Boys Of Summer Chapter 5 PART TWO

[even_gods_dream]

Disclaimer: No digimon ownings for me.
Title: Boys Of Summer
Series: Adventure/02 characters.
Rating: PG13 for now.
Pairing: Taito
Genre: Romance, Drama.
Chapters (5/?)
Dedication: It's sort of an anti-dedication if that makes any sense. To my ex-girlfriend and anyone else who's been standing in my way. Screw you basically.
Summary: [AU] Matt has been unwillingly shipped off to Summer Camp after his father decided to go away for the summer. Tai has willingly spent his last few summers there and this year takes a liking to his blonde roommate.
NOTES: Firstly, sorry this has taken so long to get up, it's actually been up on ff.net for a while now, I've just had problems uploading it here. Secondly, apparantly I went a bit too crazy this time and it won't all fit in one entry, so this is just part two. Part one's in the previous entry, in case you hadn't noticed ;]

“See Ken, what did I tell you?” Davis whispered, amusement evident in his quiet tone.

“They look so peaceful, sort of hate to disturb them,” Ken muttered.

The two sixteen year olds were stood in the middle of a dark forest, overlooking two of their older friends huddled in a lump at the bottom of a tree.

“Yep, well,” Davis snorted before giving Tai a passably light kick to the shin.

“Ow, what the-“ Tai yelped, suddenly alert.

“Mornin’ sunshine,” Davis smirked, flashing his light in Tai’s face.

Blinking and raising his elbow toward the light, Tai stood up and helped Matt up with him.

“Woah, what’s going on?” Matt asked, completely dazed.

“Yeah, what are you guys doing here?”

“Saving your asses by the looks of things. Why are you sleeping up here without any blankets or anything?”

“Tai got us lost,” Matt grunted.

“Oh did he now?” Davis scoffed, “Hah, I knew it. And you were looking for that view, right?”

Tai nodded.

“Wonderful. You realise it’s just over that ridge, yeah?”

Tai let out a half-laugh, half-groan, mentally kicking himself.

“Tai, you’re an idiot,” Matt grumbled, then turned and followed Davis and Ken through some trees and over a ridge.

“Oh my god,” Ken and Matt mouthed simultaneously as the four boys pushed past several trees that opened onto what Tai and Davis called the view.

Although it was fairly difficult to make out in the dark, they were looking down on what seemed to be a small and very lush valley. On the opposite bank, a waterfall cascaded down into a river that ran through the centre of the valley. The light from the moon and the stars reflected off the water magically.

“Guys, look.” Davis pointed at the opposite bank. “I think the sun’s about to rise,”

Sure enough the first cracks of light were evident over the ridge.

“Guess we’d better be heading back to camp then,” Matt sighed.

“No way, let’s watch the sunrise!” Tai decided, sitting down next to Matt and tugging him down alongside him.

“Let’s!” Davis and Ken followed suit, sitting down next to the other two.

The four boys watched in silence as the sun gradually rose, casting soft morning rays over the valley, revealing all of the colour, the lush green shrubbery, the brightness of the flowers. The waterfall was a beautiful clear blue colour (Tai couldn’t help but compare it to the blue of Matt’s eyes) and it cast sparkling white foam as it crashed into the water. Matt was sure that at one point he saw a family of deer moving between the bushes.

By the time the sun was half visible, they decided they’d better head back to camp before they were missed. They got back just on time, as everyone else was just waking up ready for breakfast. They had a busy day ahead of them between a ball games session, survival shelter building and fishing.

After an evening of fairly unsuccessful fishing, they headed back to camp for tea and were told they’d be able to separate into groups later for campfire cooking. Upon hearing the news, Tai and Davis started rambling about s’mores, until discovering Matt didn’t even know what they were.

“Serious? You’ve never had s’mores before? Oh, dude, you just haven’t lived! Tell him Tai!”

“Like having an orgasm in your mouth,” Tai nodded around his toast.

“That good huh?” Matt smirked, “So what’s in them?”

“Biscuits, marshmallow and chocolate. Layered and melted up,”

“Doesn’t sound that amazing,”

“Nope but just wait until you try one,”

“Especially if you add peanut butter,” Tai grinned, receiving rolled eyes from Mimi and Izzy.

“Seriously? Peanut butter? Tai that sounds gross!” Matt shook his head, mouth open in disgust.

“Don’t knock it ‘til you try it,”

Rolling his eyes, Matt took one last bite of his dinner. Roll on s’mores.

-x-

“Okay, okay, I admit it,” Matt moaned through a mouthful of s’more, “Absolutely beautiful,”

Matt, Tai and their friends were sat in a circle around a campfire, and Matt had just tried his first s’more.

“See, what did I tell you? Now try one with a little peanut butter,” Tai grinned.

His comment was ignored however, as Matt’s ringtone went off.

Tai reached for the ringing phone, glancing at it before passing it to Matt.

“It’s your Dad,” he said as Matt took it from him.

“Oh. Great,” Matt groaned before he answered, swallowing his last mouthful of s’more, “Hi dad. What’d ya want?”

Tai watched as Matt turned his head away slightly, spacing himself from the noise of the group.

“Well I’m with a few friends dad but it doesn’t matter,” He said down the phone, glancing at Tai and rolling his eyes, “Well it’s not like they can hear anyway,”

Not taking his eyes off Matt, Tai noticed as after a brief silence in which he presumed Hero Ishida was speaking, Matt’s crystalline eyes went wide with shock just before his mouth dropped open and he seemed to be struggling for words. Eventually he managed to make his mouth work.

“You’re fucking kidding me,” He all but yelled, getting up and storming off as he proceeded to shout at his father.

“Ah, happy families,” Davis muttered, having been listening in as well.

“Think he’s alright? What’s going on?” Ken asked.

“Your guess is as good as mine kid,” Tai sighed, still staring in the direction Matt had stormed off in.

It wasn’t long before the blonde stalked back again, now off the phone.

“You alright Matt? Your dad and everyone okay?” Tai asked, genuinely concerned.

“Yeah, great, he’s just fucking great,” Matt spat.

The others looked up at him silently, all unsure whether or not to ask what had happened.

Matt sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Look guys, I sorta want to be alone right now. I’m going to bed,” he said before stalking back to his tent.

Tai was about to go after him when Mimi grabbed his arm.

“He said he wanted to be alone, and I think he meant it Tai,”

“But-“

“You don’t have to go. It’s not like he’s like your boyfriend or anything.” Mimi guided Tai back to his seat, her words stinging him more than she’d intended. “I’m sure he’ll be just fine.”

Tai sighed but willingly sat down.

“Yeah as much as he’d like him to be,” Davis not so quietly smirked at Ken.

“Oh my god! Just leave it out Davis!” Tai snapped.

“Sorry,” Davis said, hanging his head.

“No, what does he mean?” Yolei pressed, but was silenced with a glare from Tai.

The group fell into silence as they watched Tai sigh and eventually as he began to speak again.

“Look guys,” he sighed, “I mean- oh, look, do you think it’s possible to be in love with more than one person at once?”

“Woah there, what?” Davis stared, “Tai I know you’re crushing on the boy but LOVE?!”

“Hang on, I think this is something we need to talk about in private,” Mimi decided, standing up and pulling Tai with her. “Davis? Izzy?” She signalled for the other two to follow them back into her tent, away from the prying ears and foolish tongues of everyone else.

Once they were all comfortably sat on the floor of her and Yolei’s section, Davis prompted Tai to start again.

“Oh guys I don’t know,” he sighed, pulling at his hair, “It’s not like I’m saying I am in love with him. It just, feels like I’m on my way, y’know? Like I’m falling in love,”

“Yeah, but Tai, what about Paul?”

“Exactly! I don’t even know! Things are just weird. He’s being all… flat and stuff on the phone, like he’s not even bothered. And I’m not missing him half as much as I should be! I love him, yeah, and I want to be with him, I don’t want to lose him ever, and god knows I really don’t want to betray his trust and cheat on him or anything, just, God, I can’t help how I feel about Matt! And it’s pretty stupid isn’t it? I mean I’ve barely known him two weeks, how is that even possible? Is it even possible to be in love with two people at once? It’s just, so much more than a crush,”

“To be fair, Tai, I don’t think how long you’ve known each other even matters half the time when it comes to love, especially when you’ve been with each other practically all day every day. It’s different then,” Mimi explained with a reassuring nod from Izzy.

“And as for two individuals at once? I’d say that it’s perfectly possible taking into account you claim you’re only in the process of falling for Matt,” Izzy pointed out.

“Yeah. I just feel so confused,” Tai scowled.

“You don’t need to. You seem to have made your decision already: Paul. As much as I hate to say it, don’t go throwing away nine months of hard work for someone you’ve only just met and lives in a completely different state to you when you don’t even know if he feels the same. It’s just not worth it.” Mimi rubbed Tai’s arm gently.

“I know. It’s that simple. I know. It just doesn’t feel it when my mind’s tangled up in Matt,”

“Is it easier if one of us switches tents with you?” Davis suggested.

“No, that’d just be worse,”

“You sure?”

Tai nodded.

“Good. So are we done with your problem? Personally I just want to get back to my s’mores,” Davis grinned self-centredly. Tai was just glad to have talked the Matt problem out and push it aside.

-x-

Roughly an hour later, everyone was headed back to their tents for the night. Ever so cautiously, Tai made his way into his and Matt’s with the intention of talking to Matt to make sure he was okay before they fell asleep. However, Matt, it would seem, had other intentions.

“Matt?” Tai whispered as he crawled past the boy who was all swaddled up in his sleeping bag. He fumbled for the torch and switched it on.

“Matt!” He said slightly louder. “Guess you’re asleep then,” Tai frowned when he received no answer. He quickly scrambled around, pulling on his pyjamas and getting into his own sleeping bag before lying down next to Matt. He watched as his friend deeply breathed in and out, a look of deep discontent contorting his features even as he slept. His friends’ words ran over in his mind as he gradually fell asleep facing the beautiful blonde boy.

-x-

The next morning Matt refused to get up with the others and stayed in the tent most of the morning whilst the rest of the Blue Group were participating in Eco Studies. At lunchtime he eventually emerged from the tent in as foul of a mood as he’d gone to bed in. Tai spent most of the afternoon watching Matt storm around, huffing at everything that got in his way and snapping at the people who huffed back.

It was only that evening, when the group leaders took them bat watching in a forest clearing, did Matt seem to calm down and draw closer to his friends. Tai blamed it on being in the forest again, but he wasn’t complaining when Matt shuffled closer to him on the walk to the clearing, saying he was just a bit cold. Neither did he complain when Matt sat next to him during the bat watching and edged ever closer, fingers brushing against fingers. On the brief walk back to the campsite, their fingers were laced, though Matt was still saying very little.

“Right so what do you lot wanna do now?” Davis asked the others once they were back at the campsite.

“Dunno man,” shrugged Tai.

“Hey, Iz, you still got battery on your laptop?”

“Yes,”
“Movie then guys?” Ken suggested.

“I’m down with that,” Davis agreed.

“What about you Matt?” Tai questioned.

“I’d rather pass on this one. I’m going back to the tent sorry guys. You can stay, Tai,”

“Nah, I’ll join you in a minute, okay?”

The brunette gave the blonde’s hand a light squeeze before letting go and watching him walk away.

“So what the hell was just going on with you two?” Davis asked the minute Matt was out of earshot.

“What do you mean?”

“Well one minute he’s storming around not talking to anyone and the next minute you two are being all close and holding hands. I thought we’d decided you were staying with Paul, much to our displeasure.” The latter earned Davis a nudge to the ribs from Mimi.

“Oh, I know. It was just one of those things that just happened. I think he needed the comfort,”

“Oh really?”

“Yeah, now I’m going to bed. I’ve had enough of your questioning. See you in the morning,”

“Night. Make sure you don’t take that comforting Matt too far tonight,”

Not even turning around to face his friends, Tai flipped his middle finger at Davis before reaching the tent and clambering in.

“You alright Matt?” He asked the blonde - who was sitting up in his sleeping bag staring at his phone - as soon as he entered the torch-lit tent.

“Yeah, my phone battery’s about to die so I’m sending Tom one last text.”

“Righto. So what was up with you last night?” Tai took the straight to the point approach as he squeezed in next to Matt, pulling his own sleeping bag over his knees.

“Erh, long story,” Matt muttered as he finished off his text and hit send.

“Matty? Look around you, we’ve got all the time in the world,” Tai grinned, leaning back with his arms folded behind his head to emphasise his point.

“Do you really want to know?”

“Would I ask otherwise?”

“Meh. Basically my dad is going to propose to his girlfriend. He was calling last night to get my blessing but he’s going ahead with it whether he gets it or not,”

“And I’m guessing from your attitude, he’s not getting it?”

“No, no way. He spends too much time and money on her already, and she’s a total bitch, completely fake, totally out for herself,”

“And you’re jealous?”

“No!” Matt protested. “Well, a bit, but…”

“You’re entitled to, right?”

“I guess. They’re just not right for each other. Like, she makes him happy - for now - but they’re just not right for each other. She’s just not good for him and he can’t see that even though everyone else can. Just- Jesus!” Matt ground his teeth, anger from the previous night flashing back.

“Hey now, come on, calm down.” Tai sat up and scooted closer to Matt, raising a comforting hand to his back. Matt turned into the touch, resting shoulder on shoulder. When he spoke again, his voice was cracked, no matter how he tried to cover it.

“Just… I know he’ll have even less time for me if she says yes. Which she will ‘cause it means more fame and access to his money. I just miss him. I miss my friends and I miss my dog and I miss my car and… everything.”

“Well there’s not long left now. By the end of this week we’ll be halfway through,”

“That’s not the point though. I don’t want to go home if things are like that, besides-“ Matt lowered his voice as he admitted- “It’s not this place. I don’t mind it,”

“Woah, what was that?” Tai smirked, teasing his friend, “Is Matty actually enjoying Summer Camp?”

Hey, I never said that!” A smile spread across Matt’s face, “I can’t help if the company isn’t all the bad though, hm?”

“Of course. Hell, I don’t blame you. I am pretty darn amazing.” Tai puffed out his chest.

“Oh totally,” Matt giggled, a rare sight indeed. So rare, in fact, that he clamped a hand over his mouth, ashamed of how girly it had made him sound.

“Alright there Matt-ilda?” Tai laughed.

“Shut up,”

“No, seriously, you okay now?” Tai’s tone doubled back to concerned as he bent his head to look the blond boy directly in the eye.

“I guess,”

“Look, right, you can’t change what’s happened or what’s going to happen. You just have to find what positive there is in it and move on like it doesn’t matter, even if it sucks right now. And you need to be there for your father, in case it does go wrong, and really, he should know you’re there for him.” Matt listened intently as Tai imparted his rather rare words of wisdom.

“You think?”

“Definitely.”

Matt thought about it silently for a few moments before turning further into his friend.

“Thanks Tai,” he murmured.

“No problem. You good now?”

“Yeah. We can go catch that movie with the others now if you want,”

“Nah, it’s alright,” Tai forced a yawn, “I’d rather just chill here tonight.” He hunted around his sleeping bag for his pyjamas, delving inside it to change. Matt did the same and in no less than five minutes later they were each wrapped in their separate sleeping bags, gazing up at the ceiling of the tent.

“So you have a dog huh? And your own car?” Tai inquired, turning to face Matt again.

“Mhmm. Bruiser’s my dog. Lame, I know, but he has a mark on his back that looks like a big bruise and hell you don’t want to play fight with him. He’s a Staffordshire bull terrier. And yeah, my car’s named Jessika. She’s great,”

“Nice, what colour?”

“Purple and black. I’m not very into cars so I know nothing about the make, but she’s a sexy convertible and she gets me from A to B so I love her.”

“Sounds cool,”

“God I miss them,”

“Who’s looking after them at the moment?” Tai’s eyes ran over every inch of Matt’s face.

“One of the boys back home is looking after Bruiser and Jessika’s safely locked in the garage until I get back. It’s just… hard y’know? I’m used to Bruiser being around all the time, he comes everywhere with me, and Tom and the others are always around. It’s so… odd not being with them.”

“Yeah, it’s gotta be hard,” Tai murmured, eyes set on Matt’s plush lips as one moved against the other as he spoke. He couldn’t help thinking back to their dare kiss, causing the heat to rise at the base of his neck and butterflies to tingle in his chest.

“You know what I mean though. It’s got to be the same with Paul, right? Or worse.” Matt bit his lip as he realised his tone was more hurt and envious than intended.

Tai cringed and drew back from Matt an inch or two. He hated how easily he forgot Paul when he was near Matt. He coughed, suddenly feeling trapped and irritated with himself.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have reminded you. It’s got to hurt.”

“No, no,” Tai bit his tongue. Hard. “Truth is” -his voice was cracked to a whisper- “It doesn’t hurt half as much as it should,”

“How do you mean?”

“You know what? I don’t know. Let’s just get a good night’s sleep, hm?”

“Yeah, alright, night Tai.” Matt turned off the torch.

“Sweet dreams Yamato,”

-x-

The next morning, Matt woke up early and headed straight to the shower block. He was surprised to see Ken in there also. They said their good mornings, each had a quick shower, then joined again in the mirror.

“Woke up early too, huh?” Matt attempted small talk.

“Yeah, Davis was talking utter crap in his sleep, it’s hard to sleep through,”

“God, I bet. Y’know, some nights, Tai snores so loud it’s surprising I get any sleep at all,” the blonde laughed.

“Sounds about right,” Ken smirked as he and Matt finished using the mirrors and wandering into the picnic area, both up so early they were still alone. “Do you get the kicks in the shin too?”

“Yeah man! What’s up with that?”

“My theory? Playing soccer in their sleep,”

“Ahh…” Matt contemplated, then let out a small laugh, “Would ya listen to us? We sound like their girlfriends or something!”

“Hah, we so do,” Ken snorted, “Not that I’d mind of course…”

“What?”

“Nothing!”

“Oh, you like Davis, don’t you?!” Matt laughed, “How did I not see that one coming?”

“Maybe ‘cause you were caught up in a crush of your own,” Ken winked.

“What now?”

“Come on, you’re so into Tai. Don’t deny it,”

“Well maybe a little…”

“See-“

“Actually, no, shut up. You can’t say anything to anyone. I’m not gay and Tai has a boyfriend. Let’s- let’s get breakfast,” Matt rambled, flustered, before getting up and walking over to the cereal stand. Ken just watched with a satisfied grin on his lips.

After breakfast, the group went horse-riding from a ranch not too far from the campsite. On arriving back, Davis suggested they all hang out in Mimi’s tent before lunch. Matt however, had dirty clothes after his unsuccessful horse riding, which of course he was not happy about.

“Hell no, I need to change first. Maybe I’ll come round after. Tai? You coming?” Matt turned, dashing towards his tent.

“Uh huh.” Tai waved to the others then skipped after Matt.

“Those two,” Davis muttered, turning to Mimi’s tent. “I mean seriously, he says he’s choosing Paul then he trails after Matt like a love sick puppy. I mean I hate Paul, but-“

“Awh Davis, I get the feeling you’re jealous,” Ken teased, sitting next to his friend.

“Got it in one. Davis is too protective over Tai,” Mimi smiled.

“Well be fair, he’s hounding Matt! They don’t separate from each other. It’s like he thinks he can get the best of both worlds, but he can’t keep Paul and get Matt,”

“Davis, that’s unfair. You know that no matter how Tai feels about Matt, he won’t cheat on Paul. What I’m worried about it him getting hurt by Matt if he like, finds out or something and hates him for it,” Mimi reasoned.

“This is true,” Davis sighed, nodding in agreement.

“Don’t worry, I somehow don’t think that’s going to be a problem,” Ken interrupted.

“What? Do you know something?” Davis asked, excited.

“I’m not saying anything. Maybe I’ll tell you later,” Ken smirked, “Now come on, let’s hang out. We have woodwork to do later!”

“Fine,” Davis pouted.

-x-

During said woodwork session that afternoon, Tai was happily singing the lumberjack song whilst not doing very much work at all, when Davis decided he needed the toilet.

“Ooh, I’ll come with you!” Tai ceased his singing and jumped up after Davis.

“Surprised you decided to leave Blondie, even for a minute,” Davis commented once far enough away from the group.

“What’s that meant to mean?”

“Just that I thought you’d chosen Paul and yet you’re still hounding Matt,”

“Matt’s just my friend,” Tai stated, “I had myself a little epiphany in my sleep last night,”

“Was this after comforting Matt?” Davis joked.

“Yes, it was actually,” Tai ignored Davis’s quip. “I decided I was totally overreacting to the Matt thing. Sure there’s something there but that doesn’t matter. I’m in love with Paul, that’s what matters. He’s always said we’ll be together forever and yeah, I believe he’s my forever boy. Matt’s just a very hot, very good friend,”

“Riiight. Well, good thinking, I guess,” Davis agreed.

“Yup. Now will you hurry up and go to the toilet so I can carry on being a lumberjack?”

-x-

They spent the rest of the day doing woodwork, and in the evening they had one big campfire with even more campfire food. The next morning they had to trek back to the main campsite, and unfortunately that was when it started to rain, making it an absolutely drenched, muddy and horribly dull walk.

When they finally got back home, they had a free afternoon and were all able to unpack, shower and change ready for the disco in the main building that evening.

In Mimi’s chalet, they were just about ready to go when her phone started ringing. She flipped the phone open and saw it was her best friend Sora, when she answered, the tone in Sora’s voice immediately told her something wasn’t right.

“Mimi, are you with Tai?”

“Sora? What’s wrong?”

“Look, I’ll tell you later. Will you just get Tai for me? Please?” Sora’s voice was raised and it was obvious she was distressed.

“Oh, um, okay, I’ll call you later then, yeah?”

“Yeah, good,”

Reluctantly, Mimi pulled the phone away from her ear and dashed out of her chalet along the path to the boys’. She burst into Chalet 6 where Matt, Tai and Izzy were just getting ready to leave.

“Hey Mimi, what’s up?” Tai asked as he pulled on his jacket.

“Tai, Sora’s on the phone for you. It sounds important,” she said, shoving the phone into his hands before giving Izzy a look that said ‘let’s leave him to it’.

“Okay. I’ll see you up there then guys,” Tai said, slightly bemused.

“Are you sure?” Matt questioned, “I mean I’ll wait for you if you want,”

“No it’s fine.” Tai raised the phone to his ear, “Hey Sora, what’s up?”

“Come on guys,” Mimi muttered, ushering Matt and Izzy out of the room.

“See ya,” Matt whispered, glancing over his shoulder at Tai before he left.

On the other end of the phone, Sora was rambling slightly.

“Tai, if I knew something really important that kind of involved you and affected you, you’d want me to tell you, right?”

“Um, it depends I guess. Sora, what’s going on? You’re worrying me.”

“Shit. Um. It’s Paul, Tai,”

“What? What’s Paul? Oh God, is he okay?”

“He’s fine Tai, he’s frickin’ great.”

“Then what the hell’s going on?”

“Tai you know we all love you, okay?”

“Sora, just spit it out,”

“Oh crap. Ok Tai. Shit…”

“Sora…”

“Paul’s been cheating on you. He’s been sleeping with someone else,”