Chapter Text
The air was cold tonight. Snow flying against the windows and slowly fluttering down like albino butterflies to join their brethren on the ground, making a glistening white that glittered in the moonlight against the dark. A contrast to the warm glow of the cozy homes and buildings with orange-yellow lights pouring from within their solid walls, a barrier against the constant frigid cold that was around here. But the enticing smells of foods and ashes from fireplaces was a welcoming feeling. But ..it was strange really. Having a family dinner with his mom and four little siblings tonight. An almost uncomfortable feeling in his chest was there as just sat and almost picked at his food in a way that someone would've thought he was forced by someone to be here. His mother on the other hand seemed over the moon having all five of her children sitting at the same table with her, his little siblings were confused to his sudden presence. Confused, but very happy to see the older brother that they barely got to see nowadays. But the reason he was so stiff tonight wasn't because of the cold, his siblings, or even his mother surprisingly. It was because this was all so new to him. Being open and honest like this and having his mother respecting the boundaries put down in place. Dinner once a week. It was a....start.
An awkward, uncomfortable start he still had trouble wrapping his head around. But a start nonetheless and it was good for now. Something he could do and something that wasn't rushed or pressured. It all started one fateful day and one fateful encounter all earlier last year during the gym challenge. One regular day of the dazzling fame and hoard of fans swarming him from all sides making him put a smile on his face and turn his back on the one person who always came with these crowds. His mother was shoulder blocked in favor of the more 'important' fans shoving papers in his face to sign or pushing one another out of the way to take a picture with him. When a woman with a scarf and thick hoodie hiding most of her face came along and it would end up changing his life forever. He still remembered that memory like he was standing there living through it again and again-
With the speed walk you were going it was impossible to stop on time before you collided with the white blur with a yelp. Stumbling back your foot slipped on some snow and down you went arms flailing landing on your bottom on the hard stone ground. Luckily you weren't hurt but you hissed and mumbled something under your breath at the feeling of the cold seeping into the back of your pants now.
"Oh my goodness gracious!," an older woman's voice exclaimed above you and when you looked up you were met with a woman who looked about the same age as your mom as she held her face in an 'Oh no' kinda pose as she looked at you. All decked out in white winter wear. "I'm so sorry, Young Lady. I didn't see you there."
You waved her off as more people turned their heads at the commotion. "Nah. It's ok. It's my fault I wasn't looking where I was going-," you had begun to say before another's voice much more louder and angrier sounding made you both look over.
"MOM!! What are you doin'!?," A man's voice shouted out as people parted and a guy who looked vaguely familiar marched his way forward. The man wore...Shades of all things in this not so sunny weather with a tan-ish coat thrown over himself and blonde-white hair that draped to just above his shoulders as he pushed his way through the small crowd of people until he stopped right in front of you and the woman. He looked right at your confused self still sitting on the ground for a moment before looking over at the woman with a deep frown. "Seriously!? Ya knocked one of my fans over?"
"I'm so sorry, Honey. Really I am," she said calmly as if she had all the patience of an ancient monk. "But it was an accident." Oh. So this must've been his mom. But what does he mean by fan?? You didn't even know this guy.
"Tch!," he scoffed before crossing his arms, "Yeah right. You crash all my events especially after I win against a gym challenger." Your eyes widened. ....Gym chall-..OH!! Now you remember! You looked between the two who had a resemblance now that you looked at them. Gym Leaders Melony and Gordie! So that's why he looked semi familiar to you. These were some of the few characters you actually remembered from your time playing the game! ..Oh. And they were known for fighting of course. "You're lucky you didn't cause her to hit her head during the fall!" You looked back up blinking wide eyed at him as he scowled at his mother. "Did you even apologize to her or were you just gonna forget that too?"
You stared wide eyed at him. Who says that to their own mother!? Through all this Melony just calmly and sadly watched him as he angrily spewed out. You WISH your mom was like Melony- "HEY!!" You were quick to try and rise to your feet stumbling a bit on the snow as you did. Rising up with your own frown behind the scarf covering your face and quickly dusting yourself off.
"Ah man. Are you alright there?," he asked holding his hand out. "Sorry about my mom-"
"Oh be quiet!" You bluntly said as you snapped your face to him, which combined with your sharp tone seemed to make him pause in the moment. "I know exactly who you are!! What is WRONG with you man!?" You couldn't help but shout at him. Well considering Gordie's only a side character who you wouldn't probably see again after Gloria defeated him, it would be ok to shout at him. Especially since you weren't in the game's storyline at the moment. So you jabbed him in the chest which made him blinked and take a couple steps back. "Of course your mother apologized to me but that's NOT the point! It was an accident and I happened to run into HER! Not the other way around!! Are you kidding me with your behavior right now, Gordie!? Don't you see what you're doing!?" You gestured towards Melony who looked shocked herself seeing you jab at her son. "You're yelling at your own mother who didn't do anything wrong in front of a bunch of your fans in public!? Are you trying to embarrass her or something!? Your mom's so much nicer than you!! Geez! What were those guys thinking!?"
"I-...W-Wha-" He sputtered but you shut him down real quick.
"NO! You're not allowed to talk to me! You know why? Because your mom's one of the nicest people in all of Galar!! DUDE GET OVER YOUR STUPID EGO!! You both had a fight like..years ago!? So WHAT?! You're running your own stadium you wanted and you have like loads of fans! Don't you think that bashing her in front of your fans would make her look bad!?....No. Scratch that." He blinked as you took a step forward and he stepped back. "It makes YOU look bad! SO I am NOT a fan of yours! I'm just here looking for a missing camera but even if I didn't I'd still feel bad for your mother! Don't you think the reason Melony makes an effort to be in your fan club and trying so hard to support you is her way of showing she cares about you and is actually sorry about the fight you two had!?" You shook your head. "Gosh. Your head must be thicker than a onix if you missed that!!"
There was silence all around as the once crowd of chattering people were all shocked and staring at you, Gordie, or Melony or looking between the three of you as Gordie just stared jaw dropped and making noises like a fish out of water as you scoffed and turned around. Melony watching with equal reaction to her son and even passing people who weren't a part of the crowd was staring right at you as you turned your back to him.
"So don't apologize to me. Because the only one you should be apologizing to is your poor mother." You gave him one last very SERIOUS look over your shoulder. "As someone who wished for a parent like her, you need to get a reality check man." You turned back to his shocked mother before sighing. "I'm really sorry about all this, Ma'am. But I gotta go. I have to meet up back with my friends."
With a new sour feeling that combined with your annoyance with the cold and falling down, without looking behind you, you turned on your heels and stomped off back towards where Gloria was headed when you both split up. You didn't feel like staying at the Hero's Bath any longer now with the eerie silent you left behind. Everyone watched after you as you disappeared....until a single THUNK sound broke the silence as Gordie's shades fell off his shocked face to the cold ground below.
Now there was a few things wrong with her angry statements. His mother didn't 'didn't do anything wrong'. She had high expectations and wants that she tried to push him into doing and a few other things that led to them falling out. His mother wasn't a 'poor mother' either in both the sense that she again wasn't an angel herself, and in the other sense because she had quite the income as a gym leader. AND he doubted if that woman or anyone else really grew up with his mother, he doubted they would've wanted a mother like her as well. In fact it still felt like she was overbearing him at times whenever she showed up to his events. THAT'S what he would've explained to her after he got over the shock of that scolding and he hadn't just fled to his home for a while.
Now onto the facts that seemed correct about those statements. Her words stung him through his brain and down his heart and stomach. His Shuckle was worried from the amount of time he'd spent staring off into space soaking in his hot tub or staring at the wall at odd hours of the night. Until one night he finally figured out what feelings the words replaying in his head brought out in him. REALIZATION!! Not at the things you got wrong of course. Oh no no no. Melony still wasn't a perfect person or innocent to their falling out either, in fact she was the sole cause of it with her stubbornness and expectations from him. No one, not even the mysterious woman who yelled, could change his mind on that. Not even if you offered him the Champion title with the most powerful pokemon in Galar. But what he did realize was that, to a degree, that woman whoever she was was right. In a way. He...wasn't really doing either of them any favors by yelling at her in public and embarrassing her..Sure they fought but thinking on it now, he wondered how and why she began supporting his choices all of a sudden. He couldn't exactly remembered when she started showing up to his events and joined his fan club but it must've been maybe a good few years(??) at most. And no matter how much or what he said she always seemed to show up to support him, which still left a sour taste in his mouth. Where was this kinda support back then before they fought?...But if he was really honest with himself, and he always was, there was times that-
He really did miss his mom.
She wasn't perfect and she was hard on him and his siblings a lot, but she wasn't a bad parent. Not a 'perfect' parent, or a 'great' parent, but a good one and he was certain that she definitely wasn't the worst mother in the world. Even if her support now was overbearing was she really trying, or was this all for an image? The questions wouldn't leave him taking his attention away from other things like battles and events he planned in advance because his mind was always somewhere else. Well he one day finally decided to find out once and for all to put his running mind at ease. He felt so awkward and uncomfortable walking up to his childhood home one afternoon and knocking at the door over and over until she answered the door. His mother had opened the door and looked just as shocked as he felt awkward to see him of all people standing in the doorway.
"Gordie?"
"Ma. We need to have a talk," he bluntly stated hands in his pockets as his foot tapped anxiously away. He wanted to get straight to the point. "Can I come in?"
....She slowly blinked for a moment before she nodded and stepped aside for him to walk in. "Of course. Come on in."
"Thanks," he mumbled before walking on in and going straight to the living room. Huh..Not a single thing had been changed or moved over the years he'd been out of the house, from the rugs to the same painting of a frosmoth over the fireplace was the exact same. Glad to see at least this place was normal. "...Where's Elsa and the troublesome trio?"
"They're still in school," she spoke slowly closing the door. he heard her footsteps approach him but stopped a few yards away giving him space. "Why?... Did something happen to them?! Is there an emergency!?"
Good. He didn't want them around in case this lead to another fight. "...Nah." He shook his head making her sigh in relief. "Nothin' like that, Mom." He then looked at her and with one hand reached up to take off his shades, showing the hardened look in his eyes. "But we still need to talk about what's been going on."
She seemed confused and rose a brow back at him. " And what's been going on?"
"I'm talking about the fact you're always following me around whenever I plan anything!," he barked back his anxious brain finally making him lose patience. And she froze. "Cut the crap and answer me already. Are you really doing it cuz you feel sorry or is it to save your own image!?"
And then the house was silent other than the fire crackling currently in the fireplace and again it looked like he caught Melony off guard because the woman only stared at him wide eyed and shocked he even said that. Well he felt himself getting frustrated when she didn't answer him and continued pointing a finger from the hand holding his shades at her.
"Because you've been doin' this for the last couple years and it's been drivin' me CRAZY cuz I can't figure out what your motive is! Are you really sorry or are you just trying to get back in my good graces!? If you are sorry why can't you just say it to my face!? But if you're not then why are ya even bothering with this because it's really getting on my mind!," he continued to rant gesturing his hands around at nothing, "I haven't been able to focus or sleep because that's all I can think about lately so whatever it is just tell me now because I REALLY would like to be able to sleep again without those thoughts clouding my mind!!"
He was left panting and huffing by the end of his long rant and just started at his mother who continued to stare back silently...before she sighed and allowed her brows to crease in slight sadness.
"Oh, Honey," she spoke slowly seeming to put the puzzle together. "Is this what it's all about?" She shook her head. "Of course I'm sorry. That's why I've been trying so hard to make it up to you and make things right."
"Y-Yeah? Well you could've made that clear from the beginnin'!," he spoke with a waver to his voice.
"I thought I did when I first started supporting you. I thought that's what you wanted from me."
"I DID FROM THE VERY BEGINNING!!," he shouted again pointing at her harder, "That's ALL I ever wanted from you! Your support now d-d-doesn't erase what happened when I was seventeen, Mom! It doesn't just make what happened ok o-or erase that moment from time!! It isn't going to change that!!"
"I know it won't change anything," she spoke sadly and she gestured at nothing. "I know I've got this tendency to assume what makes me happy makes others happy too. I get carried away." She admitted looking to the floor. "There have been times where it worked in my favor but it's also just messed things up instead...I had to learn the hard way to stop assuming and do better by my children, and I'm afraid it might've been too late to realize that with you."
"Y-Yeah?...W-Well you're right about the 'too late' part."
"I know, Sweetie. And I can apologize over and over and give as many excuses as I'd like to explain everything but I know that won't make much of a difference if it even does do any. I'm the bad guy in this situation and there's no getting around that. All I can do is try to makes things right now and hope you can forgive me. If you can't...Then you can't."
"Why?...Why didn't you say an-anythin' like that whenever I yelled at ya in front of people!?"
"Because I wasn't going to stop you from expressing how you felt about me," Melony replied back calmly enough, although from the look she was giving him she felt sorry. "If you really felt like that towards me then that's how you feel. There's nothing I could've done to change that, I know I'm in the wrong and I just want you to express yourself however."
She flinched when a sob left Gordie and for once he found himself in a very long time crying. Tears flowing down his face finally from being held back for so long and not being able to anymore. The dam had broken, and the wave of emotions had overtaken any rational thought his brain might've had, letting the waterworks stream down his face, his throat clench up, And his vision blurry.
"D-Dangit, Ma-...W-Why do ya al-always have to make things h-hard?," he asked between chokes and hiccups and behind hands furiously wiping at his face.
The sobbing and tears took over him and he couldn't remember when exactly in the mess it happened, but he found himself being held by someone's arms and another low voice shushing him, but this voice was also crying herself.
"Oh, Honey. I h-had no idea it was affecting you this much. I'm so sorry."
The tears and sobbing still came until after another ten minutes he seemed to finally get a hold of himself and the tears ran out, and he was able to shuffle himself out of his mother's hold to wipe at his face better. But it felt...almost relieving in a way. Almost like a boulder had lifted off his chest and his mind was a bit more clearer than before. Well...this was good. Right? Well now begs the question. Where do they go from here?
"...I-I can't do this anymore." Melony blinked from wiping her own eyes as he placed the glasses back on his face. "Feelin' like this. And living everyday like this for the rest of our lives..I'm...willing to work ..something out with you, Ma. B-B-But...There's gotta be some boundaries. So like I said before...We need to talk."
Spare all the details, but a long, grueling, AWKWARD talk ensued between the two of them and they managed to work something out after all. He would spend one night a week at her house for dinner and in return she'd back off coming to so many events of his and being overbearing in public, she could still show up to some of his events but a phone call or a heads up would be appreciated. And to his surprise it-...worked surprisingly well. It was still awkward, weird, and slow, but it was still a start and things were looking to slowly work themselves out. Things were starting to improve with his little siblings and Melony. But something still didn't sit right on his mind. That chick who stirred up these feelings in him and was ultimately the push needed to send all the dominos toppling over to get his life to where it was now. He wanted- No. NEEDED to talk to her, for a multitude of reasons. To CORRECT her on the statements she got wrong. To CLEAR UP any misunderstandings she may have had. To APOLOGIZE personally for how he acted in front of her. And to THANK her for putting into motion this part of his life. But there was only one problem. He couldn't FIND her. Like...ANYWHERE in Circhestor. And he wasn't sure what she looked like either. Her entire face was covered so all he had to go on was the color of the winter coat and scarf she wore and f/c eyes. Now he did try to look and ask around but it seemed like she just vanished into thin air. She wasn't local as far as he could tell and she didn't seem to be one of the students in the local community college, and he certainly would've recognized her voice at any of the small stores he frequented on a regular basis. Asking around yielded no results either. Everyone knew her as 'The Girl Who Yelled At Gym Leader Gordie' but no names or faces to match and with time that incident faded from memory too. He asked his mom about her in case the mystery chick was in fact just a hallucination made up by him and his hands, but to his surprise his mother confirmed the interaction. To his DOUBLE surprise she even mentioned running into that girl again at the grocery store not too long after their encounter.
"Really!? Where was she?! Who was she!? Where did she go!?"
But his mother only shrugged. "I don't know, Sweetie. I only spoke to her for a minute and she seemed in a real hurry to go. She mentioned something about her and her friends leaving real soon."
She left Circhestor? Well that explained a lot of things. Oh well. Guess he could forget about that idea afterall. But unknowns to him he would actually end up seeing her again for she was the same woman who happened to be Leon's friend, and the one who babysat his little sibs during the Champion Cup, and the one who ended up actually saving Leon in the end from what he heard from both Leon and Piers who stayed in the hospital for a while. But he didn't know that this woman was the same woman he'd met earlier until some time into the next year. There had been another problem. One that woke everyone in Circhestor up with the rumbling and roaring of not one, not two, not even three but EIGHT dynamaxed pokemon running rampant in Circhestor's two gyms! Four in each gym. Don't ask him how or WHY there was suddenly eight dynamaxed pokemon running about but he was more focused on fixing the problem right now. He first helped his mother take care of the pokemon in her gym before returning to his own gym to deal with the remaining pokemon when he ran into a surprise.
The man was startled by the fact you all ran in and held up his hands waving for you all to get back.
"Hey! Get to safety you guys!," he shouted at you just as another roar sound echoed through the sky making him look between the sky and then back to all of you before shooing you all again. "It's not good to be here right now."
"Then who'd you think you're talkin' to then?," Piers asked him and Gordie looked towards him as he reached up and pulled his hood off revealing his long black and white hair making Gordie blink in surprise. "We're here to help not be helped."
"Piers!?," Gordie asked reaching his hand up to raise his sunglasses to look at Piers surprised.
"In the flesh. We figured ya needed a hand an' I happened ta have some extra time nowadays."
"Oh..Un actually." He cleared his throat and put his sunglasses back on. "I didn't realize who I was talking to. I was just thinking over how to handle this. With all of you here we can each take one of them on!"
"One o' 'em?"
Gordie nodded. "Y-Yeah. For some reason four pokemon just like... unleashed or something in my Mom's and mine's gyms!"
"Good Arceus! Is she ok?"
He nodded again. "Yeah. It took us both a while to clear out her gym and I was just trying to figure out how to clear them out before you arrived. But with your help I'm sure we can just get it over with pretty quick."
Piers nodded. "'Course. Should we go in now and take care of it or??"
"Oh! Right! Yeah." Gordie turned and motioned for you all to follow him. "Let's head to the pitch then!"
They moved to follow Gordie and so did you but you were stopped by something grabbing the back of your coat. You groaned and put your head up as you were pulled back and was met face to face by Piers who rose a brow. "And where do ya think you're goin', Y/n?"
"Oh come on Piers!" You gave him a frown looking at him. "You heard him! There's four crazy wild pokemon going crazy in there! You all could get hurt! Hop and Victor could get hurt! I can provide help!"
"I'll take care o' 'em," he said sternly placing you back down next to him as Silver poked his head out of your backpack. "You stay 'ere and stay safe. No buts!"
"....Ugh! Fine!" You pouted as he made a move to follow the guys. "I swear you can be a pain sometimes."
"I'd rather be the pain in your neck instead of those pokemon. Now STAY here!"
You watched them go before looking at Silver and gesturing towards them. "Can you believe this?" Silver gave a chirp. "Exactly!"
He wouldn't lie he was glad for whatever reason Piers and his little mates were there to help him take out those pokemon all dynamaxed in the gym. His own pokemon were already tired from dealing with four other giant pokemon so the extra help was appreciated, and the small group showed back up alright. A little roughed up and dirty no doubt from the field but overall looking rather well.
Gordie sighed and reached a hand up to wipe at his forehead. "Nice work everyone. No one's hurt are they?"
Hop gave a dry laugh. "Ha ha. Just barely. Battling a dynamax pokemon all on your own is pretty hard work."
"Hehe...Well I expected nothing less from you, Piers," Gordie thanked Piers with a smile. "You seem like quite the reliable trainer too, Hop."
Hop blinked at the compliment the gym leader gave him. "I-I do?"....Before giving a bashful smile.
A small laugh rang out. "Looks like he ain't used ta compliments." Piers teased pointing at Hop. "Look. He's got a grin wider than a meowth."
"I-I do not!," Hop protested quickly making Piers give a...wide smile. You blinked at him. "Shut your gob, Piers!"
"Anyways..I'll take care of the pokemon we battled so there's no need for you all to worry. Alright?"
"What will you do with them?", you asked curiously
Gordie shrugged. "Relocate and release them back into the wild probably. Maybe give them to my little sibs? We'll decide once we get them looked at by Nurse Joy." Gordie turned his head towards you. "Either way they'll be-.." he paused. Staring at you all bundled up in your coat with your scarf covering half your face as you stared back at him. After a moment of wide eyed staring Gordie reached up both his hands. Taking off his sunglasses and rubbing his eyes with the other before looking back to you letting you see his face without those glasses now...before he pointed at you. "Hey. You look familiar. Have we met somewhere before?"
Uh oh. Could you still get in trouble for what happened last year when you were first in Circhester? There probably couldn't be anything he could do since you technically didn't do anything other than maybe ban you from his gym which honestly wouldn't affect you much. But could he ban you from Circhester all together?
"Well...I mean I have seen you around once or twice," you answered truthfully. And you did. You saw him about four times now. At the Entrance Ceremony, during your trip to Circhester and Wyndon last year, and now.
In an instant Gordie's face gained a flash of realization and he pointed at you. "Hey! You're that chick!"
"Chick?," Piers asked looking between you and Gordie and narrowing his eyes.
You looked between both gym leaders before sighing and reaching up. Gordie's eyes widening more as you pulled down your hood and scarf revealing your face and head. "Wha-...Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait!..." he pointed again and if he wasn't holding his glasses it might've fallen off his face onto the ground. "The babysitter lady!?"
You groaned before ending it with a sigh and shaking your head as Gordie blinked. "Yeah. I uh....Never got a chance to apologize to you for yelling at you last year."
"Yellin' at 'em?," Piers asked raising his brows surprised and looking between the two of you more. "..Wot are ya two talking about?"
"It's a long story. But I really am sorry," you genuinely apologized. "I shouldn't have done that."
....Gordie blinked again. "Wha- Uh! N-No! Don't apologize!...I mean." He cleared his throat and turned his gaze placing his sunglasses back onto his face. "It's no big deal. Can't expect everyone to be a fan of mine y'know. And to be honest it's not like you're the first girl to yell at me for something."
"Wait....You're serious?" You blinked surprised.
"Yeeeaaahh." he rubbed the back of his neck. "I've had my share of love struck crazies and karens. Can't avoid that when you're kinda famous and a gym leader I guess." I mean...You guessed so. That sounded like something he'd have to deal with. He tilted his head back at you. "In fact.....I kinda owe you one for getting through my thick head." ...You mumbled a huh sound and he sighed. "I mean.." He gestured his other hand. "What you said about me...and my mom r-really stuck with me after that and I couldn't get it out of my head......Buuutt not getting it out of my head meant I was forced to think about it and thinking about it made me realize that....I was kinda being a jerk to my ma."
"I-..." You blinked exchanging surprised looks with Piers before looking back at him. "Wait. You did what?"
He nodded with a sigh. "Y-Yeah. You were right. My mom was really sorry about everything and was just trying to make up for it for so long and I was just treating her like dirt this entire time. I was so deep into the grudge I held over her it took someone verbally slapping some sense into me to realize that I was pushing her away and creating a stressful situation for my siblings. T-That's why I've been trying to make it up to her!" He clarified to you as if he was hoping you would approve of that gesturing his hand to you, making you blink again. "And thing's have been...well it's still kinda awkward, b-but it's better now! We talk and I visit a lot!"
You stared at him..Hey. Didn't Piers mention that Gordie and Melony were getting along better in the hospital? Did you do that? Oops. But hey! It looks like things are turning out for the better! "But...then who's going to take over your mom's gym?"
"My little sister!," Gordie answered proudly, "Elsa's always had more of a knack with Ice Types than I ever did! She'd be a better match for it than I ever could be! And I'm planning on training one of my baby brothers when they get older...." He sighed. "And when they mature more." Before he looked back to you. "But I never got the thought of the chick that helped me out out of my head. ..Hehe. I looked all over Circhester for ya but I couldn't find you anywhere. If it wasn't for my mom and some of my fans hearing you too I would've sworn you were a ghost or something."
"Me?" You pointed to yourself. "Why? I'm sorry if I caused you any grief or anything."
"No, no." He waved a hand. "I-I just wanted to t-thank you. Is all. Y'know. I just..never got to say thank you."
...You smiled. "Hey. Don't thank me. I'm just glad everything turned out ok for everyone. Let's just call it even and say no one owes the other anything."
Gordie blinked surprised for a moment before giving a smile. "*ahem* Y-Yeah. Sounds good. Heh....So uh..." He gestured towards you all. "Are you all leaving now?"
"Actually I suggest we spend the night here before we decide to go anywhere next," Hop suggested. "It's going to get dark soon and we can all use a small mental break from traveling to have a good night's sleep and leave in the morning."
"I second that!" Victor shivered.
"Oh! You're spending the night?...*ahem* W-Well if that's the case..Uh." He gestured to you. "Do you uh...M-Maybe wanna have some dinner at Bob's Your Uncle? They have some really good curry and hot coco. It'd be my treat-"
"Sorry, but I think we'll just get hotel room service. But thanks for the offer."
"O-Oh. Uh...Ok then."
And just like that she was gone yet again. He went to try and talk to her the very next morning but her and her crew had already left, and then he was left wondering why until he was filled in by Raihan to the events that transpired with two weird hairdo guys that was later made to apologize to him and his mother. He tried mentioning her to Leon but never could get to speak with her again so he forgot it for now, that was until he agreed to do an exhibition match with Raihan once his stadium was done being rebuilt.
The roar of the crowds could still be heard from even inside the heavily cemented concrete walls that made up most of the gym. Even with the thick steel door that made a loud metallic noise when strong hands opened the entrance way into the locker rooms and two tall figures entered covered in dirt and sweat from his weather attacks and a difficult battle inquiring much energy. The footsteps echoed throughout the room as they both entered. Lockers lined all along the right wall with showers and a few bathroom stalls and sinks towards the back and left walls, and a few benches were placed in the middle. Thank goodness that the atmosphere in here was. cooler. It helped to cool the two of them off from the work out that was the show they put on. The first thing Gordie did once in there was make a beeline for the nearest bench and tiredly plop himself down on it with a relieved sigh.
"Hhhhhaaaa. Man." Two hands reached up and removed the signature sunglasses from his face while his other pushed itself through his blonde locks. A few grands of sand falling from them courtesy of Raihan's flygon's sandstorm attack. "Been a while since I had a battle that intense."
His answer was to sigh back and reached his own hand up to remove the orange bandanna from his forehead. Allowing his head to feel some relief from it's fabric. "Yeah. Good battle though. You really had be in the last round not gonna lie."
The other gym leader let out a small dry chuckle his way before gazing his eyes towards him. "Yeah but we both knew you were going to win from the start, Raihan. Don't kid yourself." His gaze once again looked back down towards his hand and then grimaced when he spotted the specks of dirt all over the shades' lenses. "I might've as well have just forfeited before I even got here. No one can top the top leader."
"Hmm. True, but then again we both know you won't back down from a chance to make yourself look great in front of all those adoring fans of yours. Seriously, I think the stadium's packed with more of your fans than mine. Did you see how many people were lined outside begging at your feet for just a picture?"
"Tch." A small smile appeared on Gordie's face as he attempted to clean the shades on the fabric of his jacket. "You're just jealous because I can wear dirt and still come out with great hair!"
That made Raihan laugh a little bit back. "Grains of sand is just filed down rock, and who else could look better in it than the Rock Type Gym Leader himself?"
"But of course! But since we're on the topic of fans, I think that crazy group of women were throwing themselves at your feet not mine. Still a ladies' man huh?" Despite Gordie asking that in a joking way his words made Raihan pause and his friend quickly picked up on his lack of movement, looking up at him. "....Hey, Dude. You ok there?"
"Hm?" Raihan blinked at him before holding up a free hand. "Oh yeah. I've been good. Just-...A-A lot's been on my mind lately considering. Y'know?"
With a hum Gordie nodded. "Yeah man. I feel you. I bet things have been stressful. You sure you're not over pushing yourself?"
"No. I'm fine in that department," he assured Gordie with a small smile. "Guess it's just the feeling of all the stress winding down. But how's your family?" He asked changing the subject. "I think Nessa told me your little sister was being trained to take over your mom's gym."
"Huh? O-Oh yeah. Thing's are a bit...awkward sometimes but-" Gordie paused for a moment rolling his wrist. "It's...good. Things are good. A lot better than they were. I have that Y/n chick to thank for that."
"Oh yeah. ...I heard about that from Piers," Raihan mumbled rubbing his neck. He...had mixed feelings when Gordie had told some of them about the girl who verbally slapped common sense into and then Piers had casually told him that chick just happened to be YOU in passing. Gordie seemed to express some genuine interest in you which made him look back at him with a hum. "She's really nice, ain't she?"
"Yeah." A small silence fell between the two of them before Gordie looked back up towards Raihan again. "I uh...Heard you asked her out a few times." Raihan blinked. "H-How-..How'd that go for you?"
"Oh that. It was nice. Real nice if you don't take into account she sucked her drizzlie's water gun on me. HAHA." He ended with a laugh and smile.
"Aw man. Bummer. Sorry to hear that dude."
Raihan shrugged. "It's all good. Wasn't meant to be anyways. SO! What are you doing after this again? A lot of those fans are expecting an encore appearance from us!"
Gordie shrugged with a sigh rubbing his neck. "Not sure myself. I think I just want to head home and have a rest after this event. It's nearly Elsa's birthday too so I might do some shoppin'."
Raihan smirked slyly before shrugging. "Sounds like a plan man. I totally would've thought you'd drop by the college you got over there."
To which this Gordie gave him a confused look. "What? No. You already know I graduated from there years ago dude. The course only takes two years to graduate. Why would you suggest that?"
Raihan shrugged again. "No reason. I just thought you and Y/n were friends since she's attending college there-"
"WHAT!?" Raihan had to bite back the urge to laugh when Gordie whipped around fast enough to make the shades slip down his nose.
"Oh yeah. Lee was telling me all about it. The Chairwoman was really thankful for everything Y/n's done for him so when she heard she was planning to take up college here, she offered a full scholarship to the University up there." he shrugged slyly. "So I just thought maybe you'd already see how she was doing-"
"WHEN!?", Gordie demanded shooting up to his feet and looking at Raihan who hummed.
"Well..The next school season starts in mid August and it's almost the end of July right now, so calculating in how long it'll take to sign up for classes a month before it starts and how much all the books will cost-...I'd say she'd maybe be on her way now or sometime real soon I bet-"
He blinked when Gordie wasn't in front of him anymore and the door leading out of the men's locker room was slowly swinging shut from being thrown open so suddenly. The Dragon Tamer stood there staring at what just happened for a long moment...before throwing his head back and laughing. Oooh you were for sure going to get him for this later, but for now he was going to laugh and see what would happen.