You're mine in the mines
the darkness just doesn't fit your eyes, darling
dawn/roark
I don't own pokémon, that would've been something
When he sees you in the mine, with wandering eyes and lips desperately shut in a thin line as you walk deeper in the engulfing caves, he knows that you don't want to be in there, but feel a force, because you want to get better, to beat him, to erase your fears and actually leave the city with the badge in hand. But right now he doesn't care about the opportunity that you one day may reach that goal, with the badge, with the understanding that he really isn't that great of a trainer, hence that's not important, not now. He's used to it, used to the fact that he's the weakest gym-leader and have nothing to put up on the leader-conferences because he wasn't the first choice. He wants to become better, he really does but it's hard when you have a father that's ten-times better than you ever will be and a mother that doesn't care for you. He blinks, angry tears that foam up when he thinks about the past and then walks farther into the mines, his home, second home. Unlike Gardenia, Maylene and the others, being the gym-leader of Oreburgh City isn't the main source in his daily living, no, it's fun but not essential, but this is. Walking in the mines, see the wet drops down the irregular walks, puddles on the floor, cramped footsteps and echoing Zubats, it's his nature, his heaven and he loves it, it's more important than anything, seeing the past in the fossils, seeing the past that have changed the present. That's everything.
He knows this place like the back of his hand and knows when something has changed. Like now. When you walk by, with those big, big innocent eyes searching for the exit you will never ever find and that short, pink dress that makes him look, look at you because you're very pretty and very lost and he wants to help you. But he doesn't. Not right now. He looks at the wall, at the sparkling diamonds which is reflecting the ray of the lamps hanging in the ceiling. It's so pretty. He loves jewels, big jewels and loves the fact even more when he understands that it looks exactly like your eyes. Deep, emotional and true. Even though he doesn't know you, only saw you when he battled again you and lost, a crashing failure you took with tears in your eyes because you isn't used to the cruel, cruel world of Pokémon where you lose more than you win since even though your Pokémon is on level hundred, you can still lose, you can always get better. You still have an impact on him. Bigger than he wants to receive. He knows that you're in here to train but right now, he has a more essential problem to handle, and he knows that he can help you and he knows that he will help you and doesn't really care about the fact that you may don't want help from the right now biggest enemy. He smiles and corrects his glasses, puts down the shovel in the dirt and walks closer to you, with red, red cheeks and thumbing heart. He knows that he really isn't good at this, talking with strangers but right now he has to, he wants to, he can't stop the train when it's moving.
He can't.
You walk around in circles with your Shinx in toe, look around, talk with the Pokémon; he hears that your voice gets closer and closer to hysteria. Little girls are afraid of dark, he remembers and even though you are close to the stage of transforming into a woman, you're still a girl, a little girl and your beautiful pool-eyes tell him that.
"I don't think we will ever find the exit, Shinx", you whisper, wrapping one blue strand of hair around your finger and take two step farther with your very charismatic pink boots. He sees your back, sees how thin you are and he wants to protect you from danger, lead you out of this cave that you most certainly don't belong in but he doesn't know how, he isn't like Volkner, who makes an impact on people by just being there, he isn't like that, he's a nerd, the replacement because Riley didn't want to take his place. He isn't popular.
But still wants to.
"Dawn?" he says with a hacking voice, questionable voice and you stop, look. "Are you lost?" he continues, tries to sound reasonable but sounds more like a heart-less fool that tries to bring life in a dead Magicarp. He frowns.
You clench your hands and don't take another step. He can see anger in your eyes, because you're still disappointed with your lost, ice in the eyes but then they melt and you smile.
A warm smile drenched in honey and his sugar-rush-addiction comes to life and he can't prevent himself of smiling back. Smiling, smiling and smiling.
"I am. I was training. Wanted to become better. For you. I will have your badge someday. But I've to get better. And I thought this place was the place to go. But now I wonder, since I'm lost and I haven't got any training of all!"
He corrects his glasses again and notices that his uniform is dirty, very dirty and sweats but when understands that you have to take him for who he is. If you want to. "You will beat me", he says, not sounding very self-aware but he doesn't care. It's true. And he wants you to understand it. "Someday. And you don't have to battle to get stronger. Training isn't just about beating opponents. It's about doing what you love. If you try as much as you can you can get far."
Your smile gets bigger and he smiles back, you're very beautiful and wonders why he didn't see that when he first spotted you. But then you were wrapped in the challenger's coat and he only saw that, an opponent to beat but now it's different, very different. "Thank you, Roark. Can I ask you a question?"
He nods; his heart is pounding harder, harder and harder. "Go on."
"You love the mines, don't you?"
He nods again. "Yes. This is my home."
"I can see that. You really fit into this environment. And that isn't a bad thing."
"Thank you. I thought you were gonna see me as a fossil-freak."
You laugh. "No, no! Never. But Roark?"
He loves your pouting month and begging eyes and wonders how far this will go. Very far, he hopes. "Yes?"
"Can you help me out?"
He grins. "No."
Your eyes get bigger and you let your arms hang. "No?"
"I will help you out", he corrects and laughs, and you retaliate the laugher as you circle your arm around his and they together walks to the exit.
And he knows that the gym-battle tomorrow isn't going to be the last time he will see you.
And he's happy.
fin
A/N: Meh. This seemed better before I uploaded it. Ah well. I hope you like it anyway and thank you for reading! :)