Chapter Eight: Out In the Open

Matt's was riding in T.K.'s car when the first difficult conversation arose.

"You know, maybe I should go back home." It had been decided that Matt would stay with T.K. and Kari while waiting for the wedding.

T.K. stiffened just the slightest bit, but couldn't tell whether or not his brother noticed. "Why? I thought you wanted to stay with us?"

"Yeah. I do. It'll be nice to see everyone again, but I'm worried about Sora."

"What's to worry about?" T.K.'s voice was a bit shaky. Get ahold of yourself. He commanded silently. Matt has absolutely no reason to be suspicious... yet.

Matt gave him a strange look. "I haven't talked to her in a week or so and Sora doesn't do so well alone."

T.K. glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and decided that now was as good as any a time to tell him. "Actually, Matt, Sora came down early so she could help out. She's making Kari's wedding dress." The last part was a bit cheerful, but Matt didn't pick up on it and switch focus.

"Really? Is she staying with you guys too?"

This time his brother's pause wasn't lost on Matt. "Uh... no."

Matt's eyes clouded just a bit. Or had T.K. imagined that? He hoped so. "You two didn't make her get a hotel, did you?"

"No." But soon you might wish we had...

"Okay, so where is she?"

"... She's staying with Tai."

"Oh."

The worry within him grew. There didn't seem to be anything dark about Matt's 'oh', but he'd already said so himself that Sora didn't do well alone.

A small smile seemed to play on his brother's lips. "That's cool." he said finally. "It'll be good to see them. I can't remember the last time I talked to Tai. How are he and Tia?"

"Good I guess."

The car pulled into the driveway of T.K. and Kari's home. "Don't mind the mess." he said. "We've been pretty busy."

Matt laughed as he got his belongings out of the back. "Trust me, no mess you've made can compare to what I've made. You saw how Dad and I lived."

Once the door was opened Matt gaped. He almost wished T.K. had exaggerated. His neat-freak brother lived here? It wasn't possible! He must've gone insane.

They'd barely been able to open the front door, and every available surface was piled with... stuff. He couldn't say junk because, scary enough, it all looked useful to the wedding in some way, but... just... wow.

T.K. saw the look on Matt's face and grinned sheepishly. "You can put your things anywhere just... beware. Put it in the wrong place and you may never find it again."

"Oh, come on." came a voice from the door way. "It's not that bad."

"Yeah," Matt told Kari. "It really is."

"Be grateful." came a second voice. "The two of us just spent over an hour making sure your room was as clean as possible."

"Hi Yolei." His tone wasn't exactly enthusiastic to see her and he stage whispered to T.K., "She's not staying here too, is she?"

"Hey! I heard that! One more word and you're sleeping on the couch."

"What couch?"

Kari laughed. Matt and Yolei had never been the best of friends or anything, and their personalities tended to clash now and then, but they were joking now.

The laughter seemed to break any tension caused by their mock fight and Matt followed the girls to the back of the house where the spare bedroom was. "So Yolei," Matt joked, "how many kids have you had since I've been gone?"

"Please," Ken stuck his head out the kitchen doorway "don't give her anymore ideas."

Baby Hotaru was in Ken's arms.

Yolei stopped. "Where are the kids?" The look on her face clearly said, I told you to keep them in the kitchen with you!

Ken sighed. "Probably in Matt's room."

As Kari led him on Matt could just hear them start. "I told you to watch them!"

"I tried. Do you know how hard it is to do a million things at once?"

"Better than you do. There's only three of them and Hotaru can't even walk yet!"

"Whoever put the word only in front of three when you're talking about children?"

And then it ether petered out or they could no longer hear them through the walls.

"Lucky for Yolei that Ken's so patient." Said Matt.

"No kidding."

As they came closer to the guest room they could hear a new argument. "Etsuko! That was mine!"

"You weren't using it!"

Kari smiled slightly. Etsuko always seemed shy... until you put him and the same room as his sister.

...

Sora woke up to the sunlight shining through her window. The shades really didn't help at all.

She sighed and began to get ready for the day.

At breakfast she and Tai even managed to have a civil conversation. It was as if nothing had really happened over the past few days.

"Yolei and Ken came down with their herd."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Kari seems grateful, but it's driving T.K. crazy having Yolei around all the time."

Sora snickered. "I bet he's not the only one." she said, thinking of Ken.

Tia seemed pleased with the direction the was going. Neither adult noticed her smiles.

Tai didn't tell Sora that Matt's plane had landed. He hadn't been told himself.

When everything was getting put away Tai suggested that he move the box out of her closet and into his.

Sora looked away as her cheeks lit up. She truly hadn't done any more prying, but she couldn't blame Tai for wanting to prevent it.

As they walked down the hallway and he bumped into her... was that accidental?

Stop thinking so much into every little thing! Sora tried to clear her mind.

Tai picked the box up out of the closet and noticed her watching him. "Does it really take two people to move one box?" He joked.

"Well, this is my room." she shot back.

"Technically, it's mine." he retorted. Except... in a nice way. Tai had put down the box, clearly expecting a longer conversation than just exchanging a few words.

"Does that make it ours?"

They both reddened a bit and Sora couldn't seem to tear her eyes away from him. But at the same time it was okay, because Tai didn't seem able to tear his eyes away from her.

Did Tai have to be so... Tai? It was driving her crazy, but in a good way.

Oh, screw it all. She decided. After all, who would know?

Sora let all thoughts leave her mind. She walked up to him, closer than they'd gotten since their reunion. Before Tai had any time to protest, she kissed him.

And all protests fled Tai's mind as soon as her lips connected with his.

It was quick, and they broke apart smiling... but then they saw Matt standing in the doorway.

"What the hell is this?"

Review Please! Sorry, it's been so long since I've updated. The story is finally heating up! :)

I don't own Digimon.