Guzma fucking loves bugs. They’re his most favorite thing in the whole wild world and he thinks bugs are majestic and beautiful creatures. He is a walking encyclopedia of bug pokemon knowledge and one day he’s going to have every bug and hug every bug and he loves how spinarak and ariados weave beautiful web patterns and how scyther rub their blade wings together to keep them sharp and how masqurain and ribombee and butterfree and mothim and venonat and beautifly and dustox all flutter in the wind and the lovely music kriketune make and just bugs man Guzma just loves bugs and their silly antennae and exoskeletons and pincers and their cute faces and pretty colors
When Morty’s PokeGear rang around 1 AM, it made him look up from his report in surprise.
Spending the last few hours working on his monthly report to send to the League, he had holed himself up in his personal office/bedroom for maximum privacy. He’d kept his PokeGear within reach just in case he got some kind of call from the League but after the clock struck midnight, he let himself to be absorbed in his work. Surely no one would call this late at night, right?
Morty picked up the ringing device and checked the caller ID. His surprise did not fade upon seeing the name. Huh, Who would have thought the wayward Champion would be his mysterious caller. Clicking on the call button, he brought it to his ear and said, “Hello, this is Morty speaking. How can I help you Gold?”
There was a murmured greeting in response but after that, the line went silent on Gold’s end. For a moment, he wondered if he had hung up on him but a quick check revealed it to not be the case. He was about to prompt him to speak up when he heard a quiet, “What do you do when you can’t sleep?”
Ah, so that was the problem. Placing down his pen, Morty leaned back, eyes trained on the ceiling. “Well, if you can’t sleep, a good cup of milk will go a long way. I’d suggest tea but the caffeine in it might be counterproductive, even if it is soothing. Hmm, if that doesn’t help, I find watching some mindless show helpful.” A pause. “If you’re unable to do that... well, if you’re in the area, you can swing by. I’m still up and will be for a few more hours if you... just want to talk...”
This was not the first time he made this offer and it won’t be the last.
The words come as something of a surprise to her; an odd juxtaposition against a mosaic of playful teasing and careless jokes. Dawn blinks and Gold can’t seem to look her in the eye, suddenly preoccupied with the pocket of his hoodie as he keeps his gaze on his lap uncomfortably. He manages to sneak a sidelong glance at her before tearing it away again at the realization that she had been staring straight at him that whole time, attempting to decipher a correct response to his statement. Dawn finally averts her eyes to her hands, fidgeting with the ends of her skirt; she’s unsure of what exactly he’s looking for.
Acceptance, maybe...?
“With... what, exactly?”
He doesn’t answer her immediately, instead seeming to tense up at her own question; did he have something specific in mind, or did he speak without thinking? Dawn looks up at him again, still keeping his direct attention on his hands rather than on her, and fails to decipher the answer he’s seeking. She hadn’t thought about it in depth before--if she trusted Gold, or for how long she has possibly done so by now--and suddenly struggles with how to word herself.
Dawn wonders, for a moment, if he’d laugh off her worries or flounder if she needed him to help her recollect herself. But it is then, in their heavy silence, that she recalls that Gold--despite his running mouth and inevitable ability to push all of her buttons--had just as many walls to break down as she did; that, in all of his ridiculous schemes and troublemaking grins, was likely someone who also feared openness and change with new people. Dawn thinks that, perhaps, he’s just trying to take a first step; something she knows to difficult to come to terms with on its own. So she breaks the silence, her voice quiet and reassuring.
She’d never tell a soul, but Dawn likes his eyes best. She thinks they’re pretty and she likes how expressive they are, especially because they’ll usually light up with his whole face. They’re also the easiest part of him she can get a read on--if he’s hiding something, his eyes usually tell her that best.
★: First thing that changes when they realize they care about your muse
It’s something she goes out of her way to walk on eggshells about, because at that point, she’s always a little unsure as to what Gold finds reassuring or comfortable. Dawn knows he’ll try to brush things off or distance himself if she suddenly starts voicing concern (or to an extent, affection), because, well, it’s not something they’ve ever done between all their lighthearted bickering. So, she starts actually voicing compliments from time to time when he least expects it, and might occasionally text to stay safe or remember to eat at the end of the night. In short, she starts to become a slight bit more open with him, in possible hopes he might feel comfortable enough to do the same.
☆: What they miss about your muse when they're apart
Generally, she misses the humor he brings along with all his rambling and storytelling when he’s usually around. Gold’s one of the few people she finds herself laughing pretty freely around, so she usually misses all the fun things they manage to get themselves into.
“Now don’t and try to use this information for blackmail or anything, okay?”
Fuck: Well, I’m certainly not opposed in the idea of doing it with Eusine. I won’t deny that our kind of relationship, with him leaving for months at a time and returning unannounced elicits a sort of tension between us that is best alleviated through... physical means.”
Marry: I don’t mind marrying Falkner. I’ve known him for as long as I could remember and I really trust and care for him. I feel like if we were to get married, I’ll be able to look after him better. Sometimes I worry about him, like if he’s eating properly and the like. I don’t want anything bad to happen to him.”
Kill: I suppose by default, the foul deed is inflicted on Pryce. I apologize but then again, this could be seen as a fast pass straight to the other side. To be stupidly frank, ya ain’t got that long left anyway old timer.”
“Ya, well I don’t really see how it’s any of ya damn business. So if you’ll get off my back-”
He wasn’t getting away with it that easily, Cynthia snatched a fistful of his collar as he turned to leave. Diantha reached out a hand to stop her but thought better of it. The other Champions looked on in grim silence.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” her voice, which had been so calm and collected in the venue, rose to a shout. “Is this position some kind of joke to you? You think Lance gave up his position for you to make a mockery of your entire region?”“Get off!” Gold twisted in her grasp, reaching behind his head to try and free himself. “Well do you?” she insisted.
“It was my speech! Why do you even care?” he scrambled free to face her like a ruffled murkrow, looking thoroughly offended.
“Listen kid-”
“I’m not a kid!”
“Champion is a title that represents not just you but everyone in your region,” Cynthia lowered her voice to a low tone, growing uncharacteristically serious as she gestured around the greenroom. “It represents every single one of us. If you think acting out with joke speeches and arrogant statements harms only you then you are wrong!”
“Oh yeah?” Gold sneered, he was on the defensive and wasn’t happy about it. “Like you’re such a fuckin’ saint, Ya think I’ve never seen you in a tabloid? They’ve got some shit to say about you, you can be sure of that-”
If he were her age Cynthia might have slapped him.
“You and I do not always see eye to eye, kid. But as a Champion I respect you as a peer and equal. Believe me when I say that there can be serious repercussions when you underestimate the weight of your job,” there was truth in her words. But perhaps in a region where the greatest threat was a mob boss it would be hard for the younger trainer to understand. Cynthia took a deep breath to calm herself, she did not like losing her cool demeanour in public. She hoped that Gold would understand that she was so angry because she believed he was wasting his potential.“You were not my equal today, do you understand?”
