Cursed Chapter 9: Fall For You, a digimon fanfic

Summary: Taichi—every time he "uses" magic, his body grows weaker. Can Yamato save him before it's too late? Yamachi/Taito

Disclaimer: Owns neither Digimon nor any of its characters. Song used: "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade. Lyrics mildly adjusted to fit the formatting of this fanfic.

Cursed

By: splintered

But as much as Yamato loved him and as much as Taichi loved Yamato, Yamato couldn't help but be uneasy whenever he let the brunette around anyone else. For example, Taichi's friend Sora who became fast friends with Taichi at school. (Hiroaki insisted that Taichi would have to go to school after all his wounds healed. Yamato had protested, of course, wanting to keep Taichi all to himself, but his dad insisted that if he were to remain Taichi's legal guardian and adopted father, Taichi would have to go to school.)

"Define 'magic-using,'" the redhead demanded, as she repeated the familiar words. She hated the special lingo that Tai and Yamato used...probably because she didn't know what terms like 'magic-using' meant. It wasn't like the girl didn't try to find out...but she always got the same answer from her friend.

"Sora," Taichi laughed at the girl's forcefulness. "I've already went over this dozens of times before. And you never believed me when I told you."

"Well," the girl replied, "that reason was stupid. Give me a real reason, Taichi."

Instead, the brunette only shook his head. "Trust me, Sora. Sometimes, the truth is too hard to believe." Taichi smiled with that crooked grin of his. But as Sora had decided, it was Taichi's imperfections that made him all the more desirable. Of course, she wasn't allowed to tell that to Tai. No, her male best friend was specifically off limits in that way. And the thing was, the very thought of it should have disgusted her...But somehow, it didn't. She wanted to be more than just a friend with him. It only he knew... Nah, she decided. He probably wouldn't believe her anyway. Or be able to return her feelings. It wouldn't be his fault if he didn't feel the same way.

"Yeah," she agreed.

Still, Yamato didn't like the way she was starring dreamily at the brunette as he smiled at her. No, Yamato decided, not liking Sora one bit.

And then there was that crazy boy with the goggles and wild auburn-colored hair—the boy who called Tai-chan "Taichi-sempai" and glomped Tai-chan every time he saw him.

"Taichi-sempai," that crazy boy with the goggles would shout from across the hall. (Yamato didn't remember the boy's name and he wasn't sure if Tai-chan knew it either, but Taichi would still smile at the crazy boy.)

So then Taichi and Yamato would start fighting. Taichi would claim that Yama was jealous and Yama would claim that he was not and that Tai-chan was just too cute and likable (although Tai-chan still didn't think much about himself and would argue that he wasn't likable at all). That wasn't exactly an insult, but Yamato always made it sound like one.

Best thing about tonight's that we're not fighting

And then Yamato, who could never stay mad at Taichi long, would apologize for acting all jealous and bitter, but still wish that Taichi didn't have to go to school and that Yamato could keep Taichi at home for himself.

Could it be that we have been this way before

You see, Yamato really tried to not be jealous of anyone else looking at Taichi, but he couldn't help it.

I know you don't think that I am trying......

And it certainly didn't help that Taichi was just the type of person that would get noticed in crowd. There was just something about Taichi that was irresistible.

It might have been Taichi's willingness to help others that attracted Yamato to Taichi in the first place. After all, Taichi had helped him in the park years ago and Taichi was still helping others. Like that little girl he claimed he saw in the Odaiba Park today before Yamato found him.

Whereas Taichi always did things like that recklessly, Yamato had always been afraid to help others. Courage, Yamato had called this particular trait of Taichi's. According to Tai-chan, courage is the ability to do something in spite of fear. Despite his brainless courage, Tai couldn't call himself courageous.

"But Yama, how can I have courage if I have no fear?" the brunette had asked one day.

Yamato had shrugged in response. The blond never really cared about the brunette's questions. Hell, the smaller boy had so many of them, it was impossible to care about them all. Besides, Taichi's attention span never lasted long enough for the blonde to answer any of these questions. By the time Yamato would think of a proper answer, Taichi would have already had another question rolling off his tongue. However, on this particular day, Taichi seemed particularly interested for an answer.

"Well?" the smaller boy prompted.

"Well..." the blonde repeated, stalling for time. He knew that Taichi was expecting an answer. After all, it was Yamato who had made the first assertion. The blonde did think the brunette to be brave, even if the brunette didn't think of himself that way. "You're not afraid to do anything. Hell, you're not afraid of anything. You're one of the bravest people I know."

"But, Yama, I can't feel afraid. It's physically impossible for me to feel fear. And, as you always say, there's a big difference between fear and stupidity. I'm not brave, I'm just stupid."

"Tai, you're not stupid."

"Yes, I am. I know what people think of me. Stupid little Tai Yagami. Only an idiot would have broken seventeen bones...." The brunette then proceeded to list all his other injuries and misgivings as Yamato tuned it out. It was times like these that Tai couldn't be reasoned with. After all, how could you argue with someone who refused to listen? Then again, Yamato couldn't be sure that Taichi knew half the things he was arguing about. Although Yamato knew the other boy to not be stupid (in fact, the brunette was quite intelligent), Taichi was probably convinced that he was. Yamato sighed.

"You're not listening!" the brunette whined.

"Taichi, you're not stupid," Yamato stressed. "Would a stupid person argue about how stupid he was?"

"Probably not," the brunette admitted.

"Well, there you go," the blonde managed to reassure the brunette like always.

But courage or not (Yamato still claimed that it was courage when Tai claimed it wasn't courage that drove him to "fight bad guys" and "rescue damsels in distress," although they both had agreed that Taichi wasn't stupid although the brunette did act stupid at times), it was taking a toll on Taichi's body.

I know you're wearing thin down to the core.

You see, there was some truth to Taichi's statement about not being able to feel fear. Sure it didn't work all the time (like when Yamato first questioned Taichi about his ability in the park), but in the face of physical danger, something would kick in—adrenaline or whatever technical term you wanted to call it.

In battle, Taichi didn't feel fear like people were supposed to. Taichi's immune system—or whatever you would like to call it—wouldn't realize when to back out of a fight, so Taichi would keep fighting and fighting until his body had no more energy left—until the adrenaline stopped running and his body physically shut down. That's what had happened when he collapsed in the park. That is what happened in the alleyway with Hikari. That's what happened when he first fainted in front of Yamato.

However, just because Taichi didn't feel fear like people normally would didn't mean that Taichi didn't feel pain or any other emotions. Taichi was in helluva lot of pain when he woke up in the hospital room, five months after he jumped off a four-story building. While Tai's body didn't give him the "flight" response, pain served as a constant reminder for the consequences of his actions.

Of course, this physical wear-and-tear couldn't be good for Taichi's body (especially when he got into a lot of fights where some of them he couldn't win) but when Taichi used "magic," there was nothing that could stop him until he passed out.

Yamato was just worried that Taichi would never wake up again.

--
But hold your breath
Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you

So Yamato learned how to enjoy every moment he could with Tai-chan.

"Stop it, Yaaaaama," Taichi squealed as the blond trailed kisses down his body, dragging him into bed. "That tickles!"

"But Tai-chan," the blond said between kisses, "I just love you so much."

Over again

Yes, Yamato learned how to ravish the small brunette.

"Just tell me if it hurts, Tai-chan, and I'll stop."

"Mmmmmm, Yaaaaaaaaaaama…"

"Yes, my pet."

"I can't always wake up to angry sex," the brunette pouted.

Don't make me change my mind

"No, Tai-chan?"

"Sometimes, I just want to cuddle. Can we just cuddle, Yama?"

The blond chuckled. "Sure, Tai-chan. But next thing you know, you'll be asking for breakfast in bed and pancakes for dinner."

"Yes, let's do that, Yama! Let's have breakfast in bed and pancakes for dinner!"

"Well, let's see…" the blond pretended to think. "Okay, but on one condition."

"What is it?" Taichi pouted, his head tilting cutely to the left as he did so.

"How do you like whipped cream for breakfast? Because I want it all over you."

"YAMA!" Taichi squealed as he blushed furiously. "Bad Yama."

Yamato only grinned mischievously.

"On second thought, I think I'm going back to bed," the brunette replied, as he flipped himself over with his back facing Yamato.

"But Tai-chan, you just woke up! Now, you'll have no excuses if we have angry sex!"

--
Or I won't live to see another day
I swear its true
Because a guy like you is impossible to find
You're impossible to find

But of course, there was nobody quite like Taichi—with his altruistic nature and pure kind heart (although Taichi did tend to be very pessimistic about himself). Still, there was nobody else that Yamato would be able to fall for, for he loved Tai-chan with all his heart.

And even if Yamato worried for the brunette at times… Well okay, so Yamato worried for Taichi a lot. But, it was only because he cared. He cared so much that he didn't want Tai-chan to go away. This was normal, right? It was normal to not want to lose someone you love, right?

"Yamato, stop," his brother Takeru had said when Yamato had called to cancel their overdue lunch appointment. (The brothers had reconnected a couple years after Taichi had entered Yamato's life and Hiroaki was ready to face his divorce like a man, demanding to see his other son from time to time as well). After finding Tai unconscious at the Odaiba Park, though, the other blond had wanted to spend some more time with Taichi. And no, get your mind out of the gutter, but not just for angry morning sex. Of course, Yamato had trusted that his brother would understand. Takeru did understand, of course, more than Yamato knew. And no, Takeru couldn't help but instill some of his knowledge upon his older brother. "You're obsessing over him, Yamato. Tai can take care of himself. He's a big boy. Give him some space."

"But…" But what if he really did lose the brunette this time? And was he really smothering Tai-chan with his love?

This is not what I intended

"Yamato," Takeru continued on the phone. "You're a romantic, and trust me, that's a good thing. But give Taichi some space too, okay? You're not that vampire from the Twilight series. And watching someone when they sleep is just creepy."

"How did you know he was sleeping?"

"Yamato," Takeru warned again.

His brother just knew him too well. Yamato sighed as Takeru continued to rant.

"He's not a dog, so don't pull too hard on that leash you have on him."

"But Takeru, I don't tie him with a leash." Well, at least not all the time… although Tai-chan does look sexy in…

"Yamato, get your mind out of the gutter. Yamato, that's not what I meant. I meant a figurative leash. And it couldn't hurt having lunch with your brother."

"I know, Takeru. I'm sorry. I know I have been postponing this thing for weeks. Let's do this. I mean, Tai's just asleep. He can't get in much trouble while he's sleeping, right?"

"Good call. I'm almost at your house."

"Takeru, have you been talking on your cell phone while driving again? You know, that's dangerous and illegal, right?"

"Shut up, Yamato," the boy laughed. "You worry too much."

Yes, Yamato worried a lot, but with good reason. After all, someone had to do enough worrying for the both of them, the blond reminded himself. God, Yamato wished that Taichi would take care of himself better.

Yamato couldn't help but see the bags under his boyfriend's eyes as he smiled at him. He knew that lately, Tai-chan had lost some weight (and that was saying something because Taichi didn't weigh a whole lot to begin with. He couldn't afford to lose any more weight.) He couldn't put his finger on it, but something else has been off about Tai-chan lately (and it wasn't just when Yamato found Taichi unconscious at the Odaiba Park). The issue wasn't just the weight thing or the tired strained grins, but something more, but try as he might, Yamato couldn't figure it out.

Although Taichi loved food, but sometimes, he knew that the brunette would forget to eat if nobody else was around. And with the amount of sleep Taichi has been getting lately, he should be livelier, right? Oh, how he wished that Taichi would take better care of himself. Hmm, maybe I shouldn't get lunch with Takeru, Yamato debated with himself.

Of course, Takeru chose that moment to let himself into Yamato and Taichi's apartment. "Yamato, you promised," the boy reminded him before he dragged Yamato out of the apartment. "He'll be fine," Takeru had told him.

I always swore to you I'd never fall apart

You always thought that I was stronger

"Yeah," Yamato had agreed absently. That's what Taichi had told him too.

But as much as Taichi insisted that he was fine, the truth was that he really wasn't. Taichi thought that Yama suspected that he wasn't eating as much lately. The truth was that he did forget to eat sometimes, but also, Taichi had been feeling particularly light-headed lately. It was these damn dizzy spells and migraines. They usually didn't last long and most of the time Taichi would successfully hide it from Yamato with a facade of cheerfulness. While it might be a side-effect of not eating or sleeping, Taichi didn't think he could stomach anything when his head hurt and he felt like he would faint or puke any second. The thing was that Taichi had always had headaches and migraines and he had always felt especially dizzy and light-headed after a fight and an attempt of "magic-using," but it had never been this bad. Or lasted this long.

And so, Taichi prescribed himself his solution for what he did when he didn't know what was wrong with himself; he slept. Or tried to. Or laid in bed. If only his thoughts would quiet down.

It was funny, because Yama's brother Takeru sometimes joked that Taichi was empty-headed under that bushy chocolate colored hair of his that that Yama should have been the brunette while Taichi should have been the blond, however, while Taichi did try to act cheerful and happy around others (Yama remains the only one who knew of Taichi's truly pessimistic nature. Actually, Yama probably knew most of Taichi's secrets after knowing him for all those years.), Taichi couldn't get his thoughts to shut down. So as he waited for Yama to leave for lunch with Takeru, Taichi had pretended to sleep. But he couldn't sleep. And his head hurt. And he felt a little dizzy when he moved. On the growing list of things that were wrong with Taichi, the brunette knew his symptoms weren't good. And it wasn't like he could go to a hospital to find out what was wrong with him.

But as scary as it was not knowing what was wrong with himself, Taichi felt shittier worrying Yama. What kind of douche-y boyfriend was he to worry his Yama all the time? So you see, he couldn't tell Yama. After all, Yama worried enough about him already. And also, Yama had been acting awfully weird lately, reminiscing about the past. "You're getting old, Yama," Taichi had joked.

"I know, Tai-chan," Yama had replied. "Who's going to buy you alcohol when I'm gone?"

"Hey Yama, I detest that. I'll be twenty-one soon and you wouldn't be accused of robbing the cradle anymore."

"I'm kidding, Tai."

"I know," Taichi grinned. "So was I."

"You're such a tease," Yama shook his head as they continued with their easygoing banter.

But all kidding aside, in Taichi's mind, if he could just solve his problems on his own, then everything will be okay. He could do that much, couldn't he? But as much as he told Yama that he was fine, Taichi was trying desperately to convince himself.

--
I may have failed
But I have loved you from the start

Maybe if he took some sleeping pills, he could sleep his problems away… It couldn't hurt, right? Now, if he only knew how many pills to take….

Lunch with Takeru proved interesting. Well, at least that was one way to put it. That boy had always been very curious, always asking many questions, but on the other hand, Takeru was also very insightful.

"Seriously Yamato, you could run a Pharm Party with all the drugs lying around your house. What was half the stuff for anyways?"

Now, though, Yamato had to keep reminding himself why he agreed to have lunch with the inquisitive boy. "I'm not sure exactly, but you should see the old man's apartment. Half the stuff is his anyway. I just couldn't bear to throw it out and the old man didn't want them so he gave them to Tai and me."

"Do you still think about that a lot? The old man? Our parent's divorce?"

"Not really, little brother," Yamato ruffled Takeru's hair playfully, smiling at him. Yes, Yamato still thought about the old man, but he thought about Taichi much much more. There was hardly a moment when his thoughts didn't stray back to Taichi. "Why would you think that?"

"I don't know. I've just been thinking about that a lot lately. Of how I might not have known you if Dad didn't demand to spend time with me after you guys adopted Taichi. And now that I think about it, isn't it kinda weird that you and Tai are dating even if you're technically brothers?"

"Well, we're not blood relatives like you and me," Yamato replied playfully, wagging his eyebrows. "And we have been technically family since we were eight, and we're still a family so no, it's not weird. Nothing's going to change our relationship. What's with the interview anyways, Teeks?" It was Taichi who had dubbed the younger blond "Teeks," claiming that Takeru was too long to pronounce. Takeru had argued that three syllables was hardly too long to pronounce, but the nickname still stuck anyways.

"Hey, I like Tai. He's a lot cooler than you are anyways," Takeru grinned at him.

"Yeah, but what's with the questions? Are you seeking manly advice? There's a girl, isn't there?"

"See this is what I mean. Taichi is much cooler."

"Or is it a guy? You can tell me, Teeks. I don't judge."

"Yamato."

"Yeah."

"The waitress is waiting for you to order."

"Oh, right."

"And just for the record, I love Tai. He's like a second brother to me and he makes you happy, but still, I don't understand how the dude isn't sick of you with you hanging on to him all the time. Hey, I'm your brother and I don't live with you and I grow sick of you."

"Yeah Teeks, sure you're sick of me. That's why you practically begged me out to lunch?"

"Hey, I didn't beg!"

Oh, But hold your breath

Maybe if he held his breath, the pain would go away. Maybe if he held his breath, he would be able to cure his insomnia and his headache and all the other things that were wrong with hgim. Maybe if he took enough pills, he could drown out his thoughts. Maybe if he closed his eyes, he would fall asleep.

Hell, the world was a lot of maybes and what ifs, but two things were for sure: 1.) He couldn't go to the hospital (he hadn't been back there since he had first left with Hiroaki and Yamato years ago) and 2.) He didn't know where he would be without Yamato. Taichi had often wondered what would have happened to him if he hadn't met Yamato. Well, the answer was simple. If he hadn't met Yamato, he would be dead—a long time ago. There was so many times that Yamato saved his ass. Yamato saved him again and again. Taichi knew that he would be nothing without Yama. He would just be another dumb brunette who had a knack for getting in trouble. No, he would probably literally be dead like Hikari was. He would—

Maybe if he took some more pills. Maybe those will empty his head. Heh, but Teeks always said that his pretty little head pretty empty anyways. "You just have to sit there and look pretty," the younger blond Ishida brother had told him once, "and Yamato will do all the work." They were moving boxes out of Hiroaki's house and into their new apartment when Teeks had told him that. Yeah, he was pretty empty-headed Teeks had said, but then again, that little blond rascal wasn't shifting though his head. If he was pretty empty headed, what was with all these racing thoughts? Where did Teeks take Yama to lunch anyways? Hmm, were all those colors normal? Where was Yama again…

"Teeks, I have to go," Yamato blurted suddenly. He couldn't help but feel the sinking feeling in his chest—the part of him that was acutely attuned to Taichi—telling him that something was wrong.

"But Yamato, you barely finished your soup."

"Can I take a rain check? Please. I'll make it up to you."

"Sure Yamato, but—"

Yamato was out the door and racing to his apartment before Takeru could finish his sentence.

It didn't take long for Yamato to figure out what happened once he unlocked his apartment and found that no one answer. (Well, with Taichi's shallow breathing and the bottle of pills that sprayed haphazardly on the floor next to the brunette's limp form sprawled against the couch, it didn't take a genius to put two and two together. Of course, Yamato had no way of knowing how much time had passed since Tai had presumably swallowed the pills? And who knew how old or what those pills were?).

And it didn't take much longer for a frantic Yamato to call the ambulance while the operator calmly asked what was his emergency. For some odd reason that Yamato couldn't place, it felt like he was doing something wrong by dialing those three numbers, but what else could he do? If only, if only, the woodpecker sighs, the bark on the tree was as soft as the skies…(1). He could almost hear Tai-chan's soft voice ask him, I'm cursed Yama. Isn't it better for you to stay away from me?

Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you
Over again

Taichi always claimed that he was cursed, but seriously, what was he cursed with? His desire to help others? A loving boyfriend? His low self-esteem? Wasn't it Yamato who was cursed—cursed to almost lose his love over and over again, not sure if Taichi would survive another escapade.

Yamato found himself thinking of Takeru's words over lunch. Of how Teeks said that he might not have known his own brother if not for his dad's change of heart in regards to seeing his second son. Well, couldn't the same be true for Yamato? He wouldn't have met Taichi if not for all those things that may have seemed like a "curse." He may not have known Taichi if not for that day in the park over ten years ago when he was the new kid facing a couple of bullies. And for some reason, to Yamato, that thought was unbearable—to even think of not having met Taichi. He couldn't imagine a life without Taichi.

Don't make me change my mind
Or I won't live to see another day
I swear it's true

So please, if there was a god out there somewhere, please don't take Tai-chan away from me. Please… Oh, please, I beg of you… Yamato desperately prayed, kneeling by Tai's bedside as the ambulance wheeled him away to the nearest hospital.

Yamato didn't realize what hospital they had taken his Tai-chan to. He didn't remember holding his breath as they pumped Tai's stomach—as the blue haired doctor worked on his patient. He didn't remember pacing around the waiting room or the little kids staring at him as their parents hushed them and told them to be quiet. He didn't realize how tense or nervous he was or how many times he approached the receptionist's desk demanding to see Taichi, probably screaming as loud as he could. No, he didn't remember any of that. He would have been embarrassed if he did remember. All he remembered was Taichi's perfect face when he found him in that apartment. Taichi could have almost been sleeping. And if not for the disarray of pills lying on the floor, he might have never have known that Taichi would need immediate medical attention. And that was almost as scary as losing Taichi all over again.

What would it matter if Yamato lost Taichi for real this time? The blond shuddered, just thinking about it, his mind wandering back to when he was just a curious eight-year-old boy who was more than a little curious about the stranger who saved him. Only he wasn't that eight-year-old boy anymore. And Tai-chan wasn't a stranger. Well, not now anyways. Tai-chan knew Yamato better than anyone else. Like Teeks had said, Tai made him happy like how nobody else could. Taichi was just irreplaceable.

Because a guy like you is impossible to find
It's impossible

Yamato was lost in thought until an old friend brought him back to reality.

"Yamato, what are you doing back here?"

He turned to meet a concerned pair of soft brown eyes on a beautiful woman in a nurse's uniform. Her soft pink curls pulled back into a French bun as she held a patient's clipboard in her hand and her lips were purse in a frown.

"Do I know you?" the blond asked, puzzled at how the nurse could possible know his name.

The nurse mentally sighed as she watched the broken-hearted man before him—the one who had been pacing in the waiting area and screaming at the other nurses (or so she had been told). Beaming at him, she tried to stay as positive as she could. "Of course you do, Prince Charming!" she smiled.

She had kind eyes, the blond thought as his cerulean eyes widened in recognition. Prince Charming? Why, he hadn't heard that nickname in years….

"It's Nurse Mimi. I'm disappointed in you! How could you forget me? But then again, it's been a while…When I first met you, you were just a little boy who came to visit Taichi every day. How is Sleeping Beauty nowadays?"

"Not good," Yamato supplied as his empty eyes watched the blue-haired doctor work on his patient through the glass.

"Cheer up, Romeo," Mimi said, nodding in understanding. She then proceeded to lead the blond to the closest chair (even if it was one of those metal fold-up chairs and not exactly the most comfortable things in the world. "Everything is going to be okay. Just breathe, Yamato. Close your eyes and breathe."

So breathe in so deep
Breathe me in

Yamato nodded briefly as he let the pink-haired nurse's words wash over him, desperately wanting to tell those words to his Tai-chan. Please breathe—please breathe in deep. Please open your eyes. Please stay with me forever and ever and ever. Because I can't live without you. But even more so, as true as those words were, Yamato didn't know what he would do if Tai-chan didn't wake up. He would probably be heart-broken and devastated beyond belief. After all, like Mimi had said, so many years had passed since he first visited Taichi at this hospital. So many years….

He didn't realize how tired he was or when exactly he fell asleep sitting up in the uncomfortable fold-up chair that Mimi had led him to, but when Yamato woke up, another nurse told him that he could see Taichi now. The blond nodded, wiping the sleep from his eyes and stretching out his long legs (His legs had fallen asleep from sitting in those metal foldable chairs and didn't take too kindly to be having to walk around).

Taichi was awake when the blond entered his room. The blue-haired doctor, who had been checking up on the brunette after the operation, was lovably scolding Taichi for not eating and sleeping for a while. "Tai, that may be partly where the migraines and dizziness had come from. Now about your condition, I'll have to do a lot more testing, which," the doctor cleared his throat, "would mean we would need to take more blood samples."

"More shots, Jyou?" the brunette had whined (Yamato knew how much Taichi hated needles) as Yamato watched Taichi's antics incredulously. Less than twelve hours and Taichi had already befriended the doctor? Yamato had found the doctor speaking to the brunette in layman terms versus the regular medical jargon doctors usually use. Did doctors really do that? But first name basis with the doctor? Really? And it had taken Yamato much more than a few emergency room visits to learn Taichi's name!

I'm yours to keep

And hold onto your words
'Cause talk is cheap
And remember me tonight
When you're asleep

Taichi weakly smiled as he realized that Yama watching them. "I guess I messed up again, huh, Yama?"

The doctor turned when he realized that the brunette had a visitor. "Uh, I'll leave you too alone," the doctor had said, mumbling about having to see Mimi.

Yamato sighed as he returned to Taichi's bedside, realizing the familiarity of the situation. Only, the blond was a lot taller this time around, having grown up a lot since he was eight. "What were you thinking, Tai-chan?"

The brunette bit his lip, growing uneasy at the hurt expression that arose on the blond's face. "I was thinking that I love you and I didn't want to see you worry again."

"Tai-chan, I'll always worry," Yamato replied softly as he watched the childish brunette grab his hand. "It's part of what I do. I love you, baby, and I don't want to ever lose you again."

Taichi nodded, absently playing with the blond's long slender fingers. "I just don't want you to worry about me. That's all. I don't want to be a burden."

Yamato could see the big fat tears that were threatening to spill down Taichi's face as the brunette bit his bottom lip hesitantly.

"Lately, I haven't been feeling all that good and I thought that maybe I could fix it by myself. So you wouldn't have to be hurt again because of me." The boy's laugh was bitter—so different than how he had playfully pouted with the doctor. "But I only managed to hurt you again, didn't I?"

"No, Tai-chan," Yamato protested. It was hard to concentrate when Tai was massaging his hand like that. Oh, Tai-chan's touches felt so good.

"I did," Taichi confirmed. "Why is our relationship so cursed? Yama, please leave before I hurt you more."

"No, Taichi, I would never leave you." Not when I love you so much—

Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you
Over again
Don't make me change my mind

It was true that Yamato could fall for the brunette over and over again. For some reason, the enigma would never escape his heart.

"Yama, you know they are going to run more tests on me."

"Yes, Tai-chan, and I'll be here for every one of them," the blond continued, not fully understanding what Taichi was getting at.

"No Yama, they will find out about my 'magic.' They might take me away because I'm different."

"They didn't take you away when you were kids and I'm sure they did tests on you then. Why now?"

"But Mr. Ishida claimed me legally with papers and stuff. They couldn't do anything then," the brunette protested. "I'm an adult now. I belong to no one."

"No, Tai. You belong to me," Yamato said. Suddenly, he felt cold.

"No, Yama, I know we promised to forget, but remember? The screaming by the stairs? Mr. Ishida and those guys? Think, Yama?"

No, it couldn't be… Yamato could hear a very distant voice screaming inside his head.

"You can't just take him away to do more testing," Yamato could hear his father scream. Hiding in the stairs with Taichi after showing the brunette his new bedroom, the blond decided this was probably not the best time to bug his father. Yamato had never seen his father that mad since before the divorce. "Taichi's just a child. Besides, he is legally under my care."

"We're paying you to give him to us. He will be a very valuable asset to the FBI. With the proper training, we can make him invincible—a very important asset to the federal government."

"Over my dead body," Hiroaki Ishida cried. Yamato couldn't see who his father was speaking to, but he could see his father's face purple with anger. "He's a human boy! A child! You can't use him like that, you monsters! Have you no heart!"

"Mr. Ishida, please—"

"I will never let you take him," Hiroaki Ishida had screamed before slamming the door in their face.

"Don't you remember, Yamato?" Taichi prompted him.

"Yes," Yamato admitted defeat. For years, the two of them had imagined that that eavesdropped moment had never existed. In fact, Yamato had very well forgotten about it. There had been a clear reason that they kept Taichi away from hospitals since the first time when Yamato was eight-years-old. But when he saw Taichi sprawled in their couch and the mess of pills, the blond had panicked. Bringing Taichi back from the park or saving Taichi from drowning was a lot different from pumping his stomach of miscellaneous pills. Just like being Taichi's hero and lover was a lot different from bringing Taichi back from the dead.

Still, Yamato boldly declared, "They can't take you away from me. I would never let them."

Or I won't live to see another day
I swear it's true
Because a guy like you is impossible to find

"Yama—" the brunette began. He was still holding onto Yama's hand like his life depended on it (But Tai supposed that Yama was his lifeline).

"No Tai," the blond said firmly. A determined look was set in his bottomless cerulean blue eyes. "I won't ever let them take you away from me."

Tai smiled bitter-sweetly, not bothering to ask who them was. They both knew what they were up against—but defining "them" wasn't as definitive as defining death. They both knew that there were some battles that they couldn't win and that battle against Death was one of them. After all, everyone died, right? Nothing lasted forever and they were lucky to have so many years.

With Taichi's "curse"—or whatever he called it—progressing, and the danger of getting more tests and becoming that lab rat that Taichi feared to be, the couple chose to face the former.

"What do you say we leave this place before Dr. What-Ever-His-Name-Was comes back for those tests and blood samples?"

"Dr. Jyou Kido," the brunette supplied. "But how? I—"

Yamato smiled mischievously. "Leave it to me."

Taichi found himself lifted off the hospital bed, Yamato's strong arms supporting his legs and upper back as Taichi wrapped his arms around the blond's neck.

"Sir, you are not authorized to take him out of—" a bewildered hospital personnel began as saw Yamato carry Taichi out the hospital doors and through the threshold.

Yamato ignored him. All he cared about was the brunette in his arms as he safely carried him to their car and drove them back home.

"But Yama, I can't promise you forever," Taichi had whispered, knowing that whatever time he had with Yamato would be cut short by whatever Mother Nature decided to throw in their way.

"I know," Yamato said, his heart heavy with sorrow—ready to face the consequences—whatever they may be (Because it was always Taichi made him invincible—always Taichi who evoked the strangest emotions. If only he had Tai-chan, he could do anything in the world). "I only need tonight."

Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you
Over again
Don't make me change my mind
Or I won't live to see another day
I swear it's true
Because a guy like you is impossible to find
You're impossible to find

FIN.

Author's Note: Finally finished? Wow. Can you believe I started this almost two years ago? Where does the time go? Hopefully, it wasn't too hard to follow and all the pieces finally fit together on paper (Everything seems to fit together in my head!). Many thank yous for everyone reading, reviewing and favoriting. Thank you Catching Rain for reviewing the last chapter. As cheesy as this sounds, I couldn't have done this without all of you out there who have been interested in this fic. And as always, I hope you enjoyed the fic and I would love to hear from you! Can you really believe it's over? Please review!

Notes:

(1) Allusion to Holes by Louis Sachar. Song "If Only" sung by Fiction Plane for the Holes movie soundtrack.