Good Morning

It was still dark out when Yamato was woken to a banging at his door.  The moon hid behind it's many clouds, preventing any light from reaching the world below and without it the room Yamato laid in was pitch black.  At first, Yamato wasn't sure if he was out of his dreams for everything still felt surreal.  Even the tapping at his door seemed far away but as he felt the lumpy mattress below him and the cold floor that his hand was on he started coming around to the realm of reality. 

            He groaned as he pulled his arm back under his jacket and curled up, now realizing how cold the place was.  He shivered as he heard the banging again.  He sighed and pulled himself to his feet.  He sat up and pulled on his jacket. 

            "One moment."  He said as loud as he could while still being tempted to just fall back to sleep.  He pushed himself to a standing position on the mattress and walked off it and towards the door as the one on the other side of it kept on knocking.  He unlocked it and opened, despite the fact that he was wearing boxers, a baggy white shirt and a jacket. 

            He rubbed his eyes and squinted at the women on the other side of the door.  The women had dark brown hair that was cut shoulder length.  He withered face wore many wrinkles showing her true age. 

            "Hello Mrs. Kelly."  He said as kindly as he could in his tired state. 

            She snorted.  "Don't hello me!"  She said.  She, unfortunately, was Yamato's landlord.  A women that had come from Europe somewhere, he wasn't sure where, and barely could manage the knew language.  "You pay rent!  One week!  Remember!" 

            Yamato rubbed his eyes again and nodded.  "I will, I will.  Don't worry." 

            "Don't worry!?"  She questioned, almost sounding astounded.  "Ha.  I should worry.  Last time you late." 

            Yamato looked at her with raised eyebrows.  "Not to sound rude but… why are you here so early to remind me to pay my rent in a week.  You could have come over any of the 168 hours to remind me." 

            She snorted again.  "'Cause I got back.  Just now.  I went to other city for time, remember!  And I remember now so I tell you now before I forget… or worse… you forget."  With that she snorted again, turned around and started walking down the hall to her room. 

            Yamato sighed and closed his door.  He was about to go and turn on the lights when someone knocked on the door again.  Yamato nearly growled as he debated to just ignore it and let Mrs. Kelly stay out there or to answer for Yamato was sure it would be her.  But instead he used his common sense and turned back around and opened the door expecting to see the little women there again but was surprised when his vision, which was directed at the height of the women's eyes, was squarely met with a bulky chest. 

            A stunned look crossed his face as his vision traveled up to Taichi's smiling face.  Now he was even more confused.  "No offence if you like her or something but… your landlords a bitch.  I heard her bitching you out and she just gave me the evil eye for standing there."

            "Yeah, and, no offence but… why the hell are you here." 

            Taichi's smile grew wider.  "Well, I thought I'd pick you up and give you a ride to school." 

            Taichi waited for the response, expecting something along the lines of 'go to hell' or maybe something more to the traditional sarcasm but he was met with a blank stare that lasted for a moment or two before Yamato said, "There are so many things wrong with what you just said, I'm not even going to start."  With that the blond swung the door closed and turned around to find the light switch. 

            Taichi sighed and opened the door to let himself in.  "What's so wrong with what I said?"  He watched as the blond's hand moved against the wall to find the switch in the dark. 

            As the lights flashed on Yamato turned around and looked at the brunette.  Taichi felt heat rise to his face as Yamato stood pant-less in front of him.  "Mind if I get dressed before answering that 'cause I have a long list."  Taichi nodded as he turned to study the small kitchen to his right. 

Yamato went to a corner on the other side of the room where a small pile of cloths was folded neatly.  He picked up the ones he needed and went to the washroom to change. 

Taichi heard the bathroom door click shut as he walked into the small corner of the house.  Out of habit more then anything, Taichi headed to the fridge.  He hadn't eaten anything yet so thought he could at least grab an apple or something.  He was sure Yamato wouldn't mind.

He pulled open the door and gazed inside.  It looked strangely empty compared to his at home though he understood because his fridge was holding enough food for four, though he could eat like two, and Yamato only had to feed himself. 

Taichi pulled one of two separate compartments open and grabbed an apple out of it.  He shut the fridge and took a bite out of it.  He chewed thoughtfully on it as he gazed around the kitchen.  It was fairly clean in all actuality though, at first glance, it didn't appear to be.  The old cabinets didn't look too sanitary but they were smooth to the touch and didn't have a crumb of left over food on them.  The sink was rusted at the top but if he kept the water low enough it would still be a save place to wash dishes as long as he didn't rest his arms on the top of the sink.  The walls were of wood and the different shades of brown and the cracks made them look as if they could have been full of parasites but at a closer look they seemed to be almost glossy as if recently cleaned. 

The floor on the other hand didn't seem to be too safe.  If he had stepped in the wrong spot he could have very well had a nail go into his foot.  He wanted to fix it though he knew he couldn't right now. 

As he took another bite of the apple, Yamato walked out with his dirty cloths in hand.  His hair was brushed and his face was still wet.  Yamato walked to a box that sat beside the folded cloths and dropped the dirty ones in there before turning to the brunette. 

Yamato glanced around the room before his eyes fell on Taichi.  His eyes narrowed as he glared at the brunette.  "Have you been going through my fridge?"  Taichi was about to Take another bite of his apple before stopping and pulling it away from his mouth.

"Yeah… I just took an apple, I didn't think it'd be a big a deal."  Yamato sighed.

"No.  Of course.  You don't have any idea how much groceries cost… how much that apple costs.  I have ten dollars to my name and that has to last me until I have a new job… that food has to last me until I have a new job." 

Tai looked down at the apple he had in his hand and felt guilty.  "I thought you worked at the Axis."  Yamato sighed as he walked over the Taichi.  He took the apple out of the brunettes hand and put it under the tap in the sink before turning on the cold water. 

"I got fired because I got the blame for your stupid fight the other night."  Now Tai felt really bad. 

"Sorry…" He put his head down but snapped it back up when he thought of something.  "Hey… why don't I pay you twice as much as this apple costs?"  Yamato turned off the water and looked up into the brown eyes that were looking down at him.  "This apple cost about 60 cents, so I'll give you… uh… "

Yama sighed.  "A dollar and twenty cents."

"Yeah that's it.  So how 'bout it?"  The blond thought about it for a moment.  He new it wasn't a lot of money but it was better then nothing and he had borderline nothing.  As long as he knew, in a week, he might have nothing, as reminded Mrs. Kelly.

"How many apples did you eat?"  Yamato asked to show that he agreed with the other's idea as he handed back the apple. 

"Five."  Taichi lied and, even though Yamato knew it was a lie, Yamato nodded and smiled as he gave back the apple. 

"Six dollars, thank you." 

Taichi smiled mischievously.  "I'll give it to you in the car to make sure I didn't drive all this way for nothing."

Yamato frowned and leaned his back against the counter.  "Why are you being so stubborn about it?"  Taichi shrugged but didn't say anything as he took another bite out of the apple and just stared at the blond with smiling eyes.  Yamato waited for a response and hoped that his consistent stare would beckon the brunette to answer but soon realized it wasn't going to work so decided to ask a question he had a better chance on getting the answer too.  "About the car thing… I didn't know you had a car and if you do then why don't you drive yourself to school all the time.  You always walk." 

Taichi swallowed the apple and watched for a moment as a stray hair got into Yamato's eyes and the blond jerked his head to the side to throw the thing back into place.  "I don't have a car."  He finally said.  "But I can drive.  I have my license and not just my beginners.  The only thing is that my dad knows how I drive and won't let me use his van… in fact he's going to be pissed when he finds out it's missing."  Taichi frowned as he thought about what his fathers reaction's going to be like. 

Yamato's eyes narrowed and he raised his voice to chastise the brunette.  "Why the hell did you Take it if you were going to get into trouble?"  He looked out the small window across the room and motioned to it in anger.  "It's still dark out…"

"The sun's coming."

"You have no reason to be here.  You could still be at him asleep."

Tai sighed and leaned his back against the counter like Yamato had done only a moment ago.  "Like I said," he looked back down at the blond as he spoke, "I wanted to help you and I am a good friend.  I know I am and I want to be your friend.  Your home is pretty far from the school so I thought… if I timed it right that I could get to you before you left, which I imagined would be pretty early.  So I decided to maybe pick you up and make friends… no matter how corny that sounds."  Taichi ended with a chuckle.

Yamato sighed and started walking to his jacket that laid on his bed.  "Fine, whatever." 

**

They had left Yamato's too early so Taichi decided to Take them to a fast food restraint, that was open twenty four hours, for breakfast.  Yamato angrily declined until Taichi finally managed to persuade him to go in.  The brunette had promised to pay for it because he didn't want Yamato to spend his money.  The blond felt guilty about it so, in turn, had only ordered the least and less expensive thing.  Taichi had to order a drink for the blond since Yamato didn't. 

They ate moderately quiet, only saying small things every once in a while for most of it.  Both of them seemed to be concentrating on the food in front of them.  Every now and then Taichi would glance at the blond and always frowned when he saw Yamato's muscles were still tensed.  The blond seemed to be constantly on guard.

"You know, you should relax some."  Taichi said.  Yamato jumped a bit and blinked a few times, obviously just being brought out of his thoughts. 

"What?"  He asked as he looked up. 

"I said you should relax.  You're all tensed."  The blond shrugged but didn't reply.  "You don't have to worry, I'm not going to bite."  He joked.  Yamato glared at him to show how much he didn't appreciate the joke.  Now Taichi became uncomfortable and looked away from the blond's icy stare.

"Why are you even bothering with this?  Why spend your time here when you could still be at home?" 

Tai sighed.  "I told you…"

"I know what you said."  The blond said angrily.  He sighed and took all the venom out of his voice.  "But I want to know the truth."

Taichi narrowed his eyes.  "You have a real trust problem, don't you." 

"I don't even know you.  Of course I'm not just going to trust you."  The blond took the last bite of food he needed to Take as Taichi sat back in his chair. 

"My last name is Yagami."  Yamato looked back to the brunette.  "What's yours?"

"Ishida."  Taichi smiled. 

"I have a little sister named Hikari… Every one calls her Kari for short.  I call her Kar, which really pisses her off." 

Yamato sat back, now realizing the game Taichi was playing.  "I have a little brother named Takeru.  Everyone calls him TK, though I call him Teek.  He seemed to prefer it." 

"My shoe size is eleven… and yeah… it's true what they say about guys and big feet." 

Yamato cracked a grin.  "Your gross and my shoe size is eight… by the way, it's not true."  Taichi let out a rich laugh and Yamato couldn't help but smile wider. 

"I'm big on sports though I didn't join the soccer team this year.  I was going to but my dad said, since it's my last year, I should devote my attention to my school work." 

Yamato made a distasted face.  "I hate sports.  Gym class I almost failed, that's how bad I am at them." 

Tai laughed again.  "How could you fail gym?  It's, like, impossible."

Yamato glared lightly.  "I didn't fail it.  I almost did."  His glare faded as he continued.  "It is impossible to fail that class, especially with the gym teacher.  As long as you're in the gym, you pass.  You don't even have to be doing anything."

"Hm…" Taichi thought.  "What else?  Oh, I know!  I like gum." 

Yamato smiled as his eyes softened.  "Who doesn't?" 

"My sister… she's weird.  She says it'll rot my teeth." 

"My brother, when he was young, would always have some kind of gum on him.  My mom didn't like him having it all the time and after the divorce he was lucky to get it once a week." 

A brown eyebrow raised as Taichi crossed his arms.  "Your parents are divorced." 

Yamato's smile faded as his eyes clouded over and he tensed again.  "They were.  They got together again for 'the kids' when really it was just for Teek because I was going to be going away to college in a few years anyways so Teek was the one it would effect." 

Taichi nodded and looked for something to help change the subject.  He glanced at his watch and said, "Hey, why don't we get going now?"  Yamato nodded as he stood up and helped clean up the table.

**

"Really, wow.  I can't cook a thing.  Last time I tried to boil eggs, I burnt them.  The shell was all black." 

Yamato grinned.  "You really must be bad to burn boiled eggs."  Taichi glanced at the blond out of the corner of his eyes to see the other smiling.  Taichi looked forward as he pulled into the school parking lot that was practically empty. 

"You know," Taichi started.  "You have a nice smile.  You should do it more."  The smile left Yamato's face as a blush rose to his pale cheeks. 

"Whatever." 

Tai parked the car and turned it off.  "Looks like we're still early."  Yamato opened the door and stepped out.  Taichi did the same on his side and the two walked towards the school.  At the steps Yamato stopped walking bringing Taichi to a halt as well.  Taichi stared at the blond who stared forward for a moment before turning his head to look at the brunette.

"I'm guessing your going to want to split ways here, right?" 

"What?  Why?" 

Yamato gave Tai a exasperated look.  "Your friends are going to be here soon, aren't they?"

Taichi tilted his head to the side as if he still didn't understand.  "Yeah but aren't we friends now?" 

Yamato opened his mouth to say no or something along the lines of that but now he wasn't so sure.  Were they?  He had found it enjoyable being with the brunette and he stopped feeling so awkward at the restraint so did that mean they were friends.  "Your friends aren't going to be happy about us being together.  After all, they don't like me much, do they?"

Taichi straightened his neck.  "Actually, most of them are pretty neutral about it.  It's just Akeno and maybe one other but I'm sure they won't be pissed at me.  Don't fret." 

Yamato paused for a moment, looking down then back up into the chocolate eyes above him.  "You don't mind hanging around with me? 

Taichi smiled as he realized the blond's insecurity.  "Of course not.  I actually found this morning fun." 

A hint of a smile bared his lips as he said, "Well, then, what do you want to do?" 

**

The clock ticked eight fifteen am, Taichi noticed, which meant the classroom they were currently sitting in was about to be filled.  They had been sitting in Ms. O'Brien's class by Yamato's seat for a while now.  They were both on desks facing each other across a row.  Their faces held smiles as they talked and traded information about themselves and asking each other questions.  Small questions.  Even stupid questions like how often one would clean his room but the questions didn't matter.  They were happy.  Yamato was becoming more comfortable by the moment around the brunette, though was aware of the time as well and knew Taichi's friends were going to be entering the class soon. 

Yamato wondered countless times that morning if Taichi had informed Akeno that Yamato did steal the phone.  He wondered if Taichi was only being nice to set him up for Akeno.  Akeno wanted to fight him and Yamato didn't want to fight anyone.  Especially that boy who's known to be a loose cannon.  The boy who lets his anger rule himself and gets carried away.  It's easy to see why Yamato's so afraid of Akeno.  But who wouldn't be.  Every one in the school tried to stay on his good side.  If Yamato had known the phone was Akeno's at the time, he wouldn't have Taken it.  But he had.  He saw the discarded phone and picked it up, not thinking he'd be found out.  He soon saw that he was had been found out about but didn't dare actually admit it.  By the way, he needed the money.  Especially now that he got fired.  The groceries helped a lot.   

But he blocked all this from his mind as he concentrated on the brunette in front of him who was explaining why he got food on the ceiling of a Mc Donald's when he was nine.  Taichi never got to finish explaining why, though, for then a soft voice said, "Hi."  As if to announce once presence. 

Taichi and I turn our heads to see a girl, Suki, standing a few feet away.  Her hands were behind her back and her eye brows were raised and directed to Taichi as her eyes went from Tai to Yamato then back to Tai as if to ask a question that Taichi was having a hard time understanding… but Yamato understood.  Taichi saw the blond's expression Take on a look of sorrow for a split second before all expression left his face. 

"So, Tai.  Making new friends?"  She asked innocently, as she leaned all her weight onto her left foot and hesitated for a moment as if toying with the thought to step forward before finally deciding too.  A strand of dark green hair hung over her eye as she bit her rosy, bottom  lip. 

Taichi's face brightened and, for a moment, she thought he understood what she was really asking but then he stood up and said, "Oh, yeah.  This is Yamato."  He said. 

Yamato stood up too and watched wordlessly.  She licked her bottom lip and eyed the blond quickly.  She quickly raised her eyebrows as she bit her lip again.  "Yeah… I know…"  she sucked in a breath through her teeth.  "Akeno…" She gave in explanation.

Now Taichi understood.  "Oh yeah… um… yeah…"  Taichi turned his body to Yamato then to Suki as if he wasn't sure what he should say and who he should say it too.  He finally decided talking to Yamato would be best.  "Um… Akeno will be pissed if he knows I'm talking to you." Taichi rolls his eyes.  "He'll see it as some kind of betrayal or something like that, you know."  Yamato stayed soundless as he nodded, feeling as if he were loosing a friend that he was only beginning to have.  "He'll go ballistic.  Just because he's angry with you, you know.  It's stupid really…"

"Go."  Yamato interrupted.  Taichi looked confused.  "Just go to your seat.  I understand.  A don't need a lengthy explanation.  I'm not that dense.  Just go."  Yamato walked back the two steps to his desk and sat. 

Taichi paused for a moment and took the seat in front of Yamato's desk.  "I'm sorry, but he'll kill me if…"

"I said I understand.  I don't need you rattling your jaw trying to find the simplest way to explain this.  So go and leave me a lone."  Taichi bit his lip as if trying to figure out what he should do.  Yamato watched him with carefully guarded eyes, noticing the brunette wasn't leaving.  "Should I bring out one of those 'You are here' map to help you find your seat?  Get lost." 

Taichi sighed and stood up.  "Sorry…" He gave Yamato an apologetic look that the blond avoided before he turned around and walked to his desk, Suki just behind him. 

Yamato stared longingly at the brunette's back as he walked away.  Well that was a waste of a morning.  He thought as he turned his stare to his hands on his desk, only vaguely aware of the kids filling the room around him.

            TBC

            A/N: Sorry if this last part doesn't make sense.  It's late, I'm tired.  If it doesn't then tell me.  I'll explain it better in the next chap or something.  Oyasumi nasai.