A/N: Ugh, this chapter has an icky ending. But that's only because there was no other way to end it before it became terrifyingly long. I think this thing ought to be about five chapters in the end. There will still be a few years' gap between it and Bed of Lies, but that's because nothing important happens during that time.

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Daisuke stared at Taichi confidently while Taichi attempted to gather his thoughts into a manageable condition. As he grappled with his wits, Daisuke grew quickly impatient.

"Look either I'm right or I'm wrong. And with the way you're reacting," Daisuke said, looking at him judiciously. "I'm inclined to say that I'm right."

"And so what if you are?" Taichi spat at him, feeling angry with himself for taking so long to fully digest how quickly Daisuke had caught on.

"Then I get to tell you're stupid for thinking I wouldn't understand," Daisuke replied simply. Taichi looked at him, his anger dissolving a bit.

"Then I guess I'm stupid," he stated blankly, not really understanding what was going on anymore. Then, a look of realization dawning on his face, he added, "you understand?"

Daisuke nodded. "You don't notice much, do you?"

"What was there to notice?"

"I haven't been actively trying to get your sister's attention in a long time," Daisuke began quietly. "I've had-" he paused, choosing his words carefully "-my attention on other things."

"Other things-?" Taichi began, before realizing what Daisuke meant. He clamped his mouth shut and goggled at the younger boy.

"Oh don't look at me like that," Daisuke stared at him defiantly. Upon Taichi's expression changing to one of admonishment, he continued. "Don't look at me like I don't know what I'm talking about! I'm old enough to know these things about myself. Don't be bitter because you're a late bloomer."

"I'm not. I just can't believe you've actually thought about these things so thoroughly," Taichi said shaking his head. "Of course, I had no inclination to like anyone at all when I was eleven, so you were already ahead of me there, huh?"

"Guess so. At any rate," Daisuke said, trying his best to be serious, though he had an obvious desire to interrogate Taichi immediately. "Are you a little more willing to talk to me now?"

Taichi looked at him, his expression hesitant. "I know I should. This is just between us, right?"

"Of course," Daisuke gave him an impatient look. "Do you think I want anyone knowing some of the things I'm likely to tell you?"

"Like what?" Taichi asked inquisitively, though his curiosity was curbed by the expression on Daisuke's face falling a little. He understood at once, though he felt a bit stupid for not realizing instantly what Daisuke's words had meant. "I suppose it's only fair that I listen to you too, huh?"

"You will? I mean, actually listen?" Daisuke perked up at hearing that. Then, with a grin, he went on. "You first."

"Ahh, I should have seen that coming," Taichi said, trying to sound deeply annoyed; his face betrayed him by splitting into a broad smile. "But is there much more to tell you besides what you already know?"

"Sure," Daisuke said easily, and when Taichi didn't seem to be catching on, he elaborated. "How did you know? And for that matter, when?"

"I don't know how," Taichi said slowly. "But I decided sometime between laying on his bed, smelling his sheets-" he gave Daisuke an intensely dirty look as Daisuke sniggered at him "-and when I was running home from his house."

'Sometime around the remark about hating yourself?"

"Yeah, about then, I guess." Taichi nodded. It was funny, he thought, how he had woken that morning to such darkness and had, within hours, found some light in his situation.

It was Thursday before Taichi had decided he had enough of a handle on his feelings that he felt he could spend the day with Yamato and not do something amazingly stupid. He caught up with Yamato after school that day, as both were heading out of the building.

"Hey, wait up," he called out. Yamato spun around, and waved. When Taichi caught up to him, he asked, "What are you doing Saturday?"

"I have band practice in the morning," Yamato said, frowning a little. "But after that I'm free."

"Good," Taichi said quickly, "you're mine the remainder of that day."

"Ahh, if you insist," Yamato said, though he smiled. "What do you want to do, then?"

"I'm not sure yet," he answered, 'but I can't promise that it'll be very exciting."

"That's alright," Yamato replied. Taichi looked at him in an unbelieving sort of way. "Really, it is. I figure I don't really have the right to argue with you over what we do."

Taichi smiled awkwardly, feeling extremely glad to hear that. "I'll meet you after your practice. Same place, right?"

'Uh, yeah. Same place," Yamato said, nodding. Taichi grinned at him, and before Yamato could say anything else he was gone from his sight. His thoughts didn't linger on Taichi for long, however; it was at that precise moment that Sora came running towards him from the direction in which he was walking.

"Yamato, hey!" She called out, looking absolutely thrilled to see him.

"Ah- hey," he answered, his thoughts completely evaporated, of Taichi or anything else.

"We haven't gone out anywhere in awhile," she hinted bluntly as she fell into step beside him.

"I know, I know, but I've already told you," he began, suddenly not so glad to see her. "I haven't really had time for anything lately, you know that."

"I'd still like to go out more than once a month," she said, frowning slightly. Then, her expression lifting as quickly as it had fallen, she added, "what are you doing on Saturday?"

"I thought I told you I had practice," Yamato told her irritably.

"Yes, you did," she said, sounding dissatisfied with the excuse. "But that's only in the morning, right? What about later?"

"Can't. I made plans with Taichi," he replied, not looking at her.

"When did this happen?" She asked, sounding offended.

"Ah- just now." He flinched upon seeing her face when he said this.

"That's not fair, Yamato! I asked you days ago about that, and you didn't give me an answer, but Taichi says the word and your his?" She asked incredulously.

"In this case, yes," Yamato said evenly. "I promised him, didn't I already explain this?"

"Not really." She frowned again.

So he explained to her his promise to Taichi, even though he could have sworn he'd told the same story only the day before. She seemed to understand well enough, but found it necessary to tell Yamato off (which he could of sworn had also happened the day before) for his stupidity. And after berating him, she declared she had something she needed to do and turned at the next street corner. Yamato made sure not to call her until after Saturday; for some reason he felt hurt that she didn't have anything besides planning a date to talk about.

It was windy again on Saturday, but it was more of a balmy breeze than harsh gusts of wind that touched Taichi's skin as he walked towards the studio Yamato was practicing in with his band. He stopped a few feet from the door, listening to the voices that were exploding out of one of the open windows. He had no idea what was being said, but Yamato was clearly fighting with someone. It wasn't until a drumstick came flying through one of the open windows that Taichi felt the need to go inside the building.

He shoved the door to the building open, and slipped through it; he had little trouble finding the studio Yamato's band was in, as it was the only one that yelling was emanating from. It was also the easy to find because the drumstick had flown out the last window on right side of the first floor of the building. He cautiously opened the door a crack, and peered inside.

"Oh, so now I'm a tyrannical psychopath?!" Taichi recognized the screeching as belonging to Yamato even though hadn't looked into the room until after Yamato had spoken.

"I didn't say that!" A slightly quieter, but by no means calm voice answered. Taichi recognized its owner as being Takashi, the drummer. No wonder a drumstick had been the chosen projectile.

"Sure sounded like it," Yamato said, calmer but still agitated. "At any rate, I don't think we're going to be able to get anything else done today, so-"

"Who said we were done here?" Takashi asked, a subtle venom lacing his voice. "You still haven't said why we can't use my song."

"I didn't say we couldn't," Yamato said in an exasperated voice. "But it needs reworking first. It's not up to the standards our fans are used to."

"So you're saying my writing is crap, huh? And what standards are you talking about?" Takashi looked hurt, though he was trying to mask it with anger. "Or do you mean that they're used to your music, so we should only use your music."

"You know that's not what I-" the heat in Yamato's voice rose quickly, but he was interrupted by Akira, who Taichi had not noticed at first because he was standing on the far side of the room, near Yutaka and his keyboarding equipment. Akira had his eyes fixed on the argument, but Yutaka was more involved with packing his things away than with what the others were doing.

"-Would it kill either of you to wrap up this rehearsal and finish discussing this next week? I think you're both too riled up to come any kind of agreement."

Yamato and Takashi stared at Akira numbly, while Yutaka finished packing up his things and stood up. Akira had started packing his guitar into its case after speaking. No one said anything for a few moments, until Yamato and Takashi looked at each other cautiously.

"Can we-?"

"-I don't care."

Not another word was spoken until everyone had packed up all their equipment, at which point Yamato finally noticed that Taichi was peering into the room from the doorway.

"Taichi?" He looked startled. "How long have you-?"

"Not very," Taichi shrugged. "You were late meeting me so I decided to snoop."

"Oh."

The other three cast sideways glances at Taichi before sidling out of the room without a word. Taichi was used to them acting this way when he was around. He had decided some time ago that they didn't like him, and he didn't care to find out why.

"Sorry for running late," Yamato said quietly, as they were leaving the building a few minutes later.

"From what I saw, it wasn't entirely your fault," Taichi said. "So don't worry about it."

"If you say so," Yamato said, his voice still quiet.

"So what started all of that, anyways?"

"Huh? Oh," Yamato looked startled for a moment, but his face fell at realizing what Taichi had asked. "He wrote this song- it's not that bad, but-"

"-But your perfectionism overtook you."

"-Yeah. I didn't tell him we could use it, I really didn't," Yamato said uneasily, and started chewing on his lip. "But it really needs work. It's only his second or third time writing, so it's shaky in places. I don't know why he took such offense to my criticism, since he doesn't have any experience to back his skills up with and he's far from being a natural writer."

"I'll agree that you probably know a lot more than he does, but that's probably not what bothered him."

"Oh?"

"He's afraid you'll change so much in the song that it won't be the same song anymore," Taichi said simply. At Yamato's irritated look, he added, "how you ever managed to find anyone who would let you lead them in something like a band is something I'll never comprehend."

"Gee thanks," Yamato said sarcastically. His look changed when he spoke again. "So, what are we doing now?"

"Huh? Oh, I, well, I kind of haven't decided yet," Taichi said sheepishly. Yamato rolled his eyes. "I think I just want to have a good talk, really."

"Well, I guess I'll never be able to call you demanding," Yamato said, smiling his approval. "You want to go to my place to talk? No annoying siblings or parents."

"Okay," Taichi replied, nodding.

The rest of the journey to Yamato's apartment was mostly silent, with the occasional comment about their surroundings. Despite his aching heart, Taichi found himself enjoying himself, if for no other reason than because things seemed to be back to normal.

After much fumbling with keys, and after climbing three flights of stairs they made into the apartment. Instead of heading into the living room after he kicked off his shoes, Yamato lead Taichi into his bedroom, where he haphazardly three his guitar case and other belongs ext to his bed before flouncing onto it himself.

"Something wrong?" He asked upon seeing the nonplussed expression on his friend's face.

"Oh, no, nothing's wrong, it's just that we don't usually hang out in your room anymore," Taichi tried to shrug the expression away and sat down on the floor.

"You can sit on the bed, too, you know," Yamato said, the expression on his face beckoning.

He knew he shouldn't, but Taichi picked himself up and sank down onto the edge of the bed. He couldn't remember when the last was that he and Yamato had sat so near each other, and his lust filled mind was full of unwarranted thoughts. He'd forgotten, briefly, how terrifying those thoughts could be, and he'd never fully had to battle them while in Yamato's presence before. Suddenly, he began to wonder if being alone with Yamato was a very good idea at all.