Blue woke up but he didn't feel very well rested, he felt a little odd. He tried to roll over onto his side but it almost felt like he was being weighed down, his head felt all fuzzy and his stomach was feeling a little nauseous which made him sit up.

  He looked around the room and saw that the sun hadn't even risen yet, it was still pitch black outside. He stood up unsteadily and walked into the bathroom where he turned on the sink tap and rinsed his mouth out with some cold water before spitting it out. He cupped his hands together and let them fill with the cool water, letting it overflow and run down to his wrists for a moment. He splashed it over his face and then down his neck and chest, it felt really good on his warm skin.

  It helped a little to clear his mind of whatever was going on in there but he still felt strange, like something wasn't quite right. He went back into the bedroom and picked up his phone from beside the bed and glanced at it. It was just past 4:30 am, way too early for him to be awake, especially after not getting much sleep the day before.

  He tossed the phone aside and slipped back into bed next to Red who was sleeping soundly, the occasional gentle snore escaping with his breaths. Blue curled up against Red's warm body again, he slid his arm around his waist and placed his forehead against his back while closing his eyes, trying not to think about what was bothering him or anything else. He just wanted to go back to sleep and try to forget about everything, everything from the past week, everything from the last few years... Well of course not everything, just the bad stuff. It'd make his life a hell of a lot easier if he could forget. But he knew he couldn't do that. Not ever. And even though he desperately wanted to, he knew he would never be able to forget.

  He lost his parents when he was young, too young to remember them well outside of pictures and stories. He and Daisy were able to live with their grandfather, Professor Oak, he raised them the best he could alongside his studies. Daisy grew up to be the sweetest girl you could ask for, always full of joy and happiness, she was also a hard worker and cared deeply about her family, friends and Pokemon.

  Blue also grew to be a hard worker but developed an arrogant and cocky personality that matched his confidence. He had no problem voicing his opinions whether anyone liked it or not, he was often seen as a know-it-all and was not afraid to speak out on issues he thought were important. He also came across as a little rude and selfish by many people, but he didn't care, he never did. But now he realises how much he hurt those close to him and wishes he could take it all back, he should have been more considerate towards everyone. Daisy, Professor Oak, his Pokemon... Red...

  His thoughts lingered on Red, he felt bad for hurting him, not only that but for acting the way he did. Maybe Red wouldn't have left when he did, things could have been different for them if he weren't such an arrogant asshole. Blue tightened his grip around Red's waist, he hated the thought of losing him again. He wanted nothing more than to go back in time and fix everything.

  He stayed like that for a few minutes, letting his mind wander to nothing but his feelings for Red. He thought about Red's great smile, his soft voice and his soft touch with slightly roughed hands. The warm and loving way Red touched him whenever they were together. His whole body warmed at the thought of Red and as his breathing got deeper, he felt his eyes closing, his mind shutting down, and his thoughts turning soft.

  Blue felt himself drifting off to sleep again, his breathing falling into a rhythmic pattern, the warmth from his own body and Red's, mixed with the coolness from the water, putting him into a calm and tranquil state of sleep.

  He didn't know how long he was asleep before he opened his eyes again, something still felt offbeat but couldn't place it. He slowly sat up in bed and looked around the room, his head still feeling like it was stuffed with cotton wool. He noticed that the sun had risen through the window, he took a glance phone and saw it was nearing 8 am.

  Red stirred in the bed beside him, groaning softly and rolling over onto his back. Blue sighed as he watched Red stretch and yawn, he was beautiful in every way possible - tall, broad shoulders and strong arms. Those toned muscles and defined abs...

  "Good morning," Red said sleepily as he sat up, rubbing his eyes with his hand. "You're awake."

  "Yeah," Blue said, his cheeks slightly flushed. He rolled his eyes and looked away from Red, a little embarrassed even though he had no reason to be. He hoped Red hadn't noticed.

  "How do you feel?" Red asked, sitting up in bed and looking over at Blue.

  "Uhh..." Blue rubbed his head. "I feel a little nauseous and my head feels foggy."

  "Do you need anything?" Red asked, concerned.

  "No, I'll be fine, just give me a minute to get ready and I should be okay," Blue said, standing up and walking into the bathroom. He turned on the tap and started running the water in the sink until it was nice and hot this time, and then he held his hands under it for a few minutes.

  "How long have you felt like this?" Red asked poking his head around the doorway, he was concerned.

  "Uh, since earlier this morning." Blue shrugged and washed his face and brushed his teeth, he splashed some now-cold water on his face before drying off and fixing his hair.

  "Is there anything I can do to help?"

  "It's nothing, I'm gonna be alright," Blue reassured him.

  "Okay," Red said, rubbing the side of his neck. "Do you want to talk about it? If you do, I am here for you."

  Blue shook his head and smiled. "Thanks, but it's nothing to worry about, I will be fine."

  "Are you sure?"

  "Yes." Blue lied, he was pretty sure it was something to worry about, but he didn't know what. He tried to dismiss the feeling that something wasn't right and smiled at Red.

  Red nodded, his expression becoming serious once again. "Just let me know if you need anything."

  "Will do," Blue replied, and he made his way back into their room. Eevee and Pikachu were awake now and Blue flopped onto his back between them on the bed, they both playfully jumped on Blue which made him let out a sound that was a mix of a laugh and a grunt. "Take it easy you two," he said as he petted them lightly on the head. They purred happily and lay their heads on either side of his body, their tails happily twitching behind them.

  Blue closed his eyes and decided to try and ignore whatever was going wrong with him, at least for the time being, maybe he would be able to figure something out later.

---

  They finished their breakfast and decided they'd head south of Akala Island since they'd only explored areas in the north so far. They set off into another sun-filled day.

  "Okay, so we need to head through HeaHea City and go south to Diglett's Tunnel" Red chuckled lightly "It's a little funny how similar it is to Diglett's Cave isn't it?" He asked but received no reply from Blue. He looked over at Blue who was just a little ways behind him, he was staring out at the ocean as he walked. He seemed to be deep in thought.

  Red stopped and turned around, stepping closer to Blue. "Hey... You alright?" He asked. Blue didn't say anything, he just kept walking, he wasn't even aware that Red had stopped.

  "Blue?" Red asked again and put a hand on Blue's shoulder, gently shaking him.

  "Huh?" Blue snapped out of his trance-like state and looked over at Red, confused. "Uh? Oh!" He laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry, I guess I spaced out for a second."

  "Not a problem," Red said with a soft smile. "So are you okay?"

  "Yeah, I'm good," Blue told him, trying to hold a convincing smile. He leaned against Red for a moment and laid his head on his shoulder, enjoying the comfort and security that he'd become familiar with.

  "What were you thinking about?" Red asked when Blue stepped back, looking up at him.

  Blue licked his bottom lip and shrugged, "Nothing really, I guess."

  "You seem distracted," Red noted.

  Blue looked over his shoulder and back up at Red, he sighed. "It's probably just the heat," he mumbled before looking at the ground.

  Red raised an eyebrow at him but said nothing. Blue sighed again and turned around to face the ocean again. Red watched him for a few moments and noticed that Blue's hands were shaking slightly.

  He decided not to mention it and took Blue's hand in his own, rubbing his thumb over Blue's knuckles. "Come on, let's go," he said gently. Blue followed him without a word, letting Red take his hand and lead him to wherever they were going.

  They walked through HeaHea City until they came to a turning that would take them South, it wasn't a long walk until they reached Diglett's Tunnel.

  The tunnel itself was dark and the air that flowed through was cool, vastly different to the hot air that filled the city. This was perfect weather for Blue right now, although he typically favoured warmer surroundings, he loved the cooler temperature and the fresh ocean breeze that blew through the tunnels.

  They walked through the small entrance avoiding the Zubats and Digletts that seemed to have a little tuft of hair on top of their heads, then the tunnel opened up into a rather large cavern.

  "Follow me," Blue said, he seemed to have perked up a little "I pulled up a map of this place, the last thing we want is to be getting lost," he said as he showed Red his phone while pointing at it. "This is where we are, it says we need to head this way, up a flight of stairs and then follow the path round to the exit."

  Red smiled at Blue as he listened, he was happy to see him brighten up even if it was just a little bit.

  "Smart" Red remarked with a slight grin on his face, not that Blue could see it very well.

  "Of course, because I'm smart" Blue replied nonchalantly.

  "Alright then, let's go." Red lightheartedly laughed in response.

  The route to the exit was fairly straightforward and they soon reached the exit. As they emerged from the tunnel Red used his cap to shield his eyes and Blue used his hand, the sunlight was harsh on them and they needed a moment to adjust to the brightness.

  They followed the path forward until they came to a crossroads, ahead of them was a small area that overlooked the ocean. To their left was a sign that read "This way to Memorial Hill and beyond it, the Ruins of Life," and to their right was a large torii-style gate that was red with gold details, the entrance to Konikoni City.

  They stood there for a moment, neither one of them moving, they just stared out over the ocean and breathed in the sea air. Blue eventually broke the silence first by clearing his throat.

  "Well?" he asked. "Which way?"

  "Left," Red said. "I think we should go to Memorial Hill and the ruins first, then we can come back to Konikoni City for lunch, sound good?"

  "Sounds like a plan to me," Blue agreed.

  "Then let's do it," Red said, and they headed towards Memorial Hill. Red took the lead as Blue hung back a little.

  Blue wondered how he'd be able to keep up appearances, he didn't want to ruin any more of this trip than he already believed he had.