Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or any of the Digidestined or any characters in the series.

On a separate note I will more than likely not be seeing Digimon: Kizuna in theaters due to the one day premier of the show being cancelled on the 26th in the United States due to that infernal Corona Virus. Kind of puts things in perspective with how infection spreads when you compare it to digimon Tri and Meicoomon spreading the infection doesn't it? As heart wrenching as it is we live in trying times where isolation keeps us safe, but, with like minds and hearts, and the ability to connect over digital wavelengths we are more than content with our ideas and our pleasant thoughts being transmitted in these digital walls of our sanctuaries.

Chapter Fourteen: Resolve

The very next day Takeru woke up as if he himself had accomplished something very important. It felt good to be lazy, much more than usual. Plus it was the weekend. Yamato and Taichi were starting to get along more, Patamon was flying like a bee with energy, and his girlfriend Hikari(he could not believe he just thought that) was almost always at his side.

Just then he received an odd text from Koushiro. It said to meet him at the ice cream shop. It seemed so strange. That was certainly an odd request. That's where he confessed to Hikari in his own way. It seemed like just yesterday the two of them had been childhood acquaintances, then friends, then close friends and now they were in a romantic relationship. He closed his eyes reminiscing the memories that led him to today.

He then threw on some of his normal going out clothes and Patamon landed on his head thumping his wings. "Where we going Takeru?"

"Ice cream buddy. Don't ask me why."

Takeru laughed to himself as Patamon could barely contain his excitement and got stuck coming out of the front door. He was even more excited than Takeru was to see Hikari. Though he was seeing Koushiro he had to admit he had not spent a lot of time with the other digidestined that much in comparison to both Yamato and her. It would be nice to catch up with them some time outside of their normal responsibilities.

Eventually Takeru arrived, Koushiro in a suit and tie standing with Mimi who only smiled and waved. It's almost like beauty and the beast, he laughed to himself approaching them.

"Is anyone else coming?"he asked noticing Koushiro was not on his computer.

"It's weird you're not on a digital device. You must be very proud of him Mimi."

"If only he paid as much attention with his girl as his computer," she fumed. "Then he would see what he is missing."

Takeru felt embarrassed himself seeing Mimi talk that way. She was such a tease to him, Koushiro's face going beat red and collapsing.

"I think my hard drive just crashed," he said as if his head was spinning.

"Koushiro, hang in there!" Tentomon cheered. "Be a man!"

"Anyways let's go get some ice cream," Mimi scoffed rolling her eyes as they all walked inside.

As soon as they walked in Takeru was happily surprised to see Hikari sitting down with her brother eating a parfait, Taichi hesitantly drawing funds out of his wallet.

She caught his eye and waved to him to come over.

Takeru stood up next to her keeping a nervous eye on Taichi whose demeanor seemed nonchalantly threatening to him as if in his body language he was daring him to sit down next to his cute little sister.

"Hey," a familiar voice said going over to Taichi. It was Yamato!

"Where in the world did Yamato come from?" Takeru wondered aloud as the two of them started chatting and talking as if no one else was there.

Sora came from behind the corner and put her arm around each of them. "They're just being protective brothers," she said.

"And you're just being like a mother hen," a voice said from behind them sounding like whoever it was had been flipping through a book.

Takeru noticed Hikari lean over the booth and stare over at someone. "Joe!" she exclaimed Takeru hardly able to believe he was there to.

"Wait a second," he said, "Is this all a coincidence?"

"I may be neck deep in homework, but I do enjoy a treat every now and then," he said, Gomamon clapping his hands like a seal as if expecting Joe to relinquish his ice cream to him.

Koushiro sat down next to Mimi at a nearby table holding some napkins and a bottle of water. It was quite amazing to Takeru how well Koushiro matched with Mimi's outgoing personality and provided a good balance for her when she was a little too over the top.

"Say Aah," she said, Koushiro taking a spoon full to the mouth dripping it everywhere. Well, at least now Takeru knew that Koushiro was human and could be shameless sometimes!

Hikari seemed to smile because of this and they just looked at each other as if they were holding back from scoop feeding each other ice cream playfully.

Just then he felt Taichi look at him and Yamato at Hikari as if they were being scanned. It felt a lot better when they were leering and glaring at each other.

"You know Yamato," Taichi said, "We've got to settle this now otherwise I'll be dead from watching out for my sister."

"How about we trade?" Yamato joked. "I'm sure Hikari is not quite the trouble maker like Takeru is."

Takeru smirked as Hikari grinned as if she just one upped him.

"Naw," Taichi replied, "At least it does not get annoying as when your sister does absolutely everything for you making you feel like a kid and less like a brother."

Takeru smiled back at Hikari even more who seemed sort of flabbergasted. "Brother!" she exclaimed. "You never told me that!"

"I shouldn't have to tell you Hikari," he said taking a bite of ice cream and then giving it to Agumon who seemed to splatter it all over his face. "You really should read between the lines some more."

Takeru tapped on her shoulder and whispered in her ear. "Maybe you can start cooking for me sometime. Yamato's no good," he snickered.

The idea seemed to delight Hikari, whose eyes lit up as if she had inspiration to cook. "You should come over for dinner sometime," she said.

Takeru stared up at Sora who seemed to coddle the two of them together a little closer forcing him to sit down which completely threw him off. He actually felt himself blushing as he found they were sitting together finally.

The leering annoyed faces of their brothers seemed to make him nervous. Hikari looked that way to the way she withheld from eating her parfait.

"All right, I've got to put an end to this," Yamato said.

Just then Yamato walked forward and grabbed Hikari by the forearm. "We've got business to settle," he said Takeru in slight shock that his girlfriend had been kidnapped by her brother. She looked back at him as if she had no idea why she was being taken away. Takeru only smiled and held up his cell phone.

"Takeru a word," he heard Taichi come over to him and grab him by the arm leading him away to. "Agumon eat our ice cream with the others," he said Takeru noticing digital eyes sparkle and shine eating the ice cream. He realized Hikari may not be too happy about that, but her sweet should be the farthest thing from his mind.

Takeru felt all eyes leering at him as if he was going to be in a lot of trouble in a joking kind of way. Taichi turned a corner with him and they ended up in the backside of the ice cream place all alone. The air felt more chilled, the atmosphere more tense as Taichi sat down in a chair opposite him facing backwards, his arms crossed, his arms resting on the chair as if studying Takeru.

Takeru said nothing for a few minutes as Taichi kept looking at him. He wondered how long this would take as he sat their smiling as if nothing bothered him.

"That's getting annoying," Taichi said rolling his eyes.

"It's a lot better than awkward conversation," Takeru admitted. "So what did you want to talk about?"

Taichi's eyebrows loosened upon his brow and he closed his eyes. "First I just want to tell you Takeru that I am sorry. For a lot of things. Namely slamming that stereo on your head almost killing you. I can't believe I let my rage get the better of me like that," he said his head down in apology. "The second thing is telling you not to protect Hikari anymore. You mean a lot to my sister, as much as me even though I hate to admit it," he said scratching his cheek.

Takeru nodded his head expecting the other shoe to drop.

"That being said," Taichi continued, "It still does not change the fact you have hurt my sister. So you have a lot to prove. And it still does not not help you're my former rival's brother. But I digress, that's all in the past," he said folding his arms.

Takeru played off Taichi's seriousness taking off his hat and sitting their listening to him.

"Nevertheless my sister deeply cares for you. And if she is happy I guess I can be happy to," he said.

He smirked and stared at Takeru like he still could not believe Hikari chose him.

"You better be grateful to her. There were quite a few other guys I had considered introducing her to, but you came first. They were more athletic than you. Better looking than you. Smarter than you-"

"-And more annoying than you right?" Takeru interrupted him.

"Yeah," he admitted. His eyes darted towards him and he scowled. "Hey!"

Takeru smiled coyly having gotten back at him.

"Well I honestly thought she would pursue a relationship with Daisuke," Taichi admitted as if recalling their adventures in seventh grade, "but when she didn't that kind of threw me off. I realized I did not know her as well as I thought."

"I think you thought that only a guy like you could take care of her properly," Takeru said staring at him this time. "You just wanted to keep her safe and only you could do it. It's hard watching her make her own choices, but," he said raising one knee and putting his arm around it, "I think that is what has made you an awesome brother. Your sister knows that she can go to you for anything even now at her age." He laughed a little nervously.

"What's so funny?" Taichi asked.

"Nothing. It's just I know if Hikari talks to you about us you will give me hell. So if I am not treating her right I expect your correction," he said. "My brother would do the same."

Taichi smirked as if thinking about Yamato. "Just remember Takeru Hikari is very sensitive so if you hurt her be prepared to face the consequences."

Takeru nodded his head.

"And," Taichi said swallowing as if thinking an unpleasant thought. "You better not take advantage of her. We're both guys here. Don't take it too far," he said gritting his teeth as if he was thinking about unpleasant situations.

"Please tell me you are not thinking of us right now, "Takeru said looking at him strangely a little taken aback.

"Oh I'm not," Taichi said making a grimacing face. "I'm just imagining what I will do to you if I catch you or find out."

"Then I'll do my best to keep it a secret," he said, Taichi confounded by him by the look on his face. "But all jokes aside I have cared for Hikari since we were kids. That love and friendship has only grown and matured. Haven't you ever wondered why her and I spend so much time together? Or why we were always together before? It's more than just liking somebody. I...really love her," he said honestly confronting Hikari's brother moving past all the joking and finally getting to the issue.

Taichi's eyes beamed and he smiled. "I'm a little jealous," he said. "If you weren't such a narcissistic joker I might actually believe you."

Takeru smiled as if that was a compliment. He thought about Hikari and her being kidnapped by Yamato. As they continued on a more friendlier note Takeru hoped that she was having a good time, but with his brother he was not so sure. Yamato had a way of just coming off cold.

Hikari sat still as a corpse in front of Yamato her arms on her knees like she was going to be punished. She looked down not knowing how to even talk to him. He had taken her out back and pushed the back of her head so she would keep moving like she was going to be executed. She rarely if ever spoke with Yamato directly; she was always talking with his brother. Now she finally understood how Takeru felt around Taichi, but Yamato seemed a lot more imposing than him.

His gaze leered at her and then he shook his head. "It's not like I kidnapped you or anything. Just relax," he said in not such a relaxed tone of voice.

It only put her more on edge.

Yamato put his hand on his head. "Ok just forget it," he sighed. "I am going to be honest," he said scooting up to the table. "Takeru is crazy about you, but I don't see why. My fans of my concert have a better personality than you and you are stiff like a board when it comes to other people's emotions. You get emotionally constipated and the whole thing is really ugly when they finally do come out. And the whole thing is not easy to watch. You rely on your brother too much and when he is not there you go straight for Takeru. That brother complex of yours ticks me off Hikari," he growled. "It's like to me Takeru is a substitute for him, but he's not. And not nearly as dependable either," he rolled his eyes.

Hikari winced at each accusation. She felt like she was being interrogated instead of having a nice conversation, though now she could see where Takeru inherited his family's social awkwardness.

She swallowed hard and tried hard to chime in. "I try too hard," she said trying to bring out her voice. "I just want everyone to get along, but I ignored my own heart for so long I did not know what I wanted. It had to take me some time. I was more comfortable that way. I thought if I did that then nobody would get hurt, but I found out the hard way that was not true," she said thinking about her brother and Takeru and all of the pain she had put both of them through.

She felt tears well up in her eyes remembering those trying times as she buried her hands in her face hiding her tears from Yamato. "It's always been like that ever since I was a little girl," she recalled. "When Taichi took me out when I was sick and had to go the hospital and my mom found out and slapped him I did not know what to think anymore. I stayed that way trying to be safe and watching out for everyone's best interests," she said, feeling the tears stop, sitting up straight, regaining her composure. "Everyone's but my own."

Yamato rubbed her head but did not smile at her which seemed to throw off her impression of him.

"You try too hard at the wrong things," he said in a positive tone. "And then Takeru does not try hard enough," he grimaced. "I could see you supporting each other when you were younger and when you separated I thought that was the end of it. But Takeru never forgot about you. When you both reunited he always seemed more excited whenever the two of you were together."

Hikari smiled for once in Yamato's presence. "He hid it really well," she said. "Except when he got really mad Takeru was always cool as a a cucumber."

Yamato also smiled confidently about his brother. "It's a big change from when he was a kid," he said. "Ever since the divorce Takeru was always a loud whiny brat," he said as if he wanted to knock some common sense into Takeru, "but over time he learned how to handle it -and not in the best way either," he said staring at Hikari as if she did not know the worst about him.

"I think I know what you mean," she said recalling his bizarre behavior. "All I can think about are all the girls he has been around but I can't tell if he was ever flirting with them or not. It was really hard to watch," she said a little nervously.

Yamato slammed his hands on the table startling her. "And that's exactly the point!" he exclaimed worked up and frustrated. He stared at her directly in the eyes kind of like how Takeru did when he was serious. "Hikari, can you honestly say you can put up with his horrible personality and behavior?"

Hikari felt as if Takeru was right their next to him smiling so demurely as if nothing ever bothered him. She thought of the two of them having a conversation and then joking with each other and no one actually understood why they were smiling.

She looked at Yamato seriously. "I can."

His hand vaulted his upper body over the table looking down at her as if trying to be imposing. "How long?" he said an iciness in his eyes challenging her.

Hikari thought about it for a moment. She recalled their past, their present and what their future would look like together. She felt her checks redden which seemed to throw Yamato off. Yes, that joking, cocky, but sweet and protective little boy who always had been watching over, and had now grown into the man of whom she had great affection for...

"Probably forever," she said softly knowing that she never wanted to ever be separate from him. Never again.

As if impacting him Yamato's fierce expression softened and then he eventually smiled. "Well," he said slapping the table and standing up, "then I am sure if you can't, then no one can."

Hikari felt like she could breathe again when he turned around. He held out his hand so she could pass him by and leave the room. She cautiously accepted the invitation.

"By the way," he said, "I have no problem anymore with the two of you dating, but..."

She felt him whisper into her ear, "...No DNA digivolving."

Hikari wondered about it not knowing what he meant, but knowing it must have had something to do with their relationship. She felt her face redden though she did not know why.

Just then as she was about to walk out Sora entered the room as if she had been guarding the room the whole time.

"Hikari hi," she said smiling warmly.

"Sora," she said shyly approaching her.

She felt Sora's eyes look at Yamato as if something was wrong.

"You tell her," he said as if trying to get a bad image out of his mind walking away as if to give them space.

"Tell me what?" Sora said, Hikari curious she did not know either. But then again she did just step in the room.

Hikari did not know why, but she lifted up her hand and whispered to her:

"About what DNA digivolving is."

"Oh that!" she said smiling. "Don't you know? Yamato and Taichi have DNA digivolved!"

Hikari felt her mind explode with unpleasant images. Something about that just seemed entirely wrong.

Yamato stared at her as if he had just pulled the pin out of a grenade and was expecting to die.

"Oh and Daisuke and Ken have DNA digivolved as well!"

Hikari put her hands over her mouth horrified trying not to think of the two boys as liking each other that way or being caught in a pseudo romantic scene together.

"I just knew something was up with those two," Yamato said shaking his head.

"Oh, and I almost forgot Takeru and Iori DNA digivolved as well!"

Hikari cringed and stared at Yamato who was cringing even more than before. He started droning on and on about how he could not believe his brother was a pedophile. He then went to a vending machine directly across from him and chugged a soda drinking it fiercely.

She started shaking Sora begging to tell her that it was not true.

"Hmm?" What's not true?" she said staring at her innocently. "You know what I mean? Don't you remember? You and Miyako DNA digivolving?"

Hikari felt her face go beat red doing her best not to think of her and Miyako having a romantic scene with each other or worse. She heard a fizzing sound and saw Yamato gushing out soda from his mouth as if horrified thinking about her.

He sputtered and coughed and covered his hand to his face. "Oh Taichi I'm sorry. I never knew your sister was unchaste."

She frustratedly and frantically grabbed Sora by the shoulders. "Stop lying!" she said. "I never have ever done such a thing!" she said as if she had to prove herself to restore her honor.

Sora looked down at her as if she was precious. "Oh Hikari," she sighed as if wanting to clear up the tense atmosphere. "I meant their digimon."

Hikari felt herself collapse on her knees breathing heavily, Yamato having face planted on the ground the severity of the accusations too much for even him to handle.

Sora extender her hand out to her and Hikari grabbed it being lifted back up on her feet. "What did you think I meant?" she asked curiously.

Hikari twiddled her thumbs not quite sure what exactly they meant, but thinking it was still very indecent or erotic.

Yamato put his hand on his head as if he had just developed a horrible migraine. "DNA digivolving between adults," he groaned.

Hikari noticed Sora's face go red and perk up. "Oh that," she laughed a little nervously. "By the way," she said to Yamato "am I still coming over to your place this weekend?" she asked. "You know for DNA digivolving?"

Hikari witnessed Yamato's face redden up. "All right Sora you made your point!" he said before she could go into any more details. He closed his eyes as if embarrassed.

She walked over to him and kissed his forehead.

"Stop it," he said pouting slightly turning his eyes.

Sora put her hand on his cheek and Hikari watched as Yamato kissed her back, the passion between them starting to vibrate everything around them.

"That's our code word," Sora said, Hikari noticing Sora's shoulder strap had started to slide off her arm. She seemed to notice it and put it back up. "You know...DNA digivolving."

Hikari felt her face flare up as it had never flared up before. She put her hands on her cheeks and closed her eyes not trying to think about Yamato and Sora having an intimate moment like that. Then again, Takeru also had Yamato's good looks, but less chiseled and more gentle. She found her mind wandering back to the bathhouse when she had stepped on a bath bucket and slid across the men's bathing room. Takeru had caught her from taking a nasty spill and probably saved her from traumatizing herself for life by seeing a bunch of naked men.

Hikari felt herself swoon thinking about how heroic and gentlemanly he was for doing so...and then noticing his semi-tone body down to his abs and his compassionate azure eyes she could not get enough of...and him pressing his hands on her legs as if he would wrap her up in a passionate embrace and-

"-Hikari?" Sora said waving her hand in front of her. "Hellooo?"

Hikari snapped out of it embarrassed she was reliving that fantasy-err memory about Takeru.

"Daydreaming about Takeru are we?" she giggled. "I used to do the same with Yamato," she said. "The blue eyes, the fierce expression battling any foe in order to protect his love," she said fantasizing about him probably.

"I'm right here," he said shaking his head as if he was not able to understand girls.

Sora beamed staring at him and Hikari. "See what I mean? she said. "They are both ice cold lone wolfers at heart, but they just need a gentle woman's touch to thaw them out," she said putting her hand on Hikari's' heart. Hikari felt her touch hearing her heart pulse against it as if Sora was encouraging her relationship.

Hikari felt herself smile shyly. "Mhmmm," she agreed, Sora wrapping her up in a hug after.

"Seriously?" Yamato said. He started laughing to himself like he was a madman.

Hikari glanced over his way slightly on edge.

"Don't worry about him," Sora comforted. "He gets like that every now and then. Are you ready to go back?"

Hikari nodded anxious to get out of there. Though in a way, she was grateful to Yamato for laying it straight with her and Sora's gentle guidance. And now, thanks to the two of them she did not feel safe having her digimon DNA digivolve. It brought up too many questionable and unsettling images. She felt their influence guide her out of the room hoping that the inquisition was finally over. Knowing her brother and Takeru's brother though she knew this was only wishful thinking.