Don't own Pokemon peeps. Never have. But I am currently working on my grand master scheme to get the rights to the Pokemon franchise. It involves a guitar, the Elder wand, and a hollow chocolate bunny. Don't tell me the Elder Wand doesn't exist. Just… don't.
Red spent a period of time in his youth when he worried about how he'd end up when he was older.
It started when he battled Bruno. Red saw too much of himself in Bruno, in how Bruno loved Pokemon battles, was eager for the challenge offered by Red, and insisted on fighting fair (even though he kind of almost helped in destroying the entire world, but he was being manipulated, so that's not entirely his fault).
Is that how Red would end up? Constantly training, waiting for that one person who would challenge him properly and, after the great battle he so desperately would crave, retreat to live away the rest of his life with no one for company but his Pokémon?
That was before.
Now, Red is confident that isn't his future. Why? Because of his friends.
Green was an incredible rival, and a great friend to depend on. He always gave it everything he had, even if it was just a practice battle. Green provides to Red the challenge he needs to keep his mind alive, to keep the fire going.
The same goes with Blue. Also, Blue would never let him go off and sit in a cave for the rest of his life. She had a real talent for coercion, and she'd probably blackmail him into coming back. God knows she could do it. Who knows how much dirt she has on everyone.
And there was Yellow. Yellow was another reason he wouldn't go off into solitude.
Why?
Because he couldn't leave her.
Red never understood how it happened, how Yellow started to mean so much to him. He was incredibly grateful to her for searching for him for so long, and training (with Green of all people, that must have been rough), just to save him back at Cerise Island. She was always a great friend, ready to help out anyone who was in need with a compassionate smile.
It had to be later, after they had fought Deoxys and Team Rocket, after the issues at the Sevii Islands. When they were all turned to stone. The last thing Red remembered before getting petrified was tightening his arms around Yellow and pulling her closer to him, thinking oh god not Yellow I've got to save her.
That brings them to now, where they were relaxing in the Viridian forest, simply enjoying the silence and the nature and the quiet thrill of each other's company. Yellow was sitting contently in the grass, sketching something in her book, and Red was leaning against a tree near her, his hat low on his face.
Yellow had looked surprised when Red asked if he could come with her when she left for her daily trek through the Viridian forest, but then she beamed brightly at him, a smile that made Red's heart soar and his spirits rise, and said she'd love to have him along.
Red pulled his hat lower and pretended to be sleeping, sneaking looks at Yellow. She appeared focused on her drawing, biting her lower lip as her pencil glided expertly on her paper. Strands of her golden hair had escaped her ponytail and were framing her face, giving her an almost angelic look.
Red suddenly wanted to reach out and tuck those strands of hair behind her ear. He was considering actually doing it when he heard someone shouting, "HOLY DUSCLOPS IT'S THE KANTO LEAGUE CHAMPION!"
Yellow's head snapped up and Red quickly averted his gaze, so that Yellow wouldn't catch him staring at her. It was a young trainer, not more than eleven years old, who had stormed over to challenge Red.
"Do you mind?" Red looked to Yellow, who looked surprised that Red was asking her.
"S-sure, go ahead."
Red grinned at her and bounded over to a clearing where he ssent his Polywhirl out to start the battle. Battles were his element. Red loved the feeling he got during a Pokemon battle, He loved the challenge it was to him, he love the rush he got, he loved how, every time he battled, the bond he had with his Pokemon would be strengthened.
But Yellow doesn't really like battles, Red mused, thinking of the girl affectionately.
He was startled out of his thoughts when the other trainer cheered and he noticed that his opponent's Fearow had managed to get a fury attack to hit his Polywhirl. His Polywhirl was looking at him with an exasperated expression on his face, and Red blushed slightly, as he knew that his Polywhirl had guess what, or who, he was thinking about.
Yellow doen't like her Pokemon getting hurt, either, Red smiled to himself as he yelled, "Let's finish this off quickly! Polywhirl, use double slap!"
As Polywhirl dashed off to perform the aforementioned attack, Red turned to glance at Yellow, only to find out that she was already looking at him. Red grinned at this and winked at her before turned his attention back to his battle, feeling like he was hovering a foot off the ground.
After a quick defeat, the trainer was rather dejected, and Red looked over at Yellow again to find that she had returned to her drawing. He sighed and walked up to the other boy, smiling encouragingly at him.
"Cheer up, kid," Red said brightly, clasping his shoulder, "Keep training and never give up. Then, you can come back and challenge me!"
Red smiled at the boy again, who looked less upset now, and turned to make his way back to where Yellow was sitting, smiling softly at him. "What did you think?" Red asked her, sitting down, his eyes never leaving her face.
Yellow seemed to shrug slightly. "You know I don't like battles," she said simply.
"Oh, come on," Red rolled his eyes, grinning, "I won! I know you were watching." Before he could see what Yellow did next, he caught sight of Yellow's drawing, and it took his breath away.
She had drawn him. In the drawing, he seemed to be in the middle of his battle. She had drawn him in such an incredible light, the man in the drawing looked strong and confident. His stance was tall and commanding, the lines were drawn hard and precisely, and there was a small smile on his face.
But what got him were his eyes. Yellow had drawn his eyes as if they were dancing. Red blinked a few times, astounded that something on flat paper could look so alive.
Yellow truly was amazing.
He sighed contently and leaned back against his tree, pulling his hat back over his face. He sat for a few seconds before he heard Yellow giggling and he peeked under his hat to see her smiling at him. His heart hammered in his chest as he studied her glowing face.
Then, she picked up her book again and continued drawing.
Red resumed his previous activity of discretely watching her.
One day, he'll tell her that he loves her. One day, he'll take her on a date, and wear a suit, and bring her flowers, and dance with her. Someday.
But for now, just sitting under a tree in the Viridian forest with her was enough for him. And he knew that it was enough for her too. And that was enough for him.
Yeah if the last sentences were kind of confusing, I meant that sitting with yellow was enough for red. And Red knows that sitting with Red was enough for Yellow. And knowing that Yellow thinks that sitting with Red was enough for her was enough for Red. It's mad confusing. I think of it as a math problem, with parentheses. It helps.