-Kyle-
"Is it trying to fly away?" Jace mutters beside him, and he narrows his eyes.
The inhuman screech of UB-04 echoes throughout the garden, and he recognizes why the creature seems to be building up an insane amount of heat. He makes a split-second decision.
"Recall your pokemon!" He shouts, summoning Amriel back.
Jace follows his lead, and Chansey disappears from sight. UB-04 lets out a dangerous rumble, flames igniting beneath it.
"Arcanine, absorb what you can!" He commands, throwing a pokeball.
He grabs Jace and hugs the man to him, keeping his back to the Ultra Beast. Making sure Jace's face is tucked into his chest, he closes his eyes and braces himself.
He thinks he hears his name being called out.
One heartbeat later, a wall of fire slams into his back, and he loses his ability to breathe. A screaming noise rings in his ears, and he keeps his arms tight. The air is too hot, and he can't breathe—
"Kyle, wake up. Kyle!"
He sputters as something soft hits him in the face. Blinking, he grabs the offender while fighting against heavy eyelids. A plush Growlithe stares back at him.
"Jace," he groans.
"Nightmare," is the immediate reply.
He narrows his eyes at the man sitting at the foot of the bed. Jace takes a bite out of a candy bar, one eyebrow raised mockingly. He squeezes the doll with a sigh.
"Thanks," he says grudgingly.
Jace lets out a noncommittal hum, and he sits up reluctantly. He holds the plush doll to his chest and tries to calm down. Deep breaths and the presence of another person help tremendously.
"Think Professor Burnet's found a way to stop it?" Jace asks softly.
It's not truly nightmares as it is reliving memories during sleep. Professor Burnet, who works with Interdream Zone and Ultra Wormhole research, is currently studying his case. The professor took a special interest once it came out that Nihilego was the root cause.
Of course, the perfect memory recall only started after his second fusion with the creature. That fiasco was a consequence of trying to get home through Ultra Space. Honestly, he tries not to think about it too much; it makes him want to scream.
"Probably not. Let's just go get breakfast," he says, changing the subject. "Candy is not food."
"Is so," Jace replies, hopping up to steal the bathroom like a brat.
He stretches with a yawn and attempts to get up. "Attempts" is the keyword. The hotel bed is very nice, he thinks longingly. Surely ten more minutes wouldn't hurt?
"Up, Kyle," Jace commands from the bathroom, seemingly a mind reader.
"Fine," he grumbles.
It's not until he's changing clothes that it suddenly hits him: he's in a relationship with Jace. His hands begin shaking, and he has trouble zipping up his jacket.
A week and a half of moping, crying to his parents, and trying to shatter every feeling he's ever had and suddenly he's kissing Jace under the stars. He can't even fathom how that happened.
He's at a loss on what to do. Does this change things? Well, of course it does, but how does it change things? What does Jace expect from him? What if Jace only wants their relationship to continue on as it has been?
Could Jace already be regretting what happened last night?
He jumps when the door to the bathroom swings open with a bang.
"All yours," Jace tells him. "Hurry up, I'm hungry."
He dashes into the bathroom as panic rises in the back of his throat. He turns the shower on full blast and dunks his head under the stream. He hisses as cold water hits his scalp.
Safe to say, this isn't a dream. Jace really is here with him in Sootopolis City. Last night happened.
Keep it together, he tells himself.
He takes Jace out to breakfast once he's sure he's got a handle on his emotions. There's a good place near the water that serves amazing crepes.
"Aw, man, how many more stairs?" Jace complains. "My knees are really sore!"
He winces in guilt. He'd known the moment Jace had arrived to the city. Unable to face the man, he'd merely watched as Jace ran around from one end of the crater to the other.
He had wanted Jace to give up and go home, but…he's rather hopeless when it comes to Jace's teary face.
"I guess I can carry you," he says with a dramatic sigh. "I'm such a nice guy."
"Wait a minute, don't—" Jace screeches as he scoops the man up.
It takes a little bit of bouncing, but he settles Jace into a princess carry. Jace looks away with a bright red face, arms crossed. He lets out a laugh and continues down the stairs to the restaurant.
"You're so embarrassing," Jace mumbles around a pastry.
"You love me anyways," he smirks.
He had only meant it in his normal teasing manner, but Jace pauses and gives him an assessing stare. He keeps himself breathing through force of will. Did he cross a line?
"Yeah, I do," Jace says with a small smile. "Arceus help me, but I do."
Unable to say anything, he stuffs a crepe into his mouth.
"So where are we going?" Jace asks once their plates have been picked clean.
"Going?" He squints.
"I didn't come all this way and get leave from work to not sight-see," Jace informs him.
He doesn't point out that sight-seeing was probably not the reason for Jace's visit. Instead, he leans back and considers the best places he knows of. Unlike other regions, Hoenn doesn't have much to offer in the way of tourism.
"We'll want to head to Lilycove City next. They've got a famous department store to look at," he settles on.
"Then we'll spend another night here and leave for Lilycove tomorrow," Jace nods firmly.
They spend the rest of the day walking around Sootopolis City and mainly stick to the upper levels. They take it slow due to Jace's sore legs, and they spend a good bit of time striking up conversations with people who recognize them.
"So you found him, good on you!" Another person calls out from the level above them.
"Aha, yep," Jace smiles tiredly.
Jace heads up the stairs in resignation, and he withdraws his hand from where it hovers next to Jace's. Their day pretty much goes like this from morning to night. As it is his fault that Jace seemingly knows the face of every person living in the city, he deals with it the best he can.
By which, he means picking up Jace and running away into the sunset.
"Kyle!" Jace complains.
Notably, the man doesn't try to fight out of the princess carry this time. He races past startled onlookers and towards a more deserted area of the city. If he makes it in time, they will have the most dazzling sight of the pseudo-lake sparkling as the sun sets.
"Woah," Jace breathes from his arms.
He nods and sets Jace gently onto the stone-covered ground before taking a seat himself. No one bothers them here, and they watch the incredible sight in peaceful silence. He can get used to this, he thinks, this feeling of sheer contentedness.
He jumps slightly as a hand grabs his. He tries to pull back, but Jace's grip tightens.
"Stop that," Jace tells him with a frown. "You've been doing that all day."
"Doing what?" He manages to ask evenly.
"Reaching for my hand only to not, you know," Jace squeezes pointedly, "hold my hand."
He stares down at the water which is losing its shine. Night is falling on them, bringing with it a new set of doubts. He thinks on his feelings and how best to voice them.
"Do you actually want this?" The words leave him unbidden.
Jace's sharp inhale makes him cringe, but he continues on, determined.
"You shouldn't have to feel forced into a relationship with me just to make sure I don't leave," he ends up saying.
Jace lets go of his hand, and a moment of silence goes by. He doesn't dare turn to face the other man. At best, Jace will look annoyed, and at worst, thoughtful. He's not sure he wants to know.
"I guess I'll have to keep doing this until it gets through your thick skull," Jace sighs, pulling on his jacket.
He freezes as lips cover his own, and he thinks, oh.
It's an awkward kiss—Jace is forced to stretch uncomfortably to reach—but the grip on his jacket keeps him from moving. Jace does eventually let go, but he's not sure he can breathe even then.
All those doubts vanish only to be replaced by a sense of wonder. Jace grabs his hand again, and stands, pulling him up.
"Take me back to that place from last night," Jace tells him. "It's got a nice view of the stars."
"Okay," he says dazedly, "okay."