Rebuilding the Bridge
Sorry It Took So Long
Or something along those lines
"I'm comfortably confused
And you...
You've gotten so removed."
-
Taking Back Sunday (Set Phasers to Stun)
Taichi pushed the glass door harshly as he rushed into the police station. "Hikari!"
"Big brother!" As soon as they saw each other, Hikari shrugged Takeru's arm from around her shoulder and ran into Taichi's open arms. "God Taichi, I'm so glad you're here." She was on the verge of tears, so Taichi just hushed his sister, kissing the top of her head and rubbing her back soothingly.
Takeru merely gave Yamato a sheepish smile. "Did you two come here together?" he asked.
"Nah, we just met up outside." The singer instantly knew what a weak lie that was; Taichi was here fifteen minutes after he was called, and there was no way he could have walked that fast, not to mention the fact that Yamatao hadn't even been called. Takeru just grinned annoyingly.
"So I take it you've made up?"
Yamato wasn't even looking at his brother, instead watching the big haired brunet demand a police officer to tell him what was going on. "I don't know," Yamato said. "We've only started talking…"
Takeru snorted. "Yeah, talking's the word for it." Yamato opened up his mouth to reply, but he stopped when Takeru's innuendo sunk in. "I can tell by how your hair's not brushed all that carefully, and your shirt is rumpled," he explained.
"We've got to talk about that dirty mind of yours," Yamato grumbled. "Where's Daisuke?"
"He's being held and questioned for disrupting the peace," Takeru said, reaching for the hat in his brother's hand.
"What is going on?" Yamato asked.
"He touched her, that's what I'm saying," Daisuke shouted, slamming a fist on the metal table. "The bastard put his dirty hand on Hikari-chan's ass and tried to slip it up her skirt! Of course I hit him; she was too scared to move!"
"Strong language for a junior high student," officer Tsusakei noted, taking it down in a notepad. "Violent behavior."
"I'm a high school student!"
"Right, right," Tsusakei said, nodding. "Moving on, the train station is an awfully crowded place, isn't it? It could have been that Mr. Kanchi accidentally—"
"He did it on purpose!" Daisuke snapped. "Takeru saw it too! Just ask him!"
Tsusakei just sighed and rubbed his temples; this Daisuke boy was very loud, and it didn't help his migraine at all. "Very well, you're free to leave."
"I know what I saw and—what?"
"You can go, kid. We already talked to your friends, and it's obvious that you're telling the truth," the officer explained. "Mr. Kanchi is being fined heavily and sent to jail for thirty days."
"Then—" Daisuke splattered. "Why did you let me talk for so long?"
"You seemed like a stressed out boy. I thought if you let it all out, you won't hit anyone else." The man opened the door and waved Daisuke out of his office. Red faced, Daisuke stomped out of the room.
"Daisuke, you're okay!" Hikari said, detaching from Taichi and pouncing on her friend. He blushed and wrapped an arm around her waist. "I'm sorry for getting you into trouble," she said, voice muffled by Daisuke's Teenaged Wolves t-shirt.
"Don't be stupid," Daisuke said fondly. "That freak touched you. He deserves more than a few weeks in jail and a fine."
"Thank you so much," Hikari said, her voice nearly collapsing into tears. Then, so quick he didn't see it coming, Hikari pressed her lips to his cheek.
"Hikari-chan…" Daisuke whispered, looking down at her kind eyes. Then he turned and jabbed his left forefinger in Takeru's direction (his right arm was still around the girl's waist). "Take that Blondie! I just got kissed by Hikari-chan!" Four pairs of eyes stared at the brunet, and he faltered.
"What are you talking about?" Takeru asked incredulously.
"I… well… Don't you like her?" Takeru shook his head. "But we've been—we've been fighting over her for years!" Daisuke said desperately, feeling stupid.
"Daisuke… I'm gay."
Daisuke's mouth opened and closed a few times, imitating a carp. He looked at Takeru, to Hikari, to Taichi, to Yamato, and back to Takeru. "Why isn't anyone else surprised?"
"Well, I am his best girl friend," Hikari offered.
"I'm his brother," Yamato pointed out.
"And I'm Hikari's brother," Tai said, shrugging. "I honestly thought you knew. Anyway, let's check out of here. Do you guys want to stay over tonight? Our parents are in Kyoto…"
"Here Hikari, keep this around your neck. If a dirty old man tries to feel you up again, use it." Hikari sat up in her bed and looked at her brother skeptically. "It's a rape whistle," he explained.
Hikari giggled and strung the old thing around her neck, putting it to her lips and blowing softly. "Thank you, big brother," she said softly.
"I love you too," Taichi said, patting her head. "Now go to sleep."
Hikari yawned and rolled over in bed. Taichi smiled at her sleeping form, and from the doorway, Yamato smiled too.
Yamato felt like his heart could explode, just from watching this sweet scene between the Yagami siblings. He felt as if he were intruding on something he shouldn't, but he couldn't tear his eyes away.
"Yamato." The blond became suddenly aware. "I can't see you, but I know you're there. I can feel you."
"Is she asleep?" Yamato whispered back.
"Yeah," Taichi said, standing up from his seat on Hikari's page. Yamato moved back to allow the brunet to exit the room. He closed the door softly behind them. "Where are Takeru and Daisuke?"
"I think they're asleep in your parent's room."
"That's good," Taichi replied absently, "Look, we need to—" Yamato smothered Taichi's words with a kiss, pushing Taichi gently back into the wall.
"Yamato!" Taichi hissed, pushing the other away and ending the kiss as abruptly as it began. "I'm trying to be serious."
"Okay," Yamato said stepping back, but obviously annoyed. "What do you want?" Taichi hushed him with a look, and took Yamato's hand to lead him to the living room. There, he seated them on the sofa, and looked around to check none of the others were around.
Then he looked at Yamato and asked, "What are we?"
"What do you mean?" Yamato said, brows furrowing. "You kissed me first. I think I told you how I felt about it. Why? Did you not mean it?"
"What are we now?" Taichi tried to articulate, ignoring Yamato's questions. "We haven't talked since the ninth grade. I thought we were ex-best friends. I don't even know you anymore. Jumping into something too fast could ruin things."
"Too fast?" Yamato hissed angrily. "You don't know how long I've wanted you. I don't even know when I realized it, sometime in first year I'm sure, because every time I looked at you, and saw you with your other friends, my heart would break. When I saw you happy with other people, with your friends on the soccer team and the cheerleaders that always hung around, I knew that you didn't need me. You caused me so much heartache, Taichi. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat, and I hated it. And yet I could never regret ever meeting you." With that, Yamato kissed Taichi again. "If you meant what you said about falling for me, stay like this," he whispered against Taichi's neck.
Taichi wanted to stop and talk to Yamato, wanted to be best friends again before doing anything drastic; he wanted Yamato to kiss him harder and deeper and—
They barely heard the loud clunk from the bathroom, but they snapped apart when they heard twin ouch's. Warily, they glanced at each other, and got up to go to the source.
Daisuke and Takeru lay tangled in an awkward position on the bathroom carpet. It looked as if Daisuke had slipped off of the counter and onto Takeru, who fell back and hit his head on the glass shower door. They blushed when the older digidestined found them like that.
"Uh, yeah, we can explain…" Takeru started.
"Daisuke?" Taichi asked. "I thought you liked Hikari?"
"I do!" Daisuke exclaimed. "I like Hikari, I really do!"
"Then what's…" Taichi said, helplessly gesturing at the situation. Takeru and Daisuke managed to untangle themselves, and stood up, brushing themselves off with their hands.
"I really like Hikari, but I like y-a guy too, and I thought maybe if I kissed Takeru, I wouldn't be confused about if I like guys—" Daisuke blabbered.
"Whoa, whoa, slow down, Dais." Taichi frowned. "But you don't like Takeru?"
"And what about you?" Yamato snapped at his brother. "Do you like him?"
"I—no," Takeru said.
"You idiot!" Yamato exclaimed. "You can't go around kissing just because. You have to mean something when you do it—"
"Shh," Taichi shushed, clamping a hand over Yamato's mouth. "Hikari's sleeping."
"Warning's too late." The boys whirled around to see Hikari behind them, a sleepy smile on her face and a stuffed bear tucked under her arm. "I can't sleep. Brother, will you sleep with me?"
"Sure," Taichi said, backing out of the small bathroom. "Okay, Yama, you can take my room. You two can take Mom and Dad's room." He slyly grinned at the younger boys. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do. I'll be with Hikari if you need anything. " Taichi pushed Hikari in front of him, and in the process his eyes connected with Yamato's. He blushed, and looked away. "Come on, sis. It's late."
The three others stood silent in the bathroom for a moment, until the older blond boy bid them good night and set off for Taichi's room.
"Was it me..." Daisuke asked, "or were there ice crystals just now?"
"Definitely," Takeru agreed. "There were definitely ice crystals."
(tbc)