~!CHAPTER 1!~

So, there Yamato was, sitting in a puddle of mud watching Tai fight two other guys in the puddle as well. This all could have been prevented if the two bullies didn't enjoy making Yamato's life a living hell. Yamato was just walking to the front doors to his school, when Tou stuck his leg out with out Yamato knowing. He kind of gasped as he fell into a huge mud puddle. Then Tou had the nerve to role Yamato over so that he was completely covered in mud and god knows what else. Tai saw all of this play out right in front of him. So what did he do? Simple, tackled Tou and started to give him the beating of a life time. Oh, but Yamato wasn't out of the clear yet. Tou's friend, Uri, decided to join the fight by punching Yamato square on the jaw. Yamato gave a yelp of pain and shock; Tai had heard his friend scream, so he turned around and clobbered Uri as well. Now, back to how Yamato was watching Tai beat the two. In less than ten minutes Tai had the two laying flat on there backs groaning in agony. Tai smiled in triumph and stood up.

Walking over to Yamato, Tai offered his friend a hand to help him up," Hey Yama, you alright?" Tai asked with a wild grin on his face.

"Yeah, my jaw just hurts a little. Nothing to worry over," Yamato said while taking Tai's hand and standing as well.

"Opps, sorry Yama, I wasn't expecting Uri to jump in out of no where." Tai sheepishly smiled and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. Yamato just smiled up at the taller teen showing his gratitude.

"You four boys are in a lot of trouble!" The Principle, Mr. Aduwa, Stomped over and stood right in front of Tai. You could tell by his gray hair, stress lines, and how his face is almost always in a scowl, that he would rather be some where else then being Principle of their school.

A smile like smirk crossed Tai's face when he saw the older man standing in the middle of the mud puddle. "Excuse me sir, but I don't think that you would like to get your new shoes…" Tai was cut off by a grumpy Mr. Aduwa saying 'Shut Up, Yagami.'

"I have half a mind to call all of your parents and have a meeting with them." Mr. Aduwa was shacking his fist in the air like he was about to hit Tai.

"Ummm…Sir?" Yamato hesitantly spoke to the scary looking man. Considering that Yamato only came up to about his shoulder in his full height.

"Yes, Mr. Ishida. What could I do for you?" The principle asked irritated by the small teen.

"Uh, well, you're standing in a really big mud puddle with your new shoes on…" He trailed off as he saw the expression on the man's face change. He went from angry to shock to angry again.

Mr. Aduwa mumbled obscene words under his breath as he lifted on mud covered leg out of the puddle. He just sighed and put it back down. "Look, go clean your selves up and head to class… If your not there by second period I will call your parents to inform them of this little out break, understood?" He had already started to walk way and didn't really care to hear their answers.

"Well, that was interesting, no?" Yamato turned his head and looked at his tan friend.

"I would us the word 'interesting', but that was something." Tai turned and walked over to the two still lying on the ground. He first nudged Uri's leg, and when that didn't work he nudged Tou's leg. In the end he had to kick them both up and drag them out of the puddle.

Meanwhile, Yamato was having a bit of trouble getting his feet out of the mud to walk. Every time he tried he just pushed the other foot in deeper. He let out a groan of frustration. He simply thought to him self 'I'm going to be stuck here forever.' He let his head fall down in defeat.

"Hey, Yama, are you coming or not?" Tai asked with his arms folding over his chest.

"No, I can't get my stupid feet out of the mud," Yamato tried again but with the same failed results," Could you help… Please!" He added as an after thought.

Sighing Tai practically ran over to his side and grabbed Yamato around his waist. He gave one strong tug and he had Yamato up in his arm in no time. Yamato gave a startled shriek of surprise and immediately rapped his arms around Tai's neck holding on for dear life. "Calm down Yama, you act like I'm going to drop you or something." Tai had an amused smirk on his face as he started to walk over to the schools front doors.

"Don't you even think about it Taichi Yagami!" Yamato held on tighter in fear of being dropped.

"I was only kidding, sorry if it scared you. Though you have to admit, you couldn't get any dirtier than how you are now." A smile spread across his face to let Yamato know that he would never be so mean as to drop his best friend in a mud puddle and laugh.

They reached the schools front doors in a short amount of time, and Tai was about to put Yamato down when he lost his footing on the hallways tiles. They both came tumbling down with yells of pure shock. Tai landed on his back with a thud and Yamato fell on top of him without so much of a scratch on him. Tai mumbled something under his breath while Yamato sat up rubbing his head where it hit Tai's muscled chest. Tai propped himself on his elbows and half smiled at Yamato. "Opps, my bad, sorry. Mud and tiles don't mix all that well."

"No, you and balance don't mix well," Yamato grinned down at the boy underneath him. He placed his hands on Tai's chest and pushed off, in one fluid motion the blond was up and standing next to Tai, who was just looking up with a mock expression of hurt.

"Well, gee, no thank you for rescuing you from the mud monster and carrying you all the way here?" Tai stood up and started down the hall to catch up with the shorter boy.

"Ummm, let's see, that may have happened, but in the end you ended up dropping me like you said you wouldn't." Yamato looked be hind him and gave Tai a smile to know that he was kidding. "Well, I guess you do disserve a thank you so… Thanks" Yamato then lead the both of them to the boy's locker room.

"Why did you lead us here?" Tai asked with full blown confusion.

"So we can shower and change clothes, duh." Yamato went to his locker and pulled out grey sweat pants and a black t-shirt to ware. Still standing there staring at Yamato with curiosity, Tai eventually waltzed over to his gym locker to pull out black sweat pants and a white t-shirt.

Yamato was the first on in the shower, considering he just walked right in and turned on a shower. "Yama, don't you have to strip to take a shower?" Tai walked over to his friend and did the same, though still not under standing the concept of showering with cloths on.

"Yes, but I don't want to pack my clothes with mud all over them." Tai's mouth just formed an 'o' like shape.

After showering and getting dressed, the two barely made it in time for there second period class, English. The English teacher was a care free type of woman, who didn't really care if you showed up or not. Most of her students were in this class for nap time.

"Well hello you two, busy in a closet some where?" Oh, and did I forget to tell you that she was a HUGE yaoi fan? She constantly made fun of any boy who was in her class, accusing them of having wet dreams about another boy in the class during nap time. She didn't care if you slept listened to music or just messed around. As long as you go the assignment done, you were a-okay in her book.

The two boys blushed at that comment; though they wouldn't tell her that they were actually in the shower getting cleaned up… who knows what would come out of her mouth then. Tai found two seats at the back of the class room. He sat in the one closest to the window and Yamato took the one next to him. Tai stared out of the window while Yamato wrote a new song in his note book. 'Hmm, I wander why Tai was acting so strange this morning… He wouldn't even help me with getting the mud out of my hair.' That is all Yamato could think about. What was wrong with Tai? Yamato couldn't just walk up to him and ask 'Hey, why wouldn't you come near me in the shower, or help me wash my hair out?' That would be one of the most awkward moments in his life time. The first being 'The Talk' with is dad. His dad never really under stood why Yamato would always blush at the word penis. (he-he =] )

"Ummm, Yama? Class is over, we should get to our next classes now." Huh? Where in the world had this period's time gone.

"Oh, thanks for waking me up from my little moment there." He didn't know what else to say. Come to think of it, Tai has been acting kind of off and Yamato and him don't communicate as well as they used to. "Hey, Tai?"

"Yes?" Tai turned from the door way to look at the blonde who was just getting out of his chair.

"Wanna come over tonight? My dad is going to be gone again and there is a horror movie marathon on Sci-Fi tonight." Yamato asked with pleading eyes. He hated being alone in there apartment. He always thought that some one was going to walk right on in and rob the place… or something.

Tai gave his slightly frightened friend a wide smile and nodded. "Yeah, I'll come over after soccer practice is over. You okay with that?"

Yamato gave him a bright smile with a nod and ran after him to their next class. Math.

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