"Welcome! This is the Oreburgh Pokèmon gym!"
Roark had sworn he would fall into a deep coma of boredom if he had to announce himself one more time, so he'd stolen away that evening, his hot pink phone hidden safely in his pocket and his Pokèballs secured to his belt. He wasn't confident on this venture at all. Partly because he absolutely despised the dark, and the yawning mouth of the cave he had to cross to reach Jublife City was less than comforting, even to a palentologist. The only reason he was even going out at such a late hour was because he had to meet Gardenia about the source of his current insomnia. It was driving him insane, he could barely think straight in a battle. Yet he couldn't stand to discuss it with anyone but her. There wasn't anyone else he trusted enough.
Sighing heavily, patting the Pokèballs at his belt, Roark strode forward, steeling his courage for what he knew would be an incredibly awkward conversation.
Soon enough, flashing neon signs blinded him from every sector of his vision. Tired as he was, it was torture and he grunted, shielding his eyes with an arm, scanning the city square, bustling with people, for Gardenia.
He spotted the peppy gym leader easily, or rather, she spotted him, waving and calling his name happily as she dashed over.
"Hey! Roark! God, how long has it been?" she joked loudly, clapping him on the back and grinning widely. Roark forced an awkward laugh.
"Ah…yeah…listen Gardenia, thanks for coming, I – "
"Oh it's no problem!" Gardenia exclaimed, putting her arm around his shoulders and leading him out the uppermost exit, onto the route leading to Mt. Coronet, "Seriously, I was glad for an excuse to see you again, especially about this!" Roark smiled weakly, feeling a bit out of his depth among all her enthusiasm.
"Aha…y-you were?" he asked, feeling a little shy now. "It's not that amazing Gardenia, honestly I…"
Gardenia stretched, sitting him down on the side of the path, before practically throwing herself down next to him.
"Now, what's the problem? You can tell meee," she teased.
Roark spent a decent amount of time staring at his gloves and wondering what he could possibly tell her, how he could possibly explain it. Sighing, he glanced over at Gardenia, her face frozen in the same expectant grin. Somehow, for all her over-the-top pep, her brash confidence managed to encourage him into a tentative speech.
"W-well…do you know anything about l-liking someone?" he began weakly, but was stilled for a moment by a loud gasp from Gardenia as she leaned forward.
"Tell me all about it," she said with a deathly seriousness about her, the previous childish behaviour gone.
Roark half smiled. This was the side of Gardenia not many people got to experience, "Normally, I wouldn't let this kind of thing deter me…" he added quietly, acting rather like a nervous child at this point, his body turned halfway away from the woman next to him, who nodded thoughtfully.
"No, you wouldn't. That's why I want to know. It takes a lot to faze you." Roark flushed pleasantly at her praise, although he shook his head slowly.
"Um…thank you," he murmured, lifting his head to watch as the dull light of Jubilife slowly faded with the oncoming dawn. Gardenia followed his gaze.
"…It's sorta pretty, in a suburban way, isn't it?" she chuckled softly by his ear. Roark nodded, almost entranced by the flickering lights, added with the soft, charming chirrup of Hoothoot's in the tree.
A short silence stretched out between the pair, until Gardenia yawned loudly and leaned back, stretching her hands above her head. "Come on Roark, you have to tell me who you like!" she said with a little grin. "I mean, I'm just dying to know!"
"Yeah…yeah, I know. I wouldn't call you out here just to beat around the bush, I mean I'm not - " he caught Gardenia's stare and stopped himself. "I know. I know. That's what I'm doing now." The younger gym leader's shoulders slumped, "I like…" Gardenia waited in bated breath, almost trembling with anticipation, wondering if it was the girl who insisted on bringing him a thermos of coffee every morning, or the girl down the street who kept sending letters.
Lost in her reminiscing, she didn't react until Roark roused her with a shoulder nudge, "Gardenia? Are you listening?" Gardenia shot upright.
"Oh ah…yeah-sorry can you repeat that?" she asked, a little disgruntled and annoyed at herself. Roark took a deep breath, but the name that emerged from his lips was the last person Gardenia would have suspected.
"…Volkner," she repeated, her face suddenly blank. "…The depressed kid?" Roark couldn't help bristling, although he prayed Gardenia didn't notice the slight hunch of his shoulders in the dimmed light.
"He is not depressed - okay, maybe a little, but…" Roark flushed a bright red, which was fortunately less apparent as the pair spotted the first signs of the sun rising over Jublife's skyscrapers. The silence that followed was easily the longest and most awkward Roark had ever experienced with the next gym leader in line after himself. Finally she shook her head and leaned forward.
"Well there's only one thing to do, isn't there?" she said softly. Roark barely twitched as he replied.
"What…?" he asked in innocent confusion.
"Confession, of course."
Roark instantly shot up,
"No!" he yelled suddenly, his colleague flinching at his harsh tone. He was immediately ashamed. "I mean…no. I can't," he said, voice low and urgent. Gardenia leaned against his shoulder, her eyes taking on that trademark cheeky twinkle. Usually the behaviour was a comfort to Roark: it usually meant she was about to solve all of his problems. She seemed to have a knack for solving other people's problems.
That particular morning, the look made him sick to his stomach.
