When Aogiri arrived at the cabin, Matsubusa was still quiet in the pirate's arms. He didn't offer even a token protest when the leader of Team Aqua stripped the redhead carefully and discarded his ruined clothing. Even the thought of being naked around Aogiri never crossed his mind, and only when the warm water of the shower head hit his skin did Matsubusa snap back at attention and became aware of his surroundings once more.

The bathroom attached to Aogiri's cabin was rather large, at least as far as Matsubusa would have expected. It had a bath/shower combo bathtub, which Aogiri had placed not only Matsubusa in but himself as he filled it with warm, clean water. Matsubusa blinked slowly before he leaned back against Aogiri, feeling the bare muscles against his back as the pirate used the showerhead to spray him down, first eliminating the vomit before turning his attention to the lingering sea water.

"You okay with the tub being full?" Aogiri asked softly. "I can drain it if you're not."

"It's warm," Matsubusa murmured, his eyes half-lidded. "It feels good."

Aogiri rubbed Matsubusa's shoulder before giving it a squeeze. "Good, good... Just let me know if you need anything, or if anything makes you uncomfortable at all, okay?"

Matsubusa made a soft noise as he tilted his head to the side, giving the pirate better access to his shoulder. He was limp against Aogiri, using the muscular man like a pillow for his aching body. It felt so nice and warm, it was hard to really want to move. And with Dante watching so intently from the doorway, he felt safe.

Aogiri picked up a washcloth and lathered it up liberally with soap before he set about to cleaning Matsubusa with a delicate touch. "Don't worry about anything. We're going to take good care of you."

Matsubusa felt Aogiri begin to rub the washcloth against his skin, cleaning away the grime and filth. He glanced down to watch the cloth for several moments, and the firm hand guiding it, before he leaned his head back against Aogiri's chest and closed his eyes. "...You swear?"

Aogiri nodded before placing a feather light kiss against Matsubusa's temple. "I promise. I'm sorry I was an idiot and didn't pay enough attention to you."

Matsubusa felt his body growing warm at the kiss, but it wasn't enough to disturb him. "Hm?"

"Shelly told me to fly you on ahead," Aogiri admitted quietly. "But I figured that was a no go when I saw you were drunk. I should've realized she wouldn't have mentioned it unless it was important, especially since she flew you off the boat early before."

Matsubusa paused before he glanced up at Aogiri. "She... told you that?"

"Yeah, but she never said why," Aogiri sighed. "After what happened just now... I think I've got a pretty good idea why she prescribed you tranquilizers just in case."

Matsubusa looked at Aogiri for several moments before he turned his attention to the wash cloth, watching as the pirate continued to bathe him. "...That would've been more useful than the alcohol."

"Yeah," Aogiri murmured as he focused on stroking Matsubusa's stomach with the washcloth in slow circles. "I'm really kicking myself that I didn't do things different in probably a million ways." He pressed his forehead against Matsubusa's. "I'm sorry. I'm really, truly sorry, Matsubusa."

Matsubusa blushed lightly, the feeling of Aogiri's forehead against his own and the soft rubbing against his stomach sending a strange warmth through him. "I... Aogiri..."

Though Aogiri was tempted to turn the bath into something more, he kept his touch chaste as he worked his way lower. "I'm going to make it up to you. I promise."

Matsubusa hesitated before his face turned a darker shade of red. "I... I'll hold you to that."

Aogiri nodded before placing a soft kiss on Matsubusa's forehead.

Matsubusa's heart beat quickly in his chest, each gentle touch sending his body temperature skyrocketing. It went a long way with chasing away the lingering cold in his body, assisting the warm water around him. He enjoyed the contact for a moment, before a nagging thought suddenly entered his mind. "...Did I... say anything?"

Aogiri's hand went still against Matsubusa's thigh for a few seconds before he resumed scrubbing. "Yeah."

Even through the haze, Matsubusa caught the hesitance. The redhead paused before he looked away, focusing on the far wall. The memory of what had happened came back in to focus – the escape, the water, and the inevitable blackout. He could only imagine what he had said. Even if he didn't remember the words, and never did, it wasn't hard to guess. "...I... I see."

Aogiri slipped his arms around Matsubusa's waist and pulled the other man closer. "I had no idea... no idea at all." He exhaled deeply as he closed his eyes. "I'm so sorry."

Matsubusa's emotions churned up inside him, warmth mingling with cold in an unpleasant conflict. "S-so... so it'd appear that I'm a bit more than you bargained for. I... suppose that's the end of it, then?"

Aogiri jerked upright, his eyes flying open with shock. "What? Hell no!"

Matsubusa paused at that, a bit surprised by the outburst. He thought back to the grunts he had overheard gossiping outside his door, and his eyes drifted to his feet as his toes stuck up out of the water. "...I overheard members of your crew discussing their hope that you would f-f... f-f-finish your business with me and then get rid of me at the nearest port as quickly as possible. After this, I'd imagine..."

Aogiri frowned before pulling Matsubusa as close to his body as possible. "Whoever said that doesn't know me at all. I'm not the kind of guy to give up on someone just because things get tough – I rise to that challenge and punch it square in the mouth!" He gently cupped Matsubusa's cheek with a soapy hand. "Look, right now I'm feeling like an absolute asshole for triggering some really bad PTSD in you, so now's the time to pretty much get me to do whatever you want, but that doesn't mean my feelings for you have changed at all."

Matsubusa was quiet for a moment before he turned to look at Aogiri. His eyes felt moist, surely because of the water around him and in no way related to the feelings inside him. "...Not at all. Not even slightly."

Aogiri gazed deeply into Matsubusa's vibrant red eyes and saw the pain in them. "I love you, Matsubusa. I've been in love with you for a while now, and it's only getting stronger the more I get to know you. There's nothing that happened today that made me feel anything but how much I love you."

Matsubusa's blush deepened across his face and down his neck, his heart thundering in his chest. He felt liquid continuing to form in his eyes, unbidden. "H-how can you even say that...?"

Aogiri's mouth quirked upward a little. "Because all I want to do right now is make you smile, and laugh, and keep you by my side. Not to mention the fact that I'm fighting hard not to kiss or seduce you until you're feeling better so I can make sure your first times are nothing less than amazing."

Matsubusa's eyes widened before he quickly looked away, his blush vivid against his skin. "I-I doubt it'd be that amazing-!"

Aogiri chuckled before nuzzling Matsubusa's neck, his beard tickling the other man's throat. "Oh good, then I get to have fun surprising you with how good I'm going to make you feel."

Matsubusa squeaked at the sensation and quivered, his hands moving to press against his chest, as if he were keeping his heart from bursting out. "D-don't make promises you can't keep!"

Aogiri shifted until he met Matsubusa's gaze, his expression just a little mischievous. "Oh, trust me, I plan on making damn sure I'll keep this promise."

Matsubusa blushed furiously as he held his hands firmly against his chest. "A-ah..."

Aogiri took one of Matsubusa's hands in his own and squeezed gently. "And how I plan on doing that is by making sure to listen to what you want."

Matsubusa's hand trembled in Aogiri's own before the fingers curled tightly around the pirate's hand. "Is... that so..."

"It's a promise," Aogiri said before he kissed the back of Matsubusa's hand only to cough and stick his tongue out. "Ick. Forgot about the soap."

Matsubusa blinked, before he let out a 'snrk', attempting to disrupt a laugh that nearly escaped him.

Aogiri used the spray of water from above to rinse his mouth before cocking an eyebrow at Matsubusa. "Oh? You think that's funny, do you?"

Matsubusa moved his hand to cover his mouth, though he was careful not to directly touch it due to the soap. His hand barely hid his smirk, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "D-did I say that?"

"I heard that laugh," Aogiri said as he ran his fingertips across Matsubusa's stomach lightly.

Matsubusa squeaked as he sat up, his hands instinctively going to shield his stomach. "A-ahyah-!?"

Aogiri chuckled. "Oh, so you're ticklish, eh?"

Matsubusa huffed as he scowled at Aogiri, shielding his stomach. "N-no, I'm not!"

Aogiri pecked one of the redhead's flushed cheeks. "Oh yeah? Then why don't you let me at your stomach? If you're not ticklish, it won't feel like anything but rubbing."

"N-no! You...," Matsubusa paused, his eyes darting about before focusing on Aogiri again. "Y-you've... you've got other places to wash! You've got other places to wash!"

Aogiri couldn't help but snicker, but picked up the washcloth again all the same. "Alright, alright. Since you asked so nicely..."

"I-I'm just reminding you," Matsubusa said, side-eying Aogiri even as he continued to guard his stomach.

Aogiri brushed his cheek against Matsubusa's before he went back to cleaning the redhead's thighs. "Don't worry, I wouldn't forget about touching every inch of your sexy body."

Matsubusa felt his heart skip a beat and he jerked. "N-no, it's washing! Washing!"

"Of course it is," Aogiri chuckled, steadily working his way lower. "If it wasn't, believe me, you'd know it. I've got a lot of juicy ideas about how to make you writhe and moan my name."

Matsubusa quivered, his toes curling. "T-that's..."

Aogiri placed a kiss on Matsubusa's shoulder. "But that's for later. Right now, we're focusing on relaxing and enjoying each other's company, which is also really damn amazing."

Matsubusa hesitated before he relaxed slightly, turning his eyes to watch Aogiri's hand as he guided the washcloth against his body. "...A-a-'amazing'?"

"Mmm hmm," Aogiri murmured as he worked his way down to Matsubusa's calves. "Just being with you at all always makes my heart race and makes me feel alive."

Matsubusa's breathing hitched as he tried not to move his legs, with only his toes curling and uncurling. "A-alive...?"

Aogiri set the washcloth down so that he could cup Matsubusa's cheeks, his touch tender. "Like nothing else has for such a long time. I can't get enough of you. I want you so bad I don't even have words for it."

Matsubusa stared at Aogiri, unable to properly form any words for a moment before he furrowed his brow. "Y-you... you didn't even know my face until now. How can you...?"

Aogiri let out a wry chuckle. "I've always been most attracted to what's up here." He lightly tapped Matsubusa's forehead. "The way you act and think... it's like you're a drug that I can't get enough of. You challenge me and make me feel things that surprise even me."

Matsubusa blinked before he reached up to touch his forehead, brushing his bangs out of his eyes as he did so. "What...?"

Aogiri's expression softened as he gazed deeply into Matsubusa's eyes. "Every time I get some time with you, I see another side of you that surprises and excites me and makes me want more. I want to see every side of you." He softly stroked the leader of Team Magma's cheeks with his thumbs. "What I want is you. Not a quick fuck. Not one embarrassing moment to dangle over your head. I want all of you. I want the part of you that grabs me when asleep and won't let go, and hogs all the pillows. I want the childish you that dumps my booze into the ocean and paints dicks on my stuff to laugh in my face. I want the badass you that kicks ass and glares coldly at drunks like they're not even shit to you. I want the brilliant you that keeps one-upping me and shrieks and yells when I get one up on you."

Matsubusa trembled, blushing so badly that it made him feel a bit lightheaded, as if all the blood was rushing to his face. "I-I... n-not all the pillows-!"

Aogiri couldn't help but laugh at that reaction, the sound kind. "I love you, Matsubusa. That's not just me teasing you, it's what I really feel." He pressed their foreheads together, his eyes never leaving Matsubusa. "I've fallen hopelessly in love with you, and the more time I spend with you, the deeper I fall, and I'm loving every second of it."

Matsubusa felt his heart pounding in his chest as he stared at Aogiri, his eyes wide. The pirate was so close, he could feel Aogiri's breath against his skin. Everything Aogiri was saying, it left him at a complete loss. He never realized how badly he wanted to hear such words until they had actually been said, and now that they have, he felt as if something inside him had stirred. Without realizing it, the redhead moved forward to eliminate the gap between them, brushing his lips against Aogiri's in their first kiss.

Aogiri's eyes flew open wide as the kiss caught him completely off-guard. Fortunately, he recovered quickly and returned the kiss eagerly, more than ready to lose himself in Matsubusa.

The kiss had caught Matsubusa by surprise just as much as it had Aogiri. When he realized he had done it, the redhead had been filled with the sudden need to retreat. However, those thoughts instantly vanished when the pirate began to respond, returning the gesture. The redhead unthinkingly reached up to press his hands against Aogiri's chest for support, the kiss sending him reeling.

Time ceased to have meaning for Aogiri as the rush of relief, desire, and love mingled together inside of him, overwhelming him and leaving him wanting nothing more than to continue the kiss for as long as Matsubusa would allow or until he ran out of breath, whichever came first.

In the end, it was their lungs that gave in first, and the two had no choice but to end the kiss. It left Matsubusa breathless, gasping for air. As he swallowed the air, Aogiri's taste lingered on his lips. "A-Aogiri..."

Dazed by the kiss more than anything else, a goofy smile appeared on Aogiri's face. "Okay... that was worth waiting for."

Matsubusa swallowed hard before he looked down at his hands, moving them back to hold them protectively against his chest. "A-Aogiri, I-" The redhead then paused as a thought occurred to him, and his eyes darted over to the doorway where he not only saw Dante staring at them but Leviathan as well. The redhead's blush returned in full force as the Feraligatr wiggled her brow at Matsubusa, prompting the man's words to transform in to a jumbled mess of squeaks and shrill noises.

Aogiri couldn't stop himself from laughing at the embarrassed reaction and hugged Matsubusa. "Hey, hey, it's nothing to get embarrassed about. That kiss was fantastic!"

Matsubusa covered his face with his hands, unable to properly respond as he could only make more squeaking noises in protest.

Aogiri calmed his laughter to chuckles before he placed small kisses across the back of Matsubusa's hands. "Don't worry, it's just Levi and Dante. They won't judge."

Dante eyed Aogiri, an eyebrow cocked.

Matsubusa quivered as he let out a thin whine. "I-I...!"

Aogiri smiled, his eyes soft. "There's nothing to be ashamed of. It's just us here getting cleaned up and enjoying being together. What could be bad about that?"

Matsubusa hesitated before he tentatively lowered his hands, exposing his mortified face. "I-I've never... done this...!"

"Lucky me!" Aogiri said in a sing-song voice. "That means I get to teach you everything!"

Matsubusa gaped up at Aogiri, his face deep red. "E-e-everything!? W-w-what everything!?"

Aogiri snickered as he lightly brushed his nose against Matsubusa's. "Everything that'll make you melt with pleasure."

Matsubusa's heart beat in his chest so hard that he could feel it in his head. "A-ah... I..."

Aogiri brushed his lips against Matsubusa's cheek, savoring the intense warmth he found there. "I've already got a ton of ideas."

Matsubusa trembled, his breathing hitching. "I-I..."

Dante barked sharply, startling both men out of the moment. He stared unwaveringly at Aogiri, his eyes hard.

Aogiri looked over at the Houndoom before turning back to Matsubusa. "I get the feeling that Dante wants us to hurry up and finish getting cleaned up."

Matsubusa glanced over to his Houndoom, then back to Aogiri. "...I... y-yes, of course..."

Aogiri picked the washcloth back up and added a bit more soap. "Don't worry, I'm not planning on doing anything more than stealing a few more kisses from you for now." He emphasized his point by suddenly leaning in to press his lips against Matsubusa's.

Matsubusa jumped, his eyes widening as he made a startled sound. He stared at Aogiri as his face burned furiously, before he quickly looked away. "Y-you keep doing that, and you'll get tired of it!"

Aogiri chuckled before placing a peck on Matsubusa's flushed cheek. "Not a chance in hell."

Somehow, Matsubusa managed to get through the bath with only minor flirting from Aogiri. It was clear that the pirate wanted to jump his bones badly, but Aogiri still kept it all in check as he tended to the redhead and finished cleaning him under Dante's watchful stare. Soon enough, the two were dried and dressing in the bedroom, with Matsubusa carefully putting on the clean clothes he still had in his luggage – what little was left, at any rate.

"So, anything special I need to know for aftercare?" Aogiri asked as he zipped up his wetsuit.

Matsubusa blinked as he straightened up. "Aftercare...?"

"For PTSD," Aogiri said, making vague gestures in the air. "I've never known anybody who's had it before, so I don't have any experience here, but I want to do my damn best to help you recover."

Matsubusa hesitated before he looked away. "H-Homura... mostly cooks something for me."

Aogiri placed a kiss on the crown of Matsubusa's head. "Sounds good. I'll have Matt whip up whatever you like, and we'll just relax and eat in bed snuggled up together."

Matsubusa reached up to grab his collar as he blushed. "I... y-yes, that... f-fine. I won't.. I wouldn't complain too much, I... suppose."

Aogiri slid his arms around Matsubusa's waist once he finished dressing. "Good, because I plan on making up for what happened in more ways than you can probably imagine."

Matsubusa trembled before he leaned back against Aogiri, enjoying the contact. "J-just... no more water."

Aogiri's smile faded a little before he kissed Matsubusa's hair. "No more water."

Matsubusa's heart fluttered in his chest. "...Good."

Aogiri released Matsubusa, stepping back before giving the redhead's shoulders a squeeze. "You wait right here, and I'll go fetch us some grub."

Matsubusa opened his mouth, about to respond, when the floor beneath him suddenly creaked and shifted, causing him to wobble a couple of steps. When everything righted himself, he waited for a moment, half-expecting it to happen again, as he looked around with a suspicious frown. "What was-"

Before the redhead could even finish the statement, Leviathan was suddenly upon him. Moving up behind Matsubusa, the enormous Feraligatr spooned the leader of Team Magma before propping her head against the top of his own. Matsubusa had barely enough time to yelp when Leviathan began rubbing her chin back and forth vigorously, ruffling the redhead's hair.

"Ack-! Stop! What!?" Matsubusa yelped as he flailed and unsuccessfully tried to push the heavyweight Pokemon away. "What are you doing!?"

Leviathan held firm, easily resisting the Team Magma leader's attempts to dislodge her as she grinned and rumbled in pleasure.

Dante let out a warning growl as he glared at Leviathan, but made no move to attack, his body tense.

Aogiri laughed at Leviathan's antics. "Aw, don't be upset, Masky. That's just Levi's way of showing she loves you too!"

"W-what?! B-but I-" Matsubusa began, then squeaked when the Feraligatr snaked her arms around him and hugged him tightly. The redhead gasped as he could feel the sheer amount of power in the hug, but also the amount of control Leviathan was exerting to avoid crushing him. "Aaaagh, your body's cold!"

Leviathan snapped her jaw together, clicking her teeth, as she rumbled.

Aogiri chuckled and reached out to stroke Leviathan's snout. "Ah, don't worry, it doesn't take long to get used to a Feraligatr hug. They're tons of fun!"

Matsubusa shivered as he squirmed in Leviathan's arms. "T-that's not the point!"

"Oh yeah?" Aogiri asked lightly.

"W-why i-is she hugging me!?" Matsubusa demanded, his face red.

"Because she loves you, of course," Aogiri chuckled. "Didn't I just say that?"

"B-b-b-but that doesn't make any sense!" Matsubusa protested, his voice raising in pitch as a blush spread across his face.

Aogiri moved in to place a peck on Matsubusa's lips. "It makes perfect sense to me, beautiful."

Matsubusa jerked at the sudden kiss, his eyes widening. He covered his mouth with both hands, the red of his blush spreading down his neck and to the tips of his ears.

A sudden knock on the door startled the two men, Matsubusa in particular. A moment later, a woman with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a body that rocked the Team Aqua uniform she was wearing peeked in through the door. "Everybody decent?"

Matsubusa looked over sharply to the woman, his eyes wide. He naturally didn't recognize her, but he didn't expect to. All he needed to know was that she was one of Aogiri's grunts. "E-eh?!"

"As decent as it gets, Paula," Aogiri chuckled. "What's up?"

Paula wheeled in a serving cart with a number of dishes resting on top. "Matt sent me here with some soup for Masky."

"Soup?" Matsubusa repeated before he turned his attention to the cart, where he saw the bowl in question – covered with a lid to keep it hot. At the sight and scent of the food, his stomach rumbled in a reminder that he had puked up whatever food he had eaten earlier.

Aogiri grinned. "Perfect timing."

Paula gave Matsubusa a little wave. "And while you're eating, I hope you won't mind if Ushio borrows Aogiri for a little bit. He's on the d... top floor."

Aogiri raised his eyebrows before he flashed Matsubusa a grin. "Don't worry, I'll make it quick. Levi and Paula can keep you and Dante company while I check this out."

Matsubusa glanced at the food, then over to Aogiri and Paula. In particular, he focused on Paula and how friendly she seemed to be with Aogiri. He rather forcibly shoved down the dark feelings that brewed inside him, especially since he saw how well it ended last time. "I-I don't care at all! I-I can certainly take care of myself! There's n-no reason for you to even mention it!"

Aogiri brushed his lips against Matsubusa's cheek. "Glad to hear it."

Matsubusa fidgeted, his hand reaching up to hook his fingers over the edge of his collar, his other wrapping around to cradle his elbow. He glanced at Aogiri out of the corner of his eyes, his red still firmly crimson in color.

"I love you," Aogiri murmured as he gazed deeply into Matsubusa's eyes. "Remember that, okay?"

Matsubusa's eyes widened as he stared at Aogiri, then quickly looked away as he tugged harshly on his collar. The heat in his face rose exponentially, and he didn't trust himself to say anything in response.

Aogiri smiled at the reaction and kissed the leader of Team Magma one more time until he headed for the door. "Just relax and enjoy some comfort food."

"H-h-hurry up and leave!" Matsubusa stammered, fidgeting with his collar. "Y-you're just delaying!"

Aogiri chuckled and blew Matsubusa a kiss. "Right, right. Be back in a flash!"

Paula waited until Aogiri left the room before letting out a giggle. "Oh gosh, you two are just adorable!"

Matsubusa frowned after Aogiri before he turned to stare at Paula. "E-eh?"

"I have to admit I was a little worried," Paula said, "but I'm glad to see you actually do return Aogiri's feelings after all."

Matsubusa gaped at the blonde woman before he sputtered, practically yanking at his collar as he looked away. "I-I... w-wh-why would you-w-who said I-!?"

Paula laughed a little more. "You don't have to be embarrassed, sugar. Everyone'll be thrilled to hear that you're sweet on the big lug."

Matsubusa trembled, only able to respond with a mortified squeak.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make you embarrassed," Paula said. "Do you need me to step out for a sec while you collect yourself?"

Matsubusa swallowed hard as he tried to regain his composure, and turned his attention to the food. "I... I'm fine! I'm p-perfectly fine!"

Paula smiled. "Glad to hear it."

It didn't take Aogiri long to find Ushio out on deck, as the larger man was hard to miss. He frowned at the sight of binoculars in Ushio's hand and quickened his pace. "What's up?"

Ushio turned to Aogiri before he handed the binoculars over to his captain, then wordlessly pointed far in the horizon.

Aogiri looked through the binoculars as directed and spat out a curse. Dark gray clouds covered the horizon, quite visible against the blue ocean. "A storm is headed our way. Of course. The last thing Masky needs right now comes rushing to our door."

"It's nothin' too serious for the ship," Ushio said as he cracked his neck. "But if he can't handle calm water, there's no way he can handle it durin' a storm."

"Damn it," Aogiri hissed as he passed the binoculars back to Ushio. "Looks like we'll be needing those tranqs Shelly gave after all." He grimaced. "And that means telling Masky he's on a boat and risking triggering his PTSD again. Shit."

"Or you can do what the doc ordered in the first place and get 'im off the boat," Ushio said, arching an eyebrow. "Smaug'd get ya both to the base before the storm even got close."

Aogiri grunted as he rubbed his forehead. "Yeah, but that means leaving all of you without a captain at the mercy of a nasty storm."

Ushio blinked slowly before he leaned forward until he was eye level with Aogiri. He then reached up to jab his pointer and index finger in to the other man's forehead. "You think I need help weatherin' a storm? You forget who taught you how to sail, ya reformed landlubber?"

Aogiri blinked at the poke then burst out laughing. "You haven't called me that since I was still wearing stuffy suits every day."

Ushio grinned. "It's been years, yeah. And yer the best damn captain I've ever had, I ain't denying that. But don't you forget who taught ya. I ain't afraid of no storm. Hell, it'd do the boat some good, clean the puke off the deck."

Aogiri stifled a snicker behind his hand. "Admit it, you just want to get rid of me so you can raid my stash while I'm gone."

Ushio leaned back to let out a deep-chested laugh. "Bwaha! From what I hear, there ain't much left!"

"True enough," Aogiri said.

Ushio leaned back, crossing his arms. "...Don't worry about us, cap'n. We'll be fine. But we all know Masky ain't gonna be, and you got a responsibility to him right now. He didn't choose to be here, y'know?"

Aogiri's smile faded a bit. "Aye... I better get a move on before the storm is on top of us."

As Aogiri hurried back to his cabin, he couldn't help but agonize over how he was going to deliver the bad news to Matsubusa without risking sending the redhead into another panic attack. He was so deep in thought, he didn't notice the voices inside his room until his hand was on the knob.

"-could never accept the idea that a tiny group of elitist thugs hiding in a tower all the way in Kalos could monopolize Mega Evolution, as if they have any authority over who has the right to use it. And naturally, they only give that right to people they deem worthy based off their own standards – and never any foreigners," Matsubusa's voice came from within the room, and it was obvious to Aogiri that a look of disdain was on his face without even having to see it. "It's so typical."

"I've never even heard of Mega Evolution," Paula said, smiling as she leaned forward against the table, watching as Matsubusa ate. "It sounds like a fairy tale."

"I'm not surprised," Matsubusa said with a sniff. "Few people have. There's a complete monopoly, not only on the technique but all information about it. It's just one more tool that the elites use to set themselves apart from the 'common masses'."

Aogiri couldn't help but smile. Paula had a way of charming all kinds of people after working for years as a waitress.

"But what can you do?" Paula asked, tilting her head.

"I'm glad you asked!" Matsubusa said as he pointed dynamically at the woman. "It's not public information, but Kazan Industries is currently working on a top-secret project to-"

"You know," Aogiri said as he entered the room, "I'd love to hear all about juicy secrets, but I'm afraid we're pressed for time right now."

Matsubusa jerked and looked up quickly to Aogiri, startled. At the sight of the pirate, he quickly looked away, face red. "I-I... I wasn't talking to you, anyway!"

Aogiri chuckled for a moment, but quickly sobered as he approached Matsubusa. "There's a storm coming, so I need you to make a choice." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the bottle of pills. "Shelly gave me these tranqs so you can sleep if you need them, or we can fly by Pokémon at breakneck speed to try and reach land before the storm hits."

Matsubusa paused and turned to look at the bottle of pills in Aogiri's hand before he looked up to the pirate's face, seeing his serious expression. He opened his mouth to respond when he paused. "...'Reach land'?"

"Yeah," Aogiri said, his voice soft and sober. "I didn't want to tell you while you were still not doing so hot, but you're on the Team Aqua main ship. I can promise you, she'll weather any storm the sea tosses at her, but if you can handle flying over the ocean better than sleeping through the storm here, then we need to get going now."

Matsubusa's eyes widened as he stared at Aogiri. He hesitated for a moment before his eyes darted around the room. It was then that he began to notice how familiar it was, in particular the mound of pillows on the bed. He stared at the bed before he whirled back to Aogiri, panic flooding his face. "I-I'm on that boat again!?"

Aogiri placed his hands on Matsubusa's shoulders and gazed deeply into the other man's eyes. "Matsubusa, breathe. You're safe. This ship isn't going to sink. Levi and Dante are here so no Sharpedo are going anywhere near you. Just breathe."

Matsubusa latched on to Aogiri's arms, his eyes darting from the pirate to Leviathan and Dante as they drew closer. He could see the concern on their faces, and even on Paula's, but he was finding it difficult to be moved by it. "N-no boats! No boats!"

"Can you handle flying over the ocean on the back of a Pokémon?" Aogiri asked. "This is a longer distance than you flew with Goliath, and a heck of a lot faster, so I need to know if you can handle it."

"I-I... yes!" Matsubusa said, grasping Aogiri tightly. Even if he wasn't entirely certain if he could or not, he'd rather do it than remain on a boat any longer than he needed to.

Aogiri moved in to place a kiss on Matsubusa's forehead. "Okay, then we'll leave whenever you're ready."

"Now!" Matsubusa said, his fingers clenching at the fabric of Aogiri's wetsuit.

Aogiri nodded and glanced at Paula. "Ushio is in charge while I'm gone. Spread the word."

Paula nodded as she stood it. "You got it, captain~!"

Matsubusa watched as Paula hurried out of the room before he turned his attention to Aogiri. He felt as if his feet were about to collapse beneath him, and he held ever tighter to the pirate's arms. "A-Aogiri, I..."

Aogiri smiled gently as he looked into Matsubusa's eyes. "It's going to be okay. We'll keep you safe, Matsubusa. I promise."

Matsubusa hesitated, then furrowed his brow. "...I-I'll... hold you to that..."

The trip to the deck didn't take long, but dread grew in Matsubusa's heart every step of the way. Aogiri was patient with the redhead, letting Matsubusa clutch so tightly on his left arm that he was beginning to lose circulation.

Wordlessly, Aogiri took a couple Pokéballs from a hidden compartment in his wetsuit and looked to his partner. "Sorry, Levi, but you're too big for Smaug, so you'll have to sit on the sidelines for a while."

Leviathan nodded her head, signaling her understanding of the situation. She turned to flash Dante a grin before she moved to press her chin against the top of Matsubusa's head again. The redhead yelped as Leviathan moved her chin to ruffle his hair, then lifted her head and snapped her jaws at Aogiri.

Aogiri grinned and tossed one of the Pokéballs into the air, summoning Smaug, his Salamence.

Matsubusa reached up to fix his hair, then stopped to stare at the Salamence, who was red with black highlights. The redhead was silent for several moments as he gawked at the unknown Pokémon before he turned his head to stare at Aogiri. "You... really do have more than one Pokémon..."

Aogiri smirked at Matsubusa as he recalled Leviathan to her own Pokéball. "Can't be tournament champion without a full set of six, can you? Remind me to introduce you to my whole team sometime."

"But you... you've never used them!" Matsubusa protested, moving one hand to gesture towards Dante. "Why have you never used them!?"

Aogiri winked as he pointed at Leviathan's Pokéball. "Type advantage, of course. Levi can handle Dante's burn like a champ. Plus she called permanent dibs."

"What does that even mean!?" Matsubusa snapped, hotly. "B-besides that all this time, even if Dante had defeated her, you'd just pull someone else out!?"

Aogiri shrugged. "Well, duh. Punk called dibs on the trade off."

"Who the hell is Punk!?" Matsubusa demanded.

Aogiri glanced up at the sky before he climbed onto Smaug's back. "Tell you what, once we get to base, I'll let everyone out for a big party, but right now, we need to jet." He reached out to Matsubusa. "Come on."

Matsubusa hesitated, his anger momentarily quelled. He glanced to the sky, spotting the darkened storm clouds that littered the horizon. The redhead grimaced, then turned back to Aogiri and tentatively accepted his hand.

Aogiri pulled Matsubusa in front of him and slid his arms around the redhead's waist from behind. "You might wanna recall Dante. Goliath is fast, but he's got nothing on Smaug here."

Smaug let out a rumble as he gave Matsubusa a toothy smirk.

Dante snorted smoke as he eyed Smaug before he did an impressive flip to land lightly beside Matsubusa.

Matsubusa blushed as he felt Aogiri flat up against his back, with Dante moving to occupy the space in front of him. He turned his head back to eye the pirate. "Don't underestimate my Dante."

Aogiri chuckled at the two. "Okay, okay. Smaug would catch Dante before he hit the water anyway, right Smaug?"

Smaug let out a loud roar as he spread his wings. His crouching was the only warning Aogiri got to tighten his hold on Matsubusa before the dragon Pokemon tore through the sky at blazing speeds.

Matsubusa could barely let out a squeak as both his words and his breath was lost to the gushing winds around him.

Ushio reached up to wave his hands after Aogiri and Matsubusa, smirking. "See ya later, cap'n! Try not to get too frisky in the meantime, ya get me!?"

Aogiri was unable to reply or even hear Ushio call after them, as Smaug was soon just a dot on the horizon.