Episode Eleven: It's Complicated

The quiet morning sun shone through the window, striking Falkner's face and eventually waking him.

"Mmmm…" He moaned, waking and stretching. The boy went to roll over, only to bump into something. Falkner turned to see Morty nuzzled up against him, in his own futon but placed up against the other boy's.

And suddenly everything that had happened the previous night came flooding back into Falkner's mind.

They had kissed. Both boys feeling emotionally vulnerable and stressed, they had admitted their feelings to one another and Morty had ended up locking lips with Falkner. And Falkner had let him. He had actually dove back in for a second kiss, and a third, and a fourth, and Arceus knows how many.* They had stayed out by the lake for a long time afterward, holding each other. The trainers had been about a mile away from the mansion, Morty had told Falkner, and there was no chance that they were going to be disturbed. Somewhere along the night, Falkner had fallen asleep in Morty's arms, and now here he awoke in his bed, Morty beside him.

What the hell had happened in the void in Falkner's memory. Morty must have carried him back to the house and put him to bed. But…was that all Morty had done? Falkner flung off his covers to make sure his pants were still on. They were. He breathed a sigh of relief. So they probably hadn't had sex. Besides it being awkward enough acting lovingly toward Morty, what Falkner was even more afraid of was something happening that Falkner wasn't aware of. The teen didn't like not having control over his situations, especially not over his own body. Cautiously, Falkner examined his entire body to make sure that nothing seemed unusual. Some people called him an excessive worrywart with the way he often acted, but Falkner was just afraid of something being wrong with him. That's why he spent long periods of time on his appearance, actions, and image. It wasn't so much as trying to fit in or portray a certain image as much as appearing stupid, unkempt, or unable to keep control of himself. It was a routine Falkner's parents, especially his late father, had installed into him as a child.

Good, nothing seemed wrong or different about his body. Falkner exhaled a sigh of relief, relaxing slightly and began thinking in a more realistic and sane mindset about the events of the previous night. It…well, it definitely wasn't something that could be undone. There were only two options available in Falkner's mind. Continue this way with Morty or break up with him. But could he really call it that? They had just kissed, nothing more. That didn't necessarily mean anything. Hell, Falkner wasn't even 100% sure he wanted things to proceed like they had last night. But they had. And whether the title of dating was there or not, Falkner couldn't deny his feelings anymore. Whether he wanted to or not, he liked Morty. How much he liked him, Falkner wasn't sure yet. And as for deciding if this constituted a relationship, Falkner wasn't exactly an expert on the subject. He had never dated or loved anyone before. Was he just overanalyzing things? He knew some people had no qualms about just kissing random people or having one night flings and stuff like that. Was Morty that type of person?

Gazing over at the sleeping object of his affections, Falkner watched, Morty's figure rise and fall to the rhythm of his breath. The sun illuminated the room now, and Morty's blonde hair shone brightly in the light. Falkner realized his headband and scarf were off, and saw them lying on the floor nearby. Seeing the snoozing body of the Ecruteak gym leader, undeniable emotions of love and longing rose in Falkner's chest.

No, Morty wasn't that type of person that just used people and left. Last night Falkner had obtained a rare glimpse into the heart of the seer, and it was easy to tell that Morty was a lot more emotional and caring than he always let on. His heart was pure inside, despite his original actions of toying with Falkner that had angered the Violet gym leader so. Morty also had his own pain, his own happiness and sadness. He was a human being, with the same feelings and flaws that everyone had. Finally realizing this as he sat, Falkner began to feel slightly at peace with his feelings. For the moment, anyway.

Feeling very unlike his usual self, Falkner suddenly had an urge to touch Morty. Reaching out tentatively, his hand eventually met soft blonde tresses, and Falkner lovingly stroked Morty's head for a moment. Pulling back afterward, Falkner was surprised at his actions. He had never done things like this to anyone. But he had never felt like this before either. Maybe…maybe Morty was different. Maybe Falkner could enjoy spending time with him, really constantly enjoy every moment. Maybe he could love Morty.

Moaning, Morty rolled over, his head falling onto Falkner's lap. Falkner jumped at the sudden movement, but smiled and decided it'd be okay.

Maybe we'll be okay, he thought, watching Morty sleep.

Suddenly the door burst open as Whitney appeared from the hallway.

"Falkner, Morty, you guys are late for breakfast and I was wondering if…" Whitney paused as her eyes fixed on the quaint duo in the room, obviously showing emotions of affection. A sly grin grew larger and larger on her face.

"Whitney, it's not what you think! We were just…on are way, and…" Falkner tried to stammer out a defense, flinching sharply upon her entrance. The movement made Morty's head bob into the air, and mixed with the noise, the scene pulled him out of his dreams. He moaned tiredly as he came back to reality.

"Ohoho…" Whitney chuckled knowingly. Smiling in victory, she left the room and closed the door. "Well I'll just let you two be…"

"No, Whitney! Wait! It's not…we were just…" Falkner tried to yell some sort of explanation, but it was too late. Whitney had seen everything.

"Wha's goin on?" Morty mumbled, rubbing sleep from his eyes. His obliviousness only seemed to add to Falkner's exasperation, and the bird user stood up in frustration, his sudden movement knocking Morty off his lap and onto the floor. Morty winced in surprise, slight pain, and confusion. Falkner grumpily grabbed a towel and prepared to go to the onsen, unable to go face Whitney at the breakfast table. He tossed a towel at Morty.

"Bath. Didn't have time to take one last night." Falkner said flatly, hardly addressing Morty. "If you want one."

Falkner shuffled out the door and went down the hall, stomping slightly.

No, with Morty, things were always crazy. Falkner highly doubted they'd be okay.

The group of four sat awkwardly at the breakfast table. Eusine, having stayed the night like he had planned, was chewing on a piece of toast with jam pompously, drinking black coffee pompously, and just being all-around pompous.** Falkner was glaring at everyone, unsure of who to be more angry at. Morty sat, half trying to placate Falkner, half trying to cover the truth from Eusine. Whitney just watched the Falkner and Morty soap opera with chuckling interest.

"For the last time, how was I supposed to know you wanted to be alone?" Morty had walked in on Falkner in the onsen, and tried to get in and hugged Falkner lovingly from behind. Naked. Falkner hadn't taken to that well, and had punched Morty in the face, colliding squarely with the left cheek. There was a small bruise beginning to form on his face, but not a large one. If Falkner was stronger, it would've left more of a mark.***

"It was your damn fault." Falkner said, chewing rice angrily. "What the hell made you think it'd be okay to practically grope me?"

"I didn't grope you." Morty said, part of his mind thinking about how he'd rather not say that word around Eusine. "And you're the one that threw a towel at me and said I could come with you if I wanted."

"I was being nice. I didn't expect you to actually come in, much less touch me. Ass."

"Well maybe you should be clearer from now on."

"What makes you think there's a need for 'from now on'? There's only two days left of your training for us, and then I can finally go home."

It was true. In two days, Morty and Falkner would part ways and go back to their own gyms and do their own jobs. The thought of it saddened both of the boys, but at the moment Falkner was oblivious to the sadness, at least on the outside.

"About these next two days," Whitney interrupted, feeling that if she continued watching, the conversation would just end up going in one infinite loop of bickering. "What are you gonna have us do?"

"Oh," Morty said, pulled away from Falkner and reminded that there were two other people in the room besides the participants in the argument. "Well, there are other stuff you guys need to know about running a gym. Stuff like legalities, regulations, stuff like that. I need to talk to you both about that."

"Oh great." Falkner muttered. "Sounds like a fun time, all that paperwork shit."

Eusine chuckled suddenly at the trio, making all three other trainers turn to him.

"And you!" Falkner yelled, pointing angrily at Eusine. "When the hell are you gonna leave?"

"Oh joy. This looks like so much fun."

Morty had led Falkner and Whitney into a room full of books and papers for today's lesson. It was like the classroom effect from the previous lesson, but somehow Falkner knew that this wasn't just for show. These papers were all full of notes about topics like how much income is needed monthly to successfully run a gym, the training and levels of skill necessary for the various gym trainers a leader should have, and how often Pokémon League inspectors came by to make sure you didn't have dead bodies hidden in the rafters and the like.

"Oh shush, you!" Whitney scolded, lightly smacking Falkner's arm. "Eusine's gone, so you have no reason to complain now. So hush."

"I still have plenty of reasons to complain, and I don't need to explain any of them to you. So you shush."

"Both of you shush, the lesson is about to start." Morty walked in between the duo, 'accidentally' knocking a book in his hand against Falkner's head. Falkner murmured curses and rubbed his head in pain. Morty walked to the front of the room, and began explaining the lecture. Hours went by, and Whitney and Falkner learned all about the different items needed to have in your gym at all times, where to find and train gym referees, the various hours gyms could run (the gym in Saffron apparently ran 24/7. Falkner couldn't imagine never leaving the gym. It'd be murder.), and the normal amount of badges given out to trainers monthly. By the end of the lesson, both Whitney and Falkner's brains ached, and Morty dismissed them.

"Falkner, can I talk with you for a second?" Morty asked after Whitney had left the room.

"What, you need to give me detention, and do some pervy punishments?"

"Don't give me ideas. I think we both know we'd probably like that."

Morty got up from his desk and walked toward Falkner, who was standing by the door. Closing the door, Morty leaned over Falkner, his hand on the closed door above Falkner's head. The bird trainer was slightly intimidated by this, and it showed. But that wasn't Morty's intention.

"What's going on between us now? You've been acting really pissy today."

"Oh, I think you know exactly what happened, don't you sensei." Falkner wanted to jeer, but the lesson had taken all the energy out of him, leaving him unable to complain much and somehow because of that much more amiable to conversation than this morning.

"What, you mean the kiss?" Morty leaned down so his face was level with Falkner's. Falkner half wanted to lean forward and kiss him again, but suppressed the urge.

"I…yeah, I guess." Falkner said, not able to think of a defense. "And then when Whitney found us and stuff…I guess I just…"

"Got really bitchy?"

"Yeah…"

"I noticed." Morty sighed, removing his hand from the wall and taking a step back.

"It's just…I don't know what to do."

"Don't know what to do? With what?"

"With this. With us. With you and me."

"What makes you think you need to do anything?" Morty crossed his arms and looked Falkner in the eye. "What's wrong with just continuing with acting normal and open with each other?"

"It's just…I've never…felt this way about anyone. I've never had anyone with me. I…I feel like I'm supposed to go fast and proclaim our love to the world. But I'm not sure I wanna do that."

"You don't? Are you ashamed of liking me?"

"N-No!" Falkner exclaimed. "Not at all! I just…it's…complicated. I'm not used to this. And then there's Whitney and Eusine, and the fact I'm leaving in two days, and the whole running a gym, and I just…I just don't know what to do." Falkner looked like he was about to cry, and Morty put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Look. Falkner. I like you. I like you a lot. I think that should be obvious. But I don't plan on pushing you to do anything faster than you want to. We can take this at your pace. Okay?"

"Okay." Falkner said through tears. He leaned into Morty and the ghost user held him softly, but not in a constricting manner. It seemed to calm Falkner.

"I just need one thing, Falkner."

"What?"

"Can we be okay with each other from now on? Can we get along? I don't care if you don't want to show others this relationship yet. But can we enjoy our time together? I don't see a point in being with someone if all you do is argue."

"Y-Yeah…I can do that…"

"Good." Morty knelt down to be at Falkner's level.

"I love you" Morty told him, looking him straight in the eye with a look of firmness, but not harshness. It was a look that showed that he completely understood Falkner's emotions, and accepted them all.

"I…love you too."

Morty leaned in, grabbing Falkner's chin and pulling him into a soft kiss. Falkner kissed back, tears warming his cheeks, tears from all kinds of emotions. From fear, the fear of the unknown of relationships, of how you have to constantly worry about two people now instead of one. From embarrassment, embarrassment that he had acted like such an ass. And most of all, from love. Love for Morty, and joy that he had finally found someone, and that someone accepted his flaws, and loved him all the more for it. Morty sucked Falkner's bottom lip, and stuck his tongue into the boy's mouth. Falkner fought back with his tongue this time, a heat of passion filling both boys' mouths. When Morty didn't let go, Falkner was scared that he wouldn't have enough air, but soon realized that he could breathe through his nose. So they stood there for a long time, Morty pressing Falkner up against the door, and Falkner pressing into Morty. Every now and then, one of them would break and say something along the lines of "I love you", but both boys were so enthralled in passion that they spoke mostly through their actions, through warm, loving, enthusiastic kisses. Falkner was new to the task, but learned quickly, and eventually had his arms around Morty's neck while Morty continued to press into Falkner, which made Falkner push harder against the door. It was a tight fit, but Falkner didn't care. The boys moved with such energy that it felt like the door might break, or at least forcibly open.

And…the door did slip open, making both boys tumble in surprise to the floor outside the room. The door was old, and the doorknob wasn't as sturdy as it used to be and had lost its grip and opened. The fall left Falkner laying on the floor, with Morty on all fours, leaning over the boy, passion still bright in both of their eyes as they stared lovingly at the visage of one another, momentarily unaware of the surrounding world. The two of them was all that mattered.

"Hi guys!"

Falkner and Morty looked up in surprise to see Whitney standing over them, smiling happily. Falkner's blood went cold as he realized that she might've been on the other side of the door the entire time, and could've heard everything that had gone on inside the room between them. Morty looked up at her lazily, as if to say 'why are you interrupting the best moment of my life?'. The older boy turned to look back down at Falkner and saw that his face was bright red.

"DAMN IT WHITNEY!"

Later, the two boys were sitting alone in their room. Whitney had been dismissed, Morty having talked to her. Not that he told her anything that she didn't already know. Falkner was beginning to realize that eventually people were going to find out about him and Morty.

"So, we didn't get to finish our conversation." Morty said.

"Which one?" Falkner laughed. "The serious one or the one we had that didn't have so much talking?"

"The serious one." Morty said, smiling at what Falkner meant by the other conversation. What are we? Boyfriends? Friends? Fuck-buddies?" Morty's eyes glinted at the last option.

"I…I don't know. It's kind of complicated. Do we really need a label?"

"I guess not…I just get antsy when I don't know what to call something as serious as our relationship…"

"Well…I guess we can be boyfriends…but we'd have to…do, y'know, lovers stuff."

"Please tell me by that you mean passionate nights of loud, furious sex."

"Not yet" Falkner said dismissively, the idea secretly playing itself in the back of his mind.

"Damn it. And here I thought I was gonna get laid."

"Sorry."

"Hmm…"

"So…" Falkner started. "Are we gonna finish that other conversation?"

*Was trying to Pokémon-ize "God knows what", so I put Arceus since it's kinda the god Pokémon.

**Eusine = Pompous. I was half channeling Falkner's irritation, so I kinda was harsh on him. Not that I regret it.

***Falkner's a little pansy.

End of Chapter Eleven: It's Complicated

A/N: Got this one out fast! Sometimes I can't tell if I'm creating 3 dimensional characters or just writing OOC...

I couldn't keep their relationship smooth for long, could I? I just can't help it. Bluebird (Falkner) is just so much more fun all flustered and angry.

I still hate Eusine. I'm glad he was in and out. He'll probably be back in small doses though.

So yeah. Unless the plot decides to go in another random direction again, this arc will finally end in the next chapter...or two. Still don't trust it to stay on track. It won't be the end of Iridescent Wings, just the start of a new-ish plot with Morty and Falkner's relationship. THIS STORY WILL NEVER END. It'll be like the Pokemon anime, going on forever.

In my Microsoft Word document, this story has now hit 50 pages, not counting the A/N. I create those as I'm uploading chapters. Woohoo!