Jirachi's Twin Bonus Stories (btyu and others ♥)

This Feeling

Bede was waiting quietly outside of the local Hammerlocke theater. His mind was buzzing, and with every passing minute he could feel his hands getting clammier and clammier.

I don't get it, he wondered for the millionth time as he absently scrolled through his social media, Why on earth would Gloria of all people, suddenly ask me to go to the movies with her? I just can't figure it out for the life of me.

A day prior, he'd received a text from Gloria asking if he was free next Friday. He told her he was, and she responded promptly, declaring that there was a particular movie she wanted to watch. When he asked her why she was inviting him, she left him on "read". Ever since that day, his curiosity had been eating away at him like acid.

For the next hour, Bede had kept the city corner in his peripheral. He was sure Gloria would come from that direction, and was intent on catching her before she had the chance to sneak up on him. Many blurry figures passed him over the span of the hour he was waiting, until a text suddenly popped up in his notifications.

(Champion) Gloria Verity

Friday, Sept 24 6:22 PM

I'm here

He looked up at the corner. Just as he'd suspected, his eyes landed instantly on Gloria's familiar form. She was wearing a cute pink blouse, and a pair of blue jeans. Around her neck, was a fluffy pink scarf which he'd seen her wear on many occasions, and on her head was a white, knitted beanie.

She looked a little more timid than usual—her feet shuffling rather than striding as she approached him. Her cheeks were also slightly pink, and her hands were stuffed firmly into her front pockets. She looked horribly anxious.

"Hi," Bede greeted casually, returning his phone to his back pocket, "Are you um... prepared, I guess?"

Dang it that was such a clumsy greeting...

"Yes," she nodded, her eyes a bit too wide as she pulled out two tickets. She sheepishly handed one to Bede, her fingers releasing it quickly as if it were poisonous, "U-um let's go ahead and get in before it starts."

She had yet to smile—which was unusual for her. For a moment, he considered she was nervous about their activity together. Perhaps she considered their meet-up as a date?

Bede swallowed hard, cursing himself for even considering that possibility.

"Hey Gloria—" he asked, holding the door open for her, "Why're you so anxious? Is something on your mind?"

She blinked at him, looked quietly off to the side, and chewed her lip.

"No—of course not. I just thought we could—yanno... hang out and stuff," she smiled a tiny bit, "I'm not anxious at all. If anything it's easier to stay calm whenever you're with me. I've just got something else on my mind... that's all."

Bede almost asked, but out of politeness, he held his tongue.

The two friends entered the line side-by-side. As they slowly stepped closer and closer, Bede caught glances with a few strangers. Suddenly it occurred to him that to everyone watching, it looked like they were on a date.

The fairy gym leader with the champion. What a sight to behold...

He coughed.

"W-what movie are we watching?" he piped up suddenly, distracting himself from his own fantasies.

"The new one everyone's raving about. You know... Heart of the Haunt?"

Bede's skin went pale instantly. He knew the title all too well from the countless trailers he'd seen on TV. It was a popular horror film that had come out a few weeks ago, and everyone was talking about it—except for him.