To Be Alone
Story by UmiTheUmbreon on SoFurry
#40 of All They Knew
Skye greeted her parents when she and Ruki got home after an hour-long cruise back to Hau'oli. She'd told them how their day went and had called Aaron afterward to let him know she and Ruki were home before getting ready for bed.
Skye washed her hands and face and left the restroom, walking down a dark hall. She'd shower tomorrow, as she was too tired tonight. "Sleepy?" she asked upon entering her room, spotting Ruki sitting on the bed with his head tilted to the TV.
She'd turned it on so he could relax and went to a popular pokémedia station he enjoyed watching. It currently played a scene consisting of a luxray and leafeon walking through a tropical forest while chatting in their tongue—Ruki didn't need subtitles for that.
"Nine." Ruki turned his head to her. A yawn confirmed it.
"Give me a sec." Skye slipped off her pants and shirt and tossed them in the hamper, then put on a casual tee and finizen shorts. She hung her purse on the closet and took out the ninetales plushie, setting it beside the alolan vulpix. "There." She parted her curtains slightly to let in the moon before turning off the light.
Ruki stood and walked to the bottom of the bed as she got on and watched her pull the new sheet and blanket down that her mother had changed while they were away.
She lay on her back and tapped her chest, reaching over to turn on the lamp. The lava one didn't give off enough light sometimes. She took a breath after stretching her sore legs.
He made his way to her and rested his chest and stomach atop hers, draping his paws over her shoulders.
She reached her hands and held his cheeks, then combed his ears between her fingers that popped back up after she removed her hands. "I'm glad the day ended on a good note for us both." She eyed him.
He lowered his head and rested his cheek against hers, nuzzling it.
Skye giggled. "How fast are you gonna grow on me? You've got a date already." She reached and set her hands on his sides, scritching them and watching his eyes go soft, then snaked her arms around his neck. "She chose you, you know?"
Ruki's face warmed. There was no date. All he'd done was compliment her.
"Her trainer said she reads every poké's aura, so she must have liked yours, which is apparently rare in her case… but I'm not surprised. You're amazing." She pulled him closer and kissed him on his nose.
He licked her cheek in return, which never failed at making her smile. He'd barely had the confidence to speak to Vivi, but if she'd felt him out, she must have seen through him. Ruki hoped he could live up to that.
"You ready to sleep?"
He nodded, sliding off Skye and lying beside her on his stomach. He rested his chin on his paws.
Skye exhaled after his weight left her and turned off the TV with the remote, set it on her nightstand, then reached to turn off the lamp. "Love you," she whispered and pulled the blanket over them. She turned onto her side, hugging his body and closing her eyes. She'd call Aaron tomorrow evening. Skye wasn't sure what to do with his remaining days yet, but it wouldn't end with their kiss.
Ruki awoke hours later to her sitting back against the bed's headrest and watching something on her phone while wearing her headphones.
She was using Tevx, a popular platform for streamers that had doubled in popularity over the last few years.
Ruki sat up, the blanket slipping off of him.
"Hey." Skye looked at him when she noticed movement and took off her headphones, disconnecting them from Magnect. She'd woken up earlier than usual. It was 7 a.m.
Ruki took a few steps and sat beside her while yawning.
She leaned over, kissed his cheek, and then closed the app. "I just started watching." It was a Twilight Princess speedrun from a guy she followed who was skilled at it. She found the gameplay nostalgic since she used to play that title often and had beaten it twice. It became more and more a distant memory as every year passed. The flow of time was always cruel. "I'm feeling kind of uncertain."
Ruki eyed her expectantly.
"I mean, I'm not a child anymore. It brings me nerves, but I'm ready at the same time... I think." She slightly scrunched her lips and blew air. "It gets overwhelming." Skye moved and lay on her back by the bottom of the bed.
Ruki didn't know how to be of assistance, but he was here to provide his company. He went and lay beside her, resting his chin on her arm.
"I'll be fine. It's normal. Besides, I'm doing great otherwise." She looked at Ruki. "You hungry?"
He lifted his head and nodded. He wasn't thinking about it until she'd asked, but he was always up to eat.
She sat up and stretched her arms. "'Course you are. Come on."
Skye kept on her top and shorts, then went down the hall with Ruki after freshening up in the restroom.
"Morning, you two," her father said. He was sitting at the dining room table with coffee.
"Morning, Dad." Skye sat across from him, and Ruki sat beside her chair.
Ruki missed sitting in her lap, but that wasn't happening anymore. He didn't want to put all his weight on her. Plus, it'd look silly.
"Where's Mom?" Skye asked.
He glanced at the door. "Out with Ru to grab a few breakfast items. She wanted air. Good to see you, though. I wanted to talk." He grinned.
"What about?"
He eyed her while sipping his coffee, then set it down. "First, you seemed reserved when telling us about your day yesterday."
As if he didn't know. "I mean, I feel like I can't be myself sometimes."
He sighed. "Look, I know we can be serious... protective at times in your eyes; it's because we know where many choices lead. Most straight into the dirt. We never wanted you to be careless."
"Mh..."
"But I think we're getting better. We had a talk before Aaron got here. Why don't you find a few friends too, other girls to be around?"
"Eh." Skye had lost her old friends mainly because of her parents, her best one lived in Sinnoh, and it'd be harder to make new ones at eighteen. "I guess I'll have to get lucky. I don't know where to start."
He shifted in his seat. "Have you looked into any universities or job opportunities? That could be a start, and there's always a spot open at Pokáre if you want a comfortable shift with us.
I'd like for you to learn from us when you're ready pertaining to business, accounting, investing, and such, but we'd like for you to pursue a higher education too. A degree can get you in the door, but you also have to be brilliant at your craft, especially as tech and competition grows. Again, we'd also like to teach you how to start and run a potential business so you're not trapped into the loop of working for another's dream... but no matter your decision, I'm letting you know you have a home with us for as long as that takes and beyond."
Oh boy. They were going to start really pressing her about that now. Skye could see it coming. "I'm still figuring things out."
"Well, you're at a massive stage in your life. I just want you to understand how to make money so you have choices and independence long-term if desired. You should act, but there's no rush. I think you'll need more than a boyfriend in life, though. I'll say that."
"I know, but Ruki helps me out in the company department a lot, though, dont'cha?" Skye looked at him.
"Ni." He tried his best.
Skye was lying in bed that evening with her door closed. Ruki was in the kitchen with her mother while she prepared supper, so Skye had used the time to talk to Aaron.
"You two do anything interesting since we left?" she asked.
"We did end up going to Royal Avenue. It kept teasing me from the window. They've got a great Megamart there," Aaron replied.
Aaron had come as a tourist, but Skye knew he'd come to see her first. "Sorry we haven't done more. It's kind of difficult…"
"Skye, it's fine. We threw this together in a week. Yesterday was amazing, anyway."
She smirked. "Mhm, down to our make-out session."
"You're a great kisser..."
"Hm." Skye licked her lips, biting her tongue. "You sure? I've never done it before."
"I haven't either, but I mean, you felt experienced."
"Wait, so, you're completely inexperienced?" she asked.
"Yeah—is that bad?"
"No, no, uh... I am too." She briefly clenched her fist. "I didn't know you could take control like that."
"It was a heat of the moment thing. I didn't do too much, did I?"
"No, I'd love more of it if anything. Did you get hard during it?" Skye bit and licked her upper lip, her cheeks slightly flushing.
"I, uh, did. V-Very, and you meant like soon, right?" he asked.
"Soon, mhm." She could giggle at his fluster. "Obviously, it'd have to be just us two. I could have something in mind to plan that out, but it may be blatant to my parents… I think we're ready, though. Do you? I want you."
"I do. I want you too, Skye."
"Skye!"
She lowered the phone from her ear for a second after her mother shouted. "Let's revisit this later. Can I call you tomorrow afternoon?"
"Sure, yeah. Call me whenever. Enjoy your night."
"You too. Night." She hung up, smiling while sliding her phone under her pillow.
After dinner, Skye had taken a much-needed hot shower and was in a tee and shorts after drying off. She entered her room and sat on the edge of her bed, slipping on knee-high socks she'd left on the blanket. Ruki was likely napping on the couch with her mother, which was rare, but he tended to doze off on a full stomach.
Skye wanted fresh air with everyone asleep, including her father and Ru in their room, so she walked down the hall to the living room.
Sure enough, Ruki was curled up on the couch, and her mom was asleep beside him, lying against the cushion in the dark. She stopped and grinned at the sight. Skye loved how close of a family she had, even with its issues. This applied to her relatives, too.
During holidays, like Tapu Quadran, which lasted for four days to praise the individual guardians of each island in Alola, both sides came to Alola. Skye and her parents went to other regions to honor their family's holidays as well. Skye had hung out with cousins and whatnot while Ruki went off with everyone's pokémon, but she could do without it nowadays.
It was unlike her to be antisocial toward blood relatives, but she felt who she was diminish with every year since she was sixteen years old.
She turned and made her way to the front door, slipping on her shoes and getting it open without making too much noise. When she was on the steps, she sighed and sat on the first one after closing it.
Skye was just in time to catch the tail-end of the sunset as a comfortably sultry nightfall cast upon Alola. It colored the sky a rich, fading orange pressing against thin clouds.
Warm breezes blew her hair aside while she watched people, cyclists, and rush hour traffic; above were occasional back-and-forth flights dropping off or leading tourists to their home regions; their distant flashing lights in the sky were visible over the ocean.
Streetlights lining the pavement turned on for the night, buses picked passengers up from stops heading home, and taxis did the same to those standing at curbs and waving them down.
Students in uniform and backpacks from the private academy, some in groups and others glued to their phones, walked home or boarded buses after hanging out at the beachfront or Shopping District after school. The boys' uniforms were similar to the girls. They wore dark red jeans and white dress shirts.
Speaking of the Shopping District, it was lit up and busier than ever, with tourists throwing money at every business there was. Skye could see its bright glare and feel its excitement from where she sat.
The beach and crashing waves ahead provided a sight anyone could gaze at for hours; most people away from the tourist action had settled for the night, so there weren't as many congregated at the shops or in the sand to block the view.
She tuned out the beeping while watching pikipek peck at the sand in the distance and pelipper dive from the sky, hunting the ocean life.
Skye spent most of her time with Ruki—almost all of it, which she didn't mind. He was the best company she could ask for, but she also needed some to herself.
She rested her back against the door while her mind shot around. Skye pondered what her father had told her earlier about having friends, jobs, and school. She was extroverted and loved having people to know but needed to focus on herself, especially if she wanted to take the route of entrepreneurship.
College was easier and would surely feel better for her, but what would she study? Skye had a ton of research ahead of her and would eventually have to go to her parents for assistance. How they'd raised her exhausted her often.
Again, they wanted and expected great things from her. However, Skye also wanted to be happy in a path of her choosing. She would also love the independence to come after her restricted teens, but as her father had said, this was a new stage full of crucial decisions to make—some of the most significant she'd ever have when setting up her future.
Coming of age daunted but simultaneously excited her. She felt she was ready to transition, but it was just as confounding.
She never thought she'd be as alone as she was going into it. Skye still had chances to make friends and connections, but gosh.
Aaron being in the picture so soon only complicated things; the worst part was that Skye knew it wouldn't turn out well bringing him to her region while she lived with her disapproving parents. She'd seen the red flag and should have kept him away while keeping him close, but that wouldn't have lasted long.
She shouldn't have to hide Aaron, especially at eighteen. He was in school, carried himself well, and was well-mannered. What more could they want?
All of this made her wonder how she'd be if her parents hadn't essentially cuffed her to her room and Hau'oli, and had kept her from most of her friends. Skye almost wanted to hate them for it, but it wasn't in her. She still loved them; at the end of the day, they had to know what was best for her, right?
"I know you aren't here to intervene in our personal lives, Tapu Koko, but I'm asking for it. I sure do need it."
Skye stayed outside and watched the sun until it sank behind the horizon, leaving the ocean as dark as the sky.
She was currently in her room in blue pajama pants with mini pokéballs printed all over them and a tee, under the covers in bed on her stomach. Her hand rested where Ruki usually slept. Skye would see him in the morning. She didn't want to wake him from his slumber to transfer him to her bed, but she despised sleeping alone.
She pulled the blanket up to her chest and turned onto her side.
An hour later, Ruki lifted his head to a dark room and didn't recognize his surroundings at first—until he recalled falling asleep on the couch. He must have passed out after that tasty dinner. How late was it?
He, slowly and as silently as he could, slid off the couch and let Skye's mother's hand slip from his back, who was lying beside him, then walked down the hall to Skye's room and nudged open her door with his nose. Her lava lamp wasn't on like usual, rendering the atmosphere cold and dark.
She was still, likely asleep. Ruki wanted to lie beside her either way.
He approached and stood on his hind legs, his forepaws on the bottom of the bed. Ruki then hopped off his hind legs and was now entirely on, but his weight kept his landing from being stealthy.
"Mh?" Skye rubbed her eyes and looked down through fuzzy vision. "Ruki?" she mumbled in a half-asleep daze.
"Nine…"
"Come, please, baby."
Ruki went and lay in front of her on his side.
"I had trouble falling asleep..." Skye slurred and leaned in to kiss his neck, embracing it with her arms and resting her cheek against his chest while sifting her fingers through his fur. She nuzzled it subtly with her nose and let out a quiet hum, finding comfort in his scent.
Ruki rested his chin on her head to grant additional warmth and draped his foreleg over her, closing his eyes while she rubbed him and feeling her delicate breaths tickle his neck.