ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 - Karl’s Abode - ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁

silver doesn’t do crowds. he doesn’t do cheering, flashing lights, or sitting in the middle of a packed contest hall while people gasp over sparkly moves and “elegance.” but here he is, arms crossed, eyes locked onto the stage—on you.

your gardevoir stands poised, shimmering light twisting around it like a second skin. the opposing trainer’s pokemon lunges, its wings whirring, but you don’t flinch.

and then gardevoir moves. not in a panicked dodge, not in a frantic counterattack, but with purpose. its dodge is timed perfectly, avoiding the attack by the smallest inch, just enough for the audience to gasp. then, like you planned it all along, gardevoir reappears midair, and damages the opponent with it's graceful moves.

it’s not just about avoiding a hit. it’s about turning it into an advantage. making it beautiful. that's what contests were all about. silver exhales sharply, barely aware he’s been holding his breath. sigh. annoying.

when the match ends—your victory sealed with a final, precise move, the screen changing from the hp bars to the text. "(name) wins!" as the mc's joyfully talk about their insights. silver didn't bother listening as he leaves the area for the viewers.

he finds you backstage, wiping down and cleaning gardevoir with the same care you put into performances. “you came,” you say, glancing at him with a knowing smile.

“i was in the area.”

“mhmm.” you stretch, tilting your head. “so? thoughts?”

silver grimaced. “your opponent was reckless. you used it against them.”

“so you liked it?”

“i didn’t say that.” but his eyes linger on you, on the way you move with the same energy as your pokémon, every action deliberate. silver doesn’t care about contests. really, he doesn’t.

but maybe he cares about you.

silver is already a grumpy old man at heart, so the fact that you willingly put yourself in loud, chaotic environments regularly is wild to him. clubs, festivals, raves. why? why would you do this to yourself? you’re out here living your best life, meanwhile he’s standing at the edge of the crowd like some kind of concerned babysitter.

he doesn’t hate music, but he definitely hates music that blows up his ear drums. the first time you brought him to an edm festival, he looked physically ill. like he was reevaluating every life decision that led him to this moment.

“you’re having fun, right?” you shout over the bass.

“i think i’m going deaf.”

“you’ll get used to it!”

he does not get used to it.

you’re a YOLO person, but silver is a think five steps ahead person, so the contrast is actually silly. you make impulse decisions constantly and every time, silver’s right behind you trying to make sure you don’t die.

“hey, what if we–”

“no.”

“you don’t even know what i was gonna say!”

“doesn’t matter. it’s a bad idea.”

honestly, he acts like he hates your whole live fast, enjoy life mindset, but deep down, he admires it. you find joy in things so easily, and sometimes, he wishes he could do the same.

it takes a lot of convincing to get him to actually join in on your fun. dancing? nope. partying? absolutely not. one thing he does like? watching you be unapologetically you. you’re loud, you’re expressive, you’re fun, things silver isn’t. but instead of being annoyed by it (okay, maybe mildly irritated sometimes), he finds it… comforting. like no matter how closed off he is, you’ll always pull him out of his shell.

now, for the weed thing, silver isn’t judgmental, but he’s also not the type to pretend he understands something he doesn’t. he’s confused at first, especially if you’re casually lighting up like it’s the most normal thing in the world. he’s just sitting there like huh. when you explain the medical part, he actually listens. silver doesn’t trust a lot of things, but he trusts you, so if it helps you, then that’s all that matters.

socially, though? he still doesn’t get it. he’s not against it, he just… doesn’t see the appeal. you offer him some once, and he gives you a flat, deadpan “no.” if you get high around him, he just watches you like some kind of disapproving babysitter. not in a mean way, just in a “oh, so this is happening now” way.

despite all his grumbling, silver does care. he makes sure you’re okay, that you don’t overdo it, and that nobody tries to mess with you. you might be a chaotic mess, but you’re his chaotic mess, and even if he doesn’t get everything about your lifestyle, he still sticks around.