A/N: This is the second half of the chapter update, if you didn't notice there was a double chapter update today, please go back and read CH 23!
Warning: Sexual content.
They each grabbed a bag, heading back toward the stairs where they took a left down a hallway to the bathrooms. There was a short line of women outside the women's bathroom; the restrooms presumably single roomed areas. With a disappointed sigh they turned to each other.
'You wanna go first? I know you're dying to get out of those pants."
"So I can get in yours."
Diamond brought his hand up to Pearl's mouth, looking over at the women anxiously.
"Shhh! What if they hear you?" Diamond whispered in a silent scolding.
"They'd be jealous that I have such an adorable boyfriend with such wonderfully red cheeks." Pearl laughed silently. "I'll go first then. Try not to have too much fun without me."
"Impossible."
Diamond rolled his eyes, rubbing his cheek a bit to rid himself of the slight blush Pearl had caused. The women watched him with mild interest, the one closest to the door nearly going cross eyed as she bit her perfectly glossed lip. Diamond smiled uneasily at them, reaching to adjust his poketch instinctively looking for a distraction only to find he hadn't put it on today. Damn, just my luck. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and tried to keep his eyes on the floor, quickly looking up with a wide embarrassed grin at how reflective the floor was. He tried to find interest in the ceiling, trying to avoid looking at the women, or accidentally up their skirts once more.
He was extremely happy with how the day had gone thus far, Pearl making him feel incredibly special. He wished he could shake the guilt that still lingered, the only thing truly holding him back from calling today perfect, but he figured he had every reason to be and ought to let it simmer. He sighed through his nose, trying to guess what his surprise was going to be. He was hoping it was dinner, he was famished not having eaten since that morning and he could feel his stomach tightening pleadingly in the absence of food. He wished he could pull a snack out of his bag but it wasn't going to happen, not in this place.
One of the women at last rushed into the restroom causing a commotion of clacking heeled boots as her companion's face succumbed to a snide smirk. She had her arms crossed, leaning against the wall next to a large bag. They made eye contact, plain brown to a striking blue, and he could see the interest perk in her eyes as her lips twitched to a subtle and deliberate smile.
He swallowed slowly, shooting a panicked glance at the door. He didn't like the way she looked at him, he was far from interested and she was less than sincere in her body language. He didn't know how it was possible for such delicate, feminine creatures to be so cynical and manipulative at the same time.
Platinum, he thought, would never do that.
She had a beauty that stood on its own, an elegance to her that this hungry young woman couldn't fake if she wanted to. Not that she wasn't pretty, she was easy on the eyes in every way, but not his type of girl in the least. The only one he ever wanted to be with anyway was Pearl, and he was a million other things this woman also fell short of. She didn't stand a chance with him.
He ignored her staring, folding his arms with mild impatience as he looked down one end of the hall to the emergency exit. I wonder if that bakery is still open... His mouth practically watered at the thought of cake or really any food whatsoever. I wonder if Pearl still wants cookies, I haven't been able to bake in so long. He winced at the thought of Mt. Coronet, I wonder if our hotel room would have a kitchen...
"Hey stranger."
Her voice interrupted his thoughts. It was a playfully seductive greeting, her pink lips tugging on a smirk. He swallowed slowly, trying to be cordial as he smiled weakly at her, waving his hand from his still crossed arms.
Now I'm getting impatient... He thought with a sigh.
"What's the matter?" She laughed, his disinterest only enticing her more. "Glameow got your tongue?"
"Is she bothering you, babe?" Pearl stood in the doorway with a half amused look on his face, one lithe leg holding the door as he pulled Diamond in closer to him by the crook of his arm.
Diamond shook his head sheepishly at his savior, Pearl quirking a knowing brow at him as he opened the door for him politely. He folded his arms, matching her position as he returned his attention to her. She said nothing, blinking a few times before rolling her eyes.
"What, glameow got your tongue now?"
"Ha-ha."
She had a scowl on her face, head bobbling in annoyance as she dragged her friend away upon her exiting much to the other's surprise.
Yeah, keep walking...
He smiled smugly in victory. He hated how irresistible Diamond was sometimes. He had this gravity that drew everyone to him even if just to talk. He used to be a bit of a dopey kid, nothing special in a conventional sense apart from those striking eyes but he had matured into something much more desirable. Although, he had fallen in love with that dopey kid all those years ago and only loved him more now.
He smiled warmly to himself with a slight blush at the thought. He checked his poketch, still around two hours before the sun would start setting he noted.
We have time.
He looked down the hall to his right, nothing. To his left there was the rest of the store. He let his eyes pass over the various mannequins, eerie faces and unnatural poses that made him narrow his eyes skeptically. Checking his poketch again he huffed miserably, it had only been a few brief seconds since he had last checked. He looked back out into the store searching for something to distract him while he waited for Diamond.
I don't know how he does it, he thought. He's always so patient and calm... Ugh, isn't there anything in here worth staring at for more than a few seconds?
That's when he noticed it. In the distance through a corridor opposite where he stood there was a large, pink extension to the store. The torsos of female mannequins were adorned with lingerie, bras, and various undergarments for every occasion. He leaned forward, craning his neck to get a better look as he squinted his eyes to focus. There must have been a bra in every pattern imaginable, some with lace some without, some with bows and some with hanging silk ribbons. They certainly looked nice, he thought. That was one thing his hands would never know, the way a soft breast felt in his hand from behind plush padded satin and lace. He wondered if he was missing out on anything in that regard, hoping he wouldn't live to see a day where Diamond, or even he, would gain enough weight for him to ever know.
He pursed his lips in deep contemplation, he thought about Diamond in the dressing room earlier. Imagine that ass in a pair of those... he shuddered at the thought lustfully.
"What's got you all hot and bothered, mm?"
"G-Geez, Dia!" He flinched guiltily stuttering.
He laughed, leaning over similarly to try and see what was so interesting in the distance. "Who're we watching?"
"N-No one, I, um... Are you still up for a quick," he checked his poketch "Yeah, a quick anything?"
"You're still hard, babe?" He teased playfully trying to whisper seductively.
"Erm, yes and no," he considered his words carefully. "How much do you love me?"
"Alright, how kinky are we talking?" He sighed with a large grin.
He nodded his head back over to the lingerie part of the store.
Diamond strained to see, eyes widening at the realization. He looked over at Pearl incredulously.
"Pearl."
"Diamond."
"I don't know..."
"Please?"
"Lingerie... mm," he grimaced, trying to consider it thoughtfully.
"Just one pair of panties, come on."
"You want me to put them on just to take them off me? Girls aren't even supposed to try those on without other panties underneath."
"I'll buy them then, come on! Please?"
"What if we get... you know what, on them? Even if we buy them they're going to know!"
"I'll let you cum in my mouth if it'll make you feel better..." He murmured, trying not to smile too wide at Diamond's reaction. "I'll swallow."
He bit his lip with a vengeance as he hesitated on his response.
"Where did you get such a dirty mouth?"
"You're one to talk!"
"I-I can't help it, I get it from you!"
"So what do you say, Dia?"
He sighed, "After you..."
"Yes!"
He offered his arm to Diamond, escorting him over to the other end of the store quickly looking around fervently as they passed into an overwhelmingly pink fortress of women's underwear. They stood there in a bit of shock as they took it all in, eyes darting every which way. Pearl never enjoyed places like this, the boudoir in Jubilife had bothered him as it was but this was like stepping into another dimension. Perfume, lotion, panties, lotion, panties, lube, bras, panties, lotion, more panties...
They looked at each other silently, bursting into loud, nervous laughter shortly after.
"We're really doing this?"
"I-I, uh, yeah," Pearl stammered a bit distracted by it all.
"Well help me pick something out then."
They began wandering the store like they were in a daze, walking past the lotions though Diamond stopped to look through their massage oils and the like, the word 'edible' catching his eye. The boys exchanged a glance, saying nothing as they grabbed a few of the things off the shelf trying to continue browsing casually like they belonged there despite looking painfully out of place. They wandered toward the dressing rooms, walls lined with bras of every size, as they continued their quest.
"I don't think I've ever seen this many thongs before... Does this even count as clothing? It's like a string."
"More like this much pink and lace! Geez. And it's a G-string, duh."
"Duh, I know that." He rolled his eyes. "Anyway, what type of underwear do we want exactly?"
"Um, well, you're going to wear them but don't get these," he held up a pair of boyshorts, blue with lime green trimming. "They look like boxer briefs only skimpier and more girly."
"'Skimpier and more girly' in the lingerie department, what is the world coming to?" He smiled as he sifted through the panties. "Alright I guess the next question is do we want more of a teen girl's panty or something more sexy?"
"There's a difference?"
"Look," he held up two pairs. "This one has prints on it and says... 'Sweetheart' on the ass, but this one is satin and only has simple and sophisticated stripes with lace."
"I'm not getting these print ones, I mean why do they need to say stuff or have all these hearts on them or whatever?"
"I don't know, they're just fun I guess." He shrugged, picking a patterned pair up, little hearts littered throughout the fabric. "Like, remember when we were little and had cartoons on our underwear? It's the same thing I think."
"Oh," he raised his eyebrows in revelation, reaching out for the striped ones in Diamond's other hand. He ran his fingers over the grooves of the lace thoughtfully. "I think we need sexy ones then, something that feels nice."
"Is cotton out of the question then?"
"Well, no I'm just saying... something soft."
"I can't believe I'm shopping for panties... for me with you of all people! I must be dreaming."
"You dream about panty shopping with me? That's why you smile in your sleep sometimes, isn't it?"
"Oh no, I've been found out," he smiled. "How about these bad boys?"
Pinched delicately between his fingers in all their feminine glory was a pair of pastel blue panties. From their lack of sheen Pearl could tell they were a breathable cotton material but they were far from simple in design. There were dime sized white polka dots littered across the fabric with a black sheer bow centered in the front, two tails hanging down imperfectly though it didn't by any means take away from their aesthetic. They didn't have a defined waistband, though a black zigzagging thread looped around the top, and covering the crotch was a patch of black lace laid over the blue polka dotted fabric. They were the perfect combination of innocence and seduction, the spitting image of what Pearl thought Diamond would be if he were ever to somehow become panties. Yes, those ones were perfect like they had been made just for him.
Pearl's mouth hung open slightly, gaze fixated on them as Diamond stretched them playfully.
"Those..."
"You sure? I think you need to pick your lip off the floor, I haven't even done anything yet."
"Yet. Let's go!"
They started toward the dressing rooms before Diamond halted them suddenly.
"Wait, uh, they're not going to let us both in for one pair of panties."
"Damn, um..."
They looked around determinedly, mostly bras and lingerie in this part of the store, lotions near the separate check out in this part of the store. Pearl looked over at the dressing rooms. There were two attendants, both adult women who had a warm, motherly energy about them as they measured a few girls and helped one into a corset. He blushed, jerking his head in the opposite direction. They really weren't supposed to be in there. Of course, from the way the staff had reacted they were not at all the first men to walk in there let alone scour through the panties although the other shoppers' reactions varied.
From where he redirected his attention he saw a mannequin in a black G-string with a white skirt and bows gingerly placed to match a white corset, black lace detailing on the breasts. He studied the corset, it looked incredibly complicated in all its intricate beauty, the lacing and boning and everything seemed a great enigma to behold. He was suddenly thankful that Diamond was his partner and he would never have the opportunity present itself where he would embarrass himself trying to remove something like that from someone. He wouldn't even know where to begin, no wonder those women were helping each other.
Wait, helping each other... Diamond... a boy... corset... Got it!
"Pick out the most complicated looking corset you can."
"What?"
"Listen, have you looked at those things? They're like a Rubik's cube, that's why those girls need help getting into them not to mention taking them off."
"So...?"
"So, being a guy trying on lingerie wouldn't it be understandable that you'd want another guy to help you out instead of a woman?"
"You're a genius."
"I know, now, uh, this one? No it has a hidden zipper, um... uh..."
"This one! Okay, come on."
They made a b-line for the dressing room, the free attendant smiling sweetly at them as she approached.
"Hello, boys! How can I help you two today?"
"Uh, I-I have these and, um..." Diamond didn't expect to be so embarrassed about it all so suddenly but this woman who was clearly old enough to be his mother with the same doting mannerisms was making him increasingly uncomfortable.
The woman continued to smile warmly at him, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder which only made his face that much redder.
"First time, hun? Do you know your measurements for that?" She pulled a measuring tape from her pocket instinctively.
"N-No, I, uh, yes I mean, yes. But I need help getting into it..." He tried to calm himself down, his voice an octave higher in his nervousness. He didn't know how Pearl seemed to make everything sound like a good idea but in the moment it felt like one of the worst ideas in the world.
"I'd be happy to help you," she put the tape away, hands clasped together thoughtfully. Diamond frowned slightly, panicking as he looked over at Pearl pleadingly not knowing how to talk his way out of her help.
"You'll have to excuse him, ma'am, he's just very shy," Pearl started, rubbing his back gently. He had a suave tone to his voice, comforting but charismatic. "He's nervous but I'll be right outside the door if he needs me."
He rubbed Diamond's bicep as he looked at him tenderly, Diamond looking at him like he had grown a second head. Is he stupid? Augh, this is never going to work...
"Oh, it's quite alright. You seem like a couple of sweet boys, would you be more comfortable if your friend here helped you instead?"
He couldn't believe it, blinking dumbly a couple times before he nodded eagerly, "That would be great!"
"Well, alright then! We'll settle you two here in number three; you let me know if you need any help. Take your time."
They uttered their thanks, a huge collective sigh as the door shut. Pearl laughed a bit as he nudged Diamond with his elbow.
"How could you doubt me? I saw that look on your face," he folded his arms with a smug grin.
Diamond set everything on the floor, turning and holding his arms out for a hug, "I'm sorry."
Pearl rested his head on his shoulder as he gave him a firm squeeze. He buried his face in his neck, hands reaching under his jacket as his fingers carved into his lower back through his sweater. Diamond took his arms from Pearl's neck, shrugging off the jacket which fell to the floor with a light thud. They kissed softly, Diamond pulling away with a relaxed sigh.
"So I guess I ought to get dressed then."
Pearl hummed in agreement, untucking Diamond's shirt and pulling it over his head with his sweater and tossing it aside. He threw his own shirt over his head, stealing another kiss from Diamond who put a gentle hand to his chest.
"Turn around, it's a surprise."
Pearl smiled nervously as he turned to face the wall. The room was equally as pink as the rest of the store, the lower half of the walls however were a creamy white, a gold stripe separating the top from the bottom. There was a large mirror on the back wall, and Pearl had to consciously fight the urge to peek at Diamond through it. He felt his heart speed up with the anticipation, a nervous excitement at the prospect of the situation. He ran his fingers through his hair nervously, the soft blonde locks needed to be trimmed after months away from civilization though they held their accustomed position dutifully. Diamond's hair, too, had grown out some, much thicker than usual and a bit longer than Pearl was used to seeing it.
He flinched under Diamond's gentle touch as he placed his hand on his shoulder. He turned around, lips parting as he took his image in. He was a stunning sight to behold, his milky skin with that wonderful piece of cotton and lace was as striking a contrast as his dark hair with his light eyes. They hugged his body nicely, stretching to hold the bulge in place behind the black lace. He looked at Pearl through his lashes shyly, massaging his shoulder nervously as he bit at his lip, face and chest flushed. He fought a smile as he watched Pearl's eyes wander over his body; he made him feel like a statue in a museum, sculpted perfection worthy of endless adoration. Even though he was doing this for him the gratification was mutual just to have his eyes on him.
He took a couple steps forward, loosely draping his arms around Pearl's neck. Pearl's nervous hands found themselves at his boyfriend's waist, lingering there as he looked into Diamond's eyes.
"You look good, babe."
"Mm, just good?"
"Hmm hmm, no," he let his hands slide behind him, groping his ass and pulling him closer with a breathy sigh, a slight moan in the back of his throat at the brushing of their bare torsos. "Simply orgasmic."
Diamond pulled him into a kiss, their lips locking perfectly as they moved in rhythmic pulses against one another. He tightened his grip on the flaring wisps of hair at the nape of Pearl's neck, pressing them closer to prod his tongue deeper into his mouth. He couldn't remember the last time he had been so overtaken by Pearl, hardly believing that the pleasured moans were coming from him. He was sad to have their lips part. That sadness quickly dissipated as Pearl's lips took to trailing down his neck. He was quickly on his knees, lips pressing and teeth grazing at his hips and the dips between the pelvic bones. He rubbed his thighs, thumbs massaging circles just underneath the fabric but missing contact with anything worthwhile as they withdrew and traveled elsewhere.
Diamond's legs twitched from all the teasing, groaning softly with impatience at the feel of Pearl's hot, labored breaths through the fabric. It was torturous pleasure but Diamond knew he couldn't handle the lack of attention for much longer. Pearl let his fingers ghost their way over the lace, tracing the pattern like an airy caress of wind leaving goosebumps in its wake as they moved to the waistband. He let his middle and index fingers from either hand hook around the band, looking up at Diamond expectantly with a smirk.
"How much do you love me?"
"Pearl!"
"That's not an amount..." He gave him a disapproving look, shaking his head. "Come on, Diamond, how much? Hm?"
"P-Pearl," he whined, admittedly desperate as Pearl slowly slid them down just enough for his erection to spring out eagerly. "Please, I love you, baby."
"Hm! 'Baby'? You really must want it don't you? How much do you love me when I do this?"
"Ahhh!" He breathed shakily, Pearl flicking his tongue across the head once.
"Hm? How about this?"
"Nn, mm-mm! Ahhh...!"
He bit hard on his lip to try and choke back his vocalizations, eyes scrunching as he felt Pearl engulf him at last. He was pulling all the stops as his tongue curled around it, sucking hard while his thumbs gently massaged him. He continued to tease him, enough pressure and tongue to make him a writhing mess under his prowess but not enough to properly get him over the edge. He fought a smug grin as his lips worked diligently, a bit surprised how little it was taking to get Diamond hinting at his climax so soon.
Diamond was finding quickly that he didn't enjoy standing for this; he had to fight the instinctive squirming and focus on keeping his balance so his legs didn't give out under the intense feelings. Looking down at Pearl who looked completely enthralled by the object his mouth was drawing in and out was only making him harder if it were even possible to be more aroused at this point. His eyes swirled, feeling disoriented after what couldn't have been more than a few minutes, Pearl perhaps teasing him too much as he became uncertain that he would be capable of lasting very much longer. Pearl retracted it from his mouth, taking to lapping around the head as he began to work the shaft in his hands more vigorously. Diamond's muscles started to tighten, shamelessly holding Pearl's head and bringing him deeper into his mouth but it wasn't enough.
"Nn, Uh, Pearl?"
"Mmph?"
"Tighter grip and- AH!"
His thoughts became a jumbling of what he was trying to say and his conscious registering how much he was loving everything Pearl was doing. A jolt went through him, all his muscles stiffening as he tried his best to catch himself from moaning as loud as he would have in the privacy of their own room. Pearl choked, erupting in a coughing fit as he withdrew his now dying erection from his mouth, thankful it hadn't come out of his nose as he tried to get a hold of himself. Diamond shook his legs a bit and the panties slid to his ankles as he fell to his knees, leaning forward to pant into Pearl's shoulder.
"Damn..." Pearl exhaled, rubbing Diamond's back soothingly.
He licked his lips as he tried to strain his eyes to check the time on his discarded poketch on the other side of the room but with no success. Diamond let out an exhausted but content sigh as he sat up, hands in his lap as he looked at Pearl with lidded eyes and a lazy grin. Pearl puckered his lips in a silent request, Diamond meeting him halfway as they shared a gentle kiss.
"I love you so much," he murmured against his lips, cupping the blonde's face as he kissed him again with a quick swirl of tongue. "So... so... much."
He kissed him back lethargically, reaching for his poketch as he checked the time.
"We're going to have to run and grab take-out for dinner. We can't let the sun go down too much."
Diamond sighed with an obedient nod as he rose with a stretch, stepping out of the panties as he redressed himself. He tucked his shirt back in, pulling his sweater over his head while Pearl did the same, picking up their items and examining the corset with mild interest. He toyed with the panties, helicoptering them around his index finger haughtily as Diamond pulled on his shoes. He rolled his eyes at Pearl with a faint amusement as he rose once more still watching them revolve endlessly around the digit. He turned toward the door, hand on the knob as his direction was directed to the brim of his hat to which said panties now hung off of courtesy of Pearl flinging them. The blonde choked back a laugh as they exited the dressing room, the panties being removed promptly as they were greeted by the woman.
"Did it fit alright, hun?"
"(Oh yeah...) Uh, I don't think this is really for me," he handed her the corset, still clutching the panties. "But thank you so much, ma'am."
"Aw, well you gave it a shot," she nodded with a look of what she assumed to be shared disappointment. "You two take care now."
They sighed with relief, having gotten away the only thing left was to pay for these things and move on. They looked at each other and laughed silently, not paying attention as they bumped into someone.
"Oh! Sorry, miss..." Diamond's voice trailing off as they each made eye contact with the young lady, everyone collectively embarrassed by the situation.
"Um..." She blinked, looking at the panties in Diamond's hands and then taking note again to make sure she was indeed in the intimates' department as she hid her bras behind her abruptly. "Hey, guys..."
"Hello, Candice..." They answered with delayed unison as they all stood awkwardly staring at one another, the gym leader nodding without reason.
"Well, aren't you two far from home? Uh, I hope you're doing well! Yeah, and don't be strangers... let's not meet again like this, eheh..." Her words came out cautiously slow as if each word had to individually process, her eyes still fixated on the offending article in Diamond's hand with outer apathy to convey the inner shock.
"Y-Yeah, uh see you around!"
They quickly went their separate ways, Diamond wanting to die and once again realizing that this had been a terrible idea. Through the displays they maneuvered as at last they reached the counter, thankful that there wasn't a line this time. It was even more uncomfortable as they paid for everything, trying to convince them not to put everything in a pink bag even worse. They took their brief walk of shame as they reentered the main floor of the store, quickly trying to get out before they saw anyone else who happened to know who they were.
At last they were out on the sidewalk again, the crisp air still showing no mercy though without the wind it was considerably more comfortable to be out there. The street lights had begun to glow but the brightness of the sun as it prepared to set was still too overbearing to see it just yet. Diamond looked at him to lead, sharing a mischievous telling glance as they started down the street hand in hand.
Diamond was tired, happy for the day that had proven to be more than memorable and extremely entertaining despite the few now laughable mishaps. He felt lucky to have Pearl, to be able to call his boyfriend his best friend was something special and he couldn't have imagined being with anyone else or that it were possible to have that much chemistry or fun with another person.
He smiled as he curled his fingers tighter around Pearl's already icy cold ones, not questioning him as he happily followed him not taking much notice as they stopped to buy hot chocolate, dinner and blankets as well. He didn't notice how long they were in the hotel room; now that they were walking where the children had once been playing he actually didn't remember what the room had looked like.
They pushed past the snow, Diamond beginning to lose distance as Pearl seemed frantic to get to wherever it was that they were going. His hands were warm from their dinner, styrofoam containers stacked in a plastic bag, the heat failing to warm the whole of his arms causing a chill as the cold began to get between him and his jacket.
"Pearl, wait!" He called out suddenly more aware of his surroundings and the distance between them as he fought to get through the snow drifts in this area.
Pearl stopped instantaneously, waiting for Diamond with a look of urgency as he caught up most of the distance slowly but surely.
"What's the surprise?"
"I'll show you. C'mon, over here," he called from the entrance to Lake Acuity as he began disappearing already behind some trees.
"Coming!"
Lake Acuity was a breathtaking site to behold. Bounded by conifers, snow cloaked the area and the setting sun was still enough to make everything glitter like a cosmic blanket of stars across the endless void of space. The violets and roses that comprised the sunset hues overhead bled together in an almost artistically ideal manner like pastels on a canvas. The air was crisp with the scent of winter despite the time of year and billowy snow drifts evened out by the water's edge. The tranquil surface was only disturbed by the occasional frosty breeze and it shimmered dazzlingly like a stash of brilliant diamonds. Diamond's face lit up in awe as he looked around, feeling more than a little homesick as he remembered the lake near their homes in Twinleaf. Pearl grinned triumphantly as he watched Diamond's reaction, a sigh of relief that they had arrived before the sun had set completely.
"Oh Pearl, it's so beautiful," he whispered as though a louder tone would have maimed the serenity and cause the dream-like wonder to cease. "Too bad the lake at home never gets like this, imagine this much snow in Twinleaf?"
He walked around a bit, his head turning as his eyes darted to and fro taking in their new surroundings. He wasn't used to this much snow but it was quite lovely and pleasant even when it wasn't in your shoes or blowing around in a manner that made each crystalline flake feel like a unique razor blade stinging your ears. In that respect he never wanted to imagine this much snow at home. Winter could be such a nuisance.
"I'm glad you like it. Although there better not be this much snow at home ever…" He sniffled, grimacing at the thought as Route 217 was ever present in his mind. Never again… "Anyway, I thought we could stay and stargaze a bit. The stars up here are different than the ones at home, you know."
Diamond smiled in response, throwing an arm around the blonde's neck in an embrace, wary of their food, to which Pearl happily returned the gesture. He stole a kiss before relaxing his grip with a content sigh escaping his lips in a cloud.
"Let's have dinner, shall we?"
Pearl set up the blankets, Diamond settling himself atop it and trying to dress up their meals as Pearl built a fire for them. The oncoming darkness of the night was a beautiful progression from the violets to a deeper blue as they enjoyed their picnic dinner. They laughed about the day, talked about nearly everything they could think of, sweet nothings not going unaccounted for throughout. It was a wonderful dinner but the real treat was after dinner as they moved closer to one another and got to take in the scenery.
"It looks like Dialga! You see it?"
Diamond gestured out at the stars where a few whether by chance or not resembled the legendary beast in his eyes. The stars that were scattered across the sky were very different than the ones over southern Sinnoh and the boys tried to pick out various constellations though they knew hardly anything of them to properly identify them. The fire crackled and casted a soft orange glow about the area they occupied, its heat comforting. They sat side by side on one of the blankets, the other draped across them both to preserve the heat.
The blonde rolled his eyes, shaking his head in disagreement.
"It's obviously Palkia."
"They look nothing alike! How could you confuse them?"
"When you think of space, you think of Palkia. You know Palkia is called the spatial pokemon. Guess what you find in space?" Diamond shook his head with a sigh, unwilling to participate in yet another debate over what each supposed constellation was in actuality. "That's right, you find stars. What do you think of when you think of Dialga, Dia?"
He heaved a sigh, "Wasting time on frivolities…"
"Time! Exactly right. So doesn't it make the most sense that the stars, in space, would look like Palkia and not Dialga?"
"They each have constellations though. And how do you know which one it is? You don't know anything about stars!"
"Neither do you."
They sat in contented silence for another stretch of time, Diamond and Pearl both looking up at the stars for quite some time together. Eyes darting among each celestial speck trying to make sense of something they had no business reasoning with. But there didn't have to be an explanation behind their placement or supposed connecting and relations, no calculative madness was necessary to take in their vast beauty. Time seemed to be slipping through their fingers like running water without a destination, in a hurry to be somewhere, anywhere but where it was running from. What had started as minutes quickly became hours as they enjoyed the scenery and each other's company.
As though children once more, Pearl felt himself grow restless at the inactivity trying to distract his fidgety mind by fixating his attention on something, anything really would do. He found himself staring at Diamond would was peacefully still looking at the countless stars above them with the same wonderment as when they had first began appearing. Diamond always vexed him in that regard; he admired everything and could dote on anything or anyone indefinitely without losing his veneration. Looking at Diamond he felt at ease but also nervous from the night prior's mishap.
In spite of everything they had shared in these months or even in their short lifetimes he felt like a child again back at Lake Verity with his best friend. His best friend whom he had shared nearly every first with, and had held hands with so many years ago. It was a moment not unlike this one, where he found himself watching Diamond, admiring him from afar despite their close proximity. As Diamond's eyes at last met Pearl's he felt himself blush furiously at being found out. Diamond smiled at him inquiringly, puzzled by his boyfriend's actions.
"Pearl?"
"Y-Yeah?" He stammered, shaking his head as he came back to reality.
"You okay?" He smiled endearingly.
"Oh yeah, totally. Everything's fine"
He played it off like it was nothing, letting the nostalgia disperse to the recesses of his mind.
"Good… What were you thinking about?" He cocked his head at the blonde with a quirky smile like he already knew the answer.
"Lots of things…"
"About me?" He smiled hopefully, watching as Pearl rolled his eyes playfully.
"Yes."
A few minutes of silence ensured where they awkwardly stared at one another, the prolonged eye contact making Pearl fidget occasionally while Diamond sat calmly beside him. He wondered what Diamond was thinking; all he could manage to think about was that one night and wanting more than anything to be closer to Diamond. The beret clad boy sighed, returning his attention to the lake while Pearl continued to watch him. Pursing his lips he shrugged.
"It's cold…"
It was a simple truth, stated flatly though the smirk he wore hinted at something Pearl couldn't quite reason. Couldn't reason that is until his memories came flooding to his conscious like a train wreck. But nonetheless he claimed Diamond's hand in his own as smoothly as he could as he scooted closer. Diamond smiled wide as Pearl rested his head on his shoulder.
"Did you have a good day, Dia?"
"I had a wonderful day, thank you for everything." He placed a kiss on his forehead, gripping his hand tighter in reassurance. "I'm the luckiest guy in the world to have you."
Pearl smiled to himself, sitting up as he turned to face Diamond, clasping his hand between both of his own.
"I'm sorry that my plans ended up falling through but I think we had a really great day anyway. This wasn't dinner at that fancy restaurant I had reservations for, it would have been better if they had an opening today but they didn't. It wasn't a romantic evening in with candles and all those other silly things I had planned either," He explained with an indifferent shrug as he averted his gaze to the side, afraid to see any disappointment on his face at the prospect of the other plans. "But, I love you Diamond. Happy anniversary."
Diamond's mouth hung open at the last words, everything suddenly registering as he slapped his free hand over his mouth.
"Pearl, I... Why didn't you tell me it was today?!"
"Relax, babe," he gestured out at the sky with a patient smile. "The night is young, and I have you here. Forget the rest."
They shared an affectionate kiss as they laid back to look up the stars together. After another span of a few minutes passed by a few lazy clouds sauntered in heavily obscuring the constellation once in question. Dialga and Palkia, time and space respectively, each existing independent of one another and hardly similar enough to be mistaken for the other. Under the infinitely spacious sky the boys found themselves contently in each other's arms, kissing and touching, merely feeling what had once felt so foreign. Tomorrow they would set out for home but tonight they weren't in a hurry to do anything but indulge in the other. Home is where the heart is after all, so in retrospect the blonde supposed as he felt his mouth be probed gently by his lover's tongue that home was wherever this boy was because he had his heart in his hands. And as he felt himself melt into the rhythmic friction of the two prying muscles all he could hope
Was that he wouldn't drop it…
So I guess this is the part where I grovel at your feet for being so late, huh?
Mi dispiace dal profondo del mio cuore, I truly am sorry that this took so long. As you know it's been almost two years that I've been writing this and last time I checked this chapter was 'finished' but when I proof read it, it was short in length and context so I decided to embellish it... by adding over 10,000 words to the original... yay. That being said I hope this was worth the wait and will hold you over until I finish the next chapter which I am perhaps 1/3 done with at the moment.
I'm pretty happy with this chapter collectively even thought it's nothing like the original draft. Shopping for men's clothes online was too much fun but so expensive! Maybe it's just me, I could walk into a dollar store and find something worth a hundred dollars, I just naturally gravitate toward expensive things. But most if not all their clothes were inspired by sketches I derived from Armani and a few other designers' designs I found on Macy's website. Malbec is a color by the way (I didn't know that, haha) but it's like a wine/maroon-ish if anyone was confused about that.
The panty shopping might seem a bit cliche like an amateur author's (or a younger demographic of kawaii fangirl's) idea of an amusing plot but it was fun to write nonetheless and I love lingerie. I would sit in Victoria Secret all day just sketching if I could. I designed Diamond's panties myself, they were inspired in part by a pair that I own but I also tried to really visualize his personality. I knew blue would bring out his eyes and keep it soft, the polka dots a bit innocent but the lace and black accents brought a sensuality to it.
Let's see... Oh yes, have any of you ever tried pasting stuff into Google translate and had it read it to you? It's funny as hell. I've been feeding the fic through it and listening to it back, you should try it. She says Diamond's name in an odd tone and sometimes says "the diamond" by accident and she can't say "panties" which had me rolling over here.
Other than that I am going to please ask that you check my deviantart journal regularly (MistressBambola , the link is also on my profile here) as I have said in the past to keep up to date with progress, in depth commentary and analysis, to give feedback, and everything else related to this story. I don't have a helluva lot of journal entries but every one (except the very first one) has something about the fic in it so you may want to back track if you have time. Whenever I update the fic I post a journal and usually on a weekly basis if I can (or have reason to) I will update it. A request came in for fanart of CH18 shower scene so that is now up in my gallery if you guys wanted to check that out.
I believe the next update will be in two weeks and I will try to maintain a posting frequency like that but please be mindful that I start college in a couple weeks and I just got my schedule... I have classes pretty much straight through 9-5 and I'm trying to look for a couple part time jobs and looking into potentially doing art commissions because being smart is really expensive even with scholarships and loans. So please be patient with me.
Can't wait to hear your feedback on this one, thank you again to the massive influx of new readers and to my dedicated readers who make writing this all the more worthwhile. Your messages and feedback mean the world to me and I send my love to all of my dolls!
Baci XXX