10. suck (afternoon before)

No one would've guessed it, but Koushirou really likes popsicles. Since the beginning of the month, he's been eating them all the time. It's like every time I see him, he's either already eating or trying to find a popsicle. I've asked him why he's so into them, and he says that he just likes the consistency or something. It's never bothered me before.

Not until today.

I don't know what he's doing differently, but he's doing something. We're sitting outside under our favorite tree at the park, it's a humid July Thursday afternoon. I'm playing a wonderswan game I borrowed from Yamato, and he's doing a Sudoku puzzle. I just made the mistake of taking a sideways glance at him next to me, just to see what he's up to, and I immediately regret it. He's lying on his stomach, pencil in one hand, popsicle in the other, bare legs in the air and ankles crossed. I don't know what it is, but the way he's licking at that thing is ridiculous. He seems to be concentrating on his puzzle, but his tongue is sliding around the blue ice in circles that make my head spin. I can't look away. He stops drawing circles and sucks the whole popsicle into his mouth, working his lips around it. I can't stop watching.

He looks up, notices my stare and pulls the popsicle out of his mouth. "What?" His lips are blue.

"You're-" I begin, but don't even know what to say. "Nevermind."

He raises an eyebrow and goes back to his numbers, licking the popsicle straight up from bottom to top. I take a deep breath and try to distract myself with something- anything- but I keep looking back at him. Not just the popsicle eating, but everything about him is suddenly, I don't know, sexy- the curve of his back, his thin, bare legs, his feet, I don't know, everything.

I want him. Like, want him.

Suddenly, everything comes crashing down on me. Like how I spend all my free time with him, and how much I like spending all my free time with him. Like how he helps me with my homework even though I'm a huge douchebag about it. Like how he plays video games with me and never lets me win without a fight. Like how even though we never talk about feelings and stuff, I know he cares about me, a lot. Like how he's my best friend and probably my favorite person in the world.

I think... I love him.

Scratch that.

I know I do.

"…Are you sure you're okay?" he asks me gently, and the concern in his voice makes me look up.

"Yeah," I say. I'm more than okay. A blissful contentment settles in my chest and I can't take my eyes off him. "Do you want to come over tonight?"

"Sure," he says, smiling at me.

I smile back.

My heart beats.