Perfect Strangers (James X Reader, Pokémon)

The choice

"Y/N! WHY IS TORRACATS' FUR ALL OVER MY BED?!" Emily shouted from upstairs. "Sounds like Emily's up." You mumbled before running upstairs. "What do you mean-" You stopped mid sentence by quite an unusual sight. The window was open, for a start. Emily was under her bed with Popplio, her head poking out. When she saw you looking she disappeared under. Was she trying to hide? "Emily, get out from there." You said, placing your hand on your hip. "Why?" She asked from under the bed. "It's dusty." She sighed and got out. "Y/N, I need a favour." She said, clutching Popplio. You raised an eyebrow, waiting for the rest of the sentence. "Can you tell the Professor that I'm really ill and can't go to school today?" She said, sitting on her bed. "Do you remember what happened last time you tried to do that? He nearly took you to hospital because of that ketchup prank you did after." Torracat slinked round your legs. "This is different." You shook your head. "No, Emily. No." You said and guided her out the room.

"Y/N?" Ash shouted from downstairs. You obediently ran back down to the sound of your little brothers voice.
"Y/N, can you help me write a speech about 'regional variant'?" Help. You thought. "I'm going out, sorry. Why don't you call Sophocles?" You said, grabbing some shoes. "Since when do you go out?" Emily asked, appalled. "Since now." You said. They were driving you crazy and you needed some time to recollect your thoughts. "C'mon Torracat." You called, before opening the door to the windy, rainy outside world and stepping out.

You got to town before you had to duck into Mallows' restaurant to stop yourself from getting hypothermia. "Hello, Y/N." She said, coming over to greet you. "Hi Mallow." You said, staring out the window. Torracat shaked off the rainwater from her fur. "The storm's due to last all day." Mallow informed you. You sighed. "Great."

You stood by the window for about 5 minutes, watching people go in and out of the restaurant, Mallow and her dad serving people and people walking by outside with umbrellas. Who left that parcel? No-one came to mind apart from one person. But no. It couldn't have been. You were just childhood friends. Even if you did...
Like him in that way, there was no evidence that he liked you back. Or if that gift was even meant in a romantic way. Or if it was even him. You kept on repeating this question to yourself, but the outcome was always the same. You watched another couple leave in their coats and another enter. Then a man, his face concealed by his raincoat, shook off his umbrella and came up to you. He took his hood down and you smiled at who was underneath.

"Hi, James." You said. "Morning Y/N! How are you?" He asked, brushing raindrops from his coat. "Alright. You?" He nodded. "Good." You stared out the window again. "What are you doing here?" He asked. You shrugged. "I went for a walk but it got too wet and I don't have an umbrella." He chuckled. "You came out in a storm..." You nodded with embarrassment. "Without an umbrella?" He said. "I don't have an umbrella!" You said, nudging him. "I thought Alola was meant to be some kind of tropical paradise or something?" You joked. "Yeah." He said, watching the rain on the window. "So... You wanna go on a walk?" He asked, turning to look at you. You could see a blush starting to make its way across his face as he spoke. You nodded. "Sure!" You said. Torracat pawed at your ankle. "Meow." She said sadly, before looking outside. "Ok, fine. Torracat, return." You said. She gave a triumphant look as she was sucked back into the ball.

"Was it just a coincidence that you came into the same restaurant at the same time I was there?" You asked. You had been walking for 5 minutes and we're now strolling along the beachfront. "I guess." He said, shrugging. You chuckled. Some coincidence. "So, what kind of 'work' are you doing here anyway?" You asked, turning to look at him. He stopped walking, so you did too. "Um..." He looked at the ground. "Hey, sorry. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." You said. Apparently it was a sensitive subject. "No, you need to know." He said. What did he mean? "Listen, Y/N. What you're about to hear may upset you." You stared into his beautiful green eyes, waiting for an answer, preparing for the worst. He took a deep breath. "How do I say this?" He said, breaking eye contact and staring at the floor again. "I'm in Team Rocket."

You gasped. How could you be so oblivious?! The big R on his T-Shirt, the 'friendly' battles that obviously meant so much more... And your friends. How could they lie to you in such a way? 'It's just a friendly battle, they do this all the time with a stupid bet, like, I'll steal your Pokémon. They never have for more than a day, don't worry. They're only joking.' That's what Ash said. And how could you not take in their confused expressions after this remark, and then shrugs? "I..." You said. James was waiting patiently for your reaction, but you were too busy wallowing in anger at your friends to think. "What?" You said. James looked at you guiltily. "I... I don't know what to say." You said. "Sorry, Y/N. I should have told you sooner. I know I should. But... I wasn't sure what you'd do." He said. "I don't either. I don't know what to do. Everyone's been lying to me, and..." You said, tearing up a bit. "I'm sorry." James said. "My friends never told me anything about those battles. Not a thing. For all I knew they were 'friendly'." You said, tears now running down your face at the thought of total and utter abandonment. "Hey, it's ok." James said, pulling you into a hug. "B-but... It's not! Friends a-aren't meant to lie to you!" You said, sobbing into his chest. "You're right, that isn't any good, but remember, I'll always be here for you. You don't have to go through this alone." He said, stroking your hair. You nodded, although you didn't know if he saw it. "Mm." You said, trying to stop yourself from getting his shirt wetter than it already was. "But... There's just one thing." You said, pulling away and wiping away your tears. "You lied to me too." You said. "Y/N, I had to." You raised an eyebrow whilst brushing away tears. "No, you didn't. You could have told me, just like everyone else, but you didn't. You kept the biggest secret ever cooped up. And that's upsetting. That's just downright upsetting." You ranted. He looked hurt, but right now you just didn't care. "I've got to go. I should have been back a while ago." You turned to walk away, but decided to do one more thing to make your point. "Oh, and you can have this back." You said, taking off your necklace and putting it in his hands. "How did you-" "It was obvious. You're the only person that would use purple wrapping paper." You said, before walking away for good.