📗| Digimon Adventure 02 | All That Foreshadowing

[g_uava]

SFW | 2872 words | Motomiya Daisuke/Takaishi Takeru

It's not Takeru's insecurity that he has unwittingly revealed in his writing, as Daisuke discovers in a fateful phone conversation. Inspired by this ship meme on Tumblr which designates who confesses first (Takeru) and who waits for confession (Daisuke).

"Yo, Takeru!"

"Daisuke-kun! What's up?"

"Are you free to chat?"

"Sure. Are you on your lunch break?"

"Yeah. I want to talk about your latest story."

"You've read it? Did you like it?"

"How could I not like it when I'm the main character! It's really awesome, like a Shonen Jump manga."

"That's great to hear!"

"But it's still...weird."

"Weird? What's weird?"

"That you've written me as the main character when you were there during what happened in the story. You barely wrote about yourself."

"Yeah, I'm more like a side character for these tales. Is it that weird? You didn't say so about the stories I shared last month, the ones on the earlier adventures."

"Those are perfect! And Taichi-san really fits the role of the hero!"

"So do you, Daisuke-kun."

"Argh! I'm awfully pleased to hear that but...you don't think that about yourself, do you?"

"You mean, that I don't seem to think I fit the hero role?"

"Pretty much."

"Hmm...I can't say it'd improve the story to cast myself as the hero. And as the reader, wouldn't it be more fun to read about your cool moments than me going on about myself?"

"Of course! But it's okay to write about yourself being cool once in a while. I think I'd still have fun reading that!"

"Great! Yet I doubt putting myself front and centre would get you to ask me for updates every day for a week, like when I was working on the story of Taichi-san activating his crest in the desert."

"That was one of my favourites!"

"Your comments and reactions were incredibly inspiring. Perhaps being a fiction editor is actually your true calling."

"Yeah, right! I don't know much about writing and literature, and only recently learned from Ken and Iori that it's a famous tradition to not have the character telling the story be the protagonist."

"You were talking to them about writing and literature?"

"Kind of...they told me about the Sherlock Holmes stories and The Great Gatsby, and that it's not so weird how you didn't make yourself the the main character of your own stories. But I can't stop thinking why you'd do that."

"You can interpret that however you like. Death of the author, and all."

"What? Are you gonna kick the bucket any time soon?"

"...No, no I'm not. I mean, you can act as if the author is dead and that their opinion on their own story doesn't really matter."

"It matters to me! It matters that you're downplaying your role in what we've achieved together."

"Is that how the way I write about myself come across to you?"

"Yeah. It's weird because back in elementary school, I was always paranoid about you actually being cooler than me."

"Eh? Now that's weird!"

"I know, right? Whenever you tease me, I thought, 'Takeru's already mature and good-looking and good at everything, does he really have to make me look worse than him?'"

"I had no idea. For the record, that was never my intention to make you look bad."

"I know, I'm just sharing what I used to think. It wasn't easy to say that out loud...so have more confidence in your younger self, okay?"

"..."

"Hey, Takeru? You still there?"

"Daisuke-kun, I like you."

"I like you too, but what's with that tone?"

"What I'm trying to say is...I don't want to write too much about myself during our past adventures because it'd be impossible to faithfully reproduce my thoughts back then. I had many thoughts about you."

"What kind of thoughts? Thoughts about...liking me? I didn't...I.never knew!"

"I didn't want you to know. Don't think too much about it, it's no big deal."

"How can you say that! Oh shit, my phone's dying, could you meet me at work in the evening? We can't end our conversation here."

"Can't we?"

"Hell no! I'll just keep thinking and thinking and...look, can you meet me later or not?"

"Sure. Okay, I'll see you later."

*

All the regret in the world could not undo what Takeru had done. The true immensity of his attachment for Daisuke was out in the open, in all its hopeless glory. For years it was kept under control, locked away or at least folded into the subtext underlying other words and gestures. Takeru was content letting matters continue as they were, but then Daisuke bared his heart, and Takeru couldn't bear returning his vulnerability with dishonesty.

Devoting full concentration to the rest of his classes was a lost cause. Takeru's mind kept yanking itself back to his last conversation with Daisuke. Even if it was unwise, there was a certain inevitability to his confession, and he knew berating himself for being careless or stupid would not aid his case one bit. The best he could do for Daisuke was to keep on being honest when they next met.

In the meantime, some of what Daisuke had shared tickled him, and went a long way towards settling his nerves. He laughed to himself as he dropped some coins into a vending machine for a soft drink.

From the top of his head, Patamon asked, "Takeru, what's so funny?"

"Just thinking about Daisuke's indirect compliments for me."

"It'd be fine! He did say that he likes you too!"

"But not in the same way..."

He stopped to sit at a bench, on which Patamon dropped down next to him. He cracked open his can of Sprite, took a sip and offered some to Patamon. While his Digimon drank, he checked his watch.

Only one class left to go.

Every week, Takeru would have one of his meals at the ramen restaurant where Daisuke worked part-time as an assistant chef. That night, he went there for his dinner, arriving just before last order was called. He'd stay until Daisuke was done for the day.

At the door, V-mon greeted him and Patamon, led them to a counter seat and took their order. Takeru got a tonkatsu ramen with a half-serving of pork fried rice and free-flow hot green tea. Daisuke was nowhere to be seen, probably busy in the back.

Takeru breathed a little easier. While he looked forward to seeing Daisuke, he was also filled with dread, for awaiting them was the tense discussion they were going to have. He sipped on his warm, soothing tea and chatted with Patamon on the seat next to him.

Not long after, a plate of appetizers was set before them. V-mon had brought it over, instead of Daisuke, as Takeru was used to. It had become customary for Daisuke to prepare a small dish on the house, making sure that Takeru and Patamon were full after sharing their main meal, and serve it up himself as an excuse to at least say a quick hello to his friends.

But Takeru wasn't about to get upset that Daisuke hadn't appeared, for the food on his plate was double the usual amount. Unlike before, when he only got either hard-boiled eggs or dumplings as compliments from the cook, Daisuke had served him both. Either he wanted to let Takeru eat more to get him to stay longer or he had forgotten about having started on one appetizer and began preparing the other.

Regardless of the motivation behind Daisuke's generosity, Takeru appreciated it. Smiling, he peeled an egg for Patamon.

After packing away his dinner, he got up to head to the washroom. Before the mirror, he inspected his appearance. He lifted his black fedora to brush his fingers over the strands of his hair this way and that, then put his hat back on, shaking his head. It was silly to fuss over his hair's neatness when he kept it covered anyway.

Just as silly was him changing his clothes earlier at home. He had deviated between looking his best or putting on items he rarely wore to avoid being reminded of the night's events when getting dressed in future. Without revealing the details of his plans, he texted Hikari to ask for her opinion and she pointed out that he'd not want his looks to be a factor in anything that might go wrong.

She was right. In the end, Takeru changed into a thin dark green sweater and a black sport jacket to match his black fedora. Patamon praised his outfit on his way out, but he thought he looked just all right.

When he returned to his counter seat, he spotted V-mon going around telling the remaining customers that the restaurant was closing in fifteen minutes. Patamon was playing a game on Takeru's phone, tapping the screen with the front of his paw every now and then.

As V-mon approached them, he said, "Daisuke will be done soon. He said he's in charge of locking up tonight and we can stay here for as long as we want."

"Okay, we'll wait," Takeru replied.

"Do you want a refill?"

"Yes thanks, just half a cup would do."

V-mon went behind the counter to pour hot water into Takeru's glass and took up a clear jug to refill Patamon's water too. Takeru drank his tea, keeping his mind as blank as it could be. After going to the washroom again, he stepped out just as the door was slid shut behind someone leaving.

Daisuke was sitting next to his seat. He had yet to change out of his chef get-up with his red apron and white headband. No one else was in the restaurant, and even the Digimon had gone off somewhere else.

"Hey!" Daisuke said, greeting Takeru with a small smile. "I've put up the 'closed' sign, and Patamon offered to do the dishes with V-mon. How was today's ramen?"

"Delicious, as always."

Daisuke tracked intently with his eyes each one of the simple actions that Takeru performed -- walking over, pulling back his chair and sitting beside him. All around them, the air was quiet and still, while in the background the air-conditioner hummed and the dishes clinked as the Digimon handled them.

"As far as I know," Daisuke said. "You're bisexual, like Miyako."

"Yeah."

Back when Miyako came out, Takeru did too. Not just to support her, but also because he wanted to share with their friends a vital part of his identity. He knew he'd likely never get around to it if he saved his own announcement for another occasion.

"I've discovered that I prefer men," Takeru added.

He might have delivered his comment in a more meaningful way than he intended. Daisuke blinked and reared back, as if stunned by a sudden clap near his ear.

"You said you like me," he said. "Since when?"

He really could always be trusted to cut to the chase. Takeru returned the favour.

"I'm not sure. Maybe since we've first met."

He put it out there with a soft laugh, pretending like he was just spinning out some sentimental story about their shared past.

"Do you still like me?"

Daisuke's hard-hitting question left Takeru little room to inject artificial lightness into their conversation. What happened next would bring changes to their friendship -- no matter how big or small, it was inevitable that they wouldn't be the same, at least for a while.

"I think you still do," Daisuke said. "If not, you wouldn't have told me."

"No...I wouldn't."

Part of Takeru was like a small animal cowering in a corner. Even so, his other parts wouldn't have it any other way, wanting Daisuke to keep chasing him and pursue the truth he had kept hidden in plain sight all these years. He continued to look straight at Daisuke, waiting for the next blow to his defenses.

"So," Daisuke said. "You still like me."

"Yeah," Takeru replied. "It's really not a big issue and won't be. I hope you'll be as fine as I am continuing to be how we always are."

"I don't think you're actually fine with that. Did you like to think about kissing me?"

The flabbergasting impact of Daisuke's question was ruined with him pursing his lips and staring to the side. In speaking without thinking, he had embarassed himself.

He really was the most adorable.

Staring at Takeru from the tail of his eye, he asked, "What's that smile for?"

"Nothing." Takeru willed his face to become a mask for the emotions clashing within him. "Does it disgust you, the idea of us kissing? Even if you think I'm mature and good-looking and good at everything?"

At having his own assessment of Takeru repeated back to him, Daisuke actually gnashed his teeth.

"I was really trying to encourage you, but you just -- " He folded forward, clutching at his hair with both hands. "You've got a bad habit of teasing me!"

"Just you, Daisuke-kun. That's how special you are to me."

Being alone with Daisuke had got Takeru saying too much. He ought to get going before he went too far. He slipped his hand into the pocket of his jacket where he kept his wallet.

"Takeru, want to try it?"

Takeru turned back to Daisuke. "Try what?"

"Kissing. I've been thinking about it."

Since Daisuke wanted it, Takeru gave the kiss he asked for. Just a light press of their lips, nothing too heated or frightening for either of them.

Once Takeru pulled back, Daisuke said, "That's it?"

"Yeah. Was that how you thought it'd be?"

"I thought it'd be more like..."

Words were flung aside as Daisuke went for another kiss. The press of Daisuke's lips, longer and firmer than what Takeru had given him, was accompanied with his hand clutched around Takeru's shoulder. Takeru kissed him back. When Daisuke began pulling his lips apart, Takeru chased after them, closing the small gap between their lips.

There was nothing wrong in making the most out of what he couldn't easily get.

Daisuke drew away again, and Takeru let him. He was still holding on to Takeru's shoulder.

"I've no idea when's a good point to include some tongue," Daisuke mumbled.

Takeru laughed. "You've really been thinking about it, haven't you?"

"I tried to imagine what it's like for a guy to like another guy, and how it's different from liking a girl. And they'd just go all in for the physical stuff, right? Being both guys, I mean."

"Maybe. It depends."

"You were quite into it, and I was too. I want to do it more!"

Was Daisuke just talking about making out? It seemed safer for Takeru to believe that.

"We can't stay here kissing all night," he said.

Daisuke smiled. "How about doing that at some other place? On some other night?"

"You mean like on a date?"

"Yeah...that is, would you go out with me?"

Takeru's world shrank to the space shared by the two of them. His lips were tingling. He stared at Daisuke's mouth, wanting to kiss it again.

Daisuke seemed to notice as he frowned and looked away.

He said, "You mind giving me an answer? It's always ridiculously tough to ask someone out."

"You've done it anyway," Takeru replied. "Did you get the idea after hearing that I like you?"

"Yeah. It got me thinking..." Daisuke turned back to face Takeru, every bit the earnest and straightforward man whom Takeru had fallen for. "...That I like you too."

"Thanks for letting me know. I'd really like to go out with you."

*

Holding hands should be okay since they've kissed. Still, Takeru hesitated. Down the dark street lit with fluorescent streetlamps, he walked beside Daisuke. Their elbows almost brushed against each other and it would take Takeru nothing to reach for Daisuke's arm. Daisuke's hand itself was tucked into the pocket of his red vest.

Neither of them and their Digimon spoke. On Daisuke's other side, V-mon glanced at Patamon, who was perched on Takeru's head, to exchange a meaningful look. He seemed to have been updated on what his human partner had been up to, as Patamon was.

"Ah!"

As Daisuke cried out, he stopped short. Takeru did the same.

"The green onions! My bad, I've got to go back!"

Whipping around, Daisuke began a mad dash to retrace his steps. Takeru turned to watch him go and V-mon chase after him.

"Daisuke! I've taken care of that!"

"You should've told me earlier!"

They returned to where Takeru and Patamon waited for them.

"Thank goodness," Daisuke said. "If that wasn't done, I'd have to arrive early for tomorrow's shift."

Takeru said, "Anything else you might have forgotten?"

"Hmm..." Daisuke paused and scratched the back of his ear. "I don't think so."

He dropped his hand and let it rest by his side. The opening for Takeru to hold Daisuke's hand did not go to waste, for Takeru jumped at it before he talked himself out of going for what he wanted.

He curled his fingers and pressed them against Daisuke's palm, saying, "To keep you from running away again."

"Who's going to run away?"

Daisuke turned his hand, loosening Takeru's hold just to entwine their fingers. The warmth from Daisuke's hand seeped throughout Takeru and the night appeared to grow brighter as their Digimon traded big grins.

>> Digimon Adventure 02 | Fanfiction Masterlist
A/N: What Takeru does to Daisuke in the end is like what Taichi and Yamato did for each other in the original Adventure series. So it's sort of a reference for how Takeru/Daisuke had seemed to be the new Yamato/Taichi.