A/N: My fanfic has an illustrated cover for each chapter, but since FFN doesn't allow inserting images nor does it accept links within the fanfic itself, please head over to my tumblr (carefreejules) if you'd like to see the covers!
Epilogue - Future
"Package for Juliet!"
"A package?" What could it be? She hadn't purchased anything online recently nor was she expecting any sort of gift from anybody. After signing the release form, she took the small box and sliced it open using her house key. Inside were two envelopes and a flat velvet jewelry box.
Always read the letters first, she thought to herself. She noticed that one of them had a sticky note attached that had 'read me first' written on it so she carefully tore open the letter and began reading it. It was from her aunt.
Dear Juliet,
You might be surprised to receive another package from me even though I already sent you something for your birthday awhile ago. This isn't a gift, at least not from me. While I was cleaning up my study, I found these two presents tucked away in one of my filing cabinets, both of them addressed to you.
You'll know when you see them and I'm so sorry that I didn't send them when I first got them. Poor Leon back then must have been heart-broken that you didn't get his letter and gift that I was supposed to send to you. It may be pretty late, but it's only right that I send you what's yours.
I hope you can forgive your aunt's forgetfulness, sweetie.
Love, Tiffany
Ah.
This must be the elusive letter that Leon had sent her, but didn't receive due to setting off on her journey across the other regions shortly after he left. She was...hesitant about opening it, mainly because it was meant for her younger self, sent by Leon's younger self. Then again, she had been so curious about what was written in it based on Leon's reaction every time she brought it up. She couldn't help but smirk a little, thinking about his younger self's earnest, yet inexperience, feelings.
She was technically in the same boat too - he was her first love.
Picking up the pastel pink envelope, she took her time in admiring his penmanship, which was just the letter 'J' in cursive on the front. Keeping the envelope closed was a red heart sticker, a clear indication of the contents of the letter, making her eyes widen a little.
It really was a love letter, right down to the sticker.
She couldn't fight how her heart leaped into her throat. Gently plucking the sticker with the envelope flap, she pulled out the folded letter which was written on a starry themed stationary sheet. How thematic.
To my dear friend J,
It's been awhile since we last talked. How are you? I hope you and your family are doing well! As for me, my duties in Galar have been keeping me busy these past few months, but no matter how tired I am, when my mind wanders to you, I feel so much better. I often think about what you're doing, where you're going, what Pokemon you've seen! I bet you're seeing so many different sights and making new friends out there.
I promised to tell you who I am one day, and here it is.
I'm the Champion of the Galar region. Crazy, huh? I can only imagine the shock on your face right now! Or, maybe not. Knowing how perceptive you are, maybe you knew all along. Either way, now that you know, has your impression of me changed? I didn't want to tell you when we first met because I didn't want you to gain any sort of expectation of who I am just from that title alone. I already get that all the time here. People act a certain way around you when you're a Champion, like...if they act nice or polite, they'll get something out of it, instead of just being themselves. When I realized how some people put on that sort of facade just to keep me pleased, it hurt. It hurt knowing that the only reason they wanted me to be happy was for their own selfish intentions.
They didn't want to know the real me.
If you're angry that I've deceived you, then I'm so sorry. I don't blame you for being mad at me, but I hope you find it in your heart to understand and sympathize with my reasons for doing so. Though, knowing how compassionate you are, I don't think I have to worry about that.
I just wanted a time where I didn't have to worry about being a Champion. I could go back to being just a regular trainer from a small town who is passionate about Pokemon battles. Not some sort of untouchable God that people should worship.
Meeting you, spending time with you, was all I could ever ask for.
I never knew what it was like to have a deep connection with someone until I met you. Even with your own hardships and struggles, your compassionate and empathetic heart meant the world to me. I didn't have to hide how I was feeling, because you were always ready to welcome and validate them with open arms. You taught me that there's strength in showing weakness, and that there's nothing wrong with being weak. Your compassion made me into a stronger person.
I could go on and on...but, perhaps I'll save that for when we see each other again. I know we will.
But for now, what I really want to say is this:
You mean a lot to me, J. And...I love you – from the bottom of my heart.
It's OK if you don't feel the same way, but I want you to know just how happy and grateful I am that I've met you. Even if we're regions apart, I'll always be thinking about you.
Thank you for everything, and until we meet again.
Love, Leon
(P.S. I hope you like the gift I picked out for you. I had some help picking it out but I hope it reminds you of the sight we saw on that night.)
Love letters were supposed to make you feel flustered, over the moon even! But there Juliet was, with gentle streams of tears running down her face from reading the depths of Leon's feelings from the past. She felt guilty – guilty that she didn't get this letter sooner to answer his feelings. She felt guilty that it took her this long to remember their time together, even if there were...external factors that were preventing her from remembering.
She still hurt him, regardless of when.
But, even after all this time, he still cared about her. Now that she could remember the details that were no longer being hidden away, she had weeks to reflect on how she was really feeling. Even if you forget certain memories, it doesn't erase those feelings and experiences of the moment, which ultimately impact who you are, one way or another.
Even if she couldn't recall those memories until now, her feelings for him grew fonder over the course of meeting him again – like she was...falling in love with him all over again. She had always been enamoured by his confidence and passion like many people are, but getting to know his gentler side – there were qualities about him that she saw in herself that she wanted to embrace and comfort. Just as she wanted to be there to support him through the ups and downs, he wanted to do the same for her. Leon reminded her time and time again at how proud he was of her. It didn't matter if he was a Champion, he meant it when he said it. His earnest nature always made her smile.
Opening her heart to his feelings helped her come to terms with her own pain.
They were together now, but receiving his letter made her want to properly reveal the depths of her feelings for him, just as he did.
And now, she could look at herself in the mirror and say, "I'm strong." and she would believe every word.
Setting down the letter, she opened the lid of the velvet box, which revealed a beautiful gold rimmed star shaped necklace with the night sky in the centre.
The sight they shared that night...Always the romantic, Leon was.
She smiled adoringly at the thought.
And then, a plan hatched into her mind.
"You have everything, mate?"
"For the last time, Raihan, I got it! I'm not totally hopeless!" Leon groaned as he checked for the 12th time, the items that Raihan insisted that he needed to have for the date. Honestly, mints and some cologne he could understand, but why in the world did he have to give him condoms too?! Sure, he had been pining for her for years and he'd be lying if he said he didn't want her but-
Arceus, now wasn't the time for his mind to go straight to the gutter before the date even started.
"Look, Leon. You have to be prepared for anything. You'll thank me later."
"Right. Can you leave so I can go pick up my date already?"
Raihan clicked his tongue in mock offence. "How rude. Good luck, mate."
When Leon finally arrived at Juliet's flat, he felt nerves start to settle in. With his fist raised to knock on her door, a flurry of anxious thoughts began to whirl around in his head and his palms began to feel clammy. What if she didn't want to go after all? What if she didn't like the way he was dressed?
What if she-
"Oh! Lee, you're here already!"
Leon's head whipped around and it felt like someone knocked out all the air in his lungs when he laid his eyes on her absolute beauty. Instead of her usual twin braids, her hair was pulled up to the side in an elegant bundle of buns that formed a flower, with a star clip that had cloth hanging from it, making it look like a shooting star was keeping her hair in place. Her knee length dress looked like it came from the galaxy itself, washed in different shades of deep blues with white speckles dotted all over to look like stars, and the hem of her dress lined in gold with star ornaments dangling at the ends of her dress. But what made her look utterly majestic was the sheer light overcoat she wore over herself, lined in gold, and flayed over her dress like a curtain and down to her ankles. And hanging from her ears were sparkling teardrop shaped earrings.
It was like she was the Goddess of the Stars and she honoured him with her presence.
Seeing him openly gawk at her made her giggle and she humoured him with a little twirl and a curtsy. He coughed to clear his throat and straightened his back before offering a bow himself and gingerly taking one of her hands in his. Without breaking eye contact, he brought her hand up to his lips and pressed his lips against the back of it, and he felt a swell of pride seeing her blush a pretty pink at his smooth gesture.
"Aren't you a charmer?" She breathed. He kissed her hand again and she felt him smile.
"Is it working?" He wondered, playfulness bouncing in his voice.
Her heart fluttered. "Y-Yeah. I think so."
"Good. You're absolutely breath-taking, Juliet." He said with a wide smile. Her blush deepened and she couldn't help but feel a sense of giddiness well up inside her with every smooth line that left his lips.
But, enough about her – he was a sight for sore eyes as well. His long lilac hair was tied into a low ponytail with a red ribbon. He wore a wine red tail coat with golden tassels hanging from his shoulders and an ivory white cravat hanging around his neck. His tail coat was also lined in gold embroidery, making him shimmer with each step he took. He looked incredibly regal, like he was a spitting image of a prince from a fairy tale, like they had previously joked about before. And he even carried an air of someone from nobility from his gentlemanly mannerisms.
She placed both hands on his chest and looked up at him with loving eyes.. "You're very handsome yourself. You definitely look like a Prince, ready to sweep up the belle of the ball."
And with that, Leon tucked his arm under her legs and lifted her off of the ground, carrying her like she was his princess. "Seems like I've found her." He laughed warmly upon seeing her blush spread right to her ears and she covered her face out of embarrassment.
"You're gonna be the death of me..." She muffled into her hands.
"Can't have that, can we?" He lowered her back on her feet before pulling out the bouquet of roses from the shopping bag he carried with him. "For you."
"Geez, Leon. Are you going to surprise me with that Rapidash drawn carriage next?" Juliet laughed, graciously taking the beautiful bouquet of flowers. She had never gotten flowers from anyone before. At least, not face to face. Not even when she became Champion. She always thought that she didn't need them, but the thought behind them made her feel loved and appreciated.
"Unfortunately all the Rapidash carriages were booked." Leon chuckled jokingly. "It's not much and riding my Charizard might draw attention but I hope you don't mind getting there via Corviknight Taxi." Admittedly, Leon thought about renting out a limo but he thought it was a bit too...much for the both of them. And it would draw a lot of attention when they arrived.
"Of course I don't mind. Might be safer honestly because of my dress." Smoothing out her dress, she breezed past Leon back into her flat to find a vase to put the bouquet of flowers in. She almost didn't notice the small card that was sitting in the bundle of flowers and good thing she did notice or it would have fallen into the water filled vase. She plucked it out of the bunch and turned it over to see,
To the Champion of my heart 3
He...He really did adore her.
It felt like a hundred Kakunas evolved into Butterfrees all at the same time in her stomach, from how moved she was by every display of his affections. She honestly felt like she could cry at any moment, unused to having someone treat her as lovingly as he did.
"Lee..."
He came up from behind her and embraced her gently, giving the crown of her hair a chaste kiss before smiling. "Shall we get going?"
Juliet stood up on her toes and kissed his cheek. "Yeah, let's go!"
Even from the skies, Juliet gulped at the sight of all the people who were crowded outside of Hammerlocke Castle. Surely the league wasn't this big, was it? Wasn't this supposed to be a relatively private after party? And yet people were lined up like they were going to a movie premier. Leon leaned over to look out her window and he let out an exasperated sigh.
"They never learn do they…" His hands came up to rub her shoulders soothingly. "Relax, J. This happens every year. Paparazzi and fans alike always try to sneak into the Champion's Banquet. But, it's invitation only, of course."
Juliet grimaced. "Geez, as if all of them are going to fit inside! I kind of feel bad because they're setting themselves up for disappointment."
"Well, one thing's for sure is that we're not going in through the front entrance-" Leon pressed the button that acted as an intercom for the Cabbie operating the Corviknight Taxi. "Hey, do you think you could land on the summit of Hammerlocke Castle? They're going to cause a ruckus the moment they see us."
"Sure thing, Champion!" The Cabbie replied.
"That's former to you." He replied back with a chuckle.
The Corviknight Taxi ascended higher into the air, flying over to the round-shaped summit where any havoc that was left behind from the battle against Eternatus on that fateful day was nowhere to be seen. The couple felt strange stepping out of the taxi onto the very place where they stood on opposite sides in a battle that nearly killed them both. It was surreal, maybe even a bit morbid, but that event was behind him, because the view from the top of the castle was a beautiful sight and the breeze felt pleasant - a sight that couldn't be tarnished by unpleasant memories.
Long after the Corviknight Taxi was out of sight, they couldn't help but just stand there in awe, as if they were reliving the past all over again.
That is until Leon came up from behind Juliet and held her close.
"Never again…" He muttered into her shoulder.
"Never again." She echoed back, reaching up with one hand to cradle his head, and hold his hands that were wrapped around her waist with the other. She turned around in his arms to wipe the tears that were pooling in the corner of his eyes. She then stood up on her toes and kissed him gently, reminding him that they were both here, alive, and that neither of them were going to suddenly disappear when they opened their eyes.
When Leon opened his eyes and saw that she was still there, beaming up at him, his smile grew and he held her tightly against him. "I love you. I love you so much…"
Juliet giggled softly. "I love you too, Leon. Are you sure you want to go down to the banquet? I figured you have some important things to take care of there, but I don't think it would make anyone happy if your heart wasn't in it."
"I'll be OK. As long as you're with me."
"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. I promise." Juliet extended her hand out to him, which he took in an instant, and she led him down the steps towards the elevator that would take them to a night of celebration, surrounded by just friends and co-workers. The elevator stopped on a floor on the way down to the elevator and the couple didn't expect to see Raihan and Mary when the doors opened.
"Oh! Hi Jules, hi Leon!" Mary greeted cheerfully.
"Hi Mary! Wait, how did you two get in if you didn't take the front entrance?"
Raihan pointed at himself proudly as he stepped into the elevator. "You think I wouldn't know all the secret entrances and rooms in this place? This castle is thousands of years old so there's going to be lots of hidden secrets."
"That's...That sounds really cool, to be honest. So, are there things like hidden staircases that can only be revealed by pulling a book from a shelf?" Juliet asked excitedly.
"Even better - there are a few places around the castle that reveal hidden rooms by pushing against a tile in the wall-"
From the sound of that, Juliet was just about ready to ditch going to the ball in favor of living out her video game fantasies until Raihan made a snide remark about her height - something that was unfortunately a favourite hobby of his.
"Hey, did you get taller? Must be the heels, huh-"
Juliet huffed annoyingly, making the other three laugh before Leon patted her back reassuringly. "Come on, Raihan. That's no way to talk to a VIP guest-"
"VIP? Me?" Juliet blinked confusingly.
Leon only offered her a wink in response and led her out when the elevators opened on their floor. The distant sounds of an orchestra grew closer and closer as they made their way towards two grand looking double doors. The party sounded like it was already in full swing from the music and laughter that filled the air, but with it filled Juliet with a sense of nervousness and slight panic knowing that when the doors opened, everyone's eyes would be on them.
Noticing her tensed shoulders, Leon squeezed her hand. "It's going to be OK. It's just our friends and co-workers behind these doors."
"R-Right...Sorry, I'm a bit out of my element here so this is going to take some time getting used to." Juliet wheezed out in between taking deep breaths to calm her rapidly beating heart.
"Take all the time you need, J. I'll be with you so let's take it slow, OK?" Leon reassured, pushing one of the doors with his free hand and guided her into the grand ball room that was just about everything she would expect from one in a castle. A grand crystal chandelier, a grand staircase that was carpeted in red - just about everything in the spacious room was grand and it boggled her mind knowing that people used to live like this. It was beyond what she was used to, but it fulfilled a long-time childhood wish of wanting to experience the decadence of royalty from reading fairy tales.
"...Wow." Was all Juliet could say through her awe.
"Wow indeed. Even I'm not quite used to it." Leon chuckled before turning to her and carefully grabbing both of her shoulders. "I have to go and get ready for the main event so try to have some fun before I get back, OK?"
"I will! I'm looking forward to seeing what you have prepared." Juliet answered, giving a quick kiss on his cheek as he weaved through the crowd and proceeded to walk up the grand staircase.
"Juliet!"
Juliet whipped her head around to see acknowledge who was calling her and waved back to Tessu and Vanquil, who looked like they both just arrived by how frazzled they looked. They must have made the mistake of going through the front entrance. When Juliet approached the pair, they were also joined by Sonia and Nessa, who were helping them regain their composure.
"Got caught by the paparazzi?" Sonia laughed while combing Tessu's hair.
"That's putting it lightly! It was so hard to know where we were even going because of all the flashing cameras!" Tessu complained.
"Ugh, I think someone yanked my hair and I spent all this time slicking it back." Vanquil grumbled.
"Should have asked Raihan about the many secret entrances around this place." Juliet joked.
"I would have but we didn't have time because, you know…" Raihan trailed off knowingly.
"Then, let's make up for that another day now that the Gym Challenge is over - you guys have more time now right?" Mary asked.
"That actually brings up my next point. Though we do have more time, we actually spend most of it training on the Isle of Armor to prepare for next year. Of course, we train on our own for the most part but for the first few days we hold a training camp at the Dojo. You four are more than welcome to join us if you'd like." Nessa offered.
"That's great timing then! We actually talked about checking it out because there's plenty of Power Spots there!" Vanquil agreed eagerly. "We also have our eyes set on the Crown Tundra too but…"
Juliet shivered at the thought. She wasn't looking forward to that. Being a Hoennian meant that she had little to no tolerance towards the cold. Raihan snorted, noticing her shivering.
"You and me both Juliet. I'd rather burn my arse off over freezing my arse off."
"Really? I figured you're always warm because you're always wearing that hoodie."
"Maybe he really is part dragon." Sonia whispered to Mary, making her giggle uncontrollably.
"If I can get everyone's attention, please!"
They turned their heads to the grand staircase and Juliet's jaw dropped. Leon stood at the base of the step with a golden crown on his head, and a large velvet red cape draped over his shoulders and dragged along the ground behind him. The two articles of clothing matched perfectly with his attire, completing the royal ensemble. In his hand was a sword that shined and reflected brilliantly against the lights beaming down from above. In front of him was Gloria, decked out in a lovely pink dressed, who knelt down on one knee.
"This is the first time you're witnessing the Crowning Champion tradition, right?" Nessa whispered to Juliet.
Juliet nodded wordlessly, watching the scene with growing fascination. So, in Galar, they didn't have the usual Hall of Fame as she would have expected and in its place, a ceremony of sorts to dub and honour the new Champion with its prestigious title. Was this to honour the old tradition of crowning heroes, princes, and princesses? Whatever the reason was, she felt honoured that she got to witness Gloria being crowned the new Champion of Galar.
"13 years ago, I remember the day I accepted my title as Champion like it happened yesterday. I felt many things - joy, excitement, honour, strength - and to be able to pass down those emotions to one who has earned the title of Champion, I couldn't be more proud." Leon carefully lowered the sword and tapped it gently on each of her shoulders before letting it rest on one. "Gloria, the title of Champion will bring you fortune as long as you don't stray from what it means to be Galar's Champion. But, with that fortune, comes great responsibility and even burdens. I promise you as the previous Champion to offer guidance, but there are things only you can accomplish. With that in mind, will you still accept the title of Champion?"
Gloria raised her head and looked at Leon with strengthened resolve in her eyes. "Of course. I will honour this title for myself, for you, and all the Champions of the past."
Leon grinned and sheathed the sword. He beckoned her to stand and he reached up to remove the crown from his head. He slowly lowered it onto her head and reached for the velvety cape from his shoulders. "Your new Champion has spoken! Please give a big round of applause to Champion Gloria!"
The room erupted in applause, hoots, hollers, and whistling, for Gloria, making her cheeks flare up and eyes fall to the floor in embarrassment. Leon raised his hand once more to quiet down the crowd.
"Normally that would be the end of the ceremony but I have two more people that I'd like to honor tonight. Can Hop and Juliet step forward, please?"
The sound of someone choking on their drink reached her ears and looking over, it looked like Hop was so taken aback by the announcement that he nearly spat out his drink. Juliet stifled a chuckle as she slowly made her way to the front, until she stood next to Hop.
"You OK there?" She asked quietly.
Hop cleared his throat and gave her a sheepish thumbs up. "Never better."
"Glora. Hop. Juliet." Leon started. "I know you're probably heard this many times already during the past few weeks, but on behalf of Galar and the Pokemon League, we want to formally thank you for rising above the occasion and standing up for what's right. The Pokemon League would like to honor you three with commemorative medals." He opened the sleek black case that a League member was holding, revealing three golden medals with different coloured straps. He picked up the medal with the red strap and wrapped it around Gloria's neck.
"Thank you, Gloria, for harnessing Zacian to fight."
Next, he picked up the medal with the blue strap and wrapped it around Hop's neck.
"Thank you, Hop, for harnessing Zamazenta to protect."
Finally, he picked up the medal with the green strap and wrapped it around Juliet's neck.
"Thank you, Juliet, for using your voice to lead and to give everyone hope."
The ballroom broke out into applause again, but rather than feeling embarrassed or bashful, Juliet was in a weird limbo of being in both disbelief and...flattery? To her, the greatest reward for what she did was knowing that she was able to protect everything that mattered to you. Getting a medal for it felt like the icing on the cake. She didn't notice Leon coming up from behind her until he put a hand on her back.
"Surprised?" He asked curiously.
Juliet smiled gently. "Surprised and flattered. Thank you, Leon."
"No, thank you. I hope you know just how incredibly grateful for everything you've done. Maybe a medal isn't enough but-"
She interrupted him with a warm laugh. "It's more than enough, Lee. Really. I'm not going to minimize my accomplishments anymore - that wouldn't be fair to you or anyone else who believed in me."
Leon let out a sigh of relief before chuckling. "I'm happy to hear that. Now that that's over, may I have this-"
Suddenly, the doors burst open with flashing cameras and overzealous fans, who started to pile into the ballroom much to the shock of everyone else. Leon groaned in frustration and turned to a League member. "How did they get past security?!"
"I-I don't know but we're going to kick them out! Everyone, please escort any intruders and uninvited guests out of the venue!"
"Oh my gosh! Look! It's Raihan! Can you pleaaaase take a selfie with me?"
"Ah, over there is Leon!
As a crowd of fans made a mad dash towards them, Leon turned to Juliet and said, "Hang on to me."
"Huh-" Before she could reply, he swept her off her feet and made a beeline up the stairs which slowed the fans down enough to be pulled back by back-up security. Leon didn't exactly know where he was going in this giant castle, but being lost was better than having the fans on their trail. When he was sure they were alone, he stopped and gently lowered Juliet back to her feet.
"Are you OK, J?" He heaved.
"I-I'm OK. But, wow that escalated really quickly."
"That's unfortunately happened before." Leon sighed. "We should probably wait until they're gone."
"Good idea, but what should we do in the meantime?" Juliet asked, looking around curiously at the decorative hallway they were in.
Leon took her hand and smiled. "Follow me. I think I have a basic idea of where we are or at least, I know where we could go."
He wished he didn't have to lead her away from the flashing cameras and uninvited persistent journalists that somehow snuck into the banquet without being seen by security, unfortunately putting them right into the hands of their unbridled curiosity over their relationship. Even without the crown of Champion no longer weighing him down, people weren't going to forget about him so easily. It was nice knowing that he left behind a legacy that would always make him known and recognizable, he really wanted things to simmer down so he could experience things he couldn't when he was Champion.
One of them being a relationship.
A loving relationship with the woman he had been in love with for so long.
He knew just where to take her, opening up one of the glass doors that led outside to one of the terraces of Hammerlocke Castle. It had a clear 'do not enter' sign in the front, but that warning was for regular attendees so they wouldn't interrupt or spy on their time together, with just each other. It was a beautiful terrace, decorated with floral shrubs and archways, and a small fountain that lit up in different colours in the centre.
"This terrace is so pretty! I feel like I'm in Alice in Wonderland or something." Juliet giggled, wandering over to the fountain and propping herself on the marble edge like it was a bench. Leon followed suit, sitting himself beside her and watched her with soft eyes as she stared at the changing lights of the fountain in wonder.
"So, is this also what you meant by arrangements?" She mused cheekily. "There was clearly a 'do not enter' sign, but that warning wasn't for us."
"Heh, you catch on quick. There are a few terraces around Hammerlocke castle that can be rented out for tea parties, social gatherings - that kind of thing. Technically the terraces are off limits when bigger events like the banquet are running, but I had some help from Raihan to work around that." He gently pulled her back onto her feet and linked their arms together as they walked through the garden under the ethereal moonlit sky.
"I figured that if someone were to try to pry into our relationship, this would be a good place to go to for some peace." He clasped both of her hands and gazed at her earnestly. "As much as I don't want to keep hiding from the world just how much you mean to me, I don't want anything to happen to you as a result. I want to protect you, and what we have."
"Leon…" Juliet reached up and tenderly caressed his cheek, to which he held it with his own to keep it there. Her gentle touch made his heart swell longingly.
"Thank you for being so considerate of me and our relationship. But, at the same time, I don't want you to hold back for my sake. If your heart wants you to hold me a little tighter, or to reach out to hold my hand, then do it. I want you to." Juliet stood up on her toes, and brought his head down so she could press their foreheads together. "There will be consequences if people find out, but I don't think it's fair to put their feelings before ours. This is our relationship, and this is what we want."
Leon's arms snaked around her waist and pulled her close to him. He didn't want their relationship to be some sort of spectacle - they were just two people in love, something that anyone was capable of. But, they both knew that was something that they'd have to adapt to. However, above else, they weren't going to let anyone have a say in how they should feel towards each other. "...OK. But, if it ever gets too much, I want you to let me know. We can work things out and I'll be there for you."
"Me too, Lee." Juliet reached into her small hand bag and pulled out the letter he wrote for her along with the velvet box containing his necklace. "... I have something I want to show you."
Leon recognized them immediately and his eyes widened.
"I thought you didn't get them..."
"My aunt sent them to me a few days ago. She's really sorry for not sending them to me earlier when she got them. Seems like she forgot." She smiled apologetically before pulling out the necklace from the velvet box. She handed him the necklace with expectant eyes.
Leon didn't need to be told twice. He unhooked the necklace and wrapped it around her neck, watching the star charm sparkle when he clipped the chain. Just as he expected, it looked beautiful on her, and coincidentally matched with her dress too. She affectionately beamed at him, holding the necklace preciously between her fingers.
"What do you think?"
"A lovely necklace for an equally lovely woman."
She giggled warmly. "Thank you, Lee. Do you...want to read what your past self wrote to me?"
Leon tensed up, feeling embarrassment rise up inside of him at the prospect of what his younger self wrote to her. He remembered vaguely of what he wrote, but not enough to know if he should brace himself. "S-Sure."
Taking the letter from her hands, she watched his golden eyes skim through each line and word with an unreadable expression, until she noticed his cheeks burning up as he got towards the end of his letter.
"But, that's not all. I have something for you." She held out the love letter she had written for him from behind her back, along with a small wrapped present. Leon's eyes softened. She didn't have to go through the trouble of getting him anything, let alone write him a love letter like he had done before.
"I know what you're thinking, but, this is my way of giving our past selves closure for not keeping in touch. Will you accept it?"
"Of course." He graciously accepted the letter and carefully opened it, pulling out the folded letter that was written on a fire themed stationary. How thematic for him.
Dear Lee,
I'm sorry it's taken so long for me to write back, but better late than never, right?
First of all, thank you. I'm sure it wasn't easy for you to keep those feelings from me all these years, and it probably made it harder after learning that I couldn't remember the time we shared. I hurt you, regardless of the circumstance, and I'll always be sorry for that.
That being said, now that I can think back to how happy I was when I was with you, whether it was through our talks or our battles - you gave me the push I needed to start moving again when I was still so afraid of the world. I was so ashamed of who I was, and for the longest time, I thought no one would want to love me for how broken I was. The easiest thing for me to do was to keep my heart away from everyone so no one could see how ugly I was on the inside.
And then, you came into my life, and I don't think either of us expected to get along as well as we did. I was a helper at an inn, and you were a guest on vacation like many others. Yet you went out of your way to see me, of all people. I wasn't expecting it, but it meant the world to me, that someone wanted to be friends with me. I won't lie and say I wasn't drawn in by your unique charms at the time.
Then, I slowly found myself growing attached...and then falling in love with you.
Underneath all that Champion bravado, I've always known there was another side of you that I could relate to, knowing that I've been in a similar position before. I knew how hard it can be to put on a brave face for everyone so no one would worry about you; to know that you had a weakness. And I knew that hiding that part of yourself, only makes you feel more lonely. I hurt knowing you felt that way, which is why I wanted to be someone who you could let your guard down for. To everyone else, you were Champion Leon, Hero of Galar, but you're more than that to me.
You're sweet, generous, charismatic, and perhaps even a bit impulsive at times. Seeing you laugh and smile genuinely for yourself rather than for others, that's one side of you that I absolutely adore. Whatever you're going through, whatever you're upset about – I don't want you to feel scared about feeling that way and I don't want you to feel scared about talking it out with me. You know I would never belittle or shun you away, right?
And lastly, thank you again, from the bottom of my endless heart, for believing in me when I couldn't. It's because of you that I've become strong and confident enough to be proud of who I am. I believe in the strength of my heart to stand up for myself and I know there will always be someone who supports me. My friends, my family in Lavaridge Town, and you.
I love you too, Lee - more than words can convey alone.
I won't ever forget a single moment we spend together, because you'll always have a special place, right here in my heart.
Love, Juliet
(P.S. I wasn't sure exactly what to get you in return since you don't strike me as the jewellry type, but I hope you'll wear what I got for you sometime!)
Leon couldn't hold himself back from kissing her passionately, pulling her tighter against his chest as he poured all of his love into the kiss in hopes she knew just how happy he was by her love. She eagerly returned his enthusiasm by wrapping her arms around his neck, letting him plant kiss after kiss against her lips. Even when he finally pulled away, his lips found themselves against the side of her head, unable to cease his affections as he gently swayed the Champion of his heart in a slow dance.
"Thank you, J...I'm sure my younger self would have fainted after reading that."
"And your current self?"
He tenderly swiped his thumb across her soft cheek, his smile growing wider. "May I kiss you again?"
"Of course." She beamed, letting him kiss her for the upteenth time of the night. "And don't forget your present! I hope you like it."
"I'm sure I will." Taking the present, he carefully removed the wrapping paper and lifted the lid of the box to reveal a golden crown brooch decorated with a single ruby in the centre, connected by a matching chain. It was regal, yet simple - a perfect fit for someone like him. Plucking the brooch from the box, he held it up to the front of his suit as he looked at her expectantly.
Juliet giggled knowingly, and pinned the brooch over the chest pocket of his blazer, where it sparkled magnificently under the moonlight.
"How does it look?"
"I knew it'd look great on you! It definitely fits you more than that crown you wore on your head earlier." Juliet teased.
"I agree. It's a lot less heavy and obtrusive." Leon joked back.
They both laughed at their silly banter and pressed their foreheads together, gazing at each other lovingly and basking in the moment of peace that didn't need to be filled with words.
But, they had to go back to the party eventually.
Juliet caressed his cheeks and kissed the tip of his nose. "We should return to the party."
He pouted and held her tighter. "Where the guests might hound us? I think they can live without us for a little while longer."
"...That might give them ideas, Lee. Besides, all our friends are there too."
"...But, I won't be able to hold you like this when we go back. At least, not until the media leaves."
What a loving man. But, she couldn't blame him for being a bit clingy. If he loved her for so long, he must have held himself back for just as long, and now that he had her, he didn't want to let her go. She smiled knowingly and kissed him gently, as if reassuring him that they had all the time in the world to be together. "I know, but that doesn't mean you can't dance with me. You won't say no to that, will you?"
He twirled her playfully. "Of course not! I've been to these kinds of events for as long as I can remember so I'll show you what I can do on the dance floor."
"Good, because I don't know how to dance." She admitted shyly.
"Don't worry, it's easier than it looks. We'll knock them dead." Leon winked before offering his arm for her to link so they could return to the party. She rolled her eyes at his boasting and looped her arm through his, letting him guide the way back. She gripped the sleeve of his tail coat a bit tighter as they approached closer and closer to the ballroom from the tell-tale orchestra music that reached their ears. They braced themselves for the onslaught of flashing cameras and microphones, but there was none, making them look at each other in confusion.
"About time you two got back." Raihan greeted with a sly grin, noting how they leaned closer to each other than when they first made their entrance to the party. "Looks like you two are cozier than usual. Had your own fun?"
They both blushed, Leon rolling his eyes at the implication. "We spent some time at the terrace, that's all."
"The view was really pretty and the garden was nice too! Thanks for reserving it for us, Raihan." Juliet thanked with a small smile.
"No problem." Raihan grinned. "Well, you're in luck. We managed to track down the rest of the paparazzi and fans that slipped past security and promptly kicked them out when they were found. So, you two can be lovey dovey without being bombarded by them."
"We're not that lovey dovey..." Leon grumbled. "But, thank you, Raihan. Really." He turned to Juliet with his hand outstretched to her.
"May I have this dance, milady?"
Milady, huh. Leon really was playing the role of a prince to a T. It was endearing to say the least, as a result of his nature as an entertainer. He couldn't help but add a bit more flair to his gestures because he was having fun and he wanted the other person to have fun too.
And she loved playing along.
"I'd be honoured." She replied playfully, offering him a curtsy before putting her hand in his and following him to the centre of the ballroom. It was difficult to ignore how the eyes of the other attendees followed them, curiosity striking them as to who Leon was about to dance with. It made her nervous. She could potentially make them both look like fools on the dance floor because of her inexperience.
But Leon gazed at her with a carefree smile and gently placed his hand on her hip. "Just follow my lead. We're here to have fun, right?"
Her anxiety simmered down at his reassurance and she beamed back at him. "I'll do my best! Sorry if I step on your feet in advance."
Placing her hand on his shoulder, he whisked her into a slow waltz across the ballroom, guiding her patiently with carefully timed steps so she could pick up on the rhythm with the symphony. Leon tried not to laugh or to make a face that made it look like he was internally making fun of her, but there was something cute about how her eyes were glued to their feet and her eyebrows were furrowed in deep concentration.
She was trying so hard.
"Look at me."
Juliet lifted her head so her eyes were instead fixed on his. She grinned sheepishly. "I'm taking it too seriously, huh?"
Leon snorted. "A bit, which isn't a bad thing. But, I want you to look at me while we're dancing. Your partner isn't the floor."
"A little appreciation for the decor never hurt anyone." She joked back. "But, you're right. You're a lot more attractive than the floor anyway."
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" He laughed cheerfully. She giggled along with him, her posture relaxing considerably while gazing up at him tenderly. She let her steps be guided by the music, eventually synchronizing with his steps perfectly and making her feel more confident in her sense of rhythm. Seeing how her dancing slowly became less hesitant and clumsy, he shot her a smirk before unravelling her with their hands still linked and tugging her back so she twirled back into his arms.
The look of bewilderment on her face made his face crack into a wide toothy smile.
"W-Whoa..." Juliet stuttered. "I wasn't expecting that."
He leaned in close, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "There's more where that came from."
Her heart raced. What exactly was he planning? And would she be able to keep up with him? To keep her on her toes, he didn't delve into what he was about to do right away, giving her a false sense of security of resuming the comfortable pace of the waltz he sent before.
When he shot her a smirk, she knew.
Uh oh.
Just like before, he unravelled her out, watching her twirl, but instead of letting her twirl back into his arms, he smoothly secured an arm around her waist, and dipped her low to the ground with a smug grin stretched across his handsome face.
Did she just let out a squeak? What else was she supposed to do?! He kept catching her off guard with his suaveness on the ballroom floor! Her face burned brightly and hearing the cheers and whistles from their friends and attendees didn't help at all.
Leon felt an immense feeling of satisfaction from rendering his beloved into a bit of a mess. Was she getting weak in the knees as well? Chuckling to himself and deciding that he had his fun, he gently pulled her back to her feet, only to hold her close when she leaned her weight against him.
Maybe he got a little carried away.
"You OK?"
"Y-Yeah…" Juliet laughed shakily. "You weren't kidding when you said you were something else on the dance floor."
"Heh, thanks. You held your own pretty well too for your first time."
She scratched the side of her cheek. "You think so? Thanks!" But she could really use a drink or something. And maybe even something to sit on to ease the weight from her feet. Juliet could practically feel her heels dig into feet painfully as the night dragged on. She regretted not choosing to wear flats, even if it meant she had to maintain her somewhat short stature.
Seeing the grimace on her face as she shifted uncomfortably in her heels, "Here let me just," Leon tucked his arms under her knees and effortlessly carried her to an empty chair by one of the dining tables, ignoring her weak protests to let her down and the curious eyes that followed them.
"Y-You didn't have to carry me…"
"Your feet hurt, right? Think nothing of it, love." He reassured her gently, bending down on one knee and gently loosening the straps of her white heels so he could shimmy them off.
She smiled at that and tilted her head innocently. "Love?"
"Oh." He blushed and looked at her shyly. "Do you not like it?"
"Quite the opposite! It felt...nice. Like I'm special."
"Well, you are special to me."
Hearing that made her heart melt and only made her affection for him grow. What did she do to deserve such a sweet and considerate man like him?
"Wait, here. I'll go get us something to drink." Leon snuck her a quick peck on the cheek before heading to the refreshment table.
With her feet freed, she relaxed in her chair and felt herself slump from fatigue. They had even danced for that long, and yet some of the older attendees looked like they were just getting started as alcohol began to settle in their systems. Looking at the time on her phone, it was only 9 pm - still way too early to leave and call it a night.
Well, the atmosphere wasn't getting to her as much as she thought it would. It wasn't like they were at a club and the booming bass was rattling her brain like a blender and turning it to mush. To calm her nerves, her eyes wandered over to the dancers on the dance floor - she giggled at how Hop was struggling not to step on Gloria's foot for the 4th time, how Raihan practically towered over everyone he danced with (bonus points for how red Mary's face was when dancing with him), and how Bea and Allister were practically tripping themselves over each other because of Bea's inexperience and Allister's shy nature. Everyone else was either chatting over drinks or stuffing themselves at the food and desserts table, which Juliet could hear Sonia fawning over from where she sat.
Her shoulders relaxed considerably, remembering that all of their friends were here and enjoying the festivities rather than being surrounded by strangers. A part of her wished she had Leon's adaptability for scenes like this, instead of quietly letting her anxiety build from the unfamiliarity.
But, she wasn't going to blame herself either.
"Ahem, ma'am, please put your heels back on. It's unbecoming of a lady to sit so...crudely."
Crudely…? Unbecoming of a lady? Bold of them to assume that she cared about outdated norms like that-
Juliet turned her head to the culprit of the voice, immediately lowering her gaze in disbelief at the outlandish hairstyle that the man was sporting, along with whom she assumed was his brother, who sported an equally ridiculous hairdo as well.
Honestly, that was all she could focus on, and she couldn't take them seriously as a result.
"Ummm...sorry. I was just giving my feet some time to rest. I'll put them back on-" Juliet bent over to slip the accursed heels back onto her feet just to be polite, but her hands stopped when she caught one of the men scoffing and muttering under his breath.
"Women these days have no class. How did a slob like her get into an esteemed banquet like this?"
Her eyebrow twitched. Who the hell were this aristocratic assholes?
Part of her didn't want to make a scene or give in to their provoking, but she already vowed to herself to not let anyone get away with making a slander of her name. She slipped her feet into her heels, strapped them up half-hazardly and purposely clicked her heel loudly when approaching them.
"Care to say that to my face?"
The men seemed surprised by her confrontation, but composed themselves back to their holier-than-thou attitudes. "We were merely speaking the truth. Alas, you're just another commoner looking to leech off of the high life-style. "
Did these assholes get dropped off from the Victorian era or something? They were talking as if they were in an age where royalty reigned supreme. "Commoner? Why are you talking like you're in Medieval times? Open your eyes and look around - times have changed and this is a celebration party. Not some snooty tea party where the only thing you aristocrats seem to care about is yourselves."
"Excuse me?! Your foul mouth has no place here!"
Yeesh, someone has their pantaloons in a bunch. Juliet breathed deeply through her nose, keeping herself level-headed and calm while the two brothers were one or two shades closer to blowing their heads off.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! What's going on here?" Gordie interjected, putting himself in-between Juliet and the two brothers. "Wait, a minute, who are you two? I don't think I've ever seen you two at a Champion's Banquet before-"
"How rude! You could do to learn some manners, and perhaps lose a few pounds while you're at it-" The man in the blue tux retorted.
Gordie's eyebrow twitched at that. "What was that?! I'll have you know that physical appearances doesn't dictate one's health and well-being. I'll do a back-flip right now to show you how fit I really am-"
"Juliet, what's happening over here?" Leon asked with concern, returning with a glass of wine for himself and a glass of punch for her. Juliet grumbled something under her breath before going to Leon's side and pouting.
"Some weirdos showed up and started to nag and insult me and now Gordie."
"What?" Leon looked up to regard the aforementioned men, who were now being challenged by not just Gordie anymore, but the other Gym Leaders too. He pressed a finger to his temples, groaning at how this year's Champion's Banquet was more eventful for all the wrong reasons. Perhaps he would ask the Pokemon League to invest more in tighter security.
"Hold my glass, J." He gave her both of their glasses to hold while he went over to the group and pushed himself between the opposing groups. "Easy there, everyone. What seems to be the problem?"
"These guys are claiming to be descendants of the first Kings of Galar." Kabu explained with a frown.
"Descendants?!" Leon looked between the two brothers who were definitely nicely dressed but it was hard not to look past their...wild hairstyles. He was no expert in discerning whether they were part of royalty or not, but he was a bit too tired to spend time dealing with them. Descendants or not, if they didn't have an invitation to the banquet, they couldn't stay. "Pardon me, gentlemen, but may I see your Champion's Banquet invites?"
"Invites? Why would we need invites?"
Oh boy, Leon grieved to himself. "If you don't have invitations, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
"You can't do that-"
"Oh, yes, I can. Security!" Leon shouted, immediately grabbing the attention of at least five armed security guards and whisked the two brothers away, but not without them boasting of their supposed status and the like.
"I've seen my fair share of weirdos but they were a whole different kind of weird." Piers scoffed. "Noisy too."
"Are you OK, Juliet? They didn't hurt you, did they?" Melony asked, quickly looking over her just to make sure.
"Don't worry, they didn't hurt me! They were more annoying than anything. I'm sorry for what they said to you Gordie. I think you look great!" Juliet comforted. Gordie huffed at his slightly wounded pride but shot her a small smile.
"Thanks, Juliet. I could have dealt with that better."
"Hey, Leon?"
"Yeah?"
"How do I word this…" Juliet thought out loud, taking sips of her punch in between her thoughts. There really was no way to phrase what she wanted to ask without putting him on the spot. It would put anyone on the spot really, but she wanted to ask because she thought a lot about her future ever since Cheren brought up the opportunity of being a teacher. "What are your plans for making your dream come true?"
"My dream...You mean my dream of making Galarian trainers the strongest in the world?"
"Yeah...I don't think I've mentioned it to you yet but Cheren told me I have the makings of a teacher so I've been thinking a lot about the future and what my new dream could be."
"A teacher…" Leon's face broke out into a huge grin. "I think you could be a great teacher! Galar doesn't have any trainers schools like other regions, and because of how compassionate and inspiring you are, I think future trainers could learn a lot from you."
Juliet blushed and smiled back at him. It warmed her heart that he was ready to support potential prospects so readily and eagerly. Then again, she promised she was going to do the exact thing for him, but it looked like he was getting a head start on it. She was still indecisive about the idea, but the more she was encouraged, the more she wanted to try. There wasn't much to lose from trying, right? "You think so? I'm still thinking about it but I'm definitely more...excited about the idea."
"And you should be! I know you wouldn't try to be something that you knew you wouldn't like."
She giggled at that, knowing exactly what he meant because defying what her parents had wanted was what helped her get to this point of finding genuine happiness for herself. And she wasn't going to stop following her heart.
"As for me." Leon braced his arms on the railing of the balcony. "I don't have any immediate plans at the moment because there's still a mess that Macro Cosmos left behind, but if all goes well, I do have my sights on transforming the Rose Tower into something else."
"Whoa, you're going to overthrow a whole conglomerate just like that?" Juliet joked.
"That's not what I meant." He laughed. "I've been over-hearing what the Pokemon League has been saying about it and because of how closely they worked with them, they don't think they can bounce back from this so they might end up dissolving completely."
"No way…But, I suppose it's for the best, right? It's one thing for a company to make small mistakes but when their CEO was endangering everyone's safety? I don't blame the public for not being able to forgive them."
"Exactly. So, if I can help it, I want to turn Rose Tower into something better. I want it to become a beacon of change and growth. Because, ironically, that's kind of what it was in the business world." Leon looked up to the starlit sky and reached his hand up, as if trying to reach for any star that was within his grasp. But they were far away, just like the road ahead.
But no matter how far away they were, he was certain of another desire of his. "I want to work together with everyone to make Galar prosper for future generations."
Juliet reached up and held her hand up next to his. Of course, her arm couldn't reach as high as his, but what mattered was that she was right beside him. She regarded him warmly. "You already know you have my unconditional support."
He gazed at her just as lovingly. "And you know you have me."
They curled their hands into fists and pumped them to the sky. "Let's both fight for our future!"
Their mutual declaration lingered in the air for a moment until they both broke out into giggles and laughs. Even if the road ahead was bumpy and filled with twists and turns, it filled them both with hope knowing that they had each other to lean against to laugh off and smile through uncertainty. Because it was OK to laugh and cry even when life was hard. It wasn't their mission to find out what the future had in store for them, but rather, to live and embrace what each day brought them.
"Hey, you two!"
They turned their heads to see everyone crowded around the door leading out to the balcony they were on.
"We're about to take some group photos so come and join us!"
Juliet and Leon looked at each other and beamed brightly before turning back to the group. "We're coming!"
And they knew that they were never going to be alone, because everyone else was going to be with them too.
THE TIES THAT BIND
-END-
And there you have it folks! This chapter marks the end of The Ties That Bind! It's been one hell of a ride and I still can't believe I managed to complete it from start to finish! I hardly planned for my fanfic to coincidentally end on New Year's Eve, but I think that makes it extra special!
Thank you so so much to everyone who has stuck around for this long. It means the absolute world to me that all of you have stuck around with me on this journey and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I have. I have plans for a sequel but depending how it goes, it'll probably be awhile before that's finished but I definitely want to continue writing for Juliet and Leon. At the very least, I'll probably have some one-shots in mind!
If you'd like to read more fanfics with Juliet and Leon (or as I'd like to call them 'TrueSmileShipping', I'm going to shout out the commissions I got from friends of one-shots for them so there's still plenty to indulge in if you haven't had your fill!
TMWolf: Bear in mind that all four fanfics that I've commissioned her are NSFW/Rated 18+ so you've been warned! The chapters that contain my commissions are 'Steam', 'Terms of Endearment', 'Strip Tease', and 'Feeling Nutty' - /works/27267022/chapters/66615955
shinyskarmorys: Seventeen Again - /works/27780574
Apharine: Baby, It's Cold Outside - /works/28252674/chapters/69233646
Let Me Be Your Strength - /works/27769996 (this was a gift!)
MaggyFinallyWrites: You'll Smile Again, Juliet - /works/27499417 (this was also a gift!)
As always, thank you so much for reading 'The Ties That Bind' and please leave a kudos and or comment if you'd like. If you want to see what I'm up to, check out my Twitter PigeonSenpai - but otherwise, I wish you guys the happiest of Happy New Years and I hope to see you all again soon!