Mistakes
by Laura Kamida
Rated PG-13 for Violence and Language
by Laura Kamida
Rated PG-13 for Violence and Language
"See ya round, man..." Tai said, taking his friend's hand and shaking it thoroughly, grinning to hide the pain he was feeling inside. It seemed that they had all been together for so long, and now the Digidestined were going their separate ways (with obvious exceptions).
Tai cleared his throat, trying to buy himself a little time before the other man walked away. He felt ridiculous asking a favor of this man: a man who didn't like him, resented him, for what reason he wasn't sure.
The man before him, his friend, his ally, turned to leave... Maybe forever.
"Wait!" Tai called. No turning back now.
"Yeah?" he said quietly, turning back toward him. Tai felt his eyes start to sting as he noticed a tear collecting in the taller man's eye.
"I - I know that we haven't always been on the greatest terms..." he stammered. "But you're my best friend and I wanted to ask you if you would do something for me..." he paused.
Finally, after a long silence he asked: "Matt.... will you be my best man?"
~*~
Mimi led Izzy to a bench in the park. She gestured for him to sit down, and he did, looking up at her expectantly. She sat down at one end of the bench, crossing her legs and looking into Izzy's eyes, one golden-brown strand of hair landing gracefully in her face.
"I came here.... I brought you here.... To say goodbye."
Izzy's eyes widened. "You're leaving?" He loved her... She loved him... She couldn't leave now that they were finally reunited, could she!?
"Joe and I are going to travel the world... Soak up some of the culture and everything that we missed in the Digiworld." She looked at him, remorse evident in her deep brown eyes. "There's nothing for me here anymore, Izzy..."
There's me... he desperately wanted to whisper to her. THERE'S ME! But there were some things even love could not accomplish: and an eighteen year old woman could never feel anything more than motherly love for an eleven year old boy.
She reached out, and gently touched his hair. He winced. He wished with all his heart she wouldn't do that to him. He had his heart out on his sleeve before her, breaking with every thought of her, and her gentle touch made him feel as if a sledge hammer hit it.
"I'm sorry..." she said softly, almost in a whimper, as her eyes studied Izzy's face. "You don't deserve this... none of this. You saved me.... Your love saved me...." she drifted off, every word so sweet that he wished for the millionth time he hadn't ruined everything. She had loved him. He had ruined it.
"Goodbye," he said simply, turning away from her.
"Come on, Izzy," she said, trying to turn him around by putting her hand on his shoulder and pulling. He cringed, and she recoiled. "Come on," she repeated, more softly. "You don't have to put on a tough guy act for me."
He smiled. "It's fine, really... But you're very perceptive. I guess that's why we're friends."
"It's okay to cry, you know..."
He looked down at the ground, thinking for a moment. Slowly his eyes returned to hers.
"Don't worry. ... I will."
~*~
Matt threw back another glass of punch (The love of my life is getting married and I can't even get drunk... he thought angrily) and combed his fingers through his hair. His eyes skimmed around the room, passing quickly over Sora and Tai dancing happily in the middle of the ballroom. Suddenly, he saw a dark shape moving through his peripheral vision and looked to his left.
It was a girl, she looked around 18 or 19, dressed in a bridesmaid dress, plum, slender, with spaghetti straps. Part of her shoulder-length brown hair was put up, part was down, and it was intermixed with small white flowers. How had he not noticed her during the ceremony!? She was stunning.
She must have noticed him looking at her, because she walked over, an intruiged look in her big brown eyes. He was reminded of Sora when he looked at her. She smiled warmly, which clenched the resemblance. She was... simply adorable.
She picked up a glass of punch and took a sip, looking up at him. She was about a foot shorter than him, so she had to tilt her chin up, tossing her head gently, and her hair fell back behind her shoulders. Every move she made he noticed with detail, his eyes soaking up every aspect of her beauty.
"Hello," he said nervously. He had never picked up a woman in his life, and he wasn't quite sure how to do it.
"Hi," she said sweetly. Matt's nerves eased.
"You're one of Sora's bridesmaids, right?"
"Uh huh," she replied. "You were Tai's best man, weren't you?"
"Yeah."
There was a long pause. "My name's Cait," she finally said.
"Oh, nice to meet you. My name's Matt Ishida. Is there a last name to go with that?"
"Oh," she chuckled, "I guess I forgot. I'm Cait Takenouchi. I'm Sora's older -- um... I guess I'm still older...? ...Cousin."
Matt laughed. "You sure do look like her," he mused.
There was a short silence... and a song started to play.
Maybe it's intuition
But some things you just don't question
Like in your eyes
I see my future in an instant
And there it goes
I think I found my best friend...
I know that it might sound more than a little crazy
But I believe...
I knew I loved you before I met you,
I think I dreamed you into life,
I knew I loved you before I met you,
I have been waiting all my life...
He looked over at Cait Takenouchi, who was staring off at the new Mr. and Mrs. Kamiya, and she had an evident look in her eyes, a far off gaze that said I want that...
".... I know we just met.... but you wanna get outta here?" he said quietly.
She turned to him and though her mouth remained a coy biting of the lip, her eyes smiled for her. "Sure... I'd love to."
They started to leave the reception hall, and he took one last look back at Sora. She removed her hand from Tai's back for a moment to make a "V" sign at him as she smiled, her chin resting daintily on his shoulder.
He turned to Cait again. "...I think this is the start of something very good."
~*~
Takeru looked at the maid of honor in his arms, and twirled her around gently. Her soft, winning smile merited a little kiss from the blonde boy. As he pulled away, his new girlfriend's soft grin melted his heart. Kari leaned forward again, kissing him more passionately this time.
"Takeru..." she said softly, caressing his face. "You're my hero..."
He pulled her close, fiercely embracing her. "You can call me TK," he whispered into her ear.
~*~
Izzy watched as Joe and Mimi danced, a her soft plum bridesmaid dress swirling elegantly around her legs, and her face smiling with joy. He looked down at himself, and pulled out of his pocket what he had been keeping secret, what he had been thinking about a lot.
He waved to Tai, who waved back, grinning, and Sora waved as well. He noted that Takeru and Kari were getting along very well, and Matt had just left with one of Sora's bridesmaids.
"Well..." he said to himself softly. "I guess it's now or never..."
He walked just outside the door and clutched that had been in his pocket. As the little turquoise digivice trembled with the power within, he felt something surging within him.
"There's always the future..." he said softly, as a brilliant white light engulfed the street around him.