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The adrenaline from the match still lingers. His whole body feels aftershocks from the charged atmosphere of the stadium. Breathing is difficult as he audibly pants when he enters the locker room. It’s empty of course, the other challengers having already battled for the day. Their match was the last one.
He plops down on a bench and holds his head in his hands. This was his last chance. His last chance to prove himself and finally beat his rival. If he could just beat them then he’d have a shot at defeating Leon. He would face off against the Champion of the Galar region, his brother.
But he blew it.
He balls his hands into fists as tears gather in his eyes. His wish, the first and only wish he made, on the wishing star that day: I will be the greatest trainer ever. Had not come true. He had really started to doubt himself that day he lost to Bede. He should have listened to his gut. He’s not smart enough, he’s not strong enough. No matter how many times he switches up his team, it’s not enough. He’s never going to be good enough.
His thoughts turn frantic. Now what? Now, what am I supposed to do? Where do I even go from here? How do I make them notice me now!?
Lost in his thoughts, Hop nearly misses the slight commotion outside, then a muttered, “Please go on through, champ.”
He freezes, why is Lee coming to see him? He doesn’t want to be seen by anyone right now. He angrily rubs at his eyes trying to rid the evidence of his tears. He debates on running out the door before the other can reach him. But he doesn’t have enough time.
The Champion of the Galar region stands before him. Towering over his smaller pathetic form. Bigger and better than him, like always.
“Lee, please go. I don’t feel like talking right now.”
“Hop, I just wanted to come and-”
“And what? Say, ‘better luck next time’ or have you come to give me battle advice? Whatever it is I don’t want to hear it right now, sorry.”
Leon leans forward and puts his hand on his brother’s shoulder, he kneels, putting them at an even level for once. “I’ll be frank with you. I don’t know what to say right now. I don’t have, um experience in this area really-”
“You can say it. You don’t have experience with losing you mean?”
Leon winces, “Well yeah. But I can see that my little brother is upset right now, and I want to help him feel better.”
“What can you even do, Lee? I told you I want to be alone,” Hop sighs, “besides you don’t even know me that well.”
“What do you mean!? I’m your brother, of course, I know you!”
“Really? Then what’s my favorite pokemon?” Hop asks skeptically.
“Charizard?”
“Bzzzt. Wrong. That would be your favorite, Leon,” Hop scoffs, completely done with this conversation and hopes his brother can take the hint and leave.
Leon, never one to back down from a challenge, tries again, “The starter that you chose! What’s it called again?”
“Wrong again. Lee, I really don’t wanna play games right now.”
“Come on, give me one more chance? I’m sure I’ll win this time-”
“It’s not always about winning, Lee! And it’s not always about you! Even though you and everyone else clearly thinks it is!” Hop snaps.
Leon jumps slightly, at his brother’s sudden outburst, “Hop, I-”
“And since you want to know so badly, it’s Wooloo! My favorite Pokemon is Wooloo. My very first Pokemon and the one that saved me when I was in trouble. When you weren’t there! But I wouldn’t expect you to know about that. You were gone. You always were.”
Leon, speechless, just looks at his brother as he continues.
“You were too busy being the Champion being adored by thousands. Your biggest fans being our parents, of course. Do you know how you never came home? Well, it didn’t matter to them, Lee. You’re all they talked about! So proud of their son, the Champion. I know you haven’t seen our living room lately, so let me describe it for you.
“Your portrait hangs in the center of the room, right above the fireplace. All your trophies and awards? You think mum puts them in your room? Nah, she needs to display them throughout the house. God forbid, someone, come to our home and doesn’t realize their son is the Champion!? Not only that, but a stranger in our home would think-” he cut off with a choked sob. “W-Would think that they only have one son.” Dejected, he hangs his head and stares at the floor.
Leon grabs his brother’s shoulders and tries to meet his eyes, frantically searching for some sign of lying. “Hop, what are you talking about? You can’t be serious, mum and dad love you!”
Hop growls, “Of course they love me! That’s not the issue here, Lee!” -he reaches for the hands at his shoulder and roughly pushes himself out of his brother’s grasp- “I’ve got a roof over my head and mum always puts food on the table! I’m not neglected, no. But...there isn’t a single picture of me in the entire house! How do you think that makes me feel, huh!? Are they ashamed of me? Am I not good enough? D-D-Do-?” He has to stop and take a breath before continuing. “Do they not notice me because I’m not you ?”
Not knowing what to do, Leon quickly pulls Hop into a hug. He holds the other tightly and half expects to be pushed away again. But to his relief, he feels a shaky arm wrap around his back as the other starts to sob. Hop buries his face into his brother’s chest.
“Our parents don’t e-even notice me half the time! If it w-wasn’t for my next-door neighbor and Wooloo I would have, w-would have...” he trails off. Leon doesn’t want him to finish that sentence. His heart sinks thinking about what Hop is even implying.
“My best f-friend became my greatest rival. And now, and now they beat me! They always beat me! They’ll probably even beat you! And I-I’ll never be good enough! I’ll never be enough for them! T-They’ll never notice me if I’m not the Champion!” He pulls away and meets Leon’s gaze, a sort of disturbed sneer on his face. Almost as if he were auditioning for a villain’s role in a school play. Leon has never seen his brother look this way, and he never wants to see it again. Hop’s tears have completely subsided. “Oh, you want to know something else? You want to know what our mum said to me when I told her she’s the ‘mother of the first pair of Champion brothers?’ "
Leon shakes his head but his brother can’t see it and tightens his hold on the other. Wanting so desperately to be the big brother he never was. Wanting to protect his little brother from everything that could hurt him, even if that included their parents.
“What did she say?”
“ ‘Of course you will be, darling.’ ” Hop hisses.
Leon shakes his head once more, he knows how patronizing that must have sounded to Hop. Now that he knows the truth, how Hop thought they saw him, he sees just how painful his mother’s placating words must have been.
Leon thinks back on his actions and realizes he isn’t a guilt-free party either. Whether he recognized it at the time or not, he had been grooming his little brother to take his place. Or at the very least, enter the gym challenge, and attempt to battle him for the title. He had personally provided his brother and their next-door neighbor, with a rare, young, and strong Pokemon so they’d have a fighting chance. He was the one to give his endorsement so that they could even be permitted to enter the gym challenge in the first place. Suddenly, Leon feels as if he is the reason Hop is so upset. He did this and he wasn’t there for his little brother. He was so selfish all this time.
And he doesn’t know how to handle it.
Leon releases Hop from their hug. Hop watches from the bench perplexed as the Champion sits fully on the ground and moves the tip of his cap down covering his eyes. Leon feels the sting of tears and knows he doesn’t want to appear upset in front of his brother. It’s not fair to Hop. I shouldn’t be getting upset, he’s the one whose so broken right now! Don’t make this about you! It’s not always about you, Leon, dammit!
The Champion startles a bit when there’s a hand on the tip of his cap. Hop moves the barrier out of the way, and he can see vulnerability for the first time in his brother’s features.
“Lee? Are you crying?”
Leon doesn’t answer at first, trying to collect himself. Trying to be the big brother he needs to be for Hop. Hoping that he doesn’t further ruin their already fragile relationship more than he already has. He startles at the sound of Hop’s laughter.
“Hahahaha” he pauses to take a breath. “Y-You look like someone stole Charizard from you. Oh my God, Lee, you look so sad and pathetic right now. What would your fans think if they saw you like this?”
Confused, Leon sniffles and watches his brother’s form shake with mirth now instead of sorrow.
“I’ve never even seen you look like this! You’re always so proud. The ‘unbeatable’ Champion! Always so happy and perfect! And you-” Hop cuts himself off and meets his brother’s eyes. “You have to be don’t you?”
Leon shifts from his place on the locker room floor. Hop takes in the Champion’s appearance, his cape full of sponsors’ logos drags along the floor, probably getting dirty. Leon doesn’t seem to notice or care at the moment. His attention is fixed solely on Hop.
“It doesn’t matter, Hop. This isn’t about me.” He steadily rises from his seated position but is sure to stay at Hop’s level. “I want you to know that I’m proud of you.”
“But-”
Leon holds up a hand, “Please let me finish.”
Hop looks at his brother, disgruntled, but obeys.
“It couldn’t have been easy dealing with all that pressure. The pressure of wanting to succeed. The pressure of wanting mum and dad to notice you. The pressure of wanting to beat me.”
Hop nods his head slightly, transfixed by what this person, who’s supposed to be the Champion of the Galar region and his brother is saying.
“Hop, you don’t have to be the Champion. Hell, I don’t want you to be the Champion. Not unless it’s something that you want. Something that you truly want for yourself. Hop, have you ever asked yourself what do you want to do?”
Hop starts to tear up again and shakes his head sadly.
“Well, I’d think that that’s a good starting point. You don’t have to follow in my footsteps to matter, and you’re allowed to find your own path to greatness. You’re my little brother, I’m always going to love you and support you no matter what.” He smiles. “Now, about the thing with mum and dad. How about you come and live with me in Wyndon for a while? I’ve got a huge apartment and there’s an open guest room you’re more than welcome to if you want?”
Hop sits motionless for a moment taking in all that his brother has said. He leaps at Leon wrapping his arms around the shocked Champion and crying, “Thank you, Lee.”
Leon recovers from the shock and pats his brother’s back comfortingly. “Mum and dad will come around in time, you’ll see. I for one, can’t wait to see what you’ll do in the future. I know whatever it is, it’ll be incredible.” He lightly pushes the other back so he can see his brother’s tear-streaked face. “Now, come on let’s get outta here and grab some celebratory ice cream! My treat!”
“C-Celebratory? But I lost? What is there to celebrate?”
Leon chuckles and ruffles his brother’s hair, “Hop, didn’t anyone ever tell you? Winning isn’t everything.”
Hop beams and grabs his brother’s hand pulling them to their feet. They both stand up together and make their way out of the locker room. Leon ignores the reporters that circle them like vultures and politely declines any interviews. The only comment anyone can get out of him is repeated over and over.
“I’m sorry, I’m running late! I need to be a big brother now. Please excuse us.”