Digimon Adventure Tri: Echo

43) Off-Color Courage

Neither Taichi nor Yamato had said much of anything for quite some time. Agumon and Gabumon were silent at the sides of their partners as well, their journey through the Dark Ocean continuing much the same way as it had been ever since the full team of Chosen Children was separated. Taichi could feel Yamato's gaze burning into him from behind, but he didn't know how he was supposed to make it stop. Part of him wondered if there was anything that he could say in the first place to get Yamato off his back, but he ultimately realized that such a solution likely didn't even exist in the first place. Yamato was stubborn in his own special way, and Taichi wasn't going to be able to worm his way out of this situation once Yamato set his sights on him. 

They hadn't said much of anything since they first got the message from Miyako to say that both she and Hikari were alright. Relief had immediately flooded Taichi's body at those words; he was far from being as protective and on-edge as he once had been when it came to the safety of his sister, but that didn't mean that he was entirely exempt from being worried. He had been deliberately trying to not think about what was going on with Miyako and Hikari so that he wouldn't work himself up and over the edge. He was glad that Miyako had finally remembered to say that they were together and alright, and her message had included an apology for how long it had taken her to say something. Taichi was glad that he had two less people to worry about, but Meiko remained unaccounted for even after all this time. In other words, that meant that there was still someone out there that Taichi was going to have to concentrate on saving once he and Yamato were able to meet up with other members of the team. 

"What's going on with you?" Yamato questioned at long last, and Taichi was forced to glance up from his Digivice at the sound of his companion's voice. He turned his head over one shoulder to stare at Yamato in confusion, Agumon watching him the whole way. Taichi's expression was perplexed, but that didn't seem to be enough for Yamato as the blonde's eyes narrowed in his direction. "You can't pretend that you don't know what I'm talking about here, Taichi. I know that you know what I'm referring to."

Taichi didn't respond for a long time, turning his attention back to the path ahead as he continued to place one foot in front of the other. "Taichi..." Agumon said quietly, nudging his partner in the leg with one claw to try and pull Taichi out of his silent daze. Taichi wished that he even had the slightest idea what he was supposed to say to either one of them. He didn't know where he was even meant to start with something of this nature. 

Yamato let out a heavy sigh, halfway agitated and halfway defeated. "I can tell that something is wrong. Everything about you lately has just seemed... Off. If you think that you can get away from this, then you're sorely mistaken," Yamato told him, his voice even and dry in all of its stubborn determination. 

"I don't know what to do," Taichi confessed before he could stop himself. That was as true an admission as he could bring himself to make in that moment as much as he hated to say it. As far as Taichi could tell, he hadn't known what to do for what felt like an eternity. Peace was so faraway and distant all of a sudden, almost as if it was a mere whisper on the wind that he didn't know how to grasp. 

"What do you mean?" Yamato questioned, the previous fire in his voice dissipating when he noticed how hopeless and hollow Taichi's voice was. Gabumon's eyes were overcome by a sudden wave of concern, and he glanced over to Agumon in worry. Agumon refused to meet Gabumon's gaze, too focused on looking up at Taichi with gentle comforting concern sweeping over his eyes. 

"Just what I said," Taichi told him with a heavy sigh. "I don't know how the hell I'm supposed to handle any of this. Ever since Daisuke got hurt, I... I know that it's my responsibility at least in part to look after everyone on our team. We're the Chosen Children. We have to count on each other, but... Everyone looks to me as their leader. I can't let them down. Daisuke already got hurt because I wasn't careful enough to look after him. I'm not going to let that happen to anyone else. A leader is supposed to look after the others on their team, but I haven't been doing enough of that."