#Pokémon leon fluff

[ourvanishingghosts]

Can I please request some cute fluffy headcanons for Leon please?

Sure thing.

Leon Fluff HeadCanons:

Leon is known to get lost He loves the cheesy pickup lines and he will use getting lost to his advantage for the pickup lines His go-to pickup line is "Do you have a map? Because I am lost in your eyes." 50% of the time it works the other 50% of the time he earns a groan and/or an eye roll He is definitely the one friend who finds dad jokes absolutely hilarious and will tell dad jokes himself His favorite dad joke is "What do you call a line of men waiting to get haircuts? A barberqueue." He usually uses dad jokes to get his way with Raihan and Hop because they think it's torture Other than those two things he is sweet He literally cuddles with Charizard His room has stuffed animal versions of his team People do think he is forgetful, but that only applies to his sense of direction He remembers all of his friends' birthdays and what they wanted He lets Nessa and Marnie play with his hair while waiting for Piers to be done with his band practice Although he lets Piers play with his hair when it's just the two of them hanging out He lets his friends cuddle with him if they had a rough week and will let them vent to him if they want to

[yourlocaltrashpandaa]

When They Realize They Love You

leon, raihan x fem!reader (separately)

drabble/semi-headcanons

fandom: pokémon {sw&sh}

contains: fluff, established relationship, domestic scenarios

A/n: just wanted to do something small for Pokémon and I decided this idea for Leon and Raihan. Hope you enjoy!

<=========>

Leon

Moving in together was Leon’s idea. It was fun for the both of you as well as your Pokémon. Leon never felt so happy with you around as you were him. Though the moment he saw you and his Charizard cuddling together with you on the couch and Charizard with his head in you lap as he sat on the floor, it was curtains for him. Leon has always noticed that Charizard had taken a liking to you but to this moment he was sold you were staying in his life until the end of time. There was no doubt in in his mind that you were the one.

Raihan

Since Raihan has known you, you have always dressed a bit more masculine mostly because you are a fellow gym leader. He’s never seen you wear something outside of your gym leader clothes. Though he never had a problem with it, Raihan liked you just the way you are, you are a capable gym leader, a strong one at that and Raihan respected that. You and Raihan have been dated for sometime now and you still have a way of surprising him. You showing up to one of your dates in a dress/skirt or whatever, Raihan was like “damn, she cleans up nice.” He was already in love with but you were something new made him fall even more in love with you.

[sweetanidreams]

Adore You | Leon x Reader (Oneshot)

Genre: Super Fluff, Angst, Hurt/Comfort

It’s been a particularly challenging week. And as much as you’ve tried to brush it off, along with Leon’s concern, the weight of everything is starting to bear down on you hard. If you were honest, you’ve been in a constant state of exhaustion.

Deadlines and expectations seem to be ever looming, the only rival in magnitude to either being the damned imposter syndrome you’d been trying desperately to bat away. At this point, you’re questioning if you’d somehow accidentally stumbled into where you are in life.

This afternoon, you’d happened to get home before Leon did and immediately slithered out of your clothes and into your bed, wrapping the sheets around yourself. Your eyes fell shut, hoping to drown out the world. All you can hear is the sound of your breath, drawing slowly and softly, yet somehow each inhale felt heavier than usual. With all of the thoughts swirling around in your mind, you almost didn’t hear the footsteps approaching or the sound of the bed shifting under someone’s weight settling next to you.

The subtle scent of cinnamon, vanilla and bourbon in Leon’s cologne bringing the slightest comfort before anything else. His hand tugs at the edge of the blanket you had so tightly folded yourself into, loosening it just enough so that he could slide into the cocoon with you. Without saying anything, he nestled his broad frame against your back, an arm working its way around your waist and angling up so that his palm was against your cheek.

The first crack.

You trembled at your core, all of your pent up fears and anxieties simmering inside you, threatening to boil over. Allowing yourself to ease into Leon’s hand, you took in the warmth of his skin — he was somehow always warm — and could feel the callouses built up from almost two decades of training. Calluses that were rough and worn, but always felt like home when they were running along your back. Letting his thumb trace across your cheek to play along your lips, he inched his body closer, his other hand moving to brush your tousled hair out of your face. You hear him sigh deeply before placing a gentle kiss at the back of your head, then resting his nose against your neck.

The second, and final crack.

You couldn’t hold it back anymore and the tears began to trickle down, wetting Leon’s hand. It’s silent for a moment, until the tiniest whimper escapes you. You try to pull away, but strong arms hold you in place, pressing you in closer. “Shhh…”

“You’re so strong, love. Being vulnerable is a part of that strength,” he whispered into your skin.

Still soft, but now audible sobs were wracking your body. You were sure Leon could feel you shaking and you couldn’t figure out if you should be embarrassed or if you should find solace in the fact that him, simply being who he was, brought your soul to ease.

“And know that even when you’re feeling your weakest, I’ll adore you. Always.”

At that, you turn around to face your champion, your lips quickly finding his, hands tangling themselves in those unruly, violet locks. Between the tender glances and exchanged breaths, you knew you’d eventually make it out the other end.

How could you not.

[artsy0wl]

Public Display of Affection? More Like Personalized Dragon Affection

Yes, tis my attempt to make a pun out of PDA. But a funny punny. Truerivalshipping is still helping me out of a writing slump. This time with Sonia, Ash, and Goh popping in to say hi, Hop being sick, and Leon worrying.

“Sorry I missed the rest of your match.” Leon apologized. “Mom called me.”

Sighing, Leon leaned against Raihan. He hugged the dragon master, melancholic and deflated. It was a match Leon didn’t want to miss. It was to see who would qualify for a tag team tournament at the end of the month. The winner, got to team up with Leon. Which Raihan did, but Leon wished he could have seen the battle all the way through.

“It’s okay.” Raihan assured with a smile as he pat Leon’s head. “We both knew I was going to win anyways. I couldn’t let some pink haired punk with a Wobbuffet steal my partner.”

“Still… I should have been there to cheer you on.”

“Pfft, you can pay for dinner this time and we’ll be even.” Raihan chuckled, before shifting his focus elsewhere. “Besides, it’s your ma, so I completely understand. Is she okay?”

Leon sighed, tilting his head. “Mom’s fine. Hop… not so much.”

“Oh? What’s wrong with our little champ?”

“Pneumonia. Mom says he got it real bad.”

That made Raihan wince. Returning the hug, Raihan exerted sympathy and concern. “Will he be okay?”

“He hasn’t been hospitalized… yet, but the doctor said he would have if they waited another day or two. They prescribed bedrest, fluids, and some antibiotics. And if he gets worse, bring him to the hospital.” Leon sighed, hiding his face in Raihan’s coat. “I’m worried.”

He couldn’t blame Leon for that. Being a champion kept him away from his family on a regular basis, so worrying was natural. Besides, Leon always made an effort to be there for Hop despite the hectic schedule of championship.

“What caused it?”

“Mom says he got caught up in a storm while training in the wild area.” Leon relayed. “Which probably did, but I think depression and stress worsened it. That Bede fellow did a number on him after a battle. Said some pretty nasty things.”

“I see.”

Raihan vaguely remembered Bede. The kid was Rose’s recent choice for a sponsorship. Though it would seem that it didn’t really last as long as Bede hoped. The kid certainly had an air of arrogance and pride to him. One that the kid could hopefully change as he got older.

Not that it made how he treated Hop right, just what Raihan had observed and inferred. Hop’s enthusiasm and determination was a lot like Leon’s. An acquired taste for some, but ultimately harmless and admirable.

“Why don’t we go visit him?” Raihan offered, stroking Leon’s hair. “I have one last challenger today and my last before the tournament is in two days. We can grab dinner on the way.”

Leon nodded. “I’d like that. Thank you.”

~

Emerging from the gym, the duo were holding hands. Leon was grinning widely and proudly. Raihan had beaten the challenger without much issue. Saving for a Machamp and Froslass that gave his Sandaconda and Gigolath a run for their money.

Waiting at the train station, Leon rested his head against Raihan’s shoulder. Sitting on a bench, they took a moment to breathe. They decided to hit the diner in Motostoke before catching the next train to Postwick.

From there, they’d check up on Hop and stay the night. Leon’s mother knew they were on the way. Which she promised to keep a secret in order for them to surprise him.

Amber eyes flashed, as he watched for the next train to come in, realizing something. “Oh, I almost forgot.” Leon kissed Raihan’s cheek. “That’s for you win in the exhibition match.”

“You sneaky little Vulpix.” Raihan chuckled, shifting slightly. “The least you can do is give me two. Double battles and all.”

Grabbing Leon, Raihan set the champion on his lap, stealing his hat in the process. Cupping the side of Leon’s face, using the other to hold him in place, Raihan went in deep. Legs bent as Leon welcomed the kiss. Amber eyes closed, ignoring the world around him, including the train coming into the station.

A small gasp escaped Leon as Raihan freed him, kissing him again. This time on the forehead. Giggling, Leon stretched out, legs resting on the bench as he leaned back, using Raihan’s arm as a cushion. His face was now an adorable shade of red as he stared at Raihan fondly.

“I love you, you know that?” Raihan asked.

Leon nodded. “The feeling’s mutual.”

The sound of a throat clearing distracted them as they realized they were being watched. Sonia, wearing a soft smile, stood beside Ash and Goh, who were curiously confused. Scooting off of Raihan’s lap, Leon sat next to his partner with a playful smile.

Ash and Goh had never seen them acting this way before. They had such a competitive dynamic that seeing them so domestic was odd. Not that Leon nor Raihan were looking to hide their relationship. It was just a first for the young duo.

“So you see, dragons don’t normally like knights.” Sonia playfully narrated. “But every now and then, they fall in love with the most charming and pure of knightly princes.”

“And I’m stealing this knightly prince for a nightly adventure.” Raihan stated, playing along. “Catching a train?”

“Yeah. Showed the boys the mural in Stow on Side and they offered to join me in my journey to Hulbury. I am dropping off a little gift to Nessa.”

Nodding, then stretching, Raihan stood up. He helped Leon up, wrapping an arm around Leon’s shoulders. Sensing Ash and Goh’s confusion, Leon stepped in.

“We’ve been together for a while now.” Leon stated, wrapping his arm around Raihan’s waist. “We haven’t gone public with it yet, and only close family and friends know. But we will when we’re ready. I hope you understand.”

“Of course.” Ash confirmed. “I’m surprised, but it makes sense. I’m happy for you.”

“Me too.” Raihan agreed, side hugging Leon tighter. “Since we’re all going the same way, why don’t you join us?”

~

“It took you long enough.” Leon’s mother stated, welcoming the pair in. “I almost thought you got lost… again.”

“Sorry.” Raihan apologized as he took his shoes off. “Ran into Sonia, and we ended up grabbing dinner in Hulbury.”

“How’s Hop?” Leon asked, eyeing the stairs.

“He’s okay.” His mom confirmed. “He should be awake if you want to peak in.”

Leon nodded, walking upstairs. They watched him, not saying anything until he was upstairs. His mother sighed, looking at Raihan with a tired smile.

“Thank you.” Leon’s mother said. “Hop needs it.”

“You’re welcome.” Raihan sighed. “Leon did too. He’s… Leon. Worrying like the lovable airhead he is.”

She chuckled. “I got Leon’s bedroom set up for you guys. Do excuse any mess. It’s been a while since Leon last visited.”

“We’ll manage.” Raihan assured. “Thank you for the accommodations on such short notice.”

Excusing himself, the dragon tamer followed after Leon. When he got to the top of the stairs, he spotted Leon in Hop’s room, both beaming with smiles. Standing in the doorframe, Raihan smirked.

Regardless of cause, they needed to see each other. Hop needed to see his brother. Leon needed the break and relief. Both needed the quality time.

And as any dragon would, Raihan was going to take care of his treasure. His knight. His prince.

[ryder-writes]

Revealing Your Relationship to the Public- Leon x GN!Reader

CW: Reader is shorter than Leon, just fluff tho lol

A/n: I blame my Pokémon Sword/Shield hyperfixation for this

WC: 500-ish

"Can you hold my hand?"

"Hm?"

"Could you hold my hand?" Leon asked again. You were standing in one of the entrances to the Wyndon Stadium battlefield. You had requested the battle, as you wanted to test how strong your Pokémon had become after training with him. He had (somehow) convinced you to enter the arena with him, even though you were supposed to enter on opposite sides. You were confused.

"Why?"

"Well, I just thought that maybe, y'know, we could go out and battle as a couple." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. He never wanted to accidentally push things too far with your relationship.

"We battle all the time, love." You pointed out.

"I know, I know. But this time it's like…" He grabbed your hands. "It's official." You and Leon's relationship wasn’t out to the public yet, you were just known as friends. You were both seen in each other's (and Raihan's, to no one's surprise) social media posts. You were scared to let the public know. Being the partner of a celebrity couldn't be easy. Not to mention the lack of privacy that you would no doubt be forced to live with. On the other hand, it sucked only being able to show your love for each other in private. Even if it only meant some simple PDA in public (Leon doesn’t want to hurt his PG public image). Leon kissed the back of your hand, bringing you back to reality. "I don't want to pressure you at all." You felt blush creep up your cheeks at his statement.

"Do you really want to do this?" You asked him. He nodded.

"More than anything." You interlaced your fingers with his.

"Then let's do this." His face lit up at your response, causing you to smile. He leaned down and kissed you. He pulled away and gave your hand a squeeze. You started walking toward the battlefield together, the blinding lights of the stadium getting brighter.

"AND HERE COMES LEON!" The announcer yelled over the loudspeaker. "BUT IT LOOKS LIKE HE HAS HIS OPPONENT WITH HIM- AND THEY'RE HOLDING HANDS?!" Leon chuckled. He stopped in the middle of the arena and motioned for the crowd to quiet down. They did immediately.

"Everyone, I would like to introduce to you not only my opponent for this match, but my partner, Y/n!" The crowed erupted in screams of shock and adoration and also jealousy. He turned towards you.

"Sorry, I couldn’t help myself." You chuckled at your boyfriend's eagerness. You let go of his hand and grabbed his face, bringing him into a kiss. He happily kissed you back, moving his hands to grab your waist.

Sure, it might be scary revealing your relationship to the public, but with your lovable yamper of a boyfriend, you were sure that it wouldn’t be too bad.

A/n Pt. 2: Thanks for reading! If u like MHA, and want some more pokemon stuff, feel free to check out my masterlist (no pressure ofc :])

[tsuutarr]

Pairing: Hop x GN! reader

Word count: 8.5K

Content: fluff, growing up, a Hop character study, kind of a fix it fic (basically I feel bad for constantly beating Hop in the game and had to write this LOL)

Summary: From a young age, Hop knew that he wanted to be the next Champion, just like his older brother. But as he goes on his journey, he's not sure what he really wants. Despite all that, though, he's grateful you're by his side.

From a young age, Hop was introduced to a path paved of gold, lying in front of him with a polished glimmer. His older brother was the Champion of Galar! It was only right that Hop would take on that mantle, too. In fact, Hop knew he’d be even greater than his brother– he’d make sure of it. After all, that was what everyone expected of him, right?

When asked what he wanted to be when he was older, Hop confidently proclaimed that he’d be the next Champion. His statement wasn’t met with scorn because people were aware of who his brother was. Since his brother was the Champion, Hop would obviously be an excellent trainer, too. That was what everyone said, so it had to be true, right?

“So, what do you want to be when you’re older?” Hop asked you as you made flower crowns. You were  his new neighbor that moved to Postwick about a year or two ago, but with how often you played with each other, Hop felt like he has known you for years and years.

“I dunno. I think I’d like to go on a journey, though. See the world, you know?”

“Yeah, I guess,” Hop responded, watching as the wind tousled your hair. “If you wanna go on a journey, maybe you should go on a Pokémon journey! A rival would be good for me, just like Sonia and Lee.”

You blinked at him curiously. “Sonia and Lee?”

“Yeah, I guess you haven’t met them yet, huh? Lee’s – or Leon, I guess – my older brother and Sonia’s his childhood friend.”

“Wow, they are like us, then,” you laughed, placing a flower crown on Hop’s Wooloo. Seeing Wooloo bleat at you made Hop’s heart warm. There was a sense of peace whenever he was with you. Unlike the rest of Galar, you didn’t place much stock in him being the Champion’s brother. You just saw him as Hop.

Hop’s eyebrows furrowed.

When did being known as Leon’s brother bother him? He was proud to be Leon’s little brother! The Champion’s brother! But… maybe it did sting a little when that was what he was referred to as constantly. Sometimes, he felt like he didn’t have an identity outside of his brother–

“Hop?” you called, making Hop turn to you in surprise. Wooloo bleated at you, ordering you to continue brushing its fur. You laughed, but obliged anyway. “You looked lost in thought. What’s on your mind?”

“I got that Wooloo from Lee,” Hop responded, making you hum in acknowledgement.

“Wow, how lucky!”

“Yeah, lucky.” Hop knew that he was lucky. Not a lot of people had a brother like him, he knew that. But sometimes he wondered if he’d be able to reach the throne his brother sat on and live up to his brother's name. Everyone said Hop would be good, just like his brother. So he had to be. He had to–

“Hop?” you called out again, and this time, when Hop snapped out of his thoughts, he came face to face with yours, looking at him with concern.

He gulped. “Yeah, mate?”

Gently, you placed a hand on his forehead, checking his temperature. “You’re no warmer than you should be…”

“I’m fine,” he huffed, though he didn’t make any moves to remove your hand from his forehead. “I was just… thinking.”

“Be careful there,” you teased. “Don’t want to blow a fuse, eh?”

“Oi, stop that,” he grumbled without any bite. “...Are you leaving today?”

“Ah, yeah,” you nodded, finally pulling your hand away from his forehead. He kind of missed it.

“Shame, you could’ve met Lee.”

“Oh, he’s coming back today?”

“Well,” Hop huffed out a laugh. “If he doesn’t get lost, then yeah.”

“Aw, that’s a shame. I wanted to meet him.” You scratched behind Wooloo’s ear with a pout on your lips. “Send him my regards?”

“Of course I will,” Hop agreed. “And you’ll see him eventually.”

“Eventually,” you nodded, before standing up at your name being called by your mother. “Well, that's my cue.”

“See you. Have a good spring break!”

“You too, Hop!”

He didn’t know why, but he kind of wished you could’ve stayed for the spring break.

--

Hop’s meals with his family were always boisterous, even when his older brother wasn’t there. His family would always turn on the TV to watch Leon’s matches. Hop always loved watching Leon’s matches, but having his brother there, right beside him, was even better.

“Leon, your match was fantastic!” Hop’s mother beamed, clasping her hands together in glee. “You’re such a talented trainer.”

“Charizard and the rest of my team are the ones that deserve all the praise,” Leon said, modestly, eyeing his Pokémon lingering outside his house. His house was too small to fit his large Pokémon inside – sometimes, he envied how small Sonia’s Yamper was!

“One day I’ll have a team as awesome as yours!” Hop grinned, his Wooloo bleating next to him. “Watch out, Lee!”

Leon laughed loudly at his little brother’s eagerness. “You don’t understand how excited I am for that, Hop. I can’t wait to battle you!”

“I’m sure you’ll be as good as Lee,” Hop’s mom agreed. “After all, Leon’s already done it himself, so he can help you.”

There was a weird pang of bitterness that stung Hop at the insinuation that he couldn’t be a brilliant Pokémon trainer by himself, but he crushed it down. “I wanna earn my place,” Hop said, patting Wooloo’s head. “I’ll get to the top where Lee is without his help. That way, we can truly be equals!”

“There’s nothing wrong about asking for help, Hop,” Leon said, gently. “And besides, you don’t want the Pokémon I’ve been reserving for you?”

Hop’s eyes grew wide as Wooloo bleated in protest.

“I’m not trying to get rid of you, Wooloo!” Leon laughed, tossing the sheep Pokémon a piece of lettuce. “Just, when it’s time for you to take on the Gym Challenge, I’ve got a Pokémon for you.”

“Wow, thanks, Lee!” Hop said, eyes wide with excitement, “But I can't do the Gym Challenge for another few years.”

“Hah, I know,” Leon responded with a laugh. “It’ll come soon enough.”

Anticipation thrummed through Hop’s veins. It couldn’t come fast enough.

--

Now, four years later, at age sixteen, he’s sitting in a train that is leaving Postwick. It all still feels so surreal to him. He has waited for this moment – the moment he’d get to go on his own Pokémon journey – for years. Changes seem to be happening so quickly, and despite his confident demeanor, he’s still nervous. But when he sees you, he feels better, like there’s still something consistent in his life. His eyes linger away from the window, instead opting to look at you. You sit in front of him, idly watching the scenery pass by.

“Exciting, isn’t it?” you ask, suddenly turning to him. It makes him jolt in surprise, before his face eases into a grin.

“Exciting,” he agrees, feeling nervous at how your knees brush against each other. “You know, I wonder what that Pokémon was – the one we saw at Slumbering Weald.”

You hum thoughtfully, your fingers tapping against the wooden table between you two. “Whatever it is, it must be powerful. I’m glad you were there with me.”

“I couldn’t do anything, though,” Hop says, but you only shrug in response.

“Neither could I. But your presence was good enough to keep me grounded.”

“Heh.” Talking to you always eases Hop’s nerves. He wonders if you’re aware of that, but decides you probably aren’t as you shove a cookie in your mouth.

“Want one?” you offer, making Hop nod.

“Thanks, mate.”

You nod, eyes going back to the scenery outside. Hop’s eyes stay on you, though, because he wants to burn you into his memory. After all, he won’t be able to see you in a while and you’re kinda like… his good luck charm. He thinks he’ll be able to do better when he thinks of you.

--

With all the excitement thrumming in his veins, the events prior to arriving at Budew Drop Inn feels like a blur. Still, you both managed to sign up for the Gym Challenge, so he thinks of that as a win. He’s ready to kick back and relax, but when he sees Sonia staring at the statue in Budew Drop Inn, Hop is surprised. 

 As Sonia explains her reason for being here, Hop can’t help but be intrigued. He’s still set on being Champion, but… Sonia’s research is just fascinating. Not to mention the events that had occurred in Slumbering Weald – a part of Hop is curious if the Hero in the legends wielded a Pokémon like that.

Maybe it’s Hop’s curiosity that prompts him to say, “If we hear anything about the hero or whatnot, we’ll tell you!”

“You will? That’d be fantastic!” Sonia responds, clapping her hands together.

“Sure, I’d be happy to,” you agree, eying Hop out of the corner of your eye. Hop looks at you curiously.

“What is it?”

“You just seem really excited,” you give him an easy grin, “it’s a good thing we left for our journey, after all.”

“Well, I’ll be the new Champion, you know,” he responds, easily, but inside his heart is running laps in his chest. The implication that his happiness is why you’re so excited to be on a journey makes him feel oddly warm. He doesn’t dwell on it, though, because Sonia is shooting the two of you a cheeky look. “You better do your best to keep up, mate! A good Champion always needs a good rival.”

You nod with a laugh, “You’ll see, Hop. I’ll be the best rival the world’s ever seen.”

--

And a good rival you are – Hop still hasn’t been able to beat you. There’s a lingering frustration that rattles him as he withdraws his fallen Pokémon, but there’s also this sense of… freedom. Sure, losing sucked, but it was exhilarating thinking about how Pokémon can use their moves and abilities to fight.

“Good match, Hop,” you say, approaching him.

“Good match,” he agrees. “Looks like I better keep my guard up! You’re excellent at using type match ups to your advantage, you know. I didn’t realize your Pokémon had that ability, either – that was awesome to see in battle.” Hop continues his little tangent about your battle, before shifting to the Pokédex you two had obtained from Professor Magnolia. “And not to mention – did you know that Wooloo’s wool is so strong that it could roll down a cliff and not get injured? Maybe that’s why our Wooloo are so rambunctious! They don’t think they can ever get hurt.”

“Wow, no wonder that one Wooloo rolled into Slumbering Weald, then. It probably should’ve been protecting us,” you laugh, making Hop grin.

“Probably!” he crosses his arms, letting out a hum. “I’ve had Wooloo for years and I’ve never known this – I’d have probably never known if I didn’t go on this journey. It’s fascinating to know how broad our world is. Now I’m curious about how dynamaxing fits into all of this, you know? It’s such an interesting concept.”

“Yeah, it really is!”

 “Isn’t it?” Hop continues talking about his findings, spurred on by your attention. You’ve always been the sort to look at him and only him when he talks, so it's easy for Hop to talk about his newest fixation. You always listen to him when no one else does, which he appreciates. Especially since Hop isn’t really sure why, but he’s been very into researching Pokémon lately. Sure, in part it’s because researching leads to understanding Pokémon better, which leads to being a better Pokémon trainer, which then leads to helping him become a Pokémon Champion… But sometimes he’ll sit down and read pages and pages of Pokémon facts just because he finds it interesting. 

“You’ll be a fine Champion with all that knowledge,” you say, and Hop feels kind of off when he hears that statement. He’s not sure why, but he just nods.

“Yeah, I will be.”

--

Going on a journey is a lot more fun than Hop anticipated. It helps that he runs into you frequently and that he’s won all his gym battles so far (the grass, water, and fire badges he’s spent hours shining proving that). But what really makes him love traveling is learning. He’s found out so much and he continues to find out even more. The world is so much more vast than he ever imagined and it's all fascinating. Not to mention the fact that he’s picked up bits and pieces of knowledge to help Sonia and well…

Hop sometimes wonders if being a Champion is what he really wants. Sometimes, he’ll be so entrenched in his research that he won’t notice time slipping by. Of course, he still trains and battles and enjoys it, but there’s another form of enjoyment that comes with research.

But he’s set out to be the Champion – it’s what he’s always wanted. It’s what he thought he’d always want. It’s what everyone else expects of him as the Champion’s brother…

“The Champion really must have been off his rocker to endorse the likes of you,” Bede says, looking awfully smug as he always does. Hop has never really liked the guy.

“Rubbish. More like you don't know enough to recognize greatness when you see it. My throws are the greatest, and my bro is the finest Champion the world has ever seen! I'm not gonna listen to you insulting him!” Hop yells, readying his Poké Ball.

“How tiresome... Fine. I'll battle you over there. Maybe that will help you finally understand just how weak you are.”

The corners of Hop’s lips dip down further, displeased. “You’re on then!” Hop turns to you and motions for you to go. “Let's meet up in Hammerlocke when I'm through with him!”

You look hesitant to leave, but say, “Good luck, I’ll see you in Hammerlocke,” to Hop, before leaving.

Bede watches Hop, chin held high and pose nonchalant. “All this prattle about your friend and the Champion and whatnot... Do you not have anything of your own to show?”

Hop’s lips purse. He’ll show Bede.

--

The fire flickers, lighting up Hop’s face with shades of gold and amber. His Pokémon lay around him, sleeping soundly by the campfire after the battle with Bede.

There isn’t a lot to say, really. Hop lost – he lost badly.

“You’re just dragging the Champion’s name through the mud,” Bede had said, haughtily, and Hop couldn’t come up with any response because Bede was right.

“What am I supposed to do now?” he murmurs, eyes trained to the flickering fire in front of him. Leon’s always been Hop’s role model – Hop has always wanted to be Champion because that’s what Leon is. But did Hop actually want to become Champion, or was it all just because of Leon’s inspiration? Does Hop’s dream really belong to him? But even if his dream doesn’t belong to him, what else can he do…?

Is he having doubts because he has other avenues he wants to explore or is he having doubts because he lost? Is someone like him, who is dragging his brother’s name through the mud even able to become Champion?

Hop thinks and thinks, unsure of what to do. He kind of wishes he could see you – you’d be able to talk him through some things, to encourage him. But you’ve always been strong, Hop realizes. Unlike him, your dream is your own – it’s something that you’ve crafted and you’re certain of. Hop envies that. 

A bleat to his side draws his attention, his Dubwool nudging him. Hop looks over, noticing the book in his Dubwool’s mouth. 

“Ah, thanks…” he says, and Dubwool nudges him. “What, you want me to read this? To you?”

Dubwool bleats again, looking at Hop with its big eyes. Despite evolving, Dubwool’s eyes are the same as they were when it was a Wooloo.

Hop wants to say, “Not now,” but seeing his partner Pokémon’s curious look, Hop decides to oblige, settling into his warm jacket. He flips open the book, reading the various mythologies he’d been reading up on. Initially, he’d read this book to help find some information for Sonia, but the book itself fascinated Hop. While his bitter defeat still lingered in his mind, somehow, reading the book with Dubwool’s head in his lap helped make the fire in front of him feel cozier.

--

When he sees you again, your reunion is interrupted by some Team Yell grunts that you ceremoniously destroy in a Pokémon battle. Hop would’ve joined in, but he can’t seem to get himself to battle just yet, Poké Balls feeling heavy in his pockets.

You turn to him, “Hop–”

“Wow, you and your Pokémon were brilliant together!” he interrupts, making you blink in surprise.

“Ah, yeah, thank you…” you chew your bottom lip. “But that aside, are you okay?”

“Ah? Yeah, I’m fine as always.”

You give him a flat look, knowing his tells and when he’s lying. To be fair, Hop has always been pretty bad at lying.

“...See, Bede really wiped the floor with me the last time we battled… And don't get me wrong—I can take a loss! Battling means you've got to lose sometimes,” Hop says, though he doubts you’ve ever lost. Or that Leon has ever lost. He’s just not… good enough. “...But he said that I was dragging Lee’s good name through the mud, being so rubbish like I was… And I just can’t get those words out of my head!”

There’s a conflict in Hop – his desire to not mar Leon’s name, his doubts of who he is and what he wants, his envy towards you… It all muddles inside of him in some incomprehensible ball of self-loathing. Hop just isn’t sure what to do. He feels lost.

“...Hop,” you say, gently, “Can we… hang out for a bit?”

“Huh?”

“Just. I feel like when we’re on this journey, we’re so busy battling and trying to get stronger that we haven’t really had time to hang out, y’know. I want to catch up, if you’re okay with it.”

At first, Hop wants to say he’s not in the mood, self-loathing clutching him like a vice, but he realizes that you’re asking to hang out because of him. You’re worried, and it’s because you care about him. The thought makes Hop’s self-loathing deteriorate slightly. “Okay, I’d like that.”

You sleep soundly beside him, cozied up in your sleeping bag. Hop can’t really seem to sleep, though. Talking to you had abated some of his worries, especially with how patient you were. You also listened to him ramble about Pokémon research again, which made him feel a lot better.

He turns, looking at your sleeping face. You’ve always been someone he treasured, but nowadays, you’re more than that. You’re someone he admires, too. Someone he envies. Someone he wants to be closer to.

Hop closes his eyes, remembering how you looked by the campfire, how your eyes lit up when you two ate your curries together. He remembers you affectionately cuddling his Dubwool as if it were still a Wooloo. He remembers you making flower crowns for all his Pokémon and even him. 

“A crown looks good on you, I think,” you said, making him huff a laugh. You bow, saying, “Your wish is my command.”

“Then I command you to eat your dinner,” he responded, grinning. You’d always find a way to make him laugh.

“Ah, is it done?” 

Of course, food was something that always drew you in, making you drop your role immediately.

“It is, now c’mon, it’ll get cold,” Hop said, “Or I’ll eat it, if you don’t want it!”

You gasped in mock horror. “Don’t you dare!”

Hop snickers at the memory, before he remembers another memory with you. Different memories of you play inside his head like a movie, lulling him to sleep, shoulders lighter than before.

After talking with you, Hop feels a little better, though his doubts still linger. When you part ways, it’s hard not to let him sink back into his negative thoughts. Still… Hop decides that he’s not going to lay there without doing anything – sure, he may not know what he wants to do exactly, but he’ll figure it out. He’ll get stronger.

--

So he battles and he researches and repeats the same thing over and over again. He switches out his Pokémon and experiments with different team compositions. It’s tough having to train so many Pokémon, but researching different strategies is fun. He likes learning about more Pokémon. Besides, battling… It’s fun, too. Slowly, as the wins stack up, he’s gaining a bit of confidence in himself again. He’s not sure if his strategies are working fully, but at least it seems like he’s winning consistently… Until he battles you. When he battles you, he can see that chasm that forms between your skills and it’s hard to crush the doubts that arise again.

“Good match, Hop,” you say, approaching him with an extended hand. He gives your hand a firm shake.

“Yeah, good match, mate.” He hesitates, before he inhales deeply. He’s still a mess of emotions, but you’ve always been willing to listen. Talking to you has helped him a lot before. “Before we ever started out on this journey... I remember watching Lee on the telly. He was like a bright star, so strong I could hardly bear to look right at him. But now, I can tell just how strong he really is... And what he's got that I haven't…” He looks at you, not sure what to expect – disappointment, maybe.

But instead, you look at him kindly, encouraging him to continue.

“But I’m getting stronger, too. Maybe not as fast as you, but fine. Whatever! Thanks for letting me battle you again. And here. I'll heal up your team for you, too!”

“...Yeah, thanks, Hop.”

Hop waves off your thanks, instead focusing on your Pokémon. While healing them, he says, “...I still don’t know what I want fully. It’s like I’m torn between different sides of me. I like battling because it's fun, but I also want to win. I like research, but I also want to battle. It’s odd because I thought being Champion was what mattered to me, but now I don’t know.” Hop inhales. “But what I do know is that I want to battle Leon – I want to take on my bro. But not just that; I want to beat him! And I'm going to! My mind's made up! You and me are going to have another battle once I get my Gym Badge in Circhester!”

You grin at him. “I’m looking forward to it, Hop.”

There’s still a heaviness that lingers on Hop’s shoulders, but he feels a little better now that he’s more intune with what he plans to do and wants to do. He wants to battle, he wants to improve. He wants to beat Leon and he wants to beat you. He wants to research and learn about Pokémon. He wants to do it all and while he may not be able to do it all at once, he’ll take things step by step.

--

When Hop sees you again, he tries to battle by following Leon’s strategies, but somehow, that still doesn’t help him win against you. He just doesn’t know what he’s doing wrong. It’s frustrating, but he’s made up his mind to research as much as he can and train as much as he can, so he’ll just have to see what works best for him. It won’t be a quick process, but Hop is motivated enough to keep going. Step by step, he’ll surely get to where he wants to be.

“I know you probably don’t want to hear this from me,” you say, softly, snapping Hop out of his thoughts. There’s a frown on your face and for the first time, Hop sees the guilt that lingers in your eyes. “But I… don’t think you should be battling like Leon. That is, I think it’s best to find out how you work best, Hop. And most importantly… You’ve ought to stop doubting yourself.”

“Huh?”

“I saw that last move, you know. If you had just went through with your plan, you could’ve knocked my Pokémon out, but you were too focused on what you thought I might do that you doubted at the last second.” You shake your head. “Sorry, I know I’m overstepping. I’ll see you later, Hop.”

“Wait–”

But you’ve run off before he can get a word out. Hop can’t help but stare at your retreating figure, stunned at what you’d just said to him. 

Oh…

He was so focused on himself that he had never realized what you might’ve been going through. Now that he thinks about it… What is your dream, anyway?

--

When he sees you again, he expects stiffness, but you greet him kindly and warmly. You’ve always been supportive and friendly to him, he’s realized, regardless of his flaws. But he's also very acutely aware about how worn out you look. The best thing he can do right now is to talk to you like he always would – that somehow seems to pep you back up. It makes him smile at how much kindness you hold for him, patiently waiting for him to reach out when needed.

He wonders if he needs to wait for you to reach out when you need him, or if he can take the first step and offer you his hand first. He’s not even really sure if he can support himself, but he wants to be there for you. After all, your words from before helped puzzle pieces snap in place for him. His self doubt, his hesitation – those were holding him back. 

He realizes now that he needs a proper balance in his life of battling, researching, and having fun, but he was so focused on winning that he’d forgotten why he wanted to win in the first place. Winning to him isn’t just a sign of his competence as a battler – winning also signaled how much effort he had put into training and research.

That effort is why he liked battling so much – he would put in the work and get rewarded. And he believes he’ll continue to get rewarded if he continues to try hard. 

Of course, that doesn’t mean he can’t sit down and relax for a bit, chattering with you and Sonia about the Legendary Heroes. It’s all so interesting, and Sonia seems to agree. For the first time, seeing Sonia’s passion for her work, Hop thinks that being a professor might not be a bad idea at all.

Of course, battling is still his number one priority, so he challenges you to a battle at the Hero's Bath. You, again, wipe the floor with him, but this time, he doesn’t feel as heavy as he did before. This time, he battled like he would, not how Leon would. His strategy and battle style aren't perfect yet, but he feels like he's getting there. 

“I still can’t even beat you, my true rival… But I think I’m starting to see the light!” he says and this time, he means it.

The smile you give him at his words is brighter than any light. It draws him in and makes him want to burn that smile in his memories forever.

“I’m glad.”

--

Finally, as he watches Raihan’s last Pokémon go down for the count, there’s a feeling of ease that settles inside him. Hop still doesn’t have all the answers, but he feels like he’s closer than he’s ever been. As he does his best to catch up with you, he realizes that you’ve always been patiently waiting for him.

As you two ride the train to Wyndon, both of you with eight shiny badges, Hop realizes that the journey’s changed you a lot. You’re more assured, more confident. But you’ve always remained just the way you are in some ways, too. You’re kind, you’re wonderful.

“We’re finally headed for Wyndon, huh?” he says, making you look up from your book.

“Yeah.” You place a bookmark between the pages of your book, and Hop recognizes it as the Wooloo shaped one he gifted you years ago. “It’s kinda unbelievable, huh?”

“You think?” Hop says, earnestly.

You huff out a laugh. “You’re right, I guess it might not be for you. I always did think you’d make it this far.”

At your words, Hop’s heart throbs with affection. He wonders if he knows what you mean to him, what you’ve meant to him throughout this journey.

“I knew you’d get this far too, y’know,” he grins. “Sure, I reckon I’m still the favorite to win, but… You’re my true rival, mate.”

You snort. “I’m glad because I won't let someone else have that spot, y’know.”

“No one else can take it,” he says, watching as you give him a smile he’s never seen more. It’s… more bashful, a little more soft. It’s not a smile you give to your Pokémon nor is it one you give to your mom. Heck, it’s not even one you’ve given to him yet. It’s hard to explain, but the way your lips flit upwards slightly, the way your eyes crinkle – it makes him feel like time is stopping.

“Hop?” you call out, your smile turning into a look of concern.

Hop inwardly curses, embarrassed that he was caught staring. “There’s a lot I want to check out at Wyndon, actually. There’s that big tower… and the monorail… And Wyndon Stadium– it’s where the whole world’s gonna be watching us!”

You exhale softly, fingers lightly tapping against the hardcover of your book. “Nerve wracking, honestly.”

“You’ll do great!” Hop encourages. He wonders if his words will mean anything to you like your words mean to him. “You and me are gonna make our match the greatest match that ever was!”

You blink at him, before a small smile curls at your lips. “Yeah, you’re right,” you give him a grin. “You and I… We’re gonna show the entirety of Galar!”

Hop beams back at you, knowing in his gut that you two will surely make history.

--

Hop’s heart thuds in his chest as he watches you on the television, commanding your Pokémon with so much power that he can’t look away. You blaze so brilliantly that Hop doesn’t know how you haven’t consumed everything whole. But there’s something else he notices – something he knows no one else but him sees. The way your hand trembles, the way you close your eyes and breathe to calm yourself. Whenever you’re on the battlefield, it’s not just your Pokémon that you command, it’s your emotions.

Hop realizes that you have your own doubts, your own fears – it’s just that, unlike him, your dream is crafted by you. It wasn’t crafted like his where he wanted to be Champion because it was all he knew. It wasn’t crafted like his where it felt like his dreams were being crushed by his doubts. Instead, your dream is crafted like his new one – built slowly and lovingly over the course of his adventure. As he finds himself, his dream shifts and molds into something that grows with him. He no longer wants to be Champion because it was all he knew or because he wanted to be like his brother – no, it’s because he wants to win and prove himself. It’s because he wants to showcase that his strategies, that his research, is meaningful. 

More than anything, he wants to battle you. He wants to battle you so you can see that he finally knows what he wants – so that you can finally see that he’s no longer doubting who he is.

“After seeing the way you battled, I can’t accept any outcome besides winning this match,” Hop says, meeting you in the locker room. You grin at him, offering him a hand to shake, which he does gladly. Your warmth alights adrenaline in his blood but it also comforts him.

“I’m not going to take defeat laying down, you know,” you say, making him laugh.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

You both stare at each other, a mutual understanding passing through you two. As the intercom calls for you two, you two smile at each other, before getting to your spots to battle. As you two meet on the field with millions of eyes on the two of you, Hop is suddenly hit with the realization of just how far the two of you had come.

“I just had this sort of flashback, you know. Remember? Back when we were still in Postwick,” he says, making you huff out a laugh. 

“I’d never forget.”

He smiles, before inhaling deeply. “When we got our Pokémon from Lee that day, I never would’ve dreamed that I’d end up standing here… facing you. But I’m glad it’s you.” Before you can respond, he smacks his cheeks lightly to get himself into the proper mindset. “But it’s time I finish what I started that day… Got it? The one who’ll win is me!”

--

The one that wins is you. After the intense battle, the one that claims victory is you. Somehow, Hop knew this would happen. You had something about you that was similar to Leon. Yeah, he knew you’d win…

But that didn’t mean it didn’t sting when he lost.

Still… Hop watches your shoulders heave in exertion. He watches as your Pokémon runs to you, proud. He watches as the crowd cheers madly, the match you two held having a lasting impact on all that watched.

He watches and he sees the unshed tears in your eyes as yours meet his. He watches as you open your mouth to speak, but close it, teeth clenching in uncertainty of what to say. You don’t pity him – that’s not the type of person you are – but he knows you feel guilty. He knows that his dreams weigh heavy on your own shoulders. He knows, and he wishes you knew that he’ll be okay.

He wishes you could know that somehow, despite losing, he doesn’t mind. He tried his best, his Pokémon tried their best, and that’s what matters to him now. He’s not going to take this loss as him losing an opportunity to become Champion. Instead, he’ll take it as a new start where he can dedicate himself to combining his love for battling and research. He wants you to know all of this and more – so, so much more.

“Thanks, mate,” he says, approaching you. He gives your Pokémon a sitrus berry, earning a delighted purr from it. He smiles at it, before he grins at you. “I’m really glad you were the one here with me.”

“Hop… I–” you swallow the lump in your throat, your voice wobbling. He sees himself reflected in your eyes so clearly that he wonders if you see your reflection reflected in his. “I’m… glad I could battle you. You’ll always be my greatest rival, for the end of time.”

“Good,” he says. “I’m not letting anyone take that from me.” With a grin, he offers his hand for a handshake, which you just look at.

Hesitantly, you reach out. Hop shakes your hand firmly, trying to emphasize everything he wants to say with his actions. But he knows he can’t so he decides to say everything instead.

“You know, even when Sonia was saying that you and me looked like we could become heroes, I never really felt like one…” he says, “But you, mate! I think maybe you really could do all sorts of great things! Good on you and all the rest of your team!”

“I think you can do all sorts of great things, too, Hop,” you say with so much passion that it blows Hop away. Your lip wobbles as you hold his hand with both of yours. “Hop – you don’t see what I see, that much I can tell, but I want you to know that you’re amazing. Your passion, your knowledge, all of it. I’m so grateful that you’re the one that’s my rival. I could have never asked for anyone better.”

Hop is stunned into silence, unsure of what to say. But what he does know is that your words are close to bringing him to tears. He’s already decided not to doubt himself, he already knows what his real dream is, but hearing words of encouragement just makes everything in the world shine differently.

Hop wishes that he could see how you look at him. He wishes that you could see how he looks at you. 

“...Thanks, mate,” he says, voice cracking in the middle. “I– just, thanks.”

“Yeah,” your murmur softly, the guilt in your eyes clearing away slowly. You squeeze his hand and Hop wonders if you’d be willing to hold his hand forever and ever. He wonders if you’d be willing to talk to him on lazy mornings and listen to his ramblings. He wonders if you’d travel with him, camping and having Pokémon battles together. He wonders if you’d be willing to–

Oh.

Oh.

Arceus.

He thinks he’s in love with you.

--

Hop has little time to revel in the realization that he loves you, what with Director Rose acting odd as well as your final battle with Leon coming up. You’re the one that’s fighting, but for some reason, he’s the one that’s more nervous. Still, he decides to greet you brightly.

“All right? The big moment’s here, eh? I came just to cheer you on, you know!”

When the nervousness eases from your face, Hop doesn’t know why that makes his heart soar. “Hop,” you say, softly. “You came.”

“Yeah, ‘course I did,” he says, sitting next to you. “Mate, you feeling all right?”

“Not really,” you admit, sheepish. “It’s just… So much.”

“Yeah, it is,” Hop agrees easily, placing a kind hand on your back. He rubs soothing circles, feeling the tenseness in your back. “I’m cheering for you, you know.”

“Thank you,” you say, and Hop grins.

“Still, it’s not easy picking sides… After all, it’s the showdown between my big brother and my rival… Who should I really want to win more?”

“Hey!”

“I’m joshing you!” he laughs. “I’ll be cheering for you, promise. After all, we did start this thing out together, way back in Postwick.”

“Yeah.” You breathe in deeply, before nodding. “Yeah, we did.”

“Yup, so you better beat Lee, you hear? If anyone can beat him, it’s you.”

“...Hop, can I ask you for something?”

“Hm?” he looks at you, feeling the nervousness roll off your shoulders.

“Can you hug me?”

Hop almost chokes in surprise, but opens his arms silently, not trusting himself to speak. He hopes you can’t hear the way his heart thuds so strongly against his chest. Oh Arceus, did he smell okay? Maybe he shouldn’t have agreed to his hug – he’s not sure what to do with himself and the nerves are about to kill him. Still, as he feels you squeeze him tightly, his embarrassment ebbs away slowly. He hugs you back, cradling you close to him.

There’s not much he can do for you, but he hopes that, at the very least, you’re aware that he’ll always stand by you. That he’ll always be there to support you.

--

Hop’s head is a mess. He was supposed to watch you and his brother’s battle, but Director Rose had interrupted the fight, going on about the Darkest Day or some other baloney that Hop could care less about. Currently, Hop’s more worried about his brother who has run off to stop Rose. 

“I want to help my brother,” he mutters, watching Leon leave on his Charizard. He’s feeling so useless that he’s not sure what to do. All the doubts from months ago come crashing back into him, Bede’s words ringing harshly in his ears. “I’ve got to!”

“You can help!” you encourage, tugging at his sleeve. “Let’s go, Hop!”

“That’s easy for you to say,” he snaps, frustrated. “ I can’t even manage to beat you, so what sort of help could I ever be…?”

As soon as the words leave Hop’s mouth, he freezes, knowing that he messed up.

“I mean–”

“You’re right,” you say, face perfectly neutral. “With that attitude, you can’t do anything!” Your tone is heated, “But– Leon needs you, Hop. I need you. We need to help Leon and I won’t be able to do it on my own. You might think you’re not good enough or that I can do everything on my own, but I can’t!” Your shoulders heave as you try to catch your breath, your tears wetting your cheeks. “Arceus, Hop… Can’t you see? I need you. I–”

“You’re right,” Hop says quickly, guilt settling into his brain. He tries to think back to his epiphany. He thinks back to what his real dream and goal are. He thinks back to why he wanted to battle, to why he wanted to beat you. He thinks about how you mean the world to him and that he wants you to know that he has your back like you have his. He wants you to know that he’ll always support you. 

Shame overwhelms him as his head gets clearer, his worry for his older brother being replaced with determination to help him. “You're right, I was saying rubbish. I’m sorry.”

“You were saying rubbish,” you snip, sniffling. 

Hop wipes off your tears with his thumb, saying, “Sorry.”

“If you are, you better help me.”

Hop nods at you, determined to make things right. “Let’s first start with how we can help Lee. Director Rose said something about the Darkest Day, didn’t he…?” The gears in Hop’s head turn, making him gasp as you come to the same realization. 

The statue of the hero, the tapestries, Slumbering Weald…

You and Hop nod at each other, determination settling in both of your bones.

--

As you two enter Slumbering Weald, Hop can’t help but remember the first time you visited the place together. Thick fog hung over the place like a shield, trying to block out any intruders that may dare to step into the holy ground. Back then, Hop was terrified. Now, though, Hop is surprised with how safe he feels with his Pokémon and you by his side.

“Ready for this?” he asks you, and you nod.

“I’ve got you and my Pokémon by my side. I’m not scared of anything.”

Your words make Hop’s heart flutter in his chest and he wants to wheeze physically at how you knock the breath out of him with your words. Instead, he says, “Going into the forest after Wooloo that day... That was the start of everything, wasn't it? A legendary beginning, really…”

“That’s true,” you nod, “and I’m glad we had such a legendary beginning.”

“I reckon whatever we're about to see will be pretty legendary itself!” he beams, “Well, let’s head in and add another page to our tale!”

His heart almost stops when you grab his hand, but he doesn’t say anything in fear that you’ll pull away. Instead, he squeezes your hand back.

--

Hop feels like he’s going to die. Everything before this moment, finding the rusted sword and shield, going up the Energy Plant, reaching the Tower summit… all of it feels like a blur, hazy in his mind as he stares at the beast in front of him. Leon does his best to hold his own, but the new Pokémon – Eternatus – is too strong. 

But he can’t give up here. He wants to protect Galar, his mom, Leon, and you. He’s put in so much effort to be strong. He’s put in so much effort to find out what he really wants. You’ve put in so much effort to get this far. You’ve put in so much effort to pull him out of his own doubts.

Yeah. He’s not going to let the Darkest Day come. There’s no way.

With a deep breath, he stands up, extending a hand to you. “All right. Let’s take it on together!”

“Gladly!” you say, grasping his hand to stand up yourself. You two stand side by side, rusted sword and shield in your hands, looking like the heroes from the tales of old.

--

After all that excitement, Hop’s not really sure how things will return to normalcy, but they do. After dinner with his family, he’s reading in his bedroom, Dubwool resting its head on his lap. There’s a knock at his door, causing Hop to look up in curiosity.

“Come in,” he says, and the door opens to reveal his older brother.

“Hey, Hop,” Leon says, closing the door behind him. “Got your nose in a book, eh?”

“Yeah,” Hop says, putting his book down as Leon makes his way over. “...How are you feeling, Lee?”

“Ah?” Leon looks surprised, before he laughs. “Fair question. I’m not entirely sure. I’m kind of frustrated, I think, but… I also feel exhilarated. Your friend truly battles like no other.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Hop says, feeling a sense of happiness at Leon acknowledging you. Yeah, you are strong.

“...How about you, Hop? Feeling all right?”

“Yeah!” Hop responds, genuinely feeling lighter than before, like another pathway has opened up for him. “It’s kind of like a new path has opened up for me, you know?”

“Hah, I get that!” Leon claps his hand on Hop’s back, bellowing out a loud laugh. When Hop looks into Leon’s eyes, he can see the pride his older brother carries for him. “Look at my brother – strong and smart. I’d have expected nothing less.” With a grin, Leon musses up Hop’s hair, making Hop laugh as he tries to get out of his older brother’s headlock.

“You messed up my hair, Lee!”

“Sorry, sorry,” Leon says, letting Hop go. “...But seriously. I’m glad you seem to know what you want to do. I have things I want to do that I’m no longer Champion, too. Looks like we’ll both be busy.”

“Yup, sounds like it!”

Leon grins, before stretching and falling back on Hop’s bed. “Man! Time sure flies quickly, huh? I feel like it was only yesterday that I was losing battles and getting helped as a child.”

Hop blinks, looking at Leon curiously. “You… Lost battles before?”

“Yeah, when I was starting out.” Leon lets out a small hum in thought. “I also refused to get help because I was kind of overconfident, too. Once I started getting help from people like Master Mustard, though, well… I guess I kind of unlocked a hidden potential in me and I stopped losing. Well, until now, that is.”

“Oh,” Hop says, looking surprised. His older brother, who he thought was the pinnacle of strength, had struggled too. His brother needed help, too. His brother is human, too. “...Thanks, Lee,” Hop decides to say, finally.

Leon lays on Hop’s bed for a few more beats, before he tackles Hop into another headlock, making Hop’s hair even messier than before.

“Hey!” Hop laughs, pushing Leon off of him.

“I’m proud of you, Hop,” Leon says, once Hop escapes the headlock. “I hope you know that.”

Without missing a beat, Hop responds with, “Yeah, I know.”

--

The next day, Hop finds himself back in Slumbering Weald, taking in the mystical atmosphere. He looks at how the trees reflect against the lake, clear and bright. 

“Hop?” At your voice, Hop turns around, looking at you curiously.

“Huh? What’re you doing out here in the woods?”

“Well… I just felt like something was calling me here, I guess?” you say. “And it’s quiet.”

“Hah, yeah, I guess it must be loud around you, huh?” Hop pauses, looking at the lake that’s as clear as his heart. “Congrats on the Championship, by the way! You’re amazing, I hope you know that.”

“Thank you,” you say, eyes trained on the lake before you. You watch as leaves leave ripples on the surface of the water.

“I should be thanking you,” Hop responds, making you turn to him curiously. “I… Have something to confess.”

“What is it?”

“I actually stopped wanting to be Champion a while ago.” Hop put up a hand. “Wait, let me rephrase – it was more like… I found out that becoming Champion wasn’t my end goal. Sure, it’d have been nice to be Champion, but more than that, I wanted to win and be strong. Being Champion would just signify my strength.” Hop skips a flat stone across the lake, causing ripples to form. “I also realized that while I loved battling, I loved research, too. The stuff Sonia’s doing? It fascinates me.”

He looks at you, and you look at him, patiently waiting for him to continue.

“...The reason I was able to find myself and stop doubting myself so much is because of you.” His voice is so quiet that he doubts you heard him. But the softness in your eyes tell him otherwise. “So, yeah, thank you.”

“You’re so silly, Hop,” you laugh. “You’re the one that’s done that, you know? Sure, maybe I gave you a push here and there, but you’re the one who discovered all of this. You’re the one who decided to take the steps to meet your goals. You’re– you’re amazing, you know that?”

Hop wonders briefly how you can make him love you even more than he already does. He wonders briefly if he’s loved you long before he even realized it because how could he not? He briefly wonders, but then he realizes he doesn’t care because he loves you now and that’s what matters to him.

“I have one more confession,” he says. He can feel his heart about to jump out of his throat but he feels like his heart will stop entirely if he doesn’t tell you his feelings. “I like you. I’ve liked you for a while now, actually. I know I can be a pain sometimes, and I’m not trying to force my feelings on you, but if you’re okay with it, can you give me a chance?” Hop’s eyes are closed during his confession, scared of what expression you’ll have on your face.

When you’re silent, he feels himself sweat, unsure of what to do with himself. Taking a chance, he cracks an eye open to at least assess what expression you might have on your face. What Hop sees takes his breath away – you, underneath the dappled sunlight, the wind in your hair. You, with a bright smile, all the affection you can muster in your eyes. You, who is looking at him with so much emotion that he’s not sure what to do with it all.

“I’ll give you as many chances as you want,” you say, reaching out to grab his hands. “So, will you give me a chance?”

“Arceus, yes,” he laughs, relief flooding the adrenaline out of his veins. Arceus, he loves you. He really, really loves you. And with the way you look at him he can tell you love him too.

[thelonelyfairy]

𝕸𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖙

Remember Me

Pokémon Sword & Shield: Leon x Reader (oc)

Status: Ongoing

After stripping away your Champion title and freedom in Alola due to your parent’s sacrifice gone awry, you and your younger sister embark on a new life in Galar, the only region untouched by Team Rocket. Amidst all the challenges, you unexpectedly reunite with your long-lost love.

Tags: Fluff, Angst, Eventual Smut, Loss of virginity, Romance, Friends to Lovers, Eventual Happy Ending, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Loss of Parent(s), False Identity, shield needs more love, I aint writing y/n lol

Chapter 1 (ao3 ver)

Chapter 2 (ao3 ver)

Chapter 3 (ao3 ver)

Chapter 4 (ao3 ver)

Chapter 5 (ao3 ver)

Chapter 6 (<- on ao3)

Chapter 7 (tumblr is not letting paste, check ao3 or scroll through!)

Fractured Bonds

My Hero Academia: Toshinori x Reader (oc) x Aizawa

(This is not a poly fic)

Status: ongoing

Your time working alongside All Might was cut short due to his devastating injury and Sir Nighteye’s grim warning of the resurgence of All For One brought you no choice but to part ways with your lover for the greater good.

Upon your return, you took up a new role as UA’s next nurse, under the guidance of Recovery Girl. Yet, as you re-entered the lives of your old friends and stepped back into the growing conflict with the League of Villains, your past, connections, and the secrets buried deep within you would challenge you resolve and ultimately shape your destiny.

Tags: Slow Burn, Romance, Love Triangles, Childhood lovers, Coworkers to Lovers, Eventual Smut, Loss of Virginity, Night Terrors, Second Chances, Not Beta Read, Heavy Angst, I ain’t writing y/n lol, not a poly fic.

Chapter 1 (ao3 ver)

Chapter 2 (ao3 ver)

Chapter 3 (ao3)

Chapter 4 (ao3)

[championfrolicfleece]

Pokemon Sword And Shield Postwick Shipping Incorrect Quotes Part2

Gloria: My future partner must be brave, strong, intelligent, successful and organized.

Hop: **accidentally knocks his Wooloo over and proceeds to drop to his knees and sob while apologizing profusely**

Gloria: That one. I want that one.

________________________________ ________________________________

Gloria: I’m in love with you.

Hop: We called off the prank war last night at midnight, you silly psyduck.

Gloria: I know.

Hop: Ah. Okay. Um. Cool. Neat. Very cool. Cool. Cool. Coolcoolcool- >///>

________________________________ ________________________________

Hop: Gloria, you love me, right?

Gloria: Normally I’d say yes without hesitation, but I feel like this is going somewhere I won’t like.

________________________________ ________________________________

Gloria: Stop doing that.

Hop: Stop doing what?

Gloria: Saying things that make me wanna kiss your cute face!

________________________________ ________________________________

Gloria: Since we're in a relationship now, your clothes are my clothes too. Don't ask me why I have your shirt on, this is our shirt.

Hop: Fine, but when I come strutting in with your fuzzy scorbunny socks, I don't want to hear jack.

________________________________ ________________________________

Hop, talking about Gloria to Leon: WHAT THE FALINKS! I WAS ARGUING WITH GLORIA AND I SAID “OOH YOU WANNA KISS ME SO BAD” LIKE WHO EVEN SAYS THAT?! ME APPARENTLY, AND OH- GUESS WHAT? GLORIA DID. THEY KISSED ME. WHAT IN THE WOOLOO FLUFF DO I DO NOW, LEON?!

________________________________ ________________________________

Hop, holding up a Pokeball and looking determined: Battle me, Gloria!

Gloria: Oh, a Pokémon battle? We haven't had one of those in a while Hop, sure let's-

Hop, gets down on one knee and pops open the Pokeball, there's a ring inside: Battle with me for the rest of our lives!

Gloria: Oh... OH.

________________________________ ________________________________

Gloria: We’re getting married, motherfluffers!

Hop: And we're about to make it everybody else's problem.

________________________________ ________________________________

Hop: Do you love me?

Gloria: Hop, sweetheart, love of my life, we're literally married and have been for five years-

Hop: Yeah, but as friends or—

[bloody-britt26]

Hop - Loser Like Me

This is an older fic that I’m just now cross-posting from my Wattpad.

Summary: He was never able to win against his rivals, and he didn't become the champion. He couldn't live up to his older brother's name. He wasn't all that special, he thought. So, why would Hop ever think that you would ever glance at him? You were that sweet, lovable person that worked day in and day out to help better the lives of rescued pokémon. Surely, you wouldn't be interested in a loser like him.

Genre: Fluff + light angst

Pairing: Hop X Rescuer!Reader (Gender Neutral)

Content Warnings: | Hop’s self-deprecating thoughts | Fear of rejection | Mentions of abused pokemon | Swearing | Reader gets slapped once (not by Hop) | Slow burn kinda | Both Hop and Reader are depicted as adults. |

Word Count: 14,741

Sonia's lab was awfully quiet. At least, that's what Hop thought as he was the only person present in the building. Sonia was out, she had the urge to get out and do a bit of fieldwork for a change. Hop's Dubwool had fallen asleep near his desk quite some time ago.

Hop was seated at his desk, scribbling down various notes about pokémon and the Dynamax phenomenon. Even if he had been studying by Sonia's side for three years now, he still had a lot to learn and discover. There were so many pokémon out there, and there was new knowledge to be gained from them practically every day.

Behind him, the Dynamax readings showed stability, thankfully. Nothing had been out of the ordinary for a long time, but Hop and Sonia had the habit of keeping a close eye on them. Their slight paranoia was understandable due to the damage caused by the actions of Rose and the royal brothers.

Hop's foot tapped away as he wrote, he twirled his pen every so often. Even though Hop had matured quite a bit over the years, sitting still for long periods was still not his forté.

As he finished jotting down the final words of his report, he gathered up all of the sheets to place them in a neat pile. With a sigh, he leaned back to stretch his sore muscles, he had been hunched over his desk for a good amount of time, so it was much needed. Hop let out a small yelp as his computer chair nearly fell back from the pressure he was applying.

Once he stabilized himself, he reached for his Rotom Phone, turning it on so that he could tune into some live battles. He still had a bit of work to do, but he figured that he could take a small break.

He blinked once he saw footage of his best friend in battle. Hop had almost forgotten that today was Victor's exhibition match. Nonetheless, he smiled as he began to watch it.

Victor was battling Bede, and both men were giving it their all. Seeing those two battle it out on the pitch brought back memories from his own gym challenge. After all, the three had been the biggest rivals throughout their journeys.

Victor was a fantastic champion, and perhaps even better than Leon was, Hop thought. Even today, Hop couldn't believe how powerful his childhood friend was, and it seemed as though his strength grew with every passing day.

Victor wasn't just a strong battler, he was inspirational and a good man. He didn't care much about having many sponsors, nor did he go out of his way to partake in interviews. He often donated his prize money to people in need, and he was exceptionally humble.

Even Bede had matured into a decent man. Now the full-time gym leader of Ballonlea, he was a force to be reckoned with for challengers. Although he still kept a facade of toughness, Hop couldn't deny that Bede was much more polite than before. Even if Bede and Hop had never gotten along, Hop thought that it was great that Bede had found his place in the world.

Hop took a glance at his sleeping Dubwool, reaching down to stroke his coat softly. It dawned on him that it's been quite a while since he had battled someone because he was so focused on his studies to become a respectable professor. He hoped that his pokémon weren't too bored with his decision to lessen pokémon battling to focus on research.

However, they seemed to have accepted his choice of career, as did his friends and relatives. Even though being a professor was far from being his original dream, he thought it was fun.

All his life, Hop had wanted to be the champion. He wanted to prove to the region that he was just as good, possibly better than his brother. But that didn't happen, Victor got there first.

He continued to watch Victor's battle on his phone, completely immersed in the confident and enthusiastic energy that Victor displayed. Victor still had five pokémon standing, while Bede was on his last two.

"It's no wonder you became champion, mate," Hop chuckled to himself.

No wonder indeed. Three years later, and Hop had accepted that he never stood a chance of being champion. Not when he was up against Victor. Hop had never been able to defeat Victor, and he always felt like he was lightyears behind his dear friend.

Even today, he felt underwhelming compared to everyone around him. It felt as though his friends, rivals and family were all achieving great success and making names for themselves while he was constantly scribbling notes and watching wild pokémon.

Hop sighed, shaking his head in annoyance at his own thoughts. He knew better than to think so negatively, but the quiet atmosphere of the lab seemed to be the perfect setting to overthink life itself.

He shook his head once more, smiling to himself as a way to convince himself that everything was fine. He was usually so bubbly and energetic, for crying out loud! He loved doing research. It was his new passion, and that's what was important.

Hop grinned as Victor's battle came to a close, ending in a victory for his best friend. Though the outcome didn't surprise him, Hop mentally congratulated him.

As he turned off his phone to get back to work, the door to the lab opened. He didn't fully pay any mind to it as it was most likely Sonia since she was to return around these hours.

"H-Hello? Is there anyone?" A meek voice timidly sounded.

Hop's gaze lifted. That was most definitely not Sonia. He got up from his chair and smoothed his lab coat before heading to the entrance of the lab.

There stood a young, short-haired girl who looked to be more or less ten-years-old. She shyly fiddled with her sweater's sleeves as her gaze was fixated to the ground.

Hop blinked but quickly shook off his surprise to smile at the youngling. "Hi, there! What brings you here?"

"W-Well... is Professor Sonia here? I'm supposed to get my first pokémon today," she said.

Now that Hop thought about it, he did remember Sonia saying something about a girl coming to get her starter today. He had completely forgotten about that.

He looked around nervously, Sonia had most likely lost track of time. It happened to her often whenever she was really into her work, and he really couldn't blame her.

He scratched the back of his head. "R-Right! You must be Annabelle, yeah?"

The little girl nodded in response with a soft smile.

"So, er, the thing is that Sonia isn't here right now..." he said.

Annabelle's smile faltered a bit. "Oh... that's okay. I'll come back. I'm sorry for bothering you," she said.

Hop cringed at the dejected look she had, and before she could turn around and leave, he stopped her.

"Hey, wait! I can give you your pokémon, you don't have to come back later," he said before he could stop himself.

Surely, Sonia wouldn't mind if he took matters into his own hands, right? After all, he felt too bad at the thought of making her wait, he knew all too well just how exciting it was to get your very first pokémon.

"Really? Oh, thank you so much!" She said enthusiastically.

Hop chuckled and motioned her to follow him. "Well, come along. Let's have you meet the little fellows!"

She did as told and followed Hop. He then headed to a shelf where three pokéballs sat. He grabbed them and turned back to Annabelle.

As he called out the pokémon, three familiar faces excitedly made their entrance. Hop couldn't help but smile as the nostalgia hit him as he watched the Grookey, Scorbunny and Sobble all pose adorably.

Annabelle seemed absolutely enamoured with them as well as she cooed at their cuteness.

Hop nodded to himself, it was time for him to put his knowledge to good use. This would be a good way for him to evaluate his performance as a future professor.

"Sobble is just about the most gentle Water-type pokémon out there! It can be pretty sensitive and timid, but don't let that fool you, Sobble is a master of camouflage and silent attacks. It never fails to aim for an opponent's weak spot! She's a little girl!" Hop explained.

Sobble wiggled her fin as she covered her cheeks to hide a little blush. It sounded like she was giggling.

"Scorbunny is a very energetic Fire-type! It's always raring to go and up for a good fight. It's a very confident pokémon who will always do its best to impress and protect its trainer! This little guy is a boy," Hop continued.

Sorbunny bounced in the air, pumping his little paw with a wink. He was trying to showboat a little.

"And lastly, we have the Grass-type, Grookey! It's a very peaceful pokémon with a good sense of leadership. It's a very speedy pokémon that can get quite immersed in battles. This one is a boy!" He concluded.

Grookey wagged his tail, chirping happily with a bright smile as he bounced up and down. He grabbed his stick to tap a little beat onto the tile floor.

"So, which one will you take? Choose wisely. This will be your most trusted partner who will stick by your side throughout your journey no matter what," Hop said.

Annabelle's gaze flicked between the three pokémon, but not for long as she had her eyes set on the little Grookey.

"They're all so cute, but I decided that I wanted a Grookey ages ago!" She said as she crouched to the pokémon's height.

"Would you like to travel with me?" She asked, holding out her hand.

Grookey nodded excitedly as he put his little paws onto her hand. Annabelle giggled at the pokémon's cuteness.

Hop grinned. "Grookey, huh? A great choice. It was the pokémon that I chose to travel with along with Wooloo when I first started."

Annabelle giggled softly, picking up her new Grookey in her arms. "I know. That's why I wanted one, Mr. Hop!"

Hop blinked in surprise as he registered what the young girl had said. "I- Really?"

"Yeah! I always watched your battles with my mummy when you did your gym challenge. You were my favourite trainer, and I want to be just as good as you!" She said.

Hop was at a loss for words. Not only did this child know who he was, but she was admitting that she favoured him as a trainer. He didn't think this could even be a reality. He wasn't that special, he knew that for a fact. Sure, he made it through his gym challenge, but he had always been in both Victor and Leon's shadows, and, in his opinion, rightfully so.

His friends, brother and rivals all outshined him by so much. He didn't have their strength, he knew that as he could never beat a single one of them. Not even once. Hop had since accepted that he was destined to be the weakest person of his entourage.

He definitely felt happiness at knowing that someone thought so highly of him, yet he couldn't help but listen to the little voice at the back of his mind, saying that this sweet girl was making the worst mistake of her life by idolizing such a loser.

Hop chuckled nervously as he scratched at his hair. "A-Ah! Well, I appreciate that, but I'm not that gr-"

He didn't get the chance to finish his sentence as Sonia made her frantic appearance into the lab, huffing slightly to catch her breath.

"I am so sorry! I got sidetracked and didn't see time fly!" She said.

Annabelle shook her head. "It's okay, Professor Sonia. Professor Hop gave me a pokémon!" She said as she snuggled her Grookey.

"But I'm not a prof-"

"I can see that!" Sonia chuckled. "Annabelle, dear, what do you say we equip that Rotom Phone of yours with a Pokédex?" She continued.

"Please!" She said, handing Sonia her phone.

"Alright. Hop, why don't you go get some Pokéballs for her while I set this up?" Sonia asked.

Hop nodded. "Of course."

As Hop distanced himself to rummage through some drawers for Pokéballs, Sonia explained to Annabelle the Pokédex's functions. It was just like she had done when he and Victor had first started their journeys.

He found five Pokéballs to get the young girl started on her team, so he headed back to the duo and handed Annabelle the catching devices.

"Here you go. They'll help you get started on your team," he said.

When she took the balls from Hop, he reached into his pocket to grab another one. "Here. This is your Grookey's Pokéball."

"Thank you very much for everything!" She said as she took her starter's Pokéball.

Hop shook his head. "It's our pleasure! Now, get out there and meet tons of pokémon! But remember to stay safe and have fun," he said.

"I will! Thanks again, you two!" She said before exiting the lab with her Grookey still in her arms.

When Annabelle left, Hop sighed in relief, happy that everything went smoothly. He then turned to Sonia, laughing nervously.

"S-Sorry, Professor. I hope you don't mind that I took care of things. I didn't want to make her wait too long, and I didn't know when you would be back," he said.

Sonia shook her head. "No, no, don't worry a thing. I'm glad you did, and by the looks of it, you handled that really well. Proper job!" She said with a grin.

"Thank you... I did my best," Hop said, relieved that he didn't mess anything up.

Sonia glanced at the desk where a large pile of notes sat before turning back to Hop. "Would you like to switch places with me? Arceus knows how much you hate sitting still."

"Yeah, I'll take you up on that. Fieldwork is my favourite kind of work!" He laughed.

Fresh air was definitely needed at the moment. Hopefully, it would help him keep his mind at ease from the negativity that has been plaguing him recently.

~~~~~~

"Thank you for having me over, Magnolia. I'm sorry for dropping by unannounced," you said.

Having decided to take a well-deserved break from work, you dropped by Magnolia's home for a visit. You found her company to be warm and homely, which was something you loved, especially when you needed to sit back and relax.

You sat in Magnolia's plant room on one of the comfortable loveseats as the older woman prepared cups of the finest tea she had in her kitchen. The scenery of her home, particularly the room you were in, had you feeling at peace.

Perched atop your head was your beloved Frosmoth. She could get quite heavy, so she made sure to not put her full weight on you. She absolutely refused to be left home alone today, no matter how much you protested. Thankfully, Magnolia didn't mind the presence of the larger moth pokémon, as she was very well-behaved.

Magnolia stepped into the room, a tray in hand and a warm smile upon her features. "Nonsense, dear. You're welcomed in my home at any moment. I don't get to see you nearly as often as I'd like," she said as she set the tea down.

You thanked her as she handed you a cup. "I know, and I'm sorry about that. I feel bad, trust me."

"Don't. It's to be expected with the kind of work you do, and I fully understand. Just know that you're always welcomed to knock on my door should you need anything," she said as she sat across from you.

You smiled. "Thank you. It's nice to have someone I can trust living nearby."

"Of course! You're practically family at this point!" She said, laughing softly.

You truly appreciated it. Your work required your constant presence at home, so you didn't have much time to go out of your way to make close friends, much less someone you could trust. Magnolia was such an understanding and patient woman, and she knew that you didn't mean anything ill by not dropping by all the time. You had your duties, and she accepted that. She was well aware that you cared even if you weren't always around, and for that, you were thankful.

"Speaking of which..." Magnolia started as she set her cup down, "... my granddaughter should be coming over shortly with her assistant."

"O-Oh! Should I leave then? I wouldn't want to be a bother," you said.

"Don't even get that idea. Sonia will be thrilled to see you, you know she adores you!" Magnolia said.

You chuckled at the woman's light scolding. "You're right. It's been a while since I've seen her, or that she's dropped by my place. She's pretty busy now, huh? Being a full-time professor and all."

"She certainly is, though she loves her work. It seems that journeying through Galar a second time was what she needed to discover her true passion," Magnolia said, fondness for her granddaughter could be heard in her voice.

"Sometimes, I think of having another journey myself, but I think I made the right call with the path I ended up taking," you said.

Magnolia nodded in agreement. "Absolutely! What was your original goal again?"

You laughed, shaking your head. "I wanted to be a gym leader of all things."

"Oh, that's right! You know, you're absolutely phenomenal at taking care of pokémon that I just can't even fathom the idea of you as a gym leader," she playfully teased.

"I know, right? Plans change, but that's okay!" You said.

You shivered when you felt your Frosmoth blow a faint gust of frigid air onto you in an attempt to get your attention.

"Are you hungry, Dumpling?" You asked, chuckling at her behaviour.

She let out a small cry in confirmation. So, you reached into your bag, which rested at your feet, and pulled out a plastic container that held Dumpling's favourite food. You held the container right in front of her, letting her sniff it out. Once she did, she happily chowed down.

As you fed your Frosmoth, you heard the front door open, followed by the familiar voice of Sonia.

"Hellooo! I'm here, and I brought Hop!" She called out.

Magnolia smiled. "We're in here, dear!"

"We?" Sonia said as she stepped into the room in which you were seated. Once she saw you, her eyes widened in surprise.

"Heya, Sonia!" You said with a bright smile.

"(Y/N), no way! How are you, stranger?" She asked, laughing.

You got up from your seat so that you could give your friend a hug. Dumpling flew off of your head to let you do so.

"I'm doing great! It's been a while, huh?" You said, letting go of her.

"No kidding. I mean, you're a hermit!" She teased.

You rolled her eyes. "Pft. It's not just me. Aren't you always buried in piles of research?" You shot back.

"You got me there," she chuckled. She turned to her grandmother. "You didn't tell me that (Y/N) would be here!"

Magnolia chuckled. "Ah... I wanted to keep it a surprise."

Sonia's eyes then landed on Dumpling. "And you've got Dumpling with you! She looks great!"

Sonia gently approached the pokémon and held out her hand in front of her. Dumpling sniffed her hand, and once she recognized Sonia's scent, she squealed happily and nuzzled her hand.

"Hey, you remember me!" Sonia said as she patted the affectionate moth.

"Of course, she does!" You said.

At that moment, someone cleared their throat. When you glanced at the doorway, you saw who you assumed to be Sonia's assistant.

He had an award-winning smile as he scratched the back of his head in a slightly nervous manner. Though he didn't seem much younger than you, he was pretty tall, more or less six feet. His hair was a lovely shade of purple, which fit rather nicely with his bright, yellow eyes. You were sure you recognized him from somewhere.

Letting go of Dumpling, Sonia clapped her hands together as she headed to her assistant's side.

"Right, you've never met. (Y/N), meet Hop. He's my assistant. Hop, this is (Y/N). They’re a good friend of mine!" She said, introducing the two of you.

Hop grinned at you, holding out his hand for you to shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you!"

You took his hand. "Right back at you, Hop!"

And then, it clicked.

"Hey, you're the former champion's little brother, right? You were in the challenge, like, three years ago?" You asked.

Hop blinked, a glimmer of surprise flashing in his eyes for a second. "Yeah, actually. You're spot on."

He certainly was not expecting for this stranger to know who he was. Maybe it wouldn't have surprised him if someone recognized him three years ago when he had finished his challenge, but now, he had convinced himself that practically everyone in Galar had forgotten about his existence.

Sonia raised a brow, which made you roll your eyes. "Hey, don't look at me like that. I like to watch the gym battles whenever I have the chance."

Magnolia spoke up. "Hey, now. What are you all standing around for? Why don't you younglings sit down while I go make some more tea? Perhaps some snacks as well?" She said as she stood up.

The three of you nodded in agreement. Hop and Sonia sat next to each other. Before you sat down, you scratched Dumpling's belly and gently guided her to you so she could perch herself atop your head once more.

Hop tilted his head in slight confusion at your interaction with the pokémon, but he didn't question it any further. At least, he tried. He couldn't help but analyze your Frosmoth, blame it on the researcher in him. As he looked at her, he noticed something off about her eyes. A Frosmoth's eyes were usually a deep blue, but yours were somewhat cloudy.

"Is your Frosmoth blind?" He blurted before he could stop himself.

He mentally cringed, hoping that he didn't seem too nosy or impolite by asking such a thing. However, you smiled at him, features clear of any kind of offence.

"She is, actually!" You said, reaching up to pat Dumpling's head.

"(Y/N) takes care of a lot of disabled and injured pokémon. They run their own sanctuary!" Sonia intervened.

At that, Hop's eyes practically lit up with wonder. "Seriously? Wow, that's amazing!"

You chuckled with a light hue of pink coating your cheeks. "Yeah, I do! It's not far from here, actually. Just a few kilometres behind Magnolia's house, there's my house and my sanctuary."

"Wait... really? I didn't even know that there was anything past Magnolia's house," he said, surprised.

"Yeah... it's pretty easy to miss, but that was kind of the point of picking that particular spot. It's just me and the pokémon with little to no disturbances, which is just what these pokémon need," you explained.

Hop nodded at your explanation. He then leaned forward, nearly slamming his hands onto the coffee table excitedly.

"So, what kind of pokémon do you have there?" He asked, eyes shining with interest.

Sonia chuckled, tapping at his shoulder. "Whoa. Simmer down there, Hop."

Hop immediately retracted as he was made aware of his little burst of excitement. He scratched the back of his head, blushing in embarrassment. He felt like a total child.

"S-Sorry about that. I got carried away," he said.

You laughed, waving him off. "No, no, it's totally fine! If anything, I'm glad that you're so interested!"

Taking care of rescued pokémon was your biggest passion, and you had sworn to dedicate yourself to making a difference for pokémon who were in need of a second chance at life. It was your favourite topic to discuss, and meeting people who seemed so excited to hear you speak about your work and experiences was something that made you beyond ecstatic.

You had to be honest with yourself: you were sometimes afraid that people would get bored or annoyed with you since you could never shut up about your sanctuary. You had the habit of always swerving your conversations towards it, and you really couldn't help it.

So, that's why you got along so well with women like Magnolia and Sonia. They were professors, researchers, and they loved to hear about your experiences regarding the pokémon you helped. You could always have great conversations with them.

You knew for a fact that Hop was highly passionate about pokémon. It showed when you watched his battles back then. And to want to become a professor, it took a lot of dedication and love towards these creatures. You were sure that you would get along great with him.

"You see, there are quite a few pokémon that are in my care. They all have their own story, and they are all unique. Every single one of them has a place in my heart, and there's nothing I wouldn't do for them. They're my number one priority in life," you gushed.

Your eyes then widened, and you chuckled nervously as you noticed that you were rambling.

"Ah... sorry. Here I go again, just talking my mouth off," you apologized.

"Wha-? Why are you apologizing?" Hop asked.

Before you could answer, Sonia chimed in. "They're a dummy, that's why. They think that they’ll annoy us if they talk too much about their sanctuary."

"Oh, come on! That's rubbish!" Hop exclaimed. "Can you tell me how you met your Frosmoth... Dumbo, was that it?" He continued.

You chuckled at the way Hop had managed to butcher her name. "It's Dumpling, and I'd be happy to!"

"It wasn't super out of the ordinary, but I met her right outside Circhester when she was just a tiny hatchling Snom, and when I say tiny, I mean it. She was smaller than any other Snom I had seen before, even for a baby. I guessed that she was the runt out of her siblings," you started.

"Oh! That explains why she seems smaller than the typical Frosmoth," he said. "R-Right, carry on!" He quickly added as he noticed that he had accidentally cut you off.

"She was still near her nest when I found her, but her family was nowhere to be seen. The thing that caught my eye, though, was that she was really unstable. She had a hard time walking without bumping into things. I was curious, so I managed to approach her, and she seemed to panic once she sensed that something was approaching, but she was turning in all sorts of directions, and she didn't seem to know where to look," you continued.

"And that's when you understood that she was blind," Hop said, making you nod.

"Yeah. I kept calm and talked to her in a gentle voice. I was really trying to reassure her that everything was alright. When she calmed down, she let me pet her and even pick her up eventually. I tried looking around the route for her family, but I couldn't find them. I guessed that the mother left her behind because she was the weakest, less likely to survive of the hatchings," you said.

You scratched Dumpling's cheek, causing her to nuzzle your hand with a soft, melodic cry sounding from her.

"I just kind of, you know, took her in. I mean... I just couldn't leave her out there. I don't think I would have been able to forgive myself if I left a vulnerable baby out there, you know?" You finished.

Hop grinned. "You should pat yourself on the back, mate! I mean, you gave her a chance, and she looks like she appreciates it a lot."

At Hop's words, Dumpling happily fluttered her wings, little snowflakes emitting from her as she did so.

"O-Oh... it was just the right thing to do!" You said.

"(Y/N), give yourself more credit. A lot of people wouldn't have had the same heart of gold that you had in that situation. It's not everyone who would have wanted to take so much time in helping and caring for an 'imperfect' pokémon," Sonia said, making Hop nod in agreement.

It might have been the first time he's met you, but Hop could immediately say that you were a great person. Lovable, even. His mind raced as he felt that he would love to get to know you some more. You had such a warm and inviting presence that practically pulled him to you.

As you were speaking, he could only find himself being completely pulled into a state of immersion at your words. He certainly didn't miss the way your eyes practically shined with life when you spoke about your meeting with Dumpling. You had so much emotion in your voice, and he found it to be absolutely endearing.

Of course, he knew that his desire to get to know you was most likely one-sided and merely wishful thinking on his part. After all, Hop knew that he wasn't very impressive. He was just an assistant who hasn't done anything remarkable. Surely, you wouldn't spare him a minute.

"Say, Hop," you started, making him snap out of his thoughts.

"How about you come over to my place for a visit whenever you have some free time? I could show you around the sanctuary if you're interested!" You offered.

Sonia nudged him. "You should take her up on that offer. You'll love it, I swear! It's so pretty at her place," She said.

"You really mean that?" He asked.

"Of course!" You said.

Hop was caught off guard by your offer. He didn't expect you to invite a nobody like him to your precious sanctuary. He really hoped that he wouldn't be a waste of time to you.

Still, he couldn't help but grin wildly as he practically bounced in his seat. "That would be amazing! Thanks a bunch, (Y/N)!" He exclaimed.

"Please, it's my pleasure!" You said with a smile. "Would you hand me your phone? I'll give you my phone number so you can text me whenever you want to come over!" You said.

"O-Oh! Right!" Hop said with a light blush.

He pulled out his phone and opened up a new contact page before handing it to you. Hop was definitely surprised, it wasn't everyday that a woman offered him her phone number.

"Alright. Here you go!" You said, handing him back his phone.

"I'm pretty much always at my place, so come on over anytime, honestly. Just let me know so that I don't miss when you ring the doorbell since I'm often outside!" You said.

"Gotcha. Thanks a bunch for the opportunity, (Y/N)," he grinned.

You smiled. Hop's smile and enthusiasm was contagious. You hoped that he would go through with your offer. Hop was precisely the kind of person you wanted to share your work and passion with.

~~~~~~

To: (Y/N) 

12:08 P.M

- Hiya! It's Hop, Sonia's assistant from the other day. I have some free time, and I was hoping to maybe come and visit you, maybe?

From: (Y/N) 

12:11 PM

- Hop, hey! I've been waiting for you to hit me up! I'd love for you to visit. Come on over. I can't wait to show you around!

To: (Y/N) 

12:11 PM

- Great! I'm on my way, like, right now. Is that cool with you?

From: (Y/N) 

12:12 PM

- Of course. See you in a bit!

Hop couldn't help the huge, dorky grin on his face as he hurried along the nearly hidden path behind Magnolia's house that led to your sanctuary.

He was beyond excited to get a feel for the kind of life you had as a pokémon rescuer. Plus, he had to be honest with himself: he was excited to see you again. 

He was definitely relieved that you meant it when you had offered him to visit, he had almost expected for your words to be hollow. He wouldn't have blamed you, you probably had better things to do than waste your precious time on him. Still, he was grateful.

And he couldn't help but re-read your messages. Especially the 'I've been waiting for you to hit me up.' It was simple, yet he couldn't deny that it made him feel like he was desirable, like you actually might be interested in his company.

The path to your home was rather bumpy. There were quite a few rocks and branches along the way. He had to slow down a bit as he kept tripping over the various debris on the road. You had really picked one hell of a spot for your sanctuary.

When he finally managed to navigate the narrow path of debris and trees, he came to a gorgeous clearing. There, he saw what was most likely your home, which was situated between a large fenced off area and a berry garden. 

He could already see many trees planted inside the fence, and there seemed to be a second building connected to the area, most likely an indoor area for the pokémon.

Hop grinned as he accelerated towards your house, completely hyped now that he was there and about to experience something entirely new to him.

Your home was a rather small, white farmhouse. It seemed that there were two stories to your home, and there was a small porch with an outdoor swing on it. It looked cozy, and for some reason, it was exactly the kind of house that he would think someone with a rescue would have.

Now at your front door, his hand froze midair as he was about to ring your doorbell. He mentally groaned, was he seriously having second thoughts about everything? 

It's not that he didn't want to visit you. If anything, nothing could make him any happier than visiting you at the moment. What if he was going to slow you down in your work? Hop didn't want you to put your whole day on hold just for him. 

He knew that you had told him that he could drop in anytime, but what if he had caught you at a bad time, and you were simply too nice to turn him away? The more he thought about it, the more he felt like a nuisance.

"Get it together, mate. You're here to have fun and get to know a sweet person better. That's all there is to it," Hop whispered to himself, attempting to calm his nerves.

When he finally rang the doorbell, he immediately heard frantic shuffling coming from inside your house. Barely a few seconds had passed, and you had already opened the door, greeting him with a big grin. You were holding a little Sobble in your arms, one of its front legs was bandaged.

Hop couldn't help but be surprised at the speed you had just displayed. Had you really been waiting for him to such a point? The thought was quickly lost, though. You most likely weren't. At least, not for someone as uninteresting as he was.

"Hop! I'm so glad you came by!" You said, stepping out of your home.

"I'm glad to be here! You're absolutely sure that this okay with you, right? I wouldn't want to be a bother," Hop asked.

He regretted asking as he wanted to keep the outing positive, but he really couldn't help sliding that question in. 

"Don't be silly. Really, I'm happy you're here," you said.

When your tone was laced with such sincerity, Hop couldn't help but grin at you. Perhaps, you truly would enjoy his company.

"Ah... wait. You've got a few leaves in your hair," you said.

You reached your hand to his hair, gently brushing it and causing Hop to slightly squeak in surprise. You couldn't help but chuckle at his reaction. It was pretty cute.

"Yeah. I... well, I smashed into a few branches on my way here. I was so hyped that I could barely slow down and look where I was going," Hop admitted.

"Hey, it still happens to me!" You chuckled. 

When you were done brushing the debris out of Hop's hair, you shut the door of your home. 

"Well? Ready?" You asked as you beckoned him to follow you. "Front gate's just this way."

Hop nodded excitedly as he walked by your side. His gaze went to the Sobble that you were still holding.

"So, who's this little fellow?" He asked.

"I call him Dizzy!" You said.

"Dizzy?"

"Yeah... he has a neurological disorder that affects his balance and cognition. He's not super stable on his feet and took a bit of a tumble today. Nothing too drastic, though, just a little scrape!" You explained.

"Whoa, alright. Is it curable, the disorder? S-Sorry if it sounds stupid, I've just never met a pokémon with a neurological problem," Hop asked.

"Not stupid at all. You won't know unless you ask. It can't be cured. It's genetic, and it's there to stay. Unfortunately, Dizzy has the worst level of it, so he has to take medication every day, or else he could get seizures," you said.

Hop frowned at that. "That's... poor thing."

You rubbed Dizzy's head, making him purr in delight. "Yeah... but he's been great!"

You came to a stop so that you could open the main gate of your rescue, holding it out for Hop to go first. You followed after him, shutting the gate afterwards.

"Flygon?" You called out once you were in the perimeter.

Almost instantly, a Flygon dived from the sky, landing right in front of you and Hop. Poor Hop nearly squealed in surprise at the large dragon, especially since it was glaring right at him.

"Hey, hey, ease up! Hop's a friend, he's good!" You cooed, which seemed to calm him.

"Could you take him back to the water area, please?" You asked, handing him the oblivious Sobble.

With a happy cry of his name, the dragon nodded and took to the skies in the direction of the area you had told him.

"You okay there, Hop?" You asked, chuckling at the look on his face.

He quickly shook his head. "Y-Yeah! I just didn't expect you to have a big Flygon around," he said, chuckling.

"Yeah... Flygon's a big help around here!" You said.

"That's pretty sweet."

You nodded in agreement before clasping your hands together. "Now, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" You said enthusiastically.

Barely into your rescue, and it was already bustling with life. Beautiful, healthy plants, flowers and trees bloomed all over the area. It was rather grassy, except for the main pathway. 

Hootoots, Rookidees and Corvisquires were perched atop the branches. Hop could also make out a Leafeon peacefully sleeping in a shaded area. A Galvantula was carefully working on a burrow inside of a cavity in the base of a tree. Its web looked like a work of art.

There were even some berry trees, and a sweet Flapple was knocking ripe berries out of the tree so that a duo of Appletun could snack on them. 

Where large patches of flowers laid, there was a group of Gossifleurs, Eldegoss, Cottonees and Whimsicotts hanging together. Combees, Cutiflies and Ribombees happily twirled around the flowers. 

Hop had to freeze in his steps to let a trio of Nickit, Purrloin and Yamper pass as they seemed to be playing a game of chase with each other.

Your place was gorgeous and immaculate. He felt like he was in a pokémon research lab; only this was a much more natural environment.

"Look at all of 'em..." Hop said, eyes shining in absolute wonder.

You couldn't help but giggle at how cute Hop looked. He was truly in his element. 

"There's even more of them too! Some might be hiding, and others are in other areas," you said with a small yet proud smirk.

"Bloody hell... this is so cool!" He said. "So, do these pokémon all belong to you?" He asked.

"Not necessarily. Some are still wild pokémon, but they happen to be in my care," you said.

As the two of you kept walking along the path, Hop noticed that there was a lack of human presence in your area. Not a single person other than the two of you was in sight.

"Do.... do you run this all by yourself, (Y/N)?" Hop asked incredulously.

"Well... yes," you said, scratching the back of your head.

"How?! Taking care of pokémon with particular needs can't be an easy feat!" Hop said, mouth agape.

You laughed. "It's definitely something, but knowing that I'm helping pokémon in need, the fatigue is worth it."

"You don't have a single employee? Not even one?" Hop asked, still barely believing it.

"Nope. The closest thing that I have to employees is my team of pokémon that I raised during the gym challenge. I have some stationed in each area of the rescue, so if there are any problems, they'll come to me. I also have my Flygon, who keeps an eye on things from the sky during day time, and my Gengar is on night patrol!" You explained.

"Wow, mate, you sure have a handle on things," he smiled.

And then it hit him. "Wait, you were in the challenge?" He asked.

"Yeah! I wasn't doing it the same year as you though. I didn't get to the end... I met Dumpling, and I was so focused on helping her out that I just, you know, dropped out. But I'm happy I-"

You were cut off by the happy barking of your Growlithe, who was running as fast as she could towards you.

You smiled and crouched to her level, patting her fur as she rapidly and excitedly wagged her tail all the while snuggling you.

"Nubby, my little girl! How are you doing?" You cooed.

Alright. Hop had to compose himself for a few seconds as he nearly melted into a puddle of feelings at the sound of your adorable baby voice.

The more he spoke to you, the more he realized just how incredible you were. Boy, did he feel blessed that you even considered giving him a second of your precious time.

You were leagues above him in so many ways. The two of you had started off the same way: you had both started your lives as mere challengers. You didn't even finish yours, yet you still had managed to become someone. You had a goal, and you were accomplishing incredible things. Meanwhile, Hop had completed his challenge, but he was still utter rubbish who had not managed to do anything impressive of his life.

Your presence, Hop loved it more and more as the minutes went by. But he knew that he didn't deserve it. You shouldn't be associating with a loser like him.

He shook his head, trying to snap himself out of his thoughts, pronto. It was then that he noticed that the Growlithe was missing her right front leg. Only a little nub remained, which was probably why you referred to her as Nubby.

"So, who's this girl?" He asked.

"This is Nubby! Her leg had to be amputated because she had severe trauma where she suffered from too many fractures to the point where it was unfixable," you explained.

Hop crouched down as well, cringing slightly at the thought. "I'm kind of scared to ask what happened to her..." he added, extending his hand.

At that, Nubby bounced to Hop's hand, sniffing it before barking happily once again.

"Yeah... let's just say that her previous owner wasn't a very nice person," you said, a bitter frown on your face as you recalled the memories.

"That's absolute rubbish. How could someone treat a pokémon so poorly?" Hop said.

Nubby began to lick and nuzzle Hop's hand as she wanted some head pats, which is precisely what he did.

"Aw... but you're such a good girl. You didn't deserve that," he cooed.

"She really likes you, Hop! You're a natural with pokémon," You said, laughing softly.

"You think?" He asked with a big grin. His heart practically soared at the compliment.

"Duh! Why wouldn't I?" You said.

"I mean... I've never been a great trainer like my brother or Victor, and I can barely consider myself a professor. I still have a lot to learn, you know?" He said.

Hop instantly cringed as the words left his mouth. He wanted nothing more than to remain positive for the day. After all, he's been adoring every second with you. Yet, Hop couldn't help but let his feelings pour a bit. You just gave him that sentiment of trust that made him want to confide in you.

But, he felt absolutely silly at having unloaded his negativity on you. You didn't deserve to have his self-pity on your shoulders.

However, you just sent him a soft smile before crawling to his side and gently putting your hand on his shoulder. The touch had his stomach fluttering.

"Give yourself more credit, Hop. While Victor was completely destroying everyone, you were the only trainer to give him a run for his money. And you already know so much about pokémon, so imagine in a few years how much of an amazing professor you'll be," you said.

"I-" Hop stuttered, unable to express himself as he felt his face heat up. "Geez, (Y/N), thanks... you're too kind," he said.

"I'm just being factual," you said, grinning at him before standing up.

"Heya, Nubby? I have to finish the tour. Come find me later, and we'll play, okay?" You said.

She barked and nodded. She licked him one last time before pulling away from Hop.  She then bounced off to play with other pokémon.

You extended your hand to Hop, which he took and let you pull him up from the ground. Hop's mind ran wild as he noticed that you had not let go of his hand as you led him through your rescue. You were so casual about it.

As you brought him to the next area, his eyes widened at the gorgeous scenery—a large pond surrounded by rocks, shrubs and trees. There was even a little trickling waterfall. Aquatic plants were surfacing, and the stones had natural moss growing on them.

The little Sobble from earlier seemed like he was having a blast floating on top of a Lotad's head. Little Pyukumukus were chilling on the edges of the rocks, and many fish pokémon happily splashed about. Even non-water type pokémon were running around the area.

"So? What do you think?" You asked.

"What do I think? Mate, it's amazing! If I were a pokémon, I'd never want to leave. How'd you even manage all of this?" He asked, absolutely stunned.

"With a lot of work. My family and I all pitched in to build, landscape and plant everything," you said.

"Bloody hell. You definitely succeeded!" Hop said.

Off in the distance, he saw a more rocky and sandy area. Larvitars were rolling around in the sand. A Sizzlipede and Helioptile were sunbathing on rocks. Hop could also see a large group of Salandits.

"Whoa, you've got a lot of Salandits," he commented.

"Yeah... they tend to be a pretty common pokémon in the rescue," you said.

"Is it because of the Salazzles? I'm pretty sure some Salazzles are pretty ruthless with Salandits. You know, taking all their food and stuff," Hop said.

You grinned. "You're actually spot on, Hop! See? You do know your stuff!"

He blushed again, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. Hop was definitely happy that you were complimenting him. It was a nice, refreshing change from his usual intrusive thoughts.

"They're all males, and they've been starved to the point of near-death because of overly dominant Salazzles. Nature can be just as cruel as humans at times," you said.

You sat down in the shade of a tree. Hop followed, sitting next to you.

"Definitely. But they seem really ha- huh? Is that a shiny Salandit," he asked with wide eyes.

You followed his gaze, and you smiled once you saw the sweet Salandit that he was referring to. The little guy was watching you from afar, yet he made no moves to come to you.

"It is... that would be Blizzard," you said. "Blizzard, sweetie, come over here," you called out.

Blizzard flinched, but he complied. However, he was taking slow, shaky steps, and his posture was excessively nervous, which didn't go unnoticed by Hop.

"Hey... what's wrong with the fellow?" He asked.

"Oh... well, he's petrified of anyone who isn't me," you said.

"O-Oh... maybe I should leave, then? I wouldn't want to cause problems," he said.

You shook your head. "Don't be silly, Hop. You're allowed to stay."

"Can I ask why he's so nervous with people?" Hop asked.

You nodded, sighing at the horrible story. "I happened to be in the area when it all went down, releasing some pokémon who were fit to go back in the wild. A shiny hunter had been looking for a shiny Salandit for months to add to his 'collection.' When he finally found Blizzard, he was outraged that he found a male since they're incapable of evolving. In his fit of rage, the hunter yelled at Blizzard, calling him a worthless piece of shit and kicked him so hard against a rock the poor thing's skull cracked."

"What the hell?!" Hop nearly yelled. 

"I know..." you said.

Blizzard had finally crawled to your hand. He sniffed your hand before rubbing his head against your hand. Hop noticed a few scars on top of the Salandit's head. 

"He seems so sweet," Hop said.

You nodded as you scooped Blizzard into your arms and your lap. He curled up into a bundle, really cuddling up to you as much as he could.

"Hey... thanks again for letting me come here, I mean, look at this place! It's amazing! I could just sit here and watch the pokémon all day," Hop said enthusiastically.

"Well, why don't you drop by more often?" You proposed.

"R-Really? I mean, I'd love to. B-But I wouldn't want to be a bother!" He stuttered, voice laced with surprise.

"Oh, come on! I really enjoyed your company today. It's so nice to have someone as enthusiastic and passionate as you around. Plus, wouldn't it be good for your research? To come here and all?" You said.

"I.... you have a point. I had fun today too, and well, you know..." he said, trailing off near the end as his cheeks erupted in a cherry hue.

Hop was adorable, and you meant it when you said that you'd like to have him over more often. You hoped he would as you definitely had an interest in him blossoming within you.

~~~~~~

Hop never expected that a visit to Magnolia's home would make him meet someone like you. Someone he felt at peace and ease with, someone who he sought out their company.

He kept telling himself that he shouldn't be such a burden by dropping in on you so often, but he couldn't help it.

He went to see you whenever possible, and he lived for the moments where he did. Hop was always so mesmerized by all of the pokémon you took care of. You brought so much to his research, even Sonia had noticed.

And today was another day where he was racing down to your home to see you again.

Getting to your place, he immediately saw you on the porch, sitting on your little swing. As he got closer, he noticed that you were holding two little Dreepys. Next to you was Blizzard, who was snuggling against your thigh.

Hop also saw two bottles and blankets placed onto the table next to the swing. You were probably in the midst of caring for the little ones.

You heard footsteps approaching you. Lifting your head, you saw Hop heading your way, a perfect smile upon his face as he waved at you.

"Heya, Hoppers! Come sit with me, you've got to meet these little cuties," you called out.

Upon realizing that Hop was here, the Salandit that had been cuddling you scurried off of the swing to hide behind your feet and under the swing.

Hop frowned at that. Most of the pokémon had gotten used to his presence, and they all let him play and pet them. But it wasn't the case for Blizzard. The poor thing was still terrified of Hop. Not that Hop blamed him.

"Shoot, sorry. I didn't mean to scare him off," Hop apologized, sitting next to you.

You waved off his apology. "It's fine. He'll come around eventually."

"When did you get Dreepys, (Y/N)?" He asked.

"Just the other day. Aren't they cute?" You gushed as you wiggled your fingers at the little ones, causing them to squeal happily.

"They're tiny. Babies?" Hop said.

"Yeah... they're practically newborns. Their mum passed away. Someone contacted me the other day saying that he found the babies near their mum's body," you explained.

Hop frowned. "Poor things. I wonder what happened to the mum."

"I'm not sure. The Dragapult didn't seem to have any wounds, so she may have been sick," you said.

"So, are you going to keep them until they're old enough to fend for themselves? Like what mother Dragapults do?" Hop said.

You smiled. "That's the plan! Unless they decide that they want to stay."

Suddenly, the duo of babies was trying to nibble at your fingers, causing you to retract them before you got chomped.

"They're probably hungry. Why don't we feed them?" You said.

"We? But-" 

Hop was interrupted as you handed him one of the hungry babies. It wiggled its paws excitedly in Hop's arms.

"A-Are you sure, (Y/N)? Maybe you're better off handling things. I don't want to mess anything up," Hop said with an undertone of nervousness.

You couldn't help but frown. This was a recurring problem with Hop. You had noticed that he seemed to think rather lowly of himself ever since you first met him at Magnolia's. At the time, you had brushed off his behaviour as pure nervousness, but you were most definitely wrong. 

Hop put everyone around him on the highest pedestal while he put himself down. He was constantly doubting his abilities and brushing off his accomplishments as if they were nothing. Every so often, he would make pessimistic comments about himself.

His low self-esteem was heartbreaking to you. You thought that Hop was great, and you wished that he could see himself the way you saw him.

"This isn't the first time you've helped me feed a pokémon from the sanctuary, you'll be fine!" You reassured him.

"I- well, alright then," Hop said.

You grabbed the bottles from the table and handed one to Hop. You shook your bottle and held it out to the baby Dreepy who immediately latched onto it.

"Don't tip the bottle too much, so the Dreepy doesn't drink too fast and choke. That's all there is to it!" You said.

Hop stared at you as you fed the baby dragon with a small blush colouring his face. You looked so cute when you took care of pokémon. Your passion and love for what you did really surfaced, and it was so sweet.

The Dreepy that Hop was holding nudged him, wanting food as well. Hop mumbled a small apology to the pokémon for making him wait.

So, Hop copied what you were doing to feed the baby. Hop had never fed a baby dragon before, so this was a pleasant experience.

Your Dreepy was already done eating, and he let out a big yawn. You set the bottle down and grabbed one of the blankets, wrapping him in a little bundle.

"It helps them feel more secure. They usually spend a lot of time in their mother's catapults at this age, so they like being bundled up," you explained.

"You'd make a good parent," Hop blurted, which he instantly regretted.

His blush worsened as he processed the idiotic and embarrassing thing he had just said. What the hell was wrong with him? How in Arceus' name did he come to the conclusion that that was an appropriate thing to say?

"I-I mean I- never mind! J-Just pretend that you didn't hear that!" Hop said, embarrassed.

But, all you did was grin at him. "You really think so?"

He blinked, surprised that you weren't mad or uncomfortable. "Well... yes," he admitted.

You nodded, still smiling. You glanced at his lap and noticed that the baby Dreepy was finished eating and had fallen asleep all curled up in his lap.

"And... you'd definitely be a great dad," you said, winking at him as you held out the other blanket.

Hop's mind practically stopped functioning at your reply, and he would most likely have a heart attack if this kept up.

He grabbed the blanket, and although his hands were a little shaky from what had just transpired, he managed to wrap it around the Dreepy.

"See? You did really well with the Dreepy! Thanks for giving me a hand," you said.

"I-It's my pleasure- huh?" 

Hop paused as he noticed that Blizzard was starting to poke his head out from underneath the swing. The Salandit was looking straight at Hop and tilting his head. He seemed to be intrigued in Hop.

Hop smiled. "Heya, lil' buddy."

You grinned at the scene. Although Blizzard wasn't making any moves to come to Hop, he was starting to recognize Hop as a good person, which was a good thing.

Hop leaned down, holding his hand out to Blizzard. Blizzard continued to stare at Hop's hand, but he ultimately decided to back away a little and hold onto your leg.

"Still not passed the 'no touchy' boundaries, huh? It's alright, take your time," Hop said, sitting upright.

"If anything, I think Blizzard likes you. He's never even tried to make eye contact with others," you said.

"Really?"

"Yeah! He must sense that you're absolutely amazing!" You said.

Hop blushed. "I- thanks, (Y/N)"

Hop never expected that a visit to Magnolia's home would make him meet someone like you. Someone he would end up crushing on, even if he knew that you would never glance at him in that way.

~~~~~~

"Hello? Sonia? Hop?" You called out, entering the research lab.

Hop, who was putting away some books on the second story, turned around at the sound of your voice. He grinned when he saw you.

"(Y/N)! Whatcha doing here?" He asked, heading down the stairs.

You hugged him, which he immediately reciprocated. Thankfully for him, you couldn't see the dorky, lovesick smile plastered on his face when you did.

"I was actually dropping off some rare berries by Sonia's request. You know how much she loves making curry," you said, waving a bag around.

Hop took your bag to place it onto the desk for Sonia to grab whenever she came back to the lab. 

He looked back at you, playfully pouting. "Aw... you didn't come here to see me?"

"Well, it might have been an excuse to come and see you," you winked.

You were just joking around, he knew that. You had to be, there was no way you actually meant that. Even if he knew not to put much thought into it, he couldn't help but hang onto the slight sliver of hope that there was some underlying flirtatious message in your comment. 

"But, er, do you mind if I stay with you a bit?" You asked. "I'll leave if you're busy, though," you added.

Hop practically lit up at your desire to stay with him, and he hoped that he didn't seem like such a dork. 

"No, no, I'd be happy for you to stay. I was getting kind of bored any- hey... are you alright?" Hop interrupted himself, smile faltering a bit when he noticed that you looked exhausted.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Perfectly fine," you said.

You mentally cursed yourself for not covering up your fatigued state better. You were completely drained, and that was a big fact, a fact that you tried to push away as best as you could. 

You knew that you needed to rest, yet you were so stubborn and strict with yourself that you continued to work and work until you looked and felt like a wreck. It made you so happy to make your pokémon happy that you had managed to convince yourself that your own health wasn't as crucial as their wellbeing.

The last few days and nights were particularly rough with the baby Dreepys getting up a few times per night. Plus, you had gotten a difficult Toxtricity who was pulled from a sadistic owner. The pokémon was missing an eye, and scars littered his entire body. He was exceptionally aggressive and defensive, and you had spent a lot of time and energy on him to try to ease him up a bit. There was progress, but the rehabilitation would be long.

You had hoped that it would have gone unnoticed by Hop. He was already struggling with his own self-esteem issues, and you didn't want him to worry about you. You wanted him to take care of himself first and foremost. To hell with the state you brought upon yourself.

But, you knew that he wouldn't let it slide. Hop was just as stubborn as you were.

"Have you been sleeping all that well at all, (Y/N)?" He asked.

"Yes!" You said enthusiastically, though your voice cracked as you felt your head pound from how tired you were.

"You should sit down," Hop insisted, gently taking your hand in his to drag you to the couch.

"I swear, I'm fine, Hop," you protested, even though it was apparent that you were lying as you made no effort to stop Hop from sitting you down.

"(Y/N), we both know that's rubbish. I mean, you can barely keep your eyes open," Hop said.

"I... I guess you're right," you sighed, rubbing your eyes and forehead.

Hop put his hands on your shoulders, rubbing them soothingly. "Take it easy on yourself, you poor thing."

You nodded, barely having the energy to even speak properly.

Feeling a bit bolder, Hop wrapped an arm around your shoulders and brought you closer against him. You immediately responded by laying your head on his chest, making him blush at the unexpected action.

"You don't mind, yeah? You're kinda comfy," you said.

"I-It's fine," Hop squeaked.

His heart raced a mile a minute, which you could probably hear. Still, he managed to bring his hand up to your head to run it through your soft hair. He swore that you practically purred at the contact.

"I might fall asleep if you keep doing that," you mumbled.

He chuckled. "Guess I'll keep at it then."

And that's exactly what happened. After a few minutes of innocent cuddling, you had ultimately passed out on him. You seemed so peaceful that Hop didn't bother moving from his spot.

It was also because he enjoyed having you so close to him.

He figured that this was the closest thing to more intimate physical contact he would get with you. So, he wasn't complaining. But he kept telling himself that it was just a coincidence that you happened to fall asleep on him, that it didn't make him special. 

As Hop kept playing with your hair, Sonia had walked into the lab, and the first thing she saw was you and Hop cuddled up against one another.

She stared for a few seconds before smirking. "Well, isn't that just adorable?" She teased.

"It's... not what it looks like," Hop defended rather poorly, cheeks beginning to heat up.

"Oh, right, pardon me. You totally aren't cuddling with (Y/N)," she winked.

"They... they were just really tired and ended up passing out... on me," he said, mumbling the last part.

"I mean... it's not like you're complaining, right?" Sonia said.

"Sonia..." Hop warned.

She ignored him. "Like, you're crazy for them, so it must be a dream come true!"

Hop huffed, red-faced in embarrassment. "Your berries are on the desk..."

"You're not getting out of this that easily," she said.

Hop sighed in defeat. "Okay, fine. No, I don't mind having them like this. Far from it, actually."

Sonia giggled, heading over to the bag of berries. "So, when do you plan on asking them out on an actual date?" She said, rummaging through the bag.

He shrugged. "Not now... or ever."

Sonia turned around, looking at Hop questionably. "Why?"

Hop shrugged again, a sad smile overtaking him. "We're just friends, and that's all we'll be. I know they’ll never like me the way I do, so why risk ruining everything, you know?"

"What makes you say that, Hop?" She asked.

"They just... won't. B-But that's fine!" He said, not wanting to pour his feelings of insecurity to Sonia.

She frowned. "Right... well, you should give it a chance. If anything, I've never seen (Y/N) come to the lab as often as this ever since they met you. I think you've got a good chance."

Hop nodded. However, Sonia's words practically went over his head. He would rather endure a one-sided crush than face the reality of rejection. He was convinced that that's what you would do should he try to say anything about his feelings.

Why would you like him? Hop couldn't find a single reason why you would, and it did shatter his heart to pieces.

Even if he would die to have the chance of calling himself your boyfriend, the shattering feeling of rejection and ruining your friendship weren't things Hop wanted to go through.

~~~~~~

Hop was visiting you once more, and he was giving you a hand in handing out food for all of the pokémon. Really, he couldn't have asked for a better way to spend his days; spending time with you, helping you, taking care of pokémon and learning new things.

He was outdoors, near the water and sandy areas of the rescue. You weren't too far from him. He could see you through some trees sitting at a fair distance from your Toxtricity. He could hear you talking about random little things as a tactic to get the pokémon used to your presence.

Glancing at you, he smiled at how determined you looked to get Toxtricity to trust again. There was a small difference in behaviour that was noticeable. The pokémon no longer tried to attack you on sight.

He placed various dishes down for the pokémon that were hanging near the water area, and from the corner of his eye, he saw the little Sobble lose his balance, which had the lizard nearly slip off the rocks.

Hop rushed over to Dizzy, catching him before he could fall and hurt himself. 

"Heya, you've gotta be more careful, mate. You don't want to get hurt again, huh?" He lightly scolded.

Dizzy, still in Hop's arms, tilted his head innocently, not understanding what was going on. Hop chuckled at that and patted Dizzy's head, making him purr in delight.

"Everything alright, Hoppers?" You called out from the trees.

"All good! Just Dizzy being, well, dizzy," Hop replied.

"You sure are a handful, aren't you?" He said to Dizzy. "Not that you mean it, or anything."

Hop set the Sobble back down onto the ground, near all the other pokémon so that he could eat. It was one big, happy family, and all of the pokémon of the area always pitched in to keep an eye on the Sobble whenever possible.

Turning around, Hop blinked in surprise as saw the shiny Salandit slowly crawling over to him. However, Blizzard immediately froze in his tracks when he noticed that Hop saw him.

Hop crouched, holding his hand out. "You have nothing to be afraid of. Trust me, please?"

To his absolute bafflement, Blizzard took more steps forward. They were slow and shaky, but he was approaching Hop nonetheless.

And then, the Salandit sniffed Hop's hand. Going a bit further, Hop rubbed the underside of Blizzard's chin, which he responded by nuzzling Hop's hand, happily wagging his tail.

"See? I'm not so bad, right?" Hop said, making Blizzard nod in agreement.

"Can I help you, sir?" 

Hop stopped petting Blizzard at the sound of your voice, immediately on alert. The tone of your voice sounded very wary, and rightfully so as there was an unknown man in front of you.

You stared at the new presence with caution. Your sanctuary wasn't open to the public, so this man was trespassing.

You didn't like the way that he was looking at you, glaring at you and scanning you with a sneer. He was making you slightly uncomfortable, but you kept your cool. If anything happened that you didn't like, both your Flygon and Hop would be by your side.

And you had a feeling that Hop was keeping an eye on you in the distance. You had noticed how he had started becoming a little protective of you. It was especially noticeable when he scolded you about taking poor care of yourself.

As the man wasn't responding, you spoke up again. "If you don't have any particular business with me, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. This is private property."

"I've got business with you," he said.

"And that would be..?" You pressed.

"You the bitch who's got my Toxtricity?" He asked.

Your eyes widened. The Toxtricity you had gotten just two weeks ago, this was his previous owner. From the corner of your eye, you saw the pokémon in question flinch. You were, suddenly, feeling very bitter.

"Oh... you mean the Toxtricity that's covered in scars and burn marks? The one that's missing an eye?" You said.

He smirked. "Yeah. That one. I'm here to pick it up. Just hand it over to me, and we ain't gon' have any problems."

"I don't think so," you said, taking a step back as the man stepped forward.

The air felt heavy as the man kept a glare etched on you. He was tall and rather buff. If he had no issues harming his own pokémon for nothing more than sick pleasure, then what would stop him from hurting you?

"I'm not gonna say it again. Hand the fucking thing over if you don't wanna end up like it," he said.

That was enough for Hop.

"Is there a problem?" Hop said as he stepped to your side.

The intruder chuckled, his tone was full of mockery. "This fuckin' stick is your bodyguard? How cute."

"I swear, mate, leave them alone," Hop nearly growled, taking a step forward so he could be in front of you.

"What the fuck do you expect to do- oh... there you are," the man said, glancing off to the side and noticing Toxtricity.

Toxtricity growled at the man, though you could clearly see the poor thing shaking in absolute fear. 

In mockery, the man chuckled and took a few steps towards the panicked pokémon, causing you to panic a bit.

"No! Don't even think of getting close to him," you yelled.

You tried to hurry to Toxtricity before he could, but before you could, the man had smacked you hard enough for you to plunge to the ground.

This caused your Flygon to dive from the sky, snarling at the man as he shielded both you and Toxtricity. As for Hop, utterly furious, he had decided to release one of his most prized pokémon to come to your aid. That's how the intruder found himself sandwiched between a furious Flygon and a powerful Zacian.

"Zacian, Flygon, pin him down! Make sure that this worthless piece of rubbish can't escape," Hop ordered.

The two pokémon were more than happy to comply, the man never stood a chance as Flygon whacked the man with his tail, causing him to fly to Zacian's side where the legendary wolf kept a paw on him to prevent him from escaping. It looked beyond painful, but Hop didn't care.

"Keep him in place, Zacian," Hop said.

Even with the aching pain you felt, you couldn't help but stare at the legendary pokémon in wonder. You knew that Hop had Zacian by his side, but you had never seen it. And looking at it in person, obeying Hop's commands without a single protest was terrific. Hop was truly a great trainer that deserved every ounce of recognition, but you had never doubted that. Not once.

With that, Hop raced to your side, wasting no time in hugging you tightly before helping you back up on your feet.

"(Y/N)! Are you okay? Shit, that's gonna leave a bruise," he said, analyzing your injury.

"I-I'll be-"

"Shit... I'm so sorry I let that happen," he continued, not letting you speak.

"Hop, it's not-"

"Oh fuck... how could I let that happen to you?"

"Hop..."

"I'm so stupid. I should have reacted sooner. What was I thinking?"

You hugged him tightly, catching him off guard and causing him to finally cease his frantic, pessimistic comments about himself.

"I'm glad you stepped in when you did. If you hadn't, who knows what would have happened to Toxtricity and me. Thank you," you said.

"B-But... you got hurt," Hop muttered, voice cracking slightly.

"It'll heal. It's not your fault. You're a hero, for all I care," you said, pulling away with a smile.

"I... I'm glad you think so," he said.

He turned back to glare at the piece of shit, still struggling underneath his Zacian's weight. 

"Go inside and clean yourself up. Get a bag of ice, sit down and decompress, okay? I'll call the police so they can come to pick up the trash. I'll stay here until they arrive," he said, turning back to you.

"Okay. Thank you. But... can you, you know, come inside with me after? I don't want to be alone after what happened," you said, cheeks heating a bit.

Hop felt his heart skip a few beats at the fact that you were seeking comfort in him.

He nodded. "Anything for you," he said, smiling nervously at his choice of words, but you didn't seem to mind.

As you distanced yourself from the scene, you couldn't help but smile despite it all. You were so thankful that Hop was there for you, and you knew that you could trust him with everything. He was wonderful.

~~~~~~

You stared at yourself in your bedroom mirror, nodding confidently as you felt that you looked presentable. Although you weren't really going for an extravagant look, you looked cute.

There had always been chemistry between you and Hop. Being with him felt natural and right; you had practically instantly clicked. Over the months, your interest in Hop grew and grew until you could confidently say that you had fallen in love with him.

And so, after much consideration and hyping yourself up, you had decided that you would take it upon yourself to make a romantic move on Hop. You were going to ask him on a little date.

You exited your house to head to Wedgehurst, a giddy and warm feeling surfacing. If Hop accepted, you would be the happiest person in Galar.

It's been so long since you've dated anyone, and although you hadn't been actively looking for a significant other, you were happy that you happened to meet Hop.

Hop was the kind of man you'd love to date. He was such a bundle of energy, passion and ambition, which made him stand out from other people you've met. He was such a sweetheart with you, and he obviously cared a lot for you. What more could you ask for?

When you were in front of the lab, you took a deep breath, trying to compose yourself. You were excited, but nervous. You nodded to yourself, it was now or never. Entering the lab, you saw Hop lazing on the lab's couch, watching something on his Rotom Phone. You heard some rummaging noises coming from the back of the lab, most likely Sonia.

Hop lifted his gaze, grinning when he saw you heading his way. He set his phone down.

"(Y/N)! Hi! What brings you here?" Hop asked, still grinning.

"Well, I... I'm not bothering you, right?" You asked as feeble attempt to take your time in asking him out.

"Pft. When do you ever bother me?" Hop said.

"Okay. Good, that's good," you said, already feeling your cheeks heat up.

You came here, feeling so confident in yourself, knowing exactly what to say and how to say it, only to transform into a moron when you were in front of Hop.

"Hey... you feeling alright? Are you sick or something?" Hop asked, concern lacing his voice.

"No, no, I'm cool. I just-" you took a deep breath. "You see... there's this really nice café in Turrfield, and well, would you like to go with me?" You finally asked.

Hop blinked, visibly processing your words before blushing madly. "Wait. Are you... are you asking me on a date," he asked, completely shocked.

You giggled. "Well, yes!"

Hop couldn't believe it. Why were you asking him on a date? Of all people that you could choose, you were going for the most significant failure the region had ever seen.

Hop had been pining for you for so long now, but he had convinced himself that this scenario was improbable, impossible, even. This had to be some kind of sick joke, right?

But, you weren't the type of person to do such a thing, to play with someone's feelings. You were better than that.

And that was the problem: you were too good for him. You deserved better, and he knew it. Hop accepted it.

Meanwhile, your heart was practically pounding out of your chest as you waited for Hop's answer. His silence was making you beyond nervous.

Hop shook his head and cleared his throat. "I... I'm sorry, (Y/N), but I'll have to say no."

Your heart shattered in millions of pieces at that. 

"O-Oh..." was all you managed to say.

Hop cringed at the dejected look you had. He didn't mean to hurt you, but hopefully, this would push you to seek someone better than him.

Or maybe it was a ridiculous thought that he was regretting. He regretted it so much, but he couldn't seem to voice his actual feelings. He was so deep in his low self-esteem.

You nodded, averting your gaze from Hop's. "Right. Yeah. That's totally fine!" You said, trying to remain positive, but it was more than evident that your enthusiasm was fake.

"(Y/N), I-" 

"It's fine, really! You don't have to explain yourself. You have every right not to want to go on a date with me," you said, voice quivering.

Hop didn't say anything. There was nothing more that he desired than go out with you. Why couldn't he say anything?

"I'm gonna go now, okay? I'll go do... stuff. I'll see you, right?" You said, already backing away.

Hop bit his lip. "Yeah..."

And you were out the door quicker than you could have imagined. Feelings of humiliation, frustration and heartbreak were taking over you, and you didn't want to stick around for anyone to see your tears.

Hop stared at the door, running his hands through his hair in absolute horror at what he had just done. He initially thought that this was going to be the best option to keep you from dating an absolute nobody, but he was processing what a colossal mistake that was.

Hop hated seeing you upset, he always wanted to see your eyes shine with life. Now, he had never seen you so broken, and he was the cause of it. That stung on so many levels.

"I outta smack you right now. What in the world was that about, Hop?" Sonia exclaimed, stomping over to him.

"I-"

Sonia interrupted him. "No, you know what? I don't even want to hear your excuses. I thought you liked them!"

"I do like them!" Hop said, flinching at Sonia's tone with him.

"Then, why did you reject them? I don't get it, Hop. They obviously like you!"

"But..."

"No! You are going to take the day off, and you are going to go see your friend, whose heart you just split, and talk things out with them," Sonia ordered.

Hop bit his lip and nodded. Sonia was right, he fucked up, and he needed to make up for his mistake. He needed to open up to you.

Weren't you, after all, the best person that he could pour his heart to? Weren't you the sweetest, most open-minded and trustworthy person he knew and fell in love with?

~~~~~~

Sitting on your living room couch, your Frosmoth cuddled up to you as you cried your heart out. She was trying to make you feel better, and you appreciated her efforts, even if you both knew that your heartbreak wouldn't cure with little cuddles.

You glanced at your front door as someone knocked on it. You ignored it at first, not having the energy to get up, but you eventually caved in as the knocking became more frantic.

You reluctantly stood up, and when you opened up the door, Hop was there, looking as guilty as ever. His eyes seemed glossy, seemingly about to cry himself. You contemplated slamming the door in his face, but you couldn't bring yourself to do that to Hop.

"(Y/N). Can... can I come in?" He asked softly.

You nodded, sidestepping to let him in. The two of you remained silent for what seemed to be an eternity. The air was tense.

Suddenly, Hop tightly wrapped his arms around you, placing your head against his chest. He rested his face in the crook of your neck, and you felt little droplets streaming down your skin.

"I'm... damn it. I'm so sorry, (Y/N)," he muttered. "I'm such an idiot. I just- I didn't want to hurt you like that. I'm the worst."

"I told you, Hop. It's okay if you don't want to go out with me. I'm not forcing you," you whispered.

He pulled away from you, keeping his hands on your shoulders. "But I do want to go out with you."

"Wha-? But you said-"

"I know what I said, and I lied through my teeth," he admitted.

"Why? If you wanted to, then why did you reject me?" You asked, genuinely confused.

"It's going to sound stupid, and it really is, b-but I..." he said, trailing off as he struggled to find the right words.

You took his hand in yours. "Here, let's sit," you said as you guided him to the couch.

You didn't let go of his hand when you sat down, hoping to give him a bit of comfort. You weren't as upset as you were just a few minutes ago, though you were confused and wanted answers.

"I said no because I thought you would be better off with someone else," he admitted.

"Someone else? Why would you think that?" You asked, completely flabbergasted.

"(Y/N), I- damn it. I'm nothing special! You could do so much better than a failure like me. You deserve the best, and I'm not that. I'm talentless rubbish."

Your jaw nearly dropped. It wasn't uncommon for Hop to make small, negative comments about himself, but this was the first time you've heard him degrade himself to such an extent.

"I wanted to be a legend, to surpass my brother and become the champion, but my friend was better than me. Everyone throughout my entire journey was better than me. Everyone is still better than me."

"Hop-"

"I haven't accomplished anything, there's nothing to set me apart from others. I figured that the right thing to do was to spare you from the embarrassment that would come with dating Galar's biggest loser..." he squeezed your hand, "... but it would destroy me to see you with someone else, even if I know that you deserve the world. The world that I can't provide."

More tears streamed down his cheeks as all of his darkest thoughts finally came out of him. It was heartbreaking to see Hop in such a state, to voice what he thought of himself. 

You thought none of the things he had just said, and you thought that you had made it obvious over all the time you've spent together. You were always there to give him reassurance, to hype him up when he didn't believe in himself. Hop looked so broken and lost like he didn't know what else to do or think. You couldn't believe that he thought so lowly of himself to the point where he felt that he didn't deserve anything good happening to him.

"Hop, sweetheart, look at me," you said. "How could you even have the audacity to say all these horrible things about yourself?"

"It's the tru-"

"No. You think you're a failure because you didn't become a champion? Please. I don't care that you didn't win. Don't you like what you're doing right now?"

"Yes..."

"There! That's all that matters. And for the record, you're phenomenal at what you do. You have so much knowledge about pokémon, and you're a natural with them. I should know, I see the way you are at the sanctuary. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: imagine just how amazing you're going to be as a professor in the future when you're already that good."

Hop wiped at his tears a bit. "You... really think I'm doing okay?"

You smiled. "More than okay! You think you're talentless, that you haven't accomplished anything and that you're not unique? Bullshit. Say that to the Zacian, who chose you as one of the heroes. Say that to Victor, who has a hard time standing against you in battle when no one else can. Say that to the insane amount of progress you've made to become a professor. Heck, you might just become one of the youngest professors!"

"(Y/N)... I- you really think that of me?" He asked, hope lacing his tone.

You nodded, rubbing soothing circles on his hand with your thumb. "Yes, and I really like you, Hop. Without even looking at what you've accomplished, I still like you. You could be the most ordinary person, and I'd still like you. You get what I'm saying? I'm attracted to you as a person for all of your amazing qualities and your adorable quirks. I like you because I feel a connection between us, and I just feel comfortable with you."

Hop chuckled, his bright smile returning to him as he blushed madly. He pulled you into a hug, and you immediately clung onto him.

"Thank you, (Y/N). I needed to talk to someone about this, and I just- thank you. I like you too, a lot. So, so much," he said. He pulled away from you. "So.. about that date?"

You laughed softly, leaning in to plant a small kiss to the corner of his lips. That alone made Hop's mind go blank as he chuckled with a smitten look on his face.

Maybe he wasn't Galar's ultimate winner, but why should he care when he already had everything he needed and wanted? Hop would be damned to let a gem such as yourself go, so he'd be selfish just this once and keep you for himself.

Not that you seemed to mind.

[mentalbreakdowngobrrrrr]

Milo w/ Champion f! s/o

fluff; Milo with a super strong f! s/o who's the champion

Hop, M/c and the others r aged up to 20, Milo 22

Proud bf frfr.

Every single match you've ever fought in he has watched, cheering you on with a big goofy grin

"THAT'S MY GIRLFRIEND!! OMG THATS MY GIRLFRIEND!"

Big strong lad likes strong lass.

You are a workaholic and rarely slow down.

"Have you eaten yet?" "......Oops."

I headcannon this man is malewife material and is a beast in the kitchen. He makes the best apple curry frfr.

All your Pokémon love him! even your VERY protective Cinderace.

Firm believer he falls hard and fast

Milo sat in the stands of the stadium, eyes trained onto the field where the familiar shape of his girlfriend's body and the body of your long-time rival, Hop.

Despite Hop deciding to go down the path of a professor, you and him decided to have a friendly battle just like the old days.

You had became the champion at the age of 18, overthrowing Leon when he was 21.

Milo still fondly remembers the first time he interacted with you. (Even if the very first interaction was a Wooloo smacking into you) He remembers watching in anticipation as you took on his gym challenge. He had just lost against the champion's brother, so he was intrigued by the other challenger endorsed by Leon.

You seemed to have a special way with the Wooloo. What normally was a chaotic task was turned into a quick, streamlined one as you expertly guided the Wooloo into the pen, decimating his trainers. Of course, their grass types were no match for your Raboot.

When you reached him, he was able to see your bond with your Pokémon first hand, and he instantly gained a small crush. Your team at the time was only two Pokémon, which was a pretty small team, but they were both incredibly well trained. The grass type trainer could tell you cared more about quality over quantity.

Sadly, in his gym match against you, he stood no chance. He wasn't even able to land a single hit on your Raboot, let alone see the next member of your team. You wiped out his Pokémon in one hit. You didn't even have to Dynamax.

Of course, when you had such a strong bond with a Pokémon you are almost unbeatable. You and your Raboot were in perfect sync, you barely even had to direct her on what to do, when you did, she followed your orders with full trust.

After his crushing defeat, he approached you offering his gym badge, and some advice on where to next.

Since you had peaked his interest, he watched all your matches, watching as you took down his friends without drawing out a second Pokémon. Even Nessa with her water types stood no chance against the powerhouse fire type.

By Kabu's gym you had 3 Pokémon now, the last two still a mystery. Your Raboot evolved into a Cinderace, and the affects of the pyro ball were devastating on Kabu.

It wasn't until your fight with Opal that he was able to cross you again. This was also the first match where he was able to see another one of your Pokémon (by then you had 5). Upon the start of the battle, he prepared himself to see your Cinderace take the field. Instead a Toxapex appeared. Using the poison type advantage you wiped Opal with her only managing to land 2 hits.

He had been in Ballonlea on gym-leader business, but decided he had time to watch your match. "It's good to finally see another one of your Pokémon." he commented with a smile as he aproached you outside the gym.

"Milo?"

"Great job on the match, I was in town and decided to check it out. Your bond with your Pokémon amazes me as always."

"What do you mean as always? You've only seen me battle once?" You asked, tilting your head.

"Ah- Well, you see, it's. uh. Well, It's rare to see a trainer who has such a uhm strong bond with their Pokémon, so I just uh- wanted to see more of your matches. I- uh have really enjoyed watching your bond with Cinderace grow." he mumbled, turning bright red, and averting his eyes to the ground.

"Aww, that's so sweet. I'm glad you like watching my matches so much. Do you want to meet the full team?"

"Can I?"

"Sure, just don't go around telling everyone my team. I've been keeping them a secret to prepare for Leon." You winked at him, holding a finger to your lips, causing him to blush.

"I-I promise!" He squeaked, excited to see your Pokémon.

"Come on out guys!" You threw your pokeballs into the air. Cinderace and Toxapex were the pokemon he knew about, however a Mimikyu, Appletun, and a Shuckle were the remaing 3 team members.

Upon being released, the pokemon let out delighted cries and immediately ran up to you for pets, all letting out of noises of content as they snuggled up with you.

It wasn't until Milo gasped that their attention was snatched away. your Appletun and Shuckle approached the man in curiosity, while Mimikyu and Toxapex stayed by you. Cinderace glared at him, her arms crossed as she loomed next to you.

"Carnelian, it's okay, Milo's nice. Plus even if he wasn't, you could take him easily." You sent him a look that told him to play along.

"Haha yeah. I stood no chance against you when you were a Raboot, no way I'd stand a chance now." He rubbed the back of his head, while the rabbit stuck her chest out in pride.

"Now, why don't you go play with Aquamarine and Onyx?" The rabbit pokemon nodded and hopped over to play with the water and ghost types.

Turning to Milo you sent him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Carnelian and I have been through a lot together, so she's super protective. She doesn't like anyone getting near me, let alone men. The only way to ease her up is if she knows she's stronger."

"It's ok, I get it. Plus it's not like I was lying. Even without the type advantage, your bond is unbeatable."

"Yeah, I suppose it is." A small smile came to your face as you reflected on all your memories with your pokemon. "Anyways, now that you've seen my secret, you owe me a date."

The gentle giant exploded into red. "I-I What? I'm flattered I really am, but I'm sure you have much better things to do than spend time with someone like me."

"Hmm, sure I do, but I think you're super cute and want to get to know you more. How about you accompany me to Circhester?"

"I do have to head there next..." he mumbled. "Are you sure you don't mind?"

"Not at all. Traveling with company is always more fun, plus I meant what I said about wanting to get to know you better."

"O-Okay" He flushed as you grabbed his hand and pulled him into Route 8.

The 3 days he spent traveling with you allowed the two of you to grow close enough to start dating.

He watched in person as you crushed Gordie, but sadly could not attend your fight with Piers in person as he had to return to his gym.

"I promise I will be watching from home and cheering you on. Win for me ok?" he brought a hand down to rest on your head.

"I promise. Knowing you're cheering me on will make me win!" With a smile, you leaned up and gave him a small peck on the lips, which caused him to short circuit. "I'll see you at the champion cup!" With a wink, you ran off towards your next gym.

The day of the Champion cup comes, and as expected you destroy the semifinals with the new addition to your team, Morpeko. Marnie nor Hop stands a chance.

Before you can continue on to defeat Leon, you are interrupted by Chairman Rose and the whole Eternatus thing. Leading you and Hop to return to the slumbering weald to get the help of the legendary pokemon.

Finally after the match being pushed back two days, you were able to fight Leon. You did not breeze through this fight as quickly, struggling with his Inteleon and of course his partner, Charizard, but with the help of Carnelian, you and best friend defeated Leon and became the new champions.

As soon as the match was over, Milo had already scooped you up off the ground and was twirling you around. "YES! I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT! EVER SINCE YOU FIRST TOOK ON MY GYM I KNEW YOU WERE GONNA DO GREAT!"

Letting out a giggle a brilliant smile crossed your face. "I can't believe we did it!"

Back to the current battle, as expected you wiped the floor with Hop, just as you had done every time before. The male only laughed, exclaiming that it was good to battle you again.

After exchanging a hug, you turned to your boyfriend who was waiting with the dumbest grin on his face.

Upon seeing he had your attention, he slowly got down on one knee, eyes filled with love. "(Name), ever since I first saw your incredible bond with your pokemon, I have been smitten. I have watched proudly as you overcame every single challenge thrown your way and saved our region. I have been lucky enough to call myself your boyfriend, but would you let me be even luckier and call myself your fiancé?"

Throwing yourself onto him, tears filling your eyes, you screamed out a yes.

"I promise you will never feel unloved with me. I love you."

"I love you too."

(That turned out so much longer than planned oops. I recently replayed Sword cuz why not and uh oh hyperfixation back.)

[deltablitz]

↷ 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 - [Pokémon x Reader]

↳ Before Requesting;

     Please note the following;

Please don’t request NSFW (smut, lemons, limes, etc.) of any kind, thank you.

 I write these in my free time, so I apologize for any sort of delay when releasing any content.

Please specify if you want an imagine / headcanons / one-shot (or more).

Don’t be afraid to mention another character / request for another character that’s not on the list. Keep in mind I only write for Pokémon people!

I mostly write for in-game characters, but feel free to request any characters from the anime!

I do not own Pokémon nor any of the characters by any means. All rights go towards Nintendo, Creatures, Game Freak & Satoshi Tajiri- as well as their amazing teams that brought us Pokémon!

↳ Characters I Write For;

     KANTO; Gary, Blue, Red, Ash, Misty, Brock, James, Jessie, Lance, Erika, Koga, & Sabrina

    JOHTO; Silver, Falkner, Clair, & Will

     HOENN; Brendan, May, Roxanne, Brawly, Flannery, Winona, Wallace, Steven Stone & Wally

     SINNOH; Lucas, Dawn, Barry, Gardenia, Fantina, Volkner, Cynthia, Mars, Jupiter & Saturn

     HISUI; Akari, Rei, Cyllene, Laventon, Kamado, Adaman, Arezu, Mai, Melli, Irida, Palina, Ingo, Volo & Cogita

     UNOVA; Hilbert, Hilda, Nate, Rosa, Cheren, Bianca, N, Hugh, Cilan, Chili, Cress, Lenora, Elesa, Skyla, Drayden, Iris, Marlon, Grimsley, Alder, Ingo & Emmet

     KALOS; Calem, Serena, Alain, Shauna, Tierno, Trevor, Viola, Grant, Korrina, Clemont, Valerie, Olympia, Siebold, Malva, Diantha, Sycamore & Alexa

     ALOLA; Elio, Selene, Hau, Lillie, Gladion, Kukui, Burnet, Lana, Kiawe, Mallow, Olivia, Kahili, Guzma, Nanu & Lusamine

     GALAR; Victor, Gloria, Hop, Bede, Leon, Sonia, Milo, Nessa, Kabu, Oleana, Marnie, Piers, Bea, Allister, Gordie, Melony, Raihan, Peony, Klara & Avery

     PALDEA; Florian, Juliana, Nemona, Arven, Atticus, Brassius, Eri, Giacomo, Grusha, Iono, Jacq, Katy, Larry, Mela, Ortega, Penny, Sada, Turo, Ryme & Tulip

↷ What I Write

     Forms Of Writing; Imagines, Textfic, Crack, One-Shots, Headcanons, & Songfics

     Relationships; Romantic ( s/o, crush, etc. ), Platonic ( friend, family member, rival, enemy, etc.)

     Genres / Types; Fluff, Angst, Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Rivalry, Character x Reader x Character, Jealousy, Isekai, Forbidden Love, Crossover, Darkfic, Alternate Universes, Unrequited Love, & Hurt/Comfort

          ↳Note; Other types of genre may be unlisted.

↳ Work(s);

     KANTO; None Yet

     JOHTO; None Yet

     HOENN; None Yet

     SINNOH; None Yet

     HISUI; None Yet

     UNOVA; None Yet

     KALOS; None Yet

     ALOLA; None Yet

     GALAR; None Yet

     PALDEA; None Yet

↷ ‘ ‘ Now get on out there, trainer! ’ ’

[ourvanishingghosts]

Hello! If your requests are open for Pokemon Sword and Shield, could you please write something about Leon and Gordie with a librarian s/o? Maybe the reader works as Sonia's assistant with bringing her sources on the Darkest Day and everything. Bonus points if something super cliche happens like the reader's standing on a stool to stock a high shelf and the stool wobbles and one of them catches her before she falls. Thanks so so much, I hope you have a great rest of your week!

Can do and thank you. I hope you have a great rest of your week too.

Click Read More for Gordie since Leon's is super long

💜Leon💜

Leon was visiting Sonia on one of the few days off he has from being the champion, but couldn't find her anywhere.

"Sonia!?!?"

"She's out getting lunch, Leon!" you shout from the balcony then go back to organizing the books that Sonia left out and didn't put back

He heads up to talk to you instead

He sees you on one of those step ladders trying to put a book back on a high shelf

You start to feel yourself fall backward and expect to hit the floor, but all you feel are a pair of muscular arms

You open your eyes only to meet Leon's face inches away from yours and you both blush

"Thanks, Leon"

"You're welcome. So what are you doing?" he asks as he puts you down

"Oh. I am just putting some books back that Sonia left out. I have organized the books by subject then I organized them alphabetically."

He nods and starts to help you out despite your protests

But he helps out anyways because he's your boyfriend and he wants to help

Despite you two being in a relationship, not a lot of people know

Except for his mom and your parents

Sonia comes back from lunch with Hop trailing behind her and they see you two kissing

Sonia ends up giving Hop 10 dollars

Then you and Leon see them

"Oh umm. Hey there. Sonia, I put some books about the darkest day on your desk, and ugh yeah."

🤍Gordie🤍

You work at the local library in Circhester

Despite being the towns gym leader, Gordie makes sure to visit you anytime he gets a chance

He ended up getting a library card because of you and how many books you recommend to him on a weekly basis. Especially when the library gets new books

The library staff loves you two together as long as he doesn't distract you from your work

You ended up accidentally bumping the book cart into him since you didn't know he was visiting today

Some books ended up falling off of the cart and onto the floor

"I am so sorry sir"

You hear his deep chuckle

"Gordie I didn't know you were visiting today."

"I wanted to surprise you. I don't have any battles today, so why not?"

"Thanks."

You bend down to pick up the fallen books and Gordie does the same

You and Gordie end up reaching for the same book and end up touching hands

This causes Gordie to blush and the blush reaches the tip of his ears

He puts his shades over his eyes as if that is going to hide his red face

You laugh

"You look so cute when you blush, Gord."

You kiss his cheek and you two finish picking up the books

You two just walk and talk as you finish putting the books away

He finally checks out one of your book recommendations

It's on Pokémon eggs and how to take care of them

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

I saw you write for sword and shield so I require like…atleast ONE lil fluffy fic for Piers perhaps with cuddles?

(I apologize if this is incoherent, I rushed here as fast as I could)

Don't worry, it's fine! Here's a lil Piers fluff for you (plus a clingy Obstagoon)

..........

'The audacity....' The dark gym leader frowned in dismay at his Obstagoon, who teasingly stuck its tongue out before closing its eyes. It was currently curled up against you, head resting on your chest as you gave the top of it gentle scritches.

You were just watching the latest match between Leon and Raihan on television, asking your boyfriend's ace who it wanted to see win this time.

But...it didn't seem to care much about the battle nor the outcome, as it ended up dozing off during the opening whilst snuggled comfortably in your arms.

Not long afterwards, Piers returned home to your shared apartment after hosting a fan meetup--one that was particularly exhausting as he was trying to put rumors that he's dating someone to rest. Neither of you were ready to tell the media just yet.

Alongside signing so much merch and taking seemingly endless selfies with his fans....it was all extremely draining. He didn't think he'd get this amount of attention when Spikemuth reopened, so it got overwhelming fast.

All he wanted to do now was cuddle with the person he loved most as thanks for watching his Pokemon while he was out..yet even after coming back into the living room in comfier clothes, Obstagoon still didn't release its hold on you, much to his ire.

It sure retained the same old habits it had as a little Zigzagoon. Piers remembered how it was always running around his heels, only to do a complete 180 in personality and become unusually calm and clingy in your presence.

There was just a certain aura to you that made it feel at ease. As it evolved, it continued remembering that it didn't need to put up some loud and tough persona whenever you were around.

You made it feel safe, and so it could lower its guard.

Piers didn't mind that at all.

What he did mind was the fact that it was being a little shit right at this very moment, knowing damn well he wanted to spend the rest of the night with you.

He was half a second away from giving his ace another earful, only to pause as you muttered something to the Blocking Pokémon. You were so quiet he didn't hear a word you said, and he quirked an eyebrow in confusion.

Moments later, Obstagoon just...let go of you and got up from the couch, crossing its arms and huffing. But it stuck its tongue back into its mouth as it shuffled over to one of the lounge chairs, sitting there and staring at the TV.

And just like that..you were free. No objections.

"Thanks, Obstagoon. 'ppreciate it."

Looking up, you smiled innocently at Piers as he sat beside you, still a bit annoyed. "Welcome home, love. How were your fans today?"

"Alright, I suppose." He sighed, shoulders eventually slumping with newfound exhaustion. "Had to tell them to cool it on the camera flashes...gave me a bloody migraine.."

"Awh..you poor, poor thing." You put your arms out to him. "C'mere, unless you want Obstagoon to-"

"No." Almost immediately he cuddled up to you, burying his head into your shoulder as his arms snaked their way around your torso. "He's gotten enough tlc from you tonight. It's my turn."

His gaze landed on the huffy Obstagoon sitting nearby, who gave him the old "stink eye" in return before focusing back on the television.

You just chuckled, stroking his hair as he eventually shut his eyes, slowly but surely forgetting about the stresses of the fan meetup and every other responsibility he had.

It's obvious you've stoked some kind of rivalry between a Pokémon and its trainer, though you weren't going to tease him about it anymore tonight.

He deserved to relax.

[cravingsfromatwistedone]

could i get some hop headcanons (pkmn swsh) both fluff and yandere with a fem reader, thxs!

FLUFF AND YANDERE HEADCANONS FOR PROFESSOR! HOP [ HEADCANONS / FLUFF + YANDERE ]

AUTHOR'S NOTE: HELLO, DARLING! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REQUESTING THIS ! I HAD SUCH A BLAST WRITING THIS AND IT JUST MAKES ME WANT TO REPLAY SWSH AGAIN TO SEE HIM !! ANYWAYS, I HOPE IT'S TO YOUR LIKING AND ENJOY READING IT, MY DARLING ! YANDERE HEADCANNONS ARE UNDER READ-MORE ! FOR YANDERE HEADCANONS: TW: BREACH OF PRIVACY/BOUNDARY, OBSESSIVE BEHAVIOUR, STALKING, FORCED RELATIONSHIP, GASLIGHTING, MANIPULATION, GUILT-TRIPPING COERCION PROFESSOR! HOP X FEM! READER

╭───────────────── ╰──➤ (っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ FLUFF ♥

┊❥ Hop is the sweetest boyfriend you could ever ask for!!

┊❥ Now that he's a full fledged Pokémon professor, he doesn't have much time with you but he makes it up with leaving presents littered across your shared house !!

┊❥ The presents vary from just a small sweet confectionary treat to actual jewelleries, like silver bracelets and necklaces placed in ribbon wrapped boxes (his family is pretty-well off thanks to Leon when he was Champion)

┊❥ Sometimes, the presents he leaves are just so huge that they stick out like a sore thumb so it's obvious where he hid it (he thinks he's smart for placing them like that)

┊❥ One time, he had left a wrapped plushie of your favourite Pokémon in one of the kitchen cabinets that the door itself couldn't be shut right ! The gift then soon fall flat on your face right after, it's a good thing that it wasn't heavy or else it would've hurt !

┊❥ Once he's done with his research at the laboratory, he puts his phone on Do Not Disturb mode for the entire rest of the day and directs all of his focus on you only, littering kisses all over your face as you greet him by the door

┊❥ He'll draw circles on your tummy as he hugs you from behind, his chin tucked into your shoulder while you cook up lunch/dinner and just relishing the scent of your shampoo and the food

┊❥ Hop just loves, loves whispering praises to you, how he's just grateful to have you in his life and that he'll never trade it up for anything in the world while interlacing his fingers with your own; it's such an intimate moment for the both of you ! !

┊❥ On his off-days, Hop will just spend the day laying in bed with you, flashing those golden eyes of his so that you'd stay with him longer, his lips pressed to your cheek and arms wrapped snugly around your figure

┊❥ You'll find yourself in his more often than you realize, the male is very keen on physical affection behind closed doors where he can simply scoop you up and twirl you around as if you weight nothing ! And partially, because he wants to show off his sculpted build after working hard on it over the years so please, compliment him lots and lots about it !

╭───────────────── ╰──➤✖✖🔪 YANDERE ❤︎ ✖✖

┊❥ The first he had laid eyes on you, he knew he just had to have you all to himself ! It was simply love at first sight ! He can still even faintly remember how fast his heartbeat was on that day

┊❥ The amount of times he had followed you back home was incomprehensible, the male simply watching and admiring the way you keep on turning around to try and catch a glimpse of the shadowy figure before hurrying back; he thinks it's so cute !

┊❥ Everyone knows how kind and sweet Hop is, so nobody would really believe you if you were to say that Hop was the one standing next to your bedroom window every night; he's just too innocent to do such a horrible thing !

┊❥ Hop uses Leon to get you to him, he knows how much influence his big brother has so he doesn't feel an ounce of guilt when he sees Leon usher you into the laboratory, his brother's hand holding on tight to your wrist so you wouldn't run away while he excitedly explains that his relationship with you is secured

┊❥ He keeps you under lock and key at another house Leon bought for him, one that's far from civilization so even if you did managed to escape; know that you'll running for miles in the middle of nowhere until he comes and finds you before dragging you back to the house

┊❥ Hop doesn't see any of his actions wrong, in fact, he's in the right for doing this to you. How could you think that you deserve to be with someone else? No one would treat you as good as he does, you'll never want to find someone else once you get a taste of his love. His unbridled, ruthless love that he bottles up in his heart meant solely for you

┊❥ He'll actively manipulate everyone and anyone by putting on a sad face and tearfully expresses to them how you never seem to reciprocate his feelings, how you always seem to be so distant with him in the public eye. Soon enough, everyone you know will keep on pestering you, scolding you, insulting you to try and be a better lover to Hop; he's just that good

┊❥ While he's away at work, Hop keeps an eye on you by discreetly placing a tracker in your phone, where he can check your messages and who have you been frequently in contact with, despite the many complaints you've yelled at him once you found out about it, he doesn't bat an eye as he smiles sweetly at you. It's almost like he enjoys getting on your nerves

┊❥ If you keep on resisting him throughout the many months where he had been nothing but patient with you, the love in his golden eyes turn cold. He keeps a hand wrapped around your throat as he lovingly whispers that if you do resist one last time, he'll make sure to strip everything you have one by one until you're left with nothing. He'll make sure to bring your reputation down into a ditch so he knows you'll come back crying to him to make everything 'better' again

┊❥ If you stayed obedient however, the Pokémon professor will be over the moon. He does let up in his advances just a tad bit, the male being more compliant to your whines of wanting to go out of the house (under the condition that he's there with you) or even letting you have a friend or two but never more than four. He doesn't want you running off with them, after all !

[artsy0wl]

How Did You Know? A RaihanxLeon Fic

I wanted to write two ship fics involving Raihan having a bonding moment with the younger siblings of his boyfriends. One with Marnie and this one with Hop.

This fic has Leon planning to help Hammerlocke after the Eternatus battle, not wanting to nap, and Hop asking Raihan how he knew he loved Lee.

“So I was thinking the center piece should be a replica of Gigantamax Duraludon. It’d look sleek and modern while reflecting your biggest asset.”

Papers were sprawled on the ground like blankets after a nightmare. Sketches of outfits, decorations, and layouts were carefully drawn and meticulously thought out. Each piece matching a dragon theme with colors reflecting Raihan and his city.

Since the battle with Eternatus, Leon was trying to find a way to make it up to Raihan. The Pokémon damaged his gym and terrorized Hammerlocke. So, in order to help out, Leon decided to throw a charity banquet. Leon wanted to give the people of Galar hope after the Darkest Day was brought upon them. He also felt bad that he had inadvertently dragged Raihan into a situation caused by Rose’s impatience.

The proceeds would go to repairs for the gym and the adjacent buildings first and foremost. There would also be a fund set up for anyone needing relief. Anything left over, should they go over their goal, would go to the school and aid a research facility Sonia planned to set up.

Currently, Leon was trying to get the final touches in order. Inviting Raihan over for lunch, it gave them the perfect time to review everything. As for the mess, Leon assured he’d clean it up. Lest his mother throw a fit.

“What about Hop and Gloria?” Raihan inquired. “They should be a part of this as well considering they helped.”

“I’m way ahead of you.” Leon looked around, pulling out a concept sketch. “They’re invited, of course, and I’m going to be giving them a dedication during my speech. I was also thinking we could have the entrance set up to make guests feel like they’re walking into the battle. With Hop and Gloria fighting Eternatus alongside Zacian and Zamazenta.”

”Sounds like you have things figured out.” Raihan flashed a smile as he scanned Leon’s concept. “I think this will work out perfectly.”

“I hope so. I feel awful for how things turned out.”

“You shouldn’t.” Raihan shrugged. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“I know, but I should have done more to stop Rose when I had the chance.”

There was a brief, silent pause as the statement set in. Leon let out a yawn, rubbing his eyes. He leaned against Raihan for a moment, zoning out as he watched the wall. Realizing ot was more than a yawn, and Leon actually having dark circles under his eyes, Raihan wrapped an arm around him.

“When was the last time you slept?”

“I don’t know…” Leon trailed off, “yesterday… maybe the day before.”

Flinching, Raihan glared at Leon. “Damn it, Leon. Why? You know you need sleep.”

Leon shook his head. “I can’t. Not until I get this done.”

“But you won’t be much help if you pass out.”

“I won’t. My will won’t let me until this is all set and ready to go.”

He staggered slightly as he stood up. Purple hair flopped as he looked around at the paperwork, twitching as he seemed to find what he was looking for. As Leon went to grab something, his wrist was grabbed and yanked back with the rest of Leon’s frame.

A stunned squeak escaped Leon as Raihan picked him up. Carrying him up the stairs, Raihan ignored Leon’s embarrassed demands to be put down. Once they got to Leon’s room, Raihan plopped Leon on the bed.

“Raihan!” Leon whined. “I need to get back to work.”

“No, what you need is sleep.”

Leon sat up, pouting. “I don’t wanna.”

“Too bad.”

Flicking Leon’s forehead, Raihan gently pushed Leon down. Raihan proceeded to crawl over Leon and flop next to him on the bed. Wrapping his arms around Leon, Raihan held him, preventing Leon from getting up.

Squirming around, Leon faced Raihan, annoyed and unamused. It’d be intimidating if Leon weren’t so cute. Raihan knocked bangs off of Leon’s face as he made sure he was comfortable.

“We can continue later.” Raihan promised kissing Leon’s forehead. “An hour nap is all I ask for. Or else you’ll lose hugging privileges for a week.”

Leon grumbled in defeat. He rolled around slightly, one leg sprawling over Raihan’s as he laid his head on Raihan’s chest. An arm draped over Raihan, as Leon finally found a comfortable position.

Two Hours Later

“Mom always said he was a cute sleeper.”

Feeling that things had gotten too quiet, Hop decided to check up on Leon. And when he found Leon sleeping, clinging to Raihan like a Grooky on a tree, he was both confused and amused.

Since he was awake, Raihan managed to sit up, miraculously not disturbing Leon in the process. And he enjoyed interacting with Hop. Plus, he wouldn’t be going anywhere anytime soon, so he appreciated the company.

“She’s not wrong.” Raihan agreed, stroking Leon’s hair. “He looks like a giant, purple Wooloo.”

Hop chuckled, picturing the comparison. “I was going to say Yamper, but that’s a lot more accurate.”

“Especially like this.” Raihan snicked. “Arceus knows he needed the sleep.”

Leon let out a sigh, hugging Raihan tighter as he continued to sleep. As silence set in, Hop fidgeted, hands tensing and eyes flinched. He looked at Leon then Raihan then back to Leon.

“Can I ask you something?” Hop inquired.

“Sure. What’s up?”

“How did you know you loved Lee?”

Raihan tilted his head. It was a question he hadn’t thought Hop would ask. It had happened so naturally and gradually that Raihan hadn’t reflected on recently. He glanced at the ceiling.

“I think it was after Eternatus was released.” Raihan recalled. “I mean, I had feelings for him before that. Probably after our second or third Championship Cup match. And we did start dating after that. So I think that’s when I subconsciously knew.” He softly chuckled before turning grim. “Then he got hurt, and that’s when I realized just how deeply I loved him.”

He paused, remembering the scene. Charizard was almost feral as he stood over Leon. He was willijg to let Hop get close to Leon, but not Gloria. Presumably because she had caught Eternatus and Charizard didn’t want Eternatus near Leon. Captured or not.

It took a little crisis adverting to get Charizard to calm down, but Raihan managed. The starter had calmed long enough for Raihan to grab Leon. Despite not technically being a dragon type, Charizard seemed to cooperate with methods Raihan typically used on the dragons he raised.

In the end, Leon had fought his hardest and went down defended the kids. Which was in character for Leon. However, he did so at the cost of almost dying. And that’s what really made the encounter worse.

”I know I wasn't the only one concerned, or the only one who cares about him, but I felt like I almost lost a part of myself, ya know?” Raihan noted as his hand pet the back of Leon’s head. “I may have always known subconsciously, but that day set it in stone.”

Hopping off the chair, Hop approached the bedside with a soft smile. He sat on the edge of the bed, eyeing Leon fondly.

“It’s funny, I think we expected him to ended up with Sonia. Childhood friends and all.” He chuckled. “But in all honesty, he’s so happy with you and I would never change that.” Hop gave Raihan a wide smile. “Thank you for loving him.”

Raihan smirked. “And here I thought you were mad that I stole Leon from you.”

“Of course not. Lee’s got plenty of love to spare.” Hop chuckled. “I will warn you though, Wooloo are known to attack people on rare occasions. I once saw them trample a guy for threatening their farmer.”

Snickers echoed, amused by such a threat. Knowing Hop, he would find away to follow through with it. Keeping a smile, Raihan let out a slow, relieved sigh.

“I needed to hear that.” Raihan stated. “I was so worried that I’d mess up and lose Leon and I needed the reminder that we’re not alone. Thank you, Hop.”

Snickering, Leon shifted around so he could see Raihan. Purple hair blanketed over Leon’s back as he gazed at Raihan with a soft, amused grin.

“Aw, you got the Hop seal of approval.” He kissed Raihan’s cheek. “He’s deeply invested when it comes to my happiness.”

“That he is. Not that I can blame him. You’re very easy to worry about.” Raihan’s arm slithered down, wrapping around Leon’s waist. “As for you, my scruffy oversized Wooloo, you aren’t getting out of sleeping.”

Leon whined. “But..”

Hop lightly smacked Leon’s head. “Lee, if you don’t sleep, ma will have your head.”

Pouting, Leon glared at Hop. “Not you too.”

“Please.” Grabbing a nearby throw blanket, Hop covered Leon. “If you sleep a little longer, at least until supper, I’ll make sure ma makes those lemon scones you like.”

Plopping his head on Raihan, Leon whined. Getting ganged up on wasn’t fun, even if it was in good faith. However, the offer of one of his favorite sweets was tempting. Eyelids sagged, closing as Leon nodded in defeat. The last thing he saw was Hop smiling as Raihan’s voice echoed in his ears.

“Sleep well, sweet prince.”

[ryder-writes]

Masterlist :]

Fandoms I write for: Mha (💥), Pokémon (🌺), YuuriVoice (🍬), Frostbite (🪓)

Fics:

💥 Those Who Play with Fire Get Burnt- Dabi x GN!Reader (Angst)

💥 Dad!Bakugo x GN!Reader (Fluff)

💥 Healing Your Wounds- Fantasy!Kiribaku x GN!Reader (Angst to Comfort/Fluff)

🌺 Making Your Relationship Public- Leon (Pokémon) x GN!Reader (Fluff)

🪓 A Small Road Trip Stop- Tate Frost (Frostbite) x GN!Reader (Fluff, Ig? Idk)

💥 Your Daughter is Getting Bullied- Dad!Kiribaku x GN!Reader (Angst/Fluff)

💥 After the Dinner- Natuso Todoroki x GN!Reader (Reverse Comfort)

💥 Baking Soda- Aizawa x GN!Reader (Fluff) (Kinda Reverse Comfort)

💥 A Birthday Proposal- Kirishima x GN!Reader (Fluff)

💥 A Special Surprise- Dilf!Kirishima x GN!Reader (Fluff) (Smut)

🍬 Just Relax, Love- Auron (YuuriVoice) x GN!Reader (Reverse Comfort) (Smut?)

🍬 Period Cramps- Lucien (YuuriVoice) x GN!Reader (Comfort) (Fluff)

💥 Good Boy- Kirishima x Male!Reader (Smut)

Drabbles:

💥 Hawks Comes Home (GN!Reader) (Fluff)

💥 Midoriya Realizing he has a Crush on You (GN!Reader) (Fluff)

💥 You Ask Denki for Comfort (GN!Reader) (Comfort)

💥 Early Morning with Tensei (GN!Reader) (Fluff)

💥 You and Kirishima's Daughter Wakes You Up (Fluff)

🌺 Raihan Forgets Your Date (GN!Reader) (Angst- good ending)

💥 A Morning with Dilf!Kirishima (GN!Reader) (Fluff)

💥 Afternoon Summer Fun with Mirio (GN!Reader) (Fluff)

💥You and Kirishima's Rottweiler, Riot (GN!Reader) (Fluff)

Headcannons:

💥 Fantasy!Kirishima acting like Toothless

💥 Dilf!Kirishima