Pokémon PrismGold

Chapter Nineteen: "Dressing The Part"

Sean stood in the small shower stall with his back to the tile wall. His stomach was filled with butterflies and his heart was soaring the clouds. What little thought he had was torn between trying to think about what had just happened and scolding himself for letting it happen. Moving under the running water, Sean couldn't close his eyes without feeling Nate's lips against his. His heart was so happy it hurt. Yet, the rest of him was scared that his bad chose in men was becoming a habit. Tracing his fingers across his lips, he leaned forward to put his forehead to the tile wall. He felt like he had a fever. His skin was burning compared to the cool wall. Turning the shower lever over to straight cold, he inhaled sharply as the icy water shot over him from the Horsea mouth nozzle. Even the icy water couldn't snap him out of it. After years of trying to avoid it... He was helplessly falling into the feeling again. Huddling into the corner, Sean shook his head, whispering sternly to himself. "No. Stop. Why now? Why him? He's not..." His heart wasn't listening. It was too late. His heart didn't want to be caged anymore.

Sean finished his shower in silence, trying to talk himself out of any ideas about love. Whether it was a crush. Whether it was just a simple attraction or the heat of the moment. He didn't care. He wanted nothing to do with love. His body couldn't make him feel that way. Stepping out of the stall onto the gel turtle shell mat, he took a towel off the heating rack and wrapped it around his body to dry himself. The warmth felt great against his skin. When he finished tying the towel around his waist, he stopped and let out a groan. His clothes were dirty, and his spare clothes were out in his bag. Creeping to the door, he opened the door just enough to peek out. Mark was laying on the Master bed with his arm over his eyes. While Nate was laying on the top bunk and whispering to Zoey. Seeing his bag under the pokeball shelves by the bunk bed, he tried to risk sneaking out to snatch it. He silently crept past Mark, but as he touched his bag... Zoey suddenly leaned over the side of the top bunk to chipperly state aloud. "Whatcha doing?" Yelping, Sean snatched his bag and ran back into the bathroom.

Sean pressed his back to the door, listening to her say casually. "Oops. I think I spooked him." Mark and Nate chuckled, but Sean rolled his eyes. Digging through his bag, he pulled out fresh closes. Pulling on a white t-shirt with the blue Team Mystic logo and pulling on a simple blue hoodie over that. He then put on his blue jean pants and gathered his dirty closes into a laundry bag, before stepping out. Mark was the first to chuckle out. "That was faster than I thought." Sean glared at him, grumbling out. "Shut up. I don't do that..." Before they could start teasing him more, Sean abruptly asked. "Anyone hungry? The Café should still be open." Both Mark and Nate sat up excitedly and then groaned with disappointment. Sean turned to glance at them, giving them a confused shrug. Mark gestured to his dirty clothes, mumbling out. "Probably not a good idea to go strutting around in my Team colors again..." From the top bunk, Nate pulled at his Team Rocket shirt, slipping in just as grimly. "Same."

Sean shrugged again, asking them blankly. "What about your spare clothes?" Mark shook his head, answering dryly. "No good. They are like those. Team color." Nate shook his head, telling him in turn. "I don't carry any other clothes. This is all I got." Sean dropped his head into his hand to rub his temples. Shaking his head, he told them gruffly. "Alright. Give me your sizes and I'll... find something for you." Mark sat up to grab the hotel notepad off the bedside table. Writing down his sizes, he tossed the pad up to Nate. Nate caught it and then the pen, asking Zoey for his sizes. Zoey pulled up Nate's shirt collar and the tag at the back of his jeans to tell him. When he finished, he tore the paper off and held it down to him. Sean walked over to the paper, their fingers touching. The second their skin touched; Sean felt a rush straight to his heart. Nate's fingers were so warm, and his black fingerless gloves were smooth to the touch. Clearing his throat, Sean lowered his eyes to the floor and looked over the paper.