That Summer | Raihan x Piers [Pokémon]

Chapter 24 ❀ Late Night Calls

It was a day like any other, or rather an evening, when Raihan returned to his room from a hot shower and slumped onto his bed, sinking into the sheets that had been left undone all day long.

It hadn't been that long since the caramel-skinned male had last met up with his boyfriend, but it still felt like an eternity to him. Perhaps that was just the impression he got because his work as a Gym Leader was keeping him busier than the usual. After all, it was the time of year when more and more Gym Challengers entered the final stages of their trial — Raihan being their last obstacle.

Today too, he had battled three different Trainers and lost only against one. Sebastian and the two girls must have been having it as tough as him, and he was certain that Piers was also working hard, but that still didn't silence his urge to see his lover. Just hearing his voice or laying his eyes on his pale face would have been enough.

It was already late though, past midnight, and Raihan didn't have the heart to wake the other up just because of his own selfishness. Not all was lost though, because he soon found a solution to his loneliness. He shuffled somewhat, adjusting the pillows behind his head before calling his Rotom Phone.

The image gallery was where he went, and knowing his personality and passion for taking pictures at any given opportunity, it was no surprise that it was overflowing with pictures. Some were of himself, some of his Pokémon, others of sandstorms and landscapes, but his favorite ones were those that portrayed Piers — be it on his own or together with him.

Catching up their lost time meant dates and photos, but when Raihan scrolled through them, admiring the other's bashful expressions, slightly reddened cheeks or beautiful smiles, he found himself growing a tad nostalgic. Pictures of them in various boutiques reminded him of that one time when they were Gym Challengers, when Raihan had bought him that choker in Circhester. The choker that Piers still wore to this day.

Other images of the spiky-head stuffing his face with food on the other hand made Raihan think back to the times he had to negotiate with him in order to get him to eat his vegetables and more meat. Even now as young adults they would sometimes team up for double battles and their selfies after victory made the taller man remember why he liked double battles so much in the first place.

Piers had made such a big impact on Raihan's life — as exaggerated as that sounded. Many of the raven-haired male's traits and habits were influenced by him, it was almost scary. He may or may not have known that he had a similar, almost identical effect on Piers as well. With his mind wandering about, Raihan subconsciously scrolled upwards very quickly — because he intended on going back six years.

It took him a few minutes, but his thumb was finally where he wanted it to be — the collection of pictures of that summer six years ago. He let his turquoise eyes dart from one photo to the other, admiring just how cute his boyfriend used to look back then. Of course, that didn't mean he wasn't lovely now — but it was still a bit different.

There were a lot of times when Raihan had asked himself how he had come to love a boy in the first place. When he was younger, it seemed such a mystery, but it never bothered him. Looking at Piers' pictures now, the light brown-skinned male could only chuckle and praise himself for having had good taste, even in his younger days.

As if on cue with his wish to slide to the next image, a notification appeared at the very top of his screen, and for a moment Raihan thought that he had started hallucinating from looking at too many pictures of the person in question. Yes, the message had been sent by none other than his lover.

.
..
...

Piers:
You still awake?