3

"Love feeds on deception."

- Erol Ozan

-Apartment 20-

Taichi Kamiya is in deep shit. The deepest of shit. He gripped the edge of a wooden barstool, dragging it to press against the back of his thighs before he deeply sighed and sat.

"What did I dooo," he groaned, his face burying into the palms of his hands.

Tai Kamiya just slept with his best friend. The best friend he has been head over heels for since junior high. The best friend he just convinced he slept with because of physical attraction. It's not that he wasn't attracted to Sora, oh no, it was more than that for him. He was smitten.

Yamato has been urging him for years to confess to her, but this was the one situation Tai couldn't conjure up the courage for. She made him weak. She made him vulnerable. She made him happy… And now she thinks he acted on attraction and lust.

Yes, he was a bit of a playboy, but Tai would never do such a thing to Sora. "And now she thinks she's just another notch on my bed post," his words were muffled against his hands.

"Rough night?" The words came from the kitchen. Izzy slowly approached Tai. He reached out, patting him softly on the shoulder, "There there… I'm sure…" Izzy tilted his head, reaching for any words that could lighten Tai's mood, "I'm sure she is just as likely to never call you as you are her!"

Tai's brown eyes glared at the man from over his fingertips, "Gee. Thanks, Izzy." He ran his hands up through his hair, "I'm not that bad! I've called four out of seven back over the past two months and you know those are good stats for me." Izzy chuckled, shaking his head as he pushed Tai's accusing finger out of his face.

"Oh Taichi, what lady has your panties in such a bunch?" Izzy cracked open a can of coconut water. You have no idea… Tai thought to himself as he eyed the can curiously, "What the fuck is that?" His nose scrunched in disgust as he read the side.

Izzy glanced at the can, stuttering, "I-It's… Well… Mimi said it's good for… A good lifestyle change." Tai cracked a smiled, "Why're you so infatuated with her? She obviously has terrible taste in men. She's dating the blonde devil for crying out loud." He nodded towards the picture hanging by the door. It was a quick snap from Matt's birthday. The man had had one too many and was bent over using a tree trunk for balance as Tai and Izzy posed next to him.

"I-I'm not! She's just great at giving suggestions," Izzy took a sip, immediately regretting his decision as he emptied the contents quickly into the sink, "Okay maybe not this time…." Tai chuckled as he pushed from the stool.

"Anyway, don't worry about me," he flashed Izzy a smile, "I'm fine. A bit of a headache from sleeping wrong is all." Tai rubbed his shoulder to really send the point home.

Izzy slowly nodded, finding it difficult to get himself to believe Taichi's white lie, "Alright… I guess." Izzy knew Tai was one to share the bed with many women, but something was different this time. He wasn't bragging like he usually does. No, 'Izzy you'll never guess how flexible this one was,' or, 'You should've heard how she said my name' comments.

"Hey, Tai you sure you're ok-" Izzy's words of concerned were drained out by Mimi and Yamato walking into the apartment.

"I'm thinking a nice salad for dinner," Mimi gestured over the center of the table, "And… And maybe some wine?" She shrugged, glancing to Izzy. The woman gasped and clapped excitedly as she caught sight of the can in his hand. "Oh! Izzy I knew you'd try it!" She giggled, Izzy smiling sheepishly back.

"Well you know me… Always trying to… Have a good lifestyle change," Izzy chuckled as he set the can down on the counter, stepping as far away from it as he could. Tai raised an eyebrow at Mimi's suggestion.

"Wine?" He glanced to Matt, "What's the occasion? Did I miss a birthday?" Mimi shook her head, gripping Yamato's arm.

"Psh. No! Yamato's bandmates are staying another night in town and wanted to celebrate the new album," she shrugged, "And theres plenty more to celebrate." She winked at Tai, earning an eye roll from him. "Yeah yeah. How many people you thinking? We don't have much seating… Or space for that matter." Yamato nodded in agreement.

"Hm," Yamato took a deep breath, "The usual group with the addition of a few from the band?" Tai nodded, "Sounds good…" He glanced up as the door opened again, Sora stepping in. His heart stopped in his chest as he cleared his throat nervously. She flashed him a quick, tight smile before letting her eyes take in the room.

"Holding a meeting without me or what?" She looked around. Yamato eyed her, "That was quick…" Sora blinked slowly, "What was?"

"The elevators at the office… Didn't they need vacuuming?" Matt crossed his arms. Sora chuckled, "Matt it's Saturday… Why would I be doing anything work related?" He smiled nervously, scratching his chin, "Yeah… Yeah… Oh, Sora!"

Sora grabbed a glass to fill with water, "Hm?" Yamato cracked his knuckles as he leaned against the table, "Sooo tonight at Saturday dinner…" Sora nodded slowly as she sipped from the glass, "The drummer of my band is coming. You know, Rick?" Sora nodded slower, stopping to bring his face to the front of her mind, "He might be interested in meeting you…"

Mimi's head snapped to the left, catching Tai's gaze. Tai shrugged, trying to act like he didn't care, but boy did Mimi care. She had waited too long for her two friends to end up together and some drummer named Rick was not about to ruin it.

"Ew, Rick?" She barged in, Sora looking around Matt to Mimi's face, "What's wrong with Rick? I think he's kind of cute…" Sora muttered into the glass. Mimi shook her head, her hands waving in the air as she hurried to Sora and squished her cheeks, "No no no. Musicians only mean trouble, Sora."

Yamato nodded behind her, stopping as he realized what she said, "Hey what do yo-"

"I'm just saying that dear Sora here," she wrapped her arm around Sora's shoulder, "Needs someone who cares about her and just gets her… Not some nasty drummer like Rick." She stuck her tongue out.

Sora chuckled, "Meems, thank you, really. And Matt," she turned to him, "Thank you, really. I think I can find myself a man, alright? Like…" She looked around the room, her eyes flashing across Tai's before landing on Izzy's, "Like sweet Izzy." She gave him an innocent smile, Izzy's cheeks matching her hair.

"Blegh," Tai groaned from across the room, his arm raising dramatically, "Izzy?! He's bad news, Sor and you know it! You should hear how he talks when you ladies aren't here. He's nothing but trouble." Izzy held his hands up defensively.

Sora crossed her arms, "Oh it can't be worse than the things I've heard come out of your mouth, Taichi."

Tai tilted his head, smirking at her, "Ah. But the things that can come out of your mouth, Sora, have got me beat." Sora's mind flashed to the night before, the woman's choice of vocabulary was a bit R-rated. She let out a breath before she turned to leave, "Would you look at the time, I gotta…"

Matt glanced at her, "Water the stairs at the office?" Sora flashed him a smile, nodding as she crossed the hall to her and Mimi's apartment.

"Welp," Tai clapped as he turned to walk into the bathroom, "I'm gonna wash up. If there's still coconut water in this place when I come out here I'm throwing the fridge out the window onto your Prius, princess," he pointed at Matt.

"Aye, don't bring my Prius into this…" Matt muttered as he walked to the kitchen and began emptying the fridge of the cans of coconut water. Mimi pouted as she glanced at Izzy, "You didn't like it?"

Izzy's reply spilled from his mouth, "What?! No Mimi I loved it! Mmmm see?" He grabbed a can from over Matt's shoulder and quickly opened it and took a swig. Chills ran down his body as he did his best to stomach the fluid. Mimi smiled, pinching his cheek, "Awe. I can always count on you."

-Apartment 19-

Sora Takenouchi is in deep shit. The deepest of shit. She splashed water in her face, doing her best to cool the red heat that climbed her cheeks the second Tai mentioned the night before. And now she was going to have to go on knowing the night was nothing more than two friends making a mistake… A great mistake, Sora groaned against the cool porcelain of the sink.

Tai was hands down the best she had ever been with. He knew what she liked before she even knew she liked it. His hands were just as skilled as his mouth… And the way he breathed her name… "Sora?" Oh, she was hearing things, "Sora!" Sora jumped as her name echoed through the apartment.

"I'm back here, Meems!" She heard the quick footsteps of Mimi travel across the living room to the bathroom.

Mimi sighed as she opened the door, "Ever heard of knocking, Mimi?" Sora glanced up into the mirror, catching Mimi's playful shrug and smirk. "Sora," she cleared her throat, "Tell me all about last night. I need deets!" She stood, dragging Sora from the bathroom to the deep blue couch.

"Right at this very second?" Sora sighed. Mimi nodded, "I almost forgot!" The brunette bounced to the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of wine and two glasses, "No comments about how it's only 11 in the morning… I'm gonna need this if Yamato's band is coming over…" She poured them glasses, the girl's clinking them as they sipped.

"Where to start… Well…" Mimi sat up straighter, "I guess it just happened?" The answer was not enough for Mimi, "Sora. C'mon! Tell meeeeeee!"

Sora rolled her eyes, "Fine fine. At the concert Tai got a little close and well… I for some weird reason thought he was attractive that night? You know, my dreams?" Mimi nodded, both girls taking a swig of the red liquid, "Anyway, next thing I knew my hands were on his chest and his were…" Sora's voice lowered, "Everywhere on me… And then I was on my back and he was there? Just…" Sora took a deep breath, "Mimi it was the best sex I've ever had like wow."

Mimi squealed, "Oh it sounds like a dream! Did you… You know…" Sora held up three fingers as she drank more from the glass, Mimi's mouth hanging open in disbelief, "Are you guys going to see each other again? On a not-so-friendly level?" She wiggled her eyebrows.

Sora shook her head, "No… Tai called this morning and it was just physical attraction, Mimi. That's it," Sora emptied the glass. Mimi scoffed, "Oh please. That boy has been in love with you since 2003." Mimi followed suit, her glass emptying with Sora's.

Sora took a deep breath, "Yeah, well. I guess we're both just friends." She chuckled, pouring her and Mimi another glass. "And you're okay with that?" Mimi thanked her. Sora nodded, "Oh sure! Yeah… A-Okay… Can't wait to meet Rick tonight?" Sora smiled as she pressed her lips to the rim of the glass, Mimi smiling back.

"Hm… I still don't think you're A-okay, but I guess I can settle with this for now," Mimi winked, the two already feeling the effects of the wine before noon.