Chapter Eleven- Ultimate Ping Pong





"Tai do you want wasabi with your lunch?" Matt said from the counter. He was putting the finishing touches on the sushi he had made for everyone to take to lunch. Fish he had prepared himself was rolled up in rice and seaweed.

"You know I hate wasabi, it takes like wetnaps dipped in hot sauce."

Matt glanced up at Tai. Come to think of it, it did kind of taste like wetnaps, or... something. Tai said the weirdest things. Matt carefully placed the wrapped up sushi rolls in Tai and Kari's lunch boxes.

"Matt when are you coming back to school?"

"Whenever..."

Tai sighed and slumped over on the counter.

"Eat your breakfast."

"Yes mother...." Tai groaned and wolfed down the rest of his food. Since Matt had been living with them he had become kind of an assistant house wife. Alone with Mrs. Kamiya all day, he had nothing else to do. Matt cooked all the meals while she cleaned and tended to the rest of the chores. Matt's food was exceptional and everyone looked foreword to the lavish suppers he prepared.

Other than cooking all day, Matt spent the rest of his time writing music and practicing on his new bass. None of his music really lived up to his own expectations lately, it seemed he had lost his inspiration.

At night he sometimes climbed the many flights of stairs to the roof and sat outside in the bitter cold. He looked up at the moon and stars and watched the light bouncing off his ring. He wondered what TK was doing and if he would ever have the courage to face it little brother again.

"He probably won't even want to talk to me," Matt thought on those cold nights. "He probably hates me, either that or he's afraid of me."

Late at night, Matt changed into his black t-shirt and grey sweat pants that he always wore to bed. Sometimes he would take a hot bath, and sometimes he would creep into Tai's room and sit backwards in the desk chair, watching him sleep. Matt loved to watch Tai sleep, he looked like such an angel, more heavenly than anything he could imagine. He was so perfect, like heaven on earth. Matt often thought he would rather stay here with Tai forever than go to heaven any day.

Matt backed up from the counter to set Tai and Kari's lunch boxes where they could get them easily on their way out the door. When he took a step back he inadvertently stepped on Meeko's tail. She yowled loudly and streaked out of the room.

"Meeko! Argh... damn cat. Tai, I hate that cat."

"You hate all cats, Matt."

"Well tell it to keep out of the way."

"I don't think she'll listen to me."

He set the lunch boxes and sat at the counter across from Tai. He put his elbow on the counter top and leaned his head on his hand. He just sat staring at Tai and contemplated how he could have been blessed with such a perfect partner.

"What?" Tai was looking up with one eyebrow raised.

"Just thinking about how beautiful you are."

Tai sighed. Shortly after, Tai and Kari headed off to school and Matt was left alone in the house once again.



A crowd of people had gathered in the student lounge for the most amazing game of ultimate ping pong Odaiba high school had ever seen. Sora pushed through the crowd where Izzy was standing.

"How long have they been playing?" she inquired.

"They've been going at it for 2 hours and the ball hasn't stopped moving once."

"They do know they're supposed to keep the ball on the table, right?"

"I really don't think they care," Izzy answered.

Everyone's eyes shifted back and forth, watching the ball bounce wildy against the walls, ceiling, and every so often it would actually hit the ping pong table.

Matt reached up and batted the ball with his bare hand.

"You're supposed to hit it with the paddle, Matt!" Tai yelled, and returned the shot.

"So what!? You bounced it off your skinny butt before!" Matt snapped back.

Both had managed to take their green jackets off while playing but were still covered in sweat from chasing the ping pong ball all over the room. They had skipped biology and were now cutting into 7th period math class. Students that had come into the lounge to eat their lunch now congregated around the ongoing match.

After several weeks, Matt had finally decided to come back to school. During lunch, Matt and Tai were sitting in the corner of the room when Matt eyed the currently unused ping pong tables and paddles. It started out as a normal game, but both boys refused to miss returning the other's shots, even when they hit the floor. The action escalated and soon they were running all over the room, switching tables between shots, avoiding hitting the ball into people's food.

Tai dove for the ball, hitting it and causing it to ricochet off the wall back at Matt. Matt spiked it down on the table, sending it flying up into the air. It plummeted back down and Tai returned it with a behind the back shot.

"Stop trying to show off Tai!" Matt said, trying to sound annoyed, but he could not hide his happiness. He was finally coming to terms with his feelings (or at least he thought he was) and allowing himself moments of pure joy.

Matt continued smacking the ball back at Tai with one hand and started unbuttoning his shirt with the other.

"Matt, what are you doing!?"

"I'm getting really sweaty so I'm taking my shirt off." He tossed his shirt to the floor and hit the ball off the ceiling to Tai.

"You're distracting me!" Tai whined.

Matt just grinned. Tai tried as hard as he could to concentrate but was starting to slip. He kept eyeing the sweat running down Matt's pale chest, making his body glisten under the bright overhead lights. With his uniform or a sweater on, Matt looked like a stick figure, but he actually had a spectacular body hiding under his clothes. He had a trim waist and Tai was amazed how tight Matt's stomach was compared to his own. Tai often wondered how his boyfriend had such a perfect body when he never even worked out.

Matt smiled at all the giggling girls watching him play and noticed there were even a few young female teachers blushing as they watched. It was funny how almost the whole school knew Matt was dating another boy, but he remained popular and still had a few hopeful fangirls chasing after him.

"Hey Matt," Tai said as he hit the ball to Matt with a quick snap of the wrist.

"Yeah Tai?" The shot was returned, off the lighting fixture and onto the table.

"Is TK back in school?"

Matt suddenly dropped his paddle and the ball that had been in motion for over two hours now rolled to a halt in the corner of the room.

"What happened?" Sora whispered to Izzy.

"I don't know, Matt just dropped his paddle, very curious."

"Yama, what's wrong!?" Tai rushed over and placed his hands on Matt's shoulders.

Matt's eyes were opened wide in shock. After a moment, Matt looked down at Tai and smiled.

"I guess you won."

Tai glared at him and gave a disapproving look.

"Yama, why don't you just tell me what's wrong? You can tell me anything."

Matt decided instead of arguing to just ignore Tai's persistence and gave him a kiss on the forehead. Tai grumbled and watched Mat slip his shirt back on.

"I guess we should go to math class, we're gonna be in a lot of trouble!" Matt said with a grin and walked out of the crowded room nonchalantly.

Sora stepped up to Tai and lightly placed her hand on his arm.

"Tai, I'm really worried about Matt. Do you know what happened to him?"

"I don't know Sora, he won't tell me anything," Tai responded, and sighed deeply.



Late that night, Matt tossed and turned in his sleep. His eyelids fluttered wildy as he dreamed.

He was walking down a path lined with pastel flowers of red and yellow. The over hanging sakura branches cast a shadow on the ground with only small patches of sunlight peeking through.

"Hey Matt!" He looked up to see TK running down the sidewalk towards him. He was wearing his normal yellow and green t-shirt and had his bucket hat on, as usual.

Matt was about to respond when TK stepped up and kissed him. TK's arms wrapped around him and Matt could feel TK's tongue probing into his mouth,

He pushed his brother away, startled.

"TK! What are you doing!?"

"Don't you love me Matt?"

Suddenly Matt began to forget he was dreaming and strange feelings started to overcome him. But it didn't feel strange at all, it felt so natural. He stopped trying to fight and simply accepted these urges he was feeling. He placed his hand on the side of TK's face and they kissed again. He ran his fingers through TK's fluffy blonde hair and started touching him in places he knew he shouldn't. TK didn't mind at all though, in fact, he seemed to be enjoying it.

Just the he looked up at Matt and gave him a look few people had ever seen on his face. His eyelids lowered a bit and he smiled. He looked so calm, but it was like something evil was controlling him.

"You know you want me, Matt."

Matt woke up with a start, breathing heavily and covered with a cold sweat. He felt so dirty and ashamed for dreaming such a thing that he went into the bathroom and showered. Hopefully the water could wash this nightmare away.

But the thoughts did not go away. He sat in the shower letting the water flow over him for hours, but he could not shake the thoughts from his mind.

"What a wicked thing to do...to make me dream of you..." Matt closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep with the water still running.