OC x canon week: âI never imagined I could feel this wayâ
The first day of summer in Johto was a humid one, and Tee found herself escaping the heat in a shopping mall in Goldenrod City with Whitney.
It was rare for the two to have free time that lined up; Whitney had a lot of responsibilities as a gym leader, and Teeâs adventures in the region were keeping her constantly preoccupied.
The friends had been poking around the stores all morning, their tote bags getting heavier, and their wallets getting lighter. As they hopped onto the escalator to the next floor, Whitney pointed out the food court coming into view.
âWant to grab a drink? Iâm dying to sit down for a minute!â
Tee nodded eagerly, realising how thirsty she was.
The pair flopped into cold metal seats in the coffee shop, letting out loud sighs of fatigue. Tee revelled in the feeling of taking her feet off the ground as she gave her drink a stir. A hot day like this had made the iced matcha look enticing.
âThatâs not your usualâ Whitney observed, taking a sip of her own tall pink milkshake.
With a sheepish laugh, Tee shrugged.
âMorty drinks a lot of matcha, so I was curiousâŠâ
Her mind wandered as she spoke. How was his training going today? Hopefully he wasnât overdoing it again.
âIâve lost count of how many times youâve mentioned him today...â Whitneyâs tone was playful. ââŠYou in love with him or something?â
The question had Tee taken aback, like a punch to the gut. She knew it was just a joke, but she found herself completely speechless, her mind racing. She could feel her face growing hotter by the second. Why couldnât she speak?
Whitney seemed equally as stunned by her friend's uncharacteristic silence.
ââŠam I?â Tee finally managed to stumble out, staring down at the polished glass table.
Romance was something that had never crossed her mind before. Until a few months ago, Teeâs life had been consumed by her ambitions as a gym leader - relentless training to gain the role and then to keep up with the expectations of the strongest gym leader in the region didnât leave room for much else. What free time sheâd had in her gym leader days was filled by her fashion work. Leaving Kernow to travel had liberated her and given her endless opportunities to experience new cultures, activities, people, and now it seemed even new feelings.
âHow am I supposed to know?â Tee mumbled in embarrassment as she watched Whitneyâs grin fade into a more concerned expression. âI love you, and Bugsy, and Eusine, and Leafy, and all my friends back homeâŠâ
âI guess adults donât have all the answers, huh?â Whitney half-laughed at her friendâs confused expression. âYouâve seriously never loved someone like that before?â
âHave you?â
Whitney turned bright red. âWeâre talking about you!â
Tee was fascinated by this reaction, but knew right now wasnât the time to press. She rested her hot face in her palms, as her mind continued to spin.
Tee trudged back into Ecruteak City as the sun set that evening, only half-aware of her surroundings. The mood had eventually lightened as the shopping trip had continued, but the conversation theyâd had kept weighing down the back of her mind. The silent beeline back to the hotel where Tee was staying had made the thoughts louder and more consuming. Was Whitney right? Tee wasnât sure.
Her train of thought was derailed by the sound of someone calling her name. Turning around slowly, she locked eyes with Morty, smiling widely and waving as he hurried down the stairs from the burned tower.
Tee felt almost lightheaded as he approached, illuminated by the orange glow of the sunset. She tried to focus on his speech rather than the sudden feeling of knots in her stomach.
âWelcome back, Iâm heading to the usual spot for dinner, you coming?â
Tee slowly nodded, finding herself desperate to stay with him as long as possible.
This was how almost every evening had gone since she arrived in Ecruteak City, it had always felt so natural and normal, but now she had become aware of the importance of this routine to her. Telling Morty stories about her day over good food had unconsciously become her favourite part of the day, and it never seemed to last long enough. She always felt a sad hesitation to part ways each night, and an excitement to do it again the next day.
Maybe Whitney was right after all.
Tee had never imagined she could feel this way, but now she couldnât imagine a life without this feeling.
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