Season's Greetings || Touya & Cheren
A gust of cool wind ruffled Cheren’s hair as he paused outside a women’s clothing store, his Stoutland following closely at his side. Downtown Castelia City was busy as ever with the holiday season settling in and everyone rushing to buy their gifts before the sales came to an end. Shopping for friends and family was never Cheren’s forte and it didn’t help it when they gave him such vague ideas either.
Patting the top of Stoutland’s head gently, he glanced down at his Pokémon companion with a half-smile on his lips. "What do you think?" he asked quietly. "My mother’s list says she needs new sweaters for the winter season. Perhaps there’s something in there Bianca or Touko would like, too. Hmm, but what about.."
Speak of the devil, Cheren would later find himself thinking. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of an all-too-familiar blue jacket. Stopping and turning around completely, he was greeted with a crowd of people caroling together, but just beyond them, there was a person Cheren knew all too well headed in the opposite direction.
"Touya!" he called, hoping to grab his friend’s attention. However, the singing of "Rudolph the Red-nosed Stantler" made it difficult for him to be heard from that far away. Jogging past the carolers, Cheren managed to catch up to him and extended a hand to grasp Touya’s shoulder. Once he turned around, Cheren nodded in greeting.
"Hey there," Cheren said, clearing his throat and straightening his back. "I thought that was you, Touya. It’s been awhile since I last saw you. How’re you doing?"
Touko the leader, Cheren the brain, Bianca the spirited, and Touya..the infamously awful gift giver.
Every year without fail their friend would -with all the best intentions- buy the group dreadfully awful holiday presents. There was the year he had purchased them all 'ugly' sweaters and then paid for a group portrait. -One that he kept in his wallet at all times- Or the time he had bought Cheren a pair of glasses -in his own prescription- . Or who could forget the time he had been low on cash and had tried to bake them all customized cookies of their teams?.. His mother's kitchen had never recovered.
Completely oblivious to his shortcomings as a gift-giver Touya loved the holiday season. He'd hum along with the carolers, donate at every chance, and was always feeling some kind of festive. Today? He proudly wore a hand knit sweater of a Stanler underneath his windbreaker. This was going to be a big year- his friends had finally -sort of- forgiven him for his soul searching mission through the regions and he was certain that this year would definitely top all the others.
He was scrolling through his Xtransceiver, looking up nearby sales in the city when he heard an all too familliar voice over the chorous of carolers.
"Cheren!"
He wastes no time in slinging an arm around his leaner friend's shoulders. Some things would never change.. Touya always responded warmly, even if he hadn't seen a friend in months he could make it seem like they had just spoken. That was always his gift- the way he could draw in other people.
"Heh- Good, good! Just y'know doing some shopping for everybody- Hey!" He leans in close as if divulging some great secret. "Do you think Touko would want some Cottonee ear muffs?"
He tips his head to the side- fast paced as usual around this sort of thing. "Or maybe I could swing for the Panpour ones- And Touko could have the Pansear and you- Ah!" He's on the fast track to another year of kitschy gifts, that's for sure.
