.
-:-
3. Swellow
"Ouch!"
Sousuke looks up from his Pokégear to glare at his Swellow. The bird, perched on Sousuke's good shoulder, glares back at her Trainer looking supremely unimpressed.
Honestly, the nerve of that stupid Flying-type. A few minutes of texting on his Pokégear isn't going to hurt anyone, even if Sousuke has a ton of employee resumes to look over and a stack of paperwork to get through.
Okay, and he might also need to finish those Gym renovations soon. The last Leader, some artist who'd retired to spend more time painting, had left the Gym completely covered in a sticky, white substance. Silk, Sousuke hopes. In any case, it's a bitch to clean up, and Sousuke's been holding battles out in the street while his Gym Trainers are retrofitting the building with reasonable obstacles (Sousuke had crossed the line at cannons. He wants to challenge Trainers, not kill them).
Swellow is just trying to look out for him, Sousuke grudgingly admits that much. Like she always has, even when she was just a Taillow and Sousuke was a geographically challenged 12-year old who'd confused Petalburg City with Petalburg Woods and needed the bird to guide him back to the road.
Really, this is all Haruka's fault. As if Sousuke can focus when he keeps sending him pics of the stray Growlithe that hangs around his café. His flatmate knows he has a particular weakness for dogs. In fact, he's probably trying to distract Sousuke on purpose. The bastard.
He saves the picture of the Growlithe batting at Haruka's hand (that totals to 27 photos in his "Alley Puppy" album now), when Haruka sends him another text.
[Btw nagisa's asking about the bite marks. Again.]
Sousuke grins.
[Then my work is done]
[Jackass. Told u not to do that]
[U loved it though]
Even over texts, the passive aggressive banter he shares with Haruka is entertaining. Certainly more entertaining than paperwork or flooring rookie Trainers. And he's pretty sure Haruka has a biting kink, try as he might to deny it.
He receives another picture, this one with the Growlithe perched on Haruka's head, tongue happily lolled out. The baker is flipping him the bird with a bored expression on his face.
The Gym Leader looks at the new photo fondly. Pokémon have always loved Haruka. Sousuke remembers a time when he had envied the boy for how easily he could bond with Pokémon, had even resented him over it for a while.
Sousuke is lost in his thoughts when he feels a sharp pain on his thumb.
"Ow! Damn it, Swellow!"
The bird in question chirps impatiently and points her talons towards Sousuke's desk, gesturing to the foreboding stack of documents. Sousuke mournfully sets his Pokégear down and sighs.
"Yeah, yeah, I got it…"
"Sousuke-senpai!" A loud, energetic, all too familiar voice calls out.
Momotarou Mikoshiba bursts through his office door, his flaming hair a mess and eyes shining.
He's fond of the kid, even if he's a little too boisterous and confident for his own good. No matter how many times Sousuke tells Momo he would be better off battling other trainers first, to challenge his Gym once he's more experienced, the kid keeps coming back again and again. Unwavering determination must run in the Mikoshiba family.
Swellow looks at him expectantly from her perch. With another long-suffering sigh, Sousuke gets up from his desk and rolls his shoulders. The faster the battle is over, the sooner he can get back to putting off his paperwork.
Momo and his Oshawott last about 2 minutes against Swellow. A new record for the kid.