Chapter 71: I Hate the Rain
It rained almost all the time on Route 119. The tropical climate and its tall trees trapped moisture over the route. It resulted in tall, lush grass, soggy ground and a near constant downpour. Lucas hated the rain. He had since he was a child. It was not a specific phobia or a deep rooted psychological trauma, he simply hated the permeating wet, the cold that went to his bones and the way his hair would droop and block his sight. With all the rain in Hoenn he half-wondered why he even bothered to gel his Mohawk at all, but even as the water soaked through his clothes and boots Lucas kept walking forward alone from even the company of his Pokemon that were warm and dry in their Pokeballs. Because as much as he hated the rain, he hated himself more.
Anger, frustration and sadness pushed him forward until he was just too depressed to move anymore, and found some refuge under a tall tree with thick leaves. He stood and watched the water hitting the ground and listened to the constant whir of the falling raindrops, his thoughts spinning in his head as he considered everything that had just happened.
He, Morgan and Skyler had returned to the road and his goal of gaining the Hoenn League badges. Having come back to Mauville, the three Trainers were moving down Route 118, heading towards Fortree City when on their way Lucas had run into an old enemy: Randall Worthington the Third, Gizmo's original Trainer. In an instance of anger and sheer stupidity, Lucas had attacked the Trainer, again, and once more he had almost gotten himself arrested because of it. Whether luck or providence, he had managed to avoid jail time, again, but he had lost something far more precious than his freedom. Not only had he violated a promise he made to his Pokemon to never risk losing his team because of his violent temper, he had shown his worst side to someone he had deeply cared about. The whole instance had played over and over again in a tormenting loop. Lucas grabbing Randall, and the look of horror etched on Skyler's face, the argument with the officer. Skyler had stood up for Lucas and had saved him, but the teen knew that his friend would never look at him the same way again, if they even would remain friends at all. And he knew after showing such an ugly part of himself, the small secret wish he had that Skyler was attracted to him would never come true.
He had spent almost an entire year traversing Sinnoh and now Hoenn to show the world that he wasn't just a worthless thug destined for prison and nothing more. He worked hard to convince even the most skeptical people and Trainers he met that he was of real substance. He set the challenge before his brother—that he would become a four league Champion and defeat John in a Pokemon battle—and told his parents of his plans so they would finally see him as an equal son, and not just a reject and a loser. But by lashing out at Randall, no matter how horrible the cruel, entitled, smug Trainer was, he realized that everyone was right about him all along. The packaging sold the product: deep down, he was nothing more than a violent, stupid thug, and to think he could be anything else was him lying to himself.
Lucas had no idea what to do moving forward. He still loved Pokemon and being a Trainer. He loved traveling and training and had a real talent for it. But what was the point of his Journey now? He decided a long time ago that he was training for himself first, even more than proving anyone else wrong, but knowing that no matter how hard he worked, there was always that potential for the monster to rear its ugly head, what did it matter what he did? With the dilemma plaguing him, and the guilt gnawing at him, all the Trainer could do was stand pathetically in the rain he hated, wondering what to do, and wondering if he should do anything at all.
"Hey," a voice pulled the teen out of this thoughts. Skyler had caught up to him and was standing just out of the rain under the tree's canopy, but still a good distance from the trunk.
"Hey," Lucas responded unenthusiastically. Seeing Skyler reset the loop again, that horrified look on his face when Lucas had grabbed Randall and almost strangled him. And the serious expression the Dragon Tamer wore now did nothing the Trainer feel better.
The two stood facing each other silently. Neither saying a word for what seemed like forever, the quiet feeling more painful and more awkward than any other silence they've ever encountered before. Skyler opened his mouth to say something, but then bit his lip and lowered his head. Lucas crossed his arms and blew out a frustrated sigh.
"What do you want? I can't possibly understand why you'd bother following me," Lucas finally spoke, his tone harsher than his meaning intended. Skyler's expression seemed stung and once more Lucas glanced away, unable to match eyes with the Trainer he so admired and cared for.
"I was really worried. You stormed off on your own and we didn't know what happened to you,"
For some reason the statement caught Lucas off guard and he brought his face back up to look at Skyler. The blue-haired Trainer's expression was still hurt, but also deeply worried. Lucas shrugged casually, "I'm fine. I haven't run into anyone as I've been walking out here so you don't need to worry about a body count,"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Skyler didn't sound angry or hurt this time. Instead, he seemed genuinely surprised and perplexed by Lucas' comment.
Lucas smirked and his face tightened. He took a couple of steps towards Skyler and then began pacing in front of the Trainer, "Who are we kidding? I saw the way you looked at me, like I was some psychopath. It's the same look virtually everyone back home gave me. Every person my gang hassled or mugged. Every guy I got into a fight with. Not that I blame you, I am a psychopath. Plain and simple, as much of an asshole as Randall is, I'm not any better. You'd be better off teaming up with someone else. That way you don't have to worry I'd do something to you too,"
"That's what you think happened? That I'm scared of you?"
"And you're saying you weren't? You don't have that good a poker face, my man, you are only insulting me by lying,"
"I was scared, but not of you. I was scared for you," Lucas stopped pacing and faced Skyler directly. They were still a distance apart, but Skyler was no longer at the edge of the tree's canopy, "Do you think I'm an idiot? You told me all about your past, remember? And I've seen you get angry, and get into fights. I know you're not perfect and I know you have a temper. For the love of all that is holy we've been traveling with Morgan for weeks, so of course I knew! But the fact that someone made you that angry, so angry that you would do that. Someone as wonderful and as kind and as cool as you to almost push your limit. I knew it had to be bad, and when I learned that it was the guy who abandoned Gizmo I wasn't surprised you acted like that. I would have done the same if someone had hurt Celes the same way he hurt Gizmo. But I was so scared for you, and when the police came and I thought you were going to get arrested and taken away from me and I just had to do something, anything. I don't think I've ever been so scared in my life,"
Lucas wasn't sure he could believe what he was hearing. Skyler started taking one trembling step forward after another, the worry and fear on his face taking on a whole new meaning. The other teen said nothing, his legs locked in place as the taller, older Trainer came closer and closer.
"You are the most amazing person I've ever met. Someone who keeps pushing forward no matter what anyone says, who doesn't take anything lying down and doesn't ever want evil to win. Someone who is so caring and warm and loves Pokemon so much. Who puts up with some pathetic shut in from Blackthorn and treats him like an equal even though he is so much better and more talented and cooler, when I'm just a spoiled brat who ran away from home to prove some stupid point. I admire you and like you more than anyone I've ever been with and I have for so long I was starting to worry it would kill me. And when you act like you think you're some worthless lowlife I just want to..." Skyler was just inches away from Lucas now, pushing part of his collapsed hair out of his face and tipping his head up.
Lucas' heart was in his throat, incapable of believing what was happening. For months, Lucas struggled with his feelings for the Dragon Tamer, terrified that he would pick up that the teen was attracted to him, and wondering if was possible for Skyler to feel the same way about him. Now as they stood in the rain, Skyler confirmed Lucas' wildest dreams and most vivid, visceral fantasies, grabbing the teen's shoulders and placing his lips on Lucas'. Lucas froze in shock, unable to do anything in response. His entire body screamed React, stupid! React! But he just stood there, trying to process the reality of what was happening. After a moment that seemed all too short, Skyler registered the lack of reaction on the shorter boy's part and pulled away quickly, face red in embarrassment, turning away and rubbing his forehead with the palm of his hand.
"I am an idiot. Lucas, I am so sorry. What was I thinking? I should have known, with how gorgeous your ex was, what made me think there was even a possibility you'd like a guy like m-" Realizing his awkwardness and shyness were about the cost him the one thing he wanted most, Lucas grabbed Skyler by the shoulder before he could walk away, spun him back face to face and gave him the fiercest, most passionate kiss he knew how to give. The blue-haired teen flinched in surprise but immediately responded. They pulled each other closer, Lucas' lip piercings pushing indentations into Skyler's cheeks.
After a while the two came up for air, both panting from the length and intensity of the kiss. Skyler held Lucas face and smiled, "You know, I've been wanting to do that since I first saw you in the Pokemon Center in Dewford,"
"And I've wanted to do it since I first saw you fighting that Lairon in Granite Cave," Lucas replied.
"Wait, you saw me all the way back then? Why didn't you say anything?"
"Because I'm a dumbass. When I saw you battling with Celes I thought 'that guy is so friggin hot,'"
"Wow, we've liked each other for that long and neither one of us said anything until now,"
"Yeah, I guess we're both a couple of real dumbasses, huh?"
As the two laughed and continued to hold each other, another voice interrupted them, "Oh thank God you two finally got together," Morgan was standing in the rain with her Umbreon poncho and purple translucent umbrella, shaking her head as she watched to two male Trainers she had been traveling with, "If you didn't do something soon I was going to knock your heads together myself. All that sexual tension was killing me,"
"Morgan, you knew about Lucas and you didn't tell me?!" Skyler blurted, "Why didn't you mention anything when I was telling you about the other thing I had to do before I left Hoenn?"
"That was about me?" Lucas asked with just as much surprise.
"Yeah, before I left I wanted to build up the nerve to tell you I liked you. I just didn't plan on it being under the circumstances they were. But it would have been a lot less pressure if I knew that Lucas was bi," Skyler glared at the dark type Trainer.
The girl just shrugged, "Blame Lucas, he swore me to secrecy. He assumed someone like you might be homophobic or something. Obviously while he likes beefcake as much as cheesecake, his gay-dar sucks. Whatever, this has been all worked out and I'm getting soaked. Let's get out of here and head for the Weather Institute, it's the last stop for shelter before Fortree City,"
As Lucas and Skyler followed Morgan down the road all the terrible thoughts from earlier in the day melted away. The doubt, the self-loathing and the guilt. And for the first time in his life, Lucas didn't mind that it was raining.
It took three more days before the group finally arrived in Fortree City. The city was an odd mix of man-made and natural. While there were paved streets and streetlights, most of the burg's businesses and homes were built in the towering trees visible on the road like a skyline. While Lucas and the others marveled at the sight, the residents went about their day to day lives going up and down the staircases or in between the rope bridges built between the ancient foliage. There was no doubt to any visitor that flying types reigned supreme as winged Pokemon of all shapes and sizes darted in the canopies, many of which clutched packages and envelopes in their legs, paws and claws. While Fortree was a community steeped in nature, it was also the most important landlocked city in the region. Hoenn lived and died by its ports, with most of their goods imported from other places around the world, but Fortree had something almost as important: an airport.
For decades Fortree was the center of Hoenn's postal service, with most of the mail being sent to or from the city by the power of Pokemon, but the government saw little point in sending everything of importance from the coastal ports where goods came in all the way to a landlocked city to have them redistributed back out again. Originally home to a Gym dedicated to flying Pokemon, the Leader Winona got in contact with Skyla, another Leader in the distant region of Unova and a plan came to fruition: a Gym could be operated anywhere, and though tradition and pride of the raising of flying types were a difficult legacy to give up, the town would be the ideal place to build an airport and bring in planes loaded with goods and people from around the world. So Fortree was no longer home to a Gym, instead the dedicated Trainers who once served there used their energy to continue the postal service and worked at the airport.
The city was still in close proximity to the Safari Zone, a place where Pokemon could be captured for a nominal fee and Mt. Pyre, a man made shrine and cemetery where Pokemon that had passed on could be laid to rest with honor and respect. The three Trainers would not stay in Fortree for long as they kept heading towards the coast and the next Gym in Mossdeep, but there was enough to do in the city to warrant stopping by and resting in the town's Pokemon Center. Since getting together, Lucas and Skyler could barely keep their hands off of one and other, kissing, holding hands and snuggling against each other whenever they had half a chance. Fortree would be their first opportunity since they told each other how they felt to be together in a real civilized scenario. Lucas almost forgot how good it was to be with someone, the closeness, the security and the excitement. Skyler was right about him, he was a marshmallow, for all his toughness and smart mouth, the simplicity of affection was something he desperately craved. And the more time he spent with Skyler and realized his fantasies no longer were theoretical, realized he also craved something else.
Their first day the three Trainers explored Fortree, but as unique and fascinating as the city was, Lucas' attention kept drifting back to his room at the Pokemon Center, the first place in three days that had a real bed and could truly be alone with Skyler. While he certainly didn't mind showing how much he loved Skyler in front of Morgan, he wasn't about to make her a voyeur. So he only half paid attention when restocking Training and travel supplies, and watching Pokemon and people unloading cargo planes at the airport. Gizmo tolerated his distracted Trainer, more than happy to put up with some flaky behavior since Randall was no longer in sight, but Diablo was livid. The Pokemon had a possessive, jealous streak for as long as Lucas had him, and made no secret out of his dislike for the blue-haired human that seemed to now monopolize all of his Trainer's time and attention. Growling and physically blockading the two of them from each other transformed into even more hostile behavior. Soon Lucas was forced to recall the Mightyena to his Pokeball, and once again found himself with a strained relationship with one of his Pokemon.
But evening finally came and the three companions returned to the Pokemon Center and Lucas' thoughts immediately went back to their earlier subject. Lucas and Skyler were finally alone together, months of dreams and wishes about to come true. Once again the two Trainers were all over each other, no longer forced to hold back or censor themselves around the dark type Trainer. They kissed, their hands and mouths moving over each other when Skyler started tugging at Lucas' clothes. Lucas responded in turn, pulling at the gray tank top Skyler always wore to expose the beautiful body he had seen before at the hot springs in Lavaridge, thinking before that that previous moment would be the best memory of the tattooed Trainer's life. Affection fueled by attraction pushed Lucas' motions and actions to become fiercer, more passionate, almost to the point of desperation.
This is the longest I've ever gone without getting laid. Lucas thought to himself. The last time having been with Marcia almost two years ago. Every relationship he'd ever been with had quickly and inevitably turned physical. Skyler had honestly been one of the few of his partners he's actually had a friendship with, and the only one to actually have anything in common. There was a connection between the two of them that he lacked with his exes. As Skyler started pulling at the waistband of his pants, that realization felt like a bucket of cold water being thrown on him, "Wait."
"Is something wrong?" Skyler panted. He immediately stopped and sat back on his heels, his face and body just as flushed as his partner's from the excitement.
Lucas ran a hand through his hair and blew out a puff of air, "Well, no. Yes. Kind of,"
Skyler cocked his head in confusion, not sure what he had done to kill the mood, "Did I do something?"
"God no, you're freaking fantastic. Just, I know this is going to sound weird, but, I think we should wait," Lucas announced quickly, the words almost stringing together. Skyler continued looking quizzically but not offended, "Listen, I just realized something. I've been in a lot of relationships. And every relationship I've ever been in I've had a lot of sex,"
"And you're worried I'm not going to be any good because I'm not as experienced as you, right?"
"No, no, not at all! Virtually every relationship I've been in has been purely physical. And every relationship has also been a complete and total train wreck. I get attracted to someone, they figure it out, we hook up, and then when it gets stale it's nothing but fighting because there isn't anything left," Lucas sighed as he tried to keep Skyler on his train of thought, "And I do not under any circumstance want that to happen to the two of us. You're different. You aren't just hot...you've also become my best friend, and I don't want to screw that up. It is killing me right now, especially with you sitting there on the bed with your shirt off and those sexy gray eyes of yours, but I think it would be smart if we slow this down—at least for a little while—just to make sure that my hormones aren't doing all the thinking for me. I'm not that smart, I need all the blood in my brain I can get,"
"This means—I mean—that much to you?" Skyler smiled. It was that same cheerful, confident smile that made Lucas fall for him in the first place. Lucas nodded and smiled in reply. Then Skyler added quickly, "But this still means we can make out, right?"
"Hell yeah! Now get over here,"