#❄️ finished thread: red and blue make purple.

[evoblue]

time capsule thread: red and blue make purple with @/silentchamp

summary: beneath the moonlight bathing the Saffron City harbor, Red and Blue finally find each other.

"You look...great...!"

The words take her by surprise. 

"Oh! Red! Hi!" Blue is startled by his sudden appearance, a blush burning high on her cheekbones as she subconsciously folds her arms over her chest. She hadn't held out any hopes of running into him at the rave of all places... likely not his scene. Suddenly, she's hyper-aware of just how little she's wearing.

"I, um... thanks!" A nervous laugh follows as she tucks a strand of glittery hair behind her ear. "You still look great."

At least she considers her outfit just as 'bad' as Red's Lucario-Man costume... in the revealing department, anyway.

—

"...It's different." The champion remarks, losing the fight with his eyes and checking up and down his friend's figure. "But...you look..." 

No longer that brave, mysterious hero known as Lucario-Man, Red stood timidly in front of her, having to use his hands in the dimly lit atmosphere. Hopefully, she could see his palms, motioning toward her before saying: 

[ Gorgeous. Wonderful...very pretty. ] His words are forward, but the vibrant, free feeling that danced through everybody's bodies in that moment made it difficult to be stiff. It was only fitting that he too would let loose. 

It wasn't respectful to oogle and drool, even if their feelings about each other's bodies had been particularly similar, so Red makes haste to concentrate somewhere else--her eyes. 

"Haven't drank too much, have you? Don't have anybody bothering you, either? I would like you to stay safe." There he was again, that ever-valiant protector. "I trust you have nothing to be jealous or embarrassed about anymore, seeing as you have a costume..." 

He regards their previous conversation, taking two steps forward to slowly close the gap between them, a means for her to hear him more clearly.

—

Blue is well aware of how good she looks tonight; after all, she never went out anywhere without making sure she looked absolutely perfect... so it's not what is said, but by whom.

It's quite uncharacteristic of Red to be so forward about things like this. Maybe that's why her stomach is doing flip-flops right now.

"Thank you," she replies warmly, looking far more relaxed than she had just moments before as her arms come to loosely rest at her sides. A rosy color blooms across her face, maybe from the heat of all these feverish bodies tightly packed in the hangar or perhaps from the alcohol. Or maybe it's just him. As it is, his piercing gaze lights up something within her little by little. It's hard to maintain eye contact so she bites her lip and looks away.

"I'm still sober enough," she appeases him. "There's... a lot of people trying to talk to me right now, though... it's a little overwhelming." 

While she had fun during her time in the spotlight earlier, the moment had also turned her into a very recognizable (and popular) target. Even now, she can still feel eyes on them as Red draws nearer, though it's anyone's guess as to whether it's her or the sculpted Lucario-Man that they're ogling. Even though some bold wandering hands had attempted to get greedy in passing, they appear to be giving them a wide berth now. Red just has that sort of presence.

It's still sweet how he's concerned about her, though. She may be more than capable of handling herself but there's just something nice about having someone care enough to want to protect her without underestimating her.

"I feel safer when you're around, though. It's... really nice," she admits out loud, much to her own surprise.

—

As if Red's own gut wasn't doing its own gymnastics, eyes doing what they could to no longer fixate on Blue's barren waist; a gorgeous curvature, he wants to put his hands on them, let thick palms hold her tight. Her open collar isn't helping either; neither is the glitter, the hazy feeling in the air, the cannabis smell, his slight inebriation, and--

There's a lot going on right now, okay?!

Red had noticed the feeling of eyes across his figure throughout the night, too. Who wouldn't want a chance to spend time with one of the legends of Kanto? That, or an aggressive battle you probably stand little chance of winning.

"Come on." Red murmurs, too quiet to be heard around the ginormous crowd surrounding them. His cape softly flows behind him, like a true superhero. Part of him wants to get them away from here, get the prying eyes off of them both--but the rest of him is trying to avoid Blue's last piece of commentary, cheeks growing hot at her own admittance.

The dolled-up champion keeps a brief glance over his shoulder every few seconds, ensuring he wasn't moving too fast, that Blue was comfortable and safe, too.

She really did look gorgeous in that outfit; a few other dastardly things, too... but that was disrespectful of him, meaning thoughts would go unvoiced.

Red steals her to a secluded area of Vermillion Harbor, the apparent noise of waves drowning out the distant hum of overbearing EDM and crowd cheering.

This was better.

"...Is...this okay?"

Freeing her hand, Red leans up against a wall of heavy crates. Taking off his mask, ruby-red eyes are revealed--a departure from warm honey ones.

"I've been coming out here on and off...quiet." He looks on at her, expecting an answer.

—

Wordlessly, she allows him to lead her through the crowd, away from the strobes and the pounding music and the swaying bodies and the cannabis haze...

It's easier to weave around people this time around, the crowd parting like a sea of ancient times to make way for the two of them. Nobody approaches her on her way out, more than likely having misconstrued what's going on between the two of them.

It's not what they all think, though it startles her to find that a part of her wishes it was. Arceus, that's not a thought she should be having about one of her childhood friends... even if he's looking good enough to eat right now.

As they exit the carrier, the brisk nighttime air dispels her thoughts and raises goosebumps along her feverish skin. She shudders, her body slow to acclimate after the last several hours of high energy and heat below deck.

In contrast to the thrumming atmosphere they had just escaped, the harbor is an oasis of serenity. There's not much going on out here but the call of the sea, the waves gently lapping against concrete with the ebb and flow of the tide. The sky is devoid of clouds, a waxing moon illuminating the night and accentuating the vastness of the ocean.

It's all very much Red.

Her hand twitches when he releases it, pinpricks of heat spreading where he had touched. She clenches it into a loose fist and holds it against her chest. Hmm...

Unfortunately, this change of scenery squashes any possibility of her asking Red for a dance (that he would've probably declined, not to much surprise)... But those thoughts conjure images of Lucario-Man's chiseled chest against her back, those broad hands around her waist, and teeth hungrily pressed against the side of her neck and she turns scarlet. Whoa, where the hell did that come from?? 

That's not an image that she needs right now. What the hell is wrong with her?

"This—" Her voice rings out about an octave higher, causing her to pause and clear her throat. "This is fine, yeah."

It's jarringly sobering but it's for the best. At least her mind can better steer away from the gutter when she's not immersed in the rave's intoxicating atmosphere.

Blue gives him her back, taking a moment to collect herself as she admires the endless open sea. The moonlight bathes her in its gentle glow, refracting off the fragments of her top and skirt and picking up flecks of glitter smattered across her skin. She's practically shimmering.  

"I can see why you like it here." When she breaks the silence again, her voice is steadier than it had been earlier. She glances over her shoulder at him. "The rave didn't strike me as your scene. What made you decide to come?"

—

It isn't the cold, frigid mountain he called home, and yet the steady waves seemingly put Red at ease. That, or perhaps his mind settles in the presence of Blue. Part of him wants to stare at cool eyes that match her namesake, match the tone of the ocean, and yet they stand at a distance, leaving wishes to be desired. 

Had anybody misunderstood the meaning of their departure, maybe Red did wish that were the case--his heart trembles of childhood yearning and need in all its glory, and yet each time he would attempt to say something, only cobwebs would escape; silence, stopping himself from letting feelings pour out. 

She was a busy woman. Blue wore her heart on her sleeve, and inside? Her studies, her adoration for pokémon. It'd be cruel and selfish to get in the way of that. At least, that's how Red sees it. 

A family of Golbat chirp loudly above them, flying south with their heart set on warmer weather. It snaps him back into reality, eyes darting upward to make out a vague outline of the bat pokémon against the night sky. 

"...Battling. Yeah. This isn't my scene, but..." His response is to the point, and it's so undeniably him. He makes the mental note that she's probably a little underdressed for the weather, soft breeze continuing to dance across the shore much like the people at the rave were. He silently unclips his cape. 

"I was owed a battle or two, here. Had a drink. Makes it tolerable." Red steps forward, fabric making a soft swish as he guides it in front of him, carefully wrapping the sheet around his companion. "I like it here, better." 

Lucario-Man would've done the same.

Looking at her from behind, he makes an effort to keep her warm, quietly wrapping arms around her waist. 

"If you don't like this, tell me." Red requests. "It's cold. You're shivering. Sorry." 

His core shakes and vibrates, heart thudding against his ribcage like an Electrode about to self-destruct. Doing this to himself, it's counterproductive, and yet the last thing he wants to do is sacrifice her comfort for his own. To keep her warm and safe, Red deemed it satisfying in what little time he'd thought about it. 

Eyes keep a firm glance toward the sky, counting individual stars as if he'd cared enough. 

"...Hope you're having fun." His tone is sincere, sighing through his nose. His chest presses against Blue's back, rising as he exhales. 

He has to stop himself from grinding his teeth. It's undeniably difficult, his feelings and his thoughts and...her. Red...likes her. Red likes her a lot. What would she think?

—

She lets out a soft chuckle. Of course, the battles. That much she expects from the hotblooded former champion. The warmth that suddenly envelops her as Red drapes his cape over her shoulders and wraps her up in a protective cocoon? Not so much.

Blue sucks in a breath, feeling something flutter wildly in her chest as his arms wrap around her waist. It's been so long since anyone that mattered had held her like this, close and carefully, and it throws her into a mild state of disarray. Pink spreads across her face like wildfire. The motion makes her feel so... delicate, protected. Cherished. 

She's not used to it but, Mew, she likes this.

Her heart needs to calm down, though. Red's just doing this to be nice, his words were quite clear. Once more, proof that he would give the shirt off his back to someone in need. And yet, his quiet 'sorry' leaves her feeling a bit hollow. She holds back a wistful sigh, really wishing that he wasn't.

He's so close, yet so out of reach.

It's tempting to say this is not okay, solely to spare herself the torment of his proximity but a small, stolen moment with him is better than no moment at all so she allows herself some selfishness, even if it kills her.

"Thank you. This is okay," she confirms to ease his worries, though her treacherous mind can't help wishing his arms were wrapped around her with different intent. 

The solidity of his chest molds to her back and she bites her lip, trying not to think about how close they are, of how Red's just the right height for his breath to tickle the shell of her ear, of how the thin fabric does nothing to mask the quickened tempo of Red's heartbeat. Is he nervous thinking that he's making her uncomfortable? 

"It's been fun, yeah." It's about the only honest thought she's voiced in the last five minutes. "It's not my usual scene either, but I've been having a blast so far. I love the music, the energy, the dancing." Having all eyes on her, for once, had been a nice feeling. 

"Some of the more crazy I could do without, though," she admits. Between the alcohol, the drug haze, and the blanket of slight anonymity brought on by masks and costumes, most people's inhibitions had been completely dropped. "But it was nice to let loose for a bit. I... hope the battles made it worth it for you to come here."

—

That heart pounding against her chest; if only she really knew his true intent. A need to be closer, as close as possible, to nearly melt into Blue and mold together to finally become something entirely different. Togetherness. It was something Red had tried many, many times with others--earning only failure despite his resolve to make it work.

These relationships would never work, admittedly vanishing without a word didn't look good on his record. But Blue would understand. Maybe she'd even seek him out, consider his thoughts and feelings.

Would she?

That was a selfish thought, wasn't it? He's so concerned with staying out of her way, after all.

"It was worth it. I'd do it again, and again...and..." Red trails off, but it's obvious enough to fill in the blank. It makes him hum.

Eyes look out toward the rocking shores of Vermillion, that gorgeous shimmer enough to consider just how beautiful the planet they lived on was. It was like a gorgeous glitter; like the kind pasted across Blue's body, her shoulders, arms, neck. Even more, the glisten of beautiful blue eyes that mirrored the ocean Red had kept his glance firmly on. Even when trying to avoid any tension--it keeps building, and really, neither of them can stop it--the brunette's mind performs an almost masterful dance back toward the woman of his desires. His childhood friend. His rival. His crush.

She felt it too, didn't she?

"...Maybe..." The champion begins, blinking twice before stomaching the ability to complete his sentence. "...we should go somewhere, sometime. Someplace we both like." Red suggests. "...A place that's 'our scene', I guess."

Inhibitions. That's right, many people were relieving theirs in favor of enjoying the music, all of the entertainment. His were lowering too, but that wasn't due to the rave.

No, it was due to something else.

"...When...are you leaving?" He asks. A hand comes up to tuck some of Blue's bangs behind her ear, intentions vague. Glamoured eyes look back down at her, one arm growing somewhat tighter around her waist as he begins to slowly close the distance between their faces. Maybe he was really acting out of turn; then again, he was positive his friend would slap him, were that the case.

"... ...If you don't wanna go alone, I can go too. Tired." Sleepy eyes squint as Red smiles, and yet that drum in his chest refuses a ceasefire.

—

Red has a way of being vague and non-committal about some things, mainly when putting them into words. But this... Maybe she's hearing what she wants to hear, but she detects undertones of intimacy in the deep register of his voice as he suggests they go somewhere together, when he volunteers to leave with her.

His touch is fleeting, fingertips barely grazing her ear as he sweeps her bangs behind her ear, but it still sets her alight. When his arm tightens around her, it fills her with a heady, breathless feeling as the warmth of his breath grows ever nearer to her face.

Words can be vague, they can be misinterpreted... but actions speak louder, far more clearly... and right now, Red's actions suggest that she's misconstrued the situation entirely.

It's a night of daring, of adrenaline, of freedom and letting loose. Is she bold enough to put her suspicions to the test?

Blue turns around in his arms so she can face him, a delicate sigh slipping past parted lips as she tilts her head back to meet his glamoured eyes. They're deep crimson, alluring, and, despite his claims of exhaustion, bright under the moonlight. She frees her arms from her cocoon, the borrowed cape falling loosely off her shoulders. The evening chill is hardly on her mind; right now, the two of them are impossibly close and her nerves are on fire.

"I miss your natural eye color," she breathes, slowly curling the fingers of one hand around the back of his neck. She tentatively cups his face with the other. 

She had planned to make her way back to the carrier at some point, to once more flood her senses and bury these complicated feelings that Red had brought to the surface underneath the haze. But how can she, when his intoxicating proximity has her caught in its trap?

"It's late. We should go back soon," she starts, vaguely remembering that it's a bit of a trek from the harbor back to Saffron. "But not yet."

Please, not yet.

Not when the two of them are alone, right here, right now. So close, she can feel his frantic heartbeat in tandem with her own. It's like she's drowning in a state of feverish delirium. The tension between them is palpable now, tightly coiled like a spring moments away from snapping. She's so close to losing her damn mind. She can't be the only one feeling this way.

Gods, she wants to... Her eyes are soft and half-mast under dark lashes as she gazes up at him. Is this okay? Has she read him properly?

If worse comes to worst, she can always feign intoxication.

—

He makes a noise when she turns around, commenting on his eyes. One of surprise, and yet afterwards he musters a snicker. It was particularly like her to be so sentimental, and yet her commentary makes him blush, lips puckering and pursing once in response to being flustered. Red's hand falls from her hair, resting thumb and pointer loosely on her cheek. He only strokes fair skin gently, tilting head with admiration.

His other arm stays tight-knit around her waist even now, thick fingers pressing possessively into Blue's hip; he couldn't even muster up the words to describe his feelings to her, and yet Red had already decreed she was his.

Or was he hers? That was the truth, wasn't it?

Maybe he liked that answer better.

He'd seemingly forgotten about the cape left crumpled on the floor of the sea harbor, threatening to be blown away by that frigid wind chill if Red didn't act fast. It didn't matter anymore, though. His costume didn't matter, or maybe it did, since it made the woman he'd oh-so-needily pined for look his direction. 

It's true. Red was never great at describing his feelings, putting them into words for others to digest with ease. Like a battle with him, it was always a challenge, a brain game; a puzzle? Indeed, one would need to spend hour dissecting and pressing each individual piece together, but when you did, it was satisfying.

When Blue declines his consideration, Red doesn't take the route of direction--'Not yet' could mean many things, which meant there's potential; potential to turn this into something more. Especially with the way she'd been looking at him, inspecting chiseled, handsome features however she could under the pale moonlight. It couldn't have been easy, Red having to squint briefly in order to make out the fine lines and curves across his childhood friend.

If he had one Kanto poké for each time he'd felt attraction toward Blue, he'd be richer, enough to buy her anything and everything in the world. 

Breath quickens in realization, Red finally registering their closeness. With the hand around her waist holding her tight, the other pressing soft caresses into her cheek--his stomach is on fire, ready to burst as lungs continue to speed up their own inhales.

So he bites the bullet.

Lashes flutter shut as Red tilts his head forward, pressing lips to Blue's. It's a quick movement, one without warning. He too could blame his own nonexistent drunkenness for his foolish behavior, should the champion be reading the room incorrectly. 

Red's lips are warm. Not entirely dry, but vaguely chapped from the cold air biting and nipping at sensitive skin. The kiss isn't aggressive, mouth closed. He hadn't thought to take a full dip, to entirely ruin his chances if she didn't want this.

—

Her eyes drift shut as she leans into his gentle caress, her heart hammering within her ribcage. Will he...? Should she...?

In the end, it's him who breaches the gap.

The brush of their lips is sudden, fleeting, but still hits her like a lightning bolt, what feels like sparks of lightning making her shudder. Despite being weathered, Red's lips are still plump and inviting. That proprietorial hand on her hip feels heavier now, like it's being seared onto her skin. 

Oh, she wants more.

She kisses back, demurely at first and then more fervently as something within her unravels. Her fingers wind into his thick hair, drawing him back in as warmth consumes her. She opens up to him like a flower in bloom, slowly licking his lips, inviting him in.

Even beyond the magnetic pull he's exerted on her tonight, she's wanted this. Her feelings for him have laid dormant, shoved aside to accommodate their choice of diverging paths and Red's constant disappearances. For so long, she'd told herself that she didn't feel anything, that she didn't want anything from the man that always seemed so out of reach. But since their reunion, her feelings had only burgeoned with his sweet smiles, his warm sunset eyes, his contagious enthusiasm haunting even her waking dreams. 

And yet, doubt had consumed her in waves. Had they been too close for him to think of her as anything but a childhood friend? Did Red even feel anything when he wrapped her up in his arms, when he took her delicate hands into his weathered ones and massaged out her pain until she was left flustered and in a state of disarray? For months she's suffered in silence, pining and yearning while thinking him unaffected... but that's not the case, is it? 

He's hers, at least for this moment...

—

The tongue grazing his lips, it earns her an open mouth as he nips at her bottom lip, connecting with his own to demonstrate a distinct, yet similar need for his friend. Was friend even the right word, anymore? Whatever they were, it made his heart soar, made his lungs clench and his gut swirl with more than enough butterfrees for an entire spring.

The timing had simply been right, the scenery set, their costumes and the atmosphere gorgeous. The stars would continue to shimmer like the glitter on Blue's body and the ocean waves would continue to rush against the pier like the blood pumping in their veins, but by Mew, Red couldn't be bothered to look that way right now because she was far more crucial in getting his attention.

There's something to be said for the way fingers wrap around wavy locks, stealing curls into digits, and the way she brushed and pulled only made it feel as though they'd belonged there. Like she should play with his hair while they sat on the couch together a late evening, or tugged hungrily whilst at their most intimate behind doors where no one could see.

He wouldn't want to think about how easier this would've been had the two simply used their words like real adults, and yet they danced around the idea like children avoiding their responsibilities.

A haughty breath escapes as Red opens his lips for air, and by now the champion has her glued to his figure with a decent grip, not enough to cause harm but enough to tell her that, at this rate, he wasn't sharing.

It's not that he's even thinking of her in a sensual way anymore, thoughts purely consumed by the yearning desire to simply be with her, even if it wouldn't last forever. Just time with her was enough, it always was. It would be embarrassing to tell Blue how many times he'd daydreamed of her thin hands embracing his own, to tell her how many times he had wished of coming home after a long day just to see her. To share dinners with her and strengthen their battle skills together in a double battle, or even just study pokémon together while exchanging kisses for each fact he'd get correct.

The brunette pries his lips away for air, though he doesn't provide much room to free her from his grip. Perhaps it was possessive, but they'd be stuck like this, just a little while.

It's a given--she could always tell him to stop, and he would. Yet, she wouldn't. It enamored him.

Red rests his forehead against hers, staring with half-lidded eyes and mouth agape, soft puffs pushing against hers. He tries to push for another kiss. This one is brief, a pledge of his love. 

...Then he would speak a single word; a syllable, even. It's soft and hush, a smidge of bashfulness in his tone.

"...Hi..."

—

The sudden, bashful sweetness almost seems out of place coming from the man with a greedy hold on her but it still leaves her tickled pink. Blue can't help herself, giddy laughter spilling from her lips in between the quick, sweet little kisses she presses against his lips, his cheeks, his nose.

"...Hi," she finally replies back.

Her face is flushed, lips parted and curled into an easy smile as she gazes at him with dreamy eyes. Nothing has ever felt quite like this, an all-encompassing warmth, sheer contentment at being in the position that she's in. She could easily stay like this for a while, foreheads pressed together, their heartbeats one as they held each other.

What does this mean for them? She's not so naive as to instantly assume that Red wants to be with her, let alone be in love with her, though her mind doesn't hold back on the visions of domesticity that could come to fruition were that to be the case. Lazy weekend mornings spent twisted in bedsheets. Quiet moments of lounging in sleepwear as they cook meals together. Traveling hand in hand to places both old and new, broadening horizons and refreshing perspectives and reminding themselves of things they love in life, now together.

This could be a fresh page in a new chapter of their lives, which they could fill up as they go... though the part of her that's always left behind warns her to not get ahead of herself. They're adults, they should talk about things... but later. The selfish part of her wants to bask in the afterglow of this moment.  

"Just so you know," she teases, alluding to the firm hold he refuses to relent on her. "I'm not going anywhere..."

—

Again, he'd felt this way many times before--Red would embrace the sweet feeling of love and adoration and yet each time, something would occur or happen or transpire that would shift whatever relationship he'd been in.

They'd break it off. They'd ghost him. He'd disappear.

Yet, despite all of that, he can't bring himself to worry, these past failures not making themselves comfortable in his brain or even inviting themselves in to begin. It didn't bother him, not when Blue was looking at him with such appreciation in her eyes. Not when the warmth from their kiss still sat on his lips, silently asking for more and more until he could no longer breathe. Oh, he yearned for her.

A fresh chapter, indeed.

Thick fingers gently roam up and down her backside possessively, but Red doesn't dare approach areas he feels aren't appropriate to touch. He needed to treat her like a lady, after all. She was more to him than a brief bout of hunger, or an unimportant milestone--even if certain unspoken thoughts had plagued his mind many times prior to this.

She could know someday. Not right now.

Red nuzzles her nose, still breathing against her mouth, a faint smell of alcohol and mint on his tongue. 

"...I'm not going anywhere." The brunette professes. Easing one hand off her body and intertwining it with one of her manicured palms, Red squeezes. "I promise."

To spend his life with her, he'd give so much.

—

She hums placidly, Red's touch leaving pinpricks of heat along her mostly bare back. To have the warmth of his hands all over, gripping her tightly and holding her with a far more selfish purpose... she tries not to think of it too much. It's not the right time and she certainly doesn't want to give him the wrong impression; the sweetness of this moment is far more meaningful to her and her yearnings for him can be kept at bay until a more opportune moment. So instead she focuses on the gentleness of his gaze, the sweetness of his lips, the reassuring feeling of her hand in his as she intertwines their fingers. And then, his words tilt her world on its axis.

A promise to stay, when no one else ever has.

Her breath catches in her lungs. She wouldn't be so quick to believe this promise from anyone else. She's so used to being left behind, to dealing with the dull ache of loneliness that comes from having absent parents and feeling like your childhood friends have somehow outgrown you. At one point, she had feared that Red himself had moved past their friendship, past her, considering their prolonged separation... but their more frequent encounters since they had rekindled their friendship had slowly pulled back the curtain on his true feelings for her. She now suspects he'd never forgotten, only shifted his perspective on her.

Maybe absence truly makes the heart grow fonder. It certainly happened with hers.

"I'll hold you to that." Her exhale turns into a giddy laugh as she nuzzles him back, their foreheads pressing together again. She wouldn't believe it from just anyone, but this is Red. She believes in his sincerity; she believes in him. 

Maybe her heart will be safe in his hands.