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Hospital waiting rooms. Maybe the worst place to be stuck with someone you don’t know all that well, waiting on the same stupid, stupid person to not die. Maybe even worse when the kid you’re waiting with is that person’s little brother. And to top that all off--
“Hey. Um. Gym Leader Raihan? Sir?”
The formality threw Raihan off. The kid who goes around yelling about his “legendary journey” this and his “legendary future” that—calling him sir? But then again, a lot had changed in the past two days. Or hell, the past few months even. Poor kid’s ass has gotten handed to him on a silver plate more times than Raihan could count by now.
“Raihan’s fine.”
“It’s nice that you’re here for Lee and all, but you know, you can go home if you want. I know you’re rivals and all, but you’ve gotta be busy, yeah? And your clothes…”
Rivals… Arceus, that word was never not loaded. But that aside. His clothes. Normally Raihan would sooner die than stain his uniform’s hoodie—that thing was a bitch to dry clean, and one of the top pieces in his wardrobe. But what the hell else was he supposed to do when, after evacuating an entire city (to be fair, the mayor couldn’t do much against a bloody sky hand), he found Leon of all people lurching down the steps of Hammerlocke Tower, trailing… red, muttering incomprehensible gibberish laced with self-deprecation? Who’d care about a bloody hoodie then? Who’d care about their burning legs from hoisting Leon’s slumped body over their shoulders? Who’d care about the stragglers pointing, whispering, screaming—
“Raihan? Mate?”
Somewhere in the middle of his talking (or at least, Raihan figured Hop was talking), Hop had jumped up from his waiting room chair and perched himself squarely in front of Raihan’s hunched figure. His hand waved teasingly in Raihan’s face, and it took some self-restraint not to swat it away. At least Raihan had snapped out of it, he supposed. He forced a smile.
“Ah, shit, sorry Hop. Not much like the great Raihan to space out! Sure, I wouldn’t want one of my fans snapping a photo of me like this, but it’s all good! Rivals have to look out for each other, right?”
To that, Hop sighed long and loud, dropping back into his seat with arms slung behind his head. Typical of Leon’s little brother, minus the obvious anxiety crossing his face. (Leon would be happy, he thought, that Hop wasn’t burying his feelings. Like a certain someone.)
“Ah, my bad. You’re still worried about that Gloria?”
“…Yeah, I guess… It’s kinda dumb though. The doc said she’s just tuckered out, so I shouldn’t worry. But really, passing out like that… Agh, what kind of rival even is she?! It’d be one thing if she was always counting on me—that’d be fine, really! But to go and collapse after beating me and that big old hand thing… It’s just frustrating!”
Raihan couldn’t help but chuckle at the theatrics of Hop ranting. As soon as he’d sit down, he’d stand up and pace again, like an anxiety-powered motor. Leon had always said that his little brother was an open book, but this was another level. Despite all his drama, though, Hop had still noticed Raihan’s private little reaction.
“Oi, what’s so funny?”
Something about Hop’s expression (somewhere between a kicked Yamper and a Wooloo trying to use Scary Face) set off a whole new fit of laughter. And shit, Raihan felt bad for the kid. He’d been through a hell of a two days. First losing to Sleeping Beauty over in the recovery ward—that was at least 15 years of dreaming about battling his big brother down the drain. And now… this. But Raihan needed this moment of release, he told himself, and so he answered between laughs; “I—it’s nothing about you—” (A tacit lie, really.) “It’s just… It’s just… we really are stuck… in the same situation here, huh? You and your little girlfriend…” (The words just fell out.)
“Hey, hold on a moment there, mate—” (He didn’t. Or maybe couldn’t.)
“And… me.”
Whatever stuttering nonsense Hop was planning to counter with, he had the common sense to hold on his tongue. He wasn’t a therapist, much as he could use one. But he’d heard enough teenage gossip in the past year of travels to notice when there was something just a liiiiittle deeper to pick at. Usually it was a horrible idea. Here, he knew it was a horrible idea. But Hop was a master of those.
“Er, what was that about you…? You and…”
What was the tone Raihan was picking up on? Curiosity? Smugness? Hesitation? Disgust? Hop had trailed off before asking any further, and whether that was out of knowledge or the complete lack thereof was a dangerous guessing game. If anybody knew Leon, it had to be his little brother, yeah? But then again, if there were anybody Leon would avoid a serious conversation with… well, that’d be anybody.
Trying to get the truth out of that guy was like trying to get him to follow a map. It just wasn’t happening, and you’d wind up about 250km away from where you had intended. It was kind of fun, though. Another game of Meowth and Tandemaus that Raihan would never win, but fun. Especially once he’d worn Leon down just enough that his voice would dip just above a growl. It was like he was begging to be teased, acting that serious.
…But here he was, drifting off again, and here Hop was, pouting at being ignored again. He could see a bit of Leon ten years ago in the way his brow furrowed. Leon. Leon.
“…Leon.”
“Huh?!”
So he had no idea.
Surprise.
“I’m sure you have a lot of questions…”
Like why he’s such a stubborn idiot. Why he didn’t make a stand against that rich fop of a League Chair sooner. Why he had to take a blast of pure dynamax energy straight to his body. Why he refuses to ever just give himself a break for once in his life—
“Yeah, no shit, Raihan!” Hop’s sharp tone cut a little, even if it wasn’t Raihan’s choice to act like Leon’s One True Rival and nothing else. “When was Lee planning to tell me, at his bloody funeral? He knows I’m bi, right?”
Now Raihan did, and since he knew, it was his job to deal with it. Shit, what would Leon have said at a time like this? Coming out was still kind of a big deal for kids these days, right? (Much as that turn of phrase injured his ego.) He decided to say something brotherly. Not too formal, but supportive. Someone to lean on.
“Congrats. On the bisexuality.”
“Uhhhhhh… thanks?”
Hop exhaled a single, nervous laugh. Raihan’s expression was deathly serious. Maybe Raihan was as tired and unstable as Hop was right now. He offered a questioning side glare with a tinge of “what the fuck are you saying” before deciding to focus on literally anything else. …Like the fact this was the guy dating his brother. Arceus help me.
Raihan, admittedly, was more than a little out of it. But he knew what he saw in Hop’s expression, and that was the confidence of someone who believed in their convictions deeply. (The conviction that his future brother-in-law was having a psychological break.) That was all Raihan wanted to see from Leon’s little brother. Nailed it.
After another announcement came over the hospital speakers, Hop decided to do what he had become eerily skilled at: pretending that whatever unfortunate thing just happened definitely didn’t.
“...But forget that! Why didn’t he tell us?! I know Grandpa seems pretty old-school but he’d totally invite you over for dinner still! …and tell you not to ruin Lee’s future, maybe. I think that one was before Sonia decided she was going to be a professor.”
“That’s not…”
“Or, are you guys still figuring it out? I get that. The press is vicious, man! You don’t want ‘em running away with something and making it tomorrow’s tabloids…”
Hop wasn’t wrong. Raihan had been listed as Nessa’s “new man” in more tabloids than he could count. For fuck’s sake, can’t a lesbian and a gay man enjoy their brunch in peace for one day… per week… for the past five years, without fail… without being accused of being in a romantic relationship?
“Oh, no, eight years.”
“What the— how?”
“You’d be surprised how much people let rivals get away with!" Raihan gloated; getting away with increasingly inane romantic gestures under the guise of “rivalry” had become something of a point of pride for him.
Hop supposed that much was true. And in hindsight, it was a little obvious now why there was always a rainbow over Wyndon Stadium after all of his brother’s exhibition matches. Against the guy who controlled the weather.
“But, then…”
“Rose, the smarmy bastard. Or, well, I guess that was more of Oleana’s problem; I don’t think Rose cared about much other than keeping Leon at his beck and call.”
“Ugh, I should’ve known! Anybody who picks a guy like Bede…”
“Ha… That’s your issue with him? Oh no, such a terrible fate. I have no idea how you could’ve possibly dealt with the little pink grandma calling you a loser.”
It was a good-faith tease–after all, the kid just seemed like a bad winner with something to prove. Honestly, kind of like Hop, if Hop woke up and decided to choose violence. Unfortunately, Raihan did not have his partner’s sense for what was best left untouched on a good day, and even worse on whatever the hell today had been. The smell of his bloodstained jacket hit his nose again.
“Yeah, Raihan, you’ve caught me.” Hop’s tone dripped with Toxicroak venom. “Actually, Bede was a really nice guy. Always gave me some real helpful advice. My personal favorite was when he told me I should just quit the gym challenge and become Gloria’s househusband. But I’m also a big fan of the time he told me I should just kill myself already since I’m just holding everyone around me back. You can tell it’s good advice because it keeps coming back to me every time I manage to turn things to rubbish. Like when I can’t even do anything,” he continued, voice hitched with emotion, “to protect my own brother who could’ve died to save my sorry ass.”
This was definitely above Raihan’s stand-in brother paygrade. And now more than ever he found himself wishing he could pull Leon from the operating room, new and healthy again like he hadn’t finally thrown himself to death’s doorstep trying to be some sort of legendary Palafin (like Raihan had been warning him for years), so he could talk his brother down with his endless patience and optimism and unrelenting love. The kid needed help.
But Leon was well beyond reach, not to mention his similarly-fated challenger, and the entire waiting room seemed to face them as Hop’s voice grew in desperate intensity. It was eyes all the way down, and while Raihan was used to pressure, here there was no enemy he could blast with a Sandstorm to wear down. At least, not ethically.
It didn’t help matters that Hop wasn’t technically wrong, either. Leon had almost died to save two kids rushing in to save him with a sword, a shield, and not a single idea what they were doing. If he just hadn’t gotten distracted by you. Then maybe he’d be awake and laughing off the whole thing and not covered in crimson, mumbling about how he couldn’t even protect his little brother. How he was the real failure.
They really were brothers, huh. Even if Leon was better at hiding it.
Raihan took a deep breath. Something Leon had reminded him of countless times. (“I know you’re a dragon specialist, but we can’t have you going and breathing fire at those poor reporters, ok?”)
He really couldn’t get mad (for long) at a kid whose entire life had been the shadow of his brother, followed by a series of unfortunate events once he finally got his own spotlight.
He put his hand on Hop’s shoulder, ignoring the whispers of the curious onlookers.
“You know… even if he’s an idiot who overbooks himself. And charges into anything that looks like a strong fight. And never calls home. Your brother really does care about you, kid. I have to hear him brag about you every single day, so I would know.”
“What, about how I lost so badly the crowd went silent at Circhester? Or the way I left my Cramorant’s Pokéball in the locker room like an idiot during the semis?”
Hop’s ears still burned in embarrassment about that last one. He could’ve won! Gloria was down to only her Cinderace by the time it knocked Corviknight out of the sky with a dead-on Pyro Ball. If only he could’ve gotten a Dive in on it…!
Raihan remembered that last one too; Gloria had tossed her own Shuckle’s ball aside the moment she realized Hop’s mistake. Maybe a little too obviously.
“Ha, and the way Gloria dropped her Pokéball on the field like an idiot?” Almost like she likes you, you dense teenage boy. “Or what about that crazy rock-fling strategy you used against Melony the second time? And Arceus, I couldn’t hear enough from Leon about your Intelleon sniping my poor Sandaconda right up the nose…”
“Well, sure, but what about the way Sandaconda glared ‘im right back? Didn’t snap out of it until he took an Iron Head to the stomach, either–I’d’ve been done for without Buddy’s quick Reversal!”
His hands pantomimed the interaction with surprising clarity; Raihan noted how clearly he had a memory for these sorts of things. He’d make a good battle commentator, with how he could recall a battle that was three weeks past.
In the middle of his play-by-play, Hop felt Dubwool’s Pokéball jostle in his bag. The fluffy guy was always begging for recognition, or at least a snack, the moment he heard his name.
“Geez, okay Buddy, I get it, you’re the perfect partner, okay? Hold on, I’ve probably got some leftover curry berries in my bag–”
“Hop. Hospital.”
“Ah, right…”
Ugh, of course Hop and Leon had the same pleading face too. Fine, fine. He could afford to pull a few strings after how smoothly he pulled off today’s emergency evacuation.
“I’ll go ask at the counter if you can have an emotional support Dubwool out, okay?”
That definitely wasn’t a thing.
“That’s definitely not a thing! But thanks, Rai!”
“Try and call me that again, I dare you!”
Raihan exhaled as he walked towards the reception. He had no idea what he was doing or whether it was being done right, but at the least, Hop seemed in better spirits than he’d been in since he rushed into the ER yelling Leon’s name. Maybe Raihan could make a good brother-in-law one of these years. Though the thought was enough to make Raihan hide his reddened face into his hoodie. He and Leon had been like this since they were 17, hiding out in the locker rooms between matches to avoid the reporters, and his heart still fluttered at the idea of finally moving in together. It’d be nice to not have to flying-taxi all the way out to Wyndon every time he inevitably got texted you up tonight? ;) at half-past 1, too.
Things to consider when Leon finally got a new job. Presuming Gloria was as skilled as Raihan had experienced. At least she’d be coming in to somebody other than Chairman Rose and his garbage-disposal-girl Oleana. He mocked her words under his breath as he walked.
“I’m just a little worried about our ratings, is all–wouldn’t want to lose the old “conservative front” of spectators by making too big of a stand, you know what I mean? We here at the Pokémon League value equal opportunity very deeply, but unfortunately, it would strain the league’s success to have its most famous, attractive figure go off the market with another man, so please understand.”
Some load of Tauros-shit that was. He couldn’t wait to share the news that Rose was removed with Leon. …As soon as he woke up. Probably drugged off his mind from painkillers, and possibly down a leg with the way it was bleeding. He hoped his headband made a good tourniquet.
–
Hop stood up and stretched far back enough he could feel a pop in his back. And a dull ache in his stomach. Shit, when was the last time he had something to eat? His bag was empty of anything edible without heat, unless he felt like opening up a can of beans in the middle of a hospital waiting room. Somehow it had only been two hours waiting here; the amount of people rushing in and out with injuries from Dynamax Pokémon was never-ending, it seemed, and the staff had just finally begun to slow their pace, brushing the floors of a steady coat of Pokémon hairs.
He wondered if Gloria would be out soon. Last he remembered, after he carried her in (if there was one thing he could thank Victor for, it was for passing on his gym habits), more asleep than fainted, and heard something about an IV bag before the staff disappeared around the corner. He could really use the company right now. Even if he could tell Raihan was trying his hardest, he was surprisingly rough around the edges trying to have a serious conversation compared to flattery and fake televised flirtation.
More than anything, though, Hop was exhausted. It had been two days that felt like forever, going from his painful loss to Gloria (he knew it was coming, but it still hurt, no matter how tightly she hugged him in excitement), to the cheering section with Marnie and Victor, to 100 floors of pain in Rose Tower, and perhaps worst, to the world’s most awkward dinner with his brother, both desperately dodging any conversation of importance, as Gloria ignored both of them in favor of the three servings’ worth of spaghetti on her plate. He knew what he had signed up for with Gloria and food years ago, but still, she could’ve at least spoken without pasta trailing out of her mouth.
And then today. He was already up bright and early prepping Gloria’s cheering squad with Marnie (it was her idea, to get some of Piers’s buddies–er, Team Yell–to be more than just nuisances), running synchronized cheers and helping prep banners. What he nearly didn’t expect was the number of outsiders that showed up; people ranging from overeager schoolkids to sanitation workers carrying plush Appletun, signs with a varying degree of terrible puns (maybe it was fate she was training a Hitmonlee, against Leon?), and hastily crossed-out shirts that read out “Don’t ****le with Shuckle”. It was something strange. Just a year ago they had set out from Postwick Town as nobody country hicks, and now they each had their own fanclubs; Hop found himself on the receiving end of endless Wooloo themed hats, stickers, and even chocolate bon-bons (he refused to eat something so cute). For once, it felt like they had come so far. Like Bede was wrong about Hop, like he could make a difference, bit by bit.
And then, as they all entered Wyndon Stadium with bated breath, shit hit the fan.
Everything was a blur from there. He remembered picking up the sword in the Slumbering Weald, stunned by its flimsiness; he remembered watching his brother in awe, and the terror of seeing Charizard blown aside and Leon blasted with pure energy; he remembered staring down Eternatus, powerless to do anything, convinced that he was going to die here and now with Gloria by his side. And then those dogs… at that point, it was pure adrenaline, and now he was here. He was saved, but he wasn’t sure how much he deserved it compared to everyone else. Just another lucky break. And Lee still took the heavy hits for us… He really is on another level.
And then there was the situation with Raihan! Hop could understand the secrecy, honest. Even if it was frustrating to not be the #1 Lee Expert anymore.
He wondered if Raihan was as obsessive about watching Leon’s matches as he was. Maybe they could get to know each other with a watch party? Maybe they could even watch Leon’s first loss together, and complain about how neither of them were the one to take him down.
That was how brothers bonded, right? As much as Hop loved Lee, their meetings were brief and generally centered around scarfing down as much food as possible before the Champion had to head off to his next engagement. Maybe now that Gloria was up-and-coming, Hop could finally catch up with his brother. Maybe I could finally get to know him as more than just a Champion…
There was still a lot to be done, he knew. The championship match was probably going to be pushed back at least a few days. Somebody was going to have to restrain Lee from challenging Gloria while he was still on bed rest. Well, that’s probably Raihan’s job now, yeah? Good luck, mate.
And from there… then what? Hop loved Pokémon battling, sure, but he didn’t know of any gym trainers planning to hand over their posts who didn’t already have a successor lined up. Must be nice to be Marnie… even if her brother’s a bit of an odd one.
And yet, sitting here, watching Raihan get swarmed by a crowd of adoring fans as he tried to talk to the receptionist, Hop felt like maybe there was something out there for him. Maybe it wasn’t following in Lee’s footsteps, or becoming a gym leader, but surely he’d find it. Hopefully, he mused, eyes sagging from the day’s length, with Gloria and everyone else there too.
–
Raihan finally pulled himself away from the crowds with one last selfie and a promise to check his fan mail. It had been well over 20 minutes at this point–poor Hop was probably beside himself from all this waiting. At the least, Raihan was a man of his promises.
“Hey! Hop! Sorry it took a while, but you can have your Dubwool out as long as it doesn’t use any… moves…”
There Hop laid over the chairs, draped with a camping blanket. Watched over by a certain someone.
“Shh. Let Mr. Hero Guy get his sleep.”
Gloria definitely looked worse for wear than the last time the two had met–her cheek was covered by a large cotton bandage, her hair was a worse mess than Piers’s after coming to work without putting in hair gel, and her clothes… well, they looked slept-in, which was about right.
“Wow, you look awful, Little Miss Challenger.”
“Thanks. You look like you butchered a Slowpoke tail.”
Her voice was quieter than Raihan had ever heard it–usually she was even more hyper than her rival, and that was saying something. Once she had tried to climb the outside of Hammerlocke Stadium, prompting profuse apologies from her traveling partner and a blank look that said “I’ll do it again” on her part. Seeing her this weakened made it hard to believe she was in the running for Champion, rather than just a kid who stayed up well past their bedtime.
“You guys… don’t ever do that again, okay? I know you’re strong, but… Arceus, you guys are so young.”
“Not as young as Leon was though, right?”
“That’s not a good thing either, kid. When you have that kind of strength and that little common sense… well, you’ve seen the kinds of stuff Leon gets up to.”
“Yeah, yeah…” Gloria rolled her eyes. As a rule, Raihan knew, nobody ever listened to an adult between the ages of 14 and 18.
“You’re just going to do the exact same shit he’s doing, aren’t you.”
“Ahaha, watch me.”
“You kids are going to be the death of us. And your poor parents. Who taught you all manners?”
“They tried, I prom’s…” Gloria yawned long and loud, covering her mouth before returning her hand to Hop’s head.
Raihan gave an inquisitive glance, moving his eyes from Gloria’s hand to her face.
“So, are you two just rivals, or…”
“His hair’s fluffy and that’s it. You should know, it’s probably like Leon’s.”
Raihan’s gaze quickly moved to his phone instead, as he pulled it out and replied to some comments on his earlier picture. It’s not like he was dodging the question, it was a promise.
“I… have no idea how I’d know that.”
“Mmhm. I think we’ll see once Mr. Leon wakes up, hm?”
Gloria was smiling in that sly way that said “I already know I have the upper hand here”. Like a Zorua’s smug mug, but twice as annoying. He turned back to his phone.
“Hey, Raihan?”
“...”
“Mr. Gym Leader Raihan His Excellency?”
“...what.”
“Thanks for looking after Hop. He’s amazing, but really, if you talk about self-confidence…”
“What self-confidence?”
“Yeah. It’s all hot air. Maybe so much he could breathe fire like a Charizard!”
“Well, that’d be a sight. But uh, no problem. He can look after himself fine, really. Sometimes you just need a big brother to talk to. If you know what I mean.”
“Mmh. I was a bit worried, after today, but… you make a good brother. Lucky Hop. And maybe lucky me?”
“Ah, so you’re more than rivals?”
“Nah. I just like messing with people.”
Raihan threw his arms up in the air. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Leon, hurry up and stop dying in there already! These kids are driving me insane!”
“Ahahaha, this wait’s gonna drive us all insane. Schrodinger’s Leon: is he undefeated or not?”
Now Raihan was getting a bit fired up again. He could deal with his messy emotions later. “Come on now, let’s just storm the hospital already! They can’t stop the three of us, right?”
“Wait, wait, are you serious Raihan? I mean, I’m definitely pro-storming buildings, but do we even know where he is?”
“That’s half the fun, kid! Live a little!”
From Gloria’s right, a groan. “Guys… please… shut up.”
“Ah, sorry, Hop…”
Hop sat up with a bit of a stir. “Wait …Gloria? When in the world did you get here?”
“That’s not important–we’re storming the hospital.”
“Because…”
Gloria and Raihan spoke in sync. “Leon.”
“Eh, sure, I’ve stormed buildings for worse reasons.”
“Oh, we gym leaders are such a bad influence on you kids.”
“Hey, anything for Lee, yeah?”
Gloria took on a running stance. “Alright, I’m gonna start off in three, two…”
“Wait, Gloria, we weren’t serious! Gloria!!”
“I can’t believe you’re friends with that kid.”
“Oh, man, you and me both, Raihan. Let’s go.”