Mattis looked around when the sound of shattering glass echoed around them. "What was that?" he said, looking back to Alexei. But then, Dr. Holo's voice was on the intercom again, saying something about the interdream world.

What the hell was that?

He opened his mouth to say something, to ask Alexei a question, but his best friend was in the middle of grabbing his cane and standing up, fumbling and saying something that he didn't understand.

Apologizing to him.

"What are you doing? Alex, you're not supposed to-"

But suddenly, he was going away.

"Alexei! Alexei, wait!" He didn't know what this pink mist was, but Matt got up and followed after him as quickly as he could, a certain panic settling over him.

Alexei was still going. How was he able to move so fast when he was injured? Matt had no idea. He picked up his pace, but he was taken aback by the sight that appeared before him.

He could only assume that this was something from Alex's imagination, maybe a desire of his. He wasn't sure. Isn't that what Dr. Holo had said before this chaos ensued?

The little boy, who looked exactly like Alexei except smaller, seemed happy kicking the ball around with other children around him. People he was unfamiliar with.

A pang of panic and nausea grew in his stomach.

Did Alexei wish he had stayed home, in Unova, with a normal life? Did he wish he had never met Mattis or anyone in Hoenn?

The thought was a stab in the heart, and Matt had to come to terms with his feelings then and there. That seeing this caused so much anxiety and pain that it made him feel ill that someone he grew to love more than a friend wished to be normal.

That maybe, because of his normalness, he'd never meet Mattis.

Reaching out, he grabbed Alexei's shoulder, trying to find the words to speak. "A... Alex!"

Alexei's desires, even as he explained everything to Matt, still got to him. Because even as he tried to make things clearer and make Matt understand that he did want to be here, anxiety was boiling beneath the surface.

He looked panicked, his face pale and devoid of color.

He didn't even realize that he was shaking when Alexei's forehead touched his own.

What was he saying? He couldn't understand him. Something was ringing in his ears.

When he drew back, Matt saw his parents there, laying on the floor of his childhood home in Lavaridge. They didn't move. What happened? They weren't breathing.

Then he heard laughter. He was laughing. Hysterically. Thinking, "free. I'm free. I'm not stuck to them anymore, or anyone in this crazy religion. They don't control my life anymore. They can't. I'm finally free." He didn't realize the words were spilling from his lips as he smiled at the ground where they were.

When he turned his head, hearing another noise, they had disappeared. Now, Matt was standing in front of Alexei. Wasn't he just there? He reached forward, holding his hand. On that hand, there was a ring.

His own left hand held one as well.

"Did you beat all the trainers today?" he asked Alexei, leaning against him. He didn't have his limp anymore. He seemed like he was perfectly healed. No wheelchair, nothing. He was fine.

"Of course. I did it for you," Alex said to him, though it was playful teasing. They shared a sweet moment, talking about their days and what they should do in their free time. Like they were free from their problems.

And, eventually, Matt was all over him, crawling into Alexei's lap and taking every single kiss he could take from him. Things escalated from there, not at all quiet, but hungry and lustful.

But he got to sleep with him at the end of the night, being held in those arms tightly, closely, kept warm and comforted.

Like he had always wanted when he was younger, but his parents always held that away from him.

Matt was not able to snap out of his delusions to actually acknowledge Alexei's questions. He had never seen this side of him. The one that deep down, he was harboring this ill will, and it was ready to burst forth at any given moment that triggered it.

Nor was he aware that Alex had seen his desires that involved him, the ones that he had been trying so hard to push down and hide for weeks now.

Matt only came back to reality of a thudding sound. He grabbed his head with both his hands, confused by what he saw. Then he remembered that he had chased Alexei into this pink mist, that he had seen Alexei's thoughts, and oh Arceus, did he just see his-

He found him on the ground.

"Alex. Alex, are you okay?" He knelt down, putting a hand on his shoulder.

It felt like things were going to go back to normal. Well, as normal as they could be after seeing each other's desires, whatever the hell that was in the pink mist. But, then Alexei started panicking.

Why was he panicking? He didn't see-

Blood.

There was red seeping through his scarf, the turtle neck, and it was becoming apparent on his clothes, consuming him. "Alex, what's happening?" he cried out, reaching forward.

But as he did, he felt hands grab at his shoulders, pulling him back forcefully. When he looked, Matt saw his parents, as though they had raised from their graves. Still oozing blood from their wounds but holding onto him firmly like they were alive.

"You can't escape your destiny. Leave that sick boy to die. He's not what you need, and you know it, Mattis. You're the one who must continue on this tradition."

He tried to struggle, thinking he was definitely stronger than a couple of living corpses. But they had a firm grasp on him, unable to let him go. Like they were glued to him. Pulling him back, further and further away.

"No! I can't- I won't! Let me go! Alexei!"

The more he yelled, the more Matt noticed his voice was becoming distant, unable to be heard. Hands were crawling over his body, coming to clamp his mouth shut as he was dragged away.

Where was he going?

Where were they taking him?

He was so close to giving up, his muscles aching and screaming from fighting for so long and the lack of oxygen he was getting from the screaming he had done.

"See? He doesn't want you. He doesn't care. You knew that from the start. You knew that you needed to stay. You had the perfect girl picked for you. Your children are going to be spectacular."

At that point, Matt felt hot tears beginning to fall down his cheeks, his eyes squeezed shut as he almost fell limp to those hands that were holding him in place.

Unable to run.

Until he suddenly felt like the hands covering his mouth, his arms, everywhere on his body were released, and Matt nearly fell forward, into something firm.

Someone's mouth was on his.

When he opened his eyes, Matt registered that it was Alexei kissing him. Was it the dream Alexei, actually coming to save him? He couldn't tell in that moment.

He was just happy to be saved, his arms wrapping around his neck and pulling him closer to him. Savoring his kiss before he pulled back to catch his breath, dropping to his knees.

Shaking.

Matt's ears rang, a buzzing sound that wouldn't go. What was that noise? It sounded like someone was trying to talk to him. He was staring at the ground where he was sitting, holding his legs close to him.

Who was holding onto him now?

He couldn't tell.

Slowly, the ringing subsided and the voice became clearer. Matt looked up from the ground, noticing that it was Alex holding him in his arms. Speaking to him, trying to calm him down.

"What happened?" he said, his voice raw and quiet.