Lord Pata: Lucky for you, Takeru-kun's punishment has been put off for another chapter. And a couple months as there's a small time skip at the end…
Iron Reaver: Sorry I didn't proofread like usual. I will not be proofreading very well on this one either, I'm afraid. I'm so behind that I keep staying up way too late to even want to edit. I'd rather peel my eyeballs with sandpaper-ugh, it feels like I've already done so. So…tired…ugh. I'm sorry, Mimi's outfit remains a mystery. I remembered to put the new-blonde and bluette in the chappie, but…well…next chapter they have better screen time. They are just not my top priority right now. /sweatdrops/ But they'll be getting drama soon, so look out for it.
SageoWind: I'm glad there is satisfaction. The relationships are coming together so there will be more Taishirou than usual. I will have some Kenkari for the next chapter. I really want to work that one in. And then Hikari finds out about Miyako and Daisuke. Ouch.
Mystical: Yes, I'd see why you were so confused. They really are nothing alike. I hope you don't make the same mistake! Don't worry about being late on reviewing or not doing so. I know how it feels to be busy. Hell, my chapters are taking twice the normal amount of time to be updated.
Cool-Hanyou: I just love Takori. I shall try to put more of them in, but these next few chapters are Taishirou, a little Yamora, some Kenkari and a Miyako/Kari/Daisuke scene. Ooooo, can't wait for that!
Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own Digimon. Have I been remembering to do this? Most likely not…
Edited: 5/5/12 Thanks to ToonLink for still reading and enjoying! I love all your messages, mi amigo! Also to inspired-to-Dream, who reviewed every chapter, knocked me over the 200 review mark, and even helped me edit! You're such a doll. Even though you already finished this story, I'll mention you anyway!
Chocolate Covered
Chapter Fifteen
Chocolate Covered Sky
Sora and Koushirou turned and watched with wide eyes. Both their men seemed so…focused and far away, as if in another world. A part of them wanted to run forward, grab them, make them look at them, but another part, the part that won, just sat back and stared with hungry, devouring eyes. The two boys seemed wrapped in light, their skin glowing and their faces set.
Something stirred inside of Koushirou. Something heavy and hot. It was almost familiar, like the feeling he had when Tai held him really tight and kissed him really hard. It was different, though, frightening and intense. It flooded into his body and pulsed with his heartbeat. He could feel the blood rushing to the top of his skin as he blushed. His eyes were trapped on Tai's tall form. Tai's mouth was set in a thin line and his eyes were dark with concentration. His skin looked like it had been dipped in chocolate and it shined. Koushirou's eyes followed a bead of sweat as it trailed down Tai's temple and then whisked away at Tai tossed his head. His once too-large hair was short and dark with perspiration, sticking to his damp skin. Koushirou's fingers urged to brush away the strands of hair that stuck to his forehead… and linger over the tracks of sweat that ran down Tai's face and throat. Koushirou swallowed and tried, in vain, to look away. The feeling was getting heavier inside him, it was almost unbearable. His hand rose and clutched his shirt over his lower belly.
What's… what's going on inside me!
.
Hikari had managed to keep Ichijouji-san near the completely opposite side of the row from Daisuke-kun. He didn't seem to mind…or notice. Something else was frustrating him, though he continually assured her he was fine. Hikari gripped his hand tightly and forced herself to enjoy this, her oniichan's first concert. He looked great up there. Yamato-san was all gold and pale skin with blue eyes that made almost every girl there swoon when they swept over the crowd. His voice was magnetic, impelling, trembling under the skin and snatching away breath. Tai, on the other hand, just… exuded pheromones. He was all loudness, brashness, complete abandonment. The black eye and the bandages helped out a lot, too. He was the complete opposite to Yamato-san in so many ways it hurt. But they meshed to make a picture that made even her knees weak. They were gorgeous together.
Hikari could feel the disappointment well up in the crowd behind her as the last song of the first set ended.
"Sorry everybody! We need short break for our newbie here! He got a head injury and if he's fit to play after this break, we'll continue."
"I'm fine, man!" Tai protested. He winced and clutched his head. "Damn, when did I get a headache?"
Laughter erupted through the warehouse.
"WHO IS THAT!" screamed a fanatically loud girl.
"This is Tai-kun, everybody. He's our new bass," Yamato introduced. Despite his raging headache, Tai swept a low, European bow, arms to his sides. He stood up, winking and waving, making several girls scream loudly in return. Hikari and Ken winced, though Hikari couldn't help but laugh.
"Are you single?" shrieked several voices at once.
"Ah…no, that's why I got beat up." Tai grinned his big stupid grin. Hikari plunged forward as a girl behind her fainted.
Oh my god… Hikari thought, eyes rolling as she struggled not to laugh or slap sense into the girl almost foaming at the mouth next to her.
"You got beat up over a girl?" laughed guy's voice.
"Nope." His grin got bigger. "I got beat up for being gay."
Silence.
Then several loud, stinging screams erupted through the warehouse.
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! HE'S GAY! HOW KAWAII! I KNEW ONE OF THEM WAS GOING TO END UP GAY!" The screams went on. Tai grimaced and brought up a hand to his head.
"Great job, stupid. Now you're going to get a worse headache for being an idiot. Our fangirls happened to be the weirdest bunch of females I've ever met." Yamato sighed. Laugher filled the warehouse again.
"Can we see him? Your boyfriend, Tai-kun?"
Tai looked towards the backstage entrance.
"Er…I'm sorry guys. He's real shy. I don't want him to get beat up, too, so I agree with his really fast head shake. Izzy… you're going to have to stop that, you're going to hurt your neck." Tai wandered offstage with a worried frown. "No, stop that! What's wrong with you? STOP MOVING AWAY FROM ME!"
More laughter as people realized he forgot to take off his mike.
"BAKAYARO!" Yamato stormed offstage tearing off his headset. They only used the headsets for concerts to preserve them because they were really expensive.
"All right, everybody! Let's make this break thirty minutes so everybody has time to use the restroom. If we come back onstage, we'll go for the full swing!" announced Yotsuya as he rose from his seat behind the drums.
A loud cheering filled the warehouse. People began to force themselves out the doors to use the public restrooms just outside the vicinity. Hikari gripped Ken's hand tighter and led him through the crowd.
"Are you enjoying yourself, Yagami-chan?" Ken asked, bending low and speaking close to her ear so she could hear. She turned to grin up at him.
"You bet! Isn't my brother amazing? Izzy-kun is going to either scold him or baby him for the next thirty minutes. I can't decide which is funnier," she joked, laughing lightly as they were jostled by the crowd.
"HIKARI-CHAN!"
"Takeru-kun! Thank God!" Hikari rushed forward as the familiar boy's voice rose over the crowd, thin and barely heard over the increasing madness. She spun around and saw the blond pushing thorugh the crowd, smiling and apologizing to people even while surged forward and protecting a small boy following at his heels. She dropped Ken's hand to throw her arms around Takeru's neck as he neared. "How have you been? Any progress with Iori-chan you didn't tell me about?"
"Please, don't tell me another person will be calling me that?" retorted a deadpan voice. Hikari smiled and looked around Takeru to see the quite-out-of-place nine year old.
"Gomen ne, he calls you that, so I call you that, too. I'll call you Hida-kun, if you'd rather," Hikari offered pleasantly, bowing slightly. The boy bowed back, his face relaxing into a small smile.
"You can refer to me as Iori; I am dating a good friend of yours. Just, please, no chan," Iori replied, grimacing as Takeru and Hikari laughed.
"This is Ichijouji, Ken. Ken, this is my friend Takashi, Takeru and this is Hida, Iori," Hikari said quickly as Ken cleared his throat quietly. They all bowed politely.
"Have you seen Miyako-chan? We've been emailing, but she got a new boyfriend and I haven't had the chance to go see her or meet him," Hikari piped up suddenly. Her eyes were on Iori expectedly.
"She's here with him, actually. She said they'd be going home together as soon as the concert's over, so not to wait for them. Apparently his sister is… one of the fangirls. He's a little weird, but okay. I think he used to live in my apartment complex…a long time ago." Iori muttered mostly to himself.
"How disappointing. I was hoping to see her," Hikari mumbled. Ken frowned softly, looking away.
"Oh?" Takeru turned towards Iori and lifted and eyebrow. "What's his name? I was in the bathroom when you met with them, remember?"
"Oh, no! We have to hurry! The girls will be surrounding the back door by now!" Hikari hurried them forward.
"It's really only supposed to be me and Hikari-chan going in." Takeru chewed his lip as they neared the door. "The guys are cool, but it's cramped in there. Plus, if they don't follow the rules they made for themselves, it'd never work out, you know? I think you and Ichijouji-san should wait here."
"Would that be okay with you, Ichijouji-san?" Iori asked, looking a little uncomfortable.
"Hai. I'll see you after the break," Ken said, with a glance towards Hikari. She smiled up at him apologetically.
"Thanks, Ichijouji-kun."
The two friends separated themselves from their partners and hurried through the back door past the obsessive fans. Hikari noticed with amusement that Jun-san was also in the crowd. The door slammed shut behind them.
"Hey! Takeru-kun! There you are!" Yamato exclaimed, walking forward to give his younger brother a one-armed, back-slapping hug.
"Sorry, oniichan. I brought Iori-chan, so I hung out with him instead of coming back here. He's only nine…"
"NINE? You brought a nine-year-old friend to a concert?"
"We're kind of…we're really close." Takeru pointedly looked anywhere but at Hikari. Her eyes darkened at his words. "I'll be leaving early tonight to take him home."
"Where's my brother?" she asked quickly.
"He's hanging in his room with Koushirou-san," Sora answered walking forward. Her hands were filled with water bottles. "Here, everybody, water."
"Right on! Thanks, babe!" The other guys cheered and grabbed them as she tossed them.
"His headache got kind of bad. Koushirou-san is making sure he stays quiet and keeps ice on his head." Sora pointed towards a door. Tai's name was written on it in Magic Marker.
Hikari nodded coldly at her and walked away. Sora smiled sadly as she plopped down on the threadbare, sagging couch and pressing the cold water bottle to her forehead. Hikari pushed open the door, and then quickly closed it, her face blushing heatedly. She spun around, fell back against the door, and stared at the ground, hands pressed to her red face.
"Hikari-chan?" Takeru-kun queried.
"I think I'll give them a few moments alone." Hikari's voice was quite adamant as she glanced up at him, amber eyes sparkling. Snickers filled the small room as they realized what she had seen.
.
As soon as Tai had taken off the headset, Koushirou had led Tai to his dressing room- what used to be a pantry- and sat him down. He turned to the little cabinet, grabbed the orange pill bottle, and grabbed the waiting water bottle. He turned back to Tai, who was grinning widely, face sweaty and flushed.
"Do you know how stupid you are?" Koushirou ignored the shaking in his hands as he shook pills onto his palm. "Take these, don't speak, and let me put ice on your head."
"I'm okay, really! My head's fine. Just a little achy. I don't feel a thing up there." His eyes shined excitedly. He bolted down the painkillers and grinned. "It's so awesome! Rehearsal is nothing like it, Izzy! The lights are hotter than the sun and I'm all covered in sweat, but I don't even realize it. It's like I'm in some other place and there's someone else playing, but I know it's me!" He stood up and paced the tiny room, tall lanky body radiating energy. "I always liked to play, but I never knew that playing for a whole warehouse of people could make me feel like this!"
"Like what?"
"Like…invincible or something!" Tai turned towards Koushirou and grasped his upper arms. "I…I never told my dad how much bass meant to me. I knew if I told him, he'd feel really bad for needing me to sell my amps when money got tight. I kept that bass, though, like I knew one day would come when I'd be able to play again. It's as good as soccer! It's almost as good as kissing you." Tai's eyes glinted mischievously. Koushirou blushed.
"I'm glad I'm better than soccer and bass playing. It raises my self-esteem immeasurably," Koushirou wryly joked.
"I wonder…you know how people compare stuff to sex? I bet that was as good as sex!"
Koushirou flushed up to his hair line.
"Izzy? Oh, I'm sorry! I know that stuff embarrasses you," Tai grinned weakly, rubbing the back of his neck.
"N-No. That's not it." Koushirou looked away and focused on the drop of sweat quivering on the inside of Tai's elbow. It slid downwards following the crease formed in his skin.
"Izzy?"
"You… when you're up there…when I saw you up there…I felt like I had something burning in here." He gripped his shirt over his belly again. "I'd never felt it before. I wanted to…I just wanted to run up to you and kiss you until I couldn't see straight anymore. It was strange. I like kissing you very much…but I've never wanted to send you flying to the ground."
Tai's face flamed just as bright as Koushirou's. "R-really?"
"H-hai…" Izzy took a deep breath. "I looked it up."
"Huh?" That last bit made zero sense to Tai and he stared at the awkwardly shuffling redhead in front of him.
"I looked up sodomy laws and age of consent," Koushirou rushed to explain. Tai gaped at him. "After Mimi-san explained to me that you will be experienced a barrage of hormonal fluctuation, I began asking questions I never asked before. I've never been one to contain my curiosity, so I researched online, as I am wont to do. Apparently, Japan has no sodomy laws," Koushirou told him, smirking wryly as if at himself.
"What's sodomy again?" Tai asked, knowing he was probably missing something important in there. Koushirou rolled his eyes.
"For simplicity's sake, sodomy is anal sex."
"Uh," Tai replied smartly. Actually, make that dumbly…
"Age of consent is thirteen to seventeen years of age." Koushirou frowned. "That seems very young to me. In some Middle Eastern states, young men under seventeen years of age are hanged for having sex, or even touching each other suggestively. Strange, isn't it?"
Tai blanched. "I'm never going to the Middle East, ever."
Koushirou laughed loudly. "Agreed."
"Why'd you bring that up?"
"I…I don't know." He blinked. "I guess it's been weighing on my mind and seeing as you brought up sex, I thought I might as well share information."
"Right."
They stared down at their toes.
"Izzy?"
"Hai?" Izzy looked up at met Tai's heated eyes, blinking in surprise at the intense look in them.
"I won't push you to do anything you don't want to do, age of consent or not. It's up to you and me to choose what or when we do whatever we do. I really do love you, Izzy, I promise." He smiled and cupped Koushirou's face.
"I love you, too." Koushirou hesitated, then lifted himself up on his toes and slowly slid his arms around Tai's neck. He pressed his lips hard against Tai's, swiftly pulling away. Half-lidded black eyes met Tai's dark honey-brown gaze. "I really, really, really want to kiss you until we're dizzy, now," Koushirou whispered his face a blazing red.
"Uh… okay," Tai agreed, before laughing. Koushirou chuckled with him, cheeks still flushed.
Tai's large hand cupped the back of Koushirou's head, lowering his mouth over Koushirou's, eagerly deepening the kiss and ignoring the pounding in his head. Koushirou clenched Tai's shirt, the cloth twisting in his fists. He braced himself on his tiptoes as he pressed up against Tai's chest. Their equilibrium tottered and Tai fell back, causing Koushirou grin when Tai's back hit the wall and he 'oof'd. Within moments, Tai had already regained the earlier momentum on their kiss, tongues sweeping and sliding together, lips moving and slightly sticky with sweat and friction. Tai reached down with his free hand and gripped Koushirou's bottom to pull him off his feet, closer to him. Tai's mouth pulled away, trailing over skin and down Koushirou's jawline. Koushirou whimpered slightly licking his bottom lip, wishing the kiss hadn't stopped. His eyes widened before he moaned quietly as Tai's lips pressed to his neck and drew his skin into his warm mouth.
They dimly heard a small noise and a click of a door, but ignored it when it didn't forcibly interrupt them. When the loud knock on the door sounded, both were sufficiently dizzy. Koushirou actually stumbled backwards into the opposite wall before regaining his balance.
"Get out of there, you bubble-headed idiot. Onstage!" Sora shouted through the door, laughter evident in her voice.
"Uh-oh…" Tai's cheeks flushed as his eyes caught sight of a bruise-like mark on Kousihrou's throat.
"What?" Koushirou glanced around bewildered. Tai tapped the side of his neck, making Koushirou frowned in confusion. "Is something wrong with your neck?"
"Not mine! Izzy, yours! You have big ole hickey right there."
Koushirou flushed up to his hair line, slapping his hand over the rather large mark.
"Gomen ne…" Tai mumbled.
"DAMN IT, TAI, FINISH MAKING OUT LATER! ONSTAGE NOW!" Yamato shouted.
"Coming, damn it…" Tai dragged a hand through is hair and glanced own at the still dazed Koushirou. "I don't wanna…" He whined. He reached for Koushirou again, the younger teen too baffled to react, his mind still on the perplexed idea that he had a hickey. What would his mother say? They both jumped away as the door flung open. Yamato stood at the door, blue eyes blazing.
"NOW!" the young man bellowed, snatching Tai by the collar of his shirt. Tai was dragged away leaving behind a bewildered Koushirou.
"We're going back out into audience, Kou-kun. I'll see you at the end, okay?" Izzy turned towards the blushing Hikari.
"Of course…" His eyes were still rather wide, his tone confused.
She laughed.
.
When the band returned to the stage Iori clapped loudly with the rest of the audience, though he did not go so far as to scream himself hoarse. Takeru grasped his hand and smiled happily down at him. Iori immediately responded, a smile blooming over his normally austere features. He had texted his mother during the break and she had told him to remain until the end. She and his grandfather would come pick him and Takeru up and take them both home. Takeru had actually whooped when Iori told him. Now, Iori was able to stand back and enjoy without worrying about the time, so he did. Throughout the rest of the set, he and Takeru never let go of each other's hand.
"Isn't Yama-kun great? Yagami-kun is really good, too! My brother started the band when he was sixteen and it's been great ever since its debut! Everybody loves them!" Takeru bragged happily. Iori couldn't help but nod, not even attempting to reply out loud. Instead, he squeezed Takeru's hand a bit. The taller boy met his gaze and a he opened his mouth, his blue eyes looking rather… anxious. It was then that Yamato's voice lifted over the crowd.
"All right, everyone, we have a new song, not yet released on CD! This will be the last one," Yamato announced through the booming speakers. A rousing answering of shouts filled the bursting warehouse. "It's called… Sky and I hope you all like it."
Yamato closed his eyes and strummed his strings softly as Kizue accompanied him with his own guitar. Tai picked on his strings making a low, soothing background, his lowered eyes on his instrument, something rather languid and smooth about his movements. Yamato's voice murmured into the microphone and filled the empty spaces of the warehouse with its velvety melody.
"It's there…watching, waiting…
It's born to be seen…so look up
To the sky…"
Yotsuya struck the drums and Tomo's fingers flew over the keys. The music became faster and Tai, Yamato, and Kizue grinned toothily at each other. Their fingers flew over the strings and they bent towards the microphones, Yamato's voice crooning a little louder as Kizue and Tai sang softly.
"To the sky!
"Don't look down
You'll only fall!
There's only one direction
Only one way to go
Only one way to fly
"I found a secret
Wings that only I can use." Tai's voice was as deep as his guitar and a little hoarse, but sounded good with Yamato's almost alto and Kizue's low tenor.
"I'm not just a rocker without eyes
I can see better than so many
Because of my secret
That I hold close inside my mind
You'll never find her
Because she's the sky.
Don't look down
You'll only fall!
There's only one direction
Only one way to go
Only one way to fly
She's the wings that help me fly
She's my sky, no one else can see
What she does me, oh yeah
The sky never stops looking
She's always watching
"So I'm watching her, too.
She's my wings…" His blue eyes opened and his mouth curved into a sexy grin that made every girl shriek.
"She's my…sky…"
The three guitarists hit a note simultaneously that vibrated through the crowd. Iori could feel the last thrums filtering through his body all the way to his fingertips.
"That was… gorgeous." Iori sighed appreciatively. Takeru glanced down at him.
"Eh? Are you crushing on my brother?" Takeru exclaimed outraged, a smile tugging at his mouth.
"Iie." Iori snickered behind his hand. He glanced back up at the stage where Yamato and Tai were sharing a high-five. "The performance was great. I didn't mean the players were gorgeous…though…I guess they are." Iori thoughtfully eyed them. All five Wolves were definitely good-looking. They made as great sounding band as much as they made an aesthetically pleasing one. Takeru laughed.
"Let's just go." He tightened his grip on Iori's hand and dragged him away from the sobbing and screaming crowd. At least four people were following close behind them.
"Where are we going?" Iori asked, frowning slightly in confusion.
"To see my oniichan and the rest of the Wolves, of course. You're not allowed to meet them without me…ever." Iori snickered again at Takeru's possessive tone.
"I know you're just kidding around now." Iori laughed.
"That's what you think," Takeru muttered.
.
Hikari and Ken were both pushing through the crowd to get to the back door again. Just ahead of them, Takeru was leading the tiny Iori by the hand while the younger boy laughed. As they neared the piercingly loud crowd of, mostly, girls outside the backstage door, Hikari's eyes widened. She held her breath as she passed Daisuke, as if trying to hide her single presence among so many. He was looking away, trying to calm down his shrieking older sister.
"Hikari-chan! Hikari-chan!"
"Miyako-san?" Hikari turned to see a happily waving Miyako.
"I was going to go backstage, too, but my mom called saying I need to get home early. Call me, okay?"
"All right!" Hikari waved and smiled. It never struck her that Daisuke standing so near her was anything but a coincidence.
Ken's hand touched her shoulder and she looked up. "Do you know Inoue-san well?"
"Miyako-san? We're pretty good friends. I met her just before I met you." Her smile faded seeing his dark frown. "Ichijouji-kun? Do you know her as well?"
"Hai." His voice was sharp.
"All right." She clasped his hand reassuringly and smiled softly. "I'm sure you'll like my oniichan and Ishiida-san, and Kou-kun, too. They're really great," she told him gracefully changing the subject. His shoulders relaxed and he smiled back.
"They do act like it. I'm sure I'll like them very much."
Hikari bit her lip and forced herself not to look back…and see him, just one last time. Her pride won out and she led Ken towards the back door. Her decision may or may not have been a good thing, for if she had turned back, she would have seen her 'pretty good friend' planting an exuberant kiss on her ex-boyfriend's mouth.
.
Sora laughed and handed out water bottles again to the excited group of teenage and slightly older boys. They thanked her and punched each other lightly.
"That was great! Those girls loved that last song!" Yotsuya crowed.
"It was a really good idea to sing it, Yamato-kun," Tomo agreed.
"I thought so." His I'm-so-effing-cool smirk graced his face. He wiped away the sweat from his forehead and looked over his shoulder. His smirk got wider as Koushirou hovered anxiously around the pale but lively Tai.
"It was really good," Sora complimented him as she handed him the last bottle. "Did you write it, or Tomo-kun?"
"I did, actually." He reached out and wrapped his hand around hers. The thin plastic bottle crackled beneath her palm. She looked up at his cool blue eyes in surprise. "It's not quite right, though. It's lacking something…it's too short, for one, and too broken. I need some help completing it."
"O-Oh…" Her voice came out as a low sigh. The condensation on the bottle slipped between her fingers and ran down her wrist. She ignored the chilling, tickling feeling. His face was getting closer and her eyes couldn't lift from his.
"I was wondering…when… when you're free."
"Free?" Her eyes grew dark with confusion. He sighed and tried again.
"I want to go out with you, Sora-chan." He bent down and put his lips close to her ear. "I'm watching her, too, she's my wings…she's my sky…" Sora's eyes widened and she gasped.
Sora…did he really…? Her wide red-brown eyes met his and he smiled, a real one, not a smirk.
"You can't be that slow, Sora."
"YAMATO!" Sora laughed and flung her arms around him. "You're so rude!" She laughed harder and barely held back her tears. I'm…I'm going to be happy! He…he's mine and I'm his. I'll be happy at last. Her fingers dug into his shoulders and she bit down on her lip. His arms wrapped around her waist.
"I promise…no matter what, I'll do my very best to make you happy, Sora," he whispered. Shock rippled through her as his words echoed her thoughts.
"I…I know," she whispered back. "I'll…I'll try my best to do the same, Yamato."
Her voice whispering his name without any honorifics or distance made his arms tightened more around her. I…I never thought I'd want somebody so much, Yamato thought.
"Oniichan!" He jumped in surprise as his brother's voice broke through the bubble around the two.
"Takeru-kun!" Yamato yelped. He released the heavily flushing Sora and turned. "I thought you were heading back early?"
"There was a change of plans. I was wondering if you'd like to meet Iori-chan?" Takeru offered, grinning as he hugged his brother and stepped back.
Yamato blinked. "Eh? Oh, that's right, your nine-year-old friend." Yamato remembered.
"Actually, he's more than just a friend." Takeru stepped to the side and nudged a much shorter boy forward. He placed his hands on the boy's shoulders and blushed. "We're…we're dating, oniichan." His baby blue eyes looked up into Yamato's cool gaze.
"Oh…" Yamato blankly stared at his younger brother. Sora's hand touched his elbow and he looked down at her. She raised one eyebrow and her lips quirked upwards.
"You're staring, Yamato. Aren't you going to meet his Iori-chan?"
"Oh…right…" He shook his head. "Thanks, Sora." He turned back to the two boys and glanced at the shorter of the two. Dark, moss green eyes looked up into his blandly. The young boy's eyes were shaped a lot like his, slanted and cat-like, with eyelashes a little too long to be masculine but in a face too boyish to be feminine. His small mouth was in a straight, firm line and his hair was cut straight and bowl-short. "Nice to meet you, Iori-chan."
"Please, call me Iori-kun or anything other than –chan," the young boy interjected with a sigh. Yamato grinned.
"Could I have your full name, then?"
"Hida, Iori. And you?" Iori replied politely, making Yamato's grin grow.
"Ishiida, Yamato." When Iori bowed slightly, Yamato quickly returned it. This kid is way too polite. "I'm glad to finally meet you. I always wondered if my little bro was sexless or something. Then, that Yagami girl popped up and I thought my baby bro was a bastard. I'm very glad he's gay, instead."
"ONIICHAN!" Takeru exclaimed red in the face. Hikari and Iori snickered behind their hands.
"That last song was great, Ishiida-kun." Hikari smiled. Yamato rubbed her head vigorously as she protested loudly.
"Thanks, Yagami girl. Your big brother is over there getting treated by his boyfriend again."
"Thank you." Hikari lifted her nose up in the air and stomped away, a pretty boy with blue-violet hair right on her heels. Sora sadly watched her walk away.
"Did she ignore you on purpose?" Yamato asked, startled. Sora nodded.
"She holds grudges longer than Tai-kun and Izumi-kun," Sora explained. "She hasn't forgiven me for my… inference. She cares a lot about her brother."
"I'm sure she'll come around sooner or later." Yamato hugged her waist.
"Sora-chan!" Sora looked towards the door. Mimi had burst in, holding tightly onto Jyou's wrist. "Sorry we're late! Jyou-kun got lost trying to find the restrooms."
Jyou blushed and scratched his nose. "There were just so many people, I couldn't see around me." Jyou replied sheepishly. Mimi fondly patted his arm.
"Anyway, I decided to treat everybody to dinner at my house. I called ahead and my parents already ordered a bunch of food and drinks and it'll be ready by the time we get there."
"ALL RIGHT!" The group of Wolves tackled the poor blonde. She disappeared under the five sweaty, tall bodies of the college students and the one sixteen-year-old. Mimi's muffled laughter was barely heard.
.
His breath came out in a cloud of white vapor. His lips were chapped and red with cold and his nose was almost glowing. His lips curved into a smile. A tall form was waving frantically just down the street. His pace quickened and he rushed forward.
"Gomen nasai!" His voice called out through the heavy silence.
"You're not that late."
Dark eyes looked up as he reached his destination. Clouds were getting darker and thicker in the sky. The temperature was slowly getting colder and colder and the news had been warning the populace about the chance of snow.
"Yes, I know, but just five minutes means five minutes of freezing for you," Koushirou stated apologetically.
"Hey, no worries, koishii." Honey brown eyes glowed warmly as his arm wrapped around Koushirou's shoulders. "Let's go gift searching now, Izzy."
Koushirou sighed and let Taichi lead him towards the shopping district. "This is silly, Taichi. I truly don't need a gift. I can wait until Christmas."
"But…I have to get you a Christmas present, too." Taichi pouted. Koushirou sighed again.
"My birthday is much too close to Christmas for you to bother about it." Izzy shuddered as a cold finger of wind managed to slip underneath his scarf. Taichi quickly pulled up the scarf and tightened it.
"You shouldn't have come, Izzy. You're going to get sick!"
"Stop worrying, Taichi. I'll be fine. I couldn't let you go into this without me. You'll have no idea what to get me," Koushirou pointed out in a firm voice. "I don't want you buying something I'll have little interest in or already own. I dislike feeling guilty."
"That's true." Taichi laughed. He pulled Koushirou up against his closer and kissed his temple with cold lips. "Let's get into that mall and out of the cold."
"That is a prodigious idea," Koushirou gratefully agreed. They pushed through the doors.
Warm air immediately blew into their faces. It took a moment before the bite of de-numbing subsided. They sighed gratefully and peeled off gloves and un-buttoned their jackets.
"If we stay here too long, we'll end up being too hot," Taichi joked.
"Then, we should hurry." Koushirou tucked his gloves into his pocket and started forward. Taichi's still-cold hand reached forward and grasped his.
"Aren't you excited about your birthday at all?" Taichi asked with his eyebrows drawn low. Koushirou blinked.
"Not excited…no. I like my birthday…but…I'm already away from home and no longer a child. I'm not going to get a cake and a party with my parents and presents. In fact…my birthday has never been very…exciting…" Koushirou trailed off, his eyes dark and withdrawn. "My birthday has been marked by death for years now," his voice murmured. Taichi blinked.
"What?"
"Let's just find a present, ne?" Koushirou's mouth was smiling, but his eyes were still distant and cold. Taichi nodded and let Izzy lead him through the mall.
They ended up having a lot of fun, laughing and pointing at the crazy things they saw. Koushirou even got so surprised seeing a cosplaying teenage girl walk by that he accidentally bit into a too-hot slice of pizza and burned his mouth.
"She wasn't that bad!" Taichi laughed.
"She was half-naked! It's December!" Koushirou protested, pressing a cube of ice against his lip. Taichi pulled his hand away and kissed his mouth lightly.
"There, any better?"
"Not really, but I'll pretend like that helped." Koushirou smiled. Taichi smiled gently back. Their hands shifted and their fingers entwined.
"So…did you see anything you wanted?"
"Nothing captured my attention. I wouldn't mind a book, though."
"A book? For school or for you?"
"For me, I promise."
"I guess it's okay then." Taichi stood up and grabbed their empty cardboard plates and cups. "I'll go toss these and be right back."
Koushirou watched him walk away and set his chin on his palm. A few young girls rushed up and bombarded him at the trash cans with hands full of pens and paper. After his debut at the first concert of the school year, Taichi had become almost as famous as Yamato. The more concerts he starred in, the more popular he came, and the more the question popped up of "Who's your boyfriend?" Everybody already knew about Sora and Yamato and she had even been asked questions by the University paper. Nobody, however, had even seen Koushirou. He wanted it to stay that way. He didn't need people prying into his life and asking him personal questions. He liked being anonymous and unknown to the public.
He didn't want anyone to know about his greatest secret. Not even Taichi knew it.
"Oi, sorry about that, Izzy. I didn't realize I was so recognizable," Taichi apologized. "We should get out of here before they see you."
Koushirou raised an eyebrow and eyed his taller boyfriend. His hair was still short, though growing pretty fast, and fell in thick spikes over his eyes. His bandages were long gone and his skin still had that dusky, natural tan. How could he not be recognizable? He was completely unforgettable, especially after seeing him onstage. A small part of him wanted everybody to know exactly who Taichi's boyfriend was, but it was a very small, vain part. Koushirou made a point to not listen to his vanity.
"Let's go to the bookstore and head home," Koushirou offered, glancing around to make sure those girls had gone.
"We're going to my house, ne?"
"Hai, that was the original plan," Koushirou concurred as they walked towards the nearest bookstore outlet. Taichi grinned happily.
.
Sora let herself into the apartment and unwrapped her scarf.
"Tai-kun, Koushirou-kun?"
"Iie! It's Sora!" she called back.
"Hey!" Yamato popped out of the kitchen and grinned. "Did you see the other two?"
"Iie. I was hoping to, though. I got Izumi-kun a gift." She lifted up a small purple bag. She stepped out of her shoes and unzipped her jacket. "I think it's going to snow soon. The sky was really dark." She walked towards Yamato with her jacket slung over her arm.
"Here, give me that." Yamato took her jacket and hung it in the closet.
"Where's Jyou-sempai? Isn't Mimi-chan here with him?"
"Oh, they just left for lunch. They'll be back for dinner. Koushirou-kun doesn't realize we're throwing him a surprise party. Therefore, it's still a surprise." Sora grinned and set her bag on the sideboard.
"I think Tai-kun had a surprise for Izumi-kun. Maybe we should call one of their cells and ask when they expect to be back," Sora mused. She blushed as Yamato wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her up against him. She glanced up and smiled shyly. "You need to stop surprising me like that!" Sora objected playfully. She braced her hand against his chest and leaned back.
"It's fun watching you blush like that. You almost never act girly unless I surprise you."
"I'm not girly."
"Good. I don't date girly girls." Sora laughed. She blushed again as his hand cupped her cheek.
"Yamato…?"
"Yeah?" His mouth was moving closer to her.
"Why'd you choose me? I'm younger than you and angry all the time and almost violent."
"I dunno, I just can't keep my eyes off you," Yamato replied with a shrug.
"Yamato!" She gave up, laughing, and leaned forward to meet his lips.
.
Tai opened the door and let Koushirou precede him inside.
"It's quiet in here." Koushirou's voice seemed to echo through the dark apartment.
"Yeah, my parents are in Tokyo for the day and my sis is at Ichijouji-kun's."
"Oh…" Koushirou trailed off, feeling nervousness fill him. He clutched his book against his chest and slipped out of his shoes. He squeaked when a hand covered his eyes.
"Hey, calm down, it's only me. Now, just follow my lead…" Koushirou and Tai made their way awkwardly down the hallway. Koushirou felt a slight nudge and he turned. "Keep your eyes closed, kay?" Koushirou closed his eyes and Taichi drew away.
A small, almost silent, snap sounded and Koushirou moved his head towards the noise.
"No peeking!"
"I am not peeking!"
Hands grasped his and pulled him forward.
"Okay, open up." Koushirou's eyes fluttered open and a smile slowly formed over his face.
A small, circular cake was sitting on the kitchen table top. It had pink frosting and a single candle in the very middle. For My Koishii was in candy letters on the top.
"Taichi…thank you."
"No problem. My mom didn't bake it, and I only helped, so you won't be poisoned. Kari is really good at baking real sweets," Tai informed him, as he pulled back a chair.
"How about we have some cake?" Koushirou suggested. Taichi grinned.
"I'll get some milk. Chotto matte! You have to make a wish!"
Koushirou walked forward closed his eyes. Taichi's hands fell unto his shoulders and he felt his mouth smile wider. I wish…I wish…I wish to be with Taichi for as long as I live.
He opened his eyes and looked down at the single flickering candle. The glow was dancing to and fro, pushing against the shadows surrounding it, the dark greedy fingers trying to dispel that which made darkness weak. Koushirou pursed his lips and let the darkness win this time. A thin trail of pale, grey smoke wavered in the air. Tai leaned over and kissed behind his ear softly. A shiver raced down Koushirou's spine, goosebumps rising on his skin in response. He was suddenly aware again of the empty, dark apartment around them. Taichi moved away to grab cups and plates, apparently blissfully aware of how uncomfortable Koushirou was becoming. The redhead quickly pushed it to the back of his mind, mentally berating himself. There really wasn't a reason for it. He smiled when Tai returned, taking the cake knife. Koushirou cut the small cake and placed the slices on each plate. They tapped their cups of milk together.
"Happy birthday!"
"I'm finally fifteen years old."
Tai set down his cup of milk. "That's so weird."
"What is weird?" Koushirou asked before eating a forkful of cake.
"You're only fifteen and you're a freshman in college!" Tai exclaimed, throwing up his hands.
"That's still weird to you? We've been dating since August," Koushirou reminded him dryly.
"Yeah…I know. You just act so much older than you are. You act older than me," Tai mumbled, stabbing his cake and leaning on his elbow.
"Well…I didn't have much else to in Edo except study. I also have an IQ of a genius. I heard that enough while growing up to know." Koushirou shrugged and took another bite of cake. It was chocolate on the inside with strawberry frosting. "This is really good."
"Izzy…why don't you like your birthday?"
Koushirou glanced up with wide eyes. He slowly pulled the fork out of his mouth and set it down. "I don't think that's any of your business," Koushirou stated in a very calm, flat voice.
"Why not?" Tai retorted, anger beginning to rise that he tried to tamp down.
"It's personal."
"Aren't I a part of your personal life, Izzy?" The anger seeped into his words without him knowing.
"Taichi…"
"I get it if it's hard for you to talk about it, but I'm your boyfriend, Izzy. I think I should know about your past! I haven't known you for ten years! I barely knew you ten years ago! I know nothing about you!" Tai shoved away from the table and stood. His chair clattered to the ground. "Can't…Can't I…can't I know about you? I want to know, Izzy, everything about you. There's nothing…nothing I would ever keep from you." His hands were clenched into fists at his side.
Koushirou stared up at him. "Taichi…where did this come from?"
"Come from? Why can't I just think 'Hey, my boyfriend doesn't tell me anything about himself at all. I can't even pick out a birthday present by myself because I barely know him.' Then, today…you got so… distant. You were distancing yourself from me, Izzy." He gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes tight.
"Taichi." Koushirou pushed away from the table himself and rose. He turned and leaned his bottom against the table top. He braced himself up on his hands and took a deep breath. "I…I don't even talk about this with my parents." His eyes remained on the floor off to the side away from Tai. "To begin with…my parents are my uncle and aunt."
"Nani?" Tai's voice was low and breathy. Koushirou didn't look up, just kept his dark gaze on the tile.
"My biological parents are dead. I'm…adopted. Since I was two."
"But…your mom…"
"Yeah. I wouldn't have guessed either, if it wasn't for a conversation I heard just after we moved to Edo. I was only five and it was the day before my birthday. I thought my parents were up wrapping presents and I wanted to sneak a peek. They were wrapping presents…and talking. They were talking about my real parents, my mother's sister and brother-in-law. They were wondering if I was old enough to know yet. But…they decided not to tell me because of the move and how upset I had been."
"Koushirou…"
"They died on my birthday. My mother, my father…and my sister."
"Your sister?"
"Yes. I had a baby sister. They all died when my father lost control of the wheel and drove us off a cliff in Hokkaido." His voice was still flat and unemotional, as if talking about something he'd read, not something relating to himself.
"Izzy…" Arms wrapped around Izzy's small frame. He began to shake and gripped the table until his knuckles grew white.
"I stopped talking to them for a while and became immersed in my studies. I just… I just wanted to come back to you. I wanted to come back and play soccer with you and eat chocolate-covered onigiri. I forgave them after a while…but I couldn't…I couldn't help but remember the secret I learned too soon. So I kept studying more and more and getting higher and higher in grade levels so I could come back faster. Maybe I thought if I came back, I could come back to when I didn't know the secret," Koushirou mumbled, chuckling hollowly.
"I…I shouldn't have forced you to tell me. I'm so stupid."
Koushirou shook his head and wrapped his arms around Tai's waist. "Iie. I needed to tell you, Taichi. You're right, we barely know each other. You don't even know what kind of books I read or what my favorite color is."
"Nah, your favorite color is brown…and you like purple, too. I notice things like that." Koushirou smiled against the loose cotton of Tai's shirt.
"Thank you."
"Um…Izzy?"
"Yes?"
"How would you feel about a surprise party?"
"I probably would have walked out the door, Taichi," Koushirou answered wryly.
"Er… I need to make a phone call. Finish your cake," Tai said as he made to move away.
"No." Small, pale hands snatched Tai's wrists.
"What?" Tai pulled away and looked down. His eyes widened as Koushirou's lips collided with his own.
"Stay here…with me," Koushirou whispered against Tai's mouth.
Tai's hand reached up and cupped the back of his head. Koushirou was lifted away from the table's edge and carried towards the living room. The couch curved beneath his weight and Koushirou shifted so that his legs were on either side of Tai's slim hips. They pulled away for breath and Koushirou reached up to brushed away Tai's unruly bangs.
"I'm so glad I found you again. I'm so lucky." Koushirou smiled. Tai grinned that big silly grin full of teeth and mischief.
"You're damn skippy you're lucky." Koushirou laughed and pulled Tai back down to continue where they had left off.
At least an hour later, they both left the apartment. Their cheeks were flushed and their eyes rather dark and hazy. Tai locked the door, turning to meet Koushirou gaze, both smiling. Seeing Koushirou's tousled red hair and bruised lips made that familiar kick of want burn in his belly, only burning hotter that the answering heat in Koushirou's dark gaze. Tai's hand fell to his side, his keys dangling from his fingers.
"Gawd, we're never going to make it back. They're going to kill me," Tai sighed, dragging his hand to his hair. Koushirou's eyebrows rose.
"I told them we'd be a while before we left."
"Yeah…um…I promised to get you back for dinner. I think Yamato-kun wanted to make something nice."
"Ah, yes, the surprise party I did not let you cancel." Koushirou looked a little ashamed, then glanced up. "One more."
"Sure thing." They eagerly reached for one another again. When Tai began fumbled with the doorknob to get them back inside, they barely managed regained their senses.
"We better stop now."
"Yeah." Tai laid his forehead against Koushirou and sighed. "Okay, let's go."
They walked down the stairs and started to walk quickly towards the park. Koushirou blinked as something soft fell on his eyelash. He looked towards the sky, slowly smiling.
"Taichi…" Tai looked back and his eyes widened. Snow was falling around Koushirou like petals. They clung to his blood red hair and dark lashes, dusting him all over as if with feathers. The weak sunlight on the snowflakes made it look as though the birthday boy glittered. His small, still kissed-bruised lips were smiling and feathered in snowflakes. "It's snowing."
"Yeah…" He kissed a snowflake off the corner of Koushirou's mouth and grinned once more. "Come on, my pretty, we're late."
"What did you call me?"
Tai laughed and tugged him along through the falling snow.
Kitty: Just so's you know's, they do not have sex! No lemons yet! I have to wait just a little while longer. Yes, age of consent is thirteen to seventeen in Japan (or at least Tokyo area), but they still have ten years to catch up, you know? It just hit me how much they don't know each other. Anyway, I know the song is corny. I don't blame you if you skipped it. I always skips songs like that in other stories…but I had to do something to get Sora to finally agree to go out with Yamato. As he sings really well, why not make him sing to her? So's, yeah, he sang a corny song that might end up being a theme, who knows.
