#{ plot; }

He finishes up by wishing everyone a good evening and a safe trip home. Just when it seems to be done, he clears his throat and glances toward whoever seems to be holding the camera.]

After that, he's silent, itching with anticipation for Wynne's entrance. He even catches himself holding his breath when the fireworks go off, and experiences a moment out of his own body, half expecting to blink and find himself down there on the grass when he opens his eyes again.

But he's still in the stands, even when the smoke dies down, and no one joins Raihan on the pitch.

The confusion in the crowd is immediate, as is the formation of a pit in his stomach. Is Wynne okay?

He doesn't have anything to say to Sonia and Claude's bewilderment, either. Even if he did have an explanation, his words stick in his throat.

Part of Leon wants to run down to Raihan, or the locker room to check on Wynne, but he stays. He checks his phone after a moment's thought, hoping to find a message from Hop -- he'd know what's going on. But there's nothing.

Minutes pass, tensions rising. There are people beginning to get irritated -- tickets to the biggest sporting event of the year aren't cheap, after all. The announcer apologizing for the wait and insisting that the match will start soon doesn't reassure many, either.

The longer they wait, the more dread fills Leon. It's clear, soon, that he didn't do enough. Wynne is either too afraid to come out of the locker room, or too afraid to even enter the stadium today.

His phone buzzes, almost 15 minutes after the Champion doesn't show. It's Hop, after all.

He should have seen it. He shouldn't have believed them the other week when they said they were fine, even after tabloids tore them to shreds over their taking some time to breathe. He should have done more to build their confidence, to support them, to keep the media and the League off of their back. He should have --

dinnae be cross wit them, the message reads.

How could he be? Leon has always known the pressure Galar places on its Champion is too much for a child.

He responds that he isn't, and asks after Wynne. Hop says they're okay. Leon doesn't believe it fully, but thanks Hop anyway. He pulls up his chat history with Wynne immediately afterwards, and pauses, sympathy for them welling painfully in his chest. He manages to compose a short text before they have to begin dealing with things at the Stadium.

How she manages to keep it all balanced as she clambers down a ladder and into the water below, she doesn’t know. What she does know is that she has to carefully keep balanced on said ladder, lest her cumbersome load and heavy clothes drag her to the bottom.

And don’t get her started on how wet her socks already are!

She makes quick work of the duffel bag, tying it round one post of the ladder and wrenching it open. Inside are a number of large, clear containers of water -- each of which contain a handful of aquatic flowers.

The first ones she lets go (one by one, each with steady hand of a well-trained scientist -- or so she liked to think) are the hawthorns. She has to work quickly the more they start to scatter -- it won’t be long until someone notices, and she doesn’t particularly want to get caught. 

The hyacinths follow, standing just a hint taller and a bit denser than the hawthorns were. They take the currents quicker, and Sonia’s hands start to slip as she struggles to work quick enough to release her gifts. 

Finally, she reaches for her backpack. There are a number of small plastic bags with single petals. While the flowers themselves still have their roots attached, and can be replanted by a careful hand, these flow freely through the pool. The first comes the tulips, ones that streak with lavender along their otherwise royal purple petals. These are interspersed with irises here and there. Zinnias, vibrant magenta in color follow, quickly taking to the currents

The crowd is just starting to whisper as Sonia dumps the last bag. This one is a mix, acacia and gardenia blend together. This last addition, combined with the rest of the color, is enough to distract the crowd just long enough for Sonia to clamber up the ladder and sneak out. She’s soaked up to her knees from her perch, sure to draw attention when she gets outside, but that’s fine by her. 

IT’S GOING GREAT!! there’s so much cool stuff to see and do in alola, PLUS they can be out and about in public without being swarmed by fans! they’re harassing palm tree dragons, wiping out in mantine surfing, hiking jungles, canyons, and volcanoes, and taking much needed spa days… plus, you know, sipping their vacation juice

they were decidedly NOT dating. they flirted off and on as teenagers, but that’s about it. leon always chickened out of actually saying or doing anything. they actually didn’t talk much the year or so before game events. really they started hanging out more a couple weeks after the championship, i think just before the postgame? leon was still pretty beaten up from eternatus, from what i remember. they started flirting off and on again at that point.

you step away from your computer, your pesterlogs open to.... this day, seven years ago

If one were to ask what your flaws are, they would be hard-pressed to give a single answer. Within you are countless faults that are entwined to the point not even a magic genie would be able to change a singular aspect of your person without changing the past from years ago. However, there is one flaw that is at the root of almost all others: your hubris.

For years you’d been hiding in the sewers out of fear. As paranoid as you are, there really are people looking for you. People who would want to hurt you, kill you, or kidnap you to keep you locked in a room as a human lab rat. Your fear had outweighed your pride, keeping you operating in the Sumps and underbelly of Zaun for years now. But things had changed.

You had Diego now. You had gone up to Piltover, caused absolute mayhem and destruction, and you’d gone up to Piltover by yourself to rob high-end establishments without anything going wrong. You’re clearly strong and sly enough now; you didn’t have to be so fearful.

It was only a matter of time until you got too comfortable.