A/N: Finally, exactly what you've all been waiting for. OK, maybe not, but I can dream ;) The last chapter of Deep Secrets!
Please to God don't beg me for a sequel. A) it's really not that good and B) I have SO much else to write. Lynne is bouncing up and down with ideas, so I really must put some of them down on paper. Expect the first chapter of the sequel to ISYD soon!
Anyway, on with the fic!
Disclaimer and Warnings: Not mine. And if you haven't realised there's shounen-ai in here, it's definitely time to lay off the tequila.





"Hey, Cody!"
The small, brown-haired boy replied with a friendly, if somewhat shy, smile. Matt grinned down at him.
"C'mon in. Tai's just setting up the video - he won't tell us what he rented, though, so it's going to be something of a surprise." There was an ironic tone in his voice at this - Tai was unpredictable at the best of times, but he trusted his koi to make a decent choice.
Matt stood aside to let the boy through into the sitting room. Takeru was already ensconced in the big, comfortable armchair, and Tai was down on his knees in front of the TV, cursing and occasionally smacking the VCR.
Matt caught his brother's eye, mouthed the words Play it cool over Cody's head, and proceeded to drag Tai away from the much-abused video recorder.
"For god's sake, Tai, leave the poor thing be!"
His boyfriend pouted, then reluctantly flopped down onto the sofa, stretching his lean body over the entire thing. Matt grinned inwardly - this manoeuvre left Cody standing there looking for a chair, and hopefully he'd squeeze in beside Takeru.
Not wanting to arouse too much suspicion, he quickly slid the cassette into the video and switched the TV on, then cheerfully sat down on Tai's stomach.
"Owwww! Get the hell off me, you empty-headed git!" Tai gasped. Matt simply folded his arms and grinned down at him.
"Now, now, Tai, that's not a very nice way to talk to your best friend..."
A grin slid fleetingly over Tai's face, and Matt could read the thought If only Cody knew how much more than friends we are behind his eyes. He'll know soon, he mouthed silently, and Tai began to struggle again.
"I said get off!"
Reluctantly (for Tai's stomach was warm, and the temptation to lean down and kiss him was incredible), Matt got up, allowing Tai to rearrange himself over one side of the sofa, then took the other seat.
Cody was still stood there, looking uncertain and a little embarrassed.
Matt waved at him. "Hey, Cody, room for one more over there somewhere. The sofa's full, I'm afraid." He grinned and poked Tai. "This one takes up more than his fair share of space."
Tai's mouth dropped open. "Hey! Just you watch it, Ishida! We all know who eats most of his own cooking!"
Matt stuck his tongue out. "Well I wouldn't want to eat any of yours! You're the only person I know who can burn ice cream!"
As the teasing degenerated into a poking/tickling/wrestling contest, TK grinned sheepishly up at Cody.
"Sorry. They're always like this - they can never go five seconds without getting on each other's nerves."
Cody eyed the pair bemusedly. "They certainly look very...relaxed." He turned, and smiled at TK. "Well, looks like the sofa's occupied. Can I squash in over here, or is it the floor for me?"
Takeru quickly scrunched up over one side of the chair - although it was so big already, he didn't really need to. "No! Sit down. Please."
Cody took his seat, and TK had to resist the temptation to put an arm round him. Two instincts were fighting inside him - one saying 'move closer!' and the other 'get as far away as you can!' - and he didn't know which to listen to.
Fortunately, Matt and Tai chose that moment to break apart (Matt had been inches away from kissing Tai unexpectedly, a tactic he often used to win their fights), and Tai managed to find the remote. He hit 'play'.
Ten blue words filled the screen for a second, and then there was a burst of all-too-familiar music. Matt immediately rounded on Tai and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck.
"You baka! You complete and total baka! You went and rented Star Wars again, didn't you?"
Giggling uncontrollably, all Tai could do was nod.
Realising that there was nothing he could do, Matt released him. "You really are an idiot sometimes, Tai, you know that? This is the fifth time this month you've got the same damn video!"
Tai put on the Kicked Spaniel face. "But it's my favourite..."
Matt glared at him. "Stop trying the 'ingratiatingly cute' thing. It won't work!"
Takeru broke in hurriedly. "It's all right, Matt. I've not seen Star Wars in ages."
Unexpectedly, Cody chimed in. "Me neither. I used to love this movie!"
Matt sighed resignedly. "Very well, then. Star Wars it is. Just don't expect me to enjoy it."
Tai snickered. "Oh, come on! Stop being such a sourpuss, Yama-chan."
Suddenly, he realised what he'd said, and blushed. Luckily, Cody and Takeru were too busy humming the theme tune in perfect time.
"Da da da daaaaa DUM dadada DAAAAAA dum dadada DAAAAAA dum dadada daaaaaa..."
Matt shot Tai a glance, and then the two of them dissolved into giggles. The two vocalists stopped and glared at them.
"What?"
There was no response except laughter.

' "Luke, at that speed do you think you'll be able to pull out in time?" '
Tai sniggered, and Matt rolled his eyes at his depressingly immature boyfriend. He leaned over and whispered in Tai's ear,
"Jeez, Tai, you must have the most childish sense of humour I've ever seen. You're such a damn hentai!"
Tai turned round, mouth open in disbelief. "I'm a hentai?" he hissed. "You're the one who thought a video camera would be a good idea!"
Matt reddened. "Well, who was it who decided that risk of discovery turned him on, and proceeded to seduce me in a lift?" he growled.
"Hey, at least I thought to hit the 'Emergency Stop' button!" Tai shot back. "You weren't so fussed about safety when you planned that 'romantic evening' in the middle of a field!"
"How was I to know there was a public footpath through it? Anyway, you're the one who couldn't find the Vaseline and thought strawberry jam would make a good substitute!"
Suddenly, both boys realised simultaneously that their voices had gone a long way beyond 'whisper'. Both TK and Cody were staring at them, mouths wide open, identical looks of complete surprise on their faces.
Matt was first to recover.
"Hi!" he said brightly. "Would you excuse us for just one second?"
He grabbed Tai by the arm and dragged the protesting brunette out into the kitchen, then slapped a hand firmly over his koi's mouth. Biting his lip to keep from exploding with laughter, he held Tai as tightly as possible until he had stopped struggling.
"What the...mmph!" was all Tai could get out before Matt covered his mouth again and pointedly held a finger to his own lips.
"Ssh. I just thought of the single best idea in the universe. It's simple, easy, and is bound to get their minds off...what just happened."
Tai blushed. "So what happens?"
Matt grinned, holding up a small, fuzzy pink ball. "All we need is this..." He reached underneath the kitchen table and grabbed something. There was a sound that Tai heard as 'purrup!' and then Matt held up his prize.
A sleepy-looking fluffy black cat.
"And this."

Tai cocked an eyebrow at his boyfriend, wondering if Matt had finally flipped.
"I'm not with you."
Matt rolled his eyes. "TK adores this furball," he gave the cat a little shake, prompting a miaow, "heaven knows why. And everyone's favourite rock star," he struck a pose, somewhat spoilt by the pink ball and increasingly irate cat, "just happens to know that Cody is a major cat-lover. If we can just get this cat in there, they're both bound to go all gooey over it. And you know what happens next." He made as much of a suggestive face as he could whilst still holding ball in one hand and cat in the other.
Tai cracked up. "Dear god, Matt, you are priceless. That is officially your worst idea since the one about signing Izzy up for that online dating website."
Matt looked offended. "And you're saying that he and Rudy the Jewish cowboy weren't a good match?"
Before Tai could press the matter further, Matt crouched down next to the door and hefted the pink ball. With a flick of his wrist he sent it rolling out across the lounge floor, then shoved the cat out after it. As it shot out after its target, he pulled Tai down next to him.
"Now we wait."

The pink cat toy bounced and tinkled its way across the carpet, followed by two pairs of distinctly puzzled eyes. However, when it was followed by a speeding black cat, consternation quickly turned to affection.
"Aww! Isn't it sweet! What's its name?"
TK blinked at Cody's words. He'd only ever heard that sentimental tone coming from one mouth - his own. It seemed he wasn't the only one with a penchant for the feline race.
"It...he's called Buster."
"Here, Buster! Ch-ch-ch-ch! Come on!"
Losing interest in the ball with alacrity, the cat bounded over to the chair and flung itself into Cody's lap. When it was received with equal enthusiasm instead of the disgust and loathing it usually suffered, it went mad with happiness, rubbing its face all over the young boy.
Cody didn't mind. He adored cats, and lavished affection on Buster as quickly as the cat lavished it on him. TK leaned over and joined in, tickling the adorable cat under its chin and stroking its head.
Within seconds, a full throaty purr was filling the room. The cat was in absolute heaven - not just one, but two willing acolytes to tickle and pet it.
The affection didn't last long, however. Even as it settled down in Cody's lap, the inevitable happened. Both boys reached to stroke it at exactly the same time.
Their hands met.

TK was surprised at himself - he hadn't actually jerked his hand away instantly. Even more surprising was the fact that Cody's was still in place, warm against his palm.
Unwillingly, he looked up, not wanting to see the expression of confusion and distress that must be plastered across Cody's face.
"TK..."
"Ssh." I have to say this now. "Cody...I have to tell you something. You're going to hate me, but still."
TK took a deep breath, still not willing to remove his hand. "I like you."
Cody opened his mouth, but TK cut him off. "No, not just as a friend. I really like you."
He dropped his eyes. "OK. You can go ahead and hate me now."
Cody's hand slipped out from between TK's own and the cat's neglected head, and TK knew he'd spoilt everything.
Then a warm pressure on his chin gently raised his head. Blue eyes met green ones that held, not disgust, but shyness.
"TK...I like you too."
The cat sat neglected in Cody's lap as the two boys leant towards each other. Before them, completely ignored, the film reached its end, segueing into the triumphal end sequence with perfect timing.
The kiss was broken off abruptly as Matt and Tai tumbled into the room, grinning like a pair of cats who had got the cream, a few canaries and maybe a mouse or two into the bargain.
"Finally!" Matt rolled his eyes at his younger brother, who was blushing furiously. "You would not believe how bad my leg cramp is!"
"I told you not to scrunch down behind the door like that," Tai chided gently, drawing Matt down into his lap. As his boyfriend set to work with practised fingers on the offending limb, Matt grinned up at his brother.
"Well, at least that scruffy piece of fur came in handy for something."
TK opened his mouth to protest, then collapsed in giggles at the affronted look on the cat's face. "Ssh, you'll hurt his feelings!"
Matt mock-scowled up at it. "Like it has feelings." After receiving a sharp elbow from Tai, he sighed. "All right, all right." Ignoring his cramp, he crawled over to where the two boys sat and grudgingly stroked the cat, which instantly purred loudly. "Oh Great and Mighty Furball, I beg your forgiveness. In reward for finally getting these two stubborn little idiots together, I promise to feed you every day this week."
Tai coughed loudly.
"OK, month."
"Ahem!"
"OK, OK! So I'll brush the damn thing as well!"
Tai hugged his boyfriend tightly. "That's better."
Matt smiled up at him, then leaned in to receive a gentle, tender kiss. TK shot a glance at Cody, who blushed, then tilted his head up. Two sets of lips met - the effect marred only by the video recorder clicking off loudly.
Silence that stretched from seconds into minutes, then a yell from Matt.
"Hey, I hope you two aren't using tongues!"





A/N: Yes, it sucketh mightily. So sue me. And I promised my cat a cameo, so in he went.
Major kudos to everyone who reviews (I love you all) and ten thousand brownie points and a big bowl of wobbly strawberry jelly to anyone who can use this fic to prove that I watch Will&Grace.