XP: Heyo! New to this fandom. Started watching the anime a few days back. Was inspired during the episode of Aoba and Noiz. Was going to write AobaXNoiz for my feels, but then MinkXNoiz happened LOL. I don't know why. But enjoy!

Thanks a lot to A Cannibalistic Skittle for beta-ing! You rock! :D

"Kid, what are you doing here?" Mink grumbled, sitting himself down. A few of his members tensed when they noticed the stranger in their hideout.

Noiz was making himself at home, cuddled up on the opposite couch, hugging his knees to his chest with one arm and digging into a chocolate cup cake with his free hand. The 5 "Scratch" members were standing around looking rather bewildered, unsure of what to do in regards to the intruder. Their leader seemed to know him, at the very least.

"Oi, maniac, I'm talking to you," Mink growled. He didn't appreciate being ignored.

Perhaps Noiz realized he was pushing the limits here, but he finally mumbled, "I got lost. And don't call me maniac."

Mink looked rather incredulously at the blond. Noiz decided to focus on getting more treats, reaching across the table to swipe at the box that held more of them. Mink pushed it out of his reach by nudging it with his foot. Noiz glared at him, and Mink swore he was pouting. Noiz got up to take the whole box, and Mink didn't stop him this time. He made himself comfy on the couch again, hoarding the treats.

As if Noiz could tell Mink he was attracted by the smell of cupcakes.

"Hey, what is this?" Noiz asked innocently.

"Huh?!" Mink snarled, rubbed the side of his temple from the onset of a migraine. He had barely any sleep yesterday! He was agitated beyond belief at the other boy's presence, and he didn't have time to deal with his bullshit.

"This," Noiz lifted a strawberry cupcake apathetically.

"It's a fucking cupcake you dimwit."

"Hm," Noiz bit into it. He decided he liked the chocolate one more. He offered the strawberry cupcake he bit into to Mink. "Want one?"

"Are you making fun of me, kid?" Mink grumbled, but accepted it anyways. He was rather tired and needed some sugar. "Besides, all of those are mine." Aoba had sent them over as a present for helping him the other time when his grandmother went missing, baked by none other than Tae, of course.

The other Scratch members shuffled around awkwardly after a while, seeing as there was no immediate threat to their leader since Mink seemed pretty relaxed in the presence of the boy. The Scratch members left hesitantly, making the judgment that the two were friends… despite a rather odd friendship.

"And I don't give things out for free," Mink continued dryly. Not that he had yet to ask Aoba for anything in return yet. Well, better to hold more chips in his hand just in case.

Noiz paused. His tongue licked away a chocolate stain at the side of his lips. "What do you want? Information?"

"Hah, one piece of information for every cupcake? As if. Hey, you ate all the chocolate!"

That wasn't all Noiz ate. The box of 24 was already empty.

"Did you want one?" Noiz tilted his head. He walked over, with a hand behind him. Mink thought there might have been a hidden cupcake, but suddenly the boy was leaning over him.

And then Noiz leaned back again, revealing his chocolate smeared hand to lick it. "So, 22 more?" He leaned back down, and Mink got over his shock to push Noiz's face away.

"What the fuck! I didn't ask for a damn kiss!" Mink snarled, blushing angrily.

"Oh," Noiz contemplated for a bit. "What do you want then?"

Mink was decidedly uncomfortable with the boy's intense stare. It felt as though the boy would strip if he just asked. "Just get the hell out and give me some peace."

Noiz was alright with that. All the cupcakes were gone anyways. He shrugged, and righted his skewed beanie from Mink's harsh shove.

"Hey wait," Mink piped up. "Do you know the way?" Wasn't Noiz lost?

Noiz gave a little half-smile and continued leaving, throwing a little backhand wave.

Mink had his suspicions. Why else would the boy be over again digging into brownies exactly 5 days later? And just before the members got back from their rounds so he was the first to get his hands on the whole batch?

"Lost again?" Mink questioned lightly as he leaned on top of the sofa.

Noiz flinched and looked up, looking very much like a kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar. "Um. Yeah."

Mink's sharp eyes spotted a little cube under the table. He went over to pick it up, staring at Noiz accusingly. It was a transmitter. Noiz tried his best to look expressionless, but it wasn't very successful with his wide eyes. It was hard to get angry when Noiz looked so young with chocolate all over him.

"You need to be more careful when you eat," Mink snorted, picking up the tissue box from the table to throw at Noiz's head. "What a messy eater."

Noiz didn't even flinch when it hit him. Disregarding personal hygiene, he didn't even glance at the box. It would be such a waste to wipe away the chocolate from his lips and hands since he could just lick it off.

"What's this?" Noiz questioned as he took back the cube. The agreement to not snoop was unspoken.

Mink was about to sarcastically say that it was his transmitter, until he realized the boy was asking about the thing in his other hand. "Brownies."

"Brownies," Noiz tested the word on his lips with a little smile. He liked it. "Are there any other flavors than chocolate?" Chocolate was his favorite though.

"Yeah… like strawberry and cheesecake?"

"Cheesecake?" Noiz repeated quizzically. "Hm."

Jesus, did the boy have a deprived childhood? Mink was starting to feel pretty bad for Noiz. "Come with me."

"Huh?"

Mink grabbed Noiz's wrist and pulled him out of the hideout, entering the nearby ice cream shop. He promptly bought one for the silent boy, who was curiously watching the proceedings. He stared with apt attention as the icecream man scooped up a scoop onto the cone, and accepted the treat with two hands reverently.

He bit into it, and flinched. "Ah, so cold!"

Mink chuckled. "Lick it."

"Lick…?" Noiz started to, and became very quiet as he concentrated on his treat. It was cold chocolate. It was brilliant.

They started walking back, both silent. Noiz was too busy savoring his chocolate and Mink didn't exactly feel like talking.

"Hey, be careful!" Mink dragged Noiz by his collar to prevent him from knocking into the pole. He sighed, and took hold of the boy's wrist again to prevent the boy from accidentally wandering off or getting into an accident.

He decided to get the boy one more treat.

"What's that? Looks like a cloud," Noiz mused as he accepted it.

"Tear into it. Like this." Mink held his hand in place, demonstrating how to eat cotton candy. Noiz nodded, eager to try it himself.

"It's sweet."

"Yeah."

Mink turned to Noiz, and was surprised by the genuine childlike joy that was lighting up his face. He turned away, frowning. He was becoming soft.

"I'll pay you back."

"Nah, consider this a treat," Mink said offhandedly. "I've got to go back to Scratch. See you around."

Noiz couldn't understand receiving something without being expected to give something back in return. He pulled the back of Mink's shirt to stop him. "You really don't want anything?"

"I already said no."

"But…" Noiz looked to the side awkwardly.

"...Give me your contact number."

Noiz gave it to him wordlessly. "That's all?"

"Yeah. I'll call you next time to eat something new. Look forward to it," Mink ruffled Noiz's hair, and left quickly, obviously in a rush.

Noiz touched his hair with wide eyes, it had been more than ten years since someone patted his head. He smiled unknowingly when a message from Mink came in, with the brief words:

"Forgot to tell you, it was cotton candy. "

XP: Hope you liked it! Might have more chapters in the future.