Season: Adventure (01)
Characters: Matt, Tai (non-yaoi)
Tai could visibly see the anger flashing up in Matt's clear blue eyes.
"Yagami." Threat lay in his voice. "I said I don't want a birthday party!"
He spoke slowly, emphasizing his words to make sure Tai understood each of them right – which was not even necessary as his glare spoke volumes.
Tai shrugged, unimpressed.
"I honestly don't care, Ishida," he stated calmly. "I've had that discussion with you every year now – I will not let you do without a birthday party, end of story!" He set off, leaving Matt standing there and heading for school.
He could hear a few swear words, the mildest one of them being "idiot", followed by a couple of angry footsteps.
"Tai, listen," Matt spoke up, but Tai was too tired to hold himself back any longer.
"No, you listen, Ishida!" he cut him short, whirling around and tapping his index finger directly at Matt's chest. "I know exactly what's going on inside you! You're just scared that people dislike you and nobody will come to your birthday party! You're freaked out by the thought of ending up all alone because nobody cares enough about you to come to your party. But that's just crap, and you know it! You've got friends who'd walk thousands of miles just to be there when you need them, and in the past years, all eight of us always came to your birthday party. So spare me those crackbrained trust issues of yours and just let me organize that party!"
A moment of silence hung between them as Matt stared at him blankly. It took him two seconds before he finally gathered himself enough to respond.
"Tai?"
Tai braced himself. Though Matt's voice was completely free of anger, he knew the blow would come.
Even if so… Tai knitted his eyebrows in determination. You can beat me to death – I still won't go back on what I just said.
Tai carefully shifted his weight, staring concentratedly at Matt's fist. Even if he was ready to take the blow if it had to be done, he would try and avoid it. He watched closely as the hand started to move – fingers still being unclenched, only a small rotation of the full body till Matt's front faced Tai.
Now Matt was in position. Tai took a deep breath.
Matt started to call him names irately – something like "Thank you" or so as far as he understood – but Tai was bent on not dropping his guard just because...
Eh… Wait. Thank you?
Tai looked up. There was a hint of surprise in Matt's eyes, along with a great load of worry. And Tai realized that Matt was waiting for some kind of reaction from him.
He was not sure he could give it.
"Um… What?" Tai cursed himself the second the word had left his lips. 'what'? Like a boy like Matt finally mustering up the strength to say 'thank you' would need a 'what'.
"Thank you." Matt's voice seemed to be even thinner than before, but was audible. "I said thank you."
Tai tilted his head, blinking in disbelief. Was Matt trying to make him feel secure?
"Why would you?"
Matt looked up, and a faint chuckle escaped his lips.
"Because… Well… because of exactly these things." He averted his eyes, a blush sprawling over his cheeks. "You never turned your back on me, no matter what an idiot I was. And you teared me out of my loneliness, even though everytime you tried I would smack you. You didn't bother." His voice was emotionless by now. "You just kept holding onto me and supported me."
"Matt." Tai was not sure he could put as much softness into his words as he was currently feeling. "That's what friends are there for."
Matt rigorously shook his head.
"Not like this. I mean… When we first got to know each other, I did nothing but insulting you, and even hitting you, and…"
"Matt!" Tai placed a hand on Matt's arm, winking mischievously. "You know I often enough returned the favour."
Matt smiled, a small, insecure smile, but the most candid one he had ever shown.
"It's not just that," he said lowly. "I did really a lot of mean things to you. But you stayed. You tried to help me, and I just turned you away – more, way more than just one time. But you stayed. You noticed how everyone gave you queer looks because they were – maybe still are – thinking of me as a weird oddball, and wondered why someone as popular as you would hang out with something like me. But you stayed. I wouldn't drop a single layer of my guard, kept acting cool and reserved for months. I still do that sometimes today, I seriously don't need to tell you that. But you stayed."
He stood bolt upright suddenly, and tears were veiling his eyes. His upper body fell forward in a rush, pausing in a deep bow.
"Thank you, Taichi! I've been wanting to tell you this for all the years already, but I never knew how to. I don't even know now. So… just thank you!"
Tai put on a concerned face, hesitantly tipping on Matt's back and indicating him to stand straight again.
"You know, Ishida…" he said slowly. "You're really not good with that emotional stuff. Just stay with the smacking me and calling me idiot. You'll scare me to death with that sudden friendly attitude otherwise."
A scowl clouded Matt's features, and a second later Tai cried out in pain.
"That was a severe one," he muttered, rubbing his wounded arm. "Should have stayed with the friendly Matt, I guess."
Matt turned his back on him, starting out on the road.
"You deserved that one. Making fun of me when I open my heart to you… I."
Tai chuckled, hurrying to catch up with him and joining him on their way to school.
"You know, Matt – you still have a lot of things to learn." He grabbed his arm, forcing him to halt. "Like that you're my best friend, and no matter what happens or happened, I'd give the world for you at any time. And as for all that you being mean to me and me staying… Yeah, never realized it like that, but I guess you're right." He showed him a genuine smile. "But maybe I stayed because I knew you'd always have my back when I needed you. Despite your gruffy acting and quick temper. You have been through rough times and still always stood up for your friends. You wouldn't trust anybody, but give your life for them without a second thought, anyway."
Matt pulled a face.
"Sounds pretty silly, doesn't it?" he remarked dryly, a slight smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. Tai grinned.
"Yeah, probably. It's still what everyone loves about you though," he said warmly.
Matt fixed his eyes on the ground, swallowing.
"You know, Yagami…" It was obvious he was struggling to speak.
"Yeah?"
"Couldn't you simply say 'you're welcome' or anything like that?" Matt asked, annoyance creasing his forehead. "You're not good with that emotional stuff. Your understanding, sensitive attitude scares me."
He cried out in pain when the not too surprising blow hit his arm, before his tears were driven away by a freed, unfamiliarly happy laughter.