Taichi and Yamato looked up into the face of Agent Hardesty. The pair had run straight into Agent Hardesty upon coming out of the alleyway, and Agent Hardesty was now watching Taichi and Yamato closely as he waited for their reply. "Well?" he pressed.
"I uh. . . I. . ." Taichi stammered then shook his head to clear it. "Yama and me were just on our way back home," Taichi lied.
Agent Hardesty frowned and looked at his watch. "Well I guess this makes you truant Taichi because it's only noon. You should be in school," Agent Hardesty scolded.
"Well I-," Taichi stammered again.
"Taichi's at home taking care of me today," Yamato lied sounding weak, "I got the flu suddenly and since my father is out of town at the moment, he asked Taichi if he would mind taking care of me for awhile."
Taichi looked at Yamato like he was insane before turning to Agent Hardesty forcing a smile. "Yeah," he agreed.
Agent Hardesty studied Yamato for a moment before nodding at him. "Well he really doesn't look healthy. . .you should get him home. . .I can give you a ride if you want. His eyes don't look focused," Agent Hardesty offered. His eyes then fell on Taichi's arm. "My goodness that's a nasty cut Taichi, where'd you get it?"
Taichi looked alarmed as he looked at his arm. "I scraped it cooking. . .looks like it opened up again. . ." Taichi lied.
"Well my car is just around the corner. . .let's go," Agent Hardesty ordered. Taichi hesitated as he remembered what Shibumi and Koujouro had told him.
"We-we're alright sir, thanks anyways. Our apartment is just a block away," Taichi responded bowing and walking away with Yamato.
"Well. . .alright Taichi. . .I'll talk to you later," Agent Hardesty replied, his eyes narrowing in confusion. He watched the pair walk away together whispering quietly as he continued on his way.
"That was close," Yamato breathed in relief.
"Uh huh," Taichi replied distractedly.
"Taichi?" Yamato asked.
"Hmm?" Taichi responded.
"Are you okay?'
"I. . ." Taichi opened his mouth to continue but couldn't.
"What is it?" Yamato inquired.
Taichi looked away from Yamato and swallowed slowly. "I can't stay with you, and I can't be around you anymore Yama," Taichi whispered.
"WHAT?!" Yamato yelled grabbing Taichi's shoulder whipping the brunette around.
Taichi looked at the ground. "I do not want you hurt anymore Yama, I care about you too much," Taichi whispered brokenly.
"Well I don't want to leave you alone Taichi," Yamato replied simply.
"Don't you understand Yama?" Taichi yelled suddenly, "it's not your decision! It's what you need to do, so deal with it. I will not be around you anymore!"
Yamato's eyes narrowed and he grabbed Taichi and pulled the boy down an alleyway. Yamato proceeded to then shove Taichi up against the wall of the alleyway. "You listen and you listen good Taichi!" Yamato growled. Taichi stared wide eyed as Yamato continued. "I will not leave you alone Taichi. You're in trouble, and you have lunatics after you. If you're alone, you're a more presentable target! I am not going to leave you. I'm gonna stick by your side through the entire thing, because that's what friends do. To ask me to walk away is selfless Taichi, but also selfish. You're asking me to throw away the one friendship that brought me out of my solitary life! I won't do it Taichi, you can't make me! So you'll have to think of something else!"
Yamato then dropped Taichi who slid down the wall into a sitting position. "Please Yama," he whispered miserably covering his face with his hands, "don't make this any harder than it already is! Just leave me! I couldn't stand it if you were hurt because of me. Just leave now and you'll be safe."
"No."
"Please," Taichi whispered. It wasn't a request, more of a plead.
"No."
"DAMMIT YAMA JUST DO IT!" Taichi screamed jumping up, then reeled back as Yamato hit him across the face.
"No," Yamato laughed offering Taichi a hand up from the position he fell into on the ground.
Taichi looked at Yamato as he was pulled to his feet. Yamato smiled then walked out of the alleyway onto the main road, leaving Taichi staring after him in shock. Yamato turned and grinned at Taichi, obviously amused. "Coming?" he asked.
Taichi blinked then sighed and followed Yamato out of the alleyway and back to Yamato's apartment.
When Yamato and Taichi reached the apartment, Yamato immediately walked to the couch and lay down on it, groaning in pain. "Taichi?" he asked.
"Yes?" Taichi responded.
"Will you get me an icepack from the kitchen?" Yamato asked.
"Head hurt?" Taichi asked walking into the kitchen to retrieve the requested ice pack.
"Mmm hmmm," Yamato answered sleepily. Taichi heard this and ran into the other room where Yamato was dozing off on the couch with the ice pack in his hand. Taichi sat next to Yamato and shook him.
"Yamato, you can't sleep, you might have a concussion," Taichi said gently.
"But I'm tired," Yamato whined.
"I don't really care, get your ass up," Taichi responded.
Yamato opened one eye testily. "I can't sleep at all?" he asked.
"Well...I think it's okay if you want to sleep...but I have to wake you up every hour to make sure you haven't died on me," Taichi replied handing Yamato an ice pack.
Yamato remembered then that Taichi's arm was cut open and grabbed it, examining it. "Let's get this dressed before I sleep," Yamato groaned as he got up.
"I can do it," Taichi insisted, but Yamato had already started towards the bathroom. Taichi sighed and followed Yamato to get it dressed up right.
Just as Yamato was finishing Taichi's arm, the pair heard the front door to the apartment open and slam shut. Both Taichi and Yamato tensed as Yamato paused mid wrap and called out, "T.K.? Kari?"
"Yeah!" T.K.'s voice was heard. Taichi and Yamato both sighed in relief as Yamato finished dressing the wound and both went out to greet their siblings.
Yamato laid back on the couch, applying the ice pack to his head as Taichi settled himself at his feet.
"Hi you guys!" Kari greeted as she came around to where they were sitting.
"'lo," both Yamato and Taichi grumbled.
"How was yo-Oh my Gosh what happened?" T.K. asked.
"Slade," Yamato groaned closing his eyes to sleep.
"Again?" Kari gasped.
"Yes," Taichi replied, "he jumped us on the street and threatened me again, cut my arm, hit Yamato in the head and left."
Kari gasped as T.K. paled. "Are you alright?"
"We're fine," Taichi responded jumping up, "Yama needs sleep, so I will be making you guys dinner. . .what do you want to have?" Taichi inquired walking into the kitchen.
The next morning, Taichi got up, and got dressed for school. He and Yamato had decided that since they weren't safe away from school, they might as well go so they didn't fall behind.
As Taichi came out of the bathroom after he got ready, he walked into the kitchen to find Yamato, Kari, and T.K. all sitting at the breakfast table. T.K. had cooked breakfast with Kari's help this morning and Taichi had to admit that it smelled wonderful. Yamato looked like he felt awful, and decided he probably did since Taichi had woke him up every hour to check on him, and was probably feeling pretty horrible.
"Mornin'," Taichi yawned walking into the kitchen. He sat down and helped himself to the breakfast. Yamato's head was on his arms on the table. He had also spent most of the night being sick in the bathroom from his head. "How ya feelin' Yama?"
Yamato didn't respond, and only lifted one hand into a thumbs up position, before turning it over to show how he felt. Taichi laughed.
"That good huh?"
"Shut it," Yamato grumbled.
Taichi laughed again and drank the rest of his orange juice. "We'd better get going or we're going to be late."
Yamato dragged himself to a standing position before snatching his book bag and stomping out the door. Kari and T.K. giggled and followed after Yamato, leaving Taichi to close the door behind him.
A/N: HOOORRAYYYYYYYYYYY!!! I updated again! i now have my own laptop in my room...without the internet...but it is very handy! Everything should be out sooner now that i have that in my room! It gave me inspiration! Thanks for all the reviews!!!!