A Dream Worth Keeping: Part 1
by Minako

I most definitely do not own Digimon, though I'm quite the fangirl, so
I don't own Taichi or anyone. (damn, too bad)

The song A Dream Worth Keeping is performed by Sheena Easton in the
movie Ferngully ^_^

I gave up on sticking with one name, Japanese or English, so deal with
it ^_^ This is a buncha different pairings all at once, Taito mainly -
we'll stick with Taito as the theme ^_^

*******

I had a dream once, and I've never forgotten it. It was back
when we all lived in the Digital World, we being my friends and I. I
guess I couldn't really forget anything from that time, but how likely
is it that I'd remember one dream?

You see, at the time, I was only eleven, or maybe I was
twelve... boy, for the most memorable experience of my life, I sure
have blurred the edges of it, huh? Anyway, like I was saying, I was
only eleven or twelve, and this dream really freaked me out. It was
about my best friend... and he wasn't even really my best friend at the
time. In fact, all we ever did was fight. We hated each other, but
we're friends now - that was something like five or six years ago.

Anyway, I'm getting to the point, I swear. You see, in my
dream we were more than just friends or enemies, we were...
well... dating - boyfriend and boyfriend. The dream freaked me out.
I was so young and... well, I'd never thought of another boy like that
before. It threw my world perspective all out of whack.

At first, I wrote it off as just a weird dream, but as I
watched him, I realized that there was more to it than that, I would
notice little things. The exact colour of his eyes, the way he walked.
He had a little scar on his left shoulder. He always used to wear tank
tops, so no, I didn't get a shirtless view.

I kept noticing these little things about him, and after
awhile, I learned to accept it... I was gay. So I watched him, and
his passing girlfriends, and fangirls, and even when he and Sora
became close.

Sora... I feel bad for the way I used to treat her, always
leading her along, but never letting anything actually happen between
us. In all the years I've known her, we've never been on a single date,
can you believe that? She hated me for a while, after I got up the nerve
to tell her that is. More like let my mouth work before my brain, but
that's not the point.

It was near the end of junior high school, actually, I think
it was the end, yeah, I guess it was. And she was trying to convince
me to ask her to the end of year dance, and I knew that was what she
was trying to do... but I couldn't bring myself to ask her. It felt
so wrong, and I didn't even want to think of why. This is while I was
still in denial, of course. So I avoided it, and avoided it, until one
day, she just blew up at me.

*******

"How thick headed are you, you jerk!"

I was surprised at her sudden outburst, it seemed so random to
me. "Hey, Sora... nice to see you too, what's wrong?"

This just seemed to double her anger. "WHAT'S WRONG!? What do
you THINK is wrong? The Last Dance is in less than a week and you STILL
haven't asked me to it!"

I was speechless. Confrontation time, the one thing I'd been
avoiding for weeks. "Sora... I..."

"Don't you start! Excuses! That's all you ever have for me! If
you don't want to be with me, just tell me, don't drag me along like
this! Let me find someone else, don't leave me hoping!" She stopped
her rant to breathe, in long shuddering gasps, tears slowly running
down her cheeks. I felt awful, I really did... she was one of my best
friends... How could I stand to hurt her anymore than I already had?
What could I do?

It occurred to me that the only thing I could do was tell her the truth.

"I'm sorry... Sora... I really am... but... I can't... date
you..."

"Why..." She forced out, her voice cracking as she tried to say
the one word.

"Sora... I... I don't know how to say this."

"Say WHAT? That you hate me? Go ahead! I can deal with it! Just
tell me whatever it is and stop leaving me hanging, I can't take it
anymore."

"Sora, I don't hate you, I never could, you're one of my
closest friends... but... I..." I took a deep breath, "Sora, I'm gay."

Shock slowly spread across Sora's face as the words registered. It made
it's way across mine shortly after. I couldn't believe I'd finally said
it to someone. It was the one thing I'd wondered about since that time
in the Digital World, but I'd never been able to decide whether I was
one way or the other.

"Gay... oh gods... why didn't I think of it..." She turned away
from me. "It explains so much..."

I figured that since I'd dug myself into the ditch, I may as
well try to explain myself out of it. "I didn't want to hurt your
feelings... I would've told you but... I couldn't figure out whether I
was one way or the other... but..."

Sora was laughing. Bitter, hate-filled laughter. "Didn't want
to hurt my feelings, huh? Well you have!" She spun back around to glare
at me, tears running freely down her cheeks. "You could've just told me
you weren't interested from the start and figured it out on your own,
you didn't have to drag me down with you!"

I reached out to put a hand on her shoulder. "Sora I..."

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" She shrieked, pulling away from me. "Just
stay away from me..." She turned and ran off.

I just stood there watching her back as she ran. "I'm sorry...
Sora."

*******

Things have gotten better between us, and we're friends
again - she's gotten her revenge. You see, about a week later, she
came to me, and asked me who it was. She said that it was the only
thing still really bothering her about the situation. She wanted to
know who it was.

So I told her... I guess I should've just said that it was a
feeling I had, and no one in particular. But I'm the first to admit
that I'm not too bright all the time. Actually, Izzy's the first to
admit that, but that's not important.

So what did she do? She asked him out, and now they're dating.
When I asked her why she did it, she asked me to let her have her minor
revenge, so I did - I can just hope they'll break up.

I guess you can all tell who I'm talking about by now, huh?
Yup, I'm in love with my best friend, music sensation Ishida Yamato.
Sora's blond haired, blue-eyed beauty. I'm not jealous, I swear.

Anyway, I was talking about my dream. We'd only been in the
Digital World for a short period of time, actually, it was more like a
month, but we were there for a long time. Short in comparison. So, I
have this dream one night. In the dream I was running around the house
frantic trying to find myself something nice to wear, and Kari-chan was
following me around trying to help me out.

The doorbell rang, and I frantically turned to Kari, She
pointed to a long sleeved navy blue shirt, then grinned brightly and
offered to answer the door for me. I nodded, and told her to tell
whoever it was (because though the dream me seemed to know who it was,
I didn't have a clue, I just knew they were important.) So I pulled on
the blue shirt Kari'd pointed out over my black pants, she always
claimed I looked the best in blue, she still does, and ran down the
hall to the door.

"Hey Matt!" I said brightly. He was wearing a black shirt and a
pair of blue jeans. The first few buttons of the shirt were undone, and
his hair was longish. That was when I first realized that in the dream,
we were older. Not by much, only a year or two. Glancing at Kari, I
realized that she was older as well.

"Hey, ready to go?" I nodded, and hooked my arm through his.

"Bye mom! I'll be home around eleven."

"Ten thirty, Tai."

"See you at eleven." I heard her sigh as I shut the door behind
us.

We went to see a movie. It wasn't some chick flick, like
someone would expect me to go see with my date, no, we went to see the
new Space Invaders movie (thinking of it now, I have no clue what Space
Invaders is, but I knew in the dream). The next thing I knew we were in
a restaurant (I don't think we actually went there, but it was a dream,
it didn't have to make sense). Matt ordered a stirfry - I've always
wondered if her really does like that, maybe I'll ask him sometime.

After dinner, he walked me back home. We went up to my
apartment, and I told him that I'd invite him in, but I was going to
get a lecture about coming home late, and he probably didn't need to
hear it. He laughed, and we kissed, and I went in. Luckily, I woke up
before the lecture came.

I know, you're probably thinking. THAT freaked you out!? But I
was a kid, that was as far as my mind chose to take our relationship, I
didn't know anything about... well... at the time I had no clue how sex
between guys worked, so there wasn't going to be anything perverse in
there (although, I'll have you know that I know now, and my dreams are
FAR more interesting than that one was.)

Anyway, all that doesn't really matter. You see, I said I'd
been watching Matt a long time, right? Well, during all that time,
Matt's band was gaining popularity, and he went on tour (no
kidding). I haven't seen him in 6 months... 7 maybe... I'm bad with
time.

He's coming back in a week, and his band's having a concert,
all the Digidestined are going to it. TK and Sora are both really
looking forward to it. I am too, but I'm not sure how much I want to
see Sora and Matt's reunion first hand, maybe I'll quietly find
somewhere else to be at that point...

*******

Anytime you want to be right here
Just imagine me and all this will appear

*******

"Tai! When're you leaving?"

I glance down at my watch before dragging myself up off the
couch. "Now." I call down the hall.

Kari runs into the room to assess what I'm wearing. "You look
great Oniichan!" She says brightly as always.

I can't help but glance down at myself self-consciously. A blue shirt
Sora'd bought me for Christmas last year, a pair of almost black jeans,
and the crest of courage around my neck. Mimi'd gotten into making
jewellery a few years ago, and had made us all silver replicas of our
crests.

"Thanks." I say to her, forcing a half smile.

She gives me a sympathetic look, and a hug. "It'll turn out
ok." She promises me.

This time, my smile's sincere. "It'd better."

She smiles brightly and nods her agreement. Then she runs off
to get changed into something nicer.

I slide my shoes on and head for the front door. "Bye Mom, I'll
be home around eleven."

My mother pokes her head into the room. "Ten thirty, Tai."

"See you around eleven, mom." I wince as I shut the door behind
me. That particular dialog's a bit too familiar, and tends to bring up
thoughts I'd rather not think, especially not tonight.

I let myself out of the apartment building and head down the
street. Tonight's the night I've been dreading for weeks. Tonight's the
night I finally get to see Matt again, which is good. There's just one
problem with the whole situation. This is the first time any of us will
see Matt since he left, including Sora.

It all adds up to me having to see Matt and Sora's big reunion.
I can't even claim I don't have the money to go to the concert, Matt
sent us all free tickets. It figures.

So, I walk down the street to Izzy's, shoulders hunched, trying
not to think about Matt, and the thoughts that thinking about Matt
always brought on. I'm going to the concert with Izzy and Sora, the
other two dateless ones. The newer Digidestined are all going together,
which is why I left before Kari, and Joe and Mimi are going together,
of course. Joe and Mimi have been going out longer than Matt and Sora.
I'm pretty sure that it was Mimi who asked Joe out because he had grown
up to be good looking, and besides, he was going to be a doctor, so
he'd be rich. That's the way Mimi's relationships always start out.
She's kind of shallow that way, but she's smart enough to never let a
relationship like that last too long. I guess Joe grew on here, because
it's the longest Mimi's ever gone out with someone as long as I've
known her.

It's only a short walk from my house to Izzy's, so it didn't
take long to get there, and head up the walk to his house. Izzy flew
out before I could even reach the door.

"Bye Mom!" He calls over his shoulder before closing the door.

I raise an eyebrow. "What's that all about?"

Izzy shakes his head. "Mom's in protective mode... she didn't
want me to leave until she knew exactly when I'd be home, but how am I
supposed to even estimate that when I don't know how long the concert
will be or how long our reunion with Matt will take?" Izzy sighs. "She
asks too much of me sometimes." I shake my head. For some reason, I'm
sure Izzy's mom had only wanted a guess, and wouldn't have minded if he
was late, but that's Izzy for you.

He looks a lot like he had back when we were all living in the
digital world, an orange shirt and a pair of brown pants. It's not
something he wears often, but I have to admit, orange really does suit
him, you wouldn't think so, with his red hair. It took me a minute to
notice something else.

"Izzy... why are you taking your laptop to a concert?"

Izzy shrugs. "Something to do."

I sigh. I firmly believe that Izzy has no concept of the word
'fun'.

We head over to Sora's next, and pick her up. She's practically
bouncing. Then again, this is her first time to see Matt in a long
time, and unlike me, she has nothing to worry about. So she rambles on
about how much she's looking forward to seeing Matt again, and how much
she's missed him. It's funny. Even though their relationship was only
started because Sora wanted to get back at me, Sora really did end up
falling for Matt. It's kinda sweet, I guess. Her falling for the best
friend of the guy who rejected her. Like one of those things you'd find
in those books girls like. And no, I don't read them, Kari just tells
me about them

We finally reach the club and head in. Izzy and I find
ourselves a table near the wall so Izzy can plug in his laptop, and
Sora heads off to talk to Mimi and Joe. Izzy glances at them before
plugging in his laptop and typing away. I tap my fingers on the table
in beat to the music pounding out of the speakers, trying not to think
of Matt. He stops typing for a minute.

"Hey, Tai?"

I glance over at him. "Yeah?"

He looks up from his computer screen to look at me quizzically.
"Are you looking forward to seeing Matt again?"

I laugh nervously. "Gee Izzy, what do you think? Of course I'm
looking forward to it."

He raises an eyebrow. "Even with him and Sora being together
again?"

I wince. Izzy's the only person to figure me out without me
telling. I told Sora, I told Kari, but Izzy guessed. They're the only
three who know (I think).

"No. You know how I feel man, it kills me to watch that."

Izzy nods, and looks back down at his screen. "I know what you mean."

I blink in surprise, then narrow my eyes. "What aren't you
telling me Izzy?"

Izzy blushes but continues to stare at his screen, typing away.
I look past him at the other Digidestined. He very pointedly has his
back to them.

"Is it Mimi?"

Izzy sticks out his tongue and shakes his head. This makes me
laugh, it's quite the expression.

I get serious again almost as quickly as I'd started laughing.
"Joe then?"

Izzy sighs. "Yeah..." he says, kind of wistfully.

I wince. He's as bad off as I am, I'm almost positive Joe has
no interest whatsoever in other guys.

"I'm sorry..."

Izzy shrugs. "There's nothing you can do about it... but that's
why I brought my laptop, so I wouldn't end up watching them."

I nod, then grin, trying to lighten the mood. "Got any games on
there?"

Izzy glances up at me, surprised.

I shrug "You know you aren't the only one who could use a
distraction. Though I'll have you know that once the concert starts
I'll be staring at the stage."

Izzy grins at me, and begins listing off the different games he
had stored on his computer.

*******

You can keep this moment all your life
Forever near... a dream worth keeping

*******

Mimi and Joe came over to say hi, but left after awhile. Izzy
wasn't being very social with them, but who could blame him? The
younger digidestined came in - actually, a security guard came in
looking for me asking if TK was really Matt's brother and if it was
really ok him and the others to be in club, despite their age. They
claimed that I was charged with watching them, so they came to me. A
lot of people know who I am, being Matt's best friend. He even thanked
me on his CD, I got a whole line or two "Thank you to Kamiya Taichi, my
best friend, I don't know what I would've done without you for all
those years, I love you man." Yeah, love you too... and that's the
problem. I'm being bitter, sorry.

I sigh, and Izzy narrows his eyes at me.

"You're thinking about Matt again." He informs me.

I nod. "I'm trying not to!"

Izzy nods sympathetically. "I know." That's the great thing
about Izzy. I know he knows, and that he understands. There are times
when I think that he's probably a closer friend to me than Matt or
Sora.

"And now introducing... Ishida Yamato!!"

I cheer along with the rest of the crowd, and wait for the
lights on the stage to come on. I'm not too sure exactly how Matt's
band was reduced to just him. It's all the same members, but the only
person anyone seems to know is Matt. The lights come on, and my
attention is drawn to the boy on the stage.

The first thing I notice is that Matt's hair's gotten even
longer, probably long enough now that he could tie it back if he
wanted, almost shoulder length. He's dressed in a dark green shirt with
the first few buttons undone, probably because it has the same effect
on most girls as it does on me, and a pair of black pants. His voice
and music style are still the same as they were the last time I went to
one of his concerts. I smile, and lean back in my chair, taking it all
in.

Izzy sighs. "I guess I may as well start up solitaire, huh?"

I glance away from the stage long enough to catch his eye and
shrug. "Can't say I didn't warn you." I say, winking.

Izzy nods, and goes back to his laptop.

*******

When you're feeling lost I'll be your star
Just reach out and touch me no matter where you are

*******

The concert goes on, there are some songs that I recognize, and
some that are new to me, but they're all sung by Matt, and he never
leaves the stage, so it doesn't really matter to me. They start a
slow song, and Sora appears from the crowd.

"Hey Tai!"

I glance away from the stage to look at her. "Yeah?"

She reaches over and grabs my wrist, dragging me to my feet.
"Come dance with me!" She pulls me onto the dance floor, and I sigh,
but go along with it. She stops somewhere in the middle, and wraps her
arms around my neck, leaning her head on my shoulder. She's silent for
a moment, and then she sighs. "The only problem with dating Matt is
that he's always on the stage when we go to concerts."

"Yeah, I guess."

Sora shakes her head, and looks up at me. "I'm sorry... I guess
I'm kind of rubbing it in."

I smile at her. "Only a little."

She sighs, and leans her head back on my shoulder. "I'm just
happy, sorry Tai... I don't mean to do it to you... you know I'm not
mad anymore." I nod. "I mean, you're my best friend, I really have no
right to do this to you... I know how I'd feel if it was the other way
around."

I nod again, and she sighs, and goes silent. I take the
opportunity to glance up at the stage again, and for the first time all
night, Matt's looking right at me. Unfortunately, he looks like he's
about ready to jump off the stage and start killing people, in that
subtle way Matt has of looking like that.

It takes me a minute to realize that he's probably glaring
because I'm slow dancing with his girlfriend. I give him a hopeless
look and shrug the best I can without hitting Sora in the head. He
looks a bit confused for a moment, then he grins at me and winks. I
grin back, and he turns his attention back to the rest of the crowd. I
sigh and lean my head against Sora's. It's going to be a very long
night.

The song finally ends, and another slow one starts. I tell Sora
I'll see her later, and head back to my table with Izzy. Kari stops me
on the way.

"Dance with me?" She asks, almost hopefully. I raise an
eyebrow, and she sighs. "Yolei finally conned Ken into dancing with
her, Davis is dancing with TK - I wonder about those two sometimes -
Cody's talking with Izzy about some complex stuff that I didn't
understand, so I'm left all on my lonesome." She gives me her best
pathetic look, and I sigh, offering her my hand. As much as I'd rather
go and sit down with Izzy, I don't think I want to leave my fourteen
year-old sister alone on the dance floor in some bar.

So we dance, and she asks how hard the night's been on me so
far. I should've known she had an ulterior motive.

"Ok, I guess. Nothing too bad's happened, and Sora's being
really nice. I'm just glad I have Izzy to hang out with, I'd be kind of
lonely otherwise."

She nods sympathically, I seem to be getting a lot of sympathy
today. "Well, the concert should be over soon, so you don't have too
much more to get through, and then you and Matt can go back to being
friends, and you don't have to dread seeing him again anymore."

I nod in agreement, and look up at the stage, Matt's still up
there in centre stage, paying attention to his admirers. It guess it is
best for him to watch them instead of us, that way he doesn't get
distracted, but I still wish he'd look my way sometime when I'm not
with Sora.

*******

In a world where precious things are disappearing over night
Just keep my star in sight

*******

After dancing with Kari, I spent the rest of the concert
sitting at the table with Izzy, and his habit of teasing me whenever I
stared at the stage for too long, but at least I had something to hold
over his head too. I glance into the crowd and make up things for Joe
to be doing, and look real interested in it. I've never had Izzy
actually try to hurt me before. It was strange. But finally, the
concert came to an end, and we got to make use of our backstage passes.

"MATT!!" TK flings himself at his older brother, and Matt hugs
him back enthusiastically. I can't help but smile at that. I can just
imagine not seeing Kari for as long as Matt and TK have been apart, our
reunion would be much the same.

Sora jumps him once TK's moved, and I look away, but their
reunion's not as bad as I thought it would be.

Next it's my turn. To hug or not to hug? I figure I'll probably
melt or something if I actually hug him, so I'm going for the friendly
friend approach, and he hugs me. So much for the not melting idea. We
greet each other, and are generally friendly, it's all a blur to me.
I'm still stuck on the fact *he* hugged *me*, and not the other way around.

The rest of the Digidestined finished saying their hellos to
him, and I notice Sora looking kind of hopeful, she gives me a look. I
nod, and turn to Matt.

"Well, I guess we'd all better leave you and Sora to say your
hellos to each other." I say, winking at Matt. He grins.

I'm proud of myself, it's not until after I turn to leave that
I show any signs of that having hurt me. Izzy puts his arm around my
waist, it would've been a friendly arm around the shoulders, but Izzy's
kind of short, and I force a smile. We head back out to our table to
wait for Matt and Sora to come back out so we can go home. It's after
midnight already, my only hope is that my Mom's gone to bed, otherwise
I'm dead not only for staying out so late, but for keeping Kari out
with me.

By the time anyone comes out from backstage, it's just me and
Izzy at the table, everyone else had found their way back onto the
dance floor at some point. I'm leaning over his shoulder to look at
another one of his games when Sora comes out from backstage.

What I see shocks me.

She's not the happy, bouncy Sora I was expecting to see, and
she's not with Matt. She has tears running down her cheeks, and looks
worse than she did the day I told her I wasn't interested. She sees
Izzy and I, and I brace myself just in time to keep from falling over
as she flings herself into my arms, burying her head in my shoulder. I
let her cry for a minute, and then gently nudge her away. By this time,
most of the other Digidestined, old and new, have gathered around us.
Matt's standing just in front of the door in from backstage.

"Sora..." She sniffles, and glances up at me. "What happened?"


She sniffles again, and shudders. "M... Matt... he... he." She
chokes on another sob, and buries her face in my shoulder. "He doesn't
want to be my boyfriend anymore." She whispers to me.

I swallow, and glance over at Matt. "Why not?" I ask her
softly, keeping my eyes on Matt.

She shrugs, but doesn't say anything, she just keeps crying. I
carefully push her away, and push her lightly towards Izzy, who she
clings to. I glare at Matt, and head over to him.

*******

I believe we've found a dream that's worth keeping
For more than just a day
And even though the winds of change may come sweeping
It's still a dream worth keeping
Don't let it fade away

*******

I know I've gone on about how much I care about Matt, and I
really do care about Matt as much as I say I do, but Sora's one of my
closest friends, and no one, not even Matt, is allowed to hurt her like
I did. She doesn't deserve that.

I walk over to Matt, and glare at him for a long moment. Then I
slug him, right across the side of his face. His eyes widen in
surprise, and he stumbles back into the door, one hand to his cheek.
Two security guards are on me in less than ten seconds, but I don't
care. NO ONE hurts my friends like that, not even Matt.

"Let him go." Matt says, softly, quite obviously angry at me,
but trying not to let anyone else know.

The two security guards look fairly confused, but they let me
go and move back. I look over at Matt, his hand's still on the side of
his face, and he's glaring at me openly. I can feel the other
Digidestined's eyes on my back.

I take a shaky breath. "What the HELL do you think you're
doing?" I growl at Matt, trying not to let myself see him as Matt, but
as someone who just hurt Sora.

"It's none of your business, Tai." Matt tells me, his eyes
narrowed. "So butt out."

I shake my head. "It is my business, Matt. Sora's my friend,
and she doesn't deserve this, especially without an explanation."

Matt looks like he's having trouble talking. He pauses. "You
don't know what you're talking about, Tai..." he says softly, his voice
shaking. I blink, that wasn't what I'd been expecting. "Do you think I
WANTED to hurt Sora like this?"

I turn and glance at Sora, who's still crying, but has moved
away from Izzy. I turn back to Matt. "Then give her a reason, Matt..."

He shakes his head, and looks more pathetic than I'd thought
Matt was capable of looking. "I... I can't..." He says, then turns and
runs backstage.

I shake my head, then turn back to the others and sigh. "I'll
be back in a minute."

Sora shakes her head. "I'm coming too." I smile, and shake my
head back at her. She glares at me through her tears. "Tai... you're
doing this for me... I want to be there for it."

I nod slowly, and she walks over to stand with me. Izzy doesn't
say anything but comes over and stands with us. I nod. "We'll be back
in a bit." The others nod, and we turn and walk backstage.

"Excuse me... have you seen Ishida Yamato?" I ask the first
person who walks by.

She points down the hall the way she'd come. "Yeah, he ran by
me down the hall, he seemed pretty upset about something."

I nod. "Thank you!" I call, and run down the hall in that
direction, with Sora and Izzy close behind.

*******

Maybe you'll be in some distant land
Feeling all alone, but I'll be close at hand

*******

It doesn't take us very long to find Matt, he's sitting in the
hallway with his head on his knees, shaking. We stop, and stare at him
for a long moment.

I take a deep breath and kneel down beside him. "Matt... are
you ok?"

He blindly reaches out to hit me and misses. "Get lost, Tai."

I bite my lip. That's one of those lines I don't need to hear,
ever... not from Matt. I shake my head, though I know he can't see me.
"Matt..."

He looks up at me and glares, he's got tear-streakson his face,
but he isn't crying anymore. "I SAID GET LOST!" He yells.

I wince, and I hear Izzy come up behind me. I can tell it's
Izzy because Sora's wearing heels, which clack when she walks.

"Matt... Tai's just trying to help you... he's your friend."


Matt glowers at Izzy. "I don't NEED a friend."

"That's funny... coming from you of all people." We all turn to
look at Sora. She still looks very upset, but she seems to be doing a
bit better. "Matt... if something's wrong... please, tell us. We're
your friends, we'll help you out."

I turn my attention back to Matt who's still staring over at
Sora. He looks at me, and then back down at his knees. "I can't..."

I frown. "Why not?"

He closes his eyes, and leans his head against his knees.
"Because..." He's speaking so softly I can barely even hear him. "If I
tell you guys... you might not WANT to be my friends anymore..."

I blink. I can't think of any reason why I wouldn't want to be
Matt's friend.

"What do you mean 'we wouldn't want to be your friends
anymore'?" Izzy asks him.

Matt shakes his head. "You guys mean so much to me... I...
can't risk it..."

I sigh. It's one of Matt's rare emotional moments, and not the
first one that I've seen. "Matt... you have no idea of how much it
would take to make us hate you." I shake my head. "I don't think I'm
capable of hating you... you're my best friend, and there's probably
nothing that can change that." Unless he would ask me out... but that's
not going to happen.

"Thanks, Tai, it's good to know that." He takes a deep
breath. "Ok... I'll tell you then."

I nod, and wait for him to begin, whenever he's ready.

*******

tbc...