Ominous Flame

Chapter 58

Author Notes: *stumbles forward* uuuuuuuupppppdaaaaaattttee Must...update. No seriously, been super tired. But it's fine. We have new uploads to make me a very happy lady. So off we go. I do not own Digimon.

3rd P.O.V

It's hard to tell time when the sky is nothing but a swirling mass of black and purple. Still the harsh gales and already colder temperatures made Takuya assume that it was nighttime. All the more reason for him to keep the fire going.

Placing his hand to his mouth he released a small stream of flame. It was controlled as it flowed smoothly from his lips...but the orange and white was growing dimmer again. Once more...he was on a time limit and he was really getting sick of it.

With this repetitive cycle, he knew it was only a matter of time before the pain returned. Takuya wouldn't doubt Cherubimon wanting to torture him before destroying the world. A sigh escaped him as he rested his head against the tree trunk.

He was tired, so so tired, but he dared not sleep. There were too many noises in the forest, his friends were still sick...and he was the only one still capable of fighting. How...much longer did they have to go through this onslaught of misery?

They've been fighting a war that they didn't even have a choice in, with no true sense of victory or end in sight. Takuya lifted one of his knees, laying his arms on them before his head jerked to the side.

Immediately his gaze found Koichi, struggling to sit up. "Take it easy Koichi." Takuya was by his side instantly, attempting to lay him back down. "Takuya..." Deep blue stared into amber red. Only for the ravenette to flinch when Takuya's palm was placed on his forehead.

An exhale escaped the pyro a moment later as he relaxed. "Your fever finally broke." That only convinced Koichi to try and sit up again, his shaky arms bent on the ground in an attempt to hold his weight.

"Tell me what you need Koichi. Soup? Water? Away from the fire?" For a moment he doesn't get a response. But then Koichi grasps onto Takuya's shirt. "We need to talk." It didn't take long at all for Takuya to understand just what they were going to be talking about.

There was nothing and no one who could interrupt this time. That honestly felt like the worst case scenario. Either while Takuya was busy, Koji must've talked to him or Koichi overheard their argument yesterday? Earlier?

In any case, this was not ideal. And for a brief moment the fire user was tempted to ignore him, maybe even say that they'll do it after Koichi recovered a little more. "I need to get more wood anyways." But he couldn't.

Instead he helped his friend to his feet. The already slim teen was lighter than Takuya last remembered, so he was able to guide him with ease. Bokomon opened one of his eyes from the movement, but didn't stop them when Takuya tilted his head towards the forest.

Whether it was due to the fact that he knew they wouldn't be too far, the fact that Takuya could fight or him being too tired to really care, he couldn't tell. And in the end, it didn't matter. This was a long time coming.

However it was difficult to really grasp the feelings swirling within the both of them as they made their way out of earshot. "You can prop me up against that tree." Takuya silently did as requested, with Koichi resting against sturdy bark and he himself a few feet across from him.

Not too far to catch him if Koichi falls unconscious from still feeling unwell, but not too close to where he was suffocating the ravenette. And he waited, doing his utmost to stop any anxious twitch or squirm his body was tempted to reveal.

He would patiently hold himself, allowing his friend to take charge of the conversation. It was nerve wracking however. The pit in his stomach was heavy as he watched on, unable to do much else.

It was more than the fact that he wasn't sure how exactly this talk of theirs was going to go but also just how unwell Koichi was. How hard he was pushing himself to stay awake and alert, to formulate the words he wanted to say. His mouth was opening and closing.

Creating nothing more than deep breaths. Time ticked on, slowly driving the google-wearing teen insane. But eventually actual speech left his fellow warrior. "My brother was right and that you are a liar and hypocrite." What air Takuya had, left him immediately.

Like a punch to the gut-probably like the one he nearly got from the prementioned brother. He winced, at the very least able to confirm that yes...Koichi heard the conversation-if it could even be called that.

And of course that meant he heard Takuya's broken confession. "I've been called that. You're not wrong." Yet despite the inner agony he was now feeling, his response came out calm and precise.

They came out clear, if a little quiet. However he was simply waiting for Koichi to tell him off for his bullshit. To take a cue out of his sibling's book and try to hit him. Honestly it would've been far better than the tears that cascaded his cheeks.

It wouldn't have stung Takuya with as much guilt. "Takuya...do you really think you deserve any of the pain you've had to undergone?" He blinked, not entirely expecting that to be the next set of sentences or questions. But he reacted not even a moment later.

"Yeah...I really do. I have an endless list of things to account for Koichi. We've had this argument before, both with and without Koji. If what he said is true, hurting you and the others is at the top of that list-" He wanted to apologize, he was going to.

It was at the tip of his tongue. "Then you can make it up to me. Start by being honest in general but now more than ever. How do you feel about me?" Takuya sucked in a breath, his entire body rigid like it was made of stone.

He had been preparing for this...somewhat. He thought he was ready when they were gonna talk before. But it helped that he was blind, unable to see the dark elemental sitting before him. Those deep, midnight eyes gazing deeply into his with pure attentiveness.

"...When we first met, I was scared of you. I had just started regaining my identity, bit by bit and your powers reminded me of what I was trying to let go of." None of this wasn't a surprise to either of them. His first impressions were touched upon ages ago.

Takuya was stalling. "Takuya..." Koichi's words died when his companion raised his hand, cutting him off. "Please...I know what you're going to say. But let me finish. I'm...I'm not good at this kind of thing. You want honesty, then let me start from the beginning."

All that could be heard were deep breaths, his hand still up. Only lowering when Koichi nodded, giving his consent to continue. And Takuya did, releasing a long, heavy sigh that transformed into a sheepish smile.

"Thanks. As I was saying, yeah, your powers scared me when we officially met, but even before that, you caught my eye. You were really the only person that cared about Tommy and what he had to say. Even when I wasn't...all there, it stirred something." In the end, everything led back to Tommy.

Him and Shinya were what drove Takuya's journey and kept him going. "Afterwards well...it started off with small things. I wanted to talk more. To find out about what your life was like before coming here. What made you happy or upset...what I could do to get you to smile."

He paused to swallow the lump in his throat, his palms sweating through his gloves. The brunette kept his gaze low, towards the decaying grass. Knowing he'd lost all nerve if he met Koichi's eyes once more.

"We got closer. You obtained your beast spirit and I really found myself scared. Not because of what you could do...but rather what it would do to you. I didn't want anything like what happened to me to fall upon anyone else's shoulders. But when it was you? I swore I would do whatever I could to help you."

It felt like so long ago that the incident with the dark beast spirit happened. Technically it did. Endless memories came before and after it. They came still in a constantly shifting loop of emotions.

That was still probably one of the lowest points of Koichi's life. "Over time...I can't give any details of when exactly, but I started wanting to be more. Especially after Zoe kissed me." Koichi flinched hearing that.

They both also remembered that particular skirmish pretty well. Although, this was the first time anything was mentioned of the blonde girl actually kissing him. She asked him out, everyone knew that. On top of the fact that he vehemently said no.

But what about before that? When Takuya was surrounded by beautiful fire shaped butterflies. He had mentioned how he was letting off some steam. Arguably it was also when Takuya confessed that Cherubimon's influence was starting to actually affect him. Was that because of the argument in general?

Or the kiss? "Before I say a word more on my shifting thoughts on you-I'm saying this straight out. I don't like Zoe that way, and I never have. I told her after our encounter with Ranamon that I shot for the other team. I've never had an interest in girls. And that I already had someone I liked."

The pyromancer's expression softened, his eyes closed. "I also told her that as it stood, I wouldn't say anything on the subject, worried that not only would my feelings get rejected but also because I was afraid of hurting them." He looked up. Red met blue.

"I still am. If anything those feelings I hold have only grown stronger with the danger our group has constantly fallen into. I never intended to say anything. Even if I wanted to, I swore I would stick to being a friend and ally. If not to protect myself than to protect the one I cared about more than anything else in my life."

Words couldn't describe the feelings conveyed in those crimson orbs. Nothing could match the overwhelming amounts of warmth and-now that Koichi's knows-love spilling through them. There was this giddy high that flowed through the younger black haired twin.

Takuya was still talking, but in reality he didn't need to say anything else, yet he still did. "Clearly though...that seemed to have been a mistake according to a certain bandana wearing bastard." Koichi covered his mouth. He had tried to contain his chuckles, but he couldn't.

"In the end Koichi, there are many regrets I have. Many things I wish I hadn't done. At the very top has been hurting you. But if it meant you going home with your brother, happy and healthy-I'd do it a hundred times over. Not once have I ever regretted loving you." He said it. He actually said IT.

To be continued

Author Notes; HELL YES I WENT THERE! I just cliffhanged you all muahahaha. I'm ready for the pitchforks and torches. Bring it! I have no fear or regret for what's to come! But yeah. Ending it there.

If I don't I'll never finish this chapter. Plus, next time will be a continuation-that I promise. For now though, ladies and gents thank you all so much for reading. Feel free if you'd like to support this series by fav/follow/reviewing as it'd mean a bunch to me. See you later, tchao for now.