Chapter Text
Hop was having a rather nice day.
He woke up bright and early, when the first rays of dawn hit his face. The morning sun shone gently from his open window, the fresh air drifting on a breeze. Outside, the Rookidee were chirping, the Wooloo were rolling. He grinned as he stretched, every sensation sharper and more tangible in the brisk morning. The world was full of life. Wonderful.
Best of all, with Professor Sonia and Lee off on their honeymoon, and Professor Magnolia off on an international conference, he had the absolute freedom to do whatever he wanted for the next two weeks. Sure, he was going to swing by the lab and get his work and reports done anyway, but it was different without Sonia breathing down his neck the entire time, or Lee ribbing him for every little thing. Freedom.
So Hop had spent the morning cheerfully grooming Dubwool's coat. Played fetch with Cramorant for a bit. Then, as the clock struck eight, he unstuck Pincurchin from where she'd crawled under his bed and headed down for breakfast. His mother always cooked a spread- a good thing, when Zacian could be a picky eater and Snorlax would happily devour a dozen fried eggs and all the bacon in one sitting. He was just about to dig in when the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it!" He shoved out of his chair before Grandpa had the opportunity to start about his aching back. Dashing out to the front door, Hop wondered if it was the mailman running from a wild Rookidee, or somebody with a lost Wooloo. Living out in rural Postwick, that was usually the case more often than not.
He flashed a welcoming grin, a greeting ready on his tongue-
Until he saw Bede.
Suddenly, Hop wanted to slam the door back closed.
Bede scowled. He stood at the doorstep with a countenance as brutal as a wet Perrserker, looking as if this was the last place on earth he wanted to be. In a space of a second, the warm morning Hop had been enjoying chilled considerably.
The fairy gym leader wore a familiar thick jacket over his gym uniform, his curls slightly mussed from travel. He looked just as Hop expected- chin tilted haughtily, feet together in perfect poise. But what defied expectation was the egg wrapped securely in Bede's arms.
Instead of an explanation, the other boy's scowl deepened. "About time," Bede snapped.
Hop stared, trying to figure out a) what Bede was doing here, b) what Bede, of all people, wanted, and c) why on earth was he holding an egg?
It was early, and he hadn't had the chance to eat. So it only got more confusing when Bede, without so much as an explanation or by-your-leave, shoved the egg into Hop's arms.
"This is your responsibility," he said, venom dripping off every word and accusation shining in his pretty purple eyes.
Hop stared blankly at the egg in his hands. It was a shade of light tan, with flecks of brown dappled along the shell. His mind was working overtime, trying to figure out what was going on because this was definitely not what he had expected when he first woke up this morning.
And as his brain finally caught up, Hop responded in the way only a logical, rational man would.
He shoved it right back and yelped, "WHAT?"
At least Bede had the decency to wait till Hop grabbed his pack, and let himself (and the egg) be ushered across town and into Wedgehurst lab. The laboratory was quiet and calm- with Sonia and Professor Magnolia gone, the lab was filled only with neat piles of folders and the rhythmic beeping of the monitors. The sunlight shone into the small greenhouse off to the side, reflecting happily off the polished, white floor. The air was cool, the entire lab bright and relaxing and secure. Just the spot for a nice respite, or to untangle the strange web that Bede had suddenly spun around him.
Bede perched at Sonia's usual spot, a cup of tea in his hand and a mild grimace lingering on his face. All in all, he hadn't been too bad a guest- he only glowered at the tea for about a minute before finally drinking it, and hadn't said anything outwardly mean. That did nothing to settle the nervous knot in Hop's chest.
"It was your Dubwool," Bede said peevishly, wrinkling his nose.
Hop swivelled in his chair, frown deepening. "That's not even a good joke, mate," he said at last. "There were at least a dozen other Pokemon at Lee's wedding. Even three times that number. There's no proof Dubwool is the reason your Sylveon has an egg."
Bede narrowed his eyes as he took a long sip. Even though the sun was shining warmly through the glass, a shiver ran down Hop's spine.
"It. Was. Your. Dubwool." Bede pronounced each syllable slowly, each word leaden with malice.
Hop winced, but set his jaw. The wedding had been just the weekend before, and it had been a lot for Hop to keep up with, but even with all the manic rushing about he'd been doing that day, he was certain.
"Dubwool was standing at the edge of the dessert table the entire time! Isn't that right, Dubwool?" Hop glanced over at his partner, his erstwhile friend, now standing not three feet away from them.
Dubwool bleated in affirmation.
"See?" He said proudly. "Dubwool really liked the pokepuffs. He wasn't going to wander around and cause trouble with your Sylveon." Hop folded his arms pointedly. All of his teammates never really liked Bede, let alone the gym leader's Pokemon. They mostly avoided each other, perhaps sensing it was best not to stir even more conflict between their trainers.
But Bede's eyes narrowed, slits of purple against a delicate face. Elegant, Hop would have said, if it were anybody else. "You can't seriously be taking his word for it over mine." Bede set his cup onto the table with a sharp clink. His glare chilled even further as he clicked his tongue. "Fine. I should have expected such dullness from you, anyway."
"You can't just come here and say my Dubwool and your Sylveon have an egg! And then shove it on me as if that's somehow my fault!"
"But it is your fault!" Bede's chair banged against the table. "If you had kept better watch over your Pokemon, if you were better at reining in your Pokemon and teaching them not to go frolicking around at every whim, none of this would have happened!"
Hop opened his mouth to protest, to point out Dubwool didn't do anything. But before he could, Bede stood up, somehow balancing the egg in one arm while the other reached for a pokeball on his belt. He clicked the release- and when she appeared, his Sylveon let out a bright chirp.
She scarcely waited five seconds before bounding straight towards Dubwool.
Dubwool, for his part, bleated once and lowered his head to meet her nuzzle. Hop stared. He could count the times their Pokemon had met on one hand, most of that happening on the battlefield. Affection wasn't supposed to grow in between attacks, with Bede throwing insults at him the entire time. But looking at them now, Sylveon's delicate ribbons wrapping loosely around Dubwool's horns as they purred at each other... it was kind of cute, really.
Realization trickled cool down his spine, and Hop wondered.
But before he could fully process the implications, his attention was drawn to the furious gym leader staring daggers behind him.
"You see?" Bede hissed.
"They're just friends!" Hop yelped. "Dubwool's a friendly sort!"
"Hop." Bede's voice was deathly low, his arms shaking. "I woke up this morning to see my Sylveon with an egg. An egg. The only explanation I can think of is that hideous sheep!" He lifted a finger and pointed it straight at Dubwool. "I saw them playing together at the wedding, when we went for desserts. You were probably too busy talking with the Champion to notice. I separated them as soon as possible but, as you can see, not soon enough."
Both Sylveon and Dubwool stared at Bede's finger in puzzlement. Dubwool let out a short, questioning bleat.
"Why you-!" Bede lunged from his seat.
Hop darted forward, grabbed hold of the taller boy before he got close to the Pokemon. "Okay, okay, I get it!"
Bede glared at him. Icy cold, jaw taut. A shiver snaked down Hop's spine. Hop was intensely aware that he had his hands on Bede's shoulders, and standing way too close for comfort. So close, in fact, that he was acutely aware of every detail of the gym leader's face, and how he was towering over him.
But it was totally unfair! It wasn't as if Bede had any proof, and even though Dubwool and Sylveon did seem to like each other, it was wrong that Bede would just come here and foist Sylveon's egg on him!
Bede fixed him with his violet eyes, his voice low as he breathed. "So you admit it's your fault. For not watching over your damn sheep."
"I didn't say that!" Hop snapped a glare at the other boy. "Look, if Dubwool really was the father, the Eevee will know the move Double Kick. But until then, we won't know where Sylveon got the egg from. It could have been roaming outside Ballonlea for all you know-"
Purple eyes widened. "How dare you insinuate-"
"Okay okay, maybe not!" Hop winced. "But the point is, you really don't want that egg, or to be here, yeah? So just hand it to me and we can both be on our way."
Bede looked like he was contemplating punching Hop in the face. But then his gaze dropped somewhere behind Hop- Sylveon, probably. And with a final grimace, the fairy gym leader let out a slow exhale and schooled his features, drawing back.
"Get your hands off me."
Hop was more than happy to acquiesce. Bede always treated him with the same disdain one would spare a bug, or a fleck of dirt. Hop never liked the fairy gym leader either, but he reminded himself that Gloria always told him to play nice. On top of that, Sonia would throw a fit if she found out Hop started a fight with Bede in the lab when she left him in charge and responsible.
Reluctantly, Hop stepped back. Eased the tension off his shoulders. Churlishly, he fought the urge to pout.
"Happy?"
Bede snorted. "None of this makes me happy, Hop." He fixed Hop with another of his piercing glares. "I'd raise the egg myself, but it's your fault we're in this mess to begin with."
"That's unfair-" Hop protested, only to stop at the sound of Dubwool's bleat.
Their Pokemon, side by side. Sylveon's ribbons around Dubwool's horns. His partner, watching him with something akin to a plea.
Hop sighed. "Fine."
"Fine?"
Hop restrained an eyeroll at Bede's arched eyebrows. "Fine, I'll raise the egg," he said, trying not to balk under the gym leader's critical stare. "It's not like I don't know what I'm doing. I've got plenty of experience with Pokemon-"
"So I recall." There was an arrogant tinge to Bede's voice, a pull of a familiar smirk. It almost brought Hop back- back to the time Bede first bumped into him, the shove of his shoulder and the disdainful flick of violet eyes.
They really never did get off on the right foot, ever, did they?
Hop slowly exhaled, relaxing his shoulders. The egg in his arms felt light, small. Delicate. And despite his feelings for Bede, he owed it to Sylveon, and the Pokemon within this egg, to make sure it was well taken care of.
Swallowing his irritation, he tightened his arms securely around the egg. "It'll be safe in my care, I promise."
Bede stared at him, and Hop had a feeling he was being sized up. But the gym leader stood as still as a statue, purple eyes stern and inscrutible.
Hop lifted his chin. "Do you need me to show you to the door?"
And finally, quietly, Bede sighed.
"No thanks," he said, rubbing a hand against his temples. The gentle movement shattered his statuesque poise, and for a moment, he almost looked... delicate. Normal.
"Take good care of it," Bede said gruffly. "I'll check up on it, just in case."
Then he smiled, bright and charming like in the magazine photographs. The beautiful, brilliant fairy gym leader. But no matter how elegant Bede was, Hop could never mistake the sharp venom in his gaze, always directed towards him. It just wouldn't be Bede, otherwise.
Turning away, the gym leader returned Sylveon to her ball. Without even pausing for another glance at Hop, he moved towards the exit. "Thanks for the tea. I'd say it was a good chat, but we both know I'd be lying."
"Yeah," Hop muttered under his breath. He watched as Bede picked up his purple coat, sauntered to the entrance. Every movement irritatingly assured and graceful, as if he was taunting Hop the entire time. It was all Hop could do to watch, face frozen in a neutral smile as Bede closed the door.
As soon as the latch clicked shut, Hop took a step back and collapsed back onto his seat. He held the egg up towards the light, watching the brown hues on its shell change in the angle of the light. So innocent, so innocuous. A contrast to Bede's accusing glare.
"You've gone and done it now, Hop," he groaned.
"Baa." Dubwool tugged gently at his sleeve, and Hop lowered the egg for him to look. The Pokemon sniffed, studying the egg. Then it nudged it gently with its snout and gave it a lick. His brown eyes were soft, his movements gentle. Fatherly, almost.
Hop chuckled. Ran a comforting hand down Dubwool's horns, before sizing up the egg again. Any other time, he'd have been excited at the thought of hatching a Pokemon's egg, especially one that was potentially Dubwool's. And even if it was Bede that told him to, even if they were mistaken, he would honor this request.
He sat the egg comfortably on his lap, bracing it with his arms. Ran a finger down the smooth, speckled shell.
Hop shook his head ruefully. "Morning's off to a great start, right, partner?"
And steady, right by his side, Dubwool let out a soft, affirming bleat.