Chapter Text
To the region of Galar, Gloria was a gentle breeze. Soft smiles. Quiet responses. The epitome of tranquility. In front of Bede, however, she knew she was anything but. Giggles turned skittish. Cheeks burned up. Smiles turned hopeful.
One could say feelings of love were intrusive. Distracting. An opening for teases and sly looks--the very ones that followed her figure as she walks beside him. But it was a very badly kept secret that Gloria had more than friendly feelings for the Gym Leader.
She blames herself--and maybe how loudly Hop would tease her about her lovesick gazes at him. And everyone was quick to point out how there was always a notable eagerness that appeared in her when Bede would be brought up. How she seemed at peace doing nothing with him, how she jumped at any opportunity to support his battles or stages, and how a rush of rose would touch her face when he would simply call her name out.
And sure, Bede didn’t seem to treat anyone nearly as nice as he was to her.
And sure, everyone loved to point out that Bede, even though he was her truest rival, never seemed to back away from supporting her endeavors--even those that ended in his defeat.
Yet being a friend and a rival did little to convince Gloria that he held any romantic inclinations towards her. He gave into her hugs, just like anyone would. He accepted her tea outings, for the sake of some quiet. Of course. And if anything he tolerated her. Or at least that’s what Gloria told herself, and Marnie, this admittance getting the other girl to let out an exasperated sigh.
“Don’t give me that look, Marnie--Bede in love...shouldn’t he seem as enamored as he does on stage with his co-stars?”
“‘e’s actin, but I swear ‘e likes you,” yet as Gloria pouts at her--silently questioning how she would know that, Marnie just shakes her head.
“‘Ave you tried just walkin’ up and laying one on ‘im?”
Gloria rolls her eyes, lips protruding.
“As if that would work.”
But now she was here, persuaded (forced) to march over to Ballonlea with clear intentions. To lay it all out, to confess what’s been in her heart for years-- after a battle she had demanded just to excuse her haphazard arrival.
“Being nervous is beneath you,” he pointed out at the start, and Gloria’s hopeful heart seeked concern hidden beneath his sharp words.
But her stare turns focused as she unlatches her first pokeball.
“It’s not about this battle,” a pause, “ trust me .”
It wasn’t to anyone’s surprise that Bede lost. The adrenaline of the battle seeming to fade into something more anxious ridden about what was to come next. And she couldn’t help but to stare ahead, watching as he whispers something softly to his Hatterene’s pokeball, noting how he’s quick to cross his arms soon after, to glare at her with the remnants of a faint smile on his lips.
Loss or not, a good battle is indeed a good battle.
But the end of it meant it was the start of a whole new one and the expression on his face didn’t make things easier for her at all. Her hands grip tightly around the pokeball as she retracts Inteleon. Motions feeling sluggish and hesitant--trying to not psych herself out.
But there’s a familiar scoff heard all too closely.
“Are you even all here, Champion ?”
She can hear the bite in his voice, his disdain for losing to someone so incredibly distracted. Her eyes flickering to see his scowl, the soft pink of his lips, his clear skin, the vibrancy in the purple of his eyes glaring daggers at her.
“‘Ave you tried just walkin’ up and laying one on ‘im?”
“Oi, earth to Gloria,” he snaps in front of her face. Her eyes blinking rapidly, as Marnie’s words fade and reality rushes back in. She was in Ballonlea, in the middle of the pitch, with Bede now dangerously close.
Gloria can hear the annoyance in his tone, that she could still beat him with her focus elsewhere. She could feel her mouth wanting to form the words “I’m sorry,” but she’s rendered speechless. Heart clamoring, hands clammy, her brain getting muddled when she hears the words “For Galar’s” and “Queen” uttered by him. An affectionate nickname bestowed on her only sounding better off of him even as he teases and near insults her as he finishes off with
“you sure have your head in the clo---”
Gloria could easily say that in that moment she had no impulse control. His jersey desperately clenched underneath her fingertips as she pulls him down to meet her, soft curls brushing against her forehead, earthy notes of his cologne overwhelming her. His words replaced with a gasp swallowed by the urgency of her lips crashing against his. It wasn’t anything smooth; lips mashed against each at an awkward angle.
But she’s kissing Bede.
Kinda.
And that’s when she parts clumsily fast. The silence between them only interrupted by the the faint sound of his breath dancing on her lips. He hadn’t moved his face; stunned and all too close, as she separates and lowers from her tiptoes to take in his widened eyes, his flushed cheeks, his parted lips stained pink by her lipstick. And that's when she notices, his mouth moving to form her name--to probably question her, but Gloria is quick on her feet, letting go of his crinkled shirt with a cheeky smile and blistered cheeks.
“Bye Bede,” squeaked loudly, before he could say anything, as she nearly sprints off the field with her eyes glued to the floor. Fingers lifting to her lips gingerly, feeling them tingle from his warmth, the faint taste of oolong remnant, and her heart continuing to beat loudly in her ears as she disregards the coos, snickers and Bede’s face most of all.
She misses Opal’s entrance, Bede’s brow furrowing as he lifts his collar, and the barked “don’t, say anything, Ms. Opal,” before running off after her.