Colonnello walks inside the kitchen, finding Skull sitting at the island, eating ice-cream.

"Why are you always in the kitchen?" he asks, amused.

"I like eating. Why do you always come in the kitchen?"

"I like eating while waiting," he says, but only takes one of his trusted sports drinks from inside the fridge. "Is this really any time to eat ice-cream?"

"I can do what I want." Colonnello snorts, taking a seat next to him, the fizzy sound of his drink as he opens it filling the beat of silence between them. "You just missed Lal."

"I know."

"Sure looks like you always come in time just to miss her."

"Glad you've finally noticed." Skull huffs, but there's a pleased little smile at his lips when he glances at him. "She's still my number one, though."

Skull, admirably, does not choke on his spoonful of ice-cream. "Good for her. Did not ask."

Colonnello leans in closer. "Doesn't mean I don't care about you, though, don't worry."

Skull shoves him back, not meeting his eye, blushing harder. "Just drink your drink and hopefully choke on it and die."

Colonnello snickers, taking it good-naturedly. He leans his head against the palm of his hand, elbow propped up on the island, and slowly sips his drink as a companionable silence settles over them.

He's not even halfway through it when he hears himself speak again, "Hi, by the way."

Skull glances at him suspiciously. "Hi."

"Let's go on a date." Skull stills, and he just grins, playfully leaning forwards and lowering his voice a tone or two. "And maybe I'll even ask you out while we're there."

Skull rolls his eyes. "Stop it."

"Why? Do you still think I'm just waiting to be bored of this? Of you? That I'm just messing around with you?"

He stands along with his ice-cream, and drags his chair to the other side of the island, taking a new seat across from him. "You tell me."

"That just hurt my feelings, by the way," he says, straightening in his chair.

Skull snorts, grinning. "Cry me a river."

"I'm serious."

Skull chews on his lip a bit, but doesn't avert his eyes away from him. "I guess."

Colonnello blinks, pleasantly surprised. "Aw, thank you." He leans his arms on the island, his drink all but forgotten. "But you still don't trust anything I say for shit, huh?"

"Your fault," Skull says a bit too quickly, a little defensive.

"I know. But I've at least earned a date by now, surely?" He puts his drink aside, and rests his chin on his folded arms. "I'll treat you right, promise. Just ask Lal." He wiggles his eyebrows. "Your loss if you say no."

A laugh spills out from his lips. "Pressuring me much?"

"Just a little," he says cheekily.

Skull narrows his eyes, but he's all smiles still. An absent look takes over his face as he thinks it over, poking his ice-cream with his spoon. He catches his eye again, and then softens. "Okay," he says quietly. "One date."

"And more if affinities?" he asks, then wiggles his eyebrows again, trying not to beam too noticeably or sound too obviously relieved and eager.

Skull gaps. Then he bursts out laughing, bright and unrestrained, but slaps his hand against his mouth to muffle it, to keep it short. His eyes are shining.

He huffs, shaking his head again, but there's a matching wide grin on both their faces. "Fine. And more if affinities."

A/N: And it's a wrap guys! This story was incredibly self-indulgent if you couldn't tell already, and I'm not sorry about it. Can't believe it took me this long to properly write about my OTP making out though lol. Like, I think across all my stories I only made these two kiss once? I have come to realize writing this story that I'm much more all about flirting/implying than about anyone actually doing anything (that'd be on my aroace-spec ass lol), but still.

On the other hand this story honestly entirely wrote itself, so that was nice. I think it's also the first time I actually experienced brainrot because it would simply not leave me alone until I wrote it, it was eating at my brain for real. Which is why you got updates so fast, but that was just because the stars aligned, absolutely do NOT expect that of me ever again zesdfgcds. (On that note sorry if it felt like spam? I just wanted to get the story out while I was still super inspired by it.)

Anyway, this was a short but super fun ride, and if nothing else it was the opportunity for me to practice writing kissing scenes, so that was nice too. I hope you guys enjoyed the story too. Any and all review are appreciated, so let me know what you think about it.

And thank you for reading, commenting, favoriting and following, whether you only did one of these or all of these, it means a lot!

- Hope

Answers to Guests' comments:

Guest: ahhh zedfcvbc thank you? ? ? thank you so much, that was so kind and sweet of you to say that. i'm super happy you liked the story so much, thank you for reading and commenting!