Chapter Text
He really was unassuming.
You had heard the chatter among students about the Medali gym leader and his quiet, unassuming manner. Even stepping into the Treasure Eatery to begin the gym test, you couldn't have guessed that he of all people would be the gym leader. He seemed so... normal. Black suit, light blue tie, worn black briefcase - really nothing remarkable. But as the host called back to him to announce your arrival and challenge, you could have sworn that something lit up in his otherwise tired eyes.
Throughout the battle, he remained steadfast in keeping a blank face, barely reacting as you took down each of his Pokemon while he did the same to your team. It wasn't until the very end, when he recalled Staraptor into the safety of its Pokeball, that he let out a sigh. You couldn't tell if it was a sigh of relief, defeat, or simply being tired. He conceded and congratulated you on your win, passing you the gym badge with a slight smile on his face. You thanked him and he seemed to hesitate for a moment. "I often get hungry after these battles, so I usually invite challengers to a meal afterwards. Are you interested?" he eventually said. You smiled back and nodded, "Sure."
Sitting across from the tired salaryman, you noticed his small, admittedly sweet, mannerisms - the way he simply nodded at the waiter to signal his usual order, the way his eyes sparkled and his back straightened when that order came out, and the deep hum of satisfaction after his first bite. You had ordered the same thing off his recommendation and were pleasantly surprised.
"This is actually really good," you mused through mouthfuls of rice.
"Were you expecting it not to be?" he retorted.
You scoffed playfully, noting how his face remained unchanged despite the slight attempt at sarcastic humor. The meal went mostly silent as you both ate in peace. Occasionally, in between bites, he would ask small questions about your interest in Pokemon, your time at the academy, etc.
"How do you like it at the academy?"
"It's fine. I started much later than the other students since I put it off while taking care of things at home, so sometimes it feels strange to be older than everyone else. But everyone has been so welcoming that it's really okay."
He nodded thoughtfully and seemed to linger on your face for a moment.
"Well, you battle as if you've been doing this longer than a lot of them. It's impressive."
You blushed at the compliment and finished the remains of your meal, unsure how much to read into his words.
Once you were both satisfied, Larry rose from the table and paid for both meals, despite your protestations that you pay for yourself. He simply brushed it off and handed the cash to the waiter, ignoring your attempts to shove your own money towards him. You rolled your eyes, but thanked him and stepped out the front door with him trailing behind.
You were expecting to step out into the fresh breeze of Medali's night, but were surprised to find heavy raindrops splattering across the streets and sidewalks, the sky overcast with heavy clouds. You pulled out your phone to check the weather, only to be further disappointed that the rain wouldn't let up for another few hours. Larry took note of the fact that all you had on you was a small bag that surely didn't fit an umbrella inside. He hesitated once again, unsure of whether he wanted to make his next offer.
"The academy is quite far, especially at this time of night and in this weather."
You nodded in agreement, sighing.
He cleared his throat and looked away from you.
"I live just a block away. You're welcome to wait out the storm there if you'd like."
You looked at him in surprise and saw the faintest hint of a blush on his cheeks.
"Yeah, that'd be nice," you smiled.
You walked back to his humble apartment side by side under his umbrella, each of you getting slightly wet where the umbrella was too short to cover you both. You arrived at his door and removed your shoes, admiring the minimalism of his home and the way he casually released his Pokemon to their own little nooks and crannies around the house. He offered you a mug of hot tea, which you gladly accepted after the chilly walk, and sat down on the couch, motioning for you to join him.
There was something oddly intimate about being here with him in his own home. You knew he invited challengers to dinner afterwards, but this? Were you reading into it too much? Noticing you lost in thought and seemingly reading your mind, he gently prodded your knee with his finger.
"I don't usually do this. It's actually been a while since someone has come to my apartment."
"Well, I really appreciate it! It's miserable out there."
He nodded, continuing to gaze at you, making your face burn. You eventually found enough courage to turn to meet his eyes, noticing a funny feeling in the pit of your stomach and an unfamiliar ache in your chest as he smiled at you. A genuine smile from the tired man. You chatted for a long time, slowly opening up to each other and even exchanging some laughter over silly battles, Pokemon encounters, and his life working in the league.
"So, gym leader and Elite Four, huh?"
"Believe me, it's not as glamorous as it seems. The best part was convincing my boss to open my gym at a restaurant with good food."
As you talked more and more, you hadn't realized both of you gradually shifting closer together on the couch until a slight adjustment on your part brought your knee brushing up against his.
"Ah, sorry. It must be getting late, I don't want to overstay my welcome and keep you up late."
He hummed quietly and nodded, standing up. You made your way to the front door and got ready to slide your sneakers back on when a hand reached out to gently grasp yours.
"Thanks for coming," he said quietly, squeezing your fingers in between his. Before you could respond, he slowly pulled you towards him, testing the waters to see your reaction. You should have hesitated to be honest, you had just met the man a few hours ago and there were probably some questionable ethics about his seniority over you in the league, the slight age gap between you, but the speed at which you had fallen for him over those few hours made it impossible to not melt into his touch.
You stood close to him now, right hand still grasped by his left, as he leaned down and kissed you, gentle and brief. He pulled away and scanned your face to look for any indication whether he had made the right move or gravely misread the situation. Your face flushed and you grinned, leaning up to kiss him back, longer this time.
"Would you like to stay just a little longer?" he breathed out.
You nodded as he tugged you along with him back towards the couch without breaking the kiss. He sat down, pulling you into his lap. He was so touch starved, you thought. The way his hands grasped you and held you like you'd disappear if he let go. Those hands that came up to rest on your face as he deepened the kiss. Your heart was pounding. How long had it been since you had felt so wanted, so desired?
"I haven't done this in a long time," he sheepishly admitted, eyes half-lidded.
"I haven't either, but I want to," you returned.
He nodded, gazing at you as he brushed loose strands of hair out of your face.
"You're really beautiful," he whispered.
You did your best to hide your embarrassment as you kissed him again, this time feeling him playfully bite your bottom lip. His hands came to rest on your hips as you leaned against him and shifted further into his lap. You didn't need to glance down to notice the growing bulge in his pants between your thighs. Wrapping his arms around you, he pressed you tighter against his body, gently grinding up against you to gauge your reaction. You let out a sigh, which he took as a good sign, and continued to ease you back and forth along his growing erection. His left hand trailed downwards towards the bottom hem of your shorts, slipping his fingers underneath to massage your thigh, hand dangerously close to where you needed him.
"Here?" he asked, almost innocently.
You nodded, grinding down on him harder in confirmation.
He smiled into the kiss as his fingers found that sensitive spot you loved and felt your arousal around them. He slipped them inside and relished in the quiet moans you made, the way you softly panted his name as he touched you. He repeated the motions and responded to every sound, every movement you made, adjusting to match whatever needs you had. Anything for you, he thought to himself.
You brought your mouth close to his earlobe, brushing against it with a gentle nibble and whispering, "I think I'm close already."
His heart started to race and swell with pride, not out of a boyish desire for bragging rights but instead at the rush of intimacy in your admission, the anticipation of the heavenly feeling only you could provide to him. He sped up, moaning into the kiss, feeling your heart beat rapidly as you reached your peak. He swore he had never seen something so angelic - the euphoric expression on your face as you came around his fingers, the panting and moans of his name, the tears pricking at the corners of your eyes.
"That's it, I've got you," he whispered against your ear as you came down from your high.
You slumped against him, forehead resting against his shoulder as he rubbed your back. He removed his fingers and you watched in awe as he brought them to his mouth, savoring the taste while maintaining eye contact. Your face heated and you tried to avert your gaze, but he kissed you again before you could fully turn away.
"Stay tonight," he said, half a question, half a command.
"Don't you need to go to work in the morning?"
"I do, but I'd like to wake up next to you," he said bluntly.
Butterflies flitted in your stomach and your heart ached. You really were falling for him.
"Okay, Larry," you sighed happily.
Hearing his name off your lips was one of the sweetest sounds he had ever heard.
He helped you to your feet and guided you to the bathroom to clean up and then towards his bedroom. He pulled out an oversized sweatshirt for you to sleep in as he got changed into his own comfortable clothes. You stripped off your clothes, but instead of pulling the sweatshirt on, you laid it down on the edge of the bed, standing in just your underwear before him. He turned around after pulling on his own t-shirt, eyes gawking at the sight.
"Did you want a different shirt to wear?"
"No, I just don't think it'd be fair for me to be the only one who has all the fun tonight."
You stepped towards him.
"And since it's so late, I wanted to make sure you get a good night's sleep."
He swallowed, erection quickly building up again.
"What did you have in mind?" he asked, doing his best to not to seem too eager.
"Anything you want, Larry."