Candy brings good cheer
Intetsu & Noa
Jusco
Candy shoppers
G
One of the fews days he could escape and the dark haired male that was more boy than man in attitude, had fled to Jusco's, hoping to raid the candy aisle, and maybe even the children's section.
Noa couldn't help but smile, couldn't help but stare in wonderment upon the vast assortment of colorful confectionary's.
He would never allow him to come here, no matter how much Noa told him they tasted the same, despite the difference in price.
Boxes, bars, overflowing bags were stuffed into a plain shopping basket, and at this rate, Noa had no hope of ever making it farther than the candy section of the store.
Intetsu covered his mouth to hide the giggling smile he had on his face as he watched the other stuffing his basket with candy. The boy had never seen anyone who loved candy that much so it was quite a sight to see. He had come to the aisle to find candy for Mao since he seemed a bit down. He wasn’t sure if it would help the shorter male but Teppi was doing his best to make his friend happy.
Maybe his aisle neighbor who was stuffing his basket could help him pick out the perfect candy. It was worth a shot.
”Excuse me?” the boy called as he moved over to the other. “Could you recommend something to me? It looks like you really like candy.”
Noa nearly jumped in surprise, turning to face the other with wide eyes, just a little nervous. Most people didn’t want to talk to him, too put off by his odd ways.
And he wasn’t really willing to admit he wasn’t all to keen to talk to them either.
“Uh…”
A quick glance up and down the tall boy before Noa was breaking out in a smile, after all, he was always willing to help when it came to candy or toys, or just anything in general. Sometimes.
“What do you like?”
“Um it’s for my friend…I don’t know what he likes.” The boy bit his lip nervously as he turned to look at the candy. He reached for some before moving to grab at some different ones that were his candy of choice. With a smile he cradled them in his arms to show the other. “I like these though!”
Along with cakes, pastries, anything sweet…. It’s no wonder his teeth hadn’t fallen out yet.
”Are you really going to eat all that candy though?” His eyes went back to the basket in awe at how full it was. That would take him a while to finish on his own.
Eyes lit up at the particular ones that the other had chosen. Well liked by Noa as well, but for now, the brunette didn’t say anything, letting eyes fall to his own basket.
He would eat it all, and he would enjoy it, though it would take him at least a week. He’d have to find a way to sneak out again.
“Uh, yep!” A bright smile to the other, before Noa turned back to shelves, piling doubles of everything he had into the basket. “We can get him this… And this… And, oh this! I’ll bet he’ll love these!”
Intetsu giggled more as he watched the rainfall of candy into the basket. He really liked the atmosphere this person gave off as well as his choice in candy.
”I’m Atsuyaki by the way. Atsuyaki Intetsu.” Introductions were in order if they were going to be candy buddies. Teppi was always up for more friends; especially friends who loved sweets considering his other friends didn’t seem to have a sweet tooth.
For just a moment, Noa stopped shoving more and more sweets into the basket that was dangerously close to overflowing, setting the heavy basket down on the ground before quickly hugging the other.
He had gotten in trouble a few times for his tendency to touch, but it hadn’t really gotten through his head, not yet.
“I’m Yamashita Noa! Nice to meet you!”
The taller boy was a bit taken back by the sudden hug but shyly returned it. A small smile was on his face but quickly turned to a look of surprise when he heard the last name. It was so familiar but it could be a coincidence right? He couldn’t be the same Yamashita from the toy company he’d loved since childhood.
”It’s nice to meet you Yamashita.” He looked over at the other’s basket that was sitting on the ground, wondering if they should get a shopping cart for their massive supply of candy.
“Maybe we should get a cart fo…” Intetsu cut himself off as he looked at his own basket, fully realizing just how much was in it and that his wallet only had so much money in it. A small pout was on his face as he began putting back some of the candy. “I can’t afford all this...” he muttered.
But Noa only frowned at that, taking the candy back off the shelf and dropping it back into the basket which seemed to titer between full and simply overflowing.
“Don’t worry about it!” The brunette liked to help people, but rarely got to because he didn’t know very many people that needed help. But in the end, he didn’t know very many people period.
“I’ll buy it all for your friend! This way, he’ll be extra happy!” Who couldn’t with so much candy and the knowledge that someone you didn’t even know was willing to cheer you up?
Teppi’s already large eyes widened even more when he heard the other was willing to pay for all of his candy. He was so glad to have met his candy buddy and he knew all the candy would at least bring a smile to Mao’s face. He smiled at the shorter one and bowed a little.
”Thank you so much Yamashita! Let me repay you some time okay? We could get lunch or something!” Intetsu was always up for food and he enjoyed having company.
Noa only continued to smile, picking the now dangerously full basket up with little difficulty, testament o just how much he bought when he was on his own anyway.
“I’d like that! Maybe we can go to like McDonald’s or something…” Even at his age, he couldn’t help but love the play place and all the little kids, though sometimes he got funny looks from parents.
“And please, call me Noa! Yamashita makes me feel like my father.” Which wasn’t exactly good.
“Okay!” the boy happily answered to both statements. Intetsu wasn’t one to get fast food much but he wouldn’t object to it considering all the candy the other just bought for him. Maybe if they continued to hang out, he could take him to a café or something.
”Should we check out now? If we get anymore candy we won’t be able to carry it.” A small giggle and the boy began walking down the aisle to find the line. His parents would have a fit if they saw all this candy.
Noa only nodded after a moment, lifting the basket up and down to test the weight. “You’re right, this is pretty heavy.” An almost sheepish grin shot the other way before the brunette was letting the basket fall onto the belt, watching the cashier check everything out slowly.
“So why do you have to cheer up your friend?” An innocent question, because sometimes Noa didn’t know how to keep his mouth shut. And all the brunette could do was smile oh so innocently, pulling out a bright yellow wallet with a smiley face on it, multiple bills sticking out haphazardly.
“He’s been going through a lot recently,” the boy answered, no longer smiling. He had to wonder how he would feel if he were in Mao’s shoes. One of his best friends dead and attempting suicide. It was a scary thought that the poor boy just couldn’t comprehend no matter how hard he tried.
Placing his own basket on the belt he looked at the other’s wallet in awe. He either was given a large allowance or he was really rich. With money like that at hand, Intetsu didn’t know what all he would do with it.
“Oh…” Noa only frowned for a long while, watching the cashier shove candy after candy into white plastic bags without saying a word.
And then the brunette couldn’t stop the excited grin from spreading across his face that was soon directed at his new friend.
“He can go see my therapist! He’s really nice and he’s a really good listener!” And Shiroyama Yuu happened to be one of his only friends.
“Really?” the boy asked with a hopeful look. He hadn’t even thought about that so it was good that this new friend mentioned it. “Who’s your therapist?”
He dug around in his bag to find a pen and paper to jot the name and number down. He didn’t want to forget on his way back home now. That wouldn’t be good at all, and while he was at it he could get Noa’s number as well.
“Shiroyama-chan!” A bright smile, and Noa didn’t for one second really believe that he shouldn’t be calling the other by that name. After all, Aoi had never said anything against it, had even seemed just a little displeased the one time he hadn’t called him it.
“I’m sure he could help your friend out!” Because in Noa’s eyes, Aoi could do just about anything.
“Shiroyama….chan? Dr. Shiroyama is your therapist too?” A smile spread across the boys face because it was quite a funny coincidence. Who knew that the two would have the same love of sweets and the same awesome doctor! It must have been fate that brought them together. It had to be.
”Dr. Shiroyama is awesome. I should have thought of taking Mao to him sooner.” The boy frowned a little at his mistake as he put his pen and paper back in his bag. Dr. Shiroyama would help him out and he’d be happy in no time.
Noa only continued to nod vigorously, handing over a stack of bills when the outrageously bill finally flashed across the small screen.
“Shiroyama-chan can do anything.” Or so he would like to believe. “I see him as much as I can.” Even if they really never talked about anything at all.
“That’s really cool,” the boy answered as he began to gather up his bags. How was he going to carry all of this back to his house with out it melting? He’d probably have to take the bus back since he didn’t want his parents to see all his candy.
“I wish I could see Dr. Shiroyama more but I have to make an appointment. He said I could call him though!”
“Really?” Noa had never thought about calling him, but he supposed… “I see him out of his office more than in lately, I think…”
He always seemed to be at Uruha’s house, or the other way around… In the end, they were together a lot, but Noa just didn’t understand why.
A small smile that turned to a frown when he saw all the bags. ”Do you want a ride?”
“A ride? Uh..sure!” He smiled saying as he shifted some of the bags around. It would be nice to get a ride instead of worrying about his food melting elsewhere.
”You see him outside of the office? So are you guys really good friends then?” That would be really cool if they were. Dr. Shiroyama said he was his friend but he doubted that they could probably hang out like Noa and him probably did.
Noa nodded happily, gathering the last bags in his arms effortlessly, despite there being quite a few. “Yep! He hangs out a lot with my other friend, Uruha…” A long pause, an almost troubled look.
“I’m not sure on the nature of their relationship… I haven’t had the courage to ask…”
And he probably never would. But nothing more was said before Intetsu was lead out into the parking lot and Noa was pulling open the back door of a dark car.
Uruha? Maybe that was the friend his doctor went on vacation with. Maybe he’d ask him next time he saw him but for now the thought was set aside and the boy sat himself in the fancy dark car. He sat his candy around him while he reached to put on his seat belt. He felt like he was protected by a candy barrier.
”Aren’t they friends? What’s wrong with their relationship?”
Noa settled in next to him, tapping the glass separating the front and the back seats before turning to the other. “Tell him where you live.”
And for a long moment, the brunette didn’t say anything. Then; “It’s weird… They are everything each other hates… But when they talk, there isn’t really ill intent behind the words anymore…”
An almost soft laugh, eyes turning away. “It’s almost like Uruha is in love…” Only he couldn’t really be…
Right?
“Ah um,” the boy stammered as he tried to focus on the conversation as well as spout out his street address. “Three Kiku Drive please?”
His attention turned back to his friend trying to figure out what he was getting at. It sounded like the two were a couple, so would that make his doctor gay too? “They sound like they like each other….” He piped in saying. “There’s nothing wrong with that is there?”
Teeth clenched for just a moment, because Noa didn’t want to get into all the reasons about just why his bestfriend and his therapist seeing each other was wrongwrongwrong.
But in the end, Noa only sighed. “Nothing…”
“Oh…” The tall boy bit his lip as he looked out the window, now feeling incredibly awkward in the car with the man. He felt bad for prying into his business but he was curious about his doctor too. Now what were they going to talk about?
”I uh…I have a pet rabbit. His name is Maron. Do you wanna see?”
Noa’s dark eyes lit up instantly at that, excited smile being shot his new friends way. But as soon as it showed, it was dying down under displeasure and the brunette could only sigh forlornly.
“I wish… But I cannot be away for very long…” And Noa could only pout oh so convincingly out the window and wish that it would have worked on those that wanted him back.
“Well…then we’ll have to hang out sometime! He’s really cute!” Intetsu quickly whipped his phone from his pocket and showed the picture that he had as his display. Even though his bunny was getting older, Maron was his best friend till the end of time.
”Then you can meet my friend Mao too!”
The excited grin was back and Noa was practically bouncing in his seat. “Maron is so cute!” The brunette near squealed, and he meant it. Maybe he should get a pet…
“I know! Do you want to tour a toy factory?!” That was always fun, even if sometimes he got in trouble for messing up the lines when he just hadto play with something or another. “You can even bring Maron or Mao!”
“Toy factory?” The boy stared at the other utterly confused at the offer, how did his friend have access to a toy factory for them to tour?
”Uh…okay?” He smiled nervously as he put his phone away. He did love toys and if Noa was offering then he would accept.
Noa just continued to ramble on excitedly, gesturing wildly along with his words. “There is a factory right on the edge of town, so we can go to that one, I’ll call the manager and tell him we’ll be coming by…”
A long pause before attention was turned back to his guest. “When do you want to go?”
The boy just watched his friend ramble about this, still confused but excited at the same time. This would be a really fun thing to do and it would be nice to go out of the house to some place that wasn’t the café or his usual stomping grounds.
”How about next week?”
“Alright!” Noa’s mouth opened to gush about more things but closed it when the car jerked to a stop, a quick look outside showed that they had arrived at Intetsu’s house, and thus the end of their time together.
And almost sad smile was given before another quick hug was given, a card being pulled out of pouch on the side of the door. “My number and address is on there, call or stop by whenever.” A winning smile and the card was handed over.
The boy smiled and attempted to return the hug before he was distracted by the card being handed to him. He took it and looked it over with a glance before he was gathering all his bags of candy while trying to find his house key as well.
“I’ll give you a call later Noa! Thank you for the candy!” He waved as well as he could before he closed the door and went towards his house.