So, I tried something different with this chapter, since I had a few events planned, but none of them were long enough to be their own chapter, but I didn't want to have them all be detailed and then just do a timeskip. So hopefully this doesn't drag on, and hopefully you guys see what I was going for. Anyways, on with the story!
Monday, Dec 20th
Lucien awoke to a different sensation than he felt when he fell asleep. First off, it was a lot less cold than before, and the warmth he was feeling was comforting. He was no longer lying on the rough carpet, but instead a soft blanket was underneath him. He figured Lyman had slid it under him while he was asleep, being the sweetheart he is. And lastly, his pillow was was much much softer. He couldn't help but run his paws up and down the soft pillowcase, and nuzzled it. It felt comfortably warm, and he murred contently as the rhythmic breathing captivated him, and almost lulled him back to sleep.
Wait...breathing?
He slowly opened his eyes his face turned a deep shade of red when he realized what he was cuddling was not a pillow, but it was Lyman's bare chest. Said Lycan was still sleeping soundly, and had an arm wrapped around his waist. Realizing that Lyman was still asleep, his mind went racing.
How did end up like this? I could've sworn I was on the floor. Did he put me on the bed? And why is his arm around me?
He looked down at the sleeping Lycan, who looked so content and peaceful when he was asleep, which heavily contrasted his natural scowl and menacing look that the Lucario was admittedly fond of.
Well...maybe it's fine since he's still asleep. And it did feel nice...maybe I'll just enjoy this for a little longe-
"Morning Lucien."
Lucien's eyes shot wide open, and he was met with the red eyes of the Lycan he was snuggled up against. He grew fearful, but was confused when he was met with a smile.
"Sorry. I saw you shivering on the floor last night and felt like shit, so I figured it'd be fine if we shared my bed, it is big enough after all. I never imagined we'd end up like this though, I positioned you so we'd be on opposite sides and everything. You must move in your sleep hehe. "
The Lycan chuckled, then realized he had an arm around Lucien removed it from around the him, a slight blush on his face.
"I guess we both got a bit too comfortable. Sorry."
Lyman rolled over, so his back was facing his friend, hiding his growing blush.
"B-But you know. I haven't slept that comfortably in a while. The way you cuddled me before, I could tell you enjoyed it too."
Lucien realized Lyman was awake the entire time and covered his face in embarrassment, whimpering in fear.
"I'm sorry! I didn't realize what I was doing until I woke up! I promise I'm not a pervert or anything, your fur is just really soft!"
Lyman laughed and covered his face with his arm.
"It's fine I promise. I said I was comfortable didn't I? I'd be fine sleeping like that again. I-If you're okay with it. If not I'd rather sleep on the floor. I won't be able to get any sleep knowing you're shivering on the floor like that."
Lyman blushed and looked away again, and Lucien smiled down at him.
"I...I'd be okay with sharing a bed. B-but keep your shirt on this time!"
Lyman scratched the back of his head, smiling.
"Sorry. That was only cause it was hot. I didn't think it'd be that bad with you in the bed too, but it was fine once I got used to it."
Lyman got up and put his shirt back on, then started to leave the room.
"Alright. I'm sure my mom and Aunt Olivia have started breakfast by now. Wanna go help?"
Lucien smiled and jumped out of bed.
"Sure!"
...
(Ok so, this is the format I'm trying for the first time. I'm only doing it like this on Monday to introduce it, and it'll fit in better with the later days.)
Dear Diary,
Today Lyman and the Blue Dog had red faces whenever they were around each other. I asked Lexi what was wrong with them, and he just snickered and said it was because they weren't used to the cold yet. It was weird because the house is usually pretty warm, and they usually wore a lot of layers when we went outside. I didn't think much of it though, because Lexi offered to play with me for a while! Eventually Lyman offered to take me around town with his friend and Lexi, saying I could be their guide, and I happily accepted!
First I took them to my favorite Cafe that sold the best Hot Cocoa! I got my favorite Hot Cocoa with chocolate shavings and whipped cream, and the blue dog got some too! Lyman and Lexi got something called coffee that smelled really gross. Lyman paid for us, and we drank it while we walked around town!
I noticed Lyman was a lot more talkative this time! And it was weird how he asked me to take him around town, usually I have to beg him and he gets bored really easily. Is it cause the blue dog is here? It didn't matter, I was glad he had fun.
He seemed to enjoy explaining the things I couldn't, like how there are Ice Pokemon to refreeze the Ice Rink each night so it didn't break, and how the stands are gonna be serving food from all over the world! He named a bunch of different regions, like where we live in Alola. I couldn't pronounce a lot, but the ones I'm excited for are Kalos and Sinnow... Sinoh... Sinnoh. I didn't know how to spell it heehee!
Our last stop was the Hot Springs, but I wasn't old enough to go in without my mom and Dad, so we just walked by. We finally went home, and I got to tell mom and dad about our adventure!
Tues Dec 21st
Lucien smiled excitedly as he and the family he was staying with exited Olivia's large van. Apparently Lyman's parents and Olivia had made plans for the family to visit the major points in town leading up to the Winter Performance, followed by the Tree Lighting. Today was Ice Skating, Wednesday was Skiing and Snowboarding, Thursday was going to be the Hot Springs, and on Friday they were going to explore the festival grounds before the show, which Lucien was particularly excited for.
He'd never done things like this before. His father may have been wealthy, but he was really restrictive with his money, only taking them on small trips, and only using enough for them to live a modest life. They were never struggling, and he only went all out with gifts on special days like birthdays and Christmas. Other than that they went on smaller trips like hiking and camping, and even to a few amusement parks. It was back during a time when he felt like he belonged to a family, and those were the times his dad smiled all the time.
He felt himself growing a little sad, and shook away the memories of his past. He wanted to enjoy the present, with Lyman and his wonderful family.
He went with everyone to grab their skates from the stand next to the ice rink, and sat down and put began to put them on when he realized he had no idea how to ice skate. His brow furrowed as his face flushed looking down at his skates. It was then that Olivia walked up to him and giggled.
"You don't know how to skate do you?"
He smiled sheepishly and chuckled.
"Uhhh hehe...no. I've never done this before."
She pat his shoulder and smiled at him.
"Well that's okay! I can teach you along with Bigpaw over there."
She pointed over to Lyman, who was struggling to move on the ice, with Alex literally skating circles around him, laughing as the taller Lycan slipped and fell.
"I've been teaching him since he was little, and he still hasn't quite got the hang of it yet."
Lucien and Olivia giggled, before Olivia took his paw and helped him up.
"Come on, hold my paw."
Before they got on the ice, she showed him how to move slowly, so he wouldn't keep falling over, and when he got the hang of it, she pulled him on the ice, and clapped as he quickly got the hang of moving steadily and keeping his balance.
"You're a fast learner aren't you? That'll make this easy for you!"
She smiled, and in that moment Lyman came sliding across the ice on his back, crashing into the wall between them. He looked up, exclaiming in pain. He blushed when he noticed Lucien and Olivia giggling at him, and Lucien helped him up. He wiped the ice off of his back, and Olivia brushed some off of his shoulder. He grumbled.
"Thanks."
Olivia looked up at him and smiled.
"Well, since you're here, I can teach you a little more Lyman, your friend here can already keep his balance pretty well."
He only nodded silently while looking down, embarrassed.
Olivia had moved on to teaching them how to maintain a steady pace, showing them the movements and techniques to keep balance. Lucien got the hang of it pretty quickly, while Lyman constantly struggled to keep his balance. He often stumbled and fell, resulting in a few bruises. Eventually Olivia grew tired.
"Why don't we stop for now? We can take a break and continue in a bit?"
By then Lucien was proficient on the ice, and was already moving fluently.
"I can try while you take a break Ms. Olivia. I may not know as much as you but it couldn't hurt right?"
She smiled, and sighed.
"I suppose not. Lyman, don't lose confidence okay? I know you can do it."
She skated away, leaving them. Lucien glid over to Lyman, and helped him up. The Lycan blushed as Lucien positioned himself under Lyman's arm, and held on to his torso with one of his arms.
"This is so you can see my movements from a different point of view, and copy them the best you can. And if you slip and fall, I'll fall too, so no worries, okay?"
Lyman looked down, and held onto the Lucario tight. They started moving, and Lyman focused on mimicking the Lucario's movements. He stumbled a few times, but Lucien managed to hold them up each time. After a while, using the tips and corrections Lucien gave him, Lyman got the hang of it. He laughed in excitement as he eventually skated around without falling over. Lucien stopped and smiled, watching Lyman skate around, then caught up to him. Just as he got there the Lycan was about to fall, but he grabbed his paw to stop him, and they fell hard onto the ice together. Lyman hand landed on his stomach, and Lucien had landed on him. They both groaned, before laughing at their clumsiness. Lucien stood up, and helped Lyman up, and they began skating again.
Lucien didn't let his paw go, however, and they began to skate together. They just enjoyed their company, and Lyman's heart fluttered when the Lucario smiled back at him with a cute smile, and a small blush on his face. The moment went by quickly as Alex, with a laughing Susie clinging to his back, almost skated into them at top speed. Lyman acted quickly and pulled Lucien close to him, out of the way of the orange Lycan. He hadn't realized what he'd done, but blushed as the Lucario looked up at him, hugging his torso. They went back to skating normally, still holding paws with faces completely red.
This exchange didn't go unnoticed by a certain trio of Pokemon, each one giving each other knowing smiles.
...
Dear Diary,
Today was so much fun! Mommy and Daddy held my paws as we skated together for a long time! Lyman and the blue dog both learned how to skate from Auntie, but Lyman was still as bad as he was before heehee.
Eventually Auntie stopped and came and sat with Mommy while Daddy held me and taught me how to keep my balance. I heard them talk about how Lyman might like the blue doggy. I thought it was weird since they were both boys, but Daddy told me that it's okay as long as they're both happy. I knew I'd be happy if my brother was happy, so I didn't say anything else.
After a while Daddy went to sit with Mommy and Auntie, and Lexi told me he wanted to do something fun! I was surprised when he told me I could ride on his back while he skated really fast, and promised he'd be careful. He went around the ice ring a few times, but one time we almost crashed into Lyman and the blue dog, and Lyman pulled the blue dog into a hug to get out of the way! It laughed because they had red faces again, but Auntie told Lexi we could've gotten hurt, and he said he was sorry. He's such a dummy!
Lyman got mad at Lexi too, and dumped a giant snowball on him when we got home. I think he was mad because we embarrassed the blue dog. Now I wanna know if he likes him. I'll ask him tomorrow to see if what Mommy and Daddy said is true.
Wed Dec 22nd
Lucien swung his feet happily as the family took the cable car up to the mountain. Lyman was listening to Susie talk about how small the town looked from up there, and Alex was holding his knees. Apparently he was deathly afraid of heights, and Lyman and Roxie had to wrestle him into the cable car to get him to come. It was funny but Lucien couldn't help but feel a little bad.
When they reached the top, they all went together to grab their gear, save for Alex who opted out of skiing, and stayed in the luxurious waiting area. Lucien found himself again realizing he had no idea how to ski or snowboard, and walked over to Olivia.
"Hey um... Ms. Olivia? You wouldn't mind teaching me how to ski would you?"
She looked over at Roxie, before giggling to Lucien.
"Well, I would, but it was actually Lyman that taught me how to ski. He's actually really good at it, and it'd be better than paying 10 dollars for lessons. I'm sure he'd teach you if you asked."
Lucien smiled, and looked at Lyman who already had his gear on and was helping Susie put on her snowsuit.
"Ok, I will. Thanks!"
He walked over to the red Lycan, who had just finished zipping up Susie's suit.
"Hey Lyman. I was told you're actually good at skiing. Maybe you could teach me this time?"
Lyman smiled at Susie and pat her head, and smiled as she ran to their parents. He stood up and nodded to Lucien.
"Sure. I don't mind. It's really simple once you get the hang of it, and you're a fast learner so it shouldn't be a problem. Go ahead and put your gear on and meet me on the slopes."
They both smiled at each other, and Lucien went to put on his gear.
A few minutes later, Lucien met Lyman at the smallest slope. Lyman explained that they were using it since Lucien Lucien didn't know what to do yet, and that they'd move on to a larger one once he got comfortable.
They went down the slope a few times, with Lyman staying close to Lucien as he learned how to speed up and slow down. He showed up how to turn, making sharp and wide turns, and finally, how to stop. Lucien picked up each technique quickly, and they were using the larger slopes on their sixth run down the mountain.
After a while Lyman got tired, and said he was done for the moment. Lucien decided to keep going, having too much fun to want to stop. Lyman changed out of his gear, deciding to stop for the evening. He made his way to the waiting room, where he found Susie and Alex playing a game of Shoots and Ladders. He walked over and sat down next to Alex.
"Hey Susie, where are mom and dad?"
She moved her black piece forward.
"They went with Auntie to the snowboarding slopes. Kids aren't allowed so Mommy asked Lexi to watch me while they went down a few times before we went back home."
Lyman nodded and watched them play their game. Suddenly Susie started to fidget, and moved her piece.
"Lexi? Didn't you tell me you had to go to the bathroom a few minutes ago?"
He gives her a questioning look.
"No? I never said tha-"
He stopped when he noticed she was giving him a serious look. Her eyes darted to Lyman, who was busy on his phone, his earphones preventing him from hearing them.
"Right. Yeah. I have to go to the bathroom, I'll be right back so don't cheat."
He smiled at her, and stood up. Lyman looked up, watching Alex round the corner. He then noticed Susie staring at him, as she was worried about something. He took his earphones out.
"What's wrong Susie?"
She pushed her paws together, then moved to sit next to him. She looked and him, nervous.
"Lyman. Do you like the blue dog? Like...like like the blue dog?"
Lyman looked at her wide eyed.
What brought this on?
He gulped, then pat her head.
"His name is Lucien Susie. And I think I do. It's hard to explain. But don't tell anyone okay? Promise me."
She smiled up at him and nodded. She leaned in for a hug, which he happily reciprocated.
"I promise. I just want you to be happy."
Alex came back shortly after that, and he and Susie continued their game. While they were playing, everyone returned, ready to leave. They all piled into the cable car, and returned home.
...
Dear Diary,
Skiing is harder than I thought! I tried to learn from Mommy and Daddy, but they made me stop when I told them it was making my legs sore. Then they went snowboarding with Auntie, which made me sad, but it was fine since I got to play the Ladder game with Lexi!
I also got Lyman to tell me that he actually does like the blue dog...Lucien, and I was so excited! He asked me not to tell anyone, and I didn't know why but I promised him I would.
Though I couldn't help myself and ended up telling Lexi about it, and just laughed and said he already knew, and that everyone knew. He told me not to mention it, or else my brother would be hurt. I felt bad about breaking my promise, but why couldn't I talk about it if everyone knows?
Thurs Dec 23rd
It's finally time for the hot springs. Everyone piled into Olivia's van the best they could, and wore comfy evening clothes. They decided to go in the evening because it would be easier to book private areas.
The hot springs were rather large, and along with a large public area, there were several smaller private areas that people could reserve. Everyone walked in, and stood by as Dimitri reserved a private spring for the group to use.
Lucien observed the area a bit, and took in the traditional Johtonian style of the building. On the left of the entrance, was the public spring, as well as a small food court. To the right was the hall leading to the private areas, and a door that he assumed led to the upstairs section of the building. It had a sign that said 'Massages and Day Spa CLOSED UNTIL 10 AM TOMORROW'.
Wow this place has it all...
Before he got too caught up in his thoughts, Dimitri told everyone to follow him. He led them to a room with the number seven on it, and used a key with a gold Slowking crown keychain attached to open it. Inside there was a small cubby section that was meant to hold clothes, and two doorways that led to the two sides of the spring, which meant it wasn't coed. Everyone took two towels, one to cover themselves with while they were in the water, and the other for drying. They separated and went to their designated sections. They passed through a sitting area with a restroom, which is where they left their drying towels, and mini bar, and finally made their way to the spring. It was pristine, with steam rising and filling the entire area. Lyman went to use the bathroom, while Dimitri, Alex, and Lucien got ready to get into the spring. They put on their towels, and went into the steam filled area. Dimitri went to the far end of the spring, and got right in, while Lucien made his way in slowly. Alex hadn't gotten in yet, choosing to lean over Lucien in the pool. Lucien looked up at him.
"Aren't you going to get in?"
Alex shook his head 'no' and grew a smirk on his face.
"Not yet. But do you wanna help my prank Lyman? We could hide his clothes while he's in the water so he'll have nothing to change into."
Lucien noticed said Lycan walking over, undoubtedly hearing everything Alex was saying. He smiled sheepishly.
"I uh...don't think that'd be such a good idea..."
Alex tilted his head in confusion.
"Why not?"
"Because I'd probably kill you."
Alex's ears drooped and he turned around to face Lyman.
"For what? I haven't done anything yet."
Lyman smiled wickedly then effortlessly pushed Alex into the water, creating a big splash. Lucien giggled at the two, then looked up at Lyman before blushing slightly, shocked at how little his towel covered. He looked down at the water. Lyman noticed this and gave him a questioning look as he lowered himself into the water.
"What's wrong?"
Lucien blushes more, then scoots away a little.
"N-nothing. I'm still getting used to the heat that's all."
Lyman nods, the sinks further into the water, until his nose was barely above the surface. Alex eventually resurfaces and leans against the side. He strikes up a casual conversation with Lucien about what he did with his free time at home, and eventually the two carry on, just enjoying the time while Dimitri and Lyman sat silently.
Eventually Alex's stomach grumbled.
"Man I'm hungry. Hey Lucien, wanna go to the food court with me?"
Lucien looks at him, confused.
"Huh? Why me?"
Alex points at a near asleep Lyman.
"Look at him, he'll be down for the count any second haha! Plus the Johtonian food is great here, and I want you try my favorite dish."
Lucien looks over to Lyman, and sighs. In doing so, he failed to notice that Alex and Dimitri briefly exchange looks. Lucien gives in, and stands, fixing his towel. Alex does the same, and they both leave the water. Lucien goes for his clothes, but Alex stops him.
"Come on, you don't have to worry about that."
Lucien looks at him, shocked.
"You sure? We can go like this?"
Alex doesn't answer, and pulls him out of the room swiftly before the Lucario could object.
A few minutes later Lyman wakes up, and sees the other two are gone. He notices his father sitting across the pool with his arms crossed. Before he could bring up his friends being gone, his father grunts.
"Lyman."
The red Lycan flinches a little, but looks at him.
"Y-yeah Dad?"
Dimitri continues, but doesn't look at him.
"Your mother and I have been noticing how you and your new friend interact. It's made us question some things about you, and whether or not you were being truthful about your relationship."
Lyman gulped. He'd forgotten that his parents could be attentive when they wanted to be. Either that or he sucked at hiding his feelings. If that were the case he'd feel really stupid.
"What do you mean?"
Dimitri opens his eyes, and gives Lyman a suspicious and stern look.
"Are you just friends with Lucien? Or is there something more going between you two? I want you to be honest. You have nothing to be nervous about I promise."
He gives him a half smile, making Lyman relax a little.
"No. There's nothing going on between us. I promise."
Dimitri sighs, and leaves it alone.
"Then that brings me to my next question. Do you have feelings for him? I promise whatever you tell me won't leave this room."
Lyman blushes and avoids eye contact. He sits in silence before speaking.
"I...I...yes."
Dimitri raises a brow, and Lyman refuses to make contact. Dimitri walks over and sits next to him. He puts a paw on his shoulder, and offers a genuine smile.
"Look Lyman. I know this must be new for you, but I want you to know that you have nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to this type of thing. Your mother and I will always love and support you no matter what, okay? We're both just happy you found someone you want to care for. We just wanted to know, that's all."
Lyman nodded and looked down as Dimitri returned to his spot.
"Thanks Dad..."
He felt mildly awkward having admitted his feelings out loud, but felt happy that his mom and dad were making an effort to show that they care about his choices and personal life. They hadn't known about how their actions when he was a teenager effected him, and have been making consistent effort in becoming a part of his life since they found out, despite living in a different region entirely.
The two sat in silence, and after a while Alex and Lucien returned. The former holding a large platter of food, smiling sheepishly, while the latter had his paws pressed against his body, face red, and looking mildly annoyed and embarrassed.
Dimitri gave them a questioning look.
"Back so soon? Did something happen?"
Lucien sat on the edge of the pool, and crossed his legs, covering himself with his towel.
"Alex apparently forgot that we aren't allowed to dine in with just towels..."
Alex set the tray down near the edge of the spring and gave Lucien an apologetic look.
"I'm sorry! But I doubt anyone noticed. It's fine, they at least let us order something to take back with us!"
Lucien frowned.
"We were the only ones there in towels! I felt like I was being stared at."
Lucien looks away, and his face turns redder. Alex gives him some of the food they got.
"Alright alright I'm sorry. Here. I'm sure the amazing food will take your mind off of it."
Lucien pouted and took the bowl of food. He ate silently while Lyman and Dimitri got some food too. Lucien had figured since they were going back they'd at least bring back enough to share. The group ate silently, and after a while, a staff member came and told them they had about 45 minutes before their allotted time was up, and they'd have to leave. Dimitri figured they'd had enough, and with that everyone dried themselves and got dressed. They met up with the women, and got ready to leave.
As they were nearing the exit, Lyman noticed Lucien was patting his pockets and going through the bag.
"Did you forget something?"
Lucien nodded.
"Can't find my phone. I'll be right back. Sorry."
Everyone piled into Olivia's van, and after about 20 minutes Lucien hadn't come back. Alex and Susie had fallen asleep, and Roxie and Olivia were worried. Lyman got out of the van.
"I'll go see what's up."
Lyman went up to the counter and asked the Slowbro standing behind it if she'd seen his friend, and she said he'd gone into their room to grab his phone, but she hasn't seen him since. Lyman raised a brow and went to their room, and opened the door slowly. He walked back to the sitting area, and heard a voice he didn't recognize.
"What's the matter? No one will see us here...Man you're fuckin cute..."
His ears perked up when he heard Lucien's voice.
"I really don't think-"
"No need to think. I saw you in that towel looking delectable. Just give me what I want, and we can both leave, deal?"
Lyman quickly rounded the corner to find Lucien being held hostage by a Blaziken. He had a visibly frightened Lucien pinned against the wall clutching his phone. One of his talons were under his chin, making him look up at him. Faster than he could think, Lyman stormed over and gripped the Blaziken's wrist as hard as he could.
"How about instead...You leave right now, and I don't shatter your rib cage?"
The Blaziken glared at him, but noticed the towering Lycan with searing red eyes, he cowered a bit, but didn't back down.
"This isn't any of your business kid. You shouldn't make baseless threats like that, you don't know what you're getting yourself into."
Lyman's gripped tightened on his wrist, and he raised a brow.
"Really now..."
In a flash, the Blaziken was flung through the open door of the room upside down, slamming against the wall, before sliding down slowly while groaning. The duo walked out, Lyman being visibly angry, and Lucien staring at the Blaziken passed out on the floor wide eyed. The Slowbro tried to stop them as they made their way to the exit.
"Wait wait! What was that about?!"
Lyman waved off her pleas.
"He was drunk. He wanted to start trouble and faced the consequences. It's not my problem."
She only frowned and looked over the counter at the fainted Blaziken, and watched as the two made their way to the exit.
Before they reached the exit, Lucien grabbed Lyman's paw.
"Th-thanks...for that. I kinda froze, so I'm really glad you showed up when you did."
Lyman smiled, and pat his head softly.
"Anytime. Now let's go."
Fri Dec 24th
Dear Diary,
I am sooooooooooo sorry I was too tired to write in you yesterday!
The hot springs were great! It's amazing how the water stays hot even though it's so cold outside! Nature really is something. Plus the food was really great!
But something craaaaaaaaaazy happened! While me and Mommy were in the hot spring, she suddenly told me to be quiet for a bit. We ended up hearing Daddy and Lyman talking about Lucien! Daddy sounded serious, but Lyman admitted to him that he likes his friend! When he said it Mommy made a weird quiet squealing noise heehee! Said something about doing something to "help" Lyman, and I guessed it had something to do with her going through Lyman's bag this morning and pulling out a red box. She smiled when she opened it, and told me to keep it a secret. Gah, everyone's been acting strange lately!
Anyway, today's the last day of the Winter Festival, and I'm so excited! I always fall asleep before I could see the town's tree light up, but not this year! I always barely make it passed the Icy Winter Sky Show, but this year I WILL see the tree!
Oop. I have to go now, Mommy's coming. I'm supposed to be getting ready heehee.
...
It's the evening once more, and the group finally makes it to the festival grounds. They're wearing semi formal clothing, with some winter gear to help keep them warm. They walk around a bit, taking in the scene, and Lucien smiles when they read the area with the food and game stalls. Susie hastily drags Alex to go play some games, and Olivia goes with them to make sure they're safe. Roxie waves as they leave their sight.
"Have fun you three! Be careful!"
Lucien is busy looking around, thinking about what he wants to do. Roxie walks over to Dimitri, and hooks onto his arm, smiling. He looks down at her and raises a brow.
"You know, it's been a while since we got to do something romantic on our own. We should take this time to ourselves."
She looks up at him with a smile, and starts to pull him away.
"You're right. Let's go enjoy the festival."
He kisses her forehead and succumbs to her whims. Lyman only watches as they walk away, and Roxie winks at him, points to Lucien, then gives him a thumbs up. He blushes when he realizes he's alone with Lucien at a festival. Lucien realizes it too, but is only confused.
"Where'd everyone go?"
Lyman shrugs.
"They went to do their own thing I guess. I'm sure we'll see them at the show tonight. But right now it's just the two of us. Want me to show you around?"
Lucien smiles excitedly.
"Sure!"
With that, they began exploring the area. Lyman shows Lucien all the hearts of the festival, like the Ice Sculpture displays, the Crystal Cave, which is a walk-in tunnel made completely of ice, and finally, the town and festival history. They got to learn of how a meteor crashed in a nearby mountain range, and some horrific monster emerged from it, causing people to disappear at night. That's why the town is surrounded by the large walls, separating the town from the forest. Eventually the town stopped believing such stories, and started the festival to show they wouldn't let the past haunt them any longer, which is why it ran until midnight every year.
Before they knew it, it'd been a few hours, and the two were hungry. They made it to the food stalls, and Lucien got to try Alolan food, some of which came from Lyman's hometown on Poni Island, as well as Malasadas. They also got to try Galarian Curry, which they both loved.
Afterwards, they went to the gaming stalls, where Lyman won Lucien a stuffed Teddiursa, which he carried around with him for the rest of the night. They had fun playing the games together, regardless of who won each one. Lyman felt his heart beating faster the more time they spent together, and the growing warmth in his chest made it easier to ignore the cold.
After a while, an announcement rang out in the heads of everyone enjoying the festival.
"~Attention everyone! The Icy Sky Winter Performance is about to begin! Please turn your attention above you, and be amazed!"
Quickly Lyman grabbed Lucien's paw, and they walked over to the Ice Rink.
"This is the best spot to watch from."
Everyone looked up, and suddenly all the lights went out. It took only a second for a few stage lights to point upward, revealing a stage made of ice descending into the ice rink. Suddenly three beams of ice were shot, creating paths from the shadowy rooftops onto the stage. Three Pokemon slowly descended downwards. A Glaceon on the left path, an Espeon on the right path, and an Altaria glid down the center, circling the path beautifully. The Altaria sang beautifully as she floated onto the stage, and the Eeveelution duo skated around her gracefully before stopping next her, and matching her final note.
Music started playing in the heads of everyone, shocking Lucien, which made Lyman chuckle.
Suddenly all the ice began to glow pink, and the Altaria began to fly, dancing in the sky. She captivated everyone as the Glaceon and Espeon floated up slowly using Espeon's Psychic. As the two floated, the Glaceon fired Ice Beams, creating ice pillar, while the Espeon effortlessly formed it into a path, making it spiral around them. They repeated this action until they reached the still dancing Altaria in the sky. The Glaceon formed a platform of ice for the trio to stand on, and the Espeon connected the ice path the two created. The Eeveelution stood together, and while holding paws, created an orb of ice. It looked like a giant flower bud, and it enveloped the trio of Pokemon.
In an instant, the orb glowed a fantastic hue of rainbow colors before shattering, sending rainbow colored crystal shards everywhere. The Altaria had pink undertones on her fluff, of which the amount had nearly tripled. Her backside was covered entirely in fluff, and she wore a fluffy crown on her head. Her tail swayed in the air as she spread her wings. The Espeon was glowing in a silvery blue while the Glaceon was showered in a deep pink glow. The Espeon was holding a ball of pure Psychic energy, and the Glaceon had formed multiple ice crystals. The two glowed green for a quick second, using Copycat, and suddenly they swapped what they were holding.
The Altaria used Moonlight while the Eeveelution duo fired an Ice Beam swirling with Psychic energy at the same time. With that, the Altaria began her midair dance once more, descending onto the stage below. The Eeveelution duo started skating down the path the created before, holding paws and firing Ice Beam Psychics creating arches of pink glowing ice. They showed impressive form, dancing on the ice as they skated down, effortlessly creating a beautiful scene with the pink arches. They jumped off of their ice path, meeting up with the Altaria on the stage. The trio of Pokemon stood centerstage, and were each glowing a shade of pink. The Espeon and Glaceon were still holding paws, and the Altaria prepared what looked to be a Hyper Beam. However, instead of its usual dark pink color, it swirled with beautiful rainbow colors.
The surrounding ice rumbled, including the ice path and the arches. All of it deformed, shattering in an instant before rising into the sky, forming a giant swirling ball of ice. The Altaria's Hyper Beam had finished charging, and she fired it up into the ball. The Hyper Beam shot up like a rainbow spout. It collided with the swirling ice above, effortlessly shattering it causing rainbow colored snow to fall. The crowd cheered, and the trio on stage took a bow.
Lucien gleamed up at Lyman, astounded.
"That was great! They were so coordinated!"
Lyman smirked at him, and pat his head.
"Glad you had fun."
Then, a Froslass took to the stage with a microphone.
"Alright everyone! Everyone give another round of applause to our performers, who put on yet another beautiful show this year! As well as their announcer and music specialist, Aria!"
A Meloetta floated onto the stage and took a bow with the trio from before. Everyone clapped as they left the stage, and the Froslass clapped as well.
"And with that, there are 15 minutes left before the tree lighting! After that the festival is over, so make sure you have all your belongings..."
As she spoke, Lyman felt a tug on his arm. He turned to see his Dad, who was carrying a sleeping Susie in his arms. He pointed over to Roxie, who was standing across the street, and was signalling for him to come. He made his way over, carrying a confused look on his face the whole time.
"Mom? What's wrong?"
He went wide eyed when she pulled a familiar red box out of her purse.
"Here. Now would be a good time to give him this right?"
He took the box, and looked at her, astounded.
"How did you...I-"
She put a finger over his mouth.
"It's a mother's instincts. Now go, you don't have much time left."
She walked over to where the rest of the group was sitting, pointing at Lucien, who was standing alone where they last were.
Hmph. Instincts. I'll say something about going through my stuff later.
He made his way back over to him, who was staring anxiously at the tree. Lyman shuffled next to him, hiding the gift in his jacket. He stood next to him, nervous. His anxiety skyrocketed when the countdown for the tree started.
"5...4...3...2...1!"
The tree lit up in magnificent red, blue, green, and white colors. Everyone gasped in awe as the Star on top lit up. The entire town square was basked in its light and everyone stared at its beauty. It was finally Christmas. Lots of people shared kisses, and others began to leave. Lyman looked over at Lucien, who was enthralled by the tree and gulped. This was his chance.
He tapped his shoulder, gaining his attention.
"Hey...Lucien?"
Lucien smiled up at him, eyes reflecting the nearby light in a beautiful way. The look alone calmed Lyman's nerves, and he found it easy to speak his mind.
"Yeah?"
Lyman reached in his jacket, and pulled out the red box, and gave it to him.
"Well...since it's technically Christmas now...I figured I'd give you your gift early. So here."
Lucien took the gift, and looked at Lyman curiously. He opened it, and gasped at what was inside. At the bottom of the box was a drawing tablet, something he's always wanted, and resting on top was a purple necklace with a Lucarionite stone connected to it. Lucien's eyes watered and he looked up at Lyman with a smile on his face. Lyman scratches the back of his head, a noticeable blush on his face.
"I wanted to get you something special, that I knew you'd appreciate. I...I think you're amazing, and I wanted to show you how much you mean to me. I feel for you in a way I've never felt for anyone before, and I felt like this was the best way to show you that. I'm still not completely sure if it's love, but I would like it if you helped me...if you know what I mean."
Lyman looked away, his blush growing significantly. Lucien suddenly cries more, and pulls Lyman down to hug his neck. He kisses his cheek and buries his face in his neck. Lyman hesitantly hugs back, and Lucien holds him tighter.
"I love them. I'll treasure them forever."
Lyman looks at him, shocked, and the two left to meet up with the rest of the family. Lyman wasn't sure if Lucien knew what he meant, but he was at least glad the Lucario appreciated his gifts. They walked back to where Olivia's van was parked, with Lucien clutching the red box, and sticking to Lyman like glue. They apologized for being late, and got in the van, heading home for the night.
...
Lucien wasn't sure what to think anymore. He was absolutely swept off his feet by the Lycan, which surprised him. He didn't think Lyman could do something so thoughtful, but it made him happy regardless. He felt his new necklace, which he had gone to sleep in, thinking about it. On top of that he confessed his feelings for him, which shocked him even more. But what confused him was that the Lycan asked Alex to swap places with him for the night.
Which is why he found himself on the bed alone the next morning, while Alex snored on the floor, with Lyman presumably on the couch downstairs. He wasn't sure what the Lycan was thinking after last night, but he missed the warmth they shared when they were in the bed. It was awkward at first, but eventually he became used to it over the last few days. They never did anything, only shared the space because they agreed the floor was shit, and neither wanted the other to sleep there.
He laid there, realizing that a lot of things made sense now. Such as Alex's constantly teasing remarks, and how Roxie and Susie said they already saw him as a member of the family. And why Lyman always seemed so bubbly around him, despite being so drained and appearing uninterested in everything else.
He decided he wouldn't get any answers just lying in bed, and got up to go talk to him. He was surprised to find that the Lycan wasn't on the couch, and looked around for a bit. He finally found him standing on the back porch, leaning on the railing, watching the sunrise. He quickly put on his jacket and met him outside. Lyman looked over, before looking back at the sunrise. Lucien stood next to him and spoke up.
"Morning."
Lyman didn't look over, but responded with a 'Hey'. Lucien looked up at him, filled with nothing but curiosity.
"What made you wanna take the couch?"
Lyman looked over, not seeming surprised by such a question.
"Well...after yesterday I thought I'd give you some space. I didn't want you to feel pressured to respond to my feelings you know?"
Lucien smirks up at him.
"What, me crying all over your neck and kissing your cheek wasn't a big enough hint? I wouldn't have done that if you hadn't told me stupid."
Lyman flinches and blushes a little.
"I guess that means you feel the same?"
Lucien rests on his arm, making Lyman's heart flutter.
"Of course I do. But I already know I like you. A lot. And after you making sure I didn't spend Winter Break alone, and going out of your way to make it as nice and fun as possible, I'd be crazy not to have some sort of feelings."
He leans up and kisses his cheek for the second time, and leans on his shoulder.
"So thanks. As much as I loved the gifts, the best part of all this was knowing you like me as much as I like you. And since you told me you're stuck with me now.
Lyman smiles down at him, shocked by the revelation, but happy nonetheless. The two watch the sunrise together, enjoying their company in silence.
So hopefully this wasn't a super weird read, and I'll probably never format a chapter like this again lol. The story isn't over by the way. There's still a bit more to go, so stay tuned! I'll see you all next time.(Funny little sidenote, before I proofread and edited this to prep for upload, it was 7,777 word long xD)