CakePops

Cheesy Lunch Date

  They talked and laughed the whole way there, Xavier kicking a rock along with them. June liked how close they were, wondering how Cecil could let go of him even for a few minutes. As promised, June had his phone out and was taking photos and selfies the whole way there trying to take the perfect one. During one the light was perfect and Xavier kissed them on the cheek and it ended up sent to the other two and set as Xavier's contact picture on her phone. 

  "So splitting a milkshake? You're really into that stuff?" 

  "What? It's cute and they're good." 

  "It's a little cheesy, and I imagined it as more of a Cecil thing." 

  "Just because I'm meaner doesn't mean I can't love people the same way she does." 

  "Love?" 

  June stopped in fear. "No, no I didn't mean like-" 

  "I know, I was bugging you." 

  June softened, sighing at the bad joke. 

  "I will say though," Xavier explained. "Just 'cause I've noticed this pattern, you guys don't need to be this worried around me. You're not stepping on landmines, I don't bite." 

  "We just don't know, we don't wanna make you uncomfortable." 

  "You just don't want me to freak out on you like I did with Cecil." 

  "That too." 

  Xavier laughed. "I didn't expect a confession." 

  June hesitated, pulling him closer. "It's just because we don't know you super well, and I know that sucks for you because you don't feel as connected but it just means we have to get to know you while we figure everything else out. Then when you freaked out on Cecil no one knew what had happened, so we just wanna keep you happy to prevent that happening again." 

  "It's not your job to prevent it. I was stressed out and handled it poorly and that's not gonna happen again, and if it does that's my fault not yours. Plus if it happens again I give Joke my full permission to dent my face." 

  "Then let's hope you keep calm because I like your face how it is." 

  Xavier leaned in, his lips hovering directly over June's. "Really?" 

  June pulled him closer, then let go and kept walking. Xavier followed after him, kissing their neck and the back of her head. He kept walking, refusing to acknowledge Xavier and his whiny affection. 

  "I know why you and Crow work now, you're both mean." 

  When they got to the lake, June sat on the armrest of a bench and pulled Xavier in for the kiss he'd been bothering them about the whole walk. Xavier grinned happily and intertwined their fingers. 

  "I really like you, you're cute." 

  "You're a good kisser." 

  "I try." 

  "No, really." 

  "I'm clumsy." 

  "You're much better than you think. You're sweet and you're soft and I like your chapstick. You're warm, too." 

  Xavier got red and awkward, flustered at all the compliments. "I didn't know you could tell I had chapstick." 

  "Yeah you can taste it." 

  They stayed close as Xavier tried to compose himself, but June muttering about how he kisses against his lips made it hard. 

  "June," he muttered, stumbling over his words. "June darling, our other plans. Please." 

  "What, you don't like this?" June teased. 

  "It's not, god no, it's just that I don't know how much more of this I can handle. Y'know before I fall helplessly in love with you forever and die." 

  June pulled him in for one last kiss before she got up and walked away as if nothing'd happened. Xavier leaned on the bench for a minute, steadying himself before catching up. June stood about twenty feet away, judging him lovingly. 

  "What's your problem?" 

  "You make me weak in the knees," Xavier whined. June got all flustered at his statement, fond of how straightforward he was. 

  They laughed and talked over lunch, eating at a round table outside a small sandwich shop. June talked about his family, how they met Crow, and stories about work. Xavier explained lessons from his school and avoided talking about anything in high school or earlier with the exception of a few stories from when he was really little. 

  "So you mentioned splitting a milkshake." 

  June laughed. "I was kinda joking, but if you wanna." 

  "Of course I wanna." 

  They smiled at each other, kicking each other under the table. 

  "Am I interrupting something?" The waitress asked, giggling at their antics. June stomped hard on Xavier's foot, winning their game, and reassured her they were done. 

  They walked over to the ice cream shop they stopped at before the arcade "date" and bought a salted caramel milkshake with 2 straws. Xavier limped the whole way there even though June bugged him about it. 

  "Do you want the rainbow straw or the swirly straw?" June asked as she opened them both to show him. He took the swirly straw. They stood right beside each other, hand in hand, as they walked. June held their milkshake while they both drank it. Xavier pulled out his phone and was texting someone when he heard the click from June's. 

  "How many photos of me do you have so far?" 

  June checked, texting a few more to Crow. "About a dozen." 

  "Can I see them?" 

  June handed the phone over, letting him scroll through them. "Look how cute you are." 

  "Yeah look how cute I am. Aren't you guys lucky to have me." 

  "Very lucky." 

  Xavier wrapped his arm around June's shoulders as they both walked back to his school. When they got there Belvedere and Azazel were talking on the steps of the school. Azazel stared at her, smiling, as she talked and played with her hair. Xavier "oohhhhh"d at them, piecing together their earlier behavior. "That's Zel's problem." 

  June eyed them, concerned. "I don't know them, but any chance it'll work?" 

  "I don't know. Bel doesn't really discuss her sexuality but she hasn't been anyone since I've known her." 

  "Hope it ends well." 

  Xavier checked his phone. "I have to go." 

  June kissed him one more time. "Hey, text me tomorrow. I have to work and if I don't talk to any of you I'll lose my mind."

  "I will."