thefolder | hold me in your arms

Leatherhead hadn't been faring well. He barely had the self control to bring himself sitting in front of one of the remnants of the Friendship District. His eyes appeared heavy and sad, his breathing still shaky from the emotionally violent confrontation.

As for the digimon and the new 'real partner'...well Duke got it and as such he kept his distance. As for monodramon...he stood back in shock, not sure what to make of this side of the chosen he admired so much. Duke stood next to him, keeping a somber face.

Even as he heard Mikey calling out for him, the ex-alligator had no desire to get up.

Leader spotted Duke and Monodramon first, but shortly after noticed Leatherhead. "Mikey, he's over here." She called out to her partner, her voice soft but enough to project to him.

Mikey heard her and headed the way she was pointing until he was right in front of his boyfriend. He didn't say any words at the moment, just bringing himself level with Leatherhead and reaching forward, intent on cupping the other's face while he rested his forehead to Leatherhead's own.

The two digimon kept their distance like bystanders watching someone diffuse a bomb. Monodramon kept looking to Duke but Duke only seemed interested in what was happening (aside from the few glances he passed Leader). Duke's been keeping a lot inside.

As for Leatherhead, he leaned into Mikey's hand, murmuring a hurt sigh. It sounded like a bandaid had come off a painful wound. He had no words right now, he only wanted Mikey here, just to make sure he was real.

While Mikey went to Leatherhead Leader made her way over to Duke, shifting close enough to him that she could talk in a low voice. "Sorry we took as long as we did... Mikey's not... as well as he's acting." She really wanted to ask how Duke himself was doing, but she didn't know if she could with Monodramon and Leormon both there, especially when she noticed that Leormon had followed her over to where the others were.

Mikey stayed where he was, just breathing slow and controlled for a little bit, not caring how long, before shifting so that he could bring a kiss to the bridge of Leatherhead's nose, soft and light. He felt tears welling up and tried to blink them away, not wanting to fall to crying right here, right now.

"No one's alright," Duke said shortly, still standing next to Monodramon. The digimon sadly nodded his head in agreement. Both digimon were having difficulty dealing with Leatherhead's...Leatherheadness. Especially considering he wanted revenge on Donnie. Monodramon could hardly believe that part, even after everything that happened.

Leatherhead felt the kiss on his face, finally looking up to his boyfriend. No words when he pulled him in a tight hug, sighing deeply. He buried his face in the shoulder of his lover, at loss with his warring emotions.

Leader sat down next to Duke, guessing that he was including himself in the 'no one'. "This thing messed with everyone, even those who weren't infected with it." She knew she herself still hurt from her own failure to protect Mikey.

Mikey did nothing to discourage the shift in setting for the both of them, just shifting his hands so that one arm curled around Leatherhead's shoulders and the other came up to brush through his hair. He didn't bother moving from Leatherhead, just soaking in the contact for now, though he eventually spoke up. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry I made you upset. I'm sorry if I hurt you."

Though he hadn't shown it, Duke almost appreciated Leader's coming closer. The Impmon just shook his head, wishing this whole SCOPE thing never happened. Monodramon finally spoke up, "It shouldn't be like this...they should be happy..."

Leatherhead held onto Mikey like a life preserver, the only thing keeping him adrift in this sea of confusion. He wanted to ask why Mikey couldn't see it his way, but he only said, "It was not you...."

He had so much to say, yet he felt so emotionally drained, "Don't let me go."

"Everyone should be happy, but we can't undo the damage that's been done, we just need to make sure they get the chance to heal, for their hearts to heal." Leormon said even as he sat down to wait for their partners to move.

Mikey held on just as tight, holding back tears from everything that they had dealt with so far. This was him coming to help Leatherhead, not the other way around. "I said things that I shouldn't have... I'm sorry for that."

"I won't... I won't ever let you go. I love you, and it means so much to me... to have you here."

Duke just nudges Monodramon to quiet. The smaller digimon just looks to Leormon, wanting so bad to help his partner. He wished he could help Duke...everyone.

Leatherhead did not like the idea of Mikey crying...he felt a pang of guilt even as he held onto him. No more thinking, he just wanted to feel Mikey's presence and love.

"I felt so angry...and hurt," he muttered, closing his eyes, "I never wish to lose you...I never want to feel that again..."

Leader sighs softly and leans towards Duke, he was infinitely more familiar to here than Leormon at this point and she felt the need for just a little support, nothing big.

"I'm sorry" he repeated, running his fingers through Leatherhead's hair as he tries to sooth him. "I don't want to leave you, I never want to... You are so important to me Leatherhead."

Keeping his arms folded, the digimon says nothing to Leader, yet not doing anything to rebuke it. You want support, fine.

The big teenager just let Mikey hold him and pet him. He made a small rumble of appreciation for his hands in his hair. He replied, "I feel the same...do you understand how I feel now?"

She doesn't push it, the simple fact that he wasn't pushing her away being it's own kind of support.

"Oh Leatherhead... I do understand, I've understood this whole time, but that doesn't mean that I can always just accept it. I don't ever want to lose you... but I don't want to lose my family either, and he's part of my family." He kept up the action, kept stroking his hand through Leatherhead's hair, hoping that they could talk without emotions getting over heated again. "I... I don't want to have to pick between you two."

Duke honestly looks caught up in the mess with Leatherhead right now. The whole thing was a debacle.

Speaking of, Leatherhead tried focusing on the hand in his hair, trying to keep to the positive emotions Mikey gave him. As tough it was, it gave him some small comfort and stability. He shuddered, "You were the only one who cared for me...you did not deserve that...you did not deserve..."

His voice came out strained, a near-whimper, "This place is cruel..."

Leader wouldn't disagree, though she takes a couple glances at the Impmon, hoping she'd have a chance to talk to him one on one.

He keeps up his actions, knowing that it helps his boyfriend, and that it's not a pointless thing to do. "A lot of people don't deserve what happened to them lately... Hiccup didn't deserve to die, or Fluttershy to have her wing broken. You don't deserve to be hurt like you were, especially how your heart was hurt.

And Donnie didn't deserve having to see himself do all those things without being able to stop it." He said, his hand stroking with a firmer touch, a hopefully more obvious reminder that he was there.

Duke raised an eye brow. He said, What are you looking at me for?

And at that point Leatherhead didn't wish to cling to those negative feelings, not now. But they kept flooding him like a heavy rain. Quickly he hugged his boyfriend tight, burying his head in his lover's chest. Sorry Mikey.

Leader looked away, now wasn't the time to try to talk to Duke, though she was hoping to talk to him later, maybe find out if she wasn't the only 'fake' partner feeling lost with everything that had been changed on them.

Mikey did nothing to stop Leatherhead, just continuing to stroke his hand through the other's hair and using his other hand to rub at his back. He kept quiet for the moment, wishing he knew the right words to say to make this all better. But he didn't know what to say, and he had no idea how to fix it. So he stood there like a rock, hoping to be something his love could hold to while this emotional storm raged.

Duke shrugs away his doubt. That digimon's been acting mysterious. Maybe it had to do with the SCOPE deal. He'll find out later.

Leatherhead needed that rock. As Mikey continued to stroke and reassure him, he began to make a rumbling noise that sounded akin to purring. He began to see things beyond the haze of his own messed-up feelings, yet...

"It's not fair," he mumbled.

"No... it's not fair." Mikey said, his stomach sinking a little at the words, and the feeling reflected in his voice. "It's not fair at all... I just want... us to be happy, I want everyone to be happy." It was all he could think to say, because it was true. It was unfair that for them to be here, to be together, they had to face the other results of being in this world. It wasn't fair that both he and Leatherhead wouldn't be able to look at him without his scarf on and not see the reminder of that ugly fight.

He tried to keep his own breathing slow and calm, but he knew he was fighting a losing battle, already there was a tear tracking down his cheek. His hands trembled slightly where they were against Leatherhead.

No, he didn't want more Mikey suffering. He didn't want anymore Mikey crying. This wasn't the Mikey he knew. It was probably selfish, but...he wanted the happy Mikey back. It made him calm, happy...it wasn't fair.

If he could make Mikey happy...if he could make him forget...it would be worth it. Rising from his own angst, he slowly brought his lips to his lover's cheek. Now was his turn to help him, "Then let us go away. We can live together only you and me. And we shall not worry again. About anything."

The feeling of Leatherhead's kiss to his cheek encouraged a soft smile to his face. He let out a soft and slightly sad chuckle at the idea. "That'd be fun... we would have to worry about anything at all.

B-but I can't. I can't just leave my brother, I can't leave him alone." And that brought more tears to his face. "And what about our other friends? I don't want to go back to hiding and not knowing people."

Why couldn't things be simple? Why couldn't he had both Leatherhead and Donnie around him, and be able to be around his friends? He wanted nothing more than to surround himself with people he cared about and be able to see them whenever he wanted.

It made his stomach churn to see Mikey cry again. He returned to hugging and nuzzling Michelangelo. Sometimes the digital world was both a blessing and a curse. Right now it was more a curse.

Monodramon, against his better judgement, ran up to hug Leatherhead's back, being so small didn't quite measure up. Duke merely let his palm connect with his face.

Leatherhead noticed, but kept focusing on Michelangelo. He rubbed the human's back, murmuring softly, "...let's go back. I want to go back."

From where she stood Leader winced slightly when Monodramon ran over. She saw the motion from Duke and watched as he put his hand over his face. On her other side Leormon covered his face with a paw in second hand embarrassment for Monodramon.

The fresh tears weren't stopping, thought they only felt like they hurt worse as he cried. He kept a hold of Leatherhead, afraid that if he let go he would lose the other and end up being alone. At Leatherhead's words he nodded, even if he wasn't entirely sure where the other meant by 'back' with as muddled as his thoughts were, right now it didn't matter. It only mattered that they would be together.

He moved back slowly, giving Leatherhead room to stand, but without losing contact with him.

Leatherhead didn't seem to mind Monodramon hugging him. The alligator didn't even notice the young digimon crawling up his back.

But in due time he gained the sense to stand up, Monodramon hanging off his shoulder. Duke grimaced hard, a face that almost could be weaponized.

As Leatherhead stood up, he gave a small affectionate nuzzle, murmuring, "I want to go back to your place."

Mikey leaned into the nuzzle as it happened, keeping a hold of Leatherhead as he stood up. He nodded softly to the comment, shifting his grip so that he was holding onto his lover's hand. He gave that hand a gentle tug as he started to move in the right direction.

Leormon saw that they were leaving and went off ahead to get back to the apartment. Mikey had left a few things out that needed to be cleaned up and he decided to take care of that before the two got there. Leader herself turned to start moving toward the apartment, glancing to see what Duke was going to do.

Mikey's walk was a little slower and much quieter than normal but he kept a tight hold on Leatherhead's hand.

Leatherhead didn't have much to say, only the hope that things could get normal...or at least the way things were. They went on the move, letting Mikey lead him on.

The Impmon yanked at Monodramon, taking the former alligator's lead. Duke kept his head down, thinking over this whole SCOPE business...

Leatherhead's grip stayed firm, gentle in Mikey's. He never wanted to let the turtle go.

Once they were on the move leader notice that Duke was looking thoughtful, and she maneuvered her way to walk beside him. "Bit for your thoughts?" she spoke softly says keep attention away from the two of them.

Mikey still found himself amazed at how much trust and care Leatherhead had showed him, it constantly reminded him how careful he had to be not betrayed that trust. Thinking of his boyfriend led him to give the others hand the soft squeeze and he looked at the taller boy and smiled at him. The smile wasn't exactly a happy one but it was happier than it had been just a bit before and already his tears seem to be drawing on his cheek.

Edited 2013-12-27 06:57 (UTC)

Duke looked at the other digimon, his look being one of both incredulity and sadness, "I've got a million of them."

Leatherhead never expected Mikey to betray him...ever. The boy did so much to prove his trust to him, how could he expect anything more? Still...he saw the tears in his eyes.

"...please don't be sad. Please?"

The look she gave in return was fairly tired and somewhat sad. "Then start from the top and I'll tell you when I'm out of bits?" She didn't know how else to find out if the impmon had been thinking about everything that had come up with the whole Scope virus, she was fairly certain a suggestion to 'talk about how they were feeling' would be turned away.

Mikey reached up to rub away the tears. Maybe he could just... not be sad. It was worth a try, anything was worth a try right now. "Y-yeah, okay." He answered, forcing a smile out. It wasn't quite his normal one, but it was a smile.

"You mean the fake partner junk?" something about the suggestion to talk just set off his instinct to moan and complain, "Yeah, really love getting shown up by a dork that can't even digivolve!

Leatherhead didn't really hear the digimon talking, he only focused on Mikey. And though he tried, the forced smile made Leatherhead feel a bit guilty. He stopped to hug his boyfriend. Hugs were good. His big hands stroked his boyfriend's back, trying to soothe.

"Yeah... that." She was thankful that it didn't take more prodding to get him to talk. "I'm less concerned with Leormon myself... and more... what Mikey's thinking. I mean after the whole his brother not really being his brother for a bit and all the damage that happened there... and now this." She was genuinely afraid that if they worked out Leormon digivolving she wouldn't be wanted or needed anymore.

Mikey wasn't paying attention to what Leader was saying at the moment, he really wasn't in the mind set to do so. Instead he let himself be hugged, hugging him back, and burying his face against Leatherhead's shoulder for a moment. "I'm sorry... I'm trying... I just... It's probably going to take some work... before I can just really smile again. But even without my smile... you make me happy, just by being here and loving me."

Edited 2013-12-30 09:26 (UTC)

"You too, huh? Yeah, guess after everything he's just gonna forget that and leave me. You see how he turned on that gap tooth nerd the minute he beat up Mikey."

Leatherhead felt disconsolate, lost. If Mikey couldn't truly smile, then everything else had little hope. He kept stroking Mikey, something to soothe himself, "...do you mean that?"

"I don't know... the thing with Donnie seems... different. It's not like you go around beating up Mikey." She sighs."Then again, I really don't know. I think that's what's messing with me the most. I don't know if I should be getting ready to leave, or if... I'm staying. I just... don't know." And that scared her. She didn't say it, but the fact lingered there, as if she may as well have.

"Of course I mean it. You are... you are the best thing in my life. You are someone that can't be replaced." He held on to Leatherhead a little tighter. "And without you here... I wouldn't be okay right now."

All griping aside, Duke never expected someone like Leader to sympathize with him before. The Impmon just sighed, speaking, "Yeah but until we figure it out then it's just us on our own, sticking for ourselves.

Leatherhead, moving again, kept an arm hung over his lover's shoulder, "I feel the same for you..."

Leader was quiet a moment after that before looking directly at Duke. "If we end up that way... maybe we could stick together, so we aren't completely on our own." In spite of her tough, no nonsense personality, Leader seemed to be very fragile about some things.

Mikey leaned slightly against Leatherhead as they walked, a small, almost not even there smile, but a real smile, showing up. "Thank you, for always caring."

He looks right back, his expression lost despite all his pride, "Yeah...that'd be good..."

There it is...Leatherhead felt a little weight in his heart lifting from seeing that. "It is all I can do..."

"Thank you." She says before finally going quiet. She wished she were Gatomon at the moment, so that she could have her front paw free to at least make a nice gesture, like touching Duke's hand, but as it was she was stuck walking on all four paws.

Mikey could tell Leatherhead felt better, seeing him smile even just that little bit, and while he couldn't smile more at the moment without forcing it, he made sure not to let it disappear. "It means a lot to me."

hold me in your arms

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