Love is a strong word.
Sometimes it's the wrong word.
You're told that you'll know when it's true.
But everyone has that fear that they'll miss that feeling of confirmation.
Telling them they've met "true love" at last.
What happens when that spark ignites with someone you didn't consider?
What happens when that someone is off limits?
Love is a tricky thing.
You'll never know it, until it's there.
No matter how much you tell yourself otherwise.
When love finally arrives...
You'll know.
And you'll love.
It was a silly little poem. Perhaps "poem" wasn't the proper term for it, the thing was lacking in structure, yet it still spoke to her. It stirred something inside her. She had each line memorized by heart, the product of a silly, hopeless romantic such as herself. She'd been that way for so long now, she'd almost forgotten what it was like to not care about such things. Back when berries and battling were all that occupied her mind. Back when he didn't make her feel this way.
Gardevoir ran her fingers down her shins as she sat beneath the tree, before rubbing her hands back up, then down again, repeating the cycle. It was something she often did when left to her thoughts. Calmed her nerves a bit. Settled the butterflies in her stomach. Her crimson eyes were reflected off the warm glow of the campfire several meters ahead of her. From this distance, the warmth didn't bother her much, but the seeping cold elsewhere was starting to make her shiver. Gardevoir had always struggled with temperatures. In battle, she could handle it fairly well, but when seeking comfort, she was extremely picky. There was a small area of comfort, somewhere around 26°C, she was certain. That was the perfect temperature.
Her eyes were staring at the back of his tent. She started to rub her legs a little faster, trying to soothe her growing anxiety as she watched. A gentle breeze ruffled the canvas slightly, and made her shiver, though she remained seated, too nervous to get up. Her mind was racing with a thousand thoughts a second, contemplating every outcome and scenario that could take place if she followed through, if she did what she had so desperately desired to do for so, so long.
Her breathing started to come out in small bursts of vapor, her own internal temperature swelling in anticipation, and something much more primal. Some of those thoughts were a lot more... intimate than the others. Thoughts of disregarding consequence and fears to finally take what she'd always wanted. A fantasy that played in her mind, typically at night, after he'd turned in to get some sleep.
Oh, how she wanted to do it.
How she wanted to tear that tent up in the process of it all.
How she wanted to hear her name escape his lips in a way they never had before.
"Atena."
Gardevoir shivered again, but this time it wasn't because of the cold. She could practically visualize their encounter in her mind's eye, feel the passion and the exposed desire. The shameless lust and beauty.
Atena was driven from her thoughts by a lick on her cheek, and she winced away from it, pulling up a hand to slap away the face barging its way in her space. She'd been so focused on the tent, she hadn't even noticed the friendly pup that was now grinning at her with playful excitement, shaggy hair bouncing about its face. Greavard was the newest addition to his team, and he'd aptly named the pup "Ade."
Not now. Atena pushed the dog's face away, and he proceeded to lick her hand before turning around and bounding about. He looked back at her expectantly, silently asking her to play. A common misunderstanding among humans was that all Pokémon could communicate between each other with ease. The truth was, not all Pokémon were created equal. Most had basic communication skills, like that of a human baby, but not much else. As a gardevoir, Atena was fortunate to possess a brilliant mind and ample psychic power. She, like most psychic-type Pokémon, could communicate via telepathy. In some rare instances, other non-psychic Pokémon could use telepathy as well. But Pokémon like Ade the Greavard? He wasn't smart. Granted, he was emotionally intelligent for the most part, but lacked in every other area.
When Ade saw she wasn't joining in his excitement, the greavard bounded back for her, tongue loping out of his mouth, clearly intended to try covering her cheek in slobber. Atena quickly stood up, brushing her backside off as her eye glared at the pup, who slowed to a stop, staring back up at her for a few moments, wagging his tail, before he frolicked over to a second tent, opposite of the campfire. Atena watched him go, before she shook her head, feeling a small pang of guilt. She was frustrated, sure, but that didn't mean she had to ruin Ade's fun. Their trainer had already instructed all of them to treat the little greavard like family, because he essentially was now. She'd be sure to play a game of fetch with the pup later, as an apology. He couldn't drain lifeforce out of other Pokémon, just humans. Her trainer was exceedingly careful about that.
A cough carried Atena's attention back toward her trainer's tent. He coughed a couple more times, before going silent. The night sounds continued their unrivaled ambiance as the gardevoir stared at the makeshift shelter, her mind returning to the man inside. How long had they been together now? Nine, ten years? It had been a very long time now. He'd been so young then. Of course, she had too. Atena had been just a ralts when they'd first met. He'd already had three other Pokémon with him at the time. A very serious combusken named "Ares," an apathetic tauros named "Minos," and an excitable tailow named "Sui." Just like with Ade, she'd been taken in and treated like family, because after all, she was family now.
A large majority of Pokémon tended to be free spirits. Perhaps it was the centuries of trainers that had warped their environment to be this way, but most Pokémon didn't go through life expecting to remain undisturbed by humans. In fact, most wild Pokémon she'd known in her youth had been excited at the prospect of being captured. Those that neglected this tradition often became outcasts. It was almost like a rite of passage in some, more intellectually developed wild Pokémon circles. For those of a lesser intellect, it had become instinct. Atena preferred to think she belonged to the latter, even if she often reflected back on her past self and cringed at many dumb decisions.
After she'd been brought to the team, their trainer had pursued his quest of completing the regional gym challenge. He'd only collected one badge already, when she joined. It took them months of training and preparation to face the second gym. To this day, they still weren't finished. Seven badges was what they had. He was worried about this last one, but equal parts eager. His mission now was to train Ade to be just as capable as the other Pokémon. That would take a lot of time. It might even be next winter by the time they were finally ready.
Atena's eyes shifted toward the second tent again, which Ade had disappeared into. It was the Pokémon tent. Their trainer was insistent that Pokémon trained better when not confined to Pokéballs for long periods of time. He also believed that he could build stronger bonds with them, and them with each other, this way. That much was true, of course. "Family" truly was a more fitting term than "team." Atena had no experience under other trainers, but she was certain very few could get as tight-knit as this one. So when a member left the team, it was all the more saddening.
Atena's training from a ralts to a kirlia had been rigorous. Degrading, might even be a proper term. She struggled for two years to evolve, and when she finally did, training didn't get any easier. She could still remember a time when her trainer had thought of replacing her and letting her go. It was thanks to her telepathy that she'd managed to convince him not to. He grew to respect her determination. She worked harder than any other member of the team, pushed herself further than the others. Four years ago, she'd finally evolved. After that, training became so much easier. It was like she'd jumped from the bottom of the totem pole to the top. Now, she was indisputably the best Pokémon on the team, which even the high-strung Ares would have to reluctantly admit to. "Zero to hero" some might call it. She still felt the warmness in her chest when she'd seen her trainer's eyes, so full of pride. Her feelings for him had started before then, however. Not long after she'd become a kirlia.
Minos the tauros had fallen ill a year after Atena joined the team. She never learned what the cause had been, but she did know it eventually claimed her friend's life. That was another thing humans never thought much about when setting out on their journey. Pokémon got sick too. Pokémon died. Her trainer might have been that naive before, but losing Minos seemed to be a turning point for him. He became far more careful and caring, and that only deepened his bond with his Pokémon. Deepened his bond with her.
A few months after Minos passed away, they had a new family member. A spiteful glameow named "Runa". A year later, "Karon," the aloof duskull was with them. Atena's feelings began to emerge shortly after the sixth member of the team was acquired: "Seidon", the aggressive gabite. It was here that she began to mature, becoming more acutely aware of others. She could feel emotions, hear thoughts, and at first they were overwhelming. They'd been there before, of course, but only when she'd strained to sense them. Now, they came of their own accord. It took her a long time to learn how to control that, to keep it all at bay, but during her struggles, she grew to understand her trainer on a much more complex level. Of course he was upstanding on the outside, but he was deeply passionate about his team, his "family" he'd called them. It was the first time she'd heard the use, in his thoughts. Down to his core, he'd made his life about them. It wasn't just about the badges, or the battles, it was about the bonds. Atena had found this quality to be rather attractive, a feeling she also struggled to contain. His passion inspired her own, and from that day forward, her passion aligned with his. She dedicated her life to him, as he had to her.
For a long time, that had been the team. Ares the blaziken, Sui the swellow, Runa the purugly, Karon the dusclops, Seidon the garchomp, and of course, Atena the gardevoir. Then, only seven months ago, that had changed.
There was an organization that called themselves "Team Rocket," who were known to steal Pokémon for nefarious purposes. Rumors circulated of their defeat at the hands of young trainers, but the organization never seemed to disappear. They were always there, on the periphery, until the moment they step into view.
It had been the dead of night, not unlike the current one. Never before had the team been attacked in such a way, never before had they a reason to fear going to sleep, so when those men and women arrived in black, with large red "R"s on their shirts, they didn't face much resistance. In fact, they got lucky. They took his pokéballs as he slept, and started recalling each member into their confinement. It was Ares who halted this, the ever-vigilant blaziken. Without his wary senses, they might have all been whisked away. A battle broke out. Sui and Seidon were saved from their pokéballs, but when the thieves finally disappeared into the night, the truth was revealed. Karon was gone.
After that, they'd been on the road of revenge, led by their trainer. Team Rocket didn't consist of the most reliable trainers. Their Pokémon were typically trained poorly, or were just stolen and refused to obey. For months they brought hell upon the organization, but the hunt finally came to an end. Karon had been sold, sent overseas, to some buyer even Team Rocket didn't know the location of. Up until recently they'd finally accepted that they'd lost their family member. Three days ago was when Ade the playful greavard was captured and added to their family. "Added" was the key word. He wasn't replacing Karon, their trainer had made that clear. He still believed they'd be reunited with him one day, but until that day came, they'd continue their journey, praying their paths would somehow cross.
Atena wiped the remaining drool from her cheek before it could dry there, before she slowly made her way to the Pokémon tent. She stopped at the entrance. Her gaze turned back to face his tent, the front flap slightly unzipped. She could feel her breathing shallow as she stared, thoughts dancing in her mind once again.
She must have stood there for an hour at least, staring and fantasizing about the man within. Sometimes she couldn't believe he was the same kid who'd caught her all those years ago. He'd been thirteen when they'd met. They'd grown up together. But she wanted to be more than the friends they were. More than the family they claimed to be. She wanted to be something much deeper with him. Something much more intimate.
Perhaps it was her desire overcoming her common sense. Perhaps it was fate giving her a nudge. Perhaps it was love pushing her heart. Whatever the case was, she left her tent behind, and found herself standing in front of his. She wasn't even sure she'd moved her legs. Perhaps she'd teleported? Whatever the case was, she was here now. And he was in there. Since she was already this close, it wouldn't hurt to... peek inside.
She could feel heat swelling in her face as she bent down and grabbed the zipper, slowly lifting it up, almost wincing at the snapping sound it made as it moved. Sure, she could have teleported inside, but somehow, this felt more... exhilarating. When the zipper was finally up enough, she reached a hand in and parted the right flap, peering inside.
The flickering orange glow of firelight was cast within, illuminating the interior of the tent softly. Atena couldn't help but think it was somewhat romantic. Her eyes landed on the form of her trainer, lying in his sleeping bag on his side, his back toward her. Her gaze drifted from the tips of his shaggy dark brown-haired head, down his broad shoulders, to the well-defined arm outside the bag, and down the bulk of the rest of his body within it. She wished he'd slept outside of it.
That was a stupid thought, of course, he'd get cold. But her own lust was overruling her common sense. Since she was already here, watching him sleep, surely he wouldn't mind if she stepped inside. She could just say she was feeling lonely. Maybe she had a bad dream and wanted comfort.
Or you could be honest, a small voice in the back of her mind advised. A chill ran down her spine at that thought, and her mouth went incredibly dry. She was already inside, staring down at her trainer, feeling the mighty drum of her heart, hammering away in her chest.
What was she doing? She'd never come this close before. She'd always admired him from a distance, but every time she grew nearer, she felt the draw toward him grow stronger. This hadn't been planned, she hadn't expected to do this, but her mind was clouded with the thoughts of her fantasies, and the idea of them becoming reality. Thank Arceus she didn't cast illusions in this state, she'd have probably exposed her sinful desires ages ago.
As though moving on her own, Atena lowered herself down, bending her knees to grow nearer toward the man. Close enough that she could smell his underlying musk. It was almost an intoxicating scent. The gardevoir continued to lower herself, lying down on the floor, matching his position, staring at the back of his head. Did he know she was there? What if he did? What if he was waiting on her to make the first move? Spurred by these thoughts, Atena lifted an arm, and slowly moved her hand toward her trainer—
His right hand came up and scratched at his jaw. Atena was frozen on the spot, her heart practically thumping in her throat as her wide eyes stared at him, a cold chill of shock and "oh shit" coursing through her body, which all lasted for several seconds before she could actually move a muscle again, her trainer falling still once more. That simple action had nearly given her a heart attack. Adrenaline was pumping through her as her arm remained hanging just above his shoulder. Deciding against that, she retracted her limbs, and instead scooted her body closer and closer toward his, almost until they were touching...
He had to feel her breath on his neck, right? There was no way he was this oblivious to her antics.
...
Right?
Yet he didn't stir again. Atena swallowed dryly, before she turned her head slightly to the side and leaned forward, slowly and subtly pressing her cheek against the back of his head. A wave of euphoria seemed to wash through her at the simple contact, and she could feel her tense muscles begin to relax. Suddenly a lot more confident, the gardevoir scooted nearer to her trainer, trying to tilt her body awkwardly to keep her horn from pressing up against his back. The horns of a gardevoir, gallade, kirlia, and ralts weren't actually static and stiff, they were flexible and could bend, but were a lot more sensitive as a result. The "Embrace Pokémon" wouldn't be quite as great at embracing otherwise.
Still inching her body closer to his, Atena rested her hand on his shoulder, slowly pressing herself against his body, to near-shuddering effect as she felt herself practically melting into him. She had to remind herself that this was fairly creepy to be doing, not to mention non-consensual, but her common sense continued to be fleeting.
Fortunately, the gardevoir was content with what she had for now, drawing in the scent of her trainer as she held herself closely to him. Her smile must have put any gengars to shame that night, as she felt herself drifting off. Atena had never before realized what bliss felt like. This... this must be it.
Whatever the morning brought, future Atena could deal with it.
She made sure to not look into the future in this event, not wanting to ruin her moment with her trainer. With the man she loved.
Of course, love was a strong word. But she knew it was the right word.
