City of Angels
Chapter 3 - In the Rain
by The Ambitious Blank

Disclaimer- Digimon has never been mine. It isn't even mine now. And it probably never will be. Sucks for me, right? City of Angels has also, never been mine.. and do I even have to finish? Really, if I owned either two, I'd be rich and wouldn't be writing this, most likely.
Comments- Fluff abounds in this chapter, but there are some.. ahem.. foreshadowing, and some hints of citrus, as promised. Ken's a little OOC, too. Blah. Suddenly my paragraphs are longer. ::Mock gasping.:: >_>; Read on.

~*~

Ken couldn't help it. He practically threw himself into Takeru's arms, clinging to the slender form as if he'd never let go. That is, until Takeru protested.

"..K.. Ken, I'm really sorry, but I can't breathe.." He choked. Ken blinked and pulled away quickly, his eyes shining with tears.

"..h.. how..?"

"I told you before. I fell.. for you."

"..I guess that can have double meanings, huh?"

".What?"

"..nevermind." Questions overflowed in Ken's mind, practically spilling from his ears as he tried to keep them all inside, not wanting to overwhelm the poor blonde after what Ken could guess was quite the ordeal. He couldn't imagine giving up everything he lived for just for the sake of love. He wanted so badly to know he had that kind of courage, but he just wasn't sure of himself. He'd never been. But Takeru.. Takeru made him feel stronger, somehow. As if he could take on the world and not get a scratch.

"Ken? Are you all right..?"

"Oh!" Ken blinked again. "I'm so sorry, Takeru.. I must've been thinking too hard. Come in, please!" He stepped aside and the former-angel entered cautiously, as if afraid of something. Ken laughed softly.

"Don't worry, nothing's going to hurt you.. not while I'm here." He reassured the other boy. Takeru turned and tilted his head, and Ken could see the true compassion, for once, in every inch of the blonde's face. He reached out, completely out of impulse, and touched the other's soft cheek.

"..you.. you can feel me now, right..?" He asked, half-fearful of a second rejection. Takeru only smiled and reached up, touching Ken's hand. He was so warm.. as if he was still an angel. His touch was still comforting, down to the very soul.

"Yes, I can." The blonde said reassuringly. Even his voice hadn't lost its solace. His smile was still radiant, seeming to light up the very room, and Ken had him all to himself. An angel had fallen for him, in more ways than one. But even so, there was the slight sense of guilt that came as a price to the forbidden love. At that thought Ken lowered his gaze, unable to face the bright blues any longer. Takeru was so trusting, so accepting. What if someone tried to take advantage of him? Though Ken knew the blonde was probably not nearly as naive as he let on, he still had doubts. He had to ask.

"Takeru?" He began tentatively. At the ex-angel's curious look he gathered his courage. "..why do you trust me so much? I.. I could have taken advantage of you.. I could hurt you right now. Why me?" He sighed when it was done, though it didn't help his anxiety as he waited for an answer. Takeru had looked surprised, almost. Ken shifted uncomfortably on his feet. Please don't hate me.. please don't leave.

A hand came to rest on his shoulder, and Ken jumped, looking up quickly. Those blue eyes met his violet ones, and Ken felt he knew Takeru's answer, even before the other boy spoke it.

"..you wouldn't do that to me." He said softly. Ken felt like an idiot. He should have known. After all, angels could practically see right through people, right?

"You don't know that!" He wanted so badly to deny it.. deny the trust that Takeru offered him so freely, so easily. He didn't want the other to trust so simply, afraid that Takeru might be taken advantage of, hurt somewhere! "Just because I'm too weak to take control over another life doesn't mean most other people in this world aren't, Takeru!" Ken shouted, his tone sharper than he'd originally wanted it to be. Takeru flinched, then shook his head.

"..but you aren't like that. I'm not stupid, Ken. Even if I'm not an angel, even if I can't read emotions as well as I used to, it's easy to read intentions. Your only intention is to keep me safe. You said so yourself. It takes an incredibly strong person to not desire control over another human being.. to not hold the desire deep in their hearts to hurt someone to feel power. That is not what true power is, Ken. True power is the need to protect people, rather than harming them, to feel strong. You of all people should know that."

Takeru's words were so calmly and yet firmly spoken they packed even more of a punch than if he'd yelled. Control. Ken had always hated that word. Osamu used it far too often, far too much. His brother was so unlike him in so many ways. Osamu was about power, about getting what you want exactly when you want it, because you had control over other people. Ken had never had that desire. Takeru was right, whether he wanted to believe it or not. He'd always wanted to live up to Osamu's standards, but he never quite made it there. Takeru had just made it clear to him why he never had. Because he hadn't ever held the same need to have power that Osamu had.. because he wasn't like his brother in the least bit.

"..Takeru.. thank you." He whispered, clutching the blonde's hand in his own. Ken led him to the couch and they sat down, just leaning against each other for a long while, relishing in each other's warmth and the feeling of contentment that came with knowing that they weren't alone anymore.

~*~

Takeru awoke to the unfamiliar feeling of warmth. He blinked blearily and peered outside. The sun was rising, it's red fire spreading over the darkened sky. There were clouds on the horizon, as well, and the air felt damp.

"It's going to rain.." Takeru murmured. He looked up at Ken, who'd apparently fallen asleep as well, leaning against the back of the couch with the blonde in his lap. Takeru's arms were wound tightly around the other's waist, and Ken's hand rested comfortably on his shoulder. The ex-angel smiled a bit to himself and cuddled back against the other boy's stomach, closing his eyes and about to go back to sleep.

"..Takeru..?" Ken murmured sleepily, stirring beneath the blonde. Takeru blinked and looked up.

"Hn?" He asked.. okay, so it wasn't really a question, but it was too soon after they'd woken up to form proper words.

"..you're still here.." Ken said, still a bit disoriented, as he looked down at the boy in his lap in slight confusion, as if he'd expected it to be a dream. Takeru could only nod in mid-yawn, stretching as he tried to snuggle back into Ken's lap, but the other young teen pulled away. Takeru made a noise of protest and tried again to shift back against the other, but Ken dodged, shaking his head.

"We gotta get up. It's gonna rain."

"Don't most of you humans stay in bed when it's gonna rain?"

"Well, yeah. But we aren't most humans." Ken said with a laugh, standing up and watching Takeru grumble as he struggled to his feet as well.

"What's so special about the rain?" Takeru grumped. Ken chuckled again.

"You'll see. Just come on." He threw a spare jacket around Takeru's shoulders and dragged him outside, just as the first droplets began to fall. Takeru dragged behind, not really wanting to get cold and wet, though those were things he hadn't really experienced yet. Ken led him to a soccer field near his house. Needless to say, there was no one else there, due to how early it really was and the weather. Ken ran out into the middle of the field, arms spread wide as he turned his face to the heavens, grinning back at Takeru.

"Isn't this great?"

"'Great' isn't exactly how I wanted to word it." Takeru said, scowling disapprovingly as he wrapped his arms around himself and shivered. Ken only laughed and ran back over to Takeru, clutching his hand in his.

[ A/N- Takeru's being a pessimist. What's wrong with this picture? Grr. Bear with me here, people. The boy hasn't had his coffee yet. ]

"..aww, come on. You can feel it now, at least.. once you stand out here for a little while, and you ignore how cold it is, then it just.. inspires you, I guess is a way to put it."

"..inspires..?" Takeru repeated with a blink, looking around as the rain soaked his hair and clothes. His bangs clung to his face, and Ken brushed them away carefully, looking Takeru in the eye.

"Give it a chance.. please?"

"..y'know.." Takeru said, with an unnaturally mischievous look in his eye that made Ken hesitate for a moment. "You woke me up way too early to drag me out into freezing rain. Angels don't believe in crime and punishment, lucky for you." For some reason, that made Ken breathe a sigh of relief, not wanting to know what Takeru might have up his sleeve.

Too late.

"But I'm not an angel anymore, am I?" Takeru said with a smirk, and pounced on Ken. They both tumbled into the wet grass, laughing despite their now even messier appearance. They rolled around, wrestling with one another before Ken finally pinned the worn out ex-angel, grinning as Takeru waved his hands in surrender. Ken was straddling the blonde's stomach, his hands keeping the other from moving his shoulders. Yet, at that very moment, both realized what a compromising position they were in, and both flushed heavily, though Ken didn't move, not yet. He leaned forward instead, his long raven hair dripping rain water as he bowed downward until he and Takeru's lips met. Takeru stiffened, unfamiliar with this, but Ken coaxed him into responding by moving his lips carefully over the blonde's.

They lay there in the middle of the soccer field for a long time, not once removing from their liplock until they needed air like a man stranded in the desert needs water. Takeru panted heavily, staring up at Ken in amazement. That had been surprising and incredible all at once. He wanted more, and leaned up to get what he wanted, freezing as he heard a soft clapping noise from the sidelines. Both of them stiffened and turned to face whoever had been watching.

Yamato stood there with Taichi, both of them soaked just as much as the younger two were. Taichi was grinning widely like he usually did, and Yamato was just smiling softly and applauding.

"Quite a show, boys." The elder blonde said with a laugh. Takeru snorted.

"..thanks, 'Niichan, you just killed the moment."

"You haven't called me 'Niichan-"

"I know, I know.. not since you fell." Takeru said with a smile. Yamato grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head.

"So.. how'd you two find our make-out area, huh?" Taichi asked, grinning still and not in the least bit bashful whatsoever, which of course was natural for Taichi.

"Awwh, Tai, that was way too much information for kids like them.." Yamato groaned, putting a hand to his face. Taichi chuckled.

"Yeah, sure, and that's why they were sucking face even more than we do.."

"That's a lie, and you know it!" Yamato screeched in a mock-woman's tone.

"Suurreeee.." Taichi drawled, still smirking. Yamato aimed a blow at the back of his head, but his boyfriend ducked and laughed. "Still need to work on not being so predictable, Yamato.."

"I'm not predictable!" Yamato began to protest, but Taichi had said the exact same thing. Yamato tried to hit him again, and Taichi only ducked a second time. Takeru nudged Ken in the ribs.

"..we aren't going to turn out like them, are we?"

"I heard that!" Yamato and Taichi said. Taichi took off running at the suddenly murderous glare in his boyfriend's face, and Yamato, a bit too happily, gave chase. Takeru and Ken just stared.

"..I certainly hope not, Takeru. I'm hoping we'll die before we turn out like them.." He answered, blinking in slight confusion, though there was a hint of amusement in his voice, and a smile on his lips. Takeru grinned back and leaned over, and started another kiss. They ended up back on the ground again, with Ken half on top of the ex-angel, when Yamato and Taichi returned.

"..I'd give it about an 8.5. Whaddya say, Yama?"

"..eh. I give it a nine."

Takeru and Ken glared at them, then Ken grabbed Takeru's wrist and dragged him off just as Yamato and Taichi began to cuddle up on the bleachers.

~*~

The pair ended up back in Ken's apartment, snuggling against each other again on the warm couch, and couldn't have cared about much in the world at that moment, just happy to be in the company of one another. Takeru lay below Ken, while the other boy lovingly nibbled at his shoulder. Their lips met again, and Ken found his heaven in the warm cavern of Takeru's mouth. Their tongues entwined with one another in a passionate dance, while the raven-haired boy let his hands roam carefully over the blonde's slender form.

I used to hate the word love. It never meant anything to me.

..then you happened, Takeru, and everything changed.

I.. I wonder if an angel's ever been taken before..

I want to repay you for what you've done for me.. everything you've done.. I want to make us even.

..let me.

The sound of rain pattering on the roof above their heads was quickly toned out by the sweet sound of the two boys' soft moans of ecstasy. Sweat beaded on foreheads, lips pressed to warm flesh, and the ambrosial smell of passion filled the room. An angel, though he was no longer one except in Ken's eyes, gave up the very thing he'd prided himself on. His innocence was freely given to another, and yet he remained no different. He'd found the one thing that filled the void of emptiness that had once been there. He'd found love, and in that he derived his being. Yet the same went for the mortal boy whom he cared for so much. The boy had nothing but an empty soul, a longing heart. And in the angel he'd found love, passion, caring, trust. That in itself was worth more to him than all the riches in the world.

I love you so much, Takeru..

I'd follow you to the ends of the earth to make sure you stayed safe.

I won't let anything happen to you, ever. Even death itself won't stop me.

..I promise.

~*~

To Be Continued...

 

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