Disclaimer: Kuusho Rasa isn't mine. Oh, if only.

A/N: This doesn’t fit anywhere into the series, no matter how much I want it to. Oh well. That’s what fanfiction is for, right?

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Iolair walked into Lykos’ tent, hoping to find some company. Instead, he found the grey-haired assassin typing away on his laptop. With a sigh, Iolair plopped down next to him.

“I suppose you’re too busy to talk?”

“Yeah, kind of,” answered Lykos, though not unkindly. “I bet Ara’s not doing anything, why not try her?”

“You’re really going to condemn me to being her test-taster for dinner again?”

Lykos laughed around the toothpick sticking out of his mouth. “Fine, what about Toku and Jian?”

With a scowl, Iolair crossed his arms and said, “They’re too busy with each other and you know it.”

“Well, if you really want, you can stay in here, but I have to concentrate, so it would help if you stayed quiet.”

Iolair considered this. He really hated staying still for long periods of time. The tent was stuffy, and Lykos wasn’t able to talk to him anyway. Outside, he’d be alone, but at least he could take a walk. And then something caught his attention, and held it quite steadily.

Lykos was still chewing on his toothpick, his forehead slightly creased under the grey bangs as he continued whatever research he was doing on his laptop. His pink tongue darted out as he adjusted the toothpick again, moistening his lips ever so slightly.

Iolair had never really stared so closely at his friend’s mouth before, but now that he did, he noticed it was quite nice. Full lips, slightly reddened from the toothpick rubbing back and forth, pouting slightly, looking very kissable at the moment...

Iolair shook himself out of his reverie. “Something wrong?” Lykos asked without turning towards the younger boy.

“Oh, nothing,” said Iolair, swallowing hard. “Just... a little bored, is all.” Noting the odd sound to his voice, Lykos turned and studied his friend, smirking.

He carefully leaned forward, that blasted toothpick an inch from Iolair’s face. “It’s not too hot in here for you, is it?” he cooed, a mischievous glint in his eye.

Iolair bit the toothpick and pulled it into his own mouth, laughing at Lykos’ startled expression. “Not too hot at all. In fact, I was just thinking that I’d love to stay in here for the rest of the day.” He stretched out on his back, as if settling down for a nap, and watched Lykos from the corner of his eye.

“I suppose you can stay,” Lykos said, leaning over Iolair, “if you give me back that toothpick.”

The copper-haired boy raised an eyebrow. “I though you said you were too busy to talk?”

“Who says we’ll be talking?” Lykos muttered, dipping down to pull the small sliver of wood from Iolair’s lips. And they continued to not-talk for the rest of the afternoon, both the toothpick and the laptop pushed to the side and forgotten.