Chapter Text
Hibarida knocks on Shouyou’s door a little after ten the next morning to let him know his final opponent has arrived. Shouyou nervously checks his phone again, but there’s still no reply to the message he sent Atsumu when he woke up. It’s probably why he’s so distracted when he enters the battle chamber that he doesn’t really recognize the trainer standing across from him.
“Why, if it isn’t Tobio-chan’s Chibi friend!” The pretty boy’s voice is airy, almost playful. Shouyou squints, trying to place him. “Well, I say friend, but Tobio-chan clearly isn’t capable of keeping those, since he’s apparently left you behind too.”
“Kageyama is my friend,” Shouyou says with a slight frown, trying to place the other trainer, who definitely looks familiar. “Just because he went ahead when I stumbled doesn’t change that.”
“So loyal, Chibi-chan!”
Right, he remembers him now. It’s been several weeks, but they did briefly meet outside of Seijoh’s gym.
“My name is Hinata Shouyou. Please remember it, Oikawa-san.”
Oikawa looks undeniably pleased that Shouyou remembers him, judging by his satisfied smile and lightly flushed cheeks. He holds his hand up in front of him in an appeasing gesture, then motions for Shouyou to take his place for their battle to begin.
“Feast on my fabulous food!”
Oikawa’s first pokemon is a Vanilluxe, an unfortunate matchup for Oscar. Shouyou chances a switch, and All Might’s typing lets him easily tank the incoming Ice Beam, but luck isn’t on his side. The Lucario gets frozen. Worse, after being given an Ice Heal, he’s frozen again by the second Ice Beam.
“Oh, lucky!” Oikawa sing-songs, cocking his head to the side. “Do you think this’ll just keep on happening?”
Shouyou grits his teeth and uses another Ice Heal. Thankfully All Might doesn’t freeze again, but by the time he’s done with Vanilluxe, he’s not looking great.
The following turns are less difficult, Feathers defeating Sirfetch’d and Polteageist, while Oscar gets to shine against Dachsbun and Garganacl. They’re both reasonably damaged afterwards though, so when Oikawa brings out his last pokemon, the flying apple he remembers from their first encounter, Shouyou switches out to Isis.
Shouyou never really took the time to look up foreign pokemon, even though he had intended to at some point, and asking Kageyama about that specific pokemon seemed ill-advised at the time. So, while he’s guessing that Flapple, as Oikawa called it, has a Grass-Flying typing, he has no idea if it’s a physical or special attacker.
He takes a gamble and brings out Isis.
“Oh, Chibi-chan, that was a mistake,” Oikawa taunts. “One that you will sorely regret. Now, feast your eyes on the power of Gigantamax!”
With almost regal poise, the trainer calls his pokemon back into its pokeball. The large bracelet on his wrist glows red, and the pokeball grows as big as a watermelon. Oikawa uses both hands to elegantly throw it high into the air, where it releases its transformed, gigantic occupant. It looks even more like an apple now. An apple bigger than a Wailord.
Shouyou loves it. He’s also pretty sure it’s a physical attacker, so Isis is definitely not gonna survive this.
And indeed, the Blissey faints instantly under Flapple’s G-Max Tartness. Shouyou brings out Light, who is particularly fast for a Sylveon, but Flapple is faster and beats her in one move too.
“Is that transformation permanent like a Mega Evolution?” He thinks he remembers hearing that it’s temporary, but he isn’t sure.
“I guess you’ll just have to find out, Chibi-chan!”
Shouyou needs speed if he wants a chance to hit his opponent. That’s…something his team sorely lacks, he realizes. Reluctantly, he brings his fastest pokemon, All Might, back out.
The Thunder Punch, which does go first, isn’t very effective.
“It doesn’t have a Flying type?”
“An easy mistake to make!” Oikawa chirps as his pokemon once again makes one of Shouyou’s faint. “But, sadly, Dynamax only lasts three turns.”
As he says so, Flapple drastically reduces in size as it transforms back into its initial appearance. Shouyou quickly thinks through his dwindling options before bringing out Feathers.
He could almost cry when Feathers attacks first. With the type advantage and the damage already inflicted previously, Oikawa’s last pokemon finally goes down.
“Well done, Shouyou.”
*
Shouyou sits down in the hallway, a little distance away from the door of the Champion’s chamber, and brings out his team to administer various medicines. Mesbeewhy is sitting next to him, his double tail slowly switching as he watches Light scarf down some kibble that will do nothing for her battle prowess.
Shouyou is, maybe, procrastinating a little.
Don’t get him wrong, he’s very excited about the upcoming battle. But it’s the last one. After that, he’ll have done it all, and the prospect is a little terrifying. He doesn’t want his Pokemon Journey to be over.
He’s so lost in his thoughts that he doesn’t notice the running footfalls echoing through the hallway until Atsumu rounds the corner, Yuka on his heels.
“Yes!” Atsumu shouts, coming to a stop in front of Shouyou, a little out of breath. “I was worried I wouldn’t catch you before your last battle.”
“Atsumu!” Shouyou jumps to his feet and then into his boyfriend’s arms, clinging to him like a Komala. “You didn’t tell me you were coming!”
“I wanted to surprise you,” Atsumu replies, prying Shouyou off him so that he can look him in the eye. “Surprise.”
They fall into each other’s gravity, and Shouyou has missed this so much. Not just the kissing, Atsumu’s soft lips fitting perfectly against Shouyou’s, but just Atsumu’s presence. The strong body, the warmth, the caring. Shouyou clings to Atsumu’s jacket, basking in the tight embrace of Atsumu’s arms around him.
“How are you even allowed in here?” he eventually asks, because no one is supposed to come in or out until he’s either won or lost.
“Gym leader special treatment,” Atsumu grins. “Gotta make the most of those privileges before they’re gone.”
“Gone?”
“Uh-hu. ‘Samu and I have talked hard and long. We’re gonna leave the gym to Kita and Suna. They’ll need some time to get all the proper certifications, but after that my brother and I are free to do whatever we want.”
“Do you have plans already?” Shouyou asks, trying for casual. Atsumu hasn’t mentioned anything, and it has Shouyou worried about losing him again.
“Ah,” Atsumu says, nervously averting his eyes. “I thought we might want to make those together?”
Oh.
Shouyou is suddenly hit by the realization that he is utterly and completely in love with the boy in front of him. He smiles softly as he puts his hand on Atsumu’s cheek, guides his face back towards Shouyou so he can kiss him again.
“That sounds perfect to me.”
Atsumu’s happy smile is a little goofy, and it makes Shouyou’s insides melt.
“So,” the blond says after a little while, clearing his throat awkwardly. “You ready to face your ultimate rival?”
“I have a rival?” Shouyou asks, before his eyes grow wide as he figures it out. “Oh, that makes sense! Of course it’s him. Yeah, I’m ready. We’re ready,” he adds, gesturing towards his team spread around him.
“Let’s go then.”
Shouyou calls back his pokemon and rearranges the pokeballs on his belt, making sure to have Mesbeewhy up front. He wants to show off, after all.
With a showy bow, Atsumu pushes the door of the Champion chamber open and holds it for him. Shouyou huffs in amusement, then steps inside. He’s expecting Atsumu to wait outside, as he’s done every time Shouyou’s taken on various gyms, but the blond follows him in, although he stays by the door.
He must have missed Shouyou as much as Shouyou missed him. Shouyou’s cheeks flush at the thought. He shakes his head, then turns to face the current Champion.
“I’m here.” Shouyou’s smile is so wide it feels like his face is going to split.
“Took you long enough,” Kageyama replies.
And while most people would call the Champion’s smile scary, Shouyou knows his friend well enough to recognize it as the challenge it is.
“Let’s begin!” Kageyama calls as he sends out a Flygon he did not have last time they saw each other.
“You’re on!” Shouyou replies with as much enthusiasm as Mesbeewhy comes out.
He’s practically vibrating with excitement as he studies Kageyama’s reaction. The other boy has always been good at masking his emotions —or maybe just bad at showing them?— so he only catches a glimpse of surprise before Kageyama’s face goes back to focused neutrality.
They both use their first turn to set up, Flygon with a Dragon Dance and Mesbeewhy with his Protective Howl, which lets him switch into Light. The boosted Earthquake that follows would have definitely taken the Sylveon down without the Black Jackal’s protection, but she’s still standing, so her Moonblast easily vanquishes the opposing Dragon-type.
Kageyama squints his eyes and glares at Shouyou, a competitive heat in his eyes. Without a word, he sends out his Gliscor.
Pokemon League rules mean the challenger is allowed to freely switch pokemon when the Champion sends out a new one. Because this is a test, not an equal battle. At some point early in their travels, Shouyou said that he would not use this unfair advantage. He remembers vividly the lecture he got from Kageyama about using all the tools at his disposal to win.
So Shouyou doesn’t hesitate to bring out Isis. The Blissey is the only pokemon with a move that can properly damage Gliscor, and she still has her defenses raised. Kageyama directs his pokemon to use Swords Dance, letting Isis free to use her recently-learned Ice Beam.
“Why does your Blissey even know that move?” Kageyama groans as he watches Gliscor get encased in ice. “That’s not part of any proper moveset!”
There’s an amused huff by the door. Atsumu’s had a lot to say about how Shouyou uses Isis offensively in battles.
“I just like to be surprising,” Shouyou shrugs.
Gliscor is trapped in the ice and can’t attack on the next turn, so it quickly goes down. The next two battles only last one turn, with Volcarona falling to Feathers’ Drill Peck and Golurk going down from Oscar’s Energy Ball. At least Volcarona managed to get some damage in.
By the time Pelipper comes out, the effects of Protective Howl have faded. A soft rain starts to fall, conjured by Pelipper’s ability even though they are currently inside.
People keep saying that pokemon aren’t magic. Shouyou still thinks they’re wrong.
Oscar is faster than Pelipper, and his Energy Ball does a very decent amount of damage on the Flying pokemon. The rain allows Kageyama to use Pelipper’s Hurricane without worrying about accuracy, and it’s a miracle that the Roserade is still standing after that hit. He looks confused, but manages to hit Pelipper again and take it down.
Which leaves Kageyama’s final pokemon, his trusted companion Corviknight. The one pokemon Shouyou isn’t sure he can vanquish.
Corviknight’s typing is just too good. Eight resistances and two immunities for only two weaknesses is a little ridiculous. Not to mention Shouyou doesn’t have either a Fire or an Electric pokemon.
All of Oscar’s moves are resisted by Corviknight, but since he’s faster than the bird pokemon Shouyou figures he might as well get a cheap shot in before he faints, so he keeps the Roserade out. Unfortunately Oscar is still confused from the Hurricane hit and promptly takes himself out.
“Seems your luck is turning,” Kageyama comments. “You’ve been doing surprisingly well up until now, but Miwa won’t go down so easily.”
“You gave her a name?” Shouyou smiles as he asks, and Kageyama just nods. “It’s a good name.”
The only pokemon Shouyou has left that would be faster than Miwa is All Might, and luckily the Lucario has an Electric move. Thunder Punch does a decent amount of damage, but Corvisquire’s defense is high. He’ll probably need to land two more of those if he wants to win, and he isn’t sure he’ll get the chance.
Kageyama takes advantage of the rain that is still falling. It’s most likely on purpose that Pelipper came out right before Miwa, Kageyama’s smart like that. Miwa lands her own Hurricaine without having to worry about accuracy, and luck seems to really have turned to the Champion’s side as Lucario gets confused from the impact.
“Bokuto should get a Pelipper,” Shouyou comments as he decides on his next move.
“He would if he weren’t so scared of Kourai-kun’s wrath,” Atsumu snickers from where he’s watching the battle. “Pelipper is his signature pokemon, and the little guy can be feisty.”
“Hoshiumi-san is taller than me, you know,” Shouyou pouts.
“But you’re much cuter,” Atsumu replies casually, grinning as Shouyou sends him a brilliant smile.
“Are…are you two flirting?” Kageyama asks, sounding almost suspicious as his gaze travels from one to the other.
“We’re dating, Bakageyama,” Shouyou tells him proudly. “But we can talk about my love life after I beat you, so let’s get back to it!”
All Might manages to land a hit even through his confusion, and maybe some of his earlier luck is back because static energy clings to Miwa, slowing her down and partially paralyzing her. It doesn’t prevent her from landing a critical hit with her next Hurricane attack, taking All Might down just before the rain finally stops.
Shouyou picks Isis next. Without the rain Kageyama will probably rely on weaker but more accurate moves than Hurricane, so he figures that if the Blissey can survive getting hit she can probably win the battle with a good Thunderbolt.
Except that Miwa uses her next turn to Roost, temporarily losing her Flying type and Electricity vulnerability as she heals back up. Her following Iron Head attack does a number on Isis, who might not survive another hit like that, and her following Thunderbolt isn’t enough to finish off Miwa.
Shouyou has options. Miwa is slowed by the paralysis, so both Light and Feathers should be faster than her right now. Mesbeewhy will still be slower but can take a few hits. None of them have super-effective moves but they all have options that will hit, at least.
The fact that Miwa can heal up is gonna be annoying though.
Case in point, Kageyama orders her to Roost again. Except she doesn’t: the electricity still clinging to her finally fully paralyzes her and she’s unable to move! Isis’ Thunderbolt crashes into her and Shouyou whoops in triumph.
He looks at Kageyama to see what his next pokemon is, already thinking of bringing Mesbeewhy back out to boost his team’s defense again. Except Kageyama is walking towards him, his face somewhere half-way between proud and disappointed. It looks very weird.
“Congratulations, Champion.”
Shouyou stares at the hand Kageyama offers him. It takes his brain a couple of seconds to fully comprehend. It’s over. He’s won. He’s the Champion now. Beaming, he grasps his friend's hand.
“It was a great battle! We should do this again at some point, but on equal grounds this time.”
“I like the sound of that,” Kageyama agrees. Then he smirks. “That way I’ll definitely beat you.”
“We’ll have to see!”
“I call for a celebratory dinner!” Atsumu cuts in, easily diffusing the slowly rising tension as he puts an arm over Shouyou’s shoulders. “On me, because I’m a thoughtful boyfriend like that.”
“So you two really are dating?” Kageyama asks, and Shouyou nods happily. “You can do better.”
“Hey!”
Atsumu pouts, and Shouyou just laughs, though he does lean more fully into Atsumu’s side.
“So, what are you going to do now that you’re no longer stuck beating challengers to the Champion title?” he asks.
Kageyama looks thoughtful. Shouyou patiently waits for him to answer, knowing not to rush his friend. Eventually, Kageyama nods to himself.
“I’m going back to Kitagawa Daiichi. I have a League Challenge to finish over there, after all.” He looks at Shouyou, cocking his head on the side. “You could come and visit. If you want.”
Shouyou shares a look with Atsumu, who shrugs.
“I’ve never really traveled abroad.”
“Maybe we will, then,” Shouyou replies, smiling at both of them. “I think I’d like that. There’s a lot of interesting pokemon out there.”
*
Shouyou manages to hold the Champion title for 13 days, exactly the same amount of time as Kageyama, before being beaten by a twelve-year-old prodigy just in time for the summer holidays to end.
He and Atsumu make plans to visit each other as often as possible through the school year. It’s Atsumu’s last one, though Shouyou still has two to go through. He can’t wait to see where life is going to take them.
*
Mesagoza, Paldea, three years later
Shouyou smiles as Atsumu crowds him against the door of the locker room. He shouldn't indulge the blond like this, they really don’t have the time, but Shouyou is weak. He throws his arms around Atsumu’s shoulders, pulling himself up to press his mouth against his boyfriend’s. It’s a practiced dance of lips and tongues that’s become familiar through the years, and yet it still leaves him heady, starving for more.
Atsumu’s strong body is pressing into his, chest heaving as he latches onto Shouyou’s neck now. He’s definitely going to leave a mark for everyone to see. What a dick, Shouyou thinks fondly.
“We need to go, ‘Tsumu,” he says, but it’s weak and breathy. He’s not doing anything to push his boyfriend away. “They’re waiting for us.”
Atsumu takes a step back and admires his work with a satisfied smile. It’s a good look on him. They take a moment to readjust their ruffled uniforms, then finally leave the locker room. As they walk towards the field, the sound of the crowd grows louder, and a new kind of excitement zips through Shouyou’s veins.
They step out into the open stadium and he almost stumbles with the sheer volume of the cheers. People are calling out their names, cheering them on while the giant screens over the field show their faces.
And the blooming hickey his teammate just gave him.
Shouyou huffs, amused, while Atsumu preens next to him. They look good in their team’s uniforms, the three golden slashes popping against the black fabric in an homage to the pokemon they named themselves after.
“Welcome to the final of this year’s Double Battles World Championship!”
The commentator’s amplified voice comes over the noise of the crowd. Shouyou tunes her out as she introduces the teams. He knows his opponents, has watched them attentively through the whole tournament.
He has faith in his team, faith in his own well-honed abilities. They’ve both worked so hard to get this far. They can do this.
The Black Jackals will win.