the book of fluff (that usually isn't)

black and white

Without color, the world is a dull place. Everything looks the same. It's just black and white, everywhere. Constantly. No one can see the beautiful blues and pinks and purples of the flowers, the greens of the trees and grass, the deep blue that is the sky.

Mitch got to see it. He lived in a world where color suddenly appeared when you found your soulmate. Mitch found his soulmate at a young age, for most; he was only seventeen. Him and Scott dated throughout the rest of high school, got married, and they lived together for a while. They were the ideal couple, as they never argued or fell out of love.

Mitch's world was filled with beautiful colors. He loved the greens and the reds, the pinks and the purples, the oranges and the yellows, but he especially loved the blues in Scott's eyes.

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Mitch hated having to move around so much, but what was he supposed to do? He had no choice but to follow his parents around as their jobs forced them to uproot everyone and travel to a different state every month or so. This was why he didn't have any friends at all, or had never dated anyone.

At least now he would be joining at the start of the school year. Mitch sighed as he gathered his stuff and made his way to his first class, his eyes on his schedule to try and figure out where it was. When he finally found it, the teacher offered him a smile and kept him from sitting down. He waited patiently for the class to settle, though it didn't take long with a new student at the front. "Hello, class. We have a new student today. Can you tell us your name, sir?"

Mitch barely kept himself from rolling his eyes — no matter where he went, it was the same deal, every single time. "Mitch." The teacher, a stout old man probably somewhere in his sixties, nodded and clapped Mitch on the back. "Go sit next to Scott, Mitch. Scott, raise your hand so Mitch can find you," he said. Mitch's eyes were instantly drawn to a beautiful boy as his hand shot up, and he tried to stamp down his fluttering heart as he walked over and set his stuff down. Scott offered Mitch a small smile, playing with his pencil without realizing it. "Hi," he whispered, completely ignoring the teacher as he began the lesson. "I'm Scott, but you already know that. You have a pretty name." Mitch smiled slightly and blushed a bit, thanking him.

The color didn't set in at first. It wasn't until about a week later, when Scott and Mitch had grown closer. It turned out that they had almost every class together, minus English and science. They were sitting together at lunch when Scott tried to snatch the fruit snacks from Mitch's hand and their fingers brushed. Both boys instantly froze as color began to seep into their world. First it was the yellows. Then the reds. Greens, purples, pinks, oranges. Last came the blues. The first thing Mitch noticed was how pretty Scott's eyes were.

"Whoa," Mitch whispered, looking around in wonder. "Yeah. Whoa indeed," Scott whispered back, but his gaze was focused on Mitch. He couldn't believe he'd gotten so lucky. Slowly, Mitch's gaze went back to Scott, and once again his breath was taken away. "Your eyes are so pretty," he murmured, wishing he knew the name of the color — couples went to classes to teach them after they'd been united. Scott smiled a bit, his cheeks turning a rosy pink instead of the pale ivory they were before. "Thank you. You're absolutely gorgeous."

They spent the next few moments simply admiring the other. Subconsciously, their hands crept across the table and laced together. Their lunches and the fruit snacks were forgotten as Mitch slowly moved to the other side where Scott was so he could hold his hand better, their gazes never leaving the other's face. At the moment, Mitch wasn't thinking about how he'd have to leave again in a few weeks.

After school, Mitch and Scott walked home together — they wanted to spend more time with their new soulmate. They went to Mitch's house, as his parents weren't home so they wouldn't have to worry about being found. They settled down together on the bed, laying side by side and simply watching the other. Mitch was entranced by all the colors, wondering how he'd managed to live his entire life without them.