Disclaimer: I am making no profit for this little fan endeavor. Motomiya Daisuke, Catherine, and any other Digimon character appearing in this are the sole property of Toei Animation. I promise to return them in mint to near mint condition.

Author's Notes: This story is being based (And originally posted) in a LiveJournal community called 52 Flavours. Fifty-Two themes, one for every week of the year. I decided to put my bid in for Daisuke and Catherine. If you don't think you can handle the idea of the pairing, that's okay. Just, don't go flipping out over my fic. Go find something that you'll actually like to read.

Fifty-Two Flavors

Theme 15. Bathing in Artificial Light

It's strange, Daisuke thought, that feelings can change in short periods of time. That what you once thought was an absolute fact, was now something that you weren't so sure on. And possibilities you didn't even know existed suddenly presented themselves right in front of you.

Stranger still was the fact that he was sitting on his apartment's balcony, with his house guest sitting Indian style next to him. Daisuke wondered why she had not taken up Takeru's offer that day to spend time sight seeing. Instead, she said that she wasn't feeling well, and opted to stay in the Motomiya's home.

Catherine had seemed listless that day, but hadn't seemed sick, per say. And now, staring at the night sky, she looked more sad than ill.

"Catherine?" Daisuke prompted, not liking the silence.

"Do you like the night, Die-skay?" Catherine asked, never turning to him. Before he could answer, she plunged on. "I've always enjoyed the nighttime. Once, when I was a little girl, my parents took me camping. So far away from the lights of Paris, I didn't even know there were so many stars in the sky.

"Odaiba is a lot like Paris," she said. "You can barely see the stars here. But I still think the night is pretty. It's quiet and peaceful. I like being awake when the world's asleep."

Daisuke turned to the dark sky for a moment, before looking back on his house guest. "I… like the daytime more."

The girl laughed. "You don't have to sound so ashamed! I won't hold it against you," she said, conspiratorially.

The balcony light flickered for a moment, before continuing its dull hum as the light shined on. It was dimmer than before, and made everything glow a warm yellow. Daisuke thought it made Catherine look quite pretty.

"I'm going home next week," she said, a melancholy tone lacing the words.

"Yeah," he nodded. "Friday, right?"

"Friday," she repeated in agreement. "You'll be there to see me off?"

"Well, yeah," Daisuke blinked, taken aback. "But, don't you want Takeru there, instead?"

"Takeh-roo will be there, of course. But," Catherine turned to him, "I want you to be there too, Die-skay."

"Why?"

The girl frowned. She turned away, allowing her blonde locks to cover whatever expression was on her face. "Because."

"…Okay," he finally said, realizing that was the only answer he'd get from her.

A short silence followed, as Daisuke sat and watched the girl stare off into nothingness. The balcony light dimmed a bit more, before buzzing back to a pleasant yellow that made the whole scene look like an old photograph to him. He suddenly wished for a camera, so he could capture whatever this strange, sad scene was before him. He didn't really understand it, but it caused him to ache.

"You're really very dense, Die-skay," Catherine muttered, breaking the moment.

"Huh?" he raised a brow, confused.

"But I guess it's one of your charms. In a way," she added. With a determined face, she looked at him. "Let's go somewhere tomorrow."

"Wouldn't you rather go with Take- ?"

"No," Catherine interrupted, fingers curling into delicate fists in her lap. "I'm not Takeh-roo's girlfriend! I only came to visit as a friend. Friend! And I want to go with you." Flustered, she turned away from him.

Silently, Catherine fingered the hem of her skirt, refusing to look at the befuddled boy next to her. But Daisuke, even through all his inability to read people's emotions, could tell that he had said something profoundly stupid. Something that he should've realized was best left unspoken.

"I'm not Takeh-roo's girlfriend!"

Didn't she want to be? That was the whole point to her visiting and going to the festival, wasn't it? Or maybe he had just interpreted it incorrectly. It certainly seemed like he had. V-mon had even mentioned it. His own partner, and he still didn't get it. Once again, what was obvious to others around him was something that he was totally oblivious to.

"Where do you want to go?" Daisuke asked, softly.

Her gaze tentatively went to him. "Tokyo Tower."

He raised a brow. "That'll be a whole day's trip. We'll have to get up early."

"And?"

"I'm not really a morning person."

Blue eyes turned back to the cement floor. "Oh."

"So," Daisuke sighed, placing his hands behind him and leaning back, "I guess you'll have to wake me up."

Catherine was still for a moment, before turning to him completely, a small smile on her face. "…I guess I will." The blonde stood up, brushing herself off. "We should go to bed, then."

He looked up to her then, and it was at that moment that the balcony light sparked back to its full white glory, surrounding his guest in shining aura that made her blonde locks sparkle like gold, and caused shadows to dance on her pretty features. It was the second time that simply looking at her made it hard for him to breathe. He wondered if this would become habitual. If it did, he wasn't sure that it would be that unpleasant.

"Die-skay?" Catherine prompted, noticing his odd look.

He shook his head. "It's nothing. It's just that…" His voice trailed as he waved one hand in a vain effort to force the words out.

A small giggle escaped Catherine's lips, and walked towards the door. "Goodnight, Die-skay."

It was only after she had left, that Daisuke fully regained his ability to speak.

"…You look really pretty in the light."