The moment Cliff realized what he was doing, he figured he must be out of his mind. Karen's sly smirk at the grocery had told him that she was aware of his feelings for his best friend, Claire (their few recent dates shouldn't get his hopes up, he insisted), and the box of biscuits had been an easy sell. After all, Karen had told him, it was tradition, and it could be a fun icebreaker.
Fun is one word for it, I guess.
Cliff's gaze drifted toward the young woman standing in her kitchen, humming as she played with a lock of her blonde hair.
She does like sweets, though… Maybe she's not aware of the date.
Wait, is this another date?!
Ah, well, worst case scenario, we can share them.
I-I mean… in the traditional sense, that is. Just… two friends sharing a box of cookies.
Just a guy and his very clever, gorgeous friend sharing a box of Pocky.
On what may or may not be a date.
… Yeah.
"I have both coffee and tea."
"Tea is fine."
Coffee breath would definitely kill the mood, right?
He snapped back to reality. "L-Like I said earlier, I don't mind helping you in there."
Claire's giggle rang through the kitchen. That musical, beautiful laughter that reminded him of bubbling brooks, sunshine and the song of birds in the springtime. He would never tire of it – he could not. The very melody of her voice was his favorite accompaniment to his hammering heartbeat, both the cause and the perfect remedy.
"It's an electric kettle. I'm just pouring hot water into cups and adding tea."
He listened to her add a few things to the tray and clasped his sweaty hands. The table he sat at was rather small, with a floor cushion on either side. If she sat across from him, that would be a standard position for polite conversation, but if she sat adjacent to him…
A rosy-cheeked Claire carried the tray towards him with a shaky smile. "It's a bit cool out. A good day for a hot cup of tea."
She took a seat beside him and audibly gulped. "Ah, I uh… I figured it would be easiest to prepare our drinks if we sat like this… Less reaching and all that."
"O-Of course…"
They prepared countless drinks together while seated across from one another, but he didn't say a word during this, afraid to break the comfortable mood she was clearly trying to establish. It didn't keep his heart from hammering in his throat when he observed the spread more closely.
Upon the tray, among the sugar, kettle, mugs, and cream, was a tumbler filled with long biscuits dipped in chocolate. Their eyes met and they shared a nervous chuckle as their cheeks flushed deeply.
"Ah, well… Karen was really pushing these cookies on me today," Claire felt the need to explain the presence of the Pocky. "And, uh… I thought it would go well with tea. The tea I share with you, I mean."
He wasn't really sure why she had specified, but he didn't dare let his imagination wander wild with the implications of her words.
"The tea smells nice."
"Thanks…"
They continued to compile their drinks in silence, stealing shy looks at one another. In their distraction, Cliff added an extra spoon of sugar to his tea and Claire nearly spilled the cream. They clanked their mugs together in a shy toast, peering over their mugs at each other.
"Having you come over regularly has been really nice," Claire murmured. She set down her tea and balled her hands into fists on her lap. "It's fun to have something to look forward to. I know they're just small... but I really…" she drifted off, embarrassed.
"I love them, too," Cliff replied, his lips turning upward as he caught the timid smile on her face. "Knowing that I get to have a few hours with you a few times a week… it makes getting through the week a lot easier."
"Ah, I'm glad you feel that way, too!" she cried in relief. "I know I ask you over so often, and you don't have to accept my invitations if you're too busy or have other plans-"
"I love coming over here," he cut in, a little more confident. "And I would let you know if I was too busy. Like I said, I look forward to these... visits."
"Me, too. I love hearing about what's going on in your life. How have Duke and Manna been?"
Cliff warmed his hands against his mug. "The feeling is mutual. Stories about your family and your life out here on the farm are so interesting. Duke and Manna are getting along alright. They're happy that their latest variety sold so well, but they can't seem to agree on what new grapes to start growing. It can be difficult… trying to establish a new normal when things have grown so much." He couldn't wonder if he had been too frank with his thoughts on their own relationship with his final comment.
"It's great that they're looking to expand, though. Exploring new possibilities is exciting, though."
His heart leapt at this.
Stay calm. Don't get worked up over that… She's talking about Duke and Manna.
He peeked up at her.
That smile, though… I want to keep it going.
"It is pretty grape," Cliff deadpanned.
She leaned forward on the table, resting her chin in her palm. "Har, har, har. Don't think you can let a berry bad joke like that slip by me."
M-Maybe she does want to "explore new possibilities"…?
He scooted near her, chuckling. "Really?"
Claire came closer still. "Yeah, really."
He wondered if she could hear his heart pounding or feel the heat radiating off of his face. Her tea had been set aside, and she had scooted the tray a bit to accommodate for them to sit closer to one another.
His eyes searched hers, which were excitedly exploring his face. They landed on his mouth and he watched with a pleased smile as she went from pink to scarlet.
He took a deep breath, steeling his nerves. "W-Want to hear a real joke, though?"
He heard the clanking of dishes as her face neared his. Her torso rested on the table, her locks twisted around one finger. "Of course!"
He hoped his hands weren't shaking as he took the cup of Pocky and set it between them. "I... d-dunno if you believe this, but there's, uh… a game that you can play with these. Well, at least Karen told me about it."
Her lips parted, and he marveled at their pretty shape when they turned into a smile. "A game, huh? Is this a prank?"
"N-No…"
Her hand brushed against his on the table. "M-Maybe you should tell me about this game, and we can decide if it's just a hoax."
His face flamed. "W-Well, the idea is that you take a stick, and then th-the other person…" He demonstrated, placing a piece between his lips.
The keen interest in her gaze left him staggering. "Oh, so it requires another player?" she breathed, her voice an airy whisper.
He shivered with pleasure, nodding slightly.
Ah, I screwed this all up! What if she takes one of her own, and-?
"Okay… I'll join. I mean, it takes two people..." Her longing expression met his and he felt faint.
"Y-Yeah…" The stick nearly fell out between his lips but was stabilized when he felt support on the other end.
A heavily blushing Claire was inches from his face, the other side of the biscuit in her mouth.
There was a heavy silence, and time stood frozen. They stared at one another in suspended animation as the clock ticked by, their only link to reality. Her sapphire eyes gazed into his, a combination of surprise that she had actually joined in and giddiness at what was to come. Cliff gulped. There was no going back now.
I… guess I should show her how Karen told me people play this…
But… I think she might already know. She bought them from the same person, after all.
He took a tiny bite, moving ever so slightly closer. He watched her focus move toward his lips and then his eyes, and with a muffled giggle, she took a nibble, shortening the stick.
Again, there was another pause, and he realized it was his turn.
Ah, this is really a game of chicken, isn't it?
He wasn't sure where the wellspring of courage came from, but he took a larger bite. There was an audible squeak from Claire as she mimicked him.
He could feel her breath on his cheeks, and after he took another bite, he felt her lips nearly ghost over his as she took another.
This was his chance to break it off. To sever the Pocky and laugh the whole game off, to keep things from potentially getting odd between them. For them to keep it playful and laugh over the ridiculousness of it all.
But he found that he didn't want to.
And from the pleading look in her eyes, she didn't want to, either.
He carefully wiped the sweat off of his hands and gently reached up to cup her cheeks. He didn't think that she could possibly be more flushed, but then again, he was sure he looked just as red. Her eyelashes fluttered as she closed her eyes, and he closed his as well, closing the space between them. His heart gave an excited jolt as he felt her lean into the kiss, wrapping her arms around him for an embrace.
She's been waiting for this, too.
They parted, coming up for air, half giggling, half gasping for breath as their world spun. Their hands slid to each other's shoulders, and Claire smiled at him, her lips twitching as they finished chewing the remaining cookie in their mouths.
"D-Did I win? I'm pretty sure I did," she whispered.
He grinned. "I think I did."
She looked up at him, wide-eyed. A cute pout played at her lips and he already wanted to kiss them again. "How should we determine a winner?" she asked, removing a hand from his shoulder, her fingers affectionately brushing against his tunic when she did. She retrieved another piece of Pocky, waving it in her fingers.
"I think another round might be best. Glad we had the same idea."
She was about to place it between her lips when she looked at him coyly. "What if we keep tying, Cliff? What will we do?"
The flirtatious lilt in her voice gave him a pleasant wave of goosebumps. He reached into his bag beside him, retrieving the box that he had purchased himself. They both chuckled, not once removing their hands from one another, and there was a buzz of anticipation in the air that hadn't been there when he arrived.
"I guess we have a lot of chances to try."
"I suppose we do." She paused, smirking. "Wh-what… does the winner receive?"
He boldly took the biscuit from her extended fingers and placed the tip of it between her parted lips, causing her eyes to widen in surprise.
"I guess we'll have to figure that out together."