That Summer | Raihan x Piers [Pokémon]

Chapter 10 ❀ Gifts For Forever

"I can't believe we finally beat all of the Gym Leaders. All that's left is the Champion Cup!" Raihan cheered as he and his boyfriend waltzed out of Circhester Stadium, getting greeted by a warm breeze. There was no trace of white in the usually snow-covered town as the summer sun shone brightly upon them.

The two Trainers had at last gathered all eight Gym Badges, some having been harder to earn than others. There was still quite some time left until the final rounds would be held in Wyndon, so the taller male figured they could spend some more time in Circhester and go exploring. This place was quite known for its glamorous shops and hotels, so there was at least one thing Raihan wanted to do before they were to leave.

He had been thinking about it ever since they started dating: Raihan wanted to get Piers something that would always remind the slim boy of him. Sure, the many pictures they had taken all throughout their journey were priceless and would always be memories to hold on to dearly, but Raihan was thinking about something more physical.

When his turquoise eyes landed on a certain shop window while Piers was complimenting him on how good of a job he had done in beating Melony, an ice-type expert, Raihan received a general idea of what his present would roughly be about. "Hey Piers, let's buy something since we're already here."

And so, the two boys stepped into the nearest boutique, getting greeted by a friendly young lady at the counter. She offered to help them, but the caramel-skinned male waved her off, saying they would only be looking around. At first, the two did so together, but at some point split. Piers found interest in the various leather jackets that were put on plastic mannequins while Raihan snuck off to the jewelry section.

He looked at various piercings, bracelets and rings — which he at first wanted to get, but discarded the idea at the thought of them being way too cheesy — until he found something that would fit Piers' style perfectly. He glanced over to the aisle where his lover was still busy, another employee causing him to get nervous as he tried convincing her that he was fine on his own.

Normally Raihan would have acted as the interpreter in such a situation, but the distraction the woman provided was perfect for the aspect of surprise. The raven-haired boy took what had caught his eye and rushed to the cashier, letting her wrap the accessory nicely in a box and put it in a small paper bag.

Pretty much as soon as Raihan was given his change, Piers had managed to escape the lady in the red dress and met up with him again, curiously eyeing the object he had bought. "You got yourself somethin'?" The shyer boy asked, getting caught a tad off guard when he was flashed a bright smile. "I said I would! Did you find something you like?"

"Those leather jackets were kinda nice, but too expensive." The pale boy replied as the two slowly but surely exited the boutique, drawing a laugh from Raihan's lips. "You cheapskate! And here I thought we could spend the night in Hotel Ionia." The light brown-skinned male added, smirking at the shorter boy almost provocatively. "I'm fine with that. I was just sayin' that I wouldn't spend so much money on a jacket, but if it's... that, then I'm in."

And check in at Hotel Ionia they did. Obviously, they acted like two friends or rivals who were taking on the Gym Challenge together without revealing anything about them being in a relationship. They booked a single room with only one double bed because coincidentally, chambers with two beds were all occupied. Neither of the boys minded though — actually, it worked quite in Raihan's favor.

After settling in in their room for the night, the taller male was the first one to take a shower, something he had decided to do with the thought of being able to prepare himself for when he would hand Piers his gift lingering in the back of his mind. Now Raihan sat on the bed, wearing a dark blue tank top and only his boxers while he waited for Piers who was taking a bath.