Wednesday, December 25th
TK fell forward onto Kari's sweat-soaked body with a choked cry as he finally climaxed. Kari instinctively wrapped her arms around him and the two lay like that for several moments, reveling in the afterglow of some intense but meaningful love-making. Kari looked at the clock and nudged TK.
"Takeru, we need to get up."
"I'm just comfortable where I am," he mumbled in reply.
"Takeru, the party starts in three hours," Kari giggled.
"Plenty of time."
"We need to get clean and we agreed to help Matt and Sora set up, since they were nice enough to host this year."
"I don't feel like moving just yet." Kari giggled again as she decided which direction their game was going to go this time. It was almost a ritual between them by now, ever since they started sharing a bed. Takeru was naturally a lazy person who enjoyed nothing more than lying in bed until the last moment, especially with her in his arms. She, by contrast, was a natural motivator, always ready to move on to the next thing on the list. Not that she didn't enjoy lying in bed with Takeru, but when she was motivated she needed to move. They had set up this routine where he would try to convince her to stay, while she would convince him to go. Today's was running along fairly standard lines.
"Takeru," she whispered in his ear. "It's the Christmas party. All of our friends will be there. Plenty of food, music, weren't you and Matt going to play together tonight?" She began to slowly and deliberately run her hands through his matted hair, knowing that it would distract him.
"Yes," Takeru admitted, enjoying the feel of her hands in his hair. "But I also want to just lie in your arms for the moment. All else will come when it comes." He began to slowly emphasize his words by nipping her shoulders and gently drawing little patterns on her sides. Nothing that could arouse her, but enough to try and make her more lethargic.
"But there will be plenty of mistletoe," she pointed out, continuing her assault on his hair.
"And I can't kiss you like I want to there, anyway," TK countered, increasing the speed and altering the patterns he was making.
"Ta…Takeru," she moaned "if we don't get going soon, than we won't have time to shower and we'll have to go to the party all sweaty and smelly."
"We can just take a quick shower," he insisted. "That would still give us time to get there."
"But our showers are never quick," Kari gasped as TK gently nibbled on her earlobe. Her resolve was quickly weakening and the idea of staying where they were was becoming very tempting.
"Alright," TK sighed dramatically, gently disengaging himself from Kari. "I guess we should go make ourselves presentable." He rose from the bed and walked over to the door that led from their room to the bathroom. "I'll shower first," he called over his shoulder as he closed the door. Kari lay in bed for a moment, wondering if TK knew exactly how close she had been to giving up. In the same moment, she decided that of course he had. With that, she rose from the bed and made her way to the bathroom. Showering first, for them, meant having a five minute head-start before the other joined them. It was the way they were and Kari could not imagine another way of life.
"Merry Christmas!" Cody called to everyone in the apartment as he came in, weighed down with gifts. The digidestined Christmas party was in full swing, with everyone arriving as they could. The only person they were waiting for now was Davis, who was running later than usual. The group moved around, conversations starting, changing and ending as they all moved about amongst their friends. TK and Kari stayed latched to each other, hands intertwined. They both still unconsciously glowed from their love-making earlier. Everyone had noticed at one point or another, but no one commented on it. Even Tai refrained from ribbing his sister and her lover, trying to stay in the spirit of the holidays.
Davis finally arrived an hour after the party started, panting.
"Sorry," he gasped as he pulled off his coat. "It's starting to get nasty out there."
"So where were you?" TK asked, handing him a bottle of beer, one eyebrow raised in inquiry. Davis blushed as he took the bottle and TK let the matter drop with a simple, "Oh."
"Well, now that everyone's here, what's this big surprise you wanted to share with us, Izzy?" Matt asked. Izzy grinned and pulled out his laptop, typed a few commands and held in out so that the screen was facing away from him. The computer beeped once and a flash of light enveloped the room. When it died, their digimon stood in the middle of the room.
"Agumon!"
"Tai!" The little orange dinosaur jumped into Tai's arms as the rest of the digidestined reunited with their digimon.
"Gennai and I have been communicating," Izzy explained. "We decided that the digital world would be fine for a few days and that our friends needed a vacation."
"So here we are!" Patamon chirped from his place atop TK's head.
"It shounded like a great idea, trying to spend Christmas with you guys," Tentomon agreed as he hovered near Izzy.
"But, we don't have enough food for you guys," Sora apologized.
"Oh, we'll be fine," Biyomon assured her, hugging her. "We've been working on our strength. Now, most of us can permanently stay in our Champion forms, like Gatomon. By coming here in rookie level, we conserve our energy."
"I'm not even that hungry right now," Veemon spoke up from his spot on Davis' lap on the couch.
"Well, that is something," Matt laughed. "Now, let's get some food and start opening presents." The humans made their way to the kitchen and began to heap piles of food onto their plates and came back out into the living room and settled wherever they could find room. It had become a custom among them to get food and presents out of the way early, so they could move on to just spending time together.
"Alright, who's starting?" Sora asked as she sat down last, sitting between Matt and Davis on the couch, their digimon in front of them. TK and Kari sat together with Patamon and Gatomon next to the couch with TK leaning against it and Kari leaning against him. Gatomon and Patamon sat next to them. Mimi sat on the floor next to the tree, with Michael next to her and Palmon and Betamon sitting in front of them. Izzy sat next to her with Tentomon alternating between sitting in front of him and hovering over his head. Than came Joe and Gommamon, next Tai sat in the recliner with Agumon lying against his legs. Ken sat against the wall by the door to the porch with Yolei next to him. Cody sat between Ken and Tai, with his plate resting on Armadillomon's back.
"Cody's youngest," TK suggested. "Why doesn't he start?" Cody nodded and looked over the mound of presents for one with his name on it.
"Here's one from Ken," Cody decided. He retrieved the package and ripped apart the wrapping paper. Inside was a book on Tai Chi. He looked over to Ken, who shrugged.
"You mentioned you were interested in the form," Ken explained
"And I am, thank you," Cody replied, setting the book down. "Who's next?"
"I say TK gives Kari her present," Tai called. TK didn't even remove his arms from around Kari's shoulders as he gave Tai the finger.
"I have to say, I'm with Tai," Matt spoke up. The others began to rapidly agree and Davis moved from the couch to look through the pile of presents. He looked up after a moment, confused.
"It's not here. Did you forget it at the apartment?"
"No, I know exactly where it is," TK replied. "I'm just not giving it to her yet. Why don't you give her yours?"
"You're not going to be fun about this, are you?" Davis sighed. "Alright, Merry Christmas Kari." He handed her his present and sat back down on the couch as she opened it. Inside the box was a DVD of Princess Mononoke.
"I love this movie," Kari exclaimed. "Thank you, Davis."
"Here bro," TK called as he tossed Matt a package. "From me and Kari to you and Sora." Matt grabbed the present and looked at Sora, who shrugged. Together, they opened the box to find an envelope. Matt quirked and eyebrow and opened the envelope and read the piece of paper inside. Then he reread it.
"What's it say?" Sora asked. Silently, Matt handed Sora the note and stared at TK. Sora took the note and read it aloud.
"Dear Matt and Sora,
"I have to say that the thought of you two finally getting married is kind of strange, but I'm really happy for the both of you. As a kind of thanks for both of you always being there for me and Kari…" Sora trailed off as she read the rest of the letter.
"What's it say?" Tai demanded. Davis took the letter from Sora and read it and looked at TK in surprise.
"You're sending them to Jamaica?" he demanded. TK shrugged and nodded.
"Thanks, bro, but you don't have to do this," Matt protested.
"Well, considering everything is paid for and ready, I think I do," TK countered, grinning.
"TK, you don't have this kind of money to spend on us," Sora commented. TK shrugged.
"Alright, spill," Davis finally burst. "You've been spending hours a day working on some super secret project and suddenly you have money to burn? What the hell have you been working on?" TK reached over to the pile of presents and picked up one and tossed it to Davis. Davis stared down at the present for a moment and then looked at TK confused.
"Open it," TK prompted. Davis removed the wrapping to find a hardbound book.
"The Digital Wars by Takeru Takeshi?" Davis demanded. "What the hell? You're an author?"
"I am now," TK replied. The room erupted into cheers of congratulations and back pounding. Kari gave him a deep and loving kiss. When the room settled down, TK began to explain.
"I got the idea that we are kind of well known, but no one really knows the full story of what we did. I figured that a nonfiction book would be out of the question, but a fantasy novel might work. I spent a lot of time and effort into it, and I finally called a publishing company and set and appointment with a half-finished book. When I showed it to them, they thought it was complete and offered me a contract on the spot. When I explained that I hadn't finished it yet, they told me that they would publish it as soon as I was finished writing it."
"But, you were working on that thing two days ago," Davis protested. "There's no way that you could have gotten it published in two days."
"There's also no way that I could fit all of our adventures into a single book," TK countered. "Right now, I'm working on the second book. The first goes on sale in four months. I got early copies for all of you guys."
"Go TK!" Yolei cried.
"I guess writing runs in the blood," Matt grinned as he stood and gave TK a hug.
"Thank you TK." Sora hugged him as well, a small tear forming in one eye. "I'm really proud of you." TK grinned back in reply.
"Does this mean that you can pay more of the rent?" Davis joked.
"Excuse me, but, if you gave all of us copies of your book, than where's your present to Kari?" Cody asked. TK winced and muttered something unflattering about Cody under his breath.
"TK doesn't have to give me anything, Cody," Kari protested.
"Actually, I did get you something," TK replied as he stood, pulling Kari up with him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black box and knelt down on one knee. He opened the box to reveal a glimmering diamond ring.
"Kari Kamiya," he began, "you are the light of my life and I love you. Will you honor me by becoming my wife?" The entire room was silent as all eyes were on Kari. With a low cry she flung herself into TK's arms and kissed him with a fierce passion.
"Yes," she replied as she released him. "But we'll have to put it off for a few months." TK looked at her curiously. "Remember when I went to the doctors, and they couldn't find anything wrong with me?" TK nodded.
"They did find something wrong?" he asked, dreading the possibility.
"They found something very right," she replied, placing his hand on her abdomen. TK stared at her for a moment and then let out a whoop of joy and picked Kari up and spun her around the room.
"Looks like we get to become in-laws and Uncles on the same day!" Matt laughed, and clapped a grinning Tai on the back. Davis let out a yell of joy as the women crowded around Kari and the men pulled TK off to the side and began to congratulate him.
