: Things are hard when you start your own bakery in the heart of Hammerlocke. Good thing your knight in shining armor is none other than Raihan the Gym Leader. You are smitten⦠Too bad you donāt really think youāre his type, especially when you see the beautiful and powerful women that surround him.
Good thing he likes you just the way you are.
Gazing out the window at the fading light you heave a sigh as you glance over at the mostly full case of sweet treats. Looking around at the cozy bakery you take in the overstuffed chairs and the mismatched teacups and plates. The corner houses a fire that is just barely flickering while lanterns hang from the ceiling giving a warm glow to the atmosphere.Ā
You knew opening a new bakery would be difficult, however, you were expecting that being in a prime area, that cost way too much to rent, would bring business. With only three customers all day even as you tried to hand out samples to the streets of Hammerlocke, to say the least, you are disheartened. You decide to close up for the day and lock the door before you begin to wipe down the tables. Your Indeedee, Bella, is cleaning the dishes and helping you to stack the chairs. Spook, your Pumpkaboo, is floating around putting out the candles and pouting about the lack of visitors.Ā
You are startled by a sudden knock on the door, you to look up and you see a man standing there. Surprised you hesitate before you walk over to the door to unlock it.Ā
āHey! You arenāt closing up, are you? I saw your shop on my way into work today and Iāve been thinking about cake all day because of it,ā he says with a friendly grin.
You blink in surprise at the man, āOh? Well come on in, there is plenty left.ā
He smiles as he walks into the shop with an ease you can only dream of and only then do you realize how tall he is. Heās wearing some kind of Pokemon league uniform, but you donāt really pay attention to the league, so you donāt know what he does or who he is.Ā
āWhat would you like?ā you ask as you go behind the counter as Bella begins to clear the chairs from the tables once again. Spook is relighting the candles and thrills as he floats about, happy for the customer.Ā
The man studies the cakes and various other treats in the case before he glances up at you with a heart-stopping smile.Ā
āSorry, I donāt really know what to get⦠Any recommendations?ā He winks subtly and you fight to keep the blush at bay.
Before you can even open your mouth Strudel, your Appletun, lifts his little head up from where he had been dosing on top of the case before he points to an apple turnover called a Flapple Turnover.Ā
The male blinks at the tiny dragon for a moment before he chuckles at him, āGood choice buddy! Iāll take a Flapple Turnover!ā
āStrudel likes to help customers by recommending his favorites,ā you say with a laugh.Ā
āHeās a good helper then! Itās pretty cool you have an Appletun, how did you get one? Did your boyfriend give you an Applin?ā he asks innocently.Ā
āOh⦠I donāt have a boyfriend. When I was younger my family and I went apple picking at an orchard and we accidentally brought home a couple of Applin.ā
āA couple?ā he asks as he takes a bite of the turnover you hand him before a happy groan leaves his mouth.
At his question Tart, your Flapple, drops from the plant heās been snoozing in. The stranger blinks at the newcomer before he chuckles at seeing the Flapple hovering before his face waving happily at him.Ā
āSo you have one of each!ā he says enthusiastically.Ā
āYeah, Tart likes to sleep in the potted plants that hang from the ceiling, which is fine because he helps to take care of them,ā you giggle, āAnd Strudel likes how warm the case is and helping undecided customers.ā
āYouāve got some cool partners! So how long have you been open?ā
āAbout a week, we donāt really have much business yet⦠Thatās why I was closing up earlyā¦ā
āHey, donāt worry about it, itāll get better. In fact, these are great and Iāll take a variety of pastries for the gym tomorrow.ā
āOh! So you work at the gym?ā you ask as you grab a box and begin to load him up.
āYou meanā¦ā he trails off in surprise.
āHmmm?ā you hum as you glance up at him.
āYou donāt know who I am?ā
āShould I?ā you ask with a furrowed brow.Ā
āUhh⦠No! Forget I said anything! This is great, Iām sure everyone at the gym will love these! How much?ā
āOn the house, you coming in has brightened my day, which is payment enough,ā you say waving away his money.
āNo way! Youāre brand new and I want to support you! How much?ā he says pulling out his wallet.
You argue back and forth with the man for a few minutes before he finally relents and takes the pastries from your hands.Ā
āFine⦠but you have to let me take a picture with these guys for my Pokegram and let me recommend this place!ā
He carefully picks up Strudel and Tart lands on his head as his Rotom Phone flies out and snaps a picture of the three together. Heās so handsome he probably has a lot of followers, you think to yourself as he sets Strudel down gently and Tart flies over and lands on your head.Ā
āPerfect,ā he says regarding the photo, āHey, thanks for the pastries! Iāll be back soon okay? And watch for my post, what is your username?ā
ā@SweetandSourApplins.ā
He chuckles, āGot it! See ya soon!ā
You wave as he walks out of the door and you feel for the first time all week that just maybe this isnāt hopeless after all.Ā
You quickly lock up and finish cleaning up the place before you head back into the kitchen. Eclair your Milcery is sitting on the counter near your baking supplies. Heading over to her you chuckle as she chirps up at you.Ā
āCome on everyone, time for bed!ā you say as you set the alarm and head towards the door that leads up to your apartment.Ā
Itās a cozy and quaint little place with a nook for reading and a balcony with several vines trailing down. Cherry, your Cherubi, is outside tending to the plants as everyone makes their way to their respective places in the apartment. Syrup, your Slurpuff, is lounging in her bed, exhausted from helping with the baking that day.Ā
The kitchen is off white with plants and vines that hang everywhere and has an airy feeling to it. It looks out into your living room which has a couch and a few chairs surrounding a coffee table. A small kitchen table is off to the side and painted a soft aqua blue. Down the hallway are your bathroom and bedroom. Itās not much, but it is everything you could want.Ā
You get started on dinner for everyone and giggle as Spook floats about the kitchen handing you the ingredients you ask for. After everyone is fed and tucked in you go to bed unsuspecting of the next dayās events.Ā
The next morning you wake up, get ready for your day and head downstairs to your kitchen as if it is any other day. You get to work on making the pastries, pies, and cakes for today. Each one is pokemon-themed and carefully crafted to be extra cute. The attractive customer last night has given you a burst of energy and even if you donāt sell anything today, you think you will still be okay for at least one more day.Ā
With a tray full of a batch of mini cakes you make your way through the swinging door and into the front where you almost drop the tray of desserts. There is a line outside of the door twisting around the corner. Upon seeing you several of them smile and wave happily and you smile back pure elation taking over your body. You set the tray down and motion one minute to the customers milling about outside. You technically have about ten minutes until you open which should give you enough time to set up the case. You get to work yelling at Bella to grab the trays and bring them out. She hops to it as Spook floats about lighting the lanterns and candles that hang from the ceiling and along the wall giving it a whimsical ambiance.Ā
You notice gasps from the crowd as Tart and Strudel make their way out of the back with Syrup right behind them. You chuckle as Tart flaps over to the window and waves happily back at the group. You hear squeals from several of the girls about how cute your tiny dragon is. You chuckle as he continues to dart from one person to another entertaining the crowd as you finish up.Ā
āStrudel? Syrup? Spook? Are we ready? Bella? Good to go?ā With a chorus from your team, you head over to the door to unlock it.Ā
āHey! Welcome!ā you greet when you open the door for them.Ā
āHi! Weāre so excited to try your cakes!ā
āRaihan said they were the best!ā
āThe picture of your Flapple and Appletun is the cutest! You must have been so excited when Raihan wanted to take a picture with them!ā
āUhh⦠yeah, heās super niceā¦ā you say while you rub your neck.Ā
āWhat was it like meeting him? Is he as cool in person as he seems?ā asks another girl as she shoves the other out of the way.Ā
āHey, guys you know his favorite was the turnover right? Do you want to try one?ā
A chorus of āyes!ā goes up from the crowd of girls surrounding you giving you the chance to refocus them. After you have gotten them their pastries they all take pictures for their stories before biting into them.Ā
āThese are to DIE for!āĀ
āRaihan has the BEST TASTE!ā
āWeāll be back soon!!ā They wave as they leave the shop only for more to come in right behind them.Ā
Your morning is filled with young women and trainers buying up cakes, cookies and pastries. Several businessmen and women come in and buy dozens for the office along with coffee. Friends and lovers sit idly in the candlelight sipping tea and eating cakes. Your patio is full to the brim with customers enjoying their treats with their tea or coffee. Youāre amused when you notice Cherry hopping about offering mint and lavender to the patrons. They happily accept the fresh herbs before she bounces away.Ā
The stars of the show are definitely Tart and Strudel and everyone always mentions Raihan in passing. Youāre pleased when your other pokemon garner affection from your guests too as they squeal about Spook or giggle when Bella or Syrup would bring them their treats. Youāre pretty sure your pokemon are now famous.Ā
Itās late afternoon before you get a chance to take a breather. Grabbing your phone for the first time all day you see a plethora of notifications from new followers. You go to the very first notification and see the post the mysterious Raihan posted. You click on his profile and feel yourself become embarrassed.Ā
āOf course heās a gym leader⦠Of course, heās The Gym Leaderā¦ā you grumble to yourself as you scroll through his profile. You see another picture of him taking a bit out a cheese danish that must have made the girls go wild. āNo wonder I was so busy today⦠heās got millions of followers⦠And he recommended meā¦ā you murmur as you pause on a photo of him licking the icing from one of your treats with a sultry look in his eyes.Ā
You settle on the photo he took last night of your two dragons after a moment of scrolling his Pokegram.Ā
āGot to hang with these cool dudes tonight! They help run a bakery called @SweetandSourApplin you should totally check out! When you do tell Tart and Strudel hi for me. And donāt worry if you donāt know what to get, Strudel loves recommending his favorite pastry to you.ā
You giggle at the caption and feel gratitude flood your body. You glance over at the pie you made especially with him in mind and smile. You were glad that you left in the back today, just in case he came by. You know itās silly, but he really did make your day.Ā
As the afternoon drifts into the evening you regard your mostly empty case and smile as you begin to clean up. Youāre hoping youāll see Raihan, but you know better than to hope that he would come by two nights in a row. As the evening wears on you lose hope and lock up for the night.Ā
You end up on your balcony with a cup of chamomile tea as you gaze up at the stars. Spook is munching on some poke puffs you made as he keeps you company outside. A Flygon suddenly lands gracefully on your balcony its eyes blinking at you. You blink back before your arms flail in surprise as you jerk back in your chair, a yelp escaping as you do so.Ā
āDonāt be scared of him! Heās a total softie. He just wanted to say hi!ā
āHuh??ā you look around your balcony for the oddly familiar disembodied voice before you look at the balcony one house over. Waving at you casually is your apparent next-door neighbor the Gym Leader Raihan. Heās leaning against the railing with a lazy grin as he regards you and his Flygon with interest.Ā
āYou⦠live⦠there?ā you ask in shock as you point in his direction.Ā
The stone house next to your house and bakery is bigger than your own house with vines growing up the side. Perhaps you should have been paying attention the past few months while youāve been getting things ready. Then again you have been rather busy so itās really not a wonder that you missed your handsome and famous neighbor.Ā
āOhā¦ā You blink back at him while your exhausted brain attempts to catch up.Ā
Raihan laughs as his Flygon leans forward and sniffs you before chirping at you happily.Ā
āHello,ā you murmur as you gently lift your hand and run it along his neck, āPerhaps you would like a poke puff too?ā
The pokemon chirps at you as you get up and head into your house before you emerge a moment later with a bag in your hand. Tart yawns as he follows you back outside and lands on your shoulder as he sniffs at the much larger dragon. You reach into the bag and pull out a puff that you hand to the dragon in front of you before you grab another one for the one on your shoulder.Ā
āHe likes you!ā laughs Raihan before he calls his partner back over to him. You chuckle as you watch Flygon show Raihan his treat before he eats it.Ā
āThank you!ā you blurt out suddenly.
āHuh? For what?ā he asks as he pauses petting his companion.Ā
āFor the recommendation⦠I sold almost everything today thanks to you!ā
āNaw I just let them know you were there, you did everything else.ā
āStill⦠thank youā¦ā
You chuckle at the nickname, āI bet you call all the girls princess⦠Gym Leader Raihan.ā
He winces when you say his title, āSo you found me out, huh?ā
āYou made it kinda easyā¦ā
He sighs as he puts his hands on his hips and looks up at the night sky, āCould you just⦠pretend you donāt know?ā
āHuh? Why?ā you tilt your head at his request.
āIt was nice talking to you without having to be⦠Dragon Tamer Raihan⦠It was cool being just Raihan.ā
āWell, you are just Raihan⦠I mean itās cool that youāre a gym leader and you get to do what you love, but that doesnāt change who you are as a person. Plus⦠no offense⦠I donāt really pay attention to league stuffā¦ā
āNo offense taken princess,ā he says with a chuckle.
āSoā¦I uh⦠made an apple pie last night to try out a new design and recipe for the store⦠do you want to come over and test it out with me?ā Youāre glad the darkness hides your blush, and although you already know that this recipe is delicious your little white lie seems much less creepy than you just making him a pie.
āPrincess I will never say ānoā to anything that you make. Iāll be right there!ā
He runs into his house and disappears before you hear his front door open.Ā
āCome to the back!ā you yell down at him as you lean over the railing.Ā
He sends you a thumbs up before you turn around and head to your back door. A moment later you hear footsteps coming up your back stairs and you let him in.Ā
āCute place,ā he says as he ducks his head to enter your home.Ā
āOh⦠thanks!ā you smile as you turn around to grab the pie that looks almost exactly like Strudel.
āThatās not actually your Appletun, right? It looks exactly like him!ā he says in awe.Ā
You giggle, āNope! It took me a long time to get this right! Here!ā you say as you hand him a slice.Ā
He takes a bite and his eye widen in amazement, āThis is amazingā¦ā he says before he takes another mouth full.Ā
āIām glad you like it! Here, try this as well! Itās a spiced tea, I think the spices complement one another quite well, donāt you?ā
He quickly takes a sip before he devours another bite of his pie, āThatās it, youāre staying in business and right next door to me if I have anything to say about it! Iām not giving up my new job as an official taste tester.ā
āWell if business continues like it did today you wonāt have anything to worry about,ā you say as you clap your hands together in excitement.Ā
āIām glad you were busy today! I couldnāt stand seeing that look of disappointment on your face.ā
āWhen did you see that?ā you ask looking away from him.Ā
āWhen I knocked yesterday you looked so disappointed, I had to figure out a way to see that beautiful smile of yours.ā
āHush Raihanā¦ā you say with a blush.
āItās true! I saw you getting everything ready for your bakery to open and you were so excited! I loved seeing your smile, it always made my day brighter.ā
You look away from him and blush, āI bet you say that to all the girls,ā you say with a giggle as you playfully hit his arm.Ā
āJust the pretty ones who know how to bake,ā he says with a wink.
You roll your eyes, āSo cheesyā¦ā
āYou love cheese! I know you do!ā
You cut yourself a slice of the pie as a means of distracting yourself just as Strudel comes striding towards the two of you.Ā
āHey buddy,ā Raihan says as he bends down to greet the tiny dragon, āDid you recommend all kinds of treats today?ā
Strudel chirps up at Raihan, clearly happy to see him again as Raihan rubs the Appletun under his chin.Ā
āYou train dragons right?ā
āI bet you have a lot of cool pokemonā¦ā
āI do have a really cool team. They are the best a guy could ask for. Do you battle?ā he glances over his shoulder at you.Ā
āNot reallyā¦Sometimes I will, but I donāt have much of a reason to.ā
āSo you arenāt interested in battling at all?ā
āAhh well, I wouldnāt say thatā¦ā you hesitate as you find the right words, āIām just out of practice. I battled when I was younger a bit, but I havenāt had much of a reason to lately.ā
You shrug your shoulders as you regard Raihan.Ā
āIf you like battles, I would love it if you would come to my match on Saturday. Itās an exhibition match with Allister.āĀ
āWhoās Allister? Another gym leader?ā
Raihan laughs, not in a cruel way, perhaps more at himself before he answers you, āYeah, heās the Ghost-type leader of Stow-on-Side gym.ā
āI love ghost types! I think theyāre fun!ā
āThey are pretty fun! Do you have any others besides your Pumpkaboo?ā
āNoā¦ā you say looking down slightly disappointed, āIāve always wanted a Litwick or a Dreepy! Maybe even a Mimikyu!ā Your eyes light up in excitement thinking about the cute ghosts youāve always wanted.Ā
āWhy donāt you catch one then?ā
āI donāt know⦠Iāve been really focused on the bakery you know? Itās a lot of work and my friends are very helpful, I doubt I would have time for another Pokemon right nowā¦ā
āI get it⦠Too bad though⦠you would look cute with a Dreepy riding on your shoulder or a Mimikyu following along behind you⦠I bet your Pumpkaboo could show a Litwick the ropesā¦ā he says looking at you as if he was imagining the pokemon keeping you company, his head resting on his hand and that lazy smile on his handsome face.Ā
You cock your head to the side, āWhat? You donāt think Iām cute now?ā you tease.
āAhh⦠So weāre going to play that game huh? You know youāre adorable, Princess.ā
You laugh as you regard the dragon tamer before you murmur, āAlright I believe youā¦ā
āIām hurt, princess! Do you think I would lie to you?ā
āOf course not, Raihan,ā you chuckle as you grab his dirty plate from him.Ā
āWhy do I have a feeling youāre going to spoil me?ā Raihan asks as he regards you over the tea in his hands.Ā
āNothing, Princess⦠So are you coming to my battle on Saturday?ā
āExcellent! Iām going to head home so you can get some rest, Iām sure youāre tired after your busy day.ā
āOk ⦠Thanks for being my taste tester and for supporting me today.ā
āAnytime princess⦠Anytimeā¦ā
āHey! Donāt forget your promise okay? Iām getting your ticket tomorrow!ā
āOkay, Iām holding you to that! Good night.ā
You smile as you watch him turn the corner before you close the door and giggle. You notice the look that Strudel is giving you and you frown at the little dragon.Ā
He chirps up at you knowingly before you both head to bed to start another day.
Notes: Hey guys just something cute Iāve been working on! I hope you enjoy it! Leave a comment and some love and reblog to show support!Ā