Notes: as previously stated, this is just a ridiculous amount of fun.

Warnings: let's see… um, all the standard stuff from me really- yaoi, cursing, alcoholism.

Disclaimer: I can't think of any more witty lines for this- don't own the characters, just borrowing.

The Free Fall – 3 Everything Happens to Me

Taichi, Yamato, and Hikari each sat thinking about the recent events. After conceding to Tai's gracious bribe of rich, ultra-fatty chocolate cake, 'Kari had decided to tell all.

"Yeah, so it was around five years ago when he first realized it I guess," she offered around of bite of dessert.

Tai's eyes automatically grew big. It didn't take a rocket scientist to pick up on the time frame. His little sister was seventeen now. Which left only one obvious guess…

"The Jogress thing?" Yamato looked sympathetic, if not hurt on his brother's behalf.

"You felt it too, huh?" Taichi reached out and rubbed the other man's shoulder, and kissed him on the cheek when he nodded.

"While this is all well and good," Hikari sighed, "I would like to point out that it's been very rough for Takeru to keep this secret. Iori's a lot younger than us, after all."

While the new couple nodded in utmost empathy, Yamato's cell phone rang again. Glancing at the small contraption he frowned. "Hello?"

Both brother and sister of the Yagami clan paled at the hysterical screaming that came from the other end of the conversation. All they could discern were two names: Daisuke and Iori. Beyond that, there was only the notorious cold fury of Yamato.

"HE DID WHAT??!! I'LL KILL THE LITTLE MOTHERFUCKER!!"

This outburst, of course, resulted in a lot of disapproving glares from nearby customers. Almost immediately, Taichi and 'Kari blushed while they watched as their friend's eyes narrowed and he murmured a few things into the phone before snapping it shut with a definitive movement.

"We have to go," was all Yamato had to say. "Now."

Tai tugged on his new boyfriend's sleeve, pulling him back into his seat. "We need our check first and you need to calm the fuck down before we go anywhere. What the hell happened?"

It was a few minutes before the other young man replied. A few minutes of deep breathing, counting, and trying to soothe his irrational temper. When he could finally speak the words were choked and bitter. "My little brother has just had his heart broken. He walked in on Daisuke fucking the living daylights out of Iori. We need to go find the little Motomiya shit so I can kill him."

Hikari swallowed and felt her eyes go wide. The situation had just gone from bad to insane. "But why would Dai do something like that? I mean, he just slept with Ken too. Does he just want to go around screwing everyone and their relationships?"

Taichi had been quiet for a few minutes. A few minutes too long really. His silence wasn't going unnoticed by either of the people accompanying him. While he was aware of the odd looks aimed in his direction he was also trying to put his thoughts into words. Delicate words given Yamato's highly explosive nature. Ultimately, he sighed and went for broke. "I know why he did it."

Sapphire eyes narrowing to deadly slits, Yamato sat back in his chair. "Oh, this ought to be good. Lay your infinite fucking wisdom upon me!"

And as much as Tai wanted to throw water, or better still hot coffee, on his long time friend… he opted to scowl and give his explanation instead. "If you would shut the fuck up and stop being such a freaking Drama Queen for five seconds maybe I would," he hissed. Watching the blond sink back into his chair he raised an eyebrow and continued. "Look at it this way- while we've been out of the Digital World and locked away from it for three and a half years we all still carry the same traits that earned us tags, crests, and digimentals, right? So, add to that the fact that our boy Daisuke has got both yours and mine. Now what do you think that's done for him? I mean, look at how much we fight!"

'Kari nodded in agreement. "That actually does make sense. A twisted kind of logic, really, but logic none the less. Odd."

Yamato chewed on this point for a minute. Shoulders slumped he peered at Tai. "He's got my mood swings, your impulsiveness, your strength, and my compulsion to be there when… friends… need me… Oh shit. That sucks!"

"Tell me about it," came a cynical reply from behind them. "Can we just skip to the killing me part now? I've still got to catch up with Miyako for a castration appointment at two this afternoon." Daisuke looked like he had walked into the seventh circle of Hell.

***

Meanwhile, Iori had found Takeru and was trying to hash out his own situation. It wasn't pretty considering...

"Can you please just tell me why?" Takeru was crying, past the hysterics, but still in tears. His voice was breaking on every other word and overall he just seemed incredibly hurt.

For his part, the younger of the two was past his bitchiness, but still felt no real need to justify himself. "You know why," was all he had to offer.

The reasoning did not fit into Takeru's scheme of logic. "Oh really?" His voice went from fragile to hard in seconds. "Is it because you just needed someone to be there? Or maybe you talked to Ken and heard how good a fuck Dai really is? Then again, I could be wrong and it could just be that you've always wanted to fuck Daisuke." He broke off bitterly and shook his head. When Iori was quiet for too long he dared to glance at the other boy and found that he was shaking in rage.

"Fuck you, Takeru! Just fuck you!" There were tears in Iori's eyes that were clouding his vision. But after everything that had happened to him within the past twenty-four hours, he really didn't care. "I told you how I felt and I was honest. You were just being a complete coward and that's not my fault. So you had trouble accepting the fact that at some point you wanted me, is that it? What makes you think this has been easy for me? And then on top of waiting for you for five years, you expect me to wait some more because you're still too much of a pussy to take the next step? What am I supposed to do go home every night and play Hello Right Hand?!" It took every discernable measure of control not to hit the blond. Oh how he wanted to though...

Aqua eyes blinking rapidly, the Keeper of Hope tried to process and find words, but found himself at a complete loss. Eventually, the only coherent thing he could squeak out was, "Five years?"

"Yes, Takeru," Iori's shoulders slumped, the rage suddenly gone from him. "I've been in love with you for five years. And... and we were so young when it first hit me, I had no idea what to do or how to act. I just wanted you to love me back- even when you were with Hikari. I kept thinking that you would open those beautiful eyes one day and see." Face contorted from emotion, the youngest put his anger back in place. "But you didn't, and I got so tired of waiting. Daisuke knows how that feels, 'Keru. He knew what I needed and what to do about it. I... I don't know..."

The mention of the auburn haired boy made TK's eyes flicker for a moment, but he tucked his rage away. "And what was it that you needed so desperately that you went to him? Why couldn't you have come to me?"

Shaking his head, Iori sat down next to his favorite blond, but didn't look at him. "Because it was about you and you had already pushed me away. I was at the end of my rope with waiting and longing. It just... I just needed someone to hold me and make me feel special, Takeru. After talking to you this morning I thought it would never happen with you." Pausing, he swallowed past the lump in his throat and peered back up at his friend. "I still love you. More than ever."

The pair was quiet for a while. Each boy digesting the situation. After a time, Takeru sighed, shook his head, and put his arms around the smaller brunette. "I've loved you since our Jogress too," he whispered into the fine strands of hair. "Always. Since then, it's only been you."

From somewhere near the blonde's shoulder another voice whispered, "Then why did you push me away like that?"

Takeru shrugged. "Scared, I guess." Taking a deep breath, he sought the hope he kept inside. "But, I'm not scared anymore."

Iori pulled back to look into his friend's eyes. "You don't mean that," he whispered. "You can't. Not after I've screwed everything up so badly."

Putting a hand over the other boy's mouth, the blond gave a tender smile. "It's okay," he said quietly. "I mean, I've got my past with Hikari after all. You know I'd forgive you anything, Iori." Clear blue eyes meeting crisp jade he removed his hand. "Fresh start?"

Unable to believe his luck, the brunette nodded. "Yeah." But just to be sure, he pulled Takeru into a kiss.

***

Rubbing at tired cinnamon spice eyes, Daisuke sighed. "You know I'm sorry, Yamato. I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I really am, but you've got to know."

For his part, the older Chosen felt guilty but still upset. "I do," he nodded. "But that doesn't excuse what you did, Daisuke! I mean, Jesus- were either of you ever going to tell my brother?"

"I hope so," Hikari mumbled around another bite of cake.

Glaring at the Child of Light, Dai answered the question that had been directed at him in the first place. "Iori probably would have. And if he hadn't I would've asked him to, then eagerly awaited death at your hands or your brother's." Rubbing his eyes again he chuckled, but it lacked any real mirth. "Of course, I'll be dead by sundown today anyway, so it doesn't really matter. Miyako's seriously going to fuck my shit up when she gets a chance."

Tai winced at the thought. Everyone knew about Miyako's temper and what she was prone to do with it once activated. Still, something was plaguing the older goggle-head. "I'm surprised you lived to see the sun come up today," he joked casually. "Why the hell didn't she beat you twenty ways from Sunday last night?"

Daisuke shrugged and proceeded to look even gloomier than before. "Your guess is as good as mine."

"Well, isn't it obvious?" Kari swallowed another luscious bite of chocolate, grateful for easily bribed brothers, and offered an explanation into her own Jogress partner's psyche. "Miyako's the Keeper of Love and Sincerity, right? Add to that her pseudo-obsession with Ken and you've got a very blind Miyako. Not that I particularly want the details, but it's sort of important. How far along with things were you and Ken when she barged in last night?"

At least, Daisuke had the decency to blush. "Uh, just about at the money point," he mumbled, honestly embarrassed about the whole sordid affair.

Hikari nodded. "She saw it then," was all she said and resumed chowing down on her cake.

The three other people at the table stared at her. Each young man present wore a look of complete confusion and Hikari had to giggle internally. Sometimes being the enigmatic one was only too much fun.

"Saw what?" Tai finally asked what everyone wanted to know.

"Well, Dai, you really do love Ken, don't you? I mean, I hope you didn't sleep with him last night just for the hell of it. If that's the case, then yeah, Miyako's going to kill you and I'll help her out, but-"

"No," Daisuke broke in. "I really do love him. Wish I didn't, but can't say otherwise." Leaning forward on the table he folded his arms and buried his face at the memory. Ken had been so sweet, so wonderful...

"Ahem," Kari broke the little reverie and raised an eyebrow when her friend looked at her again. "Well, you'll at least get a fighting chance for that then. I honestly don't know how Ken feels about you. No one does. Of all of us, I would have thought you'd be the one with the answers here." Shrugging yet again, she finished off the cake.

"Well, obviously I'm not," he snapped at her. It was just starting to make his head hurt even more. So, if Miyako saw something there, then what the hell did that mean? "This is just really fucking confusing. Sorry I snapped at you." Daisuke rubbed his friends shoulder as she simply shrugged.

However, as previously stated, Daisuke held a great deal of impulsiveness, much like his older counterpart. Said older counterpart was rapidly losing patience for a much overlooked piece of information. After ninety seconds of silence, he cracked. Taichi tried to feign nonchalance as he proceeded to make himself look like the biggest ass ever. "So, how far along were you with Iori when TK barged in? Just about at the money shot again?"

Yamato scowled and belted Tai across the shoulder with the back of his hand. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Ow!" Taichi rubbed the now sore spot on his right shoulder. "Dude, that fucking hurt!"

The blond gestured in mortification. "Good, you jackass! What the fuck are you asking something like that for? I mean, it's none of your business-"

"You're just pissed because I asked first," the brunette shot back. "You wouldn't be half as much of a bitch right now if you had thought of it."

"Are you trying to imply something about my level of intelligence, Taichi?" Yamato's face was turning slightly pink and one elegant eyebrow rose on pure instinct.

"Yeah, I'm saying you're a Prima Donna Dumb Fucking Blond sometimes. Just like I'm a Jerkoff Retard Jock sometimes. Who lit the fuse on your fucking tampon, Yama?" Tai was getting up in the blond's face as much as possible and the duo was attracting a lot of unwanted attention.

Partly off to the side, Daisuke and Hikari murmured to each other.

"You think they'll kill each other?"

"Nah, they fight like this all the time, don't they?"

"Well, it'll make for some good sex at least."

"Kari! I can't believe you just said that!"

Meanwhile...

"You arrogant, stupid, hardheaded bastard! Why the shit do I even bother?!"

"Because, in case you've forgotten within the past hour or so, Yamato, you love me! Idiot!"

That said, the blond suddenly stopped to stare at the brunette. He had to admit, Taichi had a point. To prove it, Yamato captured the other man's lips in a heated kiss. "Yes, I do love you," he whispered when they parted. "And don't you ever fucking forget it, Yagami."

Tai's chocolaty eyes had gone wide. His insides turned to jello, and his mind emptied even further. This was proven by his next question: "So, would it be completely off the wall if I asked you to come fuck my brains out in the men's bathroom right now?"

***

Iori and Takeru had pulled away from kissing with complete abandon to bask in dumbfounded glory. And while they both were overjoyed at the entire fact that, at long last, they were finally together... both of them found their thoughts wandering to a suddenly notorious goggle-wearer.

The blond bit his lip in profound concentration, desperately praying for a solution to the anger he felt towards his longtime friend. However, the gods seemed to be keeping all ideas to themselves. Clenching and unclenching his fist, TK began to chew on his lip to the point of making himself bleed.

After watching the play of emotions on Takeru's face, Iori finally sighed. As much as he loved the Angel of Hope, the boy was absolutely worthless at hiding his feelings when he was angry. "Please don't kill him," was all the brunette had to offer.

Pausing in his lip eating, the blond blinked at the boy in his arms. "Who?"

Ah, so it was going to be that kind of game... And as much as Iori wanted to reply with cool, breathless defiance "the guy you caught fucking me earlier" he decided that would be tacky and simply named him instead. "Daisuke. I know you're pissed at him, but please do me a favor and don't kill him."

The duo was quiet for a few moments while they considered the possible outcomes of Takeru attacking everybody's favorite fiery boy. In the end, they both came to the same conclusion: Daisuke would most likely just roll over and let Takeru beat him to death out of a twisted form of respect and friendly obligation.

TK just shook his head and gave a malicious chuckle. "I don't think I'm the person he should be worried about."

"Well, I know you sicked your brother on him now too..." Iori simply let the thought trail off. Better left unsaid on that front. No need to explain to his so recently acquired boyfriend that only a couple short hours ago after screwing one of their mutual friends, they had parted ways so that the boy he slept with could go find Yamato and explain the goings-on. No need for that at all. Coughing to cover his sudden quirk of nerves, Iori turned his cool jade eyes slightly to study TK in his peripheral vision. "He should worry more about Miyako. She's going to gut him when she finds him."

Debating the merits of helping the Keeper of Love and Sincerity, Takeru ultimately shrugged the idea away. "She'll do worse than that, you know. Daisuke will be lucky to die within the first day of torture." Pausing and closing his brilliant aqua eyes, he fought past a vicious wave of jealousy. "Can I ask you something?"

A dangerous question, that. On his guard and prepared for nearly anything, Iori set his jaw. "Sure, go ahead."

It was difficult- finding a way to phrase his next statement. "I know that you said you needed someone..." the words came out choked, but he kept going anyway. "But, do you... I mean, are you in..." Finally, he had to whisper, "Do you love him at all?"

Now that was something Iori hadn't been expecting. And it was becoming increasingly clear that Takeru really was just an angel. Innocent and perhaps a bit too naive for his own good. He had to take a breath, let it out slowly and answer as calmly as possible. "Takeru, I do love Daisuke- in just the same way that you do. As a friend. And as my friend he knew what I needed, he knew what I wanted, and how to help me." Struggling for words he was cut off before he could elaborate further.

"But if he's just a friend then how could you... with him? I mean," he looked at the brunette, tears in his eyes, "didn't you want it to be special? Your first time?"

Iori felt his lips rise in a wistful smile. "My first time with you will be special." He leaned up and kissed the blond. "Besides," he whispered in Takeru's ear, "you can't throw stones. I know you slept with Kari." It was a vindictive move and a true gamble. Hmm... maybe he really had been spending too much time with Daisuke.

From the look of absolute shock on Takeru's face, it seemed a distinct possibility.

***

you know, I had initially planned another section for this chapter that involved the Daisuke/Hikari/Yamato/Taichi group, but... fuck it. This works, right? Yeah, I am planning on finishing this fic. Expect the unexpected and watch out- the next chapter, Daisuke meets up with Miyako and Hikari goes to talk to Ken. Fun is.