You're Safe (N x Reader)

You're Safe

You take a deep breath to try to steady yourself as you walk down Unova's Route 8. Rain is pouring but you're so lost in your thoughts that you barely notice how the freezing water blends with your tears as it runs down your face. You left in a hurry, your state of mind not allowing the presence of mind to even consider stopping home to pick up an umbrella or a raincoat. You begin to shiver, still trying to push away the words that seem to seep into every corner of your mind like the rain into your clothes, threatening to overwhelm you. How that stranger knew about your past you have no idea, and you're left even more clueless as to why they saw your paths crossing as an opportunity to bring it up and open up old wounds. Overwhelmed, you'd immediately flown on Braviary to the route just outside Icirrus City to get some peace, forgetting that the harsh weather conditions that the area so often experiences are the reason why this particular route is often so quiet. You want to call out Zoroark, your first ever Pokémon, but you hesitate, worried she'll get too cold in the rain. As you do, however, her Pokéball wriggles on your belt before opening by itself. As Zoroark emerges, she nuzzles your shoulder, her eyes full of worry as she knows how traumatic the experiences of your past were. Unfortunately, not even Zoroark can comfort you right now, and you just about make it to a somewhat dry patch of grass underneath a nearby tree before you end up on the floor as your knees give out underneath you, unable to provide you with the energy to keep walking as the flashbacks threaten to overwhelm you. You pull your knees up to your chest and bury your head in them as the tears start to flow freely down your face. You wish you'd never gone through it, and more than that you wish you could escape the thoughts that haunt you at any slight reminder of what happened. You're so overwhelmed by your emotions that you don't notice Zoroark slip away at the sound of some familiar footsteps.

N looks around as he walks down Route 8, enjoying the peace brought by the pouring rain that's hammering on his umbrella. Usually he would enjoy the cooling comfort of the rain but today he has more than just himself to look after. As he walks, a little Drilbur is taking shelter on his shoulder. He found him earlier in the day, lost in the rain and looking quite overwhelmed as the soaking ground didn't allow him to dig down and escape the downpour. Drilbur had explained to him that he had somehow ended up lost on Route 8 after running away from a Beartic in Twist Mountain, so N had agreed to help him find his way home. Now walking down the route to take the little Drilbur home, the peace is interrupted by the sound of frantic footsteps approaching. N turns around to see where the noise is coming from, only to stop in his tracks at the sight of Zoroark, friend of his human friend Y/N, running towards him with panic flooding her features,

"N, I knew it was you! Please, you have to help me - it's Y/N!" she cries.

"Zoroark, what's happened?" N asks, concern filling his chest as he realises how panicked Zoroark is.

"Someone in Castelia reminded them of their past and now they're under a tree over there and won't move," Zoroark says urgently, "Please, I know they care about you and you about them - you have to help them!"

N's eyes widen in shock at Zoroark's words, and nods before turning his head to speak to Drilbur,

"Drilbur, are you okay if we do this before I take you home? My friend urgently needs help," he says, his voice shaking slightly as he thinks of how much you must be suffering right now; he has his own traumatic past after all, and he knows just how all-consuming reminders of it can be.

"Of course," the little Drilbur squeaks, "It sounds like they're really important to you."

"They are..." N murmurs, before closely following Zoroark as she leads him to you.

You're so overwhelmed you don't even notice anyone sitting down beside you until you jump at the feeling of a warm arm around your shoulders. The surprise is enough to cause you to lift your head up, and Butterfree flood your chest as you look across to meet the aqua blue eyes of your friend and crush, N.