Remember all that stuff I said at the beginning of the first chapter? The stuff about me not owning anything and my state of poverty? Still applies. No changes. Especially not the poor thing. Definitely not that. Anyway, here it is, as requested. PLEASE REVIEW! Thanx.
P.S. TK and Kari are both seventeen in this. Young? Maybe. Legal? In Japan they are. Legal consent…13. So, please, no lawyers.
Chapter 2
Kari.
I woke up with a feeling of total contentment from falling asleep in the arms of the man I love. I don't see the point of hiding my feelings from myself anymore. Falling asleep with TK was one of the best experiences of my life. I lazily look over at TK and realize with a start that his eyes are open and he's looking at me.
"Good morning, Angel," he whispers. There is a sensuality and intensity in his voice that sends a shiver up my spine. "Did you sleep well?"
"Very," I reply, trying to keep cool as his hands begin to gently slid up and down my body. God, but that feels so good. "What time is it?"
"Eleven-thirtyish," he replies after glancing at the clock. "Why, got a hot date?" I can't hold back the grin as he teases me still. I decided to tease right back.
"Actually, I do. There's this great looking guy who was going to take me out to lunch." I'm startled when a look of fear and dejection crosses his face. Doesn't he have any money, or something?
TK.
God, just waking up with her body in my arms is like heaven. Last night was so much fun, just lying in bed and kissing and talking. I know that most boys my age would only think of one thing if they were in bed with an incredibly beautiful woman, but I didn't think of sex once. Okay, maybe once or twice, but definitely not that night. I don't care how deep our feelings might actually run, just jumping each other wouldn't be right.
I woke up before her, so I just spend the time memorizing her features. Her face is a work of beauty; art in life. I'm honestly not sure how long I just watched her sleep, but soon she woke up. I couldn't help teasing with her, so when our eyes meet, I make my voice as low and sensual as I can and begin to work my fingers along her back, something I used to do anyway. Of course, we weren't sleeping in the same bed before.
She asks me the time and I can't help but tease her about it, but her answer shatters my heart. She already has a date. I try and muster my courage and try to be happy for her, I mean, we are friends, right?
"Huh, good for you." I start to get out of bed and grab my bag to go change. "I guess I'll go so you can get ready. I hope it goes well." Actually, I hope he spontaneously bursts into flames and dies just before reaching the restaurant, but that isn't the kind of thing you say.
Kari.
What the hell is he doing? I'm teasing him and all of a sudden, he's…oh God, he thinks I was serious. I have to stop him, I can't just let this relationship die before it's begun.
"TK, wait, don't go. Come back here and sit down." He's reluctant, but he's never been able to refuse me anything before.
"Aren't you going to be late for your date?" God, he's actually concerned about me. I can hear it in his voice. He thinks that he's going to lose me to some other guy, and he's worried that I won't be there on time. He is such a keeper.
"How can I be late, when my date is sitting next to me? TK, I'm going out with you. Why would you think otherwise?" He's hesitant, I can tell. He hates talking about how he feels, he doesn't want to burden others with his problems, even thought he doesn't mind being burdened with the problems of others. I'll be damned if I even give him that choice.
"Last night, I mean, you were kind of hesitant to start a relationship and all, and I mean it was kind of sudden and all."
"TK, I don't want to start anything serious now, while you're living with me. I want to start going out with you, but I don't want to do it now, just so that when my parents get back we have to start saying goodbye every night. Besides, don't you think I would have mentioned if I had a date, BEFORE we feel into bed with each other?" Somewhere in the back of my head, a little voice is reminding me of how cute he looks when he's blushing.
TK.
Of course, now I feel really dumb. We've been best friends for the last ten years, of course she would have mentioned if she had a date. I'm amazed at how much stupidity one person can carry around in their heads sometimes.
"I'm sorry," I reply. "I just, I don't know, I guess I was just worried."
"Well, stop worrying and start kissing," she smiles. I think I can do that. I lean down and suddenly realize two things. First, we're both still in night clothes. Second, I have an uninterrupted view of her cleavage. I hurriedly look away, but not before I see enough to start the hormones flowing. You know, anything. Kari blushes as well and moves her hands to the sheets. Then they suddenly stop and move to take my right hand. She gently takes my hand and puts it on her right breast. Oh, GOD, I am in heaven right now. She keeps one hand covering the one I have on her breast and uses the other to cup my face for the kiss; a soul-searing, linoleum-pealing, roof-exploding, passionate kiss. Oh. My. God!
Kari.
Every fiber of my being is screaming about how right this feels. I know that we shouldn't be doing this, but I'll be damned if I care at the moment. Fortunately for both of us, TK cares enough. He pulls back from the kiss and removes his hand, albeit reluctantly.
"Angel, we can't do this right now. Later, maybe, but right now we've got to live together for a few days. I love you, but the idea of making out like this before our first date frightens me. My feelings for you frighten me. Every time I see you, it's like everything vanishes and all that's left is you. I don't want to screw anything up and lose you." His words go right to my heart. I know he's right, but damn it, I want us to be that close. I let out a light laugh as the situation finally dawns on me.
"Share," he whispers in my ear.
"I was just thinking about how our positions suddenly got reversed," I laughed, a hollow, bitter laugh. "Last night, I was the one preaching restraint and caution while you were the one trying to get into my pants."
"I was not," he counters, his voice flat and even.
"You were too," I smile. "Face it, Takeru, you were trying to get into my pants." He just shrugs.
"Believe what you want, but I was not trying to get into your pants. If I was, I'd have gotten in them." His grin is confident and playful. I can't help but smile. He managed to defuse the tensions between us for the moment, and I'm grateful.
TK.
I'm glad I got her to smile again. It was really hard, admitting the depths of my feelings, but she had to know so we could pull back. This isn't a fling for either of us. We want this to work and jumping each other right now is going to bring about very bad consequences. Still, stopping was probably one of the hardest things I've ever done. I finally convince my arms and legs that getting up will be a good thing in the long run and maneuver myself out of the bed.
"I'm going to go get dressed. Why don't we go hit the mall for a couple of hours?" Maybe in public we can cool our hormones.
"Sounds like a good idea," she replies, getting up. "Do you want to walk or take the bus?"
"Bus," I decide. "We can always walk back if we want later." She nods and I head for the guest room, hoping that we can make it through the day.
Kari.
I have to admit, today was fun. TK and I spent most of the day wandering around the mall, just looking. We ate at the food court, and generally had a good time. It's nice that nothing has really changed between us. At the moment, we're walking home, through the park like we used to. It's strange, I've never really looked at TK in this light before. I mean, sure he's handsome enough; okay, he's a real looker; alright, he's drop-dead gorgeous. He's very strong, both from our time in the digital world and from his study of the martial arts and his basketball. He's kind, sincere, honest, and courteous, sometimes almost to a fault. He's brave when he has to be, he won't start a fight, but he sure won't back down if a friend is in trouble. Or a total stranger. He's intelligent, much more so than any of the others realize. He devours books like nobody's business, even if he doesn't let others realize it. In a few years he might be able to give Izzy a run for his money. I'm almost sure that he's already surpassed Yolei andis probably about equal to Ken. It's almost frightening, the intensity he's put into improving himself. And I'm starting to think about why.
"TK?" I know that there's a trace of trepidation in my voice, because I know that the answer to this question will either strengthen us or tear us apart before we even begin.
"Yes Angel?" If he senses my discomfort, he doesn't show it.
"I need to know, why did you start to change?"
"How do you mean?" His words are carefully spaced, almost like he's trying to think of a way out of answering the question.
"Since you came back, for the last five years, you've been changing, studying, training your mind and your body; why?" He's silent for a moment and I'm afraid for a moment. We've stopped on a bridge over a small river, and the sun has set.
"You." His voice is so soft, I barely hear him, but I manage to hear enough.
"Me?"
"You. When I was away, you know who I missed most? Not Tai, not Joe, not even my own brother. You. I missed you the most out of everyone. I've always felt drawn to you, much more than others. When I got back, it was all I could do to wait and not run to you screaming with joy. Then I got here, and Davis was all over you, and you weren't exactly pushing him away either. Plus, he wasn't the only one. I mean, even back then you've had guys practically crawling over you. Yet, I was never one of them. As much as I cherished our friendship, for a time I hated it, thinking that it kept you from seeing me as a possible love. Finally, I just accepted that I didn't stand out in that throng of boys. So, I tried to make myself better, so you'd notice me."
TK.
A part of me prepared for her to turn and run, I really don't know why. I had turned away from her and was looking out at the trickling water flowing under the bridge we were on. I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Kari's eyes filling with tears. I started to apologize, but she hushed me, her smile contrasting sharply with her tears.
"But I did notice you. I've always seen you. You're right, I didn't want to ruin our friendship before, but that was because I was scared that you didn't feel the same way I did. I love you, TK, and I don't want to deny it anymore." With that she pulled me down into a kiss, deep and tender, but burning with a passion that I had never felt before.
"Take me home, Takeru," she whispered, he voice echoing through the confines of my heart. All I could do was nod and take her arm, resisting the urge to scream in joy.
"Take me home," she repeated. "I want to be with you tonight." And I knew what she meant. Of course I did, I felt the same thing. Before, neither of us was yet ready for the depth we knew our love was. Last night, we were afraid to let our emotions overtake our judgment and later regret what we did. Tonight though; tonight is about us. No family, no friends, no fears. Just two hearts desperately seeking unity and release.
Kari.
I was scared as we finally reached my apartment. I knew that TK loved me, and I loved him, but I still felt nervous. As we enter the apartment though, it all just washed away. I felt perfectly, calm and I knew instinctively that now was the right time. I took off my shoes and walked into the darkened living room, not even bothering to turn on the lights. The curtains were open and the moonlight poured in, illuminating the room more than enough for the situation. I turned my head slightly as TK walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, nuzzling his head into the crook of my neck.
"There's still time to go back," he whispered.
"I know," I replied, wrapping an arm around his neck, keeping his head in place, and used the other to pull on of his hands down to my right breast. "I believe that this is where we were this morning?" He gently untangled himself from my arms and pulled away to look at me.
"I love you. Today, yesterday and tomorrow. I will still love you a month from now; a year, five, ten, fifty, a hundred. Even after death, I will be there for you, so long as you will have me." His words went strait to my heart, touching me so deeply. With those words we embraced once more and kissed with a passion that I was sure I would be feeling well into the morning. Ever so gently, he picked me up in his arms and carried me back to my bedroom, never breaking the kiss as he went. With the same gentleness, he deposited me on the bed and stood there for a moment, drinking in the sight of me before peeling off his shirt. The rest of the night was paradise.
TK.
For the rest of my life, I will never know how I knew what to do. It's not like I'm a virgin or anything, though a part of me does regret not saving that for her. No, I mean the other times I've had sex it was just that. Sex. There was no love, no passion, just animal-like lust and sex. With Kari it was so different, like my body was finally screaming, 'Yes! This is who it's supposed to be!' Even now, after several hours of glorious, long, passionate, love, she still holds that glow she had at the beginning. I'm just glad I had that many condoms on me. Having a kid with Kari would probably be wonderful, but for now, we would be so dead.
I gently get up as she lies there, sleeping, truly looking like the Angel I call her. I softly pull on my boxers and pad over to where I hid my sketchbook and pencils. I gently ease them out, trying desperately to not make any noise.
"TK?" Apparently, it didn't work. I turn back to her, momentarily forgetting what I'm holding. "TK, what is it? What's that in your hand?" Shit. I gently walk back over to the bed, realizing that hiding something like this from her would be really wrong, especially now. I hand her the sketchbook and motion for her to open it. She flips through it for several minutes, not saying anything. Finally, she closes the book and stares down at it for a moment.
"They're beautiful," she finally whispers. Her remark flusters me slightly. I was expecting her to be angry at me for drawing her without her permission or something. I'm so caught off guard that I say the first thing that comes to mind.
"The subject is beautiful. I simply try to do her justice." She blushes slightly.
"How long have you been drawing me?"
"Almost two years now. Since I finally admitted to myself that I loved you."
"Why didn't you show me before?"
"I was afraid what you would say. I was afraid that you'd think I was some kind of pervert or creep, drawing women in their sleep."
"Why did you just draw me when I slept? I mean, we've had sleepovers enough, sure, but why not other times?" The one question I didn't want her to ask.
"Actually, there are more. Another three books full."
"Of me?"
"Not just you. There are some of the others, one or two of mom, the digimon. You're just the only one I've ever shown them to. And you are the most featured subject. But, I still prefer the drawings of you asleep. I have more time to study you and get it just right. And when you're asleep, all the innocence I know rests in you shines through. I'm just lucky enough to be able to capture it." She doesn't say a thing, she simply pulls me down into another kiss.
"I love you, Takeru."
"I love you, Kari."
Kari.
The last two days have been like magic. Takeru and I are together now, like I always dreamed of. We went out to dinner with Matt and Sora last night and they were thrilled for us. I only hope that the others are as understanding and accepting. I'm still scared about telling Tai. He and I have always been so close, yet I never told him about my feelings for Takeru. Still, I hope he'll be happy for me. They're supposed to come back some time tomorrow, so Takeru's going to have to sleep in the guest bedroom tonight. Guess there's a first time for everything, huh? Right now, he's still asleep in my room, after another afternoon indoors. It's amazing, being with him. I'm so giddy, full of life. I can't stand still. I move around the apartment, wearing only the button up shirt Takeru had been wearing earlier. I finally manage to make myself sit down on the couch and turn on the TV, trying to find something good on TV. Unfortunately, that's how my parents, Tai, and his girlfriend Megumi found me about an hour later, when they came home early.