"Explain to me, again, why you're following me?" TK sighed.

"Well, the science club decided to fumigate the school with mustard gas, and everyone had to evacuate to the soccer field. We can't practice with all those people there, so Yukari decided to cancel the club today," Davis responded. He juggled the soccer ball in his hands, building up enough to start bouncing it on his head.

"That still doesn't tell me why you're following me."

"'Cause, dude, everyone else is busy." Davis let the ball fall to the ground, kicking it along as they walked together.

"Then why don't you go to the Digital World and hang out with Veemon?" TK was starting to get desperate to get rid of the other boy.

"No way. What happens if we end up in a grand adventure and we have to kick some serious Digi-butt? With noone else around, how will Kari ever believe how awesome I was?" Davis struck a pose, almost tripping and falling on his face. He laughed at himself, grabbing the soccer ball and pausing as TK kept walking past his usual bus stop. "Hey, dude, what gives? I though you lived at Baypointe Mansions with Yolie and Cody?"

"I do. But this is my dad's weekend with me." TK sighed, hoping Davis would get the hint. "He's too busy to pick me up, so I'm walking to his complex."

"That's cool." Davis hurried to catch up with the blonde, resuming juggling the ball. TK groaned as Davis began a story about his and Veemon's latest attempts at adventure. He didn't want to come out and tell Davis to leave him alone, as that would probably send him into one of his "I'm so depressed and alone, nobody likes me, I'd better go fight something evil" moods that would inevitably lead him needing everyone to drop what they were doing to bail him out of trouble. But the closer they walked to his father's apartments complex, the more TK realized that Davis' story would probably never end. They were almost to the lobby and Davis was still talking about what he'd done before he'd even gotten to the Digital World.

The complex manager twinkled her fingers at TK as he passes, mentioning to to the pair she was talking to "what a nice, polite boy that TK is. I wish he lived here full time to show the other residents what calm is." TK smiled and waved back, trying to remember her name in case she called him over, but Davis continued assaulting him with words even as they entered the elevator.

"... and then Veemon was like, 'I didn't make that smell,' and the Monochromon was like, 'Well, what do you expect from something so green?' and I was like, 'But he's orange!'" Davis laughed and TK managed a strained grin. It sounded like the story was finally over. And just in time, too!

Davis opened his mouth, to yawn or talk or make some kind of noise, and TK quickly overrode him, announcing loudly, "Well, this is my stop! I'll see you later, Davis!"

Davis started, looking around like he wasn't sure where he was. "You said your dad's busy right?" TK nodded reluctantly. "Think I could come in and get something to drink? My throat's all dry and itchy for some reason."

TK bit back a scream. He was just too polite. "I think Matt said he bought some juice earlier."

"Awesome," Davis cheered as TK reluctantly unlocked the door. The brunette began babbling another story about something that began exactly like his other one as they removed their shoes. Matt's sneakers were there, revealing the fact that he'd skipped band practice again, and TK paused as he noticed the extra pair of not-quite-familiar loafers. Davis noticed too, balancing on one foot as he asked, "I thought you said your dad wasn't home?"

"Those aren't dad's," TK responded. "He doesn't own anything that nice."

TK put on his slippers and poked his head into the cramped living room to look around. Spread out on the small dining table that also served as the couch was his brother's schoolbag and several open chemistry books.

"Looks like a tutor's here," Davis said, waddling over in Malcolm's oversized slippers, as the guest pair was missing.

"That's odd," TK mused. "Matt never mentioned he needed tutoring. And where is he, anyway?"

"Think he stepped out?" Davis asked unhelpfully.

"His shoes wouldn't be here." TK put his hand to his mouth, ready to call his brother's name when an odd, strangled noise floated past the closed bedroom door. The sort of noise someone made when they were defeated and they knew it. Immediately, Davis was at TK's side, hissing almost excitedly, "Dude, you think it's a robber?"

"No way," TK replied, not really believing himself. "The door wouldn't be locked otherwise..."

"What if they wanted it to look that way? What if they came in, found your brother and tied him up so he wouldn't be in the way? We gotta save him!" Davis looked pumped to do something heroic.

TK wanted to shake his head, to tell Davis he was being dumb. But that little nagging voice in the back of his mind told him, "Davis might be right..."

"Let's take a look," TK whispered. "If we see someone, we'll call the cops, not go rushing in like fools."

Davis looked defeated, but nodded anyway. He'd find his chance to be a hero somewhere else. The two quietly snuck to the bedroom, TK cracking the door silently as they peeked inside.

Davis was right about one thing – Matt had indeed been tied up. But not by robbers.

TK slammed the door shut, almost talking Davis' nose off and ran out into the complex hallway, the brunette following and trying not to laugh. His face hotter than the sun, TK locked the main door behind him, staring past it to nothingness as Davis fell against the door frame, heaving with laughter.

"Good thing we didn't bust in there like I wanted," Davis managed to gasp after a minute. "I don't think they would have appreciated it."

TK could hear Davis talking somewhere in the back of his mind, but the only thing he could pay attention to was the image burned into his retains that he was desperately trying to forget. He could feel Davis pat him on the shoulder, and he distantly heard him say as he was led back to the elevator, "I think I saw some vending machines in the lobby. Let's go and let them finish up."

Joe paused, pulling away from Matt reluctantly. The blonde pulled against his bonds, squeezing Joe's hips with his thighs.

"You didn't hear that?"

Matt blinked the lusty haze from his eyes, choosing to glare at his boyfriend instead of respond. Joe grabbed his glasses with trembling hands, smudging the lenses, and looking at the alarm clock, half buried under an in-way pillow. 4:30.

"Hey, wasn't TK supposed to visit today? What time was he supposed to be here?"

Matt turned his head as best he could to try and focus on the clock. Even through the gag, his response was clear.

"Shit."