#bagers fics

Takeru's fingers hovered over the keys. He should be writing right now, he had finished all of his college work and had some lunch.

It was the perfect time for him to write. Nothing else for him to do, already ate, and no Digital World stuff to take up his time. Yet, Takeru just couldn't write.

Takeru couldn't get his mind to focus, his thoughts swirling around his head. Takeru sighed, leaning back in his chair as he stared at the ceiling. Sometimes he got like this- and he hated it.

Takeru just wanted to write, but he couldn't find it in himself to confront his past to get it into words.

Takeru wanted too, but he still had trouble remembering all that happened. He wasn't even writing anything that traumatic for him! Yet it affected him all the same and he just felt tired.

"Takeru!"

Takeru didn't have time to say anything as he felt a weight on his head, but he smiled.

"Hey, Patamon", Takeru greeted.

Patamon didn't say anything back, but Takeru could feel them pat his head with their little paws before laying down.

Takeru could imagine what they looked like sitting on his head.

Their paws curled close to their body as their wings pressed flat against their back, a little ball of cuteness nestled on Takeru's head.

Takeru wasn't wearing his hat since he was inside his apartment, so Patamon was nuzzled against his hair. It made Takeru scowl a little, his hair was going to look all frizzy when Patamon got off.

Takeru felt comforted with Patamon with him and it gave him some motivation to continue writing, even if it was for a little bit.

The sounds of the keys filled Takeru's bedroom as he wrote about sometime he and the others were walking across the Digital World.

Takeru's legs hurt just remembering it, but all that walking gave Takeru great endurance that was perfect for basketball when he played it. Takeru almost mindlessly wrote, referencing his notes he took when he went to talk with the others.

Takeru got to a part where Patamon, tired of flying, sat on Takeru's head. Takeru doesn't exactly remember the moment clearly, but the others told him they remembered Patamon curling up on his hat.

Just like Patamon was doing right now.

Takeru paused, his fingers hovering over the keys as he reread the line he just wrote a few times.

When did Patamon first start sitting on his head?

It's been happening for so long that Takeru doesn't even remember the first time it happened.

It happened so often that Takeru didn't even flinch when Patamon sat on his head anymore, or almost fall over. The others never batted an eye either, not questioning it when it happened like they used too.

Takeru remembers these things, but he can't remember when Patamon first sat on his head.

Takeru leaned his head back, staring at the wall as he thought. Takeru felt Patamon move up on his head, probably disturbed as Takeru leaned his head back.

"Takeru?" Patamon asked, leaning their head down to try and look at Takeru's face.

Takeru's bangs slightly hung in front of his face, and Patamon kinda just made that worse so he couldn't really see his partner.

"Why do you sit on my head, Patamon?"

Takeru also doesn't know why Patamon did this, sit on his head so often.

If they were tired than that was fine, Patamon always helped Takeru so the least Takeru could do was give his partner a place to rest. Takeru often held Patamon in his arms.

Both arms wrapped around the Digimon as Takeru was held them close to his heart, safe and sound right where Takeru could see and feel them.

However, more often than not, Patamon preferred being on Takeru's head.

Either under Takeru's hat, wearing it as their own which Takeru found adorable, or just on top of his hat not messing up his hair. On rare occasions such as this, Patamon would be on Takeru's head without a hat, just curled up in his fluffy blonde hair.

Patamon's been doing it for so long, since around the time they first meet, but has never given a reason.

Not that Takeru's ever asked why until this moment.

He never particularly cared in the moments, either too distracted by something else or just bathing in the familiar comfort of having Patamon on his head. Even if it make his neck and back sore.

Patamon kneaded Takeru's head again, their little paws griping Takeru's hair a little. It didn't hurt, but it did make Takeru a little worried.

"I like it up here, your hair is very soft", Patamon soon answered.

Takeru laughed a little as he felt Patamon nuzzle against his hair. Takeru didn't think Patamon was lying, Iori always said Takeru's hair was soft when he played with it, but he thought there was something more to this.

Takeru reached up, grabbing Patamon and taking the Digimon off his head.

Patamon only made a small noise of confusion, not fighting Takeru as he brought the Digimon down so they could talk eye to eye. Patamon tilted their head, silently asking Takeru what they were doing.

"Any other reason?" Takeru asked.

Everyone told Takeru he had a bad habit of holding everything inside. Takeru's tried to get better, still trying to get better, and he has, but it seemed his habits might have rubbed off on Patamon.

It made sense, Patamon hated making others sad, but Takeru didn't want his partner to have the same bad habits he did.

Patamon's eyes went wide, and they started pressing their paws together in nervousness. Patamon wasn't meeting Takeru's eyes, but Takeru just waited.

Patamon was never good at hiding something from Takeru, they could be a bit of a chatter mouth at times. It was part of the fact Patamon was a lot like a human child.

"It's because I want to protect you".

Takeru hummed, confused on what exactly Patamon meant.

Of course Patamon wanted to protect Takeru. It was what all Partner Digimon wanted, it's also what all Chosen Children wanted. For them to protect each other- but how did sitting on Takeru's head help Patamon do that?

Patamon squirmed in Takeru's arms, reaching forward to him with their little paws. Takeru brought Patamon closer, smiling as he felt the Digimon grab onto him and nuzzle themselves into his chest.

"When I'm always near you, I can protect you easier", Patamon started to explain.

Takeru nodded, that made sense. The other partners often just stood by their Chosen, and it made it a little easier to always be near them- especially if there was a sudden attack and they could be separated.

Patamon could have a tight grip in Takeru's head at times, sometimes the Digimon pulled out his hair which he did not like. Or just fell off Takeru's head along with his hat, which would sometimes be ripped by Patamon's sharp claws.

Another thing Takeru did not like very much.

Patamon's banned from being on his head for a week if either of those things happens.

"When I can feel that you are close, I feel more safe", Patamon said.

Takeru held Patamon tighter, he felt the same way it came to his partner. "I haven't been able to protect you from everything", Patamon whispered, and Takeru could hear their voice shake.

Takeru felt tears brim his eyes, and maybe he was already emotional from his writing, but he sniffled as he wiped his eyes. "I don't blame you", Takeru felt like saying.

Patamon was right, they haven't been able to protect Takeru from everything, but they protected him from so much else. Without Patamon- Takeru didn't know where he would be or what he would do.

Patamon nodded, but they continued to speak.

"If I'm on your head, I can see anything coming and act before they hurt you- I can protect you better".

Takeru didn't know what to say to that.

The others always said that Patamon was bit of a child and that only grew as Takeru started to get older but Patamon stayed the same.

Takeru knew that Patamon could be mature when they wanted too, but it was mostly when they evolved or during a fight. Even than they were still a lot like a child. It hurt Takeru, sometimes.

It just reminded Takeru of how he used to be, still so hopeful and happy.

He still was, but not in the same way he was when he was child. Before his parents separated and before the Darkness sunk it's claws into him.

Patamon was still so careful and happy, like Takeru wished to be.

That's how Takeru saw Patamon, almost like a younger version of himself. A mirror of his heart. A representation of the deepest part of Takeru that was still there, but was hard for him to find in the Darkness.

Patamon, a representation of how he used to be, was protecting him the best he could.

Takeru used to look down that version of himself. A useless crybaby that couldn't fight or stop anything from taking what he loved from him.

Patamon seemed to be getting nervous, so Takeru smiled down at them as he brought them into a hug. Takeru held Patamon close, and Patamon cuddled into Takeru's chest.

Takeru would never think Patamon was like that.

Not after Patamon was so strong. Yet, if Patamon was strong, a mirror reflection of a younger Takeru, than that Takeru was also strong.

It was admirable. The way Patamon sat on Takeru's head to protect him from everything.

It was also childish. A bit of a silly way to do something serious, but Takeru didn't care. Hearing how Patamon was trying to protect him at all times made his heart soar.

Overall, it was quite adorable.

"Thank you, Patamon", Takeru whispered to the Digimon.

Takeru felt tears come to his eyes, but he blinked them away. Now was not the time to cry over something like this. Maybe Takeru did still hate that crybaby part of himself, still hid all of his emotions, but he just felt so happy right now.

Takeru was thanking Patamon for more than just this. More than their silly little habit of always sitting on his head.

Patamon has done so much for Takeru and they were still doing so much for him. Even if they acted like a child sometimes, reminding Takeru of himself from oh so many years ago, they still looked out for him so much.

Even if Takeru's head and neck always hurt from how much Patamon sat on it, he didn't care anymore.

Maybe Patamon felt that same need to be useful that Takeru did. If so, Takeru would let Patamon on his head whenever they wanted.

"Anything for you, Takeru", Patamon said.

Takeru smiled, pulling the Digimon away and placing them back on his head. Patamon got comfy again, their little paws lightly holding Takeru's hair as they rested.

Takeru's head and neck immediately started to hurt, but he couldn't find it in himself to care as a smile spread across his face.

Patamon really was always looking out for him. Even when it seemed like they weren't. Patamon's way of it was a little odd, but it still made Takeru happy.

What would Takeru do without Patamon?

"Plus, it is really comfy up here".

Takeru laughed a little, seemed that was still a real reason for Patamon sitting on his head.

Takeru could feel Patamon moving around move on his head, even smelling his hair before letting out a content sigh and fully going limp in comfort on Takeru's head.

Takeru laughed, guess Patamon wasn't lying why they gave Takeru their first reason.

Patamon did really like just being on top of Takeru's head. Even if the main reason was to protect Takeru, it was their favorite place to be and more often than not they fell asleep up there.

Takeru loved it as well, even with the pain it brought him comfort in knowing exactly where his partner was. After losing Patamon before, being able to always feel his partner and hold them easily always comforted Takeru.

Takeru just loved it more after learning about this.

He would never take Patamon off his head again- unless the pain was really bad.

Takeru went back to his writing, newfound inspiration with the comfort of the familiar weight on his head and soft snores.

"Than you can stay up there for as long as you like, Patamon". Takeru told his partner.

Iori didn't believe in soulmates.

Well, he didn't believe in many myths and stories his mother and grandfather would tell him as bedtime stories. He knew many did, and he didn't particular care that they did- but he just didn't.

They were so fantastically. They didn't follow logic or reason. They were either supernatural or too odd to be true.

So when his mother told him about soulmates, the idea that out there, somewhere in a large world there was someone just for you.

Someone who was made just for you. Who could understand you better than anyone. Who would be the sun in your life and revolve around you like the moon to the earth. Iori didn't believe it.

It almost sounded too good to be true.

That someone out there was made for you, the perfect yin to your yang.

Iori would humor his mother when she talked about it when putting him to bed.

It would only be years late when Iori realized she thought like this because she loved his father, her husband, so much that she couldn't bare love another. Even with that knowledge, however, Iori didn't think he would have been swayed back than.

Later, when he met Miyako, he would humor her as well.

She loved the idea of someone out there being just for you. Someone to stand by your side through thick and thin.

Miyako talked about it a lot more than his mother did, but Miyako was his first real friend so he would listen to her. She knew how Iori thought about these myths and tales, but that never stopped her from trying.

"One day, you'll meet your soulmate and I'll get to say 'I told you so', just wait", she would always say.

Iori would either ignore her or stand his ground in what he believed in. Nothing would change his mind.

Iori knew love existed. It came it many forms, and any one of those forms could lead you to your soulmate. That no one form of love was true love, and no matter what type you felt it was there. That love was a powerful thing that could drive people to do and think amazing if not also stupid things.

Iori knew that love was what drove people to believe in soulmates, and he knew love was a powerful emotion but his denial of soulmates was more than that.

He believed you could find someone you loved more than anything, but he didn't believe they were made for you. That out there in a large world, someone was just waiting for the day you would meet.

That some divine power decided who you would spend the rest of your life with. That your hearts were intertwined from the day both of you were born.

It was too mystical, too magically, and too illogically.

Iori didn't believe.

No matter how many those around him tried to convince. Iori just didn't believe in soulmates. He believed in love, but not someone out there that was perfect and made for you.

Whether that someone would become your friend for life or your a romantic partner, or maybe something in between.

No matter which one it was, Iori didn't believe there was a soulmate for each one. Iori was happy to live his life like this, even as his mother and grandfather still told him stories and Miyako gushed over meeting her perfect one. Iori was happy to believe that soulmates didn't exist.

Till he met Takeru.

Nothing was weird when he first saw the blonde behind the elevator doors.

Maybe they stared into each other's eyes for a little too long. Something in Iori telling him that this wouldn't be the last he'd see of the boy named Takaishi Takeru.

He seemed like a good person as he greeted him and Miyako. He agreed to Miyako's invite to walk to school with them and he made small talk in the elevator.

Takeru seemed like a funny yet kind person. Iori had only known him for minutes before they went their separate ways, but he had decided that from what little he knew he liked Takeru.

His heart told him he could trust him.

Than Iori got his D-3, met Armadimon, and became a Chosen Child. Joined a team of people that would protect and save both worlds, human and digital.

So much happened, and with all of it, Takeru was right there.

They never spoke much, never hanged out with each other outside of the Digital World, but Iori felt close to him anyway.

Iori just felt like they were friends, even if no one would ever call them that from an outside perspective.

It confused Iori. Takeru confused Iori.

Why did Takeru get so angry at the powers of Darkness so much? Why could he go from angry to calm so quickly? Why did Takeru act the way he did, think the way he did, why was Takeru Takeru?

Iori wanted to learn more, and he didn't understand.

Ask him why he was so obsessed with Takeru before, and he would have said it was because they needed to Jogress Evolve to help the others.

Ask him now, and Iori would have said Miyako was right all those years ago.

It was Iori's heart wanting to know more about Takeru.

Know more about his soulmate.

It was Iori's heart wanting to know more about Takeru and not because they had some duty to do it as the Chosen Children, but because Iori just wanted to know more about the blonde boy.

Iori wanted to know more about Takeru because he wanted too.

Iori would have said it was duty back than, that they had to do it to save both worlds, but he knew better now. Knew better after their hearts started to beat in sync.

Iori didn't believe Daisuke when he said he could understand Ken's heart.

It didn't make any logical sense, and it didn't help when Daisuke swore he could hear Ken's pulse and feel their hearts beat as one.

It was too fantastical. It sounded to similar to those myths and tall tales his mother and grandfather told him. To close to the red string of fate Miyako would wish was real so she could find her soulmate.

Than it happened to Hikari and Miyako.

Iori was still hesitant to believe. The Digital World was a weird place, however. It defied all logic that Iori knew so maybe it was true.

Iori still didn't fully believe.

He didn't think his friends were lying, but maybe they didn't understand. The way they would talk about feeling like they were one. That they could understand each other at a glance. It sounded too fictional for Iori to fully believe.

Till it happened to him.

Till he could hear Takeru's pulse in his ears, slowly feel as their hearts started to beat together till they sounded like one heart. Impossible to tell who heart's was beating as they beat together as one.

Iori had been so happy with it he basically jumped into Takeru's arms.

The feeling of Takeru hugging him made it feel like his body as on fire, fireworks went off in his stomach. Iori didn't want to let go. Hugging Takeru made him feel complete.

When Jogress-Evolution stopped, Iori could still faintly hear Takeru's heat beating alongside his. Iori could feel what Takeru was feeling. Understand his emotions and feelings at a single glance.

The others were right. It did cause them to almost become one like the Digimon.

This connection would be with them for the rest of their lives. A faint heart beat always besides Iori's no matter what he did or where he went.

Iori learned to love it.

The feeling of peace and just pure completeness that came when Takeru was by his side.

The way Takeru could effortlessly make Iori smile or cheer him up. The way his heart always called out to be Takeru and how lonely he would feel when the blonde wasn't with him.

How Iori could understand Takeru better than anyone could. How he could look past the mask on his face and look past the lies in his voice even before they Jogress-Evolved but it only got better after.

The same could be said for Takeru. Takeru understood Iori better than anyone. Able to see past the blank face and monotone voice and know what Iori was truly feeling.

They shared a bond that was unbreakable. One that they shared with no one else. Even if he and Takeru seemed so different, Iori knew they were perfect together.

It was almost like they were made for each other.

You'd think Iori would have realized it back than.

That the stories his mother told him to fall asleep, his grandfather would recite after kendo, Miyako would gush about on walks to school, were all true.

He didn't.

Maybe he was still in denial. Even after his heart started to beat in sync with Takeru's. Even after they spent so many years by each other's side. After they proved time and time again that they belonged together.

Maybe it wasn't the same as the stories everyone told him.

It was Iori and Takeru that made their bond together.

They decided that they were going to reach out to each other and despite their differences, fight together side by side. It wasn't some higher being that brought them together, but themselves. They chose to be partners, not because fate told them to be partners.

Maybe Iori just didn't realize it back than, way to many other things had taken up his mind.

He should have realized, I mean, if the Digital World and Digimon were real than maybe those myths and stories of soulmates were.

It wasn't until a lot of years later when he and Takeru were hanging out that Iori realized that.

Spending time together was something that both of them cherished with how busy they were. Takeru laid out on Iori's lap, writing away on his laptop with his arms propped up by the bed.

Iori's arms resting on Takeru's back, hands open as he read a book to the peaceful sound of the keys. It was in this peaceful moment that Iori let his mind wander, and he remembered the stories his mother told him.

Even if had been years since Iori heard them, he remember them clear as day.

That somewhere out there, there was someone made for you. Someone who would understand you better than anyone. Someone who would always be there for you. Someone you couldn't help but love with your whole heart.

Someone that was your soulmate.

Iori had paused his reading. Eyes going wide and heart racing speeding up a little as he connected the dots.

Takeru was his soulmate.

Okay, maybe Jogress-Evolution and the bond it made wasn't exactly the same as the stories of soulmates Iori's heard. Yet, it was close enough.

Takeru understood Iori better than anyone. Takeru was always there for Iori, no matter what and even if he wasn't he always made up for it. Iori loved Takeru with his whole heart and more.

Takeru was Iori's soulmate.

Iori heard Takeru call for him. He looked down, seeing Takeru's bright blue eyes looking back up at him with confusion and concern.

Takeru was Iori's soulmate.

Soulmates can be anything and anyone.

Iori loved Takeru so much that maybe soulmate was the only answer for their bond. Love can be anything and anyone as well. Iori couldn't tell how exactly how he loved Takeru, but it didn't matter because the love was there.

Love was love, and Iori loved Takeru and Takeru was his soulmate. It didn't matter how you described their love. It didn't matter if friend, boyfriend, or even partner didn't fit their bond but soulmate did.

They belonged together.

The red string of fate led Iori to Takeru, it connected them together. Takeru was Iori's yin to his yang, two forces that were opposite but needed each other to live. Takeru and Iori's moon to his earth, revolving around each other since the beginning of time and till the end of time.

Maybe Takeru and Iori weren't made for each other, but they found each other and grew together. They became their true selves with each other.

They chose each other, in a way, and isn't that better than some divine power choosing them for each other?

Iori just shook his head, silently tell Takeru that everything was fine. Takeru seemed to take that answer, but he didn't go back to writing.

He closed his laptop and his eyes, moving so his head was in Iori's lap and resting. Iori smiled down at Takeru, putting his hand in Takeru's hair and playing with it.

A small smile rose to Takeru's face, and Iori moved his book back. Now reading it with on hand as the sound of Takeru's small snores fill the room.

Iori couldn't focus on his book, still thinking about his realization.

He could almost hear Miyako's voice in his head telling him 'I told you so' and it almost made him laugh as well. Guess she was right all those years ago.

Iori should have known that, she stopped all her talk about finding her soulmate the moment she Jogress-Evolved with Hikari.

Iori wasn't sure if he was going to tell her he realized she was right. He didn't feel like getting it rubbed in his face for the rest of his life, as much as he valued Miyako as a friend.

However, she was right.

As was Iori's mother and grandfather with every story they told him.

Every story of soulmates Iori would disregard and say was fake. All those myths and tall tales were true after all. Soulmates did exist. Maybe not for everyone, and maybe you had more of a choice in it than fate does, but they were real. Takeru was Iori's soulmate.