed, though, and looked
down quickly at his hands.

Kari tried to start a conversation. "Do you think Ken suspected
anything? Davis, this idea of throwing him a surprise party to mark the
end of his first month as a digidestined is really sweet."

He beamed under her compliment. "Really, Kari? It is? I mean,
of course it is! And I just knew you'd like it, you being so sweet
yourself and all. I thought that Ken's come a long way since he was
the Emperor. It couldn't have been easy for him, so I guess he deserved
something for changing."

"I don't think he'll really ever change," Cody said darkly,
suddenly appearing at the table. He slid into a chair. "And I don't
know how you guys can be so naïve to think he's different."

"Hey, watch who you're calling nai- nai- Whatever!" Davis cried.
Trust Cody to try and ruin a party. Honestly, the kid should go on
Prozac, or something. "And Ken has too changed!"

Kari frowned. "Cody, that's not a very nice thing to say.
Especially tonight."

"I'm sorry," he conceded. "But after all the terrible things
the Kaiser did, how can you even consider accepting him as one of us?"

"Cody, I think you're a little confused," TK said. "I agree
when you say that we shouldn't trust the Kaiser. But we're not trusting
him; we're trusting Ken. Ken Ichijouji and the Digimon Kaiser are two
very different people. You can't blame one for the mistakes of the
other."

"Yeah," Yolei chimed in. "That's like blaming me for Davis's
stupidity!"

Davis glared at her, and half of him wanted to say something
back. The other half silenced him, though. It really wasn't worth
ruining the image of he and Yolei as a happy couple. Stick to the
plan, he told his smarting pride, promising to get Yolei back later.
In private.

"Cody. This is a really special night for Ken. Promise to be
civil?" Kari's eyes were kind, but Davis quickly picked up the hardness
that lurked there, too. It was obviously in Cody's best interest to
acquiesce.

"I'll try," he said. Good depressing child. Looking around,
he asked, "Where is everybody? I thought we were all supposed to get
here at seven."

"Oh, they'll be wandering in any minute," said Yolei. "Matt
and Tai volunteered to pick Ken up at 7:15."

"Wait- my brother's driving?" Kari asked, her face paler than
normal.

"Yeah?" Davis shrugged. "Tai's driven me loads of places-
soccer games, the movies, soccer games, the mall. It's always an
adventure!"

Kari shook her head, not convinced. "Poor, poor Ken.
I sure hope they get here in one piece."
*****
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