Ben10 & Digimon Tamers

Heroes and Humanity

Part 02: Humanity and Heroes

The Beginning – Chapter 07

Originally Written: Friday May 29, 2015 1111PM/ Saturday May 30, 2015 145AM TO 307PM and Saturday, May 30, 2018 307PM to 1010PM

. . . . .

The trio known as Fridge, Swamps and Hugh looked up at the expansive, simple, gray apartment complex, examining it's many floors and terraces, balconies and the like. Drizzle tapped at them from above their umbrellas and those who passed them by on the busy sidewalks.

"So, Jen lives here?" Hugh questioned softly, shifting his bag on his shoulder.

"Last call for bets." Swamp spoke up, giddy, "Male or female?"

Hugh shook his head, "I-I already told a reasonable explanation for Jen being male."

Swamps and Fridge looked at him in disbelief. "I said it once and I'll say it again, no human male is calling themselves Jen." Swamps waved a finger. "Better pay up."

Albedo looked back at them.

The trio grinned, caught in their childish act.

"Nothing stupid." He turned around and entered the apartment, the trio following him.

Albedo spent a good while searching through his organized mess in his storage room. The owner and a few workers at the facility greeted him with kindness he was no longer used to, catching him off guard. Still, it served to remind him of the better moments spent here in West Shinjuku and the surrounding areas.

He walked up the stairs, taking slow, careful steps. Fridge, Hugh and Swamps, to Albedo's delight, did not ask why he didn't take the elevator. His mind drew a continuous blank as long days of little rest started to take their toll on him. An awkward but well welcome silence he was fully grateful for.

'We are awake.'

Albedo stopped in the middle of the hallway, just a few feet from the apartment door. He turned around and looked at his companions. "Did you say something?"

"Nope." Swamps responded.

"You told us nothing stupid." Fridge spoke softly.

"A-and that usually means k-keep our mouths shut." Hugh clarified.

"Hn." Albedo turned around. He greatly enjoyed the mental silence for as long as it lasted. He continued to the door, taking deliberate steps. The last thing he wanted or needed was to trip over his own feet right as Jenrya opened the door. He waved a hand to his accomplices. They immediately took to random hiding places.

He stood in front of the door and raised a hand to knock. Terriermon's voice rang out from inside the apartment. 'That Digimon wouldn't know quiet if it smacked him in the face.' He mused, a small smile coming to his face. The door opened as he found himself entertained by listening to Terriermon's voice.

Jenrya studied him, silver eyes looking at him in wonder. Albedo stood speechless as the want and will to just relax filled him. Jenrya pressed a hand to his cheek gently, the marred skin on his shirtless body, stretching and moving in sync with his arm. He ran a thumb under Albedo's eye against his cheek, and Albedo remained eternally grateful to Ryo for reminding him to switch out his ID Mask for a hooded jacket. Jenrya's hand was cool to the touch, gentle with care that Albedo couldn't imagine Tennyson having any longer. His nose caught the sweetest hint of Jenrya's shampoo, honey and ginger, as the bath soap he had picked for himself during his journey with his three alien companions.

"You..." Jenrya spoke that soft voice with potential to roar like a thunderstorm's lightning traveled to Albedo's ears. A voice he didn't think he'd miss so much, but immediately managed to fill him with the same confusing feelings he remembered getting during those days at the food court, sharing chili fries.

"Where's your shirt?" Albedo questioned, red eyes shifting as Jenrya lowered his arm.

At some point, Terriermon managed to climb onto Jenrya's head, for the small Digimon now casually flopped across the male's hair like a tired pooch resting on it's owner's lap after a long day of walks and fetch. "That's what you ask!?"

Albedo was sure he flinched, but decided to not make any signs of realizing it.

"Nevermind that." Jenrya whispered, "What happened to you?"

Albedo did his best to not mentally debate on if it was his sleep filled eyes or his inability to currently stand with his back straight and shoulders squared as though he owned the place, that Jenrya currently focused on, as those silver eyes bore deep into him, memorizing and studying as though wishing to not forget what he looked like. "Things," he eventually responded with that dull bored voice he knew got on Jenrya's nerves, "like with everyone else."

Jenrya shook his head, and pushed the hood off Albedo's head, running his hands through cut dirty white locks. "It's good to see you again, Albedo." Jenrya led the male inside. He followed, feet shuffling. "You spent so long away, I was beginning to think you didn't like me anymore."

Jenrya sauntered off shamelessly, resuming what looked to be preparing laundry for the wash. He took off his shoes and dropped his bag on the floor, just shy of the doorway. "I had some things to take care of."

"Things that left you unable to send a text message for so long?" Jenrya questioned, careful of Terriermon as he leaned over to pick up a fallen pillow. "It's not nice to show up only when you need something."

Albedo lowered his head, the image of Jenrya at Rika's house holding a bottle of medicine burning itself into his mind once more. For a long moment he wondered if he should just turn around and leave. He reached a hand out and grabbed Jenrya's. Jenrya turned around and Albedo took his other hand into his own as well. Silver eyes studied him, questioning. Daring.

"Ugh." Terriermon groaned. The digimon flopped off of Jenrya's head, and used it's ears to hang from Jenrya and Albedo's arms. "I am not watching this." Terriermon gave Albedo a pointed glare before dropping from their arms.

"See if Spinelli or Isao have free washing machines." Jenrya requested.

"Got it."

Albedo wondered for a bit, if he should have turned around at the sound of small feet tapping on the ground. A small gust of wind filled the room and then he heard the door knob turn. He turned around just in time to watch the digimon utilize his long ears to exit the apartment and close the door back all the way. He guessed there was some reaction he was supposed to make, but his tired mind could only comprehend the odd voice in his head.

'Synchronizing.'

He shifted his eyes around if only to make sure that that was indeed a voice in his head. He lowered his eyes and wondered if for a moment he was going insane.

Jenrya pulled him forward, and pushed him gently, guiding him to sit on the couch.

He smiled warmly, but tiredly at him, the act almost utilizing too much precious energy for him to perform. He rested his arms on his lap and looked down at his hands. He heard Jenrya in the kitchen, and the sound of dishes clattering.

He wished as a dehydrated man in a desert wished for water, to close his eyes for just a moment, but he knew too well what lay behind his eyelids, hidden within the darkness. He did not dare to have Jenrya see what it did to him.

Fridge, Swamps and Hugh were all strong like old Sequoia trees. Jenrya was gentle, almost fragile, like the blossoms Jenrya had shown him once. No… Sometimes Jenrya was like that, but many times before, he knew, from watching him stand up for his own thoughts and beliefs, that Jenrya had a different level of strength. Strength that couldn't quite be compared to the physical strength of someone like Hugh. Albedo shook his head.

Jenrya sat next to him, an expression Albedo couldn't read on his face, "You left me all on my own." He murmured as he shifted so his back rested against Albedo's arm. His feet hung off the side of the couch as he spoke, "It almost set me back."

Albedo looked ahead of him at a random picture of him and Jenrya he didn't even remember being taken. It sat on the small table, making a statement that filled him with warmth from deep within him. He wondered if Jenrya still had that ridiculous photo of himself with Trang Shion and quickly decided to not even go that route in his thoughts.

"But maybe from somewhere inside, I felt or thought that you would come back to me." Jenrya continued.

"As much as the possibility of that not being a good idea, roams through your thoughts?" His red eyes settled on the D-Terminal sitting next to the picture and the basket of laundry.

"Perhaps I'm a masochist?" Jenrya questioned as though trying to figure out the answer himself.

"I don't think so." Albedo spoke softly. The two sat in silence. Albedo's eyes drifted over to the window. He clenched his teeth as he held out an arm towards the window. His trio of misfit accomplices stood on the terrace, looking in at them. Hugh was grinning and Swamps and Fridge looked terribly confused. Albedo ran a hand in front of his throat. The trio froze and carefully scrambled out of view.

"You alright over there?"

He turned his head and caught silver eyes watching him. Albedo nodded.

Jenrya smiled warmly and pressed his forehead against his arm.

Albedo raised his other hand and placed it on Jenrya's head. "I have a few theories concerning your shirt." He watched Jenrya's shoulders shake in mirth, "but I'd rather you tell me yourself."

Jenrya lifted his head, "I ran out of shirts." He grinned as thought this was a regular occurrence. Albedo raised an eyebrow in wonder. "I visit dad and friends pretty often, so I left some clothes over there. I keep misjudging how much clothes I have on me." Jenrya looked at the couch, pressing his hands against the cushions underneath him, in the space between his open legs. "Everyone's always checking on me." He smiled, lost in his thoughts. "It's not invasive though, so it's really nice."

Jenrya looked up at him as he gingerly removed his hoodie and wrapped it around his shoulders. His eyes brightened and Jenrya stood up quickly, "Wait! Wait!" He held up a finger before rushing out the living room area. He leaned back into the couch, sinking into the cushions. He closed his eyes for a moment, where he felt hands and something cool to the touch sliding through his hair against his head. He opened his eyes and Jenrya straightened so he stood up straight again.

Albedo took the object off his head as Jenrya looked at him expectantly. He looked at Jenrya's sunglasses, green lenses reminding him of a place where he was free from Tennyson's torment. Perhaps it was his tired mind, but in those lenses he saw children eager to learn, but failing to do so as teachers were forced to rush through teaching in order to stick to the heavy curriculum dictated by the government. He saw stragglers, each of them smart in their own right, grateful to Albedo for taking his time to not only remind them, but show them such. He replaced the sunglasses on his head, deep green lenses shining in the afternoon sun streaming in from the window.

"Terriermon!" Jenrya called without turning around. "Going to help do some laundry?"

Terriermon made a squeaking indignant sound, "Help you do laundry!? I don't even wear clothes!"

"Suzie's going to give you all your Princess Prettypants dresses one day, you know." He looked back at the Digimon who stared at him in horror.

Albedo looked at Terriermon as well, laughing under his breath.

"She's not gonna let you respectfully decline either." Jenrya continued.

Terriermon huffed and spun around as though trying to create a whirlwind of some kind. He didn't go full speed however. Albedo watched him float up to the doorknob in something akin to wonder and the slightest bit of awe. The digimon grabbed the doorknob with his ears, and idly swung back and forth on it. "Spinelli's about to go to work, but she doesn't mind you using the washing machine while she's gone."

"Sweet." Jenrya spoke, fixing Albedo's hoodie on his shoulders, "So, where are you off to Mr. Skips out on chores?"

"You've made me flashback." The digimon spoke in a lighthearted voice, "I gotta go get some brain bleach to cleanse the memories of Princess Prettypants from my mind."

Jenrya chuckled and shook his head, "Don't come crying to me when Mr. Nakamura comes at you with the broom again, ya snoop."

Terriermon snorted and slipped between the closing door and the door jam.

"You don't have to come with me." Jenrya looked at Albedo, "You look like you've had a long journey. Get some rest."

"It's fine." He murmured, standing as Jenrya walked around the table and slipped into the kitchen. He fiddled with his black shirt, pulling down on the hem as he pointedly ignored his pale arms and hands.

"Are you sure?" Jenrya called. Albedo walked to the room where the bed he left for Jenrya rested.

"Yes!" He called as he pulled back the sheets and lifted up the mattress.

"Alright then."

Albedo grabbed the envelope sitting between it and the frame. He gently lowered the bed, and fixed the sheets, taking time he normally wouldn't to smooth the sheets and properly orient the pillows the way Jenrya liked. He stared forlornly at the piece of furniture as he took a deep breath that was a cross between it and a yawn.

He walked out the room, past the living area and to the kitchen. Jenrya placed a cover on a thermos. "I made you some tea." The blue haired male grabbed a dishcloth hanging by the sink and wiped off the kitchen table.

Albedo wished the male had made coffee instead, but didn't complain. "Thank you," with unsure hands he held out the envelope.

Jenrya looked at it intrigued, "Hm?"

Albedo pushed it in his hands, "Open it."

Jenrya took a seat at the table and opened the envelope. His eyes widened at the sight of the many bills in it. "Albedo?" He looked up at him.

"At the time I did not have enough money to pay for so many months rent and utilities in advance," Albedo tiredly ran a hand across the back of his neck, "So I sold the washing machine and dryer." He dropped his arm. "When I earned it back, I put that underneath the bed for you. I thought I sent a message about it, but I can't be sure."

Jenrya stood, smiling and wrapped his arms around him. The male stiffened, as Jenrya spoke. "You're always thinking ahead. Thank you."

Albedo's arms hung limp at his sides, as he stared at the stove, with the steaming kettle sitting on top of it, waiting to be used again. "Think nothing of it."

Jenrya dropped his arms. He walked to the living area, eyes closed. Jenrya shuffled around the kitchen for a bit, as Albedo looked at the mound of Jenrya's dirty clothes.

Jenrya handed him the thermos, and picked up the laundry basket. "Coming?" He grabbed the keys hanging on a loop next to the door. Albedo followed obediently, thermos of tea and Jenrya's D-Terminal in hand. Then they both had to return, since Jenrya forgot slippers for Albedo, but soon the duo were off again, as though no time had passed at all.