AN: Exams are coming! AGAIN! Noooooooooooooooo!

Part 11

A thousand thoughts ran through his mind as he attended the Devon Executive meeting that evening. Even though he tried his best to set aside all his worries, they kept coming back again and again. It was a miracle that he managed to went through the srutinizing gaze of the other executives without making a single embarrassing mistake. When the meeting was over, he thought about heading back to the League, however, his head was too muddled with thoughts that he decided to stay in a hotel for the night.

Steven laid down on the hotel bed and closed his eyes. His mind ran back to the scene which he unintentionally walked into in Lance's office.

It was the first time he had ever seen a man-to-man action, and he admitted that he was shocked. If not for the scene he witnessed, he would have never thought that Lance can look so needy and desperate. There were silent pleas in his eyes, and the lust he radiated was so strong that Steven could feel it prickling his skin. It was undeniably strong, dangerous, and yet Steven couldn't help but felt the allure of it all. It was inviting him to get closer, but Steven knew that he couldn't do it.

The world of the homosexuals isn't a place where Steven would like to step into. He likes women, not men. Even though he ended it with Cynthia, that doesn't mean that he gave up on women altogether. No, there's still another woman waiting for him out there, and he intended to find her.

Yet, even so, he found himself unable to forget about the Lance he saw at that moment.

Steven let out a huge sigh, "Dear Arceus... I am not gay..."

X

Steven returned to the league the next morning.

Even though he had been staying in one of the best hotel in Rustboro, one can easily tell that he had a restless night, the huge up of coffee he carried gave it away. He headed for him room to grab some work material he had left. He prayed that he won't run into Lance, but he knew too well that Lance would be returning from his morning jog at that time of the day. And so they inevitably met.

The work material that Steven was about to get wasn't that important, to be fairly honest. His true intention was to really see Lance.

Lance was about to enter his room when Steven walked in the grand hall. He looked up and offered Steven a curt nod along with a stiff, "Morning," before he returned his attention to his door.

"Morning," Steven returned. For some reason, the atmosphere wasn't as tense as he thought it would be.

Lance said nothing else and entered his room.

Steven watched as he disappeared, before he inwardly groaned and turned around to walk away.

That didn't go as well as he had expected. He had planned on seeing Lance and probably start a small conversation with him about the other day. He would like to apologize about just barging in, and then invited him for another mountain-climbing weekend with him in Sinnoh. However, when he saw the man, the image of Lance writhing and begging for pleasure flashed across his mind, and he couldn't find his tongue.

"Arceus," he murmured to himself as he walked towards his office. "This can't be happening..."

X

There was an indoor basketball court in the league, and it was empty most of the time. Usually, several league workers would come down to play, maybe did a shot or two, but no game was ever held in that court. It was big, with polished wooden floor and surrounded by bleachers on three of its sides. The lights, when turned on, were ridiculously bright, but the room itself was surrounded by glass, and so there was almost no need to turn on the light.

Lance visits the court every Wednesday morning. He plays alone most of them time. There was something so calming about the sound of his squeaking sneakers, the thumping of the ball, and the sound of it passing through the hoop. It was like a meditation for him.

He had been playing along for the past few years, but recently, a certain silver-haired man started tagging along with him.

Steven plays exceptionally well for someone who claimed that he rarely plays basketball. He knew some nifty tricks, and can score a three point with a single glance at the ring.

On that particular Wednesday morning, Steven arrived at the court earlier that Lance. He picked up a basketball from the nearest corner, before he began practicing his aim. His heart was beating erratically as time ticks by, and when the time of Lance's arrival got closer and closer, he became more and more nervous.

His heart nearly fell when the door of the court opened. He turned to look, and saw Lance standing there.

Lance quirked and eyebrow. "Morning," he greeted, "You're really early today..." he casually commented as he walked over and took the ball from Steven's hands.

"Yes, I... Um... I'm..." Steven swallowed, Come on, Steven! Pull yourself together! "I... Find it hard to sleep these days..." he admitted.

"Sleeping problem?" Lance asked as he took the ball and motioned Steven to get ready.

Steven took his stance and fixed his eyes on Lance. "Uh... No, not a sleeping problem... Something's bothering me, that's all..."

Lance charged at him while dribbling the ball. Steven blocked his way, however, Lance gracefully shoulder his way foward, and shoot the ball from the three point range. It painfully missed. Lance cursed, "Can't never get that one right..." he murmured. He then turned to look at Steven, "How do you get it all the time?"

Steven was caught off-guard, but he quickly regained himself and replied, "Luck."

Lance rolled his eyes, "Of course." He picked up the ball again, and the game restarted.

The game was tense, and Lance was relentless. Usually, Steven had no trouble keeping up, and yet on that day, he found it hard to focus. First, there were the disturbing thoughts about Lance that kept on coming back no matter what he did. Steven admitted that it had been weeks since he last engage in any sexual encounter, perhaps those images that flashed across his eyes wre nothing but a reflection of his buried desires? However, if so, then why Lance? Sure, he caught Lance in a pretty awkward situation, but isn't it almost the same as accidently opening gay porn on the internet? Yes, the incident was nothing more than a bad memory that Steven wanted to forget, and yet...

"Ouch," Lance suddenly tripped on his footing and stumbled back towards Steven. He quickly regained himself though, and ran for the ring.

Steven found an opening though, and quickly snatched the ball away. Without the need of dribbling closer to the ring, Steven turned and quickly made the shot. His three point shot didn't miss the ring. It didn't even hit the rim. It went straight through without a hitch.

"Damn it, how do you keep doing that?" Lance frowned as he wiped off the sweat from his chin with the back of his hand.

"Luck," Steven shrugged, before he grabbed the ball and began his assault.

Yet... Why was he overwhelmed with the desire to touch him? Why did he dream of pinning a helpless Lance against the wall last night? Why can't he shake off the urge to grab him and kiss the living daylight out of his lips? Why does his heart longed to dominate him so painfully?

Steven had been pondering on the answers to those questions, but he never found one.

This morning in his shower though, he came up with a plan to answer those questions.

"Another three point?" Lance grumbled. "Call that luck once more, Steve." He challanged.

Steven would have smiled and returned his remark with something witty. However, his insides were churning so badly that he wondered if he can make it through alive.

Lance noticed that something is going on with Steven. He titled his head and asked, "Oi, you look bothered... You feeling good there?"

"I feel fine," Steven sighed as he picked up the basketball and held it in his hand. "I... I just need to ask you something..."

Lance studied him for a moment, before he said, "Well, if you're troubled and need some advices, you're coming to the wrong guy..." he went over to the nearest bleacher and grabbed his drinking bottle. "I'm not a consultant. And I couldn't care any less about your craps."

Steven looked at him and said, "I know..." he smiled lightly, feeling stupid all of a sudden. "I... Just want to know..." his voice trailed off.

"Want to know what?" Lance frowned.

"I want to know if..." Steven hesitated for a moment. He wasn't actually scared of being rejected. Ever since he came up with the idea, he knew that there exists a likely chance that Lance would turn him down. However, what made him hesitate was his lack of insight on how Lance would react.

"If?" Lance urged, sounding really impatient.

Arceus, please watch over me, Steven thought, before he finally said, "If you want to go out for dinner with me."

And then the most awkward silence in history fell between them.