If Sidney had known sooner that Gladion didn’t have anywhere to go and was running out of money, he’d have offered to let Gladion stay with them at the restaurant. Maybe then he wouldn’t have ended up in this terrible situation, a member of a no-good gang of thugs, without any real friends. That poor guy didn’t deserve to go through that, especially after he’d rescued that adorable little pokemon he had with him.
And yet, as Sidney looked at Gladion, asleep on Sidney’s couch, he couldn’t help but smile. Gladion looked so serene when he was sleeping, so calm, so adorable. It was as if all those troubles that life had forced on him didn’t exist, as if he were able to live the life of a normal boy. That’s what he deserved, after all. Certainly he didn’t deserve all these awful things. But Sidney couldn’t help himself; he was somehow grateful that these things had happened.
Otherwise, he’d never have met Gladion.
Sneaking over to Gladion’s sleeping form, Sidney brushed aside those blond bangs, gently pressing his lips to Gladion’s forehead. He didn’t quite know what compelled him to do it, but he just felt that Gladion deserved some kind gesture from someone who cared for him, even if he wouldn’t be awake to know it had happened. After all, he’d never had accepted it if he were awake, no matter how much he wanted that kindness. Sidney didn’t know why it was so hard for Gladion to just accept another’s friendship, but he didn’t mind. He loved Gladion all the same.
