It was a Thursday. Thursdays meant he would be at the Dragon's Den.
"I'm visiting my mom tomorrow."
Hibiki hopped off of his Lapras and onto the back porch of the shrine, a smile on his lips. When silence followed, he wondered if the addressee hadn't heard him over the sound of the nearby whirlpools and the creaking of ancient wood under his feet. Opening his mouth to repeat himself, he was cut off by an answer.
"Are you waiting for me to say something?"
The bitter tone of these words seemed to be lost on Hibiki as he crossed the porch to throw his arms over his rival's shoulders. Rival, because Silver protested any time he said 'boyfriend'. "It's an invitation!" he insisted, as though this should have been something the other realized. His arms left the shoulders they had been draped over, sliding to wrap around Silver. "Are you coming?"
Silver didn't immediately give an answer. When he spoke, his tone betrayed resignation. "You already told her I was coming, didn't you?" The silence that followed this question spoke volumes, earning slumped shoulders and a sigh from the redhead. "I'll go." Turning in Hibiki's arms, a scowl was given to the trainer before he was pushed away. "Don't do it again."
Undeterred, Hibiki answered with a bright smile and a wave. "I'll meet you by Professor Elm's lab around seven, okay?" He was backing up as he spoke, moving toward the Lapras who had been patiently waiting nearby on the water.
"In the morning? Don't tell me you mean in the morning!"
Hibiki was already drifting away on his Lapras by the time Silver reached the water, all smiles and waves. "Don't be late, Silver! Mom's making waffles!" Despite the rude gestures and curses sent after him, Hibiki was sure Silver would be there.
-xx-
Walking down the steps outside his home, Professor Elm turned the corner to approach the front doors of his lab. He hadn't expected to find anyone in front of the lab so early, and it was only more confusing as he recognized the red-haired trainer leaning back against the front wall. "Silver?" he questioned, fingers removing a ring of keys from his pocket. "What are you doing here so early?"
Jerking slightly when the professor spoke, grey eyes slid to examine him briefly before resuming staring away from the lab. "Waiting for someone," was all the answer Silver gave. To say that he was beginning to grow irritated was an understatement. Did the entire town wake up at the crack of dawn or something? It was five minutes to seven! Why else would everyone be awake and about already? Kotone had run by not so long before with her Marill hurrying after (though she'd paused to wish him a good morning). Now there was the professor, seemingly ready to unlock the labs for another day of research. On top of that, there was Hibiki (who would hopefully be arriving soon) and his mother (who may or may not have been making waffles already).
Turning the key in its lock, Professor Elm offered a weak smile before opening the door. "I'm sure Hibiki will be here soon," he assured, taking a moment to look off toward the house of the trainer in question. Seeing Hibiki coming from the direction of Route 29 earned a small chuckle from Elm before he moved into his lab to turn on the lights. "Speak of the devil…"
Silver had been ready to question the professor when Hibiki's name was mentioned, defensive words on the tip of his tongue as he'd been ready to argue that he hadn't said anythingabout waiting for Hibiki. This defense was abandoned when he caught sight of the cap-wearing trainer. Rather than explode at the professor, he waited until Hibiki came close enough. "What took you so long?"
A worried Hibiki looked at his pokegear, blinking up at Silver afterward. "It's not even seven yet. It isn't my fault that you were early." He gestured for Silver to follow him, grabbing the redhead's hand as he approached. When the hand was abruptly taken back, Hibiki made it ten steps before trying a second time. He had more success on this second attempt, as Silver's hand reluctantly remained in his for the rest of the short walk to his house.
-xx-
"You two are right on time."
When Hibiki moved to hug his mother, Silver stood off to the side. After Hibiki was released, the woman turned to look at him and held out her arms. When he scowled and crossed his arms, he had thought the matter was over. He nearly fell over when he was grabbed and drawn into the hug he'd just rejected. His struggles were short-lived before Silver simply gave in, sighing in thinly veiled irritation. He would never admit to the color that rose to his cheeks.
Kotone, Hibiki, and now Hibiki's mother... Silver had to wonder if there was something about the water in New Bark Town that made its residents oblivious to the fact that he really wasn't a hugs kind of guy.
When the woman held him at arm's length, Silver stared back with his arms still folded. She answered his frown with a pleasant smile. "Hibiki told me you were a grumpy one," she chimed, further driving Silver's belief that something must be tainting the water, perhaps driving all of New Bark Town's residents utterly mad. When she released him, she moved toward a doorway that Silver could only assume led into the dining room. Or kitchen. Or someplace. Having nowhere else to go (when had Hibiki vanished on him?), the redhead moved to sulkily follow after.
-xx-
Silver would have sworn that Hibiki did it on purpose. He firmly held to this belief. Hibiki must have known that, abandoned, he would follow after the other boy's mom. Hibiki must have known that, since Silver was there, his mom would ask for Silver's assistance in setting the table. He must have known, and he'd vanished to where ever on purpose, just to leave Silver with this chore that would otherwise have fallen on him.
If Silver hadn't said yes, he would have gone to find Hibiki and promptly kicked his ass.
-xx-
The waffles were delicious.
At least, this was what Silver said when he handed over his plate to be rinsed off and placed in the dishwasher. The statement was followed by color flooding the redhead's cheeks. He turned around in a hurry, punching Hibiki in the shoulder before stalking off. Hibiki made a startled noise at the sudden attack; she couldn't help but smile as her son gave up his plate in a hurry before turning around and hurrying after Silver. When she didn't hear the opening and closing of the door, she could only assume that Hibiki had managed to convince Silver to stay just a little longer.
When she moved into the dining room to make sure nothing had been left there, she could hear the two talking.
"Just 10 more minutes, Silver. Maybe another hour. But mom and I wouldn't mind if you stayed for a day, a week, the rest of the summer, forever!" As the sentence continued, Hibiki grew more enthusiastic. She could only imagine the way Silver's face must have paled at the suggestions and the enthusiasm behind them.
"Shut up, Hibiki."
-xx-
Dinner had been several hours ago. Somehow, Hibiki had convinced him to stay that for long, and now... now Silver found that he didn't have much of a choice in staying even longer. He shot a glare at the head of messy black hair resting on his shoulder, the owner snuggled up to his side with both arms wrapped around one of his. Lifting his gaze to the woman who sat in a chair across the room, his expression must have been one part pleading and one part mortification.
And that woman, she just smiled, bringing her teacup to her lips. "You two are so cute together," she observed pleasantly, standing once the cup was emptied. "Do you want me to bring you a blanket?"
Silver grumbled slightly, fingers playing with the brim of the yellow and black cap that he held in his lap. "Shut up," he muttered in response, though he didn't complain when the offered blanket was brought. "Good night..." he murmured as the lights were turned off, the woman pausing in the doorway.
"Good night, Silver."