Work Text:
Spinel was not sure what was louder right now: the sunlight assaulting his weary eyes; or Umbreon’s mewling. She was pawing at the curtains in a fruitless endeavor to draw them back closed.
“Believe me Umbreon, I am as displeased with our current situation as you are, and yet I resist the urge to announce that to the entire world. Would you kindly take example from me?”
Spinel tried to reason with his partner Pokémon as he munched halfheartedly on his breakfast cereal. Umbreon cast Spinel a disapproving look, but eventually joined him at the table to eat some of her food as well. Spinel sighed, poured himself another cup of a methylene blue colored energy drink, and used it to wash down his nootropics.
His carefully curated collection of pills improved the flow of blood into his brain and increased the effectiveness of caffeine and theobromine. Usually he would not need such measures to get his mind to function flawlessly. Unfortunately, the accumulated exhaustion was starting to get to him. He could not, would not, let something as trivial as sleep deprivation affect his job performance.
Never before had Spinel and Umbreon faced a harder challenge than working 9 to 5. To such nocturnal beings as this pair, it was a shocking change. And it was difficult to say who had a harder time adjusting.
Their schedule in academia was as easy as breathing:
As an award winning “brilliant researcher” Spinel could come into the lab whenever he pleased and he was provided with any accommodations he would ask for. It was never a problem if he came in to work around noon and stayed until late evening. After sundown, Umbreon could fulfill her need for intellectual stimulation by watching Spinel at work. Then she slept throughout the day. To their contentment, both Spinel and Umbreon could essentially do whatever they wanted.
Corporate life, however, offered no such leeway. Spinel had to get up early, no matter how distasteful it was to him. Attempting to sleep during the night was a must. Unfortunately, it was made difficult by Umbreon's natural instinct to play with her toys when the moon was up.
Spinel and Umbreon moved on to the bathroom to go through their daily beauty and hygiene routine. Recently, Spinel had to “enrich” it by scrupulously applying concealer onto his eyebags.
Even though Spinel thoroughly combed Umbreon with her favorite brush, she was still grumpy and grumbly. Apparently, her main symptom of sleepiness was being annoyed, rather than being sluggish.
“Umbreon, you don’t have to go through this. As I said before, you can sleep in your Pokéball if this is so disagreeable to you.”
Umbreon only hissed quietly in response.
“Don’t make this more difficult than it has to be. Now then, let’s get going.” Spinel pet Umbreon’s fur and gave her a placating smile.
Umbreon turned her head away from Spinel and puffed up her tail, clearly offended.
Why did she, a Pokémon with a circadian rhythm tied to the moon, insist on getting ready together with him in the early morning? Spinel could not think of a good reason she would torture herself so, no one required this sacrifice from her. She could be so irrational sometimes.
***
Yet another day of being an upstanding employee with a stellar record. Spinel arrived in the lab perfectly on time, greeted everyone with a bright smile and got to his workstation.
As always, he stepped into the mental stream leading to the fountain of wisdom. How he wished that could remain in the flow forever, without distractions and restrictions.
With knowledge came power, and with power, came status, which in turn offered control and stability. Of course, this meant gaining capital. Which gave options for pursuing more knowledge... He was sure to obtain it. Nothing could break his hyperfocus, and no obstacle could stop him from realizing his true potential. None of this could hinder him:
Neither his coworkers letting their Pokémon eat smelly sandwiches in the lab (of course, Spinel made note to report them to HR later);
Nor some of the upper management, clueless about the science behind the project he was responsible for, forcing him to sit through pointless meetings;
Not even the biological limitations of his physical vessel, they were merely another problem to solve.
***
Lunch break. The energy drink+nootropics combo was starting to wear off.
Spinel’s skull was about to burst from a headache. Socializing and eating with the rest of the team was the last thing on his mind, even though he knew how beneficial it would be for his integration into the local corporate culture.
Spinel did not feel like expending mental energy for choosing his next caffeine source, so he got himself both a tea and a coffee from a vending machine. He picked up some protein bars as well, they should suffice as sustenance.
Avoiding the cafeteria entirely, Spinel headed straight to a huge beanbag chair in a secluded relaxation corner.
After unpacking some of the protein bars and setting down his drinks on a side table, Spinel called out Umbreon.
“Help yourself.” he gestured towards the food.
Umbreon completely ignored the offering. Instead, she climbed onto her trainer, pushed him down into the beanbag with a thump and an oof, put her belly on his face...and immediately started breathing deeply, slowly, steadily. Did she fall asleep? Spinel was about to disentangle himself from Umbreon but...
Her hug was so cozy...Her fur was soft and comforting...it blocked out that annoying, pesky light...
Before he noticed it, Spinel drifted off.
Umbreon opened one eye to check if she managed to achieve her objective. Yep, Spinel was fast asleep. Good. She shifted to sit down next to him and rested her head on his shoulder. Her human, even though he was always someone who valued his independence and individuality, was way too compliant with what the other humans in fancy clothes wanted him to do. Being active during the day? Like some kind of Espeon? Preposterous. She knew that for some reason Spinel cared about his reputation among these annoying people, and that he cared about it more than about... self-care. Umbreon snorted at that thought. Spinel could be so irrational sometimes. Thankfully, Umbreon was here to make sure he got adequate rest, at appropriate times. Ah, what would Spinel do without her, his dark guardian angel?
Umbreon ate one of the protein bars while she stood watch. She needed to make sure that no one could take advantage of Spinel’s moment of vulnerability.
It was calm, quiet and no one was around, so she had a moment to spare to do some thinking. What if there was a way to stop Spinel from drinking that disgustingly blue liquid he had taken to recently? She did not know what that was, but her instinct told her it was poisonous. As many brightly colored things were. Spinel cringed every time he took a sip of that stuff too. Was someone forcing him to drink it? How horrifying. Umbreon had to free Spinel from his suffering somehow. After internally making that decision, there was not much else to do here other than sit and wait. A sudden pang of loneliness made Umbreon’s heart throb. There were too few opportunities for both of her and her human to be awake at the same time. Umbreon decided to solve her boredom and sadness by eating more protein bars. Soon, her eyelids started to feel very heavy, so she let them rest for a little bit.
Strings of orange sunrays tugged on Spinel’s eyelids, forcing him out of the realm of dreams. He would have asked Umbreon why she did not wake him up, but there was no point in that. The reason was apparent: she was snoring slightly, cuddled up to him. Spinel checked the time on his Rotom phone... It was 4 o’clock already. Almost time to get ready to leave...but he still had a half a day worth of measurements to finish. And Spinel hated leaving things unfinished. Including his drinks, so he gulped down both of them in one go with a grimace.
Umbreon’s face looked so sweet and calm that Spinel decided to spare her a rude awakening. He recalled her to her Pokéball, then got back to the lab as fast as his legs, still heavy from slumber, could carry him.
Several hours later, long after sunset, Spinel and Umbreon were having a late supper.
Served in a Pokéball themed bowl, was a tofu, kale and radish poke bowl. Umbreon purred in approval. For all his faults, Spinel knew how to give both of them nutritious food. There was no point in wasting time, so Umbreon started feasting enthusiastically. Delectable.
“I am glad you like it.” Spinel muttered as he drank his lavender and chamomile tea.
When Spinel went about his evening routines, Umbreon prowled around the apartment chasing shadows, compensating for the lack of movement during the day. She played with this toy or that, attacked the curtains, stretched and yawned.
A curious sound was coming from the bathroom, so an investigation was in order. Umbreon peeked through the door.
Inside, snoring in the bathtub, was Spinel. After a small nudge with her paw, then another, her human only stirred in his sleep. Umbreon decided to spare him from a rude awakening and let him be.
The night was ripe with opportunities, and she had plans to take them.
Just there, on the kitchen counter, stood a six pack of the blue morning toxin. During her patrol earlier, Umbreon noticed that Spinel forgot to close the bedroom window... A not-so-Nasty Plot (as Umbreons can’t use that move after all) started brewing in her head.
One by one, she cautiously took the bottles out of the plastic binding and set them on the ground.
She took the first bottle in her mouth, jumped outside the window onto the roof of a neighbouring building, then down, across a couple windowsills...And she was already in the backyard. She put the bottle near the dumpster. Hop, hop, hop, and she got back up home without an effort, and repeated the procedure with the next couple bottles…
Just as she was sitting on the windowsill, getting ready to make a vault back towards the dumpster…
she pierced the bottle with her teeth.
This liquid tasted like a crystallized essence of lightning. Not unlike Biting an Eelectric. She could not stop herself, and lapped up more of it. And more. Just a couple more licks...
Umbreon felt a sudden rush of power coursing through her entire body. She was omnipotent now.
Midnight Zoooooooooom!!!!!!
Bang. Crash. Thump.
“What are you doing?” Spinel asked a rhetorical question as he emerged out of the bathroom, dressed in Umbreon themed pajamas, hair damp and wrapped in a towel.
Umbreon was jumping onto the bedroom walls and furniture like there was a fire burning under her tail.
“You really are going overboard with the FRAPs, Umbreon.”
Either Umbreon did not hear what Spinel was saying, or she chose to ignore it, as she kept running around in circles. Spinel had a thought that he should put more effort into increasing Umbreon’s vocabulary in the future. Maybe he had been neglecting her training lately, did not give her enough exercise or mental challenges... normally she would not have this much energy.
Boing.
Umbreon swung her tail at the ceiling lamp, thankfully, nothing broke.
“Do I need to take you to the Pokémon center?” Spinel inquired.
That got Umbreon’s attention. She growled, pounced towards the open window... And leapt out into the night.
With impressive calm, grace and poise, Spinel followed after her.
Whoosh.
The chilly breeze, the darkness and the moon filled Umbreon with sheer, unadulterated joy of being. She felt as if her body moved a hundred times faster than her brain. Or was it just her brain that slowed down? No matter. The city was a playground, and she was its queen.
Creak.
Umbreon galloped ahead. She just gotta go fast — that’s what the blue liquid told her.
Crunch.
A loose roof tile broke under Umbreon’s paws. She flailed her limbs around in panic, but all she found was air.
Just as she thought she would fall, someone caught her. She was tightly wrapped in a warm, soft fabric. A towel? It smelled like her favorite human...was textured like her mother’s fur...The embrace felt so safe and comforting…The buzz in her veins and her nerves dissipated.
Before she noticed it, Umbreon drifted off.
Spinel ignored the first alarm. And the second alarm. There was no third alarm set... so there was nothing that could save him—except Umbreon.
And save him she did. Spinel was woken up by Umbreon licking his hands and face. Then, she stepped on his chest and kneaded, for good measure.
“What time is it?” Spinel groaned.
“Um! Um!” said Umbreon helpfully.
“Thank you, Umbreon…”
Umbreon jumped off of Spinel after seeing signs of life, allowing him to get up and go to the bathroom. Cold water washed off Umbreon spit and some enervation.
The events of last night felt a little blurry. One thing was certain though: Spinel got solid two hours of sleep.
After entering the kitchen, a conspicuous lack of his energy drinks in their usual place caught Spinel’s attention. He checked the fridge, the shelves, the cabinets...nothing.
Blinking slowly, Umbreon sat there with an innocent expression on her face. Spinel glared at her, but decided against reprimanding her. No time.
Breakfast consisted of quick avocado toast from yesterdays leftovers and a bunch of supplements. Washed down with plain water, to Umbreon’s obvious glee.
Now, Spinel had a tough choice to make: be late, or be unkempt.
Well, it wasn’t actually that difficult of a decision, his appearance always came first.
He made himself, and Umbreon, presentable as quickly as possible.
However...
Just after Spinel left his home, he realized he forgot to use his concealer. Too late to turn back now.
***
Around 6’o clock, Spinel was on the way to the director’s office. Cervantis himself ordered him to visit. That could be both a danger and an opportunity. Next to Spinel, Umbreon was trotting, ever the loyal companion.
Upon entering, the pair was greeted by a wave of Cinccino’s tail and Cervantis’s friendly catechism.
“Now who do we have here, is that not our newest employee who seems to misremember what his work hours are? You should take your schedule more seriously.”
“I apologize if you felt inconvenienced by my tardiness this morning.” Spinel said with a mild smile, as Umbreon and Cinccino exchanged customary Pokémon civilities; namely, sniffing each other with curiosity.
“No, no, that’s not it, you’re working too hard! I heard you were doing overtime late into the evening yesterday, and now you are still here.” Cervantis shook his head, and Cinccino chimed in with a chirp.
A shadow of a frown passed Spinel’s face. It seemed that the director had lost touch with reality. Did Cervantis not know what it took in order to advance in the hierarchy of his own company?
“I refuse to let my small failings affect the timely completion of the tasks I have been entrusted with. The research team is a well oiled machine that requires all parts to function immaculately.” Spinel insisted.
“This project is not that time sensitive. Go home, get some rest. You look worn out.” Cervantis’s cordial words exuded an affection almost fatherly in nature. Umbreon’s ears perked up as she hummed in approval.
Spinel flinched a little. Apparently, forgetting to apply the concealer was a graver mistake than he had hoped it would be.
“Director, my fatigue is caused merely by Umbreon’s particularly intense outburst of FRAP during the night. Nothing to worry about.”
Umbreon cast Spinel an accusatory glance.
“Uhhh...FRAP?” Cervantis and Cinccino alike tilted their heads.
“Yes. FRAP. Frenetic Random Activity Periods.”
“Oh, you mean the zoomies? Cinccino gets those too from time to time. One researcher here calls them, very aptly, poophoria.” Cervantis laughed.
Spinel raised his eyebrow slightly.
“Friede, you know him, right? He’s in the Pokémon habitat monitoring department now.”— At the mention of Friede’s name, Cinccino made a happy sound. Cervantis pet its head absentmindedly. —“He really has a knack for humorously naming things. Can you imagine, he calls Swallot’s slime Sliggoo vomit.” Cervantis smiled.
Yes, Spinel was aware of Friede, the scientist was highly respected for his berth of knowledge about Pokémon. After reading the professor's papers Spinel had considered approaching him, but suddenly, that prospect did not sound that appealing.
Cervantis’s smile faltered as he observed Spinel’s unimpressed reaction. After a moment, the director cleared his throat and continued.
“Well, in any case, no matter the cause of your tiredness...you should go home now. We are not some kind of evil corporation. We don’t want to work our employees to death!”
“How generous of you, director. I am lucky to work for someone as virtuous as you.” Spinel put on his best smile, but barely managed to stop himself from falling into a sarcastic tone.
Screw Cervantis’s fake kindness. Spinel would highly prefer that his employer did not have any morals. Oh, how much easier would his life be if it was the case.
“However, as much as I appreciate your benevolence, don’t you think that intervening with my work-life balance is a little invasive? Moreover, an outside party could interpret you being so lenient with me as favoritism...Not that I would mind being your favorite.” Spinel batted his eyelashes coquettishly.
Cervantis might as well have just turned into a Magikarp, because his facial expression right now was as “intelligent” as the fish Pokémon’s. Wide eyed, Cinccino started looking back and forth between Spinel and Cervantis. Unaware of the sudden awkwardness in the room, Umbreon fixated on Cinccino’s tail, her face radiating with mischief.
Spinel’s lips curved into a self satisfied smirk. His last remark might have crossed the line, but he did not regret it. Testing Cervantis’s sensibilities was worth a try.
“Now, if you would excuse me, I need to finalize the ongoing experiment. I promise to not stay too late, I would not want to stain your reputation. On the contrary, my only wish is to fulfill the company’s mission by diligently fulfilling my duties.”
Disappointed, Umbreon took off her eyes from Cinccino’s fluffy appendage and followed after her trainer as he rushed out of the room.
***
Back home, Spinel and Umbreon were sitting across each other at the kitchen table.
“Umbreon, we need"—Spinel gestured emphatically—“to reach some kind of understanding. A compromise, if you will.”
“Ee nnou.” Umbreon nodded.
For a while, they both sat in an expectant silence, staring at each other.
“During the night, you will let me have several hours of uninterrupted sleep, you can do whatever you want as long as you avoid making a ruckus. On the other hand, I will make sure to provide you enough intense entertainment late into the evening. During the day, you will try to use up some of your energy by helping me socialize with my coworkers during lunchtime, otherwise I will let you sleep as much as you want... Is that acceptable?”
A moment of silence. Possibly because of caffeine withdrawal symptoms, Spinel had a hard time staying alert right now. While waiting for Umbreon’s reaction, Spinel reached for an energy drink can that was standing on the table, he had sneakily bought one on the way back from work.
Clang.
Before Spinel could grab it, Umbreon used Quick Attack to knock the can down onto the floor.
Additionally, she positioned herself between Spinel and the can, ready to intercept.
Spinel narrowed his eyes at Umbreon, she barked in response.
“...Fine. You made your point loud and clear.” Spinel relented.
“Brr.” Umbreon purred and bumped her head against Spinel’s hand.
A deep sigh of relief escaped Spinel’s chest.
Finally, a rational agreement.