Hidden
Chapter III
Taichi sat at the rocked table, in the mismatched chair and sipped the tea from an old and worn cup. Yamato sat across from him, neither spoke. Tension ran high through the room, and noises from out side drifted through the make-shift. Taichi felt the questions bubbling up inside him, He wanted to know what had happened what had changed, who what where, why, his mind swelled and stirred in questions, adding new to the stew, finally brining it to a boil. He calmly placed his chipped cup down and asked a simple question.
"Why?" Taichi's eyes fixed into the swirling mass of tea, milk, and sugar.
"Why what?" Yamato replied just as calmly.
"Why you left." Yamato looks at Taichi, he knew the question was coming, he knew it was a legitimate question, that deserved and needed a legitimate answer.
"There were, complications." He said sipping from the tea.
"Like what?" Taichi asked darting eyes up at him.
"Family issues, Mother wanted me to live with her for the rest of my High-school years, 'cept I didn't want to. I didn't want anything to do with her. I think Takeru wouldn't have turned out half as power-hungry as he is know if she hadn't raised him that way."
"Was that it?"
"No. School was getting harder. The goddamn mother fucking 'cliques' was harping me, consistently. About being gay, about how I looked, acted, that shit. I couldn't take it much longer. Money with dad was getting short, I was going to drop out either way. To get a job or if I left. It wouldn't have mattered. With that thought in my head, I stopped trying and stopped caring. I eventually did just quit all together." He was glaring at the cup of tea.
"There is something else, Yama, I know there is. Was it me? Did I do something to fucking scare you off?" Tai sighed internally, his eyes became hard dirt as he looked at Yamato waiting a reply.
"No. You were one of the only things that was my solitude my escape. You were the only stability in my life. I could count on you and you alone." Yama smiled a small grin and Taichi's eyes refocused somewhat back into a chocolate haze.
They looked at each other for a while, before Yama picked up his glass and Taichi's and made for the kitchen. He turned the tap on, and waited for the water to drain through the pipes. He rinsed the cups in the water, and placed them on the rack to dry. He walked back into the room, and saw Taichi sitting at the same place.
"I kept the letter." Tai said suddenly. Eyes not focussed, head slightly bent.
"I've kept it safe, kept every promise. I took care of everything. What happened to you after you left? Why didn't I notice your change Yama? Why? I was fucking in love with you can I couldn't see anything. God-fucking-damn it. Don't tell me it's not your fault. If I had seen beyond my own needs and wants, then everything would be different. Everything."
"Yeah, every fucking thing would be different, but would it be better then it is now? Would my life, your life, or anyone else's life be any better? I took this into consideration. I took everything into consideration. Your happiness and Mine. Taichi, you were the best friend I have ever had, you're the best thing that's ever fucking happened to me. I did leave because of you, I left cause I could never make you happy. How could I when I couldn't make myself happy?" Yama leaned against the wall, and let his frustration escape.
"Taichi, the relationship wouldn't have stood the test of time anyway. In a year you would have gone off to collage, and I'd be working at a Denny's, or something. It wouldn't have worked. And if we had gotten a contract deal, then I would be away ten months of the year, touring, promotion, and creation. Could you have taken it Tai-chan? Could you have understood?"
"Where did you go, Yama? What did you do for food, shelter and money?"
"I…slept where I could, under bridges, on couches, it didn't matter at that point. I did work at a Denny's for some time. And I used the money for food and necessities. The band rehearsed, we got better and played gigs, we got scouted, and were signed. That's it, there isn't anything else I've done that you don't know about." Yama opened his eyes and looked over at Taichi,
"So what have you been doing?" he asked nonchalantly.
"Keeping my mind off you, It's because of you that I'm a writer you know. I use to sit in the dark for weeks after you gone, I'd imagine fifty thousand different outcomes if you hadn't left. They got so outrageous that I'd incorporate them into my Japanese essays, the teacher recommended me for a creative writing course, and so I eventually went to school for it, and was accepted at TW." A question hung loosely in the air, open that Yama was dying to ask Taichi.
"Has there been anyone else besides me?" He asked hopefully.
"No. No one could compare to you. No one came close." Their eyes locked for a second, and a complete understanding was met by both. Everything was the same again. Taichi felt as though he had slipped back in time, back to being a high school-er, and watching Yama cooking dinner for him. Taichi grinned that stupid sloppy grin of his, and Yama's heart sped up at the thought's it created.
"Hey Tai, theirs this show were playing tomorrow night, its are last show in the tour. I was wondering if you wanted to come?" He asked hopefully. Another familiar line form memory lane.
"God Yamato, didn't you ever get any better at asking me to go? You have said that to me at every show I've ever been to, with you."
"So, you'll go?" he asked
"Yeah, I'll go with you, and I'll prevent you from getting over drunk or overly stoned, once again!" Taichi laughed and Yama was hardly surprised at all to find out that he was still in love with him,
"Taichi you idiot!" Matt rolled his eyes and smacked Tai's arm, before going to make dinner.
-
After dinner, Taichi said he'd better be getting back to his hotel, his boss had probably called him twenty times already. Yama walked him to the door and Taichi gave Yama a quick peck on the lips before turning and getting into the elevator.
"Remember Tai, Six tomorrow!" Yama called as the door closed.
Author note- How's that for a difference?