The Only Exception
Bitterness. Arguments. Tears. Pain. It was all Silver Rocket witnessed growing up. It wasn't uncommon to walk home from school to see his father screaming at his mother, throwing glasses at her. It was even less uncommon to hear her stifled tears as she put him to bed.
"Why?" Silver asked one night, tracing the latest bruises with his little finger. He didn't know why his father hated his mother so much. Why he hated him so much. It confused his young mind.
"Love," she replied wearily, removing his finger and crossing her arms. "Would you like to hear The Ugly Spearow or Snow White tonight?"
"The Ugly Spearow," he sighed, unsatisfied with that answer and that tale. He only let her read to him because she loved to. "Mom?" she froze from pulling the book out of his small bookshelf. "Can I say goodnight to dad?"
"That wouldn't be wise, sweetheart. He's working," she said faintly, licking her lips. It was obvious to eight year old Silver how much those words pained her.
"Please." He didn't ask often. Contempt had replaced any real love he felt for that man.
"Fine..." she watched him squirm out of bed and bowed her head. "Be careful, darling." Ignoring her, he slowly walked down the stairs to the kitchen.
"Giovanni?" he asked, looking around. "Dad?" a shout from outside sent the boy racing for the door. The older man stood on the porch, head raised as he cursed to the wind. Transfixed, Silver watched him square his shoulders and walk away from the house. A suitcase was in his hand.
He's leaving, Silver realized, fury building up in his chest as he ran. He shouted his name, but Giovanni never turned once.
"Don't you love us?" Silver screamed at one point.
And that was the day that I promised
I'd never sing of love if it does not exist
He'd left home two years after. He'd rejected his mother, his friends, even his mother's Meowth- any form of love.
"Silver, please," his mother begged, tears pouring from her face as she grabbed his arm. "Darling-"
"-I'm not your darling," he told her angrily, throwing her arm off. "So don't call me that."
"You're my son. Please," she begged again. Her brown eyes were filled with a pain that only infuriated him more. "Don't go..."
"I don't need you. I don't need him... I can do it BY MYSELF!" he swore, stomping away from the life he used to know.
And I've always lived like this
keeping a comfortable, distance
And up until now I had sworn to myself
that I'm content with loneliness
'cause none of it was ever worth the risk
"Leave me alone," he spat at his 'rival', shoving her away. "You're too weak. You're pathetic." She was obviously stung, but held her head high. Her smile stayed infuriatingly in place.
"Weak?" she asked in a tone that tried to make him smile too but failed. "Says the boy I've beaten three times out of three." His eyes hardened.
"Flukes," he said, stepping towards her. "You're nothing but a fluke trainer. Your techniques are horrible. Your Pokémon suck. YOU in general suck."
"Silver," she sighed, smile dropping. "Your taunts suck."
"What did you say?" he asked, caught off guard momentarily.
"I said... you heard me," Lyra corrected herself, eyes glazing for a moment. "Your taunts suck because... where are you going?" she grabbed his arm as he turned from her, flinching under his returning glare. "Just hear me out, okay?"
"Why should I?" Silver tried to pry the firm hand off of his arm.
"Please?" she asked in a tiny voice. "I don't want to fight, Silver. I actually want to be friends..."
"I don't need friends," Silver said with a harsh laugh, "and I don't make friends with weaklings."
"Aren't you lonely by yourself?" for the second time that day, he'd been caught off guard by her. He froze and assessed that. "You are... Silver, you don't have to be alone. I want to be your friend," she repeated earnestly. Her brown eyes were glowing as she smiled. "Can we try to be friends?"
"Firstly, don't make assumptions. Secondly...," he sighed, giving up. "I'm not going to get rid of you, am I?" she shook her head and laughed.
"No. You're special, Silver."
I've got a tight grip on reality but I can't let go of what's in front of me here
I know you're leaving in the morning when you wake up
Leave me with some kind of proof it's not a dream
"Silver-"
"-you're leaving. Why?" Silver snarled, glaring at his friend... was that what she was? Silver didn't even know anymore. He didn't want to believe it, but he cared deeply about her. He doubted the majority of his earlier words to his mother.
Love is painful, he thought bitterly. She's leaving too.
"I was invited to Kanto," Lyra explained, looking at the overturned suitcase.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Silver asked, hating himself for sounding pitiful. Who's the weakling now?
"It was meant to be a surprise..." she crossed the room and sat next to him.
"Oh, yeah. Great surprise," Silver said sarcastically, moving away from her. "What's next? You're actually a man?"
"No. You're coming with me," she said, pulling out a second boat ticket and putting it into his lap.
"Save it," he replied, throwing back to her. "I'm not going."
"What if I begged?" she asked, following him. Hurt crossed her face. "Silver... I want you to come with me. Please think about it," she requested, staring into his face. "I'm not asking out of pity. I'm asking," she swallowed and spoke at a rapid pace, "out of feelings." Peace mingled with joy and uneasiness filled Silver.
"You're not screwing with me?" he asked. She shook her head and sat back down on her bed. He sat next to her.
"I love you," she stated, looking back into his eyes. Her hand hesitantly covered his. "Short notice and I know you don't believe in love, but-" –she was cut off as Silver's lips brushed hers.
"-I'm on my way to believing," he told her with a wry smile as they broke apart.
You are The Only Exception
And I'm on my way to believing.
Here's day one of a set of OneShots for Valentine's Day. If you'd like to see a particular pairing, fic and/or song, let me know.
