Turning Points
Part Four
Written by: +raped faith+
Illustrated by: No Angel
Edited by: Orange x Peel
Compiling by: Black Rose
Web Published by: Discontent
'
Surrenders'
Matt clung onto Tai,
shaking violently as he awoke from his horrid dream. Tai held Matt's bandaged
wrists, which were starting to bleed through the gauze. Carefully Tai lifted
his sick friend and carried him upstairs to a large bed. Halfway up the old
wooden stairs Matt peeked his eyes open up to Tai. His grip on the brunette
increased, and he buried his face in his shoulder, sobbing.
"Shhhh… It'll be okay.
You're safe here. He can't ever torture you again, not while I'm protecting
you," Tai comforted the torn boy.
Finally they reached the
bedroom. It was a large room, with a light green carpet and thin white curtains
that hung from two huge windows. The bed was made of dark wood and it was
dressed in simple white sheets. There was a desk in the corner, which was
cleared of anything but a clock. Wiping
away Matt's tears, Tai tucked his friend under the sheets and soothed him.
" Tai, will you be there
forever?"
" Of course Matt, I'll
be there for you forever," Tai replied, tears welling in his eyes.
" Did you mean what you
said before?" Matt glanced up at Tai.
" What do you mean?"
" You said 'I love you'.
Did you mean it?"
Tai stared in
astonishment at his friend.
//How could he have
heard? It's not right for men to love men, but I do. I shouldn't try to hide it
from him, now that he knows. But what if he rejects me? I have courage. I must
tell him. \\
" Yes Matt. I love you,"
Tai replied gruffly, preparing himself for rejection.
" Tai, I love you too,"
Matt answered and reached out to Tai's face. Gently he wiped away Tai's tears,
his blood running down his wrists.
Tai watched Matt, their
eyes locking together. Then and there they could see how each other felt. No
words could describe the beautiful love that reflected in their hearts at that
moment. Immediately Matt sat up and hugged Tai around the waist, resting his
head on Tai's shoulder.
Tai sat there stunned
until Matt hugged him, at which point Tai hugged Matt back. The two lovers sat
there for a while, simply enjoying the moment of being together and in love.
~~~+~~~
Mr. Ishida walked down
the street at sunset, glaring at every passerby. His shoulders were hunched and
his face had been washed furiously and quickly. Despite the warm weather, he
wore a coat, which concealed a knife. Timidly he walked up the steps of an apartment building, looking for one
certain door. At last, he reached his destination. Shuffling uncomfortably, he
rang the doorbell.
" Oh hello Mr. Ishida!
Come on in!" Mrs. Kamiya greeted warmly.
" Actually, I haven't
time. I was wondering if Tai might know where Matt is. Matt missed his curfew
and I haven't been able to find him."
" Tai isn't home. He may
be at an old house with Matt. It's just down the road…"
~~~+~~~
Tai helped Matt dress
since the boy was hurt badly. The clothes were a little too big, but they
worked. Afterwards, Tai re-bandaged Matt's wrists and ordered Noodles &
Company (R: very yummy local noodle place, where Black Rose works!) .
Once they had ordered,
Tai set about the task of bandaging Matt's many cuts and bruises.
" You don't have to do
this for me," Matt reasoned, overcome with emotion.
" I know, but I want to.
I only wish it didn't happen to you," Tai replied, a small tear falling from a
red eye.
" Tai, you couldn't have
done anything. It wasn't your fault. It was mine," Matt answered. His comment
made Taichi reach out and grasp him around the waist.
" NO! It's wasn't your
fault!! Don't believe that crap! You didn't deserve it and you don't now. It
wasn't your fault, never in a million years was it," Tai cried, trying to
convince his lover.
" Yes it was…" Matt
started, but was cut off by Tai.
" No! It wasn't. Please
believe me, if not yourself. You didn't bring it upon yourself!" Tai chanted,
holding Matt as he began to cry. However, their moment was interrupted by the
doorbell.
" Stay here, I'll get
it," Tai gently shook Matt and got him to lie down. Hurriedly he rushed
downstairs and opened the door.
" Hey Yo man! I got
noodles fo' ya!" The noodle guy with dreadlocks greeted, showing Tai a bag of
uncooked noodles.
" Um...dude, we ordered
cooked noodles, not plain," Tai replied, a bit confused.
" Oh right! Here! It's
10 dollas, me amigo!" The obviously weird guy answered, handing him another bag
with two boxes of noodles and two Cokes.
" Umm…this is Japan. We
pay with Yen…" Tai was still confused.
" Oh yeah! Sorry amigo.
Uh… then ¥ 500." The man replied.
" Hai. Here you are,"
Tai presented the odd man with the money and took the noodles upstairs.
Inside the room, Matt
sat at the window, staring out into the vast backyard. There was a small
garden, complete with a small pond, birdbath and trees. Beautiful flowers grew
around neatly trimmed bushes and stone pathways. It was a quiet, secluded
sanctuary. Sighing happily, Matt turned around to see Tai standing in the
doorway, watching him.
" Feeling better?" Tai
asked, helping Matt to limp towards the desk. Carefully Tai made sure Matt was
comfortable, before handing him noodles.
" Yum, good." Tai said happily
as he devoured his macaroni and cheese. Matt however, was not in the mood to
eat. Instead he stared at Taichi as he ate. Tai didn't notice Matt until he was
halfway done.
" Aren't you hungry?"
Tai asked, his brown eyes concerned.
" I should leave," was
all he replied.
" What!? Why the hell do
you think that!?" Tai jumped up.
" If he comes here, you'll
be hurt too. I don't want that," Matt answered, sadness and fear coating his
voice.
" I don't care if he
does, I'll protect you 'till the end, my love" Tai protested and wrapped his
tan arms around the now shivering boy.
" But I do! Tai please,
let me go," Matt pleaded.
" Matt, if you go you'll
go back to that. I can't let you do that. Don't you understand that I love you
too much to see you hurt?" Tai asked looking deep into Matt's eyes.
" I do know, but I don't
want you to be hurt…" Matt tried again.
" Can't you ever be
selfish? You've been hurt too much! Just please don't let me worry about you,"
Tai whispered, trying to reach Matt.
" Tai…" Matt started but
stopped when he saw the look in Tai's warm eyes. They invited him, with an open
heart and open arms.
" Just stay. You need to
rest, not run," Tai replied.
" I lo…" Matt began but
collapsed in a faint against Taichi. His weakened body and mind couldn't take
the stress. Dimly Matt could hear Tai's worried voice, but he pushed it away
and fell into sleep.
Tai calmed down once he
discovered Matt was breathing and asleep. Carefully, he picked up Matt in his
arms and laid him down beneath the covers. Tai watched Matt sleep for a moment
before settling down at the window, where he could watch his boyfriend.
" He's cute when he
sleeps, isn't he?" A cold voice said next to Tai, breaking the warm silence.
Tai winced in pain and
surprise as Mr. Ishida grabbed him around the shoulders and pressed a knife to
his neck.