A/N: Written for the Digimon Flash Bingo at the DFC (link in profile), #938 – Kiriha/Akari. Breaks my OTP actually, but I still love the pairing. :D I'm weird that way. Taiki/Akari and Kiriha/Nene are both OTPs, but I'll take any combination of the four of them.

Laughs in the Face of Fire

Why he had to fall for the girl with the fiery temper, he had no clue. But that's what happened.

And he fancied himself a man with nerves of steel. Which worked quite well in steeling himself against that temper.

Except when his own temper melted those nerves. And when Taiki doubling up and laughing made his temper rise.

'What,' he gritted out finally, 'do you find so funny?'

'You,' Taiki chortled – which really didn't explain things at all.

Kiriha crossed his arms.

'Akari's not that bad.'

'Really,' Kiriha deadpanned. 'Considering I'm planning on asking her out on a date, I never would have guessed.'

'She won't drop you off the bridge if you ask.'

'No, but she might get a hold of Zenjirou's kendo stick.'

Taiki laughed again. 'Aren't you some fearless General? But seriously, Akari's a romantic at heart. I grew up with her, remember.'

'Hence why I'm here.' Though Kiriha was wondering if he should have reconsidered that. He didn't appreciate being laughed at.

'Her temper might be famous, but she won't get mad if you ask her on a date.'

'I heard what happened with that kid from class.'

'That kid from class wasn't Akari's type.' Taiki shrugged. 'And since when are you scared of Akari's temper anyway. You laughed at it, remember?'

That he had. Though Taiki hadn't been there then. 'How did you know that?'

'Akari told me, of course.' Taiki said that as though it were obvious. 'She also said something else.'

'Like what?' Kiriha couldn't deny it; he was interested.

'Ask her at the end of your date,' Taiki replied. 'Oh, here she is now.'

Kiriha wondered if he'd read that right. Hopefully he had. It was a comforting thought anyway – unless he got proven wrong. But if Kiriha liked her temper, it wasn't so left-field for her to like him laughing in the face of it.