Aishitemasu [愛してます] (A Gladion x Reader Story)

Chapter 3

I might have gotten the time skip mixed up in the last chapter so I went back and changed it. It's three years, not four. Sorry about that...
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       (Y/n) couldn't take it anymore. As soon as she let Gladion go, she couldn't help but cry a little. She'd missed him helping her out with the pokémon at Aether. She missed their occasional visits to the Malasada Shop with Hau where Gladion's reactions were always hilarious. Heck, she just missed seeing Gladion. He was startled by her sudden outburst of tears.

        "Hey, (y/n) don't cry. Please don't. You know I don't know how to handle situations like this," Gladion said. (Y/n) almost laughed at his last statement as she dried her own tears, knowing well that Gladion really didn't know how to handle such situations.

        "Sorry, I guess I missed you a lot more than I thought I did," (y/n) said. There was a temporary silence between them, which happened quite a lot, until Rei began to growl a little. It was so low that (y/n) could hardly hear it and it was directed behind (y/n).

        Gladion's expression changed from concern to completely plain as he looked in the direction that Rei was growling. (Y/n) did the same after petting Rei on the head to get him to stop growling. It was Lusamine making her way to them.

       "Gladion, aren't you going to visit Lillie before you go? She'd be happy to see you," Lusamine said to Gladion once she was close enough to them.

        "I already told you, I'm staying for a bit so of course I'll go see Lillie before I leave. She's my sister after all," Gladion said.

        "Oh, right. I seem to have forgotten that part but I actually came here for (y/n)," Lusamine spoke. She seemed to have no underlying intent this time.

       "Oh, you did? Do you need something?" (y/n) asked. It was her job regardless of Lusamine's intent but knowing she had an honest job to give made things a little better.

        "Yes, actually. I need you to take a look at Gladion's Silvally. Gladion brought him back here because he seems to be sick and I thought you'd be the best person for the job. You are the best when it comes to working with pokémon around here," Lusamine said. (Y/n) hurt feelings from earlier completely went away after Lusamine said that.

       "Sure thing. I'll do that right away. Sorry Gladion. I have to go back to work," (y/n) said as she began to leave but Gladion stopped her.

        "Wait, you work here? Since when?" Gladion inquired with slight surprise. It then occurred to (y/n) that he had no idea that Aether was her technical home now.

        "Uh, ever since a couple of months after you left. I kind of live here now too," (y/n) answered.

        "If you're going to help Silvally then can I come as well? I might be able to help," Gladion said. He didn't seem to phased by what she said. Either that or he hid it well.

       "Sure, I don't see why not. Silvally is your pokémon anyway," (y/n) said with a nod.

        "Well you two take care of Silvally okay," Lusamine said as she left them. She didn't seem to have any problems with (y/n) now.

        "Sure thing. I bet I can cure him in one day!" (y/n) called after Lusamine. The Aether president returned her declaration with a wave of approval.

        "You don't know what's wrong with him though. I've taken him to two different pokémon professors who still couldn't figure it out," Gladion said as they both walked to the elevator. Rei wasn't far behind them.