Heh, summer breaks wonderful, isn't it. (Technically, I'm not on summer break, but I haven't gone to any actual classes in two weeks. ^^) So, I like this story, and it'll be a while until my Yugioh 5d's story gets posted, so please have fun and read this in the mean time. ^^
Disclaimer: (I usually forget to do these -.-) I own nothing Digimon related. Though I do own Logan. ^^
Chapter 2 -- Lights
Why? Why was the world so cruel? Not that Yamato minded having his friend being here, but all summer he had been trying to get over the thought of not having the brunette as a foundation. It was such a cruel joke to make him believe he would no longer see his best friend then bring him back into the blonde's life. It was even crueler that the brunette had kept this from him until now.
"What are you doing in America?" asked Yamato seating inside the restaurant he had found Tai at.
Tai took a bite of the hamburger he'd ordered and started talking around his food. "I'm going to college here."
Yamato's eyes widened to double the size of a normal anime character. Why that little...! "Why didn't you tell me?"
The brunette took another bite. "I wasn't sure if I was getting in or not, so I wanted to surprise you."
"Well, it worked, I'm surprised."
"Ah, don't sound so depressed, Matt. Aren't you glad I'm here?"
Yamato looked at his friend's eager eyes a lot like that of an animal who was waiting for someone to decide whether they were going to give them that last bit of food or not. He shook himself at that look and stared at his soda. He didn't know why he felt so depressed. He should be laughing and joking with Tai not sitting there brooding like he had when they first met.
"Hey, Matt, man, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings or something," Taichi said suddenly dropping his joking tone.
Yamato rolled his eyes. He could dwell on things later, right now his best friend was right in front of him and he had a summer's worth to catch up on.
"No, Tai, but, shit, you really surprised me," he laughed. "When did you get here anyways?"
"Uh, I left Japan two weeks ago."
"Why didn't you come say hi if you've here that long. We could have hung out before school started."
"I was busy with the soccer stuff."
Yamato raised his eyebrow questionably. "You couldn't find my address, could you?"
"Heh, well, I did have it, but I lost the slip TK gave me sometime on the plane."
The blonde let out a little groan at his friend's irresponsibility. "You can lead kids through a perilous digital world, but you can't keep up with a piece of paper."
"Hey, well, at least we got to meet today, right."
Yamato looked away. The day might have gone better if he'd known there was going to be someone he knew at college. He wouldn't have had to make any effort in getting acquaintances.
Brown eyes looked at him intently before Tai exclaimed, "Oh, I get it! You're sour because you spent all summer missing me. Did you feel lonely without me, Yama-kins?"
"I was not, and don't call me Yama." He knew Taichi was just kidding, but he couldn't help thrashing out at his friend; he had been lonely and missing him all summer.
Tai chuckled. "Okay, I get it. So, where do you live?"
Yamato took in a deep breath to calm himself and looked away, nose in the air and arms crossed. "I don't know if I should tell you, I think you need a punishment."
"What! Come on, pleeeeeease."
A begging and pleading Taichi was worse than when he used the the hungry animal face on him and he gave in. "Fine, when is your last class?"
"3:00, it's English with Johnson."
"Same here."
"Really, then I can just walk home with you."
"Seems that way. Where are you staying anyways?"
The brunette looked down at the last half of his burger and began poking it roughly. "Dorms, but I got stuck rooming with this guy who thinks everything in the room is his. Really, it's terrible, he won't stop touching my stuff. Even the private stuff."
"I'm sure you're just exaggerating. No one wants to look at your privatestuff, Tai."
Tai froze Yamato with his chocolate eyes and raised an eyebrow. "He touches everything."
A shiver ran up Yamato's spine at those eyes, and his words came out without the disgust he had intended. "That's gross."
The fluffy brunette leaned back in his chair. "Tell me about it. The guy's some kind of pervert or something. I swear he was wearing a pair of my boxers yesterday, and they hadn't even been washed."
The blonde made a face. "That's just wrong, man. If he starts to creep you out too much, you can spend the night at my place."
"Cool, thanks," and he went back to eating his now hole filled burger.
Yamato just stared at him dumbfounded. He felt as if he had just been tricked into something. I have a feeling that promise is going to come back to haunt me.
If only he knew how right he was.
Tai had come over to Yamato's house everyday they ended up with the same last class and on Saturday they went out to hang. Slowly, Yamato started to fall back into his old habits with Taichi, and could finally relish in the thought that he wouldn't be alone in this big new country and that his best friend was actually by his side. The next week, Yamato had to go to the music company after school, so he didn't get see his friend outside of class.
It was Friday just after Yamato had finished his only class for that day, music, and was getting ready to leave and do some much needed grocceries shopping when something odd happened. The guy Yamato had tried having a conversation with on the first day of school came up to him.
"Yamato Ishida, right," he asked, "I'm Logan Ashkav."
"Yeah, I remember," said Yamato looking at the guy that could have been a European version of himself if it hadn't been for the black rimmed glasses on his face.
"Well, we were wondering if you might want to join us for later tonight," said Logan indicated a group of people waiting for him at the door mainly made up of girls.
Inwardly, Yamato rolled his eyes. "Is it just you guys?"
"No, we invited some other students, oh, and this other guy who transferred from Japan. You might know him, Tai Yamagi or something like that."
"Tai Yagami? Yeah, I know him."
"Well, he's coming, and it would be great if you came too. The girls are really excited to get to know you better," said Logan and winked at Yamato as a hint into the girl's true intentions.
Yamato wasn't one for being around people he didn't really know, but he figured Logan was a pretty good guy, and if Tai was going than surely the fluffy brunette would pull him along anyways wether he was kicking or screaming that he didn't want to.
"Okay, I'll be there, when and where?"
"Great, uh 9:00 at club Lights. Are you old enough to drink?"
"No, in Japan yes, but not here."
"That sucks, but no worries, I've got connections. See you there."
Yamato watched them leave then sighed. This was most likely going to be a nightmare.
What to wear, what to wear? That was the question going through Yamato's mind as he stared into his closet. What did a college student wear to a club in America? As he had thought, Taichi had called and insisted that Yamato went. When the blonde had assured him that he had already agreed on going, the fluffy brunette had told him to dress to impress. Impress who, the girls? Yeah, Yamato had no interest in impressing them, but being in the music business, he had learned that you always pleased the fans. Not sure what kind of club this Lights was, Yamato decided to dress casual, but classy. He pulled out a pair of tight jeans and a light flowy white blouse like shirt. He ran a comb through his ear length blonde hair and put some gel to make it stick out a little at the ends. When finished, he examined himself in front of his bathroom mirror.
"Well, we'll just have to see if this works," said the blonde, smiling a little at his own reflection.
It was now 8:00, so Yamato hurried out of the house and started the trek down to the awaiting taxi's.
"Where would you like to go?" asked the taxi driver when Yamato climbed into the back seat.
"Do you know where there's a club called Lights?"
"Yes, sir."
"Please take me there."
The cab driver nodded and started into the main part of town. Yamato looked out the window detached, trusting the driver to take him to his destination. There were many lights in the city, all neon bright and flashy. It reminded him somewhat of the bigger cities in Japan, but not as extravagant. He sighed at how different it all was. It wasn't bad, but there were all these little things that made him home sick for Japan. He almost wished that winter would get here so he could go back and visit.
"We're here," said the taxi driver breaking Yamato away from his thoughts.
"Oh, thank you," and he paid the cab fare before getting out.
Certainly club Lights had earned it's name. Yamato was almost blinded by the flashing neon sign and search lights. Inside, it seemed even busier. The blonde could already feel a headache coming on as he made his way into line. The line was long, and it made Yamato wonder if the others were already inside or if he was the first one there. He couldn't see Logan or any of his friends nor Taichi. "I better not have been stood up," he told himself as he scanned the line again.
Suddenly, he caught the bouncer waving in his direction. He looked around him, but didn't see anyone moving ahead in line, so he pointed questionably at himself. When the bouncer nodded irritated, Yamato made his way to the head of the line shyly. He wasn't sure what the bouncer wanted, but he didn't feel right cutting all these people either.
"Yes?" Yamato inquired of the bouncer.
"Get yourself in there before the crowd starts complaining."
"Wha -- but you haven't even checked my id."
"You want to go in or stand out here for another hour, blondie."
Yamato frowned, but made his way into the club nonetheless. He had to blink his eyes a few times to get use to the strobes and changing luminosity of the club. Once he could see clearly, he looked around for anyone he knew. It was hard to see through the crowds of people on the dance floors and even harder to get into a position in which all the side tables and bar where visible.
"Yo, Matt, over here," called a familiar voice, and Yamato turned to see Taichi and Logan sitting at a large booth. He sighed in relief and walked over to them.
"Hey, Matt," said Tai scooting over so the blonde could take a seat.
"Matt? I wasn't aware you had a nickname," said Logan looking at them amused.
Tai suddenly wrapped an arm around Yamato bringing him closer in a friendly gesture. "Yeah, this guy here's my best buddy. We've been together since fifth grade."
"Oh, so you came to America together then."
Yamato glared at Tai and unwrapped himself from the other's embrace. "No, I didn't know this guy was here until I ran into last Monday."
"Ah, are you still mad about that. I told you I was sorry."
"You could have tried to find my number or something and at least called."
"I don't have a phone yet."
"Post office, computer -- could have gotten information from them."
"I'm not that good at English. We've been over this already, can't you let it go?"
Yamato humphed and rested his elbow on the table, chin in hand facing away from Taichi.
"Don't give me the silent treatment, you know I can't stand that. Yama!"
The blonde snapped his head around. "Don't call me YAMA!"
Suddenly there was a chuckle and both boys turned to face a laughing Logan.
"I'm sorry," said the American student adjusting his glasses, "it's just, even if I wasn't a foreign language major and knew what you too were rambling on about it Japanese, it seems as if you're an argueing couple of lovebirds."
Yamato and Tai both looked at Logan incredulously "You speak Japanese?"
"Yes, and about ten other languages."
"Could have fooled me," Tai said leaning back in his seat. "No, we're more like brothers, right, Ya-ma"
Yamato sighed in defeat. "Whatever."
"You know, I wouldn't care if you two were together. It would be hypocritical of me if it did seeing as I'm gay."
"Really?" Taichi asked intrigued smiling widely and leaning toward Logan. Yamato was intrigued as well, but didn't show it quite as elaborately as his fluffy haired friend.
"Well, yeah, how else would that many girls fallow me around without worry," said Logan indicated a large group of girls on the floor that seemed familiar, a few guys sprinkled in with them. "What about you guys?"
Taichi took a drink from the glass in front of him, some sort of soda by the look of it, before answering. "Probably bi, but I haven't been with any guys yet."
Yamato's eyes widened. He wasn't expecting that. Sora had been the only girl Tai had ever gone out with on more than one date, but the he'd never known that his best friend had any interest in guys. Apparently he wasn't the only one to keep some things from the other.
"What about you, Ishida?"
Yamato looked at the expecting eyes of the other two boys at the table. Should he reveal the one thing he had been keeping from his friend this long. When Yamato had convinced himself that he didn't like Taichi, there was one thing that he did realize. He was gay. There was no way around it. The only person he had ever liked, or even thought he had liked was Taichi, and he couldn't exactly look at girls the same way as the other guys. He didn't know why, it just happened to be that way.
"I, uhh,..." Yamato started.
"Oh please, of course Matt's strai --"
"I'm gay."
"What! But you went on that date with Daisuke's sister, right?"
"That was forced," Yamato defended. "Nothing came out of it."
"Well, the girls are definitely going be disappointed at this. They were all eyeing you when you came with your tight jeans, flippy blonde hair, and blue eyes. Heck, even I noticed you when you walked in," said Logan.
"Yeah, you really took my words to heart when I said 'dress to impress'. Good job," congratulated Tai giving his friend a thumbs up.
Yamato could feel a blush forming on his cheeks. "It's not that big of a deal."
"It is," argued Taichi. "I always wondered why you didn't date anyone, but I'm surprised you haven't been picked up yet."
"You've at least been kissed, right Ishida," said Logan taking a sip of his own drink.
Yamato looked away, he didn't like having all the attention being put on him and his nonexistent love life.
"Wow, Matt, you're more of a virgin than I thought," Tai said teasingly slapping a hand hard against Yamato's back.
Yamato glared at the brunette. "Oh, and you're not?"
"I've gotten farther than you, Matt."
"Why don't you shove it, Tai," Yamato said pissed off seating back in the booth and crossing his arms.
From the corner of his eye, Yamato could see his best friend. The brunette was sipping on his soda again, his shoulders hardly shaking in amusement. He could see the glint in those chocolate eyes and didn't like it one bit. What was Taichi thinking?
"Tai," he warned.
"I have a feeling something interesting is going to happen," said Logan smirking.
"You know, Matt, I've decided something."
"I'm almost afraid to ask, Tai, but what is it?"
The brunette grinned widely and he leaned in close to Matt. "I've decided I'm going to take your first kiss."
Yamato just stared and stared and stared. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Had his best friend gone crazy!
"I-I...you...wha--...uh." He couldn't find anything to say, his words were lost in the intense pounding of his heart. Weren't those eyes just a little too close. What was that smell coming from that warm stream of air. Something sweet.
"And I'm not just going to steal a kiss, Matt, I'm going to give you one." His voice was low, but still hinted at teasing. Yamato's breath caught.
"T-Tai." Oh, why did he have to be so close! There was a sudden jump inside Yamato's chest and he jumped up.
"Don't make stupid jokes, Tai," he said running a hand down his shirt as if to get rid of an invisible speck. "I'm going to go get a drink."
As the blonde started walking toward the bar, he heard Tai call out to him, "I'm serious, Matt."
He growled and called back, "Whatever."
Yeah, he knew the brunette was serious, but that's what scared him.
Please Read and Review. The More Reviews, the Faster the Updates. At least 2, and I'll start typing up the next. ^^
-- Zee. ;)