( for trafficsafety )

[thirdcharm]

[ The fourth class of the day has ended and now it's time for lunch. After slogging through one class to another, Mitsuba's just looking forward to having lunch and talk endlessly with anyone. Satou and Yokoo had quickly apologized to him as they leave the classroom to attend some emergency club meeting.

He smiles at them and waves it off. It's fine to him -more than fine, even- because that leaves Mitsuba with a boy who wears the lamest earring he's ever seen.

Mitsuba turns to approach Minamoto's desk with an impish grin, placing his bento on the table. ]

You're not gonna run from me like those guys, right, Minamoto-kun?

[ He flips his chair around then sits right in front of the other boy. ]

I'm gonna cry foul if you just up and leave me to find someone else like I'm some sort of used goods, just so you know.

Comments

[trafficsafety]

[As quietly as Mitsuba said that, Kou still heard it. He's not used to anybody cooking for him because he's always cooking for somebody else. Teru was a mess in the kitchen and Tiara was still little. Kou didn't mind, he liked cooking, but there was something really nice about the idea of Mitsuba making him something. That had never crossed his mind. What if this would have been their days together? Being able to make each other food and sharing it? Mitsuba would have said his food wasn't that good and insulted it but kept eating.

That would have been really nice...

Selfishly, childishly, he wants to just enjoy this momebt. It isn't real. A trap at worst and a dream at best but Kou thinks it might be nice to just lose himself in it for a bit.

Maybe Kou is bad for Mitsuba's health but Mitsuba is just as dangerous to Kou. Even if this isn't the same Mitsuba and Kou knows it but...

Nope. Not thinking about that! He had said he was going to enjoy this. So instead, he only points to Mitsuba with his chopsticks. Rude but it isn't like Mitsuba is the type to care about manners.]

You keep that up and maybe I will be late. [He won't and this is an empty threat.]

[thirdcharm]

You will?

[ Mitsuba furrows his brows as he makes himself look as hurt as possible. Though he's could see right through Minamoto's bluff, it doesn't stop the panic rising in him. Even the mere mention of it sets him into worry-- for all he knows, the other boy could just up and decide to dessert him despite him asking No.4 to create this idyllic world that they both could be happy with.

But it won't happen, it's an empty threat and he'll continue to repeat that in his head. However that won't free Minamoto from his revenge: weaponizing his cuteness. He looks down on his hands but it isn't long before pink eyes stare at Minamoto again, he bits his lip, then he speaks up in a small voice. ]

But I really want you to eat my gift as soon as possible...

[ No escape, no mercy. ]

[trafficsafety]

[An empty threat it may have been but Mitsuba didn’t really play fair. If anything, Kou thought it probably would have been this way if this was the original Mitsuba. Maybe Mitsuba would have always played his greatest weapon until Kou was stronger against it, used to seeing that cuteness turned against him because Mitsuba was cute. There was no arguing against it and Kou wasn’t going to, either vocally or to himself. Denying that felt like denying something obvious.

But still, he can't make it too obvious he's this easy to play! Even if it's obvious he is by the fact he isn't going with his own empty threat anymore.]

I was kidding. Geesh, relax relax. No need to go all out on me. I’ll come, okay? I’ll play bodyguard and everything. [And it’s a good excuse to figure everything out, too, he thought.]

1/3

[thirdcharm]

[ Did... he do something wrong? He thought that Minamoto would have reacted to it more strongly, maybe even reprimand him for it, he hadn't expected the blond to be this quiet. There's no way that he's going to abandon him, right? He doesn't really have anyone else.

He looks away, muttering: ]

... You better not be late, that's my final warning.

[thirdcharm]

[ And that was the end of that conversation, as Mitsuba scarfs down the last piece of his food, the tamagoyaki. It tastes light, but he can still taste the subtle flavors of sugar and soy sauce. It's really good. He lets out a gasp in surprise, you can practically see his eyes shining in delight. ]

Minamoto-kun... this is so good!

[ Sure it's just tamagoyaki, but it's surprisingly a nice cleanser even from his own lunch. ]

[thirdcharm]

[ But his body starts to grow stiff. Wait wait wait, but Minamoto didn't make this right, there's no way a bulldozer wearing a lame piercing is good at making his own lunch in the morning.

Still, even if he didn't make it, Mitsuba concedes that the other boy has taste. His gaze goes back and forth between his chopstick and his friend.

Mitsuba just shot himself in the foot by making him cookies. ]

[trafficsafety]

[Kou notices how Mitsuba seems caught off guard just a little. Maybe he's not clever or as strong as his older brother but he caught onto things like that. Not that he always knew what to do because right now, as he sat there with Mitsuba, he wondered if maybe he should just go along with it anyway.

But then Mitsuba is complimenting his food and Kou can't control the grin on his face or how good it feels to get a compliment from Mitsuba at all. They're rare.]

Thanks! [But then he notices how Mitsuba looks at him and he becomes almost teasing.] What, so impressed you're speechless? Heh, Teru-nii says my cooking could make anybody speechless!

[So Kou didn't always catch onto every little emotional hint.]