Title: Always Follow the Rabbit
Author: Mrpointyhorns aka Blemery
Beta: Takato The Dreamer
Rating: R
Status: In Progress
Part: 12
Pairings: Taichi/Koushiro
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.
After traveling with no leads for almost a week straight everyone was starting to feel irritated. Taichi of course, felt irritated as well, but he tried not to show it because he wanted to help the morale. It was much easier as a kid to be optimistic, though that adventure wasn't at all like this.
It was late in the "evening" though it wasn't much different than the rest of the day; they had set up a schedule for the days and kept to it. Taichi was taking his turn at cooking. It was nice to be able to do something that was useful. Also, since he was cooking the other guys had gone outside, and that allowed Taichi to give in to his irritation a little more. The only one in the RV was Koushiro.
Tentomon and Augmon had started to help Taichi with cooking, but eventually had gone outside with the others. Taichi assumed that they were all doing what was typical of them. Daisuke and Takeru would give the Digimon some exercise. Ken would set up the table that pulled out from the camper. While discussing with Wallace if there was something more that they could do. Once the table was all set Takeru would join them in the discussing, but Daisuke usually would still be trying to burn off some energy one way or another.
Koushiro's arms slid around Taichi's waist from behind. Taichi didn't startled, but he was pulled from his thoughts of everyone else, back to the two of them. He turned his head back and kissed Koushiro firmly, though briefly. "You've been watching me for ten minutes now."
"I happen to be admiring you," Koushiro admitted. He looked up at Taichi from his lashes. Taichi turned the rest of the way around and wrapped his arms around Koushiro in return. Koushiro leaned in to kiss him for longer this time.
When they broke apart Taichi smiled brightly. He felt his ego swell, his love swell, and his cock…well that had become swollen long ago, and he could feel that Koushiro's was as well. "Admiring me?" Taichi cheekily replied.
"Mmhmm. It's been way too long." Koushiro was heavily flirting.
Though Taichi agreed with Koushiro's statement, he still pouted a bit. "Oh that makes me feel so good about myself." Taichi whined a little.
Koushiro laughed lightly. He squeezed closer to Taichi and whispered hotly. "Well no one else made me feel this way. Perhaps we could…"
"HEY!" Daisuke's yelling filtered into the RV and broke off Koushiro's words. Taichi groaned this was exactly why he and Koushiro hadn't seen any sexy time lately. It wasn't just the fact that their room was directly under Takeru and Wallace's, but every time Taichi even started to cuddle with Koushiro he would hear someone snore, or whisper. It was just too creepy.
"Hey! Get back here!" Daisuke's yelling continued. It was loud and angry. Obviously, not something he would use with one of their friends. The thought must have occurred to Koushiro too, because they both pulled away and looked out the window.
Daisuke was running, no he was chasing some person…or a Digimon. No it was a person, a girl. Daisuke was much faster and caught up to her quickly. He grabbed her by the arm, but she started freaking out and flaring, so he wrestled her to the ground. He was yelling again, but Taichi couldn't hear what from inside the RV. Koushiro stood close to him, one arm still around Taichi. Both stunned.
Then, Wallace's voice floated in from outside, somewhere near the table. He hollered at Daisuke. "Hey that's not how we treat girls, Davis!"
"I'll finish here," Koushiro said pointing to the dinner that was partially cooked, and a little browner on one side than Taichi liked. "Go find out what's going on."
Taichi agreed giving Koushiro one quick kiss. "Thanks, I owe you one." Though Taichi was the leader it was his turn to cook dinner. He knew that Koushiro was doing him bit of a favor by taking over dinner-duty.
"Sexual favor or dishes?" Koushiro asked.
Taichi was laughing lightly as he stepped out of the RV. Outside Taichi could see the situation better. Ken and Takeru were beside the table most of the Digimon were with them. Daisuke and the girl were three soccer fields away. Taichi couldn't really see what they were doing, but they were both still on the ground. Wallace stood between Daisuke and the RV.
As Taichi approached, Daisuke stood up with the girl in hand, easily throwing her over his shoulder. Taichi flinched as she began to scream. Daisuke was use to dealing with his nephews, and though they might cry and scream it was because they were throwing a normal childhood fit. This girl sounded tortured. She had to be terrified. Taichi only paused for a moment, but continued moving. He was worried for the girl, but he knew that Daisuke wasn't actually hurting her. She might be afraid of him, but she wasn't in danger.
Daisuke stopped walking when he reached Wallace. Taichi was close enough to hear him over the girl's crying. "She stole all of our appetizers. If she wanted some she could have asked, but she ran up to the table and away so quickly, I knew something was up," Daisuke explained. "Also, she's the only thing we've seen in this place that isn't dirt."
The girl went silent when she caught sight of Terriermon at Wallace's feet. Her pupil's grew in size and she looked petrified. Taichi's heart clenched.
"Typically when people are chasing you, you run away. Especially, when it's you doing the chasing." Wallace's jab wasn't exactly teasing, and neither was his tone. He flicked his bangs out of his eyes and he nodded at the table. "There is plenty of food."
Taichi finally reached them. "Dai, she's completely terrified. Couldn't you have found a better way than this?" Taichi waved a hand at how Daisuke was carrying the poor girl.
Daisuke looked a little guiltier when Taichi spoke up than when Wallace did. "As soon as I looked at her she took off. She's fast. I had to catch her somehow."
He wasn't sure what to say to that. Since he hadn't been outside, he had no reason to judge the situation. Though Daisuke could be a bit rough around the edges, he wasn't one for just attacking someone because they took food from him. So instead Taichi moved on. "Why don't you put her down?"
"Sure." Daisuke slowly did so. He put her on her feet facing Tai and Wallace. All three guys waited and watched. Taichi was sure they were all worried she'd run off again. Though she looked like she might have for a brief second, then Daisuke put a hand on her shoulder. She hung her head and looked at the ground.
"Hey kid." Taichi cleared his throat not sure what to say. She jumped when he did so. She looked briefly at the Veemon and began to panic. She stumbled over Daisuke's feet and fell to the ground. Then, she continued to back away from the Digimon, crawling backwards in the sand.
"Stop!" Daisuke cried, and reached out grabbing her foot. She screamed again and started crying.
"Tai!" Koushiro called racing up to them. "She's afraid of the Digimon."
"What?" Though he had seen her look at the Digimon with fear, and had just seen her backaway from them, he hadn't put it together in his mind. He couldn't believe that a kid would be afraid of a Digimon. Sure, he and his friends had taken on some bad monsters before, but the idea was still completely foreign to him.
"I had Takeru put the other Digimon inside." Koushiro looked at Wallace and Daisuke. He didn't want to tell them to have their Digimon go inside the RV, but he hoped they would.
"Veemon, go inside." Daisuke still had a hold of the girl's ankle. When he said this, the girl's screaming stopped. She looked at Daisuke.
"You're the boss." Veemon agreed though his nose was twitching, so he may have just smelled the food. "Come on Terriermon. She's just a girl, they don't need us."
"Kay." Terriermon agreed as well. They went inside with Takeru.
"Alright, now what?" Daisuke asked.
"She's obviously hungry. So we're going to feed her." Koushiro started. He turned and started back to the RV.
"What if she runs off again?" Daisuke called, but Koushiro didn't respond.
"He has a plan, right?" Wallace asked following after Koushiro, but looking at Taichi. Taichi nodded though he wasn't sure if Koushiro had a full plan already, but he assumed that Koushiro knew what he was doing. After all he trusted Koushiro with everything that matter and almost everything that didn't. He fell into step with Wallace. He heard Daisuke huffing behind them.
"Relax, Davis." Ken ushered Daisuke to the bench that attached to the table when he arrived. He sat down next to him and Taichi was certain something was said or done between the two that he didn't see or hear because Daisuke seemed to change his tune before Koushiro finished dishing out the food. He made an extra plate for the girl and left it at the end of the table near Wallace and Takeru.
Taichi sat at the table across from Ken and Daisuke. He could see the little girl still in the sand away from them. She looked about twelve. She had light brown hair though it was strangled and dirty. Her eyes were a light color, but Taichi couldn't tell the exact color from the distance. She wore something of a dress, but it was pretty tattered and it could have been a nightgown it was so thin. She still looked scared, but she didn't try to run. She watched the guys as they ate, though sometimes she looked at the camper.
Koushiro nudged Taichi's side. "Did I finish it correctly?"
"Huh?" Taichi looked at his fork. He was nearly halfway into the meal, but he hadn't paid any attention to it because he was so interested in the girl. He looked over at Koushiro. "It's fine."
"A bit salty," Daisuke complained.
Taichi kicked Daisuke's foot under the table not in a way to hurt him, but just to stick up for his boyfriend. "Not everyone drenches their food with maple syrup."
"That's just pancakes and toast!" Daisuke grumbled.
Taichi didn't respond. The meal was pretty quiet all around everyone was trying to pretend like they weren't watching the girl, but they all were. Even the Digimon were quiet inside the RV, and that wasn't like them at all.
Just as they guys were starting to finish off the meals, the girl stood up from her position on the sand. She looked out away from the RV for a while, but then made her way over to the table. She approached in the way children sometimes do when they think they are being sneaky: a few steps at a time, and never really looking at the destination. When she was about two feet away her stomach rumbled loudly and Taichi felt his heart clench again. Koushiro pressed his leg against Taichi's. He felt the same way.
"Oh, sweetheart, don't be shy." Wallace obviously had it. Taichi didn't know his experience with children, but his tone was soft and inviting. The girl tried to look away when he spoke like he wasn't talking to her, but she didn't back away or get afraid. "Come on you can take the food. You don't have to stay around here."
"Wallace," Daisuke hissed.
"No, Davis. We're here because we're trying to help this world. So far this is the first thing that's happened. She's starving. I'm not denying her food, just for some answers," Wallace scolded.
"It's not only for answers," Koushiro interrupted before Daisuke could speak. "I am not about to deny her any food, but if you look around there isn't anything for miles. It's going to be 'night' soon. Do you think she has some place to go? Is it safe?"
Taichi frowned. He didn't want to deny the girl food either, and she was obviously nervous and afraid of them. It was certainly easy just to hand her the food and let her be on her way. However, Koushiro had a good point. The desert was barren; if they let her wander away she may starve yet. Plus, even though they hadn't seen any Digimon, they were in the digital world. One could come along anytime and attack her. She was obviously afraid of their partners, so she was probably already attacked before. They couldn't let that happen again!
"Is that a prison?" The girl asked. She still stood about two feet from the table. She looked at the RV.
"No. It's a camper. It has beds and food. Plus, it helps us travel," Takeru replied without missing a beat. Taichi glanced at him. He was sitting next to Koushiro's other side. He had finished his food already, and was turned almost in his seat looking at the girl. She looked at him as he spoke. "You hungry?"
The girl nodded meekly. Takeru pushed the plate of food closer to her. She stepped forward and picked up a noodle with her hand. She put it in her mouth chewing. She made an mmm sound after chewing and went to pick up another noodle. "Chopsticks?" Takeru offered.
"There's also forks, if you prefer," Ken said. He pointed at Wallace's fork. She looked at the chopsticks and then the fork. She pointed to the fork. "I'll get another." Ken stood up and went into the RV.
She stared at the food licking her lips, but she didn't pick the food back up. Ken came back in a second with the fork. The Digimon may have had one ready for him so they were listening from in. Once she had the fork she began to eat.
"Not too fast, you may get sick," Koushiro cautioned.
She seemed to listen, by slowing down, but she didn't say anything in response. Taichi cleared his throat. She flicked her eyes up from her food, but didn't stop eating. "I'm Tai. This is Izzy, Takeru, Ken, Davis and Wallace." She didn't respond to that either. She was still eating. Taichi couldn't blame her too much. A few times in the digital world as kids, they had struggled to find food though usually never more than a day maybe two. He couldn't imagine what he would do if he had to go without or with little food for a few days, or a week. He hoped she hadn't gone that long without it.
After she was done, she put her fork down. "Do you have some place to sleep?" Takeru asked before she did anything else.
"Well…not tonight." She looked up at Takeru again. "But…"
"Are you still scared?"
"Not of you!" She quickly replied. It wasn't rude, but it was a little forceful making Taichi think that she wasn't being completely honest, with them, and maybe herself?
"Of the Digimon?" Takeru continued. She didn't reply. "Well, I promise they aren't here to hurt you or any of us. However, since it bothers you, we can have them stay outside and we can set you up inside the camper or in a sleeping bag out here, if you want?"
"Are you sure that's not a prison?" She looked at the camper again.
"Are there only prisons and dirt around here?" Daisuke asked laughing a little at his joke.
"That's all I've seen," She said softly. She glanced away from the RV about 30 degrees off the direction that Taichi had been driving, and behind them. He could see some footfalls in the sand leading towards the camp. He might be taking a look that way later.
Daisuke's laughter stopped. "Oh. Did you…"
"Not right now Daisuke," Ken said softly. They all wanted answers that was clear, but they also had time. Right now the girl barely trusted them. They needed to gain a little more before asking her a bunch of questions.
"Okay." Daisuke relented. He stood up. "So, do you want to stay in the camper or outside?"
"Umm…" She looked puzzled by the question.
Koushiro cleared his throat. "How about Takeru and Wallace show you around the camper and show you the sleeping bags, before you decide. The Digimon will stay out of your way. They know you're a little bit worried about them."
The girl looked at Takeru and then at Wallace. She nodded her head after few seconds. "Alright." Wallace stood from the table. He didn't seem to mind about being volunteered. He had shown the most concern over the girl first so he was probably glad to do it.
Takeru stood up as well. "Though, before we get started, maybe you can give us a name?"
"A name?" the girl looked at him. Her nose wrinkled up in confusion.
"What can we call you?" Wallace asked.
"Oh…" The girl paused. She seemed to be thinking. Taichi frowned, could she not remember her name? After a few moments she said, "Rika, okay?"
"Rika is nice." Takeru complemented more, than confirmed. He and Wallace moved away from the table and the girl followed. They went over to where Jyou had stored the tents and sleeping bags.
When they were a bit away, Taichi stood up and started picking up the dishes. Daisuke followed him, but he was still watching Rika, Takeru, and Wallace.
"Did she remember that name? Or did she just think of it?" Ken asked very softly. Taichi barely heard it over the sound of him stacking plates. Daisuke froze.
"I'm going to check my laptop. You want to come with?" Koushiro asked Ken, who agreed and also stood up.
"Daisuke, I'll do the dishes, will you take the Digimon out of the camper from the driver side door and stay over there until Takeru and Wallace are done?" Taichi asked. Daisuke agreed though more likely to get out of having to do dishes than to really be helpful. Though he did help him carry the dishes from the table to the kitchen. Taichi set about getting the dishes done. He wanted to hurry, if he finished early enough he could check the footfalls he had seen. If not he'd look in the morning.
Taichi took his time cleaning up after dinner. He knew that after he was finished he'd be useless. Takeru and Wallace were taking care of Rika. Koushiro and Ken were analyzing the new information. There was nothing left for Taichi to do at least not until morning. Taichi hated feeling useless. If he didn't need to sleep he would go outside and begin exploring since it never really got dark, just less light, it shouldn't be a problem exploring. However, he had been driving the RV all day, then he cooked dinner and then the kid showed up, and though he didn't feel exhausted yet, he knew that if he started to explore now that he may end up staying awake for another day and that wouldn't do. In the long run it was better to rest now and explore later.
After the final dish was dried and put away, Taichi looked over to Koushiro and Ken working on their computers. They didn't look ready to stop, and Taichi knew he couldn't help them. So he decided to look for Takeru, Wallace and Rika. He thought they had gone to the backrooms while he was doing the dishes, but it had been a while ago, he didn't know what could be so interesting. As he approached the back of the camper he heard Takeru's quiet voice, his reading voice. Takeru's reading voice was more melodic than his normal speaking voice. Plus, he changed his voices between characters. Taichi stopped outside of the doors that led to the back bedrooms. Takeru and Wallace's door was just a bit open while Taichi and Koushiro's door was shut. He recognized the story instantly, not just because he liked it, but because he had lived it.
"The children and their new partners were backed-up against a cliff. Below was a roaring river, but there was no path to the bottom. The large red beetle Digimon broke through the tree line. With no room to run the Digimon rookies stepped between the children and the monster. "No, we fight," Biyomon said. Although the children were afraid for their new friends they saw no other choice…"
Taichi closed his eyes remembering that first day, the first hours in the digital world. It still seemed so strange even though it had been nearly twenty years. Though, nowadays the strangeness had more to do with the fact that he really couldn't remember how it felt not to have a Digimon and he definitely couldn't picture his life without Augmon in it, or the adventures they shared. What would have happened in summer camp if it had ended up being normal? Tai couldn't picture it because he really didn't know if he would have made friends with any of the others. He already knew Sora and Koushiro, but he knew their time in the digital world caused a bond like no other and friendships that could be bent but not broken. It didn't matter that they sometimes fought and were angry with each other; they couldn't take back their adventures. He wondered whether or not Takeru wished that he could. Did he sometimes wish that he had never known them? Did he wonder if it would have made his life better? The thought threw Taichi from his memories. He felt a deep ache in his chest. He opened his eyes.
"Tai?" Wallace whispered. He put a finger to his lips and gestured for Taichi to follow him. Taichi nodded and followed Wallace to the front of the RV. "Help me set up some tents. Rika's nearly asleep. Teeks and I can sleep outside with our partners." Wallace said as he led Taichi out of the RV.
"Sure." Taichi agreed. He followed Wallace to unload a tent for Takeru. Wallace took one for himself. The tents from the RV were similar to ones he had set up on Earth so he had it set up in under ten minutes. He set up a foam mattress and sleeping bag inside as well. When he was finished, he thought about how they had fallen asleep in a trolly the first night they visited the digital world. This was much better than that.
"Did she say anything?" Daisuke said from outside of the tent.
"We didn't ask too much. Just showed her around and what we asked she didn't answer." Wallace replied.
Taichi pulled open the tent flap and stepped out. Daisuke looked annoyed that Wallace had no information. "Calm down Dai, we have time," Taichi interrupted before Daisuke could say anything more. He put a hand on his shoulder. Daisuke was a doer too and it was obvious that he didn't like feeling useless either, but at least Taichi was still maintaining a pseudo-leader role, though now that everyone was an adult, it didn't mean much. At least he could pretend he was in control when he drove the RV everyday.
"Maybe you do, but I would like to get home before my niece is married." Daisuke voice wasn't bitter, but it was disheartened.
"I think we can give her one day," Wallace stated. His voice was angry and tight, maybe everyone was disheartened.
"Wallace," Taichi raised a hand, Wallace backed off by looking away. It was obvious that Wallace knew that everyone was acting a little uptight right now. Taichi turned to Daisuke. "In the morning we can do some exploring. I think we should look in the direction she came, we can follow her footprints and also in the direction she ran. Maybe she ran away in a random direction, but I think it's still worth exploring. That way, even if she doesn't speak, we might end up figuring out the next step anyway."
Daisuke nodded. He looked relieved, even Wallace looked relieved. "If she's in the camper tonight can I still have DemiVeemon with me?"
Taichi didn't know the answer to that, so he looked at Wallace. Before he could reply Takeru opened the door to the RV. "I think you should be alright, but keep him in the loft with you and Ken," Takeru responded. Wallace gave him a hard look. "She seemed a little better after my story about Kagumon."
"Good. I don't like sleeping without him," Daisuke explained. Everyone made vague sounds of agreement.
Taichi clapped his hands together once, "Alright how about we all get some sleep then?" There was silence for a moment more, but then Wallace picked up Lopmon and went into his tent, Terriermon scampered after him. Takeru looked at the second tent and then turned to smile at Taichi. He didn't say thank you. He didn't have to. Seeing Takeru smile was thanks enough. Taichi clapped a hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently.
Daisuke was waiting for him at the RV door and he held it open as Taichi went inside. Their Digimon followed them.
Taichi sat down on the couch next to the table that Koushiro and Ken were still working. Koushiro didn't look up. Ken did when Daisuke helped Wormon and DemiVeemon into the loft over the cab and then joined them. Ken slowed his typing and after a moment shut his computer down. He went towards the back of the RV going into the bathroom. Taichi heard the shower turn on. Taichi closed his eyes. He knew that he had a few minutes before Ken would be finished. Taichi wasn't going to disturb Koushiro until then. Taichi and Koushiro were both supposed to take showers in the morning and because water was scarce they could only shower every third day. It had to be a short one too and they had to turn the water off while they soaped and used shampoo. It might sound rough, but Taichi had done worse, both while camping and during other adventures. Also, since that hadn't really left the RV they really weren't that dirty. And anyway, when you showered tiny little bugs would crawl out of the drain and over his toes, wait, that didn't happen. He twitched his foot and opened an eye waking from his partial dream.
"Koushiro?" Taichi opened his eyes all of the way. He sat up and Koushiro slid into his lap. Taichi smiled and then kissed Koushiro. "What's this?"
"Well we said after dinner…" Koushiro's hands laced behind Taichi's neck and pressed his forehead against Tai's. "Well?"
"'Shiro," Taichi moaned sliding his hands from Koushiro's back, down to grab his butt. He squeezed. He pulled Koushiro closer to him and helped Koushiro balance on his lap. He wanted to mention that Rika was sleeping in the room not far from them, but then Koushiro was kissing him again. It was wonderful, warm and far too long since they had done this. Taichi's brain melted.
They kissed heatedly, rubbing hands over clothes and skin. Taichi used a lot of tongue and Koushiro used a little teeth. Taichi felt Koushiro's hard erection pressed against him, close to his own, but not close enough, never close enough. He heard Ken clear his throat too, but he didn't stop until a sweaty sock landed over his forehead, eyes and nose.
"Daisuke!" Taichi snarled tossing the sock back towards the loft.
"There's a little girl in here and you two are about to have sex," Daisuke scolded with a click of his tongue.
"Rika's in here?" Koushiro looked between Daisuke and Taichi. He didn't move from Taichi's lap, though a soft blush covered his cheeks and ran down his neck. He clenched his fingers in Tai's shirt.
"Takeru and Wallace let her stay in their room. They are sleeping in tents," Taichi explained. Koushiro deflated. He dropped his head to Tai's shoulder and dropped his hands to the couch. Taichi couldn't see, but he assumed his eyes were closed. Taichi wrapped his arms around his back and held him tighter.
"Sorry," Ken said bashfully.
Taichi shooed him with a hand and saw Ken shuffle up to the loft. Taichi rubbed Koushiro's back and bent his head to kiss Koushiro's head.
"I miss you, Tai," Koushiro grumbled. Taichi knew what he meant, even though they were together they lacked the privacy and as such, the physical intimacy that they were use to. It was hard to deal with.
"Tomorrow, we'll have Takeru trade with us. I don't want to build another tent tonight," Taichi replied.
Koushiro sat back and looked at Taichi. "You won't trade with him tonight? Maybe he wants to be close to Rika?"
Taichi shifted. "Do you want me to?" It was a little embarrassing, as far as he knew none of their friends had any alone time either so they were probably frustrated too, but they weren't complaining. Though, in Taichi's case he knew working himself wasn't going to do it. He needed Koushiro.
"Yes, but I'll take tomorrow," Koushiro finally answered.
"Okay, tomorrow. Wallace and Takeru probably need time alone too." Taichi started to shift until Koushiro moved from his lap.
Koushiro checked his computer by habit, before he followed Taichi back to their room. Tentomon and Augmon and moved back to their room when Taichi and Daisuke had come into the RV and they were already sleeping on the bed. Even though Rika was sleeping in the room above theirs, she was already asleep so she didn't know that the Digimon were there, so Taichi didn't have it in him to ask them to sleep in the cab.
Koushiro woke up when he heard the rustling above him. He wasn't sure what woke him at first, but it only took a moment for him to put it together. "Tai, get up." Koushiro shook Tai's shoulder a moment then rolled off the bed and scooted on the small path towards the door. He stumbled on the few steps. He went up to the room above theirs. Takeru and Wallace weren't there that night. It was the new child, the little girl, Rika. She was crying in her sleep and tossing violently. She hugged her pillow tight. "Rika," Koushiro said and turned the light on. He always did so when Kei had nightmares, it helped wake him up, and also the light helped reassure Kei that everything was okay. Koushiro sat on the edge of Rika's bed.
She cried out when he did, and woke up. "Hey, it's okay."
Rika looked at him and then around the room. She frowned at her surroundings, but ended up relaxing quicker than Koushiro thought. That bothered Koushiro though he wasn't sure why.
Taichi finally joined him along with Ken and Daisuke. The Digimon weren't around though and Koushiro was glad that they remembered to stay back. Koushiro watched the girl's wide-eyed reaction as everyone asked her what was wrong, if she was okay, if she wanted hot milk or chocolate. The poor girl didn't know what to do with all the help.
"It was a nightmare I think," Koushiro explained. He stood up from the bed. "I'll make some herbal tea." He knew that milk would help her sleep and chocolate may help take away the fear, but tea would calm her and everyone else.
"Can I help?" Tentomon asked. He and the other Digimon were sitting on the couch across from the kitchen.
"She's still afraid of you. All of you should just rest, you may need it soon." Koushiro suggested as he started heating water for the tea.
Taichi joined him a few minutes later, "It was a nightmare, but she's not talking. Daisuke offered to stay with her while she fell asleep. And Ken said he would stay with Daisuke. I think Daisuke is warming up to her. She's kinda stubborn, like he is," Taichi explained he looked over at the stove. "I'll take some though. You gave me a scare."
"Sorry. I heard her crying. I thought it was Kei or something." Koushiro looked away. He knew that Taichi felt incredibly guilty and upset about leaving their nephew and his sister. Koushiro did as well, of course, but not the same way. Koushiro sometimes felt like he missed them more than he should, Hikari wasn't his sister, and Kei wasn't his sister's child. He thought maybe because he had been adopted and he had to deal with finding out about his parents and his birth parents, that his idea of a real family was different than others. Even if he knew Hikari wasn't really his sister, he felt like she really was, and Kei was definitely his nephew.
"Kou," Taichi moved closer and wrapped him in a strong hug. "I miss them too."
Koushiro turned more toward Tai and pressed his nose against his throat. He muffled something against Tai's skin, but it didn't need to be heard to be understood.
"Shh, sweetheart, it's alright. Family or not, you got her. You took care of it." Taichi turned the stove off and removed the kettle. He steered them back toward their bed without finishing the tea. "You'll take care of us too."
"I…"
"No. No going back to work. Sleep." Taichi wrapped his arms around Koushiro's body and yawned as though to draw out a yawn from Koushiro, which he did. Koushiro didn't fight the yawn. He closed his eyes. He wanted to sleep. It was safe and warm with Taichi around him and their partners close by.