The first time Eevee had been outed as a human it had been a nightmare of huge proportions. Forced to run for his life as a fugitive in the vain hope to prove that he wasn't the cause of the natural catastrophes.
Once that had been cleared he and Pikachu were too busy trying to save the world from imminent destruction to really process what effect the fact he was a known humans had on other Pokémon and then after that he briefly disappeared. Back to the human world and the family he had all but forgotten about.
His sister was a sweet girl and he really wanted to return the love she had for him. But his memories proved to be as elusive as they had always been even back in his human body. Sometime when she tought he couldn't see her she would look at him as if she was trying to recognise the person in front of her. It made him realise that whatever person he had been before coming to this world wasn't him anymore.
He also learned that he had a mother but she had been away from home for some time due to some circumstances and the way his sister described didn't paint her in a good light. For all intent and purpose his sister was the only family he had left in the human world and she felt like a complete stranger.
The days he spent back in that world was filled with dead silence and awkwardness as neither of them knew how to reconnect or even knew if it was even still possible. He realised that this wasn't his home anymore and found himself wishing he could be back here in the Pokémon world. With Pikachu the one person who felt more like family than anyone else in the world.
Before he knew it he had been whisked away from the human world a second time and was returned to the Pokémon world back in his Eevee body. He felt bad about leaving his sister behind a second time, even more so because he knew he would never return this time. But he knew deep down she would understand why he left. After all it wouldn't be the first time either of them found a new home somewhere far away from their family.
Once he had returned however to his one true friend. Eevee was met with the surprising fact that he was now famous and revered as some sort of figure of legend. Before he had appeared in this world. Humans were tought to be nothing more than folklore and fairytales. To most Pokémon meeting him was almost like metting a Mew or Arceus in the flesh.
He would lie if he said it wasn't gratifying to be so beloved. But at the same time it was kind of awkward. Sure he had saved the world and was considered a hero. But the way Pokémon looked at him sometime went beyond that. And it kind of made him uncomfortable, especially when female Pokémon actually tried to flirt with him.
Just like now. He and Pikachu had returned from a routine rescue mission to help a young Poochyenna who got lost in the Great Canyon Mystery Dungeon. On their way back home a Skitty who looked like she was visiting the town had accosted them.
''Y-you're Gladion the human right?'' The pink cat asked somewhat shyly.
''Um, yeah.'' Eevee replied bashfully. Usually only Pikachu called him Gladion. Using a personal name was considered very intimate for Pokémon and was reserved only for mates, family members or very close friends. And even then most Pokémon went their whole life without any personal name and simply went by their species name. So the fact that a random Skitty used his name, out in public no less, was kind of embarassing.
''I-I want to have your kittens please! I will do anything! I always dreamed of having a baby with a human!'' Skitty pleaded with wide eyes that shined with lust.
''Nope.'' Eevee replied flatly before tugging Pikachu by the scruff of the neck and running as fast as he could. Pikachu the traitor that he was laughed at his embarassment the whole way through town.
Once they were back at the base and regained their breath Pikachu looked back at Eevee with a a small smile and with a shake of his head he said. ''Man I've never seen a guy run away so fast after being offered to breed with a cutie like that!'' He said with a chuckle, then his expression turned more serious and he frowned at Eevee. ''I know you're a human and all and humans are apparently really weird about interspecies relationships for some reason. But you're stuck in this world forever now. It would be sad if you live the rest of your life without any female company, know what I mean?'' He said while waggling his eyebrow.
Eevee scoff at that. Pikachu was his best friend and he would take a bullet for him. But the guy liked his newfound fame a bit too much. Especially when that fame came with the adoration of girls.
It used to be even worse than that. One morning Eevee woke up to Pikachu mating with a female Pachirisu right on their kitchen table. Let's just say he did not eat anything that morning. After that they had a very serious discusion and Pikachu agreed to not bring his flings back home anymore.
That meant that a good portion of the Poké they earned on missions went toward paying for rooms at the local inn. But Eevee would take that over walking on his friend having sex at the same spot he ate again. Honestly the fact that he did not burn that table afterward was a testament to his self restraint.
''I told you before. Pokémon are not attractive to me. I'm not completely against the idea of loving one romantically. But when it come to mating there's nothing there that interest me.''
''So what you're never going to mate ever? You're a male your balls are going to turn blue if you never get off.'' Pikachu said with an exagerated appaled expression.
Eevee rolled his eyes. ''I didn't say that. I suppose if I love a Pokémon enough I could be come to want to... you know, mate. But having a fling with some random Skitty who just want the fame of being bred by a human is not appaling at all to me. Beside it's not like I'm interest in anyone right now anyway so t-this whole thing is moot.''
''Ah ah! I caught you!'' Pikachu suddenly exclaimed making Eevee recoil in shock.
''W-what do you mean?'' He shifted his eyes between Pikachu and the ground rapidly.
''That! Your eyes always get shifty like that when you try to lie! There's a Pokémon that interest you, I knew it!'' Pikachu smiled triumphantly. ''So who is it? No, let me guess, you're always super friendly with miss Persian, I bet you're into her!''
''W-what?! I'm just polite with her because of how intimidating she is! Have you seen those predator eyes always watching our every movement in case we try to steal from her bank? It's scary!''
Pikachu frowned and sighed in defeat. ''Hmm, point taken I suppose. How about Ninetales you looked dumbstruck the last time we saw her.''
''Well, she saved my life so of course I would be grateful to her. It's not like I'm in love or anything.'' Eevee replied with a roll of his eyes,
''How about... Miss Butterfree?'' Pikachu suggested tentatively.
Eevee looked back at him with a deadpan expression. ''You're really scratching the bottom of the barrel now. We haven't seen her in months and no offense but bugs are really not my type, even less than regular Pokémon arleady are.''
''Okay I give up who do you have a crush on?!'' Pikachu said taking Eevee's fluffy collar in his paws.
''I-I don't have a crush on anyone I arleady told you.'' He said while shifting his eyes back and fort between the electric type and the ground.
''We both know that's a lie, come on spill!'' Pikachu smirked and starred down Eevee until he gave in.
The Pikachu's face was now only inches away from the Eevee and for some reason having Pikachu's face so close to his sent tingle down Gladion's spine and before he knew it his face was slowly turning red from the close proximity.
Pikachu noticed how flushed his friend had become and grew confused. Fortunately for Gladion the distraction was enough to finally get loose from Pikachu's grip and without saying a word Eevee ran inside his house as fast as he could and slammed the door. Leaving a dumbstruck Pikachu outside as he slowly pieced the clue together.
''Does Gladion have a crush on me?...''
AN: So fun fact: the melody for Run Away Fugitives is eerily similar to the melody used for Gladion's theme from Sun and Moon. It's more than likely a coincidence. But ever since I've learnt of the connection I've wanted to make a story where Gladion is the Rescue Team's protagonist.
Honestly I wasn't sure if I should include that silly headcanon in this story. But in the end I told myself why the hell not? It's not like these protagonists have much backstory to lean into anyway.