-8-
After cleaning the apartment of ramen noodles and throwing a load of laundry in the washer & dryer, they got ready to get to the Yagami's apartment and to that dreadful dinner that Taichi very much didn't want to go. Yamato had been joking all afternoon with him about if he should be more presentable since he was 'taking him to meet the parents as his boyfriend', making Taichi blush every time that happened. Agumon and Gabumon were going with them, mainly because he didn't know if he was going to be able to return to Yamato's apartment that same night and didn't want to leave Agumon.
Yamato was walking beside him, quietly. The night was cooler and clear. Taichi looked to the sky to see the stars starting to appear and making the sky shine. It was such a beautiful night. He was also glad Yamato had agreed to come with him. He didn't want to be far away from him for long periods of time. He wanted and he needed to make sure Yamato and Gabumon were safe and he could only do that by being there with them. He was sure the blonde was going to get tired of him being his shadow sometime soon, but he didn't care.
"Taichi!" Agumon pulled his pants' leg to grab his attention "Why are you so quiet?"
"I'm thinking, Agumon… just that"
"You're never this quiet…" the orange dinosaur scratched his head while thinking.
"He's not used to thinking, Agumon. He has to stay quiet to be able to focus" Yamato mocked him and he scowled.
"Hey! Stop it! That's bullying now!" Taichi went to smack Yamato's shoulder and the blonde laughed "Yamato! You promised to behave"
"In front of your parents, yeah. I'll be an angel, I promise… that doesn't mean I can't bully you a little"
"What an awful best friend you are…" Taichi crossed his arms and scowled, Gabumon giggled in the background "Gabumon, make him behave!"
"Yamato is behaving. I won't stand between your friendship… you guys always act like this. It's actually pretty funny"
Agumon laughed too and proceeded to recall all those episodes where either Yamato or Taichi mocked the other senseless. They were walking in front of them laughing and sharing memories and Taichi smiled looking at Yamato again.
"They look happy"
Yamato smiled too "They are. Thank goodness for that…" he sighed and combed his hair with his fingers before continuing "Why are you actually so nervous of being in your family's apartment? Is it Hikari?"
"In part, yes. But it's also the fact that…"
"What?"
Taichi wasn't sure he wanted to explain all that was happening with him to Yamato, because he didn't want to say he felt more than just friendship to him "I… don't know how to explain it but… since that thing with the digital world I…"
"Onii-chan!" Takeru's voice rang across the street. Taichi sighed, partly in relief, when he heard the younger boy yell to them. Patamon flapping beside him. They went to his side and Takeru hugged his brother "I didn't know you were going to come to dinner"
"I didn't know either until a few hours ago… Taichi wanted me to come"
Takeru looked at Taichi with an arm still around Yamato's waist "You okay, Taichi-san?" Taichi just nodded and Takeru smiled sadly "Hikari is trying, Taichi… give her time, she'll come around, I promise"
Yamato ruffled his brother's hair, earning a yelp from the kid and Taichi smiled, the three of them going up the stairs to the fourth floor and the Yagami's apartment. Takeru was prepared to knock but Taichi got his key out of the pocket and opened the door. "Tadaima!"
"Okaerinasai!" Mrs. Yagami's voice rang from the kitchen to the door, coming to greet them. "Oh, Taichi!" she hugged her kid and Taichi, smiling, returned the hug just as excited "I was so worried… I'm so glad you are okay!" then she turned to look at the other ones. "Agumon! Gabumon! Patamon! Welcome back! Takeru-kun! You came! Hikari will be so happy to see you! She's in her room if you want to see her before dinner" Takeru nodded, hugging Taichi's mother quickly and disappearing down the hall "Yamato-kun!" Taichi turned to see his mother hugging his best friend tightly and Yamato blushing.
"Hello, Yagami-san!"
"I'm so happy to see you! Thank you for letting Taichi stay with you these last few days. I know he needed it…" it was Taichi's time to blush "You have to tell your father as well"
"It was no problem. If Taichi didn't stay there with me, I would be all alone because my dad is working overtime pretty much all the time"
"Oh… thank goodness you guys were there together then" Mrs. Yagami smiled and clapped her hands "Dinner is almost ready. You're free to do what you want until your father gets here and we can have dinner all together"
"You don't need help…?" Yamato started to say and Taichi grabbed his hand before he could offer to stay with his mother in the kitchen
"We'll be in my room, then!" and dragging Yamato, they went to his room.
Taichi didn't know what he expected when he opened the door, but it seemed like everything changed in his life and he was surprised that his room was unchanged. He went to sit on the bed and bumped his head on the top bunker. Yamato was by the door looking around the room and focusing on Taichi's face. Taichi always envied Yamato's ability to look cool even when just standing still. He was a rock-star even when he was doing nothing. He liked that about Yamato.
"You looked like you were waiting for something to jump at you" Yamato said and Taichi sighed "Not everything has to change, you know?"
"And yet everything does one way or another…" Taichi fell backwards on the bed. And then he felt Yamato sit beside him "I didn't expect to see everything still the same as I left it that day before we left for the digital world"
"I know the feeling… but not all has changed…" Yamato tried to encourage him but it felt short. "Did you get a hold of Daisuke or any of the kids?"
Taichi sighed "No, I tried again before leaving your apartment and I only got to talk to Jun who told me they were all okay and she couldn't tell me anything else and left me there… I don't know what to do… Daisuke's right to be angry and disappointed but, I want to do something. I want to explain what Koushiro found and our side of the story… and finish hearing theirs…" he suddenly growled while pulling his hair "This is so frustrating!"
Yamato grabbed his hands and held them tight "Everything will work out, you'll see"
He could only stare at his best friend. Yamato was trying to be the partner he needed. He always did that and he couldn't be more thankful. He could feel the hope running through his body and couldn't help but smile at the blonde.
"Guys… dinner is ready and your father is here"
Taichi smiled and squeezed Yamato's hands before getting up "Time to face the music, rocker-boy"
"Not funny… you're not good with puns, Taichi!"
"And you don't have a sense of humor, Yama!"
Dinner was awkward, especially because Hikari and Taichi didn't even look at each other during the entire dinner. Takeru kept the conversation going and Yamato tried to help his little brother, but he wasn't the chattiest person ever, so that was a fluke. Suddenly, Taichi's father cleared his throat and spoke "So, the digimon are back in town… and my kids disappeared for days on end… can someone guide me through the process? What happened?"
Yamato looked at Taichi and he could see Takeru doing the same to Hikari "Uh… we had to save this world and the digital world again, Otōsan. We couldn't let you guys know, it was all so sudden. Gomen, Otōsan"
"I'm not asking for you to apologize, Taichi. I just want to understand. I spoke to Hiroaki and he explained that you were all off saving the world again when the reporters starting showing pictures of that big version of Agumon on screen"
Taichi blushed but it was Yamato who spoke next "Otōsan spoke with you?"
Mr. Yagami smiled "Yes, he was kind enough to tell me my kids weren't dead in some ditch when they didn't get home like they were supposed to" he tried to joke but Taichi immediately turned to watch Yamato's reaction. It seemed like Takeru did the same with his brother and Hikari. "At least someone let me know where you where…"
Yamato and Hikari were pale and unmoving. Taichi put a hand on Yamato's knee to try and help him bounce back from whatever was happening in his head.
"Can I please be excused?" Hikari said and without waiting for an answer, got up and left in the direction of the bedroom.
"Hikari-chan?" Takeru's voice was full of concern but he didn't move from his place in the table, he was too polite to do that.
"I'm sorry, I think I'm not feeling too well" Yamato's voice was no more than a whisper and he hastily left the table too, but moving to the bathroom with a hand on his mouth. Takeru sighed and looked at Taichi in the eye.
"What did I say? What is happening with Hikari-chan and Yamato-kun?" Mr. Yagami was so confused with what just happened that Mrs. Yagami put a hand on his shoulder when she was picking up everything from dinner.
"Thank you for dinner, Yagami-san! It was an honor to be invited today… but I think I need to check…"
"On your brother and Hikari… yeah, go ahead"
He didn't even tell Taichi but as soon as he said that to Takeru, Taichi got up as well and went with the blonde to find the other two. He was conflicted because Hikari was his little sister but Yamato was his best friend and he wanted to make sure they were both okay. He was sure his father's comment of 'being dead in a ditch' was what made both of them run away. It was too close to the truth for their comfort. Takeru put an arm on his shoulder and Taichi turned to look at him.
"We're worried for both of them. If you want, I can go check up Onii-chan while you talk with Hikari"
"I don't even know if Hikari wants to talk to me…"
"Taichi-san, after that… do you actually believe that? I believe she's still suffering for everything that happened. But she actually cares. It's just complicated"
"I know it is… but I'm so conflicted. She said she wouldn't forgive me for what happened with Meicoomon…"
Takeru pushed him in the direction of Hikari's room "Go, try to talk to her. I'll go see if Onii-chan is okay. Plus, I doubt he wants you to see him like that…"
He was probably right on both things. He had to talk to Hikari at some point and Yamato would probably murder him if he saw him throwing up so, quietly, he went to Hikari's half open bedroom door and knocked softly when he saw her sitting on the bed staring at the floor with Tailmon posted in a shelf on the top of the wall watching everything with a bored expression.
"Uh… are you okay, Hikari?" Taichi didn't want to step in her toes by going inside the room, but he wanted to make sure his sister was okay "Otōsan didn't know…"
"Of course he didn't know…" she murmured while hugging her knees. "I'm okay, Onii-chan. I just… need some alone time"
She called him 'Onii-chan'! She hadn't called him that since before the fight with whatever Meicoomon transformed into. His heart soared at that. At least he thought it was progress. "I just want to make sure you're okay, you know? I'm worried…"
"I'm okay… don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Takeru will stay the night today and that would help. You should check on Yamato-san, he looked really out of it…"
He wanted to hug her and also do what she was saying… but he couldn't help but joke "Takeru is staying the night? I hope he stays in the couch in the living room…"
"Onii-chan!"
Taichi had to dodge a pillow and laughed. Tailmon smiled from her position "Don't do anything I wouldn't do… you're still in middle school, you know"
"Can you please stop being embarrassing and leave my room?"
"Okay, okay… I'm leaving… I was just saying…" he dodged another pillow "I'm leaving!"
He closed the door with a smile and turned around. There were Takeru and Yamato on the couch. Yamato looked pale and Taichi's mother was giving him a glass of juice.
"Take this, Yamato-kun. Maybe the food settled wrong with you…"
"If you cooked, maybe that's the reason… don't you think, Okasan?"
"Taichi!"
He knew Yamato was kind of embarrassed by what happened but he had to ask "Are you okay, Yamato?"
The blonde looked at him and his eyes were almost empty of any emotions, it was like Ken's eyes when he was the Kaiser "I'm feeling better. I… don't know what happened. I'm sorry, Yagami-san"
"Don't worry about anything, Yamato-kun" she patted his shoulder and turned to return to the kitchen before turning back around "But I got to say, I'm not super comfortable with you riding that motorcycle if you're feeling poorly"
"We didn't bring the motorcycle, Okasan… we walked here" Taichi answered for Yamato, Takeru just watched the interaction in silence, Patamon perched on his head.
"Still… is Hiroaki at home?"
Takeru answered this time. "Otōsan is away in Kyoto for something of the station. I think he's coming back in a week, right Onii-chan?"
"Yeah…"
"Then you should stay here tonight. I don't feel okay letting you leave like this when you're going back to an empty apartment"
"I'll go with him" Taichi said and his mother looked at him with an eyebrow raised "If that's okay, I mean… we have to meet with Koushirou in the morning and it would be easier if we're both in the same place… and Yamato's apartment is closer and there's the motorcycle"
His mother kept looking at him and then sighed "I'll tell your father. But please take some clothes with you…"
Taichi interrupted her with a kiss to the cheek "Thank you, Okasan"
He went to his room and grabbed a bag, putting some clothes inside. He also saw his phone on the bed and had a random thought of calling Daisuke. On an impulse, he grabbed the phone and rang the familiar number until someone answered.
"Moshi-moshi?"
"Daisuke?"
"What do you want, Taichi-san?" so it was still 'san' and not 'sempai', it still hurts… "I'm busy"
"I want to talk to you, Daisuke. Koushirou has been researching and we want to tell you guys what we found and everything else that happened. I want you guys to be involved and hear your opinions on…"
"I don't want to hear any of it, Taichi-san. I honestly don't know why you thought I would want to"
"Daisuke, listen to me. I know you are mad, and I totally get it. But please, we are a team…"
The line was silent for a while until "… are we?" and then the dial tone was all there was.
Taichi could feel some tears leaking from his eyes and hastily swept them away while finishing grabbing everything he wanted to bring to Yamato's place. He felt a hand on his shoulder and saw Yamato there. "How long have you been here?"
"Enough… Daisuke will come around, Taichi. He's just hurt and angry at everything right now"
"I hope you're right, Yama. I feel awful every time I try to talk to any of them"
"You'll see, everything will work out in the end"
Taichi didn't say anything else about it, but he felt like he had to say something else "I'm sorry. About what happened with Otōsan…"
Yamato sighed and tightened his hold on Taichi's shoulder "It's fine. I shouldn't react like that… it was just…"
"Close to the actual truth? I get it. That's why I'm sorry. I keep causing you pain and I don't want that"
Yamato held his hand and made him turn around to look him in the eyes "You being here is enough. Believe me." Taichi didn't say anything else, but didn't let go of Yamato's hand either. Until the blonde broke the silence "You invited yourself to stay in my apartment again, Yagami"
"Yeah, I did. Deal with it…" he grinned and then let go of the other's hand and went outside to say goodbye to his parents and grab Agumon and Gabumon "And Takeru is staying with my baby sister… hopefully he's staying in the couch, being an angel…"
And then left running and laughing when he heard "YAGAMI!"
Koushirou called him in the morning of Sunday night, more than a week after the dinner with his parents. He kept staying at Yamato's apartment but checking in with his parents every once in a while. Hiroaki came to the apartment too on Saturday and saw the both of them on the couch playing videogames and just asked them if they wanted to order something for dinner.
He was still asleep when he heard "Taichi-san, we need to meet in my office. Can you come now?"
"Hello to you too, Koushirou. And yeah, I guess I can… let me get Yamato and…"
"Yamato-san is already here, we're waiting for you. Please, don't take too long"
Taichi was awake then and looked around Yamato's room and he wasn't there. Yamato is already at Koushirou's. He wanted to know why he went alone and didn't even woke him up. He saw a note on the door and went to get it.
Running some errands, see you soon. There's a sandwich on the fridge waiting. Agumon and Gabumon are in the cyberspace.
-Yamato.
Taichi ran to get ready. He was now curious about what was happening. He got ready in record time and left the apartment with the sandwich in his mouth. He grabbed his bike and went as fast as he could to Koushirou's building. When he got there, he saw Yamato standing close to the entrance and went to his side immediately.
"What's going on, Yamato?"
"Like Koushirou said, we're having a meeting. Come on"
"Wait. Meeting for what?"
"You'll see. Come on, they're waiting for us"
He wanted to keep asking but a look from Yamato made him shut up and follow him without saying anything else. He couldn't hear anything from Koushirou's office and he was curious. Mimi couldn't be quiet, like, ever… "Are they all here?" Yamato didn't say anything, just went to open the door "Because I don't want to hold a meeting with just us. Daisuke's team and Meiko should be here too if we're having a chosen meeting" he was staring at the back of Yamato's head while saying all that.
"We're here, Taichi-sempai"
Taichi froze on the door, watching Ken, Daisuke, Miyako and Iori on one of the sofas and Meiko on the other. Daisuke was scowling, still with a cast on his hand and some gauze on his face. Ken also had the cast and the stitches on his forehead were there for the world to see, his foot was on one of those medical boots that lets you walk without injure it further. Miyako and Iori's faces were full of bruises of every shade and color but they both looked okay. Ken was the one who talked and Taichi was so happy to see them there, healthy – or as healthy as they could be.
"We want to listen to your side of the story…" Ken kept talking while looking at Taichi with a little smile on his face. Daisuke grunted from the couch.
"Shut up, Daisuke" Miyako added with a grunt "We should at least listen, don't you think?"
"I didn't know you guys had left the hospital…" Taichi felt stupid.
"Yeah, a few days ago" Ken answered "Mama didn't want to let me leave the apartment without her watching my every move, but Yamato-sempai managed to convince her that it was okay."
Taichi looked at Yamato, the blonde was smiling at him and only whispered "You're welcome" and he wanted to hug his best friend so much in that moment.
"So? Are we going to hear your side of the story or not?" Daisuke's voice had an edge to it and Taichi was still sad to hear it in his protégée's voice.
"Dai…" Ken whispered and the younger goggle-head looked at his jogress partner and they seemed to communicate without words because Daisuke grunted and crossed his arms, willing to wait. "Let's hear your story, Taichi-sempai"
At least he had an opportunity now.
AN: I think this is the longest chapter so far... and I wanted to keep writing but it was going to be too long, so I'm gonna split it in two me know what you think...
