Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Weak and Powerless ❯ Wounds Reopened ( Chapter 5 )

Warning: This is a story that involves shounen ai relations, rape & child-abuse. If you can't handle any of that, then I advise you hit your back button quickly.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, or Digimon in any way, shape or form. If I did, I wouldn't be working to buy a CD player for my car. Digimon belongs to their respective owners, I just happen to own the idea.

Author's Note: All reviews are greatly appreciated. Flames are publicly humiliated on my message board. You have been warned. Also, my apologies for this update taking so long. Last week was finals week, and I'm just now finding time to write on my day off. *huggles Katie* Thanks for the support hun - keep rocking! Now, onto the story!

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+ Wounds Reopened +

Takuya shifted in his sleep, a pleasant aroma enticing his taste buds. He opened an eye slowly, looking around the living room. Kouji lay beneath him, curled up against the brunette's bare chest. A flannel blanket was draped over the pair. `Shinya?' he wondered, sitting up carefully. As Takuya sat up, Kouji moaned in protest, blindly wrapping his pale arms around his koi's waist. Laughing softly, the ex-goggled one kissed his lover lightly. "Wake up, love. Shinya made us breakfast."

"Mmm. . .breakfast?" the midnight-coifed boy murmured, opening his navy blues. Takuya nodded, "Shinya's in the kitchen, making a five-star breakfast it seems." They smiled at each other, both sitting up, grabbing at the blanket. It was only big enough for one of them. "Hey, he's seen you naked before!" Kouji protested, tugging on the flannel cover. "What's your point? It never becomes less awkward!" Takuya retorted, tugging harder. "So, he's your brother!" "Oh, so Kouichi's seen you naked?" "Well, yeah. . .You can't say Shinya hasn't!" "He has. . ." "That's what I thought!" Kouji tugged really hard, throwing the brunette off balance. The two toppled to the floor, Takuya landing on Kouji's nude body. They just looked at each other, and began to laugh hysterically, tears running down their cheeks. Shinya poked his head into the living room, cracking a smile as he spotted the pair, tangled up in each other and the blanket, both laughing like fools. `They're too perfect for each other. . .' the younger boy thought as he turned his attention back to the pancakes. "Breakfast is ready!" Shinya called over his shoulder, smiling even wider as he heard the lovers curse and scramble to Takuya's room for something suitable to make an appearance in.

Moments later, the older teens slid into the kitchen in their sock feet, still poking fun at each other. Shinya eyed them, shaking his head as he set the towering plate of pancakes in the center of the small table. Scattered around the pancake centerpiece were plates of ham, bacon, eggs done in 3 different ways and toast, along with syrup, butter, salt, pepper, and ketchup. Takuya and Kouji dug in instantly, Shinya watching in awe as they packed away plate after plate of the wonderful food. He nibbled on some bacon here, a little bit of egg there, but the lovers stuffed their faces with double helpings of everything.

"Man, okaasan never cooked this good!" Takuya groaned as he pushed back from the table. A somber silence gathered over the trio and the brunette bit his lip, knowing he'd said something wrong. Then Shinya smiled, and Kouji even laughed softly. Takuya looked around at his brother and then his friend, then smiled himself. They started reliving old memories of the Kanbara parents, shaking with laughter and tears. Hours passed, and the three were on the floor, sitting close to each other, the brothers leaning against Kouji. `It appears I'm the one who's going to keep them together,' he thought, smiling as he kissed Takuya and Shinya on the forehead. Identical smiles graced their lips and they snuggled closer. The dark-haired boy stroked their hair, not saying a word. Words were completely unnecessary now. They would all heal . . . slowly, but they would heal. Their wounds would scab and most likely scar. But the Kanbara brothers would be that much stronger. Kouji couldn't bring himself to even consider what could hurt them more.

`No more tragedy. . .please. They can't handle anything more. Not right now. Not ever. What did they do to deserve this?' Kouji wondered, biting his lip in thought as he hugged Takuya and Shinya tightly. He looked down and saw their eyes were shut, their breathing slow and even. He shook his head and smiled. He gently laid Takuya down on the floor and picked up Shinya, taking the younger boy to his room. Placing the boy on the bed, he kissed his forehead, and tucked him in, smiling. `So this is what it's like to have a younger brother. . .' he sighed softly, thinking about Kouichi. Turning on his heel, he returned to the kitchen on silent feet. Takuya was right where he had left him, except he had curled up on his side, his arms close to his chest. `It's almost like I'm the adult here. I guess I kind of am.' Kouji knelt beside the brunette, but couldn't bare to disturb him. So he sat there, and watched over his lover as he slept. The hours flew by, the apartment silent except for the breathing of the three teens. Still, Kouji sat beside Takuya's sleeping form, watching all the while.

A noise came from Shinya's room, and Kouji's heart skipped a beat. "Shinya?" he whispered as he leapt to his feet. Running through the living room and up the stairs, he took a hard right, right to the young boy's room. He threw open the door, his body automatically taking on a fighting stance. The jagged-coifed youth lay on his bed, tangled in his own sheets. His face was slick with sweat, his skin deathly pale. "Shinya!" Kouji cried, darting to the bed, placing a trembling hand against his forehead. The 15-year-old boy was shaking violently, his eyes closed in pain. He mumbled in his sickened state, words that the older teen had never heard before. "Shinya. . .wake up, Shinya. Please, wake up!" His own voice sounded harsh in his ears as he pulled the teen into his arms. Kouji held on even as he struggled against his hold. Moments passed, and soon Shinya lay still in the boy's arms. Takuya's worried voice reached the protective teen's ears. "It happened again, didn't it?" Unsure of what "it" was, Kouji merely nodded. The brunette sighed, and stepped into the room. His eyes were red with tears, it was obvious that he knew what was ailing Shinya. "What is it? What's wrong with him?" Kouji asked, his voice strained with worry and grief.

The brunette teen took a deep breath. Exhaling, his body shuddered; he was trying to fight back the tears. "Kouji. . .Shinya. . .Shinya's. . .he's very sick. No one knows. . .what's wrong exactly. Some doctors have said. . .cancer. Others say. . .epilepsy." Takuya looked up, his eyes dark with pain. "Okaasan used to hold him when it happened. . .he would soon quiet down and go back to sleep. . .One time. . .he didn't wake back up. . .he slipped into a coma. I was 8 at the time. . .it was the scariest thing. The doctors can't help him. . .they've tried medications. . .they only made him worse." He sighed. "We don't know what to do. . .he might die tomorrow. . .he could live to be 103. We just don't know." His voice broke then, and he let out a sob of despair. "Kouji. . .I can't lose him! I just can't. . ." The older boy took his crying koi into his arms, and held him, watching Shinya over his koi's shoulder, ready to grab the boy if he began to shake again. Slowly, color returned to his cheeks, and his eyes fluttered open. "Takuya? Kouji? What's the matter?" Takuya's head jerked up, and he smiled when he saw his brother. "Shinya!" he cried, pulling the younger boy into a crushing embrace. A surprised look crossed the 15-year-old's face as he wrapped his arms around his older brother, and kissed his cheek. "It happened again? I'm sorry," he whispered. Takuya just kissed his brother's cheek in reply. "I'm glad you're okay."

Kouji shook his head, a soft smile on his face as he stood. He slipped out of the room, and headed back downstairs. He wrote a quick note to the brothers, and then left. Hands shoved in his pockets, he took a familiar walk. His feet knew the way well, and soon he stood upon his own front step. Opening the door slowly, he crept up to Kouichi's room. The boy was in bed, curled up as best as he could be with his cast. The younger twin slid into bed next to his own brother, draping an arm over the shorter-haired twin's stomach. Kouichi snuggled closer to his twin, and Kouji smiled as he closed his eyes. "I love you. . .brother."