Riley has never commanded much of a presence in all his life.

His parents' careers as researchers had meant that Riley was bound to move all over the place. From Kanto to Unova, anywhere you name it. Since childhood, Riley had known, learned and lived more cultures than kids his age.

That also meant that he was never bound to stay in one place.

Transferring from one school to another constantly had made him understood the pain of leaving too well. Friends he made were gone from his life as soon as they arrived and he got increasingly numbed by it. By junior high, he was aloof and distant from his peers, preferring to keep to himself and stay low. He drifted, both in body and soul.

The only place that he held some form of longing for was his hometown back in Sinnoh, but that was it.

When his family moved to Hoenn next, Riley started high school. He did the usual drill: introduce himself to the class, sit down at a corner seat and fade away into the background.

"Hi,"

Riley broke away from the scenery outside the classroom window and found a hand outstretched towards him. He looked up and made eye contact with a sea of cerulean. The teenager before him smiled, his blue-grey hair striking to look at and Riley knew him without any need for an introduction.

"I'm Steven," he continued. "Nice to meet you,"

Riley had planned to stay in the background, yet the most conspicuous person in the entire school was here before him. Steven Stone, the son of the Joseph Stone, founder of the Devon Corporation.

No matter, thought the boy, he'll soon forget me anyways.

"Uh, hi," he then awkwardly answered as he shook the boy's hand. "I'm Riley."

He smiled wryly as the boy continued the conversation, "Where are you from?"

"Unova,"

"You don't look like you're from Unova," Steven remarked as he stared at Riley curiously. "Johto?"

"Sinnohian," Riley answered.

"Right," Steven nodded. "Sorry,"

"Don't be," Riley said. It wasn't strange for someone to mistake him to be from different places; he did not belong anywhere in particular after all.

Steven seemed to pause for a considerable amount of time and Riley breathed a sigh in his head. The conversation can finally end and he can fade into the background as scheduled.

Or so he thought.

"How's Unova like?"

Riley blinked, surprised. Steven Stone was still talking to him with this sparkle in his eyes that he did not understand.

"Big and flashy," Riley answered.

"What are the pokémon like?"

"They're very different from Hoenn's," Riley found himself saying. "Some are quite strange and others are cool-looking."

"I heard that there's a pokémon made of garbage,"

"Garbodor?" Riley chuckled. "That one's nasty."

"It sounds nasty," Steven laughed.

"There's Vanilluxe, which is like ice cream," Riley pointed out. "And Cofagrigus that gives you the willies."

The sparkle in Steven's eyes brightened. "You seem to know a lot,"

"About pokémon?" Riley quirked an eyebrow. Steven nodded his head enthusiastically.

"I suppose so," Riley muttered. Somewhere inside his gut, he wanted Steven to stop talking to him.

Because he did not want to stand the pain of having a friendship broken by circumstances again.

Yet, his wish was not granted.

"Say, do you happen to like rocks?"

"Sorry?" Riley said, confused.

Steven froze for a short while and cleared his throat. "What I meant to say was, do you like to hike?"

Liking rocks and liking to hike are two very different things. Riley mused to himself.

"I do like hiking," he then answered, earning a satisfied grin on Steven's face.

"That's great!" He cried out and Riley was positive that he would be blinded by the fiery passion in Steven's eyes.

And that was the start of a rosy high school life Riley never thought he would get to experience. His dull, drifting life was suddenly intruded by Steven Stone, who would persistently talk to him every day and engage in animated conversations about rocks and hiking during lunch breaks. It did not take long for Riley to catch the attention of his schoolmates, who would often do a double-take whenever he walked down the corridors.

Steven was popular and rightfully so. He was smart, rich and handsome, hence earning the admiration of many within the school. It was rare to not see him smothered by enthusiastic squeals and excited gazes. He was in a league above everyone else and Riley could not see how would someone like Steven to bother with his dull, fleeting self.

"Why are you always here?"

When Riley popped the question during a lunch break while they were both hanging out on the rooftop, Steven stared at him, confused.

"As in," Riley murmured. "Why bother yourself with me?"

Steven tilts his head to one side.

"Why not?"

Riley opened his mouth, wanting to reason with Steven. Yet, he found no words to say.

"You're great to talk to," Steven then said, seemingly noticing his discomfort. "You don't put on airs and you lack any form of pretense."

Steven's face fell, just enough for Riley to notice. "Unlike others,"

Riley widened his eyes, his head clearing up as it finally struck him why Steven stubbornly stayed by his side.

He has never once seen Steven smile when he was with the crowd and his swarm of admirers. The amiable smile he carried in public was nothing but a mask.

Steven was lonely.

Like he was.

Riley let out a soft chuckle and Steven blinked, dumbfounded by the boy's reaction. His expression softened.

"That's the first time I see you smile,"

Riley paused, noticing the edges of Steven's lips gently folding upwards, a slight smile lying crescent on his face. He was fixated on this for a while as something inside of him scrunched up into a ball, tightly.

Maybe, just maybe, he can stop drifting here in Hoenn. Just maybe, he can properly open his heart for someone so similar yet different to him.

Just like before.

The man stood before the counter as the nurse before him scribbled some notes on her notebook. He waited patiently as she grabbed some bottles and bandages, his eyes following her monotonous movements.

"So, Mr. Riley, here are some painkillers and anti-inflammatory pills. More instructions are on the labels so be sure to read them properly. Also, here are some extra bandages and there is the tiny chance that your wound might reopen, so please come to the hospital immediately when that happens," her eyes scanned the notebook in her hand before she snapped it shut. "You're officially discharged."

"Thank you very much," he said as he nodded his head. Taking the small bag of medication, he turned around and walked towards the west wing exit.

After Flint had rescued both him and Cynthia out of the rubble, Riley was immediately rushed to the hospital for treatment. Fortunately, it was a small concussion and there were no possible repercussions.

Cynthia, on the other hand, suffered minor abrasions, but nothing serious. She was discharged much earlier than himself, and from what he heard from Flint, she soon dove back into work and had been dealing with the incident at Iron Island ever since.

She was busy, as expected, and Riley suddenly remembered her words back on the island.

"Romantic? I don't have the time for it."

He made an involuntary sigh as he passed by numerous visitors and nurses running about the west wing, feeling a strange sense of anxiety inside himself. The date that he had requested as a favor from Cynthia might not be plausible, after all.

She is the Champion, after all.

A pang of regret churned in his chest and Riley's hands touched his right pocket that hid his Lucario's pokéball. He was simply a wandering trainer with no title to flaunt, no place to be and no story to tell.

Woe is me, he lamented in his head.

"Riley?"

He broke away from his thoughts, his gaze finding the source of that familiar voice and time seemed to totter away into stillness. His heart ignored the steps of time as it beat at a speed that caught his breath at his throat. She was there before him, the passers-by around them dissipating into the background as he saw her, just her in his field of vision.

"Cynthia?"

"I'm sorry," She started saying. "I had planned to visit you sooner, but work caught up and I had to deal with all the stuff that happened. Congratulations on your discharge," She smiled.

"Oh," He said slowly. "It's alright. Thanks for coming."

"Also," She said as she brought up the bag she held. "This is for you,"

He took it with steady hands, his heart fluttering as her hands brushed past his.

"I hope you like tea,"

Riley froze for a split second before he answered, "Yes, thank you."

Meanwhile, from the corner of his eye, Riley took note of the curious glances that were thrown towards their direction. Cynthia was undoubtedly the reason why they were attracting all that attention, partly because she is the Champion, but it was her beauty that resulted in those double-takes. Even Riley himself could not help to stare at her.

She was just breathtakingly beautiful.

"Shall we talk somewhere else?" He said and Cynthia immediately cast a few glances left and right.

"Yes," she nodded.

He then directed the way towards a corner, away from curious stares and wandering people. Just them in this small, palpable space.

"So," he said. "Any developments after the incident at Iron Island?"

Her face seemed to look slightly more haggard immediately as she sighed, "Not very well," the light in her eyes dulled. "There are no leads as of now."

Riley pursed his lips, his mind tracing back into the depths of his mind as he thought hard.

"Have you checked the surveillance cameras?" Riley asked.

"Surveillance cameras?"

"I installed quite a few around the island when I first took over the place," Riley explained. "I wanted to improve security."

"That will be very helpful," Cynthia said enthusiastically. "Thank you for the information."

"You're welcome," he answered without missing a beat. He met her strong, grey gaze that was filled with refreshing confidence that renewed inside her. It was the same light he remembered.

Woe is me, indeed, he mused to himself.

"May I ask," Riley began. "Is my favor still in effect?"

Cynthia blinked, nonplussed by his question. She hesitated for a short while before she gently tucked her hair and answered, "I suppose so, once I am free from this mess."

"Then," Riley held her hand, bowed down considerably and kissed it gently. "I shall wait for our date with great expectations."

He peeked upwards, just to see a barely noticeable flush in her cheeks. A small, embarrassed frown on her brows transformed her usual cool expression into that of a blushing, shy lady confounded before such an act of affection and gentlemanly straightforwardness.

Riley was unexpectedly delighted by this. It was a cute reaction and he could not help but fall harder for Cynthia.

For the girl who had enraptured him since his childhood.

Happy 2020! Wishing an awesome decade for everyone :D

A rather short chapter this time. I wanted to expand more on the relationship between Steven and Riley before we dive back into the triangle so here we are. There's definitely more about the two of them in future chapters and I sincerely thank all of you who continue to support and read this story.