Just One Kiss
Chapter 2 - Talking
by Cynthia & KrazieKat

Legal Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction. All related disclaimers, author's notes, etc., are in part 1.

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Patamon stared at his partner, who was busy gazing up at the ceiling. He didn't like how quiet Takeru was being; it just wasn't like him. "Come on, TK, talk to me! You've been so quiet since we came back from the Digiworld!

Takeru just kept staring at the ceiling, his mind endlessly replaying the talk and the kiss with Ken. Especially the kiss.

"TK, if you don't start talking to me, I'll go call Matt! Maybe he can get you to say something!"

The distracted blonde finally glanced over at his partner. "Did you say something, Patamon?"

"What's wrong with you, TK?" Patamon stared at him. "You're not paying attention to anyone or anything!"

Takeru sighed. "I'm fine. Nothing's wrong." I just kissed our enemy, and damn, did I like it!

The Digimon blinked slowly at him. "Then why did you step out in front of that truck on the way home?"

"I did?"

Patamon almost glared at him. "Remember me pulling on your hair?"

The Keeper of Hope thought back for a moment. "I think so..." He didn't meet his partner's worried gaze as he thought, Actually I don't. I haven't been able to stop thinking about that kiss...

He was able to think quietly for almost second before Patamon dropped onto his stomach cannonball style, knocking all the breath out of him. "If you keep this up, I'm gonna get Matt! I'm worried about you, TK!"

"I'm fine!" the blonde snapped back, wanting to tell his winged partner not to call him TK anymore. He liked the way his full name had sounded on Ken's lips... the way Ken's lips had tasted on his... "I just have something on my mind, that's all."

Patamon nodded. "Then why won't you talk to me about it?" TK told him everything, that was the way it had been since the beginning.

Takeru shrugged. "It's... kinda personal."

The small Digimon's eyes flashed. "So I don't count anymore, is that it?"

Takeru sighed. "Of course you do, buddy! I promised I wouldn't tell though, and I can't break my promise." The deep sigh his partner issued tempted him, though. Well, he could tell a little. "Well... I met someone. And I think I like this someone."

"Guy or girl?"

The blue-eyed blonde considered for a moment. "Um, I'd better not say. I think this person likes me, too, but there are problems."

"Problems?"

"Problems. I don't think I should go into it, but a lot of people would get mad if they found out we... might like each other."

Patamon blinked innocently at him. "Sounds like you've got it bad for Ken."

Takeru whirled around, staring at his partner in slack-jawed shock. Patamon looked at him with huge soulful eyes. "You called me him half an hour ago!" At that, Takeru buried his face in his hands and his partner flew over to his side. "What's wrong?"

"I've got a major crush on our worst enemy, anything else?"

Patamon cocked his head to one side. "If he makes you happy, TK, then I don't see anything wrong with it."

Takeru exhaled slowly; since Patamon already knew whom he was talking about, he might as well tell him the rest. "We only kissed once, but it was such an amazing kiss. I felt like I was on fire, and I loved it." He couldn't explain what it was that was attracting him to Ken. He knew at least part of it was the fact the Emperor had treated him with genuine respect, not something handed to him because he was a slightly more experienced Chosen Child, or because he was Yamato Ishida's younger brother, or had a powerful Digimon, or was older than one of the others, or any other reason like that. The Emperor called him by his full name. He didn't treat him like an eight-year-old child; in fact, Ken had talked with him as if he were a normal person, and treated his concerns with serious thoughtfulness. It was intoxicating. "I've never felt like that before... it was so perfect... so right..." His fingers ran gently across Patamon's head as his partner snuggled up against him.

The small orange Digimon peered at him. "Sounds like love to me."

Takeru blushed, then sighed. "I'm 'supposed' to love Hikari. But I don't. I just like her. And sometimes not even that when she gets into the 'we're supposed to be together, TK, look, we match up so perfectly' mode." He snorted. "And if I hear her say 'our Digimon are both angels, so we're together' one more time, I swear I'm going to smack her!"

Patamon chuckled. "Gatomon would do that for you, if you asked her!"

"I might."

His partner grinned up at him. "Especially since she has a crush on Hikari and Hikari can't even see it!"

Takeru blinked in surprise. "Well, now... isn't that interesting."

Patamon nodded. "But it was Daisuke who told me that."

"It was?"

His partner nodded again. "Yup. Right after he and Iori started dating."

Takeru sighed in momentary regret; remembering that, and the brief crush he'd had on the redhead. Patamon stared at him. "TK? What's wrong?"

"Nothing..."

"TK!"

At Patamon's frustrated growl, Takeru sighed. "Okay, I used to like Daisuke, and I was kind of hurt when he and Iori got together, okay?"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Patamon's voice was soft and wounded, and the blonde rubbed his head gently in silent apology.

"I didn't even want to admit it to myself. I just knew that I kept getting jealous every time Daisuke got near Hikari, and it wasn't over her."

Patamon murmured softly, "Daisuke felt the same." Takeru's head snapped down to stare at him, and his partner continued, "Veemon told me, he felt the same way, but he thought you were in love with Hikari. 'He never told him if he liked guys or girls, so Daisuke wasn't sure if he should have told TK.' Or that was what Veemon said Daisuke thought."

"Oh." Patamon sighed and snuggled against his partner again, and the Chosen Child took a long breath. "Well, I guess it's for the best. He's happy with Iori... isn't he?" Patamon shrugged and the blonde leaned back into the pillows, his mind drifting once again towards Ken. Daisuke was a fantasy, just something he had once daydreamed of. Ken... Ken liked him... "Ken-chan..."

It was the last thing he said before he fell into a deep, Ken-filled dreaming sleep.

* * *

Far from Earth, in the Digiworld, ensconced in his floating fortress, the Digimon Emperor stared into his monitors, watching Takeru. He had done no conquering that day, diverting his attention to something far more pleasant.

From one corner, Wormmon watched his master, worried. Ken hadn't taken over any new territory that day, nor had he claimed any other Digimon slaves. He had been out for some time earlier, and since his return, had done nothing but stare into the central monitor. He watched as the blue-haired genius sighed and chuckled. Carefully he wiggled out and stared up at the screens, where one of the Chosen Children was displayed, the blue-eyed blonde.

The caterpillar glanced over at Ken and saw a look of rapt fascination in his eyes. "Master? Is everything all right? You look... distracted."

"I'm fine." Ken answered calmly, not even bothering to look at his faithful partner. Wormmon frowned as best he could.

"You've been watching that blonde boy all day."

Ken turned his amethyst eyes onto his segmented partner. "His name is Takeru!"

Wormmon inched back at once. "Of course, master. You've been watching Takeru all day." He watched as Ken turned his gaze back to the screens, almost smiling in pleasure. "What's so special about him? He's just one of the enemy... isn't he?"

Ken purred softly, "He's more than just one of the enemy, he's the perfect little flower to add to my garden."

The green worm peered at Takeru on the screen, then over to Ken again. "You're going to put a dark ring on him?"

"And that's exactly what makes him so perfect. I won't have to do a thing, except be there for him. His teammates will do the rest for me. I won't even need a Dark Ring."

Wormmon blinked. "I don't understand, master."

Ken laughed harshly and briefly. "Of course you don't. Let me put it this way: He'll be in my garden, and with me, by his own free will."

Wormmon looked even more confused, and if Ken had bothered to glance at him, he would have seen just how adorable his partner could be with that expression. "But why would he want to be with you? No offense, master, but doesn't he like that girl? The one he's always hanging out with... Hikari?" He squeaked and scooted backwards as Ken's whip lashed out just in front of him.

"Never mention that girl as being with Takeru."

Wormmon nodded quickly. "Yes, master. But... he's interested in you?" Ken chuckled and then hit a few buttons, which caused the conversation between Takeru and his partner to replay. Wormmon's eyes went wide in shock as he listened.

"Does that answer your question?" Ken asked snidely. Wormmon gazed up at the Emperor.

"Are you interested in him, master?" If Ken were truly interested, then Wormmon would support him all the way. If it were just another of his schemes...

Ken's eyes flickered back to the video, going surprisingly soft and tender. "Of course." Wormmon could hardly believe it, but it did seem as if Ken had actually found someone to care about. "Are the changes I ordered to my bedroom ready?"

"Yes, master." Wormmon nodded, and Ken chuckled.

"Good." He smirked. "Once Takeru is by my side, we might decide on a little redheaded plaything." At the confusion in Wormmon's expression, Ken rolled his eyes. "Daisuke, you idiot!"

"Oh!" The Digimon had thought Ken had a soft spot for Daisuke, but if he had, it had faded when the redhead had chosen his green-eyed teammate. Maybe this is just a form of revenge, though... who knows... "Why him?"

Ken chuckled coldly. "Because it will be fun." That should have been obvious even to the worm!

His partner considered that for a moment. "But, master, what if Takeru doesn't want a plaything?"

"Then we won't need the additions. I'll be quite happy with my blonde love." It would be very amusing to toy around with Daisuke, but what, and who, he really wanted was Takeru.

The caterpillar nodded. "But what if the other Chosen Children won't let him be with you?"

Ken chuckled coldly. "They won't stop me, if he really wants to be with me, Wormmon."

"And he seems to want to be with you." Wormmon could hardly believe his ears or eyes. Ken nodded, purring the next word out.

"Exactly."

To Be Continued

 

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