A/N: I think this chapter is possessed. No, seriously! Let me tell you...I've had this chapter written for a couple of weeks, but haven't had the time to load it. (goes down on knees begging for readers' forgiveness) I've been crazy busy. So then, this afternoon, I had some time so was going to upload the chapter. Then decided to be an ass. First it wouldn't let me login. Then it wouldn't let me upload. And then I had to go to a doctor's appointment and a meeting so I didn't get it done. Now finally after--what?--7 hours, I will finally get this up.
By the way, is anyone else confused by the new rating system? I mean wtf!
Okay, enough of my ranting and onto the story!
Disclaimer: Don't give me another reason to complain...
"Tai, I'm worried about him."
It was a beautiful Saturday, a rare cool breeze softening the summer heat. It was the kind of day when children play at the park, carefree, as their parents watched from the picnic tables. Taichi and Yamato were sitting under a tree, watching the activities from the shade. Taichi stretched lazily. "Who are we talking about?"
Yamato looked at his friend exasperatedly. "Daisuke, you idiot." Taichi gave him a sheepish smile. Yamato rolled his eyes and leaned up on his elbows, thoughts drifting as he watched a boy squirt his sister with a water gun.
"You know Hikari had a dream about him the other day," said Taichi as he leaned against the tree. Yamato looked at him expectantly. "He died." Yamato went white. "I told her there was probably nothing to worry about," Taichi continued. "Still, she went to visit him on Tuesday."
Yamato stared at him wide-eyed. "She went to his house?"
Taichi frowned in thought. "Well, she did. But Jun was there and said he was at work, so Hikari went there and they had lunch."
"Did she say what happened?"
Taichi shook his head. "She wouldn't say. She seemed really distracted. You don't think he…"
Yamato gave him a look that clearly said he thought he was an idiot. "Don't be stupid." He looked back across the playground, wondering if he should have a talk with Hikari. Sometimes that girl was too damn perceptive.
"Yamato!" He snapped his head around. "Where were you? I've been calling you the past five minutes!"
Yamato raised an eyebrow. "You exaggerate too much."
Taichi shrugged. "Whatever. Are you really that worried about Daisuke?"
Yamato sighed. "Tai, you have to swear not to tell anyone what I'm about to tell you."
Taichi sat up, sensing the seriousness in Yamato's voice. "On my honor. What's up?"
Yamato glanced around the park before facing Taichi. "I don't think any of us really know what's going on with Daisuke." Taichi stared at him in confusion. "Earlier this week Daisuke asked me to teach him how to cook. I agreed, and when I went over to his house…" he trailed off as he got lost in thought again. He shook his head. "Daisuke and Jun didn't look healthy. It's not that they're not eating, just the wrong things. And the power's out. When I got into the front room it smelled like alcohol and cigarette smoke. They had the windows open, I'm guessing to try to clear it out. I didn't mention anything. But when their father came home, he was drunk." Taichi's eyes widened. Yamato chuckled. "Yeah, sound familiar, ne? Well, I don't think he expected to see me here and he got defensive. Daisuke finally reasoned with him, but for a minute I thought he was going to hit him. And when he came over on Tuesday, he had bruise on his cheek."
Taichi stared at his friend. "You don't think…"
Yamato nodded. "I don't want to jump to conclusions," he said, "but that's the first thing that popped into my head."
Yamato watched as his best friend paled and looked across the playground. Taichi's expression suddenly changed to surprised. "Yamato look!"
Yamato whipped his head around to where Taichi was staring. "What?"
"Do you see them? It's Mimi and Koushiro!"
Yamato looked more closely, finally spotting them by the ice cream cart. "Yeah it is. What about them?"
"What are they doing at the park together?"
Yamato sighed at his friend's antics. He wondered once again why he put up with the brunette. "Tai, I know it's hard for you, but try to focus. We were talking about Daisuke."
"I know! But it looks like they're on a date!"
Yamato rolled his eyes. "Good for them. It's about time. Taichi, this is important!"
"But…but…"
"What, do you have a crush on her or something?"
Taichi's face grew red. "No…it's just—"
Yamato grabbed Taichi's face and turned it towards him. "Pay attention. Daisuke might be in trouble and he's not telling anyone. We need to figure this out. We can worry about Mimi and Koushiro's love life some other time."
Taichi gulped and nodded. "Isn't Ken his best friend?"
Yamato let go of Taichi's face and shook his head. "I don't think Ken even knows."
Taichi looked thoughtful. "Maybe I should tell Hikari to stay away from him for now?"
"He's not dangerous," Yamato protested. "She probably just shouldn't go to his house. Though I doubt Daisuke would let her in anyway." Taichi looked hesitant. "Look," explained Yamato, "Daisuke needs friends right now, whether he admits it or not. The best we can do is be there for him, not avoid him."
Taichi finally nodded. "Do you think Hikari knows?"
Yamato shook his head. "I'm sure she's put some thought to it, but I doubt he told her anything." He noticed that his feet were in sunlight instead of the shade they'd been in a few minutes ago. "Come on, it's getting hot. Let's go inside."
Ken sat on the couch debating what he wanted to do with his free Saturday. He jumped when he heard a knock on the door. He got up, muttering about door-to-door sales people. His eyes widened when the door opened to reveal Daisuke—a very bruised looking Daisuke.
"What happened?" he gasped as he led Daisuke into the apartment. He ran into the kitchen to get a glass of water.
Daisuke sat on the couch staring straight ahead. He looked up with blank eyes when Ken handed him the water. "Jun got kicked out."
Ken's jaw dropped. "What? How? Why?"
Daisuke shook his head. "I've come to realize Dad's better off drunk. Don't ask me why but he didn't have anything today. He came into the room when she was on the phone with somebody. She didn't realize he was in the room, and when she hung up she told me she was leaving. He asked her where she was going and she jumped a bit. She turned around and told him that she was simply going out. She got that look she used to give me when we got into fights. I've never seen her look at him like that. When she wouldn't tell him where, he yelled at her about disrespecting his rules." Daisuke snorted. "Then he took her by the arm and physically threw her out, telling her that he'd call the cops if she ever came back."
Ken stared at his friend. "Are you serious?" Daisuke nodded. "Where did she go?"
Daisuke shrugged. "She called and told me she was staying at a friend's house."
Ken nodded, still a little shocked at what he'd just been told. He remembered the bruises on his friends face. He gingerly touched Daisuke's cheek. "How'd you get this?" he asked quietly.
Daisuke frowned. "Like I said, that man is better off drunk. Monday night he got mad when I told him he hadn't paid the electric bill."
"He hit you?"
Daisuke shrugged. "Yeah, big deal. The bruise is almost gone now."
Ken studied his friend. "And your neck?"
Daisuke sighed. "I lost it when he kicked Jun out. Told him if he wasn't so lost in the bottle all the time we might actually know what his rules are."
Ken gasped. "Daisuke, you didn't?"
He nodded. "He wasn't too happy about that. Grabbed me by the neck and pinned me against the wall. He said if I thought I was so mighty I could follow her out."
Ken watched his friend as he thought about what he was just told. "Why are you telling me this?"
Daisuke looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"You barely tell me anything that's going on. Why the confession now? Why didn't you tell me sooner that things were getting so bad?"
Daisuke shrugged. "I didn't want to worry you."
Ken glared at his friend. "I was more worried not knowing what was going on!" He noticed Daisuke flinch and sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. But Dais, this isn't healthy!"
"And what am I supposed to do?"
"The cops?" suggested Ken meekly.
"I'm not a child anymore. They won't just take me and put me in a new, happy home. All my dad has to say is we got into a fight and they'll shrug and walk away."
Ken frowned. "Well you can't stay there."
Daisuke laughed bitterly. "Jun told me the same thing. Where am I going to go Ken?"
"You could stay here."
He shook his head. "I'm not going to put a burden on you."
"It's no trouble, really. I'd rather that—"
"I don't want to be that poor lost soul who has to depend on everyone to help him out because he can't deal with his own problems!"
Ken went silent.
Daisuke fell back into the couch. "Ken, I'm sorry. I know you're trying to help. It's just, I can't—I don't know. Ugh!" he cried in frustration.
Ken noticed the tears building up behind his friends eyes. Daisuke wiped at his eyes violently. "This is so stupid," he mumbled.
Ken shook his head and gathered his friend in his arms. "Just let it out Daisuke." And he did.
Well, I probably won't get another chapter out until May. I'm so sorry! Don't kill me! And of course as the epitome of my life this month I have to get going again!
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