Hi it's me I still like Ethan/Silver owo.

and idk if this is cliche or whatever i just like this trope so. uh

Grateful Aspects

It was one thing for Ethan to be in college – after all, it seemed like hardly an opportunity, with him working those odd jobs young adults can get and his mother being his only parent for guide money. But here he was, at one of the largest community colleges in Johto, famous for hosting students from many backgrounds. Goldenrod city was the best college, it was a while away from his hometown, but a quick pokemon fly away could get him anywhere quick.

It was almost dreamlike to be in college. He had went through elementary excited for the prospect, and then in middle school he became doubtful as he learned more and thought of his mother. In high school, Ethan was close to giving up, as it seemed he was gifted enough to impress teachers, but just average enough compared to those in his colleges of choice. Now, he felt lucky to be here, thankful, and just happy to be living his dream.

And here he was, stuck with the most disappointing roommate he could have imagined.

His name was Silver, his eyes were cold, and his hair was redder than the heat of Hell. He might as well have crawled from it too. The young man grumbled at most everything, and hisses of insults slithered into the ears of those foolish enough to talk to him. When they had met, Silver barely introduced himself, and scoffed at Ethan trying to be casual. Ethan frowned at the thoughts, wrinkling his nose as he looked at his roommate's bed, and pulled out his laptop.

His browser was still open from the last time he was online, sleep mode preserving what was left. It was a chat between him and another person on Tumblr. While Ethan would never admit to using the infamous site, he was on it occasionally to see posts he enjoyed. Though he found himself logging on more and more due to this person, the one he was chatting with.

He only went by S online, and was one of the funniest people Ethan had talked to before. Ethan went by Gold online, a nickname of sorts given to him by his mother as he repeatedly found golden leaves around the town routes.

It all started with a simple post about how the media was wrong about dark-type pokemon. It was funny - it was a spur of the moment thing, just expressing annoyance about his murkrow being unacceptable in his work's environment for publicity. Yet that post lead to S' response, and a rather quick joining of online friends when they realized their similar interests. Ethan was more about having pokemon as pets, though S expressed his desire to be a strong trainer.

The two started to talk together, and soon became great friends online, their bond increasing as they told each other they were the same age. They talked about their greatest moments and their lows, and became close enough to vent. It was Ethan who asked the question after a good eight months.

"should we meet up 1 time? i mean ur in goldenrod right"

"I am, but I think we should wait. I'm in college there, and I should get settled in first."

"damn no way? i go there too we gotta find a way to meet"

"Well, that's great. But I've got the most annoying roommate, always alone on his dumbass computer and whining."

"my roommate aint no slouch either, hes a piece of shit with a stick up his ass like no ones business"

"heyyy ssssss isn't it weird to fall in love online tho? seriously we gotta meet babe !"

"Gold I'm actually sighed out loud from what you just said."

With a slightly cocky smile, Ethan read over those last messages sent. They were two days old, from Monday, and Ethan – and S – had started college around a week and a half beforehand. He tapped his fingers across the keyboard, asking, "u ready to meet up yet? tomorrow maybe? lunch time?"

There was a hot minute spent glancing at his computer, until Ethan finally got the reply. "Sure. At the pizza place maybe?" Giddy, Ethan typed yes, maybe almost too quickly.

Ethan grinned as he shut his laptop, eager to get to bed to see the guy he'd been crushing on online. Just as he switched off the light, Silver walked into the dorm, light from the halls spilling into the formerly dark room. With a grunt and what Ethan could assume a glance towards him, Silver crashed onto his own bed and turned on his phone. Ethan cringed from the extreme light in the black area, flopping away from his roomie.

Ethan could have sworn he heard the dick snicker in response. What an asshole.

As lunchtime commenced, Ethan found himself tapping his fingers nervously as he sat at a table inside the local pizza place. Thought rushed to his mind. Should I order a basic cheese pizza instead of being here alone like an idiot? Or wait outside? How would I even know what S looks like?

And yet, the door chimed, signaling an entry. Ethan tried to casually look up at who entered, only to almost fall back in shock. Silver?! What was he doing here?

It didn't seem the other guy was happy either as soon as he spotted Ethan. With a scowl, he walked to a table in the back, whipping out his phone. A dreading feeling began to wash over Ethan, it coming to him like a spreading stain on paper towel due to a spill. Yet in that feeling, there was a small ounce of elation. Even so, the color drained from Ethan's face as his phone chirped out a noise in response to a message.

"Gold, when are you getting here? And get this, my roommate's here too, he might ruin our date."

As Ethan turned around to face Silver, he might as well have come face-to-face with the Underworld's three-headed houndoom. Silver's face looked incredibly furious. "Gold," he hissed, the word hitting Ethan's ears like splatters of acid. His word sounded almost more like a question.

Ethan boldly got up, still looking Silver in the eyes as he sat down in the chair across from Silver. "S," Ethan replied.

The two looked at each other for what seemed like forever, as if celebi could travel back one hundred years and still be at the scene. Ethan could see on the other's face that many unanswered questions were bubbling about in his mind. There was no doubt their close online conversations had been the root of most.

Ethan cleared his throat after the awkward silence. "Do you want any toppings, or would you like it plain, Silver?" he said, his voice unwavering. Silver seemed in a daze.

"Sausage," he mindlessly answered, turning away from Ethan. Ethan huffed and ordered their pizza. Yes it was a shock, but was it unacceptable? If anything, it asked so many questions yet answered so many based on their previous, anonymous meeting. That must be it! Ethan thought with a bang. It's so much different knowing someone online and in real life. People are a lot more open online.

With a suppressed giggle and a smug look, Ethan thought, Especially on Tumblr! However, that made him think of those times that 'S' had vented to him, and Ethan wishing he could be there to cheer him up, give him company, something. And that caused Ethan to cease with the smug thought.

"Silver, are you going to talk to me or not?" Ethan asked as he sat back down at the table.

Silver looked at Ethan, an adamant look in his eyes. "We don't have much to say, Gold," he growled.

"Obviously we do if you are still going to call me Gold." Ethan frowned.

Silver had his hands wrapped in fists. "All this time, I meet someone and he's great and actually good and likes me, and…" Silver inhaled. "He's my stupid, boring roommate!"

"I know, the annoying, whiny, shut-in roommate," Ethan stated drily.

"The roommate with a stick up his ass and makes a living being a piece of shit," Silver snapped back almost immediately.

The two looked at each other, Ethan smiling, and Silver very closely having one too.

Ethan tapped his fingers. "It's funny how we just…said that shit about each other and we only knew each other for like…a few days?" Ethan mused. "Interesting, isn't it?"

"You don't talk like you type at all," he commented, a smile making its way onto his face.

Ethan gasped. "There's a smile!" he exclaimed, a larger smile on his face. He shot down his first impulse thought of wondering when the last time Silver smile was.

Silver snorted. "Ethan…" he started, "Do you still want to do this? Still date as planned? Still be together?" he pressed.

"You still want to?" Ethan asked, almost shocked.

"We met online. We talked and told each other about ourselves, a truer aspect of ourselves, and agreed," Silver sounded almost solemn, but he bounced back to his typical flare. "But don't ever think our outside selves aren't also our true selves! I'm still a piece of shit, but one with a heart, Ethan."

Ethan blushed. "I don't doubt that at all! Hello, in class I'm sure I seem like a total nerd to the others, but me online? Whatever the fuck that monstrosity is," he said with a chuckle. "And, I am a nerd too. Not just, well, that." Was Silver thinking about Ethan's venting too? Did the thought come to his mind late at night, wishing he could comfort the other?

The two sat in silence as there pizza was taken to their table. Ethan snatched a slice a bit into it. "So, yes," he said in between the next bite. "This is certainly still a date, S." His smile was wide, and thankfully not literally cheesy.

Silver blinked before taking up his slice, napkins close by to his hands. "Thanks, Gold." He said before digging in as well.

Ethan ended up being eternally more grateful for college than he had ever been.