Another year, another TaioraWeek. This is pretty exciting. Consider this my redemption arc of sorts after the absolute failure on my part considering my participation for TaioraWeek2021. I am still not sure if I will do all these prompts but I will do my hardest. I also chose to challenge myself by not having all the stories be in the same continuity like for TaioraWeek2020 and TaioraWeek2021.

Day 1 Theme : Flowers


Summary : Sora comes to terms with a sudden twist of fate as she prepares a special ikebana piece.


Stupid Tai.

He lied to her. He said he was always going to be there for her for the rest of their days. She hated the fact her mind drifted to Tai every day. As far as she was concerned, he didn't deserve her attention. And yet here she was, thinking about him when she had something more important to do, like finish up this special piece.

Getting irritated, she brushed off her fiery bangs from her eyes, seriously considering scheduling a haircut. As she began working on it, she could hear the cooing of one of the only things Tai had the decency to leave her.

Sora turned around to see her daughter, only twenty-one months old, playing with a ring of stacks that one of Sora's aunts had given her for her birthday. She couldn't help but smile in spite of her bad mood today. Her precious treasure always brought some needed sunshine in the darkest of days.

Little Mizuki was dressed in a koala onesie that was reminiscent of Hikari's that she wore ages ago. She had her red eyes but his dark brown hair that was fluffy like his. She was babbling words as she stacked the colorful rings and unstacked them over and over again, words that only she understood, totally mysterious to Sora.

Lately the words had become more coherent. Mama. Piyo. Agu. And most depressingly of all, Dada. In spite of the pain of that word, Sora was extremely proud of her little girl. It seemed yesterday that she and….him….were cooing over the teeny infant in Sora's arms, swaddled in a pink blanket as she finally drifted to sleep. Now she was walking and beginning to talk. It disgusted Sora how Tai could even think of leaving when their daughter needed the two of them equally.

She wouldn't trade her baby for anything. She was a sweet little girl. Even though she took after Tai in their propensity to get into mischief such as her reaching for the flower that Sora had laid out and was seconds from putting it into her mouth. "Sweetie, no, no, not in your mouth!" Sora warned and gently took the golden flower away from her. The little brunette gave a pained look. Sora slightly flinched. The puppy dog look. "Sorry, Mizuki, sweetie but those flowers are not good for you." Sora explained gently.

Mizuki looked like she wanted to cry. Sora bit her lip in concern. Fortunately, Piyomon came to the rescue. "Mizuki, wanna play with the Digimon plushies?"

Mizuki's face brightened. Nodding, the child spoke excitedly, slightly jumping up, "Piyo! Agu!" Piyomon gently led the smiling, not-yet-two-year old to where the plushies were at. Sora smiled, "Thanks so much Piyomon." She watched Mizuki plop down and turn to playing the numerous Digimon plushies Mimi and she had made with the two Digimons.

"Time to finish this…" Sora murmured as she reached for a sunflower.

Sunflower. The flower of adoration and loyalty. Like the barette Tai had given her one day when they were both twelve. She remembered the big blowout it had caused. They were two stupid preteens who had almost let their stupid argument ruin their friendship. Tai had wanted to show how much he adored her and their friendship. Sometimes she wondered if she deserved this pain that she was feeling for letting a stupid argument nearly ruin their friendship that would eventually evolve into love. As she gently adjusted the sunflowers in the way she wanted, she nodded satisfied and turned to the other flower.

Sakurasou. She gently glanced at the purplish flower in her hands. Desire and love. She once upon a time desired Matt back when she was a silly teenager. A little more than ten years ago she had asked him out. She couldn't help but wonder if Tai remembered that still. A part of her wouldn't blame him. She imagined that she and Matt dating even for a brief while had caused Taichi heartbreak. Eventually, she and Matt broke up a couple of months later and a year later, she and Tai got together. He had been her true desire and she had nearly thrown that away for someone else. Maybe she deserved what he had done to her after breaking his heart that Christmas Eve. She gently clipped one stray stem to perfect the sakurasou to compliment the look. She could feel her eyes well up at the memories before hardening herself like she had been these past few weeks. Tai didn't deserve her sympathy nor her justification. Not after he had broken her heart.

Stupid Tai.

Red tulips. Eternal love. Nothing eternal about this love. Sora couldn't help but think bitterly. It wasn't fair. That she was suffering his absence while everyone else was happy with their own significant others. How could they be like this? How could they even be so happy while she felt like she was drowning, the only thing keeping her afloat were her daughter and the two mons? The fact that Tai had done this to all of them and they were continuing on like nothing, as if Tai hadn't…

"There I go again, thinking about Tai. Stop it Sora, don't give him the satisfaction you need him. Stupid Tai." Sora muttered to herself, making sure that none of the Mons had heard. Especially not Agumon. Poor Agumon.

Her mind drifted to a memory.

The winter air nipped at her as she adjusted her scarf to keep her warm. She gently looked at the box full of cookies she had made. She knocked on the door, determined not to lose her wits. Her crimson eyes met with his chocolate colored eyes. It was one of the most nerve wracking things she had done and yet she was excited.

One warm Spring day. The cherry blossoms had set up the mood for this special day, four years ago. The petals danced in the wind as she saw him kneel on one leg and take something out of his pocket. A ring. A ring with their crests intertwined. He asked her the big question. She was unable to speak, choked up in her happiness and nodded, trying and failing to wipe her eyes free of the happy tears that had escaped her eyes. Finally the joy filled 'yes' escaped her lips as she embraced Tai. If she had known what was to happen later on, she wondered if she would have still said yes.

Sora remembered the last time she and Tai saw each other. She was holding Mizuki, who was fussing in the clothes she had on. The moment their little girl saw her father, she immediately perked up and squealed in delight for her father. In spite of the whole situation, Tai looked at peace. Sora couldn't take it. She wanted to shake him, scream at him over how he could have even thought about doing this. And that's exactly what she did after she lent Mizuki briefly to Hikari. Her screams and sobs filled the air as she shook him to get any change, any explanation out of him that would leave her somewhat satisfied. In the end, she had to be dragged by Mimi and Meiko and taken to sit down even as she was flinging her arms in her distress.

She continued working on this piece, making sure that each flower on that piece was well done. After a few more careful snips and more adjustments, the piece was done. The sunflowers were the main focus as they crowned the piece. The red tulips and sakurasou adorned the sunflowers. It was perfect for him. For Tai. Stupid Tai. On his birthday.

If he was still alive.

"Tai…Stupid Tai…."

She broke.

She fell to her knees and started sobbing.

"Tai, I'm sorry! You know I don't mean it! I want you back!" How, how could she even say these things, or even think of these things of Tai. She could never hate him. It was not his fault. He didn't leave on purpose. He never wanted to leave. He loved her and she loved him. And it hurt that she lost him. Widowed. He was gone. He was nothing but ashes now.

Her outburst didn't go unnoticed by Agumon, Biyomon and Mizuki. The rookie Digimons and the little girl watched on in sadness.

"Why….why did he have to be taken away from us…we all needed him…." Sora stuttered through her sobs. The two Digimon watched on in anguish, Agumon even trying to fight his own tears. Mizuki on the other hand waddled towards her mother and with a solemn expression gently placed a hand on her mother's face. "Mama cry why?" The little girl asked solemnly.

"It's just I miss your daddy, baby." Sora finally gasped out through her sobs. Wiping her eyes she gently hugged her baby and stroked her hair, saying, a hint of a sad smile amidst her tears, "But you know what? Your daddy's an angel, baby. He's watching over us….and he loves us all."


Author's Notes : Didn't expect that did you? But hey would you guys have preferred the other alternative?

Those meanings of the flowers are actually accurate. I wanted to have Sora create a piece that would basically express her actual feelings to Tai even if she was upset over his 'betrayal'.

Relax, this will probably not be part of the other pieces' continuity. Wanted to try something new with something more bittersweet. I don't own the characters unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you want to view me killing off Tai as. I hope you enjoyed this piece, sad as it was.