Operation: Takari PI

Done!

I was sidetracked? Um, yes. We had this pile of stuff that prevented me last week. Well, it's here now.

Phase 10: Epilogue. With Daisuke it began, and with Daisuke it ends.

They were happy. They were so beautifully, dazzlingly happy it almost hurt to watch.

But Daisuke smiled because this is the way it was meant to be. Something bigger than he could ever grasp and now... now it was perfect for them.

Now they are whole in themselves, and in each other.

Hikari looked bright again, her smile dazzling and happy. They were closer than ever; staying together at any given opportunity. They had yet to fight, though teasing was a common occurence.

And more than even that, they preferred to tease other people.

Like Daisuke.

Daisuke groaned; Just today, the two had decided to set him up via mysterious note.

He'd ended up crashing a date between Miyako and Ken. Neither had been amused, and he'd had to run for his life.

But they were happy, and Daisuke was truly glad for them.

"Maybe it's my turn now?" he asked the blue sky hopefully, as he lay sprawled on the grass.

"Your turn to what?" a soft voice asked, giggling at how Daisuke whipped around to her direction. "Daisuke, it's been a while."

He growled menacingly. "Don't give me that," he hissed, fists clenched tightly for a few heartbeats before he loosed them and they fell back to his sides. "That was mean," he complained. "You guys don't play fair. And Takeru, come out. I know you're there. The two of you are practically joined at the hip."

Takeru, satisfyingly enough for his injured pride, did come out, Patamon still in his arms.

The blonde smiled sheepishly. "Hi Daisuke, what a coincidence?" he let the statement hang, and he was obviously guilty, and he knew it. And he knew Daisuke knew it.

Daisuke groaned. "Just... stop. Please."

Hikari blinked teasingly. "Stop what?"

"Stop playing innocent." The two just laughed at him. "Hey!" he complained.

Hikari giggled. "Alright, Daisuke..."

"Why're you here, anyways?"

Takeru smiled at him with the infinite patience that had to be saint-based. "We're here to thank you, Daisuke."

Daisuke raised an eyebrow. "Oh? I would never have thought that to be the reason you came considering what you two made me go through."

Hikari grinned unrepentantly. "That was your own fault, Daisuke." Her face softened to a smile. "But we are grateful. Thank you, Daisuke."

Tailmon and Patamon laughed at Daisuke, who's seemed to be the universal source of amusement, his eyes wide, mouth gaping and jaw slack.

Ki ga tsuku to kimi no koto wo miteru

Naname ushiro no ni tatta mama

Kimi no kokoro no fookasu boku ni

Atte iru ka na?

Before I know it, I'm watching you

Still standing diagonally behind you

Am I the focus of your heart?

Takeru watched Hikari from the door. She didn't notice him yet, but then, no one else did, save the teacher.

He had been debating whether or not to study in this school, wonder if he should meet Hikari again, whether he should be so close.

It might be awkward, he knew, because he had left his best friend without an adequate farewell. He ended up leaving Yamato to tell Taichi to tell Hikari that he was gone.

He also told his brother to tell her brother to tell her that he'd try to return.

Ultimately, it was that indirect promise that led him to be standing outside her classroom door, ready to be a part of her life again.

Chiisana koro kara bokura wa issho datta ne

Hashitte, koronde itsu demo waratta

We've been together since we were small

Running and falling, we were always laughing

Hikari laughed as Takeru gagged and spat out sand. He grimaced, and Hikari wanted to tease him. They were eight, and happy.

"Taichi already warned us not to go running with our mouths open in the beach."

Takeru grinned at his new best friend. "I'll bet he learned that the hard way."

Hikari laughed. Knowing her brother... "Probably..."

Ima demo otona ja nai kedo ano koro yori bokura mo

Tooku hashireru yo ne

I'm not grown up yet, but now I can

Run farther than I used to

Takeru was holding Hikari's hand firmly, tight, but not uncomfortably so. They were running, feeling the wind on their faces and wishing that the moment would never end.

It did, as all moments do.

But Takeru never forgot how Hikari looked when he had looked back at her, hair whipping about her face, eyes closed and a smile on her lips.

Hikari never forgot how his hand felt on hers.

Ki ga tsukazu ni ireba yokatta koto dakedo ne

Ki ni narun da kimi no koto

It would be better if I'd never noticed, but

I can't get you off my mind

Sometimes, Takeru wished he'd never gone back to Odaiba. Of course, those moments were never long; there was too much that happened that he cherished...

But he always remembered that if he'd never gone back and he'd never have met Hikari face to face again.

If that'd happened, then he wouldn't risk hurting her. Ever.

Then he always remembered that Hikari's encounter with Darkness without Hope might not have run the way it did if he wasn't around.

And how they met again, which is a moment he remembers clearly, engraved into his heart.

Naite bakari ita kimi ga ima wa

Hikari no naka de tatte iru

Kimi no kokoro no fookasu dare ni

Atte iru no ka sore dake

Shiritain da

You used to cry all the time

Now you're standing in the light

All I want to know is

Who is the focus of your heart?

She looked so much stronger when he met her again than she had all those years ago. And she looked so much livelier.

And when they talked once again, it was like they had never been apart, and Takeru knew coming back was worth it, and put all his doubts aside.

Donna ni senobi wo shitatte todokanakatta

Ano hi no tobira ga ima de wa hirakeru

No matter how much I stretched, I couldn't reach

But now I can open that door

At first they were always the 'babies' in their group. Sometimes more mature than their elders, but most of the time they were frightened eight year olds pushed into a frightening, terrifying, situation.

About three years later, it was they who were the seasoned veterans and Daisuke, Miyako, and Iori the newcomers.

Takeru was the most experienced one, having been there from the start, but he knew Hikari was just as tied to the Digital World as he was.

The second time around, they were no longer the frightened children they had been.

They loved the Digital World. They've made friends there, they've belong to the world as much as the world belonged to them.

Honto wa tsutaetai koto ga takusan aru keredo ne

Umaku ienain da

The truth is I have a lot of things I want to tell you, but

It won't come out right

Takeru knew he wasn't the most eloquent speaker, and he knew that sometimes, he was not the master of tact and that the only thing that saved him is his usual lack of temper.

And he knew that it was true that there was a lot of things he wanted to tell Hikari... Things that never really sounded they way he meant them, but... but it was alright.

If only for the reason that Hikari didn't mind and that she seemed to understand, somehow, that he did not mean it that way.

Mamorarete bakari no bokutachi datta keredo

Boku ga mamoritai mono wa

We were always protected

But now the one I want to protect is...

He remembers Yamato protecting him. He remembers Taichi protecting Hikari. He remembers their brothers being so overprotected it was as if they were like fragile glass.

He remembers Sora being motherly to the two small children and he remembers his promise.

He also remembers that he intended to keep that promise long before he even made it.

He would protect Hikari, whether she knew it or not, whether she appreciated it or not.

Ki ga tsuku to kimi no koto wo miteru

Naname ushiro ni tatta mama

Kimi no kokoro no fookasu boku ni

Atte iru ka na? Sore tomo

Kikenai yo ne

Before I know it, I'm watching you

Still standing diagonally behind you

Am I the focus of your heart? Or...

I can't ask

Takeru watched Hikari laughing, smiling. A sunny expression lit her features and her garnet eyes sparkled.

He did nothing, just watched her, as he had for a long time. He could see the contour of her face from his position, could see the brightness in her every action.

She turned to him, her eyes shining with something he couldn't fully identify. He smiled at her, and her face practically shone.

Naite bakari ita kimi ga ima wa

Hikari no naka de tatte iru

Kimi no kokoro no fookasu dare ni

Atte iru no ka sore dake

Shiritain da

You used to cry all the time

Now you're standing in the light

All I want to know is

Who is the focus of your heart?

Hikari used to be the scared little girl, frail and sick. Takeru remembers watching over her while she was ill.

He remembers trying his best to protect her, he remembers playing with her, and he remembers that he wanted to protect her. Whatever it took, to be stronger. To help her become strong for herself.

Now, they were stronger than back then. Now, they could defend themselves. Now, they could be.

"Aishiteru, Hikari."

Daisuke opened his mouth to speak. "You mean... You mean you won't bully me any more?" His eyes sparkled hopefully.

Hikari giggled. "What made you think that, silly? I just said thank you..."

Daisuke turned his eyes heavenwards and let out a wordless wail.

Why? He thought, feeling completely cheated. Why him?

On a sidenote to the part where Takeru remembers how he told Yamato to tell Taichi to tell Hikari, I feel that it is necessary to point out that yes, Yamato knew before Hikari found out that Takeru was back, and yes, Yamato did tell Taichi before Takeru enrolled in Hikari's school.

However, it must also be known that Taichi was sworn to secrecy and had to make do with meeting Yamato one day, and laughing himself silly about the good old days and about the ironies of the present.

End

Would 'I couldn't resist' cover my usage of Focus? I finally found it, and listened to it. To be fair, I didn't really love the tune (Hajimari no Kaze and Anna ni Issho leave it behind for me), but the message? I fell in love with the lyrics years ago, and I couldn't resist adding it in the epilogue.

It's actually done! I swear, I'm really sorry that this is one week late, but hey, I think I updated twice the first week, making this my ten week project. (I actually finished a multi-chap story this year!)

I might write for Takari again, provided I find a plot bunny and catch it, hopefully with something less random and something I can truly consider worth this fandom. Because, diappointments aside, Takari should be.

On a side note, thank you for all the support, mental or electronic, that you have given me this past few weeks. I am heartily sorry for all the abuse I've put Daisuke under, but hey, he's that easy, right?