"Want some pocky?"
Marcel looked up from his book to Lili, who grinned at him with a packet of pocky in hand. He looked from Lili to the packet and back, looking for any sense of deceit. Finding none, Marcel gave a small nod and reached out for the snack.
The packet was suddenly pulled out of his reach. Confused, he looked up at Lili. "If you want some, you need to play a game and win."
"What game?"
At his question, Lili's grin grew and his eyes shone. "The pocky game."
"What is it?"
Lili rolled his eyes and said, "You city people. I would have expected you to know this."
Marcel frowned before replying, "You know I'm only book smart."
"So let me teach you other things."
"What other things?"
"How to speak Japanese," he answered sarcastically, "The pocky game of course! Can you follow conversations at all?"
Marcel turned completely to face Lili. "Teach me."
The sarcastic smirk was replaced with a playful grin and Lili pulled a pocky out of the packet. He sat in front of Marcel and held the pocky up to eye level.
"First," Lili began, "You sit facing me." Marcel did as instructed, looking at the pocky curiously.
"Then take one end," they both grabbed an end, "And put it in your mouth."
Marcel rose an eyebrow in disbelief when Lili put his pocky end in his mouth. "How exactly do you play this game? And why does it involve doing this?"
The other boy let out a sigh of frustration before speaking past the pocky stick.
"If you did as I told you to, you'd find out. Now, are you going to play or not?"
Hesitantly, Marcel lifted the his pocky end to his mouth. "I'll play."
Lili visibly brightened and continued in his instructions. "Each person bites off a piece and get closer to each other. The first person to back away loses."
Marcel nodded as Lili finished speaking. At the same time, they nibbled off a piece of their respective end. Lili took a larger bite and scooted closer Marcel, who took another nibble. He seemed to gather his nerve and took a large bite like Lili's.
The two were very close to each other; they may as well have been sitting in each other's laps. Lili looked into the other boy's eyes with an intensity no one had ever seen on him before.
Unsure of what to do, Marcel looked away. His cheeks flooded with red and his heart seemed louder than normal. But determined not to lose to Lili at another thing, he took another bite, lips close to brushing with the country boy's.
They both froze, realizing how close they were. Marcel's book, which he had been so absorbed in, was forgotten and had fallen to the floor. The pocky packet had slipped from Lili's fingers onto the couch cushions.
Marcel tried to think of something else, like books, homework, the French revolution, anything but the situation he was in.
When he looked back to Lili, his heart jumped when he saw that Lili was staring at his lips. His eyes jumped from Marcel's lips and his eyes, wondering if he could do it.
Never one to back away from any challenge, Lili mentally prepared himself and leaned forward.
All thoughts were forgotten as they both leaned forwards and deepened the kiss, tasting a combination of chocolate and each others' lips.
Tentatively, Marcel's hand wrapped around the back of Lili's neck, pulling him closer. They fell back onto the couch, Lili lying on top Marcel and feeling each heartbeat from the city boy's heart.
When they broke apart for air, both flushed and elated, they lay in a comfortable silence.
Lili got off Marcel suddenly, leaving him sighing in disappointment from the sudden lack of warmth. Luckily, the cold only lasted for a few minutes before Lili crawled back on top of Marcel holding the pocky package.
"Up for another round?"
He only plucked a pocky out of the packet and put one end in his mouth as he watched Lili smile happily at his response.