Hi, thank you so much to loyalwolf21 for your review and thank you so much for all of the favorites and follows for the story! I hope you all have a nice day/night wherever you all are! Warning: BoyxBoy, some violence, swearing, mentions of abuse, thoughts of self harm or suicide and a warning that ratings may turn up later.
Ash didn't really know what to expect as his eyes began to slowly blink open delicately. He still felt like there was a river waiting to explode from behind his caramel orbs. His gaze was unfocused and exhausted to say the least, he had drained himself by crying his way to sleep. He had wanted to protest against all that had been said, he had wanted to forget it, to pretend it wasn't at all possible, but he knew more than anyone else that it was perfectly possible.
He couldn't remember much else after hearing Belle tell him the news. It had just felt like all the air had been ripped agonisingly out of his lungs and his heart slowly pulled apart at the seams like an old blanket. The pain had felt like nothing he had ever experienced before. If losing Alex and knowing he had been out there before
"Hey there sleepy head." A voice whispered gently above him.
Ash turned his gaze up slowly to the soft pale face of the boy above him. Porcelain fingers delicately did their work moving through his spiky black hair, gently rubbing circles along his head as they went by, soothing him and calming him. Those blue eyes held his gaze and the pale boy gave a small smile as he still had one arm securely around Ash to make sure that he didn't fall. "Do you need a bit longer?" Belle asked with that soft voice that could have lulled a storm into slumber. That silver hair shone like moonlight in the dim room. Belle was like a beacon, his smile a cold comfort to the broken hearted boy in that minute. Those eyes that looked at him so gently while a hand gently stroked itself through Ash's dark hair, fingers caressing the soft locks and massaging the skin with an infinite tender care.
Ash closed his eyes for a minute losing himself in the small comfort which was being given to him. The light touches, the comfort of the boy's voice while he hummed gently down to Ash of some kind tune. It was so soothing, so calming, it felt like the world was slipping away for a long moment. There was no news, no heartbreak and no pain. There was just this boy above him giving a comfort that he hadn't felt in so many months. His head was comfy, he was curled up with this boy holding him, it wasn't the right person... but he needed it. In that moment he was hurt, he needed something to comfort him. Just laid there with his head in this boy's lap who was gently stroking his hair.
The dark haired boy turned inwards, groaning slightly and he felt slumber calling to him. The way that Belle caressed him with such a faintly light touch that created such a deep and soothing movement through Ash. Those pale fingers sliding down occasionally to his cheek, gently tracing across them and then pulling him closer, holding him, almost as though he was trying to shield him from the rest of the world and all that was in it.
But still... it felt like a betrayal.
'Ash' The voice whispered in his thoughts.
Without a hesitation he sat bolt right up. He flinched back from Belle who held up a hand gently out towards Ash but was careful not to touch the boy. The blond's face became a fortress of locked away emotions, only his stern eyes were an indication towards the fact that Belle was showing some emotion at all! Ash's face was lit with a glowing blush but he had scrambled back along the benches towards the wall, resting his back there. His hair fell over his eyes but Belle could feel the boy's trembling gaze on him, just similarly the way that he could see Ash's hands and arms tremble uncontrollably. "I-I-" The shuddering boy began to stutter.
"Don't worry, I've dated guys like you before." Belle began, his eyes rolling as his exasperation escaped him. "I don't make moves on the guys anyway until at least the fourth date."
Ash sat there for a moment, his face a bright pink as he stared at the boy who once again seemed to have a wall like face of blocked emotion. He was impossible to read but only see with cold harsh eyes, a default that the blond always seemed to take. Ash however just lowered his gaze slowly and pulled his arms around himself. "Y-You should be gone right? I thought you'd go! The contest is over, everyone else will have left by now. You have the ribbon you wanted. I'd thought that is all you'd be sticking around for." The ink haired boy said rather coldly instead of his normal soft tone.
"I didn't want to wake you." Belle said softly, gazing at the boy with those solid and unreadable eyes.
But now it was Ash turn to freeze as he stared.
Why was he always so terrible at this.
Silence filled the room, only to be broken whenever Pikachu would let out a small whimper and Lycan would give a soft growl or sound, comforting the smaller Pokemon. Belle lounged back on the seat, one leg dangling over the side while the other was propped up with his arm resting on it. His spikes of silver hair seemed to be the brightest light in the otherwise dark and cold room. Now that the boy wasn't holding him, Ash could feel the chill that invaded his bones, for someone who looked so bitterly and frosty cold, Belle still had a warmth that every human shared, while Ash had felt in the moment so lost and like a shadow, Belle seemed to have cast that coldness away, like he had been wielding it and knew just the right way that Ash needed to be comforted.
But still now Ash trembled faintly, goosebumps beginning to line up his arms and body while he pulled his arms around himself to try and hold in what little warmth there was in his fleeting body. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't- I- I didn't mean that-" Ash looked up between his locks of black hair, then unable to hold the sight of those blue orbs, turned his gaze down.
Belle sighed and slowly rose, his bare porcelain skin glinting like ice in the dark of the room. Only the torso piece shirt that he wore covered his body still making his figure look alarmingly thin but at the same time toned. The boy walked with such a grace in every step, sweeping forward beautifully as he reached out to one of the jackets in the pile of his clothes, he examined the sapphire blue jacket for a long time and the white trimmed collar before he placed it next to Ash. "I'm going for a shower. Take what you need to warm up, some say that the temperature outside has dropped, you better stay warm." The boy looked down at the sleeping Pokemon in the corner of the room, watching how Lycan had drifted off himself into a gentle sleep, curled around Pikachu like a guardian against the world.
He spared a small and tender smile, crouching down and gently placing a caring kiss to Lycan's forehead before he swept out the room, stepping into the nearby bathroom and stall of showers.
Ash just sat there, holding his cheek where Belle's hand had stroked so softly. The touch had sparked the nerves in his cheek, like a small bolt of lightning had run through him. This boy that Ash had no idea of, except from the harsh reputation and the image that he had set of himself out on the battle field. The cold and silent destructive force. The spectacle of incredible power and authority, he had owned and won that battle the moment that he had stepped out onto the field, and now he had won through scaring Dawn out of the competition.
But for someone who apparently had absolutely no care for humans, he had just seemed to help Ash out quite well.
Ash reached out and pulled on the jacket slowly, looking at the deep sapphire of the leather like and form fitted piece of clothing. The white trim around the collar made the startling jewel like colour stand out even more. It was very much like the normal stuff that he wore, but the fur lined insides already started to warm up his trembling skin and was more than comfy.
His eyes were still heavy with exhaustion, he didn't even realize what he was doing till he was sat back down and had the jacket pulled tightly close around him. The air was more warm and the quiet soothed him, even if occasionally he could hear the splash of his own tears across the floor, he just buried his head into the jacket. Time passed him by and seemed to mean absolutely nothing at all.
But his thoughts still remained... how had it come to this? Was this still not some horrible dream that he just couldn't wake up from? How could Alex be gone. Why was there nobody out there with him! What could that boy have been doing all by himself! Why didn't the idiot just call someone!
Because other than Ash, Alex had no one but Jack.
But Alex was stubborn. It's what Ash loved more than anything else about him. Ash loved the stubborn way that Alex would square his jaw. The way that his eyes would always used to shine with how he was feeling. With Alex there was never really much hiding how he felt, if he was angry, he would come down on you like a ton of bricks. If he was happy, he used to smile with a sparkle that would put the stars to shame. When he was sad, though, that was what hurt the most.
"I still love you Alex."
And I you."
Ash's eyes snapped wide open and the boy startled slightly from his sleep. He hadn't even realized that he had fallen asleep, but now with the warm comfort the jacket gave him, he realized that he had slipped into slumber, even after the small sleep he could still feel it gnawing away at him, his eyes were heavy, the air was lulling, the world felt as though it was pulling against him, trying to push him back into the rest that his body was craving.
"Come on now kids. Don't wake him up."
"It's okay... I'm already-"
Ash blinked a few times then paused, his face exploding out into an incredible and embarrassed blush as he looked up to see the blond boy sat in his white towel, gently running a brush with tender softness on Pikachu's short fur, the Pokemon seemed to be curled up, content enough. Lycan was laid out across as now, it's fur covering him like a warm blanket, but still the ink haired boy just sat there, trying to look any where else but at the boy's exposed torso. "We have to clear out very soon, they've said they've given us as long as they're willing to. Are you feeling up to leaving soon?"
"Yeah... I'll be fine." He glanced down momentarily when Lycan rose up onto his paws and leapt from Ash, to the doorway Belle had walked through earlier.
"Hey, how''s that feel now little guy?" Belle gave a small smile, his fingers gently moving through Pikachu's fur like he was a caring parent, trying to help a child who had just stumbled, or like a friend who was trying to let the other know that no matter what, he was going to be there. Pikachu let out a sad little whine but buried his head into the affectionate touch.
Ash just watched on, watching as the boy just sat there with his small smile. His eyes sparkled like the summer sky, seeming less stabbing cold now, but glistening even more happily as they heard the shower stalls turn on and off, followed by some footsteps and quick padding of paws. "Oh, I guess it's time you meet the rest of the family, right?" Belle gave a small smile as he kept on gently running his fingers through Pikachu's fur and scratching ever so softly behind the Pokemon's ears. "Boys, come on out okay?"
Ash however just took that moment to look on at the silver blond for a moment. He really does care for Pokemon. He treats them just like he would family. I wonder if it's just because he always got on better with Pokemon than he ever did with people.
But then came a sound that pulled Ash out from his thoughts as he saw the blond pull his hand to his mouth and let out a small giggle, those blue orbs soft and shinning with happiness as from the bathroom Lycan made his way back with what Ash guessed were the final three members of Belle's little family.
The first one to pad out was one that Ash had no trouble remembering as he had seen one of them a few times by now.
The small purple shape padding out on it's two paws swayed ever so slightly with it's deep violet and purple fur while it's blade like pointed tail moved smoothly and coiled out behind it. The shape was perhaps just that a bit more bigger than Pikachu. The white spots of it's fur on it's under coat and around it's mouth were whiter than white and pearly as it's sharp fangs which showed as it purred it's name on entry. It's light purple, almost pink fur around it's eyes glistened while it's emerald orbs shined with a cat like pupil. The three points of it's claws sprang out as it walked with a sway like a sassy human! But then again, from what Ash had seen of them so far, he guessed that's just naturally how Purrloin were.
It only paused as it shot a look at Ash and it's tail coiled violently, halting as though it had suddenly wanted to lash out, but the Pokemon simply only shook out their wet fur and rushed forward in a quick burst, pausing as it leapt onto the nearby bench and glanced back over the it's shoulder. Purring out it's name once again to those who were to follow.
"L-Lit! Lit-Lit-LIT!"
"There's my baby boy." Belle beamed from ear to ear turning Ash's gaze onto the small Pokemon that followed slowly on unsteady paws while having Lycan stand next to it as guardian.
But then When Ash got a real look at it, he had to hold himself back from making it so obvious he was so shocked and horrified.
The Litleo that made it's way slowly into the room stumbling slightly as it did so, making Ash realize that after a minute or so that the small Pokemon only actually had three legs, it's front right one not seemingly there, no limb but only a large scar where it should be and a lump towards there being an indication that there may have even been one there at all. The small Pokemon other than a few scars, in it's deep black fur seemed to be just how anyone would expect it to be; fur as black as midnight, on it's three paws that were there it was a gentle brown just like it's ears and it's dark eyes. But the way Belle looked it as the small and happy Litleo bounded over to him? The blond looked as though the Pokemon in front of him was an absolute diamond, like it was a star picked from the sky and given to him as a gift from the heavens.
The small bundle of happiness bounded forward, stumbling every now and then but Lycan was always nearby to catch him and push him back into ballance whenever he needed it, at least until he reached Belle's arms and was scooped up into a towel. The pale boy beaming from ear to ear as he did so. "And how's my boy doing? Are you making sure that you're behaving?" He tapped it's nose while the small bundle let out a small and playful sound of happiness, lapping at Belle's cheek.
Ash had seen plenty of trainers before who would never have even bothered with a Pokemon who had been hurt like this, much less a Coordinator. There were plenty of hunters out there who were trying to capture and hunt down Pokemon. Ash made a mental note to ask about what happened to the Pokemon later, but it seemed from the pure adoration in those eyes that Belle didn't see it like most others would.
Pikachu even glanced up and tilted his head at looking at both the new Pokemon additions to the room. It was clear to both trainer and Pokemon how young the Litleo was and how defensive the Purrloin was as the sassy Pokemon took a unwavering and cold eyed stance under Belle's touch, curling up into the other towel that was there.
"So I guess introductions are due." Belle gave a small smile, looking over at Ash as though all of a sudden this happiness wasn't just something that he wanted to keep to himself, and Ash had to admit, the boy's love of Pokemon and the small family that he had was infectious. Ash couldn't help but even give the smallest of smiles, something that he never thought he would ever be able to do again, when he watched Lycan pick up Pikachu and place the Pokemon on his back as he curled up at Belle's feet.
The blond ran his hand next to the flame like mane that belonged to Litleo and listened to the tiny Pokemon purr affectionately, while in his other hand, Purrloin seemed rather intent on brushing his tail across the boy's face, demanding to be recognized first when he stood on his haunches and glanced out his emerald orb eyes at Ash. "So this is my little dancer, Star." Belle chuckled quietly watching how the Pokemon folded it's arms and rose it's nose into the air with a curt nod as though to say: 'And don't you forget it!'
Star lapped up the fuss and attention that Belle gave him, purring and closing his eyes in adoration. "I met him out at the first ever Coordinator event I ever went to." Belle said softly, as though even through his smile in that moment he was remembering something that felt like a lifetime ago. His smile was no less, but the shine in his gaze was dimmed just the tiniest of a fraction, but all love for the Pokemon seemed to just burn more. "He had lost his match, his Coordinator threw him to the side walk calling him worthless. I found him just as the Coordinator was going to set his team on Star." Belle looked down and gently pulled the Pokemon close, as though he was actually able to maybe shield Star from the memories. "That Coordinator left with a lot of scars that night. Star followed me and defended me from an attack on the road that following morning, since then he's been part of the family." Belle smiled, turning his gaze down then to Lycan who was sat as his feet. "Then there's Lycan." The blond continued, rising from his seat, still holding the Litleo in the bundle of a blanket and carrying it in the cradle of his arm while he made his way over to the large mirror at the side of the room where a neat pile of clothes rested.
Ash turned his gaze away as the boy slowly when Belle let the towel around his waist fall to his feet and the boy stepped into some white boxers and skinny fit black jeans. He almost seemed to make a show of getting dressed, without even realizing that he was! The way he pulled on the jeans, shimmying into them teasingly as though it was a front row show, but it was clear that he meant nothing by it, it just seemed natural to him to do it, as was the way that some people walked was natural to them. "Lycan here." He reached out and ran his hand through the intense black and white fur, smiling kindly with those intense blue eyes. "I found him out in the forest by himself. Some trainer must have been trying to capture him I think, they went to harshly onto him, I think that or they were trying to break him into obedience... but when they saw that he wasn't the cub of his pack, they left him for dead." Belle paused, looking sadly onto the Pokemon as though remembering that time himself. "I found him, I couldn't risk moving him, every time I did, I was terrified that he wouldn't make it. So I spent three days caring for him, watching around the clock with as much care as I could give him. It seemed though after those three days that he made some improvements, I was able to get him through the worst of it, enough so that I could them get him the real medical help that he needed." Belle smiled, "since that day that he was released, he adopted me as his pup. We've been inseparable ever since."
"What about the LitLeo?" Ash asked quietly, slightly awed by the boy's stories of how his family had come together.
"Well, actually this little guy is the newest addition to our family, I only found this little guy about three months ago." Belle crooked a finger and gently tickled under the Litleo's chin who dabbed at the blond's face playfully with his only front paw in return. "This is my little Charlie. Believe it or not, when I found him, he had only just hatched, he's still quite young, and I swear, he's going to be the death of me!" He tapped on Charlie's nose lightly, the small Pokemon's tail came uncoiled from around him and swatted Belle's face teasingly who just laughed. The joy and love between the two of them was absolutely infectious, it was so clear that Belle's love for Charlie was like that of a parent. "His herd didn't see what an amazing little cutie he was, I guess they were just intimidated by how lovely he was." Belle teased earning an yawn and small joyful sound from Charlie, but the truth was there and was obvious, from the small side glance that the blond sent Ash what the truth was.
Charlie was the runt of the litter. Missing a limb would mean that he wouldn't have been able to look after himself or handle what his herd would have expected of him. If Belle hadn't come across him then it was a quiet truth that the blond didn't want spoken that Charlie may not have made it by himself. "So my baby boy here found himself four new fathers, mothers and brothers."
"Four?" Ash looked at the other three. "But there's only."
"Espe-Espe."
Both Ash and Pikachu shot their gazes up at the sound and watched as the small but agile looking form made it's way into the room. It was about the size perhaps of Star, but unlike the sassy little pokemon, this one only walked on all four paws as it's night sky blue orbs and white iris eyes bore into Ash, the red jewel on it's forehead, blazed like it was bathed in the light of a supernova. It's large ears fell pressed back as it crossed it's paw one over the other, stalking forward until it reached the mirror side shelf and leapt up, it's dual point tail swaying softly on it's lean pink coat of fur. The tuft of the fur on it's chest swayed like the long length of those beneath it's large pointed ears. A collar of black and a small stone of intense turquoise glistened brightly like a small diamond making Ash stare for a moment as he also realised that around the front of the Pokemon's front paws were two studded leather bracelets.
"Hang on-"
"P-Pika-"
"Don't." Belle growled quietly in warning, the Espeon itself seeming pointing a glare at both of them which dared both to finish the sentences of saying that. It's space like orbs and white hot flame centre to the orbs made both of them feel as though they were on the receiving end of something like a sword point. The blond's voice turned back to a gentle and soft tone as he corrected himself, brushing out Charlie's fur as he sat the youngest Pokemon next to the Espeon. "This is my little Sapphire. My little performer and fighter."
"But- you both-" Ash began but fell silent his moment of hope slowly crushed out. Belle seemed to notice this and sighed, pulling a skin tight velvet black vest over his head and down his slim and curved torso, while reaching out and picking up a long and deep sapphire scarf which he wound around his neck, before pulling the large black hood up over his head and letting the front of his silver hair still stand and spike out the front. The boy owned his image, of light and dark, porcelain and black, he knew it too. But he just reached down and picked up Charlie into his arms, cradling the young Pokemon while Sapphire himself leapt up onto the boy's shoulder resting his upperhalf on the boy's overly large hood. One pale hand came up slowly and Sapphire buried his head into it completely, purring gently, his tail moving inside the hood and around to the back of Belle's neck, busying itself with something.
"I met Sapphire here a long time ago-"
Something glinted and caught Ash's eye for the tiniest of seconds as the boy's scarf shifted, momentarily taking his attention before in the slightest of seconds that it had caught his eyes, Belle fixed it and hid whatever it was beneath.
"We're brothers. Though he seems to take after me with his little fashion sense. I'm always having to buy new accessories for him." The pale boy smiled. "Through and through... only-" Belle turned his gaze down slowly. "Sapphire just took it hard when Jack passed on with Alex."
"Anyone who knew both of them would."
Belle's gaze snapped up, for a second momentarily clouded with something. "Both of them." Ash said quietly, feeling Pikachu leap to him and gently curve against his chest while Belle reached out with his spare arm and began packing away the few lose items of clothing into his backpack, then shouldered it so he could hold and cradle Charlie in his arms and still keep Sapphire rested on his head, while Star just leapt up quickly onto Lycan's back. "I just wished they knew how truly loved they were. I wish I could tell him... I just wish."
"He knows Ash."
Caramel eyes shot up and stared at pale blue ones as Ash shifted in his seat, wrapping his arms comfortingly around his best friend. "He loves you too. He always had, and always will." Belle shrugged, his gaze holding Ash's for a few moments, both of them just looking into one another till Charlie let out a small indecisive sound, looking between both boys, bringing Belle back to his senses. "Anyway." The pale boy glanced down again at the floor, then gave a small smile to his little assembled family. "I guess then that I should be going-"
"Come with me!" Ash blurted out.
Belle's eyes widened just as Ash's did. Charlie gave out a small mewl of happiness, Sapphire and Star narrowed their gazes at the ink haired boy but it seemed only Lycan paused as he looked between the two, watching intently.
"E...Excuse me?" Belle stuttered, for the first that that Ash had heard him do so. The pale boy looked over his shoulder as though he was thinking of something, like he seemed to be looking now for a reason to get out of the room and go somewhere else, anywhere else. His black velvet like vest shirt which ran up tightly over his torso, now revealed just exactly how the boy seemed to have caught his breath in surprise.
"W-Well, I was just thinking that, well since you were going out there by yourself, maybe it would do you some good to be going with someone! You could join me and my friend Brock!"
"Uh...Ash." The pale boy had a small hint of pink burst through onto his face as he looked like he was really desperate to get out of there now and move into the corridor.
"Honestly, anyone who loves Pokemon like you is A-okay in my books! I know you have your family, but maybe having someone there into the crowd to cheer you on, not The Masquerade Mirror would help?"
"Honestly Ash this is very sweet-"
"Plus... You were Alex's friend." Ash said quietly. "Alex knew a lot of things, he knew what it was like to be lonely... I'm not going to leave you alone like I left him."
"Ash..." Belle stared at him for a moment, before pulling his hood up slightly higher to hide his eyes and all that could have been given away by it. Charlie tilted his head slightly, reaching up with his paw against Belle's cheek.
"Plus, with me and Brock around, it will be a hell of a lot easier with us both to help look after Charlie."
"Oh Ash I don't know." Belle looked down, gently running his fingers through the black fur next to the mane of fire. "Well you are right." He sighed in concession. "It would mean that I'd feel a lot safer knowing that they were all protected."
"Your decision?" Ash asked gently.
-To be continued-
