Chapter Text
Rei spends most of his time in the Highlands with Ingo. He’s very briefly concerned that he’s bothering the man, but that worry fades quickly. He clearly enjoys spending time with Rei, even if his facial expression never shows it. Rei enjoys his company too, far more than he would expect, honestly. After everyone in Hisui, who only want to be around him if they need something, it’s refreshing to just… hang out. Even if he’s hanging out with a man on the wilder end of feral.
He spends the time trying to learn more about Ingo. Despite Melli’s confirmation that he can speak, he never does. When Rei asks him questions, he responds with gestures or noises, never words. It’s odd, but after seeing him kill a Stantler with nothing but a small knife, he thinks he understands. Ingo has been out here long enough that he doesn’t remember how to be human.
Which is pretty fucking depressing. Even so, the man is kind to him, making sure he rests and eats. Which is more than he can say for almost anyone else here.
Rei studies the feral man when he isn’t looking, and what he sees breaks his heart. On the surface, of course, are the scars. They’re littered across every visible square inch of his hands and arms. And then there’s the claw marks across the right side of his face. He shudders to think what could have done that to him.
Beyond the scars, there’s the guarded stance. The caution that flips easily into aggression. The distant, haunted look in his eyes. It’s obvious that there’s a lot going on that Ingo simply hasn’t had a moment to deal with, and that it weighs on him.
When a Golduck tries to attack them while they’re walking alongside a pond, Ingo doesn’t wait for Rei to release Decidueye. He doesn’t call on his Pokemon either, despite them being nearby. He just launches himself at it and the fight is over before it really begins.
Ingo holds the struggling Pokemon down, with his teeth bared at its throat, snarling. Rei shudders involuntarily at the intensity in his eyes and the realization that he completely believes the threat to be genuine. The Golduck gives up after a moment, and Ingo releases it, still snarling until it runs away.
The man’s eyes are clouded when he comes back to Rei and he’s less responsive for the rest of the day.
After a couple days, Rei meets Lady Sneasler and immediately decides that he loves her. Ingo obviously does, too. When she leaps down from a cliff to greet them, he bounds right up and headbutts her. Rei can’t quite suppress his laugh at that and the Noble looks at him curiously. She comes over and investigates him, being quite careful with her deadly claws. She covers her mouth with a paw and laughs. Ingo huffs a laugh as well and rubs his face against her.
Rei realizes then that Ingo has never touched him. Or even gotten close enough to. It’s odd to see him being so physically affectionate with her, even as he keeps such a careful distance from Rei.
Lady Sneasler joins them for the day and when they settle down for the night, Ingo curls up with her. She purrs and Rei is startled to hear a second odd rumbling sound join hers. He realizes with a laugh that Ingo is purring, too.
______
Ingo likes Rei. Lady Sneasler likes him too, which makes him happy. He spends time with the boy whenever he can. Rei is the nicest human he’s ever met. He talks a lot and Ingo likes to listen. Rei doesn’t mind that he doesn’t talk back. And Rei never tries to touch him, although he’s pretty sure the boy is just respecting the boundaries Ingo himself sets.
He considers it sometimes. When he succeeds at a difficult catch or when he celebrates his Pokemon learning a new move, Ingo is struck by the desire to hug him. Or, barring that, grab his hands to express his joy. But something else holds him back.
It’s been quite a few seasons since he appeared here, and the people are more accepting of him than they once were. But Ingo has never, in his memory, touched a human. His desire to hug Rei is at odds with how viscerally uncomfortable the idea makes him. So he does nothing. He keeps his distance carefully. And Rei carefully doesn’t cross his boundaries.
About a month after meeting Rei, Lady Sneasler lays five eggs. Ingo sees the boy less as he focuses on caring for and providing food for her. Even when he spends time with Rei, he’s focused on gathering food. Rei asks why, but he doesn’t know how to explain. He pulls on his feather, but the message doesn’t come across.
The eggs hatch and Ingo remains in the cave, helping Lady Sneasler care for the kits. He misses seeing Rei, but he loves the Sneasels so much he could never complain. He promises himself that he won’t let anything happen to them this time.
Lady Sneasler leaves the cave one afternoon during the second week, leaving him in charge of watching the Sneasels. When she comes back, he’s wrestling with them. Five on one, they can overpower him pretty easily, but he has experience. Experience which he’s gently imparting on them, so they can better defend themselves one day.
He hears his Noble return and calls out a greeting without breaking eye contact with the largest Sneasel. She’s waiting patiently for an opening and he’s going to make her work for it.
Or not, apparently, as he startles at the sound of a human voice. “Whoa, is this your nest?”
Ingo yelps as he’s bowled over by five Sneasels and he hears Rei laugh behind him. He falls backwards, accepting his fate, and stares up at the boy.
He’s covering his mouth in a failed attempt to hide how funny he thinks this is. “So this is where you’ve been, huh?”
Ingo hums affirmatively, then snarls as one of the Sneasels punctures through his shirt and into his side with a claw. The offending kit is scruffed and tossed away with a yelp. Ingo doesn’t throw him hard enough to hurt the little Pokemon, but enough to make his point clear. Mind your claws.
Rei and Lady Sneasler both laugh and the Sneasels finally seem to take notice of the boy. He only manages to grab three of them before they swarm him. The largest female and the male he tossed run up to Rei, squeaking in excitement.
He doesn’t seem to mind, even when the female clambers up him like she does to Ingo, leaving a few cuts on his arm in the process. He just coos at her. “Oh, you’re so cute! I’ve never seen a poison type Sneasel before!”
Rei sits next to the fire, which Ingo realizes is probably the only reason he can see, and cuddles her close. She appears to enjoy this quite a lot, and almost immediately falls asleep. Lady Sneasler lays down next to Ingo and the remaining four Sneasels curl up over and around them, worn out from all the play. Lady Sneasler licks his fresh cuts and scratches and Ingo closes his eyes and purrs until he falls asleep.
When he wakes up, Rei is still there, fast asleep with his arms wrapped around the Sneasel. It’s very cute. Ingo gets up, moving the rest of the Sneasels gently and retrieves some berries and cured meat from the stores. He brings the fire back to life and sets to work cooking.
It doesn’t take long for the smell to rouse all the children. Rei sits up, rubbing his eyes and watches Ingo for a moment. He glances around. “Is there water in here?”
Ingo points to the pool in the back of the cave and Rei cautiously makes his way over to it, disoriented by the darkness. By the time he returns, the food is ready. When he sits to eat, the largest Sneasel sits on his lap. She obviously likes him.
Ingo catches Lady Sneasler’s eye and glances back at the Sneasel, making a questioning trill. She considers for a moment before huffing in agreement.
When Rei leaves the next morning, carried down the cliff by Lady Sneasler, Ingo follows him down with the Sneasel on his shoulder. The boy looks at him with surprise when he approaches closer than usual. He picks up the Sneasel and gently deposits her in Rei’s hands.
Rei blinks at Ingo, looking distinctly emotional. “A-are you sure?”
Ingo nods and Lady Sneasler yowls quietly in agreement. Tears well up in the child’s eyes and he buries his face in Sneasel’s fur. “Thank you.”
Again, the instinct to hug the boy is strong, and again the instinct not to wins out. Instead, he croons softly, then returns to the den to watch the rest of the Sneasels.
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A week later, Rei finds Ingo with Lady Sneasler, introducing the rest of the Sneasels to climbing and hunting. They both seem very pleased to see Rei’s Sneasel again. He explains that he has to go to the Icelands, so he won’t see them for a while. Ingo seems to understand, though he makes a somewhat mournful sound. He also fills a basket with food and herbs and insists that Rei take it. Rei almost cries again, but he reins it in and waves goodbye to them, heading up toward the mountain pass.