La Reina: Rika x Female Reader - Mesagoza, Pokemon League
GUYS.
I DIDN'T REALIZE I'D FALL IN LOVE WITH RIKA WHILE WRITING HER (I mean, it's not surprising, since I seem to fall EVEN HARDER for EVERY MAN I'VE WRITTEN FOR).
Rika is quite possibly the second anime female character I've crushed on (first one being Haruka/Sailor Uranus, but that's like, a given I think??).
Anyway, I'd write more, but this had be absolutely in love <33
Um...not tagging anyone because idk who wants to follow RIka's arc? (Rika fans...where are youuuuuu???)
Rika leaned back in her chair and exhaled through her nose.
Another one gone.
She marked the clipboard with a short, decisive stroke and slid it aside, already reaching for the next file. Kids came in bright-eyed and shaking. Teenagers came in overconfident or underprepared. Adults came in worse—too stiff, too rehearsed, like they thought the League was impressed by buzzwords and bravado.
None of them made it past the assessment test. And the ones that managed to? Immediately humbled by their Elite 4 battles. Rarely did those contenders come back for a second challenge.
It had been like this for a while now. Years, maybe.
Rika stretched, rolling her shoulders before lifting the glasses she wore for interviews and rubbing at her eyes. The room was quiet again, save for the distant shuffle of footsteps outside the door. She wasn’t tired.
She was annoyed.
It didn’t make sense to her. Losing to Geeta? Sure. That tracked. But failing to make it past the Elite Four entirely—especially Poppy—still caught her off guard. Maybe it was Poppy’s age. People underestimated her. Thought cute meant easy.
It never did.
Rika let her head rest back against the chair for a second longer than necessary. Her thoughts drifted, uninvited but welcome.
The last time she’d seen you in person was at the spaceport, luggage at your feet, eyes bright with something that looked like excitement and fear braided together. Since then, it had been calls when schedules aligned, texts sent at odd hours, video chats that were rare and always too short. Too many time zones. Too many obligations.
Another applicant stepped in, snapping her back into the present.
Rika straightened, professional instinct kicking in as she lifted the clipboard again. She asked the questions. Checked the answers. Nodded where appropriate. All the while, part of her mind stayed with you.
She remembered the first time she’d met you—back when you were still a student at Naranja Academy, all potential and promise packed into one determined kid. Rika had been new to the Elite Four then—not fresh, but not settled either—and something about you had caught her attention immediately.
You listened. You adapted. You thought.
So, she kept an eye on you.
Popped up during your Gym Challenge. Checked in under the guise of League business. Asked for a battle or two—not to intimidate you, just to see how far you’d come. And every time, you surprised her.
She’d encouraged you to take on the Elite Four.
You’d listened.
The interview had been routine. The battles were anything but.
You swept them—clean, confident, precise. Geeta slowed you down, sure, but even then, you’d pushed through. When it was over, the League had been buzzing. Talent like yours didn’t come around often. They wanted you. Top Champion. Elite Four. Gym Leader.
Rika had backed every offer—even if the Galar suggestion had left a bad taste in her mouth. She’d figured you deserved options. Freedom to choose. And you had.
You’d turned them all down.
No interest in the weight of Top Champion. No desire to sit among the Elite Four—especially not with something unspoken growing between the two of you. No wish to be tied to a single city as a Gym Leader. You wanted to move. To travel. To live.
Rika had respected that.
When you chose music, she’d waited. Stepped back until there was no line left to cross. And only then had she reached for you, openly, without hesitation or regret.
Later, when you were named a Paldea ambassador, she’d been there again—quietly pulling strings alongside the League to make sure Paldea had its place on the world stage. Not as a favor. As recognition.
Rika adjusted her grip on the clipboard and glanced up, already knowing how this would go.
Still, she couldn’t help thinking that if you were here, this wouldn’t feel so tedious.
Rika cleared her throat and glanced back down at the clipboard.
“Remind me,” she said, voice even, professional, “what do you intend to do if and when you become a Champion?”
The applicant hesitated—then launched into an answer that went nowhere. Something vague. Something hollow. Nothing about growth, or challenge, or even looking for their treasure. Just ambition without direction.
Rika didn’t interrupt. She never did.
When they finished, she marked the clipboard with a final, decisive line.
“I recommend taking some time to reflect,” she said calmly. “Come back when you have a clearer understanding of why you’re here.”
The applicant blinked. Then, their face crumpled. Tears followed—fast and unrestrained.
Rika exhaled slowly through her nose. That was the seventh one she made cry today.
She waited until the door closed behind them before rubbing at her temple and straightening in her chair.
“…Next applicant,” she called.
Silence.
Rika glanced toward the door. “Next applicant.”
A moment passed—then the door opened. Footsteps crossed the floor. Not heavy. Not hesitant. The sound of heels—light, controlled, each click deliberate but soft, almost musical.
Rika didn’t look up.
“Please tell me the name of the school you are enrolled in.”
There was the briefest pause.
“Naranja Academy.”
Her pen circled smoothly.
“And what brings you to the Pokémon League today?”
Another pause—long enough to register.
“Just for fun, I guess.”
Rika’s pen stopped.
She frowned faintly and made a mark on the page, already noting the assessment outcome. Still, she continued—policy was policy.
“Tell me,” she said, voice steady, “which of the eight Gyms gave you the most difficulty.”
“Glaseado Gym.”
Rika’s brows knit slightly as she wrote.
“And the name of the Gym Leader you faced there?”
“Grusha, of course.”
She nodded absently. Familiar answers. Familiar cadence. Still, she didn’t look up.
“And, what do you intend to do if and when you become a Champion?”
The response came easily. Amused.
“Last I checked,” the voice said, warm and unmistakable now, “I became Paldea’s Champion years ago."
Rika’s pen slipped.
"In fact, I distinctly remember being given offers to join their ranks.”
She looked up.
And froze.
You stood there, composed and radiant, lips curved in that knowing smile she’d missed more than she cared to admit—clipboard forgotten, frustration evaporating in an instant.
==========
You took her in before either of you spoke.
Rika looked…the same, and not at all. Same posture—relaxed but coiled. Same calm confidence. But the glasses did something dangerous to her, resting low on her nose, catching the light as she stared at you like she couldn’t quite believe you were real.
You smiled first. It was easy. It always had been with her.
That earned you a smile in return—slow, knowing, and unmistakably Rika—as she set her clipboard aside and leaned back in her chair, stretching her long legs out beneath the desk.
“So,” she said, voice easy, familiar. “When’d you get back, pretty lady?”
You laughed softly as you crossed the room, leaning your hip against the edge of her desk. “Just today. Thought I’d say hi before the rumors got too wild.”
“Too late for that,” she replied, chair scooting forward with a quiet scrape. Before you could say anything else, she reached out, caught your wrists, and tugged you gently—but insistently—into her lap.
The kiss was warm and sure, unhurried in a way that made your chest ache.
“Missed you,” she murmured against your lips as she pulled away to take you in. “Still feels kinda surreal seeing you right here instead of through a screen.”
You brushed your thumb along her jaw. “I missed you, too. Phone calls and video chats are never enough.”
She hummed at that, content, arms loose around your waist as the two of you lingered like time wasn’t pressing in from all sides. There was some idle chatter—about your trip back, about how long you’d be staying, about nothing important at all, really. Just the comfort of being close again.
Eventually, you tilted your head. “You wanna grab lunch?”
Rika glanced at her watch, then sighed, rolling her shoulders. “Yeah. I think I’m done for today.”
You blinked. “Already?”
She shrugged, mouth quirking. “All I’ve done is make people cry since this morning. Figured I should quit while I’m behind.”
That got a laugh out of you—half amused, half baffled. “You? Making people cry? I don’t buy it.”
“Trust me,” she said dryly, standing and stealing one more quick kiss. “It’s been a day.”
You smiled, threading your fingers together as she led you toward the door.
“Well,” you said lightly, “good thing we’ve got a lot to catch up on.”
Rika squeezed your hand, eyes warm behind her glasses.
Waking up to your Sylveon sitting on top of you was nothing new. You blearily opened your eyes, knowing you had fallen back asleep for a few hours. You couldn't feel the warmth of Rika's body pressed against you, which made you wonder where she had gone.
You were given your answer when she opened the front door, holding a cardboard box of supplies. Your Sylveon hopped down to go greet her and her Clodsire, allowing you to sit up.
"Whuzzat?" you asked, your voice slightly slurred from sleep. Rika looked over to you, smiling slightly at the sight of your tousled hair and half-awake face.
"Some supplies for the egg. Which, speaking of, apparently has a very affectionate older sibling." At her words, you looked over at where the egg was, only to see your Wooper literally sitting on top of it. You snickered at the sight.
"You could've woken me up, you know. I wouldn't have minded helping you out with that," you said. Rika shrugged.
"Nah, no worries. You looked comfy, so I didn't wanna disturb ya. Got us some lunch, though," she said, setting down a to-go bag on the coffee table. The smell of delicious food wafted over, and you nearly drooled.
You stood up to walk over to where Rika was setting up a little corner for the egg. A small, fuzzy blanket, an appropriately-sized pet bed, and a couple other items were now set out. You gently picked up the egg, somehow balancing Wooper on top of it, and placed it down on the bed, wrapping the blanket around the egg. Rika gave a couple small claps.
"Nice balance, you sure you haven't worked for a circus?"
"Not unless you count my homeroom class at Naranja Academy, no," you joked, earning a snicker from Rika. Before your internship, you were one of the adult students attending Naranja Academy, though your studies were put on hold for said internship.
You sat back down on the couch, resting your head on Rika's shoulder once she joined you. She wrapped an arm around your waist as she handed you the sandwich she had gotten you.
"Not too sure what kinda sandwich you like, so I just got you a plain ham and cheese, hope that's alright," she said, lightly rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. You shook your head with a smile.
"That's alright, I like ham and cheese," you replied. You both ate your sandwiches while watching some TV. Turns out, Rika was a fellow enjoyer of Pokemon documentaries. Once you both finished your food, your attention shifted to her hair. You half-watched the documentary, half-played with her hair a bit. She turned to you, an eyebrow raised.
"Sorry, your hair's just really pretty. You should let me style it sometime," you said.
"On one condition: you let me properly take you out sometime," she replied. You nodded in agreement to her terms.
Rika, seemingly satisfied with your nod, reached behind her and pulled out her hair tie, her long hair flowing freely.
"Go nuts," she said, kissing the top of your head. You immediately got to work, trying out a couple different styles before deciding on a long braid. It took a while, but you finished with the braid. Rika brought her hair over her shoulder, looking at your work.
"You outdid yourself, it looks real pretty," she complimented. You blushed at her praise, tucking a strand of your hair behind your ear.
"Thanks, I'm just glad it turned out alright. My braids can turn out a bit messy sometimes," you said.
"Really? I wouldn'tve known, you did so well," Rika said. She nuzzled her face into the top of your hair and pressed a small kiss there.
"You smell nice," she said. You laughed slightly.
"Probably my shampoo or something," you replied. Wooper scampered over to you two and began trying to hop up on the couch, though it couldn't quite jump high enough.
"Oh, that reminds me." Rika reached into her pocket and pulled out a pair of gloves, handing them to you. "For you, so you can hold the lil' guy here without needing some first aid on your hands. Believe me, I've been there thanks to the big guy over there," she said, nodding towards her Clodsire, which was snoozing away next to the egg.
You took the gloves from her and put them on, before lifting up Wooper and placing it on the couch. The small creature nuzzled against your gloved palm, then did the same to Rika's side.
"Aww, reminds me of when Clodsire was still just a baby Wooper," Rika commented, lightly patting the tiny thing's head. It seemed Rika's affection was quite popular, as your Sylveon, Espurr, and Meowscarada seemingly materialized out of thin air to beg for pets. Rika blinked surprisedly, before laughing merrily.
"Well aren't you all affectionate?" she said cheerfully, letting each Pokemon rub against her as she distributed pets and chin scritches. You swore you truly fell in love watching her get along with your Pokemon. You hadn't gotten to meet her Donphan, Dugtrio, Camerupt, or Whiscash yet, but they were taking up residence in your backyard, since it could accomodate their larger sizes better.
The egg in the corner wobbled slightly, as if whatever baby Pokemon inside could sense the love and kinship in the room.
"I'm glad you all are getting along," you said. Rika looked over at you, her smile still wide from interacting with your sweet Pokemon. She leaned forward to press a kiss to your lips, cupping your jaw. You kissed back softly, enjoying the fact that you have someone to experience this with.
Your heart thudded in your chest as she deepened the kiss, and you pulled away to catch your breath. Sylveon reached up with one of its ribbons and lifted Wooper off the couch, placing it with Clodsire and the egg, where Sylveon sat down next to them. Meowscarada took Espurr and went over to join the sleep pile, leaving you and Rika on the couch with her halfway on top of you. She stood up and took your hand, leading you to the bedroom.
"Are we gonna..?" you asked tentatively. Rika shook her head.
"Nah, that can wait for another time, baby. Right now, I just wanna kiss you till ya can't breathe anymore." The next hour or so was occupied with lots of affection from Rika.
The next morning, you woke up to sunlight streaming in through the window. You had almost forgotten what had happened the previous day, until you processed the warmth pressed against your back and the arms wrapped around your body.
You slowly sat up, stretching a bit with a soft groan. Your and Rika's Pokemon were all still sleeping, but Sylveon, Wooper, and Clodsire weren't there. Most likely, they'd moved to the living room. You were about to get up to brush your teeth and maybe shower, when you felt arms wrap around you once more.
"Sweetheart, where ya goin'?" came a low, raspy voice from behind you. Your heart fluttered at her tone and the pet name, but you tried to keep your cool.
"'m just going to brush my teeth and shower," you replied as Rika sat up and leaned against your back, her lips lightly pressing against your neck. You shivered, looking back at her.
"At least lemme go with ya," she said, her red eyes looking up at you from where her face was buried in the crook of your neck. Her hair was loose from its ponytail, draped sexily across her shoulders. You smiled slightly and nodded, standing up and helping her out of bed; you both had to be quiet so as to not wake up your Pokemon. Once in the bathroom, you gave her a spare toothbrush and let her borrow some toothpaste.
After you brushed your teeth, you began taking off your clothes, too tired to process the fact that you were about to get naked in front of Rika, who was currently giving you an up-down behind you. You turned on the water and waited for it to heat up. Once it did, you turned around to face Rika.
"Okay, water should be good now-" you cut yourself off with a small shriek, covering your eyes. "Sorry, sorry!" you apologized profusely to Rika, who just chuckled.
"Did you forget that taking a shower meant not wearing clothes?" she asked. You nodded sheepishly, turning back around to face the shower and taking your hands off your face.
"Yeah, sorta," you responded, stepping into the shower and letting the hot water run down your body. Rika stepped in shortly after you. You both helped bathe each other, and you were doing your damndest to not stare at her body, much to her amusement.
"Hey, I'll go make some breakfast," you said post-shower, putting on your clothes. Rika nodded, pressing a chaste kiss to your lips. You walked out of your room and started making your way to the kitchen. On your way, you looked towards the living room and saw your Sylveon sitting next to Rika's Clodsire, with your Wooper atop Clodsire's back. Between Clodsire and Sylveon, there sat... an egg? Uh oh.
"...Rika!" you shouted in a panicked tone. The green haired woman came running, looking around for any kind of danger.
"What is it, what's wrong?" she asked. You pointed to where the three, soon to be four, Pokemon sat. Rika's hand came up to cover her mouth. "Oh. My Arceus," she said in disbelief.
"What do we do with it?" you asked, chewing stressedly on your nail. Rika took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
"Okay, first, lets get something warm and soft for the egg, like a blanket." You nodded and ran off to your room, coming back. You walked up to the Pokemon and gently scooped up the egg into the blanket placing it down on the couch. Sylveon quickly hopped up to snuggle against it, with Clodsire remaining on the floor right next to the couch.
"I guess we just.. wait for it to hatch?" you said. Rika nodded.
"Raising a hatchling should be interesting. I'll order some breakfast takeout for us so we can keep an eye on this egg. We don't know when it's going to hatch, but it's our responsibility to keep it safe for the sakes of our Pokemon," she said. You nodded in agreement. The other Pokemon soon joined you all, each of them taking turns curiously touching and rubbing affectiontely against the egg. You and Rika sat cuddled together on the couch, eating the breakfast Rika had ordered for the two of you.
"Hey, not to overstep any boundaries or anything, but is it okay if I stay for a couple days until the egg hatches?" she asked. You nodded.
"Absolutely," you replied. You dozed off resting against Rika's side, and she moved the egg to sit on the floor with its parents while she pulled you against her chest, and dozed off herself.
You were pacing back and forth in your room, your Pokemon watching you as you did so. You knew that this was a casual thing, Rika had implied that when she said this was to get you to calm down around her. Still, you wanted to look nice.
Sylveon was following you around and trying to gently pet you with its ribbons to calm you down, while Meowscarada sat on your bed with Espurr in its lap. You began digging through your closet, tossing random clothes behind you until you found what you were looking for: a black collared shirt. Simple and casual, yet still giving off a presentable look. You'd wear your favorite sweater over it, as it was starting to get on the chillier side, alongide a skirt that had some cute frills along the hem and a pair of boots. You had just finished putting your shoes on when you got a notification on your phone. When you checked, it was a text from Rika.
"Hey, Geeta gave me your number. How's your evening going?" You nervously typed out your response.
"It's going alright. Yours?"
"Ah, mine's pretty chill. Hey, is it cool if I bring one of my Pokemon on our date?"
"Of course! I was planning on bringing one of mine, too."
The second you sent your message, you looked over to the three Pokemon on your bed. Your Meowscarada narrowed its eyes, as if to say "Don't you dare make me go with you on this date." Your Espurr didn't like being around people, and either way it was snoozing away peacefully.
Sylveon, on the other hand, seemed almost eager to go; pink tail swishing back and forth, ribbons slightly wiggling.
"Sylveon, you wanna come with me?"
"Syl!" it chirped in return. Another ping came from your phone: "Omw." Well, no backing out now. You stood up, doing your hair into your preferred style before turning to Meowscarada.
"Stay out of trouble, keep Espurr out of trouble. You know where the Pokemon food is, please be safe." You kissed it on the forehead, a habit you had developed back when it was still a little baby Sprigatito that you refused to let go of, and gave Espurr a few soft scritches on top of its head. You and your Sylveon went to wait in the living room, the affectionate Pokemon hopping up into your lap to lay down the second you sat on the couch.
Several minutes later, a knock soundes at your door. You practically sprinted over to try and calmly open the door. You were greeted with Rika in her usual outfit.
"Ms. Rika, hi!" you greeted. Rika chuckled slightly.
"Bah, no formalities needed. Just call me Rika, yeah?" she said. You smiled sheepishly and nodded, hearing a noise and looking down to see a Clodsire at her side.
"Aww, what a cutie," you cooed at the large Pokemon. Rika crouched down and gently pet its head with her gloved hand.
"Yeah, Clodsire's pretty cute." A small "Syl?" caught her attention, and she looked up to see your Sylveon approaching her. Sylveon sniffed her for a moment, before chirping and rubbing up against her. Rika smiled, lightly scratching beneath the Pokemon's chin.
"Looks like Sylveon's already fond of you," you said. Rika tilted her head, looking at Sylveon.
"That right? Lucky me." Rika stood back up, walking a bit closer to you. She was a few inches taller, you noticed. Rika took one of your hands in her hand, then leaned down to lightly kiss the back of it. "Y'know, your Sylveon ain't the only cute thing I'm lookin' at right now. You look good enough to eat, if I may be so bold."
Your cheeks flushed a similar shade to the pink of Sylveon's ribbons, and you nervously tucked a piece of your hair behind your ear. "I, uh, thank you. You also look great, Rika," you complimented, smiling timidly.
"Thanks, that's real kind of ya to say. Now, how about we get goin', eh?" she asked, leaning back up and putting one of her hands into her pocket. Rika held out her other hand for you to take, which you did. Her palm felt firm and comforting in yours, and you began following her as she started walking.
"Sorry that I'm not takin' ya to dinner, but I think this is something better," she said, though still not telling you where exactly the two of you were going. Your Sylveon and her Clodsire were getting along quite well, something you were glad to see. You shook your head.
"I dont really mind where we go. I honestly just feel lucky that you're even bothering to talk to me," you said sheepishly. Rika raised an eyebrow.
"'Course I'd talk to you, you seem like pleasant company."
"Oh, wow, thank you," you said, turning your head away at embarrassment from the compliment. You both soon arrived at... a forest?
"I know a great spot that I think you'll enjoy. I remembered that you like going out to observe wild Pokemon, so I thought this would be nice." You seemed surprised for a moment.
"You.. remembered that?" Back when you started your internship, you were told to write down why you were taking said internship and then read it out to Geeta so she could decide if you were qualified. Rika was there as well since one of the Elite Four had to be present. You had written down that you liked to observe wild Pokemon, and thought that it would be a fact that would fly under the radar.
"Sure I did, I like to keep track of stuff like that. Plus, you seemed interesting. I remember interesting people," said Rika, glancing back at you with a subtle smirk that made your stomach twist. You felt something brush against your leg, and looked down to see your Sylveon walking up to Rika. Sylveon lightly bumped up against Rika's leg, acting extra affectionate with her.
"Y'know, they say Sylveons often act as a translator for their trainer's true feelings. If the trainer dislikes someone, they act hostile. If the trainer harbors affections..." Rika trailed off, her gaze wandering down to where Sylveon was now purring loudly and wrapping one of its ribbons around Rika's leg. Your mouth hung open for a second. You seriously just got snitched on by your Pokemon. Thankfully, Rika just chuckled and left it at that.
You followed Rika through the forest, looking around at all of the wild Pokemon darting around here and there; a Cutiefly even flew up to you at one point. After a few minutes, you both emerged from the dark foilage into the blinding light of the fading sunset, which illuminated the large field of flowers in front of you. Your eyes sparkled in wonder at all of the Pokemon walking around without care, some blending in with the flowers, some not.
"Oh, wow," you murmured in amazement. It was so beautiful and peaceful, you were almost afraid that if you breathed too loud, it would all come crashing down. You were too focused to see how Rika was looking at you, like you were more beautiful than the flowers in front of you.
"Do you like it?" she asked, subtly intertwining her fingers with yours instead of the simple way you had both been holding hands before. You looked over at her, a smile on your face.
"It's beautiful, Rika, thank you," you said, turning back to look at where your Sylveon was now playing with a Pawmi. Rika's Clodsire began shuffling towards a patch of grass, seemingly determined to see something there.
"Hm? You find somethin' Clodsire?" Rika tilted her head, following it.
"Clodsire, clod," it went, gesturing towards the patch of grass. Letting go of Rika's hand, you knelt down to part the grass, and found a Wooper sleeping there. But it wasn't the usual brown color, it was more of a dark purple. It blinked its eyes open, looked at you, and began chirping happily.
"Well would ya look at that, looks like a lil Wooper has taken a liking to you," said Rika. The Wooper ran up to you and began sniffing at you. Your Sylveon walked over and lifted it into the air with its ribbons, similarly to a mother lifting her baby in the air to make it giggle. When Wooper was set back down, it waddled over to you, and then hopped up onto your palms. Your hands began to sting a little bit, and it was then you remembered that Paldean Woopers had poison-coated skin.
"Here," said Rika from behind you. You looked over to see her holding out a pokeball. She handed it to you, and you lightly tapped it against the Wooper's head, causing it to go inside. It rolled one, two, three times... then with a click and a ding, it stopped moving. You smiled widely, holding the pokeball close. Sylveon yipped, jumping up and down around you, nuzzling against the pokeball.
"Hey, your hands okay?" Rika asked, looking at you with concern. You smiled and nodded as you tucked the pokeball away into your bag.
"Yeah, nothing some ointment can't fix," you replied. Rika led you over to a nearby stream and washed the poison off your hands. Your palms were now a slight red color, and were starting to hurt a bit.
"Thought so. Let's head back, I can help patch you up a bit," she said, grasping her hand in yours. You nodded ashamedly, following her as she began walking. You felt incredibly guilty for cutting the date short. You decided to grow a pair and perhaps keep this whole thing from ending.
"Hey, would you maybe wanna... stay the night? I have some spare clothes that should fit you," you offered cautiously. Rika looked back at you, an eyebrow raised as she grinned amusedly.
"Wow, trying to get me in your bed already?" she teased. You immediately began sputtering and panickedly trying to explain.
"Nonono, that's not what I meant at all, I just meant-"
"I'm messin' with ya. Yeah, I'll stay over," she said, looking back ahead. You breathed a sigh of relief, before reaching into your bag and tossing Wooper's pokeball into the air, and the small creature immediately chirped at you happily before running over to Rika's Clodsire, hopping on top of the large pokemon.
"Looks like Wooper really likes Clodsire," you observed. Rika smiled down at the two Pokemon.
"It's like watching a father with his kid," she added, and you couldn't help but agree. After what felt like only a few minutes of chatting, you both arrived at your house. Rika opened the door and led you inside, your Meowscarada and Espurr likely both asleep in your room since they weren't on the couch.
"I'm guessing the medical supplies is in the bathroom?" she asked. You nodded. Rika sat you down on the couch, and went to go grab the medical supplies. Your hands really burned now, and you wanted to itch them, but that would only make them hurt worse. Rika soon returned, and began applying ointment.
"...Hey, again, thank you for making an effort to talk to me. It means a lot," you said, your cheeks going a bit pink. Rika smiled.
"Of course. I'd love to get to talk to you more, if that's okay," she said. You caught a hint of blush on her cheeks too, showing that maybe she was a bit more nervous than meets the eye.
"Yeah, I think I'd like that," you said softly. Rika paused while wrapping bandages around your hands, her red eyes locking onto yours. You both began to lean in a bit, when a small head popped in between your faces.
"Purr?" Your Espurr fell fowards onto the couch between you two. You both flushed and cleared your throats.
"Hello, Espurr. Sleep well?" you asked, gently petting its head.
"Espurr!" it replied. It looked over to Rika, and it began squirming onto her lap. Your face lit up in joy.
"Wow, Espurr's usually terrified of other people, I've never seen it just immediately warm up to someone," you said happily. Rika looked at the small, fluffy gray creature in her lap, and carefully began petting its head. Espurr began purring loudly, and curled up on Rika's lap with a yawn. Rika cooed quietly at the sight, and finished bandaging your hands without moving too much so as to not disturb Espurr. You tucked your hair behind your ear.
"Thank you for this, I seriously appreciate it," you said. Rika ruffled your hair.
"Anytime. Hey, you hungry?"
"A bit. I've got some curry I can make."
"Nah, I can make it. I have a recipe I think you'll like." Half an hour later, you and Rika were eating some of the best curry you'd ever had.
"This is delicious! You've gotta teach me how to make it sometime," you said, looking at her with an excited face. Rika chuckled.
"Sure. Or, I could come over more often to make you it." You giggled.
"I'd like that." As if on autopilot, you kissed her cheek without thinking. Rika looked over at you with slightly wide eyes and pink cheeks. You immediately backtracked.
"I'm so sorry, I don't know why I did that, you're probably super weirded out and-" You were cut off by the feeling of soft lips against your own, this time uninterrupted by a sleepy gray fluff ball. Your eyes fluttered closed as you enjoyed the curry-flavored kiss.
You and Rika parted from the kiss, and finished eating dinner. You both washed off your plates, and started getting ready for bed. Her Clodsire was snuggled up against your Pokemon and her own Pokemon, since she had brought their pokeballs with her just in case. You fell asleep with her face buried in your neck and her chest pressed against your back, and you couldn't help but think you'd like falling asleep this way for the rest of your life.
[The atmosphere is thick, Y/N is standing beside Rika, a bit... Nervous... But smiling politely as Rika is about to introduce him to the other elite four]
[Rika as usual... Cool and confident as ever, stands close to him, both gently holding hands]
Rika : Alright, boys and girls, I want you all to meet someone real special—
Larry : We know...
Hassel : Ah yes! Y/N, it's an honour to finally meet you!
Poppy : It's the good boy!
[Larry said with a tired tone while Hassel and poppy said with quite the excitement]
M!Reader : .....
[Y/N blinking, in shocked on how they reacted... It's almost like he's been talked about a lot–....Ooooh]
[Y/N stares at Rika]
M!Reader : ...How often do you talk about me...
Flashback montage🎶
[Cue a flashback Montage – Soft music plays in the background]
[Poppy’s sitting on a beanbag, listening intensely with wide eyes as Rika holds up a photo of Y/N smiling as he is handing her a Pokemon plushy in his hand]
[Rika explaining the context of the photo with full detail with a smile]
Rika : He got me it himself, He said I deserve a proper battle buddy
