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"Ah."
N rubbed the side of his head, looking up at the branch he had just walked into. Admittedly, he had been distracted looking at Hilbert as he gesticulated wildly describing a Pokemon battle he had just had at the Rondez-view Ferris Wheel a little bit ago. Hilbert was now full on laughing while holding his stomach as N gave the tree an offended look.
"Haha! You're too tall.." Hilbert managed to wheeze out as his laughter died down.
N blinked, "I am?"
"Yeah, you're running into things like that!"
"I'm only 180 centimeters…" N muttered as he looked down towards Hilbert.
"…. only. "
The unimpressed look that Hilbert was giving him made N pause.
"I suppose that's a fair bit taller than you.."
N admits as he uses a hand to gently tap the top of Hilbert's hat. Hilbert defiantly shook his head to ward off N's hand like a Lilipup shaking itself and N chuckled.
"Hmph. Cheren and Bianca both grew taller in the past couple of years, but Hilda and I both stayed about the same height. I always thought we'd get taller, but I guess genes don't work that way…" Hilbert sighed as he took his hat off to touch the top of his head. Hilda's usual hairstyle gave her some extra height with her ponytail, but Hilbert didn't have anything like that.
"You're taller than Nate, are you not? " N said, tapping his chin as he tried to think of other shorter trainers.
"He's my junior, you know! It's only natural I'm taller than him." Hilbert said as he puffed his chest out proudly. N smiled to himself, refraining from commenting on Nate's palm tree-like puff of hair that actually did make him almost match Hilbert's height.
"Wouldn't that mean he is still growing as well? He could well outgrow you in a couple of years."
Hilbert seemed to jolt at the idea before grimacing.
"Don't… Don't say such scary things. The idea that Nate would tower over me is too much.."
"Is it so bad? Many things that are smaller are not at a disadvantage to bigger ones." N pointed out, as he recalled Victini crashing its way to victory on the Battle Subway just last week.
"I'm not a Pokemon." Hilbert reminded him while chuckling.
"Ah, I didn't mean to imply that you are…"
"It's alright. I'm just thinking… it wouldn't hurt to be taller, it is a little hard to reach you at times." Hilbert said quietly as he surveyed him. N looked at him with some confusion - what did that mean to reach? Did Hilbert feel he was too distant because of his height?
"Reach me..?"
Hilbert flushed as he gestured up towards N's head.
"Like..trying to reach your face or anything. You touched the top of my hat just now - if I tried to do that, I'd have to be on my tip toes."
Hilbert demonstrated by getting up on his tip toes and stretching his free arm out towards N's hat. He gripped at the brim of N's hat and tried lifting it up and above N's head at his awkward angle - N could feel the tug of the hat on his head and wobbled.
When Hilbert nearly lost his balance from trying to lift the hat higher and lurched backwards, N found his arms instinctively shooting out to catch Hilbert's waist and hold him up. Catching him at the angle had him still leaning back dangerously and N pulled him up closer flush to his own chest. Better safe than sorry - but having pressed the smaller man to himself had caused him to drop his own red hat onto the ground.
"Are you alright?"
"Y-yeah. But see what I mean?
Hilbert said as he held up N's hat with a sheepish smile. N returned the smile with one of his own as he adjusted Hilbert in his hold so they were both standing more comfortably. He left his arms around the other - just in case. As N thought back to the topic of their conversation… It seemed like Hilbert had a bit of a height complex.
"Despite you being shorter I feel you are an agreeable size. The way you are right now is good. If you do grow taller, I won't mind either." N said, hoping his words would help to soothe the younger trainer.
"I-It's not a matter of choice." Hilbert huffed while fiddling with N's hat.
N frowned as he insisted, "Regardless, you'd still be the pleasant person you are now at any height."
The pink flush growing on Hilbert's cheeks was certainly worth saying those words, N noted.
"...Good to know you feel that way." The shorter man mumbled as he moved to place N's hat back on his head. At the motion, N instinctively leaned down to allow his hat to be returned. The scene felt familiar, similar to the crowning ceremony that he had been inducted with within Team Plasma. Except this was much better in all ways, shapes and forms.
"Huhu."
N found himself continuing to lean further down and squeeze Hilbert in his embrace from the bout of reminiscing. Despite everything, Hilbert still chose to remain by his side - any time he was reminded of that fact, he felt elated and a warmth would spread in his chest. N hummed contentedly, as he began to rub his cheek against the top of Hilbert's hair. It really was quite soft.
Hilbert found his nose buried into N's solid shoulder as he mumbled, "You're going to crush me like this."
"You're not so delicate that that could happen. I've seen you make your way through the Desert Resort and Relic Castle without any goggles."
N could feel the grin on Hilbert's face from his statement. Hilbert tightened his hold around N as he began to rub his nose on N's shirt in return. N could feel satisfied for the next hour just standing out here in nature simply holding one another - but all good things must come to an end.
The short cuddle session ended as Hilbert began to shift and said quietly, "This is too embarrassing, we should get going before someone sees us blocking the path…"
N gently let his hold on Hilbert loosen, but kept his hands clasped around Hilbert's waist. He didn't really feel like letting go yet.
"Is it? It's quite late so I don't think anyone would venture down this route. We could stay out here tonight in fact. Even if it gets cold we can share body warmth-"
"Don't say stuff like that! I'm letting go now!!" Hilbert interrupted him with a mortified expression, abruptly pulling away. N tried to keep his hands where they were on Hilbert, but the smaller man was faster and extricated himself from N's hold. The taller man couldn't help but mourn the loss of Hilbert giving him a put out look. Hilbert merely looked at him with a scolding expression and they held one another's gaze for a beat. The two men simultaneously broke into laughter at the situation.
"Seriously though - I don't want to camp out tonight, the weather forecast said it might rain. Let's stay at the Pokemon Center tonight."
Hilbert said as he went to pick his hat up off the floor, beginning to pat any dirt and dust on it off. When he looked satisfied and placed his hat back on, N nodded and began to turn.
"Alright. Let's head bac - Ow-"
N found himself cut off as he rammed the side of his head into the same branch jutting out from before. The sound of Hilbert's laughter could be heard all throughout the route for the next few minutes.