A/N: Originally part of the Burn universe (my AU in Digimon) but now that I look at it, I think it could stand alone for any Yamuki fans. Oh, and a warning: ONE CURSE is said in this. Tis all for now.

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Theme: Touch

Couple: Yamato Ishida (Digimon: Digidestined)/ Ruki Makino (Digimon Tamers)

Summary: Maybe, just this once, I can forget the world in your arms. . .

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"Go ahead. Say it Ruki." He looked into her eyes, daring her to say something.

Her violet eyes were wide, her lips slightly parted as she floundered hopelessly for words.

There were so many emotions running through her and he could see it; he could feel how she was falling. But if he said something now and helped her up, things wouldn't be solved. She needed to help herself up just this once.

Still . . .

There was an electricity that jumped through his veins like liquid fire every time he saw her. His fingers were dying to trail along her cheek. The look of desperation in her violet orbs only made him feel worse and those lips . . . just one touch. . . one measly little moment of her enveloping and drowning him was all he asked for.

Just one . . .

But he wouldn't do it; he couldn't do it. They both understood that.

And as this realization trickled into his soul, Yamato sighed suddenly, realizing that it had all been a mistake. They couldn't be; it was wrong. She wasn't going to be his rebound. He didn't have the heart to go through with something so cruel.

As for her side of the matter, she needed to find solid ground before she could jump into anything new, and she understood that Yamato was anything but. They were both on a crumbled foundation; they needed to start over. A relationship built on such unsteady terms would only break under the touch of a feather. And God forbid they lose each other. They had gone through so much in so short a time that they were both afraid to ask for more. They somehow knew asking for more would only lead to certain disaster.

Maybe they weren't meant to be here . . . and maybe this wasn't meant to be.

Yamato finally broke his gaze away from hers, pulling back from where he had pinned her against the wall. He didn't even bother to look at her; how could he after what they had both just realized?

Turning, he muttered a hasty apology before making to walk away. He got two weary steps ahead before her voice broke the heavy silence.

"Damn you Ishida!" She suddenly cried, her voice pained.

For a moment everything seemed to speed up, catching him in a whirl of confusion as he suddenly found himself jerked back roughly, half pulled/ half shoved in such a way that he was turned around and then into an embrace as his lips were met by the warmth of Ruki's.

At first he didn't react. His mind was still trying to figure out what was going on; at least it would have up until he realized that it was Ruki in his arms. That it was her petite tomboyish form trembling as her arms slipped up around his neck to pull him in closer, and that it was her warm lips now hungrily catching his own.

And he didn't know how long they stood like that, together, greedily drinking from a cup that they knew would end up poisoning them. And he didn't know how her back met the wall, or how his hands found her small waist and pulled her in closer, his breaths ragged as he tried to take in every aspect of her his senses would allow. He couldn't even begin to fathom how her hands found their way to his hair; nor how his blazer and hers ended up on the floor.

But there was one thing he knew as he hugged her close, their breaths ragged, and their forms trembling.

He didn't give a care about what happened after this.