Act IV: Secret Admirer

            Night time actually had a peaceful setting in Luca, despite the hustle of Blitz Ball teams going to their rooms at the many Inns. The air was quite cool, soothing after all the day's excitement. Pah was leaned against the frame of a window that over-looked the stadium and docks numbers five and six. He sighed heavily as he watched lights go out one by one.

Giera was lying down on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He and Pah were always room mates during the Blitz Ball season. He breathed lightly, the tension seemed to increase with ever sigh Pah emitted.  He had a feeling that Pah knew something… something he shouldn't know. Giera couldn't stand the silence any longer; he turned his head on the pillow to address the light blue-haired Guado.

"Pah… what's on your mind?" he asked, deciding to sit up, with quite a struggle. Pah said nothing, he only turned to face Giera with a look of concern. Giera stared at him, awaiting an answer to his question. He would wait all night if he had to. After a few moments hesitation, Pah finally replied.

"What is it… with you and Zazi?" Pah asked with the gentleness of a small child. Giera would have been shocked, had he not already suspected that Pah knew something already. His body simply slumped at the question. How could he even begin to explain such a complicated matter? What could he even say that would make any sense?

"Well… what do you think is going on…?" Giera said, keeping his eyes focused on the bedding.

"I don't rightly know… I'm a bit in the dark…"

"Forgive me… but I think it's best that you stay in the dark… Pah…"

"Nonsense, is there something wrong? You better tell me, Giera-Guado. I'm your best friend. You've always told me everything… and then…" he paused and sighed, looking to the floor, "Zazi came into your life… like some mysterious spell." Pah's hairless brow furrowed into a sad expression. Giera's face became riddled with apparent sadness. Pah stepped over to Giera's bed and sat down beside him.

"Tell me what's wrong. I have a feeling that I know what it is… but it must go deeper than anything I can imagine… I promise I'll not think differently of you." He then laid his hand on Giera's shoulder, looking at him. Giera still kept his eyes glued on the bedding to his left side.

"What I will tell you is… is wrong… immoral… against any ways of life… any… any teachings……" Giera's voice wavered, then faded as a few tears slowly trickled from his intense blue eyes.

"Giera…" Pah murmured as he dabbed his tears away, "It isn't that bad… I already know what you're talking about Giera… because… because I…" He sighed deeply and looked away, "Forget it. But… I care about you, and I say that it isn't wrong, Giera." There was a long silence, save for Giera's small sniffles. Pah rubbed his back to try and calm him. Giera finally bled his heart out.

"I'm in love with Zazi… I love him… but he doesn't love me back! I try everything to get him to understand… all he does is use me as some-some sort… of-of p-pleasure toy!"  Giera hunched over and began to sob wildly.

"I hate it! I wished he'd stop! I just… I just want a normal relationship with him… but I know he's ashamed of me… because… we're both… boys… but… I still love him…" He finally quieted down, taking gasps instead of breaths. Pah only bowed his head, he had been right the whole time. He already knew the way Giera was… the way Zazi was… and the way… he, himself was. A little part of him was crushed at the mentioning of Giera's undying love for Zazi… but he left his personal feelings out of the picture. He didn't really want to cause any further sorrow.

"Why didn't you tell me this before? You can always come talk to me… always. Have you been keeping this inside you all of this time? It isn't healthy…" Pah gently grabbed Giera's slender wrist and rubbed it with care. Giera looked up at Pah with an expression like he knew how Pah truly felt about him. Giera bowed his face, he was slightly flattered and ashamed at the same time. He was too set on Zazi to even notice that Pah was there…

"I'm sorry, Pah… you shouldn't have heard any of this…" Giera looked at Pah once more.

"No, it's completely alright. I'm glad that you told me, I've been so worried about you…" He smiled lightly and welcomed Giera into an embrace. Giera leaned into Pah's chest, still crying a bit. He felt so safe in Pah's arms, like nothing could ever harm him… How he wished he could find that sort of security in Zazi's arms.

"Just don't worry about it… Zazi is only a… a big jerk!" Pah leaned his head stop Giera's, careful not to take out an eye with his spiny hair. "He'll come around… you'll simply have to make him work for you. There must be something you can do to get his affection…" he paused, trying to think of something funny, "Hey! Yell at him! You see how well it works when the captain does it. Show Zazi who's boss!" Pah smiled to himself, the moment was wonderful… he could remember wanting just to hold Giera. Just one chance… to hold him so close, and yet so far. Giera moved his head and looked up at Pah, his tear stained face glimmering in the light.

"Thank you, Pah…" That was the last thing said before the two finally dressed for bed and went to sleep. The Guado Glories would need a lot of rest, as there were nine more games of Blitz Ball left in the league. Practice was on their side until the Grand Tournament. The Glories could probably just play a few games here and there, and still have a chance to win the tournament, but Navara insisted that the more fame they get, the higher the chance that the elders back in Guadosalam would appoint him as Lord. The ten league games were a must.