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Kevin blinked blankly at the boy in front of him, Aaron stared back with an equal amount of surprise, and he crossed his arms with a singular eyebrow raised.
“I thought you had Exy to practice.” He cocked his head quizzically, his eyes flicked— up and down– before settling pointedly on Kevin. “Change of plans?” The corner of his mouth twitched in faint amusement.
People passed by them without a second glance, and Kevin silently gazed at Aaron. Twisting and yanking on the side of his jacket nervously. Aaron’s attention caught it movement, and he casually tossed a look away, as if to show he could care less whether Kevin was running Exy drills or walking around a museum.
“Not really a change of plans.” Kevin replied. Aaron turned his head back and studied Kevin for an extensive bit, then it appeared to ultimately click into place.
Aaron snorted.
“You… snuck out?” He leaned on the ball of his foot, “well, basically snuck out.” Aaron shrugged.
“What are you doing here?” Kevin asked.
Aaron’s silence said enough, “no reason.”
“I find that difficult to believe.”
“How so?”
“Be honest.”
“I was supposed to be coming with Katelyn. But y’know, schedules change.” Aaron scratched the back of his head. “How did you manage to get past Andrew?”
Kevin thought for a moment, “he thinks I have a class today.”
“Do you?” Aaron asked.
“I do.” Kevin replied.
Aaron nodded, and his head leered drolly. “I see…”
They both swiftly turned back to the exhibit they were in front of, Kevin concentrated on the piece. It was from World War II, a cannon, snow, military artillery. He applauded the piece silently, but he couldn’t completely focus on the piece with Aaron right next to him.
Despite the hubbub around them, it felt like they stood there in the entire absence of sound, Kevin considered him from a sidelonged glance.
“What do you think about… this?” Kevin gestured faintly to the fine art on the wall just a few feet away from them. Aaron thoughtfully studied it.
“The art?” Aaron said.
“What else could I be talking about?” Kevin returned.
“Oh, well, gee, I don’t know.” Kevin could hear the grin in his voice. “It’s art, ‘up to interpretation’ bullshit. I like the colors, I guess, brighter than most of the crap I've seen in here so far.”
“ ‘Course.” Is all Aaron got.
“Come on Kevin.” Aaron sighed, and side glanced him back. “Give me more than that.”
Finally, Kevin gave him something more riveting.
“It kinda reminds me of you, in a way.”
Aaron Minyard abruptly looked back at the piece of art. “Is that a once in a lifetime compliment?” He asked flatly. Staring at the blurred lines, the dark shadows, shapes, focusing solely on the central theme.
“Is it not a good one?” Kevin returned his question with another.
“Go fish. Give me your best shot.”
“Is that a jab? Are my Exy shots not good enough for Minyard?”
“I'm not talking about Exy, Day.” Aaron deadpanned.
“I'm serious. It does remind me of you.”
“How?” Aaron pessimistically shot back. A little pissed now.
Kevin didn't speak, then listlessly motioned to the painting.
“The horse rearing— and the sunset— the snow as well.” He put his hand back down to his side.
Aaron sputtered, and looked closer. “Kevin Day not being utterly curt with me— that's shockingly nice of you to say.”
“Don’t get used to it.”
“What I'm getting here is that you think I'm beautiful.”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?” Aaron was caught off guard sharply.
“ ‘Maybe’ is all I can give you. If you really want to see a piece that looks like you,” Kevin stepped away from the art, “come with me.”
Aaron watched him, Kevin shot him an expectant look over his shoulder. Aaron didn’t think much of his words, at the end of this rope there was probably going to be some bland joke Kevin boringly thought of.
So he followed.
The museum in downtown Palmetto wasn’t at all very exciting. Once in a while they opened a new exhibit— being a history major— Aaron guessed— Kevin came down here quite a lot to observe the art. The theory was only further proven as Kevin knew every short cut and easy path through here.
The lights above made the glossy floors shine, Aaron walked faster to catch up to Kevin.
“So you come here often.” It was a mere observation, not a question.
“I do.”
“For school?” Aaron guessed.
“No?”
“Why else then?”
“For art.” Kevin finalized.
“Ok slow down.” Aaron grabbed Kevin’s forearm to lag the pace he was going, “you come here just because?”
“Yes.” Kevin looked a little annoyed, but nonetheless strolled leisurely.
Aaron sent him an amused look, “why? Why come here?”
“Why not?”
“Well for starters— Andrew. Why blatantly lie to him? And secondly—” Aaron put up two fingers— “why in general?”
“To answer your second question. I like art,” Kevin began, “the first, he wouldn’t go to a museum with me. I’d probably get laughed hysterically at. I like going to museums myself.”
Aaron sent him a judgmental expression, “huh.”
“You’re here too.”
“Because I don’t like to waste my money.”
“Art is not a waste of money.” Kevin frowned.
“Keep telling yourself that.”
They stopped at a silver canvas, abstract art, Aaron stared at it dumbly. “And this reminds you of me exactly how?”
Kevin frowned, “you don’t see it?”
“No dipshit, all I see is a grey splatter on a black background.” Aaron bluntly gestured.
“The splash of blue on the corner, and the yellow swirling into green.” Kevin detailed. “I would say that you’re the art, but I have to say the art is you.”
“That’s oddly romantic.”
“It is not.”
“Fuck you, you’re ridiculous. That’s something I would say to Katelyn.”
Kevin’s frown hardened. Aaron curtly waved off the look punctually, “never mind that. Definitely not romantic since Kevin says so.”
“Fuck you, do you seriously not see it?”
“Nope.”
Aaron crossed his arms and stared at Kevin expectantly, “explain.”
Kevin pursed his lips until they formed a fixed line— “the two swirls look similar. Same size— but the one on the left is yellow and blue from the inside then goes to green. But the one on the right is yellow to blue to silver then green.”
“And how does that remind you of me?”
“I don’t know. You and Andrew."
“You’re so full of shit, how did the last painting remind you of me?”
“It’s art.”
Aaron stared at him, then sighed exasperatedly. “I don’t really understand.”
“I just said, it’s art.”
“Are you saying I'm art?”
“...” Kevin said. “Everyone is.” He muttered sheepishly.
Aaron said nothing, choosing to brush that bomb off. “Andrew’s going to be upset when he figures out you’re sneaking out on him.” He plainly stated.
“Andrew can be upset.” Kevin eyed Aaron, then scrutinized the painting. “Let’s go.”
Aaron regarded the painting as well, still not getting it, though too vexed to argue. “You wanna get lunch?”
“Yeah.”
“We’re not getting healthy shit.” Aaron impassively glared.
Kevin looked displeased, “did you drive here?” He asked as they started to head toward the exit.
“No, I walked. Did you?”
“I walked.”
As they stepped out, Kevin turned his head to stare at Aaron, tilting his head down slightly to peer at him from a safe distance. The sunlight shadowed his head as gold, a ruffle of a light feather on his head. Kevin looked away.
“How is Katelyn?”
“Let’s talk about you.”