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When Gold first saw the script for the Director’s new show, he was definitely a little peeved. The entire thing was based on Red and his pokemon team; when they trained on Mt. Silver at that, where Gold was training with him. Why should he get an entire TV show based on him? Gold is just as worthy of a show.
Whatever. He can just ignore the show. It probably won’t be any good anyway. It’s nothing more than a stupid kids show that probably wouldn’t even make it past the first season.
He watched from the corner of his eye as Silver picked up the script, beginning to read over the text, and expected Silver to agree with him. But Silver read the entire thing, eyes lighting up with each new sentence he read and not putting it down even as Gold called for his help. Only once he read through every page, did he turn to the director. But instead of critiquing it, seeing it for the bad show that it is, he said that he was excited to see it. Like it was some good show that would be worth watching.
To say that Gold was shocked would be an understatement. He didn’t even know that Silver had interest in any childish things such as kid’s shows. But Silver continued to talk about it, almost praising it as they headed over to help the daycare couple with their move. Although his expression remained neutral throughout the entire time that he talked about the show, his eyes were lit up, showing all the emotion that he doesn’t outwardly show.
As annoying as the sudden interest was, Gold figured that it would disappear after the show came out, and Silver got to see firsthand just how terrible it is. The night prior to the first episode airing, Silver camped out at his house, then proceeded to wake up an hour earlier than the show actually started to sit in front of the TV; never taking his eyes off the screen.
Silver’s interest in the show only grew after that. Before he knew it, Silver had made it a routine to come over Friday night or early Saturday morning in order to watch the new Proteam Omega episodes when they came out. Though Gold only realized this when Silver failed to show up one day, and he noticed that he had been worried. That was when he looked at the calendar, and saw that it had been almost two months since the routine had started.
From that point on, Gold found himself paying less attention to the show, judging the terrible plot points and critiquing every aspect of it that he could, and paying more attention to Silver. He’d watch Silver’s reaction to every scene; for some reason, never able to take his eyes off him for more than a few minutes.
His expression would almost never change, remaining neutral as he kept his eyes trained on the TV for every second that the show played. But sometimes, during an intense fight scene, or an emotional moment between the characters, Gold would notice a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, or watch as his eyebrows knit slightly in worry.
He’d almost never sit still during the episodes. Typically, he’d be doing something with his hands; messing with the hem of his gloves, twirling a strand of hair around his finger. Even doing something small like repeatedly tapping his fingertips together. Though during intense action scenes, he’d notice how Silver would shift in his spot on the floor. Barely noticeable, but enough that Gold could use it to tell when something interesting —interesting to Silver at least— was happening on screen.
These details were even noticeable when Silver would simply talk about Proteam Omega. Sometimes, just to see Silver get excited about something, Gold would ask him a simple, but complicated, question about something Proteam Omega related. The entire time, Silver’s eyes would light up with an emotion that Gold hadn’t previously noticed in them, and he’d give Gold every detail possible; even spending hours answering what Gold previously thought was a simple question.
Eventually, studying Silver during Proteam Omega turned into studying him whenever he got the chance. When they were at the lab, and Gold had a free moment, he’d find himself studying Silver, noticing the small habits Silver has. Like how he always seemed to be bouncing his leg while doing paperwork. Or how he’d chew on the end of his pen whenever he didn’t know the answer to something.
At the daycare, when Silver would randomly show up, Gold would study him there in between talking to customers and taking care of the baby pokemon. Silver would always be a lot more tender while at the daycare. He’d never talk to any of the customers, but when working in the back with the baby pokemon, Gold would sometimes hear him whispering gentle words to them; almost like he was trying to copy what he’d seen Gold doing. The one time that Gold tried to get him to help with the unhatched eggs, Silver refused to touch them. Although from the way his fingers twitched, reaching out towards the eggs ever so slightly, Gold could tell that he wanted to, almost like he was scared of harming something so fragile.
It became almost a hobby to Gold, trying to find out the intricate workings of Silver. He wanted to know everything about him, down to the smallest details. Like what makes him mad? What makes him happy? What’s the one thing he can’t stand? Everything. He didn’t know why he became so intrigued with him, but he started keeping a journal of sorts in his phone notes, marking down Silver’s behaviors and habits whenever they came up.
Before long, he knew most everything about Silver. He knew that Silver has an interest in trade evolution pokemon that can almost rival his interest in Proteam Omega. Which both him and Crystal were shocked to find out about when they realized that he knows more on the topic than Crystal does. Silver prefers sweet foods over sour and spicy. He doesn’t have a specific favorite food, but his favorite dessert is chocolate cake with vanilla icing. He hasn’t listened to much music, so he doesn’t have a favorite song, or even genre, but he shows interest in the bands that Gold has introduced him to.
It got to a point that he knew the details of Silver’s behaviors so well that he could tell what mood Silver was in before he even talked to him for the day. Using the journal now inhabiting his phone, he started marking down the answers to his previous questions. With the knowledge he had gained over the past several months, he found that he could answer most of the questions.
Except one. One question that he’s been looking for an answer to since the start. Even before that, actually. Since only a few months after they first met.
What makes Silver smile?
He’s seen Silver smile before, but it’s always small, controlled, sometimes even forced. Always given when he feels content, sees something he likes, or when he thinks that’s the reaction he’s supposed to be giving to something. But he wants to see Silver actually smile. A genuine smile given due to sheer happiness. The closest he’s gotten is the smile Silver gives when explaining Proteam Omega to someone. Even then, it’s obvious that it still isn’t fully genuine.
That quickly becomes his next point of interest. Whenever Silver came over for his weekly Proteam Omega episode, Gold tried his hardest to get him to smile. He'd crack jokes, listen to Silver ramble about Proteam for hours, and had even listened to those rambles enough to be able to shoot some related questions back at him; which never failed to make him light up when he realized that Gold had been paying attention to everything he said.
Gold grew so used to their little routine, and getting to see Silver every week, that he actually found himself disheartened when Silver informed him that he wouldn’t be coming over the following week now that the season was over. While he was glad to no longer have to listen to the terrible show every week, he knew that meant Silver wouldn’t be coming over as often. Of course, he still invited him to come back; under the guise that he could show Silver some good TV shows, but he didn’t come over nearly as much as before.
Despite hating Proteam Omega just as much, if not more, than the day he first read the script, Gold found himself following news on it, hoping that a second season would be announced. Just so that he could get Silver to come back over. When the second season was announced, which he found out through Silver texting him over twenty times at three in the morning, he was overcome with joy, marking down the date in his calendar and counting down the days until he could have Silver coming over every week again.
The knock on his window sounds like someone telling him that he won the jackpot at the game corner, and he launches himself out of bed before the knock finishes. He goes to yank open the curtains, but stops just as his fingers curl into the fabric. Bringing his hands to his hair, he hurriedly runs his fingers through his hair, trying his best to fix his bed hair. A glance into his turned off phone screen shows him that he looks decent. Like he hasn’t put too much effort into his look, but also not like he’s just rolled out of bed.
Determining that he looks good enough, he yanks the curtains open, giving Silver a quick smile before sliding the unlocked window open. “Why are you here so early?” He questions, putting on the best confused tone that he can; not wanting Silver to know that he’s just as excited for this as he is.
Jumping into the room, Silver slides the window shut behind him. “The second season of Proteam Omega starts today.” His tone remains flat, like usual, but the slight tilt of his head conveys his slight confusion at the question. Understandable, since Silver has been giving him —partially unwanted— updates since the new season was announced.
“Oh, yeah. I forgot that was today.” He sighs, stretching like he had just woken up.
Silver leaves without any further comment, disappearing from the room before Gold has grabbed his jacket off the corner post of his bed. By the time he’s stepping out of his room, he just spots Silver rounding the corner into the living room. Silver’s already sitting in front of the TV when Gold enters, fidgeting with the remote to turn the TV on. The channel is already set to the one Proteam Omega plays on, Gold having set everything up the night prior. So once the TV flicks on, Silver sets the remote down, shuffling back to sit against the couch, pulling his legs up to his chest.
Checking the time, Gold sees that it’s still fifteen minutes to nine, but he knows from experience that Silver isn’t going to move from that spot until the episode is over. Shuffling his feet, he makes his way to the kitchen, pouring two bowls of cereal for breakfast.
As expected, Silver’s still sitting on the floor, eyes locked on the TV, when Gold re-enters the room. He hands one of the cereal bowls to Silver before taking a seat on the couch and beginning to dig into his food.
When nine hits, and Proteam Omega starts playing, Silver sets the bowl aside, giving his full attention to the screen. As the annoying theme song starts to play through the living room, Gold pulls his phone out, pretending like he’s playing a game and isn’t paying any attention to Silver or the show. He does pull up a game, but it sits unplayed on his screen as he focuses on Silver.
He’s pleased to find that Silver’s reactions remain the same; even mouthing some of the words to the theme song. When the show actually starts, his eyes light up, his hands going to fidget with the hem of his jacket.
This season is just as terrible as the first one. Same characters, same terrible writing, same tacky plot. Gold grows bored with it less than two minutes in, although now there’s the added aspect of not understanding half the plot since he didn’t pay any attention to the first season. But Silver is just as enamored as ever, entranced by the show to the point that when Gold tries to get his attention, he isn’t even sure if Silver heard him.
It seems like the episode ends too soon, the ending credits rolling with a new —just as annoying— song to go with them. Silver leans his head back to rest against the couch, brushing his bangs out of his face with a content sigh. His bangs have gotten quite long, falling into his eyes, and Gold wonders if he’s going to cut them soon.
“I missed this.” Silver whispers, tilting his head to look at Gold.
“Missed your show that much, huh?” He jokes, turning his gaze back to his phone; pretending like he hadn’t been staring at Silver.
Silver hums, the tone of which tells Gold that he’s not going to agree with the statement. “No, I missed this.” He repeats, and Gold doesn’t need any further details to know what he means by that.
Because he’s missed this too. Hanging out without any pressure to do anything with each other. Silver’s watching his show, and Gold’s sitting behind him playing a game on his phone. They aren’t interacting, but they still have each other’s presence. And in a weird way, it’s soothing.
“Yeah, me too.”
Silver shifts to lean against the couch, his eyes visibly softening as he looks at Gold. That’s a new one. Gold hasn’t seen that expression yet, and he immediately starts trying to figure out what the expression means; intrigued by this new development in his ‘Silver understandment chart.’
Reaching down, he ruffles Silver’s hair, smiling as Silver reaches up to smack his hand away. But then he lays his head down on the couch, continuing to stare at him.
Gold almost wants to ask about what’s on his mind. He wants to know all of Silver’s thoughts. Like what’s running through his head in the quiet moments like this. Is it something bad? Is he worried that something is going to go wrong at any second? Or is it happier thoughts? Like he’s just thinking about how content the world is right now, with no threats to fight, and nothing to do besides watch silly kid’s cartoons.
But he doesn’t say anything, not wanting to ruin the moment of peace between them. Instead, he gives Silver a soft smile.
A gentle smile slips onto Silver’s face in response, and Gold can’t help but think that it looks real. Not in a mean way, like his smiles before weren’t real. But like it’s a smile that isn’t weighed down by any of the thoughts that constantly plague Silver’s mind. Paired with the soft look in Silver’s eyes, it makes him look happy, like he’d be content to stay right here for the rest of their lives.
It’s still not quite the smile that Gold’s looking for. But they’re getting there.