Chapter two of Yoshiki's gift fic. I hope he doesn't kill me after this.
If I never post again, he did. ^_^ enjoy the show!!!
Iori soon left Koushirou's home and returned to his own, anxious to call Ken to simply hear his voice. He had decided against telling Ken about his feelings or asking Ken if he reciprocated them for a little while yet. He stepped in the door and actually found two awake people, a mini surprise after the last few days. I guess it isn't Grandfather's nap time yet he thought to himself and grinned just a little. He set his shoes neatly by the door and walked into the kitchen to talk to his mum and grab a little snack.
"Hello, Iori, how are you doing today?" His mother asked him while she juggled stirring four pots of what smelled absolutely delicious on the stove. She noticed with the supernatural ability of a parent that Iori was happy, no matter how he tried to hide it.
"I'm doing well, thank you," he said as he tiptoed over the stove to look in the pots.
"You look like it, Iori-chan. What's gotten you so happy today?"
"Nothing really. I guess I just feel really good." He reached over and just beat a playful swat of a spoon to grab a piece of bread from the counter and dashed off to his room, picking up the handset to the phone in the other hand.
He shut the door behind him and roughly plopped on his bed. An odd thought sped through his head. How else have I changed? I never did that before? he grinned and punched Ken's number into the phone and laid back on his bed.
"May I speak to Ken, please?" Iori asked when Ken's mum picked up the phone. "I'm sorry, Iori, he's not home right now. He called as he was leaving school and said something about having to go do some errands before he came home tonight. He didn't say when he'd be back. Can I take a message for you?"
"No thank you, Mrs. Ichijouji. I'll try again later on." Iori clicked the phone off and set it down next to him on the bed. He was a bit saddened at finding out Ken was not at home. But, it wasn't like Ken was supposed to waiting on Iori to call or anything. Iori pushed the sad little thoughts aside and thought about good Ken thoughts. Iori was in the midst of a beautiful reverie when he was brought out of it by his mum's dinner cry.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ On the Streets ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ken slowly walked down the streets after making his one stop. He had told his mum that he had to do a number of errands, but in reality he only had to make one quick trip. He wanted time to himself to sort out the jumble in his head and he wouldn't get it at home. Ken shifted the small bag to his other hand and wiped a bit of sweat from his brow, cursing the incredibly hot spring just a little.
Ken had found his new friendship with Iori to be much more than he'd ever expected. He honestly would have been perfectly happy had Iori simply stopped completely hating him, just a little. He could have been content with the occasional short conversation about a trivial topic. Only in his wildest imagination did he ever think that anything like this would ever happen.
As they grew warmer toward each other over the course of months, he found himself feeling other things about Iori than just friendship. He came to find absolute perfection in every single thing that the younger boy did. The way he would occasionally blow bubbles in his soft drink when they ate, the smiles that Iori granted him the privilege of seeing, the smooth perfection and grace of Iori when he was performing in his kendo tournaments, everything.
When they would go separate ways after their outings he would feel a bit of himself go with Iori. The piece was small at first and continued to grow as time went on. Recently it felt as if Iori was taking a good deal of his heart with him as he headed out of sight. Ken would have given anything to simply walk Iori home, but didn't. He could never really find a reason not to do so, but he didn't.
This feeling of emptiness started to bother Ken about a month or so ago. As his mind discovered the true cause of the feelings it began to bother him more and more. It couldn't be remotely possible for Ken to have any feeling of that sort towards Iori. It just wasn't acceptable. But, he did.
Every morning Ken awoke and cursed himself for feeling this way. He took a shower in an attempt to wash the feelings away, but they were more stubborn than a cherry Kool-aid stain. How could he look at Iori and feel that way? Ken felt as if he were disgracing his friend by the simple existence of the thoughts. It wasn't proper to love one's male friend in that manner, Ken had been told as he had grown up.
Ken had briefly flirted with the idea of asking one of the other Digi- Destined about their opinion on the situation but cast that idea aside almost immediately. It had taken enough to get them to all actually like him and he wasn't about to risk them exiling him over his newfound sexuality. Besides, he had no way to broach the subject at all. He couldn't exactly walk up to Tai or anyone and ask if they'd ever felt more than just friendship to another member of their group. That wouldn't be proper either.
So, Ken had finally come upon a plan to help himself. The whole idea behind it didn't make him feel any better about the situation; in all actuality it made him feel worse than he already did. Ken began talking to Iori just a little less every day, hoping that the less he saw of his friend he would feel less of an attachment to him.
Had Ken asked anyone else in the world about his new plan, he would have been told that it was just about the dumbest thing that they'd ever heard. But, since he didn't, he began to realize that for himself. Instead of having fewer of the feelings toward Iori, he began to have more and more.
The feelings he felt for Iori were the real reason he was out walking the afternoon streets. He knew that Iori would call when he figured that Ken would arrive home from school and he didn't think he could talk to him right now without telling Iori how he felt, and that wouldn't be proper.
Ken sighed deeply and looked at all the traffic moving just a few feet from him. He felt like his life had accelerated as quickly as the cars. He wished that he could just pull over and try to figure things out but knew he could do no such thing. Extra time for introspection might lead to more unwanted discoveries. Ken finally turned onto the street that led to his apartment building and both dreaded coming home and wanting to with all his heart.
He made the walk from the elevator take as long as possible, reaching his door about five minutes later than he should have. He turned the key and walked in.
"Ken, your friend Iori called just a little while ago," Mrs. Ichijouji said while she was setting the table for dinner.
"Ok, thanks," Ken said as he walked past her and back into his bedroom. He sat on his bed and stared at the phone, unsure if he should call or not. He didn't want to not call back, that would again not be proper. Finally he picked up the handset and dialed Iori's number from memory. He and Iori talked for nearly an hour. Ken found himself feeling as light as a feather as he heard Iori recount his day. His voice calmed all the waters in Ken's mind instantly. When they finally hung up Ken instantly felt the piece of himself leave. It's departure was followed by the quick arrival of guilt over the earlier happiness.
No!! this isn't right. I shouldn't feel this way about him. He is my best friend. My *male* best friend, for crying out loud. I should be feeling this way about Kari, or Sora, or even Miyako. Ok, maybe not Miyako, but a girl.
"This isn't working," Ken said to no one as he flopped back on his bed. "How is it remotely possible to talk to him less and love him more? Can someone please explain that to me?"
"Ken, some things can't be explained, you know that," his small green partner said from the top of Ken's bed.
"This life would be so much easier if it could be, you know, Wormmon?"
"Of course it would be. That's why it isn't that way." Ken had no answer for that little comment and laid his hands over his eyes and exhaled slowly. "Maybe what you're feeling is not so bad after all. Have you ever considered that, Ken?" Ken didn't answer again and Wormmon listened as Ken's breaths became longer and deeper, a clear sign he'd gone to sleep.
"I hope you have peace in your dreams, Ken-chan," Wormmon said as he pulled the covers over Ken up to his chin.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Five Days Later ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Iori stood outside the school building and watched the students walk past him. He saw the smiles pasted on many of them and felt just as bad as they felt happy. He'd barely talked to Ken in the last few days because Ken had apparently caught some nasty virus and was too sick to do anything but sleep. Iori sighed as he jumped off the small ledge and headed down the steps and out to the sidewalk.
Iori headed home, briefly considering stopping by Koushirou's to say hello, but he decided to go straight home instead and call to see if Ken was feeling any better. He almost ran the final few blocks due to his longing to hear Ken's voice but barely resisted the urge. Hopefully he's not sleeping still Iori thought as he opened the door and stepped into the Hida household. Thankfully, no one was home this afternoon. It wasn't that Iori didn't want to see his family, no, far from it, but he didn't want to have to deal with any unwanted questions right now.
Iori grabbed the phone on the way back to his bedroom and flopped on his bed. He was about to click it on and phone Ken when it began to ring, nearly making him wet himself out of surprise.
"Hello?" Iori finally said after the fifth ring, the time when he at last got his breathing under control.
"Hey Iori, how are you doing?" Koushirou asked from the other end of the phone. "Not too good, Koushirou. I've only spoken to Ken for about five minutes in the last few days and it's bumming me out."
"Why not? I thought you two were always on the phone, sorta like Sora and Mimi."
Iori smiled at the reference to the two Digi-Destined divas. "We have been, until recently. He's been sick all week he said. His mum said he's hardly left his room since my last kendo tournament."
"Maybe he's caught one of those nasty bugs that are going around."
"I hope not. I'd hate to see him miss this weekend in the digital world. We've all been looking forward to it for so long now."
"I know, Iori, but if he is ill, it would likely be better for him to not come and rest at home instead."
"I know, Koushirou, but I really would like to spend the time with him. I feel emptier than ever now."
"Then I guess that blows any remaining doubt of whether or not you are in love away, huh, Iori-chan?"
"I'd assume you are right, Koushirou."
"Well, I guess I'll let you go so that you can call him and see how he's doing. I just wanted to see how you were doing after our little talk the other day. I was a bit worried when you got here, you know."
"I know Koushirou. I'm sorry to have worried you. I just didn't know what I should do about what I was feeling."
"Don't be sorry, Iori, it wasn't like you really had any idea of what you were going through. You're only ten, remember? You don't have the extra wisdom that we older Digi-Destined have."
"Oh please, Koushirou, you and Yamato make it sound like you all are sooo much older than the rest of us," Iori said through a laugh, his first in about 48 hours.
"Well, we are. Sort of. Anyway, I'll let you go now, Iori. Tell Ken I hope he feels better."
"I will, Koushirou. See you later on." Iori clicked the phone off and took a deep breath. Please be feeling better, Ken-kun. I miss you. he quickly dialed Ken's number and waited. It was finally picked up on the sixth ring.
"Hello, Ichijouji residence?"
"W . . . Wormmon? Is that you?"
"Yes, this is Wormmon. How can I help you?"
"Uh, well, I called to see if Ken was feeling any better."
"Oh, then this must be Iori. Ken is sleeping still. He was up most of the night, purging himself of his tiny dinner."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that Wormmon," Iori said, not wanting to visualize Ken over the porcelain throne, vomiting his innards up. "Tell him that I hope he gets better soon. I'd really like him to come with us to the digital world tomorrow."
"I'll pass your well wishes along, Iori. I'm sure Ken will appreciate them, but I really don't think that he'll be going with you all to the digital world. He's still not anywhere near well enough."
"Thank you, Wormmon. Good bye." Iori clicked the phone off again and lay back completely on his bed and stifled a cry.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ In Ken's Room ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Ken, how much longer are you not going to talk to him? It isn't right, you know? He has feelings too," Wormmon said to a very not-sleeping Ken.
"I know he does, Wormmon, and I hate myself for doing this. It's better this way in the long run. I can't have him finding out the way I feel about him."
"So instead of not telling him, you're not talking to him at all. Oh sure, Ken, I see how that is better in the long run."
"Wormmon, it isn't something I can make you understand. It's just not right."
"Well, not right or whatever, I'm not answering the phone for you again. I can't do it." Wormmon slowly walked out of the room and somehow slammed the door behind him in obvious disgust.
Wow. Ken turned out to be a major ass in that chapter. Why does he have to be so, so, Ken-like??? Why can't he just wear his emotions on his sleeve like the others? Oh, wait, I know. Because then it would be easier for me to write him and that wouldn't be proper. ^_^
There's at least one more chapter to this little thing, so don't fret. Things will work out in the end, or will they??? Tell me what you thought.
energy
Iori soon left Koushirou's home and returned to his own, anxious to call Ken to simply hear his voice. He had decided against telling Ken about his feelings or asking Ken if he reciprocated them for a little while yet. He stepped in the door and actually found two awake people, a mini surprise after the last few days. I guess it isn't Grandfather's nap time yet he thought to himself and grinned just a little. He set his shoes neatly by the door and walked into the kitchen to talk to his mum and grab a little snack.
"Hello, Iori, how are you doing today?" His mother asked him while she juggled stirring four pots of what smelled absolutely delicious on the stove. She noticed with the supernatural ability of a parent that Iori was happy, no matter how he tried to hide it.
"I'm doing well, thank you," he said as he tiptoed over the stove to look in the pots.
"You look like it, Iori-chan. What's gotten you so happy today?"
"Nothing really. I guess I just feel really good." He reached over and just beat a playful swat of a spoon to grab a piece of bread from the counter and dashed off to his room, picking up the handset to the phone in the other hand.
He shut the door behind him and roughly plopped on his bed. An odd thought sped through his head. How else have I changed? I never did that before? he grinned and punched Ken's number into the phone and laid back on his bed.
"May I speak to Ken, please?" Iori asked when Ken's mum picked up the phone. "I'm sorry, Iori, he's not home right now. He called as he was leaving school and said something about having to go do some errands before he came home tonight. He didn't say when he'd be back. Can I take a message for you?"
"No thank you, Mrs. Ichijouji. I'll try again later on." Iori clicked the phone off and set it down next to him on the bed. He was a bit saddened at finding out Ken was not at home. But, it wasn't like Ken was supposed to waiting on Iori to call or anything. Iori pushed the sad little thoughts aside and thought about good Ken thoughts. Iori was in the midst of a beautiful reverie when he was brought out of it by his mum's dinner cry.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ On the Streets ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ken slowly walked down the streets after making his one stop. He had told his mum that he had to do a number of errands, but in reality he only had to make one quick trip. He wanted time to himself to sort out the jumble in his head and he wouldn't get it at home. Ken shifted the small bag to his other hand and wiped a bit of sweat from his brow, cursing the incredibly hot spring just a little.
Ken had found his new friendship with Iori to be much more than he'd ever expected. He honestly would have been perfectly happy had Iori simply stopped completely hating him, just a little. He could have been content with the occasional short conversation about a trivial topic. Only in his wildest imagination did he ever think that anything like this would ever happen.
As they grew warmer toward each other over the course of months, he found himself feeling other things about Iori than just friendship. He came to find absolute perfection in every single thing that the younger boy did. The way he would occasionally blow bubbles in his soft drink when they ate, the smiles that Iori granted him the privilege of seeing, the smooth perfection and grace of Iori when he was performing in his kendo tournaments, everything.
When they would go separate ways after their outings he would feel a bit of himself go with Iori. The piece was small at first and continued to grow as time went on. Recently it felt as if Iori was taking a good deal of his heart with him as he headed out of sight. Ken would have given anything to simply walk Iori home, but didn't. He could never really find a reason not to do so, but he didn't.
This feeling of emptiness started to bother Ken about a month or so ago. As his mind discovered the true cause of the feelings it began to bother him more and more. It couldn't be remotely possible for Ken to have any feeling of that sort towards Iori. It just wasn't acceptable. But, he did.
Every morning Ken awoke and cursed himself for feeling this way. He took a shower in an attempt to wash the feelings away, but they were more stubborn than a cherry Kool-aid stain. How could he look at Iori and feel that way? Ken felt as if he were disgracing his friend by the simple existence of the thoughts. It wasn't proper to love one's male friend in that manner, Ken had been told as he had grown up.
Ken had briefly flirted with the idea of asking one of the other Digi- Destined about their opinion on the situation but cast that idea aside almost immediately. It had taken enough to get them to all actually like him and he wasn't about to risk them exiling him over his newfound sexuality. Besides, he had no way to broach the subject at all. He couldn't exactly walk up to Tai or anyone and ask if they'd ever felt more than just friendship to another member of their group. That wouldn't be proper either.
So, Ken had finally come upon a plan to help himself. The whole idea behind it didn't make him feel any better about the situation; in all actuality it made him feel worse than he already did. Ken began talking to Iori just a little less every day, hoping that the less he saw of his friend he would feel less of an attachment to him.
Had Ken asked anyone else in the world about his new plan, he would have been told that it was just about the dumbest thing that they'd ever heard. But, since he didn't, he began to realize that for himself. Instead of having fewer of the feelings toward Iori, he began to have more and more.
The feelings he felt for Iori were the real reason he was out walking the afternoon streets. He knew that Iori would call when he figured that Ken would arrive home from school and he didn't think he could talk to him right now without telling Iori how he felt, and that wouldn't be proper.
Ken sighed deeply and looked at all the traffic moving just a few feet from him. He felt like his life had accelerated as quickly as the cars. He wished that he could just pull over and try to figure things out but knew he could do no such thing. Extra time for introspection might lead to more unwanted discoveries. Ken finally turned onto the street that led to his apartment building and both dreaded coming home and wanting to with all his heart.
He made the walk from the elevator take as long as possible, reaching his door about five minutes later than he should have. He turned the key and walked in.
"Ken, your friend Iori called just a little while ago," Mrs. Ichijouji said while she was setting the table for dinner.
"Ok, thanks," Ken said as he walked past her and back into his bedroom. He sat on his bed and stared at the phone, unsure if he should call or not. He didn't want to not call back, that would again not be proper. Finally he picked up the handset and dialed Iori's number from memory. He and Iori talked for nearly an hour. Ken found himself feeling as light as a feather as he heard Iori recount his day. His voice calmed all the waters in Ken's mind instantly. When they finally hung up Ken instantly felt the piece of himself leave. It's departure was followed by the quick arrival of guilt over the earlier happiness.
No!! this isn't right. I shouldn't feel this way about him. He is my best friend. My *male* best friend, for crying out loud. I should be feeling this way about Kari, or Sora, or even Miyako. Ok, maybe not Miyako, but a girl.
"This isn't working," Ken said to no one as he flopped back on his bed. "How is it remotely possible to talk to him less and love him more? Can someone please explain that to me?"
"Ken, some things can't be explained, you know that," his small green partner said from the top of Ken's bed.
"This life would be so much easier if it could be, you know, Wormmon?"
"Of course it would be. That's why it isn't that way." Ken had no answer for that little comment and laid his hands over his eyes and exhaled slowly. "Maybe what you're feeling is not so bad after all. Have you ever considered that, Ken?" Ken didn't answer again and Wormmon listened as Ken's breaths became longer and deeper, a clear sign he'd gone to sleep.
"I hope you have peace in your dreams, Ken-chan," Wormmon said as he pulled the covers over Ken up to his chin.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Five Days Later ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Iori stood outside the school building and watched the students walk past him. He saw the smiles pasted on many of them and felt just as bad as they felt happy. He'd barely talked to Ken in the last few days because Ken had apparently caught some nasty virus and was too sick to do anything but sleep. Iori sighed as he jumped off the small ledge and headed down the steps and out to the sidewalk.
Iori headed home, briefly considering stopping by Koushirou's to say hello, but he decided to go straight home instead and call to see if Ken was feeling any better. He almost ran the final few blocks due to his longing to hear Ken's voice but barely resisted the urge. Hopefully he's not sleeping still Iori thought as he opened the door and stepped into the Hida household. Thankfully, no one was home this afternoon. It wasn't that Iori didn't want to see his family, no, far from it, but he didn't want to have to deal with any unwanted questions right now.
Iori grabbed the phone on the way back to his bedroom and flopped on his bed. He was about to click it on and phone Ken when it began to ring, nearly making him wet himself out of surprise.
"Hello?" Iori finally said after the fifth ring, the time when he at last got his breathing under control.
"Hey Iori, how are you doing?" Koushirou asked from the other end of the phone. "Not too good, Koushirou. I've only spoken to Ken for about five minutes in the last few days and it's bumming me out."
"Why not? I thought you two were always on the phone, sorta like Sora and Mimi."
Iori smiled at the reference to the two Digi-Destined divas. "We have been, until recently. He's been sick all week he said. His mum said he's hardly left his room since my last kendo tournament."
"Maybe he's caught one of those nasty bugs that are going around."
"I hope not. I'd hate to see him miss this weekend in the digital world. We've all been looking forward to it for so long now."
"I know, Iori, but if he is ill, it would likely be better for him to not come and rest at home instead."
"I know, Koushirou, but I really would like to spend the time with him. I feel emptier than ever now."
"Then I guess that blows any remaining doubt of whether or not you are in love away, huh, Iori-chan?"
"I'd assume you are right, Koushirou."
"Well, I guess I'll let you go so that you can call him and see how he's doing. I just wanted to see how you were doing after our little talk the other day. I was a bit worried when you got here, you know."
"I know Koushirou. I'm sorry to have worried you. I just didn't know what I should do about what I was feeling."
"Don't be sorry, Iori, it wasn't like you really had any idea of what you were going through. You're only ten, remember? You don't have the extra wisdom that we older Digi-Destined have."
"Oh please, Koushirou, you and Yamato make it sound like you all are sooo much older than the rest of us," Iori said through a laugh, his first in about 48 hours.
"Well, we are. Sort of. Anyway, I'll let you go now, Iori. Tell Ken I hope he feels better."
"I will, Koushirou. See you later on." Iori clicked the phone off and took a deep breath. Please be feeling better, Ken-kun. I miss you. he quickly dialed Ken's number and waited. It was finally picked up on the sixth ring.
"Hello, Ichijouji residence?"
"W . . . Wormmon? Is that you?"
"Yes, this is Wormmon. How can I help you?"
"Uh, well, I called to see if Ken was feeling any better."
"Oh, then this must be Iori. Ken is sleeping still. He was up most of the night, purging himself of his tiny dinner."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that Wormmon," Iori said, not wanting to visualize Ken over the porcelain throne, vomiting his innards up. "Tell him that I hope he gets better soon. I'd really like him to come with us to the digital world tomorrow."
"I'll pass your well wishes along, Iori. I'm sure Ken will appreciate them, but I really don't think that he'll be going with you all to the digital world. He's still not anywhere near well enough."
"Thank you, Wormmon. Good bye." Iori clicked the phone off again and lay back completely on his bed and stifled a cry.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ In Ken's Room ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Ken, how much longer are you not going to talk to him? It isn't right, you know? He has feelings too," Wormmon said to a very not-sleeping Ken.
"I know he does, Wormmon, and I hate myself for doing this. It's better this way in the long run. I can't have him finding out the way I feel about him."
"So instead of not telling him, you're not talking to him at all. Oh sure, Ken, I see how that is better in the long run."
"Wormmon, it isn't something I can make you understand. It's just not right."
"Well, not right or whatever, I'm not answering the phone for you again. I can't do it." Wormmon slowly walked out of the room and somehow slammed the door behind him in obvious disgust.
Wow. Ken turned out to be a major ass in that chapter. Why does he have to be so, so, Ken-like??? Why can't he just wear his emotions on his sleeve like the others? Oh, wait, I know. Because then it would be easier for me to write him and that wouldn't be proper. ^_^
There's at least one more chapter to this little thing, so don't fret. Things will work out in the end, or will they??? Tell me what you thought.
energy