"Nothing but orange in the popsicle box again," Fogado announced as soon as he opened the freezer. It had only been warm when he and Alcryst went to the archery range that morning, but the walk back had been steadily hotter until just going into the house had been a relief. And that was before he turned the air conditioning on. "Timerra and Panette raided the freezer last night."

"At this point, I'd even eat lime or mango," Alcryst said, peeling his shirt off and neatly hanging it neatly over the back of a chair. "I hope that's okay, by the way. I mean, where I put my shirt."

"Alcryst, remember the first time I brought you home? It was raining, you tripped getting off the bus and fell in a puddle?" Alcryst turned as red as the cherry popsicles Timerra had finished off last night. The boys had been in first grade, known each other only a few weeks, and without missing a beat Mom had gotten Alcryst out of his wet clothes and wrapped in a towel before finding him something of Fogado's to borrow while Fogado tossed his clothes into the laundry.

"I never really thanked your mother enough."

"Yes, you did. You invited our entire family over for dinner, and we had a blast," Fogado said. His own shirt came off, tossed carelessly over the back of another chair. His mother wasn't a neat freak, but the rule was no throwing laundry on the floor anywhere but your own room.

"Oh yeah." Alcryst peeked over his shoulder into the freezer and grabbed a popsicle, while Fogado rooted around just a bit more even knowing there wasn't much else. Mom and Dad were going shopping today, and it'd be stuffed again soon enough. But frankly, just having the chilly air on his face felt good.

By the time Fogado shrugged and helped himself to a popsicle, Alcryst had already unwrapped his and was sucking on it.

Very slowly.

Oh.

The feelings Fogado had for Alcryst were nothing new, he'd had them since eighth grade when he realized I'd rather sit on the couch with my best friend watching Netflix than ask someone else out meant I want to kiss my best friend. Neither was the thought of taking it further, assuming Alcryst felt the same way.

But there was a big difference between thinking about a future they might have together and feeling his shorts get tight right there in the kitchen while an oblivious Alcryst sucked on an orange popsicle. Fogado quickly unwrapped his and took a big bite, being hungry as well as needing the refreshment. Chewing, focusing on the citrusy flavor, trying not to think about-

"Mmmm."

Oh, that was not helping. He swallowed so fast the cold going down his throat made him shiver, his eyes drifting towards his best friend again. His beautiful, slender, shirtless best friend with the silkiest hair known to man, deep-throating a frozen treat in his kitchen.

The question wasn't why this was happening, but rather why right now. Couldn't his dick have waited patiently until he was alone in his room after Alcryst left, and he could jerk off in peace and quiet? What if Alcryst saw? He might get the wrong idea, freak out and run away, avoid Fogado like the plague for...who knew how long?

Another murmur, some slurping noises, and Fogado forced himself to look away and take another bite of his own treat. This time he made it a point to focus on chewing, not thinking about Alcryst, not listening to the sounds he made, pushing down all the feelings and hormones trying to race through his body.

It worked for less than five minutes.

He was used to hearing the train wreck comparison, the dumpster fire, watching The Room to describe something you wished you could turn away from, but his brain recoiled in horror at the idea of comparing Alcryst to any of those things. It wasn't Alcryst's fault he was beautiful. The problem was him, Fogado, being way too horny over a guy eating a damn popsicle.

A guy he'd known since they were anklebiters.

He tried to picture Alcryst as he'd first met him, a skinny little kid in overalls and a green shirt, carrying a Magikarp plushie while his teenage brother reassured him "Mr. Karp" would be fine while he was at school. Them sitting on the couch eating cookies while watching Pingu or the old Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon, playing with blocks, dressed like elves for the third grade Christmas play.

His dick rejected these images, zeroed in on the slurping and sucking noises and Alcryst's bare chest.

"Er...Fogado?"

Shit.

"I-I was just thinking, it's nothing!" he said, wondering if he'd look suspicious if he moved behind the table. Alcryst pointed to his hand.

"Your popsicle's all melted." Oh. His hand was covered in sticky orange syrup, the stick empty, and he didn't know whether his laugh was from amusement or relief.

"Guess I got more lost in thought than I thought!" Smooth, Fogado. "Guess I better wash off my hand." He quickly turned towards the sink, willing his boner to go down, and by the time it did and his hand was clean Alcryst was crunching the last bite of popsicle.

Phew.

He never put too much stock in good luck versus bad luck, but right now whoever was in charge of handing out the good was clearly on his side. Alcryst dropped his empty stick in the trash pail, and Fogado ran a hand through his sweaty hair. Gotta calm down, I'm supposed to be the relaxed one in this relationship. He's got enough anxiety as it is.

"So...wanna go watch stupid videos on YouTube?" Alcryst smiled.

"Sure!"

Armed with bottles of water, chips, and popcorn, they sat in the air-conditioned basement for the rest of the afternoon. Which, thankfully, went by as normally as possible.