Title: 31:48
Author: AppleL0V3R
Beta-reader: N/A
Fandom: Digimon Season Four: Frontier
Pairing: Minamoto, Kouji and Kimura, Kouichi
Rating: T
Type: One-shot – Complete
Summary: Kouji and Kouichi's class have a spring break field trip to the United States. In thirty one days, the two and a group of friends will see forty eight states.
Word Count: 2,860
Disclaimer: If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.
Note: for those of you who don't know, Japanese students have their summer break in spring. March specifically, I'm not sure how long but for the sake of this it's at least all of March. Also, I don't know if they do state (city in their case) testing, but also for the sake of this, I'm saying no they do not. (though it would make sense if they did, but yeah, whatever.)
Dedicated to ZOMGiwantspieNAAOOWW (if you like this go check her out, please, she's a very awesome and completely underappreciated writer) as a Birthday present. Love you, my darling sister and I hope you like it. And plus this is the part of your present that will be on time (mostly, sorry it took so long to post though, I managed to break my keyboard and fix it without knowing what the hell I did to it).
..:Xx0o0xX:..
March 1 – California
They'd just got off the plane and hadn't even toured that much and Kouji was already climbing the Golden Gate Bridge. Oh that figured. Kouichi shook his head with vague amusement as he looked upwards at his twin. "Come on, Kouji! We're going to get left behind."
The slightly younger one glanced down, "Is traffic moving yet?"
That would be a 'no', why did he even ask. "Just come down."
The boy snorted, but did as told and landed deftly beside him. "It's a nice view."
"I'm sure." Was the dry response he got before the older twin brightened. "This going to be fun, I can't wait to see everything."
But before Kouji could say anything, he was cut off. Twice. First by his twin hugging him tight and stealing a kiss – not for the first time – and then by the honk of bus that their class was on.
Kouichi quickly backed up and darted in that direction, leaving a blinking and off guard Kouji in his wake.
March 2 – Nevada and Utah
Kouichi was bouncing up and down in his isle seat – Kouji refused to take it and so had ended up with window one – his excitement still new and untiring. Though it was beginning to exhast Kouji.
"Settle down, Kouichi." He was trying to sleep after all, it was dark and there was nothing to see just yet because they were still just getting into Nevada. Today they'd be doing a lot of bus traveling because they had a lot of ground to cover, not that Kouji cared. It meant more nap time after all. Well, if Kouichi would calm down first.
The boy shook his head and grinned but stilled anyway. "Can we watch a movie?"
"Will you go to sleep?"
Pause and then nod.
"Fine."
March 3 – Arizona and New Mexico
Kouji scowled as Takuya nudged his ribs with his elbow for the nth time in the past three days. They were just getting off the bus more for a pit stop on the way to Phoenix than anything else. But the heat plus Takuya made it almost unbearable.
Stupid deserts.
Kouichi chuckled at the two which earned a half hearted glare. "Takuya, I don't think you should bug the Sleep Monster until he's had his coffee."
Which got a laugh out of the whole group except the victim of the joke. "Thanks, Kouichi."
Said boy grinned, "No problem."
March 4 – Texas
Kouichi blinked as he looked around, "Wow. Everything really is bigger in Texas."
"And greener, apparently." The other twin added on with a slight nod. He honestly didn't care though as he shoved his hands in his pockets and started walking.
"Where are we going?"
"For a walk."
The slightly older boy chuckled and fell into step and silence. It only lasted a few minutes, "I wonder how it's so green. I always though it would be all dirt, like Arizona."
Kouji shrugged just as a drop of water hit his nose. He blinked and more came down, quickly turning into a warm shower of rain.
"Oh."
Kouji rolled his eyes and didn't even bother to say anything as his twin pretty much plastered himself onto the younger sibling. He was more or less trying to find shelter and for some reason thought Kouji's already soaked jacket would work.
March 5 – Oklahoma and Kansas
More driving.
There wasn't anything to see after all; especially not once they got to the Pan Handle of Texas.
Kouji was once more resting against the window, chin propped on the back of his wrist which was connected to his elbow propped on the armrest. His legs were pulled up to the side of him and slightly nudging into Kouichi as side boy laid on his younger brother.
He'd become a body pillow and blanket. But he couldn't say he minded.
March 6 – Colorado
"Did you know they have state testing at the beginning of the month here?" Kouichi stated out of the blue as they walked the streets of down town Denver.
Kouji paused, "State testing?"
Nod. "According to Izumi, all students from 3rd to 10th have to take it and it lasts like two weeks. They have to follow these simple and irritating rules too."
"Sounds like something to skip."
"Kouji." He was giving him that look too, the one that said 'school is important, you can't just ditch cause you don't want to take a test no matter what kind.'
Kouji shrugged in response and that particular part of the conversation was dropped because Kouichi knew he wouldn't win if he pushed it further.
After a moment he started speaking again. "That would suck to have a birthday around then, wouldn't it?"
He got a nod and a shrug, "We're usually on break though, so it's not our problem."
"Yeah, but they don't go as many days as we do and they have a whole two months off in the summer."
Pause. "I would still rather it over the testing."
March 7 – Nebraska
"Is it just me, or is there nothing to see in half these states?"
Kouichi laughed, "We're seeing forty-eight states in thirty-one states, Nii-san, I'm sure there is stuff to see, we just don't have the time to."
"Yeah, well being cooped up in a bus more than half the day every day sucks."
He got a nod of agreement. And though it seemed the conversation had been dropped, Kouji knew his brother well enough to know that he liked getting the last say in especially after a pause. But his voice still didn't come and when Kouji turned to see if the boy had fallen asleep or something he found himself getting kissed.
When the other boy pulled back he was grinning as innocently as he could, too innocent. "Does that help?"
He got a grudging response, "A little."
And he realized that was pretty much inviting Kouichi to kiss him again. And he was right when the teen did.
March 8 – Iowa and Missouri
"Are you sure there are things to see in these places?"
Kouichi rolled his eyes and nodded with exasperation. "Yes, Nii-san, I'm sure. Would you like to pester the teacher to get us to stop in one of them?" The older teen was being sarcastic of course.
But Kouji didn't do sarcastic unless he wanted to and so he sat up and crawled over his brother.
"I was joking." The sleepy boy called, but he was waved off as the long haired boy made his way to the front of the bus.
A few minutes later, he returned and looked irritated.
"What?"
"He wouldn't wake up. Do you have a bat or something?"
March 9 – Arkansas and Louisiana
They would be going near the ocean, but they weren't going to the ocean. How in the world did that make sense? It sure as hell didn't to Kouji. But the teacher reasoned that for the next ten plus days they would be along the coast and there was already a few beach and or water trips planned. Just not for Louisiana.
Whatever.
Kouichi chuckled at his brother's sullen posture. Nine days in and he was already having a problem with teacher. So Kouji.
March 10 – Mississippi and Alabama
"Try spelling Mississippi with one eye." Kouichi started another random conversation.
Kouji paused and gave his brother a funny look. "Why?"
"Just do it, Kouji."
With a snort and an eye roll he acquiesced, "M-S-S-I-S-S-P-P. Happy?"
But he got a grin and shake of the head, "Nope."
Which earned him a mutter from the still grumpy younger boy. Takuya had ticked him off again. Since he and Izumi sat behind the two, he though it would be funny to keep poking the back of Kouji's head with whatever worked best, and every time having it yanked from his hand.
Still, Kouichi was unaffected by the male's behavior because he was aware that he wouldn't be victimized. Izumi's theory was that he was too cute, Takuya's was that Kouji was just a big softy when it came to his brother. Either one worked though. The older twin covered one eye. "M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I."
And got a scowl and a 'whatever'. He laughed.
March 11 – Florida and Georgia
Kouji was trying to cover up his laughs with a scowl. "The humidity here sucks."
His twin grinned, "Yep, it's messing up your hair horrible." And he splashed him with more ocean water. Yes, they'd finally gotten the beach trip after going to the Everglades – where Kouji tried to push Takuya into the water, but got scolded by the teacher for his attempt.
And got glared at. "Not what I meant." He splashed back.
"Oh, your right, it so unbearable to wear clothes but when you don't girls stare. Which is worse."
An eye roll which indicated the other boy's admittance to defeat. "You shouldn't be entitled to caffeine." And when Kouji's guard was down just enough, Kouichi pounced, sending them both into the water, large splash and all.
When they surfaced, the taller of the two rebutted cheerfully. "It's not my fault, it was the only cold thing around. Blame Takuya anyway."
"It's always the Goggle Head's fault, he doesn't need you pointing fingers on top of it."
March 12 – North and South Carolina
"Why in the world is there a North and South Carolina? Why not just one?"
"Because then there wouldn't be an even fifty states."
"Your logic is flawed, Kouichi."
"I know. Now go bug the teacher for a beach visit, we didn't do nearly enough in Florida and none at all in Georgia."
"Seriously, Kouichi, stop stealing my coffee. It doesn't agree with you."
March 13 – Tennessee and Kentucky
Ten days on the coast, his ass. Kouji was grumbling again, but this time it was fairly warranted. He hadn't been allowed to have any coffee whatsoever because the teacher said that it was effected him in negative ways.
Kouichi had of course laughed and sipped some of his own, only to have it confiscated too. The teacher had reasoned that it wasn't fair to let one person have it and not the other, and besides it effected him way too positively.
He officially hated Tennessee and Kentucky.
March 14 – Virginia and West Virginia
"Again with the separation of directions."
"Yeah but this time one is west and normal. But this one has a reason."
"Sure it does. It wants to irritate tourists."
"No, it has to do with the Civil War."
Kouichi got an odd look. "No, that's just the cover up story, they honestly do want to confuse and therefore irritate tourists."
"Kouji…I think you need your coffee back."
March 15 – Maryland and Delaware
They were in DC. As in Washington D.C., or District Columbia and man was it packed. It took like an hour just to travel a few blocks so the teacher – neither boy really liked the guy at this point – finally decided that the class would walk and explore. And then meet the bus driver at the hotel that they all would be staying at.
Fun.
In Kouji's opinion, it was like being back home. People's attitude and all. So he was perfectly alright with it, though he had heard that New York was more like Tokyo than Washington D.C.
But the fact of the matter was, that with them walking and exploring, he could buy himself some coffee. Finally.
Kouichi had shaken his head and laughed at his twin for this, not that Kouji bothered to pay said twin any mind.
March 16 – New Jersey and Pennsylvania
It seemed the farther north they went, the more dense the population, Kouichi noted with passing fascination.
He was more engrossed in trying to get his twin to eat the hot dog he was shoving in his face. "Come on, Nii-san, just try it. Please?"
When said boy still didn't budge he turned on the puppy dog eyes as best as he could. One moment passed, two and then Kouji took a bite.
Grinning, the older of the two was bouncing up in down, doing an in place victory dance. "Kouichi, we're in public."
"So?"
"I would tell you to stop being a dork but I think telling you to stop before you–"
Kouichi slipped on a piece of paper and landed solidly on his ass and his hot dog with ketchup, mustard and relish all over him.
"–hurt yourself."
March 17 – New York
And he'd been right, New York had just as many busy people and was just as packed. But it was also ten times dirtier, he scowled as he tried not to step on something disgusting or other. He was beginning to see why America had so many problems after all Manhattan was supposed to be one of the place to visit in the U.S. and it was dirty. At least the downtown part of it. The Brooklyn Bridge had been nice.
Not to mention the New York Skyline.
Kouichi had stared at it for as long as he could with complete and utter fascination.
March 18 – Connecticut and Rhode Island
Two of the smallest states in the country. Though it was kind of awesome to learn there was a town called Warwick. That pretty much made Kouji's day.
Kouichi had in the mean time found a way to get to coffee, again. Though this time, the boy made sure there was enough for both twins. And so for once in their lives, Kouji kissed Kouichi and not the other way around.
Said boy blinked with surprise as Kouji grabbed the white Styrofoam cup and drank heartily.
March 24 – Michigan
The five great lakes as it turned out weren't anything to see – just another mini ocean – unless you actually went on a cruise. And of course, the class just didn't have that kind of time, so they were stuck driving across bridges and land and only stopping for gas, food and restrooms.
But at least there was some scenery between towns.
Still, in the bus all day again, Kouichi pretty much slept or played games, both were done with him mostly lounging on Kouji's body. The boy didn't mind it too much because it was comfortable and he was asleep most of the time as well.
March 30 – Washington
Not to be confused with Washington D.C. Not that Kouji could see how that was possible considering the two places, though cold had different weather. The state itself had pure white skies while the nation's capital was packed with people.
The trip had gone quite fast though, Kouji reflected. One day had seemed to be blurred into the next and more than eighty percent of the time they'd been on the traveling bus. Most of the time there hadn't been anything to see, but when there was it was always cool. Like the Black Hills in South Dakota. And there was more stuff to do than there had been time for – the teach still should have planned it better in his opinion – but the beach and such had been more than fun. Though he could have gone without the scavenger hunt in Vermont.
Tomorrow was the final day.
He glanced over at his slumbering twin and smiled. It sure had been a hell of a lot of fun, though.
March 31 – Oregon
"Wow. We're leaving on a cloudy day. I think the weather wants us to stay."
Kouji snorted, "It's always overcast here, Kouichi."
"Really?"
"You should pay some attention to the news."
There was a brief pause before the younger of the two finally got irritated enough, "What?"
"Since when do you watch the news? And for foreign countries no less."
"Since it mattered."
This time Kouichi really did drop the conversation with an absent nod. "You know what, I think we should make this last day memorable."
"How so?"
The other grinned in response and threw his arms around his younger twins neck and kissed him.