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Silver’s dreams were quiet. A walk through a snow-coated mountain, Weavile at his side. Occasionally- he’d see glimpses of pokemon in the trees, of unknown species he couldn’t care to recognize. Some kind of flying types, if he had to guess. It was a nice contrast to how chaotic his days seemed in the past. Not fighting everything and everyone in his path was nice.
Unfortunately, that peace was ruined as he was rudely awoken by something- no, someone grabbing and shaking his shoulders. He slowly came to- realizing exactly where he is. Ethan sits on his knees in front of him, rocking him back and forth. Once Ethan notices the redhead is finally awake- he pulls back.
“Sorry! I was just trying to wake you up, haha…”
Ethan chuckled- causing Silver to flinch back more. Ethan’s face turned apologetic immediately- he raised his hands up to show he didn’t really mean anything by that. Silver narrowed his eyes- Ethan tended to wake him up for the stupidest of reasons. Sure, he was staying in Ethan’s spare bedroom, but did he really have to wake him up every time he saw that shiny Pidgey outside the window?
“What is it this time?”
Silver questioned, a glare coming to his features. He was tired from Ethan and Lyra dragging him around the whole day yesterday. Sure it was his birthday, but it didn’t help that he simply.. Didn’t care to celebrate it. He considered kicking Ethan out of the room and collapsing back into sleep before he realized.
It’s Christmas. Silver’s gaze widened- damnit. He forgot to leave the couple of presents he’d got for Ethan under the tree. It wasn’t his fault, the other had been pestering him all day.
“Silver- you silly Zangoose! It’s Christmas!”
Ethan eagerly leaned forward, as if he’d just told Silver the best secret ever.
“I know. I’m tired- give me a minute.”
Silver sighed. He was far too exhausted to resist Ethan’s eagerness to participate in the holiday. Admittedly, it was Silver’s first Christmas. He KNEW of the thing- but he’d never had a reason to celebrate it. He stood up- bending down and tugging the gift box he’d packed for Ethan out from under the bed. Handing the admittedly, decently sized box to his roommate, he watched his expression go from beaming like an Ampharos in a light tower- to shock.
“Oh- wow, Silver! I.. didn’t actually expect anything from you..”
Ethan started- before fumbling over his words.
“Not that you don’t ever do anything nice for me! It’s just-”
“I know. Open it, numbskull.”
Silver cut him off, because frankly, he didn’t want to hear Ethan apologize to him more. Ethan nodded- waiting for Silver to sit back down before he started tearing open the gift. Silver gazed absentmindedly as Ethan pulled a furret scarf from the box, holding it up and beaming as he wrapped it around his neck.
“Oh- wow, Silver! That’s- That’s adorable!”
Silver couldn’t help the small smirk that came to his gaze as he brushed his messy red hair from out of his face. Ethan scooted closer to him, and he shook his head.
“It’s nothing. I saw it at the markets a couple of weeks ago and it reminded me of you. Sorry it’s not much.”
Silver was going to say more, but was effectively silenced by Ethan dragging him into a tight hug. He squirmed for a second- Ethan hadn’t even warned him! He relented after a couple of moments, though.
“I don’t care if it’s not much.. It’s everything to me!”
Ethan nuzzled into Silver’s chest, voice muffled by the fabric- he’d be moderately disturbed if Ethan’s touch wasn’t so comforting to him. He rolled his eyes as Ethan pulled back, keeping close to him either way.
“So, ah… i’m gonna be giving out presents today, but.. When i’m home, do you want to watch a movie with me?”
Silver considered denying- after all, most days he ended up training through the whole damn day. But considering how mentally and physically wracked he was from the previous day, he simply gave a nod that was a bit much too meek for his character.
“Okay!”
Ethan nodded, before hopping off the bed and beckoning Silver out of the room. Silver stood as well, following the other teen into the living room. As soon as he stepped foot in the room, a box was promptly thrust into his arms, alongside Ethan encouraging him to open it. It was a small box, wrapped in bright blue paper. Silver’s name was scribbled on a sticker on the side with a crudely drawn heart next to it. Silver could feel a bit of an odd dread creep in- the heart led him on more than he wanted to be.
Swallowing the feelings of void pooling in his gut, he carefully unwrapped the paper- revealing a small black box beneath. He cracked it open; inside was a chrome red Pokeball. Lacking the distinct white underside, the orb was all red, with beautiful black imprints in the sides. Silver’s eyes widened; he’d never seen a pokeball more beautiful.
“Tch.. it’s…”
Silver’s head swam. He didn’t even know where to begin with a gift like that. He closed the lid- he felt dizzy. He didn’t even register what was happening until the black crept into the corners of his vision, spotting through his sight. Ethan was trying to say something to him; something that just sounded like swimming static. He had to get out of here- But the moment he stepped forward, his legs gave out- and he collapsed.
When he awoke- there was a dull ache in the back of his skull; and he found it incredibly hard to move, at all. As he looked around- he realized Typhlosion was curled around him, snoring. Great, how weak was he for passing out at just a gift? He noticed a small paper, laid on the side table, alongside the black box, and a mug of hot chocolate he assumed must have gone room-temp at this point. Careful to not disturb the fire type Ethan had left with him, he reached out and snatched the paper.
‘Thought you should rest for a bit ^^ be back later!
-Ethan’
He laid the paper back against the table. Right, Ethan had to go give out presents to his other friends. He was somewhat glad he had gone, if he had stayed back just to take care of him he’d just feel worse. He tried to scoot out from under the Typhlosion, but the pokemon didn’t budge. Ethan must have asked it to keep him put. He mumbled, surrendering to the warm fur next to him as some selfish part inside of him wished it was Ethan. When did he become so weak?
He groaned as he looked at the ceiling, keen to make his discomfort known to Ethan’s dumb fire type. But it just snorted smoke out of it’s nose, kicking its leg as it snored. He did not have to wait for long; The door creaked open, and Ethan came in, clad in a cheesy christmas sweater with patterns of Skarmory pulling a sleigh. Ethan’s eyes widened, and his hands clasped together.
“Silver! You’re awake!”
Ethan eagerly sat on the couch, giving a knowing nod to Typhlosion- which only serves to rile Silver up more. He tries to lower his tone, albeit it simply came out tired and mellow.
“..Have been.”
Ethan faltered a bit, moving closer to Silver and laying a hand on his leg. Silver didn’t even flinch that time, but gave Ethan a quizzical look.
“Why are you- doing that?”
Ethan seems surprised that Silver would even question it and slowly withdrew his hand, only for Silver to place his hand over it, keeping it there. Ethan’s pupils dilated, and he managed to fumble out an answer.
“It was.. was really cold out, and you’re just…warm. Do you wanna… watch that movie now?”
Ethan deflected, scooting to be closer to Silver’s warmth. Silver withdrew his hand, and glanced away as Ethan took the remote and promptly flopped over Silver. Silver rolled his eyes in mock annoyance as he wrapped an arm around the other’s shoulders.
After a couple of minutes of Ethan not being able to decide what channel to watch, he settles on an old live action film of a green Hypno ‘stealing’ christmas. It was dumb, yes- but Ethan seemed enamored, so Silver took any sort of distraction from the feeling of a warm body all snug next to him.
“This is actually one of my favorite Christmas films!”
Ethan turned to Silver, and the screen flickered off his face in such a way that his eyes seemed to glow- before he turned back. Silver sighed- if he had to see that any longer he would have done something he’d have regretted. He’s not ready.
“...It’s something.”
Silver settled for the two words, because anything else and he would spill his thoughts. It didn’t seem to help though, because Ethan was squirming against him in an attempt to get comfortable, alongside praising Silver for “being warm” (his body temperature is freezing. He’s only warm because he’d been up against his Typhlosion for hours. Why was he saying this?) and for letting him share that heat.
It wasn’t long until the shorter male was snoring in his arms, head laid sideways against his chest.
What is he ever meant to do with him?