Hope and Courage

Disclaimer: (Unfortunately) I don't own Digimon.

I hope you enjoy the story. =]

'Tonight is going to be the night,' Daisuke thought as he ran around his living room, lighting candles, scattering rose petals and plumping up the cushions on his small sofa. 'It's now or never Dai - you can do this, you can do this, YOU CAN DO THIS!' He yelled mentally. It was an attempt to pump himself up but instead, a feeling worry and nausea ran through him. The chocolate haired boy sat down, moving and flattening the cushions he had spent so long getting perfect, and put his hands to his face.

"I can't do this…" Daisuke moaned pathetically, running his tanned fingers through his spiky hair in despair. Numerous thoughts passed in his mind, and the nineteen year old stood up, wondering if he should just call Takeru and cancel the whole evening. He picked up the receiver, and dialled his crush's phone number, a number he, of course, knew off by heart. Like everything else to do with the blond haired boy, the phone number was etched into Daisuke's memory. He allowed the phone to ring twice before quickly slamming it down and scolding himself, 'you WILL do this, you bloody idiot, you've spent long enough fantasising and wondering about whether or not he would love you back - tonight is going to be the night you find out!' Indeed, Daisuke had fancied Takeru for the past three years now, and the initial lust and infatuation had grown into something more serious and special. Daisuke thought that it might be love he felt for his best friend, but he continuously chose to deny that possibility. Sure enough, if Takeru did reject him, it would be easier for Daisuke to handle if he just liked him rather than loved him.

Daisuke quickly went back to work, fixing the cushions so they were perfect once more. He was in the process of plumping up his favourite red velvet cushion and hoping the dinner he cooked was good enough when the doorbell rang. Daisuke straightened himself rigidly, and his mind went into a state of panic. 'What if he doesn't feel the same? What if he hates me? What if he never wants to see me again? What if-' Daisuke shook his head violently, successfully removing these thoughts, and whilst he attempted to gussy up his hair, he also attempted to calm himself, 'you won't know his reaction until you tell him Daisuke… don't worry about it for now, take the evening as it comes, just take the evening as it comes…'

"Yeah… take the evening as it comes…" Daisuke sighs, as he walks over to the front door and opens it.

"Hey Dai -I'm so sorry I'm late but I ended up getting caught in the rain after work and had to go home and change, and then I drove a little robin with a broken wing to the wildlife centre after I found him lying there in my garden this evening, and then I got stuck in traffic on my way over! I'm so sorry I'm late, I know it's so unlike me but today has just been-"

"Hey, hey! Calm down Takeru!" Daisuke chuckled at his distressed crush, who hadn't paused for breath since coming inside the warm house. "It's fine, I'm just happy you made it here…" Daisuke said softly. Takeru looked at him oddly, for his best friend had acquired a tone which sounded stressed and saddened.

"Is everything OK, Dai? Has anything happened?" Takeru's voice was full of concern, and all Daisuke wanted to do was kiss him, tell him the truth about his feelings and hope that Takeru felt the same. But he didn't, and instead he forced a smile onto his face to stop the blond one from worrying about him. It seemed to work, as the child of hope visibly relaxed at seeing Daisuke's cheeky grin.

"Wow… you have really gone to town with the decorating," Takeru giggled, looking around the living room at the candles and rose petals. "The place looks really nice Dai."

"Yeah… I know you do," Daisuke said breathlessly, gazing at Takeru's lean body and outfit - his black jeans made his legs look even slimmer and longer, and he wore a navy blue pinstripe shirt which emphasised his azure eyes and golden hair.

"What?" Takeru questioned, a small frown etched upon his face, not quite catching what his best friend had said.

Daisuke panicked and stuttered, "I mean, um, you, um, umm… yy-yeah I know you think the place looks nice, who wouldn't after all? That's what I said… yeah…" Daisuke looked at Takeru, worry clear in his deep chocolate eyes as he hoped his crush hadn't heard exactly what he had said. Luckily, Takeru didn't continue the conversation, but he did survey Daisuke's face, wondering what on earth was up with the football star. "Anyway!" laughed Daisuke uneasily, "I shall go and get the cocktails so we can get this dinner party started!" With that, Daisuke left the living room and went into the small, yet clean, kitchen.

As they rarely saw each other due to work and other commintments, it was agreed that once a month Daisuke and Takeru would get together for a dinner party, with the role of host alternating between them. However, it was mainly Daisuke that hosted - his cooking skills were a lot better than his crush's and he sometimes feared eating whatever the blond 'created.' Tonight, Daisuke's catering skills were being tested to the maximum, as he had prepared a seven course meal in the hope it would create a more romantic atmosphere and subsequently make Takeru feel romantic towards the chef who had cooked it.

"Dinner's nearly ready!" Daisuke called from the kitchen, disturbing his guest who was watching 'Ronin Warriors' on the small television. Takeru got up and smoothed his shirt whilst making his way to the table, where the centre piece was a bouquet of red roses surrounded by small candles.

"Right… here's the amuse-bouche - a pea and mint soup," Daisuke said, flouncing into the room and setting the soup down on the table for both he and his best friend.

"Aww Dai, this is amazing," smiled Takeru. It was lovely to finally have a home-cooked meal - and a good one at it. The blue eyed boy was sick of the microwave meals he was forced to eat due to his atrocious cooking skills, so he slurped the soup up happily. Daisuke noticed that a bit of soup had accidentally gotten on Takeru's chin, and he felt himself getting turned on slightly as he imagined himself sucking the soup off Takeru, and then kissing his sweet lips as he slid his tongue inside the warmth of his mouth. Daisuke shook his head violently to remove the dirty thoughts. 'I can't think about this now… not with him in the room,' but he decided to save the thoughts and images for later tonight.

After the first three courses, it was time for the palate cleanser. As Daisuke went into the kitchen to get the lemon sorbet, he thought, 'this is it. This is the time to tell him.' He gulped heavily and wiped the sweat from his forehead. 'Breathe Daisuke… breathe…" he told himself as he went into the living room with the sorbets. Takeru smiled up at Daisuke as he entered. He was having a really enjoyable night with his clumsy friend, he hadn't remembered laughing so much in such a long time.

"Viola!" Daisuke said, placing the cleanser in front of Takeru. But, instead of sitting in his chair opposite the blond, he sat down next to his crush, his heart beating wildly. He wondered if Takeru could hear it. Daisuke turned a shade of pink, embarrassed and worrying about the reaction he would receive. 'Please,' Daisuke prayed, 'please, please, please let him feel the same.' Although Takeru had known his best friend was homosexual for a number of years now and was supportive of it, how would he react if he knew he was the one the tanned man desired?

"Umm… Dai?" Takeru was looking intently at the bearer of courage, who seemed to be having an internal fight with himself. "You look troubled, what's wrong?"

Daisuke sighed heavily and looked at the man next to him. 'I'm doing this now…' Daisuke inhaled sharply and, "Takeru, I… I…"

"What Daisuke?" The large blue eyes were filled with concern and worry for the brunette, and he touched Daisuke's shoulder to comfort him. "Daisuke," Takeru said softly, "you can tell me anything."

Daisuke looked at the pale yet angelic hand touching his shoulder. "Takeru…," Daisuke sighed, "I love you."

Please review, it would be much appreciated. =]