Bonding
“Thank you, Chrissy.” Noe managed a small smile as he accepted the warm bowl from Chrissy. Chrissy grinned back, holding the other bowl out of Clive’s reach tauntingly.“Are you behaving, Clive?” Chrissy asked, and Clive smirked, his fingers pressing into Noe’s side more firmly for a moment.
“Define behaving.” Clive retorted cheerfully, and Noe flushed, glad he was mostly hidden beneath the blankets as he took a small bite of the warmed up brownie. Chrissy had drizzled it with warm chocolate syrup and topped it with a scoop of ice cream, and Noe’s smile grew slowly as the brownie practically dissolved on his tongue.
“As in, not tormenting Noe.” Chrissy eyed their shared blanket suspiciously. “Or doing anything under that blanket that you wouldn’t do out in the open.”
“Hey!” Clive protested, and Noe knew what was coming – Clive would protest that he’d do anything out in the open. “I notice you didn’t ask Noe that.” Clive sulked for a moment, crossing his arms and doing a good impression of being hurt.
Chrissy snorted. “Noe has decorum.”
“I do too!” Clive smirked wickedly, and Noe’s face heated anew and he turned back to his dessert quickly because that expression on Clive’s face was… not good for his peace of mind. Especially when Chrissy was in the room.
“Anyway, there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do out from under the blanket either, so can I have the chocolate now?” Clive demanded quickly, and Chrissy laughed, handing him the bowl.
“Behave you two. I expect those bowls will find their way into the dishwasher when you’re done.” Chrissy admonished, and left the room, leaving Noe to Clive’s mercy again.
Clive seemed to be rather distracted by his dessert though, and Noe fished out the remote control, flicking on the movie again. Clive had picked it – some sort of scary movie but Noe wasn’t paying much attention to it, preferring to pay attention to the way Clive’s arm was curled around his shoulders and Clive’s movements next to him on the couch.
“You know, you should learn how to cook from Chrissy.” Clive commented, taking a huge bite of the brownie sundae and smiling blissfully. Noe flushed, looking away again, and Clive grinned, swallowing heavily. “That way you can cook for me when we move out.”
“You could learn from her.” Noe pointed out, and Clive wrinkled his nose.
“I spend enough time around her.” Clive complained, shoveling in another spoonful. “Besides, I’m lazy.”
“We could just stay here.” Noe offered, smiling a little as he returned to his dessert (and he half-wondered why the movie was even on, if neither of them were paying attention to it).
“Only if you don’t mind Eric walking in on us every opportunity he gets.” Clive grumbled, and Noe laughed a little, leaning closer to Clive.
“It was an accident.” Noe tried, and Clive snorted indelicately.
“Not all five times.” Clive protested, and shifted closer to Noe on the couch. “I think he plans it. Or maybe he has surveillance. Ew, that’s a scary thought –”
“He’s already seen it all for you, anyway.” Noe commented quietly, setting aside his bowl in anticipation.
“Wha – Noe!” Clive scowled cutely, setting down his (now empty because he took inconceivably large bites) bowl. “That’s it –”
Noe smiled widely and preempted Clive’s attempt to tickle him (because that was how Clive always sought revenge upon being insulted) and wrapped himself around Clive’s torso, drawing his legs up on the couch and burrowing into Clive’s chest.
“That’s so not fair.” Clive grumbled, but simply soothed the hair away from Noe’s face and straightened the blanket around him. “I’m watching movie now.”
“Okay.” Noe accepted, not moving as Clive reached past him to snag Noe’s half-empty bowl. Noe stifled a laugh, but didn’t protest, content to listen to Clive’s heartbeat.
Testing
Noe toyed with the cardboard cup of coffee that sat on the table in front of him. Glancing around the coffee shop uncertainly, he hoped again that Clive’s test would hurry up and end. Staring through the glass window he sat next to, Noe kept watch on the office building across the street. He hadn’t seen Clive leave yesterday, but he might today.
At least Clive had seemed optimistic when he’d gotten done yesterday. Noe hoped that continued today, too. History was Clive’s poorest subject, and that was one of the subjects he’d be tested on today.
Pushing the sleeve of his jacket back, Noe looked at his watch again. Only fifteen minutes more had passed – but Clive should be done about now (unless he’d charmed the administrator of the exam into giving him more time, like he’d joked about doing yesterday). Shifting fretfully in his seat, Noe twisted his coffee cup around, having long given up on drinking it. He didn’t need to be any more jittery than he already was.
The door chimed, and Noe looked up hopefully. It was only a tall, stiff looking woman, wrapped in a thick jacket, and Noe sighed, staring down at the table top and trying not to fidget.
“Kill me,” Clive groaned, and Noe looked up quickly, startled, wondering how he'd missed Clive's entrance. “My brain feels like it was put through one of those old-fashioned washing machines. The ones they did by hand.”
“Did it go okay?” Noe asked, shifting closer to the cold window and letting Clive slide into the booth next to him. Clive shrugged, grinning wickedly before he stole Noe’s cold coffee.
“Don’t care,” Clive dismissed. “I’ve done it, so Nelson can fucking suck it.”
“Clive,” Noe scolded, blushing because the coffee shop wasn’t empty and he didn’t want to disturb the other occupants, who had all been nice and stayed away from him for the hours he’d been holed up here. Even if it he echoed Clive’s sentiments. Nelson had no claim to Clive’s custody now that Clive had taken the GED test.
“What?” Clive asked, perplexed. “Also, my hands are cold. It’s cold out,” he complained loudly, and Noe sighed, smiling in spite of himself.
“Don’t even think of leeching my warmth,” Noe warned. “Go buy yourself a coffee.”
“Yeah, yours is cold,” Clive agreed, leaning over and kissing Noe quickly. “Be right back.” He slid out of the booth, crossing over to the counter. Noe watched him go, unable to keep the smile from his lips as he watched Clive charm the counter girl.
