Say That You Need Me - Hop x Gloria

Prolouge

5 years ago...

Hop recalled his Cinderace, Gloria's dynamax vaporeon shrinking to normal size. Deep down he always knew this day would come- he told Leon to give her an eevee, after all. That set him up, no matter what starter he chose, for her to have an advantage over him. That said, he still gave the crowd one to remember. He tried his best to keep the tears from his eyes, but he knew he wouldn't be able to for long.

Gloria's Vaporeon, unsteady on her feet, staggered over and rubbed her burn-ridden body along her trainer's legs before returning to her pokeball for some much-needed rest. The trainer was shaking with a wild mix of emotions - sadness, joy, fear, confidence, but under them all was a sense of regret. She looked around, and the crowds were insane - people who had followed their journey from the start were in tears watching the two best friends finally being divided. It was like Leon and Raihan's match a decade before, the only difference being the loser didn't have a backup plan. Leon and Raihan, endorsed by the Hammerlocke gym leader all those years ago, were offered the gym leader position. 

Gloria's eyes fell on Hop, who was just staring at the ground looking lost. Her heart panged, wanting to make him feel better. But she was the one who caused it. Disregarding battle-end protocol, she ran up to him and embraced him in a much needed hug. He leaned into her slightly shorter frame, both of them collapsing on the field. Leon and the other gym leaders watching from the locker rooms were shocked at the outcome, after seeing Hop's team mop the floor with her team after every gym battle. Once they hit the ground, he took the other gym leaders to formally end the semifinals and give the kids privacy.

Hop shuddered as sobs racked his body. "I-I'm sorry Gloria. You s-shouldn't waste your time with a l-loser like me," he whispered, Gloria hugging him tighter.

She pulled away as the gym leaders formed a circle around them, taking Hop's face in her hands to wipe some tears off his face. "Hop I c-couldn't have done this without you," she sniffled, "No matter what happens, we're always going to be there for each other. That's what matters, right?"

He sat up and used her hands to stand up, nodding as he took her hand and started walking towards the locker rooms. "Promise?"

"Promise."