Hello :P It is Wednesday and I am back with a new chapter! This one is rather long. But it is the closing of the chapter, really, of Justin and Eli. Of course, I will go on to write about them in the future because there is so much more to delve into - after they are romantically over as well as the moments in between. But for now, it is time to finish with them before the month of Ash and Misty uploads begin. In spite of being exactly that, this chapter also has a sweet moment between Justin and Katie. As well as Justin with some other people. After all, it is his night! It is his award. I hope you enjoy :3
Disclaimer: I own the story and the OCs mentioned!
Someone from our group in the auditorium being ushered away by one of the hosts of the event caused an engulfing sensation starting to tickle at the pit of my stomach before travelling upwards, electricity running along my spine. I was so excited! Plain and simple, I was so excited.
It wasn't unusual for me to be sat in a building like that, nor was it unusual for me to be invited along to a prestigious event. However, it was one of the first few that were musical related rather than the battles I participated in with my best friend. Even so, the joy at simply being there captured me and I felt almost as ecstatic as when I was on the battle field itself, long before any awards were bestowed upon either of us because of it.
Yes, I was elated. Glancing around at my loved ones, I managed to stop myself from giddily grinning and started smiling at them instead. Well, for some, I was smiling at the backs of their heads! But still, I meant every single part of it.
And speaking of the back of heads, at the same time that I heard whisperings from a couple members of the group and they leaned forward in their seats, patting the reason that we were all gathered on the shoulder, someone else obviously very much noticed something as they smiled at the back of a head in particular.
An orange haired woman sat with her raven haired husband who was fidgeting, running his fingers up and down his sleeve, wondering how he was going to get his snack out of it discreetly and without seeming rude that he wasn't paying attention to the award being bestowed ahead of the one we were all there for. She managed to ignore this and continue what she was doing. She managed to continue noticing what she was noticing, a smile gracing her face.
The deep purple haired male was sandwiched between a dark brown haired male and an orange haired younger young woman, whispering to them both. But not purposely trying to ignore the other guests who were currently up on the stage.
Soon enough, in between smirking and chattering quietly away, his facial expressions doing most of the talking, he felt a hand on his shoulder.
As Misty sat behind him next to Ash with me on his lap, she reached forward and squeezed Justin's shoulder to get his attention. The eldest Morgan son reacted almost immediately and before he had a chance to fully crane round in his red velvet plush seat, the orange haired woman whispered to him, her carefree smile changing to a fond smirk.
"You need to sort your hair out; it's stuck in your collar." Misty uttered to the eldest Morgan son and with words just for him, her voice was drowned out slightly by one of the other awards of the evening being presented. All of us were in close enough proximity to hear though. The magenta haired woman's attention in particular was garnered and she too like her husband leaned forward in her seat. But before she could do anything to help her son or Justin's hands could properly move behind his head and sort himself out, Misty lightly and briefly touched him on the wrist in an almost motherly way, indicating that she could do it for him. As she performed the task and untucked his long locks from underneath his collar, she added. "I'm surprised my daughter didn't spot it and do it for you."
A couple of us glanced either forward to where the orange haired younger woman was sitting or along the row. I peered on ahead. Managing to ignore the rustling noises from Ash as he finally got his snack packet out of his sleeve (and managing not to get hungry myself either) I glanced on ahead at Katie.
She had heard her mother's words to be sure but didn't react too much, merely giving her a sideways mock-irritated glance as she ran her hands along her own arms while Justin faced forward properly all over again and had a soft smile decorating his features when he turned his attention to the right of him.
The deep purple haired male airily and very momentarily reached his hand down to Katie's knee, but then his attention towards her was encouraged away all over again when Misty spoke a third time.
She had since successfully untucked his deep purple and long locks from his collar and she was then running her fingers through the back of it very loosely but very thoughtfully. Misty spoke for everyone to hear who was listening.
"It's got so long recently." She mumbled a little simply and mundanely for the prestigious event that we had been invited too but somehow, it spoke volumes. And speaking volumes even more so, she concluded her third and final bunch of words by patting Justin on the top of the head just once.
Sammy was sitting right next to his long-term boyfriend and on his left so he could very clearly see the way that the eldest Morgan son's eyes travelled upwards when he felt the light hand on the top of his head and it caused him to sheepishly grin, the lightest of blushes taking over his face.
He surely got the wordless message of pride and affection. And to show the orange haired woman that he was more than grateful, he reached his ring clad right hand back behind his head without looking and for Misty to squeeze.
She indeed did squeeze his fingers in response and then settled back closer to her husband, her hand disappearing into my fur and Justin's disappearing back onto Katie's knee as she remained sitting on his right side, being easily the quietest one out of all of us.
No prizes for guessing it was Ash who was being the loudest! He should have been grateful that the people on stage were continuing to boom over the microphone and guffaw and clap because there was no way that anybody else could hear the intense rustling as he attempted to open his snack packet. Nobody offered to help him because they didn't approve of him eating there when they had dinner to look forward to in a few hours.
Thankfully, the deep purple haired male didn't look offended by any of the noises even if Katie did. She rolled her eyes and shook her head and she didn't even need to look towards her father for it to be clear that this expression was for him and him alone! I didn't think anything more of it. After her expression died down and she resumed absentmindedly running her fingers along her own arms and watching, listening too to everything that was going on upon the stage, I focused on other things.
The subject was soon enough turned back to the previous one. After having his hair and collar sorted out by the orange haired woman behind him, Sammy leaned closer to his long-term boyfriend and smirked at him. The deep purple haired male turned his attention over to him as soon as he could sense his mischievous, almost elfish grin at him. The Alolan male didn't hesitate to elaborate once Katie's eyes was flickering between the stage and him. He told him off jokingly for his improper presentation of his tie, reminding him that he wasn't a school boy anymore!
After Justin joined Sammy's eyes in travelling down to the same place on his own chest where his tie was hanging and the two of them looked back up together, meeting each other's gaze, the eldest Morgan son pressed his lips together and encouraged a dimple to appear. He didn't intend on saying anything.
For some reason he gladly accepted Misty sorting things out for him but playfully took it as competition when it came to Sammy.
After Justin let out a loud and hefty sigh to prove a point (one so obvious that I wondered if the other guests around us could've possibly heard) he shuffled in his seat before he indeed set to fixing his own tie. He didn't have a chance to bat Sammy's ring clad hands from helping him because they only rose a few inches off of his lap.
The orange haired young woman stopped playing with the hem of her classy black dress and after she swallowed, taking one last look at the stage, she leaned closer to Justin and Sammy too and joined in that conversation a bit, albeit softly.
"He actually used to wear it perfectly when he was at school." Katie stated in a dainty whisper and then she recoiled from leaning so close to the two boys'. However, after she pulled away was when Justin had successfully and properly sorted out his own tie so the orange haired young woman's hand absentmindedly reached out again, stroking the material of the black and skinny tie.
Following the smile that of course took over Justin's face as soon as he felt Katie's fingers on his clothing, Sammy stopped considering the eldest Ketchum daughter's dainty offering of words and wordlessly craned directly behind him to where the lavender haired male was sitting.
James hadn't really been listening to what was going on between the seats of our little group and he hadn't been focusing his attention on the happenings of the stage either. He had grown distracted by the little name that he had been encouraged (forced) to wear and was twisting it as it resided on him, somehow not making a hole in his black and pinstriped suit.
Nevertheless, as soon as Sammy turned around to look at him, wondering the one thing, James looked up and nodded his head, hand no longer on his name tag. Fingers roaming through his mature shorter locks, he nodded his head in agreement to what Katie had put forth.
"It's true. He's always been a little angel!" James stated simply in agreement and then his voice changed, pretending to dramatically grow choked up before he lifted his bottom out of his seat and leaned forward and across to where his son was in order to press an embarrassingly affectionate kiss to his cheek.
Justin mocked sticking his bottom lip out and cringing like he was still that same school boy but then he laughed and chuckled, relaxing back into his seat. I smirked and decided to move onto Misty's lap instead while Ash had his private battle with the snack package and together we both watched the lavender haired male plant the same kiss to Sammy's cheek as well.
Then, he bestowed one to Katie. She girlishly smiled and giggled out of habit but that was all. I wondered if James believed that to be something other than her natural self or it was simply because he was one of the people closest to her. He lightly but caringly kept both of his own ring decorated hands on her shoulders.
I got the impression that Katie tried to distract herself from the noise that was beginning to get louder on the stage by glancing down at her Uncle James' hands, trying to see which rings adorning his fingers she remembered from childhood.
All the same, if this was a distraction technique for her then more distractions came. The raven haired male finally managed to yank the packet open with some force. Raisins and nuts pinged in different directions! He didn't seem to mind even if other people around us including our little group did.
Not taking notice of his daughter's second eye roll as well as her breathing deepening and slowing down – and not taking notice of James looking as though he was going to shove a peanut up his nostril if he crunched too inappropriately – Ash leaned forward in his seat.
Rather clumsily but kindly all the same, he shook Justin's shoulders to get his attention and smiled at the back of his head before he had a chance to turn around. The deep purple haired male did do this soon enough and he flashed him an easy going grin as he wondered what he wanted.
The raven haired male soon expressed exactly what.
"Just so ya know…" Ash started and he felt all eyes on him as he paused, taking a handful of nuts from the packet and throwing them into his mouth. He did chew most of them and almost swallowed them all down before he spoke again, I'll give him that. It made me grin almost as much as him. My best friend continued, his hands returning to Justin's shoulders. Jessie winced in case he got crumbs on his tailor made classic black suit. "If the fella chickens out or messes up presenting your award, I would be more than happy to do it myself."
A whole array of reactions were on display following this. And it made me grin all the more and chuckle to myself too. The lavender haired male was quick to roll his eyes but he managed to stop himself from saying anything, in the defence of the missing male or in disapproval of the raven haired one.
Sammy simply chuckled as well, just happy to be there. Jessie looked a little defensive at his insinuation but then let it go, shaking her head in almost a fond manner. Misty most definitely did look fond. She too shook her head and she reached her hand out to brush crumbs that were around her husband's mouth rather than thankfully on Justin's suit.
And as for Justin himself, while Katie unusually didn't react to her father's words or actions at all, it was he that perhaps caught on to the true heart of them most of all. He nodded his head and his grin stretched wider. He reached his hand out while still turning around in his seat and patted Ash's hand. Justin's face scrunched up politely but endearingly all the same. He told the Pokémon Master that he would love to have him do it another time, before facing forward in his seat yet again.
After everybody went back to looking towards the stage to see if it was truly nearing the moment they were waiting for, I looked over from sitting on Misty's lap and enjoying her fingers running through my fur. At the same time that she did this to me, her arm loosely yet lovingly wrapped around her husband's neck before it tousled in the back of his raven hair.
I saw the look and the smile that befell Ash's face after his interaction with the younger, deep purple haired male. My best friend was no stranger to awards, albeit very different ones. He understood how momentous recognition was.
Even if he didn't express nostalgic emotion, I was certain that he had to at least feel the beginnings of it. After all, Justin was one of the children that he used to look after while he was preparing for parenthood with Misty. And there he was, a fully grown man with a long-term relationship of his own and children under his wing.
There was a bit of a swallowing and bordering on hiccupping sound and as I zoned out and looked at my very best friend's tanned face, I believed that it belonged to him. However, after focusing my eyes outwards a little bit and taking a moment to glance to the stage to survey that situation as well, I realised that I was mistaken.
It didn't come from the raven haired male but it came from someone very close to him. Katie let out that particular noise even though she had tried to conceal it. She winced at her own sound but her being her; she managed to remain very cool and collected indeed. The orange haired young woman focused and steadied her slightly blank gaze as she suddenly rose upwards in her seat.
It was when and only when she had stood up in the auditorium that had gone dark that I started to notice and I started to hear the way that her breathing had truly started to quicken and deepen. And then before anyone could really turn her attention to her, with hands by her sides, she got out of her seat and left without saying anything at all.
Almost immediately, everybody understood without her having to speak. Our eyes travelled to where Katie had headed out of the auditorium, being surrounded by flashing lights as imagery was being displayed on the stage, before we glanced at one and other.
Perhaps down to having youth on their side, it was Justin and Sammy who stood up first and foremost when they noticed Katie carrying herself off where she knew backstage to be. And then acting first but not to one up his long-term boyfriend in playful competitiveness, Sammy took hold of Justin's arm before he could follow the orange haired young woman.
"I'll go. I'm sure she'll be okay. You need to stay in case you're called up early." Sammy flashed a smile. All eyes were on him. Well, most of the ones in our group, anyway. But Misty's eyes still wandered and flickered and they looked between Sammy and her husband as well, wordless concern filling her eyes as she looked at him, wondering whether to stand herself.
Nevertheless, before she properly could or I could, Justin very briefly and very gratefully squeezed Sammy's touch before pushing it away.
"I'll go. I need to make sure that she definitely is okay." The deep purple haired male told the Alolan male but he told everybody else as well. And before he could be enticed or grabbed or downright prevented, Justin used his long and skinny legs in his suit to make his way out of the row of the auditorium himself.
In spite of the fact that his tall self was known for tripping up a lot, he got himself out of the row and followed the lights leading to the backstage rather quickly and nimbly. Without much thinking at all, I knew this was down to the fact that he was on a mission. If Katie needed someone to lean on then he would always be there. Nothing would stop him. Not even him getting the recognition that he so badly deserved.
I of course had made up my mind to go and follow the orange haired young woman as soon as she got up and left but I still for some reason waited a couple more moments. I waited for Sammy to seat himself while he continued watching where the two of Justin and Katie had headed off to, hoping that the deep purple haired male wasn't going to have an embarrassing incident where he came onto the stage to collect his award late and in a hurry.
Naturally, a lot of members in our group were looking at one and other as they wondered whether to make a comment about Katie – hoping for her well-being – or to just carry on as if nothing had happened. Misty knew what I was going to do as soon as I lifted my own bottom from her lap. In fact, she only had to feel my paws twitching on her thighs in her own black dress for her to know.
I stuck around long enough for one person in particular to make a bit of humour out of it all. Despite being one of the people that was wordlessly worrying about Katie the most after having noticed her breathing change but not doing anything straight off the bat, it was the lavender haired male to break the ice.
Leaning across in his chair, he pressed his mouth together and so made a slight dent form in his cheek and near to his mouth. He jokingly scolded Ash whose eyes were also wandering to where his daughter had left, and told him that it was his packet rustling and face ladled in crumbs that had been the cause of her departure!
This was the last thing I heard before I too headed off and I couldn't help but shake my own head, yet in a fond way despite it all. You needed people who would make light out of each and every single moment. And you needed people who would follow after you no matter what. Katie had a bunch of these people. Justin did too. And proving this, I followed them both.
Impressing myself with my own nimble ability even at my age, I got out of the auditorium and away from the flashing lights and the whopping and clapping noises in not too much time at all.
In fact, I made it in such good timing and followed my own nose so well that the deep purple haired male he was only just approaching Katie, running a hand through his own hair and not caring about messing it up.
I turned around the corner and followed after peeping around the doorway. Katie was sitting on the bottom of some velvet plush rug decorated stairs that was leading to the stalls and seats higher up. Resuming her previous posture, she was running her fingers over her arms all over again. They appeared to be dancing, but not in the most joyful way.
Although she was wearing neatly applied red lipstick, she was biting her lower lip. She swallowed. She inhaled. She tried to focus on inhaling and settling her nerves a bit. She looked a little better. But then when she felt somebody approaching her and she looked up, she paled all over again.
Her skin grew hotter then. Her face screwing up with despair yet a dash of comfort all the same, her hand moved away from her own arm and gripped onto the golden rail of the stairs.
"O-Oh, get back inside." She told Justin and she spoke through a dry mouth and throat. Because of this, she took a couple of moments before adding more words. She took her time in composing herself as well as dampening her vocal chords. Her eyes rose up as Justin's approached her still, a gentle smile at her as he looked down at her literally not but not at all figuratively. Maybe it was this look from her that prompted her into more words. "You should go back… You don't want to miss your moment."
He stopped a metre or so in front of Katie at the exact same moment that she finished her words. I was that little bit behind but I still chose to plop myself down on the carpet all the same.
Justin continued smiling at Katie. He glanced back at the doors where he had just come from and where he had left the noise. And then his hands sliding into the pockets of his tailored suit black trousers, he looked back at the younger female. Words slipped out of his mouth, a smile naturally accompanying them.
"Maybe." He stated and the eldest Ketchum daughter didn't have the opportunity to look up at him or to convince him further because I gathered that another dose of tightness launched across her chest. She had to look down at her lap and lightly shut her eyes, taking a moment to herself in order to feel a little bit better. It was this moment that she did this that I started walking towards the two of them all over again and Justin moved even closer before slowly climbing on the stair with her, lowering himself down. He merely turned to look at her, tilting his head and doing nothing. After one of Katie's eyes opened to feebly look at him, he decided to speak all over again, pushing his hair from his eyes a second time. "Can I do anything for you?"
As much as I wanted to be right up close to them both, I knew not to suffocate during times such as those and so I stopped where Justin had previously stopped, about a metre in front of Katie. And as I tried not to feel too much concern in my own throat, I was surprised with how promptly words came from her.
"Go… Go back inside." Katie told him a little bit shakily and in the same voice as before. However, to contrast this, she reached out for the hand of the deep purple haired and held it because this was exactly what she wanted as well. And even though more words came, she didn't do anything else to encourage him to leave. "Make sure you do go back inside."
Justin didn't say anything. He didn't say anything, but still, he nodded his head just once and he pressed his lips together into an agreeing smile. I guessed that he wouldn't dream of even bothering to go back without a contented Katie by his side.
Nevertheless, perhaps he knew and perhaps he suspected that it would most likely be fleeting and she would feel more together in due course.
And so, Justin just sat there and he of course held Katie's hand back as soon as she reached for his. He ran his thumb lightly over the top of her hand and remained quiet, absentmindedly slowing down and deepening his own breathing, focusing.
Without having to even utter a single word, he knew that the orange haired young woman was likely to copy – whether it registered with her or not.
Very, very slowly, Katie moved her legs a little bit and stretched them out so they were on the carpet below rather than being so close to her body. Not wanting to overwhelm her with touch and so, for the time being, the deep purple haired male managed to resist reaching out and innocently stroking the lace material of the skirt part of her dress.
As I watched and tilted my head, silently figuring out myself what was the best move, Justin didn't resist opening his mouth. He could feel Katie's hand trembling a little less after the initial adrenaline that coursed through her body and so he spoke to her, his face decorated with care as he tilted his own head.
"Did you just stop feeling great? Was it the noise? Was it the atmosphere? Was it… your dad and his food?" Justin pondered aloud to Katie and in spite of her shakiness; she couldn't stop herself from glancing over at the eldest Morgan son and giving him a look of knowing and also had the tiniest inclination of comedy.
The deep purple haired male squeezed Katie's hand a little more. Instead of focusing on this wordless knowing, I couldn't refrain from thinking that how well Justin asked a lot of questions about Katie and her nervousness without coming across as probing at all. I knew that it wasn't just practice. I knew that it was a natural ability. I knew that it was care. I knew that it was love.
The orange haired young woman surely did too. Dulling down her previous glance, she let out a quiet exhale before shrugging. She had a bit of a rosy appearance taking over her cheeks and after I broke more of the distance and pressed my paw against her knee, I couldn't decide if it was an anxious flushing or feeling Justin's palm pressed right against hers.
Nevertheless, she managed to speak and she managed to speak truthfully.
"It… It started when he was ushered out of his seat. I don't know. I… I guess it dawned on me how close it was getting. I think it definitely started then. N-Not that the noises helped." Katie spoke shakily but daintily all the same. Because she could just feel Justin's presence as well as appreciating how he knew when not to fill the quiet with words and knew not to fuel her anxiety with them either, she added honestly, a sweet and small smile decorating her red lips. "I guess I'm nervous for you."
The deep purple haired male didn't hesitate to return Katie's smile as soon as it was offered to him. Without thinking, he shuffled to her a little closer and ran his thumb over her hand a little more. And then following this, he came out with his own words.
With a continuous smile, his eyebrows rose on his face and he nudged his shoulder against hers.
"Aw… Why, are you convinced that he's going to turn it into the roast of Justin Morgan?" he mumbled in such a level voice that it was somewhat hard to know whether he was being humorous or not. Katie of course caught on and her eyes fell to her lap fondly, her nose scrunching up gently. Before she had a chance to look back at him, the eldest Morgan son added and held her one hand in both of his. "I wouldn't mind if that happened. And I wouldn't mind if I looked down into the audience and saw you laughing away."
"I would never." Katie suddenly told the older male. Her words might have been firm but her tone certainly wasn't. Katie would always be Katie. However, she moved slightly to hold both of Justin's hands with both of hers as well and then she couldn't prevent more words from coming out. More words of truth while Justin found humour in the moments, just like his father. "I just… I just couldn't stop thinking about the moment you have to go up there. And now I can't stop thinking… About how damn pathetic I am."
Both of Justin and I's heads snapped up when we heard this in the feeblest way. Understandably, our eyebrows quickly knotted together as well. Even so, we didn't have a chance to interject or question – or tell Katie how wrong she was before she had a chance to explain.
With cheeks reddening a little more and her eyes getting a bit of a dewy quality, Katie swallowed before speaking down towards her lap. Then, as she was a little bit into her own words, her eyes fluttered shut.
"It's… embarrassing sometimes. All I had to do was sit through it without leaving and I couldn't even do that. He's the one who has to speak on stage. You're the one who has to go up there. And you're the one who performs for thousands of people all over to get this damn award…" Katie muttered and her nose crinkled but it was not in the same way as before.
It was hard not to feel very connected to them both when I heard these words. It was hard not to feel deflated. Though nobody else would dream of viewing that kind of thing as a loss or a failure, Katie seemed to. At the end of the day, the hardest critics in our lives would always be we.
Justin knew that. More than anyone, Justin Morgan knew this. However, despite knowing that he surely felt the same sadness, he couldn't prevent the pragmatic part of him from taking over. Looking over at the younger young woman with a frown on his face while she looked down at her lap, he thought about the words he was about to say.
He reached forward all over again and held her hands a little more so she was looking down at the four of their hands clasping rather than her lap. Then, as Justin started to get underway with his words, Katie's head started to lift up from looking down. And she bit her lip for a different reason.
"It's not as simple as that, lovely... Sure, okay, you might get overwhelmed in that kind of setting. Lots of people do. I might be able to open my mouth and perform for loads of people. But look at me…" Justin spoke and Katie's chin was already lifting from looking down, I watched. Then as a certain part of his words were uttered, she started looking right at him. Her eyelashes fluttered and she swallowed wordlessly. Justin continued, a breathless smile taking over his face as he elaborated. "Look at me. I couldn't verbally be honest with people let alone myself for the longest time. You might be quieter than me but at least when you've decided to open your mouth; you've always been able to be real. Look at me… Me not talking to people about how I feel is the main reason I asked him to do it… I still have making up to do."
It was funny how over the years I observed that the best way to get somebody out of an anxious state was to go into their body, and focus on sensations. It's true that Justin did this when he held onto Katie's hand and didn't let it go.
But still, not too deep in my heart I knew that it was his words that carried her away more than anything. She felt vulnerable. She viewed Justin as one of the most unstoppable people. Yet when he was vulnerable with her, she was humbled. For she knew that she was never alone. And it stopped her getting too caught up in her own worries.
She heard Justin. She heard his confessions. She heard his truth. After that truth was said and done she tilted her head and looked at him properly and looked as though she was seeing right through him.
Justin didn't mind at all. It was his turn to swallow himself. But then he smiled. And continued looking back at Katie. He did this even more so when her much less shaky hand reached out and lightly touched his dimple on his face. And he did this a whole chunk more when the eldest Ketchum daughter found her own words escaping her lips.
"You don't have making up to do… You've already done it. You putting yourself on the line and asking him is proof of that." Katie mumbled to herself and to Justin as well and her finger continued tracing his cheek as she spoke to him. As I continually rested my chin on her knee for my own offer of support, I saw the way that the deep purple haired male seemingly didn't move. He didn't blink. But he listened. And so, Katie added. "And he saying yes is proof of times moving forward… And for that, I'm glad. And very, very proud."
Watching from Katie's black tight decorated knee and enjoying the closeness to her as well as feeling less concerned, I witnessed Justin's face finally moving. His eyelashes twitched a tad and his lips quirked up. And then more sincerity took over.
Because a thought dashed across his mind, he just had to ask it. With his palm against Katie's and hers against his, he did so, shuffling an extra bit closer to her and his head tilting as he wished for a truthful response.
"You're not… You're not upset that I didn't ask you to do it, are you? That's not what got you feeling…?" Justin tried to question Katie seriously and she caught on to his words as soon as he began saying them.
And then, he didn't have a chance to finish his wonderings because her hands moved away from his all over again and that time, very briefly touched under his chin.
She couldn't help but giggle. Katie giggled and that sound was very much welcome. I lifted my head from her kneecap and looked and listened as Katie explained herself while Justin's head tilted more at her seeming amusement.
The eldest Ketchum daughter explained herself.
"If I could barely handle being in that room then I definitely don't really want to be the one presenting you the award, Justin…" Katie told him with so much feminine honesty that although it was the deep purple haired male's initial response to blink, he soon showed off a slight grin and a head shake before looking down at his lap. She continued giggling but she managed to control herself as she looked at Justin some more. After biting her own lip, she concluded with the same honesty. "No, I'm glad that it's him. I very much look forward to what he has to say."
Slowly, the eldest Morgan son stopped looking down at their clasped hands and biting his lip and looked back at Katie. After a couple of moments, I saw the words 'me too' reflected inside his eyelids but these words did not escape from his lips. Still, I knew that he meant them. And he meant the softness that did escape from him next in equal measures.
Finally letting go of Katie's hands but in order to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, Justin tilted his head just the one last time. And he asked, his shoulder rubbing gently against hers as he wore his black tailored suit and she wore her black classy dress.
"Are you sure that you want to stay? I really wouldn't mind. Truly. If you wanted to go back to Lucy, Jayden and the kids then I wouldn't mind." he uttered earnestly and I noticed that while there wasn't really another strand of Katie's hair to tuck, he still managed to find one and did exactly that.
The orange haired young woman paused for a good bit of time as she looked into Justin's eyes. And then she eventually shook her head, still looking into them before she verbally told him how she felt. She surveyed her own situation. She could still feel a slight chill in her stomach and chest too but it was much more under control. And it was the truth that she was a bit nervous as to what the deep violet haired male was going to say! But it was becoming the good, welcomed and excited kind.
Katie continued shaking her head and then she very briefly rested her forehead against Justin's for a show of affection before pulling away again. It was amazing how much the older male lit up. And he lit up all the more at the words that came.
"No… No, thank you for caring, but I can do this. I just might need to sit for a little bit longer, though." The orange haired young woman told Justin and like the time before that he didn't need to actually say words for me to hear then, the eldest Morgan son didn't need to tell Katie that that decision was absolutely fine by him.
And not only was it absolutely fine, but it was absolutely welcome!
And so, Justin didn't hesitate to comfortably settle with his shoulder leaning against the orange haired young woman's one as they sat on the stairs together. Then, we sat on the stairs together for I finally moved and sat on Katie's lap.
We all sat with each other while Justin and Katie affectionately leaned against one and other and that said everything that needed to be said without saying a single thing at all. I believed they were each other's comfortable place. And they'd have liked to stay there for much longer and I would have as well.
However, Justin's big moment was very close to arriving and this was shown to us by another person hosting the event coming to find the two of them and advising that it was time to head back to the seats. After saying this, they lead on ahead.
The eldest Morgan son stood up but before he held his hand out to Katie, he looked at her. He wanted to make sure that he was absolutely okay with following him. I looked up at her too as I sat upon her lap. Katie inhaled. Katie exhaled. She felt her chest tighten. But she believed in herself all the same.
Thanks to Justin believing in her and not forcing her to believe in herself, the eldest Ketchum daughter found that confidence. Wrapping one arm around me and pulling me up with her, Katie stood up to join Justin and linked her hand to his all over again.
It goes without saying that his face became sunshine yet another time. He didn't place a kiss to her cheek or her hand or anywhere else. He would save that for later. He just silently and gladly nodded his head and prepared to lead Katie away from the stairs.
Yet before they could leave together properly, she said some final words and it spoke everything about their friendship.
"Hey Justin…?" Katie began and of course, immediately, this garnered Justin's attention. He didn't need to do a single thing to show this. He was listening to her straight away. So Katie uttered the words that she wished, her nose crinkling amusedly. "I know that I said that I wouldn't laugh if he roasts you… But if he says anything about your hat and you see me laughing then mind your business."
And the sound of Justin's chuckles that came following this sounded so good! They sounded equally as good to Katie's giggles.
Everything just got sweeter and sweeter. Justin spoke just a few words in response before finally leading her. With a smile on his face and acceptance on his eyes, he spoke the words in agreement.
And then the three of us headed into the auditorium. I showed my loyalty by climbing back onto Ash's lap that time when I returned and Justin and Katie lowered themselves into their own seats.
Everybody breathed out when Katie joined all over again and the person who looked the most relieved – and glad too – was Sammy. Not only did he reach right next to him for Justin's hand with his left hand, but he leaned his arm along the seats to find Katie's.
She gladly accepted with a shy smile. But most importantly, she focused on the fact that she knew that it was nearly time for Justin to accept something. It was almost time for his award to be bestowed upon him. The moment that we had all been waiting for and the moment that we were all there for was nearly upon us all.
And that was made apparent by a very tall and blonde lady taking to the stage with a much shorter man to announce to person who was going to be announcing the award. The auditorium erupted into claps when they were seen on the stage because they were very well-known. But thankfully the sound died down in order for the woman to lean closer to the microphone to speak into it.
"Up next we have the most prestigious award of the night… It is the Innovation In Music Award." Her voice flooded into the microphone and she leaned further in. The man did too though it looked as though he wasn't going to get a word in edgewise! I snickered from Ash's lap when this was indeed the case as the tall, blonde woman added. "Here to present it is Eli Alderaan of E-Cloud Cybersecurity!"
If our little gaggle of group hadn't gone quiet enough and all started to hold hands as soon as the pair with the height difference had taken to the stage then we most definitely did in the moments following the name being announced. It was finally time.
But because the rest of the room naturally burst into whoops and cheers and screams and yells following the award and the name being spoken, we all had to quickly follow suit. It wasn't the moment to stand in our seats. But it was the moment to all clap. And we most certainly did. I felt like Justin was certain to clap the most but when I took a moment to peek in between sitting on my best friend's lap and clapping my paws, most of his attention was occupied with staring right at the stage.
Katie to the right of him knew it wasn't just nerves. Sammy to the left of him knew it wasn't anything of the sort. Even though the person taking to the stage had been sitting with us for the night before the beginning of our tale, to the deep purple haired male, it felt like forever since he saw him.
And so, he couldn't help but feel his breath hitching in his throat when the deep violet haired male took to the stage in his own suit and at a shorter height then even the previous man. Justin didn't look at anybody other than straight ahead. His lips pressed together. He didn't smile. He stared. He breathed. And then he softened.
I knew that his heart was certain to be banging in his chest. It was finally the moment. It was finally his moment. He was going to hear everything that Eli was going to say to him and about him. And like the orange haired young woman and the rest of us, he was suddenly very curious.
Thanks to his indeed cyber security business success, Eli was no stranger to doing that sort of press conference and talking event. However, being in a room of musicians and their fans was a little different! All the same, he composed himself well and reacted to the whoops and the cheers and addressed them with a wave of the hand and lots of nods of his head.
He took to the podium. His notes were already waiting for him. No doubt did Justin wonder what on earth they were going to say, as well as other people. The deep purple haired male suddenly felt a whole less curious when to accompany the words that the deep violet haired male would go on to say, massive photos of Justin flashed on the screens behind him.
In spite of their respective impressions, Sammy and Katie too smirked when the eldest Morgan son shrunk in his seat a little bit. But he soon recovered. He soon focused on the man at the podium, his heart still thudding in his chest as well as his ears.
And absolutely contrasting each other rather than mirroring each other for once, Misty and I shared a look when we noticed that Eli somehow composed himself and felt even more comfortable when he felt the photos of Justin surrounding him. But still, his eyes searched for him. His eyes searched for the actual person that was him.
Soon enough, he found him and he showed this by extending his arm from the stage and pointing. Justin felt that gesture like a stab to the chest but not in an unpleasant way and it caused him to jolt, sitting up more.
Justin didn't have a chance to sit with or focus on that feeling. Eli had taken to the podium and after glancing to his left and at the golden statue award that was left for him to give Justin once he was done talking; he reached for his notes and banged them pointedly on the table.
Surprisingly for him, his words came out of his mouth as soon as this gesture was done.
"Ahhhh... I really don't know why I was asked to do this. Really I don't." the Unovan male in his black suit with white shirt and white tie went against his composure with uncertain words. But they were still done with a twinkle in his eye and a quirking upwards of the mouth. And so, they were well received by the audience as well as the rest of our group who all looked at one and other. Eli continued, actually mentioning some of us, glancing along the rows instead of just at his award recipient. "Looking at the people surrounding the recipient of this award right now... His father, James, his mother Jessie - both of creators of an incredibly innovative clothing line and co-creators of Justin Morgan himself..."
Unlike the eldest Morgan son and a good few others, I couldn't refrain from looking away from the stage and Eli briefly. I looked along the same row as I to Jessie and James. Jessie heartily laughed and fist pumped the air at the mention. Like his son, James seemed to recoil. But he still smirked.
I gathered that he'd liked to have touched his son upon the shoulder but did not want to disturb him. It was lucky he didn't. It stopped being just the Morgans' moment. Other people were included too as Eli continued on his way.
"To the right of him is Katie, someone very special to me also. No doubt does she truly know him inside and out and perhaps better and stronger than ever. They've known each other since birth one could say. Her birth. I have the utmost respect for her. Any of these people would be a more likely choice to present this to him right now."
The orange haired eldest Ketchum daughter felt redness upon her face when she heard these words echoing through the speakers. It of course was a much different one to her prior ones and it made my heart swell. I wanted to stand on my best friend's lap and clap loudly and whoop! I got the feeling that her parents wanted to do this too, especially her loud and proud father.
But we all managed to stop ourselves. Katie couldn't stop herself from blushing. She smiled all the more to herself when even though Justin's head didn't turn to look at her, his eyes did. His eyes did and the corners crinkled. He reached for her hand.
Both of her hands held Justin and Sammy's too, who was also glancing over at her and smiling. James had his chance to touch someone's shoulder and so Katie felt his hand upon hers. But she continued smiling at Sammy most of all, feeling flattered basking in his acceptance.
Pulling them out of that little bubble, it was the Alolan male's turn. He most certainly didn't expect to get a shout out from the Unovan male in the slightest!
"Sammy on his left... Samuel." Eli began plainly and simply and offering the same gesture that he had done to Justin, the suit wearing male on stage decided to point right at him. Sammy was caught off guard. He stared. Both he and Justin were united in their wondering on what on earth he was going to come out with – as well as the rest of our loved ones at home watching on TV. Knowing this was likely; Eli purposely had a long and hefty pause before he concluded. "…Who at times I have the utmost disdain for and I know the feeling it mutual! But we wouldn't have it any other way, would we? And we wouldn't have the man who I have the honour of presenting this award to any other way either."
I glanced and I knew that Katie could feel Sammy's hand slipping away. However, it was not out of irritation, nor was it out of embarrassment. The rest of our group watched as – because Eli was putting on a bit of a show – the dark brown haired male knew that he had to do this as well.
With that naturally slight hardened look of his anyway, while the rest of the audience gasped and giggled, he purposely narrowed his eyes and then folded his arms over his chest. But after Eli continued pointing and even directed his twinkle in his eye right to him and his grin too, Sammy unfolded one arm in order to wave his hand haphazardly.
I wondered what on earth Justin was thinking! At that point, I couldn't tell. He might've wanted Eli to continue.
Thankfully, he did just this after banging his notes on the table once more. But sadly for Justin, it was time to be put on the spot for a different reason. It was time to be talked about.
"Justin Morgan is a laser beam of a human being, he really is. I cannot say that I was there for his birth or there for his debut as the person he has become known to be but I've been there for moments along the way. And I've seen perhaps some of his other births." Eli spoke and Justin's head lifted up a little more as he listened. I could feel Jessie and James reaching for each other's hands all the more with pride. In my mind, I placed my bets on who was going to tear up first. "The creation, certainly, of his sophomore album which was a far cry from his early musical creations yet captured the hearts of many, including my own. The prestigious honour of continuing to be one of the faces of his parents clothing line as well as a rival one and helping hand behind a men's cologne also! You all know what I'm talking about, but I've already dropped enough names thus far."
The audience other than our little gang had for the most part listened politely and attentively up until that point. And then hearing more of Eli's humour shining through and a mention of a competition as well, they all made dramatic gasping noises before laughing.
Even Justin couldn't help but laugh, his right hand still holding Katie's but also pressing against the side of his right cheek as he shielded his face a little bit. He should've known that an award for him meant him being spoken about a lot!
Laughter continued erupting. I for one just felt glad that none of us had burst into tears at that point.
Eli continued talking about Justin Morgan a little more to everybody in the room to hear, as well as the people watching across all the regions.
"A great many accolades are under Justin's belt. Prestigious award nominations bestowed upon him from the upper echelon. Worldwide selling tours. Countless musical numbers and songs lending their sweet melodies to movie soundtracks." Eli had a moment to turn over his queue card and cleared his throat before continuing to read. Justin's smile died down as he just listened. Hotness was felt in his ears and cheeks. "But I'm not fussed about that, not really. And I know he's not, judging by the blush that's on his face right now and the way he's wanting me to push me right off this stage. He has one hundred percent changed his mind about asking me to do this."
As the Unovan male got to this part of his words, he suddenly stopped reading so eloquently from his cards and looked right at Justin all over again, calling him out! To make matters worse, not only did our gang look right at him and the audience did too, a picture of Justin as he was reacting in the moment appeared on the screens behind Eli where pictures simply had once been!
The deep purple haired male's face screwed up when the camera was on him and he was forced to sit up and abandon Sammy and Katie's hands in the process. Out of habit, his mouth pressed together and he held up a peace sign. And then glancing at the stage and over at Eli and trying to act like they were the only people in the room, he shot him a fake look telling him to cut it out.
Everyone chuckled all the more so. The only thing that got cut out was the camera view of Justin as it went back to photos of him all throughout the years instead. Eli continued laughing after he had a moment too, though, and his grin switched to being even cheekier. He pointed yet again. Maybe he could read the eldest Morgan son like a book all over again. And maybe Justin could too when it came to him. It had turned into a bit of a roast!
Not for long though. Contrasting the moments of lightness that had befallen previously, Eli cleared his throat and lightly tapped his cards on the table so quietly that you could barely hear them. And his sunken yet inquisitive orbs stopped searching for the person he was talking about and focused, reading every part of what he had always wanted to say.
"Justin Morgan is the hardest working man that I have ever met. I've had the privilege of being there when song ideas struck him out of the quiet and hushed-ness of the middle of the night. I've sat back and watched as - as he calls them - irritating and monotonous humming noises - have transformed into majestic lyrics that have struck a chord with people and made them sense something deeper within themselves." The Unovan male managed to resist flickering his gaze back to Justin even though as I watched with my own halted breath (like Sammy's as it was his turn to sink back into his seat) that he'd very much like to look at him as he continued his words. "He is the hardest working person ever. I've seen the way he's fallen. I've seen him fall. I've seen him doubt himself. But I've seen him rise. I've seen him rise again and show such wondrous courage that it was as though he strolled right across the playground and punched the biggest bully in the face."
More reactions came from the audience but not from our group. We knew Eli. Over the last stretch of years, we had gotten to know Eli. And we heard his voice even out and quieten down and deepen as he spoke his words. We knew that he meant them. We knew that it was his moment as much as it was Justin's.
I wondered if Justin himself recognised this. I surely felt his heart rate slowing down as he focused. But I didn't dare look at him. It didn't feel the right moment. I knew that he was listening. With his ears, his mind and his heart – he was listening.
"But he wouldn't do that. Justin is known for his inclusivity. He has spoken loud and proud for people with the same label as him and people who identify that way. He has spoken up whether things resonate with him or affect him in any way shape or form, or not. He is touched by what's right. He has worked with all walks of life and shone a light on their path, so they could join him on their magical journey." Eli continued reciting yet still in a well- delivered way.
Listening and feeling drawn in herself, Katie stopped cupping her own hand to her face as her elbow rested on the arm rest; she offered her hold back to Sammy.
I finally glanced away from the stage all over again to see the Alolan male pause for a reason I didn't exactly know but had an idea about anyway, before he reached for her digits all the same.
Still, the three of them in the row closer to the front were holding hands as they listened. Eli's eyes travelled down to this spot as he remained focused on his speech. His gaze flickered as it travelled left to right, looking at each and every person of that trio.
He knew that he had to say what he had planned and he had to say it to the three of them, as well as the rest of the room. And first and foremost, he had to say it to Justin. It had never been spoken aloud by him before.
"And one person he did that for was me. I do not want to make this about myself but I couldn't paint you a picture of what this magical man is like and everything that he has done without sharing my own experience with him…" Eli's voice grew a little less composed. Sammy very slowly but noticeably sat up in his seat a little more so. Justin finally looked at his boyfriend, for a single second. And then he looked at the man on stage. His heart was certain to be elevating again. But he knew Eli as Eli. He believed that it would be touched on briefly – or at least tastefully. That's why he had trusted the very same Unovan man to be the person to offer this award to him. Both Justin and Eli's eyelashes flickered as the latter read. "Justin is one of a kind to me and in many ways a person of my own kind. He is everything I only wish I could be. He is everything that I am glad that he is. He makes me proud to admire the people that I hold so dear to my heart. He makes me proud to admire him."
I could feel Misty reaching her hand towards her heart from right next to me and when I turned, I saw it with my own eyes. With my own eyes, I then saw Ash wrapping his arm father around his wife and smiling privately to himself. Between that and the continuous hand holding of Jessie and James, I felt a tingle at the back of my spine.
I never dreamt I would feel that sensation. I never dreamt that I would hear those words from Eli broadcast to thousands and millions of people after everything that I knew about him and about Justin and about him and Justin together. It was a day worth waiting for. Words were worth waiting for.
There was a bit of a wait. Eli paused while Justin was one of the people to listen the most, forgoing the hands of his loved ones all over again and needing to clasp his hands in his lap as he leaned slightly forward, a bit of a dry throat oncoming.
"Justin makes me thankful every day to have given another chance to this thing called life and be able to be there and to hold his hand along the way. Through it all. Through the struggles with his own sexuality that he still continuous to face despite being a beacon of hope and non-conformity for others. Through being kicked to the curb and feeling voiceless. To being swept away. To being swept away by every emotion. Love. Distrust. Confusion. Isolation. Loneliness. Triumph. Elevation."
Even though I somehow felt Eli's eyes burning into my own as I looked at the stage with each and every word that he said towards the end about Justin, I knew that the deep purple haired male felt similarly.
And the truth was Eli certainly was looking right at Justin. There was quite a gap between the stage and the audience, but somehow Eli always found him and he always managed to look right at him. I knew in my gut that he felt as swell in his throat when Justin's own eyes flickered with emotion at a bit of his own story being told back to him.
Yet he felt safe. With those words in Eli's mouth he felt safe – because he knew at last that they shared those feelings. And it was his choice to voice them. Justin knew he had made the right choice when he picked Eli.
He didn't shed a tear when he thought of this. I was wrong about the first person to get moist eyed being James. It was actually Katie. She swallowed and held a hand to her own heart. She was also to feel an even fuller heart and wetter eye the more that Eli continued.
"I have been so blessed to metaphorically hold his hand along the way and be there for this journey with him." His deep voice wandered again into the microphone and got a little hoarser. In retrospect, I now know that he knew that something truly revealing was coming. I felt many things about that whole entire night and the people that I shared it with but the word that lit up in my mind the most was pride. I felt it for Eli as much as I did for Justin. "Unfortunately… I haven't always physically held his hand nor have I been as proud of myself as I know that he would want me to be. He would want me to feel open and free and loved for and cared for and respected and accepted because that is something he believes that everybody deserves to feel. And he's correct. That is something that is also felt by a great many people towards him which is why we are all here tonight."
Eyes went to Justin yet again although they probably should have chosen that moment to give him privacy. Thankfully though, cameras didn't follow his every move. I did though, in an accepting sort of way, I liked to think.
I watched him as he adjusted his tie before his hair and he cleared his own throat. His eyes twinkled as he listened. Eli's eyes twinkled too. It stopped being out of playfulness a long time ago. The Unovan male was revealing all. He was revealing things he should have uttered a very long time ago. It must have felt out of body to the eldest Morgan son that it was being done in such a public way.
Maybe if he had uttered it way back then, he and Justin would have still been together. Sammy looked at Justin very briefly as I thought this. But maybe they wouldn't have still been together. Katie shuffled closer to Justin when I thought of this.
Nevermind the what ifs. Never mind them at all. Eli was finally saying words. And they were welcomed all those years later.
Eli paused as he gathered himself. And then he chuckled, very briefly and quietly and privately, he chuckled. That was his way of getting composure. He found it. He found it enough to continue on his way.
"I've been so very fortunate to hold his hand along the way. But there have been moments where I didn't seize his hand as tightly as I should of. That changes tonight. That changes tonight, if he will accept it, as well as this award…" those words from Eli seemed to come quickly. They seemed to come hurriedly. But they were spoken slowly and thoughtfully and eloquently all the same. They just appeared to come around quick. Everybody's breath hitched. Everybody moved to the edge of their seats.
Eli blurted out.
"Justin Morgan, never stop it... You are a laser beam of a human being. You have accepted everyone that you have come into contact with. You have elevated them. You have shared beautiful parts of yourself with them through your songs and your music and your words and your creative offerings. You've instilled in me more than I could ever express - to fuck stigma, to fuck fear and to fuck labels. You're a gay man. You are a gay man, Justin. We aren't too dissimilar in many ways and that is one of them."
Many, many people were suddenly already on their feet as soon as they heard some of this. The deep purple haired male scrambled to his to join Katie, to join Ash, to join Misty, to join, Jessie, to join James and myself to their feet. Sammy followed after his long-term boyfriend did. No claps were heard at first. It was like the world was halting.
It was like the world was halting for what was going to come next. Justin's mouth was pressed into a firmer line than ever before as he tried to keep every emotion of his in check. All of this was caught on camera and projected behind Eli.
But unlike the first time, he did not care. And just like the first time, Eli was looking for the real person rather than the pre-recorded or any other version.
Extending his arm yet again, but this time with the award in his clutch ready for the eldest Morgan son, Eli rambled through these words. They were words that he had never meant more.
"Please, come and take this as well as my hand. It is my honour, my darling. So please hurry up and come and get it before I am rendered speechless by you."
The Unovan male concluded by dropping his notes onto the table with a bang one last time before allowing them to flutter all over the floor! And then the whole room erupted. Some people catching onto the underlying messages whooped and screamed with pure joy. Some fans of Justin simply couldn't handle the emotions of each and every part and yelled out of loyalty.
As for the rest of our group? All of us remained on our feet. And we clapped. We clapped and clapped and clapped and we clapped so hard it felt like our hands were going to fall off. There was not a dry eye in the house out of all of our special gang.
The only person who didn't have a spec of a tear was Justin who's back at finally straightened after he got to his feet and when the sound of one of his own songs being played back for him ran through his ears and he at last noticed the live footage of him all around the room – he didn't hesitate to go and get what was being offered to him.
I say that he didn't hesitate. Yet he still had things to do before he got there.
With the sound of his own song playing back to him and a lot of people in the audience singing along very loudly and elatedly and some of them even pointing at the man on stage waiting, Justin ticked off the first of his things to do. He turned to the left of him. He turned to where Sammy was standing as well.
He hadn't looked at him much during that whole thing. Maybe he felt like he was being cowardly. Maybe he thought it for the best. I didn't know. Either way, Justin held his hands out before directly reaching for him. Sammy looked equally unreadable. But then he held his hands up in the same way. Their unreadable dispositions melted away and their eyes fluttered shut.
Justin and Sammy's hands momentarily met and their lips did as well. They shared a kiss before Justin went on stage and as the deep purple haired male pulled away and his eyes opened all over, I heard something being uttered by the Alolan male in between me clapping with all of my might.
It could have been something like 'you deserve it'. But it was more likely to be something like 'go and get it'. I didn't know. I just didn't know. Justin didn't know either and other than being extremely glad for no unwelcomed reaction, he had other things to tick off first.
With a smile, he moved to the right of him and didn't hesitate to take hold of Katie's hand. After her other hand went to his cheek without even thinking of it and she tearfully smiled back at him, he planned a kiss right to the top of her hand. That was everything that she needed.
Justin greeted each and every person and shared the moment with them in a completely unique way. Fist bumps were shared with Ash. He touched his forehead against mine. He allowed Misty to kiss him right on the cheek. His mother pinched at his other cheek affectionately before wiping the lipstick off. His father kissed him on the top of the head.
And then he was off. The adrenaline was no longer running through Katie so it was running through Justin instead. He carried that with him and he used that to make his way to the stage, a little bit clumsily and a little bit unseeingly but in a welcomed way all the same.
Eli seemed to welcome him. He continued to outstretch his arm and wait for him no matter how long it took him to come. And no matter how many people he had to greet. He waited for him.
With Justin no longer in one of the middle seats and everybody taking theirs all over again as Justin finally made it to the stage but still was a few metres from Eli, Katie decided to move into the deep purple haired male's one instead. She decided to move right up close to Sammy. She reached for his hand yet again. And as their heads turned to witness the moment that Justin finally was having his moment and was accepting it, she rested her cheek against Sammy's shoulder.
Oddly, it was that that made me well up the most. I had been caught in the middle of so much friendship in my time. I had been caught in the middle of so much love. So much love between so many people. Sometimes it was difficult. Sometimes it was horrendous! Sometimes it seemed like it would never work out.
But I had to remind myself – and every day I was reminded – that people were worth fighting for. People didn't belong to one person and one person alone. They could be loved and shared by all. That certainly went for Justin. That went for Katie too. Sammy as well. Ash of course. Yes, Misty. James as well. Jessie too. We all belonged to each other. That belonging was worth a lifetime waiting for. I never felt gladder to have found mine a long time before the end of my lifetime.
It seemed like a lifetime before Justin reached Eli. But eventually he got there. The deep purple haired male's gaze flickered to the award in his hand and even though it was that that was stretched out towards him, he had other ideas. He wanted to go for the other thing that was on offer.
Seizing the day and seizing the moment, he leaned close to the microphone and addressed as such before he was even behind the podium. He spoke to the audience, waving a haphazard, slightly comical hand.
"I'll get to you lot in a minute." He spoke and he scrunched his nose up and it managed to go down well and charmingly! The thousands of people in the room laughed. Our gang laughed. Justin turned on his heel. He wanted to speak to Eli first and foremost. Of course most importantly of all, he wanted to speak to Eli. And he spoke of such, a radiant quality taking over his face. He wasn't near the microphone at that point. But thankfully, it still picked it up. "You certainly know how to push me into being me. And for that, you can keep hold of the award. And because of that too, it is your hand I would like to hold the most."
It was true that there were a lot of things worth waiting for. But this was another thing that I was glad to see a long time before the end of my lifetime. It seemed to go in slow motion. It seemed to go in slow motion as Justin and Eli stood on stage in front of each other. With their height difference, it was Justin looking down at Eli and Eli looking up at Justin.
But still, they looked right at each other. And then they fell together in the giddiest way out of the pure joy that they had finally expressed everything they had always been meaning to express – and under the watchful eyes of their long-term loves be it at home or in the audience.
After pressing a clumsy kiss to each other's cheeks, Eli was encouraged to hold onto the award and then their hands were reaching out towards each other. I saw every moment. I saw every second. I saw their arms held upwards and their palms facing each other.
In front of so many people around the world and so many people in the room, Justin and Eli's hands grew entwined.
The look on their faces was everything worth waiting for. That moment was worth waiting for. I watched the rest of it through teary and blurred vision. I watched everything that happened next with a teary smile on my face.
Justin stepped up to the podium and with his hand continually in Eli's as he didn't let him go off stage, holding the award for him. Justin stepped up to the podium and spoke from his heart too. He rambled! He was elated. He didn't know what he was going to say. It didn't matter either way. I hardly heard a single part of it! Thank goodness for television replay.
I wasn't hearing at all. I was only seeing. I was witnessing a happily ever after. I knew in my heart that it wasn't always going to be that carefree and wonderful and perfect. But it was a start. It was the beginning of the end. In the best way.
It was closing a chapter on hurt. It was closing a chapter on painful longing. It was welcoming a new book of unification. For Justin and Eli. For Eli and Sammy. For us all – all over again.
It had all been done before. Yet was still welcomed yet another time.
I suppose that's the whole point, isn't it? Nothing is ever perfect. Nothing goes down without a hitch. There aren't really such things as happy endings. There's happy beginnings. And there's certainly happy middles.
Whatever we were all in the middle of, I enjoyed. It was all of our story. And remembering all of this has simply been the honour of a lifetime. Just like Justin's award from Eli. And just like Eli getting to bestow that upon Justin, too. As well as his heart.
The End.
There you go! Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoy :3 While embarking on the task of telling the story of Justin and Eli, I've overcome lots of things, really. As well as writing about a heavier, occasionally more romantic subject matter, I also have preplanned a lot of things and wrote extensive notes about them! Usually I write spontaneously. So it was fun to try out some different ways. But yes, this concludes Justin and Eli for the time being. I know that it's taken a good chunk of the year and I appreciate that. I appreciate anyone who has read stuff about my OCs! Next month it will be about Ash and Misty, though. And I'm really excited to return to those old, beloved, canon characters :3 Thanks again and before that, I will be back on the 28th with The Diary of Baby Rey so see you then!
Amy signing out :)