Aogiri snored lightly as he slept soundly, one arm draped over Matsubusa's waist while the rest of him lay sprawled out across the bed. The multitude of pillows positioned him awkwardly, but it did nothing to ruin his slumber, nor did the fact that Matsubusa was sprawled across him as though he was the redhead's personal self-warming mattress.

Morning light crept in through the window, casting its bright face on the occupants of the room. It passed over Leviathan as the large Feraligatr rested on the floor, sprawled out like a throw rug, before snaking its way up on to the bed. Aogiri's back was to the window, so it did little more than glisten off his body. Matsubusa, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky. The sunlight found its way directly on to his dozing face, somehow managing to get past the wall of muscle that otherwise shielded him.

Matsubusa grimaced, making a soft sound as he was slowly roused by the annoying light. Even as he cracked his eyes slightly to glare at what dared to intrude on his sleep, he was only rewarded with even more of the offensive light. Snapping his eyes shut again, the redhead shifted to move his face, burying it in to Aogiri's chest.

Despite the redhead's efforts, the light had still done its job. Consciousness was returning to Matsubusa, and it first noticed that something about Dante was off. Of course, clearly the warm body he held in his arms was Dante, as it was the only reasonable assumption. However, his mind groggily began to point out, if it was Dante that was spooning his front, then who was it spooning his back?

Matsubusa paused before he pulled his head back, turning it to open his right eye and peer behind him. He was immediately greeted by the sight of Dante, the Houndoom pressed up against his back as he slept. The sight was a familiar one, and soothed any concerns his groggy mind had. With a sigh, he turned his head back as he closed his eyes and got comfortable once more.

Unfortunately, it seemed that consciousness wasn't quite satisfied after all. After confirming that it was Dante behind him, Matsubusa's haze-filled brain still found reason to question the situation. After all, if Dante was actually behind him, then who was is in his arms?

Matsubusa hesitated, as he could think of no appropriate answer. Sleepily, he pulled his head back again as he opened both eyes to see what he held in his arms. He was immediately awarded with the sight of Aogiri's perfectly chiseled pectorals, his chest proudly on display as it rose and fell gently with each slumbering breath.

The redhead hazily stared at Aogiri's chest for several moments as the unfamiliar vision slowly registered. Once it did, Matsubusa barely kept himself from letting out a strangled squeal, clasping both hands over his mouth as he jerked back, consciousness returning to him with all the grace of a semi truck.

Matsubusa trembled as he stared at Aogiri, face burning red as he realized what had happened – what he had done. Somehow, Aogiri had crawled in to the bed with him. And if that wasn't bad enough, the redhead had rewarded the pirate's efforts by curling up against him, spooning him.

The redhead could only quiver in mortification, his hands clamped firmly around his mouth to keep him from potentially waking Aogiri with his revelation, though he feared it was too late. Matsubusa expected Aogiri to wake up and make some wisecracks against him, but minutes ticked by and nothing happened.

The leader of Team Magma watched Aogiri for any sign that the pirate was rousing from his slumber. When none came after several more minutes, only then did Matsubusa finally allow his body to relax with a heavy sigh in to his hands. Reluctantly, he peeled them away from his mouth as he looked at the pirate. The whole situation was ridiculous, there was no doubt about that. And yet once the panic had worn away, he found himself sitting among the sea of pillows, wedged between Dante and Aogiri.

Matsubusa watched the pirate breathe evenly as his mind wandered back to the night before. He couldn't even begin to guess when the pirate had entered the bed. The fact that Dante allowed it at least suggested that the Houndoom had deemed the action safe, and nothing had happened between them. Besides, it didn't fit Aogiri's character to molest him as he slept – the pirate would rather do that while he was awake.

In the current situation, it was Matsubusa who was awake and the pirate who was asleep. The redhead had no idea what to make of it, so he simply continued to sit as he stared at the pirate's peaceful face and listened to his gentle breathing.

There was something mesmerizing about Aogiri's face. During all their previous encounters, it was always confident and smug, smirking at him as the pirate did his best to be a complete pain in Matsubusa's behind. And yet, the same face looked so gentle as the same man slept. It was hard to really connect the two, to comprehend that it was the same person.

Matsubusa's gaze drifted from Aogiri's closed eyes to his nose, then his lips and beard. Before he even realized what was happening, his hands moved to tentatively touch at the beard, feeling it against his hand. Fanning his fingers, he nestled them in to the pirate's facial hair. It was a distinctively different feeling than Dante's fur, ticklish but not unpleasantly so. He had half-expected it to feel like he was touching a wire brush, and was surprised to see that wasn't the case. It was actually rather soft.

Aogiri sighed, his breath warm as it lightly danced across the redhead's fingers. A peaceful smile graced his face, causing Matsubusa to freeze in a rush of panic. However, the pirate was in no rush to wake, but instead slid his hand upward a little along the redhead's back and drew the rival team leader closer.

Matsubusa felt a surge of warmth that originated from the touch, and it spread rapidly through his body and up to his face. He hesitated, struck with indecision as Aogiri held him close in his sleep. The redhead didn't remove his hands, which were still buried in Aogiri's beard as if they belonged there. Matsubusa's heart began to thunder in his chest as he stared at the pirate, and only began to look away when he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye.

Matsubusa's eyes slid over to the floor, where Leviathan was stretched out. His insides froze, heat turning to ice, as his eyes met the Feraligatr's. Leviathan had turned to look direction at him, her expression dispelling any question about whether or not she had seen the redhead's actions. She had not only seen them, but understood them, and her quirked brow loudly communicated what she couldn't do with words.

The redhead struggled to find words as Leviathan stared at him. Unfortunately, it didn't end there. He felt a similar feeling of someone else looking at him, and Matsubusa turned his head just enough that he found himself looking in to Dante's own eyes as the Houndoom stared at him.

Dante let out a deep sigh, his eyes briefly drifting to the ceiling.

Matsubusa trembled before he abruptly sat up, using his hands to push Aogiri away. Considering that his hands were still buried in Aogiri's beard, the pirate's face bore the brunt of the force. "Nothing happened!"

The loud protest and push were enough to rouse Aogiri into semi-consciousness with a grunt. "Always figured you were into the kinky stuff, Masky..."

Matsubusa's face exploded a deeper shade of red as he bristled. "What!?"

Aogiri blinked open his eyes, which were heavy with sleep and let out a quiet snort. "Huh?"

"I didn't... I didn't do anything!" Matsubusa blurted out, his face deep red. "Why are you in my bed, anyway!?"

Aogiri stifled a yawn behind his hand. "Good morning to you too." He took the time to stretch his arms and legs with a sigh. "Actually, it's my bed if you want to be technical about it, but I don't mind sharing it with you."

Matsubusa found himself watching as Aogiri stretched in spite of himself, before he quickly realized what he was doing and gave a quick shake of his head. "Y-you... you gave it to me, so that makes it mine!"

A chuckle escaped Aogiri, and he flashed Matsubusa a wry smile. "Well, I don't mind giving ownership to you if you don't mind me taking up a little space in it with you now and again."

Matsubusa stared at Aogiri as his face turned red. As he felt all eyes turn on him, not only Aogiri's but from the Pokémon as well, he jerked and grabbed the blanket, holding it tightly against his body. "D-d-don't say such stupid things-!"

Aogiri reached out to brush the back of his hand against Matsubusa's cheek. "Last night, I came in to check on you, and you grabbed onto me, sighing my name, and there was nothing I could do. How can I resist you when you're being so sweet like that?"

Matsubusa's eyes widened as he gawked at Aogiri, his jaw dropping. "W-what-!? When did I-!?" His pale face immediately turned red again, a tremor running through him. "I never-! Why would I-!?"

Aogiri stroked Matsubusa's flushed skin with his thumb. "I think it has something to do with the fact that you have fantasies about me so sexy they wreck your underwear."

Matsubusa's jaw dropped as he stared at Aogiri, completely taken aback. "H-how... how do... you...?"

"You told me while you were drunk off your ass," Aogiri chuckled. "Took me by surprise, but I was not disappointed."

Matsubusa's mouth moved with no sound coming out, at least initially. As his mind slowly began to process what Aogiri was saying, his blush began to deepen until it spread across his entire face, to his ears, and his neck. Then, and only then, did his voice finally come out – high pitched and squeaking. "That's a lie! A lie a lie a lie a lie! I don't remember any of that!"

Aogiri lightly tapped Matsubusa's lower lip as he moved in close, his voice going low and sultry. "You're not fooling anyone, Masky."

"I-I'm not trying to fool anyone!" Matsubusa protested, even as he felt his heart flutter and his body grow impossibly warm as Aogiri drew closer. "L-least of all a fool like you!"

Aogiri loomed over Matsubusa, leaving only a breath's space between them. "So what're you denying – that I'm making you come hard in your dreams or that you were drunk off your ass enough to admit it?"

Matsubusa's breathing hitched as his fingers clutched the blanket and held it close against his bare skin. He couldn't find the words to reply, especially not with Aogiri so close. Even if he could find the words to say, it felt as though even his breath was an indecent kiss against his skin. Words would only take it in to even more dangerous territory.

Aogiri took his time to trace Matsubusa's lips with his finger. "See what I mean?" He was so close now that his lips brushed against the back of his nail when he spoke. "You're not fooling anyone, Matsubusa."

Matsubusa trembled as his breathing quickened. He felt the urge to lick his lips, his mind insisting it was just to moisten them and not because of the blazing trail Aogiri had left there. It was absolutely not because he wanted to taste the pirate, to close the distance between them. That absolutely, positively was not the reason. "A... Ao... giri..."

A sharp knock on the door sent both men jerking back a second before it opened a crack to reveal Matt peeking in. "Breakfast ti..." The admin trailed off as he noticed how close the two leaders were and the generous amount of skin exposed by Matsubusa's drooping blanket. "Never mind I see you're busy bye!" There was barely a chance to see his cheeks turn bright red before the door slammed shut.

Matsubusa froze, the sudden appearance of Matt immediately like snow down his metaphorical pants. Despite the chill, his blush only became worse – turning in to pure mortification. He let out a strangled shriek at the same time as a stream of protests escaped him, the redhead jerking his hands out to shove Aogiri away.

Aogiri grunted as he was pushed back, but the difference in their strength kept him from going very far. The annoyance he felt at the interruption destroying the mood between them was short lived, as he found himself distracted by the fact that Matsubusa had dropped the blanket. "That hungry for breakfast, Masky?"

"B-bastard! You bastard!" Matsubusa seethed, gripping his hands in to fists and shaking them at Aogiri. "You did that on purpose!"

Aogiri forgot the next bit of teasing banter he had prepared to point out Matsubusa's exposure and instead blinked at the redhead. "Huh?"

"Y-you knew he was going to do that!" Matsubusa snarled as he pointed accusingly at Aogiri. "So you purposely put me in a compromising position!"

Aogiri slowly cocked an eyebrow before raising a finger. "Okay, first off, if my plan was to humiliate you, I could've done that just by letting everyone see you naked." He raised another finger. "Second, what exactly would've been the signal to let Matt know to peek in and out and run like hell instead of, I don't know, secretly record us with a camera or throw open the door for the crew to be laughing at you?" He cocked his head back as he raised a third finger. "And finally, why the hell would I give myself blue balls after I've finally got you naked in my bed all to myself? I'm already at half mast and I was this close to finally getting a kiss from you!"

Matsubusa went completely silent as he gaped at Aogiri, taken aback. He hesitated, both embarrassed and surprisingly ashamed of himself for the accusation. "I-I... that's..."

However, it was at that point that Aogiri's words fully settled in – particularly the words 'blue balls' and 'naked'. The redhead jerked and his eyes darted down to confirm for himself, noticing a bulge in Aogiri's lap. As heat flooded his face, his eyes then darted to his own body, his eyes falling on bare flesh and the blanket barely covering his modesty. Matsubusa's breathing hitched as his eyes went wide, seconds before a strangled squeak escaped him. Grabbing the blanket, he yanked it up roughly before it went completely over his head. The redhead curled up underneath in to a tight ball, screaming incoherent words at the pirate.

Aogiri sighed, resigning himself to another missed opportunity at finally getting some action from Matsubusa and lightly patted the blanket where the other man's head would be. "Alright, alright, I got the message. Mood's dead, and you need some space for a while." He slid off the bed and stretched, willing his disappointed member back down as best he could. "I've got to get the ship ready to dock at base anyway." At the door, he looked back at Matsubusa, who was still hiding and sputtering. "I'll be back with breakfast in a little while. Come on, Levi."

Leviathan rumbled her agreement before she stood up, stretching leisurely before she flashed Dante and the hiding Matsubusa a grin. She then turned and lumbered after her trainer, in a surprisingly good mood.

Dante watched the pair leave until the door clicked shut behind them and then turned back to Matsubusa, waiting until the man's fit of embarrassment died down.

After several moments of silence, Matsubusa's trembling eased down. As time went on and he became more assured that the torment had ended, at least for the time being, the redhead finally peered up from underneath the blanket to look at the door.

Dante nuzzled Matsubusa's cheek with his nose once his trainer emerged, his tail lashing from side to side.

Matsubusa instinctively reached over to touch Dante's head, the redhead reassured by his Pokémon's affection. He continued to eye the door, a scowl appearing on his face as he ruffled the Houndoom's ears. "...T-that bastard thinks he can just... tease me and get away with it...!"

Dante let out a puff of warm air, his eyes briefly traveling to the ceiling, before he shrugged off his trainer's ineffectual denials and simply enjoyed being petted.

Aogiri tried to take his time getting breakfast, but it wasn't long before he was back at his bedroom door with a tray full of piping hot food, eager to see how Matsubusa was doing. He chanced to peek inside, but before he could say anything, he saw the captivating view of Matsubusa's behind in the air, aimed towards him in a silky boxers almost in a silent taunt. Although he could see that it was just the redhead was merely getting dressed, he couldn't turn down the silent invitation to squeeze Matsubusa's rump.

Matsubusa jumped with a squeak, dropping the top to his changshan back on the bed. He clasped his hands over his butt as he whipped around, face red. "What-!?"

Aogiri waggled his eyebrows as he wiggled his fingers. "I noticed you found the clothes I left for you. I figured you'd appreciate some fine silk on that choice ass of yours."

Matsubusa blushed darkly as he shielded his rump with his hands. "T-they're my clothes to begin with! You... you idiot!"

Aogiri chuckled as he brought the tray out in front of him. "Glad to see you're in a playful mood again. Shall we have breakfast together? I want to hear you sweet talk me some more."

Matsubusa was about to snap when he paused. The sight and scent of the food was enough to get his stomach rumbling, reminding him that he hadn't eaten much except for some soup within the past few days. Anything he had eaten prior to the soup had long since been thrown up with the alcohol, leaving him quite famished. The redhead's eyes darted from the tray to Aogiri, before he tentatively reached out to accept the offered food. "I-it's just the food, I have no interest in you at all."

Aogiri chuckled and took a seat on the bed. "Riiiight, right."

Matsubusa set the food down on the table near the bed, looking at the assorted breakfast food spread across it. He swiftly plucked up a sausage from the plate and extended it towards Dante.

Dante eagerly snatched up the offered food with a happy bark, his tail wagging so hard he stirred up a small breeze.

Aogiri snickered at the sight. "Yo, Dante, that food is supposed to be for me and Masky. We got a nice hot meal waiting for you in the mess hall."

Dante eyed Aogiri as he chewed the sausage and made a show of planting his rump on the floor with a small snort of smoke from his nostrils.

Matsubusa paused at that, his face turning red as he stared at Aogiri. "E-eh?! A-as in... together!?"

Aogiri reached for the tray, his hand brushing along Matsubusa's arm in the process, before he snagged a sausage for himself. "I was going to leave the tray if you still needed some space, but you're looking a lot more friendly at the moment."

Matsubusa squeaked, his face exploding with crimson. "F-f-f-friendly!?"

Aogiri munched on the morsel of meat as he coiled a strand of Matsubusa's vivid red hair around his finger. Though he refused to talk with his mouth full, his eyes spoke of his amusement for him.

Matsubusa trembled, his blush spreading down his face, before he furiously took a bite out of the sausage, his fangs tearing in to it. "D-d-d-don't be stupid!"

Aogiri blinked as he noticed Matsubusa's teeth for the first time. "Oh damn that's cute."

Matsubusa paused at that, blinking as he stared at Aogiri. "H-huh?"

Aogiri lightly tapped Matsubusa's chin. "You've got fangs!"

"E-eh? Ah," Matsubusa blushed, immediately self-conscious. He could feel Aogiri's eyes honing in on his teeth, only increasing the sensation. "S-so do you!"

"Nah, not like those," Aogiri said with a grin. "Yours are big and adorable!"

Matsubusa's blush deepened as he trembled, staring at Aogiri with wide eyes. "H-how are fangs adorable?!"

Aogiri leaned in closer. "I don't know, but I do know you make that look irresistible!"

Matsubusa was completely taken aback, his heart beating furiously in his chest. He stammered as he struggled for words before he quickly looked away. "Y-you've hardly been trying in the first place!"

Aogiri slowly traced a heart on Matsubusa's cheek. "Oh, I've been trying, believe me. You just make it impossible for me to have as much self-control as I usually have. You should feel impressed at yourself for driving me crazy all the time."

Matsubusa clasped a hand over his cheek, whirling to stare at Aogiri again. His cheek burned along where Aogiri had touched him, a reminder of what the pirate had done. "...W-well, i-it's your own fault...!"

"Oh?" Aogiri cocked an eyebrow. "Do tell."

"W-who gave you permission to... to drive yourself crazy over me!?" Matsubusa demanded, his face still quite crimson. "It certainly wasn't me!"

Aogiri chuckled as he toyed with Matsubusa's long red hair. "Funny that. I've never been one for following the rules, and something tells me you feel the same way, Masky."

Matsubusa jerked, sucking in a hiss of air at the name. It was a stark reminder that the pirate had guessed his identity. Stiffening, he looked away. "...I-I don't know what you mean. That... that 'name' means nothing to me."

Aogiri eased closer, his warm breath caressing the side of Matsubusa's neck before tickling the redhead's ear. "Okay, I get it. Since we're alone now and nice and intimate, you want me to call you by your real name, right, Matsubusa?"

Matsubusa felt a shiver run up his spine, goosebumps forming along his skin. Aogiri's voice was husky and suggestive, hinting at all sorts of indecencies as he purred out his name. "D... don't say my name s-so vulgarly!"

"How is it vulgar to say the name of the man who drives me crazy?" Aogiri whispered as he traced the contours of Matsubusa's jaw with his fingertip.

"I-it sounds like you're doing dirty things to my name!" Matsubusa snapped, his voice high-pitched and squeaking.

Aogiri savored the noises Matsubusa made, feeling warmth flow through him. "What a coincidence – I've been imagining doing dirty things to you for a long time now."

Matsubusa shivered again, his body temperature rising with Aogiri so close to him. It was hard to focus, and he was certain that was the entire point. As he tried to regain control of the situation, he blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "...B-breakfast!"

Aogiri blinked before his stomach rumbled in agreement. He warred between two very strong primal needs before finally leaning back with a sigh. "Okay, okay, I get the message. I'll ease up on the seduction so we can both eat." He snatched one of the forks so that he could spear himself some omelette. "But afterward..." He let the promise dangle in the air, his eyes never leaving Matsubusa.

Matsubusa tentatively took the other fork, still flustered despite Aogiri's retreat. The way Aogiri's eyes locked with his own kept the feeling inside him burning. He knew the pirate was just teasing him, as he had done numerous times in the past. And it had been difficult enough to deal with then, when he had his mask to protect him. Without it, he felt naked and vulnerable, and far more susceptible than he ever realized he could be. "A-afterwards nothing! Y-you... you idiot..."

"Oh yeah, sweet talk me some more," Aogiri practically purred. "It just makes the chase more exciting."

Matsubusa jabbed a sausage with his fork before he jammed it in his mouth, creating an excuse not to speak as he didn't dare trust his voice. Sadly, it was a useless effort as his brilliantly red face spoke far louder than anything he could say.

Aogiri snickered, but said nothing as he took a bite of omelette.

Dante climbed up onto the bed and abruptly wedged himself between the two men, forcing Aogiri to move away from Matsubusa. He eyed the leader of Team Aqua before resting his head in his trainer's lap.

Aogiri looked at the Houndoom with a mixture of annoyance and amusement. "I can't tell if that's Pokespeak for 'let my trainer have breakfast' or 'I'm jealous of all the attention you're giving to Aogiri so pet me already'."

Dante gave Aogiri a sideways look, his expression deadpan.

Aogiri hummed thoughtfully. "The first one, I'll bet. If it was the second, you'd be giving me this smug smile that you're in Masky's lap instead of me."

Dante flashed rows of sharp teeth at Aogiri before accepting another offering of sausage from Matsubusa.

"Or both," Aogiri conceded.

Matsubusa quirked an eyebrow at Aogiri as he pet his Houndoom's head, offering him bits of breakfast. "...Are you really picking a fight with my Pokémon over me?"

Aogiri blinked before he barked out a laugh. "Ah, come on, I'm just having a little fun with him." He nudged Matsubusa's shoulder lightly. "I know better than to come between a trainer and Pokémon, especially when they're just being concerned."

Matsubusa considered that before he looked down at Dante, his cheeks light pink. "...Good. T-that would've made things... awkward..." He muttered under his breath, more to himself than Aogiri.

Aogiri gave Matsubusa's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Don't worry, I'm gonna make you more than happy enough that Dante won't need to worry about you so much."

Dante caught Aogiri's gaze so the man could watch as he rolled his eyes.

Aogiri snickered at the silent retort. "You just watch, pup!"

Matsubusa glanced at the hand on his shoulder, the touch warm and firm against his skin. Unfortunately, the glance also reminded the redhead that he was still shirtless – he hadn't finished getting dressed when Aogiri interrupted. The realization sent a chill up Matsubusa's spine before he stammered out an incoherent series of words, reaching to grab his changshan top.

Aogiri blinked, startled by the sudden onslaught of embarrassed nonsense from Matsubusa, before he saw the redhead hastily finish dressing. He snapped his fingers. "Darn, you noticed. There goes my tasty breakfast view."

Matsubusa grabbed the changshan and quickly yanked it on, stopping only to button it up as he glared over his shoulder at Aogiri. "Y-y-you!"

Aogiri lightly poked Matsubusa's nose. "And here I thought you were purposefully trying to wind me up by showing off that hot bod of yours."

Matsubusa held his changshan tightly to his chest, despite it being already on. "I-I... h-hot bod-!?"

Aogiri traced the collar of the changshan. "Hotter than lava."

Matsubusa watched Aogiri's finger before he looked up sharply to Aogiri's face, his own flooded with heated mortification. Thankfully, he was saved from having to speak by the sudden knock at the door.

"I assume it's safe to come in?" Shelly said through the door. "Because it doesn't seem like you two are busy rocking the boat yet."

Aogiri let out an annoyed breath at yet another interruption and eyed the door. "Kinda hard to get any rocking started with you lot coming in and out."

Matsubusa furrowed his brow at the insinuation, before it registered precisely what Shelly and Aogiri were implying. Shock and mortification exploded across his face as he gripped his shirt tightly. "S-shut up! D-don't make it sound like... like we were about to do something!"

Shelly opened the door and leaned against the frame, arms folded in front of her. She seemed to be pointedly ignoring what Matsubusa said as she focused on her captain. "Sorry to be a cockblock, but we're ready to dock, and I'd be a poor doc if I didn't check up on my patient."

Aogiri held up two fingers barely a millimeter apart. "You were this close to making a pretty funny poem there."

Shelly shrugged as she entered the room. "I was going to use something with 'rock' but I already used it up before I came in and I didn't want to be too predictable." She looked at Matsubusa. "So, how're you doing today?"

Matsubusa frowned, his face still a deep shade of red. It was clear that the two had ignored his protests, but as infuriating as it was, he knew calling attention to it would only bring their focus back on the topic. The sooner they stopped talking about such things, the better. "...I'm feeling better, so I... suppose I should t-thank you. Though I have to say, the water puns are a bit much. Team Aqua or not, can't you save them for when you're actually on a boat?"

Aogiri cocked an eyebrow. "You mean like right now? Sounds like a good plan to me, Masky!"

Matsubusa paused at that, his entire body stiffening. "...What?"

"So water you waiting for?" Aogiri said with an exaggerated wink as he nudged Matsubusa with his elbow. "It's aboat time to make some fishy puns!"

Shelly groaned as she covered her face with her hand. "I blame you for this."

Matsubusa stared at Aogiri in silence, even as he was elbowed. His eyes darted over to Dante, who looked at him with a concerned look on his face. The redhead was tense as he found no denial from his Pokémon, and he swiftly got up to his feet and hurried over to the window as fast as he could. He stood up on his toes so that he could peer outside, silently pleading to see that Aogiri was lying to him.

The view through the round pane of glass chilled Matsubusa to the core. There was only two shades of blue in all directions – the sky and the open sea.

"Anyway, we'll be docking soon," Shelly said before jerking her thumb over her shoulder. "So get your ass out there, captain."

Aogiri moved to his feet with a reluctant sigh. "Alright, alright, I guess I can't have fun and games with Masky forever." He took advantage of Matsubusa's inattention to grope the redhead's bottom again.

Matsubusa let out a strangled shriek as he jumped, straightening up. He whipped around just in time to see Aogiri disappear through the door with a sassy grin on his face, his laughter echoing through the hallway. However, no blush appeared on his pale face as he trembled. His blood had turned to ice water as he felt as though the bottom of his stomach had fallen out. Nausea swirled inside him as his legs gave out, causing the redhead to collapse to the floor.

Shelly hurried to Matsubusa's side, her wry grin fading away to genuine concern. "What's wrong?"

"Water... boat," Matsubusa choked out, his eyes wild as they darted about the room, expecting to see water seeping up through the cracks that very minute. "W-water... there's water... it's everywhere...!"

Shelly frowned and immediately closed the curtains on the window. "You're not on the water, you're on a reinforced hunk of metal that can take missiles without flinching."

"D-Dante-!" Matsubusa gasped out, his voice desperate. Trembling, the redhead proceeded to crawl towards the bed, his body unable to find the strength to walk. Everything beneath him felt as if it were about to give way, sturdy floor turning to fragile as if he were about to plummet in to the depths of the ocean at any moment. "D-Dante!"

Dante was at Matsubusa's side in an instant, pressing close to his trainer. He let out a tiny whine and nuzzled Matsubusa, doing what he could to offer support.

Matsubusa buried his face in the Houndoom's chest, curling up against him as he wrapped his arms about Dante's neck. His entire body was wracked with tremors as his breathing felt painful, his lungs unable to pump enough air in to his body to stop his head from spinning. "D-Dante...!"

Shelly brushed her hair back and muttered under her breath in another language before she moved to Matsubusa and helped the redhead climb into the bed. "Okay, look, I suck at being comforting, let's get that out of the way right now, but I want you to understand that you're safe. Okay? Aogiri'd rather die than let anything happen to you."

Matsubusa blurrily looked up at Shelly, tears in his eyes. One of his hands moved to grip at the bed, confirming the firmness of the mattress, even though it did little to stop his shaking. "I-I c-can't...!"

Shelly knelt down. "Okay, Matsubusa, look at me. Look at my eyes, okay? I want you to breathe when I breathe. Can you do that?"

Matsubusa found himself staring at Shelly, her eyes locking with his. When she was certain she had his attention, she began to breathe. The leader of Team Magma wasn't sure how or when it happened, but soon enough he found himself matching each breath. Shaky and rough at first, after several moments his breathing was deep and heavy, matching Shelly's own.

"Good," Shelly said in what she hoped was a soothing voice. "Keep breathing with me. You've got Dante here with you, and I'll bring out Goliath. He can fly. So you're safe. Okay?"

Matsubusa swallowed hard, his breathing more even than it was moments before. He stared at Shelly for several moments before he reached up to wipe at the suspicious moisture in his eyes, his other arm firmly wrapped around Dante's neck. He could do little more than nod slightly, unable to voice the words.

Shelly pulled her Pokéball off her belt and summoned her partner without even looking. "Okay, Matsubusa, do you think you'll be okay here in bed? Or do you think you'll need to ride Goliath's back? We can fly you to the island right now if that's what you need."

Matsubusa stared at Shelly, and relief flooded his face in an instant. He reached out a wobbly hand to grasp at Shelly's arm, his grip tight and trembling. "I-I... p-p-please...!"

Shelly nodded and patted Matsubusa's arm. "Okay. We'll leave as soon as you're ready to recall Dante into his Pokéball."

Dante growled, ears folded back.

Shelly fought the urge to look at the Houndoom. "Unless that Mountain Gogoat is good enough to balance on back of a flying Garchomp."

Dante nodded sharply before returning his focus to his traumatized trainer.

"Yo, Aogiri!" Ushio said as he looked up from supervising the grunts. He stood on the deck, watching as the men and women in blue unloaded their supplies, carrying them along the gangplank in to the depths of their base. It was an old military base, built in the underside of a an old sea-side cavern, in one of the many small islands in the shores off of Hoenn. It was their base closest to Kanto, a perfect place to stop and refuel before continuing onward to friendlier shores. At the sight of Aogiri arriving on deck, Ushio flashed his captain a grin. "So I hear ya didn't bunk with Matt, if ya get my meanin'."

Aogiri smirked, but shook his head ruefully. "I haven't gotten as far with Masky as you're probably thinking, but I did keep him company last night in my bed."

"An' he didn't kick yer ass out?" Ushio hummed as he rubbed his chin. "I guess ya really did get lucky, even if it wasn't in the way ya wanted!"

"Yup!" Aogiri said with a grin.

A blur of something big and dark out of the corner of his eye drew Aogiri's gaze to the sky. To his surprise, Goliath flew towards the island with Matsubusa seated on his back sandwiched between Shelly and Dante. It was enough to make the pirate captain pause, staring in confusion. "What the heck?"

Matsubusa trembled, his arms firmly wrapped around Shelly's waist as he buried his face in her back. It kept him from having to see the water around them and under them, as he didn't think he could keep himself together long enough to get ashore if he didn't.

To Matsubusa, the flight from the ship to the island felt like eternity, but it really only lasted several seconds before Shelly reached back to tap his shoulder.

"We're here," Shelly said.

Goliath turned his head to look back at Matsubusa, then at Dante as the Houndoom was pressed up firmly against his trainer's back, more for Matsubusa's sake than his own. The two Pokémon looked at each other for a moment before the Garchomp turned back around and gave a small snort.

Matsubusa reluctantly pulled his face away from Shelly's back, his eyes tentatively darting about to see a metal dock in front of a large door. It reminded him of his own bases, though it was made of heavy metal and very professional. Of course, Team Magma were professionals in their own right and the bases they built could hardly be called the work of amateurs, but the dock itself looked like it was designed for a lot more than just a place to restock and fuel. In the end, Matsubusa didn't care what it was used for, he just wanted to be as far away from the water as possible.

The redhead tentatively released his grip on Shelly, ignoring the stares of the various grunts in the process of unloading their cargo as he slid down the backside of the Garchomp and landed on the metal dock with a slight clang. He trembled, still on his hands and knees as Dante kept quite close against him, maintaining a constant reassuring presence.

Shelly dismounted and knelt down in front of Matsubusa in one fluid motion. "Take your time. We'll go inside whenever you're ready."

Matsubusa glanced up at Shelly before his eyes darted around the dock, past the gawking grunts, down to the water lurking just over the edge. The leader of Team Magma then quickly looked back to Shelly as he fumbled up to his shaky feet, grasping at the Garchomp's tail to pull himself up. To his credit, Goliath didn't complain.

Shelly straightened up and gave her partner a pat on the arm before extending her hand to Matsubusa.

Matsubusa reached out to take Shelly's hand, his own trembling even as he grasped her tightly. "I-I... i-inside...?"

Shelly nodded. "You've got it."

Matsubusa couldn't help but smile at Shelly in relief and gratitude as she lead him inside the base, through the thick doors. With each step, he felt himself going further away from the terrifying water and on to solid land. It was a sensation he greatly appreciated.

"Let me know if you need anything," Shelly said. "We might've kidnapped you, but you're the guest of honor here, so Aogiri's going to have everyone bend backwards for you to make sure you're comfortable."

Matsubusa looked up at Shelly and blinked, before his eyes drifted over to Dante. "Ah, I... t-thank you...? ...Well, except for the kidnapping part..."

Dante trotted alongside Matsubusa, his face a disapproving scowl as he looked over at Shelly.

If Shelly noticed the look, she didn't let on. Instead she focused on leading Matsubusa through the unfamiliar halls to their destination. "Here we are."

As the admin flicked on the light, Matsubusa was instantly greeted by a massive room, with a large king-sized bed sitting at the exact center. It sat on a circular island connected to the door by a concrete bridge, with the rest of the room completely submerged in an enormous pool. There appeared to be circular lights at the bottom of the water, which rushed in from outlets on the left and exited to the right. A second bridge lead to a small door at the far back wall, where Matsubusa could make out a hint of a bathroom sink.

"...Water," Matsubusa murmured. "Of course there'd be water."

Shelly strode across the bridges. "That's Leviathan's bed. There's controls for it in the bathroom. Don't worry, I'll drain it right now."

Matsubusa watched Shelly as she disappeared in to the far room. After a moment of tense silence, the sound of bubbles drifting upwards came from the water in the canal. The leader of Team Magma jerked before he glanced down to see the water slowly and surely beginning to drop, being sucked in to the vents as the ducts pouring water in to the canal closed with an audible click.

Shelly walked back out with her hands on her hips and inspected the draining water before turning back to Matsubusa. "Any requests what you want to fill the empty pool with?"

Matsubusa slowly moved his eyes from the water to Shelly. "...Concrete's probably a no."

Shelly snorted back a laugh. "Levi wouldn't be happy you destroyed her bed."

"That's what I suspected." Matsubusa grumbled.

Shelly smirked. "I doubt she or Aogiri would complain if we filled it up with pudding for you."

Matsubusa paused at that, and his face turned a deep shade of scarlet. "P-pudding would rot!"

Shelly waved dismissively with a wink and snicker. "It was a joke, Masky. You're so easy when it comes to innuendo involving Aogiri."

Matsubusa trembled as he fidgeted, tugging at the sleeves of his changshan. "I-I knew that! It... it was obviously a joke!"

Shelly couldn't help but laugh. "Glad to see you're doing better."

Matsubusa paused at that, as the comment reminded him of what had happened on the boat. The redhead promptly fell quiet as he tugged on his sleeves again, glancing away. After several moments, he managed to find his voice, soft and heavy. "D-don't... tell anyone about what happened. ...P-please."

Shelly's expression softened as she approached Matsubusa to place her hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, I may be a vigilante eco-terrorist criminal who loves to drink and fight, but I'll always be a doctor at heart." She held up a fist. "I'll punch out anyone who tries to pry any of my patients' personal information from me."

Matsubusa blinked as he stared at Shelly. "Y-you're a doctor!? Th-then what are you doing here!?" He immediately realized what he had said, and at least had the decency to look embarrassed. "Ah, that's..."

In spite of the rudeness of the question, or rather because of it, Shelly couldn't stop herself from laughing. "I might bore you with the story sometime if you offer to buy me some drinks or agree to dish out some info about snagging that hotty Homura, but basically politics screwed me out of my life's dream so I said fuck the system and decided to stop playing by the rules."

Matsubusa frowned as he considered what Shelly said. He could only imagine what sort of 'politics' would interfere with her, as he had run to a heavy dose of garbage himself – it seemed he'd never get past being a 'mutt from the pound'. However, before he could voice any of it, he stopped short. "W-wait! You... did you say Homura!?"

Shelly's grin turned predatory as she tapped Matsubusa's shoulder. "Yup. We've been flirting quite a long time, and I'm about ready to take it to the next level. Wanna give me a hand with that?"

"Y-you don't even know his face!" Matsubusa protested before his eyebrows shot up. "W-wait, how do you even know his name!?"

Shelly leaned back, raising her own eyebrows with a smirk. "Oh, I know his face, his name, and a whole lot more than you think, but what I want to know is what turns him on so I can push his buttons and watch him squirm under me."

"Y-you... you what!? You...," Matsubusa's face turned a dark shade of red as he reached up to clasp his hands on the top of his head. "Y-you mean he's been-!?"

Shelly stretched her arms up behind her head and sauntered around Matsubusa towards the door. "You think on that. I'm going to go get something to fill this empty pool. How's the spare balls from the ball pit sound?"

"T-that's fraternization! Fraternization! He... he absolutely shouldn't have a girlfriend without my permission!" Matsubusa snapped as he pointed at Shelly, then paused. "Ball pit?"

Shelly glanced back over her shoulder at Matsubusa. "Oh yeah, it was Paula's idea. You remember her from that bar you flooded with shit, right?"

Matsubusa paused as he stared at Shelly, his expression blank. "Huh?"

Shelly shook her head ruefully. "Of course not. Anyway, you'd be surprised how many our members love taking breaks in the ball pit."

Matsubusa frowned. "You... actually have a ball pit? This isn't a joke like the pudding?"

Shelly snickered. "If you want to believe it's a joke, that's fine, but that just means you'll be surprised when people come in here with buckets of balls in a bit."

Matsubusa furrowed his brow before he glanced at the mostly empty canal. After a moment's hesitation, he turned back to Shelly. "Ah, so... about this... 'Paula'."

Shelly paused at the door and cocked her head curiously. "Hmm?"

"Is she, ah... A-Aogiri's g-g... g-g-g... gi... gir...," Matsubusa found himself unable to form the word he wanted, stuck on the first syllable. The leader of Team Magma trailed off before his face exploded with crimson again. "F-forget it! I-it doesn't matter... i-it has nothing to do with me!"

Shelly burst out laughing, unable to help herself. "You've really got it bad, don't you? Don't worry, Aogiri never flirted with her seriously."

"I-I don't have anything bad, I just-" Matsubusa paused before his eyes widened. "H-he flirted with her!?"

"Way before you ever set the dock on fire," Shelly said wryly. "Don't worry, once Aogiri surprised us all with the news that he has the hots for you, he stopped joking around about that kind of stuff."

Matsubusa stared at Shelly as his heart fluttered in his chest, before he quickly looked away. He reached up to tug at his collar, fidgeting. "W-well, that's... I-I mean, it hardly matters to me, so it's not like that makes me happy or anything..."

Shelly snickered. "Riiiiiight~!"

Matsubusa scowled, even as his cheeks tinted red. "E-enough. D-don't... don't you have better things to do!?"

"Not unless you need anything doctor-related," Shelly said before heading out the door. "If you need anything else, just grab someone in the hall and bark orders like you usually do."

Matsubusa continued to scowl as Shelly left the room, closing the door behind her. After a moment, he let out a heavy sigh. "Rude woman."

Dante nodded with a sharp bark.

Matsubusa snorted before he turned on his heels, heading over towards the bed. He stopped at the foot and looked at it, wrinkling his nose. It was rather large, but rather sparse. With only two pillows, there was more than enough room for improvement. "That man really only sleeps with two pillows...?"

Dante sniffed at the sheets, his ears canting back.

"Oh well, it'll work for the moment," Matsubusa muttered as he stretched. Kicking off his shoes, he moved forward to flop down on the bed, stretching out. Aogiri had gotten him up far too early; either that, or the panic fit had completely drained what little energy his still-recovering body had gathered. One way or another, the redhead felt exhausted and the bed looked inviting enough for a small nap.

As Matsubusa hit the bed, he immediately picked up a familiar scent. It reminded him of sunshine, sea salt, and a hint of oak and spice. As the redhead paused and took the scent in, he realized it was Aogiri. It was, after all, the same smell Matsubusa had been exposed to in the cabin of the boat. The pirate probably stayed in this very bed before making his way to Kanto, to intercept the redhead. "...That idiot... doing such a thing..."

As Matsubusa felt the warmth and comfort surround him, he found it increasingly difficult to stay awake. Grogginess slipped in, addling his brain and making it increasingly difficult to focus on anything except the softness of the bed around him and the comforting scent of Aogiri. At some point, he felt the bed shift before a sudden warm body pressed up against him. As he felt a fuzzy chin rest in the crook of his neck, it slowly registered that Dante had climbed in to the bed with him.

As the familiar presence of his Pokémon removed all lingering traces of anxiety from the weary leader of Team Magma, his eyes drifted closed and the tension left his body. Within moments, he was gone – fast asleep on Aogiri's bed.