Thanks so much for all the reviews I've been getting. I hate having to put up the restrictions thing on it, with the whole thing concerning me needing at least three reviews, but, you must understand, that when you write a lot, and barely get any reviews, it kind of puts a downer on your work and you feel real shitty. So, I'm very sorry, but I sort of had to do it in order to keep my ego intact long enough to keep writing.
Anyways, this is Chapter 16. Note: if there are any mistakes, with one reviewer has pointed out already, please forgive me; the majority of this chapter was written at about 7am, while on the train with juvenile delinquents. Yuckies. So, yes, please forgive me, and if you want, send me a small message, or just mention where you saw it so I can edit it. Thanks. Big thanks to the reviewer (I think it was DigiGay - something along the lines of that, I'm so sorry I can't properly remember you're name, I'm very tired and sick right now) for mentioning my mistakes! . Props! Haha.
Anyways...
Wow, 16 Chapters. I've written quite a lot.
Chapter 16
Untying the BowMatt sat uncomfortably behind the wheel, hands gripping it tightly as Aiko was seated beside him, chattering away like a bird on Speed, talking ceaselessly in an abnormal, extremely annoying high-pitched voice that made him wince in agony whenever she said a word.
His thoughts wandered through the streets, going around corners, passing buildings, stores, couples, friends, until finally reaching their destination, going through the door and viewing the girl sitting on the couch, eating sushi, watching Christmas movies all alone.
His gut wrenched at the image, heart twisting violently as he nearly lurched forward when the mental and physical pain hit him. Breathing heavily, he willed his heart rate to slow, fighting to slow down his breathing rate.
Aiko chirped continuously beside him, utterly oblivious to the current situation.
He knew, just knew, that she was crying, that she was hurting, and he didn't want her to hurt. He wanted to be the one to make it all go away, to make her smile and laugh once more, to stop the tears from falling and staining her cheeks. He wanted to gently caress her skin, to show her how to feel love, and how to be loved.
He still wasn't sure why he was doing this, why he was with Aiko at the present moment. Maybe it was because she had offered, maybe it was because he just couldn't say no, or was it because he had thought it would make him seem like a nice guy. He wasn't sure of anything anymore.
'I think I'm doing this because … it would seem more like I was just trying to help her.'
But in the end he knew that it looked different to Mimi and the others, that it looked like he truly had feelings for the strange being seated beside him, when, in fact, he wanted to be as far from her as possible, in the arms of the beauty that was currently seated in his apartment.
Guilt twisted his gut, and he pulled over to the curb, parallel parking just near the restaurant they were going to eat at. Climbing out, he helped Aiko out of the passenger seat, which was nothing short of the gentlemanly thing to do. Turning to face the restaurant, he noted that it was not necessarily completely casual, nor was it very strict in clothing choices. However, he knew that he would look like a fool beside Aiko, and Aiko would look like a simple hooker off the streets.
The colour of her lips actually made him want to go throw out any Pepto Bismol containers he had at home, and burn them to itty-bitty pieces. He wasn't sure if he would be able to take the indigestion reliever anymore. Furthermore, Mimi was right; as the cold breeze whipped across the street, the abnormally pointy nipples poked out, nearly piercing the pathetically thin material.
Shuddering, pretending that it was from the cold as opposed to severe disgust and the urge to vomit, he turned his back to her, heading towards the door, completely forgetting about chivalry.
Opening the door to the restaurant, he simply walked in and waited for her to come to the door, shuffling along on the icy streets.
"Matt," her whiny voice exploded as soon as she entered, "why didn't you wait for me?"
"I was cold. If I'm cold, I don't wait for anybody." He shrugged, before heading towards a table in a noisier section of the restaurant.
Seated at the table, a waiter passed by soon enough, gave out menus, and asked what drinks they wanted.
"Beer."
"Ah, um, uh, oh, let's see. What do you have?"
She chewed at her fake nails, which made Matt wonder if she usually got false nails. Instead, he fought the urge to groan aloud; he absolutely could not stand women who spent about half an hour picking what beverage they wanted; it was only a mere glimpse of how long it would take them to pick out what kind of meal they wanted, before settling on a measly garden salad.
Sighing heavily, Matt waited as the poor waiter listed all beverages on the menu, even going into details about whether or not they had Diet or Regular soft drinks. Aiko listened intently, her fingers connected, chin pressed against her splayed hands.
"All right, I guess I'll have a, uh, oh gosh, there's so many choices!" She fiddled with a piece of loose hair. "Uh, let's see, I will have…"
Matt scowled angrily, before turning to the waiter, his patience worn a little thinner than normal; it usually took him about five minutes to get annoyed instead of just three. "She's having water. Thanks. We'll order when you bring us the drinks, okay?"
The man nodded, writing down the simple order, before taking off, not letting Aiko have a word to say in changing her 'order'.
"Matty!" That whiny voice again. "That was so sweet! How did you know I was going to order water?"
Scowling down at the tablecloth, which was a lovely, thin layer of brown paper, he fiddled with his forks as he replied. "To be honest, I just got irritated that you took so long to order."
"Oh!" Her face showed true, honest to god, confusion and regret. "Oh, Matty, I'm so sorry. You see; I'm so indecisive about all these things. I mean, everything looks so good, and sounds so good. So, I guess that means I better start working on what I want to eat, eh?"
Running his hands through his hair in minor frustration, he glanced briefly up at her, before looking at the menus in front of him. At the current moment, he wanted to scream, pick up the menus, and burn them using a lot of kerosene. A lot.
"Sounds good."
He listened to her heavy sighs, oh's, and ah's, over the choices of meals, which were really not that fancy. The most expensive thing on that bloody plastic-covered sheet of paper was most likely about ¥1000, maybe even less. It was a cheap restaurant. Note the keyword, cheap.
Leaning back, he took a quick glance at the menu, before deciding on a simple, American cheeseburger and fries. May as well keep it simple, eh?
"So, Matty, I have a question for you."
Arching his brows at her in suspicion, he glanced towards the brunette, who still seemed quite undecided about what she was going to eat for dinner.
"Shoot."
"Okay, well, I was wondering, what's the nicest thing anyone's done for you, in the last month?"
What kind of question was that? It was completely, totally, and utterly random. Not to mention, begging for an answer that complimented her. His frown deepened, and he feared that his face would forever be stuck in said form.
"Well, how about you answer first, and then I'll answer?"
"Oh, all right!" She giggled, and he visibly winced at the squealing sound it created. "Well, I suppose, if you must know, just the other night, a really sweet guy, not to mention handsome, decided to help me home when I had too much to drink. I was so nice, and made sure that I was all fine and dandy before he left. It was super kind of him to do it." She giggled. "Of course, obviously that guy was you, Matty."
He wanted to tear out his hair, stab his forks into his eardrums ... do anything that would just make her STOP. Now, at this very moment, just to make her shut up, he would actually slit her throat. He was actually contemplating on whether or not he should ask the waiter to remove all knives from their table so he would not perform any homicidal acts that he would definitely not regret.
Instead, he scowled as he thought through his memories of the last month. Most were a blur, days of work, nights of music and television, tiring mornings, long weekends, but, on one particular day, near the second week of December, his memories grew clearer, brighter, like the sun had finally shone upon his mind, pushing away the dark clouds and letting it illuminate his world. Laughter filled his mind, a sweet teasing voice, a melodic singsong sound, giggles, a time of frustration and need, the sound of her crying, the feel of her pressed against his body as he protected her, the sudden rage and anger that engulfed him, relief and tenderness, the need to show love, and the realization that there was love. Her hair was soft to touch, a mixture of brown with highlights of natural honey, her eyes were drowning pools of pale whiskey, her lips the softest, more lush rouge he had ever seen, and her heart, her sheer kindness and love, was the most amazing thing he had ever felt.
"I suppose there is one big memory, that will always last with me for forever." He smiled softly as he spoke, remembering that day, remembering coming home to his world, finding something he had never seen since he was a child. "About a week ago, I was having a real bad day, and I came home, expecting to find it like it usually is, boring, and Mimi on the couch watching television or something. Instead, the entire house was clean, spotless, and there was a wreath on the front door. Someone had vacuumed, and even bought a whole bunch of groceries." He smiled to himself, completely ignoring the look of outrage on Aiko's face. "But the best part was when I went into my living room. It was beautiful, so tall and lush, just so … amazing. I don't think I've ever felt happier in my life than during that particular moment. She had set it up perfectly, so it was in the corner, and even undress, it was splendid." He smiled again, a far away look in his eyes. That day had really been the highlight of this month, the day when he came home and saw Christmas.
"What was it?" Aiko asked, curiosity and suspicion glinting in her eyes. 'I bet it was that stupid skank hoe, Mimi, naked or something. Or a picture of her naked. Stupid slut. I bet Matt doesn't even know what she does for a living. Thanks to Jun, I sure as hell know.'
"It was a Christmas tree." Amazement flickered in Aiko's eyes. "She knew exactly what I wanted, or, well, what I needed, and she got it for me. The best part was when I found her on a ladder in the hallway, and she basically taught me what mistletoe is used for." He grinned. "Of course, it was just a peck on the cheek," he laughed, "but, you know, it was still awesome."
Jealousy flashed in Aiko's eyes, nearly turning them into a bright, vivid green with envy. "Oh, really? Well, okay, fine. Do you want to talk about something else?"
Matt fought the urge to nearly grin in triumph. She was finally talking about something other than a topic that would compliment her. However, what he had said had been the pure, unedited truth. Except for the fact that he had wanted it to be more than a peck.
"Here're your drinks; one beer and one water." The waiter tilted his hips, and pulled the order pad out from the front of his jean pocket. "So, what can I get you guys?"
Matt knew exactly what he wanted and he planned on getting it this very night, by midnight. But he wasn't sure how to get it.
Sora leaned forward at the table, looking at Tai with curiosity and constant wonder. "Do you think he's doing the right thing?"
Tai fidgeted with his tie, looking rather uncomfortable in the suit, but it was mandatory if they were to eat at the restaurant; it was quite fancy, and, well, quite a blow to his wallet. But he had saved up for this night, and wanted to make it special for him and Sora.
"Who? Matt?" He waved his hand. "I don't even think he knows what he wants. He's in denial. Big time."
Sora chuckled in response, smiling at her chocolate-haired lover. "I bet he knows what he wants, but he's not sure about it, that's all."
"How can you be so certain?"
"I know how to read guys, per se." She winked at him, shifting purposely to give him a lovely view of her breasts, which appeared larger in the pale, blue dress she wore. Tai's eyes widened and a flush crept up his throat to his cheeks. "For example, right now, you are aroused by my posture."
Clearing his throat, he jerked back in his seat, noting that he had been leaning forward in order to get a clearer view of her breasts. "I, uh, no, not at all. How dare you say such a thing?" He attempted to sound aghast, but instead found himself laughing. "You cheated."
"So?" She shrugged a shoulder in response. "It's your fault for looking, anyways. It's pretty obvious that you wanted me to do it, so deal with it." Giggles bubbled from her throat.
Tai sipped his water; he wanted to stay completely sober this night; he had big plans tonight, and they involved another large blow to his wallet. Shifting slightly, he fiddled with his fork and knife, waiting patiently for the waitress to return with their food.
"You still cheated." He stuck out his tongue childishly at her, before trying to sober the mood slightly. "But, well, I suppose you're a bit right. But, still, I think he's afraid."
Sora frowned in response, playing slightly with the rim of her wine glass. "Why do you say that?"
"Think about it, him and Mimi have been friends for nearly as long as you and I have been friends." Another frown from Sora caused him to develop. "Don't you remember? They went to preschool and the first few years of elementary school together. Sure, okay, they were major opposites, but they did get along, and were friends. I would know. Matt would invite her to his birthday parties from time to time. What screwed them up was when Matt moved back in grade 4 because of the divorce. That's when he switched schools, and they didn't speak again until we were 12."
"But she was a year younger than him, how did she know him? I mean, they didn't have classes together, did they?" Sora found this scenario and story new to her; she had never heard Mimi or Matt speak of it before to her.
"Yeah, they had a mix class back when Mimi was in grade 1, there were too many students in the second grade French class, and her class had too few. So, they mixed them. It was just by chance that they ended up seated beside each other." He sipped his water, and smiled when the waiter served them their food.
They smiled across the table at one another, grinning at the sukiyaki platter before them, before digging in.
"So, tell me then, why didn't they ever mention it to us?" Sora popped a piece of the beef into her mouth after the spoke, sighing heavily at the delectable flavours.
"I'm not sure." Tai took a bite and swallowed before replying. "I think it's because Mimi was heartbroken."
"What?" Sora choked out the words through a small forkful of the food. "Heartbroken?"
"Yeah." Tai shrugged, trying to find a piece to eat, a good sized one that would annoy her. "I mean, I think that's when they sort of realized that they had some sort of feelings for each other, even though they definitely couldn't understand them at such a young age. And when he moved, it was a huge blow on her life and everything, and she definitely wasn't happy afterwards. I remember because she switched schools, then, too, and ended up in school with you. Remember how she didn't talk to anyone?"
Sora nodded in comprehension. "Yeah, it's true. She didn't even look at anybody, and basically sulked the entire time. She was a bit annoying, actually, always sitting in a corner or whatever, giving people dirty looks. I guess that it was only in grade 6 that she finally met people she liked. We never got along too well, but we did get along." Sora sighed, stuffing a piece of meat into her mouth.
"I told you, she was heartbroken." Tai gestured at her with his chopsticks. "I'm telling you; she was depressed. She was probably madly in love with Matt."
Sora laughed aloud, nearly choking on the food. "I highly doubt that, Taichi Yagami. Seriously, I think you're completely off your rocker now."
"No, I'm serious. She was in love with Matt." He grinned. "Just like how I'm in love with you."
A blush crept up Sora's cheeks, and she glanced down at her plate. "I love you, too, Tai."
He fingered his pocket, smiling at the beautiful woman before him. "I have something to ask you later, at dessert, all right?"
She smiled brilliantly at him. "Sure."
The night was definitely not progressing very well, at all; they had finished their supper, he had listened to her argue with herself as to whether or not she should have dessert, and then, nearly screamed at her when she told the waiter that she didn't have enough money to pay for the meal.
How could she not have enough money for a goddamned beer, burger combo, salad, and a piece of cheesecake? That was one bloody cheap meal! Of course, he offered to pay for a quarter of it, and she happily agreed to that. However, he had still not been happy to pay for even a bit of the meal; she had told him she would pay, she should have paid for the entire goddamned thing; she had promised.
Muttering a low curse under his breath, he made his way back to the car, climbing into the driver's seat while she apologized briefly in that whiny, annoying voice. He was growing sick and tired of hearing that voice; it had complained the entire time about how there was too much dressing on her salad, or that there were too many croutons, or too few tomatoes. He had actually thought about strangling her with a leaf of lettuce. A big leaf, one large enough to wrap around her throat ten million times.
Instead, he had attempted futilely to ignore the constant, incessant complaints, and focused intently on eating his burger.
Now, sitting in the car, in a closed space, with her voice constantly chirping loudly, he was truly fighting urges to slam on the breaks, or choke her with the seatbelt. Instead of performing acts of murder, he turned to glance briefly at her, before asking, "Where are we going now?"
She waved a hand at him in response. "I thought it would be cute to take a stroll in the park. You know, where they have all the trees lit up with the lights. It's gorgeous, and so romantic!"
He fought the urge to gag, before recognition of the park's description hit his mind. "I know where that is. It's where Mimi and I first met."
"What?" Her voice was nothing short of a shriek of astonishment. "You must be kidding me!"
He shook his head, driving the slightly familiar route. "I'm not. We were maybe about five or six. She got lost after school one day, and I was walking T.K. home; we lived nearby." He smiled softly. "We found her, and it turned out that she lived in the same complex as us. So, of course, she walked home with us. Turns out that she and I were going to the same elementary school." His smile broadened slightly. "Of course, we didn't talk much after that; she was a year younger, and a grade younger, so we didn't see each other very much in school. It wasn't until I was in second grade that we met again. It was nice seeing her."
"I take it, then, that you and Mimi have a very good relationship?" Jealousy laced her voice, turning it bitter and angry.
He shrugged in response. "I suppose." He glanced out the window. "I hope she's all right."
"Who?"
"Mimi. I mean, well, she isn't really going anywhere for tonight, so she's stuck at home. I just hope she's okay." He sighed heavily.
She leaned over the seat when he parked just across the street from the park. Her face was inches from his, and she smiled broadly at him, apparently attempting, and failing, to appear seductive and appealing. "What's the matter, Matty?"
He looked at her, before pulling away slightly, making it obvious he did not want his face anywhere near hers. Of course, she did not take the hint, and simply shifted closer. "Nothing. Why?"
She touched his thigh, her lips curling into a 'sexier' smile. "Are you sure? I mean, you sure you don't need to … release something?"
He turned to her, grinning at the idea he had just received. "Actually, I do need to do something very important."
She smiled wickedly.
Sitting on the couch and watching movies was growing rather … monotonous for her; she was constantly seated on the couch, eating something, and watching some movie or television show that always made her cry.
Glancing at the clock, she noted that it was about quarter to midnight; they had actually left quite late, about an hour late, seeing as Aiko had called to say that she was running late.
Matt had called her from the restaurant, telling her that they might be later than expected, seeing as dinner was taking a while. That was at about 9:30 or so. He also said that they hadn't ordered, and we probably going for an hour drive or so afterwards, but he had sounded unsure.
Leaning back on the couch, she popped a handful of popcorn into her mouth and chewed almost vigorously, downing it with a mouthful of Coke. Swallowing, she sighed heavily, closing her eyes, simply listening as Hermy the Elf sang his song about being a misfit. She figured that she knew exactly how he felt, alone and unwanted.
Standing up, she brushed her hands clean on her thighs, making her way to the kitchen. Sora had just recently called with amazing news, and Mimi felt the need to celebrate it with a nice, large, bottle of wine. Or sake. Sake would be great right now. A really, really, really strong Sake would be perfect.
Instead, she settled with a simple glass of wine, and sat down on the kitchen stool, silently saluting Sora and Tai on their achievement. They had been together for quite some time, and she figured that it was more than about time that they tie the knot. Yes, Sora and Tai were now engagement.
She thought that it was sweet, how Sora described Tai getting down on one knee just before dessert, proclaiming his love to her, not too loud, more like a sweet whisper for only her to hear. Then he had pulled out the box, opening it, showing off a gorgeous gold ring with a sapphire in the center. He said that he had chosen a sapphire because it reminded him of her old blue hat, the one he had puked in, and then, in the apology letter, said he had loved her.
Mimi thought that the whole idea and scenario was simply beautifully adorable. Something she doubted would happen to her.
Standing, she made her way into the bedroom, finally come to a conclusion about something she had been thinking about all night.
Sitting on the floor, she tugged the item out from her suitcase, pulled out a roll off wrapping paper, and began to wrap it, making sure to tape it shut, keeping it flat, so that nobody would be able to bend or adjust it in such a way that they would be able to decipher what it was.
Placing a little sticker on the front, she wrote down:
To: My Second Family
Love: Mimi
I couldn't keep it a secret any longer.
Sitting back on the floor, she slowly placed the item back into her suitcase, and sighed heavily. She wasn't sure why she was doing it, but it just felt right, knowing that she wouldn't be keeping so much about her life in America hidden anymore. They deserved to at least know why she was a millionaire, and how hard she had worked to achieve such a monetary status.
Taking a sip of her wine, she stood up, looked down at the suitcase, and then turned her back on it, knowing that it was no longer going to haunt her, and she would no longer have to worry about them finding out about it the hard way. Now, they could know just who she was, and they would tell her how ugly she really was.
Just like Michael had.
The movie beckoned her back into the living room, where she sat back on the couch, glass of wine in hand, and a small handful of popcorn in the other. Stuffing her mouth once more, she lay back, watching the movie, waiting patiently for someone to return home.
Just as she finished the glass and was heading back into the kitchen to rinse it out, the locks jerked open on the door, and the front door was swung open, shut, and locked once more.
Swinging around on her feet, she turned and watched as Matt, still in his coat, his boots in a pile on the floor, made his way to her.
"Mimi. I need to tell you something."
Shaken by his wild, unchained look in his eyes, she moved back involuntarily, jerking slightly as he touched her shoulder. His hair was wild and unkempt, eyes flashing with released emotion.
"What … what is it, Matt?"
He grabbed hold of her shoulders, yanking her towards him. "I just realized something. No, don't talk; I need to tell you this. I just came to a realization." He jerked back, running his hands through his hair. It was now or never. "Mimi, it was you, it was always you … Mimi, I … I need you."
Her eyes widened in shock, and the room swayed violently, her vision blurring with tears of joy and sudden amazement. Her heart pounded violently against her chest, breath coming out in shorts gasps as the realization hit her, and she physically jerked back, slamming her waist harshly against the sharp edge of the counter.
"What?" She shook her head, trying to force the immediate reply out of her mind. "No, no, Matt, that's completely impossible. I just … It's just … oh Kami, Matt." She ran her hands through her hair, looking up at him with eyes filled with wonder, worry, and fear. "What do you want me to say to something like that?" Her hands trembled with fear and a sudden, anxious frustration that crawled from her heart to physically and visually affect her.
He leaned forward, his fingers gently brushing against her bare shoulders. "I just want you to be honest." His sudden shift in body language, the change from a wild, violent, emotional man, into a calmer, soothing, gentle person shook her to the core. He was being tender because she was afraid, and so was he. He was terrified that she would deny him, she would push back his love; tell him just the opposite of what he told her.
Her eyes looked down at the ground, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her shirt, body trembling for some strange reason. She choked back a few tears, and rubbed at her eyes. She didn't know what to do, how to react; this was the first time anyone had ever said such words with so much meaning, so much forced, with such raw emotion in their eyes, sounding like they meant it. Even though the word was 'need', instead of the real one she ached to hear, she knew that it was close enough to reality, and that he feared her reaction, he was afraid that she would recoil and hide instead of allow her own emotions to seep through.
She nearly heaved a heavy sigh, and her body relaxed just enough; it was time to let the concrete wall crack, to try and have another go, to give someone the key and let them in. Although, for the moment, he was only allowed to stay on the threshold, just barely inside her soul, but she knew that he knew it was a big step for her, just to say those words …
"Oh, Matt, I don't know … but, I … oh Kami … I need you, too."
Her voice was nothing but a quiet, soft murmur in the silence, but he heard her, and when those words hit his ears, his heart leaped with joy, and all shadows in his mind were chased away by a brilliant light, forcing them back or destroying them, creating a world so beautiful that he had never believed such a thing could exist. He knew the real meaning behind those words, knew what she meant in saying them, and accepted the key gratefully, smiling down at the woman before him.
Tilting her chin upwards, gently forcing her to face him, he lowered his lips to hers.
So, what did you guys think? I think the next chapter ought to contain a lemon, eh? Haha, well, depends on whether I feel like writing one or not, haha.
My friend Steph is funny. She smells. Like a girl.
I know that's random, but it made her smile. Haha. .
Aaaanyways, yeah, so I hope that you guys enjoyed it. I just couldn't torture Matt any longer. I felt so bad, even though he was nothing but a dirty street rat to Mimi. I suppose he deserved dealing with Aiko's stupidity.
Are you guys glad he finally came to his senses? I am, because that's the aim of my story, jeez. It isn't labeled a Mimato for nothing. Haha.
So, yeah, I really hope this turned out good; I didn't think it was that great.
So, you want a LEMON?
Well…REVIEW! Haha. I'll only make it a lemon if enough people demand for one. Haha. I think I'm kidding.
Btw, I'm sorry this was a bit late, I've been sick, and have been falling asleep EVERYwhere. It was kinda funny, actually.
Anyways, please don't forget to review. 3
Ciao