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Gou flickered back and forth about the observatory, stopping in different places to see his Pokémon and giving them his attention before flitting about to another one. After months of traveling together, Satoshi had witnessed Gou catch a plethora of different Pokémon, and he would have lost count at this point if it weren't for the fact that his friend mentioned how many he had every time he caught a new friend. It was funny and amusing to watch and so damn endearing--
"Damn, babe, you're in deep, aren't you?" Gladio spoke up, chuckling as his boyfriend slumped into his side. A frustrated whine was his response and his chuckle rose into a bark of laughter, eyes rolling fondly as he wrapped his arm around Satoshi's taller form and pulled him close. "I don't blame you, he is cute." He hummed, green hues following the teen tucked into his side's line of sight.
Gou was on the ground now, laughing as the Otachi he had caught so long ago rubbed her cheek against his, large tail thumping about happily. The trainer's laughter managed to gain the attention of more of his Pokémon and slowly he was surrounded by them, leaving him yelling for freedom as he was trapped by his partners.
Gladio felt Satoshi's form shake with silent laughter at the sight and he smiled, turning his head to kiss his surprisingly uncapped head.
"We could always ask him out," The blonde started, feeling his boyfriend jolt under his arm. A pair of brown hues looked up at him, an unsure look on his face, ad Gladio huffed, "Oh come on, Satoshi, have you seen the way he looks at you? He looks at you like you're his world, he obviously likes you more than just a friend." Satoshi sat up from his side and he only had a moment to miss the warmth before he was being tugged towards him, a startled sound leaving him as he was pulled into his lap. He was quick to melt into the embrace, however, kissing the raven haired teen's forehead when he felt his chin rest on his shoulder.
"What about you, Glads? What if he doesn't want to date both of us?" Satoshi's question was quiet, almost hesitant, and Gladio hummed, resting his cheek on his head.
"Then that's fine, I'm okay with him only dating you, you know that.." He trailed off for a moment before he looked to where Gou had been, a small grin quirking his lips upwards slightly at what he got to see. Sitting on the ground still, Gou's gaze was glued to the two of them, expression gentle and oh so fond, lips curled into a small smile. As soon as he realized he'd been caught, however, a flush danced across his dark skin and he quickly scrambled to his feet, fleeing to go check on his other Pokémon. Chuckling, he tightened his arms around Satoshi's neck slightly and allowed himself to melt further into his embrace. "Something tells me we won't have to worry, though."
§ §
Satoshi and Gladio have been acting weird.
Gou knows he isn't the best at reading people, he never really talked to many people before except for Koharu. Those two, though..he's been spending a lot of time with them and he can read them and they're being weird. More specifically, Satoshi is being really weird. Gladio has been a bit more touchy lately, but Gou could brush that off as the blonde being comfortable with him now.
Satoshi, however, has been different in his affection. While Gou could admit that the two were often fairly affectionate with one another before, it was always simple touches that he often saw other friends do; arms around shoulders, leaning against one another, hugs, even holding hands sometimes! But lately, the raven haired boy has been a bit more affectionate in that when Gou is cleaning, he'll get a brief hug from behind, a tired mumble of 'morning' from his friend being the only words he got before he went off again to find his boyfriend. Gou could brush it off the first time as Satoshi simply being tired, but then he started doing things like that even when he wasn't tired and Gou found himself unsure of what to do with these interactions.
He's snapped out of his thoughts by an arm going around his shoulders, causing him to jump slightly. Looking up, he sees it's Gladio, the blonde staring in the same direction he had been: at Satoshi. That was understandable, it was his boyfriend over there, but he couldn't help but grin slightly, nudging him with his elbow.
"Gawking are we?" He teased, quirking a brow. Gladio's eyes flickered down to him and the smirk he shot him made his heart leap for a moment, startled by the look he often only saw directed towards the raven haired boy.
"Maybe, but so were you so I don't think you have room to tease," He hummed, deep voice laced with amusement, and Gou felt his stomach tie in knots for multiple reasons.
First of all, that look he was giving him. Satoshi has given him that look before, too, and he often associated it with joking, but then Gladio had come around and he learned quickly that it was far more than that. The two would look at each other and get this smirk on their faces that only made the other smirk more. Then they'd talk and Arceus, the way they flirted with one another when they thought no one could hear them was nerve tingling. After seeing those interactions, Gou began questioning the looks Satoshi would give him a little more, nerves and excitement and shame all mixing up in his gut within seconds because finally, maybe the guy he liked reciprocated his feelings, and then he'd remember Gladio and feel terrible.
And yet now Gladio was giving him that look, the same look Satoshi gave him and the same look he shared with his boyfriend. His mind was racing with questions he found himself unable to ask, tongue tied and leaving him speechless.
Second of all...well, there really wasn't a proper second of all, it was mostly that look he wouldn't think about his voice, how it sounded like smooth honey as he teased him, or his eyes and how they shone with a feeling he couldn't quite place that was throwing him for a loop.
"Gou?" Gladio's voice snapped him out of his spiral and he blinked, looking back up at the blonde. He hadn't even realized he'd looked down, but now that he was looking back up, he kind of wished he hadn't. Deep green eyes shone with concern and he only just became aware of the hand touching his face, making him tense slightly.
Heat rushed to his face and he knew Gladio could see it, knew he could see how he blushed from a simple touch, and he found himself quickly standing. He wasn't even fully aware of his words, a rushed murmur of "The director needed a report-" being all he caught from himself before he'd bolted out of the room, leaving Gladio behind.
Left behind in the room, Satoshi walked up behind Gladio, arms slipping around his torso and chin resting on his shoulder.
"You embarrassed him," He hummed, chuckling quietly under his breath. Gladio hummed, leaning back into him and looking up.
"Well I was trying to be subtle but then he pointed out that I had been looking at you and I had to tease him back." He shrugged casually and felt a huffed out laugh against his neck, the arms around his waist tightening slightly.
"Terrible."
§ §
"Hey, Gou?" Satoshi's heavy form leaned against the shorter teen's back and Gou grunted under the weight, ignoring the feeling his arms going around him stirred in his gut.
"Yeah, Satoshi?" He grunted, turning his head to look at the face of the man behind him. There was a moment of silence, Satoshi simply staring down at Gou's phone in silence for a moment before he leaned more heavily on him. A frustrated whine was his response, Gou squirming under him slightly, and he let out a bark of laughter.
"You're so small, man," He teased, grinning down at the poor teen.
"No, you're just a giant," Gou huffed out, managed to worm himself free from his friend's larger form and standing up. It was moments like this he wished Rabbifoot was following him around the lab still instead of sleeping in the bedroom with Pikachu and Gladio's Blacky, but then again, he was glad to see his partner getting along so well with Gladio's Pokémon. Turning his attention away from his Pokémon, he looked at the giggling Satoshi and rolled his eyes fondly, crossing his arms over his chest. "So? What did you want?"
"Oh yeah!" He was so quick to snap out of his laughing fit, a hand darting out to grab ahold of Gou's with a smirk on his face. "Come on, Glads and I have something to show you."
Gou barely had time to register the words, that damned smirk catching him off guard, before he was being dragged off, a startled yelp leaving him. If it were anyone aside from Satoshi, Gou would have pulled his hand back and questioned the person trying to drag him around. It was Satoshi, however, and the older teen was nearly a head taller than him and most certainly stronger than him, so even if he wanted to pull away which he didn't, he knew he would have failed that strength match.
Besides, he liked the feeling of his hand in Satoshi's. It was warm.
He followed after his friend, the excitement coming from him palpable and managing to make him a little excited as well. He wasn't big on surprises before, but after befriend the hurricane that is Satoshi Ketchum, you can't really avoid them, so he embraced them instead.
In front of him, despite his excitement, Satoshi was also nervous. For two weeks, he and Gladio had been flirting with Gou, trying to get the point across that they liked him, but he didn't seem to realize much aside from blushing when they winked at him or something along those lines. After the flirting didn't work, they'd decided on a picnic instead, a simple but sweet thing. They had been planning this for the past week with the help of Koharu telling them about Gou's favorite portable lunch. It was a very specific request that earned a very confused look from the younger girl, but after a promise of Kasumi's autograph, she caved fairly easily. Then all they had to do was get the food together and make sure to keep Gou as far away from the kitchen as possible while they did so.
That ended up being harder than they'd thought, but after talking Rabbifoot into helping them alongside their respective partners, it was far easier. Apparently, it was very easy for the three Pokémon to lead Gou on a wild goose chase around the observatory while their trainers prepared the lunch. From what they'd heard about it from Professor Sakuragi, he had seen Gou running after Rabbifoot when the rabbit stole his phone, only to have to chase Pikachu and then Blacky right after for the same reason.
"I kind of wish I was there," Satoshi had stated, amused by the news, but he was far more happy to have gotten the lunch prepared instead.
"Satoshi, where on earth are we going?" Gou huffed out from behind him, a hint of laughter in his voice, and he felt himself grin. They'd left the lab now, walking in the direction of the park in town, though it seemed Gou hadn't realized that yet. Looking back at him, he winked and had to stop himself from grinning like the lovesick fool he was when a flush quickly spread across his friend's face.
"You'll see," was all he said before he was looking forward once more so he could make sure he didn't get them lost.
It took a little bit to get there, the lab and the park not extremely close or anything, but he couldn't help but think it worth the walk since the entire time, Gou never tried to take his hand back.
It wasn't until they were passing the gates of the park that Gou took his hand back, though it didn't stay that way long as he rearranged their hands in favor of entwining their fingers. The action made Satoshi's heart leap for a brief moment, they never held hands like this, though he didn't get to question it as his friend was speaking before he could.
"Why are we at the park of all places?" Gou questioned, brown hues shining with excited curiosity as he looked up at his friend. Satoshi chuckled despite himself and began walking once more, leading him along to where Gladio was waiting for them.
"You're so impatient." He teased instead of specifying, squeezing the hand in his own slightly. A frustrated huff was his response and he couldn't help the bark of laughter that burst from him, shaking his head fondly at the other.
The duo fell into a comfortable silence once more as he led him to the spot they'd picked out. Well, Gou had actually picked it out, they'd managed to get him to tell them where in the park he'd enjoy having a picnic under the guise of wanting to know his favorite spot in the park. It had been easy to get him to tell them and he hadn't hesitated to take him to the spot, telling them about how he'd met a Koratta family there that he befriended when he was younger. It was sweet, how his eyes lit up as he spoke about it, and Satoshi felt his heart warming at the memory alone.
Glancing to the brunette from the corner of his eyes, he could see the recognition slowly dawning on his face and he couldn't stop himself from grinning at the sight. He looked forward just in time to see Gladio sprawled out on a blanket they'd laid out in the small clearing, eyes closed as if he was taking a nap. It was easy for Satoshi to tell he was awake when he saw how he twitched slightly at every sound around him, hands clenching behind his head, and he felt fondness in his chest. No matter how long he dated Gladio, he couldn't help but find himself adoring him more and more the longer they were together.
"Glads!" Satoshi called out, laughing when the blonde immediately sat up and turned to them. He'd sat up in just a way that the basket had been hidden behind him just before Gou could see it, the shortest teen stepping into the small clearing with a confused look on his face.
"Why are we here?" He questioned, looking between the teen at his side and the blonde. Satoshi could feel himself grinning already and a huffed out laugh left the man on the blanket, a pale hand motioning for them to move closer.
"Well come here and you'll see." He hummed, patting the blanket next to him with an expectant look. Satoshi was moving without needing encouragement, tugging the brunette along with him to the blanket even as Gou let out a confused sound. Sat between the couple, Gou could only stare in confusion as the two communicated silently at his sides.
Then there was a picnic basket being placed in front of him, opening to show simple sandwiches, all cut into four triangles, just like how he liked them.
Gou blinked slowly.
Satoshi swallowed thickly.
Gladio held his breath.
"Oh wow, guys, this is so cool!" Gou finally chirped up, making the other two pause. Looking between the two, the youngest of the trio beamed, throwing his arms around their shoulders and tugging them into his sides. "I haven't had a picnic with friends in a long time, now all we're missing is Koharu!"
Satoshi blanched.
He thought this was a friend thing. Satoshi had held his hand, had flirted with him on the way here, he and Gladio had both been flirting with him before this and he still..
"Satoshi?!" Gou's concern was validated in Gladio's opinion as he watched his boyfriend lay face-first on the ground and he found himself wanting to follow him, though he didn't in favor of comforting their friend.
"He's fine, don't worry," The blonde sighed out, reaching a hand out to gently pet the exasperated teen's head while rubbing Gou's arm. From his spot on the ground, Satoshi turned his head to look at his boyfriend and the boy he was sweet for and sighed heavily, slumping completely into the ground.
"Gou," Satoshi started, eyes flickering to Gladio briefly for permission. When the blonde nodded, his eyes went to the confused Gou and bored into his from his spot on the ground, a hand reaching out for his leg. "We have been blatantly flirting with you for two weeks now."
Gou was instantly flushed at the admission, hands raising to hide his face only for the other two to grab one hand each. He felt his heart begin hammering away in his chest, hands twitching in their's nervously. Aside from the flustered exasperation, the only other thing he could see on Satoshi's face was pure honesty and he didn't know how to approach that. He turned his gaze to Gladio, unable to hold the eye contact with Satoshi anymore, only to see a sheepish smile on the blonde's face as he nodded.
Oh.
Oh.
"Y-You..," Gou started, trailing off for a moment and swallowing thickly, "So are you guys..asking me out?" He felt like he was on fire as soon as the words left his lips and he found himself instinctively gripping at their hands, looking down at his lap. There sound of Satoshi shuffling broke the brief silence that fell over them as the raven haired teen sat up, scooting to sit next to him.
"I mean, we were going to.." He murmured, a slight flush on his own face.
"There's no pressure, of course, you don't have to be with both of us or either of us, we just...wanted to see if you'd want to try?" Gladio shrugged helplessly, his free hand moving to rub the back of his neck. He wasn't great at these things, everyone knew that, but he didn't want to leave all the explaining to Satoshi this time. Gou looked at him, then to the teen on his left, then back to Gladio, then back to Satoshi.
"This..you're being serious?" He questioned, voice quiet, fragile. Satoshi's gaze snapped up and he squeezed Gou's hand gently, nodding quickly with a determined look on his face.
"We wouldn't joke about this." Satoshi spoke up, meeting Gou's eyes, and..
And all Gou could hear in his voice, see in his eyes, was raw honesty.
They were being serious. They genuinely wanted him to be with them, to be in a relationship with them.
Gou felt himself grin and he could feel how the other two relaxed at his sides, an almost relieved sigh slipping passed Gladio's lips. Looking between them, he squeezed their hands and his grin widened, excitement bubbling in his gut.
"I..Of course I want to try."
They didn't leave the park until after sunset, talking about how their new relationship would work and making sure to protect their lunch from the wild Pokémon around them. Laughter fluttered about the park as the new couple -- trouple? -- figure out their dynamic and simply enjoyed their picnic -- their date.
It was on the walk back to the lab, Gou sandwiched between his boyfriends with their hands in his, that Gladio grinned wickedly and nudged him with his hips.
"You're pretty oblivious, shorty."
An affronted squawk left the brunette and Satoshi couldn't stop himself from cackling in the middle of the street, head thrown back.
Yeah, this was going to be interesting.