Work Text:
It's the same insistent gathering every year, the time he has come to dread ever since he became Opal's prodigee, and then the Ballonlea Gym Leader. Before he became the full leader, it was an event he could argue against, but now it was an absolute necessity to the financial operation of the Champion Cup and its Gyms. Once a year on a summer night, all the gym leaders, invited guests, investors, and of course, the Champion herself, show up to a gala hosted in Wyndon at a fancy hotel in an event room usually set up on a higher floor above the cities people. Back during Leon's day, he had rowdy fans storming the bottom floor event halls so it was for security reasons it was moved up, with the elevators being closely monitored, not that Bede had minded. It seemed for every year going by his own fan base grew larger, with letters and gifts coming in every day, to which Opal teased him incessantly, and every time he had to remind her that he did not turn them down because he had someone else, no most certainly he was not interested in anyone else and the idea he was was preposterous.
Opal never seemed very convinced, even as they sat in the flying taxi and his leg was shaking and he continued to try to convince her that he was not nervous for anything, these galas were a very usual event that he'd become accustomed to for a few years now. It had nothing to do with, as she put it, a Champion in a long flowing dress that she'd personally, along with Sonia, helped pick for her. He had to remind the annoying old woman that this was a business gathering and if he spoke to Gloria it'd be purely in a business sense and that he would not do with her matchmaking while surrounded by important investors. She shut her mouth with a chuckle, and his leg continued to shake.
When they arrived at the gala, they were quickly met with a security team that helped them traverse crowds of adoring fans there for the one night they could see all of their favourite leaders and the Champion (as well as the former Champion) in one place before they disappeared into the event room. If Hop were standing beside him as they walked through, he'd tease Bede about being a celebrity, to which Bede would remind the annoying boy that he was as well, being both Marnie's boyfriend and a young up and coming Pokemon professor. As they entered the elevator and rode up, his mind began to wander for the short duration of calm silence, had Gloria gotten here before them or is she already- no, he shook his head and willed the thoughts to disappear. Opal had wormed her way into his skull and planted thoughts of his friend and it was entirely Opal's fault that he was now thinking of her, nothing more.
When the elevator stopped and they got out, he escorted Opal a short way to the actual room, doors wide open awaiting their arrival. He could already hear the music from inside, and the chatter of people he would barely listen to as the night went on. They were slightly late, but Opal insisted he look perfect for the night, and that he "never knew what was going to happen". He was begrudgingly grateful for her, he always would be, but this was the one part of having a parental figure that he absolutely did not anticipate when she first took him in. Thankfully taking mercy on him for the rest of the night, she gave his arm a pat and strolled off to speak to old friends of hers, leaving him to run his eyes across the room. As he did so, his eyes fell upon familiar figures including Marnie, Hop, Sonia, and Leon. The rest of the leaders were around, preoccupied with investors or one another as well. Though as his eyes found the others, he noticed one thing missing, Gloria. It came as a surprise to him that she was not attached to any of her friends at the hip, usually relying on them to get her through public gatherings.
As he made his way through the room, he grabbed a glass of lemonade from a waiter and made the occasional bit of small talk with various people, answering questions that he'd rehearsed over the years as he drifted through the crowds, eyes searching. If Opal could see him now he'd never hear the end of it, but he was sure she was preoccupied and out of sight. Finally as he began to think Gloria was woefully late, or worse yet, out sick, his eyes found the open balcony doors. With a sigh, he began walking to the open doors.
There she is, standing in her only bastion of escape from the uncomfortable and needy crowds, Gloria. She has her arms rested upon the railing of the balcony and she's looking up at the sky and he wants to say something, she clearly hasn't heard him come out behind her, but he finds the words caught in his throat as he looks at her. She's so small under the night sky, she was always smaller than most people, so timid (when not in a battle) and always attempting to be hidden away from prying eyes. But under what feels like endless stars, he can't help but feel she exactly the same as them. At this moment he feels like he could melt, or faint, or his legs could disappear under him entirely under the weight of every realization he has been desperately fighting coming back to him at once but he can't, he has to hold still, if he falls he'll look like an idi-
"Bede? You're finally here," she spoke, having turned around and finally noticed him. He cleared his throat and came to rest against the railing beside her, "yes, as much as I would've preferred to stay home, Opal insisted once more that I come and do vocal paperwork." And once more he could melt as she laughed at his dry humor, always so genuine and sweet, her real unadulterated smile like a gift she gives out only to the people closest to her. If Opal could hear his thoughts now, she'd be beaming like the proudest grandmother on the planet. "For a while I just stuck beside Sonia but at some point Nessa came and stole her away for a dance, so I decided to get some air," she replied, to which Bede gave a soft nod and glanced up at the stars. The two of them fell into a comfortable silence before he finally decided to speak up again, "we should really go back inside at some point, people are going to wonder where the two most powerful trainers in the region went," and his comment was met with a huff and a gentle shove.
"Well I don't see Leon out here with me," a teasing smile on her face as he rolled his eyes, "ha ha very funny, you won't be mentioning him in the next finals round when it's just me and you." She grinned at him and stepped back from the railing, turning towards the door, "I suppose we should be heading back inside," he could tell she was already tensing up again. His hand reached out for hers, pulling her back gently before she could go any further, and speaking before she could question him. "Maybe.. we could spend just a few more minutes out here, it wouldn't hurt," he declined to mention that he selfishly wanted a bit more time with her real smile before she put on her fake one for business talks. Gratefully, she nodded and glanced back up at the sky, one hand still in his as they relaxed once more.
"Gloria?" He spoke, watching her doe eyes turn back towards him, "would you like to dance?" She gave a nervous smile, "you know I can't dance, I have two left feet Bede," he simply replied with a huff and pulled her close, one arm wrapping around her waist and his left hand moving to hold her right, "humor me, Glo." She flushed slightly at the nickname as they slowly began moving, the music flowing from the hall out to the balcony and the stars shining brightly above him.
He'd decided tonight wasn't so bad after all, and it certainly didn't hurt that once the dance was over they spent a few extra minutes outside, their lips sharing a second dance.
"under stars, we are alone"