Junpei and Takuya in the City of Love
Author's Note: Enjoy the story and R&R.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to or of the Digimon series.
Pairings: Pre-slash Takuya x Junpei. Referenced one-sided (canon) Junpei x Izumi.
Summary:
Venice is referred to as the city of love. Can it be that for Shibayama Junpei and Kanbara Takuya?
Shibayama Junpei exited the side door. Another night, another show! There was a fan outside waiting to ask him to sign something, but other than her, he had an open trail to his apartment. Or he would have, had Junpei not noticed his old friend Kanbara Takuya sitting by a fountain, one of his legs in a walking boot and crutches laid down next to him.
"Yo! Junpei!"
"Takuya? Long time no see! Why are you out this late?"
"I had to hear it for myself so I bought a ticket! You! An opera singer!"
"Oh. Ahaha. Izumi-chan told you, then."
"To get closer to her, I bet! How did she react?"
Junpei turned pensively towards the sky, and Takuya grinned wide. All that was missing from Junpei was a cape.
"Izumi-chan, she…didn't catch on that I did it for her."
"Rough. Sorry, Junpei."
"My own fault. I mumbled the confession part when I should have been singing it fortissimo."
"Still. I know we criticized and made fun of you for it during our big mission to the Digital World, but I know you really liked her."
"Thanks." Junpei felt better, though he saw the same couldn't be said about Takuya's foot. "Accident?"
"Yep. Soccer injury. Not a great start to my professional career!"
"Want to eat at my place? A plate of my pasta and a glass of Italian wine will take the pain right out of your foot!" the older suggested.
"Junpei~! Are you inviting me back to your place for a bender? If we have too much fun, Izumi might finally get jealous, ha ha ha!"
Takuya intended it as a (perhaps crude) joke, but Junpei was honestly offering to lighten Takuya's spirits. When Takuya realized this, he gave a quiet apology and accepted Junpei's hospitality wholeheartedly. Junpei was always the gang's comedian, not him!
From Junpei's grasp on Italian cuisine, it was obvious opera wasn't the sole skill Junpei pursued in his pursuit of Izumi! A couple glasses of red and an after-dinner limoncello as a digestivo lightened both their spirits indeed, putting them on opposite parts of Junpei's bed. They didn't do anything, though Takuya did spend some considerable winks of the night staring rather fiercely into Junpei's similarly unsleeping eyes.
How much of it was the wine and how much of it was Takuya sober? Well, after the liquor left their systems, Takuya hadn't stopped staring!
Izumi's missing out, Takuya thought.
Takuya's the most trustworthy person I know, Junpei reminded himself.
Since he'd been benched, Takuya opened his wallet and committed to attending more of Junpei's performances.
Who needs Paris when Venice is the real city of love?
