"Getting the fuck outta here!" Gladion responded. Reeling back his good leg, he placed a strong kick at the cardboard wall. Since this maze was so cheaply made, maybe it would fall apart. Maybe he could knock this one wall down and buy them an escape route. Maybe this one wall was connected to the rest and the entire maze would collapse. Maybe he could even outright break the wall. Either way, he hoped this plan worked
Elio blushed at the kiss, smiling goofily. "Mama-Mia! I've been saved!"
Hau saw what he was getting at before he told him to hold on, before he suddenly pulled the wheelchair back and ran straight into the wall; giving Gladion's kick some extra force and helping knock down the wall. Once they had their escape route, Hau took off running, so much for a private moment. "Hey!" Mauve shouted at them as she went to chase after them, only to be help back by the guy, who tried to tell her that it wasn't worth it.
A small hand intertwined with Elio's as Lillie beamed up at him, finding his actions cute.
The momentum created wind gushing past the blonde smelled like freedom. There was quite a thrill to hatching up such a clever plan and executing it with your boyfriend so successfully.
"Aw man, and he made such a pretty litty too" the red headed member, dressed as Harley Quinn, whined.
Elio continued walking with his girlfriend, his mind in a bit of a high while occasionally bit into his apple. Ex crushes or not, right now she was the only one on his mind
Hau kept running from the maze and the group inside until they were a fair distance away, eventually coming to a stop as he tried to catch his breath; leaning over slightly as he rested his forehead on Gladion's shoulder. That was close...
Meanwhile Lillie leaned her head against Elio's shoulder while they walked, still holding his hand.
"Hau, are you alright?" Gladion checked in, stroking the side of his boyfriend's head.
"Yeah... Just... Just out of breath" Hau said in response to Gladion's question.
Gladion frowned, thinking back to what had just transpired. One moment they were kissing and being gay, the next they were being harassed. This wasn't even the first time either. Also wont be the last. There will always be someone waiting around the corner to give them a hard time.
"Hau..." Gladion spoke, not sure if he should even ask such a question
"Hm?" Hau hummed in a questioning manner before he lifted his head, his breathing having finally calmed down.
"Are you.....are you sure you want to keep, um....dating me?" Those words felt dry and awkward leaving his mouth, like they shouldnt even be there.
"Huh?" Was the first thing Hau said, as if he wasn't sure that he had heard Gladion correctly. That was before he shook his head and wrapped his arms around Gladion's shoulders, "Do you think I would still be here if I didn't?" He instead asked him, responding with his own question. Which if you thought about it... Was true, especially with all that they had been through in the brief span of their relationship.
Gladion's mood wasn't entirely lifted. "Yeah but, are you sure?" he repeated before elaborating. "We're gay. People are always going to give us shit for that. I don't want you to get hurt"
It wasn't fair. While his sister could enjoy a perfect fairytale romance with little issue, he was stuck as the subject of political debate. They can't have this in peace. It's just not an option for them. They can't exist like Elio and Lillie; and if Red and Blue's recent incident said anything, it's that a relationship like theirs could be dangerous.
He didn't want to imagine Hau getting hurt; not over him. Gladion didnt really view himself as worthy of that sort of risk.
"Yeah, I'm sure" Hau told him firmly before looking at Gladion's face, his expression now serious.
Yes, it wasn't fair that Elio and Lillie had it easier because of their genders, and that people would always judge them... But Hau wasn't going to give up because of that, even with the risk of getting hurt.
One moment his eyes were downcast, now Gladion found himself looking at Hau more directly. His expression read as surprise, the older being rendered speechless at such devotion. Did Hau truly understand the risks, or was this pure naivety? If the former, then just what made Gladion so worth the pain? Hau was this perfect and amazing human being that lifted moods like it was a professional sport. He was beautiful in every way.
Gladion was just...Gladion.
"Hey..." Hau murmured gently, noting Gladion's disheartened expression before he gave him a reassuring squeeze. He recognized it as the one that Gladion did whenever he was second guessing himself, already able to read him like a book. "Don't give me that sad Lillipup look, trust me, you're worth it" Hau tried to tell him, being honest with his words.
After Mohn dissapeared, Lusamine routinely told her children that they were ugly and unlovable whenever they didn't behave as she liked. During his time with skull, Gladion was outcasted and bullied by the other grunts. He never really fit in with the gang. Even after a year of being Aether's new president, Gladion was frequently being doubted and direspected, employees questioning their leader. Faba always kept reminding Gladion of the things that were wrong with him.
Gladion learned to stop caring about those neighsayers, but he never really bothered to adopt a new perspective.
And now he had Hau, one of the only people who had ever fully accepted him. Someone who thought highly of him, and let him know that. Hau thought of him as smart and kind and beautiful. To Hau, Gladion was more than worthy of love and respect; something that he wasn't entirely used to.
Feeling rather moved, Gladion tightly embraced his boyfriend, burying himself in Hau's shoulder.
Hau gladly returned the hug as he rubbed Gladion's back in a gentle manner, nuzzling him back for a few moments. Sometimes he wished that Gladion could see himself as Hau saw him, then maybe he would see just how great he really was.
Gladion was a lot more than his looks, he was a human being with layers; just like anyone else. There were good and bad things about him, but for Gladion... Hau would always be willing to overlook his flaws, they weren't what defined him, as opposed to what many thought.
He wasn't just some emo kid, the president of an organization, or a former delinquent... He was Gladion, the kid who risked his life to save an unwanted Pokemon, overcame the hardships of being in Team Skull, and so much more.
Yeah, he was Gladion, and that was what was great about him.
And Hau wouldn't want him to be anyone else.
Ooc: just got back from an appointment and fuck I am so moved right now
Ic: after some time, the group finally met up. The sky was getting darker. It was time for trick or treating
OOC: Hope it went well.
IC: They had all agreed to head back towards Iki Town to start the Trick-or-Treating, after all, there were quite a few residential houses.
"Hey, it's your first time treat or treating, right? Do you two want a tutorial or anything?" Elio offered to the siblings
"No, I think we know how" Lillie told him with a small smile, after all they had heard of the tradition before... They just never did it.