Work Text:
Series: In The Cycle||Title: In The Cold Morning
Ship: Ken x Daisuke
Chapters: 1-1||Words: 1,031
Genre: Romance||Rated: G
Notes: So we come to the end of In The Cycle (not not quite the end of this week. I hope you’ve enjoyed this as much as I have.
Summary: A new beginning – the rising of the sun on the first day of the new year. Daisuke just wants to go back to sleep.
Daisuke didn’t want to wake up. He was pleasantly warm underneath a thick blanket and with Ken next to him, one arm tucked around him. How could anyone want to wake up when they had that?
But for some reason he couldn’t get his head wrapped around, someone kept poking at him, and he heard a familiar voice trying to tell him to wake up. He mumbled something, hoping what he said indicated that he didn’t intend on waking up. But whoever kept poking him refused to take that for an answer.
“Daisuke. It’s almost time.”
He grumbled something, adjusting his position but not even close to opening his eyes. This was so peaceful. Why did anyone want to bother him? What could possibly be that important?
“You’re going to miss it.”
Whatever could he miss that he couldn’t see from right where he was? Or that he couldn’t see again very soon?
From somewhere outside there flickered the knowledge that it was Ken trying to wake him up. Ken was the only person who might be in bed with him. So far all they’d done was sleep together – nothing more than actual sleep. But that was still extraordinarily wonderful and why did Ken want to deprive him of this?
It couldn’t be an attack. Ken’s “wake up, something wants to bite your face off” voice was a lot more than what he used now. This was something different altogether. Daisuke groaned as he shifted, and light filtered in through his slowly opening eyes.
There was Ken, looking down at him. Daisuke admired the view in return, the hints of light from outside gleaming against Ken’s hair, and a tiny, warm smile on his lips.
“Took you long enough. I’ve been trying to get you to wake up for half an hour now,” Ken teased. “It’s almost time.”
Daisuke blinked, trying to get his thoughts in order. Some days he woke up in a flash, ready to run off and do whatever it was he had to do without a moment’s hesitation. Some days he dragged and lagged and couldn’t put two words together properly. Today was one of those days.
Ken must have understood something about that, as he set a cup of hot tea within Daisuke’s reach. Daisuke sipped at it, letting himself wake up, the light growing stronger moment by moment. It wasn’t quite sunrise yet, but it would be there soon enough. Why did Ken want to be awake so early? They weren’t going anywhere, were they? It was the holiday season. There wasn’t a lot open these days, and they weren’t going to any parties at this time of morning.
Party – time of morning – holiday season – it was cold outside. He reached to the side of the bed and picked up his D-3, giving it a very suspicious look. Or more specifically, he gave the time on it a very suspicious look.
Then he jerked his head around to look at Ken. “It’s quarter after seven!”
“I know.” Ken nodded solemnly. “We’ve got about ten minutes. Are you ready?”
Daisuke sputtered, barely able to form a coherent sentence before he drank down the rest of his tea and jumped out of bed to grab his favorite warm robe. Wormmon and V-mon were already awake and settled on the balcony, cuddling close to one another around the kotetsu. He’d boughot one big enough for him, Ken, and their Digimon partners – it was a size made just for those who had partners. Something like that would keep Wormmon, who wasn’t good with cold weather, nice and toasty.
With robe and slippers on, and Ken also decked out in proper cold weather, Daisuke stepped outside, breathing in a deep breath of frigid air, and shivered.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” He glanced back at the bed, so warm and comfortable and empty. Ken’s hand closed around his, and Daisuke decided being out here wasn’t all that bad after all.
V-mon murmured a greeting, as did Wormmon, as their partners joined them. Daisuke patted both of them on the head.
“You shouldn’t be awake this early,” he told them as sagely as he could, accepting another cup of tea from Ken. “It’s not good for you.”
“Says the guy who has, more than once, tackled someone capable of hurting him without any regard for his own personal safety,” Ken pointed out, his smile widening a bit. Daisuke waved one hand.
“You would never have hurt me. Not even then.” His own grin flared brief and bright as the sun. “Besides, I always kind of thought you liked that.”
Ken’s cheeks scorched red enough that Daisuke wouldn’t have been surprised if he’d melted snow. He said nothing in answer, just turned to where the sun could be seen starting to rise, the tiniest hints of pale gold and white and streaks of blue tinting the sky.
The first sunrise of the new year. Daisuke had slept through this last year; he usually did more than he didn’t. He had always had other traditions he liked better, most of which involved sleeping. Most of the time he made mochi with his family and V-mon, and even before they’d gotten together, he'd been happy to bring over premade o-sechi for Ken.
But this was Ken’s favorite part of the New Year, aside from the first shrine visit. They’d be doing that later. He hadn’t promised, but he wanted to do it anyway. He would do anything he could to make Ken happy.
His parents’ apartment building had one of the few really good views of the horizon in the area. Whenever he got a place of his own, he’d have to make sure he had something like it. Would Ken want to share that with him?
Oh, but he liked that thought. Maybe he’d even ask Ken about it soon. He knew they’d always be close, but that was a step they hadn’t taken yet.
Daisuke watched as the sun slowly rose above the horizon, and there was but one single prayer in his heart and mind – for his good fortune and happiness with Ken to continue year after year.
The End
Notes: Just so you know, o-sechi is the New Year’s Day feast. It’s meant to invite luck, prosperity, and good health.