Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Barbed Wire and Roses ❯ II ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter Two

Mimi stretched and sat up in the king-sized four-poster, smiling at the feeling of newness that permeated her body. The last three days seemed like a nightmare, possessing the patchwork clarity of unreality. But one look around the motel room proved to her that everything had been real. Tears filled her eyes and for the first time since she received the call from Sora, she wept.

Finally, after she had cried herself temporarily dry, she got up from the bed and headed for the adjoining bathroom for her morning shower. She was thinking about what she'd wear when she remembered where her clothes were. A groan of dismay escaped her lips and she fell back away from the hot water, feeling like crying again for an entirely different reason. Although she wanted nothing more than to stay in the shower for the rest of her life, she finished quickly and reached for one of the big, thick towels that were folded in a cabinet. She thought about putting her shirt back on, but her pants were with her suitcases and the shirt only covered her upper body. With a sigh of frustration at her own stupidity, she wrapped the towel around her body, tucking it into itself just above her breasts, then proceeded to brush her wet hair straight.

She walked from the bathroom and made her way quickly toward the door before she could loose her courage. Once outside, she continued in her forceful walk to his door. She knocked loudly, banging her fist against the door as hard as she could so there would be no chance that he wouldn't hear her and she could chicken out.

The door opened immediately, almost as though the person on the other side was waiting for someone. She gasped as she saw the man's face, though she tried to hide her astonishment. The man was handsome. In fact, she thought, as she looked him over, he's the embodiment of the word. Intimidated by his comeliness, she back away from the door and thought of fleeing. Surely no one should have to suffer such humiliation. But before she could run, he opened the door wider and smiled. He smiled. She thought her legs would melt and she would crumple to the ground in a boneless heap at his feet. She swayed momentarily, but quickly covered it up by moving forward, berating herself as soon as her wits returned that she should be old enough not to swoon over the first good looking guy to come along.

"I'm sorry, but I forgot my things last night." She forced out, hating herself all over again for the scene the night before. He stepped to the side so she could enter and she went immediately towards her suitcases, relief flooding through her like a tidal wave when she saw that they hadn't been touched.

"I appreciate you not snooping through my things," she commented sincerely as she picked up the suitcases and turned around. "I don't know many people that would-" Her words came to an abrupt halt when she noticed that he had shut the door. Trapped in the room alone with him, she became uncomfortably aware that she was wearing nothing but a towel that stopped just above her knees and she felt absurdly vulnerable at the realization that if she even moved wrong, the towel could loosen and fall.

"This is a very uncomfortable situation." She said, the words escaping her mouth before she could think about them, the man smiled, his blond hair falling over his blue eyes as he cocked his head to the side.

"I agree entirely."

****

Yamato felt like he'd taken a blow in the stomach. The woman was so damned beautiful he found he couldn't think straight. Her dark, wet hair fell past her waist, lighter brown waves appearing where it had begun to dry. Her eyes were a deep, bottomless brown flecked with gold around the pupil and her skin was creamy white. He had shut the door without realizing he'd done it and he now snapped back into himself as he stared down at her, watching her eyes shift around the room as if searching for an escape. Well, he wouldn't let her get away this time with out leaving him with some information.

"You're very beautiful," he whispered, lifting his hand and running his fingers through the soft, damp hair at her temples. "Like an angel." She stiffened and blinked but didn't stumble away from him in outrage. He took that as a good sign and lowered his head until he could feel her ragged breath on his lips. "What's your name, Angel?"

"M-Mimi." Even stuttering, her voice ran over him like a caress and he shuttered. Not being able to restrain himself any longer, he claimed her lips with a groan, catching her gasp with his mouth and invading hers with his tongue. He could feel her shaking and he slid his arms around her waist to steady her, the towel loosening and draping across his arms as he drew her to him at the same time her knees gave out and she dropped her luggage.

Finally, after what seemed to him like centuries, he drew his head back and looked into her dazed, half-closed eyes, holding her against him and reveling in the feel of her soft curves against his firm chest.

It took a few moments, but when the misty, unfocused look faded from her eyes, she looked at him. Really looked at him and he could feel her stiffening again. He felt her hands come up against his chest and push, attempting to shove herself away . With a sigh, he reluctantly relinquished his hold and she stumbled away, her eyes widening as her towel fell in a heap between them.

With a squeal she lunged for it and covered the front half of herself as best she could. Yamato felt a smile tugging at his lips at her desperate effort to conceal her nakedness, but he suppressed the urged and stuck his hands in his blue flannel pajama pants.

"Do you need any help carrying your luggage to your room?" He asked, trying to appear as if she wasn't standing naked infront of him save for a towel and as though his innocent inquiry were nothing more. She sent him a blistering look.

"I think you've done quite enough, thank you!" She succeeded in concealing herself by holding a corner over her shoulder with one hand and the opposite corner on her hip with the other; but when she moved, the thick cloth came dangerously close to revealing the treasure between her legs. Yamato felt laughter bubble up into his throat at her obvious distress and decided to cut the lady a little slack by turning around.

****

Mimi wasted no time wrapping the towel around herself when his back was turned, making sure the top was as high as it would go and as tight as possible. She sighed in relief at finally being covered again and he turned to face her, as if that release of breath had been a signal he'd been waiting for.

"Pity." His regretful tone surprised her and she looked into his eyes to see his gaze sliding up from her body to meet hers. "I liked you better without the towel."

She felt heat curling through her stomach and rising through her chest to her face. Knowing she must be blushing a bright red, she picked up her suitcases and brushed past him towards the door, throwing back over her shoulder as she opened it, "I suppose a man like you would."

She was just closing the door behind her when his hand completely covered hers, effectively anchoring her to the door knob and sending shocks of electricity up her arm and through her body. "You'd judge me when you don't even know me?" Shaken by his effect on her, she ignored the true intent of his question, and asked her own.

"That is the point isn't it? I don't even know you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get dressed." She tried tugging her hand away, but his fingers tightened over hers.

"No, you don't know me, but I'm one hell of a kisser huh?" She looked up from her captured hand into his face and saw that his head was cocked so that locks of golden hair fell over and concealed one eye. His lips were turned up in a mischievous smile and his visible blue eye held a strange glint. Her mind completely blank of any witty remarks, she stuttered in an attempt to find something to say and his mouth stretched wider in amusement.

"Can't think of anything to say? Well, don't worry, we don't need any words, you just come back in here and we wont have to talk anymore." His voice had lowered to a sensual purr that flowed over her like thick, warm water and she became uncomfortably aware of the pressure of his hand over hers.

"I really have to go, please." She closed her eyes, hating the breathless sound of her voice and hating herself more for not being able to control her hormones. Her mind created pictures of what she would miss by going back to her room, but she did her best to block them.

He let out a heartfelt sigh and slowly released her hand, still smiling down at her. "The offer's still open if you want to take me up on it some other time." Mimi gulped, wondering where her old friend Sarcasm was when she needed it, and nodded. If she could throw some sarcastic remark about what she thought of his offer in his face, perhaps he'd quit looking at her like he was. She turned and summoned up her force of will to prevent herself from running.

She was reaching out to open her own door when his voice stopped her.

"My name's Yamato by the way, Yamato Ishida." She hurriedly turned the knob and rushed into her room, slamming the door behind her.

****

"Yamato Ishida! You actually went into Yamato Ishida's room by accident and then left!" Sora threw her hands up in the air in a hopeless gesture.

"You know him then?" Mimi asked, confused by her friends behavior.

"Know him, of course I know him, everyone knows him."

"Okay! Are you going to tell me why everyone knows him or are you just going to keep me guessing?" Sora blushed, probably realizing the game she'd been playing, and quickly rushed to explain things.

"He owns that motel, and he's building a castle up on Green Horn on twenty-eight acres he bought three years ago. He just showed up one day and started buying and building things. No one knows where he got all the money, no one really knows much about him period, but some think his parents were rich and left him all their money." She paused in her explanation and looked at Mimi.

"Was that the end?" She asked suddenly, "did you just leave and not go back?" Mimi blushed and looked at her hands on the kitchen table to hide her pink cheeks. Sora caught it and verbally pounced on her. "You went back?! What happened, did you two… you know?"

"No!" Mimi exclaimed, astonished that her friend would even ask. "No, I just… forgot my suitcases in his room and went back to get them this morning." Sora eyed her suspiciously, seeming reluctant to believe that was all that happened.

"That was it?" She asked, proving Mimi's assessment of her look correct. She groaned and realized she couldn't hide it from her curious friend and decided to confess.

"Well, n-no, he… well, he sorta, k-kissed me." Sora's squeal of delight startled her and she looked up at her in surprise. When she returned the look, Mimi felt uncomfortable and fidgeted in her chair.

"Well?"

"He… offered to… well." She cleared her throat and looked out the large window over the counter. "You know. I didn't though," She continued quickly before Sora could get the wrong idea. "I went back to my room." Sora rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"I can't believe you passed up an opportunity like that." Mimi, once again knocked off balance by her friend's behavior towards the matter, gaped at her in horrified fascination. Sora, as if reading her thoughts, blushed and waved her hand through the air in a nervous gesture.

"I'm twenty-three years old, nobody's a virgin in their twenties these days, you should know that." Mimi continued to stare at her, wondering where her innocent, no-sex-until-married friend had gone and who was this woman standing in her place. After several moments where her friend returned her look, understanding finally dawned in Sora's brown eyes.

"I can't believe it." She whispered breathlessly. "You were always flirting with the guys when we were teenagers. I simply can't… My God, Mimi you're a…. a virgin." Mimi interlaced her fingers together and stared out the window.

"I would have thought, well, you're famous now and you're attractive-"

"I never met anyone I cared enough about." She explained curtly, cutting off what ever Sora would have said next. Sora looked abashed.

"Oh, Mimi, I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound like I thought you were some slut but I honestly believed that you'd have had sex atleast once after you moved away." Mimi just shook her head and pushed away from the table to get herself a glass of tea. She took a sip of the warm, calming liquid and turned around to face Sora with a sigh, bracing herself against the counter.

"Okay, I think I'm ready for the details, Sora. "She said with obvious reluctance. "You just said they crashed. Did they run into someone and will I have to have some kind of law suit?" Sora looked at her with sad eyes.

"No, the truck's totaled and it wasn't anyone's fault. They were driving back up The Canyon from Bakersfield in the rain and a rock fell off the mountain and came through the top of the cab. Killed your mother instantly. Your father was sleeping as you know he does when he goes through The Canyon so he doesn't get sick. The truck went off the road and rolled a few times until it landed in the river. He ended up with a broken collarbone and some broken ribs, they said he would've lived except that he was trapped in the truck and drowned. I'm really sorry, Mimi." Tears were filling her eyes and spilling over, making her vision watery.

"Thank you, Sora, you really are my best friend." Sora nodded mutely.

"Did he-" Mimi paused and took a deep breath. "Did Daddy ever say anything about me?" Her voice cracked and she started crying, her breath hitching as she tried to breathe around the pent-up sobs.

"Of course he did!" Sora rushed to assure her, getting up and putting her arms around her shoulders in a comforting gesture. Mimi sagged against her.

"God, I loved them so much, Sora! I just want them back! I want to say I'm sorry, and be here for their birthdays and anniversary." She was crying so hard that she found it difficult to talk and Sora led her into the living room where they sat down on the couch.

"Shush Mimi, they loved you too, your dad was just to ashamed at how angry he'd gotten to ask your forgiveness. He didn't think he deserved it, you know how he was. The money you sent them, he put that all in a bank account for you. Everything is yours, the house, he even got the Lincoln put in your name. He's told us all his plan of driving it all the way up to New York City and parking it outside your apartment for you."

The information was only fuel on the fire to Mimi and she felt herself crying harder at her own selfishness. How could she have thought they hated her? The same people that had told her that they would be happy if she was and had supported her writing all the way. She thought of the fight they'd had and of how stupid everything seemed now that nothing could ever be rectified.

Finally, after she'd cried herself dry, she caught her breath and pulled away from Sora's arms, forcing herself to get on with things. "Okay, I think I'm done, what else is there I have to do?"

Like it? Hate it? What to kill me? All responses welcomed at ayame_69@bolt.com