Project G—Chapter six (9-20-05)

When Shuu came too, the first thing he noticed that it was dark, very dark. Then, much to his embarrassment, he noticed that it was because his eyes were closed. Extremely grateful that no one could read his mind, he opened his eyes and—

Almost died of humiliation.

He thanked every deity he could think of that Robert was unconscious. Not that he was glad the older man was passed out or anything, but at the same time, he was… He was damn close to hyperventilating, and his pants felt abnormally tight, and… And…

'Oh God, I just had my face buried in his crotch…'

Yes, poor Shuu had woken up to find himself in an exceedingly compromising position. He knew he shouldn't be so embarrassed. After all, it wasn't his fault that they'd landed that way. But still, he couldn't help but feel, in the back of his mind, as if he'd liked it. And the worst part was that he didn't even feel dirty or anything of the sort.

'Get a grip Shuu. Robert's over ten years older than I am, and he's a guy. I'm not Harley; I like girls. Right? Right. …I think. No! I don't think, I know! I like Haruka… Haruka, who is a girl. We'll get married some day, have kids, and be happy and… Man, Robert looks pretty hot when the light hits him like that… No! What am I thinking? I do not like Robert! And there's no way he likes me, so I should just—'

"Shuu? Is something wrong?"

Shuu was very close to having a heart attack at that voice. He looked up and saw that Robert had woken up and was now sitting up and looking at him in a concerned manner. The boy had no idea what to say. He couldn't very well say, "Oh it's nothing, really. I was just having an argument with myself as to whether or not I find you attractive, that's all." Somehow, he didn't think that would go over well…

"Robert, do you think it's wrong for two guys to like each other?" The blond blinked at the sudden question, and Shuu was tempted to hide under a big rock. That was most certainly not what he wanted to say…

"Of course not," Robert replied, not even needing to think about it. "I have no problem with Harley and Jupetta-chan's relationship, nor Noctus-chan's infatuation with Jupetta-chan. It is my belief that love is love, and nothing can make it wrong." Shuu nodded, but looked a bit nervous.

"Even a big age difference? You know… Like, over ten years or something?" Robert wondered if Shuu was getting at what he thought he was getting at.

"No, not at all. It may seem odd if the couple was say, in their preteens and twenties, but that wouldn't matter much when they grew older, now would it?" He looked at Shuu with a strange glint in his eyes. "Shuu… Is there something you'd like to tell me?"

The boy panicked, his eyes widening enough to be noticeable. Robert sat patiently, awaiting an answer. Would he finally get a sign that the boy was ready? Would today be the day? Would his wait finally be over? Would—?

"No, it's nothing… Hey, we should look for the others. Who knows how big this place could be." He quickly stood up, leaving the blond to stare at his retreating form. "Are you coming?"

Robert slowly stood up and followed. Obviously, Shuu wasn't ready just yet. He would be though, someday. Preferably, someday soon. He could wait until then… He hoped.


Luna awoke to the sound of dripping water. She slowly opened her eyes and saw that she was in a cave. …Then she did a double take. She was in a cave! The secret button had sent them plummeting into a cave! True, that seemed like an odd thing to get excited over, but it meant they'd reached they're first destination! But…

Where were the others? A quick search of her memory banks reminded her that when the earth had opened up, they'd all been in different spots. Since she'd been alone, she was currently still alone. That meant the others were somewhere else in the cave… Therefore, her first mission would be to find them. Then they could look for the ice orb. Alternatively, if she found the orb first, hey, that'd be one thing out of the way!

She was suddenly reminded of the water she'd first heard when she'd regained consciousness. Turning around, she found herself staring at the biggest waterfall she'd ever seen. Of course, she hadn't seen too many waterfalls in her life, save for one she'd passed once when she'd been a Nyasu, but still…

'Maybe we can all take a bath after we've found the orb… After all, if we stink, those idiots will be able to smell us a mile away! Funny, I must be the only Nyasu in the world actually to like water… Oh, bad Luna! Back on track! Okay, gotta find my friends… Hmm, where to start…? That way looks good!'

Picking a random direction, she was off.


"Harley-sama, wake up! Harley-sama, come on!" Noctus-chan snorted at the younger hybrid's failed attempt to wake their trainer. Though he was reluctant even to call him that anymore…

"Harley-sama," he raised the pitch of his voice, imitating Jupetta-chan, "wake up so we can suck face some more! I'm so lonely without you!" Jupetta-chan turned to face him, frowning slightly.

"Why are you being so mean Noctus-chan? Aren't you getting enough sleep?" Noctus-chan rolled his eyes.

"I'm sleeping just fine. And I'm not being mean."

"Yes you are!" Jupetta-chan protested.

"No I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes, yes, yes times infinity!" Noctus-chan was about to continue, when he realized that he wasn't a child.

"If you ask me, you're the one who's being mean…" Jupetta-chan blinked in confusion.

"Me? Why am I mean? What did I do?" There was no answer. When it became clear that he wasn't going to get one, he pressed further. "Noctus-chan! Tell me what you're talking about!"

He didn't want to say anything. He knew that it would only complicate things in the long run. But he'd been holding it in for too long now. So if Jupetta-chan really wanted to know… He was going to tell him.

"You idiot! Don't you get it? I'm in love with you! I have been since the day Harley caught you! But you've always been more interested in him, even where we were pokémon. And when I finally get a chance to be with you, what do you do? You cling to him, kiss him, and start dating him! I saw you last night! And to think you had the nerve to kiss me this morning and then say you love him a few hours later—"

"Noctus-chan…"

"—playing with me like that—"

"Noctus-chan."

"—I could just—"

"Noctus-chan!" He finally stopped his ranting and glared at Jupetta-chan.

"What!"

"I love you too." Noctus-chan did a double take.

"…Come again?" Jupetta-chan giggled, crawling over to the other male and sitting in his lap.

"I said that I love you too silly. I just never said anything because I thought you didn't like me that way." Noctus-chan was at a loss for words. He didn't quite understand how Jupetta-chan could not realize that he loved him… Especially since everyone else seemed to know. However, that was besides the point…

Jupetta-chan loved him! After all that heartache, the little brat had liked him all along… The irony was almost enough to make him sick. But it didn't matter now, because he had him all to himself. …Wait…

"Hold on a second, what about Harley?" Jupetta-chan shrugged, laying his head on Noctus-chan's chest.

"I love him too. Who says I can't love both of you?" Noctus-chan couldn't help but smile at his love's naïve view of the world.

"That's alright I guess… As long as he doesn't hog you. …And that doesn't mean I have to like him too…"

"I know," he sighed happily, closing his eyes and listening to the steady beat of the older man's heart, "just don't hurt him or anything, okay?"

"Sure, if you insist…"

There was silence for a few minutes, before Noctus-chan realized that the boy had dozed off. He decided to let him sleep; Harley hadn't woken up yet anyways. They'd stay there until someone found them… Truthfully, he hoped that they'd take a while.


"…"

"…"

That was the extent of Robert and Shuu's conversation. Shuu wanted to say something, anything, to break the silence, but he didn't trust himself… He didn't need to say anything else that could make him look like an idiot. The last thing he needed was for Robert to think he was in love with him or something crazy like that…

Because he didn't. Really.

Meanwhile, Robert was losing himself in his thoughts. He couldn't believe he'd let this happen…He should have known better. He was an adult and should act like it. Nevertheless, he knew he couldn't help it, and he wasn't at fault. Nor was he crazy. There was something going on between them, he just knew it!

'I wish he'd tell me what he's thinking… Maybe I could help him sort though what he's feeling. No one should have to go through such a hard discovery by themselves. …I shouldn't have had to go through it by myself…'


Thirteen-year-old Robert stared at himself in a large vanity mirror. Perfectly pressed clothes, perfectly groomed blond hair, perfectly smooth, milky skin… He was beautiful and he knew it. All of the girls told him, so there was no reason not to. He didn't want them to think he was beautiful though, or handsome, or anything else. He didn't care about the girls. They just wanted them for the money anyways…

'I just want him to think I'm beautiful… I… I think I love him.'

The realization scared him. He was in love with another boy, and that was a problem. His parents had special names for people like him, names he didn't like to think about. They called the boy he loved those names. And it always made Robert's chest hurt to hear them say such horrible things. His beloved wasn't a bad person just because he spoke like a girl and loved his pokémon more than people. Robert himself loved his pokémon more than most people, and there was nothing wrong with that. People were cruel; pokémon loved you no matter what.

'For once, I wish we weren't rich. Maybe if we were normal, our parents wouldn't care. Or at least, my parents wouldn't care…'

Robert had been born into a wealthy family, as had his love. But unlike the other boy, Robert's parents hated homosexuals, while his love's parents supported him no matter what. It wasn't fair! If he told his own parents that he was in love, they'd disown him. Why couldn't they understand? He shouldn't be scared to tell them he was in love; he just knew it!

"Robert, that… boy is here to see you. Make sure he doesn't touch you or anything, understand?" Robert nodded, acting the part of the perfect son.

"Yes mother. I understand." He understood what she wanted him to do, he just didn't understand why.

She nodded tersely, leaving his room. Robert took one last glance in the mirror before heading to the door and greeting his crush.

"I'm glad you came. Come in Ha—"


"Ow!" Robert snapped out of his reminiscing as he bumped into someone. That someone fell to the ground, rubbing her bottom and wincing. "Geez, watch where you're going…"

"Luna?" The brunette looked up, smiling triumphantly.

"I found you guys! Yay! Two down and three to go!" Robert smiled at her excitement and helped her up, glad to have a distraction. He didn't need to go opening old wounds… Especially when the cause of them was much closer than Robert was comfortable with…

"Let's go find Harley and the others so we can get out of this stupid cave," Shuu cut in. "Really, why is it called the ice cave if there isn't any ice?" Luna shrugged, but pointed to a path to the right.

"Well, we know we were both going the wrong way, so let's go down here. If we find them quickly enough, we can get the orb, then stop and take a bath! There's this huge waterfall back a ways…" She rambled on about the waterfall as they walked, both males hanging onto her every word, if only not to allow their minds to wander. Luna was just the distraction they needed.


Duana and Kieran trudged back through the forest a few hours later. They had gone as far as they possibly could; only stopping when they'd reached the ocean. Wherever they were, there were no caves. And no caves meant no orbs. And no orbs meant they had to keep searching without a break again.

"I hate this," Duana pouted, slumping against a tree, utterly exhausted. "I hate this project, I hate walking, I hate those orbs, I hate walking, I hate caves, I hate walking, I hate—"

"Will you shut up!" Kieran snapped, just as exhausted, but not willing to admit it.

"Why should I? We're biologists, not henchmen…" She trailed off, her eyes catching a glimpse of something strange. "Hey! This knothole looks like a button! Maybe I should—"

"No!" he cut her off again. "Don't touch anything! Remember the last time you pressed a random button?" Her face reddened, indicating that yes, she did remember.

"We were nine… It was shiny! How was I supposed to know that it'd release a herd of Tropius?" Kieran only rolled his eyes, not liking the memories of almost being trampled to death. While he was being a stick in the mud, Duana took it upon herself to do the obvious thing…

Press the button anyways.

And just as before, the ground began shaking moments later.

"You pressed it, didn't you?" Kieran shouted over the rumbling.

"Yes!" She confessed, trying to cling to the tree. The shaking was too much though, and she lost her grip as the ground opened up. "I'm sooooooooorry!"

That was the last thing they'd be saying for awhile…