A/N: Hey all! So I watched the first three seasons of Digimon as a kid and recently watched season 4 "Frontier" and fell in love with it! My personal favourite couples are Sorato (Sora x Matt/Yamato) Ryuki (Ryo x Rika/Ruki) and of course Kouzumi (Kouji x Zoe/Izumi) I'm hoping to write a story for each of them but decided to start with this one since it's freshest in my memory. Anyways, enough about that please enjoy and review!
"Hey, looking good Z!" Zoe smiled and shot a 'thank you' back in the compliments direction. So she wasn't exactly sure who gave it, but a compliments a compliment right? She felt the energy nearby grow tenser and she barely had to look over to know who had silently fallen into step beside her.
She couldn't help giggling as his frown only grew more pronounced. "You know I can sense your bad mood from five feet away," She commented, noting his rigid posture with his hands stuck in his pockets, bandana flapping in the breeze as they walked together towards the school.
"I'm not five feet away though," He replied coolly and she noted he hadn't even bothered to say hello. "Well excuse me if you want me to leave but you're the one who decided to" –"That's not what I meant Zoe, I don't mind walking with you," He muttered with a sigh as though just admitting the fact aloud was painful for him.
He was starting to get used to the whole civil conversation and apologies thing by now. It was hard to be a lone wolf when she was constantly getting offended by his aloof attitude. Not that he minded...he would never tell anyone but she was sort of cute when she was angry.
"And I wasn't in a bad mood until those guys started being all..." He trailed off gritting his teeth with irritation, his hands tensing into tight balls in his pockets. The tense feeling all around her only got stronger as his protective instinct went into overdrive.
"Those guys were just complimenting me, why is that so bad?" She asked testily, flashing him a sharp look with those suspicious turquoise eyes. "Do you even know anything about them?" He snapped, elbow brushing against hers as he walked right beside her.
Her anger dissipated with the distraction feeling butterflies rush around in her stomach at the casual touch. Every time he got close like this, even when he was being protective...it got her all flustered and she seemed to lose control of her tongue.
"At least they're nicer then you, you never compliment me," She pouted and immediately regretted her words as he looked curiously and awkwardly over at her.
"Um...it's not that I think you...uh...don't look good it's just...well...I just..." "Forget about it," She sighed, looking away as he searched hopelessly for a way out of the situation. Whenever she spoke without thinking, which happened way too often around him, she was reminded why having a crush on anyone, especially Kouji, was a bad idea.
He was a great friend, probably her best friend, but he was still a guy and any guy who wasn't a total flirt knew nothing about girls and their emotions. If Kouji even went on one date it was surprising, and she'd never even heard of him going on a second date so he wasn't exactly a love-guru.
"You didn't see the way they looked at you. Just because someone sounds nice doesn't mean they are nice," He said suddenly in a quiet but serious voice. "You're paranoid," She said uncertainly but she knew how protective Kouji was, it was one of the many things that attracted her to him. He was always looking out for her, if anyone looked at her funny, he noticed.
They reached the door at the same time and she hesitated just long enough for him get ahead of her push the door open, hesitating on the other side to hold it open for her. She felt the butterflies go back to work inside as he awkwardly looked the other way as though he didn't want to acknowledge the fact that he was holding the door open for a girl.
"You don't have to hold the" –she started but was rudely interrupted as a harsh glare cut across his usually calm and cool features, causing her to cut off midsentence. "But if it matters that much to you..." She tried again uncertainly.
Suddenly he shot forward, one arm cinched around her waist as he pulled her inside so she was sandwiched between him and the door. Gripping the door frame with his right hand he brought his foot up slammed it down bluntly on the head of a boy Zoe hadn't even seen creeping up behind her hoping for a glimpse up her skirt.
For a moment he stayed there, scowling down at the boy while being thoroughly distracted by the way her soft body was moulded to his side rather forcefully. Her cheeks were flushed whether from her position, his quick action of dragging her to her new position or because he just kicked some guys head in for her, he wasn't sure.
All he knew was that for whatever reason, he liked seeing her blush way too much.
Quickly releasing her and hoping that the anger and embarrassment wasn't showing on his face he turned around and walked away rigidly, cursing himself. Not because he kicked that guy, he deserved it, but because he didn't want to feel the way he did about her.
Every time he got himself into one of these situations he didn't know how to act and it just made her more upset. He shouldn't be walking away because eventually she was going to get sick of following after him but what else could he do? If he stayed she'd think he was the pervert, and if he tried to play it cool he knew she'd know something was up. She could read him like an open book and it drove him nuts.
"Kouji, wait!" He heard her call loudly with no regard for the fact that people were looking. Sighing to himself as he fought with embarrassment and happiness, he stopped just long enough for her to catch up. She didn't miss the fact that he was still stiff with all the tenseness in his posture as he walked angrily along beside her to mask his awkwardness.
"I told you I'm not paranoid," He told her in as calm a voice as he could manage and to his surprise she smiled a little, still walking close beside him. It made him jumpy and nervous and happy all at the same time to have her even that close.
Even after leaving the digital world and becoming friends with his fellow digidestined he'd always felt a better connection with her, like she understood him somehow in a way the others didn't. It was still hard to let her into his exclusive 'lone wolf only' zone even after five years though. Lately it had been even harder because the really scary thing was that some of him liked it when she was close.
"I should have believed you," She sighed in agreement, turquoise eyes flickering downwards sadly. "You should have," He agreed but felt bad saying it. He never sugar coated things for anyone but when she hurt it felt like he hurt to.
It had gotten worse ever since she and Takuya dated for a couple weeks back in tenth grade. He nearly went off the deep end stuck between wanting to punch his best friend's lights out and wanting to make her happy. Even after they broke up that feeling of wanting to hold her close and never let her go never really went away.
"I don't understand you Kouji," She started, biting her lip in that hurt confused way that made him want to make all the hurt in the world go away. He didn't want to, couldn't hurt her. "Yes you do," He replied quietly, looking away in embarrassment as she looked up at him in surprise. She giggled slightly to his mortification as she saw the colour rising quickly in his cheeks.
"Isn't your locker the other way?" She asked suddenly and he was relieved that she hadn't pressed the issue until he realized he walked into yet another trap designed perfectly to embarrass him.
"Yes," He settled for, hoping she'd let it go and knowing she wouldn't. "So why are you –?" "I'm walking you to your locker okay? I don't want any other guys to take advantage of you," He snapped, harsher then he meant to but it was all he could do not to walk away right now as he forced himself to stay beside her.
"Oh," Was all she said, blinking innocently. He was refusing to look at her again, staring directly ahead at her locker and it made her feel all bubbly and happy on the inside. She probably shouldn't feel that way about a friend, especially not Kouji who didn't like emotional attachments but she couldn't help it he was just so cute when he got all protective!
She had always wondered why he was so protective of her though since he didn't seem very happy about it, like right now. Maybe she just wasn't good at reading him though. Grabbing his hand his footsteps faltered looking down at their linked hands like it was a foreign object.
"Umm..." He said intelligently, stopping a couple feet from her locker in confusion. "I was just wondering," She started quickly calling his attention back to her face. He automatically looked up at her words and tightened his grip on her hand. Flushing slightly she continued, "Why are you always so, you know, worried about" –"Hey guys!"
Both of them jumped as a cheerful voice interrupted. Kouichi grinned at them noting that Zoe's face looked lovely when it turned bright red and that even his brother the infamous cold wall who was stubbornly looking the other way had a bit of colour in his pale cheeks.
"H-hey!" She stammered back with a cheesy smile that she knew he wouldn't buy. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt anything," He said innocently, gesturing to their casual hand hold and Kouji slowly looked down as though realizing for the first time that he was still holding her hand then shook his hand frantically to get rid of it, shoving both hands deep into his pockets and avoiding his brothers gaze, steam all but rising out of his ears with embarrassment.
"You weren't interrupting anything," He said gruffly as though nothing had happened as both of them gaped at him in disbelief.
"Actually you were," Zoe suddenly said irritably, planting her hands on her hips. Kouji turned to look at her with a calculated glance of cool surprise. "I was trying to ask your stupid brother why he was so uptight today, but I guess I know why now."
"Are you implying you make me uptight? Because you don't," The dark haired twin said warningly, staving off the truth, desperately pretending she hadn't nailed it on the head. "That's not what I was talking about," She said innocently, batting long lashes at him and he hesitated, not trusting her expression but not knowing what to say either.
"Um...you weren't?" "Of course I was you idiot," She shouted. "Every time somebody compliments me or says something nice you freak out like they're out to get me," "I seem to recall my 'paranoia' as you call it, saved your ass today. All pun intended," He snapped back, anger flickering in his dark blue eyes that seemed to absorb her. Even when they fought she felt herself being drawn into him by that unmatchable fury.
"My ass is my business, not yours," She replied, automatically straightening her skirt in a distracting way. Kouichi felt his jaw drop as he watched the two of them fight fiercely out of nowhere like all that pent up lovey-dovey frustration was suddenly exploding.
He knew his twin had always had a soft spot for Zoe though he'd never tried to escalate their friendship to anything more than just friends. "You probably gave that kid a concussion! How do you know whether or not he was even trying to look up my skirt?" She asked, obviously frustrated with his mask of coldness that gave nothing away except his furious eyes.
"Zoe he was right behind you on his hands and knees and looking up. Figure it out for yourself!" "Wait some guy was trying to look Zoe's skirt?" Kouichi asked confused and feeling a little out of the loop. "Was he really?" She asked staring straight into Kouji's eyes boldly despite her half a head shorter stance.
"I'd like to know that to," Kouichi continued, turning to face his brother who's eyes barely flickered in his direction like he was just an inconvenient bystander in a room that only he and Zoe were in and nobody else in the world existed.
"Do you honestly have to ask?" He asked voice going abruptly soft and the fire in his eyes died. She seemed to deflate as well as she sighed. "No," She admitted, shooting him a sheepish smile.
Bringing up his hand he messed her hair lightly ignoring her sound of frustration as she tried to smooth it back down, glaring at him menacingly. "Hurry up and get your books," He told her, moving to lean against the locker beside hers and she obliged spinning the dial as Kouichi watched the two of them being suddenly peaceful together dubiously.
"That's it?" He asked at they both glanced at him in surprise as though they'd totally forgotten his presence. "What do you mean 'it'?" Kouji asked, watching distractedly as she bent down to grab her binders, straightening up with a flip of her hair before shutting her locker door again.
Kouichi, ignoring his former question, narrowed his eyes, watching the dazzled expression on his brother's face. For all his ragging about other guys he certainly seemed to have a strange fascination with Zoe's skirt today.
"I mean that's it? You're just" –Kouichi started but was interrupted again as someone jostled in beside him, throwing an arm around Zoe's slim shoulders with a grin. "Checking out the goods, Kouji?" Takuya asked with a goofy grin, apparently oblivious the death glares he was getting from his friend.
"No idea what you're talking about," He immediately denied through gritted teeth as the goggle-head in question checked her out for himself. "You look pretty Z," He told her charmingly and an intense unexpected wave of jealousy flooded inside Kouji.
Not only did he hate seeing anyone hit on Zoe, he was jealous of his ability to hit on her so effortlessly. "Thanks Takuya," She replied with an easy smile shifting uncomfortably under his arm. They'd stayed friends after breaking up but she wasn't nearly as comfortable around him as she used to be.
It was around then that she cemented her tight friendship with Kouji and when he realized his feelings for her were a little more than 'just friends'. Not that he'd ever tell her. He wouldn't want her to ever look the way she did around Takuya when he was there.
"Takuya, stop sexually harassing her," He said calmly slouching away from the locker in a warning way. "I'm not harassing her, am I Z?" He asked, giving her puppy dog eyes. "Of course not," She replied, fluttering her lashes at him. He looked taken aback but Kouji wasn't exactly in the mood to notice. Why was she flirting with him?
"Um...well I'll see you guys later, I have to meet up with JP before class he has my math notes. We should all catch a movie some time, you to Kouichi!" He said, releasing the pretty blond girl quickly and giving them all a cheeky salute before running off to find his fellow digidestined.
"Well he certainly seems very friendly today," Kouji muttered in an acidic tone. Zoe just rolled her eyes, slamming her locker door shut. "Oh please, don't tell me he's out to get me to? We've been over this before, me and Taki only like each other as friends, no need to get all jealous," She said nonchalantly but from his vantage point Kouichi noticed the small thrilled expression on her face when she looked away.
So he was jealous! She was telling the truth when she said she didn't like Takuya and she was silently relieved when he made it clear he didn't like her either. The only reason she did was to see what Kouji would do and he walked into the trap perfectly as he was clearly just realizing.
"J-jealous? What? I'm not jealous of him," He stammered furiously, eyes flashing a protective anger as she just laughed shooting him a cute smile as he tried to hide the truth as usual. Crushing on your best friend was always a bad idea he was finding because she could read him far too well.
"I think you are," Kouichi threw in tauntingly and he shot his twin a silencing glare. "Just because I noticed you flirting with Taki doesn't mean I'm jealous," He said firmly. "Takuya's my friend, I trust him and he can do whatever he wants."
"Even if it has to do with Zoe?" Kouichi challenge. A pained expression crossed Kouji's face at the idea of having to endure them dating again, a shiver going through him. "Y...maybe," He admitted in defeat. "That doesn't mean I'm jealous though!" He protested as they both laughed wickedly, exchanging high fives. After all, it wasn't often Kouji went down with such little fight.
"Sure," She replied with a shrug he rolled his eyes annoyed they'd gotten so much out of him. He trusted them both more than anyone else but still... "Come on," He said impatiently, grabbing her hand spontaneously and starting to walk away. She dug in her heels in surprise.
"Where are you going?" "I'm walking you to class, now come on, or we'll both be late," He announced and took some selfish revenge as his brother looked shocked. She worked her mouth, trying to respond but finally just shut it, nodding and tightening her hand around his. It wasn't exactly an intimate handhold but it got its fair share of stares as she hurried to keep up with him down the hallway, dodging other students on their way to class.
"Kouji, slow down!" She whined and he slowed a little bit, allowing her to catch her breath. When they finally arrived outside her math class he stopped completely, hand still holding hers gently and making a valiant effort not to look embarrassed. He didn't want people to think he was going soft!
"Thanks for...um...walking me to class," She said hesitantly as they stood together by the door. "Sure," he said awkwardly, moving to let go of her hand but she just tightened her grip desperately. "Kouji," She asked suddenly and he nodded, giving her the go ahead and bracing himself for the question.
"Were you really...you know...jealous of Takuya just now?" He resisted the instinct to melt into the floor immediately. Damn, how could he have fallen into this so easily? It was hard enough to admit to himself that he had feelings for her other then friendship, he didn't need her to know!
"Um...I...well..." The bell rang interrupting his stalling and he immediately released her hand. "I gotta go to class see you later!" He called making a dash for the stairs. She sighed, watching him go and ignoring the looks of passerby's.
How did he always manage to get away at the last second? It was like he always found a way of getting out of telling her anything relevant about himself. How? Why? She wanted to know more than anything now that she was realizing how impossible it would be to ignore these feelings inside her.
A/N: So what do you all think? Please review and let me know, because I'm already hard at work on the next chapter!