"I would totally hold your hand all the time if I was your Valentine." It took Tai maybe a few seconds longer than everybody else to realise that he had said that out loud, and that he was staring rather conspicuously at his favourite blonde flavoured companion.

"Huh?" Matt asked, his cheeks turning pink.

Figuring that showing embarrassment would just make him look silly or insecure in front of his friends, Tai followed up his musing with a hopefully indifferent, "I'm just saying. I would."

"Uh. Thanks," Matt said. He looked like he was trying hard not to smile. "That's nice of you."

Tai grinned inwardly at Matt's response, and his insides scrunched into a sickly, romantically charged internal cuddle. Maybe it was just his hormones, or maybe it was because there was love in the air, or something, or maybe it was because Matt looked even hotter today than he usually did; but boy, if he could, Tai would just eat that boy's whole face up right then and there.

"Is that okay, Tai?" Sora asked.

"Sure." Tai nodded enthusiastically, not really sure what he was agreeing to. Maybe Matt would know.

"Well," the blonde in question started as he got up and stretched, "if that's everything, then I'm gonna go home now."

Tai jumped to his feet. "Wait up, I'll come with you."

"Sure. Whatever."

"Don't forget about it guys!" Sora shouted after them. "Especially you, Tai."

"I would be surprised if he was even listening, considering..." Joe said, sparking curious faces all around.

-x-x-x-

"So what aren't we supposed to forget?" Tai asked, while he draped an arm around his taller friend and pulled him down a little.

Matt struggled to escape from the boisterous boy's grip. "Weren't you listening?"

"No," Tai admitted, shamelessly. "I figured you would just tell me afterwards."

"Well. I don't actually, uh...know, either," he admitted. He looked a little guilty. "I wasn't paying much attention."

"How come? Something on your mind?"

Matt managed to pull himself away. "No."

Tai gave a playful shove. "Then you have no excuse for not paying attention."

"Oh yeah, Mr Hypocrite?" Matt said, rubbing his arm. "So how come you weren't listening?"

"I was busy thinking."

Matt laughed. "Are you trying to tell me you actually had a thought about something more significant than your next meal?"

"Hey. I have significant thoughts all the time!"

Matt waited for a moment. "Are they often about Valentine's day? Or is that just today?"

Tai grinned sheepishly. "Just today. Mostly."

They continued for a while without talking. The sun was descending, painting the sky shades of orange and pink as it did. Tai noticed that Matt's face looked particularly lively in that colourful light. He decided that he should bring his friend out at sunset more often.

"Thanks again, by the way," Matt said.

"For what?"

"For saying that you'd hold my hand." He laughed nervously. "I'd hold yours too. If I was your Valentine, I mean."

"Right," Tai said. They fell silent again, and Tai pretended to focus on the traffic that was buzzing consistently around them, unsure of what was going on. Was Matt giving him – what was the word – signals? Or was he just crazy? "You know, if I was your Valentine...I'd take you out on a date."

Matt smirked. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." Tai puffed up his chest.

"Well..." Matt replied, joining in on the fun. "I'd let you take me out on a date, if I was your Valentine."

Tai paused where he stood.

Matt looked taken aback. "What's up?"

"Nothing. Just, uh." He laughed awkwardly. "You wanna go halves on a desert with me?"

"Now?"

"Yeah, there's a diner across the street. We could probably get some ice cream to share, if you wanted." He swallowed. "What do ya say?"

-x-x-x-

"You know. If I was your Valentine..." Tai winked, speaking through a mouthful of ice cream. "I'd tell you how pretty you were."

Matt laughed nervously. He was doing that a lot this evening, Tai thought. "I'd tell you the same thing, if I was your Valentine," the blonde answered. "and I'd say you have nice, uh, eyes, or something."

Tai immediately dropped eye contact and looked into his lap. "You know..." he continued, testing the water further. "If I was your Valentine, I'd walk you back to your place after our date."

Matt hesitated for a moment. "If I was your Valentine I'd invite you in for coffee."

"Huh," Tai said, looking down at the bowl of ice cream that they were sharing. There was still half of it left. "You done with the ice cre-?"

"Yeah let's go," Matt interjected. He dropped some money on the table and scurried after the hurriedly retreating Tai.

-x-x-x-

"If I was your Valentine..." Tai ventured, stirring his coffee with a single, tan finger. "...I'd watch a movie with you after we'd finished our coffee."

"Hm..." Matt nodded his head thoughtfully, quietly tapping his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "I guess, if I was your Valentine, I'd do something corny like put my arm around you during, like they do on T.V. Or whatever."

Tai smiled and drank some more of his coffee. It didn't taste very good. Hang on. Did he even like coffee? And wait. Did Matt even like coffee, for that matter?

"...on a totally unrelated note," Matt chipped in, offering hesitant eye contact. "Do you wanna watch a movie?"

-x-x-x-

"This sucks," Tai said, turning to look at the blonde.

Matt looked away as if he had been caught staring, and then quickly looked back as if he kind of wanted to be caught staring.

Tai tried not to laugh.

"Just watch it. It might get better."

Tai turned and looked back at the screen. He had no idea what was going on. Was she in love with that guy? But why was he – wait, was that a gun in his pocket or was he just happy to see her? Tai put a hand in his own pocket. Was there a gun in there, too? Or was he just happy to be next to Matt?

And was Matt happy to be next to him?

"You're right. This does suck," Matt conceded, draping an arm over Tai's shoulders all of a sudden.

Tai stiffened, nervous, and turned to face the pair of interested, blue eyes that were already looking him over. Tai's lips trembled as he opened them. "If I was your Valentine..."

"I would kiss you," Matt finished, swallowing dryly and moving his mouth towards Tai's. With the arm that was already draped around his shoulders, he pulled the goggle head in closer and sloppily pressed their lips together.

Tai opened his mouth. Something warm entered it, and rubbed against his tongue, while hands explored the rest of his body, energetically. The brunet swiveled his hips and climbed up onto the couch, and on top of Matt. Tai ran his hands down Matt's chest and, excitedly, over his -

"T-Tai," Matt stuttered, through a lustful breath, "if I was your Valentine..."

-x-x-x-

"I don't know why he's late." Kari shrugged in light of the heated interrogation, raising a hand to block her eyes from the midday sunlight. "But Mom told me he stayed with Matt last night. Have you tried calling there?"

Sora crossed her arms. "Yes, but Matt won't pick up. It's not like him...I wonder what they're up to."

"They probably just slept in."

"Or maybe they forgot about the meeting."

They remained quiet for a moment, until T.K. nervously spoke up. "You don't think Joe might have been right, yesterday, when he said...?"

-x-x-x-

"Hey, Matt." Tai beamed, dancing an arm around his dozing friend and pulling him closer. "Can you make me breakfast?"

Matt blearily mumbled something that sounded like "Go back to sleep".

"But I'm hungry..." Tai moped, putting on his most vulnerable voice.

The pale boy gave a frustrated sigh, but Tai could see a small smile appearing on his face. "If I make you breakfast this time, then you have to promise to make me breakfast next time. Ok?"

Next time. Tai's features lit up, and a daring thought came to mind. "You know. If I was your boyfriend..."

-x-x-x-

I've never written a Valentine's fic before. And since I've been such a terrible ficcer lately it seemed like I really should upload something sometime soon...so I guess I've killed two birds with one stone by doing this. Anyway, I hope you liked it. And I hope you're all feeling the love. :D