Chapter Text
”Ne, Tsukasa?”
At the sound of Tori’s voice, Tsukasa didn’t lift up his head from his reading position, but still emitted a low hum of acknowledgement.
”Have you ever heard about the pocky game?”
”Huh?” Now, that made him lift his head up, meeting a far-too-innocent smile on Tori’s face. “I mean, yes. But why are you asking?”
Avoiding Tsukasa’s eyes, Tori looked down at his own long abandoned and still mostly blank homework, playing with one of the clip on notes attached to the book’s page.
”Well.... it’s just that we have been studying for hours-“
”It’s only been a few minutes more than one hour.”
He pouted at Tsukasa’s interruption, huffing a bit.
”That’s still too long! I can’t focus if I don’t take a break, and it’s gotta be right now!”
”You’re only doing this because you’re stuck on a question, right?” Tsukasa tried to get closer and take a look at Tori’s book, but the other boy quickly snatched it away. He gave Tori an unimpressed look. “Stop being childish, the sooner you finish, the sooner you will be free from it. Besides, you did invite me over specifically for a study session.”
”I’m not! I just really really really need a break right now and if you don’t let me then you’re a big meanie.”
A few seconds passed with the two just staring at each other, but Tsukasa promptly turned his attention back to the book in front of him.
”No way. We can take a 15 minutes break after we finish this assignment.”
Tori groaned loudly, crawling around the table and then sitting right besides Tsukasa. “C’mon! We don’t have to stop completely, just for a few minutes and then I promise I will finish it. If you say yes, I got a surprise for you...”
The smirk on Tori’s face grew as he fished a box out of his sweater’s pocket, quickly hiding it behind his back before Tsukasa could catch any glimpse of it’s label. He looked at Tori suspiciously.
”What kind of surprise?”
”Interested, are we? I will show you..... if you say we can take a break from homework right now.”
It only took a moment before Tsukasa sighed, defeated.
”Okay, fine.” He finally let go of the pen and pushed the books into the center of the table, turning to face Tori. “I cannot believe you’re bribing me.”
That caused the boy to giggle. “Don’t be sour! Do you need something sweet to make you feel better?”
A pink box was thrown in Tsukasa’s direction, and he rushed to grab it.
”...Pocky? Really?” He didn’t know if he felt mildly disappointed or happy that things turned out to be exactly as he was expecting.
Tori watched as Tsukasa opened the box, took two sticks out and started munching on them distractedly. He kind of wishes he was those Pocky sticks instead. A minuscule part of his brain entertained the thought, but soon pushed it far, far away. Too weird.
It didn’t take long before the box started to look empty, and Tori was reminded of the real reason why he wanted to take a break, and the reason why he stood up in the cafeteria for half an hour waiting to buy this box of special edition cherry flavored Pocky.
”Oi, Tsukasa! Wait, you can’t eat all of them! Save at least one, will you?”
”Hm?” Tsukasa stopped right before placing the last stick in his mouth. “Ah, that wasn’t courteous at all. Surely, you were expecting for us to share?”
”Not exactly.” ’I actually did buy it for you,’ Tori completes in his mind, grabbing the Pocky from Tsukasa’s hand and letting their fingers brush for one second too long. “I only need one.”
He scooted closer so him and Tsukasa were facing each other. Placing the Pocky gently between his own lips, Tori watched the other boy’s face turn many different shades of red. He smirked as much as the Pocky’s position allowed him to.
”Well? Arenchu goin’ to pway with me, Ch’kasa?”
”Ehhhh?! Excuse me?!” Tsukasa tried to lean away, but Tori had already snaked his arms around Tsukasa’s waist, making escape unreachable. “Tori-kun! This is extremely inappropriate, your parents could come inside at any moment!”
”Eh, ‘s okay. I told them to not intewupt my study seshion, beshides they’re pwobabwy busy.”
“You planned this, didn’t you?” Tsukasa sighed, trying to control his blushing face. He grabbed the Pocky and pulled it out of Tori’s mouth. “You sound more silly than cute, holding this in your lips.”
Tori pouted, looking up at Tsukasa from the position where he rested his chin on the boy’s chest. “I’m always cute!”
”Hmmm.” Tsukasa feigned to be deep in thought. He reached down to kiss Tori’s cheek, and smiled. “Is that so?”
“Ewww!!! I can’t believe Tsukasa just kissed me, that’s soooo gross!!!!” But untrue to his words, Tori smiled and slightly brushed his rosy cheeks against Tsukasa’s chest in an act of affection. “But don’t think your distractions are going to work any longer! I still want you to play the Pocky game with me!”
”I suppose I cannot back away from a formal challenge to a duel.” Tsukasa relented, and Tori beamed at those words, waiting expectantly. “Just so you know, I don’t plan on losing.”
They both readjusted their position, and the Pocky was placed between Tsukasa’s lips this time.
”Good! Because I don’t, either.”
Tori gave a determined nod before biting on the pinkish cream covered part of the Pocky. He felt his cheeks burn a bit, the distance between them suddenly felt way too short, but there’s no way he’d give up after challenging Tsukasa himself! After all he had a plan! He looked directly into Tsukasa’s eyes as he took a decently sized bite and waited for the other boy to make his move.
Tsukasa took only a small bite of it. So, he was going to play hard to get? Somehow that annoyed Tori. As revenge, he took a huge bite, so their noses were almost touching now. Tsukasa squealed, caught off guard, and almost let go of the Pocky, but he soon recovered and frowned slightly. Tori smiled sweetly, feigning innocence.
It took a few moments before Tsukasa moved again, this time taking a bite big enough so their noses were touching and their lips only separated by an extra short and small piece of what was once a Pocky stick. He looked at Tori smugly, surely there was no way he could lose now; if the pink haired pseudo-menace tried to take another bite, he would almost certainly touch Tsukasa’s lips, or he’d let go of the stick, both leading into defeat.
’A completely flawless victory.’ Tsukasa thought to himself.
Little did he know that, from the start, Tori never intended to follow the rules.
”Eep!” Tsukasa yelped and was surprised to feel a pair of soft and sweet lips touch his own. He opened his eyes and found himself facing Tori’s satisfied expression, with closed eyes and all, as they kissed.
A small part of him wanted to laugh at Tori’s predictability, and another part wanted to laugh at himself for getting so focused on winning that he ended up not expecting something obvious. In the end, both parts agreed that he should just relax and enjoy the affections. They are dating, after all.
Tsukasa closed his eyes again, leaning in, and reciprocated the kiss. He felt Tori smile and lightly grab his jacket with both hands. The faint taste of cherry on Tori’s lips registered in Tsukasa’s brain, and he found himself enjoying it. He hoped Tori enjoyed the taste on him, too.
They separated a few seconds later, Tori sighed happily and hugged Tsukasa loosely, resting his head on the taller boy’s shoulder. Tsukasa hummed.
”So, does this mean I won?”
He laughed when Tori lightly slapped his arm, huffing.
”Shut up, Tsukasa.”