Chapter Text
Working as an intern for the Pokemon League wasn't as exciting as it sounded. Sure, you got to be around the strongest trainers in the region, but that wasn't very often since you mostly just took care of problems that popped up around said region. In the beginning, you had hardly gotten to speak a word to one of the Elite Four, finding yourself mostly talking to Geeta. At first, you had seen them walking around, sure, but you had always been to intimidated to go up to them, slipping away the second they entered your vicinity. Really, why did you decide to take this internship if you were too shy to talk to them out of fear?
Now, that's not to say the internship didn't have its perks. The League building had an outdoor area meant for the members' Pokemon to relax in when they weren't needed, so your own Pokemon got to enjoy that area throughout the day. Geeta didn't mind if you used one of the vending machines, and always let you sit in her office to do paperwork if you didn't want to be alone. Eventually, she even managed to get you to speak with Hassel, Larry, and Poppy, whose presences you found enjoyable.
Ironically enough, the person you started growing the fondest of was the one person you were too scared to talk to under any circumstances: Rika. You had only seen her a handful of times: when she came to Geeta's office while you happened to be in there and you quickly exited, when you entered the building and she was sitting at the front desk, and when you had seen her walking around the building on occasion.
Currently, you'd been working there for a few months, and had successfully evaded any awkward interactions with Rika. Granted, you'd evaded all interactions with her, but no interactions was better than having one that would make you cringe while trying to sleep.
Geeta had called you to her office for something, so you were on your way there. Your Meowscarada was sleeping in its Pokeball, but your Sylveon and Espurr stayed with you, Sylveon padding alongside you and Espurr sleeping peacefully in your crossbody bag. You gently knocked on Geeta's office door.
"Enter, please," said the calming voice you had grown accustomed to over the last few months. You opened the door, clicking it shut behind you. Geeta, despite trying to appear normal, was clearly a bit worn out from the amount of paperwork she'd been chipping away at. Your Sylveon padded over to her and rubbed against her leg, the tanned woman reaching a hand down to gently pet the pokemon's head.
"Hello, Sylveon. I trust you've been a good assistant," said Geeta affectionately.
"If by 'good assistant' you mean falling asleep on my paperwork and eating through my treat supply, then yes," you said, your pokemon chirping innocently and wandering back over to your side, prompting a chuckle from Geeta. You cleared your throat. "You wished to speak to me about something, La Primera?" you asked.
"Ah, yes. As you can see, I'm up to my neck in paperwork, but I need for this report to be delivered to Rika urgently. Could you deliver it to her?" she asked politely. You felt the blood rush from your face. You wanted to say no, but your need to be a perfect intern overrode your anxiety.
"Of course, ma'am. Where can I find Rika'a office?" you asked. You knew the building's layout like the back of your hand, but the offices of the Elite Four was a different story since you nearly never wandered to them.
"First floor, hallway next to the lobby, the door at the very end," answered Geeta, handing you the report. You nodded.
"I'll get this to her as quick as possible. Let me know if you need anything else," you said, exiting the office. The walk down to the lobby and down the hallway felt like an eternity, but you finally reached the door. You took a breath and lightly knocked on the door, putting on your best professional face.
"Come in," came a firm voice from inside. You shakily put your hand on the handle, and opened the door. You looked up to find the green haired woman sitting at her desk, writing something down. Rika looked up at you, quirking up an eyebrow in question as to why you were there.
"Uh, hello, Ms. Rika. La Primera told me to deliver this report to you." You nervously handed her the report, and her eyes flicked down to it, then back up to you. "Well, I ought to be going, I have something to attend to, so if you'll excuse me-"
"Wait just a moment." Rika cut off your hurried exit just as you got the door halfway open. "Come sit for a moment, would ya?" she said, a friendly grin making itself known on her face. You swallowed nervously, but obeyed her request, shutting the door and sitting down in the chair in front of her desk. She laced her gloved fingers together in front of herself, looking at you as if she was studying you.
"You're the intern Geeta hired a few months ago, yeah?" she asked. You nodded. "Been meanin' to talk to ya."
"Talk to me? About what?" you asked. You couldn't remember anything you had done that might require an Elite Four member's concern.
"You never seem to talk to anyone. Hell every time I get near you, ya scamper off like a spooked skitty. Nearly knocked over a chair that time I came into Geeta's office on your way out. So what's goin' on? Don't tell me you're too intimidated to even be around me," she teased, grinning amusedly and raising an eyebrow. You felt your cheeks warming in embarrassment as you scrambled for an excuse.
"I, uh... I get kinda nervous around people that I respect, and I'm sorry if I offended you or something, that absolutely wasn't my intention, I just never really knew how to speak to you or the others, and I got really nervous, so-" Your nervous ramble was interrupted by a small coo from behind you. Your Sylveon was pawing at the door, likely wanting to go play. Your bag shifted a bit, and soon the fluffy gray head of your Espurr popped out. It squirmed out of your bag and hopped onto your lap, then onto the floor, shuffling over to the door and opening it with its psychic powers, before shutting it once it and Sylveon were out.
You turned back to Rika, who had been watching your Pokemon with intrigue. "They're just going off to play. It seems they've grown quite fond of the League's Pokemon area." You paused for a moment. "...Is that all?" you asked hesitantly. The faster you got out of here, the better. Rika got up and walked around to your side, standing behind you, before putting her hands on either side of the back of your chair.
"Just relax around me, kiddo! Sure, I might be in work mode most of the time that ya see me, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna bite your head off." You wanted to point out you were her age and not a "kiddo", but she let one of her hands drift to your shoulder, and you choked on your words. Her gloved palm was firm on your shoulder, and damn if she wasn't the most beautiful woman you'd ever laid eyes on in your life.
"Hey, you still with me? Lost ya for a sec there," she teased, ruffling your hair. "Cute as it is to see your head go all fuzzy, I'm gonna need you to answer something for me."
You simply nodded in reply, not really able to say anything in response.
"How about after I'm done with work, I take you out, eh? Somethin' to get ya to calm down around me, y'know? La Primera can point me to where your apartment is, and I'll pick ya up." she said. Your mouth hung open for a few seconds, your face flushing.
"Uh, okay. Sure. Yeah. Sounds good," you finally said after a few seconds of floundering for words. Rika squinted for a moment, before her eyebrows rose in understanding. The constant avoidance of her yet the longing glances that she caught without you realizing, the nervousness around her, everything.
"Ohh, okay. I see what's going on here." Rika began walking to the side, dragging her hand that was on your shoulder across your nape, making you shiver, and resting it on the opposite side of your chair. She spun the chair to face towards her, effectively pinning you in place.
"Do you have a thing for me?" she asked bluntly. You gazed up at the red eyed woman, your cheeks turning a similar shade. You sputtered for a second, before Rika snickered. "Arceus, you're too cute when you're nervous." She leaned in, her lips just centimeters away from yours. That is, until, she placed a gloved fingers on your lips and put her mouth next to your ear.
"Wear something cute for our date later, yeah?" she murmured, her voice like velvet as her lips brushed against your ear with the same softness. She stood back up to her full height and walked away, waving as she did so. "Gotta go talk to La Primera about somethin'. You can head home early for today; see you later." Her voice was a flirtatious tone as she walked out of the office. You stayed where you were for a few moments, frozen in place, before getting your Pokemon and any stuff you needed from your office and heading home.
Now what the hell were you going to wear on a date with the woman you'd been pining over for the last 3 months.