I don't own Digimon.

A/N: Sorry about the delay! Just finished up another game and did my best to get this out as fast as possible. Next up after this chapter we'll be seeing Izzy as we make our way to the Izumi residence the next day. Enjoy!

Following the Footsteps of Destiny

Chapter 316: Something to Hide

Masato 'Matty' Takaishi

Odaiba, Japan, Earth

It was quiet in the house, and stepping out of the bathroom into the empty upstairs hallway, Matty paused for a moment to towel dry his hair. Earlier, he had graciously offered to let Sam use the tub first, which in retrospect might have been a bad idea.

Not that he could legitimately complain.

Really, it wasn't like he had suffered any ramifications to his health or comfort by allowing his raven-haired friend to jump the queue. It was more the fact that giving up his spot in line had permitted him time to think, and right now delving into his own confusing thoughts wasn't exactly high on his priority list. The last thing he wanted to do was let his frustrations overwhelm him, but now that his mind had started to wander, he was past the point of no return.

Sam's barely said a single word since we left Dai's house, but...I don't think it's cause of me. At first, after everything that happened in the waterway, I thought maybe he was acting weird because of both Mickey and myself, but afterwords at Dai's place, he was definitely treating me like he always does. There was nothing odd about his attitude at all. It was only Mickey's presence that was making him seem a bit...off. I don't get it. Is he mad at Mickey? Are they fighting more than they're willing to admit?

Truthfully, he was dying to know the answer to that, especially since Sam had denied there was anything serious going on during their whispered conversation in the waterway.

If there's really nothing wrong then why did he seem so worried? Even when I called him out on his obvious concern for my brother, he didn't deny my accusations. I mean, he kind of had every right to be annoyed with me earlier, but I can tell none of this has anything to do with me at all...

Or did it?

Though Sam hadn't been treating him any differently since coming back from the Digital World, Matty could sense there was some sort of peculiar energy in the air between them. While the raven-haired Digidestined certainly hadn't hesitated to joke around with him when they were together, something about Sam's demeanour had seemed out of character.

It's like he's...I dunno...cautious around me or something? Kind of like he's walking on eggshells. What's that about? Is it because he thinks I'm mad at him for fighting with Mickey? He did opt to stay downstairs instead of joining us in Dai's room. Was that because he wanted some space, and if he did...from whom? Me? Mickey? Both of us?

Unfortunately, as much as he was bursting with curiosity, he had no idea if he was even on the right track. For all he knew, Sam's decision to stay downstairs might not have had anything at all to do with either himself or his twin. Maybe the raven-haired Digidestined had just wanted to spend some time with Makku and Shinji.

The three of them were in the living room together with our digimon when we came downstairs. Ugh, I wish Mickey were here. He would probably know. I suck at stuff like this...

Speaking of the older twin, Matty couldn't help wondering how his brother was doing. He had no doubt Dai was probably giving Mickey a lecture, and truthfully his brother deserved it.

He should know better than to think any of us wouldn't care about him. I do hope he's okay without me. He has been acting pretty weird around Sam lately, which means whatever's going on between them is clearly mutual. It's not like them to argue at all. I'm really worried about them. If they do something dumb to hurt each other...

"Why are you staring at the wall?" a familiar voice suddenly giggled, startling him out of his morose thoughts.

Glancing down, Matty found himself gazing at his little sister, and frowning, he said, "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" Rina countered, dancing on her toes in her nightshirt. "Mommy said when you and Sam were done in the bath you were supposed to go straight to bed!"

"Ugh, give me a break. I literally just got out! Better get back to your own room before Mom finds you out here, otherwise you're going to be the one in trouble."

"Not if you don't tell her, you big meanie!"

Matty responded by reaching out to tickle the young girl under her arms, and letting out a squeal of laughter, Rina quickly slipped out of his grasp and ran back down the hall to barricade herself in her room. Having solved that problem, he slowly made his way back to his own room, and easing the door open, he paused in the entryway to gaze at the raven-haired boy who was the source of his current anxiety.

Surely Sam had realised by now the reason he had been asked to stay over, and even if the raven-haired boy hadn't, Matty wasn't about to hide the truth. After everything that had happened over the last few days, he wanted an explanation, and he wasn't going to take no for an answer.

I wonder if Mickey noticed the way you didn't come upstairs with us. I'm not going to let you keep secrets, Sam. No matter what, I'm not going to let the two of you drift away from each other...

"Was Rina giving you a hard time out there?" Sam asked, looking amused.

Matty blinked, and sheepishly scratching the back of his head, he said, "You heard that?"

"Hard not to with all the giggling. She's pretty cute, even if she is a handful."

Matty had no choice but to grumble in agreement, and flopping down on the bed across from Sam, who was sitting at the head of the mattress with his back propped against a pillow, he quickly threw the towel aside and proceeded to stretch out on his stomach in an effort to make himself more comfortable. Next to Sam, their two digimon partners were sleeping soundly on the blankets, and glancing over at Mickey's empty bed, Matty took a moment to gather his thoughts.

He's acting so...like, I dunno...subdued around me? Plus, he refuses to look me in the eyes. What gives? He's never done that to me before...

Since Sam didn't look as if he had any intentions of starting up a conversation, Matty immediately decided to take matters into his own hands. Figuring it was best to start off with some mundane conversation before getting to the heart of the matter, he said mildly, "Feel better after a bath?"

The raven-haired Digidestined shrugged, and keeping his sapphire eyes focused on their sleeping digimon, Sam said, "A little bit. You?"

"Much better. I bet Dai probably feels the same. Do you think Joe's finally stopped yelling at him yet?"

Sam laughed at that, and pulling up his knees, the raven-haired Digidestined said, "Maybe. Hard to say. Joe can be pretty intense sometimes, especially when our health is involved."

Despite the ease with which they spoke, the air was tense, and resting his chin on his arms, Matty said lightly, "Hey, do you think Mickey will be okay without us tonight? I could tell Spritemon's words hit him pretty hard. I know I shouldn't worry, but I can't help it sometimes."

He is my brother, after all. My twin. The closest person in the world to me. I can't stand seeing him look so...down...

To his surprise, Sam finally looked at him, and lips softening into a smile, the raven-haired Digidestined said gently, "I'm sure he's fine. You know what Dai's like. He'll have Mickey feeling like his old self again in no time. I definitely understand why you're worried. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit worried myself, but I trust Dai. He won't let us down. You know that as well as I do."

It was true, and feeling somewhat better, Matty kept his gaze focused on Sam's face and said hesitantly, "So...like...if you don't mind me asking, how come you didn't come upstairs with us earlier at Dai's house?"

Did we do something to upset you? Did Mickey do something to make you want to hide from us?

The change in Sam's expression was immediate, and glancing away again, his expression becoming much more guarded, the raven-haired Digidestined said quietly, "It wasn't for any particular reason. I just needed some space and a little time to myself, that's all."

"You know that doesn't sound convincing at all, right?"

Sam paused for a moment, and then wrapping his arms around his knees, the raven-haired Digidestined said softly, "Were you worried about me?"

"Of course I was worried about you! What kind of a friend do you think I am!?"

He wasn't expecting a response, but to his surprise, Sam murmured, "A really good one."

Huh?

Feeling somewhat flattered and a little bit embarrassed, Matty quickly sat up and grumbled, "Then don't ask dumb questions. I'm kind of offended, you know."

"Did you really think I would have answered any other way?" Sam replied, once again avoiding his eyes.

Great, and now he's back to acting all nervous around me. Seriously, I can't keep up. It's making my head hurt.

Letting out a deep sigh, Matty quickly moved to sit next to the raven-haired Digidestined, and pulling up his own knees, he said, "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"It's about Mickey, right?" Sam said bluntly, his arms wrapping even more tightly around his knees. "That's why you wanted me to stay with you tonight."

"That's not the only reason. Ugh, can you just stop being difficult for a moment and let me talk?"

I wonder if Dai feels the same way talking to Mickey. Like, seriously.

For just a moment, Sam looked a little guilty, and lifting his gaze to the ceiling, the raven-haired Digidestined said wearily, "What's the other reason then?"

"Because the two of us haven't had a chance to hang out like this in a while, and it's kind of nice, okay? That's the main reason, even if you don't believe it."

It's true. We haven't really had any time alone lately that I can remember, not like I have with Dai and Ryoko. It's a nice change, especially since I do really care about him...

"Is it also a dumb question to ask you if you really mean that?" Sam whispered, his sapphire gaze beginning to show a hint of emotion.

Matty quickly put an arm around the raven-haired Digidestined's shoulders, and attempting to lighten the mood, he said calmly, "Duh, what do you think?"

"I know you want some answers, but...I don't know if I can give them to you," Sam finally relented, leaning almost unconsciously into his side. "I'm still...questioning everything myself."

Not sure what he means by that. Should I even ask?

After a quick debate, Matty decided against opening up another can of worms, and attempting to stay on track, he said hesitantly, "You wouldn't tell me in the waterway earlier, but...what really did happen between you and Mickey?"

And don't tell me it was nothing cause that's an obvious lie.

"I'm not really sure," Sam said slowly, the uncertainty in his tone indicating he was attempting to gather his thoughts. "You and I both know Mickey's worried about you, and you saw what happened when I confronted him about it. He got real defensive and then he...pulled away from me."

Matty frowned, and then recalling the incident, he said, "Right, now I remember. He was kind of aggressive about it, wasn't he. That's not like him at all."

"No, it's not," Sam said very quietly, his sapphire eyes growing dark and stormy. "After that, he made a real show of ignoring me, and I guess his attitude caught me off guard. It really surprised me, and I have to admit the way he was acting so distant kind of...stung a little bit."

Sam...

Matty instantly felt a spark of sympathy for the raven-haired Digidestined, and giving the other boy's shoulders a quick squeeze, he said seriously, "I'm sorry about that. I don't know what's gotten into him lately. I assume that's why you were acting so worried about him earlier?"

"You mean when you were badgering me about it in the waterway?" Sam shot back, smiling slightly. "Yes, that's part of it. You realise he knows we were talking about him, don't you?"

"So? It's not like we were saying anything bad about him. We'd never do something like that."

"I know, but...I'm not sure he believes that."

Wait, is that why Mickey was acting so funny when I asked Sam to stay over?

That would explain the older twin's reluctance to let them out of his sight, and growing indignant, Matty said hotly, "He better believe it, and if he doesn't then I'm just going to have to talk some sense into him!"

Mickey...you know I would never do anything to cause you pain...

"Is that...all you wanted to ask me?" Sam inquired, the words ending in a whisper.

Matty could feel the raven-haired Digidestined's rigid body cowering under his arm, and blinking in confusion, he said, "Was there supposed to be more?"

I don't get it. What exactly did he think I wanted to grill him about?

For a moment Sam looked just as confused as he did, and as the other boy's slender frame slowly relaxed against his side, the raven-haired Digidestined said mildly, "I thought maybe...forget it. It's not important."

"What do you mean it's not important? You know, I'm just as worried about you as I am about Mickey. You haven't been yourself lately either, and it scares me."

"This is not the same as before," Sam insisted, attempting to reassure him. "I know...I might seem a bit off, but it's not like what happened with my dad. I'm not going to suddenly succumb to the Powers of Darkness again, if that's what you're worried about. This isn't like that."

"But-"

"Mickey and I are fine," Sam said firmly, reaching out to slip an arm around his waist. "It wasn't even really a fight, and he did apologise. I'm sure Mickey's just concerned about your safety, and because of that he didn't take well to being prodded about his feelings. It was my own fault really. I shouldn't have pushed him too hard with my unnecessary comments."

"Well...if you're sure."

"What is it?" Sam asked, scrutinising him closely. "What's wrong?"

Matty was glad to hear the two boys had worked out their issues, but it wasn't enough. In his heart, he knew there had to be more to the story, and something was telling him they were both hiding something. He didn't want to pry, but at the same time, he couldn't erase the fear building inside his heart. Thanks to his own issues with Mickey, he was certain that somewhere along the line they were going to suffer, and when that happened he needed somebody he could count on to watch over his brother and make sure Mickey stayed safe.

And I'm hoping that person is you, Sam. I need you. I need you to be there for him just in case...

"Matty?"

Please...

"Hey, now you're starting to scare me. What's gotten into you?"

Matty wasn't sure what made him do it, but before he could stop himself, he grabbed Sam by the shoulders and said earnestly, "Listen to me, Sam. I know Mickey and I have our fair share of problems, and no matter how much I don't want to believe it, I know they're only going to get worse before they get better, which is exactly why he needs you now more than ever. When that happens, I want to know I can count on you to support him while he's struggling. No matter what's going on between the two of you, I need you to stick by him. Do you get how important this is to me?"

"You would trust me with something like this?" Sam whispered, seemingly unable to look away from him.

"No offence to any of the others, but you're the only person I can trust to do this for me. If anything terrible were to happen, you're the only one who'll be able to get through to Mickey. So, you have to keep your head on straight, okay? Please, for me?"

For a long moment, Sam simply stared at him, and as the raven-haired Digidestined's eyes began to fill with an overwhelming rush of emotions, Matty suddenly found himself being pulled into a fierce hug. It caught him completely off guard, and resting a pale cheek against his shoulder, Sam managed to choke out, "I swear I'll do everything I can to protect him. I promise I won't let you down."

The words were full of conviction, and feeling suddenly better, Matty returned the hug. Though he could still sense the raven-haired Digidestined's slight hesitation, the tension between them had disappeared. Instead, the air was filled with warmth and affection, and speaking in the other boy's ear, he mumbled, "Thanks. That's a huge weight off my mind."

They remained that way for a bit longer, and then gently pulling away, Sam proceeded to settle back against the pillows. Though the raven-haired Digidestined still looked a bit uncertain, his expression was much more peaceful, and keeping his face averted, he said almost shyly, "Did Mickey...happen to mention me at all? I mean, after you guys went upstairs?"

Matty had to think for a moment, and stuffing the remaining pillow behind his back, he said easily, "I don't think so, which is odd."

"How so?" Sam asked, sounding a tad uneasy.

"Well, I mean usually he talks about you a lot."

"Really?"

For some reason the raven-haired Digidestined looked pleasantly surprised by his statement, and raising an eyebrow, he said in amusement, "You mean you didn't know?"

"I...no. I wasn't aware. If you don't mind me asking, what sort of things does he say?"

Matty shrugged, and stretching out his legs, he let out a loud yawn and said sleepily, "All good stuff. He's always going on about how great you are. He says embarrassing things like how he thinks you're really sweet and caring. You know, he says mushy Mickey stuff. He's the best brother ever, but he sure knows how to embarrass a guy. Sorry about that."

Not surprisingly, Sam's cheeks turned a delicate shade of pink, and ducking his head, the raven-haired Digidestined mumbled, "It's fine. I don't mind. I'm just...glad he thinks so highly of me."

"Definitely. He's never once said anything even remotely mean about you."

"I don't think he's capable of saying anything really terrible about anyone," Sam laughed, his expression softening into a smile. "Although I do appreciate the thought."

Huh...I don't remember him ever worrying about what Mickey thinks of him before. I'm sure now there's something he's not telling me, which doesn't make any sense at all. He already explained what happened between him and Mickey in the Digital World, so what else is there left to say?

It was a good question, but try as he might, Matty wasn't sure how to bring up the subject. As a result, he was starting to feel a bit frustrated, and reaching over Sam to give his digimon a gentle pat, he said lightly, "True, but you've always been special."

"In what way?" Sam asked, looking suddenly very interested.

Weird. Has he always been this curious about Mickey, or am I just imagining things?

Matty paused for a moment, and unsure of just exactly where their conversation was going, he said slowly, "Well, he trusts you just as much as he trusts me, and that's saying something. You guys are always on the same page, maybe even more so than Mickey and I are sometimes, since occasionally we have our moments of differing opinions. I think he really appreciates that. It means a lot to him, you know?"

"I feel the same," Sam murmured, his hand unconsciously stroking Glimmermon's smooth head. "Don't worry, Matty. I promise everything's fine between Mickey and I. We might have our moments, but we'll never let that stop us from being close to one another."

"Good, that's all I needed to hear. I guess we should probably get to bed, huh. Mom will be in here to scold us at any moment if we don't."

For some reason, Sam suddenly looked nervous, and glancing over at Mickey's bed, the raven-haired Digidestined mumbled, "I guess."

Now what's he going on about?

Allowing his curiosity to get the better of him, Matty nudged the other boy and said bluntly, "Something wrong?"

"No," Sam replied, his protest coming just a bit too quickly.

The raven-haired Digidestined was still sneaking looks at Mickey's bed, and rolling his eyes, Matty said, "Really, that's what you're worried about? It's not like you've never stolen his bed before. Honestly, he'd kill me if I let you sleep on the floor. You know he's not gonna care."

"I know," Sam said meekly, sounding unusually flustered. "It's not that..."

"What is it then? I mean, if it's that big of a deal, you can share with me."

"I just...It reminds me of him."

Matty raised his eyebrows, and crossing his arms over his chest, he said dryly, "And that's a bad thing?"

"Not at all," Sam quickly relented, his cheeks once again turning a soft shade of pink. "Sorry, I guess I'm more tired than I thought I was."

"No kidding. I'm beat. Did you want to take Glimmermon with you?"

"No, it's fine. He deserves a good rest. I don't want to risk waking him up."

Matty nodded to show he understood, and scrambling under the covers, he watched in silence as Sam slowly crawled onto Mickey's bed. Once the two of the them were comfortable, the raven-haired Digidestined immediately buried his head in one of the older twin's pillows, and turning out the bedside lamp, Matty said cheerfully, "Night, Sam."

"Night," a muffled voice responded, the words just barely reaching his ears.

I wonder...Maybe if I bug Mickey about it, I might get some more answers?

It wasn't that he didn't believe Sam, since he could clearly see with his own eyes that the raven-haired Digidestined and his brother had obviously set aside their differences in favour of being close, but that lingering sensation there was more to the story simply refused to go away.

And if Sam won't tell me, maybe Mickey will.

Making a mental note to annoy his twin later, Matty proceeded to settle in for a good night of sleep. As his eyes drifted shut, the last thing he saw was Sam hugging Mickey's pillow tightly to his chest, the raven-haired Digidestined's face a mask of conflicting emotions. Sam looked like he was inwardly arguing with himself, or perhaps engaging in a fierce battle with his own heart.

And I bet it all has something to do with my brother...