#poor guy. when u devote your teens and early 20s entirely to snowboarding and then you reach 25 and u have no idea who you are

[indepthpokemonheadcanons]

Grusha Headcanons

Grusha avoids social and networking events as far as possible. Even though his role as Gym Leader demands a certain degree of public engagement, he finds it exceedingly difficult to sustain conversations, and often comes across as aloof and rude without meaning to. Rather than risk saying something tactless, he engages as little as possible.

He joined the League a few months before Ryme did, but he has taken much longer to settle into his role. Despite being relatively new to the professional battle scene, critics rank him as one of the strongest Gym Leaders in Paldea, with the makings to become an Elite in future. Geeta has dropped similar hints during his annual performance reviews. But the praise does not always register; he doubts his ability and dwells on defeats, which often leads to him avoiding more challenging opponents. 

Grusha did not have great interest in pokémon battles when he was younger. Neither of his parents were trainers, but they pressed him to try an array of sports and other pursuits throughout childhood, both battling and coordinating among them. Of the countless activities he dabbled in, snowboarding was the only one that truly seized his interest, but now that this path has closed to him, he has fallen back on alternative pursuits. Competitive battle still does not wholly engage him - but it is, at the very least, something he can feel good at. 

His battle style is notable for how he manipulates visibility during matches. His signature technique utilises tailwinds combined with hailstorms and haze, which makes it exceedingly difficult for opposing trainers and their pokémon to see what is happening on the battlefield. His own team, all trained to rely on senses other than sight, are well adapted to fighting in such conditions. The technique is highly effective, but League officials have gently (but firmly) discouraged him from using it in more public matches, because low visibility hurts spectator enjoyment. 

When he was younger, Grusha kept his hair short. It was only during the long, listless year after his injury that he grew it out, largely because he couldn’t summon the energy to book a haircut. He has since decided that he prefers it that way. Occasionally, he experiments with his appearance in other ways, such as with nail polish and makeup, but he is intensely private about it, especially now he is back in the public eye. 

He does not tend to keep his pokémon in pokéballs unless he has to, as they are adjusted to roaming alone on Glaseado mountain. His weavile is especially reluctant to be contained. While Grusha has good control of his team on the battlefield, he is lax in domestic settings - he lets his pokémon sleep where they please, and even feeds them food from his own plate. 

Grusha did some occasional modelling as a child, largely due to his mother’s insistence and fashion connections. He has taken on similar work as an adult, but he feels more self-conscious in front of a camera than he used to, uncertain of how to stand and hold himself. 

Due to how recently he entered his role, he is not especially close to anyone in the League. At the few social functions he attends, Rika is one of the few to always strike up a conversation with him, but he assumes she is only being polite. Her blatant attempts to flirt are also taken as politeness.   

Before his altaria evolved, she liked to settle in his hair and sleep on his head. She still attempts to do it now, even though she is rather too heavy for it.