———
-Gladion's POV-
The trial captain's charm shattered the second it hit the ground. At the same moment, (Y/N) fell into my arms, much to my embarrassment. At that time, the Heat Wave had melted through Lillie's cage as well, releasing her in time to see this all happen.
"Gladion?" Lillie's face fills with astonishment, then realization, "Oh, got yourself a girl while I was away?"
"No," I turn away, attempting to hide my warm cheeks.
"It's okay, I won't tell Sun." She winks but staggers slightly.
"Lillie!" I call, while still holding (Y/N) in my arms.
"I-I'm okay. (Y/N) needs you more now anyway." She walks up to me and places a hand on my shoulder, "Take care of her, 'kay? Now, let's leave this filthy place."
The building had emptied entirely, leaving an eerie hush over the Shady House as we left. I carried (Y/N) on my back, trying hard not to think about her soft breath against my neck. She was so close to me that it made me very self-conscious about the way Lillie was staring at me. Once we made it to the road where (Y/N)'s and my apartment was, I flinched as I saw Hau and Sun standing outside the building.
"Hey, punk! You do something to my sister?!" Shouts her brother in disgust.
"You only have one volume, don't you?" I retort irritably.
"Hand her over!" Sun replies, anger reflecting in his slate-gray eyes.
"As if you could ever carry (Y/N) with those weak limbs. Either way, we're going to the place in the end." I scowl.
"What's that?" Asks Hau, who is currently stuffing a malasada in his mouth.
I roll my eyes, "What are you here to do anyway?"
"Lillie went missing, and we were worried," Hau says, looking at my younger sister with fond eyes.
"And then, my sister was gone too!" Sun frowns, "But I see we missed out on all the excitement."
Lillie pipes up, "Shall we continue this conversation inside, so that (Y/N) could get some well-deserved rest?"
While taking the elevator to the third floor, I discovered that pathetic Sun has a fear of small spaces, and took a mental note to tease him later about it. But for now, I had to focus on getting (Y/N) to our room. After unlocking the door, much to Sun's shock that I had the key, I placed (Y/N) on her bed.
"Please don't exert yourself so often, (Y/N)," I whisper, temporarily slipping my hand into her limp one.
Quickly stepping out of her room, I'm worried about what I am to say about the situation to her brother, Hau, and Lillie. The moment I step into the main room, I notice the trio of serious faces and see that Lillie has already filled them in.
I sit down on the couch next to Lillie at the end, with Sun watching my every move.
"So, what's your relationship with Lillie," I raise a question to which both boys and Lillie have scarcely a response.
"No, no! It's not like that!" Sun protests, waving his hands desperately.
I frown.
Hau mumbles, "Speak for yourself."
I face-palm.
"Arceus help me," I grumble.
Lillie quietly blushes ferociously, nervously biting her bottom lip, a habit she formed years ago.
"I could ask the same, you know." Sun smirks, "Are you planning on taking my sister away from me?"
"Wow, overprotective much?" I frown.
"And how do you have the key to (Y/N)'s apartment?!" Sun gets defensive, snarling the question with scorn.
-Your POV-
I wake up in my bed, recalling the last moments before I blacked out. Slowly sitting up, I resolve to stop pushing myself so hard. I toss out my Pokeballs. Leafeon cuddles me in concern with Popplio in my arms.
The familiar sound of my brother Sun and Gladion arguing outside hits my ears. I suppose I should stop them. Stumbling out of bed, I keep my Pokemon by my side. When I'm right in front of the door, just about to open it, I hear the strangest thing and freeze in place.
"I could ask the same, you know." I hear Sun say, "Are you planning on taking my sister away?"
"Wow, overprotective much?" That must be Gladion.
"And how do you have the key to (Y/N)'s apartment?!" Sun gets defensive as he always does, snarling the question with scorn.
I open the door, which causes the room to fall into silence. I open my mouth to quietly say, "He lives here."
The stunned look on my brother's face made me flinch as if I'd done something utterly horrible.
"HE LIVES HERE?!" Sun shrieks once it sinks in.
Gladion stands and walks over to me, and puts a hand on my shoulder to stop me from tripping on my wobbly legs. He helps me to a spot on the couch, sits next to me but not too close, and says simply, "Yes,"
All three of their jaws hang, including Lillie's.
"Oh," They all say.
Sun's eyebrows suddenly furrow, "You haven't done anything to her, RIGHT?"
"Eh?" I mumble, clutching Popplio and still half asleep as Leafeon nuzzles my leg.
Lillie speaks up in her high, soft voice, "Would you like to go back to bed, (Y/N)? You look really tired..."
Fogginess already settles in my head, and I gradually close my eyes. My head falls to Gladion's shoulder, and sleep clouds my brain.
-Gladion's POV-
Oh no. Oh no. She fell asleep on me again. Her brother is going to kill me with that glare. Oh my Arceus -- what do I do?!
"I... I'll just bring (Y/N) to her room..." I try not to make it too awkward as three pairs of eyes follow me to her room, not including her Pokemon as well, who later go back to their Pokeballs.
Once I return, Hau says, "I think I'll just leave."
"I messaged Hobbes and he'll be here any moment to pick me up," Lillie says, "I can drop you off at your house, Hau."
He blushes at this and puts his hands behind the back of his head with a grin, "Gee, thanks!"
Then, it's just Sun left in the room.
"It's getting late," I mutter, noticing the dark sky out the window.
He glares at me for another moment and then sighs, "Don't try anything with my sister." and he leaves without another word.
As soon as the door clicks shut, I let my shoulders slump in relief. They were gone. I never liked the attention, to begin with, but...
Anyway, after I changed into my pajamas, I unfolded the couch into a sort of bed that hotels often have. I flipped the lights off and slipped under the covers, already settling into a slumber.
———
Word count: 1153 words
YOU ARE READING
Your Tragic Smile: Gladion x Reader
Fanfiction"A 𝓼𝓶𝓲𝓵𝓮 gracing her lips, tears still slipping down her cheeks... it was a 𝓽𝓻𝓪𝓰𝓲𝓬 smile." With the wind in your hair, your journey starts with a new region ahead of you, not that you don't already have experience already. Starting out wi...
