Hope and Kindness Fluff
by Cynthia & KrazieKat

Legal Disclaimer: We don't own Digimon. Is that praises of joy I hear?

Author's Note: Yes, it's a Kenkeru. Or a Taken. Whichever, it's Takeru and Ken falling in love. It's also some years in the future. Our future, not canon future.

Author's Note 2: I like fluff, I like this fluff, but Cyn wanted to do a Kenkeru. I caved.

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Ken Ichijouji fidgeted nervously in the office, trying not to show how on edge he was. He had never been here before, but he'd heard about it, and he wasn't all that impressed. At the same time, he was kind of relieved...a lot of pressure was off him because of this, and for the first time in years, he really felt... relaxed.

"Your escort will be here soon," the Principal of Odaiba High informed him. Ken nodded, then glanced up as footsteps came towards them at a run, and a tall blonde figure whipped his way into the room.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" Takeru Takaishi asked, pushing his hat off his face.

The Principal nodded. "I was hoping that you'd be willing to escort our newest student around." He indicated someone behind Takeru, and the blonde turned to look.

"No problem." As soon as he saw who it was, his jaw dropped. "Ken??" He tried not to drool; the fifteen year old Ken Ichijouji looked incredible. "You're coming here now?"

Ken nodded quietly. "I haven't been able to keep my grades up sufficiently enough to keep enrolled at my old school." He glanced down for a moment. "I have to travel a little to get here, but it's better than... some other options." He'd had to fight with his parents to get them to enroll him here, but it had been worth it. At least he knew some of the students here.

"Oh, too bad." Takeru tried not to look happy at the thought of Ken coming to school here, at least not too happy. Yes, they were friends, but they hadn't seen much of each other in the last couple of years. Takeru had wanted to... but things always seemed to get in the way. "You must have liked it there.... all your friends were there."

Ken shook his head. "I didn't have any friends. I was an arrogant jerk for nearly four years. They don't forget things like that."

"You're not one now."

The ex-Emperor shrugged. "That fact doesn't seem to matter much to them."

"Well, it does to me." Takeru smiled a little, then started to escort his friend around, pointing out various things of interest. As they passed one room, arguing voices came out of it, and Ken smiled to see Iori and Daisuke at it hammer and tongs.

"It's nice to see some things haven't changed." He chuckled. He remembered hearing that Iori had gotten bumped up a couple of grades, so he was going to school with the rest of his former teammates now.

Takeru chuckled. "Those two will argue until the day they die." It was one of the cornerstones of their friendship, much like Yamato and Taichi. Of course, in Daisuke and Iori's case, it was just friendship.

"They're still the old married couple, then?" Ken asked curiously, and Takeru nodded with a grin.

"Well, they fight like one, but Koushiro wouldn't say they were married." At Ken's confused look, Takeru smiled. "Koushiro and Iori have been steady for about a year and a half now."

Ken chuckled. "Good for them."

Takeru nodded. "So how are you doing with your love life?" It was a rather personal question, but the subject sort of had come up. Plus, the blonde really wanted to know. Of course, it was hard to concentrate on touring when the sunlight was glancing off Ken's blue hair at an elegant angle and he could tell the other had kept up his athletics, the muscles were there, understated, but there, visible beneath the gray sweater and jeans... Keep your mind out of the gutter, Takaishi!!

When Ken just shrugged, Takeru frowned. "Aren't you and Daisuke..."

The other shook his head. "I've only kept in touch with him through e-mail. What about you and Hikari? I think he mentioned you two were going out?" It was Takeru's turn to shake his head, and Ken faintly winced. "Oh. Sorry."

Takeru sighed. "We broke up over a year ago. Turns out she wanted someone... furry."

Ken raised an eyebrow. It didn't quite surprise him, he'd seen how close Hikari and her partner were... "Gatomon?" Takeru nodded. "Sorry."

The blonde shrugged. "They'll be happy together."

"Yeah." Ken smiled; even when someone had to have hurt him, Takeru was still cheerful. That was very attractive... "But to be dumped for a cat." Ken chuckled a little. He's probably already dating someone else. Who in their right mind would let him run around single?

Takeru smiled as he started the tour up again. "I prefer to think of it as being dumped for Angewomon." He led Ken on down the hallway, pointing out other points of interest and things to look out for. "Well, that's about it."

Ken raised an eyebrow. "No corners I should avoid, no kissing spots?"

"Well, a lot of people, if they're going to do that, do it there," Takeru pointed towards a utility closet for a moment. How many times had he fantasized about going in there with Ken and forgetting the rest of the cosmos ever even existed...

His mini-fantasy broke off suddenly as the bluenette seized him by a wrist and dragged him into the closet. As soon as they were securely inside and the door shut, Ken pulled him in for a deep, incredible kiss. Takeru returned it without even thinking about it, his arms wrapping around Ken's neck as he did so.

When they broke apart, Ken turned bright red and did his best to stammer out an apology. Takeru shook his head quietly. "It's all right." It was more than all right, it was everything he'd ever dreamed of and then some!! To prove what he said, he went closer to Ken, this time starting the kiss himself.

The blue-haired teen jerked back from the kiss, his head slamming against the wall. Takeru stared. "Are you okay?" I didn't think I was that bad of a kisser!

"Ow, yeah, yeah..." Takeru came over to Ken, who was muttering and rubbing the back of his head. The blonde gently rubbed it and Ken leaned a trifle into the caress. "I shouldn't have kissed you."

"Why not?"

Ken faintly snorted. "Your brother for one." Everyone knew that Yamato had very protective tendencies towards Takeru, even now. Even those who didn't know about his half-breed status knew that.

"What about him?"

The Child of Kindness rolled his eyes slightly. "He's probably going to slice into me like salami."

"I won't let him." Takeru's response was firm; he was extremely tired of having Yamato 'defend his virtue' or whatever it was the older blonde thought he was doing. He made a note to have a long talk with his brother as soon as he could...

Ken just shook his head. "And then there's the fact I hardly even know you."

Takeru wasn't letting him get away that easily. "Every relationship has to start somewhere." He'd been wanting this one for a while now, and he wasn't going to let Ken get away if he had half a chance.

The other faintly smiled. "We really should get back to the tour..." Ken started to struggle to his feet, then slipped, falling forward. Takeru's arms quickly wrapped around him as their lips met once again. Ken stiffened at first, then melted into the kiss, his heart screaming for him to forget reality, forget common sense, forget everything but the beautiful blonde he had in his arms...

They stayed like that for some time, until the door swung open and a familiar voice spoke. "Takeru?"

Both of them jerked back to see Miyako staring at them, and Ken turned a deep shade of red. She blinked at them for a moment, then asked, "Can I have the mop and bucket?" As Takeru handed them to her she nodded. "Thanks." Without anything else, or even acting as if it were unusual, she accepted them from Takeru and closed the door.

Ken blushed. "Is that always going to happen?"

"I hope not." Takeru murmured.

The older teen blushed even more. "Um...Would you like to go out Friday night?" I don't think I'm going to mind transferring as much as I thought...

Takeru smiled. "Sure." I think I'm going to love going to school with Ken. The two of them snuggled a little, and the blonde laughed softly. "You wouldn't believe how long I've thought about this."

Ken smiled. "Ever since I was the Digimon Emperor." He blushed at the look Takeru shot at him. "Or at least that's how long I've wanted to do this."

"I know it sounds cliché and stupid and silly, like something some hack of a fanfic writer with no imagination would write, but...that's how long I've wanted to do it too."

Ken snuggled, and Takeru snuggled back. They felt so comfortable together... then Ken chuckled. "At least your brother isn't still going to school."

"I know." Takeru smiled. "He'd be teasing me to death."

"Or trying to slice me."

Takeru chuckled. "He'd have to go through me." Ken held the blonde closer, the two of them lightly cuddling for several long moments. Finally Ken sighed.

"I guess we have to get out. We can't stay here forever."

Takeru nodded as he reached for the knob and twisted it. His eyes widened suddenly, and he started to push on the door almost frantically.

"Takeru?" Ken glanced at him worriedly, and the blonde looked back over his shoulder.

"We're locked in."

* * *

Ken gulped slightly as he knocked on the door to the Takaishi apartment. He couldn't remember ever being this nervous, not even during those two hours they'd spent locked in the utility closet. Miyako had finally returned and let them out, much to their embarrassment. I think she's gonna blackmail us with that some day...

That was all he had time to think before the door swung open and he saw Takeru. The blonde looked drop dead gorgeous, his hair neatly combed, and his crystal blue eyes sparkling. Ken did his level best not to drool at the sight.

Takeru appeared to be having the same problem as he stared at Ken. The ex-Emperor tried not to appear too nervous; this was just a date, he'd been on dates before... No, I haven't, who am I kidding??

He could hardly believe his eyes. "W... wow..." Okay, that was stupid, I'm acting like Daisuke!!!

Takeru gulped slightly. "D... ditto." Has Ken always looked like this or did I just not notice? And if I didn't notice what rock was my head under??

Ken blinked slightly, trying to focus his mind on what was at hand. "Ready to go?" He nearly jumped out of his skin a moment later when Takeru's mother stepped up behind her son, obviously wanting to have a little chat. He bowed politely. "Good evening, ma'am."

"Good evening, Ken." Ms. Takaishi replied, bowing in return. "I hear that you and Takeru are going to be going out tonight?"

"Dinner and a movie," Ken replied, letting his mind concentrate on not looking like a stuttering fool before her. "We'll be back early." Or else my parents will freak. They knew about his preferences, but they still wanted him home early if possible.

Ms. Takaishi nodded. "And may I assume your intentions are honorable?" Ken did his level best to produce a verbal response, but all that came out was stammering and stumbling and blushing, until he finally managed to nod. Ms. Takaishi smiled and nodded. "You boys have fun."

Ken nodded and smiled, then held his hand out to Takeru. "Let's go." The blonde smiled at him as he was pulled out into the hallway. As soon as the door was closed, Ken pulled his new love into a deep, tender kiss.

So involved were they in this, that when a hand landed firmly on Ken's shoulder, both of them nearly jumped out of their respective skins.

"And just what's going on here?" Yamato Ishida asked as he loomed over his two brothers, one from his father's side, one from his mother's. Ken squeaked out something incoherent; he might be a Mega as well, but this was not just his big half-brother, this was Takeru's half-brother!!!

Takeru, however, didn't appear all that impressed. "It's a kiss, what does it look like, Yamato?"

"And just why are you kissing?" The other blonde looked even more ominous as he stared down at them.

"Maybe because we're out on a date?" Takeru responded dryly. If he had to start screaming at Yamato he would, but that wouldn't be the best start to things for the night...

"And why are you dating?" Yamato's blue eyes glinted with something that neither of them quite understood, nor did they really want to.

His blonde brother merely shrugged. "Why are you and Taichi dating?"

"Because we love each other." Yamato responded coolly, and Takeru nodded.

"Exactly." He folded his arms and gazed at Yamato. "Go away, we have a date to go on."

As Yamato's eyes darted to Ken, the blue-haired boy swallowed, but gathered his courage firmly as he offered his arm to Takeru. "I'll see you later, Yamato."

The two of them walked away arm in arm, vanishing around a corner. As they did so, Yamato's fearsome frown faded into a gentle smile. "Good. Thought they'd never get around to it."

"Doesn't help that every time they even got near each other, or Takeru got near someone else, you scared them away." Taichi muttered from behind him.

Yamato shrugged. "I was hoping he'd get enough of a spine to go after who he wanted anyway."

"He thought Takeru and Hikari were together, which they were up until a year ago."

Yamato only smiled. "He finally did it, though." My brothers, out on a date together. At last. Heh. Wonder how many people can say that with a straight face.

Taichi chuckled. "Let's drop this off and get to our date, Yamato." He waved the package Mr. Ishida had sent them over with and wrapped his fingers around his boyfriend's. It was a good evening for all, it seemed.

The End