SUMMARY: Yoite and Miharu share a box of Strawberry Pocky with interesting results.

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                                       Pocky Stick

“Miharu? What’s…that?”

“This?” Miharu held up a pink rectangular box.  “It’s called Pocky, Yoite.  This is the strawberry flavour.”  

“Pocky…” Yoite mused.  Miharu smiled and, opening the box and the packet inside, took out a stick and offered it to Yoite.  The older boy hesitated for a moment, then took it.  Miharu wasn’t surprised when he downed half of it in one bite.  He was about to ask if he liked it, but then remembered that the Kira user wasn’t able to taste anything.  

“It…smelled sweet,” Yoite said after finishing his stick.  

Miharu nodded, nibbling on his own Pocky stick.  “It is sweet.  It doesn’t really taste like actual strawberries, though.”    

“Oh…”

Yoite fell silent, and Miharu realized he must have been thinking about his deteriorating health.  Hoping any subsequent conversation wouldn’t stray to a gloomier topic, the carrier of the Shinrabanshou tried to think of something to talk about, to try and get both of their minds of things.  His eyes strayed to the pink box in his hands.

“You know, there’s a game where two people slowly eat the opposite ends of a Pocky stick.  They keep on eating until there’s no more, and…”

“Kare-Kare Chu-Chu?”

“Yeah.”  Miharu was somewhat surprised.  “You know about it, Yoite?”

“Kind of… Once, when I went out with Yukimi, I heard someone daring his friend to play it… I didn’t stay to watch, though.”

“Oh.  I’ve never really seen it being played either.”  Miharu took another stick from the box.  “But I know the loser is the one who pulls away first.”  He started nibbling at it.

And to his absolute surprise, Yoite took the other end in his mouth.  The other boy seemed to be in no rush to finish the stick, and his calm blue eyes were studying Miharu.  His own green ones were wide in surprise.  

After what seemed like an eternity, the stick of Pocky was finished.  

And their lips met.  

Miharu gasped, and then Yoite wrapped his arms around him pulled him closer.  Try as he might, he couldn’t conceal his surprise, and was vaguely aware of a blush rising to his cheeks.

He pulled away from the kiss, though he still clung to Yoite’s coat (when his hands had started gripping the fabric, he was unsure).  Panting slightly, he looked up at Yoite’s face, to see that he was looking a little flushed as well, and as amused as he could possibly look.  Miharu raised his eyebrows questioningly.  

“You lost, Miharu.”

“Eh…” Oh! Right! Kare-Kare Chu-Chu.  It took him a few seconds to remember, and when he did, he was flabbergasted.  

When Yoite looked down at him, he saw a smile graced his beautiful features.    

“Miharu? Are you okay?” Yoite asked, reaching up to stroke Miharu’s cheek with a gloved hand.  Miharu stared at him for a while longer before burying his face against the other’s chest.  

“You’re so weird, Yoite,” Miharu replied, his voice muffled by the fabric.

“Really?” Yoite’s hand moved to Miharu’s hair.  

“Yeah.  In a good way, though.”

“I see…”

Miharu sighed as he felt Yoite run his fingers through his hair.  Why couldn’t it always be like this?

“Is there something wrong, Miharu?”

“No.”  They both knew it was a lie.  

“There’s still some Pocky left,” Yoite said after a moment of silence.  At some point, the box had fallen onto the bench they were sitting on.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”    

Pulling away from Yoite, Miharu picked up the box, taking out another stick of pocky, and holding it out for Yoite.  He took his end with his mouth, expecting Miharu to do the same with his own end.

Miharu smiled.  “And this time I won’t lose.”