Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.
A/N: Well, Mimi and Matt are next, and the end of the story will be in Tai's POV. I haven't even started the next chapter yet, but I'll get it up as soon as I can.
My Best Friend's Girlfriend
Chapter 32: Never Too Late
Sora Takenouchi
Sora bit her lip and gazed anxiously into the former leader's deep, dark eyes. She had expected him to be very emotional, whether good or bad, after her news, but instead he merely stared at her and did not say a word. She had absolutely no clue what he was thinking, but the blank look on his face made her feel sick to her stomach.
Maybe he's in shock, but if that's the case then why does he look so calm?
"Um...Tai? Did you hear me?"
Don't be an idiot! Of course he heard you! You were practically shouting your confession right in his face!
"Yes, but...I thought I might have heard wrong," the former leader said slowly.
Sora's eyes filled with tears again, and she quickly shook her head. "No, Tai, you heard me right. Matt told you I've been keeping a huge secret from everyone, didn't he? Well, now you know what it is. I'm sorry. I guess I shouldn't have blurted it out like that, but I had to tell you before I ended up driving myself crazy."
Tai did not look as if he had heard a single word she had said. There was a strange expression on his face, and the sudden emotion in his eyes made her tremble with fear.
"He knows about...about...your..."
"Yes," she whispered softly in his ear. "He knows about my feelings for you, and so does Mimi."
"Mimi..."
Sora frowned and gently squeezed the former leader's hand. "Tai, are you okay?"
He doesn't love me. If he did, he wouldn't be acting like this.
Tai pulled his hand out of her grip and gently placed his fingers against her tear-stained cheek. "Sora, am I dreaming?"
Sora shrugged and managed a nervous smile. "I don't think so. It feels like it though, doesn't it?"
The expression on Tai's face began to change, and she held her breath when she realized his eyes were starting to sparkle with awe and astonishment.
Well, he's definitely not angry. That's a good sign, isn't it?
"Matt. He...he knew, and that's why he told me to talk to you," the former leader stammered, his voice trembling with emotion.
"Of course he knows. I told him because I wanted him to understand why I wasn't in love with him anymore."
Tai raised his eyebrows, and she felt her face turn red. "Actually, he found out on his own. I was going to tell him, but he discovered the truth before I had a chance to say anything."
"Good. He deserves to know the truth."
Sora nodded in agreement and smiled shyly at the former leader. "Matt and Mimi were the ones who told me to tell you about my feelings. I...um...I'm glad they did."
Tai stared at her as if he had never seen her before, and she felt her heart sink all the way down to her toes. She wanted to say something, but there was nothing left to be said. He did not love her, and she was starting to wonder if she had just made the biggest mistake of her life. Her whole body began to tremble, and she quickly turned her face away from him so he would not see the tears in her eyes. She felt dead inside, and she knew her face was pink with humiliation.
How am I ever going to face him again after this?
He had already seen her cry earlier, and she did not want to give him any more ammunition to use against her.
"Do...do you really love me?"
Sora's heart stopped, and she slowly looked up. "Yes, I do."
"How...how long have you felt this way about me?" Tai choked out, his words trembling with emotion.
"I'm not sure, but I think I've loved you ever since we were kids."
The former leader's dark eyes filled with sudden pain and sadness, and the look on his face made her wince.
"Why?" he whispered. "Why didn't you tell me a long time ago?"
Sora's heart began to pound rapidly in her chest, and she let out a soft sob. "I couldn't. I wanted to, but I couldn't because I wasn't sure how you felt about me. I thought there was a chance you might have feelings for me, but you never asked me out, and I started to doubt my own crest. I couldn't understand why it had failed me, and I realized there was only one thing I could do. I had to move on, but it was hard. I waited forever for you, but eventually I fell in love with Matt, and the two of us had some great times together. I really did love him, but...it wasn't enough. I knew there was something missing. I could feel it in my heart, but I kept refusing to let myself think about why I felt so empty inside. When you talked to me a couple days ago, I finally realized exactly what it was I was missing in my life, and I knew I had to do something about it."
"What?" Tai stammered, gazing directly into her eyes. "What was missing?"
"You, Tai, and I realized something else, too. My crest didn't fail me like I'd first believed. I was the one who had failed my crest, and this is the only way I can redeem myself for giving up on my feelings so easily. I was scared to tell you how I felt because I didn't think you'd feel the same way, but none of that matters anymore. I love you, and this time I'm not going to run away from the truth. I'll understand if you don't want to be my friend anymore, but first you have to tell me how you feel about me. I need to know, and I won't leave you alone until you tell me!"
Tai let out a gasp, and she closed her eyes in order to avoid seeing what had to be a look of horror on his face. She already knew exactly what he was going to say, but that did not make her feel any better. In fact, her certainty at what his answer was going to be made her feel even worse. She held her breath, but Tai never said a word. Instead she felt him lean forward and kiss her directly on the lips.
What's going on? This...this can't be happening! Maybe I'm the one who's dreaming instead of Tai...
Tai's kiss became more intense, and she felt a bolt of electricity race down her spine. Her eyes flew open in surprise, but instead of pulling away she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tightly against her chest. His hands came to rest against the middle of her back, and she smiled at the way his touch created goosebumps all over her body. She tried to say something, but the warmth of his lips and the smell of his skin prevented her from coming up with a coherent sentence. Instead she found herself kissing him back with enthusiasm, and after several minutes both of them had to pull away in order to catch their breath.
"Sorry," the former leader managed to say, looking extremely embarrassed. "I couldn't help myself."
Sora barely heard him. She was too busy wondering whether or not she could remember her own name let alone what they had been talking about earlier. She felt dizzy, and her heart had somehow managed to leap into her throat. Tai's kiss had felt like nothing she had ever experienced before, and she was grateful for the fact that she was sitting down because her legs felt like they had been turned into jelly. She had kissed Matt many times during their relationship, and although his kisses had been wonderful, they still paled in comparison to the one she had just received from Tai. That was the difference between Matt and Tai. Matt's kisses were great. Tai's were absolutely perfect. The former leader's kiss had been filled with fire and passion, and the sensation of his lips pressed firmly against her own had created butterflies in her stomach. He was the only person she knew of who could make such a sweet, gentle kiss feel like a volcanic eruption, and it left her feeling slightly dazed.
"Sora-"
"Why?" she whispered, reaching out and gently placing her fingers against his soft lips. "Why did you kiss me?"
Tai's expression crumpled, and he buried his face in her carrot-coloured hair. "Because I love you, too," he mumbled quietly in her ear.
He...he loves me? He actually loves me?
Sora froze, and she slowly ran her fingers down his spine. He shivered at her touch, and after a brief hesitation she rested her cheek against his shoulder. "You...do?"
Tai pulled away from her and gazed miserably at his hands. "Yes. I have ever since...well...I'm not really sure, but it doesn't matter. The point is I love you, and there's no way any other girl is ever going to take your place."
Sora let out a soft moan and collapsed against his chest. "Tai, why didn't you tell me all of this a long time ago? And you had the nerve to ask me why I didn't tell you about my feelings! You're just as bad! If you had told me how you felt right from the beginning, I never would have started dating Matt and all of this heartache could have been avoided!"
"No," Tai said quietly. "I...I'm glad you dated Matt. I really don't think any of this would have happened if you hadn't."
Sora rested her forehead against his cheek and nodded. "You know what? I think you're right. Without Matt, we might never have gotten together."
"Are...are we together?" Tai asked, his face growing very pale.
Sora placed her hand against his chest and held her breath. His heart felt like it was going to burst out of his rib cage, and she realized her own was pounding just as fast. "I don't know. I guess that depends on you."
Tai gently kissed her cheek and held her tightly in his arms. "Sora, I can't even tell you how long I've waited to hear you say that," he blurted, his dark eyes sparkling with love and fierce hope. "The only reason I didn't tell you how I felt was because I didn't think you'd feel the same way about me. I guess we're both pretty dumb, aren't we. I wanted to tell you so badly, but by the time I worked up the courage to say something it was already too late. Matt's one of the most amazing people I know, and I knew there was no way I could ever compete with him. Besides, I didn't want to. He's my best friend, and I wanted him to be happy, but I was angry because he didn't seem to understand what was wrong with me. I...I thought he might have stopped caring about me. Do you understand now why I lied to him about my soccer game and why I kept my feelings for you a secret?"
Sora gave the former leader a sympathetic smile and nodded. "I do, Tai. I understand better than I ever thought I would."
Impossible! He...he loves me. He really loves me!
Sora gazed at him through a veil of tears, and she felt him place his warm hand against her cheek.
"Sora, Matt was the one who told me to tell you I love you. He wants us to be together, and I don't think I can ever repay him for everything he has done for me. Are we really going to let his efforts go to waste?"
Sora clung tightly to the former leader's bright orange shirt and quickly shook her head. "No, I've already given up enough chances to be with you. I'm not going to let this one slip away, too. Um...Tai? Is everything okay between you and Matt again? Earlier you said-"
"Yes," Tai interrupted, his whole face lighting up. "We're better friends now than we've ever been."
The former leader quickly filled her in on his converstion with Matt, and she could tell how happy he was to be on good terms with his best friend again. He finished his explanation with a smile on his face, and she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Remind me to thank Willis, Izzy, and the rest of our friends later. Um...Tai? Do you really think Matt wants us to be together?"
"Definitely," Tai said firmly. "Why do you think he's such a great best friend?"
"Do...do you really think we can be together?"
"Sora, I meant what I said before," Tai said softly, his dark eyes flashing with emotion. "I love you, and I want to be with you more than I could ever put into words. I think a small part of me has been dying inside ever since the day you started dating Matt. Do you know how much I hated myself for waiting too long to tell you how I felt? I'm sorry if I seemed a little distant before, but I was just so shocked by your words I didn't know what to say. Even now I still can't believe this is happening."
"I love you, too, and you know I'll say yes if you ask me to be your girlfriend," she whispered, gazing into his eyes. "This is what Matt wanted, and Mimi has been supporting you every step of the way. Please ask me. I don't think I can wait any longer."
Tai took a deep breath and managed a shaky smile. "Um...Sora, would you be my girl-"
"Yes," she blurted before he could finish his sentence.
The former leader started to laugh, and she felt her face turn pink. He gave her a quick kiss, and she snuggled against his chest with a happy sigh. "Tai, will you pinch me?"
"Why?" Tai asked, looking confused.
"Just in case."
Tai gently pinched her arm, and she let out a sigh of relief when he did not immediately disappear.
I'm not dreaming. He's really here with me and we're together. He loves me, and I love him, but...what about Matt and Mimi?
"You're thinking about Mimi, aren't you." Tai said quietly, interrupting her thoughts.
Sora hesitated and finally nodded. "She told me her secret, and I'm really worried about her. What if Matt doesn't feel the same way she feels? It'll break her heart, and I know I'll never really be happy until she's happy, too."
"I feel the same way about Matt," Tai murmured.
"What do you mean?"
The former leader blushed and quickly shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing. I'm glad Mimi finally told you her secret. I've done everything I can to help her, and I know you have, too, but our efforts are going to be for nothing if Matt doesn't smarten up. Um...are you sure you're okay with the fact that Mimi's in love with your ex-boyfriend?"
Sora laughed and gave the former leader a reassuring smile. "Yes. Don't worry, Tai. Mimi and I are definitely still friends. I'm glad she finally told me the truth, and I'm glad you were able to help her out."
"Yeah, too bad she forgot to mention the fact that you told her you were in love with me!" Tai said dryly. "She could have saved me a lot of trouble, you know!"
"I know, but I made her promise not to say anything because I...um..."
"It's okay, Sora. I understand why Mimi didn't say anything. She promised you she wouldn't tell anyone, and it's obvious she kept her promise. She did the same thing for me, so I have no right to complain. I think it's pretty safe to say she didn't tell you my secret, right?"
"Of course she didn't. I wouldn't have been scared to tell you my feelings if she had! She told me she knew what your secret was, but that's the only thing she told me. We were able to work things out, and now we're even better friends than we were before. I just hope she'll be able to work things out with Matt, too."
"Oh, I don't think you have to worry about that," Tai said, giving her a mysterious smile.
She crossed her arms and sent the former leader a suspicious look. "Are you hiding something from me?"
"Where is Mimi anyway?" Tai asked, avoiding her question.
"She went to look for Matt, why?"
"Is she going to go tell him she loves him?"
"Yes, Tai-"
"Good. Matt told you he's in love with someone else, didn't he?"
"Yes..."
Sora's eyes slowly widened in surprise, and she let out a gasp of shock. "Are you saying Matt's in love with Mimi?"
"Let's just say I don't think you need to worry about either one of them!" Tai laughed.
Sora felt her eyes fill with tears, and she threw her arms around her new boyfriend in a tight hug. She knew Tai was not going to give her a straight answer, out of respect for Matt, but that did not matter. She knew the truth. She could tell just from the look in his eyes. Matt was in love with Mimi, and she knew the younger female was going to end up being just as happy as she was.
"Oh, Tai, I'm so happy for them!" she gasped, her heart filling with happiness.
Tai nodded in agreement and gently stroked her hair. "I still can't believe you thought I wouldn't want to be friends with you anymore. Sora, this is the happiest day of my life. I love you so much, and I swear I'll do everything I can to prove it to you."
"I love you, too, Tai. We're going to be great together. I know it."
"Me, too," Tai replied, his eyes sparkling with pure joy. "And it's all thanks to Matt and Mimi. It's at times like this I'm more than glad I have a best friend I know I can rely on."
"I feel the same way, Tai. I couldn't have asked for a better best friend than Mimi."
She was still finding it hard to believe Tai actually loved her, but the look in his eyes was all the proof she needed. She pressed her lips against his in a soft kiss and smiled when she felt him kiss her back. The taste of his mouth was definitely something she knew she would never get tired of, and judging from the way he had eagerly returned her gesture of affection proved he felt the exact same way she did.
"Come on, Tai, let's go meet up with the others in the cafeteria. Yolei's going to freak when she finds out I have a new boyfriend."
Tai made a face and rolled his eyes. "I know what you mean. The sooner we get past our inevitable conversation with Yolei, the better! What about Matt and Mimi?"
Sora pulled the former leader to his feet and smiled at the curious expression on his face. "I think we'd better let them have their conversation in peace. I'm sure we'll find out what's going on soon enough."
The two of them headed back towards the school with their arms around each other, and she smiled at the look of happiness on Tai's face. Her Crest of Love had been with her all along, and in the end all of her heartache had paid off. She understood herself better now, and she knew she would never let her self-doubt stand in the way of her dreams again. Tai loved her, and she loved him, but despite their new-found happiness she could not put the powers of her crest to rest just yet. Matt and Mimi still needed her, and she just hoped her crest would be strong enough to help her friend, as well...