Double Dare

2

Beau waits for Danny to pack his things after class, then walks him around to the stairs. "How's your first day going so far?"

Danny shrugs, squeezing his fingers together. "I dunno. Not too bad, I guess. Smoother than I expected." He takes a few steps, watching Beau place three sanitary wipes over his hand before he places his fingers around the hand rail. "What are you doing?"

Beau sighs, not in the mood to explain again. "I just... I can't handle germs. Bacteria. They freak me out. I'd rather just... Not deal with them."

He braces himself for a joking shove, or maybe a laugh and dismissal, but is surprised with an attentive nod. "Oh, alright. I can understand that. Would you like me to, um... Not touch you? Or anything like that? Not that I have touched you, or, like, thought about it... In great detail. I just..."

Danny's neck grows a strawberry pink, and Beau's cheeks begin to match. He's still trying to figure out what to say when Benji bounds up the stairs.

"Hi, Beau," he says casually. Then, his voice drops into a tone more seductive. "Hey, Danny."

Danny shrinks toward Beau, who pretends to mind the proximity. "Oh, uh, hi, Benji."

"You take French, right? Ah, the language of amour. French is such a sexy language... Say something?"

Danny stutters. "Eh-emm... I'd rather not, really. I'm not so good." He nearly bumps into Beau, abruptly halting his body a hair away from the taller boy's chest. "S-sorry, Beau."

Inhaling the smell of Danny's hair, his shampoo, cinnamon, Beau shakes his head stiffly. "It's alright. No worries."

Benji pouts. "C'mon... Danny, I could be your private tutor..." He grins, biting his lip. Beau can't help but admit that he's seriously turning on the charm, and on any mortal being, it'd likely work.

Danny, however, must be an angel, because he shakes his head. "I'll, uh, pass. You don't even take French."

Unfazed, the boy smirks. "No, but I've been told that I'm skilled with lots of other things... More hands on things..." Benji leans in close, voice lowering to a husky whisper. "Want me to teach you?"

Danny blushes, slipping away from between the twins without touching either of them, which is quite a feat, even for someone so small. "No! No. Um, let's go to class, Beau?"

Beau nods quickly, shooting his twin a short glare. Benji grins, leaning against the railing, watching the two rush down the hall towards the French classroom.

"H-hey, um, just wondering... Can I eat lunch with you?" Danny chews his lower lip, looking up at Beau through his bangs with puppy dog eyes. Beau stares for longer than necessary.

"Yes. Of course." Beau pinches himself to keep his mind focused on the conversation at hand. "Though... Benji will be there." He looks away to hide his smile at Danny's reaction.

Pinching his nose, the shorter boy sighs. "Okay... I guess I can put up with him." Suddenly, he whips his head up. "Not that I'm trying to, like, rag on your brother, or anything. I'm sure he's great. He's just... Um. Can be a bit much?" Danny averts his eyes, tugging at the sleeves of his sweatshirt.

Beau's hand lifts to bring Danny's head up without his permission, and it freezes there for a beat or two. Beau pulls it back down, cursing it silently. "It's alright. I understand that he can be sorta intense."

Danny gives a grateful smile. "Yeah."

They arrive in the room, and Beau sits right behind Danny. He admires the curls at the base of his neck, the curves of his fingers, drumming against the side of his head idly.

Not thinking, Beau sticks out the end of his pencil, swirling it through Danny's dark hair. The boy shivers, whispers a breathless, "What are you doing?"

Beau drops his pencil. He doesn't try to grab it. "Nothing. I'm sorry."

Benji watches the exchange from the classroom door. From his vantage point, he can see the way Danny blushes. He shakes his head.

It's time to step up his game.

A/N: Yo!

Sorry for the wait. I've kind of been experiencing some writer's block, but I'm more or less back on track now.

Thank you so much for reading!