* 'Black' does not belong to me. It's by Pearl Jam and I love it...


Joshua stood in front of the easel. Staring back at him was blank, white canvas. Its emptiness seemed to mock him. Poke fun at his lack of ideas. This was one of the rare times that his stream of creativity had run dry.

This was far from being a good thing. Joshua was an artist. From the time he'd graduated high school, and neglected college, despite the scholarship offers, his art had been his only way of bringing in money.

With this sudden thought, it was on the brink of causing him frustration. He tried, but could think of nothing to paint, nothing to express. In his mind, everything had already been said, been done. Music had been no help, and offered no inspiration.

So there he stood, in the quiet room with the quiet canvas. The paints were ready, and they were beginning to get lonely. Growling, Joshua chewed on the end of his paintbrush. How come this never happened to Sarah?

Sarah was a good friend of Joshua's. At nineteen, she'd already published two best-selling novels. And she never seemed to run out of ideas. Always working on this story or that. They'd met because of her writing.

He'd read her first book when it had come out. It had sucked him in, and hadn't let him go. In the end, he finished it within three days. It was about werewolves. Their fights, their loves... It had touched him so deeply he knew he had to meet her.

So he did, at a book signing in the city. Strangely enough, it had turned out she was a fan of his own work. They went out to eat, and had instantly became friends.

God she was amazing... Full of energy, and thoughts and dreams... Rebellious but kind, and such a good friend.

Joshua was madly in love with her.

But nothing came of this. They couldn't really keep up with a relationship. Sarah was always touring the country, doing book tours, or talk shows, or whatever. Yes, they spoke often, and more often than that, exchanged e-mail, but it wasn't the same as when they were together... And when...

Sarah had been somewhat attracted to him. They'd slept together, on over a dozen occasions, lusts overpowering them. Each time it had been so beautiful, but Joshua wanted so much more. He suspected Sarah had picked up on his feelings.

She was staying with him for a few days. She'd found time in her hectic life to spend some quality time with him. They'd sat around and talked; bullshitted and such. Explored each other's souls some more.



Joshua hadn't heard Sarah come down the stairs to the basement, but he heard her when her pretty voice softly sang the familiar line.

" Sheets of empty canvas..."

Pearl Jam. Black.

The girl came up behind him, and her arms went around the male. The basement had been warm, so all Joshua had been wearing were an old, faded pair of jeans, splattered here or there with old paint. So fingers now traced patterns on his bare chest. On the inside, he moaned at her touch. For a few moments, they stayed like this.

If Joshua's mind had been blank before, it had suddenly become wiped clean again- Except for the knowledge of one thing- Her. Which led to-

" Let me paint you?" The words spilled thoughtfully from Joshua's mouth.

Sarah paused. After a moment or two, she hooked her chin over his shoulder.

" Really?"

Joshua put his hand over one of the ones she'd placed on his chest.

" Yeah." He said, still staring in to the white void before him.

Behind him, the girl hesitated. Finally, she told him,

" ... All right..."

She let go of him, and began to wander around the room. Joshua's eyes followed her.

" Where do you want me?"

Scanning the room, Joshua looked for the right place to paint Sarah. His eyes landed on the old couch in the corner. It was tattered and torn, but he'd had it cleaned recently just so it would start collecting dust all over again.

Gently, Joshua took her hand and silently led her over to the couch. But as Sarah was about to sit down, something hit him.

" Wait..." He said, putting his hands on her arms. His fingers traveled up over her blouse, where he began to unbutton it. Eyes widening slightly, Sarah looked up at him.

" Joshua?"

Joshua continued to undo the shirt.

" Let me paint you without your clothes."

Nervously, Sarah swallowed.

" Um..." She laughed nervously. " Joshua? Maybe you've seen Titanic too many times?"

" No." He said simply.

Sarah put her hands over his, stopping his actions.

" Listen... And you've seen it. I don't look good with my clothes off."

Self esteem hadn't always been Sarah's highest point.

" Bullshit." Joshua cupped her chin in his hand, and gazed in to her eyes, honesty shining. " Yeah... I have seen, Sarah. You're beautiful."

The girl could feel her face flush. She sighed.

" I guess... If you want to."

The room continued its silence as Sarah let Joshua undress her fully.

" I told you so." He told her gently, with a small smile on his face.

*

So Joshua painted her. Her sculpted, nude body lay sprawled on the couch, her cheeks slightly flushed with the apprehension the man would change his mind about her looks. He didn't though. As the brush worked its magic, Joshua muttered one word to himself to describe her;

" Beautiful."

Sarah had been staring across the room, where the water damage had begun to spread down from the ceiling like a spider web. Some time had passed and Joshua announced that he was done. Curiously, the girl got up, and crossed the room to see.

" Joshua..." She breathed when she saw the painting he'd done of her. He put an arm around her.

" What do you think?"

She turned to him, and placed her hands on his face.

" I love it."

The girl set a quick, gentle kiss on his lips, and sent him a warm smile. This kiss had been meant as only a display of friends' love. But Sarah should have known... For when she broke the kiss and looked in to his eyes, she immediately recognized the look in his eyes. He looked at her like this a lot more often now.

She knew...

She knew Joshua's feelings for her were stronger than ones friends would normally share. Stronger than what she felt in return for him.

Joshua slid his hands down her body to her waist, his thumbs stroking her soft skin. Sarah said nothing, but whimpered gently when Joshua leaned down and roughly nuzzled her throat.

She sighed his name, and her arms went around his neck. As she stroked his soft hair, he began to place kisses on her neck. This drew a moan from the girl, and Joshua looked up.

Wordlessly, he led her back to the couch. Together they lay down, he atop her.



These were the moments Joshua lived for. Sarah in his arms, his lips on hers. Their tongues danced, and their hands touched. It was perfect. It was this way every time. She moaned his name as he pushed himself in to her again and again, a thin layer of latex the only thing separating flesh from flesh.

In the end, he made her come. She tightened around his throbbing length, crying his name in a breathless voice. With the feel of her muscles clamp around him, he toppled over the edge, and fell in to his own climax.

For a bit of time, they lay panting, fighting to catch their breath, Joshua still atop her, still in her. He gazed down at her. Her chocolate eyes were clearing of arousal's fog, and her round breasts rose and fell with her heavy breathing.

She was so fucking beautiful...

The lay together afterwards, Joshua's chest pressed up against her back, his arms around her. A soft sigh came from him as his fingers danced along her stomach.

" You do know I'm crazy in love with you, right?"
Sarah closed her eyes.

" Yeah... I know, Joshua."

That was all they said. For a long time, they simply lay on the old couch in silence. The Pearl Jam song floated back to him, and in his mind, he sang a piece to her.


' I know some day you'll have a beautiful life
I know you'll be the star
In somebody else's sky
But why, why, why
Can't it be...
Oh can't it be mine?'


*~*