Ferris Wheels and Cotton Candy

Written by- ME! Nahahahahahaha!

Rating- K

Pairing- Koumi (Kouji/Izumi)

Disclaimer- Oh, come on! Do I really have to say it?

Summary- Izumi makes a confession at the top of the world.

"OH, Kouji-kun, it's positively adorable!" the young blonde squealed as the boy next to her listlessly handed her an over-stuffed teddy bear. She giggled and spun around, clutching the large, pink bear to her chest with glee. It's just so cute! And Kouji won it for me! She finally stopped spinning and grinned at the dark-haired boy. "Arigatou!" she chimed.

A light pink blush dusted the boy's cheeks as a frown marred his normally emotionless face. "It was nothing," he mumbled lowly, turning away in an effort to hide his slowly growing blush.

Another giggle escaped her lips. He's just too cute for his own good. I mean, just look at him, trying to keep that aloof, cool guy persona on while trying to hide the fact that he's embarrassed. Perhaps that was the reason she was so enamored with him. He had his detached, tough guy side, but he also had his friendly, compassionate side that barely saw the light of day. Granted, he had gotten better with showing that hidden side of him since the Digital World, but he still wasn't completely comfortable showing it to other people. Oh well, I'll change all of that! she thought determinedly.

"You ready to go, Izumi, or what?" he asked impatiently.

She tightly hugged the hefty, pink bear to her chest and grinned, "Ready when you are!"

Izumi loved carnivals, she always had. Something about the array of lights and multitudes of eager children lit a candle of excitement inside her. Carnivals practically breathed an aura of thrill and whenever she went it always served to make her feel like a little kid again. The simple, fun filled days when your only concern was that you had enough tickets to ride every attraction and stuff your face with carnival food.

The blonde heaved a contented sigh as she lent back against the park bench where the two had decided to take a break. She cast a dreamy look over to her dark-haired companion who appeared lost in thought as he fiddled with his cell phone. The slight pink hue that dusted his cheeks did not go unnoticed by Izumi. She sighed again. Yes, definitely. Tonight she would tell him!

She grinned, "I want to thank you again for coming with me, Kouji-kun. This wouldn't have been as much fun if I had gone by myself."

Pulling him roughly out of his reverie Kouji blinked several times before her words finally registered in his muddled mind. "Oh, yeah. Don't worry about it; I had nothing better to do tonight anyway."

Had Izumi been any other girl she would have taken Kouji's lack of enthusiasm as an insult, but knowing him as long as she had the blonde didn't take it that way. She understood it wasn't easy for Kouji to express his feelings towards other people; it simply wasn't something he had experience in. Their extended time together in the Digital World did enable her some insight into his overall character and she soon came to realize that you shouldn't judge Kouji by the way he expressed his words. While others might dance around a subject the dark-haired boy stated what he thought bluntly which caught most people he came in contact with off guard. It was just his way.

"You know," Izumi suddenly began, "You haven't had a thing to eat since we've been here!"

"Ehhhh, I'm not one for carnival food."

"…but didn't you come straight from school to here? When I called you were just finishing up a test you had to make up."

Kouji visibly twitched.

"…you're hungry aren't you, Kouji-kun," the blonde stated, amused.

The raven-haired boy turned away, blushing slightly, "Yeah, okay, a little. But I can wait till I get home."

"OH, no you don't!" in an instant Izumi was on her feet and dragging her protesting friend to the multitude of colorful food stalls. "We're not leaving until you get something in your stomach."

After much poking, prodding and several threats of bodily harm, Kouji had found himself ruefully munching on some cotton candy, one of the few foods there he was certain wouldn't make his heart stop as soon as he ingested it. Izumi was happily skipping by his side, arms still occupied by the large, pink bear he had won for her. Not that he would admit it to anyone, but he was beginning to get awfully jealous of that bear. Since he had given it to her it had barely left her side.

Well, at least they had some time alone together, when she had called Kouji immediately assumed Takuya and the others would be tagging along. However, he was pleasantly surprised when she had shown up alone and explained that she had wanted to spend some time just with him. Her words had made his stomach all wiggly and crawly so he ended up not eating anything, afraid he would get sick. It was surreal… everything was weird, but not in a bad way. He felt, oddly complete.

"Oh, no!" Izumi moaned as she glanced at her lavender watch. "It's nearly 9 o'clock."

Kouji hoped she hadn't noticed his face fall.

Izumi was supposed to head home at nine or else she would get an earful from her parents. She softly cursed in Italian. Just great! I lost track of time, now I won't be able to tell, Kouji! Suddenly a thought hit the blonde and she perked up, a wide grin spreading across her face. That's it!

"Ne, Kouji-kun, I think we have time to go on one more ride!"

The dark-haired boy blinked. "Really? Are you sure?"

The blonde nodded her head vigorously, "Yeah! And besides I find it's customary to ride it at least once; otherwise, it just doesn't feel like I went to a carnival."

She pointed up to the looming metal wheel alight with a spectrum of colored bulbs.

"I dunno, Izumi. I hear that Ferris wheel can break down a lot. I wouldn't want you to be late."

But Izumi was beyond caring at this point. She simply had to tell him!

"Well it hasn't broken down yet tonight. Please, Kouji-kun, it's just one more ride," she implored, pouting.

He chuckled softly, "All right, just stop looking like a wounded puppy."

Her face instantly broke out into a smile. "YAY!"

In a matter of minutes the couple was seated across from each other in one of the suspended gondolas and patiently waiting for the others to become filled. Izumi looked out over the expanse of the fairground with unbridled glee while her companion looked on with a content smile. She looks just like a little kid, he mused finding her attitude towards the whole experience endearing.

With a protesting groan the old Ferris wheel came to life much to both Izumi's dismay and delight. Okay, the good news is I've got him where I want. Bad news is I only have about 4 rotations till the ride ends!

"Ummmm, Kouji-kun?" the blonde asked nervousness bubbling up inside her.

"Hm?"

"Erm, about how I wanted tonight to just be between the two of us?"

Kouji, who had been peacefully admiring the view, suddenly had all his attention focused on the petite blonde across from him. He also noted surprisingly that her much coveted teddy bear was forgotten at her side. Suddenly those wiggly, crawly sensations in his stomach were back, full force.

"Y-yeah…?"

"Ummm… well you see, the thing is-"

The Ferris wheel then abruptly jerked to a rather violent stop sending Izumi, who had been leaning over to whisper to her friend, straight into his lap. Kouji's face felt ablaze as he helped the frazzled blonde into a sitting position beside him. His heart was thrumming in his ears from either surprise or embarrassment he couldn't exactly tell.

"You alright?"

Izumi managed to nod as she attempted to catch her breath.

"Darn it!" the raven-haired boy growled, glaring down from their perch at the top of the wheel, "This stupid, old thing should be put out of commission. What were we thinking getting on this deathtrap?"

"Gomen," came a weak voice beside him.

Kouji blinked down at the blonde head buried into the sleeve of his jacket.

"What?"

"Gomen, Kouji-kun. This whole night has been so nice and I just had to go and ruin it by suggesting we go on this thing. I… just wanted you to enjoy yourself."

The red-faced boy spluttered unintelligently. "B-No! I… I am enjoying myself. I-that is to say… I didn't mean it like that Izumi!"

Izumi lifted her head from its place against Kouji's arm and gazed softly into his dark eyes.

"Really? You were enjoying yourself?" Somehow she already knew, but she preferred to hear it come from his mouth.

The boy bobbed his bandana-clad head. "Y-Yeah… I usually do when I'm… around… you…" he broke off, turning away in embarrassment. Great, now he had made a complete fool of himself!

"I feel the same way."

Kouji eyes widened as he slowly turned to the blonde clinging to his arm. That feeling that had erupted in the pit of his stomach now seemed to spread throughout his system. His whole body was practically tingling.

"That's why I wanted tonight to be between just the two of us," Izumi continued, blushing under the heat of his intent look. "Because well…"

Kouji felt his heart tighten.

"I like you, Kouji-kun… a lot… a whole lot," she confessed staring at him shyly.

His throat was dry as a desert. She liked him? She liked him? How was that even possible? She was so kind and sweet while he was the brooding, lone wolf. What could she possibly see in him??? The dark-haired boy just stared at her, stunned. It was then that he realized how physically close they were. Our faces are practically inches apart! A-And Izumi's lips… are… really… look… soft…

The bright array of lights bounced off of the blonde's glossed lips making them shimmer in the darkness. They were parted and very… inviting. Kouji felt his body moving without his consent, his head leaning towards Izumi's while his sluggish mind desperately tried to comprehend what was happening. She smiled closed her eyes while Kouji felt his own becoming rather heavy.

W-what am I-?

Yes, finally! the blonde mentally cheered as their lips were mere millimeters apart.

Their lips met just as the Ferris wheel lurched back to life, but neither of them cared.

Mmmmm… Kouji tastes like cotton candy.

Hope you all enjoyed that! (rolls around in fluff)