I've fallen for these two all over again.
On with the show.
Spider Web!
Last night Volkner told Flint that the challenger he faced didn't win, so the Elites have another few days of relaxation. The aforementioned redhead decided he would pal around with his Gym Leader friend for the day. The other Elites were left to do whatever they pleased—all except for Cynthia, who had to complete some paperwork.
At noon, Lucian grabbed his suit coat and book and made his way down the castle. It was a perfect opportunity to go to the library. While on this trip, he ran into Cynthia, who was holding up a stack of files. The blonde champion smiled sweetly and stopped in front of the man.
"Good afternoon, Lucian! How are you doing today?" She asked. Lucian gave the woman a small smile back.
"Hello, Cynthia," Lucian responded in his hushed voice, "I'm doing swimmingly. I'm about to go to the library to check out a new book. I would ask how you're doing, but it's obvious that my Champion is busy as ever."
The blonde woman huffed. "You have no idea." She and the Elite shared a chuckle then set off on their separate ways. But, remembering something she had been meaning to ask him, Cynthia turned right around and called back the psychic Elite. "Oh, wait!"
The lavender-haired Elitist turned around. "Hm?"
"You've been kind of quiet the last couple of days. I know you're not talkative to begin with, honey, but you seem really absent. Is something going on?" Cynthia asked, genuinely concerned. Lucian gave her a sweet, reassuring smile.
"Now, Cynthia," he said, "worrying will throw off your balance. I assure you that I am perfectly fine."
The Champion eased into a smile. "Okay. I was just wondering. Try not to make me worry so much anymore!"
Both the Champion and the Elitist left for their intended destinations.
Outside, Aaron watched the sky inattentively, thinking about last night. He heard Lucian's voice for the first time. The sound of his voice replayed in his head over and over.
What is it that you're so desperate to get out of me?
The boy heard the question constantly in his ears. There were a few times throughout the day where he caught himself repeating the same phrase out loud to himself, just evaluating it. To answer the question after having the opportunity to sleep on it, Aaron didn't really know. All he knew was that because Lucian seemed to purposely ignore him at all costs, he was intent on getting noticed. But why did it matter so much?
The answer to that question could have lied within the voice that prompted the original. Without thinking of an answer to the question, Aaron simply listened to the voice. Every word was crisp and clear, but the volume was so low. Lucian didn't necessarily whisper, his voice was just hushed. Calm. Admittedly, that voice put him to sleep last night. Aaron took in a long, slow breath and felt his cheeks heat up at the thought of Lucian's voice. He thought about how very much he'd like to hear it again, but this time a little closer, whispering into his ear while the heat from Lucian's breath warmed him up—
Bzz! An angry buzzing noise brought Aaron down from his cloud of thought. The flustered boy sputtered and saw that his Vespiquen, Honey, had been trying to get his attention for some time now. The queen bee Pokémon had finished her training regimen while the boy's mind wandered off.
"Sorry, Honey," Aaron apologized to the Pokémon, taking out her Pokéball from his belt, "I didn't realize you were through. Time for some R-and-R, okay?" He recalled the Vespiquen and sighed, mentally kicking himself for not paying attention to his Pokémon. It was hard not to think about Lucian. He didn't know why, but he didn't feel like thinking about anything but Lucian. The young Elite sighed and tried to shake off the feeling (to no avail) and decided he needed some alone time.
Lucian held his book under his left arm. It was uncommon to see the man with a book and not have it glued to his face, but those few seconds after he finished one, one would say that it was refreshing being reminded that there is a person behind the text. Such things made Lucian laugh—it was funny how his colleagues could be so concerned about the well-being of his head for perhaps two or three days, a week if the book is particularly thought-provoking. Such things also made him realize that those small things made people like Cynthia worry and people like Flint mock him. To add to that, the psychic master thought, it's also things like that which make him seem like some sort of mystery to a…target audience. That was the most fun to think about. He didn't quite understand the intrigue revolving around him, but he didn't deny that he liked the attention from that target audience. Perhaps it meant nothing, but still, it was amusing for the meantime.
Notorious for being lost in thought, Lucian, as he reached for the front door, found his reaction delayed when he saw the muse of his thoughts standing right in front of him. Aaron was training his Pokémon as per his daily routine and called the day not a minute ago. The young Elite stepped into the castle through the front door and in those seconds of thought, caught himself running into Lucian. Much like any time before, in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it blur, the two would begin their moment-long greeting.
But today was different.
Today, for what could be recorded as the first time, Aaron saw Lucian's face.
Normally, had this been any other day, Aaron would've made the attempt to once again engage in conversation with the older man only to be ignored and disheartened, but upon seeing the face of this man who has brought him nothing but inner turmoil, he felt unusual.
There were petal-delicate lips parted centimeters away from each other that captured Aaron's attention. A long, elegant nose, in which purple-tinted glasses sat upon the bridge unperturbed, came after, leading to those now completely-visible stunning eyes with dark, matted eyelashes hitting the lenses of the glasses. Lucian's head was tilted slightly in what could have been perplexity, allowing the soft waves of lavender hair to fall to the side. Aaron didn't know what part of his face to stare at first.
Something so lovely needed the proper amount of time to be admired.
The younger Elite blushed, his heart drumming in his chest. He didn't once blink, because at any moment being privileged enough to see Lucian's face could've escaped him. Lucian didn't realize the situation until he, in time so quickly, met eyes with Aaron as he normally does.
But, again, today was different.
He saw something new in Aaron's vibrant green eyes. He knew that Aaron was completely transfixed with the discovery of his face without the book in front of it and, for reasons he couldn't place, felt a flush of embarrassment rush to his cheeks, mimicking the color on the younger boy's face. Just as he noticed the boy's blush, he made the mistake of smiling in front of him; he couldn't help it. The way Aaron just stood there with that look on his face…it was…cute. That was completely unlike Lucian, but how could he not break character in front of this adorable little kid who's so lovingly entranced with something as unimpressive as his face? Aaron caught the smile; it was so genuine and pretty, he just wanted to preserve that smile forever.
Alas, Lucian doesn't allow these sorts of things to stay.
Shyly, without words, Lucian shifted his gaze elsewhere and moved curtly out of Aaron's way, opening the door and walking out of the castle. As he did so, Aaron panicked internally, trying to mentally tell him not to go. The younger boy looked at the now-closed door, his heartbeat still resonating loudly in his ears. The thoughts of his voice, the way he just reacted to seeing Lucian's face…it all became clear.
Aaron, it seems, has just fallen into a web of attraction. He felt empty staring at that door that Lucian left from.
Sometime during the late afternoon, a challenger came by the Sunyshore Gym. Flint didn't want to distract his friend from a potentially good match, so the afro-headed man made his way back home. Once at the castle, Flint kicked off his flip-flops and stumbled into his room, throwing himself face-first into his red beanbag chair.
"Oh hey, you're here." Aaron said from the doorway. Flint remained planted on the beanbag chair.
"How long have you been standing there staring at my shame?" asked the muffled voice of Flint.
"Well, I was going to my room right now and your door was open, so I figured I'd just hang out here. Perfect timing, too, because I want to ask you something." Aaron said, walking into the room and closing the door behind him. He plopped down into the orange beanbag chair.
"Flint, how well do you know Lucian?" The younger boy asked, his lips tingling as he mentioned the psychic Elite's name. Flint picked his head up and rolled around to face his friend.
"That was a weird question."
"Seriously, Flint. How well do you know him?" Aaron asked again.
"Well…" the redhead looked up at the ceiling pensively. "We don't see eye-to-eye on a lot of junk. He and I argue a lot. I know I'm not his cup of tea, and he's not the first person I'd invite to a party, if you know what I mean. He and I aren't friends, I can tell you that."
"So you two don't like each other…do you know if he does like anyone?" Aaron asked.
"He and Cynthia are really good friends. They adore each other. I don't know how they get along so well, considering Lucian seems to dislike anything fun, happy, or cute. You know, I thought that it was because they were into each other, but a while back we found out that the Champion's lifestyle isn't coed, if you catch my drift."
Aaron raised his eyebrows in realization after a few seconds. "…Oh. "
"Sometimes weird friendships just work like that. I don't know, personally I can't see Lucian being friends with anyone. He's weird." Flint said snidely.
"What do you mean by weird?" Aaron questioned. Flint scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest.
"That guy is something else. He's always reading some book and he uses words that purposely make me feel stupid. I don't know. He just strikes me as some snobby asshole. I don't like him, he doesn't like me. He hasn't been talking to anyone in a while, but that's normal for him because he's a gross weirdo."
The younger Elite frowned and brought his knees up to his chest. "Then I guess I asked the wrong person."
Flint looked over to his friend and saw his apparent sadness. "Hey, are you okay?"
The green-haired boy sighed. "Lucian didn't talk to me for the first two weeks I was here. I didn't even know his name until recently. But for the past couple of days, I've wanted to get to know him—or even just…be close to him. I got a good look of his face today, and I don't know why but my chest felt heavy and my face got all hot and…" The boy closed his eyes and smiled, thinking about Lucian.
"The only bad part," he continued, "is that he acts like I don't even exist. Today he smiled at me and I think I fell in love, but for all I know it could've been a cruel joke." Aaron sunk into the beanbag chair. "It's not fair. I seriously think I like him, Flint. I'm not sure. I don't even know him but just the way he acts, and the sound of his voice, and the way he lowers his eyelids when he looks at me makes my head spin…I just think he's really attractive and if that isn't reason enough for me to want to get closer to him, then I don't know what is."
Flint's expression softened. "Wow. I didn't know you felt that way, kid…that's pretty deep."
There was an odd, heavy sensation growing in the pit of Aaron's stomach. "Imagine having the opportunity to live in the same castle as the prettiest person in the world and being his placemat. That's how I feel."
The afro-headed Elite stayed silent. He felt bad that his friend was hurt. "This whole Lucian thing means a lot to you, huh?"
Aaron pressed his cheek against the orange leather. "So much. I wish I could get just a little bit closer to him. Listen to his voice again. If I'm lucky, see him smile again."
"Even though I'm not his biggest fan, maybe I could give you some advice." Flint brought up, sounding as convincing as possible. "Instead of talking, use actions. Actions speak louder than words, right? Get up in Lucian's face and demand that he pay attention to you. Being nice isn't working, so try putting some aggression into it. Hey, it'll get him to look at you, am I right? Besides, you're not shy. I'm sure you have the balls to do something pretty aggressive."
Aaron let the advice sink in. "That…actually sounds like a good idea."
Flint clicked his tongue. "That's it, kid. The next time you see him, just do what feels right."
The younger Elite smiled. "Thanks, Flint."
Flint smiled warmly at his friend. "You owe me twenty bucks if this works."
Lucian returned to the castle in the evening. He got a bit carried away with the new arrivals section at the library, so he lost track of the time. After hours of browsing and leafing through, he found two new novels that really piqued his interest. He was greeted at the door by a busy Cynthia, who was taking papers from one floor to another.
"Hi there, Lucian! Bye, Lucian!" Cynthia said, carrying a few files in her arms. She missed a step while speed-walking and tripped slightly. Lucian grabbed her arm and placed her upright.
"Now, Cynthia, you should give yourself a rest. Too much stress will age your pretty face quickly." Lucian said. The Champion sighed, exhausted.
"Good idea. I'll get this done tomorrow. My feet are killing me." Cynthia literally dropped her files right where she stood, papers flying everywhere, and walked off, presumably to her room for some much-needed sleep. Lucian chuckled quietly, shaking his head. Such a funny girl, he thought.
The psychic Elite clutched his novels close to his chest in a loving embrace. Books were many a splendid thing. Books were Lucian's first love, and his passion for reading never wavered. Reading was his escape from the low-key reality he lived in, but more than that, reading kept his mind off of troubling thoughts. Before battling a trainer, Lucian reads a book to calm his nerves and clear his mind so that his choices are well-planned and meticulous. Tonight he needed the books to take his mind off of one particular subject that just won't leave. It's embarrassing to say, but Aaron has taken up more thoughts than Lucian was comfortable with. Sure, the boy was cute, but no one was so cute that they could infiltrate someone else's mind for an entire two weeks.
As he was on his way back to his room, he felt some presence following him from behind. It wasn't there when he went up the stairs, or when he came home, so someone was already hiding in the upstairs hallway. Lucian slowed his steps and listened carefully to the space behind him. There was a foot stepping a second too off-beat, and that's when the older male knew. Immediately he turned around and caught none other than the thought-infiltrator Aaron, who tensed up upon being spotted.
"Hm," Lucian hummed to himself. "It seems I have a shadow. May I help you?"
The boy froze for a small while, unsure about Flint's brilliant plan now. It didn't help that Lucian's face wasn't covered by a book this time, either—those pale lips were making the boy nervous.
Still, Aaron tried his best to keep strong and stood his ground firmly. "Lucian, I'm through with being invisible to you. Whether you like it or not, I'm going to get you to notice me."
The older man sighed. "I don't see why you have to go through all this trouble. I'm not all that a big deal—"
"No, you listen to me, Lucian!" Aaron shook his head and pointed his index finger at the man. "You have no idea what you've been doing to me all this time! Ever since that day you completely ignored me after we ran into each other, I've been thinking about nothing but you!" The boy exclaimed heatedly.
A pale blush graced his cheeks. He stepped back a bit and hugged his books closer to his chest. "W-what…?"
"All I ever think about is you! Your voice is always playing in my head, and I just want to hear more of it!" Aaron stepped closer to Lucian with each word. Lucian backed away just slightly, the flush on his face growing darker. "I've thought about your face all day and how impossible it is for you to be this attractive! I just want to be close to you—really, really close!"
The older male was at a loss for words. He's never heard anyone say such things to him. He didn't know how to react other than with complete embarrassment. "I-I don't know what to say…"
The younger Elite smirked. "Then don't say anything, since you're used to that," Aaron said coyly. Lucian managed to get out an inquisitive noise before the younger male slid right up to him. "Besides, actions speak louder than words. Let me show you how I feel."
"Aaron…?" The older male asked, his face mere inches away from the boy's. Aaron's green eyes met Lucian's lavender ones with a mischievous sparkle. The younger boy grabbed Lucian's shoulders and pushed him to the right, pressing the man against the wall. Lucian made a noise of surprise and opened his mouth to protest, but Aaron was too quick for him; the younger Elite closed his eyes and pressed his lips against Lucian's with a firm force.
"N-n…!" Lucian's eyes widened. He dropped his books, but the only thing that went through his mind was that he'd never been kissed like this before. For a few moments, Lucian didn't respond, but when Aaron pressed his lips against the man's a bit softer, the older man succumbed to the kiss, closing his eyes and pushing his lips as well.
Aaron's lips were soft, unlike anything Lucian was familiar with. The younger Elite kissed Lucian with a slight roughness; with each angle he tilted his head in, Lucian took in a sharp breath through his nose. Clouded by the needy kiss and heated moment, Lucian's hands found their way to Aaron's waist, where they caressed and massaged the small curve near his hips feverishly. The two broke apart for air for a second, but Aaron once again attacked the older man's lips. Lucian allowed a hushed moan to escape his mouth, making Aaron shiver in delight.
The younger male broke the kiss and stepped away from the older man. Lucian's legs were visibly weak, as the only thing holding him up was the wall. The psychic Elite was quietly panting, his face red and his heart beating rapidly. Aaron's face was flushed the same shade of red, his heart beating at the same pace, but he was standing just fine, with a sly smile on his face.
"So," the boy began, "I'll take it you'll be more open to noticing me now, right?"
Lucian tried to stammer out and answer, but he couldn't get his thoughts collected well enough to form a sentence. Aaron smiled at the man.
"Glad I got that off my chest. Well, it's getting kind of late, and I know you probably want to read those books, so I'll leave you alone. See you tomorrow, Lucian." The boy winked at the older male. Aaron turned on his heel and jauntily bounced back to the respective hallway where his room was located.
Ridden with disbelief, Lucian watched the boy walk off.
No book could ever deter his thoughts from the electrifying kiss that lingered on his lips.
The attraction has now become a well-weaved web of love and lust. More of this is to come soon.
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Onto chapter four.