Taichi hung up with a barely audible click from the phone, and he stared at his ceiling for a moment, his brain refusing to think. He felt groggy, and rested his forehead on his knees before pulling himself up to go get a drink. If it was anybody else, Taichi would have left his apartment, turned off his phone, and slept at the nearest motel, but he already knew Yamato wouldn't come by tonight. Maybe tomorrow.

He spent the rest of the night watching old horror movies and eating chips. Yamato did not come.

…

It was as if the world was turning thick, and Taichi shifted on the couch, feeling dirty and exhausted like something had been pushing against his body the entire night. The phone rang ten times throughout the day, but he didn't pick it up, and instead took 3 showers until he decided to go visit Mimi.

She looked good, better than the other kids there. She smiled, and for the first time in the day, he smiled back.

"Rich life getting to you?"

"Of course not. I've just been busy. Actual work is harder than sex, you know."

She laughed lightly. "Spoiled brat. We still missed you though. A lot of kids came by asking for you."

"If I could be young until the day I die, I would live my life doing this, Mimi."

"This? Sex? You're barely in your 20s Tai, a bit too old for thinking about things like the rest of you're life."

He shrugged. "You're just saying that because I get the good ones. Speaking of which, got anyone for me?"

She shoved him lightly and winked. "Of course. His name is Oishi. He's cute."

Taichi saw him, thin and cocky, popping his gum. "He'll do," he whispered, and grinned.

…

When Taichi came back, Yamato was at his door, flipping through a book. Reflexively, Taichi smoothed his shirt.

"You're a bit late," Yamato remarked carelessly.

"Great. You finally mastered the art of telling time."

Yamato ignored him. "Open the door," he said with a thin edge in his voice. Taichi almost missed it.

He took out his keys and barely unlocked the door when Yamato slammed him against the wall and kissed him violently, squeezing his shoulders.

Taichi smiled and pushed back, taking off his shirt without even thinking about it. Yamato ran his hand against the new scratches on his back and Taichi hissed.

"So this is what you've been doing all night," Yamato remarked, digging deeper.

"Fucker, don't touch me."

"I thought you liked this." Yamato kissed him harder, and they stumbled to the bathroom, knocking down chairs, hitting edges, and feeling each other through the dark. "Isn't this what you want, you little bastard?"

"Shut the hell up."

"Is this what you want me to do to you? Is that it?"

Taichi refused to answer and pulled off Yamato's pants, feeling the slight bulge. He brought his head down, but Yamato stopped him, jerking his head back up.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Yamato pushed him down, his lips pulled back in a snarl.

He brought his head dangerously close, and Taichi stared straight ahead at the ceiling, feeling the sheets on his mattress. "You think I kept you around for charity?"

Yamato pulled back and grabbed his shirt, suddenly calm and loose. "Sora's still angry, so stay out of her way for a while," he said, much softer. "I suggest that you don't repeat whatever the hell you were doing today again. I don't want to tell you this again."

Taichi blinked, his throat dry and heart wild in his chest.

The door shut silently, and Taichi wondered if this was it, if after trying to delay the climax in his life, this was it and it had already passed him by so quickly. He fell asleep, suddenly tired, and tried not to wake up.

…

The next time the phone rang, it was Yamato's father asking to meet with him. Taichi tried to ignored the disturbing feeling in his stomach, but couldn't, and when he arrived in the agreed place, it was as if he couldn't breath.

"Mr. Yagami?"

"Yes. Hello Mr. Ishida."

"I understand that you're to be marrying my son."

"I-"

"I have within my possessions half a million dollars. I want you to stay away from Yamato; he seems to be going through a phase right now."

Taichi stared at the money, knowing he should take it, knowing it was the same as all the others. This was what he had been doing his entire life. The envelope was thin and slim, sitting unobtrusively on the table.

"Thank you," he finally replied and made to reach for it when a hand grabbed his wrists and dragged him out of his chair.

"Father," Yamato said, and bowed, his grip tightening each second.

"Yamato, I was just talking to your little friend here. He seems like a reasonable young man, so please release his hand."

"I'm sorry, but that's impossible. We have to leave."

Taichi could barely feel his arm anymore and stumbled out of the store after Yamato.

He turned back, a barely noticeable red tint to his cheeks, but Taichi could tell for certain he was furious; he could feel it trembling beneath his skin. When he spoke, however, the words came out cool and even, and Taichi could barely comprehend that it was Yamato who was talking, not some stranger. "It's not a wise idea to hang around old men who's willing to offer you half a million dollars to do something," he said, a crooked smile forming on his face. "You never know what they want. Go home, and I'll see you later."

There was a slight tickle in Taichi's throat before he started to laugh uncontrollably, his stomach aching and legs feeling weak and childish.

"Yamato," Taichi said, and smiled. He already felt like a wife, the feeling pressing down on him ten folds than before, and he had to keep his lips wide and grinning before he did something he might regret. "Wash your shirt. You have lipstick all over it," he said, and walked away.

Yamato looked down, and it was true. He could have said it was Sora, it was his mother, but Taichi would have known the truth anyways.

A girl came up to him and kissed his lips. "Who was that?"

Yamato pushed her away, disgusted. "Don't touch me," he said. He had barely thought about it before with Sora, but there was something in the way Taichi had pointed out his hypocrisy that made him feel slightly uneven and unreasonable.

"Yamato-"

"I don't think we should see each other again," he told her curtly. It was like finishing a chapter.