(I)

Ecruteak City had erupted in lights and noise. Sepia-tone lanterns created a path for the Kimono Girls to dance alongside the beat of drums and flutes. Tourists and locals alike clapped along and followed the Kimono Girls' dance to the Bell Tower in celebration. Amongst the strum of noise and life, however, there were a couple quiet houses.

One alight by the soft light of a candle where Falkner laid down on his back, hardly enough clothes covering him to even be called half-naked anymore. The sash of his yukata was the only thing keeping the garment on his skin, but even then Morty had parted it in two so he was completely exposed. Morty was in no better shape, the top half of his yukata dropped over the sash, but his pale legs slipped through the opening of the yukata and were too bright in the darkness of the room.

Falkner had never seen Morty with such a longing in his eyes.

"Morty ..." His breath suddenly hitched when he felt Morty's kiss on his chest again. He mouthed over the area where he could feel Falkner's heart beating the hardest, his teeth grazed against the pale skin and he sucked until the skin blossomed red.

His lover squirmed under the assault. Morty's tongue over the new bruise was too much and he tried to push the blonde away by his shoulders. "Morty! T-that's a-" He was cut off again when Morty lay his head against his previously abused chest. His hands had moved from Falkner's thighs to his chest and his thumbs stroked over what he wanted.

"I want this. I want your heart, Falkner. I want all of you. Do you understand that?"

Falkner nodded, mind numb from the confession and Morty collapsed over him, claiming what was his.

(II)

"Hold me."

The sentence barely left Falkner's lips but Morty heard it in volumes.

He had bitten the question off and made it into a shy command that Morty could not refuse. He opened his arms to Falkner and pulled him in so he could only hear the thump of his little bird's heart as it sped up, finally accepting his love that he had always resisted to a point.

He heard not the childrens' laughter or the rain that pattered outside the sanctuary of Morty's patio, but the shuddered sound of Falkner's breathe against his chest. The world was quiet for them in this one intimate moment and that was all they needed to start.

(III)

Birds danced in his vision. They swooped in low from the top right of his vision to the bottom left where karp intercepted their flight. The two beings merged and flooded his vision in an off black. Sparks of neon colors burned unreadable patterns into the darkness and none were all that helpful to ease the throb behind his eyes or the pain in his stomach.

He shuddered when a cold compress was placed over his eyes and the bed shifted in weight. His side became so much warmer now with another body pressed beside him. It was more of that warmth that numbed the pain than the cool feeling of the compress.

"I think you're too stressed out." Morty whispered quietly so as to not irritate another nerve in Falkner's head.

"It's the flu. It feels like the flu. You should go so you don't get sick." He felt a little silly being pampered like this at his age.

Morty's hand dipped under the covers. "If it's the flu, then you definitely need someone to take care of you. And if I happen to get sick while doing so – well, then I guess we'll have to call Whitney over because I'll be stuck here."

"Not Whitney." Falkner groaned. His eyes flickered and he felt heat rise to his cheeks when Morty's hand delved further under the sheets. It slipped right under his night shirt and was rubbing circles into Falkner's stomach.

"How does that feel?"

"I feel like an idiot child."

He chuckled. "I know how you feel, but how does your stomach feel?" Morty applied pressure in areas that felt tense but kept the circles gentle. Falkner had to swallow a sigh of relief and groaned again to make up for it.

"Are you going to do this until I fall asleep?"

Morty cuddled closer so he could press a kiss to Falkner's neck. "If you want me to." The circles continued, slowly turning into long strokes across Falkner's stomach. He could see how Falkner had turned a deep red and his mouth formed a squiggle that was ready with any type of retort. If he wasn't totally incapacitated, he would have lashed out at Morty's advances. But for now, the tension in his face relaxed and he turned his head slightly so he could feel Morty's hair tickling him.

"It ... feels good then. Thank you."

The seer smiled and pressed another kiss to right below his crush's ear. "I hope you'll do this then if I get sick."

"D-don't push your luck!"

(IV)

A ten-year old Falkner waited at the gates of Violet City like his father had asked him to. It was common now for Morty to make visits to Violet City in order to rummage through their library in some attempt to understand Ho-oh as a bird pokemon. Because of this, it had also been common for Falkner to play host to the Ecruteak-local despite how he was three years his senior. He kept his back straight and managed a couple relaxing breathes before he heard the familiar tapping of Morty's shoes on the gravel outside the city.

Much to his surprise, though, Morty was not alone. He looked a little uncomfortable about it too. Morty walked alongside another boy that looked about his age and behind them trailed a Gastly. When the blonde got closer, he tried to look nonchalant about his guests but Falkner wouldn't have it.

"Who is that."

Morty laughed sheepishly, not happy that he had been followed; he liked to make these visits alone. And honestly, he hoped that Falkner would forget all about this meeting in the future. "The Gastly or the idiot?"

"Hey! What's with that?" Eusine all but barked.

Falkner ignored him, screwing his eyebrows together. He could already tell he wouldn't like this kid. He sounded selfish and obnoxious. "...both."

"This is Eusine. He wants to see if your library has anything on Suicune," Morty nudged backwards towards the other boy. "And I got followed again because he caught this guy's friend." This time, he looked back at the Gastly. "But it likes me, so it's okay." The Gastly nuzzled into the crook of his neck as if to confirm his statement.

"The Gastly or Eusine?" Falkner deadpanned back.

Eusine wrapped his arm around Morty's shoulders. "Both." He grinned to match Falkner's unimpressed look until he remembered why he was even there. "Oh. Right, where's your library?"

"Back to the right. I'll lead you there." The smaller forced out politeness, though he was overtly irritated with this boy.

"I can find it myself!" The two watched as Eusine rushed away in the direction Falkner had pointed him. Falkner sighed rather heavily in response and Morty scratched the back of his neck.

"I'm sorry about him."

"No need to apologize. He is your friend. I hope I will be as good of a host to him as I have been to you." He spoke too maturely for a ten-year old, and turned on his heel to walk away so to avoid any further awkward conversation. He was halted in place when he was overcome with the familiar feeling of Morty ruffling his hair.

"Don't worry; I will always like you the best."

Falkner turned again to yell at Morty but his complaint froze on his tongue. They both suddenly looked a little uncomfortable and Morty blinked. The words he just said turned on his tongue and he swallowed them back because they felt a little too natural and a little too telling.

(V)

The person his father was introducing him to was tall and blonde. His hair was scruffy and his face unshaven. If it were not for the glasses that adorned his face or the soft smile he wore, Falkner would have been a little intimidated by him or overcome by the judgment that this man was a mess. He kept his thoughts to himself, though, and bowed at his father's side when he was introduced.

"Falkner, this is Jens the Ecruteak Gym Leader."

"A pleasure to meet you, Jens sir."

The older man laughed. "Oh my, such a polite kid! Well, Falkner, I have a favor to ask you." Falkner nodded quickly and Jens continued. "I brought my own son along so he could go to the library of yours. Would you mind keeping him some company?"

"Not at all!" He was quick to agree; his father had already spoken to him about this. He blinked calmly when another blonde came out from hiding behind his father's legs. He had his father's stingy hair and a matching smile when he held out his hand.

"Hi, I'm Morty. Please take good care of me."

Falkner inhaled and took Morty's hand within his own.