A/N: Sorry for taking forever to get this up...

Single italics mean emphasis.

A whole sentence in italics indicate a person's thoughts.

-x-x-x-x-

Harm

-x-x-x-x-

Chapter Three

-x-x-x-x-

Taichi wasn't sure what had woken him up, but he desperately wished that he was still asleep. He was comfortably warm, and everything seemed so much better when he was able to keep his eyes shut and just block out the rest of the world. There was a soft and soothing voice that seemed to be washing over him, giving Taichi warm thoughts that held no specific meaning.

The almost calm atmosphere caused Taichi to give a small smile as he slowly opened his eyes, taking in his surroundings. He was more than surprised to see Yamato watching him intently, the next verse of the soothing song on his lips.

Taichi blinked. "Yama? What are you doing here?" He asked curiously, rubbing at his eyes sleepily. Looking over at the blonde, Taichi saw Yamato give him a small smile.

"Well, being the moron that you are, you caught a cold a couple of days ago from being out in that cool weather, and I'm just here to see if you're any better." Yamato explained, voice soft, almost as if the blonde was afraid his words would break the quiet atmosphere.

Taichi sat up, a little surprised at how sore he felt. Hadn't he only been sleeping for the last few days?

"Oh." He stated simply, before yawning.

Yamato smiled slightly, sapphire-blue eyes teasing. "Oh?" He repeated. "That's all you have to say to your best friend whose been worried about you for the last couple of days?"

Taichi managed a small grin. "Er...sorry?" He rubbed at the back of his head, causing his chestnut brown hair to become even messier. "What do you want from me, a gold medal?"

"It'd be nice."

Shaking his head at Yamato's quick reply, Taichi laughed softly. "You're impossible."

Taichi wasn't sure why it felt so natural to just give into the teasing remarks. It was so easy to just forget everything and focus on joking around with Yamato. Why couldn't every day start off like this? It was nice, just relaxing in his bed, talking and joking around like everything was perfectly fine with the world. And Yamato was here. But Taichi wasn't sure why that made such a big difference...

"So, now that you're better, what are you planning on doing today?" Yamato questioned, breaking Taichi out of his thoughts. Taichi looked up, thinking over the question, before shrugging in response.

Yamato shook his head. "Well, as descriptive as that was, I was kind of hoping for an answer that included words." He paused, blue eyes taking in the sight of the messy-haired brunette. "The gang was planning on getting together for a little picnic kind of thing. Do you think you're up to it?"

Taichi hesitated in answering the question. He knew the answer he should give, which was much different from the answer he wanted to give. He knew everyone was expecting him to be there. As Taichi Yagami, it was almost like an unwritten rule that he should be in all the Digidestined get-togethers, seeing as he had once been one of the leaders. But...Taichi really had no desire to have to deal with other people...even if those people happened to be friends he had known for a long time.

Taichi glanced up at Yamato, and saw that the blonde was frowning slightly, sapphire-blue eyes flashing with concern.

Why is Yama concerned?

Taichi nodded his head in response to the blonde's question. "Sure, I guess I can come along..." He said, his voice barely above a whisper. He really didn't want to go, but maybe if he went, he might be able to keep busy and keep his thoughts from straying...

Yamato smiled, although Taichi couldn't help but think that it looked a little forced. "Alright. I'll let everyone know." The blonde said, before pausing thoughtfully. "Do you want me to come over here when its time to leave, that way we can walk to the park together?"

Taichi didn't hesitate before he nodded in agreement. He didn't think about why he hadn't taken forever to answer, unlike with the first question.

"Yeah." Taichi gave Yamato a small smile. "We always walk together."

"Just making sure." The blonde teen told him. Yamato stood up from the chair and placed a hand on Taichi's head, fingers playing with the chestnut-brown locks. "You're hair's a total mess, by the way." He smiled before walking over to the bedroom door. He paused uncertainly. "Are you sure that you're up to going? You've only just gotten over this cold..."

Taichi knew that was his oppurtunity to get out of this picnic, but the slightly hopeful expression on Yamato's face made Taichi nod in agreement. "Yeah, I'm sure, Yama." He gave the other boy a small smile. "Don't worry about me, okay?"

Yamato laughed. "I always worry about you, Taichi." The blonde smiled and exited the room.

Taichi was left staring after his best friend, mind racing, wondering what Yamato had meant by that last comment.

-x-x-x-x-

After having his mother check him for any signs of a fever, and after being made to take a dose of gross-tasting medication, Taichi was deemed 'well-enough' to go to the picnic. Yamato gave the older woman a soft smile, and Taichi had the distinct feeling as though his mother and Yamato were having a secret conversation.

But that was just crazy, so Taichi just pushed that thought away. What in the world could his mother and his best friend have to talk about, even if that conversation was silent?

"Come on, Tai." Yamato said, smiling. Taichi wasn't sure why, but the smile that Yamato gave him looked a lot different from the first one that he had given Mrs. Yagami. Warmer, maybe...or more expressive...

Taichi didn't know how to explain it, but he was secretly glad to have Yamato's attention again.

"Have fun, you two. Just don't get into too much trouble, okay?" Mrs. Yagami called out as the two teens left the apartment.

Yamato laughed softly, closing the door. "You're mom's the greatest." He told Taichi, smiling as they made they way to the exit of the building. Taichi nodded absentmindedly, his thoughts racing. He was thinking over the possibilities of what would happen once they reached the other Digidestined. He hadn't seen many of them in so long. Hikari and Yamato were the only ones he saw on a regularly basis. Would the other's be expecting some sort of explanation as to why he had been absent for a while?

Taichi didn't feel like talking to any of them, let alone trying to explain himself for something he didn't quite understand either. He wasn't sure why he didn't want to be in the presence of the other Digidestined. And it wasn't just the Digidestined that he couldn't stand to be around; it was people in general. It was easier to just be by himself, and not have to worry about if someone would make an uncaring comment in which he would have to pretend that it didn't hurt him. Because that was the response everyone expected from him. He was Taichi Yagami. Goof-off-extrodinaire. Nothing could bring him down.

They're wrong...

"Hello? Earth to Taichi?"

Taichi blinked, seeing a pale hand wave in front of his face. He glanced over at Yamato who, although he was smiling, his blue eyes were full of confusion and concern. Taichi couldn't help but to wonder about what had happened to the happiness that had once been in those sapphire-blue eyes.

Is it because of me that Yamato worries?

Taichi felt that it was his fault for making other's be concerned when they should be happy. Just mark it up as another thing he couldn't seem to get right.

That was why he had to always smile. So that no one would have to worry about him, and they could all just be happy. They wouldn't have to be concerned about Taichi Yagami.

But...Taichi was finding it harder and harder to fake his own happiness.

"Tai?" Yamato asked, frowning. He placed a hand on Taichi's shoulder. "Are you okay?"

The brunette nodded his head, laughing slightly, not sure why he felt comforted by the warm hand on his shoulder. "Yeah, of course I'm okay, Yamato." He told him. He tilted his head to the side, giving the other boy a small smile. It wasn't as genuine as his smile had once been, but at least it was something.

Trying to act 'normal', Taichi grabbed a hold of Yamato's hand and started to run towards the park. "Come on Yama, we don't want to be late, yeah?"

Since he was turned the other way, Taichi missed the sad and concerned look that sapphire-blue eyes were giving him.

-x-x-x-x-

Meeting up with everyone hadn't been as bad as he had thought it was going to be. Taichi had just laughed off everyone's questions, saying that he had been busy with soccer and school lately, and hadn't been able to have much time for more fun things. It was a lie, but everyone accepted it easily enough, and that had been the end of all the questions that Taichi didn't want to answer.

After that everything seemed to just go as normally as things had ever gone for the Digidestined. Once the picnic had been set-up, hands reached across the table, grabbing food and putting the morsels on plates, before reaching out for some more. Manners were quickly forgotten, but that was okay because everyone was used to it.

Taichi had once been one of the Digidestined who would frantically reach around the table to get some of his favorite treats, and would often fight Daisuke for some of the things they had both grabbed at the same time.

Now, he just sat back and watched all of it, his face almost expression-less.

When had he lost his almost obsessive love for food and sweets? Had he really changed that much?

Looking at everyone, no one else had seemed to have changed all that much. Same personalities in older bodies.

So what happened to me?

-x-x-x-x-

Yamato, who was sitting next to Taichi, glanced over at the brunette. He tilted his head curiously. "Aren't you hungry, Tai?" He asked, noticing that the other boy hadn't moved to get anything to eat. He offered a smile. "If you don't hurry, Daisuke will eat everything in sight." Yamato laughed at his own little joke, but his laughter died on his lips as Taichi just shook his head. Expression somber, Yamato turned away from Taichi, his eyes catching Hikari's. He could see the questions in her eyes, but he just shook his head slightly, before looking down at his plate.

He wasn't sure what was up with Taichi, but he knew that something was...off. Everything about the brunette seemed different. His actions, the way he spoke...even the laughing golden-brown eyes.

It was like everything that Taichi had once loved about life was gone, leaving behind a shell of Yamato's best friend. A shell that Yamato wasn't sure how to respond to.

The blonde glanced at Taichi again, a small frown on his lips as he took in the sight of the other boy.

Head tilted down to look at his empty plate, Taichi seemed lost in his thoughts. His face was expressionless, and Yamato couldn't decipher anything in those golden-brown eyes. Again, he was struck with the thought that the real Taichi had left him...

But that was a crazy thought, right? Taichi couldn't just change so easily...

Right?

-x-x-x-x-

Hikari caught his attention when the two of them had offered to clean up while the others went to go play a game of soccer. Yamato knew she was dying to ask questions that he knew he wouldn't be able to answer. Yamato would have liked answers to the same questions as well.

Placing the paper plates into a trashbag, Yamato's eyes sought out Taichi within the group of moving teens. The brunette looked more at ease out on the field. More like the Taichi that Yamato knew and was familiar with.

So why couldn't Taichi be like that off the field?

"Yamato..."

The blonde turned towards the younger girl, knowing that Hikari was going to say something sooner or later. "What is it, Kari?" He asked, giving her a smile that he knew she would have no problems seeing through.

Hikari's eyes looked impossibly sad, and Yamato wondered if Taichi knew just how much his changed attitude was affecting everyone around him. Knowing Taichi as much as he did, Yamato knew that the brunette would think that he was doing a good job with hiding whatever was bothering him. But...to those who cared for him, the change was clearly visible. And Yamato wasn't sure what had caused his Taichi to become more distant and quiet, and he wasn't sure how to bring back the happy-go-lucky Taichi...

But he desperatley wished that he did.

"What do you think is wrong with him?" Hikari asked, breaking through the blonde male's sad thoughts. Yamato shook his head at her question, finding it ironic that the younger girl had asked the one question that he was unable to answer.

"I don't know..." He told her, his voice soft. "I just don't know."

Hikari looked away from gazing at her brother, and glanced at Yamato. She gave him a small, sad smile. "You love him...don't you?" She asked, her own voice barely above a whisper. The way she said it indicated that she already knew the answer.

Yamato adverted his eyes from watching as Taichi passed the soccerball to Sora. The brunette boy had a tiny smile on his lips, and his golden-brown eyes looked more alive than they had in a while.

Ignoring the younger girl's question, Yamato threw away some more of the used paper plates. "Come on, we still have a lot to do." He said instead.

Hikari shook her head at Yamato's dismissal. It didn't matter that the blonde hadn't answered her question. They both knew the truth.

Hikari glanced back at her brother, and her expression turned sad again.

If the feelings that Yamato held for the brunette were so obvious to everyone else, then why couldn't Taichi see it?

-x-x-x-x-

A/n: Again I offer my deepest and sincerest apologies for not updating this fic in a while. I wonder if anyone is still reading this...? Sorry! I do not plan to allow it to happen again! Thank you for every one who has encouraged me to continue writing! You mean the world to me!

Er..review?

-x- LuV -x-