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Cicadas screamed from the hills as the two teenage boys sat on the muddy soil. The white hair boy sprawled out under the shade, licking a blue Popsicle as it dropped uncontrollably. The black haired boy just sat next to him quietly. Neither of them were going to clean up that mess.
It was peaceful, quiet, a nice reality away from the pressure of society. A great spot for some small town kids to set out and hide. Even if only till dinner.
The black haired boy looked over his shoulder. It was hard for him to not look at his best friend. Hikaru was always the pretty one. His hair glowed under the scorching sun, barely looking natural at all. His tinted blue eyes squinted as he inspected the sticky mess of the popsicle as it continued to melt down his arm. He was flushed from the heat, a soft blush being forced to his skin. His teeth were imperfect and chipped but it just made him look younger and more naive. His breath was loud but with a steady and calm beat. Yoshiki felt his own breathing sputter as he tried to breathe the same. He let out a small cough, just loud enough to bring the attention of the boy he was admiring.
“Yoshiki, yer’ feelin alright? You been starin’ quite a bit,” Hikaru prodded Yoshiki with his popsicle stick. He really shouldn't have been surprised when the rest of the blue dropped into the grass below.
A blush rose to Yoshiki’s cheeks as he was called out. It looked the same as the dusting on Hikaru’s cheeks. Yet, one was from unmercy from the sun, the other from the unmercy of a deep stabbing pain in the stomach. ‘Butterflies in the stomach!’ the expression went. Yoshiki sure thought it felt more like murder hornets than anything.
“Ye’, I'm alrighty’. Just lil’ out of it,” Yoshiki attempted to laugh as pushed the toothy grinned boy's trash away from his white shirt. All it earned him was a tackle to the side, bringing him down into the messy ground with a hard thud. He let out a sharp breath, lightly punching the now hysterically weight on top of him.
The weight sat up, not even lasting a second before falling back to the ground in his laughter. Yoshiki sat up as well, watching as Hikaru practically rolled around. “Don't do that without warnin’,” Yoshiki only half heartedly scolded. Such type of ruff housing was normal for them, as it should be for most boys their age.
Hikaru stopped cracking for just long enough to wheeze out a reply, “oh- oh c'mon man, ye’ know yer’ love me. Cut a guy some slack!” A hand came to smother Hikaru's face. Yoshiki looked away in embarrassment. It felt cruel to have his feelings unknowingly toyed with by his own best friend.
A cold, wet feeling spread across the bottom of Yoshiki's palm. He had never pulled his hand back that quickly in his life. “Yer’ just licked me!” He exclaimed in a bit of disgust. Hikaru grinned back at him so smug and proud. “Welp, I couldn't breathe like that!” Hikaru retorted as he finally sat up.
It took a few seconds for the boys' eyes to meet, yet when they did, neither could control their laughter. Yoshiki doubled over slightly. Unfortunately, he was also being pushed down by the boy using his shoulder as support.
"Yer' so nasty," Yoshiki said as he gave Hikaru a sheepish smile, "Yer' sure yer' not dog or somethin'?" Without another word Yoshiki wiped his hand off on Hikaru's sleeve. Hikaru's words came loud and proud, "If I were a dog, I'm darn sure I'd be yer's."
Yoshiki turned away before Hikaru could see his face. His heart was racing over the smallest comment. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that Yoshiki had to be cursed with a petty crush. It just wasn't.
Little did he know, a pain ached in Hikaru's heart as well. Although a different one, full of regret and not embarrassment. The smile on the usually lively boy's face dulled as he thought of what he had to do.
A pain reached their hearts. The same feeling, but of different origin. A fear of getting too close. A fear of moving distant. A fear of losing their best friend.
They sat in silence till the sun met its mark, sending them home to help make supper. It was a small day, almost not worth remembering. Yet, it was times like this that really hurt. Especially now that glowing boy was gone.