Title: Tomfoolery

Rating: K

Disclaimer: Not mine and I do not profit unless smiles are now a legitimate currency.

Author's Note: Let us be honest—this is a half-assed one shot that wouldn't leave me alone so I'm giving it to you, Bessa world. I just like the idea of Boq sneaking around for Nessa despite his dislike of her. Anyways, here you go. Maybe it'll get me back into the swing of things (hopefully I'll swing right into better plots and good writing).

Tomfoolery

It had started as some sort of teenaged rebellion. Madame Morrible, in all of her infinite wisdom and propriety, had approved Boq as Nessarose's gentleman caller, but had never allowed him beyond the door to her rooms. As such, he'd been able to kiss her softly on the cheek as a goodnight wish after classes and dinners. At first he'd approved of this and thought it the savior of his plight (for pretending to adore Nessarose was a plight when he thought of it). The less time he spent alone with her the less time he had to pretend to enjoy her talk and her touches. It was, though, a bit less amusing now that they had been courting for a year. Every time he leaned down to brush the hair from Nessa's face and press a kiss to her cheek Morrible would straighten a bit and cough if it went on for a bit too long.

Though it didn't bother him at first, after multiple nights of absolutely nothing as far as flesh to flesh contact went Boq was starting to twitch a bit when he saw Nessarose. They were dating, for Ozma's sake, why should be he denied her company. In private. After dinner. Without some older woman coughing like a dying harpy. It was like smoking without the blessed fire of relief to assure him that eventually this maddening feeling would burnout. Just waiting and waiting and waiting and kissing her cheek.

It was beginning to get ridiculous. As though lingering kisses to the cheek fueled teenaged boys to commit acts of violence and treason. They only ever led to hormone-fueled tomfoolery that entered through Nessa's window in the early hours of the morning.

Utter ridiculousness. She was only costing Shiz a fortune in roofing tiles.