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The room was dark with only a few lights from the tele and the screen in front of him. It was quiet besides the sound of keys being pressed aimlessly and rapidly by him. Even the city of Wyndon itself seemed to be silent as if it were sleeping.
Hop tapped away on his computer, eyes scanning over the data he was looking through and trying to understand. He wasn’t sure how long he’s been at it and he honestly doesn’t care. He wasn’t going to stop. He couldn’t not when Leon needed him.
His brother having a connection to a Pokémon, Eternatus of all Pokémon was enough to be stressed about. The fact his brother had somehow gotten some of Eternatus’ characteristics in more ways than one was of course worrying. There were possibilities that he might gain more from it, and his mind wracked over what that could mean. It didn't help that Hop had to believe that this all happened from when Lee had shielded them from the attack.
He could still remember that day so well, even more now that the effects of it were on full display each day he spent with his brother.
The new amount of strength he had, the glowing eyes, and of course the new behavior… It was all linked to that incident.
His brother was like this because he was trying to protect them. Trying to protect Hop. He couldn't let his brother stay like this, especially when it was his fault. He hadn't listened to Leon when his brother had ordered him not to follow him. Of course if he hadn’t then there might not even be a Leon to worry about now but… The guilt over the fact he was like this at all was so strong.
Hop rubbed his eyes roughly groaning. “Come on, come on, I need to make a break through…” He muttered to himself. “There has to be a way to fix this…” His voice cracked slightly.
This was all his fault… His brother was like this because of him. His brother might never be the same because of him. Would Lee ever forgive him if he couldn't help fix this?
“Mgh… Hop?”
Hop stiffened at the tired call of his name and quickly rubbed his eyes from the tears starting to form. “Y-yeah Lee?” He risked looking over to the entrance of the hallway behind him.
There stood his brother, looking disheveled with is long hair ruffled up along with his loose shirt and lounge pants wrinkled. His sleepy, glowing pink eyes were focused directly on him and despite the tiredness Hop had a feeling he was able to see him clearly.
He mentally slaps himself, he hadn’t meant to be gone so long that Lee noticed. it was a miracle he had been able to sneak away in the first place…
His brother lumbered over towards him and Hop turned back to his work because he couldn't risk stopping now. He hoped that if he showed he was working Leon would get the hint and leave him to it.
A pair of thick, muscular arms wrapped around him and a powerful chest pressed against his back and Hop knew that idea was out the window.
“What’re you doing…?” Leon asked sleepily, resting his chin on top of Hop’s head. Hop sighed.
“Trying to do research to help find a way fix what’s going on with you…” He muttered. “I’ve been cross-referencing and looking over recent data thanks to what Gloria’s given me on Eternatus. It’s a good thing it’s so tame now because it would’ve been a nightmare to get this if it wasn’t.”
Leon nodded along with each word, and gave a big yawn as Hop finished. “Ah, you’ve always been so brilliant Hop… I’m sure whatever happens… you’ll figure it out…”
Lee’s words warmed his heart but how tired he was sounding and acting worried him. “Is your body getting worn from the connection? Wait…Y-you’re not getting poisoned are you?”
The sudden reminder Eternatus was part poison rings in his head, something had had been worrying Hop as well. What if the effects of that were hanging on Leon?
His brother could be suffering this whole time and he might not have even realized it. Gosh what kind of aspiring professor was he? No, what kind of brother was he?
Leon shook his head and pressed his nose into Hop’s hair. “No, no… I’m pretty sure its… a Dragon Pokémon thing… My time clock is all…out of… synch…” He mumbled. “I know Dragpault tends to be more nocturnal so maybe it’s the same for me right now…” Hop let out a relieved sigh.
“Well, if it’s that then that’s okay. Maybe you just need more rest then.” He patted his brother’s arms affectionately. He expected his brother to agree and go right back to his room and fall sleep.
Except he didn’t move, Leon kept his arms wrapped snug around Hop and his face buried against him. Hop paused his work and cleared his throat.
“Uh, Lee?”
“Hmm…?”
“Maybe you should go back to bed?”
Leon hummed and turned his head, pressing his cheek against his head. “Lay with me?”
“Wha? Lee I gotta stay here and keep up the research!”
Leon let out a sigh and pressed more against him, burying his face into his hair. “Then I’ll stay here with you…”
“Lee no, seriously you should go back to bed.”
“Then lay with me…”
“Lee…”
“I’ve missed you…” Leon mumbled and his arms squeezed Hop more to his chest. Hop sighed softy.
He would have thought by now Leon’s clinginess would have calmed but it’s been just as bad since he had come back to Wyndon. Not that Hop minded really, he loved Leon and if there was one good thing that has come from all this mess it was the fact they were being able to spend more time together.
It’s just when he’s trying to do something like this to help Lee’s get back to how he was he can't exactly work as well with his brother curled around him like a mother Liepard. Raihan’s amused laughter and smiles whenever this happened never exactly helped either.
Hop froze as he felt his brother nuzzled his cheek against his hair, purring softly. It was still surreal to hear a sound he was more used to coming out of Charizard or Dragapault from his brother… But in a weird way it’s started becoming soothing too.
“See you’re tired too…” Leon murmured between his purrs.
“No, you’re trying to get me sleepy so I stop is what you’re doing…” Hop grumbled, moving his hands to rub his eyes. This wasn't the first time his brother did something like this. Even before his connection to Eternatus his brother would find ways to make him sleep if he deemed he needed it. Rubbing his head or forcing him to listen to his heartbeat had been his most well known tactics. Hop wonders if a part of his brother enjoys he has another weapon in his arsenal now.
Leon presses his face into his hair and Hop feels a smile on the man’s lips. “Ah, but it’s working right?”
Hop snorted. It was but he couldn't admit defeat just yet. “Lee I’m doing all this to help you…”
Leon curled over him, tucking Hop snug against his body despite the chair being in the way.
“You working yourself to exhaustion isn't going to help me…” His brother mumbled. “You need your rest too, so come back and lay with me. Besides it’s way too late, you shouldn't even be up at this hour.” His words became a bit stern, but they lost their affect thanks to the tiredness in his voice.
“Lee…” Hop frowned.
“Hop I’m worried about you…” Leon went on. “I know you’re trying to help but if you keep this up you’ll burn out or get sick or worse…”
Hop raised a brow. “Worse? Lee aren’t you being dramatic…”
His brother said nothing, but snuggled him closer against him.
“Lee?”
“Just trust me about this okay?” Leon murmured. There was a weight to his words but knowing Lee he wouldn’t tell him what it meant.
Okay, now that was concerning. Hop had a terrible feeling his brother’s worries were because he’s seen this happen before, and he desperately hoped it wasn’t with Leon himself.
His brother always had the horrible habit of wanting to take care of everything and everyone. He was a naturally born caretaker and for most of his life the entire region of Galar had been under that care. For Hop’s life just as much if no more, and while he had seen at least when it came to him Leon had loved to be that sort of thing…
How hard had it been to be that for so many people, for a whole region?
Guilt tugged Hop’s heart again, now with a new revelation that all that time he had been idolizing his brother he may not have realized just how exhausted he had been as Champion to all. For everyone, for him…
His brother shouldn’t have had to worry about him, or even have so much on him…
Leon’s nose pressed into his head and the purring returned. “You got to let that head of yours rest little brother. Brilliant as it is it needs to recharge.” He went back to nuzzling his cheek into his hair, much like how Hop had seen Dragapault do with the Dreepys in just as loving of a manner.
“You aren’t going to go to bed unless I go to bed too huh?”
“That’s right.”
“I can’t say or do anything to make you do otherwise?”
Leon’s arms squeezed Hop tighter against him. “Nope,..”
Hop opened his mouth to argue only to be interrupted by the squeaky yawn that escaped his mouth. Okay, maybe he was more tired than he went on.
Leon’s response to the sound was a croon deep from his chest and his cheek nuzzling against Hop’s purring louder. His brother was smiling as if he had just heard something adorable and Hop mentally grumbled it over it having to be his yawn of all things.
As if sensing his frustration, Leon nuzzled him more with a rumbling chuckle.
Hop simply sighed. Honestly he should have realized the moment his brother got in here he wasn’t going to get anything else done. Especially with how stubborn Lee was.
If Leon wanted something, he didn’t stop pushing till he got it. That determination is what got him to where he was in his life after all.
“Okay, okay…” Hop sighed, shutting off the computer and flopping back. “You win.”
Leon ’s purrs turned gleeful at his victory and Hop grunted in surprise as he was lifted right out of the chair.
“Ack! Lee I can walk on my own!” Hop grunted, trying to squirm out of his brother’s arms as he turned around.
Leon quietly shushed him, shifting him around so he had a better hold. “You don’t want to wake Raihan and Gloria…”
Hop paused and glanced at the two currently snoozing on the couch.
The tele’s light as shining on their faces to show they were completely passed out. Raihan as slouched over on his side, his cheek resting in his hand while underneath his arm was who he was curled over, Gloria. The girl was fast asleep, her head snuggled against his chest while her fingers gripped onto his hoodie like a Komala. She looked peaceful, until a loud snore escaped Raihan's mouth. Her face scrunched up, and one of her little hands pawed around to his face before promptly clamping his jaw closed. Raihan snorted in his sleep but scooted closer to her in response as she once again fell back into happy slumber.
Hop closed his mouth feeling guilty. He had completely forgotten those two had stayed in the room with him to make sure he didn't feel alone. He was really going to need to owe everyone for worrying them like this.
He didn't make a fuss as he brother carried him out of the room and down the hall. Hop knew exactly where they were going. The place that had essentially become Hop’s place to stay too ever since he got back here. He would have tried to stay at a hotel or in the living room if his brother insisted on him staying here, but nope. Lee would not take no for an answer. Lee’s room was also Hop’s room while he was here.
His brother opened the door with ease despite having his arms full. Hop wonders how Leon could do it so easily. Then his mind drifted to when he was younger. How it was Leon who would carry him around and tuck him in, and suddenly realizes his brother had been given plenty of practice with Hop himself.
“Lee…”
“Hmm?”
His brother began to crawl into the bed… er nest, he had pressed against the wall much like his bed back in Postwick.
“… Thank you…” Hop mumbled softly.
“Oh? What for?” Leon curled around him, his arms locking around his body and squeezing him to his chest as he rested his cheek against his head.
Hop closed his exhausted eyes and gave a yawn. “For being you… and for looking out for me…” He pressed his cheek against his chest and found himself falling deeper out of consciousness. “I… want to try and do the same for you too… You deserve it…”
He really owed him for everything he’s done for him for sure…
Leon paused, only to purr louder and snuggle him closer. “You already have…” There’s a tenderness and contentment in his voice that has Hop smile at least a tad.
“Are you feeling better now?” Hop asked lightly, unable to stop himself from teasing the fact he did seem happier now that they were back here.
“Mmmmuch better…” Leon voice echoed with his purr and Hop giggled at the feeling against his back.
A kiss is pressed onto his head “Mm, G’night… love you Hop…” He pressed his cheek against his head where his lips had been in a nuzzle with a soft sigh. “I love you so much…”
Hop giggled softly at the slurred way he spoke and his heart warmed happily from the brotherly love he felt from those words. Things may be different now, and even if it was Hop’s fault at least to his own mind, he’d never stop being thankful he had Leon still here to tell him that everyday.
“G’night… Love you too Lee…”
Hop kept his eyes closed and let himself drift into slumber, feeling safe and loved just as he always did when it came to his protector, his brother…