I'll hold on to them for you
It was a few months since Daisuke and the others were discharged from the hospital. The battle with Alphamon left them battered and bruised. Being held captive for months left them physically distraught which led the four of them to go to physical therapy to regain their prior physic.
"Daisuke, you have a visitor!" His mom's voice called through the door.
Daisuke grunted, slowly pushing himself up from his position in bed. He was strongly advised by his doctors to keep his body moving. But the problem was he had no motivation to do so.
He slowly made it to his bedroom door from his spot on his bed. "Coming." He mumbled opening the door.
Taichi was standing there with a soccer ball in his hands. "Hey, c'mon. Let's play some soccer!" He grinned spinning the soccer ball in his hands.
"I don't feel like it." Daisuke replied weakly, not making eye contact with the teen. "I don't feel like doing anything."
Taichi's smile faltered. "Hey, that doesn't sound like the Daisuke I know." He walked over, reaching a hand to his shoulder.
Daisuke pushed it away gently. "Look senpai. I appreciate the effort. But I just need some time to myself." Still not bothering to meet Taichi's gaze.
"C'mon man. It's been a month. You have to keep moving. Remember what they said?"
Daisuke winced, turning his back to Taichi returning to his bedroom.
Taichi followed him inside, Daisuke sat back down on his bed.
"Daisuke…" Taichi's shoulders dropped. He grabbed a near by chair and sat across from him. "I know the last few months have been hard. But you have to move forward. It's not good to sit and mope like this."
"Were you able to move on yet?" Daisuke mumbled.
Taichi winced. He still couldn't forgive himself for the decision he had to make, killing Meicoomon then losing Daigo in the process. Even though it was the only decision. It never felt right.
"No, I can never fully forget that but… I know I can't dwell on that forever. Nishijima would never want me to do that."
"Then how can you expect me to move on?" Daisuke made contact with Taichi's gaze for the first time. His eyes looked lifeless.
Taichi bit his lip. "I can't. But I know what obsession leads to." Remembering what happened to Himekawa and her partner. What led to her madness. He couldn't let himself turn into that and he definitely didn't want Daisuke to either.
"I can't bear to lose anyone else."
They sat in silence for a few moments.
Daisuke moved and reached under his pillow and pulled out a familiar object.
"The goggles…" Taichi whispered.
"After leading my friends into a stupid situation and almost getting us killed." He gripped the goggles, tears forming in his eyes. "They say it's not my fault, but I can't forgive myself what happened. What kind of leader is that?" His voice broke.
"Daisuke, I-" Taichi reached out his hand.
Daisuke shook his head. "I don't want your pity. I don't want your goggles. I'm not the leader you saw in me as a kid." He threw the goggles into Taichi's lap. "I'm not a leader. Find someone else."
"Now go, please." Daisuke rolled over in bed, his back to Taichi.
"Daisuke, look, there was no way-" Taichi inched closer to him.
"I said go!" Daisuke shouted.
Taichi pulled his hand back, hurt, he slowly left the room. "I'll just hold on to them for you." He whispered slowly closing the door.
He left the apartment with goggles in hand. His attempt get Daisuke out was a failure.