đŹ 2  đ 4  â€ïž 44 · You Leaving Kalos · For those who have your pc as someone not originally from Kalos - this if for yall
You woke up one
Corbeau felt that something was wrong as soon as he woke up that morning. His eyes opened fast as he felt a tightness in his chest and a longing he never thought he could feel ever. Immediately, his mind thought of you and how you left him last night. Swallowing a lump in his throat, he grabbed his Rotom and immediately dialed your number.
It went to voicemail.
His hand clenched the Rotom phone and called again. Again, it went to voicemail. His mind racing as he tried to rationalize what was going on. That maybe you were just in the shower, but then his mind would supply a rebuttal.
Corbeau immediately started to get dressed and put together. Although it wasnât as put together as he would like. He called Philippe as he entered the elevator that led to his penthouse down to his office. His right hand man immediately picking up.
âBoss?â
âGet a car ready to take me to Hotel Z. Now.â
Philippe, the ever loyal man that he was, didnât question it and by the time Corbeau made it outside a car was waiting for him. He got in and Philippe took off. Corbeauâs Rotom still trying to get into contact with your own. Reaching about twenty calls made by the time he reached Hotel Z. The man barely allowing the car to roll to a stop before jumping out and slamming the door to the hotel open. Startling the inhabitants.
âWhere are they?!â
âGood morning to you too,â Naveen greeted, his exhaustion pushing his caution to the wind. âIf youâre looking for (you) then they should be in their room.â
âThey must have been exhausted,â Lida supplied, slightly nervous being near the crime boss. Corbeau hummed and headed towards the elevator. Slamming the button for the second floor and then the close door button. Tapping his foot on the ground before the rackety elevator stopped and opened its doors. He forced himself to open the door and his frown deepened when the door wasnât locked.
Corbeau entered the room and paused upon seeing howâŠpristine it was. The bed made. None of your little nicknacks that you collected. NoâŠyou. Only thing were a stack of letters on the table. He picked them up and found the letter with his name on it, and with shaky hands, he opened it.
âDear Corbeau,
By the time youâre reading this Iâm no longer in Kalos. My tourist visa has expired and I have to return to my home region. Iâm sure youâre mad at me for not telling you face to face. Letting you think I would be here for much longer, but the truth isâŠIâm a coward. I couldnât stand my last week having everyone be sad for my departure. Especially not you.
I love you Corbeau and I understand if you hate me for taking the forwards way out. Iâll be back once I can and hopefully you donât hate me when I come back. You have my Rotom number and Iâll call once I get back to (your home region).
Forgive me,
(Your Name)â
Corbeau clenched the letter in his hand. Threatening to rip the letter as he scowled at your handwriting. He let out a scream of frustration and grabbed the letters and stormed downstairs. He stormed up the Naveen and Lida and shoved their letters to them.
âTheyâre gone. They left.â
âW-what? No, they wouldnât leave without saying goodbye,â Lida tried to say as she ripped open her own letter. Reading it as tears formed in her eyes. Naveen took his and read it. His calm demeanor changing ever so slightly to heartbroken.
âWell they did. And when I get ahold of them Iâll rip them a new one,â Corbeau growled as he handed them the rest of the letters except for Philippeâs. âMake sure the others get their letters. I have someone to find.â
He turned on his heel and made his way to the car. Throwing Philippeâs letter at him as he immediately went back to calling you. Silently vowing to drag you back to Kalos, immigration laws be damned.
ââââ
When you stepped foot into your hometown, you turned on your Rotom Phone. Immediately being bombarded with notifications from missed calls and texts from everyone you left.
Corbeau - 78 missed calls, 25 unread text messages
Philippe - 20 missed calls, 10 unread text messages
Lida - 30 missed calls, 48 unread text messages
Naveen - 12 missed calls, 10 unread text messages
Urbain - 57 missed calls, 84 unread text messages
Canari - 24 missed calls, 76 unread text messages
Tarragon - 16 missed calls, 10 unread text messages
Ivor - 25 missed calls, 34 unread text messages
Gwynn - 10 missed calls, 12 unread text messages
Grisham - 5 missed calls, 2 unread text messages
Griselle - 35 missed calls, 84 unread text messages
Lebanne - 64 missed calls, 24 unread text messages
Emma - 20 missed calls, 10 unread text messages
Mabel - 2 missed calls, 1 unread text messages
Jacinthe - 0 missed calls, 1 unread text message
You took a deep breath and looked at who to call. You know you should call Corbeau, but you didnât want to hear his disappointment. Jacinthe could be the next one, but she would hold it over Corbeauâs head that you called her first. Tarragon was your third option, because he reminded you of your grandfather. He wouldnât judge you for leaving like you did.
Your thumb pressed Tarragonâs number and you let it ring. Immediately, he answered.
â(Your Name), is that you?â The old manâs voice asked gently and you could barely hold back a sob as you heard his voice.
âY-yeah, itâs me. Iâm back in (your home region)âŠIs everyone madâŠ?â
âNotâŠmadâŠJust, upset,â he said gently. âThey wished ya told them. That boy of yours is threatening to go on the first flight to ya region and drag you back if he has to.â
That pulled a chuckle from you because you knew it was true. Corbeau would.
âAre ya safe though?â Tarragon asked. âWe were all gettinâ worried since ya never answered our phone calls or messages.â
âYeah, I just turned off my Rotom when I was in the plane. Just turned it on-â You were cut off when you heard a familiar female voice in the background.
âGramps?! Is that (your name)?! Gimme that!â Canari asked as Tarragone seemingly handed the Rotom over and Canariâs voice was heard. âYou! Do you know how worried we all are?! Saying goodbye in letters?! I should join Corbeau and drag you back here!â
You smiled at Canariâs rant as you entered your parents old home. Closing the door behind you as you found the couch and collapsed on top of it. Canariâs voice still ranting and raving about how you left.
ââŠCanariâŠ?â You cut her off with a small voice.
She stopped immediately before taking a deep breath to calm down. âYeah?â
âThank you. For being my friend.â
ââŠWhy does that sound like a goodbye?â
ââŠJustâŠthank you,â you whispered softly before hanging up. You stared up at the ceiling before sighing loudly. You know that would bite you in the butt, but you needed a moment to collect your thoughts. Your phone stared ringing again but you turned it over and put it on silent. Exhaustion hitting you before you fell asleep.
âââ
Canari called them all to Racine Construction. Well, Tarragone did. His granddaughter in a state of shock and fear as she hugged her Electross.
âWhatâs going on,â Corbeau asked as soon as all of your friends gathered together. His annoyance level high as he still couldnât get into contact with you.
â(your name) called us,â Tarragone stated, cutting to the chase. Everyone stared in shock before immediately asking for answers. Gwynn going over to Canari and placing a hand on the electric type trainers shoulder. âThey asked if we were mad, and then when talking to Canari, they thanked her for being their friendâŠand when Canari asked if it was goodbye, all they did was repeat themselves and then hung up.â
Everyone was tense. That explains why Canari was upset. They would be as well.
Corbeau was cold all over. His body tense and terrified. Wondering if your goodbye was that. A goodbye and that he would never see you again. Taking a deep breath, he looked at Philippe.
âGet two tickets to (your region) as soon as possible,â Corbeau commanded just soft enough for Philippe to hear. His right hand man nodded and took out his Rotom. Immediately starting the process as the boss of the Rust Syndicate left the warehouse and headed towards his place. He had a trainer to drag back. Kicking and screaming if need be.
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For those who have your pc as someone not originally from Kalos - this if for yall
You woke up one day to a message on your rotor phone that your tourist visa is almost up. That youâre supposed to be out the region in a week. You didnât realize it was so soon too. After everything with Mega Angie and the Rouge Mega Evolutions finally settling down, you didnât remember you were only here for a few months.
You didnât want to leave your friends that youâve met and made connections to, but you had not choice. In one week you had to be out of Kalos. You had to make a decision. Do you tell everyone that youâve befriended that youâre leaving? But you didnât want your last week in Kalos to be brought down by everyone being sad. Especially not Corbeau.
During the last few months, your romance with Corbeau was a whirlwind and you couldnât stand the thought of leaving him. Would he try and find a way to keep you in Kalos? Yes. Yes he would, but would it be entirely legal? Well, not particularly.
So you made up a decision. You werenât going to tell anyone that you had to leave. You would act normal with them and write them all letters to be delivered once you were out of Kalos and back to (select whatever region you want).
Before anyone was up, you got paper and envelopes to start writing your letters. To Ivor. To Lida. To Canari. To Corbeau. To everyone.
Day One consists of finalizing the letters to everyone and hanging out with Team MZ. Battling them. Listening to their daily lives. Even dealing with Urbainâs/Taunieâs Crossant Curry for that night.
Day Two consists of you heading to the Fist of Justice Dojo to battle Ivor, Gwynn, and their students. Laughing at Ivorâs muscleheaded behavior and Gwynnâs fondness for her brother while also being annoyed with him.
Day Three was hanging out with Canari and Tarragon. Playing games with the streamer and running through the obstacle courses Terragon set up. Laughing and battling. The thought of you leaving this squeezing at your heart because they wonât realize that this would be the last day to be with them all.
Day Four is spent with Jacinthe and Lebanne. Drinking tea while Jacinthe tells you all of the gossip sheâs heard throughout the city. Her eyes knowing and not revealing anything. Only when the day is over does the socialite give you a large hug as if she knows this is goodbye. Lebanne smiled and told you she would be honored to battle you again. Of course you mop the floor with her, but she seems content.
Day Five is with Emma and surprisingly Mabel. Emma telling you how sheâs been ever so busy with cases because of all the good work youâve done. How youâve made her a household name and how she owes a lot to you. Unfortunately your day with her is cut short when she gets a lead on a case. So you head to the Pokemon research lab and talk with Mabel.
âSo youâre leaving, huh?â Mabel asks sadly before sighing. âa shame. You were the best research assistant I had, but I expect you to come back some day.â
How she knew you were leaving you donât know, but the pain in your throat as you held back tears caused you to nod and the former Team Flare member to hug you. Letting your silent tears stain her lab coat as she smiled softly.
âBe safe out there kid. You know you have a home here in Lumoise if need be.â
Day Six is with Grisham and Griselle. Talking about their new hopes for the future and how they plan to achieve it. How they are happy you gave them the chance to fulfill their dream without even beating you. You smile and wish them luck. That if they ever need you, then youâll come.
The final day before your departure is spent with the Rust Syndicate. You make sweet treats for the grunts, who all flock to you. Eager to get a treat from the Bossâ significant other. Of course, Philippe comes down and saves you from the swarm. Laughing at your overwhelmed face.
âShould have warned you the grunts can be vicious when it comes to dessert. Come, letâs go and take you to the boss.â
You nod and thank the right hand man for saving you. You smile sadly at the thought of not seeing him again for a long while, but your sad smile turns bright upon seeing Corbeau. Corbeau, who also brightens up upon seeing you. Who immediately pulls you into his lap and buries his face into your shoulder. As if youâre his battery and he needs a recharge.
Scolipede and the rest of Corbeauâs team is out of their pokeballs. All eager to see you and try to ambush you like the grunts. Of course, a whistle from Corbeau gets them to calm down as you chuckle. Saying how his team are as attached to you as he is to you. He frowns (read as pout) at your observation but says nothing while Philippe tries to hold back his laughter. You sit in his lap as he does syndicate work. Letting him take you out for lunch and dinner. He begs you to spend the night, but you only smile and say you have responsibilities to handle and that heâll have you all to himself when you can. That seems to hold him over and he allows you to leave. None the wiser you wonât be in his city tomorrow.
You set your alarm for way earlier than is normal. You spent all night packing and youâre exhausted. The battle zones are still up but you start your day anyway. You set the letters you wrote everyone on the rest you found the Lucario AZ gave you and rubbed the tears from your eyes. You grabbed the same bag that was stolen from you one Day One of your adventure in Kalos and headed down stairs. You hailed as taxi and told them to take you to the Gare de Lumiose as you bought the first ticket out of the city.
You stand on the platform with a heavy heart. Tears streaming down your eyes as your train stops in front of you. The doors opening and you taking a step on. Leaving Lumiose and your friends behind. Knowing that in a few hours, your rotom phone will be ringing non stop.
Summary:Â Mornings weren't typically kind to Corbeau. It seems like, today, afternoons weren't, either.
A/N: This work is solely mine-I do not consent to it being used in any AI works. I do not consent to it being intentionally copied in any manner.
Beta read by @nestedfeathers
Philippe
> On my way, boss! Just had to
make a pit stop.
âGood morning!â You cheerfully greet as your next patron steps up. Heâs a tall fellow, nearly as big as the food truck youâre situated in - heâd have to duck to look in if your kiosk window werenât so huge. His stature, build, and stern, steely gaze would have been more intimidating if it werenât for the slight dusting of pink in his cheeks from both the morning air and his slightly flustered expression. He looked like a man that normally wouldnât have a hair out of place (even with what little he had, styled into a unique mohawk), but this morning must not have been that kind to him, either; his jacket was skewed -having been incorrectly closed by one button -Â his tie wasnât even tied properly, and his lapel was off-center.Â
Looks like it was a rough morning for a few folks in Lumiose, today.Â
But thatâs why youâre here, serving coffee and breakfast with a smile. Hopefully, youâd be able to make mornings just a little bit better.Â
âMorninâ,â he greets in return with a slight nod of his head in acknowledgement. He eyes you in the way that a handful of your customers had - a flash of confusion that you were neither the man or woman that ran this truck and silent appraisal before continuing with his order. âTwo large Burn Ups, please. And a box of croissants. Ah, the chocolate ones, if you have âem.â
Corbeau would absolutely kill Philippe if word got out, but the crime lord had an overwhelmingly strong sweet tooth. Heâd deny it until the day he died, though. Pride.
âCertainly!â You chirp with a nod of your own as you start his order. âYouâre in luck - thereâs a fresh batch cooling right now! Iâll get your coffee first.â
The large man chuckles, letting out a short sigh of relief as he pulls out his wallet - only to notice his wardrobe mishaps and quickly go about fixing them with a sheepish grin.Â
âYouâre an angel, truly.â
That gets a small laugh from you as you absentmindedly go through your flow of making coffee. âIâve been told that a couple times today - I donât think Iâll get tired of hearing it.â
âHey, itâs an important job. The good people of Lumiose would be lost without their caffeine - me ân boss included.â
You place the two large Burn Up Roasts on the counter and move to pack the fresh croissants into a box with care.Â
âTreating your boss to a coffee, huh? What a nice gesture! Iâm sure heâll appreciate it.â
And now you, apparently. He distantly wondered how long it would take for that to change. You couldnât have been here that long if you didnât recognize him. You didnât even seem to acknowledge the syndicateâs symbol on his Key Stone lapel. Hell, your other customers had given him too wide a berth to be usual social courtesy, forming a line for their orders at least ten feet away from him. Surely that had to give you some sort of indication that he wasnât some normal schmuck out on his morning routine, right?
Eh. He couldnât really be bothered to care about it right now. Or ever, really. Whether or not you ever learned who he was, who he worked for, and what they did was a you problem. It didnât bother him as much as it had amused him. Plus, it was nice being treated normally for once.
He hands you a, frankly, ridiculous amount of cash for his purchase, insisting you keep the rest as a tip or save it for someone who couldnât afford a drink (he wasnât necessarily as close with Grisham and Griselle as Corbeau was, but he appreciated their philanthropic business model). He then gives you a grateful nod as he pulls the drink holder and the box of chocolate croissants from the counter.Â
âThanks, again,â and with that, heâs speed-walking off around the corner, equipped with bitter coffee and a stack of sweets to face the day. You wave him off before filing the money away and calling up your next customer.Â
Grisham (Boss Man!)
> I heard an associate
of mine stopped by
this morning?
> Stylish fellow with
glasses and a purple
undercut.
> I do hope he didnât
cause you too much
trouble.
> Heâs definitely an
acquired taste.
Oh! No, he was fine! <
Well⊠<
I mean, he was a little
rude, but I was
able to handle it! <
> I see.Â
> Well, thank you for
your patience with him.
Had I known he was going
to stop by today, I
wouldnât have left you to
deal with him on your own.
I apologize for that.Â
Itâs really no
trouble at all,
Mr. Grisham. <
But quit your
worrying! You should
be enjoying your
day off! <
I promise Dachsbun
and I have everything
under control here. (: <
> I know you do. Thank
you, my dear. Have a
pleasant remainder of
your day, as well.Â
âSorry Iâm late, boss!â Philippeâs steps are quick and measured as he enters the office, cheeks dusted pink from the exertion of speed-walking here from whatever disaster his morning had supplied him. Corbeau dismisses him with a wave of his hand.Â
âItâs fine,â the boss sighs, glasses pushed up onto his forehead so he could pinch the bridge of his nose. His eyes are squeezed shut tight as he tries to rub the migraine away.
Philippe knew Corbeau was a man of routine. Daily objectives were met in a certain order. Workdays were scheduled neatly weeks ahead of time and accounted for every contingency - early payments, late payments. Even new contractors and surprise deals and negotiations were prepared in advance. Corbeau made a point of not being taken by surprise.Â
A single blip in his routine (for instance, the lack of coffee at home or Philippe running behind, himself) could and would ruin his whole day.Â
Because of this, Philippe, ever attentive and dutiful, had anticipated today to be rough for both of them. Hence the peace offering/apology coffee and croissants. No doubt his mood would be worsened by the fact that the bastard refused to eat breakfastâŠ
Scolipede, who was curled up by Corbeauâs desk when Philippe entered, now stood near the box of savory treats, giving Philippe the saddest eyes ever.
âScolipede,â Corbeau chastises without even looking up from whatever paperwork he was busy with, âdonât beg. Itâs unbecoming.â
The large bug lets out a whine and a huff, and with a low laugh of his own, Philippe opens the box to give the bug the coveted treat. Sweet tooth sated (once again), Scolipede scuttles back to his spot by Corbeauâs desk and curls up once more to munch on his snack (the third of the day, and it wasnât even nine AM). Corbeau gives Philippe a tired look, silently condemning the act of indulging his ace, whoâs already spoiled rotten.Â
Philippe simply nods, returning the small smile before he takes a sip of his own drinkâŠbut instead of the usual Burn Up Roast that heâd swallow down quickly, however, he was met with the slightest twinge of sweetness. It was far from unpleasant - in fact, it sort of brought the drink together. It was a nice addition to the earthy flavor that the Burn Up had, balancing out the strong, smoky bitterness with just a dash of something lighter and airy.
His ârefined palette,â as Corbeau calls it, strikes again. Though, for some reason, whatever you put in there is slipping his mind. He couldnât quite put his finger on itâŠand itâs absolutely going to bother him for the rest of the day. It definitely wasnât anything native to Lumiose, that much was certain. Perhaps it was an ingredient that new barista brought from wherever they came from? Speaking ofâŠ
âThem?â The right-hand shrugs. âThey were nice. Efficient. Had a cute Dachsbun that seemed to really like âem.â He gestures to the croissant box with his chin. âSaw the sweet thing toss an extra one in there. Definitely new to Lumiose. Maybe new to Kalos, too.â
He glances at Corbeau from over the lid of his own drink. âWhy?â
Corbeau hums again, finishing his first coffee and immediately moving onto the next. A content sigh leaves him as the warm drink hits his tongue and settles in his stomach - still empty, besides his previous coffee, which wasnât food or breakfast no matter how much he insisted it was.
âDefinitely new to Lumiose.â Corbeau tidies his already immaculate desk, tapping a stack of papers in line. âThey gave me an earful this morning.â
Philippe canât help the snort that leaves him at that - he quickly covers it with a cough at Corbeauâs sharp glance. âAn earful? From them? The sweet little barista?â
âYes,â Corbeau replies with a roll of his eyes. âWho else?â
Philippe lets his chuckle ring out this time, unfazed by his bossâ irritated stare. âNot laughinâ at you, boss. Just found it funny that that sweet lilâ thing had the gall to give you a talkinâ to.â
He brings his drink to his lips with another chuckle and a shake of his head. âNew to Lumiose, indeed. Woulda paid to have seen that Whatâdâya even do tâwarrant that sort of back-talk?â
â...â Corbeau feels his cheeks warm slightly. He laces his fingers together and rests his chin on them, averting his gaze from his friend. â...I wasâŠrather rude to them this morning.â
That gets a stern look from his friend and right-hand, somehow both admonishing and teasing. Philippe had always been a stickler for social etiquette - something Corbeau had always found amusing, given his background as Lumioseâs former local terror. But right now heâs hitting Corbeau with that âdisappointed fatherâ look (despite the fact that heâs not much older than him) and the prideful syndicate leader refuses to face it. That would be the cherry on top of his rotten morning. He can already see it clearly in his mindâs eye, anyway.Â
âI apologized to them, of course.â In his own way. Sort of. A decent tip is a good apology, right? In retrospect, it certainly could have been a more generous tipâŠâAnd, again, they gave me an earful, which I took with grace and humility.â Not right away, but he got there eventually, and thatâs what counted, right?
âSure,â Philippe huffs, crossing his burly arms. ââCause youâre known for taking things with grace and humility.â
Corbeau whips around at that, giving his friend a sharp glare, which is met with a nonplussed smirk and hands raised in faux surrender. âJust callinâ it like it is, boss.â
With a huff, Corbeau returns his focus to his paperworkâŠand his gaze drifts to his phone, sitting in its rightful place next to his laptop. He still hadnât responded. He knew his lack of response was damning enough, and it was most likely the case that Grisham had already reached out to his apprentice about theirâŠless-than-ideal encounter with the syndicate boss. As much as Corbeau would like to simply forget about the whole ordeal, though, he just canât shake it from his mind. Especially now that Philippe is privy to his âbout of barbarism,â which he would absolutely be lording over his head at any chance he gets.Â
âŠArceus, thisâŠshame. What the hell was wrong with him? He was Corbeau, cutthroat leader of the Rust Syndicate; a man whose name was engraved into Lumioseâs very streets, into its streetlights that pulse with the heartbeat of the city - his city; a man whose reputation of ruthlessness preceded him, who people whispered about in both awe and fear, warning desperate, unfortunate souls about his merciless business practices.
Corbeau was a man of routine. He was a man who was put-together. He had an image to maintain. He didnât have âtemper tantrumsâ - sure, he blew an occasional gasket, but those were (typically) justifiable, and they were most definitely not outbursts like the one he had today. When he lost his temper, it was typically at his contractors who failed to read the fine print and slandered his good name out of anger, who thought they stood a fighting chance against the syndicateâs morally dubious but technically entirely legal business practices.
Corbeau didnât feel guilt at slighting or extorting others.Â
âŠso why the hell was this bothering him so much?
He taps his fingers together, mindlessly following a rhythm even he didnât completely understand. After a few moments of silent deliberation, he grabs his phone and opens his messages.Â
Grisham
Their service was adequate. <
He returns his phone to his desk before Grisham can respond - despite his hectic morning, he was still working. With the next steps in place, he was at least able to push the issue regarding you to the back of his mind to be dealt with later. He hated leaving things like that unattended - neither he nor the syndicate as a whole left loose ends.
His phone buzzes again, and he canât help but take a peek.
Grisham
> Iâll take that to mean they were
exemplary, as expected.
> I do hope the remainder of your
day is less inconvenient than this
morning.
Corbeau didnât necessarily believe in luck, but he gets an awful feeling that his dear friend Grisham cursed the remainder of his day rather than blessing it.Â
While youâre not nearly as startled as you were this morning, you still jump at the sound of his voice, whirling around from where you were mid-preparation of your afternoon batch of sweets. Thankfully, you donât yelp - you donât need any more reason to be embarrassed.
âOh! Hi! Youâre back!â
Yeesh. You could tell why. He looked a mess - tired, drained eyes squinting as he pulls his hand away from rubbing them in the vain attempt to look more awake and present than he actually was. His tie was undone, hanging loosely over his business shirt, which was no longer neatly tucked into his pants. His tidy undercut was ruffled - likely the result of him running his hand through it in exasperation at least a dozen times.Â
â...rough day?â
He barks out a dry laugh at that and cards his hand through his hair in an attempt to tame it. âYouâve no idea.â
You hum and offer him a sympathetic look. âAnother large, strong Burn Roast?â
âPlease.â
âAny afternoon treats?â
âNo, thank you. My team have yet to finish the macarons from this morning.â
You nod and get to work silently - you didnât mind talking while you worked, but this particular fellow didnât seem to be in the mood for conversation. Not that youâd really want to engage in small talk with him. Not after this morning. Your cheeks grow warm in embarrassment just thinking about itâŠat any rate, he seems to be in a better mood now. Or, at least, heâs too emotionally drained from todayâs events to be a dick this time around. You wonât voice your gratitude for that out loud, though. Instead, you go about making his coffee, running on pure muscle memoryâ
âWhat is that?â
You pause, looking up at your exhausted customer who was glaring at the freshly brewed coffee in your hand.Â
âOh. Um. YourâŠcoffeeâŠ?â
âYou put something in it.â
OhâŠoh! You look down to find your honey wand frozen mid-stir. You quickly pull it out of the pitch-black drink with a nervous chuckle.
âOh! That! Right! Sorry - i-it was in your coffee this morning, so I justââ
âWhat is it?â He practically hisses, suspicion written plain as day on his face. Ah - right back to that rude demeanor.Â
âI-itâs honey, sir! Thatâs all!â
âI donât remember ordering honey in my coffee.â
Corbeauâs eyes narrow at the honey wand suspended over his coffee, exhaustion sharpening into suspicion. Around him, the atmosphere in the truck shifts â conversations hush, customers glance away, and even the cheerful hum of Lumioseâs afternoon seems to dull beneath the weight of his stare.
You, meanwhile, feel every ounce of your newfound, budding confidence threatening to shrivel under the pressure.
âA-as I was saying, sir, i-it was in your coffee this morning, as well, s-so I just figured, yâknow, it was, um, fine. This time. Too. Th-thatâs just how I prepare my coffees, sir!â
By this point, a few other customers warily glance up, watching the spectacle unfold with caution - some look ready to up and leave at the first sign of confrontation. Dachsbun peeks over the counter edge again, letting out an irritated huff on your behalf.
âWas it not to your likingâŠ?â
â...no,â he eventually sighs, leaning back to adjust his glasses that had slipped down his nose. âI enjoyed the coffee. Iâm justâŠâ
He inhales deeply and exhales a ragged sigh. He pinches the bridge of his nose. âNevermind. Itâs honestly nothing for me to get worked up about. I did very much enjoy the coffee from this morning, hence why Iâm back for another. I apologize.â
âI-Iâm sorry, too - I thought I disclosed that this morning but I guess it, ahâŠescaped me.â
Corbeau purses his lips at the reminder of the morningâs events, having the decency to at least look a little ashamed.Â
âYes, I, ahâŠapologize about that, as well. Such behavior was unbecoming of me.â
âO-oh? Ah. Youâre okay, sir. I promise.â You shrug with a smile. Dachsbun does not share your sentiment, huffing once more. You tactfully ignore him. âHappens to the best of us, right?â
That gets a small, tired smile from your customer who nods, taking the to-go cup you hand him. âSure. The best of us.â
Despite the many busy lives of the many different people, there was no sense of urgency like there was in Castellia. Unlike the bustling, crowded streets of Castellia, Lumioseâs streets were meant for strolling, sightseeing, enjoying being where you are and who youâre with. In Castellia (and similarly its neighboring city, Nimbasa), you could get told off in a very loud and public manner for brushing by someone - Hell, youâve been berated for trying to greet someone before. The people of Lumiose, however, are far more warm and welcoming. Sure, youâve run into the occasional jerk like your previous customer (you hope his day goes better from here, since, apparently, the morning continued not to be kind to him), but theyâre few and far between and often are just stressed out.Â
No, all in all, even with a day like today (which honestly wasnât even that bad), Lumiose was leagues above Castellia. Every customer that greeted you with a friendly smile and left a nice tip to buy a coffee for someone else made you feel better and better about your decision to up and leave that horrible life in Castellia and establish a place for you where you could be truly, truly happy. Like this is your new home and you are making a new life for yourself. A life where you would eventually be your own boss and you werenât completely bossed about by a silly old (sometimes debilitating) condition!
âŠagain, baby steps! Youâd get there, eventually.Â
Eventually. Eventually, eventually, eventually. It was your current mantra - the internal chant that kept you going, striving towards the life youâve been dreaming about for years.
But, for now, you had to navigate the perilous waters of standing your ground against grouchy customers who seemed to forget that you, the person providing goods and services for them, were human, too. Such a sea was choppy and rocky at times, but with Grishamâs help and encouragement (and seemingly endless patience), you were starting to develop your metaphorical sea-legs. Just wait until he heard exactly how you stood your ground to that first customer today without even flinching!...though maybe youâd play down your near anxiety-attack that came afterwards. Hopefully he isnât too upset that you basically told off his friendâŠhe didnât seem angry when he texted you, but you know Grisham is just a very outwardly calm individual, he could just be very, very quietly angry and when he comes back, heâs going to fire you and refuse to be a resource for any business endeavors that youâll have to make alone with only a week of apprenticeship under your beltâ
Dachsbun barks and tugs at the hem of your pants, snapping you out of your thoughts before they can spiral more. You exhale a breath you hadnât even realized you had been holding and lean down to pet the sugary pooch with a relieved smile.
âThanks, bud. I donât know what Iâd do without you.â His reciprocal yip echoes out into the small courtyard, and a few patrons laugh in camaraderie with his obvious joy. An older woman approaches the kiosk and holds up her hand as you go to ask for her order.Â
âNo need dearie - I donât want to order anything else. I just wanted to commend you for standing your ground against that brute.â
You blink twice in surprise. Brute? Sure, his decorum was less than pleasant, but you wouldnât call him a brute by any means.
The confusion must have shown on your face. âOh, dearâŠyou must be new to Lumiose.â
It wasnât a question.
âA-ahâŠyes, I am.â
âThat would explain it.â The older woman shakes her head. âJust stay away from types like those, okay?â
âAhâŠum. Sure. Yes, I can do that.â
She walks away, satisfied, and without explaining a lick of what she meant. Perhaps it was just the classic âolder generation doesnât like the young punksâ thing. He did sort of have a punkish vibe about him. Nothing like the punks in Unova, though. Perhaps his genre was just the âregional variantâ of punk. The silly thought makes you smile.
You brush the interaction off and call the next customer forward.
The rest of your day goes by quickly - a steady stream of pleasant customers and easy small-talk that gradually and gently drains your body of your social anxiety. A few even compliment your handmade pastries, remarking that they hope Grisham adds them to the menu permanently - which never fails to elicit a surge of bashful pride in you. A handful of older customers are able to clock your small bouts of anxiety and let you know youâre doing a wonderful job. All in all, itâs a great day!
The distant electronic vwwoosh of the Battle Royaleâs barriers signals the end of the day. The heavy ker-chunk! of your key in the lock is accompanied by the city-wide chime to alert trainers that the nightly Royale has officially begun. There were some leftover pastries from the dayâs sale, so you pack them in a box to take with you - Grisham insists there should be no such thing as wasted food. Heâs sent you home with treats before, encouraging you to hand them out on the way home to any one who âjust looked like they needed it.âÂ
Easier said than done in a city of strangers, but itâs been a good exercise for you to come out of your shell and start stepping into your new life.
âHomeâ right now certainly isnât what you pictured it being when you got the idea to move out to Lumiose, but it was what you had for now. And it really wasnât a horrible place to temporarily call your home.Â
You smile up at Hotel Z as you approach the old building.Â
âGood evening, gentil,â the towering AZ greets as you step through the threshold. Even though heâs trying to be quiet, his deep, booming voice still fills the lobby easily. âHow was your first day on your own?â
âGood evening, Zed,â you greet in return. Dachsbun barks his own hello as the two of you walk up to the counter, where you place your still-full box of treats - you hadnât run into anyone on the way back, after all. At least you knew the kids would enjoy them. âIt actually went really great! Nothing caught on fire or exploded, and I didnât die of embarrassment!â
He chuckles along with your joke, a proud, gentle smile on his face. Ever since you stepped foot in his beautiful hotel, AZ had become something of a grand-father to you. He warmly welcomed you into his little family, introducing you to the rascally teens that formed Team MZ who also stayed in the hotel. They all had their reasons to be here, but you werenât one to pry into other peopleâs business. The teens were fairly open, though, and welcomed you with as much (if not more) excitement than AZ.Â
They were good kids. Nice kids. But you were definitely closer with AZ than with any of them. Team MZ already had its established dynamics, and you certainly didnât want to butt into anything, even if they invited you alongâŠ
No, youâd much rather hang out with AZ and hear about their adventures instead of living them. It was safer that way.
It could also be incredibly more boring butâŠyeah. Safer.Â
Besides, you did technically have your role in the group. You were their unofficially official Team Chef!
You donât think words could express the relief on Naveenâs face when the twins stepped down and conceded the title to you. To this day, you have never had their âcroissant curry.â Naveen seems to have made it his priority to ensure you never do.
It was a delight baking for them, really. Their little faces always lit up when they stumbled in from taming yet another Rogue Mega Evolution (talk about picking the wrong time to move to Lumiose) or the Royale and the scent of fresh baked croissants or choux or cookies or whatever you had decided to whip up for them that day sat warm and ready to eat on the table. It was a treat for you in and of itself to provide sweet treats for the hard-working team.
âThatâs wonderful to hear, gentil,â AZ remarks with a hum. Floette chirrups beside him, twirling her flower by its stem in agreement. âIâm glad your first day alone went well. Floette and I were thinking about you.â
Ah, they really were too sweet.Â
âAw, thanks, guys,â you beam back up at them. âI appreciate it. Iâm feeling a lot more confident after today.â
Your âa lot more confidentâ looked very different than most, but you were trying to be kind to yourself. Baby steps!Â
AZ knew of your condition. Itâs not something you publicly express, and AZ never pressed - he justâŠsort of found out naturally. He had gone out with you one day to get more baking supplies (those kids certainly worked up some big appetites with all the battling they did) and justâŠwatched Dachsbun go about his job. The Fairy type would stand behind you in lines, eyes on the market behind you to help mitigate paranoia. At one point, you began hyperventilating, murmuring something about it being âtoo crowdedâ, and Dachsbun quickly and safely herded you to the nearest exit and subsequent open space. After returning to Hotel Z, he would go in ahead of you to perform a âsafety check,â reassuring you that nothing had changed before you entered.Â
AZâs only comment was that Dachsbun was a remarkable companion to perform such feats for you. When you went to explain, he held up his hand with a smile, wordlessly dismissing the matter. It wasnât his business, after all.
You really appreciated that about AZ.
âIt was a pretty full day, though - Iâm gonna hit the hay a little early. If you see the team, let them know to have as many of those leftovers as they want.â You barely stifle a yawn as you turn to the elevator, giving AZ and Floette a tired wave and smile as the hum of the somehow-functioning elevator fills the air.
It really was a good day. Youâre still smiling as you and Dachsbun enter your room. AZ refuses to let you pay for it, insisting that keeping Team MZ happy and fed was payment enough.
âŠcome to think about it, youâre not sure if youâve ever seen him handle money. Does he even charge for these rooms? The twins seemed to be much more business-oriented with the hotel, wanting to turn it into the next Hotel Richissime, but AZ seems perfectly content with it just being a place for wanderers to find refuge for however long they need it.
âŠyou should really make him a thank you treat sometime soon.Â
Dachsbun jumps on your bed and makes himself comfortable right next to your pillow before youâre even finished getting ready, as he always does. His fluffy tail wags like crazy when you finally move to settle beneath the sheets. He gives you his routine âgoodnightâ kiss, leaving a faint sticky trail of sweetness on your cheek. You laugh, bid him âgoodnightâ as well, and turn off the light.
Corbeau huffs to himself as he stares up at the old hotel. So, this is where those Team MZ brats were staying. It wasnât too shabby - he appreciated the antique charm of it. That being said, he wouldnât normally spend the night here - he had an entire, spacious apartment to himself and his team, after all - but a deal was a deal. Those kids did everything he asked of them, and he was more than happy to erase the accrued interestâŠbut that still left the issue of the original loan, which hadnât had a cent paid toward it.Â
Someday theyâll learn about financial responsibility and whatnot. And maybe also not to trust loans from established businesses with âsyndicateâ in the title.Â
He steps through the threshold precisely at 9 PM.
âHello, hello!â He calls into the empty lobby. The only other person present was the old man towering overâŠwell, everything behind the check-in counter. He greets him with a nod and leans forward slightly just to peak into the rest of the roomâŠjust as empty as the foyer. âAnyone here?â
He hears the bumps and scrapes of people quickly shuffling out of chairs and the hushed whispers of the notorious Team MZ coming from what was most likely the dining room - it really was a quaint little place.Â
He straightens his tie as the teens come stumbling in; first Urbain and Taunie, practically tripping over each other to be the one to greet their guest, then Lida (who nearly trips over the twins, as well), and finally Naveen, who looked like he would rather be literally anywhere else in the world right now. The group freezes when they see him - itâs a little funny how quickly they turn into complete statues.
âSo this is Hotel Z, eh? Not bad at all.â And it was true - given its age, it was well kept and had a unique charm about it. After all, Corbeau was many things, but he took pride in honesty.
We just need a little more time!â Urbain states, followed by Taunieâs âWeâll pay off our whole debt tomorrow!â
Her twin shoots her a sharp look at the frankly impossible promise. She swats his elbow. He nudges her back with his shoulder. Corbeau rolls his eyes.
âDonât be ridiculous. And donât make promises you canât keep,â Corbeau scoffs, walking further into the foyer. âThis is a hotel, isnât it? What do you think Iâm here for?â
He crosses his arms, glaring at the teens. âOr what? Is Hotel Z too fancy for the likes of me?â
A moment of silence passes over the group as they process his wordsâŠuntil finallyâ
âI-if youâd like a room, weâd be happy to get you checked in, sir!â Urbain all but yells, nerves clearly setting him on edge. âHah, uh, f-follow me, please!â
He shoves his twin sister off of him (leaving her to find her own footing with Lida) and leads Corbeau to the front desk. His smile is all teeth, tight and nervous.
â...kid, if this is your normal way to greet patrons, itâs no wonder your hotel doesnât get any guests.â
Before Urbain can protest, Corbeau looks up at the man behind the counter - oddly enough, the old manâs towering height somehow made him feel less small. Perhaps it was just the fact that AZ made everyone feel small. â...yâknow, old man - word on the street is youâre three thousand years old.â
AZ doesnât even bat an eye, âIf you would please put your name down.â
Corbeau smirks - straight to business. He could respect that.
âOf course. Give me your best room, please.â
As he goes to fill in his information in the guest book, AZ continues, âOh, and please, help yourself to as many complimentary treats as you wish.â
He gestures to the right of the guest book where a miscellaneous assortment of treats sits neatly compiled on a tray. Sweet, baked goods. All of them.
It really wouldnât be such a horrible thing to be known forâŠif he werenât already regarded as a hardened, ruthless crime lord. Infamous underworld leaders didnât have sweet tooths.Â
âYouâll find the elevator right over here, sir,â she looks like sheâs debating whether or not to bow, as well. Corbeau barely suppresses a smirk at her nervous display and waves a dismissive hand as he walks past her.Â
âItâs time for me to retire,â he announces as he enters the elevator. âA pleasant evening to you all.â
Once the doors close, he sighs, bringing a hand up to rub his temple. Today had been far too hectic. All those clients either blabbering on and on about their personal lives or blubbering that the terms they explicitly agreed to upon signing a Syndicate contract were unfair. His grunts seemed to be causing trouble again (who the hell deigns it a sacred mission to guard a holovator???) and needed a stern talking to as a group to remind them what the Syndicate stood for - it suited other gang leaders just fine, but he wouldnât have his business being known for being miscreants and hooligans. Itâs almost hilarious how a single change in his routine could snowball into such an exhausting day. All of this grief, exacerbated simply because he hadnât had his routine coffeeâ
The elevator stops, syncing up perfectly with the sudden dread that washed over him.
He hadnât restocked his personal supply of coffee. He and Philippe were too busy with more important syndicate matters to bother. He hadnât even remembered it until just then.Â
Even if he did remember to restock his personal coffee stash, it wouldnât have mattered. He hadnât even thought about coffee at all when booking the night here, far too focused on getting a room and being done with this little debt with the brats.Â
He can feel another headache coming on.Â
Once inside the safety of his cozy hotel room, he pushes his glasses up to his forehead and groans, pinching the bridge of his nose.Â
I've got so much Corbeau brainrot y'all it's not even funny
Beta read by the fantastic @godserene !
Corbeau wasnât one to let his emotions show.
He had clawed his way from the depths by forgetting that part of himself. After all, his feelings had never brought him any good.Â
That is, until you came around.
Team MZâs secret weapon had left their imprint on the entirety of Lumiose. After all, they had saved the city from utter ruin, and they had brought about the Mega-Evolution of the city that Quasartico had failed to deliver.
They had made it look so simple.
They had become so powerful so quickly. They had quickly assembled their core team, propelling to the front of the ZA royale, seemingly without trying. It almost looked effortless for them.
Almost.
But, everyone had cracks in their foundation.
And yours were starting to show.
The Rust Syndicateâs office was the one place you could get away from the public eye: away from nosy reporters, adoring fans, and battle-hungry competitors.
At first, Corbeau had been apathetic to your presence. Most of the time, you sat in his office, scrolling on your phone.
It was nice to find some quiet, you had said. Not even Hotel Z was safe anymore. Your victory had been amazing for business.
Corbeau could certainly understand wanting to be free from the public eye.
Recently, your visits to his office had become more frequent.
Corbeau couldnât tell if you actually enjoyed his company, or if you just wanted quiet.
One stormy afternoon, you trudged into Corbeauâs office, not even bothering to wipe the rain from your boots. Groaning, you flopped onto one of the couches. âWhy did you let me become the hero of Lumiose?â
âHello to you, too.â He said, chuckling.Â
âI canât go anywhere anymore without being swarmed. Even Canari said it was bad.â
âI could easily get you a security detail.â Corbeau straightened a stack of papers. âI have plenty of grunts that would keep the people away.â
âNo,â You sighed. âI donât want them to be scared of me.â
âFear is a powerful tactic.â He said.Â
âFor you.âÂ
âFor me.â He smirked.Â
âI just wishâŠâ You trailed off.Â
Corbeau raised an eyebrow.Â
âIâm still glad I did it. I always will be. But I wish people will understand that Iâm just⊠Iâm just a normal person, you know?â You sat up, looking at Corbeau. âHow do you cope with the fact that you wonât ever be seen as just⊠a guy?â
âBecause thatâs not how I want to be seen.â He stood from his desk. âI worked for years to build my reputation. Normal is not a word that can describe people like us.â He sat down next to you.Â
âI wish it was.âÂ
âNormal isnât meant for who we are. Weâre great.â He said. âAnd greatness can inspire love, or it can bring fear. Clearly, you and I are on different sides of the spectrum.â
âWe donât have to be.â You said. âYouâre a good guy, Corbeau. Even if you insist youâre not.â
Corbeau chuckled. âYou keep saying that.â
âWould a bad guy let me interrupt his work all the time to get away?â
âHe would if he had ulterior motives.â Corbeau said. âMuch can be gained from offering a reprieve.â
âDo you have ulterior motives with me?â You asked.
Corbeau smirked. âYou tell me.â
You looked away from him, the blush growing on your cheeks.Â
âI was serious about the security detail.â He said. âIâll go with you myself, if I have to.â
âI told you, I donât need that.â You sighed. âI just⊠need to convince them Iâm a normal person.â
âYouâre not a normal person. Youâreââ
âIf you call me the hero of Lumiose, Iâm sending all my Pokemon out and telling them to hit you.â
âI was going to say that youâre incredible.âÂ
You fell silent.
âThe way you fight, the way you move, the way you strategize⊠Youâre remarkable. So, donât go around saying youâre normal.â He smirked, his gaze lingering on you. Suddenly, he stood from the couch, walked over to his desk, and slammed his laptop shut. âNow. Iâve been meaning to go over to the Sushi High Roller to try out their seasonal menu⊠what do you say we blow this joint?â
âThat depends⊠are you paying?âÂ
Corbeau chuckled. âBut of courseâ anything for the hero of Lumiose.â He said, extending a hand.
You took it, standing. âDonât call me that, and we have a deal.â
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As the former Boss of the Rust Syndicate, and the current second in command, he doesn't rush into relationships due to the possibility of someone feigning romance to get close to him or Corbeau. It has happened, before. He's also seen what can happen to people who rush into relationships in general. So if he confesses to you, he's finally sure he can trust you...for now.
Philippe is a very intimidating man in person, so if he even thinks someone might try to mess with you, he just stands really close to you, especially if you're small or otherwise not very intimidating. That's usually enough for others to back off. If it's not, then he'll take care of the problem quickly.
He's an old school gentleman, especially on dates. He pulls out the chair for you, opens the door, all that stuff.
He doesn't do big Public Displays of Affection, but he will sometimes wrap his arm around you in public to keep you close to him. He likes how you feel tucked under there.
In private, however, he gets more touchy feely. He likes to have you on his lap, run his fingers through your hair, rub your back, and kiss, usually just a gentle peck on the top of your head or on the lips. He's also a great hugger.
Sometimes you get the feeling he's scared he's going to accidentally break you if he's not careful, especially if you're on the smaller side. You can see he's trying VERY HARD to be gentle.
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tags: there's only one bed, awkward & flustered!harvey, wholesome fluff, romantic feelings
under normal circumstances, harvey wouldn't have slept over at your place. not because he doesn't want to, but because he doesn't want to make you uncomfortable by invading your private space
however, as a storm reaches pelican town, he ends up stuck at your place. you refuse to let him go outside during this weather, even if it means harvey has to spend the night
you only have one bed â i mean, why would you need more than one? you're just one person, so until now, you never had the need for a second one
harvey is quick to suggest he'll sleep on the couch or even the floor, but you tell him that he out of all people should know how bad that'll be for his body â plus, you don't mind sharing your bed with him!
the only reason harvey agrees to this is that he can't say no to you! it would be rude to decline, so he ends up spending the night in the same bed as you!
however, harvey sleeps on the very edge of the bed, trying to give you as much space as possible! or at least, he falls asleep like this
but when he wakes up the next morning, he naturally has moved in more towards the middle of the bed. when he opens his eyes, harvey finds himself inches away from you, looking right into your sleeping faceâŠ
he's wide awake in just a second, unable to stop looking at you sweet sleeping face, while also feeling the urge to pull away and get up, to calm himself down! maybe he could make some breakfast for you two, to get his mind off of youâŠ
readerâs pronouns are he/him; race is ambiguous.
summary:
âHello,â Elliott greets you both as you head back to the sandy shore. Shane doesnât fail to notice how his eyes stay on you at least twice as long.Â
âHey, Elliott,â you reply with a slight smile. Shane buries his hands in his pockets, trying to look like heâs grumpy for no particular reason. Heâs not the biggest fan of Elliott, safe to say. He settles for giving him a nod, which Elliott returns with that twinkling smile of his. The one thatâs supposed to be charming. Shane just grits his teeth.
Five times Shane is jealous, and the one time you are.
word count: 4.8k | ao3 version | shane playlist
authorâs notes: HAPPY PRIDEEEEEEE! *trixie and katya voice* hi, gay! sashay into fics today!
what better way to kick off pride month than with Shane/male reader? come onnnnn, that's my husband, y'all. GODDDDDD.
Ok. Ok. This is Shane/Reader focused, established relationship. The readerâs pronouns are he/him; he has tattoos and heâs written to have gained some muscle from farming, otherwise physical descriptions arenât used. Race is ambiguous.
There's some Elliott bashing in this one. Iâm going to be real, I just donât like him at all. I think heâs my least favorite villager lmfao.
The title of this fic is from jealousy, jealousy by Olivia Rodrigo, because DUH.
Warnings: mentions of alcoholism and recovery.
Shaneâs frequently reminded of one thing when heâs dating you: Youâre a hot commodity around Pelican Town. Itâs almost ridiculous, really. He feels like heâs fighting for your attention, and even though he knows he has it⊠Sometimes, itâs difficult to recognize. Youâre an integral part of the town now, with your farm at the center of its economy. Your crops are sold in Pierreâs frequently, and the villagers are always asking you for help with small and big tasks alike. Shane can hardly blame you for being helpful. Itâs more just⊠his own doubts.Â
Youâre so good to him, he canât deny it. And he knows youâve been trying your best to maintain boundaries and only take on requests that are truly necessary, but still. You already fixed the community center, you revitalized the townâs economy, you fixed the buses⊠Shane would think thereâs nothing left for you to fix. But alas. Youâre constantly working. He canât remember the last time youâve had a full day off, between tending to your crops, caring for the animalsâwhich he makes sure to help with, now that you live togetherâmining, fishing, foraging⊠Itâs an endless list.
Itâs not surprising that Harvey, the town doctor, is somewhat insistent on you getting an annual check-up. Shane knows you have a more specialized practitioner back in the city for your health issues, but it makes sense that Harvey would want to give a general exam. Youâre working very hard on the farm, after all. Shane has seen it.Â
This is how Shane finds himself sitting in the chair next to the exam bed, watching as Harvey runs through your vitals. The doctor is a bit concerned with your heart rate, but at your simple explanation (âCaffeineâ), he seems to relax. Harvey asks how much activity youâre doing each day. You answer. Itâs an underestimation, as always. Harvey looks to him for confirmation.Â
âHeâs always running around,â Shane says wryly, ignoring your faux-betrayed look. âSo whatever he says heâs doing, just double it.âÂ
You huff but donât object any further. Harvey seems to be hiding a smile as he makes a few more notes in his clipboard. He proceeds to do various tests, waving a flashlight in front of your eyes, testing your reflexes.Â
âIâm going to check your lungs now,â Harvey explains, paying a haphazard glance at your clothing. âIt may be hard to read through your sweatshirt, but Iâll try and then see.âÂ
Shane sits there, watching as Harvey tries and fails to get an accurate reading through the sweatshirt. âYeah, the fabricâs a bit thick,â he frowns, placing a gentle hand on your shoulder. âCan you lift it up for me?âÂ
You do as requested, pulling at the back of your sweatshirt so he can place the stethoscope against your back. You immediately wince at the cold temperature of it.Â
âSorry,â Harvey says with a helpless smile. Heâs quiet for a few moments. âMuch better,â he nods. âBreathe in for me⊠Good. Breathe out⊠Good.â
This process continues for a few moments, before heâs moving to stand in front of you and doing the same thing. Shane can tell youâre trying to breathe normally, but of course, itâs difficult to feel normal when youâre being monitored in close proximity. You give him a helpless grimace and he laughs under his breath.Â
âEverything looks great,â Harvey announces with a friendly smile, sneaking his hand out of your sweatshirt and removing the earpieces of the stethoscope from his ears. You donât seem to notice the pink dusting his cheeks, but Shane absolutely does. He frowns a bit but keeps quiet.Â
âThanks, Harvey,â you answer, adjusting your sweatshirt a bit before getting to your feet and stretching.Â
âOf course,â he responds, guiding both of you out of the room and back into the lobby. âYou two take care.âÂ
âYou too,â Shane answers. You echo a similar sentiment, and the two of you leave to return to the farm.Â
Shane is heading back from the blacksmith a few days laterâhe promised to get these geodes inspected for you, while you wanted to ask Lewis about somethingâwhen he spots you in front of George and Evelynâs house. He heads over habitually, only to find you mid-conversation with Alex.Â
âYouâre getting swole, dude,â Alex says with a grin, spinning a football on his finger before tucking it under his arm.Â
âHardly,â you huff, looking askance. Shaneâs eyes narrow.Â
âYouâre getting some muscle, for real!â he adds, looking you up and down. Shane frowns. Alex grins. âMust be all that farming.â
âYeah, that and mining, honestly,â you sigh, crossing your arms over your chest. This movement does draw Shaneâs eyes to your forearms, and he looks away quickly. Then, youâre his boyfriend. He can look if he wants. Alex, on the other hand⊠Heâs getting a bit too comfortable.Â
âHey, Shane,â Alex says, looking over at him as he approaches.Â
âHey,â Shane manages to say gruffly.
You turn, brightening. âHi,â you say with a fond smile.Â
âHi,â he responds, like an idiot. Â
âHeâs getting some gains!â Alex nods at you, arms crossing over his chest as he lets the football rest in the grass. âWe should lift sometime, the three of us.âÂ
While Shane is grateful to be included, the prospect makes him want to vomit. You look similarly disinterested. âEugh, please no,â you say in disgust. âI hate lifting. Itâs so boring.â
Alex stares at you for a long moment, his systems malfunctioning at the thought of someone not liking weightlifting. Then he shakes his head. âDude, youâre a lost cause,â he jokes.Â
âRemind me whoâs putting dinner on your table?â you tease. Shane chokes on a laugh. Thatâs very true: between your crops and your catches from the ocean, youâre feeding the majority of the town.Â
And Alex knows it, because he huffs and raises his hands in mock-surrender. âOof, point taken,â he says. âGet outta here.â He shoos at you jokingly. You both bid him goodbye before heading back to the farm.Â
âYou realize Alex was ogling you,â Shane remarks somewhat dryly, not trusting himself to say more. Those older feelings of inadequacy and insecurity start to prickle up his skin.Â
âHe was not,â you respond habitually. A beat. You glance over at him. â...Right?âÂ
âIf you say so,â Shane says, unconvinced. Heâs not the reigning authority on these things, but Alex was staring at you for an awfully long time. And thereâs a limit to how far âbromanceâ stretches. The thought of him and you doing some stupid exercise thing, just the two of you⊠It makes him want to be sick. Though he reminds himself you didnât even seem interested.Â
And when your hand meets Shaneâs, your fingers tangling together, he feels marginally better.
Shane and you are sitting on the red sofa in the far area of the saloon, the arcade games beeping and buzzing unhappily in their neglect. Sebastian and Sam just finished their game of pool, with Sebastian winning against Sam yet again. Abigail sits on the far side of the blue sofa across from them, giving you both a smile.Â
You were talking to her for a bit, but Sebastian is soon sitting next to her and engaging you in conversation. Shane isnât super close with the guy, but he likes him well enough. He does notice that his eyes find your arm and seems to linger there for a few seconds.Â
âNew tattoo?â Sebastian asks. Shane follows his gaze, finding the tattoo you just got this past weekend. Itâs still wrapped in the saniderm, since itâs only Wednesday. You were complaining earlier that it was decently itchy, before slapping your arm a few times. Shane had been extremely confused, and you explained that you couldnât itch it, since the skin was still dry and healing, hence the hittingâŠÂ
And he just burst out laughing. You werenât pleased, scowling at him for all of two seconds before begrudgingly admitting that it may have been funny.Â
âOh, yeah,â you answer now, drawing Shane out of his thoughts.Â
âI like it,â Sebastian says.Â
âThanks,â you respond.Â
Shane knows he shouldnât be feeling anything close to jealousy. Sebastianâs a good guy, and he was one of the first to congratulate you both when you started dating. He isnât a threat. But, then again, feelings arenât always logical.Â
âDid you go to the same artist or a different one?â Sebastian asks.Â
âSame one,â you reply. âSheâs still in the city, so it was a bit of a drive, obviously, but. Worth it.âÂ
âFor sure,â Sebastian agrees, nodding and looking down at your tattoo again. A hesitant smile. âIt looks cool. Seriously.âÂ
Shaneâs in agreement there. Your tattoos donât have much color in them, which makes them look very sleek. It made sense the way you explained it: color can fade more easily, especially in the sun; plus, color doesnât necessarily translate as well on skin. Your new tattoo is from a horror manga you were telling him aboutâsomething by Junji Ito, Shane remembersâand it looks pretty cool. Unique, too.Â
âThanks,â you smile back at Sebastian. âHey, that means a lot coming from the guy who smokes in the rain like some kind of movie character.âÂ
Sebastian huffs. âShut up,â he responds.Â
Shane stifles a smile of his own. As Abigail soon starts interrogating you on the pain and process, Shane places a hand on your knee without thinking much of it.Â
One afternoon, Shane and you are walking along the docks when he sees Elliottâs cabin door swing open. Immediately, heâs resisting the urge to groan in annoyance.Â
Shane doesnât like everyone, and thatâs perfectly fine. Sure, he doesnât have much to talk with Alex about since heâs such a jock; sure, he and Haley have quite literally never even spoken; sure, he avoids Kent with a ten-foot pole because the guy intimidates him.Â
But Elliott. Elliott⊠He really pisses Shane off. Heâs not quite sure what it isâmaybe the guyâs general vanity, coupled with the way heâs always trying to sound like an intellectual. Itâs something like that. Elliott is just⊠kind of pretentious, for lack of a better word. He acts like shutting himself in his little cabin makes him better than everyone else. In Shaneâs eyes, heâs just leaning on the âtortured poetâ archetype way too much.Â
And is Shane projecting? Maybe. Maybe he is. But he swears, in the interactions heâs had with the guy, Elliott has rarely contributed anything of value.Â
âHello,â Elliott greets you both as you head back to the sandy shore. Shane doesnât fail to notice how his eyes stay on you at least twice as long.Â
âHey, Elliott,â you reply with a slight smile. Shane buries his hands in his pockets, trying to look like heâs grumpy for no particular reason. Heâs not the biggest fan of Elliott, safe to say. He settles for giving him a nod, which Elliott returns with that twinkling smile of his. The one thatâs supposed to be charming. Shane just grits his teeth.Â
âYouâre taking breaks between all this running around, I hope?â Elliott asks you, proceeding to act as if Shane isnât even standing there. âThe human spirit needs nourishment.âÂ
âUh⊠yeah, definitely,â you say somewhat awkwardly. You look slightly tense, stiff, but Shane is the only one to notice. Itâs subtle.Â
âYouâre welcome to come inside, if youâd like,â Elliott offers.Â
âThatâs okay, we were going to head to the library, actually,â you answer. Shane raises an eyebrow but doesnât say anything. You hadnât mentioned the library before. âBut thanks,â you continue. âSee you around.âÂ
An effective end to the conversation. Itâs almost impressive. Shane has seen people trapped in conversation with Elliott for at least ten minutes. Yet youâve ended it swiftly, and youâre already walking off quickly. Shane has to speed up a bitâyou walk very quickly sometimesâbefore falling into step at your side. Thereâs an unreadable look on your face as you head north towards town, the sand fading into pavement.Â
When you continue walking forward instead of turning, Shane nudges your shoulder. âLibraryâs the other way,â he reminds you.Â
âI know,â you blink. A glance at him, a slight smile. âI lied.âÂ
âOh,â Shane responds. He continues walking with you as you make a left in front of Pierreâs before heading back to your farm.Â
Itâs quiet for a few moments, the fall air gently rustling your clothes. Shane looks at you sidelong, admiring you. You donât seem to notice, too preoccupied with staring at the cobblestones beneath your feet.Â
Then, out of nowhere, you break the silence. ââThe human spirit needs nourishment,ââ you say in a mocking voice, shoving your hands in your pockets. A scoff. âHeâs so pretentious.â
Shane raises an eyebrow, his heart upticking a bit. Leaves scuttle across the pavement. He turns back to you.Â
âAlso, kinda rude that he didnât invite both of us,â you point out.Â
âI wouldnât have gone anyway,â Shane says before he can stop himself. He and Elliott have never gotten along. Theyâre hardly fighting or anythingâthey just have absolutely nothing in common. Their personalities are completely different: Shane fashions himself something of a pessimist, while Elliott is one of those relentless optimists who insists on seeing the beauty in everything. And sure, Shane is far from perfect himself, but at least he can admit to his insecurities. Heâs done a lot of work to get to where he is. Meanwhile, Elliott just stays stagnant: fishing for compliments, trying to sound smart and profound⊠Itâs annoying.Â
Shane didnât think you saw him that way too, but heâs realizing he isnât giving you enough credit. Youâve always had a good read on people, and despite your role as the friendly farmer in town, youâre not a super sunny or endlessly bubbly person. He wouldnât be with you if you were, because that would be exhausting.Â
âWell,â you drawl. âMaybe we should just lay around at home. If Elliot recommends it, it must be the right thing to do,â you say sardonically.Â
Shane chuckles, his hand slipping from yours so he can wrap an arm around your waist. âGuess we donât have a choice.âÂ
A few days later, Shane is walking down the street, his mind elsewhere, when he hears your name being uttered. Itâs sure as hell not your voice. He thinks it may be Haley? Another few steps and a glance at the side of their house confirms itâone of the windows is open, allowing the conversation Haleyâs having to bleed into the air outside.Â
He knows he should just keep walking. But something convinces him to stay. Maybe itâs insecurity, maybe itâs possessiveness, maybe itâs just genuine curiosity. Either way, Shane is rooted in place.Â
âI wasnât sure at first, but heâs great, seriously,â Haley continues. She must be talking with someone on the phone, because Shane can only hear her side of the conversation. Thereâs an awkward pause as the person on the phone speaks. Shane is too far away to hear it. Haley continues speaking. âHe used to come around and give me sunflowers from his farm. So sweet.âÂ
Yes, your gift-giving. Shane knows you do that for virtually everyone in town, and you somehow know nearly all of their preferences. Including his own. Even when he was being an asshole in your first few months hereâdrowning under the weight of his alcoholism and cripplingly low self-worthâyouâd bring him pizza and pepper poppers. Youâre just a very nice person.Â
Shane knows it tires you out sometimes, though. He can see the physical toll it takes on you: the dark circles that pop up when you donât sleep well, the hunch to your shoulders and hissed breaths as you stretch out sore muscles. You do a shit ton for this town, and a lot of people take it for granted.Â
âI know,â Haley continues, breaking Shane out of his thoughts. âHeâs really hard-working. He built Pam a whole house.âÂ
Shane remembers that too, of course. Though he saw the other side of it, the one you didnât show the others. He saw the exhaustion, the stress, the frustration, the guilt⊠All of it. He listened as you paced back and forth and debated the nature of the act, wondering if it would seem like you were pitying Pam. Shane held you close those nights, as you fell asleep within moments of sitting on the couch with him; he made your breakfasts and patched up the injuries youâd get from exploring the mines. All of it, just to give Pam a house.Â
âRight?â Haley agrees with her friend on the phone. âLike, who does that?âÂ
A few seconds pass. Haley hums in contemplation. âHeâs kinda, like, rugged?â she muses. Shane feels apprehension crawling up his spine at this turn in conversation. He knows where this is going. âI donât know. Heâs attractive, yeahâŠâ She proceeds to rattle off your physical qualities from the top of her head, as if thatâs something she thinks about often. Shaneâs fists clench at his sides. She shouldnât be able to talk about you like that.Â
âNo, heâs dating Shane.â A pause. He freezes. Haley squints. âNo, I am not doing that.â She laughs. âTheyâre cute together, actually. But, yeah. Not a chance there. Heâs really into him.âÂ
âMaybe in another life,â she sighs. Then Haley is moving on to talk about something else, and Shane is walking away with his heart in his throat. He doesnât really know how to feel about what he just heard. Heâs definitely jealousâor at least, he was at the beginning, but now he feels⊠almost validated? Haley is respecting your relationship. Hell, she said you were cute together. Coming from Haley of all people⊠well. Safe to say, sheâs telling the truth. Sheâs not one to sugarcoat things.Â
Shane has a bit of an extra pep to his step as he walks back home that afternoon.Â
The Stardrop Saloon is busiest on Friday nights. More than half the town goes to converse and celebrate the end of the work week. Shane used to visit the saloon nearly every night, but now that heâs kicked his alcoholism for good, heâs been going there less frequently. Friday nights are usually an exception, thoughâthere are enough people around for him to be distracted.Â
Sometimes youâll go with him to the saloon, and sometimes you wonât. On rare occasions, youâll drop in on a random night and Shane will feel that spark in his chest, as if heâs meeting you all over again. Tonight, you both headed over from the house, though you soon settled in at the bar and sipped some water while Shane occupied his typical corner. He looks over at you in conversation with Gus; you catch his eye and smile. He glances away, fighting off a smile of his own.Â
For whatever reason, there are a few people from out of town here today too. This occurrence is exceedingly rare, even after the bus system got fixed. Not many people want to visit Pelican Town. Itâs not exactly optimized for tourists: there isnât much to do other than speak with the locals and wander the beach.Â
But this group of women doesnât seem bothered. They look like theyâre having a good amount of fun, actually: laughing and whispering amongst themselves. Shane feels one of them look his way and heâs quick to take a swig of his soda, the glass bottle giving him a well-needed hint of coolness in the stuffy air. With these tourists, the saloon is kind of packed. Itâs not the biggest space, either, so itâs loud too.Â
One of the women gets to her feet. Shane buries a hand in the pocket of his hoodie, trying to make it look as if he isnât watching her warily. Heâs getting this weird feeling, for some reasonâŠÂ
Yeah. His instinct soon proves correct, because she makes a beeline for him. Shane takes another sip of his drink, struggling not to snap at her before she can even get a word out. He glances over at you. Youâre distracted. Â
âHey, handsome,â the woman says sweetly, a bit too friendly for his liking.Â
â...Hey,â Shane says flatly, attempting to convey his disinterest. It doesnât really seem to work. He wonders if heâs losing his touch, if youâve been too good of an impact on him. Â
âWe were just wondering if you wanted to join us,â she suggests.Â
âUh⊠Iâm fine over here,â Shane manages to say.Â
âA lone wolf, then,â she giggles, not seeming to get the hint. âSo. What do you guys do for fun around here?âÂ
âOh, I donât know,â Shane says somewhat sardonically. He reminds himself to cool it down a bit: This is a stranger. She isnât familiar with his sense of humor yet, and he doesnât want to come across as a complete asshole. He scowls. â...The beach isnât bad.âÂ
âYeah, we were there earlier!â she says, lighting up a bit. âAnd the libraryâs pretty nice, too. I didnât think this place would have a museum.âÂ
âYeah, wellâŠâ Shane trails off, not quite sure how to respond without singing your praises. Youâre the only reason their museum even has any artifacts in it. He glances over at you habitually.Â
Youâre not distracted anymore. Instead, you have a hand around your glass as you glare at the woman. You look away quickly, but not quickly enough. Shane still catches it: the frown on your lips, the narrowing of your eyes as you stare at this woman heâs talking to.Â
Are you⊠jealous?Â
No. Surely not.Â
He turns back to the woman. âItâs a work in progress,â Shane manages to say wryly. He doesnât even really know what that means, he was so distracted by you and the look on your face. But this woman is eating it up for some reason, laughing as if heâs just said the funniest thing sheâs ever heard. Shane frowns, then looks over at you again.Â
Youâre still staring. Thereâs that furrow to your brows and that half-pout, half-scowl on your lips. Itâs adorable. (And, yes, Shane knows you would definitely oppose that statement, arguing that youâre an adult, that âadorableâ is something for children. But Shane thinks it describes that expression on your face perfectly.)Â
Then the woman reaches out and places a hand on Shaneâs forearm. He isnât expecting it, and for a second, heâs so stunned that he just stands there like an idiot.Â
And out of the corner of his eye, Shane can see that you look pissed. If you were glaring before, youâre practically smiting her with your eyes now. It barely even looks like youâre blinking. Your jaw is clenched, your shoulders are drawn tight.Â
Shane feels heat running up his spine and heâs quick to shrug the womanâs hand off, citing a need to get another drink. He doesnât bother staying to hear her response.Â
You think youâre going to kill this woman.Â
Sheâs clearly into your boyfriend. Which, whateverâshe has eyes. But sheâs been slowly but surely encroaching on Shaneâs space, and now she has a hand on his arm. And you feel weirdly homicidal. You settle for glaring at her from across the room, hoping that somehow divine intervention will send her drink right back into her face. Or maybe sheâll trip and look like an idiot, or maybeâ
âYouâre hot when youâre jealous,â a familiar voice says. Â
You startle a bit, until you realize itâs just Shane. âYou scared me,â you huff, sliding off the bar stool to stand next to him. You try to swallow back the ugly feeling climbing up your throat. His shoulder brushes against yours. It relaxes you a little, but not enough. âI wasnât jealous,â you lie, struggling to find something to do with your hands. You tangle a finger in your belt loop.Â
âUh-huh,â Shane says, seeming amused. âJust glaring daggers into her for fun, right?â
âYeah, itâs my new hobby,â you huff.Â
âDork,â he remarks. You roll your eyes, shoving a hand in your pocket and looking askance. It feels a bit warm in here now.Â
âFine, I was jealous,â you mutter, struggling to make eye contact. You look over at your boyfriend for a moment and then glance away, embarrassed. âHappy?â
âEcstatic,â Shane says dryly. He sidles closer to you, a hand finding the small of your back. Itâs hard to tell where you end and he begins. âWelcome to my life.â
âWhatâs that supposed to mean?â you frown.Â
Shane gives you a flat look. He looks away, his hand warm on your back. âItâs stupid.âÂ
âI doubt it,â you reason. Youâre sensing thereâs something more to that remark. âWhatâs up, seriously?â The noise in the saloon fades to obscurity, everything behind Shane almost blurring and fading to the background.Â
âNothing, justâŠâ Shane trails off. He looks ahead, his next words a bit quieter. âFeels like Iâm fighting for your time and attention sometimes.âÂ
âOh,â you realize. Suddenly that makes a lot more sense. And it makes you feel awful. âIâm sorry, I didnât⊠I didnât realize.â
âItâs okay,â he reassures you. âLots of people need you here.âÂ
âYeah?â you frown. âWell, I need you. So⊠Iâm sorry if I havenât been acting like it.â
âIâve been running around so much recentlyâŠâ you recount. You try to see things from his perspective, imagining yourself in his place: watching your boyfriend bustle around all day, doing things for other people; getting home late and waking up early. You shake your head at yourself. âUgh. I shouldâve been making more time for you.â The thought makes you feel horrible. You never want your boyfriend to feel as if you arenât putting him first. And the truth of the matter? You spend most of your days thinking about the time youâll share with Shane after.Â
âNo, itâs fineââ Shane tries to say. Compromising as always.Â
âNo, itâs not,â you frown. You reach for his hand, tangling your fingers together. âThe town can survive without its repairman for a day.â
âRepairman, farmer, therapist, miner, fisherman, relationship counselorâŠâ Shane adds on, shooting you a fond look. âYou wear a lot of hats around here.â You suppress a laugh at that. Itâs true, but it sounds funny when itâs stated so brazenly.Â
âWanna head to Ginger Island for a few days?â you ask, studying his expression. Shaneâs eyebrows climb up his forehead. âI was going to surprise you with the finished house, butâŠâ Well. Youâre kind of ruining the surprise now, but itâs worth it. Especially when you see Shaneâs eyes glimmering, his gaze flitting about your face.Â
âSeriously?â he asks hopefully.Â
âYeah,â you nod, your throat feeling tight. âI already asked Marnie if sheâd watch over the animals for us.âÂ
âPrepared, are we?â Shane teases. Trying to maintain his composure, you suspect.Â
âWell, we donât have to go right this instant or anything,â you clarify. You squeeze his hand reassuringly, a smile gracing your lips. Youâve been working hard on the house, and you know heâll love it. Plus, the island is beautiful: sprawling beaches, glittering waters, roaming wildlife. You want to share it with him.Â
âBut yeah,â you continue. âI want to share it with you first. The island, I mean.â
Shane looks stunned. He blinks, stands there silently for several moments. You wait for him, brushing a thumb across his knuckles. Just as your heart starts to race in your chest, a smile breaks onto his face. Not a strained one, not an awkward one. A real smile. Heâs been doing more of that lately, and it takes your breath away every time.Â
âLetâs do it,â Shane agrees. His eyes sparkle a bit in the dim lighting. You feel any remaining tension from earlier just fade right out of you.Â
âYeah?â you ask, a stupid smile on your face now.Â
âYeah,â he answers. Shane pulls you into him, and you bring a hand to his jaw before closing the distance and kissing him. He responds smoothly, a hand on the nape of your neck and the other resting on your hip. Everything: the saloon, the other villagers, the farm, the work day⊠It all bleeds away, until itâs just the two of you.Â
âGet a room, lovebirds,â Gus teases, swiftly grounding you in reality. Shane and you break apart, mildly embarrassed but mostly happy.Â
âBoys will be boysâŠâ Pam mutters. You look over your shoulder in amusement and she shoots you a wink, before taking another swig of her beer.Â
âGuess theyâre used to us by now,â Shane remarks.Â
âGuess so,â you agree. You look around the space, finding the typical suspects: Demetrius and Robin dancing; Marnie and Lewis conversing, with Leah and Elliott at the corner table; Abigail, Sam, and Sebastian are gathered in the far room. To your surprise, the tourists donât seem to be here anymore. There was a group of about four of them, including the one who seemed particularly infatuated with your boyfriend.Â
âOh no, that woman left,â you say in a monotone voice, looking at Shane in poorly-hidden amusement.Â
Summary : Gangle proposed a fast food adventure and looks like you'll be working with your gator coworker you might have a crush on...
You were pretty new to the circus , you arrived 2 weeks before Pomni. You kinda... Didnt really connect to anyone wich made your experience even more dreadfull. Ragatha does try to be there for you but you already feel like she seems to have way more baggage than she can carry so you kinda avoided her cause you felt kinda sad around her though you're sure she's very sweet.
One day the Candy Canyon adventure started, it didnt stand out much to you until you and Gummigoo fell right under the map and... Well you know what happend. You helped him while he was having his existancial crisis and offered him to join you to the Circus and thankfully Caine said yes !... You kinda developped a crush on him while doing so. He was the first person that made you feel kinda seen in the circus so naturally you two would stay together most of the time.
You didnt really wanna confess to him , not for now at least as he was still processing alot and putting your feelings on the table while he is very vulnerable is probably not a good idea. And when you think about it you were kinda vulnerable as well.
Anyway fast forwarding to episode 4 Caine looked up in the suggestion box and found Gangle's idea of working in a fast food , while Gummigoo kinda knew what a fast food is he never went to one , heck he doesnt even know how he has that information wich when he realized it kinda distressed him but he quickly calmed down himselt when the adventure started.
Not gonna lie , seeing him in the Spudsy uniform... You tought he was kinda attractive. THERE I SAID IT FORK FOUND IN KITCHEN I KNOW. You two were at the cash register (Pomni was doing the waitress ) , he kinda had a hard time understanding how it works but you tought it was cute. You kinda had to watch over him at first to be sure he doesnt get in trouble with Gangle
"You're supposed to ask them if they want the bill Gummigoo and print it if they do"
"Can you show me where I can do that on the screen?"
You approached his register , you kinda had to get close to him in order to do so since the cash registers werent that big , you could feel him looking at you attentively it made you feel nervous but in an exciting way ! You also felt his shoulder almost touching yours while doing so wich made you kinda go crazy in your mind, you tried to look as natural as possible cause you didnt wanna him to find out about your feelings but you were filled with glee at the mere tought of being able to help him and him looking at you.. You smiled a little bit as it was impossible of fully containing it.
"There."
"Righto , thank you mate."
He smiled at you and you returned the smile , why wouldnt you after all?
"It's nothing"
You went back to your own register cause you unfortunately had to.
Gummigoo was doing just fine talking to costumers though , he isnt a shy person or anything like that so it was easy for him but he kinda felt bad for everyone since they're all NPCs just like him.
Every thing went fine until Max and Chad entered the fast food. He was very happy too see them as he geniunely didnt expect that but he was also distraught because he left them behind and they dont know that once they leave their existance is likely over untill their next appearance even if it was for their own well-being
"Y/N ,The lads are here"
"Oh.. are you gonna be fine talking to them?"
"They're my mate.. Even if it pains me to leave them here I cant just avoid them , they should be happy while they can"
Max and Chad went to Gummigoo's register cause of course they would
"Boss ! We looked for you every where !"
"We didnt know you got a job , doesnt seem like you would do"
"Well l'ets say my hands are tieds and it isnt as bad as I tought"
"When will you Come back to us boss?"
"... Dont worry lads , I'll come back soon just trust me with this. So I'm guessing my lads want 6 hash-brown you'll split between 'em?"
"You got it right on the money boss !"
"With how easily you can read minds I'm sure you'll be out of here in no time !"
"I'm sure I will"
You felt BAD for him... Obviously he seemed happy to see his lads they're very close after all but seeing him lied to them it made you feel bad. You wish they could be reunited and even if he hides it to his lads you can tell he's hurting. Max and Chad went to their seat and Gummigoo sighed heavily... You decided that since you had no costumer it was fine if you chattes a bit , it's not even like you're getting paid for this
"You sure you're gonna be okay after this?'
He smiles at you weakly , he was clearly sad but he still wanna show you that he can take this
"I'm alright mate , thanks for worrying"
You decided to not press upon , it was probably for the better to push it aside until you two have an alone time together
"You must love them a lot"
"They're my lads , of course I do"
A few minutes later Pomni served Max and Chad wich meant they were going to leave soon... This made Gummigoo anxiously waiting for them to dissapear , he didnt want that yet so when they were starting to leave Gummigoo rushed to the entrance. His lads turned around but he didnt know what to say... You saw his mouth moving but you were too far to make out what Gummigoo was saying. Part of you was kinda hopping he could love you at least as much as love his lads.
He went back to the cash register , he was smiling , while there was definitly some sadness to it it also felt geniune.. Like he made peace with the situation at least partially
"What did you say- If you dont mind answer answering"
"No worries mate. I just told em... "Thanks for eating at Spudsy's""
You leave a bit of a silence before answering on a quiet yet happy tone
"I'm glad you did."
You responded with a smile... It was nice seeing him happy you would trade that sight for nothing and you damn hope you'll be able to make him smile every day... Gosh you're so corny... But you dont mind , if being corne fdels this good you'll be corny every day of the year especially if it make that aussie Gator happy
Your shift was finally over ! It was night now. You and Gummigoo clocked out at the same time fortunately and you quickly understood why , Caine didnt make a car for him
"Do... Do you think he hate me?"
"Wether or not he does it's really starting to piss me off. You matter a lot to me. So even if he hates you or if everyone did , wich they dont , you got me"
Caine was always kinda passive agressive toward Gummigoo in his adventures for some reason , he doesnt even have his own room for example , you offered to Gummigoo to sleep in yours but he told you that he's okay with sleeping outside , and thats not it , he deliberately ommit him every time he can and that really annoy you. Gummigoo chuckled at your words
"You're gonne make me blush mate !"
Oh. You kinda didnt realize what you were saying you felt so pissed at Caine and you were so focused on wanting Gummigoo to feel loved and appreciated that you didnt think of how it would come across as. I mean hey if it did come across as romantic he wouldnt be wrong but you still felt embarassed now you were the one blushing
"Oh sorry that's not what I-"
"It's alright mate I got it"
You hope he doesnt.. Or hope he does and reciprocate. You walked to your car with you two having a bit of a bashfull smile , you were still embarassed of what just happend but you felt oddly cheerfull. You two fastened your seatbelt and while you were driving under the beautiful night sky Gummigoo said on a gentle tone as if embarassed to admit it but still wanting you to feel as loved and appreciated as you make him feel
"You matter a lot to me too"
PHEW , it is my first time writing a fanfic though I've alredy written before. I hope this was good I hope Gummigoo was in character and I hope you geniunely had a good time reading this !... I dunno if writing x reader is gonna be my thing now on this account but it was definitly very fun , might do it again , if you have any suggestion or idea for a story please lemme know. Mostly Gummigoo ones though I know you guys are STARVING
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Summary - you have a special present for your boyfriend
Gender neutral reader
Credits to @twunkishwritingclub for the idea! Itâs from this post â link
You smile to yourself as you make your way up the pathway into the rust syndicate building, the poke ball in your pocket rustling. You were so excited to give your boyfriend his little present. After being back in your home town in Paldea, you knew exactly what to get the leader.
You greeted the members of Corbeauâs team? Group? Gang? Yeah, Corbeauâs⊠gang, giving them polite smiles and waves as they returned it. You thanked the last grunt who had opened the door for you, receiving a nod in return.
As you entered the main room, you saw Corbeau, a stern look on his face and Phillipe was talking to him about something you couldnât hear, the pair hadnât noticed you yet, which surprised you, but maybe they were too busy in their work.
As you made your way over, finally your boyfriend looked up at you, his features turning soft, which seemed only to happen with you. He turned back to Phillipe, saying something quietly to him. The second-in-command stood up straight, looking at you, âwelcome backâ he spoke to you, before making his leave, leaving you and Corbeau alone.
He stands up from behind his desk, the soft look still on his face, which you happily return. âI missed youâ you speak softly.
Corbeau wraps his arms around you, a gentle hug which you happily return. You hear a muffled âmissed you tooâ which makes you laugh.
âOh, Iâve got a present for you âbeauâ you speak, separating from the man, who looks at you quizzically, but you just grin back at him.
âHappy anniversaryâ, you hand him the poke ball.
Corbeau opens the ball, and the both of you look at the Clodsire that pops out. You smile widely, proud of your little present.
âThis is Clodsire, heâs native from Paldea, and I just knew heâd be perfect for you âbeau. Heâs a poison and ground type, and look, I think he likes you already!â You finish, as the pokemon slowly makes it way towards Corbeau, who is looking at you lovingly.
He wonders what he did to deserve you.
You laugh at the pair, Corbeau with his signature look, and the happy little Clodsire. âI know he doesnât fit your little mafia boss aestheticâ you joke around, making Corbeau shake his head. âBut look what I have for him!â.
You reach into your bag, pulling something out. Corbeau stares in disbelief as he watches you tape angry eyebrows on to Clodsire. You pull a fake angry face at the Pokemon, who makes one back and Corbeau canât help but laugh, as he watches you in awe.
He knows in his heart he made the right choice with you, and as you play with the new Pokemon, his heart fluttering at you, all he can whisper is, âIâm going to marry youâ.