Epilogue: Butterfly

"Odium: an intense dislike for something, or someone. Used in a sentence, 'The man had incurred scorn and odium for his actions.'" Kio had his hands on his hips, about to present his painting to the class, who all looked utterly bored. "Unfortunately, my dear class mates, and sensei-" Kio took a wary glance at the teacher, who looked prepared, obviously Kio had told him ahead of time. "an accident occurred, or should I say they occurred." Kio's tone turned threatening, some students sat back in their seat, Soubi smirked.

Kio sighed, "Please, allow me to show you my painting, completed, but I will have to show you what I mean... behind the erm, other pictures." Kio took the cloth off his painting to reveal a mess of color, but in the mess a few legible doodles were seen.

It was clear the original work had been red, but now it was hard to see it. Covering it up were two green and red chibi drawings of boys, each had on a smile that took over their whole face, and each were big enough to cover the whole painting. The green one was holding an apparent paint brush, an evil grin on his face.

The class erupted in laughter as Kio tried to explain.

"Please, if only you could see the original work. Behind this ear is a mountain, and, I know you cant see it because this horrible kid is in the way, but that's a cat, I hate cats, thats why I drew one to explain 'odium'."

The class burst put into more laughter, Soubi just chuckled. "Natsuo and Youji." He muttered.

Kio was dejected, he picked up his painting, and sat back at his seat, without needing to be told to.

"Kio, I'm giving you another day to repaint this, if that's not done, turn in the one you have." The teacher looked exasperated. Kio nodded.

"Soubi." The teacher addressed him. "Why don't you go next."

Soubi exhaled as he stood up, and brought his covered canvas along, and rested it up against the black board, and turned around to face the class.

"Fidelity," Soubi caught the class's attention, the giggling stopped. "loyalty, fidelity only means to be loyal. Like a dog is loyal to his master." Soubi stopped, and thought about that for a minute. Like a fighter is to his sacrifice. "But, it's not always like that, fidelity can be between two lovers, loyal to one another, always there and willing to do anything." Soubi was about to go on when he realized he had started a monologue.

"Allow me to explain." Soubi quarter turned, and carefully swiped the cloth off his painting, revealing two monarch butterflies, in mid flight.

"Butterflies again, Soubi?" He heard the teacher speak in a voice so low, only Soubi could hear.

"Actually, I just was going to draw the one I'm loyal to, but I'm sure many of you could care less about my personal life... and also because he told me not to when I asked." The statement was meant for both the teacher and the class, whom had started murmuring when Soubi declared he was loyal to a "he".

Soubi pretended not to notice the small outburst, "Notice how the male butterfly stays so close to the female." Soubi pointed with his index and middle fingers. The female butterfly was brighter in orange color than the male. "I chose butterflies, again, only because I knew that the monarch butterfly fits the description for Fidelity entirely." Soubi glanced at the class, they looked bored, once again.

"I won't give you a lesson on butterflies today, You see my point." Soubi grinned, and looked back to his painting.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Soubi noticed that Ritsuka blushed a bit every time he saw him waiting outside of the school gates.

"How's high school?" Soubi automatically took his place by Ritsuka's side to walk him home.

Ritsuka shrugged. "It's not so bad." He acknowledged a frantically waving Yuiko as they passed the concrete pillars.

"I should have just brought you in, like a show and tell." Soubi chuckled to himself.

"For what?" Ritsuka looked up at Soubi, not straining his neck too high now that he was a bit taller.

"For my art project." Soubi smiled down at Ritsuka.

"...You didn't draw me, did you?" Ritsuka's lips made a disapproving frown.

"No, you told me not to, so I didn't." Soubi linked his hand with Ritsuka's.

"Good." Ritsuka looked ahead again. Soubi glanced down at him.

"Why didn't you want me to draw you?"

Ritsuka was silent.

"You know I wouldn't mess it up. I would be very careful." Soubi looked up playfully.

Ritsuka's cheeks turned a shade of pink. "You would get mad if I told you."

"I never get mad at you Ritsuka." Which was true. "Nor would I ever get mad at you. You may tell me only if you wish."

Ritsuka rolled his eyes. "Well, it's..." Ritsuka cast his eye's down. "It's... kinda embarrassing, showing me to all your friends as your-"

Soubi frowned, Ritsuka was mumbling words Soubi couldn't make out.

The rest of the trip was silent, Ritsuka felt low, he should not have answered, Soubi was probably sad.

Before long, they had reached Ritsuka's house, the car wasn't in the drive way.

Ritsuka had planned on just going into the house without saying a word, but Soubi kept his hand tight around Ritsuka's.

"Ritsuka." Soubi pulled him into a hug, then let go to look at him. "I'm not ashamed that I love you, I can't help it that I want to tell everybody that I've found the cutest, most lovable boy in the world." Soubi grinned, Ritsuka scoffed, averting his eye's, but unable to hide the slight blush that appeared.

"It's not that I'm ashamed." Ritsuka started. "I just don't like people... um, showing me off, I guess." Ritsuka was losing focus, Soubi was leaning in.

"I suppose I understand." Soubi exhaled in Ritsuka's face, his eyes squinted.

"How so?" Ritsuka's voice was a tad louder, sarcastic.

"Well," Soubi didn't move his face away. "I'm just an adult. What do I know about children?" His tone turned satirical.

"You were a kid once, and I'm not a child." Ritsuka jutted out his bottom lip, Soubi laughed quietly. Yes you are.

Soubi heard some chatter behind him. "Would you like to go inside now?"

"...Why?" Ritsuka glanced over Soubi's shoulder to see two high school girls, still in their uniforms. They noticed Ritsuka and Soubi, and stopped.

"'Cause I don't want to embarrass you." Soubi grinned evilly.

Ritsuka groaned. "If you wanna kiss me in public, you can go ahead." He crossed his arms.

"Are you sure?" Soubi trailed his fingers up Ritsuka's neck to grab his chin.

"..." Ritsuka heard the girls giggling. "Fine, take your shoes off at the door."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

The end.

Eay, sorry about anything that made a reader unhappy. I thought I knew what I was writing lol

But i'm still happy that I managed to write it all. Did you... Like it?

I made up that stuff about the monarch butterfly. Made. It. Up. I tried researching it, but it didn't say anything about loyalty to their mates (probably cause they aren't haha) But, its enough for me, although it bugs me half to death.

Okay, thats enough self-loathing, you may review now