Warning, warning!! EXTREME fluff alert!! Looking for actual plot may cause you to actually go insane…and it's probably more likely to rot your teeth than an entire birthday cake. Other than that, s1ncer1ty-san, this is for you! Happy (VERY) belated birthday!!

Yeah, this is nothing more than WaFF, but I had SO much fun writing it that I hope I'll be forgiven. Told from Jyou's POV.

Well, I feel like a complete idiot.

I mean, I've felt pretty idiotic at various times in my life, but I'd have to say that this is pretty much near the top of the list when it comes to all the times I've felt like a moron.

Right now I can't see more than five inches in front of my face. My current companions look like three vaguely humanoid-shaped smears. Of course, they could be brightly colored trees. That's the problem; I can't tell.

"I don't think we're going to find them…" The first smear finally says. Talking brightly colored trees…just what I need.

"Jyou-san…daijoubu desu ka?" That would be the Iori-kun smear, clutching my coattail nervously. I work up a smile and beam it in his general direction, but to tell the truth, I've been better. Much better. For some strange reason the Iori-kun shaped blur, from what I can tell, turns tomato red…I wonder if what Takeru-kun told me is true…that Iori-kun has a crush on me.

Now you're being ridiculous, Jyou. Nobody here likes you, least of all Iori-kun.

"Oniichan, I really don't think we're going to find them." Takeru-kun blur says, only to have a grunt tossed his direction as the sound of a person digging through mounds of leaves continues.

"Really Yamato," I exclaim, wondering in the back of my mind WHY he's going to all this trouble for a clumsy guy like me. "It's okay…you don't have to keep on looking."

A clumsy stupid guy, who out of all the crap he drags to the Digital World on occasion, forgets an extra pair of glasses. And then, trips and has them go flying off to god-knows-where in the middle of a dark and dank forest. I thought I had outgrown my clumsiness, but every-so-often it likes to rear its mortifying little head to say "nyaa nyaa! Klutz, klutz!".

I had to say that I was a bit surprised when I got a phone call from Yamato inviting me along with Takeru-kun and Iori-kun on a quick jaunt to the Digital World. I personally think it was more of Iori-kun's idea than the other two.

Don't get me wrong, out of all the others, I'd have to say that I feel closest to Yamato…but I've never been sure that he shares the same feeling of understanding that I do. Who knows…maybe he still feels irritated by my presence, like that one time when we were both stuck in that diner together.

Except…except…

He seemed so happy to see me when I went after him after he split from the group—Yamato isn't the type of person who will greet you with a huge smile on their face, it takes a lot to get him to grin—but I could just tell he was happy to see me. And even before that, he didn't seem to mind my protective feelings towards Takeru-kun (to tell the truth, I've always wanted a little brother…) like he did Taichi's.

But I don't really know. I've tried to be there for him if he's ever really needed me, but I can't really tell if he'll ever need me in the first place.

I haven't really been able to spend time with him lately…and he and Taichi seem pretty close.

And there was that one deal with Sora-kun giving him cookies on Christmas Eve.

But it's not as if that has anything to do with me. Why should I care who gives Yamato cookies? Heck for all I know, he could be going out with Gabumon!

This is getting me nowhere. I mean, if anyone could hear my thoughts right now, they'd probably think I was in love with the guy…or in the very least, a bit obsessive.

So anyway, I got a call from Yamato inviting me along. I'm really happy that Takeru-kun and Iori-kun jogressed together, and I think that was the reason they wanted to just go to the Digital World to relax, without the rest of the group. When all the other get together, it seems like there's something that needs to be done, some danger to be met…we never really get to go there and have some down time.

"Come on," I try again, "I'll be fine. Really!"

I hear the sound of leaves crackling as he stands up slowly.

"Are you sure?" His voice is dubious, and for some odd reason it infuriates me. I've already been through enough today; haven't I made enough of a fool out of myself already? I don't need his help. I can take care of myself! Hell, I'm older than he is, there's no reason to treat me like I'm two years old.

Even if that's the way I feel around him sometimes. It's like…well, he's so graceful, and he's always sure of himself. And me…I'm just a klutz. Sure, I've gotten better, but my natural clumsiness always seems to get ten times worse whenever I'm around him. I can hardly remember how to breathe…

It frustrates me.

"I don't need you to take care of me." My voice is harsh. I can't help but remember the whole incident in the diner. I must be really pathetic for him to leave his little brother just to make sure I don't end up killing myself in the kitchen. Death by scalding while doing the dishes, perhaps. Did he really think I was going to get into that much trouble if he went away for a couple of hours to bring Takeru-kun back?

Why else would he stay with me?

"Doesn't look that way to me." He's angry too now, I can tell. Yamato always did have a lightning quick temper.

But that's not fair. It's my turn to be upset now.

"Humph. Looks like I'm not the one who needs glasses then!" I throw back at his vague shape. I think it's him, at least. I hope it's him…I don't want to get Takeru-kun and Iori-kun involved in this.

Those two are utterly silent; I can't blame them. Yamato and I must look like morons, yelling at eachother. Or, in my case, in his general direction.

"I'm just trying to help!" He responds hotly. Is that a tinge of hurt I hear in his tone?

"I'm not some little kid, Yamato! I don't need you to kiss my knee when I scrape it." This is going deeper than some hunt for lost glasses, I distantly realize.

God, I feel so useless when you're around. I'm the oldest, right? Shouldn't I be the one protecting you…the group? Instead, I've always felt like I was a liability…not good at anything. Completely worthless.

I take the chance to stalk away, inwardly praying that I don't end up smacking into some tree and making myself look like the biggest loser on Earth.

And I don't smack into a tree. I end up doing something much more humiliating.

I fall off a cliff.

It wasn't a big one, mind you. In fact, it's more like a steep hill than anything else, but I still end up sprawling down the muddy slope head over heels and landing rear-first into a muddy puddle. I can feel the mucky water seeping through my pants as I sit there, at a loss as to what just happened. A flash of color to my right, and laughter soon assails my ears.

Red-hot anger builds up to super-nova intensity, before abruptly defusing. I see a mental picture of myself, sprawled in some muddy ditch, with an utterly bewildered expression on my face…and I just have to laugh.

Still…

"And what are you laughing at?!" I ask, before making a quick swipe with my right arm. A yelp and a quick expletive later, and Yamato has joined me in the icky mess. I scoot up so I'm close enough to see his face before smiling evilly. "Now, that's funny!" I exclaim, giggling harder.

"Dammit, Jyou!" This time I can tell he's not really angry, though. He has too much amusement in his tone. "This is a brand new outfit!"

"Not anymore!" To emphasize my remark, I splash him with the grimy water, noting the outraged growl he unleashes with mirth.

"Kono yarou…" He tackles me, pushing me back forcefully until I can feel the mud oozing through my hair. "I swear, if I didn't like you so much—"

Everything stops, as if someone had just hit pause on a remote control.

"L-like…?" I echo. He lets me up abruptly, sitting back in the ditch and refusing to meet my gaze.

"Yeah…" He finally says. His shirt is soaked through with the dirty water; he looks like nothing more than a five year-old who's been caught playing in the mud and is waiting to be chastised by his mom.

"What about Taichi?" I'm incredulous.

"What about him?"

"Well, you two have always seemed so close…and…"

"We're friends." He explains. "Geez, isn't a guy allowed to have a few friends without anybody assuming that they're lip-locking in private too?"

I suppose, judging be his reaction, that this isn't the first time he's been asked that question about Taichi.

"Sora-kun?"

"No."

"Mimi-kun?"

"Oh, c'mon! Now we're getting ridiculous! When was the last time I've spent five minutes alone with her?!"

He holds up a hand to forestall any more questions, probably expecting me to go through the whole roster of Chosen Children and then begin on all the kids we've known since preschool.

"Why do you think I invited you to go along today in the first place?"

It was his idea?

"It's hard enough finding excuses to spend time with you. You seem to go out of your way to make yourself unavailable…"

"It's not my fault I have juku!"

He opens his mouth to say something, but quickly snaps it shut again. When he does speak, I'm surprised at how soft his tone is.

"Hey Jyou, do you remember that one night in the Digital World? When you sat up with me on my watch and we named all those new constellations? You knew I was worried about Takeru…he hadn't been feeling well. But you didn't push me; you just sat there with me…didn't try to make me talk or anything. You were just…there…"

Yeah, I remember that night. I remember a lot of things from the Digital World that are just starting to make sense this very second.

I think I understand what Yamato is trying to say…

I think I've understood for a very long time.

***

The two younger boys stared down at the scene below from their perch on top of the rise.

"Hmm, I think I'm a bit to young to watch this…" Iori said in a slightly dry tone. Takeru chuckled before motioning to the other boy.

"Well, come on. Let's take our virgin eyes elsewhere, Iori-kun, and give the two lovebirds a bit of privacy."

Iori nodded in agreement before following the older boy to the edge of the forest, a slight smile touching his lips.

owari