A/N: In light of the new Digimon season next spring, I wanted to write a short Taiora oneshot. NORMALLY, I'm a Sorato fan, but gah, I guess after fifteen years these two finally grew on me! Lol. Enjoy and please leave feedback.
I've been to Odaiba and the Rainbow Bridge (if it was called something else, I'm sorry, ha). It's so beautiful around Christmas and New Years. I remember riding the subway there and seeing the Fuji TV building in the distance... immediately recognizing it from Digimon. Ha! So that will be the setting. (Google image it if you don't know).
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Too Little, Too Late
One shot.
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Tai's POV.
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It took a lot of courage to give her up like that.
Six years later, I still struggle with it.
I'm nearing twenty-one. I haven't seen Sora in a few years, but it looks like she and Matt are happier than ever. I should be glad for them... but I keep holding onto this deep regret.
Should I have stopped her?
I've only told Agumon and Izzy about this, although it should have been quite obvious to everyone around me. However, they were caught up in their own lives. We all drifted away from each other. Mimi lives in America, Joe is trying to get his Masters degree, Kari and Takeru hang out nearly every day and Sora and Matt... well, they live in a nice apartment in Odaiba that overlooks the Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Tower. Matt's band tours for only three months a year, yet his income allows he and Sora to live the good life.
Could I have given her the same...?
I always knew that Sora was my first love. I wanted to believe that something would come of it eventually, but I didn't have the guts to tell her how I felt.
Now I was meeting her at the very place she gets to see with him every day and night.
I walked down the street; my hands tucked into my over-sized coat pockets and my eyes glued to the ground as I tried to ignore the fact that there were couples all around me—celebrating the holiday season with cheer. Blue and golden lights were wrapped around the trees that illuminated the sidewalks. I came up to a set of stairs that would take me over to a viewing area of the Rainbow Bridge. I felt a small brush on my shoulder. A lady turned to apologize for bumping into me, then followed the guy she was with up the blue-lit stairs.
Seeing her was becoming more and more disheartening.
I felt kind of bad that I asked her to come out in the cold like this. I could have just gone to their apartment, but I didn't want to see what they had "built" together, I guess. It would probably just prevent me from saying anything and then the entire reason for coming all this way would be rendered pointless.
Once I made it up the stairs, I noticed it was more crowded than I had anticipated. With Christmas being over and New Years just around the corner, people must have been getting the last of their shopping done at the mall nearby. I went and leaned over the railing. I stared at the bridge in the distance. It changed into different colors and truly was beautiful. I knew that Matt chose the apartment location simply because he knew that Sora would love it. He was so excited when he told us about him and Sora moving in together; she was ecstatic as well. I tried to smile and congratulate them, but deep down...
That's another reason why I'm not sure if I should be doing this right now.
However, this was only eating me up inside.
I had to at least let her know. I didn't expect anything from it—I just wanted to get it off my chest.
"Tai?"
Damn it, she's here already?
"Oh, hey."
She gave me a hug and I didn't want to let go, but I knew that I had to.
"It's been a while." She began.
"It has."
"How have you been?"
Ah, small talk. Something I was never quite good at—at least not with Sora. "I've been... better, I suppose."
Yup, honest from the start. Sora's eyes traveled to mine, but I kept facing forward. As she waited for an elaboration, I tried my best to gather up my courage and say what I had come here to say. The longer it took, the more anxious I became. Even though I didn't expect to ride off into the sunset with my true love, I still didn't want to be rejected.
I know, I make no sense.
"Sora, I..."
"Tai! Sora!"
"Matt, there you are." Sora greeted.
...What the hell is he doing here?
"Hey, Tai! What's up, man?" Matt asked. "How's the family? Agumon?"
"Oh, t-they're... great..."
"Tai, are you alright?" Sora questioned, giving me a worried look.
"Um..."
I guess this whole trip was pointless. Of course Sora wouldn't come out here by herself at night. How could I have been so stupid? On top of that, even if Matt were to leave us for a little bit, there was no way I could tell her now. I mentally cursed myself for even doing this.
"So what are we doing first? Eating? Taking a walk? Going on the Ferris Wheel? It could be just like old times!" Matt exclaimed. "You know, Tai, when Sora told me you wanted to meet up I was really surprised. I haven't seen you in like... two years!"
"Heh, yeah. Sorry."
Sora wasn't exactly on the same page as Matt; she was giving me all kinds of looks, as if she knew there was something on my mind and she could not have been more right. Matt took her hand and we started strolling along the pathway. I felt like a third wheel once again—this was one of the main reasons I stopped hanging around them. Aside from the obvious.
"My band is about to get a huge promotion with this new record deal we're working on." Matt chattered on and on. I listened every now and then. He may have been my best friend, but I just couldn't stand this. I had to talk to her tonight.
"Hey, Matt?" I interrupted, causing he and Sora to stop and look at me. "If you don't mind, could I borrow Sora for a few minutes?"
"Huh? Why?"
I refer back to my previous statement. I would not be able to tell Sora anything knowing that Matt was nearby.
So... I definitely did not plan this.
Even though I had a ton of things to tell Sora, I guess I also needed to talk to Matt.
I just didn't think I would be doing all of this at the same time.
Regardless, he had just as much of a right to know as she did and since he was here, might as well.
Even if they decided not to talk to me anymore, at least I could get this huge weight off my chest.
He would find out eventually, right?
"Tai?" Sora stepped towards me, but I moved away.
"I have something to say."
The atmosphere had changed substantially to a more awkward one and here I was with two of my best friends, trying to figure out how to explain years of pent up feelings. Them watching me wasn't helping at all.
"What is it?" Matt asked, but I had a feeling he knew where this was going.
"I guess there is no good way to say this, so I'll just start with you, Matt." I tried to clear the lump in my throat, but it wasn't going away. Matt raised his eyebrow and stood in confusion. "You and I are best friends. We have been through everything together. Going to the Digital World taught us all so much and I wouldn't trade those experiences with you guys for anything. Matt, you showed me the true meaning of friendship and I know that what I'm about to tell you two may ruin everything, but I can't help it anymore."
"Tai, just spit it out. What are you getting at?"
Yup, that was Matt. He was never one to beat around the bush, just like me. However, my nerves flooded over my thoughts and it was difficult to regain my composure. I shut my eyes and momentarily hoped that everything would go away. I hoped that this would be some sort of dream I would wake up from. But it wasn't. My stomach did back flips as I tried to get the words out. It was now or never.
"Matt, I've been in love with Sora since I hit puberty."
I didn't expect him to be so shocked. I thought he knew this. Sora just stared with her mouth gaped open in disbelief. I noticed Matt tightening his grip on her hand.
"Now, before you rip my head off, just know that I'm not here to break you guys up or do anything of the sort."
"Then what were you planning? What if I wasn't here?" Matt gave me a sketchy look. I knew that he was irritated with me, but I couldn't tell if it was because of what I was saying or what I didn't say in the beginning.
"I don't know."
"What does that mean?!" Matt's jealously shone through as he became more defensive of his girlfriend. However, I was more worried about the fact that Sora wasn't responding. She had only said about two things to me since we got here, so what in the world was going through her head?
"Matt, I would not betray you like that and I certainly would not want to put Sora in that situation. I know that by me telling you guys this doesn't help my case at all, but I couldn't think of any other way to do this. I thought that maybe—just maybe this could give me the sort of closure that I needed so I can finally accept it and move on."
"Tai, why did you wait so long?" Sora said finally. Matt gave her an uneasy look.
"Well, you know... life gets in the way. Also, you chose Matt. And how could I compete with someone like him? He's clearly the better choice." I tried to lighten the mood with a small laugh, but that didn't go over too well with them.
I didn't mean to sound like I was putting myself down, but after years of trying to convince myself that she was indeed never going to see me the way I saw her, it just sort of came out that way. Besides, I didn't have a good paying job. I couldn't give her the sort of life that Matt did. I had my strengths, but good looks, lots of money and a great voice were not part of it.
Sora's eyes asked a million questions for her, but with Matt next to her she didn't want to jeopardize the relationship and I understood completely.
...I guess this meant goodbye.
There was yet another awkward silence, but this time it was filled with more tension.
"Well... that's all I can really say. Thanks for meeting up with me... and happy new year to you both." I formed a half smile, but it didn't last long. As I turned to leave, part of me expected them to call out to me.
But they didn't.
This was the reality that I had to face.
As much as I had secretly hoped for a happy ending, deep down I knew that I couldn't hold on to her anymore. Sora belonged with Matt, no matter what I said or did. Her silence only made things clearer to me.
You can't win them all.
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A/N: There's my short little one shot. What did you think? I felt so bad for Tai in the series! I know I didn't really go into depth on what Sora and Matt were thinking, but sometimes we just don't get those answers. That's where you come in! Please leave a review!
Also, I can't wait for Digimon 2015!
Peace out!