The Truth Comes Out! (Kittle Chronicles)

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*-- Selwyn’s Personal Journal, Entry XX--*

*Life as a traveling merchant has been quite the change of pace so far. I don’t remember how many months I’ve been traveling with Asher and his brothers, but it’s been so different as compared to when I was working in the Solustra port. Looking back at it, I’m really not sure why I even stayed at the port in the first place.*

 *I can’t imagine how many of these entries have been just about the time I’ve spent with Asher, but I guess I can add another. Things between him and I have really been enjoyable and peaceful. We sometimes argue a bit, mostly on the merchant work we do, or when Asher needs to take a rest after overworking, but overall it’s nothing bad at all. Even now, however many months later, we still really haven’t been referring to each other as in a relationship, but...there’s no denying we are. How long have we even been saying “I love you” to each other?*

 *Oh well, we’ll be fine. Maybe I’ll talk about it to him soon. We’re about to stop at the next hotel. I hope we’ll get a chance to be alone. We haven’t been alone together, mostly without his brothers, in like two or three weeks. I want to kiss him so badly again, so here’s the hoping!*

*-- End of Entry--*

A few hours later...

*-- Update to Previous Entry --*

 *Asher put a bit too much stress on his back while traveling again, so now it’s all twisted up like those pretzels snacks they sell in the Kanitore Arena. Bernard was able to get it fixed up a bit, but we could all easily see that Asher was in pain still, at least a little. So I stepped in and pleaded with him to take the night off, and he caved in rather quick.*
*I’m staying back to take care of him while Bernard and Miguel go out to do their business. So, we’ll have some time alone at least! If his back isn’t too bad, that is…”*

*-- End of Update --*

A cool breeze began to flow across the land as the sunset let out all of it’s pastel colors into the sky, making the horizon look like a beautiful watercolor painting. The small town that the group had found themselves in currently was unknown to them; they hadn’t stopped to ask for a name or location as the primary worry was getting Asher to rest. Looking out the hotel window, Selwyn smiled while watching the sunset. In the distance, he also spotted Miguel and Bernard going their separate ways to sell their products and services. Based on what he guessed, Asher and him probably had about two or three hours alone with each other. Selwyn couldn’t help but stifle a quiet laugh at the thought, as he would have been content with ten minutes alone with Asher.

 “Are you feeling any better than this morning Asher?” Selwyn asked, peering back to look at the Lycanroc, who was resting in bed. Propping himself up against the pillow-matted bed frame, all he let out was a soft grunt followed by a nod of his head.

“Hmm…”
The Typhlosion turned fully now to see Asher, giving a bit of a warm smile. He moved closer, standing next to the bed now and reaching out to give Asher’s arm a gentle tap.
 “That’s a relief...I’ve only been seeing you work so hard for like three weeks straight. I got worried that maybe something serious had happened.” Selwyn admitted, almost as if relieved to finally say so.

“hmm...I’m..okay…” Asher responded, managing a smile.

“I’m really glad that we have some time alone now...I’ve missed you…”

“..Me too…”

Selwyn leaned down and gave Asher a soft kiss, both becoming slightly flustered. Despite both being a blushy mess at the same type of kiss that they had share multiple times now, they also couldn’t contain their stupid, happy smiles.

“I’ve...waited weeks to kiss you again…!~” Selwyn giggled with bliss, getting into the bed and immediately snuggling with Asher. “Oh, Asher...I love you…”

“I...love y-you too…” Asher stuttered, still tripping up whenever he responded to that phrase. Following a few moments of snuggling and tranquil silence, Selwyn stretched and loosened up the sore, tensed muscles in his body.

“Hmm...maybe now would be a good time to take a warm shower.” Selwyn wondered aloud, leaning back into Asher.

“Hmm?”

“Oh...Asher, why...don’t you come join me?” Selwyn then asked him, blushing because of it. "I know that sounds kinda...risque with the context, but a warm shower might help you back if you soak in the water long enough.”

 Asher’s initial response was one of shock and apprehension as he actually jolted back slightly. His cheeks too were a slight burning red from the suggestion. The feeling of reluctance that emitted from his body language was pretty clear to Selwyn, who glanced away. It wasn’t that Selwyn was hurt by the gesture, however he had been hoping that Asher would say yes.

“H-hm...I...don’t..k-know…” Asher said softly, as if trying to hide the already-obvious reluctance in his voice.

“You...don’t want to...do you?” Selwyn then asked, to which Asher looked down and away from him slightly.

“...”

 After a few seconds with no following response from Asher, Selwyn sat up a bit. Suddenly, his demeanor changed entirely as he looked up at the Lycanroc, with a mixture of eagerness and passion welling within his eyes. No tears were shed, not yet at least.

 “Oh...Asher, please!” He pleaded, moving a bit closer. “I...I just want any excuse to be with you in however way I can! It’s bad enough we can’t sleep in the same bed at night, o-or that we have to go weeks together without even so much as being able to hold hands or kiss..!” Selwyn continued, sounding a bit flustered with life in general, and not Asher. “Time hasn’t been on our side and...I’ve just missed being with you this way so much…!”

 Finally the tears began to well up in Selwyn’s eyes. Wiping them away did no justice; They were slipping down his cheek faster than he could control them.

 “Right n-now...I don’t care...about getting…f-frisky or...anything l-like that..” He sniffled, shaking his head while avoiding crying in general. “All I want...is to f-feel like we’re together as a..a c-couple, and w-we never get to...I-I can’t take it anymore…! I-I love you Asher...I-I want to be with you...i-in every way I can, b-but…!-”

Before Selwyn could continue the tangent, Asher pulled him into a tight embrace, rubbing behind his head a bit. There was an odd feeling that was between them; It wasn’t guilt, but there was a heavy feeling on their chests now that one of them had finally opened up about what was on both their minds.

“I-I...love you too...Selwyn..” Asher whispered to him, trying to coax him into calming down. “I...missed you...a lot...and I...w-want to be with you..more too…”

“..I’m sorry..” Selwyn then whispered back, looking up at him through slightly puffy, watery eyes. “I...didn’t mean...t-to snap like that...I just want to...be with you...in a normal relationship...I just want us to...b-be passionate with each other w-without having to constantly hide it…”

Arguing against the point Selwyn had made would not only be difficult for Asher, but also illogical too; He wholeheartedly agreed with the Typhlosion.

“Hmhm..O-okay…” Asher said with a grin. “Let’s...go and..b-be together..”
Selwyn nodded and also managed another smile, seeming as though he had rid himself of a taxing mental weight that was on him.

 To neither’s surprise, the shower in the inn room’s bathroom was...minuscule to say the least. Although even the tallest of bipedal customers could fit in, the same couldn’t be as easily said for those wider or bulkier.
 “I...hope I didn’t just...have that slight emotional breakdown just for us to not both fit in here…” Selwyn joked with a laugh, lightening the mood.

 “Hmhm..~” Asher chuckled to himself, taking the first step in. Immediately, the majority of the room in the shower was taken up. However, Selwyn could snuggle into Asher with just enough space to close the door behind him, which meant the plan was a success.

 “This will...be the nicest I’ve felt in nearly a month..!” Selwyn giggled, blushing faintly as he started up the hot water.

The tepid water began to fall on them from overhead. Asher’s fur on his head flopped in front of his face, causing both him and Selwyn to laugh a bit at it. Once the pressure of the water increased, the temperature of the water slowly approached sweltering. Being a fire-type, Selwyn had unconsciously set the water to its hottest possible setting, as that was really the healthiest way for someone of his species and typing to bathe. For Asher, it was noticeably scorching, although it didn’t take too long for him to adjust. After all, his attention was focused elsewhere…

Both of them stood under the water, no sound being made except for their soft breathing and the shower nozzle sputtering above. They exchanged smiles and a blissful yet quick kiss before looking around for the necessary toiletries they required. Once a fur-friendly conditioner was found, along with some general, lemon-scented body soap, Selwyn took the first initiative and began to scrub Asher off gently.

There was an elated feeling that Asher couldn’t exactly decipher; Rather than an erotic feeling from having his body rubbed in such a way, Asher felt an odd sense of contentment and pure infatuation for Selwyn. The little nuanced actions of Selwyn washing off his body felt unlike anything he had experienced before. Selwyn’s hands were soft to the touch, gliding over his body with a little bit of pressure applied to provide a sense of relief for the strained muscles they contacted with; He was able to reach parts of Asher’s back that was normally a struggle to clean, and now those lonely, inaccessible parts of his body were showed with affection and a tender touch. Asher swore that he had been there nearly an hour with Selwyn caring for him, when in reality less than five minutes had gone by.

No words had been said, and yet there was a mutual understanding between their emotions, connecting them on a plane of existence that they sole shaded with themselves; After all, no one else needed to be there when they had each other.

 “Asher...?” Selwyn finally said, breaking the ambience. “Are you okay? Your...face is really flushed, and so is your body. Oh! The water is probably too hot for you...damn it, I’m sorry..!”

He quickly turned the heat of the water down to something a bit more cold than mild, which was actually unhealthy for himself. Asher hadn’t even noticed that the water had been hurting him a bit.

“Hmm..It’s okay…” Asher reassured him, turning the water back to a mild temperature.

Selwyn smiled up at him happily, standing on his toes to get closer to Asher’s height. Then, he loosely wrapped his arms around Asher’s neck, pushing their heads together as Asher wrapped his arms around the Typhlosion’s waist.

“Asher...I love you...this has been so amazing…~” Selwyn whispered to him, giving him a soft, loving kiss which they held for a few seconds longer than last time. “I...think I’m ready to finally be...a bit more outright if you are, Asher…”

Hearing this caught Asher off guard a bit, however he wasn’t surprised at all. In fact, he was jubilant to hear such words come from the person he loved.

“..I’m...I’m ready too…~” Asher confessed.

 After sharing another beautiful kiss, one that got Asher so happy that his tail began to sway a bit, Selwyn rubbed his chest a bit.

 “So...how do you...think we should break it to your brothers that...you and I have been dating this entire time? Selwyn asked, concerned by the potential outcomes. “I hope they take it well...I don’t want them to feel betrayed or untrusted…”

“Hmmm.... “ Asher pondered for a bit before answering. “... I’m sure... they’ll be happy... if we tell them.~”

“Okay...If you think they will...then I’ll believe you…!” Selwyn laughed, holding Asher’s paw happily. “Thank you, Asher...for...not only changing my life in many ways...but making me the happiest person alive...and thank you most of all for...understanding how I felt...I truly found myself the best...boyfriend I could have…~” He then added, in a softer, loving tone.

 Once dried up and out of the shower, Asher and Selwyn spent the remainder of their free time having a lengthy conversation and snuggling. By the time Bernard and Miguel had returned back to the room, conveniently at the same time, they saw the two a bit closer than normal. Before one of them could address what they saw, Selwyn laughed a bit and smiled happily, motioning them to sit down.

 “Hey...can you guys sit down for a second? There’s something...Asher and I have been waiting to tell you for while now…~