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“Is that the State Art Competition?”
“It is. The theme for this year's event is Love and Destruction. Pretty interesting if you ask me. I would love for all my students to participate,” the teacher said.
Love and Destruction, huh. Of course, Maddison would join. Although he loved painting, it didn't mean he was not competitive. In fact, he was very competitive, always putting his best foot forward, always making sure everything he did was perfect. Sam always told him that if he was an athlete, he would probably be the last to leave the gym because he would be practicing a lot. He never did anything half-assed.
“Oi, what took you so long?” Sam said when Maddison arrived at their meeting place.
“Sorry, Sammy. It was only five minutes, though.”
“What's the hold-up?”
They walked to their usual route. Usually, it was Maddison chatting about his day but he was quiet for once and it got Sam's brow raising.
“You okay?” Sam asked.
Maddison nodded. “Hm. Just thinking.”
The other snickered. “When do you ever think?”
“Mean,” he stuck his tongue out. Then a sigh, “The art competition is coming up and I was just thinking of what to paint this time.”
“Oh? Don't they usually have a theme or something?”
“Yeah, this year it's ‘Love and Destruction’. I'm not too sure about it.”
“It's not the first time they decided on something with contrasting things.”
“I know. Just, I don't know what to paint.”
“Idiot,” Sam grumbled. “You literally knew what the theme is five minutes ago. Don't pressure yourself.”
“But usually, I know what to do already the moment I hear the prompt. Sammy, what if I'm getting rusty? Oh my gosh, I'm losing my inspirations, oh no no no what if Richard the dick wins this year instead of me?!” Maddison whined, grabbing Sam's arm and shaking it repeatedly. The other easily shrugged him off and then, making Maddison whine even more, he snaked his arm over the other's neck and drilled his fist on his head.
“Ow — OW! Sammy, stop — STOP OH MY —“
“Shut up then, Doll Face.”
Finally free, Maddison pouted and stomped his foot, walking ahead of his best friend like a petulant child. “You owe me milk bread for being mean!”
Once Sam was done buying a pack of milk bread for Maddison and pretzel for himself, they continued walking home. Maddison couldn't help but think, as he bit into his first piece of milk bread, how he was really spoiled by Sammy because no matter how mean the other acted, he always gave Maddison whatever he asked and needed.
He remembered that time when he was crying over his broken paint brushes which his nephew played with, and how he called Sam panicking on where to get new ones because there was an art exhibit he was participating in that weekend and his pieces were still not finished. It was eight in the evening and they were walking in the city, looking for any art shops that were still open. Maddison was still hiccuping and Sam put his arm around him and consoled him.
In the end, they ordered him new brushes online that arrived the next day and which Sam paid for as a gift to him. Maddison came up with a new painting of Sam that night using his new brushes —one where his best friend as standing under the stars and the city sparkling behind him, a soft smile on his face.
“Oi, Mads. Are you listening?”
“Hm? Sorry, Sammy. What is it?”
Sam narrowed his eyes at him. “I asked when the competition is?”
“Oh,” Maddison said. “A month from now.”
“Plenty of time to think of something then.”
“Hm.”
Sighing, Sam stepped closer and bumped his shoulder against him, smiling gently. “Don't worry about it too much. I know you'll come up with something amazing.”
