Steven had been grappling with a hidden heart condition, wishing to shield it from the prying eyes of the world. His initial hope was that by simply refusing to acknowledge it, the issue would somehow disappear. However, he quickly realized the foolishness of his thinking. As a result, he concealed his condition out of sheer desperation to maintain his public image. To the people of Hoenn, he was portrayed as an invincible champion, and perhaps, he took too much pride in this image. There were a few close calls during severe episodes, and on one occasion, Drake discovered Steven after he had collapsed. Eventually, his league members also uncovered his secret. They collectively agreed to keep it concealed as long as Steven prioritized his well-being. Fortunately, with time, he began to improve. He managed without medication, and there was hope that his condition wouldn't significantly impact his daily life.

That meant he needed to understand his limitations. Which he did. He just chose to ignore them most of the time.

For years, he had successfully kept his secret closely guarded with the loyal support of his Elite Four. Surprisingly, the next person to discover the truth was Cynthia. He had actually anticipated that Wallace would be the first to find out. His closest friend had tactfully avoided discussing his condition, understanding that Steven would open up when he felt ready. However, it was during one of their dates that Cynthia became aware of his struggles. Steven had attempted to downplay his situation, passing it off as mere fatigue, but she saw through his facade when he experienced a particularly severe episode.

It didn't work.

She had dragged him to the hospital and after a series of tests he knew were pointless his secret was out. They had referred him back to his doctor in Ever Grande City who promptly put him on a medication to help.

Now he found himself sitting on his couch with the other champion's head in his lap watching a movie. Despite her learning of his condition she still wanted to be with him. He carded his fingers through her hair as he let his eyes flutter closed. He was a little more tired than usual after working all day, but he was determined to spend this time with Cynthia.

"Hey you," Cynthia poked Steven's cheek playfully "You can't go to sleep just yet."

Without even bothering to open his eyes, Steven responded with a casual 'Why not?' It was evident that he was beginning to wonder if he would manage to stay awake through the entire movie. His body felt heavy and opening his eyes felt like too much of a chore.

"Because the movie is just getting good."

"Tired," Steven mumbled. He was fading fast. He cracked one eye open at his girlfriend's reluctant sigh.

"Fine, but you need to take that medicine before you go to bed. They told you to start it tonight."

"Cyn…" Steven groaned "I really don't need it."

"And I don't care. Your doctor believed you needed it and prescribed it to you." Cynthia disentangled herself from the blanket they were under, prompting a discontented sound from Steven, and headed into the kitchen where the forgotten orange bottle lay abandoned.

As Steven watched Cynthia walk into the kitchen, he knew that there was no point in protesting. He was willing to do whatever it took to make her happy and finally get some sleep. Moments later, Cynthia returned, holding a pill in one hand and a glass of water in the other. He let out a heavy sigh as he placed the white tablet on his tongue and quickly swallowed it with the water. "Can we please go to bed now?" he pleaded, feeling exhaustion weighing him down with each passing minute.

Cynthia leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on Steven's cheek. "You can. I will be in there in a few minutes. I want to call Lucian and make sure everything is going okay with me being gone," she said softly.

"Agreed," Steven responded before quickly retreating to the bedroom. After changing into fresh clothes, he gratefully settled into bed and shut his eyes. A peculiar feeling washed over him, which he attributed to exhaustion. He let his mind wander in pointless thought. As he drifted into sleep, Cynthia joined him in bed and he instinctively pulled her close. Suddenly, he noticed a tightness in his throat and a growing sense of nausea. It all felt very strange.

"Are you okay? You're flushed."

The hushed question lingered in the tranquil room. Steven was not feeling quite right. He gently shook his head as he whispered, "Not really." Slowly, he felt Cynthia's presence, and he slowly opened his eyes. She was leaning on her elbow, gazing at him with worry etched in her eyes. As she tenderly placed the back of her hand on his forehead, he let out a sigh of relief. Her touch was wonderfully soothing, blissfully cool against his skin.

"You feel warm. That's not good. Were you feeling bad earlier?"

Steven's head shook once more, his throat ached and felt constricted. Something was very wrong. He struggled to draw breath, feeling as though his body was weighed down. He managed to rasp weakly, "My throat... it hurts... feels tight." Why did his body feel so heavy? As he coughed into his arm, a sensation of suffocation overwhelmed him as oxygen failed to reach his lungs. His chest burned as he fought to breathe. It hurt. It burned. Amidst Cynthia's frantic voice by his side, he battled for air, his lungs craving the oxygen they were being denied. He fought to reassure Cynthia that he was okay, but all that escaped his mouth was a wheeze. It felt as if his chest was engulfed in flames. He couldn't give in now. As his vision blurred and spots danced before his eyes, he made a desperate attempt to blink them away, but darkness swallowed him before he could offer any comfort.

As Steven gradually regained consciousness, he found himself in a strangely pristine white room that bore no resemblance to his own bedroom. The room was illuminated by an overwhelming brightness, and an unsettling stillness hung in the air, broken only by occasional faint sounds.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

The offending device on his right was connected to him from three different wires. He took a steadying, shaky breath. Why was he in the hospital? He didn't get the chance to ponder that for long. The door clicked open and Cynthia appeared with a brown and white cup in her hand. She seemed surprised and equally relieved to see him. It took him a frighteningly long time to recognize the bitter smell of coffee.

"I didn't think you were going to be awake yet. The doctor said you would be sleeping for a while." Cynthia made herself comfortable in the chair in the corner of the room. She picked up on Steven's confusion and continued "You had an allergic reaction to the medication. I had to bring you here. You couldn't breathe."

After telling the whole story, he realized that it might explain the intense pain in his chest and throat. Despite still feeling weak, he noticed a slight improvement in his overall condition. "I'm sorry," he murmured, wincing as he spoke, feeling the discomfort in his chest and throat.

"Hey, no, don't do that." Cynthia scolded "You don't need to apologize. We couldn't have known. You're okay and that's what matters. I told Lucian I would be staying a few days longer than planned. He wanted me to tell you to feel better."

Steven nodded with a raspy hum. So Cynthia had told Lucian? He leaned his head back with a suppressed sigh. It couldn't be helped. He listened to Cynthia talking about different things until he was lulled back into sleep.