5
"The difference between sex and love is that sex relieves tension and love causes it."
- Woody Allen
-Apartment 19-
Sora's body was sprawled on the couch, her mouth hanging open as she lightly snored. The night had ended with Sora's face in the toilet, the wine doing more harm than she had anticipated. Rick held her hair, telling her that she was a champ. He even made sure she brushed her teeth before collapsing on the couch and pulling a blanket over her half naked body.
"Sora…" She groaned in her sleep. "Sora…" The voice got a bit louder. My head… She closed her eyes tighter, hoping to will away the sound. Her head pounding from the wine. "… Sora!" She opened her eyes slowly, trying her best to blink the sleep from them.
Sora opened her eyes to see a smirking Taichi looking down at her from the back of the couch. "Taichi?" He chuckled, shaking his head as he passed her a glass of water, Advil, and her dark blue robe. "Rough night, Sor? I thought you and Mimi were pros at handling your wine…?"
Sora slowly took the glass of water and downed the painkiller. She pressed her face into the palm of her hands, taking a few deep breaths as she steadied herself, "Thanks, Taichi…" Her fingers grabbed for her robe, her cheeks heating up as she realized her current state. She pressed the cold, silk fabric against her forehead.
"What're you doing here anyway?" Sora said as she stretched her arms above her head. Sleeping on the couch gave her a slight pain in her neck. Tai walked to the kitchen, "Coffee. We're out across the hall and I just assumed you guys would have some over here." She heard him rummage through the cabinets.
"Taichi?" He stopped rummaging. Sora glanced at the time, 7 am? Seriously, Tai? "Did we talk last night?" Tai shrugged, "At the dinner or after?"
"After…" She stretched her legs out, "I could've sworn we spoke…" Tai shook his head before continuing his quest for coffee, "Noooope. You whisked poor Rick across the hall to make a point," he stopped to make sure she was listening, "You remember, right? If that guy took advantage of you while you were that drunk I'm gonna ring his ne—"
"If anything I tried taking advantage of him," She muttered. Tai sighed, "I'll ask questions later… Anyway, I didn't hear from you all night."
Sora shook her head, rubbing her temples as she thought, "No no… Tai are you sure we didn't talk on the phone? I just…"
Tai gave her a confused look, "My phone died last night during the dinner so I haven't checked it…" He pulled it from his pocket and swiped to his recent calls. "Oh! I do have a voicemail from you. Let's see what drunk Sora wanted…"
He smirked, thinking the message was going to be her usual funny drunk calls that consisted of fun childhood memories and things he said that she found funny. Her words slurred from the alcohol and mixing with her laughter.
He placed his phone on the counter, letting it play on speaker so Sora could hear. The second Sora heard her own voice, the voicemail came flooding back.
"Hey Taichi. It's me, Sora. You know?" Tai chuckled as her voice filtered through the speaker, "Yeah Sora. Anyway, I think you should know that I didn't sleep with Ricky boy tonight." Tai shot her a thumbs up.
Sora sprang from the couch, ignoring the screaming pain in her head. She steadied herself quickly before bounding towards the kitchen.
"Nuh uh. I was beyond disappointed…" Tai muttered a quiet told you and grabbed his phone before the voicemail continued, "And I've realized that you know what? I think I-"
"OOF." The air left Tai's lungs as Sora tackled him to the ground. The two fell to the cold, tiled floor, Sora pinning Tai's arms as she struggled for his phone. "Hey! Sora what the hell?" Tai struggled under her grasp. Sora may be small, but mighty she was. Her finger brushed pause, silencing her words as she fought to grab his phone from his hand.
"Give it to me!" She yelled, "Tai!" She yelped as he pinched her side.
Tai shook his head, "Sora, manners. You'll have to ask nicer than that!" He said through clenched teeth as her fingers tightened on his wrist. He smirked as his eyes happened to glance down her open robe, "Blue looks nice on you, Sora… I missed having you on top of me." He gave her a wink, a blush quickly spread across her cheeks. "Shut up!" She tightened her legs on his hips to keep him from squirming under her, his phone just out of reach.
"Sora, come on. It can't be that bad!" He stretched his arm further, evading her grasp. Oh but it is.
Mimi groggily entered the apartment. She rubbed her eyes as she walked to the kitchen, wondering what the struggling sounds belonged to. Her eyes widened at the sight. Sora straddling Tai… In her opened robe… And did she yell for him to give it to her…? "Oh yay! I'll leave you two be!" She clapped excitedly before running back across the hall. "Wait, Mimi!" Sora yelled back. Tai leaned up as he felt Sora's grip loosen.
Just when he thought he was free, Sora's hand clutched his phone. She smirked victoriously as she deleted the message. "Ha! You'll never know what drunk Sora had to say…" Tai sighed as he sat up under her, "You didn't sleep with him? I thought you were going to have a great night." He teased.
Sora shook her head, "No I couldn't…" She glanced up, immediately wishing that she didn't. Her eyes met his and she found herself at a loss for words. "He… Wasn't…" You. She was all of a sudden aware of him. How close he was. How her breathing seemed to stop.
"Wasn't what?" Tai's voice broke into her thoughts. "What wasn't?" She replied. Tai chuckled, "Rick. You said he was a disappointment?" His fingers brushed her cheek, tucking a stray hair behind her ear.
Sora's lips formed the letter 'O' before she moved over to sit and lean against a cabinet. She closed her robe, tying it around her waist. "Taichi," she said, "Why did you let me talk to him? You know drummers aren't my type."
Tai cracked a smile, "I knew it! See? I told Matt you wouldn't be impressed." Sora rolled her eyes as she slowly stood and grabbed the bag of coffee from the counter. "Besides," Tai added, "He was blonde."
Sora gave him a lost look, "Tai what could have made you think I don't like blondes?"
Tai cracked his knuckles before grabbing the coffee from her. He pointed the bag towards her, "Because I know who you've been with. And none of us have been blonde."
"Taichi," she shooed him with her hands towards the door, "Go make your coffee." He gave her a sweet smile before leaving, "You're not coming?" She shook her head, "Maybe in a bit. I really need to shower. It feels like the wine is apart of me or something…"
Tai's sweet smile turned up into a playful smirk, "A shower, huh? I'm good at showering."
"Taichi," she glared at him, "Go make coffee."
-Apartment 20-
"Yeah, sorry Yamato," Mimi said as her brown eyes followed the ball being tossed between Izzy and him, "You're just not the best flirt." She shrugged as she glanced to the door as Tai walked in.
Matt frowned, his brows furrowing in frustration, "What? I thought I was good with the ladies…" His fingers gripped the ball before tossing it back to Izzy. Mimi chuckled, "No, sweetie. You're just a hot guitarist… But your words? Not so much."
Izzy nodded in agreement as he watched Tai's arm shoot up, beckoning him to toss him the ball, "No, Tai. I'm not throwing you the ball. You always drop it and ruin our streak…" Tai pouted as he turned to pour the coffee grounds into the French press.
Tai grabbed an apple, shining it on his shirt before taking a bight, "We talking about how bad Matty boy is at flirting?" Tai shot his friend a wink as the hot water beeped. He moved to pour it in with the grounds.
"Mmmmhm," Mimi said as she caught the ball, "He was asking if I ever get worried with him around other girls. I guess me around guys is a terrifying idea." Tai chuckled, "Yeah, Yamato… Your flirting is worse than my catching…" Tai's voice turned to a quiet mumble, "But my catching isn't even bad."
"It is," Izzy said as Mimi tossed him the ball, "Both of you. You're both terrible." Izzy went to throw to Matt, catching Tai's puppy dog pout. He hesitated," … Fine… But if you drop it, you're paying for my parking ticket." The ball soared towards Tai, the man catching it.
"Ha! Told you," he smirked, the ball bouncing from his hand as he fumbled to catch it again, "See? A million times better than blondie's flirting." He shrugged as he tossed the ball to Matt.
Matt rolled his eyes, "You just got lucky… Watch. I'll show you guys. I'll flirt with the next girl I see." The ball was back to Izzy, "Two hour mark." Izzy celebrated their small milestone of ball tossing before throwing it back to the blonde.
"Wow," Tai poured himself some coffee, "I hope I'm around to watch the train wreck of Yamato flirting with a girl… You're lucky Meems didn't need your hopeless flirting. She would've ran for the hills."
Mimi nodded, "Mhm! But I love my Yama." She smiled before shooting him a serious look, "But look, honey. If the next girl you see happens to give you a negative response… Just know that my arms are open to help get rid of the pain of rejection…"
As Mimi's words finished, the door opened. "Is that a girl walking into your apartment?" Mimi asked as her eyes watched Sora close the door, "Mhm. Our place gets too quiet…" She stopped as she turned to see a smirking Yamato leaning against the kitchen counter.
"Helloooo," he waved at her with his fingers. Sora raised an eyebrow, "Hi… Matt." She glanced to the others, everyone looking away as Tai struggled to hold in his laughter.
"You are so beautiful in the morning," his face contorted into a stressed look, something he thought was 'sexy'. Sora replied, "Ummm… Thank you? Are you okay? You look a little sick…"
Yamato shook his head, "No no… You just make me sick," he smirked. Sora nodded as her eyes narrowed, "I make you… Sick? Why're you being weird."
Yamato nodded, his grin widening, "Sick from your smell…" he stuttered, "O-of vanilla!"
Tai's laughter echoed through the apartment. He clapped Yamato on the shoulder, "Yeah! Good job, buddy. Letting the ladies know how their smell is sickening. You couldn't even flirt with Sora." A dark blush covered the blonde's cheeks as he moved back to throwing the ball, "Fine… I-I'm no good."
Mimi gave Yamato a soft kiss, giggling, "You tried. Sora is a tough crowd…" Sora was not a tough crowd. She always had a problem hiding her blush when men complimented her, or even shot her suggestive looks.
A confused Sora sighed, jumping as she caught sight of a ball flying toward her. She shot her hand up, the ball smacking against her palm before falling to the floor, "What the hell is going on here this morning…" She jumped as Izzy's voice screamed in her direction.
"NOOOOOO!" Izzy fell to his knees, "No! Yamato why would you throw it to Sora?! She's more of a dropper than Taichi!" He shook his head, Sora muttering a sorry as she moved to pour herself a cup of coffee.
"Izzy!" Mimi chuckled, "Sora has just had an interesting morning. Men have been ALL over her lately, right Taichi?" She smirked towards the kitchen. Tai choked on his coffee as he avoided the questioning glances from Izzy and Yamato.
Sora shrugged, "You got this one, Tai."
Tai cleared his throat, "What?! YOU'RE the one who jumped on ME this morning half naked!"
Yamato smirked, "Whoa… Why don't you greet me like that?" He whispered to Mimi. Mimi winked, "I'm taking notes…"
Izzy blinked, "I'm confused…"
"There's nothing to be confused about!" Tai's voice echoed, Sora chuckling, "Mimi just walked in at a bad time…" Mimi leaned against Yamato, "A bad time, Taichi? It didn't look like a bad time…" Tai blushed.
"Are you blushing?" Yamato's confusion grew, "It's just Sora. I'm sure she tackled you out of frustration…Or just pure clumsiness. I don't think she'd be all over you for any other reason. I've always applauded her for dodging your…" his fingers held up for air quotes, "'charming' personality and good looks."
"Oh yeah," Mimi chimed in, "She'd neverrrrr fall for that. Isn't that right, Sora?"
Sora felt the heat begin to crawl up her neck like it did when the attention shifted to her… Especially unwanted attention, "Nope," she squeaked. She glanced at Tai before darting back to the door to cross the hall to her apartment, "Wow gotta go! I left the… Carpet running."
"I'm going to…" Tai searched for a place to escape, "Clean the pantry," Tai squeezed into the small pantry to avoid further questioning, his tall frame making him duck under the short door frame.
Mimi tried to hold in her giggling, but she couldn't. She doubled over, wiping a tear from her eyes, "Oooo this is too fun."
Yamato and Izzy shot her confused glances, "Are we missing something?" Izzy asked. He was always the oblivious one, "I feel like you gotta tell us. Besides, I'm always the last one to find out about things…"
Mimi pouted, "What? No you're not…"
Izzy nodded, "Uh huh. When you guys moved across the hall… When Tai bought his new suit… When Matt got his teeth cleaned last week…"
As Izzy listed the events, Yamato slowly began to put two and two together. Sora was with Rick last night… But Rick was back at my place within 45 minutes… "And that time Kari learned how to say the ABC's backwards!" And he was over there the other night… And Sora has been so blushy about him lately.
"Izzy," Mimi interrupted his long list of things he found out about last, "I promise to start texting you about EVERYTHING." She gave him his favorite smile, making him blush. Yamato nodded as he stood from the couch and slowly walked to the pantry.
He softly tapped his knuckles against it, Tai's voice muffled from the door, "Who is it?" Yamato rolled his eyes, "It's Matt." The pantry doorknob turned as Tai pushed it opened, "I've been expecting you." He chuckled as he poked his head out.
Yamato pressed his lips together, "Tai, it's too early in the morning for you to already be annoying me this much." The blonde grabbed Tai's arm and pulled him from the pantry, "Jeesh, Yamato. When did you get so strong?"
"Can it, Taichi. What's going on with you and Sora?" Yamato said quietly. Tai raised an eyebrow, "Hm? Sor? Nothing. Just being the best of friends and that's it!" Tai chuckled nervously.
Yamato nodded, "Uh huh… Did you happened to… I don't know… Tell her how you feel?"
"And how do I feel, Matt?" Tai crossed his arms, "I can tell you one thing and that's that the pantry is too small." Yamato rolled his eyes, "She turned you down didn't she? The one girl you really care about turned you down and now it's weird for everyone."
Tai shrugged, "Sure? But I never gave her the chance to turn me down because I am… Over her?" Tai sighed as he took in Yamato's bored expression, "Okay fine. No she doesn't know and no nothing is going on between us. If there was, you'd be the first to know, alright?"
"See!" Izzy said as he pointed to the kitchen, "Yamato is always the first to find out and guess who's last… ME!"
Mimi gave Izzy a pat on his shoulder, "At least you won't be the last one to find out about Taichi's little crush on Sora. Sora will be the last one for that."
Izzy gave Mimi a surprised look, his arms shooting into the air, "Taichi has a crush on Sora?! Since when!" Mimi shushed him, "Shhh the walls are thin! She might hear." Izzy lowered his voice, "I'm confused… I thought Tai wasn't intimidated by 'the ladies'. That's his favorite thing to claim."
"I'm not!" Tai said as he moved to the living room, "Sora is just…"
"Too good for you?" Yamato chimed in with a smirk. Mimi nodded in agreement. Tai glared, "I could say the same thing about Mimi."
"Oh, Taichi," Mimi said, "You should just tell her. I'm sure Sora feels… Similarly?"
Mimi's phone rang. She excused herself as she answered it.
"Alright," Izzy said, "I think it's time we get the Christmas decorations down… I can't lift the tree alone." Tai chuckled, "Alright, Iz. The real men will get the tree down from the storage closet."
Matt sighed, "Real men can tell their best friend they love her without running away like a scared chicken."
Mimi cleared her throat, "So I just got off of the phone with Sora…" The boys nodded, "And well you guys remember that guy from high school? Brent?" She got more nods, "Well he asked her on a date and she said yes!" She clapped excitedly.
"How is this good? We hated him," Matt said, "And, believe it or not, I'm kind of rooting for Taichi." Tai gasped, "R-Really? Awe, Matt…" Matt leaned away, "Never mind… Brent sounds great."
"Can Brent decorate this place because I'm trying to get festive," Izzy muttered to Mimi. Mimi giggled, "Izzy we can decorate together! I'll make sure to hang some mistletoe right above your door." She gave him a wink, making poor Izzy blush.