Chapter 22 - That Blue Sky

Reaching out your hand, just take it closer to your heart

Never lose the fire, and hold on to what you believe

Be The One Be The Light

Message from my heart, I'll send it to you

----------------------------------------

At last, Shiron could rest. He needed it, especially after everything that happened over the past month. From Liz's mission, to Terry getting a visit from his family, and even Nick confronting that Sneasler—which did almost kill them all. Honestly, Shiron wondered if something like that would happen to him.

That was, until he remembered he was alone. Not literally, of course, but all the people that could meet him were back in the human world. For all intents and purposes, he should be fine.

Well, at least the day was shaping up to be fine. Shiron left the house to go for a walk, stretching both of his arms and feeling the wind on his body, making his scarf swish.

Hm… I've got no clue what to do today. I don't wanna go all the way up the hill to check on them…

…For a moment he missed having a phone, but then Shiron remembered his parents never gave him one in the first place.

Though, I could pass by Magnus' bakery and buy something for them. Yeah, totally.

Was he making excuses just to visit that Quilladin? Shiron shook his head; it couldn't be that. He was just hungry. Yeah, that had to be it. Maybe. Surely, it had to be hunger.

I shouldn't be thinking about it too much. Just drop by, get some donuts, then go to the hill. Yeah, that's the plan.

Nonetheless, Shiron couldn't help but feel his heart skip a beat at the thought. And he remained there, in front of Nick's house, thinking for a moment.

Never in his life did Shiron think he'd be this… happy. Surrounded by people that actually cared about him, that wanted to be with him. Before this, all of this, he assumed it would be impossible. But time and time again, life seemed to prove him wrong.

"..."

Shiron sighed, tugging on his scarf as he started to walk. Indeed, the town he lived in was peaceful, and he could see many of the Pokémon going about their daily lives while he strolled.

"...Heh."

With a smile on his face, Shiron increased his pace, running over the town. He made sure to wave and chat with everyone on his way. Even if they weren't his friends, the citizens were part of his new life, and he wanted them to know that.

The familiar sight of his favorite bakery made Shiron stop and catch his breath. Even so, his heart was beating fast—a lot faster than he thought. Shiron opened the door, a bright smile on his face.

"Hi, Magnus! I'm here to—"

Except there was no sight of the Quilladin. There were some customers, sure, but Magnus himself was nowhere to be seen. In his place, a Sandslash was handling the counter, raising a brow after seeing Shiron being so brash.

"Ya good, kid?"

Shiron's body shivered, and his face slowly began to turn red. "...Oh, sorry, sir."

"Please, you come here so often I might as well let ya call me by my name. It's Oscar."

"Well, in that case, sorry, mister Oscar." Shiron rubbed an arm. "I just wanted to get some donuts. Wanna bring 'em to my friends."

"Really?" Oscar left the counter, grabbing a tray full of brownies and heading to a table, putting it down there to a Cyclizar and Archen. "There you go, enjoy!"

He turned to Shiron, adjusting his apron. "From where I stand, it just looks like you were hopin' to see my son."

"Er, I, umm..." Shiron gulped, and if anything that made him look more suspicious. He didn't want to say anything, but if he stayed silent, things would get worse.

It was then that another Pokémon entered, opening a door behind the counter. A Chesnaught with a ponytail and a Sandshrew in her arms; Magnus' mother and little brother.

"Darling, don't give him too much trouble. He helped us save Modi."

As if on cue, the Sandshrew giggled, grabbing hold of his mother's arm. "Guguuh!"

"Helga… I didn't mean to. But he does have an increasingly long tab." Oscar raised a brow again, glancing at Shiron. "You are payin' eventually, right?"

"T-Totally, mister Oscar, miss Helga." Shiron gulped again. He wasn't even sure why talking to them was making him this nervous. "I don't wanna overstep my boundaries."

Helga looked at Oscar with a glare that made him almost paralyzed, before returning to Shiron. "Magnus went to the hill, you can grab as many donuts as you'd like, dear."

…It ended up better than he wanted, but Shiron didn't want to stay there for much longer, so he just grabbed the donuts, watching Oscar shove them on a bag.

"Now, go on. I took extra care of 'em." Oscar handed the bag to Shiron. "And… take care of Magnus, alright?"

"I-I will, sir." Shiron nodded, rushing out of the bakery.

Oscar sighed. "...I didn't come off as too intimidating, did I?"

To that, Helga rolled her eyes. "I told you to hammer it down a bit."

But in the end, it was nice to meet someone that made Magnus happy.

----------------------------------------

It didn't take long for Shiron to reach the top of the hill. And as he climbed, he could hear grunts and… vines? Some kind of fight was brewing, and while he knew not to be worried, Shiron couldn't be rational all the time.

After walking a little more, he saw Magnus on the ground, gasping for air, while Liz pointed a few grass blades at her opponent. She realized someone was getting close, and then looked at Shiron. So did Magnus.

"Ah, uh, hi Shiron!" Magnus waved an arm. He was a little wounded, with some cuts and bruises. "We were training! I'm kinda hurt, but it's nothing serious!"

"I would hardly call this session training. It almost looked like you regressed." Liz retreated the blades and crossed her arms. "Although I have to admit it helped me practice this attack."

"...You sure you're okay?" Shiron helped him get up, pulling Magnus. "Ah, I brought donuts! Met your mom and dad, too."

"Really? And dad didn't give you a hard time?" Magnus saw Shiron nod and sighed in relief. "Phew… I love him, but he can be a handful sometimes."

"Ahem." Liz blurted out loud enough to get Magnus' attention.

Magnus flinched. "Oops, sorry! Thanks for the spar, Liz! I think I'm a little stronger…"

"You are welcome. In other news, Daichi said he will pass by later today. Or at least, that was what his letter indicated. It appears he has interesting news." Liz said, sprouting vines again. "In the meantime, I will be practicing."

"N-Noted," Shiron moved out of her way and towards the entrance to their quarters, as did Magnus.

Though, before they entered, Magnus had an idea, sitting down to watch Liz.

"Hm? What's wrong?"

"Nothing! I just wanna watch her. Might give me some inspiration for my training." Magnus patted the ground next to him. "C'mon! We can talk here."

"Uh…" Shiron looked in the distance, voice rising. "Liiiz?"

"I will be fine with the chatter, just try not to speak too loudly!" Liz zigzagged around, whipping her vines in the air.

"And… do you want donuts?"

"No. Terry does not like them either."

Shiron had no option but to accept the offer and sat next to Magnus. His heart skipped a beat again, but he wasn't as nervous as before. He kept the bag on his lap, shoving his hand inside and grabbing a donut with chocolate frosting.

"I know I asked it already, but it all went well, right?" Magnus asked, keeping his eyes on Liz. She was graceful, he could tell. "Cuz dad is a bit protective over me. And over Modi."

"Yeah, it's alright." Shiron bit into the donut, and the flavor exploded inside his mouth, again. No matter how many times he tried those sweets, they always managed to knock it out of the park.

He was curious, though, about what Magnus said. And they were there to chat. "If you don't mind me asking, what do you mean? Your dad was always protective?"

"Ah, yeah, you don't remember yours…" Magnus frowned for a bit. He couldn't empathize with that particular aspect of Shiron, but he could at least try to share his experience. Maybe that'd help.

I wonder if I could ever tell him everything. About me, my family, me being human… Shiron paid close attention, staring directly at Magnus.

For some reason, just looking at him made Shiron better. And once his friend's mouth opened, he was ready to listen to whatever Magnus had to say.

"I guess it started when I was born?" Magnus caught himself and cringed. "No, wait, that's a terrible way to speak. Errr, dad said I was a miracle. The doctors weren't sure I'd make it…"

Shiron frowned at that, gills drooping. Imagining Magnus weak and frail was torture. "I'm sorry, I didn't know…"

"...Shiron, you asked me to talk about this. I wouldn't if it was too much." Magnus stifled a laugh, before moving on. He grabbed one of the donuts to eat. "Anyway, I made it. I was told mom cried a lot. Dad too, but in the end, I survived! Ever since, they kept an eye on me."

He paused and looked down. "It's fine most of the time, but other times it can be hard. Things got better as I grew, but they have their moments."

If they were protective over Magnus, Shiron could understand their distraught when their other child was taken. "Is that why they don't seem to mind that I eat there and don't pay? Your dad mentioned a tab."

"Yeah. Mom said she'd give you a lifetime of sweets for saving Modi. Dad… liked that idea, but not as much as she did. Maybe he was playing with you? It's hard to tell."

Shiron wanted to learn more about him, and the opportunity did present itself. "He didn't seem all that aggressive."

"He's not! Well, I don't think he is." Magnus shrugged. He wondered about something, and decided to pursue it. "Y'know, do you really not remember anything? Not one bit? I wanna know more about you too."

"M-Me?! I… I remember some stuff. Came to me in my dreams." Shiron gulped, trying to hide his embarrassment with a lie.

"Mhm, cool."

Gods, I'm so awkward. Magnus gulped. Being there was making him tremble slightly, and only through a lot of willpower did he manage to calm down. He didn't know why being around Shiron made him feel that way, just that it did. And that he wanted to hear his voice for longer…

Why is it so soothing? Magnus thought to himself, trying to shake that off. "Well, would you like to tell me about it?"

"Ah, okay. It's not really fun or anything, I mean, I didn't grow up with bakers… I don't think so, anyway." Shiron grabbed a donut, but didn't eat it just yet.

What could he tell Magnus? What part of his childhood could he talk about? It had to be a relatively normal part, otherwise he'd risk alienating Magnus from his life. That made Shiron wince.

"...I'm adopted, I think. I remember getting picked at an orphanage by a couple."

There, that was normal. Shiron thought it was something nice when it happened, and as long as he didn't mention everything that came after that, he'd be fine. He finally took a bite out of the donut he held.

"Oh, well, a lotta Pokémon adopt, it's alright." Magnus smiled. "I can't say I know what it's like, duh, but I think I understand. Just because it's not by blood doesn't mean it's bad, y'know?"

"Yeah…"

Magnus' tail began to wag. "My turn, my turn! Ask me something!"

"Huh, I had no clue we were playing a game, but that's alright. Hm…"

Well, if this continued, Shiron thought playing truth or dare could be an option. However, he kept that thought to himself for the moment.

"Did you ever get an annoying customer?"

There was zero time wasted before Magnus replied. "Dude, a lot. They think they're entitled, and that I should cater to their every whim! I mean, sure, they pay, but sometimes it's not worth the money. I've even been called names a couple of times!"

"...Ouch. I hope I don't come off as entitled, I mean—"

"Nah, you're fun to be around!" Right away, Magnus shook his head. "Plus, I get someone to try out all my new recipes!"

Again, Shiron was receiving a compliment. Him, of all people. How in the world did he end up in that situation? A good situation, yes, but even so, he almost couldn't believe it was actually happening to him.

Yet, Magnus was affirming that. It didn't feel like a lie, despite Shiron's reservations. Maybe it was the truth, and it even made him get distracted, trying to come up with an alternative.

In fact, he got so distracted that, when finishing his donut, Shiron didn't notice some of the frosting was left on his cheeks. "T-Thanks, I—"

"Shiron, hold on for a sec."

Magnus turned around to look at him, seemingly in the eyes. Shiron himself almost gasped, because the Quilladin came closer to him; almost too close. Their faces were practically touching; Shiron couldn't look away from him, not even bothering to try.

He squinted his eyes, still looking at Shiron. "Yeah, I noticed it. Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't."

W-What?! What's he talking about?! It couldn't—it couldn't be that, could it?!

"Look, I'll handle it for you, alright?" Magnus moved a hand, and it too was going forto reach Shiron's face.

"O-Oh, sure, yeah, do that."

Once again, Magnus put himself closer, and his arm finally reached Shiron, on the cheek.

O-Oh Gods. Shiron's heart was beating faster than it ever had in his life, and he almost fainted.

Before Magnus rubbed his finger over Shiron's cheek to remove the frosting stain on it. "Theeeere we go! Seriously, with how much you eat, I'm surprised you left a part of it."

"..."

Shiron sighed. Somehow, he wasn't surprised that it didn't end up like he wanted. Even so, it was a little disappointing. Maybe… maybe he misread the signs.

I thought he had a crush on me. I… I was very hopeful about that. I… I have a crush on him too, but this…

Then Magnus backed off. Unbeknownst to Shiron, the Quilladin also had his heart racing, but for a slightly different reason.

I can't believe it. I… I got so close to Shiron! It's that why I'm racing like this?! I-I… I think I have a crush on him?! I…

Neither of them was willing to discuss what just happened, for their own reasons. That did leave them in silence, with that only being interrupted by the swings coming from Liz.

"So, uh, Shiron?"

An answer, finally. "What's up?"

"If I asked you to come have dinner with me and my parents, would you?"

Shiron nearly choked on another donut, and because of it he didn't reply, he just nodded.

Maybe there was a chance for him after all. If he didn't mess it up like he did with everything else in his life.

Just then he heard something rolling on the ground, climbing up the hill. A few seconds later, Shiron saw that Golem again.

"Ah, you're here. That's nice, I guess." Shiron sighed, standing up. He didn't want to talk about mission and heroic stuff. He just wanted to be next to Magnus, even if the Quilladin's softness made him uneasy.

"You could at least try to be more receptive to me, y'know." Daichi uncurled his body, before rolling his eyes. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Shiron and Magnus quickly glanced at each other, before shaking their heads. It was impressive how synchronized both were doing it.

"We were just talking. Nothing wrong with that. I–I mean!" Shiron nodded next, gulping and putting on a smile.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"Uh… yeah, just talking, haha." Magnus rubbed the back of his head. He wasn't sure where the embarrassment came from. For all he knew, he was simply chatting with a friend and getting to know him better.

"Well, that's nice and all, but I got business with him." Daichi pointed at Shiron.

Behind him, Liz walked, ready to discuss things. Her training was cut short, which was unfortunate. However, she wasn't going to let it drag her down.

"Indeed, we require more information. I am… curious about what you have for us."

Shiron watched them all enter the house, except for Magnus, who approached him with a smile.

"Well, I gotta go back. I promised mom I'd look after Modi today. But this was fun!" Magnus' tail wagged again. "See you later!"

"S-See you later." Shiron waved. He waited until Magnus was out of view before sighing in relief.

Somehow, their chat didn't end with Magnus hating his guts, which Shiron was thankful for. He looked up at the sky. Almost clear, with little clouds. Things were fine. He could rest.

----------------------------------------

Or not. Those meetings were far from rest, and Shiron knew that quite well. Either way, he entered the base, sitting in his chair. Already the others were there, with Nick seemingly discussing a comic with Terry. Daichi was taking a peek, too.

"Ahem. You three should focus on the task at hand." Liz proudly proclaimed, pouting and with her flowers on her hips.

"R-Right, sorry, Liz." Nick pouted in response, sitting in his chair.

"...You're no fun sometimes, you know that?" Terry rolled his eyes before putting the comic on a drawer. "And just when it was getting really good…"

Shiron didn't know what to say in that situation; he mostly didn't want to interrupt or annoy anyone. Daichi, however, was the one to start things off.

He did so by clearing his throat. "Y'know, it's one thing to be in a deserted city. It's a different thing to be in one right before disaster strikes, isn't it?"

"...Ah, yes, that Pokémon. Zero." Liz said. She tried to remain calm, but there was venom in her voice—it was also louder than normal. Even she realized it, and quickly muffled herself. "My apologies. I let my emotions get the better of me again."

"Apologies accepted." Daichi added. "So I did my own investigation. There's been reports of a Pokémon matching Zero's descriptions in a lot of towns, all before they're facing disaster. The same kind you all experienced."

Terry winced. He didn't want to remember that town covered in sand and with constant storms, yet the memories flashed in his mind. "Yeah… I don't see the point. He could be trying to prevent them. It's best not to make accusations without evidence."

"B-But if that was the case, there would be some exceptions." Shiron spoke up, causing everyone in the room to look at him. He tried to keep calm. "...W-What I mean is that, if he was trying to prevent those storms, some of the places he visited wouldn't be hit. Did that happen?"

"Yo, he makes a good point!" Nick was next, looking at Daichi. "Did he manage to save any?"

Daichi sighed and shook his head. "Unfortunately, he didn't. He seems to keep moving around the place, not bothering to stay long enough for anyone to really know him."

"Hm…" Shiron looked at the table. Were they right in pursuing this?

Zero could be a good guy, and they were letting their emotions cloud their judgment. In any case, Shiron wanted to know more about those Cracks, and Zero happened to be the best person to talk about it.

"What is your point?" Liz raised her voice. "I—we need to find him. Are you saying that is simply not possible?"

Terry cast a glance at Liz, noticing her choice of words. He didn't want to believe she was still trying to fight Zero. She noticed his look and then stopped herself, shifting to a more calm expression.

"That'd suck, wouldn't it?" Daichi took his time to look at everyone present in the room. Mostly for the dramatic effect as he let silence fill the area. "...For that, I actually have good news and bad news. Which one do you guys wanna hear first?"

"I have a feeling they're both gonna be bad. Just varying levels of bad." Shiron pointed out with a sigh. "...That being said, say the good one first."

Nick looked at his friend and then at Daichi. "What he said."

Once again, Daichi took his time to reply, though the others ended up glaring at him as the seconds passed—except Shiron, who kept quiet, as always.

"Well, the good news is that I know where he is now. Why? 'Cause in my investigation, he actually talked to me!" Daichi, if he had a chest, would be trying to puff it. Instead he just put on a grin. "I visited the fallout of that town Liz, Terry and Onyx went to. Ain't pretty. Surprise, surprise, he was there."

Liz would be popping a vein if she had one. She tried to calm herself down instead. "I see, and what did he say? I assume that's the bad news."

"Yeah. Like, what's his goal? What's he planning? We got a lot of questions, man!" Nick raised an arm to exclaim.

The only one else to say anything was Terry. "...I want him to answer all of those questions."

But Shiron didn't reply. He was simply… observing. His stomach was twisting around itself with anxiety.

"A week from now." Daichi started, clearing his throat. "A week from now you are to meet him at an abandoned town. According to him, he'll be there to answer everything."

Stupid. That was incredibly stupid. Shiron didn't believe it one bit; Zero kept mentioning he worked for someone, so it stood to reason to assume this was a trap. And yet… they could finally ask him things.

"Well, that's a golden opportunity for us," Nick spoke up, nodding. "We can find out the truth!"

A sigh left Terry. "He could be leading us to our deaths. But… I've been thinking. Is this really worth it? What's our goal here?"

Daichi glanced at everyone again, sighing afterwards. "I can't answer that. Honestly, I'm not sure I'll be going. But whether you guys do it or not… I'm not deciding it for you."

That caused the room to be silent. Shiron hadn't realized that, for the past two months, pretty much all he did was chase after that guy. And, well, help his friends. But mostly, the only mission he had was related to Zero.

"I… I wanna know. I wanna know more about the world. This world I'm in, with a beautiful blue sky." Shiron perked up, almost leaving his chair. "I… I think I wanna do this. Those Cracks, who Zero works for… I wanna learn."

"Well said, buddy." Nick's tail wagged for a few seconds. "I mean, I need to do this! I'm gonna be a hero, and a hero investigates!"

With their opinions voiced, that left Terry and Liz. Naturally, Liz already had her answer. "If… I am allowed to make my own decisions, then I will pursue this."

"There's a big world out there. I don't wanna be in just one place." Terry nodded. "I'm in."

"Dang, I wasn't expecting you all to accept the offer." Daichi chuckled and clapped his hands, to the best of his ability. "Alright, I'm gonna grab the map he gave me back at my place. Dismissed, guys!"

The second Daichi walked out of the door, Shiron put his head on the table, sighing in relief.

"I-I don't know about you guys, but these things take a lot out of me…"

"Noted." Liz stifled the urge to chuckle. "In any case, I suppose we should spend the week preparing for this… meeting."

Nick bit his lip, tapping a foot on the ground. "I'm not going to dismiss the possibility of a trap. We're training too."

"Well, that's obvious." Terry grabbed his comic again. "But after I finish reading. What about you, Shiron?"

"I…" Shiron gulped. Oh boy, he still had to meet with Magnus. "I got invited for dinner, but that's not until later, so—"

Nick jumped out of the chair, grinning and whooshing next to Shiron. "Hold on, hold on! You got invited to dinner?! Who invited you?!"

"N-Nobody!"

"If nobody invited you, then you are contradicting yourself." Liz rolled her eyes.

"Or you're embarrassed and lying to us." Terry grinned, looking as smug as possible. "I'm betting on the second option."

"...S-S-Someone invited me!" Shiron nodded. Perhaps one too many times. "B-B-But it's private! It's just dinner!"

Nick just blinked. "...It's Magnus, isn't it?"

"Ack!" Shiron's face went bright red.

"Oh yeah, I'm surprised they didn't go out before." Terry snickered. It was all in good fun, of course.

"...Ah, congratulations." Liz nodded and went back to her chair.

"Y-Yeah? It's him." Shiron tugged on his scarf. This was one of the times he wanted to hide in a hole.

Nick tapped Shiron on the back, grinning wider. "Well, congrats, buddy! You got a date! We're going home right away to get you ready for it!"

"W-What?!" Shiron made sure to speak the next sentence in the most quiet tone he could muster. "...I have a date."

Never in his life did Shiron think he'd ever say those exact words.

----------------------------------------

Obviously, Nick was in a hurry to get home, dragging Shiron by the hand and running as fast as he could. The poor Marshtomp was dizzy, having second thoughts about the whole thing.

"W-W-Wait! It's not a date! He just asked me to have dinner with him and his family!"

"Buddy, I know him for longer than you. This is a date." Nick stopped in front of the house, sticking his tongue out for Shiron. "And I'm here to act as your wingmon!"

"My wingmon," Shiron repeated, glaring at his friend. It… couldn't be that bad to try. "What am I even supposed to do? Assuming this is a date, I mean. Hypothetically."

Nick continued to grin. He was too excited about this. "Dude, trust me. I'm gonna get you the greatest stuff to wear! You're gonna look incredible to him!"

"Uh… s-sure." Shiron gulped. This was more nerve-inducing than he realized. They both entered the house, passing by Rowan—who was watching the TV—and then climbed up the stairs.

Once inside, Nick made sure to lock the door. They wouldn't be leaving until Shiron was made pretty. He turned around to the Marshtomp, clasping his paws together.

"Alright! Let's see what I can do for you!"

Shiron tugged on his scarf again, before sitting on his mattress. "Uh… I just wanna say it's not a date."

Sure, thinking about Magnus made his heart start beating faster, and he had occasional dreams about the two hanging out. But surely, that didn't mean they were going on a date. An actual, romantic date. That was simply impossible!

"Again, I know him. And honestly, what's wrong with it being a date? I thought you liked guys and girls." Nick moved to the closet, opening it to pick something that would complement Shiron.

"I-I mean, yeah, but like…"

How could he even explain it? "I had crushes before, but… I didn't act on them."

Nick continued to look at each of the accessories, landing on a hat. "Hm, if I cut a hole in it for your fin, it might work. Also, you never dated anyone?"

"N-No. I had crushes on a lot of guys." Shiron took a deep breath. "I mean, sometimes mom and dad would let me out when we went to buy stuff and some of the guys I saw along the way looked cute… I remember some of dad's friends visiting and bringing their kids. That kind of stuff."

"Just the guys?" Nick glanced at him, finding it odd. "Like, no crushes on girls?"

"...No? I mean, I like guys, yes. But I have to like girls, too. I have to, even though I never had a crush on any of them."

"..." Nick stopped what he was doing, walking towards Shiron and sitting in front of him. "Run that by me again."

"I… I have to like girls. I can't just… be only into guys." Shiron said. To him, this was the most natural thought possible.

"I see." Nick crossed his arms and raised a brow. "So, even though you clearly never had any kind of attraction towards girls, you still feel as if you need to be into them?"

"...Yes?"

Nick frowned, his ears drooping. This was a first, if he was going to be honest. "People can be gay, Shiron. You don't need to force yourself to be attracted to a girl. You can just… like guys. Me? I like girls, and I can't even fathom the thought of forcing myself to like guys. That's what's wrong."

"...What?"

He repeated everything Nick said in his mind, and everything… made sense. It did and didn't at the same time, because if this was true, then everything he believed his whole life had been a lie. Shiron could like only guys.

But… it was hard to digest. Shiron didn't want to think about it, at least not during that moment. "Even if that's the case, and let's say I hypothetically like Magnus, what if he doesn't return my feelings?"

"Look, I've had my fair share of crushes. Some worked out, some didn't." Nick rubbed the back of his head, forcing a smile. "But the thing is that, at the end of the day, it's a risk you have to take."

"That wasn't the answer I was hoping for."

"I know." Nick stood up and sighed. "Well, I might've gotten too excited about this. My best friend, on a date with my other friend… I kinda got carried away."

"Y-You're fine. I'd still appreciate your help, if you're willing to help me."

Nick smiled. He was going to do his best in this scenario. If it came to only him, Shiron would leave Magnus' house with a boyfriend.

----------------------------------------

On Magnus' end, he was getting ready as well. Putting on a bowtie over his chest, combing the fur on his head until he had a bit of a tuft of fur. As far as he was concerned, it looked nice and clean.

His mind, on the other hand, was a bit messy. Magnus could listen to his heart beating with every brush of the comb, not to mention his fingers and arms were shaky. All of it because someone was coming over for dinner.

But not just anyone. Shiron. His friend. As he brushed his fur some more, Magnus continued to think about that Marshtomp. His mind drifted off to Shiron smiling, standing close. He brought a warmth that Magnus never experienced in his life.

Needless to say, he was only thinking about Shiron. Magnus stopped to look at the mirror.

I'm fine. I'm fine. I think. I hope I'm fine. Oh, he's not going to be that judgmental, right? He never is…

Maybe this was anxiety. Maybe the thought of inviting Shiron for something so private was making him scared. However, Magnus didn't intend on canceling. Certainly not when he was getting ready.

I need to look pretty, too. Magnus gulped. But… I don't even know if he likes me back. What if I'm wrong?

Someone like Nick would say to try it anyway, that he had to take the risk. Magnus sighed, taking another look. He kneeled slightly to open a cabinet, picking up a bottle of perfume.

Do I put it on? It might be too sweet for him. Or…

This was getting embarrassing. Magnus sprinkled some of it in his hands, before rubbing his body over with the perfume. And with that, Magnus thought he was done.

Then he heard a knock on the door.

"Uh, come on in!"

After the door was opened, Magnus saw his dad, who spent a good few seconds looking at him.

"You're dressin' fancy today, son. Any reason why?"

"Well, a friend is coming over. The least I gotta do is look nice." Magnus tried to defend himself, but his father knew better.

"Of course. You always put on your best perfume when a friend comes over. I didn't know you two were such… good friends."

"D-Dad!" Magnus' face turned red.

"Heh, just kiddin'! He'll be treated very well, so don't worry about anything, son. Let's go to the dining room."

"Right, sorry." Magnus sighed in relief. This was just dinner. So why did it feel more important than that?

It might be. Shiron was giving out signs he was interested. Or at least Magnus thought that was the case. He could be wrong, of course, but for the moment he was betting on the odd chance that he was right.

"For the record, he seems nice."

"He really is! I could listen to his voice for hours!"

"Well, you have our full support, whether it works out or not. Obviously me and your mom are hoping it does." Oscar glanced back at Magnus before sitting on the edge of the table.

Said table was already set, with a bunch of plates, candles, and napkins, all carefully organized. There were two chairs on each side, and one in each corner.

"T-Thanks. I hope it does, too." Magnus sat on one of the side chairs, noticing how comfortable it was; more so than usual. "And what's for dinner? Errr, Shiron eats a lot."

"...I can see why he likes you, cookin' for him and all," Oscar observed, a wry smile on his face.

"It's not just that! I think. I'm… I'm not sure if he feels anything yet." Magnus admitted, even if the signs were there. "...On that note, dad? Don't mention anything. I don't want him to feel pressured. We're just having a normal dinner."

"Heh, don't worry. He'll have a good time, I'll make sure of it—"

It was then that they heard someone knocking on their doorstep. Magnus' heart sank for a moment, and he quickly jumped out of the chair, gulping. "I'll go get him!"

"Atta boy."

With his heart getting increasingly faster, Magnus thought the trek to the door felt longer than usual. Still, he made it through, standing in front of the door.

"W-Who is it?"

The answer made Magnus shiver.

"Hey Magnus, it's me, Shiron! I'm right on time!"

Right on time. Right. On. Time. Magnus took a deep breath, slapping both of his cheeks, managing to calm down.

"Noted! Come on in!"

To be more polite, Magnus opened the door. He did so slowly, making sure to only look once it was fully open. And there he was, Shiron, on the other side.

"H-Hi."

He wore a shorter scarf than usual, with a more pink tone. Shiron also had a beret over his head that was a little raised due to his fin, and two black, fingerless gloves over his hands.

"W-Welcome!" Magnus waved. He realized something in the air smelled nice, tracing the source to Shiron. Some kind of perfume, maybe? Just like he did.

The Quilladin waited for Shiron to reply, which only took a few seconds. However, to Magnus, those seconds were an eternity. All he could do was stare into Shiron's eyes. That Marshtomp was stunning. Stunning, and then some.

Shiron smiled, and Magnus could feel his soul leaving his body as he watched on, warmth filling his body like never before. Through the sheer force of willpower, Magnus managed to keep himself from shivering.

However, his thoughts ran wild. Going on a trip to the beach, visiting a big city, or even traveling by boat! In all those scenarios, Magnus had Shiron by his side.

"I… I hope you have a good time today, Shiron." Magnus said, smiling even more. "It might've been out of nowhere, but really, it's just me being grateful. We're friends, right?"

"Yeah, friends!" Shiron nodded in return. It did sting a bit, but he wasn't sure what to expect. Keep your expectations low, Shiron. Then you won't get disappointed.

Magnus moved out of the way so Shiron could enter, and then closed the door behind them. He sighed in relief, looking at the Marshtomp.

"We're only having sweet stuff for dessert. Mom's cooking dinner today… but I'm not sure what it is."

"No worries, I'm sure I'll like anything! You know me, after all." Shiron smiled again. So far, things were going well. Granted, all they did was talk. But still, talking was fun.

He walked a bit through their living room, before entering the dining area. And wow, Shiron had to take a few seconds to check how organized everything was. It reminded him of home a little bit.

"Heya, kiddo." Oscar waved, sitting on his chair. "Dinner's going to be served soon, so why don'tcha relax and sit down?"

Shiron sniffed the air and could tell something was being seasoned in the kitchen, though he couldn't figure out what exactly it was.

"O-Of course, sir. Thank you for accepting me here." Shiron bowed. If there was anything he learned with his parents, politeness was it.

"It was my idea." Magnus pointed out, before he sat. "Dad's right, though. We can wait for the food here!"

They're so nice to me… I'm not sure what to think. Shiron nodded, sitting next to Magnus. His heart skipped a beat, but that was probably fine.

"Well, I guess we can talk a bit before, right?" Oscar raised a cup of glass. There was a bubbling golden liquid inside of it, which Shiron assumed to be some kind of alcoholic beverage. "So, what'd you and Magnus do, exactly? I know you two climb that hill a lot."

"...We investigate. Honestly, we might as well be detectives at this point. It's not that exciting." Shiron answered with a sigh. "Magnus only went with us for one mission, though."

"I'd rather not fight unless I really have to!" Magnus said. "Plus, baking is my passion."

"You get me, man." Shiron managed a snicker.

To think he was in a house, with a loving family, and with a friend. Shiron couldn't help but chuckle. The life he now lived was… wonderful. Still, part of him was expecting a "catch". Something bad that would take away all the happiness he felt. The fact it didn't happen yet was also concerning for him.

But he tried to ignore the thought. His paranoia was simply being more annoying than usual.

"I'm glad you two are friends. Magnus talks a lot about you, y'know." Oscar said with a grin.

Naturally, Magnus put his hands on the table, face turning red. "D-Dad!"

"I-It's okay. I talk about you to Nick all the time." Shiron didn't, but he lied because it'd make Magnus feel better. Though he did want to talk more about him with other people.

"Huh? Okay, that's… thanks." Magnus sat down again, still flustered. Was this another sign, or was he overthinking again?

Shiron quickly thought of another subject to talk about. "Oh, and I've made some progress with my training! Icy Wind is easier to use."

"Well, I think it's cool!" Magnus said. For a moment, he was pretty happy with himself. But then he started to cringe; it was a really dumb joke.

"H-hahahahah!" Shiron burst out into laughter, much to the other's surprise, and it took him a good minute before he calmed down. His stomach still hurt even when he stopped laughing. "M-Man, that was good!"

"If you think that's good, just wait until the food arrives! Heh, get it? They rhyme!" Magnus snickered in response. At last, he found someone that appreciated puns.

"How cute." Oscar had to snicker as well, before a scent caught his attention. "Speaking of food, I think it's done. I'll go grab it, you two just wait here."

He left for the kitchen. Meanwhile, Shiron simply… waited. With Magnus next to him, time was faster than normal; he took that as a sign he was enjoying things.

And once the doors opened again, Shiron caught the sight of a Chesnaught holding a large tray in her arms. From what little he could see, it looked like a pie, smelling of meat and spices.

Next to Helga was Oscar, carrying a bottle made of glass with juice inside, along with ice cubes. Shiron smelled Oran, and that made him even more excited.

"Sorry that I took so long. I wanted to make sure the cooking was up to par." Helga put the tray down, smiling at her guest. "But please, make yourself at home."

"Thanks, mom!" Magnus nodded, grabbing a handful of pie. "Oooh man, you're lucky! Mom's meat pie is the best in the whole town!"

"Is that so? I'm looking forward to it, then." Shiron didn't want his usual, comically large slice, so he took a smaller one. "Thanks for the opportunity, miss…"

"Oh, please, call me Helga," she sat on the opposite table from Oscar, grabbing her own slice, while her husband poured juice into cups for them all to drink.

Magnus began to eat in silence, savoring every bite. He already knew how it tasted, so there was no need to talk about it. However, he did want to hear what Shiron had to say.

And Shiron was practically exploding. The flavor stayed with him even after swallowing the food. Of course, he had to enjoy it, so he ate slowly, only stopping to take sips from his juice.

Once he finished his serving, he smiled more. "W-Wow, you weren't kidding, this is great!"

"I'm glad you think so!" Magnus grinned in response. "See, mom? I knew this was the right thing to do!"

"Bwahahahah!" Oscar chuckled to himself. "I see we have another heavy eater in our house. But no worries! We're prepared for it."

Still surprised at how gentle they are. Guess I… I can let my guard down a bit.

Shiron thought, but then something new came up in his mind. This was a nice situation, sure, but… did he really deserve it? Magnus was a ray of sunshine, and Shiron… wasn't that. A depressed mess that didn't even want to consider the possibility of being gay. Could someone like him truly be deserving of love?

"I'm… I'm really glad you're here, Shiron. It's been a while since we had any visitors." Magnus said, grabbing another slice. "We should do it more often!"

Helga couldn't agree more. "Yes, of course. Just let us know beforehand, so we can prepare. And before you ask, yes, sleepovers are fine."

"As long as you're prepared for the possibility of waking up in the middle of the night. Modi isn't the heaviest sleeper," Oscar added. He kept his smile. "Still, we're really glad to have you here!"

Those warm words… they confused him. Shiron looked down at his plate, unsure of what to think, what to do. The way they looked at him was overwhelming, despite him knowing it was also a gentle look.

My heart… I feel like it's gonna burst. I… I don't deserve this…

If he deserved it, he'd have gotten this love and care from his parents. Shiron once again tried to shake the thought of, but it kept coming back. No, he was worthless. No, useless. His body ached with wounds healed long ago.

Everything was overwhelming. The voices, the smells, the sights… Shiron couldn't handle it. And maybe he shouldn't. Maybe this was too much, maybe his second chance… never should've come.

"Hey. Hey. Listen to me."

Shiron felt someone grabbing his hand, and though his first instinct was to pull back, he didn't. Instead, he glanced to the side and saw that it was Magnus.

"You spaced out. I thought you were having a panic attack…"

"S-Sorry. It's just… my first time having dinner like this. I'm not used to it."

Oscar shook his head. "You're sayin' it right. The first time. I wouldn't mind doin' this more often."

"Me neither. Now please, try to relax, alright, Shiron?" Helga's words were more soothing than Shiron thought, and he did appreciate them.

Perhaps… it wouldn't hurt to let his guard down, just this once. After all, he was close to someone he liked. No, that he loved. Shiron, though, decided not to tell Magnus. He wasn't sure his feelings were reciprocated, and this wasn't the ideal situation to confess.

Magnus pulled his hand away. "Well, how about we eat some more, and then we can go watch a movie? We can even make popcorn!"

"W-With caramel." Shiron resisted the urge to drool, since he didn't want to make a fool of himself. Well, things were fine, again.

Even though he had an important mission a week later. Shiron allowed himself to relax a little. Maybe those thoughts wouldn't leave him, but… Magnus' presence alleviated them.

"Thanks, Magnus. I'd love to watch a movie with you, anytime. But first… I wanna finish dinner."

Things were fine, indeed.