"Hey Gladion, what are you doing?"

Moon walked into the room that had been converted to Gladion's residence after he took over the president's role of the Aether Foundation from his mother. The owner of the room, her boyfriend, was sitting at a desk with his back to the door but when he heard Moon open it, he didn't turn around right away. Instead, he jumped in shock then hastily threw… something off the desk and into a corner out of sight. After that odd display he turned around slowly.

"Oh, Moon, w-what's up?"

He seemed really nervous about something.

"Gladion, where's your hoodie?" asked Moon.

Gladion's eyes roved around the room, as if he hoped an excuse could be found somewhere within. Alas, it was not there.

"I… got hot." Gladion didn't sound convincing but Moon went with the flow.

"I know that silly, you've always been hot."

Moon smiled as she watched Gladion try to hide a grin and not blush, both of which he was only moderately able to suppress. Moon loved to flirt with him like this because of the various reactions she was able to evoke from the older boy.

Finally, Gladion found his words again.

"Yeah, I suppose that is true."

Moon clasped her hands behind her back and leaned forward.

"So if you've been hot, at least since I first met you, why are you only now taking the hoodie off?"

"Damn it."

Gladion's curse was quiet but Moon still heard it. He was usually so calm and cool, only Moon could manage to fluster him out of his cool, edgy persona.

Moon unclasped her hands and walked toward the taller boy before she stopped in front of him. She looked up into his eyes… or at least the one that wasn't hidden behind his hair.

"So, do you have an answer for me?"

Gladion looked into Moon's eyes, then looked away before answering.

"It's, uh, in the wash. It got dirty."

Moon leaned forward slightly before running a finger along his shoulder down to his chest.

"Really?"

Gladion met her gaze again, but he'd managed to regain some of his composure, so held the eye contact this time.

"Yes."

"Then why do I see the hoodie that's supposed to be in the wash lying on the floor where you threw it when I came in?"

She'd caught him. It would've been easier for Gladion to escape a Gengar's shadow than his girlfriend's inquisition. Truly, there was no escape. He'd have to be honest. Gladion sighed before going over and picking it up off the floor, along with a needle and thread.

"I was trying to sew up the rips in my hoodie. This morning, Silvanny and I were practicing together and he accidentally ripped it. I like this hoodie, so I didn't want to get another one. I tried to sew the rips up but… I'm awful at it. I didn't want anyone to catch me trying either. It'd ruin my image."

Moon smile widened now that she had received the truth.

"Why didn't you just say so? I'm great with this kind of stuff! My mom taught me back in Kanto how to sew. I could have taught you."

Gladion responded with a single word.

"Image."

Moon giggled, Gladion was very protective of his cool persona and the accompanying image. In a way though, she liked that about him—that rigid exterior which melted in the center, much like a piece of chocolate filled with chocolate liquor. Breaching the shell to reach the kind interior was just a part of Gladion's appeal.

"Well it's too late for your image, at least around me. I already know what you're really like Gladion."

"A guy still has to try though."

He was a bit sulky that he'd been bested so easily.

"Come on Mr. Cool, let's get this fixed before someone else finds out."

"Yeah, yeah."

Gladion pulled up another chair for Moon and she sat there for the next half-hour or so teaching Gladion how to sew his hoodie back up. Finally, with a lot of help from Moon, the hoodie had been patched up and the boy's sewing skill had leveled up… a bit.

Gladion stood up and pulled the hoodie over his black base shirt. He moved around a bit to test the threading work. It held together.

He turned to Moon and offered her a hand to get up.

"Thanks Moon, it's as good as new."

She took the proffered hand and stood from the chair.

"You're welcome. Hopefully next time you can fix it on your own. If not, you know who to call."

Moon winked playfully.

"If I have to I guess."

He would have sounded a bit flippant to a passerby, but Moon could sense the real emotion her boyfriend was feeling—a bit embarrassed, yet grateful.

Gladion walked over and opened the door, before speaking again.

"I suppose it's time to get to what you actually came here for."

"I suppose it is," Moon replied coyly.

"Ladies first."

With that, the two left the room and proceeded with their date on the 2nd floor of Aether Paradise, the observatory.

Extra Gag

Gladion: Maybe now I can get my shirt fixed.

Moon: Wait those rips weren't by design?