Work Text:
Prompt: A kiss that lasts so long, they are sharing each other's breaths.
Pairing: Grimsley x Shauntal / Shauntal x Burgh
The brunette male gave a dramatic sigh as he leaned against a doorway within the Unova League. "My inspiration well has run dry, Grimsley! Surely you can pity an artist and his trade."
The dark gambler shuffled a deck of cards without looking at his hands as he smirked at his longtime friend. "I suppose I could spare a minute or two to assist you, Burgh. Take a seat at my table."
Pushing himself off the wall, Burgh takes a seat across from Grimsley.
"So, what sort of piece do you need help with? Nothing unsavory, I hope?" There was a teasing tone with his inquiry, which caused the artist to flush from ear to ear.
"I-I'm not /that/ sort of artist! Please. What do you take me for? I wish to capture the beauty of people and Pokémon living in harmony." His arms spanned out in front of him as if he were capturing a picture above him. But he lowered them once more, a sigh leaving his lips, "I just can't figure out how I want to form such a painting..."
"Hm.." Grimsley pondered his problem for a moment but paused as he saw a silhouette of a particular woman near his door. The corners of his lips curved a little. "You can come in, dear. Burgh won't bite."
From the doorway, a shy Shauntal entered, holding a small stack of books in her arms. She crossed the room and placed the small stack beside Grimsley. Burgh tilts his head, an excited smile creeping over his lips as he made a frame with his hands over Shauntal's figure.
"Grimsley, who is this beautiful woman? I don't think I've met her before!"
Grimsley gave a light snap of his fingers, "That's right. You weren't here when she was brought in, were you? Burgh, this is Shauntal. She's our Fourth Elite, a Ghost-Type Specialist, and a damn good novelist. Shauntal, my dearest Kitten, this is an old and dear friend of mine, Burgh. He's one of the gym leaders here in the region. He...much to my dismay, specializes in bugs." He gave a visible shutter. "Creepy little critters."
Shauntal adjusts her glasses before giving Burgh a polite bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Ah, don't mind me sliding in here for a moment. I'm just dropping off some books for Grims here. He wanted to read some of my early works, and I could only find a few that I have with me here. I'll be going now though."
"Hold a moment!"
Burgh stood from his seat, holding his hands out as he made a frame with his fingers over Shauntal's figure, "Ah yes! There we go! My inspiration is coming to me. Shauntal, would you mind being a model for my latest painting? I think you would be perfect for the role. There's just something about you that gives me the urge to pick up my paintbrush once again."
Shauntal blushed a little, looking to Grimsley for advice in this situation. He gave a wave of his hand - as if to say it was up to her. She bit her bottom lip, shifting in place.
"I've never been a model for anyone before..." she admitted softly.
"Oh, you won't need to do much. Perhaps we can arrange a setting where you are doing something you enjoy in a calm environment? Though it would be preferred if there were Pokémon nearby."
Shauntal thought for a moment, "Well, we could meet at my grandfather's Butterfree Sanctuary. There are bug types all over the place there and I can easily get comfortable and work on a draft or two while there."
Burgh clapped his hands with excitement, "That sounds exciting! Would it be okay if we traded contact information so we can meet at a convenient time for us both?"
She gave a soft giggle, nodding, "Sure.." Shauntal took out her Rotom for a moment and he did the same. For a second, their phones hovered in the air, trading information before returning to their trainer.
"Wonderful! I'm looking forward to this. If you are free, shall we plan for the end of this week to meet?"
"Um. I don't see why not."
Burgh gave a sweeping bow, grinning from ear to ear, "Then it's settled. I'll see you then."
He took his leave, as he had much to prepare for what he believed would be his greatest painting yet!
Once he was out of the room, Grimsley gave a side glance to Shauntal, a slight grin forming over his lips.
"So, it seems you'll be modeling this weekend. A shame I won't be able to see it. I can just picture it now. Then again, why capture beauty with ink when you can enjoy it in the flesh?" he takes hold of her left gloved hand, bringing her knuckles close to his lips, "Isn't that right, Kitten?"
Shauntal blushed from ear to ear, giving him a shy smile, "I-I suppose so. D-did you want to come with me when I model for Burgh? He is your friend, after all."
"No, I think I'll let him live with the illusion that he might have a chance with you. The way he was looking at you looked familiar. Hm...ah yes, I know why. That's the same look I gave you when we first met."
"Wait..! You don't think he's interested in me..do you?" There was a hint of panic and surprise in her voice.
"I can't speak for him but his tells are quite obvious. Just make sure you have your wits about you."
"I'll try..." Shauntal mutters softly.
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Shauntal made herself comfortable against a tree, ensuring that her dress was tucked neatly at her sides so she wouldn't look indecent in front of her guest. Holding her notebook close to her chest, she looked across the way where Burgh was as he was setting up his art supplies. She had no idea what to expect this afternoon. As she had mentioned to Burgh earlier that week, she's never modeled before, and being asked out of the blue when she was visiting Grimsley completely caught her off guard.
"Are you comfortable, Shauntal?"
"Hm?" She turns her head from her dazed gaze toward the grass to Burgh, "O-oh...yes. I'm fine, thank you. Do you need me to move at all?"
He gave a light shake of his head as he made a frame of her upper figure, smiling from ear to ear. The lighting from the glass ceiling created the most unique overcast light mixed with the branched shadows over her figure. He could see her dark beauty contrasted against the vibrant lively colors of the mock forest-like atmosphere the Sanctuary provided. In simple terms, everything in his view was complete perfection!
"You're perfectly fine where you are. Just give me a moment to sketch the piece here. Shouldn't take long."
Sitting on a stool, he got to work with his newfound enthusiasm. His eyes shifted from his canvas to the dark beauty in front of him. The way the shade of the leaves left a unique pattern over her perfectly round cheeks, and sunlight reflecting off of her round glasses made her eyes have an ethereal glow causing his heart to skip a beat. A soft chuckle left his lips as he admired her for a moment. He truly wished he knew when she started as an Elite in Unova. He wanted to know everything there was to know about this woman.
"So, " he started, wanting to break the ice between them, "...Grimsley says that you are new as an Elite. How long have you been in the League?"
Shauntal tapped her pen against her right cheek, "About a month, give or take? It hasn't been for very long. I graduated from college about a month ago and I was approached to join on graduation day. So...that's more or less how I came to be here."
"I see, I see! I can only imagine it was quite a shock. I know they've been looking for a proper replacement for the last member who was in your position. They retired and didn't exactly give the League time to find a new replacement before then." He finished with the important lines of her figure before looking up to see that a Butterfree was fluttering nearby and landed on Shauntal's shoulder. The smile that graced her lips placed the artist into a tizzy, eagerly reaching out for his pencil once more to add additional details to the painting.
"Y-yeah...I was told that they were desperate to fill the empty seat in the Elite. I've had a few battles since I've been here, and I think I've done a decent job. I know my ghosts have been enjoying themselves."
Shauntal gently traces the tips of her fingers along the edges of the wings of the peaceful insect on her arm. The Butterfree gave a soft coo into her hand. For a few seconds, she completely forgot that Burgh had been sketching her and the Pokémon beside her. After about ten minutes, he started to trace over everything with a pen and asked yet another question.
"Forgive me for asking such a bold question but, what were those books you lending to Grimsley?"
"Hm? Oh - they were just samples of some of my old work that never got published. We got talking a few days ago about my career as a Novelist and he seemed interested in my writing. They..ahh...aren't exactly considered to be what one would call 'clean works'.." She gave a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of her neck with her free hand.
Burgh paused for a moment, looking toward Shauntal as he noticed the faint flush over her round cheeks. Was...she embarrassed by her writing?
"I'm sure it can't be that bad," he offered, hoping to ease her concern.
"It's not my writing ability that I'm worried about. It's..the contents. There's a reason why I never submitted them."
Burgh took a moment to think about what she said before he connected the context to the concern and donned a blush of his own over his cheeks, "O-ohh! I..-ahem..! C-can see why you would be concerned. I was unaware you dabbled in the erotic arts with your writing." He sheepishly scratched his cheek, "I'm going to assume that your works come from personal experience then, yes?"
Her eyes wandered a bit, "Ah..s-sort of. I do have an outlet for inspiration though, if that means anything?"
"M-most certainly! I'm pleased to hear that you are at least proud of your art form." He places a proud hand over his chest, waving his pen as he gave her a pleasant smile, " Art comes from the heart. Be it music, painting, or the written word, having a pure source of art is beauty. I've yet to read any of your work but I can tell that you are a bright and intelligent woman who deserves praise for her art. There's never a need to feel embarrassed by your work..even if it does have a risqué flavor."
Shauntal smiled, giggling a bit at how dramatic he was with his little speech, "Thank you. I'll be sure to keep that in mind."
He gave her a light bow, "The pleasure is all mine, Madam Shauntal. I would be a fool to not offer a kind word to a brilliant woman."
She tilted her head a little, still smiling. Well, it looks like she owed Grimsley later. He was right on the money with Burgh. This man sounded as if he was head over heels for her. Shauntal watched as he switched to his paints to get the basic coloring down, every so often looking at her with a longing smile before going back to his work. Once he was finished with his work, he made a frame with his fingers, going between his painting and then to Shauntal.
"Perfect beauty. Ah, I think I've outdone myself with this one! Thank you, Shauntal. I'm forever grateful for your assistance."
She stands from the ground but stumbles back down. Her legs felt numb, making her laugh a little, "I think I need help up. My legs fell asleep."
Burgh gave a soft chuckle, standing from his stool, and walked to her side. He offered her a hand to pull her up from the ground. She wobbled for a moment, attempting to regain her balance. Once she was able to stand on her own, Shauntal gave him a small smile.
"Thank you. "
He took a step closer to her, gently brushing a few strands away from her face before pulling her into a brief soft kiss. His lips just barely ghosted over her lips. Shauntal immediately froze, eyes growing wide.
"No, thank you, Shauntal. You were a beautiful model. I look forward to showing you the final product. Till then, I'll be taking my leave so I can surprise you with a masterpiece."
She was still so shocked by the kiss that she just gave him a nod.
"Until we meet again, my dear Serendipity." He gave her one last kiss, leaning into her a little longer as if he was attempting to savor how she tasted against his lips before reluctantly pulling back. Sliding away from her side, she watched as he packed his things and then left.
She felt knots in the pit of her stomach, hands shaking. Shauntal felt lost and unsure how to feel - let alone what to do. At her side, her Rotom phone started to ring. Reaching for it, she saw that Grimsley was on the other end. She quickly picked it up.
"G-Grimsley?" her voice squeaked in a shaky tone as she answered his call.
"Hello, Kitten...I was calling to see if your little modeling activity was finished but it sounds like that's the least of your worries. What's wrong? I've never heard you sound so nervous or terrified."
She hesitated to speak, "Uhum..."
His tone softened, "Shauntal. You know that I'm here for you. I could never be mad at you."
Shauntal let out a shaky deep breath, "Y-your friend..uhum..h-he..." she swallowed a dry breath,"..he kissed me..twice. I was so shocked when he did that, I couldn't push him back."
Grimsley was silent for a few seconds before he spoke once more, "Was he going to come by to show the painting?"
"Y-yes. I believe that's what he planned on doing. Why ask?"
He hummed for a second, "Good, good. Why don't you come back? I'll keep you company until he comes by to show off his latest piece."
"Okay. I'll be there soon."
"I'll see you soon, Kitten."
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When she returned to the League, she nearly jumped into Grimsley's arms. He held her with a protective hold around her waist. Her head nuzzled into his shoulder as she clung to him.
"There, there. I've got you. We'll get things sorted out." He gently rubs her back. He could hear her give a shaky deep breath once more.
Poor thing. She was shaking like a leaf in his arms. Shauntal was new to her position as an Elite and she was a notorious shut-in invert. Any human interaction that wasn't in a structured setting seemed to rattle her. Though that was something he was going to have to work on with her, she did have a reasonable explanation of why she should feel upset now.
She was kissed without her permission, and she reached out to him for guidance. Being that Burgh was someone he knew, Grimsley planned on setting the record straight with him so he knew better than to cross him.
Doors down the hall seemed to open and Grimsley gave her a light tap on her shoulder so she could pull back. Releasing Grimsley, Shauntal turned to see that Burgh had a canvas covered with a white cloth to prevent anyone from peaking at the painting he did. When he saw Grimsley and Shauntal together, he smiled from ear to ear, "Oh good! You're both here. I have something fabulous to show you both."
"Oh good. I've been looking forward to this.." the gambler muttered softly.
Shauntal remained at his side as Burgh lifted the protection cloth from his canvas. Burgh had a proud grin as he waved his hands over the picture he pained.
"Ta-da! I present to you, a haunting beauty in the midst of an insect paradise! This painting simply screams perfection. Of course, I couldn't do this without my lovely model."
The painting was of Shauntal sitting in the grass against a tree, holding an arm out as she was petting the Butterfree which was obviously quite happy and excited for attention. Shauntal shifted uncomfortably beside her dark gambling partner, and he instantly took the social cue to wrap a possessive, but gentle, hold of her waist, drawing her close against his hip.
"Lovely art as always Burgh, though I think I'll stick with the real thing. She's a priceless treasure that's impossible to duplicate, wouldn't you say so?"
The artist gave a light nod of his head, "Why of course."
Grimsley hummed, turning to Shauntal for a moment, gently holding her chin as she leaned into his touch, "Speaking of Shauntal, I've been informed that you pursued her during the modeling process. Even dared to steal a kiss or two. Did she consent to either intimate act?"
Burgh froze for a moment, frowning as he looked between Shauntal and Grimsley," I suppose not. I thought that since she didn't object to it, she would be okay with it. The kisses were brief."
"Oh, my dear artist. You have so much to learn." He spoke softly, all the while keeping his gaze locked on Shauntal, "My dear Phantasmal Queen, might I be honored with your blessing and give you a kiss?"
Shauntal gave him a nod, muttering out a soft breathy moan of her answer so it was verbal, "Yes.."
That was all he needed to hear from Shauntal as she was gently pulled into a loving kiss. She sighed softly against his lips for a few moments, not even bothered that they had an audience. Her lips parted when he swiped his tongue along her bottom lip. Shauntal placed her hand over his as he pulled her closer to him as if to show a display of possession for the novelist. They continued to kiss, soft moans and sighs leaving their lips until they were practically breathing in one another's breath.
After what seemed like nearly forever, they slowly broke apart as Grimsley nipped her bottom lip while tracing her jaw with the tips of his fingers. Shauntal was in a loving daze, head tilted to the side for a moment as she was lost in those piercing blues of her fellow Elite.
Grimsley chuckled softly, "You see that, Burgh? Leaving a woman speechless isn't always a bad thing, but it has to be on her terms. Shauntal, darling, why don't you go on ahead and head to the lounge? I'll join you in a moment."
She slipped out of his arms and left the room. Grimsley watched her leave, chuckling to himself as he took a moment to enjoy the view before looking back to the insect gym leader, his eyes turning into icy daggers.
"I'll allow this to be your one and only warning. Don't touch Shauntal. Are we clear?"
Burgh gave a quick nod, "Crystal clear. Ahh-- though, why didn't you mention that the two of you were together when you introduced her? I would've respected your wishes to keep my distance."
An arm crosses over Grimsley's chest as he gave a soft, yet bitter chuckle, " You need to learn how to read the room better, friend. No matter. What is done is done. I've said my peace. You know where the door is. I'm sure you don't need an escort out."
Burgh gave a nod, looking at the painting, "You can keep this if you'd like. Knowing what I do now, it wouldn't be right if I took it with me."
"That works for me. Now off you go." He gives a dismissive wave of his hand to Burgh as the painter leaves the lobby of the League.
Once Grimsley heard the double glass doors close behind Burgh, he let out a sigh of relief before making his way to rejoin Shauntal. She truly was a masterpiece on her own and he knew that no amount of paint could capture that.