Chapter Text
“You’re not making any sense,” said Bede, stirring his iced coconut milk mocha macchiato. “Start over.”
Marnie took a deep breath. Patiently, she started her explanation over. “Hop lied to you to get ya to come to Spikemuth today. There wasn’t any emergency. He just wanted you to battle me.”
“I understand that part. What I don’t understand is why he’d go through the trouble of texting me telling me to come all the way here just to battle you.” He sipped his drink. “I figured if this was some kind of prank, he’d at least be here to laugh at me. But he isn’t even here.”
“It’s not really a prank,” Marnie replied, looking down at her black coffee. “He’s been doin’ this to me lately.”
“Doing what?”
Marnie blushed. “He’s been… tryin’ to set me up with his friends.”
Bede ran a hand through his short, loose curls as he processed Marnie’s words, then a lightbulb went off. “Oh. So, he sent me here, pretending that there was some urgent reason for you and me to battle, to try and set us up together? Am I getting this right?” He made these observations surprisingly matter-of-factly, as if they had nothing to do with him and they weren’t embarrassing as hell.
Still staring down at her drink to avoid making eye contact with Bede, Marnie replied, “Aye.” She tried to change the subject. “But it was a damn good battle, wasn’t it? It’s been a while since I’ve had that much fun battlin’ another gym leader.” She finally looked back up at him.
“I could say the same,” Bede said with a pleasant nod. It was odd to see him in Spikemuth. He seemed out of place – everything from his appearance and clothing to the way he spoke and the Pokémon he used just screamed I’m not from here, even more so than the Gym Challengers who periodically came through. Still, it had been a while since she’d talked to him, so she was glad to be able to get coffee with him, even if it was a little weird. Bede returned to the original topic. “So, why is Hop trying to set us up together? Actually, why is he trying to set you up with anyone?”
“Hell if I know.” Marnie rolled her eyes. “I think he fancies himself a matchmaker ever since he’s started takin’ credit for Piers and Leon gettin’ together.”
Bede scoffed. “That Hop, he really thinks he lives in some kind of fantasy world,” he said, shaking his head disdainfully. “It’s so irritating.”
“Imagine how irritatin’ it is havin’ him send his weird little friends over to ya all the time.” She stopped herself. “I mean, not you. You’re the least annoyin’ person he’s sent me so far. And he’s sent three other people to me this month.”
A loud, staccato laugh escaped Bede. “I suppose he’s always been persistent, even when he’s on the wrong track entirely.”
Bede’s laugh shocked Marnie, and she realized she may have never heard him laugh before. She supposed he was a bit like her in the sense that neither of them tended to make their emotions too obvious to others, and that included not laughing much.
Maybe the two of them were more alike than Marnie had realized. Piers had been telling Marnie lately that she needed to be more social, and while she didn’t particularly enjoy the presence of most people, she realized she could stand to make more of an effort to hang out with people she actually enjoyed being around.
“Say, Bede?”
“Yes?”
“What’re ya doin’ later? Like, after this?”
“I told Granny I’d be home for dinner, but nothing before that. Why?”
“Piers and Leon are stoppin’ by soon. I’m gonna battle Leon.”
“Oh, have you battled him before?”
“Not recently. But I’m totally gonna kick their arse today.” Leon had recently come out as non-binary, and while they still used he/him pronouns, Marnie had been practicing referring to Leon with their new they/them pronouns. “You should stay and watch.”
***
Leon and Piers arrived at the Spikemuth gym, walking hand-in-hand as a crowd of about half a dozen Team Yell members followed behind them. Each Team Yell member was chattering away, either trying to get Piers’s attention if they didn’t have it or trying to keep Piers’s attention if they did have it. The whole scene amused Bede. It seemed as though Piers was still an idol to the people of this city, even if he didn’t live there anymore.
Bede watched as the couple approached Marnie, who’d taken her traditional place onstage, as he sat on the bleachers behind the chain-link fence. Piers and Marnie exchanged a casual head nod (which Bede understood was a normal greeting between two people from Spikemuth) and Piers ambled off the battlefield toward the bleachers. It all seemed oddly ceremonious for such an unofficial match in such a casual setting. Marnie then stepped off the stage and approached Leon.
Part of Bede expected Marnie to have a speech of some sort prepared or at least to shake Leon’s hand, but instead, she started by saying a bit more loudly than was necessary, “Is that a hickey?”
Leon instantly turned bright red. “What? No,” they stammered, covering their neck with their hand.
“It’s massive,” she said, trying to get a closer look. “Piers, what did ya do to them?”
Scooting onto the bleachers next to Bede, Piers called back, “Don’t listen to her, Lee. She’s makin’ shite up to try and distract ya.” The Team Yell members who had been following Piers before now stood behind him like bodyguards.
“Well, it’s working,” Leon called to Piers. “You told me there was nothing there!”
Marnie craned her neck, trying to get a better look at the mark she claimed was there. “The size of it! Bede, ya gotta come see this, it’s huge.”
Bede flushed. He did not want to be thrown in the middle of this debacle. “I’m just here to watch the match. I’m not interested in… any strange markings on anyone’s skin,” he told Marnie.
“Just start the fuckin’ match already!” Piers yelled loudly enough to startle Bede. Noticing that Bede flinched, Piers looked at him. “Sorry, mate, but you’re gonna have to get used to a little yellin’ if you’re gonna stay and watch this battle. We’ve got a good portion of Team Yell here, and their name kinda says everythin’ ya need to know about ‘em.” Piers paused. “What’re ya doin’ here, anyway?” he asked. He didn’t say it in any malicious or angry way, just out of curiosity.
“Well,” Bede started, nervously adjusting his binder, “I was around, and Marnie kind of insisted that I stay to watch her battle Leon. She said something about ‘kicking Leon’s arse,’ if I recall correctly.”
That last part was supposed to be a joke, but Piers didn’t react. He just hummed to himself and turned back toward the battlefield. Marnie and Leon had just shaken hands and were now getting into position to start the battle, Marnie putting her shoulder-length black hair in a low ponytail.
A Team Yell member put a hand on Piers’s shoulder. “So who’re ya cheerin’ for, Piers?” she asked in a thick Spikemuth accent. “Your sister or your boyfriend?”
Piers smirked slightly, playing with his hands. “Well, I s’pose you’re all cheerin’ for Marnie, right?” He looked from Team Yell to Bede. The Team Yell members all murmured their agreement, but Bede just quietly nodded. “Then I guess I should cheer for Lee. Just so Marnie’s not the only one here with fans.” He shot Bede a side-glance when he said the word “fans,” and for some reason, that glance terrified Bede.
Even though Marnie’s Morpeko managed to singlehandedly wipe out nearly half of Leon’s team, Leon still managed to come through with a win in the end. The win couldn’t come any sooner, either – between the cheering of Piers and Team Yell, Bede thought he might start to suffer from permanent hearing damage if it went on much longer. Plus, the battle had been dragging and he needed to get back to Ballonlea for dinner with Opal.
On top of all that, of course, was how increasingly uncomfortable Bede had become around Piers. It was a feeling he couldn’t quite place, but he blamed it on Piers’s appearance. With his stick-thin frame and the dark circles under his eyes, the guy reminded Bede too much of a Minecraft skeleton. Bede stood up from his spot on the bleachers and approached Marnie, who was healing up her Pokémon.
“Great battle,” he said to her.
“Hm. It was okay,” she replied, not looking up at him. “Woulda been better if I won.”
“Right. Well, I hope I’m not being rude, but I should be heading home. I don’t want Gran to worry.”
Marnie finally met his eyes, though only briefly. “That’s all right. Thanks for stayin’ for me match.” She paused. “You’re an all right guy, Bede. We should hang out again soon.”
“We should,” said Bede, getting out his Rapidash. “Let’s talk sometime this week.”
“Hey, are ya gonna ride your Rapidash all the way home?” Marnie asked, giving him a curious look.
“Trust me, he needs the exercise.” Bede hopped on the back of his Rapidash, gave Marnie a quick, polite nod, and then took off. “I’ll talk to you soon,” he called as he quickly faded into the distance.
Marnie heard Piers grunt from behind her. He must’ve walked up when she wasn’t paying attention. “Y’know,” he said, “I’ve heard of makin’ an entrance before, but that guy even knows how to make his exit, doesn’t he?”
“I s’pose so,” Marnie replied coolly.
Piers rested a hand on Marnie’s back. “Can we talk for a minute?”
“Sure,” said Marnie.
With that, Piers turned to Leon. “Hey Lee. Marnie and I are gonna go on a quick walk. We’ll meet ya back at the Pokémon center.”
“Sounds good!” Leon chirped back, picking up the snapback he’d thrown excitedly into the air after winning against Marnie. “Um. Where’s the Pokémon center again?”
Piers clicked his tongue in amusement. “Here.” He tossed Leon a Poké Ball. “It’s Obstagoon. He’ll show ya the way, keep ya from gettin’ lost.”
Leon grinned. “Thanks!”
Turning their backs toward Leon, Piers and Marnie walked away from the Dark-type gym and down a narrow street in Spikemuth. It was all familiar to Marnie – not only had she lived there her whole life, but she also practically ruled the town, especially with Piers living in Wyndon with Leon now. Some residents even affectionately referred to Marnie as Spikemuth’s unofficial queen. Unabashedly, she walked through the streets of her hometown as if she actually owned them.
For a minute or two, they just walked and didn’t say anything, but Marnie soon spoke up.
“Before ya ask, Bede and I weren’t on a date. He just stopped by for a quick battle, that’s all.”
Piers snickered. “I wasn’t gonna ask, but thanks for lettin’ me know.” The corners of his mouth were upturned in an amused half-smile. Marnie was tempted to punch him for giving her that look, but she held herself back. They walked a few more seconds before Piers started again. “I just wanted to tell ya that Lee and I are gettin’ married.”
Marnie stopped walking. She was sure she’d misheard him. “You’re what?”
Instead of repeating himself, Piers faced her and held up his left hand to show off the new golden band he wore on his ring finger. “Lee proposed last night. We’re gonna get married.”
Marnie opened her mouth, but no words came out. She grabbed her brother’s hand and studied the ring as if it might be an illusion. The band was made of shiny gold, with four smallish diamonds and three smallish amethysts running a line across the top. A simple, but classy ring. Apparently Leon had decent taste. “Piers… this is crazy,” she muttered, still incredulous.
“I thought so too, at first,” Piers admitted, “but it makes sense. We’ve been together over a year, and we’re at that age where decisions like this should be made. Lee’s turnin’ thirty in December, y’know, and I’m not too far behind them.”
My brother gettin’ married… How am I supposed to feel about this? Marnie thought. She had no idea what to say, but she tried to look at him warmly. “Well, congrats, bro.”
“Thanks, but there’s one other thing I wanted to talk to ya about.” Piers took his hand back from Marnie’s grasp.
Marnie’s heart stopped, though she tried not to show it. “Are you pregnant?”
Piers groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Would ya stop jumpin’ to that conclusion every time I say I need to tell ya somethin’? I’m not fuckin’ pregnant. That’s not even… likely.”
“But it’s possible.”
Piers started saying something, but he stopped himself. “No. We’re not changin’ the subject. This is important.” He took a deep breath and started speaking in a calmer tone. “Marnie.” He looked her directly in the eyes, and his expression told Marnie that this was not something to joke about. “Will you be my best man? At the weddin’?”