After staying for a few hours, just focusing on finding useful books, Ben wanted to start heading back to Rand's house. Even though I said I wanted to stay because we found an abundance of books that were sure to be useful at one point or another. Especially this one about berries and herbs, specifically on how to make homemade remedies for sicknesses, burns, and cuts. Sadly, I think berry paste and crushed herbs weren't going to magically fix Jet's leg, but it might help with the bruise on Evelyn's chest.

I found another book on how to make salves and balms out of Combee wax and decided to keep it because I might be able to use it one of these days, you never know. And no, I'm not a hoarder, why do people keep asking me that?

"Summer," Ben groaned out, exhausted. "We've gotta go. Rand and Leanne are probably making dinner and waiting for us. Judging by the time, we've probably already missed it!"

I didn't even glance up from the book I was currently reading. It was an informative book on edible herbs and roots, and I found some plants under the poisonous category that I had sworn I'd seen Ben eat on more than one occasion.

"Summer!" He waved a hand in front of my face. "Are you ignoring me?!"

I held the book up to him and pointed to the offending berry plant. "I don't want you eating berries off of this plant anymore, Ben. They're poisonous." I told him, knowing the pain of being poisoned. Granted, Pokemon poison was far more potent than that of which can be found in a handful of berries. Still.

Ben groaned. He pulled me to my feet and slung me over his shoulder. I typically would've protested or put up some kind of fight when I noticed that another herb I recognized was poisonous, too. As we were heading back home, we must've been a sight to see. But I'm sure at this time, everyone was indoors.

I was blabbing to Ben about a certain root and he was all but running towards Rand's house. All of our Pokemon trailed behind us like Ben was the mama duck and they were his little ducklings. The sky was dusking and we were sure in for a lecture when we got back. I closed my book and used it to smush his spikey hair down.

"If you're gonna carry me, at least have the decency to carry me piggyback style." I grumbled.

"Are you seriously complaining how I'm carrying you? If anything, you should thank me that you didn't have to walk."

"I didn't ask to be carried." I reminded him.

"We had to go and I wasn't going to just leave you in that place alone."

"I could've had Yuka and Eve stay with me. And Jet, if he wanted to." Which reminded me of the inevitable confrontation with Jet about whether or not he was leaving, so I tried to push it out of my mind.

"Okay, well, I didn't want to leave you. How about that for an explanation?" He mumbled.

"I would've been fine." I murmured, continuing to smoosh his hair down.

He cocked his head to the side to avoid my hair smooshing. "Probably, but I still get worried. I'm more worried about you staying up all night reading about the nomenclature of plants than anything, I suppose." He admitted. "Rest is important and you already looked exhausted from all of that scrubbing we did today."

So Ben did notice that I was exhausted. If he had written it off as just working hard on the mansion, then I was in the clear. But that just let me know that Ben more perceptive than I gave him credit for.

I stuffed the book into my bag and started lightly beating on his back, giving him no explanation as to why. It just happened.

"What are you doing?" Ben asked.

"Drumming on your back, obviously. What else?" I said.

"Why?" Ben questioned.

"Why not?"

"I asked you first."

"I asked you second." I petulantly said.

Ben, not really having an answer, let out a laugh. Thank Arceus it wasn't that laugh from before that gave me chills. I don't think that I had the strength to deal with that right now.

"Hey, Summer, why don't you sing?" Ben asked.

I sputtered. "W-WHY would I do that?!"

"Because I'm your best friend and I asked nicely?"

My face started to grow red. "Ben..."

"You did it on Dolce Island," He pointed out.

"Y-Yeah, but..."

"You don't have to if you don't want to, I was just giving you a suggestion." Ben hurriedly say after he realized that he made me uncomfortable. "Because, y'know, I miss hearing your voice. Your singing voice, that is."

I thought for a moment. "Okay, if I were to hypothetically sing for you... What would I even sing?"

"Uh... I dunno. You've never asked for suggestions, you just did it." Ben said.

"Come on," I said, using my elbow to lightly jab the side of his neck. "You must've had something in mind if you wanted me to sing so badly."

"Let me think... I liked that one you used to sing about skies and flying Pokemon." Ben said. "I can't remember a lot of it, but it kinda sounded like this." He hummed a little of the tune and I rested my chin onto his back to just listen. Ben actually didn't have that bad of a voice.

I gave a small hum. "I know what you're talking about."

"You do?"

"Yeah. But before I sing it, I've got two conditions," I told him. "First of all, I don't want to be thrown over your shoulder. Carry me in a more comfortable way."

Before I could even blink, I went from his shoulder to held in his arms like a princess. My cheeks flushed pink. "You idiot! I meant carry me on your back!" I groaned.

"Alright, then. I guess that's your second condition." He teased, lowering me to the ground before allowing me to hop on his back. He continued walking, glancing behind him every so often to look for our Pokemon.

"Fine," I growled. I cleared my throat.

"I am just a Pokemon,
You can watch me fly.
Though I am just a Pokemon,
My love for you can fill the sky."

I could feel Ben's supporting grip on my thighs loosen. Was he getting sleepy? Aw, that's adorable.

"At the appointed hour,
Remember love has power.
You needn't fear
Should you shed a tear.
Rise when others cower."

I finished and rested my chin on his shoulder. I wrapped my arms around his neck so I wouldn't fall off his back. "You're so tired," I murmured to him. "I'm practically falling off of your back."

Ben yawned. "I'm not tired! You're tired!"

I tried to hide my own yawn as I hooked my chin around his neck, using his shoulder as a pillow. "Am not. Sleep is for the weak."

"Hah! Given the choice, you'd sleep for a week." Ben teased.

I let a noise of disagreement and lifted a hand to mess with Ben's spikey hair. Which was actually soft, believe it or not.

"Arceusdamn, girl! What is it with you and my hair?" He whined.

"It's soft," I said as if that was a good enough explanation. "You're such a baby about it. Maybe I should put you in that stroller we bought today."

"Screw off," Ben said, his serious tone betrayed by laughter.

We made it home before we even realized it. The sky was no longer that brilliant purple-blue, but was now completely black with colorful stars dotting the horizon. We stood outside the door.

"Think they'll be mad we're home this late?" I asked, still riding on Ben's back.

"I know that my mom would ground me if I got home at this time." Ben said, shifting his weight foot to foot.

"Should we sneak in from the window?" I asked.

Ben shook his head. "We can't. The windows are locked."

I didn't bother to tell him that I probably left the window unlocked from my last excursion. Instead, I saw Drapir uncurling himself from his sleeping position.

"Hello, Summer. What are you doing?"

"We're trying to sneak in the house without getting in trouble."

Drapir gave us a look. "You could sleep out here with me. I get kind of lonely out here all day. Your family seems to be on edge around me."

I never corrected the fact that this wasn't my biological family. Neither did Ben, but I think that's probably due to him not being able to hear Pokemon. Rand's family was quickly growing into a second family for me.

I went over to lean against Drapir and he curled himself around me. Drapir's scales were cold, but I could feel the faint warmth that seeped through the exposed places between the rock-hard exoskeleton of his. "I'll stay with you, then," I murmured into one of his scales.

I started to drift off to sleep and saw that Ben wasn't that far away from where I was sitting. He was gazing up at the stars and it appeared as if he was trying to speak with me, but I could hardly make out what he was saying because it felt like my ears had turned off. I yawned in response to whatever question he asked me.

Ben leaned his back against Drapir and pulled out a blanket that was sky blue, like our uniform. I gave him a look that said 'Where the hell did you get this?'

"The marketplace, duh." He responded to my silent question. "Since we're always in predicaments, I figured we should at least bring something to wrap up in."

I shot him a confused look.

"What I mean is... Let's stay out here tonight, under the stars. You look pretty comfortable from where you're sitting and the sky is gorgeous tonight. So why not?" Ben asked. "Unless, of course, you want to go in and risk being lectured by Leanne and Rand."

I yanked the blanket over all of us, even Drapir. Yuka hopped into my lap and Eve jumped up on Drapir to curl around my neck like a fur scarf. Jet firmly pressed himself up against me, and Ben did the same on the other side of me.

"Okay, let's do that, then. I wanted to keep Drapir company anyways." I said.

Sorry that it's a day late! I made it a longer chapter to make it up to you guys! It's about 7,000 more words than usual.