Hello everyone! A while back, I got a summer pairing prompt from the Occasions Challenge: Kazu/Suzie. I had no idea how to pull that off, but eventually this idea materialized, and I waited under the Digimon Bingo Agumon Card prompt was available to actually write it, and...well, here we are. I wouldn't really call it romance, considering how young Suzie is and the general age gap, but more of a cute fluffy thing :P.

Besides the Occasions Challenge and the Digimon Bingo Challenge, this also counts toward the 28 Days Challenge and the Mega Prompts Challenge, where the starting quote is from. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. I don't even have a single Digimon card. I don't even know how to play the game...

Tiny Shadow

"If you cannot explain it to a six-year-old, you don't understand it yourself." -Albert Einstein

Summer had finally arrived, and with that coveted free time. Between school and the constant reports and questions about the D-Reaper, Kazu felt like he could never just sit back and relax like the old days. To think that he was one of the lesser known Tamers too. People like Takato got hounded nonstop about Digimon and the D-Reaper.

In fact, probably the one Tamer that didn't have reporters or paparazzi stalking them everywhere was little Suzie, and that was only because it would be indecent to pester a really young kid like her. She could barely say her r's right, much less fully comprehend an interview. Sometimes she still burst into wailing tears about Lopmon being gone.

It was during one of those sorrowful episodes that Kazu decided to cheer her up by giving her some old Digimon cards he had. They weren't anything special: a Lopmon card, a Terriermon card, a Gabumon card, and an Agumon card. But Suzie's face lit up with delight regardless, and she gave him a happy thanks before running off.

A couple days later Henry stopped by Kazu's house with Suzie. He asked Kazu if he could help his little sister learn how to play the Digimon card game. He had been instructing her some himself, but he just didn't have the time right now. Being a cult celebrity and helping Hypnos rebuild their base was enough to keep anyone busy. Kazu personally had been looking forward to seeing a movie with Kenta later that day, but he couldn't say no to Suzie's eager face. Oh well, he could always see that movie tomorrow, or the next day. It was summer.

Suzie came to his house almost daily, and they spent several hours playing card games or building decks. Kazu had to forfeit more of his card collection, and more of his time. It seemed like by the time the sessions were over, it was already getting dark outside. Before he knew it July was already here.

What was with this tiny shadow streaking Kazu's bright summer? He was hanging out with Suzie more than he was hanging out with Kenta. Or anyone else, for that matter. Geez, what happened to his freedom? Was this what it was gonna be like when he had a girlfriend? Why didn't he have a girlfriend by now, now that he thought about it? He was at least semi-celebrity status by now, wasn't he?

…Yet, somehow, Kazu didn't feel as angry as he should. Seeing little Suzie scamper after him everywhere with a big smile on her face was…comforting, in a way. He didn't have any siblings, so this was a new feeling for him. It was fascinating, really, watching her quickly get better at the card game. She was almost better than him already, but he felt pride rather than jealousy. That was how he should feel, being her tutor…right?

…Was it August already? Soon they would both be back at school. Would they still be able to do the lessons? Did she even need the lessons anymore? She won more than he did by this point.

…Did she even need him anymore? She was happy to be around him, of course, but she was happy to be around anybody. How could Kazu tell if he was special if she treated everyone like they were special? Did she ever need him? Why did he even care?

…Where did the time go? Summer was already over, and it was back to school again. He wore a jacket on the first day of school, because it was unseasonably cold this year. The leaves were already changing and falling, casting tiny shadows over Kazu as they flitted above and past him.

I'm free, thought Kazu, once the day ended. Suzie was at her own school, and would be staying later to do some extracurricular activities there. It would keep her busy on most days, but he was sure she would have fun, like she did with everything. He could finally go out and do things that weren't lessons with Suzie. Strange how he was going to have more free time during school days than he did during the summer.

"Are you sad?" Suzie had asked on one of those last days. She was packing up her Wargreymon-themed deck. Kazu almost rued the day he had given her an Agumon card.

Kazu, not knowing what to say or how to say it, stuffed a candy bar into his mouth to avoid replying.

If she had been here today too, he still couldn't have answered her.

IIIIII

So, this ended on a slightly sadder note than expected. Still, it's not meant to be a heavy piece. What do you guys think?