Chapter 7 - A Day of Questions, but a Lifetime of Answers
The sun bathed the hotel during the warm morning, the perfect weather for the tropical scenery to be enjoyed to its fullest. But although the circumstances invited them to go outside and enjoy such a perfect day, first, they had to start the day properly.
Due to that, the sound coming from the kitchen of eggs cooking on top of the frying pan was way more tempting than anything else at the moment. Leon himself was salivating at such a delightful sound.
“Hungry, huh? After yesterday, I’m not surprised.” Dylan commented from the side, drinking a spoonful of soup.
Leon laughed in an embarrassed tone. “Haha… Guess so. Woke up today craving eggs like never before.”
“Don’t worry. I asked Nahual to cook plenty for you. You’re not getting hungry today~.” The Sylveon winked towards his partner.
“Aaawww, thanks hun. I’ll be sure to enjoy them to their fullest.” Leon said before closing his eyes and enjoying the sounds coming from the kitchen.
After an emotional yesterday, Leon and Dylan had absolutely crashed for the night. Leon slept a whole 10 hours straight, having a heavy and peaceful sleep, something Dylan never saw before. Not that he would complain, the sight of his boyfriend sleeping was something completely adorable, and he knew that Leon needed it.
The two had arranged with Folia for them to stay for two more days. They would get to properly enjoy some of the facilities from the hotel and get to relax around the beach, and the Quaquaval could give Leon better instructions on how to send his electricity far from the hotel. A perfect excuse, so that the Pikachu could rest a bit more.
And there was no better way to start the day than with a hearty breakfast. And of which, according to Folia, there was no better cook around the area than Nahual himself.
But even with the promise of great food inbound, Leon still felt a bit nervous with the whole situation.
And Dylan was quick to catch up on it. “Something wrong, Leon? You look tense.”
“Oh! Ummm, it’s nothing- no, it isn’t nothing…” Leon sighed heavily. “This feels so awkward, man. I was so freaking crass with Nahual yesterday. I was about to misgender him and I only didn’t because you stepped in.” The rodent hid his face behind his paws and sank into his chair.
“Oh yeah, that…” Dylan took a moment to remember, with how so much had happened yesterday. “I’m sure he isn’t upset. He sounded okay yesterday, at least.”
“I guess… But, crap, what if he’s hurt and just pretending he’s okay? Dammit. I royally messed up yesterday.” Leon rubbed his eyelids with his palms, upset at himself and wanting to crawl into a hole. But at the same time that smell was too good to pass up.
There was something inherently wonderful about something cooking in the kitchen just out of sight. It sounded great… Actually, it was rather quiet.
That’s when Leon noticed that there wasn’t any noise at all. The kitchen was silent. Which meant!
The door burst open, and from there a big crocodilian Pokémon walked out on all fours, carrying plates on the top of his snout. “Grub’s ready, boyos! Hope you got plenty of space~!” He announced with his hearty voice, carrying a smile alongside the food.
“Nahual! Wow, those smell great!” Dylan said in advance, greeting the chef and shifting his posture.
“Hmm! Nothing but the best for a guest of ours! Hahaha!” He laughed again.
Leon thought to himself how incredible it was that Nahual didn’t try to force his own voice like he did. He could tell how the crocodile’s voice was his natural one, a touch of feminine timber, but without any attempt to make it sound more masculine or otherwise. And yet, here was Leon, still eating ginger to heal his throat due to himself forcing his voice to attempt to at least sound androgynous.
“Here we go. A plate of my special Bonemask Salad for Dylan, and a plate of eggs and bread for you, Leon. You enjoy the protein and carbs early in the morning, huh bud? That’s good! Just hope you keep up with the exercise to maintain that body of yours.” The Skelidirge smiled from ear to ear, his enthusiasm brimming with each word.
“O-Oh! Yeah, I usually do a lot of heavy lifting during our odd jobs, and when I don’t, I work out. Just the bare minimum, y’know?” Leon said while averting his eyes, lacking confidence and rubbing his arm all the while.
“That’s what I like to hear! Keep it up and I know you’ll become a strong and powerful Raichu in no time!” Nahual said while backing off, grinning. “Anything else you’d want, boys?”
They both stayed silent, Dylan with a grin on his face, looking excited at his meal, and Leon still averting his gaze.
“Alright, just let me know if you’re still hungry-”
“Some of your time.” Leon said.
“Hmmm?” Nahual looked back.
“I-If you don’t mind, I’d like to talk to you… like, after your shift or maybe during your break. I-I’d like to have a conversation… with you… If you don’t mind…” Leon’s voice was very quiet, but there was something new mixed in, the Pikachu letting his throat relax a little to let some of that feminine pitch slip through…not all of it, still… he looked down in anxiousness.
He was a bit agasp, but Nahual’s expression soon cleared up. “Sure thing, buddy! I got some time during my lunch break. How about we meet up after I finish stuff myself?”
“S-Sure! How about towards the beach, around where we met yesterday?” Leon suggested.
“Alrighty! See you there, spark paws!” Nahual did a thumbs up before heading back into the kitchen, leaving the duo alone to themselves.
“Phew…” Leon slumped back into his chair, sighing in relief.
“I’m impressed, Leon. That took a lot of courage.” Dylan reassured him, patting his head with his soft paws.
“Thanks, dear. Guess I got a schedule today, huh? Haha…” Leon smiled, feeling a bit of a weight coming off his shoulders. It felt nice, especially after yesterday.
“Indeed you do. But, hey. Don’t forget you promised that we’d go together to look for shells by the water. I wanna make one of those “mini-beaches” and bring it back home.” The Sylveon pointed out, while grabbing some of the salad with his fork and chewing it down.
“Hmmm, you’re right. We’ll go do that right away.” The Pikachu fixed his posture on the chair. “That is, after we finish eating. Can’t have a proper day without eating, right?” Leon grinned before going down on his food.
Eating felt much better than he thought it’d be when they woke up. Maybe this day wouldn’t be so bad after all.
________
The sun shone on the beach’s bright ocean waves. From the horizon came a soft breeze, and with it the gentle waves that brought calm to the wonderful scenery of the calm beach. A perfect stage for a small scavenger hunt.
“Oh! Look at this, Leon!” Dylan said out loud. “This one is very pretty! It should go nicely with the others.” The Sylveon said with glee as he stored the pretty shell in his bag.
“You sure, love? This is the ninth one. You’ll have to pick a few to be left out at this rate.” Leon couldn’t help but giggle, seeing the small satchel his boyfriend brought getting more stuffed by the minute.
“I know. Sacrifices will have to be made. But if it’s for the perfect keepsake from this trip, it’s a price I’m willing to pay.” The Sylveon teased with a staged pained face, trying his absolute best to hold in his laughter.
“Hahahaha.” Sadly, as soon as Leon began to laugh, Dylan couldn’t help but join in.
It was still the early morning, and they had quite a bunch of time, but when they woke up and Dylan suggested a walk to make a “mini beach”, he was a bit skeptical. But now that they were there, the Pikachu could feel his worries and stress melting away by the water hitting his paws. “So nice…” His casual and slightly feminine tone really sold how relaxed he felt.
“Right? Way different than the beach by Treasure. Maybe it’s because this place is new for us, but I don’t know, it feels different, right?” Dylan said while scanning for more shells along the sand.
“Yup. Truly feels like a once-in-a-lifetime trip, there are so many new things to try.” Leon stretched his arms, feeling the cold breeze against his fur.
Dylan thought of a question but hesitated for a moment. Still, he shook his head, going for it. “Did you not get to go to the beach in your old world? Or were there no beaches there?”
“Oh. No, there were definitely beaches back there.” Leon reminisced, looking up to the sky. “It’s just that I never got to see one. At least personally. I was surrounded by land, so I’m way more used to mountains and hills than oceans and sand.” He stopped, spreading his paws along the sand, feeling the sediments sticking to his fur. He breathed deeply. “Regardless, it wouldn't have been as nice back then.”
“Why not?” Dylan asked.
“Cuz you wouldn’t be there.” Leon said plainly, getting a surprised blush from his companion.
“Youuuuuuuu!” Dylan tackled the Pikachu, bringing them both down to the sand. They tugged at one another, almost wrestling as both laughed at the sudden display of playfulness.
The couple rolled and wrestled like they were on a honeymoon on a faraway planet, dirtying each other’s fur with sand, while being careful not to roll over anything they were carrying that could break. But their minds were truly there for the moment, just the two of them.
It was only a brief moment, though.
“Heyo!!! You twoooooo!” A voice came from far away. Both lovers stopped and Leon was the first to stand up, scanning around the sandy landscape. He recognized that voice from yesterday’s event.
Around a dozen meters from the beach stood a net, tied between two wooden poles, dividing the sand field outlined by pieces of string in the shape of a rectangle. And inside that rectangle were three Pokémon that Leon recognized. The hulking Electivire and the Pawmot and Vullaby duo, all waving towards Leon and Dylan.
“Oh! It’s you guys.” Leon said, stepping towards the small group.
“Yup! We could say the same. What you guys got going on?” The taller Electivire inquired, looking down at the smaller electric type.
“Nothing much, just looking for shells!” Dylan came right behind. “I thought most groups would already be gone by the morning.”
“Indeed.” The Vullaby answered. “Most. But we aren’t most. Mailo here insisted we stay an extra day, to celebrate his compatibility.” She said with a smirk on her face, pointing towards her Pawmot companion.
“Hey, Nekheb! You wanted to remain here just as much as I did. Tsk.” The Pawmot faked being annoyed, before brightening up again as he approached Leon. “I don’t believe we properly introduced ourselves yesterday, right? I’m Mailo, fastest runner from my hometown.” Mailo grinned with pride. “My partner here is Nekheb. She might sound judgy, but that’s just her way of showing affection.”
“Erm, no, that’s not it at all.” She pouted and turned her head away. “Besides, you only beat that Dodrio last month. I think it’s a bit too early to call yourself the fastest.”
“C’mon, help me out here Nekh…” He rubbed his head with an embarrassed face.
“And I’m Brook! I would have introduced my partner but he went back early to deal with some tasks back at our town.” Said the large Electivire. “Saw your stuff yesterday, bud. You got some charge in you.”
“Hahaha, thanks…” Leon said, a tad flustered of being complimented like that. “I’m Leon, and this here is Dylan.” The Pikachu said while bringing his partner close with an armlock.
“Oh, that we know.” The Pawmot answered. “We heard Folia calling your names during the experiment. But still, a pleasure to meet you both.”
“But enough about that lousy experiment.” Said Brook.
“Yeah, all this electric stuff and magnetic whatchyamacallit is SO boring. It was fun seeing Mailo make it kick and scream, but not so much just sitting around for hours and waiting for something to happen.” Nekheb said while kicking some sand about. “That’s not fun. But you know what is fun?” She kicked behind her, which made the bouncy sphere that was resting on the sand fly into the air and into Mailo’s paws.
“Volleyball.” The Pawmot completed.
“Oh wow! You have volleyball here! Oh MAN-” His feminine voice eloped for a moment, but he was too excited to care. “I freaking love that sport. It’s the coolest thing you can possibly do with a ball.”
“You had volleyball back in your wo- uhm, I mean, back in your old town, Leon?” Dylan almost let that sensitive info slip.
“Oh, heck yeah, we did! We had all sorts of sports, from football to tennis and basketball to baseball, but my favorite was always volleyball! Back at school, they taught it to us and we got to play it a lot. I can’t say I was good, exactly, but I was capable enough to not receive a ball with my face… most of the time.”
“You know how to play, then?” Mailo asked.
“Yup, granted, it’s been quite a while. Don’t know if my body remembers all of it.” Leon stretched his arms, trying to recall the feeling back in his human body. By this point, the Pikachu felt very comfortable in his new body, with his tail and long ears being a true extension of himself. But to reminisce of a sport from his old life…
“Even if you don’t, you should join.” The Vullaby compelled. “It’s no fun playing two on one. Even with someone big like Brook, he can’t cover the whole court.”
“Hey! No fair. I might be big, but you two are as fast as Swellow racers!” He relented. “Still, I saw your power yesterday, little guy. I’m sure you got some muscle built up from adventures and hard work.”
“Ummm… I mean…” Leon looked towards Dylan, who was listening in. “Oh, don’t worry about me, Leon. This sport was never really my thing, being four-legged and all. But if you’re itching to play, you definitely should. Besides…” Dylan leaned in close and whispered in his ear. “Volleyball players are quite hot during a match~.”
Leon blushed, and felt his heart burst in flames. “ALRIGHT. LET’S DO THIS!” Leon yelled out, petting his arms in a show of bravado as he stepped forth into the field.
Dylan just laughed and sat on the sand from a safe distance, eager to see the coming match.
“Alright, here are the rules.” Mailo began to explain. “Match will be a single set, 25 points. Use of any moves is against the rules, and are an automatic point for the opposing team. No Deuces, the first team to reach 25 points wins, regardless of their lead.” The Pawmot stepped towards his partner. “Leon, you’ll be playing with Nekh. It wouldn’t be fair of a formed team to play against Pokémon that you just met. Any objections?”
“None at all.” He said. Leon brought his tail closer to himself and gave the tail cover a good tug, to see if it was snug and cool. “Alright, I’m good.”
“Dylan, could you keep track of the score for us?” Mailo asked, throwing him a whistle.
The Sylveon grabbed it with his ribbons. “Sure thing! But play nice, or I just might rig the scores in Leon’s favor.” The Sylveon answered with a smug look on his face, getting the string of the whistle around his neck.
“Sure thing. I promise your boyfriend will come out unscathed. Mostly, at least.” He teased, stretching and readying himself.
“You serve first.” Brook said while throwing the light beach ball towards the Pikachu.
“Alright.” Leon looked to his side to exchange a look with Nekheb. Their eyes met and he could feel her desire to win, either that or to put Mailo and Brook in their place. Regardless of intention, her drive was there, and Leon was counting on her. He walked out through the back of the court, getting ready for his serve.
It had been a while since he last felt this powered up.
“Alright, get ready…” Dylan announced.
Leon’s arms relaxed, and he deeply inhaled, closing his eyes and concentrating on the weight of the ball. Light, but just heavy enough for a strong hit. It had been years, but he was feeling confident.
The whistle blew, and the first rally started.
Leon’s eyes shot open. He threw the ball into the air, letting it float just far enough ahead so he could reach it while also getting a good view. The sun was to his side, so it wasn’t blocking his view. Perfect.
The Pikachu stepped up before leaping right before stepping on the court line, and he angled his body. He pulled his back, withdrew his stubby legs and readied his right arm, allowing his form to gain enough momentum into the air so he could get further into the play field.
The ball began to fall, and right as it did, Leon’s paw hit it with enough swiftness to rival a swimming Sharpedo.
The ball flew in an instant, and it hit the ground barely a second after he had touched it, the sound of sand shuffling and the airy sound of the ball confirming the impact.
The opposing team looked in shock as they could barely see what had just happened. For electric types, where speed was usually key, they could hardly see the ball.
Leon looked towards Dylan, hopeful, but he didn’t see what he was hoping for.
The Fairy-Type’s ribbon was pointing towards the opposing team, implying it was their point. “Out.” Dylan said, pointing towards the area of impact.
Leon took a better look and realized it was just barely outside the line, thus granting them the point. “Tsk, dammit.”
Mailo and Brook sighed in relief. “That was scary. We can’t get caught by surprise like that again.” He whispered to his team-mate. “We’ll catch it next time.”
Brook nodded. “Right on. Fella hits harder than I thought.”
“Don’t mind, Leon! You’ll hit it in next time.” Nekheb cheered him on.
On other days, maybe Leon would think she was just being nice, just trying to keep his spirit up. But not today. He felt a good rhythm pumping within him. Maybe his memories were being too harsh on him. He did win in several matches when he was in high school. The Vullaby was just noting the fact that he was gonna land the next serve.
And that he was, indeed. He nodded. “Thanks. Let’s do this.”
______________________
Despite the ragged breathing and sweat running down his forehead, his eyes never once left the ball, letting his instincts take care of most decisions while he calculated the distance for the jump. “Come on!” Leon screamed.
“All yours!” Nekheb yelled out, tossing the ball towards the Pikachu’s direction, aiming it quite a bit above the net.
Just what he needed. Leon used the impulse of his tail against the soft sand to help his body reach higher than he previously could. Almost like a spring, his body surged into the air, stopping just at the right spot so his arm could come down, spiking the ball into the enemy’s territory.
Mailo saw the movement, but wasn’t able to reach his position in time, the ball hitting the side of his arm and flying off to the side before finding the soft ground.
The whistle screamed. “Point.” Dylan announced, pointing his ribbons towards Leon’s side.
“Okay. Almost there.” The score was 24 to 23. Without any deuces, they just needed to score one more time and the game would be theirs. Leon’s eyes were still just as attentive as when he started the match, but he could feel some of the burn in his body. If he had trained prior, maybe he would have the stamina to continue, but relearning how to play on the fly like that wasn’t an easy feat. Still, for someone that hadn’t played in years, he was feeling quite confident.
“Phew. Sorry Brook. Lil’ Leon over there hits like a cannon.” He rubbed his arm, feeling the leftover soreness from the impact. “I’ll get the next one.”
“Hahahaha. Don’t worry, mate. If it comes this way, I’ll strike it back.” The Electivere grabbed the ball from outside the field and tossed it towards Leon and Nekheb.
Leon silently thought to himself. “Okay. One more serve and we win. Just gotta hit it where they won’t be able to reach. Perhaps right between them both.” He shifted around, walking to the outside of the court and muttering his thoughts to himself.
“Alright, Leon. You got this. Hit it hard and we’ll be having lunch as winners.” The Vullaby said with confidence, and Leon nodded in agreement, preparing himself for the serve.
Dylan watched in awe from the sides. The match might be close and the points lost were mostly due to Leon’s mistakes, but that didn’t detract from what he felt. Leon had some real talent. His drive to keep going, his focus while eyeing the ball…and that form while in the air. This wasn’t just something he did once for the sake of doing it. No, the Sylveon could tell that his boyfriend really admired the sport.
If he had been used to playing in that body, maybe this game would have been over a long while ago. But as it stood, a good match up and a very entertaining game were laid out before him. Most of all, seeing Leon smile like that felt genuinely amazing.
He would have dwelled on that smile longer if he didn’t have to whistle for the next rally. Players were in position, and Leon was just waiting for the whistle. The Sylveon inhaled and let the air fly out of the whistle, signaling the start of the rally.
The Pikachu spent the first three seconds after the signal breathing in and out. In the fourth second, he threw the ball into the air and repeated the same form he had used the whole match. His body was high above the net when his paws met the ball, and with a swift smack it soared forward, dashing right in between Mailo’s and Brook’s position. “Perfect.” He thought to himself.
But to his surprise, Mailo had predicted it, and the orange rodent leapt from his spot, receiving the ball perfectly right between his arms. “Got it!”
“Alright, alright!” Brook dashed in, jumping above the net in preparation to spike.
Nekheb and Leon both read the movement and by the time he was there, both Pokémon were blocking with arms and body, covering most of his view. Brook wouldn’t be able to properly break that wall.
But he didn’t need to. He shifted his body slightly, and instead of spiking, he tapped the ball parallel to the net, sending it to the other side, where there were no blockers, but instead Mailo, already in the air.
“SHIT!” Leon screamed.
The moment both touched the ground was the moment the ball did as well. Mailo spiked it right in the middle of the court, flying way back against a wall of rocks, letting it bounce back to them.
A bit surprised by the events, but still having to keep his cool, Dylan whistled, pointing towards Mailo’s side. “Point!” Dylan said. “24 to 24…”
“Match point.” Mailo said, sweating and gasping from all the exercise so far. He wasn’t alonet, with both Brook and Leon also huffing and puffing while trying to keep their cool.
“Dammit. Wasn’t expecting Brook to actually toss it to Mailo. I could swear he was going for it.” Nekheb swore under her breath. “Don’t mind. We’ll get the last one. Just be ready. She said while going back to her spot.
Leon didn’t answer back, instead focusing on the situation at hand. It was the last point, and whoever messed up first would lose. He couldn’t be the one to do it. So, think. Think. Brook will be the one to serve, so focus on the most exposed area and go for it no matter what. He might have power but he doesn’t have that much control, so he will have to go for a safer zone. All and many more thoughts crossed through Leon’s head. He shook his head, trying to recompose himself, before going back slightly to the left, leaving some open space on purpose.
He breathed in, and out, letting the airflow control his thoughts and his concentration. One more point, that’s all he needed.
The players were set, and the ball was ready for action. Dylan blew the whistle.
And Brook immediately threw it just above his head and smacked it as hard as he could, making it fly at an unbelievable speed towards the other side.
Luckily, Leon didn’t need to predict the exact location. He just had to move towards the center at the moment the whistle blew. And so, with quick enough reflexes and arms strong enough to resist the mighty blow received, the ball was once again in the air, still in their field. “Nekheb!”
“Right on!” She dashed forward, jumping just barely above the net where the ball was, dumping it lightly and making it fall straight down.
In response, Mailo was already there, throwing his arms back to project the ball towards the center of the court. “Got it!”
“Alright! Eat this!” Brook yelled out, jumping and smacking the ball from the backline once more. The ball flew just above the net. Leon didn’t move, for it seemed to be flying out of the court.
But he was wrong, the ball changed trajectory just shy of the edge, set to count as a point. Leon’s blood ran cold as he believed that the match would be over because of his conceit.
Luckily, with a flap of her wings and a strong enough face, Nekheb dashed towards the ball and hit it with her face, making her squall in pain as it flew back to their court.
“Nekheb!” Leon screamed in worry.
“I’m good…” She pushed herself up, stumbling forward as a mark was left on her cheek, but luckily not hard enough to actually hurt.
“Free ball!” Mailo yelled out towards Brook, who was already flying towards the net. His form was that of a spike, waiting for the moment it reached their side of the court for him to smack it right back.
Leon got a good enough view of it to start running, running towards the center and preparing his arms and legs for the coming impact. The Electivire spiked, and the ball exploded towards the Pikachu’s arms, who barely managed to keep himself on his paws, lightly stumbling forward. “Counter! “
Nekheb dashed towards the front of the court, stopping in the center of the net and jumping, motioning her wings up.
Leon propelled with his paws as hard as he could, gaining enough distance to get as close to the edge of the net as possible before jumping. The ball was tossed towards him, and he was ready to spike it down into the open spot.
What he didn’t account for was Mailo coming from the side, his paws creeping ever closer to his area. Knowing he couldn’t breach them anymore, he waited for the ball to reach him before lightly tapping against it, making briefly fly above Mailo before coming down.
Brook was close enough to receive it though, bringing it into the air once more. “Let’s goooo!” He screamed in enthusiasm.
The ball flew high up into the air, letting Leon reposition for a moment. He got to breathe in and out, feeling his blood circulating and his sweat running down his fur. Ever since he came to live in this world, his heart would only race like this whenever he felt threatened or anxious. But this kind of feeling felt good. A way to feel a thrill without feeling like garbage. That feeling…
…Was something he truly loved.
He smiled, seeing the ball slowly move at the opposite side of the net, almost as if in slow-motion. He could see their play, they were going to aim right for the edge of the court. The ball was tossed, and he could see Brook positioning for it. That giant Electivire could slam hard, but that was at the exchange of control. But if hit it lighter, he could actually aim where he wanted it to land.
The Pikachu took a deep breath once more, digging his tail into the sand and leaning his body into it, preparing his body to launch almost like a spring. All of the kinetic energy being concentrated into a single point deep in his tail, waiting for the moment of release.
And that moment was when Brook’s palm was about to hit the ball. Leon let himself go and leapt to the side, towards the edge of the court. Huh, his body felt slightly lighter than before.
“Leon!!!” Dylan screamed from the side, but the Pikachu was too concentrated to notice his boyfriend calling out to him. Instead, he let his body fly, and as soon as he reached the edge of the court, he reached out his arms for the receive. The ball hit right between his arms, and with such force behind it, the ball flew up at their side.
“Leon!!!!!” Dylan screamed again, but with such a perfect ball, he couldn’t pay attention to anything else. He saw Nekheb fly towards the ball to set it, and Leon used the brief moment of confusion from the other two Pokemon to prepare the finishing blow.
The Pikachu ran as fast as he could straight ahead, priming his strength and preparing for a jump high into the air, while making sure that Brook and Mailo noticed that.
They did, and they jumped for a two-Pokémon block, with their arms high in the air.
Leon grinned.
“Leoooooon!” Dylan screamed, once more to no avail.
While they were in mid-air, right before he was about to jump, Leon instead ran to the side, jumping into a sliding spike.
Although the opposing team managed to run up to him, it was already too late. Nekheb tossed the ball at the perfect angle. Brook’s paws were within Leon’s view, and yet, not close enough.
Leon spiked, and in one single motion, the ball hit the sand.
Silence spread across the battlefield. Both teams were breathing and gasping hard from the tough rally they had just been through.
It took a couple seconds for Dylan to realize what happened, but once he did, he whistled the point, motioning the paw towards Leon’s side, while worryingly looking at him.
“Yeeeeeeesssss!” Leon screamed in joy and accomplishment. His heart was still beating as if it would leap out of his chest. He kicked and jumped in ecstasy of the wonderful feeling of victory and a well-fought battle.
He did so alone, for during a few seconds, all eyes were on Leon, but none really said anything. Once he thought something felt weird, they snapped out of it. Nekheb was the first one to get hyped, jumping at Leon’s back.
“Wooooooo! We did it, boy! We showed ‘em who’s boss!” She leapt while grinning from ear to ear, using her wings to propel herself and make short hops on his soft back. “We got you, Mailo! We got you both gooooood!”
Mailo clicked his tongue with a smile on his face. “Oh boy, I’ll be hearing about this one for a while, hahaha…” He laughed, making his way to the other side of the court.
Leon laughed and celebrated alongside Nekheb, jumping up and down and sharing in the thrill of the moment. Brook was faster than Mailo, and reached down to Leon with an open paw. “Good game, little guy. You really got some moves.”
Mailo followed behind him. “You can say that again. That was a fun game, Leon. I’m glad we got the chance to play a match with you.” He reached out his paw as well.
Leon’s eyes gleamed in excitement at those words. “Same to you, both. I hadn’t had this much fun in ages!” He smiled and reached out both his paws and shook his adversary’s, showing sportsmanship, and most likely a fresh friendship. He turned his head back to his avian partner. “Thanks, Nekh. You were a great teammate!”
“Hmmm! You know I only let friends call me that, right!” She looked down at him with daggers in her eyes, only for her to show those daggers were blunt with a giggle and a smile. “Good thing I consider you one. Great game, swift guy!” They shook paws and wings, and their new sense of camaraderie.
Discussions about the match ensued, but Leon took a moment to step back a bit and walk towards Dylan. “Phew, that was great. But MAN, my muscles are sore. I should probably cool down a bit. Right, hun?”
Dylan sighed in exasperation and some relief at the same time. “You’re unbelievable, you know that?” He smiled, reaching his ribbons around to give his mate a massage. “Sometimes you get a bit carried away.”
“I did, huh? I probably should be more careful. Going this hard all of a sudden might not be good on my muscles.” Leon said while relaxing his body a bit.
“Indeed. Not to mention you not noticing something falling off.” Dylan said with some snark.
“Falling out? What do you-” It wasn’t until Dylan pointed out that Leon noticed. His tail…
The cover had fallen off.
It took a moment for Leon to begin registering what had just happened. Him feeling his tail getting lighter all of a sudden, Dylan screaming out for him and all of the other players having stopped to look at him for a second. It was all because…
Leon felt a chill run down his spine. Crap, they saw it. They saw him without his tail. They knew what he was. They were gonna out him. They were gonna ostracize him for being something that he wasn’t. They were going to…!
…Do nothing?
When he looked back at Nekheb, Mailo and Brook, none of them were paying attention to his tail. They were all chatting amongst themselves, apparently about some of the plays and what they should do next.
“D-Did they not notice it?” Leon asked out loud, not being fully convinced of his question.
Dylan blushed in response. “Hahaha… T-They definitely saw it, Leon. I was the first one to notice during the match, but they all got a good look after you scored that last point.”
“But… If they… But then why don't they… I...” Leon’s mind raced, trying to figure out why they didn’t judge him. Half his mind screamed that they should be probing him for details, while the other half was trying to properly rationalize what was going on.
The Sylveon couldn’t help but giggle a bit at his overthinking, so he came up with some advice. “If you’re still a bit confused, why don’t you ask them?”
“W-What?! But that would be-”
“It wouldn’t, Leon.” Dylan came closer and kissed him on the forehead, before leaning his own against it. “Trust me on this. I promise you’ll understand and feel better afterward.”
Although Leon still didn’t know what was the right move, something deep within him seemed to agree with Dylan’s idea. It didn’t feel like the worst possible idea, not this time. “Alright, alright, I’ll do it.” He nodded and paid back the kiss on the forehead, making the Sylveon blush further. “Thanks.” Leon said before going back to them, leaving Dylan with a light and warm feeling in his chest.
“Hey, Leon! We’re about to head out for lunch. Wanna come with us?” Mailo asked out loud as he saw the Pikachu approaching.
“Oh, ummmm, maybe? But, before we go, do you mind if I ask you all a question?” Leon hesitated a bit in his voice, feeling a bit scared of whatever the result of the question may be.
“Shoot, swift boy! Consider that your reward for that winning point! Hahaha!” Brook’s voice echoed almost like a boast. His voice was like a boom, but very uplifting to hear.
“Yeah, anything you wanna talk about? Maybe tips from the flightless queen, here?” Nekheb joked, flexing her wings as if muscles would pop out of it.
They all laughed, and even Leon couldn’t help but join in the chorus. It helped him to remove some of the fear in his chest. “Okay, so… I saw you noticed my tail and all… Is there a reason you didn’t mention it?”
“Hmmm? Should we have?” Mailo asked, confused.
“I mean, this is the mark of a female Pikachu, isn’t it? Wouldn’t it be weird for a male to have one?” Leon tried to nudge further.
“I mean… not really?” Nekheb’s eyes closed as she tried to think of an explanation. “Like, you did call yourself a guy before, so even if you have that tail, that still means you’re a guy.”
“Mhmmm, yeah, I agree with Nekh.” Mailo nodded along. “It’s not like we haven’t met people that have discovered their true identity. We once met a male Nidoran that had a very light blue hue. At first we thought that he was shiny, but he told us he only accepted himself when he became a male. So yeah, I guess you having that tail was a surprise, but as long as you’re happy, that’s what matters.”
Brook didn’t add much. “I don’t get much about this gender stuff, but if you say you’re a guy, that’s good enough for me as well.” He put it simply.
Those were all very simple responses. The kind that you’d get if you were asking someone a casual question. And yet, for some reason, Leon felt happy with them. His chest felt lighter at hearing those words.
“T-Thanks guys.” His lips formed a soft smile. “And answering you, Mailo, yeah, let’s go get some lunch. Just let me grab Dylan and we’ll be going.”
The three of them smiled towards him as he made his way back to his boyfriend.
“See? Told you it wouldn’t bother them.” Dylan said while putting a paw on his head, ruffling his hair tuft before Leon got a chance to fix it.
“Yeah, you were. Thanks, love. I… probably would have self-destructed again if not for you.” Leon approached Dylan and gave him a tight hug, of which the Sylveon gladly reciprocated.
“I’m always here for you. Ah, I heard that we’re going for lunch, right? Do you want me to put the cover back on your tail?” Dylan had grabbed the cover while they were chatting.
“Yeah, I’d prefer that. I’m cool with them knowing, but I think I’ll take my time before deciding if I’ll let more know about it.”
“Alright! Here, spin around for me.” Leon did as told, and Dylan put the snug cover over his tail, covering the shape once more. “You don’t have to push yourself too hard. Just think about what you’d prefer and we will take each step as we get there.
“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.” Leon sighed with a clear tone. He felt lighter. As if some of the anchors holding him back had just been cut off.
With an air of joy and calm, Leon and Dylan joined the group as they left the court behind, going for a delicious lunch before continuing their day.
______________________
“Phwaaaaaa… There’s nothing better than having a full stomach~.” Leon walked from the hotel towards the beach, patting his belly and relaxing in sheer bliss of a wonderful lunch that they’d just had.
“You can say that again… Phew, that risotto really hit the spot.” Dylan barely managed to walk along the sand, almost wobbling as his legs went ahead by sheer instinct, with the Sylveon delighting in the sensation with closed eyes.
“Nahual really outdid himself. Can’t believe he managed to make that much food and yet keep it so tasty. Like, how?!” The Pikachu sat by a rock, looking to the side to wait for his companion.
Dylan giggled at the sight of his stuffed boyfriend and laid with his belly down against the sand. “You really wolfed it down, huh? Did the match work up your appetite?”
“Mhmm. It was weird, getting to play a match after so long, but it felt great. Ah, I really wish I could play more than that. It felt so great spiking that last point.” He grasped his paws into a tight fist, reminiscing of the sting on his palm when he hit the soft ball, and the lovely impact it made against the sand.
“Hey, I’m pretty sure that a few matches happen every once in a while back in Treasure. Maybe we could look into it? Maybe they have a spot left for a very agile boy like you.” Dylan teased while looking up towards the clear sky.
“Oh really? Crap, that sounds awesome! That’s the first thing I’m doing once I get back! …Besides reporting to Audrey, of course.” Leon giggled, feeling excitement building up inside his chest once more.
“I think that would be fun. But as much as I would love for us to keep discussing what we will do once we get back, I think you’d rather prepare for what you still have to do today.” Leon pointed towards a spot closer to the ocean, where a lonely table rested near a couple of rocks.
Leon took a moment to understand. But his eyes flashed once he noticed that spot was the one they were snacking at the prior day when they met Nahual. Where Leon promised to meet him. “Crap, that’s true. I should probably wait there, shouldn’t I?” The Pikachu stood up quickly.
“Do you want me to wait for you here? I don’t mind enjoying the breeze while you two talk.”
“Hmmmm…” Leon closed his eyes for a moment to think. “No need. I don’t plan for the talk to take so long.” A smile took his face. “Instead, I got a better idea on what you could do.”
The Pikachu leaned up against his mate’s ear, whispering some things to him. “What? Where did you hear of that place?”
“I… actually noticed it yesterday. I looked back towards the cave area and noticed the path there. It should be nice, don’t you think?” Leon said, a tad embarrassed to offer something so cheesy like that.
Instead of a plain answer, Dylan leaned in for a kiss against his cheek. “I think it’ll be lovely.”
Leon just blushed at the act, and let the Sylveon stand up on his own.
“I’ll be waiting there. Don’t make me wait too long, though~.” Dylan winked back at Leon, before making his way towards the direction they had gone the day before.
Leon had a dumb smile and blush on his face for a solid minute. By the time he came back to his senses, his boyfriend was gone, but his words remained in his head.
With a streak of success and calm from all that happened during the day, the Pikachu made his way towards the table and sat on the sand next to it, waiting for Nahual to arrive.
About twenty minutes passed before Leon heard steps behind him. He turned around to see his new crocodilian acquaintance. “Heyo, spark paws! Hope I didn’t make you wait for long.” He said out loud as he approached the Pikachu.
Leon beckoned the Skeledirge to come closer. “Hey Nahual. Don’t worry, I was just taking in the waves.” He pointed towards the calm sea. “It’s quite different from where I’m from. No gigantic cliffs blocking the view of the sea, just the water and the sky.”
Nahual seemed to beam at the mention of it. “I couldn’t agree more.” He walked closer to the Pikachu. “Honestly, I wasn’t totally convinced when Folia decided to settle here. It’s a nice place, sure, but it’s so desolate compared to many other places we’ve been to. But this view…” He laid down his belly against the soft sand. “The view of the setting sun disappearing beneath the waves was what convinced me that my husband truly had good taste.”
Leon smiled at the memories. The three Pokémon must have had so much history together. Knowing each other from such an early age and to dedicate themselves to one another. Leon hoped that this could be him and Dylan in the future, a life with no regrets and appreciating all of their time together. But if he wanted that, he needed to make an effort of his own.
The Pikachu took a deep sigh. “Nahual, I’m sorry for yesterday.”
“Hmmm? What’s that about?” The Skeledirge asked, confused.
“I was really dumb yesterday. I acted bewildered when I heard your voice. If not for Dylan, I’d have probably said something really insensitive to you.” Leon rubbed his arms in awkwardness. He regretted deeply the way he acted the day prior.
“Oh? Is it about you mistaking my gender?” Nahual said with a tone that showed no sign of hostility or grudge.
“Yeah… Honestly, I’m still not used to this whole… thing, y’know? I got to meet so many wonderful folk ever since I settled down with Dylan. I thought I had learned the norms of the wide world, and that some things existed only back from where I came from. I was stupid to think otherwise.” Leon sighed, shifting his paws in the sand as he tried not to cringe from the rationalizations he had forced on himself from the past year.
“Pffff… Don’t worry, little buddy. I could tell that you didn’t mean any harm from it yesterday. You were just confused, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of.” Nahual said as he kept looking upon the bright water.
“Perhaps, but that doesn’t excuse what I almost said to your face.” Leon shifted himself upon the sand, rotating so he could look towards the fire crocodile. “Nahual, I’m really sorry. I… was insensitive yesterday, and I promise I’ll do better going forward. I hope you accept my apology.” Leon said while closing his eyes and slightly angling his body forward, in a show of respect.
Seconds passed with no response before something startled the thunder rodent. He felt a scaly paw rest on top of his head. When he opened his eyes he could see a bright-looking Nahual smiling warmly at him.
“There, there. I can tell you truly mean what you say. You’re forgiven. Knowing you’re wrong and apologizing to someone takes a lot of courage. Pfff, doubly so for a guy. Take it from me.” He couldn’t contain a small giggle to escape from his jaw.
Leon felt more reassured hearing those words. Nahual really was a kind guy. Someone he should have known better before making hastened judgment. And one he was to trust something that was still uncertain for him.
He swallowed hard. “Thanks… I just… I mean… It’s kinda awkward, but…”
“Bfahahahahaha! You’re still stuttering, boy? You don’t have to worry. Ask me anything and I’ll answer you as well. I’ll see it as a reward for your brave apology.” The crocodile puffed up his chest and gave a proud look towards the smaller Pokémon.
“Ummm… Do you mind if I ask you more about the whole… transgender thing? Like, your experiences with it and whatnot?” Leon looked to the side once more, feeling extremely anxious of what he was about to do.
“Sure? I don’t see a problem with that. You got an interest in it?”
“Yeah… You could say that…” Leon said in a hushed tone as he brought his tail forth and slowly removed the cover, allowing Nahual to see the shape of it.
It took him a moment to register. “Oh.” The reveal did surprise the Skeledirge quite a bit, if his widened eyes and sudden silence were any indication. “Oh. Ummm, now I’m confused, you’re trans yourself?”
“N-No!” Leon exclaimed in reflex. “I’m not! A-At least I don’t think I am! I… sigh, it’s complicated…” Leon calmed himself down, not wanting to look like a fool again.
“Alright, don’t worry. How about you start from the beginning? I promise I’ll listen to everything you have to say.” Nahual laid on the sand once more, but this time directly aimed towards Leon, with open eyes and ears to whatever he had to say.
Leon nodded solemnly. “Okay. Then I imagine I should let you know where I came from first.” He sat down and began to explain the broader details of how he had gotten there. That he was once a human, that he had become a Pokémon around a year ago and how he had come to join Dylan and the Guild back at Treasure.
Minutes passed and the crocodilian looked clearly amazed at the story. There were tales from centuries past of how a human-turned-pokémon had saved the continent, but to see such an event happen once more, and right in front of him! And yet, he didn’t dare interrupt. Leon was confiding in him with sensitive information, and he was going to honor that.
“...And that’s the short of it. Took me months to realize my body wasn’t of a male, but of a female. And ever since then, I’ve been trying to hide it and deepen my voice, not wanting others to find out or think less of me.”
“And that’s okay, Leon. I understand now wanting to show others about something you aren’t yet comfortable with. Whow, I’m still trying to register the human part, hahaha…” He laughed softly. “You shouldn’t feel ashamed.” The fire type tried consoling him as best he could, planting a paw on his furry shoulder.
“But it’s not shame what I feel, at least not anymore… It’s confusion. I… don’t actually know anymore. I always felt so strongly about being a guy, that I had to do manly things and that I had expectations. I had to show others how cool of a guy I was. But, even before coming to this world, I already had doubts crawling in the back of my head…” Silence permeated for a second as Nahual let Leon keep going. “Say… How did you know? That you were a guy, I mean. Was it something you stumbled upon or some decision?” Leon asked, bringing his legs closer to his body as he hugged them.
“That’s… a complicated question. I’m not even sure if I know the whole answer myself, hahaha…” The Skeledirge laughed, getting a bit more comfortable to talk about certain things. “I think I always kinda knew? When I was a kid, I wasn’t the most fond of cute clothes or the sort. It just didn’t click with me. Whenever people mentioned me in a female context it just felt… off, I guess.”
“So how? What was it that made you find out?”
“Pffff… You’ll find it stupid.”
“I promise I won’t! It can’t be more stupid than me agonizing over this.”
“...Alright.” Nahual sighed and looked back at Leon. “So, this was after I began dating Folia. We were playing around at his old place and just making a mess of it, as teens do. I accidentally tripped and let Folia’s parent’s clothes fall on me. I surfaced as if I was trying to swim out of the water. When I emerged, I had his father’s hat on top of me, and it was the first thing I saw when I looked at myself directly into the mirror. It just kinda… clicked. A truth I never could quite make out made itself very clear.”
Leon’s fingers froze at the mention of a mirror. “...So, it was you looking more like a man that made you realize it.”
The crocodile stifled a laugh. “Yeah. Nothing major like a fight or a big event. No, just a quiet afternoon where I got swallowed by clothes. As I said, dumb, right?”
“...Not at all.” Leon looked a bit solemn. “It might have been something super small, but it did help you realize who you were. And I think that’s what matters at the end of the day, huh…?” A small tear did seem to form around Leon’s eye.
Nahual noticed it. “Hey, hey, are you okay? I-I hope I didn’t upset you with it, or something like that…” The fire reptile seemed a little startled at the sudden shift of emotions.
“No, that’s not it… I… I’m just glad that you managed to find who you are. And at the same time, give me an answer…” The tears became bigger. “Yeah, I…” He stopped himself and rubbed his arm across his face, trying to catch the tears.
“...Something like that happened to you?” Nahual asked.
The Pikachu nodded. “I… Before I got here, there was this party… I was gonna do a prank and I was gonna wear a dress. A friend of mine lent me one of her mother’s clothes, and… yeah, I saw myself there dressed as a girl.”
“How did that make you feel?”
“Happy? I guess. I felt pretty. But I didn’t feel like a girl! I-I didn’t. I just wanted to make a joke and it just so happened that the look kinda fit me. So that’s it, huh? I-I’m not a girl, right? I-I’m not…” By the time he was finishing the sentence, he couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. He had to force his throat to hold down the sobbing as he desperately tried wiping the tears falling down.
Instead of immediately saying something else, Nahual let Leon cry. It felt wrong to stop him from what seemed like something he had been holding back for a long while. So he did just that. He laid by Leon, waiting minutes to follow as the rodent slowly emptied his tears out.
Once he had started to calm down, Nahual spoke once more. “It’s different for everyone.”
“...H-Huh?” He said half-sobbing, looking through his blurry eyes.
“Yeah. Ever since I came out, I met lots of Pokémon that went through different experiences, and lots of them had different kinds of moments that made them realize who they really were. It’s not a universal experience.” He planted his paws on his side, trying to give some comfort.
Leon didn’t answer. He just lowered his head and thought. It wasn’t a universal experience. Not everyone had to go through it. So that didn’t mean for a fact that he wasn’t a girl. But that means he doesn’t know for a fact he’s a boy either.
Nahual could see the confusion. “Do you mind if I ask you something?”
Leon looked towards him. “Go ahead.”
“Try to feel for a bit. Let’s say if the moment in the mirror meant that you weren’t, as a fact, a girl. How would that make you feel?”
That was an easy question. That would mean he was a guy! Something he knew for a fact. It definitely would make him feel happy. A proof of once and for all that he was what he always was. Or at least it should have been how he felt. And yet…
He tightened his paws around one another. “I’d feel awful…” That wasn’t an answer he thought about, but something he said from the heart. An answer that made him widen his eyes in surprise as he realized what he said.
And Nahual just smiled at it. “Then there you have it.”
Silent took over Leon, and a million thoughts crossed through his head.
“I’ll leave you to think about it.” He tapped Leon’s shoulder and turned around to leave. “Don’t rush into an answer. Take your time to figure yourself out. You got all the time in the world.” His red paws left heavy prints as he walked back towards the hotel.
He was right. Forcing himself to commit to an answer now would only be harmful.
But as he was thinking about it, he heard it from behind. “Ah, I almost forgot. Leon!”
Leon turned to face the far-away Skeledirge who was screaming.
“Your natural voice is pretty lovely! I like it!” Nahual smiled and bolted towards the hotel, leaving the Pikachu speechless at such a statement.
Months ago, that comment would have brought him into a spiral of anxiety and doubt about the timbre of his voice. But today…
…the compliment made him feel good about himself.
______________________
The breeze blew strongly on Leon's fur, making his yellow tuft fly wildly around his head. Welp, that was on him. He should have realized that choosing such a spot would have strong winds like this. “Guess I should bring some gel next time.” He joked for himself as he got closer and closer to the end of the hike.
The cliff he had chosen for their date wasn’t super tall or anything, but getting a direct view from the sea was definitely gonna amplify the winds. But that didn’t matter for the Pikachu. He just knew the view would be worth any embarrassment in front of his boyfriend.
And speaking of whom, the moment he stepped into the flat ground of the cliff, he got to see the white ball of fluff that was Dylan, laying on his stomach while watching the mid-afternoon sea, with his own stray fur flying wildly around his body.
He made his way towards the Sylveon, stopping right next to him. “Guess you enjoy the wind, huh?”
Dylan nodded. “It’s a given. Living in a town with such a big cliff nearby, and an incredible view to boot? It’s just something I learned to enjoy.”
“Makes sense. If I had such views back where I lived, I would be spending a good amount of time here as well.” The Pikachu took a deep breath, feeling the almost painfully cold wind cutting through his face. He shivered, and with a clear smile on his face, sat down by the Sylveon.
Dylan rested his head on his partner. “So, how was the talk? Got to chat about everything you wanted?”
“Pretty much. Got to apologize to him. And he even gave me advice on some stuff.” Leon leaned back against Dylan, letting each other hold their intimate position. “Lots to think about.”
“I imagine it’s all personal, right? I won’t pry if you don’t want to. But whatever you want to talk about I’m here for you.” Dylan said with his eyes closed, enjoying the contrast of the cold breeze against the warmth of his boyfriend.
“I’m…” Some of his words escaped him. He sounded hesitant for a second, but when looking at the caring friend he had made in this new life of his, some of those worries dispelled. “Dylan, how would you feel about me if I wasn’t a boy?”
“Hmmm?” Dylan opened his eyes to look at Leon.
The Pikachu swallowed hard. “I mean… If I had come to this world, but I wasn’t a boy, the circumstances were different, if we had met with other details because I can’t control or fault you for your sexuality, but also the whole “would you still love me if I was a worm” talk which is dumb but I relate a bit to because I can’t help but overthink this and get nervous because the thought of losing you or perhaps losing myself in all of this can be hard and-”
“Leon. Leon.” The Sylveon called towards him, getting his focus. “Calm down. I can see you’re nervous. Don’t worry. You can ask me literally anything. And you don’t have to in case you feel like it’s too early. Just take your time. I’m with you all the time, so we aren’t crunched for time.” Dylan smiled comfortably towards his mate, calming him down with soft strokes on his shoulders and face.
With that, Leon took a deep breath in, letting his thoughts re-organize themselves into some semblance of sense. “No, I gotta ask this now. It’d be eating away at me, otherwise.”
“Then don’t worry. I’m listening.” Dylan let go of Leon, sitting right in front of him.
“Okay…” Leon rubbed his shoulders. “Dylan, would you still love me if I weren’t a male? As in, if it turns out I wasn’t a guy this whole time, and that this whole thing we’ve been through these last few months was all for naught?”
Dylan’s eyes widened in surprise at such a statement. “You mean the whole ginger process and covering your tail up?”
“Not just that. I also mean, like, our relationship… We confessed and became boyfriends, but if I weren’t a male anymore, wouldn’t that also mean these past few months weren’t true? That I’d have been hiding such an important thing from you?” The Pikachu’s paws played against the soft grass in an attempt to calm down, but when he noticed he was tearing chunks of it off the ground, he realized how nervous he truly was.
Something which Dylan noticed, and so brought him into a tight hug. “Leon. I want you to hear me very carefully, alright.” He paused, and his cheeks blushed. “This past year has been the most wonderful part of my life. I enjoyed what I had, a steady time with uneventful times and some fond bonds, but it was when you arrived that I really got to see how much I enjoyed waking up each day, with your face being the first thing I saw every morning.”
The Sylveon broke the hug to look directly at Leon. “You changed me for the better, Leon. I was someone afraid of trying anything and the sheer thought of even stepping into the guild for registration sent me into an anxious mess. But with you by my side, I feel like I’m the luckiest Sylveon in the whole world. Every day is precious. Both the good days and the bad ones. As long as I have you by my side, it’s everything I need.”
As he kept going, he noticed Leon’s eyes swelling up, and Dylan couldn’t help but follow suit. “You are the most precious thing to me, Leon. If you say you’re a guy, I’ll love you. If you say you’re a girl. I’ll love you. If you say you’re neither or both, I’ll love you.” Dylan grabbed Leon’s paws with his own. “You are you, Leon. And I love you. Regardless of how you choose to identify yourself, I’ll always be here, to support you and give you all the love I can possibly give, a-alright?” At this point, tears swelled up in his eyes, and he began to hiccup and choke up.
And Leon was none the better. He was visibly sobbing in a sorry state, the overload of happiness and relief completely overwhelming him. He leapt towards Dylan, bringing them both to the ground as he kissed his boyfriend with all the tenderness in his being.
And there they remained, kissing and cuddling until the sun began to set by the edges of the water and the sky turned into a vivid orange.
They lost track of the hours they remained there, but by the time the stars became visible, they were both lying down, with Leon resting his head on top of Dylan’s tummy.
“I still gotta figure myself out.” Leon said. “I’m… not exactly sure how I feel deep down. I might still be just a guy, but… I can’t deny the possibility of me not being one any longer. Just something that I need to feel out for a while.”
“You don’t have to worry.” Dylan rested his arm on top of Leon’s chest. “You have all the time in the world. Just take steps as you feel comfortable with them. I’ll be there with you every step of the way.
Leon smiled and rested his head deeper into Dylan’s soft belly.
“Ah, but I’ll probably have to apologize to Clover once we’re back.”
“Hmmm? Why?”
“Oh, nothing much.” Leon raised his upper half and faced his boyfriend. “I guess I’ll just stop covering my tail, is all.”
A promise that would really shake up Leon’s life from that moment on. Something he knew from deep within. But he wasn’t afraid.
After all, he had people that cared for him. And so he would show them how much he had grown ever since. To show them who he, or perhaps she, truly was.
