Instant Family (SWSH Fanfic)

The Wettest Proving Ground

Gloria froze in place, instinctively folding her arms.

Fuck— I should've put on a bra.

She felt the white hot glare of Allister's violet eyes bore through her soul— she shifted uncomfortably as he crossed his arms too.

"Y-you know..." Allister said ominously, "Bea never lets anyone wear her jersey."

Gloria stopped breathing, his last sentence came with no pauses, not stutters, and a whole lot of sass. He took another step toward her.

"A-and I've seen p-plenty of people c-come and g-go from here..." Allister's fist balled up beside him, hovering over a small holster that carried three deactivated pokeballs. "B-boys and girls..." Allister un-flexed his fist, knuckles popping as his fingers touched a specific pokeball.

"'Ave y-you ever h-had a r-recurring nightmare G-Gloria?"

Gloria stood frozen, she gulped loudly. She shook her head.

Allister climbed up on one of the taller seats at the bar of the kitchen, little legs kicking back and forth.

"W-well... if you e-ever hurt Bea..." he said, adjusting the straps of his mask, loosening it slightly.

"I-I'll make sure m-my face and team haunt you—" he lifted his mask off, revealing a young, pale, angry face. "— An' that this face is the one you'll see torturing you every night." His eyes seemed to have a purple flame propelling his gaze directly into Gloria's heart. A poof of black smoke escaped a now-activated dusk ball in the palm of the small boy's hand. Nothing came out. Gloria backed away slowly, looking down and fidgeting with her hands. By the time she looked up, gengar's wild eyes were staring her down, inches away from her shuddering face.

Bea's bright voice suddenly illuminated the room.

"Wow! Great, so nice! Isn't he just hilarious?" Bea had come to Gloria's rescue, grabbing Allister in a tight headlock. His face immediately turned red. "Just so funny. So charming. Hah! Raised him good." She dragged the struggling boy off the stool, ruffling his hair vigorously. "O-ow!! S-sis! O-okay!!" She let him go, giving him a death glare as he readjusted his shirt, walking away from the two girls.

"I uh— grabbed your glasses..." Gloria said dumbfounded, limply handing them over to Bea's general direction. Bea gratefully accepted.

"Hey, you know what? Take a seat, I'll be right back!" Bea feigned cheer as she ran up the stairs, skipping several steps at a time. Gloria flinched back into reality as she heard a door slam from upstairs.

-•-

"I-I'm not s-stupid Bea!" Allister cried, huffing as he sat on his bed.

"Y-your tank top is backwards, you don't have your h-hair b-band, and sh-she's wearing y-your j-jersey!" He crossed his arms indignantly as Bea sheepishly looked down, pulling the front of her tank top out and checking for a tag. She wriggled out of the straps and turned it around unceremoniously.

"Allister. Some things that I choose to do are—" she paused as she fumbled for words, "my business. Grown-up business. Why did you have to go out and scare her like that?? You know how I feel about her..."

Bea huffed.

What am I gonna DO with him?? What a complete 180 twist?? What's gotten into him?

"She's j-just like th-the rest Bea. I-I can see it in h-her eyes. I-I know s-so." He shifted in bed as Bea came to sit down next to him. He breathed deep and closed his eyes hard. "I don't wanna s-see you sad. It's h-hard just you 'n me I-I know... B-but it's... not w-worth you g-getting s-sad again..."