Chapter Text
Gou was in a pickle.
Satoshi was training. He normally did this but he wasn't sure if the...intensity of his training was normal.
He ate, slept, trained, rinse and repeat.
Gou supposed this wasn't different from how he himself acted but he still worried when it was someone else.
When Gou brought it up, others said the same, and in the end he ended up scolded for his own habits. But, this in itself, was Gou's issue. He'd somehow found himself surrounded with people who kept him in check, but who did that for Satoshi?
He didn't want to come off as too pushy and have the other trainer ignoring him. But he also didn't want to seem uncaring because he cared, to an embarrassing degree.
He supposed it was Professor Kukui who kept tabs on Satoshi. And Satoshi had a habit of not calling the man enough. Before Gou knew what he was doing, he had a surprisingly compliant Pikachu bringing him Satoshi's phone and perched in his lap as he called the Professor.
"Satoshi! Alola! Wait- Gou? Is everything alright? Why do you have Satoshi's phone? Is he-"
"Hi professor! I'm sorry, everything is fine, I just didn't have your number and…"
There was a moment of silence as Gou lost track of what he was trying to ask, trying not to look too out of sorts while on video call with what was basically Satoshi's dad.
"Um. When Satoshi-" Pikachi tapped his knee with his front paw, "When Satoshi- kun lived with you...how did he train with his Pokemon?"
Kukui was surprised at the question but responded easily enough.
"How did he train, huh? I don't know what he was like during other leagues but when he was with me he worked with his team every second he could when he wasn't helping his friends with their jobs, doing his own job with the ultrabeasts, or going to school-"
" School? Satoshi went- Satoshi-kun went to school? All the time? Wait, he had a job? Oh, sorry for interrupting Kukui-sensei I..."
Kukui gave him a shrewd look.
"I haven't known you for long but there's no need to be so formal with me. I can tell you and Satoshi are close. You definitely don't have to call me Professor."
Gou looked down at Pikachu, betrayed. Pikachu patted his knee as if he was aiming for the Professor to react that way. Gou would deal with the manipulative little mouse later.
"O-okay."
"And yes. I guess that wasn't too clear since you two were only here for the weekend. He went just like all the other students, so that took up a good bit of time. Why ask? How is he?"
"Well he's been training for the world championships…but that's all he does. And I'm worried. And he seems fine but all he does is eat, sleep, and train- and. And everyone says I'm like that too and it's fine if Satoshi is like this for a bit but it- it's not good for him. He shouldn't be like me, right? Were there any other things he liked to do while he was in Alola? He's acting kinda like I do and I mean look how I turned out! "
Pikachu pressed against Gou's belly, a comforting weight as Gou trying to squash down his emotions.
"Satoshi tends to focus and focus hard on whatever he's working on. I don't think you need to pull him out of it...just, find other things for you two to do on the side, okay? He'll definitely take breaks for his pokemons' sake. Go out to eat, travel a little to train. Variety helps! I guess that's how I kept him in one place for so long- actually when he first got to Alola… he was completely different from when he left. He seemed-"
Kukui cleared his throat, realizing it wasn't his best idea to bring up Satoshi leaving in front of Gou.
Gou was hugging Pikachu to himself, and the mouse allowed it, worry only shown by his shifted ears.
"Okay, thank you professor."
"And Gou?"
"Yes?"
"You turned out great. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
Gou lets out a pained noise at the compliment.
"And you can call me anytime. Make sure to take my number from Satoshi's phone. It's late, go get some sleep."
"Okay, Kukui-hakase. Bye, thank you."
Kukui lets out a startled laugh at the address before waving goodbye and something like 'So much like Sato' as he hangs up.
"Pi?"
"Ah. Sorry Pikachu."
He loosens his grip, but Pikachu merely curls close, taking his trainer's phone back and doing...something.
Since when did their partners know how to use a smartphone?
Maybe just going somewhere not related to research or catching or battling once a week would be good.
There was going to be a fair near the port this weekend and Gou thought that sounded good. They both liked to eat and they could take Koharu maybe.
"Pikachu...the Professor said I turned out fine…"
"Chuu. Pi. Pika chu pi pi chu. Pikapi chu pichu ka."
"I don't know what you're saying," Gou felt like crying as he had the past few months. Was his breaking point really going to be because he couldn't speak Pikachu?
"Chuu." Pikachu pat his knee again, consolingly this time. His ears rose in alarm for two reasons. He heard Satoshi, also known as Pikapi, approaching. And he felt tears on his fur. He let out a comforting wave of electricity and decided not to move.
Chuu also known as Gou by his silly trainer, was more important than hiding his stolen phone. Plus Rotom would rat him out.
"Pikachu," Satoshi called groggily, "Have you seen Rotom? Or my phone? Or both?"
Rotom itself was asleep, it had been helping Satoshi with training regimens earlier and wasn't used to using so much energy at once. But it was still in the phone.
"Pikapi," Pikachu called as Gou scrubbed at his face.
"Oh! There you are…"
Satoshi seemed to wake up quickly, taking the sight of Pikachu sitting on an upset looking Gou.
"Gou? Are you okay?"
Gou hated how attentive Satoshi was when he didn't want it. He really didn't want to explain that he wasn't used to people thinking he was fine, especially not other people's adopted dads. It was one thing when his family did. It was another when all the amazing people around him did. He didn't want Satoshi to see him, because then he'd get to know him, and then he'd hate him.
"Yeah, I'm fine, what's up?"
"Well," Satoshi seemed to put a lot of thought into what he said next, "It's almost one in the morning." He didn't mention Pikachu but he did try to pick him up off his lap. The mouse refused to move but did relinquish the phone.
"Pikachu, what the hell…"
"We've stayed up later."
"... you're sure you're okay?"
Gou looks away quietly.
Satoshi tries to move Pikachu again, but the mouse merely bats his trainer's hands away.
"Pikachu? You never get near other people like this."
"Pichupi. Chupi. Kapi."
"No. You sit with them. Not on them."
"Chu?"
"I'm not jealous ."
Gou shifts slightly, eyes wide. Pikachu thinks highly of him? Pikachu thinks Satoshi would be jealous for some reason?
"Gou?"
"Chuu?"
"I'm okay, really. I was just worried."
"Worried? Did something happen? I know I've been training a lot but I can help-"
"A lot doesn't even cover it. You've been training every single day. Which is fine for your pokemon, they have a schedule after all, but what about you?"
Satoshi looks like he's about to argue before he thinks about it.
"Has it really been every day?"
Gou nods, now looking at his friend, "You should take it easier. I'm sure your Pokemon are fine but you need to be careful."
"Hm. No wonder I feel like a Machamp hit me. It didn't feel this bad during the Alolan challenge...sorry Gou! I'll try to be better about it."
Gou blinks. That's it? He wasn't going to tell him to mind his own business? But of course Satoshi wouldn't. He wasn't that kind of person and Gou knew it. Why was he expecting Satoshi to act like everyone else? Why was being worried about his best friend a terrifying experience for Gou?
"Gou…? You seem kind of out of it. Maybe we should both get some sleep."
Probably because Gou didn't want to be worried about.
"Chuu."
"Is that your name for him? You named him?" Satoshi sounds a bit mystified and a bit jealous. Gou definitely doesn't want Satoshi to think he's trying to steal Pikachu's friendship. But worse, Gou hopes Pikachu isn't about to start a fight.
"Pikapi, pi chuka. Pi ka chuu ka chupi."
Satoshi makes an outraged noise Gou has never heard from his friend before but Pikachu ignores his trainer, giving Gou a little affectionate shock through the hands still buried in Pikachu's fur. He barely feels it but he does get up, almost sending Pikachu tumbling to the kitchen floor before he catches him.
Gou apologizes to the mouse then mumbles something about bed and begins to go back up, a now concerned Satoshi trailing behind him.
Pikachu climbs to his shoulder, looking back at Satoshi smugly before nuzzling a cheek against Gou's.
Pikachu gives a little vindictive smile as Satoshi scowls.
Pikachu hops off Gou once the two are in their room. Satoshi is already in his pajamas and absently gives Gou a quick but tight hug before climbing into bed, falling asleep almost immediately once Pikachu settles on his side.
In the morning, Gou barely remembers getting into bed, merely waking up with Cinderace wrapped around him, his own hands buried in the soft fur, his eyes aching a bit.
He tries to move but the hare merely pats him on the head and shushes him.
Gou grumbles, feeling oddly small, before pushing Cinderace off him to climb out of bed and stumbles straight into Satoshi.
"Oof. Morning Satoshi."
"Morning!"
Satoshi spins around, looking Gou over before clapping him on the shoulder.
"You look better. Let's go get breakfast."
"Eh? Better?"
"You were being weird last night. I was kinda worried."
"I was? I mean. Don't worry, I don't remember being weird anyway…"
"Don't remember? Hm. Don't worry, I guess."
Gou looked blankly at his phone. He and Koharu never worried after each other like this. It was...nice. It was new and scary.
"I'll worry if I feel like it!"
"Well! So will I!"
Satoshi's smile was wide as if he understood something as he gently pushed Gou out of the way to run down the stairs.
"Hurry up Gou, or I'll eat all the pancakes!"
Gou was browsing on his phone while Satoshi finished eating, making up energy lost from the day before.
"Oh. I borrowed your phone to call Professor Kukui last night."
He stopped eating.
"Oh?"
Gou didn't look at him. Pikachu was laughing, a small chittering noise escaping the mouse's mouth.
"Yeah."
"Uh. What did he s-say?"
Gou glanced up, eyes hidden behind his hair that he hadn't clipped back yet. Satoshi's face was red and he was glaring at Pikachu. Odd.
"I just had to ask him a question. Actually can I get his number?"
Satoshi nods and passes his phone over. Gou unlocks it and grabs the number as both Rotom's play.
Satoshi snatches the phone back once he's done, looking out of sorts.
"I'll be right back. No. You stay here, Pikachu, with Chuu . Traitor."
"Ka! Pikapi kachu."
Satoshi practically runs out.
"What was that?"
Pikachu shrugs and goes back to his own breakfast.
When Satoshi returns five minutes later, he seems to be pretending nothing happened.
"Wanna go somewhere today?"
"No..training?"
"You're right. Days off are good. Maybe I'll be able to think better with breaks anyway! Wanna go to that new place that opened near the port?"
"Sure! Now?"
"Yeah!"