AN: Lol I'm in a really happy mood and needed some Shassie fluff. Got the idea from an RP my gf and I started last night. Lassie (me) was all "For someone so immature, I'm shocked he doesn't understand the Playground Rules of Crushes. Sure, I can't exactly pull his hair, but I think I've been pretty good at improvising!" So, enjoy some fluff. xD
xxxxx
Anyone who has spent time in a good ol' American elementary school knows of the Playground Rules for Crushes. If you like someone, you make fun of them, because you have no idea how to show your affections in any other way that won't get you laughed at. You can't just come to school with a dozen roses and start quoting Shakespeare sonnets. You'll get your ass kicked! So instead, you call them names, laugh at them, and threaten their hair. Lassiter thought Shawn knew this. Lassiter figured Shawn had never grown up enough to get out of the playground. Apparently, Shawn did not know that when Lassiter said "If you don't get your hand off me this instant, I'm going to shoot you in face." it translated into "I really really really like you. Like, like like you. Like, a lot."
That being said, Lassiter was unprepared to hide his panic when an angry Shawn told him he was going to leave because Lassie obviously hated his guts and obviously wanted nothing to do with him. As Shawn angrily walked away, it occurred to Lassiter that just maybe he wasn't being obvious enough in his figurative cutting of Shawn's figurative pigtail. And, it was then, as he realized Shawn might very well exit his life stage right for all eternity, it occurred to him that Lassiter's affections for the younger man just might be more stable than a simple crush.
In his moment of panic, Lassiter scrambled to his feet, and with aid of his long stride was able to catch Shawn before the man was able to exit stage right. Without a moment's hesitation, Lassiter reached out, grasped a lock of Shawn's hair and tugged. Shawn yelped at the assault of his head and turned to stare at Lassiter, confusion clearly written on his face. The muscles of Lassiter's face had fallen into their usual placement of a glower, but the skin was slightly flushed because he had just given the obvious sign of how he felt. Well, slightly less obvious. It wasn't like he had given the younger man a note that said "Will you be Carlton's boyfriend? Check yes or no." and provided the appropriate boxes to be checked.
On second thought . . . Lassiter grabbed a scrap of paper, scrawled the words on the page and added boxes that looked like they were trying their best to be triangles, folded it hamburger style and handed it to Shawn. Shawn, having not been able to read what was written while it was being written looked at Lassiter warily as he opened the note. After another moment of studying the older man's face for signs of . . . something, Shawn looked down at the paper in his hand. His eyes widened and Shawn took the pen from Lassiter. Holding the paper up so Lassiter couldn't see which triangle box was being checked, Shawn marked his response and refolded it, handing it back. Lassiter was also studying Shawn's face before reading the response. Shawn was providing him with a neutral expression, and Lassiter had no idea what that was supposed to mean. That wasn't in the rules. But what was in the rules was Lassiter had to see what Shawn had checked. So he flipped the note open.
There was a checkmark next to "yes".
"I thought you hated me," Shawn said, smiling in a bewildered manner.
Lassiter rolled his eyes. "Idiot. I've had a crush on you the moment I met you."
"Funny way of showing it with the many threats on my life."
Lassiter grinned and tugged his hair again. "You don't have a pigtail for me to cut. I had to improvise." When Shawn looked at him blankly, Lassiter expanded. "Playground Rules for Crushes. Look it up."
xxxxx
AN: I got another idea, but don't tell Lassie. Shawn and I are trying to come up with a plan to get that yummy Irish devil in naught but a black tie. Maybe some green boxers as well, but a tie fo sho. Shawn thinks we should just wing it, but I told him I need at least a Phase One to get me started. Any ideas?