taking the piece of paper. he'd crumble it up within that same hand of his. "i get it point dexter." turning toward kyle, he'd say, "you should really put down the video games. it'll rot your brain." when did he even find the time to workout? "do you even workout?" he'd ask with curiosity.

afterwards, he'd continue on with their previous conversation. "i've got my way, you've got yours. but don't worry, i'll sprinkle a bit of 'kyle' sauce onto my plan." pointing at the temple of brain, mateo continued, "i've got it all up here from experience." if anything he was a walking video game character. everything he's experienced has been placed in his noggin. everyone he's interacted with and met has been what made him--well--him.

"but enough about my goal. what about you? you defeated the rocket boss. what're you gonna do now, number four?" mateo asked. body leaning over the couch as his head craned to the side. arms lazily slumped as his chin rested upon the edge.

note: idk what i wrote.

a smirk comes to his face, raising a brow as he crumples the piece of paper. "i expected this to be honest," he chimes in on a lighter note. he was the same, in some way or another, preferring to make choices as it goes. his reason why he does so, however, was different.

his expression relaxes, until it crumples with doubt and confusion. "number four? what's that supposed to mean?" he has an idea of what it was supposed to be, but he keeps the rhetorical question up in the air. instead, he folds his arms as he tries to think of his next move in his life. with his head tilted down, he tries to squeeze as much thought as he could onto the subject.

"i haven't thought my life out this far. thinking ahead isn't my style either."

everything that has happened to him was merely by chance. his trip to johto was merely him running away from going to uni and his promotion as an elite four probably wouldn't happen if rocket did not attack verdanturf of all places.

he stops thinking and looks back at mateo. "i need ideas. what are you doing with your life after this whole rayquaza thing?"

"me?" mateo pondered on the thought. he never thought about it. "well, before i have to go back home...i guess..." arms folded as he looked down at the floor. a look of irritation began to develop, followed by a humming growl.

"maybe i'll head to the other regions. checkout galar's whole 'sports' thing, that place sounds intense from what i've heard." galar was an interesting region. it sounded like it'd be an interesting region to explore. he wasn't sure what sort of excitement resided there, but he wanted to check it out. "maybe we can all travel in a group together and visit the other regions, explore the undiscovered." being bounded to one place didn't necessarily excite him.

"doesn't that sound exciting? i'd even put up with chance's bullshit." thinking about everyone traveling together with him brought a smile unto his face. "i don't think there would be a dull moment." his heart was warmed at the thought. imagining a scenery with the group altogether, exploring region after region. fighting, laughing, crying, "i sound like some sort of comic book where the premise is about some dumb pirate traveling with his crew members and getting into all sorts of adventures every arc." that sounded pretty interesting to read when he thought about it, "i wanna wear a straw hat now."

note: idk what i wrote.

"didn't you want to take a break from everyone else?" he taunts him, raising a brow at mateo. "you sure you want to travel in a group now?"

he liked the idea though. being dragged around instead of having to decide what to do with his life instead sounded like his kind of life; leaving everything behind and enjoy the quiet life he doesn't have to deal with circumstances that shouldn't have bothered him in the first place.

"i like that idea though."

would everyone even want to come on an adventure? he starts to list everyone else's reason not to come, but he figures they have more reason to do so. his chest tightens. his greed takes over his reasoning. kyle's rashness comes to surface.

standing up from his seat, he'd go to where mateo was and push him onto the couch. he pins him underneath him, arms placed beside his head. his heart paces faster, temperature rising. he locks his eyes onto his, opening his mouth as he tries to find an excuse to his impulsive action. nothing incomprehensible comes out though.

"mateo, i..."

"yeah, they'd get on my nerves every now and then. but i don't hate it." he could just imagine CHANCELOR MCQUEEN trying to take over and act as leader, the duo arguing as per usual. @bryony trying to play peacemaker, Noelle Lane being noelle, Adam Shepard remaining nonchalant and, probably, instigating alongside kyle lopez. and Morgan Drake keeping to himself, and delphi being their usual airheadedness.

as much as he may express annoyance for everyone, he held them dear to his heart. they were his family, his pack. losing one of them would probably be enough to break him. "too bad--" and suddenly his body would come to be moved.

mateo wouldn't fight against it. watching, chestnut hues found themselves staring into his own. his heart beating thumping at a normal rate. a simple expression donned upon him. he stared up at kyle. his hand twitching, still from the thought of touching him. it's not as if this would be their first time, but this touch would be different.

it would feel different.

mateo was no coward, but he did possess fear deep down. this intimacy of theirs was new. it was different, something he'd never explored before. it's possible that this was what...noelle longed for. but it was something he just couldn't give to her and, maybe, him. not yet at least.

but he wouldn't stop him. he couldn't, thus mateo wondered why? in the back of his mind he wondered if he wanted this, but what if he didn't later? he'd been placed within a complex situation in his head. it made him wonder if this was risky.

and he enjoyed taking risks.

with the left palm of his hand moving, he'd come to touch the side of kyle's cheek; it was a gentle touch. something he once did with noelle in their youth. "i thought you were fine with the way things were," he softly spoke, "didn't you want to forget?" a light tease. even within a situation like this mateo wouldn't show his inner turmoil. he wanted to consider his closest friend's feelings.

"speak your truth, even if your voice shakes." he'd give kyle a feathery smile, plumed with an expression that showcased his readiness to accept whatever he wanted to say. "what happened to that mightyena personality of yours, don't go all poochy me." mateo, once more, teased.

note: :pog:

he panics sometimes, and maybe gets lost in words once in a while, but kyle has always considered himself to be a man of reason. he is pragmatic and realistic, sometimes to a fault. while he does things against the most optimal way to play it out, he knows the why's and how's he was wrong.

kyle doesn't know the reason behind this action though.

this was a risk was high and the rewards did not outweigh the possible backlash from it. he assumes he only got this far because of mateo's generosity for people close to him. there was nothing to gain from this besides self-indulgence. on the off-chance it did happen, it throws everything out of the norm. it was a disaster waiting to happen.

the touch makes him tense up, though he eases up as he hears his soft words. his throat tightens as he tries to find the words. his mind cannot compose anything to say, mind blank with nothing but his words on his thoughts and his face on his head. the encouragement does little, but it does just enough for him to push through.

"j-just this once, and then i will."

the last one did not count. that was of mateo's own doing. this was his. this was his closure, and then he'll give up. anything of romantic nature was not something he has in his character. this was just a phase, he believes, that he'll maybe grow out off once he gets it out of his system. it makes him nervous, but this was the point of no return.

he closes in, pressing his lips against the other's.

"mm, got it." and there it was. a kiss, but this time brought upon by kyle. in the midst of their intimate state, mateo--in the first few seconds--kept his his eyes opened. only to then close them. this moment would surely be a memorable one, and a special memory between the two of them.

mateo wanted to ensure that this would be unforgettable feeling for kyle. he wanted to ensure that, no matter, he'd always have space in his heart for him. and with that he'd embrace kyle. never letting him go, never severing their act of love. an act of love that would soon turn into copulation between men who were more than just brothers in arms.

[ FADE 2 BLACK ]

note: (ಥ_ʖಥ) :Monkas: