A/N: Written for the Becoming the Tamer King challenge on the Digimon Fanfiction Challenges forum, Meeting Azulongmon 1 task. Also written for the 50_digifics challenge with the pairing Taiki/Akari, and prompt #078 – open.
Just Another Little Brother
Akari wasn't supposed to like a boy. She has two younger brothers after all (and a younger sister, but she was far less troublesome). No-one could fall in love after watching all of their antics, ranging from amusing to downright degrading. Though she was fond of them in her own way, kissing one on the lips? Na-da.
When Kudo Taiki moved in next door, Akari was dragged over by her brothers and suddenly she had three of them instead of two. Never mind that Taiki was a grade above her in school. Never mind that Taiki wasn't nearly as obnoxious as her little sisters. Never mind that she started going over without her brothers tagging along. Never mind that they started hanging out around town together, just like an adorable little couple.
Just another little brother, she told herself when Bastemon was a little too tender with Taiki. Just another little brother, she told herself whenever Nene looked at him, or he at her. Just another little brother, she said whenever Taiki reached out for a new girl to help – because he couldn't help helping others, and there were a lot more boys he helped than girls anyway. Just another little brother, she said when Zenjirou and Yuu teased her about her "date" – that went down the drain anyway.
But Akari did mind, because she did like a boy – that boy: Taiki. And she couldn't deny it any longer. And, of course, Taiki's "people-in-need" radar picked it up, and she found herself spilling the beans.
And now that she had freely admitted it (and had her feelings returned), she found she minded the whole situation a lot less.
