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Avalanche Step

Author’s Note: Set immediately after episode 17 of Digimon Frontier. Enjoy the story and R&R.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to or of the Digimon series.

Pairings: Pre-slash Takuya x Tomoki. Referenced one-sided (canon) Junpei x Izumi, one-sided Takuya x Izumi.

Summary:

Feeling a rush of determination after acquiring his Beast Spirit, Himi Tomoki sets his sights on Kanbara Takuya!

Tocanmon stealing their Digivices. The search for the sacked items sold in Akiba Market. A three-on-one grudge match against Petaldramon. Journeying by Trailmon to the Rose Morning Star under the advice of Ofanimon with the tickets a certain girl won eating thirty servings of croquette curry in an hour. All in a day’s work for the Legendary Warriors, right?

The ominous red-purple mark carved in the sky swirled.

Shibayama Junpei trembled, still paranoid over Minamoto Kouji after the loner’s offer of his jacket to Orimoto Izumi put a crimp in his plans to woo her. Bokomon nursed Seraphimon’s Digi-Egg in his haramaki, and Neemon snored more soundly than a narcoleptic. At the rear of the car, Himi Tomoki rested across Kanbara Takuya’s lap.

Junpei wasn’t alone. The lovesickness that ailed him was getting around.

“Takuya-oniichan?” The troubled Tomoki sat up. “What’s kissing like?”

“Geh! Keep your voice down, before the others hear!” Takuya shushed him.

“If you like Izumi-san, why don’t you kiss her?”

Observant. He couldn’t fault Tomoki for noticing. Izumi was admittedly his type. As he was a growing boy with confusing mood swings on the cusp of leaving childhood, to Takuya, Izumi was sexy dynamite! Though he’d not be making noise about it, knowing she’d beat him senseless at the first sign of impropriety. He’d already walked in on her changing and stripped in front of her recently, suffering nasty bumps for unintentional peeping and nudity.

“It’s not her? Then, is it Kouji-san? Or Junpei-san?”

“Oi, oi! We’re travelling together! That doesn’t mean we’re together!”

Tomoki’s third-grade simplicity didn’t allow him to see beyond rainbows and storybook relationships. He was naturally curious what this whole “love” concept entailed, a nut he hadn’t cracked watching his mommy and daddy.

“So…maybe me?”

“Do I need to repeat myself?” Takuya shook his head a definitive no.

Tears forming in his viridian eyes, Tomoki turned forsaken scarlet and entered crybaby mode. “Be-because I’m small?”

His large orange hat received an understanding pat.

“Because I’m too old for you.”

Perhaps if he Spirit Evolved into Blizzarmon a few more times, he’d hit his growth spurt! Be as tall and strong as his hero! When wielding the new Beast Spirit Nanomon entrusted him, he went from being the wittlest bear to being the biggest mountain giant capable of defoliating a plant lizard!

“Tomoki. Go to sleep.”

“I’m sorry, Takuya-oniichan. I said something I shouldn’t have.”

Attempts to validate his emotions without uttering false promises were misinterpreted. Takuya suddenly felt Tomoki’s hands on his shoulders, pulling him down and planting a short, cutesy smooch on his unsuspecting lips.

“T-T-Tomoki!”

“Takuya-oniichan! I’m happy you chose me!”

No surprise: They attracted a gallery.

“Commozione!” Izumi awwed.

By contrast, Junpei retched. “With a kid!”

Kouji stayed silent, somewhere between judging and apathetic.

“You lot! How ’bout a little privacy?”

In agreement this really was none of their business, the three backed off a bit.

The Legendary Warrior of Fire elevated the immaturely victorious Warrior of Ice by the suspenders he never wore properly.

Holding Tomoki was like trying to hug a snowball.

Ofanimon, what had he done?

Tomoki’s heart fluttered. He’d just taken an Avalanche Step forward!