I don't own Digimon Frontier nor the Prince and the Pauper.
A/N: er… Takuya on top of Kouichi… Kouichi asking Takuya to get off… if you didn't understand good. If you did… you're welcomed to laugh yourselves off xD I just couldn't write this any other way so it stayed xD
And lots of flashbacks in here… pretty much concentrated Takouji moments from the fic :3 it's needed, trust me. Just giving you a heads up.
And it really is my second anniversary for this fic hot damn.
Two Sides of a Coin
–
"Kou… ichi?"
Takuya uttered, disbelieving as he continued staring at the boy in front of him. He had the right general look to be someone else. He came in with their next best friend and his father. He wore the baggy clothes just the way he liked it, and his sword was there as well. But he was different enough, too. The jewel was green; the hair was short; the skin was pale; and his eyes were far, far too… dim. This wasn't Kouji…
Was it?
Kouichi, on his part, didn't avert his gaze either. He wanted, no, had to know exactly what and who was in front of him… or rather, on top of him.
So this was Takuya, he thought, not sure how he should react. He knew what the boy looked like from pictures hanging on the house walls and Kouji's rather detailed initial explanation, but there was far more to learn than looks, as Kouichi ended up learning, if only because he and his own twin looked as much alike as they were different in nature.
To be honest, this wasn't what he had in mind.
He always imagined the boy to radiate strength, courage and confidence. He admitted that as far as his mental image of those auburn good looks went, he still radiated as much, but it was much more the physical sense than the sex appeal Kouichi pondered the boy having. As it was, the boy that was still on top of him was the most confused, terrified and utterly pathetic creature he'd ever seen, and Kouichi was once taken to witness rabbit hunting among his duties as the crown prince.
Then he remembered that the boy really was, still, on top of him.
"Um… could you… get off?"
"You… your name."
"Huh?"
Kouichi blinked as Takuya grew more and more distressed.
"Your name! What's your name?"
Frowning, Kouichi found no reason to answer, but did so anyway.
"Kouichi."
"Liar!"
Takuya barked at him, confused rage now storming in his eyes.
"It's the truth."
Junpei provided softly from behind him.
"Let go of my son please, Takuya."
At the sound of the man's voice, Takuya looked back, even more confused. At this Kouichi managed to squirm from underneath him. He decided he didn't see whatever it was Kouji ever saw in the boy.
"Kousei-san…"
Takuya managed to half whimper. The man sighed and looked at him in a warm, apologetic way.
"The boy in front of you truly is this kingdom's crown prince. The reason the and Kouji look so much alike is because… Kouichi is Kouji's older twin brother."
"Eh?"
"I've only recently found out about it myself."
Kouichi said, earning him the boy's attention. Kousei looked away from them.
"I doubt it if Kouji knows, though there's a chance someone in the castle told him."
"But… then… why? How?"
Kouichi sighed before answering blankly.
"We switched."
Takuya's eyes widened.
"You… switched?"
His fists clenched as everything made sense suddenly. Everything…
–
The royalty pledge…
"My best friend has this little scar right there too…"
"He… must be quite a friend… for you to remember something as little as that."
"Yeah… he's the best."
"That time…"
–
The battle that followed, between the so called prince and Wolf.
"Are you sure, Takuya? You really think he can win this?"
Arbor quieted down, seeing Takuya's sudden serious expression.
"It's not that I think he can. I know that he has to."
'Kouji… are you going to haunt me?'
"And that time too…"
–
That time in the training hall after that…
"What's your name? I kinda forgot it since the ceremony, sorry."
He asked in a soft voice, a slightly embarrassed blush on his cheeks for the lame excuse. Takuya answered plainly.
"Kabnara Takuya, prince Kouichi."
The 'prince' shook his head dismissively.
"How about a spar?"
…
"Wouldn't wanna get your pretty sword dented now, do we?"
The delight turned to slight hurt and surprise.
'How… how did he…'
"Please, let's go together!"
"It'll be a pleasure."
'Stop it! He is NOT Kouji, he is not!'
"THROW THE COIN, LOWE!"
…
"You're… just like him…"
"Like who?"
"Kouji."
–
His fists clenched as he remembered how close they were the following moment, how good it all felt, and how horrible he felt afterwards, thinking he was sharing that with someone else.
–
"You're so much like him… you're even worse."
"He sounds like a good guy, that friend of yours."
"I already told you. He's the best."
A blush crept to Kouji's face, and he snuggled closer, half burying his face in Takuya's shoulder.
"Takuya, um…"
"What is it?"
Takuya asked, tilting his head lightly.
"I…"
His mirror image…
"That time too…"
–
And of course, the invitation later on…
"…I don't have a right to get close to him, we're from two different worlds."
"And this wouldn't have anything to do with the mystery friend you keep mentioning?"
…
"Ne, Takuya…"
The boy looked at the prince, waiting silently for what he would say.
"Hai?"
"Why didn't you come two nights ago?"
…
"I just wanted to spend some time with you. Is that so bad?"
"No…"
"Then why?"
"I can't love you… Kouichi."
–
A bitter chuckle rocked his body. Kouichi… Kouichi!
–
And it was that exact same… 'Kouichi'… that certain night… when he was on guard duty…
"I can't smile right now."
"So don't smile."
"You miss him, don't you?"
"...have unfinished business with him."
"…apologizing and disappearing…"
"I have things to say other than sorry."
"A game. We'll pretend I'm your friend, and you'll tell me all the things you want to tell him. I'll try to act as he would've."
"Ok, so I may not look the part. Sue me."
"That... that's not it."
"Nothing much, same as always. Bored. You?"
"Bored together is better than bored alone, right?"
"Well, with you around, it's never boring."
"Then why didn't you come?"
"Until the time came where I would have left you behind."
"You could've stayed with me until I'd have gotten better..."
"Why don't you grow stronger and advance with me?"
"You're too selfish to demand I move forward too fast for you!"
"I'm not holding you back!"
"I asked you... to come with me..."
"And when I refused, you ran away."
"'Hi Kouji, listen, tomorrow I'm drafting, I won't be here anymore'."
"Takuya, there's something I want, no, need to tell you"
"Or was it that you just couldn't stand facing me?"
"Answer me!"
"I don't know!"
"I wouldn't have hated you, Takuya. I don't."
"I love you."
–
And just like that, the images became a blur that slid into one another, forming a contrasted reality in his mind.
–
"Don't cry."
"Is it that wrong of me to want you to smile?"
They kissed.
The warmth.
The sensations.
The taste.
The closeness.
The love.
The memories.
The happiness.
The sadness.
Them being so close.
Kouji holding him close.
Him holding Kouji.
Kouji's hair too short.
Too short…
Too short…
–
His eyes widened as he stared at Kouichi.
Short hair.
Kouji's ponytail!
Switch…
Had to look alike…
Had to be alike…
Twin brothers…
"Go away!"
"Would you just listen for a moment!"
His sword aimed at Kouji's throat…
The blood he cleaned afterwards…
The remorse…
The tears…
Hair too short…
Too short…
Switch…
Had to look alike…
Twin brothers…
Blood…
A pool of blood…
A voice calling out for help…
Calling out to him…
A pool of blood…
His blood…
"Kouji!"
Takuya cried out as he spun around, running as fast as he could in the opposite direction. Not quite understanding but understanding enough, both teens sprinted after him, not even paying attention as Kousei left behind.
He watched them go until they were out of sight and then, calmly and collectedly, he turned around. A smile rose to his lips, showing his amusement.
"Ho? You were ringing those bells so nicely up until a moment ago… and I stayed here especially for you. Don't I get an encore?"
As though obliging, the bells on his cap rang with each step he took, as Tomoki came out of the darkness, smirking devilishly up at the man in front of him.
–To Be Continued–
A/N: Lazy or mean, think of me what you will, but I am not putting up references to the chapters the flashbacks are from. Is it because I put half of them up already? Or is it because I want you guys to go on a treasure hunt through my fic? Or some other diabolical reason? Even I know not…