If I Can't Take Your Pokémon, Can I Have Your Heart Instead?

Twinkle Tackle

"There you go, Lanturn, you did an excellent job today," Childe smiled as he rubs his pokemon's head. Not that it really took an excellent job to fry a pidgey, but encouragement was good for Pokémon. He let out the rest of his team and watched them play around in the big pool. He figured that he could use a swim as well.

He takes off his usual clothes. They were devastatingly impractical and didn't match the vibe of the water type gym very well anyway. He should start getting some new clothes to match the aesthetic. I mean, it was a little awkward with the red scarf and grey jacket when the rest of the staff was dressed in bikinis, but the scarf was a gift from Tonia and the jacket was given to him from Giovanni when he got his promotion.

Oh well, he had to do what he had do to fit in. Off goes the jacket, the scarf, and the harness with his pokeballs until he's left in nothing but swim trunks. He takes a perfect dive in, without a single splash, before doing a few playful flips under the water. He and Misty used to compete to see who could do the most in a row. His vaporeon bumps into him playfully, and he bumps it back, wrapping it into a hug. It takes him to the surface and he burst into laughter while gasping for air before diving back down.

Childe loved the water. He often trained with his Pokémon, swimming laps with them, diving together, doing all sorts of cool water tricks. The Cerulean City sisters often called to borrow some of his Pokémon for their water shows. It was a fast way to make good money. But he loved spending time with his Pokémon, and the best way to make them stronger wad to train with them so he knew what they were going through as well.

Suddenly the whole pool floods with light, signaling that a trainer had arrived. Ever one for dramatics, he signaled to his wailord, and it summoned a giant wave. Childe clambered onto its back, and together they rode to the surface in a giant splash. Childe leapt off his wailord, did a flip in the air, and landed perfectly on his feet, arms in the air.

"Welcome to the Cerulean City Gym!" He greeted cheerily with a smile. He should really do that more often.

His act was returned with quiet applause as he blinked the blurriness of the water from his eyes and realized just who exactly had walked into his gym.

"Professor Zhongli?"

"Hello, Childe," he greeted with a smile.

"Well, Professor, I didn't know you were looking to compete in the Pokémon league," he says with a cheeky grin.

"Ah, I'm not here to battle, Childe. I just wanted to take a look around and see how the new gym leader was doing," he replied, his eyes never leaving Childe. He sure was seeing the new gym leader, all right. A humorous glint came into his eyes. "Maybe I'll battle you another time."

Childe seemed pleased with that answer.

"Alright, Professor, why don't you take a look at my Pokémon? Gyrados, Greninja, Lanturn, Vaporeon, Golduck, come on up!"

His Pokémon surfaced, and Zhongli gave them a small wave. Vaporeon took this as an invitation and bounded right up to him and nuzzled his leg.

"Ack- Vaporeon, cut it out!" Childe cried after his Pokémon, chasing after it. "You're gonna get him all wet! I'm sorry Professor Zhongli, she usually isn't like this. She seems to like you a lot."

Zhongli laughed as he bent down to rub it right between the ears, in just the right spot. Childe's Vaporeon squealed in delight and started jumping around happily. Childe's Golduck seemed to want some attention as well. It walked up to Zhongli and cocked its head at him, giving an expectant quack. Zhongli laughed again and pet his Golduck as well. Childe watched as his gloved hand smoothed over his pokemon's head as it chirped happily, and wondered what it would feel like to have Zhongli touch him as well.

"That's alright, Childe. I'm glad your Pokémon are so friendly. I can tell that you've raised them well."

Pride blooms through Childe before he his curiosities are sated when Zhongli smooths an affectionate hand over his shoulder. Sated is not the best word though, because his skin feels empty after the grounding touch of his hands.

"Let me give you a tour of the gym, Professor!"

He pridefully shows him the floating platforms on the battlefield, the training grounds, and their aquarium. Zhongli makes insightful remarks on how well kept everything is.

"This gym of yours is definitely impressive, Childe. I'm glad your Pokémon get to live in such a nice environment. I can tell how much you care for them."

With that damned little smile on his face at that moment, Pokémon aren't the only thing Childe cares for.

"Now you've got to show me some of your Pokémon, Professor. That would only be fair," he insists.

"Oh?" Zhongli raised an eyebrow, an amused glint in his eyes.

"Yea. After all, you've gotten to see the hidden gems of Cerulean City."

Zhongli's eyes looked Childe up and down.

"...Right, I guess I have. I'll show you sometime."

"That's great!" Childe beamed. Zhongli returned the smile fondly. "How about tomorrow?"

Zhongli seemed a little taken aback by this, he didn't really think Childe was being serious. But he didn't mind, he needed another excuse to spend time with him anyway.

"That would be fine. I look forward to seeing you. Are you meeting me at my lab?"

"Sure, I will as soon as I close up the gym."

"I'll look forward to seeing you then."

He brushes his shoulder with his fingers and smiles at him as he walks away. When he does, Childe is reduced to a squealing mess. He is hit with an abrupt water gun, but he can't stop the goofy smile on his face as he dreams of the Pokémon Zhongli has, and the man himself.