A/N: Many many thanks to Disgraceful Duckling for agreeing to beta this fic.

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"This is a really bad idea, Davis. I'm just saying because I'm trying to help… Davis, are you listening to me?"

The five Digidestined children, along with their partners (and Wormmon, at Davis's insistence) had traveled all the way back to the small television set up near the forest that would transport them back to the real world… and Davis and TK hadn't stopped arguing the entire way back.

"I'm telling you, you're not thinking this through. You realize you have to give him enough food and a place to sleep and everything, right? Are you positive you can commit to this?"

Davis just gave an unconcerned shrug. "Dude, I already got one Digimon living with me. What's one more?"

"I'm surprised you haven't messed up with the one yet," Yolei quipped. "But I really think it'll be fine, TK. If Davis says he'll do something, then he'll do it. He's way too bullheaded not to."

"I know that, it's just…"

Wormmon was hanging back silently, watching this exchange with unease, acutely aware that he was the reason they were arguing. He hated that his presence was causing them so much trouble, after everything they'd done for him… he would have just left them then and there if he could have, but he really did have nowhere else to go…

"…and I know you mean well here, but I really, really, really, really… really wish you would reconsider," TK was saying in the meantime.

Davis was clearly losing his patience. "What's to reconsider?! Come on, you guys heard the Emperor! It's our fault he went after the little guy. And besides, Wormmon helped us! Doesn't that mean we gotta help him back?"

"I agree he's our responsibility, but…" TK paused slightly, seeming to come to a decision about something. "If he's going to stay with one of us… I'd rather it be me."

Everyone stared at him.

"You?!" Davis looked affronted. "And why's him staying with you so much better than him staying with me, TB?!"

"Because, Davis, I've been a Digidestined a lot longer than you have," TK reminded him. "You've only even had Veemon a few days. I'm not sure you really understand how hard it can be to take care of a Digimon. Let alone two at the same time…"

"I think TK is right. Wormmon should stay with someone who knows what they're doing," said Cody.

"Oh come on, Cody! You're gonna throw me under the bus too?" Davis threw up his arms. "How come nobody here even trusts me? I swear, I can't even turn around without one of you guys taking a crack at me! What's it gonna take for me to…"

Davis, TK, Yolei and Cody continued arguing heatedly back and forth over who should take care of Wormmon and why, leaving their Digimon to stand back and watch with blank faces.

"I've never seen them go at it like this before," said Patamon.

"I get the feeling this won't be the last time," Veemon sighed.

"I say, Wormmon, are you all right?" asked Hawkmon, who had noticed the little caterpillar curled up with his head lowered in misery. Of course, it was clear he wasn't all right; the look on his face said it all. He just wanted everyone to stop getting angry and fighting over him. He wasn't worth it.

Finally, Kari seemed to have had enough of the fighting as well. "Guys?" she said patiently as she cut in between TK and Davis, with a tone of voice that suggested she'd had to do the same thing many times in the past. "Why don't we let Wormmon decide where he wants to stay? He's the one being affected by this, after all."

Wormmon lifted his head up in surprise as everyone turned to look at him.

"Hmm… I guess you're right, Kari. That's probably only fair," said TK, looking a little guilty for not having realized it before. "Okay, Wormmon. I guess it's up to you."

Wormmon said nothing, just looking back and forth between the two boys as they waited for him to come to his decision. He suddenly felt quite overwhelmed, and very nervous. Where should he stay? What if he made the wrong choice?

On the one hand, TK did seem a lot more responsible… but for whatever reason, Wormmon felt a lot safer around Davis. He just seemed so sincere, and so protective of him, even though he wasn't his partner. He was the most gung-ho about stopping the Emperor, which could mean more safety for Wormmon.

More than anything else, though, Davis was the one who treated him the most like an equal.

"I'd like to stay with Davis, if that's okay."

TK immediately lowered his head and sighed as Davis balled his fists and grinned. "Awesome! Don't worry about a thing, Wormmon, me and Veemon'll look after you just fine! It'll be great! We can play video games and watch TV and…"

"This is so bad," TK groaned softly as Davis continued rambling.

"It's okay, TK. I still want to stay with you," Patamon said commiseratively, flying up to him and perching loyally on his shoulder.

TK didn't look much happier. "Thanks, Patamon…"

"Okay! Now that that's settled, let's get going!" said Davis, whipping out his digivice. "Wormmon, come on up here. You ever been to the human world before?"

"Uh-uh," Wormmon said as he crawled up next to the gogglehead.

"Well I'd grab onto something if I were you, 'cause you're in for a wild ride!" Davis pointed his digivice right at the television screen. "Digiport open!"

Suddenly, everyone standing around the television was enveloped in a flash of light coming from the screen… and Wormmon gasped as he felt himself being pulled inside the set.

He tried to scream as he was whisked along through some nonphysical realm, no longer physical himself, merely a stream of data being carried from one location to the next. Everything rushed by him in a blur, and he had no idea where everyone else was. He started to panic as he zoomed past a series of shapes of flashing lights, losing all his sense of self, praying for it all to be over…

Then finally, he came flying out of another screen and crashing to the ground along with everyone else, tumbling across the floor.

"Ooooh…" he moaned as he came to a stop, his head still spinning. Was that what it was always like traveling between the two worlds? It certainly wasn't very fun…

"Ugh… that never gets any less unpleasant," Yolei grumbled from where she and the other children were sprawled on top of each other in a pile. As they detached themselves from each other, Wormmon looked around and realized he was in a large indoor room filled with computers, each one with its own chair. Apparently they'd just come flying out of one of those computers. Not only that, but he noticed Davis, Yolei and Cody were suddenly all wearing different outfits than they'd been a moment ago… and their Digimon had all reverted back to their In-Training levels as well.

"Well, we're here. I hope we didn't stay too late with the forest fire and everything," TK sighed, getting up and stretching. "Oh, good, Wormmon's here. I thought maybe he wouldn't be able to…"

He suddenly broke off, and Wormmon realized he was regarding him strangely.

"Hmm… that's interesting…"

Wormmon looked up at him. "What is?"

"It's just… you're still a Rookie," said TK. "Our Digimon have to go back to In-Training level when they go to the real world… except Patamon and Gatomon, but that's because they did a lot of fighting in the past and built their strength up." He folded his arms and raised an eyebrow at the little caterpillar. "Have you been in a lot of fights we don't know about, Wormmon?"

Wormmon found himself very confused and flustered at the question. "W-what?" he said timidly. "I… no… I've never done anything like that…" He hadn't, had he?

Much to his surprise, TK suddenly burst out laughing and pat him on the head. "I'm just kidding, Wormmon. No need to get so worked up!"

Wormmon blinked. "Oh… okay then…" he said uneasily. TK was telling him to calm down, but the honest truth was, there was something about the blond boy that just made him nervous. For one thing, he was so confident, which just made Wormmon's insecurities stand out all the more… but more than that, he was knowledgeable. He seemed to know far more about the Digital World than Wormmon did, and he'd lived there. That wouldn't have been so bad, but Wormmon's experience had taught him that the more knowledge people had, the more they could use it against helpless people like him. Just look at the Emperor…

"Well, I'm glad that's over," Davis sighed, adjusting his goggles. "Guess I'll see you guys here tomorrow, then? Same time, same place?"

"You bet! I can't wait to go back tomorrow and teach that Emperor a thing or two!" said Yolei, swinging her fist around with a determined look. TK and Kari giggled, while Cody seemed quite unmoved.

"Awesome. Come on, Wormmon, let's go!" said Davis, opening his backpack up wide for the little Digimon. "You can ride in here. I dunno if I can hold you and Demiveemon at once. Might get uncomfortable."

"Oh… okay," said Wormmon, obediently crawling into the backpack. Davis zipped it shut, though he left a large hole open for his passenger. Then the kids set out, leaving the school and heading back to their homes after a long day of work.

From his place inside Davis's backpack, Wormmon curiously peeked out and looked around, getting his first look at the human world. There certainly were a lot more buildings than he was used to, and a lot fewer trees. There were a whole lot of cars on the roads as well; there certainly weren't many of those in the Digital World. And of course, there were all manner of humans walking around up and down the streets, young and old, male and female. Still, it was so strange to see just one species out and about like this. Wormmon was used to seeing all types of Digimon from day to day.

Finally, Davis stopped at a large apartment building and opened one of the doors. Further interested, Wormmon realized this must be where Davis lived. He'd never seen a human home before, but it was certainly far huger and more lavish than his little hole in the ground. He didn't even have time to take in all the lights and the furniture before Davis turned down a hallway and opened another door, entering his room.

"Phew. Made it home without a hitch," he said proudly, plopping his backpack down on the bed and kicking his shoes off. "Okay, Wormmon, we're here. Come on out!" he said cheerily. Wormmon was just in the process of doing so when…

"DAVIS!"

"Ack! Gobackingobackingobackin!" Davis suddenly shoved Wormmon's head back in the backpack before the caterpillar could even react. Stunned, Wormmon shook his head and cautiously peeked out in time to see Davis spin around to greet the teenage human girl who'd just thrown the door open.

"Oh, uh… hiya, Jun. What's up?"

"Davis, don't even try to act innocent!" the girl snapped at him. "This is the third day in a row you've come home late without saying anything! Where the heck have you been going? You realize Mom and Dad are going to get mad at me if anything happens to you, right?"

"Oh, right…" Davis's mind was clearly racing, something it wasn't very used to. "Well, actually, I just… joined the computer club."

The girl stared at him. "You joined the computer club."

"Yeah! Totally! Ask my friends, they'll vouch for me!"

"Davis, that's the worst lie you've ever come up with. You barely even know how to turn on a computer!"

"Well, yeah! And what better way to learn more than to join the afterschool club, right?"

The girl looked exasperated. "Ugh. Forget it. I don't even care." She spun around and stormed off. "Just don't do anything stupid, or it's my head on the chopper!"

After she'd vanished down the hall, Davis exhaled loudly before turning to open up the backpack again.

"Okay, Wormmon, all clear."

Wormmon cautiously crawled out of the backpack as Demiveemon poked his head out from under the bed where he'd apparently been hiding. Davis collapsed onto the bed with a tired groan. "Sorry about that, you guys. That was just my sister Jun."

Wormmon cocked his head slightly. "What's a sister?"

"Hmm?" Davis looked surprised at the question. "That means we have the same parents…" He paused, looking like something was just occurring to him. "Oh, right. TK said… Digimon don't have parents, right? You guys just hatch out of eggs…"

While Davis had been talking, Demiveemon had already crawled over and plopped down on his partner's stomach, wiggling around in a wordless request to be pet. Davis quickly obliged, stroking the little In-Training behind the ears and causing him to sigh in delight, stretching out with a thoroughly contented look on his face.

Watching this interplay of affection between the two, Wormmon began to understand why Davis had been chosen to be a Digidestined. While he may have been quick-tempered, and maybe not as astute as TK… or Cody… or any of the others, really… he was undoubtedly a good person.

"So hey, Wormmon… speaking of that. When were you born, anyway?"

Wormmon immediately grew stiff. Davis had just unknowingly breached one of the most sensitive subjects of all to him: the fact that he couldn't remember a thing about his birth. He knew he'd come out of an egg, of course, but only because that was how it was with all Digimon. It wouldn't have been so bad that he didn't remember, except for the fact that every other Digimon seemed to remember their birth perfectly well. When Wormmon tried to think back, though, nothing came to him. It was just another thing that weighed on him. He was an anomaly; he was different. And it shamed him.

He realized Davis was still waiting for an answer.

"I… I don't know," he finally whispered, gazing down at the bedspread.

"Hmm?" Apparently he'd spoken too softly for Davis to hear.

He lifted his head back up. "I don't know," he repeated, marginally less softly. "I don't remember."

"You don't?" Davis looked surprised, and that just made it hurt all the more to Wormmon. He'd never wanted to talk about this. It ate at him day in and day out, and Davis had to bring it up…

It's not his fault. He doesn't know.

"So what do you remember?" Davis asked.

Wormmon glanced away again. "Running," he said, somewhat evasively. "I've always just been running away from the Digimon Emperor's slaves. That's as far back as I can remember."

"Oh." Davis looked at him long and hard. What a sad little creature this was… it was a good thing they'd found him. Maybe they could help him somehow.

He shrugged, trying to lighten the atmosphere a bit. "Oh, well. I guess I can't remember being born either. I just thought it was different with Digimon."

Wormmon decided not to say anything.

"It's okay, Wormmon," Demiveemon suddenly spoke up, sliding off Davis's stomach. "I don't remember when I was born either."

Now that was something… "What? You don't?" said Wormmon, turning to him in shock.

"Yeah, I don't think Hawkmon or Armadillomon do either. The first thing we really remember is coming out of those Digieggs and meeting our partners." He shrugged and rolled around a little. 'But I just know I was waiting for Davis! For a really long time!" He giggled. "I was so happy when he found me."

Wormmon kept on staring at him. Did he even realize he might have been missing part of his life? Wormmon wondered how he could possibly be so glib about it… but finally just shook his head and said nothing. That was what made him the perfect partner for Davis, it seemed…

Davis had to leave his room not too long after that; his "parents" (there was that word again; Wormmon still didn't really know what it meant) were coming home, and he had to help set up for dinner. He explained to Wormmon that he and Demiveemon had to stay hidden in his room at all times; apparently, none of the other humans he lived with knew anything about Digimon. So while Davis was away, Demiveemon took the opportunity to stretch out on the bed and nap, leaving Wormmon all alone with his thoughts.

Several hours later, Davis pushed the door to his room open again, carrying a plate full of food he'd apparently managed to sneak away from the dinner table. "All yours, guys," he said, placing it on the bed as Demiveemon cheered and started shoveling it down without a second thought. Startled, Wormmon crawled up and began inspecting the food cautiously before taking a tentative bite himself.

To his surprise, it was delicious.

Within moments, he was chowing down right along with Demiveemon. He'd never had human food before, and he'd never imagined it would be so good! All the berries he was used to eating in the Digital World seemed so bland and downright intolerable in comparison.

Davis just stood back and grinned. "See? I do know how to take care of Digimon. What does TR think he knows?"

As the Digimon were eating, Davis sat down at the desk behind his bed and pulled the books out from his backpack, beginning to, as he called it, "do his homework". Wormmon didn't know what that meant either, but Davis didn't seem to enjoy it at all; it seemed to entail reading through the books while writing things down in a notebook, grumbling and muttering and looking thoroughly fed up all the while. Wormmon wondered why Davis was doing it if it was bothering him so much.

"Okay! Done with that!" he finally said some time later, flipping his books over. "Now whaddaya say we have some fun, huh guys? It's Wormmon's first night over and we gotta make sure he has a good time. Let's play a game!"

"Yay! Yay! Yay! A game!" Demiveemon cheered, bouncing up and down on the bed. With a cheeky grin, Davis opened up a drawer in his desk and pulled out a pack of cards.

"We can't do anything too loud or else we'll get found out. But this'll still be fun!"

The three of them seated themselves down in a circle on the floor and started playing, with Davis explaining the rules as they went. The cards were all spread out facedown in a circle, and they would go around picking up one card and placing it face up in the center of the circle. Whenever anyone placed a card that was the same suit or rank as the card below it, everyone had to slap the cards in the middle as fast as they could, and whoever was slowest had to add all the cards to their hand. The winner was whoever had the fewest cards at the end.

"Man, I'm creaming you guys," Davis gloated near the end. Sure enough, Wormmon and Demiveemon both had a large number of cards while he had barely any.

"You're cheating, Davis. You've got long arms," Demiveemon pouted.

"Hey, you get to shoot fire out of your hands, little guy. Don't complain," Davis countered as he drew the six of spades and placed it down in the center. "Okay Wormmon, your turn."

"Erm…" Wormmon gingerly reached for one of the very few cards left in the circle, drew it, and placed it down in the center. Much to his shock, it was the six of diamonds.

"Oh my goodness!" he gasped, throwing himself on the cards as fast as he could as he felt Demiveemon belly flopping on top of him.

Davis blinked. "Hey, what just happened?"

"Davis loses! Davis loses!" Demiveemon sang. "You have to take alllllll the cards!"

"What?!" Davis had been winning, but if he had to take all those cards he was the loser! "Now wait a sec! Who's cheating now? You guys can't just jump on the cards!"

"Davis loses!" Demiveemon kept on singing, rolling around and spreading the cards all over. Finally he crashed into Davis's leg, and the gogglehead couldn't be mad anymore. They both fell to the floor and started laughing hysterically, covered in playing cards flying everywhere.

Wormmon stood and watched, silent as a stone.

Finally Davis stopped laughing and noticed Wormmon just standing there, not joining in. The smile quickly fell from his face.

"Hey… you okay, Wormmon?"

"Oh… yes… I'm fine," Wormmon said softly. "I'm sorry." He didn't want to say anything, but as he'd been watching the two of them, he'd started to feel the traces of some unhappy emotion stirring up inside of him. They were so close… he wanted so badly to be their friend, but he didn't think he'd ever feel that close to them.

Davis sighed and sat back up, giving Wormmon another thoughtful look. "I guess… you're not a lot like me and Demiveemon, are you?"

Wormmon stared at him. "Is that bad?"

"No! No way. It's totally fine, Wormmon. You should just be yourself and not let anybody tell you it's wrong." He smirked, rocking back and forth on his heels a little. "Plus, I know Jun would say that even one of me's too much."

As usual, Wormmon didn't really know what Davis was talking about.

"I was just thinking… I hope it's okay with you, Wormmon," Davis went on. "I mean, sometimes I feel like you're not really comfortable around us. Like, we're too loud for you. You like the quiet, don't you?"

"I guess…" Wormmon shook his head. "But it's fine, Davis. I like you, I really do. Nobody's ever been this nice to me."

Davis grinned. "That's great! Well, I mean… it's not great that nobody else has been nice to you. You're a really sweet guy, Wormmon. I think you deserve a lot better than what you've got."

Wormmon was stunned. Time and again, he was taken aback by how much Davis wore his heart on his sleeve and said whatever was on his mind, no matter how blunt. It was honestly a bit unnerving… Wormmon supposed he should be grateful that Davis had nothing but good things to say about him.

"I… thank you."

It was getting late, so it was at that time that Davis started changing into his pajamas and getting ready for bed. He promised Wormmon that they'd go back to the Digital World tomorrow, so he wouldn't have to leave his home behind forever. Hopefully, he said, once they'd dealt with the Emperor, Wormmon would be able to move back where he belonged permanently.

Wormmon was thankful, but deep down, he couldn't help but wonder how likely it was that the Emperor would ever be taken down, even with the Digidestined fighting against him. He was just too powerful…

And Wormmon was too small and weak to do anything about it.

Davis flicked off the light, curled up in his bed with Demiveemon at his side, and dropped off to sleep in a matter of minutes. Wormmon had relegated himself to the very foot of the bed, where he wouldn't get in anybody's way. He didn't deserve to sleep up there with Davis; that was Demiveemon's place, and he would never intrude anywhere where he didn't belong.

Wormmon lay where he was for a long while, gazing over at the two partners curled up together, snoozing away without a care, looking so content. He remembered how the two of them laughed together, played together, goofed around together in such a natural way that he would never understand. He couldn't imagine either of them being partnered with anybody else. Davis loved and cared for his partner, and in return, Demiveemon grew stronger and protected him. Everything about it was perfect.

As he watched them, he felt that same unpleasant feeling from before start to come back… and now, all of a sudden, he realized what he was feeling.

Jealousy.

Why couldn't he have a human partner of his own? Someone who could help him to digivolve just like the others? Then he could get stronger, and he could help fight against the Digimon Emperor!

But it would never happen, he thought sadly. Digimon went with their partners for a reason. They were meant to be a good match. Surely there was no human out there who could ever make use of a worthless little thing like him.

And so he wearily closed his eyes, not knowing what else to do except what he always did, and resign himself to his sadness.

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Wormmon was expecting to have the same dark dreams as always that night. The dream he ended up having was quite different.

He was somewhere very pleasant – a meadow, it seemed, with swaying green grass and dotted with little flowers. He must have been in the Digital World. The sun was shining down, the digital clouds were puffy and white, and somehow even in his dream state he could tell the temperature was perfect.

And there was someone with him.

Dreams are often vague, as was this one. Wormmon couldn't really make out anything about the other person; they were more of a felt presence than anything. Still, Wormmon got the sense that the person was a human boy… a very young one, only about Cody's age.

Then suddenly, Wormmon was laughing and playing with the human boy. They were racing through the meadow as the grass rippled in the breeze and the sun warmed their bodies, and then they were both on the ground, rolling around in the flowers and giggling as the blades of grass tickled at their skin. And then the next thing Wormmon knew, the human boy had turned over and reached for him, pulling him into his arms in a safe, loving embrace.

"I love you, Wormmon."

Wormmon instantly jolted awake, gasping in shock.

It took him a moment to register his still-unfamiliar surroundings and remember where he was. Davis's room… he lifted his head up and glanced over to where he thought Davis and Demiveemon were in the darkness, wondering if he'd woken them up, but he could still hear them both snoring loudly away.

Finally he lowered his head onto the bedspread again, pondering what had just happened.

What a strange dream… why would his brain conjure something like that out of the air? It must have somehow been brought on by the events of the day… was that Davis in his dream? No, it hadn't felt like him… that boy, that presence, whoever he was, had felt so gentle, so nurturing, so loving…

Wormmon remembered what the boy had said to him at the end, and his throat started to tighten.

Never, in his whole life, had anyone told him they loved him.

And then Wormmon realized why he had dreamed what he did.

In my dream… I had a human partner.

That was what went through his mind as he slowly closed his eyes and went back to sleep… that, and his pondering why in his dream, he'd been happier than he could ever remember being.

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A/N: It's weird, but as I write this I realize I'm wayyyyy more like Davis than Ken. Guess the heart wants what it wants.

Also, the game they were playing is called Buta no shippo. Also also, this is the second time I've had to learn a card game for a fanfic.