at the shock of recollected embarrassment, noah thrusts a fist into the other's sleeve. firm enough for a thud, but light enough to be playful. no malice crowns his knuckles— just the desire to touch and toy.

"that was only one time. i forgot hoenn has like, different mushrooms than johto or kanto." noah says loudly. "hey! don't treat it like a tourist spot!"

and at kyle's excited pointing, noah stomps toward him to bang his fist on his back.

kyle lopez

uncertainty settles in as the test is administered. a classic case of examination anxiety. it clouds the mind in spore-like burs, cutting synaptic connection with the hot piercing of its teeth.

after he squats by their potential harvest, noah frowns. his finger hovers between two: one with a large red cap and yellow specks and the other with a large yellow cap and red specks.

"you know the answer, right?" noah says, arms loosely propped on his knees. he cranes his head upward to kyle. "like, the test only works if you know."

kyle lopez

perhaps, fortune will smile on noah today. indecision seizes his fingers briefly before he thrusts them forth. he plucks the large red-capped mushrooms from the clump, seeing their pale fibres tear away from other stalks.

"alright. these ones." noah says.

he tucks the shrooms in a plastic bag, the pokemart logo wrinkling as it grows heavier. the last mushroom fails to make it in the bag. its pinched between noah's fingers as he waves it around like a wand.

"when i was younger, we'd make non-stop dick jokes about these." noah sighs, a wistful smile on his face. "but i'm older now. totally mature. too grown up for that sort of thing."

kyle lopez

"yea, i thank god everyday for that." noah says, hands pushed up against each other in prayer while he squats. the plastic bag dangles from his wrist as its contents strike his folded legs.

he rises from the ground. from the cradle of his hand, the mushroom tempts him.

"yea, yea, i'm pretty sure i got the good ones." noah brushes off some dirt and grass from the pale stem: a delay tactic meant for the dark-haired gym leader to scrutinize and ascertain his potential last supper. "the kind you can eat raw too. really rare."

unsure of what kyle is doing with his phone, noah takes a generous bite.

kyle lopez

"wait, the fuck? i swear it’s the right kind, man!”

noah clutches his stomach in paranoia. hoisted onto kyle’s back, noah swallows warm spit. muted gulping noises can be heard close to the ears of his boyfriend as the mushroom menace dangles his heavy head over one shoulder.

”yeah, just go.” noah breathes. he tightens his legs around kyle like a ponyta rider asking their mount to pick up speed. ”i’ve survived worse.” he laughs, voice fluttering softly against kyle’s neck.

kyle lopez

”that was like, the best day of my life dude.” noah tries not to be too sentimental, voice refraining from melting into molasses and ribombee honey.

even still, with his voice caught between sickly and affectionate, the gym leader manages to speak quiet sincerities.

”one of them anyway.”

around them, the wood peels away. the trees thin out and the grasses become less and less wild. noah, almost drunkenly, plants a kiss on the nape of kyle’s neck.

”i’d train my stomach on other things. not like this, ugh, what do you take me for? an idiot?” noah jests. he knows he is one.

kyle lopez

noah huffs when kyle does not deny it. then again, noah is currently being transported to a convalescent home. his stretcher is kyle’s sturdy back; the barks become the blaring siren of the lopez ambulance.

”say hi, say hi,” noah says, ”’cause it might be my final goodbye.” the gym leader laments. all melodrama. ”then bring me to my final resting place.”

noah leans to the side, allowing his right hand to dangle limply. wet mightyena snouts grace the back of his hand as curious licks tickle his fingers.

”can’t believe i’m dying today, man.”

kyle lopez