The Affair

A/N: Holy crap! I am soooo sorry, but I didn't realize that I'd updated on ff.net and not here. Um...oops? Forgive me! lol As a reward, here's some smut! ;P

WARNING: There’s a very adult (I guess? I’ve been told it’s very adult) lemon here, so if that sort of thing offends you, please get out of the pool now!! I will not be throwing you a life vest!

CH 9: Facing Reality

It wasn’t until an entire week later that Tai was finally released from the hospital, yet the moment he exited those double doors he somehow seemed a better and different man.

For one thing, he no longer regarded Sora with saddened eyes, nor did he beg to meet with her in private. It was because of this that the redhead knew he’d kept his promise, and yet somehow…she was discontented by this.

This same discontent was what initially kept Sora from enjoying her meal at Biggie’s Burgers that evening, yet what was truly aggravating her was the way Tai had come with her and Matt on terms of reconciliation, only to flirt with the flighty waitress the moment she took their order. What kind of resolution was that?

As if reading her mind (only in a far different manner), Matt suddenly spoke up from her side, “It’s really something, isn’t it?”

“What is?” Sora demanded, her eyes narrowing as she continued to watch Tai flirt with the waitress at the bar.

Not noticing his wife’s sullen demeanor, Matt explained, “Well Tai, of course - he’s actually playing the field again, and it’s only been a full week!”

Sora snorted. “Well good for him…since when were we keeping tabs on his life?”

“What is with you, today?” Matt demanded, eying her strangely before arching a brow. “I thought you’d be happy that he’s finally out of our lives.”

“Well, of course I am! It’s just that…well…I don’t really feel like hearing about him right now…”

“Of course you don’t” Matt agreed, finally appearing to be satisfied with his wife’s response. Slinging an arm across Sora’s shoulders, he added, “Wanna make him jealous and go make-out by the bathrooms?”

Sora was absolutely revolted by this childish idea, yet the moment she laid her eyes on Tai and the giggling waitress, she couldn’t help but nod. “Alright” she agreed, “let’s go.”

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Staring blankly ahead at the ceiling, Tai continued to lie stretched across his couch with one arm slung over his face. He’d been lying like that for hours now, all the while contemplating Sora, Matt, and life in general.

He didn’t quite understand it, but just when he thought he’d finally gotten over Sora, he saw her kissing Matt and felt all of his previous jealousy resurface. Surely he didn’t need her after she'd flat out rejected him!

And yet…he did.

Sighing, Tai moved to sit up just as a knock came at the door, his brows drawing inward as he glanced at the clock over the mantle. It was one in the morning!

Grumbling to himself about visitors coming at ungodly hours, Tai shuffled over to the door before swinging it open, his words of malice immediately dying upon his tongue once he realized who it was. “Sora?” he choked, “W-what are you doing here? I thought we both agreed to cool things off for a while…”

“Hello, Tai” she greeted, completely ignoring his questions, altogether as she bestowed him with a surprisingly warm smile. “Do you mind if I come in for a bit? I’ve got something really important that I’d like to discuss with you.”

Tai soured. “What, and it couldn’t wait until later? It’s one o’ clock in the morning, Sora!”

“I came to apologize and...to tell you I was wrong” she insisted, the pleading look in her eyes causing Tai’s heart to skip a beat.

“A-about what? Matt?”

“Everything” she whispered, her eyes filling up with tears as she slowly entered the room and sunk back against the door. “You have no idea how much I’ve been warring with myself over this, but ever since I saw you flirting with that waitress yesterday, I've realized that my feelings for you must be a lot more serious than I originally thought. I…I can’t imagine my life without you…”

Tai snorted. “What, so now you think you can just come waltzing back into my life when I’ve finally managed to give you up?”

“Well no, but-”

“Do you actually think that I’m willing to let you walk all over my heart again like it’s a frickin’ doormat!?”

“NO! I just…” Sora faltered, her shoulders slumping over in defeat before she solemnly shook her head. “Just forget it, Tai…you’re right. I was stupid to expect you to forgive me, so I-I’ll just go ahead and leave.”

Tai balked. “What? Oh, no you don’t, Sora! I’m tired of your goddamn mind games – if you really want me, I need you to tell me the truth right now or else I’ll never let you near me, again! I can’t take this, anymore!”

Lowering her fiery gaze, Sora darkly returned, “You’re so cocky to actually believe that this is all about you, Tai – I never wanted to accept that you were nothing but a low, self-absorbed jerk who preys on the feelings of those who give a damn, but I guess I was right! I hate myself for ever caring about you, because you don’t even seem to care that I’m in agony over this!”

“Oh, you poor thing… Haven’t you ever stopped to think about what you’ve done, Sora?” Tai counterattacked. “Last time I checked, manipulative women who string unsuspecting men along for the ride were nothing but cheap whores! I was in love with you, but you never did anything to my heart but toy with it and see what foolish mistakes I’d make next!”

Sora immediately looked away. “Stop it, Tai…you’re kidding yourself if you actually think I didn’t make any sacrifices for you, too.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet you were a real saint” Tai scoffed, not even giving her the common courtesy of eye contact as he stubbornly turned toward the fireplace. Truly tired of their argument, he spoke up again, “You know what? Maybe you really should leave…I’m tired and I just wanna go to bed.”

Hurt, Sora somehow managed to reach out and touch Tai’s shoulder, her voice soft and filled with unshed tears as she ventured, “I don’t really care if you believe me or not, Tai, but I did all of this for you. I-I never wanted us to get too close because of my…well…never mind.”

Tai gave her a disbelieving look. “God, that is so like you… First you tease me, then you yank whatever little hope I have left right out from under my feet! If you really loved me, Sora, you’d just come out and say it instead of being such a goddamned coward!”

Sora looked away from his searching eyes before returning, “I-I should probably just go before I end up doing something we both regret…”

“Or something that’s meant to be” Tai promptly shot back, the warmth in his eyes causing an inexplicable ache to form within her womb as he reached out and caressed the slope of her cheek. “I’ll die if I never get to hold you, Sora, so unless you leave now, I…I might not be able to control myself any longer.”

Sora hitched in a bated breath at these words, her voice quivering with emotion as she whispered, “I hope you won’t.”

Tai appeared to be considerably taken aback by her response, his hands trembling at his sides as he choked out, “I……what?”

“I hope you won’t be able to help yourself” Sora explained, her own inner emotions causing her to feel just as surprised as her friend. What had come over her? She normally didn’t behave this way with men at all! In fact, all of her past relationships had been rather dull since she’d just sit around with them and play video games, but this… She held her breath. This truly excited her and evoked an inner passion that had been lying dormant, forever waiting for the one soul who could possibly bring her to her knees. At long last she had found him, and now that she had, she realized that she was no longer afraid.

Taking Sora by the arms, Tai met with her gaze and caused her knees to feel incredibly weak, his voice soft as he returned “As long as I get to hold you just once, I can die happy, so if this is what you want…I have no objection.”

“Tai” Sora gasped breathlessly in return, a defeated whimper escaping her lips the moment he hungrily sought her mouth with his own. The kiss was short, yet enticingly brutal, Sora’s fingers lacing their way through Tai’s dark hair as he forcefully rejoined his mouth to hers and maneuvered her so that she was pressed flat against the wall.

“Tai” Sora whimpered yet again, her voice quivering with anxiety, “W-what if-?”

“Ssh” he entreated, kissing his way down the slope of her chin, “I’ll protect you…nothing will happen as long as I’m around.”

Crushing his mouth back against hers, Tai stroked Sora’s lips with his tongue as she released a pitiful whine from the back of her throat. Burrowing her fingers deep within his hair, she broke free of the kiss and panted against the warm satin of his lips as if suddenly questioning their actions.

"Maybe we shouldn't" she whispered, her eyes closing when Tai grasped at her bottom. "Really, we...I..." Gasping, Sora fought off a small moan when he rocked his hips forward and pressed his desire needily against her belly, her eyes locking with his before he crashed his mouth forcefully against her own and hurriedly unfastened the front of her blouse.

"Don't" Sora pleaded, her mind reeling amidst her impassioned haze, "Please...y-you should stop."

"I can't" Tai panted, "I swear, I can't..."

Gasping for breath, Sora met with Tai's lips again and again as both inadvertently battled for dominance, both lovers giving a resigned moan the moment their hips molded snugly together amidst their frantic efforts to get closer.

Running the fire of his tongue along Sora's lips, Tai stripped her open blouse from her body and lifted her into his arms with a deep and needy desperation. Propping her back against the wall, Tai groaned when she melded her warm mouth to his and began to undress him, his hands shaking as he reached around behind her and unfastened her bra.

A guttural clap of thunder shook the apartment at the base, but the couple paid it little mind, Sora gasping when Tai lifted her into his arms and staggered with her petite form over toward the bed. Landing a top the scratchy sheets with a subtle bounce, Sora pulled Tai in for yet another bruising kiss before reaching for his belt. With trembling fingers, she undid the clasp and managed to push his pants down to his knees, her lover eagerly kicking them off as he reached beneath her skirt and grasped at the hem of her pantyhose.

Sora's lower extremities tingled with the excitement of him being so close to her aching point, her eyes closing once he rolled down the stockings and feverishly kissed his way up her inner thigh. Next came her skirt, and unintentionally with it her panties, Tai's form giving an involuntary shudder at the very sight of her. God, she was beautiful, and painfully so -- he'd never even dreamed that Sora would've consented to his touch, but now that she was...

Tai closed his eyes. He was almost afraid to open them in case Sora would disappear, but the moment he felt her soft, feather-light touch he instantly relaxed.

Kissing along the expanse of Tai's chest, Sora helped him out of his final article of clothing so that they were now embracing in the nude, Sora’s eyes fluttering closed once she felt him press needily against her welcoming body.

Gasping his name, Sora breathlessly arched up against Tai when she felt him take one hardened nipple into the warm cavern of his mouth, her nails scouring his back as she inwardly pleaded for more.

Despite the searing pain from Sora's administrations, Tai eagerly kissed down the smooth plane of her stomach and upper thigh, his arousal so great that he truly felt as if he could weep. He wanted to taste her, but by God, the desire to be granted release was currently overriding every other carnal need. With trembling limbs, he pulled her into his arms so that she was sitting with her legs on either side of his hips, his mouth ghosting against hers as he felt her shaking against him.

Sora seemed to sense Tai's anguish and allowed her thighs to part in sweet surrender, her soft body gradually sinking down onto his shaft to the point where she knew there was no turning back. Biting back a scream of pleasure, Sora forced herself down to the hilt, a soft gasp escaping her lips as Tai nuzzled her neck and moaned against the heated flesh of her shoulder.

Easing back up his length, Sora gave a gratified shudder before managing to create a delectable rhythm between them, her lips meeting with his in a demanding kiss as their tongues battled for dominance.

Grunting, Tai forced Sora down onto her back so that she was pinned helplessly beneath him, his hands fisting the sheets as he drove his hips forward and moaned wantonly in her ear. "Oh, God, Sora" he gasped, "Oh, God..."

Cutting him off with a slow and drugging kiss, the designer forced them to roll over before Tai righted them back to their original position, his eyes squeezing shut as he grasped her by the hips and came in a rush of liquid fire. Echoing his lustful shout, Sora wound her legs about his hips as she began to drift down from the post-coital bliss, her forehead gently touching his as they both continued to pant heavily.

Tai wanted to say something -- hell, he felt like he needed to after all that had just transpired, yet somehow all words completely failed him. When Sora looked at him in that special way with her eyes, he found that he couldn't think straight...couldn't function...

“Oh, Sora” he whispered, “you’ve made me so happy…”

Wordlessly tucking her head beneath Tai’s chin, Sora felt tears forming along her lashes as she embraced him with a sense of desperation that he did not catch. Sooner or later she needed to tell him her secret, and what better time than that moment?