Thank you to everyone who reviewed the first chapter. Anime MASTER, thanks a lot for your lovely comments. I like Yuu with anyone who can make him happy because he's my favourite character, and Taiki makes everyone happy anyway. Shiny, it's such a huge honour that you liked the fic despite it being your rival couple. I do LOVE Tagiru/Yuu as well. charly, thanks for the compliment. I'm glad you liked the characterisation. The prompt used for this chapter is 'tongue' and I think I'm going to give myself cavities. I apologise if Taiki seems OOC, I just think being a gogglehead, he could be a bit playful.

Chapter Two:

The party went pretty well and the next day, Taiki, Tagiru and Yuu decided to hang out just like old times and catch up with one another.

"What happened yesterday with Ryouma?" Taiki said.

Tagiru felt his cheeks heat up a little. "Um...nothing much, just talking, you know."

Yuu poked Tagiru's cheek and grinned. "Looks to me it was more than just talking."

Tagiru pouted at Yuu. "Not nice, Yuu."

Taiki hid a laugh at the two of them. They really never changed at all. "I meant, if Ryouma's okay? He seemed pretty upset when he went outside and I was a little worried."

Yuu sweatdropped and Tagiru sighed. Taiki-san really does lack self-awareness, no wonder Yuu worried about him so much.

"Taiki-san," Yuu murmured. "Please start caring about yourself a little."

"Seriously," Tagiru added, for once agreeing with Yuu.

Taiki blinked, looking a little puzzled. "Eh?"

Tagiru rolled his eyes. "Ryouma's fine. He'll move on and fight to redeem his mistakes. Sitting there and feeling sorry won't change what's happened after all right?"

Taiki stared at Tagiru. "Please don't tell me you told him that..."

Yuu facepalmed. "Tagiru, Taiki-san and I need to teach you how to be tactful, one day."

Tagiru scowled at them both. "I'll have you two know he actually liked someone telling it how it is and it made him determined to do better. So there is nothing wrong with being tactless. Ryouma didn't seem to mind it after all."

Yuu chortled. "Or at least he didn't show it to you."

Taiki chuckled a little at this. "That probably is quite possible, actually."

Tagiru pouted at his mentor now. "Taiki-san! That's not nice!"

Taiki tried to control his amusement for the sake of his junior. "Sorry, Tagiru. I'm glad you're there for him, really. I've tried to talk to him too but he really doesn't let me."

Tagiru turned serious. "Ryouma feels awkward around you. I'm trying to get him to come off that but it might take some time."

Yuu shifted a little, his face darkening. "Of course it'll take time to stop feeling awkward. Those kind of things...you never really forget how dark your heart is after it's been there once." After all, he had enjoyed it back then hadn't he? The thrill, the excitement, throwing digimon around like pawns and almost killing Taiki-san. Taiki and Nene may have forgiven him for that easily but still...

Taiki without thinking twice pulled Yuu close into an embrace. "Your heart isn't dark. At all."

Tagiru agreed, patting Yuu's back. "Yeah, Taiki-san's right Yuu!"

Yuu managed a smile. His friends were always there for him no matter all he had done. "S-sorry...it's just I can kind of relate to Ryouma-san...it hurts losing everything because of your own mistakes..."

Taiki smiled a little. "But we learn from our mistakes too. If we never make mistakes, we'll never move forward and become the better person. And you have grown, Yuu. So much. Nene's proud of you and so am I. You've grown and learnt from your mistakes. And Ryouma will too. I know Tagiru won't stop until he helps him do that."

Tagiru nodded. "Yeah, I won't give up on him!" He scratched his head. "Speaking of that, I do need to go meet up with him soon since we have a sleepover planned and all later tonight." He didn't want to leave Yuu like this though and hesitated. "Yuu, will you...?"

Yuu shifted a little, nodding at Tagiru. "I'm okay." His voice was small and he buried his head in Taiki's shoulder.

Tagiru nodded, grinning. "You better be, man. Taiki-san, make sure Yuu doesn't get all mopey on us ne?"

Taiki laughed as Yuu managed to glower. "Don't worry, I won't let him sulk too long. Say hi to Ryouma ok?"

Tagiru waved to them as he hurried off. "Will do!"

"Taiki-san..." Yuu whined to Taiki's earlier comment about him sulking and faked to pout. "That wasn't nice."

Taiki blinked, wide-eyed innocence on his face. "It wasn't?"

Yuu huffed. "No."

Taiki leaned closer to Yuu, so close that his breath tickled the other's ear. "Want me to make it up to you?"

Yuu turned pink. This wasn't like Taiki. Though the other had been acting slightly strange towards him lately. Yesterday at the party, whenever Airu came closer, Taiki would pull him into an embrace. He knew the other didn't mind being clung to but he was never as openly affectionate as he had been lately. Not that he minded, but his heart was beating so fast that it felt like it would come out of his chest. "T-Taiki-san?"

Taiki hummed. "Yes?"

Yuu wasn't sure what to say. There were words he wanted to say but they seemed stuck in his throat. Should he pull away? Go closer? The truth was, the blond had always wanted to be this close towards his mentor. It was admiration but there was more to it than that. He could feel it. His pink face turned red as Taiki stroked his cheek with his thumb almost absently.

"Yuu?" Taiki said. "Do you want to have a sleepover at my place?"

"S-sure," Yuu stuttered, a little shyly, unable to say anymore. He could swear Taiki was teasing him. Or something like it.

Taiki laughed, then pulled away. "That's great. I've missed you." He then blinked, as if only realising how red Yuu was. "Yuu? Are you okay?"

Yuu stared. Did Taiki really not realise anything? Was he reading too much into things? Maybe this was just how Taiki was because they had grown older. Trying to compose himself, the blond managed "Y-Yeah...everything's fine." He tried to smile. "I've missed you too, Taiki-san."

I need a little time before this sleepover... Yuu thought to himself before looking at Taiki.

"Um, I'll come over to your place in an hour or two, Taiki-san," Yuu said. "I promised Neesan I'd spend some time with her."

Taiki paused for a moment, before nodding with a smile. "Of course I understand." He then frowned. "Are you sure you're alright though? You were pretty red."

Yuu had to hold back a sigh. Goggleheads... "Yeah, Taiki-san, I'm fine. Really." He knew Taiki didn't really believe him but he wasn't really sure how to explain.

Taiki reached over and tousled Yuu's hair. "If you say so. See you in an hour or so then."

Yuu flushed once more, before the two parted ways.

Ryouma had to hold back a sigh. "Tagiru, the cards are on the carpet, not on my face." He managed to say this without blushing. He had agreed to the sleepover at Tagiru's because the other seemed a bit worried since the other day.

Tagiru flushed.

"I know that," Tagiru said defensively. "I'm just going easy on you!" The truth was he had been admiring the other's well-toned muscles and body as well as his lips. What happened between the two of them that day had made things a bit awkward between them because neither of them knew how to talk about it.

Ryouma did sigh this time. "You know, avoiding this topic isn't doing either of us any good. So why don't we talk about it?"

Tagiru shifted. "Ryouma, it wasn't a big deal. I'm just clingy like that, ask Yuu about it sometime."

Ryouma raised an eyebrow. "If that's it, then why can't you focus on the card game?"

Tagiru sighed. He was really bad at words because he always screwed them up no matter how much he tried. So he leaned closer to Ryouma, grabbed him by the wrists and captured the other's lips in his own. Words weren't his forte and Ryouma could always push him away right?

The other did seem to be kissing back though so that was a good sign. Sort of, at least. Tagiru deepened the kiss a little bit, running his tongue over Ryouma's lips.

That was when Ryouma seemed to push him off, stumbling back.

"T-Tagiru, what are you doing?" Ryouma stuttered out, face red.

Tagiru blinked innocently. "Did you not like it?" He was confused. Ryouma seemed to be enjoying the kiss, responding and everything, so what had happened?

"That isn't the point, you idiot!" Ryouma yelled. "You don't just kiss someone like that!"

"You liked it, so I don't see what the problem is!" Tagiru snapped, losing patience.

"You don't even know if I feel like that for you!" Ryouma retorted.

"You sure seemed fine kissing me back!" Tagiru yelled back. "Stop being a hypocrite Ryouma!"

"I was in shock, I didn't enjoy kissing you at all!" Ryouma snapped without thinking twice, before putting a hand to his mouth and stumbling back further towards the door. "I...I need to go." He turned around and ran from there.

"Dammit!" Tagiru shoved the cards to the side, causing them to scatter everywhere.