Finally reaching Opelucid, Black and N wandered around looking for a good place to eat while they waited for Cheren to heal his pokemon. Black figured he should not be surprised that N was instantly drawn to the most lavish (and expensive) restaurant, and was thankful he had enough money to buy them all dinner there. Before returning to their travels, Black bought N a sleeping bag to bring along with them. As much as the green-haired boy protested, saying that he was fine sleeping on the ground, Black insisted.

Full from delicious food, the three did not walk far through route 10 before they grew tired from such a long, eventful day. Black was the first to admit it; the other two were far too stubborn to concede.

"Let's set up camp somewhere along the riverbed," he chimed, removing his backpack. "My tent should be big enough to hold three of us if we cram in."

"No, thank you," Cheren insisted as he removed a small sleeping bag from his pack. "I'd rather have my own space." Black turned to him, wanting to read his expression before he asked his next question. He really hoped his own cheeks weren't turning red.

"Would you mind if... N and I had the tent, then?"

Cheren pressed his lips together and turned away. "Suit yourself." He bit out in a tone not quite as neutral as he had intended.

Wanting to crawl in a hole and die, Black could only nod and start setting up his tent. All tension between his friends aside, it was a great deal more awkward than he had expected, to be with them both here at once. Now that he was with N, in a romantic relationship, having Cheren here brought up those memories of the things Cheren and he had done under the guise of studying together. Black wondered if Cheren guessed how much farther he had already gone with N, and what he really thought about it. They had always been able to be completely honest with each other, but now N stood between them and he at least did not feel like he could ever be as close to the darker-haired boy as before. It was painful.

N wasn't very helpful in terms of setting up camp; it seemed as though his pokemon had helped him in the past. Still, he opened his new sleeping bag and attempted to zip it up correctly. He wasn't used to such things.

"Black, how does this work?" he asked, trying to unjam a zipper caught in the fabric.

"What did you do?" Black interjected, trying not to sound angered. He was more confused about it than anything.

"I don't know, I pulled on the zipper and... why do you need to zip it up if you're just going to lay on it, anyway?" The other two boys laughed. Black yanked at it, freeing the fabric from the caught closure.

"You sleep inside of it, N! Like... like you're the jelly of one of those sweet rolls!" After Black properly zipped the sleeping bag, N wiggled himself inside, his face still bright with confusion and inquisition.

"Huh. This feels... strange." The brown-haired boy giggled, smiling at how clueless the other was about seemingly firsthand things. It was somehow incredibly endearing. Black liked the idea of teaching him about the simple pleasures of life. The expression of wonder on his face was almost addictive. As silly as it seemed, achieving small goals like this just made him feel closer to N.

"You'll get used to it!" he said with a smile.

"Hm.." N continued to squirm around, deeply considering whether or not he would like this new contraption.

Black glanced at Cheren, hoping he would at least not be too proud to see how adorable this was. To his relief, the serious boy's lips were twitching as he shook his head. Of course, it was a slightly condescending gesture, but that was the most that could be expected from him, anyway.

"Black, look!" Turning back around, Black saw that N had curled himself up on his knees, holding the opening of the sleeping bag tight around his head as he put on a morose expression. "I'm a Swadloon."

"Oh, for pity's sake!" Cheren snapped indignantly as Black began to develop a stitch in his side from laughing so hard. "You're both children!"

Thanks to N's unintentional antics, the three were able to settle down for the night on good terms with each other.

As the two boys settled down in their tent after sundown, N grabbed Black by the waist and pulled him close. He clung onto him tightly, burrowing his face into Black's hair and smiling.

"Mmm... Black... you're so soft..." The younger boy smiled as well, enjoying the fact that he could finally relax and be himself around N.

"How are you doing, N? Is everything okay?" The other sighed, pulling him a bit closer.

"Yes. I just... being with you and Cheren makes me realize how much I like just being with you." Black chuckled slightly, putting his hand on the hands around his waist.

"I'm sorry, N. But I'm glad you enjoy spending time with me. Once we get to the pokemon league and if you're up for it, we can go play with your toys, just you and me. Do you still think you'll like that?"

"I would like that very much." N's fingers casually toyed with the hem of Black's shirt for a while before slowly slipping beneath to touch the skin of his stomach. "Do you mind if I touch you?" he whispered, tense. "Is that ok?"

"It's fine." Black suppressed a shiver as soft fingertips continued to lightly explore. Just the feeling of N's skin against his own was pleasure in itself; his hands traveled without much purpose, it seemed, as if he were curiously examining him. But when a thumb brushed against a sensitive nipple, Black gasped and squirmed slightly.

"Does that feel good?" N asked, sounding more inquisitive than suggestive. In all honesty, it only made Black want more. He was suddenly determined to make the other boy sound more lustful, as if he were giving into desire. His pants were beginning to become tighter across his groin.

"H-Hah, yes..." he replied, trying not to sound too needy.

N delicately toyed with him, quite serious about finding how best to make Black shudder and hiss. He nearly started in surprise when Black reached behind him and slid his hand beneath N's clothes to grasp his hip.

"Black..." N whispered, his eyes shutting as he enjoyed the warmth of that hand. Moving closer still, he kissed Black's neck, gently nibbling here and there, and was eagerly encouraged by Black pulling his leg up over his waist so he could stroke N's thigh.

Leaving Black's chest, N slipped his hand down into the other's boxers to take hold of his growing erection.

Black just barely managed to contain his gasp. "N...! Wait..."

"I want you to put this inside me again," N breathed into Black's ear. "Right now."

Black gulped loudly. He had not expected N to go this far, to ask with the same stunning bluntness as the first time, but now with the desiring tone he had hoped to hear. It sent lust coursing through his veins like lava. It felt so good having N's hand wrapped around him, and he wanted nothing more than to give his lover exactly what he wanted, but...

"N, we can't... We can't do this here..."

"Why not?"

"Because Cheren... he'll hear us..."

"So?"

Black faltered. "S-so... So that's... You just can't... N, oh god, please stop so I can think! Aah..!" N had started rubbing him slowly, and Black's hips bucked into the touch even as he pushed N's arm away. "You... You can't just h-have sex while someone can hear! It's r-rude and embarrassing!"

"I don't see why. We're only mating."

"Oh god..." Black buried his burning face in his hands. His unwavering lust was now clouding all logic, and he couldn't help but give in. "N, just... you have to remain quiet, okay? You can't let him hear us. He'd never let me live it down. Now let go and lay on your back befo... a-ahh! Please!" He heard N giggle playfully behind him as his erection was freed from his grasp.

While the smaller boy propped himself up on his knees and attempted to remove his clothing, N rolled over and slipped out of his pants quickly. He spread his legs instantly in a silent plead, bringing his hands to his mouth as he looked up at him.

"Black, I need you..." he implored, those blue-green eyes clouded over in longing. "Please..."

Black groaned softly as he knelt between N's legs, pulling those long limbs up to lay over his shoulders. "I love you," he whispered, quickly wetting his fingers and pressing one inside.

N stifled a whimper behind his hands, and Black realized with a jolt how unbelievably sexy it was to hear him like this. It felt wrong to be doing this with Cheren so close by, where at any moment his best friend could find them out, but he wanted N too badly to pass up this opportunity.

When N nodded his head urgently, Black pulled away his fingers and carefully entered him. Again he was assaulted by a muffled keening, and it took all his self-control to move slowly.

Tears streamed from the corners of N's eyes, but he thrust his hips up eagerly. Now Black had to firmly tell himself to be quiet, clenching his teeth against the sounds that threatened to give them away. Gripping N's waist firmly, he kept pumping gently in and out as his lover sobbed and writhed, needing more just as much as he did. But they couldn't afford to get carried away.

As Black angled himself just right with the spot he knew N craved, the green-haired boy squealed, unable to hold back. As much as he loved the sounds the other was making, Black was quick to hush him.

"N, shh, Cheren will hear!" he whispered into his ear before pumping faster, still making sure to brush against the same area again and again.

"I-I can't... I can't help... i- ahh!" N quickly clamped his hand over his mouth to prevent the automatic sounds from escaping. He had no control over his voice as pleasure shot through him, stars sparking over his vision and making his head swim. It was so different, now; the fear he experienced the first time they made love was melting quickly, and all he could think of now was how desperately he needed this. How much more he desired. How he felt like he simply could not get enough attention, enough love from the boy above him.

Outside of the tent, Cheren stirred in his sleep. He swore he heard someone say his name, but questioned it when he realized how exhausted he was. The boy sat up an listened closely to the sounds of the night; chirping of nocturnal pokemon, rustling of trees in the wind, and...

What was that?

Cheren listened closer, unable to distinguish its source in his half-awake daze... until he realized it was coming from Black's tent, and logic suddenly clicked. His face turned a deep shade of red as he couldn't help but listen in on what was happening. Though the sounds were hushed and muffled, there was no mistaking the cause of N's shrill, disjointed cries. A variety of emotions swam through Cheren's mind– embarrassment, disgust, indignance. He was about to get up and move his sleeping bag out of hearing range, ready to think up the most stinging lecture possible to shoot in Black's face in the morning, but then mingled with N's poorly hidden gasp came a low a familiar moan.

Cheren froze as a deep tingle ran through him. The reality of the situation finally sank in. Black and N were having sex in that tent. And from the way it sounded, Black was "on top," which really was no surprise. But they were right there, no doubt naked and tangled and grinding against each other in the throes of passion. This fact gripped Cheren's heart in an uncomfortable way.

Though it had been a couple years ago, there was no denying that he and Black had had.. a thing. It had not been really romantic, but as they grew into teenagers confined to their minuscule town, hormones and necessity had drawn them together, or so Cheren had succinctly put it. They had touched and kissed and explored some of the things their bodies were telling them to do, but to say they had been dating, or had anything other than a friendship would be more than the truth, at least from Black's standpoint. Eventually they had stopped their more intimate activities together, and without any awkwardness had returned to just being friends.

Cheren had believed himself to be over it. Though it had certainly been nice, kissing Black and touching Black and being pinned beneath him on his bed as hands and lips brought him so much pleasure, it was just something they had done together. His feelings for Black had not changed, but perhaps that was the problem. Deep down, he realized that part of his problem was envy. Even though they had both moved on to care about other people, Cheren did not like the thought that he could not be intimate with Black again. Those days of curious touches under the blankets were well and truly over, and somehow Black had leapt ahead of him in both battling strength and relationships.

Hearing Black now, enjoying himself so much with another's body, it hurt a little. But in a very different way, it felt humiliatingly good. He had always loved the sound of Black's moans. The things N was feeling now, being under the care of his very attentive new lover... Cheren envied him.

The boy noticed his erection now rubbing rather painfully against his sleep pants. He freed it from the waist band and wrapped a hand around the base, slowly rubbing along the shaft and along the ridges of the head. God, it felt good... it had been quite some time since he had allowed himself this sort of pleasure. He began pumping to the rhythm of the sounds of flesh meeting flesh, the hushed cries of the two boys sending waves of sensations down his spine. What he wouldn't give to have Black on top of him once more, kissing down his neck, fucking him with as much fervor as his body would allow... Cheren had to keep his hand clamped over his mouth to keep from moaning, himself.

Back inside the tent, Black was still fighting to stay in control. It was such delicious torture, moving slowly like this, having to keep quiet. But at the same time it was heady, stretching out their pleasure until every nerve ending was on fire with need. N looked close to losing his mind, and sweat dripped down Black's skin as he thrust long and deep, feeling like he might just pass out in this small tent full of hot, humid air.

Ragged gasps reached Cheren's ears like music as he jerked himself as fast as he could bear.

"Black... fuck me... please...!" he whispered into the cupped palm of his hand, so lost in his fantasy that he no longer cared about getting caught by the other two. The groans of the brown-haired boy only pushed him closer to his climax as he imagined it was his hand, not his own, that was rubbing him almost raw.

Cheren heard N give another yelp and he wondered what Black had done. His friend was nothing if not skilled in making his lovers come undone, and Cheren wondered if he could be credited for that. Black had had plenty of practice on him, after all...

Rolling onto his side and pressing his face into the sleeping bag, he let his hand drift behind him to rub against his entrance, slipping in one finger, then two...

Black leaned forward and pressed a kiss against the backs of N's hands, still pressed over his mouth. Lifting one away, N grasped his shoulder tightly and begged for release with his unfocused eyes.

"I know," Black panted. "I won't make you wait.. any longer." Reaching down, he stroked N's cock in time with his thrusts and smiled as his back arched up off the ground.

With one last strangled cry, N came hard onto his own stomach, and as his body tensed up, Black allowed himself a long groan as he followed.

Cheren knew what had happened. N was filled with Black's seed, probably satisfied from head to toe, and he had brought Black to completion. Barely able to bite back his own sounds, Cheren released as he remembered all the times before when he had seen and heard and felt Black orgasm. Shuddering and gasping, he slowly came down and removed his fingers from himself before reaching for his travel pack of tissues to clean up. There were no more sounds coming from the tent, and he could only hope he had not been heard.

The lone boy returned to his sleeping bag after cleaning himself up, his mind still buzzing from the incredible orgasm. He could barely think. Those slight feelings for Black that he had tried to bury had been dug back up, and he tried his best to suppress them once more. The other boy was so hopelessly in love with N, as hurtful as it was. But he thanked whatever god there was that he had been given the chance previously to be loved by him. Whatever became of the two, Cheren always had those memories. And, at that moment, they seemed to be enough. Falling asleep almost instantly after shutting his eyes, the boy fell into a restful slumber.

Collapsing next to N, Black pulled his lover close and held him tight. N nestled himself happily against the other's body, content and exhausted.

"How was that?" Black asked through heavy pants, still a bit out of breath from the whole ordeal.

"It was... perfect..." the other boy replied. "Thank you, Black. I... love you..."

"I love you too, N. Sweet dreams."

As his mind faded, Black wondered briefly if Cheren had heard them. He was too tired to fear the consequences, though, and without another thought, he followed N into sleep.