Healing the Hurt: Chapter 5
Onwards!
Ken regarded the remains of his fortress calmly. It had been gutted by a huge fire, one that Magnamon had thoroughly enjoyed setting after Ken had presented the power source to his love. All around its shell, dazed, newly-freed digimon wandered away. And Chimeramon, who had never been a real digimon in the first place, was easily dissolved by the same computer that created it.
"And all the control spires are out of commission, right Ken?"
He scratched Wormmon behind the ears, and answered Davis' question. "Yes. But I suggest you digidestined destroy the remaining ones anyway, in case some evil person or thing can find a use for them."
"'You' digidestined?" Davis kissed Ken's cheek, grinning at the resultant blush. "You're one of us, Ken. Part of our team!"
"I doubt all your friends will feel the same."
Rolling his eyes, Davis said, "Look, babe, it might take them a while, but they'll be your friends too."
"Friends." Ken smiled. "Except Wormmon, I've never had any friends before. Not real friends. Do you think they might really want me around?"
"Hell yeah. Now c'mon, we should get out of this place."
Wormmon asked, "Where could we go?"
"Well we'll go and meet my friends, of course!"
Ken looked away. "Uh… Davis… do we have to do that right away? I must admit I'm nervous about their reactions."
"Oh. Okay, sure! Well… maybe we should go home. I know your parents are worried about you."
A delicate blush spread over Ken's cheekbones. "Uh… this might sound a little weird, but… could I stay at your place tonight? It's just that I- well- I don't want to be far from you."
"Of course you can! It'll be great." Davis kissed Ken's cheek again, chuckling. "But no funny stuff, okay? I'll be too sore for a while yet."
Amazed at his own boldness, Ken breathed, "I'm not." He looked at Davis over his shoulder.
Davis gulped.
Ken smiled. "It's alright, love; I was mostly kidding." He flirted his lashes. "You haven't even kissed me yet, anyway."
"That can be remedied." Davis tipped Ken's face towards him, and lightly, ever so lightly, nipped the tip of his nose.
Ken yelped, pulling back. "You're… strange, Davis!"
"C'mon, let's go," Davis grinned.
Ken smiled at the two baby digimon curling up together on the foot of his pallet. Leafmon's head was tucked over Demiveemon's head, making the lizard digimon snort and snore in his sleep. They were utterly adorable.
"Aren't they cute?"
He looked at Davis, where the other boy was hanging off the edge of his bed. Red-brown eyes sparkled in quiet contentment. "Yeah," Ken whispered in return. "Yeah, they are."
"Ken?"
"Mph?"
"I'm glad you're better now."
"So am I." He smiled happily at his love. "Davis?"
"Mph?"
"Did you know that you're beautiful?"
Davis chuckled. "Don't be silly. I'm nothing special. You're the beautiful one, Ken."
"I mean it." Ken smiled sleepily. "In this light, your hair seems to glow. When your eyes are all drowsy with sleep they're the most sensual thing I've ever seen. Your mouth is just perfect… made for kissing…"
Eyes sparkling with tears, Davis opened his mouth to reply… and saw that, on that note, Ken had slipped into a secretly-smiling sleep.
Matt pushed himself up off Tai's chest, grinning sexily down at his beloved. "Good morning."
All Tai could think of was how the sunlight gleaming through Matt's golden hair turned it into a halo. His angel, his own private angel… "Good morning." He lazily traced a hand along Matt's side, sliding it up under the loose shirt.
"We have company, you know."
Tai raised his voice. "Good morning."
Across the campfire, Izzy yawned. "Good morning. And leave it till the sun goes down, huh?"
"… don't want to."
Joe was still snoring. Loudly.
"Oh my god- what- ?" choked a stunned TK. "Matt? What are you doing to Tai?!?"
"Tai! What's going on?" Kari demanded.
"Oh, crap," murmured Matt.
Tai sat up, pulling his lover down onto his lap. "This," he announced proudly. He gave Matt a loving kiss. Then looked back up at their siblings, confidant expression underwritten by badly-concealed nerves. "I'm in love with Matt."
"… and I love Tai."
TK raked a hand through his hair, accidentally knocking off his floppy hat. "I- uh… oh geez."
"Love? Really?" Kari asked softly. And smiled. "Good. I'm glad you two finally figured it out."
"Finally? What?" blinked Tai.
Kari smiled. "Five years worth of gropefests should have tipped just about anybody off. I've been expecting this for some time." She tucked dark hair back behind an ear. "And I figured, the longer it takes, the more tension will build, the better the- uh-"
Everyone in the clearing blushed beet-red.
"So how is it?" TK blushed.
Matt rolled his eyes. "You automatically assume we've done it, TK!"
"Uh- haven't you?"
The blond snuggled defensively into Tai's chest. "Not quite," he admitted. "Hey, so, what's going on? Did you kick some Kaizer ass?"
Hung heads told the tale. TK spat, "He's created a digimon. A horrific thing called Chimeramon. It's far too strong for us; we can't hope to defeat it!"
"I don't know how we're going to get Davis back," Kari whispered. "I'm worried about him. He might be a loudmouth sometimes, and too persistent for his own good, but he's basically a nice guy…"
TK took her hand, nodding solemnly.
"And what if he's hurt? He probably is. He's probably trapped in some horrible dark place, tortured half to death. And Veemon too." She lowered her head. "I hate that we can't help him."
"Hey dudes! What's happening?"
Every head in the camp snapped towards the source of the voice.
Tall, cinnamon-haired, red-brown eyes, goggles, irrepressible grin. Leaning on the arm of tall, slender, shy, raven-haired. Rookie digimon at their feet.
"Davis!" cried Kari- then stopped cold. "Ken," she whispered.
Ken flinched hard, turning to Davis with pained eyes. "Maybe I should go," he murmured. "Let you talk to your friends alone."
"No." Davis tightened his grip on Ken's arm. Looked at the others. "Please. Ken is not the Kaizer any more. That part of him is gone. Last night we undid as much of the Kaizer's work as we could. Now he just wants to take his place as a digidestined."
Eyes narrowing, arms folded, TK spoke. "Let him speak for himself, Davis."
Ken glanced at Davis again, seeking reassurance. He received it as a squeeze of the hand, and, swallowing, stepped forward.
He took a deep breath to steel himself, narrow frame tense.
"I don't really know what to say to you all." Ken raked his teeth over his lower lip. "I can't earn your forgiveness with words. I know it doesn't work like that. Over the last few years I've done things… you know the things I've done.
"I could blame it on the darkness that infected me. That would be the coward's way out." He glanced back at Davis once. "Because I know that there was- is- something inside me that enjoyed causing pain. That's what I need to atone for. That's the shame that I'll bear with me for my entire life."
Ken heaved a deep sigh. "I've caused such pain to all of you. And… and none of you can understand how much pain I've caused Davis."
As he spoke these words, Davis came up beside him and silently took his hand.
"Davis…" Violet eyes trembled with unshed tears. "Davis has forgiven me." He bowed his head… then looked back up. "I have to- I have to believe that there is something in me that is worth forgiving. That's worth saving!
"I must ask you- no. I must beg you." Squeezing Davis' hand, Ken fell heavily onto his knees. "There might be something worth saving here. Please. Give me this chance. Let me try to be your friend."
There was silence for a long time.
The first to step forward was Matt. He regarded Ken intently… then nodded. "I believe you. Good luck, Ken." He stepped back.
Tai nodded. Twitched a smile. "Took a lot of guts to come out here and say all this, Ken. Good on you."
"Prodigious," Izzy agreed. "Ken… against all logic, I trust you."
Joe snored.
Davis fought not to laugh, but couldn't help it. He burst out into huge guffaws of mirth.
The laughter released some of the tension that had built in the air, and everyone else joined in. It felt good to smile after the last few minutes.
Still smiling, Kari made her decision. "It seems like you've really changed, Ken. I would like to find out if we can be friends."
TK strode over, hair gleaming in the bright morning sunlight. Offered a hand.
Nervously, Ken stared at it. Then accepted, firmly gripping TK's hand.
The young blond pulled Ken abruptly to his feet. "You're one of us, Ken. You were always meant to be. It will take time before we're all fully able to trust you, but I'm sure it will happen." He smiled at Davis. "Hey Davis… you'd go through just about anything to complete your team, wouldn't you?"
Davis grinned, wrapping an arm around Ken's slim shoulders. "You betcha! And hey, would I let someone I care about go that easily?" He smiled into Ken's eyes. "Not likely."
"You done good," TK congratulated, thumping Davis on the back.
No-one was prepared for Davis to scream out and tumble forward onto the ground. Ken gave a concerned cry, dropping to his knees beside his beloved.
The back of Davis' shirt was soaked through with blood.
"What- what happened?" breathed a horrified Kari.
Davis tried to get up, failing miserably. "I- I'll be okay. Doesn't hurt."
"Oh, Davis," Ken sighed lovingly. "So brave. I think we may have to take you to an actual doctor; those bandages aren't nearly enough."
"I'll be fine, Ken!"
"No you won't."
"I will!"
"What happened?" Tai demanded, striding closer.
Ken whirled around, snapping, "I cut half the skin off his back with my whip, dammit! That was right before the second time I-"
"Ken!" protested Davis, grabbing his arm.
"- raped him!"
Silence, again.
Whimpering in pain, Davis sat up, and wrapped his arms around Ken. "You didn't need to say that," he breathed. "You didn't ever need to say that."
Ken was crying softly as he allowed Davis to tuck his face into his neck. "I can't pretend I didn't do it, Davis… oh God I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"It's alright, Ken. It's okay." Davis stroked his hair. "You know I still love you. That's what's important."
"I know." Ken sniffed. "I love you too. Sorry I'm such a crybaby."
Grinning, Davis teased, "Yeah… you should stop being such a wuss, it's a big turn-off."
A voice intruded; Matt's. "You raped Davis?"
And TK: "And you're in love with Ken?"
Davis looked up over Ken's shoulder. "I think those two facts have been made pretty clear. Look, the whole rape thing is over and done with." He kept stroking Ken's hair. "I was very hurt, but I've forgiven Ken, and I don't want to dwell on it. And the whole love thing… well… that part of it is wonderful. I do intend to dwell on that."
More quiet, this time not quite as hostile.
Finally Ken pushed away from Davis, flashing a quick smile at him. "We should get you to a hospital."
"Well," Tai suggested, "If we can wake Joe up, we can get him to take a look. He's in medical school."
"Sure," nodded Davis.. only agreeing because of how light-headed he was feeling.