Company (Pokemon Short)

Family

"Dad. Dad. Dad. Dad. Dad. Dad. Dad. Daaaaaad."

Aaron grumbled in his sleep, pawing at his ears he rolled over. Dwindle sighed her father was annoying to wake. She inhaled deeply, drew back, threw herself forward and yelled in Jolteon's ears.

"Daaaaaaaad!"

Aaron's ear twitched but other than that he didn't move. He must've been sleeping deeply to withstand that, but as Dwindle was about to discover, some things can wake even the deepest of sleepers.

"Dad, I'm going to hang out with my friends, you know, Ally, Ellie and Zach."

Aaron bolted awake. "No boys!" He was breathing heavily and panting hard. He looked around confusedly until he noticed his adopted daughter giving him a concerned look. "Oh, morning, Dwindle." He didn't seem to remember what had just happened...

Aaron lapped water from a small natural drinking pool that had formed in the corner of his den. He stretched his stiff limbs and shook himself out. Yawning he walked from his hollow with Dwindle nipping at his heels. Walking out in the morning sun, Jolteon and Cyndaquil took a moment to appreciate the warmth. Dwindle jumped in front of her father.

"Dad can I go play with my friends?" She was hopping from side to side eagerly. Aaron rolled his eyes. Dwindle had only recently met these other young Pokémon in the forest, but they'd quickly become good friends. He knew two of Dwindle's friends: Ally and Ellie were twin Pichu's He'd known their parents a long time; they were a nice family and good Pokémon.

"Alright, off you go, but be back for lunch."

Dwindle was already running off into the forest's depths. "Okay! Bye, Dad!"

As she ran Aaron wondered if she'd made any new friends he wasn't aware of. "No boys!" Aaron shouted at her retreating figure.

Hearing a chuckle from his right, Aaron whipped his head to the side. A laughing Flareon walked from the bushes. She was very beautiful; her glossy fur was impeccable, and she had stunning hazel eyes. "Aaron, are Pokémon still mistaking you for a female?"

Aaron wasn't pleased by her sudden appearance. He already had Dwindle to deal with, now this? "Really, May, I wish you'd stop. It was only once, and that was years ago."

"Yes, after what you did no one ever mistook you for a female again."

"So you'll stop now?" Aaron asked hopefully.

Flareon seemed to consider for a second but shook her head with a frown. "You know I can't do that. As your big sister it is my privilege to tease you." Aaron groaned. May tilted her head and tried looking at him from a new angle. "It's a shame really, you were such a pretty little Eevee."

Aaron glared at her. May chuckled as she stepped forward and embraced her little brother. "It's good to see you, Aaron."

"Wish I could say the same," he muttered.

May swiped him playfully in the back of the head. "You still living in that old den of yours?"

"What's wrong with my den?!" exclaimed Aaron indignantly.

May laughed. "I've missed you. Seriously though, you think that for a Pokémon who spends all his time sunbathing it wouldn't be too much to ask that he visit his sister once in a while."

"You're here now aren't you?"

"Exactly. I'm visiting you."

"More like intruding."

******

Aaron and May sat by the entrance to his den. Piled before them was a large assortment of berries. Hungry for her lunch, May grabbed a Tamato berry. After roasting it with her fire, she lifted it to her mouth and...

"Not yet." Aaron stopped her.

May's jaws clamped shut on nothing but air. She glared at Aaron, and he threw her berry back to her. After some awkward fumbling, May caught the berry between her paws.

"We're still waiting on someone," said Aaron.

May had not been expecting this. Aaron had always been a bit of a lone-wolf; he was perfectly happy being alone, but now all of a sudden... and he didn't even tell his sister!

"Waiting on someone? Who?" May demanded.

Aaron cast her a bored look. "Your niece."

May fainted. Aaron sighed, pulling his sister onto his back he carried her inside his den and dropped her on the pile of leaves which formed his bed. Aaron rolled his neck as he walked back outside. Over the years his sister had put on a few pounds, but he valued his life, so he would never tell her that.

"Dad!"

Aaron looked up when he heard Dwindle's shouting. The small Pokémon was running excitedly towards him.

"Hey, Dwin, did you have fun?"

"Lots!"

"That's good."

Dwindle pulled a Rawst berry from Aaron's expansive pile. She raised it to her mouth and...

"Not yet," said Aaron.

Dwindle closed her mouth sadly. "Why not?"

"Your aunt May is asleep inside the den. Go wake her up. Then the two of you can come have lunch."

Aaron listened as Dwindle ran inside. He heard some crashes, a few bangs and a bit of excited squealing followed by laughter. After a moment May walked outside. Dwindle was sitting on her head laughing. The two sat down and looked at Aaron expectantly. May's tail was wagging. Dwindle was salivating. Aaron gestured at the pile, and the two of them attacked the food. Aaron slowly picked out some berries and began munching on them.

"Aaron!" May exclaimed through a mouthful of berries. "You didn't tell me I had a niece or that she was so cute!" Dwindle giggled. "Who's her mother?" May asked teasingly.

"Long story short, Dwindle's adopted. I don't know her parents."

May's face dropped. Adopted? Oh. Poor child. Shaking her head and swallowing her berry, Flareon smiled at Cyndaquil. "Dwindle, dear, don't worry. I've known your dad a long time. He's grumpy, acts older than he is, complains about everything and he may never say it, but I can see it in the way he looks at you. Your father loves you."

Dwindle's open mouth turned to Aaron. He blushed. He could feel her closed eyes staring into his very soul as he looked away from her. May laughed.

"Hurry and eat your lunch Dwindle. Afterwards I'll teach you to breathe fire!"

"Yay!"

Aaron was scared stiff. He could see a lot of apologising in his near future.