Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Princeling ❯ 4 ( Chapter 4 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Teena: *pout* Lemon all gone. Oh well. Now we have to do plot stuff.
...Lemon is much more fun than plot. I need to learn how to write
plotless fics. Why can't I do that?

Taichi: I would say your artistic integrity, but I don't think you have
any. Hey, what about Producers?

Teena: ...I guess that might qualify as plotless... I'm not sure. Well,
whatever.

Yamato: ...Just write, Teena. Taichi, don't encourage her to ramble.


Princeling
Part 4


Slowly, Ken stirred, opening his eyes with a faint sigh. A small smile
curved his lips as he looked at Daisuke's sleeping face, before it fell
away as he gasped.

"Wormmon! Daisuke, wake up, please!"

"Aaargh... M'tired," Daisuke complained, yawning. "What's it, Ken-chan?"

"Daisuke, what about Wormmon? It's been a long time, he must be worried
sick!"

"Oh, yeah," Daisuke replied, starting to wake up. "Hold on. ELECMON!"

Moments later, the door opened just enough to admit an irritated looking
Elecmon. "You bellowed, your Kaizership?"

"Cut the crap, Elecmon. How's Wormmon doing?"

"He's been yelling for 'Ken-chan' ever since he woke up. He's fine. The
Gazimon who went in to feed him is still picking Sticky Net out of his
fur, though."

"Ah, geez, I should've warned you... Tell him I'm sorry, okay?"

"Right. Oh, and there's a bath waiting in the next room. You both seem
to need one," Elecmon replied, looking them over critically. Daisuke
nodded and waved him off.

"Right, thanks. Can you get our clothes washed and grab some spares?"

"Of course," Elecmon replied, rolling his eyes. "Then I have to go to
the kitchen and make sure the Veggiemon aren't messing up dinner, see
if the cleaning 'mon are working instead of slacking, AND clean the
control room, since I'm the only 'mon you let in there."

"Great," Daisuke said with a wide grin. "Better get to it."

Elecmon fluffed his tail irritably, then turned and walked out, muttering
to himself. Daisuke chuckled and turned to Ken, who was sitting on the
bed with an amazed expression. Daisuke shrugged.

"He's always hinting about being overworked. The only way to deal with
him is to act totally clueless."

"I don't understand," Ken said, looking at Daisuke, bewildered. "He
didn't have a ring or spiral on, and he was talking back to you with
no fear at all."

"That's part of what I need to explain to you," Daisuke said, smiling
gently. "The spirals are really only for hard to control or new Digimon.
After a while, they can come off, and the Digimon stay willingly. I'm
not a despot, Ken. I'm taking over, yes, but as a ruler, not a tyrant."

"Then Elecmon..."

"Elecmon stays because he wants to. And because he's a mother hen. He
thinks I can't take care of myself. He handles all the household stuff
around here. He's the only one who can talk to me like that, because
I don't know what I'd do without him. Come on, let's get that bath,
then you can see Wormmon."

Ken glanced at him, then looked down at the shackles pointedly. Daisuke
flushed faintly, then picked up his discarded clothes, pulling a key out
of the pocket. He walked over to the bed and started unlocking Ken.

"Sorry, believe it or not, I forgot. Hey, nobody's perfect, right?"

Ken sighed as he rubbed his wrists, standing up. "Let's go get that
bath..."

Daisuke grinned, heading over to a door Ken hadn't noticed. "Right
through here, Ken. Oh, and the tub's big enough for both of us."

Ken bit his lip lightly, watching his lover walk naked through the door.
He followed him, shaking his head. "JUST a bath, Daisuke, I want to see
Wormmon."

"Spoilsport," Daisuke shot back as he sank into the tub, pouting. Ken
laughed, settling on the opposite side.

"No, just responsible."

"Same difference," Daisuke said airily, soaping a washcloth. Ken got his
own, frowning.

"If you believed that, you wouldn't be trying to rule the digital world.
A tyrant can be irresponsible, but not a ruler."

"Go ahead, spoil my comfortable facade. Yeah, you're right, but I don't
always mean that sort of thing, you should know that by now. You don't
have to give me a lecture."

"I'm sorry," Ken said quickly, downcast. "I should have known better.
It's just... I thought I knew you, then you turned around and started
this, and I felt like I didn't know you at all. Now... It's like you're
totally different, but still the same."

"I am," Daisuke said with a shrug. "It's not your fault I couldn't let
anyone see the real me. But the important stuff hasn't changed. All the
things that are different were just superficial. And you can't tell me
you don't know that. You've always known there was more to me than what
everyone saw. I know you have."

"...You're right. I have. I've always known the other Digidestined had
no idea what you were really capable of. I never understood how they
could miss it. I still don't."

"They missed it because they couldn't believe it was there. That's all
it is," Daisuke said, faint disgust in his voice as he finished cleaning
up. "If you're done, we can get dressed and go now."

Ken nodded and wrung out his washcloth, tossing it over the side of the
tub. "Let's go."

Daisuke led him back into the bedroom, where two stacks of clothes were
sitting on the bed. Daisuke tossed Ken a grin. "Elecmon, the Kido Jyou
of the digital world."

Ken laughed as he picked up the clothes that weren't black leather.
The laugh cut off as he unfolded the clothes and stared at them. "You
want me to wear this?"

"It'll look great on you," Daisuke wheedled as he shimmied into his
own clothes. Ken glared at him.

"So? What is this, spandex?"

"Yep," Daisuke agreed cheerfully. "And the shirt's silk. Don't you trust
me, Ken-chan?"

"Love? Yes. Trust? Not a chance, Motomiya," Ken remarked dryly. "I'm not
wearing this."

"You don't have anything else TO wear," Daisuke pointed out cheerfully.
"That's the only thing I had made up in your size, and your own clothes
are being washed. Personally, I have no objections if you wanna wander
around naked, but I'm not sure YOU want to visit Wormmon like that."

"I'm not sure I like your new logical ability," Ken muttered snappishly,
pulling the clothes on. As he fastened the belt around his waist, he
noticed a snap-fastened loop on one side. A faint blush spread on his
face as he realized what it must be for. "Exactly how long have you had
this outfit waiting for me?"

"'Bout a week," Daisuke answered, after a pause for thought. "I just
hadn't gotten around to getting the whip yet."

"Oh," Ken said almost inaudibly, brushing some stray hair back from his
face. "Uh, right... Can we go now?"

"No problem," Daisuke told him as he fastened his cape around his neck.
"Wormmon isn't very far, I specifically told them to make sure he was
put near your room. He's actually just down the hall."

Ken walked over to the door and took hold of the knob, then paused.
"I almost forgot... I don't really have free run, do I?"

"Actually, in the immediate area, you do. I made very sure there aren't
any secret doors or passages around, and there are guards posted at the
exits into the complicated areas. Uh, no offense..."

"It's okay. I understand, Daisuke, really," Ken said softly. "You're
treating me better than I did you..."

"Don't guilt at me, Ken. You aren't the Kaizer anymore. Hell, I'M not
the Kaizer, Elecmon just calls me that because it pisses me off. So,
are you going to stand there and wallow, or are we going to go see your
poor frantic partner?"

Ken flushed as he was reminded that Wormmon was probably worried sick,
then nodded and opened the door, stepping out into the hall. Daisuke
slipped out behind him, then pointed to a few doors down, where a
Meramon was standing guard, chatting with a pissed-looking Gazimon.
As the two boys approached, the Digimon stopped talking and bowed,
their eyes flicking to Ken for just a second. Ken could have sworn he
saw amusement there.

"Hi, guys. Um, look, Gazimon, about your fur..." Daisuke started. Gazimon
waved a paw dismissively.

"It's not a problem, my prince. Most of it's out, and Elecmon suggested
a type of soap that should get rid of the rest. Besides," Gazimon added
with a grin. "You got him to wear it. Gotsumon owes me twenty bucks now."

"You guys will bet on anything, won't you?" Daisuke asked, laughing.
Gazimon shrugged.

"It passes the time. Meramon had the same bet with one of the Veggiemon."

Daisuke groaned. "Okay, okay, just let us in, would you? I should know
better than to ask by now."

Meramon and Gazimon stood aside, letting the two boys through. As they
walked through the door, Ken leaned closer to Daisuke. "My prince?"

Daisuke turned faintly red. "Totally NOT my idea... I brought the book
and some of them saw it, they decided it was a good thing to call me."

"KEN-CHAN!!"

Ken only had a second to brace himself before he was hit with several
pounds of frantic bug Digimon. Wormmon wriggled happily, his joy at being
reunited with his partner practically touchable.

"Ken-chan, I was so worried about you! Are you okay? That Gazimon that
came in here wouldn't answer any of my questions!"

Ken hugged his partner gently, smiling. "I'm fine, honestly. I'm glad
to see you, too."

Ken barely caught the flash of concealed pain in Daisuke's eyes as he
looked up. He frowned faintly, concerned, but his attention was caught
by Wormmon's angry yell as the little Digimon registered Daisuke's
presence.

"What are you doing here?! You'd better not try to hurt my Ken-chan!"

Ken quickly tightened his grip on his partner to keep him from going
after Daisuke. "Wormmon, it's all right! He hasn't hurt me, he isn't
GOING to hurt me! It's not how it looks!"

Wormmon blinked and relaxed a little. "It's not?"

"No, it's not," Ken assured him.

"Oh. That's alright, then," Wormmon replied, settling down. "So he's
not trying to take over the digital world?"

"Well... Actually, he is..."


tbc...


Teena: We'll let Ken explain, shall we? He's so much better at it than
me.

Yamato: You just don't feel like writing it again, in different words,
with Ken's spin on the whole business. It's too much work for you.

Teena: Well, yeah, but wasn't my way of saying it so much nicer?

Yamato: *rolls his eyes* Whatever.