Chocolate

Rating: PG13
Pairing: Rose/Joel
Synopsis: A Related 'One Shot'
Happy Halloween everybody! Takes place just after episode 4. Hence the Halloween theme.


Author's Notes: Related is not mine so you don't have to rub it in. Neither is Twix, Oh Henry, Snickers, Kit Kat or Mars. And to all those who do not know, those are chocolate bars. I would think things like that were obvious but I wrote a fic where the characters ate Smarties and it completely confused all American readers. Smarties in Canada are like M&M's. Not little chalky things. We call those Rockets. ANYWAY. Read on...

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Joel sat down heavily on the stairs, slowly savoring the mini Twix bar he had pulled out of the bottom of the candy bowl.

He and Rose had the first shift of sitting down in the store on Halloween night. Apparently, the Sorrelli's had kept the store open extra late, in a purely to-hand-out-candy fashion, every Halloween since the sisters were little. Rose had asked if he wanted to come and keep her company and he had of course said yes. This trip had taken significantly less time then the last one though. He had managed to skip the step with the ferry. But even if it had taken twice as long, he still would have come. He grinned to himself. Rose asks; therefore, he abides.

He popped the last chunk of the candy bar in his mouth just as he heard a small shriek of dismay.

Joel turned back to see Rose staring in shock at him from a couple steps up.

His eyes darted back and forth. "Uh, everybody else was eating them," He mumbled sheepishly through the chocolate.

She shook her head and quickly moved to stand on the step above him.

"What kind?"

Joel stared blankly at her for a moment. "Kind?"

She looked panicky now. "Yes! What kind of chocolate bar was that?"

He glanced around again. Maybe this was some sort of practical joke. He had already had Ann jump out from behind a couch and a doorway today, trying to scare him. "Um…Twix?"

A look of complete misery crossed her face and she slid down the wall, until she was slumped, legs out stretched in front of her. "Nooooooo," she moaned quite pitifully.

He stretched out his own legs so he was opposite of her. "Um...sorry? I guess?"

Rose sighed and ignored his apology. "Was it at the bottom of the bowl?"

He nodded.

She sighed again. "Damn. I had hidden it too."

He smiled slightly. "You hid a chocolate bar…in the bowl full of chocolate bars?"

She frowned at him. "The whole 'in plain sight' rule. I figured it was fool proof."

He shrugged and stated with mock seriousness. "Well yes, of course, I guess it would hide it from people specifically looking for that bar. But not so much from the people who would be going into this bowl anyway." He paused. "Because that is where all the rest of the candy was."

She stuck her tongue out at him.

He did the same; proudly showing off the bits of half melted and chewed chocolate.

She made a face. "Ew. That was gross and it was done in mocking!"

He grinned. "So why were you hiding the chocolate bar?"

"Twix are everybody's favorite and every year, when we buy them, they get picked clean by my lovely sister and they never share. So this year, I actually manage to get a hold of one…" She looked sad all over again, "and you ate it."

He pulled together a solemn look. "Sorry."

She glared at him. "No you're not."

A wide smile broke out over his face. "No, I'm really not. In fact, that may have been the best Mini chocolate bar I have ever eaten. You totally missed out."

She grabbed an Oh Henry bar and threw it at him.

Joel laughed and easily deflected the chocolate assault. "So why don't you just, I don't know, eat a Kit Kat and a Mars bar at the same time. That is kind of like the same thing."

She glared. "If you believe that, then you totally did not deserve that chocolate bar."

He grinned again. "Maybe I was unworthy. But is still tasted really good."

She tossed another chocolate bar his way, a Snickers, and this time is thwacked him in the chest. He moaned theatrically and held his 'wound'. "Oooh, death by chocolate. What a sweet way to go."

She bit her lip, trying to repress a smile. "Shut up." Rose drew her legs up, resting her chin on her arms crossed over her knees. She shot another glance at his way, catching sight of him continuing to theatrically hold his chest and make pained faces. A giggle slipped out before Rose could stop it and she covered her mouth. She rolled her eyes, a smile still lit upon her lips. "You are such a jerk."

Joel smiled widely. "Yeah, but you still like me. After all, without me, who else would spend a perfectly good night sitting in a Brooklyn Deli handing out candy with you?"

She rolled her eyes again. "Well, without you I would certainly have more Twix bars that is for sure." She smiled lightly before shaking her head and looking out into the street, watching the odd pint-sized Witchs and Vampires walk by.

Joel took this chance to stare appreciatively at her form. Something he often found himself doing when Rose was around. She was wearing a black sweater that looked a several sizes too big. Perhaps a sweater of her Dad's? He didn't even want to think about the fact that it could be an ex-boyfriend. Either way, she looked impossibly cute in the billowing shirt, fingertips barely poking out from the sleeves.

She was continuing to people-watch, a small smile still dancing upon her features when it came to him. It was either the most brilliant idea ever...or the most asinine. It was really a toss up between the two.

He cleared his throat nervously. "So, you really like Twix?"

She looked at him strangely. Probably because his voice had come out somewhat shrill.

"Yeeaah?"

He nodded slowly. He glanced nervously around before taking a calming breath. "Come here then." He said it with much more conviction then he actually felt.

Her eyes narrowed in confusion as she tried to figure him out.

He beckoned her with his hand. "Come on."

She smiled cautiously and slowly moved forward until she was sitting just shy of the middle of the step.

Joel took a breath and paused. He then slowly sat up, kneeling on the step below her.

She started to draw away. "What are you doing?"

He bit his lip, staring straight into her dark eyes. "Do you trust me?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Maybe?"

He gave her a look.

Rose sighed nervously before responding begrudgingly. "Yes."

He made a face. "Well don't sound too thrilled about it."

She scowled. "You stole my chocolate bar! What do you want me to sa-"

He moved as fast as he could, cutting her off. He pressed his lips to hers, a hand slipping around the back of her neck, holding her close. For a moment, she was tense. He waited for her foot to come out to kick him down the stairs.

But then something amazing happened, she softened and leaned into the kiss.

How many times had he fantasized about this moment? Dozens? Hundreds? Either way, none of his fantasies had come close to this. Her lips were smooth and warm and instantly his heart beat faster then it ever had before. His hand reached out to her waist and pulled her closer, sliding her across the smooth step towards him.

Her fingers reached out and rested lightly on his hips. Slowly her lips parted and he eagerly let his tongue slide over her lips and into her mouth. She tasted ridiculously good. Better than anything he could have possibly imagined. He fervently deepened the kiss, tightening his hold on her and breathing her in. Her fingers traveled across his hips with torturous ease before one hand slid around to hold his waist and the other came up to splay across his chest.

Finally, they drew apart, breathing heavily. He ran a thumb slowly over her lip before letting his hand drop.

Her cheeks were flushed and her lips glistened as she stared in shock at him. "W-what was that?"

He grinned embarrassedly and felt apprehension begin to creep in. "I didn't think I was that bad. But I was trying for a kiss?"

She gave her head a slight shake. "I got that part but. . .why?"

He grew nervous and shrugged. "I had eaten the chocolate bar. I figured the best I could do was give you a slightly...chocolaty...kiss."

She stared wide-eyed at him for what seemed like an eternity.

He started to wince and opened his mouth to apologize but she cut him off.

"You know," she shifted closer to him, "I really didn't get that good of a. . .uh. . .taste of that chocolate you were talking about. I still feel gypped."

A wide smile broke out over his face before he responded sagely. "Maybe I should try that again then?" He moved smoothly between her knees.

She smiled softly and breathed, "yeah, maybe."

He drew her close and this time she met him half-way; winding her arms around his neck. He could feel the faint curve of a smile of her lips against his.

Yep, definitely better than any fantasy.

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You see that purple button? Yeah, I would be thrilled if you would hit it and tell me what you thought. Thanks.