#raioners(????)

[yukarelinquere]

An everyday death

Just a little part of a short fic I am writing. Part 1/? with the polycule ship pairing of Raihan x Leon x Piers from Pokemon Sword and Shield. Premise: Piers accidentally happens upon his two exes sharing a kiss in the locker rooms after an event at the Wyndon stadium. While silently pining, Piers stands by his decision to having broken up with them during their respective times spent together, although his reasons are not explicitly outlined (yet) No nsfw, although Piers is technically naked in the shower. No, I did not proofread, and if I go back to do so, I will end up hating the fic and never posting. c:

Sometimes, you just had to let it go. People spent far too much time already dwelling on what wasn’t, hoping what couldn’t be. And as far as the rockstar and dark-type gym leader was concerned, Pier had done just that. His eye was on the prize, the roaring crowds swelling with excitement, a budding pokemon trainer in his younger sister; even just living in the moment was enough to get him by. He thought he was over it. But really, it was a lot tougher to see in person two people he had dated and loved share a stolen kiss in the locker rooms where they thought no one else was there. 

He slid the shower curtain back and turned back on the water. It was Leon’s voice that echoed nervously at the thought of having been caught. Understandably, news of the Champion of Galar dating someone would be the subject of tabloids for months and the paparazzi would be impossible to shake. “O-Oh! Someone in here? S-sorry we were just.. Um… ta.. Talking!” He lied poorly. 

“Hm.” Piers grunted, figuring that while he was hiding there, he would go a second round on conditioning his hair. It always could do with a bit more, and it was not like they were going to wait there all day. Perks of the Wyndon stadium and all that Dynamaxing… Plenty of hot water. 

“Woah, wait. That Nezu?” Raihan’s low gravel inquired apprehensively, but for a whole different reason entirely. 

“Not my name.” Piers stated in monotone, squeezing a mound of sweet pea scented conditioner into his pale hand with a squelch. He had gripped the bottle a bit harder than he intended, causing excess to ooze over. He hadn’t heard that pesky nickname in a while… 

Heavy footsteps approached the shower stall, one set stopping before the other-- at Raihan’s towering physique, he could easily peer over the curtain by mistake. Not that there was anything beyond that Raihan hadn’t seen before… So conscientious when not wanting to encroach on privacy, but ducking beneath doorways seemed to be oh so much more difficult. But that was because the guy was practically always on his phone, posting reels to his stories and stirring trouble. 

“Nezu, huh? Like a mouse?” Leon laughed a bit, endeared, but he did not laugh long, still entirely too nervous. 

“Like… it’s not my name.” Piers asserted again. It wasn’t anymore. He had let it go almost a year ago now. 

A prolonged silence weighed in the locker room, and Piers could practically see Leon squirming as the soft-hearted idiot struggled to form words. Even now at the top, the Champion of Galar hated being unkind. A far better person than Piers ever was, that much the rockstar was certain. He rubbed his hands together and started to comb through his abundance of hair, fingers falling easily through the well-kept strands. He had, afterall, already thoroughly gone through the process once, but there was no telling when these two would leave. 

Naturally, Raihan came to the rescue. “Honestly thought you went back to Spikemuth after performing at the opening ceremony. Did you stay to watch the exhibition matches?” Casual, as ever. The smooth-talker could just about change any atmosphere into a comfortable one.

…. …Sharply, through his nose, Piers took in a breath, held it, then let it all go in a sigh. “Chairman was huntin’ me again. Something about a sponsor… still had a slot open today for a ‘special re-match’...” He groaned in recollection. 

“Oh yeah? That kid who challenged you a bunch recently yeah?” Raihan hummed. 

“You mean that psychic-user…” The frown in Leon’s voice could be heard, his commentary, even if not elaborated on being rather self-explanatory. 

“Hmh.” Piers affirmed. “I don’t mind her comin’ back to Spikemuth to earn her badge, just…” He threw his head back as he violently shook his head like a dog, droplets pattering against the curtain. “Saw her team-- nothing’s changed. She just wants to Dynamax.. Mom’s got big connections with the branded merch they sell at the games.” He began to grumble after this, his annoyance at the whole situation quite clear. 

“... I understand.” Leon offered empathetically in that warm honeyed tone of his. “It is only right to feel upset if someone is trying to circumvent you for a badge. Maybe… I go talk to the Chairman!” Leon offered excitedly, and it made Piers’ chest constrict. “I know how much you hate being backed into a corner!”

Ironic, but…Even after all this time, Leon was still the same kind guy Piers had dated. Same one that was willing to take all sorts of unnecessary risks. All for someone else. 

“It’s fine. Even if I fought her team today, she wouldn’t get her badge.” Piers said quietly, now just letting the water beat down on his head, eyes shutting. 

“What do you mean that it is fine? Clearly Chairman Rose doesn’t understand how important it is to you that--” Leon had begun to contest, but Raihan interjected with a hearty clap to his boyfriend’s shoulders, practically corralling him into a big squeeze. Leon was, afterall, charming and he had evidently met his limit. It was also to get Leon’s attention. “Nezu’s got it. He’s saying she wouldn’t win even with Dynamaxing, so whatever is coming his way…” He trailed, giving Leon a squeeze, although this time it was more for himself. 

“He’s got it, right?”

At first, Piers was quite. The sound of that silly, silly nickname sank in his heart like a dead weight, the fondness spoken in those two syllables, the amount of confidence Raihan had in him… It made Piers want to curl into a ball and stop existing. 

“Yup.” He replied dispassionately, but something about it felt entirely too hollow. There was apathy, and then there was scooping out chunks of your chest and observing that yes, indeed, a crater was there. Sure, it was empty, but the emptiness ached long after that dazzling champion of Galar and his unstoppable right hand said their goodbyes and left Piers alone. 

But with every ache, there was a reminder. Piers had chosen this. If the pain he felt now was the price of their happiness, then there would not go a day where he would say he wished to stop bleeding. 

Because when you truly loved something, you just had to let it go.