team mz’s bday bash
pairing: Naveen/Reader
reader’s pronouns are he/him; race is ambiguous.
summary:
Direct Message You: lida just randomly texted me asking what kind of cake i like, should i be concerned Naveen: she didn’t tell u what it was for ? You: no don’t think so Naveen: one second Team MZ (old) Naveen: ur rly gonna make me do this, lida? Lida: i have no idea what ur talking about
word count: 3.4k | ao3 version | naveen playlist
author’s notes: Posting a Naveen fic on my bday, bc duh. (So you just gonna bring me a birthday gift on my birthday to my birthday party on my birthday with a birthday gift?)
Like I said, the reader uses he/him pronouns & doesn’t have physical description, aside from being taller than Naveen. (I see Naveen as like 5'5ish, so.) Also the reader’s written to like cake, so I’m sorry if that’s a stretch for you, bahahah. It’s implied that the reader is new to Kalos.
This will be canon divergent and canon non-compliant. There’s a slight allusion to what happens at the end of the game, but I’m not sure if it’s enough to consider a spoiler.
Hope you enjoy!
Team MZ (old) Lida: ok ok! hi friends! Taunie: heyyyy Naveen: why are we in the old chat Lida: because!!!! a certain teammate of ours has a birthday coming up ;) Taunie: next saturday, in fact Naveen: and how do you know this Lida: i asked, duh Naveen: 😐 Lida: anyways ! i think we should throw him a party Taunie: That’s a great idea! Naveen: idk he doesn’t rly seem the party type Lida: yeah ‘party’ as in us + emma + AZ and corbeau and jacinthe and canari and whatnot Naveen: ok Lida: u think he’d be cool w it? Taunie: i don’t see why not! Naveen: i think we should tell him abt it tho cause he doesn’t like surprises Lida: ohhhh that’s fair Lida: you know him so well, naveen! Naveen: just smthg i noticed Lida: still! Taunie: heheeeee Naveen: shhhh. Lida: lollll Lida: should we just have it at hotel z? Naveen: yeah Taunie: ya! might as well Lida: sweet! i’m gonna ask him if he likes cake Naveen: ofc he likes cake Naveen: everyone likes cake Taunie: nice try, naveen Taunie: you don’t even like cake Lida: LOLLLL wait how do you know that nav Naveen: told u not to call me that 😑 Lida: hmmmmm?? Naveen: idk just came up ig Taunie: right cause that’s how conversations usually go Taunie: “morning!” “hey, how’s it going?” “oh, it’s good.” “you like cake?” Lida: lmaoooo Naveen: sigh
Lida: it’s ok i’ll ask him tmrw Taunie: kk!
Direct Message You: lida just randomly texted me asking what kind of cake i like, should i be concerned Naveen: she didn’t tell u what it was for ? You: no don’t think so Naveen: one second
Team MZ (old) Naveen: ur rly gonna make me do this, lida? Lida: i have no idea what ur talking about Naveen: lies Taunie: :P Lida: :P Naveen: ughhhh
Direct Message Naveen: ok so we’re having a party for ur bday Naveen: nothing huge, just smthg at hotel z You: awwwww omg!!!!! you don’t have to! Naveen: it was lida’s idea You: aweeee she’s so sweet Naveen: yeah Naveen: anyways, you better not have plans on saturday evening You: nope! Naveen: kk
Team MZ (old) Naveen: looks like it’s a go (screenshot.jpg) Lida: u could’ve taken credit for the bday party idea i wouldn’t have cared Naveen: nah Taunie: yayyyy! i’m excited! Naveen: what r u guys getting him Lida: idk yet Taunie: i have an idea… but y’all aren’t stealing it Lida: aw booooo tomato tomato tomato Naveen: ^ Taunie: ugh fine fine! Lida: i’m going to look around rouge district, they have some cute booths and stuff over there Lida: hbu naveen? Naveen: i have an idea too Lida: oooh Naveen: also does that mean ur getting the cake lida? Lida: yeah i was planning on going to the bakery near me! Naveen: k Taunie: i can run around and get some decorations Naveen: k Naveen: i will… support from afar Lida: aka do nothing xD Taunie: LMAO Naveen: hey Lida: yk i’m jk Naveen: yeah Naveen: i think my gift’s going to take a bit to make Taunie: well don’t stress too much about it, cause he wouldn’t want you agonizing over it either Lida: this is true Lida: … Lida: naveen? Taunie: he’s already in the zone Lida: sigh
When Naveen told you Team MZ was planning a birthday party for you… you hadn’t thought it’d actually be a party. As in, enough people for the lobby of Hotel Z to feel almost packed. The hotel’s never been so busy! Naveen, Taunie, and Lida are sitting with you near the armchairs as your friends start to arrive: Ivor and his younger sister Gwynn; Jacinthe with Lebanne on her heels; Corbeau and Philippe; and Canari and her grandfather. AZ stands at the front desk in discussion with Lysandre, occasionally looking over the scene with a slight smile on his face. Even Mabel’s here, though she looks a bit out of place as she glances around and keeps to herself. Grisham and Grishelle enter soon after, and it doesn’t take long for the pair to approach Mabel and engage her in conversation.
The Pokémon seem happy too: Naveen’s Scrafty hangs around near your Absol and Lida’s Starmie, while Jacinthe’s Mawile watches warily from a distance. Taunie’s Meowstic and Emma’s Espurr seem to be getting along well too.
It’s nice to see everyone after the madness of the whole Prism Tower and rogue Mega Evolution dilemma. Thankfully, with the help of all the people in this room, Lumiose City lived to see another day. Ironically, you don’t think you’ve had the chance to reconnect with everyone until now.
You honestly kind of forget that the party is supposed to be for you, and that’s a good thing. You don’t necessarily like being the center of attention, even when you’re with people you enjoy spending time with. But it’s only inevitable, especially when Lida brings out the cake with ignited candles and everyone sings ‘Happy Birthday’. You blow out the candles and the cake is sliced and dispersed with the help of Lebanne and Philippe.
You’re pretty sure you remember telling Lida that no one needed to bring gifts. Apparently your friend missed the memo, because there’s a growing pile in the strategy room. You’re touched by the gesture, though the thought of opening them all in front of a captive audience is kind of a nightmare. Fortunately things don’t come to that, as everyone mills about and enjoys spending time with one another.
As the night continues, people eventually start to leave. Canari’s grandfather is the first to go, citing an early morning the following day; Canari soon decides to head after him so she can walk him home. Grishelle and Grisham also have an early shift tomorrow morning, and Grisham sends you a two-fingered mock salute as he leaves. Jacinthe leaves soon after, followed by Lebanne. Lysandre appears to have slipped out at some point too. Mabel gives you a nod before leaving; then Ivor traps you in a massive bear hug and nearly breaks your ribs. Gwynn apologizes for her brother before following after him—though not before shooting a skeptical glance at Naveen. (She must not be over the fact that he won the Canari trivia contest.) Emma follows shortly after them, shooting you guys a wave.
There’s a presence at your side now. “If you want another battle, you know where to find me,” Corbeau says, a slight smirk on his face before he’s nodding and disappearing into the night. Philippe bids you goodbye and runs after his boss, leaving Team MZ and AZ in the hotel once more.
“Well,” AZ says, the first one to break the comfortable silence. He smiles down at you all, leaning on his cane slightly. “That was a successful celebration, hm?”
“No kidding!” Lida agrees.
“It was nice to see everyone,” Taunie nods. She turns to you, nudging your shoulder jokingly. “Guess you’re pretty popular, huh?”
“Guess so,” you huff self-deprecatingly.
“How about you open your presents?” Lida suggests.
“Okay,” you agree. Together, the four of you head over to the strategy room. “Wow,” you say as you enter, nearly stopping in the doorway as you see a decent pile of gifts and presents covering the table.
“Pop-ular,” Lida enunciates playfully, brushing shoulders with you as she walks past. You remember yourself and take a few more steps into the room, Taunie and Naveen following you. “Ooh, you should do mine first!” she suggests.
“I don’t think that’s how it works, Lida…” Naveen says disbelievingly, taking his typical seat on the far right side of the table. He’s wearing his typical Team MZ jacket over an orange sweater vest and black collared shirt; his green tie hangs somewhat loosely around his neck; and he’s sporting black pants and purple sneakers. Naveen’s long dark hair is pulled back and out of his face, though it looks like he’s opted for a low messy bun instead of a ponytail today. His vivid purple eyes latch onto you as you sit down across from him, before he’s looking away. “He’s supposed to pick.”
“Well, then he can pick mine,” Lida huffs, deftly grabbing a small teal-wrapped box in the center of the table. She hands it to you, strands of her dark hair falling into her face as she shifts in her seat. She’s also wearing her aqua Team MZ jacket, over a patterned shirt with sporty pants and chunky white boots. “Here you go!”
“Wait, aren’t we forgetting something?” Taunie frowns. She crosses her arms, the brown leather material of her jacket creaking in protest.
“Oh, right, the card,” Naveen realizes, fishing it out from the pile and handing it to you. “From the three of us.”
You take the card and read through it, a smile gracing your lips. Each of them wrote their own message on it, thanking you for your support and wishing you a happy birthday. “Thanks, guys,” you remark.
“No problem!” Lida says, nearly vibrating in her seat. “Now open my present, hurry!”
“Okay, okay,” you laugh, unwrapping the gift to find a small knit figure of your favorite Pokémon. You nearly gasp. “It’s so cute!” You hold it in your palms reverently.
“Right?” Lida grins, clearly happy that you like it. “There’s this lady in Rouge District that makes them. She’s super nice.”
“Thanks so much, Lida,” you smile. She shoots you a thumbs-up.
“Me next,” Taunie says, pushing over a light box adorned in dark green striped wrapping paper. You shake it jokingly, surprised at the slight rattling sound.
“Did you put—?” you ask, the words dying as you unwrap it to find plastic building blocks scattered throughout the box. Taunie is stifling a laugh, and so is Lida.
“That was just to throw you off,” Taunie admits, putting a hand over her face for a second and laughing. “I couldn’t resist.”
“I mean, I was confused,” you reason, managing to find a piece of paper underneath the bricks. Your eyes skim across the text. It looks like a printout of tickets.
“So there’s a new exhibit at the Lumiose Museum, with Hisuian art and artifacts,” Taunie explains. “I was thinking we could make a day out of it, get some coffee and go see it.”
“Yeah, that’d be great,” you agree easily. You’d heard of that exhibit a few days ago. It just opened, too. “Thanks, Taunie.”
Before you can attempt to reach for the perfectly wrapped box in front of you, Naveen’s pulling it away from you. “Do mine last,” he instructs you. You nod and reach for something else instead.
It takes you a while to get through to the end of the pile, but you’re very grateful for all the gifts. You get a gift card to Nouveau Café, courtesy of Grisham and Grishelle; an elaborate floral arrangement from Jacinthe, with a note from Lebanne attached; a journal from Mabel; a Canari plushie signed by Canari, with the adjoining card reading: ‘Still not too late to be a fan :P’; an assembly of useful items from the Racine Construction building, including a Metal Coat and a Quick Claw; a plate of cookies from Ivor, with a Spell Tag from from Gwynn and a note warning you not to eat Ivor’s cookies; TM089 (Toxic Spikes) from Corbeau; and 10 Heavy Balls from Philippe, which he maintains can’t be found anywhere in Lumiose City.
There’s crumpled wrapping paper and tissue paper thrown all over the room, random ribbons draped over chairs. Ivor’s cookies are looking more appealing by the minute, but judging by Gwynn’s note, he’s not the best baker. You nudge them aside as you reach for Naveen’s gift. He looks a bit restless, eyes locked on the wooden grain of the table like he’s finding it particularly fascinating. You decide to put him out of his misery by opening his gift, only for your breath to nearly hitch in your throat.
“I remembered you saying you left your gloves back home,” Naveen explains. You nod silently and look down, your throat burning a bit at the thoughtfulness of the gesture. Folded elegantly in the box are two pairs of fingerless gloves: both black; one made of lighter material, while the other pair looks like wool and has some sort of mitten attachment. The stitching is flawless, and you can’t even see any seams. When you squint, you can spot subtle dark grey thread weaving between the black in a wave pattern.
“You made these?” you ask.
“Yeah,” he answers.
You stare down at the gloves, reaching out and touching the fabric experimentally. Unsurprisingly, they’re extremely soft. “Wow…” you breathe, flipping them around and looking at them intently. “That’s… These are awesome.”
“The heavier ones can be for winter, or whatever,” Naveen continues. “They should be relatively waterproof and durable, but obviously, I can always patch them up.”
“Thank you so much, Naveen,” you reply, taking the lighter pair and trying them on. “They fit perfectly…” You flip your palms up and down, clenching and unclenching your fists. You’ve never worn a pair of gloves so comfortable before.
“Of course,” he huffs. “I know what I’m doing.”
“I know!” you say quickly. “I just mean… I don’t know. It’s impressive. I didn’t even give you measurements or anything.”
At that he nods a bit jerkily, looking askance. “It’s not that big of a deal…”
You’re moments away from arguing with him that, yes, it is a very big deal, and quite a thoughtful gift, when Lida interjects. She claps her hands together. “Well!” she exclaims. “Operation birthday was a rousing success!”
“Yeah, wow…” you say, looking around the room at the carnage you created. You get to your feet and start picking up some of the wrapping paper with Taunie. “Thank you guys so much. This was a great day.”
“You’re welcome,” Taunie answers. “Only the best for Team MZ. Right, Naveen?”
“Right,” Naveen agrees with a slight smile. He nods at you.
“Group hug!” Lida says, sneakily wrapping an arm around Taunie and another around Naveen. Taunie is quick to get the message, tugging you into the embrace until the four of you are hugging. Naveen grumbles something under his breath, but he doesn’t push any of you away.
To think, if you hadn’t come across Taunie at the train station, you never would’ve met any of them… Crazy. You’re so glad that fate brought you all together. You hug them just a bit tighter, before you’re all breaking apart and breathing a collective sigh of relief.
“I’m beat, I don’t know about you guys,” Lida says, yawning and stretching her arms above her head. She rolls her neck too, before stifling another yawn.
“Me too,” Taunie admits. “Want to call it a night?” she asks you.
You nod. “Yeah, of course,” you agree. You’re not about to hold your friends hostage all night. “Thanks again, guys.”
“Any time,” Lida smiles, giving you one last hug before leaving the room. “We’ll be upstairs if you need us!”
Taunie shoots you a wave and a smile before following Lida, leaving Naveen and you alone in the strategy room. It feels awkward. Or, at least, it should be awkward. But somehow you still feel comfortable. Though when you glance over at Naveen, he is already looking at you—even if he immediately snaps his head and glances away.
It’s quiet for a few more moments, before he’s turning to you again. “...Happy birthday,” he says.
“Thanks,” you answer.
“You’re saying that a lot today,” he observes, sounding a bit amused.
You shrug. There’s not much more you can say, aside from expressing your gratitude.
“Okay, well,” Naveen says, lurching forward. His hand falls on your shoulder and he kisses you on the cheek, before pulling away and clearing his throat awkwardly. You stare at him with what must be a shocked expression. “...Bye,” he then says, almost snapping around as he swiftly walks off. You stand there in complete disbelief, frozen with a hand to your cheek. When you finally manage to regain your composure, you run after him. Naveen didn’t get far—he’s in the courtyard of the hotel still.
“Where are you going?” you huff as you approach him. You fight off a smile, feeling weirdly giddy after what just happened. You manage to hold it back. “You’re not great at hide-and-seek, you know.”
He scowls. “I wasn’t hiding,” Naveen says. He’s still not really making eye contact with you, his back half-turned as if he doesn’t want to commit to genuine rudeness or ignorance. He exhales slowly, before turning toward you more. “I didn’t want to make this a thing. Not… Not on your birthday.”
“Okay,” you frown. “You still didn’t have to run off, though.”
“I didn’t want you thinking I expected anything back,” he replies. That’s generous of him, you suppose.
“I don’t,” you reassure him. Naveen isn’t that kind of person. If he expected something from you, he’d be upfront about it. You think you understand why he carried that out the way he did: He didn’t want you to feel pressured into accepting a more deep confession (if that is where this is going), nor did he want your future birthdays to come with remembrance of awkwardness and strained friendship. No. He walked away to give you agency. But you followed him, because you want him here.
“Good,” Naveen remarks. A beat. He hasn’t really moved, his hands still buried in the pockets of his jacket. Then he pushes his bang to the side, leveling you with an unreadable look. “You looked surprised.”
“I was,” you admit. You definitely weren’t expecting him to kiss you—even if it was just on the cheek. “But not in a bad way. Just… another great present.” You choke on an awkward laugh, scuffing your sneaker against the pavement.
“Really?” he asks quietly. It’s not necessarily a hopeful question; it just sounds inquisitive, almost doubting.
“Really,” you nod. Your heart is thundering in your chest as your eyes meet. You try to suppress your nerves as you continue to speak. “I don’t have to wait until your birthday to return the favor, do I?” you ask. Though you phrase it like a joke, you’re being entirely sincere.
Still, it’s funny: Naveen must not have expected you to say anything like that, because his eyes go wide and his nonchalant air briefly gives way to surprise. He’s quick to hide it, but you definitely notice it. “...No,” he answers. And before your heart can lurch in your chest… “You don’t have to wait.”
“Okay,” you agree, taking a tentative step closer. You study his expression, trying to decipher what he’s feeling right now. The background noise of Lumiose City: the occasional cry of a Pokémon, a conversation carrying across the wind, the hum of lights and electronics… It all fades to obscurity.
“Can I kiss you, then?” you ask.
“Yeah,” he nods.
“Just on the cheek?” you clarify. “Or, uh…”
“I think you’re making this worse,” Naveen points out.
“How?!” you exclaim with faux-offense. “I’m being respectful,” you huff. Only then do you notice the glimmer in Naveen’s eyes, the slight quirk to his lips that suggests he’s messing with you.
“I know,” he replies. This time Naveen is the one to take a step closer, until you’re nearly chest to chest. As you both lean in, he gently places a hand on the nape of your neck and guides you to lean down a bit before he kisses you.
“Thank you,” you say at some point after you break apart. Thank you for everything. Thank you for being you, for being here. You can’t quite get the words out at the moment, but you hope Naveen can get the general sense of the message.When it felt like the world was caving in on you, he was the one to keep you grounded. Whether Naveen knows it or not, he’s a big reason why you’re starting to love your life here in Lumiose City.
“I didn’t even do anything,” he frowns, still unconvinced or just adamant. It’s always hard to tell with him. You give Naveen an unimpressed look. “I didn’t,” he maintains, eyebrows furrowed.
“Keep telling yourself that,” you laugh, reaching out and interlacing your fingers. You have plenty of time to convince him just how important he is to you. But for now, you plan on enjoying the rest of your birthday—and that means heading back into the hotel together for whatever the rest of the night brings.
©2026, @defectivevillain | @defectivehero, All Rights Reserved. Reblogs are greatly appreciated—just don’t steal or share outside of Tumblr, please.
endnotes: screaming crying shaking sobbing throwing up
also shoutout to @connorhasabigtip for spending my bday with me and enduring this convo in starbucks:
me: i have a serious question to ask. anna, taking out her earbud: i’m listening. me: ok... i think i set myself up for failure here because it’s actually not that serious... *me showing a picture of naveen*: he has a dark green vibe, right? green for sure? anna: yeah, he’s giving green. me: exactly thank you anna: and that was a serious question
love u fish 😭😭
thanks for reading, everyone! <3
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