Oh Arceus. We're nose to nose. Does my breath smell okay? He doesn't look happy. Well no shit he just fell into a puddle! Is this okay? Should I move first? Or should I wait? Should I… kiss him? No that's too sudden. Arceus, he's beautiful. I could die happy now.

"Um… are you okay?" The man- Morty- asked. Oh dear Arceus what a sexy voice! I can't breathe! I took a moment, my eyes breaking away from his, to gather myself together. N just sat there in the puddle, looking at us in shock.

"You know, N, you don't have to wait for your ass to get frostbite. You can always just stand up." I spoke, my voice loud, confident and clear- I hoped. "I know. I'm just kind of hoping you," he gestured to Morty, "would return the favour."

"Oh hell no, you'd probably pull the same trick I did." Morty spoke once more, his voice warbling and weak, most likely from cold. I couldn't have my new love getting sick now could I? I stood, and motioned for him to get up as well. He did so without question, his headband slipping from his hair onto his eyebrows.

"W-what about that guy?" He asked, adjusting his headband once more. "Oh, N? He'll be fine. He's perfectly capable of escaping from puddles." I replied, leading Morty away from the crowd of leaders. I hopped nimbly over the deeper puddles once we got off of the pier. Morty just stomped through them, trying to avoid the puddles but was not able to due to his shorter legs.

"Do you have a flying Pokémon?" I questioned, bringing out a green and black pokeball of my own. "Um, n-no, actually I've on-only brought one Pokémon wi-with me." He answered, fingering the ends of his scarf.

"Very well. It will be a close fit, but it should work out," I said as I brought out a Mandibuzz from the Dusk Ball. "Unless you wish to go one at a time?" I said as I prepped the Mandibuzz, nicknamed Minus, for flight, stretching her wings and checking her feathers.

"I-I would m-much rather g-g-get there as soon as possible." Morty chattered out, holding his arms with his hands and huddling closer to me. Not that I didn't mind. I hummed to myself, thinking of a way to handle this situation. Minus was strong enough to handle both of us since neither of us were heavy, but there just wasn't enough space on her back. Unless she held onto one of us with her talons…

"Alright, you get on her back. Minus, I want you to hover about six feet in the air, alright?" Minus cawed at me, as Morty climbed onto her narrow back. "W-what are you do-doing Grims-Grimsley?" He pondered, looking fearfully at me.

"I'm getting us home, dipshit." Minus began to flap her wings confidently, lifting up six, seven feet into the air. I reached up for her claws, finding I could not reach them. "Minus damn it! I said six feet not seven!" She proceeded to lower herself, almost tearing my eye out with her claw. I grasped at her feet, mentally preparing myself for the hour long flight.

"Grimsl-ey, what… what are y-y-you doing?" Morty shivered above me, on top of Minus's back. "Like I said, I'm getting us home dipshit. Minus, I swear if you shit on me I won't fly you ever again. You hear me? Now fly us to Lacunosa!" At the word "fly" Minus took off, powerful wings carrying both Morty and I, while I tried to settle my stomach and keep my grasp on her talons.

Morty===========================================

Being in the air with dripping wet clothes flying at 30 kilometers an hour was not good for my developing cold. I could feel my nose beginning to run and my temperature begin to rise as I developed a fever. Teeth clicking together, I decided to suck it up and ask Grimsley.

"H-hey? Grimsley?" I leaned over the shoulder of the bird, looking down at Grimsley. He looked ridiculous hanging off of the bird's talons like that. "What do you want Morty?" He drawled, slowly moving his eyes up to mine. "C-can I borr-borrow your scarf please?"

"And just how do you suppose I'll take it off?" "I-I could un-tie it f-for you." I could see the thoughts running through Grimsley's mind. Why would he let a stranger take his scarf? I was about to roll back until he said, "Fine."

"R-really?" I was shocked. "Yes, now hurry up before I change my mind." I reached under the Mandibuzz. I began to un-loop the scarf from it's resting place on Grimsley's back, hand shuddering the entire time, brushing into him every once in a while.

"Don't you dare drop it." Grimsley hissed, his breath warm and pleasant on my arm. I nodded, saying nothing. Once I successfully unlooped the scarf I began to pull my arm back. I don't know how it happened or who did it but Grimsley's lips brushed against my hand, warm, soothing and downright stunning me into a paralysis I've never felt before.

"Well, don't just sit there, Mort. Take the damn scarf!" He barked, and I rushed to obey him. I sat back down on the bird, unfolding the scarf and placing it around my shoulders. It even matched my hair.

"Th-thanks Grimsley." I whispered. He grunted. What an amazing conversation.

Grimsley~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Minus finally landed in Lacunosa- she purposefully took her time, I felt- she dropped me off then alighted upon the ground. Morty climbed off of her, not shivering as much now in the sunlight. I gestured for my scarf back and he obliged. I took it and wrapped it around me. It smelled like him, clean with a hint of pine. "Follow me." I said as I began to walk through the town, waving at the passersby and pretending I noticed them. I strode through town confidently, Morty following right behind me as we reached my house, a low-set ranch house with too many windows in my opinion. I unlocked the door, motioning for Morty to go in first. He blushed and hid his face, taking small shuffling steps through the threshold.

I walked in after him, closing the door and locking it. I spread my arms wide as Morty turned to me and said, "Welcome to my humble abode. It's not much, especially for an Elite Four member, but I enjoy it."

Morty sniffed and turned away without saying anything. I shrugged it off, following him as he walked into the living room and said, "I suppose we haven't had proper introductions, have we? I am Grimsley Astor, master of Dark types, member of the Elite Four of the Unovan League." I bowed fluently, my eyes on his the whole time.

Morty blushed a deep red, and bowed in return. "I am Mortimer Saigai, gym leader of EcruteakCity, trainer of Ghost types, of the Indigo Plataeu." A ghost trainer, huh? Doesn't surprise me.

"Nice to meet you, Mortimer. You and I will have a grand old time." I winked.

* Morty's last name is Disaster in Japanese Romaji.