AN: Here's the next chapter!
To Yukata: I'll put in TK, don't worry!
Disclaimer: Digimon = not mine.
Chapter 8 – Loneliness
The concert ended when it was well into the night. Sora sat outside with Tai on a nearby bench and waited for the band members to come out of the building. She yawned and laid her head on Tai's shoulder, dozing off into a light sleep while waiting for Jamie, Aki, Jeff, and Yamato.
Tai smiled at the girl who used him as a pillow and put a protective arm around her to keep her from shifting her position too much and to offer her warmth.
Yamato cleared his throat behind Tai. "Getting cozy?"
Tai chuckled at the question, "You sound jealous, Yam-man."
Yamato stepped in front of Tai and kept his eyes on the red headed girl. He grinned, "Don't flatter yourself, Tai."
The young man with wild brown hair laughed, "Don't worry, nothing's happening. She got tired since you guys were taking so long so she doze off."
Yamato sighed, "Yeah, we did kind of take a long time, Jamie, Aki, and Jeff are still in there. I left early since I promised to take Sora back home. I didn't want her to get home too late."
Tai grinned, "Just like a responsible boyfriend."
"Shut up, Tai."
"I hear that way too often." Tai shifted a little and accidentally woke the sleeping beauty in his arms.
Sora opened her ruby orbs slowly and focused on the figure in front of her. "…Yama? Great concert, it was the best." She smiled dreamily and stood up shakily and stretched.
Yamato couldn't help but notice that when she stretched, her shirt went up with her arms and he was allowed another peek of her midriff. He turned away, blushing. "Thanks Sora. Look, I'm going to get the car and come back real quick okay? So you can wait here with Tai, alright?"
She shook her head, auburn strands flying up as she did so. "I can walk, it's fine." Turning to Tai, she gave him a quick hug. "Thanks for being my pillow, Tai. Night." Yamato smiled at her and she followed him as he walked away in the direction of his car.
It was a good 1:30AM and Sora's lack of sleep was definitely catching up with her. She was groggy in her steps towards the car and felt slightly lightheaded. She shakily ran up to Yamato and grabbed his arm to steady herself.
He looked at her with concern, "Hey Sora, you okay?"
She nodded and smiled, "I'm fine; I guess I just didn't wake up completely or something… maybe I'm just getting too sleepy."
The handsome blonde nodded in understanding, "Come on, I'll help you to the car. I hope this isn't too late or anything for your parents to understand… I'll talk to them if you'd like." He wrapped an arm around Sora to make sure she was okay and led her in the direction of the car.
"No. It's fine." Sora sighed and closed her eyes again, just taking in the soothing scent of Yamato's cologne. They reached the car and Yamato helped Sora into the black BMW before running to the other side and getting in the driver's seat himself. No more than two minutes into the drive home, Sora had already fallen asleep.
Yamato stopped in front of the same large building that he had parked in front of before the concert. He looked to his right and just observed the way Sora slept. Yamato liked watching her sleep. She looked serene and happy in her dreams.
He didn't want to wake the girl, so he simply got out of the car and ran to the passenger side, trying to make as little noise as possible, and carried her out of the car, cradling her against his chest. Yamato walked into the well-lit lobby with the sleeping girl in his arms and ignored the eyes that were focused on him and Sora. Sora had mentioned that she lived in the penthouse and since there was only one, it made his life much easier. When the elevator brought them to their destination, the blonde rang the doorbell several times before finally giving up.
Yamato whispered an apology into Sora's ear before reaching into the right pocket of her jacket. His hand brushed against her thigh, before his hand found the cool metal object he searched for. Taking Sora's keys in his hand in an awkward position, he managed to stuff it into the lock and successfully open it without damaging anything.
The house was completely dark, save for the dim glow coming from the street lamps outside. Yamato grew concerned at the sight of the empty house and gently lay Sora down on a couch before finding the light switch. It felt oddly cold without Sora in his arms. She was light so he wasn't burdened by her weight and she still carried the heavenly jasmine scent. He walked over to the couch and decided that he had to wake her up so that when she did wake up, the situation of how she ended up home wouldn't be a mystery to her. But Yamato also didn't feel comfortable with her being home alone when it was so late and the felt that he needed to ask her where her parents had gone.
Gently grabbing Sora's arm, Yamato shook her and softly said, "Sora, you're home. Sora, wake up."
The words and motion seemed to have absolutely no effect upon the sleeping beauty and she simply shifted position and mumbled, "Mm…"
"Sora, your parents aren't home."
Her ruby eyes shot open at the statement and she sat up immediately, almost bumping into Yamato as she did so. She turned to face him slowly, "I know…"
"What?"
Sora sighed, and bowed her head, "I knew they weren't going to be home."
"Well, where are they?"
"I-I'm not sure…"
Yamato grew worried, "Look Sora, I don't feel comfortable with you being home alone like this… it could be dangerous if something happens and it's completely irresponsible of your parents."
Sora looked up at Yamato and teased him, "Yes DAD, I understand."
The singer smiled and sat down next to her on the sofa. "So, where are they?"
Sora sighed again, it was clear Yama wasn't going to let the subject slip by. Perhaps it was time to tell him the truth. "I'm really not sure."
"Sora, what's going on?"
"My mother is in Japan, that's where her company is so she has to be there."
"Okay, so what about your dad?"
"He's… gone… He left my mother and I to elope with his secretary when I was just an infant." Sora threw her head back and laughed, "classic isn't it?"
Yamato smiled at the girl's carefree manner, but the matter was still a serious one. "It's your father's loss."
"No, actually I'm pretty sure he doesn't care. He's happily married with that woman and has two daughters." She turned to look at Yamato in the eyes and smiled as if reassuring him that it didn't bother Sora at all. "My mother and I bumped into him on the streets once in Odaiba, I'm pretty sure that's the first time that I can remember seeing him." Sora shrugged. "I've never known the man, so I grew up without a father, it really doesn't bother me."
The blonde smiled again, this girl before him just couldn't stop amazing him. She was so strong, in more ways than one and her strength drew him closer to her. "What exactly does your mother do that she can't be with you?"
"Oh, believe me, she tried. My mother is a fashion designer and owns a brand that has actually become quite successful. When we first moved here, she tried to continue work overseas but it was as efficient. Designs and plans always arrived late on both sides and it just couldn't keep up, so she went back to keep things on track. I chose to stay here. I switched schools recently since my mother liked this school better. She felt better knowing that I was attending Ishida High."
"Sora…"
"Yama, don't feel bad for me or anything. I like my life the way it is. My mother loves me, I know she does, but work gets in the way for everyone once in a while. I never knew my father, so there's no reason to be sad about someone I don't remember. Plus, I'm happy now with you guys, Tai and you both."
Yamato didn't know what to say. Sora made it clear that the situation didn't bother her at all so he did the only option left, he put a protective arm around her and pulled her into his arms. He couldn't explain it, but something inside him just compelled him to protect the fiery girl from loneliness, insecurities, and a thousand more things that came into mind.
Sora felt her cheeks burn, but did not make an effort to move out of the embrace. His light cologne and strong body blurred her senses so she closed her eyes and enjoyed the brief moment.
Yamato spoke up and Sora could feel the vibration from his neck since her head was resting on his shoulder. "You know that now, I'll just have to be coming over a lot more, right?"
The girl pulled away and looked at Yamato skeptically, "Excuse me?"
The singer chuckled, "I'll have to keep you company!"
Sora simply rolled her eyes and smiled at his reason.
"Come on, Sora, don't tell me it doesn't get lonely."
She stuck her tongue out at him playfully and got up to walk into the kitchen. "Yamato, it's late."
Her statement was confirmed with a glance at his watch, which now read 2:15. "Nah, it's fine, my parents expect me home late since they're used to my concerts."
Sora stuck her head out of the doorway from the kitchen, "You sure?"
"Positive. Besides, who better to keep you company other than the great Yamato Ishida? I might even decide to sleep over," he grinned, and then added, "If you're lucky."
From the empty doorway, a box of sandwich bags found its way into Yamato's face. Rubbing his nose, Yamato grinned and mumbled, "ouch, good aim."
Sora's giggles could be heard from the other room and it made Yamato smile. "Yamato, do you want to eat something?"
"You bet! That concert took a lot of energy."
"I'm kinda hungry too, so I'll cook something for the two of us."
Yamato grinned, "See, you're cooking for me already."
It was answered with another laugh.
Busying himself while Sora worked in the kitchen, Yamato decided to explore the house. "Hey Sora, you don't mind if I look around, do you?"
"No, go ahead. There's a guest bedroom on this floor, the kitchen, the dining room, the bathroom, and the living room. Upstairs, there are two bedrooms, and a living room, which is more like just a cozy sitting room."
"There are three bedrooms and one bathroom?"
"Well, both bedrooms upstairs have their own bathroom."
"Wow, you sure you live by yourself?"
"Well, my mom chose this place. One of the bedrooms is for her, though she hasn't been here before. We lived somewhere else before she moved back, but she bought this penthouse for me right before she went to Japan."
"So who decorated?"
"I did. My mom gave me a credit card with a ridiculously high limit and told me to decorate this place whichever way I wanted to, as long as I was happy."
Yamato walked into the kitchen, where Sora was cutting something on the counter and grinned. "Spoiled."
"Am not. I'm quite conservative, you know. None of this stuff is overly expensive or anything, and it is a large house." Sora defended herself. In all honesty, before her mother's clothing brand became popular, they lived in a small two bedroom apartment, barely enough for the two of them. Sora knew that when her mother had left for Japan, she was worried about her daughter's happiness and comfort so she had made arrangements for Sora to live in the large penthouse. "Yamato, weren't you going to look around?"
"Oh, that's right, I'll be back." Yamato announced and walked out of the white marble kitchen, eager to see the house where Sora Takenouchi lived in.
Yamato turned the knob and opened the door to Sora's bedroom. He had been to every room in the house and this was the last one left. Since the other two bedrooms held no possessions of Sora, he guessed that this one was her room. The whole house had been extremely well decorated and kept clean and tidy. "Sora would make a great wife to a lucky guy," Yamato startled himself when the thought ran through his mind. Shaking it out of his head, he stepped into the room.
He knew it wasn't the most polite thing in the world to go into other people's bedrooms, but curiosity had gotten the better of him. He promised silently that all he would do was look around without touching anything. No harm in that, right?
The room had a faint scent of jasmine, and it made Yamato smile. It was a very cozy room, making him feel comfortable almost instantly. Bookshelves aligned the wall and cushions were laid out on the carpeted floor. Looking around, Yamato spotted a painting on the wall, adjacent to a birch bookshelf. He recognized the bird instantly as the one from Sora's painting, Garudamon. Taking a step, he examined the painting closer.
Yamato reached out a tentative hand to hover over the piece of art. He didn't dare touch it, but it was mesmerizing. A sweet voice broke him out of his trance. "I painted that too."
Turning around, he smiled at the sight of Sora by the doorway. The light from the hall outlined her with a glow and she looked heavenly. "Beautiful." The word slipped out of his mouth before he could think, but Sora thought it was meant for the painting.
"Really, you like it? Thanks." Walking over to the painting on the wall, she traced the outline of the bird with a slim finger. "It keeps me company. My protector…" Snapping out of her thoughts, Sora whirled around to face Yamato. "Come on, you sneaky thing, the food's ready."
Yamato leaned back in the chair and sighed with content. "That was probably the best food I've had in a while."
Sora yawned and grinned, "You're lying, but thanks."
She yawned again, and Yamato realized how tired she must've been. "You need sleep, I'll do the dishes, go sleep."
Sora smiled genuinely, "Yamato, you're so sweet." She paused slightly and before he could gloat, she continued, "You're a flirt too. But a sweet one." Standing up, she yawned again, placing a hand over her mouth as she did so. The small action made Yamato smile at how cute she looked. Sora turned to Yamato and announced, "First, I need to take a shower. Don't leave until I'm done, 'kay?"
The blonde grinned, there were a million things he could say to that, but decided that it was too late so he simply smiled and nodded.
When Sora was in the shower, Yamato picked up the dishes on the glass dining table and placed them into the sink. Luckily, the plumbing was very good in Sora's building, so when he turned on the water, the redheaded girl's shower was unaffected.
Sora emerged from the bathroom wearing her pajamas and a robe. She smiled when Yamato turned around to look at her from his spot on the sofa, where he had been watching TV. Sitting next to Yamato on the sofa, she glanced at the clock and gasped. "Yama… it's 4:30!"
The blonde smiled reassuringly, "I told you, my parents are used to it. Sometimes, I even sleep over at one of the guys' house after a concert without telling them. Don't worry. You need your sleep."
Sora shook her head. "It's nice to have company once in a while here… it does get lonely." It was too late for her to deny it, and she was too tired to hide the fact that maybe she did like having Yamato around.
The singer grinned at the comment, but remained quiet when he saw Sora yawn again. "If you won't go to sleep, then watch TV with me." Yamato offered and pulled her back so she could rest on the soft cushions.
Sora nodded her head and subconsciously placed it on Yamato's shoulder.
4:45AM. Yamato glanced at the girl who smelled like jasmine. She had fallen asleep against his shoulder and he smiled at the sight. Deciding that he did like having Sora leaning on his shoulder and watching her sleep, he stayed in the position until it was five in the morning. Sighing, Yamato moved off the sofa, careful not to wake the girl and turned off the TV. Scooping the figure into his arms, Yamato walked up the stairs and found his way into Sora's bedroom again.
Gently lowering her onto the bed, he tucked her in and pushed back the hair that had fallen in front of her face. Smiling at the peaceful sight, he finally got up and closed the door behind him. Walking downstairs, he let himself out, but stood in front of her door. He couldn't just leave without locking it behind him. Looking down, he saw a welcome mat on the floor and grinned at the idea that maybe Sora hid an extra key there like the people in movies. He bent down and lifted the mat, and smiled even wider when he saw the small object on the floor. Picking it up, he locked the door and took the key with him for 'safekeeping.'
Yamato arrived home at around five fifteen in the morning. The way home had taken no more than three minutes since Sora lived so close by. Opening the door, Yamato went straight to his room and collapsed onto the bed. Changing into a t-shirt and a pair of pajama pants, he climbed into bed and fell into a deep sleep as the sun began to rise.
AN: Wow, this chapter is long… lolz, I just had a lot of stuff I wanted to get into this chapter. Thanks for reviewing!! You guys have no idea how much it means to me that people enjoy reading my fic. Thank you!
Happy New Year, everybody!