Tai felt as though he was in some kind of dream. A dream that was going on forever and ever, and he couldn't help a silly grin from coming to his face when he recalled that, unlike the ones that had come before, there would be no waking up from this dream.
Yamato loved him, wanted to be with him.
They'd spent a spectacular weekend together. From their date at the movies until Sunday
night, the two had only separated when it had been necessary. Yamato had stayed the night
at Tai's house and it had been the most spectacular night of his life. During the next day,
the two of them had flirted and made out and sometimes just sat around and enjoyed each
other's company. When they were around Tai's parents or Hikari, the two of them kept
their actions subtle. However, when they were in the privacy of Tai's room they hadn't
kept anything back. Even when they had gone out for a walk yesterday, Yamato had
surprised him by holding his hand every once and while when no one was in the area.
Although neither of them were ashamed to be who they were, both he and Yamato had decided to keep their relationship a secret from classmates, friends, and their families. It was too new to bring it under the cynical eyes of others. Neither of them was foolish enough to think that everyone would be willing to accept their attraction to each other as they had been.
Still, he couldn't help the likely silly-looking grin on his lips as he made his way to school on Monday. He hadn't seen Yamato since yesterday and already missed the guy. Thank goodness they had their classes together. The two of them had already made some plans to hang out at Yamato's apartment after school. Tai couldn't help but wonder if they were going to be alone in the apartment, then blushed at the course of his thoughts.
So lost in his thoughts, Tai didn't notice the looks he was getting as he made his way toward his classroom.
Yamato sank lower in his seat, although tried to look as though he wasn't. Making sure he didn't look up from his notebook, Yamato bit his lip to keep his emotions from showing on his face. He knew that the best way to ward off comments and stares and the like was to not let them bother you. Still, it seemed a little too much to have just gotten together with Tai then to become a bug under a microscope at school. No one had spoken to him, just stared or whispered when he walked by.
Some of the girls had even burst into tears, while he was certain several of the boys were going to pound him in. Probably the only thing holding them back was the fact that it wasn't a completely proven fact. Still, Yamato had the feeling there would be several days when he'd have to fight his way through the hallway or out of the school.
He'd been one of the first to arrive in class and had been working on the last bits of homework he hadn't finished over the weekend. Gradually, as the class filled, he realized that there was a strangely large amount of whispering going around. When he'd glanced up, almost every eye was on him. Carefully, he had smiled and waved hello like he sometimes did in the mornings before turning back to his work. He'd been doing that ever since.
Yamato could feel the moment Tai entered the room. Not only because of the sudden silence between the students, but simply from a part of him that seemed more in tuned with the other. Trying to act natural, Yamato threw the other a smile as he sat down.
"Man, today is going to be a long day," Tai commented with a sigh.
Yamato blinked when he realized that Tai hadn't seemed to notice the looks they were getting. How could he not of noticed? "Still, it's necessary," he forced himself to reply, as though everything were normal.
"Yah, I know I know," Tai replied, sticking out his tongue. Even as he spoke, he pulled out his books out of his bag and set them on the desk before him.
The bell rang before anything else could happen, and Yamato sighed in relief. The teacher
came in and everyone settled down, focusing on the day's lessons. Yamato allowed
himself to relax, even indulging in a few fantasies as he did. He couldn't believe that just
three days ago he had been in this same desk, wondering what Tai's hair felt like. Now,
not only did he know that, he knew what the most intimate parts of Tai's skin felt like!
Damn, he was a lucky guy.
By the time lunch rolled around, Yamato had almost forgotten about the strange behavior of his classmates.
Tai could tell that something was bothering Yamato, despite his best attempts to keep it
hidden. He was too intuned with the other, especially after this weekend, to miss it. While
he might of been somewhat clueless about some things, Yamato was not one of them.
However, he couldn't ask his friend during classes and when their momentary breaks
between subjects came, Yamato refused to talk about anything other than school work.
When lunch came, he walked beside his friend from the classroom and to the cafeteria.
They talked again about the work they had been given, although Tai wanted nothing more
than to pounce on his boyfriend and kiss every inch of that uniform-covered body.
However, not only was he unable to do something like that at school, he had more
important things to worry about. Like what was bothering Yamato.
However, as they got their food and made their way over to the table that they shared with their friends, Tai found he didn't need to ask. It hit him all of a sudden as the lunch lady slapped whatever the hell it was they were eating for lunch down onto his plate.
Everyone was staring at them. Some of them were whispering, some of them were just watching. But almost all of them were staring. At him and Yamato.
All at once, Tai lost his appetite. It was too soon! He wasn't ready to let the world know about himself and Yamato. He didn't want everyone to know, to comment, to make things harder between them than it already had been.
Sitting down at the table, Tai looked quickly at the faces of his friends, trying to determine if they knew as well. And what their opinions were. Although they had different classes and some of them were in different grades, they had been close since returning to their own world. He couldn't imagine what it would be like if they rejected his and Yamato's decision. They'd come to be the most important people in his life.
At first, all of them talked about small things like school and weather. However, the conversation was tense and no one seemed to be able to meet anyone else's eyes. Tai picked at his food, absently mentioning that he had some homework to work on. Without realizing, he blurted out that he was going to Yamato's house to work on it.
All at once, a silence came over the table. Finally, Sora took his hand and smiled softly.
"There has been a rumor going around. I don't know if it is true, and I don't really care. If
it were, I know that you would tell us when you are ready. Either way, I'm here for you
and Matt if you need any help," she stated.
Smiling, Tai felt some of his worries ease. Trust Sora, one of his absolute closest friends,
to know what to say to help him. As each of the former digi-destined made the same vow,
Tai felt his flagging spirits rise dramatically. It had been the opinion he'd worried about
most, that of his friends. Knowing that they were behind him and Yamato was like a
weight off of his shoulders.
Looking over at his boyfriend, Tai saw that Yamato had a similar expression of relief and a smile on his lips. "We gotta have the best friends in the world," Tai stated.
Laughing softly, Yamato nodded. "Thanks, everyone," he said.
The tension having evaporated, the large group of friends immediately broke into their
usual banter. Tai, hunger restored, inhaled the substance the lunch lady insisted was food.
Every once and a while he would meet Yamato's eyes and they would share a small smile
before turning back to whatever conversation they'd been part of previously.
Secret kept or not, Tai had the feeling that things were going to work out all right. And,
despite the multitude of looks the other students were given them, he held on to that belief.