Author's Note: My husband is my perpetual Valentine, but still, here's an offering to you, my lovely readers. Won't you be my Valentine Readers? (Yes, that is nonsense, don't worry, you're not failing to see the meaning in those words, there just is none).

Alright, here we go!

Eros He Ain't, Pt 2

Joe didn't consider himself particularly perceptive when it came to the thoughts and feelings of others, but he knew something was wrong the moment he entered his room and clapped eyes on Izzy. The redhead was on his bed, lying on his back. His laptop was open beside him, but his eyes were on the ceiling, unfocused and distant.

Panic burst into life in Joe's gut, wriggling along his tubeworks like so many grubs. Izzy was always on task. He didn't know the meaning of idle relaxation. So, unless he was mentally wrestling with the meaning of life, or some similar puzzle, then something was seriously wrong.

Which wasn't exactly ideal on Valentine's Day.

"Izzy, for God's sake, did you forget about Valentine's Day again?" The words came out in a tumbling rush, and Joe hissed, wishing he could retract that last one.

"Of course I forgot about Valentine's Day again," Izzy returned in a nasal monotone.

Joe winced, but somehow managed to speak at the same time (just one of his many neurosis-born achievements).
"Even though I reminded you a hundred times?"

"Even though you reminded me a hundred times, yes." Izzy sat up and smiled ruefully, and Joe backed up a step. Mimi would have skinned him alive if he forgot. She'd be wearing Joe skin pajamas at this very moment. So, what in the hell was Izzy doing, sitting here and smiling at him? And with all of his skin, no less?

Joe sat in his desk chair and rolled closer. "But- the last time you forgot-" he paused abruptly, scanning Izzy's face for a reaction. He really didn't mean to keep bringing up Shauna, but it was difficult when Izzy invited comparisons by repeating relationship mistakes. His friend's smile faded, but he nodded slightly, allowing the topic.

"I recall it perfectly well, thank you. She fumed for days, and refused to stop until I purchased those heinously expensive sunglasses for her."

Joe's lips twisted into an automatic grimace. He had forgotten that Izzy gave Shauna those sunglasses. Izzy lifted an eyebrow, a tacit demand for more information, and Joe sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. Why do I keep accidentally rubbing salt in the whole Shauna thing? "Sorry… It's just… I saw her in the student union the other day, and… Well, it's just… She's still wearing those sunglasses."

Izzy's eyes pinched shut, and he lifted a hand to his forehead, falling into a pose worthy of an ad for migraine medication. "May I request a change of subject?"

"Yeah. Sure. Sorry," Joe said hastily. He spat out the first words that popped into mind. "So, how did it go with Amy? Did she take it alright?"

Izzy's hand fell away from his face, revealing a tiny smile. "Thankfully, yes. She didn't express any interest in gifts or dinner, which was fortunate."

Joe felt his brow rise. He was under the impression that every girlfriend expected some level of pampering on Valentine's Day. Mimi certainly had expected a lot, and their outing was both expensive and stressful for Joe. Her open delight with everything more than made up for the effort, especially when it was clear that his presence was required in her room shortly, but he didn't even want to imagine a scenario where he failed to deliver.

"She… she wasn't upset at all? Are you sure she wasn't trying to hide that she was disappointed?"

"I was concerned about that at first, but it seemed that all she really wanted was my undivided attention." Izzy paused, then frowned and leaned back into his pillow. "Does that indicate that I neglect her?"

Joe held his hands up. "Nope. Sorry, Izzy, but I don't really do couples counseling. I will say that the two of you seem really busy these days." He shrugged. "Maybe she's just been working so hard that the fuss of Valentine's Day lost its appeal, and relaxing honestly sounded better. What did you guys do?"

And, just like that, Izzy was smiling again. "She demanded ice cream. I thought she wanted to go to the parlor off campus, but she explained that the fat content in our cafeteria's ice cream is so high that it's technically not FDA approved, and… Well, to summarize, I don't think I've ingested as many lipids over the course of my life as I did tonight."

Joe smiled and shook his head. That did sound like something an overstressed girl would want to do, and he was glad that she had dragged Izzy into it. Now that he thought of it, Izzy had gained weight over the last few months. He still doesn't qualify for a normal BMI and body fat percentage, but it's definitely an improvement.

"Then we played Mario Kart, and I learned the true meaning of the phrase 'colorful language,'" Izzy continued. "It was rather surreal to hear such language spoken with so pleasant a voice."

I'm not sure I want to ask. Joe settled for nodding, and, thankfully, Izzy continued.

"Then we watched a bizarre movie about giant robots run by pairs of synchronized pilots. It was ridiculous, but I couldn't help but enjoy it."

Joe leaned back in his chair, somewhat worn out from the effort to absorb all of this strange information. "Izzy," he said at last, "I like Amy. I really do. But she's really… something."

Izzy's smile morphed into a full-on grin. "Agreed."

"Actually," Joe began, tipping his head thoughtfully, "you're really lucky. Somehow, you've stumbled onto a girl who can tolerate your forgetfulness when it comes to dates and general… well, disinclination towards romantic things."

Izzy rolled over enough to grace him with a blank, slightly snotty look. "Thank you for that assessment."

Sass wasn't Joe's strong suit, but he wasn't about to let that slide without some kind of acknowledgment. "Any time, Izzy. But seriously, you should probably get her a present at some point. She might be the type who appreciates gestures more on days when they aren't expected."

"I was planning on it, but… Well, it's a bit difficult with her. She never talks about things she'd like to have, unlike…" Izzy trailed off, then stared broodingly at the far wall. His arms crossed, and the movement drew Joe's eyes to his hands. There was an envelope in one of them.

"What's that?" Joe asked. It was unusual for Izzy to be holding onto paper communication, as he was so reliant on technology. Izzy twitched violently, then jerked his hand, moving the envelope out of Joe's line of sight.

"Nothing of consequence."

"Are you… You're blushing!" Joe wasn't sure if he had ever seen Izzy blush before, not like this. He could actually see the color spreading, beginning in areas where blood vessels were clustered and moving outward. "Is that from Amy? Why would she write to you? She could just talk to you if she wants to tell you something."

Joe inched closer, both because opportunities to tease Izzy were scarce, and therefore delightful, and because he was genuinely curious. So few things of interest had happened in Izzy's life over the years that Joe tended to jump on them when they occurred. Izzy's fingers worked the edges of the envelope, and he cleared his throat a few times. As the paper turned about in his hands, Joe caught a faint whiff of perfume, made fragrant by body heat.

He could practically feel the pieces clicking into place. "That's a love letter!" he cried, laughing faintly at Izzy's mortified expression. "Ah, don't feel bad, Izzy. I've never gotten one. Good for you!" He gave his friend a nudge with his elbow. "Is this what you were mulling over when I came in?"

The muscles in Izzy's face tightened severely, and he seemed to instantly age. Startled, Joe froze, then rolled backward, giving his friend some space. Izzy rarely showed such extreme emotion, and it had his nerves kicking up. "What- What's wrong?"

Izzy moved the letter to his lap and stared grimly down at it. "…She wrote that she loves me," he offered at last, his voice hollow and bitter.

Oh, shit. Joe's hand moved forward, landing on Izzy's knee. He patted it awkwardly, not knowing what to say. Poor Amy. She has no idea how tainted those words are for him. While he had no way of knowing exactly how Izzy felt about it, Joe had heard that phrase said in blatant deceit to his friend's face, had been in earshot when those exact three words publicly turned Izzy into a laughingstock in high school.

"It's… It's not the same," he offered at last, dearly wishing for stronger assurances.

Izzy dropped the letter and rubbed his temples. "Of course it isn't. I'm perfectly aware of that. And, obviously, Amy has no idea that I take issue with that phrase. How could she? But, even if I set aside that distaste, I…" His fingers picked at the envelope, then ran gently down the flap. "What does one say to that?"

Joe edged back, unwilling to speak. He dearly wished to be anywhere but here, dealing with someone else's love problems, as if he didn't have his hands full with Mimi. There was a part of him that really did want to offer Izzy the best advice he could, but those good intentions had a lot of stress and uncertainty to battle with. He ended up saying something logical and blunt, something that he had already asked Izzy a few times. "Well, how do you feel about her?"

Izzy ran his fingers through his hair, but it was so spiky and short that there was no visible result. An uncomfortable, comically nasal sound slipped out of him. "I suppose I'm rather fond of her," he allowed, muttering in the direction of his lap. Joe's eyes snapped shut, and his hands gripped his knees. He fought for patience, as he often had throughout the years with Izzy.

"Come on, Izzy. You've got to stop pretending that you're above connecting with other people. You know what I think?"

"No," Izzy said, glaring at him, "but you'll tell me, I'm sure."

Annoyance joined Joe's frustration, and he stood without willing it. "I think you've never been this happy. Look at you! You've finally started gaining back the weight you lost after- during the second half of high school. You have all of these friends now, don't shake your head at me, I know you don't see them as Amy's tagalongs anymore. You're holding lessons and office hours and getting out. You willingly shut your computer off for Amy- okay, not every time, but more often than not. And do you know how often I hear the two of you laughing when I open our door? Don't you dare pretend none of this is happening."

Joe thought that Izzy would respond with something snappish and biting, or at least look away, but the redhead just stared at him, his face expressionless. "Sit down, Joe," he said at last. "I didn't intend to agitate you. I apologize." Joe sank back onto his chair, watching his friend all the while, and not without a measure of suspicion. Once he was seated, Izzy nodded and tore his eyes away, staring out of their window.

"You make some strong points," he said at last, shifting uncomfortably. Joe blinked, and his brain stuttered for a moment. Oh, thank God. Izzy's finally being reasonable. I missed you, reasonable Izzy. Joe kept trying to be patient with his friend, but the truth was that Izzy was too new at handling strong emotions to retain his normal logical, calm demeanor, at least when confronted.

Izzy looked back over at him and sighed. "Is there anything else?"

"Huh? Are you… Are you asking for my advice, now?"

"Why the surprise?" Izzy asked, crossing his arms. "We sometimes see things very differently, you and I. Therefore, it's perfectly sensible to ask your opinion, and thus gain access to more information."

"Is it now?" Joe asked, and he was unable to keep a mixture of amusement and annoyance out of his voice. "Because I seem to recall being told repeatedly that you weren't interested in discussing this sort of thing with me."

Every muscle in Izzy's face seemed to bunch up and furrow, and Joe desperately swallowed the laugh coming up his throat. The last thing he wanted was for Izzy to go back on his decision to open up more to him. "Okay, okay. Look, I just think you should compare how things were before you met Amy to how they are now. If it's better, and you want it to stay that way, then you need to make sure that Amy knows you value her in your life. I'm not saying you have to go tell her you love her," he said, holding his hands out as Izzy grimaced. "Actually, she may have told you in writing so that you didn't have to feel pressured to answer on the spot. Just… Just think about finding some way to let her know that you care."

Izzy's head tipped back, and he exhaled slowly, closing his eyes. "Damn it all," he muttered. "Life was so much easier before I met her."

Any lingering signs of amusement fled from Joe's face. "Don't even go there, Izzy," he cautioned. "Do you have any idea what my day was like? Every other boy in a relationship spent a fortune and tore his hair out over preparing for this ridiculous holiday. And do you know how many heart attacks Mimi's mood swings have given me? Not to mention the loss of sleep from making time for both her and school!" He suddenly realized that the hand he had lifted mid rant was shaking, and he paused to collect himself. Breathe, Joe. This is so bad for your blood pressure.

"Mimi puts me through a lot," he summarized, "but it's worth it. It's more than worth it. So don't come to me for pity, Izzy. Just ask yourself, what matters more? Simplicity, or Amy?"

Izzy stared at him for a long moment, his fingers running up and down the envelope. Then he sighed, stood, and opened a desk drawer, tucking it away with a gentleness that suggested it could shatter apart. "I'll need to think of an exemplary gift," he said, producing the most melodramatic sigh Joe had ever heard from him. "I may have to consult with Mimi."

Joe startled so hard that his glasses slipped down his nose. "W-wow, you do love her." He could already picture Mimi squishing Izzy's face, telling him how adorable and sweet he was for thinking of Amy, and then proceeding to haul him to the mall for a three hour search. Throughout the scenario, Izzy wore the most put-upon expression imaginable, the very same one he was making right at this moment.

"Don't try my patience, Joe." He stood with an irritable rigidness, collected his laptop, and left without another word, perhaps to find Mimi and get the ordeal over with.

Joe stared at the closed door, then stood and removed a bottle of water from the minifridge. He uncapped it, then lifted it. Here's to you, Amy, he thought, shaking his head. God knows I couldn't put up with that boy.

Meanwhile, Elsewhere…

Matt was just returning from his Valentine's Day dinner with Sora, and the first thing he saw when he walked into his room was Tai, prepping for the start of his evening. "Hey," Tai called, not looking away from the mirror on the inside of Matt's closet door. "How was dinner? Crowded? Expensive?" A devilish smirk reflected back at him, accompanied by an obnoxious chuckle.

Matt sighed, biting down a spark of temper. To be honest, his nerves were a little fried. He had paid for a cab and a high end meal for two, only to face immense crowds, obscene waiting times, and distracted, slightly irritable service. Thank God Sora had picked up the bill before he could grab it. He never really read receipts, and, if not for her keen eye, he probably would have ended up paying for someone else's bottle of wine and double servings of filet mignon. Sora set the record straight unprompted, using a decadent smile to get the attention of their overtaxed waiter, and Matt successfully paid for what they actually ate.

So, he was in no freaking mood for Tai's 'you poor, whipped boyfriend' routine.

"It was great, thanks," he returned, careful to keep his tone mellow. He was tempted to point out how nice Sora looked in her dress, a sexy number in dark red, but he didn't have the heart to do that to Tai on Valentine's Day. Well, unless he pushed again. Besides, thinking of that dress reminded Matt that he didn't want to be here long. He just needed a few things before he disappeared into Sora's room for the night.

Tai grunted, a noncommittal sound. Frowning, the athlete turned around, and Matt realized that his collection of colognes and aftershaves was spread out over Tai's bed. "You have so many of these," Tai complained, tossing a bottle on top of its fellows, causing a riot of clinking. "How am I supposed to pick one?"

"Tai! Be careful! Cologne is expensive!" Matt moved towards the bed, undoing his tie all the while. "And some of those are aftershaves."

"Whatever. I'm not into this junk. Which one do girls like the best?"

Matt closed his eyes and breathed in slowly. "Tai. That depends entirely on the girl, and on you. Some colognes work better with your natural body scents than others, so what works for me might not work for you."

Tai tsked and glared at the collection of bottles. "Ugh. Just… Which one would you pick for me? And make sure it's not a girly one. I feel weird just looking at these."

"You must be desperate," Matt said, grinning as Tai's eyes narrowed. "You've always told me you weren't interested in this.

"Look, just pick one, will you?" Tai said, scowling. "I want to get going."

Matt picked up one of the cheaper colognes- no use wasting the best stuff on someone who gave him lip- and grabbed Tai's arm. "Are you sure about this?" he asked as he spritzed it on.

"Huh? Yeah, whatever. I'll just wash it off if it stinks."

"I meant the party, dumbass." Tai snorted, but Matt felt his arm twitch. "I seem to remember you swearing off one night stands."

Tai said nothing as Matt lifted his arm and smelled. There didn't seem to be any real issues, but the scent smelled artificial, completely separate from his natural smells. Matt looked at his collection, trying to decide what to sample next.

Tai smelled it and shrugged. "It's okay, I guess. And yeah, I've been looking forward to this all week."

Matt paused long enough in his search to give Tai an unimpressed look. "You remember what happened last time."

"Damn it, Matt, I was sixteen! Give me a fucking break!" The explosion was sudden, but not at all unexpected. Tai ripped his arm out of Matt's hold, then paused, no doubt remembering that he needed help with the colognes. His teeth gnashed audibly. "I fucked up. Yeah. I remember, thanks. But it was her fault. I'll just ask more questions this time, is all."

Matt sprayed another cologne on him, ignoring Tai's grunt of protest at being touched. "Sixteen isn't all that different from eighteen," he murmured. "And how many questions are you realistically going to ask when clothes start coming off?"

"Ugh, that smells terrible." Tai's upper lip drew back, exposing his teeth. "And don't act all high and mighty with me, Matt. You're in a relationship. You can have your girlfriend any time." The muscles in Tai's neck tightened, pushing tendons and veins up beneath the skin.

Matt forced himself to speak gently, despite his sudden urge to smack his friend. Tai's constant fixation on sex had always sat poorly with him, but it was something that he had slowly come to accept, just like his temper and impulsiveness. "Sora was my first, Tai. I survived eighteen years as a virgin; you won't drop dead if you keep it in your pants until you find a girl you like and trust."

He knew the words were a mistake the moment he uttered them. Heat began to form in the skin Matt was touching. Their eyes met, and Matt could practically read Tai's mind.

I already found a girl I like. You're sleeping with her.

Okay, old son. Maybe this wasn't the best time to suggest the moral high ground to Tai. You need to back the hell off. He knew that continuing down this road would piss Tai off more, but what could he do? He cared about him too much to let it go.

"I'm just worried about you. It was hard to explain the bruises to everyone last time. And I still hate remembering the way you hit the dirt." He shuddered involuntarily. Matt beat Tai in fights before he began his athletic training in earnest around late middle school. He knew firsthand that his best friend wasn't immortal. But still, contrarily, watching Tai crumple to the floor, downed by an unexpected blow to the face at a party in high school, had completely shocked him. In his mind, Tai was an unstoppable fireball of bravado, strength, and guts, and it was jarring to have that illusion shattered. That visual still worked its way into his nightmares on occasion.

Tai grimaced, then grabbed a cologne bottle at random. He sprayed it on, using far too much for a sampling. "I wouldn't have gotten so messed up if that asshole fought fair. I was half unconscious before I knew I was in a fight. I didn't even know what the fuck his problem was until later. And I wouldn't have slept with his girlfriend if she had fucking told me that she was dating someone!"

"I know," Matt said, monitoring the heaving of Tai's chest. "I know. It's just, you can never know what you're getting when you sleep with a stranger."

"Well," Tai growled, gritting his teeth, "we don't all have amazing girlfriends, Matt. I don't know what else to tell you. Amy wished me luck. I can't see why you're giving me shit over it."

Matt felt an eyebrow rising. "First, you're wearing this cologne, it's really working for you. Second, you told everyone but me that your face was smashed in because you got drunk and fell down the stairs."

"Amy knew I was lying," Tai sighed. "She just didn't push."

"And third," Matt continued, cutting off Tai's pointless interruption, "Amy always wished you'd be more discriminating about who you slept with, and you're lucky she didn't say anything about it to your mother or sister."

"She wouldn't," Tai said, shrugging. "She's not about to do something like that to me."

Matt stared at Tai, shaking his head slightly. His friend kept saying random things, deflecting the conversation from its purpose. His muscles were set tight and rigid, but his expression was careless. Matt interpreted this as, I'm going to do what I want, and I don't care what you have to say about it.

Sora's waiting for me. I have better things to do than argue with someone whose mind is made up. Sighing, Matt pried the cologne out of Tai's hand. "Just be careful, alright?"

Tai nodded, and Matt showed him how to properly apply the scent. Then he gathered his things and slipped out of the room, hoping that the universe wouldn't screw his best friend over again.

Later

This wasn't quite like any other party that Tai had experienced before. Usually, there were more youths stuffed into the house than it could hold, and entire rooms seemed to sway with the collective body movement. This frat house was deserted in comparison, although there were still enough guests to make maneuvering tricky.

The music was quieter and more subdued, so that he only had to raise his voice to be heard, rather than full-on shouting. There seemed to be less dancing and more talking going on, but maybe it was just his imagination. Or the whiskey. Whichever.

Tai had talked up a few girls already, but none of them seemed particularly interested. But one had sort of tilted her head and said that he looked like a friend's type, and he was waiting for her to return with the promised addition. Despite the lack of instant success, there was no rush, no need to panic. The night was young, and he was glad to be among people who were being upfront about their intentions. It was a relief after weeks of never being sure what the women around him were looking for. And so, he leaned casually against a wall, drinking and looking out over the edge of his plastic cup.

When he first came to college, nearly every girl looked appealing, just like back in high school. But tonight, he found himself feeling discriminating. He couldn't help but wonder if this was due to all of the warnings and finger shaking from Amy and Matt, or if the increased odds of getting lucky were making him more selective. Man, you're thinking too damn much. Just go with it.

A waving motion caught his eye, and Tai noticed the girl approaching him. She was holding onto someone's wrist, but he couldn't make out any details for a few moments, not from his angle. Then, they broke through the crowd, and he got a good look at her.

The cup buckled as his grip tightened. She had high cheek bones, a wide, elegant forehead, and a bunch of harsh angles in her face. He got the sense that, if a single element was altered, even just a touch, the whole business would have gone straight to hell. But, as it was… Her appearance was dignified, proud, self-assured, mesmerizing.

Her thin lips twisted into a smile as she stepped in front of him. "I know you," she said. Her fingers moved through her hair, which was long, black, and impossibly thick. "You are on our soccer team. Offense."

Tai leaned closer in order to hear. She was tall, probably about Amy's height, but her voice was low, both in volume and pitch. His pulse jumped into gear when he made sense of her words. Their school's football players were campus celebrities, but soccer players weren't often recognized. "Yeah. Guess you're a fan, then?" He suddenly couldn't stop smiling. Is this how Matt feels, getting attention all the time?

"I have seen every home game since I have been here." She turned towards her friend and smiled, and it must have been some kind of signal, because she left, melting into the crowd. "You are amazing. I am sure you will get more play time before long."

Tai could feel his grin going a little lopsided, and he fought to correct it. It was true that he had spent most of his first semester on the bench, which was common for freshman. But a teammate's injury had brought him onto the field in a few key games, and his performance had impressed. It was definitely a start.

"Tell me what it's like, being on the team," she said, sliding up next to him. Her hip, long and narrow, nestled against his. "Oh, before I forget- My name is Dyani."

It was a weird name, as far as Tai was concerned, but it was pretty, and what did that matter, anyway? She had turned her face up to look at him, and her eyes were big, black, and calm. "I'm Tai. Nice to meet you."

Somewhat Later

It didn't matter how he had gotten here. Hell, he hardly knew how they had gotten here. He was in a dorm he had never been in, in a room half filled with woven blankets, rugs, and tapestries in earthy hues. The cacophony of geometric patterns would have been overwhelming, if not for the quiet color schemes.

Of course, that really wasn't what he was looking at. Dyani was taking a seat on her bed, and she invited him to join her with a smile. He sat as close to her as he could without touching her. This could have been awkward, but Tai was confident in himself, and Dyani's unruffled attitude made things seem natural. The lighting here was brighter than in the frat house, and, as she inched closer, Tai realized that she wasn't wearing any makeup or particularly nice clothes. Her appearance was neat, clean, and everyday, and that was all she needed, even at a hookup party, and the fact that she knew it was downright sexy.

"You're seriously not dating anyone?" Tai asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. Dyani grinned wryly and shook her head.

"I am not interested in dating at the moment," she said, shrugging. "I tried it once. He was a good boy, but I needed space more than I needed him. Perhaps, when I am older…" Her long, narrow fingers moved towards the lamp on her desk, and it cycled to a dimmer setting. "Why do you ask?"

She spoke slowly, in a relaxed sort of way, and it was very soothing. Tai had the sense that she really thought about what she was saying. "You're really attractive," he said, swapping the word 'hot' out at the last second. "And you seem really cool. The cool, pretty girls tend to be taken."

Dyani's smile grew. "Ah. Careful, Tai. You are edging on bitter, there."

"Whaaaat? No. Just noticing stuff, is all." As he spoke, Dyani began to undo the buttons of her sweater, and his eyes fixed on the movement. Notice this, she seemed to say, and Tai knew that the time for questions and talk was past. Thank goodness he had gone over everything before they left the party, because, as Matt had predicted, his mind forgot all about questions the moment the first button slipped free.

She was wearing a clingy camisole underneath, so tight that it made her slight curves appear more generous. Its pure white hue contrasted with her skin, which was the color of natural clay. Her eyes landed on his, and Tai knew an invitation when he saw one. His hands were on the bottom of the cami in an instant, easing it up, navigating it over her abundance of dark hair. Her head tipped back with the movement, and Tai kissed her, unable to resist the sensuality of an arched back and exposed neck.

Finally! It had been so long, too damn long, way, way too fucking long. There was a lot that Tai didn't understand, a lot of things that he was completely clueless about, but his body and other bodies? He got that. On a soccer field, he could watch a goalie's tiny movements and knowhow he would try to block. In the gym, he could push himself without worry, as he always knew when doing more would hurt him. In a conversation, he had no idea what his partner was thinking until he touched them, at which point he knew, because he could feel it in their bodies.

And, when he was intimate with someone, he knew just what they wanted, just how to get them where they wanted to be, and nothing made him feel more capable, virile, and fulfilled than to hear a girl moan from his efforts. From start to finish, it was all about his partner's pleasure, and that's where his pleasure came from.

Her hands slipped under his shirt, then froze, then went flat against his abs. Tai could feel her smiling against his mouth as her palms explored his stomach, following every contour of his muscles. She was breathing heavily by the time her fingertips slipped beneath his jeans. She was breathing even more heavily by the time they were undressed.

And before long, she was moaning.

Author's Note: Uh, was this even about Valentine's Day at all?

Okay, so I confess that a Valentine's Day consisting of ice cream, Pacific Rim, and Mario Kart sounds like a recipe for awesome to me. What can I say? I was born nerdy and easy to please, and so was Amy, I guess.

I actually really, really like Dyani, but I'm not planning to keep her around at the moment, which seems like such a pity D: I chose not to really get into their encounter because it's a passing thing. There was just no need to go there.

Guys, guys, guys, I have completely HAD IT with these stupid heart-to-heart conversations. I feel like they're dragging and completely showing my growing disinterest in sharing feeeeeeeeeeeeeeelings and such. Stop having so many feeeeeelings, guys! Come on! Imagine me flipping a table here.

That's why next chapter will have some background on Shauna, plus Amy and Hana running into each other again (so basically, an OC party, sorry guys D:). Maybe I'll toss Hana and Izzy together, that's always good for a laugh, haha, but we'll see. Mostly, it's going to be a Shauna party, but don't get too excited. I still am not telling you what happened with Izzy and Shauna… It's mostly just about her life and such.

Oh, also, Matt and Tai will talk about what happened with Dyani, but I'll be keeping it short, mostly because of the whole feeeeeeeeeeeeeelings thing.

Hope you all have a lovely Valentine's Day! Eat some chocolate and stuff.