Taking a deep breath, Dorulumon nestled himself on the grass. The defeat of Bagramon had left peace throughout the Digital World, and with peace brought a sense of quiet. Battles were scarce, friendship flourished, and the land itself radiated with life. It was all rather corny to Dorulumon, smirking, but effective nonetheless. If someone had told him Shoutmon would be the one to maintain all that peace, Dorulumon would have laughed it off. And he wasn't even known for laughing much either.

His eyes traveled along the horizon of the Forest Zone. It couldn't really be considered a "zone," per say, since all the zones had fused together. However, Dorulumon had known it as that title for so long that it would take a while for him to adjust. Whatever it was called, the land was lush with rolling hills of grass, trees occupying far off plains and mountains.

All of his friends were in one place or another. Shoutmon in his castle as king with Ballistamon, his best friend, by his side. Starmon and Pickmons were off gallivanting, reaping the joy of a world reformed. Cutemon spent his time with his parents in their home village. Everyone else was too scattered to really know how they were. Dorulumon didn't mind. He prefered the quiet life. Traveling with everyone showed he had a cooperative side he never knew he had, but lying there, with grass meshing with fur, with his snout resting on the ground, he was enjoying their victory his own way.

"Dorulumon!" a chipper voice called off to his side. It was someone he wouldn't easily forget. Lifting his head, Dorulumon caught sight of Cutemon running over to him. His small, pink form lived up to his name. The way he hurried over to Dorulumon punctuated that fact as well.

"Hey," Dorulumon grunted as Cutemon slowed to a stop. As curt as his welcome was, Dorulumon was happy to see him. He was one of the few from their group he wished could stick around. Just like Dorulumon, Cutemon enjoyed the quiet life as well, even though he tended to break it with questions and obvious statements.

"I've been looking all over for you," Cutemon said. He fell onto Dorulumon's side, resting his back against his orange mane. For a moment, it felt like old times. The two traveling alone, searching for Cutemon's parents and relaxing in each others company. The memories warmed Dorulumon's heart.

"Little old me, huh?" Dorulumon teased. He had missed that little pressure on his side. A reminder that Cutemon was close to him.

"Yeah, of course," Cutemon replied. He gazed up at the clouds, drifting lazily above. "When was the last time we hung out together? Just the two of us?"

"You got a point there," Dorulumon said with a ghost of a smile. The last time they had hung out was at the victory party at Shoutmon's castle. Of course, the only thing he could recall was Shoutmon and Ballistamon gorging themselves while everyone mingled. Not exactly Dorulumon's way of celebrating, but triumphing over evil didn't happen often. The last time it was just Dorulumon and Cutemon went even further than that, a year even.

Taking another deep breath, Dorulumon settled his head on his paw. Silence reigned, only broken by the occasional breeze, and he was fine with that. Although, the way Cutemon fidgeted against his side was rather bothersome. Wincing his face, Dorulumon glanced back to Cutemon. He was uncomfortable, or at least uneasy. His hands were held up to his mouth, as if holding something back, and his legs were tucked close to his chest.

"Something wrong?" Dorulumon asked.

"A little," Cutemon whispered. To have him look so upset was rare in that time and place. To say Dorulumon was concerned was an understatement. He perked his head, leaning it as close as possible to catch every word. "I don't think I properly thanked you."

"Thank me? For what?" Dorulumon questioned. He wanted Cutemon to feel better, but it was an oddity for him to look so distraught over something so minor. Then again, this was Cutemon, a little guy who put his heart into everything he did. He stood up, putting up a brave face. He was undoubtedly on the verge of tears.

"For helping me find my parents," Cutemon said, dipping his head down to play with his hands. He wasn't speaking all of his mind. Dorulumon knew the feeling, having concealed the fact he was once a part of the Bagra Army from his friends.

"Well, it wasn't just me who found your parents," Dorulumon corrected. "Shoutmon and the others helped too."

"But you were there since the beginning," Cutemon argued, scrunching up his face. "You saved me from those Goblimons, and the first to help me with my quest." He quickly wiped his face. "It wasn't fair that I didn't thank you after all this time."

Dorulumon opened his mouth to discredit that claim, but quickly closed it. As fair as it felt to him, and most likely everyone else involved, Cutemon didn't think so. It was his thoughts that mattered at the moment. So instead, Dorulumon smiled, bringing himself closer to Cutemon and nudging him with his snout. Cutemon jerked back from the contact, a faint blush forming on his cheeks.

"You're welcome then," Dorulumon said with a nod. Cutemon smiled softly, wiping a wrist across his eyes.

"Boys don't cry," he muttered before taking a deep, shaky breath. There was something still off about Cutemon. The way he shifted his weight, averting eye contact with Dorulumon. Even his smile, while genuine, had a hidden meaning behind it.

"Is there something else I should know?" Dorulumon requested as kindly as possible. Cutemon covered his mouth as his blush intensified. Maybe Dorulumon could have said that better, especially with the state Cutemon was in. "What I mean to ask is… are you alright?"

"Y-yeah," Cutemon stuttered, tapping his index fingers together. "I'm fine. It's just, I mean, I've got something…"

"Whatever it is, you can tell me," Dorulumon urged. He wouldn't admit it aloud, but Cutemon was Dorulumon's first true friend. There was no way he could drop the topic until Cutemon was satisfied.

Cutemon stepped closer, his gaze darting between Dorulumon's eyes and his own fingers. He was awfully close, to the point where Dorulumon felt a bit uncomfortable. It was rare for him to feel that way around Cutemon.

"Do you promise…" Cutemon started before trailing off, shaking his head. His blush covered most of his face. It was confusing, especially since Cutemon usually bore his feelings openly. Standing only a foot away, Cutemon intertwined his hands, quivering slightly in fear. The way he behaved, from his blush, uneasiness, and restraint, was like he had an embarrassing secret.

Before Dorulumon could think further on that, Cutemon shot forward and clung to his snout. It was quick, and Dorulumon stopped himself from pulling away. Instead, he froze up, feeling Cutemon's cheek press against his muzzle, his ears grazing the top of his head. Dorulumon tried to ease his beating heart. It was just the hug of a friend. It wasn't strange for Cutemon to get clingy like that.

His rationalizations went out the window when Cutemon pulled away briefly to land a kiss on the bridge of his nose.

"Cutemon!" Dorulumon exclaimed, jumping to his feet. Cutemon flinched, hunching his shoulders. It was clear he was fearful of Dorulumon's reaction. Even as a few stray tears trickled down Cutemon's face, Dorulumon ground his teeth. "Explain yourself."

"I-I'm sorry," he whispered, swallowing. "I just… I-I just…"

His nervousness eased Dorulumon, enough for him to raise his head. He wanted a proper reason for it. Although the way Cutemon kissed him was, admittedly, adorable. Dorulumon's face heated up at that. Did he actually like it when Cutemon kissed him?

"I didn't know what to say," Cutemon explained, hanging his head. "And I just figured that i-if I kissed you, everything else would just… I don't know."

Cutemon was still a mess. His crying got the better of him, and no matter how much he rubbed his eyes, his couldn't suppress his sobs. That was including his blush, which made a whole lot more sense. In fact, his behavior since he had joined Dorulumon in the field added up. Guilt bubbled up within Dorulumon. He regretted his brash reaction.

"Cutemon," Dorulumon spoke up, stopping Cutemon and his bumblings. He sniffled, pulling away his arms to look up to Dorulumon. "I can see you have… feelings for me. But you must push them away. We're too different to go down that road. How old are you anyway?"

"Old enough to know how I feel!" Cutemon snapped, stomping a foot. He sniffed again, the tears leaving streaks down his cheeks. His eyes were clamped shut, as if fighting off his sadness but losing miserably. "It's real, not a dumb phase, but real!"

Just like he emphasised, Cutemon was serious and genuine. This wasn't a child with a sense of hero worship, but a Digimon that knew what his heart yearned for. Dorulumon envied that resolve. To know where his heart lay and following it.

"I know I'm just a boy," Cutemon wept. His voice croaked periodically. "I just hoped that a part of you felt the same way. I couldn't ask you, so I just acted. Now I wish I could take it back, make things go back the way they were, when we were friends, and you didn't…"

A fresh wave of tears overcame him. He tried to rub them away with the palm of his hands, but they came down too quickly. Dorulumon frowned deeply, knowing he had stepped - no, stomped - on Cutemon's heart.

"Don't beat yourself up," Dorulumon said, though there wasn't much passion to his words. He couldn't even bring himself to look him in the eye. It pained him to see Cutemon that way. "It's not your fault the way you feel. If it's anyone's, it's mine. A seasoned Digimon like me isn't used to affection like that."

Another sniffle from Cutemon, who had to sit down because his legs couldn't support him properly. Dorulumon didn't know what to do. His insides twisted and clenched up so much that he was afraid of what it meant. All that affection did feel good. It's what made the circumstance so convoluted. Cutemon was young, a boy, and Dorulumon was aged, in both experience and life. It wasn't right, yet Dorulumon knew he would return the same affection in a heartbeat. He shouldn't feel this way, but his heart desperately wanted to make Cutemon smile again. The warmth it brought was like no other.

Then again, when was it wrong to feel the way he did for Cutemon. Did Dorulumon feel the same?

Digging his claws in the ground, he stared off into the horizon. The same horizon that emphasised peace and quiet. It was what he fought for, what Cutemon fought for. It never really occurred to him, but the two of them had been through so much together, and to tear it away because something didn't feel right was shallow, even for him.

The cries were diminished to quick gasps and quiet whines. Cutemon desperately rubbed his hands across his face, cleaning himself as best as he could. But he was fighting to control his emotions. Dorulumon's eyes glazed over, but he smiled when his mind was set on one thing.

Leaping forward suddenly, Dorulumon tackled Cutemon. He fell between his forelegs, giving a squeak and bracing his arms for anything. Dorulumon wouldn't stand for it any longer, and lowered his head to remedy the situation. Using his snout, he nuzzled Cutemon, gently rubbing him fondly until Cutemon looked up to him with watering eyes.

"Dorulumon?" Cutemon whimpered, sniffling. Dorulumon didn't respond right away, keeping himself close to Cutemon and ignoring everything else. As an afterthought, Cutemon had the scent of a flower, though what kind of flower didn't matter to Dorulumon. Finally pulling away, he gazed at Cutemon, who was just as confused as Dorulumon was just minutes ago.

"Sorry about earlier," Dorulumon apologized, wishing he could snuggle up close to Cutemon again. "Guess I wasn't thinking straight."

Cutemon braced his arms behind him, getting just a bit closer to Dorulumon. Hope arose in his expression, a smile forcing its way through his sadness.

"Are you… okay with it?" Cutemon asked tentatively. His concern for Dorulumon only solidified his own feelings. "I don't want you to feel like you have to."

"I'm more than okay with it," Dorulumon confessed, lying back on the grass. He nuzzled Cutemon again, feeling the weight in his chest lessen. "A part of me is still unsure, but I'm willing to see this through."

The smile on Cutemon was the best one yet. When he reached his arms out, Dorulumon lowered his snout again, and Cutemon hugged it tightly. The warmth from before returned, and it was so inviting that Dorulumon couldn't believe how rashly he had acted before. Maybe this was meant to be, but only time will tell.

"Eh, do me a favor though," Dorulumon requested. The hesitancy in his voice made Cutemon look at him questionably, their eyes locking. "Don't tell the others yet."

"You don't have to worry," Cutemon assured, giving a soft kiss to Dorulumon's snout. "We'll tell them when we're both ready."

"Heh," Dorulumon grunted, resting his head next to Cutemon, his foreleg cradling him in the crook of his neck. "I suppose it's my turn to thank you."

The two of them relaxed in harmony. The moment was a great way for Dorulumon to really apologize. Giving Cutemon the attention he deserved was the least he could do. His heart fluttered at the thought, snuggling closer to Cutemon.

One month later

Taking a deep breath, Dorulumon smelt the sheets he lay upon. It was an irritating scent that was too artificial for his liking. As a wanderer, the grass was his bed, and the aroma gave off the sense of freedom. He wasn't one to tie himself to one group for very long - Shoutmon and the others being the exception - and the bed gave the impression of being nailed down. It was difficult to get any rest.

The room, while mostly made of stone, was still pleasant. Shoutmon paid no expense in keeping his friends comfy. High enough in the castle to give a nice view out the window, a cabinet and desk off to the side, and a lush rug at the foot of the bed. A rug that was probably more to Dorulumon's liking.

He just wished Cutemon would hurry. It was painfully lonely without him close by.

As if on cue, the door cracked open a smidge. A sliver of moonlight beamed through before Cutemon slipped in. Just the sight of the little guy put a smile on Dorulumon's face. Gently shutting the door, Cutemon turned with a smile of his own, though it was hard to ignore the uneasiness in his expression.

"I don't like sneaking around the castle," Cutemon admitted, playing with his hands. He always did that when he was nervous. A small tic that Dorulumon had discovered and absolutely adored. "I feel like I'm lying to Shoutmon."

"Well, cause you are, technically," Dorulumon remarked. He rose his head to get a better look of Cutemon. "We agreed to keep our relationship a secret until we were ready."

"Right," Cutemon responded, downtrodden. It wasn't something Dorulumon wanted to hear, bringing down his own smile slightly. Cutemon hurried through the room and hopped onto the bed. "I just thought that when we agreed to pay him a visit, it'd be a good time to tell him and the others."

A weight hung onto Dorulumon's heart. Even a sigh couldn't relieve it. Cutemon had hinted to him over the last few days to tell his friends. However, something held him back from going through with it. An embarrassing feeling that left him ashamed. He shouldn't feel embarrassed for how he felt towards Cutemon, yet it persisted. Even as they ate dinner with Shoutmon, Ballistamon, and many other friends, his insides locked up from just the thought of telling them.

"Sorry," Dorulumon muttered. Cutemon drew closer, his smile unmistakeable. It was a relief to find he wasn't completely bummed from the situation. "After teasing Shoutmon for so long, I'm… scared to hear what he has to say about us."

There was more to it. Was it right to be with someone so young and small? And that wasn't including the fact that they were both male. All of this was new to Dorulumon, and if he was honest to himself, he truly was afraid of what their relationship might bring.

Before he knew it, Cutemon hugged him, wrapping his arms around his neck. His ears, once again, grazed his fur. It was a heartwarming gesture that melted the icy doubt in his heart. He twisted his head in a way to hug Cutemon back. The scent of flowers returned, and reassured him as he tightened his hold around Cutemon. He giggled slightly from how much Dorulumon clung to him.

"When we're both ready," Cutemon stated. Hearing that aloud relieved Dorulumon considerably. It may have only been a month since they got together, but it felt so much longer. Every waking minute with Cutemon released so much happiness inside of Dorulumon, and to have Cutemon reflect that happiness ten fold was even better.

"Thank you," Dorulumon nodded. "I know I've been holding back in telling everyone, but…"

There was that feeling again: the fear that their relationship was never meant to be. It was a nagging bug that itched in his mind. If their other friends didn't approve of their relationship, then it could terminate the connection that Cutemon and Dorulumon felt. The spark that had flickered on that grassy knoll would die away. Dorulumon didn't want that to happen.

A hand caressed his muzzle tenderly. It smoothed his fur with every move. The turmoil lessened in Dorulumon. At that moment, he could feel his eyes water. The big, gruff Digimon himself. Only Cutemon could bring out that small part of him. With that understanding look, Cutemon proved why Dorulumon had nothing to worry about without saying a word.

The two leaned their heads closer to each other. Dorulumon could feel his face heat up again, his heart pounding away. What Cutemon wanted was crystal clear to him, and for the first time in years, he was nervous beyond belief. Eyes closed, the two edged even closer, their breaths brushing their furs, until Cutemon closed the gap and their lips met.

Of the many questions Dorulumon had with their relationship, how their first kiss would go was near the top. All that fret was wasted. His heart soared-

The door slammed open knocking Dorulumon and Cutemon out of their kiss and making them jump away. Shoutmon jumped in the room - mic stand in paw - while Ballistamon was just outside of the doorframe.

"You thought you could sneak..." Shoutmon trailed off, his body relaxing as he stared at Dorulumon and Cutemon. Both of them blushed intensely, eyes wide. "Oh."

"You know," Ballistamon chimed in, stepping inside. Shoutmon lowered his mic stand to idly hang from his paw, groaning. "I did tell you it was probably one of our friends."

"And I told you I wanted to make sure!" Shoutmon yelled back, whipping around with a fist in the air. "How was I supposed to know Cutemon would sneak into Dorulumon's room in the middle of the night!?"

He blinked, processing his own question. Dorulumon knew exactly what would come next. He averted his eyes.

"Why are you two meeting secretly together anyway?" he asked, pointing to the two of them. He was oblivious, and Dorulumon wasn't sure if that was a blessing. He didn't know, sure, but he had them cornered unless they could come up with a convincing excuse. Cutemon played with hands again.

"Based on their reactions," Ballistamon noted quietly. A whirling noise emerged inside him before an audible click arose. "Ohhhhh."

"What is it?" Shoutmon questioned. Cutemon gasped, as if about to speak up.

"They're a couple," Ballistamon explained with a finger in the air. Cutemon whinned, glancing to Dorulumon who simply sighed in defeat. Though Shoutmon wasn't the quickest to pick up on things, he had friends who could, unfortunately.

"A couple?" Shoutmon asked, setting his mic stand aside. "A couple what? Unless you mean-" A light came on in his head, and he recoiled. "Wait, you two are dating!?"

Dorulumon winced and fought the urge to pummel Shoutmon to a pulp. Even if the word "shout" was in his name, he could at least exercise a little subtlety. Even still, Dorulumon couldn't bring himself to meet his eyes, and Cutemon was the same. The fear from before almost made him numb.

"Isn't Cutemon a minor?" Shoutmon pointed out, his brow furrowing slightly. Shame flooded Dorulumon. That was the exact reason why he didn't want to tell anyone.

"Technically no," Ballistamon said stepping inside. "Cutemon isn't any older than you."

"Seriously?" Shoutmon blurted in disbelief. "He looks much younger than that."

Cutemon blushed, though he was more livid than embarrassed, "Come on, I might be a boy, but I understand how I feel!"

His outburst put the attention on him. He swallowed, his bravado diminishing. It was enough for Dorulumon to know he wasn't alone when it came to revealing their relationship. All that time, he worried about how he would face the accusations that would rear their ugly heads, criticizing their love for each other, but he forgot that Cutemon was in the same boat. And his last words showed that he was far courageous in defending themselves.

"Okay, jeez," Shoutmon said, rolling his eyes. "I didn't know, alright? How long have you guys been together anyway?"

"A month," Dorulumon said at last. Though it was brief, his throat felt like it contracted, and made it difficult to properly speak. Shoutmon rubbed his chin, contemplating.

"We'll leave you two be," Ballistamon said with an apologetic wave. Shoutmon nodded in agreement. Just as the two walked for the door, Ballistamon hummed to himself, holding his hands parallel to each other. "So how do you suppose they…?"

"Kiss?" Shoutmon finished before shrugging. "Beats me. All those fangs look like they'd hurt."

Shutting the door behind themselves, Dorulumon gaped at their lack of comments. Ballistamon he could understand; he wasn't the type to tease his friends - unless it was Shoutmon - and supported them instead. Shoutmon, on the other hand, should have laughed or even discouraged their relationship. In a way, it was almost like they didn't care.

"I guess they're okay with it," Cutemon said, hopping onto Dorulumon's foreleg. His head rested against his shoulder, rubbing his cheek against it.

"How can you be sure?" Dorulumon asked. He tried to hide it, but doubt littered his words. Cutemon giggled it off, bringing his head to Dorulumon to kiss him on the cheek. Butterflies filled his stomach, suddenly distracted from the topic as his mind became light.

"They wouldn't have left if they weren't," Cutemon whispered. He wrapped his arms around Dorulumon's snout. He put his head into it and the two snuggled together. Cutemon was right, Shoutmon and Ballistamon had left on their account. They knew they wanted privacy and they accepted that.

Leave it to Cutemon to ease his nerves. He made it even better when he lay between his forelegs, using his paw as a pillow. Smiling softly, Dorulumon rested his head over Cutemon, acting as a blanket. The scent of the sheets weren't as bad as he thought.