[ Making Up & Making Out ]

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"Don't forget about us just because you have a boyfriend now!" — When people told their friend that, you would always laugh, claiming it to be ridiculous. A person couldn't possibly change so much or neglect their other acquaintances just because they had gotten in a relationship with someone. That's what you used to think until that 'person' became you.

Saying that you had replaced your other friends with Flint, the popular afro-head you happened to be dating for months now, would be an exaggeration, but it was true that you had been spending every free second of your time with him. That was by no means to spite your friends, but rather the only choice you were given due to both your and your lover's packed schedules.

With Flint being a member of Sinnoh's Elite Four, his days consisted of him helping out at the Pokémon League — those tasks either being battles against challengers or other errands Cynthia and Bertha made him run. You were far less busy but still had a job to tend to as the Vista Lighthouse keeper in Sunyshore City.

Though the occupation had considerably lost its value and importance over the years, especially seen as Sunyshore is now one of the most advanced — if not most advanced — cities in the region in matters of technology, you were as passionate about replenishing fuel and doing maintenance tasks in the tower-like building as people used to be in the old days.

So when both you and Flint did end up getting a shared day-off, it was self-explanatory that you would spend it by doing something together. Sometimes it was going on dates in the most romantic spots in Hearthome City, other times it was climbing your way up the Battle Tower to challenge the almighty Palmer. The two of you simply lazing on the sofa, watching movies and enjoying one another's warmth was also something you had made a habit of.

Today's holiday was an exception though. Despite neither of you having work scheduled, you didn't make plans to meet until later in the evening when you would both spend the night at your house. You and Flint had come to the conclusion that you were spending far too much time being joined at the hip — though the red-head protested that there wasn't such a thing as 'being too much around you' — so you made appointments with other people for a change.

Flint had promised to meet Jasmine, an acquaintance the two of you had in common, and catch up on life, seen how the caramel-haired girl lived in the faraway Johto region and usually only came here during vacation or on special occasions.

You, on the other hand, couldn't wait to see Volkner, Flint's childhood friend and the dearest guy friend you had ever had the pleasure of making. At first it started out with you trying to win his favor back when you still had a crush on Flint, hoping that a friend of his liking you would make the person in question admire you more as a consequence.

Despite having seemed gloomy and emotionally-detached in the beginning, Volkner and you hit it off brilliantly — no matter if the concerned topics of conversation were Pokémon battles or different things entirely. He was also the person who had given the last push your shy, past self needed to muster your courage and confess to the fiery Elite Four member.

"Did I keep you waiting for long?" It was said blond man's voice that collected you from your own little world, calling you back to the present when you jerked your head in his direction. You had been waiting outside his Gym in order for him to properly conclude his duties as its Leader for the day, though not for too long.

"Don't you know that it's rude to keep a lady waiting?" You retorted playfully, raising a brow at him as your lips reflexively curled into a smirk. He returned you a small smile before the two of you began walking down the many suspended roads that not only connected the entire city but collected solar energy to power it.

"Before being a lady, you're a bro and bros don't mind the wait." Came Volkner's unexpected reply, one which you knew better than to take personally. He wasn't the kind of person to use such casual mannerisms of speech though, but being surrounded by Flint and his younger brother on a regular basis must have caused their habits to rub off on the electric-type expert as well. "How come you decided to hang out with me instead of smooching around with Flint?"

"Come on, you're exaggerating. That's not all I ever do." You grew a tad self-conscious when Volkner so blatantly exposed you, the way he chuckled further rubbing salt into the wound. Straightforward people were nice to have around and easy to get along with as they rarely kept things to themselves, but if you dared to say, this almost shameless honesty was one of their downsides. "We both decided to meet up with other people for a change, so if I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna do it right."

"I don't know if I should feel honored or like a replacement." The blond's jest earned himself a slap to the back of his head by you, accompanied by your reassurance that the latter would never be the case. He was curious as to who his red-haired buddy was spending time with and what kind of power that person possessed, given that it was enough to rip him off of you for once. Flint sort of struck the majority of his acquaintances as someone clingy, and you didn't blame them for assuming the obvious.

"Jasmine is back in Sinnoh, so they went out for a drink. I would have loved to tag along and chat with her too, but I wasn't officially invited, so I didn't want to barge in." You explained, using your hands to perform a few motions as you spoke. You had picked up that little custom from Buck mostly, but his elder sibling also had great influence over it.

What you said seemed to have sparked an emotion inside of Volkner which you couldn't quite assign a name to. Propping your brow upwards a tad, you decided to mirror his way of inquiring without restrictions. When you asked him why he was giving you a skeptical look, the cyan-eyed man needed to clear his throat before retorting. "He's meeting up with Jasmine? Alone?"

"Yeah? I don't see anything wrong with that?" You answered with equal confusion in your voice as the other if not even a tad more. It took you a moment to finally catch up with his train of thought and when realization finally hit you, you couldn't stop yourself from rolling your eyes at Volkner's cliché way of thinking. "I mean, aren't I meeting you on my own, too?"

"I guess you have a point." Solid arguments were the only thing in which the electric-type Gym Leader could be so quickly defeated, but the male knew better than to insist on matters he knew he was in the wrong about. "Still, you're pretty amazing. If I were in your shoes, I'd constantly be paranoid, thinking things like 'what if he's cheating on me' and stuff."

"Really? I didn't know you were the dependent kind of guy." It wasn't your intention to make fun of the blond, but he truly appeared like the lover who wouldn't be too bothered about such things. "Well, I guess if we weren't dating, I'd be worried. Like, have you seen Jasmine? She's so pretty, cute, has a great personality and is an amazing Trainer. She's perfect dating material."

"I don't want to be one of those crazy, possessive girlfriends and not let Flint meet anyone without me being there to hold his hand. Besides, I trust him, and he obviously trusts me, too." Without even realizing it, Volkner and you dove deeper into the conversation to the point that it was almost difficult to return to your jokes and playful exchanges.

As if to help you get back on track, you had reached the front of the Proprietor's Café, a nice little coffee bar that offered both drinks and snacks. It was situated close to the Sunyshore Market, so the small building was usually buzzing with people from all around. It was somewhat of a relief to walk in on an almost empty room, but that relief was rather short-lived.

"Hey look, aren't those Flint and Jasmine? We might as well barge in anyway." Volkner's observation turned out to be spot-on when your gaze followed his, landing on an all too familiar red afro-head and caramel-colored pigtails that pointed upwards. You agreed with the blond's way of thinking this time, happy that you didn't need to feel bad about showing up uninvited when your meeting here was a mere coincidence.

Just as you were about to call out to the two that sat at the counter at the end of the room, your words got stuck in your throat despite the fact that your lips were parted and ready to move. The sight you were compelled to take in was by no means pleasant, and it was so shocking that you had no idea if you were seeing right or if Volkner's blabbering had gone to your head.

Jasmine had shamelessly pushed herself onto Flint, forcing a kiss on his lips despite knowing perfectly well that the two of you were dating.

Volkner wasn't one who expressed his emotions unless absolutely necessary, but the scenario at hand was too much even for his usual pokerface to handle. He felt so guilty even though he had done nothing to contribute to what was happening, and all he could do in the spur of the moment was cover his hanging jaw with his hand.

In your eyes, Flint wasn't the person to shove the blame to, since immediately after catching up with what was happening around himself, he pushed Jasmine off of him. Despite knowing that, your stomach twisted and turned in discomfort and you sensed the nauseous feeling rise to your chest before arriving all the way up to your throat.

Figuring the time and place were the worst ones to cause a scene at right now, Volkner's first instinct was to take your hand in a way so gentle that it was almost misleading. Even though the urge to walk up to the two and give Jasmine a piece of your mind was seconds away from overthrowing your rationality, you held on tightly to the latter and settled on acting maturely. Though you were mortified that just earlier you had said that she had a great personality — no girl with a great personality would attempt to steal her friend's lover or pull any other similar stunt like Jasmine just did.

Wordlessly was how Volkner dragged you out of the Proprietor's Café, never once having made a movement to alert Flint and the Johtonian Gym Leader, who seemed to be getting to the end of whichever conversation they had been holding, of your presence. An uncomfortable silence hung between you and the blond as you aimlessly wandered the city. That was the case until it eventually began suffocating the taller individual. "[Name], are you alright?"

"I'm... fine." The fact that no words immediately came to mind when you had to deliver your answer was also the cause of your momentary hesitation. Having exited the building must have helped you in matters of ridding yourself of that nauseous feeling, but you were still left with a lingering, bitter aftertaste.

"I'm so, so sorry. I feel like I just jinxed you guys' relationship with my stupid rant earlier." Volkner blurted out apologetically, raising his hand to his face and rubbing his temples as if to release stress through that gesture. He was as aware as you were that there was nothing he could have done to either influence it or prevent it from happening entirely, but you still felt a bit better, knowing that he didn't want you to shoulder those negative emotions on your own.

"You shouldn't be feeling guilty. I mean, what were the odds of us meeting them in there? And the odds of Jasmine... doing what she did." You attempted to make yourself sound less gloomy by forcing a chuckle to leave your lips, but the blond Gym Leader was no fool. The motivation to get a drink with your close friend left you the same way that fake laugh had left your mouth and you suddenly just wanted to crawl into your bed and comfort yourself with greasy food.

"Actually, scratch that. I'm not fine, I feel like trash." You admitted aloud, stopping in your tracks and gritting your teeth as you directed your gaze to the ground. It crushed Volkner to see you in such a state, even more so since he was powerless and since Flint wasn't even aware of what was happening. "Do you mind if we postpone our hangout to some other time?"

"Of course not! I'm more worried about you right now. Do you want to come to my place? People say I'm a good listener! They also say I suck as soon as I open my mouth to give advice, though." You could tell that the electric-type expert was trying his hardest at being the comedian of the duo, but that role was more fit for you. Still, it was the thought that mattered, and that alone was enough to bring a smile to your lips.

"Thanks Volkner, I appreciate it. But I think I'll just head home for today." Keeping that small smile on your face was harder than you'd imagined, but you succeeded nonetheless. The blond gave you a skeptical look before asking if you were truly going to be OK on your own. A nod was your answer, and you were soon given a warm hug from the taller male.

"If you change your mind and want a shoulder to cry on, you know where to find me." Volkner spoke in a tone so soft that you almost regretted the moment he released you from his strong arms. You hit his shoulder playfully as if to spite it, yet again brushing off the situation lightly. "Come on, it's not the end of the world! I won't cry over something like this."

You did say that, but you still needed some more convincing from yourself. The two of you parted ways moments after exchanging one last goodbye, and the steps you took to get back to your house had never been as fast as they were today. Slump onto your sofa was the first thing you did upon arriving, followed by the act of turning on the television for some background noise.

Rather than crying, you felt like groaning and yelling in frustration — you were still unable to grasp the fact that Jasmine was such a fake person! You buried your face in a pillow several times before screaming in it, releasing your pent-up emotions. It sounded dramatic, but it really helped you blow off some steam.

At some point you found yourself passively following the plot of a drama that was airing until your thoughts drifted off anew. You were still positive that Flint was innocent and you had zero intentions whosoever of getting into an argument with him over something he had no control over. You figured that you would talk it out in case he were to bring up the incident, and that otherwise you would just pretend it didn't happen in the first place.

"I'm home!" Boomed the red-head's voice energetically across the entryway, reaching your ears and waking you from your trance. You instantly shot up from your prior position and you felt as if all the sadness and anger had been shooed away the instant your eyes fell on the fiery Elite Four member. "I knew I shouldn't have listened to you! I missed you so much!"

"You're such a drama queen." You chuckled while Flint made his way over to you — not that you were in any position to speak. He flashed you a toothy grin when you told him that you had missed him as well, and he was about to lean down to your level to steal a kiss from your lips when he suddenly froze.

You, who had closed your eyes in anticipation, ended up waiting for a pair of lips that never brushed against your own. Getting a tad suspicious, you opened them, only to be faced by the uneasy expression Flint was wearing. The mere sight of it caused another storm to erupt in both your mind and stomach, and you were growing very uneasy with every second that the red-head spent hesitating.

"A shower! I should go take a shower first!" Was all he said before he scurried away to the bathroom, leaving you more gloomy than you had been when you saw Jasmine kiss him. Speaking of kisses, Flint was fine with getting smooched by someone like her but wasn't OK with giving you your everyday greeting peck?

Jasmine's kiss didn't make him change his mind about your relationship, did it?

He wouldn't be planning a break-up in the shower, would he?

Jumping to conclusions seemed to be your specialty today, and as if to distract yourself from them, you once again dove your head into the soft pillows of the couch. You weren't intending of retracting your face from it if it weren't for your sudden lack of oxygen, but when you did sit up again, you were left even more breathless than before.

You weren't particularly afraid of any Pokémon, but a certain bug-type species was a pro at making your hair stand on end, especially if those little critters showed up out of the blue, uninvited — just like right now. The Spinarak your wide eyes were resting on had found a comfortable spot on top of the screen of the TV, lazing there without a care in the world.

Being loud hadn't been your intention, but screaming truly was your reflex when seeing the six-legged green creature. A sound that reminded you of a crash joined your shriek from the bathroom, followed by heavy footsteps until the cause of it all was exposed to you — almost entirely bare if you may added. Literally.

"What happened?!" Flint panicked frantically, having raced all the way to the living room with his hair still wet and a towel barely keeping his lower areas hidden. By that time you were already seeking refuge behind the sofa, cowering in fear before a Pokémon that was at least twenty times smaller than you in matters of size.

"T-There! A S-Spinarak!" You stuttered, pointing towards the television, the highlight of the episode that was still being displayed on its screen as well as the critter that sat atop it. Any other person would have been exasperated at your behavior, especially since it had been so exaggerated to urge someone to rush out of their shower, but Flint certainly wasn't. He knew about your discomfort of bug-type Pokémon the same way you knew about his fear of heights.

"It's OK now, I'm right here." The afro-haired male said reassuringly — he certainly sounded confident for someone who was entirely naked safe for the humble towel around his waist. He approached the Spinarak and captured it, only to free it by gently throwing it out of your window.

Once you were absolutely certain that the Pokémon was no longer within your sight, you climbed over the couch and sat down in your prior spot, only to have Flint seating himself right next to you despite the droplets of water that rolled off his toned chest and soaked the cushions. Even though he didn't know what exactly this was about, the red-head was aware that the Spinarak hadn't been the only cause of your discomfort, and knowing that you didn't feel at ease made him restless as well.

"Is... something the matter?" He shyly asked after having gathered the guts to, something he rarely needed to do as it usually came naturally. You avoided his ashen eyes at first, but decided to face both him and the problem at hand in the end. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

"You're losing interest in this, aren't you? In us." Even though it was the last thing you wanted him to agree with, you went ahead and voiced your growing insecurity, gaining a pair of surprised orbs and a distressed expression. "[Name], what are you saying?! Never in a million years would I stop loving you!"

"Then what was that earlier about? When you came back, you didn't even want me to give you a kiss..." Saying it out loud made you feel a bit pathetic — and again — way too dramatic, but Flint was just the type of person to whom little things like welcome back kisses mattered like nothing else. Obviously you would get insecure if he were to stop doing the little things he enjoyed so much.

"That— I can explain." The afro-head appeared to be getting impatient himself, something you could tell by the fugitive way he ran his hand through his slightly wet hair. "Will you promise me that you'll listen to me until the end?"

Wether it was good news or bad ones, you couldn't tell, but given Flint's unusual serious expression, it had to be important. And so, you lifted your feet from the ground, bringing them up to yourself in order to sit criss-crossed while facing your boyfriend entirely as you gave him a faint nod. He inhaled deeply before heaving a loud sigh.

"I told you I'd be meeting up with Jasmine today, remember? Well, it turns out she didn't see me the way I saw her and she kind of... kissed me. I didn't want to though, please believe me! I pushed her away and everything, but I still feel as if I've cheated on you..."

"I didn't want to kiss you right away because there was probably still a trace of her lips on mine... I hurried to the bathroom so I could wash it off, and I swear I was planning to give you lots of kisses once I was done!" Flint explained desperately, making those dramatic hand movements you had picked up from him.

Hearing his part of the story made you feel stupid for ever doubting his feelings for you, for ever assuming things based on your presumptions alone. You actually even laughed at the realization that the Elite Four member had been implying that he tried rinse his lips because of a one-sided smooch a girl that wasn't his lover initiated.

"I can't believe you! Only you would come up with stuff like that!" You chortled, leaping right into Flint's bare chest while enveloping his neck in your arms. He didn't need a reason as to why you suddenly decided to do what you did. What mattered the most to the young man was that he had you right where he wanted you to be: in his embrace.

"I'm sorry." The afro-head meant his words the way he said them, but his sheepish chuckle did its part at coating his intentions in playfulness. He was well aware that he was a bit too simple-minded for someone his age — sometimes even childish — but Flint also knew that it was that very trait that attracted you to him. "I didn't know you would think that I'd break up with you just because of that! I was more scared of you not wanting to be my girlfriend anymore."

"It's actually not just that." You admitted, deciding to come forward with the things you already knew and why they had led your train of thought astray. "I actually saw you and Jasmine at the Proprietor's Café, and I saw how she... kissed you. So when you came back and acted that way, I really thought she'd made you change your mind about me."

"Shouldn't you know better than anyone how my heart burns for you? Who is Jasmine to take that fiery passion away from me?" Flint stated with so much genuineness that you felt your cheeks heat up at this cheesy words. As if to prove his point, the Elite Four member brought his strong arms to your back, adjusting your sitting position a tad before bringing your faces together.

He greeted your lonely lips with his own, pressing a heartfelt kiss against them. You wanted more than anything to return the gesture, but by the time you caught up with his actions, he had already pulled away only to flash you a childlike pout. "So, are you still mad at me? Or can we make up?"

"I was never mad at you in the first place, silly." The urge to playfully flick his forehead was too strong to resist, but the reflex of kissing it better came just as fast. Your boyfriend's specific use of words drove you to come up with a way to mess around with them, and you were sure that Flint — being the person he was — would pick up on your little game. "But do you know what I'd rather do than make up?"

"Make out?" Grinning like a dork apparently wasn't enough when saying that, given how Flint wasn't able to fight off the desire to wiggle his brows at you suggestively. You laughed at his reaction and correct guess before allowing the entire weight of your body to fall against your lover's, him catching your lips with his own.

With Flint being so lightly dressed, it was hard to dismiss the temptation to run your hands along his toned body. You allowed the tips of your fingers to brush along your lover's hard abdomen, all the way up until they reached his broad shoulders. The curve of his jaw was where your hand came to rest in the end as he continued pressing passionate kisses against your soft lips.

Just like you had allowed your fingers to roam free on Flint's skin, he let his own explore your every curve, slowly and discreetly pulling you on top of his thigh — since leading you on top of his lap in his current state was too critical of a thing to do.

As you were pulling away to catch a breath or two, Flint quickly dove in for another series of kisses, this time truly doing justice to the term 'making out' by skillfully slipping his tongue between your slightly parted lips. You greeted his wet muscle with your own, shivering slightly when you felt your lover's hand climbing up your back. It came to rest on your shoulder blade, caressing it as if it were the most delicate part of your body.

You felt a bit guilty about admitting it, but spending your free time with Flint like this was just so much better than doing anything else.

[ E N D ]

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My note to you:
Flint is so criminally underrated — PLEASE LOVE HIM T3T

Btw I didn't really mean to hint that Volkner might have been having feelings for the reader, but I think it kind of turned out that way?? xD

Also, thank the lords for Pokémon Masters xD The following scene was my inspiration for writing this oneshot tbh.^^

Thank You for Reading!