Part IV "Twilight Dreams"
#A love that could never be; though it meant a lot to you and me. On a world-wide scale we're just another winters tale #
Tai switched off the radio; the last thing he needed now was some sentimental song about lost love, especially one that Yamato had sung. He looked around at the debris that was his kitchen. Since waking up and finding Yamato gone he had drunk every thing he could find which, according to his slightly hazy reckoning was quarter of a bottle of vodka, about the same amount again of whiskey and six bottles of beer, he sighed and finished off number seven. For some reason, probably the beer he told himself he had also eaten Yamato's mince pies; Tai hated mince pies but had eaten them anyway. Please tell me I didn't do it just because he likes them. It must be the beer.
Why had his self control let him down now of all times, he punched the table hard, being rewarded with a sore fist for his efforts, he swore loudly into the night. He had been in love with Yamato for as long as he could remember knowing him, but had never told him or even thought about seriously doing anything about it. Now he had and looked as though he was going to lose his best friend over it. I seem to be losing everyone lately, first Kari, then Matt too, my two best friends gone. He grabbed the last beer and opened it. Then there was the problem of his parents; they had reacted far worse than he had imagined. Seems harsh throwing me out because of who I choose to sleep with. I can't believe it, I thought parents were meant to stand by you no matter what. Although I thought the same was true of best mates. Tai hadn't even told Kari why he had left home so suddenly, and didn't really want to, it was one of the only two things he had ever kept secret from her. Tai looked at his rapidly decreasing beer, wishing he had some more, what was it Yamato had said? "It'll make you feel better now but you'll feel worse tomorrow" or something like that. Guess I just want to feel better now, stupid Matt always being so smart! What does he know about being hurt? Tai finished his beer and curled up to sleep on the floor, still angry and drunk he began to dream.
Tai did not dream often, but now he stood on a beach in a storm, not a snowstorm like the one tearing up the outside, but one of rain and wind, even in his dream he felt cold. He stood looking out over the sea until Matt joined him. The two stood in silences, Tai noticed he was dressed all in black, Tai had always though that colour suited him. Although that black he's wearing isn't really a colour, more a lack of any. Tai turned to say something, he'd always been bothered by silences, especially when he knew there was things he really needed to say. Matt was no longer there; there were not even any footprints in the wet sand. "Do you hate me so much Matt?" he whispered to the stormy sky, but his words went unanswered apart from the crash of waves on the beach. Tai walked from the beach onto the deserted promenade. When he was little the family had always gone on holidays to the coast, he had always loved all the people, the lights, and the life. But this place was just shades of grey and shadows. The only illumination was the flashes of lightning across the sea. Tai stood for a moment lost in his own despair, his world was crashing down around him, the love of his life didn't want to know him and his beloved sister was leaving him. Perhaps this was the best place for him, a dead town surrounded by shadows and long forgotten happy memories. He called out for an answer but neither the storm sky nor the raging sea seemed to offer any consolation to him. As Tai continued to walk onwards with the twilight fading to black, he didn't look behind him to see the lighthouse, shining a black beam across the sea. He probably wouldn't have understood what it meant anyway.
Yamato was trying to organise his new room at this point, he had asked TK to help him, but his younger sibling had brought Davis, which meant he was less than useful. Currently the two lovers had gone to get something to eat, leaving Yamato struggling with his bookshelf; he nearly dropped it on his foot when he heard TK cry out his name.
"MATT!" TK's cry sounded frightened, so Yamato raced out to find TK and Davis kneeling over Tai's prone body
"We can't wake him up!" Davis seemed panicked too, but Yamato had seen the empty bottles on the table, the smell of alcohol on Tai reassured him that the worse that was going to happen was a bad hangover when he woke up. Or perhaps a blooded nose, frightening TK like that! Damn idiot the second anything goes wrong he hits the booze.
"Don't worry guys, he's just drunk. Again." The three carried Tai to his bed despite Yamato's argument he should be left on the floor. The problem is, he told himself, he must really care about me if he's got so drunk, which is going to make things even harder. And he ate my mince pies; I was looking forwards to them. We're going to have to have a serious talk when he comes to.
In a more surreal part of his dream Tai was rescued from a rampaging mince pie armed with a bottle of beer by Yamato picking him up and putting him safely in bed. Tai smiled in his sleep as Yamato got into the bed too.