Izzy called back and talked to Tai for a while about it. Izzy laid on his bed talking to him, with his cat, Felix on his chest. Izzy smiled at the cat petting it. Besides Joe, Felix was always there for him, and he was sure Felix wanted him to be with Tai too.
"How was the soup?" Izzy asked.
"It was delicious! You know just how to make me happy!"
Izzy smiled. "I'm glad. Hopefully it will help you feel better."
Felix purred as Izzy pet him.
"Hey Izzy..." Tai said hesitantly.
"Yeah?"
"I'm really sorry I asked you to get into this... It wasn't really fair of me... and I don't want to mess up the friendship. So... maybe we should just forget this whole thing."
Izzy felt his heart sink. He clutched onto Felix for comfort.
"Tai, you're not hurting the friendship."
"Look at what just happened tonight. It's not good. I care about you too much to let this hurt us."
Izzy blinked at what he just said.
"Tai, I care about you SO much you would not believe. All I want is you to be happy, so we need to keep this up."
"Are you positive Izzy?"
"Yes."
"Okay. Izzy, I wanna tell you something, and I don't want you to feel awkward. But... your the best friend I've ever had. I love you man."
Izzy was glad they weren't face to face. He was a new shade of red. He couldn't believe he was getting ready to say this.
"I love you too Tai. You mean the world to me. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Be on your computer 24/7." Tai commented with a laugh. Izzy rolled his eyes. Tai really can't take anything seriously. But he had to admit, Tai was probably right.
"Yeah, that's probably true Tai. Well I better let you go. I take it you won't be at school tomorrow?"
"I doubt it. See you soon though."
"Yeah, Feel better."
"Thanks, Bye."
After Tai hung up, he whispered into the phone, "Ai Shiteru."
Izzy hung up the phone and continued to cuddle Felix, thinking about Tai.
x
Tai remained home from school the next few days. Izzy visited him every night bringing him soup and his missed homework. The digidestined asked how he was and he would tell them. When Tai and Izzy were together at night they talked and joked, and Izzy always made sure he was comfortable. On Friday Izzy went over to see him, but much to his surprise, he was feeling better, and moving around.
"Hey Izzy! I feel much better! Thank you so much for all your help."
Izzy blushed hard. "What are boyfriends for?"
Tai smirked. "Which is why I am now going to be a good boyfriend back to you!"
Izzy blinked. "Huh?"
"Well tonight, I'm taking you out on a 'date' tonight, to say thank you for everything you've done for me!"
Izzy smiled wide. "Okay. Where are we going?"
x
Tai took Izzy out for a very nice evening. They went to dinner, went to see a movie, and then went putt putt golfing. After a night of fun, on the way home they ended up in the park talking. Laying on the grass, looking at the full moon, and the stars.
Tai noticed Izzy fumbling around beside him.
"Whats wrong?"
"I cant get my head comfortable, I think there is a rock in the ground or something."
Without saying a word, Tai laid down his arm and picked up Izzy's head, laying it on his chest.
Izzy couldn't believe what Tai had just done. Izzy looked up at him curiously.
"What are you doing?"
Tai smiled.
"Well my boyfriend is uncomfortable, I decided its my job to make him as comfortable as possible."
Izzy blushed hard. He was in heaven at that moment. He had heard Tai call him his boyfriend, and he was cuddling the guy he secretly loved. It was too perfect.
Tai realized in that moment how cute he was, and just kissed him.
Izzy was surprised but happily kisses back.
Tai then cuddled with Izzy right there in the park, and they both fell asleep.
x
Izzy was awakened soon after by someone whispering his name. Izzy opened his eyes to find himself not on the hard ground they were on before, but on a bed. He looked up at Tai.
"How did we get here?"
"I carried you."
Izzy blinked. "What?"
"Yeah, I woke up, and I saw you laying there peacefully, so I just picked you up and carried you back here."
Izzy blushed as he imagined Tai carrying him through the streets. Then he smiled wide.
"Thank you Tai. You were so sweet for doing that."
Tai smiled as he tucked Izzy in.
"Did you ever do this for Matt?" Izzy asked curiously.
"Actually, Matt didn't let me touch him much. He was weird like that."
Izzy blinked. "But you had sex right?"
"Yeah... but when we weren't doing that, he wasn't a touchy feeling person. Made me sad actually. I always wanted to though. Tonight was kind of a dream come true. Had a romantic evening, cuddling in the park, and now, carrying you home. This was the greatest night ever. Thank you Izzy."
"Th-thank you Tai."
Tai kissed Izzy's forehead, and laid down next to him.
"Goodnight Izzy."
x
Izzy had a dream that night that Tai finally found out Matt's secret.
"How could you do this to me Matt? Why the fuck couldn't you just tell me?"
"I didn't want to hurt you!"
"Well you hurt, not only me, but Izzy as well!"
"Hey, that's not my fault, it was your idiotic plan!"
"But he wanted to help, he had no idea the truth!"
"Bull shit, I told him!"
Tai blinked.
"What?"
"I told him. He knew I loved Sora."
Tai looked at Izzy, with anger and disappointment.
"Why... didn't you tell me?"
"Because... I LOVE YOU TAI!"
"And what? Lying to me is a good way to show that?"
"No! It was a mistake, I just wanted to... try and make you... fall in love with me."
Tai was quiet for a moment. Then he looked back at Izzy.
"After all we've been through, there is a chance we could have been great together... but not with lying... not only have you not won me over, but lost me as a friend. Goodbye Izzy."
x
Izzy woke up panting. He couldn't let that happen. He had to tell Tai. But it was morning, and he could see that Tai was gone.
x
Izzy went and looked for Joe for advice. He was sitting at a coffee place with headphones on.
"Hey Izzy, It's funny you came here. Tai was just here."
"He was? What did he say?"
"He said he was worried he was hurting you. And I thought about it. I thought about what Matt did to him, what he's doing to you, and what your doing to him. It's a big tangled mess."
"Yeah, that does sound about right."
Joe handed Izzy a CD.
"This is a great CD by an American band."
"Maroon 5?"
"Yes. Go home and listen to track number 5. I gave the same CD to Tai. Think about the situation your in."
"You didn't tell him that I was using him too did you?"
"Of course not, but trust me, from Tai's point of view, this will make sense too."
x
Izzy returned home and put in the CD. The words of the song really did have an impact.
I'm full of regret
For all things that I've done and said
And I don't know if it'll ever be okay to show
My face 'round here
Sometimes I wonder if I disappear
Would you ever turn your head and look
See if I'm gone
Cause I fear
There is nothing left to say to you
That you wanna hear
That you wanna know
I think I should go
The things I've done are way too shameful
x
At Tai's house at the exact same time, he was listening to the words, thinking about what he must be putting Izzy through.
Your just innocent
A helpless victim of a spider's web
And I'm an insect
Goin' after anything that I can get
So you better turn your head and run
And don't look back
Cause I fear
There is nothing left to say
To you
That you wanna hear
That you wanna know
I think I should go
The things I've done are way too shameful
And I've done you so wrong
Treated you bad
strung you along
I'm ashamed of myself
I don't know how I got so Tangled.
Tai turned off the CD and started back to Izzy's house.
x
Izzy picked up his cell phone and dialed Tai's number, he waited for Tai to answer, but he never did. So he left a message.
"Tai, I really need to talk to you, can you please come over soon? Bye."
Right as Izzy hung up the phone, there was a knock on the door. Izzy ran to answer it, and he saw Tai was on the other side. He opened the door. Tai looked a little sad.
"Izzy, we need to talk."
"Yeah, we do."
Tai flinched, not expecting him to say that.
"I need to go first."
"Tai-"
"No Izzy, please let me go first."
Izzy nodded, a bit nervous, and sat down on the couch.
"I realized something today Izzy. I really cannot do this to you anymore. You are putting your whole life on hold just for me to make someone else jealous? I won't do it to you anymore, okay? It's over. Tomorrow at school, I can tell everyone else the truth. I'm so sorry Izzy."
Izzy moved a little bit closer to Tai.
"What if you didn't?"
Tai looked a little stunned. "What?"
"Tai, there is something I need to tell you."
"You hate me for putting you through this?"
"No. I love you."
"I mean of course you hate me, after all this time I've been selfishly- …what?"
"I love you Tai. I've loved you for a long time... and you've been with Matt, I've just tried to be this supportive friend, but the truth is, I've always been a little jealous. But I was always happy that you were happy. When you first told me that you and Matt broke up, I was just going to wait a little while, for you to heal, and then I would tell you, but you had this idea for you to make Matt jealous and... I kind of thought that maybe by being so close to me, you might start to feel the same way."
Tai looked deep into Izzy eyes.
"I have felt differently."
Izzy blinked. "What?"
"I think I love you... I mean... you love me enough to try and help me get back with my ex? That must be an amazing love, and I want to experience it."
"Really?" Izzy put on a hopeful smile. Tai smiled back.
"Yes. Izzy, will you go out with me?"
"Yes!" Izzy flew his arms around Tai, and then they kissed.
TBC