Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Harsh Memories ❯ Fluffiness with a side of abuse ( Chapter 25 )

Takeru sighed happily as he finished changing into his nightclothes. He attempted to smooth out the few wrinkles in his pajama top as he made his way out of Iori's bathroom. He was greeted to a sight he had been praying to every god that existed to see. Iori was still attempting to change into his pajamas and from where Takeru was standing, he was able to see a very good view of his young love. < Too bad it's from behind, > He sighed mournfully, as he moved forward quietly.

Iori leapt into the air as he felt a quick slap hit his "lower extremity". He spun around to glare at Takeru. "Take-kun! What was that for? " Iori shouted as he stared at his laughing Koibito. Takeru could hardly control his laughter as he collapsed onto the bed. It was then that Iori realized exactly how "vulnerable" he was. Iori quickly darted into the bathroom, stopping only briefly to collect his pajama top and bottoms.

Takeru continued to laugh heartily as he rolled over on the bed, clutching his stomach to try and force himself to calm down. He was coughing painfully by the time a very red faced Iori finally emerged from his bathroom. "Takahashi-chan! If you weren't with me.... I would break in your birthday present right now," the young boy exclaimed, as he plopped down next to Takeru. "G-Gomen Io-kun... It's just that I didn't know you had such a fondness for orange briefs," Takeru responded before he was forced to double over to try to control his laughter once again.

Iori's face flushed once again, as he crossed his legs self-consciously. He immediately began plotting his revenge as he watched his older Koi convulsing in laughter. In his mind he began imagining a half nude, freezing Takeru, shivering just outside his apartment's glass door. He saw himself inside, flaunting a nice warm cup of hot chocolate, while he fed Upamon and Patamon countless roasted Marshmallows. Iori began to chuckle softly to himself as he imagined Takeru slowly turning blue. Takeru moved beside Iori and clapped a friendly arm around his Koi. "I'm glad you've finally decided to laugh with me Io-kun!" <Oh if only he knew... > Iori thought evilly.

As the two continued to roll around Iori's bed, laughing and joking with each other, They where stopped when they heard a scream from somewhere below them. Takeru shivered softly, as he realized exactly whom it was screaming. He clutched Iori suddenly as he began to quake with fear. "Takeru-kun? What's going on?" Iori asked as he watched the fear surface in Takeru's eyes. Iori moved closer to Takeru, and laid a protective hand over his Koi's chest. "Take-chan... are you going to be okay?"

Takeru could only nod as the scream faded off into memory. He stared down at the younger boy that was now cuddled against his chest. A smile slowly appeared as he stared at Iori, looking up at him with both worry and compassion. He gently swept the younger boy into his arms, then rolled both of them over to the head of the bed. He skillfully maneuvered them under the blankets, ensuring that Iori received most of the warm covers, and then clutched the younger boy tightly. "Oyasumi nasai Iori-kun," Takeru mumbled as he fell asleep slowly. Iori cuddled against the other boy and managed a garbled reply as sleep soon claimed him as well.

---------(One sleep filled night later)---------

Takeru woke up slowly, savoring the feeling of warmth beside him. He snuggled closer to his young Koi as the first few rays of light snaked into the room. One particularly cruel beam managed to land across Iori's closed eyes and slowly the smaller boy began to stir and awaken. Takeru couldn't hold back the smile that leapt to his face, as he watched Iori sleepily rub his eyes and yawn. "Sleep well? " Takeru asked dreamily as he attempted to actually absorb Iori's small body into him. Iori struggled to free himself from Takeru's arms as his air supply quickly ran out.

"Take-kun... what are you trying to do to me? I can't take this much love!"

"Oh come on Io-kun... you know I can't resist you when you first wake up. Your just so kawaii, as you rub your little eyes and all." Takeru was rewarded for his words as Iori planted a gentle kiss on his chin, then proceeded to hit him hard on the arm. Takeru immediately released the now smiling Iori as he began to clutch his arm and roll over onto his side. Iori laughed as his Koi complained about the pain radiating from his arm.

"Gomen Take-kun.... but next time you'll actually let me go when I ask."

"Screw next time. If you're going to hit me every time I try and hug you... that'll be the last time," Takeru joked as he placed a look of mock-hatred on his face. "Oh come on Take-chan. You have to admit that you where squeezing a bit too hard," With this, Iori leapt at Takeru and easily pinned the older boy down. "Now, say uncle and I'll get up and make some breakfast." Takeru managed a muffled response as the younger boy eased himself off of his Koi and scampered into his bath room, followed closely by his pillow, which Takeru had kindly flung at Iori.

As Iori began to take his morning shower his mind began to dwell back to the scream he had heard the night before. < I could have sworn that it came from Takeru's apartment but.... He wasn't home and he said his mother wasn't there when he called... so who could have been there? I don't think either Yamato or his O-Tou-san has keys to the apartment and I don't think anyone would break into their apartment just to scream his bloody head off. I just hope everything is okay down there. I don't want to think about something going wrong right now... not with how O-Kaa-san is acting. > Finally, Iori left his shower and after ensuring he was fully clothed, left the bathroom to rejoin Takeru.

--------(Three hours latter)---------

Takeru walked down the stair well slowly. For some reason his feet felt like lead as he approached his apartment. < I guess I just hate leaving Io like that. It was weird the way he kept telling me to stay and all. I hope nothings wrong, especially with the weird way his O-Kaa-san has been acti- > Takeru's thoughts stopped dead as he noticed that fact that his apartment door was open and there was shattered glass surrounding the entrance to his apartment. He rushed forward, suddenly filled with fear for his O-Kaa-san.

Takeru halted as soon as he made it over the doorway. He sighted his O-Kaa-san, sitting inn the middle of the room, having pulled a reclining chair over to the center of the apartment's living room. Takeru's eyes widened as he took in her appearance. The first thing that he noticed was the sharp smell of alcohol that assaulted his nose. He watched as her head slowly rolled up to him and studied him with dull eyes. Immediately, she snapped back into reality as her head snapped into attention and her eyes cleared effortlessly. She moved her left hand slowly and Takeru was mesmerized as she slowly swirled a large amount of liquid within a large crystal goblet. The bowl of the glass was at least half filled with the strong smelling liquid, as it threatened to spill out on every other swirl. Takeru flinched as the glass was suddenly whipped over to the side, shattering against the kitchen wall, sending glass and bourbon everywhere.

"Where the hell have you been? I've been calling your cell phone all night! I would have called the Hida's but I was worried that... that... thing would have answered the phone and I would have had to throw up just to get rid of the anger," Natsuko shouted as she rose to her full height of 5'10. She stalked forward as Takeru began to back away from the apartment. He made it to the front door before a surprisingly strong hand landed on his arm and threw him back into the apartment. He fell hard onto the coffee table, as he heard a series of clicks telling him that he was now locked in the apartment.

Takeru lifted his head, trying to distinguish where his O-Kaa-san was. A sudden pain in his left arm told him that she had been ahead of him. He yelped in pain as he was lifted cruelly into the air. His O-Kaa-san looked at him straight in the eyes as she snarled quietly. "Now, tell me exactly what Hida, Tsuneko-san was talking about when she said you and Iori where a 'couple'," Tsuneko's breath was putrid, as it had been stained by the alcohol. Takeru shivered violently as he willed himself to speak. "O-O-Kaa-chan... I was g-going to tell you once I k-knew how you would react...I just d-didn't want to surpris-" Takeru was cut off, as his O-Kaa-san flung him against the same wall she had flung her drink into. Takeru winced as the glass from his O-Kaa-sans drink sunk into his flesh.

Takeru screamed as a pointed shoe was forced under his ribs. His O-Kaa-san flipped him over easily, then bent down and hauled him into the air once again. "How in the hell could you disgrace this family like this? I already know about your 'O-Nii-san' and his little 'friend'. Did you really think I would want another of your kind in my family? I'd rather see you die out in the streets then have my name dragged through the mud with yours," At this, Natsuko punched Takeru hard in his stomach, forcing all of the air to rush out of the young boy. Takeru cried out as his O-Kaa-san pulled on his arm. He winced in pain as he felt his muscles being stretched to their limits. He could swear that he heard a sound like leaves being crushed, as his O-Kaa-san gave his arm one final tug.

Takeru's arm hung limply at his side as he was dumped back onto the ground. He stared up at the person he had come to know as a caring, protecting O-Kaa-san as she stalked towards him. He began kicking his legs wildly in a vain attempt to move away from her. He shrieked as another blow to his chest pushed the air and voice out of his body. Takeru shuddered violently as he tried to get some breath back into his body. He tried to curl himself into a ball as he hoped to deflect the coming blows. Instead, Takeru was left alone in silence as he felt his O-Kaa-san retreat. Takeru breathed a sigh of relief as he hoped she had come to her senses. His head shot up however as he heard a sharp cry. He scanned the room, looking for the origin of the noise.

Finally, Takeru looked towards his room. What he saw made his blood freeze, as he watched his O-Kaa-san dangle Patamon by one of his hind legs. He noticed that one leg was already twisted and looked unusable. Takeru screamed out hoarsely as he watched a wicked grin spread over his O-Kaa-sans face. "I thought you told me all your little adventures where over Takeru-kun? Why, prey tell, do you have this little thing still. Someone could end up crushing the little guy if he isn't careful," With this, Natsuko twisted one of Patamon's legs back till a sickening snap was heard. "Takeruuuuuuu," The small digimon wailed as it shuddered with pain.

Takeru finally found the strength to move as he launched himself at his O-Kaa-san. He managed to grab Patamon out of her hand as the small Digimon whimpered softly. Takeru avoided his O-Kaa-sans arm as it swept out in a wide arc. He stumbled backwards, and ended up tripping over the same table that he was thrown into at the start of the fight. As Takeru lay on the table, trying to surround Patamon with his own body, he felt the movement of his O-Kaa-san as she passed by him. He watched as she moved slowly and purposefully towards the front door. He listened as the same series of clicks alerted him to the fact that the apartment was now unlocked. He rose up, and looked at him questionably.

"I am going to say this only once, Takeru. You have three minutes to pack whatever you want from your room. After that, I want you to get the hell out of this apartment and out of my life. I will never acknowledge you again. I disown you from the Takaashi name. You have three minutes starting now, " with this she moved out of the way, going over to the same chair. Natsuko hefted a large bottle of some unidentifiable liquid and took a long drink from it. Takeru wasted no time as he used his one good arm to heft his weight up into a sitting position. He cradled Patamon as he limped quickly over to his room. He went into the bathroom immediately as he wanted to wash the blood from his chest. He made quick work with this, then went and packed two small shoulder bags full of clothes, his digivice and D-terminal and various toiletries. As he hefted the two bags (placing one over his now unusable arm) he began to move slowly out of the apartment. He stopped by his bed and hefted the now unconscious Patamon into his good arm.

Takeru moved out of the apartment without one look back. As he passed over the doorframe and finally exited his once home, he was greeted by the sound of the door being slammed behind him. A few seconds later the door clicked as it was locked. Takeru started to move towards the stairs before realizing that he could not rely on Iori to help him. < If I show up at Io's like this, he'll both know what happened and his O-Kaa-san might react similarly. I couldn't let that happen, > with this, Takeru moved to the elevator and waited for it to stop on his floor. After riding it down to the lobby, Takeru walked out of the apartment building, and out into the cold November day.

A/N: That took a lot to write. I hate hurting characters even when it is essential to the plot. Any ways... it will only go downhill in the next chapter as we watch Takeru try and make it on the streets of Odaiba.

Yoshiki.