Title: Always Follow the Rabbit
Author: Mrpointyhorns aka Blemery
Rating: R
Status: In Progress
Part: 9
Pairings: Taichi/Koushiro, Augmon, Tentomon, Ken, Wormmon, Kei, Sora
Warnings: Slash
Spoilers: Season 1 and 2, plus some of the movies (nothing blatantly but there)
Summary: Taichi's has started to settle in his life, and while that can be quite nice, he and Koushiro have never been better, it can also be a bit disappointing, especially his dead-end job. The only thing interesting that ever happens is when he has to babysit his nephew. Until Koushiro detects a disturbance that is about to give Taichi the adventure he craves.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by someone else. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
A/N: Thank you for reading everyone. Finally some answers to some of your questions!
Jyou told Koushiro not to worry about anything, that he would absolutely think of everything and Koushiro only needed to make sure he, Tentomon and his laptop were ready for the journey. Koushiro didn't know what to do with the time. He knew there wasn't more information that he was going to get, at least nothing that would be useful. If he tried to help he would probably just get scolded by Jyou.
He lay in bed, the next morning, afraid to move because he knew he wouldn't be able to go through the day without getting involved. Yet, at the same time, he knew, he needed to cherish this time that he had. Even though, four of the most important things in his life were coming with him he was still leaving much behind. He was leaving his job, his parents, Tai's parents who were more or less his in-laws (he really did like them), friends, and it was possible that he was leaving behind a future here. Taichi and he wanted to adopt down the road, but it was probably not going to happen now.
"Alright, I did it," Taichi crashed face-first into his pillow. He stretched out his arms wrapping one around Koushiro.
"Hmm?" Koushiro turned his head towards Taichi.
"I told my boss that we were going to South America to help jungle kids." Taichi lifted his head from his pillow and turned towards Koushiro. "It feels good."
Koushiro's mouth dried a little. He had sent in his resignation by email the night before. They decided that they would pay off the condo with all the savings that they had. They would have Mimi look after the place for them. They hadn't decided if they were going to tell their parents that they may not becoming back, but they would tell them that they wouldn't be on Earth.
"Shiro, don't be afraid." Taichi scooted over turning on to his side and sliding his other arm under Koushiro's head and pillow. He held him close. "Hey, what's with the trembling lip?"
"It's all so weird Tai," Koushiro trembled and leaned closer to him. "I can't believe we're going to give up all of this."
"Better than giving up you." Taichi slopped a large wet kiss on the side of his face. Koushiro squirmed a little. "I'm trying not to think about it, you know. Leaving our parents is hard too think about. We're always going to be Kei's uncles, but we're not going to be here. It worries me."
"Of course, we are." Koushiro moved even closer letting their noses touch. "I worry that he could forget us."
"I hope not and I hope Kari steps up. I think she will. She loves him. When we're gone she can't rely on us anymore. So maybe this will be good for them," Taichi whispered.
"Do you think anyone else will come? Mimi already said no, too." Koushiro asked. He knew that Taichi didn't really want to talk about his concerns with Hikari. Koushiro believe Hikari was just going through a bad spell, it happened to many people.
"I think Ken's coming. I know you told us what happened yesterday, but I think hearing it wasn't the same as living it." Taichi looked at Koushiro.
Koushiro knew Taichi wanted to know more about what he had glossed over yesterday. Only Koushiro could still hear the screaming, he couldn't talk about it. Sharing what happened wouldn't help. He also wanted to spare Taichi the angst if he could. He shook his head. "I can't explain it. You'll just think it's silly. I'll probably start crying."
"Can't have that, there will be enough crying this afternoon." Taichi kissed Koushiro quickly.
"What's going on?" Koushiro asked.
"We're going to visit your parents. I already called them and Jyou knows that we're going," Taichi explained. "You need to see them again and they deserve to see you."
Koushiro agreed by nodding. "Just in a moment, this is nice."
"Yeah it is," Taichi agreed. Koushiro snuggled closer to Taichi closing his eyes.
"Izzy!" Tentomon came crashing in the room and onto the bed. Augomn was not far behind. "Wake up."
"I'm not sleeping I'm just resting my eyes." Koushiro groaned.
"Actually, it looks like we did fall asleep. It's past noon." Taichi sat up. He pointed to the nightstand. He gave Koushiro a little kiss, as his lips were all cute and pouty from being woken up. "I guess we were both worrying more than sleeping last night."
"Don't worry, Tai. When we get to the new world, Tentomon and I are going to take care of everything. We'll be back, before you know it." Augmon ever the optism smiled. He either forgot how hard the last two times were, or he just assumed they were better at it this time. "Also, Ken's here. He made breakfast and is now in the living room."
"He said we shouldn't wake you, but it's been an hour." Tentomon finished.
"What?!" Taichi scrambled out of bed. He didn't even hear the door ring. "Did you tell him we were sleeping?" Taichi started changing out of his pajamas as he hurried to greet their guest.
Koushiro slid out of the bed. He wasn't concerned as Taichi. He knew it wasn't nice to let a guest wait, however, he also knew Ken had purposely allowed them to sleep so there was no reason to panic. He was still in his boxers and one of Taichi's shirts. He walked out to the living room. "Hi, Ken."
"I told them not to wake you." Ken stood up from the couch. Wormmon was sitting on his back.
"We need to get up anyway. Do you mind waiting a little longer so we can get dressed?" Koushiro asked.
"Not at all, take your time." Ken bowed slightly and sat down onto the couch.
Koushiro returned to the bedroom. "There now put on something that matches. Mimi taught us better than that." Taichi nodded. He followed Koushiro into the bathroom.
Koushiro washed his face. There was light stubble on his cheeks, he had red hair so it didn't grow as quickly as dark hair, but he didn't really like having a red beard. Taichi said he didn't mind it a little, but both of them were typically clean cut. Taichi was already shaving so Koushiro did so as well. Then, he brushed his teeth. He didn't have to do much with his hair. Even though, it was curly it usually didn't get too messy when he was sleeping. Taichi was another story. Koushiro left him in the bathroom to do deal with his messy hair and got dressed.
He went into the kitchen. Ken had left a plate of rice, chicken and vegetables for both of them, but other than that the kitchen didn't look like it had been cooked in. Koushiro brought the dishes into the living room. He put Taichi's on the table and sat down on the loveseat to start his. "How are you today?"
"I'm good. I already spoke with my parents. They know everything." Ken sat up getting right to the point.
"What did they say?"
"They understand. Of course they are worried and upset, but they know that we're needed." Ken looked at Koushiro. "Wormmon and I are in. We can't stay here after what happened yesterday."
"It was really hard for Ken. He's a very kind person you know and that screaming…"
"Wormmon." Ken stopped him. Koushiro was grateful and Ken looked like he was fighting tears too. Tentomon rubbed Koushiro's back. He was sitting on the other cushion. Augmon was standing in front of Taichi's food staring at it. Koushiro assumed the digimon were fed when Ken had first made breakfast, but digimon never said no to seconds, thirds or leftovers!
"Is Daisuke coming?" Taichi asked as he entered the room. He was wearing a dark colored colared shirt, with khaki's and socks. His hair looked a little damp, but Koushiro hadn't heard the shower, so he assumed it was just some sort of product. "You can eat it Augmon."
"Thanks Tai!" Augmon cheered eating the food eagerly. Taichi waved at Tentomon to stay where he was and sat down on the couch with Ken on the end closer to Koushiro. This allowed Ken to still face both of them.
"Maybe he doesn't know?" Koushiro wondered the same thing of course, but he was still unsure about Ken and Daisuke's relationship and he didn't want to imply anything.
"That's alright." Ken interrupted. "I actually don't know what he is going to do. We were talking about it at June's yesterday. He wasn't sure if I should go. Obviously, I was upset and he doesn't want me to be more upset. After we left June's I explained it to him. It's like you said Koushiro, you felt like you were chosen. You were picked that's why Cherubimon appeared in your mirror. I feel that way too."
"I sort of feel that way too." Taichi spoke up. "I know I wasn't with you yesterday, but Augmon was. Plus, I was here for the mirror. Anyway, I go with Koushiro goes, that's sign enough for me."
"I think the two of you together are better than your parts. Anyone picking out a team would want both of you." Ken smiled. "From what I know of your first adventure, it was the two of you that steered everyone through it."
"Everyone was important. Even you were Ken." Taichi countered, but he smiled at Koushiro. He was certain that all of them would have lost their lives if it wasn't for Koushiro. Though Koushiro felt like it was the opposite, they had truly been lost without Taichi. Except for Takeru, but he had been too little to do anything on his own.
"Anyway, he hasn't made a decision. He was angry that I made one so quickly, but he has more in this world than I do. Besides, it's so much harder for him to be away from people he cares about." Ken smiled softly. "I think he wants to come. Otherwise, he probably wouldn't have stormed off and told me to have a nice life."
"Ouch." Koushiro frowned. "So do you think he's in?"
"It depends on how he feels in three days. I don't think he'll make a decision until the hour before. However, Takeru called me this morning and asked me for my version of the events yesterday. So I went over it with him. He's in." Ken smiled.
"Matt's going to be pissed that Takeru is leaving now. There is no helping it though. I want that kid on my team." Taichi smiled the eight of them together would be a good team. If Daisuke decided to come that would be enough to easy Taichi's worries. Sure it wasn't the original eight, but it would be a great force.
"After Takeru's call, I spoke with Jyou. I know he told Izzy not to lift a finger in the next few days, but I had to know what they were doing. They're creating a watertight vechile. They are hoping that we can use it in the next world too, but they are just working on the journey for now."
"That's important we don't want to drown before we get there." Taichi agreed. He was smiling with pride. They could always count on Jyou.
"They are going to fully stock it like a long camping trip too. Jyou said that you sometimes had a hard time finding food the last time you were trapped in an alien world." Ken laughed lightly. "So I think we really only need to bring clothes, our computers and our devices."
"That's our Jyou!" Taichi spoke up.
"He really will think of everything we need, but I think we are all creative in different ways, so he might not think about something we do. So if you think of something make sure you bring it," Koushiro insisted to both of them. "That goes for the digimon too."
"Ken said that there is going to be food so I'm good," Augmon stated.
"We promise to feed you, even if you're eating my food," Taichi insisted.
"You said I could." Augmon pouted.
Ken smiled. "I think this is going to turn out well."
"Even if it's just the Tai and I, I know we have a good shot at facing whatever is in front of us. With Takeru and you coming we might stand a chance at coming back." Koushiro agreed.
"I need to visit Miyako, since we're leaving she is going to take over monitoring the Digital World and the Dark Ocean. I agreed to help her set up her computer for that," Ken explained. He stood up from the couch and picked up Wormmon. "You don't mind if I take off."
"Go ahead. We all have things we need to do. People we need to say goodbye to." Koushiro warned.
"I am going to stay with my parents until its time to go," Ken promised. Koushiro followed him to the front door. "You're going to visit yours too?"
"Yes, later this afternoon. Tai's parents are close so we're going to see them tomorrow," Koushiro explained.
"Koushiro I just want to let you know, Takeru agreed to come, but I think he would back out if certain people decided to come," Ken said quietly. Koushiro looked up at him surprised that he said something about that. "He wants to help of course, but I think he also wants to get away from here."
"Ken, I don't know, if I could refuse someone if they wanted to help us, but it is something to consider. Is one person better than the other?" Koushiro shrugged in response to his own question.
"Anyway, I'll see you in a few days if not sooner." Ken smiled. Koushiro waved to him and watched until he turned the corner.
Koushiro shut the door. He turned the corner into the kitchen. Taichi was sitting on the counter munching on a banana. Koushiro half smiled at Taichi. He knew Taichi had heard Ken when he was speaking, but he wasn't going to say anything about that. Koushiro was good at planning and figuring out problems, but Taichi really was good at organizing people and being a strong leader. So it was important that he make the decision. Koushiro wasn't going to offer his opinion unless Taichi asked him to.
"Don't eat too much. You know my mom likes to feed you." Koushiro said just to change the subject.
Taichi slipped off the counter. "Let's go then I'm starving and I bet Augmon is hungry too."
"I am!" Augmon called from the living room.
Koushiro held Kei's hand as they climbed the steps to his and Taichi's apartment building. Kei was suppose to be at his father's that week, but he agreed to let Kei stay over one night since Taichi and Koushiro were going to be leaving. He might not be the best father, but he realized that Taichi and Koushiro were very important to Kei and he needed the time with them. He told Koushiro that he hadn't told Kei exactly what was going on and that he felt like they needed to be the ones to tell him. So that was the deal. Kei could spend the last night here with them, but they had to explain that to him. It was going to be hard on all of them, Koushiro knew that, but he also knew that all three of them were going to need the night.
"We're going to surprise your uncle." Koushiro told Kei.
"How?" Kei asked.
"I didn't tell him you were sleeping over. So we're going to surprise him by you being here," Koushiro explained.
"Can I say surprise? At Auntie's birthday we said surprise remember?" Kei asked.
"Of course I remember that. And yes you can say surprise," Koushiro said just as they got to their floor. As they walked down the hall Koushiro heard Taichi's voice from around the corner. Koushiro put a finger to his lip so that Kei would be quiet. Kei nodded and smiled. They moved forward.
"…You don't understand Sora."
"What don't I understand?"
Koushiro stopped moving he held Kei's hand tight and knelt down next to him. He knew it was bad to eavesdrop, but he didn't want to walk in on this conversation. Koushiro kept a finger to his lip.
"It's not just about Takeru. If it was just about him and you then I wouldn't care who came, but the truth is Daisuke gets along better with him."
"This isn't about Daisuke, Tai. This is about Izzy!"
Kei's eyes got bigger. He opened his mouth to ask a question, but Koushiro put his finger to his lip again.
"You never treat him right Sora. You haven't since high school. We need a team that trusts each other and are open. Koushiro has a hard time talking to you or being in the same room as you. You haven't accepted my relationship with him either."
"Of course I haven't! Tai you loved me first. I had feelings for you too. I know I choose to be with Matt, but you don't just go from liking girls to liking boys! You can't possibly love him."
There was silence for a long time in the hall. Kei looked at Koushiro his eyes still wide, but he didn't move or say anything. Koushiro didn't either. He knew all of this already. Why did Sora's words hurt?
"I don't really feel like I have to explain myself to anyone, but Koushiro. However, I think if you know then maybe it will help everything."
More silence. Koushiro felt his eyes burn. It was stupid to be upset. Don't cry.
"When we were kids I had a crush on you and then you picked Matt. Yet, you still kept me around and not just like a friend, but as the person you keep around as a back up. I don't think it was intentional and for a while I thought it was okay even. Then, in our senior year, Koushiro realized his feelings for me. As soon as he realized his feelings he accepted them. Koushiro accepts knowledge easily and he shares it too. So he told me. He told me almost as soon as he realized. It actually took him a week, but that was only because we couldn't get together earlier than that."
More silence. Koushiro knew all of this too. He lived it, and Taichi had told him the story several times retelling the story was meaningful to them, but it had always been private before. Koushiro didn't like to be openly affectionate, but hiding personal information like this was more Taichi's wishes. He just felt like it was no one's business. He felt that they should accept their relationship without any explanation. Koushiro understood, though he also believed that more information was always better. So, it was so nice to hear him tell Sora. She had never really been able to accept their relationship. Though she had been putting on a good face for a while, she couldn't accept them. She had always put the blame on Koushiro, never on Taichi. So she still took it out on Koushiro. Though she was not directly mean to Koushiro anymore, she still gave him a bit of a cold front. He thought part of it had to do with the fact that, she felt embarrassed that she couldn't accept his relationship with Tai. He often noticed that when people felt a certain way even though they reasoned that is was illogical or "silly" it made them angrier than before. The other part was because Koushiro had what she wanted, not solely Taichi, but love. It had been a long time since Sora had loved, though she had some boyfriends, she hadn't found love as an adult.
"I never knew love until that day. Koushiro looked me in the eyes and told me how he felt. Easy, simple, Koushiro. I knew that instant that it was true. Not because Koushiro doesn't lie, but because it was so powerful. It was too much to doubt. There is no way someone can doubt when they feel that. There is no way for you to doubt when you're faced with that. He just had to look at me in that way. And God. I knew. No one had ever loved me like that before. It was overwhelming. Air was stolen from me, I was paralyzed and giddy. I had never seen it before. Not even in my parents. I knew they loved each other, but they never shown that love to me. I knew I could never live the rest of my life knowing that love existed without having it, without loving anyone like that. I knew I could not walk away from that. Not without trying."
"So you loved him right then, just like that?" Sora's voice was not harsh; it was filled with the sound of regret.
"No. I mean I loved Koushiro on some levels then, but at that time I didn't love him like that. I didn't know how to love like that. I needed to. I knew that much. That's the great thing about Koushiro. He understood. I told him I wasn't there with him yet, though, I wanted to be. I so desparatly wanted to. Some people would think that's rejection. He never took it as a rejection. He cares and loves deeply, but he was still ruled by knowledge and agreed that we should start dating. So we did. It didn't take me very long to fall in love with him though. It's not hard once you know what it looks like." Taichi was silent for a little while.
That was a bit more beautiful than Koushiro remembered. He remembered confessing. He knew he couldn't keep something like that a secret from Taichi. He also remembered Taichi falling aparting. Taichi wasn't ready, he said and he begged Koushiro not to leave. To give him time. He even cried a little, Koushiro always thought Taichi believed that if Taichi didn't instantly love Koushiro back, that Koushiro might stop loving him. The he could take his love away. Or he could hide his love. Taichi had babbled and was incoherent. It took Koushiro a long time to even understand Taichi, but once he had Koushiro just remembers smiling and laughing lightly. He suggested that they start dating, but he said that Taichi would have to ask him because he was older. It was only right!
"I was doubtful at times, though." Taichi continued. "Not sure if I felt it like he did. Not sure if I couldn't feel it for someone else. But he was good about that too. He never doubted, but he allowed me to. He even gave me some freedom to explore, when I was in Milan."
"Did you?" Sora asked. She sounded a little more understanding now. Koushiro wondered if the conversation would fix his and Sora's relationship, that is, if he wasn't going to another world in two days.
"No. I looked. I went out with my teammates and there were plenty of people around. Some I even had crushes on, but I ached for Koushiro and the love he had for me. Since then I've been completely his. You know, I think that my injury was my greatest gift?"
Koushiro rubbed his eyes on his sleeve. Kei looked at him with wide eyes. Koushiro smiled gently for him. Kei reached out and touched Koushiro's cheeks. Koushiro nodded. He was okay. Everything was okay now. Kei stared at him for a while. Koushiro tried to think of something to say to help him understand what was going on better, but he couldn't get past the swell of his heart. He just sat there in the middle of the hallway near his apartment, hugging his nephew.