Alright, sorry for the wait guys. One, my computer crashed and I lost the original chapter, which was over 4000 words. Two, my computer won't hold a damn internet connection, even using and Ethernet cable, so yeah, internet sucks. And I hate it. Also, go check out my new story, Fury, which may or may not remain a one-shot. :) The boy is meant to be Dai, but I couldn't remember if he was already apart of this or not, so I didn't mention names. Feel free to sub a different character in if you want.

Taichi

It's been close two a month since Yamato and I want to the movies. I wouldn't say we're official, I mean, really, we haven't even kissed yet, but everyone seems to know. And I didn't tell, and I know Yamato didn't, either. Whatever. I'm living with it. But even I inwardly cringe as someone calls my name. I turn to look at the boy running towards me. He's a year younger then me, but I know him well enough.

"Taichi, you have to look at this." He says, shoving his phone in my face. It's way to early for this, but I take his phone, anyway. He presses a button, which starts a video. My eyes widen. I watch the video again, still in shock. I cringe as Justin's fist connects with Yamato's jawline. Yamato's foot comes out, hitting Justin in the shin, and Justin topples onto Yamato. They roll around, and I think they're just blindly throwing hits, hoping to make contact. Yamato comes out the winner of the scuffle, and just as he's about to hit Justin, the video stops. I glance over to the owner of the phone.

"Why were you there?" I ask. He grins, but doesn't answer. "What happened after the video?"

"Well, Yamato got that punch in, but I guess someone called the cops, you know? Cause they showed up. They were everywhere! I had to bail, my mom woulda killed me!" I wait for more, but he doesn't offer anything else. I had told Yamato not to go to the party. Obviously, he didn't listen. The boy beside me grabs his phone out of my hands.

"I just wanted to show you. I hope he didn't get into too much trouble!" He then merges in with the sea of bodies before me, and vanishes. Oh, Monday, how I hate you. I decide the best course of action would be to head towards Yamato's locker, and hope he's here. He is. He's facing his open locker, head down, digging into his backpack for something. He's surrounded by a crowd of people, which makes me nervous. I freeze a few feet away from them. Yamato turns his head slightly, and I see a purple-black bruise on his jaw. Then he notices me. I move forward.

"Hi," Yamato basically sings.

"Hi." I say back. "Does it hurt?"

"No, not really." Yamato knows what I'm talking about.

"Did you get in trouble?"

"Not as much as I probably should've. I wasn't drinking. My dad's the maddest."

"Why'd you guys start fighting, anyway?"

"He was being a douche bag." I'm aware of the people watching us. It gives me a creepy crawly feeling. And I still understand what Yamato meant. Justin had been insulting me.

"Ah, thanks," I say. Yamato offers me a small smile.

"You're welcome. It hurts when I move my jaw," he adds.

"Shoulda seen the other guy?" I ask. Yamato shrugs.

"Sure. I didn't actually get to see him, though, being arrested and all." Yamato slams his locker shut, and I notice the crowd that had been here is gone. Yamato and I head towards first class together. I nod at him, not that I've ever been arrested before. I don't find it strange Yamato doesn't ask about how I know about the fight. We're in high school, everything exciting travels fast. The bell rings right as we walk through the door to class. Yamato and I separate to go to our own desks.

At lunch, I sit with Yamato, Sora, Mimi, Jyou, Koushiro, and a girl named Jun. She seems to be head over heels in love with Yamato, which kind of bothers me. Yamato ignores her. The first few minutes of lunch had all been about Yamato's fight. He answers questions thrown at him, but then, like any decent group of friends, someone picks up that Yamato doesn't want to talk about it, and changes the subject. To me.

"Taichi," Sora says, drawing my attention to her. "Are you going to try to make it back onto the soccer team?" I open my mouth, then close it.

"You should," Yamato says cheerfully. It causes a light blush to form on my cheeks.

"I don't know. I'm more then a little out of shape." I state.

"I can help," Yamato offers. Coming from him, it sounds suggestive. Jun looks heart broken. Yamato is still ignoring her.

"Yamato Ishida," Sora snaps. "I'll help you Taichi." She adds. Yamato laughs, but I'm surprised by the offer.

"Really?" I ask. "That'd be awesome, Sora."

"No problem, you helped me when we were younger. I have to help my mom Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday morning, and Sunday." Sora looks like she's going to say more, but Yamato interrupts.

"He's mine on Fridays."

"Aren't you grounded?" I ask before anyone else has a chance to say anything.

"Yep. Except Fridays. When my father is away for work."

"Riiight," I say. Because Yamato is not un-grounded on Friday's, there's just no one there to tell him not to have anyone over.

"Mine on Friday." Yamato repeats.

"Okay." Sora agrees. "That leaves Monday, Wednesday and Saturday afternoon."

"Does today count?" I ask her.

"If you want it to," She replies. I grin.

I am so out of shape, it's almost not worth it. Sora is patient with me, though, and there's no way I'm going to quit in front of Yamato. Sora and I had gone to the soccer field, and Yamato had gone home. Then he had shown back up, Hiroaki a step behind him. He asks Sora and I a bunch of questions about what we're doing, and Sora and I explain it. Hiroaki understand better then any other parent might, but he knows about all my issues. Or at least some of them. He finds our answers satisfactory I guess, because he leaves Yamato with us. I kind of thought Yamato would quit and sit once his dad was out of eye-sight, btu he doesn't. The stupid, beautiful blonde is in better shape then I am.

A few hours later, I basically collapse. Sora decides it's enough, for today. Even though I don't really want to, we all have to split up. I head home. I eat, tell my mom and sister about my new soccer coach, and shower. I fall into my bed after, and barely have time to form a thought before I'm dreaming.

Yamato

I feel icky when I get home. Sweat just doesn't work for me. My house is empty, surprisingly. I shower first, then eat. Afterwards I go on a hunt for my cell phone. It's not hard to find. I drop into the couch, and scan through my missed text messages and phone calls. Most are from my mom and brother. I turn the T.V on after putting my phone back. My dad gets home just after 9:30.

"You're grounded," he states, once he notices me.

"You never said I couldn't watch T.V." I counter. And he didn't. He took my phone away and told me I couldn't go out.

"Do you even know what grounded is?" My dad asks with a sigh.

"Sure," I sigh. I've been grounded lots. My mom just never followed through. I watch my dad disappear into the kitchen, and hear him make something. He comes out, and sits on the couch to watch whatever animal show is playing. I fiddle with my lip ring while he eats.

"Can Tai come stay on Friday?" I ask as he gets up.

"Yamato! You're grounded!" He snaps without looking back at me.

"Yes, but you aren't going to be here, anyway. So if he comes here, I have no reason to sneak out and go see him, do I?" My dad says nothing at first, then sighs again. I seem to make people do that a lot.

"I guess, you're right." Inwardly, I cheer. "Now get your ass to bed!" I get my ass to bed without complaint.

The following morning leaves me late for school, hungry, unshowered, and just barely dressed decently. I saunter into class near the end of it, and pass the teacher the note my dad had scrawled for me. We were both late. I'm shooed away, with a nasty look. I don't even have it in me to return it. It's not my fault I couldn't sleep last night. I had bad dreams about Justin attacking Taichi. And then Takeru. That was the end of sleep for Yamato Ishida. Taichi gives me a concerned look, which for the time being I ignore. I pay as much attention as I can to the teacher, and when the bell rings, I yawn. I had been holding it in since I got here.

"Are you okay, Yama?" Taichi asks. I almost smile at the name. I hadn't notice him approach me.

"Yeah, just tired. Had a night of shitty dreams." Taichi helps me to my feet, and I follow the brunette out of the classroom. His locker is closer, so he goes there first.

"About?" He asks as he spins the dial of his locker.

"Just..things, I'm un-grounded Friday, though. My dad said you can come over." Taichi laughs at me.

"Do you know how to get past all the rules?"

"Yep, it's my specialty.." I say. Taichi laughs again.

"If you say so."

"I do." I say, jumping as Taichi slams his locker shut.

"Uh-huh. Come on, or we'll both be late for class." I follow Taichi to my locker.