Title: A Way In
Series: Pokémon
Character/pairing: Barry/Lucas
Rating: PG
Author's note:
.
Every day that Barry wasn't hanging out at his villa, eating everything in his fridge and using up all the hot water, he was in front of the members only club. Lucas presumed that he trained at least some of the time, though apparently he did that when Lucas was on lunch break, post-lunch snack break, almost-dinner snack break, and dinner break.
They hadn't really gotten into the habit of training together, because there was this issue with Barry always running off, and Lucas doubling back, but Lucas wasn't really worried. It wasn't like they had to be attached at the hip. Besides, they were still sort of figuring out this thing. How exactly did two guys date? Were they supposed to arm wrestle with affection? Hold hands? He wasn't big on flowers, though he wouldn't turn down poffins and chocolate.
Today wasn't any different, really, except that Barry looked kind of frazzled and distant. He was sitting down, leaned against the wall this time, as his foot tapped a discordant beat on the ground.
"What's up?" Lucas said.
"I went to visit daddy, but he was busy and I couldn't get through," Barry said. His expression faltered just a little bit for a moment. Lucas reached down to pat him on the shoulder.
"I'm sure he'll be free later," Lucas said, even though he wasn't. Barry brightened up right away.
"Yeah, I'm sure he will be," Barry said.
"So, what are you up to?" Lucas said.
"Master Wake is definitely going to come around one of these days, and if I stay around here I won't miss him and he's bound to let his favorite apprentice in!"
Lucas couldn't help but frown a bit at this. It was always Crasher Wake this and Crasher Wake that. Crasher Wake is so amazing, I bet he lifts boulders in his spare time, Crasher Wake talked to me, it was great. It was like hearing Dawn talk about Cynthia, except that he wasn't dating Dawn.
"Forget about him," Lucas said, a little harsher than he meant to. "I'll get you in."
He took Barry by the wrist and walked towards the door. He pushed in, no trouble. Maylene and Candice were inside, giggling together over a cup of tea.
Before Buck's grandfather could say anything, Lucas spoke above him.
"He's with me," Lucas said.
Barry was a mess of hopeful barely contained energy. He jerked his head from side to side, drawing in every detail of the place around him. For a few tense seconds, Lucas wondered if they'd both get booted. But Buck's grandfather just smiled.
"Do you want your regular?" Buck's grandfather said.
"Sure, thank you," Lucas said.
The old man nodded "And him?"
Lucas looked to Barry, but Barry was obviously in Ooh Shiny mode, and not paying attention to a damn thing. It was no use trying to get him to stay still long enough to do something as complicated as ordering. It might take a whole minute, and that was way too much time for Barry to be paying attention.
"He'll, uh, have the same as me," Lucas said.
Buck's grandfather shuffled to the assorted cabinets and fridge back there. Pretty soon, there were two pink lemonades chilled just right. Lucas took them both, and nudged Barry off before he started floating from sheer amount of happiness he seemed to be exuding from every pore.
Candice noticed him then, probably because Barry's barely contained squawk of surprise that he was actually in. Whenever she and Maylene got to talking, it'd take practically an earthquake to draw them out of whatever happy world they were in. Or Barry, it seemed. She waved.
"Up for a battle? You can bring your friend, too! We'll double battle!"
Maylene smiled shyly.
"Can you take a rain check? We're only going to be here for a little while," Lucas said.
"Sure, anytime!" Candice said.
"We're leaving?" Barry said, looking just a bit disappointed.
"Yep, we're going to see your dad," Lucas said.
Barry's face lit up, and it was so worth whatever trouble it would take to make him that happy. Maybe 'he's with me' wouldn't work there, but Lucas was feeling confident. He could say that Cynthia sent him. She'd surely understand.
