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Agatha finds Lance and Ash curled up on the couch in the main living room. Fireplace roaring with both Lance and Ash’s Charizard tail tucked in to keep it going. The rest of their Pokémon strewn across other furniture or the floor, dead asleep like the two humans.
Well... mostly Ash. It took a moment for Agatha to register Lance’s hand tucked under Ash’s shirt was moving. Inch by inch up and down, sometimes stopping to run between his shoulders and or the near bottom of his back.
The two humans didn’t make a sound, besides light raspy breathing, and Agatha turned right back around. Signaling to Lorelei who was walking towards the kitchen to take another route. The ice specialist gave the elder a puzzling look before shrugging and turning down to go into a different corridor.
Agatha smiled to herself as she slowly hobbled away from the sleeping fest in the other room. Content to let the two sleep for as long as they can.
———
Steven walks into a puzzling sight. Ash draped over Wallace’s lap, deep in sleep with his Pikachu just as dead to the world, and Wallace with an arm hooked around the smaller waist and a hand tucked under his shirt. Stroking a bit of exposed skin as he focuses on his desktop, clicking away and thin eyebrows twisting with concentration.
“Working hard?” Steven asked lightly. Setting down the back of Kantonian take out and gently moving a tray with a few colorful stones Steven had given his fiancé and a potted succulent May had given him on his birthday.
Wallace sent a great full look up to his love, for bringing food and for ignoring the trainer and ‘Mon sleeping in his lap. “It’s been… stressful, in a way. Though I found something that helped a bit.”
That something shifted in his sleep and let out a low groan. Only shushing when Wallace bent down and mumbled something in his messy black curls. Squeezing Ash close enough that Pikachu let out a faint squeak.
Steven’s eyes lit up with warmth as he and Wallace’s shared another look. Ignoring how Ash sighed in content and snuggled closer.
———
Flint found Cynthia in her designated bedroom in the Sinnoh castle. He’d been looking for her for over an hour, she was due for an online conference call with Sinnoh’s lower gym leaders to go over performances. What he found was… interesting to say the least.
He didn’t move from the middle of the room that he froze in. Foot halfway out to take another step as his eyes cataloged what was in front of him.
The thick sheets were piled on with even more blankets but that didn’t stop the elite four from noticing a distinct Pikachu on a pillow with one tiny blanket draped over its laced body. The blankets also didn’t hide the missing Champion who was spooning one Ash Ketchum.
Quietly, also to not disturb Garchomp who had already woken and was lazily watching him from his own heated bed by the end of Cynthia’s, he snuck to the side the two were facing.
Cynthia was indeed spooning Ash. He could even see where one of her hands had snuck it’s way under the smaller shirt and laid flat against his chest where Ash’s heart would be. Both of them were dressed comfortably and were sleeping just as well.
Making his mind up Flint turned around and quietly snuck out of the room. Closing the door and turning the handle before so it didn’t make the distinct click! Noise. Before basically running down the hallway, a stupid shit eating grin on his face.
———
Usually, on the last night of any Champion event before they left the designated hotel they stayed at, the Champion line up had a video game night filled with junk food and other sugary snacks. This might not being any different.
Wallace cursed as Diantha shot a blue shell at him, knocking him out of first place as Lance zoomed by with a triumphant shout before making a strangled noise as Cynthia over room him with her own laughter. Steven carded a hand through his husband's hair as he read from one of his books, Priory Of The Orange Tree was the current book he had on hand.
Diantha and Cynthia were curled together. Effectively and not surprisingly becoming a team up against Lance and Wallace like they always do. They fed each other’s snacks when they could before one of the boys took their spots in first place again.
Leon watched the four with slow blinking eyes. Laid out on the floor in a pile of blankets and stolen pillows and slowly falling asleep if it weren’t for the ruckus the older Champions were making.
Alder and Ash were being suspiciously quiet. Usually Alder would be snoring in the background, dead asleep to the world after hitting the bed which is why they usually held game night in his hotel room, but Ash would usually be giving running commentary. Trying to mess anyone up and getting all their competitive sides to hit an all time high only to laugh and squeal while he danced away from any of their outreached hands trying to grab him and drag him down for a tickle fest.
The slight mystery of the two was figured out pretty quickly when Lance stretched and paused the game after Cynthia won again to go grab another red bull out of the mini fridge. Only to stop and stare at the sight on top of the bed.
Alder and Ash were curled on their sides. Horizontal on the bed so both of them could watch the Tv and the others. Though both of them were now asleep. Oblivious to now six pairs of eyes trained on them.
Nothing was truly out of the ordinary, the only thing that Lance took a closer look at was the hand position Alder had over Ash. One hand curled over Ash and rested on his small exposed stomach. Going up and down as Ash breathed easily. Both looked content and nothing seemed too inappropriate so Lance shook his head and went to go grab his drink from the fridge.
The other five chose to stay quiet about it as well and sunk down into their spots. Trash talk circling again when Lance came back and unpaused the game.
———
Sycamore found Ash and Diantha on top of Diantha’s duvet in her room. All the blinds were shut casting the room in complete darkness besides Diantha’s phone which was shining in her face. Showing her tear stained cheeks as she casted a glance to her door.
Ash was secured in her arms. Bandaged all over and only in a pair of briefs on. Diantha only had a long big shirt, and hoped for some kind of panties. There was no way Ash was being moved from her grip, not like Augustine has any strength to even try and think of doing so.
“There’s some in the second top drawer, middle back.” Was the only words Diantha spoke to him. Rocky and cracked, yep, she’s definitely been crying for a long while.
Augustine grunted and nearly zombies walked over to the pristine white dresser that had freckles of blood smeared on the wood. He looked back behind him and Diantha’s arms and felt tears pricked his eyes as they were bandaged just like they nearly were for their entire teenage years. Taking a fortified breath he turned around and struggled to pull said drawer out.
It took some time but the Professor was able to pull out an extremely large shirt. Beaten to a buttery soft texture and reeked of ink, paper, and an expensive cologne that made Augustine shake and nearly fall to the ground.
It’s Lysandre’s shirt.
Their Lysandre’s.
Before Team Flare.
Before the ultimate weapon.
Before the unbending need to make the world perfect in his eyes.
He walked to the side of the bed and set the shirt down with a shaky hand. The other started to unbutton his shirt and unbuckled his belt. In a couple of minutes he was sliding over the duvets and sunk down next to Ash’s side. Slinging an arm over Ash’s side to rest on Diantha’s. Slowly rubbing his thumb on her hip.
She set the phone down behind her and let the room become completely dark. One of her hands moving to grasp the arm Augustine had reached out with and the other curling under Ash’s head. Tucking the younger close and carding through his hair as she started to silently cry again.
Augustine followed suite. Leaning forward to squish a still dead asleep Ash between them and felt his own tear trickle down his face.
———
Sonia and Raihan rushed into the Rose Tower. Frantic to search Leon to see if he even made it out of the fight alive. Only to be faced with a shit load of police and Emergency Responders. Helping wounded Rose employees while police arrested the others.
It took Rahian’s height to his advantage to spot Leon on the floor, guarded by several heavily armed police men sitting on the floor. It didn’t register to the two until they were allowinto the circle and standing over the bloody Champion.
Who held a trainer in his arms. Said trainer was sitting in his lap. Legs on either side of his thighs and arms draped down. Light snoring could be heard and a Pikachu was laying horizontally across the rest of Leon’s outstretched legs.
“Hey guys.” Leon croaked.
“If it weren’t for the fact you’re hurt, I would fucking slap your stupid ass soul out of your body.” Sonia answered with a harsh hiss. Completely ignoring Leon’s immediate response was to raise his hand to protect the unknown trainer's head instead of his own.
“I deserve it.” Leon muttered. Head tilting back to hit the back of his wall and shifted the trainer up in his grip. Making both him and the Pikachu whine in annoyance in their sleep.
“Who’s the kid?” Raihan asked. Turning to lay his own back against the wall and slid down until he was resting against Leon. Not caring that Leon sank into his open shoulder with a blissful sigh.
“His name is Ash and he’s not a kid.” He sent a weak glare up to Raihan who gave him a pointed disbelieving look.
“Well Ash looks like he’s younger than ten.” Raihan countered.
“His extensive,” Leon particularly stressed that word while eyeing the kid in his lap, “trainer profile said otherwise. Born on two-thousand, May twenty-second.”
“He’s twenty!?” Sonia piped up. Sliding down as well and gently priding and a bruised mark on Leon’s lower part of his upper arm. Only stopping when Leon let out a guttural pained groan that caused a few Emergency Responders to shoot their head up and look in their direction.
Raihan waved them off while giving a sheepish looking Sonia a near deadly glare.
“Arceus,” Leon moaned weakly, head swaying down until his cheek rested against Ash’s head of hair, “I’m so fucking tired.”
“Then sleep.” Sonia answered with a stern look. All sheepishness gone in a blink. “You helped save Galar, the entire world! You deserve sleep.”
Raihan muttered his agreement and raised an eyebrow at Sonia, who mirrored his expression, as Leon let out a weak sob of ‘thank you’ before nuzzling into Ash’s hair more and falling dead asleep in record timing.