Author: Rae

Title: Double Trouble

Dedicated to Mini-me, who wanted a Daishiro/Kenkeru

Dealing with the RatPack

Daisuke grinned, eyeing his best friend with ill-concealed mischief. "No, Daisuke."

"Please, Ken? With sugary gumdrops on top?" The redhead bit his lip pleadingly, his eyes wide and pathetic. Ken was on the verge of giving in when he saw the triumph on his friend's face.

"No." He turned away, ignoring the hurt look on Daisuke's face. "Stop trying to sucker me into this. You made the mess, now lay in it."

"That is so cold. I can't believe you won't help me with this. You could tutor me instead of Koushiro, and then I wouldn't have to worry about him looking down on me."

The blue-haired genius sighed. "He won't look down on you, Dai. He's a nice guy. I should know. We've spoken several times."

"Yeah, but you're smart like he is. You don't have to worry about him thinking you're dumb."

"Why the big worry, Dai? Why is it so important that he see you in a good light?"

Brown eyes widened, and the redhead looked away. "It's not."

______________________

"Hey, Takeru?" The blonde turned, watching with an apprehensive look as Daisuke toed the dirt at their feet.

"You got my name right. What do you want?" They were on the sidewalk outside of the school, waiting for rides from their siblings. "And don't think for a minute that I won't say no, either. You only sidle up to me when you want something. I have no money, and no food. Or does this have something to do with having to be tutored by Izzy?"

"It's not that. I don't have a problem going over there. Even if it is the most boring, drawn-out, mind-numbing thing I've ever done." The redhead frowned sadly, looking up at the blonde with a pitiful expression. "Although the favor I want to ask of you may have something to do with the fact that I'm grounded during the week until I bring my grades up."

"Dude, Daisuke. Koushiro isn't that bad, and you've only met with him once. Maybe you'll even learn something, though heavens forbid you should actually want to." The redhead frowned, then sighed, swallowing the retort that had been on the tip of his tongue.

"Let's skip all that, dude. I wanted to know if you'd hook up with Ken." Takeru swallowed, feeling his eyes growing wide and his throat run dry. "Not like that! I meant to ask if you'd go over there, and spend some time with him. We used to spend afternoons together after school, and I don't know what he's going to do without me."

"That sounds really egotistical, Dai."

"I don't even care what that word means. Will you just check up on him for me? Please? Go to the library with him or something."

"I might be able to manage that. Don't think that I'm doing this just because you remembered my name, either. It won't work every time." Jun pulled up, and waited for Daisuke to get in. The redhead gave one last look at the blonde and grinned.

"Of course you're not doing this for me." He opened the door and leaned over it, whispering so that his sister didn't hear what he said. "You're doing it because he's too damn sexy to resist." Before Takeru could say anything, his friend was in the car with the door shut, driving away.

_______________________

"Hey! TR!" Takeru sighed and turned around, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. Daisuke was making his way down the hall, shoving people out of his way and mumbling his apology. He was grinning broadly, his bottom lip split. His shirt was ripped on the bottom, and he had a smear of dirt on his left cheek.

"What happened to you?" The blonde smiled, and Dai shrugged. "Wait until everyone else sees you."

"Crap!" The redhead groaned. He scanned the halls for signs of the group. "Man, clean me up." Blue eyes peered at him wordlessly. "Please? Pretty please with cream cheese?"

Takeru laughed, both at the plea and the sorry expression on Dai's face. "Whatever. Hold still." He pulled a Kleenex from his back pocket, and wiped at Dai's face. "So? What happened?"

"Well-" He paused and winced as Takeru touched his lip with the tissue. "Some creep started knocking on Izzy in the hall. Ouch!" Brown eyes glared at Takeru as he put more pressure on his lip to get the dirt and dried blood off.

"And you had to defend him?"

"Duh! Of course! He ignored them as if it didn't matter. They were picking on the fact that he's a genius, and he doesn't do sports, and all that." The blonde made a sound of agreement, and moved onto his cheek. "And he said that it didn't matter, but it hurt him. I could see-Ouch! I could see it, but he just walked away."

"That's kind of the way he is, Dai. He's not big on confrontation, or speaking his mind or defending himself."

"I know. That's what I'm for."

"What's that?"

"To protect him."

"Really?" Daisuke looked over his shoulder and swallowed as he gazed into black eyes. Koushiro went on. "I wasn't aware that I needed defending."

"According to the guy in the nurse's office, you now have a body guard whether you want one or not." Taichi slung a companionable arm around Daisuke's shoulders. "The kid has a broken nose, and is whining that he broke fingers when he punched Dai."

"I knew that that hard head would serve a purpose someday." Takeru grinned as he finished. Tai smiled, and Koushiro looked down at the other redhead.

"For defending my honor, I thank you."

"My pleasure."

"You guys are too cute." Miyako stepped between them, and slung an arm around both their waists. "Our adorable little redheads, getting along for a change. We need a picture, guys. Who has the camera?"

"Tai broke it. Again." Hikari gave her brother a mock glare. "He decided to use it as a soccer ball, and kicked it through the window."

"Liar, liar, pants on fire. I dropped it out the window when you threw the clock at my head."

"You shouldn't have dumped your pop on my homework."

"You shouldn't have done your homework on the back of my research paper."

"If I hadn't typed it for you, it wouldn't have been in my bag." Tai paused, looked at his sister, and sighed.

"I'll buy you a new camera." She smiled in triumph, and then hooked an arm through his. "Now what?"

"Can't I hug my only brother?" She questioned with a guilty defensiveness. He raised an eyebrow, and she laughed. "I want one of those professional cameras, with the multi-focus lens."

"You want me to spend an arm and a leg to replace a thirty dollar camera?" She bit her lip and eyed him hopefully. "You are so lucky that I love you."

"Brothers are the best!" She looked at Koushiro and winked. "Friends are good, too. I heard about Dai breaking that kid's arm. The principal is in a tiff."

Daisuke opened his mouth to state that it had really only been a split lip, but the crackling of the intercom system stopped him when his name was paged over it. He sighed and headed in the direction of the administrative office. "Stay out of trouble this time!" Hikari watched as her friend turned, waved, and disappeared around the corner.

"Let's hope he listens." Takeru shut his locker.

"I doubt it. He never does." The computer genius smiled.

"And you sound so upset." Tai eyed him slyly. "What else is he good for, if he never listens?"

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Yagami. He listens to the important things." He paused, realized that his friends were staring at him, and them blushed. "I'll see you guys later." The others laughed as he walked away, his cheeks pink.

"That was interesting." Takeru started to walk away. The others caught the wistfulness in his voice and followed eagerly.

"Is Take-kun lonely?" The blonde glared at Miyako, but ignored the question otherwise. She turned to the brunettes walking with them. "Guys, I think that our little buddy needs a date." She turned back to him, smiling at the look in his eyes. "Do you have anyone in mind, Takeru?"

When he didn't respond, Hikari sidled up next to him. "We can help, Takeru."

"I can't believe that you, my best friend, would go along with this." She grinned, and he stopped. "I like someone. I will eventually ask him out. Until then, I would appreciate it if you would all back off." With that, he stomped away.

"Him? Did anyone else catch that?" The purple-haired girl grinned. "He is so not getting away with that. I'll know who it is by the end of the day."

"Ken." Tai answered without thinking.

"He told you, but wouldn't tell me? That is just wrong." Hikari folded her hands on her hips. Tai shook his head.

"He didn't tell me, but it's rather obvious. You'd have to be blind not to see it." He grinned at the unamused looks on their faces. "Yama told me."

"Jerk." His sister hit him on the arm.

"For what?"

"You don't need a reason to be a jerk, Tai. By now, I think it's a natural reaction to every situation." A new voice interrupted

"Ishida." Brown eyes glared into amused blue. "You're supposed to be on my side."

"Says who?" Tai looked at him for a moment, eyes dark. "Fine. Sorry. Next time you get into an argument, I'll agree with you no matter what."

"Just remember that next time." Tai wagged a finger at him, and then ducked into the nearest classroom. Yamato went to follow, but Miyako stopped him

"What's this about Ken and Takeru?" He rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Spill it, Matt."

"Because Daisuke's grounded, and Koushiro is tutoring him, Ken's kind of been left alone. He was afraid that Ken would suffer from some sort of loneliness, so he sent my little brother after him to keep him company. Takeru liked him, and has since then realized that his affection for Ken has grown. The only problem being: they hung out, but didn't delve deeply into each other's lives. TK doesn't know if Ken likes him, or could like him."

"Ken's not a phobe, I mean, he and Dai are still really close, and he doesn't act any different towards him since he came out." Miyako pointed out logically. "Of course, I don't think that Dai ever seriously hit on him, either."