A/N: Heyyy, an update that isn't like 5 months late. Of course this fic is going to be a year old in two days, so that might negate it.
Thank you for all your nice comments and faves, and I hope you enjoy the chapter! It's a long one, ahaha.
000
Silver felt more like a sponge than a human being, at this point. He suspected by now he'd absorbed enough water to quench an entire town. His third shower of the day came to a premature end when he could hear N chattering to himself just outside the hotel door.
Sighing heavy enough to blow away several Hoppips, Silver wrapped up in some cheap complimentary towel and very begrudgingly slid the front latch back.
"Silver!" N burst the door open, a giant wad of bills in his hand, a giant dipwad smile painted across his face to match. It slipped a tad when he saw Silver's attire. He fidgeted, facing the wall. "Oh, I'm sorry, I wasn't aware you'd-"
"It's fine," Silver said, only sparing a quick glance to make sure the towel was covering his chest, far more interested in the sudden burst of legal tender N somehow had. "What the hell is that?"
N's grin returned as he handed the bills to Silver. "Check for yourself,"
He took it out of N's grasp, hesitantly, as though it'd explode at any second. He thumbed through them. "This is real, right? It's not, like, boardgame money?"
"I believe you'll find the amount you were denied," N trilled, settling back on the bed, his self-satisfied grin taking up a good seventy percent of his face at this point.
Silver had started to count the bills, but N's odd choice of words made him freeze. "Where'd you get this, anyway?"
"I have my ways," N hummed, leaning over to set up his things on the floor. His singular Pokeball jostled on his belt loop- a different loop than it'd been on earlier.
"No, I asked for an EXACT answer." Silver snapped. N halted in place as though they were playing freeze-tag, half on the bed and half on the floor.
"Aren't you the Hero of Truth or whatever?" Silver continued, his fears only confirmed by N's guilty countenace. He'd gone very quiet and very, very pale (even for him), refusing to make eye contact. "N, did you use your Reshiram to go and find that guy?"
N swallowed and finally looked at Silver. "I didn't hurt him, if that's what you're thinking." He stuttered out.
Silver rubbed at his temples, trying very hard to keep his temper in check. He failed. "N, you are a WANTED criminal! You can't be zooming around chasing after people on your BIGGEST PIECE OF EVIDENCE in broad goddamn daylight!"
Silver waited for a response, an apology, something, but N only made a face, scowling at his giant green shoes and keeping agonizingly quiet for probably the only time in his life. Silver groaned, burying his face in his hands, kneading his cheeks into his eyes.
"Do you understand what I'm saying to you? A criminal can't-"
"I'm not a child, don't speak to me like one," N interjected, still glaring holes into the floor.
"Whatever! If you're wanted you can't just frolick around, you have to have an M.O, you h-"
"It's not whatever!" N suddenly cut in, throwing his arms up in exasperation. He got up and loomed over Silver, leering at him in what could only be described as "smug suspicion". "And just how do you know so much about criminal life, anyway? It HARDLY surprises me that someone like YOU would have experience in that area-"
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Silver exploded, his voice cracking. N stared; Silver wasn't so much the "exploding" type as the "constant dull anger" type. But he'd clearly struck a nerve. "Go FUCK yourself! I'm not the one who ran a CRIMINAL SYNDICATE for my whole life! I don't care that you didn't know-" He added, as N had just opened his mouth to speak- "I already know it wasn't your goddamn fault, I know, that's the whole fucking POINT! That's exactly what I'm WORRIED about, you FUCKING IDIOT! You're going to get yourself in serious trouble if you keep doing this DUMB SHIT that you do, an-"
He cut his own speech short when he noticed N was no longer glaring at him, but instead looking quizzical and- surprised? It was hard to say. "And WHAT, can I ask, are you gawking at?"
N shrugged, looking perturbed.
"I hadn't the faintest you cared about what happened to me," He said, quietly. There wasn't a trace of mockery in his voice, which to Silver made it tens time worse. N's eyebrows had vanished into his hairline, and his face had taken on just the slightest tint of color.
Silver was unsure what to do or so for a whole five seconds or so, spluttering like a broken faucet. Finally he settled for groaning loudly and storming back into the bathroom, slamming the door so hard the complimentary soaps and shampoos all fell into the tub.
Over his angered panting, he could just make out the sound of N slumping against the door.
"I swear I didn't know you were worried," N finally said, still sounding stunned.
Silver wrenched the door open just as fast as he'd shut it. N gracelessly fell onto the floor, squawking in surprise as he tumbled onto the floor. "Are you fucking kidding me? How can you POSSIBLY be that dumb?"
"How could I know?!" N cried, still lying on the tile. "You don't exactly wear your heart on your SLEEVE, Silver! I'm a Hero of TRUTH, and I can never, ever tell what you're thinking! Up until this point I was most certain you could hardly stand me!"
"You REALLY think I'd bother to hang with you if I didn't give a shit about you?" Silver asked, mostly angry, partially stunned. "That I'd waste my time like that?"
"I don't know!" N yelled, looking uncomfortable. "I don't know what human friendships ARE, Silver!"
"WELL I DON'T EITHER!"
The shower head dripped ominously, measuring out the silence between the two. N's expression was unreadable, and Silver felt his rage slip away as embarrassment took over. This was becoming all too common an occurrence with N- both the yelling, and the crushing embarrassment about every single thing he did. N pulled himself into a kneeling position.
"I'm sorry," He said. Silver looked at the floor. He tried to say something back, but when he opened his mouth it was dry and nothing came out. All he could do was stand there staring at the floor, feeling simultaneously like the world's biggest ass and like his entire body was about to fizzle away.
"Silver," N said, slowly, carefully, picking his words out as though he were defusing a time bomb. "You know...I've told you...I've told you many things about my life. You always seem...so sympathetic in those times." He took a breath. The usual rushed nature all his words had were all but gone. Weaville threaded her way around Silver's ankles, purring. "I don't want to pressure you to tell me anything, but I know very little about you. Sometimes...I feel like we might not have have dissimilar origins. Can you tell me if that's true?"
Silver tried to get angry, but he was only tired. He leaned down to rub Weaville's head. "...maybe. But I'm not- I c-" He sighed. "I won't tell you anything else. Not right now." He cleared his throat roughly seven hundred times, before finally rasping out, "I'm sorry too."
He didn't see N's face, but he could hear him standing up and walking out of the bathroom. "I'll let you get dressed."
000
Nighttime television was terrible on a Tuesday night. Silver and N solemnly watched as the contestants of the show flitted about, frantic to finish their pastries before the timer ran out. Silver was splayed out on the bed like a murder victim, and N was sitting cross-legged below him, Crobat snoozing in his lap.
"Humans find such fascinating ways to waste their time," N commented from his position on the floor. Silver didn't reply.
"They look like mating Butterfrees, flitting about like that," he continued, snickering.
Feraligatr saved Silver from replying by bashing his face against his arm, grumbling. Silver rolled over to his backpack and rooted around, finally digging up an apple. Feraligatr took it with an eager snap that almost took off Silver's entire arm.
"Did we ever eat?" N queried, looking concerned.
"I guess not," Silver shrugged. He'd fed his Pokemon before N had gotten there, but that was about it. He gestured at the phone sitting on the bedside table. "Call room service and order something for yourself if you want."
"What about you?" N said, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm not hungry." Silver grumbled. His stomach cut in with a low, loud rumbling. N smirked at him and he flushed, wishing very much the mattress would swallow him. "...fine, just get me a pizza."
"...what do I even dial?" N said, smile slipping as he glanced at the phone. He regarded it with the same fascination and fear one might regard a pile of nuclear waste.
"Dial five, then just tell them what you want." Silver said, staring at the ceiling. N picked up the telephone and it released loud static in return, making the both of them jump.
"Did I break it?"
Silver furrowed his brow. "No, that should work f-" He sat up to look at the phone line, and saw Magnezone wrapped up phone's electrical cord, taking a nap. "Oh. That's why. Hang on, I'll wake them up."
"No, no, let them sleep," N said, making simpery doe-eyes at Magnezone that made Silver want to heave.
"I guess I'll go get something from the place downstairs, then," Silver sighed, heaving himself up and slipping on his sweats.
000
As he elbowed his way through the noisy ten-year-olds crowding the downstairs lobby, eagerly chattering away and comparing their catches of the day, he did something he rarely thought while in a crowd of children- he thought. Well, specificially, he thought about something other than "fuck children". As he piled some hard mashed potatoes and vegetarian pizza on a plate for N, his mind wandered to their earlier argument.
Silver had never grown up around many humans besides the scum of Team Rocket, and then after that, he barely interacted with humans unless it was to steal something from them. But after stealing Tododile, he'd had to do a lot more interacting. Now he'd had years and years to change his ways; N was still new to all of it. For all of his horrible, irritating faults, he was undeniably innocent to a T- and, Silver thought grimly as he scooped up a spoonfull of brussel sprouts- it was highly unfortunate one of the first people he'd be saddled with after his "freedom" was someone like himself.
When he had decided to change, Silver had people like Lance, the Elder, and- others- to help him. How was N supposed to feel any better about himself with someone like him around?
Snapped out of his reviere as a rogue child elbowed him in the side (wildly gesticulating about a Rattatta he'd ALMOST caught), Silver set his mouth and decided maybe he'd need to do something about that.
000
The only thing that greeted Silver when he returned was the sight of his sleeping Pokemon and the hissing of the shower.
"N?" He quieried, setting their food on the bed. N didn't respond to him, but Silver could hear him singing some form of terrible something as the shower ran. Considering half of it sounded like a screeching Darmanitan, Silver figured it was a safe bet it was some song one of his "friends" had taught him. He rolled his eyes- then realized this was actually perfect.
"N?" He called again, now directly outside the bathroom. "Can you hear me?" Still nothing.
This should have made it much easier, but instead Silver mashed his face into the bathroom door, cursing very quietly to himself. Finally: "N, I'm really sorry about earlier."
The shower kept going. Silver was reasonably sure N was singing something else now, which sounded alarmingly like Zoroark howls.
"I'm sorry I'm a bad person and I can be really shitty and I don't always know- well, I almost never know- when I've gone too far," He plowed on. "I'm glad you're around because you can throw my shit right back at me, and I'm really sorry you ended up with me for a friend and I'll try harder to be less of a dick from now on. I mean, you- you deserve better than that. Even if you are fucking weird. But sometimes it's okay. You're okay, I guess."
The shower kept going. Silver thought N had stopped singing, but he wasn't sure and he didn't want to slow down to check.
"I'm sorry I'm taking advantage of you right now because I can only say this when I'm pretty sure you can't hear me because I'm too much of a shitbag to talk to you like a normal person- I'm sorry I'm such a bad person but I'm better than I used to be and I think I can get better, I'm going to try, and-
-and now I'm leaving bye."
Silver hopped back and made a beeline for the door, but then suddenly N was there, clad in his turtleneck and pants and everything (though soaking wet).
Silver screamed and N jumped about ten feet.
"What's wrong? Are you okay?" N said, looking alarmed. Silver resisted the urge to slug him for almost making him piss his pants.
"HOW IN THE FUCK," He gasped, leaning against the wall for support.
N blinked, still looking surprised. "Did I never tell you I could flash-step?"
"NO!" Silver yelled, crossing his arms, still shaken. "Why are you so fucking weird?!"
"I could've sworn I'd mentioned it at SOME point," N mumbled thoughtfully, cupping his chin in his hand.
"Whatever, get out of my way," Silver grumbled. Unsurprisingly, N did not listen.
"I thought that was very considerate of you, Silver," N said, smiling warmly. Silver groaned, pulling his jacket over his face.
"How much of that did you even hear," He grumbled, as more of a self-loathing statement than a question.
"Do you want me to answer that?"
"No," Silver said, crossly. "Do me a favor and pretend you never heard it,"
Through the material of the jacket Silver could just make out N's silhoutte slump his shoulders. "Does that mean you didn't mean it?"
"I didn't say that," Silver mumbled. "I said 'do me a favor and pretend you never heard it', okay?"
"I don't understand you," N sighed. "Why does the simple act of being kind to someone cause you such embarrassment?"
"I'm not embarrassed," Silver snapped. His eyes were flooded with light as N tugged his jacket down, and Silver yelped as his face was exposed.
"You do a convincing pantomime of it, then," N said, scrutinizing Silver's burning cheeks.
"Fuck off!" He squawked, restoring his jacket back to its original resting place. N's silhoutte threw his hands up in defeat and walked past him.
"Fine, continue to be a sour grape, that's perfectly fine." Silver heard him flop onto the bed.
"Wait," Silver refused to turn around, but he at least pulled his jacket back down. "N, um. I...really did mean what I said. Whatever you heard."
There was a long pause. Silver heard the bedsprings squeak and the clinking of a plate as N retrieved his food.
"I'm sorry." He added.
"While your newfound habit of apologizing is refreshing, you don't need to do it so much, Silver," N said through a mouthful of food, sounding amused. Silver rolled his eyes- not that N could see that.
"In all seriousness, your effort is appreciated," he added, quieter. "I- admit I, myself, have been a bit unfair to you at times. I will do my best not to be." He was quiet for a moment, before Silver heard more clinking. "Don't you want your food?"
Silver finally turned around. N was holding up his pepperoni pizza (gingerly, away from his body, as though it might combust on him at any moment) as though it were some form of peace treaty.
"I guess."
000
When they were full, all that was really left to do was turn off the television and go to sleep.
"I've got it," N said, springing off the bed. He made a face as he stood up, wincing and immediately grabbing at his left leg. Silver stared, incredulous.
"Are you hurt?" He asked very harshly, and N started, looking surprised. He made a face and glanced at his leg, giving it an experimental flex. He cringed again.
"I suppose I am."
"When did that happen? Why didn't you say anything until now?" Silver snapped, voice cracking on the last syllable. N looked clueless, which served to annoy him further.
"I. Guess I didn't notice until now?" N said, furrowing his brow.
"How could you not NOTICE you were hurt? Are you completely stupid?! What kind of freak doesn't-"
"Don't call me that," N said, his voice suddenly very quiet and tense.
Silver screwed up his mouth. "I- Well, you're in the bed tonight, okay? The last fucking thing I need is you slowing me down even more. I mean," He immediately corrected himself, awkwardly adding, "-it'd be bad if that got worse."
N looked offended at the suggestion. "What about YOU? You have a chest injury AND a concussion!"
"I'm fine," Silver snapped impatiently, waving his hand as though N's concern was some annoying Floette about the room. "I've slept on the ground with way worse bumps and bruises than this."
"That doesn't mean you should make a habit of it, Silver!"
"For Christ's sake, N, I've been doing this since I was seven! I'm fine."
N turned even paler than his usual shade. "...do you mean sleeping out in the woods, or sleeping with severe injuries?"
Silver stopped. He actually hadn't meant for N to look into his statement too deeply. "None of your business," he grumbled, suddenly making himself very invested in the corner of the room.
N shook his head. "Well, I refuse to take the bed."
Silver glared. "So do I,"
"So then we'll BOTH be sleeping on the floor?" N asked, sounding exasperated.
000
There hadn't been enough pillows to make a sufficient barrier against N, so Silver had to settle for taking a spare blanket and sloppily stringing it between them.
"Good night, Silver."
"If I wake up and you're anywhere near me you're getting shoved onto the floor," Silver warned.
"Of course," N said, sounding way too nonchalant. He was sticking to his side of the bed, but still spread out far too casual for Silver's liking.
"Or if you dutch oven me," Silver continued, danger in his voice.
"...I beg your pardon?" N asked after a short pause, sounding as though Silver had just presented him with one of the few puzzles in life he couldn't solve.
"Exactly," Silver said, rolling over to face the wall.
N made no noise for several minutes, before finally sighing in irritation. "You were making a fart joke."
"Yup, that's me, the Skunktank expert," Silver deadpanned. He wondered if he could fall asleep before N's inevitable ramblings on the animal kingdom started.
"SKUNTANKS DO NOT alright," N said, cutting himself off. "Let's not fight any more tonight, I'm tired. Let's just get some sleep."
"Fine by me," Silver grumbled.
There was silence for a long while, interrupted only by the clattering of the ceiling fan above them and Gengar's snoring.
"You wouldn't be a Skunktank, Silver," N said conversationally to the air. Silver didn't roll over.
"Good. Great."
"If I had to pick SOME form of Pokemon along that vein, though...I'd say...hm, let me think." N's voice turned soft and thoughtful; gentler than Silver usually heard him.
…
"Gloom."
"WHAT?!" Silver sat bot upright. "How do FUCK am I like a stupid Gloom, are you kidding me?!"
"Don't talk about a Pokemon like that!" N sat up as well, looking for all the world as though Silver had just made a Pokemon Egg Omelette for how offended he was.
"Why do you keep comparing me to gross Pokemon?" Silver ignored him, his self-confidence rapidly depleting by the second as he pondered all the possible answers to that question. "What, am I some gross slob or something?"
"Gloom is NOT gross, nor is Skunktank." N said crossly.
"So you think I am then, whatever," Silver snapped, flopping back onto the mattress and facing his back to N once again, pulling the covers over his head so he didn't have to hear his dumb ass anymore and so the idiot couldn't see how red his face was.
N's muffled sighed from somewhere above his head. "Of course I don't think you're a slob, Silver."
Silver made a disgruntled noise into the comforter.
"If you MUST know, I picked Gloom because it reminds me very much of your POSITIVE aspects."
Remaining safely hidden in his new blanket nest, Silver nonetheless raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "And what POSITIVE aspects would those be, exactly." He probed, voice dripping with a sarcasm N didn't seem to catch, as he sounded very excited when he spoke.
"See, people only focus on the OBVIOUS fact that it tries to ward off predators, cute little brave creatures that they are, but it's actually a very sweet creature!"
"And I'm sweet," Silver responded back, deadpan.
"Well of course not," N said, laughing, and Silver wondered how quickly he'd be able to jam a pillow in his mouth. "But what I MEANT to say is that it is widely regarded as terrifying and warding creatures away, when actually it is actually can be quite a loyal companion! Glooms are so cute, you know, once you gain their trust. It just needs a little time to warm up to someone, and then it can be the best friend one could have...all it needs is a little space, some trust...some apologies through a shower door..."
"I thought we agreed we're not talking about that," Silver hissed.
"I didn't say anything," N trilled in faux-innocence. "I'm just talking about Pokemon, Silver. What?"
"I'm going to kill you. You're going to die," Silver sighed, cross, cocooning himself in his blankets so deeply he was more well-fortified than a Kakuna.
"Very well, I'll stop," N acquiesed, still sounding far too cheery. "I was drawing comparisons, is all."
Silver imagined emerging from his Kakuna cocoon to become an angry Beedrill and just shit Sleep Powder all over N. He could hear the dumbass rolling back over, and sighed in relief.
"Also you're both tiny redheads," N added.
"Go to sleep, N," Silver snapped. He hesitated. "-and I'm not tiny! You're just a weird giant."
"Whatever you say, Silver," N said, yawning. "Honestly, I don't understand why you can't see how cute you are."
Silver raised his eyebrows. "Don't you mean 'how cute Gloom are'?"
"Right, like I just said."
"You didn't say that," Silver said, cautiously.
There was a fraction of silence. "Go to sleep, Silver. We're both tired."
"You're the one who started this dumbass conversation!" Silver snapped.
"Good night, Silver," N said, very quickly.
Silver unwrapped himself from his cocoon only to see N buried in his own blanket nest. He scowled. Across the room, though, Alakazam had woken up and was staring at Silver, eyes glowing
A hidden connection is stronger than an obvious one, Alakazam's voice suddenly filled his head. He sounded amused. Silver shook his head.
"Go to bed," He mumbled, flopping down onto his pillow and praying he didn't wake up with N's ass in his face.