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Enigma

Part 4: "Moonlit Play"

By Splash

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At this point, I start completely ignoring some events in the series, as if they never happened. ^_^  Reference to episode 3: In this fic, the Frontier

 

kids stay in the initial village for a while before another Trailmon approaches.

 

Disclaimer: Digimon Frontier and its characters belong to Toei, not me.  This is fanmade material, and by freedom of speech and all sorts of other random

 

laws wonderful America has, I have the right to make this kind of stuff, so don't sue. XD

 

****

 

Takuya awoke with a start.  His left cheek felt incredibly warm...

 

The events of the previous evening were briefly forgotten, so when he spotted the other boy staring down at him, he almost jumped.  He was no longer

 

tired, although Kouji was yearning for a little bit more rest in his eyes.  Or perhaps those eyelids were lazy for another reason...

 

At that point he realized the warmth was from Kouji's hand.  Takuya stared into his eyes above him.  Kouji's entire face was shadowed from the rising

 

light behind him, but he could notice the details between his furrows.  His walls of coldness were simmering, revealing a new bearing... an impulse came

 

from Takuya's hands unconsciously holding onto the blue-clad waistline, and he reached for a more comfortable grasp.  But his effort was unyielding, and

 

Kouji sat up, moving away from him.

 

Takuya stifled a whine of dismay and followed, using his hands to support him instead.  After a yawn, he glanced at Kouji, noticing his fetal position. 

 

He could've sworn that Kouji was blushing.

 

Curiousity got to the better of him, and Takuya reached out once more towards the striped article on Kouji's head.  As if he were psychic, Kouji took the

 

hand before it got near any proximity of its target.  Slowly, he turned around, his usual expression retained.

 

" You should get back to the others before they wake up," he said.  If there was even a hint of solace in that tone, Takuya couldn't sense it.

 

Takuya stood in silence for a while, trying not to get excited at the location of Kouji's action.  Anyhow, the pierce of Kouji's voice was something he

 

had not learned to endure, so it held him back.  Eventually, he managed a small, " Right..."

 

Slowly, Kouji let go.  He almost regretted saying that...

 

" Kouji... Will you... will you be here again tonight?"

 

Unseen by Takuya, the dark-haired one blushed.  He wasn't used to this, having somebody ask for his company.  Even if it was an indirect request... and

 

Takuya wasn't all that bad...

 

' Just one more night, I'll try it...' he planned. " Yes."

 

Takuya's face lightened up. " Great!"

 

He saw the blush on Kouji's expression, confirming his former thought, and immediately contained his excitement. " I mean, uh... that's good.  Mmm...

 

I'll catch you later, then." Takuya waved a short good-bye before leaving, preventing the scene from becoming more awkward.

 

" See ya." He stopped at Kouji's voice.  For the first time, Takuya noticed the beauty of it.  It was dangerously low, but that was exactly what thrilled

 

him.  Takuya smiled.

 

****

 

The others wondered why I was already so piped up when they awoke.  I just replied with a joke immature tongue and said, " Envious of my energy?"

 

Izumi and Junpei both 'hmphed' at the same time.  I wonder why most of us refused to get along with each other.  Since we were all stuck in the same

 

situation, working together might get us home earlier.  Then again, I was afraid of what they would say back to me if I suggested such a thing. 

 

Mutualism can really stink.

 

We spent the day gathering food around the area.  Some of the trees had a lot of strange-looking fruit on them, and the bushes had berries.  I wondered

 

what Digimon meat was like... hmm.  At one point we got reached the area Kouji was at the night before.  I looked around for him, but he wasn't anywhere

 

near... Bokomon and Neemon led us across the field and over a hill, and we found ourselves standing in front of a stream.  Actually, it seemed more like

 

a small river.

 

" This here is our main source of water.  Could you scoop up some of it with that bucket?" Bokomon pointed to the pail in Junpei's hands, and he obliged.

 

I ignored them and went back over the hill, gazing at the tree where I slept, where HE slept... I deeply hoped that Kouji didn't run off permanently.  I

 

wasn't sure how much I could trust him to keep his word.

 

****

 

I shouldn't have doubted him.  He was probably just out sightseeing...

 

When he saw me, I could see the edge of a smile tracing his lips.  The thought that he was happy to meet me again filled me with the most amazing

 

feeling.  But then, the hint was gone, replaced by his usual cold expression.

 

I refused to show my disappointment. " Kouji!" I called freely, stopping within range. " How was your day?"

 

" Same old, same old," he replied, nonchalant in his tone.

 

" And that would be...?"

 

Kouji glared at me. " Why do you have to be so..." He stopped himself, then looked away.  Apparently last night's conversation was still fresh in his

 

mind.  He sighed. " I took a walk around the whole area, figured up a few places I could head off to..."

 

That had me worried. " Are you... leaving?"

 

He jerked in my direction. " Well, I can't stay HERE all the time, can I?"

 

Pang.  Of course he wouldn't stay here.  He had no reason to... and certainly not for me...

 

Kouji must have sensed something, for he looked sympathetic all of a sudden. " If you want, I can... uh..." he hesitated to say anything else.

 

The mood needed to be brightened, so I decided to finish his sentence. " Take off your bandana?" In a huge gesture, I lunged out both of my arms towards

 

his head, but he managed to dodge.

 

" No!" he said, stern but humorous at the same time. " Why don't you take off your hat?"

 

That idea had never occured to me until he brought it up.  I wanted to see him without his bandana first, though... I guess it was a pride thing. " I

 

will when you take off your bandana... maybe."

 

I grabbed for the bandana again, and he still dodged.  He gave me a strange look, wondering what I was trying to do with my obvious attempts.  I gave him

 

an evil grin, then started running after him.  Naturally, he kept dodging, and soon we were chasing each other around the field.  The best thing about it

 

was that I felt like there was no conflict during that time.  I could only feel a beautiful sensation of his happiness, his bliss...

 

****

 

We spent several nights like that one.  I would constantly tease him about taking off his bandana, and if he tried to retaliate with the hat thing, I'd

 

start chasing him.  Sometimes he would even chase me... and when we both got tired, we would talk to each other about our days.  I could tell that every

 

second I spent with him was making him open up more.  I just wished I could spend more time than the simple hour or so I was there every night, but we

 

needed our sleep.  He had a lot of interesting things to talk about, and he was amazingly intelligent.  Within a couple nights he had learned the ins and

 

outs of every organism in the area, especially the edible ones.  I swear he was some kind of natural survivor.

 

Tonight I tried sneaking up on him again like I did on the first night.  When I arrived at the field, I found him missing at his tree.  Confused, I gave

 

up my surprise attack and inspected the tree... did he leave?

 

My worry was only momentary, and something came down on me from the tree.  Sure enough, it was Kouji, anticipating my arrival.  He also anticipated my

 

next move, which was to grab his bandana.  Once more, I chased him across and back the field several times, and nothing could have stopped our moment of

 

paradise....

 

Yes, nothing could match up to the feeling I had when I was with Kouji.  Tomoki, Izumi, Junpei... all of the others... they were no more than

 

acquaintances, no matter how much I tried to make conversation with them.  With Kouji, I didn't need to depend on that.  But being with him for such a

 

short time was killing me...

 

We both tired eventually, and we slumped onto the middle of the field, the cotton-like plants scattering from the disturbance.  I glanced at him,

 

observing his heavy breathing.  He caught my eyes, and for about a minute we just stared at each other, catching our breaths.  And he was... smiling.  He

 

was truly smiling.  And it wasn't one of those smirks or evil grins that we usually gave each other... This one sent shivers all through me.  It was the

 

first genuine sign that he enjoyed my presence.  I almost thought it was impossible for him to ever make it... but there it was, for my own sight only...

 

However, I could sense a bit of sadness in those eyes...

 

We both sat up, and I decided that it was time I asked...

 

" Kouji, there's something that's been bugging me lately."

 

He peered at me curiously, which involved a simple head tilt.  He blinked, and that was all the permission I needed to go on.

 

" Why..." I struggled with my choice of words for a moment, " How come you don't stay with the rest of the other kids at the village?  Why do you stay

 

here?"

 

Kouji shuffled around, as if his current position was uncomfortable. " I don't think I would fit in with them.  I just... don't like being around so many

 

people."

 

I looked at him solemnly.

 

" And what good would that do?" he reasoned, " It wouldn't make any difference if I was there."

 

" I could be with you more often."

 

There was a deep silence, and Kouji had a startled look.  I cringed inwardly.  Damn, I blew it...

 

And then, he reached a hand out to my face.  He brushed my cheek, lightly playing with my hair.  He had felt my hair before during some of our

 

conversations, teasingly on the brink of yanking off my hat, but this was a VERY different mood...

 

" Takuya..." he said soothingly, " You have no idea how much I enjoy having you around.  But I'm just not ready to try myself with so many other people."

 

His admission had my heart going so brilliantly, but his second comment destroyed it.

 

Gazing at him, he seemed to be torn up as well.  His hands returned to his sides, and he looked away. " I've never been this close to anyone before.  The

 

feeling of it... it's all so new..."

 

He was holding back tears, pressuring his hands to grip the grass.  And at that moment, I knew I couldn't separate myself from him again. " Then can I

 

stay with you?"

 

" W... wha?" he said, shocked at the request, " What about the others?  I thought you were protecting them..."

 

I smiled, admiring his perplexed form. " A Trailmon is scheduled to arrive tomorrow.  They'll be going home."

 

He looked down, contemplating the situation.  His blue overcoat was hanging off one side, but he took no notice of it.  I thought it looked utterly...

 

tempting.

 

GodDAMN tempting. " Kouji."

 

He jerked his head in my direction, and I caught it in my hands.   Immediately, I could feel heat creeping from them... He made no move to resist. "

 

Please stay with me?" I half-questioned.

 

I took hold of his shoulders and leaned forward.  And captured his lips in my own.

 

Kouji...

 

****

 

=^.^=

 

Sorry for leaving it rather open and unexplained at the end, I did it on purpose and things will clear up next chapter. ^^;

 

The better is still yet to come... heheheh... how good you want it to be will depend on your reviews. lol. XD

 

Splash

http://gottaito.cjb.net