A/N: Hey world. It's a little after Valentine's Day, so naturally it's time for me to write a Christmas fic (although Moonstorm suggested I wait until next month and just say I'm getting a jump on the crowd). It's just a cutesy little 3 part fluff piece based on the manga Kaeru no Oji-sama, by Nagasawa Satoru (I'm not quite sure about that title… I know it translates to Frog Prince, but something seems wrong…). The first time I read it, I just knew I had to write a fic based on it, so I naturally grabbed my two favorite Digimon characters and just threw them into it (actually, I was going to make this a Yamasuke, but a very close friend (you might call her my dealer) kind of requested Taisuke). I pretty much stuck by the original story (since it was so cute!), but several things are very different (the manga's ending made me kind of sad, so I'm definitely going to "cute it up"). So if you've read the manga (has anyone?), I guess you'll notice quite a few differences. I also messed with the DD's ages... Taichi, Daisuke, Takeru, and Sora are all juniors in high school, though Taichi and Sora are one year older, and Hikari is still an elementary school kid... like 5 or 6. Hmmm... makes sense when reading the fic, I suppose.

Summary: Taichi Kamiya is the perfect guy; he's good at sports, handsome, and very popular. He's even supposed to be the son of some rich diplomat or politician. But maybe he's not as perfect as everyone thinks… (Hehehe… my original summary was really surreal and strange… something like "Like a wonderful fantasy, Taichi Kamiya saunters from the dream world into reality. He is a prince: a frog prince that only changes in front of me. Only I hold his secret.")

Warnings: Taisuke/Daito, sap, fluff, evil Sora (no offense, just needed someone to be the evil chick) and general cuteness. Beware the abundant smiling and embarrassed Daisuke.

Kaeru no Oji-sama - The Frog Prince

By Six, Head Priestess of VolcanoTown, Population 3.5

---

Taichi Kamiya sprinted across the school soccer field, a chilly, December breeze skimming across his exposed neck. A light sweat broke out across his skin, despite the chill in the air. The competitive game was really working him and his long sleeved gym uniform didn't help as he ran. On the edges of the field, many of his admiring classmates stood to cheer him on.

"You can do it, Kamiya-kun!"

"Incredible! Kamiya-kun scored another goal!"

Daisuke Motimiya stood at the edge of the field with his best friend, Takeru Takaishi, trying to get a good view of Taichi around all the fangirls.

"Taichi is the best," said Daisuke adoringly, "I would give anything to have him look at me just once."

"Yeah, you and about half the student body," joked Takeru, throwing an easygoing arm around his friend. Taichi was a great guy, but everyone knew it. He was rarely seen without a flock of fangirls doting on him. Not only was he really good looking, but he was also at the head of the class and supposedly the son of someone very rich. He was in everyway the fairy tale prince.

"If you want to get with a diplomat's son, then you'd better be more aggressive, or you'll lose to one of them." Takeru punctuated his statement by waving his hand in the general direction of a bunch of simpering girls cheering on Taichi. Daisuke scrunched up his nose. The thought of one of those girls going out with Taichi instead of him was annoying at best.

"I know, I know. I've got a lot of competition. But I plan on giving him the best Christmas present ever," Daisuke said arrogantly. Though I could have sworn that his father was a company president, not a diplomat.

"Oh really?" Takeru asked skeptically, "And what exactly is this great present that's going to magically win over the most popular guy in school?"

Daisuke smiled sheepishly, starting in a run back to the school building.

"Well I haven't thought of that part yet!"

---

Taichi spent that day's study hall in relative silence, reading a book and occasionally gazing out the window longingly. A few desks away, Takeru and Daisuke went over last night's homework. Or rather, Takeru went over last night's homework...

"Now you figure out the radius of the circle," said Takeru, demonstrating on a paper lying on the desk.

"Uh-huh," replied Daisuke, gazing at Taichi with a love struck expression in his eyes.

"Then you divide by X and you have your answer," finished Takeru, who looked up and noticed that Daisuke was paying absolutely no attention to him or the homework.

"Yeah," said Daisuke, holding a little box of chocolates in his hand. He had intended to give them to Taichi today, but now that he had the chance, he seemed to have lost his nerve.

"But first you've got to give me all the money in your wallet and cut off all your hair."

"Uh-huh," Daisuke said distractedly, still staring at Taichi.

"But be careful since your pants are on fire and there is a donkey on your head."

"Uh-h… what?!" Daisuke asked, quickly snapping his head up to face his friend. Takeru sighed over-exasperatedly and rolled his eyes.

"Forget it. Just go and talk to him," he said, shutting his math book closed with a thud. Daisuke's eyes widened in protest. Just the thought of talking to Taichi on his own made his palms sweat and his knees get shaky. You didn't even think about approaching a dream like Taichi without prior thought and planning!

"No way!"

"Come on, Dai. It's not like you to be nervous about something," coaxed Takeru.

"But this is Taichi!" argued Daisuke frantically, "He's not something... he's everything!"

"He's just another guy, Daisuke. Now go over there and talk to him."

"Suppose I do go over there. What am I going to talk to him about?" he implored.

"Anything," the blonde shrugged. Daisuke rolled his eyes. Some help he was…

"Fine, I'm going over there and I'm going to talk to him, I'm even going to give him these chocolates, but only because I don't want you to be able to hold this over my head later." Daisuke stood up from the desk he and Takeru were sharing, and made his way over to where Taichi sat.

"Uh, Taichi-kun? Can I have a word with you?" he asked politely.

Taichi looked up from his book.

"Of course, Daisuke-kun. Sit down," Taichi offered, indicating to the chair next to his.

"I just wanted to-" Daisuke started to say, but Sora Takenouchi and her bitch brigade interrupted him.

"I was watching you in P.E. earlier…" one of the girls said quickly, shoving the chair Daisuke was offered to Sora, who sat down in it immediately.

"You're much better than all the guys on the soccer team, Kamiya-kun," gushed Sora, looking up at Taichi through her eyelashes. She turned towards Daisuke, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "I'm sorry. I wasn't interrupting, was I?"

"Oh, uh…no," Daisuke said dejectedly, slowly turning and walking away. It was just his luck to have a crush on the same guy that Sora did. Everyone knew she was the most stuck up girl in school. She would do anything to get things to go her way.

"I made you lunch, Taichi-kun," babbled Sora, sliding expensive looking decorative box1 onto the desk. Taichi almost completely ignored her.

"Wait. Daisuke was talking to me first. Right, Daisuke-kun?" Taichi said, smiling at the redhead again. He didn't much care for Sora, either. She was far too pushy and self-important for his liking. Sora silently fumed, crossing her arms over her chest. She couldn't believe that her Taichi-kun had passed over the chance to talk to her so he could listen to that little fool.

"Uh… yeah," said Daisuke softly. He turned back around to face his crush.

Taichi looked at the shorter teen expectantly and Daisuke froze up. His little box of chocolates could never compare with the expensive lunch Sora had brought him. Why did he even bother trying?

"Say something!" Takeru mouthed to him from across the room.

Daisuke mind panicked and he voiced the first thought that came into his head.

"Do you like guys?"

Daisuke quickly slapped his hand over his mouth.

I can't believe I just said that!

Mortification rapidly overcoming him, Daisuke quickly shoved the box of chocolates at Taichi. Then he turned around and fled from the room as fast as he could, his face lit up with a flaming blush. Takeru followed him out and Sora, not so easily put down, began chattering about herself to Taichi again. The brunette barely noticed she was talking, his eyes still fixed on the door Daisuke had just run out through.

He looks so cute when he blushes.

---

"Oh my god," said Daisuke, leaning against the wall outside the classroom and holding his head in his hands, "I can't believe I asked him that. That was completely mortifying!"

"Oh come on. At least you gave him the chocolates. It could have been worse," comforted Takeru, rubbing his hand on Daisuke's back.

"How? By asking him "Boxers or briefs?" I am never going to get over this," he moaned pathetically.

"Cheer up. This was nothing. In a few years, you'll think about this and laugh."

Daisuke's head shot up to look at the blonde sternly.

"In a few years, I'm going to think about this and punch you for making me talk to him."

"What about that awesome Christmas present you were going to give him?" Takeru reminded. Instantly, Daisuke perked up, his eyes lighting up with the gift-giving joy.

"His present! I almost forgot! I've got to go!" he called, running down the hallway.

Takeru shook his head.

"Never going to get over it, eh?"

---


Daisuke slipped into the boy's locker room unnoticed. After taking a quick look around the room to make sure no one else was there, he walked straight to Taichi's gym locker and slid the door open silently. Quietly, he slipped out the red and white mandatory P.E. sweatshirt and began taking measurements from it. He couldn't help but notice that Taichi's faint scent still lingered on the garment. Daisuke reminded himself that Taichi had been wearing it only an hour ago. The thought made him feel all fuzzy inside.

"Now that I know his measurements, I can knit him a sweater for Christmas easily. I'm so smart!" Daisuke congratulated himself, holding the sweaty gym shirt close to his chest. Being in such close proximity to an object that Taichi wore, Daisuke had the overwhelming urge to put it on.

"No, no you can't Daisuke," he chided himself, slipping the sweater back onto its hook. He took a few steps away from the locker before the impish part of his brain got control. Just wearing the sweater once wouldn't hurt, right?

Only this once…

Taking a quick look around to make sure no one was watching, he slid the large shirt over his head. He had never noticed before, but Taichi had much wider shoulders than him. The sweatshirt practically swallowed him.

"This shouldn't be so exciting…" he commented, his eyes twinkling as he wrapped his arms around himself. It was almost like getting a hug from "the prince" himself… Daisuke was so busy snuggling up to the sweater that he didn't notice when someone opened the door and approached him. He did, however, notice when the person began to speak.

"Daisuke? What are you… is that mine?" asked the bewildered voice.

Daisuke pulled himself from his fantasies long enough to see Taichi looking at him questioningly. He flushed rapidly. "I'm… I'm sorry. I'll take it off."

He rushed to take off the sweater as fast as he could, fairly embarrassed for having been caught in such an awkward position.

I can't believe this is happening!

In his hurry to get the sweater off, Daisuke managed to get himself further caught in it. He apologized profusely while still attempting to pull Taichi's shirt over his head, but still he managed to be completely trapped within the article of clothing.

"Let me help," said Taichi, stepping over to the younger teen and helping him get the oversized sweater back on the right way. At least he wasn't all caught up in it anymore. The redhead stared at the Taichi quietly, wondering what was going to happen next.

"Does this mean… you like me?" Taichi asked, willing the redhead to look him in the eye.

Instantly the younger flushed, staring down at his feet and wishing the ground would just open up and swallow him alive. Taichi took his silence for a yes. Daisuke started to feel very uncomfortable. He didn't like the eerie silence that filled the room.

This has to have been the worst possible way for…

"I'm glad." Taichi said softly. He closed the distance between them with two steps. Daisuke felt his back hit the wall and he worriedly tried to think of what Taichi was doing. Lightly placing his hands on Daisuke's shoulders, Taichi kissed him. A moment later, Daisuke finally got over the shock of his dream coming true and closed his eyes, relaxing into the kiss. All too soon, it was over and Taichi made his way to the door.

"But… I'm sorry," the brunette said, walking away with a final look towards the redhead. Daisuke collapsed onto a nearby chair, watching confusedly as the door closed.

"I was kissed by a prince…"

---

"The last half of the time sale is starting now, so hurry up and finish your shopping if you want to cash in on all the good deals!" came a voice over the supermarket announcement system. Daisuke stood behind the produce counter, decked out in a store apron and holding a knife. A variety of vegetables sat on the counter before him.

He kissed me. I can die happily now, Daisuke thought dreamily, He kissed me.

"If you keep dawdling like this, you're going to get fired."

Shaking his head, Daisuke smiled apologetically at his boss before going back to chopping the vegetables on the counter in front of him. Working at the local supermarket wasn't the best job, but it could have been worse. Besides, it gave him time to think about things… like a certain soccer playing, high school Adonis. Make that a certain soccer playing, high school Adonis who was standing only a few feet away.

"What's he doing here?" Daisuke asked himself, silently spying on Taichi, "And why is he wearing that?"

A few feet away, Taichi, dressed in sweats (middle school sweats, Daisuke noted), stood in the center of a mass of late-afternoon grocery shoppers, all fighting for the food on sale. He ferociously fought his way into the fray, yelling at anyone in his way.

"He's really acting… different," thought Daisuke, staring at him. Moments later, Taichi emerged with a bag of potatoes in one hand, onions in the other, and a package of meat clasped in his mouth. He grinned in triumph, his victorious laugh muffled by the meat.

What is this? What's going on?

Daisuke could only gape in confusion as the brunette paid for his few groceries and left the store. Abandoning his knife and throwing off the apron, Daisuke hastily followed Taichi out of the store and trailed him down several blocks. Finally, Taichi reached a shabby little broken down house.

"Tadaima2!" he yelled, entering through the tiny front door. Daisuke stared at him in shock. All of a sudden, his image of Taichi, the extravagantly rich and perfect prince, was shattered. He approached the front of the house carefully, not wanting to alert attention to himself, but wanting to make sure that this little house was really where Taichi lived. It was almost unbelievable. Everyone always said that he lived in a large mansion. Wasn't his father supposed to be really rich?

Inside the house, Taichi's little sister ran over to him.

"Oniichan3!" she squealed, wrapping her arms around him, "Welcome home!"

"No way," commented Daisuke to himself, peering in the window, "I thought he was a prince, but-"

"Nice feet," said a voice very low to the ground, "Very nice."

Daisuke yelped loudly in fear as he noticed a head poking out of the ground. Taichi came running outside at the noise.

"Daisuke-kun? What are you-" he asked confusedly, staring helplessly at his classmate.

Daisuke flung himself into Taichi, clinging to him with fear.

"There's a creepy guy and a head and I…"

A dark look came over Taichi's face.

"What are you doing, Dad?"

Daisuke's eyes widened. That was Taichi's father? But he was supposed to be…

"Well, this is awkward."

---

Inside the house, everyone gathered around the table silently. Taichi stared at Daisuke and he stared back. The silence began to get to him.

Is that his little sister, wondered Daisuke, stealing a glance at the little girl across the table, she's so cute!

"Hi. I'm Daisuke, Taichi-kun's friend from school. Nice to meet you," he said to her, a friendly smile playing on his face.

She looked at him carefully for a moment.

"I'm Kamiya Hikari," she said quietly.

"And I'm Hitoshi-chan4! Very nice to meet you," announced Taichi's dad, wrapping an arm around Daisuke's shoulder.

Taichi whacked his dad away. "Dad! Stop that!"

Hitoshi retreated to a corner of the room, pulling out a map and inspecting it carefully, glaring at his son every now and then.

"You've got a pretty interesting family, Taichi-kun," remarked Daisuke quietly, "What was your father doing in that hole earlier?"

Taichi looked away. "He… he was looking for treasure."

"Treasure?" asked Daisuke, "But I thought your father…"

Taichi interrupted, "Hey, I didn't start those rumors: people just starting coming up with that diplomat stuff. I just never bothered to tell them the truth."

"T-the truth?" questioned Daisuke, looking up at Taichi carefully.

"My dad isn't a politician, or a diplomat, or the president of some big important company. He's just my dad. He spends most of his time out in the yard digging for treasure."

"Oh." For once in his life, Daisuke really had nothing to say. He focused his eyes on the cheap, fraying carpeting on the floor.

"Once the rumors started, I couldn't really stop them. And I didn't really want to. Getting that free food everyday was pretty nice, you know?"

Free food? Daisuke abruptly remembered all the lunch boxes that girls gave Taichi everyday. He faltered.

"You even gave me chocolate," Taichi pointed out, "You know, you're the first friend I've ever had come over to my house."

The....chocolate…

"Hey. Lets keep this our secret, alright?" Taichi smiled hopefully, placing his hand on the redhead's shoulder. Daisuke could only nod, backing up against the wall.

"Will you promise?" he asked quietly.

"Of-of course…" Daisuke agreed. Anything for Taichi.

"See that, Hikari? It's the famous "Venus Fly Trap". I don't want you getting caught by boys like that!" said Hitoshi, pointing at the couple at the other end of the table.

"DAD!" Taichi yelled heatedly, "Stop it! I really like him!" Suddenly, Taichi realized what he had just blurted out and sank into one of the chairs at the table, ducking his head down. Daisuke couldn't help the happy grin that came to his face. Taichi liked him? He couldn't believe it. Although thinking about all the strange things that had happened that day, (Taichi kissing him, abandoning his job to follow a boy, finding out that Taichi wasn't what everyone thought he was... ) suddenly it was much easier to believe that the older brunette might like him.

"It's our secret," Daisuke promised, walking out the door. He whistled all the way home.

---

The next day, Daisuke practically floated down the hallways at school. He knew something about Taichi that no one else in school knew. They had a secret. Taichi was the frog prince that only changed in front of him. In someway, he felt special.

"Hey! Dai! Wait up!" called Takeru, bringing Daisuke back from his happy thought bubble.

"Here's the book you asked me about," he said, thrusting the how-to knitting book into Daisuke's hands.

"Thanks, Takeru!" he said, shoving the book into his bag. Now, more than ever, he wanted to make Taichi the best Christmas gift ever. And he was determined to do a good job, too.

A hand tapped him on the shoulder, causing Daisuke to jump. It was Taichi, looking at him apprehensively.

"Do you have a moment?"

"Oh! Yeah, of course."

Taichi grabbed Daisuke's arm, dragging him off to a deserted hallway.

"So, you didn't tell anyone, right?" the brunette asked quietly.

"No, no of course not, Taichi-kun," Daisuke said promptly, "I'd never do anything like that to you."

Taichi smiled and pulled him into a hug.

"Thanks, Daisuke. You're a really nice person," he whispered into the redhead's hair.

Somehow, I'm happy…

"KAMIYA-KUN!" Sora called from down the hall. Taichi winced pulling back from Daisuke regretfully. Within seconds, Sora and her group had almost completely surrounded him, pushing Daisuke away again.

Well, Daisuke thought, heading off for class with a backwards glance towards Taichi, he may be a bit distrustful of people, but he's got a good heart.

---

"So then you take this part and pass it through here…" mumbled Daisuke, trying not to make too much of an ass of himself as he attempted to finish his knitting on his way home from school the next day. Why did I ever think I could do this?

He stopped to lean against a wall, his breath forming clouds as he attempted to finish his knitting. A few moments later, he was as done as he was ever going to be. He looked down at it sadly. He had stayed up almost all night working on it and it was still a pretty pathetic looking scarf.

"Daisuke!" called Taichi, jogging into view. Daisuke's eyes widened and he quickly shoved the scarf into his bag and out of sight. The last thing he wanted was for Taichi to see it now.

"Can I walk with you?" the brunette asked shyly.

"Of-of course!" said Daisuke happily, starting into stride with Taichi.

"Pretty cold weather lately," commented Taichi, shivering slightly from the cold.

"Y-yeah. I was-" Before Daisuke could finish his sentence, he tripped over someone's outstretched foot. Taichi grabbed around Daisuke's waist to stop him from falling, but ended up falling, too and landing on top of him in a very compromising position as Daisuke's bag slid several feet across the slick ground. Taichi quickly scrambled off Daisuke and then helped him stand up, brushing off bits of the snow that had fallen the night before from his pants.

"You aren't hurt anywhere, are you?" Taichi asked with concern, "I can-"

He was cut off by a cold laugh.

"What is this?" asked Sora holding up the scarf that had fallen out of Daisuke's bag after she had tripped him, "Surely you didn't plan to give his pathetic thing to Kamiya-kun?"

Daisuke's face flamed.

"Give it back, Sora," he said angrily, grabbing for it.

"With pleasure," she said spitefully, throwing the poor thing down into the snow. Daisuke scrambled to pick it up, but Taichi beat him to it.

"Did you really make this for me?" he asked Daisuke, a little bit of awe in his voice as he held it tightly in his hands. The younger stared down at his feet.

"I, uh, know it isn't very good, but I really did try my hardest and I was going to make you a sweater but then I ran out of time, so I decided on a scarf and uh… Merry Christmas?" he said awkwardly.

Taichi smiled happily.

"Thank you very much, Daisuke," he said, wrapping the scarf around his neck, "It's wonderful."

Sora stared at him in shock.

"Are you actually going to accept that as a gift?"

"Of course I am," said Taichi defensively, wrapping his arms around Daisuke, "Because we're dating. And I'd appreciate it if you'd leave us alone."

He punctuated his words by planting a kiss on Daisuke's cheek. Sora's eyes widened and she stormed off in a huff.

We're dating…?

Daisuke couldn't help the delighted smile that came to his face. Maybe Taichi really was a prince, after all.

TBC...

1. For clarity, a bento box, not an American lunchbox.

2. Tadaima basically means "I'm home"

3. (I'm pretty sure everyone knows this one, but just in case…) Oniichan means older brother. I'm lazy.

4. I don't know Taichi's dad's real name, so I went with the father's name from the manga. Anyone want to help me out here?

A/N: Wow... this fic was so fun to write! There are supposed to be another two parts for this, but I suppose if no one besides me wants to read them, this part could suffice as a semi-decent ending. Win, win situation. ^_^ I hope you can forgive my numerous mistakes (no beta!) long enough to leave me a review.