A/N: Hello again. I'm surprised no one's hurt me for that last chapter or come after me for taking so long to update. So sorry it's taken so long, but school's been seriously kicking my butt. But enough of my babble, onto the story.

Disclaimer: Not Mine.

Warnings: shounen-ai, OCxKen, eventual Takeken, NCS

Continuing Existence
By CaramelAriana
Chapter 7: A Much Needed Conversation

Ken sat on a bench in the park, watching a game of soccer between some elementary school kids. Earlier that morning he had slipped out of Megumi's bed and sneaked out of the apartment. He had gone home in a daze and taken a very long shower. Though he had tried to scrub away the dirty feeling, the soap couldn't penetrate that deeply. He was still sore, but the physical pain was numbed by the emotional pain he was in.

He hadn't felt this badly about himself since his post-Digimon Emperor days. Although logically he knew Megumi was the culprit in all of this, he couldn't shake the feeling that it was somehow his fault. Maybe if he'd given in earlier, his boyfriend wouldn't have felt the need to take it. He closed his eyes against the tears that threatened to fall. It didn't help that he'd also had a big fight with his best friend. His life was falling apart, and he didn't know where to even begin to piece it back together.

He was startled out of his self-pity by an additional weight on his bench. He turned quickly to find blue eyes looking at him in concern. "Takeru!" he exclaimed. "You startled me."

"I'm sorry," said the blonde. "I didn't mean to." He paused and looked at Ken in concern. "Are you all right?"

Ken sighed. What was he to say? Of course he wasn't all right. He'd just been ra—taken advantaged of by his boyfriend and no longer had his best friend to turn to. "I've had better days," he finally allowed.

Takeru frowned in sympathy. "This may be none of my business, but that was a pretty nasty fight you had with Daisuke last night."

Ken flinched. "How angry was he?" Belatedly he wondered why he still cared.

Takeru shook his head. "You know Daisuke, he's a hot head. He was ranting and raving the whole night. Granted it was about you newly revealed sexuality and relationship status. I don't think he really got what you were trying to say. But I talked to Hikari."

"You what?" asked Ken, surprised and a little panicked.

"Hey, you're not the only one feeling left out," said Takeru with a shrug. "I kind of miss my best friend too. And it's crap to feel as if someone has replaced you. I know they don't mean to forget about us, but it's bound to happen. Hikari's a little more observant than Daisuke is. She'll make sure he recognizes when he's neglecting you." There was a pause. "If you even want to still talk to him, that is."

Ken buried his head in his hands. "I don't even know. Everything's gone to shit."

"Did I just hear the great Ichijouji curse?" joked Takeru. "What's going on Ken?" he asked more seriously. "It isn't just Daisuke, is it? Did something happen with your boyfriend?"

Ken silently cursed the blonde's accuracy. While his insight would make him a great psychologist some day, right now it made him a very irritating friend. At the same time Ken felt the need to tell someone. Just to get it off his chest. He needed someone else to reassure him that it wasn't his fault. He wasn't stupid. He'd had first-hand experience with what denial could do to a person. He let out a breath and lifted his head.

"Megumi," he started, and faltered. The tears were forming again and this time he didn't bother hiding them. "He forced—he was a little forceful last night."

Takeru gasped. "Ken he didn't!"

And now Ken silently thanked the blonde's insight. It saved him from having to explain himself. Stealing himself for a long conversation, he nodded.

"Oh Ken," Takeru whispered. He placed a hand on Ken's shoulder and Ken flinched. "I am so sorry."

It took a minute for Ken to relax under the blonde's touch. He took a deep breath. "It wasn't the first time he'd brought it up. But I never thought he'd—he'd—he took it from me dammit! I thought he cared about me, but he just wanted—just wanted—" Ken paused and took another breath. The tears had started to fall. "If only I had said yes earlier then maybe he wouldn't have—"

"No," said Takeru sternly. "Ken, this wasn't your fault."

Ken shook his head. "I should have fought harder. I should have been stronger. I should have seen it coming." He buried his face in his hands again and sobbed.

Takeru pulled him close to him. Ken stiffened but soon relaxed and allowed Takeru to hold him. The exhaustion from not having slept all night and the emotional stress combined with the soothing circles Takeru was tracing on his back eventually lead Ken to sleep.

Takeru sat on the bench, holding the brunette. A fierce anger was building, but the blonde would not allow it to break free yet. Careful not to jostle his sleeping friend, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number he'd memorized long ago.

"What's up?" For some reason the sound of his brother's voice calmed Takeru a little.

"Hey oniichan. Can you pick me up from the park?"

Yamato chuckled. "What, you need an escort now?"

"Yamato I'm serious! I need you to bring you're car."

"You sure have gotten lazy."

Takeru closed his eyes and tried to ignore his brother's aggravating humor. "I have Ken with me and he's…had a rough night. He's sleeping now and I don't want to leave him on a park bench."

"Oh?" Takeru could almost see the raised eyebrow. "Well, that changes the situation entirely. I'll be over in less than five minutes."

"Thanks oniichan."

"Hey, anything for you. See you in a bit."

Takeru hung up the phone and allowed a grateful sigh to escape. As he waited for his brother he allowed his mind to entertain various ways he could kill Megumi.

Takeru sat at his desk, watching his sleeping friend lying in the bed. The blonde could hear Yamato in the kitchen, presumably creating something to "help lift Ken's spirits". He hadn't told his brother what had happened, and Yamato hadn't asked. It was one of those occasions that Yamato just accepted that one of Takeru's friends needed help.

The blonde still couldn't believe this had happened to his friend. No one deserved for such a thing to happen, but least of all Ken. And Ken had been through so much lately He'd helped his best friend get through a very difficult situation, only to be essentially abandoned at the end of it all. It didn't help that he'd also had a crush on the best friend, at the same time helping Daisuke get together with Hikari. Not that Ken had said this to Takeru, but the blonde could guess. For this to happen the same night Ken had fought with Daisuke was horrible. Takeru hoped whatever power was toying with Ken would be bored soon.

A/N: ... Yeah I know it was short. But the semester's almost over and that means the next chapter will be up much faster. And we've reached the turning point in the story (grin)