Champion's Allure
A/N: Well, I certainly haven't written any fanfiction in years, but I completed Omega Ruby recently and became Hoennshipping trash. I mean, if you've played the games, can you blame me? They laid the shiptease on thick. Originally I felt like writing a cute little one-shot, but for some reason as soon as I settled down to write it other ideas came to mind and it's turned into a short story. Not sure why, but I can't say it doesn't happen a lot.
Anyways, the story is based upon my Omega Ruby game, where I played as the male, chose a Mudkip etc., so any references will be in line with that gameverse, except the main male is referred to as Brendan and not Hideki for obvious reasons. Because I dissociate NPC! May/Brendan and Player! May/Brendan, the Brendan here isn't really a tsundere or anything, though he certainly likes teasing May. The player characters are cardboard, essentially, so I'm just working with a made up personality for Brendan. May, however, is based on her NPC character, though that certainly doesn't mean I'll get her right and know how to write her, especially in a romantic context. The story is set a couple of years after the game/Delta Episode, so I suppose I should warn that there will probably be light spoilers/references to the events.
"No, no, I can't say that. I mean, I don't have any right to, and it would sound weird and –and –"
Her monologue was paused as she pressed harder into her pokeball cushion, a muffled groan issuing from what would surely become her new face if she kept at it. Stretched out on the carpet beside her bed, Sceptile's attention was temporarily piqued by the noise, but when he had affirmed his human trainer was up to her increasingly common theatrics he plopped his head back down on the carpet, wholly disinterested.
She caught the motion in her periphery and allowed the cushion to drop to her lap with a soft plunk, giving her long-time companion a look somewhere between a scowl and a pout. "Look, I know you can't exactly talk me through things as I lie on a long couch with the back of my hand against my forehead, but you could at least look sympathetic." Her admonishment was replied to by a rickety, drawn out snore. "Or you could just sleep," she conceded, wondering – not for the first time – how her Sceptile could sleep so easily, especially as lately she was up later and later with her…musings.
"May, honey, could you come downstairs? Your father wants your help out in the field again. He's just popped back to the lab to get some things ready," her mother's voice drifted up.
Again, huh? Her dad had been particularly insistent that she accompany and attend a lot of his field work lately, and his intentions were not subtle; he was grooming and priming her to take his position, after all. It wasn't like she minded said intentions, and she did like having something to centre her thoughts for a while.
"Alright mum, I'm coming~!" she called back, springing from her bed and nearly tripping over the large mass sprawled by it in the process. As she was adjusting her hair in the mirror, reflections revealed said mass was fixing her a bleary stare, awoken by the shouting and stumbling. "I've gotta go out now, big guy, so you have a choice; you can either come with me and stay in the pokeball, as I'm sure the inhabitants of route 101 would prefer, or you can stay there sleeping and leave me to the defence of my other partners."
Sceptile closed his eyes.
While she had avoided making a show of herself by actually tripping over Sceptile, the same could not be said for her descent down the stairs. As soon as she spotted the white hat, she knew the inevitable result of her heart and foot skipping at the same time.
"May! Good morning, you're looking – May?!" Brendan jerked forward and caught May by the shoulders as she dipped forward, steadying her as her mother pottered nervously in the background. She stared at him blankly, as if she didn't register his presence, before reality settled in and she straightened her spine, backing away from his body slightly, a light red dusting her cheeks.
"Oh, h-hello Brendan," she said, looking at everyone and everything except the aforementioned. "Sorry…seems as the years go by, my clumsiness gets worse instead of better. Thanks for the save, though~." His hands were very warm against her shoulders, and it felt nice. Brendan in general was very warm, which had nothing to do with a certain ground and fire legendary he had tamed that had nearly dried up the world, currently resting in the Ultra Ball attached to his belt. She knew he had a concerned look on his face even if she wasn't directly looking at it; she could feel the intensity emanating from his gaze.
When was he going to step away from her and her shoulders? Why were they just standing there, being silly? Maybe the heat he emitted was getting to her.
"Yeah, still as clumsy as ever," he remarked uncertainly, finally removing his hands but still encroaching upon her personal space.
This was ridiculous. This was Brendan, for crying out loud! Who could she relax around and talk to if not Brendan?
"Ah, well, as I say, if there were ever a clumsiness competition added, I'd just have to somehow perform in it myself~ But it sure is a surprise to see you here! I mean, I thought you wouldn't be back for a couple more days." She made herself look at him and immediately regretted it when their eyes locked; she wanted to shrink into obscurity.
"Well, yeah, that was the expectation…but father fell ill and it's not like the double battle tour could continue. I'm…sorry I dropped by unannounced…I shouldn't have startled you like that."
"No, no, no! It's not that," May suddenly yelled, arms flailing in denial as she shoved her face close to his. "It's not a bad thing! I wanted to see you! I'm glad to see you! I'm just – I'm just a klutz! I'd have probably fallen over if my own mum had popped her head around the corner from the living room and –"
Her mother promptly made a face.
"Well, it's certainly not your father's good looks you have," she commented before disappearing into another room, leaving the two teenagers to themselves. Both looked after her and then back at each other; May knew her face was bright red, from her embarrassment and frantic exertions, and considered that she must look quite comical. Brendan didn't seem particularly amused as he looked down at her, though; his grey tinged eyes looked a bit reflective, despite the small smile that had crept up on his face.
"Well, that's good to know. It's also good to know you're still as energetic as ever." Wait, looking down at her? What? "Professor Birch will be here in a second, right? And you're going to go to route 101 with him?" Unbelievable…when had that happened? They'd always been about the same height until she had grown a bit taller than him, and taller than him she had remained, until…
"You're taller than me," she blurted out, eyes widened in her disbelief. Brendan arched an eyebrow at her, implicitly asking why she had brought such a thing up out of the blue. She shook her head, as if she couldn't formulate a reply to the unheard query, before a weird sense of giddiness tugged her lips upward and made her poke his forehead. "I can't believe I have to raise my arm up a bit to do this." With that, she dissolved into giggles.
Bristling and flustered, Brendan ducked away, and May could just about make out the red colouring that had sprung to his cheeks.
"Is that meant to be surprising? I am in the middle of puberty, you know." He said almost proudly, though the way his voice cracked and tended to a higher pitch at the end made her smile even more.
"I know, I know, it's not surprising. It's just…I didn't see it happen gradually. You just…popped up. That's funny." She grinned roguishly at him, causing him to redden further.
"I'm not a plant," he muttered as the rather stout and short figure of Professor Birch came bustling into the house.
"Ah, Brendan, you're back! It's nice to see you – your mother tells me Norman is sick? I'll have to go and check on him sometime soon, soothe his wounds about his immune system progressing the same way as his shade of hair." He also grinned roguishly at Brendan, before turning his attention fully to his daughter. "Sorry I took so long, dear, but I had to get my notes in order. This is pretty interesting stuff, you know. Are you ready to head off?"
"Sure daddy, I'm all set." Her eyes settled on Brendan who stood there awkwardly, staring holes into the floor. A small, vindictive part of her felt that it was appropriate he was now the one feeling a bit out of sorts. "Brendan, what are you going to do? Do you want to come along? It might be fun, you know – daddy's all excited about it, and has been for days. I was waiting for this call."
"Might be fun, you say? You're going to have a blast with this!" Professor Birch explained, before striding over to Brendan and clapping him on the back. "You should also come too, even if your forte is more in battling than research. Interesting things are interesting things, regardless of your profession." He proceeded to glance at his daughter and then back at Brendan. "Besides, you haven't seen May properly in a couple of months – you're obligated to spend some time with her! She's been so lonely and put out, you know, so I really think you should –"
"Not be pressured into coming if you don't want to," May interjected, biting her lower lip. Her dad really was oblivious; of course he would notice her odd behaviour and moods and then not make the connection that he should perhaps not flag it up to Brendan.
The topic of her confused emotions looked rather entertained by her dad's rambling for his part, and she knew well enough the high arch of his eyebrows indicated some sense of smugness; her embarrassment flared at this and, in defiance, she crossed her arms and stared meaningfully at her dad. Her dad did not pick up on the helpful cues.
"Well, of course he doesn't have to come if he doesn't want to, but I should think he would like to, right? You've missed May too, haven't you? It would be a sad state of affairs if you didn't miss her as much as she missed you," he said darkly, a hint of threat in his tone.
"Of course I've missed May!" he declared, cajoling the older man on as he slipped over to her and slung an arm around her shoulders. "The thing on my mind the most was her, after all, among other important thoughts like 'Wow, that was a really good battle' and 'Oh no, my father's going to infect me and I'm going to die, but I need to be strong enough to make it back to May!'"
She knew she shouldn't have, but she couldn't seem to help it nowadays; despite full knowledge he was egging her dad on for amusement, she blushed and felt her stomach churn. Gods, Brendan could be such a moron sometimes.
"To infect me too, right?" she added under her breath so her father wouldn't hear, and he confirmed her assumption by positively beaming at her.
Professor Birch himself appeared a little perturbed by Brendan's impassioned speech, shaking his head over and over again as he stared at the two, unsure of what to say.
"Right, well, that's…grand. It's good that you thought of her so much. I do think you should...dial back the enthusiasm somewhat, though, otherwise you might freak my daughter out a bit."
"Oh, yes, sorry! That's a very valid point…I should restrain myself a bit. I know I can be a bit…intense," Brendan replied, nodding his head vigorously. May pinched his cheek in retaliation and stepped forth, hands on hips.
"C'mon, we're wasting time here! Let's go and investigate this thing that's got you in such a state, daddy!"
"Ah, yes, we should get going. Coming, Brendan?"
"Well, of course! You do need my Poochyena for this, right? I've got it here." He patted one of the pokeballs on his belt and winked conspiratorially at Professor Birch. "I've had to try hard to make sure he didn't evolve."
May stared to and fro the males, her confusion slowly transforming into agitation. She certainly didn't understand the entire context of this exchange, but she had a bad feeling about where things were going.