Abogada de Jayce Talis @apuwu - Tumblr Blog

May 24

The Real Thing | One-shot

Pokémon Legends ZA | Pairing: Urbain/Harmony

Summary:

Harmony was supposed to laugh. Harmony was supposed to tell him that she’s glad he’s here, or if she wasn’t feeling as sentimental as he was, she’d probably say I know, I was there when I helped you live to see another day. She was supposed to brush off their closeness, their intertwined hands, the warmness of their shoulders bumping. She was supposed to blame their current state for that kiss on the cheek. What Harmony wasn’t supposed to do, though, was press her lips against his.

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Tags/Warnings: Friends to Lovers, Clubbing, Alcohol, Making Out

Author's Note: Hello! This is based on the song The Real Thing from Phoenix. I managed to finish this two days into my surgery recovery, it went well. Thank you for the kind wishes. I still have to spend a week almost bed-ridden, so more time to write? Enjoy!

Read it on AO3

Harmony loved her family, and was grateful she could spend a month with them: helping with chores or with the general shop's upkeep, helping her siblings with their homeworks, and spending time with her dad fishing. She had really missed them. And they missed her in return.

But, when she stated her intention to move into Lumiose City permanently, they couldn't help but voice their worries to her.

“You're sure you'll be safe, right, honey?” questioned Stella, always the mother Harmony needed.

“Yeah, don't worry. Besides, the city is becoming safer again.”

“I believe you”, started her dad, “but also understand us. We turned the TV on and saw you right there in the middle of chaos, jumping and everything to try and stop whatever was happening, but”, he continued, before letting a heavy exhalation out in the form of a sigh, “imagine how we felt. Imagine how we felt when after that, you called us from the hospital because you had a concussion.”

“We love that you wanted to help people in the city, but you…”

You could have died. Urbain was already with one foot on the other side too from the moment he decided to climb into the tower, and everyone else could also have died.

“I know.” Harmony knew that trying to justify herself would be useless, and it was far too late to have a drawn out conversation about it, in the middle of the train station and just waiting for her train to arrive. “But I promise my friends will take care of me, too. I have friends, very good friends. And I promise to at least think twice before I do something like that ever again.”

Her father nodded, trying to analyse the answer and seemingly satisfied by it.

“I'm so proud of you, my girl. You're becoming a very capable woman and I”, he said, then giving Stella a shared look and smiling in complicity with her, “we couldn't be more proud of you.”

They both hugged Harmony, and then left her space for her two brothers to hug her, too. The middle one was technically her stepbrother, but ever since she shooed away his bullies by threatening them with violence, they became instant partners in crime. And the little one was only her half brother, but the little goober stole everyone's hearts, especially in her family.

Harmony tried not to notice the way her youngest brother held her legs, little fingers stretching the fabric of her pants, not wanting to say goodbye just yet. Tried to look past the way her middle brother leaned onto her side, his lanky, tall figure trying to arrange himself to use her as support but only managing to rest his head on top of hers. Tried to ignore the way his dad squeezed her hand tighter, stronger, as if he wanted for his touch to be a landline for her whenever she missed home (which she often did).

But above all, she tried to not look at Stella’s face, who no matter what she did or how much concealer she wore that day, couldn’t hide the red circles around her eyes, trying to distract herself by rearranging Harmony’s scarf and brushing stray hairs from her forehead.

There was nothing truly as unique and beautiful as the bond between a mother and her daughter. Even though she didn’t give birth to Harmony, she was by all laws and conditions hers. Truly hers.

Harmony could only imagine what it was for both her parents to receive her call, on a hospital bed and telling them she suffered from a head injury while trying to avoid a glorified antique nuke from annihilating all of Kalos, or at least Lumiose and the outskirts of the city.

Stella cleared her throat.

“Before you go…”, she started, “we’d like to know who to call in case we can reach you. Your father and I are worried for you all the time, baby. Not only because of what happened three months ago but also–”

“Also because we want to know if you’re cold, if you’re hungry. If you need money.” This time, his father fixed the front of her jacket, an uncommon gentleness in the way he spoke.

Harmony nodded, not trusting herself to give a verbal reply without her voice breaking. She took a pen and a note block from her purse, and wrote atop of it the numbers of all her friends. Urbain, Quasartico’s phone with the extension to Urbain’s office, Lida’s phone, Naveen’s, the Hotel Z number, Corbeau’s PERSONAL number, and she threw both Grisham’s and Griselle’s phone numbers, just in case.

The Holo Speakers announced the arrival of a train to Lumiose, and they all knew it was time for them to say goodbye for now.

Stella kissed Harmony on the forehead before letting her go, and her dad did so too.

“Please call when you arrive at the Hotel”, requested her dad.

“We love you. We’ll come visit you one of these days, so you can show us around.” Stella sounded hopeful about it, and Harmony couldn’t help but feel excitement for whenever the occasion of their visit could be.

And with their goodbyes spoken, Harmony got into her seat and watched the horizon, Aquacorde slowly becoming smaller and smaller.

It was almost nine when she finally arrived at Lumiose.

With a quick text, she informed her family she was already on her way to the Hotel.

But Harmony wasn’t expecting company, much less in the form of Lida. Harmony loved surprises, even more so when they were welcomed surprises.

“Lida!” she exclaimed, running into her friend’s arms.

Lida lifted her in the air and spun her around once, twice, and a third time just because.

Lida was very strong, and hid notable muscles under her oversized clothes. She could easily carry Naveen and Harmony over her shoulder, and won over Urbain every time they arm wrestled. Not fair, you’re basically training like a gymrattata every day! Urbain would say. Not like a gymrattata, but like a dancer. My muscles aren’t just for show! I could kick everyone’s asses. And of course they believed her. Harmony would remind herself then to never anger her friend.

“Harmony! I’m so glad you’re back. I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

Lida offered to take one of her handbags, while she carried the other wheeled suitcase towards Hotel Z.

“Thank you for picking me up”, says Harmony, “I thought you’d be celebrating your birthday with the rest of the dance crew,”

She shrugged.

“I thought about it, but Team MZ are my closest friends, and it wouldn’t really be the same without you three.”

“Well then, what do you want to do for your birthday? The day’s not officially over.”

Lida’s grin reminded Harmony of a Purrloin. All satisfaction, she was sure she bit into some kind of bait.

“There’s a club under Lumiose, and I’ve been meaning to go there for quite some time!”

Harmony noticed they were already entering the alley leading to Hotel Z. Lush greenery adorned the walls surrounding the building, its antique bricks in earthy tones giving it a much more mature look amidst the brilliance of the rest of Lumiose.

She couldn’t comprehend why this hotel wasn’t more popular.

“Oh! Do I have time to get dressed a little… nicer?”

“Yes you do! Urbain will be here by ten, so you have like, an hour. Maybe. Be quick, though!”

Harmony almost ran into the elevator, quickly hugging Naveen before running into her room for a quick shower. She used her nice bubblegum scented body wash, before stepping out of the shower and changing into clean clothes.

Lida knocked on the door, a new outfit revealed, wearing what Harmony knew was birthday makeup, carrying two glasses of what seemed like white wine. By then, Harmony had already put on her makeup too, adding some glitter because for her, it seemed that glitter and shimmer made the makeup prettier. What was the point of wearing makeup if it looked like you weren’t using any? Natural looks weren’t definitely for her. Lida herself loved neon and holographic eyeliner, and sometimes she mixed it with wildly colored highlighter.

They were sipping wine and finishing their looks when Lida’s phone rang.

“Yes? Oh, you’re already here! Yeah, we’ll be in the lobby in a minute, see ya!”

“Who was it?” Harmony asked.

“Urbain. Naveen’s also waiting for us. We better hurry.”

“Yeah, okay. Just, quick question, should I wear these heels?”

“Girl, you’re not going to tire quickly on those?”

“Nah. They’re shaped for me, my stepmom spent a fortune so I could inherit them from her!”

“Okay. Then yes, definitely use them. But also pack another pair of shoes.”

Harmony would however, forget to pack another pair of shoes on her purse.

When he saw Harmony, he suddenly felt his clothes were inadequate for whatever Lida and Harmony wore.

Lida abandoned her leggings and oversized hoodie for brightly colored cargo pants, a brightly colored top and some sort of heeled boots.

Harmony on the other hand looked like a dream came true. He had to remind himself to close his mouth when he realized he was staring.

She wore one of those skirts that clung tightly to the body, pencil skirt was the name? Made out of some sort of shiny slick, black fabric, maybe vinyl. Her blouse was more modest, a blouse with no sleeves and a high neckline, but with an eye-catching fuchsia color, and she was carrying a black, long coat. He supposed she was carrying that in case she felt cold. And how could she not? She only wore one of those sheer, translucent black tights that he supposed were only for show and no weather protection at all.

The cherry on top though, were those black heels he already saw in a picture. Pointy-toed, black and shiny, with a medium, slim heel. And he knew for a fact that the soles were a bright pink color.

The look made her look like a movie star, like she stepped out of a Holo Advertisement in Estival Avenue. Like she somehow absorbed the oxygen but at the same time breathed fresh air into the room, into him too.

He was staring. He needed to avert his gaze somewhere else, quickly.

Ah shit, he forgot they were here to celebrate Lida’s birthday.

“Happy birthday Lida!” he blurted out, before he realized and instantly thanked his quick thought, “and hi Harms, how was your trip back home?”

“Peachy”, she said, smiling, “I had a good time. I was starting to miss the city, though.”

He nodded, giving Lida a box wrapped in silver wrapping paper. He did choose the gift, but someone at Quasartico helped him with the wrapping, even though he was perfectly capable of doing so himself. He felt like an imposter friend for doing that, but quickly swallowed his thoughts.

“You look beautiful, by the way.” And he said it because it was true.

Harmony grinned at him, and thanked him. She looked beautiful when she smiled. She looked beautiful everywhere and anywhere, anytime, really.

“Hey! And what about me? Don’t I look pretty too? Remember, I’m the birthday girl!”

He objectively knew Lida was half joking, but he couldn’t help but feel called out in the way Lida delivered her complaint and the subtle snicker Naveen wasn’t trying to hide that much.

“You look beautiful. Naveen is very beautiful, too.”

“That’s the spirit! Team MZ is a team with only good-looking members.”

“A team where only hot people can enter”, joked Naveen. “Maybe we’re going to catch everyone’s attention today.”

Urbain couldn’t help but agree. At the same time, he knew he was underdressed. He only switched his gray sweatpants for black denim jeans and his blue shirt for a plain, white one. Of course his mom’s jacket. Aside from that, he wasn’t wearing any makeup like Lida or Harmony, nor he had eye-catching earrings like Naveen and Lida wore, not even a watch. His hair was the same as always. He was officially under dressed.

Lida explained where the club was. They needed to go into Magenta district first, where they would reunite with Griselle and Grisham, who was just tagging along with his sister. Then, they would have to travel to the smaller network of sewers, and they would find a hidden set of stairs. Right when they reached the bottom, a small, almost hidden hole would be behind wooden boxes with a Honedge painted in purple graffiti. They would have to enter through the hole, and right below a set of cushions would soften the fall for them. Then they would turn to the right (AND TO THE RIGHT ONLY, else they risk getting lost under the city), and they would see someone guarding the door to the club. Lida knew the bouncer from a common acquaintance, and they already spoke on the phone so they could have a small table.

It sounded like a small adventure to him.

They got out of the hotel into the chilly air of Lumiose night, Naveen being quick to offer his arms so both Lida and Harmony could descend down the steps.

Lida technically didn’t exactly need assistance, her heels were comfortable enough but also Urbain knew for a fact she was used to dancing in higher shoes. Meanwhile, Harmony didn’t show any signs of struggle, but she looked concentrated enough that Urbain also knew for a fact she would need help going down the stairs and into Lumiose’s catacombs.

Harmony thanked Naveen with a smile and waited for Urbain, signaling him to make a space so she would now use him as support.

“Why would you use something that looks like a walking trip hazard?” His tone however held no bite, and no sharpness.

“Because I look pretty.” It was a simple enough answer, but no one could deny the sincerity behind it.

He asked more questions about her trip. Not ones like how was it or did you have fun, but the questions someone who has already heard of her family would ask. How’s your little brother doing with school? He struggles with his Kalosian class, but Stella is always helping. And the middle one? He’s an apprentice now at dad’s shop, looks like he’ll inherit the family business.

“You never told me what your dad did for a living.”

“He runs a candy shop. People often come for the nougat and the anis de flavigny, but in recent years he took a course so he could make chocolate, too. I actually brought some candies for everyone.”

“Even for me?”

“Especially for you,” she replied, and there was a sincere complicity in the statement.

Their conversation flowed freely and Urbain almost forgot they were supposed to make a turn into Autumnal Avenue, until he recognized Griselle and Grisham waving at them.

Lida was quick to let go of Naveen’s arm and run just so she could hug Griselle.

He wasn’t sure if they became good friends or they were dating, since he didn’t have the same time anymore to sit with the rest of the Team and chat about their lives. He lamented this loss, and vowed he’d try to be more present.

Harmony also let go of his arm and, with a more calm and patient pace in her step, went to greet Grisham with a hug.

Urbain couldn’t help but feel some kind of way about how close they were, how she laughed at something he said. He was starting to feel a little shy when Harmony beckoned him into greeting Grisham, too.

He glanced at Naveen holding a conversation with Griselle, and by how excited he looked, he supposed she must have asked something about his designs. When did they become friends? But before he could keep pondering over it, Grisham also greeted him with a shy, polite wave of his hand.

Grisham was handsome, he could recognize that. He was bisexual enough to know Grisham was eyecandy. He carried himself with the confidence of someone that, at some point in his life, was used to alienation, but grew comfortable into her skin in a way no one would be able to break. He walked with confidence and a silently strong stride. Urbain had eyes.

His eyes also recognized that whatever friendship occurred between him and Harmony in front of him, it didn’t feel like the glitch in the matrix that took place on the night of his birthday.

Urbain was trying to forget that. He convinced himself that the spark he felt that night with Harmony, was a byproduct of sleep deprivation and a colossal amount of coffee he drank that day just to keep up with the deadline imposed on a portion of his training. You’ll have to get used to it, said his grandmother. Sometimes you will have to run in the middle of the night because something in Quasartico needs to be solved as quickly as possible. Urbain wondered if his mom was running away from that life, and if by running away to Team Flare and later to Galar, she was shielding him from that life.

“You already know each other, but there’s something that you might want to talk about with Grisham.”

“Harmony was kind enough to tell me about your mother’s involvement with Team Flare.” Urbain could tell Grisham’s tone was as collected as he could muster up, little inflection, as if he was talking about reviving the living dead with the naturality of someone speaking about the weather.

Yes, and?

“We’ll be localizing more Team Flare hideouts in the next months. We want to know how many children were like us, and maybe like you. And maybe find our parents’ archives, or files. Something trying to make sense of everything that happened.”

Urbain must have frowned to the idea, because the next thing that came out of Grisham’s mouth was:

“Perhaps some other time, though. These discussions are better held over a warm cup of coffee, aren’t they?”

His smile was easy, polite, yes, but easy nonetheless. Urbain returned the kindness with a grin and nodded.

“It’s still a sore subject for me, but sure. We could at least talk about it.”

Team Flare’s sprouts needed some kind of closure, now that the youngest of them were reaching adult age. Would they feel as alone as he did some years ago? Out of place and with blurry memories of childhood? Someday, they could all make sense of it.

“Hey”, whispered Harmony, taking his hand, “you’re thinking too loud. You don’t have to give a definite answer now, but maybe some other day, how about it?”

He nodded, thankful for the weight of Harmony’s hand grasping his.

“Let us forget difficult topics, then”, continued Grisham. “A night out is perhaps what we all need.”

He felt more at ease now that he was walking along Harmony, her arm now intertwined with his. Grisham and her were having a passionate debate about tea. Apparently, Roserade tea was all smell, but no flavor. At least according to Harmony. Grisham argued that you needed to prepare yourself beforehand for drinking that specific tea. Why would you need to prep before having tea, though? It defeats its relaxing purposes. Grisham meanwhile argued that the good things needed to be savored, and that implied taking the time to properly appreciate flavors. Not all teas need to be relaxing. Some teas are invigorating. Some are digestive. The making of tea is a delicate process that I haven’t mastered. Yet. He added with a small smile.

Before he realized, they were already inside the sewers.

“Ah shit. I forgot to bring another pair of shoes. How the hell am I supposed to climb down this ladder?”

Naveen replied swiftly, quick on though as always.

“Take off your shoes before climbing down and throw them. One of us will catch them for you. Urbain will climb down before you so he can be your support. And Grisham after you. He's taller, so you won't have much problem grabbing him in case you don't feel secure.”

“Your blessed brain saving the day as always”, teased Harmony. “What would we do without you?”

A self-sufficient smile on his face gave Urbain the impression that deep down, Naveen loves being complimented.

Urbain tried to keep an eye on Harmony, but also tried to not linger his gaze for too long. She was wearing a skirt and the last thing he wished was to make her uncomfortable.

Once he was down, he took the pair of shoes from Griselle’s hands, and rushed to Harmony again.

He noticed she was having a hard time bending to put her shoes on again, and without a second thought, he held her shoe in place so she could just step into them. His mind focused on her touch, using his shoulder as leverage to correctly arrange her shoes.

“Thank you”, she said, in a murmur so quiet he was the only one able to hear.

Urbain thanked his luck that Naveen was too engrossed in his conversation with Lida and Griselle, because he was sure he'd question him about his eagerness to help Harmony.

Once Grisham was also done climbing down, they tried to find the wooden boxes. A quick look into a corner and they found them, with a Honedge symbol painted on the top box. There was a wooden sign reading:

Welcome to the Honedge Lair: for the brave only.

It was a little overkill for a bar (club? place?) under the damn Lumiose sewers, but Urbain couldn’t complain yet, as he hadn’t even seen the place to form an opinion on it.

“There must be a gap behind the boxes. That’s how we enter.” Lida was so sure of herself that no one dared to try and offer another alternative. Fortunately, she was right.

A medium-sized gap on the wall was behind the boxes, an improvised wooden frame covering any sharp edges made out of the cut and worn out bricks. Urbain expected it to smell like the rest of the sewers, but strangely, he could only recognize a musky, salty smell from the humid stone and the mineralized water.

“The sign says we have to jump to land safely. But I don’t know… I’m starting to chicken out.” Lida’s tone sounded sheepish, and Urbain could only form more questions on his mind by the way her gaze lingered on Griselle’s.

“You? One of the bravest people in this city? And on your own birthday?” teased an incredulous Griselle. “The gap’s too small for both of us to jump at the same time, but if you want, I can do it first.”

Lida shook her head. “No. I promised I wanted to challenge myself into new things, so… Here goes nothing.”

She sat on the floor surrounding the entrance, adjusting her legs so they were left hanging by what everyone could decipher was the room below. Or a chamber. Or hallway.

“See you on the other side!” And with that, Lida disappeared in a small jump into the unknown. “Hey! There’s a net here! You can jump without worries!”

Griselle grinned. She prepared herself the same way Lida did, sitting on the floor with her legs hanging and then, she jumped out.

“Grish! Your turn.”

Grisham was next. And then Naveen, who looked strangely amused by the way one entered the place.

“Bain.” Harmony hasn’t called him that way since some time. “It sounds stupid, but I’m scared.”

He couldn’t help but frown. Didn’t they jump out of buildings and terraces all the time?

“Don’t worry. Your Rotom-Phone will catch you.” He quickly realized his words were far from comforting, so he changed his stance. “I can jump out first and then catch you, if you want.”

Harmony nodded, nervous.

“Thank you. I know it sounds fucking ridiculous but there’s something about jumping into literal darkness that doesn’t sit that well with me. But I trust you.”

And he wouldn’t betray her trust.

Urbain noticed that, by the way his legs dangled on the edge of that gap, the fall was taller than his height. He jumped.

He knew he shouldn’t be surprised to find the net catching him, but he was. He bounced on the net before the jumping ceased, and then, as best as he could, he stood on the net.

“Alright, you can jump out now, Harms.”

“Okay. Okay, here I come.”

He did expect for some mess to be made when she jumped onto him, but he wasn’t expecting for her to land fully on his chest. His hands instinctively went to round her waist, anchoring her to him so they could find their way down the net.

Her waist was so small. Why was it so small? Was she eating well?

But by the time his thoughts ceased, they were well ahead on their way through the long, dark hallway that followed the net room.

He read about this network of underground tunnels. At some point, during the war of Kalos, there wasn’t enough space to bury the remains of humans and Pokémon alike. So… They left them in the bare bones. Literally. Rows and rows of skeletons, skulls, femorals, anything. Urbain couldn’t see any bones nearby, but knew that if he searched, if he went out of his way for just an instant, he’d find them. But now was not the time.

“First turn to the right and we’ll see the door.”

Time after that became wobbly and crooked, without clear distinctions about how much of it passed, it just did.

Urbain was having a good time. At first he tried speaking with Grisham and Harmony, but the strident music reverberated in all of the club, and quickly it became impossible to speak. So the best he could do was hold himself to that comment he made before she left Lumiose, to that promise he made to Harmony.

“Let’s dance”, she said, extending both of her arms, palms up.

Brave, beautiful, Harmony. She was not only the prettiest girl he’s ever met, the bravest soul to ever step foot into Kalos, but also the person he had the most fun with.

Uncoordinated, they started dancing clumsily, trying to jump to the rhythm, even though he had to grab her a few times by the shoulders or waist because she didn’t account for heels to be so difficult to dance with. Her warmth still lingered on his fingers by the time they stabilized themselves.

Apart from losing the track of time, they also ended up losing the track of their spending. Harmony asked for the fancy drinks with frilly adornments, with so much sugar that you couldn’t taste the unforgiving amount of alcohol they packed. And Urbain stole sips from her straw every now and then. Which made them run out of drinks faster. Which made them order another.

By the time they lost count, they knew they ordered at least ten different drinks, but could only pray in their drunken stupor that they wouldn’t be taken advantage of, because they were too far gone to make decent maths.

They laughed at their ridiculous dances, only stopping to listen to each other say yoooo when they saw Griselle and Lida kissing. Even Naveen was enjoying himself trying to strike a conversation in whatever way he could with Grisham. Sometimes Harmony and him pulled them out of their seats, begging for a dance, and they answered with awkward smiles and stiff movements, but swore they were having fun.

Lida was the first one to call it quits, arguing about a possible headache (she never seemed to get them, lie number one) and a hectic schedule tomorrow (lie number two, it would be her only free day of the week). No one blamed her for the straight up lies, she wanted to go home and kiss her newly acquired girlfriend senselessly, but that would possibly end up with Grisham getting sexiled. Naveen offered him a room at the Hotel, and thus they were the first ones to leave, with an odd cadence to their step and an equilibrium that definitely belonged to lightweight people that drank too much.

Lida and Griselle left shortly after, drunkenly blabbering about getting home safe and to please text them when Harmony and him were in their respective hotel room and apartment.

Spoiler alert: it didn’t happen.

Once Urbain paid Harmony’s tab, they got out via a series of actual stairs that somehow left them in a sewer under Vernal Avenue.

He walked behind Harmony to ensure she didn’t trip nor fall, even though he was no better himself. But his position really left him a predicament he wasn’t expecting: climbing up stairs left him with an almost direct view of Harmony’s behind.

He tried to avert his gaze somewhere else, but the fact that she was quiet didn’t even help him to concentrate on the cadence of her voice. So, he pulled through, By sheer strength and a prayer to any god out there, that she didn’t notice his nervousness.

Once they finally reached the surface of Lumiose City, Urbain couldn’t help but notice how empty the streets looked. Districts bustling and full of life became dull and quiet, as if no one had ever stepped foot on them, even though the (albeit very shy by the alcohol) rational side of his brain, told him people were already asleep.

Harmony suddenly stopped once he finally closed the lid to the stair they climbed from.

Harmony thought Lumiose at night was a marvel, but the empty streets held an endearing charisma like a shy pokemon: quiet, calm, but strangely beautiful. All the little people living in their tiny houses with their tiny lives dreaming their tiny dreams. How adorable.

She waited for Urbain to climb up the rest of the stairs, just a few steps behind her.

She couldn’t help but ponder on the phrase. Being a few steps behind her– right now, it meant he was taking care of her so she didn’t slip. As beautiful as her outfit was, it didn’t hold any practicality. Urbain once told her that it also meant that she would always be ahead of him in battle expertise. It used to frustrate him to no end, until he recounted how powerful Harmony was, and if he was capable of holding his own in front of her during battle, then he concluded his skills were actually good.

Being a few steps behind her meant that he looked over her, too. He never once underestimated her, nor lessened her accomplishments, nor believed her to be weak, nor incompetent. But after the Ange incident, Urbain watched over her like a Talonflame, just in case some other danger was lurking around them. He stayed a few steps behind to ensure no one, nothing, no danger and no circumstance would play unfairly against her and attack from behind. Even if it meant he didn’t walk at the same pace.

He silently offered his arm when he reached her. Naveen accidentally took her trench coat to the hotel, and Urbain was quick to notice the light shivering of her arms, and her reddened nose. He was quick to take off his own jacket, the one clothing he refused to part from despite holes and rips, stitches and needle amendments, just for the sake of keeping some things of his mom’s close to him.

He was sure she would have smacked him if he let Harmony be cold.

“Here”, he said, draping the jacket over her shoulders and fixing her hair out of her face.

Harmony was always quick to comment on those small gestures of his, teasing him about how much he cared about his friends, or asking if he really didn’t need whatever he just gave away.

She, however, only thanked him briefly and what he could only describe as shyly.

Their walk towards Hotel Z was silent, a comfortable silence draping over them like a warm blanket. They saw the subdued light of the city and the wild pokemon in their respective zones, asleep. The Floettes resting on their flowers. The Slurpuffs curled nearby closed street stalls, a few Pokemon centers open, but quiet.

Harmony leaned her head on his shoulder, using it as a resting place even though they were walking to Hotel Z. Their step was unrushed, as if it wasn’t 3 AM and as if they were alone in the city.

They walked like two people that knew this, the time, the sky, the air, their warmth, belonged only to them for an instant.

“Say, Urbain”, she called, a warm breath brushing against the side of his jaw.

“Hmm?” he replied, not trusting completely his alcohol-addled brain to say something unslurred and coherent. Much less with the way he noticed her lips, just by a slight glance, and the way he wanted to observe for days her sincere eyes with long and extravagantly colored lashes.

“I forgot”, she said, giggling as if it was the funniest thing she’s ever heard. “Thank you for walking me to the hotel.”

He noticed they were already crossing the small tunnel before the Hotel Z courtyard, he noticed–

He noticed Harmony’s warm lips on his cheek, and the slight stickiness left by her chapstick (or was it gloss? lip oil?). It smelled like vanilla and cinnamon, and before he could start to muse about how strong the smell was or if it had any flavor, the contact ended as suddenly as it started.

He noticed the sound of his steps, or rather– lack of thereof. They had stopped.

Things moved so quickly that he didn’t even notice it at first, like trying to grab fists of sand and watch it snake between his fingers.

Harmony grabbed his face with one hand. Her thumb and middle finger smushed his cheeks in a way that made him look just like a Luvdisc, and as soon as she realized, she laughed.

“You are the cutest Luvdisc there ever was!.”

Urbain’s laugh after that was loud, laughing more at her nonsensical dialogue than her comparison.

He was starting to feel lightheaded, his feet made of soft clouds and his voice listening like a faraway echo in his own mind.

The bartender told them that the Pomeg Berry liquor had “delayed effects”, meaning they would be feeling the happy dizziness of drunkenness well after they left the bar. They still didn’t care, the Tsareena Paradise was delicious and they lost count of how many they drank!

“Why ‘there was’? More like, there is!” He exclaims, closing a little more the distance between their faces so she could have a good look at him. “I still am! I’m not dead, Harms.”

What Harmony wasn’t supposed to do, though, was press her lips against his.

And Urbain, like a fool, impossibly idiotic fool, just closed his eyes and let her take the lead, only allowing himself to cup her cheek lightly.

The contact was short lived, but he could map out so many things about her already. Her lashes were so long that for a brief moment, he felt their touch on his face. Her skin was soft, very soft, but very cold too. He could taste her vanilla lip oil, he was sure it was a lip oil because he could feel it. Urbain most importantly, noticed how quick his own heart beat.

And as suddenly as it started, it ended.

Harmony was diabolical in her stance. He knew it. That had to be it. There was nothing good, innocent or good hearted in the way she not only refused to increase the distance between them, but also, there was nothing platonic in the way she kissed him once more.

There wasn’t a lick of platonic in the way Urbain’s lips came back for a third taste.

The kiss quickly evolved from a light touch of lips to a full, deep, slow kissing, one that leaves you out of breath, out of sense and out of ideas. Her lip oil was definitely vanilla, but it still wasn’t as sweet as the way she kissed him back, with a fervor so strong her hands went to the back of his neck.

Urbain was torn between pushing Harmony away, and getting closer to her.

In the end, his subconscious won. His hands went to her waist first, feeling how small her frame was compared to his hands. The fabric of her top felt cold against his skin, and he took to warming her skin as if it was a second job. One of Harmony's hands went to touch Urbain’s collarbones beneath his shirt, and with a small whine that neither knew who let out, she suddenly found herself against one of the walls leading to the Hotel. Urbain’s hands were soft and warm on the back of her thighs, and she couldn’t help herself when she cupped Urbain’s jaw and licked his lower lip. He responded in kind, letting her tongue explore his mouth. Breaths mingling, an electrifying buzz arising everywhere the tips of their fingers touched each other.

Harmony’s Rotom Phone buzzed.

And suddenly, the spell ended. Urbain took his distance as if he had hurt Harmony, and she was, for the first time since he had known her, embarrassed. A deep red flush adorned her cheeks, she was avoiding his gaze, and her hands twitched on her sides, unknowing of where would be the best place to put them.

She picked the call.

“Yes? Ah, no, we’re– We’re right outside the Hotel. Yes we’re fine. There’s a guest in Urbain’s old room, right?... Yeah, no biggie, he can sleep at mine. No, don’t worry. Mhm. You can go to sleep. Okay, bye.”

They finally dared to look at each other’s faces.

The light caught the sticky blotches of Harmony’s lip oil on his lips, but also on his cheeks and all over his jaw. His hair was a mess of spiky pinkish strands, flying everywhere. Harmony’s own hair was no better. Her skirt was slightly askew, with a side revealing more skin on one leg than the other.

“Who… Who was it?” was all Urbain dared to speak.

“Oh. It was Naveen. He asked if we were on our way.”

“Oh.”

“There’s a guest in your old room. You could stay at another one. Or you could stay in my room.”

Urbain was tempted, oh so tempted, to stay in Harmony’s room. Continue what they started. Or just hold her in those cute Clefairy pajamas she owned and sleep through the future hangover. But somewhere in his mind, things started to make sense. He’s drunk, she’s drunk, they’re both drunk. This could devolve into a messy situation and they could end up making decisions they wouldn’t be able to take back. What if she regretted it?

“I– I think another room’s fine. Wouldn’t like to bother you.”

Urbain tried not to think too much about her deflected yeah, okay.

The few steps into the Hotel’s main entrance were silent. Harmony gripped the keys on her right hand, like her life depended on it. Urbain’s left hand kept fidgeting like it had a mind of his own, flexing and then drumming on his thigh. He didn’t know what to do with his hands.

Before he could even attempt to say anything, Harmony retrieved a pair of keys from the back room behind the hotel’s main desk and handed them to him. They both took the elevator in an equally sepulchral silence, and when the ding indicating they reached first floor resonated in the small space, all that Harmony could muster to say was:

“Good night, Urbain. See you for breakfast?”

“I– yeah. See you at breakfast tomorrow. Or today.”

In between his ethanolic daze and dizzying before-sleep-musings, he tried not to think about Harmony. Tried not to think about how warm her kiss felt, how her tongue teased his bottom lip, how her thighs felt beneath his fingers, or how her legs felt around his own torso. Tried not to think about the way she walked with those damn heels on her.

Tried not to think about what this all meant. And what it could bring.

#touristshipping #gaisei #urbain x harmony #harmony x urbain #pokemon legends za #pokemon lza #pkmn legends za #pkmn lza

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