disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or any of the characters, but if I did I would probably animate the story I am writing now.
At the end of the day Digimon is for kids primarily but Digimon Tri opened the door for other audiences. Not like another similar show with a perpetual ten year old even after twenty years. What digimon lacked for quantity it made up for quality. What this other show did accomplished the opposite. 150 has become over 800. But I could tell you even if I had been brainwashed the baby forms all the way to mega for the digimon, the digidestined's names, and their crests and relationships.
Chapter Eight: Parfaits, Ice Cream, and...
"Let's see..." Takeru pondered. "...Hyper Chocolate Strawberry Tropical Bomber," he said paying for some ice cream and a parfait and sitting down at a table. He knew this one was Hikari's favorite. He placed hers next to his plain vanilla ice cream with wafers around the rim. Their difference in taste was like night and day.
He stared at them trying to block out the image of his friends having been slain by that monster Fiermon. Takeru imagined what would have happened if Fiermon got ahold of Hikari and shattered her to digital dust. The thought was unpleasant, but he would not let that happen. At the thought of Hikari he looked up glad to see her.
He turned seeing her approach him and smiled as she sat down at the table. "
Sorry I'm late," she said straightening her hair a bit. "Were you waiting long for me?"
Takeru merely smiled as if to say, I've been waiting so long the ice creams melted. He handed Hikari her favorite parfait.
She said nothing and grabbed it, enjoying a tasty bite, but her mood seemed kind of down after what happened.
Takeru seemed pleased despite the circumstances of what they just went through.
"I want some to!" Tailmon said crawling out from underneath the table.
"Save some for me!" Patamon added.
Hikari and Takeru smirked letting Tailmon and Patamon take their ice creams and go retreat underneath the table.
Takeru felt a bit apprehensive now that he was finally alone with her. "H-Hikari, there's something I've been meaning to ask you," Takeru said his smile fading.
She grabbed her forearm a bit nervously.
"I heard about what happened," he said intently. "With Ophanimon, and how you fell to darkness again even for a brief moment. Was that really because I was not there?"
Hikari folded her hands on her chest as if searching for the reason herself.
"I...don't know Takeru," she sighed. "All I remember was being angry ever since I went to the digital world."
"You were angry?" he said. "That's not like you," he smirked.
"Every girl get's angry," Hikari pouted, her cheeks turning slightly red.
He could not help but adore her. "What were you angry about?" he asked tapping his finger anxiously.
She turned away from him hesitating to answer, Takeru noticing how tense she looked, waiting for her words. She let out a sigh and he knew she was finally ready to tell him.
"Everyone went along with my brother when he said to leave you behind. And then our brothers not wanting us to be together...it really hurt inside," she said putting a hand on her chest. "Takeru I don't care if you did it just because our brother's made you promise to, I just..."
She seemed lost in thought looking down.
"Come on," he said leaning over and touching her hand.
She stared at him, her eyes watery and unstable still searching for the reason.
He found himself grabbing her hand earnestly waiting for an answer.
Her body started shaking and he let go realizing he had been a bit too aggressive.
"I'm sorry Hikari," he said realizing had put her in a bad spot. He did not mean to come on so strongly for an answer, but, he himself did not know how he should respond to her. The air felt more depressing and Hikari looked even more so even though he asked her out. He had to do something, anything to get her to smile and to tell her how he felt. Takeru stared at the window outside fumbling around for a solution. He knew he had to cheer her up.
"Did I tell you," he said coming to realize he had not thought of an answer, but was still speaking nearly afraid of each word he was saying, "I went out on a date with a girl?"
She turned toward him surprised, and, maybe, a little bit afraid? He could not tell.
"Hmm," she said wiping a tear from her eyes inquisitively. "I never knew you were interested in girls before Takeru, aside from the one you took to the concert, " she smirked.
"I only invited them," he quipped. She sure was quick to bring that up.
Hikari seemed relieved the tension was off of her.
"Tell me, what's she like?" she asked curiously. "Is she pretty?"
Takeru smiled hiding his secret.
"Indescribably Beautiful."
"Oh, she's that pretty," she said almost taken aback. "You must have some pretty high standards Takeru," she said almost as if she was envious.
"Not really," he replied plainly. "I've actually known her for years."
She looked at him as if she was starting to get jealous.
"How come you never introduced her to me?" she said her voice down, but anxious. " I...I would definitely want to approve of her you know?"
He covered his eyes with his forearm and smiled unable to stop himself adoreher, for loving even the little ways she expressed herself.
"That's not possible," he said. "If she knew I was telling you this I don't know how she would react."
Her voice sounded puzzled. "But don't you know her really well?"
"I know her better than she knows herself."
"What's she like?" Hikari asked.
Takeru sighed. He had no idea what the hell he was doing. Was he really toying with her? To protect his heart? Her brother Taichi had been right. He could not believe he was doing this to her.
"Hikari, she's...incredibly kind. And gentle," he said each word more painful than the last. "She can be a bit shy, but always does her best for everyone else but herself."
"She sounds like a really sweet person," she said, Takeru almost hearing a break in her smile.
He felt hot stinging tears falling down his face.
"Takeru? Your crying," she said grabbing his hands. "What's wrong?"
He looked at her as if all his defenses had finally gone down, like he was just that protective little boy again watching out for his best friend that meant so much more.
"Sorry," he said wiping his face with his arm.
"Why are you sorry?" she asked starting to tear up herself. "This isn't the Takeru I've come to know all these years."
He searched frantically through his memories trying to find anything that he could use to convey his feelings. It was no use. All he could think about was the fact if he did not let her know he would have lost this one and only chance. He realized with all of his defenses down he had only one option left.
"Her favorite parfait is the hyper tropical chocolate strawberry bomber," he said, unable to believe he had said that.
Her mind seemed to freeze to Takeru as if she was contemplating everything.
"I'm sorry I'm so bad at this," he said still tearing wondering if it had been enough. "But you'll have to forgive me Hikari. I'm...not strong enough when it comes to this kind of stuff."
He got up, giving up. How else could he tell her? Her brother and mother hated him. And he would probably never be able to see her again one on one after this. He knew he was blowing his only chance. But to tell Hikari that he liked her, no, that he actually loved her, he did not know how else he could put it into words.
"I'll...see you at school tomorrow," he said painfully. "I know I can't see you anymore outside of school and as a digidestined, but as long as I can still see you, to be near you, even if it's just for a moment, then that will be enough," he said starting to walk away feeling dejected.
Takeru stared at his shadow as he walked out of the ice cream shop. Happy kids, parents, and some couples seemed to remind him of a past and a future he would never have. He vaguely recalled his own family and him and his brother doing something similar a long time ago, and, for an instant he saw him and Hikari as if parents looking back as if they had a child. No, that kind of future was no longer possible. Resigned he kept walking away.
He suddenly heard a pitter patter or fluttering of wings behind him; he did not know which. Suddenly he felt a warm soothing comforting presence wrap around him.
"Patamon," he said smiling sadly. His friend always had been there for him.
"Takeru? What is it?" Patamon wondered fluttering over him, Takeru surprised.
He stared down to see two slender hands wrapped around his waist.
"Hi...kari?" he wondered, the hands trembling and shaking. He did not know whether he was happy or scared he was only dreaming.
"It's all right. You don't have to say anything else," Hikari's voice said, barely cracking.
Takeru swallowed his frustration, his pain, tears still seeping out. He started shaking, Hikari supporting him in his pain of possibly losing her.
"How long?" she asked barely audible, but he could hear her clearly as if it was the longing of her own heart.
"As long as I can remember," he said, her hands shaking even more, his tears stopping.
"Please don't go like that," she said her voice soothing his soul," her arms holding tightly as if for dear life. "Not again. Not ever."
Takeru smiled remembering the last time she thought she would ever see him when she had been taken by the Dark Ocean.
"Why, you'd miss me Hikari?" he smirked lightly.
He could literally hear her nodding her head, her grip tightening.
"I didn't understand at first," she said, "Who you were to me either. We've been together so long I did not know how to feel or how to explain what I was feeling."
He felt her frame start to quiver around him, her voice struggling, as if Hikari was doing her best to not break down into tears.
"But that day when you risked your life for me I knew that I cared about you so much I would also have gladly given my life for yours to. I realized I couldn't live with myself if you died...To not have you by my side...Not even for one day."
Her hands would not stop shaking as if she was afraid to lose him to.
He turned around and just stared at her face, her amber eyes tearing, fearful, reflecting his own soulful desire as if she herself also desired him. He had been waiting for this moment for so long, but was so afraid of it. Those lips looked so inviting.
"Hi...kari..." he said affectionately bending down his face towards hers. He reached out his hand to the side of her hair and gently slid it down her cheek. He found her reaching her soft lips out toward his and lock in a gentle embrace with him.
This must be what heaven is like, Takeru thought releasing his lips and staring at her eyes closely, seeing not only himself and her, but a future together.
Hikari turned away from him immediately her face running red. "D-does that answer your question?" she asked tapping the ends of her index fingers against each other.
"Y-yeah," Takeru answered so relieved he could finally let it out no longer having to bear the anxiety.
They just stared at each other and laughed nervously like close friends but adoring each other. He had no idea where to go from there or even cared. All he could do was savor each moment he could spend with her.
"So now what?" she asked, awkwardly looking at him, covering her blush, and looking away.
Takeru was at a loss for words.
"I'm just so happy," he said barely audible.
Who cared right now about what his brother thought, her brother thought or about their moms and what they were thinking? Hikari actually returned his kiss and his feelings. Maybe, just maybe she had liked him just as long as he had her. Why did it take him so long to realize it?
"I finally know how you feel about me," she said smiling. "I always wanted to know about you Takeru ever since you came back into my life. How you felt? What was going on underneath that hat of yours?" she said enamored by him. "I could always tell so much about you, except about how you felt about me. I just knew from that moment our lips touched you were what my heart had been desiring most," she said tenderly. She put one hand on his face and positively beamed. "You had me wondering for a long time."
"I'm just a hard book to read," Takeru found himself smirking back.
"Maybe hard-headed," she said hitting his head lightly with her palm, the two of them laughing.
Amidst his joy with her at that moment he noticed Hikari tense up like a startled house cat.
"Takeru? This might be bad?" she said turning towards the window.
He looked and saw Mimi throttling Koushiro who was holding a dozen shopping bags staring at them. Poor Koushiro looked sick; shopping bags strewn all around him. He then saw that Mimi looked at them. She grinned and held out her phone, Takeru's face pressing nearly into the glass.
Oh no, he thought.
She had snapped a picture of the two of them in their embrace kissing.
Takeru and Hikari smiled at each other; Takeru knowing their would be trouble. He could literally hear Mimi texting their brothers the message.