Perfect Strangers (James X Reader, Pokémon)

A cup of coffee and a talk

Once Kiawe had flown you over to Akala island, a thought struck you. How would you get home again? You didn't really want to take up any more of Kiawes' time, he was meant to be spending the day with your brother.

Oh well. You'd think about that when it came to it. Shrugging your shoulders and humming contently, you started to walk towards the café.

You opened the glass door carefully and stepped inside. You E/C eyes scanned the room for James, before location him at a table in the corner. You smiled at the sight of him. He looked up and caught your eye, so you walked over and embraced him in a warm hug. Then you pulled away and sat at your seat opposite him. "Hi,
Y/N." He said happily. "Hi! How's life?" You took your coat off and draped it over the back of the chair.

"Good, good." You ordered a small hot chocolate and engaged in an interesting conversation about electric-proof cages.

"You know, sometimes I wish you'd stop trying to steal my brother's Pikachu. Run away from the life of crime. It's not a good life, James." You said, a tone of worry in your normally carefree voice. "I can't. This is how I make money. Also, the last person that left Team Rocket was given away by out boss, Giovanni, and chucked in jail." He replied.

A few people looked up from their tables, so you had to lower your voice when you said: "I know someone who'd be willing to hire you. She does good pay and accepts pretty much anyone." He looked vaguely interested at this, but then a frown formed on his face.

"What's wrong?" You asked. "I can't take any jobs here." He shook his head. "She'd definitely accept you." You tried to comfort him. "No, you don't understand. I can't. I'd only be working for a few months."

"You're right, I don't understand. Why only a few months? She wouldn't fire you that quickly." He sighed. Ok, now you were getting worried. "What is it?" You whispered, placing your hand onto his.

"You don't need to worry about it." He said simply. "Well, I will." Just then the waitress came back over and gave you your drinks. "Cheers." You said, giving her a fake smile.

"Y/N, you don't have to worry yourself with it. It's nothing, to be honest. Just... A little tiny dilemma, that's all. It'll be resolved again in a few months, like always." You nodded your head, but couldn't stop thinking about what was wrong.

(◕દ◕)(◕દ◕)(◕દ◕)(◕દ◕)(◕દ◕)(◕દ◕)(◕દ◕)

It was a few hours later that you left the cafe. "I've... Um... Gotta go. Da- I mean... The Professor's waiting for me. I'm meant to be home by lunch and it's currently 12:30." You said apologetically.

"S'ok. See you soon, yeah?" James said, a smile spreading on his face. "Yeah." You said, then kissed him goodbye and started to walk off.

Problem was, you didn't know where you were going. You stopped and looked around. James was out of sight now. There was nothing obvious to help you get home, so you turned tail and began to trace James's footsteps. You followed him into a small forest with a thick canopy.

Small Pokémon rustled the leaves of bushes all around you, and the further in you followed him the scarcer and scarcer proper daylight became. Why was he even going in here? He didn't live here, did he? Mind you, you didn't even know anything about where he lived. He could.

You ducked behind a bush as James stopped a few feet in front of you. He seemed to be waiting. For someone? Your question was a answered by two people - no, one person and one Pokémon - emerging from the undergrowth.

The person was Jessie, as you recognised her. "So...?" She said, drumming her fingers in thin air and waiting for an answer. The Pokémon beside her turned out to be Meowth. "Yeah, James, did ya tell her?" He asked. You still got quite amazed at how be could talk.

"I-um... No..." James replied, staring at the ground. Jessie sighed. "You've got to tell her! We can't just... You know... She has to know! You love this girl, don't you?" James nodded. "It's awfully hard, you know. You should try it."

Jessie scowled. "Look, you've got to tell her somehow. Just send her a letter if you have to." She stopped, seeing tears start to form in the young man's eyes.

"I don't want to tell her! I don't want to leave! This is a beautiful region, full of beautiful people. There's so many amazing Pokémon, the climate's nothing than that of Galar will be, and I've finally found a reason to stay!" James shouted. It took you by suprise, and you jumped a bit in your hiding place.

"I love Y/N! More than I've ever loved anyone else! More than anything! I don't want to leave. I want to stay and live. I want to settle down and have a family." You smiled silently. "I can't keep on jumping around regions like that anymore. Jess, I'm 23. All I want now is someone special, who loves me. And I've finally found her. So I'm not deserting her just because I need to steal Pokémon. It's not a great reason."

As he stopped, so did your smile. Everything seemed to come rushing in. He was leaving?! No... He couldn't leave... He was one of the only reasons you were staying. But if he went... You didn't want to think about it.

Without thinking, you got out of the bush. What the hell. You thought as you made your way over to where the trio was standing. "James..." Jessie whispered, pointing at you.

He turned round and gasped. "How much did you hear?" He asked. "All of it." You said. He was about to reply, but he couldn't. You'd cupped his face in your hands and pulled him into a kiss.

You heard Jessie start quietly screaming in the background. It took him by suprise, but it wasn't long before he started kissing you back. When both of you pulled away, you were in tears.

"You're leaving?" You whispered, straightning his shirt. "I don't know." He answered, causing you to put your head on his shoulder and watch the curious Pokémon emerging from the undergrowth all around you.

"Why do you have to leave?" You asked, your voice wobbling with emotion. "Wh- No, it isn't even that. I just have to. It's the only way I can afford 3 meals a day." You sniffed again, before letting go of him and standing back. "I've really got to go."

Then you turned and ran out of the forest towards Paniola Ranch.