Hello :P It is Wednesday and I am back with a new chapter of this story. Continuing telling the arc of Justin and Eli, this one focuses on a very brief instance in their romantic relationship. But in spite of it being a very short span of time, it is probably one of the most important moments for them. And even though it is actually a happy time, in hindsight, it can be bittersweet and rather sad. But more on that later. More on that in the upcoming chapters. For now, I hope you enjoy!
Ages:
Justin: 22
Eli: 34
Disclaimer: I own the story and the OCs mentioned!
The deep purple haired male practically laid flat out on the decking next to the swimming pool while the older, deep violet haired male bobbed up and down in the water. Though I didn't know this was going on at the time and only found out about it much later, I know it was a very relaxing time in both of their lives. It was very much needed.
And in spite of the fact that the Unovan trip had been booked for the sake of the younger male's racing mind, it was something that the native Unovan male himself needed as well. He liked it. He liked being there – to support and to nurture and to just have a bit of ease in his life.
Truthfully, I gathered him to be a very compassionate and caring man beneath his airy yet complicated exterior and the deep purple haired male was one of the people he could share almost every side of him with. He felt at ease with the company. He felt a strange ease in his soul – almost purification – for the first time in his life.
And because of all of these things, while Justin was lying flat out on the decking and plucking at the strings of a guitar that he had found in an old cupboard in their new holiday home, and seemingly completely occupied with somehow making a tune out of the rusty strings and looking at the vast Unovan sky above, Eli couldn't help but get his attention all over.
He swam carefully yet not shyly over to the middle of the pool and splashed about there, waiting for him to be the recipient of the younger male's attention instead of the instrument and sky. Naturally, his wish soon came. Justin tilted his head and smirked curiously as he rose his upper body slightly higher, propping himself up with his elbows while still holding onto the guitar. And almost as soon as a brief eye contact was made between them, the deep violet haired male spoke.
"You sure you're not coming in here with me?" Eli asked and he copied Justin, slanting his own neck and causing his head to tilt. Because the two of them believed they could read each other so very well, as the deep purple haired male's body lifted even more upwards, the Unovan male caught on to the way that Justin's nose was threatening to scrunch. He changed his words, his chin dipping in and out of the water as he waded. "I want you to come in here with me."
"But I'm so tired I can hardly move." Justin retorted rather quickly and almost to prove his point although he didn't need to, the deep purple haired male finally decided to discard the instrument. But he did it respectfully all the same. Eli watched, unblinking from the outdoor swimming pool, as Justin flopped back against the decking all over again and he lifted his hands up, shielding his eyes from the sun. He was also probably trying to hide away and validate his tiredness. "We walked everywhere today, baby."
I can imagine that the deep violet haired male's expression softened a fair amount as soon as a sweet name escaped Justin's lips. But even so, he continued wading in the middle of the pool and he continued staring, tilting his head as well.
He really did want the younger male to be in the pool with him. But he understood as well. And he showed this with a sudden thoughtful smile as he reflected on the memories of how the two of them had flown from Saffron City in Kanto to Nacrene City in Unova before making their way to Castelia City, Unity Pier, and eventually getting a boat just outside of Desert Resort, where Eli actually hailed from.
Following this, he suddenly nodded and he spoke simple words.
"Unova is a big place." Eli uttered with a continuous nod and not that Justin was looking at him at that point, he matched his gestures with the older males all over again and nodded as well. In addition to this, he wriggled slightly, his back feeling a little achy from being pressed up against the decking. Eli mistook this for another thing. With an even gentler smile taking over his face, he backed away literally and figuratively – he swam back over to the other end of the pool. But he still spoke to the younger male. "Rest though, my love. You deserve it."
And I am almost certain as I look back and tell this story to you that it was the deep violet haired male's gentle and fair demeanour there and then that caused Justin to change his mind completely! No doubt was it the sweet name in return as well. But it was also the backing off from Eli.
Somehow the Unovan male backing off, always made Justin bow to his command, even if it was completely unintentional on both sides.
Despite the fact that Justin let out a soft grunt from the achiness of all the walking that he had indeed done, the younger male propped himself up all over again. Taking a moments rest to shield his eyes from the sun all over again, he didn't stop there. He moved his body entirely so he was sat cross legged on the edge of the poolside.
But that still wasn't enough! For Justin, not for Eli. The deep purple haired male really did like to please the older one.
The Unovan male watched nonchalantly as Justin shuffled his bottom forward even more and prepared to lower his legs to the water, explaining himself with a sheepish smile as he did so.
"I'll put my feet in and I'll sit right here. I'll sit here and watch you. Happy?" the deep purple haired male concluded by lowering his hands away from his face all over again and dunked a good chunk of his legs into the water like he said he would do. Eli didn't respond to this with words. In fact, Eli didn't respond to any of this with words. But he didn't need to. The warming glow taking over his sunken yet focused orbs said everything so that his mouth didn't have to. As well as this, he wordlessly waded back to the middle of the pool all over again. Justin found himself chuckling to himself and a firm grin taking over his expression as Eli paddled there, wiping water away from collecting on his eyebrows. "Is swimming something that you do often, Eli?"
For once and for a brief moment, the deep violet haired male was apparently distracted with brushing all of the water droplets away from his eyebrows instead of the younger man that was just in front of him. But in spite of this, he recovered rather quickly. In spite of this, while Justin's grin momentarily softened to a smile making his dimple appear, he sprung back to reality and realised he was being spoken to.
He still took a few moments before speaking as he pondered his answer. He thought a great deal to himself, his chin being consumed with the pool water all over again. After this happened and he furrowed his brow at the lapping sensation, he finally figured out all of his response and uttered it.
"Not that often to be honest, baby. And I'm not much of a fan of bodies of water like this." Eli began to gesture with his hands although he didn't need to. I gather that the rather amusing expression on his face as the water kept lapping closer and closer to his mouth as well as his chin spoke volumes of what he was getting at! Justin tried to keep his expression to a grin rather than a fond smirk. Even so, Eli perked up as he added and he even swam closer to the younger male. "I do like it though. I like it in the sea the most. It reminds me of summers with Jordan."
And by the time that the deep violet haired male concluded this honest answer, he had swum over to the deep purple haired male properly and so was beginning to bob up and down in the water and in between his legs. However, Justin didn't have time to focus on this and he didn't have time to allow his breath to hitch in his throat. That would go on to happen but it would be for a different reason.
As the younger male tried to focus on smiling nonchalantly and nodding his head at the answer he had received, Eli swam even further forward and casually – and very simply – just rested his chin on the thigh of the deep purple haired male. But no doubt did it send electricity coursing through his veins. No doubt did this utterly simple touch cause a shiver to go down his spine and cause the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up.
Eli's sunken in appearance yet intense orbs travelled upwards to meet Justin's trying-to-be-composed gaze. After he did this, he pressed a couple of innocent and straight forward kisses just above his knee. Because of this, Justin's hands didn't hesitate to snap into action and his fingers clumsily yet intentionally moved straight to run through Eli's wet locks.
Nevertheless, before the younger male could even make the slightest bit of contact with the older male in return, Eli's plain expression switched to a playful one and he swam back away from Justin, turning his back on him in a mischievous manner!
For the first second, the deep purple haired male's mouth threatened to hang open and he almost had a brow furrow at not getting what he wanted. But then a bit of a mischievous glance took over his own expression. He shook his head to no one in particular as Eli swum away from him and it caused him to shrug his narrow shoulders, his fingers wrapping around his arms momentarily before he got his intention across.
"Maybe I do want to come in here after all." He spoke simply and in a rather gentlemanly fashion and his arms moved all over again, his forearms extending as he used all of his strength to prepare to lower himself into the pool that was the same depth the whole way around.
I am told that Eli's response was amusing. Despite the fact that he was trying to be the playfully haughty one and the one in control, he couldn't stop himself from reacting in the way that he felt within his mind. His head turned rather quickly and he looked behind his shoulder, over at the younger male.
Seeing that Justin was still only preparing to enter the water, the Unovan male couldn't help but comment, that playfulness in his eyes coming back all the more so and mixing with a little bit of admiration too – and desire as well.
"You're coming in here with me fully clothed? You really are a rebel aren't you, Justin Morgan?" Eli spoke to him teasingly and he tried to keep his voice level and low like it usually was but he could not stifle the attraction for the younger male coming out in the way that he spoke to him.
Justin merely shrugged in response to these words and managed to keep his own innermost feelings and impulses at bay and away from being decorated on his face. He spoke once again without hesitation all before he got his denim jean shorts and white t-shirt sopping wet by jumping down into the pool.
"Eli Williams, stop it. You're the one who was begging me to join you." He reminded him in an extremely level voice and it caused Eli to swim round to face him all over again, his head threatening to tilt. However, before this display was possible, a proper glint took over Justin's eyes and his face as well and he grinned as he plopped himself into the water.
In response to this, the deep violet haired male couldn't stop all of what he was thinking from being decorated on his face as he watched the younger male moving towards him, his already tight white t- shirt quickly clinging closer to his skin as most of his body became submerged in the pool water.
But in spite of this and in spite of the admiration and impressiveness and longing that was taking over all of his features and his body as well, he managed to compose himself a fair bit. Out of all the feelings that Eli was feeling, as Justin approached him even closer, he managed to focus on the admiration out of them all. But it was admiration for a different thing!
The Unovan male's tongue appeared out of the corner of his mouth and looked at Justin up and down before shaking his head at him. Then, he blushed as he uttered his own words.
"Jeez, how can you literally stroll across the pool like you're on land? My feet don't even touch the bottom!" Eli started off by speaking in a level voice and then he exclaimed! It was Justin's turn to blush and then it was Justin's turn to try and compose himself as the older male very obviously continued looking at him up and down.
The deep purple haired male tried to collect himself by looking Eli up and down in response. It was a very purposeful and intentional thing but then after he did that, he discovered that for once he didn't have the heart to tease him about his height.
Instead, he grinned fondly and with almost a loving glint in his eye before that took over with his own bought of teasing and playfulness. He spotted the inflatable bouncy ball that was bobbing up and down in the water also and he extended an effortless arm, reaching for it and collecting it in his non ring clad hand.
Then, he held it to his chest before throwing it up in the air, bouncing it up and down in the air with himself, like a solo game of beach ball. Impressively to the older male, his eyes fixed on him rather than what he was doing.
"C'mon. On your curly bonce!" Justin called to Eli even though he was barely two metres away from him and he grinned all the more so, his teeth appearing before they bit down on his own bottom lip. His nose scrunched up as well as the ball came floating down towards Justin's own "bonce" and he leapt in the air to head-butt it over to the older male.
However, a bit of Desert Resort wind suddenly appeared in the Unova region and it caused the ball to travel over Eli's head rather than onto it before it blew away from him completely, landing on the other side of the decking instead.
Justin pretended to let out a loud puff from his lips before he burst into laughter. The Unovan male was just still staring! He was staring at the way that a boisterous side of the younger male had come alive, as well as the words that were uttered towards him. He showed his complete and utter perplexity after he briefly glanced to where the bouncy ball had been blown to.
"On my 'curly bonce'? On my 'curly bonce'?" the deep violet haired male repeated and it caused a light rosy blush to wander along the jawline of Justin. He bit his lip sheepishly all over again as he prepared to explain himself but he soon didn't need to. All he needed to do was listen as he swam even closer to Eli, closing the distance between the two of them. The Unovan male pretended to stick his nose in the air. "Are you making fun of my swirly curls?"
And even though Eli was merely beginning to tease the younger male in return, I'm told that Justin didn't catch on at all! In fact, his face promptly fell and all potential boisterous and boyishness disappeared and an innocent, wide eyed expression took its place instead.
The deep purple haired male didn't think twice about shaking his own head and he finally closed the distance between them for good. With a wordless expression, he told the older male that he wouldn't dream of doing such a thing. And he proved this even further by his hands reaching outwards and running through Eli's indeed curly but also wet locks. His fingers even travelled through and ran over the shorter parts of his hair, closer to his head as well.
The Unovan male couldn't stifle his reaction at this and chuckled shyly, moving closer to the younger male himself as Justin's fingers continued enjoyably running all through his deep violet locks. In return, Eli didn't stop himself from doing the same and he reached up, clumsily yet fondly running his unusually ring clad finger through Justin's own hair. It prompted him to ask with a curious smile.
"I suppose your hair doesn't have a single ounce of a curl, does it? It's lovely." Eli mused to himself and as Justin's fingers didn't pull away from tangling in the older male's deep violet haired locks, the older male himself didn't allow his own fingers to stay there for barely more than a few seconds.
Instead, they wandered down to the sides of Justin's neck and lingered there instead, his strong thumbs softly stroking at his skin. Surprisingly, the deep purple haired male managed to not stammer out as he answered – even though his ears just a few inches from Eli's hands did flush a brilliant shade of red. And it wasn't due to the mid-evening sun!
"I mean… It does go a bit wavy when it's in this strange in between stage. But I haven't had it that way since I was a very little boy. It's mostly been very long or rather short." Justin told him and he managed to make eye contact with him while he spoke without losing his train of thought or stuttering. After Eli uttered the words 'it's lovely' in response all over again, the deep purple haired male shot him a bordering on flirtatious grin, his hands finally wandering away from Eli's hair and resting on his bare shoulders. "You wouldn't like me to grow it long again?"
It's interesting to me after I've learnt of this particular story that Eli actually put some thought into it before answering the younger male! In fact, he even broke the distance a little bit between the two of them so he could crane his neck away, inspecting Justin but with his hands still on the deep purple haired male's neck.
The Unovan male usually could be known for being a very blunt fellow. And as well as this, he usually spoke words as they came to him because he believed that honesty usually was the best policy – contrary to what you or anybody else may think.
Nonetheless, Eli really did think before giving the younger male an answer and this caused his heart to warm so. Justin almost had a bit of a soft smile with just the one dimple appearing rather than his teasing grin as he listened, waiting.
The Unovan male didn't want to offend the younger male. The Unovan male didn't want to brush him the wrong way. He didn't want him to think that something so trivial could cause him to feel a different way about him. But in spite of this, eventually, he still answered plainly so. But slowly as well.
"I… I like you right now. I like you as I see you and right in this very moment." Eli told Justin and it caused Justin so soften instantly, closing the distance between them all over again even though they had been very close to each other the entire time. The deep purple haired male's head tilted, listening more so and wrapping his arms around his love interests neck as he suspected that more was going to come. He was correct. Justin's affectionate contact and gaze caused him to add, coming close to rambling. "I do think I might prefer it short though. It means I can see your cheeky face."
And with that, Eli sucked on his own bottom lip before he did this to his top lip also, scrunching his face up slightly. When he felt a light blush taking over his cheeks, he fluttered his eyes shut but even so, he leaned in. he leaned his head in and he had one intention and one intention only.
Surely, Justin knew exactly what this was. But for once, he put a stop to it! A blush taking over his own cheeks but not a good one from the way his mouth fell open like he later described to me, he suddenly put his own hand over Eli's mouth so he couldn't kiss him.
The older male's wet and water droplet decorated brow promptly furrowed. And then almost as soon as his eyes crept back open, wondering what was going on, Justin's outward words and reaction very much explained.
"Cheeky? I do not have a cheeky face!" Justin insisted and he tried to keep his expression and his tone playfully stroppy but almost as soon as Eli's eyes opened and his eyelashes endearingly fluttered, he almost couldn't keep that act up much longer. He was forced to shut his own eyes as he muttered. "A cheeky face is something I do not have."
Eli missed a small, single beat before he replied.
"You do a bit, baby." The Unovan male responded in an extremely uninteresting and honest tone and it caused Justin's eyes to snap back open! He began to really truly go along with his own hoity act and he furrowed his brow. And despite the fact that Eli was extremely honest, even he could see that these words were not something that the younger male wanted to hear. Managing to withhold his fond sigh, he wrapped his arms around Justin while still in the water with him and the younger male was encouraged to wrap his legs around him. He did, even though he was huffing with him! After planting a kiss to Justin's cheek, Eli changed his mind. "Okay, gorgeous, you don't have a cheeky face in the slightest. It's very sweet."
The Unovan male told the Kanto born one and after grumpily for effect, the latter let out a grunting noise but wrapped his arms around his neck all the same, allowing himself to be picked up, Eli started planting kisses that he had intended to give before on the underneath part of Justin's chin.
Out of playful or serious stubbornness, one couldn't be sure; Justin merely raised an eyebrow at first and during the first few kisses. But when Eli earnestly glanced up towards him in between them all and then started travelling them down his Adam's apple before going to the base of his neck, with blushing cheeks as well as ears, Justin shut his eyes all over again.
Though he didn't say anything at first, the way that one hand remained fixed on the older male's strong shoulder while the other reacted to tangle in the curly part of his locks spoke volumes. And then after the deep violet haired male tried to slide his fingers down into the neck of Justin's white t-shirt that was firmly stuck and lapping with water against his own bare skin, the deep purple haired male couldn't stop a smile from taking over his face.
His hands moving all over again to wrap around and lean on the older male's shoulders for support as well as very nearly take the upper hand, Justin opened his eyes and looked down at him, pressing his forehead against his. Needless to say, Eli's fingers stopped wanting entrance in the material opening of Justin's t-shirt and he held him with both hands instead, looking right back at him. And it was as soon as he did this that the younger male uttered his own words.
"And you have the most soulful eyes that I have ever seen." He told him and he pressed a simple kiss to his forehead before planting his own forehead against Eli's, waiting on his own reaction if a proper one ever came.
It very promptly came. And unfaltering grin took over his expression and his teeth appeared, shaking his head slightly. But he could feel Justin nodding his head back in response and he could feel his fingers stroking his skin as he held onto him, like he had done for him.
And then words came slipping back out of his own lips as well.
"Justin Morgan, stop it." He uttered lowly and then to contrast this, he finally pressed a kiss to his lips and it was the kind of kiss that spoke of everything that he desired. Plain and simple, he desired Justin. But he also desired their continuous communicativeness, like it seemed to be somehow possible when they were in Unova together. After the deep purple haired male kissed him back with the same hunger yet lovingness also, Eli added more words. It was his turn to finally stammer. "We… We better stop all this right now, gorgeous. Or else you're not going to be the only one with weak and jelly-like legs."
The Unovan male told the Kanto born male in a whispered and hushed tone just for him. But in spite of this, I went on to know about almost every part of it. And in spite of this, Eli still didn't let go of Justin while he was being held in his arms. In fact, after pressing another kiss to the younger male's lips but a far briefer and more innocent one that time, Eli waded with him across the pool with him in his arms.
And even though the two of them had to break away from one and other to get out of the pool together because there was no ladder, they soon found each other all over again. Eli picked Justin up once more but on the decking that time and after Justin wrapped his legs around him all over and the Unovan male was holding him tightly, he made his way with him to carry him to a bench part of the holiday home garden.
The deep violet haired male sat down and he pulled the deep purple haired male with him, keeping him right on his lap. They assumed a similar position to before, when they were in the water. Justin was naturally a good amount taller than the Unovan male and because of this, while he sat on his lap; he towered over him and was able to look down, into his face.
It was no wonder that their lips found each other as often as they did. With a natural and unintentional height difference like that, it was no wonder that they couldn't help but merge. And they did there and then and in that moment. They had soft smiles for each other first and their fingers travelled to each other's faces, Eli caressing the delicate moles which resided on Justin's cheek and Justin tracing the smiling ripples on Eli's.
But then their lips found each other. They both pressed soft kisses to each other and they didn't gain speed or force – not even by the fifth or sixth one. But after the fifth or sixth one or maybe even seventh, Eli trailed those kisses away from Justin's mouth and began to plant them to Justin's jawline before allowing them to wander to the side of his neck all over.
The deep purple haired male let out a contented exhalation of breath and he momentarily shut his eyes, pulling the older male closer and enjoying everything that he was doing, with his lips as well as his fingers. He thought about that enjoyment. And then his eyes opened all over again as he pondered a bigger enjoyment.
He really was happy there and then and with Eli. In that moment and in his mind's eye during that part of his life, everything was perfect. There was no one else to comment on their relationship. There was no one else to have an opinion on their relationship. There wasn't even anybody to see their relationship. But… what was their relationship?
Justin tried to focus on the moment and Eli's kisses travelling down to the top of his shoulder, his hands all over again trying to slide their way under his t shirt so he could feel at his bare skin. But that question popped into his mind. That question popped into his mind a fair few times, he had to admit.
And there and then and in that moment, because everything was going to well and they were enjoying themselves all the more so – things had been that exact way almost as soon as they stepped off the plane together, he could feel it – the deep purple haired male allowed it to not just be in his mind but he allowed it onto his tongue as well.
Before he could second guess himself, or Eli could catch on to the fact that he was more focused on words rather than what was being done to him, Justin began.
"Can I ask you something, baby?" the deep purple haired male questioned and because his body naturally reacted to the way that he was going to ask a bold question and his mouth went slightly dry, his voice came out lower and gruffer than usual. It was because of this that Justin believed that Eli merely murmured 'you can ask me anything, my darling' against his collarbones and almost growled himself. The younger male used the adrenaline glittering in his stomach just to come out with it. "Well… You and I do a lot of boyfriend-y stuff, don't we? We're on holiday together right now. And I don't think I have to say what else we get up to so… So I was wondering… Are… Are we?"
Justin concluded his musings rather lamely but from his point of view, the rest of his words and his ramblings weren't exactly cool either! And potentially from Eli's point of view, they were incomprehensible. He showed this by finally pulling away from giving Justin very focused affection by appearing with a frown, his hands going back to either side of his neck.
"Are we what?" the deep violet haired male questioned and before Justin had a chance to bite his lip with the apprehension that he would have to tackle that subject all over again, a wave of realisation washed over Eli's face.
He had indeed been listening even though his other senses had been used up with the taste and the feel of the younger male. And it was because of this that he really couldn't act like he wasn't in the knowing at all.
In spite of this, he didn't let out a noise or let out words to let Justin know that he had been heard after all. The deep purple haired male just had to gather it from Eli's readable expression and then Justin had to try and keep his own nervous expressions to himself, instead just wordlessly reaching down to rest his cheek on Eli's shoulder.
He didn't say anything. Justin didn't say anything at all. He didn't want to push. He didn't want to probe. He didn't want to repeat himself if he could help it. He just wanted to wait and he just wanted to listen. He just wanted to wait for a response from the older male. He tells me that he was expecting disappointment. And it really did appear that that was going to be the case from the long silence that Eli exuded.
The deep violet haired male let out a bit of a sigh from his lips and it caused Justin's stomach to drop. He could feel it. He could very much feel it. And maybe somehow even Eli felt it as well. Not because he was feeling it within his own being and wondering how he was going to let the younger male down. But because he believed knew the younger male well enough to share that sensation with him.
Eli still didn't say anything – not for a good couple of moments after he had licked his own lips. But half resuming what he had been doing before, the pads of his fingers pitter-patted along where he had been kissing and he thought to himself.
But the truth was he didn't think much to himself at all. What he was doing was feeling. What he was doing a whole lot of was feeling. And because he was doing this and most likely because he was out and in the open air of the Unova Region and he was with Justin, he felt things in his mind and they too soon escaped on his tongue.
Eli finally answered.
"Well… You know that I'm not exactly one for labels, Justin." The deep violet haired male began and if those words didn't cause the younger male's stomach to sink even further then him being called by his proper name most definitely did. Justin couldn't stop himself from robotically nodding and looking down at his own lap even when Eli cupped his finger underneath his chin, encouraging him to look up and face forward. "Even so… I understand that you are. So if you wanted to say that I was that to you then… then… I would be delighted."
The deep purple haired male continued nodding and looking down at the ground. In fact, it took him so long to catch on to what Eli was saying that the Unovan male was close to furrowing his brow and tilting his head sadly, thinking the younger male had changed his mind.
But then it suddenly dawned on him. It suddenly dawned on Justin and it dawned on Justin what exactly Eli had said. His head snapped up and back towards him, no longer needing to be held up with the older male's fingers. The whites of his eyes appeared almost as white as his skin that grew paler with shock.
Shakily, the deep purple haired male moved his own hands to cup Eli's face and he couldn't hide the shaky surprise in his voice as well as his fingers as he spoke.
"You… We… You said… We are actually boyfriend and boyfriend…?" Justin really couldn't stop himself from stammering out of disbelief as he clutched onto the older male and in his own mind, he was hoping that his rambling display wasn't going to put Eli off and make him change his mind.
But luckily for him and luckily for Eli too – no, admirably, it was admirable how surprisingly content he was starting to feel with their decision together – he wasn't repelled at all. He wasn't repelled in the slightest. It actually worked really well.
With Justin being shaky and eyes full of surprise at the fact that he had even asked, let alone been granted his wish, Eli had to balance everything out. Showing off a sheepish but unmoving and fond smile all the same, the deep violet haired male clutched onto the younger male back and he told him, a delicate blush beginning to take over his own austere jaw line.
"Well… Like you said, baby… We care about each other too much not to be." The deep violet haired male concluded and he uttered words that Justin hadn't technically uttered but he felt as though he knew that Justin believed them as well. And he hoped that the younger male knew that he meant them as well.
Thankfully for him, truly that time, the deep purple haired male did feel this within him too as well as himself and he showed this with actions rather than words. Articulate and powerful he could be when he put pen to paper and wrote songs, but Justin felt that actions spoke louder than words when it came to him in romantic relationships.
Showing every inch and every little thing that he felt, Justin moved closer on the lap of Eli than he had ever done before and holding his face in his hands, he crashed his lips to his and he kissed him passionately. He kissed him and he kissed him and he kissed him. They both kissed. They both felt. They both felt the bodies of one and other. They both felt the desire of one and other. They both felt the merging of one and other.
It was so powerful. It was so, so powerful. It was almost as strong and untameable as the Unovan sea that was crashing and sounding just outside of their holiday home. It seemed nothing would break them apart. It seemed nothing could tear them apart. It seemed nothing could tear their kiss apart. But it could!
Out of nowhere and surprising both of them in equal measures as they wordlessly told and explained to one and other how elated they felt with their most recent decision together, the two boyfriends were forced to pull away from one and other when they heard a knocking on the gate of the garden of their holiday home.
Both of them pulled away, breathless, and then their necks craned in all directions as they couldn't work out where exactly it was coming from. Soon enough, it came a little clearer. Soon enough, it became much clearer when a voice from the other side spoke to them and even rattled the lock from their side.
"Are you there you two? It's just the owner of the property you're staying in and I didn't get a chance to greet you earlier on." The woman's voice sounded once again and louder to get the attention of the two people that she hoped were in there.
And in spite of the decision that they had made together and in spite of the fact that there and then, Justin and Eli were official boyfriends of each other, they still reacted with old habits. Yet surprisingly, it was the younger of the two to uphold that rigidness.
Like he had been bitten by an ant Pokémon or some other kind of creature, he suddenly leapt off Eli's lap and tried to act like nothing had been going on between them. His eyes were very wide! Eli's were too. But Eli's were wide with amusement at the reaction of Justin while he was surprisingly composed.
He shook his head fondly at the deep purple haired male, even reaching across to squeeze his hand reassuringly. But it was only for half a second while breath hitched in Justin's throat. Eli decided to call back to the lady on the other side, only looking at the gate and the lock for another half a second.
The Unovan male called back to the owner that they were renting from for just a weekend and told her that he was pretty certain that they'd left the gate open. While Justin continued to pant lightly at his own hurried actions and he squeezed lingering water out of the ends of his t-shirt, the person on the other side made noises like she was a fool before she burst in to the garden to join them.
The woman with skin a similar shade to Eli but with dark brown coloured hair and a blunt fringe burst in to join them and out of slight embarrassment that she hadn't been able to open the gate the first time round, like Justin, she was panting. But she still explained herself and tried to come across in a friendly way. She succeeded.
"Hello there, boys. I am very sorry to disturb you, but you were let in and shown round earlier on by my husband. It's actually my property. And I wanted to greet you both as well."
Despite the fact that it was the deep purple haired male who was usually the more effortlessly social one, all Justin did at first was show off a bit of a shy smile before he realised how translucent his t-shirt had actually become in the pool water! He became all the more sheepish and wrapped his arm around himself but still made sure to wave his arm awkwardly in mid-air.
Meanwhile, Eli managed to keep his amused smirk to himself as he knew what was going on even though he hadn't looked in the direction of the younger male. And following this, he got up and off the bench to properly greet the woman with a formal handshake.
"Hello. It is very nice to meet you and we're both very happy to be staying here for a little while. I'm Eli." The deep violet haired male told the tan skinned lady with a smile and the two of them shared a smile together and shook hands. Then, after their palms were no longer pressing, Eli turned on his heel and gestured to Justin who was inwardly far more focused on hoping that his denim shorts hadn't gone translucent as well! Eli certainly snapped him out of it by what he said next. "That's my boyfriend over there. That's Justin."
The two of them had literally only just agreed on that name for themselves so no doubt it was strange to hear. But it was even stranger and more of a shock coming from Eli and coming from Eli so soon and so easily! Justin didn't managed to conceal his widening of his eyes and his mouth going dry all over again, just like he hadn't managed to hide his clothing worries from his indeed boyfriend.
Even so, he had something else to focus on when the dark brown haired lady approached the deep purple haired male too after lingering with the deep violet haired male and she held a hand out to Justin as well. One of his arms was forced to flop down by his side while the other reached to shake the woman's hand in return. The younger male just had to figure that if Eli was willing to reveal all then he would have to as well.
For some reason, the deep purple haired male was more in a pickle about that than the very real possibility that things could turn awkward as soon as he was introduced as Eli's boyfriend – and on the woman's part rather than the two men's.
But there was no reason to worry. Her smile didn't falter. In fact, there was a huge possibility that it brightened even more so. Copying Justin's previous stance but she didn't have anything to hide; the woman folded her arms over her chest casually, glancing at the two of them. She barely seemed to take notice of how dripping wet they both were, let alone cared.
"How are you finding everything here so far? Is everything okay for the both of you?" the tan skinned lady questioned about her property and after Eli took his seat all over again while the deep purple haired male remained standing – and Eli made general chit chat about how pleased they were with the property – the lady added. "Have you spent much time in Unova before then?"
It just went to show how genuine the person they were renting off was from the way that her eyes didn't linger on Eli a little more when she asked this question, and she didn't exude a hint of silently guessing that he hailed from that region – just like she did.
And I'm told that it was because of this that the deep purple haired male relaxed a bit more and eventually for good. It was usually unusual for him so on edge and waiting for a tiny yet significant thing to brush him the wrong way but after dating Eli for the past couple of weeks, he had grown accustomed to always be listening out for that type of thing.
But in spite of this, he knew that he didn't need to have that particular guard up there and then. The deep purple haired male finally relaxed considerably and not only did he show this by taking a seat on the bench next to Eli, but he was the one to answer the lady and with a polite smile on his own face.
"Eli comes from this wonderful part of the Unova Region and I am pretty certain that that is why he decided to bring me here. I'm from Kanto. I've been to the region a fair few times but usually just straight to Castelia. It's a big music city, after all." Justin told her and what followed these words next were a very brief and an extremely huge effort to seem modest when he told her lightly of his musical career. He almost cringed more so during this whole thing than the lady coming close to walking in on her on top of Eli! So he made sure to finish with some wryness and a bit of a joke. "I've only bought one guitar with me though and I did find that one of yours in the cupboard. I'll make sure we keep it down though."
And even the deep purple haired male got the impression that both he and his boyfriend came across well and he told me this as he clued me in with the rest of the story. The woman also from Unova showed this by continuing to smile and even laughing along with both Justin and Eli after his light-heartedness was uttered.
Crinkles appeared on the corner of her shapely nose and then she responded back, waving a telling hand.
"Oh, you two don't worry about that at all. Make as much noise as you'd like and enjoy yourselves." She told them airily and innocently and although both the deep purple haired male and the deep violet haired male took these words differently than they were intended and they blushed, they managed to keep their eyes away from each other so as not to blush more! The woman didn't notice. Or maybe she did and that's why she smirked to herself. But Justin believed it to be friendliness because she then asked. "Do you have any specific plans while you are here?"
She asked the two boyfriends' this and they had recovered from their inward thoughts and let them go enough to be able to look at each other once more. It was typical for their eye contact to be lingering and also unreadable. Their eyes did indeed linger for a good few moments before they smiled at one and other. But then they really did smile at one and other.
Both of their pinkie fingers even brushed one and other as at the same time, they both leaned backwards on the bench. And then Eli's hand, made brief contact with Justin's arms as his hands moved about, gesturing as he was the one to answer.
"We don't really have many plans at all. We're just going to see what the trip has to offer us." The Unovan male responded and the Unovan woman didn't hesitate to nod and it goes without saying that the Kanto born male nodded as well.
While Justin turned his head to look at his boyfriend next to him while he nodded, the lady nodded just a few more times before she had some more words. She lightly and briefly touched her own chin before she came out with a suggestion.
"Well… I'm not really sure if it's of interest to you or not but rumour has it that the Diamond Breeze caused by the Cottonee partnering at Rainbow Valley just a short distance from here is going to be a little earlier this year! It's a truly spectacular sight. But anyway… Don't mind me; I really should be leaving the two of you to it. I just wanted to make sure I said hello." The Unovan lady had her turn to ramble and if Justin wasn't mistaken then a light blush took over her own cheeks.
Maybe she was a bit of a romantic, just like the rest of them!
It was obvious that the deep purple haired male and the deep violet haired male definitely both secretly were from the way that they smiled softly at one and other and they made sure to have this moment of lingering and gentle eye contact before they stood up to shake hands with the Unovan lady and went on to say goodbye.
The deep purple haired male went first that time and he gratefully thanked her for her hospitality as well as her little nugget of information. Then the deep violet haired male stood and shook her hand as well and offered his own words.
"Don't be silly. We are delighted by your company and so very grateful for your suggestion. Thank you. I think it sounds like something that we'd both love to check out." Eli told the dark brown haired woman and instead of melting at the well-chosen words of the Unovan male and getting lost in his eyes like the deep purple haired male would have done, the lady merely smiled.
The lady merely smiled. And then her eyes travelled downwards. She grew madly distracted by something. And she couldn't help but compliment what she saw before Eli's hand had a chance to pull away from hers as they shook hands for the second time that day.
"Oh, what a beautiful ring that you have on! I believe they sell them over in Castelia. I've seen them. I've often thought about getting one myself." She spoke and as she spoke, the deep purple haired male almost blushed all over again as if he had been mentioned in the conversation. Eli merely smiled politely and airily. The deep purple haired male would go on to blush even heavier when the Unovan lady added, a bit of a grin taking over her attractive face as she did bring him into the interaction. "If it's not too bold to say, perhaps you'll give it to him one day?"
The Unovan lady with the dark brown hair allowed her eyes to wander from the wooden and turquoise decorated ring to the face of Eli and then to the face of Justin before switching between all three over and over again and in a very telling way.
The deep purple haired male caught on straight away! He really couldn't stop the heavy blush that took over his cheeks. But despite this, he was going to try his best to stutter and stammer out and shake his head, uttering that they didn't need to talk about that kind of thing.
Yet somehow surprising him far more than when he had said yes to becoming his boyfriend, Justin was taken aback by how casually the deep violet haired male responded. His hand finally slipping away from the woman, his hand then extended and reached out towards Justin, cupping the side of his head in front of company. He shrugged and smiled mysteriously. But no doubt did it send the younger male's heart soaring.
"If Justin wants then I will be happy to bestow." The deep violet haired male responded to the woman while still holding onto Justin and that was the last thing that was said when it was a group of three.
Following this, the woman almost ducked her head and blushed for Justin and had a smile on her face – and then following this too, she departed following some more friendly reminders to the two boys.
When the gate was finally closed behind the Unovan lady but not locked once again, the deep violet haired male had a bit of a moment to quieten down at everything that had gone down. But he didn't look particularly thoughtful. In fact, he looked very much at ease. Eli looked very much at ease as he took a seat on the bench row all over again and even though Justin was trying to occupy himself by picking up the older male's dressing gown that had been left on the ground and intended to offer it to him before he got cold, the deep purple haired male couldn't stop himself from doing something else as well.
He allowed a few moments of silence to pass. He allowed a few moments of silence where the Unovan male looked quietly over at the ripping pool water in the Desert Resort wind and Justin even more silently pondered to himself whether his next remark was a wise one or not.
But soon enough, he simply could not resist! Everything else had gone so well. After he actually offered the dressing gown out to Eli and Eli stood up all over again to dress himself in it before sitting back down yet again, Justin playfully perched himself right on the edge next to his boyfriend and his hand went to his bare chest.
"Awwww, you're going to give your boyfriend a ring, are you?" Justin questioned teasingly in a voice that was far higher pitched than normal so it definitely surpasses Eli's low and level tones! The Unovan male blinked a little at this display but he soon caught on to his humour, merely rolling his sunken yet inquisitive eyes back at Justin and holding his hand while it rested on his chest. The playfulness from Justin died down. Seriousness took over. But it was a gentle and loving seriousness. That was shown in his voice and his eyes as he tilted his head over at his boyfriend. "Seriously though… What is it with this Unova region Eli? He's so… open. It's… It's lovely."
As Justin concluded with words that had been offered to him a couple of times by the deep violet haired male and earlier on in the day, he had a little bit of a blush on his cheeks as he felt as though it was a little mundane. But he still hoped he got his point across.
He didn't have to worry. He didn't have to worry at all.
Though Eli didn't answer for quite some time and that could've left room to grow apprehensive, when he did feel ready to react to the younger male, he reacted with a shrug and a smile and with continuous airiness in his voice so Justin knew that it was all okay.
In preparation, Justin already leaned his cheek back down to his shoulder, his hand still not leaving his chest.
And with Eli's hand not leaving Justin's hand as it lay on his chest, the Unovan male answered quietly but he answered with a smile.
"There's… There's not too much to it really, baby. I guess I just feel free. I guess I just feel free and really happy too. I feel that way here in Unova." The deep violet haired male told the younger male and even though his name hadn't been mentioned at all, the way that Justin softened and smiled and nodded and moved even closer to him, made it seem like it was obvious that there was real feelings there between the two of them and especially when it was going well. The deep purple haired male's hand trailing closer to the base of the older male's neck rather than his chest encouraged Eli to add. But he was going to continue regardless. Because he felt as though Justin deserved the truth. So he tilted his head up closer to his and he told him. "And I feel that way… Right here and with you."
And even though the deep violet haired male was tilting the younger male's head so he was looking right at him, Justin still needed to search his eyes a little longer out of disbelief and to make sure he was telling the truth. But after barely a second glance, after the words travelled in through his ears, they travelled down into his heart. He very nearly swallowed. Eli nearly did as well. But the deep purple haired male still managed to say.
"Well, baby… Let's focus on that and make the most out of that then." Justin uttered to him and it was Eli's turn to have widening and innocent eyes as he listened.
But soon all became clear when the younger male clambered back onto his lap and not only did this but he undid the ties of his dressing gown and made it so it was wrapping around them both.
And then they kissed. They kissed and they kissed and they kissed. They kissed one and other. They held one and other. They touched one and other. They enjoyed one and other. They enjoyed one and other for the people they were as Justin and Eli as well as the boyfriends that they were.
And they didn't pull away for quite some time. Like Justin said and like Justin suggested, they focused on the moment and they focused on the fact that the present moment was the only thing that mattered. All that mattered was that they were together and they felt free in Unova together and they felt free to be falling in love with one and other.
It didn't matter that that sort of thing didn't really last. What was important was that it had been. And they most certainly meant it there and then. They were in Unova and they were free. And that was something that they would need to travel back to when things got a little up in arms all over again.
But for the time being they were just them. And that was something that even I wished that they could have taken with them back to Kanto and into the future as well.
The End.
There you go! Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed :3 So yeah, Justin and Eli taking a trip to Unova together following the disappointment of Justin regarding his touring life (I wrote about that in chapter 284) is a hugely important moment in their relationship. Not only do they become official boyfriends and become intimate in the physical sense - they also become very emotionally intimate. And like it's stated here, it really is because they are alone together and away from their usual lives and can truly become who they are meant to be together. Sadly, that doesn't last outside their Unovan trip. They keep a little hint of that freedom within themselves and each other for a couple of days, but soon things go back to being hidden and pretty complicated - even more complicated. The confusion of this for Justin is the reason he ended up snapping at Eli at the airport in chapter 280. Like I said, it was a happy time while it was going on. But the fact that they had such happy times only made the complicated ones more impossible for them. Which of course lead to their break up :) Thanks again for reading and I will be back on the 28th for To You Both so see you then!
AmyBieberKetchum signing out :3