Cole and Cashew were parked in the garage, they had just got back from doing a small bit of shopping for Alice. Cashew tried his best to appease Cole and stick to being a 'good boy' as he was promised some more of what they were doing before from the menacing man. Cashew noted that Cole seemed more relaxed around him than usual. Did this mean something or was he reading too much into it?

As Cashew and Cole began walking out of the car, Cole pinned Cashew against the car and growled lowly, almost as if there was a need in that growl. Cashew grew excited as he blushed.

"C-Cole.."

"Upstairs. Now."

Cashew all but ran upstairs, excited at what could be in store for this encounter…

XXXXXXXX

Cashew and Cole fell back on the bed with ragged breaths. They went on for at least a few rounds and tired themselves out. Cashew looked at Cole. Why did he indulge in this type of thing if he insisted he didn't like him?

"You're staring.." Cole pointed out between breaths.

Cashew blushed. "S-Sorry.."

Cole looked over to Cashew. An unsettling stir was at the pit of his stomach. Why did this pipsqueak set him off so much? And most of all why was he here fucking the little annoyance like this!? The point of Cole's plan was to get him to fall out of love with his Alice, and yet here he was hitting the sack with the squirrely reader.

"We have to stop this.." Cole suddenly said.

Cashew looked over to Cole confused. "Stop what?"

"This." He said gesturing to the fact that they were nude and together in his bed.

Cashew felt a thud in his heart. Deep down he loved their little moments like this, even though they were only sleeping together, he enjoyed it.

"Oh- uh.. Okay.." He muttered sadly.

Cole noted Cashew's sad expression and couldn't help the feeling of something unsettling. What was it, guilt? Gross. Why on earth should he feel that for someone like him?

"Cole.." Cashew began. He sat on Cole's lap and grabbed his face, making him look at him in the eyes. "I can't do this anymore!" He exclaimed. "Cole, I love Alice, but dammit I like you too!" Cole's eyes widened slightly.

"I know almost every time we're together we do this but I've seen you! I've seen how you are with Alice and I've even seen the way you are with me! I can't just keep quiet anymore… I want you, I want you to want me.." He exclaimed as his voice became a near whisper at the end. "That's what I want.." He says as he recalled Cole always asking him what he wanted.

Cole couldn't say anything. He had never seen Cashew so riled up before. Cole diverted his eyes away from Cashew. "You're just going to continue being a pest huh?" He said to him.

"Insult me all you want, but that won't change my feelings for you."

Cole looked at Cashew. "I thought I said we wouldn't make this one-sided." He said.

Cashew clenched his hands. "Dammit Cole! I know this isn't one-sided! Why can't you admit you like me! Are you afraid of something!? I've seen it! Just admit it!" He yelled.

Cole moved Cashew off of him. "Because I don't like you." He began. "You can play with your delusions all you want, but what I'm telling you is the truth. You're nothing to me." He said.

Cashew's eyes widened slightly, but Cole didn't finish. "While you may have had fun with what we were doing, unfortunately, I'm going to have to end things. You've become too much of a thorn on my side."

Cashew looked down, hiding his eyes behind his fluffy hair. "I..see.. Alright, if that's what you want, then I won't stop you…"

Cole noted something falling down Cashew's cheeks, were those tears? Cashew got dressed and before Cole could speak, he ran out of the room…

XXXXXXXX

Alice noted that Cole hadn't come to find her in quite some time and became worried. She went up to his room and knocked.

"Cole? Are you in?"

No answer.

Alice awkwardly spun a finger through her hair. "Um.. If you're in, then please let me know you're okay, I haven't seen you all day and I'm getting worried.."

Alice walked away down the hall, she noted Cashew's room and figured reading could get her mind off of things. She went up and knocked.

"Cashew? Are you in?"

Once again no answer.

Alice sighed and walked away, as she walked down the halls, she bumped into Volks.

"You look terrible." Volks pointed out.

Alice laughed dryly. "Thanks."

"What's uh.. Going on?" He asked.

"I may be just overreacting, but I haven't seen Cole all day and I got worried, is that weird?"

"Uh..I guess not."

Alice put a hand on her forehead and laughed dryly again. "I'm overreacting."

"Maybe a little." Volks admitted.

Alice nodded. "I guess so.. Wanna do something, maybe I just need something to do to keep my mind busy."

Volks' eyes looked Alice up and down. "I have a few ideas on what we could do…"

Alice blushed and followed Volks to his room.

=In Cole's room=

Cole's head was under his pillow, he couldn't stop thinking about the interaction he and Cashew had. His mind was so wrapped up, he couldn't hear Alice calling for him through the door. Cashew was wrong. He didn't like him in any way. Right? Right. So then why? Why did Cashew drive him insane like this? He couldn't think straight, he couldn't relax, he couldn't see straight, all he could do was think about Cashew and his sad expression when he broke off their meetings.

Cole groaned as he flipped over on his bed. Cashew really was just a pest that wouldn't leave him alone, even in his thoughts.

Cole sat up and looked around his walls at his pictures of Alice. He relaxed as he looked at them. Alice was the only thing that could relax him when he was in a tizzy like this. Speaking of which, he hadn't seen her all day and was getting antsy to be by her side. He got up and began to look for her.

=With Cashew=

Cashew was hugging his pillow tightly as he sighed. He knew that confessing to Cole was going to probably not end well, but he couldn't stand just being a quick boink. But the words Cole used did hurt a lot. He sighed again. He had to get over Cole, maybe by hanging around Alice, he could feel better.

He sat up and began to look for her. He went down the hall and down into the kitchen, his heart thudded as he saw Cole already there, seemingly eating chocolate-covered strawberries. Cole noticed Cashew and didn't say anything as he looked away. Cashew did the same. The tension was heavy between them now.

"She's with the dog if that's who you're looking for." He stated.

"Oh. Okay."

As Cashew walked away, Cole looked back at him with narrowed eyes.

Cashew, feeling off, looked back and saw Cole just eating his strawberries. He shrugged and walked off to his room.

=Later=

Alice was just leaving Volks' room, she was on her way to the living room to watch some tv when she bumped into Cole, who was already watching some sort of crime documentary.

"Hey!" She greeted happily.

Cole noticed her and went to her and hugged her tightly.

The two sat down and watched some tv together when Cashew walked into the room, holding a book.

"H-Hey Alice, would uh… you like to read together?" He asked, failing to notice Cole's presence.

Alice smiled. "Wanna sit here and we could read together?"

Cashew smiled, then suddenly noticed Cole, he cleared his throat. "Uh.. sure." He said hesitantly.

The three sat together, Alice read with Cashew and made sure to keep her eye on Cole, who was seemingly annoyed with Cashew stealing Alice's attention. This went on for about thirty minutes before Alice got up to make dinner. Soon it was just them alone.

"Cole.."

"If this is about before, drop it."

Cashew stood quiet.

"Can…we still be friends? I did enjoy reading the stuff you gave me."

Cole sighed. The ever bothersome pest. "Fine."

Cashew beamed before sliding closer to Cole.

"Not too close now."

Cashew nodded and looked to Cole. "Would you like to read with me sometime? I have novels that you might like!"

"Listen-" Cole stopped. A few books wouldn't be too bad to read with him, would it? "Fine."

The tension between them seemed to have somewhat lifted, but there still was some left. Maybe with time, the tension could lift itself and they could get even closer than before?