Lianda (Taichi/Takeru):

"So...did my little sis reject you again?"

Takeru rolled his eyes and sighed. "Naw. She just likes making me jealous by doing things with Daisuke."

"You know...I'm way cooler than Hikari. I'm cool, I'm brave and I got that whole goggle thing going on!"

"Yeah...but I'd never date you."

"Why not?"

"Your hair's too big."

"Yeah, well, Hikari's my sister. For all you know it could be genetic."

Riko (Iori/Hikari):

Hikari brushed her hair behind one ear and smiled. Because that was what was expected of her in these kinds of situations: proper hair care and sunny smiles. It put people at ease, made them feel less anxious around her. Hikari had dealt with quite a few declarations of undying love in her short life, and so she'd developed a foresight for them. She could see it coming.

"I'm finding myself increasingly physically attracted to you."

Hikari paused. That wasn't the way these things usually went, but it certainly was the right theme. She rallied and smiled again. "I'm flattered, really. But, don't you think you're a little...young for me?"

He shrugged, stiffly. "I have potential."

Lianda (Jyou/Koushiro):

After much struggling and straining, Joe finally made it up the hill. I can't do this, he thought, shaking his head. As he turned, he spied another figure struggling up. He smiled and bent to lend a hand.

"Thanks," huffed the redhead.

"No problem. Hey...can I ask you something?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you ever feel like you're not as strong as the others? I mean...we can't keep up, usually..."

"Not at all."

"Why not?"

"Cuz I'm the brains of this whole outfit. I rule this team."

"Hah. Yeah."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. That's why I love you."

Riko (Yamato/Taichi):

"So, it's Sora," Taichi said glumly, leaning against the amplifier and staring at his sneakers.

Yamato hummed discordantly for a moment then shook his head. "God! You've been saying that for the last twenty minutes. Was it too much to expect a congratulation? Nice concert, Matt. You sang really well, Matt. Yes, Matt, I did in fact listen to your concert rather than moping over some red-haired, cookie-bearing tart."

Taichi looked up, still pouting a little. "Oh. Yeah, sorry. Nice...concert."

"Look," Yamato said, flipping up the catches on his guitar case and getting to his feet, "she gave me food. She said she had a crush on me. This does not mean were going to get married and have kids, ok?"

Taichi frowned but he was beginning to look convinced. "So it's not Sora, then?"

Yamato laughed and softly took a fistful of Taichi's hood, pulling him closer. "No. Not."

Lianda (Daisuke/Takeru):

Davis glared. "It didn't mean anything. I just didn't want to to get beaten up by anyone *other* than me."

The blond boy looked grateful, at first, but then blinked as if struck by a shocking idea. Then he grinned evilly. "Ahh," he said in a tone of enlightenment. "You like me."

Davis blushed. "What?!"

"You like me. You know you do."

"Do not!"

"You think I'm sexy. You want me!"

"SHUT UP PJ!"

"I'm not surprised. I knew you'd get over that slut Kari eventually. I've had my eye on your for a long time." "I...oh..." Davis blinked. Then blushed. Then looked hopeful. "R-really?"

"...HAHAHA! You fell for it! HAHAHA...I can't believe you...HAHAHA..you think I'm gay!"

"FUCK YOU PJ!"

Riko (Taichi/Daisuke):

"Bend the ball! BEND IT!" There was a solid slap as the soccer ball slammed into Taichi's chest and then a denser thud as it fell to the ground. "Dammit, Daisuke! Have you been practising at all? You're never going to beat Ken at this rate!"

"Sorry!" Daisuke shouted back, adjusting his goggle with a nervous jerk of his thumb. "I'm trying, ok! It's just fucking HARD."

Taichi's expression softened a bit as he rolled the ball back. "Ok, just concentrate. Learn this, and you'll kick Ken's ass next time."

Daisuke footed the ball and sighted along the field as Taichi moved into place. He carefully didn't mention that he'd beat Ken two weeks ago.

Lianda (Koushiro/Taichi):

Tai grinned. "Going to the school dance?"

"No, thanks. I'd rather stay home and watch Bill Gates: Rise of the Geeks."

"Is that your idea of fun these days?" Tai raised his eyebrow and added sarcastically, "Why don't I just have mum bring over some potato and asparagus cookies too and make a *real* party..."

"Actually, I think that would be-"

"DON’T say it."

"Fine." A pause. "I never knew you went to dances either.”

“Well it wouldn’t be nearly as fun if you weren’t there...” Tai grinned sheepishly.

Izzy grinned back then. “Well, we could do something else...”

“Don’t say computer-related.”

“What if we downloaded some porn?

“...I like the way your mind works.”

Riko (Ken/Miyako):

Miyako had been working late again. The job was thankless and redundant, and the lame calls to the tech support office actually seemed to get stupider by the day. The only thing that made the job slightly bearable was the thought that in less than seven minutes, Ken would be pulling up in his worn down stationwagon to drive her home to bed and sleepy oblivion.

She ground her cigarette down to a stubby butt and glanced at her watch. Right on time, the wheezy putts of the wagon's motor could be heard as Ken pulled around the corner.

"Hi," he said, as the car jerked to a stop.

Miyako smiled. "Hey!" She walked over and leaned against the roof. "How's the engine tonight?"

"Dying," Ken grimaced. "Very slowly and painfully. Could you grab some coolant from the trunk?"

"Cool-wah?" She asked, then shrugged and trotted around to the back of the car and popped the trunk.

There was nothing that looked like coolant to her eyes, only a spare tire, some old magazines, and a little box. Curious, Miyako picked up the box and opened the lid. A small, modest gold ring glinted at her. "Holy fuck," she said.

Leaning serenely out of the window, Ken smiled back at her. "Is that a yes?"

Lianda (Mimi/Yamato):

"Oh Matt! I can't live without you anymore. When I'm awake I'm thinking about you all the time, and when I sleep, I wish you were beside me...and I dream about you..and your beautiful eyes and soul and...and.."

Matt raised his eyebrows. "Uh...no offense, but I have to look to my image here."

"Huh? I love you!"

"Cuz like, your hair is pink...and you have..well..a cowgirl hat."

"I can get rid of the hat!"

"....the disgusting yellow gloves..."

"Matt! I'd do anything for you!"

"Lady...if you love me, stay the hell away!"

Riko (Mimi/Sora):

"I hate boys," Mimi moaned, peeling a sweaty sock off her aching foot. "I hate this world. I want to go home!"

Sora smiled, halfway between sincere and a grimace. "Don't worry, Mimi, I'm sure we'll be back in no time. You'll see."

"Stuck in the middle of nowhere!" Mimi continued, unappeased. "With no cell phone! And no water! And no shampoo! I have split ends! Do you see this?" She made a gesture with one fist wound around a lock of hair. "I can't live like this!"

"Mimi," Sora began but stopped, got to her feet, and walked over to sit down next to the girl. She placed a hand on her shoulder. "It'll be okay."

Mimi sighed, the petulant child receding to the background for a moment as she leaned against Sora's chest wearily. "Maybe for you, Sora. You're so strong. You'll be all right."

"You will too. I'll make sure of it."

Lianda (Iori/Miyako):

Yolei fidgeted with her handkerchief. "Hey Cody...do you think I'm pretty?"

"Not really."

"...WHAT?!"

"It's just you're not exactly the exemplar of picture perfect-ness, unlike, say, Kari for instance. But, Yolei, you have other qualities that I both love and admire. You are brave, and your spirit is infallable. You never give up, you never falter...I love you."

"You think I'm ugly! Screw off, mushroom for brains!"

Cody looked back, nonplussed. "Wait...I thought girls went for guys who don't care what they looked on the outside and went for the mushy inside crap."

"Yeah..well...I....screw you, mushroom for brains!" Yolei stomped off.

Cody raised his eyebrow. "Women..."

Riko (Koushiro/Miyako):

"I think I've found the problem," Koushiro said, sneezing a little as the dust that had collected behind the computer tower billowed into the air.

"Oh yeah?" Miyako answered. She leaned forward to peer over his shoulder, her glasses sliding down her noses.

Koushiro nodded and pointed to the DSL Router. "Just a loose plug. I'll push it back in, we can reboot, and it'll be fine."

"Oh yeah?" Miyako said again, placing her hand on his shoulder and pushing down to get a better view. "How'd I miss that?"

He smiled. "It happens to the best of us."

She looked at him, sardonically over glasses. "Not to you."

"Well, no," he laughed and carefully pushed her glasses back up her nose.

Lianda (Yamato/Ken):

Ken broke the kiss. "Wait a second..."

"No waiting.. Want..shh.."

Ken pushed away. "No really. I'm confused."

The other boy sighed. "What?"

"Why am I in Mexico with you? I've hardly spoken a word to you all season!"

Matt raised an eyebrow. "It's because I'm the hottest piece of ass from 01 and you're the hottest piece of ass from 02. Society dictates that we belong together."

Ken digested this and shrugged. "Yeah, ok."

Riko (Ken/Sora):

Davis was passing awkwardly this morning. Ken watched from the bleachers as the ball wavered down the stretch of field to be capture, easily, by Taichi at the other end.

"Do you miss playing?" She asked, leaning back against the wood slats.

Did he miss playing? Ken wasn't sure how to answer that question. Did he miss running down the field with the ball? Probably. Did he miss the feinting and diving? Sure. Did he miss the adrenaline of winning? Of course.

Did he miss acting like a bastard to teammates who hated him completely? No.

She must have guessed he was having trouble, she was good at guessing, because she smiled. "Never mind. Forget I asked."

Out of the corner of his eye, Ken looked up at her. Red hair cropped, calm, beautiful and still. Ken needed some stillness in his life.

He smiled, faintly, lifting the corners of his mouth. "I miss some of it. But, I think I'm learning to like watching."

-end-