Work Text:
- (2003)
"Oi, Ken! Stop hiding out!"
He was sitting on the bed, the blanket lightly wrapped around him and Minomon, when his best friend opened the door and came rushing into his room.
He squinted his eyes together. Maybe a miracle happened and he would become invisible. All he wanted was to be alone.
"Don't ignore me, Ken. I can feel something's going on."
Ken whimpered slightly. Of course Daisuke did. But didn't he feel that Ken didn't want to see anyone? Why couldn't they leave him alone?
Maybe Daisuke would leave if he just didn't react.
"I know you can hear me." Noises were audible, the weight on the mattress shifted and then Daisuke tugged at the blanket with full force. Surprised, Ken let go of it and looked at his best friend in shock.
Daisuke knelt before him, the cinnamon-red hair slightly damp from the snowfall outside.
"Found you," he proudly announced, as if they were playing hide and seek.
"Minomon!" cried Chibimon, and then Ken's Digimon hopped down from his chest to Daisuke where Chibimon was sitting. Laughing, the two Digimon greeted each other.
"What do you want, Motomiya?" Ken asked, using Daisuke's family name. For weeks now he's only called him Daisuke when they were alone.
"You're the one ignoring my calls the past few days," Daisuke replied. "So I thought I'd come by to see you."
"Well, you've done that now."
Daisuke rolled his eyes and then pointed to their two Digimon.
"And you seriously want me to break Chibimon and Minomon's heart by separating them again?"
Ken knew that Minomon would be upset if he sent Daisuke home again.
"You can let Chibimon stay over and pick it up again tomorrow," he suggested.
Daisuke blinked and then sighed. "You really don't leave me much choice, do you?"
"Daisuke, what..." Ken started, but he didn't get far because Daisuke's finger suddenly poked him in the side.
His eyes widened in shock when he realized what Daisuke was up to. Panicked, he looked around for an escape route - but Daisuke blocked the way to the ladder and there was no other way to escape Daisuke's fingers.
"Tickle Attack!" he shouted happily and jumped on Ken.
Panicked, Ken writhed under his best friend, whose fingers were now touching him on all sorts of body parts, and pressed his lips firmly together. Maybe Daisuke would stop when he noticed that Ken didn't react.
But Daisuke was stubborn and didn't see the point in giving up.
"Please stop," Ken whined.
Daisuke ignored him, though, his fingers continued to run along his arms, across his back, and then they accidentally touched Ken's neck.
Ken saw darkness before his eyes for a moment. And what if it happened again, what if the Dark Seed was reactivated?
"Stop it!" Ken yelled and pushed Daisuke away. Hurriedly Ken slipped away from him and pressed himself into the corner of his loft bed, bent his legs and buried his face in his knees.
"Shit, Ken, I didn't mean to do that." Daisuke crawled closer.
"Go away," he whimpered softly. "Leave me alone, Daisuke, please..."
"Ken-chan." Minomon's voice sounded worried. The Digimon had crawled back to him and now touched his partner gently on the leg. "Daisuke only wants to help you..."
"Minomon, what's wrong with Ken?" Daisuke asked confused.
Minomon sighed and Ken knew that it was thinking about what it should say now. But it wasn't supposed to say anything. If Daisuke knew, then he would surely leave.
Didn't he want Daisuke to leave again?
"Today is the day Ken has travelled into the Digiworld for the second time," Minomon finally admitted.
"Oh." Daisuke had finally understood.
"But you're not the Kaiser anymore, Ken."
The spot on his neck, where the Dark Spore had penetrated him, was itching slightly.
"Are you afraid it could happen again?"
He cringed at those words. Damn, why did Daisuke have to see through him so easily? Ken never told him the exact date he traveled to the Digiworld as the Kaiser. What was Daisuke thinking now that he knew Ken had started terrorizing the Digiworld a year ago today?
"Ken?" Once again the weight of the mattress shifted when Daisuke sat down in front of him. "Ken, look at me."
Hesitantly, Ken looked up. Daisuke looked at him worried, his forehead slightly wrinkled. Then he pulled off his goggles before he put them into Ken's hand.
Irritated, Ken looked at the glasses in his hand. He knew that they had once belonged to Taichi and that Taichi had given them to Daisuke when he appointed him the new leader.
"Here!" said Daisuke and squeezed Ken's finger to close around the goggles. "You're not the Digimon Kaiser anymore, Ken. Remember how they feel.And if you ever fear that the Dark Spore could make you the Kaiser again, remember my goggles, okay? They're a promise I won't give up on you. Hikari, Iori, Miyako, Takeru, and I are here for you. I will always save you, Ken."
Daisuke sounded so convinced, Ken couldn't help but believe him. He had saved him once before. His fingers squeezed Daisuke's and he looked at him smiling.
"Thank you," Ken whispered softly and then let Daisuke pull him into an embrace.
- (2005)
"Coming!" Daisuke cried when the doorbell rang. He whistled loudly and a short time later there was the hectic scurrying of little paws.
A small dwarf spitz with light brown fur rushed into the corridor.
"Sit," Daisuke ordered the dog, who sat down instantly and wagged his bushy tail excitedly while Daisuke attached the leash to his collar.
"Behave yourself when you get to meet Ken," he admonished the animal, who responded with a loud bark. Daisuke sighed and then ran his hand through the Pomeranian's fur. When he had phoned Ken three days ago and invited him to his home for Saturday, Daisuke had not yet known that his plans would include a third person - or rather a dog.
And he really hoped that it wouldn't stress Ken too much once he heard the dog's name. But as adorable as the little one was, Ken would certainly take him to his heart quickly.
Unlike at least a certain Digimon.
"V-mon, you wanna come?" Daisuke opened the door to his room where his Digimon sat on his bed with his back turned to him. It didn't make any effort to move.
Daisuke sighed annoyed. V-mon's behavior was absolutely childish. The Digimon was jealous because the Pomeranian had grown fond of Daisuke and when he saw V-mon for the first time, he had growled at the Dragon Digimon loudly. V-mon was now convinced that Osamu hated him.
" Ken and I are going for a walk with Osamu," he told his Digimon and then closed the door again. V-mon would get over it. After all, Osamu would only stay with them for a few days.
Daisuke stuffed some treats in one pocket and some dog excrement bags in the other and then opened the door.
Ken was standing outside the door, holding Wormmon in his arms. A wide smile spread across Daisuke's face as he saw Ken standing in front of him in a pink polo shirt and grey jeans.
"Hey!" A warm feeling crept into Daisuke's stomach, as it always did when he saw Ken. "Listen, there's something I have to tell you..."
But before Daisuke could continue talking, the Pomeranian had already jumped towards Ken and was bouncing up and down in front of him, barking at him loudly.
"Daisuke, why is there a dog with you?" Ken asked in surprise while Daisuke knelt down to lift Osamu.
"He actually belongs to an elderly lady who lives on the ground floor," Daisuke explained and then closed the door behind him. "She tripped yesterday and was taken to the hospital. And because her family lives too far away, she asked my parents to watch her Osamu."
"Osamu?" Ken's eyes widened in terror and his eyes flitted towards the little dog who now looked at him with big eyes.
"His name", Daisuke replied slowly and looked at Ken nervously. Was everything all right with him? Daisuke knew that Ken still blamed himself for his older brother's death.
And as annoying as Jun was, Daisuke couldn't imagine how it would feel if she would suddenly be gone.
Maybe he should have canceled Ken after all. On the other hand, he had missed his best friend - and besides, Daisuke couldn't get rid of the feeling that Ken needed him.
"Maybe it's better if I go home?"
Daisuke shook his head. "Ken, please stay. I was so looking forward to seeing you today. What do you say we call him Sammy? Jun is out with her friends and my parents are visiting his owner at the hospital, so I have to watch him. And I haven't had time to walk him yet."
Ken looked at Daisuke for several minutes until he finally nodded in agreement. It took a load off Daisuke's mind.
So they left the building and went to the nearest park. As usual, it was Daisuke who did most of the talking while Ken just listened and added a short comment here and there.
Osamu himself walked in front of them. Daisuke had taken off his leash as soon as they entered the park. He barked excitedly whenever another dog approached them, but always stopped next to Daisuke and Ken, scared birds away as soon as he spotted them, and most importantly, he kept running to Ken and looking at him with his tail wagging. Ken stopped every time, his shoulders tense, looking anxiously at the Pomeranian.
"I think he likes you," Daisuke said. They sat on a bench and ate ice cream while watching the people passing by.
Daisuke had exhausted Osamu by throwing sticks. Now he had come back to them exhausted and lay on the bench next to Ken, looking at him curiously.
"Today is the anniversary of Osamus' death," Ken suddenly declared. In the distance, a couple of children were blowing bubbles.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Daisuke asked worried. He had forgotten that this day was today. What a great friend he was. "Is everything... how are you, Ken?"
Ken shrugged his shoulders. "I thought you could distract me," he murmured softly. "Same as usual."
"But Sammy reminds you too much of your brother?"
It took Ken a few seconds before he shook his head. "It was just a surprise," he mumbled. "And I... what if I hurt him again?"
Daisuke frowned at this sentence. Something told him that Ken wasn't just talking about his brother.
Daisuke slipped closer to his best friend and grabbed his hand.
"Ken, you won't hurt him," he said calmly. "You are the kindest and dearest person I have ever known, and what happened to Osamu was a tragic accident. You. Are. Not. To. Blame," Daisuke paused briefly after each word to underline his statement.
Ken said nothing, so Daisuke kept holding his hand. Finally Ken let go of him and carefully held his fingertips in front of Osamu's nose.
Osamu sniffed at Ken's fingers and then licked them with his tongue. Ken sighed in relief.
- (2006)
A strong gust of wind came up and the little Digimon in his hands pressed against Ken to avoid being blown away.
"You have nothing to fear," Ken whispered affectionately to the Yuramon. "Wormmon and I will protect you."
His partner sat on his shoulder and watched Ken as he carefully fed the little Digimon.
"It trusts you," Elecmon said. The Digimon, who watched over the newborn Digimon here in the Village of Beginnings as a guardian, walked towards them. In its paws it held various herbs. When Daisuke and Ken came to the village, Elecmon had explained to them that it was going to search for some rare herbs and that it would leave them alone.
Ken looked nervously at the Yuramon in his hands. It had hatched shortly after Elecmon had left them alone. The last Yuramon he met here had attacked him furiously. And now he held another Yuramon in his hands, letting him feed it and pressing himself against it when it was afraid.
"Ken-chan?" Wormmon looked at him with concern. "You're crying."
"Don't worry," Ken said. "These are tears of joy."
"Oh. Okay." Wormmon snuggled up against him and Ken leaned his head against the caterpillar digimon. He felt happy. Being here meant so much to him.
Carefully he put the baby digimon back into his crib and then looked around. It was now the third year in a row that he and Daisuke came to the Village of Beginnings to celebrate Wormmon's rebirth.
It had been Daisuke who had suggested they visit the village when Ken had once told him that today was the day Wormmon was reborn and Ken had found his heart again. Ken had been unsure at first whether he was really welcome here. His deeds as the Digimon Kaiser still burdened him and he wasn't quite sure if he was really welcome here.Elecmon had not been happy when he and Daisuke came to the Village of Beginnings for the first time and it had probably only accepted Ken because Daisuke was with him and could watch over him.
Nevertheless, it had always watched Ken to make sure that he didn't do any harm. Today it had left the two boys alone for the first time because there was something to do.
A gesture that mattered incredibly to Ken.
Meanwhile, the Yuramon had fallen asleep and after Ken had just watched it for a few more minutes, he walked around between the colourful Digitamas, stroking a few of the newborn Digimon here and there.
"Ken. Suddenly something was pressed on his head and then two arms were wrapped around him from behind. Daisuke pressed himself against his body. Smiling, Ken leaned against Daisuke. "I have a present for you."
Ken broke away from Daisuke's hug and turned around to look at his best friend. The sun was shining directly behind him and its rays made it look like Daisuke was glowing for a moment.
But Daisuke had always been like the shining sun.
"Wow! Daisuke looked at him astonished, his cheeks turned red. "Ken, you look beautiful."
Leaves of grass tickled Ken's forehead and he raised his hand to gently stroke his head. Was that a flower crown on his head?
"Me and the other baby digimon made it," Daisuke said, bobbing excitedly on the balls of his feet. "You really have to see yourself, Ken. It looks incredibly good on you."
"Elecmon, is there a mirror here somewhere?" he shouted to the Digimon.
"There's a little lake back there where the Digimon bathe," Elecmon replied, pointing his arm at the spot.
"Perfect!" Daisuke dragged Ken with him who could do nothing but follow him. They reached the lake in no time and Daisuke pointed invitingly at the water.
The water was calm and Ken looked curiously at his reflection. On his head was indeed a flower crown, which had been woven together from several colourful flowers.He recognized some of the flowers, cherry blossoms, edelweiss, amaryllis and daisies, with a white gardenia in the middle. Some other flowers, however, he was unable to identify, probably they belonged to the flora of the Digiworld.
"You look like a flower prince," Daisuke murmured beside him and interlocked their fingers. Ken's heart started beating faster. He turned around to face Daisuke.
"Does that make you my knight then?" he asked teasingly.
"Your knight in shining armor," Daisuke replied and looked at him tenderly.
"Thank you," Ken whispered and the gardenia detached from the crown and sailed slowly down until it lay on Daisuke's hands.
- (2007)
Carefully Daisuke turned the key in the door and then tiptoed into the Ichijouji's apartment.
"Hello?," he asked cautiously and put on the pair of slippers that had belonged to him for years before he shoved the apartment key back into his pocket. He owned the key for almost two months now and still couldn't believe that Ken's parents trusted him so much.
No one answered him. Of course, Mr. Ichijouji was working and Mrs. Ichijouji was doing some errands in the city.
And his best friend himself lay asleep on the couch in the living room, a blanket wrapped around him. He was paler than usual. A box of tissues was on the small table, next to it a half-full cup of tea, cough syrup and various other medications. A washcloth lay on his forehead and the short hair stuck to his head. Minomon rested on his chest. The Digimon didn't had to worry about being infected by Ken.
"Seriously, what kind of things do you do?" Daisuke muttered, shaking his head. It wasn't even Ken's fault he caught the flu. Even though it was a pity he had to get sick today of all days.
Daisuke collected the cup, the tea already being cold anyway, and changed the washcloth. The clock said it was just before two, the others had probably all arrived at Miyako's place by now and were getting ready for their visit to the Digiworld.In order not to endanger the balance between the Digi World and their world even more, the chosen children had decided to visit the Digi World only on certain days of the year. One of these days was the day on which he, Iori and Miyako travelled to the DigiWorld for the first time. That was today.
Actually, Daisuke was supposed to pick Ken up at the train station, before the two of them would go to Miyako, using her computer to travel to the Digiworld this year. But Ken hadn't gotten off the subway he should have arrived on. He didn't respond to Daisuke's messages and it was only when Daisuke called the Ichijouji landline that he learned from Ken's mother that her son was in bed with a flu.
It was clear to Daisuke that he was checking on his best friend. Picnic or not. Surely Ken had to feel bad, especially because he had promised Daisuke to come this year, after he had always cancelled the previous ones.
At first, Mrs. Ichijouji was not enthusiastic about Daisuke wanting to come by. After all, he could catch it. Daisuke had replied that he didn't care and would come over anyway. In the end, she had given up and said that Ken would surely be happy to see him and besides, she had to do some things anyway. Daisuke asked her not to tell her son about his visit so that he could surprise Ken.
Sometimes Daisuke wondered if Mrs. Ichijouji knew how he felt about her son. After all, it was she who had given him the key and sometimes when he and Ken hugged each other, she gave him a warm smile. Or perhaps she was just happy that her son had found such a good friend in Daisuke.
After the phone call, Daisuke had hurried alone to Miyako's house and had left Chibimon with her. His Digimon had been talking for days about how much he had been looking forward to visiting the Digiworld and Daisuke didn't want to deny him this chance. The next visit wouldn't take place until August and Chibimon would be in good hands with Miyako and the others.
After that Daisuke had immediately headed over to Tamachi and now he was standing in the kitchen preparing a miso soup for Ken. Surely his parents didn't mind if he cooked some food for Ken.
Almost half an hour later, Daisuke placed a bowl full of steaming miso soup and a cup of chamomile tea on the small table and then knelt down in front of Ken to wake him up carefully.
"Wake up, Ken," he asked him and shook him gently on the shoulder.
"Hngh... wanna sleep," Ken muttered moaningly.
"You need to eat," Daisuke said to him. He knew how little appetite one had during the flu; his mother, who had only recently been sick, hadn't wanted to eat either.
"Not hungry," Ken replied and then leaned against Daisuke's hand. "Hmm... so nice and cool."
Daisuke giggled and then gently stroked Ken's burning cheek.
"Daisuke?" Minomon asked. The Digimon had woken up and was looking at him in surprise.
"Minomon, what are you talking about?" Ken replied. "Daisuke isn't here."
Grinning, Daisuke bent over Ken's ear, pulled the mask off his face so his voice wouldn't be muffled.
"Boo!"
Ken flinched and opened his eyes. Slowly he turned his head and then looked at Daisuke.
"I must be dreaming", he finally decided.
"No dream. You seriously think I'm having a nice day in the Digiworld while you're lying in bed with a forty degree fever? Here, I made you soup."
Ken said nothing, but just stared at the bowl Daisuke was holding out to him. Finally he sighed, sat up and then took the bowl and spoon.
"Only because it's you," he muttered and Daisuke grinned satisfied.
- (2009)
"Do you know what day it is today?"
Ken looked up as his boyfriend bent over him looking at him with a grin. He had a football tucked under his arm.
"Saturday," Ken replied with folded arms. "Or do you mean the day you ask me out on a date, only - " He glanced at his wristwatch. "- to make me wait for forty-five minutes?"
Ken had already been on the train when Daisuke's SMS came in saying that he had something important to do and would be late because of it. So it wasn't worth turning back. But that Daisuke would actually make him wait for forty-five minutes, was something Ken hadn't expected.
"Sorry," Daisuke said, but his grin told Ken that he was definitely not sorry. "But that was just the first clue to what today is all about."
Ken raised one eyebrow.
"You might as well just tell me what today is."
"But that wouldn't be any fun," Daisuke explained and then bent over to kiss Ken. "Trust me, Ken-chan. It'll be great."
Ken blushed and then let Daisuke help him up. What exactly was Daisuke planning? He had phoned him out of bed last night and asked if they could meet today, and although Ken had planned to study, Daisuke didn't give up until he finally accepted the date.
They left the station building and soon Daisuke's fingers got intertwined with Ken's and they walked down the street holding hands. Ken noticed the skeptical looks of some passers-by but Daisuke squeezed his hand each time and gave a challenging look to anyone who looked at them strangely.
"So where are we going?" Ken asked curiously. "You're not going to tell me you've only planned on playing soccer for this date?"
"Yes, I am. Believe me, it's just the perfect activity for this date," Daisuke said with a smirk. "After all, this is the second clue."
Ken looked at him suspiciously. Coming in late for a soccer game? Something inside Ken was stirring that he knew this scenario from somewhere. But as much as he thought about it, it just didn't occur to him.
"I'm sure you'll remember it," said Daisuke, who knew exactly how much Ken was thinking about it now.
They finally reached the football field and as they walked down the steps, Ken realised that he had been here before.
"I don't want you to hold back today," Daisuke asked him as they warmed up.
"Daisuke, I never hold back," Ken replied.
"Very well. Whoever gets ten goals first gets invited to dinner by the other?" Daisuke suggested.
Ken brushed a strand of hair from his face. "I thought you were broke?" he asked and then grabbed the ball to rush towards the goal.
But just before he could shoot, Daisuke caught up with him and took the ball back. A short time later it was 1-0 for Daisuke.
Not that Ken minded. His boyfriend looked incredibly sexy playing soccer, maybe he deliberately let himself fall back just to admire Daisuke's wide back and strong legs. And unlike Ken, who had quit soccer in middle school, Daisuke still played in high school.
"If you want to invite me for dinner so much, we can call the whole thing off," Daisuke shouted challengingly to him.
Ken stuck his tongue out and hurried after him. With his leg stretched out, he threw himself between Daisuke and the ball and soon made up the difference.
They continued to play until it was finally 9:9 for both of them. Ken had the ball and dribbling it in front of him, he rushed to the goal. Daisuke was close behind him but he wouldn't make it that easy for him. Now he wanted to win.
He threw a quick glance over his shoulder. Daisuke had let himself fall back. Well, it didn't matter what he planned.
Ken looked back at the goal, ready to shoot.
"I love you, Ichijouji Ken!" cried Daisuke at that very moment. Ken's foot slipped over the ball and he fell to the ground. The ball rolled across the field and then stopped just before the goal line.
Before Ken could get up, Daisuke had thrown himself on him and pushed him back to the ground.
"Surprised?" he asked smiling.
They had been dating for almost five months now, but neither of them had ever said "I love you" to the other. Ken had thought about it, but he hadn't had the courage to say it yet. Now he looked at his boyfriend's face with joy. Sometimes he still could not believe his luck.
Daisuke sat on him, one leg between Ken's. His look was soft but still expectant. Ken swallowed nervously.
"I love you too," he murmured. And he really meant it. Daisuke was everything to him and more.
Daisuke bent over to him, his eyes fixed on Ken's lips. Ken closed his eyes and pursed his lips slightly.
Daisuke put his mouth on Ken's, but before he could deepen the kiss, he retreated again.
" Do you know what day it is now?" he asked with a grin.
Daisuke's arriving late. The soccer game. Daisuke's "I love you" that had distracted him. He had expected Daisuke to attack from the right. Just like he had done before.
Ken could not help but laugh out loud. "Seriously?" he asked, then ran one hand through his boyfriend's spiky hair. "Today of all days? How did you even know what day it was?"
"Miyako found her old diary and called me," Daisuke explained, covering Ken's face with feather-light kisses. "Do you know how excited I was to be playing soccer against the prodigy Ichijouji Ken?"
Ken tensed up a little. Even though it was so long ago, he still didn't like to think back to his days as the Kaiser. And on this day, he had not only played soccer against Daisuke, he had also humiliated him and made him beg for the lives of his friends.
"Ken, look at me." Daisuke's voice got through to him. Astonished Ken blinked, not realizing that his eyes had filled with tears.
"I wanted to tell you today so we both can connect the day with something good from now on," Daisuke said and then bent over to kiss him again.
His lips were longing, demanding, and it took Ken all his willpower not to rub himself against Daisuke on the spot. But at least they were here in public, even if they were alone.
"What do you say we go home and I'll eat you out?" Daisuke whispered, his eyes dark filled with desire.
+1 (2019)
Daisuke tugged at the sleeve of the suit he had put on for Yamato's bachelor party. It was just after half past seven. Ken was late.
But Ken was always on time. His boyfriend had been away all day while Daisuke had been at home himself and Miyako had worked with him on the app for his ramen cart.
His smartphone vibrated briefly. Koushiro had sent a message to the group chat They were supposed to come to the Digiworld, apparently Gennai had contacted him.
Daisuke swallowed nervously. Could it have something to do with the fact that they couldn't enter the Digiworld the other day? Since the gates to Digiworld were only opened once a year and their Digimon had to decide whether to continue living with their partner or return to the Digiworld, they met each year on August 1st in the Digiworld.
Ken sent a quick note saying he was on his way. So Daisuke held his Digivice in front of the laptop and was transported into the Digiworld.
He landed in the middle of a sea of flowers. The place seemed strangely familiar to him.
Daisuke looked at the sea of flowers in amazement. Even though it was evening, the flowers shone in bright colors. Red tulips, gerberas, forget-me-nots, and many other colorful flowers. Sweet floral scent lingered in the air.
And amidst these flowers Ken stood in the suit he had bought for the party. A three-piece suit, consisting of a white jacket, white trousers and a suit vest. A red rose was attached to the collar and the black hair lay straight on his head. He looked wonderful.
"Ken?" Daisuke went up to him. "So you got Koushiro's message, too? If we hurry, we can..."
"Daisuke, it's alright," Ken interrupted him. Daisuke stopped several steps in front of him and frowned in surprise.
"Ken, what's up?"
His boyfriend walked up to him.
"There's never been a problem in the Digi world," he finally confessed and bent over to kiss him gently. "Koushiro-san was supposed to lure you here."
Daisuke looked at him surprised.
"What about the bachelor party?"
"The party was meant to get you into that suit," Ken explained. Then he straightened Daisuke's bow tie and put his arms around Daisuke's neck. "You look absolutely beautiful."
Daisuke put his hands on Ken's hips and looked at him in love. They had been a couple for ten years now, living together since their graduation, and yet Daisuke still felt like freshly in love on some days.
"What exactly is this place?" he asked curiously as his gaze glided across Ken's face.
"The desert where the Kaiser's base crashed that day," Ken replied. Daisuke's eyes widened in shock.
"You're joking!"
"Gomamon told me last year," Ken said and Daisuke's heart grew heavy. Jyous Digimon was one of the few Digimon who had decided to stay in the Digiworld.
"Daisuke?" Ken gently rubbed his neck. "Remember how you asked me back then to apologise to the others for all I had done as the Digimon Kaiser?"
"Don't tell me that was today?"
Ken's smile told him he was right.
"That was the first time you ever called me one of your friends." Gently his fingers slid over Daisuke's arms.
"You didn't want me to call you that," Daisuke remembered.
"I didn't think I was worthy of being one of your friends," Ken said. Daisuke opened his mouth, ready to disagree with him.
"After all I've done, you could still look past all that and ask me to be your friend," Ken slipped a hand into his pocket. Daisuke smiled gently. Of course he had been able to do that. Ken was the kindest person he had ever met. There was no doubt about that.
"I was a monster, but you still held your hand out to me," Ken confessed and took a few steps back. "I saw no point in making friends again. Who would want me as a friend? But you didn't give up on me. You are my light, Dai-chan. And I really hope your answer won't be negative."
"The answer to which question?" Daisuke asked nervously and gasped for breath as Ken got down on his knees before him.
"Motomiya Daisuke, will you marry me?" Ken held out the open ring box to him, in which a simple, silver ring was stuck.
"Ken!" Daisuke dropped to his knees as well and took his partner's face in both hands. "Oh, Ken, my wonderful Ken, of course I'll marry you."
Ken looked at him with tears in his eyes. "Really?"
"But of course. How could you even think that I wouldn't say yes?" Crying, he covered Ken's face with kisses.
"Taichi-san said the same thing."
"Did you ask him if you could propose to me?"
Ken shook his head. "When I found out about this place, I knew I would propose to you here. But it also meant that I had to ask our friends if I could ask you here."
Daisuke stared perplexed at his fiancé.
"They all agreed. Yamato's bachelor party is not until next week. Koushiro had set something on the laptop to prevent the Digigate from opening. Miyako distracted you. They were all in on it."
Daisuke couldn't believe his luck. Not only had Ken's proposal been absolutely fantastic, but all their friends had given up a visit to the Digiworld in return.
"Ken, we have the best friends in the world," Daisuke sobbed and buried his face on Ken's shoulder.
"There's something else..." Ken started hesitantly and Daisuke sat up again, looking at him in surprise.
"Mimi-san and Miyako-san insist on a double wedding," Ken explained, then reached for Daisuke's hand to slip the ring on his ring finger.
Daisuke looked at the silver ring that now adorned his left hand. Two small gems, an emerald and a sapphire, were engraved side by side. Ken would be by his side for the rest of his life.
And that was all that mattered.