Part 8/10

It was by each other’s side that they rested. With their arms around each other’s bodies, they lay back in the reeds. At Vagus’ side, Leon rested his head against his lover's chest. He pressed his ear close; listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeats. It had been a while since he had last heard them. He closed his eyes, and began to hum a harmonious tune. It was a tune that usually made Vagus descend into the world of his own bliss and on occasions, even hum with him.

However, this was a strange moment. The Totodile seemed reluctant to allow Leon to tug him into his world of joy. Opening his eye, Leon suspended his humming and looked up at Vagus. He smiled warmly and caressed his cheek with a comforting paw. “Everything okay, Vagus?”

Vagus responded with a smile. “Sure it is, darl.” With a sigh, his words of assurance became redundant as he sat up. “Well…maybe not.” He let his arms fall into his lap while he took in his surroundings.

Leon’s brows furrowed as feelings of concern tugged at him. He sat up and placed a paw on Vagus’ shoulder. “I-is everything okay, Vagus?” It was then that Leon began to wonder why Vagus was alone and why his team wasn’t present at Creeping Forest.

During the months in which they had known each other, Leon had met with Vagus’ sibling on several occasions. The fearsome and somewhat tyrannical Charmeleon didn’t seem like someone who would easily give up a task for the guild he served so diligently. “Michael hasn’t been giving you a hard time again, has he?”

Vagus sighed and shook his head in disbelief. Even with Leon at his side, he was struggling to understand why Mycaelis had left him on his own. His attempts to search for an answer ended with the rise of anger and contempt for his sibling. “I-it doesn’t matter,” croaked Vagus, releasing his agitation in the form of a sigh. Vagus looked upon Leon and managed a weak smile. Leon felt a smile of his own emerge as Vagus caressed his cheek. “I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

Leon chuckled. He didn’t believe a word of what Vagus’ said, but took delight in seeing a certain irony in his words. “Ya know what?” he asked. “That’s the same lie you told me when you pulled me out of this lake.” His laugh was joined by Vagus’ as the memory passed through the Totodile’s mind.

Vagus nodded, the smile was now absent from his face. “Yea…I guess.” Leon watched as he sprang to his feet and stood at his full height. “But ya wanna know what isn’t right, Leon?”

The Riolu gaze up at him with a wondering gaze. “What?”

“This.” Vagus threw his arms out to his sides to present the sagging trees and dishevelled plant life before Leon. “All of this.”

Leon felt his own heart sag at the sight of it. So many plants…and all he had was one seed. Yet he still smiled. One seed was all he needed for what he wanted to do. Leon chuckled and reached for the pouch that contained it. “Then we better get started.” He threw the small sack up to Vagus who was almost caught off guard by Leon’s sudden action. Despite the suddenness of the Riolu’s action, Vagus managed to clumsily catch the pouch with both hands.

Leon watched Vagus sigh when he peered inside to examine its lone contents. The Totodile’s smile made a triumphant return when he looked back down at Leon. “I guess that’ll do.” He extended an arm for Leon to take hold of. “At least you didn’t forget anything.”

Taking hold of Vagus’ arm, Leon allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. He chuckled. “Well, I kinda forgot to borrow a shovel from someone… so… I guess we’ll be digging with paws.”

“Ah-ha!” retorted Vagus. “Well as absent minded as I am, I managed to get this.” Adopting the stance of a returning hero, Vagus pulled forth his shovel and rested it on his shoulder as though it were a sword.

Leon laughed, both amused by Vagus’ humour and the fact that they had both forgotten and remembered something. With his smile warmer than ever, Leon held Vagus’ hand and began to lead him away from the lake’s banks and into the withered woodland that encompassed it. He leaned close to Vagus’ head. “I know just the place, hubby,” he whispered.

Together, the two lovers walked along the banks of the lake. The trees continued to loom over them in their depressed state. Amongst them, there was not one that seemed to bother Vagus further. The infatuated Totodile followed the gentle tug of Leon’s arm. Over the entire course of their short journey, he could not take his eye off Leon. The Riolu occasionally looked back at him with a warm grin. Vagus somehow knew that they would not be disappointed upon arriving at their destination.

Eventually, that destination was reached. With the trees looming over him, Vagus stood in a familiar area. With a chuckle, he soon realised it to be the same area in which he and Leon had camped. The same area in which they had both declared themselves for each other.

“Right here, Vagus,” whispered Leon. “Where it can be special.” There was a soft silence in the air. It was occasionally broken by the chirp of bird Pokemon who somehow managed to keep a home within the trees.

Vagus grinned and pecked a kiss on Leon’s forehead. “Special like you, Leon,” he whispered back. The Riolu giggled and it was not long until Vagus felt Leon’s fluffy arms around him. The embrace was short-lived; there was work to be done. Vagus’ searched his memories and with some guidance from Leon, was able to locate where their tent had been pitched those months ago.

Vagus stood over the soil, even the grass seemed to have left it barren. Leon stood at a distance behind him while he removed seed from the pouch. Its size and sickly appearance concerned Vagus. He was unsure that such an unusual seed would take to the soil and grow.

Despite his concerns, he proceeded to dig. With strong thrusts he began to dig through the ground, shovelling aside the soil and making a neat hole for the seed. Vagus was no gardener, he hadn’t the faintest idea on how deep the hole was to be.

It was then that he heard a rustle in the branches of the drooping trees. In the silence of the forest, there was little that could escape Vagus’ attention without notice. Drawing the shovel from the ground he turned to Leon. The Riolu cupped the seed within his paws and shared Vagus’ look of concern. “You hear that?” asked Vagus.

Leon responded with an affirming nod as his gaze ascended to the branches that loomed over him and Vagus. “I don’t see anything.”

For a while there was nothing but continued silence. Vagus was on the verge of dismissing the noise and returning to his work until a voice came to him. “Well, don’t stop, Totodile! Keep going!” The voice made Vagus almost jump with surprise. His instincts kicked in.

Although his vision was a far cry from what it used to be, Vagus was able to spot a silhouette figure hiding within the brush.. Immediately, he brought the shovel to bare; ready to protect Leon and the thick veil of privacy that their relationship demanded.

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collaboration between  SlyDragoon16 and me
Story by  SlyDragoon16
Art by  Haychel