Afternoon Glow:

Fingers drum over the pristine, glass table top, perhaps playing an imaginary, absent minded, melody.

He watches the hand, pale from lack of exposure to sunlight, as it pauses, small and delicate, yet callused, and stretches forward across the table-

He smacks it away.

"What do you think you're doing?!" He snaps, scowling.

Dark eyes glance up at him, from behind thick lenses and an abundance of paper.

"Didn't you ever learn to share, Elliot?" the other boy asks in a tone bordering on condescending, "Why, a child of yourstatus-"

"Child? I'm older than you, idiot." Elliot sniffs, trying not to act too hurt, "and I asked you if you wanted some while we were at the store- and nowlook at you!"

He threw an exasperated hand up as his companion pulled another snack from the container, "See?! Do you see yourself!?"

"That was then, and this is now." Leo mumbled sagely about his pocky, eyes trained yet again on whatever dusty old tome he was currently reading.

Although Elliot himself enjoyed reading, he had to admit that Leo's comprehension of a wide array of dry subjects and constant hunger for words, far surpassed his own. His current project seemed to be some sort of medicinal plant journal, something he had to picked up at a Garage Sale but a day or so ago, and had already made it 3/4ths of the way through the massive volume.

Leo's hand was creeping forward again and Elliot caught him by the wrist this time, noting how slender and how smooth his companion's hand was, how nicely it fit in his own…

Biting his lip, he thrust Leo's arm back towards him, looking away as he crossed his own with a muffled sigh.

There was no point in getting flustered over just a touch. Let alone your best friend. Who happened to be male.

Oh god.

Unfolding his arms, feeling fidgety, he brought a hand to his temples, and nervously combed the hair there back.

This… no… he just…
Leo smiled at him from across the table, and heart fluttering, at the warmth in his eyes- No. What are you doing you traitor - he noticed the treat help between clenched teeth.

Oh come on.

He glanced at he box, mysteriously devoid of the two remaining pocky, then at his friend, before slamming his hand down on the table.

This was so not fair.

"Those were the last ones!"

"…so?"

Why him.

"The last ones!" he repeated. "As in, I wanted to eat at least one!"

"Well, we could always share." Leo said with a benevolent smile, despite already having eaten all but one of the cookies.

Elliot, who had been about to make some rude remark, paused,

His heart fluttered again.

Fuck.

"Well, uh…if…you're fine with it." He replied cautiously, plangent his weirdly shaky hands in his lap. He glanced up, perhaps a little bashful, before frowning.

Leo was leaning forward across the table, lips pursed, the chocolate end of the cookie held there as the other end was extended towards Elliot.

"Well then?" Leo absolutely purred, "Didn't you want some, Elly?"

He was giving Elliot that look- the mockingly seductive one that appeared from time to time only to scare him shitless. But now Elliot couldn't even summon that usual fear.

He blinked once, twice, then blushed scarlet.

"Oh god." He mumbled, ducking behind his hands, face flushed.

He forced a laugh.

There was a rustling, and Elliot knew his friend had re-situated himself in his seat again, no doubt a triumphant look on his face as he skimmed his book, pocky devoured. But he couldn't bring himself to look.

"Are you alright?" Leo questioned from close by.

"I'm fine." He responded curly, "Absolutely-"

A warm hand cupped his face, tilting his chin upwards, soft fingers skimming his lips, prying them open, as something slipped between-

Chocolate.

Spluttering, he almost lost the weak hold he had on his pocky, as it balanced between tongue and parted lips.

Leo smirked down at him from where he stood, biting into his own cookie.

"There's a good boy." He cooed patting Elliot on the head, "No need to sulk so."

"Y-you!"

Flushing yet again, Elliot got to his feet.

"That's it. I'm going home."

Why him of all people.

Why?

Why?!


A/N: This is among the most fan service I've written in a long time. I think. Not really sure about that, but I'm pretty sure it was. Anyhow, this was the prize for peppermint-twertle on deviant art for the contest in the group OfWithHisHead.

Originally titled "You and Me - POCKY!" Based off the Pocky slogan ( "Anata mo Atashi mo POCKY"). I have extremely conflicted feelings over this piece. One, it's cute and fuzzy but I'm not sure if I like writing cute and fuzzy. I write too much suspense and drama these days, I think.

Anyhow, thank you for reading!