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The cheers seemed distant, like a muffled mutter equivalent to finding yourself in the bathroom of a club and the music thrums through the walls in deep tone. Victor was entirely use to it now, having been the champion of galar for a few years. He would never get use to the pedestal he stood on now, but having the ability to drown out the cheers in this very moment made him feel like he could have a moment of normality for the time being before he walked off the play field. He needed the normality in order to feel like he wasnt filling up shoes that were too big for his own feet.
His trusty Inteleon stood behind him, the water pokemon having stuck with him for every battle since the beginning of his journey. They had gotten in their own rythm of things, face a challenger, beat said challenger, wave to the crowd, rinse and repeat. That's how it is when you beat the unbeatable.
However, Victor's mind never felt at rest.
A slender finger tapped on Victor's shoulder, stopping the champion midway through waving at the crowd. He turned and followed Inteleon's pointing finger, spotting a figure that stood off in the distance at the side of the field. Or more like two figures.
"Wait..." Victor muttered to no one in particular. He took a step forward as realization piqued and suddenly he felt like a kid again. Like he wasn't the pokemon champion.
"Hop?!" He yelled across the field, launching himself into a run. His best friend nodded with an almost nervous smile on his face and suddenly, the champion was flinging himself into his arms. Dubwool bleeted in protest, side stepping the collision. Inteleon simply watched from his place, full well knowing how much his trainer missed his formal rival. There was many of a night where the curly haired man would let him out of his pokeball just so he had someone who would listen to his reminiscing. Inteleon had definitely wizened up since his days as Sobble.
"Hop, what are you doing here?!" Victor asked, as he pulled away a bit, holding his friend at an arms length. Hop looked almost sheepish (no pun intended) as he tried to keep his composure and not make a fool of himself in front of his long time friend.
"I have a break from my work, thought I'd come by and watch an old friend battle," Hop said, face relaxing into familiarity. "Almost made me wanna go out there and battle you again."
Victor chuckled at that before looking up at the crowd that was still dispersing after the end of the battle. "Why don't we taxi home, mate?"
---
Victor and Hop sat in the Slumbering Weald, their respective pokemon out of their poke balls to enjoy the now clear forest. Zacian and Zamazenta curled up in a sun spot nearby together, the legendaries not even seeming like legendaries in the moment. Hop looked on at them silently as Victor sat with his eyes shut, a slight smile dawned on his face.
"It feels nice out here. Better than when we first found ourselves in here," Victor commented, breaking the silence between them.
"Yeah, I agree," Hop responded before turning his attention to the boy next to him. He had taken off his competitive attire and simply wore a sweater, a t-shirt and some jeans, much like what he formally wore during their journey. Hop on the other hand still wore his lab coat which much reflected his old jacket with the fluffy lining. He had grown his hair out like his brother over the years and pulled it back into a loose ponytail.
"Hey, Hop?" Victor said after another stretch of silence, his eyes now open and staring directly at the violet haired man. He blinked in surprise as he must have spaced out for a moment just staring at his friend.
"Yes?" He responded.
Suddenly, Victor reached over and cupped the side of Hop's face and pulled him down do that they both laid side by side on the grass, facing each other. They were so close together that Hop blushed as he stared into his former rival's eyes. What was going on with him?
"You've started getting some stubble, mate," Victor pointed out, gently rubbing his hand against Hop's jaw.
"Is it bad? Do I look too much like Lee?" Hop asked.
"Nah, you look just as you should be; you," Victor responded. Another silence draped over them. Eventually the champion had slid his hand from Hop's face and came down to find his hand. He gently intertwined their fingers and if Hop had not been wanting this interaction for years and years and years, he would have pulled away... but he knew he couldn't. He really wouldn't.
"Vic-"
"I'm sorry," Victor intervened, gaze now on their hands between them. "It still nags on my brain that I took your dream from you. You merely just invited me to come along with you and yet I managed to take the spotlight."
A beat of silence.
"Victor, I'm not mad. Honestly, I think I'm pretty happy where I am now," Hop said.
"Yes, but I just want you to know..." Victor sat up and hovered over Hop as the violet haired boy rolled on to his back to stare up at his friend. "I'm always ALWAYS thinking about you, you kept me going during that journey, led the way even, and you still do to this day, in my heart..."
"What are you saying?" Hop asked, eyes wide.
"I'm saying that I love you."
Victor leaned down and kissed Hop. Hop's eyes fluttered shut part way through the kiss and brought a hand up to curl in the wisps of hairs at the nape of Victor's neck. He almost couldn't believe this was happening, this was like a dream. He couldn't believe he ended up in the timeline where he would be kissing not only his best friend, but the champion of the Galar region.
All too soon, Victor pulled away and looked down softly at Hop who appeared star struck. He smiled softly out of amusement and leaned down this time to lay back down, but this time against Hop's chest.
"I'm sorry if that was a lot," Victor said. "But seeing you again... it reminded me that my feelings never changed."
"That's rather alright," Hop responded as he stared at the leaves slowly drifting back and forth above them. "I think I got what I was secretly trying to accomplish by coming to the stadium in the first place."
"Oh?"
"Hey, Victor?" Hop said, bringing his hand up to brush through the man's hair.
"Yes, Hop?"
"I love you," Hop said softly. "You should come live with me in Postwick when you aren't competing."
Victor smiled softly at that.
"I think I'll do just that."