August 16th: Promises + Future

Summary: While on holiday, Yamato receives an unexpected email.

Pairing: Sorato

Rating: K

Words: 1200 approx.

Author's Note: I tend to write everything in the Japanese version's universe because I know that's what most fans are familiar with (and it's what I prefer). However, this idea has been stuck in my head ever since I watched the US dub finale of Digimon Adventure 02. Despite the basis of the story being in the US dub, I've continued to use the Japanese names because I am still writing based on their personalities. Further explanations are at the bottom of the page to avoid spoilers.

A Future Worth Striving For

Yamato stared at the email, rereading lines again and again to try and make sense what was in front of him until the words blurred together. He gripped his phone tightly in an attempt to figure out a plan, but his brain was already panicking, going around in circles through the same arguments.

"Yamato?"

Yamato jumped, startled, and almost dropped his phone in the process. Sora was standing in the entrance of their holiday apartment already in her swimsuit with a light sundress over it. The hat she wore came from one of her designer friends. Framed in the late morning sun, she looked beautiful. Yamato felt sick.

Her expression turned into one of annoyance when she saw the device in his hand.

"I thought we'd agreed not to do anything work related for the whole of the vacation, or was that just a rule for me?"

"No," Yamato stammered. "Sorry…I…"

He felt more than heard Sora's light footsteps as she approached him. She crouched in front of him so that her face was in his line of sight, resting a hand on his knee and rubbing circles in a way that felt reassuring.

"You know I was only teasing. What's wrong?"

Yamato's mouth opened and closed a few times, but he couldn't find the words. "It's about the Moon mission."

Sora frowned, worry suddenly filling her eyes. "Did something happen? Is someone hurt?"

One of Yamato's colleagues who was planning to join him on the latest Moon mission had gone to the International Space Station for some time to cover for another co-worker who had suddenly been unfit to travel. Sora knew better than most people how dangerous Yamato's job could get.

"No, everyone's fine."

Unable to explain, he held out his phone to Sora for her to read. She sat back on her heels, scrolling through the text. As she got further down the message, her eyes widened even more. A huge grin split across her face.

"This is fantastic! They want you to lead a mission to Mars and have Gabumon with you?"

"Yeah. We would need extra training but because of all the work we've done for the Moon mission already, it would be easier to train me and Gabumon than someone else."

"Don't sell yourself short. They want you because they think you'd be the best. And if it's a success you wouldn't have to worry about your career."

Sora must have quickly noticed that Yamato was obviously not as excited as her, because she sat next to him and took his hands in hers.

"What's wrong?"

Yamato sighed, his shoulders sagging. "A mission to the Moon is maybe a few weeks, but to get to Mars it's at least nine months and that's if we are able to go at the time when Earth and Mars' orbits are closest. And that's just a one way trip. I'm sure the plan is to set up a digital gate and return through it, but if something goes wrong we'll have to wait for supplies to help us home, which could take months or years…"

Yamato stopped talking when he felt Sora squeeze his hands sharply. He looked up, meeting her eyes, and felt his breath slowing again.

"You're overthinking it, as usual." Sora freed one of her hands to brush a strand of hair behind his ear. "Why don't you accept their offer and see what the plan is? You can always pull out if there's something you don't like. You want to go, right?"

Of course he wanted to go. Being the first to step onto a new world was a scientist's dream. Probes and satellite images were useful, but being there in person could mean a discovery that could change their understanding of the Universe. However, there was something on his mind since Yamato had first read that email.

"We'd have to delay any plans for a family," Yamato said so softly, at first he thought Sora hadn't heard him.

"We agreed we'd put a family on hold to establish our careers, so we were in a better position to take time off. We're still young and, before you say it, to me the marriage is just a formality. We've been together for years and sometimes away from each other for longer than nine months. I don't need a piece of paper to tell me that we love each other. Besides, you'll have to take a few years off to let your body recover completely. You can look after the kids then."

"You won't be able to visit me on my way to Mars."

Sora laughed softly. "Maybe I can schedule a fashion show in space. That would be a good publicity stunt."

Yamato looked over at Sora and felt his breath catch. There were plenty of times he had declared his love for her, and each time he thought that his love for her was the strongest it had been and the strongest it would get. And yet, every time Sora subsequently managed to prove him wrong. He brought his hand up to cup her face and their foreheads touched so Yamato could feel each breath she let out.

"You're incredible."

He could just see her smile spreading wide across her face. Giggling, Sora pulled away so that they could properly see each other's faces.

"I try." She kissed him. "You should email them back before you get cold feet again."

"You're sure it's ok?"

"My boyfriend is going to be one of the first humans to step onto Mars. I think that's worth waiting a little longer for. Plus, there's plenty I want to do to expand my brand in the meantime. Maybe I should launch a space theme while you're away."

Yamato laughed. "There's still a long way to go before I even leave. Anything could go wrong in the meantime. But, yeah, it is exciting."

Sora stood up, her enthusiasm still evident. "Reply to the email and then put your phone away. We can spend the rest of the day celebrating on the beach."

Yamato picked up his phone, but rather than start typing, he stood up and faced Sora.

"Thank you."

Sora rolled her eyes with a laugh. "You encouraged me to keep going when things weren't working out during my early designing days. The least I can do is make sure you don't pass on the opportunity of a lifetime."

Yamato wrapped his arms around her waist and Sora rested her arms across his shoulders. He bent down and kissed her, the reality catching up to him that their days together would be numbered until this mission was over. Sora, seeming to sense the same thing, tightened her grip around his neck.

After a minute or so, Sora pulled away, a slight frown on her face. "Are you putting off replying?"

"No, no I'm not," Yamato laughed, trying to reassure her. "Here, I'll email them right now."

Sora stood over him, watching him like a hawk until he finished. He even showed her the sent message to prove he had replied. Seemingly satisfied, Sora walked towards the door. Yamato placed his phone in the safe and followed her outside. He couldn't tell whether this felt like the end or the beginning of something, so Yamato took this moment, following his girlfriend onto the white sandy beach. Worrying about the future could wait another day.

In the US dub, TK talks about Matt and Gabumon making it to Mars even though they were only supposed to go to the Moon. Because I'm a science nerd, this bothered me as a kid because there's a huge difference in a Mars vs Moon mission. The above is my way of explaining the events leading to TK's statement (plus why Yamato and Sora's kids are among the youngest).

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