Author: Tomoe Mami

Pairing: Taiki/Ken

Word Count: 1554

Flowers and Rosepetals

Taiki had almost fully recovered from the violent attack from Quartzmon a week ago. He had been watching the soul mate counter go down by the minutes and his thoughts drifted to his friends. Ryouma had a hard time recovering from the Virus Digimon controlling him and attacking his idol. The other boy had been skittish, intent on staying away from him, but he offered to be there when the other boy was ready to talk to him.

He was out for an evening walk and looked around, grinning. The temperature was just right and he was looking at the birds flying above him as they sang. He wasn't looking where he was going and, glancing down, he saw the mark on his inner wrist go down. He frowned and then glanced up to blue eyes as they crashed into each other.

Falling on his butt before wincing as he got up, he offered his hand towards the other boy. He was about to apologize when it happened. The ping sound rang out softly, but rang in their ears like a gong. They both looked down and the number reached zero. The other boy let out a cry and he scrambled away from Taiki.

I won't turn my back on you, Taiki vowed as they stared at each other. The other boy was shaking slightly and Taiki was worried at the younger boy's response.

"Good evening. My name is Ichijouji Ken." He stammered and gulped nervously.

"Kudou Taiki." Taiki smiled and bowed slightly. "It's nice to meet you."

Taiki approached Ken slowly and helped the younger boy up. The younger boy seemed nervous and Taiki softly squashed his curiosity. Ken would tell him if he wanted.

Taiki gently rubbed Ken's back, reassuring him that everything would be alright. The younger boy found himself leaning into the gesture and hoped Taiki was alright with that. "Ah… thanks very much, Kudou-san."

"How can I help you, Ichijouji-san?" Taiki asked, not worried about the younger leaning into him. He only wanted to give him as much help as he could. Taiki looked down at Ken, noticing him withdraw into himself, as if he was reluctant to talk about what was bothering him.

"I won't turn my back on you, okay?" Taiki tried again and squeezed the other's shoulders to reassure him. Ken nodded and they went over to sit on a park bench.

For a moment, there was silence as Ken steeled himself to speak. "I've been afraid for so long, running for so long… Never wanting to see my counter reach zero, because then my life, my freedom would be over-"

Frustrated at whoever told Ken that once his counter reached zero his freedom would be over, Taiki bear-hugged the boy and turned Ken to face him. "That's not true! You still have your freedom after the counter reaches zero; it happened to a close friend of mine and he was still able to go out. Who told you that?"

"My father," Ken whispered, about to turn away from Taiki's frustration, when Taiki grabbed his shoulder. The brunette gogglehead had no qualms about hugging Ken again, as he knew there were absolutely no rules saying the soulmates had to get married once they found each other.

Taiki's hug was broken when they heard a disgruntled yell. Taiki pulled back, his eyes shining with mischief, before he glanced towards the person who had shouted.

And blanched. It was Ryouma.

Taiki's eyes widened with guilt as he remembered the silver-haired boy's adoration of him and how he respected the gogglehead so much. He was in trouble now, he was sure of it, but he wouldn't lose face either.

"Ryouma," Taiki greeted.

"How could you, Taiki-san?" The boy sounded crushed, as if Taiki meant everything to him. "I thought..."

"You know I'll never turn my back on you, Ryouma." Taiki hugged Ken close to him, keeping an arm open for Ryouma too.

But the Hunter wasn't having any of it. Backing away from Taiki and Ken, he ran off, tears streaming down his face.

Taiki blinked in surprise. "Ah..."

Still peering after the retreating boy, Ken looked at the elder boy and stepped back a pace. "Is he a friend of yours?"

Taiki nodded, realizing Ken had figured out Ryouma's connection with him. "He is, or... Well, he's a Hunter. Mogami Ryouma is his name." He held his ground.

"Nice enough name," Ken admitted, liking the sound of the other boy's name. He suspected there was something else Taiki wasn't telling him about Ryouma, but would wait until the brunette told him.

Taiki dipped his head, gently lifting Ken's chin. "Sorry you had to see that." His breath ghosted along Ken's neck, making the younger boy shiver with anticipation. He took Ken's hand, but Ken stood up and moved away. "Ichijouji-san?"

"I-I'm not ready for this stage yet..." The younger boy admitted. He felt as though he was letting the elder boy down, however. "Sorry, Kudou-san." Ken turned to look at Taiki. "Maybe later?"

Taiki smiled, nodding. "That's alright." He could definitely understand where Ken was coming from. The gogglehead was fine at taking their relationship at its own pace.

Ken opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but hesitated. Finally, he spoke. "Kudou-san, w-was Mogami-san important to you?" Ken felt like he should know the truth of Taiki's connection with the other boy, as if knowing the truth would break down a barrier between them.

Taiki got up and rubbed Ken's shoulder. "Ryouma had been controlled by an evil Digimon. The Digimon finally acted of its own will and attacked me a week ago. I'm almost fully recovered, though."

"But-" Ken started, but Taiki placed a finger over his lips.

"Ryouma is important to me, just as I was important to him." Taiki looked down briefly, some grief in his voice, before continuing. "He knew me from when he was eleven, when I defeated Tactimon and then Bagramon a year later. Ryouma respected and idolized me since that day… I guess when he saw me with you, after I'd left him an open offer of coming to have a talk whenever he wanted, his spirit broke."

Ken nodded after Taiki finished the explanation, taking in what he had learned. Now, he couldn't blame the silver-haired boy for reacting as he had. He would have done the same if it had been himself in Ryouma's situation.

Ken felt it was only right that they find Ryouma and have Taiki explain what had really happened, not that scenario Ryouma seemed to have in his head. Taiki agreed, still wanting to be Ryouma's friend and mentor.

"I'm sorry Mogami-san had to see that, Kudou-san," Ken whispered as the two sat back on the bench seat. "I didn't know he would find us like that."

"It's okay." Taiki squeezed Ken in another hug. "I didn't know he would look for me."

Flowers from the cherry blossom tree behind them started dropping, but it took them a few moments to realize this due to the awkward state Ryouma had left them in. When Ken saw the flowers at their feet, he blushed and wanted to move away from Taiki. Taiki had realized the significance of the flowers before Ken had and hugged Ken closer, before finally letting go.

He stood up and turned to the younger boy. "Do you want to go to the florist's? I'd like to buy a packet of their rose petals."

"Sure, I can come with you." Ken got to his feet and followed Taiki as they walked towards the nearby florist shop. "Are the rose petals for Ryouma?"

Looking back, Taiki nodded, smiling. "They are. I'm going to apologize to him." It was the only option he really had, if he still wanted Ryouma around for talks. He wasn't going to let the other boy fall back into his guilt-tripping.

The pair arrived at the florist's and Taiki studied the rose petal packets, before deciding on the packet he wanted the most. He brought it to the sales assistant, paid for it and they exited the shop. Taiki and Ken strolled back to where they had first met, hoping to find Ryouma somewhere along the way.

They found him sitting on the bench seat, head down and looking miserable. "Ah… Mogami-san?" Ken hesitantly asked, edging towards the other boy.

Sniffing back a tear, Ryouma looked up at them. Taiki was at his side in a flash, handing the rose petals to Ken. The gogglehead rubbed Ryouma's back to reassure him. "It's okay, Ryouma. It's not what you thought it was. I would never turn my back on you… or anyone else." Taiki glanced at Ken and winked.

Ken blushed, before realizing it was a clue. "Kudou-san's right, Mogami-san. I had my own problems and wasn't expecting to crash into Kudou-san. I'm sorry it looked that way to you, honestly."

Ryouma merely nodded. "I'm sorry I reacted like that. It's just..."

Ken handed the rose petals to Ryouma, who accepted them. "It's okay. You can come back with us..."

Taiki helped Ryouma up and pulled Ken in close. He leaned in and gave Ken a kiss on his forehead, causing both Ryouma and Ken to gasp. They then laughed after that and things started calming down.