A/N: (Lone Wolf) Because it's summer an alternate piece about That Christmas, could be seen as pre-Silent Melody. One-shot.
Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own Digimon.
What You Were Looking For…
One of the first things I noticed about that day was the cold; winter had well and truly set in, the threat of snow hanging low in the air. It was warm inside though and I had been glad to reach the building where we were to perform our concert, as always I was the first one there because I wanted to check out the stage and lighting box. I don't really know why I always insisted on doing such things but over time it had become habit and being there first meant I could deal with any problems that came up.
It also gave me time, and peace and quiet to think. And that, today, was something I needed.
"Yamato, what's on your mind?"
I was half way up the ladder to the lighting box when Gabumon's soft voice broke through my concentration.
"Friends," I replied, I had found it had become impossible to lie to my digimon partner, he always knew when I was and, if he thought it was bad for me, would not let up in his gently persistent way until I had told him the truth of what I was thinking. "Taichi and Sora to be exact."
"Have you been fighting again?"
I didn't need to look down to know Gabumon was frowning, I could feel it. I stopped and backtracked down the ladder, sitting on one of the lower rungs so we could talk face to face.
"It's nothing like that," I assured him.
"Then what is it?"
I sighed, even I didn't know exactly how to explain what it was that was bugging me, "It's more of a feeling, there's just too much tension in the group and I don't know what will come of it."
I didn't expand on it anymore than that for fear of what I suspected would turn out to be all too true.
"Have the others said anything?"
I shook my head, "Takeru says Hikari has noticed Tai's mood has changed just recently, so at least I'm not the only one, but, other than that I can't say… No one has mentioned anything, well, not to me at least."
"It could be nothing you know." Ever the voice of reason was Gabumon.
"Yeah, or it could be something terrible."
He smiled at me, "It probably won't be anything as bad as that, you are too pessimistic, my old friend."
"Realistic." I retorted good-naturedly. Between the two of us something's would never change and for that I was grateful. "Still," I said getting back up and returning to what I had been doing before. "I have a feeling whatever 'it' is, we'll be finding out tonight whether we want to or not."
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The weather had only gotten colder as the afternoon wore on and as the concert approached I was forced to put my jacket back on as cold wind blasted once again through the backstage area, Akira, Yutaka and Takashi arriving laughing and joking about being held up by fans outside. They then told me they had also seen Jun hanging around and she had a set of pom poms with her. I groaned and waved them off as I saw Gabumon gesture to me from round the door. Getting up I went to see what he wanted, he was supposed to be waiting outside for Taichi and Agumon so he could sit with them to watch the concert when we kicked off in half an hour's time.
"What is it?" I asked quickly and quietly as fear crept up on me, I didn't know why but knew I would soon find out.
"Outside, hurry," he whispered. "You need to see this."
I rushed past him to the backdoor, hanging back just out of sight but still able to see what was going on.
"I think this was what 'it' was." I heard Gabumon say as he too watched Sora and Tai standing outside, their digimon partners looking slightly confused, and rightfully so.
I couldn't hear what was being said, but then I didn't need to, I saw all I needed to know.
I saw the heartbreak in my friend's eyes as he tried to smile and the apology in the way Sora was standing, staring at the gift she held, clutched tightly in her hands. Both turned and started to walk in opposite directions, Taichi and Agumon away, the digimon looking up questioningly at his human partner while Sora walked towards the door where I was hiding.
She pushed the door open and I heard Gabumon step back behind me, keeping himself hidden in the shadows.
"Yamato?" She called, her voice quiet.
I didn't need to think about what I did next.
Walking out to meet her I placed my hands on her shoulders, I hadn't noticed until now just how much taller than her I was, and looked into her eyes. The sadness I saw in them only strengthening my resolve. I didn't let her say anything.
"Don't," I said. "Sora Takenouchi, you are about to make the biggest mistake of your life, so just don't." She tried to interrupt but I shook my head smiling as I had always done. "Turn around, walk out of here and don't look back. You don't want to be here."
"But-"
"No, no buts…just do it, follow your heart Sora, not your head." I spun her round and pushed her back towards the door, crossing my arms and waiting for her to make the next move.
She paused, looking back and forth between me and Taichi who was still walking away, just about to round the corner and move out of sight. Finally settling on looking at me again she had another apology written in her eyes.
"Sorry." She whispered.
For the second time in the space of five minutes I feared she would make the same mistake again but instead she pressed the gift she had been carrying into my hands, kissed me on the cheek and ran back down the road towards Taichi, her scarf trailing out behind her like a banner.
I smiled again, this time for real.
"You really have grown these past three years," Gabumon said, coming out from hiding.
"Even if I'm still a pessimistic realist?" I asked.
Gabumon laughed softly, "Was that what all the tension was about do you think?"
"Yes," I replied, tugging the ribbon off the gift. "I think we both knew it was something like this, but I guess I just hoped it wasn't."
"Why is that?"
The gift turned out to be homemade cookies; I took one out and bit into it. Sora had always made great cookies, even if the reason behind them this time had been different to normal.
"Because I don't love her." I answered simply. "Not in the way she thinks I do at least, and I didn't want to hurt anyone involved. She thought she should be with me because I have no one and Taichi has his entire family around him all the time, but she forgot," I offered one of the cookies to my digimon partner. "I have you and Taichi needs her just as she needs him. They are 'destined' love, just like Takeru and Hikari, nothing else will do."
Gabumon looked up at me, partly confused and partly surprised, whether he was surprised at the cookies or at what I had said I never knew, and he never got to ask the question I knew he was about to voice as at that moment Akira called.
It was time to start the show.
Gabumon and I shared a look and he bounded out the door to chase down Agumon and Biyomon and I walked towards the stage, knowing that up in the crowd my two best friends had found what they were looking for at last, and to me that was all that mattered.