Deception - Gladion x Reader. [UNDER CO.]

Part Of The Family

Reader's POV

After I'd chosen Litten, Hau wasted no time selecting Popplio—and the moment they were face to face, Popplio gave him an enthusiastic bark of approval, sealing their partnership with a joyful leap. Hau beamed like a ray of sunshine, and honestly, so did Popplio.

The sight made everyone around us smile, especially me. I'd known from the moment I saw them together that they'd be a perfect match. They were already best friends in the making. I could only hope things would be the same for Litten and me.

Later that afternoon, before any of us had even taken our new Pokémon home, Hau was already bouncing with excitement—asking if we could battle right away. I'll admit, I considered it. But both Kahuna Hala and Professor Kukui gently advised us to wait. They encouraged us to spend time bonding with our partners first, learning each other's rhythms before diving into something as intense as a Pokémon battle.

Kukui also suggested I head home and introduce Litten to my mom—after all, he was a new member of our family now.

That felt right to me. So after lingering a little longer with everyone in Iki Town—trading stories, laughs, and gentle smiles—I finally decided to head home.

By the time people started saying their goodbyes, the sky had already begun to shift into late afternoon hues. Luckily, everyone who'd gathered lived close by. Even so, I wasn't quite ready to part with the warmth I'd found that day. Hau gave me a quick, friendly hug—spontaneous and full of energy—and to my surprise, even Lillie offered a shy, slightly awkward one. It was sweet. And comforting.

It made something inside me loosen. Like maybe... I really was going to be okay here.

Before I set off, I let Litten out of his Pokéball so he could walk with me. He responded with a happy little trill, racing ahead along the path, tail flicking in the breeze. When we reached the garden path leading up to the house, he leapt gracefully onto my shoulder and stayed there the rest of the way.

At the front door, I gently lifted him down and gave him a quick scratch between the ears before stepping inside.

The scent of dinner and warm lights greeted us as I closed the door behind me—and so did the sound of Meowth pacing excitedly behind my mom in the kitchen. She was holding a box of Pokémon food, pouring it into a bowl while Meowth practically danced in place, waiting.

"Welcome home, Y/N!" she called, turning around. Her eyes immediately fell on the small, flame-colored kitten at my side—and her whole face lit up. "Oh, you got your Pokémon! Who is this little cutie?"

She cupped her cheeks for a second, then bent down in front of Litten, who eyed her curiously before leaning into her touch. She scratched under his chin, and he rewarded her with a soft purr and a gentle lick to the hand.

"This is Litten," I said, smiling. "He's a Fire-type."

She stood and nodded, clearly charmed. "Have you given him a nickname yet?"

"I was waiting for you," I admitted. "But I have been thinking about it..."

I looked down at the little Pokémon by my feet, who now sat contentedly, watching Meowth with mild curiosity. My voice lowered.

"One name really stands out to me."

"Oh?" she asked softly. "And what's that?"

"Well... he reminds me of Dad's old partner. So... I thought I'd name him Shadow."

My mom froze for a moment. Then she looked at me, eyes welling with tears—but her smile didn't fade.

"Honey... that's so sweet." Her voice wavered gently. "I'm sure your dad would be touched that you named your partner after his."

Relief swept through me, and I smiled. Happy tears, not sad ones.

Without hesitation, she pulled me into a hug, holding me tightly for a long, quiet moment. I closed my eyes and let myself lean into it.

When we finally pulled apart, a small mewl from below made us glance down.

Meowth had padded over and was now face to face with Shadow, his gaze cautious but not unkind. They sniffed at each other, tails flicking... and for a second, I tensed—unsure how they'd react.

But then, with a chirp from Shadow and a mrowr from Meowth, they both leapt into playful motion, darting around the living room in happy little circles. My mom and I burst into laughter.

"Well," she chuckled, wiping her eyes, "I bet your new friend is hungry. And if he's not, he will be after Meowth is done teasing him!"

She moved to the cupboard and fetched another clean bowl, filling it with Pokémon food and setting it down beside Meowth's. The two Pokémon hurried over without hesitation, digging in with enthusiasm.

Once they were done eating, we all settled on the couch to relax for the night—Meowth curled up on my mom's lap, and Shadow purring softly on mine.

It was peaceful.

Warm.

And for the first time in a long while—since we lost my dad—it felt like maybe, just maybe, we were becoming a family again.