Not My Friends (Pokémon)

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Hau ran up to Gladion with a goofy grin, eyes practically exploding with needless hyperactive fire. (What else was new?)

"How'd it go?" the green-haired boy chirped. "Don't you just love my gramps? He really is the best. Really not your traditional grandpa-type, you know?"

"It went fine, thanks," Gladion said guardedly, though without the sarcasm and annoyance that statement usually would have held coming from him.

"What did Hala say to you?" Selene smirked. "He didn't have a problem with you, did he? I can only imagine, what with you tainting his precious, pure Hau..."

Hau laughed freely while Gladion rolled his eyes. "I'm hardly tainting him. And besides, he didn't have a problem with me."

"What did he say?" Lillie asked, her eyes locking with her brother's. Her gaze was calm and composed, more so than Gladion ever was.

"Not much..." Gladion lied, trying not to cringe at his own petty dishonesty. "He basically was just making sure I would take care of Hau."

Hau perked up. "Will you?"

Selene said, "How are you supposed to take care of him if you can't even handle him? God knows his energy keeps you on your toes all the time."

"I'm quite aware of that," Gladion replied icily, making Selene crack a grin. "And to be honest, I have no idea. He doesn't even need taking care of. He's always peachy. Seriously—he's, like, peachy. I don't think I've ever used that word in my life, but it seems appropriate, and I think I just threw up in my mouth."

Elio's lips curved into a tiny smile. "Hearing you say peachy just cured any and all minor insecurities I have."

Everybody except for Gladion laughed. The blonde himself simply glared, per the usual.

"I'm being completely serious here. Taking care of Hau would be pointless for any purpose other than personal enjoyment. He's happy all the time. What more can anyone do?" Gladion crossed his arms rigidly. "And besides, he's not like me. He doesn't have millions of problems to handle."

Hau put a hand on his hip, his smile faltering. "How do you know that?"

Selene snickered. "Please. We all know you're the most gleeful, secure kid in the universe. I feel as though you'd be the one person here who'd run through a field of flowers and burst into song."

"Maybe," Hau answered, now frowning, "but Gladion and I are more alike than you'd guess."

Gladion almost choked at that.

How could this child possibly think they were alike?

They weren't. They weren't alike at all.

Gladion hated himself and hated the world, and he hated hating himself and hated hating the world. He was that boy, the one who sulked in shadows and sat in abandoned corners and was there but wouldn't say a word. He spent countless hours dwelling over his problems, which gnawed at him with fangs sharper than any Pokémon's. He would look in the mirror and realize that, yes, he was a huge mess, and maybe he could never be fixed, and perhaps he shouldn't even try.

Hau was brimming with confidence and enthusiasm. He loved everyone to some extent no matter how they treated him, and he loved loving people. He would rush to anybody he could find and his words rushed out of his mouth loud and fast. He used his time laughing and smiling and running, running to places he wouldn't even know where, with utmost excitement and joy. He would look in the mirror proudly and tell his reflection that he would keep going no matter what, that he could become the Champion if it was truly what his heart desired.