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"He sees them talking with a big smile,
but they haven't got a clue.
Yeah, they're living the good life,
can't see what he is going through.
They're driving fast cars,
but they don't know where they're going.
In the fast lane, living life without knowing
And he says...
I wish that I could be like the cool kids
'Cause all the cool kids, they seem to fit in
I wish that I could be like the cool kids,
like the cool kids"
For the first time in my life, i'm not a complete outcast here. That being said, i'm not exactly walking the red carpet of popularity either. I'd like to say i'm known as Butch, the quiet one with the peculiar smoking voice but most of the time they can't even get that right. 'Bob'. 'Hutch'. 'Biff'. None of them right of course, I suppose i'm more of a nobody than I care to admit to. My only real saving grace is my partner Cassidy. Pretty, blonde, confident - the ultimate queen bee. So maybe I'm popular by association then, although it doesn't stop them making me the butt of their jokes constantly. It's one of the more conflicting of existances...
Then theres them. The ultimate misfits. The ones that are shunned and ridiculed at every opportunity by everyone. They all stick out like the sorest of thumbs despite what they might try and convince themselves otherwise.
You have Jessie, word is she grew up in foster care after losing her Mother at a young age. No Father apparantly. Seems to be obsessed with money and material things. I mean, I guess we all are to a certain extent but she does seem to take it to the extreme. I'm assuming she wants to compensate for her childhood, either that or she just has a particularly greedy and materialistic personality. It's hard to tell. All I know is she's ill tempered and prone to flying off the handle way too easily. She's mocked for being a try-hard but I think underneath she's actually a pretty lonely person...
Then you have the Meowth. It's pretty hard to conjure up an opinion on a Pokemon that walks and talks as a human. There must be some back story there but it hasn't disclosed anything. Not outside their group at least. The other Pokemon at headquarters cannot relate to it for obvious reasons so again the cat is shunned. Mind you, i'm a dog person myself, one day I will capture a powerful wolf Pokemon to be my partner. I could quite happily and quite easily forget their group's entire existance if it wasn't for...him.
James. A perfectly ordinary, familiar name, one you simply could never forget. I certainly didn't forget it. But then I couldn't seem to forget him.
His eyes are a dazzling emereld green and even when he seems so sad or hurt they still seem to light up when you call his name. His lavender hair falls across his face with a grace that I could certainly never achieve. I will put my hands up and admit I just shove some gel in and go. I could care less about the finer details, but with James he is just so defined and kempt. He is well spoken which of course is one of many points of ridicule for him. 'Posh twat', 'toff boy' to name just a couple.
Growing up in the roughest slums of Celedon, I had always kept my sexuality a secret from everyone. It certainly wouldn't have gone down well at home. My old man had 0 tolerence for 'sissy boys' and the cigarette burns that I still bare to this day serves as a harsh reminder. 1980's Celedon was not exactly the most tolerant of places. Homophobia was rife largely thanks to the AIDS pandemic. It could be argued that I didn't present as the stereotypical young gay man. With my gruff sounding voice and similar interests to the 'lads', no-one had a clue. The same couldn't be said for James. With his demeamour, campness and dare I say it, certain fashion choices it was a bit of a giveaway. He probably attracted the most abuse out of the 3 of them and most of it was homophobic...
It all got a little too much for him one day during field training and he stormed off to the locker rooms by himself. I noticed the tears brimming in his eyes and my heart sank. I found myself yielding a burning desire to go after him but I hadn't said 2 words to him since we both arrived at Team Rocket. He would no doubt be suspicious of my motives and maybe even hostile. I wouldn't have blamed him. But in the end I knew I had to go after the man who had captivated me in a way no-one else had before or ever would again...
As the others started pairing up for the next exercise I realised we'd have an odd number anyway so I offered to sit out. Making up some bullshit excuse, I made my way over to the locker rooms, my heart thumping furiously inside in my chest. I peered in every door, my curiousity growing stronger with every dead end. I had to find him.
"Where are you green eyes?" I wondered out loud. I didn't know his name yet but I figured a pet name with his most distinguishing feature wouldn't hurt.
"H-hello? Is someone there?"
I gently pushed open the final door and sure enough, there he was. He was sat with his knees tucked up under his chin with his arms wrapped tightly wrapped around them. His eyes were red and puffy from crying and I could already tell that 1 sudden movement from me would cause him to flinch.
"S-sorry i'll be out in a minute" he squeaked as he fumbled around for a tissue. He was so beaten down that he even found me intimidating. A bloke only slightly bigger and taller than he was, as opposed to some of the beefcakes like Tyson and Atila.
"Here" I said as I passed him a fresh one from my pocket. Green eyes paused and held out a shaky hand to accept it. He still couldn't look me in the eye.
"T-thank-you" he said.
"No problem. I'm Butch" I said.
"James." he replied. "James Morgan".
"Morgan as in the heir to Morgan industries?" I asked him. He nodded.
"Yeah..." he said glumly. "Not that I can see that happening".
I studied his face. He really had the sweetest expressions, almost child-like. I felt an urge to protect him, no matter the cost. He averted his eyes to the ground, he clearly wasn't used to a little kindness round here.
"Listen James, you really should ignore those guys. They will get bored eventually and you won't even see most of them when we're all sent out into the field" I explained.
"I guess..." he muttered. "It's not easy though especially when it's just so constant and personal".
"Yeah I hear you" I said. "So uh... what brought you to Team Rocket?"
James swallowed. "Well uh... lots of reasons really but the main one was to get away from my fiancee. M-my parents arranged the engagment but apart from being a completely awful person I don't have any interest in her because...you know..."
I nodded. "No point lying to yourself eh?"
"And there was the upper class lifestyle" James continued. "I just didn't fit the mould. It wasn't me. I don't know why I was expecting anything different here, you'd think i'd be used to it by now".
I continued listening, feeling priviledged this person was talking to me, telling me his story. I already felt I was really getting to know him. He glanced over in my direction.
"What about you? Who is your partner?"
"Oh uh...Cassidy" I replied dismissively. "Little Miss Primadonna but hey, at least she seems to know what she's doing!"
James's eyes narrowed. "I'm sure you'll uh enjoy getting to know her in the coming months!"
I laughed and nudged him playfully in the ribs. He was a little surprised but laughed too.
"Not so shy now are you?" I teased. "And anyway not a chance, what if I was to say I bat for the away team too?"
James's eyes opened wide and for the first time they made direct contact with my own.
"Y-you?" he gasped. "I didn't realise..."
"No-one does" I laughed. "Would prefer it if you kept that to yourself for now though ok?"
"Uh sure! Of course!" he stuttered. "You've clearly done a better job than me at fitting in so far though..."
"That's down to Cassidy mainly" I said darkly. "Popular by association!"
James nodded. "Whatever works right?" His eyes formed with tears again and he hastedly tried to wipe them away.
"Sorry..." he muttered as he dabbed with the tissue. Feeling brave I reached out and grabbed his hand.
"Hey! No more tears green eyes!" I said softly. James was a little taken aback at my rather forward move but he hesitantly entwined his fingers within mine. My stomach fluttered as I felt the warmth from within him and I could tell he felt exactly the same.
"That's the nicest nickname anyone has ever called me" he whispered.
"Well they are hard to ignore!" I replied. "So uh...how about a drink Saturday night? We'll go somewhere away from here, maybe over in the next town or even further if you like. I'd...i'd really like to get to know you properly James".
James nodded. "Yeah...i'd like that".
We both sat there for a few moments longer in cutsey awkward silence until I eventually spoke up.
"Well I uh probably should get back out there. You coming?"
"Yeah I will do... just give me a few minutes" James replied.
I made my way over to the closed door and with a smirk on my face, turned back to face James.
"Remember what I said green eyes? No more tears ok? They are too pretty for crying!"
James blushed. "I'll try!" he laughed.
"Good!" I replied. "Well...i'll see you out there then. We'll continue our reign of not fitting in!"
"I wish that I could be like the cool kids,
'cause all the cool kids, they seem to get it.
I wish that I could be like the cool kids,
like the cool kids".