Summary: A super short Takouji I just had to write. PG-13 just to be safe, since it's a yaoi. Little TINY bit of fluff. Tiny. Okay? --COC

Three Little Words

The Chosen Children had been trekking for several hours when they came upon a oddly familiar cavern. The Canyon of the Candlemon.

Izumi Orimoto was very pissed, which was obvious after her rants and raves. "Takuya Kanbara! How could you lead us BACK from where we came from?! If I were leader-- which I SHOULD be!-- this wouldn't have happened! Why I oughta...!" She went on like this for several minutes, giving everybody listening whiplash.

They finally got settled down enough for her to wear herself out and everybody picked out a spot to lay rest.

The only one who wasn't asleep when the moon was totally out was Kouji Minamoto. He was sitting in the crook of a very large tree and staring across the small campfire at Takuya.

"Wow... it's been so long since I've been able to just stare. And I know I shouldn't... but he's just so beautiful." He sighs, closing his eyes in a silent defeat. "Great, I'm in love with someone who will never love me AND I'm talking about them out loud!"

Unfortunately, Kouji kept his eyes closed for too long and Takuya had awoken without his knowing. Before he noticed the missing child of fire, Takuya was already behind him.

Takuya let out a yawn before speaking. "Talking about who out loud, Kou- chan?"

"No. no one, really. Just, um... the wind," Kouji stammered to speak, his cheeks blushing deep crimson.

A whimsical laugh came from Takuya. "You love the wind?" He paused, looking passed Kouji for a moment. "Oh, but of course. The Wind can be... beautiful, at times." He pointed towards the sleeping Izumi.

The light child sighed. He thinks she's...? "...Beautiful?" He spoke aloud. His eyes glared at the ground as he silently scolded himself for questioning Takuya. "...Indeed, she can be a goddess. When she's not giving you whiplash."

Another laugh came from Takuya. "Yeah, but I guess it's just not like her to be the perfect lady ALL the time..." He, of course, spoke of Izumi's obvious love for food, as was expressed the day she won them those tickets by eating 30 plates of food. "So... do you like her?" He had noticed Kouji had been staring.

"Wh...what? Me...? No. No way. I have my heart set on someone else..." Kouji said, trying to seem nonchalant.

Before Kouji even had a chance to notice, Takuya was sitting right in front of him. "Pardon my rudeness, Kou-chan, but of whom do you speak?" He was now staring directly into Kouji's blue hues with his chocolate pools.

"I, uh... he, um... he does--"

"He?" Kouji was stopped short by Takuya's interrupting question. "As in you're... g--"

Kouji frowned and pushed Takuya back, stopping the fire child from saying the one word he feared most. "What's it to ya, Kanbara?!"

Takuya blushed violently and looked down. "A lot, Kouji-kun. More than you may ever know..." Silent tears dripped down the young boy's face as he sobbed quietly.

A worried expression passed over the normally stern face. "Takuya-chan? Why are you crying? ...I didn't mean to make you cry..." I didn't, did I?

Takuya's voice squeaked out (imagine the Japanese version of a spirit evolution. ^^") between sobs. "It's just... I've never felt so alone... as I have since we've come here. to this Digital World!" He had latched himself onto Kouji, his sobs no longer held back as he cried into Kouji's shirt. "...I'm so... afraid to be alone."

"Takuya Kanbara!" Kouji snapped. "You are never alone. We're always here for you, each and every one of us. Even me, is that means anything to you!"

A sniffle emerged from the ball. "Do you really...? It's been so long since I've had someone I knew I could depend on." He involuntarily nuzzled Kouji's chest in a contented sigh.

"Uh, Takuya...?"

"Yes, Kou-chan?"

"Erm, you're... never mind." He hesitated momentarily before kissing the goggle-boy's head."

"Hey Kouji... can I tell you something?"

"Sure, shoot. I mean... we do trust each other, right?"

"Yeah! What I want to say is... um..." Takuya stuttered over his words.

Kouji put a finger on his lips and silenced him. "You may be at a loss for words, but I've got three little words for you."

Takuya's eyes widened. Is he going to say...? "I love you, Takuya Kanbara, and there's nothing you can do to stop me," the lone wolf stated plainly.

"I... love you too, Kouji Minamoto."

END

A/N: I know. This has to be the shortest fic in all of Takouji history. But I had to get the idea of Takouji out of my system before I burst! Please review. I feel so unloved when it comes to reviews. If I get a least a few NICE ones ( see NICE ) I promise to write a waaaay better story. Please.?