"What leaf?" a voice said and Conan turned around to see his fourteen year old half brother, with a bemused expression on his face. "It's the middle of spring."
"I just threw it away," Conan said, giving Louis a death stare. "How about you go play with dad?"
Louis just shrugged and tucked his hands in his pockets. Conan faced Heath who was looking away again, his cheeks burning red. At this moment he kind of did look like a phoenix.
"Kids," Conan scoff-laughed nervously, "They say crazy things."
"Uh huh," he said, his voice extremely neutral. Something about his tone made him feel like he didn't believe him.
He had never been forward or flirted with anyone he liked. Heath was the first. Why? Because he felt like he was the one worth keeping close. He was worth being rejected by even if it caused him pain. So much pain.
But Heath couldn't lie either. He could never fake an expression or try to hide his feelings. Conan had learnt to read the plains of his face. He had seen his amber eyes turn dark, taken over with desire.
"I will get going," he said, collecting his things and putting them in his Slytherin totebag. "Bye."
"Bye."
He didn't even look at me.
Ashhhh
Ashhhh: i did it. i talked to gus. I DID IT CONAN YOU HEAR ME BITCH I DID IT
Conan: You did? Good for u.
Conan: You did it. Or Gus.?
Ashhhh: oh. I DID IT GIRLFRIEND.
Ashhhh: i was ranting about keiran and gus was like if u didnt date a loser, you wouldnt be sad. i was like everyone is a loser. he was like not everyone. so i was like name one. he said me. i was like date? and he was like cool.
Conan: wOw. u r so badass
Ashhhh: i am the baddest of asholes
Conan: i already picked names for ur babies. conan is a good option. also gus junior doesnt sound half bad.
Ashhhh: i am sorry but no. i will call my kids katherine.
Conan: all of them
Ashhhh: yes a gaggle of brats called katherine.
Conan: katherine sounds scary.
Ashhhh: speaking of scary. u have to uphold ur end of the deal too girlfriend
Conan: dont tell me. i know that he likes me. i can see it in his eyes, okay? but he scares me
Ashhhh: all the more better
"Who was he?" Louis asked, plopping down next to him on the bench and staring at his brother's phone.
"A friend," Conan almost choked out. "Heath."
"You kiss your friends very often?" he asked, raising a sly eyebrow and teasing him. "Or it just pop star culture?"
"I wasn't kissing him," he muttered, knowing the kid wouldn't be convinced.
"Ah, yes," he said in a sarcastic tone, nodding his head virgously, "You were getting the 'leaf'. Do they call kisses, leaves these days?"
"I was trying to but he wouldn't let me," he said sounding unfortunate. "I thought we were having a moment but he pulled back."
Louis placed a hand on his shoulder, patting him and acting like the older brother. "Still nineteen and you haven't had your first kiss yet?"
Conan laughed, playfully punching the younger. "I did, by the way. It was some barista I liked."
"Sure," he said rolling his eyes. Sarcasm was the tongue of his fourteen year old brother. "You better kiss him soon. I need a big brother who would actually hang out with me and drive me to dates."
"Come on, I will take you rock climbing and drive you to dates," he laughed, grabbing his hand which settled into his readily.
"Really?"
"Yes, really."
Conan's dad decided to head back to his room and trusted him with Louis. For the record, Conan did take him to rock climbing and for a teenager, he actually seemed to enjoy it very much. Maybe a little too much because he refused to leave until three hours. Exhausted by the afternoon, he wanted to go home. His mom had called him for lunch and his dad asked him to leave Louis back at his place. Before leaving him, he took him to a local grocery store to get him some food.
They stepped in, happy to be in the vicinity of fans. There weren't a lot of people inside since it was lunch time. Louis picked up some candy, a box of chocolates for someone he said he liked, some soda and a lot of weird and random things.
Conan wandered off to the aisle behind the checkout counter.
"My brother said he wanted to kiss you." He heard the sound of Louis giggling shyly. "He was sad when you pulled back."
"I thought it was just a leaf," a familiar voice said.
"The only leaves were your lips," Louis said loftily. Conan knew he would start rambling now. "Oh, you should have heard him gloat about you to dad. It was too mushy and loving to hear. Like my ears were literally dripping with honey, the amount of times he said sweet things about you. Also, do you like him back? Because he totally likes you. I mean I love the idea of another brother because sisters are a handful. I was thinking my sister would make a radiant flower girl, if you chose not to pick me for the job. She is older than me but I think she will like it. Do you think we could both be flower kids? No pressure."
Conan dropped the carton of milk he was holding, along with all of his remaining dignity.
"Um, is everything okay?" Heath's voice spoke once more.
At that moment Conan wanted to murder Louis and then kill himself.
Can I die right here?
"Oh," Louis exclaimed, a mass of fair hair popping from the end of aisle. "He was so excited to see you that he dropped the carton. See? I told you."
"Oh," Heath said, emerging from the other end, "I will put it back."
"Hi, Conan," Louis waved his soda bottle, grinning. "I will pay today, don't worry."