Something About That Skirt
chapter four
Taichi gritted his teeth.
He'd never wanted to kill Yamato as much as he did right now.
They had met in the hallway since Yamato, after a few polite minutes of being ignored, had taken the privilege to let himself in. After one blank look on his best friend, he'd fixed his gaze on the wall, muttering, "Still wearing that I see"
When the two geeks had left, Taichi had gone straight to the kitchen to take care of the many unfinished chores in there. He had then grabbed something to eat since the stomach-ache from the ice cream finally had disappeared, after that making his way to his bedroom, where he first got stuck reading a newly received message on the computer and answering it, after that he had finally started searching for some other clothes to put on.
And then this idiot had decided to visit.
It was funny how by time every guest grew more and more hated by him.
By now, as stated, he seriously wanted to kill.
Yamato, seemingly unfazed by his murderous look, crossed his arms sullenly and threw him a glance. The brunet was alternated with the floor, furniture behind him, the window, the wall, the ceiling, -hell, everything else there was to look at.
"Is there something you wa-"
"Look, I just don't understand why you always have to cross the line, I mean I respect you for taking that challenge and I wasn't one bit surprised either. But you really ruin it for yourself when you constantly go too far with every fucking thing you do."
Now he was done. It showed on the soundless exhale and change of foot.
"What are you saying?" Taichi finally asked, also crossing his arms. Ever noticed how you mirror the gestures of the person in front of you?
His friend put the calm and careless poker face on, and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I am saying that you have no self-respect, and I feel sorry for you."
"Really?" Taichi smirked and tipped his head back just a little, anything to feel taller. These sorts of behaviors were very necessary when it came to a mocking Yamato.
"All I hear is 'stop wrecking my half-existent self esteem by not bothering to care about how others might look at you!'"
Yamato shook his head, smirking –never mind totally beating Taichi's smirk. "Like I said, I simply feel sorry for you, the way you send out wrong signals to people."
"Like what?" Taichi laughed. "That I'm a girl?"
Yamato didn't blink. "That you're a fag."
The brunet's eyes darkened automatically. How could someone still look pure after saying something like that?
"This might come as a shock, but I don't have any control over people's stereotypes. And nothing other than stereotyping would lead them to believe that I'm a –sorry, was it fag that you said?"
Yamato looked like a blank, beautiful statue of stone. "Taichi," he sighed, skillfully making the brunet feel like a kid. "I was ashamed of you, but that's not the point. The point is that by being an idiot, you're digging your own grave here! And instead of just making a good statement like 'guys have every right to wear skirts if they want' you turn it into some kind of cock-tease as if the only thing you care about is having everyone in school drooling over you."
"Okay, you know what? I'm not gonna listen to this." Taichi decided, looking over his shoulder and mentally searching for his clothes.
"And why not?" Yamato demanded. "What do think I'll say?"
"It's more about what you've already said, Matt" the football player hinted, half turning away as if to mark that their conversation was over.
"I have to say this," the musician pushed.
"Yeah, well, I don't want to listen," the other shrugged as he turned and to finish his seemingly impossible task of the day; getting out of drag.
"You will fucking listen for once alright, once you understand you won't be so damn angry!" Yamato's voice rose as it became clear that the brunet was determined to ignore him.
"Then say what the fuck it is you have to say already!" Taichi shouted back at the other teen, working on letting his frustrations out so that he wouldn't explode.
As if suddenly realizing that he was serious, Yamato paused. He closed his eyes briefly, waiting a few heartbeats before murmuring "They got it all wrong. The kids at school."
Taichi was now facing him once again, although seemingly unimpressed with his argument. "Well, that is a damn shame. Get over it."
"No. I mean… I just hate the way they looked at you, and the whole thing, like it was for entertainment. Like you… like you're just an air-headed, slutty jock in a girl-uniform that had nothing better to do than waving your ass in front of them."
"So you're jealous." Taichi concluded tiredly, rubbing his temples.
Yamato shook his head, miraculously managing to make the other at least a little embarrassed over his statement. "I just hate the way they get the wrong idea about you. And I hate even more," he quickly added, as he noticed Taichi's roll of eyes, soundlessly saying 'tell me something I don't know',
"-that I looked at you like that," he mumbled regretfully, looking away as Taichi brought his attention back to the other boy. "I'm your friend, and I know all your qualities, your fears and hopes, how you act in most situations, your personality, everything. And I don't want to look at you dressed up like that and only think about the way you look and move, and… y'know, as a freakin' sex-object!"
Taichi sighed, smiling. Trust Yamato to get depressed by something like this.
"I'm glad you're ashamed" he assured, smiling comfortingly. "I'm glad you estimate me the way you do. I'm glad our friendship is this important to you, and I'm so glad that you haven't drooled, groped or hit on me like everyone else seem to be doing."
Giving him an odd look that made Taichi regret the last part, Yamato sighed. "Tai, I'm… supposed to be your best friend. I have that fucking crest of friendship. And look; throw a skirt on you and that friendship's out the window!"
"I didn't know you actually go for cross-dressing" the brunet commented, ignoring the completely serious –never mind miserable- guy in front of him.
"I don't," said guy muttered.
Taichi snorted softly, eyeing him. "Yeah right. And you're not the slightest embarrassed either huh?"
"Uncomfortable, yes, you're wearing a skirt! But uncomfortable as in… seeing your grandma naked"
"Dude!" the brunet protested, covering his face and groaning. "You did not have to do that!" Taichi glared at him accusingly through his fingers.
Yamato smiled slightly for the first time this day. "Sorry." He then chuckled a bit evilly, earning a scowl in return.
After a while the brunet's face broke into a smile. "You're safe, don't worry. I mean you were just upset over the fact that you, among others, were forced to see me as something sexual, and just…trashy" he trailed of, waving his hands in the air. "Whatever, you get what I'm saying."
The taller nodded. "As a slut" he offered.
"Right-"
"A sinner" Yamato added.
"Well, yea-"
"A whore"
"Easy on the name-calling!" the brunet exclaimed, somewhat offended. "So we're clear on that. –Shut up!" he interrupted, as the blond was about to come up with another name. "Enough. Geez… I get that you're ashamed and even though that feels a bit exaggerated for me, I don't blame you –I mean you must've got that crest for some reason right? But let me just get this into your head –I still don't care if they did. I think it's funny."
Yamato narrowed his eyes. "It's not funny."
Taichi put on a serious face, nodding. "Right." Face broke into a helpless grin, "but it is."
"It's not!" the blond protested, frowning.
"It is," the football-player reassured.
"You know sometimes you're just too careless for your own good"
Taichi brushed that off. "Maybe this is just a side of me that you shouldn't be a part of."
"Like what?"
"Um… a sexual side maybe?" Taichi suggested, fiddling with a pair a keys lying around.
A stretched silence forced him to look back up at the blond. "…Your sexual side is dressing up as a girl and walking through school for everyone to see?"
"No," he argued, dropping the keys rather clumsily and picking them up again from the floor. Making a mental note never to wear girl's underwear again, he faced the blue-eyed boy, shrugging. "One of them perhaps. Look, I didn't exactly throw it in your face; you could've just looked the other way –like you do when I talk with my mouth full, or burp, or scratch myself, or sing, or do bad impressions, or touch myself-"
"We were not gonna mention that ever again!" Yamato quickly reminded, face promising great pain if Taichi did anything else than nod.
The brunet threw his hands up. "Okay, okay just trying to make a point here. Which is that I –obviously- have sides you don't want to be a part of."
"Whatever," the blond muttered at the painting next to Taichi's head. He then turned around and headed for the door.
"So I'll see you later then? In regular clothes," the darker teen checked, scratching his chin and observing the blond for any signs of tension.
"Sure"
"I'm sorry for making you feel things you don't want to feel about a another boy-"
"Naked grandma!"
"Fine!" The brunet crossed his arms and glared, not too happy with being compared to a naked grandma.
Once outside, the blond turned around before closing the door. He finally took time to take in his friend's appearance, wrinkling his nose slightly. His eyes returned to Taichi's, holding a glint he'd only seen once before.
"Try again when you've got your own clothes back on"
The door clicked shut and Taichi closed his mouth, not before then realizing that it had dropped open. Grinning, the turned around and ran to his bedroom with all the more reason to finally change back into his old self.
the end