Turn Around
By the Black Goddess
Disclaimer: It's not mine.
If you haven't worked out by now that this is slash you should win a prize for being the stupidest person alive. Still, this is slash, don't like it, don't read.
AN: I may have mentioned that this is the final part. Well, it isn't. *g* There is at least one and possibly two more parts to go. Thanks for sticking around this long!
Matt did not sleep well that night. He and Mari had taken Tai home in silence, doing their best to keep his intoxicated state a secret from his parents. Tai had passed out on the bed as soon as they got in, and Matt put the bin next to him.
"We need to discuss this," Mari hissed. Matt had nodded, then said he needed to go to the bathroom. Instead of going to the bathroom however, he had left Mari in Tai's apartment and run home as fast as he could, thinking all the while. If anyone ever found out that he had spiked Tai's drink, Tai wouldn't be the only friend he'd lose. He had found it difficult to get to sleep, and when he at last managed it he slept uneasily, plagued by guilty dreams. He woke suddenly, with no clue as to what had woken him, and lay staring at the ceiling in horror as he tried desperately to think of a way out of this predicament that didn't spell total disaster for all concerned. There didn't seem to be one, but Matt tried frantically for over an hour. In the end, frustrated by his lack of ideas, he decided to ring Tai. He knew his friend would be horribly hungover, but he'd have to wake up sometime, and it wasn't really too early to risk it.
"Can I speak to Tai?" he asked. Kari, who'd answered, said:
"I don't think he's really feeling too well right now." she said. "Can I take a message?"
"This is sort of urgent." said Matt thoughtfully. "Do you think he'd mind if I came over?"
"I'm not sure that you're really flavour of the month around here." said Kari tactfully.
"Look, I have to talk to Tai as soon as possible," said Matt, trying to control his irritation. "Are you sure he can't come to the phone?"
"You'd better come round then," said Kari, her voice resigned. "Just don't be surprised if he throws you out."
"I won't," said Matt gloomily. "I'll see you soon, OK?"
"Bye Matt," There was a click as she hung up. Matt took a deep breath, then dressed hurriedly and headed over to Tai's apartment. Mari let him in, and Matt made his way to Tai's room.
"Hi Tai, it's me," he said, letting himself into the darkened room.
"Oh God," said Tai. "What do you want? I'm dying here - this had better be important."
"What do you remember about last night?" asked Matt urgently.
"We had sex," said Tai softly. "I cheated on Mari."
"One out of two." said Matt uncertainly. "Tai, you and I didn't have sex - that was one of my lookalikes." Tai groaned as the truth hit him.
"You mean - that was a complete stranger? I lost my virginity to some stranger in an alleyway?"
"Yes." said Matt softly, unable to think of anything to say to soften the blow, to make this shock easier to bear.
"Who knows?" asked Tai, his voice full of shame and despair.
"I don't know. Mari and I came out to see where you were. I knew what had happened as soon as I saw the two of you, but I don't think Mari did. However, your frantic attempts to deny that we'd ever had sex may have put the idea into her head."
"Please tell me this isn't happening." said Tai, his voice hoarse. "I feel like elephants have been having an all-night jamboree inside my skull, I've been sick more times than I can count and now you're telling me my girlfriend knows I had sex with some strange man? Oh God Matt, she'll never forgive me!"
Matt reached out and put his hand on Tai's shoulder, gripping it tightly.
"Come on, this'll seem less of a disaster when you aren't hungover," he said consolingly, hoping that Tai couldn't hear the hollow note in his voice. "We just need to decide what we're going to tell her, that's all."
"What do you mean? It sounds like she already knows the worst."
"Yes, but your excuses could probably save this relationship if you wanted them to."
"How, Matt?" asked Tai, tears sliding slowly down his face. 'How indeed?' thought Matt dully, but he said confidently:
"The fact you cheated with another boy might actually help you - you know, not some girl she could think was prettier or had better breasts or something. She might even think it's sexy."
"How can I ever look her in the face again? I can't stay with her Matt, whether she wants me or not."
"I'm really sorry," said Matt helplessly. He wanted to put his arms around his friend, but didn't quite dare. He settled for squeezing Tai's shoulder a bit more tightly.
Eventually, Tai took a deep breath. "You'd probably better go," he said chokily. "You've probably got things to do,"
"We are actually supposed to have an extra practice for tonight," said Matt apologetically, "but I won't go if you want me to be here,"
"No, you go. I'll get some more sleep." said Tai. He reached up and gripped Matt's hand for a second, before gently removing Matt's hand from his shoulder. "Go on," he said. Matt nodded and left quietly.
Once outside he headed for Gendo's apartment, wondering what on earth he was going to do now. He knew Tai and Mari were finished, but suspected that he wasn't going to get Tai any time soon.
"How could I have known?" he said aloud, winning him a strange look from the woman walking past him. Matt didn't even notice.
'I mean, so it was a treble instead of a single. You can tell from the taste, he didn't have to drink it! And how was I to know that he'd drink beer 'til the world ended and he fell into the arms of a lookalike?'
Matt was so deep in his guilty thoughts that he actually walked past Gendo's apartment and had to walk back.
"You're late again." said Akemi, sounding annoyed.
"Went to check on Tai," said Matt, automatically beginning to unpack his guitar.
"What's wrong with him?" asked Toshiki with interest.
"Hangover of the century." said Matt.
"TAI!!!" exclaimed Istu in amazement. "Straight-laced Taichi, drinking at all let alone getting a hangover. You have to be joking,"
"Actually no. He chose last night to get bladdered and Mari and I had to take him home. I doubt he'll be at the gig tonight,"
"Did Mari make a pass at you after he was in bed?"
"Is Mari still coming tonight?"
Both questions were asked simultaneously and Matt blinked slightly.
"No she didn't and I don't know," he said. "But can we practice now? I have to go check on him, 'be there for him' while he deals with his drunken behaviour."
"What did he do?"
"Nothing," lied Matt easily. "The fact that he was drunk is horrific enough to him."
"Some people are strange," Gendo said calmly.
"And some people are talking when we should be practising!" said Akemi irritably, and the practice began.
As Matt had predicted, Tai did not come to the concert that night. Kari did come, but seemingly only for the purpose of keeping an eye on TK (who, surprisingly, was loving all the attention he was getting) and making sure that Matt didn't lead him astray as well. When Matt tried to ask her how Tai was, she answered almost rudely and Matt decided that the best option was to make himself scarce. After all, he and Tai walked to school together. He'd see Tai then.
Unfortunately for Matt, by the time Monday morning came round, he had managed to develop a really impressive cold, bordering on flu. He had just decided that he really was too ill to get out of bed when Tai arrived at the door. He let him in, sneezing pathetically as he did so.
"I'm really not well," he said apologetically, "I can't go in today."
"OK," said Tai quickly. "I'll tell them you're ill."
"Thanks," said Matt, sniffling gratefully.
"I can let myself out," said Tai. "Get well soon," he told Matt before turning and going back out of the door. Matt grabbed the box of tissues off the coffee table and made his way back to bed. Only when he was safely back under the covers did the fact that Tai had gone so easily strike him as odd. Normally Tai, who was hardly ever ill, refused to accept that Matt was actually ill and not just a bit tired and he normally insisted on medical proof before he'd believe that Matt was really ill and not faking. Matt normally had to pretend to pass out on the couch to get him to leave, yet this time Tai had gone without a murmur. Matt was just attempting to be concerned about this when he fell asleep.
If he had been able to stay awake longer, he would have been more prepared when, two days later when he finally felt well enough to go back to school, Tai wouldn't look him in the eye and barely spoke two words to him.
"Have I missed much?" asked Matt after they'd walked in silence for two minutes.
"I don't know," said Tai, staring at the pavement. They walked a bit further.
"Have I missed any gossip?"
"Don't think so."
Matt frowned, wondering why Tai was being so strange with him. Normally he couldn't shut the other boy up, so why was he being so odd today? He surely couldn't still be upset about the weekend?
"How's Kari?"
"She's fine."
"Your parents OK?"
"Yes."
Matt was glad when they finally arrived at school. He hoped that as the week drew on, Tai would get used to the situation and things would go back to normal.
When two weeks had passed and things were still no better, Matt began to be seriously worried. His worries were compounded by a remark of Akemi's.
"Why didn't you tell us that Tai and Mari had broken up?" he asked. Before Matt could answer, Istu asked:
"How did you find out?"
"She stuck her tongue down my throat." Akemi said with relish. Gendo snickered.
"That could just mean she was looking for excitement," he pointed out.
"I asked her and she said that they were over, that Tai finished with her the day after our lookalike competition was judged. Then we had sex." Akemi said gleefully.
"Why didn't you say our plan had succeeded?" asked Toshiki, watching his friend with interest.
"I'm not with Tai yet." Matt said, trying to hide the fact that he hadn't even known that Tai wasn't with Mari any more.
"What's keeping you?"
"Oh, Tai wants a decent interval so it doesn't look like he was cheating," said Matt, hoping that that would be enough to keep the others happy. It wasn't.
"He's been in a bad mood for the last few weeks," said Gendo thoughtfully,
"The fact that he doesn't seem to be speaking to me may be impeding my progress somewhat," Matt owned sheepishly.
"Not speaking to you?" echoed Istu in shock.
"Well, unless you count monosyllables. He's still walking to school with me though."
"Do you think he knows anything?" asked Toshiki quickly.
"No!" Matt said immediately. "At least, I don't think so."
"The lookalike competition went well, your lookalike not only looks like you but is a passable singer, this should have been great!"
"He's the guy Tai slept with." said Matt suddenly, realisation hitting him like a blow to the stomach.
"He's WHAT?!!" the entire band shouted in unison.
"Tai, cheating?"
"Like I said, he got drunk. He thought that lookalike was me," Akemi began to laugh.
"Looks like we got the right winner then! If your own best friend couldn't tell the difference..."
"Woah, Matt, Tai slept with that guy?" Gendo said thoughtfully.
"Yes, and he was gutted about it," said Matt, deciding that he should just tell the band everything. "Don't mention it to him, OK?"
"But that's why he's being weird with you! He's got guilt over this guy and so on," said Gendo. "Have you talked to him about it?"
"We're barely talking at all." Matt said glumly. "But surely he can't still be upset about that." He stared hopefully at his friends.
"We are still talking about Tai, right? You bet he's still upset!" Istu said, trying unsuccessfully to keep the amusement from his voice.
"Go round," said Gendo. "Talk to him. Let him cry on your shoulder. You'll be together in no time." Matt nodded but he really didn't think so. They started practising then, and in the bustle of getting ready, Matt didn't see Toshiki's expression.
Unsurprisingly, Matt was proved right. Tai professed himself far too busy to come round to Matt's house and also far too busy to let Matt come round to his. Matt's subtle and not-so-subtle attempts to raise the subject during the trip to school were met with either polite changes of the subject or plain refusal to talk about it.
"Why won't you stop asking me about this?" Tai snapped after Matt's third attempt to raise the subject. "Can't you understand that I don't want to talk about it? Or is the idea of not wanting to brag about your conquests something completely alien to you?"
"It's just that you're so clearly upset about it," Matt said, trying to ignore the jibe at his own behaviour. "I only want to help you, Tai. You've been so different lately and I thought you might want to talk about it,"
"There's nothing to talk about. I just want to forget it every happened." Matt looked at him.
"If you're sure," he said doubtfully.
"You know what, just fuck off." Tai said angrily. "If you're going to treat me like a baby or something then just fuck off. I don't need your help, Matt."
"Why are you so angry with me?" Matt pleaded, his eyes beginning to fill with tears. "I didn't know what was going on, I..."
"Kari told me everything."
"What?" Matt stared at him in genuine surprise. "What did she tell you?"
"She told me that you asked Mari out,"
"And you believed her?" Matt asked in disbelief.
"Kari wouldn't lie to me." Tai said icily.
"But someone might lie to her! I hate Mari - I wouldn't touch her with a barge pole!" Matt said emphatically. Tai flinched, and Matt winced as he remembered that he was talking about Tai's ex-girlfriend here.
"Why would I do that?" he asked quietly.
"To split us up. If you slept with Mari, she'd probably have finished with me."
"I did not sleep with Mari. I never even thought about sleeping with Mari. I really don't like her and besides, she was your girl. I never want to hurt you like that." Matt said. "Tai, you have to believe me!"
"I don't have to do anything."
"I'm your best friend. We've known each other for years. If you think that I'd want to hurt you by stealing your girlfriend then you should know better." Matt stepped around to block Tai's path, forcing the other boy to look at him.
"I love you Tai," he said desperately, "I never want to hurt you and I don't want anything to do with Mari." He paused for a second, then went on. "If I'd wanted to break your relationship up, I'd have slept with you, not her." He knew it was a mistake the minute the words left his lips.
"Then why didn't you, you bastard?" Matt opened his mouth, not really knowing what to say but knowing he had to some something, anything, but Tai barged past him and set off at a run towards the school. Matt stood in the middle of the pavement, staring after him.
"I don't understand." he said softly to himself as he watched his friend's retreating figure. "I don't understand anything any more." He made his way slowly to school, not even caring when he turned up late and was awarded detention every night of the week.
"This isn't good enough, Yamato. You've been late five days out of the last seven - let's see if an extra hour after school every night this week, starting tomorrow, will teach you a lesson. Now go and sit down." Matt nodded, taking his customary seat next to Akemi and burying his head in his arms. Akemi was trying to do his homework and was happy enough to leave his friend alone.
Matt told the whole band the story at lunchtime, breaking his traditional habit of eating with the Digidestined in the hope of getting the band's advice.
"I really have no idea." said Gendo. "Apart from wait, there's nothing you can do, except maybe talk to Kari and see where she got that idea from."
"I bet it was Mari," said Toshiki thoughtfully. "She must have known that you and Tai would have got it on ages ago if it wasn't for her, and the lookalike competition must have proved it to her. She might have told Kari that just to stop you and Tai getting together."
"Plus, you turning her down can't have helped." Gendo agreed.
"Evil bitch," said Akemi, sounding surprised. "And she looks so nice as well."
"And I'm supposed to screw her tonight," said Istu. "Does this mean I can't?"
"No, go right ahead." said Matt gloomily. "Be as rough as you like." Istu and Akemi exchanged looks but Matt was too miserable to even think about what that might mean.
That day, Matt waited in the usual place for Tai, but Tai did not come. Matt waited for an hour, then walked home alone.
Matt walked to school alone the next day. Arriving bang on time, he threw himself into his seat and waited for Akemi. Predictably, Akemi was late, late to the point that Matt began to fear that he wasn't going to arrive. Normally when Akemi was late, Matt would give him ten minutes and then go to a seat nearer Tai. With the current state of their relationship however, Matt didn't dare risk it. Luckily, just as he was getting really nervous about sitting on his own, Akemi walked in, looking excited.
"Hey, guess what Matt?" he exclaimed.
"What?" asked Matt, trying to be as cheerful as he could.
"Istu agrees with me! Mari's a great lay and you were even stupider than I thought to turn her down!"
"What!!!" exclaimed Matt, absolutely horror-struck. "That was supposed to be secret, you twat!" he hissed. Akemi winked at him, which didn't reassure him in the slightest, and carried on speaking as if Matt hadn't spoken.
"I know she looks all prim and proper, but she rates a nine! You should talk to her, see if she's got over you rejecting her yet. You never know, she might give you a second chance."
"Nah, I hate the girl, I think I'll pass," said Matt, trying miserably to sound nonchalant and desperately avoiding Tai's thunderstruck face. He had never been so glad to hear the bell in his life.
"What the fuck did you think you were doing?" he hissed angrily at Akemi. "You seriously think that after that performance Tai will ever speak to me again?"
"I..." said Akemi, taken aback by the sheer venom in Matt's voice.
"I'm going home," said Matt flatly. "This day is bad enough already without experiencing any more of it. Tell the teachers I was sick." Akemi blinked, but Matt was already heading purposefully towards the nurse's office and Akemi had no choice but to let him go.
Matt stormed home, tears of misery and frustration pouring down his face. How could Akemi do that to him? Matt could see his chances of ever patching his relationship with Tai back together disappearing before his eyes. When he arrived home, he threw himself down on his bed and cried until he fell asleep out of sheer exhaustion.
Can this situation be repaired? (I really hope so - it's rather run away with me again!) I can hope that the next part will be up sooner than this one was, but since I have exams in two weeks I can't promise anything! Thanks for bearing with me!
By the Black Goddess
Disclaimer: It's not mine.
If you haven't worked out by now that this is slash you should win a prize for being the stupidest person alive. Still, this is slash, don't like it, don't read.
AN: I may have mentioned that this is the final part. Well, it isn't. *g* There is at least one and possibly two more parts to go. Thanks for sticking around this long!
Matt did not sleep well that night. He and Mari had taken Tai home in silence, doing their best to keep his intoxicated state a secret from his parents. Tai had passed out on the bed as soon as they got in, and Matt put the bin next to him.
"We need to discuss this," Mari hissed. Matt had nodded, then said he needed to go to the bathroom. Instead of going to the bathroom however, he had left Mari in Tai's apartment and run home as fast as he could, thinking all the while. If anyone ever found out that he had spiked Tai's drink, Tai wouldn't be the only friend he'd lose. He had found it difficult to get to sleep, and when he at last managed it he slept uneasily, plagued by guilty dreams. He woke suddenly, with no clue as to what had woken him, and lay staring at the ceiling in horror as he tried desperately to think of a way out of this predicament that didn't spell total disaster for all concerned. There didn't seem to be one, but Matt tried frantically for over an hour. In the end, frustrated by his lack of ideas, he decided to ring Tai. He knew his friend would be horribly hungover, but he'd have to wake up sometime, and it wasn't really too early to risk it.
"Can I speak to Tai?" he asked. Kari, who'd answered, said:
"I don't think he's really feeling too well right now." she said. "Can I take a message?"
"This is sort of urgent." said Matt thoughtfully. "Do you think he'd mind if I came over?"
"I'm not sure that you're really flavour of the month around here." said Kari tactfully.
"Look, I have to talk to Tai as soon as possible," said Matt, trying to control his irritation. "Are you sure he can't come to the phone?"
"You'd better come round then," said Kari, her voice resigned. "Just don't be surprised if he throws you out."
"I won't," said Matt gloomily. "I'll see you soon, OK?"
"Bye Matt," There was a click as she hung up. Matt took a deep breath, then dressed hurriedly and headed over to Tai's apartment. Mari let him in, and Matt made his way to Tai's room.
"Hi Tai, it's me," he said, letting himself into the darkened room.
"Oh God," said Tai. "What do you want? I'm dying here - this had better be important."
"What do you remember about last night?" asked Matt urgently.
"We had sex," said Tai softly. "I cheated on Mari."
"One out of two." said Matt uncertainly. "Tai, you and I didn't have sex - that was one of my lookalikes." Tai groaned as the truth hit him.
"You mean - that was a complete stranger? I lost my virginity to some stranger in an alleyway?"
"Yes." said Matt softly, unable to think of anything to say to soften the blow, to make this shock easier to bear.
"Who knows?" asked Tai, his voice full of shame and despair.
"I don't know. Mari and I came out to see where you were. I knew what had happened as soon as I saw the two of you, but I don't think Mari did. However, your frantic attempts to deny that we'd ever had sex may have put the idea into her head."
"Please tell me this isn't happening." said Tai, his voice hoarse. "I feel like elephants have been having an all-night jamboree inside my skull, I've been sick more times than I can count and now you're telling me my girlfriend knows I had sex with some strange man? Oh God Matt, she'll never forgive me!"
Matt reached out and put his hand on Tai's shoulder, gripping it tightly.
"Come on, this'll seem less of a disaster when you aren't hungover," he said consolingly, hoping that Tai couldn't hear the hollow note in his voice. "We just need to decide what we're going to tell her, that's all."
"What do you mean? It sounds like she already knows the worst."
"Yes, but your excuses could probably save this relationship if you wanted them to."
"How, Matt?" asked Tai, tears sliding slowly down his face. 'How indeed?' thought Matt dully, but he said confidently:
"The fact you cheated with another boy might actually help you - you know, not some girl she could think was prettier or had better breasts or something. She might even think it's sexy."
"How can I ever look her in the face again? I can't stay with her Matt, whether she wants me or not."
"I'm really sorry," said Matt helplessly. He wanted to put his arms around his friend, but didn't quite dare. He settled for squeezing Tai's shoulder a bit more tightly.
Eventually, Tai took a deep breath. "You'd probably better go," he said chokily. "You've probably got things to do,"
"We are actually supposed to have an extra practice for tonight," said Matt apologetically, "but I won't go if you want me to be here,"
"No, you go. I'll get some more sleep." said Tai. He reached up and gripped Matt's hand for a second, before gently removing Matt's hand from his shoulder. "Go on," he said. Matt nodded and left quietly.
Once outside he headed for Gendo's apartment, wondering what on earth he was going to do now. He knew Tai and Mari were finished, but suspected that he wasn't going to get Tai any time soon.
"How could I have known?" he said aloud, winning him a strange look from the woman walking past him. Matt didn't even notice.
'I mean, so it was a treble instead of a single. You can tell from the taste, he didn't have to drink it! And how was I to know that he'd drink beer 'til the world ended and he fell into the arms of a lookalike?'
Matt was so deep in his guilty thoughts that he actually walked past Gendo's apartment and had to walk back.
"You're late again." said Akemi, sounding annoyed.
"Went to check on Tai," said Matt, automatically beginning to unpack his guitar.
"What's wrong with him?" asked Toshiki with interest.
"Hangover of the century." said Matt.
"TAI!!!" exclaimed Istu in amazement. "Straight-laced Taichi, drinking at all let alone getting a hangover. You have to be joking,"
"Actually no. He chose last night to get bladdered and Mari and I had to take him home. I doubt he'll be at the gig tonight,"
"Did Mari make a pass at you after he was in bed?"
"Is Mari still coming tonight?"
Both questions were asked simultaneously and Matt blinked slightly.
"No she didn't and I don't know," he said. "But can we practice now? I have to go check on him, 'be there for him' while he deals with his drunken behaviour."
"What did he do?"
"Nothing," lied Matt easily. "The fact that he was drunk is horrific enough to him."
"Some people are strange," Gendo said calmly.
"And some people are talking when we should be practising!" said Akemi irritably, and the practice began.
As Matt had predicted, Tai did not come to the concert that night. Kari did come, but seemingly only for the purpose of keeping an eye on TK (who, surprisingly, was loving all the attention he was getting) and making sure that Matt didn't lead him astray as well. When Matt tried to ask her how Tai was, she answered almost rudely and Matt decided that the best option was to make himself scarce. After all, he and Tai walked to school together. He'd see Tai then.
Unfortunately for Matt, by the time Monday morning came round, he had managed to develop a really impressive cold, bordering on flu. He had just decided that he really was too ill to get out of bed when Tai arrived at the door. He let him in, sneezing pathetically as he did so.
"I'm really not well," he said apologetically, "I can't go in today."
"OK," said Tai quickly. "I'll tell them you're ill."
"Thanks," said Matt, sniffling gratefully.
"I can let myself out," said Tai. "Get well soon," he told Matt before turning and going back out of the door. Matt grabbed the box of tissues off the coffee table and made his way back to bed. Only when he was safely back under the covers did the fact that Tai had gone so easily strike him as odd. Normally Tai, who was hardly ever ill, refused to accept that Matt was actually ill and not just a bit tired and he normally insisted on medical proof before he'd believe that Matt was really ill and not faking. Matt normally had to pretend to pass out on the couch to get him to leave, yet this time Tai had gone without a murmur. Matt was just attempting to be concerned about this when he fell asleep.
If he had been able to stay awake longer, he would have been more prepared when, two days later when he finally felt well enough to go back to school, Tai wouldn't look him in the eye and barely spoke two words to him.
"Have I missed much?" asked Matt after they'd walked in silence for two minutes.
"I don't know," said Tai, staring at the pavement. They walked a bit further.
"Have I missed any gossip?"
"Don't think so."
Matt frowned, wondering why Tai was being so strange with him. Normally he couldn't shut the other boy up, so why was he being so odd today? He surely couldn't still be upset about the weekend?
"How's Kari?"
"She's fine."
"Your parents OK?"
"Yes."
Matt was glad when they finally arrived at school. He hoped that as the week drew on, Tai would get used to the situation and things would go back to normal.
When two weeks had passed and things were still no better, Matt began to be seriously worried. His worries were compounded by a remark of Akemi's.
"Why didn't you tell us that Tai and Mari had broken up?" he asked. Before Matt could answer, Istu asked:
"How did you find out?"
"She stuck her tongue down my throat." Akemi said with relish. Gendo snickered.
"That could just mean she was looking for excitement," he pointed out.
"I asked her and she said that they were over, that Tai finished with her the day after our lookalike competition was judged. Then we had sex." Akemi said gleefully.
"Why didn't you say our plan had succeeded?" asked Toshiki, watching his friend with interest.
"I'm not with Tai yet." Matt said, trying to hide the fact that he hadn't even known that Tai wasn't with Mari any more.
"What's keeping you?"
"Oh, Tai wants a decent interval so it doesn't look like he was cheating," said Matt, hoping that that would be enough to keep the others happy. It wasn't.
"He's been in a bad mood for the last few weeks," said Gendo thoughtfully,
"The fact that he doesn't seem to be speaking to me may be impeding my progress somewhat," Matt owned sheepishly.
"Not speaking to you?" echoed Istu in shock.
"Well, unless you count monosyllables. He's still walking to school with me though."
"Do you think he knows anything?" asked Toshiki quickly.
"No!" Matt said immediately. "At least, I don't think so."
"The lookalike competition went well, your lookalike not only looks like you but is a passable singer, this should have been great!"
"He's the guy Tai slept with." said Matt suddenly, realisation hitting him like a blow to the stomach.
"He's WHAT?!!" the entire band shouted in unison.
"Tai, cheating?"
"Like I said, he got drunk. He thought that lookalike was me," Akemi began to laugh.
"Looks like we got the right winner then! If your own best friend couldn't tell the difference..."
"Woah, Matt, Tai slept with that guy?" Gendo said thoughtfully.
"Yes, and he was gutted about it," said Matt, deciding that he should just tell the band everything. "Don't mention it to him, OK?"
"But that's why he's being weird with you! He's got guilt over this guy and so on," said Gendo. "Have you talked to him about it?"
"We're barely talking at all." Matt said glumly. "But surely he can't still be upset about that." He stared hopefully at his friends.
"We are still talking about Tai, right? You bet he's still upset!" Istu said, trying unsuccessfully to keep the amusement from his voice.
"Go round," said Gendo. "Talk to him. Let him cry on your shoulder. You'll be together in no time." Matt nodded but he really didn't think so. They started practising then, and in the bustle of getting ready, Matt didn't see Toshiki's expression.
Unsurprisingly, Matt was proved right. Tai professed himself far too busy to come round to Matt's house and also far too busy to let Matt come round to his. Matt's subtle and not-so-subtle attempts to raise the subject during the trip to school were met with either polite changes of the subject or plain refusal to talk about it.
"Why won't you stop asking me about this?" Tai snapped after Matt's third attempt to raise the subject. "Can't you understand that I don't want to talk about it? Or is the idea of not wanting to brag about your conquests something completely alien to you?"
"It's just that you're so clearly upset about it," Matt said, trying to ignore the jibe at his own behaviour. "I only want to help you, Tai. You've been so different lately and I thought you might want to talk about it,"
"There's nothing to talk about. I just want to forget it every happened." Matt looked at him.
"If you're sure," he said doubtfully.
"You know what, just fuck off." Tai said angrily. "If you're going to treat me like a baby or something then just fuck off. I don't need your help, Matt."
"Why are you so angry with me?" Matt pleaded, his eyes beginning to fill with tears. "I didn't know what was going on, I..."
"Kari told me everything."
"What?" Matt stared at him in genuine surprise. "What did she tell you?"
"She told me that you asked Mari out,"
"And you believed her?" Matt asked in disbelief.
"Kari wouldn't lie to me." Tai said icily.
"But someone might lie to her! I hate Mari - I wouldn't touch her with a barge pole!" Matt said emphatically. Tai flinched, and Matt winced as he remembered that he was talking about Tai's ex-girlfriend here.
"Why would I do that?" he asked quietly.
"To split us up. If you slept with Mari, she'd probably have finished with me."
"I did not sleep with Mari. I never even thought about sleeping with Mari. I really don't like her and besides, she was your girl. I never want to hurt you like that." Matt said. "Tai, you have to believe me!"
"I don't have to do anything."
"I'm your best friend. We've known each other for years. If you think that I'd want to hurt you by stealing your girlfriend then you should know better." Matt stepped around to block Tai's path, forcing the other boy to look at him.
"I love you Tai," he said desperately, "I never want to hurt you and I don't want anything to do with Mari." He paused for a second, then went on. "If I'd wanted to break your relationship up, I'd have slept with you, not her." He knew it was a mistake the minute the words left his lips.
"Then why didn't you, you bastard?" Matt opened his mouth, not really knowing what to say but knowing he had to some something, anything, but Tai barged past him and set off at a run towards the school. Matt stood in the middle of the pavement, staring after him.
"I don't understand." he said softly to himself as he watched his friend's retreating figure. "I don't understand anything any more." He made his way slowly to school, not even caring when he turned up late and was awarded detention every night of the week.
"This isn't good enough, Yamato. You've been late five days out of the last seven - let's see if an extra hour after school every night this week, starting tomorrow, will teach you a lesson. Now go and sit down." Matt nodded, taking his customary seat next to Akemi and burying his head in his arms. Akemi was trying to do his homework and was happy enough to leave his friend alone.
Matt told the whole band the story at lunchtime, breaking his traditional habit of eating with the Digidestined in the hope of getting the band's advice.
"I really have no idea." said Gendo. "Apart from wait, there's nothing you can do, except maybe talk to Kari and see where she got that idea from."
"I bet it was Mari," said Toshiki thoughtfully. "She must have known that you and Tai would have got it on ages ago if it wasn't for her, and the lookalike competition must have proved it to her. She might have told Kari that just to stop you and Tai getting together."
"Plus, you turning her down can't have helped." Gendo agreed.
"Evil bitch," said Akemi, sounding surprised. "And she looks so nice as well."
"And I'm supposed to screw her tonight," said Istu. "Does this mean I can't?"
"No, go right ahead." said Matt gloomily. "Be as rough as you like." Istu and Akemi exchanged looks but Matt was too miserable to even think about what that might mean.
That day, Matt waited in the usual place for Tai, but Tai did not come. Matt waited for an hour, then walked home alone.
Matt walked to school alone the next day. Arriving bang on time, he threw himself into his seat and waited for Akemi. Predictably, Akemi was late, late to the point that Matt began to fear that he wasn't going to arrive. Normally when Akemi was late, Matt would give him ten minutes and then go to a seat nearer Tai. With the current state of their relationship however, Matt didn't dare risk it. Luckily, just as he was getting really nervous about sitting on his own, Akemi walked in, looking excited.
"Hey, guess what Matt?" he exclaimed.
"What?" asked Matt, trying to be as cheerful as he could.
"Istu agrees with me! Mari's a great lay and you were even stupider than I thought to turn her down!"
"What!!!" exclaimed Matt, absolutely horror-struck. "That was supposed to be secret, you twat!" he hissed. Akemi winked at him, which didn't reassure him in the slightest, and carried on speaking as if Matt hadn't spoken.
"I know she looks all prim and proper, but she rates a nine! You should talk to her, see if she's got over you rejecting her yet. You never know, she might give you a second chance."
"Nah, I hate the girl, I think I'll pass," said Matt, trying miserably to sound nonchalant and desperately avoiding Tai's thunderstruck face. He had never been so glad to hear the bell in his life.
"What the fuck did you think you were doing?" he hissed angrily at Akemi. "You seriously think that after that performance Tai will ever speak to me again?"
"I..." said Akemi, taken aback by the sheer venom in Matt's voice.
"I'm going home," said Matt flatly. "This day is bad enough already without experiencing any more of it. Tell the teachers I was sick." Akemi blinked, but Matt was already heading purposefully towards the nurse's office and Akemi had no choice but to let him go.
Matt stormed home, tears of misery and frustration pouring down his face. How could Akemi do that to him? Matt could see his chances of ever patching his relationship with Tai back together disappearing before his eyes. When he arrived home, he threw himself down on his bed and cried until he fell asleep out of sheer exhaustion.
Can this situation be repaired? (I really hope so - it's rather run away with me again!) I can hope that the next part will be up sooner than this one was, but since I have exams in two weeks I can't promise anything! Thanks for bearing with me!