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Ever since Giovanni had joined your team, you both had made promises to one another: him, to stay out of trouble, and you, to ensure that he knew his place.
Brock and Misty had followed him nearly everywhere, at first, but they eventually toned it down due to your incessant reassurance. Both of them still eyed him warily- like everyone else on Pasio- but they mostly left him alone.
Unfortunately, however, this meant that they didn't want to leave you alone.
"Are you sure you're alright being alone with him? I mean, if something happens..." Brock mused, eyebrows furrowed.
"Yeah, I mean, you've been spending a lot of time around him lately...are you sure he's not manipulating you?!" Misty crossed her arms, a scowl adorning her face.
You sighed inwardly. It was your turn to be scolded now for paying attention to the villainous man.
"I promise I'm fine...and I'm supposed to be keeping an eye on him, remember? If anything happens, I'll be sure to let you know immediately. Have a bit more faith in me, please?" You threw your hands up, gesturing outwardly. Shaking your head, you gave the two Kantoans a pleading look. They shared glances with one another before granting you a shred of mercy.
"You're right...you did win the first PML after all. We should trust in your abilities a bit more," Misty admitted, looking away defeatedly.
"We know how dangerous he is- and can be," Brock added. "We're just looking out for you, is all. It's impossible not to be worried in a situation like this." Misty nodded along in agreement. You smiled at them.
"Thanks, you guys. I promise I'll be alright. I'll update you on every detail," you gave a small laugh as you quickly embraced both gym leaders in a tight hug. They hugged back before exchanging goodbyes, and the three of you went your separate ways.
--
Your sleep schedule had always been a mess, and ever since coming to Pasio, it had just gotten worse.
Looking up from your book, you noticed that it was now slightly after one in the morning. You sighed, rubbing your eyes. You had promised Koga and Janine that you would train with them at dawn, which you now regretted. An extra cup of coffee in the morning would-
You paused.
You were out of coffee.
Shit.
Groaning loudly, you peeled yourself off of your chair and grabbed your keys, but not before slinging the bag carrying your Pokéballs over your shoulder. Locking the door behind you, you made the five minute walk to the Pokémon center. When you walked in, you weren't surprised to find it nearly completely empty. A couple random teenagers were scattered throughout the lobby, talking amongst themselves. Your bleary eyes scanned the center, your groggy mind trying and failing to remember where the bags of cheap coffee were located. Instead, your eyes locked with a pair of startlingly familiar ones.
You were awake in an instant.
"Isn't it past your bedtime, kid?" Giovanni jeered, but you swore you heard a hint of amusement when he spoke. You rolled your eyes. As if you weren't a full-grown adult.
"So being the boss of an evil team isn't enough; you have to be the boss of me, too?" You countered, stuffing your hands in your pockets. Your heart dropped as his eyebrows rose, a glint appearing in his eye. That look sent a shiver down your spine, and you weren't sure for what reason.
"You certainly have guts, talking to me like that. What a coincidence that you ran into me at this time of night, hm?" It was obvious that he was prodding you for information, in an attempt to get you to admit that you had followed him here. You decided not to play along.
"...Yeah. Believe it or not, it is a coincidence. I was actually here to buy some coffee," you nodded affirmingly. You paused for a moment as you felt your stomach rumble. Yet another realization: you had forgotten to eat. "...and some dinner. There's a late night diner close by. Mind coming along? ...I'll pay." You weren't sure where this sudden burst of confidence came from, but you figured that this situation would aid you in keeping an eye on him. Coincidence, indeed.
Giovanni stopped, cocking his head slightly and narrowing his eyes suspiciously. Before you had the chance to backpedal, a wicked smirk donned his face.
"Oh? Are you courting me?"
Your confidence vanished into thin air.
"No," you blurted a bit louder than intended. You were suddenly grateful for the barren lobby. "Of course not, I would never...!" Spluttering, you knew without a doubt that your face was as red as a Magikarp. Why were you reacting this way?
Giovanni made a noise that sounded like a mix between a scoff and a snicker.
"Relax. I'll take you up on the deal, if it means that much to you. Lead the way," he gestured. Inhaling shakily, you gave an uncertain nod before turning on your heel and walking briskly out the doors. You knew the route to the diner like the back of your hand, but for some reason you felt like you were in unfamiliar territory. Perhaps you were, in a different sense.
What was ten minutes felt like eternity. The both of you walked in silence, though you kept glancing at Giovanni periodically. He seemed to be deep in thought, hands in his pockets. Thinking up another evil scheme? You wondered to yourself.
"I understand you don't trust me. It's not like you're hiding it."
You nearly yelped in surprise from the sudden break in silence. He smirked in your direction. "You don't have anything to worry about... for now."
You would've interrogated him in response to such an alarming comment, but you had just reached the entrance of the diner. Opening the door, you instead opted to shoot him a glare that said We'll talk later, as he sauntered in. You followed close behind.
After ordering your meals- which involved ignoring the apprehensive glances from the waitress- you chose to sit in uncomfortable silence. Shifting in your seat, you took a sip of water as you accidentally met Giovanni's eyes for the second time that night. You nearly choked.
He surveyed you curiously, and you wondered how long he had been staring. You felt your face flush slightly at the thought.
The waitress returned, and Giovanni gave only a slight nod as acknowledgment- as if saying You're done here. The poor server quickly got the hint, scurrying away to the back of the restaurant before you had time to thank her.
"You're right in thinking that I'm not a good man. But I take no pleasure in hurting others for no reason," he said plainly. He sounded as if he was discussing the weather, instead of trying to convince someone he wasn't an infamous villain.
"That's not true," you heard yourself say. "Look at everything your team has done. Hurting innocents." He hummed, closing his eyes as you spoke. They fluttered open again, and you didn't miss the way it looked like he was looking straight through you.
"I can't speak for my grunts. Whether or not they enjoy inflicting pain doesn't matter; what's important is that they carry out my orders. I can only speak for myself. It's true that Team Rocket has been associated with some... nefarious states of affairs. However, this is the way I see it: Pokémon are a business enterprise; when I carry out my evil schemes, some people in this world profit. Some people are helped in other ways. Unless both parties are profiting, nothing gets done. I don't want to cause harm... but, if that is how a situation transpires, then so be it."
You stayed quiet, taking it in. You didn't like what he was saying, but... you had the feeling that he was being completely honest. You knew it was foolish to trust anything the team leader said, but you were curious as to where this conversation would lead to.
"See how much we can accomplish when we befriend Pokémon, though? I mean, they don't have to be used only through brute force..." you shuddered, thinking back to how Mewtwo's misused power caused havoc among the region. "A strong bond between trainers and their Pokémon yields better results." You knew Giovanni was a ruthless businessman, so appealing to that sort of logic might nudge him over to your side. He sat back, a ghost of a smile on his lips as you talked.
"I appreciate your viewpoint. It's good that we all want different things; that's how things get done in a business. The world should be full of different opinions and viewpoints." He leaned closer, propping his elbows on the table as he folded his hands, resting his chin against them. He gazed at you coolly, and you suddenly felt tiny compared to him. Suppressing the urge to shrink away, you met his stare evenly, insistent on not letting yourself show any weakness. He grinned back.
"I just wonder if you'll ever come over to my side one day."
Popping a piece of sushi into your mouth, you glared daggers at him as you chewed angrily in his direction. He chuckled, his tense demeanor dissipating as he begun to enjoy his meal as well.
You ate slowly, in part savoring your meal and another part lost in thought. The unanswered question weighed heavily in your mind, and you knew it plagued your friends as well: when would this alliance end? You assumed when the second PML came to a close, but you knew the true answer was whenever Giovanni felt like it. It seemed like the person in question read your mind, as his abrupt interjection startled you yet again.
"For the record, I don't plan on ending our...partnership any time soon."
You shot him a quizzical look, nodding at him to continue. "Me sticking around benefits the both of us. I would be lying if I said I wasn't curious at knowing what comes about this journey."
"And what happens once you want to go astray?" You asked. This appeared to surprise him, as if he hadn't come to that conclusion yet. When he finally answered, his reply sounded almost pained.
"...We'll have plenty of time until then. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with your future. But until that day, you and I are just trainers. I'll keep on exploring with you, for the time being." You blinked in surprise. Was he showing you... compassion? You gave him a heartwarming smile, about to thank him- maybe he has changed his ways- until his lips turned into a sinister grin. Your stomach flipped. "I do wonder, though... what role will you play in my own plans? Mewtwo is already a valuable tool..." he mused, seemingly thinking aloud. Your temper flared again, and you remembered just who this man was.
"A tool?" You snapped, shooting him a dirty look. He perked up at your reaction, his grin becoming wider.
"Indeed. As I said, I wonder what role you will play. Will you be an obstacle that hinders me..." he suddenly stood up, and you gaped at him in surprise. He leaned across the table, planting his hands in front of you as he stopped only a few inches from your face. You had felt tiny before, but now you felt miniscule.
"Or maybe you'll join me and willingly become my tool."
You audibly whimpered and at that moment you both knew he had won. Giving you a malicious smile, he sat back down- but not before moving his chair right next to yours.
"I know you don't agree with my ways... but you've managed to pique my interest. You and your partner... you're destined to keep growing stronger, and I look forward to watching it happen." Giovanni leaned close to you, and you felt his breath tickle your ear. "Ever thought about utilizing all that strength and potential as my right hand?"
Fuck.
You squirmed in your seat, feigning interest in the tiled floor below you. He tutted, and pulled away. A small part of you wished he hadn't.
"I'll never join the likes of you," you mumbled. You hadn't meant for it to come out so meekly, but the presence of the mafioso was suffocating.
"Hmm? And why is that?" You were abruptly aware of a hand gripping your chin, firmly guiding your head in Giovanni's direction. You let out a small strangled sound, your eyes darting to find someplace to rest that wasn't his face. "Look at me."
So much for that.
You painfully dragged your eyes to meet his own, another whimper escaping your lips as you caught the predatory glint in his eye. Your head was swimming, and you could feel your brain short-circuiting. Giovanni's earthy cologne was suddenly overpowering your senses, freezing you in place. "As they say, never say never. I have big plans for you, tesoro. Don't disappoint me." His hand slipped away from your face, and you didn't miss the way it snaked to rest against- you presumed- the back of your chair. You swallowed thickly, at a loss for words. "Hmph... think about it. I won't force you to do anything."
It surely didn't feel that way.
For some reason it didn't bother you as much as it should have.
"What sort of plans?" You squeaked, and fuck, you instantaneously kicked yourself for sounding so damn pathetic. He chuckled.
"That's for me to know, and you to find out. Unless..." You heard his fingers tapping against your chair, a pensive expression crossing his face. The way his eyes bored into you made you shiver; from intimidation or arousal, you weren't sure. "...Nevermind. I enjoyed this outing with you tonight. We should meet up again sometime soon, hm?" Before you had a chance to protest, he rose from his seat, adjusting his cuffs. As he walked behind you, you felt his fingertips graze against your back. You nearly jumped out of your skin. Bastard. You whipped your head around, watching him stalk away- until he paused. The look he gave you from over his shoulder was enough to make you want to fall to your knees- you thanked Arceus you had a chair planted beneath you.
"Arrivederci. You know where to find me." Then he was gone, the shadows welcoming him back into their embrace. You could barely hear the soft jingling of the door bell over how hard your heart was hammering.
The cold shower you took that night did nothing to dampen the burning desire you held for the man.