A/N: I'm back! (woot!) This one actually came out a lot more quickly than I had hoped. This chapter does contain NCS, but I didn't go into the details.

Disclaimer: I dun own it!

Warnings: shounen-ai, OCxKen, eventual Takeken, NCS (but nothing graphic)

Continuing Existence
By CaramelAriana
Chapter 6: Fighting

"What was that about?"

"What was what about?" Ken asked, confused. Satomi had been in a bad mood ever since they'd left the store earlier that afternoon.

"You and that blonde. What's up with him?"

"Takeru? He's one of my friends. We've know each other since grade school."

"How sweet," Satomi responded sarcastically.

"What's wrong with you?" asked Ken, defensively. This was the first time he'd ever seen Satomi act like this.

"I don't like him."

"You just met him."

"What Japanese has blonde hair? That's totally not natural."

Ken sighed. "Yes it is. I think he has some French heritage or something."

Satomi leveled a look at him. "Oh, you know it's natural huh? What, you've checked?"

Ken may have been a bit naïve, but he knew what that meant. "What are you going on about! I've known him for almost ten years and his hair's always been that color. And so what if he dyes it? A lot of people dye their hair."

"Why are you defending him?" Satomi demanded.

"Because he's my friend! You're criticizing him and you don't even know him!"

Satomi leaned back against the wall and took a deep breath. "You're right. I'm sorry." He looked at Ken. "He just rubbed me the wrong way is all."

Ken walked up to his boyfriend who took him in his arms. "Why?"

"The way he was acting. It's like he likes you or something."

"Are you jealous?" asked Ken incredulously.

"So what if I am? If I'm not careful some guy's gonna come and snatch you away when I'm not looking."

Ken smiled. "Me and Takeru are just friends."

"So what's this Thursday night thing?"

"Me, him, and two other friends usually meet up Thursday nights. It's the only time all four of us see each other."

"And I've kept you away the last two weeks."

Ken shook his head. "It was my choice."

"Well, you should have told me. I won't make plans for Thursdays anymore."

"That would be nice." Ken smiled.

It was Thursday night again and they were all gathered at Daisuke's house. He had decided to treat them all to a recipe he had just mastered. Hikari was in the kitchen helping. Takeru was in Yamato's room having some sort of brotherly conversation. This left Ken alone on the couch with the TV on. Since he wasn't much of a television watcher he was a little bored. He had thought about helping in the kitchen but he didn't want to intrude.

Just as he was about to go into the kitchen anyway his phone rang. He smiled as he recognized the ID. "Hey Satomi," he answered.

"Hey baby, how you doing?"

Ken cringed. He hated this new term of endearment Satomi had picked up. But he dealt with it because it was too petty a thing to argue about. "I'm good."

"Well I'm bored! Come over and keep me company?"

Ken smiled. "I can't. It's Thursday."

There was a moment of silence. "Oh right. Your date night with that blonde kid."

Ken sighed. "First of all, he's the same age as us, so stop calling him 'kid'. Second of all, we've already been over this. Takeru and I are just friends. I thought you got that."

"Can I help it if I don't like thinking about you two alone?"

Ken rolled his eyes but smiled slightly. "We're not alone. I'm with two other friends."

"Where are you? I'll come join you."

Ken suddenly panicked at the thought of Satomi coming over. The others didn't even know he was dating a guy. Besides, this was his night with his friends. "I don't know, Satomi. I really think—"

"What? Are you ashamed of me?"

Ken flinched. "Of course not. It's just, these are our nights. We've all been friends for a long time, and I don't get to hang out with them often."

Satomi sighed. "I'm not gonna win, am I?" Ken remained silent. "Just, you do care about me, right?"

"Of course I do!" he exclaimed, startled. "Satomi, what's going on?"

"I don't know. I'm just in a weird mood, I guess."

Ken thought for a moment. "Well, my best friend is trying out this new recipe, so I can't really bail. But I'll come over as soon as I'm done here, okay."

"I guess. Just…tell me you care about me?"

Ken blinked in surprise. Deciding to question him about it later, Ken humored him. "I do care about you, a lot. I'll see you later tonight."

"All right. Can't wait to see you."

"You saw me at school!"

"But that was so long ago!"

Ken laughed. "I'll see you later."

Satomi sighed exaggeratedly. "Fine. See you soon, bye."

Ken hung up, shaking his head with a small smile. Sometimes his boyfriend could be such a drama queen.

"Who was that?" asked Daisuke, from behind the couch.

Ken whirled around as Daisuke spoke. Upon seeing his friend he let out his breath and put a hand to his chest. "Daisuke, you scared the crap out of me!"

The red head raised an eyebrow. "I've been standing behind you for like five minutes."

Ken paled. "Oh, I didn't realize you were there."

"I noticed. Who was that?"

"A friend."

Daisuke crossed his arms. "It sounded like more than just a friend."

"Who did?" asked Yamato, coming into the room with Takeru.

"Apparently Ken's seeing someone, and failed to tell me." He glared at Ken.

Ken watched Takeru bite his lip behind Daisuke. Ken almost groaned. Something told him that Takeru knew about him and Satomi. "Daisuke, you're accusing me of something you have no proof about," said Ken rolling his eyes, hoping that if he dismissed it Daisuke would drop it.

"First you assured this person that Takeru was just a friend and then assured them that you cared about them!"

Many things happened at once. Ken blushed. Takeru's eyes widened in shock. Yamato raised an eyebrow. And Hikari came out to inform Daisuke that the vegetables were burning.

Daisuke closed his eyes and asked Hikari to turn off the flame. Ken braced himself for impact. The fact that Daisuke didn't use the word "her" told Ken that he'd already guessed most of it.

"Why would someone think you and Takeru were anything but friends?" asked Yamato, eyebrow still neatly arched.

"My friend's a bit delusional." Ken silently asked Satomi's forgiveness for the slight.

"What friend?" asked Takeru, curious.

"Satomi," answered Ken. He saw Takeru frown, but didn't have a chance to question it.

"That same guy you suddenly became friends with?" demanded Daisuke. "So you're dating him?"

Ken decided to change tactics. "So what if I am? Do you have a problem with that?"

"Aha!" exclaimed Daisuke. "So you admit it."

Ken threw his arms in the air in exasperation. "Yes, you've got me," he said, walking around the couch to face his friend directly. "I'm dating Satomi. He's my boyfriend."

Daisuke stared at him in shock. "Boyfriend?" he squeaked. "I didn't even know you were gay!"

Ken resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Well, I am."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I guess it just never came up."

Neither one noticed the others inch out of the room.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"It means, Daisuke, that you've never asked whether or not I like guys. And I've never thought it was important enough to tell you."

"But we're best friends! We tell each other everything!"

Ken snorted. "Like you told me your dad was in jail?"

Daisuke's eyes widened. "You're still on that? That was ages ago!"

"It doesn't matter! That was an important thing and I would have wanted to be there for you. I'd like to always be there for you. But you've taken that away."

"What are you talking about?"

Ken closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Look, Daisuke, obviously you've been a little preoccupied. I mean you have a girlfriend now. Just, sometimes you don't think about the people being left out."

"You're jealous of Hikari?"

"That's not what I'm saying!" snapped Ken.

"Then what are you saying?" exclaimed Daisuke, frustrated.

"That you're so caught up in your own little world that you forget you have a best friend!"

Daisuke sighed. "I'm sorry if you feel that way. If you want, we can hang out more."

"Forget it," said Ken irritably, rubbing his temples.

"Well what do you want me to do then!"

"Nothing! Nothing." Ken shook his head. "This is stupid. Just forget it."

"I can't forget that you've been dating some guy and you never even told me you're gay!"

Ken could feel himself begin to lose his temper. He had to get out of there before he blew. "Just leave it alone, Daisuke. It's not like you tell me everything either."

"Oh what? So this is just revenge?"

Ken looked at his friend sharply. "Revenge? Don't be ridiculous Daisuke. I'm just saying we don't spend a lot of time together anymore, so it's understandable that we wouldn't talk as much."

"Well excuse me for having my own life! I thought you wanted me to be happy?"

"I do!" exclaimed Ken, now losing his temper. "That's all I want. But excuse me if I don't like that your happiness no longer includes me!" He pushed past Daisuke and grabbed his coat from the rack by the door.

"Oh so now you're going to run to your little boyfriend? I suppose you tell him everything."

Ken glared at Daisuke. "That's right, that's exactly right. Learn how it feels to be left out." He left the apartment and slammed the door behind him.

Ken was still seething when he knocked on Satomi's door. This wasn't the first time he and Daisuke had fought, but it was the first time Ken had gotten this angry. He couldn't even force a smile when Satomi opened the door with a grin.

"Hey baby!" he exclaimed. It didn't take long for him to notice something was wrong. "Are you okay?" he asked.

Ken pushed past him into the apartment and collapsed onto the couch with a sigh. "No," he answered simply, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

Soon he felt gentle fingers massage his head. "What happened?" Satomi asked softly.

Ken shook his head slightly. "I got into a fight with my best friend."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

The massage stopped, and for a moment Ken thought maybe he'd insulted Satomi. Then he felt an added weight on the sofa. He opened his eyes and turned to find Satomi's face right in front of his own. Satomi smiled softly. "Do you want me to help you forget about it?"

Ken blushed and smiled shyly. Satomi chuckled and rewarded Ken with small kiss. "You're too cute when you blush."

Half an hour later found the two in a heavy make-out session. Satomi had dutifully helped Ken forget about his fight with Daisuke. However, reality came crashing back when he felt a hand in his pants. "Satomi!" breathed Ken. "Don't." He grabbed his boyfriend's wrist.

Satomi's lustful eyes flashed at Ken. "Come on, baby. You always make me stop," he whined.

"Satomi," said Ken more sternly.

"Baby," Satomi continued to whine. "Don't you love me?"

The question took Ken by surprise. "Love you?"

Satomi sat up and glared at him. "You said you cared about me. If you really do, you'll stop holding out on me."

"Holding out?" asked Ken, a little shock. Satomi had never been quite this forceful. "I told you, I'm not ready."

"Yeah, and next thing you'll never be ready." Satomi leaned close to Ken's face. "I bet you're ready for that blonde kid."

"What?" asked Ken, taken aback. He squirmed to try to get out of Satomi's hold, but his boyfriend was too strong. "Satomi, let me go."

"No."

"What do you mean no? You're hurting me!" Ken continued to squirm.

Satomi's grip tightened. "And you don't think it hurts me everytime you tell me no? I'm not gonna take that for an answer anymore."

Ken's eyes widened in fear. "What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean. Now be a good boyfriend and listen to me."

Ken tried harder to get out of Satomi's hold. "What are doing? You're not yourself!"

Satomi laughed. "That's what happens when you're boyfriend drives you crazy." Satomi's hand continued the ministrations from earlier.

"Stop it!"

"You don't mean that, baby. Come on, just enjoy it."

After several tries proved unsuccessful, Ken stopped struggling. As his boyfriend refused his pleas, Ken could only let the tears fall.

A/N: (sobs) I'm so sorry!!! That scene was so hard to write, but it had to be done. What will become of Satomi's and Ken's relationship now? And what of Ken's and Daisuke's? I'll work hard to get the next chapter out even sooner than this one!

Thanks to all you wonderful reviewers: Spellcasterz, Dia-chan87, Mewmew2, Angelwahalla and Spazwahalla, and Midnight808

And of course to anyone reading this fic. Keep up the great reviewing! (wink)