These Fine Things of Heaven and Earth
By: Vain 10/16/2001-
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I only own Tanuki-kun, Hanamura-sensei, and the plot—everything else belongs to Toei, Bandai, and / or *shudder* Fox Kids.
This story has yoai, shounen-ai, and mature themes including self-mutilation, psychological and emotional abuse, general angst. Due to FF.net's restriction, the lemon has been removed. Links to the full chapter can be found through my profile on Slashfanfiction.com and AdultFanFiction.net.
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"[M]en change masters willingly, hoping to better themselves;
and this belief makes them take arms against their rulers, in which they are deceived,
as experience later proves that they have gone from bad to worse."
~Machiavelli
The Prince
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Chapter Ten:
And From His Lips He Drew the Hallelujah
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After Ken had practically collapsed in Taichi's arms, the older boy had carried him into the apartment, helped him undress, and waited patiently as he washed up. He had needed help to climb into the bathtub, and as he sat on the bath stool shivering and covered with only a towel, Tai drained the old water out of the bath beforehand to be sure it was good and hot. After dressing in only a large button up shirt and pair of boxer shorts that hung dangerously loose at the waist, he fell asleep in Taichi's arms in the living room while they watched the news, trembling the whole time. The older teen carried him into his parents' bedroom and laid him down. Then Tai settled down in a chair next to the window and across from the bed with a purloined bottle of clear Absolut Vodka and a shot glass that said "Firewater" at his side. An hour and two and half shots later, he still couldn't tear his eyes from Ichijouji.
The boy looked small and washed out as he lay asleep in the large bed. Tai sat in a chair across the room and let his gaze devour Ken. Beautiful . . . That was the only word for him. He was simply beautiful.
The vodka burned his throat as he swallowed hard. Tai's eyes narrowed, but remained on his guest. He shouldn't be thinking like this . . . feeling this. This was not some helpless man-childe laying on his bed like Snow White waiting for Prince Charming. This was the former Digimon Kaiser. This was . . .
A lie.
"You're a lie, aren't you, Ken-chan? My Ken-chan . . ."
"Don't call me that, Yagami. Stop it. Let me go."
"You. Are. A. Lie. And I can see right through you."
But this was exactly what he wanted, wasn't it? Ken wanted him now. He needed and trusted Tai. All that the teen had to do now was take him. The youth was vulnerable, pale, alone, and desperate. It wouldn't take much to fill that void. It would take even less to rip it wide open again. He poured another shot of Vodka and threw it down, wincing at the taste. How Westerners drank so much of this stuff was beyond him.
Tai closed his eyes and dropped his head in his hands. The memory of those liquid violet eyes seared into him . . . It was a physical pain. He could still feel Ken trembling in his arms, smell his juniper shampoo, taste the salt-water taste of his skin. The Child of Courage groaned. His entire body ached to hold Ken, to feel him complete all the curves and planes of his body as they entwined with one another. Without Ken in his arms he felt loose and empty. And that scared him.
He didn't love him. He knew that. Taichi was nowhere close to loving Ken. But needing him . . . Well, that was a whole other story.
Ken groaned faintly and rolled over onto his left side so that he was facing Taichi and his hair fell into his face. The faint light streaming through the window threw bars of faint silver across his delicate features. Tai felt himself stir at the sight and stood, unbuttoning his shirt as he went. Ken looked so very tiny and helpless—so innocent and young. So pure. Tai licked his lips and quietly made his way over to the slim form curled up in the bed, removing his clothing along the way.
Enough hesitation. He had waited long enough—far too long in his opinion. The rest he'd deal with tomorrow.
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Due to the restrictions imposed by FF.net, the lemon in this chapter has been deleted. If you wish to read the whole chapter, go to my profile. There you will find links to my main profile and AdultFanfiction.net—the rest of ten is there. ~ Vain
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For several moments the two lay still, their heavy, panting breath the only sound in the room.
Tai groaned as he pulled out of his lover.
"Taichi . . ." Ken moved his head feebly and gave a final pitiful jerk at the handcuffs with the sudden loss of sensation.
The other boy staggered slightly as he rose to his feet. "Hush, Ken." He sounded tired.
The younger teen lay still and quiet as Taichi vanished from his line of sight. Violet eyes lidded heavily. He had been trying to say something—something important. A minute later Taichi returned with a damp washcloth and gently wiped the boy off. He avoided Ken's eyes.
The handcuffs were released with metallic clicking noises and the brunet settled in being the smaller boy with a slight groan, tanned arms winding themselves around a pale, narrow waist. Ken pushed himself back into his lover's arms. His wrists and anus burned fiercely, but somehow he couldn't bring himself to care.
"Taichi?" He had remembered what he wanted to say.
"Go to sleep, Ken." Tai buried his face into Ken's long, silky hair. "We'll talk in the morning."
Ken wrapped his arms around the other boy's and closed his eyes. "I love you. I just wanted you to know that, that's all."
Tai squeezed him tightly and the boy smiled. He allowed his body to relax in the other's embrace, aching, tired, sore, and abused, but happy for the first time in what seemed like forever. They were asleep almost immediately.
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Tai opened his eyes and blinked blearily in the gray predawn light. His limbs were comfortably tangled up with those of a firm masculine body and he felt . . . warm . . . Warm, tired, and extremely, extremely pleasant. The only things that came to mind were memories of handcuffs, sweet pleas, and some rather incredible sex. He sighed, running his hands happily over the smooth back of whomever he had had the delight of sleeping with last night and pulled him closer, burying his chin in a mop of indigo hair and inhaling the scent of juniper and—
Taichi's eyes snapped open again and he stiffened. Indigo hair?
The wild haired teen slowly pulled away and stared down at the boy curled up against him. Ken's eyes were shut and he was obviously tired, but a small smile played at the edges of his mouth and he looked so relaxed and . . . happy. He looked so innocent . . .
Tai closed his eyes and felt his head drop down, burying his face in Ken's hair. Small tremors ran through his limbs. He thought of the Digital World. He thought of Agumon. He thought of Ken's synthetic smirks and Daisuke's tears. He thought of anything but the rose-petal texture of Ken's skin as he absently ran his hands over the slim body beside him.
Anything but Ken's whispered words and that strange smile that was given only to him.
And he waited for Ken to wake up.
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Chapter Eleven:
The Whip of Scorpions
The shit hits the fan.
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