The giant and the mouse

The difference between comics and coincidence

"You want me to fake date you?" Max had just heard the worst advice ever.

"No I want you to be fake interested in me." Nue said smiling like she had solved everything. 

"You really need to stop reading all those sappy comics." Nue may be a good project organizer but she spent most of her time buried in a book. "Hard pass."

"Okay fine, the fake dating plot is overdone, even by the best of authors. I'll give you that." Nue pouted. 

"And we're not in a comic book." Max added.

"With your smoking bod, could've fooled me. Like what do you even eat?!" Nue made a gesture of sweeping her hands out past his shoulders and into a vee to emphasize his narrow waist.

"Three eggs a day." Max said stone faced.

"Boring~!!" Nue pouted. "Okay what about this? I just give you his schedule and tell you all the things he likes." 

"Now you're talking." Max smiled. 

"I can assume you like my brother?" Nue asked and poked him. 

"I'm interested." 

"I'll take that as a yes. But why my brother? I mean I think he's pretty much the cutest thing that's walked the earth but you're you..." Nue trailed off and made another gesture at Max with a disgusted look on her face. Somehow her flailing arms were supposed to finish her sentence.

"Meaning...?" 

"If you looked hot up in the dictionary it'd be you. I had to stop three girls and one guy from trying to get in our group project just because they have crushes on you. Those were just the ones brave enough to come to me. You know people sell your class schedule in advance so your fans can get seats in your courses, right? I mean come onnnnn~! I once saw a girl run into your car just to get your number." Nue sighed. "It's A LOT." 

Max smiled and shrugged. He was used to it, even liked it, but that didn't mean he had to like people back. "He frowned at me." 

"He frowned at you? So do I when you won't turn into your assignments on time, big deal." Nue rolled her eyes.

"But he looked he was smiling with his eyes but he frowned." Max smiled, making his eyes crinkle in the corners. "It was so cute. Like a grumpy kitten."

Nue shrugged, "Whatever floats your boat. Just be nice to my brother, he's an angel so he deserves that and maybe some hot boy action." 

"I'm right here." Max said trying to stop Nue from running her mouth more.

"It's hard to not know you're anywhere." Nue rolled her eyes. Max could have sworn Nue muttered something like "Far too hot giant." under her breath. 

Nue walked and sat down at the table and opened a spiral notebook. She quickly scribbled some notes. Nue took a while and Max resisted the urge to lean in to see what she was so happily scribbling. Satisfied she tore out the paper and shoved it at Max.

"His usual schedule and some hints and tips about my brother." Nue pushed it into his large hands. "You're welcome."

"Thanks?" It had been less than 30 minutes since he admitted he liked Nat, and it had been one and half hours since he met him. The efficiency was a lot to take in. 

"Don't forget to update me with your progress." Nue pointed at him. "It's only fair."

"Now off you go. I'm busy with my own life." Nue started packing up his books for him, then moved to leave the study.

Nue popped her head out of the study and yelled, "Nongggg~ Come down for a second."

After a few moments a tiny head popped into the study, grumping "Whaaat?" as he entered the study.

"That cake you made? I'm on a diet starting now. Send home half with Max." 

"You go grab it with him." Nue grabbed Max's packed bag and shoved it at him. 

"See him off will you Nat? I've got an errand to do." And just like that Nue was out of the study, and soon after they could hear the front door slam.

Max smiled and put his hand behind his neck. A bit ashamed by Nue's pushy ways. Nat just stared at him and did that cute scowl.  "Look you don't need me to get that cake, Nong Nat." He smiled, and Nat frowned again. "But I'd appreciate trying it, especially if you made it."

Nat under that brown fluffy head of hair pouted his pert lips, and Max couldn't help but think the very small package was very cute. Nat frowned again and pushed his glasses up. "'s fine." He mumbled before leaving the room and forcing Max to follow.

"Do you have to shadow me that close?" Nat turned to Max and said when they got to the kitchen. Max sheepishly smiled. He didn't realize how he was so close to Nat. His natural long gait caught up easy to the short strides. If it got him closer to see Nat's smooth pale skin and fluffy hair, he considered that a bonus. 

"Sorry I just have long legs." 

Nat pouted at him again, "I noticed." Was the small guy's cheeks always flushed? Max couldn't help but hope it was for him. 

Nat shoved Max's bag at him then busied himself in the kitchen. Max slung the book bag on his shoulders and then took his time analyzing Nat. He took in the compact frame and small legs that seemed to scurry around the kitchen. And how Nat seemed to make tiny sounds with every effort. Cute little squeaks. Max wasn't even sure Nat knew he was doing it. That just made it even more adorable. 

Max saw Nat get on his tip-toes and Max hurried to grab what Nat was reaching for.  "This?" He asked.

"The blue one." The containers all looked the same but Max sorted through and grabbed the baby blue one and handed off to Nat who was next to him.

"Thanks." Nat said softly as he buried his head down and pushed two slices into the blue container. Nat closed it up and packed it in a small matching baby blue cloth bag and shoved it with two hands to Max. 

Max smiled and reached for it. Holding the bottom of the bag with one hand and covering Nat's hands with the other, marveling at how Nat's hands almost disappeared when he covered them.

Nat looked down and pushed his bottom lip inside his mouth. Giving Max's hand a stern look then quickly pulled them away. 

Without saying anything he left the kitchen and walked to the front door and opened it. 

"Thanks for the cake, N'Nat." Max for once used all of his god-given charm and smiled, bending low to be near Nat. "See you around."

Nat stepped back and slammed the door in his face.

Max could only laugh and go to his SUV. He set his book bag in the passenger seat and tried to nestle the cake bag in the center console. When he was gingerly trying to set it correctly he noticed small red lettering on the bag. Embroidered was a name, one that made Max show all of his teeth and laugh heartily. The cathartic sound echoing around the car. 

Not Nue's container and bag, but Nat's? Nat purposefully picked out his items to give Max to go home with. Max knew there something underneath that frown. He couldn't stop grinning.

All the more reason to take Nue's little sheet of information and find a way to see him again.