"Slow Burn" (def.): an attraction for someone that is not instant, but grows over time.
-x-
Chapter Nine: My Depth Perception Must Be Off Again
-x-
"Surprised to see me?"
Matt moved out of the doorway, "More surprised you bothered to knock, really." He said in an entirely too nonchalant manner.
As if he hadn't just spent the last week avoiding her.
Had it all been in my head?
Was Sora right? Had she just been imagining the tension and awkwardness this whole time? Had Matt really not even batted an eyelash at the 'kiss that almost was'?
She wasn't sure whether she should feel at ease or be completely mortified, either way she followed him into the loft she had considered to be her second home even if she hadn't seen much of it as of late.
"Sora and Tai are on their usual monthly lunch." He said offhandedly and it was annoying because why was he playing so cool?
It's Matt, you idiot. He IS cool, he doesn't have to play anything…
"Yeah, I was there." Her answer was tightlipped.
He noticed the sudden change in tone, but he didn't comment on it, "I'm just gonna throw a shirt on." He told her as they crossed over into his bedroom.
"Maybe some pants while you're at it."
He felt his mouth twitch upwards at the sudden burst of sarcasm.
He rummaged around for a clean shirt to throw on, fully expecting her to settle onto his bed as she usually did.
But she didn't, opting to linger around the entrance of his bedroom instead.
He pulled on a faded grey band tee, it had a big clawed dog print ripping through front with the words Teenage Wolves over it. "How's practice been, Tai mentioned something about an away game tomorrow? Are you going with them?" He asked conversationally.
She felt the annoyance bubbling up again, he was being evasive and it was downright irritating. "Some of the older girls are, they don't need a full roster for away games." She was actually grateful she didn't have to spend her day on a bus going to Shibuya, she would happily miss away games especially if they were on Sunday's.
"Well that's good, at least you don't have to do all that…" By the time he pulled on a pair of black sweatpants, she was barely in his room at all.
"I assumed you came over to hang out?" He raised his brows in obvious confusion. "Do you wanna go out there? I just thought I could play you a record I was working on and—
"Stop!" As soon as the word left her mouth her hand flew over her lips to cover them, as if it could somehow undo the sudden emission.
"Is everything okay?" He knew it wasn't, she looked flustered from the second he'd let her in.
It was obvious she had something on her mind.
Mimi wasn't hard to read, she was an open book of emotions most of the time, and he knew that was by design. She had never been too proud to vocalize exactly what she was feeling. And while that had been something that had annoyed him about her in past, considering it to be complaining rather than anything worth listening to. He had grown to appreciate it.
She wasn't a guessing game, like most girls. If she felt something, she said it and most days her sincerity was refreshing.
"Everything is not okay, Yamato." He could see the frustration practically pouring out her as she looked at him though burning hazel eyes.
"I'm lost."
She rolled her eyes, "Seriously, you're going to make me spell it out, aren't you?" She let out a mirthless laugh. "As if you haven't been totally avoiding me and being super weird."
Shit. She noticed.
Matt swallowed thickly, "I'm not sure what you mean." He tried to sound sure about it.
But he knew it was probably the opposite.
"We almost…" She breath hitched in her throat, right now, looking at him as he stared back her convincingly confused by her sudden outburst, she felt really lame.
It hit her then that Sora was right, he was just being moody and she thought way too much into all of it.
He didn't even remember, that's how insignificant of a thing it was to him.
And she was the idiot plaguing herself with notions of sexual tension and the beginning of the end of their platonic relationship.
With a steadying breath in, she shook her head, trying to find the right words at the right time. She usually wasn't bad at that sort of thing, talking was sort of her strong suit. But this was, this was uncharted territory.
Finally, she said. "I just… I felt like you were being kinda distant all week. Avoidant and..." A meek, sheepish smile on her face. "I don't know, I guess I thought maybe something was wrong or something was bothering you." She tucked her hair behind her ear, eyes on the floor.
She looked so damn cute and vulnerable and his heart nearly grew three sizes in his chest just staring at her right now.
He took her by the shoulders, giving her a rare smile as her eyes snapped up to his face. "I've been distant." He acknowledged. "But it's got nothing to do with you." He said, rubbing her shoulders affectionately.
"Are you sure?" She chewed her lip.
And he really hated that she did that because all of a sudden he was thrown back to stolen moments under pulsating lights with her body pressed flush up against his own.
Thoughts of sweat slicked skin and ruby red lips invaded his mind as he tried to push them away. Ignoring the primal need growling inside him to have her in that position again.
He pulled his hands off her almost immediately, as if her skin had scorched his fingertips through her clothes.
And she looked a little surprised by the suddenness of his motion, but averted her eyes instantly.
He cleared his throat. "It's just that…" He stared into her expectant eyes, bracing himself for the white lie he was about to tell her.
Because he sure as hell wasn't going to get into everything that was actually bothering him, how he couldn't imagine her in anything other than that wretched red dress, or how he would randomly remember the scent of her when he was alone, and least of all that horribly embarrassing dream.
"School's been a bit of an adjustment, classes are much harder…" It was so feeble, he hated himself for not sounding more confident. "And I um, I have this job lined up, so it's going to get much harder and um, you know, I don't have time to invest in my band so it seems like the hiatus might be forever which kinda sucks but..." He felt so low, as he saw the tension leave her shoulders.
Mimi, who looked for all the world relieved and also convinced, gave him a reassuring smile that only made him feel worse about the lie. "Oh, Matt. I'm soo sorry for being so insensitive and making a big deal out of nothing. I feel so terrible that I made this about me when it wasn't at all but you know me, I think everything is about me and I'm so vapid for that." The more she rambled the harder he found it to keep the truth from ripping out from his throat. "…And you know I'll help you any way I can. Don't avoid me, Ishida." She stuck him with a stern look and he couldn't help but chuckle.
"Thanks Mimi, that means a lot. I'll keep it in mind."
He was shit, a lying sack of shit.
"I'm serious, you don't have to be all stressed out and in your head. You have me, idiot." She bumped his shoulder with her own. "I'll help you wherever I can, honest. You can trust me and…"
She was art, in all she was, her graceful charm and delicate mannerisms. In her porcelain skin and bow shaped lips. In her tiny hands and shining eyes. Her waves of soft caramel and her scent like lilacs and lilies and everything that was pure and untouched.
And he was standing there, just hearing the tone of her voice but without understanding any of her words, just standing.
Marveling, really.
At how easily one person could be defined, yet so undefined at the same time. And for all the times he thought he knew everything there was to know about her, there was a facet to her personality that was revealed to him in the most unconventional way.
Because even now, he could feel the concern for him ebbing out of her in waves and it led him to question how much compassion one person could have.
There was something inherently undeniable about what she had said, that led him to think all these things. For the first time in a very long time, when someone said he could trust them, he actually believed it.
He trusted Mimi.
Matt shook his head, blinking his eyes rapidly to focus them. Mimi was peering over side table, looking for somewhere to charge her phone. "Besides, you're really great at time management. So much better than me." She said, a little pouty. "We can keep each other on schedule." She suggested brightly.
He didn't want to continue thinking about all the wonderful things that made Mimi so special, it was getting too confusing when added to all these other feelings he'd been having recently. Instead, he took a moment to swiftly change the subject.
"Sure, Mimi, that sounds great. Anyway, like I was saying before you freaked out on me. Wanna hear a record I've been working on?" He slipped back into his easy tone effortlessly and for once she was grateful for that.
She couldn't help but smile.
"It's been ages since you've said that."
-x-
"You think they'll ever get it together?" Sora asked as Tai got back from a third trip to the sushi bar.
Tai barely waited to sit down before shoving an eel avocado roll in his mouth, "Who?" He asked.
Sora rolled her eyes, wondering for what felt like the millionth time what it is about Tai that women found so damn irresistible. If only they knew this side of him, the disgusting, borderline unhygienic, belching the alphabet, side.
"Matt and Mimi." Thinking back the conversation she had with the brunette a few nights ago. She had played it coy, keeping her cards close to her chest, because if this whole thing was going to happen then it needed to be organic, and she couldn't help or push in the right direction, not even nudge.
The mother hen in her wanted to nurture them and coax them separately into realization, but she knew this wasn't how it would work.
It just couldn't.
If there was ever to be any great proclamations of love or eternity of even just exclusive dating, it had to come from the both of them, when the time was absolutely right.
Tai looked up from his food to meet Sora's amber eyes, "Who knows, really." He answered a moment later. "The way they carry on you'd think it was a crime to be mutually attracted to another reasonably attractive person." He didn't understand it, the whole 'hard to get' concept, it was obvious to anyone in a fifteen meter radius that the two of them wanted nothing more than to rip each other's clothes off.
Why make it so complicated by denying it?
"It's clear as day, really."
"I agree with you there. You know, I think they should just spend a weekend locked in Matt's room, get all of it out on a binge and—
"Oh my God, Taichi! Not everything is always about sex!"
She realized she had said the words a bit too loud when half the restaurant looked back at her.
Sheepishly, she waved an apology.
"You don't have to get so bent out of shape about it, Red. It's only sex." He had a stupid shit eating grin on his face and all she wanted to do was smack it off.
"It wasn't what I was talking about." She said pointedly, "I meant the whole thing, you know like love…" She squirmed in her seat, eyes trained on the floor.
His first response was to laugh, because he was truly the last person to be talking to about that sort of thing. He wouldn't know the first thing about love if it smacked him in the face with a soccer ball. But he could tell that Sora was going out on a limb, "Love's tricky." He opted for instead. "It's too early to tell, but maybe in a few years…"
Sora just nodded, "What would you know about it anyway." She said with a quiet dismissive laugh.
And he gave her a smile, reaching across the table to cover her hand with his own. "Give me a few years too, I'm sure I'll get there." He said warmly.
-x-
Sometimes, back in his band days, when he was being particularly indecisive, he would come to her and usually she had a good ear to point out what was missing.
He appreciated that simplistic aspect of their relationship, it was all that he longed for right now, as the whirlwind in his mind was quickly becoming a tornado.
Maybe if they got back to the basics, became that boy with the guitar and that girl who listened, things would sort themselves out again.
They'd find what was lost.
He grabbed his guitar from the closet while Mimi lifted a sheet and a few pillows to put on the floor. She sat, with her back against the bed and waited as he tuned his instrument.
"It's not done, just some chords and a few words so—
"Matt, disclaimers are a little unnecessary at this point." She said, as he sat beside her.
"Fine, but I want you to sing with me. Because it always helps when I hear it in your voice too."
Mimi moved her hair into her face so he wouldn't see the light blush raising in her cheeks, truly, the fact that Matt held her music capabilities in such high regard was the most flattering compliment she could ever receive.
"Go on then." She prompted, fighting the grin that was currently splitting her face.
Matt strummed a few test chords before clearing his throat.
He'd performed in front of crowds before, especially in high school when his band was pretty popular in the area and his friends and fans alike would come watch him play.
But for some damn reason, playing for Mimi always made him nervous.
His shook out his hoarse voice with a few notes, and she waited patiently.
A twist, a tale—a rip through my sails
And we're made to watch the walls come down
Coz goodbye's too strong, too strong a word.
And as the words tumbled out of his mouth, the sound of his voice enveloping her in the familiar warmth she had become accustomed to, how it reminded her of all the good things in her life. Of her friends and family and home.
And I'm weak from everything that I'm told...
Yes I'm weak, from all the things that I know.
She didn't refuse the smile that was beaming at him, or the look of pure pride that was probably shining through her eyes.
She wished she could take all the faith she had in him and turn into to something tangible, something with weight and value so he knew how much she believed in him. How much she knew he was meant for this.
How special he was…
Do you think of me?
When you look to the sea?
I know it's hard to grow when you're pushed to your knees
And I know our time will pass, our love it will last
Maybe it was all at once, maybe it had always been there. But it felt like he was singing to her, he was talking about them and it might have been farfetched, but she truly felt as though he was inspired by her somehow.
Darling, we will ever break…
When his voice died out, he looked at her guiltily and she knew it was all he had.
"Keep playing." She would praise him later, right now she was on to something.
She cleared her throat, as the notes and the words came together in the forefront of her mind swirling together.
It was as if she had known the melody her entire life, as if she had already written the song. And as the words left her lips, nothing had ever felt more natural to her.
The sound, the tide, it rips through the night
Now it seems too far away
When I follow my heart it leads me to you
And I'm weak from everything that I'm told
Yes I'm weak for all the things that I'm told…
And I'm weak from all the things that I know.
She ignored the stupid look of amazement he had on his face, never missing a chord or a down beat all the while. She prompted him to sing the chorus and she hummed along, not quite learning the words yet.
She knew he was going to say something that would inevitably make her blush a red moon so she wanted to prolong it as much as she could. There was nothing he could say, guitar in hand; that wouldn't have her inwardly swooning over him.
Just admit it, Mimi-girl, you're a sucker for musicians.
The brunette wanted to scoff at her inner self, but there was no use in denying it.
She really was a sucker for musicians.
But maybe not all, maybe just this one.
She hated her inner self.
"You were perfect, you know that don't you?" She sounded absolutely amazing and if there was any doubt in his mind about her not being the one to inspire his music, it was all gone now.
Mimi was the closest thing to a muse he had.
Oh great, now I'm waxing poetic.
He could have groaned out loud, for all his comparisons to muses and artwork.
"I didn't do anything, it was all you." She tucked her knees under her, shifting positions so she could face him. "I loved how simple the melody was, and the lyrics…" She was fangirling, internally, she was totally fangirling.
He shook his head, "I had a chorus, you helped it come together. I need you on this song, Mimi." He wouldn't be above begging if she declined.
Tucking a stray hair behind her ear, she tried not to show him how ecstatic she was that he even asked. "Why, are you thinking of getting the band back together?" She winked playfully.
He chuckled, "Not quite, but they have a recording studio on campus—in the Arts and Theatre building, and I think it could be fun just to try out what it would sound like with the mixers on and stuff."
Hazel eyes lit up at the suggestion, "Are you serious?" She could hardly hide her enthusiasm and she didn't want to either.
Matt nodded, "What do you say, Tachikawa? Do we have a deal?" He extended a hand out to her.
She took it without a moment's thought, "Just name the place and time, Ishida."
Instead of a traditional handshake, he boldly tugged her small frame forward, and with a slight noise of surprise she landed softly against his chest. He held her to him until she relaxed into his embrace. "Do me a favor, Meems?"
"Hm?" Her soft soprano resonated against his chest.
"Don't ever leave again."
And if her heart hadn't melted before, it was surely just a mushy pile of goop now. "I don't plan on it."
-x-
As September came to a close and the October chill rolled around, there was only one thing Tokyo University was buzzing about.
Homecoming.
And of course, the soccer game that would define it.
TU had a history of seldom losing at home, but definitely not at homecoming. The entire thing was a spectacle week to behold, really. As if the entire world was gathered at their campus, sporting shades of red and white and the occasional grey, just for the sake of unity and solidarity.
But for Mimi Tachikawa, homecoming week was hell.
Taylor and Sophia were total cheer-nazis.
Even more so than usual, barking orders, extending practices, picking every little thing apart until it was perfect, reworking entire routines just to fix one small indiscernible mistake, it was absolute hell.
The boys were forever worse for the wear though, with their coaches implementing two a day practices and horrendous work out routines that left some of the less iron willed freshmen losing their breakfast on the field.
By the time Thursday evening rolled around, Mimi thought she was going to collapse of exhaustion. She had a chemistry exam in the morning that she hadn't even cracked her notes open for. On top of that, the play was due in one week's time and Tai never had any time to practice.
What do I really need chemistry for anyway…
With heavy limbs, she dragged herself out of the girls locker room. Dreading the night before her that would consist of nothing but equations and formulas and enthalpy and why every element wanted to be a noble gas.
"I'm going to die here." She said miserably to the ceiling, as she walked out of the Athletic Center.
It was only then that she heard a familiar voice calling out her name.
She turned around to find a pair of deep green eyes, "Long time, Tachikawa." And indeed it had been.
She couldn't really remember the last time she'd had a real conversation with Ryo Akiyama. They talked here and there during practice, but it wasn't anything substantial or noteworthy.
Just regular stuff that bored her to tears.
"You've been busy, Akiyama."
He scratched the back of his neck, "Ah, yeah. It gets a bit…" He didn't finish though. "Soccer and all, and you would think being a star player and breaking all kinds of scoring records would get me out of actually working for my grades but apparently they're incredibly moral here." He rolled his eyes playfully to show her he wasn't being serious.
Not completely, anyway.
"It's good to know your sense of entitlement is intact."
"Careful, we're dangerously close to a pot and kettle scenario."
Mimi shook her head, "Me? Entitled? As if." She scoffed. "I work hard for—
"Dad's money?"
She shoved his shoulder with a small scowl. "I wouldn't be talking if I were you." Zoe and Ryo were easily one of the richest kids at this school.
His dad donated by the boatloads.
She was surprised they didn't have a damn building dedicated to the guy.
He just chuckled, "I'm only kidding." He gave her a charming grin and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him.
"Are you guys ready for Saturday?" She asked, shifting her duffle bag to her less sore shoulder.
Ryo shrugged, "I think so. Coach doesn't seem to be too confident, but we got a tough seed this year." He answered truthfully.
"Karakura, right?"
He nodded, "They've had this monster scorer, Kurosaki, and that psycho Madarame. But it's the addition of their freshmen goalie Hitsugaya, that's been causing most of the commotion—this kid's only let in one goal all season. They've been steamrolling through the competition." And he looked genuinely worried.
Her face softened, "It'll be alright." She said reassuringly. "Sam was off to a bad start at the beginning, but he's really gotten back to form now." She wouldn't know though, it's just what she had heard the other girls saying.
Ryo sighed, "We'll see, I know Kamiya has been boasting his over confidence all over campus and it just kind of makes things a little worse…you know?" She was almost disbelieving of his honesty. "There's just so much pressure, and I feel like no one will understand if we end up losing this game. Not when its homecoming."
She was irritated at the fluttering in her heart as she took in his vulnerability.
Ryo wasn't at all being who he actually was.
Or maybe this was who he actually was and that other side of him was a façade.
She tucked a lose strand of hair behind her ear. "Well, if that's the case then take losing out of your vocabulary." She said with determination. "Don't make it an option. Karakura Town University may be on top of their game right now but it doesn't mean you guys aren't undefeated either." It would be a collegiate sports event for the books.
Whispers around campus had always been that this year's team was one of the best in Tokyo University history. It would be a game to remember nonetheless.
He looked at her curiously, she really was something… wasn't she?
"There's just so much riding on this one game." The frustration was evident.
She reached her hand out to touch his shoulder, the strap on her duffle bag slackened, but before it could fall onto her forearm, he had caught it with an open palm. In one swift motion it was over his free shoulder.
"Thanks, but I can—
He cut her off with a shake of his head, "Don't worry about it." He lifted more than this on a bad day.
She nodded, "Don't be too hard on yourself, Ryo. For what it's worth, I don't think you have anything to worry about." She smiled brightly.
For some reason, it made him feel all warm inside. Like she had taken a heat lantern and lit it up inside his stomach.
It was resonating through his very soul.
Briefly, he wondered if she had this kind of effect on everyone.
"Well, it's worth a lot." He winked. "So now the pressure is doubled, because if you're putting your faith in me, I can't lose…can I?"
She felt herself blush, "I'm putting my faith in the team." She mumbled.
Ryo just grinned, "Me still, even if only by extension." He persisted.
"Don't worry about Kurosaki, I have a feeling you'll wipe the field with him."
"I hope you're right."
She nodded, "Well, I think I should get back. I have this stupid chemistry test in the morning and I don't think I'm going to get much sleep tonight." She told him, making a motion to take her bag from him.
He didn't give it back to her though, "Let me drop you off." He offered politely. "It's late and you're alone."
He was right, the sun had already set in the time they had spent talking.
And even though her dorm was a short ten minute walk, her muscles ached from fatigue.
"Alright." She agreed.
-x-
Mimi was unsure of what to think when she got back to her room that night, Ryo had made her a slight wager.
Maybe it couldn't even be considered that.
It was more like a friendly deal.
He had asked her if she would go on a date with him if they won the game against Karakura Town.
And when she didn't answer right away, he told her to sleep on it.
That he wouldn't hold it against her if she said no.
But she didn't want to say no, did she?
Images of Matt and the club and his bedroom and his guitar swam in succession with her thoughts of Ryo and his charming grin and wonderfully green eyes.
It wasn't as if she and Matt had anything going on, they were only friends after all. And anything to the contrary was silly, because really if he had felt anything for her at all, attraction or otherwise, wouldn't she have known it by now?
He had ample opportunity, she even took the liberty of ambushing him at his apartment, surely there wasn't much else she could have done.
And he hadn't even said a word about it, so really it had all been in her mind anyway.
She had just thought about it for much too long.
"Hey space case, where's your head at?" Sora asked her from the closet.
Mimi collapsed on her bed in a heap of skin and bones, not even bothering to kick off her cheer sneakers. "Ryo asked me out." She said in a flat, toneless voice, eyes on the ceiling.
Sora's surprised face came into view, "And this makes you melancholy because…" She put a hand on her hip.
Mimi sighed, "Not melancholy, per say. Confused, really." She admitted honestly. "My brain is too tired to deal with confused, Sora." She whined three minutes later.
Sora laughed, "Leave it til tomorrow, I'm sure Ryo knows by now that you play hard to get." She said teasingly.
Mimi closed her eyes, "You know, it's really not an act." She massaged her temples gingerly. "I genuinely don't trust guys like him."
"Sometimes guys like him surprise you." She shrugged.
"Maybe." She yawned. "But what about all the times they don't." She wasn't attached to Ryo, not even slightly.
She didn't really have feelings for him, other than mild curiosity. But she would hate to start getting close to him, start liking him and then for him to turn out to be exactly what she had thought this entire time.
Then there was a certain blonde by the name of Yamato Ishida, who even with all his cool indifference and stand offish behavior, made it very clear he was not a fan of the brown haired defenseman.
"Ryo Akiyama is a wild card." Sora nodded. "It really could go either way with him, but you know I'm sure he doesn't go around offering dates to all the girls."
"Yes, most of them just fall to his feet, don't they?" She said thoughtfully. "I don't know, he told me I didn't have to answer right away. Maybe I should just see what mood I'm in after the game."
"Why the game?"
"Well, the date was contingent upon TU beating Karakura on Saturday."
And if they lost, then there wouldn't be a date at all, really.
Sora smirked at the brunette.
"Well, I suppose all's fair in love and soccer."
-x-
A/N: So, Okay, I know I said two weeks and I would put the scene up. But to be honest, I was pretty close to finishing the chapter and the scene would have gotten a bit long to just tack onto the end of the last chapter.
Also, I got engaged that weekend! (needless to say I've been a little busy :P)
I know this chapter is a little bit shorter than what you guys are used to, I really just wanted to post it though because like I said it was just too much to tack on to the end, you know? I feel like it would have ruined the scene a little bit.
Anyway, I don't think this was too horrible of a wait and I promise the next chapter will be longer.
If you recognize some familiar names then you'll be pleased to see a few of them in the next chapter when our favorite Digi pals host our favorite Shinigami at Tokyo University.
-For all those confused, the players mentioned by Ryo are Ichigo Kurosaki, Ikkaku Madarme and Toushiro Hitsugaya; They are characters from the manga Bleach. You don't have to know anything about them or Bleach for the sake of this story though, I'm just borrowing them from Tite Kubo. I will explain appearance and anything relevant in the story.
Also, if any of you are Bleach fans, tell me who you want to see in the upcoming chapter(s)!
As always, thank you to everyone who reviewed:
Raycel03: I'm glad you thought the chapter was funny, I was honestly going for a more comedic relief angle for this one and the part at the beginning was really just meant to give everyone a good laugh. Thanks for the review, hope to hear from you soon!
QuinnM: Hi! First off thank you so much for the review, I really appreciate it! I'm so glad you like my story, it means the world to me! I hope this wasn't too long of a wait and the chapter doesn't disappoint. Please let me know what you thought of it!
Angelic Moonlight: Your reviews are always such a treat! I love hearing your thoughts and feedback, it's always really insightful and entertaining. I think we're all with Sora when it comes to these two, just get it together already! I'm honestly really bad at the build up and there are so many times where I write out entire scenes and I'm like okay, this needs to be redone because I'm rushing. I'm sorry I didn't update after two weeks, I hope you don't hold it against me! I just had a bulk of this chapter written so I wanted to finish and update with a proper chapter! Hope you liked this installment and I would love to hear what you thought!
Midori Aoi: LOL, I was hoping for that kind of reaction for the beginning! It was just supposed to be funny and light hearted cheeky humor. Tai is always my favorite part, to read and to write. He's just so fun. I'm sorry about not updating after two weeks but I hope this makes up for it! I would really love to hear your thoughts on this chapter, hope to hear from you soon!
Guest (1): Thank you! I imagine Matt to be just confused and annoyed by all these new emotions he isn't used to, hence the avoidant behavior. Admittedly though, it was fun writing him so awkward and Mimi so frustrated by it. I hope you liked this chapter, let me know what you thought of it!
Supernaturalfan17980: Thank you for the review, I'm so glad you enjoyed the last chapter. It was actually really fun for me to write, especially the Matt and Tai bromance scenes. I hope you find this chapter just as pleasing, let me know what you thought of it! Hope to hear from you soon!
Isabel Black: Firstly, thank you for always reviewing my work! It means so much to me that you always take the time out to let me know how you liked it! I was very hesitant on what road to take with the Mimato interaction, but at the end of it I just figured Matt being all weird and avoidant was probably the most realistic reaction, so I'm happy it translated well. Haha, Tai is always my outlet for comedic relief, he makes all the difference. I hope this chapter finds you well and I can't wait to hear what you thought of it! I hope I handled the confrontation scene between the two of them okay.
Kiki457875: Thank you so much for the review! I'm so happy you are enjoying my story and I hope this chapter is up to par with the rest. I would love to know what you thought of it, hope to hear from you soon!
Cancercute: LOL! I Love reading your reviews, they always crack me up. I'm not sure how well I handled the post talk, I actually was very iffy about the whole thing but I hope it came together alright. Trust me, I am itching to write some action but I feel like I have to build it up for it to be satisfying. Too often I feel like a story just kind of …dies, after the two main leads get together. And you know me, I'm very partial to the angst and drama aspect of the romance ;) Thank youuuu soo much for reviewing, I always love hearing from you. Hope you liked this chapter and I would love to know your thoughts on it!
For anyone else favoriting, following or simply just reading along, THANK YOU! The support and just the interest means the world to me, I've said this so many times but this fandom is so special to me! So thank you to everyone who supports it
See you guys soon!
P.S: The song I used for Matt and Mimi's duet is called To the Sea by Seafret.
Title comes from: Rest in Pieces by Saliva.