Five years and eight months after second disappearance
It's been stormy in Lumiose City recently, and Calem's apartment block has been shaken up by the winds. He's woken up every night by a gust, so it's no shock to him that Thursday night when he wakes up at three am. At first, he thinks the sound is just the wind. But after a moment of trying to ignore it, it persists through the darkness, forcing him to get up.
The hammering on the door doesn't stop- clearly who ever is outside really wants in. Calem hauls himself out of bed, ignoring the half dead feeling inside his head. He switches every light on as he makes his way downstairs, pulling a jumper over his head to keep some semblance of heat in. The sound continued until he opened the door to a dripping wet Serena.
She invites herself in, pushing past him and through into his living room. It's almost as if she knows where she's going, and Calem lets her in with a raised eyebrow and half a smile. He goes into the kitchen, flicking the switch for the kettle on and spooning instant coffee into a cup. He's going to need the caffeine if he's going to get through this night with the whirlwind that is Serena. He makes her coffee too, in the one spare mug he owns.
He carries the cups through to the living room, leaving them down on the table. Serena has seated herself in the armchair, huddled up into herself. Her hair is still dripping, and Calem notices that she's cut it again. It's barely brushes her shoulders, framing her face neatly.
They sit in silence, with the only sounds being the howling of the wind and Serena slurping her coffee. Calem's never met anyone who slurps hot drinks, but Serena is weird like that, so he doesn't question it. Her eyes aren't really focussed on anything, and she stares out the window as if she's waiting for something to come in and attack her. Calem worries, but there's not much he can do if she's not going to say anything. She's stubborn like this, Serena. She often goes through spells without talking to anyone, so her silence doesn't surprise him too much. He did think, however, she would've grown up. She was twenty-five now, and she looked and acted exactly the way she did as a seventeen year old. Even he had grown out of his awkward and uncomfortable phase that lasted a good five years. Champion duties really did make you mature. (Although maybe not in Serena's case)
"Sorry," she blurts out suddenly. Her voice is no different than before, but sounds more tired, as if she's spent the last five years, eight months and thirteen days yelling. (Not that he's counting)
"You haven't done anything wrong," he replies, glancing down at his feet. Her own are bouncing a mile a minute, and Calem regrets giving her coffee.
"I abandoned you," she says, and she's not wrong.
"You had your reasons." He's trying to be nonchalant, but he's still annoyed that she left him to fend for himself in the champion position.
"Yeah, I didn't want to be around you. And I left you on your own, and I doubt Drasna was much help."
"She's retired," he says, setting is coffee down.
"So I heard. And I also heard that you're the best champion Kalos has ever seen. You beat out Diantha's reign," she says, uncurling her legs and stretching out.
"It's only been a week."
"It's still impressive."
"Are you here to congratulate me then?"
"Can't I visit an old friend?"
"It's a bit out of the blue."
"Well!" She exclaims, downing the rest of her coffee. "I missed you, so I found out where you lived and came here." She spreads her hands, blinking innocently.
"Right." He won't tell her that he missed her too, because that would be like admitting to his feelings. He had tried to forget about her over the last five years, but it hadn't worked.
"So"
"So?"
"How have you been?"
"Busy," he answers after a minute. "The league keeps me on my toes, and I have a lot of work. There's surprisingly a lot of challengers this weather."
"That's nice to hear."
"How have you been?" He asks. It's a common courtesy, but his face flushes.
"Fine. I've also been busy. I… I gave them all away."
"All what?" He's sure he knows the answer, but he needs to make sure.
"My Pokémon."
"Oh."
"I didn't really deserve them," she explains, her eyes flickering to the floor and resting there. "They're all in better places now. Diantha has Gardevoir back, I gave Hawlucha to some trainer in Vaniville Town, Florges is staying with Professor Sycamore, I released Staraptor, and Sylveon and Delphox are with maman, in case I change my mind."
"That's… a brave move."
"You can say that again. Can I get more coffee? I'll make it myself."
"Knock yourself out," Calem says, gesturing lazily at the kitchen door. She gets up, and disappears, with only the clattering letting him know she's still there.
He's not sure what to say to her. What do you say to someone who abandoned you five years ago? How can you strike up a conversation with someone you used to love? Calem rubs his temple, blinking hard in an attempt to wake himself up. He wouldn't usually be awake at this time of day, but he reckons he doesn't have much choice. Serena will probably stay until she passes out, and then disappear again in the morning.
"You really need to clean more," she comments, re-entering the room with an annoyed expression on her face. She sits down again, setting her coffee carefully on the table.
"I'll do it later." He has no intentions of cleaning his kitchen later. He cleaned everything yesterday, on his day off, and just because it wasn't up to Serena's unrealistic expectations didn't mean he was going to do it again.
"So…" she leans back in the chair, looking at him with cautious intent. "Have you… got a girlfriend?" Her eyes are wide with curiosity, her voice going up at the end a few pitches higher than usual.
"No." He tried dating for a while to get his mind of Serena, but no girl could live up to the impossible standard that was Serena. "Are you… with anyone?"
"Hah! No way. I've been 'in hiding' for five years, remember?" She laughs, and his memories of all that time come flooding back, causing him to wince.
"Of course." He pauses. "What have you been doing?"
"Checking up on Team Flare," she says vaguely, checking her baby pink fingernails.
"Weren't all the members arrested for terrorism or something?"
"Correct. I suppose the champion should know these things," she sighs, leaning on the arm of the chair. "Some of the lower members are beginning to be released, so I'm keeping an eye on them. Lysandre and the scientists won't ever get out, but I don't want a repeat of what happened before."
"Don't you think you're being paranoid?"
"No. I'm just taking precautionary measures."
Silence fell between them. Serena could tell that Calem didn't approve of her idea. He sighs quietly, staring at the wall. There isn't anything interesting there, but it distracts him from her long enough to formulate something sensible to say. He's about to open his mouth when she speaks, sending his thoughts spiralling away from him.
"I missed you."
It's vague, and she's not even looking at him when she says it. She stares at the carpet tapping her feet in a strange incessant pattern. He doesn't know how to react, but when did he ever around her? He missed her too, but he wasn't about to tell her. He doesn't know how to put anything into words without it sounding sappy and over the top. He does still love her- and Arceus, he missed her so much.
She's silent for the best part of ten minutes, and he doesn't dare look over at her for fear of falling further within her grasp. She has changed a lot- that much is obvious. From her outward appearance to giving away her Pokémon, she's practically a new person. But he can't just forget the past, and what she did. She murdered people for her cause. She should be in jail, but she's here instead, while the news story of the serial killer with the swirly 'S' calling card still occasionally appears on the TV. She's in his living room, instead of wherever would be best for her. She was dangerous still, even without her Pokémon.
"I'm going to bed. You're…. You're welcome to sleep on the sofa, if you wish."
He leaves the room before she can answer either way, closing the door tightly behind him. He let out a deep sigh before climbing the stairs, still wondering why she had bothered to search him out at all.
He wakes up to the smell of pancakes assaulting his nostrils. He glares at the ceiling, knowing that Serena must have woken up before him. It's approaching one o'clock, and he sighs, annoyed that he slept in so late. He could only blame her, though. He would've slept properly if she didn't decide to come knocking at ungodly hours of the morning wanting to reminisce. He wouldn't have been up half the night thinking about her if she didn't turn up, and now she was making breakfast in his kitchen.
He drags himself out of bed, changing out of his pyjamas before going downstairs. Serena is standing in the kitchen, apron wrapped around her waist and hair tied up in a messy bun atop her head. If she hadn't left that time in the Pokémon League, he thought, he could wake up to this every morning. Hell, they could be married. If she had been kinder, and he more tolerant, they could've worked things out. He shook the idea out of his head, angry with himself for dwelling on the past and what could've been.
"Good morning!" She calls, sensing his presence.
"Morning," he offers in return.
"I hope you don't mind me making lunch. I was hungry," she explains, scooping the pancake out of the pan and onto a plate. She holds it out to him, expecting him to take it. He shakes his head, instead shimmying past her to turn the kettle on. She looks mildly offended, before shrugging and eating it herself.
"How did you sleep?" He asks. He didn't really care, but he had to at least pretend.
"Fine. Your sofa is surprisingly comfy." She makes another pancake, humming lightly to herself. He makes his coffee, leaving her in the kitchen while he sits down. He turns the TV on, and surprise surprise; there she was, on the TV.
"Reports are coming in from the Vernal Avenue area of Lumiose City that former champion, Serena Voclain, was spotted last night. It is said that she was seen in the Stone Emporium and two local cafés before a final report places her at champion Calem's house at roughly three a.m. It's common knowledge that these two used to be romantically involved, so is there something going on between them again?"
Calem switches the TV off, angry that they were making such a big deal out of it. There was nothing going on between them. He may still love her, but he was sick of her coming and going, sick of the will-they-won't-they, sick of the media storm she was creating.
"You're going to have to leave after you eat," he calls, and although it breaks his heart to do, he has no other choice.
"I figured you would say something like that," she sighs, bringing her final pancake into the living room and sitting down opposite him. "Well, I can leave. It's no skin off my teeth. I will miss you, however."
"I didn't-" he sighs, recalculating his words. "I didn't say I didn't want to see you again. I just think…" he pauses again. This is hard. Her constant stare really isn't helping matters. "I think if this is going to happen, we need to take things slower. And like… go on dates, and stuff. Like proper couples."
"I'd like that," she smiles, twirling a strand of her hair around her finger.
"So… I still have your Holo- Caster number. I'll send you a message when I think of something to do, okay?" She nods, setting her plate down, pancake eaten. She takes both of his hands within her own.
"I'll see you soon, then," she whispers, leaning up to place a chaste kiss on his lips. He recoils slightly, more in shock than anything else. "Bye."
And then she's gone. Calem likens her to a whirlwind. She appears, changes everything around her, and then disappears. And he supposes, that despite all of the dangers, he wouldn't have it any other way.
Eight Years and Eleven Months after second disappearance
He always imagined that he would end up like this. Sunday mornings were for relaxing, but of course, Calem never could get his way with Serena, could he?
"Calem!" She yells, and he rolls his eyes before dragging himself out of bed, placing his feet into his slippers. Her voice is coming from the other room, and he enters to see her standing facing away from the door, hair tied up on top of her head. She's swaying from side to side incessantly, impatiently.
"What is it?" She turns suddenly, arms outstretched.
"Take him. I'm so hungry, and I really need to pee, so you can do your fair share. I was up three times last night, you know that?"
Calem takes the baby out of her arms as she runs past him, rolling his eyes. He stares down at the child in his arms, wondering how on earth they had managed to work things out to this point where they were married and had a baby and a nice house of on the outskirts of Lumiose City. It was all Calem had every really wanted, to be honest, but of course Serena was good at overcomplicating things. He's still champion, longest serving in Kalos history, one of the many things he was proud of.
He rocks the baby as it stared up at him. Corentin, as Serena had decided, is still small, but clearly liked his father better than his mother. Calem laughs every time he looked at the baby's messy black hair. She couldn't have picked a better name for the child. Just like his mother, he is a storm, and Calem dreads the day he grows up and decides it's time to become a trainer.
Serena has reclaimed some of her Pokémon, namely Sylveon and Delphox, and Sylveon doted on the baby as if he was it's own. Calem didn't let his Pokémon out in the house to protect Corentin, but he knows as soon as he can walk, their child will demand to play with his Pokémon. Calem dreads the day, in fear that his child will get squished by Pangoro or end up having an allergy to Meowstic.
He stares down at the baby, and the baby stares back. Serena re-enters the room, half a sandwich in her hand.
"Are you… crying?" She asks, peering at Calem from the door.
"No!"
"You are! Hah, I can't believe it! You didn't even want to have a baby and now look at you! You're crying over him!" She teases, in typical Serena style.
"I'm just glad that we're here together," he mumbles, not making eye contact with her.
"Oh, shut up. We were totally meant to be here together. Call it fate, destiny, whatever, but I know that this is where we're meant to be. You're happy, right?"
She's insecure now, after all that happened. She asks this a lot, and Calem reassures her. There was no way that he could be unhappy. He pauses before answering, unsure of how to put it into words. He settles with a simple answer, grabbing her with one arm and balancing the baby in the other.
"Right."
A/N: Thank you all for sticking through with this to the end! I'm honestly very disappointed to see it go because I really enjoyed writing it. This chapter took the longest to write, even though it isn't the longest in length. I wasn't sure how I wanted to end it, but I'm pretty happy with the way it tuned out! Thanks again for reading, and please review! c: - pachi