Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“You missed Sycamore's party yesterday.”

“I got caught up in Kanto. Besides, do I look like an expert in Kalosian?”

Leaf gestured at the waitress and stumbled through an order for another round of some fancy dessert Blue had grown tired of during the last few years. He dug through the crumpled robe by his side and pulled out his pokégear. 3 new messages.

Daisy

I'm so so sorry I couldn't be there but I saw the stream and!! I cried!! You did it!! I'm so proud!

That was the fourth time she'd sent a message like that in the past hour. He really ought to reply, but the next four messages would probably be the same. He'd call her later.

Lance

Please fill out the documents I sent ASAP so I can finalize your departure. Are you still aiming for August? Did you receive the email I forwarded?

He'd been sitting on that one for days now. Lance was probably already pissed, so what's another day?

Gold

congrats bro!!!!

Definitely not worth answering.

“I traveled all the way from Hoenn to celebrate your graduation, my buddy, my pal, and here you ignore me,” Leaf said around a mouthful of pastry.

“You just said you came from Kanto,” Blue glanced at her from over the drink he'd been nursing for the past half hour.

“I live a busy life,” she replied and went back to eating. “No time for partying with professors.”

“They study pokemon evolution in that lab. You know how much a party that was.”

“You trying to brag? Because it sounds terrible either way.” Leaf made a face when Blue kicked her under the table. 

Blue turned to stare at the TV hanging a few booths over. A news program droned on about some battle in Unova then switched to a story about a young prodigy kid who graduated with the rest of his class at the university. Blue pursed his lips; he'd had enough of child prodigies for a lifetime.

The table behind them exploded in laughter, breaking Blue from that train of thought. Leaf was complaining about her seat at the ceremony and something about Sycamore confiscating the air horn she brought. She pointed at pictures on her pokégear of Blue on stage, but he couldn't make out anything but a dot amongst a sea of faces. He downed the rest of the drink. Leaf ordered more desserts and forced Blue to eat one. He decided he was still sick of them.

“Got any plans with classmates tonight? I kinda dragged you in here without asking, so you can leave whenever,” she said, pointing at him. “I wouldn't be insulted if you ditched me.”

“I promised Eevee a basket of berries tonight.”

“Seriously?”

“New episode of Detective Pikachu, too.”

Leaf narrowed her eyes at Blue as she waved the waitress back over to pay for their food. She kept staring at Blue until they made it out of the restaurant. Eevee popped out of her pokeball and perched on Blue's shoulder. He fed her the leftover pastry and left Leaf to scramble to his side.

“The famous and popular Blue Oak doesn't have plans? Call the paparazzi, we've got a real shocking story over here.” Leaf clutched at her face and nearly stumbled over a Furfrou on the sidewalk. Blue ignored her and continued walking toward Sycamore's lab.

“I graduated then sat through dinner with you. I'm exhausted,” he said when she finally caught up.

The Prism Tower flickered to life as night descended upon the city. Blue held onto Eevee as she nearly fell over backwards trying to see the top. Leaf snapped a few photos and pulled Blue in for a selfie. He winked for the camera. Leaf flipped him off. 

“Congrats on graduating. But really, I wanted to know so I could walk you there. I've gotta be back in Hoenn by tomorrow evening, so I need a place to crash before my flight back.” The two stopped at the crosswalk as a taxi passed. “You don't have to cry about me leaving, even though I know you're sad to see me go.”

“You miss making out with your girlfriend that much? Don't let me stop you.”

Leaf punched him in the arm not supporting Eevee, and silence settled over the two as they approached the lab. They passed groups of students and families in the park, some still wearing their caps and others obviously drunk.

The lab's front door was still unlocked, and Blue was immediately accosted by Dexio and Sina. After several minutes worth of Congrats!! and You're sure you don't want to stay on as an assistant? Blue finally escaped and hit the elevator button. He tapped the button of the second-to-highest floor and grimaced as Leaf jumped up and down in the elevator. That didn't scare him anymore, he found himself repeating. Leaf refused to stop. 

Blue's flat was fairly empty. He'd already packed away his clothes and shipped the rest back to Kanto. His pokémon had finished most of the food in the fridge. The only things left were a calendar and a half empty case of fruit soda he, Leaf, and Red had all loved as kids. Leaf immediately grabbed a can and plopped down on the couch.

“Don't worry, I’ve got enough party left in me to finish this.”

Blue still stood in the kitchen, staring at the calendar pinned to the fridge. He hadn't marked the days off in two weeks, but today's date was circled in red and black ink. Finally done was written in black, and two squares over read flight @ 10 am . He took his time crossing the days out but hesitated marking off that day's square. He set the pen down and fell onto the couch beside Leaf. Eevee jumped up and yawned before spreading herself the length of the cushion between them.

“Today's May 14th,” Blue started. Leaf looked away from the cartoon on TV and huffed, waiting for him to elaborate.

“And tomorrow's the 15th. Funny how time works.”

Blue flicked at his pokégear's screen. 1 new message. Lance's. He wasn't even going to give him the satisfaction of opening the text.

Leaf grabbed the device from him and studied the screen. Blue made to fight her for it, but Eevee's glare told him she'd rather not be disturbed.

“Heard you were quitting your gym when I stopped in Pallet. It's about time.” She tossed the gear back to him. “I mean, you haven't really been the leader in three years.”

“Hey, I was more than enough leader over breaks! Solved a year's worth of problems in a month.”

“Okay, okay, maybe you were there sometimes during your first few breaks, and maybe you did something occasionally. Maybe. But after that you were on Mt. Silver at least half the time.”

“Less than half.”

“Every chance you had you visited Red.” She pointed a finger at his chest and took a swig from her drink. Blue rolled his eyes.

Leaf threw her pillow at Blue, but it missed and landed on Eevee. Unlike Blue, she had never faced Eevee's wrath and didn't care to disturb her. Blue knew she wouldn't ever hurt Leaf, anyway.

“Today would’ve been eight years,” Blue said as he moved the pillow from Eevee's back.

Leaf stopped playing with the can’s tab and glanced at Blue, trying to gauge his expression. He was grimacing at a frayed string on the pillow.

She counted backwards in her head. Pokemon journey when they were eleven, champions when they were twelve, then a year later Red was gone, and now…

Yeah, that was about right.

“Time flies when you’re having fun,” Blue said before snatching the remote away from Leaf’s side of the couch. An announcer promised Detective Pikachu would be back shortly, and the screen lit up with some ad for the berry farms outside of the city. A vague memory of a botched research mission surfaced, but he pushed it back down. He still passed the assignment.

“They never gave an exact day that he vanished. It wasn’t exactly out of character for Red.”

“It was the last day I saw him.” Blue shrugged.

“He’ll still be on Mt. Silver when you get back to Kanto. He’s not gonna vanish again.” Leaf held strong against the look Blue gave her. “We found him -- what? -- seceral years ago now, and he hasn’t moved.”

“That's the fucking problem.”

“Well, it's his fucking problem. Red'll come down on his own terms.”

“That asshole didn't even act interested when I said I was finishing school.”

Leaf hummed. She pulled a tattered note from her pocket.

“I stopped in Kanto.”

“It's almost like that's the eighth time you've mentioned it.”

“I was dropping research off from Hoenn at Professor Oak's.” Blue snorted and mumbled something but let Leaf continue. “And of course he asked me to bring supplies to Red.”

“Of course. Bet he took credit for your work, too.”

“He hasn’t contacted you, I’m guessing.”

“He hasn’t said two words to me since last October. Went back home for the winter holiday and he stayed locked in his lab the entire time.” Blue pulled at the string, fraying it further. “Bet he doesn’t even realize I’m done with school.”

Leaf shifted in her seat. Blue hadn’t been the best at keeping contact with her this past semester, but she could tell there was some effort put into their occasional video chats. She couldn’t imagine going months without hearing from him, but it didn’t surprise her that the professor wasn’t bothered.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t.” He shot her a glare out of the corner of his eye. Leaf left it at that.

“Anyway, Red was fine. He gave me this note, and told me to give it to you after the ceremony. I kinda forgot ‘til you brought him up.” She handed the paper to Blue, who sneered and held it out like a used tissue. He made no move to actually read it until Leaf went to grab it back. Reluctantly, he unfolded it.

Blue,

 Leaf brought a letter from Lance - apparently you received the same one? Are you going?

She made me write this in the hopes that you might actually read it.  

Red

“What's it say?” Leaf succeeded in snatching the paper away. Blue glared a hole through her forehead as she read it. “Hmm, he did tell me about winter break, so this is better than nothing.”

“Hey, he started it!”

Leaf cocked an eyebrow. Blue pouted. He wanted to say he remembered every fight they’d had in detail to prove it to Leaf, but truthfully he’d been trying to forget. He vaguely remembered hiking up the mountain at the first of the year just before he was set to return to Kalos. Red was in a bad mood about a snowstorm, and Blue was in a bad mood about Professor Oak ignoring him for the entirety of winter break. Typical stuff. He guessed the fight was about dragging Red back to town. Probably.

“I'd love to argue about how wrong you are, but I do have a flight to catch in a couple hours. Gotta catch some z’s, bro."

“Unbelievable,” Blue muttered.

“Not really,” Leaf said as she stretched and pulled a blanket over her head. “Thanks for offering me the couch. I'm glad I could stop by without you killing me.”

“There's still time.”

“Congrats, Blue. I’m proud of you.” She pulled him in for a hug but punched his chest when he pulled away. “You should check your messages more often, though. I had to get your grad details from Daisy.”

Blue gave her a lopsided smile and forced her to turn off the TV. He grabbed the empty soda can from the table and walked into the kitchen, where it struck him that he'd left his graduation robes in the restaurant. He hadn't even bothered to look for his cap after throwing it. One less thing to pack.

Blue ran a hand through his hair and threw Red’s letter in the box labeled ‘kitchen.’ He had no idea what Lance's letter was about, but if it was that important, Lance could tell it to him face-to-face when he got back in Kanto. He threw the rest of the counter junk in with it while Leaf yelled at him to shut up, people are trying to sleep here . And that was the last of it. The whole of the last four years of his life was neatly packed away, ready to be shipped right back to Kanto.

He wasn't looking forward to that at all.

He wasn't looking forward to Lance being pissed about being ignored, or to Daisy's worrying, or to dealing with the gym for at least another two months. He really didn't want to deal with Gramps forgetting about his graduation. He especially didn't want to see Red or that stupid mountain.

Eevee squeaked at his side and pulled at his pants. Blue scooped her up and walked the few feet to his bedroom.

“It's 8:30,” he mumbled, setting her down on his bed. “I'm not ancient like Gramps. It’s way too damn early for sleep.”

Eevee ignored him and curled up in his blankets. After a few moments of silence, she looked over her tail at him then shut her eyes.

“Sure. Be an old lady.” Blue turned to walk back into the living room but stopped in the doorway. He couldn’t even watch Detective Pikachu with Leaf there.

He fell onto the bed and was out in five minutes.

The next couple days passed quietly. He expected to feel torn up about leaving Lumiose and the rest of Kalos behind, but it never hit him. The taxi drivers still tried to hit him when he crossed the streets, the woman in front of him at the cafe still bought the last macarons for which he'd been waiting all morning, and the tourists stopping by the Prism Tower still asked him to take their photos. Nothing in the city paused long enough for him to say goodbye. Everything would go on without him.

Everything except Sycamore, Dexio, and Sina. The latter two barely let him out of their sight, and the drive to the airport was too loud for Sycamore’s tiny car. They spent too long reminiscing about the time Sycamore taught Blue how to drive. It’d been on a backcountry road beyond the vineyards, but someone still got photos of him wrecking the car into a berry plot. Daisy called him after seeing the photos online and chastised him for a week. Blue had to issue a statement saying that it was an accident, that he knew how to drive now and wouldn’t be a danger. Daisy had laughed.

At the airport, Dexio and Sina cried behind ridiculous sunglasses that Blue openly admitted to being jealous of, prompting Dexio to give him his. Blue made a big show of accepting the gift, earning him annoyed stares from airport staff. Sycamore's theatrics earned even more angry looks, and Blue seriously considered standing under a hand dryer to dry off the professor's tears.

The three left Blue alone to deal with the wait for his flight. Everything passed without a hitch, and he soon found himself watching the Kanto coastline grow ever closer as the woman in the aisle seat snored away.

Chapter Text

Nobody was in Saffron City to pick him up from the airport. He hadn't wanted Daisy to miss work, and Gramps was out of the question.

“Almost makes me miss Sycamore,” he muttered as he released Aerodactyl. “Almost.”

Aerodactyl landed on the League's front steps a few hours later. Blue strolled through the doors, waving off the attendants and flashing a smile to some of the challengers. Nurse Joy pointed to the League's offices without asking why he was there. Good. Lance was expecting him.

Blue walked to the end of the hall and slammed the door open.

“What part of ASAP do you not understand?” Lance asked without looking up from his paperwork.

Blue pulled the blinds open, flooding the room with light. He fiddled with the string until Lance set his pen aside with a sigh.

“Welcome back, Blue.”

“I’m out by July,” he said, still staring out the window. Eevee had escaped her ball and was pawing at Lance's collection of trophies. She knocked one off, but Lance caught it without flinching.

“I thought we agreed on August,” Lance huffed. He straightened his suit jacket and pinched at the bridge of his nose. “I don't have anyone to fill in. The trainer you chose to fill in for you is off that entire month.”

“Guess nobody's getting an Earth Badge in July! I'm sure the league would appreciate the break.”

“Summer's the busiest time for gyms.” Lance leaned against the edge of his desk, arms crossed over his chest.

Blue watched him from the corner of his eye. When he first started as a gym leader, Lance would've exploded the second he messed with the blinds. The years really had mellowed him. Either that or a degree made Blue lose his touch. Definitely the former.

“Alright, I'll stay until August,” he started. He swiveled on his heel and mimicked Lance's pose. “But only if I decide gym hours. AND I'm permitted to leave the city as I please.”

Lance seemed to expect that. He gave a terse nod and sat back in his chair.

“I’ll allow it. I suppose it won't be much different than how you ran the place a few years ago.” He stopped to look Blue dead in the eye. “But you ought to read your email more often. If you're really so keen to leave, it might be wise to pursue other opportunities. There's one you might like.”

At that, Lance began scribbling on the page in front of him. Blue took that as his cue to leave and started toward the exit.

“Congratulations, by the way.” He smiled in that same way he did to all the kids who challenged him to a pokemon battle. “Whether you notice it or not, you’ve come a long way since we first met.”

“...Thanks,” Blue replied with a shrug.

Blue's boxes from Kalos sat outside the Viridian gym. He shipped most of them over a week ago, but Rattatas had made them their new home. Apparently, nobody had gotten the hint to drag them inside. He shooed them off and yelled at some of the trainers in the gym to get outside and help drag the boxes in, but his return caused them to erupt in a chaos that would last well into the night.

The gym was...running smoothly. It had been every time he'd visited on breaks, but it felt different this time around. He always had Kalos to return to then. Now he just had…Lance's ‘opportunities,’ whatever that meant. He didn't know how to feel about it yet, and jetlag certainly wasn't helping.

Amidst the chaos, he was able to catch some tidbits of League gossip. Red was apparently still on the mountain (he knew that), Kanto was considering allowing mega evolution in League battles (interesting), and a couple of Rocket grunts were causing trouble, but some young kids had it handled (again?). Nothing too shocking. All too normal, like he hadn't been gone for literal years. Things continued like always.

After one too many snarky comments, they forced Blue to get some rest. He flicked the lights on in his old apartment above the gym and frowned at the unfamiliar decor and how clean the place was. It definitely hadn't stayed -- wasn’t currently? -- empty. Whoever had been staying there wasn't in at the moment, thankfully. He knew Lance would be too cheap to put him up in a hotel, and he sure as hell wasn't going to stay in Pallet. He set his bag by the front door and looked out the kitchen window. The small-city feel of Viridian felt empty after the chaos of Lumiose City, but Blue found himself just as lost here. Eevee ignored his introspection, sniffed at the furniture, and wandered off to find her old bed knowing full well it wouldn’t be there. Blue followed her into his old room and collapsed into his bed after a shower and change of clothes, but sleep refused him.

He dug out his pokégear, thought that he desperately needed to charge it, then finally opened Lance's email.

Attention Former Champion Blue!

That had his attention. No more Gym Leader Blue, huh?

The Pokemon World Tournament in Unova is hosting their biannual Champions Tournament August 20th-27th, and we want YOU to compete! RSVP with Clay or contact Lance to claim your spot now!  The competing champions will not be revealed until August 1st on social media, so you have until then to confirm.

“You have any plans in August, girl?” Blue asked Eevee. She cocked her head and lifted an ear as she squeaked a reply. “Me neither. But if they want a champion, who am I to deprive them of one?”

He looked at the clock. 1 AM. He had enough self-preservation to not wake Lance with a text about reading an email three weeks after the fact. It could wait. He should wait. Leaf's voice echoed in his mind, saying something about thinking things through, but it's not like he had any better plans.

Might as well. He sent the message.

The next couple weeks passed in a blur. Despite his threats, he ended up handling the gym for most of that time. Word had gotten out about his official departure, so a ton of people wanted to get their badges before he left. Most of those people were bright-eyed kids too young to remember the news cycle from when he and Red became champions, so they only saw cool, suave-gym-leader Blue. The teens and adults saw asshole-kid-champion Blue and looked insulted that he was still there. Most of the badges he handed out went to the kids.

Daisy dropped by when she could and even challenged him to a pokémon battle despite having sneaked past all the other trainers (she lost). It helped distract Blue from the fact that Professor Oak hadn't even bothered to call yet.

Blue eventually called Leaf, who threatened him for not calling sooner. She immediately asked if he'd seen Red, and Blue vowed to wait even longer to call next time.

He ran into those kids who’d beaten Team Rocket in mid-June. He’d heard from Misty that the resemblance they shared with Red and him was uncanny, and something unpleasant settled at the pit of his stomach. When a little girl with a Pikachu and and little boy with an Eevee bumped into him when he was running errands in Saffron City, he recognized them immediately and invited them to challenge Viridian.

Elaine and Trace. Childhood friends who raced around the region on good terms. Put up a good fight, too. Maybe one of them could take over the gym when they were older.

Blue smirked as they left the gym wearing Earth badges. He tried not to think about what it would’ve felt like to do the same with Red.

A few weeks later, when Leaf crashed into the gym apartment yelling about some kid ruining her Mewtwo research, he had a feeling he knew exactly who did it. He wished he could high five her for pissing Leaf off so badly.

Blue groaned when his pokégear fell from the nightstand, just out of reach. 9:30. The gym didn't officially open until 10, but he might as well get on with it. Only a week left before he was catching a flight to Unova. He could be responsible and open the gym on time for that long. Or maybe he couldn't. His pokégear buzzed with 3 new messages and a voicemail, all from Lance.

“I didn't bother reading your messages,” Blue mumbled into the receiver as soon as Lance picked up. He sagged against the kitchen counter, a mug of too bitter coffee in hand. “Whaddya need?”

“Have you heard the news?”

“Some people don't wake up at 4 AM.”

“I'll take that as a no. You remember a trainer named Elaine? She beat the four of us and her friend Trace not an hour after he did the same.”

“I'm not consoling some kid who lost the championship. Just because - “

“This was last week. We wanted to crown her as the new champion then, but she refused to accept the title until she beat the ‘real champion,’ as she put it.” There was some mumbling on the end of the line. Blue couldn't understand a word of it and shared a shrug with Eevee.

“Good luck with that! I'd like to see her try to climb that mountain.”

“She did it.”

“What? She beat Red?! How?” Blue paused. “What does this have to do with me?”

“It’s protocol to contact all gym leaders once someone has beaten the Elite Four and previous Champion. I also wanted to meet with you about the upcoming tournament.”

“Whatever.”

“Today, if possible. I have news.”

“Of course you do. Smell ya.” Blue hung up before Lance could remember any more news. Guess he wasn't opening the gym on time after all.

The journey to Victory Road took a bit longer than usual with all the press trying to get to the new champion. A few tried to pull Blue to the side, but he waved them off or blew kisses to the cameras. Most ignored him, though. It didn't sting too much.

Inside the entrance, reporters were chatting into cameras as a stage was being set up for a press conference. Blue and Eevee strolled through the side doors and into the backroom. Inside, Lorelei was prepping Elaine on what was acceptable to say to the cameras; something they clearly started after Blue's disastrous interview nearly a decade ago. He cringed when he remembered Gramps’ disapproving frown after he'd finished. He double checked the room for any sign of the professor just to be sure, but luckily he hadn't made an appearance yet. All the more reason to find Lance and get whatever the hell this meeting was about over with.

Lance directed some reporters from his position in the back of the room, near an unused office space. He was clearly trying to push them away.

“You couldn't handle this over the phone?” Blue approached the group with a disinterested tone. Eevee sniffed at the air from his shoulder and snubbed her nose.

Lance gave a final look at the reporters, who finally got a hint and left the room. He massaged his temples before turning to Blue.

“Are you alright with leaving the gym in your trainers’ hands until the interim leader steps in?”

“Sure.”

“Great. As you know, I was supposed to head to Unova tomorrow to help with tournament preparations.” Did he know that? He really couldn't remember. “But I cannot leave during this media circus, and I...should really help Elaine adjust for a bit.”

Blue quirked his eyebrows but said nothing. Lance was finally getting his chance at a do-over, huh. Better not let this one disappear to a remote mountain for eight years.

“Would you like to take my place? The flight, that is. I'll be taking yours next week, if you’re fine with it.”

“So you're saying that I can leave Viridian early? And have a free extra week of Unovan vacation?” Lance nodded. Blue tapped on his chin in mock thought. Or maybe a little bit of thought; he wasn't too sure about being kicked out earlier than the date he himself had set but a vacation was nice. “Deal. But you owe me.”

“I don't. Now, if you'll follow me, Blue, there's one more thing you should know.” Lance pushed open the door behind him and waiting for Blue to follow. He shut the door behind them and beckoned him to sit on one of the couches.

At first, Blue was distracted by the old school poster of Lance on the opposite wall. He remembered the same one hanging on his bedroom door, back when he and Red played pretend trainers. It didn't hit him that someone else was in the room with them until Lance coughed into his fist.

Then he noticed Eevee sniffing noses with a Pikachu.

A part of Blue wanted to walk right back out the door and straight onto that plane with a one-way ticket to Unova, and another part of him just wanted to yell. He let out a strangled grunt instead.

Red didn't look as shocked to see him. He just gave a lopsided smile and small wave before going back to staring at Lance.

“Red's going with you to Unova. Play nice, don't start a fight on the plane, and don't cause any international scandals.”

Blue's mouth hung open as he glared at the side of Red's head. His hair had grown longer since winter and he was wearing a jacket Leaf had brought up to him, but otherwise he still looked exactly as he remembered. Only he was sitting on a couch under fluorescent lights instead of standing in knee-deep snow.

“Are you fucking kidding me right now?” Blue made to punch Red in the arm, but a stern sigh from Lance stopped him halfway.

“He can tell you all about it later. For now, if you don't want to be mauled by the press, Red, go back to Viridian with Blue. And Blue, I'll email the flight details to you. Please actually read them.”

At that, Lance strolled out of the room like he hadn't just dropped the entire world on Blue's shoulders. Blue watched the space where he stood with enough force to paralyze a grown man, but a tap on his shoulder sent his glare to fall on Red.

“We should get going, yeah?” Red signed. Phrasing a command as a question to not make him any angrier, he realized. He wasn't going to let him win.

“Aerodactyl is not flying your ass to Viridian. Find your own way back,” Blue huffed. He pulled out a pokéball and burst through the outside door, Red offering no rebuttal. He didn't look back to see if Red was even behind him; he tried to focus on the specks of houses below but found himself clenching his fists and grinding his teeth.

He wasn't even sure why he was so mad. He just knew he was pissed that Red was off that goddamn mountain for some reason. Whatever.

Chapter Text

The trainers had opened the gym at 10 without any direction from Blue, but they immediately tried to close it when they noticed Red standing in the lobby. Blue waved them off and shuffled to the stairs that led to the apartment. Red remained in the lobby, scrutinizing the layout changes. Luckily most of the trainers knew when to leave things alone, so they let him wander around. Blue sighed and walked up the stairs.

He spent the next hour packing for the trip and arranging for Daisy to pick up the rest of his stuff before the next leader moved in. Nobody had told him who was taking his old job, but it’s not like he’d asked. Hopefully someone who enjoyed gyms and last-minute changes of plan.

Red finally walked into the room, Pikachu perched on his hat. The pokémon jumped down and ran circles around Eevee, nearly tripping Blue as he finished packing.

“Have fun snooping around?” Blue asked as he shot Pikachu an icy glare. “Hope you weren't expecting a personal tour.”

“It was nice seeing it while you were still here,” Red signed. “You were going to leave without visiting me.”

Just go right for it, Red , Blue thought. He let the suitcase he was carrying fall to the floor before crossing his arms.

“Guess you couldn't spare me the luxury of that.”

Red frowned. Blue smiled.

“I'm gonna get some food. It's only mid afternoon, so do whatever you like,” Blue said as he left the apartment. He looked back in time to catch Red motioning for Pikachu to follow.

“You haven't read Lance's email,” Red accused. Blue rolled his eyes.

“I've got time. So do you. Pack your bags, kiss your mom goodbye, whatever. Meet me at the gym tomorrow by 9, or I'm leaving without you.” Blue walked toward the deli a few blocks away, leaving Red to stare at the back of his head. He raised an eyebrow at Pikachu, who chirped and hopped onto his shoulder as the two headed toward Pallet Town.

Blue and Eevee sat outside the deli, sandwich and chips split between them. He lazily scrolled through Lance's email and wished he would've told Red to just meet at the airport instead of the gym. There wasn't anything particularly interesting in the email other than the departure time. The rest was three paragraph's worth of Lance’s rambling. Boring.

And then a caller notification popped on the screen. Unfamiliar number.

“Hello?”

“Blue! I heard from Daisy that you were leaving,” Professor Oak said.

So that’s why he hadn’t recognized the number. Must be his personal line. Blue pinched the bridge of his nose.

“I told her not to tell you anything.”

“You,” the professor paused, clearly searching for something to say. “It’s been awhile.”

“Yeah, it has,” Blue sighed. “How are you?”

“Good, good. I’ve got a number of new assistants at the lab and several trainers doing fieldwork. Busy as always. I heard Red was back?”

Blue resisted the urge to sling his phone across the street, but only barely. Eevee pawed at his knees and rubbed her head beneath his chin to calm him. Several minutes went by without a response.

“Blue? Are you still there?”

“This is the first time I’ve heard from you in eight months, Gramps. And you only called because of Red.”

“Well, I --”

“Eight months. Phones work in Kalos, too, y’know.”

“Blue --”

“Yeah, he’s back.”

He ended the call and shut the gear off when Professor Oak tried calling him again. Eevee jumped into his lap and sat atop the hand holding it. She licked his nose when he tried to push her off.

The anger that had been mounting since he saw Red earlier didn’t dissipate, but it didn’t explode either. He was left simmering and uncomfortable and lost. Red wasn’t supposed to come down the mountain without him, Gramps wasn’t supposed to call and ruin his day, and he wasn’t supposed to be kicked out of being a gym leader earlier than he’d planned. Maybe staying in Lumiose as an assistant wasn’t such a bad idea after all. Maybe he could catch a flight to Kalos from Unova.

He threw the rest of his sandwich to some Pidgey in the parking lot and made his way back to the gym to break the news of his official departure. Most of them had been watching the TV in the lobby, so everyone pretty much figured Red's arrival meant something like that. There wasn't as much fanfare as he'd hoped, but he'd stopped being the leader awhile ago. It was just back to the status quo for them.

“Things go on, huh girl?” He pat Eevee on the head when the last trainer left for the evening. He took a last look around at the empty gym in the waning daylight and flipped off the lights.

That night he dreamt of Professor Oak yelling at Red, Leaf, and him after they’d caught a Rattata in the fields just outside of Viridian Forest on their way home from school. He praised Red for his handling of the pokémon but grounded Blue for a week for bringing the net. Red and Leaf were so embarrassed that they refused to hang out with him for weeks. He awoke in the early morning hours with a splitting headache.

Red was already waiting outside the gym when Blue finally dragged himself out of bed. He could see him drawing circles in the dirt from the second story window and purposely took his time getting dressed.

“Surprised to see you lasted a night in civilization,” Blue greeted. “Or did you sleep in the woods?”

Red's face was cast in shadow from his hat, but he dropped the stick he was using to draw. He hoisted himself up and dusted off his pants before looking Blue in the eye.

“I need to stop by the Pokémart,” he signed.

“Are you kidding me? You've been out here for hours! The store's right down the block!”

“I just remembered something.”

“Our flight leaves at 11. There's a Pokémart at the airport, let's just go.”

“Stuff's cheaper here,” he signed and walked off in the direction of the store without another word. Eevee scratched at Blue's pant leg when she noticed his fuming.

“Whatever.” He checked his pokégear and noticed a few missed calls from the professor; he deleted the voicemails. Scrolling down, he noticed Leaf had sent several messages that morning. He dialed her and held the pokégear at arm's length, fully expecting her to scream. She didn't disappoint.

After a solid ten minutes of yelling about Red from Leaf and ten minutes of silence from Blue in regard to Red, she demanded they both catch their flight and video call her upon landing. It was definitely a threat somehow, Blue sensed. He hung up without saying goodbye and readied Aerodactyl for the trip to Saffron.

Red exited the mart a few minutes later with no bags in hand, but Pikachu was chewing on a giant treat. Blue rubbed his forehead and left Red to scramble into the air behind him upon Charizard.

The Saffron City airport wasn't anywhere near as busy as the one outside Lumiose had been. Blue thanked whatever gods were listening that he didn't have to deal with a pissed-off Lance for missing their flight. They passed the security checks with ease, save for Red’s reluctance to part with Pikachu.

Most of the other passengers were business people concerned only with their phones and newspapers, so Red and Blue were left alone at a table near the coffee stand. Blue sipped at a cup while Red fiddled with his backpack. Of course that was the only luggage he’d brought. He stopped when he noticed Blue watching him.

“Where are we going, exactly?” he asked, catching Blue off guard. Blue narrowed his eyes.

“Unova.” Red stared at him. “Driftveil City. This flight's to Castelia, though.”

Red nodded even though Blue knew he'd never heard of Driftveil. He'd known Red had traveled sometime before ending up on Mt. Silver, but he figured the cities of Unova weren't particularly interesting to him. Blue finished his coffee and grabbed his suitcase, leaving Red behind.

“Don't you want to know why I'm here?” He signed from Blue's side as they waited to board the flight.

“Nope,” Blue replied, sliding on the sunglasses Dexio gave him.

“Lance told me that Agatha was coming along with him, so he had an extra seat. Apparently she's always wanted to see Unova's -- “

“Cool, don't care.”

Red paused mid-gesture and flicked Blue's glasses between his eyes.

“Ow! Asshole!”

“Didn't hurt. Don't be a baby.”

Blue made to retaliate but was shuffled forward in line. He spent the rest of the loading process silently fuming until they got to their seats. Red claimed the window seat, and Lance’s “no fighting on the plane” rule begged to be broken.

Instead, he just slumped in his seat, plugged in his headphones, and spent the whole of the flight asleep. If he dreamt about a plane brawl, Lance couldn't stop him.

He woke up with unpopped ears and a headache worse than the one he had back in Viridian when Red shook his shoulder. Blue groaned and dragged his suitcase and Red's bag from the overhead compartment before stumbling out of the plane with the rest of the passengers.

The Castelia City airport was louder than every airport Blue had visited combined. It didn’t help that a storm raged outside and delayed a good number of flights. Lightning flashed from the wall of windows as Blue tried to find a food stand. Red paced behind him, eyes puzzling over the travel posters and ads that adorned the walls. Blue couldn’t remember if Red even understood Unovan.

“When’s the flight to Driftveil leave?” Red finally asked long after they’d found a seat.

Blue opened Lance’s email and searched for a time but only saw the details for Castelia. He double-checked his inbox. Nothing. He looked at the displays and saw only one flight to Driftveil listed for the day.

“It’s not leaving,” Blue sighed. Red turned to look out the windows, where hail was pounding down on the workers and Conkeldurr handling luggage. Blue let his forehead hit the table.

Red grabbed the abandoned pokégear and sent several messages to Lance. Blue picked his head up when Red tapped on him and beckoned to the screen. Lance was calling. Blue grimaced but hit accept and then speaker after Red glared at him.

“Are you sure you read my email?”

“You left out the flight to Driftveil,” Blue complained through gritted teeth.

“There is no flight. The tournament covers the initial flight to Unova, but individual leagues are in charge of actually getting everyone to Driftveil.” Red made a puzzled face that Blue returned. “And your flight was intended as mine, so as to save money, no additional flights were booked.”

“Are you telling me you’re that fucking cheap?” Blue hissed. Of course Lance was.

“Do we have to walk?” Red signed at Blue.

“Red wants to know if we have to walk. If you say yes, I’m gonna --“

“I’d never been to Unova and wanted to explore. You have nearly two weeks to get there, you can figure it out. Keep track of expenses and the League might be able to refund you.”

“But not a flight? Seriously?”

“It might be nice to journey there,” Red signed. Of course he’d agree with Lance. Of fucking course.

“Like hell I’m walking there. Feel free to go on your own, Red. Don’t let me stop you.”

“Blue,” Lance started. Something in his tone gave him reason to back down. “Take this time to think about your next steps. You wanted a Unovan vacation, after all.”

Blue dropped the gear on the table, grabbed his bags, and stormed off in the direction of the entrance.

“My apologies, Red. I’ll call and arrange for a hotel for the two of you for the next day or so, but after this I’ll be busy with Elaine. Take care.”

Red nodded at the device and pocketed it. He caught up with Blue just beyond the sliding doors, beneath the entrance awning. He released Pikachu from his ball and scratched at his ears. Blue glared at him.

“Lance is getting us a hotel,” he signed. Blue said nothing. “He’ll call back in a few minutes.”

The two stood in silence as passengers rushed past carrying soaked luggage. Lance called back and relayed the information to Red when Blue refused to acknowledge him. They would be staying at the airport hotel across the parking lot. Red clutched Pikachu to his chest and made a dash for the building, while Blue trudged along behind, rain soaking his hair and through his clothes.

The front desk attendant recognized them immediately and sent them to their room. From the living area window they could see the skyscrapers lighting up the horizon. Red and Pikachu admired the view until the weight of Blue’s stare nearly crushed them. Red turned to see Blue sitting on the floor in front of the couch, Eevee in his lap. Red crouched beside him.

“Change your clothes,” Red pointed to the bathroom. “You’ll ruin the carpet.”

Blue narrowed his eyes in response. Red shrugged and turned on the TV. He scrolled through the channels until Blue acquiesced.

When he finally emerged from the bathroom, Red was sprawled on the couch, watching some decade old sitcom. Blue shoved his feet off the couch and sat in the cleared spot.

“I'm not leaving the hotel until the rain clears, then I'm catching the next flight. You can leave whenever.”

Red glanced from the TV to Blue, then back to the TV.

“You like exploring and getting lost. It'll be fun for you.”

“Why are you so mad about me being here?” Red signed. Blue frowned and stared past him at the city skyline.

“Take a guess.”

“I spent the flight guessing. You spent every visit trying to convince me to come down the mountain, and now you're pissed that I did.”

Blue said nothing, stood from the couch, and walked to one of the bedrooms. Red flinched when he slammed the door shut. He and Pikachu shared a shrug before turning back to the sitcom. A laugh track roared.

Chapter Text

The clock on the bedside table blinked 12:30 when Blue finally opened his eyes. He heard the TV playing music from his room, meaning that Red hadn't left like he'd asked. He threw his pillow over his head. He woke up an hour later to knocking then his door squeaking. Red set a tray of food on the foot of the bed.

“I had to go to the front desk for this.”

“Slow down, I just woke up,” Blue muttered. Red repeated the gestures, slower this time.

“Not good with USL, but nobody even knew it anyway. Had to write it.”

“Your Unovan used to suck.” It was then that he remembered making fun of Red in front of the class for failing their last Unovan written exam. He'd kept poking and prodding until Red cried. “Still does.”

“Yeah. It's just a sandwich.” He shooed Pikachu and Eevee from the plate. “I remembered ‘sandwich’.”

“You can keep it,” Blue said, cutting Red off. “I don't want it." 

“But --”

“Out.”

Red started to argue but thought better of it. He tried to leave the tray, too, but Blue shoved it back into his arms then shut the door behind him.

He sat cross-legged on the bed and glanced out the window. It was still raining, but only barely. Fog descended upon the city, obscuring it from view. Blue opened his pokégear. 3 new messages.

Leaf

you promised to call after you landed. you're so rude

I tried texting Red but his gear can't receive international junk. please help him sort that out finally

ok well I hope you're having fun in the city. I stopped at a cute karaoke bar there last year w May. I'll text the address if u want

He figured she'd keep harassing him until he replied, so he sent a quick here, Red can handle it on his own, I don't care in response. He checked the flight list for the day. Driftveil's flight was cancelled for some stupid reason or other. Blue sighed and spent the rest of the afternoon watching videos on his gear.

He left his room in the later evening after noticing no noise coming from the TV. No Red in sight. He padded into the kitchen and hoped that maybe there was a sandwich in there. There wasn't. But there was a bag of corn chips.

Chips in hand, he walked back to his room but stopped mid-step when he noticed glowing red cheeks. Pikachu peered at him from his spot on Red's chest, his trainer clearly knocked out for the night. 

“Allergic to beds after eight years without ‘em, huh?” Blue muttered as he shut the door.

The alarm clock buzzed at 10 am, sending Blue into a fit and Eevee running out of the room. He'd missed his first alarm thirty minutes ago and was going to be late for the flight to Driftveil if he didn't kick it into gear. He'd found out that the flight was leaving at 11 am before falling asleep, and now he had to buy tickets and catch a plane in less than an hour.

He gathered what little he'd unpacked and rushed out the door. Red wasn't in the room, but he'd left a note on the counter. Blue hesitated a second too long before grabbing the note against his better judgment.

Blue,

Went to get supplies at the Pokécenter. Mom wants a postcard, so I'm going to try to figure that out. I'll be back before lunch.

Red

PS you ate my chips. You can have this, too.

The note had been set against a small cereal box, the kind he hadn't thought of since before his pokémon journey. He tapped his foot against the floor. Eevee jumped on the counter and sniffed at the box. She knocked it over and stared at Blue.

“Ugghh, Eevee. Don't give me that look.” She chirped in response. “He'd be fine if I left him.”

Eevee challenged him by nosing the box closer to the edge of the counter.

“Red could get there blindfolded in a blizzard. I don't want to hear it.”

Eevee pushed the box off the counter. Blue dropped his suitcase and caught it.

“He'd be fine,” he muttered, opening the box as he sat on the couch.

Eevee jumped to the cushion beside him and flicked her tail. You wouldn't be.

“You win. This time.”

The cereal was too sweet and too dry on its own, but it was alright. It’d do.

Red arrived a few hours later, a box of pizza in hand. Pikachu bounded into the room behind him and jumped onto Blue, who groaned and hit pause on the TV. Red set the box on the coffee table and fell to the couch beside Blue. 

“Got a pizza,” he signed. Blue pursed his lips. “Sent a card to my mom. Castelia is too loud.” 

“It’s almost like it’s one of the largest cities in the world.” He grabbed a slice of pizza and wondered how Red was able to even find a place that sold pizza. Apparently Red knew two words in Unovan now.

“That’d explain a lot.” Red ignored the sarcasm. “Found some maps at the Center and talked with the nurse. We could make it to Driftveil if we left now.”

“You still planning on walking?”

“We’re walking, yes.”

“There’s a fucking desert between here and the next major city.”

“It's the cheapest route. Besides, I heard some interesting stories. The nurse said there’s been UFO sightings.” Red shrugged and pulled the box out of Blue’s reach as he went to grab another slice.

“You’re insane if you think I’m walking through a desert when I could be on a luxury flight,” he huffed. He searched on his pokégear for alternative travel solutions. The ferry was under repair, but it looked like there was a bus to Nimbasa. Sucked that it left at nine in the morning and didn’t arrive until well after midnight, with only two stops. Red tried to look over his shoulder at the screen; Blue shoved him off. 

“Can you drive?” he asked after adjusting himself on the couch.

“Duh.” Blue thought back to Sycamore’s lessons and how many hours he had to work to pay for the damages. “But I’m just seeing news articles about road closures and construction.” 

“Guess we’re walking!” Red clapped his hands together and stood from the couch. He smiled at Blue, who flipped him off. “Pack your bags.”

Blue thought about his already packed bags and how easy it would be to just wait for the flight the next morning. Then he noticed the note Red had left still sitting on the counter. It’d be so easy to tell Red he was gonna catch the flight and meet him in Driftveil. He could tell Red and not leave him in the dark. Better than disappearing. 

Oh. He looked at Eevee as she begged for the crust, then back to Red. He had his back turned as he threw the box in the garbage bin and tidied the kitchen, but Blue knew he was still smiling. He raked his hands down his face and leaned over, bearing himself on his knees. That heavy weight he’d recognized back on Mt. Silver settled in his chest, but he wasn’t ready to put a name to it yet. Without picking up his head he sighed and yelled at Red. 

“We’re not leaving today.” 

Red nodded his head once. 

“You’re ridiculous.”

“This is stupid.” 

Both men stood in line at the Pokémon Center, luggage in hand. Red elbowed Blue and gestured for him to step ahead. They were waiting to ship Blue’s luggage bags to the hotel in Driftveil, because he wasn’t about to haul those things through a bunch of sand. 

The woman in attendance of the post office counter recognized Red from earlier in the day, and now that he was standing with Blue, it hit her why they were there. 

“I’m happy to host two champions!” she chirped. “You’re going to the tournament by foot?” 

“Unfortunately,” Blue replied. “We don’t need paperwork to walk, do we?”

“No, but if you plan on battling within city limits before the tournament, you’ll have to register your pokémon for a temporary license.” 

“Yeah, no, I’m not paying.” 

“Er, tell that to him,” she pointed to the lobby. 

Blue’s head snapped to Red, who was gesturing at Pikachu. A young trainer stood across the room yelling at their Noibat. There was no good end to this battle. Blue left the woman to finish the shipping process on her own and ran over to Red, grabbing him by the wrist and ushering him out of the building. Red shook the hand off and stared at Blue with a bemused expression.

“We literally can't battle in the city,” Blue warned. Red furrowed his brow further. “She was just a kid, anyway. A kid with a small flying type.”

Red's mouth formed an “oh” before he winked at Blue. Blue’s expression shifted from annoyed to confused.

“You've softened.”

“What?!”

“You used to go for any opportunity to beat someone, even when it wasn't fair. Running a gym did you well.”

“I...the gym,” he spluttered. “Gyms have rules. I had to go easy on the kids or Lance would've killed me.”

“Sure.” Red smiled and began walking away from the city, in the direction the signs said was Route 4. Blue stared at his retreating head before adjusting the straps on his backpack and calling for Eevee to jump on. Red continued once he caught up, “Pikachu can handle inexperienced trainers just fine. Plenty of kids climbed the mountain looking for a fight.”

Blue opened his mouth to ask why Red hadn't mentioned other trainers before, but then it smacked him aside the head. 

“You saying I'm inexperienced?” He yelled. Red took off running. “I'm gonna kick your ass!”

Blue made sure Eevee was secure on the top of his bag before sprinting after Red.

The sun had begun its descent by the time they reached the edge of the city limits. The first desert scrubs were growing through cracks in the concrete, and more wild pokémon roamed in the larger yards of the suburban neighborhoods. Blue had long since caught up with Red but was too winded to do anything other than weakly punch his back. He'd spent way too much time in class and not enough in the field over the past year; he had an excuse.

They passed the bus station not too long after that. Casting one last wanting glance, Blue continued on the worn trainer trail leading into the desert. Red seemed convinced they'd make it there before nightfall, but he wasn’t exactly clear on where “there” was. Blue trudged on by his side anyway. 

Red didn't make much attempt at conversation. The moments not filled with the distant noise of the city or the whistling winds were interrupted by Eevee and Pikachu chattering with each other. Both were currently on Red -- Pikachu on his head and Eevee on his backpack. Red didn't seem to mind, and Blue was thankful they weren't climbing on him. 

After the grass gave way to mostly sand and after they passed the third construction sign, Red veered off path and set his pack and the pokémon on the ground. Blue stared at him. 

“What are you doing?” 

Red glanced at him before returning to dig in his bag. He pulled out a sleeping bag and extra blanket. When Blue didn't make a move, he beckoned him over to do the same. 

“It's not dark yet,” Blue huffed as he threw his bag down. “I want to get this over with, so we should keep moving.” 

Red ignored him and set up a small fire. He threw a granola bar at Blue before opening his own and settling atop his sleeping bag. The granola hit Blue's chest and slid to the ground. 

“You never slept outside on your pokémon journey,” Red signed, like it was a well-known fact. 

“You don't know that. You weren't there,” he bit back. Red blinked and turned toward the fire. A few minutes passed before he tried again. 

“I guessed from how you acted the first couple times on Mt. Silver.” 

“Excuse me for not enjoying subzero temperatures. Not everyone enjoys playing caveman.” 

Red shrugged and went back to eating. Blue gave up and started digging for his own sleeping bag. He sifted through his spare clothes and pokéballs and stopped to consider letting his team out, but he knew they'd hate the desert as much as he did. He left them and unfolded his gear. He glanced at Red, who sat beneath his extra blanket. 

Dammit, he thought. He'd meant to buy some more supplies at the pokémart after dropping off his luggage, but Red had done a pretty good job ruining those plans. Typical. 

“I heard that you can see the UFOs at dusk, deeper in the desert,” Red said, completely ignoring Blue's crisis. 

If worse came to worst he'd just take Arcanine out. He could live without a blanket. How cold did deserts get again? 

“We're still too close to the city. Can't even see the stars.” Red looked up at the stars then back to Blue. “You wanna go UFO hunting?” 

“They don't exist, Red,” he muttered, zipping himself and Eevee into his bag. “Go to sleep. We’re leaving at dawn.” 

Then he turned, his back facing Red, effectively ending the conversation. 

Red settled into his bag, eyes still tracing the faint constellations he and Blue had learned as kids.

Chapter Text

Blue rose at the crack of dawn and shook Red awake, earning him an upset glare from Pikachu. They were packed and moving in under five minutes at Blue’s insistence.  Now that they were in the desert proper, Red was distracted by nearly every rock and Sandile and Scraggy in sight. Blue trained his eyes to the horizon and kept walking.

A few trainers stopped them for battle. At first, Blue tried ignoring them, but Red dove right in, forcing Blue to try to one up him.

“You're amazing!” one of the trainers exclaimed.

“That was nothing, but you put up a good fight,” Blue quirked a smile and instinctively reached to grab a badge from his pocket. He rested his hand on his hip to play it off. The kids didn't notice, but Red did. He hid his smile behind a hand. It's not like the kids had even come close to winning.

“You should try double battles! Me and my friend can fight the two of you together!”

Red and Blue shared a look, the former wanting to go for it. Blue shook his head. The kids remembered that they'd just been beaten, so they took off to care for their pokémon after begging for autographs that Blue was too eager to give.

“No double battles,” Blue threatened. “We've wasted enough time.”

Red raised his hands in a placating gesture then went back to digging in the sand with Pikachu or whatever it was he was doing. Blue slumped to the ground and unpacked some trail mix. Red stopped to look at him.

“You ever thought about battling together?” Red asked.

“Catch me dead if I'm doing something with you.”

“You're journeying with me right now.”

“Not for long,” Blue shouted as he waved at a passing truck. “I'm gonna hitchhike the rest of the way.”

Something in Red's expression fell, and he turned away to follow Pikachu. Eevee snubbed her nose at her trainer and went to play with the two of them. Blue stood and started walking.

The afternoon sun beat down on their travel party with an intensity Blue had never felt. He desperately wanted to complain but bit his tongue. Red hadn't bothered to look at him in a couple hours. Blue's thoughts were worth something; he didn't want to waste them to silence.

A billboard up ahead advertised some diner, but the distance made him groan. He kicked at the trail.

Somewhere behind him Red was photographing the desert mesas and adapting way too easily to the climate. Blue looked over his shoulder and noticed that he couldn't see him. And it was at that moment that the wind picked up and caused a sandstorm.

Blue fumbled in his bag for Arcanine's ball and released him. He figured if he lost Red in the desert, Lance would kill him live on television at the tournament. Then Leaf would resurrect him only to kill him again.

“We need to drag Red's ass back onto the trail, okay, boy?” He stroked Arcanine's fluffy mane and slid onto his back. The pokémon happily dashed into the storm.

Red was standing in the mouth of a tunnel formed by two rock formations when Blue caught up to him. Pikachu was running in circles while Red ran a hand along the wall. The sound of footsteps crunching startled him.

“The hell are you doing?” Blue asked, sounding more frustrated than angry. “We have to stick to the trail.”

“Cool rocks,” was all Red signed in reply.

“Missing the comfort of your mountain cave, Red?”

Red shot him a glare and walked farther inside.

“Desert's the same as a tundra. You should be right at home.” Blue said, stepping in front of Red. “But move your home closer to the road. It's much easier to see.”

“Pokémon journeys are about exploring,” Red signed, trying to sidestep Blue. “Relax, we have plenty of time to get to Driftveil. Have some fun.”

“Your definition of fun is shitty. Oh, let's wade through the sand, let's admire the hundredth Sandile we've seen in the last hour, let's burn to a crisp in the sun.” Blue walked out of the tunnel and back into the heat. The wind had calmed, and he could easily find his way back to the road without Arcanine. “All of it sucks. There's a diner somewhere up ahead, and it probably sucks, too. But I'm gonna get there by tomorrow afternoon.”

He left Arcanine to sniff around with Red. It took them nearly fifteen minutes to catch up.

“You're upset.”

“I'm fucking peachy, actually.”

Red paused in thought, arguing internally whether continuing down this conversation was even worth it. He shook his hands then tried again.

“Is it because of me?” Red asked. Blue’s eyes shot to Red's and tried to puzzle out what he meant. “I can’t help if I don't understand.”

“No, it's...,” Blue trailed off.

He was mad at a lot of things. First and foremost, this current desert situation. Second, Lance sending him out here early without a real plan. Third, the trainers at his gym being perfectly fine with Lance sending him here early. Fourth, Red in general. Fifth, Gramps only calling because of Red. Sixth. Sixth was everything and nothing.  Everything as in all of the above, and nothing as in he had no idea where he was going or what he was doing after this stupid tournament wrapped.

He kicked at a bottle cap in the sand. Red was content enough to let Blue mull everything over, especially when his angry brow softened to one of deep thought. The two hiked on.

Some time later, Blue watched Red from the corner of his eye when he was distracted on the side of the highway. Red seemed happy. And perfectly...normal? Is that the proper way to describe someone who'd lived on a mountain by himself for nearly a decade only to revisit society like nothing happened? Because it sure as hell didn't seem normal to Blue. He'd never admit it aloud, but he wished he could be as carefree as Red had always been about everything.

He thought back to when they were eleven and just starting on their journeys. They'd grown up playing Pokémon Champion together in Red's backyard, staying up late and laughing with flashlights under covers while Daisy or Red's mom yelled at them to go to sleep. Red thought that's exactly how it'd be on their journeys -- setting up camp and pointing out constellations and making new ones -- but Blue had shoved him to the ground after he mentioned it. By that age he was already jealous of Red and wanted to let him know it at every turn, even if that meant ruining the daydreams they'd shared for years.

Red caught Blue staring at him. He tried to play it off and pulled his gaudy sunglasses back over his eyes, but Red just smiled and pointed for him to check out a cool mesa in the distance.  Red had always just smiled and forgiven him too easily. Blue had always been an ass to him, and he was doing a pretty good job at keeping that up. Whatever. Blue continued walking.

That night, Blue was the first to set up camp after complaining about his aching feet and back. Red didn't care to argue and plopped his stuff down, including himself, right beside Blue. He shrugged off the glare Blue sent his way and pulled Pikachu into his lap.

Blue huffed and drew circles in the sand.

“Just spit it out,” he sighed once the silence between them grew heavy.

“You are upset with me.”

“Fine! I am!” Blue threw his hands into the air, sending Eevee scrambling. “I'm pissed that I have to travel with you.”

“I don't get it.”

“What else is there to get?”

“I remember you saying on Mt. Silver that you wished we could wander around together. Explore a new region, something like that.”

“I've done a lot of stuff since then. I don't remember what I said.” Blue scratched at his nose. Red narrowed his eyes.

“Would it be a lie, though?” Red signed.

Blue bit his tongue.

“Well, whatever’s wrong, you can tell me. We're friends and all.”

“We aren't,” Blue spit, too loud and too fast. “What have I done to earn your friendship? What have you done to earn mine? I brought your dumb ass supplies a few times because I didn't want you to die. That's not being friends, that's called doing my job as a gym leader. Gym leaders have to babysit idiot trainers who can't handle themselves, even if they are the champion. And guess what? That's exactly what I'm doing right now!”

Red was startled out of a reply, his eyes round and eyebrows raised halfway up his forehead. Blue ignored the hurt bubbling in his expression and opened his mouth to speak again, but Red cut him off.

“You aren't a gym leader. You quit.” He ran through the gestures twice after Blue tried to turn away. Blue clenched his fists. “And I'm not a champion. I quit, too. I thought you'd get it, especially with what we talked about the last time you were on Mt. Silver.”

“You aren't a champion? What a fucking joke! You're the goddamn champion! The quintessential child prodigy champion that inspired a generation of stupid kids to beat up gangs and run after legendaries that shouldn't even exist! Don't you dare try to tell me that you're not the Kanto champion after what you've put me through!”

Blue jabbed his finger at Red, whose face had gone completely blank. A voice in Blue’s head told him stop, to drop the whole conversation, to let old habits die. But he’d already gotten this far, and Red had wanted to know. He ignored the pit in his stomach and pushed forward.

“I wanted to be champion when we were kids. That was my dream, remember? And when I finally, finally got there, lo and behold there you were not even an hour later, taking photos with Lance and Gramps, putting your name into the hall of fame. That's all I fucking wanted in life and you just took it from underneath me, and now I just. I just.” Blue stopped and raked his fingers through his hair. Red tapped on his knee and stared a hole through Blue’s forehead. “I don't know what the hell I've been chasing after for the past decade.”

Blue rubbed at his eyes and let out a frustrated sigh. This was why he'd refused traveling with Red as a kid, and all of this really made him feel like he hadn't matured a day since. It wasn't Red's fault, he realized. He was trying to make an effort while Blue tried to burn down every bridge.

He thought back to Mt. Silver and tried to remember whatever conversation Red was talking about, but the only thing he could recall was the weird truce they'd forged in the beginning, after Red had finally been found. It was awkward at first, the two treading lightly around each other in an attempt to not dig up old wounds. But then they had slipped easily into something like their old friendship, when they were running around like kids up there, away from the world. Blue had...really liked it. Things were better between them. Until they weren't, until Blue was yelling about his problems in the middle of a desert.

He hated bringing it back to this. He'd thought he was over the champion thing years ago. He could hear Leaf's voice in his ear, telling him he clearly needed to work on some shit. He couldn't disagree. His own conscience was yelling it twice as loud at him. Stupid. He ran his hand through his hair and opened his mouth to try to...something. He didn't know what to say.

Red nodded curtly and pulled his bag a few feet away. Blue winced.

Eevee snuggled into his arms, trying to distract him. He absently stroked her fur before lying back on his sleeping bag. The stars shone brightly now that they’d traveled a good distance from the city, but clouds blotched out a good portion of the light. Something near the horizon dashed across the sky, but when Blue turned to get a better look, there wasn't anything there.

UFOs, Red had mentioned.

Blue shut his eyes and exhaled a breath he'd been holding for hours. He didn't feel any better.

Chapter Text

“Morning,” Blue greeted as Red groggily rolled over in his sleeping bag. Blue had packed his supplies and was sitting atop his bag, leg bouncing as he ate breakfast. Red just stared at him. “I already let you sleep in. Don't test my generosity.”

Red put his stuff away and fed Pikachu before eating anything himself. Blue was clearly trying not to complain and demand he hurry, so he decided to push it as far as he could.

“Alright, that's it.” Red didn't have to push much. Blue slung the bag around his shoulders and set Eevee on his head before walking toward the trail. He stopped and rested his hands on his hips until Red got the hint and followed.

“How long have you been awake?” Red signed as the two began walking.

“Too long. If I fall asleep before 6 pm, I'm blaming it on you.”

“What'd I do now?”

“Honestly, I have no idea how your snoring never caused an avalanche.”

Red punched him in the arm and tried to mask his smile by pulling down on his hat. Truthfully, Blue hadn’t been able to sleep with his own words echoing in his mind. Blowing up like that was something twelve-year-old Blue would’ve done, not twenty-one-year-old Blue. But he’d felt it coming since seeing Red in Lance’s office, and it’s not like he tried to stop it. He was thankful that Red was acting like it didn’t happen, but it did. It did. He let out a heavy sigh. He wanted to be better to Red. He didn't have to be better to the desert, though.

He complained for probably the next solid hour, until Red forced him to stop and take a drink at one of the trainer stations built intermittently along the trail. The bathrooms were gross, there wasn't any reception despite the poster on the wall’s claims, and the drink machine ate 3 of his dollars, but at least there was AC in the small building.

Red sat on the floor fanning himself with a brochure while Blue studied the map on the wall. They were nearing the halfway point of the trail; they could make it to Driftveil with plenty of time to spare. Blue opened his mouth to say just that, but he noticed Red trying to read through the brochure. He ripped it from his hands and slid down along the wall beside him.

“Let me help.” He squinted at the words, only getting the gist of what was said. He'd always been better at speaking Unovan than reading it. Not that he'd tell Red.

“It's about that diner you mentioned,” Red signed. Blue furrowed his brow at him, confusion evident. “The pictures. Also something about UFOs?”

“Looks like there's a motel, too.” Blue flipped the paper over and scrutinized the photos. “Open 24/7. Guess you never know when an alien's gonna stop by.”

Red stood and stretched, snatching the brochure back. Blue stuck out his tongue and rejected Red's hand in helping him up. They left the shelter and trudged back into the desert heat. Blue groaned as the late afternoon sun beat down on them. It had to be nearing three or four. He hadn't realized how late he'd let Red sleep.

“I don't think we'll get to the diner today,” Red signed.

“Of course we will. 24/7, remember? We'll get there even if it's 2 in the morning.” Blue choked through a yawn. Red gave him a knowing look. "What?"

“Is that how you always beat gyms ahead of me? You didn't sleep until you absolutely had to?” Red was walking backwards in front of Blue. He tipped his hat to better block out the sun and to get at better look at him. Blue just snubbed his nose away.

“I slept enough. I got there first because I was better.”

“Better at not sleeping maybe.”

“Hey, I also just got out of university. I haven’t had a normal sleep schedule in years,” Blue said. Red gave a concerned look, but he waved him off.

He'd always rushed ahead in his pokémon journey, knowing full well that Red would take ages to catch up. Blue had trained through the night, wearing his team and himself thin in order to be better, to show Red that he'd improved the next time they battled. Red had never batted an eye. He would explore the routes and study pokémon and solve everyone's problems while Blue pushed his way through gyms. But Blue had sometimes found himself waiting around for Red to catch up, despite himself. Had to keep an eye on the enemy, he reasoned. He scratched his nose and looked back to Red.

“How was school, anyway? You haven’t mentioned it once. You used to brag nonstop on your visits.”

Blue turned away and watched a Darumaka scuttle between shrubs. The silence stretched too long before he answered.

“Was busy.”

“I remember you had trouble with your thesis.”

“Did I tell you that? Man, how do you remember this stuff?” Red just shrugged in response and gestured for him to continue. “Yeah, okay, fine. I couldn’t get funding for my proposal to study the dwindling biodiversity in tidal pools along the coast. I couldn’t pay for travel, and I should’ve done it last summer at that.”

“That’s...a shame. You could’ve borrowed money from Professor Oak. I bet he would’ve been interested in the study.”

“No way in hell would I ask Gramps for anything. He doesn’t want anything to do with me, and frankly, the feeling’s mutual.” Blue felt his voice rising and tried to squash the boiling anger. What a mess that'd all been. Red seemed sorry for bringing it up. “Anyway, Sycamore needed someone to study color variation in Flabébé. He paid me for doing it, too. Worked out in the end.”

Red nodded and let the conversation wane. They continued along the trail. Few trainers seemed to stick to the trail in the deeper desert against all of Blue’s logic, so they hadn’t had to worry about battling since the day before. Several vehicles flew by them. The bus passed by them mid-afternoon, this time heading back toward Castelia City.

“Proud of you for not complaining about all the walking today,” Red signed after Blue stopped watching the bus fade into the waves of the horizon. “Complaining about the heat could use some work, though.”

“Glad I could finally earn your approval,” he bit back.

“You’ve already earned it,” Red signed, smile crinkling his eyes. “Most of it.”

“Most?” Blue asked incredulously, after he’d managed to control the flush spreading over his face. That stupid desert heat.

Red turned on his heel and signed something to Pikachu. Both pokémon and trainer glanced over their shoulder at Blue before going back to chatting. Blue ran his hand through his hair and plucked Eevee from the ground.

“If they’re gonna gossip, so can we.” Eevee tilted her head. Blue leaned in conspiratorially, his hand cupped over his mouth. “I heard Red lost his champion title to a ten year old. A baby.”

Red glared over his shoulder before turning around. “You also had to lose for her to get that far. Your gossip sucks.”

“You suck. I’m a gossip master, and I'll have you know that the gossip columns loved me.”

“That’s not the same," he paused. "They spoke that highly of you?”

“They...spoke of me.”

“I'll ask Leaf about it,” he signed, his shoulders shaking with laughter. Blue tried to steer the conversation away from him. Red didn't need to know what he'd been doing during his teen years.

“They wrote about you too, y'know. Mostly detective stuff about you being missing. There's actually a conspiracy that we lied about finding you on Mt. Silver. They say that you died and Lance replaced you with a clone.”

“That's fun.”

“If you are a clone, I will purposefully lose you in a sandstorm,” Blue threatened. Red bumped shoulders with him then stepped in his path, grabbing his hands. Blue froze in surprise. Then Red performed his half of the handshake they made up when they were eight. Blue tried to hide his laughter.

“A clone wouldn't know that,” Red signed after he finished.

“Seriously, how do you remember that?” Blue asked as he halfheartedly did the first couple motions before giving up.

“Some things are hard to forget,” he answered. Blue sobered up a bit and frowned. He tried to respond, but a yawn broke his train of thought. “It's evening, and you need rest. Let's stop here.”

“No,” he stifled another yawn, “the diner...I can keep going.”

“The diner's gonna be there when you wake up.”

“The aliens might take it.”

Giving in, Red let Blue continue on for about ten minutes, but after he nearly tripped on his still-tied shoelace, he forced him to sit down while he set up camp. The two ate in silence as the sun sank beneath the horizon and the desert chill filled the air.

“Blue,” Red started as Blue squinted over the fire, trying to make out the gestures. “I...You don't have to fake it.”

Blue hummed in question.

“You don't have to play nice after last night. I'm fine. I pushed you to answer.”

“M'not playing,” he mumbled. He'd already gotten into his sleeping bag, and Eevee was currently trying to curl up on his pillow by his face. “ You better not be playing about the diner, either. If I get there and everyone's been abducted by UFOs, it's all your fault.”

“I'm not playing if you aren't.” Red searched for something else to add, but by the time he found it, Blue was already out. It could wait.

Chapter Text

Blue rolled to his side and pulled an arm over his face when the sun became too much. His mouth tasted like sand, the sleeping bag had gotten way too hot, and Red was causing a bunch of racket. He sat up and glared at Red until he turned around.

“Good morning,” he signed. Blue hummed and scoped out the sky, taking note of the sun's position. He seriously worried about Red's definition of morning.

“We should've left hours ago.”

“I thought you needed the rest. I tried not to snore.”

Blue had a feeling that he snored the entire night anyway and that he'd just been been too far gone to notice. He hurried to pack his stuff and get Red moving before he decided to camp out there and chill for the next few days. They made it maybe a mile down the road before Red veered off track to stare at some Scraggy, only this time he dragged Blue with him.

“Seriously, Red. You see those rocks way over there? The diner should be right beyond them. Just a few more miles.”

“Have some fun, Blue. This is a vacation, remember?”

Blue pouted but didn't move by Red's side. The Scraggy were digging around a hole until one tossed dirt on the other and a giant fight broke out.

“I used to do this on Mt. Silver when my team was training. Sit and observe.”

“Thrilling,” Blue said, but Red shushed him. Blue continued in sign language, his movement slow and unsure after years of minimal practice. “That's what I went to school to do, I guess. A lot of money just to stare at pokémon.”

“You...don't like it?”

“I don't know,” he signed before scratching the back of his head. He liked pokémon, and it had always been his life's dream to do something with them. But it's not like any of his previous attempts had worked out well.

Eventually the Scraggy returned to their burrow, leaving Red and Blue to watch nothing but sand.

“What do you like?” Red looked at him expectantly. Blue just frowned.

“I don’t know,” he replied. He looked to his feet, where Eevee was pawing at some dried grass. “I guess I haven’t figured it out yet.”

Red nodded and let Blue lead him back to the trail.

“What do you like, Red?” Blue asked, watching him from the corner of his eye.

“Pokémon,” he started. He paused until he knew for sure Blue was annoyed. “Training, battling, exploring. Trainer stuff.”

“I knew that,” muttered Blue. He adjusted his backpack. “I mean, what do you want to do? If you say trainer stuff, I'm waiting here for the bus.”

“I guess I don't know, either. At least we can not know together.”

“Psh, yeah, I'd be worried for myself if you had a clue and I didn't,” Blue snorted. Red punched his arm but didn't bother to disagree. Blue recalled Red never having a plan, even when it came to studying for grade school exams. He'd always been the one to meticulously plan things out, even for Red and Leaf. When Red started doing better than him is when he’d stopped. He wasn't about to help someone be better than him.

Lost in thought, he would've kept walking if Red hadn't grabbed his wrist and pulled him aside. Blue opened his mouth to complain until he noticed they were standing near an empty parking lot. Eevee chirped and ran toward the closest building: a dull tin box with a metal saucer on its roof. Built kitty-corner to the diner (it looked...very different in person than on the brochure) was a run-down motel determined to make sleeping in the sand seem like a luxury.

“We're here, huh.” Disappointment dripped from his voice, but Blue figured he'd made a fuss so they might as well try it. Red seemed amused and pulled him toward the diner entrance.

The inside was covered floor to ceiling with newspaper clippings, photos, and first-hand accounts of alien sightings across the globe. The area by the door functioned as a gift shop and was filled with shirts and keychains of pokémon and cheap statuettes no trainer would ever lug through the desert.

“‘I was abducted by Deoxys and all I got was this t-shirt’,” Blue read. “Maybe we should get that for Leaf's friend. She told you about May and Hoenn, right?”

Red nodded absentmindedly and dragged Blue over to where Pikachu was sniffing at a plush pokémon that he didn't recognize. Eevee bounded over and tried to wrestle it away, sending the two pokémon tumbling around the room. Red glanced from Blue to the pokémon.

“I'm not buying that for them. You have money.” Blue glared at Red, but he didn't let up. Red pulled at his arm again, making Blue extremely aware that they hadn't broken apart since walking into the diner.

“Good morning, trainers! Brunch for two?” Blue nearly had a heart attack when the waitress appeared behind them. She was nearly two feet shorter than him and spoke with a thick rural Unovan accent. She was trying to hand them menus, but they were too stunned to respond.

Blue glanced at Red, now deeply focused on watching their pokémon play. He sighed and nodded at the woman, who cheerily led them through a short hall pasted with more photos and into the diner proper. Tin foil covered the ceiling and old show tunes drifted from a jukebox in the far corner. A woman with turquoise hair sat opposite a much smaller man a few booths down. Blue faintly recognized her from some gym leader conference or other. He made sure to stay out of her line of sight.

Blue shook off Red's hand once they found their seat. Red just stared at the menu’s front page while Blue flipped through it and tried to ignore the waitress's stare. She'd decided to wait at the table until they ordered.

“May I suggest the couple's special?” She asked. Red pulled at his hat and turned to stare out the window. Blue nearly choked on his spit. “Two can dine for 14.99! It’s a deal out of this world!”

Blue scratched at his nose and flipped through the menu, looking over the prices. He cleared his throat.

“Sounds great.”

“Wonderful! I'll be back with your orders in a jiffy!” She had already bounded off toward the kitchen before Blue had a chance to ask what was even included in the special.

The jukebox switched to an old rock song that had always played in Blue's favorite Lumiose bar. Blue watched the machine shift colors far too intently. He'd spent a lot of evenings there, sometimes with Dexio and Sina, most times by himself. Fingers tapping on the table caught his attention, and he turned to see Red still facing the window. The hand not tapping the table was supporting his chin. Blue could tell he was trying to hide his face. He snorted.

“You that embarrassed?”

Red stopped tapping and side-eyed Blue. He made a face, started to sign something, and then stopped.

“Aren't you?” He eventually settled on.

“Normally people are thrilled to be my date.” Blue smirked. Red glowered.

“I don't believe that at all,” he signed.

“That people like me?”

“That you've ever been on a date.”

“Oh, ouch, sick burn, Red.” Blue rolled his eyes at Red's wide smile. “I'll have you know that I've been on many.”

“Is that why you said those gossip columns liked you? I should read them. Give me your pokégear.” Red tried to grab Blue’s backpack from under the table to search for it. Blue kicked it farther beneath his booth. Red raised an eyebrow.

“We're not talking about this.”

“If it makes you feel better, I've never been on a real date either.”

“I've been on real dates.”

“Sure.”

“Wipe that smug look off your face before I do it myself.” Blue reached over the table but stopped when he noticed the waitress standing by their table with drinks. He slowly sat back down before accepting them. She just smiled at them and winked before she left to check on the other customers.

Blue ripped off one end of the straw and blew the paper at Red's forehead. Red just rolled it up and threw it back. An awkward silence settled over them.

Something beeped from the kitchen. Blue tried to see through the serving window but his eye caught on a framed newspaper article.

“‘Extraterrestrial vehicle found off Route 4 by motel owners’,” he read. Red perked up. Blue squinted and continued, “‘No bodies found at crash site, but the owners insist they've been visited before.’ That's the gist of what I can see.”

“We're staying at the motel,” Red decided. “We've got to talk to the owners.”

Inwardly groaning, Blue pulled a face before remembering their conversation a couple nights ago. He choked down his complaints. 

“...Fine,” he mumbled.

“You're not going to put up a fight,” Red observed. He could clearly tell that Blue wasn't into it at all, judging by his expression.

“Payback for my tantrum. Don't get used to it. And we're not staying more than a couple days.”

“That's very sweet of you, Blue.”

“Shut up,” Blue spat. He scratched at his nose while muttering ‘not sweet,’ until Eevee lifted her head at the mention of sweets. She went back to napping on the seat cushion after Blue dug out a treat for her from his bag. He tossed one to Pikachu, who was perched on the top of Red's booth, sniffing the air.

“Sweet of you to treat Pikachu, too.” Blue kicked him.

The waitress returned to their table a few minutes later with her arms stacked full of pancakes. She slid the plates onto their table with practiced ease.

“Ask her about staying at the hotel,” Red signed to Blue while he tried to grab the bacon from his plate.

“Do we book a motel room here or…?” He called after the waitress.

“You'll talk to my wife at the front desk. She'll be there ‘til five,” she said as she came back to stand by their table. “Yer in luck! We've got a deal on the honeymoon suite this month! Though we have deals on everything, really. Ever since they built that town…”

Blue could feel his face heating up, and this time he couldn't blame the desert heat. Red had suddenly found his pancakes very interesting.

They ate their meal in silence until Blue coughed into his fist.

“These were just normal pancakes.”

“No theming. I'm kinda disappointed. Should've been a UFO.” Red signed. His fork clattered to the floor. He stared at it forlornly. Blue sighed and handed him his fork.

“Should've been heart-shaped for the couple's deal. Wait,” Blue grabbed the abandoned menu and turned it over to the desserts section. He'd remembered seeing something...there. He glanced at Red over the menu and weighed his options. Red would either get mad and leave his annoying ass behind, which meant Blue could get to Driftveil quicker, or he would be absolutely mortified with maybe the same results. He tried to mask his smirk when Red gave him a questioning look.

He figured Red just might opt for killing him in his sleep instead. Blue was never one to not take a risk. He waved the waitress down. Red hadn't stopped staring at him.

“I noticed on your menu that you offer a special dessert for birthdays and anniversaries,” he said. In his peripheral vision he could see Red hiding his face in his hands. Blue gestured for the waitress to lean in closer; she happily obliged. “He's embarrassed, but we actually just had our third anniversary.”

“Aw, wonderful! I'll be right back!” She clapped her hands and ran to the kitchen.

Blue righted himself in his seat and smiled. He was right about the mortified part. Red had his forehead resting on the table and was repeatedly kicking him under the table.

“Listen, Red, it’s on special. I'm not gonna pay full price for anything.”

“You could've said it was your birthday. Or just not have ordered anything else.”

“Where's the fun in that?” Blue kicked him back. He grabbed Red's drink and finished it off, earning him an extended glare. “Happy three year anniversary, by the way.”

Red swiped his drink back and stared at him, deep in thought. Blue was really expecting him to fight longer, but when he saw his smile return, fear struck him.

“Yeah, happy three years,” he signed. He refused to elaborate further.

If he was planning something, Blue didn't want to know about it. Maybe he was planning to kill him in his sleep.

“Sorry for the wait! Happy anniversary, you two.” The waitress set two plates of pie on the table, winked again, then left.

Blue was perplexed by Red's quick change in demeanor, but he still counted it as a win. Red didn't seem interested in conversation now, though, so he could really only admire the decor. He thought about messing with the jukebox, but while distracted, he accidentally made eye contact with that gym leader woman. She did a double take before walking over to their booth. Blue groaned.

“You were that kid from Kanto who made a fuss at a conference dinner several years back, right? Professor Oak's grandson.” She said, hands on her hips. Her voice was warm and she clearly meant well, but Blue still bristled at the mention of the professor. Especially because he'd done everything in his power at the time to keep his grandfather out of his gym business. He had a feeling the fuss was an argument with him. The woman ignored his icy demeanor and continued. “I'm Lenora, former gym leader over in Nacrene.”

“I'm Blue, former gym leader from Viridian, way over in Kanto. And that's Red, former mountain man.” Red just shook his head at Blue.

“Ha! I know who the two of you are and why you're here. Somebody had to help set up that champions tournament, after all.” She laughed, before taking note of what they'd ordered. “Ah, my husband tried to warn me. Apologies for interrupting your date, I just wanted to wish you luck with the tournament, since I won’t be there myself. Give my well wishes to Lance, would you? Have fun, and happy anniversary!”

And she was gone before either trainer could respond. Blue blinked a couple times, then pointed in her direction. He could feel his face heating up again. A random waitress was one thing but someone who recognized them and worked with the tournament? Red just shrugged.

“Your blushing really helped sell it,” Red signed once they'd finished and Blue had paid for the meal. The waitress came with their check, and the guy hadn't made any effort to budge, forcing Blue to angrily dig for change.

“Am not blushing.” The door jingled as they exited the building and walked to the motel lobby. Pikachu and Eevee ran laps around each other after being cooped up in that building for the better part of two hours.

“You haven't stopped,” Red signed then patted him on the shoulder. Blue shoved him off and walked faster.

The motel lobby looked exactly like the diner, save for the reception desk. A painting of the desert adorned the wall behind it, appearing at first glance to be the only normal piece of decor. Upon closer inspection, the plaque read “crash site.” Blue sighed.

There wasn't anyone at the front desk. Blue rang the bell once, waited about five seconds, then rang it several more times until Red grabbed his hand and gave him a look. A woman appeared from around the corner carrying a stack of sheets that she hastily threw to the floor.

“Afternoon! You must be the two my wife called about. Now, if you'll just follow me to your room,” she rushed through as she pushed them back out the door. Leaving no room for Blue's question about the cost or concern about what the waitress meant about ‘honeymoon suite,’ she brought them to the room at the end of the row. “Deluxe suite, best views here. Here's your keycard, I'll be in the office if you need anything, what else...oh! How long do you plan on staying?”

“One night.” Red elbowed him. “Two nights.”

“Great! Any questions?”

“Ask her about the crash site,” Red signed. The woman looked between them as Blue fought himself on whether to ask. He sighed again.

“The UFO crash site, where is it?”

“Not too far from here! I have a map in my office that you two can have, er...names. What are your names?”

“Champions Blue and Red,” he stated, straightening his posture. The woman clearly did not recognize them, causing him to deflate a little, but she accepted the answer and left them alone. Blue opened the door.

Definitely worse than their room back in Castelia, and this time it really was just a room. Nothing fancy about it. Just a fold-out couch, bed, mini fridge and TV. The best views she had mentioned were just of more sand and more shrubs.

“You get the couch!” Blue yelled as he leapt onto the bed. Eevee followed and settled on the pillow. Red just stood in the middle of the room and blinked. He eventually set his backpack down and walked over to the bed. Blue rolled over. “Whaddya want?”

“Let's go get that map,” he signed as he stared down at Blue, now laying on his back staring up at him.

Blue grabbed the pillow Eevee wasn't resting on and hit him with it. Red blocked it and pulled it away.

“We just got here! Why'd we even get a room if you just wanted to wander around the desert some more?”

“Search at night, sleep during the day.”

“And ruin my new sleep schedule? Nope.” He tried to wrestle the pillow back. No luck.

“You don't have one. You'll adjust.”

“Whatever. You can ask for the map, I'm gonna take a nap if you're so determined about midnight exploration.”

“She can’t understand if I ask.”

“God, fine, I'll ask. You better still be here when I get back.” Blue sat up and leveled a threatening look at him. Red just nodded and signed thanks before going over to sit on the couch.

Blue left Eevee behind to rest and maybe guard Red and returned to the front office. The short journey through the outside walkway made him at least appreciate the brief respite he was going to get with functioning AC. Thankfully the woman hadn't wandered off and was sitting at her desk, fiddling with papers. Blue rang the bell when she didn't notice him walk in.

“Back so soon? How's your room?”

“Fine. You said you had a map to the crash site?”

“Yes! Trainers used to visit all the time, so I drew up these maps to help them out. It's maybe an hour's hike into the desert.”

“Uh, thanks,” he turned to leave but paused just before the door. “Are there really, like, UFOs out there?”

“Isn't that why you want to go take a look? I'm not going to ruin your fun.”

Blue nodded and left. He had no idea why he was even bothering with humoring Red this much. He probably could've stayed up thirty minutes later on the road, acted like he'd seen something, let Red question the existence of UFOs for a few minutes, then gone to bed. Done. No staying in weird motels and no wondering how he was going to pay for their room.

Even though he was still desperate to get to Driftveil, and even though he would never admit it aloud, the past day or so traveling with Red wasn't that bad. It was nice, even. Reminded him of Mt. Silver. Reminded him of how his pokémon journey should've been.

He opened the door and was ready to throw the map in Red's face, but he hadn't reacted upon his return.

“Hey, Red,” he said as he rounded the couch. “Oh.”

Red had managed to fall asleep. Maybe being able to drop at will was a secret skill he'd developed on the mountain or something, but he'd only been gone five minutes tops. Blue ran his hand through his own hair and sat on the couch beside him. He grabbed the TV remote and flicked it on. A Detective Pikachu rerun, he noted. The one Leaf hadn't let him finish all the way back after graduation.

He had no idea what he was doing then, and he had no plan beyond the tournament now. He glanced at Red, his cap awkwardly squished against his face. Blue gently lifted the hat and set it on the end table. His hair was somehow even more a mess than usual, falling over his face. Blue scratched his nose and turned back to the TV.

Red had said they could have no plans together. Maybe that wasn't a bad idea.

Chapter Text

The late evening sun wafted into the little room from between the blinds. A meteorologist was explaining the cold front moving into western Unova on the TV, their voice just loud enough to drown out the sound of the AC. Eevee had found her way onto Blue's lap and was crying for food.

Blue blinked the blur of his nap away and tried to get up to feed her, but a weight against his side prevented him from moving. He looked down and saw Red leaning against him, snoring away. The weird pressure in his chest hit him with full force, and he hastily stood from the couch.

He set out both Eevee and Pikachu's food while Red slowly came to. He peered over the back of the couch when he heard Blue clattering in the kitchen area. Blue in turn threw a pack of crackers at him.

“Evening, sleeping beauty,” was his dry greeting. Red picked at the crackers then looked to the end table, where his hat and the map sat. “I got your map. You’re welcome.”

Red studied the map until Blue plucked it from his grasp. 

“Well, are we going?” Blue walked to the door, hands on his hips and backpack slung over his shoulders. “Or are you gonna pass out again?” 

“You're serious,” Red signed. He called Pikachu to his shoulder and stood from the couch. Blue tapped his foot impatiently. 

“I wouldn't stand around with this backpack for fun.” 

Red made quick work of getting ready, and the two were soon back out in the heat. Blue watched as he adjusted his hat and brushed the hair from his face. Red smiled when he caught his eye; Blue frowned and pushed the hat further down, messing his hair up even more. Red tried to push Blue in retaliation but went for the map when that didn't work. He held it at arm's length above his head.

Blue pulled Red's arm down and studied the map. The path marking the trail wound from a cutesy drawing of the motel to an area encircled in red ink. The two trainers looked from the map to the horizon, then back to the map. A rocky path stretched before them, leading to a small plateau. Blue had not planned on UFO hunting involving anything other than walking a straight line on level ground. 

“Don't be grumpy,” Red signed after nudging Blue's shoulder. Blue scrunched his nose and pulled his sunglasses over his eyes. Red nudged him again and continued. “I saw pictures of kids standing near the crash site in the diner. If they can do it, so can you.”

“I can do it, easy. No problem.” His words barely escaped his mouth before his shoe caught on a rock, nearly sending him crashing down. Red immediately grabbed his backpack and kept him from a mouthful of dirt. Blue stood back up and tapped his foot against the ground. But that doesn't mean I want to do it died on his tongue when he noticed the concerned expression on Red's face.

Pikachu and Eevee ran on ahead while Red and Blue -- though mostly Blue -- slowly made their way up the path. Red seemed nervous that Blue was going to trip again, so he hovered near him, ready to help. On some level, Blue appreciated the care, but he was mostly embarrassed and really wished he would just stop.

The path cut back and forth across the rocky cliff side. Darumaka peeked from holes and from behind shrubs. Pikachu nearly ran into a cactus while trying to start a fight with one, earning him a timeout on Red's bag. Blue made faces at him while he followed from behind.

Blue managed to make it up the path without tripping again, and he honestly felt he deserved a round of applause for not uttering a single complaint. Red hadn't even broken a sweat. He glanced up from the map and nodded toward the northwest. A wooden sign was planted in the ground, the faded words unreadable. Blue followed Red's lead. 

The sun grew ever closer to the horizon as they walked. The rocky path had given way to dirt and sand, and small shrubs grew onto what was once a well-worn walkway. Blue's pants kept catching on the twigs, and Red kept giving him funny looks. He looked at the map he'd taken from Red at some point and struggled with reading it. He'd always stuck to the main routes on his pokémon journey for a reason.

“That woman said it'd take us maybe an hour to get there, but I swear we've been walking for three.” So much for the round of applause. At least he'd waited this long, he reasoned.

“We had to take it slow at first,” Red signed. He'd walked a few feet ahead but stopped to wait. Pikachu jumped atop his head and glared at Blue. “We'll get there soon.”

“How are we supposed to know when we get there?”

“We'll know.”

Blue blew a raspberry and walked past Red. Eevee chirped from his shoulder, and he could sense she wanted him to behave. He ignored her but still kept his mouth shut.

Eventually they happened upon another wooden sign, this one painted with an arrow pointing straight ahead. Red checked the map and pointed at the circled area. Blue quirked an eyebrow and looked around.

“I just see more rocks and sand,” he grumbled.

Red shook his head, grabbed his wrist, and pulled him forward. The two walked by several rock formations until they came to an area surrounded by boulders on one side and open to the vast sky on the other. Red crammed the map into his pocket and pointed to the ground.

“Here?” Blue questioned. Red nodded and pulled him over to the rock wall. He set Blue's hand on the carved surface.

“Same place I saw in the diner photos. Something cut the wall. Crash landing, couldn't stop.”

Blue ran his hand over the gouges. Literally anything could've caused them, from bored trainers to Scraggy trying to burrow. Nothing extraterrestrial about it.

Red searched around the area, occasionally bending over to dig at something in the ground. Eevee and Pikachu followed suit, sending sand flying everywhere. Blue dusted off his pants and found a nice rock to sit on. Red kept pausing to glance at him, but Blue ignored him. He said he'd go with Red to look for UFOs; he hadn't promised to help him look.

Instead he found himself staring off into the distance, his mind wandering to the Champion's Tournament. He hadn't bothered to check his pokégear for a signal, so Lance could've already landed in Driftveil for all he knew. He figured they still had over a week left before the tournament started, but knowing Red, that was probably pushing it. Maybe he should've held his ground on only staying at the motel one night.

Red had moved onto inspecting the rocks. Blue tapped his foot; once in Driftveil, he had no idea what they'd be doing other than a few battles. He really hadn't thought about how Red would behave in the arena, or if they'd have to battle each other. Blue didn't want to think about that. He'd challenged Red on Mt. Silver a few times, and he'd definitely improved in their time apart. But he still wasn't a match for Red's tenacity. He didn't want that to play out on camera. The last time the two of them appeared on camera together was...ugly, to say the least. Blue never wanted to see himself like that again.

The more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed that Red hadn't tried to battle him yet. They'd been on the road for days now and not a single mention. He’d only asked if they could battle together, not against each other. Suited Blue just fine.

He watched Red study the crash site. His face was scrunched in thought, but he appeared to be enjoying this little hike. Blue found himself content to watch Red until the pressure in his chest returned. He avoided Red's questioning glance after he caught him staring again.

Red had apparently looked at all the other rocks and decided that Blue's was now the most interesting. He sat by him, their sides pressed together as Blue struggled to keep his balance. He tried to push Red off, but he only pushed back.

“What are you thinking about?” He signed. His movements were stilted from trying to sign at an angle and stay on the rock.

“You,” Blue answered without thinking. He scrambled to recover. “And how stupid you look staring at rocks.” Nice save.

“Thanks,” he signed, standing from the rock. He offered Blue a hand but grabbed his wrist when he refused to move. “We didn't come here to look at rocks, though.”

“I really don’t think we’re gonna be looking at aliens any time soon.”

Red just shrugged and started walking further into the desert. The sun had begun to set, shrouding the crash site in shadows. Blue released Arcanine from his ball, for warmth and for the glow of his mane in the waning light. Pikachu and Eevee jumped onto his back and nestled among his fur, causing Blue to bristle because that had been his exact plan. Red kept walking. Blue eventually followed.

They made it to another grouping of boulders that Red seemed to find interesting enough. He set his backpack down and rolled out his sleeping bag on top of a relatively flat rock before jumping to sit on it. After several moments of studying their surroundings, he waved Blue over to join him. Arcanine leaped up and laid down, and Blue hesitantly followed suit.

“What are we doing on a rock, exactly?” He asked while he tried to settle. He hadn't bothered to bring his sleeping bag and was trying to steal some of the cushion away from Red.

“Hunting for aliens,” Red signed. He leaned back against Arcanine and watched the stars grow brighter.

Blue didn't get it but followed his lead. The sun sank beneath the horizon, the sky darkened, and the few remaining clouds did nothing to blot out the light from the waning moon and stars. It was peaceful.

“Remember doing this as kids?” The question left Blue's mouth before he'd even realized he was talking. He'd been thinking about it nearly every night, sure, but he'd never thought of bringing it up to Red. Red in turn took a moment to think before he sat up.

“Mom would get so mad when she found us in the backyard after midnight,” he signed. Arcanine’s mane cast him in an orange glow just bright enough to allow Blue to see. “Never stopped us, though.”

“Gramps wasn't around and Daisy didn't have the power to ground me then,” he said. “Took her awhile to notice I was gone at any rate.”

“You threw rocks at my window until I came outside.”

“It was the only thing loud enough to wake your lazy ass up. You sleep like a log now, you slept like a log then.”

“You remember our constellations?” Red looked expectantly at him. Blue shook his head.

“I don't remember that! It was years ago, Red. We were kids.” Blue scratched at his nose and huffed.

“I don't believe you,” Red signed, forcing Blue to hold eye contact. “Acknowledging your childhood doesn't make you weak or anything, y'know.”

“I acknowledge it plenty. It just fucking sucked, so I don't like thinking about it too much.”

“You brought it up first.” Red smiled when Blue refused to reply. “If you can't remember, I can try to find one.”

“Hmph.”

“Only if you want.” He waited patiently until Blue sighed and waved a hand.

Red turned his head to the sky and searched the stars while Blue settled back into Arcanine's fluff. He had no idea how Red expected him to make it through the entire night like this. Sooner or later he was bound to crash, and then Red would have his chance to exact revenge for the date thing earlier. He was too young, too beautiful to die in this stupid desert.

He started when Red pulled at his shirt sleeve. He was pointing at something in the sky, but after a few minutes of squinting for UFOs, Blue realized it was probably just one of their made up constellations.

“Those 3 stars over there. You used to call it the Flaming Pidgey of Death. Said my name for it was lame.” Red watched the stars, deep in a memory. Blue snorted.

“That name's cool as hell. Anything else would've been a waste.”

“You always said the stars formed the beak and wings, but I would try to convince you that each star stood for you, Leaf, and me.”

“Lame. Now, if there was a constellation of the Great Champion Blue...,” he trailed off when Red rolled his eyes. “What?”

“That grouping over there. You said it told the heroic story of you defeating Lance,” he paused and pointed a little to the left. “And that was the two of us celebrating. You sure you don't remember?”

Blue pulled at the hem of his shirt. He did remember naming stars and staying out late at night watching the moon trail across the sky. He could never forget that, but the details had faded. Or at least, he told himself they'd faded so he didn't have to think about it too much.

Red took his silence for a no. He wrestled with what to say next for several minutes before giving up and laying back against Arcanine. Blue felt antsy with Red lying beside him, so he sat up and dug around his backpack for a snack. He ended up just feeding it to Eevee, who then decided that not even treats could bribe her love when she curled up in Red’s lap.

“I used to imagine what it'd be like if we’d traveled together,” Blue started. Red stopped stroking Eevee's fur to glance at him. “Didn't think my own pokémon would ignore me in favor of you, though.”

“I used to wonder the same, especially at night,” Red signed, his face neutral. “We always talked about camping out together on our journeys as kids. Before...you know.”

Blue shifted in place. Red was skirting some dangerous territory.

“You'd tell me wild tales you'd heard from trainers who stopped by Professor Oak's lab and then promise we'd have even better stories. You were so excited about our journey.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know, but seriously, Red, I'm not in the mood right now.”

“Until you weren't.”

“Red, I mean it.”

“What happened?”

A lot of things happened. Red was better with pokémon, Red was the town's golden boy, Red was favored by his own grandfather, Red was always better somehow, some way. And the only way Blue knew how to deal with it was by shoving him away or putting him down at every chance he got. He bit his tongue; he was trying to be better with Red. He had to be better.

Red seemed bothered by his silence but accepted it nonetheless. Blue wished he really wouldn't, really wished he would actually fight back.

“It's weird,” he started to sign. Blue braced himself, sat up, and watched him struggle with his phrasing. Red stopped, watched Blue for a moment, then seemed to grasp something. “On Mt. Silver, everything's frozen over. Seasons come and go, but most things don't change. So when you and Leaf found me, I expected things to be the same as...before.  But you're different. You're still rude, but there's something else there, too.”

Blue scoffed but waved for him to continue.

“Feels like when we were kids. You wouldn't let me anywhere near this close as trainers.” Red watched him for a moment. “And despite all the protests, you're still out here with me.”

“We're long past being trainers. Trainer, champion, gym leader, student, whatever. I've learned how to be civil sometimes.”

“Well, whatever you are now, Blue. Thanks.” Red smiled warmly and leaned back. Blue stared a hole through his forehead while he continued searching the sky.

The heavy weight he'd first felt on Mt. Silver returned in full force. It'd been there a lot today, really since he saw Red during Lance's meeting, but he didn't want to think about it. He had an aching feeling about what it meant, but he certainly wasn't prepared to face that just yet .

He returned to his spot against Arcanine. Eevee and Pikachu claimed the space between Red and him and were already snoring in their sleep. Red was still studying the sky, but Blue could sense that he was glancing his way every so often. He rolled to his side to better face him. Red raised his eyebrows.

“Why'd you thank me?” Blue asked. He already guessed why, but Red was talkative today. He wanted to milk it as long as he could.

“You're here, even though you could've just waited a couple more hours for a flight to Driftveil.”

“Didn't wanna hike, but didn't want to waste money that Lance would never refund, either.”

“You wasted money in the diner.”

“Because it was my idea. Plus, we got it all on a discount. Or did you forget that it's our three year anniversary already?” Blue flicked Red's hat. Joking around means it's definitely just a joke, he reasoned. The weight in his chest didn't seem to agree. Whatever.

“Wish I knew sooner so I could've got you a gift.” Red still seemed mortified about earlier, but a joke meant that he probably didn't want to kill him over it. Yet. They still had to eat there tomorrow.

“Psh, yeah. You owe me big time.”

“Three years.” Red looked at him quizzically. Blue turned away.

Moments passed in silence, with nothing but the distant sound of pokémon calls between them. Red had since gone back to UFO watching, but when Blue looked to the stars he only saw blurry dots. He wiped the tiredness from his eyes and fiddled with the necklace he'd worn for as long as he could remember.

“That's when I...that's when Leaf and I found you on that stupid mountain,” he muttered. Gold had been the one to discover him up there, and the first thing he did was call Leaf and Blue. They immediately packed their bags and scaled the mountain in search of him. Blue's gym trainers had been upset at first, as he'd only just returned to Kanto for summer break and off he'd ran again, but as time passed they grew used to his ever-growing absences.

Red simply nodded in response, his smile from earlier never having left.

Blue watched him for a few moments longer before turning back to the sky. More clouds had began to roll in, masking more and more stars from view.

They stayed like that for hours. Red would occasionally point when he thought he saw movement, and Blue would find where he was pointing just a second too late. The early morning light crept up on them too soon, and they were forced to head back to the motel with no sightings to their names.

Blue struggled for five minutes with the key card until Red grabbed it and unlocked the door on his first try. Blue stuck out his tongue and walked inside, immediately collapsing onto the bed. He made Red promise to wake him in time for dinner, knowing full well he'd be up long before Red or Pikachu would even dare. Red made him promise that he'd help search for evidence again later that night. Blue couldn't say no.

Chapter Text

Just as he'd guessed, Blue woke long before Red would. It wasn’t even mid afternoon, but he figured he might as well make something of his time. He left the motel room, bag in tow and Eevee perched on his head. He released his pokémon team behind the building, allowing them to stretch and train however they pleased.

They all immediately flocked to his side and showered him with affection - even Arcanine, who'd only been out a few hours before. 

“I should've let you guys out sooner,” he said as Alakazam scrutinized him. “Didn't think you'd like the desert, but it looks like we've still got a few days of it left. And I know you wanna train before the tournament.” 

Arcanine barked and wagged his tail before running up to Alakazam, who shook his head then threw a spoon. Both Arcanine and Eevee ran after it. The rest of his pokémon dug around in the sand until Blue figured they needed some direction. 

Soon enough, Blue found himself in the familiar flow of training and mock battles. His past few months in the gym had given him back the edge he'd lost at university, and he was determined to put on a good show for the tournament. Especially because it was the Champions Tournament, and he'd been champion for a whole hour, tops. Gotta impress everyone and let them know just what Blue Oak and his team could do. 

The motel owner stepped outside to watch and cheered him on as he yelled commands against an invisible opponent. He smirked and waved at her before turning back to his team. They’d been improving so much lately, and he couldn't wait for them to have a chance to show off.

“Eevee, don't be afraid to get up in his face, okay, girl? Ya gotta show ‘em you mean business!” He yelled while Eevee tried to shrink away from an advancing Arcanine. 

She sent a worried look over her shoulder that Blue returned with a thumbs up and smile. Putting on a determined face, she rushed forward, sending plumes of sand flying behind her. She cut to the side directly in front of Arcanine, throwing sand into the larger pokémon's face. Arcanine reeled back in surprise which gave Eevee an opportunity to strike. In one swift movement she leapt onto Arcanine's back and lightly bit his ear, ending their match.

“That's my girl, Eevee! You did great! You too, Arcanine. But don't be afraid to draw back if you're stunned.” Blue walked to where the two pokémon stood panting. He poured fresh water into their bowl and patted their heads in congratulations. He froze when he heard clapping from behind him - probably just the motel owner again. He ignored them for the moment and finished praising the pokémon before turning around. 

Red stood in the shade of the building, a bottle of soda in hand and Pikachu perched on his head. He smiled at Blue and met him halfway. Blue swiped the soda and watched his pokémon play.

“What?” He finally asked after Red refused to sign anything. 

“Promised to wake you for dinner, but I couldn't find you,” he signed, then paused to search Blue's face for something. “Then I heard you yelling out here.” 

“How long were you watching?” 

“You're a great trainer.”

“Shut up,” Blue muttered into the bottle. 

Red turned to watch Eevee try to sneak up on a meditating Alakazam. She almost made it, but Alakazam caught her and teleported twenty feet away. Red released his team and signed something at them before nodding to Pikachu, who rushed to Eevee's side. Both trainers stood in silence and watched as their teams play-fought their teammates before slowly mingling with the others.

Blue looked to the sky and then to Red. He was clearly enthused by how well their teams were doing. He turned his smile to Blue, who tried to play off his staring by scratching at his nose. Not smooth. He had no idea how many times he'd been caught the past couple days. 

“You promised to get me for dinner, right?” he asked, already walking in the direction of the diner. Red followed behind him, casting a glance back as their teams battled on their own.

“I'll pay this time,” Red signed as they entered the building, the ring of the bell shocking the waitress awake.

She led them to the same booth and handed them the same menus. A group of younger trainers sat in the corner where Lenora had been the day before, their food long gone but their laughter still going.

“How goes your stay?” the waitress asked while she wrote down their orders. “Having fun?” 

“We found the crash site last night. Gonna look for more UFOs tonight.” Blue answered, ignoring her cheeky grin. “You got any tips?” 

“Tips, huh?” She cocked her head in thought and looked at the newspaper clippings on the wall. “If you're really searching, you'll probably be able to find something. But you have to want to look, too. Ignore the signs and they'll never appear.” 

She left to fix their food after that, leaving Blue to wonder what in the world kind of tip that was. 

“Stay on the lookout and don't ignore the obvious?” Red tried to reason. Blue shrugged. 

“We know alien pokémon exist. Can't ignore that even if we wanted.” He fiddled with the straw in his drink. “I just don't believe they drive around in little spaceships.”

“The evidence, Blue,” Red signed then tapped on the frame hanging by his booth seat. A photo of some teenagers standing by a bent saucer half-buried in sand was mounted behind the glass. Blue snorted. 

Their meal passed quickly enough. Blue continued poking fun at the photos hanging around the diner while Red kept trying to convince him of their legitimacy. The group of trainers eventually got up to leave but a girl with buns and pigtails stopped by their table and begged for an autograph. Blue was more than happy to oblige, but Red took some convincing and a signed please from Blue. 

Once they were done and after Red had counted his change to actually pay for their meal, they made their way to the exit. Red was the first out the door, and Blue waved him on to pack their stuff for the night. He stopped in the gift shop and searched until he found it: the little stuffed toy Pikachu and Eevee had fought over the day before. 

“Will that be all for you today, hon?” The waitress handed him the gift bag with a smile. Blue glanced around the racks and nodded. “Well, good luck on your hunt tonight. I hope you two find what you're looking for.”

Blue found Red standing outside their room with both packs ready. Blue stuffed the toy into his bag before anyone caught sight of it. They rounded the building and called both teams back, save for Eevee and Pikachu, then began their ascent back up the plateau. Blue tripped only once but caught himself just as Red reached out to help. He adjusted his pack as Red silently laughed, his arms still outstretched.

The crash site seemed much closer this trip. Blue stopped Red in front it and pulled him to his side. He’d actually charged his pokégear before falling asleep, and while there still wasn’t much of a signal, he figured Leaf would like to receive some photos at some point. He’d never bothered to call her upon their arrival in Unova, and he had a feeling she might make a special trip to the tournament just to kick his ass. He figured he might as well try to soften the blow.

He snapped a few photos of Red and him pointing at the gouged rock and a few of their pokémon rolling in the sand. Red seemed uncomfortable with having his picture taken, but he suffered through it enough for Blue to capture some blurry pictures of him standing awkwardly in the middle of the crash site. He showed the pictures to Red, who just frowned in return. He did, however, make note of his background: the selfie Leaf had forced him to take in front of the Prism Tower on his grad night. Blue shrugged, looped his arm around Red’s shoulders and snapped a picture, the desert stretching behind them, their shadows twenty feet tall.

They moved on from the crash site, hiked past the rock they’d stopped at last night, and continued on for what Blue felt like was a few hours. The purple sky told him it hadn’t even been an hour, but Red showed no signs of stopping. 

“You trying to get us stranded out here?” He asked, jogging ahead to match Red’s pace. Red hoisted Pikachu onto his shoulder from his position in his arms before answering. 

“We’re searching for signs.” He stopped and and watched the horizon. “Can’t search where they’ve already been found.” 

“Psh, whatever. Can we at least search while sitting down?” Blue huffed. Red replied with a deadpan stare and kept moving. 

Red forced Blue to keep walking until the sun had fully set and they could no longer see if they were about to step into a cactus or step on a sleeping Scraggy. Blue dug in his bag and found that Red had packed his sleeping bag, so he unrolled it and flopped down with a sigh. Red took his time to unpack and unroll his bag right beside him. Eevee rolled around on the foot of Blue’s, while Pikachu stole his headspace. He glared at the pokémon and sat cross-legged, his elbows bearing on his knees. 

“You found anything yet?”

Red quirked an eyebrow and shook his head as he pulled his spare blanket from his bag. Blue grabbed it and pulled half onto his sleeping bag. Eevee curled beneath it and rested her head on Red’s lap. 

“You're supposed to help look,” he signed after a few minutes. Blue stuck out his tongue but looked in the direction of the horizon. The weather looked to be much the same as the night before; the stars and sliver of the moon shone brightly. 

“Do you really think there are spaceships?” Blue asked. Red gave a noncommittal shrug. “Don't give me that!” 

“The waitress said if we look, we might find something.”

“Yeah, and that something is a bunch of sand and an empty sky.” Blue waved a hand around for emphasis. “I think you just like hearing me complain.” 

“I don't like your complaining,” Red signed before punching him in the shoulder. “But I do like being out here.”

Blue hummed and plucked at the zipper on his bag. He surprisingly didn't mind being out there, either. He still hated the whole walking in the miserable heat thing, but the landscape was beautiful. Even the rundown motel had its charms.

He found himself wondering what it'd be like if he just became a trainer again. He was prepared for the journey now in ways that he wasn't as a kid, but wandering around alone and without a clear destination after the tournament made him antsy. He could feel the anxiety that had nearly swallowed him before graduation creeping in on him and ran a hand through his hair. Red had always been at home in wild, maybe he could give him some pointers.

Red was still watching the night sky, his head tilted back and his hand holding his cap. Blue studied his face; the concentration he usually wore during battle was absent and was replaced by a relaxed, if distracted, expression. The scar on his chin that he'd received while he, Blue, and Leaf had been playing hide-and-seek in Viridian Forest had barely faded. Blue had always felt a little guilty over that, because he'd been the one to insist on running through the roots, and he'd certainly been the one who got yelled at by the professor because of it. 

Blue opened his mouth to ask about it, but Red beat him to it.

“Leaf told people I got it from a wild pokémon,” he signed. Blue decided that Red just had a natural knack for knowing when he was being watched, no matter how discrete he tried to be. “Classmates thought I was cool. She made sure Professor Oak never heard that, though.” 

“Gramps thought I pushed you at school, but I knew he would’ve just double-grounded me if he found out we were playing in the forest, so I never told him.” He scratched at his nose and sat up to better see Red's signs. “Don't know what he'd do if he heard that rumor.”

He’d praise Red for walking away with only a scratch and yell at Blue for letting it happen, probably. He sighed. 

“Don't worry. It makes me look tough.” Red signed, clearly trying to shift the conversation. Blue reluctantly let him.

“Yeah, right,” he snorted. “You look like a dork.”

Red pouted and pulled at his cap, prompting Blue to try to pull it away from him. He held it above his head while Red just glared at him.

“Not as dorky without the hat,” Blue decided. Red signed something at Pikachu, who then sent a small shock to Blue's hand. He dropped the hat at the sting and rubbed his hand while Red smirked. “Horrible and annoying with or without it, though.”

“Same goes for you.” 

Blue pushed him for that, and Red pushed him back. Blue let himself flop onto his back. He stared up at the stars, his mind flitting from searching for Red’s constellations to searching for UFOs. He could hear Red shuffling in place but figured if he had something to say, he'd punch him. Eventually, he did.

“I don't really think you're annoying,” was all he signed. Blue snorted. 

“You aren't half bad, yourself. Sometimes.” He dodged another half-hearted punch. “Nah, but seriously, you're a real sport for putting up with me for as long as you have. I used to be a real asshole.” 

“Used to be?” 

“Whatever,” he huffed. He reached over and tugged Red's hat over his eyes. “The hat isn't dorky. Does that help? It should really be washed, but it's part of your stupid identity and I can't imagine you without it.”

“Thanks,” Red signed before he pulled Blue's hand away and adjusted the cap. “But you can just compliment me directly if you like the way I look.”

“Like hell I'd ever say that.” He felt his face warm and was silently grateful Arcanine wasn't out to light their campsite. Red smiled like he knew anyway and went back to searching.

A half hour or so passed quietly. Blue was absentmindedly looking at the stars directly above him while Red made sure to take in the whole of the sky.

Blue tried to remember the constellations Red had talked about the night before, but he still came up empty. He knew that they camped out together before his journey, and once they left Pallet Town, he did everything he could to stay overnight in towns and not the wilderness. To get ahead of Red, he'd always told himself. It was only now that he'd started to understand that he just didn't want to be out there alone. Red had mentioned that he'd said something like that on Mt. Silver, even though he honestly couldn't remember.

“Red,” he started. He figured he might as well ask. “What did I say to you the last time I was on your stupid mountain?”

Red took a while to answer. His face flitted from confusion to measured calm. 

“A lot of stuff,” he eventually settled on. 

“About, what? Gramps?” Blue thought back to the fight he'd had with the professor a month or so before winter break. He faintly remembered yelling about the professor, but he'd done that a lot to anyone who would -- or wouldn't -- listen.

“Some about him,” Red signed. He paused when he thought he saw something in the sky, but it was just a Natu flying into the distance. “About other stuff, too.” 

“I asked you to come to my graduation,” Blue stated. That he remembered. That was all he’d focused on the following month. 

“Yeah, that stuff.”

“You refused.” Blue watched as Red avoided eye contact. He was still upset, and bringing it up again wasn’t likely to do him any favors, even though he figured he might as well get everything in the open. Red seemed to misinterpret his tone as accusatory, though. Blue braced himself 

“Is that all you remember?” Red sat up, eyebrows furrowed. Blue nodded. “Nothing else? At all?” 

“Nope.” 

Red seemed to be at a loss. He glared at his hands, then just to the left of Blue's head. Blue could tell he was trying to puzzle out something. 

“Tell me everything you remember,” Red signed.

“I hauled a bunch of crap up the mountain like I did every break. You were training and it was snowing when I got up there. Typical. I talked about school until night fell, we sat by the fire, then I brought up my thesis, then Gramps.” He winced when he recalled the way his voice would carry through the caverns Red had called home for so long. “I asked you to come to my graduation, you refused, and then at some point, I left.” 

“You yelled a lot.” 

“Wouldn’t surprise me.”

Red took a few deep breaths as he tried to find something to say. Blue watched him with growing confusion; that was seriously all he remembered. He hadn't explicitly mentioned the huge fight between inviting Red and him leaving, but the look on Red's face told him that he definitely remembered. 

“We're friends, aren't we?” He eventually signed. Blue really wanted to know why he kept asking that. 

“Sure,” Blue shrugged. Red glared at him. “Okay, yes. You, Red, are my friend. Probably my oldest friend. You happy?” 

Red nodded but continued staring. Blue folded his arms over his knees and returned his stare. The atmosphere around them had grown heavy, and Blue just wanted to go back to searching for aliens or whatever.

“You acted like you hated me on Mt. Silver,” Red signed, schooling his expression. “Then a couple days ago, you said pretty much the same. And on our journeys, I know you hated me then, too. 

Blue rested his head on his forearms but didn't take his eyes off Red’s hands. The resentment he'd felt before they arrived in Unova had fizzled out, but some of the anger still remained just beneath the surface. He hated thinking about it, but Red kept quizzing him on the status of their friendship even though he was the one who forced himself along, forced Blue into stopping to look for stupid UFOs that would never appear.

He sighed, ran his fingers through his hair, then adjusted the blanket spread between them. It had taken him a while, but he finally recognized it as one that he'd brought up the mountain a couple years ago. It had been his winter break then, too, but there wasn't Gramps to ruin the mood or graduations on the horizon to worry about. It had just been the two of them, their pokémon, and a bunch of supplies Blue had saved up for in Kalos. Red always seemed a little annoyed when he received supplies -- he claimed he'd been doing fine all those years without them -- but Blue could tell he appreciated the gesture, especially when it came from him. After he had thanked Blue, after they had long since gone to bed, did that now familiar weight in chest first appear. Or really, it'd been the first time he'd even thought of acknowledging it. It'd been there for as long as he could remember.

“You never asked why I finally came down from the mountain,” Red eventually signed. He broke eye contact and turned to pet Pikachu. 

No, Blue hadn't. He didn't care to know why then, but now he really didn’t know why he hadn’t thought to ask yet. 

“You spent all that time trying to convince me, and then,” he stopped. He fidgeted with his hat before pulling it down, obscuring his eyes. “Then you say you were just doing your duty as a gym leader. It was like we were trainers again.”

It was like you hated me again, Blue understood.

“Red,” Blue started to speak but gave up before formulating a thought. Arguing would set Red off and send him careening over the edge on which he was barely balancing.

“I can't just forgive you, Blue.” Red was staring down at the sand, refusing to make eye contact. “You're right. You were an asshole.” 

Blue should’ve realized Red could never ignore his words completely. He didn't know how to respond. Red had always outwardly rolled with the punches, taken everything Blue had thrown at him, had accepted his anger in silence. He'd always wanted Red to fight back with something other than pokémon battling, but he still felt like he wasn’t getting the full picture.

“Still are. I don't believe you've forgot about anything, and if you have,” he paused. Pikachu and Eevee had both been awakened by his movement and had taken to glaring at both him and Blue. “Was it just not important enough?”

“So what if I can't remember a couple stars we made up when we were eight? A lot of shit's happened.” 

“A lot's happened to me, too! Blue, you never even asked why I was on Mt. Silver to begin with!” Red had turned to face him fully. “I don't understand. You remember finding me three years ago but don't remember a conversation from a few months ago.” 

“Hey, I'm trying here,” Blue said through gritted teeth. “That's more than I used to do.”

“I'm glad you’re here, but I feel like you aren't.” 

“I've told you already, I'm fine. The desert's stupid and all, but it's not the worst thing I've ever done.” 

“You were mad before the desert.” 

“God, yeah, of course I was. You're right, just like always. I spent years thinking you might've been dead! And when I finally see you again, you won't come back down with me. For three goddamn years, Red.” Blue paused and clenched his teeth. Red was watching him intently, eager to finally get some sort of truth out of him. Blue couldn't remember constellations but he sure as hell could remember his frustration. But the frustration fizzled out the longer he looked at Red; the rest of his thought came out just above a whisper. “Three years, I begged my best friend to come home, and then some little kid battles him and now he decides to leave his stupid mountain.” 

Red blinked at him. 

“Yeah, I fucking suck as a friend, but like,” he just gestured vaguely at himself. “You didn't even bother to say ‘Oh, congrats on graduating, Blue, great job’.” 

Red wanted to look for UFOs, but he kept dredging all this up again and again. Blue scratched at his nose while Red fiddled with a knot in Pikachu’s fur. He paused when he noticed Red's hands shaking.

“Why did you decide to let Elaine become champion?” Blue asked, his voice quieter. Neither of them had been exactly fair to one another, he'd begun to realize, but the majority -- if not all -- of the blame rested solely on himself. He had an aching feeling almost all of it was on him. 

Red didn't answer immediately. Instead, he turned his head to the sky and stared off into space. Blue searched his face for some sort of answer, but he'd since assumed his calm-and-collected trainer persona. The only thing giving him away was his hands constantly running through Pikachu's fur. 

A pokémon howled in the distance as a cool breeze caused Blue to shiver. He pulled Red's blanket closer, but Red didn't react at all. He wasn't likely to acknowledge Blue’s question at this rate, though it's not like he could exactly blame him. He hadn't been able to give the answer Red wanted, nor had he asked the right questions at the right time. Red was right to be frustrated.

This certainly wasn't the companionable silence they'd been sharing. He'd been on the receiving end of it quite a bit throughout their friendship, but mostly during their tween years (and the first few times Blue wandered up that mountain). Though it never seemed to carry this much weight. He was missing something here, something clearly important if it managed to visibly upset Red, but he figured trying to dig more would only worsen things. He'd be back to burning bridges and running away from his real problems if just went for the argument.

Red shifted and laid on his back, his eyes wandering. Back to the UFOs, huh. Blue still thought it was stupid, but the waitress had said something about only finding them if they really looked. Maybe he should give it a go, for real this time.

He followed Red's lead. The moon slowly make its way across the sky, but no matter where he looked, he didn't see a single spaceship. He did, however, see millions of stars; the very same ones that had always shined down upon him whenever he looked out his apartment window in Viridian or through the glass doors of the lab in Lumiose. The same ones that watched when he and Red rolled around in their backyards, flashlights tossed aside as their laughter carried throughout Pallet.

“Hey, Red.” The heavy weight of nostalgia mixed with the unfamiliar need to make amends forced words out of his mouth before he even knew what to do with them. He watched as Red tried to ignore him, but his hand had stilled on Pikachu's back. He had his attention. “You see those stars over there in the direction of the motel?”

He still felt stupid, but he pointed them out when Red refused to look. He held his arm outstretched until Red replied with the smallest of nods.

“Those are the, uh,” he paused to collect his thoughts. Red turned slightly to look at him; Blue scratched at his nose before continuing. “Those make the Lone Travelers. Legend has it that they did bunch of awesome shit when they were kids, but as they grew older they just sorta. Got lost.”

He waited for Red to sign something, but he never did. Blue groaned inwardly; he had to commit to the bit for it to really count. He could already feel his face heating up.

“They fought each other a lot, but they understood each other more than anyone else could. So one day they set out on a journey, but as they traveled they only got more and more lost, until one lashed out and left the other behind,” he said as he watched Red. Red’s hand fell from Pikachu’s back to his side, and Blue figured that's as much as he was going to get. He was thankful the only things out in that desert were pokémon; nobody had to know what embarrassing things were coming from his mouth. “But it was tougher alone.”

“They missed their friend?” Red signed. He had turned slightly to face Blue, who was avoiding eye contact.

“...yeah,” Blue sighed. Leaf knew it, Lance knew it, every gym leader in Kanto and every university friend knew it, even if he'd never been able to actually say it in so many words. “They did. A lot.”

Blue felt a weight on his hand followed by a gentle squeeze. He froze for a moment before hesitantly returning the gesture. He returned his gaze to the stars and could've sworn he saw something dart across the sky.

Chapter Text

Blue struggled against the urge to nod off for the next hour or so. The desert night's cool air was the only thing keeping him awake as he and Red laid beneath the stars. Red had long since decided that their conversation was over and was trying to watch the sky, but Blue could tell that even his patience was beginning to wear thin.

He nudged Red up and packed their bags while their pokémon grunted angrily about their disturbed sleep. Blue took a smidgen of pity on them and let them hitch a ride on Arcanine. The hike back to the hotel continued in silence, with Arcanine's warm glow their only guiding light.

Blue unlocked their room on his first try this time around and threw his bag by the door. Red crossed the room and fell onto Blue's bed; he considered arguing about it but let him be while he walked to the bathroom. The clock on the wall only read half-past midnight. Their hunt the night before had lasted much longer. Whatever. They needed to be out by ten in the morning anyway.

Red was half asleep by the time he’d changed clothes, and what space wasn't taken up by Red on the bed had been claimed by Pikachu and Eevee. Blue sighed. He could throw a fit and boot Red to the couch. Or he could just push all three of them over and out of his side of the bed.

He flicked the lights off and collapsed onto the couch instead. Now he wished he’d listened to Red the day before and helped pull out the folding bed inside. He figured he should do that listening thing more in general.

The weight of several pairs of eyes pressed down upon him through the darkness. Whatever Red was thinking he wasn't interested in saying right now. Blue just had to deal with the silent judging.

The hours ticked by painfully. Blue laid awake on the couch, tracing patterns in the stamped ceiling. The only thing keeping him grounded to the motel room was Red's occasional snores.

Blue found himself circling around whatever it was Red wanted him to remember. He ran through his last trip up the mountain from start to finish several times, but he could only remember what he'd already told Red. The main thing he remembered was feeling hurt, then the anger, but Red already knew all about that. A part of Blue wanted Red to just tell him what all happened, but knowing him, it'd be easier to build a spaceship and fly to outer space himself than pulling the answer from him.

Blue peered over the couch at Red's sleeping form. He hadn't bothered to change or even take off his hat. Typical.

He rolled back over and grabbed his pokégear from the coffee table; still no signal. Sighing, he flipped to his camera roll and scrolled through the pictures. They'd taken way more photos earlier than he thought, but he couldn't bring himself to delete any of them. He scrolled further back to some time earlier in the summer, then to his graduation, then further back. Pictures of him with some of the other Kanto gym leaders, pictures of him and Sycamore in caps and gowns, pictures of Kalosian pokémon. He kept swiping through them until he hit last summer's and found the one he was looking for.

Mt. Silver was green and filled with flowers. Blue and Leaf had hiked up the mountain a few weeks before the start of the semester, to visit Red one last time together. Leaf had spent most of her time documenting plants or something, but she'd gotten a hold of his gear while he'd been training with Red. She snapped a photo of them sitting in the distance, her face taking up the bottom of the frame. He'd made it his background until Leaf noticed a few months later and laughed. He'd immediately changed it, but now he considered changing it back.

Nah. He changed it to a photo of Eevee and Pikachu digging in the sand. Neutral enough, but...but. But what? Sure, it was their pokémon, but whatever. He shut the gear off and rolled onto his side, sleep eventually overtaking him.

He woke up after what felt like five minutes later to something shaking his shoulder. He could just barely make out Red leaning over the couch from the dim moonlight. He looked at the clock. Not even 4 AM.

“What the hell do you want?”

Red watched him for a moment then furrowed his brow.

“You were yelling,” was all he signed.

“Was not.”

“Nightmare?”

Blue turned away from Red and waved him off. He couldn't remember any sort of dream, and he certainly didn't remember yelling. Red stepped around the couch and peered down at him.

“You said ‘don't go’,” Red signed.

“And now I'm saying do go. Back to bed. We’ve gotta be outta here in the morning,” Blue mumbled and tried to shove Red away. When he refused to budge, Blue glared at him and signed, “go to sleep.”

Red didn't seem convinced but slowly stepped back. After some hesitation, he made his way back around the couch, but not before signing again.

“There's room on the bed.”

“Go. To. Sleep,” Blue hissed. He pulled a pillow over his head to hide whatever weird face he was surely making. He refused to move until he was sure Red was fast asleep, and then he refused to move for another five minutes for good measure.

The morning light streaked through the blinds far too soon. Blue tried rolling over until he heard knocking. Groaning, he sat up, stretched and dragged himself to the door. The motel manager stood outside looking apologetic.

“Did you two wanna stay any longer?” she asked while she tapped her pen against a clipboard. Blue shook his head. “Well, in that case, check out's in about an hour, but don't worry ‘bout getting in a hurry.”

Blue gave her a thumbs up and shut the door. Red had either slept through the knocking or he was pretending. He weighed his options: the best way to drag Red out of bed would probably be the mature way.

He got a running start then launched himself onto the bed. Pikachu and Eevee bolted across the room, and Red unceremoniously fell off the bed in shock.

“Morning! Now get packed,” Blue said as he leaned over the edge of the bed and poked Red’s arm. Red looked like he was about two seconds away from killing him. “We're outta here in a half hour.”

Packing was easy for Red, less so for Blue. He struggled with fitting his stuff in his bag, especially because he still had that silly plush in there. Red tried to help, but he shooed him off to feed their teams. Blue seized the distraction and made his way to the front office.

“People are supposed to pay before they check in. You know that right?” He said while the manager fiddled with her credit card machine.

“I figured a couple champions wouldn't run off without paying,” she said with a wink. “Don't give me that look. I'm better with faces than I am with names. Knew who you were when you were still standing in the parking lot.”

“Oh.”

“Don't worry, I won't tell my wife that you lied to get diner discounts,” she said. She laughed when Blue tensed. “You find those UFOs?”

“Nope. Thought I saw something last night, but it was probably a shooting star or something.”

“You're supposed to make a wish. Did you?” The woman shuffled some papers on her desk and took back the room key. “Oh, well. There's always tomorrow. They don't just appear in the desert, y'know. Anywhere there's a sky and stars.”

Blue waved at her and parted ways. Red was standing by their room, double-checking his bag. Blue tossed his backpack on and beckoned for him to follow. He didn't slow down in front of the diner, but Red forced him in anyway. They grabbed breakfast to go, but not without the waitress giving a teary goodbye before they were back on the road.

“If we don't get distracted, we might be able to reach the outskirts of Nimbasa by tomorrow night.” Blue pointed out their path on the map to Red, who stared at him in disbelief. “Try to keep up.”

Blue wasn't about to go back to whatever sorry excuse for a pace they had a couple days ago. Walking fast meant Red wouldn't have time to wander into the desert, meant that they’d finally get back to civilization. And if he kept ahead of Red, he didn’t have to worry about continuing their conversation from last night. Maybe he should, though, his mind screamed. Whatever. He’d let Red make the first move on that one.

Red still didn’t believe they were going to get out of the desert so soon, but he kept up with Blue. Eevee and Pikachu were both back on his pack, leaving Blue to charge forward. The traffic was heavier the further they got, until they came upon a small town that boasted a shiny new diner and a few little shops. They stopped just long enough to stock up on snacks, and Blue couldn’t help but wonder where all the newspaper clippings of UFO sightings were. Red signed something about “not as much personality,” and then they were off again.

“We didn’t see any spaceships,” Blue said after the silence became too much. “I was right.”

“Wrong,” Red signed after he caught up to Blue’s pace. “I saw one.”

“Psh, yeah, and I’ve been Kanto champion for ten years now. I stared at the same sky, Red. Nothing.” He threw his hands into the air as Red shrugged. “I think it was just a tourist thing. Gotta lure people in somehow.”

“Don't lie. You had fun,” Ref signed. He elbowed him in the side. “Thanks for the anniversary trip at any rate.”

Blue rolled his eyes and turned back to the horizon. The trail stretched out before them, and few clouds dotted the sky. The heat was going to put his schedule in jeopardy if it was already bothering him. He kept walking.

Pikachu and Eevee ran ahead and chased each other in circles as the day wore on. Blue carried on about pointless things, about horrible morning labs and study sessions and Lumiose City traffic. Red nodded at the right times but never interrupted; his mind clearly elsewhere. Eventually, Blue dropped the conversation and lapsed into silence, his thoughts finally catching up to him.

Maybe he should bring up last night. He should...he should apologize. He needed to apologize. For a lot of things. For everything.

He watched Red as he tossed treats to their pokémon. Every time he tried to form the words, he fell flat. He was out of his element on multiple levels. Apologizing. Red. The stupid desert. It wasn't working.

But he'd been caught staring again while he was lost in thought. Red gave a half smile and slowed his pace until Blue caught on.

“It was time,” was all he signed.

“Huh?”

“Why I let Elaine become champion. It was just time.”

“That's a lame reason, man.”

“You didn't ask if it was a good reason.”

“Eh, whatever,” Blue said. He scratched at his nose while Red watched him intensely. “Whatever it took to get you off that damn mountain.”

“You're allowed to be upset,” Red signed. He stopped walking. “It's not what you wanted to hear.”

Blue stopped a few feet ahead of him. He didn't feel upset anymore, just hurt. But he didn't even know if that was the right word to use anymore. Maybe he just wished he'd been able to help Red more.

“You're allowed to be upset, too, y'know,” he muttered. “Over everything.”

A beat of silence passed before Red nodded and continued walking. Blue couldn't really read his expression, but he hoped Red caught his drift. Something told him that he needed to say a lot more than that, though. He just didn't know how yet.

They pressed on until the sun sank below the distant mesas and night overtook them. Judging by the mile markers along the trail, they were actually making good time. If only they kept it up, they'd be back in the city before no time. Blue watched Red fiddle with the campfire and couldn't help but snort when he dropped his poking stick into the flames. Red pouted and punched his shoulder.

Maybe it really wasn't so bad out here.

Eevee and Pikachu passed out fairly quickly, but neither trainer found sleep easily. Blue watched the fire as the shadows around Red danced and distracted him from UFO hunting.

“Last night in the desert,” he said. “We won't be able to see stars in the city. Better enjoy ‘em while they last.”

“I'll miss it,” Red signed. He searched Blue’s face for something before continuing. “It was nice being out here with you.”

“It’s always great with me,” he replied. Red gave him a deadpan stare. “But really. We’re gonna be in cities from here until the end of the tournament. Enjoy it, nature boy.”

Blue turned back to the fire. The embers floated gently into the sky and melded with the stars. Until the end of the tournament. Then what? Go back to Pallet Town and take over Daisy’s spare room? Wait around until Lance took pity on him and offered him another job in the league? And where would Red go? He scratched Eevee’s head and tried to shake off those thoughts. He’d done a lot of worrying about that these past few months. He deserved some rest.

“What was your nightmare about?”

“It wasn't a nightmare,” Blue said. “I don't remember, anyway.”

Red nodded and let it go. Blue was still shocked he'd managed to wake Red at all, but if he had to take a guess at what it was about...well. There was time for that later.

“I was upset yesterday,” Red signed. He pulled Pikachu onto his lap and scratched at his ears. Blue chewed the inside of his lip while Red struggled with his thoughts. “About you not taking things seriously. Or that's what I thought.”

“I'm the epitome of serious,” he tried, pointing at his chest. Red rolled his eyes.

“I couldn't understand,” Red stopped and shook his hands. “Sometimes you act like this trip can't be over fast enough.”

“It's not the worst thing ever. Journeying with you.” He wanted to turn in for the night the second the words left his mouth, but Red's small smile stopped him.

“I'll take that,” he signed. His smile faltered a little before he signed again. “You don't remember our conversation on Mt. Silver.”

“I already told you -”

“I know.” He tugged at his hat. “You just said...you wanted us to travel together, is all.”

Red was a terrible liar. Blue knew that well, and he could tell Red wasn't going to give up the rest of their conversation easily. Besides, Red had already mentioned that. He was definitely fishing for something here, but Blue couldn't help him with that.

“I might've misunderstood,” he signed when Blue didn't reply. Blue pulled the hat from his head and twirled it in his hands.

“Nah. Dunno what I said then, but it's not so bad being stranded in the desert with you and the aliens now.” He returned the smile Red had given him earlier. Now was as good a time as ever, he figured. He inhaled. “Sorry, Red.”

“Still don't forgive you,” he replied. Blue couldn't blame him; he released a shaky breath and nodded, then sat Red's hat atop Pikachu's head and leaned back. His eyes found the constellation he'd made up yesterday as he relaxed into the silence between them. Red followed his line of sight.

“Did those travelers ever meet up again?” Red signed. Blue looked at Red from the corner of his eye.

“Yeah. They did.”

Red put the hat back on his head and shifted on his bag, dragging it closer to Blue's. He copied Blue's posture and was nearly asleep by the time Blue realized how close they were. The weight in his chest had been a near-constant since the night before, but now he couldn't shove it to the side and ignore it. He found himself at the edge of actually admitting it, of opening his mouth and telling Red. But he wasn't ready, not yet.

So he rested his hand by Red's and refused to think about anything else but stars and sleep and pokémon journeys that he wished happened a decade ago.

Chapter Text

Blue was shaken awake just as the first rays of light emerged from the east. The fire had long since burned itself out, leaving nothing but smoldering ashes. He smacked Red's hand away and tried to roll over, but Pikachu shocked him before he could give it a second thought. He jumped up and glared daggers at the pokémon, who only snubbed his nose and jumped on Red's shoulder. To his credit, Red looked a little apologetic -- but only a little.

“You're awake,” were the only words he could think to say. He yawned as Red shrugged and stood from his sleeping bag.

“Got to leave now if we're going to get to Nimbasa by nightfall.”

“Didn't think you thought it was possible,” Blue teased. He stretched and helped Red in his packing.

“I believe you,” he signed as they left their campsite and headed back out on the trail. “Just...promise that...that...”

Blue watched as Red stopped signing. He let his hands drop before restarting.

“Please help me in the city.”

“Sure,” Blue said. The guilt hit him when he remembered that he hadn't bothered to help him in Castelia, that Red had tried to make the trip better for him when he wouldn't even leave their hotel room. He ran his hand through his hair. “Nimbasa's pretty fun. Went there for a gym leader's conference once, so I can show you some hot spots.”

“I thought you'd had enough of the heat,” Red signed with a smirk.

“Smartass. We could just keep going until we hit Driftveil City, y'know.”

“Wherever you go is fine with me. I'll follow.” Red's smirk grew into a wide smile when Blue clenched his fists at his sides and avoided eye contact with Red.

“Nope,” Blue said as he pulled Red’s hat over his eyes. “No following. We're going together.”

Red adjusted his hat and bumped Blue's shoulder with his own. Pikachu jumped from his shoulder onto Blue's backpack, but he let him stay there, just this once.

Hours passed and both Pikachu and Eevee had found their way onto Blue's bag. They scared off any wild Scraggy blocking their path and then feigned being tired when passing trainers asked to battle. Foot traffic was much heavier the closer they got to the city. The younger trainers didn't recognize them but were scared off by anyone leaving the deep desert, and the older trainers knew better than to challenge exhausted champions. Blue was thankful they were left alone.

They reached Nimbasa city limits with no fanfare aside from Red stopping to point at the sign. Blue felt...disappointed. Their little journey was over; just like that. He hadn't asked Red if he wanted to travel the rest of the way by foot -- he figured yes, anyway -- but the trip consisted mostly of going over a surely crowded bridge and through urban highways. Nothing like the wide open space of the desert, with its room to breathe and lack of prying eyes. He figured Red probably felt that pressure more than he did, so he pulled at his sleeve. Red stopped and fell into step beside him.

“Wanna stop here and explore the city?” He asked. They had some time before the start of the tournament, he assured himself. Red furrowed his brow and seemed hesitant to answer either way. “There's a theme park, stadium, a ton of shows.”

“Okay,” was all he signed after too long.

“Or we could just walk around the quiet parts of town.”

Red nodded and half-smiled. Blue clapped his shoulder and pushed him to start walking.

“We’ve gotta find this little bar in the old city I went to the last time I was here. We can room at a Pokémon Center first, though. Unless you're gonna pay for the hotel. Uh huh. That's what I thought.”

The streets were filled with late-afternoon traffic, but they found the Pokémon Center fairly quickly. Blue sure as hell couldn't find his way in the wilderness, but he could find his way around a city. It didn't hurt that there were a ton of signs pointing it out.

They stepped through the sliding doors and every trainers’ eyes snapped up to stare at them. Okay, maybe a bad plan, especially considering the communal lodging most centers had. And this close to the tournament...well. Blue realized that their photos were probably being circulated regularly in the news at this point.

Red, refusing eye contact with the other trainers, forged a path to the Nurse Joy’s desk. Blue followed his lead and waved away the kids who got too curious. The second their pokémon were all checked, they fled the building and turned down an empty side street.

“New plan. I call Lance and force him to pay for our rooms at the fanciest hotel in the city.” Blue checked his gear and groaned at the number of missed messages: a couple from Lance, three from Daisy, and about fifty from Leaf. And one from Professor Oak. He’d worry about the others later and ignore the one from the professor for as long as he possibly could. Forever if possible. For now, Red agreed and watched as Blue winced when Lance picked up on the other end.

“You’ve finally decided to return to society, I see,” Lance said. “I just arrived in Driftveil, actually. I'm going to assume Red is still with you, and that you're also in the city.”

“Yeah, a city. We just crawled outta the desert and need you to book us a room in Nimbasa.”

“You’re telling me that you’re stopping in Nimbasa? I can call a cab and you can be here in a couple hours.”

“Yeah, I don’t think so. We’re gonna stay here, at least for the night.” Blue shared a look with Red as Lance sighed on the other end of the line. “What happened to the league covering our costs?”

“I said reimburse.”

“Have them reimburse you,” Blue replied. He counted down the seconds Lance took to compose himself while Red raised an eyebrows.

“Stay at the Pokemon Center,” Lance finally said.

“No can do. If it makes you feel better, we tried. Looks like it’s up to you.”

“Red, if you can hear me, would you rather not just get to Driftveil already?”

“He says no way,” Blue interpreted from Red’s silent laughter. “Just book us the nicest hotel room in the city. Luxury. Only the finest will do for Kanto’s favorite champions.”

“Blue. Red.” He could feel the scolding look. “You’re on your own. But do you remember the place in which everyone stayed during the conference a few years back? They’ll give you a break. Just get here as soon as possible.”

“We’ll get there when we get there! Peace, old man.” Blue shut off his pokegear and shrugged at Red. “Worth a shot. At least now he won’t put out wanted posters for us. But we’re splitting the cost. You’re not getting out of that.”

Red gave a thumbs up.

“I think it was actually closer to that amusement park, though. C'mon.” Blue turned on his heel and started off in the opposite direction. Red seemed hesitant but walked alongside him anyway. “Don't worry; I won't force you to go to the park. We're just gonna dump our stuff then head back here. We've got plans.”

For being so close to the amusement park, the hotel was booked mostly by people on business. People in suits and serious trainers in uniforms dotted the lobby and paid little attention to the two of them. Blue booked their rooms and waved Red off while he paid, up front this time around.

“You owe me,” he said once they stepped into the elevator. “Buy me drinks, and I might call it even.”

“I thought you were going to wrestle the money from me in front of the concierge,” Red signed.

“Would've taken too long. We've got stuff to do if Lance wants us in Driftveil tomorrow night.”

“Thanks.”

“Don't get used to it,” Blue said over his shoulder.

They stepped out of the elevator and into a long, beige hallway. Red found their room and unlocked the door. It was more beige inside, but at least this one had two beds. Blue dragged Red away from the window and back out into the hall once they threw aside their bags. He ignored his pouting and pushed him all the way to the bus stop. The several miles they had to walk to the hotel were wearing on him after days upon end of hiking;  they were taking the bus. End of story.

“So where are we going?” Red signed from his spot by the window.

“First: that bar I mentioned. Second: who knows?” He waved his hand. “The night is young.”

“It’s not even five yet.”

Blue flicked his hat and turned to the aisle. The bus was packed with people and pokémon, with the notable exception of Eevee. She’d decided to stay in her ball because she’d never cared for Blue’s late nights, but Pikachu couldn’t care less. He sat atop Red’s hat, mimicking his trainer’s careful watching of the buildings as they passed by their window. Red leaned against his shoulder as the bus rounded a corner, and Blue played it off like he didn’t notice. He definitely didn't notice that Red never bothered to move back, either.

They stepped off the bus in front of a crowded park. Blue led the way into an old brick building a block away. The interior was decorated with artifacts related to what he assumed were old Unovan legends; he hadn’t listened to Leaf’s explanations back then. He told Red as much when he noticed him scrutinizing the giant paintings.

“Remember that conference Lenora mentioned in the diner?” Blue started after their host led them to a booth in the back. “Me and Gramps had a big fight, so later that night, Leaf and I and some others snuck out and wound up here.”

“Leaf was there?” Red signed from across the table. Pikachu had climbed onto the booth and curled into a ball, the weird synth music playing from somewhere in the bar keeping him from falling asleep.

“Her and Misty and Brock and some others. Leaf used to tag along on every trip. Anyway, the old man running the bar couldn’t read any of our IDs. I just told him I was a gym leader and he pretty much let us have free reign of the place.” He opened his pokégear and scrolled through his photos while Red leaned over the table to get a better look. He pulled up a photo of Leaf and him standing on a table, clinking their glasses together. “You wanted to know what sort of stuff about me ended up in tabloids? That was on the front page.”

Red grabbed the device and tried to hide his laughter behind his hand. Blue tried to seem offended but couldn’t keep up the act.

“Why did you bring me here?” Red asked after he handed back the gear.

“I’m guessing you’ve never been to a bar,” Blue said as he waved over a waiter. He ordered a couple drinks in a whisper as Red studied him. “Mountains aren’t exactly known for their vibrant nightlife.”

Red made a face but shrugged in agreement. Blue smirked and prattled on about how angry Lance had been with him the next morning and how much of a mess they’d made of the bar’s open mic night until Red couldn’t stop smiling.

“When was this?” Red asked once Blue stayed quiet enough to grab the drinks from the waiter. Blue glanced over the top of his glass and looked to the ceiling in thought.

“About four years ago, now, I guess.”

“Before Kalos?”

“Yeah. Before Kalos,” Blue answered. Before they'd found Red, too. He vaguely recalled wishing Red had been there with them, but back then he thought he might've been...he stared down into his drink. “That’s what I was arguing over with Gramps, actually. Going to university.”

Red glanced from the glass that Blue had pushed toward him to Blue’s hands as they tapped on the table. He frowned.

“I’m not thinking about that now, though! Not tonight. We are going to have fun before Lance has a chance to scold us every living moment.” He tapped on Red’s glass. “Try it if ya want. Cheers.”

He brought the drink to his lips and furrowed his brow at the taste. Blue practically chugged his own drink.

“Don’t give me that look; yours is mostly soda,” he said, slamming his empty glass on the table. “But see what I mean? They didn’t card us. I mean, we’re old, ancient history, but we don’t look old.”

“I don’t, but you do.”

“Thank you, Red. I knew I could always count on my best friend.”

Red kicked him, causing him to knock his empty glass over, which scared Pikachu onto the table and into Blue's hair. Red shook with laughter while Blue pouted as he pulled the pokémon from his hair. The static frizzed his hair to the point that he resorted to snatching Red's hat and throwing it on his own head.  They stared at each other from across the table until the waiter brought another round of drinks. Blue guessed that Red wasn't going to finish the first one, but that wasn't going to stop him.

“Do you know how the tournament works?” Red asked long after he'd won their staring contest. Blue rested his chin on his palm and hummed.

“We battle, we win, we lose, we sit at a couple ceremonies, suffer through some dinners, suffer through Lance,” he explained over the noise of the growing bar crowd. “Y'know.”

“This isn't your first tournament.”

“I've been through this sorta stuff before, and I'll probably do it again. Everyone wants you at their battle festival or whatever when you're a famous trainer.” He jabbed a finger in Red's direction. “They're really gonna be coming for you now.”

“I guess that's fine,” Red signed. He sipped at his drink then pushed it to the side. “Not like I have plans.”

“Me neither,” Blue muttered into his glass. Their earlier conversation about their futures drifted back to him. The past few months had vaguely reminded him of when he'd lost the champion title to Red, when he'd wallowed without a plan until one had been thrown into his lap. He'd let others handle his life back then, but after this Unova trip was over, it was all going to be left up to him.

Red tapped on the table until he caught his attention. Setting his glass aside, Blue motioned for him to say whatever, but Red just watched him.

“What?” Blue asked.

“There's something on your mind,” he signed. Blue frowned, but Red ignored it. “Tell me about it.”

“I'm fine.”

“It's okay to ask for help.”

“Is it though? The last time I asked for help was the last time I talked to Gramps before he called about you,” Blue mumbled into his drink. Red furrowed his brow in concern and signed something he didn't quite catch. “Listen, I did ask for help with research on my thesis, but he just shoved me off like always. Starting chastising me for coming up with my own thing and not asking him first, even after he was shocked to learn it was my senior year.”

“I'm sorry.”

“Like, I went to university because I thought it'd make me look good to him. I should've known better, but whatever. Nothing I do can impress him.” He ran a hand through his hair and started to regret coming to this bar over the millions of others in this city. So much for not letting it get in the way of his night.

“You don't have to impress anyone,” Red signed. Pikachu jumped from his place beside him and onto Blue's seat, where he tried to nestle beside Blue's lap. He blinked at the bizarre display of affection but rested one hand on his head anyway.

“That night I first came here. The argument we had was about me going to school. Something about abandoning my gym or whatever, even though he was psyched a few months earlier about it.” He sighed. “I just felt lost then, and it's the same now. Nothing's ever good enough.”

“Is that the only reason you went to school?” Red signed.

“I…” he trailed off. “I want to do something with pokémon, yknow? I wanted Gramps to be proud of something I accomplished with pokémon. He wasn’t happy with me as a trainer, and up until then he wasn’t too thrilled with me as a gym leader.”

Red nodded and paused in thought. While he fiddled with what to say, Blue turned to the street-facing windows. The crowds were growing as the sun began to set, but the bar stayed relatively empty. He found himself wondering what he'd even intended to do that night; his official top hot spots list included this stupid bar and a dozen things Red would have no interest in. Not to mention his own ability to kill any vibe. Maybe he shouldn't have gone with the place with alcohol and memories of his grandfather. He was starting to get a headache.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when Red's face took over his vision. Blue opened his mouth to ask just what it was he was doing, but Red forced him to scoot down and sat in the booth beside him. After some maneuvering, Red turned to sit cross-legged in the booth, fully facing him.  Blue decided that he was going to ignore whatever this was and go back to sipping his drink, but Red pulled the glass from his hand. He stared blankly at Red while Pikachu crawled into the space between them.

“You don't owe Professor Oak anything,” Red signed once he was sure he held his attention.

“You couldn't say that from your seat?” Blue asked. Red responded with a half-smile.

“Wanted you to listen.”

“God, I know I don't owe him a fucking thing, but whatever,” he said, gesturing vaguely. “I just wish that he'd care.”

“I know.”

Blue pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. Deep down he knew he didn't owe him anything, that it wasn't his place to make Professor Oak actually care about his own grandchildren, but it wasn't an easy thing to admit. That compounded with the uncertainty of his future wasn't helping, and the nearing end of his and Red's trip only made it worse.

Red was messing with his straw paper, absorbed by his own thoughts. Blue finally realized that he still had his hat on. He took it off and folded it in his lap. It wasn't the hat he'd bought for him as his ninth birthday present -- Blue wouldn't be surprised if he'd burned that one -- but it looked just as old. He'd bought it on his own journey, he guessed, because in every memory of their battles, he'd been wearing the same one. Including the championship battle and in the photos of him and Professor Oak that hung in the League offices.

Blue glanced from the hat to Red, and it finally hit him that he was probably interpreting his issues with Gramps as issues with him, too. Judging by Red’s concerned expression, Blue figured he was probably trying to formulate an apology that Blue never needed, and it was entirely his fault that he felt that way. He hadn’t exactly apologized for his outburst the other day.

“Red,” he started. He waited until Red stopped folding the paper and met his eye. “You don't owe me anything either. I used to blame you for everything Gramps did, but I should've known better. All of that's on me. You didn’t deserve any of the shit I put you through.”

“It's okay.”

“No, it's really not,” he said. He pushed Red out of the booth with less grace than he'd like to admit and tried to pay for their drinks, but Red pulled out a wad of cash before he could say anything.

“For the hotel room,” he signed, but Blue refused and crammed the money back into his hand and paid himself before leading him down the street and to the riverfront.

“If anyone owes anyone anything, it's me. I owe you. A lot. Don’t argue -- I mean it.” He poked Red's chest when he tried to sign a rebuttal, but he nearly tripped himself in the process. Red steadied him with a smile. “Starting now: I owe you a better night. One that I don't ruin with my shitty problems. This way.”

Blue grabbed Red's wrist and dodged through the throngs of people until they passed the riverside shops and galleries and came upon a small pier. Most of the daytime booths had already packed up or were in the process of shutting down, and the remaining people were headed back into downtown, leaving the area quiet save for the sound of gentle waves. Blue led them to the edge of the pier and plopped down on one of the benches.

When Red gave him a questioning look, he shrugged and pointed at the descending sun.

“Nicest place to watch the sunset besides the ferris wheel,” Blue said as he watched the sky. “Didn't think you'd be into that, though.”

Red said nothing and pulled Pikachu into his lap. Silence settled between them as the sky darkened from blue to light purple and the streetlamps sprung to life. Blue watched him from the corner of his eye until Red started to smile.

“You aren't subtle,” he signed. Blue scratched at his nose and tried to play off his reddening face, but he didn't have the desert to blame anymore.

“No idea what you're talking about.”

“Nothing about you is subtle.” Red bumped his shoulder when he tried to argue.

Blue snubbed his nose and turned away as silent laughter shook Red's shoulders. He'd figured he was being obvious at this point, but he was desperately hoping Red just wouldn't notice. Figures that he would, though. Of course he would. Dammit. Blue just hoped he only noticed the staring and not the constant pressure in his chest when they sat this close or when Red laughed at his stories or ... He stopped when Red nudged his shoulder.

“I'll be here,” he signed. When it was clear to him that Blue had no idea what he meant, he tried again. “I won't disappear when you aren't looking. I'll be here.”

Blue blinked. Hearing Red say that lifted a weight off shoulders that he hadn't even realized he'd been carrying, but now he was at a loss of whether he should argue over the real reason. The more he thought about it, however, the more he realized that maybe Red was right, at least partially.

“Your constellation,” Red began. He shifted in his seat. “I don't want to leave anymore.”

At that, Blue stood from the bench, ready to argue, but a wave of nausea hit him at the sudden movement. He cursed himself that he couldn't remember how much he'd drank. Red jumped up, reaching out to steady him, and Blue allowed him to hold his shoulders. But he refused to sit back down, instead choosing to lean against the railing and watch the water below.

“Sure, you did hightail it up a mountain for nearly a decade,” Blue said after his head stopped swimming and and the blush disappeared from his face. “But that was me. I was the one who left. On our journeys, at every chance I had.”

Red started to sign something, but Blue cut him off. If he was going to be better to Red...he figured he had to start being honest at some point. One of the many things he owed him.

“And then that last time on that stupid mountain, before you even woke up, I left. I was going to come to Unova without telling you, and then back in Castelia, I tried to leave when you weren't there.” He started to run a hand through his hair, but he stopped and griped the railing instead. “You probably left to get away. I left because I was an ass.”

“Yeah,” was all Red signed.

Blue couldn't help but laugh at the honesty. He flicked Red's hat and turned to watch the setting sun. The river was tinted a dark orange, and he could just make out the shadows of pokémon beneath the surface. He chewed at the inside of his lip, mulling over the past few days.

“I kept trying to leave, even when you were just being nice.” Blue didn't take his eyes off the distant horizon. He could just make out the silhouette of the desert mesas. “You've always been way too good a person, putting up with me. Thanks.”

“I don't put up with you,” Red signed as he nudged his arm. Blue pushed back, but a knot formed in his throat.

There Red was, like always, with his measured calm and kind assurances. When they were eleven, those traits had driven him insane, had him desperately wanting Red to react to his taunts with anger, but now he was starting to appreciate it. He wasn't quite sure if he really understood it, but maybe that didn't even matter. If Red was willing to give, maybe he should allow himself to accept -- though he knew the reverse had to be true as well. It was now or never. Blue inhaled.

“I'm sorry. For everything.” He held his breath until he tore his eyes from the sunset. Red was studying his expression, waiting for him to...oh. He'd actually caught him off guard.

“I accept but don't forgive,” Red eventually signed in slow, methodical gestures. Blue steeled his expression, but judging by Red's smile, he was doing a pretty bad job at it. “But since you first visited Mt. Silver, you've changed. Even now. So I won't leave if you don't.”

“I literally tried to fight you the first time I made that hike,” Blue’s frown broke as he snorted.

“Through tears.”

“Shut up.”

“Happy three year anniversary,” Red signed.

Blue whipped his eyes away from Red's hands in an attempt to hide whatever embarrassed face he was making, but it only backfired miserably. The dizziness returned, leaving him to clutch at his forehead. Maybe some of it was to hide his face, but most of it was the headache. Only the headache.

The sun sank farther beneath the horizon, but the lights of the city only allowed the brightest of stars to pierce through the night. Resting his elbows on the railing, Blue watched as he lost his reflection in the black water below. He could sense Red was staring off into the distance, his mind elsewhere. Standing there, side by side, the earlier worries about Professor Oak felt distant. There was an aching feeling that things were never going to get better with his grandfather, at least for now, but maybe it shouldn’t rule his life. It had gotten in the way of everything for far too long, had decided far too many things for him, but it was his turn to make the decisions now. So if he decided to annoy Lance by extending his stay in Nimbasa for an extra day...well.

Chapter Text

The lightpost at the edge of the pier flickered on thirty minutes after it should have, illuminating them in a dull yellow. Blue watched as Red scratched Pikachu’s head. The light traced the outline of his profile, and Blue found himself staring again. “Not subtle” Red had called him. He wondered how subtle he’d be if he leaned in closer, closed his eyes, ran his fingers through his hair -- but then Pikachu chirped, shocking him out of that line of thought and sending him tumbling backwards. To his credit, Red tried to catch him, though nothing could save him from that impact. He saw his ankle twist before he felt it.

“Are you okay? Should I get help?” Red signed frantically as he sat by his side. Blue grabbed his hands and frowned, trying to shoo away the embarrassment that hadn't let him rest that evening.

“Hurts like hell,” Blue muttered as he poked at his ankle. He doubted it was even sprained, but it still hurt enough that he hissed after touching it. He tried to stand and got nowhere, but  Red offered his hand and he took it. He hesitated on letting go, but Red clearly wanted to say something.

“Does this always happen when you drink?” Red signed, smile playing at his lips. Blue huffed and tried to push him away.

“Never in my life. It's your fault that I fell.” Red raised an eyebrow at that. “And Pikachu's fault. Both your faults.”

“Guess I have to help if it's my fault,” Red signed before gently pulling at Blue's arm.

“Where are we going?”

“The hotel. You’re not walking anymore.”

“Psh. Watch me.” He took one step and winced.

Red was torn between laughing and chastising him. Blue rested his forehead on his shoulder and sighed. Eventually, Red nudged him off and helped him limp back to the bus stop, Blue complaining all the while. A few drops of rain fell on their heads as they waited, and by the time they were on the bus, the rain had grown steady. Blue watched the crowds on the streets run into clubs and restaurants through his window.

“You still owe me a tour of the hotspots,” Red signed.

"Sure, but just letting you know now that I'm the hottest thing in this city,” Blue said. He ignored Red's eyeroll. “Any city.”

The bus rolled to a stop a block away from their hotel, and Blue and Red were the only passengers to step off. Blue was thankful for that, if only because it took him an embarrassingly long time to get down the steps, even with Red’s help. The two of them stumbled beneath the covered bench as the rain turned into a heavy downpour. Pikachu and Blue shared a groan when Red tried to walk through the rain without so much as a second thought.

“I am not walking in that,” Blue said. “It’ll take me ages and I will get soaked. And it will be painful. And wet.”

Red nodded absentmindedly as he let Pikachu hop into his pokéball. He pulled off his jacket and handed it to Blue. When Blue didn’t take it, he shoved it into his arms and gestured for him to wear it.

“That’s nice and all, but it’ll help for like two seconds. The only thing that’s gonna help me is if you carry me to the hotel,” he joked. Red nodded and he immediately refused to make eye contact, instead choosing to glare at the sky.

“Fine. Walk then.” Red headed off in the direction of the hotel, leaving Blue to splutter in place.

Once he composed himself, he tried to follow, but the dizziness from earlier hit him in full force. He wished he was back in the desert, where there was never a chance of rain and when he thought to keep his pokémon on him. What he wouldn’t do for Arcanine’s ball to be in his back pocket.

Red returned with a smug look on his face, earning him a shove from Blue.

“Fine. Whatever.” He mumbled as he raked his hands across his face. “This never happened, though. Got it?”

Red was barely able to stop himself from making some sort of retort, but he thought better of it before helping Blue onto his back. He buried his face in Red's hat and desperately wished Red wouldn’t take him so seriously.

The concierge spared them only a passing glance as they entered the hotel lobby, but mostly because Blue was loudly proclaiming that he could definitely walk now that he wasn't under threat of melting. Red ignored him and hit the elevator button.

“You think someone got a picture of that?” he asked, knowing Red couldn't answer. He figured he didn't care, anyway. “Well, I hope they send it to Lance. Front page of the tabloids.”

The elevator dinged and the door slid open, revealing the same beige hallway as before. Red carefully helped him down before digging out the room key. Blue tried to shake off the water from the now-soaked jacket.

“You're supposed to carry me bridal-style through thresholds, y'know,” he deadpanned. Red unlocked the door and pushed it open.

“Still can,” he signed and waited by the door for Blue to make up his mind. Blue bit his tongue and shoved his way into their suite.

Eevee lifted her head and yawned from her spot on the bed as he flicked the light switch in his room. She glanced over his sopping wet everything and nodded to herself, content in her decision to skip out on the evening. Blue stuck out his tongue at her before showering and changing.

After maybe ten minutes of scrolling through the television channels, Red knocked on his open door, first aid kit in hand. He didn't bother to wait for an invitation and sat on the edge of the bed until Blue threw the remote to the side.

“It'll be fine, Red. Seriously.” He tried, knowing full well Red was going to try to help him either way.

“Yeah. You wouldn’t have made a fuss if it was actually bad,” Red signed, his expression softening. “I know you.”

Blue didn’t know how to respond to that, so he said nothing and watched as Red unwound the gauze. Red was slow and careful, and Blue wondered how often he'd had to do this on himself during those years alone on the mountain. It couldn't have been easy.

The TV blared an advertisement for Champions Tournament as Red finished fastening the bandage. He shut the first aid kit, pulled his legs onto the bed, and studied his hands rather than look at Blue.

“How often did you do that on Mt. Silver?” He asked. Now Red was looking at him. He just shrugged. Blue chewed at his lip; he knew he'd done it plenty of times. If he'd known he was up there, or even why he was up there, he could've done something, helped him earlier. And then it hit him: Red had mentioned it the other night, during their UFO hunt, and he’d felt like an idiot then. He still did. “Why’d you end up on Mt. Silver, anyway?”

Red's eyes went round as his hands wound into fists that clutched at the blankets.

“Red?”

“Complicated.”

“I have time. It's not like I can go anywhere.”

He avoided eye contact as he twisted his hands in his lap. Eventually he sighed and moved from the foot of the bed to Blue's side. Blue said he had time and he meant it. He wasn't even expecting an answer, mostly because Red had already scolded him for not asking sooner. Now that most of that stupid anger toward Red had vanished, he was left with a glaring pit full of things he should've done, should've asked a long time ago. A pit full of emotions he was dangerously close to spilling, if only he hadn't fallen on his ass in the middle of a daydream and ruined the whole evening.

From his spot on the other side of the bed, Red was picking at a loose string on his shirt and absentmindedly watching the TV. Eevee was glaring at him and Pikachu for taking her spot, but she wouldn't dare fight against them like she would with Blue. She liked them too much.

“Didn't want to be champion,” Red signed after Blue had thought he'd dropped the conversation. “Didn't want to be around you or anyone else, either. I didn't know what I wanted. Everyone wanted something from me, or for me to be something I couldn't. Too much.”

“Huh,” was Blue's eloquent reply. He turned to get a better view of Red and waited for him to make eye contact. Apparently that wasn't going to happen, though, and rushing him wouldn't help anyone.

“Being champion...that was your dream,” he signed.

One of the few things Blue did remember, however, was the two of them playing Pokémon Champion in their backyards. Red had always loved it, he thought, and when they'd list their goals in school, Red had said champion just like him. Just like him. Wait. He sat up way too quickly, and the nausea nearly him knocked backwards.

“You wanted to come to Unova, didn't you?” Blue asked once he regained some mobility. Red nodded, but he didn't fully believe him. “You made the decision to participate in the Champions’ Tournament on your own?”

“Yes,” Red started. He was unsure where this line of questioning was going. “Didn't know you were going until Lance told me.”

Blue nodded to himself. Red watched him in confusion. They lapsed into silence, the only noise the sounds of a pokemon documentary playing on the television.

“I’m glad you’re here,” Red signed, pulling Blue’s attention away from the TV. “But I did this for myself.”

“Who wouldn’t be glad to have me here?” Blue joked and dodged a punch in the shoulder. He laughed to himself; Red shook his head and leaned against the headboard. The light of the TV shifted, sending their shadows dancing. It was reminiscent of their desert campfires, but it was warm in a different way. “You really lived on a mountain by yourself for eight years. I don’t know many people who could come out of that alive.”

“Wasn’t up there the entire time,” Red waved off Blue’s startled glance. “Supplies. Explored some places. I avoided people, though.”

“Couldn’t avoid me and Leaf forever.”

“Wouldn’t want to.”

Memories of exhausting hikes and horrible weather filtered through Blue’s mind. He’d barely been able to endure it during his trips, and yet Red lived through it day in and day out for years on end. Of course he would; nature was a part of him. He could never handle the champion title, could never be chained to one job, one set of expectations. The world could have been his for the taking, but he never wanted to take it. He just wanted to live in it, on his own time.

In the end, they both wanted their freedom. It didn’t take Red long to figure that out, but it was only just now starting to make sense to Blue. It’s not like he’d ever really followed rules or advice, but he’d followed what he thought people wanted, tried to meet expectations impossible to fulfill. Others’ expectations, sure, but his own, too.

What Red had said about him changing, he didn’t really believe. In a lot of ways, he was still the bratty kid who argued with his grandfather at a fancy dinner of an international conference. In others...maybe he had changed.

“During that conference, at the bar, after I'd gotten drunk, y'know what I told Leaf?” He said, long before he thought better of it. Yeah, he was definitely still tipsy. Red knew it too, and that's why he'd been watching him so closely, he figured. Whatever, maybe some things stayed the same. If Red was gonna open up, so could he, and if sober, morning Blue had an issue with it, he only had himself to blame. “I told her -- and I'm saying this now before she tries to blackmail me -- that I wished you were there. That's why I brought you there today, to fulfill my stupid wish. There! Now she can't say anything.”

Something changed in Red's expression, and Blue wasn't sure what to make of it. He pulled at the blanket and tried to ignore the weight of Red's eyes. Instead he watched the clock on the wall tick the minutes away; it was barely past ten.

“I think I would've started a fight then, though, so maybe it was for the best you weren't there,” he told the clock. He waited until Red nudged his arm to look back.

“I would've won,” Red signed. He was smiling, but his eyebrows were tilted in concern or something similar. Blue didn't get it.

“We could go back there an’ see.” Blue tossed a pillow at him when he shook his head and signed something about ‘no more bars.’ Red held the pillow in his arms and watched the TV switch back to commercials. “Yeah, you probably would’ve.”

“Thanks for thinking of me,” he signed two ads later. Blue tried to hide his flush when the first thought that popped into his head was that he couldn't stop thinking about him.

He rested his head in his hands as Red watched him with an inquisitive expression. Dammit. He had it bad. Sober Blue thought he did a pretty good job of avoiding it, but even he couldn’t keep that up forever. Now the only thing keeping his mouth shut was the fact that he couldn’t immediately run away. At least he hadn’t managed to spill his guts yet, and Red had interpreted his stupid longing glances as dear-god-I-hope-Red-hasn’t-run-off-again checkups. He was in the clear. For the moment.

Eevee nudged him and crawled into his lap, yawning as she curled into a ball. Blue patted her head and leaned back against the headboard beside Red.

“I think we needed to be apart,” Red signed. Blue furrowed his brow and made him repeat himself. “As teenagers. Couldn’t handle each other.”

Blue let his head roll to the side. Red just shrugged.

“We needed to grow up.”

“We could’ve done that together,” Blue said. The ache in his chest as he had left the mountain told him that much, had always made him wish they had more time; their journey so far had proven that much to him. “Maybe we could’ve done it sooner.”

“Don’t act like you already have,” Red laughed as he signed. Blue flipped him off, proving his point. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder, etc.”

“I thought you were dead.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“We shoulda just ran off to some far corner in Sinnoh. Runaways. You coulda told Lance ya quit, and I coulda left m’gym. No mountains or universities.” Blue gestured vaguely with his hands, suddenly becoming aware of his words slurring. If he'd been doing that all evening, how on earth did Red even begin to understand him. He paused. “Who says I’m fond of you?”

The documentary ended, and the TV rattled with the theme song of a different series. Blue fiddled with the remote until Red gently took it from him and turned down the volume.

“I wish things were different then, but they weren't.” Red pulled at his hat. Blue nodded slowly; so they'd both been running away from their problems for awhile now. He grabbed the hand messing with the hat and waited until Red held eye contact.

They're different now, he wanted to say. Maybe I am fond of you , he could've followed with. Maybe I have been for a long time, longer than I want to admit, and that's why I wished I had a chance back then.

But he couldn't say any of that. The last part surfaced from the fringes of his mind, where he'd been locking it away ever since he'd first felt the crushing weight of something.

It wasn't exactly a revelation; he'd always known that deep down, he'd felt something. He'd refused to acknowledge it as a trainer, knew that he didn't deserve so much as friendship then, but the years gave him plenty of time to think. To worry. To theorize.

He'd settled on calling it a crush one late summer's night on Mt. Silver, nearly a year after Red had been found. Though the moment he stepped off the mountain, he locked that name away and hadn't thought about it since. It's not like Red had given any indication he was ever going to leave his cave, so Blue could throw it in a box and store it away and move on. But the past several days were proving that he'd been naive to think he could just it go. He didn't want to let it go, even if he also wanted to bang his head against the wall in embarrassment.

Third anniversary. Where'd that confidence go? He was wrong at the diner: Red wasn't going to kill him during the night for that. He was going to time travel kill that Blue himself.

Red slipped his hand from his grip, pulling Blue from that line of thought. Oh. He didn't want to think any more about Red or stupid crushes or how long he'd accidentally held his hand.

“You seem out of it,” Red signed after a few moments passed. He flicked off the TV. “You should rest.”

“I have all of tomorrow for that,” he said, poking Red's arm. He flopped over and half-buried his face in the pillow, muffling his words. “M'not leaving.”

“But Lance -- “

“Lance schmance. Not the boss of me.”

Red watched him with a bemused expression, but he didn't try to argue against him. Blue figured as much; they both knew the moment they arrived in Driftveil that training and participating in the tournament would consume their time. Blue wanted just a little longer to themselves. He also knew Lance would be furious if he showed up hungover.

Blue had nearly drifted off when he felt the mattress shift as Red slung his legs over the side. He tried to sit up, but the room swam around him; Red turned around just in time to catch him clutching his forehead. He left the room and returned with a glass of water. Blue cupped it in his hands and stared down into it, shocked at the gesture. Red sat by his side until he was sure Blue was alright.

He set the glass on the table and signed “goodnight” before trying to stand from the bed, but Blue grabbed his hand before he could move.

“Stay with me,” he mumbled. The words fell from his mouth before he fully realized what he was saying, but it still didn't hit him until Red started pulling at his hat in embarrassment. But instead of backpedaling, he just pulled the hat from Red's head and set it on the nightstand.

Stay while he wasted time in Nimbasa, stay until he fell asleep, stay until Lance killed him after the tournament. Blue didn't care how Red interpreted him. Even as the weight pressed upon his chest, he didn't care. Maybe he'd think differently tomorrow morning, but for now, he just wanted to spend another night near Red.

“Okay,” Red signed.

The room was quiet, save for the rustle of fabric and the soft sounds of traffic several stories beneath the window. It wasn’t the wide open sky of the desert, and it certainly wasn’t a rundown motel obsessed with UFOs, but it was fine. Blue lay there, asleep but not quite, and decided that maybe it was alright if they'd spent a few years apart if it meant he'd have a chance to be better to Red.

Chapter Text

A bolt of lightning cracked outside the window, causing Pikachu to buzz with static. He yawned and stretched his paws before flopping back down on the pillow, his tail whacking Blue in the face.

Blue groaned and pushed the pokémon away as he tried to roll over. His head ached and his ankle was still sore and it didn't sound like the rain was stopping anytime soon. He'd sleep while he could.

If only his pokégear didn't start buzzing. In the desert, he'd forgotten how annoying the phone calls were; what he wouldn't give to be unreachable again. Maybe Red was right to run off to a mountain in the middle of unreachable nowhere. He figured it was Lance calling and decided to just get it over with and answer so he could get back to sleep. He tapped “answer” and bit his tongue.

“Blue! I'm gonna kill you, I -- oh my god,” the voice went through at least three different levels of murderous intent. Blue wished he'd blocked the number when he had the chance.

“Morning, Leaf.”

“Stop ignoring my calls! And when the hell were you gonna tell me about this? I mean, I didn't exactly expect you to spill it, but I thought Red would tell me first, at least. I guess --”

“What are you going on about?” He asked, holding the gear farther away from his head as Leaf yelled loud enough to break his speaker.

“This is a video call, genius,” she said. Blue rubbed at his eyes and noticed that yeah, it was. “Don't play stupid. You. And Red.”

Blue looked from the gear to Red's soundly-sleeping form beside him. Right beside him. In fact, Blue was sitting more on Red's side of his bed than his own. And he was on video call with Leaf. His head hurt even more than before.

“Do not, Leaf -- or I swear to all the gods and Arceus and Mew and Eevee herself that you're dead if you finish that thought,” he hissed. He desperately hoped Red was actually asleep and not faking it somehow. On the gear's screen, Leaf pursed her lips before breaking into a wide smile.

“Blue and Red, sitting in a tree --”

“Are you fucking twelve?”

“Aw, you're getting flustered. I've seen lovestruck Blue before, but this is very cute. A whole new level.”

“Shut up.” Blue tried to stand from the bed, to leave the room and find a place to yell at Leaf without discretion, but the world spun as he took his first step. Red had been right about his ankle: it really wasn't that bad, but that combined with the headache and Leaf was doing a number on him.

“Oh my god, you're hungover! Blue! Wait, you didn't get in bed with him while you were drunk, did you?”

“What?! No, I -- we didn't,” he stared at the screen blankly as she pointed an accusatory finger. “We did not, Leaf. Nothing happened.”

“Keepin’ it on the down low, huh? I'm still hurt you didn't tell me as soon as this all started, unless...no way.” Her face consumed his whole screen as she pulled her gear closer and stage-whispered. “It just started?”

“Nothing’s started! There's not a single thing to start! Shut up and let me go back to sleep.” He nearly threw the pokégear across the room, but he stopped just before it left his hand. He glanced down to make sure Red was asleep despite the noise. Leaf was still smiling on the screen, but the teasing air had vanished.

“Blue,” she said, her voice achingly sincere. Blue frowned. “I know how much the two of you mean to each other, which means I also know that the chance of either of you admitting it was slim to none, at best.”

“There's nothing to admit,” he said, failing utterly to sound convincing to himself, let alone to Leaf. He had a fuzzy memory of what he'd been thinking before dozing off the night before, but he remembered the gist. And what he remembered only flustered him more. Okay, so maybe there were a couple things to admit, but it's not like Leaf needed to know.

“Sure, sure, whatever you say, Blue. Tell Red hi for me when he wakes up, yeah? And you. You're due for an ass-kicking the next time I see you.” Leaf got distracted by something just off-screen before she could threaten him any more. Blue flipped her off and she returned it without batting an eye. “I’ll let you rest now. Call me soon. Or else.”

She had the audacity to wink while saying her goodbye, causing Blue to immediately hang up. He turned the gear off and tossed it aside before she thought to call again, but now he was left alone with his thoughts and the sounds of a rolling thunderstorm.

Judging by his reaction at the diner, Red would die if he heard any of Leaf's insinuations, so he decided to omit that if he mentioned Leaf called. He also figured Red would jump at the opportunity to talk to her, so maybe he just shouldn't mention her at all. Easy enough.

He pulled the blankets over half his face and sighed. He really ought to get up, to do something that would distract him from Red, but the only other thing to do was worry about the tournament. Red hadn't given any indication yet of what he would be doing afterwards or where he'd be going, and something about that made him feel uneasy. Sure, they'd agreed on the state of their unknown futures, but all that told Blue was that he could decide at any moment he was going to wander off on his own travels. Blue hoped that he'd stick with him for a little while longer, though. Be lost together and all.

The next time Blue opened his eyes, both Pikachu and Eevee had taken residence on his pillow. Rain still pattered gently against the window, but the thunder had long gone. He glanced at the clock: nearly noon.

He was glad to note that his head was no longer ready to burst, but he still found himself unable to get out of bed. Red’s arm was draped across him, and he felt his face flush as he tried to maneuver out of his grip without disturbing him. Cursing himself, he untangled his legs from Red's and made his way into the living room.

The window curtains had been drawn by Red the day before, allowing the gray light to filter into the room. The city glowed a dim yellow, causing the midday to feel like an extension of last evening. In a way, Blue appreciated it.

The rain would give them another excuse to not leave Nimbasa, at least for the day. It's not like excuses meant anything to Lance, but that wasn't going to stop Blue from flaunting them. He at least should text him, and then actually tell the hotel they weren't leaving.

He spent the next few minutes sending the message to Lance then ignoring his reply before he bothered to book the room for another night. Red stumbled out of the bedroom after he'd confirmed their stay, his hat missing and Pikachu on his shoulder.

“Afternoon, Red. Glad you could join the land of the living,” Blue said as Red slouched on the couch beside him. He glared in response and turned on the TV. Pikachu jumped from his head and crawled into Blue's lap, begging for head scratches.

“Shouldn't we be leaving for Driftveil?” Red asked. He watched Blue pat Pikachu while Eevee tried to steal his attention.

“In this weather? With this injury?” He kicked his leg into the air and pointed at his bandages. Red pushed his leg down, taking care not to bother his bandages. “Do you want me to fall and die?”

“You'd survive.”

“I'll survive here, in this room, for sure,” Blue sat Eevee on his lap, beside Pikachu. Red looked at him incredulously. “I've already told Lance. We're staying an extra night.”

Red nodded slowly before breaking into a smile. Blue could sense he wanted to tease him about something, but he maintained his composure.

“I ordered food, too. You're welcome.”

Their pokémon jumped when someone knocked at the door, but silence otherwise filled the room while they ate. Red was content, which put Blue at ease. He wanted Red to be up front with him, to put him his place if need be, but if he decided to never mention anything that happened the night before, Blue wouldn't mind.

He scrolled aimlessly through his pokégear's notifications while Red was absorbed in some movie that'd premiered years ago.

“Leaf made me go to the premiere of this,” he complained as he flopped on the couch, his legs on the arm and his head near Red's lap. He looked up at Red to make sure he had his attention. “Two hours of my life I'll never get back.”

“With Leaf?” Red signed. Blue struggled with understanding the signs upside down, but he refused to move.

“She always forces me to do stupid shit. She was the only person from Kanto to come to my graduation, y'know. Forced me to walk at the ceremony, actually.” He made a face at the memory of Leaf yelling at him over the phone during Professor Sycamore's party. She hadn’t bothered to show up, but she was definitely there in spirit. “Then she dragged me to this snobby restaurant afterwards, refused to pay, and after that she said congrats by inviting herself to sleep on my couch.”

“Sounds like Leaf.” Red laughed at the exhaustion in Blue's voice. “She's a good friend.”

“You only say that because you went years without dealing with her. She's annoying.” Blue huffed and rolled over, resting his head on his hands. He bit his tongue before he complained about her earlier call. “And nosy.”

Red nodded and turned back to the TV.

“She likes gossip,” Red signed a few minutes later. Blue nearly fell off the couch.

“God, did you --”

“You're both very loud.” He was refusing eye contact. Blue sat up, his face reddening. “I only heard a few words. It's fine.”

“Listen, I told her…,” Blue trailed off when he noticed Red wasn't paying attention; he was instead running a hand through his own hair, surprised that he wasn't wearing his hat. Blue frowned. “She always jokes like that; it doesn't mean anything.”

“You can tell her I said hi back,” he signed. Blue had a sinking feeling he'd said something wrong when Red walked back into the bedroom to grab his hat. Maybe he should've let the two of them talk; it'd probably been months since they'd seen each other anyway.

“I can call her right now,” he said, dangling the pokégear in front of Red's face. “But you know the way that diner waitress talked? Leaf has no filter. She'd be a thousand times worse.”

“You were the one who brought up anniversaries and dates.” Red pushed Blue's hand aside and sat on the couch. He tossed a pillow at Blue, who smacked it back and gave him a threatening look.

“Hey, she believed us. Her wife? The lady at the front desk? She didn't for a second.” Blue took Red's joking as a sign he wasn't upset; he draped his legs over Red's lap, taking care not to shuffle his ankle too much. Red raised an eyebrow.

“We were that unconvincing?”

“Apparently! She knew who we were, though. How could she not recognize me?” He blocked another pillow.

Blue wondered if he could be any more convincing now. Leaf not included. Red watched him and shook his head, and Blue couldn't help but wish that the Champion's Tournament was over and done with. They were going to be consumed with battling and training, training and battling. No more lazing around in hotel rooms, no more wandering around cities or deserts. Definitely no more UFOs. Certainly no more of this, whatever this was.

“You're sure you want to leave tomorrow?” Red signed, interrupting his thoughts.

“What's another day? It's not like we're late or anything -- don't worry.” Blue flicked his shoulder. “I thought you liked journeying with me.”

“I do,” was all he signed before resting his arms on Blue's legs.

They spent the rest of the evening flicking through channels. Blue explained where he was when he saw this or that show, how he ditched class to see that movie, the controversy that Mr. Mime documentary caused. Red laughed along and encouraged him until the rain stopped and the sun had long set.

Blue picked himself off the couch and tried to pull a half-asleep Red with him. He absently wondered if he could try the same scheme as the night before, but he immediately felt embarrassed. He was torn between swearing to never drink again and getting drunk enough to be that open. But then he remembered Leaf, and Red’s weird reaction to having overheard some of what they said.

He hesitated in his bedroom doorway far too long, long enough for Red to decide to go to his own room.

It's not like Blue had a real reason to ask him to stay, anyway, and he certainly couldn't blame it on the alcohol or nearly-non-existent injuries tonight. When it came to excuses in delaying the inevitable, he was an expert: whether it was a tournament appearance or an admittance of feelings. If he tried to talk with Red about it, he honestly had no idea how he might react. Besides, they’d already unloaded a decade’s worth of emotional baggage on each other over the span of a week or so. It might overload them both.

He couldn’t help but wish that there was something more there, though, something more than a silly crush formed from daydreams in his time spent away from Mt. Silver. But if all he got was a week in the desert and a few nights spent by his side, he'd be fine with that.

Red gave him a strange look from his doorway before waving goodnight. Blue returned the gesture and clicked his bedroom door shut. Red hadn't bothered to make the bed that morning, so he just crawled in, that strange feeling enveloping his chest. Eevee followed not two steps behind him, her head tilted in concern.. He stroked her fur and sighed.

He liked journeying with Red, too.

Chapter Text

Blue rolled out of bed without any wake up calls from Leaf and packed away what little he had before dragging Red from his room. They were out of the hotel before ten, but the streets of Castelia were already overflowing with people.

They splashed through puddles until they reached city limits. Blue’s pace was slower, and Red certainly wasn't one to complain. Pikachu and Eevee didn't seem to mind either, and they entertained themselves by weaving between their legs.

“You sure you don't want to take a taxi?” Red signed an hour into their walk, gesturing at Blue's ankle.

“You said we were walking. Don't wanna disappoint you.” Blue waved him off and slid on his sunglasses. He figured Red might want to see the view from the bridges on foot, anyway. He could make it.

“I don't want you to get hurt anymore before the tournament,” Red said. He pulled Blue aside and looked him in the eye. “We're getting a ride.”

“Didn't think I was that slow.”

Red just shook his head and held out his hand. After a few moments too long, Blue realized he wanted his pokégear. Red fiddled with it before handing it back. Texts to Lance. A cab would be there to pick them up soon.

The ride to Driftveil was shorter than it had any business being. Blue was...disappointed. Just like that, their little journey was done.

Lance met them outside the hotel and appeared to be physically restraining himself from scolding them during his greeting. Blue tried to needle him, but Red elbowed him and he dropped it. Lance raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

He led them to two rooms on the fifth floor. Blue stood outside his door and watched Red swipe his keycard.

“Driftveil,” he said.

“Tournament,” signed Red with a half smile. “I'm going to meet with Lance and some others after this.”

“Want me to come?”

“I can handle it. Thanks, though.” He walked into his room, leaving Blue alone in the hallway.

Blue looked down at Eevee, who was scratching at the door. Opening it revealed the luggage he'd mailed over a week ago in Castelia City. A week. He had a hard time imagining that.

He walked into the neat little living room and noted how empty it felt. Red was only a room away. It's not like he hadn't spent the greater part of a decade without him, but, as much as it embarrassed him to admit, he almost couldn't imagine not having Red around. He'd finally got to experience what he'd wondered about for years, and it turns out it was...pretty nice. Too bad it was over.

Red didn't return to his room until late evening, and by that point he'd been nearly talked to death. He didn't elaborate on what he did, but Blue pieced together that he'd had the luxury of meeting every other trainer in the tournament and then some. He was going to have to threaten Lance over it later.

The first night was spent tossing and turning, to the point that Eevee jumped from the bed and claimed the couch. Blue's ankle somehow felt worse the next morning, but he refused to let it stop him from training.

Red had been nowhere in sight when he left his room. Knocks on his door yielded nothing, and he felt his heart drop. It wasn't until he found Lance loitering in the lobby that he learned Red had left to train hours ago.

The next couple days were spent much the same. Red disappeared for most of the day to train somewhere outside the city while the rest of the competitors, Blue included, trained in the arena.

He didn't want to say Red was avoiding everyone, but every time he tried to invite him out with the rest of the champions for battling or drinks, Red said he was busy or tired and that was that. Blue wasn't about to push him; he knew how draining some of these people could be. Didn't stop him from wishing he was there while Cynthia recounted some story or when he and Lance arm wrestled in an over-crowded bar (he won, no matter what Lance tried to say).

But when he barged into his hotel room, Red never hesitated to welcome him. He laughed along with the retold stories and absolutely believed he beat Lance. Blue couldn't help but notice how close they sat on the couch, couldn't help but notice how easy it all was when it was just the two of them.

“You're staring again,” Red signed. It was the night before the tournament officially began, the day before the opening ceremony and all its festivities. The TV hummed in the background while Pikachu snored away from the chair.

“Was not,” was his elegant reply. He absolutely had been.

“I don't mind,” he signed as he poked at the leg currently draped across his lap. “I'm glad you think I'm that nice looking.”

Blue kicked him and turned away, flush spreading over his face. One of these days, Red was going to catch onto his stupid crush, and he was just going to have to die. Or find a mountain of his own. Maybe find a mountain to die on.

The opening ceremony for the tournament was a citywide party. Cameras followed reporters as they scrambled to interview the champions inside the arena. Music boomed over the arena’s speakers while Blue stood in line indoors, waiting near a soundstage. Interviews. Red was set to go after Lance, but he stuck close by his side, clearly overwhelmed.

“Hey, you alright?” asked Blue. Red nodded once but continued stroking Pikachu's back. “You don't have to do this. It's just fluffy stuff for the cameras.”

“I'll have to do it eventually,” he signed after setting Pikachu on his shoulder. “At least you're first.”

“Psh, I'm always first.” He let Red punch his arm. “Ya just gotta wink at your adoring fans, make the reporter laugh. Easy.”

Red gave him a deadpan stare.

“Okay, okay, my methods may only be suited for certain incredibly talented ex-champions. Just go out there and be, y'know. You. For some reason, people are really into your mysterious-mountain-man vibes.”

“Which people?” Red signed, his smile returning. Blue narrowed his eyes.

“Losers with no taste,” he bit back before walking ahead of him, toward the film stage. He could feel heat inching up his face while Red and Pikachu were probably high-fiving over teasing him, or whatever it was they did. He didn't care.

The producers led him onstage, asked him a series of questions, and forced him to answer them all several times. There were the standard “Are you enjoying Unova?” and “What's your advice for challengers?” questions that he could answer with practiced ease. Only one question threw him off.

“So, Blue, you recently graduated from Lumiose University. Do you have any big plans for your future?” The producer looked down at him over her glasses and motioned for him to hurry. He stared at her blankly.

He glanced beyond the cameras, to where Lance and Red were watching. Lance was talking on his pokégear, probably something to do with Elaine. Red was staring back at Blue, his eyebrows furrowed in concern. He gave him a small smile and thumbs up when he caught his eye. Blue took a deep breath.

“My calendar's wide open,” he said with a wink. “Who knows what might happen?”

The producer waited for more, but Blue clearly wasn't going to give it. She rolled her eyes and waved him away, calling Lance to the seat.

“I don't think you made her laugh,” Red signed once Blue found his way over. He rested his head against the shoulder not occupied by Pikachu.

“Don't rub it in,” he mumbled. Maybe he was a little out of practice with the whole interview thing.

“You did fine,” Red assured, then patted his shoulder.

Blue wanted to bite back, but he gave in and sighed. Eevee scratched at his pant leg, so he cradled her in his arms while Lance prattled on in front of the camera. From what he could hear, he was asked much the same, save for the big “what are you going to do with your life?”. Blue stared off, still unsure.

“Your turn, Red,” Lance said. His cape swished behind him, catching Blue's attention before he registered his words.

From his spot by the snack table, Red froze, then slowly, almost painfully, walked to where Blue was standing. He handed him Pikachu and turned on his heel.

“Red,” Blue started. Red turned. “You'll do great. And if you don't, well, at least one person did worse than me.”

Red rolled his eyes and turned back to the stage, but Blue set Pikachu atop his own shoulder and grabbed Red's arm.

“Really though. It'll be alright.”

They shared a nod before Red stepped in front of the camera. Blue gave him a thumbs up.

“Glad to see the two of you getting along, finally,” Lance said. Blue reeled back, swearing he'd just been standing on the other side of the room. Dammit, he'd been staring again, hadn't he? “Did you enjoy your vacation?”

“We had to hike through a sweltering desert because you were too cheap to buy plane tickets,” Blue muttered. He was determined to never let that go.

“You're welcome,” he replied. “You didn't hate it.”

“Whatever.”

They lapsed into silence as Blue turned his attention to the stage, where Red sat by an interpreter who didn't have to do much interpreting. He was answering most questions with a nod or shake of his head, but the producer seemed excited that he had bothered to come anywhere near a camera.

“Your grandfather called me before I left Kanto,” Lance said. Snapping his eyes to him, Blue searched his face but saw nothing besides practiced calm. He clearly only opened that can of worms out of obligation.

“Don't care.”

“He wishes you and Red luck during the tournament.”

“Don't lie: did he really wish both of us luck?”

“He wishes luck.”

“Well, I have a message to pass along, too. It starts with ‘fuck’ and ends with ‘off’. Sound good to you?” Blue seethed. Eevee and Pikachu pawed at him, both wearing expressions of concern. He sighed. They were right; it wasn't worth it.

“I understand, Blue,” Lance replied. “I in turn wish you luck in whatever comes after the tournament. Perhaps I can spare some luck during the tournament, as well.”

“Like I need luck. Remember that I can beat you anytime, any day, old man.” The heavy weight slowly fell from his shoulders as Lance rolled his eyes. “But...thanks.”

Lance nodded, and several moments passed while he appeared to formulate some sort of judgment that he ultimately kept to himself. Whatever. Blue turned to watch Red finish his interview.

"And where do you see yourself after the tournament?” Blue froze again, waiting for Red's answer. This one couldn't be answered with a simple shake of the head. Red stared at his hands before responding.

“Traveling. Heard there were UFOs on Route 5, but I haven't seen any yet.” He paused, then looked directly at Blue. Blue stared back. “I'd like to find them someday.”

Blue didn't catch the ending of the interview; he only heard the producer say thanks before shooing them off. Lance glanced between him and Red, mouthing ‘UFOs’, before he thought better than to ask.

“I'll see you two before the opening ceremony. Don't be late.”

He left Blue to stand in the middle of the studio, Eevee on his head and Pikachu on his shoulder. Red walked up to him and gave him a thumbs up.

“Guess you still win worst interview,” he signed.

“People are gonna think you've lost it, talking about UFOs on TV,” Blue said. He led Red out of the studio, back into the noise of the arena. They really hadn't found any, huh? It's not that he had actually expected to see anything when they wandered into the open desert, but Red had clearly been let down enough to still go on about them. “Anyway, anything you wanna do before the ceremony? We've got a couple hours to kill.”

“You have any ideas?” Red asked expectantly.

“Nope. You're probably gonna train, so I might head back to the hotel. Take a nap or something.” He was confused by the slight fall in Red's smile but continued walking, dodging staff and cameras as he went.

“Come train with me,” Red signed.

“My team worked out all morning, so they're exhausted. Eevee might kill me if I wake her.” He returned Red's half-hearted glare. “I'm tired, too. My ankle still hurts, y'know.”

Red rolled his eyes and grabbed Blue's wrist, leading him away from the throngs of people.

“You can just watch,” he signed. “I actually haven't trained in the arena. You can show me where to go.”

“God, fine, if you want me there so badly. This way, Mr. UFO.”

They took the stairs to the training gym, and Blue was honestly a little shocked nobody else was there. Their footsteps echoed against the high ceilings, and the fluorescent lighting stung their eyes. Blue watched as Red directed Pikachu to run through his warm up exercises.

“Gotta be honest here. You inviting me to watch you train seems a little out of character.” Blue collapsed on one of the benches that lined the walls, a few feet away from where Red stretched.

“It's different now.”

“You used to run off to an undisclosed location to train every time I was on your stupid mountain,” Blue said, waving his hand. He'd often awakened in Red's cave alone, only for Red to return hours later saying only that he'd been off training. Blue had just always thought he needed privacy to perfect his already perfect moves. “And we only battled against each other as kids.”

“Yeah, then. Now it's different.”

“Different, huh?” Different how? Blue could guess at a million different things, but he doubted he'd ever figure out exactly what Red meant. He decided to let it go and allow Red to train however he wanted.

When they'd been on Mt. Silver, Blue was afraid. He could admit that to himself now. He'd been afraid every step of the hike up each and every time, afraid that Red had disappeared or wandered off to some other region. Afraid every time he awoke to find him gone. Afraid when he got up their first day in Driftveil and Red hadn't been a few feet away. Afraid about what his own future held.

He sat cross-legged on the bench, one hand beneath his chin and the other tapping on his knee. Red and Pikachu moved in synch, their movements practiced with a skill learned only after years spent together. Blue knew he and his own team had something similar, but watching Red, he felt...he felt. He felt a lot of things. A crushing weight in his chest, the sweat in his palms when Red made a joke that was too aware, the flush in his face from his swirling thoughts and the lack of AC in this damn gym.

Time crawled. The clock on his pokégear told him they still had hours left before the ceremony. He dreaded it, because he knew time would only drag slower during that mess. Sit around, look entertained for the cameras, walk onstage, sit some more. He used to eat it up, but now he only wanted to be back in the quiet of the desert. He needed more time to think before it all came crashing down. He needed time. Not stupid luck.

“Gramps wishes you luck,” Blue said to the gym's ceiling. Red froze and faced him, waiting for him to continue. He took a few steps closer when he refused to elaborate.

“What?”

“Lance passed along a message from Gramps. He wishes you luck.” He stood from the bench and shrugged. “Well, Lance claims he wishes it for both of us, but y'know.”

“I know,” Red signed.

“Just thought I'd pass along the info. We don't need luck, anyway. Especially not you.”

“We don't.”

“I'm not upset,” he assured, even though Red clearly didn't ask. He wasn't. At least, not entirely about that. He had a long list. “Anyway, I should head back to the hotel. Gotta get ready for the ceremony.”

“Blue,” Red signed carefully. Blue waved him off and headed in the direction of the door.

“I'll be --”

But Red grabbed his wrist before he could finish, and he pulled him into a gentle hug.

Blue's arms dangled at his sides, unsure how to react. Slowly, hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around Red and returned the gesture. He buried his head into his shoulder and released a heavy, shaky sigh. Red smelled of evening thunderstorms and cold nights spent by fires.

They stood there, in the middle of the gym, for longer than Blue could comprehend, but he wasn't about to complain. The frustration he felt from the interview, from Gramps, from himself was replaced by an easy, simple warmth. The part of him embarrassed by Red wanted to push away, to say something snarky and act like it never happened, but the larger part of him -- the part slowly accepting his crush -- refused. So he clung tighter until Red pulled them apart.

“You,” Red started to sign. He was flustered, apparently shocked that Blue had let him do that. “You're in charge of your future. What they say doesn't matter.”

“That's a nice sentiment, but --”

“No. Professor Oak doesn't matter. The cameras don't matter. Lance doesn't even matter. Just you.” Red poked his chest, then dragged his eyes from his finger to Blue's face. Blue stared back at him, eyes wide. “Just you.”

The sincerity in Red's expression nearly crushed him. He was frozen to the spot, Red's finger still resting on his chest. He wondered if Red could feel his heartbeat or knew how easy it'd be for him to just lean in a bit closer. Maybe at a different time, in a different place, when he wasn’t about to spiral in a poorly lit gym, he’d find the courage say something, do something. But Blue could do nothing but stare as the minutes slipped away, until he grabbed Red's hand and took a step back.

“Red,” he started. The words struggled to form in his mouth as he tried to regain a grasp on his surroundings. “Thanks.”

His words were thick, dripping with feelings that swam just beneath the surface of what he was willing to admit. He hoped Red heard the “you're right” before and the “for everything” tacked on the end. Maybe even more. Red seemed to understand, and he smiled warmly before nodding.

“Anytime,” he signed. “I'll go back with you. Don't wanna get lost.”

“Okay, but listen,” Blue said as he tried to shake off his heavy mood. “You'll never get lost if ya stick by me.”

“I know.”

Blue instinctively grabbed Red's hand and led him out of the arena and didn't let go until they were standing outside their respective rooms.

“See ya in few, yeah? You better pick out something nice.” Blue leveled a glare at Red's worn tshirt, but Red just shrugged.

“Smell ya later,” he signed, before laughing and shutting his door. Blue stared after him, maybe a little offended, but more than a little endeared.

Chapter Text

Blue walked into his room and spent an inordinate amount of time searching for an outfit. After a half-hour of digging, he overturned his backpack, causing the contents to spill across his bed. The little alien pokémon plush he'd bought from the diner fell by his feet.

The tag read “Elgyem,” and Blue vaguely remembered reading the name in some textbook or other. He held it up to Eevee, who had finally decided she'd had enough of napping; she glanced from the toy, to Blue, then back to the toy. Blue hated the smug look she gave him.

“What's that about?” He pushed the toy toward her. “I bought this for you and Pikachu. Do you scorn my gifts now?”

Eevee tilted her head.

“Fine. I'll just give it to Pikachu, then.” He held the toy away from her and stuck out his tongue. Eevee cocked her head and wagged her tail. “If you can't appreciate my gifts, I'll give it to someone who will.”

But instead of actually giving it to Pikachu -- to Red -- he rolled off the bed and took his time getting dressed, which meant he was dangerously close to being what Lance would call “late” (a half hour early).

Red hadn't shown any signs of being ready either, so once Blue had finally gotten ready, he pounded on his door until he emerged. He had...changed clothes, at least.

“What’d I say about tshirts?” He asked, split between exasperation and amusement.

“You aren't allowed to give fashion advice,” Red signed then pointed at Blue's everything. He led an offended Blue to the elevator, and soon they were back in the arena.

There were more cameras now, more crowds, and more noise. People and pokémon were decked out in gear from their favorite leagues or favorite championship battles. The crowd was singing along to some Unovan fight song that Leaf used to sing whenever she challenged Blue to battles, and judging by Red’s reaction, she’d subjected him to the same torture. The two rolled their eyes and found the room the rest of the champions had taken over. From what Blue could gather from Lance's speeches, the opening ceremony was going to be more of a celebration of Unovan progress, so the champions only had to make an appearance toward the end. He was a little annoyed that he wasn't allowed to show off yet, but he knew that it suited Red just fine.

“This is what you've been missing out on,” he said as he nudged Red's shoulder. The room was filled with memorabilia and posters advertising the tournament, with TVs and already-picked-over tables of food lining the walls. “I can't believe you chose eight years on a mountain over stale hors d'oeuvres.”

“It's...okay,” Red signed, lightly nudging him back. He was watching the TVs broadcasting the ceremony. Alder and some of the Unovan gym leaders were performing a comedy skit.  “It's a bit much, though.”

“These things are legally required to be too much. You should've seen some of the festivals the Battle Maison ran. Kalosians know how to throw a party.”

Red just nodded and went back to watching the screens. The others in the room chattered amongst themselves; Blue occasionally heard their names mentioned but refused to listen any further. They'd been discussing the interviews earlier, and he didn't want people asking him why he took so long to answer the last question, or why the hell Red was going on about UFOs. For better or worse, his hot-headed reputation as a teen kept most of them away, and the few who knew better knew him well enough to leave him alone. Lance didn’t even try to bother him.

They didn't know Red at all, though. Blue had hovered near him for most of the night, in case their questions or attempts at conversation ever became too much. Red was fine at first, answering most questions with simple answers, but an hour into it, he was clearly done. Blue had pushed everyone away and claimed the spot closest to him, and he hadn't moved since. Red was practically leaning on him by that point.

He could tell Red was exhausted, and after the day he had, he found himself choking down a yawn every few minutes, too.

“Do you know that woman?” Red signed. Blue turned on the couch toward Red, then peered around his head in the direction he was pointing. A tall woman dressed in a white suit was chatting with some of the other champions.

“Diantha? Listen Red, some nerdy trainers might know who we are, but everyone knows her. And I mean everyone, even outside of Kalos. You can't walk two blocks in Lumiose without seeing her on an ad.” Blue turned back to Red. “She gave the commencement speech at my graduation. That's as close as I've ever been to her. I might be popular, but I don’t know everyone here.”

“Do you want to go back?” Red asked after a beat of silence.

“Huh?”

“Kalos. Do you miss it?”

Blue furrowed his brow and sat back. On some level he did, but he wasn't sure what exactly he missed about it. The pokémon and landscapes sure, the people, the sense of purpose school gave him...but he graduated. That chapter was over, wasn't it? But that didn't mean that he didn't miss the rolling hills and busy streets. Red nudged him.

“I miss Mt. Silver, you know. It was comfortable” Red signed, leaning toward Blue. “But...I'm glad I'm here, even if it's too much sometimes.”

“I guess it's not too bad getting to spend time with the one and only Blue Oak,” Blue tried. He was still a little lost in Red's question, but he didn't want Red to know that. Too bad it was obvious he did.

“You're a part of that ‘too much’,” Red said and leaned into Blue's side. Blue was flustered out of a retort. “Kidding. I'm glad we're here together.”

The sincerity in his expression shut Blue up and nearly caused him to shut down. So instead of joking around or insulting him, he leaned into Red and rested his hand on his. And if Red was going to ignore the occasional interested glances some of the champions sent their way, then he would too.

The time for their stage appearance came and went without much fuss. Each champion was introduced, did a walk around the arena, maybe waved -- or winked at the camera, in Blue's case. The crowd roared for everyone, but he found himself smiling in pride as they grew louder for Red, who ignored the host's attempts at conversation and did everything he could to hurry his introduction along.

Blue choked down a laugh when Red returned to the viewing room, but when he sensed his nerves, he led him to their couch in the back. They sat in companionable silence for the rest of the evening, until Lance waved goodnight and the crowds left the stadium for the day.

“I think some of the other champions are going out for drinks. Wanna go?” Blue walked alongside Red as they crossed a crowded street; their hotel glowed from a few blocks away. Fireworks lit their walk.

“Remember the last time we went for drinks?” Red signed, his eyes landing on Blue's ankle. Blue pouted and looked away.

“Fine, you win,” he muttered. Red raised an eyebrow.

“Giving up, just like that?”

“I never give up.”

“No. You've just finally learned that I'm usually right.”

Blue scratched at his nose then hit the elevator button. Fifth floor.

“Yeah,” was all he said on the ride up. Red regarded him with a strange expression that he did his best to ignore.

“Well...goodnight,” Red signed once they reached their rooms.

Blue stood in front of him, fighting with himself. He was torn between barging into Red's room and taking over his couch, between inviting Red to his room even though asking him to stay again would...would something. He couldn't even begin to fathom how Red might react now.

Red started to shut the door, startling Blue out of his thoughts. And then he remembered.

“Hang on a sec,” he said, before rushing into his room and grabbing something from his bed. Eevee blinked awake long enough to chirp at him, but he brushed her off. When he returned to the hallway, Red was giving him a quizzical look.

He suddenly felt incredibly silly holding a plush toy in the middle of a hotel hallway.

“Here,” he said, pushing it into Red's arms. “You wanted this for our pokémon, and because we didn't see any aliens, I thought, y'know. Just take it.”

Red regarded him with confusion at first, but he looked down at the toy and smiled softly. The look he gave Blue made him want to hide his face and slam the door, but he held himself together and gave him a half-smile in return.

“Thanks. You can be sweet when you want.” Red smiled. Blue felt his face redden. “And thanks for helping me at the ceremony, too.”

“Sure, it was the least I could do. Thanks for, y'know. Helping me earlier.” Blue ran a hand through his hair.

“Anytime,” signed Red.

“Anytime,” agreed Blue. He pushed the plush further into Red until he finally took it. “See ya tomorrow, yeah? The real tournament begins.”

Red nodded and regarded Blue fondly before waving and shutting his door.

And then Blue was back in his own room, face down on his bed while Eevee licked at his hand.

“Why'd I do that?” he said, words muffled. Eevee scratched at him. “Shut up. I didn't do it because of that.”

She clearly didn't believe him, instead moving to sit by his face.

“Dammit, Eevee.” He had no idea why he was trying to convince a pokémon who knew him as well as she did of anything, let alone something so obvious that he couldn't even try to ignore it. He scratched his nose. “Maybe I did do it because I like him. Happy now?”

She rubbed her face against his. Blue sighed.

“Don't tell Leaf. I don't need another lecture.”

Chapter Text

Blue opened his eyes and saw Professor Oak standing across from him, yelling about luck between shouting commands for his pokémon. He was in the middle of a battle, he realized, atop Mt. Silver. He couldn't move, couldn't react; Eevee was standing before him, watching him with concern. She was smart enough to act in battle without his orders, but she wouldn't. Couldn't. Red was standing off to the side, signing furiously, but the snow obscured him. His expression told Blue he wanted to intervene, wanted to jump between him and his grandfather, but he wouldn't.

Blue blinked, and the stupid alien plush was in his hands now, and Red was much closer. He reeled backwards, away from Red, away from the battle, away from the plush and all it meant until he fell and tumbled until he hit a snowbank.

And then he sat up with a sharp intake of breath, blankets falling around him as he struggled to see through the darkness. Eevee mewed softly, and as his heartbeat slowed, he realized that the sun hadn't risen and he'd ruined what little sleep he'd been able to find.

Blue sighed, dressed himself, then flicked on the TV; the anchors on Driftveil's morning news bantered about the tournament until Lance knocked on his door. He immediately opened it, shocking Lance, then followed him down to the lobby for breakfast, but mostly to wait on the other champions.

He sat on one of the couches, scrolling through messages on his pokégear. Leaf sent him a picture of May and her watching the opening ceremony; he replied with a photo of Eevee chewing his shoelaces. He hovered over the photos he had taken in the desert of both him and Red and sent them without much thought. He shut his gear off immediately afterward.

The champions trickled into the lobby until only one was left, and they were all forced to wait for him the longest. When Red finally stepped out of the elevator, Blue's gaze snapped to him. Red gave a slight wave and remained in the spot waiting, but Blue did nothing, still reeling from last night's embarrassment, until people entering the elevator eventually pushed Red aside. He awkwardly made his way to Blue's side, and then Lance made an announcement and forced everyone toward the arena.

The few blocks felt like miles. Blue rubbed at his eyes, trying to wake himself or shake away his swirling thoughts - he hadn't decided on which yet. There was a heavy weight in his chest, the same one that had haunted him the entire trip, only now it seemed more tangible than before. A gift was real, let alone something specific based on a silly idea Red had latched onto. Blue felt heat rise in his face. Since when was a stupid toy more embarrassing than drunkenly begging someone to stay in your room? He rubbed at his eyes more and stalked farther ahead of the rest of the group.

In the back, Cynthia was discussing strategies with Red, who was responding with earnest excitement. Blue ran a hand through his hair and pretended not to glance back every few steps. He had a feeling Red noticed anyway.

The stadium was already swarming with people by the time they reached the entrance. Cameras and reporters shouted their names, and Blue put on a smug face to deal with them. He figured he had to recover from his interview, so the charm was layered on to the point that even Eevee was annoyed.

Red shied away and did his best to be invisible, but that was wishful thinking on his part. A few fans tried to catch his attention until Blue caught sight of him nervously petting an angry Pikachu. He fought off the still lingering embarrassment as best he could and stood between the growing audience and Red, giving him time escape and catch up with Lance. Blue released a heavy sigh once they all made it into the arena and inside the private rooms.

Announcements crackled over the loudspeakers as people filed into their seats while Alder tried to deliver the schedule for the day. Open challenges, preregistered trainers. Blue didn't really care who he was fighting out there -- he just knew he had to win. Show off. Prove himself. He glared at the field from their room's window until he caught movement in the reflection.

"This is the earliest I've seen you awake," he said. Red shrugged and leaned against the glass, letting Pikachu press his nose against it.

"Tried to tell Lance to schedule me for the afternoon," he replied. "Didn't work."

"Clearly. If I have to suffer early then so do you. It's only fair."

From behind them, the other champions chattered about challengers and schedules and eventually came to some sort of conclusion. Blue heard something about Lance starting, then Cynthia.

"We're on for this afternoon after all. Got up early for nothing." Red signed. "You're first."

"Duh." He let Red playfully shove him. "Someone's gotta show you how it's done."

"I'll be watching."

Any retort Blue had died on his tongue, and he instead let the noises of the stadium envelope them. Eevee and Pikachu chirped at each other on the floor while Lance prepared and the rest cheered him on.

Red and Blue watched him head to the door, both choking back laughter as he nearly tripped over Eevee's tail. Lance sent them a glare of his shoulder.

"Good luck out there, old man," Blue said through a poorly covered smile. Lance's expression shifted, and he let them off with an eye roll.

Once Lance had made it to the field, the other champions split off to train, watch the show, or in Blue's case, lose himself in thought. Red hovered by his side, searching for something to say, but it was obvious to Blue that he was catching onto his weird mood.

"Train with me," Red signed, midway into Lance's first battle. "Or just come to the gym with me."

Blue looked at him and shrugged.

"Or not," Red replied, furrowing his brow. "I'll be in the same room as yesterday. If you want to come."

And then Red wandered off, Pikachu on his shoulder; he cast a lingering glance cast back before leaving the room. Blue pretended not to notice his disappointment and scratched at his nose. He really should be training, but he wasn't emotionally prepared to do so alongside Red at the moment. He flicked on his pokégear to try to pass the time but immediately realized it was a mistake. One missed call: Leaf. Sighing, he hit redial and braced for impact.

"Blue!"

“What do you want?”

“Good morning to you, too!” Leaf’s voice was chipper, but there was a warning tone beneath the brightness. “How goes the tournament?”

“You have a TV. Watch it yourself.”

“I want a firsthand account of the action.”

“No action yet. Red and I are on this afternoon."

“Sure, sure. No action on the battlefield.” She paused when the crowd cheered again. “But what about off the battlefield? How is Red, anyway?”

Blue ducked his head as his face flushed, even though the room was empty save for him and some of his pokémon. Eevee mewed at him in confusion while Arcanine just wagged his tail.

“There's nothing going on between us. Drop it.”

“I'm your best friend; you two can't hide anything from me. Lemme talk to Red.”

“No.”

“Just give him your gear so we can text. Or video call. Whatever he wants.”

“I'm not letting you anywhere near him. Don't you have scientists to harass or whatever the hell you do now?”

“I'm on break from my very important research job, thank you. Aren't you supposed to be battling right about now?” He heard papers crinkle on the other side of the line then a muttering of curses. Chances are she just dropped all of her very important research. “Dammit. Anyway, you should at least be training, Blue. Go train with Red.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Don't just stand around and lament about your boyfriend when you could be spending time with him.”

“We aren't dating,” he said through clenched teeth. At least Red wasn't around to hear all this.

“Friends with benefits?”

“Leaf.”

“Okay, okay, you know I'm messing with you. But seriously, I just want you to have fun with this tournament. I know how these past few months have been.” Blue was honestly shocked at how sincere she managed to sound so quickly. “I just wanted to check on you. And Red. Separately but also maybe together.”

“Fuck off,” Blue sighed. He rubbed his temples then ran a hand through his hair. Of course she couldn't be sincere without some teasing. “Red can train on his own just fine. But...thanks for checking or whatever. This trip hasn't been the worst thing to ever happen.”

“Glad to hear! Those pictures you sent me were so sweet --”

“Red and I aren't together, though.”

“Alright,” she hummed. More papers shuffling. A beat of silence. “But do you wish you were?”

Blue felt that maybe that question should give him pause or embarrass him or cause him to yell at her, but it just sat there, the words hanging lightly in the air.

"I don't know," he said. And he meant it. He didn't know if his crush was just the weight in his chest on Mt. Silver or the lightness he felt when Red tried to explain childhood constellations or if that meant that he wanted more than just their weird friendship. He didn't know.

"Okay," Leaf said after another beat of silence. Blue stared at the pokégear in his hand, having completely forgotten she was still on the other end of the line. "That's okay. Just...think about it. Like, seriously think."

"What do you think I'm doing?"

"Concentrating on the tournament like you're supposed to be doing! But really, think about it and seriously talk to Red. Don't give me attitude."

"So I talk to him and then we ride off into the sunset together?" He huffed into the gear. Eevee rubbed her face against his arm until he patted her head.

"Sure, just wait til after the tournament to run away together." Leaf could tell she was about to push him over the edge, so she relented. A little. "C'mon Blue, you won't know til you ask, and that's all I have to say."

"You always have more shit to say."

"I'm graciously biting my tongue! You're welcome. I hope you two have fun today!"

"I hope a Joltik electrocutes you."

He ended the call before she could drag it on any further.

The crowd erupted into applause as Lance defeated the first challenger and welcomed the next. At this rate, he and Red wouldn't be on the field until the evening, but he wasn't too bothered by that. He was, however, bothered by the empty room he was currently sitting in.

The sounds were muffled, and the clock on the wall was ticking too loudly and far too slowly. He huffed, grabbed his bag, and called Eevee and Arcanine to his side.

Everyone was right -- including himself. He should really train.

Luckily for him, nobody tried to stop him on his way to the training gyms. The only thing that caused him pause was the sound of Leaf's teasing voice echoing in his head. God, how would Red react to all the stuff she'd been saying? He was barely holding it together.

Blue found the room they'd used yesterday and made himself at home, doing his best to ignore the way Red's face lit up as he opened the door.  Red paused mid battle stance and waved but went right back to work. Blue took the cue and directed Eevee and Arcanine to battle each other.

Their battle went much the same way as it had at the motel, with Eevee running laps beneath Arcanine's paws. There wasn't sand to kick up, so she had to improvise quickly, instead nipping at Arcanine's tail as a distraction.

“Great job, Eevee! Arcanine, don't you go easy on her.” Arcanine barked in response and pushed her back with flare blitz. Blue gave him a thumbs up then waved Eevee on. She furrowed her brow and jumped back into the fray, quicker than before.

As Blue yelled commands, he felt Red's gaze weighing on him from across the room. He turned, winked at Red, then went back to training. He glanced back a few moments later to see Red pulling on his hat, desperate to hide his face.

“I would tell ya to take a picture if you like the view, but you'd just have to borrow my gear," Blue joked, still facing away. "You really should buy a newer model. Leaf desperately wants you to call her more."

He jumped when Red materialized by his side, still messing with his hat. He ignored him and continued training until Red let his hand fall.

"You took pictures earlier, right?" he signed. Blue tilted his head in question until he realized Red was talking about the desert photos.

"A few."

"Let me see."

Instead of outright refusing, Blue relented and handed his gear to Red, but he winced internally when he saw his lockscreen: Pikachu and Eevee playing together in the sand.

"Cute," Red signed. Blue huffed and went back to training.

Red sat against the wall and scrolled through Blue's pictures for what felt like an eternity. Every time he quirked an eyebrow or covered a laugh, Blue grew increasingly on edge, until he snapped and flopped onto the ground beside Red. He hissed when his ankle hit the ground, causing Red to jump in concern.

"I'm fine," he said through clenched teeth. Red just smiled and nodded, then pointed to the pokégear's screen. It was the selfie Blue had taken of himself with his arm wrapped around Red's shoulders in front of the UFO crash site.

"You suck at taking photos," Red signed while Blue grabbed his gear back. Blue flipped his hat off his head. "Send it to me."

"Not after you insulted me.”

“Okay, then take me back there so I can take a photo.”

Blue pushed him away as Red leaned farther into him. He opened his mouth, to bite back and make some joke about him asking for a date, but the words never came. The teasing smile on Red’s face was asking for it, but he decided it wasn’t worth the further embarrassment. He gave up on pushing Red away, though.

“You can do whatever you want when the tournament’s over. For now, you better train and stop snooping through my gear.”

Red ignored him, grabbed the gear back, and continued scrolling through the photos. Blue watched him with passing interest before telling Arcanine and Eevee to continue their practice. He turned back to Red after he nudged him, pointing at the gear.

The photo Leaf had taken of the two of them training back on Mt. Silver filled the screen. That moment felt achingly similar to this one, only now Blue wasn't so afraid of sitting shoulder to shoulder with Red.

"Send this to me, too," Red signed after he handed the gear back to Blue.

Blue nodded, turning the gear over in his hands. He let silence settle between them before glancing at Red from the corner of his eye. Red was watching Eevee wrestle with Pikachu, a faint smile playing at his lips.

Blue's chest twisted; Leaf's phone call echoed in his mind (it had never stopped). He was content with the way he and Red were now -- he didn't feel right asking for anything more. But the disappointment he felt when he rolled over in the mornings and didn't see Red somewhere near him sat heavy on his chest, and even though he would die if he ever gave Red another pokémon toy, it also wouldn't be the worst way to go. So he sat there, conflicted.

Eventually, Red shifted and stood from the wall. Blue stared after him, unmoving, until Red offered a helping hand. He took it.

He hesitated on letting it go for a moment too long, long enough for Red to give him a funny look and for Blue to gently loosen his grip as he tried to play it off.

They didn't say much else once they resumed training. Blue's commands were choppy and quick, causing Eevee to trip up a few times. He cursed himself for being so flustered, but the near constant weight of Red's gaze was really starting to mess with him. The worst part was that he could never catch Red in the act; he was always facing the opposite direction or in the middle of a command. Blue ran a hand through his hair and sighed. Of course Red caught him looking every single time.

By the time Blue was just about to give up and crawl into a hole, Lance strolled into the gym and demanded they both get ready for the field. Blue was scheduled first, so he received the brunt of Lance's lecture. Red watched Lance explain the tournament rules for the hundredth time, his shoulders shaking in laughter as Blue did everything in his power to derail him.

And then Blue was being escorted onto the field, the crowd cheering his name, the announcers bantering about his career. He blocked them out and studied his opponents. This stage of the tournament allowed trainers to choose who they battled freely, which meant their teams weren't worn out by the time they got to him. Joy.  But once he started battling, his annoyance fell to the wayside. The trainers were good, much better than the kids who challenged his gym; he'd give them credit for that much. But they still weren't a match for his tenacity. He wiped the floor with the first three, breezed through the next two.

The last trainer on his schedule was a veteran, who matched his skill but had experience on their side. They knew how to work the crowd, too, but Blue's confidence was hard to shake. He struck a pose and started the battle.

But it was rough. Arcanine went down quickly, much quicker than he should've against an Ampharos, which threw him off immediately. The nerves he'd felt earlier in the day returned, and his directions to Alakazam were misjudged and slow. Alakazam took their Ampharos then Haunter down, but not without sustaining far too much damage. Blue ran a hand through his hair.

Battling was supposed to be something he was good at, even when he was having an off day. He'd always been able to fall back onto it when things got rough in Kalos, and he'd never worried about losing the gym, but now...now, with no plans or opportunities ahead of him, he couldn't do it. He was choking on an international stage, live on television. Of course. Probably Professor Oak's luck. His stress over Red. His frustration with everything.

The trainer took advantage of his lapse in thought and directed their Houndoom to finish Alakazam. Blue apologized to his pokémon as he returned it to their pokéball. He sighed and released Eevee. His last chance. He directed her to use the same moves they'd been practicing. Run around and dodge as much as possible.

The announcers were having a field day with the battle, and the crowd was carrying on as usual. Music blared from the speakers, rattling the arena. Blue spared a glance around the stadium, his gaze catching onto the sidelines where some of the champions watched. Red smiled and gave a thumbs up before gesturing at the other trainer. Blue nodded, released a shaky sigh, and returned his attention to the battle. It was his last battle of the day; he could finish it. He could win. He had to win.

They battled tooth-and-nail, both pokemon down to their last ounce of stamina. Blue's choppy commands weren't helping much, but he pushed through, allowing Eevee to gain the upperhand. She dodged a swipe and rolled. Blue winced, but she recovered, immediately rolling back onto her feet. Blue cheered, but the roll bought the other trainer time to formulate a plan. Their Houndoom immediately bit at Eevee's tail, but instead of running away, she ran toward the attack, missing it just barely as she ran between legs.

"Eevee! You've got this, girl!" God, he really hoped they had this.

She chirped and continued running, until she was on the other side of the Houndoom. Blue could sense Red's gaze resting on his shoulder as much as it had during their training, and it still made him just as nervous as it had then, but now it was something of a comfort. Every eye in the stadium was focused on him and Eevee, but it didn't matter how they judged him as long as he knew Red was on the sideline. He yelled, and Eevee took the cue. She turned back and grabbed ahold of the Houndoom's tail, catching it off guard just enough to pull it down.

Blue felt like collapsing as the crowd cheered, but he held his breath, struck a pose for the cameras, and let Eevee prance a victory lap around the field.

He carried Eevee back into the locker rooms, then allowed the nurse on staff to handle his team. He ignored the shaking of his hands and the weakness in his legs and graciously accepted the reporters’ applause and praise. He let out a heavy sigh once they all left and collapsed onto the bench. Red stood near the doorway, fidgeting with his hat, until he caught Blue's eye.

"Good job out there," Red signed. "Told you that you were a good trainer."

"Was there ever any doubt?" Blue snorted when Red rolled his eyes. He hoped his anxiety wasn't obvious, but he knew Red had already picked up on it. He was thankful he hadn't made a big deal of it. "Better watch out though. My performance might be pretty hard to beat."

Red elbowed him in the side, but took a step back as Lance approached them, directing Red to get ready. He pulled on his hat as his name was announced and the crowd erupted into a roar. Blue gave him a half smile.

"Good luck," Blue signed, then gave him a thumbs up. The look Red gave him sent a pang stabbing directly through heart, leaving him to deal with the aftermath alone as he stepped onto the field.

Goddammit. A thousand thoughts swirled around in Blue's head about hikes and aliens and constellations and Red. Of training and late night arguments and hotel stays and battles. Of graduations and of unsure futures. Of pokémon tournaments. Of desperate crushes rearing their ugly heads at nearly every waking moment.

He sighed again and walked out of the locker room, toward the sidelines. Red had already beaten the first trainer, who looked like the defeat had been an honor. The second battle went much the same way. And the third. And the fourth. Blue knew that Red could win with a flick of the wrist, and yet he let each trainer showcase themselves and their teams to the best of their abilities. And then he brought it all to a quick end.

Blue never thought that he'd admit it, but Red really was a pokémon master. He'd say he  was too most of the time, but it was different with Red. He was practiced and confident, his calm demeanor masking his thoughts, obscuring his actions and distracting his opponents. Blue watched as he signed to Pikachu, telling him to deal the finishing blow whenever he felt best.

The ease of battling and skill at commanding his team had always made Blue jealous, especially when they were trainers. Blue had spent his journey racing ahead of him, trying and always failing to find some cheat or shortcut that'd let him win, just once. But just as frustration and jealousy caused him to lash out, an admiration began to blossom. Or rather, the admiration he'd felt when they were kids resurfaced. It'd been years since then, but that same admiration returned on Mt. Silver, and again, as Blue watched Red defeat another trainer.

Admiration. That's what he'd finally decided to call it after years of wrestling with himself. Admiration for how freely and easily Red communicated with his team. Admiration for his skill in battling and training and even journeying. Admiration had easily morphed into...whatever it was he felt.

So now he was standing on the sidelines of a tournament, utterly entranced by Red battling his heart out. While his opponent took a moment to choose her next pokémon, Red glanced away from Pikachu and met Blue's eyes. He gave him the smallest of smiles before tugging his hat farther over his eyes. That familiar weight seized Blue's chest and he realized that it wasn't just admiration -- it never was just admiration. Never just a silly crush.

Watching him perform on the battlefield just as he had trained on Mt. Silver, Blue understood that he had always loved Red. Loved him as his best friend while they snuck out during summer nights to name constellations, claimed to hate him while they traveled through Kanto, hated him -- missed him -- when he vanished without a trace and again after he was found. All of those feelings had the same root of something planted long ago.

Blue was in love with his best friend. He always had been, and a great comfort settled over him as it became clear that he probably always would be.

That much didn't depend on if he used his university degree or figured out what to do with his life, or if he could beat challenging trainers in pokémon tournaments. That only depended on him.

Blue suddenly found himself desperately wondering what Red's definition of a 'future being lost together' meant. He'd just taken Red at his word in the desert: they both could continue wandering around without a plan into the foreseeable future. But now he couldn't help but wonder how far he could push Red's definition of together.

His thoughts drifted to the night on the Nimbasa pier, just before he'd injured his ankle in his drunken stupor. He'd wanted to kiss Red then, and watching Red perform on the battlefield now, the urge was back. He could grab Red's face and press their lips together, say it was a celebration of his first public battle in a decade, laugh it off as an extension of their anniversary joke, brush it off as a heat-of-the-moment reaction...he had options. But as Red beat his last challenger and the announcers celebrated his return, as Red walked off field and into the locker rooms with his pokémon, whatever resolve Blue had felt melted away.

He tried to at least talk to him, even if he was just going to make a silly jab, but reporters swarmed him the moment he left the field, leaving Blue to stand alone.

Red was overwhelmed by the attention, but he weathered the storm well enough. Blue watched him with concern from across the room, but when he started to tug at his cap, Blue tried to push past the cameras. A glare from Lance gave him pause but did nothing to stop him. After a few too many shoves, the reporters left, giving the champions a brief moment of peace. Unfortunately for Blue, the weight in his chest would never afford him peace.

Red looked up from the ground once Blue sat on the bench beside him, raising an eyebrow at Blue's silence but doing nothing to fill it. The two of them sat there until the locker rooms emptied and the announcers thanked the crowds for attending the day's battles and hoped that everyone would make it back for tomorrow's.

"Guess we should head back to the hotel," Red signed. Pikachu had returned to his side and was barely fighting off sleep. Red smiled at the pokémon and then stood up from the bench. When Blue didn't move, he gave him an odd look as made his way to the exit.

"Wait," Blue started. Wait for what? If only he was as drunk as he had been in Nimbasa, he'd know what to say. Or at the very least, he wouldn't care about what he said.

"You froze earlier," Red signed, but Blue had been lost in thought. He ran through the gestures once more when Blue finally looked up, prompting him to furrow his brow. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He'd taken too long to think of what to say and now Red had misunderstood. Of course. Wonderful. If only he'd found the courage to make out with him in the middle of the arena, he wouldn't have to worry about words. But then he'd have a million other things to worry about. Namely: did Red think anywhere near the same of him.

"No," came his reply, much too quickly. Red frowned and nodded but approached his side. Blue sighed and followed him out of the locker room, out of the arena, and back onto the street.

"If something's bothering you, I'll be here," Red signed once they stopped at a crosswalk. "Always."

The pedestrian light turned green, but Blue refused to move.

"Red," he started. The words formed before he understood what he was saying. "We never found a UFO."

"That's why you gave me that plush," Red signed, smile spreading across his face. Blue brushed the comment off and continued.

"We should keep looking."

"Okay, after the tournament, we can --"

"Tonight. Let's go camping tonight." Blue wanted to smack himself for suggesting camping, but he was immediately okay with it when Red's face lit up.

"You? Wanting to go camping? Did one of Pikachu's lightning bolts hit you?"

“Very funny. Do you want to or not?” He tried and failed to hide his growing smile. From his side, Eevee glared up at him for wanting to be outside any more than necessary, but he just shrugged her off.

“Where? We have to be at the arena by noon tomorrow.” Red signed then tugged Blue down the sidewalk.

“I know where. Just leave it up to me, yeah?” He really didn’t know where, but he couldn’t stop himself. He figured they could just hike outside the city and down the next route and he wished he would just shut up already. But he couldn’t, especially with Red nearly skipping by his side.

“Lance will --”

“Doesn’t matter.” Blue ran a hand through his hair rather than reach for Red’s hand to slow him down.

They reached their hotel before Blue could formulate a plan, before he even fully realized what he was committing himself to. Just a camping trip. In the middle of a tournament. For no reason other than that he just wanted to spend time with Red, because he couldn’t say it in so many words. Maybe he could’ve just invited him to his room and forced him to watch old Detective Pikachu episodes, but that didn’t sit right. Especially with his line of thought as he watched Red battle.

“What’s the occasion?” Red signed as the elevator dinged.

“Just go pack your stuff,” Blue answered, pushing him to his door. He bit his tongue and inwardly cursed himself. He almost wanted to make a joke about it just being a continuation of their third anniversary trip, but that was too far for him with the day he'd been having. He was already about to yell in frustration with himself; he didn’t need Red ready to kill him again.

Red ignored his crisis and ran into his room, leaving Blue to grab his own bag. The one he’d taken on their hike through the desert, untouched save for when he grabbed the Elgyem plush. God, he was really making a habit of this, huh. Leaf would have a field day if she ever found out. At least maybe...maybe he could figure out what Red wanted to do after the tournament. Maybe he could do some of that talking she'd mentioned earlier. Maybe could...whatever.

He set Eevee atop his bag and met Red outside the elevator.

“You think we’ll see UFOs?” Red signed.

Blue hoped so.

Chapter Text

Their hike to the outskirts of town passed with little fanfare. The setting sun cast them in shadow, preventing the tournament fans from giving either of them a second glance. Blue was incredibly thankful for that, because another glance would have revealed his fragile grip on his nerves.

The stars weren't visible this close to the city. Just like in Viridian City. Just like in Kalos.

The low rumble of the city echoed behind Blue as both he and Red trekked deeper into the forest. Pikachu chittered atop Red's hat, while Eevee slept in her pokeball. Blue had remained quiet most of the hike, but aside from the occasional glance from Red, he was allowed to wrestle with his thoughts.

The silence wasn't awkward. It was brimming with...something. Nervousness. Confusion. A lot of embarrassment.

Blue was lost. He didn’t know where they were going to camp, where he was heading after this tournament. He never did; he’d been running from that simple fact back in Lumiose, back in Viridian, back when he was just a trainer angrily running away from his prodigy best friend. Some things never change.

Red, however, paid Blue's sweaty palms no mind. He trotted straight ahead, Pikachu bounding along beside him. He placed too much trust in Blue's sense of direction -- or lack thereof.

"If we see a UFO, that reporter will hunt you down and make you come up with a new life goal," Blue yelled. Red was several paces ahead. "Slow it down. I'm the leader here."

"Sure," was all Red signed in reply. He did not slow down.

A few minutes passed, and the din of the city grew distant. The trail they found ran tandem to the neighboring route, meaning it had less traffic, but was also a little worse for the wear. Not good for Blue's ankle. He grimaced when a gnarled root nearly tripped him. Red lended him a steady hand.

"...Thanks," Blue muttered. He refused eye contact, but he could just feel Red's smirk.

After righting himself, Blue pushed forward, but Red hovered behind. His smirk had fallen, and he was wringing his hands. Something was clearly bothering him.

"What? Did my gratitude scare you?"

"No! No. You're welcome." Red signed in a hurry before stopping to consider his next words. "I was just thinking. You mentioned the reporter's questions earlier and…"

He waved his hands around, clearly at a loss for words. Well, maybe not a loss for words, but a loss for words that wouldn't offend Blue.

"I don't know," Red eventually signed. He shrugged as he walked around Blue, who furrowed his eyebrows in response.

"Dunno what?" Blue called after him. He received no reply.

Blue huffed but matched pace with Red. Eevee mewed softly.

The trees along the trail grew thin, giving way to a wide clearing. The sky opened above them, revealing tiny pinpricks of light and little else. The gentle flashing reds of airplanes disrupted the view, but overall it was exactly what Blue was expecting, light pollution and all.

Red didn't seem to mind, and he quickly followed Blue as he went about rolling out their sleeping bags. Eevee and Pikachu curled up together at the base of Red's sleeping bag, their tails entwined. Blue sighed.

"So, what's the meaning of all this?" Red signed. Blue squinted at him through the darkness and made a show of having difficulty seeing. They both knew he had no trouble at all. Blue sighed.

"Just thought you could use the fresh air."

"Well, with your calendar free and all, figured you could wait until after the tournament." Red signed. Blue stared at him blankly.

"Hm? Eh, spur of the moment decision. I didn't expect you to complain." Blue flopped onto his back, his bangs falling into his face. He blew them away with only a modicum of attitude, causing Red to smile down at him.

"Not complaining," Red replied. "I just wanted to let you know that we can do this today, tomorrow, or after the tournament. Whenever. I won't mind."

Blue stared straight into the night sky. He wanted to kick himself after he found himself staring at the constellation he had made up in the desert.

"Blue," Red began. The man in question pushed himself to his elbows, blearily blinking away the after effects of having stared at stars for a half hour. He grunted when it was clear Red wanted a response. "Can we talk?"

"You don't have to ask me twice. About how great I am? How awful Leaf is? How Lance nearly slipped and fell on live international television?" Blue pushed down his nerves. Red clearly saw right through him.

"No," Red signed with a firm shake of his head. He frowned deeply, then pulled at the brim of his hat. Blue cocked his head; Red hadn't done that in front of him in what felt like ages. "We...you…you told me you don't remember what we talked about on Mt. Silver."

"Not everything." Now he was concerned. He had hoped this conversation was dead and buried in the desert sand. Figures the exact same situation would force him into the exact same conversation.

"I know. I know." Red let his hands hang in the air before continuing. "I...know why you don't. It's okay."

Blue bit at the inside of his cheek.

"I know things were hard every time you came back to Kanto. It's not your fault."

"Red. My life, my...everything isn't something for you to apologize for."

"I'm not," he signed firmly. "I am letting you know that I understand."

"Thanks. And," Blue sighed. Not the first time, and certainly not the last time he'd be saying these words. "I'm sorry."

"Communication. It's important."

Blue nodded, his eyes searching Red's face. His expression was nearly unreadable, like there was more he wanted to add. But true to form, Red held back.

"Sure is," Blue added, late enough to thicken the air into an awkward silence.

"The cameras aren't here. Nobody to impress." Red signed in a flurry. Blue blinked at him. "What's your real plan?"

Blue continued staring.

"Communicate," Red demanded.

Blue huffed as he sat up, crossed his legs, then bared his elbows on his knees. He stared at Pikachu and Eevee's slumbering forms until Red nudged him. The words tumbled out.

"I just...don't know what I want to do with my life. I worked so hard to get that degree and for what?" Blue ran his hands through his hair.

"Do you not like pokémon research?" Red signed. He looked a mix of confused and amused.

"Of course! But it's what Gramps forced me into. Didn't have a choice." Blue frowned and stared at the grass beneath his boots. "Or felt like I didn't have a choice."

Red stared a hole through him, beckoning him to continue. Blue felt like stomping his feet into the ground and screaming. Felt like turning around and walking away, until his feet gave out at the edge of the universe. Felt like sitting on the ground and crying.

"I was good at it though. The best. I have awards to prove it -- don't give me that look. I could just coast through without thinking." He started tapping against his knee as he spoke. "But now that everything is done. School. Gym. I've still been coasting. Just...coasting."

"That's alright," Red assured.

"No, it isn't. I've had too much time to think, but things keep happening too fast. I didn't decide to do this stupid tournament until nearly last second, because I just shoved it all away. I shoved you away."

"You've always tried your best at that," Red signed, one side of his mouth quirked upward. "Even on Mt. Silver, when you sought me out."

"Kinda made it a habit. An artform. Blue Oak, the best at everything he does." He spat to the side. Eevee mewed softly, and he gently patted her head. "On our hike here, you wanted to investigate UFOs. Investigate. Research. Learn about mysterious pokémon! Literally the thing that I had just paid tons of money to study. My job, my career, my future prospects. And I blew it off."

"Not that deep," Red signed, clearly trying to hold back laughter at the melodrama. "You're on vacation. After years of studying, you deserve a small break."

"But --"

"No. Besides, you brought me out tonight. To look. You are making an effort."

Blue huffed and crossed his arms. A Pidove cooed in the distance as silence fell between the two. This wasn't going quite to plan. Or maybe it was. Hard to say when you didn't have a plan to begin with.

"Professor Oak isn't here," Red signed. Right to the heart of it then. Blue clenched his fists in the fabric of his sleeping bag. "You're an adult. Doesn't matter whether you act like it."

"Hey!"

"Your decisions are your own."

Of course Blue knew that. Of course. It was painfully obvious. Of course it was. Of course.

He let go of the sleeping bag crumpled in his fists.

"Your life is yours."

"Mine to screw up," Blue chuckled. Red grabbed his hand and shook his head. Then he released his hand, almost hesitantly, before signing again.

"Yes. But no." Red looked from his own hands to Blue's face, then back down again. "Well, it's...yours. Your choice."

And then he shrugged and let his hands fall. Blue stared at him wide-eyed in amazement.

"Yeah. I guess it is," was all he managed to get out.

Red nodded, like that was exactly the answer he was looking for. He laid back down on his sleeping bag, eyes combing through the stars. Blue watched him for a moment in wonder, then did the same.

Logically, Blue had known everything Red had said. Logically. But some of the weight was gone from his shoulders anyway.

Blue hesitantly reached out with his right hand and easily found Red's hand. He folded his fingers and closed his eyes as Red squeezed his hand in return.

"While we were in the desert, behind that motel, you kept asking me about Mt. Silver," Blue whispered. Speaking any louder felt too...intrusive, somehow. Red's grip on his hand tightened. "What did I really say then?"

Chapter Text

"You said a lot," Red signed. "A lot of silly things. Like always."

"Yeah, yeah, very funny. You know what I mean." 

Blue and Red were sitting on top of their sleeping bags now, facing one another. Pikachu and Eevee lay curled beside each other at the foot of Red's bag, each pokémon squeaking or chirping softly in their sleep.

"I do know. But it doesn't matter now," Red signed with a shrug. Blue huffed.

"You were upset about it, so it matters."

Red nodded. Blue ran a hand through his hair.

"Alright, look, Red. I can't change the past. But there's the now and the future. And if my life is my choice, then my choice is to try." Blue refused eye contact with Red. “Like I said before. I need to be better to you.”

Red nodded. A slight breeze rustled the leaves of the surrounding trees. A Hoothoot gently called in the distance. Blue was struck by how nostalgic the moment felt. Like being kids sneaking out after bedtime, like laying in the grass of Red’s backyard. He sighed.

“Okay, I’ll tell you,” Red signed. He seemed…resigned. Maybe he shouldn’t pressure him, but he still wanted to know. 

Red readjusted on his sleeping bag, and Pikachu climbed into his lap. He waited until Blue mirrored his position to begin.

Blue tried to remember everything, he really did. But when it came to parts of his pokémon journey, parts of his teenage years dealing with the aftermath, parts to do with Red, with Gramps...his mind fuzzed. He had made peace with that, with most of it anyway, and things had gotten better once he left Kanto for Kalos. And then once Red had been found.

But some of his Mt. Silver trips were lost to him, still. Namely this one. The seemingly most important one to Red. But Blue focused on Red's hands, focused on his embarrassed expression, and then...it clicked. Or at least, some of it did.

He remembered.

The wind howled and snow pelted his face, but a determined Blue pressed ever forward. He had to be getting close, he’d left the mountain base’s Pokémon Center hours ago.

Blue shielded his eyes against the bright white and glared at where the trail should be. Eevee, who normally helped him scout the way up, was fast asleep in her pokéball, too tired to care if Blue wandered off course and doomed them both to freeze. He smacked at his pokégear, hoping that it would somehow help him out of this mess. It didn't, so he kicked at a snow drift instead.

He was about to sit down and fume when he caught sight of a figure rushing down the hill through the blizzard, arms waving wildly. Blue let out a huff of air.

“I’m half-frozen. Two more minutes and I’d be dead,” Blue said. Red ran up to him, stopping just in time to teeter precariously an arm’s length away. When he regained his balance, Blue snorted.

Red looked the same as always. The stupid mountain did him no favors, and the exposed skin on his face remained as sun and wind-burned as ever. His jacket was too worn and too small, but luckily Blue had a new one hidden away in his bag -- a last minute gift from Leaf. She had refused to make the journey herself, treating Blue like her personal messenger. At least he didn’t have to deal with her complaining in this cold. His own complaining was bad enough.

“Welcome back,” Red signed with a smile. Blue rolled his eyes and walked past him. 

The two trudged up the mountain for what felt like hours to Blue, but what was actually maybe ten minutes. Either way, it was much too long to be stuck in the snow.

Red stopped in front of his cave and pried open the large wooden doors he had managed to find some way or another. Blue would never admit it, but Red had managed to make something cozy out of this frozen landscape. His home deep within the cave was warm, with numerous rugs and plush cushions littering the area. A stove sat in the middle of the space, giving the area a comforting orange glow. Blue had stayed in worse pokécenters. 

“You were late,” Red signed once the two were settled. Eevee had left the comfort of her pokéball for the comfort of a cushion. Blue glared at her half-heartedly. That was his favorite cushion.

“Fashionably,” Blue said without looking. “By the looks of it, so were you.”

Red shrugged in response and went about making a kettle of tea. The two trainers sat in silence as the kettle began to whistle. Blue watched lazily as Red set out two mismatched cups and poured the steaming liquid. 

“I was starting to think you wouldn’t visit at all,” Red signed, his expression unreadable. Blue replied with a shrug.

“Was busy, is all. Had to make preparations at the gym. Those assholes don’t know what to do without me.”

“That’s a lie,” Red signed with a lopsided smile.

“Don’t tell them that. I need them to fear me for a couple more months.”

“Why’s that?” Red signed. He lifted the tea to his lips, then sharply pulled it away.

“Hey, tea's hot. Let it cool. Anyway. Yeah. Graduation.” Blue stuck his nose in the air and placed one hand upon his chest. He still wore his gloves and thick winter coat. “I, Blue, shall graduate from the prestigious Kalos University in a matter of months. Five months to be exact.”

Red paid no mind to his theatrics and gently blew on his tea. Blue continued.

“And it is decidedly not my honor, but I shall offer it to you nonetheless: an invitation.” Blue procured a sheet of thick cardstock from some hidden pocket in his coat.

Red set his cup down and gingerly took the invitation. He read it over, then reread it, then started to read it again before Blue huffed. He started to hand it back, but he dropped his hand when he noticed the expression on Blue's face.

"That's for your reference, pal." Blue took a sip of his tea. "Dunno if you remember how calendars work, but you'll need to RSVP by April. Or now, since I'm already here."

Red stared down at the paper in his hands for much longer than Blue would have preferred. 

"What are you doing after graduation?" Red asked, clearly changing the subject. Blue frowned.

"Hell if I know. All I'm worried about is walking across that stage and nabbing that expensive piece of paper. Ask me after that." While looking toward the still-steaming kettle, Blue lifted his cup to his lips. Not quite scorching, but still uncomfortably hot after nearly freezing to death.

Pikachu squeaked and huddled onto Red's lap, jealous that something else was holding his trainer's attention for once. And that something clearly was not Blue, judging by the way he kept avoiding further conversation. Whatever.

"S'not like you can ask me about future plans, mountain man. What are yours, anyway? Fossilize inside this cave? You'd have a better chance of being preserved out in the snow."

Red stared straight at Blue, one eyebrow curved upward and his lips spread in a thin line. 

"Funny," was his only response. Blue blew a raspberry at him.

"Well, if you ever do decide to return to civilization, find me, and I'll give you a personal tour of Kalos. We’ll journey around, be annoying tourists, take obnoxious photos and all that." He pulled out his gear and began scrolling through some of his recent photos. Selfie, Eevee, Dexio and Sina asleep in the lab, another selfie, homework assignment. He found a photo of his scrapped thesis research then thrust the screen at Red. “I mean it.”

Red hunched over the screen, squinting at the small picture, clearly trying to hide a smile. Before Blue could respond, Red had snatched it away and was scrolling through his photos, a wide grin splitting his face.

"Thief. That's private!" 

Eevee was sent rolling off her pillow as Blue leapt up in an attempt to wrestle the gear back. Red was much stronger, more agile than Blue remembered, but then again, most of his own time was spent sitting around, watching pokémon, taking notes on pokémon, then retyping the same notes on a computer. Not much time to train to be agile or to be strong or to put up with sub-zero temperatures.

Blue gave up, falling back to his cushion with an exhausted sigh.

He watched as Red gently set the pokégear in the space between them, mirth still tinging his expression. Blue snatched it back before he had a chance to reconsider.

"You're awful. And rude. I take time out of my busy schedule to visit you, and you steal my stuff." Blue crossed his arms and sank further into the cushion so that his chin rested against his chest. With the stove and blankets, the heat in the little room almost made him think about shedding his coat. Almost.

"I didn't ask you to come here," Red signed. "Maybe you're a burden on me."

"As if." Blue barked a laugh. "You love having me here."

Red's expression softened, causing Blue to cast his gaze at the ceiling. The dull red and gray strata weaved an intricate pattern. He studied it closely.

Papers shuffled, and he turned his head back to Red, who was facing the wall. He shuffled the papers some more, then nodded his head. A pile of old newspapers sat stacked against the wall, the result of Leaf trying to keep him informed about the world. He wondered how often rangers visited him, lugging those things up the mountain. Judging by the size of the pile, not very often. Blue's invitation now rested on top.

"You know what RSVP stands for?" Blue asked. Red gave him a deadpan stare. "Red. Very soon, Please."

"Maybe they shouldn't let you graduate if you don't know your letters," Red signed. He was struggling to hold back laughter.

"I hate you," Blue muttered. He ran his hand down his face before flopping onto his stomach. He smashed his face against the floor.

"I'll give you a C," Red signed after tapping Blue on the shoulder. "For effort."

"I hate you. I'm leaving and never coming back."

"Sure."

Eevee mewed and jumped onto Blue's back, causing him to grunt. Twenty pounds of pokémon was a lot when you weren't expecting it. 

"So. How's mountain life?" Blue finally asked. He could remember to think about others. Sometimes. 

Red just shrugged and took a sip of his tea. It had long since grown cold.

"Cool, interesting. Also cold, freezing, and a pain in the ass? What's new?" Blue flung his hand into the air, then let it fall against the cushion with a soft plop. "Seriously, Red. Anything?"

Another shrug.

"Then why not come down? I'll help you pack, and I won't even complain while doing it. Much."

Red studied his hands like they were the most interesting things he'd ever laid eyes on. The ends of his sleeves were frayed, and he picked at the strings. The fire within the stove crackled softly. 

"Red."

"Blue," Red signed sharply. 

"Whatever." Blue huffed. He fished Leaf's gift out of his bag and tossed it over to Red, who tilted his head at it.

"Leaf was sick of seeing you in that old jacket, so, here."

"Tell Leaf thanks," Red signed after looking  over the jacket.

"Just try it on," Blue spat. Stupid Leaf and her stupid presents.

He did try it on. A small nod granted it his approval, and he sat back down. Blue scratched at his nose.

"Anyway," Blue started after a beat of silence. "I'm heading back to Kalos in, like, a few days. Figured I'd stay here 'til my flight back."

"So soon?" Red questioned.

Due dates for papers and thesis progress reports flashed in Blue's mind. Really, it should be sooner. But he couldn't not visit Red; someone had to check in and make sure he was still alive.

"Yep. We should battle later if the winds die down. It's been ages since I've fought anyone even halfway decent. All the snot-nosed kids at the gym have been boring me to death."

Red raised an eyebrow at that and ignored him. "So the gym is...fine?"

"Just peachy. If I didn't check in on 'em, the whole place would probably explode. They'll be devastated when I leave this summer."

"Permanently leave." Red ignored the glare shot his way. "Staying in Kalos?"

"Eh, like I said. I'm working out the details. I can tell you this much: I am not coming back to Kanto and dealing with Gramps. But Kalos loves me. I doubt they'll even let me leave." Blue plucked the kettle from the stove and refilled his cup. Steam rose from it in fine wisps. "I'm telling ya, come to my graduation, Red. This might be our last meeting forever if you don't."

"I already told you, I --" Red began signing. Blue didn't give him a chance to finish.

"You're married to this stupid mountain. Yeah, yeah, sure, whatever." Blue set his teacup down. Red lifted his hands again but Blue kept plowing forward anyway. "Seriously, it's been ages. You can leave any time."

"I don't force you to reconcile with Professor Oak. Don't force me." Red's motions were quick and fierce. Right to it, same old Red. Blue didn't think he could glare daggers any harder than he already was.

"This isn't about me! This is about you and this goddamn mountain!" Blue could hear his own voice rising, feel his grip on the cushion tighten. Right for the open wound. He should shut up; he and Red had been doing so well for the past...the past several months? Years? Past couple trips up the mountain? Whatever. They had been doing better. Well, Blue was an expert at losing things. "Don't bring Gramps into it. I haven't heard from him in months."

"You want me off the mountain. It is about you."

"God and what if it is! Can you blame me? Red. It's been years. Years."

"My. Decision."

"Just like it's my decision to head back to Kalos early."

Red nodded jerkily and stood up, causing Pikachu to scurry up his leg and onto his shoulder. He turned on his heel and walked deeper into the cave, leaving Blue fuming.

With an angry sigh, he flopped onto his back, causing the tea cup to spill over. Despite having just poured it, it felt like ice.

Blue wanted to pull his hair out. This was how they'd argued as trainers, not as...friends. He'd give Red time, then by this evening they'd both be laughing over dinner. Slowly, he found himself drifting to sleep.

Blue awoke to the banging of pots. Red was kneeling by the little stove, picking up a set of lids. Blue knew that he'd dropped them on purpose. That's how the rest of the night went. Little digs, small jabs, but nothing of substance. Red said little, Blue said a lot and nothing at once. 

When his pokégear beeped, they both got ready for bed and turned in uncharacteristically early. Red's snoring kept Blue from ever falling asleep, so he laid awake, staring at the waves on the ceiling, listening to the distant sound of the howling wind. 

Mornings came and went, and so did afternoons and evenings. Blue never made good on his threat to leave early, and Red seemed more relaxed by the hour. By dinnertime the next day, they were back to their easy banter. The morning after that, they were doubled over in laughter at Eevee's sneezes. No matter how much time passed, Red still wouldn't battle him, though.

"And that's why Detective Pikachu is prestige TV. You'll agree when you see it." Blue was holding one of the discarded newspapers and pointing at a photograph taken on set of the newest season of Detective Pikachu. "We're marathoning it. All of it. The week before graduation."

Red's eyes flickered between amusement and something else. Sadness? Whatever. Blue kept going, providing all the conversation. Red had stayed quiet most of the day, but his silence was deeper now, somehow.

Blue trailed off when he finally looked at Red, whose head was hanging. He was stretching his hands, pausing to study or to pick at them occasionally.

"Ever seen hands before?" Blue asked in monotone.

Red glanced up at him then quickly looked away. 

"A couple days ago," was all he signed.

"Was Tuesday." Blue was honestly surprised Pikachu didn't immediately shock him. Pikachu just gave a warning squeak instead.

"You mentioned being tourists. Touring Kalos.”

“Yeah,” Blue said slowly, unsure of how to approach this subject again. He blinked. Red sat cross-legged directly in front of him. Blue sat the newspaper to his side, where Eevee seized the opportunity to sprawl out on it. “If you ever leave the mountain. But we both know how that goes.”

“Yes.”

“Well, just so you know. I’m the best tour guide. I know all the good spots in Kalos, the best restaurants, the best bakeries, the best spots for finding rare pokémon. And I wouldn’t even charge you for my knowledge.”

“So kind,” Red signed.

“Duh. The kindest. All that and more if you just get off this damn hill. And attend my graduation!” Blue crossed his arms and straightened his back, trying and failing to look threatening. Red was unperturbed, but his shoulders slumped a little.

“Blue, please.”

“Fine! I’ll shut it. Truce. For now.” Red nodded. Blue shooed Eevee away from the newspaper and started pointing at it again. 

The rest of the evening blurred in a series of Blue attempting some half-assed jokes to lift Red’s spirits. The embers in the fire glowed brightly by the time the two settled down for bed. Blue pressed his finger to his nose when he noticed the lack of fire, causing Red to roll his eyes. He threw another log on the fire, checked the piping that funneled the smoke out of the cave, then wandered back to the cushion pile. Blue was already covered in several layers of blankets, with Eevee snuggled on top. 

Red followed suit, but he left his hands outside the blankets. Blue turned toward him, knocking Eevee off and sending her into a mewing fit. Pikachu nuzzled her, and the two pokémon quickly fell asleep. 

“I’m sorry you and Professor Oak haven’t spoken,” Red signed.

“Hey, I called truce.”

“Did you invite him to your commencement?”

Blue stared at Red. He scratched at his nose. He hadn’t. Or rather, he had left an invitation with Daisy, ready to hand to his grandfather in case the mood ever struck him. Though he doubted it ever would.

“I’ve invited a ton of people,” was all he said in response. That seemed to be the answer Red was expecting, but not the one he was aiming for. That’s as good as he was going to get, though. “I’m exhausted. Go to sleep.”

And so Blue rolled over and slept. At sunrise, he got up, ate breakfast with Red, then hiked back down the mountain in time for his flight that afternoon. Red did not follow him.

Wide-eyed, Blue stared at Red. That was it? He'd stitched some of his memories back together based on what Red had said, but it all seemed so...run-of-the-mill. He'd asked him to leave Mt. Silver dozens of times before then, so whatever. The graduation thing still stung a little, but he was definitely over that. So why did Red still look...expectant?

Chapter Text

In Blue’s memory, their fight had been so much worse, but when Red described it, it wasn’t earth-shattering. It was like most other hikes. Immature, yes, but that was unfortunately a given. He had spent the flight back to Kalos fixating on Red’s refusal and Professor Oak, and then that had spiraled until it was all he had thought about until classes started back. He felt silly.

"I was an ass. I shouldn't have pressured you." Blue began. Eevee mewed and stretched her paws, and Blue let an outstretched hand fall onto her fluffy mane. "Why was that time worse than the others though?"

"Because," Red started. He was clearly fighting with himself on what to say and how to say it. "Just...because. And I shouldn't have brushed off your invite. I'm sorry."

"Eh, it happened, so what?" Not the right thing to say. "Okay. Apology accepted. I'm sorry, too." Better.

Red still looked like he wanted to say more, so Blue let him take his time. He craned his neck toward the sky and stared at the waning crescent of the moon as it traced its way between the leaves.

"You asked me to travel with you."

"Can you repeat that?" He glanced from Red's hands to his face, then back. "Got distracted."

"You," Red waited a moment before continuing, making sure he held Blue's full attention. "Asked me. To travel with you."

Blue hummed. He had. He remembered.

He remembered walking through the scorching desert with Red, laying underneath blankets of stars, ordering mediocre pancakes at the weird little diner. He remembered Red's frustration, his own frustration, at Red, at the canceled Driftveil flight, at...himself. At everything. And he remembered finding their constellation, remembered the star-crossed travelers attempting to make everything right again after years of wrong.

Travelers. Blue had asked Red to travel with him, had begged him, and they finally got their chance.

"I did," Blue said. He fidgeted with a loose string on his sleeping bag. "Looks like we have been tourists. Made good on a promise, for once."

A small smile spread across Red's face.  Blue gave him a lopsided one in return. 

"You did, after some convincing," Red signed. Blue gently pushed him away, trying to avoid eye contact. Red tugged at his hat before continuing. "I thought that…" He trailed off. So much for continuing. 

There was a nervousness to his gestures that Blue hadn't seen in ages. He waited patiently, though, and signed take as long as you need. That made things worse.

"That I was too late," Red signed in a rush. "I was conflicted, about what to do, on Mt. Silver. Then I got the tournament invitation, which made it worse. But. I knew which direction I was heading in by then. What I wanted. Elaine beating me made everything real, and. And I knew it was time to leave. It just was time."

"So you've told me," Blue said. Red hushed him.

"I made my decision, and I was ready to tell you that day in Lance's office. But then you looked at me with such...hatred. I knew I'd lost my chance."

Chance at what? Blue watched Red fiddle with a blade of grass. Silence lapsed as Red worked through what he wanted to say. Blue worked through Red's retelling of that last Mt. Silver trip, tried to think back to what he had said in the desert. Red dropped the grass.

"So I figured that I'd still try. We could still be friends. You were a huge baby at the start, but I caught glimpses of the kinder Blue I had known on the mountain. So I kept trying."

"Congrats, you wore me down eventually. We actually hiked that entire route." Blue smirked, but Red beamed.

"Thanks for not vanishing from the airport hotel." Blue's face flushed at that. "But yeah. I think we're better now. I know we are."

The warmth emanating from Red was enough to set Blue ablaze. So instead of quipping back, he nodded once and watched as Red took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair. 

And then it knocked the air out of him.

Red had interpreted his invitation to graduation, his invitation to travel together, his insistence of leaving the mountain together as a confession. 

And then as a rejection when Red had finally, finally descended that stupid mountain and Blue had turned his back. And despite it all, here he was, sitting in front of him, putting on a brave face and working toward mending their relationship.

That crushing weight fell upon his chest with the force of the entire world. He cursed himself to oblivion and back.

Of course Red thought it was a confession. Because it was, it always had been.

Stay with me, he had said that last day so long ago, before Red had vanished. Come back with me, he had said, begging Red to accompany him down the mountain. Stay with me, he had said again, drunk and daring in the room of a hotel.

The leaves rustled above his head, pulling him back to the present. Red was watching him closely, head tilted in bemusement. Blue was on fire.

So he fanned the flames.

"I know what I want to do after the tournament." Blue chewed on the inside of his mouth. His hands had a white-knuckled grip on his knees, but he pressed on. Red nodded in encouragement. "Well, I still don't really, but who the hell cares? 

“Because I want to do it with you. Okay? We can be lost together and all that, and that's it. You and me. Together. That's what I want. From the second this tournament is over until Arceus knows when." The words tumbled out of his mouth in a rush, but he didn't care. He wanted Red to know that he still meant it, that he'd meant it all along, even when he'd been too stubborn to admit it. That he was in love with him but couldn’t say it in so many words.

"We already agreed on that," Red signed, his shoulders bobbing with laughter. Blue felt like pouting and screaming simultaneously.

"Together," Blue emphasized.

"Together," Red replied.

"Together together." Blue signed the words as he spoke them. He barely choked down his laughter.

The pieces slowly clicked into place for Red. He let his hands fall into his lap. The amused smile froze in place as he studied Blue. He blinked.

The whole of the forest seemed to quieten. Blue slowly reached out and grabbed Red’s hands. Red intertwined their fingers.

“I don’t know what’ll happen after the tournament. I don’t know what’ll happen between us. But it’s worth a shot. Worth exploring.” Blue glanced from their hands to Red’s face. His eyebrows were trying to climb off his forehead, but his smile was still fixed.

Blue was torn between laughing and wanting to yell, to hide. Clearly Red wasn't doing any better, but Blue was prepared to keep going, to keep digging deeper and deeper if it meant helping him.

Finally breaking eye contact, Red glanced down to their intertwined hands. He studied them, lost in thought. Blue kept talking.

"Who knows where the hell we'll go after next week, but it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter!" A million thoughts flickered through Blue's mind, none sticking around long enough for him to form a coherent sentence. He wished Pikachu would shock him, but both Pikachu and Eevee were watching their trainers with only passing interest. “Let’s get lost. Together.”

Slowly, Red raised his head. Blue ran his other hand through his hair, hoping he didn’t sound too much like he’d completely lost it. Red pulled his hand from Blue’s, pulled at the brim of his cap, then flexed his fingers.

The moon shone near directly overhead now, coating them both in its soft light. Red’s hat cast a shadow over his face. Blue scratched his nose.

“Are you sure?” was all Red signed.

Of course he was sure. What both of them had dreamed of since they were kids, what Blue could only dream of as a lost teen. Since Blue reunited with Red on that mountain. Since this past week. Blue laughed.

A wide grin broke Red’s face, and his shoulders shook with his own laughter. 

"This is the only thing I am sure of," Blue said. 

"Then let's try."

That heavy weight inside of Blue's chest crushed him, fully and completely. For once, he was at a loss for words. 

Maybe the world should've stopped spinning, the leaves stopped rustling, the pokémon in the distance stopped howling. But nothing stopped. Everything continued, just as it always had and always would. Even with this revelation, this beginning of...whatever it was with Red, everything kept going. And Blue finally found comfort in that.

He reached out, and Red met him halfway. With all the confidence of his drunken stumble, Blue pulled Red into an embrace. 

They tumbled back onto their pile of sleeping bags, laughing and clutching one another. Red's hat fell onto a sleeping Pikachu, but neither he nor Eevee dared to interrupt. Blue wanted to run a hand through Red's hair but couldn't convince himself to let go long enough.

And so they laid there, letting time slip away. Blue blinked slowly, sleep nearly taking him, but Red's shifting startled him awake. Red gently lifted himself up, away from his position half on top of him, leaving just enough space so that he could sign comfortably.

"Happy three year anniversary," Red signed.

Blue searched for something, any sort of comeback, but he could only find a lopsided smirk. So this was Red's payback for that day in the diner. Murder of a different sort. Heat rose from his cheeks as he laid there near spluttering. Red winked, which made it all the worse. Blue could do nothing but stare openly at Red, watching as he smiled warmly and settled himself by his side.

Blue looked back to the sky, taking in the expanse of stars above them. The moon had disappeared behind the leaves, allowing their constellation to take center stage. The travelers.

Red slipped his hand into Blue's. Blue held onto it with everything he had.

A brilliant light streaked across the sky. 

Blue chuckled. Maybe UFOs did exist.

Chapter Text

Time passed. Blue didn’t know how many minutes or hours they laid there, but he was content to spend the rest of forever sprawled in the middle of that forest.

Only when Red stirred did he think to check the time. He struggled for a moment, then pulled his pokégear from his pocket. 6 AM. They must’ve fallen asleep at some point.

“Hey,” Blue said. Red turned toward him, blinking slowly. They’d definitely fallen asleep. “We should probably get back to the hotel. I’ll be damned if I wear the same clothes as yesterday on international TV.”

Red punched him in the stomach but rolled over and went about packing his sleeping bag. Blue followed his lead, angering a slumbering Eevee and Pikachu. He promised them a treat for his transgression, and Eevee spared his life, just this once.

Pidgey and Pidove called out as Blue and Red hiked toward Driftveil. The early morning sky glowed a soft green while a gentle breeze ruffled Pikachu’s fur from his position on Red’s shoulder. Red turned and, upon noticing Blue staring, gave him a wide smile. Blue rolled his eyes but returned the smile. He didn’t turn away.

Driftveil was already bustling with early-risers. The traffic was growing heavy, especially in the direction of the stadium. Blue hoped there weren’t any curious fans or journalists out, at any rate. He didn’t want photos of him with sticks and leaves in his hair all over the gossip feeds. Daisy would never let him live it down.

Red held open one of the large golden doors to their hotel, ignoring the automatic sliding ones in favor of a grand gesture. Blue resisted the urge to tear up and ran through the opening.

They had nearly made it through the lobby when Red stopped and pointed. Blue followed his line of sight, toward the room occupied by a large breakfast display. Of course Lance was already awake.

“Hurry, before he sees and grounds us!” Blue yelled as he grabbed Red by the shoulders and shoved him toward the elevators. 

Lance met his eye as they passed. He clearly wasn’t impressed by their performance, but the quirk of his eyebrow gave away his amusement. He shook his head and walked toward a table, where Cynthia was sitting. Blue almost felt his jaw drop when Lance handed an expectant Cynthia twenty pokédollars. 

Red ended up pulling him into the elevator as Blue tried to splutter through explaining what he saw. Laughter wracked them both until the elevator dinged. Once they reached their rooms, Blue looked down at their interlocking hands. Red stared at him, then pulled his hand away.

“Thank you,” he signed. Blue snorted.

“I saw one of your UFOs, y’know. But you were turned away, so.”

“So we’ll have to look again sometime.”

“Guess so!”

“And we have the rest of our lives to do it,” Red signed. 

“Ugh, gross. Too cheesy.” Blue didn’t even try to hide his blush, but he still tried to flick Red’s hat away.

“You’re one to talk,” Red signed before unlocking his door. Pikachu and Eevee bounded inside, leaving their trainers to stand in the hallway. “Well? Are you coming?

Red stepped aside, leaving room for Blue, who could only look at him. After a moment of silence, Blue laughed. 

“At least give me a sec to get my stuff.” Yeah, he was definitely red in the face now. Blue turned on his heel and burst into his own room, Eevee following behind him.

He figured he’d let his team have the run of his room while he was away. He found himself hoping that they'd make a mess and Lance would be charged for it somehow. He sighed and released Alakazam from its ball. The pokémon blinked at him, patted him on the head, then floated over to the couch. 

Eevee chirped at him as he threw some of his clothes into one of his suitcases.

“Weren’t you just cuddling with Pikachu? I know you aren’t going to help me pack.” Blue scratched her ears. “Stop giving me that look.”

She wagged her tail then walked back to Red’s room. Blue ran a hand through his hair, then winced when his fingers caught on a twig. 

He wandered into the bathroom and flipped the lights. One look in the mirror told him that, yeah, his face was still flushed. And it probably would be for the foreseeable future. Given everything he'd done so far on their trip, Red was going to take every opportunity to embarrass him. And given what he saw from Lance and Cynthia, so was everyone else. He stepped into the shower and sighed. He'd just have to accept it.

After showering and changing, Blue finally dragged some of his belongings to Red’s room, where he unceremoniously dumped them on the ground. Red looked up at him from his position on the couch, where he sat watching the muted TV. Pikachu and Eevee were crowded together on a small, fluffy bed in the corner.

Red was wearing pajamas, a moot point given that they'd have to be at the stadium in a few hours, but a point that Blue wished he had taken. He shrugged off his jacket and flopped onto the couch beside Red. Then he flopped his legs onto Red's lap.

"Wasn't trying to force you to stay with me. Just thought I'd offer." Red signed. Blue laid against the arm rest, hands behind his head. He snorted.

"Your offer's been accepted," Blue said to the TV. He looked at Red without turning his head. "My room was too quiet without your snoring. Got used to it in the desert."

They stared at each other for a moment, before something seemed to strike Red.

"Leaf will be very happy to hear about this," he signed. Blue threw a pillow at him. She was the last person he wanted to know. And, unfortunately, also the first.

"That one's on you, pal. She already assumes. And she probably already knows, anyway. She's got spies and trackers on us and can hear everything we say."

Red nodded in agreement. After a beat of silence, Red lifted his hands then dropped them. Blue started to open his mouth, but Red cut him off.

"What do you want to call this?" He signed, pointing at himself then Blue

Blue thought back to their other hotel rooms, where they'd shared more or less the same familiarity. Nothing had changed, not really, but everything had changed, too. He sat up. Red's hands moved.

"What do I tell Mom next time we're in Pallet Town?" Red pushed Blue's legs from his lap and turned toward him, leaning against the other arm rest. 

"'This is Blue. My ex-rival. Reinstated best friend. Handsomest man this side of Mt. Coronet and beyond.'" Blue stuck out his tongue as Red moved him. "And 'the hottest boyfriend ever.'"

"Wouldn't go that far," Red signed. Blue wrestled his hat away.

"You wound me." Blue held the hat above his own head, smirking as Red rolled his eyes. "But you're right. Some might say you hold that title."

"'Some' meaning you," Red signed, a little shakily. Blue took pity and returned his hat. Red immediately pulled it down over his eyes.

"Guilty as charged," he said with a laugh.

Blue relaxed as Red released his grip on his hat. Red might kill him for his flirting one day, and he was fully willing to accept it now. Maybe they could head back to that diner and get that couple's discount honestly. He flopped back onto the couch.

He had a feeling that the moment Red’s mom caught sight of the two of them together, she’d know. Daisy, too. Just like Lance. The backstage lounge at the tournament was going to be a field day later, he could sense it. At least they had a couple more hours to prepare.

After half-watching several episodes of a touristy Unovan travel show, Red sat up, stretched, then scooped Pikachu from his spot by Eevee. Blue watched him silently, raising an eyebrow. Red maneuvered Pikachu to his shoulder, freeing his hands.

“We need to get to the stadium,” he signed. 

Blue squinted at the clock on the wall, looked at his pokégear, then looked at Red. He was right. He rolled from the couch with a huff.

“Fine, fine. We’ve wasted enough time, so Lance should be there already.”

“He won’t ground us.”

“You don’t know what he did to me when I was younger." 

“You deserved it,” Red signed as he left the room. Blue narrowed his eyes but couldn’t disagree.

All of the champions sat in a cluster in one of the stadium’s many lounges. Alder and Lance were discussing something or another, while a young girl kept trying to interrupt. She must’ve been one of Unova’s recent champions; nowadays, champions seem to rotate pretty regularly in most regions. Blue had trouble keeping up.

He and Red stood against the wall of windows overlooking the field. Blue was only half paying attention to the conversation, instead watching as Red studied the schedule on his pokégear.

“Anything decent lined up today?” Blue asked. Red gave him a deadpan stare, then thrust the gear back at him.

“Do you ever read the things people send you?” Red signed. 

“Nope,” Blue answered. He raised an eyebrow at two staff members, who kept glancing his way. They jumped and turned toward a TV screen when he made eye contact.

“Today’s a Champion Showcase,” Red signed, ignoring their looks. “The most popular event, according to Cynthia.”

Champion Showcase. Blue nodded. During the last few of these tournaments he’d attended as a teenager, he’d found a way to wiggle out of similar events. It’s not that he didn’t mind competing against other champions, he’d just figured It wasn't worth the potential embarrassment. Not the best excuse. 

“Cynthia also said that you –” Red started signing, but Blue cut him off.

“I’m participating,” Blue said with a wave of his hand. “Figured you wouldn’t let me get out of it.”

“You know who you’re up against, then?”

“I don’t read my emails.”

Red nodded and tried to suppress a smile. Blue had a sinking feeling he knew exactly who he was up against, given who had a hand in making the schedule. He shot Lance a glare. Lance smiled.

The crowd broke into several different groups of conversations and spread out into the room. Meeting adjourned. Blue turned to face the field, glad to be free of pretending to listen. Red followed his lead, bumping his shoulder as he did so. 

“When are we on?” Blue asked the window. He glanced to the side as Red answered.

“Second to last. It’ll be a while.”

“Great. Wanna train?” He asked. Red paused, then shook his head.

“Cheating.” Red signed with a nod. Pikachu chirped in agreement.

“No way! I just watched you train yesterday!”

“You’ll see all of my secret moves.”

“I already know all of your moves,” he said, laughing. Red grew contemplative.

“All of them?” He signed as he leaned toward Blue’s face until they were inches apart. Blue felt himself flushing, but he refused to look away.

“Enough of them!” Blue barked as he pushed Red back. Red’s shoulders shook with laughter while Blue did his best not to look flustered.

The field below was crowded with trainers and cameras. Some lower-level battles were set to begin soon, with the winners battling one of the Unovan champions. Someone in the lounge was pointing out the best trainers, while one of the newer champions was boasting about the tournaments held in his region. Apparently nearly every gym in Galar functioned like this stadium, with weekly events of this tournament's caliber. 

Blue thought it sounded exhausting to be one of their gym leaders, but then again, it sounded ridiculously fun to always be the star of the show. Probably a better experience than Viridian's gym. He watched Red's reflection in the window; maybe they could make a stop at one of those arenas on their journey.

He noticed Red's startled jump before he saw Lance's reflection appearing behind them. He slapped on his best annoyed look before turning around.

"I'm looking forward to today's battles," Lance said. He was smiling warmly.

Red elbowed Blue before he could get a word out. 

"Iris will beat you," Red signed. Lance looked over his shoulder and laughed.

"I'd be surprised if she didn't."

Blue glanced at the girl he was referring to near one of the refreshment tables. She'd been the one dancing around Lance and Alder earlier. And she'd also been one of the kids who'd been in that diner last week. He ran a hand through his hair. Small world.

Lance continued to stand there, making a show of watching the trainers on the field. Red and Blue shared a look.

"I'm going to get Pikachu a snack," Red signed before hurrying toward the dessert table. Blue opened his mouth and abruptly shut it as he tried to follow Red. Lance didn't budge.

"Excuse you, old man, I need to –" Blue shut his mouth again when Lance laughed.

"He'll be alright. I need a moment of your time." Lance didn't wait for a response, and he herded Blue and Eevee to an area farther away from the crowd.

Glancing over his shoulder, Blue could see Red chatting with some of the champions. Cynthia was translating for him, but Iris was doing her best to sign with him, despite apparently only knowing some Unovan words. Red was grinning.

"I really am proud of the both of you," Lance said, startling Blue.

"Have I not gotten this spiel already?" Blue asked. He leaned against the window and kicked his leg behind him. He crossed his arms for good measure.

"I'm being sincere. I just wanted to make sure that you and Red are going to be fine battling one another. If there's any issue, I can fill in."

"Psh, and upset our millions of adoring fans? Nah, we're good. Great, even." He smirked as he saw Lance's eye twitch at the mention of millions, but he didn't press the matter. Lance nodded.

Blue bit his tongue before he could bring up whatever bet Lance had lost earlier that morning. Lance would either not admit to it, or make a grand show of admitting it in his monotone way, assuring that the whole room heard in the meantime. He didn't like either option, so he let it go.

"Thanks for offering, anyway. Red and I are in a better place. He can handle losing to me." Blue waved his hand as he spoke. Some people in the crowd around Red roared and clapped at a stack of twelve cookies balanced on Pikachu's nose. Lance looked over his shoulder, following Blue's line of sight.

"I'm glad to hear it," Lance said as he clapped Blue on the shoulder. 

"Thanks, Dad."

"You're very welcome." Lance shook his head and readjusted his cape behind him. That thing was as obnoxious as ever. Blue hoped he never changed it. "But I do have to ask that both you and Red attend some of the dinners. Yes, and you should give at least one more interview. No, your presence is not just a gift. This is a public event."

He'd never change about anything. Blue hated the old commands-phrased-as-advice act, but he appreciated it all the same. He agreed, then agreed to let Red know, then agreed to follow through today. Lance seemed overjoyed, or at least as overjoyed as he would ever show. He seemed to want to add something, but he gave Blue a strange look before shaking his head.

"You two behave," was all he said before giving some excuse to bother someone else. 

He and Red had behaved so far. They hadn't caused any international scandals, just like he'd asked back in Kanto. That had to be a win.

Blue scratched his nose. Red was still surrounded by people, but he caught Blue's gaze and held it. A nod of his head caused Blue to drag himself over to Red and Pikachu, Eevee bounding along behind him. Once he reached him, he threw an arm around Red's shoulder. He ignored the couple inches of height Red had on him while he leaned into his side, smiling.

The two of them drifted in and out of a dozen conversations as the clock ticked. Blue stood in as Red’s translator. The other champions flocked around them once they noticed that Red was being outgoing and that Blue wasn't glaring daggers at everything. It was nice talking with everyone.

Diantha remembered he'd gone to university in Kalos (shocking). Steven and Wallace wanted to know if he'd spent time researching mega-evolution stones in school (he had…barely). Iris wanted to fight Red and him at the same time (terrifying. For him). 

It was…nice.

Hours passed.

Cynthia and Diantha were the first pair to battle. The arena seemed to shake with the shouts of the audience as the two women took their places on the field. The announcers joked over the loudspeakers and appeared as talking heads on the TV screens around the room. Cynthia had recently had a cameo in a period drama about Arceus, a role that Diantha had been rumored to be a shoo in for. Blue knew that there wasn’t any ill will between the two, but the crowds were eating it up. 

He cringed thinking about what they were going to say when he and Red finally made it to the field. Red was clearly thinking something similar, judging by the sour expression he wore. He nudged him in the shoulder, earning a tense smile in return.

The other champions left in the room were huddled by the viewing windows, watching the battles with interest. Everyone else was either on the sidelines or training. Blue felt antsy.

He had relayed Lance’s requests to Red, who had accepted them without much complaint. They’d already done another interview, which was set to premiere as they readied themselves for battle that evening. It’d gone better than the last one, at least.  

Other than their brief interviews, he and Red had been near inseparable. Blue kept finding his hand drifting toward Red's, only to be interrupted by someone asking him a question. But he didn't mind. He felt…proud that both of them were actually interacting with everyone, even if he felt silly about being proud. Whatever, he was having fun.

That's what he kept repeating to himself while he tapped his foot and crossed and uncrossed his arms as more champions left the room. Red hovered around him, catching his weird mood.

"You're nervous about our battle," Red signed. Bullseye. Blue ran a hand through his hair.

"Am not," he tried. The defense was weak; he was easily overruled. Red rolled his eyes then leaned against the wall, blocking Blue's view of the battle below. It was Lance and that Galar champion now.

"I am, too," Red signed. Blue snorted, but Red kept signing before he could say anything smart. "This is a big deal. One of us has to lose."

"We could rig it as a draw," Blue said with a shrug. Red gave him a level stare. "Or I can claim my ankle is too hurt, that I can't go on, and then they'll call it off. We have options."

Red was having to work to disguise his smile. He turned away, looking to where Pikachu and Eevee were chasing after a ball. They were the only trainers left in the room now. Everyone else had made the wise decision to actually train.

"We'll be okay," Red assured. Blue fiddled with the sleeves of his jacket. "We've gone through a lot, and we're still here together."

Together. He was going to have to admit that Red was right more often. He puffed his cheeks then released a loud sigh.

"I guess so. But I'm still open to rigging it."

Red shook his head in amusement. He watched as Blue scratched at his nose, then furrowed his brow. Without any warning, he grabbed Blue by the shoulders and forced him to lock eyes. Blue blinked.

He had no idea what Red was studying so intensely or even why he was being held. He half expected Red to try shaking some sense into him, but Red simply nodded after a few moments. He released his grip then slid his hands into Blue's, who could only give him a quizzical stare. Satisfied with whatever observation he'd made, Red let go then tugged on his hat.

"We'll be okay," Red signed again. "But I'm not going easy on you."

"Anything else and I'd be insulted," Blue laughed. "Can't have you going soft on me."

"Speak for yourself. But I prefer softer Blue outside of battles." Red signed before turning on his heel.

Red glanced at from one of the TV screens behind them to the battlefield, then walked out of the lounge, leaving Blue rooted to his spot, staring after him. Soft? That was the last word he'd use to describe himself, no matter how much he trailed after Red or joked about anniversaries or dragged him out on stargazing dates or…well.

Eevee rubbed against his leg, circling his ankles and mewing softly. He picked her up and held her at arm's length. Pursing his lips, he narrowed his eyes at her.

"Don't tell me you agree with him," he muttered. She licked his hand. Sighing, he held her to his chest and followed Red. Fine. Whatever. So what if Red was right again? 

Blue rounded the corner, only to run right into Red's back. He grumbled when Red turned to look at him, his eyes lighting up.

"Slowpoke," Red signed. "Follow me."

Blue did as asked with little complaint. Or as little as he could manage. Red led him through a winding corridor that snaked around the arena, deftly dodging a number of cameras and reporters as he went. Through the walls, the announcers were going through a list of advertisers and warning everyone to be back in their seats in a half hour.

Blue shifted Eevee in his arms and pulled his pokégear from his pocket. Six o'clock already. Almost time for their battle.

A few minutes later, after several staircases, they were in the stadium's basement. A woman with a clipboard looked surprised to see them at first, but she waved them over without another glance.

Blue let his eyes wander around the room. The training gyms were down that cavernous hall, and the locker rooms were to their right. Staff ran in and out of unmarked rooms, which Blue figured must be boring offices. Conkledurr and Machoke followed some of the staff, carrying tables and refreshments. He briefly wondered what running a place like this would be like, but then he took another look at all of the people and pokémon milling about. Way too much responsibility. He was fine with just being a guest.

He snapped back to the present to find the clipboard lady trying to talk to Red. Her sentences were broken and she was struggling with the clipboard, but she was clearly trying. She pushed up her glasses with her wrist and regarded Blue as he came to stand by Red's side.

"As I was telling Champion Red," she said. Her grip on the clipboard was tight now. Blue gave her his best smile, which calmed her a little. "I was about to send someone for you! The event will…start again in a half hour, but you won't actually start until seven."

She flipped through the pages on her clipboard then threw the thing on a passing cart, muttering something about professor's assistants not being qualified for event management.

"Please, follow me." Whoever this girl was, she didn't look much older than himself, which made Blue send a prayer in thanks to Arceus that Lance and the Elite Four had never tried to make him do something like this. 

They passed Steven and Wallace as they went. The two were clearly exhausted, but they waved cheerfully as they passed. They had been the last pair on the field before the intermission.

Blue wanted to grill them on how they battled each other in public while in a relationship, but they'd done it for years, anyway. It's not like one of them lived on a mountain away from people and cameras. He huffed.

The girl stopped in front of one of the training gyms and tugged on her hat. Red was staring into the room, ignoring the chaos surrounding them. 

"Okay, well, you're allowed to do whatever, but I recommend warming up for at least twenty minutes. Because the battles are more intense, the Unovan League has a professional judge the health of you and your pokémon beforehand. It's just protocol. Are you two fit to battle?" She glanced between Red and him.  Red nodded after Blue finished translating, but he refused to look away from him afterward. Blue glanced from his ankle to Eevee to Pikachu to Red. He sighed.

"I'm perfectly fit." He managed to keep most of the annoyance out of his voice. “So is Red.”

"Good, good, okay. Well! Now, you can use this gym or the next to practice." She yawned. "Some trainers say it's bad luck to see your opponent train before a big battle, but it's your choice."

"Bad luck and cheating," Red signed. He smirked at Blue then ran into the room, shutting the door behind him.

Blue scoffed. The girl didn't react at all. She just stared at Blue.

"Looks like the other gym's yours. Someone will fetch you when it's time." She began walking away, but stopped suddenly. "You're friends with Leaf?"

Blue groaned.

"We've exchanged research in the past! She mentioned knowing you a week or so ago. Asked me to tell you to ‘have tons and tons of fun,’ I think. And that if you two didn’t come here together that I should give her an ‘emergency call.’” The girl squinted at a clock on the wall then squeaked. “Oh my, well, I’ve gotta go. Good luck!”

And then she was gone. Blue exchanged a quizzical look with Eevee, but he moved to his assigned gym without saying a word. It was just like Leaf to know someone here. Like he told Red earlier. She definitely had spies tracking them.

Once he was inside the room, he clicked the door shut and heaved a sigh. One by one, he released his team and instructed them to do their basic warm ups. He did some quick lunges and stretches for himself, then pulled out his gear.

He struggled internally for a moment before opening his messages. He opened the schedule Red had been looking at earlier and studied it. Okay, so maybe there was some useful information in here, but it was mostly stuff he already knew. Seven o'clock start. Three vs. three battle. He and Red were second to last only because Unova wanted to show off their own champions as a final hurrah. Fancy dinner after that battle ended. His eyes drifted to the date on the email. Today’s date. It had been over three months since he’d graduated. Blue tossed the gear back into his pocket then watched his pokémon.

Eevee fetched spoons thrown by Alakazam. Arcanine and Aerodactyl raced each other around the perimeter. Exeggutor, Gyarados, and Machamp stood off to the side, ready to start a race of their own.

He'd more or less already decided on his team for the battle, and his pokémon guessed as much. But there wasn't any harm in training, so he let them be. A few suggestions from him caused Eevee to exchange places with Arcanine, but otherwise, he trusted them to know what to do.

So he slid against the wall and sat down on the floor.

He hadn't thought of everything that had happened during the last day until that exact moment. He ran a hand through his hair and let out a low whistle.

His eyes followed Eevee as she ran in a wide circle, but he didn't see her. He saw an endless night sky and a pair of worn sleeping bags. 

And to think that it all happened because a flight was cancelled. He smiled to himself.

He was still smiling and watching his team when a knock sounded against the door.

Time to go.

Chapter Text

Well, almost time. He didn't have to worry about actually battling Red for another half hour, but he still had to be on the field. These tournaments were half as much about the show as they were about the battles. He figured he wouldn't mind if they were three-quarters about the show.

A different staff member led him through the hall and up a ramp. This guy seemed more serious and didn't bother with small talk when Blue tried to goad him. His stiff tie matched his demeanor.

He caught sight of Red just as he walked through the door into the arena. The crowds roared and music blared until the door fell shut, only muffling the noise a little. Blue wished they'd let him go first, because he wasn't likely to receive that much fanfare. It was hard to compete with Red.

But he immediately stomped on that thought, then ripped it up, then threw it into a volcano. He was done with that.

He was still nervous , though. The nerves never stopped. So he covered them up. Red would notice, he always did, but every member of that audience would see confident and cocky Blue. But even that wasn't a cover; he felt like all three swirled together. He'd give everyone a show, at least.

The clipboard guy extended his arm when Blue tried to walk forward, stopping him in his path.

"Wait for the signal," were the first words he spoke as he tapped at his ear piece. Blue nearly stuck his tongue out at him.

After a forever passed, clipboard guy nodded.

"Center field first. Then head for the sidelines of the left field. Battle begins in thirty minutes," he relayed in a dry voice.

"Not like I've been watching people do this all day," he muttered under his breath. When the man arched an eyebrow at him, Blue gave him his most winning smile and wink. "My many gracious thanks for all your help."

He barely resisted the urge to mock bow before the door was opened. Light overwhelmed the opening, and cheers flooded into the hallway. The crowd was just as loud for him.

"And here's. Our. Next. Champion," roared an announcer. "Former Champion of Kanto, Former Gym Leader of Viridian City, and Recent University of Kalos graduate! Everyone, give a round of applause for Blue Oak!"

Blue smiled and waved as the crowd went wild. He made it to the center of the field and gave everyone his best show. Charming smile, over exaggerated wink.The ridiculously large jumbotron displayed his smirking face for the whole world, and he found himself eating it up. But he quickly glanced over the sidelines until he caught sight of a red hat. Red was smiling widely at him. Blue winked in his direction and made a small bow before heading toward left field.

Several staff members swarmed around him, double-checking that they had his team correct and that he was ready. Reporters were everywhere, and twice as many cameras flashed or were pointed right at him. The reporters were mostly interested in catching their viewers up to speed on the event so far, but he heard some snippets of his personal history. He winced when the jumbotron played clips from their new interviews.

"Any strategies for today's match?" A reporter asked from off screen. They had taped these in front of the crowds of the normal trainer battles during the afternoon, clearly in an attempt to make everyone think they were being done live. Blue was thankful they weren’t; who knows what mess he’d get into during a live recording. "This is the first televised battle between you and Red in nearly a decade, so both of you have had plenty of time to plan."

Blue crossed his arms as he watched his recorded self shake his head.

"My strategy today? Same as always," he laughed. He looked from the interviewer to the camera, then smiled wide. They always hated it when you looked at the camera. "Win."

The video transitioned to some clips from his battles over the past few days while the announcers prattled over it. Something, something, powerful trainer, preferred strong moves over agility, blah blah. Blue glanced around at all the people scurrying around him.

He released Eevee from her pokéball and let her stand on his shoulder. Give the people what they want. He heard some cries from the audience behind him and waved in their direction.

"You've impressed everyone with your battle prowess," the interviewer began again. Blue turned back to the jumbotron. Red was smiling slightly on the giant screen. "It's not every day that a legend returns from hiatus to remind everyone why he's a legend. Got anything special planned for today?"

The Red on the screen shrugged.

"No surprises," he signed. "This is just something we need to do."

The screen transitioned to the announcers sitting at their desk. An overdone graphic reading "Blue vs. Red: The Return?" took up the space behind their heads. Blue rolled his eyes and did his best to ignore their commentary. They were breaking down one of Red's battles now.

He looked down the field, to where he would be able to see Red if there weren't a billion people standing in the way. He couldn't help but agree with Red; this was something they needed to do. He couldn't pin down exactly why they needed to battle – an end to a chapter? to bury the past? just to prove themselves to each other? – but it felt right, whatever it was. He just hoped he wouldn't freeze on the field like he had the other day.

"Rumors have long surrounded Champion Red," one of the announcers said. Blue groaned as he grabbed a water bottle from one of the interns. "Like, what was he doing all those years? Why has he decided to return now? How will he face his former rival on the field today?"

"Well, Skyla, to answer those questions, we'll need to take a long look at his career. This is old footage of his last battle with Blue…" The announcers bantered more, but Blue shut them out. He turned from the screen and walked behind the row of cameras.

He wished someone he knew was down here, someone he could bother in place of trying to steel his nerves. Really, he wished he could talk Red's ear off until he told him to shut up. With a sigh, he pulled out his pokégear and poked at the screen. He sent a quick message to both Leaf and Daisy, demanding that they tune into their battle. Then he ran a hand through his hair and scratched Eevee's nose. She licked his cheek.

The announcers joked around about their battles, but there wasn't any mention of them outside the arena. He wasn't sure if he wanted to be offended or not; he honestly loved hearing the gossip these people came up with. One of the announcers made an offhand comment about how they seemed to be “getting along again,” but she was glossed over by the other announcer excitedly prattling on about Pikachu. Apparently nobody had gotten photos of Red carrying Blue through the Nimbasa rain. He was almost sad about it.

Now that he thought about it, none of the champions had said anything about him and Red earlier. Technically, there was Lance and Cynthia, but…he sighed. Everyone probably assumed they were together from the start.

Eevee licked him again. He gently batted her head away and cast a glance around the arena. It had to be getting close to showtime. Any longer should be considered psychological torture. 

As if on cue, the music picked up and the ads running on the jumbotron faded. One of the announcer's voices boomed through the arena, asking everyone to find their seats. Blue wondered how the crowd sat through this all day long without a headache.

The clipboard man appeared behind Blue suddenly, nearly causing him to scream. He pointed at his earpiece then the field. Blue rolled his eyes but nodded. 

"Center field, shake hands, mid field, wait for the announcers," he said. Blue nodded again.

He called Eevee back into her pokéball and checked the rest of his team. Time to go, for real this time.

Music roared and the crowds cheered as Blue and Red crossed the field. Blue walked backwards, outwardly working the crowds and inwardly putting off eye contact with Red. Bracing himself, he turned around and took in the whole stadium. Maybe all of this wasn't so bad. Maybe he and Red could worm their way into more fancy battle tournaments after this.

Red nodded when he caught Blue's eye. He looked confident. Blue grinned and lifted his chin. They were standing several paces away from one another in the center of the field.

"Loser buys dinner," Blue signed. Red blinked, then rolled his eyes.

"Deal," he signed in return. They were closer to each other now.

"Winner obviously chooses the restaurant, too," Blue signed. 

"Of course," Red agreed. "Hey, Blue?"

"Yeah?"

"...Good luck." He was going to sign something else, but he hesitated a moment too long when he realized how many people had their eyes on them. Blue laughed.

"I'd say the same to you, but you don't need it." Blue signed. They were facing each other now. Center field, shake hands. Blue extended his hand first. Red shook it, but he didn't let go. Blue's smile grew wider. That weight on his chest returned, and what he wouldn't give to pull Red into an embrace. But instead, he winked and let go.

He turned on his heel as Red did the same. Mid field, wait for the announcer. 

"Fans and trainers and any pokémon who might be tuning in," one of the announcers yelled. "Get ready! The long awaited reunion between Former Champions Red and Blue begins…"

Well, it technically began three years ago, but he'd forgive them this once. He cracked his knuckles.

“Right…” Red pulled his hat over his eyes. Blue rolled his shoulders.

“Now!” Pokéballs soared into the air in a burst of light. The crowd went wild as Alakazam and Lapras appeared on the field.

Blue had no idea what Red’s strategy for this battle was going to be, but he expected it to be somewhere along the lines of “absolutely destroy Blue.” With a flourish, he raised a hand into the air and swung it in a cutting motion. Alakazam nodded and flew above Lapras. Red stood still, hand clutching the brim of his hat. 

Lapras responded immediately and dashed forward, then spun around and fired an ice beam. Alakazam cast reflect just in time. Blue yelled something not even he could make out, and his pokémon reeled back and threw a shadow ball. It hit Lapras square in the back. The crowd roared.

Blue laughed. He’d scored the first hit. Red let go of his hat.

Lapras didn’t give Alakazam a chance to get a second hit in, though. She immediately fired a powerful stream of water as she increased the distance between them. Alakazam was shaken, but a holler from Blue sent it flying after Lapras. Before Blue could blink, it shot out a blast of psychic waves, taking the other pokémon by complete surprise. 

So what if those announcers were right about him preferring strong attacks? When it worked, it worked. 

Red adjusted his stance. His body faced Blue, but his head was turned toward Lapras. Something was communicated between Red and his pokemon, but Blue would be damned if he knew how. With a roar, Lapras surged forward again, but then feigned right. Alakazam shot off a weaker blast of psychic, but it missed and hit the wall of the arena. The people in the front row there screamed even louder.

Blue felt the hair on his arm rise. His eyes widened.

“Alakazam! Now!” He yelled. Before he finished, Alakazam put up another reflecting wall as Lapras charged a thunderbolt.

Blue was sent tumbling backwards, but he caught himself just before he fell hard on his ankle. Red jerked and shot him a concerned look but a glare from Blue kept him rooted to his spot. He’d be alright. After recovering, Blue nodded to Alakazam, who had managed to fly closer to Lapras as she recovered from her own blast. Alakazam wasn't going to give her a chance to catch her breath, though. Another quick shadow ball ended the round.

Red pat Lapras' head before calling her back to her pokéball. A nurse ran out and took the ball from him and then scurried off the field. Blue gloated and waved to the cameras. 

Red seemed…calm. He was trying to hide a smile, that much Blue could see across the field, but he certainly wasn't upset. Good. He better keep that up while his next two pokémon went down.

Before Blue could sign that thought at Red, he was tossing another pokéball into the air.

"And just like that, another one of Red's pokémon is out! An early lead for Blue, but can he keep it up?" Blue heard one of the announcers say. He tuned them back out and focused on Red.

The lapse in concentration cost him. He hadn't called Alakazam back in time, and it got caught by Charizard. Apparently the reflect hadn't completely stopped Lapras' thunderbolt, causing it to be way more sluggish than either it or Blue realized. With a wince, Blue withdrew Alakazam.

And so they were even. How quickly the tides turned.

Blue weighed his options. He was only allowed to bring three pokémon out here, so he didn't have too many of those options, but he needed a moment to think.

…Thinking done. He released Arcanine in a burst of flame. He could feel Red's amusement, so he leaned into it. He placed a fist on his hip and pointed directly at Red.

"Show him what we've been practicing, Arcanine. And give him a real show." Arcanine leapt forward, dodging an aerial attack from Charizard. He kept running until he nearly collided with Red, then turned at the last instant. Red didn't even flinch.

The sharp turn threw up a small cloud of dust. Nowhere near as much as there'd been in the desert, but enough to distract Charizard. 

Red shook his head at Blue, who simply shrugged. Red made a sharp motion with his right hand, which caused Charizard to swoop low to the ground before Arcanine could get close enough to bite.

Back and forth. Their pokémon danced with each other, weaving in and out, dodging attacks. Blue wondered how well he and Red would fight together instead of against each other, not for the first time. 

He made a grand sweeping motion with his arms, then called to Arcanine. "Let's bring this show to an end!"

The clock on the jumbotron showed that over ten minutes had passed. It hadn't felt that long, but then again, it felt like an eternity. It was always a toss up with these fancy battles, but battling against Red was something else. That he hadn’t immediately decimated him said a lot. He’d just have to keep up the streak. The audience was chanting along with some fight song. Blue hummed with them.

Red twisted suddenly, signing fire as he moved. A quick motion. Blue winced.

Arcanine noticed, though, and ducked just as a blast of fire scorched the air. A graceful leap took Charizard from the sky. An ugly tousle on the ground nearly cost Charizard the round, but a well-timed kick sent Arcanine flying back.

This wasn't getting either of them anywhere, and their pokémon were tiring out. Charizard's flight was slow, Arcanine's steps heavy. No choice. He looked at Arcanine and nodded. Arcanine squared himself and pawed at the ground. 

He ran, swerved just as Charizard did, running far past Red until he was on the other side of the field. The movement confused Charizard just long enough for Arcanine to psych himself up. Blue smiled and signed fire in the largest circles he could manage. Arcanine took off. And then they were both taken down by a running blitz of fire.

Sacrifice wasn't the best strategy in a battle like this – really, it was probably one of the worst – but Blue loved to put on a performance.

Red was shaking his head. Blue laughed. Certainly not what he would've done. The look on his face told Blue that he would've rather Arcanine taken Charizard down with a simple bite, even if it put him in a worse position. Too risky, and pokémon typically didn't like losing to their own moves. He'd have to give Arcanine an extra treat tonight. Five extra treats. Ah well, now they were even. Poetic. He wasn’t sure if this counted as keeping his streak, though.

The audience and announcers had gone wild over the trade, but had since grown quiet after the nurse left the field with their pokémon. Blue was tapping his foot and tossing his last ball into the air. Red was holding his and pulling at his hat.

"Last chance to call a draw," Blue called. He smiled wider as Red glared at him halfheartedly. "Nobody wins, sure, but nobody loses either."

Red gave him a look that somehow read "and what about our bet?" He still held the pokéball in an outstretched hand, his fingers covering it. To keep the crowds from recognizing it. Blue knew exactly what was in that ball the moment he stepped onto the field.

They locked eyes.

"Fine, fine," Blue said, waving his empty hand. He took a deep breath. Time for Red to finally murder him. At least he would die happy. He held the pokéball in the crook of his arm and began signing. "As long as you promise you'll still love me when I beat you."

Red froze. His face flushed, mirroring Blue's own. 

Blue chucked Eevee's ball into the air. Red released Pikachu at the same moment, neither trainer taking their eyes off of each other. Then Blue winked.

"Eevee! Swift!"

Eevee took off after Pikachu, running in close and throwing a string of stars at him. The proximity kept Pikachu on his toes, kept him playing defensive. 

Red was watching Blue, though, not the battle. He was embarrassed, but only the flush of his cheeks would give him away to the audience. Nobody else would notice the way he tightened the grip on his hat or the way he adjusted his feet. There was something else in his expression, too. That same look he'd given Blue when he'd caught him practicing behind the hotel. Whenever he caught Blue staring at him.

"Of course I will," Red signed. Before he'd hardly finished the signs, though, he was twisting around to look at Pikachu. Something in the battle shifted, and Blue struggled to keep his eyes on Eevee. What he wouldn't give to tackle Red to the ground right there in front of the whole world. Arceus, he had it bad.

He barely refrained. Instead, a crackle in the air tore him from his reverie. A thunderbolt bolt hit the ground near Eevee, fuzzing her fur but doing minimal damage. Her dodge increased the distance between the two pokémon, which gave Pikachu a chance to switch to the offensive. Joy.

They'd practiced just like this years ago on Mt. Silver. This battle should be easier because they weren't fighting against several feet of snow, but several thousand pairs of eyes seemed to weigh him down just as much. Blue cheered as Eevee danced around an attack and swiped at Pikachu. From the corner of his eye, he caught himself on the jumbotron. His fist was in the air, his hair a mess, his jacket half falling off. The look of a trainer in his prime.

From across the field, Red was in similar condition. Sure, he had more practice dodging electric attacks, but that didn't stop the static from getting to his hair. He stood, rooted to nearly the same spot, commanding the entire field. But Blue could see a sheen of sweat reflecting in the stadium lights as he readjusted his hat. He was powerful. Confident. And damn good looking. Blue hoped the whole world saw what he did.

Pikachu squeaked as Eevee sent another string of stars barreling towards him. This was going to be close. If the people wanted a show, they were getting one. He could imagine the headlines and the fansites tomorrow morning, raving about Red's triumphant return to the spotlight and Blue's triumphant return to public battles. And after all this, they'd better be flattering articles about him.

Pikachu dodged the stars in the nick of time and turned on Eevee. A quick jump launched him into the air, where he spun and thrust his tail at her. Eevee took the hit, but seized the moment and bit at Pikachu's ear. Blue watched Red as he watched him in turn.

Something was swirling behind Red's eyes. He was still turned toward the battle, occasionally gesturing at his pokémon, but his full attention was on Blue. Must be deciding whether he had been trying to distract him with the love comment or had been sincere. Blue smiled a toothy grin. Red rolled his eyes. He'd decided that both were true.

Blue knew for a fact that everyone watching was analyzing their conversation and hanging onto their words just as much as their pokémons' moves now. Whatever. This was between Red and him. Leaf be damned if she threw a fit over it.

Eevee dashed around Pikachu, dodging another swipe of his tail. The audience roared, the announcers were shouting.

Red rolled his shoulders, then moved his hands. Blue stared at him.

"Will you promise the same?" Red signed. Blue blinked.

Pikachu lunged at Eevee, throwing himself against her flank. Both tumbled several feet before skidding to a halt.

The audience went quiet. No more screams, no more buzzwords over the loudspeakers. No camera flashes or replays on the jumbotron. Nothing but Blue, Red, and their pokémon. 

Eevee flung Pikachu away from her. They circled one another. No fancy moves, just strength against strength. Blue had intended for a showy finale, but this was…personal. Intimate wasn’t the right word to use in the middle of a stadium housing thousands of people, but it was close. He could see the shake in Eevee’s step, the exhaustion creeping behind every move, but Pikachu wasn't fairing much better. Despite the exhaustion, determination still flashed in their eyes.

"Duh," Blue scoffed at Red. He continued signing. "Always. You're never getting rid of me now." He wanted to close the distance between them now more than ever, but his gut told him these next moments would decide the match. He held his ground. Red smiled and nodded. Then he made a grand sweeping motion.

Pikachu rocketed forward, pulsing with electricity. Eevee leapt to the left, but Pikachu shot back and swiped her right side before she could turn around. While she was stunned, he swiveled to face her. Time slowed. If she didn't react in time, this was it. He clenched his fists hard enough to hurt. From the corner of his eye, he could see Red watching him. He relaxed, then called to Eevee.

"You've done great, girl! Let's put an end to all this." He pointed in her direction, but she didn't look back. Instead, her fur bristled and her posture radiated resolve. He knew better than to promise her a sure win. It would be tough to pull off. But they could sure as hell try. And, eh, if all else failed maybe they could still pull off that draw.

Eevee bolted. She ran straight at Pikachu just as he leapt for her, but she cut right. Pikachu couldn't slow down until he was at the opposite end of the arena. The two stared one another down from across the field. Blue stood feet from Eevee, fists on his hips. 

This was it. One final move. One last moment.

Red was just as determined. Blue felt an overwhelming sense of pride; he was proud of how well Red battled, how well Eevee and the rest of his team fought, how well he had fought. How well he'd fought just to stand here. Through the fog, through the aimlessness, through his own thoughts. He'd managed to stand on this field and give it his all. He had Red to thank for some of that (maybe – definitely – more than some of that) but himself, too. He'd done well. The ending of this battle wouldn’t change that.

As the pride flooded through him, a different emotion bubbled up through the surface. Peace. The same peace that he'd felt last night, beneath the stars. Blue released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He didn’t know how long he’d been holding it. Whatever happened here today, he'd be alright. They both would be. He laughed.

Eevee catapulted forward, Pikachu rushing toward her in tandem. The hair on Blue's neck stood on end as Pikachu charged a thunderbolt. Eevee dashed wide, shooting stars as she went, trying to box him in. She turned hard, skidding to the side as more stars came at Pikachu. He barely dodged them by firing a few stray bolts, but he was still struck. Eevee ran closer, closer, until she was inches away from Pikachu. She leapt for him just as he released a tremendous bolt of lightning.

The arena went white. 

Blue blinked away spots that danced along the edges of his vision. He knew what he would see, anyway. 

An exhausted Pikachu stood over the sprawling form of Eevee. She was panting, and pawing lightly at the ground. A few seconds, minutes, hours passed, and she shook her head. She was out.

Red had won.

And he was shocked.

He stood gaping, arms limp at his sides. The impact of the thunderbolt had thrown his hat askew, the dust and sand of the field stained his clothes. His eyes were wide and staring directly at Blue.

For once, Blue was speechless. A wide grin split his face. 

He'd been prepared for this outcome all along, he'd had years to prepare and would have many, many more if he had any say in it. The thrill of the battle still coursed through him, but that sense of peace swallowed him whole. There was always tomorrow, always a next battle.

Red seemed unsure, maybe even horrified. He didn't take his eyes off of Blue. His hands were moving, but he wasn't saying anything. Blue's smile grew wider. If his words weren't enough to convince him, he'd just have to show him.

He took off at a sprint, barely aware of Pikachu and Eevee helping each other off the ground. The lights and faces of the crowd streamed past in a blur of color, the sounds merged together. Blue didn't stop running until he nearly crashed into Red.

They stared at each other, a thousand words exchanged in a moment, Blue panting and Red still. Red lifted his hands to sign something, but Blue didn't give him the chance.

He cupped Red's face and kissed him. Kissed him with enough force that they nearly toppled to the ground. Kissed him with all the force and passion he could muster to make Red understand that no matter what, they had each other from here on. Kissed him with all the passion he'd locked away for a decade.

Blue buried one hand into Red's hair, knocking his hat away. The shock melted away, and Red returned the kiss with as much fervor. He held onto Blue like he never wanted to let go.

They stayed like that forever, for what felt longer than their entire battle lasted. 

Red pulled away first, face flushed. Blue choked back more laughter as he tried to make enough space between them for him to sign.

"Congrats on the win," Blue signed first.

The roar of the crowd hit him. The announcers were yelling over a replay of the battle, but he could hear cheers in the crowd directed at them. Music blared and pokémon howled. He focused on Red's hands.

"I get to pick the restaurant," Red signed. Blue rested his head on Red's shoulder. He knew exactly where they were going. At least now everyone knew they wouldn't be lying to get the couple's deal.

“CONGRATS!!! you both were AMAZING!! i can’t wait til i see you again and can MURDER YOU FOR REAL!!! CALL ME or else.” To underestimate Leaf was to underestimate a pissed off Ekans trapped in your shoe. He should've learned that lesson by now, but some things never changed.

Red was staring at the pokégear's screen, impressed by how many voicemails and messages one person could leave in five minutes. He tried to hand it back to Blue, who refused it like it might bite him. 

People had swarmed them the second they stepped onto the sidelines. Cameras, microphones, and excited reporters had all been shoved in their faces. Blue didn't mind. He took enough time with each of them to answer their questions, to translate for Red, to sign autographs, and to tell them that he was grateful for any opportunity to battle, even if that meant losing. And he, weirdly enough, meant it. 

They were sitting in the locker rooms now, their pokémon returned to them in perfect condition. He'd already given Arcanine five treats, and Eevee upwards of ten. She had licked his face and refused to leave his side. Red hadn't left his side, either. Or maybe Blue hadn't left Red's.

The Unovan Champions were on the field now, and the bass of the music and cheers of the crowds rattled the lockers surrounding them. Red leaned into Blue as he rubbed Pikachu’s cheek with one hand. They were alone.

“I’m so incredibly proud of both of you! I love you two so much and cannot wait until I can congratulate you both in person. Have a great rest of your trip!” Daisy’s message lit up his gear’s screen. Much nicer than Leaf’s text. Red handed it over and Blue shot her back a quick “love you too.”

" congrats bros!!! " Sent from Gold. With a sigh, Blue sent him a thanks then put the gear away.

“You were pretty good out there,” Blue said. He stood from the bench and nodded his head toward the door. Lance’s fancy schmancy dinner would start as soon as the Unovans got off the field. He figured he’d get there early, just this once. “Maybe we should do that more often.”

Red followed him as Pikachu and Eevee ran circles around each other and their trainers’ legs. They entered an elevator. Red acted like he was going to jump up and down in it. Blue was still definitely afraid of that.

“Battle? Or make out?” Red signed. Blue snorted as he shook his head.

“Preferably both.”

“You were amazing, too,” Red signed without pausing. With a deep breath, Blue opened himself to that tremendous weight in his chest. It crushed him, not for the first time, not for the last.

"Maybe we could make a living out of this. Travel around, see the sights, battle everyone. Wouldn't be a bad life." Blue said as the elevator dinged. The doors opened to a large banquet hall, filled with the other champions, gym leaders, and important trainers. People cheered or raised their drinks as they noticed the two of them entering. 

"It would be nice," Red signed. "As long as we did it together."

"Duh. I meant what I said on the field. And last night." He dragged Red over to Lance's table, taking the last free seats there. Pikachu jumped onto Blue's shoulder as he sat, while Eevee made herself comfortable on Red's lap. Lance looked fondly at them and nodded before returning to his conversation with a man who was, weirdly enough, only wearing a lab coat and wrestling pants. The man regarded them with an interested gleam in his eye that Blue would definitely have to ask about later. 

"Together," Red signed.

Blue laughed and scratched Pikachu's head. The tournament still had several days worth of battling, which meant they had their hotel room for at least that long. And then after that, they'd figure something out. Travel Unova. Visit his favorite bakery in Kalos. Explore somewhere they'd never heard of before. They'd do it all, in their own time.

"Together," Blue signed in return.