o.:.o.:.o.:.o.:.o.:.o.:.o.:.o.:.o.:.o

PART VI: LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT

o.:.o.:.o.:.o.:.o.:.o.:.o.:.o.:.o.:.o

Daisuke looked incredulously at Ken. "Where I…what? Ken?"

But Ken was already walking, as if in a trance. He passed row after row of gravestones, stopping at none, looking at none, Daisuke following intently. Then they were on top of a hill, shaded by trees, and Ken had stopped, swaying slightly, in front of a small, plain gravestone, a scattered bundle of nearly-fresh flowers laid forlornly at its foot.

Motomiya Daisuke

1989 – 2003

A loyal and courageous son,

ally, and friend.

"Those are from me," Ken said, pointing at the simple wind-swept blooms, his voice sounding unnaturally high and choked. "I left them two days ago."

"Ken…" Daisuke reached out to touch the other boy's shoulder, letting his fingers slide softly down to cup a chilly hand between his damp palms.

"It's alright. I have the rest of my life to miss you." Ken's voice was still choked, his face ashen. "I never tricked myself into believing you were here to stay."

"I…" The redhead fell silent, feeling Ken's pulse beat softly and strongly through the skin of one thin wrist.

"Shh." Ken turned suddenly, placing two fingers lovingly on Daisuke's lips. "Your Ken can't live without you. Neither can I, but I've had practice." The taller boy's eyes were unnaturally bright, but devoid of all teardrops. "Don't worry about me. I survived before."

"Don't say that," Daisuke said, his voice breaking, eyes heartbroken and face flushed. "What if he doesn't feel the same way? I can't leave you. I won't leave you."

"You must." Ken took Daisuke's elbow, guiding him away from his grave and from the hill entirely.

"I won't do it!" Daisuke shouted, twisting away from Ken's grip. "I love you too much…"

"You're not thinking, Daisuke," Ken said, two high points of color flushing over his cheekbones.

"So what else is new?" The redhead was angry, so angry, at life, at fate, at Ken…then he was crying, face collapsing into tears, hands going immediately to his mouth to stifle the sobs.

"Daisuke-chan…" Ken looked stricken.

"J-Just kiss, me, K-Ken, please, I n-need you…" And they were kissing, deliriously, furiously, clinging to each other as the world threatened to fall in ruins around them.

Then all was silent, and the two boys stood peacefully, arms tightly about each other, in the middle of a cemetery.

"Daisuke, you have to go." Ken spoke softly, gently, head bent and resting delicately on his love's shoulder, one hand tangling in the wayward hair at the back of Daisuke's neck.

"I know."

"Let me say goodbye to you."

"Yes."

"This was what I wanted. What I wished for. To say goodbye, if I couldn't have you back. I didn't get to tell you how much I loved you, how much I'd miss you…The last thing I ever said to you, before the battle, was to ask if you wanted to spend the night…that night. We were so excited…we were going to have so much fun…It never crossed my mind that…that…" Ken fell silent, feeling a deep burning in his eyes from the tears that he was suddenly unable to shed. "We were so excited, Daisuke-chan," he whispered.

Daisuke felt a pang of grief like none he'd ever felt before. He couldn't leave Ken. They loved each other, why wasn't that enough? Why wasn't that enough? Ken was shuddering in his arms, and Daisuke felt a stab of anger alongside the grief. Love should have been enough. They loved each other purely, perfectly, unconditionally…it should have been enough. Destiny was cruel, evil. Daisuke decided, in a moment of grief, anger, and guilt, that he hated fate.

Hated fate but loved Ken.

Daisuke decided without a doubt that he and Ken would love each other no matter what reality he visited. Billions upon billions of possibilities, a string of love tying them all together. And in a rare moment of insight, he had a flash of his Ken, sitting alone in the computer lab, dark circles under his eyes, hands shaking slightly and eyes wide and haunted and worried. Waiting for him to come back. Waiting for his touch, waiting for his smile, waiting for his kiss. Loving him just that much more.

"Ai shiteru, Ken-chan." There was no answer, save the rhythmic and unconscious clasping and unclasping of Ken's hands in his shirt, and the shuddering breaths from the other boy. "I love you. I love you. I love you."

"Ai shiteru," Ken choked out, finally, looking at Daisuke with bright, fevered eyes. "I love you so much it hurts." Ken put a trembling hand to his chest. "But you have to go."

"I know I do." Ken nodded. "Just promise me something."

"What…what is it?"

"T-That you won't die, too soon."

"I'll t-try not t-to." Ken took one last shuddering breath, and was silent, eyes rimmed with red and arms full of Daisuke.

"T-that's all I…I wanted to know, Ken-chan." The redhead bit his lip, taking Ken's hand again and leading him out of the cemetery.

Promise me you won't die too soon.

Promise me.

o.:.o.:.o.:.o.:.o.:.o.:.o.:.o.:.o.:.o

END PART VI: TO BE CONTINUED…

o.:.o.:.o.:.o.:.o.:.o.:.o.:.o.:.o.:.o