First kisses and Silvy getting glasses. I'll probably forget about them later on in the story whoops. I'll get to them eventually.
Despite being 'official,' Gold thought they haven't changed at all.
Silver still trained from dawn to dusk, Gold still worked at the Daycare Center, and in their time off they either battled or watched TV. Making pancakes became something Silver seemed to really enjoy, probably because it was the only thing he could make and felt proud of. They hadn't kissed or even gone beyond hugs since Silver still flinched at surprise contact, and Gold really didn't want to risk fucking things up. The only true change in their routine would be the brief touches, smiles, and emotional understand. It was enough for Gold, for now. Silver seemed happy, and the Hatcher had a feeling he would let him know when he was ready for more contact.
Gold also began to notice little things about Silver he hadn't before.
He noticed whenever the Exchanger wasn't wearing gloves he would bite his nails. Silver was protective of his hair, only allowing Gold to touch it. He really liked sweet food, always putting more syrup on his pancakes than there are pancakes. Sleep barely came easily to Silver, Gold can't count how many times he's caught the redhead watching TV early in the morning before he left for training. His clothing size was either small or medium and he hated wearing anything with colors, Gold had to force him to expand his wardrobe.
Silver liked to stay to himself. The only other people he talked to besides Gold were Crystal and Blue. Gold thought he needed to get out more, but it was a miracle in itself that the redhead was opening up to him. So Gold didn't push his luck.
But Gold also noticed Silver squinted. A lot. He was no eye doctor, but Gold thinks it's safe to assume the redhead had terrible vision.
As Silver's new boyfriend, Gold figures he has to do something about it. He schedules an appointment with a local eyedoctor for Sunday, the day he knows both he and Silver have off. It was pretty hard doing it in secret, Silver kept glancing at him suspiciously when he made the call. His excuse was that he was trying to get out of the Pokethon with Whitney, which happened often, so Silver didn't question it. When Sunday rolls around, Gold pops the question in the morning as Silver eats his overly-sugary breakfast.
"So Silv, you have shitty vision."
The Exchanger looks up from his bowl of saturate milk and glares over his raised spoon. "Excuse me?"
"You squint like all the time," Gold continues dismissively. "You can't hide that from me."
"No I don't," Silver hisses.
"Oh really," Gold says sarcastically. "Then why do you have to sit so close to the TV?"
Silver shoves a spoonful of cereal rather forcefully in his mouth, not answering. Gold smirks, knowing he's won.
"You're getting your eyes checked today, alright? I planned this like a week ago."
Silver's eyes narrow and he drops his spoon. "So that wasn't Whitney you were talking to. You lied to me."
"For good reason!" Gold defends, holding his hands up. "You would never agree to this if I didn't tell you last minute. And don't you dare say you're not going, I had to pay for this out of my own pocket."
Silver grumbles something Gold can't hear and gives him a weird, open look. After a moment he says something Gold can understand. "You wasted your free money on me?"
"Well, yeah," Gold says with a grin. "It's not a waste, its going to a good cause. I don't like seeing you strain to see."
Silver frowns and Gold can tell he's feeling guilty despite Gold's protests. "It's not your fault," the Hatcher sighs. "So don't feel bad, alright?"
That was another thing Gold never noticed before. Silver worried about everything, making himself grumpy when things happen beyond his control. He hated when people did nice things for him because of that, Gold learned. The Exchanger would feel like he owed something. But since they were in a relationship, he needed to deal with Gold doing nice things for him for no reason. It was a hurtle they had to jump over together.
Silver gives a nod after a while, finishing up the remains of his milk. "When's the appointment?"
"Well, let's see." Gold rummages around for his Pokegear, checking the digital clock. It was the only clock in his possession, and he makes a mental note to change that. But he'll probably forget later. "In about… aw shit, thirty minutes."
"You are such an idiot," Silver drawls.
"Shut up Silv, it's for your own benefit," Gold quips.
Silver just sighs. Gold grins and heads to his room and changes out of his night wear, adjusting his usual cap and finger combing his fringe and deeming it presentable enough. He walks back out into the living room to find Silver dressed and brushing his hair, smoothing it down even though Gold thought it already looked perfect.
"Silv, you look fine. We gotta head out if we wanna make it on time."
"It's not like I want to go," Silver grumbles.
"Yeah, but you'd feel too bad if you miss it. It'd be wasted money," Gold grins.
"Ugh, you know me too well."
Something in his chest flutters and Gold can't help himself as he pulls Silver into a hug, feeling giddy at the redhead's words. He feels Silver inhale and seize up initially, but gradually relaxes as Gold gives his back a few soothing rubs. "Hey, you're getting better at this," Gold murmurs.
"Hn," is all he hears from the Exchanger.
Gold laughs and with a lapse of judgment decides to test his luck, rubbing his nose in the skin beneath Silver's ear. He braces himself for the impending negative reaction, either a smack or a shove depending on Silver's mood, but is pleasantly surprised by the resulting shiver. It means Silver is getting used to the intimate contact, and that makes Gold's insides all warm and gooey. But he needs to make sure. "Still okay?"
He hears Silver swallow and feels him nod against his nose. Gold can tell he's still slightly uncomfortable, but he's bearing it better than he has before. All for Gold.
The Hatcher pulls away and gives Silver some breathing room. "Let's go get your eyes fixed, yeah?"
"But they don't do that," Silver corrects. "They just tell you what's wrong and expect you to get glasses."
"Then we're getting you glasses."
"You don't know that."
"Pffft, with how close you have to sit to the TV, I'm pretty sure you do."
"Are you serious-"
"No more complaints!" Gold announces cheerfully. He grabs Silver's elbow and drags him out before the redhead can respond.
0x0x0
When Gold signed up for the appointment, he didn't bother to ask where the hell the place was. He wandered around Goldenrod for fifteen whole minutes, going through the Underground and the entire Department Store, before Silver caught on and realized Gold had no idea where he was going.
"How can you be this incompetent?" Silver hisses.
"I'm not incompetent, I just rush things," Gold amends with a pout.
Silver rolls his eyes. "Same thing. The eye doctor is over there in that building by the gym."
"How do you know what?" Gold accuses. "I know this city better than you do, I'm sure."
"You didn't notice I wasn't with you in the Underground?"
"You weren't?" Gold was sure Silver was behind him the whole time. The redhead didn't like going around alone anyways, he was sure he stuck around with him.
"No you idiot," Silver groans. "I went the help desk at the Radio Tower and asked for directions."
"You what?" Gold says in disbelief.
Silver raises an eyebrow at him. "Just because I don't like crowded areas doesn't mean I can't ask around."
"A-ah, I guess." Gold scratches his head sheepishly.
"Whatever, just come on." Gold feels Silver's gloved hand grip his elbow as he takes the lead, directing him to the eye doctor. It's an odd feeling, Gold watching Silver weave through the crowd in a complete role reversal. When Silver first moved in, he would have never done something like this. Now Gold could see him becoming more confident and dare he say sociable, and the Hatcher has a feeling that it's all due to their new relationship.
He feels that warm bubbly feeling again.
They reach the eye doctor and stroll in just in time. Gold plays with his Pokegear as Silver gets checked, annoying Crys by filling up her inbox and seeing the different time zones in Kanto. When Silver comes out looking unhappy and holding his prescription, Gold grins.
"Told ya you'd need glasses."
"Shut the fuck up."
Gold snickers. "Gonna go chose your frames now?"
"Shouldn't you?" Silver grumbles. "You're paying for them."
"Man, they're yours. How many times do I have to tell you that this is basically a gift?"
Silver stays quiet. Gold sighs and gets up, grabbing Silver's shoulders. The redhead eyes him apprehensively and Gold ignores him in favor of gently pushing him backwards, towards the selection of frames. Silver doesn't budge and Gold frowns. "How about we compromise and pick one together?"
Silver's confused look dissipates and he lets himself be pushed. "Alright."
Most of the frames, to Gold's amusement, were bulky and black. They looked like the typical nerd glasses and were apparently part of a new trend. He had no idea why anyone would find them attractive, trends were just stupid. Gold's really glad none of the girls he knows keep up with that kind of junk; Crys only did because her mom literally forced her.
"Hey, how about these?" Gold holds up some round frames jokingly.
Silver just glares at him. "No way in hell."
"Aww, I think they'd make you look sexy."
"Really, Gold?" Silver challenges. "Then I guess I might get them after all."
"You wouldn't."
Silver snatches the frames from his grip and puts them on. "I would."
"Pffft you look so ridiculous!" Gold laughs. It truly was something Gold never expected to see, Silver smirking with big round frames on his face. They were absolutely hideous on him. Gold was pleased with the playful banter they were having right now, it reminded him of their earlier interaction. Except there was no malice, at least on his part. "Please don't get those, I can't date someone that dorky."
Silver takes the frames off and puts them back on their stand. "You're lucky my standards are higher than that."
It took a second for Gold to digest the insult. "I am not dorky! I'm way cooler than you."
"Mhmm." Silver didn't sound convinced. Gold frowns, not amused.
"Let's just find some decent glasses for you already."
"Suit yourself," Silver says in a tone that Gold could only describe as mischievous. Gold just watches as Silver inspects the few decent looking frames, mulling over what was going on in his head. Silver suddenly turned around and gave Gold a glare. "What?"
"You have a nice ass," Gold blurts. He'd rather Silver freak out about that than freak out knowing that Gold was thinking about feelings.
Silver immediately flushes and goes noticeably rigid, looking incredibly uncomfortable. Gold would have thought the red looked really nice on his face had he not been instantly regretting opening his mouth in the first place. "W-wait, I didn't mean-"
"Let's just get out of here," Silver says harshly, grabbing the nearest frames and heading to the counter. The lack of name calling made Gold realize he fucked up, probably royally. He sighs and gives Silver some distance.
It had only been two days and he already made Silver feel uncomfortable. Just when he thought they were going well, his lack of thinking gets in the way again.
"Gold, quit moping." Gold nearly jumps out of his skin when he hears Silver's stern voice behind him. He quickly turns around to find the Exchanger standing with crossed arms. "It's alright. I'm not going to disappear like I did before, I promise."
Gold breathes out a sigh of relief. "I really am sorry."
"I said it's alright," Silver huffs, looking away. "And I said we should get out of here. I already picked some frames."
"O-okay," Gold says weakly and walks out with the Exchanger. The walk back to his apartment is silent, Gold making sure he doesn't break Silver's personal bubble at all. Once they get to the front of the apartment complex, Silver pauses. "Something wrong?" Gold questions.
"Oh my god Gold, it's okay." Silver sounds really angry.
"What?"
Silver huffs and spins around to meet Gold's gaze with hardened eyes. "You didn't do anything wrong. I just- I'm not used to that kind of treatment."
"But I should-"
"Shut up."
"-be more considerate-"
"I said shut up."
"-about your feelings- mmph!" Gold is cut off by something firm and solid and he realizes that it's Silver's lips.
Silver was the one that took the plunge and initiated their first kiss.
And it was, by far, the worst Gold had ever had. Silver's lips were dry and unmoving, barely latched onto his own. The only actual lip-to-lip contact the Hatcher felt was at his left corner, the rest on his chin.
It ended as quick as it started, Silver already arms length away and blushing furiously before Gold could react. "Silv…"
Silver can't meet his eyes, looking around at anywhere but Gold. "J-just unlock your place already."
Gold grins as wide as he can and does, leading the redhead into the apartment they shared.