Hehehe… *Hugs Lance*
Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks
Chapter 2
Lance made dinner for them, spaghetti primavera, which was surpassingly good and did not taste like it was frozen. Red enjoyed it, and praised him without feeling silly. After all, Lance was his Father!
It would be nice if he could live with him for a while and get to know him…
Lance looked amused. “I’m not that good of a cook, Red.”
“Well, I can’t cook at all!”
“Most people would consider it an unnecessary skill. It’s mainly for show, after all.” He got up. “Well, I’ve got apples and oranges. Which would you prefer for dessert?”
“Can I have an apple?”
“Certainly.” Lance tossed him an apple and Red bit into crunchy skin with a smile. This would be fun!
He peeled the orange, slicing the peel into sharp fragments with his fingernails, enjoying the startled look Red shot him. It was so much more efficient this way. The last slice of peel dropped off as he sectioned the fruit.
“Would you like a piece?”
“S-Sure.” Red said, taking half the orange. Why was he stammering? It made no sense! After all, Lance wasn’t teasing him or anything.
Lance licked juice off his fingers after he had finished. Red was … a puzzle.
True, he had been slightly friendly, and yet…
Why did he feel as though he ought to know Red? Why?
“Lance…”
“I know you brought a sleeping bag, but you can use the Master bedroom. I won’t be sleeping in it. And since my parents are dead, no one is using it.”
“You know, this really means a lot to me…”
“I know. But if I ever visit the Ruby Islands, I’ll expect you to return the favor.”
“Of course!” Red chirped.
Lance showed him to the room, though Red did not need it, being as he would be living in this house in the future, and nothing had changed save the wallpaper in one or two of the rooms.
It was kind of interesting though! And knowing Lance was sleeping in what would be his room was kind of cool.
Though he did wonder how it was decorated.
Well, he could ponder later. It would be kind of suspicious if he tried to sneak into his room in the middle of the night.
He had time, two years to be exact.
Might as well take things slowly!
Lance pulled black silk sheets over his figure as he fell into dreamless sleep, after taking his Melatonin supplements.
For the past few weeks, he had been getting frequent headaches, and his eyes tended to blur over, but his doctor had explained that it was caused by stress, and taking supplements to help sleep would cure it soon enough.
He hoped she was right.
Red couldn’t sleep. It was too weird to be sleeping in the same house but a different room, but how would he explain? He tossed and turned for a while, until finally he released Espeon and requested her to put him to sleep with Hypnosis.
Espeon just blinked at him twice.
That was when Red realized that Espeon could not learn Hypnosis.
He must have been really frazzled to forget such a simple fact!
I
could ask Venusaur if she’d mind using Sleep Powder, Master?
“… Yes, that would be nice.” Red yawned.
Venusaur appeared sleepily from her poke ball, amicably doused her Master with Sleep Powder, and returned to her poke ball.
Red fell headfirst into dreamless sleep.
The next morning, there was apple cinnamon oatmeal – homemade, Red noted with amusement.
They ate quietly, and then Red posed a question.
“Do you have a girlfriend?”
For a moment, Lance just stared at him incredulously. “No, why?”
“Ah… just wondering.” Red looked down. Had his Father not met his Mother yet then?”
“I do, however, have a fiancée.”
“…Oh…” Was Red trying to hit on him? If so, he was being overtly obvious about it! And yet…
Some part of him enjoyed the attention.
It was a pity he was already engaged, but both he and Lorelei knew that it was a matter of convenience and Clan honor. Neither of them swung that way, after all. Lorelei was a sight more interested in his younger cousin, Clair…
But if Red was going to flirt so openly… he was cute, friendly enough, and knew nothing of the Dragon Master’s secrets.
It might be fun.
“What would you like to know about me?”
Red blinked. “Everything!”
“It might take a while for me to tell everything, Red.”
“I’ve got all the time in the world to listen!”
Fascinating.
He talked of everything and nothing for hours, and Red listened, enraptured. It was getting time outside by the time their discussion had finished, and the oatmeal had long since hardened into inedible crust.
And yet, Red was not prying for information. He seemed genuinely curious…
Lance snapped out of his reverie as he glanced at his watch. “It’s getting late.”
Red blinked, seemingly coming back to himself. He had learned so much in the span of one day…
“I suppose it would be cruel to kick you out.” Lance shrugged. “Hope you don’t mind staying another night.”
“Not at all.” Red grinned brightly.
Lance raised his eyebrows, but refrained from making a comment. “Then what would you like for dinner?”
“Ah! No, that’s all right! I’ll treat you tonight.” Red hastily assured Lance. “You already cooked for me last night and this morning, and I’m not even paying you!”
“… If you insist.”
“I do!”
“All right then.” Lance shrugged. “I’ve heard that the Vermillion Seaside Café is quite good. Do you have a flying type pokémon?”
“Yep, I’ve got Charizard!”
“Excellent. Why don’t we go freshen up and then we can leave?”
“Okay!”
… Just like a date.
End Chapter
Completed 7/15/06
Ugh. Organic Chemistry… eyes blurring over… need sleep!
Hehehehe, poor, poor Red!