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King groaned as the sound of loud, persistent knocking echoed through his front door, jolting him from the haze of a brief nap. For a moment, he blinked in disorientation, his surroundings slowly coming into focus—the dim living room, the faint glow of the muted TV, and the cluttered coffee table laden with empty takeout boxes. He realized he had dozed off on the sofa. With a sigh, he pushed himself upright, only to have his legs ensnared by a stray blanket. The next thing he knew, he was tumbling onto the carpet with a graceless thud.
"King? King!" Purple’s voice rang out urgently from the other side of the front door, accompanied by a renewed barrage of knocks. The urgency in Purple’s tone would have been concerning if not for the borderline dramatic delivery. Still sprawled on the floor, King groaned again, untangling himself from the blanket with a frustrated tug. "One knock is plenty, Purple," he muttered under his breath, hauling himself to his feet.
The door creaked open, and there stood Purple, his beaming face framed by the light of the evening sun. His grin was mischievous, his eyes sparkling with barely contained excitement. "You’ve got a date!" Purple announced, practically bouncing on his heels as he barged past King into the house.
"A date?" King echoed, his voice heavy with skepticism. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, already regretting opening the door. Purple’s enthusiasm was relentless as he spun around to survey the room, his gaze landing on the chaotic scene: a mess of crumpled papers, empty food containers, and an assortment of random clutter strewn across the floor. His expression shifted to one of exaggerated horror. "Cursors, King, why is it a dump in here?" Purple exclaimed, gesturing dramatically at the mess.
King shot him a tired glare, stepping over the debris as he began half-heartedly tidying up. "Thanks for the vote of confidence," he muttered sarcastically, tossing a few papers onto the coffee table. Purple, undeterred, grabbed a trash can from the bathroom and started collecting the takeout boxes. "Seriously, it wouldn’t kill you to keep the place clean. I just cleaned this whole house last week," Purple griped, though his tone was more exasperated than genuinely angry. "What would Dark think if he saw this?"
King froze for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he turned to Purple. "Why would he care?" he asked, his tone defensive. Purple raised an eyebrow, a sly smirk spreading across his face. "Oh, come on. You like him, don’t you?" he teased, leaning in slightly for emphasis.
"I don’t like him," King retorted sharply, his voice rising in irritation. "Isn’t he the same guy who killed your friends?" The words were biting, but Purple didn’t so much as flinch. Instead, he let out a laugh and shrugged, unfazed. "Didn’t you do the same thing?" he countered with a playful tilt of his head.
King glared at him, his jaw tightening. For a moment, the room went silent except for the faint hum of the TV in the background. Finally, Purple broke the tension, throwing his hands up in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. Touchy subject," he said with a laugh, stepping back. "But you still need to get ready. I thought you and Dark had a date tonight."
"For the last time, it’s not a date," King snapped, his tone firm and final. "We’re just going to the park. That’s it."
Purple’s grin only widened. "That’s practically a date! How romantic," he teased, clasping his hands together as if swooning. King rolled his eyes and brushed past him, heading toward the stairs. "I’ll be in my room getting ready," he announced flatly, his patience wearing thin.
As King ascended the staircase, Purple trailed after him, still grinning like a cat with a canary. "Make sure you look your best!" he called up cheerfully. "You’ve got to impress Dark!" Purple’s laughter echoed through the house as King reached his room, slamming the door shut with a loud thud . He leaned against it for a moment, exhaling a long breath.
From the other side of the door, Purple’s voice rang out one last time. "Don’t forget to wear something cute!" It was followed by more laughter, and King groaned, running a hand down his face.
This was going to be a long day...
King let out an exasperated huff as he approached the large oak tree, its sprawling branches offering shade from the oppressive heat. Beneath it stood Dark, leaning casually against the trunk, his arms crossed while a playful smirk tugged at his lips.
"What took you so long?" Dark teased, his tone light but laced with feigned impatience.
King sighed, brushing off invisible dust from his jacket as he came closer. "I overslept. My apologies," he muttered, his voice low.
Dark chuckled, the sound warm and familiar. "You always oversleep. Maybe next time, I shouldn’t bother arriving so early." Without waiting for a response, Dark took hold of King’s arm, tugging him gently forward.
King followed without resistance, his lips quirking into a faint smile as he allowed himself to be pulled along. "Why are we here anyway?" he asked after a moment, curiosity evident in his voice.
They passed a group of children chasing each other in the grassy field nearby, their laughter filling the air. Dark glanced at King, his expression unreadable for a brief moment before he shrugged. "Just felt like taking a stroll. Purple mentioned you’ve been cooped up at home lately."
King groaned, his annoyance bubbling to the surface. "Of course Purple would say that," he grumbled.
Dark chuckled again, turning to face King with a grin. "Relax. I actually wanted to hang out with you. No ulterior motives, I promise."
Rolling his eyes, King muttered, "I suppose I’ll take your word for it." They walked in comfortable silence for a while, the occasional breeze rustling the trees and tousling King’s already messy hair. Eventually, they found themselves beneath another tree, the shade providing a welcome reprieve from the sun.
Dark’s gaze lingered on King, his lips twitching upward. "Do you ever tie up your hair? Or better yet, do you even comb it?" he teased, watching as King self-consciously ran his fingers through the unruly strands.
King’s cheeks warmed under the scrutiny. "I lost my comb," he mumbled, barely audible.
Dark raised an eyebrow, leaning closer. "What was that? Speak up."
King sighed, his blush deepening. "I said, I lost my comb, alright? I can’t find it anywhere."
Dark chuckled, amused by King’s obvious embarrassment. "Why not just buy a new one?"
"I don’t see the need," King replied defensively. "My hair is fine as it is."
As if to mock him, a sudden gust of wind blew past, sending his hair flying into his face and mouth. King sputtered, struggling to push the strands away, and Dark burst into laughter at the sight.
"Okay, that’s enough. I feel bad for you now," Dark said between chuckles, reaching out to gently tuck King’s hair behind his ear. The unexpected gesture made King flinch, his wide eyes meeting Dark’s.
Dark grinned but leaned back casually, leaving King to fidget awkwardly with his hair. "You might want to invest in a hair tie," Dark suggested, his teasing tone softening slightly.
Before King could respond, Dark’s attention shifted. "Look! Ice cream!" he exclaimed, pointing toward a vendor wheeling his cart nearby.
King followed Dark’s gaze, sighing with a mix of amusement and exasperation. "What flavor do you want?" he asked, pulling out his wallet.
But Dark was quicker. "I saw it first, so I’m paying," he declared, halting King’s attempt to protest.
"Fine. Mint," King said with a shrug.
Dark wrinkled his nose. "Mint? Seriously? That’s disgusting." He shook his head dramatically before hurrying toward the vendor.
King crossed his arms, huffing quietly. Mint was perfectly fine, thank you very much. When Dark returned, he handed King a mint cone and kept a chocolate one for himself.
"Chocolate… how original," King quipped, taking a bite of his ice cream.
Dark pouted in mock offense. "Chocolate is superior. Unlike mint," he retorted, taking a bite of his own cone.
"You should try mint," King suggested casually. "It’s better than you think."
Dark gave him a skeptical look but leaned closer, eyeing the minty dessert. "How good, exactly?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
King glanced at him, a soft smile tugging at his lips. "You’ll never know until you try," he said, licking his ice cream thoughtfully.
Dark’s grin widened, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Would you let me have a taste?" he asked, his tone playful.
King raised an eyebrow, looking at his nearly finished cone. "Too late. Mine’s almost gone," he replied, taking the final bite.
Dark sighed dramatically but didn’t seem too disappointed. Instead, he turned toward King, his expression shifting into something more serious—more intent. "I think I have a better idea," he murmured.
Before King could ask what he meant, Dark stepped closer, his hands gently resting on King’s shoulders. Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, time seemed to stand still.
"What are you doing?" King asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Dark didn’t answer. Instead, he leaned in, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to King’s lips. King froze, his heart pounding wildly in his chest as the warmth of Dark’s touch spread through him.
When they finally parted, Dark’s cheeks were dusted with pink, though his grin remained as confident as ever. "I think I rather like this flavor," he remarked, tapping his chin as if deep in thought.
King, still dazed, stared at him in disbelief. "What… just happened?" he stammered.
Dark chuckled softly, leaning in again. "I think I forgot the taste already," he whispered, his voice low and teasing. "I might need another taste."
King’s face burned as Dark kissed him again, this time deeper and more fervent. He instinctively clutched Dark’s shirt, his knees threatening to buckle under the intensity.
When they pulled apart, King noticed a few onlookers—children giggling and pointing. "Dark… people are staring," he muttered, his voice laced with embarrassment.
Dark shrugged, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Let them stare." He leaned in once more, brushing his lips against King’s ear. "Just shut up and kiss me."
And in that moment, King couldn’t resist. He let himself melt into the kiss, his heart racing as the world around them faded away.
When they finally broke apart, Dark’s grin was radiant. "You’re such an idiot," King muttered, his face still flushed as he tried to hide his smile.
Dark laughed, his eyes brimming with affection. "I like you too," he said softly, his voice warm and sincere.
King glanced at him, his heart skipping a beat. "Yeah," he mumbled, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I like you too."
CTTO: SPONGE