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rain dance - part one;
That they would end up traveling together was just a matter of course. Of course, Leon hadn't seen it that way at the time; when the blond-haired, energetic buffoon slammed into him, knocking them both off course and tumbling off the cliff, he was pretty sure that was the beginning of utter and total loathing.
But...it didn't remain that way.
They were stuck together, because the ravine only really had one way out, and...that was that.
Despite himself, Leon thawed. Stahn was warm and energetic, excitable and fiery, just like his Growlithe; for Leon, it was new and a little exhausting, but also... nice. It was nice, and he enjoyed it, and slowly he began to warm up to them traveling together. It was also, admittedly, so much simpler to take on double battles with the two of them; their elements complemented each other perfectly, Cubone able to take on Growlithe's weaknesses, with the reverse true as well.
(So long as they didn't run into any water trainers, Leon supposed--but so far, they'd been lucky.)
And so when they finally made their way out of the situation, and were able to part ways... Leon...didn't really want to.
And that was enough. Together, they continued onwards on their journey, and for the most part, it went smoothly. Leon found himself opening up a bit more, while Stahn was as cheerful and caring as ever. As far as Leon was concerned, that was the main way Stahn always was--cheerful, happy-go-lucky and smiling.
It wasn't until things finally went a little wrong that he realized that there was even more to him than that.
And honestly... it was such a nondescript start to the day. They had to cross a river, but it wasn't too deep, and there were rocks left there to cross--possibly from previous trainers, as a way of well-wishing those who came after them, as Stahn pointed out. (Leon had scoffed; the idea seemed ridiculous and unnecessarily sappy to him.) Either way, they made their way there, and were about halfway across when...well, the Magikarp showed up.
It seemed unusually...friendly, bumping up against the rocks they were trying to cross, trying to get closer to them and flopping about. Leon ignored it at first, and then in aggravation started to shoo it away.
"What are you doing? Get out of my way!"
"Leon, wait--!" Stahn tried to stop him, but really...there wasn't any time for that; Leon was already embracing the stupid temper in him and kicking at the Magikarp, knocking it out of the way.
The Magikarp hit the water with a splash, and at that it was peaceful. So Leon scoffed, crossing his arms and carrying on, Cubone following along faithfully beside him; Stahn looked worriedly back towards the water, but...well, he supposed that Magikarp was a fish, so it was probably alright.
"Leon... you didn't have to do that," Stahn huffed out quietly, even as he followed; Leon opened his mouth to bite back, when...the ground shook beneath them. His mouth snapped shut, and he turned quickly to look and then the Gyarados was on them, snarling and roaring, and that's when Leon learned--
Stahn was friendly, and cheerful and easy to get along with almost to a fault... but he was also protective, fiercely so, and he was immediately lunging to shove Leon out of the way to take the brunt of the assault.
In the end, it didn't really change anything; the wave caused by the Gyarados' lunge knocked them both from their small path, washing them away. But even so, Leon wouldn't ever forget that even though it was his fault... Stahn had immediately moved to protect him, with no regard for his own well-being.
When they washed up onto shore, everything ached; his lungs hurt, even as he tried to cough up the water he knew was in them, but there was something far more important than that to take care of. Leon coughed, and again, and then rolled to his hands and knees, moving immediately crawl over to Stahn, rolling him over. He stirred a little, coughing, but as he'd taken the brunt of the punishment... Leon grimaced, forcing himself to his feet, and reached down to try to heft as much of Stahn's weight onto him as he could, one arm over his shoulder. It was slow going, especially with Stahn only half-conscious... but Leon kept up a repetitious stream of encouraging words and comments, coughing out, "We're almost there"s and "Keep moving, you are hardly allowed to get hurt here and now, after everything"s until the lights of the Pokemon Center appeared in the distance.
It was so much of a relief that Leon honestly thought he could've cried--but he bit his lip and stumbled onwards, and when the doors opened, he slumped to the ground there, Stahn slumping with him, Cubone and Growlithe limping in after them. Growlithe circled them, sniffing at Stahn and whining with concern, but Leon couldn't even bring himself to comfort him.
Instead, all he knew was that he'd done his part to repay Stahn for the way he'd tried to protect him even after the mess he'd made, and that hopefully now, Stahn would be safe. That would have to be enough, because he didn't have the strength for any more than that.
But...it didn't remain that way.
They were stuck together, because the ravine only really had one way out, and...that was that.
Despite himself, Leon thawed. Stahn was warm and energetic, excitable and fiery, just like his Growlithe; for Leon, it was new and a little exhausting, but also... nice. It was nice, and he enjoyed it, and slowly he began to warm up to them traveling together. It was also, admittedly, so much simpler to take on double battles with the two of them; their elements complemented each other perfectly, Cubone able to take on Growlithe's weaknesses, with the reverse true as well.
(So long as they didn't run into any water trainers, Leon supposed--but so far, they'd been lucky.)
And so when they finally made their way out of the situation, and were able to part ways... Leon...didn't really want to.
And that was enough. Together, they continued onwards on their journey, and for the most part, it went smoothly. Leon found himself opening up a bit more, while Stahn was as cheerful and caring as ever. As far as Leon was concerned, that was the main way Stahn always was--cheerful, happy-go-lucky and smiling.
It wasn't until things finally went a little wrong that he realized that there was even more to him than that.
And honestly... it was such a nondescript start to the day. They had to cross a river, but it wasn't too deep, and there were rocks left there to cross--possibly from previous trainers, as a way of well-wishing those who came after them, as Stahn pointed out. (Leon had scoffed; the idea seemed ridiculous and unnecessarily sappy to him.) Either way, they made their way there, and were about halfway across when...well, the Magikarp showed up.
It seemed unusually...friendly, bumping up against the rocks they were trying to cross, trying to get closer to them and flopping about. Leon ignored it at first, and then in aggravation started to shoo it away.
"What are you doing? Get out of my way!"
"Leon, wait--!" Stahn tried to stop him, but really...there wasn't any time for that; Leon was already embracing the stupid temper in him and kicking at the Magikarp, knocking it out of the way.
The Magikarp hit the water with a splash, and at that it was peaceful. So Leon scoffed, crossing his arms and carrying on, Cubone following along faithfully beside him; Stahn looked worriedly back towards the water, but...well, he supposed that Magikarp was a fish, so it was probably alright.
"Leon... you didn't have to do that," Stahn huffed out quietly, even as he followed; Leon opened his mouth to bite back, when...the ground shook beneath them. His mouth snapped shut, and he turned quickly to look and then the Gyarados was on them, snarling and roaring, and that's when Leon learned--
Stahn was friendly, and cheerful and easy to get along with almost to a fault... but he was also protective, fiercely so, and he was immediately lunging to shove Leon out of the way to take the brunt of the assault.
In the end, it didn't really change anything; the wave caused by the Gyarados' lunge knocked them both from their small path, washing them away. But even so, Leon wouldn't ever forget that even though it was his fault... Stahn had immediately moved to protect him, with no regard for his own well-being.
When they washed up onto shore, everything ached; his lungs hurt, even as he tried to cough up the water he knew was in them, but there was something far more important than that to take care of. Leon coughed, and again, and then rolled to his hands and knees, moving immediately crawl over to Stahn, rolling him over. He stirred a little, coughing, but as he'd taken the brunt of the punishment... Leon grimaced, forcing himself to his feet, and reached down to try to heft as much of Stahn's weight onto him as he could, one arm over his shoulder. It was slow going, especially with Stahn only half-conscious... but Leon kept up a repetitious stream of encouraging words and comments, coughing out, "We're almost there"s and "Keep moving, you are hardly allowed to get hurt here and now, after everything"s until the lights of the Pokemon Center appeared in the distance.
It was so much of a relief that Leon honestly thought he could've cried--but he bit his lip and stumbled onwards, and when the doors opened, he slumped to the ground there, Stahn slumping with him, Cubone and Growlithe limping in after them. Growlithe circled them, sniffing at Stahn and whining with concern, but Leon couldn't even bring himself to comfort him.
Instead, all he knew was that he'd done his part to repay Stahn for the way he'd tried to protect him even after the mess he'd made, and that hopefully now, Stahn would be safe. That would have to be enough, because he didn't have the strength for any more than that.