♛ Headcanon: On Hop
HEAVY IS THE INEVITABLE SIGH THAT WILL SLIP FROM THE GYM LEADER’S LIPS at the mention of the Champion’s--rather, former Champion’s younger sibling and newly crowned Champion’s apparent “buddy”. History shared between the both of them by no means pleasant--instead entirely something of a bitter rivalry (at least, at the time of his gym challenge, Bede perceived it as such)...and he’s willing to acknowledge that much of what’s conspired between them had been his doing.
His cutting words after Hop’s merciless defeat in the Wild Area hadn’t weighed on his conscious in the slightest at the time--the moment had given Bede a much needed morale boost, something to assure him of his status as one of the true elite competitors in the gym challenge. To prove he was better than one of the the two challengers that had the highest chances among the eyes of the public, within Rose’s eyes, had been a wonderful victory. (After all, Bede had been foreign to loss, prior to his gym challenge.)
And that isn’t to speak of Bede’s envy. The other source of his bitterness toward the other boy. His life has been nothing but fighting--of pushing himself to overcome the ever looming threat of being nothing...and the audacity of Hop, someone who has everything Bede’s wanted (a family, support, love, stability) to so boldly declare of how the title was going to be his. As if he were entitled to it. Taking him down a notch was more satisfying than it should have been.
(But little does he know, there is so much more to Hop beneath the surface.)
Now months have passed with both of them in new positions and Bede having...mellowed from Opal’s influence (though he will avoid confirming such). By no means are they friends. Nothing perhaps anything beyond cordial, though Bede cannot bite back his own snark nor suppress his attitude all the time. Yet, Bede DOES in fact respect Hop’s strength, seeing some form of growth in his battling at the finals. And there is of course the matter of Hop standing by the current Champion’s side and stopping the Darkest Day...the mess that he himself contributed to help causing.
The question remains of whether Bede regrets his actions towards the other in the past. It’s complicated--perhaps if he were to know him beyond an associate to the reigning Champion. But as of now, the thought is not in his mind.
...suffice to say Bede will not go out of his way to be around the other, but neither will he degrade Hop’s strength if asked.
He will, however, not hesitate to voice his irritation at the other’s noisiness.