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The Games We Play

The sound of rain pounding on the roof only added to Jeri Katou's current frustration. Not that the bad weather was the source of it. That distinction fell to the two individuals sitting directly across from her.

"Seriously, another one?" Rika Nonaka complained. It was in her house that the group was currently gathered in, playing a board game to pass the time. The game, meant to simulate adult life, had just dictated that she add a second child to her family unit. "Isn't this something I would choose for myself?"

"It wouldn't really be much of a game if you could make your own rules," Takato Matsuki teased, something he would typically avoid doing. Of course, the group dynamic had shifted a bit in the last couple months. "Besides, I'm pretty sure that means you're winning."

"That's subjective..." Rika grumbled, still annoyed but not angry at the comment. Again, not the norm the group was used to.

"Not really reassuring for you, Takato," Terriermon pointed out. With the exception of Renamon, who was out of site at the moment, he was the lone digimon present. Ironically, he was also the one digimon that Rika had specifically not invited. While not actually playing the game, Terriermon seemed to be entertaining himself just fine by making commentary.

Rika flinched at the comment while Takato scratched the back of his head. The fact that the group dynamic was changing was not what was bothering Jeri. Rather, it was the fact that these two were trying and completely failing to hide this fact.

"W-What does that have to do with me?" Takato asked. He and nonchalance had never gone hand-and-hand.

"Nothing, I guess..." Terriermon answered, pausing to pretend to think for a second. "Or everything. I get those two confused all the time."

"Terriermon..." Henry Wong warned. Jeri turned to her left to look the boy over. He knew just as well as she did what was going on between their mutual friends. For some reason, however, he wasn't letting it get to him.

"Moumantai, Henry. We're all friends here." Terriermon took a second to glance back over to Rika and Takato one more time. "At the very least."

Rika remained in control of herself other than letting off a low growl. Terriermon obviously also knew, though this didn't seem to be a surprise to Rika. Jeri decided not to entertain the thought that he had been let in on the "secret" while she hadn't. If that turned out to be the case, this day wouldn't end well for anyone.

More oblivious than everyone else were Kazu Shioda and Kenta Kitagawa, who were sitting to Jeri's right. They had returned their attention to the game, with the former spinning the dial and moving his piece accordingly.

"Jackpot!" Kazu called out, having just been granted the opportunity to buy a nicer home. "Top that, Kenta."

"Watch me," Kenta replied eagerly. His expression quickly sank upon spinning. Apparently, he would be losing his job.

"Sucks to be you."

"Yeah, well you have fun with your big, empty house," Kenta countered as he shifted his in-game currency around.

"I will!" Kazu paused for second, likely not satisfied with his own response. "And for the record, the house isn't completely empty. I adopted a dog a few turns back, remember?"

"Please..." Rika cut in. "Guardromon Junior is just biding his time until he can run away."

"Don't you have a car full of kids to screw up?" Kazu shot back.

"Hey, that's not cool, Kazu," Terriermon said as he jumped right in between Takato and Rika. "Takato, tell him that Rika would be a great mom."

"Well, uh..." Takato began, which may have been what saved Terriermon from Rika's wrath. The redhead gave him her full attention, shooting him a look that was basically demanding he keep quiet. Takato being Takato, however, meant that the message didn't sink in. "You know, this isn't something I've actively thought about before, because this is a completely hypothetical scenario that I'm only thinking about now because you brought it up and, you know, we've talked about it enough so I think Jeri should take her turn now."

"Leave me out of this," Jeri said plainly. To get her point across, she crossed her arms and tried to glare in his direction. In her defense, the latter wasn't something she had a lot of practice at.

Takato looked around the room before returning to Jeri. "Is... everything alright, Jeri?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"Because you're acting weird," Rika pointed out.

"I guess there's a bit of that going around." Jeri averted her gaze from them.

"Jeri..." Henry said cautiously. "Maybe now's not the best time."

"And sometimes there's no such thing as a 'best time'." Ultimately, Jeri wouldn't say she was necessarily angry with the two of them, but more just tired of watching the same game play out. It was no secret that Takato and Rika weren't the most socially or emotionally adept individuals, so their desire for privacy was understandable. Jeri just believed there was a fine line between privacy and unnecessarily keeping secrets from the people closest to them.

"Yeah, but forcing it out of them won't help any," Henry countered. His patience was something Jeri respected, but he was sometimes too soft on his best friends for her taste.

"Are... are they talking about us?" Rika asked.

"It sounds like it," Takato answered.

"They're definitely talking about us."

Jeri ignored them both. "It's not about forcing them to do anything," she continued. "I just think they can trust us and not keep something so stupid and obvious a secret."

"Who's keeping what a secret now?" Kazu asked, him and Kenta on a completely different page than everyone else.

"Takato and Rika," Terriermon said without hesitating. He had since retreated back to Henry's side, so he likely assumed he was out of Rika's reach. "They're dating now and don't want you guys to know."

There was a moment of silence, with Kazu and Kenta looking at each other, over to Rika and Takato, and then back at each other. This was immediately by the pair laughing way louder than the situation warranted.

"Yeah, right," Kazu said between breaths. "Next you'll tell me Rika likes wearing dresses n-OW!"

Kazu was interrupted by Rika's fist colliding with the back of his head. He fell forward onto the game board, sending the pieces flying in all directions. Kenta looked at his best friend's attacker like a deer in headlights.

"Oh, dating," Kenta exclaimed desperately. "I thought you said, uh, something else."

"Before you ask," Terriermon said proudly to Henry before he could speak. "Yes, that entire scene was totally worth it."

"You know I'm not gonna protect you from her, right?" Henry replied as he gestured over to Rika, who actually looked like she was starting to reign herself in.

"I stand by my words. It was only a matter time anyway."

"First of all," Rika grunted, pausing for a second to make sure she had everyone's attention. "I want it on the record that the two of us are not dating."

"You're kidding, right?" Jeri blurted out. She turned to Takato, hoping for an honest answer.

"It's complicated," Takato answered nervously. "There's a lot of feelings from both of us there, but..." He trailed off, looking to Rika to finish the thought.

"A lot's changed in the last year," Rika explained, also nervously. "We talked, and I guess we both wanted a sense of normalcy before making any other big changes."

"Probably for the best too. I mean, we're sixteen. What do we know about being in a relationship anyway?"

"You're both Goggle-heads," Jeri stated, not trying to hide her disappointment.

"Hey, that's my word!" Rika snapped.

"And it fits you perfectly." Jeri pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head. "What does 'normal' even mean to you two, and when do you think the word will ever apply to any of us?"

"It's just not a good time, Jeri."

"So you're going to just going to keep spending time together like nothing's changed."

"Pretty much," Takato said slowly, almost like he was unsure.

"Only now a lot of that time will be just the two of you. Complete with walks through the park and plenty of stolen glances."

"Okay, I want it on the record that no glances are being stolen."

"You're right," Jeri conceded. "They're willingly given and received."

"I don't get it," Rika declared, turning to Takato. "What's she upset about again?"

"I was kinda hoping you'd know," he replied with a shrug.

"You two have no idea how much you deserve each other," Jeri stated, deciding to give up for the day. The two of them would find out in due time that some things were inevitable. A smirk now on her face, Jeri leaned forward to reset the game board.