Paint Brush

By: Shinigami

Rating: PG

Notes: Guess what! Another short one-shot from yours truly no da! ^_^;; The poem used in this fic is called "Paint Brush" by Bettie B. Youngs no da. I'm not good at writing poems, so I used hers no da. This is a reincarnation or maybe even AU fic but the fact that they used to be celestial warriors doesn't really come into play in the story no da. Shonen-ai, unimportant self-insert/cameo (please ignore that Tasuki hates girls for this fic no da ^_^;; ), kinda sappy 'cause that's the way I write no da. And I don't own 'em no da.

~~~~~~~~~~

"--Rhyme and meter are often used to accentuate a poem's feeling...."

Chichiri tried to stifle a yawn, unsuccessfully. His head started to sag to his desk for the third time in this period alone. Usually he was an attentive listener but today his English teacher just seemed to be droning on and on and on...

"And for your homework, you have to write a poem. I want it to be a good sized poem, about four stanzas or so, and make it mean something! Due at the end of this week," the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day," Class dismissed!" the teacher yelled at the already escaping students.

Chichiri followed the tide of high-schoolers toward his locker. As he was reaching up to turn the lock he was grabbed from behind around the neck. Gasping he swung around to face his attacker. Stunning golden eyes behind a screen of flame-colored hair and a rakish grin met him as the teen released his hold from Chichiri's throat.

"Mou, Tasuki! I wish you wouldn't do that no da! You nearly gave me a heart attack AND suffocated me at the same time no da!" Chichiri didn't know why, but he always added the Japanese sentence ending of "no da" to whatever he said.

"Sorry! But you were jus' standin' there and... I couldn't resist!" Tasuki grinned wider at the exasperated look given to him by his best friend. Tasuki was a tall senior whose looks simply screamed "troublemaker" at anyone who happened to look at him. Which was a lot of people. The red-head was devastatingly handsome and very aware of the fact. His quieter classmate/companion was a little shorter in stature with pale blue hair, cut short with long bangs in front, and just as well built and gorgeous. If you ever got to see his face, that is. Chichiri had lost his eye in a childhood accident and consequently wore a mask that smiled cheerfully to cover it. Few people had seen him without his mask. In fact, only Tasuki and his own family saw him without it frequently. Together, the pair were the cutest guys at their high school and the most popular and well-known. Tasuki did a lot of sports, mostly karate and wrestling, while Chichiri was more of the intellectual. He was in band and other things like the art and math clubs. In fact, he was really into the art club. Both of them were in the anime club.

Today there was a meeting for the anime club after school so they both put away their unneeded books and went to the classroom where all the get togethers took place. They took their usual seats behind two of their friends who, though girls, weren't flirty, giggle-y, or obsessed with trying to go out with either of them.

"Hiya Nagi, Brad! What's up?" Tasuki greeted them as he and Chichiri slid into their chairs.

"Not much. We're watching Read or Die today. You're late so you missed the voting on which anime to see." Nagi stuck her tongue out at Tasuki," I bet you're the one that made you two late." Tasuki punched her playfully in the arm.

"Shut up, I ain't that bad! 'Sides, it was Chiri's fault!"

"What no da?! You're the one that scared me to death at my locker no da!"

"Shhhh! The freakin' show's starting!" Brad hissed at the two best friends. They settled down as the jazzy music started playing.

~~~~~~~~~~~

After the club meeting was over, Tasuki and Chichiri made their way home and talked about the highlights of their school day and other things about the classes they didn't share. Chichiri had discarded his mask because it was just him and his friend, and Tasuki certainly wouldn't mind. He was currently well into a long story about how he pissed off his English teacher by answering his question wrong... by a long shot.

"I didn't know the answer 'cause I had been sleepin' in class and he wouldn't skip me so I jus' said whatever came into my head.... which happened to be Germany."

Chichiri laughed," My English teacher's making us write a long poem no da."

Tasuki grimaced," I fuckin' suck at poetry! Sorry I can't help ya on this assignment, buddy!" he clapped Chichiri on the back. Unfortunately, Chichiri wasn't expecting the blow and he started to loose his balance and fall. Quickly, Tasuki grabbed Chichiri around the waist and pulled him against his body to keep him from toppling over.

Chichiri knew this gesture was just to keep him from getting hurt but secretly, he had always had a crush on his friend so now, in this compromising position, he blushed as Tasuki continued to hold him.

Tasuki realized that he should probably let go now that Chichiri was in no danger of tumbling over, but he just couldn't bring himself to. His friend was beautiful and Tasuki had long since realized how much he felt for him. Being able to hold Chichiri without him knowing his real intentions was too good of a chance to miss. But... was that a blush on his best friend's cheeks...

Chichiri blushed harder as he started to pull away from Tasuki's grip. Feeling like his emotions were too exposed to the world for his own comfort, he reached into his pocket for his trusty mask. He quickly raised it to his face and turned away from Tasuki.

"W-well this is my house n-no da. Thanks for keeping me from falling na no da? Uhh.. bye no da!" Chichiri started to run up the driveway to his house when Tasuki grabbed his wrist.

"Wait," he said, much quieter than he usually talked. Chichiri's heart beat faster in panic.

"What no da?"

"Why'd ya put your mask back on?"

Chichiri relaxed a little, though he felt oddly disappointed.

"Huh?"

"It's just, ya never wear it when it's just me around... or your family and you were just going inside so I know you didn't put it on because of them... so why? Do you- do you not trust me anymore, Chiri?" Tasuki's voice dropped down even lower at the last part, but it was still loud and clear to Chichiri. He spun around.

"No, that's not it-"

"Then why, Chichiri?" Tasuki asked again, coming closer to his again blushing friend. Now he was close enough to reach out and take the mask off of Chichiri's face, which he did. Chichiri's eye widened as he looked straight into Tasuki's.

For a moment, neither moved. Then, as if a signal or an understanding passed through their eyes, they both leaned forward and met each other with a kiss.

They kissed as if they would never have a chance to again. Their pent up emotions being so eloquently expressed by that lip-lock that when they pulled away, neither one was in any doubt of the other's feelings. Chichiri smiled at Tasuki, who smiled back.

"I'm suddenly struck with inspiration no da..."

~~~~~~~~~

The last bell of the last day in the school-week was a fraction away from ringing. The teacher, well aware of this fact by the lack of attention being paid her and all of it being centered on the clock, cleared her throat.

"Please pass up the poems you were to have written to the front of your row. I'll collect them-" the long awaited bell chimed three and there was a flurry of papers and a scraping of chairs as the pupils left to go and enjoy their free weekend. The English teacher sighed as she walked down the rows of chairs picking up the assignments.

Settling down at her desk, she reached for a red pen and the first paper on the stack of the poems she had just collected. Turning the typed sheet over so she could read it, she began:

Paint Brush

By: Chichiri Sei

I keep my paint brush with me

Wherever I may go,

In case I need to cover up

So the real me doesn't show.

I'm so afraid of what you'll do- that

You might laugh or say mean things.

I'm afraid I might lose you.

I'd like to remove all my paint coats

To show you the real, true me,

But I want you to try and understand,

I need you to accept what you see.

So if you'll be patient and close your eyes,

I'll strip off all my coats real slow.

Please understand how much it hurts

To let the real me show.

Now my coats are all stripped off.

I feel naked, bare and cold,

And if you still love me with all that you see,

You are my friend, pure as gold.

I need to save my paint brush, though,

And hold it in my hand,

I want to keep it handy

In case someone doesn't understand.

So please protect me, my dear friend

And thanks for loving me true,

But please let me keep my paint brush with me

Until I love me, too.

~~~~~~~

Outside, two young men set out for their homes. Hand in hand.

~End~