"He said what?"

"That he was an ass," Moon mumbles, the pins in her mouth making it difficult to truly engage with Lillie's newfound shock, the story-and the full story at that-finally making its way to Gladion's sister as she sticks in yet another pin on the bodice.

"Rightfully."

Moon chortles, a hidden eye roll following as she feels Lillie's body shift in an attempt to face Moon.

"But did he apologize?"

A pause as Moon removes the safety hazards from her mouth, her mind reeling, searching, recalling..."in his own Gladion-esque way, I guess?"

"Of course," Lillie mutters with an exasperated breath. "First he breaks your heart in elementary school by disregarding you,"

"Not this again..."

"You spend middle school waiting for high school! Hoping he talks to you by then!"

"Lils..."

"And then he kisses you in a drunken stupor a billion years later! Which by the way, you should probably bring up."

Moon feels her cheeks heat, that dreaded incident still very fresh in her mind.

"Your poor damsel heart has been pinning and shattered by your heavy crush on a monster..."

"LILLIE PLEASE!" Moon urges rather loudly in their small confine, Lillie's stifled laugh doing anything but remaining a secret, her dramatics just a way to tease, her memory scarily impeccable.

Must run in the family.

"And for your information l didn't pine over him for all these years."

"You sure seemed excited when Sun hired him though..." There was Lillie's teasing tone again. Followed by Moon's signature sigh and another pin to the dress.

"Yeah and see where that got us," Moon's lips pursing, "him hating me and me very much never wanting to harbor feelings for hi—"

A knock cuts off Moon's defense, the pins in her hand dropping when the voice of the very person they were speaking of is heard.

"You girls ready in there?"

Lillie smirks, her lips mouthing "and you were saying ?" as Moon's head dips down and starts fumbling with the ties on Lillie's gown, the pink on her cheeks being anything but subtle. "J-just a second," Moon stutters, feeling Lillie's gaze intensify, "go wait with everyone on the show floor!" Pinning the dress was now long forgotten, her hands frantically tying up the dress into its final ribbon.

"AND HAU ISN'T THERE RIGHT?" Lillie cuts in right, assuming her brother had yet to seize the opportunity to leave, a low chuckle being heard from the other side of the wooden door, confirming it all.

"I locked him in his dressing room."

"Arceus...Gladion," Lillie mutters as Moon pats Lillie's shoulder, signaling she was done as she tries to not imagine Hau banging on the wall, demanding to see his fiancé..."So how do I look?" Lillie's question breaking Moon out of her headspace, her usual demeanor switching for a shyness Moon hadn't seen in ages. She smiles gently at her Maid of Honor searching for the right words of encouragement.

"Stunning, no one will know what hit them," Moon replies, her best friend giddily bouncing on her heels before she comes off the platform to place a steady hand on Moon's shoulder.

"Now you better change quickly too then because I'm sure my brother would love to see you~"

Not even a beat passes as Moon's genuine smile changes into something much more sinister. Her voice dropping below a whisper, "go before I lock you in here too," no trace of remorse or falsity in her voice, the blonde just laughs.

"See you two are made to be together," Lillie responds with a wink, her princess gown trailing behind her as the door closes shut; the pale color of the aforementioned dress hanging off its swinging hanger now taunting Moon.


Gladion imagined the fitting process to be an absolute nightmare. He expected tears, panic, frenzy...amazing what Alolan wedding media could do to convince someone.

Sure, the bridesmaids were a little chatty, and the groomsmen in attendance were all incompetent; unable to tie their ties, bringing the wrong shade of shoes, and lost with how to tuck in their dress shirts, but beyond a few adjustments for every individual it went as smoothly. And as everyone gathered in the showroom, excitedly waiting for Lillie, he understood why everyone on trash TV teared up.

When Lillie first peeked out he felt the room still.

Breaths were silenced, emotions started stirring. His sister looked beautiful, her dress cascading behind her as she did a small wave, her shyness seemingly taking centerfield as she whispers a quiet "hi everyone" with a beaming smile.

"Lillie!" "You look gorgeous!" "Oh my Arceus!" the bridesmaids screamed, their figures soon running towards her in shades of pastel to envelope her in a group embrace. The groomsmen soon following to slyly mention Hau's future state of speechlessness; preparing to capture his face when he laid eyes on her walking on the aisle.

Gladion, on the other hand, felt no need to approach her. Happier to be watching silently; his heart warming at the sight of his baby sister growing up-about to get married to someone not horrible, about to- his thoughts get cut short. His eyes drawn to the corridor Lillie just exited from, a splash of blue making it around the corner, but who could that be if all bridesmaids were there except...

The Maid of Honor.

He watches as Moon hesitantly peeks out from behind the wall. Her smile soft, her own eyes pricking with tears as she watches Lillie from afar. The ebony color of her hair striking against the pale blue of her assigned color. The dress' lack of straps exposing her freckled shoulders, the lace detailing the bodice as it clipped around her neck, the chiffon hugging her figure in all the right ways.

Gladion's heart quickens, his mouth going dry, he was rendered speechless and then Moon's eyes meet his. Hers widening almost as quickly as his, her cheeks turning a slight tinge of pink as she looks away awkwardly-but only for a second until she decides to leave the wall and come his way.

Moon was coming his way.

WHY WAS SHE COMING HIS WAY?

His eyes snap forward. Looking at the chair. Looking at the wall. Looking anywhere but at the girl who just made his heart flutter.

WHY DID HIS HEART FLUTTER?

And then the worst thing of all happens; she stops right next to him. Her voice quiet, barely above a whisper, not wanting to distract from the excitement down the way. She has the audacity to ask "how'd your first fitting go?," well aware that this was a step Gladion had never gone through personally.

But unaware that her words went in one ear and out the other.

A long pause occurring, Mallow lets out a squeal, Kiawe tells her to calm down, the group ahead of them laughs. Gladion lets go a breath he didn't know he was holding, his brain trying to think of the right words to say, his heart continuing to race as his eyes hesitantly flicker to her expecting ones.

Moon was unaware that he was malfunctioning because of her.

"It was fine."

Simple. Quick. Easy. He survived his meltdown, Moon just humming at his response as she looks out towards everyone. His eyes staying focused on her.

"Wish I could say the same," Moon says with a cheeky grin, "my dresses are always too long." But when she sees his emerald eyes look her up and down with no restraint Moon finds herself suddenly too aware. Aware of him and how good he looked in his own suit. Aware of his gaze and how he didn't want to pull away. Aware that they were standing alone and apart from everyone, having reasonable conversation for the second time in their lives.

"Something a small adjustment wouldn't fix, but you look…" beautiful, stunning, breathtaking, "great."

An airy laugh, a quick smirk, her elbow playfully jabbing into his side much to his chagrin.

"You don't look so bad yourself."

Gladion chuckles, her compliment doing a little too much to his lurching insides, "don't go all cliché on me, Moon."

"And what cliché would that be?" she asks with a small head tilt.

"The universal cliché that the Best Man and the Maid of Honor always get... involved."

Moon rolls her eyes, ignoring the heating up of her cheeks at how his voice dipped, how he looked at her when he spoke, the knowing smirk on his lips. She knew where this was going-mortal enemies til the end. "I know, I know, you don't have to say it," Moon mocks, "that that'll never happen between us."

Her declaration concise, her face filled with resolve, her own emotions placed on hold for the quip.

Gladion pausing for much longer than anticipated. "My sister already avoided all of you having tacky dresses, pretty sure we can avoid this faux pas too," he responds, unsure of the distraught feeling he feels when Moon nods her head accordingly.

But he isn't given much time to think about it. Lillie yelling his name from across the way, everyone's eyes landing on the pair standing all too closely together.

The knowing smile on the bride-to-be's lips growing. "Can you go get Hau, Gladion? Moon will take me back."

And Lillie sure doesn't miss the final glance her brother gives Moon before he leaves.