Chapter Fourteen
Letting Go and Holding On
"Sora-chan! Oh, yay!" Mimi cried, throwing arms around her friend. Sora flinched. "Sora?"
"Is everybody here?" Taichi asked.
"Iori-chan isn't." Daisuke said, settling down on the floor next to Taichi. The two were inseparable.
"Neither is Onii-san." Takeru chewed his lip.
"Of course, neither is Jyou-kun." Sora sighed. "We can't start this without them-"
"Are you sure it's okay?" a hesitant girl's voice drifted in from the foyer as the door opened and closed.
"Yes, very sure." Iori's voice answered.
"Did he bring Kira?" Miyako asked horrified. "That's the opposite of what we need."
"Come on, Chichi, it'll be fine. Mimi-san is bringing her friend, Alan. Iori can bring you." Drawled Armadillomon's voice.
Everyone's eyes met, wide and startled. He had his Digimon with him? reflected in their eyes, as did another question that Daisuke so bluntly exclaimed as the two walked in.
"Who in gay hell is Chichi?"
"I'm Chichi. Chichi Karisama." The girl bowed quickly. "I'm Iori's cook." She grinned, round cheeks dimpling.
"She isn't my cook." Iori said.
"Yes, I am." She nodded once.
"No, she isn't."
"Am, too."
"I am, too." He corrected, "And no, you're not."
"Fine, then starve!" She huffed turning away.
"Is…that…WIZARDMON?" Hikari shrieked falling backwards. "Miya-koi, when was the last time I had a drink?" Hikari asked shakily.
"Yes, he is Wizardmon. My Wizardmon." Chichi replied. "What's the deal?"
"It's just…I knew…a Wizardmon…" Hikari trailed off.
"Yes…I'm afraid there are more than just one Wizardmon." Wizardmon's green eyes crinkled at the corners over his collar. The others realized he was smiling.
"Yes…I know. If Gatomon was here…" Hikari once again trailed off sadly. Miyako clasped her hand.
"She's not even Gatomon, anymore, technically. She's Salamon." Koushirou pointed out.
"Izzy-san." Yuuta hissed.
"Who is Chichi Karisama? Where's Kinabara, the little girl?" Takeru asked. "Iori, you never came home. You were always with Kira."
"Hai. That's why I came. Where is Kido-sempai?" Iori looked around quickly to make sure he wasn't there.
"We don't know. Maybe he's with Ishiida-san?" Ken pondered. Sora shifted.
"Well, whenever one's missing the other one's missing. It makes sense." Mimi mused. She chewed her lip. "Oh, Iori-kun, this is Alan. You remember Michael, right? This is his grandson."
"Hi. This is Betamon."
"Hiya, everybody." Betamon sang gaily.
"Hiya." Eri replied flatly; with a you've-got-to-be-kidding look at the peppiness.
"Maybe we should try and call Jyou-kun's dorm?" Taichi suggested.
"No…they should be here soon. Just a minute, actually." Sora stood and walked towards the front door.
They listened intently and heard the door open. Murmurs drifted from the front, but neither the voices nor the words could be distinctly heard. Footsteps were suddenly coming towards them and everyone sat back down normally, instead of craning towards the foyer.
"Onii-san!" exclaimed Takeru jumping up. "Jyou-sempai!"
"I'm glad you could make it, sempai." Iori said, standing also.
"Yeah…sorry if we worried you." Jyou said uncomfortably.
"Of course we were worried! You should've kept in contact, jerks!" Mimi cried, hopping up. Alan stood quickly and laid a hand on her shoulder. Yamato and Jyou blinked.
"Michael-san?" They blurted in unison.
"No, Alan." Alan corrected with a thin smile.
"Oh,goman nasai." Jyou flushed. Yamato looked away, embarrassed.
"It's time to tell the truth, you two." Sora said, looking at them.
Yamato looked at her surprised. Jyou took off his glasses and wiped them nervously with his shirt.
"I...believe Sora-chan is right. I'm...tired of living a lie." Black eyes met bright blue. Jyou broke the eye contact, settling his glasses back on his nose.
"Yeah..." Yamato whispered.
"Well, just before we had the 'Great Battle'," Sora made air quotes, "Me and Yama-kun had a little talk. He was having trouble with...do you want to talk-" she cut off as Yamato shook his head. "Okay." She shrugged. "Well, he was kind of questioning his sexuality."
"WHA!" A bunch of voices exclaimed.
"Welcome to the club, hon!" Taichi slapped Yamato's back loudly. Yamato glared at him.
"That's why you both were acting funny when you woke up." Yuuta whispered.
"Yamato-san was always trying to be with you and you were trying to distance yourself. Why didn't I see it before?" Koushirou muttered.
"You're both right. Yama-kun was trying to play it off like it never happened. He had seventy years to sleep on it and thought he was 'over it'." Once again, air quotes accompanied her sarcasm. "I started to believe him because I really wanted to. All I wanted was to be Sorato...but it wasn't meant to be. I found out the hard way." Sora choked slightly. "I walked in on him with another guy. He had been lying to me, trying to make me believe he was straight and sleeping with a guy! I started going with Hatsuharu-kun because he made me...for...get..." She trailed off, as if having a dawning comprehension.
"So...you're gay?" Takeru repeated.
"Hai." Yamato was staring hard at the ground, fists clenching his pants. "I'm sorry, Sora-chan."
"Oh, don't go there again." Sora rolled her eyes. "We've been over this, seventy years ago and just a few weeks ago. You're gay. It's cool. Stop denying it! Stop lying! It doesn't only hurt me, or you, it hurts the guy whom you love, and who loves you. He's a cool guy. I know. Else, you'd both be so dead." Sora put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed comforting. "I'm totally over it." Yamato looked up and met her smile.
"You sure?" Sora nodded. Yamato's face fell in his hands. "I'm such a screw up. I...I should've done the right thing. You would've let me. Sure, you'd be angry, but I wouldn't have hurt you so bad. Or...him...God, I'm so fucking stupid."
"I'm tired of listening." Jyou snapped. He punched Yamato's head lightly. "Everyone makes mistakes, idiot. Stop beating yourself up because you actually made one. Sora-chan and I know and understand what's wrong. Stop making it worse or we won't forgive you. Of course, Sora-chan has a lot more to be angry at than me, and she's scary." Jyou grinned. He noticed everyone staring slack jawed at him (besides Daisuke, blissfully slow). "Nani?"
"You...he..." Taichi pointed at Jyou, and then at Yamato. Back and forth, he wordlessly pointed.
"Eh..."
"Jyou, you can be so brainless for a med student." Yamato sighed.
"OH MY GOD! HUNKY YAMA-SAN IS GOING WITH JYOU-SAN!" Daisuke jumped up, finally catching on. "THE WORLD IS COMING TO THE END! A HOT BAND POP STAR IS GOING OUT WITH A FRIGGIN NERD!"
"That's not funny, Motomiya-kun." Jyou grumbled, embarrassed.
"I'm going to kill you!" Yamato shouted.
A loud angry chase began. Used to the feuds between the two, everyone turned back and started up the conversation once again. Albeit, louder to be heard over the screams of terror...and anger.
"I wanted to talk you all about something that's been troubling me. You remember Kinabara-chan?"
"Yeah, what about her, Iori-chan?" Takeru asked.
"I think...she's...evil." Iori said lamely.
Everyone's eyebrow went up.
"I can't explain it. It's feeling."
"A good one. I looked up Kinabara in the phone book and online. There's quite a few Kinabara in town, but none have kids or have relatives that look anything like those two." Said Chichi, the unknown girl who came with Iori.
"Who are you?" Miyako asked, still confused.
"Chichi Karisama. Iori-kun's alarm clock." She giggled, black hair curling around her face as she drew up her shoulders.
"Aw, cute!" Miyako promptly leapt on her.
"OOF!"
"I thought she was his cook?" Alan whispered to Mimi. Mimi giggled.
"As I was saying," Iori continued, "Something's not right. She's...perfect...but not in the way people say about the ones they're enamored with. She's really perfect. Alone, quiet, kind, my age-"
"Cute." Takeru added.
"My age and she came at the perfect time. While I was walking to school alone." Iori snapped a glare at Takeru. "Her Digiegg is dead. There's nothing in that egg, I know it."
"And she put me to sleep!" Armadillomon cried angrily.
"What do you mean, Armadillomon?" Koushirou asked.
"She put him in a kind of trance through me." Iori blushed slightly. "She'd catch me off my guard and kiss me. Then she'd bite her own lip and bleed into my mouth. I didn't notice anything at first. But I started getting a hold on myself and began to became more clear-headed. She hasn't been to school since the day after I met Chichi-san." An evil chuckling was heard from the new girl.
"She didn't like me, heh heh." Chichi's black eyes glittered.
"Um...right..."
"If Kinabara-chan was brainwashing you, Hida-san, what about Kinabara-san? I remember Tsumi saying something about him being seen with... Takenouchi-san?" Yuuta pondered, looking towards Sora.
"Hai. Hatsuharu-kun and I became very close." Sora murmured. Her red-brown eyes softened.
"Close is a vague word." Koushirou pointed out.
"Well...after the Yama-kun thing, I...I just couldn't feel happy, it seemed. Hatsuharu-kun made me happy again. I didn't tell him specifically what had happened, but he still was there to comfort me. Whenever I wasn't with him, everything was hazy and lonely. I fell in love with him and him with me." Her expressive eyes suddenly grew dark.
"There's something else." Hikari rose and sat next to Sora's knee. "Something happened that you're keeping from us."
"It's my business." Sora snapped.
"You can't just keep secrets, Sora!" Mimi exclaimed.
Chichi turned and managed to catch Alan's eye. She jerked her head and he gave a slight nod. Iori watched the exchange with pensive, olive eyes. Nobody else had seen, besides Chidori, who touched Eri's knee, both were feeling uncomfortable themselves. They silently left the room, following the two other 'outsiders'. Eri shook her head at Ken when he moved to follow her.
"It's our business if Kinabara-san is Lowvell." Koushirou replied.
"Nani?" Sora whirled around and glared at him.
"Just look at it this way. Lowvell, or Takaki, Momiji, disappeared when we entered his high school. Rokunda-san told us he was in her class since seventh grade. Then, Kinabara-san appears on our way to school, just moved, and with a sister Iori-kohai's age. Don't you think it's slightly-"
"Hatsuharu-kun means a lot to me. Even if something did happen that I didn't want to happen-"
"Sora-chan, what happened?" Yamato ground out.
"Hatsuharu-kun took it a little too far, but everybody makes mistakes. I... I still love him-"
"Kinabara isn't Kinabara!" Taichi interrupted angrily. "He's our enemy!"
"Do you think that really matters to me, Yagami? As long he loves me! Is it so wrong?" Sora yelled at him.
"HAI!" Everyone shouted.
"He's just using you! Just like Kinabara, Kira was using me!"
"Yeah, and what did she get from you?"
"I...don't know, but I had the same symptoms you do. Whenever I wasn't with Kira, nothing was real. She was all I needed. I didn't even care how unresponsive Armadillomon was. Where's Biyomon, Takanouchi-san?" Iori asked.
"I don't know. Where's Agumon?" She glared at Taichi, "Or Veemon, " The glare hit Daisuke, "Or Hawkmon, Salamon, Nekomon, Tentomon, Gabu-"
"We get it Sora-chan. None of us have our partners either, but... Sora..." Taichi trailed off.
"What do you mean...he took it too far?" Daisuke asked quietly.
Everyone turned around surprised. Most had forgotten she had said that.
"Nothing." Sora rose and walked past Hikari who was sitting next to her.
Daisuke leapt up and grabbed her arm.
"I know that look, Sora-sempai. That look of someone being betrayed. You went through what I did."
"No..." She shook her head. "You were raped by a group of obsessed freaks. The one I love just didn't hear me say 'no'."
"Either that or he ignored you." He whispered. Sora looked at the floor. She pulled her arm away.
"I'm going."
"Sora!" Yamato called. But she was already gone.
"How are we going to win against Lowvell if we're missing one of our team?" Jyou mumbled.
Yuuta and Koushirou exchanged a look.
"We will. We always do." Koushirou said.
"Hai. You always have." Her hand found Koushirou's and they squeezed tight.
& & &
Yuuta and Koushirou sat in his room, staring at the computer screen.
"There is no way we are going to translate this differently, Izzy-sempai." Yuuta flopped onto the bed with a sigh. "We have tried for weeks to come up with a different meaning. Before I tried to help, you had been trying for a few months. Tomorrow is the Festival. I should go home and sleep. You should sleep, too."
"Tomorrow is also your birthday." Koushirou cleared off the screen and shut down the computer.
Yuuta stared at her hands lying on her lap.
"Every year babies and women die because they are not allowed to have children on this 'blessed day'. There is nothing to celebrate for my birthday. The Festival...gives me nothing now. Not even hope. I am a Chosen Child. I am with my hero, who never died in the first place. Not to mention the fact this crazy prophecy says-"
"I get it." Koushirou turned off the computer. Yuuta laid back, her legs still hanging over the side. Koushirou lay down next to her.
"I wish he would strike already." Koushirou mumbled.
"I have never known you to be impatient, Izzy-sempai." Yuuta turned her head and smiled at him.
"I...have to know." Koushirou raised his hand and touched her cheek. Her smiled wavered.
"Izzy-sempai..."
"Koku..." He shifted until their noses were just barely touching.
Yuuta's eyes closed. Just as his lips brushed hers...
"YUU-YUU!"
"N-Nekomon?"
"Izzy!"
"Tentomon!"
Both Chosen Children caught their Digimon, and held them tight.
"I have missed you, Digipartner!"
"Tentomon, why were you gone so long?"
"Where were you two?"
"We went back to the Digital World." Nekomon told them.
"Doushite?" Koushirou asked, looking down at Tentomon.
"We weren't being any help here! So we went to Digital World to find out if Keramon was still there." Tentomon explained.
"Was he?" asked Koushirou.
Nekomon and Tentomon exchanged dark looks.
"No, but...we did find something out." Nekomon started slowly.
"Why do I have the feeling it's not good?" Yuuta said wryly. Nekomon started pacing, Tentomon watching her anxiously.
"We searched high and low for that stupid- for Keramon. All we found out was there are no more Digimon in the Digital at all. It's completely barren. We all, well, besides Armadillomon, returned to the temple where the Chosen Children were kept in while they were frozen. That's where we found something. The prophecy was scratched into the stone...and not just once. It was everywhere. The tubes were smashed and ...the one with the Crest of Knowledge carved unto the back...it was demolished." Nekomon's lavendar eyes met Koushirou's. "He doesn't like you, Izumi, I think he fears you. You're the one that's going to give him the most trouble, you know."
"Demo...I'm not even in the prophecy. Only Yuuta and-" Yuuta glanced at Koushirou quickly in surprise.
"That's exactly it. Yuuta is. And Yuuta is in love with you." Nekomon interrupted fiercely. "The Crest of Life and the Crest of Knowledge, you make a formidable team."
"The prophecy says, When Life sheds its mortality." Yuuta reminded her.
"Are you sure it means you have to die, Partner?" Nekomon asked.
"But..."
"There are more ways to shed mortality. You just have to be inventive about it. Yuuta has to die, but not...Yuuta, gah...how am I going to explain this?" Tentomon cried. Nekomon butted her head against his.
"Your panic attacks are getting annoying, my buggy friend." Nekomon teased. Tentomon calmed down a bit, but still buzzed loudly.
"At least you two are close." Yuuta muttered. She didn't really like talking about dying. Peeking at Koushirou, he didn't look like he was enjoying where this conversation was going either.
"Did you uncover anything about Keramon?" Koushirou asked tightly.
"Yes, and it's not good. I wasn't there yet, however, back to the prophecy-"
"No, talk about Keramon." Koushirou snapped. Tentomon and Nekomon exchanged looks again. "Onegai?" Koushirou whispered.
"Keramon has some interesting abilities it seems." Tentomon began. "He has gained the ability to morph...and not into just Digimon. He can morph into human-likeness." Koushirou's and Yuuta's eyes narrowed.
"Could he...change into a little girl perhaps?"
"Of course, Izzy. Haven't I told you a hundred times? Digimon don't really have genders. Some have more feminine or masculine traits, but none of us really have gender. It'll be no problem for Keramon to change into a female human because he doesn't have a gender of his own."
"You are on the same track as me, Izzy-sempai." Yuuta met his eyes. "Kinabara is Takaki and it looks like Hida-kohai was right. Kira Kinabara's Digiegg was not a real Digiegg. That is why he could not sense its life."
"Keramon must have to give Iori his blood to keep him under control. Keramon's blood is really made up of digital data, with the right binary code, he could program anything into his bloodstream. That has to be how he's doing it, by manipulating the binary code."
"He already knows the Digimon figured it out, which means it was only a matter of time before wewere told about his abilites." Yuuta murmured, "That is why Keramon left Hida-kohai. Hida-kohai managed to fight the 'virus', I guess we could call it, and he knew it was just a matter of time before we figured it all out. I am sure Takaki-san had the Digital World watched, too, but could not afford to leave Takeno-" Yuuta's voice died. Black eyes met brown.
"Sora-san!" "Takenouchi-san!"They exclaimed.
"We have to go. Sora-san's in danger!" Koushirou was already on his feet, hand on the doorknob with Yuuta right behind him when Tentomon and Nekomon stopped them.
"We already know that. That's why we're back. We felt the darkness lifting off all of you and knew Sora would be in danger soon. Biyomon, Gabumon, and Gomamon are watching over her. Agumon and Veemon wanted to, too, but they have to watch over Daisuke and Taichi."
"Are they in danger, too?"
"We believe so, partner, that cult wasn't just any cult. They really are descendants of Lowvell's army. Their parents, left here from the war, swore revenge on the Chosen Children and their children formed a cult based on their parent or grandparents' obsessions. They may still be tailing Daisuke or out to do in Taichi for putting some of their number in jail and the hospital. Knowing Taichi got off scot-free just worsened matters." Nekomon explained.
"We should be out helping them." Yuuta said.
"Who? Sora or Taichi and Daisuke? Are you willing to split up? What if the second part of the prophecy comes to fruition?"
Yuuta and Koushirou looked at each.
"Takaki may come after you soon to save you, Yuuta." Tentomon warned.
"Save me." Yuuta echoed. "Which will kill all of you." Yuuta drew her legs up to her chest
"Right now you need to be together. The day of Mortality is soon to pass, Partner. We will go in your stead and take Hope and Chidori with us. Be together for now. Keep in mind, Digipartner, sometimes, you don't need words." Nekomon and Tentomon left.
In silence, they stared at the floor, the sunlight filtering through the window growing dimmer, the shadows longer.
"A penny."
"Nani?" Koushirou jerked his head and winced as he pulled a muscle. She smiled and started to rub his neck.
"A penny for your thoughts. It's an expression equivalent to 'What are you thinking of?'" Yuuta explained.
"A penny is American currency, isn't it?" Koushirou leaned back a bit, his neck already better.
"Yes. I was on the computer often and had many penpals. One of my best online pals was American. I wanted to be like you." Yuuta smiled at him when he turned to meet her eyes.
"I was just...pondering what Tentomon and Nekomon left with us." Koushirou answered finally.
"Neko...was trying to tell us something. She wanted us to be alone for a reason." Yuuta whispered.
"Yeah, I caught that." Koushirou agreed wryly.
Yuuta stretched out her legs after hours being in her cramped position.
"You do know why." Yuuta said.
"Maybe." Koushirou refused to look at her.
"I think she was right." Yuuta's feet softly hit the floor and she walked to the door.
"You're fifteen, Yuuta. I'm seventeen." Koushirou lowered his own feet to the floor, slipping his feet in and out of his slippers.
"I will be sixteen in a few hours." She closed the door. Slowly, she turned around and then leaned back against the cool wood of the door. "I am wrong. I will not be sixteen for a while yet. I was born tomorrow, but not until four thirty-three in the afternoon."
Black eyes widened looking towards her, startled. She nodded without looking from the floor.
"The exact minute Lowvell took his last breath, I took my first fifty-five years later. Three days before you were born also. I was so happy...about both those facts. So proud..." She pushed away from the door and walked to the bed. She knelt in front of Koushirou. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I...do not want to die not knowing this."
"Kokubunji-"
"You called me Yuuta." She smiled. "I liked that. I have been hearing you almost slip for a while now, but you have never actually said my name before." Her eyes opened slowly to meet his serious ones.
"When the day the prophecy foretells comes, there might be two lives instead of one." Koushirou whispered. Yuuta shook her head.
"I promise, only one." That day would come too soon.
"One's enough."
"Let go, Izzy. Just let go. Onegai...for me?"
She reached up and held his face in between her hands. Hesitantly, she rose up on her toes, eyes focused on his lips, too scared to see what was in his eyes. Her hands fell down to brace against his shoulders, and her face tilted. Their breath touched each other's lips, and caught sharply. Yuuta bit her lip, her timidity once again rearing its head as her face flushed. Then, she kissed him hard, eyes clenched shut.
/Lemon /
Koushirou grasped her elbows and pulled her up, rising with her. Her wrists crossed behind his head when he let go of her arms. His hands traveled down to her waist, slowly, waiting for her 'no'. It never came. He pulled her shirt up, bunching the material as he dragged his hands up her ribs. She pulled away a few centimeters with a breathy giggle.
"It kind of tickles." Her nose wrinkled, her cheeks still blushing. Her eyes open to see his own red face, his mouth twitching. "You are laughing at me, are you not, Izzy-sempai?" She accused.
"M-maybe." he choked out. She blushed. Koushirou finally let his laugh out, pulling her closer.
He caught her mouth with his own. She lifted her arms above her head and he pulled off her shirt. She blushed redder and closed her eyes, arms loosely around her waist. He pulled her arms to her sides, kissing her again. She rose onto her toes to press harder against his mouth. Her mouth opening willingly as his tongue tasted her bottom lip shyly. As their tongues tasted each other's mouth, Koushirou's hand found her bra strap. They broke for air, and he lowered his mouth to her neck. A shiver ran down her spine. Her fingers twisted into his belt loops. He turned them around and lowered her gently unto the bed. Her eyes flew open and met his.
"You sur-" She interrupted him with a desperate kiss, hands trailing down his chest.
She yanked up his shirt, breaking their lip lock. She kissed his collarbone. She arched up when his hands searched for the clasp of her bra. Before the bra had hit the ground, fingers were tugging at buttons and zippers.
"Ko...sh...o..." Yuuta gasped brokenly when Koushirou mouth surrounded her nipple.
Her zipper finally loosened all the way, and she pushed down her jeans and underwear, letting Koushirou kick them off the bed. His lips left a path of wet kisses from one nipple to other, creating low gasps. Her knees drew up on each side of Koushirou's hips. His hand glided over her stomach, and traced her hipbone. His hand cupped the triangle of dark curls, unsure and hesitant. Her hand covered his and he moved away from her breasts, looking down. Her other hand caught his chin and brought his face upwards.
"D-don't l-look." she whispered.
"I'm just curious." His breath was hot against her ear. "Wha-what-?" He stammered as her hand guided him down.
"Just here." She looked away and pressed one of his fingers down, a low hiss escaping her.
Koushirou's eyes widened. He pushed harder against the tight bud beneath his fingertip. It was hot and wet to the touch. Each movement he made against it, a tiny mewling noise came from Yuuta. He rubbed faster, making her arch, the low moans getting louder. He was painfully hard against his pants, his fingers slick.
"Kou..." Yuuta whimpered.
Her face was flushed, and for once, not from embarrassment. The faint light coming from the outside street lamp fell over her face, her eyes, almost glowing, were green. His fingers fumbled over his button and zipper. Her fingers wove into his hair, pushing his mouth down on hers. He pushed down his pants, her free hand helping. This time, the honor of kicking the pants and boxers off the bed was Yuuta's. One leg hooked over Koushirou's legs, pressing him against her wetness.
"N-now..." Yuuta begged lowly. "Now," she demanded louder.
His hands braced against the bed, and pushed slowly into her. Her teeth bit her bottom lip hard. Both felt something give and tear, a small cry of pain floated past Yuuta's swollen lips into Koushirou's mouth.
"Y-Yuuta-"
"You cannot stop now." Yuuta told him, and he knew she was right. He was clinging desperately to the bedsheets, trying not to give into instinct. "Ai...aishiteru." Yuuta whispered against his tightened mouth, tears leaking out the corners of her eyes, falling into her sweaty hair.
Koushirou slid in, and out, slowly. She arched to him, putting pressure on the small button he had found earlier. He thrust faster, breathing raggedly. Yuuta and Koushirou gasped and muttered broken words below their breath. Her fingers tightened in his hair as his clenched the sheets. Yuuta felt Koushirou's leg twitch against her thigh. He let out a loud, harsh gasp, and Yuuta felt the something that had been building inside reach its peak. Her body tightened, and stretched beneath him, eyes blind. Something hot and wet slid down her leg.
/ End Lemon /
When she finally blinked away the spots, Koushirou had already fallen to her side. She looked over at him, matching his hoarse breaths.
"Yuu-yuuta?"
"Hai?"
"How...do you feel? Are you still in pain?" Yuuta shook her head smiling.
"Not really. I mostly feel...tired, liquid-y, warm...a little dirty, too."
"Same here...only...more..."
"Cannot put it words, maybe?"
"Hai. Exactly."
Something came over Yuuta, and her small smile grew on one side. Green eyes flicked to his face.
"Wanna do it again?" she asked. Koushirou stared at her. Her mouth twitched, a snort managed to escape, and then she was laughing with abandon. Soon, Koushirou was joining her.
"How about a shower instead?" Koushirou proposed when their laughter slowed.
"I read in a book once about this couple and a shower and shampoo. Of course, they were a gay couple." She snorted as Koushirou coughed loudly. "Race you to the bathroom." She leapt out of bed grabbed his shirt from the floor, and pulling it over her head, managed to get out the door in ten seconds flat...if that.
"She must like being clean." Koushirou mused aloud.
Koushirou and Yuuta were snuggled beneath a clean comforter. Her brown hair was fanned out on the pillow behind her, still a little damp. One of her hands cupped her cheek, and the other rested on his hip over the covers. Her nose was just touching his shoulder. Koushirou's mouth was against her forehead, his nose in her hair. His own hair was just as damp and a dark auburn color from the water. One arm was bent under the pillow, his head resting on his where his elbow was under the pillow, his hand just seen behind his head. His other hand was curled into a loose fist on the comforter right where their shoulders were seen above the covers.
Footsteps thudded quickly outside the room, somewhere down the hallway. Koushirou frowned and burrowed his face in the pillow. Yuuta just sort of sighed and turned over, facing the edge of the bed and the computer. Her arm hung over the side and she kicked at the covers a bit exposing the top of the shirt she had stolen from Koushirou. The covers behind her slid down to Koushirou's waist and his eyelashes fluttered as he frowned again.
The door slammed open. Yuuta blinked and then fell back asleep. Koushirou sat up abruptly, blinking rapidly.
"Huh?" His knee rose up and you could see the top of his boxers.
Daisuke stood at the door, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. Koushirou rubbed at his eyes and looked at Daisuke.
"Nani?" Koushirou exclaimed, angry for being woken up. Yuuta chose that moment to flop over unto her stomach, her cheek against the pillow, her arms under the pillow. She emitted a funny, pillow-filled noise and curled into a little ball. "Oh...right..." Koushirou flushed up to his hairline. "Did you and Taichi have trouble last night?"
"Geh-ug-nnack." Daisuke sputtered uselessly.
"Honto?" Koushirou's eyebrow rose on its own violation, considering the position he was in.
"You...Yuu-yuu...urrbllgg." His mouth foamed and he fainted with a soft thump. Yuuta suddenly woke up and pushed off the bed.
"Is it morning already?" she asked, completely awake.
"Do you do that every morning?" Koushirou asked wryly, still red.
"Do what?" Yuuta blinked. She swung her legs off the bed and threw off the covers. "We should get up before Yagami-san or Motomiya-kun find us. Remember how they always used to walk in on us at the most inopportune moment?" Yuuta giggled as she walked towards the door. "Why are you blushing, and why is the door op-" Her foot landed on something squishy, "AAHHHHH!" She jumped back with a scream. "Motomiya-kun!"
"Unngggbeelll." Daisuke gurgled.
"Oh my." Yuuta's eyes widened, her face turning the color of a cherry. "Why did you not tell me?"
"I didn't have a chance-"
"Why'd you guys screa-AAAAAAAAHHHH!" Taichi screamed with a pointed finger. "You have no pants on!"
"Yagami-san!" She pulled at the hem of the shirt, her face getting even redder. "I know I have not any pants on."
"Why don't you have pants on?" Taichi demanded.
"I did not need them. You see, I was sleeping."
"Here? With no pants on?"
"We all know she's not wearing pants, Taichi. Please, just drop it." Koushirou sighed.
"Wait...you both have no pants on."
"I don't normally wear pants to bed, Taichi." Koushirou replied shrewdly.
"I mean, you're not even wearing p.j.s." Taichi said.
"I like my new shirt." Yuuta mumbled embarrassedly, still pulling on it.
"I never said you could have that. And stop pulling on it! You'll stretch it out!" Koushirou started to get out of the bed, and thought better of it and stayed put. "Why don't you transport Daisuke out of my doorway and Koku-kohai and I can get dressed."
Yuuta smiled softly behind her bangs at the nickname. Then, blushed redder when she remembered him saying her first name that night.
"Hai." Yuuta squeaked, with a vigorous nod.
"But-but you guys just-"
"Leave my room, now." Koushirou ordered with narrowed eyes.
"Al-alright. Dai-chan came up to say breakfast is ready." Taichi said flustered. Yuuta closed the door behind him and leaned back against it.
"Phew." Yuuta let her head fall back and hit the door. Because she did so, the shirt moved up another couple centimeters.
"You really do need to get dressed." Koushirou quickly looked away.
"Oh, I am wearing underwear. I am not naked under this."
Koushirou made a choking noise.
"Oh my." Yuuta slapped a hand over her mouth and blushed once again. "I will get dressed." She hurried to the dresser and yanked open a drawer.
Koushirou got out the bed and shyly backed up to his closet so he could make sure she didn't turn around anytime soon. He slid open the closet door and grabbed a shirt, the hanger swinging wildly. She turned at the noise and 'eep'ed seeing a wide-eyed Koushirou. She whirled back around, blushing madly.
As Koushirou embarrassedly shoved his hands in the sleeves and started buttoning the shirt, he remembered something. Though it was...disconcerting to think about, to say the least, he couldn't help but blurt out,
"You act different sometimes. ...Last night, for instance, you were...flirty, I suppose. Not as timid, is what I'm trying to say. I realized it corresponded with your eyes turning green."
"Honto?" She buttoned up the pants and bit her lip. "Eri-chan told me my eyes turn green when I am angry, too. I think that when I get really emotional, my eyes turn green. I do not even feel like me when I get that emotional..."
"Sumimasen." Koushirou reached for the drawer and she moved away still lost in thought.
"It is like someone else is there...I do not know what comes over me, or when, but...I am not afraid of it."
"We should go and eat." Koushirou said for the lack of something better to say.
"You should...put your pants on first, Izzy-sempai." Yuuta suggested.
"Right." He muttered. She bit back a giggle.
He's so cute. And smells good. Even sweaty! Yuuta frowned at that. Why did I just think that?
"You should not talk, anyway, Izzy-sempai." She heard her voice say. "'I'm just curious?'" She giggled behind her hand. She giggled harder seeing his blush. Is it happening again? I would have never said that without blushing! Her hand flew to her cheeks and they felt normal.
"I'm done. Are you?"
"Uh hm." Her nose twitched. "You smell so good." She murmured and rubbed against his shoulder.
"N-nani?"
"Huh?" Yuuta blinked. "Let us go eat." She grabbed his hand and led him out the door. Koushirou realized dimly that her eyes were fading from green to brown.
At the breakfast table, Taichi kept shooting glances at them and Daisuke lifted a fork up and down, forgetting to eat halfway to his mouth and remembering when he set the fork down. Koushirou and Yuuta were blushing, silently eating.
"What is going on?" Miyako demanded.
& & &
"The time is soon, partner. We have to stop it." hissed a voice angrily.
"I know that!" Something crashed to the ground. A door swung open and the two talking spun around.
"Kira-"
"Isn't real, neither is Hatsuharu." Sora leaned her shoulder against the doorjamb. Her red-brown eyes were hooded. "Long time no see, Lowvell, Keramon." She sauntered over to Lowvell and met his purple eyes. "Don't you have white hair?" She asked catching a strand of black and letting it slide over her fingers.
"What do you want, Chosen Child?" he snapped.
"I thought I would find my crest here." She whispered. She looked away. "I was wrong. You're nothing but a monster. You never did, and never will, love me. I've come to stop you from stopping whatever it is."
"Where's your Digipartner?" Keramon said, suspiciously.
"I am always by my partner's side." Biyomon said primly, flying to Sora's shoulder and hovering there.
"How do we know this isn't an ambush?"
"Because neither you nor Biyomon can evolve past Rookie and you're too strong even for a Rookie." Sora told Keramon.
"Ambush means 'other Chosen Children hiding in shadows'-"
"My friends have honor, Keramon." Sora said angrily. "I came alone. They have no idea where I am." Biyomon scratched her foot, her metal anklet flashing in the light.
"You can't stop us alone. You just admitted that yourself."
"Then I'll die trying!" Sora shouted.
"Why won't you look at me?" Lowvell asked confused. Somewhere in him, a tiny string was tugged, but he pushed aside that puny pain.
"Because I can't stand it."
"What are you babbling about?" Lowvell grabbed her chin and yanked her head up. His eyes widened as he saw tears running down her face.
"I loved you, damnit! And you were screwing me over! You were a liar! You never felt the same! You took over my mind and heart through my weakness and body! Yes, I know why you raped me. To put a piece of yourself in me to keep me under your control. Keramon used Kira's blood to control Iori-kohai, and you used your semen! You make me sick!" She slapped him hard. A tickle of blood slid from the corner of his mouth. "I'll kill you for betraying me! For never loving me, no matter how much I loved you! Damn you, Lowvell!" She raised her hand again and Lowvell caught her wrist.
"Don't." He murmured.
"I damn well will, Lowvell!" She tried to pull her hand away.
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" He shouted. His knees gave in and he fell. Sora fell with him.
"Wh-what?"
"Keramon calls me that name. But...I'm not him. I'm Momiji, that stupid little orphan. I only agreed to his plan because he said it's your fault, all of the Chosen Children's fault, that my mom died. I was meant to be great and you tried to kill me and only killed my mom. He...was my only friend. I never thought I'd...like you." He struggled to say.
"What the hell!" Keramon yelled.
"Lo-Momiji..." Sora breathed. She ran a hand over his hair and tentatively hugged him. "Don't...cry."
"Lowvell!"
"Shut up!" Sora shouted. Momiji turned and winked at Keramon.
Keramon frowned, but in his mind he was relieved. He's just acting. Thank god.
Momiji turned back to Sora, his nose against her collarbone. Her soft words against his hair. How long will I be able to keep of this charade? He pondered wildly. Tears slipped down his face and dotted her shirt.
"I am always by my partner's side. No matter what side she's on." Biyomon whispered to herself.